# St. Cloud *City on the Mississippi River in central Minnesota; county seat of Stearns County.* St. Cloud is a city in central [[Minnesota]] built on both banks of the Mississippi River. It is the seat of [[Stearns County, Minnesota]], though parts of the city lie in Benton and Sherburne counties. Its 2020 census count of 68,881 ranked it twelfth in population among the state's cities.[^1] It lies about 65 miles northwest of [[Minneapolis]] and [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]] on Interstate 94.[^1] Dave Kleis, a former member of the [[Minnesota Senate]], was mayor for twenty years. His tenure ended on January 13, 2025, and he ran unopposed in 2008, 2012 and 2016.[^2][^3] The Star Tribune editorial board credited him with 987 town halls.[^4] On May 6, 2024, the city council voted 4–3 to direct the city administrator to produce monthly written department updates. The mayor opposed the request and gave this reason: "I don't believe in giving information that the public doesn't know."[^5] Federal and state bodies have recorded findings about institutions in the city: - The U.S. Department of Education's [[Office for Civil Rights]] found that Somali students at two St. Cloud high schools "were subjected to negative comments and physical intimidation, based on their race and national origin." A resolution agreement was executed on October 31, 2011, without admission of a violation.[^6][^7] - The [[Minnesota Department of Human Rights]] found in 2022 that a St. Cloud printing company permitted a racially hostile work environment.[^8] - Federal courts upheld a [[Title IX]] participation violation at St. Cloud State University.[^9][^10] - In 2026 the president and CEO of a St. Cloud autism center pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud.[^11][^12] A direct text search of the House Oversight Committee's March 4, 2026 report on Minnesota fraud returns no occurrence of the city's name.[^13] ## Who The Legislative Reference Library's record for David Kleis lists: - service in Senate District 16 from 1995 to 2002 and District 15 from 2003 to 2005; - the post of Assistant Minority Leader in the 82nd and 83rd Legislatures; - 3,969 legislative days; - a B.A. from St. Cloud State University; - U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve service.[^14] The Star Tribune described him as the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.[^2] Jake Anderson has been mayor since 2025.[^1][^15] The city is the second-largest in Minnesota's 6th congressional district, represented by Republican [[Tom Emmer]]. It forms most of Minnesota Senate District 14, represented by [[Aric Putnam]]. House District 14A is represented by [[Bernie Perryman]] and District 14B by [[Dan Wolgamott]].[^1] Putnam ran in 2020 as the DFL challenger to state Sen. Jerry Relph.[^16] The sources in this record do not state party affiliation for Kleis, Perryman or Wolgamott. Council members who appear in the record in official capacity are: - Council President Mike Conway;[^17] - Council Member John Libert;[^18] - Council Member George Hontos.[^19] ## What **Town halls and the 2024 reporting dispute.** The Star Tribune editorial board credited Kleis with 987 town halls and monthly "dinners with strangers." It also credited him with helping the city avoid civil unrest after the 2016 Crossroads Center attack.[^4] He held a 24-hour town hall at City Hall beginning at 12:01 a.m. on February 24, 2024; about 85 people attended.[^20][^21] In May 2024 the council's 4–3 request for monthly written department updates drew the objection quoted above. Kleis argued that the necessary information was already public through the city website and quarterly reports. Nearly two months of non-compliance followed before the dispute became public.[^5] **The city's role.** In a July 12, 2022 dispute over homelessness, Kleis said the role of a city "is primarily public safety and infrastructure." Council Member Hontos asked whether the city should "get our hands dirty."[^19] Responding to a New York Times portrayal of an immigrant backlash in the city, Kleis said: "It's not what I see on a regular basis, and it's not reflective."[^22] **The 2026 levy.** On December 2, 2025, the council approved a 2026 budget with a 4.49 percent levy increase. KNSI reported it as the first property-tax increase in two decades.[^17] Conway said the city had "inherited a leaky roof in some areas." He attributed this to years of limiting spending increases to match rising property values, which left a cumulative $3.2 million deficit.[^17] The budget was adopted eleven months after Kleis's tenure ended on January 13, 2025.[^3][^17] **Refugee resettlement resolutions.** In 2017 a council member proposed a moratorium on refugee resettlement.[^23] Kleis said publicly that the proposal would likely violate the Equal