Third candidate files papers for Ward 2 seat

Ben Smith says that he fell in love immediately when moving here four years ago and now, after getting involved with the community, he hopes to contribute further as a City Council member.  Smith has filed nomination papers to run for the Second Ward Council seat.

He will face incumbent Tony Nelson, who is currently serving his second term, as well as Bennett Smith, who is seeking office for the first time.

Smith said he and his wife, Jamie, along with their four children, moved to Clear Lake Jan. 1, 2013 from Wesley, Iowa. He is employed as the distribution supervisor for Atlantic Bottling Coca-Cola in Mason City.  Jamie is director of nursing at Westview Care Center in Britt, Iowa.

“I love being involved in the community.  I was formerly a City Councilman in Wesley and sat as vice-chair for the Kossuth County Waste Management Association,” said Smith.  “I believe all of our current City Council members have done a good job.  I feel, though, that once the seat has been taken for a while and you have the same members for years, things tend to get stale.”

Smith said he was born in California and grew up between California and Hawaii.  He moved to Britt in 1998 as a junior in high school and graduated in 2000 from West Hancock High School.