Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District 4 Supervisor

Question 1: How does your past experience, job or education qualify you to serve on the Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District?  

Question 2: What do you believe should be the county’s number one

conservation priority? 

Question 3: What is the most vital role the SWCD should play in assisting individual land owners?

Pamela Coughlin Hall

Question 1:

I have a BA from UMD with a major in Sociology. I have also worked on a Masters in Social Work. I was born and raised in Sawyer and have lived in Moose Lake since 1980. I have always had an interest in our environment and conservation. I worked in the past with the City of Moose Lake to build sidewalks along Arrowhead Rd.

Question 2:

Most recently the SWCD has started work on the Kettle River Watershed with Aitkin, Pine, and Kanabec Counties. This is an exciting development. Carlton County is unique as we have parts of four separate watersheds. The SWCD has done much work on all of these watersheds. Now, however, coordinated work has begun on assessing the Kettle River which is the biggest concerted effort made so far. We are looking at ways to reduce the phosphorus in this beautiful river. The Kettle has been on the MPCA list for excess phosphorus since the 1970’s. I am very hopeful about this project. It will lead to working with land owners in a large area of Carlton County as the Kettle River drains the majority of the County. The following web site will give additional information about the Kettle River Watershed: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/water/water-types-and-programs/watersheds/kettle-river.html

Question 3:

All of us care about our land and water. It is what we will leave for our children and grandchildren and want to pass on the beauty and benefits of clean water and healthy land. What is the best way to preserve these natural resources and yet provide jobs and prosperity for us all? The SWCD works with landowners to provide education and affordable options for preserving these resources without hindering jobs or livelihoods. A unique element of the SWCD is that everything done with landowners is voluntary. We help landowners utilize best practices in their use and protection of their land. This benefits them and us all.

I have been very excited to represent the 4th district on the Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District. I appreciate this opportunity and would like to continue, with your support.

Kim Samuelson

Question 1:

I thoroughly enjoyed my service on the SWCD board two years ago and would be honored to be elected as a supervisor again. I have worked for many years with conservation-related issues and projects with several organizations. In addition to my SWCD service, I also worked as Executive Director of the Laurentian Resource Conservation & Development on many projects dealing with water conservation, watershed protection, forestry and soils management, conservation education, etc. I have also attended and organized many conservation-related workshops and meetings, as well as created newsletters, posters, books, and videos to inform people about conservation issues. Natural resource conservation has been a high priority in my personal and family life and in my work with 4-H and Girl Scout children, church groups, the Ladies of Kaleva, etc. 

Question 2:

Education/Information. There are many resources (audio and visual resources, funding, programs, etc.) available to help landowners and residents achieve wise and balanced use and management of the land, water, soil, and forest resources in our county. However, this information does little good unless the landowners and residents are educated and informed on the “how, why, and where” of these resources. By educating and informing people, we give them the tools to make wise decisions in their use of our county’s natural resources. They, in turn, will help to inform and educate their friends, family, and neighbors.

Question 3:

Education/Information. Through the last 50 years, the SWCD has done a great job informing and assisting landowners to manage and conserve natural resources through programs, information and funding. Many of these SWCD projects, volunteers, board members, employees, conservation award winners, sponsors, etc., are highlighted in the wonderful SWCD 50th Anniversary book that I was proud to help create. Many thanks to the Carlton SWCD employees, supervisors and volunteers for their dedicated work through the years. Many thanks, also, to the thousands of county landowners for learning about and practicing good resource conservation and management. May this wonderful and successful partnership continue for years to come.

Tags: election 2012, candidate profiles