Nov. 6 could change Mower County leadership, and it’s left up to the voters.

Multiple seats are currently up for grabs within county seats, such as commissioners for district 3 and district 4 and county auditor/treasurer. Voters are also looking to find the next Mower County Sheriff, who will lead the law enforcement agency after current Sheriff Terese Amazi retires at the end of the year.

Austin Daily Herald has compiled all the candidates whose name will appear on the ballot this next Tuesday and asked them several questions to gauge what their thoughts are on specific topics. Here’s what was discussed:

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Sheriff candidates

 

Steve Sandvik

Town You Reside In: Grand Meadow

Occupation: Mower County Sheriff’s Office Senior / Lead Sergeant Investigator

Relative Experience: Over 22 years Law enforcement experience, 17 plus years with Mower County Sheriff’s Office.

•12 plus years of supervision experience both as Patrol Sgt., Sgt. Investigator, on call supervisor.

•10 plus years as Sgt. Investigator leading and conducting Felony and gross misdemeanor criminal investigations.

•10 plus years as a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), member of the multidisciplinary child and vulnerable adult protection teams, member of the SE MN Violent Crimes Drug and Gang Task Force (SMVCET), Clandestine Lab Technician and Site Safety Officer, Mower County Sheriff’s Office Lead Investigator, Developed and implemented modern Field Training Program (FTO) for new hire Deputies

•Developed and participates in the Mower County Sheriff’s Office Mentoring Program

•Provide Internet and Social Media safety presentations to students, parents, and school staff

Education: Associate of Science Degree – GPA 3.98.

How would you address the issues of retaining and recruiting detention deputies to ensure that the agency continues to have quality deputies with the Mower County Sheriff’s Office?

Detention deputies have an extremely difficult and important job. It’s important to understand two things about the turnover we experience. We recruit from local and regional law enforcement programs which results in us getting highly educated and skilled detention deputies who are working to become full-time peace officers. In fact many of our most recent patrol deputy positions have been filled from within our jail. When we are able to promote from within, we know their work ethic, their performance and interpersonal skills. By promoting detention deputies to patrol deputies, we are able to share these success stories during recruiting times. I think it will be vitally important for us to expand our applicant search with more local and regional law enforcement programs. Advertising on websites like ZipRecruiter, Jobs, and Glassdoor, will help us increase our applicant pool of qualified candidates.

How will you, as sheriff, go about recruiting more deputies who also reflect the people they serve?

As sheriff I would like to see us begin to build interest with young students as our schools reflect the diversity of our community. The department and the community will benefit from programs that allow all areas of our department to engage with students throughout the county. I would like to see us start in the primary schools and continue to engage students through middle and high school. It will also be important to expand the Mentoring and Explorer Program at the high school level. Partnering with area organizations such as Boy and Girl Scouts, APAC, and the Y could provide additional opportunities to build interest within our community in criminal justice careers. While implementing these programs and actively recruiting with a wider net utilizing the resources I previously mentioned, we will attract a recruiting pool more reflective of our community.

Mental health bed shortages are an ongoing issue statewide and not just limited to Mower County. Although much of the decisions are from the state or hospitals, what can law enforcement do to address these growing concerns?

The Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (POST) are requiring all law enforcement agencies to implement Critical Incident Training (CIT) by 2019. CIT will better equip peace officers to deal with people experiencing a mental health crisis. Partnering with mental health care providers, clergy and counselors provides us and them the opportunity to identify and assist people who need mental health assistance before they become a part of the criminal system. When we are able to identify them early and refer them to qualified resources, we can reduce the need for costly incarceration and transportation.

Do you feel that body cams are a priority in the future of law enforcement for the agency in Mower County?

Private v. public data is dictated by the state statute, department policy and case law. It will be important for us to understand the impact analysis before we move to implement body cameras in our department. The research shows there is a benefit to the community and the peace officers by documenting resident and deputy encounters. Exploring the possibility of available grants will determine the best time to implement this technology with the least cost to the residents of Mower County. We are currently installing squad car dash cameras as result of this same cost and impact analysis principle. Private vs. public data concerns are the same for squad car dash cameras as they are for body cameras. It has been my honor to serve the residents of Mower County for the last 17 + years. I would like to thank the voters for their consideration this Nov. 6.

 

John Bachman

Town You Reside In:  Grand Meadow

Occupation:  Sergeant of Mower County Sheriff’s Department – Civil Division

Relative Experience:  I have been a licensed officer for 31 years.  I served as Chief of Police of Elko, Minnesota, for eight years, a deputy for the Mower County Sheriff’s Department for 21 years and currently serve as the Sergeant of the Civil Division.   I served as a contract deputy for the city of LeRoy, a night/day shift deputy, and the uniformed assistant to the Civil Department Sergeant. I have been the union steward president for the Local 83 and 81 for 15 years.  I’ve been involved in contract negotiations, disciplinary action, mediation and arbitration processes.   

I am the fleet manager, where I research and make recommendations to the sheriff and County Board for fleet purchasing and maintenance.  Within the Civil Department I am responsible for serving all court related documents, sheriff’s auctions, evictions and writ of executions from the Court.     

Education: I received my two-year degree in law enforcement and a certificate in Risk Management from Normandale Community College. I’ve had extensive training in the legal process pertaining to civil law as it pertains to Civil Division of the Sheriff’s Department.    

How would you address the issues of retaining and recruiting detention deputies to ensure that the agency continues to have quality deputies with the Mower County Sheriff’s Office?

Hiring and retaining corrections officers is not an issue that is isolated to Mower County, but is a concern statewide at all levels of confinement. The sheriff oversees all operations of the jail and it is essential that all employees feel supported and valued.  Unfortunately, the Detention Deputies have not felt supported and the current attitude within the jail is stressed and unhealthy. The jail has many quality men and women who supervise some potentially dangerous people. There needs to be a new initiative of support to provide an atmosphere in which the Detention Deputies feel they have a voice. The Mower County Detention Deputies wages were well below the regional market for the same position. Jail employees would come to Mower County to get training and experience, then leave for other facilities or use it as a stepping stone into a law enforcement position.   The County Board initiated a position wage compensation study which helped, however, the implementation was flawed because the results were unappealable. As a result, some tenured jail employees were making less than newly hired employees.  There should have been an appellate process for those anomalies that occurred in which the affected employee’s wages could be adjusted.    

How will you as sheriff, go about recruiting more deputies who also reflect the people they serve?

This solution begins with the County Board budgeting for additional deputies. The number of young adults pursuing careers in law enforcement has significantly declined. It is difficult to hire deputies and reflect the community in which we serve when the source of employees has declined.  It seems that social media has created a culture in which law enforcement officers can be criticized or questioned for their split-second decision in a dangerous situation. To counter this attitude, it will take education and community policing to develop relationships with all cultures. This includes attending multicultural events, attending job fairs (high school and college) and developing relationships with youth within the community.

Mental health bed shortages are an ongoing issue statewide, and not just limited to Mower County. Although much of the decisions are from the state or hospitals, what can law enforcement do to address these growing concerns?

The mental health crisis in Minnesota is tied to the funding at the federal and state levels and the reduction of heathcare costs for mental health interventions. The Mower County Jail has teamed with several local providers to provide chemical dependency interventions, education and mental health programs. The jail created a program coordinator position to facilitate and implement programming and act as a liaison for community resources. An agency within Mower County is currently trying to secure a funding source to obtain a computer-based program called “Empower” which is a clearing house for interventions ranging from housing to chemical dependency treatment. Law Enforcement POST board requirements will include ongoing training requirements for officers to address interventions when interacting with persons with mental illness.   

Do you feel that body cams are a priority in the future of law enforcement for the agency in Mower County?

Today’s climate in society for law enforcement is difficult because media outlets want to focus on an individual officer’s actions and place the blame on all law enforcement officers. I support the use of squad car cameras and body cameras for officers’ actions to be transparent and assist prosecutors with prosecution of offenders.  The current administration did not support either type of camera system until the County Attorney lobbied the County Board to implement the squad car camera system earlier this year. $90,000 was authorized to purchase the cameras for the squad cars.  As the fleet manager, I am working with an outside vender to retrofit the fleet of squad cars, so deputies can implement their use.

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Auditor/Treasurer candidates

 

Steve Reinartz (incumbent)

Town you reside in: I have lived in Adams my entire life.

Occupation: I am the current Mower County Auditor/Treasurer

Relative Experience: I am in my fourth year serving as the Mower County Auditor/Treasurer.  I have the knowledge and work experience with current property tax and election laws.  I am currently certified through the State Department of Revenue for calculating property taxes.  I pay close attention to detail, which is an important characteristic needed for this office. 

I have 30 plus years of bookkeeping/business management experience.  The role of Mower County Auditor/Treasurer is to provide a service to the residents of the county.  The treasurer’s office is vital to every other department at the county.  All daily receipts are deposited through the Treasury Office.  We are responsible for daily balancing of all receipts.  My current staff has streamlined daily balancing by the use of Excel spreadsheets.  These are all saved so our yearly audit has been improved.  My office works with the Recorder and Assessor offices during all property transfers.  As the County Auditor, I am the head election official in the county.  We train all election judges and administer all election functions, including preparing ballots and having them printed.  In an election year, these duties start about six months prior to the general election in November.

Education:I attended college at the University of Minnesota Waseca. I received an associates degree. My studies focused on business management

How would you address voters on what Mower County has done to ensure the integrity of elections this November?

The State of Minnesota has taken extra precautions to secure the integrity of our voting system. At our state election training in May, we had a presenter from the Federal Office of Homeland Security. In Minnesota, a paper ballot is still used in all voting. All staff has to use a multi-factor sign in to access SVRS, which is the Secretary of State election site. There is a public site that voters can access to request a ballot and track after voting. At the county, all ballots are kept in our vault and we have two people present when entering. When processing ballots, two certified staff  or election judges is required. Pre-testing and public accuracy testing to prove our election equipment is accurate and working properly. This is done by election clerks from all voting precincts prior to election day.

What are some improvements that are needed to be made as Mower County Auditor/Treasurer?  In the next term, what are some changes you are hoping to bring into your position?

We need some improvements in the tax system to make it more user-friendly and easier.  This is one of the improvements we are working towards.  We are also constantly working to streamline procedures and provide great customer service.

What would be some of your goals if elected into your position as county auditor/treasurer?

Before I was elected to this position, there were many duties/tasks which were removed from this office.  There had also been some turnover and a lack of training.  After I started, our office hired some new staff and we also went through two office moves during my first term.  We have worked hard to develop guidelines and provide training for each duty/task in our office.  We have also been successful in getting those duties/tasks mentioned above returned to our office.  The citizens of Mower County expect prompt and courteous service whether issuing a birth certificate or an absentee ballot, and I feel we are here to serve the residents of the County.  We have a wonderful staff  who have a good rapport with each other, and we all share the same goals.  I would like the opportunity to continue serving the residents of Mower County for four more years.  My office has made many positive changes.  We also have many ideas on how we can serve the public better and more efficiently, and I would like the opportunity to initiate these.

 

Scott Felten

Town You Reside In: Austin

Occupation: Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Relative Experience: 27 years of tax and accounting experience working for a national public accounting firm in Austin, Minnesota

Education:  Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Winona State University.

How would you address voters on what Mower County has done to ensure the integrity of elections this November?

The Mower County auditor/treasurer must work effectively with the Minnesota Secretary of State’s (SOS) office to properly follow procedures and safeguards in place related to election integrity as a whole. Mower County, in conjunction with the Minnesota SOS, must budget appropriately for cybersecurity. Steve Simon, Minnesota Secretary of State, visits each county annually to discuss such issues. Minnesota’s voting system is paper-ballot based and decentralized, which makes it less susceptible to hacking. Local election judges test ballot machines at the polling locations, as legally required, and this is open to the public. Ballots are counted at the local level which is an effective control.

What are some improvements that are needed to be made as Mower County Auditor/Treasurer? In the next term, what are some changes you are hoping to bring into your position?

It is important for the auditor/treasurer to be knowledgeable and to be accessible to office staff, the public, and other county departments and municipalities. The office of auditor/treasurer really is a full-time position, and I will approach it that way. Being a CPA, with 27 years of tax and accounting experience from my previous career, provides a very beneficial skill set to bring to this position, which is different from the current situation. I want to improve knowledge, processes, and efficiency by attending conferences and training held for auditor/treasurer office holders, as well as encouraging staff to attend updates and training sessions applicable to the work they perform.

What would be some of your goals if elected into your position as county auditor/treasurer?

My goals include working with the staff in the Auditor/Treasurer’s office and using resources at the MN Secretary of State and MN Dept. of Revenue to truly learn the vast array of duties and responsibilities of the position so that the Mower County Auditor/Treasurer becomes a reliable, knowledgeable source of information, leads a department that is accurate, timely, and courteous in performing its duties, and provides excellent service and value to Mower County residents. I will strive to improve communication, cooperation, and efficiency as it relates to tasks involving other county departments and cities and townships in the county.

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Commissioner

(District 3) candidates

 

Jerry Reinartz (incumbent)

Town you reside in: Austin

Occupation:  Mower County Commissioner, Third District.  Retired real estate appraiser, self employed for 35 years

Relative Experience:  As an owner of my own business, I gained much business knowledge, which I have used to guide my decisions on the county board.

Education:  Graduate of Lyle High School, Austin Community College and many state and federal required appraisal and business schools.

From your perspective, do you feel that the tax abatement program has been beneficial to taxpayers and would you recommend it to continue? Why or why not?

Initially, I voted against the program due to no cap on the cost of the home to be abated.  I thought it should be limited to affordable housing shortage only.  There have been almost 60 homes built in the last one and a half years compared to only eight before the program was started, so it has been very successful to this point.  It will have added much new tax base to the county, which will benefit everyone when they begin paying taxes. Also, a 62-unit apartment complex is being built.  All of this will help solve the projected housing shortage.  I feel due to this success, the program will be at least considered to continue.

How would you address the recruitment process needed to bring more skilled and credible translators and interpreters to Mower County, and if they’re a priority to the county at this time?

There have been no requests of the board to add new interpreters at this time.  The departments that normally use them have other options, including improved technology to use, but of course if requests happen, the board will evaluate the need.

How successful has the ½ sales tax and wind funds used to repair roads and bridges been? Do you think will be the permanent solution to the funding shortfalls that rural counties have encountered?

The board was very reluctant to implement the sales tax option, but when the 2017 legislature did not act on increasing state aid, we had no other choice if we wanted to keep from falling further behind on road and bridge maintenance.  This past year we were able to rebuild three times the miles of roads that we had the year before and have even more than that planned for next year by using capital reserves and backfilling the reserves with the sales tax proceeds.  Our theory is to do more now as it will be more expensive later.  We hope that future legislators will start providing more help for our gas tax county roads so we do not need the sales tax.  The board will also designate the wind tower funds from our 88 new wind power farm to county roads and bridges.

As commissioner, how would you address the need for water quality, but also helping homeowners who are not able to make their septic systems compliant because of the costs to replace them?

The county board has always been involved in trying to improve our water quality and it is a an ongoing process because it is very expensive.  Septic systems in Mower County cost at least $15,000 to install and approximately 100 are replaced a year, but the next year maybe 100 more will need replacing.  The county has a grant that we provide loans to landowners needing to upgrade.  The loans are low interest and are a special assessment added to their property taxes over a period of years to help them with the burden of the cost.

Our water quality in our waterways is improving and is much better than in years past, according to DNR and Mower County Soil and Water personnel.  The state now requires fifty foot buffers by statutes between waterways and farmland to prevent runoff of sediment and topsoil.  Mower County is over 95 percent compliant at this time.

 

Penra Grimley

Town You Reside In: Austin

Occupation: Staff, Mower County Health  Human Services

Relative Experience: Worked for City of Austin in finance department from 1975 to 1983

Education: *Was not given

From your perspective, do you feel that the tax abatement program has been beneficial to taxpayers and would you recommend it to continue? Why or why not?

I believe that we have to look at setting some limits and reviewing the initial goals that were set when the program was adopted.  Are we really addressing the income levels that this was intended to assist and how does this affect the rest of the county’s tax distribution among taxpayers?   

How would you address the recruitment process needed to bring more skilled and credible translators and interpreters to Mower County, and if they’re a priority to the county at this time?

I believe the needs of interpreters changes with the population.  There are other options used when the need presents itself.  I believe this is a service that has to be reviewed on a community-wide need and should be discussed with all entities of the county.

How successful has the ½ sales tax and wind funds used to repair roads and bridges been? Do you think will be the permanent solution to the funding shortfalls that rural counties have encountered?

I think the taxpayers are optimistic with any positive moves made with this decision.  However I would like to be able to assure that the projects that are undertaken are limited to roads and bridges and are not diverted to outside projects as the funds are intended for.

As commissioner, how would you address the need for water quality, but also helping homeowners who are not able to make their septic systems compliant because of the costs to replace them?

There is a loan program available, however I have learned it is hard to find contractors that will work in this county.  There must be a remedy to offering solutions to homeowners to maintain their systems that are effective and affordable.  We need to do a better job to assist the citizens of this county.   

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Commissioner

(District 4) candidates

 

Tony Bennett (incumbent)

Town You Reside In: Austin

Occupation: Owner of Old 218

Relative Experience: Austin Planning Commission, Mower County Board

Education: Austin High School, Riverland Community College, Kansas State University

From your perspective, do you feel that the tax abatement program has been beneficial to taxpayers and would you recommend it to continue? Why or why not?

I voted against this program as it creates a tax shift that burdens tax paying properties during the abatement years. It still bothers me seeing homeowners who can afford $250,000- $450,000 homes not paying their fair share. While many homeowners and contractors have taken advantage of the abatement, I can’t help but feel it’s overly generous.

How would you address the recruitment process needed to bring more skilled and credible translators and interpreters to Mower County, and if they’re a priority to the county at this time?

The main users of interpreting services are Human Services and Corrections. Neither of these departments, nor anyone from the public has requested increased interpreting services. While many languages are spoken in Mower County, some of them are spoken infrequently, making it impossible to maintain staff that speaks each language. To fill this void, department heads have embraced a mobile technology called ELSA which provides 24/7 communication in more than 180 languages.

How successful has the ½ sales tax and wind funds used to repair roads and bridges been? Do you think will be the permanent solution to the funding shortfalls that rural counties have encountered?

This decision has been very successful and well received by the public. We have also forward funded some of these projects using reserves that will be replaced as the funds become available. So much of what we do in government is seen as wasteful by people, including myself. Roads, bridges and public safety are incredibly important, as is the proper use of tax dollars. Although successful, the use of sales tax and wind money should not be a permanent solution. Our state legislatures need to work together to overcome this impasse with an eye on rural counties, not just the metro.

As commissioner, how would you address the need for water quality, but also helping homeowners who are not able to make their septic systems compliant because of the costs to replace them?

During our County wide septic system inventory 2,377 onsite inspections were completed. We identified and land owners replaced 221 out of compliant systems. Another 331 sites were yellow tagged, meaning they were not imminent health threats but needed improvement. Additionally, septic systems must be inspected and found compliant during any property transfer, any time a permit is required in a shoreland area, anytime an improvement is made to a substandard sized lot, and anytime a bedroom is added. The average lifespan of a septic system (depending on how it is serviced) is 25 years. Owners should have their systems pumped and inspected by a licensed contractor every three years. The cost of an inspection is around $500. Currently these inspections are voluntary. The real question is should these inspections be mandatory, and who gets stuck with the bill? I believe each homeowner is responsible to properly dispose of their waste. If you live in an area with city services, you pay for those services.

If you have a septic system, you (not your neighbor or other taxpayers) need to pay for and maintain that system.

 

Jeff Baldus

Town You Reside In: Austin

Occupation: Executive Director of the Austin Area Foundation

Relative Experience: Prior business owner and I have a passion for the good of our community and county

Education: *Was not given

From your perspective, do you feel that the tax abatement program has been beneficial to taxpayers and would you recommend it to continue? Why or why not?

I feel it has been a successful program and would favor its’ continuation. The purpose of the tax abatement initiative is for new construction of single and multi-family homes, and to provide incentives to encourage the construction of new owner-occupied and rental residential housing units, and to encourage replacement of dilapidated housing structures within the County. To date, we have had approximately 60 individuals take advantage of this program. Housing has been identified as an area needing great support and growth both in Mower County and the city of Austin. In previous years leading up to the tax abatement program, the community saw few new housing starts. In order for our county to grow, we need to have people living and working in our communities, which means we need housing.

How would you address the recruitment process needed to bring more skilled and credible translators and interpreters to Mower County, and if they’re a priority to the county at this time?

During the last several weeks, an interpreter position was being considered for elimination after 18 years of service. After last week’s Mower County Board meeting, the current commissioners voted to continue with the position by reducing hours from 40 to 30 and utilizing its’ interpreter with additional responsibilities. The county also uses ELSA interpreting units, allowing staff to access an interpreter electronically, the language line, and MARTTI system, which is an online program used with a tablet – much like “facetime”.  We currently have a few other employees that speak Spanish, and while interpreting isn’t necessarily part of their duties, they’re able to help with quick questions and the small day-to-day things that come up. I believe the tools we are using at this time are sufficient and hopefully as we continue to hire new employees we can hire those with multilingual talents.

How would you address the recruitment process needed to bring more skilled and credible translators and interpreters to Mower County, and if they’re a priority to the county at this time?

Fiscal 2018 is the first year revenue from the sales tax that was available. The county used it to launch $6 million in road resurfacing. It used $1.5 million collected and $4.5 million in reserve funds to pay for the projects, and will be using the next three years collections to restore the reserve. With the state’s inaction on road and bridge funding, the county has been stuck in transportation limbo and waiting on much-needed funds. Without good roads and bridges, moving products from here to there becomes difficult and even unsafe in some cases. This needs to remain a priority and we need to stay the course on improving our county road system.

As commissioner, how would you address the need for water quality, but also helping homeowners who are not able to make their septic systems compliant because of the costs to replace them?

Improving water quality is a shared responsibility. I feel strongly that we can no longer have homes in the county with questionable sewage disposal systems. I know to repair or upgrade these systems can be very costly, but I think we owe it to our children to tackle this problem and if not us, then who? I would encourage homeowners to upgrade for the good of the county. The county does have a low interest septic system loan program in place. As we near the end of 2018 the question must be “How can we be better stewards of our land and waterways?” I believe that we as county commissioners need to look to the state and others for possible funding alternatives to help homeowners with their upgrades, but that can not stop us from moving forward and addressing the situations that exist in the county. Improving water quality is going to take many more years. It is a shared initiative among local, state and federal government, as well as individuals.