Name: Rachel Reabe Nystrom
Qualifications: My eight years on the Crow Wing County Board have been eye-opening. County government can be a wonderful system to provide services at a reasonable cost for its citizens. I chair a statewide think tank for innovative government. Constituents, colleagues and staff tell me I am an effective problem solver.
What do you want to accomplish if elected?: Our county board and staff are accomplishing great things. We've cut the county levy each of the last five years by combining our departments and reducing our work force. Despite these economies, customers tell us that service has never been better. Online permitting allows residents to accomplish county business from home.
Last year Crow Wing County was recognized nationally for our clean water regulations, ensuring our lakes and rivers will remain clean and healthy for generations to come. Who wouldn't want to live in Crow Wing County? Our county goals are simple. Serve well. Deliver value. Drive results.
Specifically, how would you accomplish your goals?
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As a county commissioner, I am a policy maker and will continue to direct our administrative team and department heads to streamline government. We have had great success in reorganizing departments and will continue that work. I will explore additional shared services with surrounding counties with the goal of better and cheaper government.
We're moving to performance based pay for our employees. The days of workers collecting a paycheck just for showing up to work are over. High performers are rewarded and lackluster employees can expect lower wages and possible termination. Our customers expect us to spend their taxes carefully.
