West St. Paul Council Members Throughout History

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Since 1889, 167 people have served on the West St. Paul City Council. Here’s a look at each Council, when they served, and some Council factoids.

Year of Term	Council
1889-1891	Mayor: Philip Crowley Ward 1: -Gustave Otto -George W. Wentworth Ward 2: -John P. Fitzgerald -Morris Locke Ward 3: -John P. Ickler (declared vacant Nov. 1, 1890) -Daniel Kromer (appointed Dec. 6, 1890) -James McGrath
1891-1893	Mayor: -Philip Crowley (resigned Sept. 5, 1891 -James W. McGrath (appointed Oct. 3, 1891) Ward 1: -John Silk (declared vacant May 7, 1892) -Joseph Hurley (appointed May 7, 1892) -George W. Wentworth Ward 2: -Hartwig Deppe -John P. Fitzgerald Ward 3: -Joseph Hermann Sr. -James McGrath (resigned Oct. 3, 1891 to serve as mayor) -Daniel Kromer (appointed Nov. 7, 1891)
1893-1895	Mayor: Hartwig Deppe Ward 1: -James H. Berry -John Hurley Sr. Ward 2: -Herman Boettcher -John Krey (resigned Aug. 5, 1893) -Robert M. Mueller (appointed Nov. 4, 1893) Ward 3: -Joseph Hermann Sr. -Daniel Kromer
1895-1897	Mayor: Joseph Hermann Sr. Ward 1: -James H. Berry -George W. Wentworth (resigned July 3, 1896) -Henry G. Marthaler (appointed July 3, 1896) Ward 2: -Herman Boettcher -Franz X. Erne Ward 3: -James J. Galvin -Charles Keiper Jr.
1897-1899	Mayor: James H. Berry Ward 1: -John J. Hurley Jr. -Henry G. Marthaler Ward 2: -Franz X. Erne -George H. Wilford Ward 3: -Carrol C. Emerson -James J. Galvin
1899-1901	Mayor: -James H. Berry (resigned April 15, 1901) -John B. Sperl (appointed April 15, 1901) Ward 1: George A. Ladd -Henry G. Marthaler Ward 2: -Joseph Gibis -John Licha Sr. Ward 3: -James J. Galvin -John B. Sperl Note: Presumably, Sperl was not replaced when he was appointed to mayor.
1901-1903	Mayor: James J. Galvin Ward 1: -Henry G. Marthaler -George A. Schmidt (declared vacant April 7, 1902) -Charles A. Wynacht (appointed April 7, 1902) Ward 2: -Joseph Gibis -John Licha Sr. Ward 3: -Jacob Haebe -John B. Sperl
1903-1905	Mayor: John B. Sperl Ward 1: -Henry G. Marthaler -Charles A. Wynacht Ward 2: -Joseph Gibis -John Licha Sr. Ward 3: -John P. Fitzgerald -Edward H. Hennessy
1905-1907	Mayor: John Licha Sr. Ward 1: -William S. Dippo -Henry G. Marthaler Ward 2: -Charles E. Richter -George H. Wilford Ward 3: -Jacob Haebe -Henry Polzin Jr.
1907-1909	Mayor: John F. Galvin Ward 1: -William S. Dippo -Emil Peterson Ward 2: -Herman Kastner -Charles E. Richter Ward 3: -Jacob Haebe -John B. Sperl
1909-1910	Mayor: John F. Galvin At Large: -William S. Dippo Ward 1: -James A. Hurley -Emil Peterson Ward 2: -John Graf -David J. Wille Ward 3: -Jacob Haebe -Henry Polzin Jr. Notes: Charter changes switched to January start of term and election the previous November (this group took office in June); added at-large Council position.
1911-1912	Mayor: Joseph Gibis At Large: -John Licha Sr. Ward 1: -James A. Hurley -Emil Peterson Ward 2: -Ambrose Bill -Herman Kastner Ward 3: -Jacob Haebe -Edward H. Hennessy
1913-1914	Mayor: Joseph Gibis At Large: -Conrad P. Kuckler Ward 1: -James A. Hurley -Emil Peterson Ward 2: -Ambrose Bill -J.A. Rumberg Ward 3: -Frank Amos -Edward H. Hennessy
1915-1916	Mayor: Joseph Gibis At Large: -John Licha Sr. Ward 1: -James L. Cooper -James A. Hurley (resigned March 8, 1915) -George Heimel (appointed March 8, 1915) Ward 2: -Conrad P. Kuckler (resigned May 26, 1915) -William Schoeneman (appointed May 26, 1915) -J.A. Rumberg (declared vacant Feb. 14, 1916 -Berthold Wallner Jr. (appointed Feb. 14, 1916) Ward 3: -Frank Amos -Paul A. Kurtz
1917-1918	Mayor: John B. Sperl At Large: -John Licha Sr. Ward 1: -James L. Cooper -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -William Schoeneman -Berthold Wallner Jr. Ward 3: -Paul A. Kurtz -Herman C. Wenzel
1919-1920	Mayor: James A. Hurley At Large: -Joseph Gibis Ward 1: -James L. Cooper -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -Asa M. Wallace (resigned Oct. 18, 1919) -John Licha Sr. (appointed) -Berthold Wallner Jr. Ward 3: -Frank Amos (resigned Oct. 18, 1919) -Henry Polzin Jr. (appointed Oct. 18, 1919) -Edward H. Hennessy
1921-1922	Mayor: William A. Stassen At Large: -Frank Jungbauer Ward 1: -A. W. Horst -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -Joseph Gibis -Berthold Wallner Jr. Ward 3: -George H. Hamilton -Edward H. Hennessy
1923-1924	Mayor: Joseph Gibis At Large: -John Licha Sr. Ward 1: -Sidney Chapple -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -Louis E. Berg -Josef Hekele Ward 3: -George H. Hamilton -John B. Sperl
1925-1926	Mayor: Joseph Gibis At Large: -George Finnegan Ward 1: -Jacob H. Marthaler (resigned July 14, 1926) -Clarence Danner (appointed July 14, 1926) -Edward Shaughnessy Ward 2: -Louis E. Berg -James W. Cherney Ward 3: -Louis C. Gydesen -William Penschuck
1927-1928	Mayor: William A. Stassen At Large: -Joseph Gibis Ward 1: -Sidney Chapple -Clarence Danner Ward 2: -John V. Sperl -Thomas A. Thrift Ward 3: -Louis C. Gydesen -Albert H. Ohmann
1929-1930	Mayor: William A. Stassen At Large: -Frank Gibis Ward 1: -Sidney Chapple -John F. Hurley Ward 2: -John V. Sperl -Thomas A. Thrift Ward 3: -Robert C. Emerson -Fred Mundt
1931-1932	Mayor: Louis C. Gydesen At Large: -Frank Gibis Ward 1: -Sidney Chapple -John F. Hurley Ward 2: -Stephen Fink -Thomas A. Thrift Ward 3: -Robert C. Emerson -Fred Mundt
1933-1934	Mayor: Louis C. Gydesen At Large: -John V. Sperl Ward 1: -John F. Hurley -Rocco Verderosa Ward 2: -John Licha Sr. -Thomas A. Thrift Ward 3: -Arthur L. Johnson -Fred Mundt
1935-1936	Mayor: Louis C. Gydesen At Large: -Charles Pahr Ward 1: -John F. Hurley -Rocco Verderosa Ward 2: -John Licha Sr. -Thomas A. Thrift Ward 3: -Arthur L. Johnson -John Kirchner
1937-1938	Mayor: Rocco Verderosa At Large: -John V. Sperl Ward 1: -Sidney Chapple -John F. Hurley Ward 2: -John Licha Sr. -Berthold Wallner Jr. Ward 3: -John Kastner -John Kirchner
1939-1940	Mayor: Rocco Verderosa At Large: -John Kastner Ward 1: -Sidney Chapple -James Schmidt Ward 2: -Harold P. Meyers -Berthold Wallner Jr. Ward 3: -John Kirchner -Fred Mundt
1941-1942	Mayor: Edmund C. Meisinger Sr. At Large: -John F. Hurley Ward 1: -Otto Bohrer -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -Charles Clemens -Frank Spoden Ward 3: -John Kirchner -James E. Klingel
1943-1944	Mayor: Rocco Verderosa At Large: -John F. Hurley Ward 1: -Henry F. Knoch -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -Charles Clemens -John V. Sperl Ward 3: -James E. Klingel (leave of absence July 14, 1943) -Richard Yoerks (appointed July 14, 1943) -William Mears
1945-1946	Mayor: Rocco Verderosa At Large: -Fritz (Fred) Cherney Ward 1: -Henry F. Knoch -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -Charles Clemens -Bert Coil Ward 3: -William Mears -Richard Yoerks
1947-1948	Mayor: John V. Sperl At Large: -John Kastner (resigned July 30, 1947) -Clifford L. Donehower (appointed July 30, 1947) Ward 1: -Jacob H. Marthaler -J. J. Duich (resigned Sept. 1, 1947) -Robert O. Van Drake (appointed Sept. 1, 1947) Ward 2: -Bert Coil -M. B. House Ward 3: -James E. Klingel -Richard Yoerks
1949-1950	Mayor: John V. Sperl At Large: -James E. Klingel (resigned Sept. 14, 1949 -Jacob H. Marthaler (appointed Sept. 14, 1949) Ward 1: -Henry F. Knoch -Robert P. Russell Ward 2: -William C. Raddatz -Edward T. Sexton (resigned Jan. 12, 1949) -Joseph J. Licha (appointed) Ward 3: -C. Francis Scholz -Richard Yoerks
1951-1952	Mayor: John V. Sperl At Large: -George W. Hamilton (resigned July 14, 1952) -Jacob H. Marthaler (appointed July 14, 1952) Ward 1: -Henry F. Knoch -Robert P. Russell (resigned June 23, 1952) -Allan Degnan (appointed June 30, 1952) Ward 2: -Birney J. Novotny -William C. Raddatz Ward 3: -C. Francis Scholz -Richard Yoerks
1953-1954	Mayor: John V. Sperl At Large: Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 1: -Bartley Eckholm -Henry F. Knoch Ward 2: -Birney J. Novotny -Thomas A. Thrift (resigned Jan. 13, 1953) -William C. Raddatz (appointed Jan. 13, 1953) Ward 3: -James O’Hara -Donald J. Smith
1955-1956	Mayor: John V. Sperl At Large: Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 1: -Bartley Eckholm -Henry F. Knoch (died 1955) -Otto P. Mayer (appointed July 1955) Ward 2: -Birney J. Novotny -Anthony Vitelli Ward 3: -James O’Hara -Donald J. Smith
1957-1958	Mayor: Anthony Vitelli Ward 1: -Julian E. Brown -Harold Smith Ward 2: -William J. Mahoney -Birney J. Novotny Ward 3: -Donald J. Smith -William A. Sperl Notes: A Charter change eliminated the at-large Council position
1959-1960	Mayor: Arnold Kempe Ward 1: -Richard W. Anderson -Ralph J. Rovie Ward 2: -William J. Mahoney (resigned Dec. 2, 1959) -Walter N. Trenerry (appointed Dec. 22, 1959) -Max D. Mohr Ward 3: -Edwin J. Chapple Jr. -Alvin E. Jarvis
1961-1962	Mayor: Arnold Kempe Ward 1: -Richard W. Anderson (resigned Aug. 8, 1962) -Thomas A. Hoban (appointed) -Ralph J. Rovie Ward 2: -James W. Kennedy -Max D. Mohr Ward 3: -Edwin J. Chapple Jr. -Alvin E. Jarvis
1963-1964	Mayor: -Arnold Kempe (resigned Jan. 24, 1963) -Edwin J. Chapple Jr. (appointed Jan. 1963) Ward 1: -Thomas A. Hoban -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -James W. Kennedy -Max D. Mohr Ward 3: -Edwin J. Chapple Jr. (resigned Jan. 24, 1963) -Donald J. Smith (appointed Feb. 4, 1963) -Alvin E. Jarvis
1965-1966	Mayor: Robert J. Callahan Ward 1: -Thomas A. Hoban -Jacob H. Marthaler Ward 2: -James W. Kennedy -Robert C. Clausen Ward 3: -Garth W. Armstrong -Mark B. Christian
1967-1968	Mayor: Rollin H. Crawford Ward 1: -Jacob H. Marthaler (died Jan. 4, 1968) -Thomas A. Hoban (appointed Jan. 18, 1968) -Devona Weatherhead Ward 2: -James W. Kennedy -Daniel W. Schofield (resigned June 22, 1967) -L. A. Reher (appointed June 29, 1967) Ward 3: -Garth W. Armstrong -Wesley L. Green Notes: Weatherhead is the first woman to serve on City Council.
1969-1970	Mayor: Rollin H. Crawford Ward 1: -Gerald W. Pirkl -Robert P. Russell Ward 2: -Robert C. Clausen -James W. Kennedy Ward 3: -Garth W. Armstrong -James R. Husman
1971-1972	Mayor: –James R. Husman (resigned Jan. 10, 1972) -Robert J. Callahan (appointed Jan. 13, 1972) Ward 1: -Gerald W. Pirkl -Robert P. Russell Ward 2: -Robert C. Clausen -James W. Kennedy Ward 3: -Garth W. Armstrong -Alvin E. Jarvis
1973-1975	Mayor: Edmund C. Meisinger Jr. Ward 1: -Kenneth H. Kube -Thomas P. Stassen (resigned Jan. 9, 1975) -Gerald M. Galvin (appointed Jan. 29, 1975) Ward 2: -Robert C. Clausen -James W. Kennedy Ward 3: -Alvin E. Jarvis -Robert W. Kelly Notes: Council moved elections to odd years starting in 1975, making this a three-year term.
1976-1977	Mayor: Edmund C. Meisinger Jr. Ward 1: -Gerald M. Galvin -Kenneth H. Kube Ward 2: -Robert C. Clausen -James W. Kennedy (resigned Jan. 3, 1976) -Donald M. Mallinger (appointed March 14, 1976) Ward 3: -Alvin E. Jarvis -Robert W. Kelly
1978-1979	Mayor: Edmund C. Meisinger Jr. Ward 1: -Robert J. Fox -Gerald M. Galvin Ward 2: -Robert C. Clausen -Donald M. Mallinger Ward 3: -John F. Jakway -Robert W. Kelly
1980-1981	Mayor: Kenneth H. Kube Ward 1: -Robert J. Fox -Lee Walker Ward 2: -Robert R. Clausen -Donald M. Mallinger Ward 3: -John J. Finnegan Jr. (resigned Nov. 30, 1980) -Robert W. Kelly (appointed Jan. 1, 1981) -John F. Jakway
1982-1983	Mayor: Kenneth H. Kube Ward 1: -Larry Josephs -Lee Walker Ward 2: -Joseph Fenton -Donald M. Mallinger Ward 3: -John F. Jakway -Robert W. Kelly
1984-1986	Mayor: Kenneth H. Kube Ward 1: -James Wazlawik -Lee Walker Ward 2: -James W. Kennedy -Joseph Fenton Ward 3: -Robert W. Kelly -John F. Jakway
1987-1988	Mayor: Kenneth H. Kube Ward 1: -Lee Walker (4-year term) -James Wazlawik (2-year term) Ward 2: -Joseph Fenton (2-year term) -James W. Kennedy (4-year term) Ward 3: -John F. Jakway (2-year term) -Robert W. Kelly (4-year term) Notes: A Charter change introduced staggered 4-year terms and moved elections to even years, starting with the 1986 election. In that election, the person with the most votes in each ward was elected to the four-year term, and second place was elected to the two-year term.
1989-1990	Mayor: Michael Bisanz Ward 1: -Dick Vitelli -Lee Walker Ward 2: -Joseph Fenton -James W. Kennedy Ward 3: -Pat J. McCarthy -Robert W. Kelly
1991-1992	Mayor: Michael Bisanz Ward 1: -Sandra Shirley -Dick Vitelli Ward 2: -James W. Kennedy -Joseph Fenton Ward 3: -Robert W. Kelly -Pat J. McCarthy
1993-1994	Mayor: Michael Bisanz Ward 1: -Dick Vitelli -Sandra Shirley Ward 2: -Joseph Fenton -James W. Kennedy Ward 3: -Pat J. McCarthy -Robert W. Kelly Notes: This was the most recent time the Council did not change after an election.
1995-1996	Mayor: Michael Bisanz Ward 1: -Greg Shepherd -Dick Vitelli Ward 2: -David Langer (resigned Nov. 29, 1996) -Joseph Fenton (resigned Nov. 26, 1996) -David Meisinger (appointed Nov. 1996) Ward 3: -Kevin Finnegan -Pat J. McCarthy
1997-1998	Mayor: Michael Bisanz Ward 1: -Dick Vitelli -Greg Shepherd Ward 2: -David Meisinger -Greg Whebbe (appointed Jan. 2, 1997 to fill Langer’s seat) Ward 3: -Pat J. McCarthy (resigned April 3, 1997) -Lee Walker (appointed May 27, 1997) -Kevin Finnegan
1999-2000	Mayor: Michael Bisanz Ward 1: -Vivian Hart -Dick Vitelli Ward 2: -Greg Whebbe -David Meisinger Ward 3: -Kevin Finnegan -Lee Walker
2001-2002	Mayor: David Meisinger Ward 1: -Dick Vitelli (resigned Aug. 31, 2002) -Donald Weinke (appointed Sept. 12, 2002) -Vivian Hart Ward 2: -Mark Tessmer -Greg Whebbe Ward 3: -Tim Haubrich -Kevin Finnegan
2003-2004	Mayor: Kevin Finnegan Ward 1: -John Zanmiller -Donald Weinke Ward 2: -Greg Whebbe (resigned Dec. 31, 2004) -Mark Tessmer Ward 3: -David Meisinger (resigned Jan. 26, 2004) -David Wright (appointed Feb. 17, 2004) -Tim Haubrich
2005-2006	Mayor: John Zanmiller Ward 1: -Jim Englin -Aaron Van Moorlehem (appointed Jan. 2005 to Zanmiller’s council seat) Ward 2: -Mark Tessmer -Nicholas Juarez (appointed Jan. 2005 to Whebbe’s seat) Ward 3: -Darlene Lewis -David Wright Notes: Juarez is the first Latino to serve on Council.
2007-2008	Mayor: John Zanmiller Ward 1: -Aaron Van Moorlehem -Jim Englin Ward 2: -Ed Iago -Mark Tessmer Ward 3: -David Wright -Darlene Lewis
2009-2010	Mayor: John Zanmiller Ward 1: -Jim Englin -Aaron Van Moorlehem Ward 2: -Anthony Vitelli -Ed Iago Ward 3: -Darlene Lewis -David Wright Notes: Lewis becomes the first woman to serve more than one term.
2011-2012	Mayor: John Zanmiller Ward 1: -Ed Hansen (resigned Dec. 2012) -Jim Englin Ward 2: -Ed Iago -Anthony Vitelli (resigned July 24, 2012) -Thomas Lufkin (appointed Aug. 15, 2012) Ward 3: -David Wright -Darlene Lewis
2013-2014	Mayor: John Zanmiller Ward 1: -Pat Armon -Dick Vitelli (appointed Feb. 2013 to Hansen’s seat) Ward 2: -Jenny Halverson -Ed Iago Ward 3: -Dave Napier -David Wright
2015-2016	Mayor: David Meisinger Ward 1: -Dick Vitelli -Pat Armon Ward 2: -Ed Iago -Jenny Halverson Ward 3: -John Bellows -Dave Napier
2017-2018	Mayor: Jenny Halverson Ward 1: -Bob Pace -Dick Vitelli Ward 2: -Anthony Fernandez -Ed Iago Ward 3: -Dave Napier -John Bellows Notes: Halverson is the first female mayor; Fernandez is first elected Latino.
2019-2020	Mayor: Dave Napier Ward 1: -Dick Vitelli -Bob Pace Ward 2: -John Justen -Anthony Fernandez Ward 3: -Wendy Berry -Lisa Eng-Sarne (appointed Jan. 2019 to Napier’s council seat) Notes: Berry and Eng-Sarne mark the first time more than one woman has served at a time.
2021-2022	Mayor: Dave Napier Ward 1: -Julie Eastman -Dick Vitelli Ward 2: -Robyn Gulley -John Justen Ward 3: -Lisa Eng-Sarne -Wendy Berry Notes: First female majority.
2023-2024	Mayor: Dave Napier Ward 1: -Pat Armon -Julie Eastman Ward 2: -John Justen -Robyn Gulley Ward 3: -Wendy Berry -Lisa Eng-Sarne

West St. Paul City Council Factoids

Here are some quick factoids about West St. Paul City Council members:

• Changing terms: The timing, length of terms, and more has changed multiple times over the years. In 1910 the start of the term moved to January (previously it had been June) and an at-large council seat was added. Starting in 1959, the at-large position was eliminated. During the 1970s the city moved to elections in odd-numbered years, but moved back to even-year elections in the 1980s. The 1986 changes also moved to staggered, four-year terms for Council members. Previously Council members served two-year terms with both ward seats elected at the same time.
• Number of people who have served on City Council: 167 (158 men, 9 women)
• First female City Council member: Devona Weatherhead (1967)
• First person of color to serve and first Latino on City Council: Nicholas Juarez (2005)
• First person of color and first Latino elected to City Council: Anthony Fernandez (2016)
• First openly LGBTQ+ person elected to City Council: Wendy Berry (2018)
• Longest-serving City Council member: 
  • Jacob Marthaler is the longest serving Council member with 28 years, 4.5 months (he even died in office).
  • Next is James Kennedy with 26 years.
  • Then Dick Vitelli with 23 years 7 months.
• Shortest-serving City Council member: Edward Sexton resigned after 12 days in 1949.
• Resigned: While only four mayors have resigned, resignation is much more common among Council members. The most recent resignation was Dave Napier, who resigned his Council seat after being elected mayor. The most recent resignation not related to being elected mayor was Ed Hansen in 2012.
• Declared vacant: Council seats have been declared vacant only five times, the most recent in 1915.
• Higher office: 21 Council members have gone on to serve as mayor. Several Council members went on to serve as Dakota County commissioner, including John V. Sperl, James W. Kennedy, and Thomas P. Stassen.
• Died: Two Council members have died while in office: Henry Knoch in 1955 and Jacob Marthaler in 1968.
• Demoted: John B. Sperl, John Licha Sr., Joseph Gibis, and David Meisinger are the only people who served as mayors and then went back to serve on Council. (Before writing that off as weird, consider that John Quincy Adams served as president and then went back to Congress for 17 years.)
• Johns: A total of 18 different people named John have served on West St. Paul’s City Council. In the 1937-1938 council, five of the eight members were named John.

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(Thanks to the City of West St. Paul and the Dakota County Historical Society for the photos. West St. Paul Reader is not endorsed, affiliated with, or sponsored by the City of West St. Paul. Note: Historical dates and info are confirmed to the best of our ability, though in many cases the historical record is nonexistent, spotty, or inconsistent. We always welcome additional info and research.)