Nicollet County Dist. 5 race sees variety of experience

By CHANCE PRIGGE

Journal Staff Writer

NICOLLET COUNTY7 -- Three candidates are vying for two spots on the November elections ballot for the commissioner seat in Nicollet County's District 5.

Primary elections on Tuesday will decide who those candidates will be.

All of the candidates have a history with farming and Nicollet County.

Paul Engel

Engel of Belgrade Township said his background with agricultural issues makes him the best candidate.

Engel grew up on a dairy farm just west of Nicollet and lived there all his life until moving to Belgrade Township. He's been actively farming for the past 20 years.

But he's also involved with agriculture-related matters off his farm, such as with his position of coordinator for the Dairy Profitability Enhancement Program.

"I travel all across southern Minnesota working with dairy farms," Engel said. "That gives me ... a good experience working with people in a team atmosphere."

Engel was also on the Agribusiness Advisory Board at the Nicollet High School and at South Central Technical College. He was the American Dairy Association chairman from 1999 to 2000.

"I've served on quite a number of boards, mostly ag-related," he said.

Engel said he felt the District 5 area, being mostly rural, needs somebody with a strong agricultural background and that he felt he had a responsibility to do his part for public service.

"I want to ensure our farmers continue to have the opportunity to thrive," he said.

He said more county roads need to be upgraded to 10-ton roads with the increase of heavy-load traffic.

He also said he wants to continue enforcing ordinances to ensure some people's transition from urban to rural living doesn't disrupt the farming community.

"I see it in neighboring counties where farm land is being turned into subdivisions," Engel said.

In addition, he said his conservative background will lend well to budget problems.

Engel has an associate's science degree in the agribusiness program at SCTC.

LaVonne Craig

Craig of Belgrade Township is running on her past and present experience with Nicollet county.

Craig served as a county commissioner for Nicollet County's District 3 from 1997 to 2001.

"I've already done the job," she said. "I know the job. I would be an effective commissioner immediately."

She also continues to be active in the Nicollet County Early Intervention Committee, the Nicollet County Public Health Advisory Committee, the Minnesota Valley Action Council, the Nicollet County Local Advisory Council on Mental Illness and the Senior Nutrition Board, among others. She is also a member of the Farmer's Union.

"These are the types of boards I served on when I was a commissioner," Craig said. "I am still very interested in county boards."

Remaining on these groups has kept her on top of the county's problems and challenges, she said.

One issue for her is keeping as many farm families on the farm as possible. This requires looking at all types of farming and the different ways of marketing what the county grows, she said.

Craig also said Highway 14 between New Ulm and Mankato needs to be upgraded to four lanes and that more rural roads should be upgraded to 10-ton capacity to meet the needs of the farm economy and businesses.

Craig had two years of schooling at Minnesota State University but did not graduate with a degree.

She's lived on a small farm with her husband for the last 33 years and grew up on a farm near Fairmont, Minn.

Roger Klossner

Klossner of Lafayette Township also has farming experience and a history with the area.

Klossner, now a retired farmer, served a three-year term on the Lafayette Township Town Board.

"My grandfather was a county commissioner for 16 years," Klossner said. "I guess it's in my blood."

One of the biggest issues facing the county, according to Klossner, is the release of methane gases from large feedlots, which emit a foul odor. Klossner said they should be trapped and converted into energy.

"I would say in the long run it would pay for itself," he said.

Another issue could be a tight budget, which Klossner said should be dealt with conservatively.

"Either you have to raise taxes or you have to cut back," he said. "It has to be teamwork to do it. One commissioner cannot do it by himself."

Klossner said speeding on rural roads is one of the county's biggest problems.

"I get a lot of complaints about that," he said.

Klossner said he's the best candidate for various reasons.

"I have good health," Klossner said. "I know farm issues. I know there's going to have to be a lot of compromises because we have rural and city people."

Klossner doesn't have a college degree but said he is well traveled.

"I got my education on the road," Klossner said.

He's been to 40 states and spent 11 years in Alaska, where he said he worked on the Trans Alaska Pipeline and made a film documentary titled "My Alaskan Adventure" in the late '60s.

Klossner has lived in Nicollet County 48 of his 59 years.