Running for city council usually costs only $2 for the filing fee. But, one candidate is going to end up spend several hundreds of dollars

Bret Osborn of Winnebago was ready to go to court Friday to undo a mistake made when he filled out his “Affidavit of Candi-dacy” on Sept. 9.

An election official certified Osborn for the four-year seat race because he failed to specify he was seeking a two-year position.

His name was going to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot with five other candidates.

That’s when he decided to hire attorney David Frundt and pay a $250 court filing fee to plead his case before a judge.

But, Osborn never got his day in court.

Late Thursday afternoon, Winnebago City Attorney Douglas Johanson filed a response to Osborn’s petition to amend the original “Notice of Candidate Filings.”

“Evidently she (Jennifer Feely) realized she had made a mistake,” says Osborn. “It makes me mad I had to hire an attorney to get this done and corrected.”

Osborn will now square off against former councilman Bob Weerts for the two-year post.

In the city’s response to correct an error or omission to the Nov. 4 election ballot, Feely denies any wrongdoing because it was Osborn who filled out the “Affidavit of Candidacy.”

“Regardless of who caused the error or omission, Feely believes, after reviewing Osborn’s statements in his petition, the statement of Megan Huston and her notes, that Osborn truly did want to file for the two-year councilperson position rather than the four-year councilperson position,” Johanson wrote.

Feely acknowledges Osborn did tell city administrative assistant Megan Huston he wanted to file for the two-year post, however, she says no one told her this on Sept. 9 and she didn’t find out until after submitting the Notice of Candidate Filings to Faribault County Auditor John Thompson the next day.

“She (Feely) should have just taken full responsibility. We all make mistakes. We need to put down our pride and admit to our mistakes,” Osborn says.

Although he hasn’t received a bill from his attorney yet, Osborn says it was well worth it.

“I just want to give people a choice when they go to vote,” he says.