WADENA — Murlyn Kreklau plans to continue into his second term as a Wadena County Commissioner as he runs unopposed in the current election.
Kreklau has a focus of decreasing spending while working towards increasing the county's tax base. Read on to find out more about his work and plans for the future.
Tell us about yourself including education, occupation, family, interests, hobbies, etc.
I graduated from Sebeka High School and spent some time at Brainerd Junior College. I spent six years in the Minnesota National Guard. I have four adult children and six grandkids, all of whom live locally. I worked for a company for 46 years, starting in the warehouse, and over time became sales manager, where my job was to recruit business and keep it. Keeping it included keeping them in business and by advising on how to remain profitable. During these 35 years the company grew from 60 employees to over 250 and customers in six states.
What qualities do you possess that will or do make you a good county board member?
Being part of the team (where I worked) taught me things that should be of benefit in this job. In business if you're not profitable if you won't be in business very long. I have found that this premise does not apply to the government.
What would you like to see done to make Wadena County a better place to live?
There are real things that would be beneficial in Wadena County. But until you can have an affordable tax rate, those things are beyond county government capabilities. And so, we all lobby for more government program money, which comes with ties and requirements, that we can't afford. Things that Wadena County needs more of are daycare, work, competitive tax rates and housing options that lets people stay in their communities, even in rural areas.
Are there any specific issues that are of particular concern to you?
Layer upon layer of government programs that need to be funded and never go away.
We are required by state statute and the state legislature to have all these parts. I have been active in lobbying the state to change state aid formulas which have such a negative impact on us and about 20 other small counties like Wadena County.
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