Chairperson's State of the County Address
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Ken Brown, 2012 Olmsted County Board Chair
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January 3, 2012
Thank you for the honor of being Board Chair for 2012.
Looking back for a moment I find some significant accomplishments that deserve mention from 2011. Retaining the counties AAA bond rating in light of downgrades at the state and federal level is a very significant accomplishment, maintaining the needed services for our citizens with fewer employees, being recognized for innovation at all levels of the county and leading in collaboration across the region and the state. I want to say thank you to the dedicated and talented staff we are blessed with in our county.
Looking forward one can easily see that the road is filled with obstacles and it is easy to be discouraged, however I choose to see the future in a more positive light. Adversity brings the best ideas forward and can create an atmosphere where innovation comes at all levels. Counties are the backbone of the state programs and as such are in a unique position to help guide the state through difficult times. Counties continue to have creative ideas that can save the state money while not impacting but actually improving services. We need to sit down and calmly discuss the problems we are facing and agree on the best course forward for our state and its people.
I am encouraged to see counties working together; finding ways to leverage our limited resources, knowing the state can’t help with additional money. Passionate positions are necessary and should be heard but not at the expense of listening to all sides of the debate. I implore all of us in public service to find ways to discuss the issues without becoming locked into an ideology; we need to find common ground and reach reasonable solutions. The people of our state are better served when we agree to disagree, find compromise and move beyond our differences. We are more alike than we are willing to admit.
I am committed to maintaining a civil dialog on the issues facing us, setting an example that I hope all of our elected representatives can follow.
Thank you and best wishes for the coming year.