2026 carver City Counil Candidate

“I grew up in a civil-service family, and I believe elected office is an obligation to serve your friends and neighbors, not simply hold a title. It means listening, asking difficult questions and sometimes making decisions whose benefits may not be obvious for years. It also means treating residents, city staff, businesses and fellow Council members with respect even when we disagree. “

— Erik Perschmann —

Name: Erik Perschmann
Email address: m81b@comcast.net
City of residence: Carver

Professional and volunteer background: 

My professional career has been in public sector wireless — centered on supporting state, local, education, federal, and public-safety organizations. Locally, I have served on Carver’s Parks and Recreation Board, Planning Commission, City Council, and as Carver’s representative on the SouthWest Transit Commission. I grew up in Chaska and moved to Carver in 1999, so my connection to this area spans most of my life. Those experiences have given me a strong understanding of how government works, how communities grow and how public decisions affect residents.

What makes you the best candidate in this race: 

I bring experience, continuity and a long connection to this community. I understand the issues already before the Council, the projects underway, and the long-term decisions that will shape Carver for decades. I also bring a professional background working with government and public-safety organizations, along with years of local service. Just as important, I approach the job as a neighbor first. I believe my responsibility is to listen, ask questions, consider the long-term consequences, and make decisions that serve the entire community — not just the easiest or most immediate interest.

What would be your top 3 priorities if elected to City Council: 

My top three priorities are managing growth responsibly, protecting Carver’s long-term financial health, and completing major infrastructure already underway. Growth should strengthen the community and help bring the businesses and services residents want. At the same time, we need to make generational financial decisions rather than pushing costs onto future councils and taxpayers. I also want to see major projects through, including the Minnesota River levee, the new Public Works facility, and infrastructure supporting the Southwest neighborhoods. Those investments will shape Carver not just during my next term, but for decades.

With future growth projected for your community, what factors do you feel are important to consider as opportunities arise: 

Growth brings both opportunity and responsibility. I look at whether a project fits Carver’s long-term plans, what infrastructure it requires, what it adds to our tax base and how it affects existing residents. Rooftops matter because new residents help attract the businesses, jobs and services our community wants. But growth also creates demands on roads, utilities, public safety, parks and city services. We need to be cognizant of both sides of that equation and plan with a long horizon. The easiest decision today is not always the least expensive 20 years from now.

What does good civic leadership look like to you: 

Good civic leadership starts with civic duty. I grew up in a civil-service family, and I believe elected office is an obligation to serve your friends and neighbors, not simply hold a title. It means listening, asking difficult questions and sometimes making decisions whose benefits may not be obvious for years. It also means treating residents, city staff, businesses and fellow Council members with respect even when we disagree. Good leaders find compromise. I believe that if nobody gets everything they want, then everyone’s voice was represented.

What would you suggest would help to build an informed and engaged citizenry: 

The city can provide information, but an informed community requires making that information easy to find and understand. One need I identified early was a better way to reach residents where they are, and the city recently launched a resident app to help do that. That is especially important after the loss of our 160-year-old local newspaper. We should communicate in multiple ways — the app, city website, social media, email updates, meetings and community events — and make it easy for residents to ask questions and understand issues before decisions are made.

What is your vision for the future of the city and how would you achieve that vision: 

My vision is for Carver to become one of the most desirable communities in the southwest metro without losing the character that made people want to live here. We have a historic downtown, a riverfront setting, strong schools, expanding Highway 212 access, and substantial room for growth. Achieving that vision means planning infrastructure before we need it, encouraging a mix of housing and businesses, protecting existing neighborhoods, and making disciplined long-term financial decisions. Growth should bring services and jobs closer to residents and create opportunities for people to remain in Carver throughout their lives.

How would you address, if at all, ongoing property tax increases: 

Every increase comes out of a household or business budget. I question spending, prioritize core services, plan capital needs years in advance, and make decisions based on long-term cost, not simply this year’s levy. One of the most expensive mistakes we can make is choosing short-term savings that cost us our best employees or delaying an identified need and simply kicking the can down the road for a future Council and future taxpayers. Growth broadens the tax base and helps share the cost of city services. Ultimately, my goal is delivering the best long-term value for taxpayers.

With so much attention focused on state and national issues, how will you engage the community to increase awareness of local issues: 

When a conversation becomes politically charged, I like to remind people that at the city level, we decide how many chickens you can have — we do not appoint Supreme Court justices. Local government affects residents every day through roads, parks, utilities, development, public safety and property taxes. We need to make those issues understandable and relevant. Our mayor does an excellent job of that in the monthly newsletter residents receive with their utility bill. Council members must also be visible, approachable and give residents straightforward answers.