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CASSOPOLIS — Village of Cassopolis Trustee Jim Pedersen announced his candidacy for Village President Monday, following the regular meeting of the Village Council. 

“I am proud of our recent accomplishments, the downtown beautification, the public beach and fishing pier, the new jobs and shops we’ve added,” Pedersen said. “But moving forward, we have to be more transparent and do a better job including the entire community in the conversations and planning for these changes.” 

Pedersen also cited the need for more affordable housing and cleaning up the existing Village as priorities. 

“Over two years ago, we got nearly one hundred new jobs added to our community, but we’ve dragged our feet getting housing for all these new workers” Pedersen said. “Nearly every day, someone on Facebook posts ‘moving to Cassopolis for work, what’s available?’ and ‘need three bedrooms and two baths, moving to Cass.’ The Comments that follow are ‘try Elkhart’ or ‘look in Niles, there is nothing here.’

Pedersen cited his three and a half years on Council and experience in local government and union administration dealing with budgets and negotiations as qualifying factors for Village President. 

“I’ve negotiated contracts,” Pedersen said. “I’ve run hundreds of meetings with hundreds of attendees, managed dozens of staff persons, handled million dollar budgets, I know I’m up to the job”.

The office of Village President is a non-partisan position, has a two year term, and will appear near the end of the November General Election ballot for the Village.