Chris Olson of Spring Lake Township, whose name will be on the ballot during the Scott County Commissioner District 2 primary election Sept. 9, took some of his time to answer these questions from the Jordan Independent:

JI: Why are you running for county commissioner?

CO: I have thought about how our current economic crisis is affecting our community and individual families. I decided rather than sit powerlessly watching these dramatic events unfold, I would make an effort to participate with a group of leaders using innovation and creativity to solve or reduce the potential impact of this crisis. I have been in public service for 22 years, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from serving the community.

JI: What are the top challenges facing Scott County and how should they be addressed?

CO: Scott County will continue to experience a decrease in revenue in the foreseeable future. The challenge for county staff is to find ways to provide the same, or close to the same, level of service during these difficult economic times. It is unrealistic to assume that this can occur without cutting or reprioritizing existing services.

JI: What has the county done right? Where can it improve?

CO: Scott County has some phenomenally talented employees. I have personally worked with many of them. The county has done an excellent job controlling its operating cost per capita spending on human service which ranks 87 out of 87 Minnesota counties. The most current data shows Scott County ranked 65th in the State for actual property taxes on a $200,000 home. We need to continue this trend in all areas of the county budget.

JI: Why would you make a difference on the county board? What do you bring to the table?

CO: Over the years I have developed many useful and productive working relationships with a variety of people at the county, including, but not limited to, human services, probation, jail workers, civil and criminal attorneys, law enforcement, auditors and assessors, labor unions, judicial officers, building, inspections and many others. I believe my familiarity with county operations coupled with my existing relationships will enhance success at the board level.

JI: How should the county resolve a potential multimillion dollar budget hole?

CO: I once heard someone say, “It’s simple, but it ain’t easy.” The question continues to loom: how long will this difficult economic downturn last? Until we see evidence of a turnaround, the board, with input from citizens, needs to retool discretionary spending. This process will undoubtedly result in the elimination of some of our non-mandated programs. Comprehensive deliberation should take place during this process to ensure the residual impact to citizens is minimal.

JI: What steps have you taken to learn more about county operations? Have you (prior to this survey) met with county staff or commissioners to expand your understanding of the county?

CO: I have spoken to representatives from each of the four townships regarding their comments concerning the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. I have attended township meetings to introduce myself (New Market Township meeting pending) to respective board members. I have spoken to the Sheriff, Savage Police Chief and Elko New Market Police Chief. I have met with (the county) Road and Transportation Director Lezlie Vermillion, Community Development Director Michael Sobota, Scott County Administrator Unmacht and Deputy Administrator Gary Shelton.

JI: Did the county make the right decision in opposing the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s application to put 752 acres of land into tax-exempt trust? Should the county have joined the city of Shakopee in a lawsuit to fight the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ ruling, which was in favor of the tribe? In the future, should the county oppose land trust applications?

CO: My response to this question is based exclusively on information I’ve gleaned from the news reports and casual conversations. Assuming the county board contemplated all the variables pertaining to this matter before coming to their final conclusion, I do not disagree with the county’s final position. The old adage about throwing good money after bad seems to apply to this event. Future land trust applications need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

JI: What do you think of the county’s update to its comprehensive land use plan and, in particular, the new direction for rural development? The plan lays out a long-term vision for what unincorporated sections of the county will eventually urbanize, while providing greater flexibility for interim development in those areas.

CO: After discussing this with members of each township in District 2, I generally agree with the direction. Scott County signed an agreement with eleven townships in 1969 authorizing it to become the planning and zoning authority. Several adjustments have been made since then, but the current process utilizing collaboration and input from all stakeholders seems to be very beneficial. The ultimate build-out development scenarios may need to be modified in response to the economic conditions.

JI: Do you plan to continue your current jobs and activities if elected to the county board? How will you make that work? Do you plan to serve on committees outside of the typical board meetings?

CO: I do plan on continuing my current job if I were fortunate enough to be elected. My current job responsibilities involve non-traditional work hours. I have a flexible work schedule, and I anticipate utilizing that flexibility to attend board meetings as well as subcommittees. I realize there will be personal sacrifices to be made, but we have discussed this endeavor as a family and feel confident this is something we can successfully achieve.

JI: Should Scott County commissioners reduce their pay to help with the county’s budget problems? If so, by how much? (Current salaries are $47,010, before per diems, which typically total several thousand per year.)

CO: Reducing the pay of five commissioners is analogous to keeping your tires inflated to obtain optimum fuel economy. While it’s a good idea, it’s merely a band-aid to a much greater problem involving millions of dollars. If the board members decided to freeze or reduce their pay I believe it would be considerably more beneficial if it were done as part of a county-wide initiative with the commissioners leading the way.

JI: Current Commissioner Bob Vogel made a personal pledge not to serve more than two terms? Do you plan to do the same?

CO: Strom Thurmond, South Carolina’s former 97-year-old senator, is my best example of why we should consider term limits. However, I believe we should not restrict the ability of the voters to elect whomever they think is most qualified. Additionally, experience is the key to any job, and the possibility of re-election is what compels many politicians to serve the people. With term limits there would be little incentive for some elected officials to perform in their last term.

JI: Given the current state of the economy, should the board approve any more salary increases to staff, beyond what’s already been promised.

CO: While I’d never categorically eliminate any viable cost-saving mechanism, I’m reluctant to offer an uninformed opinion regarding this question. The AFSME and LELS labor unions represent virtually the entire Scott County workforce. A unilateral decision to “freeze” pay at this juncture would possibly be more detrimental than beneficial. A cost analysis would need to be carefully evaluated. I’d be more inclined to keep pay commensurate with similar sized counties and focus on eliminating non-essential services.

JI: Did you agree with the county’s creation of a $5 wheelage fee? Should the county continue to put an additional $1 million per year into its road budget?

CO: We need to maintain and preserve our current transportation system. Our county is not anticipated to receive any future state funds for road improvements. This is true despite having three of the 100 most dangerous intersections in the state. Scott County followed the lead of Dakota, Washington and Anoka Counties. The implication to the average taxpayer was $5 annually with a net result to the county of about $1 million. I can live with this.

JI: As a county commissioner, you are responsible for overseeing millions of taxpayer dollars. What is your personal credit rating?

CO: 822 (last year’s)

JI: Scott County has been buying up property for future parks. Do you agree or disagree with the county's philosophy?

CO: Because of matching funds and grants not normally available, there were justifiable rationales to purchase in 2007. The payoff to county residents will be experienced in the future when parks and trails are developed from some of the most beautiful areas in the metro area. I may have voted “no” for the 2007 acquisition due to our current financial position, but I am not critical of those in support due to the reasons stated above.