Why I’m Running: Transparency

I’m Sam Temple. It would be my honor to serve the community I love and do my part to usher it into the future.

My promise can be summarized with one word: transparency. I will treat the people of Faribault with the respect they deserve. I will keep you up to date on every vote, every public discussion, and every opportunity for action that crosses my desk.

...

The County Board of Commissioners is an incredibly important body. They vote on public safety funding, social services funding, land use, transportation infrastructure, and county staffing. Federal and State services (dollars) are often funneled through the county. Millions of dollars in priorities are in the balance every year.

The County Board is not a legislative body, but they advise and vote on proposals prepared by county staff and applicants. The political will of the board guides what is brought forward.

I am an optimistic, glass-half-full person. There are always positive things happening in Faribault. I'm happy to see many of the developments taking place at the County, like the creation of a Communications Specialist position and general commitment to investment in mental health services. We have a stellar public health department and good overall county staff.

But investment in the common good is too low, in my opinion. There are 87 counties in the state of Minnesota. Rice County is the 14th largest county, yet we rank 75th when it comes to spending. I'm not saying this is inherently a bad thing, but it does raise serious questions about where we may be neglecting serious disparities in our community.

I believe we need to be willing to invest in our community. If that means raising taxes in one way or another, we've got to have the guts to take it to the people and defend the investment.

People want to see investment. They just need to be kept in the loop.

...

That brings me to the issue of transparency.

Most public meetings of both the City of Faribault and the City of Northfield take place in the evening. These are the two major cities in Rice County, trying to make meetings accessible to as many people as possible. Both cities also televise meetings and have recordings available online. Written meeting notes detail discussion and questions raised by elected officials and community members.

Rice County is an outlier, despite being the larger government and representing more constituents than either of those aforementioned cities. The County Board of Commissioners meet at 8:30 AM, usually on a Tuesday morning.

There are no recordings readily available to the public. Written meeting notes are barebones, only detailing the agenda items and the final votes. There is no written record of the questions raised, nor the arguments presented by commissioners, nor the community interests considered. If you wanted to know how decisions are made by the County Commissioners, you'd probably have to attend a meeting yourself on a Tuesday morning.

Recently, they added a virtual Zoom and live phone-in option for attendance. But this still neglects the working class of Faribault. It neglects parents who either need to provide childcare or go to work in order to afford childcare. It neglects the countless people of Faribault working paycheck to paycheck who, even if they really wanted to take the morning off to attend a meeting, don't have paid personal days or aren't told their work schedules in advance.

It is negligent to not enact simple, common-sense measures already practiced by other governments in Rice County. More must be done to keep everyone in Faribault informed and engaged.

...

I'm running because my philosophy of civic engagement is different than other candidates. I believe it is an elected official’s responsibility to keep people engaged.

Elected officials need to be out in the community, seeking input. It's not just a matter of listening when someone approaches you, it's about approaching people yourself to tell them about something they might not have known-- creating a real community dialogue on the issues we face.

I respect the current County Commissioners, but I can only hear electeds kick issues down the road to future generations so many times before feeling compelled to step up.

If I am elected, you won’t be in the dark on what’s happening in your county government. You will be more than just a single constituent with an opinion; you will be a respected neighbor who is welcomed with open arms to join the discussion.

Will we agree on every issue? Perhaps not. But I will treat you with respect, listen to your perspective, and seek to better understand your position. In the end, I trust that you will find me to be acting in good faith and seriously working on behalf of the people of Faribault.

…

I love Faribault. Its history inspires me. Its people energize me. Its food overstuffs me.

Because I love Faribault, I believe it deserves dignity. Faribault deserves to be proud of itself. Faribault deserves to be excited about its future. Faribault deserves to have ambitious leaders who believe it is capable of great things.

I know Faribault is capable of unique triumphs. Our history proves it. There are lessons in our history, if we care enough to look for them. I believe we can carry on the legacies of our predecessors in Faribault, and in the Rice County government, by being open and energetic about building a better community. I want to be one small part of building the next chapter of Faribault’s history.

…

It would be my honor to represent Faribault’s 3rd District on the Rice County Board of Commissioners— a vitally important position.

When you vote on November 8th, vote for transparency and respect. I hope you will elect me to serve Faribault as our Rice County Commissioner.