Chris Gerlach
Name: Chris Gerlach
Public Office Sought: Dakota County Commissioner - District 7
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (651) 338-7204
Website:
Twitter Handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
I am a lifelong resident of Apple Valley and For 12 years up until 2019 I owned and operated a small direct mail processing business in Eagan. Memberships in local civic groups include the American Legion Post 1776, Chamber of Commerce, Civil Air Patrol and a Boy Scout parent leader. I was also a U.S. Air Force Captain in nuclear missile operations. I have an MBA from the University of South Dakota, BA from University of St. Thomas and am a graduate of Apple Valley High School.
Previous elected offices include the Minnesota House of Representatives and State Senate from 1999 to 2013. My final two years in the senate I was the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. For the past eight years I have served on the Dakota County Board of Commissioners.
These years of public service have yielded a long list of committee assignments and leadership roles, however most recently I have been elected four times by my colleagues to chair the Dakota County Community Development Agency, our housing and economic development arm as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board and the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority.
Why are you running for this seat?
My family and our future are important to me. Our community needs to be a great place for all of us to live and work. I think every candidate for public office shares this desire and it is no different for me. However, I believe I have the experience and ability to communicate a vision of prosperity and move us successfully in that direction. This is my desire and my passion.
What is the biggest challenge facing your district and how would you address it?
It is difficult to simply separate the arbitrary precinct boundaries from the larger region in which we live and work. Yes, seven county commissioners are elected from seven numbered districts but honestly, good public policy for the county is good for all our cities and townships. One of the greatest enlightenments of serving on this county board compared to partisan state legislative politics is the idea that not everything is parochial. Apple Valley and Rosemount have the same challenges as Eagan, Burnsville, Lakeville, etc but are just at different points in the development timeline. We all face issues of housing, transportation, taxes, safety, environmental cleanup, etc. These issues can’t be solved district-by-district and require broader perspectives.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing Dakota County as a whole and how would you address it?
Six months ago I would have viewed this more long term with addressing the changing demographics of an aging population and the changing racial and cultural makeup of our communities. While planning and accommodating for these changes remain strategically important it has been overshadowed by the immediate crisis of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The biggest challenge our nation, state and local governments face right now is how best to deal with the public health crisis of the virus and then how to best deal with the economic fallout. I believe the best way to handle the public health crisis is to first admit that politicians are not medical experts and great weight should be placed on the health professionals have in place. Our county public health department has been doing a great job integrating their preparations and knowledge in with the state and national responses. The critical early communication efforts have been highly successful. The goal of “flattening the curve” and avoiding an overwhelming of our health care system has been achieved thus far.
We are now also paying attention to getting the world back to work. Short-term efforts are trying to stabilize businesses and retain as many jobs as possible. Dakota County just approved $10 million of our federal CARES Act allocation for small business grants which will need to be applied for, verified and distributed in record time by Dec 15.
What would be your top three priorities if elected to the Dakota County Board of Commissioners?
Yes, but as a collaborative partner rather than doing the job of private industry. Dakota County plays an integral part in the National workforce system. Through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and our state workforce structures we foster an active local Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board led by private industry. It’s our job to help make connections between jobs and job-seekers. Our CDA also sponsors several programs such as “Open to Business” to foster startups and “CEO Next” to encourage expansion in place rather than relocation.
What role should county government play in economic development, and how should the county work with partner organizations?
The Dakota County Board believes strongly that it is best not to pick winners and losers through specific business subsidies, but rather create a strong economic environment to attract private sector investment. Specifically we create a place with high quality public services at the lowest possible cost in taxes. Business needs a good transportation infrastructure, access to an educated workforce, a clean environment, low property taxes, and reliable law enforcement. This is our value proposition.
We also work with our cities to cleanup brownfields to take advantage of high priority development opportunities in what was polluted or contaminated land. Last year I spearheaded the reworking of our CDA Redevelopment Incentive Grant (RIG) program which provides an additional flexible funding source for cities to advance development projects.
What do you believe are the most essential services provided by county government?
Half of what counties do in the state of Minnesota is to be the contact point for the public and deliver the many health and welfare services on behalf of the state and federal governments. We are charged with doing this efficiently and effectively as this affects so many of our families.
Public safety is critical to our quality of life. Both the Sherriff and County Attorney are elected in their own right and it is imperative that the county Board of Commissioners work closely and support their law enforcement efforts through both ordinance and budgets.
Building and maintaining a county road system is a critical component in our transportation system linking city roads and state highways. Other amenities such as county parks and libraries are important components to our overall quality of life.
Are there any services that the county does not provide that you believe it should?
We are in the process of developing a housing development with a occupancy preference for homeless veterans. It is in the planning stages and will likely be 24 units located in Eagan. There are still some loose ends on financing and approvals but I am hopeful this will come to fruition in the near future.
Are there any services currently provided by the county that you believe should be cut back or eliminated?
We have identified that the State Housing Finance Agency is better able to administer the First Time Homebuyer program due to efficiency of scale and are looking to turn over that responsibility to them in the coming year. We are always looking for the best way to deliver services and in this case it is not through us.
How would you characterize the business climate in Dakota County? What, if anything, would you do to change it?
The business climate in Dakota County is top-notch. Our strategy of creating an inviting place to do business is working. The Viking Lakes development project is a great example of what a welcoming attitude can bring vis-à-vis their former location.
What is the role of the Board of Commissioners in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Dakota County?
Dakota County encourages business investment and ownership by all people. We follow and administer any federal and state programs for advancing minority and women owned businesses. I am not aware of any specific set-asides that are done locally.
Many communities and government entities in the East Metro collaborate to provide services to their residents in an effort operate more efficiently and cost effectively. Do you believe that Dakota County uses such partnerships appropriately, and can you identify any specific areas where more sharing of services should be used?
It is wise for all levels of government to seek out and take advantage of opportunities to solve problems together. Recently Dakota and Scott Counties have been exploring adding an additional recycling center near our border to be shared by all our residents. It can be located near population centers that would not normally follow arbitrary county lines and is a great opportunity to pool our resources to server that region.
In your view, what is Dakota County’s top transportation priority and how would you advance it?
The answer here is no specific project but rather ensuring that a solid long-term funding plan is in place to fulfill the long-term construction and maintenance plans outlines in the county transportation Capital Investment Plan (CIP). Closing down the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) a couple years ago and redirecting those much needed funds much more flexibly into our own county transportation program has proven enormously beneficial. We are on the right track with this.
What further policies can Dakota County adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
At this stage if I told you I had the answers I would be lying. I can say that we are moving quickly to disperse $10 million from our CARES Act allocation to businesses across Dakota County in an immediate effort to save as many businesses and jobs as possible.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
It is my hope that the decisions made by me and the Dakota County Board are thoughtful, reasonable, measured and in the best interest of our local south suburban residents and neighbors. We all want our neighborhoods and communities to be the best they can be so that we can enjoy a great quality of life.
Public Office Sought: Dakota County Commissioner - District 7
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (651) 338-7204
Website:
Twitter Handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
I am a lifelong resident of Apple Valley and For 12 years up until 2019 I owned and operated a small direct mail processing business in Eagan. Memberships in local civic groups include the American Legion Post 1776, Chamber of Commerce, Civil Air Patrol and a Boy Scout parent leader. I was also a U.S. Air Force Captain in nuclear missile operations. I have an MBA from the University of South Dakota, BA from University of St. Thomas and am a graduate of Apple Valley High School.
Previous elected offices include the Minnesota House of Representatives and State Senate from 1999 to 2013. My final two years in the senate I was the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. For the past eight years I have served on the Dakota County Board of Commissioners.
These years of public service have yielded a long list of committee assignments and leadership roles, however most recently I have been elected four times by my colleagues to chair the Dakota County Community Development Agency, our housing and economic development arm as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board and the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority.
Why are you running for this seat?
My family and our future are important to me. Our community needs to be a great place for all of us to live and work. I think every candidate for public office shares this desire and it is no different for me. However, I believe I have the experience and ability to communicate a vision of prosperity and move us successfully in that direction. This is my desire and my passion.
What is the biggest challenge facing your district and how would you address it?
It is difficult to simply separate the arbitrary precinct boundaries from the larger region in which we live and work. Yes, seven county commissioners are elected from seven numbered districts but honestly, good public policy for the county is good for all our cities and townships. One of the greatest enlightenments of serving on this county board compared to partisan state legislative politics is the idea that not everything is parochial. Apple Valley and Rosemount have the same challenges as Eagan, Burnsville, Lakeville, etc but are just at different points in the development timeline. We all face issues of housing, transportation, taxes, safety, environmental cleanup, etc. These issues can’t be solved district-by-district and require broader perspectives.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing Dakota County as a whole and how would you address it?
Six months ago I would have viewed this more long term with addressing the changing demographics of an aging population and the changing racial and cultural makeup of our communities. While planning and accommodating for these changes remain strategically important it has been overshadowed by the immediate crisis of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The biggest challenge our nation, state and local governments face right now is how best to deal with the public health crisis of the virus and then how to best deal with the economic fallout. I believe the best way to handle the public health crisis is to first admit that politicians are not medical experts and great weight should be placed on the health professionals have in place. Our county public health department has been doing a great job integrating their preparations and knowledge in with the state and national responses. The critical early communication efforts have been highly successful. The goal of “flattening the curve” and avoiding an overwhelming of our health care system has been achieved thus far.
We are now also paying attention to getting the world back to work. Short-term efforts are trying to stabilize businesses and retain as many jobs as possible. Dakota County just approved $10 million of our federal CARES Act allocation for small business grants which will need to be applied for, verified and distributed in record time by Dec 15.
What would be your top three priorities if elected to the Dakota County Board of Commissioners?
- Get a handle of the public health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Begin the process of restoring our economic security helping to rebuild our businesses and jobs.
- Maintain public safety.
Yes, but as a collaborative partner rather than doing the job of private industry. Dakota County plays an integral part in the National workforce system. Through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and our state workforce structures we foster an active local Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board led by private industry. It’s our job to help make connections between jobs and job-seekers. Our CDA also sponsors several programs such as “Open to Business” to foster startups and “CEO Next” to encourage expansion in place rather than relocation.
What role should county government play in economic development, and how should the county work with partner organizations?
The Dakota County Board believes strongly that it is best not to pick winners and losers through specific business subsidies, but rather create a strong economic environment to attract private sector investment. Specifically we create a place with high quality public services at the lowest possible cost in taxes. Business needs a good transportation infrastructure, access to an educated workforce, a clean environment, low property taxes, and reliable law enforcement. This is our value proposition.
We also work with our cities to cleanup brownfields to take advantage of high priority development opportunities in what was polluted or contaminated land. Last year I spearheaded the reworking of our CDA Redevelopment Incentive Grant (RIG) program which provides an additional flexible funding source for cities to advance development projects.
What do you believe are the most essential services provided by county government?
Half of what counties do in the state of Minnesota is to be the contact point for the public and deliver the many health and welfare services on behalf of the state and federal governments. We are charged with doing this efficiently and effectively as this affects so many of our families.
Public safety is critical to our quality of life. Both the Sherriff and County Attorney are elected in their own right and it is imperative that the county Board of Commissioners work closely and support their law enforcement efforts through both ordinance and budgets.
Building and maintaining a county road system is a critical component in our transportation system linking city roads and state highways. Other amenities such as county parks and libraries are important components to our overall quality of life.
Are there any services that the county does not provide that you believe it should?
We are in the process of developing a housing development with a occupancy preference for homeless veterans. It is in the planning stages and will likely be 24 units located in Eagan. There are still some loose ends on financing and approvals but I am hopeful this will come to fruition in the near future.
Are there any services currently provided by the county that you believe should be cut back or eliminated?
We have identified that the State Housing Finance Agency is better able to administer the First Time Homebuyer program due to efficiency of scale and are looking to turn over that responsibility to them in the coming year. We are always looking for the best way to deliver services and in this case it is not through us.
How would you characterize the business climate in Dakota County? What, if anything, would you do to change it?
The business climate in Dakota County is top-notch. Our strategy of creating an inviting place to do business is working. The Viking Lakes development project is a great example of what a welcoming attitude can bring vis-à-vis their former location.
What is the role of the Board of Commissioners in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Dakota County?
Dakota County encourages business investment and ownership by all people. We follow and administer any federal and state programs for advancing minority and women owned businesses. I am not aware of any specific set-asides that are done locally.
Many communities and government entities in the East Metro collaborate to provide services to their residents in an effort operate more efficiently and cost effectively. Do you believe that Dakota County uses such partnerships appropriately, and can you identify any specific areas where more sharing of services should be used?
It is wise for all levels of government to seek out and take advantage of opportunities to solve problems together. Recently Dakota and Scott Counties have been exploring adding an additional recycling center near our border to be shared by all our residents. It can be located near population centers that would not normally follow arbitrary county lines and is a great opportunity to pool our resources to server that region.
In your view, what is Dakota County’s top transportation priority and how would you advance it?
The answer here is no specific project but rather ensuring that a solid long-term funding plan is in place to fulfill the long-term construction and maintenance plans outlines in the county transportation Capital Investment Plan (CIP). Closing down the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) a couple years ago and redirecting those much needed funds much more flexibly into our own county transportation program has proven enormously beneficial. We are on the right track with this.
What further policies can Dakota County adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
At this stage if I told you I had the answers I would be lying. I can say that we are moving quickly to disperse $10 million from our CARES Act allocation to businesses across Dakota County in an immediate effort to save as many businesses and jobs as possible.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
It is my hope that the decisions made by me and the Dakota County Board are thoughtful, reasonable, measured and in the best interest of our local south suburban residents and neighbors. We all want our neighborhoods and communities to be the best they can be so that we can enjoy a great quality of life.