By Tim Nelson, Cook County Land Services Director

As a person starts to wrap up their career and get ready for the next phase in life, a few questions start to come to mind. The most common question, I’m sure, is where did the time go so quickly..?  Once we reach the level of acceptance that our time has indeed slipped away on us and we’re ready to turn the page towards retirement, then we can spend some quality time reflecting back on our past years along with what we may have learned in life and through our jobs.

My journey into local land use administration started after having spent eight years as a pilot in the military, which is not your typical path into local government, but it was the path that steered me along to where I am. After starting my career in local government in Clearwater County in Northwestern Minnesota and then moving down to New Ulm in Brown County, we finally found our home up here in Cook County.

Any of us who have made our homes in Cook County know and appreciate the eclectic nature of our community and all the challenges that we face- specifically with developing around the geographic elements of the land and water resources. It is exactly for this reason that the State of Minnesota relegates the administration of land uses to the local levels of government since each area of the State carries its own set of challenges, both physically and with the expectations of the local populace.

It was during my initial interview with the Board of Commissioners back in 1998, which included distinguished members Bob Fenwick, Jan Hall, Walt Mianowski, Wes Hedstrom, and Jim Hall. It was Jim who happened to be wearing blue jeans, a flannel shirt, and suspenders to interview the candidates for the Department Head position. It was that casual interview environment that made me realize this was the place I needed to bring my family to live. It was quite the contrast coming from New Ulm where a person had to wear a button shirt and a tie to present anything to the County Commissioners.

Something that has stood out to me during my career is the consistent strong support from the County Commissioners, especially in having the freedom to interact with State Agency heads and legislators regarding important laws, rules, and legislation that could affect our area.

When I was asked about some of the things I would consider to be a positive contribution that I have brought to Cook County, I hedged a bit since running the department is very much a team effort where we all must rely on each other for support. However, in reflecting back, my strongest contribution to Cook County was the introduction and perpetuation of the Lake Shore Septic Compliance Program. This inspection program is the easiest way to ensure compliant septic systems on developed lakes, which translates into much better water quality levels. A nice component about the Lake Shore Septic Compliance Program is that we always made sure to include a financial assistance component, such as a grant or low interest loan, to be able to assist property owners in the upgrade of failing systems.

Another element that I introduced to Cook County is the use of the Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR). Cook County was one of the first counties in Minnesota to utilize this flexible and thorough environmental review tool. We used it on two occasions- once for the Caribou Lake area and another for the Lower Poplar River Watershed area. Minnesota counties hadn’t utilized this tool because the name would presume that it could only be used for urban areas, which isn’t the case. In Cook County, we were able to utilize the tool to tailor what should be studied within the environmental review while remaining in full compliance with the Environmental Quality Rules.

I leave feeling confident that we’ve practiced land use regulations in a balanced way throughout the past decades. I believe the county will be in very good hands as I pass the mantle on to my successor, Neva Maxwell. Neva has served in the role of Planning & Zoning Administrator here in Cook County for the past four years and served in the Land Use Department in Lake County for several years prior. Providing her with a unique knowledge of our specific geographic make-up of the region along with its associated challenges.

I would certainly do this all over if given the chance, and I’d like to thank all the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with, from the Commissioners to the Department Staff!

County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County – Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service