NEW BREMEN – Incumbents Robert Heitkamp and David Albers and newcomer Michael Varno are vying for two seats available as German Township trustees.

Albers, who has served as a German Township Trustee for 40 years, says he is seeking re-election again because he likes the job and wants to continue to serve the community.

He pointed out that as a trustee he not only working to manage the township budget and maintain township roads, he is involved with the larger community. For example, he has developed cooperative relationships such as his membership with the New Bremen Community Improvement Corporation. He also said the German Towns trustees work in partnership with the New Bremen to support their combined fire department. He said the trustees just helped buy a new fire truck when the old one failed. Also, they have the duty of obtaining bids for road repair.

Heitkamp has served as a trustee since 2009 when he stepped in to replace his brother Mike Heitkamp when he succumbed to cancer. He said his connections run deep in the area. For example, before his trustee work, he was a volunteer firemen for the New Bremen/German Township fire department for 22 years.

He says since their township is a little smaller than average, one of the duties of a trustee is to plow the 26 miles of township roads to make certain that people can get to work after a snow storm. “Other townships are large enough to hire this work out,” he said.

He says he likes the other duties of a trustee, such as helping people when they have problems with issues such as drainage. “Sometimes when someone builds a house or installs a culvert, water ends up in unexpected places.”

One of his main concerns going forward is the increasing cost of maintaining the fire and EMS department they share with New Bremen. “The costs for the equipment is just getting so high,” he said.

Varno, despite repeated attempts to contact him, did not respond to requests for an interview.