Our View / Endorsement: County Board needs Olson’s perspective

In nearly two decades in Duluth, including as executive director of the First Witness Child Advocacy Center, Beth Olson has gained invaluable insights into two huge aspects of St. Louis County government: She has spent time with both the social workers, child-protection workers and others who so often are strapped while trying to provide the help that’s needed and that can be expected of the county as well as the victims of crimes and those with nowhere else to turn when life has handed them a bad deal. It’s a rare and valuable combination of experience, background and knowledge that gives Olson enviable perspective and that makes her uniquely qualified for election to the St. Louis County Board. In the primary on Aug. 9 and again on Election Day on Nov. 8, western Duluthians have the opportunity to put to work for them someone who already is a known and effective community leader and someone who has proven she can get results, even in the face of limited funding.
“The county has a huge role in our lives, in our day-to-day lives. We support it through our taxes. We deserve people on the County Board who know what the county does and are good at making systems work and making good budget decisions. Those things are me. I have that experience and that skill,” Olson said in an interview as News Tribune editorial board members screened candidates this summer to make endorsements in the primary election. “I think I have a really unique and important perspective to bring to the County Board that does not currently exist there,” Olson continued. “(Also) I want to be a strong voice for the west side of Duluth. We don’t really always have a very strong voice. Our neighborhoods can get left out and left behind. I know a lot of people feel that way. I’ve been an advocate for a long time. I know how to bring people’s voices forward.” Olson’s groundbreaking First Witness center helps families after allegations of child sexual abuse; educates the community about child sexual abuse, including how to detect it and how to prevent it; and conducts forensic interviews for legal proceedings with children believed to be victims. “I lead an organization that’s on a tight budget. I’m practical. I’m pragmatic,” Olson said. In that regard she’d fit in well with the County Board, which has a reputation for being fiscally frugal, including 0 percent tax increases. “But there are things going unfunded or underfunded as a result,” Olson said. “Sometimes you have to invest money to make things better. If you make decisions based only on money, they’re usually bad decisions. If you make decisions based only on services, they’re usually bad decisions. So you have to have that middle ground, and that’s something I do every day. ... I’ve grown the organization, we’ve hired more staff, and we offer more programs with very small budget increases. We’ve taken it slowly, responsibly and sustainably.” Olson is one of three candidates on the primary ballot vying to replace Commissioner Chris Dahlberg, who didn’t seek re-election. The top two vote-getters move on to Election Day. Duluth City Councilor Jay Fosle is another candidate. He declined invitations to meet with the editorial board, however, leaving the board unable to consider his candidacy. He did submit a commentary that’s expected to be published next week. The third candidate is Kim McKay, a taxi driver from Piedmont Heights who “worked (her) butt off to get off welfare,” she said. This is her second run at the County Board. She also has served as chairwoman of the Duluth Commission on Disabilities. “We have major problems throughout St. Louis County, and if we don’t get control of them they’re only going to get worse. We have huge drug problems throughout St. Louis County. We have crime,” McKay told the editorial board. “I don’t just drive cab. I also do a lot of outreach work while I’m out there. I talk to a lot of people (and) send them in the right direction when they need help. … People say, ‘You’re just a cab driver.’ No, I’m not just a cab driver. I’m also very community active.” While McKay can be urged to continue giving back, the one candidate who emerged as western Duluthians’ best choice to represent District 3 on the St. Louis County Board is Olson. Among other priorities, she seeks to change the culture of an elected body that remains an unknown entity to too many county residents. “It’s the County Board’s responsibility to get back into the community and to teach people about what the county does and to get them involved in the decisions that the county is making,” Olson said. “People need to know there’s someone there they’ve elected who’s accountable and who’s helping to figure things out that affect them. That disconnect is something I want to change.” Voters can give her the chance. In nearly two decades in Duluth, including as executive director of the First Witness Child Advocacy Center, Beth Olson has gained invaluable insights into two huge aspects of St. Louis County government: She has spent time with both the social workers, child-protection workers and others who so often are strapped while trying to provide the help that’s needed and that can be expected of the county as well as the victims of crimes and those with nowhere else to turn when life has handed them a bad deal.It’s a rare and valuable combination of experience, background and knowledge that gives Olson enviable perspective and that makes her uniquely qualified for election to the St. Louis County Board. In the primary on Aug. 9 and again on Election Day on Nov. 8, western Duluthians have the opportunity to put to work for them someone who already is a known and effective community leader and someone who has proven she can get results, even in the face of limited funding.
“The county has a huge role in our lives, in our day-to-day lives. We support it through our taxes. We deserve people on the County Board who know what the county does and are good at making systems work and making good budget decisions. Those things are me. I have that experience and that skill,” Olson said in an interview as News Tribune editorial board members screened candidates this summer to make endorsements in the primary election.“I think I have a really unique and important perspective to bring to the County Board that does not currently exist there,” Olson continued. “(Also) I want to be a strong voice for the west side of Duluth. We don’t really always have a very strong voice. Our neighborhoods can get left out and left behind. I know a lot of people feel that way. I’ve been an advocate for a long time. I know how to bring people’s voices forward.”Olson’s groundbreaking First Witness center helps families after allegations of child sexual abuse; educates the community about child sexual abuse, including how to detect it and how to prevent it; and conducts forensic interviews for legal proceedings with children believed to be victims.“I lead an organization that’s on a tight budget. I’m practical. I’m pragmatic,” Olson said.In that regard she’d fit in well with the County Board, which has a reputation for being fiscally frugal, including 0 percent tax increases.“But there are things going unfunded or underfunded as a result,” Olson said. “Sometimes you have to invest money to make things better. If you make decisions based only on money, they’re usually bad decisions. If you make decisions based only on services, they’re usually bad decisions. So you have to have that middle ground, and that’s something I do every day. ... I’ve grown the organization, we’ve hired more staff, and we offer more programs with very small budget increases. We’ve taken it slowly, responsibly and sustainably.”Olson is one of three candidates on the primary ballot vying to replace Commissioner Chris Dahlberg, who didn’t seek re-election. The top two vote-getters move on to Election Day.Duluth City Councilor Jay Fosle is another candidate. He declined invitations to meet with the editorial board, however, leaving the board unable to consider his candidacy. He did submit a commentary that’s expected to be published next week.The third candidate is Kim McKay, a taxi driver from Piedmont Heights who “worked (her) butt off to get off welfare,” she said. This is her second run at the County Board. She also has served as chairwoman of the Duluth Commission on Disabilities.“We have major problems throughout St. Louis County, and if we don’t get control of them they’re only going to get worse. We have huge drug problems throughout St. Louis County. We have crime,” McKay told the editorial board. “I don’t just drive cab. I also do a lot of outreach work while I’m out there. I talk to a lot of people (and) send them in the right direction when they need help. … People say, ‘You’re just a cab driver.’ No, I’m not just a cab driver. I’m also very community active.”While McKay can be urged to continue giving back, the one candidate who emerged as western Duluthians’ best choice to represent District 3 on the St. Louis County Board is Olson. Among other priorities, she seeks to change the culture of an elected body that remains an unknown entity to too many county residents.“It’s the County Board’s responsibility to get back into the community and to teach people about what the county does and to get them involved in the decisions that the county is making,” Olson said. “People need to know there’s someone there they’ve elected who’s accountable and who’s helping to figure things out that affect them. That disconnect is something I want to change.”Voters can give her the chance.