For this week's Chaska Herald, I wrote an editorial giving some of my ideal traits for Chaska's next mayor. Feel free to post your own job description for Chaska's next leader.

Full-time: Public Service

Residents of the city of Chaska, a venerable city with over 150 years of effective governance, are now seeking applicants for the position of mayor.

The more-than-full-time position pays a pittance of $8,208 a year, but if you’re in it for the money, you’re not smart enough to be mayor.

The job will last less than a year, through Dec. 31. Applicants must be willing to work non-stop and get used to late-night phone calls and angry knocks on the door. Job environment ranges from heavenly to hellish.

Applicants must be able to deal with bric-a-brac from voters, flack from newspapers and glad-handing from developers. Applicants must be able to successfully synthesize lots of information, and block some out, to make a decision that’s best for the entire town.

Good candidates have the stomach to eat countless plates of turkey dinners. Candidates must be 21 – old enough to purchase a beer at the Legion or at the Lions booth and nurse it for several hours while meeting with constituents. (A mayor with a beer – OK; a mayor with a buzz – not OK.)

Candidates must have the strength to serve up spaghetti at various benefits and be self-effacing when necessary. Applicants must be able to lift the weight of Chaska upon their shoulders, or at least pretend to.

The position is a leadership role with a relatively new city council. Candidates must be a team player, promoting the councilors’ various strengths.

Applicants should be forward-looking, but not forward-looking to the point where it costs lots of taxpayer money.

The position requires frequent use of the phrases “community” and “best small town in Minnesota” and “Money Magazine.” Candidates also need to constantly chat up Chaska to captains of industry to promote a good industrial base.

Applicants should be the city’s biggest booster, because Chaska is frequently under attack by “suburban malaise” – the creeping sensibility that there are no local cities, only “Eastern Carver County.” Job candidates should be willing and able to work with other cities to promote common interests, but also understand that Chaska is its own entity.

Applicants must have a good sense of local history, and the ability to lead the city as it approaches its sweet 160th birthday. Historic downtown Chaska’s vitality should be a priority for candidates.

Applicants must also understand that Chaska has always been, and should always be, a city of all incomes and ages and heritage.

Candidates go through a screening process, otherwise known as the voters of Chaska. They should have knuckles with good calluses for knocking on doors, because they’ll need to do it again in a few months.

The election is Jan 19. The filing fee is $5. Filing opened yesterday and closes Nov. 25.

Pick up an affidavit of candidacy at Chaska City Hall. If you don’t know where that is, you shouldn’t be running.