If you feel that the election season comes earlier than it used to, you are correct. The Minnesota Primary Election, held in September in years past, was changed to the second Tuesday of August in 2010, so this year’s primary is August 12. Much of Cook County votes by mail-in ballots which will be sent to voters the week of July 21, so yes, the time to think about who you want representing you is fast approaching.
The democratic process is alive and well in Commissioner District 5. There are four candidates in the race. They are (in alphabetical order) Tim Goettl, Bruce Martinson, Ginny Storlie and Stanley Tull.
This week, the Cook County News-Herald sat down with each of the candidates and asked a few questions. Their answers follow.
What sort of biographical information would you like to share about yourself?
Tim Goettl: We’ve been up here for 44 years, in the West End. I’m married with three kids who were born and raised here. I’m a Cook County High School graduate, the Class of ’81.
I’ve been working in plumbing and heating my whole life. I’ve been running County Plumbing and Heating with my brother Peter, successfully, for 14 years. We also have Goettl Enterprises, managing the apartments and trailer park.
When the Lutsen township was reorganized in the ’80s, the treasurer was Helen Jacobs. I took over for her and served as treasurer until ’95 or so. I am now serving as a Lutsen supervisor.
Bruce Martinson: I have a BA from Bethel University in business with a minor in economics and biology. My experience prior to moving to Cook County was with TCF Bank as an EEO coordinator, customer banking representative and customer banking supervisor.
I have a wonderful family, first and foremost my wife Sheryl. We have three children, who have lived in Cook County their entire life.
I have had the privilege of serving as county commissioner for 11½ years and would like to be able to serve you again.
If I’m not reelected, that would mean there are three commissioners on the county board with no experience and two with only 1½ years experience. Now is not the time for change in our district.
Ginny Storlie: We moved up here in 1986 to start Sawtooth Outfitters. I’ve lived in the county that length of time. I’ve had three businesses—Sawtooth Outfitters, the youth hostel at Birch Grove, and a greenhouse.
I have two sons and now they have families. We were a hockey family before moving here and when we found out there was no hockey, we asked, “Why not?” My husband Derald got the hockey program going and helped build the rink at Birch Grove.
I’ve done a lot of volunteering in Cook County, on the Birch Grove board, Friends of the Library, the Tofte Historical Society. I was on board when we started the North Shore Fishing Museum. We had to build something from scratch.
I’m a member of the West End Garden Club.
I taught Early Childhood Family Education for two years. I was a volunteer librarian at Birch Grove for 12 years and worked with teachers there through all the ups and downs of Birch Grove.
When we lived in British Columbia and South Dakota, we were foster parents.
And I’m now a supervisor on the Lutsen Town Board.
Stanley Tull: My work experience? I worked in the cross-country pipeline business my entire adult life. I retired in 2000 and we started our move to Cook County. I spent a couple of years learning our court system; learning about it and how it impacts our county. I eventually changed my attention to our county commissioners and I’ve been sitting in on county commissioner meetings for four years. That has been my first experience of learning local government. Being on the road all the time, you don’t get to be involved.
Initially when I moved up here, I thought I was moving to Mayberry. I was surprised how little we were working together. With that experience, I figured it was time to try it. I don’t have a dog in the fight—I’m not a business owner or a realtor. I’m here, I have the time. I’d truly like to help.
My wife Pat and I purchased the family cabin that has been on Deeryard Lake since 1963. We started visiting the North Shore in the late ’50s.
What would you do as commissioner to improve the condition of county roads, gravel roads in particular?
Goettl: I personally believe the county highway department is doing a pretty good job on the roads I drive on, which are many in my job. They are in pretty good shape for what we have to work with, considering the weather. Some roads are bumpy and they can grade, but as soon as it rains, they are bumpy again.
To improve them? I’m not an engineer and I don’t know the road budget. As a commissioner, I’d look at what we have to spend. I feel the county guys are doing a good job right now, but I’m not there and I’d need to know more.
Martinson: To start, I would like to have a five-year management plan on nonstate aid roads. Right now the current plan just deals with state aid roads, usually paved roads.
I’d continue to increase the money allocated in the budget for calcium chloride, which is used both for dust suppression and road stabilization.
And of course, there will be improvements in 2016 on an eight-mile portion of the Sawbill Trail when the gravel section becomes paved. Storlie: As Lutsen town board supervisor, we have no roads to be responsible for. But I believe the county and the Forest Service do need to work together on roads, especially with the weather. There are a couple of bridges out, there needs to be a partnership there.
There needs to be diligence on road maintenance.
The county engineer did come talk to Lutsen about the long-range plan, about the plan to pave the Sawbill. There are more people up there now.
Tull: I would prefer to see more up-to-date information about vehicle density on some of these roads. I believe some are driven a lot harder than others.
Some of our road material needs to be of a higher quality. We get so much Class 5 that has mostly clay and no binder. I understand you don’t want too much crown in the winter, but the crown needs to be established on a lot of roads.
As commissioner, I would ask for a traffic audit for some major gravel roads that are having issues. And I would ask that we verify the quality of the materials. I’d rather spend more money to have proper gravel to make roads better.
Cook County sees great benefit from being part of the Taconite Tax Relief District. What would you do to ensure that Cook County continues to be a part of the Taconite district?
Goettl: That’s all based on Taconite Harbor. I don’t want to see the power plant closed down. As a commissioner this is another thing of many that I would have to learn. I’d have to figure out how it all works. I’d have to do some research.
I’m totally for the taconite district and the money we receive from it. I’d do whatever I can to see that we keep it.
Martinson: I’d continue the efforts that have taken place in the last 12 years, to work with Senator Tom Bakk and Representative David Dill to keep us in the taconite relief district. Outside of the grant money that Cook County has obtained—approximately $10 million over the last decade for special projects and payments to the county, townships and school district—there is a benefit for homestead taxpayers. They receive $370 in tax relief each year, collectively $510,000 for Cook County taxpayers.
It is very important to keep the Taconite Harbor Energy Center in operation. Right now that is the door that keeps us in the taconite district.
Storlie: Money has to be used wisely to ensure that we continue to be part of the taconite district. It’s a great benefit, as the homestead credit is a great benefit. We need to be in partnership with whomever we need to, to keep that benefit.
A recent article in the Grand Rapids Review said the taconite tax will increase a few cents per ton and the extra money will go to rehabilitate Iron Range towns. So far the extra money will not affect any homeowners, counties or city governments at the present time.
Since we are at the end of the line, we need to watch if the Minnesota legislature acts on the issue. Senator Tom Bakk headed the push for the increase to be used for Iron Range schools.
In the future how it is allocated to Cook County needs close scrutiny. Mining areas of Virginia, Eveleth, and Mountain Iron share their taconite production taxes with less active areas, like Cook County.
Tull: To be honest, that’s the toughest question yet. Honestly, the last impact we’ve had in the taconite district was a truck running into the railroad bridge. However, supporting the “One Watershed, One Plan” program continues to put us in the taconite district. We’ll be responsible, jointly with Lake County, for all the watersheds that drain into Lake Superior. We’ll be involved in the potential management of that water, all the way down the shore. We share water resources with the taconite district. Potentially, we will always have a tie with the taconite region through the watershed program, so our involvement will always be there.
The only other thing that could be done, we could get the Taconite Harbor loading dock up and running.
As a commissioner, would you support a mandate that local contractors be used for all county projects?
Martinson: Practically speaking, this would not be possible. For example, for county highway reconstruction, there is no company in the county that has the capability to do that work. But I would support a policy that wherever possible, local contractors be used.
Goettl: It would be great. Personally, we should try to use as many local contractors as much as we can. But then again, we have to look at the budget. If a local business bids $100 and an outof town business bids $50, we have to look at it.
I know you don’t have to take the lowest bid, so whenever we can we should use a local contractor if the price is good.
As a small business owner, I know there are county projects that are too big for local companies.
I don’t think the county can mandate that local contractors be used, especially with some funding sources.
Storlie: A mandate is difficult because when they submit their bids, in most cases, you have to look at the lowest bidder and a lot of the lowest bids come from outside the county. It would be good if you could, but I don’t know if you could mandate it.
When we built the Lutsen Fire Hall we were fortunate to get a local bidder and we had local contractors. I would support it, but I would say, legally, I’d need more information.
Tull: A mandate is kind of tough. I’m not even sure it would be legal, but I’m a big proponent of using local contractors when reasonably priced bids are found to be competitive. They don’t necessarily have to be the lowest, but they have to be competitive.
It also depends on funding sources, because with the 1 percent money, the way it was collected, caused us to have to take the low bidder in many scenarios. And it came with requirements for bonding and insurance that were very hard for our local contractors to make. We were absolutely stuck with those policies.
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