5 CHAMBER PRESIDENTS ATTEND SWEARING IN OF NEW COMMISSIONERS

Dakota County has just been redistricted from the 2020 census. As such, the County has new Commissioners who are elected officials who oversee county activities and work to ensure that citizen concerns are met, federal and state requirements are fulfilled, and county operations run smoothly. Chamber Presidents from Apple Valley (Ed Kearney), Hastings (Kristy Barse), Lakeville (Krista Jech), River Heights (Colleen Roth) and Burnsville (Jennifer Harmening) all attended to see the Commissioners sworn in.

Pictured in the photo above from left is: Commissioner Joe Atkins, Commissioner Bill Droste (was Rosemount Mayor and new Commissioner), River Heights Chamber President Colleen Roth, Lakeville Chamber President Krista Jech, Commissioner MaryLiz Holberg, Commissioner Liz Workman, Burnsville Chamber President Jennifer Harmening, Commissioner Laurie Halverson, Apple Valley Chamber President Ed Kearney, Commissioner Mary Hamann-Roland, Commissioner Mike Slavik & Hastings Chamber President Kristy Barse.

These 5 south of the river Chambers meet weekly and are really relevant partners together particularly during the uncertainty of COVID. Together they formed the Chamber Coalition Dakota County (CCDC)and together program events, webinars, marketing ideas and represent our region together at both the County level and at the Capitol.

While our own Commissioner Mary Hamann-Roland has been Commissioner for 2 years and will run again in 2024, Ed took special pride in seeing Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste being sworn in as a new Commissioner. Bill and Ed were together a team on the Minnesota Zoo’s Legislative Committee for ten years and would join former Zoo Director Lee Ehmke each month to visit Senators and Representatives from around the state at the Capitol. Ed and Bill would always team together for the visits and they still have coffee together most weekends. We congratulate our neighbor Commissioner Bill Droste!