by Dennis Dalman
After serving with distinction for more than 34 years on the Stearns County Board of Commissioners, Leigh Lenzmeier of District 4 submitted a letter of resignation April 23.
A special election, likely next November, will decide who will be the new District 4 commissioner.
It is a sad end to such long dedication to public service because Lenzmeier, 77, has been suffering from health problems, including what his wife, Alice, described as cognitive dysfunctions, such as memory loss.
For more than a year, Lenzmeier has been living in Buffalo, Wright County, in an assisted-living care facility. He would “attend” Stearns County Board meetings virtually, via a video hook-up. That situation raised controversy because elected officials are expected to live within the entity they represent – in Lenzmeier’s case, Stearns County.
Lenzmeier had previously said he intended to serve out the rest of his current four-year term, which will end the last day of December 2026.
One of five Stearns County commissioners, Lenzmeier was first elected in 1990 and represented District 4, which includes part of St. Cloud (Ward 1, Precincts 3 and 4) and Waite Park (Precincts 1 through 4).
In early April, Alice Lenzmeier, his wife, sought and was granted by a judge legal guardianship for her husband for 30 days. She later requested an extension of that guardianship.
Alice submitted her husband’s letter of resignation April 23. It reads in part:
“I realize today, it is the right thing for me, my family, the Board and the residents of my district and Stearns County as a whole.
“I am proud of my service as a Stearns County Commissioner for over 34 years. The residents I have served, the Board members I served with and the staff I worked with will always be the highlight of my life, and hopefully my legacy. The projects and efforts I have the honor of being a part of are too many to list. I always tried to do my best with everything that had to be dealt with.
“No one wants to quickly step aside from anything that is special to them. To say being a Commissioner has been special is a huge understatement. This was not an easy decision, or a quick one for me to make. But, I realize today, it is the right thing to do for me, my family, the Board and the residents of my District and Stearns County as a whole.
“I appreciate the concern that was shown to me and my family, and I wish everyone well!”
Stearns County Administrator Mike Williams reacted to Lenzmeier’s resignation letter with the following statement:
“Commissioner Lenzmeier has been a dedicated public servant whose years of leadership have helped shape our county in countless positive ways. While this decision comes under difficult circumstances, and his decision to step away was not easy, it reflects his integrity and commitment to putting our community first. We thank him for his service.”
In his many years as a county commissioner, just some of the committees and boards he served on are the Wetland Appeals Panel, the Area Planning Organization Policy Board, the Human Services Board, Central Minnesota Council on Aging, the Regional Rail Authority and the Emergency Services Board.
Lenzmeier earned a master’s degree in business administration from St. Cloud State University. He later founded Lenzmeier Real Estate Services. He was an expert in commercial appraisals throughout greater Minnesota, among his other real-estate work, including teaching that subject, working for several area banks and fulfilling a consulting contract with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Alice Lenzmeier, his wife, is also a real-estate specialist/appraiser. The couple has three grown children.
Leigh Lenzmeier
