Mower County voters get to select conservation district supervisors in election

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 1, 2000

When Mower County voters go to the polls Election Day, they will be able to vote for the Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District’s board of supervisors.

Wednesday, November 01, 2000

When Mower County voters go to the polls Election Day, they will be able to vote for the Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District’s board of supervisors.

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Two names will be on ballots, but a third vacancy will have to be filled by write-in votes.

James Gebhardt, Waltham, is seeking re-election to his District No. 1 seat on the board. Gebhardt represents Udolpho, Waltham, Red Rock, Sargeant and Dexter townships.

Robert Goetz, the incumbent District No. 5 supervisor, also is seeking re-election. Goetz represents Lansing and Austin townships

Allan Oehlke, who represents District No. 2, including Pleasant Valley, Racine, Grand Meadow and Frankford townships, is not seeking re-election to the five-member board. Thus, a write-in candidate is being recruited to fill Oehlke’s post.

The four-year terms of board members Stan Bergan and Bill Lonergan Jr. do not expire until 2002.

As a conservation district supervisor, members are entrusted with some of Minnesota’s most precious assets: natural resources. To do this, a delicate balance between people and the land inhabited must be sought and achieved. The future of Minnesota’s environment rests on supervisors’ ability to maintain a balance and garner neighbors’ support for the active and protective natural resources program.

"In order to be an effective board member and feel a sense of accomplishment for the people you serve, you must have a good working knowledge of your responsibilities as an SWCD board member, an elected official and a community leader," said Bev Nordby, district manager of the Mower County SWCD.

According to Nordby, the board is a policy board, meaning that its primary focus is not on running the day-to-day activities of the district, but on setting overall policy and long-term objectives."

The staff uses these policies and objectives to ensure that the district is proceeding in the general direction laid out by the board.

Anyone interested in serving on the board is asked to contact the SWCD offices for more information at 434-2602