 |
Bischoff, Eken, Nelson, Nordwall, Riebel on primary ballot in Sherburne District 3 raceBy Joel Stottrup Five candidates will be on the ballot in the Sept. 10 primary election for commissioner in Sherburne County District 3. They are Roger Nelson, Matt Bischoff, Rodney Eken, Greg Nordwall and John Riebel Sr. The residences of the five are as spread out as the newly-defined District 3 they are in. The district, as of January, will include the sliver of the city of Princeton that is in Sherburne and continue on down the west side of Highway 169 into Becker on the south. The two highest vote getters in the primary will be on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. Whoever gets the job will be one of five commissioners on the board that runs the second-fastest growing county in Minnesota, following Scott County. Sherburne's population in 2001 (the latest estimate available) was 68,177 and the homes numbered 22,862. The following is a profile of each of the five based on recent interviews. Matt Bischoff Bischoff, 35, of Orrock Township located west of Zimmerman, grew up in Elk River and graduated from high school there. He attended the United States International University in San Diego on a hockey scholarship and earned a degree in psychology and business management. After college he worked for two years in distribution and marketing for Shell Oil Co. in California. Today Bischoff owns and operates Jule Builders, which mainly does trim work and some remodeling. He was the head job superintendent for Christian Builders prior to starting his business about a year ago. Bischoff said he is running because of his many years of residing in Sherburne and because he is a landowner and county taxpayer. "There is so much growth," he continued. "Most of the issues facing the board pertain to growth, such as infrastructure and land development." Bischoff wants Sherburne to have a fiscally conservative board but also one that plans ahead. He said the overpasses the state is building over Highway 169 in Sherburne are needed. One of the areas of increasing traffic congestion that Bischoff pointed to is in the Becker end of District 3, where County Road 81 comes up from the south to connect with Highway 10 and County Road 50 connects to the north side of Highway 10. Bischoff said he doesn't know what the solution is but that he knows there are at least three options. Bischoff went on to talk about the proposed Northstar Corridor light rail transportation system using existing railroad track between St. Cloud and Minneapolis as something that would benefit his district. However, Bischoff said he didn't think it would be viable unless it was self-sustaining. He can see Sherburne giving some subsidy if it is deemed a good project. How many riders would use the line would have to be looked at, he said. (The Legislature would have to approve the Northstar Corridor funding but affected counties such as Sherburne could influence the legislators. Also, one idea that has been discussed in the proposal is that benefitting counties could be assessed for the cost.) Bischoff added that if the state had not used the gas tax for projects other than highways, it wouldn't have the current highway congestion. Addressing the demand for land to develop, Bischoff said he would not want to see farmers being deprived through zoning of being able to sell their land in parcels for development. "I certainly will be fiscally conservative," Bischoff said. "It's always better to run in the black than it is in the red. "I think what I bring to the table is I have a history of living in Elk River and have a lot of common sense."
He later started Town & Country Real Estate & Investment Company that he has today. Eken has lived for 30 years in Sherburne County, most of it in Zimmerman. "I see too much government control," he said, adding that enough people urged him to run for commissioner. Eken, asked to expand on his idea that Sherburne has too much government control, gave this response: What if a relative had lived their life in the county and now as a senior citizen needed to fix their leaky roof, he asked. But besides having a problem of limited funds to just fix the roof, the county said the homeowner would not be allowed to do so without updating their septic system, Eken added. Eken said he knows of an elderly man in his district who has that problem, and said a septic upgrade would also be required if a person wanted to build a garage. Eken said he can see why the county would want poor septic systems to be fixed but thinks they should be separate issues from other needs a homeowner has. He said he could see it being required if someone was going to sell property or expand their home's square footage. Eken stressed that he would vote what the majority of his constituents wanted with the exceptions being if something is illegal or immoral. Eken called for a governing style that compromises and said that's what is needed in dealing with Sherburne's fast growth. He said he would not compromise on the maintenance of roads, saying he too often sees road patchings that have to be repeatedly redone. Looking at the proposed Northstar Corridor light rail, Eken said that someday in the future a need will be shown for it. Eventually it could be shown that it should go not just from St. Cloud to Minneapolis but also down to Rochester, he said. Eken also said leadership is also needed to especially help senior citizens and children in Sherburne. "I'm running on a basis to serve and not control," he said. "I have no ads to say how great I am. It's not about me. You're only as good as the people you're serving." Eken said if he is elected he would visit all the townships in his district to regularly ask about their concerns. He added that because he is a business owner, he has the time and flexibility to devote to the commissioner job.
Nelson, 54, grew up in the township he lives in - Blue Hill - and graduated from Princeton High School. He was a dairy farmer for many years. He now raises beef cattle and has sold off some of his acreage for a housing development and calls himself semiretired. "I'm just interested in local government and working in any way to make Sherburne County a better place to live," Nelson said in answer to a question about why he is running. He added that the open district seat is a good opportunity to try that. Nelson is in his sixth year on the Blue Hill Township Board where he has been chairman for five years. "Sherburne's growth is really the biggest issue," said Nelson. "Currently the zoning is working real well." Looking at the Northstar Corridor issue, Nelson said he likes the idea of it but couldn't see the county supporting it at this time because he doesn't feel the proposal is cost effective. He called the cost "outrageous." He added that Highway 10 needs improvement and that will cost. Nelson said he approves of Sherburne last year approving funding for major road improvements, realizing it needs to be started and that new home and commercial construction will help fund the cost. Nelson spoke in favor of any county road upgrades, including making sure the roads have paved shoulders wide enough for walking and bicycling. He also favors more turn lanes on county roads. That government didn't set aside the former railroad bed between Princeton and Elk River for a recreational trail was a missed opportunity, he said. Nelson also approves of the county reducing the amount of drainage that a development has to handle in a 10-day period. As it was, the old requirement meant a developer having to dig much deeper holding ponds, he explained. "I'm willing to listen to anybody," Nelson says. "But when it comes down to the decision-making, you still have to rely on what's best for most of the people. Sometimes it may not seem like the best decision, but the decision has to be made if it's a tough choice." Nelson said he has "common sense" and can make decisions like he has done as a township supervisor, and pointed to his township during that time hiring an engineer for expertise in road work, instigating a paving policy so now up to half of Blue Hill's roads are paved, and setting up 911 emergency residence numbers at the end of driveways.
Nordwall, 51, of Baldwin Township, grew up in rural Zimmerman. Like Nelson, he is working on selling off some of his land for development. But Nordwall still is in the occupation he has been doing for many years of growing and selling Christmas evergreens. Nordwall graduated from Princeton High School, had broadcasting training at Brown Institute and then worked at WTCN-TV until he joined the Air Force in 1971 and has been in it 25 years (including reserve time). He has 21 years in the Minnesota National Guard and is in the Air Force Reserve. He is working toward a degree in personnel administration and, as a master sergeant, is teaching mentoring and other leadership classes for the 27th Aerial Port Squadron. He has also spent more than 25 years as an announcer at race tracks in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Nordwall has been on the Sherburne County planning and zoning board for five years and was on a citizen committee to organize a fire and rescue department for Baldwin Township. He has also served on the township's Highway 169 corridor committee. Why is he running? "I had people at the county and township level, neighbors and family ask, ëWhy don't you do it?' " he said. There are some great people in county government positions but they "need to comprehend they work for the people," said Nordwall. The worst thing for government is to "micro-manage everything in the county," he added. If he was commissioner, he would try to shorten the time it takes for a lot of county processes. Nordwall gave one example. He told of a person he knows who had to get a release from a government office on his mortgage in order to show it was paid off. He started the process back in April and the man has still not gotten it back, he said. Addressing the county's infrastructure needs, Nordwall said something has to be done eventually about the congestion of traffic through Highway 169, and the strain on Highway 10. But he said he doesn't think millions should be spent on planning to handle those problems. Regarding the Northstar Corridor proposal, Nordwall said if the railroads that are using the tracks could move people between St. Cloud and Minneapolis without costing counties like Sherburne "any big taxation," he is all for it. Nordwall said he likes the county's current zoning where the western part has the one house per 40 acres rule and that the eastern part is much different in makeup. Nordwall, who didn't file as a candidate until two hours before the deadline, told a story about how he finally decided to run. He said he had been talking to his son, Ethan, about how some people may not like what their governing boards are doing, and that the way to do something about it is to volunteer to help. A month after he had given Ethan that advice, the opportunity came up for him to run for commissioner and his son said he ought to practice what he preached. "I think I have the leadership skills that I will put up against anyone's in the area of working with people that may have opposing views," Nordwall said about running. "I'm not just going to fly off the handle and get mad." Nordwall added that he doesn't pretend to have all the answers, and that all sides have to work together.
Riebel, 57, moved to the Becker area from Belle Plaine in the fifth grade and owns the True Value store in Becker. He is a past American Legion commander in Becker and past vice commander for the Legion's sixth district. He has been on the Sherburne County planning and zoning board since 1983 and is on the Becker Township Board. Why is he running? "It's mainly because I think I can help out with a little better communication through the [county] board," he said. Riebel compa Princeton Union-Eagle |
