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Team continued work through difficult two years

When the time came to decide to run again for Mower County Attorney, Kristen Nelsen didn’t hesitate.

“I love this job because every day you can make a difference,” said Nelsen, who is running unopposed for a fifth term this coming November.

Nelsen has been the long time county attorney starting in 2006 when she filled out another attorney’s term. She won her first full term the following year, in 2007.

While Nelsen said that the past couple years have been  some of the most challenging her office has seen during her time as county attorney, she feels that the office is also at one of its best spots. She credits administration with helping to get to this point.

“I think for the first time in a very long time, we are being supported by the county board like we need to be,” Nelsen said. “We have the staff we need for the caseload we have, which lets us give it the proper attention.”

In the past couple years the county attorney’s office has juggled an extremely high case load during a pandemic. That caseload has included a high number of violent crimes and higher level cases.

To work through that has been a credit to the staff within the county attorney’s office.

“We were getting hit from both sides,” Nelsen said. “It’s been doable, because of the people that work here. Because of the attorneys and the support staff.”

Nelsen expounded, crediting the staff with being the primary reason why the office has been able to keep up with the high amount of cases.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of people,” Nelsen said. “During the pandemic you heard a lot about first responder groups and prosecutors generally weren’t included in that and we are. Most people had to be here where the information was. They were here and they were working. We did have COVID run through there early on because of a trial and they just worked so darn hard,” Nelsen continued. “I love these people.”

Looking forward, Nelsen said she and her office will continue to focus on ensuring public safety, not only by successfully prosecuting the higher profile cases, but the cases that matter to the everyday Austin citizens as well.

“What we want to focus on is making this community as safe as we can,” Nelsen said. “We’re just plugging away.”