Abby Nadeau
Staff Writer

While it may take the President millions of dollars to run an election campaign, running for mayor and city council in Forest Lake is a little different.

Hundreds of lawn signs and newspaper inserts take the place of television broadcast attack ads in Forest Lake, but the end product is the same.

Everybody wants to get elected and they will do what it takes to get elected.

For the Forest Lake city council and mayoral candidates the campaign trail led them to forums by the Chamber of Commerce and the Lakes Area Business Association.

But most candidates extended their exposure to include brochures and flyers sent to area residents.

According to the cityís campaign financial report candidates spent a total of at least $20,344.56 on the 2006 Forest Lake election.

Roughly $11,555.51 was spent alone on the mayoral candidate race. Incumbent Terry Smith spent $5535.14 while challenger Stev Stegner spent $6020.37 and Greg Vukich spent $0.

The remaining funds were spent by the seven city council candidates.

Bo Bogotty topped the city council candidates expenditures at $5381.51 with Greg Ochs following with $1605. Earnest Caine spent $1086.99, Paul Smieja spent $706.84 and Susan Young spent $8.41.

As long as the candidate spent under $750, they do not need to report how much they spent, and what they spent it on, to the city. They can simply choose to check a box verifying that they spent $750 or under.

While some candidates chose to share what they spent even if it was below $750, others chose to simply check the box. Council candidate Bruce Anderson elected to do such.

Barabara Sterns, who ran for council, did not return any information to the city.

Stegner, who spent the most out of any other candidate, dedicated much of his funds to producing ìsigns and literature.î

Young, who spent the least, was unavailable for comment. Although, out of the $8.41 that she spent, $5 had to go to the filing fee.

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