Shaffer Won't Run Again For City Council

Today is the last day candidates can . Longtime City Councilman Bob Shaffer says his name will not be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

"I decided not to run for many reasons, but one of my beliefs is that each citizen should be responsible for the city; meaning that each of us has the responsibility to the city in a way that works for them," Shaffer said recently. "I felt eight years on the council is a good amount of time."

He has served on city groups or boards for about 20 years. He started on a task force in 1991, moved to the Board of Zoning Appeals for 5.5 years and then sat on the city's Planning Commission before joining the council. He was elected to the City Council in 2003.

In his time on the council, Shaffer said he is most proud of:

Successfully campaigning to "plan ahead" on development projects, such as the I-394 and Douglas Drive corridors.

Passing the ordinance that prohibits smoking in restaurants and bars.

"In my (almost) eight years we have practically rewritten every ordinance, we have codified previously vague city policies, we have instituted more sustainable practices, we managed to finally get the Luce Line Trail through the city, we have helped to guide efforts to connect citizens to each other for volunteer activities like the lilac planting and we have rebuilt miles of residential roads," he said.

His greatest challenge along the way, he said, has been the fact that he is not a politician and has never voted with re-election in mind.

"I have added my creative ideas and problem solving to the council for eight years and now it is time for someone with a different approach to add something to our city," he said.

He doesn't plan to run for another office.

Shaffer's fellow Councilman Mike Freiberg has filed for re-election. Blair Tremere and Kristen Turbenson also filed to sit on the council.

Shaffer and his wife, Mary, originally are from the Chicago area. He owns The Foundation Architects. Mary also is an architect and "works for Target as a project manager for unique stores and other corporate buildings," he said.

Their son, Aaron, is a meteorologist at WeatherNation in Excelsior.

They have lived in Golden Valley since 1989, and they don't plan to move.

"Golden Valley is a great community. The city employees really care about the city," Shaffer added. "We plan to stay here a long time."