Who's running for St. Louis County commissioner, and where do they stand? (2024)

Age: 36
Neighborhood of residence: Denfeld
Occupation: St. Louis County commissioner
Education: Bachelor of Arts in history and political science, University of Minnesota; Duluth’s Crisis Intervention Training
Public service:

• 3rd District St. Louis County commissioner
• Workforce and economic development representative, National Association of Counties
• Former chair, Duluth’s Human Rights Commission
• Member of the St. Louis County, City of Duluth and ISD 709’s Intergovernmental Committee; Duluth Indoor Youth Athletics Taskforce; Spirit Valley Center for Youth and Community Wellness planning committee
• Former board member, Mentor North, Community Action Duluth and YMCA Community Services

What specifically motivated you to enter the 3rd District County Commissioner's race?

Working with children and families as a Damiano Center employee inspired me to run in 2020 to expand opportunities for youth, invest in our western neighborhoods and build the housing and mental health resources we desperately need. This first term, I have worked with the community to get historic county investment in western Duluth, from Gary New Duluth Rec to the Young Moms Program, and win big changes for youth mental health access and veterans benefits statewide. I’m running because even more is possible. Upcoming projects include an ongoing child care funding stream and nonprofit modular housing manufacturing plant.

What are the greatest challenges facing western Duluth and how can the county help address them?

• Blight: We are piloting blight reduction programs to intervene earlier and fix up abandoned properties. I support expanding this and working with partners to showcase properties and businesses.
• Housing: We need creative approaches to create more housing that is affordable for lower to middle-income working people and retirees. I’m working with partners to build a local modular manufacturing plant to build housing at cost. We also need policies that prevent large management companies from controlling the rental market and inflating rents.
• Youth opportunities: I’ve championed youth recreation investments and am a statewide leader on increasing youth mental health resources.

What do you think of the current tax burden on constituents in your district?

Restraining property tax hikes is critical because people are struggling to afford to stay in their homes. I vote “no” on projects that are wasteful spending. While St. Louis County has routinely come in at a lower tax rate than most other counties, costs to maintain our roads, rural EMS services, etc. are increasing. I have successfully worked with our state representatives and senators to increase local government aid to offset local property taxes and will continue to do so.

Contributed / Janet Kennedy

Age: 61
Neighborhood of residence: West Duluth, Irving neighborhood
Occupation: Owner and principal director of operations, Healthy Alliances Matter LLC Company, dba Development Alliances and Solutions; founder/executive director, Healthy Alliances Matter for All, dba Health Equity Northland; St. Mark Church Parish Community Health Ministry, Arrowhead Parish Nurse Association; retired physical therapy clinician, program director and director of rehabilitation
Education:

• Urban Land Institute Real Estate Diversity Initiative 2023 Cohort
• National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health Cohort 9 Fellow, Bridging Health Duluth
• National Empowering Women Leadership Development Institute
• Conflict resolution and civil mediation training
• Bachelor of Science, interdisciplinary major, health and human services, University of Wisconsin-Superior
• Associate of Arts, liberal arts/associate in science, corrections, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
• Associate of Applied Science, physical therapy assistant, Duluth Technical College (Lake Superior College)

Public service:

• Co-founded Spirit Valley Center for Youth and Community Wellness Working Group 2024
• Co-chair, Bridging Health Duluth 2023-present
• Duluth City Council District 5, elected 2019 and 2023
• Spirit Valley Building for Youth & Community Wellness Project 2020
• Duluth Economic Development Authority Commission
• Community Intergovernmental Liaison
• Indoor Athletic Venues Task Force Committee
• Duluth City Council president 2023
• Committee of the Whole
• Duluth City Council vice president 2022
• Council finance chair
• Co-chair, Spirit Mountain Recreation Task Force
• Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council Policy Board
• Council Personnel chair 2020-22
• Northern Lights Express Alliance Commission
• City of Duluth Planning Commission 2015-January 2020
• Planning Commission president 2019-2020
• Vision Committee member, Imagine Duluth 2035 Comprehensive Plan
• Crowd Control Police Protective Gear Policy Working Group
• City of Duluth Boards & Commissions Realignment Committee
• Ordinance Modernization Task Force
• St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services Advisory Committee, at large 2024 President, 2023, vice president, 3rd District 2019-2022
• Bridging Health Duluth: Community Health Needs Assessment Cohort 2017-2023
• Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Duluth alumni 2021-22
• RiverFront Community Development, managing consultant 2020-22, president 2019-2020 and 2023-present
• Green New Deal Housing, Executive Board assistant treasurer
• Management director, Health Equity Northland, COVID-19 Pandemic Community Response Collaborative
• Duluth Workforce Development Construction Working Group
• Wealth Entrepreneurship and Economic Sustainability Leadership Planning Committee
• Cross Cultural Alliance of Duluth
• Duluth League of Women Voters
• Health in All Policies Campaign
• West Duluth Business and Civic Association (West Duluth Business Club)
• Irving Community Club
• Head of the Lakes ATV Riders

What specifically motivated you to enter the 3rd District County Commissioner's race?

“A community will prosper as a whole when we are all walking on even ground.” This vision and mission drove me to step into the St. Louis County Commissioner race. My deep understanding of how to develop and implement community impact, policies, practices, procedures and programs will bring a renewed perspective in getting the work done. Policies impact everyone differently, to make better comprehensive decisions we need everyone at the table. As a servant leader, I have learned to step up when I see gaps. We deserve a strong, innovative, experienced leader who knows how to make a difference.

What are the greatest challenges facing western Duluth and how can the county help address them?

Community members continue to face decreased life expectancies, the number of people impacted since the Covid pandemic has increased. District 3 needs leadership that is tried, true and trusted ensuring that all people have the investments needed to thrive day to day. For years, with boots on the ground doing community health and community investment development, serving as a True North Americorps in 2012 at the Damiano Kids’ Cafe, today I train and mentor our next generation of leaders, college interns, youth and young adults through workforce development. To provide excellent county services and community impact benefits we need workers.

What do you think of the current tax burden on constituents in your district?

Over the past four years, we have seen an increase in the need for public health and human services policies and programs. We need all of our county board members to be equipped in building strategies that positively impact the lives of all people. The local property tax burden is too high; in comparison, the Public Health and Human Services budget is 11% greater than the whole City of Duluth budget. We should see more investments from the county. I have the skills, education and lived experience to make investments happen. The time to make a change is now.

Contributed / Jeff Frey

Age: 50
Neighborhood of residence: Congdon
Occupation: St. Louis County commissioner (full time), nurse practitioner, Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe Human Services (part time)
Education: Bachelor of Science in nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, master’s degree/nurse practitioner, College of St. Catherine
Public service: Duluth City Council, District 2, elected 2009 and 2013, president 2013; St. Louis County Board, District 2, elected 2014, 2016 and 2020, chair 2019 and 2023

What makes you particularly well-suited to serve on the county board?

In my 15 years in public office, I have learned how to be a strong voice for our region and build relationships. In a time of deep division in our country, I have the skills to collaborate with others to accomplish common goals. Our county has the largest land mass east of the Mississippi River and has a diverse population, both urban and rural — a reflection of the U.S. in general. As a county board, we have worked together to maintain core services while protecting our most vulnerable residents. My background in health care helps drive this vision.

What is the single greatest challenge facing your district and/or the county in general, and what can you do to address it?

The greatest challenge for my district and the county in general is affordable housing, especially for the workforce, elders and vulnerable adults. We will continue to partner with local nonprofit organizations that are currently using our investments to create housing this year. St. Louis County has invested over $6 million to create over 150 units of housing options, especially for the elderly, those experiencing homelessness and those fleeing violence. We also continue to fund One Roof’s Tenant/Landlord Connection, which helps renters at risk of losing housing to get the education and help they need so they are not evicted.

What do you think of the current tax burden on constituents in your district?

The only way the county can levy funds is through property taxes, which is a regressive tax, in my opinion. We are seeing unprecedented increases in house values throughout the county, which are especially stressing individuals on fixed incomes. I think we need to work on a new formula at the state level to ensure we do not gentrify parts of St. Louis County, which may tax people out of their homes due to their house and land values increasing.

Age: 40
City: Hermantown
Occupation: Ironworkers Local 512
Education: Ironworkers apprenticeship program
Public service: no response

What makes you particularly well-suited to serve on the county board?

I believe my work boots style helps bring a humble point of view for the working middle-class families in St. Louis County. It’s a large benefit that I work in the trades while serving the people of St. Louis County, it keeps me well-grounded to the families in our region.

What is the single greatest challenge facing your district and/or the county in general, and what can you do to address it?

Our greatest challenge now and in the future to come is workforce housing, St. Louis County has shown a decent amount of growth in the past few years. This has created a large housing gap in our region, which has reflected in high prices for homes. We are taking steps within St. Louis County to make attractive parcels for future development for homes.

What do you think of the current tax burden on constituents in your district?

St. Louis County is very responsible with spending taxpayers’ dollars and is a good steward to its residents. The main burden is the increase in property assessments driven by state statutes, as it keeps us in the spotlight as counties have to collect those dollars. The lack of housing has driven home prices high and the assessments have followed those prices. These issues cannot be resolved in a year, but as the county keeps growing residentially and commercially, we should feel the burden shift. The largest focus should be on workforce housing to help our taxpayers and business communities.

Age: 53
City: Chisholm
Occupation: Executive director, Cook HRA
Education: RTC, HCC
Public service: six years Chisholm City Council; 10 years mayor of Chisholm; 7.5 years St. Louis County commissioner

What makes you particularly well-suited to serve on the county board?

I believe I’m well-suited to serve St. Louis County because I have the same drive to do the people’s work as the day I started nearly eight years ago. If you’re going to be an effective SLC commissioner you need to be willing to learn. I learn every day on this job. It’s been a great experience getting to know and serve my constituents.

What is the single greatest challenge facing your district and/or the county in general, and what can you do to address it?

Although there are many challenges we face, the current political climate sticks out. I feel people have become so focused on bashing candidates or parties they’re losing sight of the issues and the fact we are all Americans. What could we accomplish if we took all the negative energy and used it to work together? Civility leads to compromise.

What do you think of the current tax burden on constituents in your district?

Commissioners and staff work hard to keep our levy down. With our current growth rates staying strong, we are able to keep our levy low, saving the taxpayer dollars that are vital to each and every family we represent. Real estate values have risen drastically. The market is at an all-time high; taxes are reflecting that. We can’t control the market but we can and will continue to work our budgets to benefit the taxpayer.