Two vie for Stearns County commissioner second district

(Editor’s note: The candidate stories are based on questionnaires given to the candidates.)

by Dennis Dalman

news@thenewsleaders.com

Two men are competing for Stearns County commissioner second district this election season. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

District 2 includes St. Joseph, precincts 1 and 2; St. Stephen and Sartell, precincts 1 and 3 through 7; and the townships of Brockway, LeSauk and St. Wendel (precincts 1 and 2).

Perske wants to continue working for quality of life

Joe Perske of Sartell filed for re-election as Stearns County commissioner for the Second District because he wants to continue with many positive initiatives and keep serving on county committees.

Perske is being challenged in the Nov. 5 election by Jerry Theisen of St. Cloud.

District 2 includes St. Joseph, precincts 1 and 2; St. Stephen and Sartell, precincts 1 and 3 through 7; and the townships of Brockway, LeSauk and St. Wendel (precincts 1 and 2).

Perske has been the Second District Stearns County commissioner for eight years (two consecutive terms). He has been involved with public service for many years – six years on the Sartell City Council and then as the city’s mayor for four years.

Currently, on the county board, he is a member of the following committees: Planning Commission, Park Board, Association of Minnesota Counties, St. Cloud Area Planning Organization, Highway 23 Coalition, Area Transportation District 3, Regional Transportation, Tri-County Solid Waste, WACOSA Board (to help people with disabilities) and Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force.

Perske graduate from Apollo High School in 1974 and from St. John’s University in 1979 with degrees in education and psychology. He earned a master’s degree in physical education from St. Cloud State University in 1995. He retired after 25 years as a Sartell High School teacher and soccer coach. He and Jan, married for 45 years, have adult daughters (Michaela, Jenna, Greta) and seven grandchildren.

“I was born and grew up in the area and raised my family here,” he said. “And I have established many relationships in education, athletics and politics.”

Stearns County’s biggest strengths, Perske said, are its diverse population and a wide variety of lifestyles. The county offers many opportunities that include higher education at area colleges and the vocation school. He added there is a thriving agricultural sector on the western side of the county, as well as many lakes, rivers and forested land for recreation.

“We are always looking to improve the quality of life in the county,” he said. “We face many of the challenges other Minnesota counties face, such as affordable housing, crime, workforce and childcare.”

Perske said among the issues the county must continue to work on are the following: transportation, county infrastructure and continuing to pursue state and federal funding for large-scale projects, for fighting drugs and human trafficking, and outside funding for parks, trails and other recreational amenities.

“We must continue to address these issues (drugs, human trafficking) and reduce those activities with enforcement and continued prosecutions,” he said. 

For three years, the county has explored the need for a Justice Center and a jail. To help pay for this (estimated to cost in excess of $300 million), a countywide sales tax of 3/8th-cent is being proposed. Voters will decide yes or no on that tax in the Nov. 5 general election. Slightly more than half of that tax would be paid by out-of-county residents who shop and do business in Stearns County if the proposal passes.

For a number of reasons, Perske is not in favor of a full build-out of a Justice Center outside of the downtown St. Cloud area.

“It would not be responsible vacating downtown, building 14 new courtrooms and new office space for all of the attorneys, probation officers and the courts.”

Perske noted during the Covid pandemic, much of the county’s court work was done online and by people working remotely from homes. That remote work has become the new norm, so Perske said he believes there is no need for lots of extra space.

“It would be fiscally irresponsible to build space that is not necessary,” he said. “We have not made a true attempt to use all of the empty and underused space in downtown and at the Westside County Service Center.”

Perske said he has always had a passion for public service to make this area a better place to live.

“As a teacher, coach, athletic official, councilman, mayor and county commissioner, I have gained the respect of the local people as a friendly, caring and trusted leader,” he said. “I wish to continue to serve the citizens in this manner.”

Theisen wants to bring transparency, fiscal responsibility

Jerry Theisen is vying for a seat as Stearns County commissioner for District 2 because he said he wants to help make good decisions that will affect his children’s lives for many years to come.

Theisen is challenging incumbent Joe Perske of Sartell for the District 2 seat on the County Board of Commissioners. There are five commissioner districts in Stearns County. District 2 includes St. Joseph, precincts 1 and 2; St. Stephen and Sartell, precincts 1 and 3 through 7; and the townships of Brockway, LeSauk and St. Wendel (precincts 1 and 2).

Married for 36 years, Theisen has two adult children. A rural St. Cloud resident, he is retired and now self-employed as a gunsmith. He has lived in the St. Cloud area for 59 years.

“I don’t believe the current county government is doing a very good job of that,” Theisen said. “I understand budgets and living within my budget. In some cases I don’t feel the county understands that.”

Theisen said he could bring to the county-board table lots of skills, experiences and talents he acquired through years of work and interpersonal relationships.

“I held an upper-level management position for many of my 30 years with my last employer,” he said. “I had the opportunity to be mentored by a few very successful business owners (during) that time. I learned a great deal about business/people management from those folks. And I have a thorough understanding of fiscal management and budgeting, as well as strategic planning for the future.”

Stearns County’s greatest strength, Theisen said, is its economic diversity – agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare that, combined, provide job opportunities and stability.

He also weighed in on the proposed new Stearns County Justice Center project that will likely cost in excess of $300 million.

“First and foremost, this (Justice Center) should have been brought to the voting public,” he said. “I believe this was pushed through too fast. I have a vast knowledge of the construction industry and building operation and management, and therefore I know there are many options that could have been looked at. Instead we are faced with paying for what some believe is not needed. I am not saying that we don’t need to do something, but do we really need to do what is being forced upon us?”