Sheriff and County Commissioner 

Candidate 

Forums to be held

To the Editor

Voters in Otter Tail County are invited to get to know this year’s commissioner and sheriff candidates at the Candidate Forums on September 26, 1-4 p.m. at the Ottertail City community room (near the current firehall) at 103 Lake Ave S. The Candidate Forums are co-sponsored by the East Otter Tail County (EOT) chapter of the League of Women Voters MN and the Fergus Falls chapter of the National Organization of Women. 

The forum will also be livestreamed on the EOT League of Women Voters YouTube channel. After the event, voters can watch the unedited recording of the candidate forums on both groups’ Facebook pages. It is important for all voters to understand the candidates’ views and participate in elections. 

District 2 commissioner candidates Wayne Johnson and Jeff Gontarek are scheduled to speak starting at 1 pm, concluding by 1:50 p.m.  

District 4 commissioner candidates Jim Stewart and Stephen Springer will be speaking from 2-2:50 pm.

Sheriff candidates Reed Reinbold and Terry Frost will speak at 3-3:50 pm.

Candidates will introduce themselves and have equal time to answer all questions asked by the trained forum moderator. While all questions are prepared in advance, the candidates do not know what the questions will be. If you have a question that you would like asked at the forum, please email your question to the East Otter Tail League of Women Voters at lwveotc@lwvmn.org.  While audience members will not be allowed to ask their own questions, we hope the candidates will stay and chat with their constituents following their forum.

Teresa Muckala, Voter Services Chair

East Otter Tail County chapter, League of Women Voters MN

Cedar Walters and Bridget Leonard, Co-Chairs, 

Fergus Falls NOW chapter

Thank you for your support as county commissioner

To the Editor,

To the residents of Otter Tail County District 4.

First I want to thank you all for allowing me to be your county commissioner for four years. It was an honor and I tried my best to listen and consider your input on issues before the board. We all need to remember this is a non-partisan board and no one person has more influence than another.

The primary was a disappointment. I ran on a record of service. Outside pressures have no role in non-partisan county government. A Republication state legislator from another county took it upon himself to raise an issue with a mailing from a PAC. I neither solicited nor paid for the mailing. It came from an organization that is concerned with property owners rights. Another Republican state legislator then appeared with one of the other candidates in a local parade. I never once brought partisan politics into the primary. Why two state-level legislators chose to interfere in this primary is questionable. One would think they have enough to worry about with their responsibilities in St. Paul.

As you choose a new commissioner think about holding him accountable. Promises are easy to make, but making good on a promise is the tough part. From now until the end of my term I will still be your commissioner and if I can help you with an issue please contact me.

Robert Lahman

Parkers Prairie