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Special election to be held April 13

 

With the Mower County Board of Commissioners District 1 special election on Tuesday, candidates Tim Duren and John Mueller are hoping to get supporters to the polls. The Herald reached out to both candidates to give them the opportunity to address voters once more before going to the polls.

Here are their responses.

Tim Duren

I would like to begin by thanking all of the county commissioners, county council board members and county township board members. You do an incredible job working for your constituents and have given me the opportunity to introduce myself and gather information during my campaign. Thank you.

I feel that it is very important for your county commissioner to attend township and county council meetings, and I would be a commissioner that would do this. Not only is valuable work done at these meetings, but a necessary dialogue is also created that will allow me to understand your needs in a better way. This information would be taken to the commissioner’s meetings and be the connection between the people and their needs from throughout my district. Connecting people and ideas is an important process. By working together, we can continue to make Mower County a beautiful place to live, work and raise a family.

I have owned my own businesses for the last 20 years and worked in sales within Mower County for the last 40 years.

This has given me the opportunity to meet and interact with a large number of customers and employees. I believe my success in business all these years is the result of good communication and trustworthiness and my sincere appreciation of being able to serve them. I believe this background is an asset as it provides the people of District 1 with an experienced businessman who knows the value of teamwork and cooperation and working toward a common goal.

Thank you to all the people of the district who have shared their ideas and concerns with me. I would appreciate your vote on April 13 and the opportunity to be able to serve as your county commissioner.

John Mueller

The coronavirus and COVID-19 have made campaigning a challenge, but over the past several months I have tried to make voters aware of my professional and leadership experience as well as my community involvement. I hope voters have seen that my diverse experiences can be beneficial to the position of county commissioner. As election day nears, I will offer a brief recap of who I am and why I am running for District 1 Mower County Commissioner.

I was born and raised in Austin. My wife Dawn and I have four children and two grandchildren. Our kids, my parents, most of my siblings, and many other family members still live in or around Austin. I spent nearly all of my 30-year law enforcement career serving the citizens of Austin. During that time, I have built relationships with residents, business owners and operators, and city leaders as well.

Though I grew up in town, I always had an interest in farming and I was able to work on crop and livestock farms as a teenager and young adult. My family and I moved to Red Rock Township in 1994, where we have raised various livestock, including having a small farrow to finish swine operation for a few years. My family has been involved in Mower County 4-H for about 20 years and I have been on the Mower County Fair Board for 17 years. Over the years, I have been able to establish relationships with farmers, rural residents, ag businesses, and township and county officials.

I have helped establish budgets and been a steward of funds for both large and small organizations. It is a responsibility I have taken seriously. If elected, I will also bring my diverse leadership experiences. I was not just a supervisor, but a leader within the police department for over 20 years. I was elected by my peers to lead professional associations and labor groups. I have also chaired boards outside of my profession, including Southland Youth Wrestling, the Mower County Fair Board and the Red Rock Township Board.

The county board deals with many issues. Some affect only a specific group of people, but most affect many or even all of us. Some examples of issues that affect us all include infrastructure, such as roads, utilities and broadband, public safety and health, jobs, business and industry, availability of housing, and of course property taxes.

Through my experiences, I know how important it is to have an open mind and open communication with others. When making decisions, I try to learn about the topic by seeking information from reliable sources. If elected these are principles I would use as a commissioner and I will put my experience to work for you.