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Keith Richel wins second term as Silt mayor; lodging tax increase passes

Unofficial election results Tuesday night show Keith Richel winning and retaining his seat as Silt mayor.

“I’m just looking to serve in Silt for another four years as mayor,” Richel said Tuesday. “I’m happy to work with other people that win the trustees’ seats and keep moving Silt in a positive direction.”

Having won 261 votes, Richel is now headed into his second four-year term as mayor. Richel originally served his first term after winning a close race in 2018 and replacing former Silt Mayor Rick Aluise.



Richel said he wants to bolster “some smart sustainable growth” in Silt.

“That will just help give us money in our beautification fund to help with downtown beautification projects,” he said.



Tuesday also saw a ballot measure to increase Silt’s lodging tax from 2.5% to 5% for people who lodge in town for less than 30 days pass 189 votes to 154, according to unofficial results.

Meanwhile, this year saw six spots, including Richel’s, up for election on the Silt Board of Trustees. Two-year term incumbent Andreia Poston opted not to seek re-election.

This means the six Silt Town Board candidates who ran this election cycle were unopposed.

However, the two candidates with the least amount of votes win two-year terms as opposed to full, four-year terms.

Winning four-year terms were Jerry Seifert and Chris Classen. Seifert nabbed 194 votes to Classen’s 192.

Seifert served his first four-year term on the Silt board between 2018-2022, while Classen won his first two-year term.

“I’d like to thank the voters who entrusted me to another term, and I plan to keep moving Silt forward in a positive and growing manner,” Seifert said.

Seifert said he also looks forward to trying to build a pedestrian bridge in town, fixing town structures like the gazebo at Veterans Park and playground equipment, as well potentially building a roundabout at the town’s south side.

“I’ll represent the people who voted for me to continue to make Silt a proud place to live in with my decision making,” he said.

Winning two-year terms were Samuel Flores and Derek Hanrahan. Flores nabbed 178 votes to Hanrahan’s 131.

Flores and Hanrahan each served two-year terms between 2020-2022.

Flores said he’s proud to serve his community again for two more years and looks forward to working on the services the town needs.

“I’d like to create an open-space policy trying to keep some land open for our communities and parks,” he said.

Hanrahan said the passage of the town’s lodging tax increase puts the town on a pathway to help support beautification and tourism.

“There’s no impact to the town’s residents, and it’s equitable,” he said.

For his upcoming two-year term, Hanrahan said he has two main focuses: economic development and municipal broadband.

He said he wants to strike a balance between businesses and the town’s residents, while finding ways to bolster local internet service.

“A good sustainable economic development, technology is not an option — it’s a must,” Hanrahan said.

SILT TOWN BOARD

Mayor

Keith Richel: 261

Trustees

Jerry Seifert: 194

Chris Classen: 192

Samuel Flores: 178

Derek Hanrahan: 131

Lodging Tax

Yes: 189

No: 154

Reporter Ray K. Erku can be reached at 612-423-5273 or rerku@postindependent.com.


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