In last address, St. Cloud’s long-serving mayor hails community support
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When Dave Kleis was first elected mayor of St. Cloud in 2005, George W. Bush was president, and Tim Pawlenty was Minnesota’s governor.
Kleis gave his final State of the City address on Tuesday before he leaves office next week. In the packed City Council chambers, he praised city leaders and community partners he worked with during his tenure, and said it’s been an honor to serve as mayor for two decades.
“I cannot say enough about how much gratitude I feel for your willingness to entrust me with your home,” he said. “I am so proud of this community. This is a community that I love. This is a community that I will always call home.”
Kleis served nearly 20 years and oversaw major changes in the city, including new growth and changing demographics. The city faced challenges during his tenure, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a 2016 stabbing at the mall that injured 10 people.
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During his hour-long speech, Kleis’ sense of humor was on full display, as he ribbed city council members and the new Mayor-elect, Jake Anderson, who will be sworn in on Monday. He touted his administration’s accomplishments, including a smaller budget than when he took office, efforts to make the city sustainable and investing in streets and parks.
Kleis also described how the community supported him through difficult times and personal tragedies, such as the death of his brother by suicide in 2020 and when a German foreign exchange student staying with him died in a plane crash in 2014.
“There’s a lot of people in this room who comforted me during that time, and that's where community comes together,” he said.
Prior to serving as St. Cloud mayor, Kleis served in the Minnesota Senate for a decade. He’s a native of Litchfield, graduated from St. Cloud State University and served in the Air Force. He founded and operates a driver’s education academy in St. Cloud.
