After 13 years, a changing of the guard at Pine County Administrator's office

September will bring a changing of the guard at the Pine County Administrator's office, as David Minke's Sept. 4 resignation comes after 13 years in the position.

But the new face at the office will also be a familiar one, after the Pine County Board selected current auditor-treasurer Kelly Schroeder — who has also worked for the county for 13 years — as the successor to the post earlier in August.

Minke and Schroeder sat down for a joint interview with WCMP on Tuesday to reflect on Minke's tenure and look ahead to passing the administrative torch to Schroeder.

Pine County beginnings

The Venn diagram of Minke and Schroeder's careers with Pine County is nearly a perfect circle — Schroeder was hired only three months before Minke.

Schroeder, an east-central Minnesota native and graduate of Cambridge-Isanti High School, began her governmental career with Isanti County.

"I had worked my way up in that organization to deputy assessor, and then the county assessor position opened here, so it was kind of a natural move for me," Schroeder said.

Prior to working for Pine County, Minke — who hails from the northeast metro area of the Twin Cities — was employed by Anoka County. His move north up the I-35 corridor was motivated by a desire to return to an administrator role.

Minke said he worked most of his career in greater Minnesota — "that's where my comfort level is," he added — and he had a desire to work in a more rural area.

Thirteen years later, Minke cited creating a "solid team of leadership" at the county as one of the biggest accomplishments in the position.

"Our department heads are very experienced and stable, and experts in their fields," Minke said. "That has allowed us to accomplish a number of things, including managing the budget pretty well, and our health and human services has excelled in providing services and capturing non-levy revenue."

Schroeder added that the leadership team in place has fostered a sense of collaboration.

"I know when I walked in the door in 2013, I felt a little bit like I was in a silo, and it's like, 'all right, I've got to figure out how to do this on my own," she said. "Where now, I can pick up the phone and call any one of them, and go, 'okay, this is my situation I have going on, can we talk through this?' So that's huge to me."

During her time as Pine County assessor, Schroeder took Minke along on four-wheeling expeditions to assess cabins located in the county's state forest land.

"That was fun," Minke reminisced.

Only one county commissioner remains from the beginning of Minke and Schroeder's respective tenures.

"All have taken the new torch and really carried on what the previous ones had started, so that's been great as well," Schroeder said.

'The best mentor you can ever have'

With Minke preparing to pass off the proverbial county administrator torch, Schroeder called him "the best mentor you can ever have."

"I have been very grateful to have him in that role for 13 years, to show me the ropes of my current positions, and help me to get elevated in my existing positions, and prep me for this role," she said.

Minke shared his mutual admiration for Schroeder's work, saying that she's excelled at everything she's been asked to do by the county.

"She should be very proud of that work, and I think the county has been set up well for the next administrator," Minke said.

Schroeder added that following in Minke's footsteps is no easy endeavor.

"I have big shoes to fill," she said. "Dave will be greatly missed by all."

"I think Kelly is going to exceed people's expectations," Minke responded. "Like I said earlier, every challenge she has, she's successful at accomplishing."

Opportunities, challenges ahead

Schroeder said she's working on focusing past the next three-to-six months — a stretch she said will be "a little tough" while the auditor-treasurer position is backfilled — and developing longer-range financial planning for the county.

"Right now, it's kind of a budget year by year, but it would be really great to have more of a capital improvement program," she said.

Schroeder said that challenges facing the county include short-term staffing and a "really hard budget year ahead of us," and added that limiting the effects of employee turnover will be key.

"We have a lot of employees who will likely be looking at retirement in the next five years," she said. "And that organizational breadth of knowledge, when it walks out the door, is rough."

From Pine County to lake country

Minke's move further north to Aitkin County — he'll take on the role of county administrator on Sept. 8 — comes as he and his wife are newly empty-nesters after seeing their youngest child off to college.

"We had always talked about moving north into lake country," he said.

It's also a familiar and favored area for outdoor recreation. Minke said he used to have a cabin by Cuyuna for a couple of years, and that he particularly loves the mountain bike trails.

Minke said his familiarity with some of the Aitkin County commissioners and staff made it feel like it'd be a good fit professionally.

When asked what he'll miss most about Pine County, Minke's answer was short and sweet.

"The people," he said. "And the can-do attitude."

No need for introductions

With 13 years already under her belt in Pine County, Schroeder joked that lengthy introductions might not be necessary.

"I feel like a lot of people already do know me, just because I've been around and doing so many things," she said.

Schroeder added that while she doesn't live in Pine County, she grew up here.

"My early adulthood was spent here," she said.

Schroeder learned how to water ski on Cross Lake. She's gone snowmobiling in the Banning area. She's been four-wheeling on area trails.

"I've always seemed to have a tie here," Schroeder said. "For me, it feels more like home than home."