▁whose ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁increase ▁civ ic , ▁cultural , ▁and ▁economic ▁opportun ities ▁in ▁the ▁T win ▁Port s . ▁N ess ▁was ▁also ▁festival ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Hom eg rown ▁Music ▁Festival ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁N ess ▁also ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁Ze ppa ▁Family ▁Foundation , ▁a ▁progress ive ▁foundation ▁focused ▁on ▁hung er ▁and ▁pover ty , ▁environmental ▁sust ain ability , ▁and ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁visual ▁and ▁performing ▁arts ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Congress man ▁Jim ▁Ober star ▁h ired ▁N ess ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁campaign ▁manager , ▁a ▁position ▁N ess ▁held ▁for ▁nearly ▁ten ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁N ess ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁D ul uth ▁City ▁Council ▁as ▁the ▁city ' s ▁council or - at - large . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁council ▁president . ▁ ▁Mayor ▁of ▁D ul uth ▁N ess ▁was ▁elected ▁Mayor ▁of ▁D ul uth ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁from ▁a ▁pool ▁of ▁ 1 2 ▁candidates . ▁He ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁term ▁on ▁January ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁at ▁a ▁ceremony ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁D ul uth ▁Entertainment ▁Convention ▁Center . ▁ ▁Elect ed ▁at ▁age ▁ 3 3 , ▁N ess ▁is ▁often ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁young est ▁Mayor ▁to ▁take