The form of government is the "Mayor-Council Plan." The Council shall exercise the legislative power of the City and determine all matters of policy.
City Council is comprised of the Mayor, who is elected at large to serve as the official head of the City and to preside over all Council meetings, and six Councilmembers. Each councilmember is a qualified elector of the ward of the City of Marshall for which they hold office. Each member of the City Council shall be elected and serve for a four-year term and shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified.
The City Council meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month at Marshall City Hall, 344 West Main Street, in the Council Chambers at 5:30 p.m.
Minnesota Voter Information Portal
Mayor
Robert J. Byrnes
Home: 507-532-9001
Cell: 507-828-2125
E-Mail: robert.byrnes@ci.marshall.mn.us
Serving his 9th term as Mayor (1992 to Present)
Served as a Councilmember for 6 years (1986 to 1992)
Biography:
Bob Byrnes was born and raised in Waukon, Iowa where he attended Waukon High School. Bob retired following a 40 year career with the University of Minnesota where he served as State-Wide Director of Operations for the University of Minnesota Extension. Bob is involved in several community organizations. He is on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Regional Development Commission; past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Prairieland Economic Development Corporation; Chair of the MnDOT Area Transportation Partnership; Highway 23 Coalition Board member and Board Member of Habitat for Humanity of Redwood River. Some of the prestigious awards Bob has received are "Outstanding Elected Official" by the Minnesota Association of Emergency Managers; "Purcell Pinacle Award for Outstanding Humanitarian"; the University of Minnesota Community Service Award; and the "Distinguished Service Award" by the NACAA.
Bob and his wife Brenda have two adult children - Bridget and Brian and three granddaughters Quinn, Kennedy and Laine.
Councilmember-Ward I
John DeCramer
Home: 507-537-9551
Cell: 507-829-5612
E-Mail: john.decramer@ci.marshall.mn.us
Serving his 3rd term as a Councilmember (Ward I) - 2009 to present
Biography:
John was born in Marshall and grew up on a dairy farm between Marshall and Lynd. He graduated from Lynd High School and then graduated from Southwest State College (currently known as SMSU) in Marshall. Since 1973, John has worked for BH Electronics, Inc. and now is the Vice President of Engineering. He has also operated an electronic equipment repair company in Marshall for 19 years. His hobbies are fishing and golf and spoiling a grandson when possible. He has served on the MMU Commission and the Economic Development Authority as well as Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce president and on several church committees. He is married to Judy and they have two married children - Karilyn Lund of Coon Rapids, MN and Krisann Durbin of Bay City, TX.
Councilmembers-Ward II
Russ Labat
Home: 507-537-1985
E-Mail: russ.labat@ci.marshall.mn.us
Serving his 1st term as Councilmember (Ward II) - 2019 to present
Biography:
Russ Labat is a lifelong resident of Marshall. Graduated from Marshall High School in 1971. Russ retired in 2017 after working for the Marshall Independent for over 35 years; serving as Publisher and General Manager for 23 years. He also is a retired 20 year member of the Marshall Volunteer Fire Department, and served as the President of the Marshall Volunteer Fire Relief Association.
Over the years Russ has been involved in numerous committees, including the Chamber, Holy Redeemer Church and Marshall Schools. For the past 10 years he has also helped organize our community festival, Marshall Sounds of Summer. One of my beliefs in working on these committees and now being a member of the Marshall City Council, is that I will always do my job to the best of my abilities. Marshall is a wonderful community to raise a family. It is indeed my honor to have been elected by the residents of Ward II as their representative.
Russ and wife Deb have been married for 40 years with three grown children - Kari, Kelsey, and Kim. We have been blessed with 9 grandchilren.
Steven Meister
Home: 507-828-9037
E-Mail: steven.meister@ci.marshall.mn.us
Serving his 1st term as Councilmember (Ward II) - 2017 to present
Biography:
Steve Meister was born in St. Paul, MN and raised in Cloquet, MN where he attended Cloquet Senior High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Dana College in Blair, NE in 1988. He obtained his medical degree from the University Of Minnesota School Of Medicine in 1997. His first taste of life as a Marshall resident was in 1995 when he did his 3rd year of medical school at ACMC through the U of MN School of Medicine Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP). He served in the United States Navy for 7 years obtaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Upon discharge from the U.S. Navy Steve relocated to Marshall and has been a resident since 2004. Dr. Meister is a board certified family physician. In 2012 Dr. Meister obtained his Master’s in Business Administration degree through the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, MN. He has been employed by ACMC Health since 2004.
Steve and his wife Karen have 3 children- Noah, Sydney and Jayden. They enjoy outdoor activities and are active with high school and community events in the City of Marshall.
Councilmembers-Ward III
James Lozinski
Phone: 507-530-4480
E-Mail: james.lozinski@ci.marshall.mn.us
Serving his 1st term as Councilmember (Ward III) - 2017 to present
Biography:
James was born in St.Peter, MN and moved to Marshall when he was two with his family. He grew up in Marshall and attended Holy Redeemer School until eighth grade and attended Crosier Seminary and Preparatory School for high school and graduated in 1988. He then attended University of Wisconsin-Superior where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a minor in psychology. After he graduated, James moved back to Marshall with his wife and began working for Lozinski Construction before starting his own construction business, James Lozinski Construction, Inc. He now owns and runs two local businesses.
James and his wife Emily have four children: Meghan, Nicholas, Madelynn, and Louis. James and Emily spend the occasional weekend making trips to visit the oldest three in college or being sure to support their youngest in his out-of-school activities.
Craig Schafer
Home: 612-723-2838
E-Mail: craig.schafer@ci.marshall.mn.us
Serving 2nd term as a Councilmember (Ward III) - 2014 to present
Biography:
I am a 1975 graduate from Hector High School in Hector, MN. My wife and I have been in Marshall since the spring of 1992. I have worked for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency since 1990 as a State Program Administrator Principal in the Emergency Response Program. I am extremely proud to be serving as a councilmember in Marshall and feel that this is one of many ways that we have to "give back".
He is married to Debra and they have three adult children, one grandson who is proudly serving in the US Army and another grandchild on the way!
City Attorney
Dennis Simpson
Quarnstrom & Doering P.A.
109 South 4th Street
Marshall, MN 56258
Office: 507-537-1441
E-Mail: dsimpson@qdlawfirm.com
Biography:
Dennis Simpson was appointed by the Mayor and City Council as the City Attorney for a two-year term.
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