Larsen, the incumbent, said it is his goal to leave things better than he found them. "We can do best by working together," he said.

Thiede said he takes a fiscally conservative approach. He said the county has received an additional 43 percent in revenue and needs to look at priorities.

Larsen said fiscal responsibility is important. "My county taxes have gone up less than the rate of inflation. The county budget is fiscally responsible."

Technology

Larsen said the county was woefully behind in technology. "One time the county board took cell phones away from deputies," he said. "For the first time 90,000 parcels of land are on the county's Web site. You can go to the site and find any parcel."

"Technology is not the be-all," Thiede said. "We don't always have to be top of the line."

Smoking ban

Thiede said a smoking ban for the county was a piecemeal approach. He felt any ban should be statewide.

Larsen said a smoking ban would happen sometime in our lifetime and it should be statewide. And, yes, he would vote for a statewide smoking ban.

City-county cooperation

"When we work together we can do more," Larsen said. "The county and the city of Crosslake built a joint maintenance facility that saved and is saving a lot of money."

"Cooperative efforts may work," Thiede said. "I take a position and let the chips fall where they may."

Regional planning

Thiede supports regional planning and in the process protecting natural resources. He would encourage cooperative leadership.

Regional planning is important for the next 20 to 30 years to balance growth and the economy and to protect the ecology, Larsen said.

Challenges

"We need to continue to be proactive rather than reactive," Larsen said. "The county board has been fiscally responsible and with the new government center has positioned Crow Wing County for the next 25 to 50 years."

"The challenge is growth," Thiede said. "Should we build for 50 years? We need to be flexible and we need to address things as they come."

ATVs

"ATVs are part of another sport like Jet Skis used to be," Thiede said. "We need to crack down on ditch riding offenders and help those who enjoy the sport in a responsible manner."

Larsen said he formed a task force to discuss ATV issues and make recommendations. He said one-half of the calls he gets are ATV complaints. The county trails division is looking to build a trail and an ATV park. He reminded the audience that they are part of the problem and also part of the solution.

Concluding remarks

"Crow Wing County has the sixth lowest tax rate in the state," Larsen said. "Just remember, things never stay the same; they get better or they get worse."

Thiede said, "I am the best candidate for the job. I'm looking after your pocketbook."