Submitted photo Terry Sveine will leave the Mayor’s Office after a partial term, he said, due to a number of personal concerns he cited in a Tuesday letter.

NEW ULM– Mayor Terry Sveine will not seek a second term in office, he announced Tuesday in a press release.

He cited the time commitment and health concerns as his reasons against running.

Sveine was originally appointed as mayor in June 2021 to complete the term of former Mayor Robert Beussman, who resigned in April 2021.

Sveine’s term officially ends Dec. 31, 2022. He intends to remain mayor until the end of the term but will not be running this November.

“It has required much thought and reflection on my part, and I can assure you that my decision was not done flippantly,” Sveine said.

In tallying the various mayoral responsibilities, Sveine estimated he was spending 15 hours a month on mayor activities.

“While this may not seem like much to a currently employed, 40-hour-per-week person or a business owner, but to a guy who was retired for six years before taking on the mayor role, it is a bigger contrast,” the 68-year-old mayor said.

“In my personal life, I spent over a year doing all-day, daycare for my oldest grandson, twice a week. He eventually found ‘real’ daycare last November, but I still regularly help out watching him during the week, and now there is another grandson needing some of my time, too. I did not foresee having, what are, in effect, two part-time “jobs” in my later 60s.

Sveine said in his personal life he has enjoyed doing historical research, writing and presenting programming on his work. Since becoming mayor, he has not had time for this work and other hobbies.

Sveine also acknowledged as a person with type-2 diabetes, he has limited energy.

“If the new term was for two years instead of four years, I’d probably accept it in a minute, but with a four-year term, I would be 72 by the time it ends,” he said. “Without being morbid, I need more quality time for doing what I really want to do in the healthy years that I have left.”

Sveine did not want to scare off any potential candidates for the job. He said a younger person with more energy would do fine within the job’s requirements.

“To those of you considering the job, go for it, it’s rewarding! Also, the mayor’s role and time spent at it is negotiable with much latitude in terms of what you choose to do with it,” he said.

“I have enjoyed working with the talented and dedicated people I have met in the last year, and let me assure you that New Ulm is in good hands with the leadership that is in place,” Sveine said. “I also feel that while my term as mayor was only for a year and a half, I am satisfied with the things I did accomplish and the people I was able to help. I am proud to add my name to the list of New Ulm’s past mayors.

Being mayor has been one of the highlights of my life. It is the ultimate volunteer job for the town I love. It feels good to have people greet you with kind words and good cheer. It makes a person feel appreciated and that they’ve made a difference. I will treasure my time as mayor!”

Sveine hoped that by announcing this decision early, he will open the way for others to run.

“I know that the next mayor will do a fine job for the town that we all love, and I will leave the office at the end of the year confident that New Ulm is in good shape,” he said.

The office of mayor, as well as Ward 2 and Ward 4 city councilors, are up for election in 2022. Those wishing to file to appear on the ballot must file with the Finance Office in City Hall between 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 17 and 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 31.