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Friday, September 5, 2008
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Profiles of county board candidates
Crow Wing County voters who live in District 1 will have an opportunity to narrow the field of four candidates down to two in Tuesday's primary election.
Dewey Tautges, serving his second term as District 1 county commissioner, decided not to seek re-election.
Those vying for his seat include: Frank Ball, Al Gmeinder, Denny Schmidt and Philip "P.J." Trusty.
The Dispatch invited the candidates to provide a candidate profile and to answer three questions relative to this Crow Wing County race.
Most polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., although some townships open at 10 a.m.
Al Gmeinder
"Commissioners need to first and foremost work with all department heads to find out which departments can cut their staff. This will not be a easy process. Department heads will have to be held responsible for their individual budgets. At this time I do not have specific suggestions as to what staff cuts should be made. After I am elected I will be a good listener and learner. I pride myself on being a great thinker. I will be thorough before I speak or act."
"There are very few options for going green. The county can own fewer vehicles and the employees can drive fewer miles. As vehicles are replaced upgrades to alternate fuel must be an option. Converting to natural gas vehicles is another option. Natural gas burns cleaner and is abundant in the United States. The county will need to focus its efforts on conservation. Fuels for vehicles and heating buildings are a major budget item. We as Americans will all have to change how we use fuels in the future."
Frank Ball
"Priorities will have to be discussed collectively with the other elected officials. That is where our interactions with local and state (governments) will be important and necessary to determine what is best for our community. We must rely on the integrity and professionalism of our elected and appointed department heads to give us their needed input and ideas to manage our resources more effectively. The commissioners will have to hold tight' those demands for cuts with those who are most familiar with their areas of expertise. Hard decisions will have to be made regarding the mounting tax burden, costs of services and purchasing of equipment and supplies, much like has happened with our educational administrators. These are decisions that will have to be made collectively and with the input of our other government agencies and citizens."
"Going green is not only a buzz' word, but a reality as our younger generation realizes the spoils of how society is so wasteful. Local governments should support more education and efforts on recycling; especially solvents. Make recycle sites more available and people will recycle more. We have counted on service organizations to carry this load and we should support those efforts. It has to be convenient, easy access and cheap. Offering more information and educating our community will make more people understand the value of going green. It's not just a buzz word any longer; it's the reality of things to come. Habitat for Humanity is a fascinating concept; something that government should support and research and try to help those who are helping others. Instead of throwing usable items in the landfill, others can utilize these materials for better living styles. One person's junk is another person's treasure ... as they say!
"Government has been good to my family and my career. I have participated in government at all levels: Municipal, county, state, federal and most recently, international. I have gained experience in management, budgeting, organizational structure and I feel I'm fortunate enough to bring that experience back to my home in Crow Wing County. I've made my home here. I've raised a family here. I work here. I wish to remain active in areas that make a difference in this beautiful part of Minnesota."
Philip "P.J." Trusty
"I believe commissioners should consider the argument of each department head within the county. Also, he or she should listen to their issues on why they should or should not receive personnel cuts to their department. Additionally, I would suggest looking into future retirements and sun-setting positions to aid in staff reduction decisions. Work week adjustment could be analyzed to save electricity, fuel, etc., which in turn may help to save jobs.
"I truly feel that environmental concerns should be considered at every level of government. Some ideas to consider would be: Programmable thermostats, increased rural recycling programs, energy-efficient lighting, making energy-efficient decisions when purchasing for the county. Not to overlook alternative energy when it provides a savings to all taxpayers in Crow Wing County.
"By living in District 1 for almost 40 years and being a Fort Ripley Township supervisor for the last 13 years I have seen and dealt with numerous government issues concerning the people of District 1 and the county. I will use my experience to make good common sense decisions for the county. I will listen to issues at hand and give my personal point of view, but vote in the best interest of the people of District 1."
Denny Schmidt
Age: 61.
Address: 11164 Easy St., Brainerd.
Occupation: "I am retired from industrial sales and marketing. I am currently working for the Mills Automotive Group. I also work occasionally as a freelance writer and photographer for Lake Country Journal and other publications."
"Crow Wing County is a $68 million business with about 450 employees. Personnel costs are approximately $31 million or 47 percent of the total budget. I can see where this area would be a highly visible target for cost reductions. However, in a business of this size a 1 percent turnover rate per month is typical. This equates to over 50 employees per year. Therefore it is possible that instead of actively cutting staff which could result in negatively impacting county services, we may want to consider a less controversial approach. Implement a hiring freeze and a performance budgeting review where necessary current staff can be retained, retrained and reassigned to fill the positions being vacated by attrition. As I look over the 297-page budget for 2008 I see areas that could be more closely examined for administrative efficiencies and possible budget cuts. As brutal as it sounds there are times when certain projects and programs need to be underfunded in order to force efficiencies. Taxpayers are not bottomless ATMs. The budgeting process of adding taxpayer money to cover inflation should not be an option until all efforts have been made to minimize non-essential spending."
"There are conferences and training events being held in major cities all over the country concerning the promotion of environmentally conscientious government. I would encourage key county personnel to become involved in this training with the emphasis on energy conservation. We may want to look at trading out certain aging county vehicles for hybrid vehicles. Straight electric plug-in vehicles may also be an option for short range service. We may want to look at adopting anti-idling' regulations for county vehicles. Documentation management can be an area of concern. Can we cut down on paper and toner waste, and the clerical time involved generating multi-page agenda packages, meeting minutes and other reports by keeping them stored on a server for access rather than printing them out? We accept waste oil at the landfill. The county highway department generates used oil from vehicle maintenance. How about heating some of the buildings by using waste oil furnaces? There are many opportunities for going green' while decreasing the energy cost associated with the county budget."
"I consider service to my fellow man as the rent I pay for the privilege of living here. With this attitude, I want to use my business skills, township experience and my energy to represent the taxpayers of Crow Wing County by helping to ensure that county money is spent wisely and not wasted. If elected I would treat the position of county commissioner as a full-time job and not something I do on the side.'"
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