By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

Candidates invited to an open forum June 30 at Thumper Pond in Ottertail city were on hand at an event sponsored by The Caravan of Patriots. The open forum was titled “Know Your Otter Tail County Candidate.”

Four of seven candidates for county commissioner seats in District 2 and District 4 attended but neither of the two candidates for county sheriff were in attendance. 

The gathering began at 6 p.m. with the showing of a documentary exploring the concept of the “constitutional sheriff” as the supreme law enforcement authority within a county. Since neither of the two county sheriff candidates were in attendance, discussion at the public forum did not address the sheriff duties in Otter Tail County. The public forum, instead, shifted to just county government and the duties of county commissioners.

Moderator Merle Hexum, when asked by an attendee why only four of nine candidates came to the open forum, said only one candidate offered an explanation. That candidate told Hexum that he would attend if the forum was sponsored by a political party. The Caravan of Patriots is not technically part of either party.

The candidates in attendance running for the District 2 seat were Jeff Gontarek of rural Pelican Rapids who has run twice previously but unsuccessfully, and Kyle Lehmann of Vergas. The candidates in attendance running for the District 4 seat were Stephen Springer of rural Henning and Roger Walvatne of rural Battle Lake.

Gontarek previously worked in probation and at the county jail. Lehmann works for Accessories Unlimited, Detroit Lakes, Springer farms near Henning and Walvatne works for a nursery (garden center) near Otter Tail Lake.

Some attendees addressed their displeasure at the rising number of employees in county government and the associated costs to county residents. One attendee reminded people that more than half of Otter Tail County’s financial resources come from the state and federal governments, oftentimes coming with mandates to the county.

Fraud prevention and voting integrity were other issues. Two precinct workers in attendance, in response to charges of flawed voting equipment in Otter Tail County, pointed out voters always cast their votes on paper ballots. They added that election equipment is tested before election day.

Property owner rights, gun rights and the Second Amendment, illegal immigration, voter registration, assisted living and excess in government regulations were also raised at the open forum.

County accessibility at county commissioner meetings was addressed. In response, attendees are provided the following guidelines by the five-person board of commissioners:

• To address the county at twice-month meetings and at other public gatherings, a county resident must contact the county administrator office (218-998-8060) by noon on the Thursday preceding the meeting.

• At the public meeting, speakers must step up to the microphone and state their name and place of residence for the county record. Public comments are limited to five minutes per person.