Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, and Crookston resident Matt Rosu informed KROX Radio that he will be a write-in on the ballot for City Council. Morgan Hibma was running as incumbent for Council Member at Large but will now be opposed by Matt Rosu in the race for the spot on City Council. We sat down with Rosu and asked him a series of questions
Tell us a little about your family.
Rosu – My name is Matt Rosu, I live here in Crookston with my family, me and my wife, Heather Rosu, and our three boys, Richard, John, and Brian. My three boys are special needs kids; all three of them have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. They all go to school here at the Crookston Public Schools. My wife works at Washington Elementary, and I work for the school district as a grounds-keeper, and I’m working towards getting my CDL for my bus license. We’ve lived here since 2021 and bought our one and only house up on the Gold Terrace Loop. We’ve loved coming to know Crookston and being a part of the Community.
Why are you running for City Council?
Rosu – I was just shocked the other day, on Monday, when the City Council came out with the announcement that they are planning on closing the pool down. I’m just shocked. My kids Richard and John just love going to the pool. They go to the pool all the time through the school district, and it surprised me that eight days before the election, the City Council would make this decision. Two City Council members don’t have anyone running against them and it was just shocking to me that they would wait until this last minute to announce this.
What experience do you have that will help you if you win?
Rosu – I think that’s kind of the beauty of it, I don’t have a lot of experience in city government, in any sort of government. I don’t have the experience high up in a company, a salesperson, HR, or anything like that. I have kids with special needs who have gone to this pool and gotten swimming lessons and love going to this infrastructure in our town that has been here for 50+ years, and it’s just going to be another thing they are going to tear down. I want to build this town instead of tearing it down.
Do you have any topics/issues you are concerned about?
Rosu –I think the City keeps making decisions that are short-sided. I’m no expert. There are things I see in this town since I moved here, they are trying to grow, but it’s not very smart growth. Our kids, we want them to stay here, we don’t want our kids to graduate from Crookston High School and then fly off to the cities or fly off to the West Coast or the East Coast, we want them to stay here. We need more amenities to grow this town, to bring people here, to give them a reason. We need to come up with a plan for growth, to grow this town, because this is a beautiful town.
Anything you would like the voters to know?
Rosu – I am a newcomer to Minnesota. To the Midwest. I am originally from Portland, Oregon. I chose to come here. I came up here in the winter of 2021 and looked at my current house. I looked at a couple of houses in Thief River, and I felt nothing, and when I walked into the house that I bought, I felt something. I drove into town, and I felt something. I fell in love with Crookston. I love that water tower by Wal-Mart that says, Welcome to Crookston. People feel hopeless. There is hope. If you partake in government, you can shape the government to your needs. There is no reason to feel hopeless. We can be the change; we can make the change, at our local level. Please write me in, City Council Member at Large, for the City of Crookston. Please.
