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Minnetonka honors Mayor Brad Wiersom at retirement recognition
Summary
Minnetonka City Council and regional leaders held a formal recognition Nov. 24 honoring Mayor Brad Wiersom’s more than two decades of public service, citing trail and public-safety initiatives, regional partnerships and mentorship of local leaders.
The Minnetonka City Council formally recognized Mayor Brad Wiersom on Nov. 24 in a ceremony that drew state and regional officials and highlights of his 23 years of local service.
Ward 2 Councilmember and mayor-elect Rebecca Schack read a staff report that traced Wiersom’s local tenure from a 2002 council appointment to multiple subsequent elections and cited initiatives the report credits to his leadership — including creation of the city’s DEI and sustainability commissions, franchise-fee funding for trail expansion and public-safety investments such as a new public safety facility and a “drones as first responder” program. The staff report also listed park investments and trail projects attributed to Wiersom’s tenure.
State Sen. Anne Johnson Stewart, Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson and League of Minnesota Cities Executive Director Luke Fisher, among others, offered gratitude and described Wiersom’s regional and statewide collaboration. Fisher said the mayor’s service extended to statewide municipal leadership during the pandemic and praised his mentorship of other local officials. Edelson highlighted a case in which the mayor helped a student secure housing, presenting a plaque inscribed, in part, “what you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone, but what is woven into the lives of others.”
Wiersom, in remarks to the council and public, thanked staff, council colleagues and his family, reflected on the city’s accomplishments and reiterated his emphasis on public safety and effective staff work. He announced a public open house scheduled for Dec. 16 and said he was grateful for the opportunity to serve.
The recognition included brief remarks from visiting mayors and legislators who credited Wiersom with helping secure regional improvements, such as work on Highway 7 and trail connections. Councilmembers delivered personal tributes describing Wiersom as a mentor who fostered a collaborative council culture.
No formal policy action resulted from the recognition; the ceremony concluded before the council resumed its regular agenda.
