Leigh Lenzmeier
Leigh Lenzmeier's website

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
Family
Alice, spouse/business partner
Sons - Dominic, Conrad (16), Charlie (14), daughter - Allison (13)

Occupation
Commercial Real Estate Appraiser

Education
Master degree in Business Administration St. Cloud State, 1984

What experience do you have that prepares you for public office?
I was Chair of the County Board in 1993, again in 2003, and currently Vice Chair.  My professional work complements and increases the knowledge needed for land use decisions.  I am often able to estimate market value impacts of proposed regulations when rules are being considered.  I'm on various boards, committees, commissions, and study panels that provide a base of knowledge for the job.

Why did you decide to run for this office?
I have made useful contributions to Stearns County during my service.  Ask my fellow board members.  How many incumbents even dare make that suggestion?  I now have a network that has built trust with individuals and agencies.  We don't always agree, but we do know each other's perspectives.  We are now in a challenging period of tight budgets.  I have been through such times before.  The first time was in 1991 when Governor Perpich left Governor Carlson a billion dollar state shortfall.  MVET and other local aids were cut in the first 60 days of the then current budget year.  The next time was in 2002-03.  Stearns County implemented significant measures to adjust.  This is not the time for on-the-job training.  Experience is needed.  Local needs and resources need to be carefully blended and coordinated.

What are the top three issues you would tackle, if elected?
a).  Continue to build and improve our technology base.  As reported in the local media, the Stearns County website ranked second in the nation in 2008 for counties under 150,000 people by the Center for Digital Government.  In the past year Stearns County added a jail roster search, court/criminal case records search, interactive property maps, and crime maps.  Job applicants, park shelter reservations, and property tax payments, can all be done on the website, be web-based services need continued expansion.

b).  Untie unfunded mandates and prescriptive implementation.  An unfunded mandate is when the state or federal government orders local governments to do certain things, but provides no money to do it.  The cost burden is borne by local taxpayers. 

c).  Stearns County is the Number 1 ag county in the state.  Thanks to Larry Haws and Tarryl Clark, the St. Cloud area is a newly designated bioscience zone.  Working with local legislators and the state this can be promoted.  With the exception of Gold'N Plump, the large food companies are based in the Metro, but the food stuff comes from here.  At the other end of the local spectrum is Stickney Hill Dairy, a goat milking processing company in rural Stearns County with four employees.  Goat cheese is an example of a nutriceutical food product.  Nurticeutical means the stuff you eat can make you heathier.