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	Mayor Hosch at his first ribbon-cutting for the new entrance to the St. Benedict's Monastery on St. Joseph's Main Street. He is assisted by the prioress of the monastery, Sister Ephrem Hollerman. (MPR Photo/Jeff Horwich)

Mobilizing student votes from the College of St. Benedict, and nearby St. John's University helped unseat a two-term mayor and sweep Hosch, a St. John's graduate the previous spring, into office last November. Two of four council seats went to the mayor's roommate and a grounds manager from the college.

To many, the shift was only a matter of time - maybe even overdue. To the former mayor and some older residents, it felt like the losing control of St. Joseph. To Hosch, it's still something of an adventure, like the dedication recently of a new entrance to St. Benedict's Monastery.

Hosch begins his day at 5 each morning to combine full-time work as a roofer with 30 hours a week as mayor. City Council members agree that working hard and listening closely have helped the Coon Rapids-native gain some ground with skeptics.

Hosch recalls an exchange with an older resident furious about a zoning change the council was backing. "After that she said she didn't vote for me, she thought I was going to be horrible for the community. And then she said, 'The next time you run, I'm voting for you,' though. And I think that's happened for a lot of people. They realized that the rumors weren't true," he said.

The main rumor that dogs Hosch - both among some of his fans and his detractors - is that his agenda favors partying students and bar owners over other law-abiding townspeople. Former mayor Ken Hiemenz says he is still flagged down in public by citizens who feel "defeated," "outnumbered," and "afraid."

When the police chief resigned without explanation in August, it added fuel to that fire and has given Hosch his first major public relations challenge. Many believe the chief was pushed out by the city because of overzealous enforcement of speeding, noise, and alcohol violations.

Former mayor Hiemenz and his supporters think the chief was doing just fine. Hosch is legally prevented from commenting on the decision, but says the town's laws will continue to be carried out fairly and consistently.

	Hosch says City Administrator Judy Weyrens has been his most important resource in helping him get to know the job. (MPR Photo/Jeff Horwich)

Bob Loso, Dick's cousin many times removed, is the veteran member of the City Council and now suddenly, at 49, St. Joseph's elder statesman. He and Hosch don't always agree, but they get along. Loso says Hosch had to find his way like any new mayor, but now brings more authority and order to city meetings than he's seen in years.

"First couple meetings, just kind of sitting back watching, giving him the benefit of ... you've got to learn somehow, sometime, and everybody's new at one time, so I just sit back and watched him. He fumbled a little bit but overall he's doing good," according to Loso.

The crowd at the ribbon-cutting was not the toughest group Hosch will meet. He's backed here by a large number of nuns and a handbell choir. But he's got stickier issues ahead, many of which involve St. Joseph's larger neighbor, such as handling the flow of growth from St. Cloud, directing the growing flow of St. Joseph sewage into St. Cloud, deciding on regional efforts to spur affordable housing.

While he works on solutions, the young mayor plans to stick to his formula of making friends: listening closely and doing his homework.

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