Three candidates have filed petitions for election to the Mandan Park Board, which will be on June's municipal ballot.

Incumbents Wanda Knoll and Bruce Brucker are joined by newcomer Kevin (Herb) Allan in the race for the two seats that are up for election. It is the first time Allan will run for public office, while Brucker and Knoll are at the end of their first terms on the board.

All three are Mandan born and raised and said service through the park board is one way they can give back to the community that has given so much to them.

"I really enjoyed my four years on the board. The first couple of years were a learning experience and I still have a lot to learn," Knoll said. "I think we do a good job and there's a lot more I want to see done."

Knoll is service advisor at Corral Sales. She and her husband, Bud, have raised two sons in Mandan.

Expansion of the trail system, renovation of the Community Center, a new park for the Fort Lincoln school and more public gym hours are among the things Knoll wants to see the park district address in the years to come.

Brucker is employed with Tesoro and has always had a passion for recreation, which is why he decided to run four years ago, he said. He and his wife, Robin, have also raised two boys in Mandan. Brucker is a member of the Railway Credit Union credit committee and a member of the Eagles.

"There are some things that we (the park board) haven't completed yet and I'd like to see through to completion," Brucker said. "There needs to be more renovation at the Community Center and continuation of the trail system."

Brucker points to renovations at Memorial Ball Park and the soccer complex as major achievements by the park board the past four years, along with the creation of Borden Harbor and the trail system.

Allan is the director of career and testing services at the University of Mary. He and his wife, Nora, have two young children who are just beginning to use what the Mandan park district has to offer.

Allan said community service is a big part of what the University of Mary is about, and that's encouraged him to run for the park board. Allan noted that he is currently a "single" father, as his wife is deployed with the National Guard for the next year.

"I've been thinking about this for a couple of years and decided that now is the time," Allan said. "In a way I'm looking out for my kids and their future along with the future of Mandan. We need to try and make the city parks and recreation facilities and programs as attractive as we can to get more people to Mandan."

Allan is a member of Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals, the Knights of Columbus and lectures at St. Joseph's. This is his first run for public office.

Mandan residents interested in running for the park board have until April 11 to turn their petitions in to either the park board offices or the Mandan city administration offices.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)