(Radio Iowa) – A member of the Arnolds Park City Council and the owner of two prominent businesses in the Iowa Great Lakes region has died. Jim Jensen began racing sailboats on West Lake Okoboji when he was five and started a sailboat business when he was 13. Jensen was a sales manager, then owner of Okoboji Boats. He sold in 2001 and soon after became one of the captains of the Queen II, a 75-foot-long excursion boat that cruises West Lake Okoboji. He also founded Jensen Realty with his son, Michael. Jensen died November 14th at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester after a long illness. He was 74.

The Arnolds Park City Council intends to appoint someone to replace Jensen, whose term on the council ran through the end of 2027. After a new council member is appointed, Iowa law says citizens have 14 days to collect petition signatures if they favor a special election to fill the vacancy.