Kittelson: Proud To Be Mayor Of Benson

I would like to acknowledge all of the hard work that has been done so far in clearing the debris left in the wake of the Thursday and Friday storms. We have a long way to go but so much has been done in three days!
I have seen and heard countless instances of people helping people who had neither the tools or the ability to clear their own lawns. I admire the personal pride and initiative individuals used in clearing their property. It reaffirms what I already knew; we have  a wonderful caring community. Our community extends across city limits and we had many people from the surrounding area volunteering to help their city neighbors.
Our city crews and staff have put in horrific hours since Thursday and they are still on the job today. The electric crews have worked monumental hours restoring power to homes in Benson; I believe that has been accomplished. I would like to thank the county crew that has been helping, the electric crews from Missouri River Energy Services, the tree people that have shown up etc; too many people for me to name.
A couple of notable occurrences for me: On Friday over 50 volunteers showed up at the golf course and worked all day; they have had volunteers every day since. Another is Roosevelt Park. I drove by it in the morning and it looked like a war zone but when I drove by in the late afternoon it was perfect. All the debris was gone! I haven’t found out who they all were but I understand there was a 4-H club involved as well as assorted other volunteers. Bravo! A job well done.
I could go on and on but I will close by telling you how proud I am to be mayor of a community like Benson. Thank you all and keep up the good work.
Mayor Paul Kittelson
Benson