Letter: Kindra Ramaker for County Commissioner, District 4

This year, due to redistricting, all the seats for Olmsted County Commissioner are up for election. We are lucky to have multiple people running for the Commissioner offices in the seven districts. Two commissioner districts (4 and 5) have primaries on Tuesday, August 9. I live in district 4 and have been paying attention to the four candidates in this race: Kindra Ramaker, Steve Connelly, Brian Mueller and Bill Pirkl.

This election is worth paying attention to and worth making the effort to vote. Olmsted County government administers nearly $300 million per year. The Commissioners make important decisions regarding land use, transportation, housing, our environment, and many other things that affect our lives.

Of the four candidates running for District 4, only one, Kindra Ramaker, is qualified and highly motivated to bring positive change to our county. The other three have track records or recent behaviors that show why they should NOT be elected. Here’s what you should know about the candidates:

Kindra Ramaker is a Stewartville resident who works at Mayo Clinic as a project manager, and has a master’s degree in Public Affairs. She chaired the Olmsted County Human Rights Commission. She served as chair or sits on the executive committee of two other boards in the community, and because of this volunteer work is intimately aware of some of the toughest problems that people in our county face.  At last week’s Candidate Forum, she was the only candidate who was prepared, knowledgeable, and who communicated ideas about the best ways to serve our county. She stressed the importance of innovation and public/private partnerships, especially in health and human services and transportation. Ms. Ramaker is forward thinking in considering the impact of policies on the natural world around us.

Steve Connelly is probably best known as the guy who cut down trees containing 25 great blue heron nests , which comprised half of the great blue heron rookery that Save the Rookery, a local citizen’s group, is working to preserve. Mr. Connelly, after soliciting neighbors to buy his land, turned down a higher value offer for the land from local conservationists who wanted to preserve the forest, and instead cut down the trees and sold the land to a developer. In running for office, Mr. Connelly has touted his experience as an elected official with the Olmsted County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), a position he won running unopposed. The mission of the SWCD is to promote sustainable resource utilization and protection of natural resources in Olmsted County. During Mr. Connelly’s 22 years with the SWCD, over 50 bodies of water have been added to the impaired list in Olmsted County. Given his track record, it is laughable that Mr. Connelly cites his “conservation experience” as a reason he should have the Commissioner position. 

Brian Mueller served on the Rochester Township Board for 18 years before being defeated this March when he had an opponent for the first time. With his extended time serving in local government, I’d expect he would have a lot to say about issues affecting our area. However, in last week’s Candidate Forum arranged by League of Women Voters, instead of answering the questions, Mr. Mueller responded again and again: “I don’t have a comment on that.” Candidates who refuse to tell voters where they stand on vital public issues should not be elected. 

Bill Pirkl is a local businessman who has not held elected office. He did not attend last week’s Candidate Forum.

On August 9, I plan to vote for Kindra Ramaker for County Commissioner, District 4. I encourage other residents to do the same. She will make a great Commissioner and help make our county a better place to live.

 —Lynn Cornell, Rochester