Greetings. My name is Patty Green and I am a member of the New Hope Area League of Women Voters. I will be your moderator tonight for the Anoka County Commissioner District 3 Candidate Forum. I do not live in the voting district and cannot vote in this election. The election of the Anoka County Commissioner District 3 will take place on Tuesday, August 11th. This is a primary election. All candidates were invited to attend this this forum. On behalf of our hosts, QCTV and the League of Women Voters, I want to welcome our viewers and candidates. This forum is being recorded by QCTV as a public service. A full unedited recording will be posted on the QCT TV QCT TV TV, I keep saying T twice, and League of Women Voters Minnesota and Anoka Blaine Rapids Leagues websites. Editing is permitted only for official media reporting. Candidate Forum clips may not be used for partisan political purposes. The League of Women Voters is a volunteer non-partisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. We work to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influence public policy through education and advocacy. The League does not support or oppose any candidate or political party. The views expressed tonight are those of the candidates. They do not reflect any views from League of Women Voters. Our goal is to provide voters an opportunity to hear directly from them on the issues that matter to you. If your questions are not addressed during the forum, we encourage you to contact the candidates directly. The questions presented this evening were submitted by the public in advance and selected to capture a broad spectrum of community interests. A randomized rotation process was used to determine which candidate begins each question in the order of responses. We will begin with two questions that were provided in advance. Candidates will have up to 90 seconds to respond to each, then we'll move on to questions submitted by the public. For these, candidates will have up for up to 1 minute to respond. We will conclude with a 1-minute closing statement. Our timer will signal when you have 15 seconds remaining. When time is up, please finish your sentence quickly because time limits are strictly enforced. You will be interrupted if you continue beyond your allotted time. Beginning with our introductory questions, and you will have 90 seconds. Um we will start with Melissa Lawless. >> Thank you. I should probably read the question. >> Budget oversight is a key responsibility of a commissioner. How will you plan to stay engaged with spending decisions the county Is that not the question you got? >> Uh-uh. >> Oh, well. Let's Let's We'll back that up. We'll start with the question you received, okay? >> Okay. >> Uh she received the questions? >> I received two questions in >> questions. These are the initial two questions that you were asked that are kind of like an opening statement, why you chose to run, and we'll let you go on. >> Okay. Well, I'd like to thank you guys for hosting us tonight. Um I'm Mel Lawless and I'm running for County Commissioner because I care about the community and I want to use my experience to make a difference. My husband and I have lived in District 3 for the past 22 years, where we have raised our two boys. During that time, I've worked in Anoka County, volunteered, and been actively involved in our community. I believe the people of District 3 deserve a full-time commissioner who is accessible, listens to the residents, and works hard every day to represent them. I've worked in Anoka County for more than 27 years, and my current position is in the fraud investigations unit, where accountability and protecting taxpayer dollars are part of my everyday job. Throughout my career, I've also worked on projects to improve government processes and make them more efficient while maintaining a high level of service. I believe we should always ask, do we have the money to do this? Is there is this the best way to use taxpayer dollars? And is there a more efficient way to do this? Giving back has always been important to me. I coordinated the Rice Lake Carnival and Centennial Youth Hockey Golf Tournament. I've served on my homeowners association board for more than 20 years, including over 15 as their president, where we work every year on a budget and future planning. I just recently completed a two-year term as the president of the Centerville Lions Club. If elected, this will be my full-time focus. >> Thank you. And then we will go to Kevin Ryan. Same question. What is your motivation to run for this office and what experience or knowledge would help you to serve effectively? >> Uh, well, I'd like to take this time to uh, report back to the voters that everything's in perfect order. God has uh, made no mistakes. I want to make sure that everyone realizes that our dedicated law enforcement and the selfless efforts that they use on a day-to-day basis is our is our number one goal and supporting them is um is a humble duty. The basic outline is simple. It's the exact same outline we've had for oh, 20-some years. Uh nonpartisan activity in the County Commissioner's office. We have a tradition here in the state of Minnesota to produce non-tradition or nonpartisan traditions and we will be greatly informing our budget and our outcomes for our county by following that nonpartisan tradition. Unfunded mandates come with this partisan influence and I think everyone will agree that the nonpartisan issue and the unfunded mandates uh consuming our budgets at the local level are uh hand-in-hand. Uh this is the most important issue that I bring to the table. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh question number two, what are your goals for the future of the Anoka County Commission? And we'll start with Kevin Ryan. >> Uh my goal is to uh bring the board together in some unity. Um try to uh forego any more uh of the uh past where we've had uh ongoing conflicts dragged into the board uh that distract from our local budgets. I think it's important that we uh find a unanimous consensus. [snorts] And if you find yourself in the minority, I think it's important to get behind the vote and um do the work of the county as a whole, as a unified voice for the county. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Now, we'll move into the questions from the community members. Back to the first question I was reading. Budget oversight is a key responsibility of a commissioner. How would you plan to stay engaged with spending decisions the county board makes versus the budgetary agreement reached the previous December? And with that we will start with Kevin Ryan. >> I think continuity is this general theme. Uh disrupting budget outlines and uh projections are exactly the disruption that would be avoidable. It's important as you know that continuity is uh a key part of having things function in the most efficient manner. Uh there's plenty of time to debate policy. We are policy makers, not lawmakers. I think it's also important that we concentrate our budget to the tax base and that we stop this lend, borrow proceeding every decision based on what the banker says and then paying the extra. I think we need to get everybody back into the uh basic outline. We tax for our spending and we make sure that we have that spending uh addressed by the public and by public demand. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, I have uh messed up again. I did not give Melissa time to answer the second question. What are your goals for the future of the Anoka County Commission? I'm so focused on getting to that first community question. I apologize. >> It's okay. All right. Um if elected, my overall goal is to keep Anoka County a great place to live, work, and raise a family by making sure our county government stays focused on the people it serves. In order to do this, we need to make sure taxpayers' dollars are used responsibly. I believe we should always ask a few questions. Do we have the money? Is there something we have to do? Or is there a better more efficient way to do it? We owe that to the taxpayers. We need a We need to support public safety by making sure our law enforcement officers, firefighters, and all first responders have the training and resources they need to keep our communities safe. I believe we need to continue working together with schools, healthcare providers, nonprofit, and other community organizations to improve access to mental health services. I want to make sure our seniors have support and services they need to age with dignity. Many service Many seniors have spent their lifetime building our communities and are living on fixed incomes. And finally, plan reasonably for the future by investing in our roads and infrastructure, focusing on the areas with greatest need, and making sure sure projects are completed timely and efficiently. After working at Anoka County, I know there are way there are many things that we do well, but there is always ways we can do better. My goal is to ask the tough questions, find practical solutions, and make decisions that are are in the best interest of the people of Anoka County. >> Thank you. Mr. Ryan. Would you like me to repeat the question? >> I've already answered that question. >> Okay. How would you balance residents' services service needs with the tax burden on residents? And we will start with Melissa. >> Um so, I think there's many services that the Anoka County provides. And with the tax burden that we have, a lot of our tax burden falls fit like 48% of our tax burden or 48% of our budget is based off of tax payer or tax our tax dollars from our residents. And then 52% of it comes from other places. So, we are required to provide services through many state mandates, and we can always do things more efficiently. So, I do believe there's things that we could do better and lessen the tax burden on our our people in our county. >> Okay. Mr. Ryan, Kevin. >> Um I guess it's important [snorts] to remember that the needs of the county need to come first. The votes for those needs need to come from the board. Um having mandates kind of spoon-fed us by the partisans and they're not funding their own programs and their own laws and they rely on us to flip the bill for them. I think it's important for us to kind of maybe draw the line in the sand on this time where we're all looking for the extra dollar. And I want to make sure everyone understands the pushback on the mandates are not the mandates. The pushback on the mandates are the unfunded part. The part where the state makes the law, but then doesn't send any money to fund their law. So, it's that I think is the focus. Thanks. >> Thank you. Okay, the next question is human services budgets are significant part of the county's overall expenditure. What are your priorities when determining that portion of the next year's budget? And we will start with Kevin. >> Well, it goes back to the continuity issue. You You're going to have to put together the budget that we're working with now and make very deliberate and very calculated adjustments. If you see that we're going to have problems, they're going to need to be addressed on the front end. They cannot be keep chasing in the room and and crying foul. They have to be addressed head-on. Thank you. >> Thank you. Melissa. >> Can you repeat the question again? >> Sure. Human services budgets are significant part of the county's overall expenditure. What are your priorities when determining that portion of next year's budget? >> Well, the first thing I think we need to look at is there are mandates and um policies that the state and the feds um make us follow and make us administer. And they also don't give us funding for that. But there are maybe some extras that we do for our citizens that we could look at and maybe take out, which maybe isn't going to be a popular thing, but with the money that we have, we may have to do that in order to keep our taxes in check. Um the human service budget is a big is is big. And there's a lot of services that it provides throughout the county and I think people forget that. Um and a lot of it isn't funded by the federal government. So or we don't get as much money as we need to do and provide the services that are required. >> Thank you. Okay, the next question and we start with Kevin again. After years of choosing not to make significant property tax levies, Anoka County recently increased levies. Do you favor the board returning to limited property tax levies and restrictions on perceived spending needs or do you favor supporting levy increases if the spending needs are warranted? >> Well, I don't mean to sound redundant, but the deliberation of the present board has determined that certain levies needed to be raised to keep up with the standards that the county has endured. So, I think what we really would like to see happen with our budget and our tax base is that we can turn around and have those increases worked through by some efficiencies. We need to actually get our sleeves rolled up and put people on the board that have the expertise. How much goes in a dump truck? How long does it take to grade? How does it keep the shouldering? And actually have the technical input that allows the people to make and allowed the board to make their decisions. Thank you. >> Thank you. Melissa. >> Um I'm I'm not going to make any promises that we wouldn't increase taxes because I don't know the full scope of the budget. Um but I think it's important as a board member that you plan ahead. You look at what's coming up. Um what got us into this situation is that for years they did the zero levy by using what was called kind of a rainy day fund and they were offsetting our levy, what we should have had as a levy with that. Um so it's easier for people to swallow smaller increments than it is to swallow double digits 2 years in a row. And then also explain why those costs have gone up and why we have to raise the taxes. I think our citizens expect good quality services from us and in order to do that, it does cost us some money. So, I can't promise that I would love to say that I'm not going to raise taxes, but I don't think that you can ever say that as a politician because there's a cost to things. Thank you. Uh and we will start with Melissa for the next question. Anoka County has reduced bonded debt, but residents still expect strong roads, buildings, technology, and services. How would you balance low debt with needed investments? >> Well, I think that again comes down to planning, right? In looking at your budget and looking at your needs. Also looking at, you know, what we're doing right now and are we doing things well? Is there more technology that we can use to lower the cost of things we're doing? Where is the most need for our infrastructure being fixed and are those projects being done efficiently and timely? So, I do think it takes some planning by by our commissioners and by our cities working together to try to figure out where we can best spend our dollars, save our money, and provide the services that are expected by our citizens. >> Thank you. >> Kevin. >> The prosperity of the town and the county that I belong to uh when I began this little journey back in Dick Lang's era, uh Dick and the board had just worked through a whole period of Anoka County's history where all the roads were left to go to abandon, the the shoulders were left to go to ruin, the roadbeds were lost, and they had to go through a substantial rebuilding of all of our infrastructure. And they had just about had that tidied up. We've benefited this tax base that we talk about benefited from that decision-making. Now, do we build out a road 20 years from now, or do we build the road for today? That seems to be where the money's going to end up. We need to make our decisions for today's people, and we're going to have to let them build their own roads 20 years from now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. The next question will start with Kevin. Do you believe Anoka County employees are generally paid appropriately as compared to other metro area county employees? >> Uh you know, that's an interesting question. We just ran across that this recently. Uh the era of Rhonda Sivaraja stomping through the county, putting disparaging remarks on people's job histories, um running everyone out of the county. We lost a lot of talented people in the county. That is where we had the efficiencies. We had a great team coming into this. So, when it comes back around and everyone goes, "Uh-oh, why can't we get our act together?" Well, there's the there's the point to be made. We ran all those talented people off and we are suffering from that to this day. Now, what they're worth, the people that were here before were working at a reasonable salaries. Never did ask for much. So, I guess you'll have to sit down and negotiate with the new crew. Thank you. >> Thank you. Melissa. >> Well, as a count as a current county employee, I will tell you um a few [clears throat] years ago they did what was called a Helio study. They worked with a company. They did determine that the staff at Anoka County were underpaid based off of looking at all the surrounding counties um by quite a bit. They tried to equalize that pay, get us kind of up and they created a plan to try to get us equal or somewhat equal to the pay of other counties. Um it hasn't necessarily worked out the way that they thought it was going to, but with that plan, they also need to continue to give um cost of living increases and merit raises as other counties do because then we continue to to behind the eight ball of these other counties, and we aren't paying our staff what they're what other counties are. So, we are losing staff that are actually talented, and because they're going to other counties because of their pay and benefits. >> Thank you. Um next question we'll start with Melissa. What concerns you most about Anoka County's future? >> I would say one thing that concerns me, I think, is we continue to build, and I know that we don't have much as a commissioner at to say what city's building plans are, um but we continue to bring in new residents, but not new businesses to take the tax burden off of our current residents. Um and by doing so, we're bringing more people, which increases the on our on our demands on our infrastructure, our social services, our police departments, um and so, I think we need to do we need to take a look at that, and come up with a plan on how we're going to continue to provide these services and keep our community safe when we continue to grow at this pace, and how can we take the tax burden off of just families that are living in their houses. >> Okay, Kevin. >> Uh I think the biggest concern for Anoka County is going to be shared with all the rest of the counties in the state. We're either going to have to rope in the problem that we have with the partisan influence on their unfunded mandates, or we're going to continue to have to make tough choices when it comes to our services. And when I say that, I mean we're supposed to be the ones voting. There it is woefully inappropriate for partisans to take any part in our local budget spending. So, when I say unfunded mandates need to be rolled up and packed out, It doesn't mean the mandates won't get voted in. There's a All those mandates are beautiful mandates, lovely things to do. It's the unfunded part. And now we've listened to all the thoughts and concerns, and it all adds up to who's going to foot the bill. And the third district ends up being the ones holding the bag. Just look Just look at the map. You'll see who's ending up paying the bill and who doesn't have the resources. Thank you. >> Um the next question we start with Kevin. It is a long one. And it has a couple questions in it. So, if you need me to repeat it, just let me know. The city of Anoka and Anoka County remains at odds over the decision to build a new county jail on roughly the same space as the existing jail in downtown Anoka. Tell us how you perceive the current jail struggle and how you both you how you both want and expect the situation to play out. How should the county and the city proceed over this difference of opinion? >> There's a nothing noted No difference of opinion. Anyone who has remodeled a house will get all done and realize that they would have been better off to just move over one 50 ft and build a new house. Doesn't make sense pull down the drapes and try to redo the jail. If the jail needs to be restructured, it needs a new location, needs to be built from the ground up. This whole idea that they're going to tear down a jail with people in it and try to work around and end around, those are administrative failures. Those are things that we ran all the talented people out of the county and now we have just frou-frou ideas about how to build the jail and how to provide services when those people were all in place and they had the ability to transfer that knowledge. But, you know, now they're not there and we are suffering from them proposals. Thank you. >> Thank you. Melissa. >> Um it's my current understanding that there was an agreement with the city of Anoka to build the a new jail. Um however, some things happened within a couple years and now we're in a lawsuit with them I it sounds like. Um the problem is is we need a new jail. We're overpopulated in our jail by double the inmates. Um it's falling apart and we also don't house the people that have already been convicted in our current jail. They are being housed at other jail facilities which is costing our county money. Um if we do not continue down the path of building a new jail, the Department of Corrections is going to come and move our inmates out of our jail and house them elsewhere which will cost the taxpayers more money because we're going to have to pay the other county and then we're also going to have to pay transportation costs to and from and then that also causes safety issues for those for the not only the inmates but also the officers that are transporting those people back and forth to the court system. >> Thank you. Okay, the next question we'll start with Melissa. As a county commissioner, what measures if any would you support to reinforce or ensure voter confidence in our elections? >> But um So I I the voter for us as a county commissioner, we have to follow state law. We don't make that policy. Um but I would support if it came down to um ta- having people do a voter ID um just because we use IDs for other things in the in the state and this is one of the biggest things that we do for our republic and we don't require an ID. Um I believe that polling pads somewhat in it protect the integrity of the election based on the fact that the information is there. It doesn't have to be hand-stamped when you turn in a ballot. Um and those are my two main things and maybe shortening the election time frame, um the early voting just because of the administrative cost and the security of having um non-part non-uh county staff. >> Thank you. Kevin. >> Uh we've traditionally used volunteers. But we have this main body of administration that thinks that they can run their own cookery. And I mean cookery. [snorts] I've been bumped off of the rolls while I'm on the ballot. Now, if anyone wants to be troublesome by this, I've also had my status and my property challenged and all the other cookeries that go along with it. So, you know, everyone wants to look externally at a federal mandate and all these other things. I think we need to look internally. I think we're going to need to have a little bit more reflection time in the mirror with our election process. And you know, the vouch system and all the rest of the crazy stuff I used to think that might be a problem, I looked at it. I didn't find the problems. I actually found a um unifying benefit for the community. So, there you have it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, next question. We will start with Kevin. How do you approach working with people you disagree with philosophically over policies and direction? >> I think it's healthy for the disagreements. I really do. I think if we focused on the actual disagreements of policy and we had our pol- our politics checked at the door and our party nonsense left completely out of the subject, I think we could get to consensus. And we need to run our If we're going to have an efficient county, we need to run off of consensus. We're going to need to set our differences aside after the votes are taken. We're going to need to get together and work as a team and even if the minority isn't quite, you know, able to put the votes up, the majority's going to have to work with that minority and find some kind of compromise and and make it a deliberate compromise that we bring and build consensus. That's where our budget's going to be found and met. Thank you. >> Thank you. Can you repeat that question again? >> Yes. How do you approach working with people you disagree with philosophically over policies and direction? >> Um I think it's a good thing to have conversations with people that you don't agree with in policy and in the philosophy. I think that's part of the problem with our politics these days is that people are so divided and they can't come together and compromise. Um I think that's really important that you can have open discussions. I agree with you, Kevin. You have to have be able to have open discussions professionally and openly with people and in a civil way um without arguing, without pounding your fist on the table, um so you can come to some sort of compromise together in what is going to best what is going to come you're going to come to the best conclusion for Anoka County. And I think with my past history and working in the areas that I have done, that helps me come to compromises cuz I haven't always agreed with everybody that I've worked with and we've come to agreements and and better done things differently and better. So. >> Thank you. Uh we'll start with Melissa with the next question. Public meetings and online materials are available, but not everyone has the time, technology, or background to follow county issues. How would you reach those residents? Um I think if people are open to mailings, um I think or we should have open meetings which I think there's a lot for open meetings, but I think for open discussion people should be um able to come to our meetings if they are able to. Um I know that we do send out an Anoka County News to people. Um I don't know how often that goes out. Um but that is a way. I do believe that in we do need to be transparent with our policies and our voting and how we why we've come to the um decisions we have come to. I think that's very important to people. I think that is why people get so angry with government and don't understand why we make the decisions we make. And I do think that's a problem with Anoka County overall. Even being a staff member there, transparency is a big issue and I think they are trying to work on it. So, um I would have to look more into that though when I if I was elected. Cuz I agree people should know. Thank you. Kevin. >> Yeah, um it's important that we have uh meet people where they're at. I think if uh we have uh we already have some guidelines. The ADA, um American Disabilities Act. Opting in, you know, translators or in when we look at uh making a ramp on the side of the building so that they can access the building. Um maintaining clear access is is uh keystone. So, I think if they were able to opt in and have the ability to get on in a mailing list or, you know, find that the door is open when it comes time to do the meeting and that they can come up and sign up for the agenda and get their get their 5 minutes or 3 minutes or whatever they feel and have it on the record. That would be a good start. Give people a little chance to have a voice. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, the next question we'll start with Melissa. The county has recently had significant success working with state legislators who represent Anoka County. How have you worked with state legislatures legislators in any current or previous roles? If you haven't done so, what county based concern would you most want to engage with those legislators? >> I um actually have had a little bit of experience with this. Um a few years ago, I was part of one of our we wanted to change some policy for self-employment in the public assistance programs. We wrote up we helped write up kind of some language for a bill to be passed at the state level and I went down and we met at some meetings. It didn't go very far. Um the state is very difficult to work with. Um but I do believe that there are things that we do need to work with the state on and and I know we don't lobby, but I do believe that we can help write some of the directions that we want the state to go. And I think that's important and to help bring up our to help our citizens in this county, right? And the services that we can provide to them. >> Thank you. Well, that ends the questions from our public. So, now we're going to go to the closing statements. You'll have 1 minute. >> I don't get to answer that question. >> I know I crossed off your name prematurely. Sorry, Kevin. Thank you. Kevin, would you like me to read the question again? >> Uh, sure. >> Sure. The county has recently had significant success working with state legislators who represent Anoka County. How have you worked with state legislators in any current or previous roles? If you haven't done so, what county-based concern would you most want to engage in with those legislators? >> Well, I've always made myself available to the policy end of their job and tried to segue past their partisanship and make it a civic duty to work with the state. Okay. Um, but the mother may I program where we come bended knee, hat in hand, and we allow ourselves to be somehow placated, like, "Ooh, we've had all this success." We [snorts] haven't had no success from the state legislators. We have a massive hole in our budget due to the state legislators. They think that this is a big slush fund for them that they can drop whatever they want into our laps and we have to go to the taxpayers and identify the tax increase and justify their tax increases. This is I don't know, 101? I think it's time we do some vote counting. I think we actually have more constituents than they do. Time to pull them votes in, people. Let's get it done. >> Thank you. Okay, now we go to the closing statements. You'll have 1 minute for your closing statement and we will start with Kevin. >> Well, I'd like to thank all the voters. Again, I'd like to reach out to the police officers. They do a thankless job. They have been able to piece together this most recent events and make sense of it when our leadership seems to fail wholeheartedly. I want to make sure that everyone understands that the controversy that I have chose, well, I chose that chose me, that I chose to elevate the controversy is not on the police officers. It's not the highway patrolman. It's not our local sheriff or our local deputies or our police that are working in our communities. That is not their fight and I want to make sure everyone understands that the actual controversies need to be addressed in full throated fashion. And that I with that I leave you with that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Alyssa. >> First, I want to thank the the Women's League of Voters and the for hosting this forum and the voters for taking the time to watch. The more The more people I meet, the more excited I get about this opportunity. I keep hearing some things the same thing over and over that people want something different and they want their voices to be heard. I will be that commissioner for them. When I was just still deciding whether I wanted to run for this, my husband made a comment and said, "You've been unintentionally building your resume for this for the past 20 some years." I looked at him and thought, "You're kind of funny, but I think he was actually right." I haven't come from a political background or the political world and that's okay. What I do bring is real experience and willingness to learn and and a commitment to doing what's right for the people of District 3. The more involved I become, the more excited I am to learn, to listen and to serve. If I'm elected, this will be my full-time job and I will work hard, be accessible and involved in the community. I will lead with integrity, professionalism and civility. And I would be truly honored to earn your vote and and and have the opportunity to represent you as the county commissioner of District 3. >> Thank you. And I would like to thank you, candidates, for speaking to the voters. Did I skip you again? >> No, no, ma'am. I just wanted to make sure Jeff got a shout-out and that our prayers are with him. Uh >> Thank you. >> And I want to make sure that you address the same so that everyone in this forum is a realizing that uh maybe by his own absence, we can all take a minute. >> Thank you. Yes, as was said, all candidates were extended an invitation and um Jeff Reinhardt, due to family uh situation, is not able to be with us tonight. >> Thank you. >> So, thank you. Uh thank you, candidates, for speaking to the voters about the issue and for running for the Anoka County Commissioner District 3 seat. Thanks to QCTV for the video production and the Anoka-Blaine-Coon Rapids League of Women Voters for hosting this forum. I want to remind voters that the views expressed in this forum are those of the candidates and not those of League of Women Voters. Thank you viewers for your interest in being informed voters. If you need to register to vote or update your registration, you can do so online at vote411.org. And if you have any interest in the League of Women Voters, you may visit the webpage at lwvabcmn.org. Thank you. Have a good evening.