Montaño drops out of race for Ward 5
Published 9:15 am Friday, October 10, 2008
Albert Lean David Montaño told the Tribune Wednesday he will no longer be running for the Albert Lea City Council Ward 5 seat this November.
Montaño said he made the decision because of personal issues in his life, but did not want to elaborate on those issues.
At this point he does not have plans to run in the future, he said.
This leaves Fountain Lake Sportsmen’s Club President Larry Anderson for the 5th Ward seat.
Anderson said he was surprised to hear the news.
“Regardless of which one of us would have been elected, I think the city would have been well represented,” he said. “Dave’s got some excellent ideas.”
In May, Montaño announced he was seeking the seat, which is being vacated by Councilor John Severtson. Severtson is seeking election to the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners. He sat on the City Council from 1985 to 1989 and now is in the fourth year of another term on the council.
At the time of his announcement, Montaño said he had never thought about getting involved in politics until some of his friends encouraged him to run.
“I just want to be a voice for the citizens of Albert Lea,” he said at the time. “And in particular for my ward.”
His two main goals were to first, try to bring in more businesses to the city to help provide jobs and second, to work to be a representative of the people.
Montaño and his family moved to Albert Lea from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, six years ago when he was worked as the general manager of Perkins. He worked in that position for 3 1/2 years, and now he’s immersed in real estate.
He was one of several landlords who were vocal in the debate over a new rental housing ordinance.