Cliff Buchan
News EditorDennis Hegberg has served the Forest Lake area 14 years on the Washington County Board of Commissioners. As the incumbent he knows full well his record will be scrutinized. And scrutiny there was Monday, Aug. 30 when Hegberg debated county issues with Ray Daninger and Marc Hugunin, the two men who want his job representing District One on the county board.
ěI was in the duck pond,î Hegberg said later, after fielding questions for one hour in a forum at Century Junior High School in Forest Lake. ěThe shots were flying over my head.î
For challengers Hugunin and Daninger, the objective is to convince voters Hegberg must go. It is Hegbergís job to convince voters he deserves to stay in office.
Two candidates will survive the Sept. 14 primary and meet in the general election on Nov. 2. At stake is a four-year county board term that pays an annual salary of $44,487.
Job critique
Last weekís forum in Forest Lake boiled down to a critique of Hegbergís performance.
The incumbent commissioner was put on the defensive by Daninger and Hugunin who diplomatically raised questions about Hegbergís performance.
Hugunin aimed a good share of his critique at the countyís own self-evaluation process and goals that are featured on the Washington County website. He also questioned why the county was slow in finishing projects.
ěThe county is missing on a lot of its own published performance goals,î Hugunin said on Aug. 30
In one area posted on the Internet site, Hugunin said public service levels delivered through the county license bureaus are not improving. He said it was ědistressingî to learn that corrections were not being made.
ěThe county has an obligation to do that,î Hugunin said.
Daninger said last week he learned a somber fact while spending five days at the county fair in Lake Elmo. The public by and large has no idea what a county commissioner does. That, he said, was due in part to commissioners not being seen much in public.
ěPeople donít know what a county commissioner is,î Daninger said later.
He also leveled criticism at Hegberg, saying the Forest Lake resident rarely dropped by city council meetings. ěI have not seen Dennis that many times at meetings,î Daninger said.
He also said the commissioner could play a more active role in seeing that projects benefitting the district advance.
Hegberg responds
As the commissioner, Hegberg said he found some of the criticism ěinterestingî and he understands his positions will come under attack.
After hearing Huguninís challenge of the countyís goals and performance, Hegberg said the goals were there for a reason and the county was one of the first to use such a self evaluation as a way to improve.
Later, Hegberg said, ěIf we made all our goals, why would we have goals? Thatís what they are there for.î
Hegberg said Daningerís complaint that he did not attend meetings was weak. Hegberg said his philosophy is to stand back and give no appearance of grandstanding.
ěAny time a city has wanted me, Iíve made an attempt to come,î Hegberg said.
Later, Daninger said Hegberg should do better. ěThatís reactive, not proactive,î Daninger said. The same holds with getting back to residents with questions on issues in the district. Hegberg can be slow, Daninger said.
ěIf Forest Lake (Council) ever wanted me there, all they had to do was call,î Hegberg said.
Tout experience
All three candidates said their experience justified support.
Daninger, a lifelong resident of Forest Lake, said his 30 plus years in business with Westinghouse, service on the township and city planning boards and 10 years as Forest Lake mayor give him a rich background to do the job. Retired from business since 1994, Daninger said he is committed to giving 100 percent of his time to the job.
ěThis job is not part-time,î Daninger said. If elected, he said he believes he can build public recognition in the importance of the position. ěI know I can do that,î he said. ěIn 10 years as mayor Iíve been very active in doing that.î
Hugunin, a resident of Grant, spent four years on the city council there and also served four years on the Metropolitan Council. His governmental service coupled with business background as the owner a marketing consulting company give him the experience to serve the public well, he said.
ěIím a communicator and a listener,î Hugunin said. ěI donít duck tough issues.î
With a strong background, Hugunin said he has a blend of skills to serve the public. ěThese skills are going to be valuable,î he said. ěThese skills are what are called for today.î
Voters looking for a deciding factor in their Sept. 14 decision need only look at 14 years of county board experience, Hegberg said.
Coupled with 33 years in banking including current work as a mortgage banker in Forest Lake, Hegberg said his professional life provides balance in helping him do the job in dealing with county growth issues while remaining fiscally responsible to taxpayers.
And after 14 years on the job, Hegberg said he is well versed on all issues in the district, including population growth, budget problems, highway projects, water drainage problems and long range mass transit needs.
Other issues
During a time when the county is turning more and more to its property tax levy and away from intergovernmental aid in its budget process, Hegberg was forced to defend the budget process during the forum.
Hugunin, for one, criticized the budget development and recent cuts in county spending for senior citizens and childrenís programs. In light of recent cuts, Hugunin questioned if the current board is properly addressing needs.
The public must keep in mind the county is responsible for a budget that tops $140 million to provide services for the 200,000 county residents, Hegberg said. With state aid decreasing, making expenditures balance revenues is not easy, he adds.
ěItís not a simple process,î Hegberg said.
All three candidates said they support plans for highway improvements in the north end of the county, including W. Broadway (CR-2) in Forest Lake and the TH-97 segment from Scandia to its interchange with I-35 in Forest Lake.
The three candidates also said they back plans for a community center and county government center collaboration on city land south of Forest Lake Airport. Daninger is co-chair of the local community center task force and Hegberg had led a county effort to help build the government center, library and a park-and-ride transit facility in Forest Lake.
Those facilities are now slated for the community center site.
ěWeíve sold the bonds; the funds are available,î Hegberg said of county action to date.
Hugunin says he welcomes the community center project in Forest Lake as an opportunity to fully explore true collaboration of a number of governmental agencies.
Daninger and Hugunin would not criticize the incumbent last week when asked if District 1 is being shortchanged in the total planning for the county. Hugunin said he was not sure on that topic and Daninger said he would not be critical.
ěGranted, we are finally getting some issues resolved,î Daninger said.
Primary push
Surviving the primary will require getting supporters out to vote next Tuesday.
Hegberg says supporters of his campaign will be manning telephone banks Monday night and calling past supporters and lists provided by the Republican Party following its endorsement of Hegberg this summer.
Daninger says his group of backers throughout the district will be encouraging friends and neighbors to turn out in support of the Forest Lake mayor.
Hugunin, too, will rely on a grassroots network of support that will utilize word-of-mouth to encourage eligible voters in the district to cast their ballots.
According to Washington County Elections Division, the districtís 19 precincts now have 27,039 registered voters. A 10 percent turnout on Sept. 14 would mean a total vote count of 2700 voters.
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