Lake County 2026 Election Guide

Contributed

Website:  vote.abazs.com

Age on Election Day: 34

Community: Finland MN

Employment: Self Emplyed as a Clean Energy Consultant primarily working with the Clean Energy Resource Teams(CERTs)

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

I have been an active community leader and organizer my whole life always with a focus on creating an inclusive and welcoming space where all people, perspectives, and ideas are valuable parts of learning, growing, and doing together. As a Quaker I am deeply active in governance and committees for Friends General Conference(FGC) currently as the Board Treasurer where I have been a champion of governance reform, anti-racism transformation, and young adult and youth programming. As an activist I work throughout the Arrowhead to build community coalitions for change. Through my role in the Finland Home Solutions I am working to directly improve access to housing in the area and have previously served as Crystal Bay Town Clerk.

Why are you running?

I want to transform Lake County into a place that actively seeks creative solutions for the benefit of seven generations of community. At a fundamental level I believe all people as well as our plant and animal relatives should be able to live a thriving and meaningful life and government's role is to support that goal at a community level prioritizing those most vulnerable. I don't see my current representatives at a local or broader levels supporting my values and acting in the best interest of the community so I seek office to change that.

Why should voters elect you?

I offer voters the choice of someone who will work stubbornly towards a more compassionate, uplifting, and just world. Voters should elect me to bring change and a fresh way of governing that treats everyone with respect and dignity. Even if we might disagree on specific issues you can trust that I will treat you with respect and listen with an open mind seeking the common ground that we do share and how we can best live together in community.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

A recent inspiration of mine is Zohran Mamdani for how he holds strong to his core beliefs while being open to new ideas and perspectives. He is also ready to adapt to the reality on the ground in the interest of getting things done.

What are the three biggest issues your county is facing?

The most pressing issues right now are access to housing, protection of human rights, and resisting capitalist greed that is threatening our precious air, earth and water.

Which of those three issues is most important to you, and how would you address it if elected?

Addressing the shortage of healthy and affordable homes for residents and aspiring residents of Lake County is my top concern. There are many ways the County can influence housing and one of the most important mechanisms is through updating the building and septic codes to support community centered housing development across the whole county. These updated codes need to allow for creativity and flexibility while still protecting the most vulnerable.

What would be your top spending priorities and savings priorities in the county budget?

Why is Lake County spending millions of dollars on the sheriffs and jail when there are proven methods to reduce crime at the source and support the emergency support needs of our community through non violent means. I will work to redirect most of the law enforcement expenses to crisis response and to health and economic support needs that so often lead to the criminal acts. I will also take a hands on approach to meeting with the hard working County staff who know these budget lines better than I do to collaborate together to find the most effective and efficient use of every public dollar.

Rising property taxes are a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. How would you aim to minimize levy increases?

The systemic revaluations of land has moved the tax burden away from the rich and onto the poor and since the County can't change how land is valued creative solutions are needed to correct that change by shifting the tax burden onto those who can afford to pay it. One step will be to adjust the taxes on commercial land which has not seen the same dramatic inflation in value.

Contributed

Incumbent

Age on Election Day: 66

Community: Fall Lake Township, Lake County, MN

Employment: Self Employed Resort Owner, professional fine artist , school bus driver, Lake County Commissioner

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

Current Lake County Commissioner- District 1, former Mayor of Ely, MN, former city council member, Bachelor of Business Administration from UMD, 50 years experience in the hospitality industry as a resort owner/operator, 35 years as a retail business owner, current chair of Ely Area Ambulance Service, current board member of Arrowhead Library System and presently serving on 22 other committees. I also have established political contacts from local leadership to state legislators in MN to Representatives, Senators and staffers in the halls of Congress in DC. I've also lead community art and art education projects in Two Harbors and Ely MN and produced extensive commissioned art work for the Eveleth and Chisholm public libraries. I feel sufficiently qualified to contribute to meaningful and effective high level decisions with a broad ranging perspective at the county board level.

Why are you running?

I want to see the helium mining project through to the great benefit of all residents of Lake County. I also want to aid in the completion of a Fall Lake Community Center and provide solid representation for my entire district from Little Marais, to Crystal Bay Township to Fall Lake Township. Ultimately, it my intent to bridge the gap between north and south uniting the county to the benefit of all its residents.

Why should voters elect you?

I show up to most every event and meeting willing and able to support Lake County and its residents in and out of my district . I'm fully committed and dedicated to the position of commissioner even though it's considered a part time position. I believe in striving to lower taxes for Lake County residents and businesses. I'm fiscally conservative but understand that we still DO need to fund many things in the county according to state mandate, statutes, and the needs of our residents. I'm a strong proponent of law enforcement and supporting EMS. I'm easily approachable and bring experience-based knowledge to the county board for the benefit of Lake County residents. And finally, I believe that in the face of new evidence, data and/or proof, there is no shame in changing one's mind for a better decision. For these reasons, I think voters should vote for me.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

Commissioner Rick Goutermont, Lake County. 36 years of dedication and commitment to the Lake County board. Broad range of county knowledge, and history with the ability to deliver great wisdom based on extensive political and life experience. He is respected in and out of the county by many people and his words carry a great deal of weight.

What are the three biggest issues your county is facing?

Securing Helium extraction/production, significantly rising HHS costs via unfunded state and federal mandates, personnel shortages

Which of those three issues is most important to you, and how would you address it if elected?

Securing Helium is most important at the moment. This requires our attendance in many functions to maintain a Lake County presence in the face of new Minnesota law creation regarding pooling and gathering of natural resources. I feel it's my job (and that of the board )to attend wherever industry leaders and legislators meet regarding helium and/or related subjects. We are there most times in person and other times via our lobbyist. It makes the long distance travel portion of being a commissioner more grueling but helium is THAT important to Lake County's future.

What would be your top spending priorities and savings priorities in the county budget?

Capital improvements in plow trucks as our fleet has been aging. Given the size of the county, we can't afford breakdowns in the dead of winter with plowing for public safety issues. Savings priorities fall in with federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and making sure we get our fair share from federal sources. Lake County is 83% publicly owned and we need to insure that monies available are monies received because our tax base is small relative to our land mass.

Rising property taxes are a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. How would you aim to minimize levy increases?

Don't spend like a drunken sailor - it's other people's money. Analyze what we really need vs. what we would like. It's not an easy process by any means and requires department heads provide a trustworthy depiction of their department needs. Then, it's up to the board to analyze costs vs. benefits to the taxpayers and act accordingly. We also need to make certain that all revenue sources are pursued and delivered to the county. Sometimes, this also takes many trips to the state capital as well as meetings in the field with various legislators. We end up putting in a lot of long days and miles trying to maintain all possible advantages to Lake County.