Members of the Schroeder town board were getting a little worried as the March 2012 election neared. Longtime Schroeder Clerk Carol Tveekrem had repeatedly stated that she was not running for reelection. Supervisor Ross Willson announced that he was moving away from Cook County. And no citizens filed to run for office before the January 15, 2012 deadline. So it was with some relief that they learned at the February town board meeting that two citizens had stepped forward to run as write-in candidates. Running for supervisor is Deb Johnson and running for clerk is Doug Schwecke.
The Cook County News-Herald spoke with the candidates this week. We share their answers with readers who want to learn a little bit more about the candidates.
Q. Please provide biographical information about yourself—work experience, education, and family— whatever you feel is pertinent.
Supervisor Candidate Deb Johnson:
I work the morning shift at the Tofte Holiday. I’ve worked there nine years. I’ve been on the Schroeder Fire Department for 15 years. I’m married with three kids, one grandchild—and another one on the way. I haven’t done much in politics, but I keep track of what is going on in the newspaper. I’ve lived here 26 years and thought it was time to get involved more in the township.
Clerk Candidate Doug Schwecke:
I grew up in southern Minnesota and farmed down there. I’m still farming corn and soybeans. I spend about a month down there in the spring and fall. I’ve been a farmer all my life.
We bought land in Schroeder about
10 years ago and did the “Cook County thing”—we bought a garage that we used as a cabin. About a year ago we began building a cabin, but you know how that goes, we’ll never be completely finished.
Supervisor Candidate Deb Johnson
Q. In January 2011, a Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA)-funded housing study found that if North Shore Hospital developed assisted living services, those services would not be needed on the county’s west end. How do you think Schroeder should respond to that?
I think there is a need in the West End. It would be nice to spread out the senior housing, so relatives of people on the West End don’t need to travel so far to visit. Schroeder should discuss this a little more.
Q. The township has been working with the Catholic
Diocese to enhance the Father Baraga’s Cross area. What changes, if any, would you like to see made at the site?
A pavilion would be okay, but I don’t know of that many people that go down there. A lot of people use the Schroeder Town Hall for get-togethers. You’d have to make sure it was handicap-accessible and that could be spendy.
Q. What do you think is the biggest issue facing Schroeder right now?
It’s hard to say. I guess businesses on the West End need help. We need more businesses to open up down here. We lost the café and the hardware store. They were places for people to get together.
Clerk Candidate Doug Schwecke
Q. What role do you think the clerk plays in the township?
I’m finding out! Basically, it’s being a secretary, taking care of all the bills and stuff like that. Between [outgoing clerk] Carol and [deputy clerk] Gale Ring, I’m learning. They both said they’d help me quite a bit, which I appreciate.
Q. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the township right now? I haven’t been very active up here, so I’m still finding that out. But I think that it is trying to provide the basic services while keeping township costs under control.
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