You’ve got to admit, there’s a lot of lingo associated with local government that can be a bit befuddling. Fiscal capacity may be one of those terms that fall into this category. At its core, fiscal capacity is the ability of government to generate revenue. It depends on a variety of factors, including a community’s industrial capacity, natural resource wealth,... READ MORE >
Once again it’s sweet November. Best month of the year, according to seasoned deer hunters across the state. That time of year when Minnesota’s much-anticipated annual deer season rolls ’round; which, not uncoincidentally, coincides with “the rut” …that time of year when both deer and hunters go crazy. Bucks going crazy chasing does and hunters going crazy chasing trophy bucks... READ MORE >
Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), considered one of the most influential political philosophers of the 20th century, was best known for her writings regarding the nature of power and evil, politics (which can be one and the same), and totalitarianism. Arendt spoke about extraordinary cases in which an entire society is being lied to consistently … unrelenting assertions of false or misleading... READ MORE >
This past April, friend and fellow musician Steven Johnson, who used to lend his acoustic guitar skills to our three-part folk harmonies – à la Peter, Paul and Mary – unexpectedly passed away. Steven, who eventually became a producer/writer for the Minneapolis-based Martin Williams advertising agency, performed extensively with us throughout the seventies. His son, Ben, would later pick up... READ MORE >
Most people, when confronted with change, become anxious. Change is uncomfortable. Change can be scary. So began the introduction to the May 2013 presentation to the county’s leadership team on Cook County’s initiative to hire a county administrator. Seven years later we find ourselves, once again, facing change. Every leadership transition creates uncertainty, not only for county staff and elected... READ MORE >
There’s a part of our brain that too often sits dormant. It’s that part of the brain that is located right behind our forehead. It’s this region of our brain that is considered the seat of complex thought. Known as the cerebral cortex, it’s responsible for some very important things such as moral reasoning, critical and creative thinking, planning for... READ MORE >
Long before people today were born into this world, there existed a very large tree, an ancient tree, as some called it. The tree had grown for centuries in a welcoming valley ringed by cascading hillsides. The first people to venture into this beautiful valley were at once drawn to the magnificent tree with its stout trunk and its broad... READ MORE >
What qualities and talents does the next county administrator need to have in order to be successful? One of the questions county commissioners asked candidates during our September 13, 2013 interview for Cook County’s first administrator was, “A county administrator’s leadership style is essential to organizational success. What do you consider to be three important leadership qualities you would bring... READ MORE >
There is a part of our human experience that awakens an attitude of reverence, awe, and ultimate respect; an often-wordless category that encompasses what can only be referred to as the sacred. If you’re like me, you don’t stay continually aware of what’s most dear to you. But when you come back to it –through the gift of remembrance, perhaps... READ MORE >
The Edsel was presumed to be everything American car buyers wanted, the “car of the future.” However, it turned into a financial disaster for the Ford Motor Company. Ford was so confident in the undertaking that it pumped millions of dollars into it. But instead of revolutionizing the automobile industry, the company lost millions on the gas-guzzler, making it a... READ MORE >
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