Monday, October 11, 2010

2010 Soil and Water Endorsements: Washington County

In most Minnesota counties, the soil and water conservation supervisors are from and represent a specific district, but the entire county votes for all district supervisors. The one exception is Washington County where only those living in a district vote for the supervisor in that district. No, Washington County does not make up for the lack of quantity of races with quality. Only district 3 features a contested race.

Washington County District 1 (Incumbent Gary Baumann)
Gary H. Baumann
Gary H. Baumann defeated three other candidates in 2002 to win his seat on the soil and water conservation board. He ran unopposed in 2006 and is once again unopposed this year.

Since no one has seen fit to run against him for two elections now, Fraters Libertas endorses Gary H. Baumann for Washington County District 1 Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor.

Washington County District 5 (Incumbent Tom Meyer is not seeking reelection)
The only candidate vying to replace district 5 supervisor Tom Meyer is Dan Unger. Mr. Unger has not filled out his MASWCD questionnaire and we could find little information about him. Fraters Libertas offer no guidance on the Washington County District 5 Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor race.

Washington County District 3 (Incumbent Rosemary Wallace)
Incumbent Rosemary Wallace is running for reelection and is being challenged by John Rheinberger.

Rosemary Wallace
Despite being the incumbent, we could find little information on Rosemary Wallace. About all we know about her stint on the board is that she missed the March 10, 2010 and June 10, 2009 board meetings.

John Rheinberger
John Rheinberger is the only Washington County candidate who has filled out his MASWCD questionnaire to give us some idea of his views on soil and water.

Mr. Rheinberger is an attorney who has served on many local boards, including the Stillwater City Council. He has also visited 192 of the 195 countries in the world – all except Libya, Cuba, and Somalia

In his MASWCD questionnaire, Mr. Rheinberger gives as his motivation for running:
“I think that issues of “soil and water” are very important especially if you have ever had exposure to third world countries. I believe that they need more public attention.”

We have had less exposure to the third world, but we couldn’t agree more. Fraters Libertas endorses John Rheinberger for Washington County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor.

NOTE: Our endorsement of Mr. Rheinberger is in no way related to the allegation by former Stillwater Gazette columnist, William Prendergast, that he was fired for writing anti-Rheinberger columns after Mr. Rheinberger’s sister wrote a letter to the Gazette’s editor threatening to file a complaint with the Minnesota News Council.

Although I certainly don’t want to get fired from Fraters Libertas (which would mean no more Jasperwood parties or Atomizer gin tasting soirees for me) my journalistic integrity does not allow such worries to in any way influence my soil and water endorsements.