County board candidates in District 2 answer questions

• New 2012 County Commissioner Districts

WHERE IS DISTRICT 2? Douglas County District 2 includes the townships of Hudson, LaGrand and Lake Mary, the city of Forada and parts of Alexandria – Ward 1, precinct 1 and Ward 5, precinct 1. (District map provided by Douglas County Surveyor's Office)

Talk about it

To help voters reach a more informed decision in the primary election on August 14, the Echo Press mailed questionnaires to the Douglas County commissioner candidates.

Districts 2, 3 and 4 will hold primaries because more than two candidates have filed for the position. The two top vote-getters in each district will appear on the ballot this November.

This series will start with responses from the candidates in District 2: Jim Hafdal, Norm Salto and James Stratton.

District 3 will be profiled on August 1 and District 4 responses will be printed on August 3. Even though District 1 and 5 will not have a primary, questions were also sent to those candidates so voters could get to know them as well and their responses will appear on August 8 and 10.

Candidates were limited to a 500-word response to five questions selected by the newspaper.

WHERE IS DISTRICT 2?

Douglas County District 2 includes the townships of Hudson, LaGrand and Lake Mary, the city of Forada and parts of Alexandria – Ward 1, precinct 1 and Ward 5, precinct 1.

Here are the responses from District 2:

JIM HAFDAL

1 Please provide background information (occupation, how long you’ve lived in the area, education, family, etc.).

My parents, Art and Lois Hafdal, moved to Alexandria in 1949. My dad served as superintendent of schools until 1976. I graduated from Jefferson High School in 1971, as did my siblings.

After graduation from Moorhead State University with a degree in hotel-business management, I worked in the hotel/restaurant business for 18 years. In 1991, my wife, Wanda and I opened up Hafdal Cleaners, which we still own and operate today. We also own and operate the Meadowland Mobile Home Park. Wanda and I have four children, two of which still reside in Douglas County. We are blessed with five grandchildren.

2 Why did you decide to run for county commissioner?

I was motivated to run for county commissioner by a strong commitment to public service. Having served on the Alexandria School District 206 Board of Education since 1995 (I will be completing my fifth and final term in December), I believe I have skills that would make me an effective voice for the citizens of Douglas County. Foremost among those skills is that I am a good listener.

During my 17 years on the school board, I feel we accomplished a lot, while maintaining good rapport with the staff and community stakeholders in the process. I hope to bring that experience to the countywide level.

3 How would you “grade” (A, B, C, D or F) the current county board and is there anything it could be doing better? Be specific.

It is too easy to be overly critical, especially when you are “on the outside, looking in” and not accountable for decisions. I do think it is extremely important for boards to work respectfully together to get things done.

A board needs to work with citizens, communities and townships to find common ground on decisions such as budgeting, facilities, economic development and planning in order to accomplish things economically. Thoughtful planning and participation can save taxpayers money and avoid duplication of services and expensive mistakes. In addition, economic development and growth would increase tax capacity and lessen everyone’s tax burden.

4 What separates you from the other candidates? List any traits, qualifications or skills you have for the position.

I believe I can bring new insights to the county board. We are in a time where local governments are financially strapped and that requires creative problem solving. Working collaboratively with the other commissioners, with department administrators, city councils, township boards and state legislators are all necessary connections and interactions that will allow Douglas County to continue to grow and prosper.

What taxpayers want (and rightfully deserve) is thoughtful review and responsible actions by their elected officials. Having served on the school board for 17 years, I understand collaboration and responsible decision making are vital to the health of a community or organization.

5 If elected, what would be your number-one priority?

Certainly, making good decisions that impact tax expenditures is at the top of my priorities. I do think we will have ongoing challenges with our aging population and the services that are required. Again, working collaboratively with all community stakeholders will be important in addressing challenges and opportunities related to our lakes and environment, our farms, and business development and expansion.

I believe that we are all in this together. We are fortunate to live and work in a great place. I want to be able to contribute by serving residents on the Douglas County Board.

NORM SALTO

1 Please provide background information (occupation, how long you’ve lived in the area, education, family, etc.).

I was born and raised on the family farm in LaGrand Township, attending grade school at District 88. I finished school and graduated from Central High School in Alexandria. After school I worked in construction, farming and trucking.

In 1961, I went into the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas for two years, serving in the military police security detachment. I also served two years active reserves at Elbow Lake. In 1965, I was hired as a deputy sheriff for Douglas County and later elected sheriff, serving four years. In 1974, I started Salto Ent., Inc., a small trucking business, which is still operating today. I have been married to my spouse, Bonnie, for 45 years and have four children.

2 Why did you decide to run for county commissioner?

Having been involved in public service for a number of years, I am now serving my second term as Douglas County Board member. I have always worked for what I thought was best for our county and will always look out for the tax dollar.

3 How would you “grade” (A, B, C, D or F) the current county board and is there anything it could be doing better? Be specific.

I would grade our present board as a “B”. We have had some difficult decisions to make, but working together as a board, we have solved the issues and moved on.

4 What separates you from the other candidates? List any traits, qualifications or skills you have for the position.

I believe my experience working with the public, both as sheriff and commissioner, plus operating a small business in the county have given me the opportunity to understand the different entities, express ideas to help solve problems that we have, and to get the best value for our dollar.

5 If elected, what would be your number-one priority?

At this time, my number-one priority would be to finish up our sheriff’s department remodeling and get them moved in. Next, to see funds set aside so we can maintain our buildings and save ourselves a lot of money in the long run. Also, see that our roads and bridges are maintained to the best standards possible.

I also serve as a member of the Douglas County Hospital Board. I would try to see that we have the best medical care available here locally and to always keep improving on it.

JAMES STRATTON

1 Please provide background information (occupation, how long you’ve lived in the area, education, family, etc.).

I moved to Alexandria in 1966 when my parents bought a farm on the south side of Lake Burgen. My wife, Kristie, sons, Jason and Tim, and I spent some time in Morris but we have lived in the Alexandria area for more than 40 years.

I earned my BA from the University of Minnesota, Morris and an associate degree in supervisory management from the Alexandria Technical College.

I have worked for UPS, ITW Heartland, Alexandria Marine, and for the past six years for the Boy Scouts of America. This has given me a well rounded background in business and customer service. It has enabled me to develop an open style of communication with others.

2 Why did you decide to run for county commissioner?

I feel that for any healthy organization to continue to grow it needs new ideas and energy and that normally comes from change. I am a homeowner and taxpayer and I feel that it is my civic duty to step forward and offer to serve. Many of my friends have encouraged me to run for the office and feel that I would represent the residents of the county very well.

3How would you “grade” (A, B, C, D or F) the current county board and is there anything it could be doing better? Be specific.

The current board “grade” would be a C. There has been an extensive list of issues the board has struggled with over the past several years. I don’t agree with some of the decisions that were made but I will not second guess them at this time. It would be sufficient to say that the board made their choices based on information gathered and now we the taxpayers have to pay for them.

4 What separates you from the other candidates? List any traits, qualifications or skills you have for the position.

In the many years we have lived in Douglas County, I have not served as an elected public official. This enables me to come to the table with no predetermined agendas or bias. We need fresh new ideas to help our county continue to grow.

With my experience working with many of the youth in the area, I feel I have a vested interest in the future of Douglas County.

I will represent the District 2 residents by seeking out their opinions and ideas. When a decision needs to be made, it will be made on data collected and input from the voters. I feel transparency is one way to make sure the process is fair to all. I am very accessible and willing to listen to your opinions and ideas.

Financial responsibility is important. If elected to the board, I will ask the important question, is this something we need or something we just want? There is an important difference between these.

5 If elected, what would be your number-one priority?

There actually are several priorities. First, we need to be fiscally responsible; second, I have to be accountable to the voters; and finally, we must maintain transparency in everything.

Al Edenloff

Al Edenloff was born in Alexandria and later moved to Parkers Prairie where he graduated in 1979. While in high school, he wrote sports stories for the Parkers Prairie Independent. Al graduated from Moorhead State University with a degree in mass communication and started at the Echo Press as a summer intern in 1983. He worked as a reporter until 1990 when he was named editor. He's earned several writing and reporting awards from the Minnesota Newspaper Association (MNA) and the National Newspaper Association. He was presented with the Minnesota News Council's Journalism Accountability Award and is a three-time winner of the MNA's Herman Roe Editorial Writing Award. In his spare time, Al enjoys golfing, fishing, biking, watching sports, cooking and reading mystery novels.

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