Fifth Ward Albert Lea City Councilor John Severtson announced Monday he will not seek re-election to his council seat and instead he will seek election to the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners.

Severtson, 59, lives in Albert Lea in Commissioner District 2, presently held by Jim Nelson.

&8220;I thought about it 20 years ago when I was on the council last time,&8221; Severtson said.

He sat on the City Council from 1985 to 1989 and now is in the fourth year of another term on the council. He said the city and county these days have many of the &8220;same issues of separation&8221; between them as in the late 1980s. He said he hopes his knowledge of the city and the county can bring them together. He grew up in Albert Lea Township.

His term expires Dec. 31.