2022 State of Olmsted County – Words from new board chair

Commissioner Mark Thein assumed the role of chair of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners on January 4, 2022. He shared the following update at the January 4 Board of Commissioners meeting.

I was born in Olmsted County, went to school in Olmsted County, got married in Olmsted County, raised three kids in Olmsted County, and now I am appointed the chair of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners – which must come as a shock to many of my former classmates and teachers. During my life, Olmsted County’s population has increased from 74,818 to 162,163 – an increase of 117%. By comparison, the State of Minnesota’s population increased by 58% over that same period.  

This astounding growth is not primarily due to the virility and fertility of natives like me but, rather, to the comparative excellence of Olmsted County. Our county shines in comparison to others and draws in people from all over the world. Our county board itself, populated by a majority of commissioners who CHOSE to live here instead of just happened to live here, is a prime example of the attraction of Olmsted County. From our excellent school systems, bountiful job opportunities, beautiful landscapes, productive soils, comparatively safe neighborhoods, growing arts and music scenes, excellent restaurants, interesting parks, and well-built roads to our increasingly interesting and diverse populations – Olmsted County truly shines. However, the brightest lights of Olmsted County are its people. As novelist Anna Sewell once wrote - “It is good people who make good places.” For the most part, Olmsted County IS good people.

Olmsted County, the government entity, plays a large, and oftentimes invisible, role in ALL of the ways that makes Olmsted County attractive to others. We work with our school districts to ensure our students are prepared as they enter school, safe and healthy while in school, and have as healthy and nourishing of a home life as possible. We work with our business community to establish a vibrant economy to operate in; that safeguards are in place to protect their business, their employees, and their customers; and work hard to levy taxes that are fair and not punitive. We work with our landowners to protect the environment for future generations. We value and invest in our parks, so families have interesting and enjoyable recreational and educational opportunities available. We provide fair elections – so the peoples’ voices are heard. We provide roads that are well planned and well maintained. We assure fair and just public safety through resources to law enforcement and the judiciary, services to victims, and community corrections programs that ensure those who have served time are able to successfully rejoin their families and contribute positively to society. 
 
Most of all, Olmsted County shines in how it treats those who are suffering. We are the literal safety net that is oftentimes the difference between a family languishing and one that is flourishing. Throughout the COVID pandemic, we have served more people and in different ways than before - as new needs emerged. As we naturally grow tired from a worldwide pandemic that is now nearly two years in duration, I think it is important to remember that we are operating in historic and unnatural times. It is okay to feel weary and frustrated, but it is even more important to remain resolute in helping our families and neighbors to be safe and prosperous.   

In 1966, Robert Kennedy once misappropriated the quote “May you live in interesting times” as an ancient Chinese curse. Although his source proved to be wrong, his observation was spot on. Nineteen sixty-six was surely an interesting time in which to live and, unfortunately for many, so is 2022. Future generations will study these times, the struggles we have faced with a deadly worldwide virus, widespread misinformation, polarizing politics, toilet paper shortages, and an uncertain economy and wonder how we survived. Well, once we do put these interesting times behind us, I am confident Olmsted County will not only have survived these times but thrived during it. We will have done so because we have done the work to provide the foundation of a vibrant community – building strong family units, promoting public health and safety, and supporting a forward-thinking education system and healthy business community. 

Lastly, I would be remiss in not recognizing the steady hand the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners has played in making Olmsted County such a strong community. Olmsted County, the government unit, is a financially strong entity that is recognized nationwide for its progressive and efficient operations. Although I am comparatively wet behind the ears, this board is arguably the most experienced board that any county has seen in Minnesota – with a combined 98 years of experience. It is my opinion that this combination of governing experience, combined with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, has helped to make Olmsted County a stable ship in a turbulent sea. 

I look forward to serving as chair of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners for 2022 and I am cautiously optimistic that, at last, the light we see on the horizon is truly the dawn of a new day, and not yet another oncoming Covid train. I look forward to less interesting, and more ordinary, days ahead. Thank you.