Elk Mountain board seats up for election

In the Elk Mountain School District, two board of education seats currently held by Jason Bradeen and Kevin Rosse are up for election. The seats are for three-year terms. Bradeen and Rosse filed petitions, as did Terri Janssen. The primary election is Tuesday, June 2. 
Janssen is a part-time paralegal. She purchased property in Custer County eight or nine years ago and officially moved in December of 2020 after retiring. 
As the office manager and legal assistant to the county attorney in Pine County, Minn., for 32 years, Janssen had many opportunities to work with and serve on different boards. One of the most meaningful was the Minnesota County Attorney Practice System (MCAPS) Board.
“I served one year as president of that board and helped implement the MCAPS program, including its move to the web so file information could be shared throughout the state. This work required collaboration with county users across Minnesota and gave me experience listening to concerns, gathering input and working toward solutions.
“I share this experience because I believe those same qualities are important for serving on the school board. I work well with others, value different perspectives and am willing to reach out to people for the betterment of our school. I also want to be someone community members feel comfortable coming to with questions, concerns or ideas,” said Janssen.
Janssen previously worked for the school before taking on her current paralegal position. 
“But I love the school and what the school represents for our community. I have thought about running for the board ever since I left, which was about two and a half years ago,” said Janssen. 
When asked why she decided to run for office, Janssen said, “The school is important to our community. I sometimes think there is a breakdown in communication between the board and the community, and I would like to help improve that. I want to be someone people in the community feel comfortable coming to when they have questions, concerns or ideas.”
Janssen said she would bring strong communication skills, legal knowledge and years of experience working with people, boards and public processes to the position.
“I believe I am a good listener and someone who tries to look at all sides of an issue before making decisions,” said Janssen. 
Janssen said one of the biggest issues in the district is “the lack of communication and strained relationships between some people in the community and the school. I believe that needs to be mended.”
Specifically, Janssen said, “We are a community made up mostly of retired people, with a small number of families with children who attend the school. Many children in the area are homeschooled. I believe the school needs to understand the community’s wants and needs, and the community needs to understand the school’s wants and needs. My hope is that we can work toward common ground. I also feel it is very important to be fiscally responsible to the community you serve.”
When asked why people should vote for her, Janssen said, “I will work to get out and talk to people about the issues and listen to how they feel those issues can be resolved. I also want to be a positive person representing the school and the community.”
Janssen said she wants the students of Elk Mountain School to have a positive experience, and she has witnessed the staff making that happen. 
“I also believe we need to work toward making Elk Mountain School and the community share the same positive feelings and goals. I want to promote positive interactions between the community and the school,” said Janssen. 
Bradeen and Rosse were contacted multiple times by the Chronicle and Elk Mountain School administration to share their thoughts on the district and the election. However, they did not respond.