Councilmember history

When the Bloomington City Council first convened in 1953, councilmembers were elected "at large." Each councilmember was elected to represent the entire city's residents and interests. At that time, the Council had 5 members including the Mayor, who was (and still is) an at-large Councilmember.

The City Charter, adopted in 1960, called for an increase in the number of councilmembers from 5 to 7. A 7-member council was first seated in 1962.

In 1976, 4 of the 6 at-large positions were assigned to represent specific quadrants of the city (District I to the SE, District II to the SW, District III to the NW, and District IV to the NE). The remaining 2 positions continued to represent the interests of the city at large. In 1976 and 1977, during the transition to this new configuration, the council had 8 members (1 Mayor, 4 district councilmembers, and 3 at-large councilmembers). The third at-large position was eliminated in 1978, and the resulting structure has remained unchanged.

Councilmember history

Changes in personnel are noted in bold type.

1953

• Mayor: Herman Kossow
• At-Large: A.E. (Gus) Welter
• At-Large: Dana E. McCutchan
• At-Large: A.E. (Fred) Gerard
• At-Large: Arnold J. Friendshuh

Bloomington became a village on May 11, 1953.

1954

• Mayor: Herman Kossow
• At-Large: Clinton Mann
• At-Large: Dana E. McCutchan
• At-Large: A.E. (Fred) Gerard
• At-Large: Arnold J. Friendshuh

1955

• Mayor: Herman Kossow
• At-Large: Clinton Mann
• At-Large: Dana E. McCutchan
• At-Large: Warren Abrahamson
• At-Large: Arnold J. Friendshuh

1956

• Mayor: Gordon Miklethun
• At-Large: Clinton Mann
• At-Large: Dana E. McCutchan / Herman Kossow
• At-Large: Warren Abrahamson
• At-Large: Arnold J. Friendshuh

McCutchan resigned May 1956. Herman Kossow appointed May 7, 1956.

1957

• Mayor: Gordon Miklethun
• At-Large: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Roger A. Hamre
• At-Large: Warren Abrahamson
• At-Large: Arnold J. Friendshuh

1958

• Mayor: Gordon Miklethun
• At-Large: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Roger A. Hamre
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: Arnold J. Friendshuh

1959

• Mayor: Gordon Miklethun
• At-Large: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Roger A. Hamre
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: Peter Donaghue / Gwendolyn Maistrovich

Donaghue resigned May 2, 1959. Maistrovich appointed June 5, 1959.

1960

• Mayor: Gordon Miklethun
• At-Large: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Irving L. Adams
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: Gwendolyn Maistrovich

Bloomington adopted City Charter November 8, 1960.

1961

• Mayor: Gordon Miklethun
• At-Large: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Irving L. Adams
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: Gwendolyn Maistrovich

1962

• Mayor: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: Irving L. Adams
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: Donald R. Hasselberg
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

Malone appointed January 2, 1962. 1962 was the first year with 7 councilmembers, an increase mandated in the City Charter (approved November 8, 1960).

1963

• Mayor: Herbert Knudsen
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: Irving L. Adams
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: Donald R. Hasselberg
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1964

• Mayor: Donald Hasselberg
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: Irving L. Adams
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: William L. Crain, Jr.
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1965

• Mayor: Donald Hasselberg
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: Irving L. Adams
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: William L. Crain, Jr.
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1966

• Mayor: Donald Hasselberg
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: William L. Crain, Jr.
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1967

• Mayor: Donald Hasselberg
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: William L. Crain, Jr.
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1968

• Mayor: John Thomasberg
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1969

• Mayor: John Thomasberg
• At-Large: Harold J. Nelson
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1970

• Mayor: James King
• At-Large: Ray Pleasant
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1971

• Mayor: James King
• At-Large: Ray Pleasant
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Robert L. Hoffman / Clyde E. Allen
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: Wilfred C. Viitala
• At-Large: John E. Malone

Hoffman resigned April 5, 1971. Allen appointed April 19, 1971.

1972

• Mayor: James King
• At-Large: Ray Pleasant
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Clyde E. Allen
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: James H. Anderson
• At-Large: John E. Malone

Pleasant resigned November 15, 1972.

1973

• Mayor: James King
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Clyde E. Allen
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: James H. Anderson
• At-Large: John E. Malone

Darr appointed January 2, 1973.

1974

• Mayor: Robert Benedict
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Clyde E. Allen
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: James H. Anderson
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1975

• Mayor: Robert Benedict
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: Clyde E. Allen
• At-Large: James E. O'Neil
• At-Large: James H. Anderson
• At-Large: John E. Malone

1976

• Mayor: Robert Benedict
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: John E. Malone
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies (New position created: District 1)
• District 2: James E. O'Neil (New position created: District 2)
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst (New position created: District 3)
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon (New position created: District 4)

There were 8 councilmembers (including the Mayor) in 1976 – 1977, during the transition from all at-large positions to a mix of district and at-large positions.

1977

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: William V. Belanger, Jr.
• At-Large: John E. Malone
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: James E. O'Neil
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

There were 8 councilmembers (including the Mayor) in 1976 – 1977, during the transition from all at-large positions to a mix of district and at-large positions. Mayor Benedict resigned January 3, 1977. Lindau appointed January 10, 1977.

1978

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Roger Blessum
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1979

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Roger Blessum
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1980

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Roger Blessum
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1981

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Robert W. Darr
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Roger Blessum
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1982

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1983

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1984

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1985

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1986

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1987

• Mayor: James Lindau
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1988

• Mayor: Kurt Laughinghouse
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1989

• Mayor: Kurt Laughinghouse
• At-Large: Roger Blessum
• At-Large: Neil W. Peterson
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

1990

• Mayor: Neil Peterson
• At-Large: Carol Johnson
• At-Large: Coral Houle
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

Houle appointed January 8, 1990.

1991

• Mayor: Neil Peterson
• At-Large: Carol Johnson
• At-Large: Coral Houle
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Adrian E. Herbst
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon'

1992

• Mayor: Neil Peterson
• At-Large: Carol Johnson
• At-Large: Coral Houle
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Jim Andrews
• District 4: Mark P. Mahon

Mahon resigned December 31, 1992.

1993

• Mayor: Neil Peterson
• At-Large: Carol Johnson
• At-Large: Coral Houle
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Charles S. Schuler
• District 3: Jim Andrews
• District 4: Lee Krueger / Vern Wilcox

Krueger appointed March 29, 1993. Wilcox elected September 14, 1993.

1994

• Mayor: Neil Peterson
• At-Large: Joyce Henry
• At-Large: Coral Houle
• District 1: Ann Lenczewski
• District 2: Peggy Ramthun
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

1995

• Mayor: Coral Houle
• At-Large: Joyce Henry
• At-Large: Gene Winstead
• District 1: Ann Lenczewski
• District 2: Peggy Ramthun
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

Mayor Peterson resigned January 3, 1995. Houle appointed Mayor January 3, 1995 (surrendering her At-Large position). Winstead appointed to the At-Large position February 21, 1995.

1996

• Mayor: Coral Houle
• At-Large: Joyce Henry
• At-Large: Gene Winstead
• District 1: Ann Lenczewski
• District 2: Peggy Ramthun
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

1997

• Mayor: Coral Houle
• At-Large: Joyce Henry
• At-Large: Gene Winstead
• District 1: Ann Lenczewski
• District 2: Peggy Ramthun
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

1998

• Mayor: Coral Houle
• At-Large: Steve Bianchi
• At-Large: Gene Winstead
• District 1: Ann Lenczewski
• District 2: Peggy Ramthun
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

1999

• Mayor: Coral Houle
• At-Large: Steve Bianchi
• At-Large: Gene Winstead
• District 1: Thomas P. Spies
• District 2: Peggy Ramthun
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

Lenczewski resigned January 3, 1999. Spies appointed February 1, 1999.

2000

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Steve Bianchi / David Abrams
• At-Large: Mike Fossum
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Heather Harden
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

Bianchi resigned August 14, 2000. Abrams appointed September 25, 2000.

2001

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: David Abrams
• At-Large: Mike Fossum
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Heather Harden
• District 3: Alisa Heintzman Ornat
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2002

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: David Abrams
• At-Large: Mike Fossum
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Heather Harden
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2003

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: David Abrams
• At-Large: Mike Fossum
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Heather Harden
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2004

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: David Abrams
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Heather Harden
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2005

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: David Abrams
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Heather Harden
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2006

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Rod Axtell
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2007

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Rod Axtell
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2008

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Rod Axtell
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2009

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Rod Axtell
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2010

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Thomas Hulting
• District 3: Steve Elkins
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2011

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Amy Darr Grady
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Thomas Hulting
• District 3: Steve Elkins / Tim Busse
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

Elkins resigned March 7, 2011. Tim Busse appointed April 18, 2011.

2012

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Tim Busse
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Thomas Hulting
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

Busse ran for and was elected to the at-large seat, creating an opening in the District 3 seat.

2013

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Karen Nordstrom
• At-Large: Tim Busse
• District 1: Steve Peterson
• District 2: Thomas Hulting
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Vern Wilcox

2014

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Cynthia Bemis Abrams
• At-Large: Tim Busse
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Andrew Carlson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Jon Oleson

2015

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Cynthia Bemis Abrams
• At-Large: Tim Busse
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Andrew Carlson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Jon Oleson

2016

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Cynthia Bemis Abrams / Kim Vlaisavljevich
• At-Large: Tim Busse 
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Andrew Carlson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Jon Oleson

Abrams resigned June 6, 2016. Vlaisavljevich appointed in July. Carlson resigned December 31, 2016.

2017

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Kim Vlaisavljevich
• At-Large: Tim Busse 
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Eldon Spencer / Shawn Nelson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Jon Oleson

Spencer appointed February 16, 2017. Nelson elected November 7, 2017, and sworn in November 20.

2018

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Nathan Coulter
• At-Large: Tim Busse 
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Shawn Nelson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Patrick Martin

2019

• Mayor: Gene Winstead
• At-Large: Nathan Coulter
• At-Large: Tim Busse 
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Shawn Nelson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Patrick Martin

2020

• Mayor: Tim Busse
• At-Large: Nathan Coulter
• At-Large: Jenna Carter
• District 1: Dwayne Lowman
• District 2: Shawn Nelson
• District 3: Jack Baloga
• District 4: Patrick Martin

Busse ran for and was elected as Mayor, creating an opening in the At-Large seat. Jenna Carter was elected November 5, 2019, and was sworn in on January 2, 2020.