Feature F
Q: Why are you running for county commissioner and how does your experience qualify you for the position?
A: I am running to represent my neighbors by bringing fresh ideas, experiences and leadership to the Olmsted County Board. I see great opportunities ahead in Olmsted County, with the continued impact of Destination Medical Center and I see challenges in infrastructure and affordable housing investments. My leadership experiences working in transportation and public health have given me the insight to become an effective and influential County Commissioner. Working at the Minne - sota Department of Transportation has grounded me in the areas of in- frastructure, project management, and finance. Prior to MnDOT, I worked for the America Cancer Society and assured passage of coverage of pa- tients costs in clinical trials, off label prescription drugs for cancer patients, while addressing medical disparities. My experience in leading organizational change efforts can benefit making improvements in streamlining processes and making improvements to programs. Q: What are your top two priorities or issues as a candidate for county commissioner? A: My top priority is infrastructure. The cost of affordable housing is becoming unsustainable. We have excel- lent builders! I would love to see more partnerships/incentives between the County and builders to stream- line processes, identify shovel ready projects which will benefit business and those needing housing. We need to stay on top of our public infrastructure investments. The fact that our state legislators and Governor failed to deliver a bonding bill is unacceptable. As a result, safety improvements like an interchange at Olmsted County 44 and U.S. Hwy 14 will be delayed for several years and the costs will increase. My second priority is public health/safety. The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners is the local board of health. During covid, we learned how important and how vulnerable our public health infrastruc- ture is. We need to use what we have learned and be ready for the next public health crisis. We must also not forget the demand and need for mental health resources and the impact of not providing resources will have on law enforcement resources. GABE PERKINS DISTRICT 2
Advantage Magazine | 7
October 2022
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting