FIRST, GIVE A VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY ANY SERVICE ON ELECTED OR APPOINTED GROUPS OR BOARDS.

I have been a council member for about 14 years. I have served on the Public Works Commission for 17 years. In my denomination I have served on the Minnesota District Council of the Assemblies of God Presbytery Board for three different terms totalling 11 years. I have served as president of the Staples Ministerial many different times over the past 27 years I have lived in Staples.

1. HOW WOULD YOU PERSONALLY PLAN TO REPLACE OR REINSTATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID (LGA) FUNDS TO CITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN CUT DRASTICALLY THE PAST FEW YEARS?

I believe that the loss of LGA funds is a sad thing for all cities. What can be done about that: cut down on spending which is real hard but nothing is impossible. And together with the help of all our citizens it can be done. I know the council is open to suggestions as to how that should be done. It is easy to make suggestions, it is another thing to make them work.

When I was first elected to the council several years ago, I had a lot of ideas only to find out they wouldn't work. We will make it through this time, unless all the economy fails, then every city and citizen of our country will be hurting. Yes, there will be increases in services. Hopefully they will be small. The tax levy this year was/ is almost a third of last year. That is a lot better than I thought it would be. I thought it would be in the double digits instead of 3.6 percent.

2. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF THE PROPER ROLE OF THE STAPLES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (EDA)?

EDA - I believe it is to help our community to bring in new business/new housing; to provide help in finding land/buildings and limited financial help (if we had a bigger pot of money we could help more) support existing businesses; and create jobs which would bring more people to our city.