Newest member hoping to improve communication

By Robert Williams

Editor

Vergas native James Stenger is a recognizable face for patrons of Billy’s Corner Bar and Grill. The bartender made his first pitch for political office in November and came away with 109 votes. That tally was only five votes behind Bruce Albright, the top vote-getter, and 18 more than incumbent Natalie Fischer who Stenger unseated.

Stenger grew up on Long Lake and attended Perham High School, graduating in 2006. He left town to work in Fergus Falls and Fargo before returning in 2022.

“I wanted to be closer to my family and I had the opportunity to buy my grandparent’s house here in Vergas,” Stenger said.

One would imagine his face is recognizable, given his steady spot behind Billy’s bar, but the election has actually made him more popular around town.

“Honestly, I’ve heard more about it since being elected,” he said. “Now it takes me twice as long to stop at the grocery or hardware store. Everyone has to talk. I’ve met more people in the last month. People introduce themselves to me now. It’s interesting. I didn’t know how many people didn’t know who I was behind the bar for years. I had it happen the other night.”

A Billy’s customer was commenting to a friend that he had no idea who the new guy on the city council was. His friend pointed at Stenger and said, “he’s right there.”

Stenger was waiting and watching the poll results on election night and was pleasantly surprised by the result.

“I was very surprised because I didn’t really know what to expect,” he said. “Especially, when you just throw your name in there and see what happens.”

Stenger was a routine viewer of the Zoom broadcasts of every City Council meeting in Vergas and a big reason he decided to run was ordinance enforcement, more so, the lack of some people’s adherence to said ordinances.

“Part of it is I’m a rule follower,” Stenger said. “I heard so many people talk about getting in trouble for doing this in town. Yeah, that’s the rule. You can’t do that. There was a meeting. I was kind of just sick of hearing they’re being mean to us when they’re just doing what the policies are.”

Stenger’s moves outside of Vergas also gave him a different perspective on how cities enforce ordinances elsewhere.

“I lived in Fargo-Moorhead. They don’t care at all. Sometimes you don’t even get the letter; you get the bill,” he said. “They’re being really nice here.”

Stenger also believes that ordinance enforcement is key to keeping a particular look that Vergas has and with thousands of people visiting every year it is important to keep up appearances worthy of a special vacation hotspot.

“I really take pride in this community and I wanted to be part of that,” said Stenger. “It’s a big deal to me. I really appreciate this. I grew up here. I have this idea of what this town should be because I’ve been here for a while.”

Stenger, at age 36, is also aware that he is representing an underrepresented group of people in Vergas, as well as being the youngest council member.

“It’s a very different look to it,” he said. “Viewpoints are very different. There are a lot of younger people in this town. I was meeting a lot of those people and we needed that voice.”

Stenger is already involved with different groups in town and on several committees and believes his efforts there and recognizability from participating are things that helped him get elected.

His involvement includes the Event Center Advisory Board, Community Club, the Parks Board and was one of the founding members of the Vergas Arts Club.

Stenger did not run on any specific platform. His desire as a council member is to be heard.

“I think it’s more of having a voice,” he said. “The town, it’s kind of weird to say; it kind of runs itself. It’s a pretty well-oiled machine. I think there are a lot of people that do a lot of stuff. It’s very active. We have this idea of how it should look and be maintained well.”

Stenger won’t be the lone new face on the council. He knows incoming Mayor-elect Dwight Lundgren personally and is looking forward to working with him and the rest of the council.

“It’ll be good,” he said. “It’s another new person, new ideas, new everything.”

One of the biggest things facing Vergas and its future is retail and industrial business expansion. Stenger is well aware of the problem and why it exists and wants to be part of the solution.

“Unfortunately, we’re kind of locked,” he said. “I think Vergas is creative and I think in the next few years the town is going to change. The look is going to change a lot—business-wise. I think that’s where we need to grow more if we’re going to go to the next segment. Where it’s going to be…that’s the problem.”

Stenger looks to the Vergas Comprehensive Plan 2036, a key contribution from current Mayor Julie Bruhn’s administration, as a pathway leading to the future.

“I think it was great; it really gave a direction on what we have to do and what we have to look towards,” he said. “I’ve worked with the Parks Board too and that was a big part of the comprehensive plan. The arts club was another part of that plan, building up the arts and humanities in the area. Those were the two I was really knowledgeable about working with it. I think the plan is a great way to drive our thought process and give it direction. There are a lot of things we can do and we’re a town of doers. It’s kind of honing in—what are we going to do, where are we going to do it and how are we going to do it?”

One part of those solutions that Stenger believes is imperative is more communication from Vergas residents. He has heard plenty of chatter while on shift behind the bar but noted a consistent lack of communication from residents when it comes to special meetings called by council or even in the monthly open forum at meetings.

“I don’t think it needs a lot of change,” he said. “I just want open communication between the council and the citizens and back-and-forth. Understanding what we expect from each other. I expect certain things from the city council as a citizen, but I expect things out of the citizens as the council. I don’t think that’s always understood.”

Feedback from the age group he represents is another example of how Stenger wants to see Vergas improve.

“That’s kind of that gap we want to bridge a little bit,”he said.

He knows from his own experience and how much Vergas means to him the more he has matured.

“It really hasn’t changed a lot; my mentality changed,” he said. “At 21, I needed to get out of here and do something. But now, it wouldn’t have been as bad to hang out here. I could have been just as far along. This town has a lot of stuff that you don’t get anywhere else.”

Council meetings may be a bit more boisterous with the addition of its meaningful and potentially boisterous new member.

“If I have something I want to say I’m going to say it; I like to express my opinion about things,” Stenger said.

The Vergas City Council has one scheduled meeting remaining this year on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Prior to the meeting, from 6-6:25 p.m., a celebration will be held to thank Mayor Julie Bruhn and Council Member Natalie Fischer for their efforts.