Jamie Beckstrand, new Waldorf city council member

Newly elected and installed Waldorf city council member Jamie Beckstrand, 28, is a lifelong area resident and 2015 graduate of NRHEG High School. She says she decided to enter politics because she would rather "do something" than waste time complaining.

“Some of the things in Waldorf I wasn’t happy with,” she observed, going on to say she hopes she can help steer city decisions according to residents’ wishes. She feels she has strong community support, since, with 200 people voting, she defeated her opponent by 40 votes. “In a town this small, that is a big number,” she observed.

Beckstrand says she recognizes her first step is to acquire more understanding of her new role.  “I want to learn about government office from other people holding office,” she explained.

“I am just getting started. I would like people to be open to me learning.”

In the meantime, though, “I want residents to feel comfortable coming to me with concerns. If I can’t make a change, I certainly want to give it my best effort. If this works out well, then I will decide if I should try to run for something else.”

She suggested she is open to a long-term role in leadership, perhaps even someday becoming mayor.

Beckstrand received her Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness with minors in economics and animal science at South Dakota State University in 2019.

She started working for United Prairie Bank after college graduation, the past three and a half have been at the branch in Waseca as a Relationship Manager.

Of her childhood, she said, “I grew up on a small cow/calf farm and we raised show cattle. My family travels exhibiting our livestock all over the country.”

In her free time, Beckstrand mentions she is on a bowling league at Trapper’s Lanes in New Richland and plays sand volleyball at Papa Ollie’s Bar in Waldorf. She also enjoys spending time with her dogs, Croix and Eddy, and her family and friends.