Living In Carver County Minnesota

Erin Rathke is the new superintendent for Eastern Carver County school district 112. She gets to flex about the great things happening in the district and also addresses some of the challenges of late. We talk about what is is like to be in the fastest growing county in MN.

Have you ever wondered how your brain works? Why do you respond a certain way when something that you don't like happens? Is there a way to train your mind to be more intentional? This interview was very fun to do and I learned a lot and connected several dots in my head. Bhante is on a mission to help people be more mindful or intentional about how they engage with the world. For additional information visit www.triplegem.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Graham Johnson wanted to be a writer most of his life. He landed what he thought was going to be a dream job reporting for SW News on the Chaska Herald and Chanhassen Villager. Unfortunately for Graham and the community, the parent company decide to close both papers. We visit a little about the importance of local news and then dig into effective story telling. Graham is kind, thoughtful and gives some wonderful insights and crafting communication. Please enjoy this fun conversation and be sure to check out-https://carvercurrent.com/villager-tower for some local news with a flair by Rickie Schultz per Graham :-) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Have you ever read those thoughtful editorials about the human condition in the Chaska Herald or Chanhassen Villager? Doug and Lynn Nodland offer readers wisdom and assurance based on years of life experiences as accomplished professionals, Lynn in counseling and Doug practicing law. They now run a successful coaching business and work with clients of all ages but with a specialty with people going through profound live changes. Whether it is in caring for family members at end of life or people going through career or personal changes, they help clients navigate with grace and confidence. I invite you to really listen for their warmth and sage insights. To find out more and to read other columns they've published, visit them online at: TheBalanceCenter.com SharingLifesLessons.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Erika has a compelling story filled with overcoming adversity, perseverance, grit and a sense of being part of something bigger than one's self. Hers is the story of an immigrant who has overcome many challenges with grace, determination all while being good natured and committed to giving back to her community in her work with the county and in her personal life. She is a strong, determined and accomplished woman and I am delighted to get to call her a friend. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

If you haven't been to Carver in the past year or so, you will be blown away with the construction, both commercial and residential. We have Carver Mayor Courtney Johnson here to discuss all the new development, the city's plan to address the coming needs that go along with this growth. Courtney is committed to managing these changes with transparency and citizen involvement. We also talk about what has her excited as well as things she like to see changed. She is a wonderful guest and we were delighted to have her back for a 3rd time. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Policing has changed radically over the past several years. Bad policing makes the news and affects public opinion, making a hard job, even harder to do and a challenge to recruit new officers. Given the fact that the Carver County Sheriff's Department are responsible for policing everywhere in Carver County except Chaska, we thought an update from Carver County Sherriff Jason Kamerud was due. Jason is a lifelong Carver County resident and is fully invested in the community. He talks about recent challenges and the proactive way the department is addressing those issues. As our area continues to grow, the spotlight will get even brighter. Innovations and strategic thinking will make all the difference. We hope you enjoy this fast paced conversations with Sherriff Jason Kamerud. (This episode was recorded before the Burnsville shootings. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this terrible and senseless tragedy) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Chaska City Manager Matt Podhradsky discusses the recent improvements to Hwy 41 and the impact to local businesses including Cooper's Grocery Store. We discuss the role and limitations cities have in determining which specific businesses come into the city. We also discuss some of the background story on the old Oakridge Conference site (aka; Costco site) and what is in store for Chaska going forward with respect to municipal building plans. Matt has been a guest several times because we talk about things that most residents only have a partial back story about and thus many misconceptions occur. Matt is a friend and community advocate so please enjoy this comprehensive conversation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Did you know the worldwide headquarters of a faith organization is located here in Eastern Carver County? The Eckankar Temple is that huge piece of land located at Hwy 5 and Powers Blvd in Chanhassen. What is it? What do they believe? I sit down with staffers David Maloney and Heather Davari for a discussion about the history, beliefs and practices of followers of Eck. I invite you to listen with an open mind to understand the organization, not to convert anyone but to gain a better understanding of a neighbor. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Back for another visit is long time Chaska community advocate Bob Roepke to discuss happenings in Chaska and broader Carver County Minnesota. Bob has a great deal to be thankful for and we discuss that in detail and as always, Bob drops a ton of wisdom for anyone wanting to make a difference in their community. We also talk about some important changes happening downtown Chaska with Cooper's Grocery store and Bob graciously acknowledges the decades of contribution the Coopers have made to Chaska and Carver County. Please enjoy this conversation with one of my very favorite people! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Thank you for your interest in Living In Carver County Minnesota and our hyper-local podcast. What started as a bit of a lark is now in season 6 and we've been humbled by your feedback and inspired by your feedback and guest recommendations. Our lofty objectives are to educate listeners about local events, happenings and introduce them to the people who make them happen. We try to do that in an informal and hopefully entertaining way, we are not "60 Minutes" so we don't try and trip people up to make them look bad, but we do try and go beyond a Facebook Meme or a bumper sticker and ask the questions you would ask if you were sitting down for coffee. Lastly, we hope to inspire you to get engaged and maybe even involved in Carver County organizations, activities and for you to make your difference. This season we have some wonderful guests who have already agreed to talk and of course we are always looking for interesting people, stories and causes, so please reach out to me with YOUR ideas. Greg :-) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-anderson29/message

Grecia is the Executive Director of Latino Voices, an organization formed in 2019 with a mission to connect and inform the Latino Community in Carver County with resources, news, events, and activities that will improve their livelihoods and give them opportunities to thrive and succeed. Grecia and her team also help people in our local communities and organizations learn about the Hispanic Culture and are committed to recognize the contributions of Latinos to Carver County. VOICES= Voice, Organize, Inspire, Connect, Equip, Serve. To find out more about Latino Voices, visit or reach out to- Email: betzygf@gmail.com Web: www.LatinoVoicesMN.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

The origin of this business is an incredible story of faith, grace and the impact of someone seeing the value in a person even when they are at their lowest. Kris's personal story is one of trauma, addiction, recovery and ultimately, paying it forward. Kris and Rachel have big goals to give people a chance to be seen, cared for and a chance to break away from a path of generational addiction and poverty. To find out how you can help, visit www.https://www.allosministries.com/post/allos-ministries-announces-first-location --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

I just love this what this organization is doing to help kids who have been permanently removed from their birth parents by protective services and who are currently in Foster Care, waiting to find their "Forever Family". They do this by producing an individual video that showcases these kids with their personalities and interests out front and center.  These REELS are then shared on social media, with church groups and service organizations with the goal of helping make connections for the kids with would be adoptive families. Kaycee Stanley started THE REEL HOPE Project during her time working as a youth pastor in Elk River and now it is a thriving entity with over 300 kids featured.  She also speaks about the foster care system and the societal challenges posed by kids who become adults and don't have family as a life base.  The numbers she shared are staggering about people in the penial system, in abusive relationships and more about how they themselves can end up having kids entering the foster care system. These kids do not have what so many of us take for granted. You can find out more by visiting their web site at www.thereelproject.org or on social @reel_hope --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

"Elections matter" seems to be plastered all over the media these days.  The elections that have the most direct impact on the day to day lives of voters are arguably the local races such as city council, school board seats and county commissioners.  You get taxed, you get services.  In Eastern Carver County, one of the commissioner seats on this year's ballot is for District 1 between incumbent Gayle Degler and challenger Lisa Anderson.  Both graciously agreed to be on the podcast together in a Q & A format to discuss their respective visions and objectives for running.  We had some challenges with the recording as Gayle was heading to a funeral in South Dakota and did the interview from his car in a gas station parking lot so occasionally the audio falls off.  I appreciated both candidates patience and good nature muddling through and I had some editing help smoothing out the rough edges as best we could.   Please take some time and research the candidates for all the positions on this year's ballot.  Vision, leadership and courage are in short supply and without it, our elected officials will fail us.  Many large organizations continue to profit by sowing the seeds of discontent and we can no longer afford to simply be disengaged or uniformed about our communities.  The stakes are too high.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

What Minnesota institution of higher learning has the highest ROI (return on investment) on tuition dollars spent relative to earning??? Dunwoody College of Technology has been turning out highly productive workers since 1914 and according to several metrics, has the best return on investment for your educational dollar. President Rich Wagner talks about the innovations, initiatives and programs their students are having wild success in being a part of for their post high school training. He also talks about the opportunities and the challenges in providing a robust, well-trained workforce in 2022 as well as touching on some of the things people say about learners that are unproductive. Rich is a smart, committed educator and innovator who has some very talented staff implementing programs to be inclusive of a changing population and Dunwoody is wanting the graduates to be reflective of the community. I invite you to listen to this fast-paced interview with someone committed to making productive graduates. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Bob Roepke is a local legend for his extensive community involvement dating back to the early '80s.  Bob and I visit about the leadership qualities he likes to see in elected officials as we come into 2022 elections next month.  His life is an example of service to the community and he loves to talk about developing future leaders who can inspire while at the same time respecting others that have come before.  We talk about values as guiding principles that outlive election cycles and how important it is that a shared vision gets properly communicated.  I'm proud to call Bob a friend. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Jill Zieroth discusses the future of the family dairy farm in Minnesota.  The MDI comes along side the farmer with a full menu of support and expertise ranging from nutrition to planting cycles, veterinary care to financial management. If you care about where your food comes from regardless of political affiliatiation this is an important role so that these farms don't all end with some faceless corporations. If you come from a firm. Hopefully you will enjoy this sometimes wonky conversation with someone who is committed to keeping farming and the food pipine local. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Amanda Bloomgren loves llamas and promises if you are nice to llamas, llamas will be nice to you. In addition to llamas, Amanda has a soft spot for supporting causes that build support networks for young adults in crisis. She's tying the two together at the Carver County Fairground on October 8th. Join Amanda at Llama Rama, a fall festival where you can not only walk a llama, have a drink, shop and enjoy other activities, but will help raise money for Launch Ministry, a local organization that supports homeless young adults in Carver County.  Be sure and check out www.LlamaRamaMN.com  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Have you ever thought about being a foster parent? Good :-) Carver County Foster Care Supervisor Clint Mack explains what the needs are here and how you can be a foster parent so you can support kids and families. Opportunities beyond being a host family include being a "respite care" family who helps out when a break is needed. One other very cool way to help is through "Forgotten Initiative" where you can support families with gifts of meals and gift cards to help offset the stress of a family transitioning to sometimes a multiple child family all at once. We also discuss how kids end up in the program and what the objectives are for reuniting families going through tough times. There's real need here and we want to be on the solution side of things. Visit www.co.carver.mn.us/foster care for details about how your family can help. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Chaska High School Football Coach Bryan Dahl on developing great humans, doing daily hard stuff and oh yeah, winning a lot of football games. Bryan is an inspired leader who is a tremendous asset to the community. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Welcome to Season 5. I wanted to thank everyone who has been a guest, a listener, a talent scout, a encouraging voice and of course a few critics. You all matter to me and I'm grateful. Also, I wanted to share a little thing we did for my son to establish a credit rating before he headed off to CO to be on his own. It's works pretty well if it is an option for your family. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Denis Halleron knows the car business after a lifetime of experience owning, operating multiple service shops and working for various dealers and he shares that wealth of experience with me on this episode.  What's going on with cars these days?  Why are lots so empty? What do people mean when they say; "Global supply chain"? What do dealers make? Hybrids and EVs; good things?  How about service shops?  All the things people wonder about are fair game in our conversation with this "industry insider" Denis didn't hold anything back and I had a blast talking to him. Visit www.carcierge.com  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Ryan Siebert has been Chief of Police for a couple of years now and he has settled in nicely even though arguably there has never been a more challenging time to be in law enforcement.  We discuss the right reasons for becoming a public servant and how sometimes, for whatever reason, people lose that desire to serve and things go badly as we see time and time again with law enforcement all over the country.  We talk about BLM, The Thin Blue Line, defunding discussions and a variety of other topics.  Ryan is frank and doesn't hedge from tough questions and rightly so because the CPD is really trying to do right by the citizens of Chaska.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

We are going to talk about transportation. Okay, don't check out on this episode because this was a really interesting talk about the complexities of building and maintaining the critical transportation requirements of the state's fastest growing county.  We had a real expert and we were able to get into the weeds a little bit and I learned a lot on this talk.  Lyndon Robjent has a fascinating back story and ton of experience.  He has become an expert in finding, applying for and getting as much outside money as possible to help the county take the lead with other stakeholders (cities, townships and the state) in making our roads the best in the state.  He also shares the county's priories' with the County Parks and trail systems.  Lyndon is a knowledgeable and talented public servant and I'm really happy he is on our team.  To see plans for the Waconia Park we discussed, visit the county webs site at: www.co.carver.mn.us --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Khai Tran is a busy man.  (Especially for a guy who is supposedly retired.)  He is the Executive Director of the Community Foundation for Carver County.  He is also the founder and board chair for A Better Society organization.  Khai helps explain what a Community Foundation does and what it makes sense for charitable giving and what types of opportunities are available for citizens to give to things they care about in a efficient and effective manner.  www.communitygiving.org We also had a chance to discuss his organization he and his crazy talented wife Heather started called A Better Society to help individuals and small endeavors become effective right out of the gate by being organizationally solid. www.abettersociety.org If that wasn't enough, Khai shared some startling statistics about housing needs in our county.  There's a tendency given our obvious affluence, that we shouldn't have any housing issues and that is a mistake that will cost us all in the long and near run.   Khai is a thoughtful, talented, and committed guy and I hope you enjoy our conversation notwithstanding my tech challenges today.  (5G my @#%) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Charlotte Zielin is Mental Health Coach who takes her clients beyond therapy. Her method involves not just dealing with the issues around the source of the trauma but going beyond with a strategy to equip her clients with the tools and distinctions to function at their best going forward. We discuss the way those things work together on the this fast-paced conversation. She is funny, smart, vulnerable, dedicated and committed to making people's lives better. She was fun to talk to and I hope it comes through on this episode even though we talk about hard stuff that people are going through as well as hearing her talk about her personal challenges and how she thinks that makes her better because of her life's lessons. You can find out more by visiting her website at www.charmariecoaching.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

My guest this episode is Sue Schmidt.  Sue is with New Beginnings and it is one of those places you've maybe noticed out of the corner of your eye and you maybe thought it must just be another day care place.  It is far more than that and we are fortunate to have the facility located in our community.  Sue Schmidt is the lead teacher at New Beginnings, a place for young teen Moms to get educated on everything from pre-natal care to parenting skills, personal finances and of course getting the classwork completed to graduate.  Started in the late 1970's initially just teaching life skills and later evolving into a full blown alternative school, New Beginnings has a proven success record for helping to mold confident, successful young women. I was surprised how rare this type of program is given the obvious need and benefit to a community.  Sue is one of those in the trenches everyday people who make our community strong.  To find out more, visit http://swmetro.k12.mn.us/programs/alternative_programs/south_west_metro_high_school/new_beginnings --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Pastor Greg Snow has been the pastor at St Johns in Chaska since coming out of the seminary, first as a Vickers and then as Pastor. He is heavily involved in community outreach programs and was one of the original leaders that were involve with starting Love Inc here in Carver County. St Johns is one of the three historic churches in town and the only one with an elementary school. We talk about legacy faith communities and some of the changes brought about by changing times, Covid-19 and the emergence of a whole group of people not choosing to engage with a faith community. Greg has a passion for the community and a calling to lead people to faith. I enjoyed our talk and although he has a South Dakotan sense of understatement, we covered loads of ground. To find out more about St John's Parish, visit- https://www.stjohnschaska.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Tina Stofferahn of MRCI discusses the many services they offer for people in the community with special needs get trained, develop interpersonal skills, find employment, and continually get educated about a myriad of things. They do amazing work. I have several friends who have family members as clients of MRCI and the work they do changes lives. (I know that can be an overused description but, in this case, it is completely warranted) One thing we discussed is how much work means to all people for dignity and purpose regardless of what limitations one might have. MRCI has been around since the 1950's and started by helping Polio victims and returning veterans. Today they serve individuals with disabilities and disadvantages throughout the state. Tina is a local who grew up here in Eastern Carver County, received her degree in Psychology from Crown College in Waconia and lives here in Chaska. She is a real asset to Carver County. To find out more about MRCI, visit www.mymrci.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Cory Whitmer- Mustard Seed Landscape and Garden Center gives some great tips for those of us without a green thumb that we can implement to have a better looking and healthier yard. Cory knows his stuff and has seen enough mistakes to cut right to the solutions for easy to use ideas. Cory is a friend and Renaissance guy who in addition to being Obi Wan for yards is also an accomplished brewmaster which we will discuss in another episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Len Simich Chief Executive Officer Len Simich has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Southwest Transit Commission since 1997. He has received numerous awards for his personal and academic achievements including being selected as the Minnesota Transit Professional of the year, and one of the top 40 business leaders in the Twin Cities by the Minneapolis – St. Paul Magazine. Under his leadership SW has grown into a thriving enterprise beyond just a bus company branching into real estate development, short trip ride providers and a leader in green innovation. Len is passing the torch at the end of Feb but will remain a leader in the community. Len describes SW Prime is one of those innovative services that allow eastern Carver County to be a place for everyone regardless of what stage of life there are in currently. Please enjoy this loaded conversation. Also- be sure and download the SW Prime app if you or anyone you care about needs transportation to shopping or Dr appts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Carla Beaurline is one of those people you know you know, even if you're not sure from exactly where from. She's been a local beauty pageant participant, a MC for numerous charity events, a television talk show producer and host for the show, "Around Town" for going on 20 years, as well as a dedicated caretaker for her parents as they were going through end-of-life stuff. She's smart, funny, and as polished of a professional as you'll ever meet. I enjoyed talking to her about her upbringing, how beauty pageants shaped her career wise, her love and admiration for her parents as well as her adventures as a female entrepreneur. Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with a very professional communicator. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

I'm filled with gratitude for all the guests who have agreed to spend their valuable time visiting with me to discuss things happening here in Carver County. I've learned something from every guest and really enjoyed each conversation. I want to also thank everyone who has called, texted, emailed or just walked over to me at the grocery store to give me their thoughts about the show, I appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I have some more incredible people lined up for this season but if you have ideas, please let me know and I will reach out to them. We've added some cool podcast swag now as well. :-) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Back for his second sit down interview, (Bob was guest 5 of this show when we 1st started) is my friend, long time community champion, Bob Roepke. From his early years on city council to serving three terms as Mayor to his countless hours of service on various boards and committees, Bob is always attached to action and is an important part of almost every positive change. In this episode we talk about the current downtown projects, the recent school referendum, volunteerism and random stuff that always seems to come up. Bob is a tireless champion for our area and always looks for the good in each encounter. He is a "one of a kind person" and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did being part of it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

My guest is Jay Rohe, who has been a fixture in local Chaska politics for the last 20 years. We talk about his early days on city council, the lessons learned from his two failed attempts at mayor, and his reelection to council followed by his resignation after moving out of the ward. Jay has had lots of learning opportunities. As he has matured and become more reflective, he has also developed a new sense of purpose for serving the community of Chaska. He is now planning on running for mayor next year once again but he believes he is now coming at the position with a better and more correct objective of service of the broader community. I have known Jay for many years and can sense his new found clarity and purpose that maybe was less focused years ago. Hopefully we all get wiser with age and more life experience. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Deb Barber serves the residents of Carver and Scott County (District 4) at The Metropolitan Council, a position she was appointed to by then Governor Dayton in 2015 and again in 2019 by Governor Waltz. She chairs the Transportation Committee which along with the Land Use Committee is one of the most visible and out-front positions of the Council. Some of the topics we discussed are; What exactly is Met Council? What work do they do for us? How does the Council work with the county and the various cities of Carver and Scott County? How does that work fit in with the rest of the Metro? What does our future look like? Deb is clearly a very competent, committed public servant and I enjoyed our conversation very much. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Clark's bio on his Facebook page gives a brief sneak peak of what's behind the Front man for the popular local music group Traveled Ground. ( Singer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist, Teacher, Farmer and Traveler. Founder of Traveled Ground)   Clark is a long time teacher at Waconia High School, (although not music) a maple syrup farmer, a talented songwriter (which we get a look behind the curtain on that process in this interview) and the founder and lead signer.  He has toured nationally with Crystal Gayle as well as numerous other performers before coming back home to Waconia to marry and settle  down and raise a family.  He went back and got a teaching certificate and has been teaching young minds for over 30 years.  His main passion is music and he and the band played over 50 gigs in 2020 despite being hampered by the pandemic.   Clark is smart, funny and a fantastic story teller.  Please enjoy this wide ranging discussion with one of Carver County's originals. Clark was exactly the type of person I had in mind when we started this podcast experiment about giving a voice not just to elected officials and business people but also to ordinary people who just happen to be extraordinary.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Mary Hernandez is a force for good in the community.  From her current role as the Community Project Coordinator with the CAP Agency in Shakopee and as the director and co-founder of Esperanza, Mary is all about helping people in need. She is uniquely positioned to connect people from the Latino community with resources to help them cope with challenges caused by our recent pandemic which disproportionally affected the Latino community as well as many families who wouldn't have ordinarily needed help meeting their basic needs. CAP partners with church groups, The MN Food Bank, Carver and Scott Counties and works with many community stakeholders including the County Sherriff's Department and the Chaska Police Department.  She has a huge heart for service and is committed to helping people in need with no barriers.  To find our more, visit www.esperanzaishope.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Andy Schornack President of Security Bank (Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender) talks about banking, changing markets, major regulation changes and the future of non-banking entities.  Andy has been in banking his whole career and offers some great perspectives on the banking industry.  Security Bank is based in Glencoe and is one of a vanishing breed of companies.  Andy is smart, funny and he makes for great conversations.  Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with a great guy from a growing local company.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Tom Workman- Tom is the Carver County Commissioner for most of Chanhassen and Victoria. (See S3, E3) He is back for a wide ranging conversation on a variety of topics including; property taxes, the 2022 county budget, school district spending, vaccinations, policing, and the value proposition of Carver County.  Some people will agree, others will oppose, but Tom stands firm in his positions and has the strength of conviction to back it up.  I always really enjoy talking with Tom and it is fun to try and challenge him a little because he takes it all in stride and he has no trouble explaining his thought process.  Please enjoy this winding conversation with a Carver County original. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

I know thinking about your will is one of those things that is easy to push down the road and deal with "Some Day."  The problem is if you are ONE DAY LATE, things can be a real mess! With many of us dealing with elderly parents, boomerang children and the fact that we are all growing older, this estate planning stuff is something that is simply too important to not have handled correctly. Jennifer is a terrific attorney with Chestnut Cambronne, a downtown law firm and she specializes in estate planning. Jennifer also has an office here in Chaska. Many people think that estate planning is only for people who have big bucks. That is a big mistake that has real serious and negative impact on your loved ones if something were to ever happen to you. In this conversation, he discusses what we called; "The minimum effective dose" for responsible adults to have in place and although costs can vary, it is surprisingly inexpensive, especially compared to the huge expense of not having something proper completed. Jennifer can be reached by visiting; http://www.chestnutcambronne.com/bio-jspalding.html Please note: this content is for information purposes only and is NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Be sure and call her and have it done right; your family is counting on you! ;-) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

John & Kim Motchenbacher are in the midst of riding their bicycles across America.  They started in Oregon and will eventually end in Virginia in several weeks.  The trip is to raise awareness and funds for Lobular Breast Cancer.  I've included links to their web site for a daily blog update, a link to their Facebook page and of course to their charity's web site.   What I was more interested in discussing though was the why and how of such an endeavor.  How did you decide?  What was the preparation like? How did you clear the space in your lives to take several months off?  So many people aspire to go off on some grand adventure.  Maybe to travel in South America, maybe to live in a van and visit all the National Parks, or perhaps to back pack across Europe.  What prevents people from acting on their big goals?  John and Kim share how they arrived at a place where they were able to act.  They discuss what they've learned about themselves, each other and about seeing the country at 10 miles per hour. (On a good day).  They are a delightful couple and were a blast to visit with.  I plan to do a follow up episode in a few weeks to see how things are progressing and what new distinctions they have made about life on the road.   I hope you enjoy this visit as much as I did doing it.    To connect with "Motch Across America", please visit:  https://motchacrossamerica.com/  https://www.facebook.com/john.motch.3  https://lobularbca.wedid.it/campaigns/8168-lobular-breast-cancer-alliance-peer-to-peer-fundraiser/1686?fbclid=IwAR3kU36qtzluZPxP0cN0vXW7YAL7zbqMXvcv7Ofn72ld0HhtqP0PC9XrOGU --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

My guest this episode is Victoria resident Ellie Krug.  Ellie is a former trial attorney, book author, public speaker, podcaster, radio show host and transgender woman.  After making the difficult decision to live as her true, authentic self, she had to re-invent herself in almost every aspect of life.  She moved to Minnesota to start over dedicating her life to one of service.  Recent political changes in Iowa made moving back problematic and so Ellie decided to establish roots in Minnesota and she recently moved to Carver County to have a more rural type of surrounding.  Her life is now devoted to sharing her story and life lessons about what she calls "Gray Area Thinking" with service groups, churches, and both large and small corporations.  Her message is one of acceptance of self, compassion for others and for oneself, and that we are all much more alike than different. She believes in the power of human familiarity--that by really getting to know each other on a personal, human to human level, we can be a better community for everyone. To find out more about Ellie's work and or to book her for a speaking engagement, visit- https://elliekrug.com/ Her memoir, Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change, is available on Amazon, Kindle Nook, and Apple iBook. If your book club reads Ellie's book, she will speak to the club (either in-person or virtually) at no charge. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Sarah Carlson is one of those people who make things happen, quietly leading on social justice and housing issues. She chairs the commissioners on the CDA. She is active on the Chaska Human Rights Commission. She is active with the League of Women Voters. She volunteers with Launch Ministries. She forgot to mention her work with the Historical Society and she was one of the original founders of the "Blessed Bee Thrift Shop." Sarah was fun to talk to because she is passionate and smart. We are a better community because of her commitment to doing good work. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Dean Hilgers is a life long Waconia resident.  He started off working part time at the local Ford dealership while in school and then became a sales associate and within a very short period of time, one of Ford's youngest dealership owners.  He ran Waconia Ford for 25 years and grew it to over 150 employees.  I suspect a big part of his success was his humility and willingness to give recognition to mentors and team members as he did often in this interview. After selling the dealership, Dean made a major life decision and went back to graduate school. He also started developing land and dove head first into serving the community through his involvement with various organizations.  He and his wife both have a passion for Waconia, Carver County and are committed to leaving a legacy of making things better for all who follow.  Please enjoy this wonderful conversation with a great guy. Also, be sure and visit: www.https://www.carvercountyhistoricalsociety.org/peterson_farm.php --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Tom Workman is a long time political guy who served on Chanhassen City Council, at the state legislature and for the past several years as a Carver County Commissioner.  (District 2 includes Chan 1a, 1b, 2a and 3 plus Victoria ward 1.)  Tom is a fun guy to talk to because he doesn't hedge about what he is thinking.  He's pretty outspoken on lots of topics, so no matter if you agree with him or not, you will know where he stands.  He is also passionate about transportation, mental health and something really important given all the recent rainy days; Mosquito Control. This is part 1 of our discussion. We ran out of time so he will be on another episode to finish up but in the meantime, enjoy our conversation.   --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Carla Struble is a formidable presence on local charitable boards. She brings a wealth of business experience ranging from personally working for large corporations to a starting an electrical company with her husband, to running a 1200 acre large scale hog operation.  In this interview, she shares some of the insights she has gained from a lifetime of hard work and well thought out decisions.  She talks about some of the mindsets that helped a small husband and wife electrical start up become a community pillar with over 70 employees today and that recently moved into a new corporate headquarters here in Carver County.  Carla is funny, thoughtful and smart as a whip.  I hope you enjoy our wide ranging discussion. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

In case you've been living outside the area, Chanhassen has just exploded in the past several years. New restaurants, a new brewery, a funky barber shop and lots of new homes have created a major shift in what was at one time, "the first town on your way out of town." Mayor Elise Ryan is leading the city during this shift. She is smart, driven and fun to talk to because of her passion for Chanhassen and it's direction keep her inspired. In this interview, we discuss the recent past, the booming present and the city's realignment to a set of values going forward. Please enjoy my visit with Elise Ryan. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

My guest is Keith Payne of Sunbelt Business Advisors talks about buying an existing business and what that takes as well as what to be thinking about if you have a business and are thinking about an exit strategy.  Keith brings his years of business experience to help people make wise decisions about this type of huge investment.  Work is such an integral part of our lives and if the past 12 months has shown us, it is possible to break a long standing work pattern and do what a few years ago would have seemed impossible. Things that you'd been putting up with or decisions to go out on your own have come to the forefront and there may never be such a great opportunity to act. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message

Recently elected to represent Waconia's Ward 2 city council, Carl Pierson dishes on some new things on the horizon for the City of Waconia and then we talk about connecting civics in a classroom setting with "Boots on the ground" involvement in local government. We discuss how things have changed for local governance in a hyper-politized world and his optimism for the power of a local, involved community. We riff on the demise of "Just the news" and the responsibility of people in a democracy. Carl is engaged, unchecked and in the midst of coming to grips with a changing political landscape. This conversation could have gone on for another hour, easy. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-anderson29/message