List of mayors of Bloomington, Minnesota facts for kids

Bloomington, Minnesota, is a city that has had many leaders. The most important leader in a city is often called the mayor. The mayor helps guide the city and makes important decisions with the city council.

In Bloomington, the mayor is also a member of the city council. This means they are part of the group that makes rules for the whole city. They are elected by all the voters in the city, not just from one neighborhood.

For many years, a mayor in Bloomington served for two years. But in 1995, people voted to change this. Now, mayors serve for four years. This gives them more time to work on projects and plans for the city.

Mayors of Bloomington, Minnesota

Here is a list of the people who have served as mayor of Bloomington:

• Herman Kossow (1953–1955): He was the first mayor of Bloomington. He served for one term.
• Gordon Miklethun (1956–1961): He served for three terms.
• Herbert A. Knudsen (1962–1963): He served for one term.
• Donald R. Hasselberg (1964–1967): He served for two terms.
• John A. Thomasberg (1968–1969): He served for one term.
• James M. King (1970–1973): He served for two terms.
• Robert M. Benedict (1974–1977): He served for two terms. He left office early in January 1977 to become a state senator for Minnesota.
• James H. Lindau (1977–1987): He was chosen to be mayor in January 1977 after Robert Benedict left. He was then elected by the people in November 1977. He served for six terms in total.
• Kurt Laughinghouse (1988–1989): He served for one term.
• Neil W. Peterson (1990–1995): He served for three terms. He left office early in January 1995 to join the Metropolitan Council, which helps plan for the Twin Cities area.
• Coral Houle (1995–1999): She was chosen to replace Neil Peterson in January 1995. She was then elected by the people in November 1995. She served for two terms.
• Gene Winstead (2000–2019): He served for five terms. He was the longest-serving mayor of Bloomington.
• Tim Busse (2020–): He was elected in November 2019. He is the current mayor of Bloomington. He has served for two terms so far.