I am very pleased to write this letter in support of the candidacy of Al Austreim for Brookings City Council representative.

Al is a graduate of South Dakota State University. He and his wife of 23 years have two children who have gone through the Brookings school system. For over 30 years he has owned and operated his own business in Brookings and volunteered with youth activities for over 15 years.

Al’s values are based on being born and raised in South Dakota and at a young age working in the family business. He learned at an early age that hard work and a passion for learning were the keys to success and that overcoming a challenge requires people working together. What better foundation can a candidate have as a representative of the citizens of Brookings on the City Council.

Brookings is growing and will continue to grow. Along with growth comes growing pains. These growing pains will need to be addressed with long-term planning, economic development, and responsible investment of taxpayer dollars. Al has a strong commitment to all these areas. He will deliver tangible solutions through well thought out city policy. And maybe most importantly of all, he will bring the perspective of a business owner to the Brookings City Council. And above all, he will listen with integrity to the voices of the citizens he represents.

With every election, the City of Brookings has the opportunity to move the city into the future with a more progressive approach rather than the status quo. And in a conversation with me, he told me he “had driven every road and alley in town.” What a great perspective he has! Please practice your right to vote on April 9 and I encourage you to cast your vote for Al Austreim for City Council.