Six candidates — each with backgrounds in public service — will compete in November for three seats on the Washington County Board. Two of the races include incumbents, and the third will fill a seat vacated when Commissioner Ted Bearth died in March. In the latter race, voters will decide whether Cheryl Anderson or Stan Karwoski will represent the Second District until Bearth's term expires in 2018.
Anderson vs. Karwoski
As the owner of a social services hiring agency, Anderson, of Birchwood, said she has 30 years of experience advocating for other people. She has served on the county's review panel for child protection services and the citizens' advisory committee.
Anderson considers the proposed Gold Line bus-rapid transit line a priority. Attracting more corporate businesses to grow the tax base ranks high on her list, as does addressing changing demographics.
"What are the anticipated service needs, do we have enough providers, appropriate housing, transportation options?" she said.
Anderson added that an effective commissioner needs to "listen, learn and network" to make informed decisions.
Karwoski has been mayor of Oakdale since 2015 and served as a City Council member for 12 years. He said his experience in governing, which includes 14 years of compiling city budgets, makes him a strong candidate for the County Board.
His list of priorities includes resolving road congestion and improving safety as well as managing water resources, he said. He also wants to "ramp up our effort immediately" in the quest to retain jobs and expand the county's business climate.
"Our country is competing for qualified workers not only in the Twin Cities market, but also the region," Karwoski said.
Kriesel vs. Beaudet
Gary Kriesel, the longest-serving county commissioner, is seeking another four-year term representing the Third District. He is being challenged by David Beaudet, a former Oak Park Heights mayor.
Kriesel said his first goal, if re-elected, will be "to continue providing excellent core and essential services at a reasonable tax rate," citing the county's strong AAA bond rating.
He also wants to concentrate on fiscal management, including a broader role for county government to increase the tax base and attract jobs. His transportation interests include transit development and identifying improvements needed on county roads once the new St. Croix River bridge opens in 2017.
Kriesel said he'll also work toward "clean and safe groundwater" and wider use of recycling.
Beaudet said he had opposed the St. Croix River bridge project as mayor because of unanswered questions about what it would cost Oak Park Heights taxpayers. He said he worked on the city's behalf to secure $2.3 million from the Minnesota Department of Transportation to pay for relocating utilities, but that the city still had incurred $1 million in costs.
If elected to the County Board, Beaudet said he will work to eliminate more long-term debt, which he said now stands at $206 million.
He would expand programs and services for mental health care and suicide prevention; a third priority would be road intersections, which he said should be better designed to meet safety standards.
Miron vs. Eigner
In the First District, incumbent Fran Miron is running against Ed Eigner. Miron was a longtime Hugo mayor, and Eigner currently sits on the Forest Lake City Council.
If re-elected, Miron said, he will continue to build on his small business experience as a dairy farmer "to create a shared vision" for county residents. Top issues for him include public safety, economic development and transportation.
"Transparency and trust is critical to a unified goal, and I believe strongly in the need to engage the public in the decision-making process," Miron said.
Eigner said he is running because he thinks Washington County should take a stronger stand against the Metropolitan Council, the regional agency where he said "appointments are usually political paybacks for election considerations." He said the agency has no taxpayer accountability because members serve at the behest of the governor rather than face election.
On the County Board, Eigner said that he would not "show any favoritism toward any one community" and give district residents a "true voice" in how their taxpayer dollars are spent.
Kevin Giles • 651-925-5037
