Rick Fagerlie
MN · Willmar City Council Member, Ward 3
Longtime Willmar Ward 3 council member and president of Fagerlie Appraisal Inc., a licensed real property appraiser. He has steadily voted against Connect Willmar, the city's plan to build its own fiber internet network.
Where Rick Fagerlie stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Housing Affordability (2 records), Public Infrastructure (5 records)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (15 support · 7 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 15 support · 7 oppose
Voted no on an $8,197,392.50 contract with Kramer Service Group to build phase 1 of Willmar Connect (passed 5-3). He also voted no on selling up to $9.2 million in bonds to pay for it (passed 6-2).
March 2, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to replace the Willmar Public Library roof for $631,826.71. It passed 5-1.
February 2, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on a $7,627,499.63 bid from NC3 to build phase 1 of Willmar Connect (passed 5-3). He cast the only vote against starting the 2026 bond ordinance (passed 7-1).
January 20, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on creating a new economic and community development specialist job in the planning department. It passed 4-2.
January 5, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on approving the plans and seeking bids for phase 1 of Willmar Connect, the city fiber network. It passed 5-3.
October 20, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to hire Bolton & Menk for $175,000 to design new runway lights at the Willmar airport, pending FAA approval. It passed 4-3.
June 16, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on hiring the firm Baker Tilly to recruit a new police chief. The motion failed 3-5.
November 4, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Cast the only vote against a tax increment financing deal for the Water View senior housing project. It passed 5-1.
October 7, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Cast the only votes against marketing contracts with Hometown Fiber and Replace for Connect Willmar, the city fiber internet project. Both passed 7-1.
August 19, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Cast the only votes against hiring Hometown Fiber as a $29,900 broadband consultant and hiring a financial adviser for the city fiber project. Both passed 6-1. He also moved to look at the former Goodwill building for a community center, which failed 3-5.
March 20, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced a tax increment financing district and deal to help build the Lakeland Drive apartment project. Both passed 5-2.
October 3, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to shrink the new City Operations Director job to fit an $80,000 to $120,000 pay range. That failed 2-6, and he cast the only vote against creating the job.
December 6, 2021Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to pause the sales-tax-funded Civic Center projects while moving ahead with Swansson Field and Robbins Island. The motion failed 3-5.
March 1, 2021Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced a deal with Musco Lighting to replace the outdated lights at the Swansson Field ballpark. It passed 6-2.
December 16, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced the 2018 city tax levy of $4,974,245, which passed 7-0. He also seconded a motion to take the new city hall and community center project out of the 2018 budget; it failed 2-5.
December 18, 2017Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to drop the Swansson Field concession stand project for now. It passed 5-2.
June 5, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on a $427,000 contract to rebuild Rice Park. It passed 6-2.
April 3, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced a tax break and subsidy deal for MinnWest Technology Campus tied to 175 new jobs. He voted against delaying it, and the deal passed 5-1.
December 21, 2015Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on paying the firm Brimeyer-Fursman $22,500 to study how the city government is organized. It passed.
February 4, 2013Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted against adding $21,000 to the 2013 tax levy to restore funding for the West Central Integration Collaborative. The change failed 2-6.
December 3, 2012Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted to hire two more police officers and against cutting the number to one. The vote tied 4-4, and the mayor broke the tie to hire two.
January 17, 2012Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Seconded a motion to post the city administrator job inside city staff first; it failed 3-4. He then voted no on hiring the firm Springsted to run the search, which passed 4-3.
December 15, 2010Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms5.revize.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Voted to hire two more police officers and against cutting the number to one. The vote tied 4-4, and the mayor broke the tie to hire two.
January 17, 2012Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: cms5.revize.com
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 2 support
Introduced a tax increment financing district and deal to help build the Lakeland Drive apartment project. Both passed 5-2.
October 3, 2022Supports Housing Affordability
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced a 10-year property tax break for the Sunwood Apartments owner to add a 24-unit building. It passed 6-2.
May 6, 2019Supports Housing Affordability
Source: cms5.revize.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 5 support
Moved to replace the Willmar Public Library roof for $631,826.71. It passed 5-1.
February 2, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to hire Bolton & Menk for $175,000 to design new runway lights at the Willmar airport, pending FAA approval. It passed 4-3.
June 16, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to require that money from the new natural gas franchise fee go only to street projects. It failed 2-5. He also cast the only vote against a fiber use deal with Hometown Fiber.
August 5, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced a deal with Musco Lighting to replace the outdated lights at the Swansson Field ballpark. It passed 6-2.
December 16, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Introduced a street assessment plan that dropped repaving of 9th Street SW after neighbors objected. It failed 3-5.
June 16, 2014Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms5.revize.com
Track record — General
General · 13 records
Cast the only vote against the hiring process for a new city administrator. It passed 7-1.
May 18, 2026
Source: cms5.revize.com
Cast the only vote against overruling the Municipal Utilities Commission's February 2025 decision. The overrule passed 7-1.
April 7, 2025
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to end the city's school resource officer deal with the Willmar school district after a new state law, and to ask lawmakers to change that law. It passed 7-1.
September 5, 2023
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on denying a towing license agreement with City Line Towing. The denial passed 6-2.
January 9, 2023
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on letting the city administrator close city buildings to the public through Jan. 1, 2021, because of COVID-19. It passed 5-3.
November 16, 2020
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to rezone farmland for a painting and power-washing business, against the Planning Commission's advice. His motion failed 1-7.
September 16, 2019
Source: cms5.revize.com
Chaired the city council's Community Development Committee, which reviewed tax breaks, development deals and flood insurance questions.
March 11, 2019
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to hold off on reappointing a Human Rights Commission member until the council learned more about a complaint letter. That failed, and he voted no on the reappointment, which passed 6-2.
December 3, 2018
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on ending the joint community education and recreation program with the Willmar school district. It passed 7-1.
July 16, 2018
Source: cms5.revize.com
Moved to approve a city charter change to the citizen petition process that the Charter Commission recommended. It failed 3-5.
November 6, 2017
Source: cms5.revize.com
Voted no on a city charter change that required future councils to adopt a vision, mission and strategic plan. It failed 3-5.
June 20, 2016
Source: cms5.revize.com
Worked 12 years for an insurance inspection firm doing safety inspections and appraisals, then started his own property appraisal company in Willmar.
October 17, 2014
Source: wctrib.com
Moved to adopt a new, higher building permit fee schedule after builders objected at a hearing. The motion failed 0-8.
August 18, 2014
Source: cms5.revize.com
Past race Rick Fagerlie ran in:
- City Council Member Ward 3 · November 3, 2026 · Willmar city, Minnesota · incumbent