Meet the Candidates: Hennepin County District 6 Commissioner

Six candidates are running for the open Hennepin County District 6 Commissioner seat. The candidates are Heather Edelson, Patrick Gage, Janet Kitui, Daniel Moret, Marisa Simonetti and Jen Westmoreland.

A special primary to narrow the race down to two candidates will be April 30. The special election is on May 14.

District 6 includes 66 voting precincts and contains areas of Deephaven, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Mound, Northern Eden Prairie, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Woodland and Wayzata.

The seat was left vacant by Chris LaTondresse, who resigned last fall to serve as the next chief executive officer for Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative.

The special election winner will complete LaTondresse’s term, which ends December 2024.

For more information on voting, visithennepin.us/residents/elections/prepare-vote.

APG-ECM (the Laker Pioneer’s parent company) reached out to candidates to compile this voter’s guide. These are their responses:

Heather Edelson

Please list relevant biographical information, including your education, occupation, and other qualifications.

Current occupation: Elected State Legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives (2019-present, representing Edina and a portion of Bloomington); Edina Crime Prevention Fund Board Member.

Past related work experience: Outpatient Mental Health Therapist, served on several boards and commissions from Hennepin County Guardian ad Litems to the Edina Education Fund.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in legal studies, Hamline University; Masters in social work, University of Minnesota

If a voter wants to contact me, the best way to reach me is...

heather@heatheredelson.com

What motivated you to seek election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners?

As a child, my grandfather instilled in me that helping others and building a community is about finding shared values and collaborating with everyone, including those who you may not agree with.

The work of the Hennepin County Board complements my professional experiences in the Minnesota House of Representatives and as a trained mental health therapist. Equally important is my personal experience using Hennepin County services as a child growing up in poverty. From rental and heating assistance to food supports, Hennepin County social services were a lifeline for my family, helping me to be the first person in my family to graduate college.

I have a deep appreciation for Hennepin County maintaining our roads, renewing our drivers licenses and supporting our seniors and people with disabilities.

I can make the most impact in the 60 percent of the Hennepin County budget that is invested in Human Services, where the County provides a critical safety net for our community. I have served on the Health & Human Services Committee for six years at the Capitol, working to improve disability services and the overall mental health system in our state.

What skills or experiences would you bring to this seat that you feel are uniquely needed by residents in the county?

My passion for helping people, along with my professional and personal experiences, provide me the perspective to move issues forward in a balanced, pragmatic way. I believe most areas of policy have nuance, and need collaboration with stakeholders to deliver the best results.

As a State lawmaker, I have worked in all areas of policy that Hennepin County covers – human services, transportation, public safety, housing and natural resources. I also bring experience of serving on several boards and commissions, a strong ability to collaborate on complicated policy, and have served as the Vice Chair of the Minnesota House Ways & Means Committee, overseeing the State’s budget.

I also have strong relationships with key stakeholders on the federal, state, county and city levels and a track record of getting things done in a balanced, thoughtful way.

The winner of this special election will serve a very brief term. If elected, how would you make use of this time? Are you considering a run for this seat in the general election?

With the District 6 seat being vacant for eight months, it is important that we elect someone who will be effective on day one to address several important issues in front of the Hennepin County Board. I am confident with my professional experience as a State Representative that I could immediately be effective in this role.

If elected in the special election, I will be running for the general election on Nov. 5 to serve a full term.

Patrick Gage

Please list relevant biographical information, including your education, occupation, and other qualifications.

District 6 is my home. I spent most of my childhood in Shorewood and played hockey for Minnetonka and Orono. After graduating from Georgetown University, I joined a Catholic nonprofit and raised $1.6 million for refugees and migrants. I’ve since worked at a nonprofit that funds Holocaust education and organized on three Democratic campaigns, including the Senate DFL Caucus in 2022. I most recently served as an advisor to Governor Walz.

If a voter wants to contact me, the best way to reach me is...

Email info@patrickforcommissioner.com and I’ll respond personally!

What motivated you to seek election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners?

I’m running for Hennepin County commissioner because I want to build a safer, healthier future for District 6. We need a new voice with fresh ideas who will speak for all of us. This community is my home, from Mound to Edina, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather represent on the County Board.

We’re facing real challenges. The County Sheriff’s Office is underfunded and understaffed, which makes our community unsafe. We have to take decisive climate action on waste reduction, shutting down the HERC garbage incinerator, and protecting our water. We’re failing nurses and frontline workers at HCMC. They’re saving lives while Hennepin Healthcare cuts their benefits. That’s not right. Nurses know I’ll fight for them, which is why the Minnesota Nurses Association endorsed my campaign. I’ll also be a champion for their colleagues, from doctors to custodians. All healthcare workers deserve better.

I’m running to meet these challenges head-on and build a safer, healthier future for District 6.

What skills or experiences would you bring to this seat that you feel are uniquely needed by residents in the county?

District 6 deserves a county commissioner who meets us where we are. That’s why I’ve used my organizing experience to personally knock on over 10,000 doors in our community. I understand the needs of District 6 because I’ve put in the work to listen to you. As a deeply qualified young candidate, I also bring a unique sense of urgency and fresh ideas to conversations about our future, especially around climate change. We need a commissioner who will break through division to build a safer, healthier District 6 for all of us, and that’s what I’ll do.

The winner of this special election will serve a very brief term. If elected, how would you make use of this time? Are you considering a run for this seat in the general election?

My first term will focus on the 2025 budget process. I’ll prioritize fully funding the County Sheriff’s office, restoring benefits for nurses and frontline workers at HCMC, engaging with all stakeholders to fix problems at Hennepin Healthcare, and pushing for a more equitable timeline to shut down the HERC, Hennepin County’s controversial garbage incinerator. I’ll also work with labor partners to better understand the needs of working people while continuing to door knock and learn from voters in District 6. I plan to run for reelection in November if I win.

Janet Kitui

Please list relevant biographical information, including your education, occupation, and other qualifications.

I was born in Kenya, immigrated to the United States in 1988.

Education: Master of business administration, Hamline University

Occupation: Director of Procurement at Normandale Community College

I am a mother and a grandmother.

Community involvement: Housing Task Force, Communication Feedback Group & Business Energy Working Group, Transportation Commissioner, President of Parent Council Southview Middle School, Edina Climate Action Plan

If a voter wants to contact me, the best way to reach me is...

janet@janetforhennepincounty.com

What motivated you to seek election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners?

Based on my background and the issues I care about is why I run. I am running because politics is about the improvement of people’s lives. As I have been talking to voters on the doors this is what they say to me, they are concerned about affordable housing, support for small businesses, access to mental health, public safety for all, environmental and climate justice. Delivering on these priorities is at the heart of why I run.

What skills or experiences would you bring to this seat that you feel are uniquely needed by residents in the county?

I have been involved in the community for serving as President of Parent Council at Southview Middle School, I have served on the Edina Housing Task Force and I have served on the Transportation commission. I bring the lived immigrant [experience] navigating this social safety in Hennepin County, housing, healthcare, childcare, food stamps and social services. Those closest to the pain deserve representation on the Hennepin County Board.

The winner of this special election will serve a very brief term. If elected, how would you make use of this time? Are you considering a run for this seat in the general election?

I would spend the short time looking into the Hennepin Healthcare Services Board. In recent weeks, talk of dissolving this Board is concerning. I don’t claim to know how and why this came up now, so it will be critical to understand the genesis of this. I can only make an informed decision after hearing both sides, the Minnesota Nurses Association and the side of the HHS board. When I am elected, I’ll be able to access more information that is currently not available to me.

Yes, I will be running in the general election.

Daniel Moret

Please list relevant biographical information, including your education, occupation, and other qualifications.

I have a background in nonprofits and community impact. I work at Community Reinvestment Fund, a CDFI headquartered in Minneapolis helping diverse entrepreneurs access capital and build businesses. I’ve worked at the Boys & Girls Clubs, Thrivent Financial and other community-focused organizations. I’ve served on local boards and have degrees in journalism and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management. My wife and I live in Edina with our three daughters (5, 4, 1).

If a voter wants to contact me, the best way to reach me is...

Email... you can reach me at danforhennepin@gmail.com

What motivated you to seek election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners?

I am running for the Hennepin County District 6 seat because I believe in fostering innovation, seizing economic opportunities, making significant climate investments, enhancing public safety and nurturing youth development. These pillars are crucial for building a resilient, prosperous community that meets the challenges of our community head-on.

In my work supporting small businesses through the pandemic, I’ve seen first-hand the impact that dedicated and innovative public sector leaders can have on their communities. I think my experience and priority areas make me a unique fit for the challenges Hennepin County is facing and how we can plant seeds for growth in the future.

Together, these focus areas form the foundation of a campaign dedicated to ensuring that Hennepin County District 6 is a thriving, sustainable and inclusive community for all.

What skills or experiences would you bring to this seat that you feel are uniquely needed by residents in the county?

I think my experience working within and alongside the community to provide additional impact and resources alongside my education experience make me a uniquely strong candidate. Additionally, being a parent to three young daughters provides me a unique perspective of how we can and should invest in our next generation and the challenges young families are facing. Lastly, my experience with education and youth development, climate justice and financing, small business support and innovation and technology provide me a blueprint for how to effect change quickly within the office and lay groundwork for prudent investments that will pay immediate dividends for our communities across the county.

The winner of this special election will serve a very brief term. If elected, how would you make use of this time? Are you considering a run for this seat in the general election?

If I win the election I will certainly stand for reelection in the fall. I think the short time in office before the fall’s election is a challenge, but not insurmountable and District 6 voters will expect a lot of impact from their selection, and my history of working quickly within large complex organizations will serve me well as I work to make an immediate impact for our community as their next Commissioner.

Marisa Simonetti

Please list relevant biographical information, including your education, occupation, and other qualifications.

Psychology B.A. from University of Minnesota, small business owner, mother.

If a voter wants to contact me, the best way to reach me is...

marisasimonetti.com

What motivated you to seek election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners?

I saw repeated threats of violence toward our schools and the alleged struggle that we “don’t have money” for hardworking teachers. I have business experience solving financial problems and am confident in my ability to “do more, with less.” I have also researched Dan Korem’s work on how to put protective factors in place to address school violence threats.

Also, I am the only conservative candidate in this race. I want people to understand that we’re not here to take away valuable services. We are here to provide those services in the most efficient and transparent way possible.

What skills or experiences would you bring to this seat that you feel are uniquely needed by residents in the county?

The role of County Commissioner needs a fresh set of eyes and someone with business experience. I am armed with the life experience of someone who has overcome many challenges and holds the unwavering confidence that I can solve any problem. I have the ability to select trustworthy people of excellence.

Old ways of thinking have gotten us where we’re at. The 2024 Hennepin budget increases property taxes 6.5% in just one year. Our taxpayers are working hard to care for their families and it is unsustainable to continue to burden them with costs of inefficiency and the self-interested decisionmaking of the old guard.

The winner of this special election will serve a very brief term. If elected, how would you make use of this time? Are you considering a run for this seat in the general election?

The key problem plaguing many is financial pressure. My first job is to address wasteful spending, bring transparency/accountability and lay the groundwork to “do more, with less.” For the general election... I believe that I will know the right path when the time comes. My plan is to stay involved in a way that best serves the community.

Jen Westmoreland

Please list relevant biographical information, including your education, occupation, and other qualifications.

Hopkins School Board Member, Normandale Community College Faculty, Ed.D. Educational Leadership, M.A. Literature and English Studies, M.A. French and Francophone Studies

If a voter wants to contact me, the best way to reach me is...

jen@jenforhennepin.com

What motivated you to seek election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners?

I’m a lifelong resident of District 6. I grew up in Hopkins and Minnetonka, lived in Mound and currently live in the Hopkins School District portion of Edina. I understand the diverse and unique needs of District 6 residents. As a volunteer, organizer and local elected official, I have taken a relational and values-driven approach to leadership in our community for the past three decades.

What skills or experiences would you bring to this seat that you feel are uniquely needed by residents in the county?

I have over six years of experience as a local elected official on the Hopkins School Board, working across layers of government to benefit our community. For the past three years, I have worked closely with Hennepin County on positive youth development, community safety and housing issues. I am currently a member of the Heading Home Hennepin Executive Committee continuum of care partnership to end homelessness. I have productive working relationships with county leaders and staff, as well as elected officials and community leaders across District 6. It will take all of us working together to create a vibrant future for Hennepin County.

I’m a career educator and union member; I’ve spent the past 15 years advancing educational equity and eliminating racial disparities through policy and culture shift in my role as a faculty member at Normandale Community College. I hold a doctorate in educational leadership, specializing in community-driven systems change. As the mom of a seventh-grader in Hopkins Schools, I understand the unique challenges of parents and caregivers, especially those of us who are caring for family members in multiple generations. My lived experience as a member of the LGBTQ+ community informs my inclusive leadership approach.

The winner of this special election will serve a very brief term. If elected, how would you make use of this time? Are you considering a run for this seat in the general election?

During the six months that District 6 has been unrepresented, I have been serving as a bridge between community members and Hennepin County. Once elected, I will be ready to hit the ground running to ensure our community’s priorities are advanced through policy, budget and programming decisions on the County Board. These priorities include environmental action, accessibility and support for seniors and people with disabilities, inclusive housing, worker protections, economic development, accessible mental and physical healthcare and thriving youth. I will continue to prioritize robust community engagement, meeting District 6 residents where they are at and developing advisory groups to ensure that I understand our community’s needs and priorities. If I am elected this spring, I will run again in the November election. I am deeply committed to our community and this work.