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ROCHESTER — Olmsted County Commissioner Jim Bier announced he will not seek another term.
“It’s been a good 20 years,” he said Tuesday. “I still think I have something to give, but it’s time for somebody else.”
The announcement follows the recent adoption of county district lines, which will force a new election in November.
Bier, who was first elected in 2002, won a four-year term in 2020, However, a population shift in his district, which includes portions of northwest Rochester and rural areas west of the city, as well as the city of Byron, was big enough to require an election for a two-year term.
Bier is the fourth commissioner to announce he will not seek another term.
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Commissioners Matt Flynn, Ken Brown and Stephanie Podulke have announced they will not file for another term.
Commissioners Sheila Kiscaden and Gregg Wright have said they plan to file for re-election, and Commissioner Mark Thein will not face a campaign to continue the four-year term he won in the 2020 election.
The filing period for the November election is from May 17 to May 31.
Districts with more than two candidates will see a primary election on Aug. 9 to narrow the field to two. The general election is Nov. 8.
Bier encouraged anyone who is interested to consider filing for office.
“If you want to run for District 5, come on in,” he said. “The water is warm.”
