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Friday, November 28, 2008
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Tim Houle X 2 Name isn't the only thing these men have in common Senior Reporter Tim Houle, meet Tim Houle.
When Timothy Michael Houle, let's call him Tim M., first learned Timothy James Houle was hired as Crow Wing County's administrator, he considered showing up at the meet-and-greet or popping in on his first day at work in Brainerd, but it was a fleeting thought.
"I couldn't keep a straight face anyway," Tim M. said.
The tale of the two Tim Houles definitely has its humor. There was a debate on who could be called the original Tim Houle. After all, Tim M. was born in Wadena and grew up in the Brainerd area. But Tim J. is older by two years.
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Tim M. Houle (left), civil engineer with Widseth Smith Nolting, sat recently with Tim J. Houle, Crow Wing County administrator, in a meeting room at the Crow Wing County Courthouse. If they were at a tough public hearing, the two joked they always have an out and can say, "You must be looking for the other Tim Houle."
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Brainerd Dispatch/ Steve Kohls
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"I do have to respect my elders, so I'll be the 'other,'" Tim M. said.
They first met face to face at a morning Brainerd Lakes Chamber event and ended up sitting on either side of Lisa Paxton, chamber chief executive officer. When it came to the introductions, Paxton smoothly passed the microphone between the two men. Tim J. came in second and introduced himself as the "other Tim Houle."
But they had already crossed paths. Tim J. was the Morrison County administrator and Tim M., the civil engineer with Widseth Smith Nolting, was working on a Highway 27 project in downtown Little Falls. Tim J. got calls asking him how the Morrison County Board could let him moonlight on a construction job. Every now and then, each man would heard about the other Tim Houle.
"I always told people - they'd say I know this other Tim Houle up in Baxter - I'd say, 'well, tell him next time you see him, 'I'm the handsome one,'" Tim J. said and smiled. "I don't know if that ever got back to you."
Beyond a name and even physical similarities, including hair growth atop their heads that could be described as challenged, the two share a family tree. Tim J.'s grandfather and Tim M.'s great-grandfather were brothers. They both trace their roots to the prolific French Canadian Houles of Ripley Township in Morrison County, with a pinch of heritage traced to the White Earth Band of Ojibwe.
Tim M., who has a dry wit behind an engineer's stoic face, said he played a lot of sports in high school. Tim J. was more involved in speech and DECA, the organization for students interested in marketing or business. Tim M. continues to be involved in his church choir. Tim J. says he sings in church because it's the only place he can sing and not be thrown out.
"My wife always says, 'Hey, the good Lord gave you the voice, you might as well give it back to him,'" Tim M. said.
"We both like to sing in church. He's good at it," Tim J. said.
They've gotten each other's e-mails a few times by mistake.
"I've gotten the, 'Wow, you're busy,'" Tim M. said. And when Tim J. was hip-deep in the controversial debate about a 500-dog breeding operation in Morrison County, Tim M. said: "Every now and then someone would say, 'What are you doing about those dogs.'" It would take a minute to register. Dogs? "I've got three cats."
So where does one Tim Houle start and the other end?
"We're both highly intelligent and humble at the same time," Tim J. said. "We're both good looking and modest about it."
As they sat at the table comparing family stories, they were finishing each other's sentences.
"We both work with the public," Tim M. said.
"And still enjoy it," Tim J. added.
Given the choice of taking the stairs or the elevator, they'd both hike up from one to three floors and hit the elevator button for the fourth floor or higher.
Both have a fear of heights and a healthy sense of humor. Tim M. is an introvert. Tim J. is decidedly extroverted. Both enjoyed school and history. Both describe themselves as wordy. Both value teamwork and hearing diverse opinions.
They picked the same two figures, living or dead, with whom they would like to have a dinner conversation: First being Jesus, second Abraham Lincoln.
"We're the closest thing to clones in this county," Tim J. said. "I could date and get him in a boat-load of trouble."
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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