Serving on six boards, Reimanís now down to one

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 1/2/03

"I donít believe a person should stay in office after a certain period of time," said Paul Reiman.

So, after 24 consecutive years, Reiman has decided to retire as Mille Lacs County Commissioner.

On Christmas Eve, Reiman was able to chair his last county board meeting.

"It was quite an honor representing the county," Reiman said of chairing his last meeting. "It was emotional."

Commissioner and chairman David Tellinghuisen did not attend the last county board meeting of his term.

Reiman also received a plaque from the county for his efforts, one he will add to several plaques he already has.

Reiman, whoís almost 73, has served on several boards, including the Milaca City Council, the Five County Mental Health Center Board (which he retired from three times), the East Central Solid Waste Board, and East Central Electric (now East Central Energy) Board.

He has also served on the board for the Mille Lacs County Developmental Achievement Center (DAC) and he will continue to serve on that board.

But donít think Reimanís retired completely - he has too many irons in the fire.

Since 1968, Reiman has owned Mobile Manor - the mobile home park on the east side of Milaca. He continues to run the park and has recently expanded it to include nine more sites.

The manor also has a duck pond that Reiman is proud of, which is home to three families of ducks and is aptly named "Duckville."

Reiman also owns a U-Haul business and sells manufactured homes. He runs his businesses from an office within the Reiman Racing building on First Street, across from Hardeeís.

For 22 years, Reiman owned Paulís Bakery in downtown Milaca (where the current senior center resides). It was there that he came to know so many people in the area - and knew them by name.

He also spent 21 years with East Central Electric, which he retired from in 1997.

Reiman said the reason he spent so many years on so many different boards was that it was educational.

"You learn a lot by serving on these boards - from attorneys, engineers, highly skilled people," Reiman said.

And heís quick to add, "Iíve always had good help with my businesses, otherwise I wouldnít be able to do it."

Itís also helped that Reimanís been blessed with good health, he says. In 24 years, Reiman hasnít missed more than five meetings.

Working within walking distance to the courthouse has also helped.

"Iím the only commissioner that can see the courthouse from his office," Reiman adds with a smile.

And thatís something heís going to miss with his retirement - going to the courthouse.

Over the years

Reiman served as chairman for two years during one of his four-year terms.

"With the county auditor/treasurer on one side of you and the county coordinator on the other side, at times it was easier being the chairman than being just a commissioner," Reiman said of the county board meetings.

Reiman has seen some changes throughout the years. One major one he says is the addition of a county coordinator.

Having someone to gather information, prepare the meeting agendas, work with labor negotiations and be the communication liaison between the commissioners and the staff has helped tremendously, according to Reiman.

"She does a terrific job," Reiman said of county coordinator Bobbie Danielson.

Back in the 1980s, Reiman and the other commissioners were dealing with a situation near Mille Lacs Lake that didnít involve fish or the status of the reservation, but rather people living in fish houses.

There were no ordinances pertaining to the storage of fish houses back then. So, resorts were allowing people to live in fish houses - complete with electricity and sometimes even air conditioners.

The resorts were getting extra income in rent, but the "residents" were not paying homestead taxes.

Fire safety was another concern as the houses werenít spaced far enough apart for fire trucks to get through in case of an emergency.

With the help of the planning commission, the county was able to formulate ordinances that eliminated the fish house residence problem.

Another accomplishment Reiman is happy with was getting First Street in Milaca to be a County State Aid Highway (CSAH).

Back in the late 1980s, First Street was in tough shape and it was to become a dead-end street when the bypass was put in. But, the contractor made an error and put the street through to Highway 23.

Reiman and the commissioner from Onamia at that time worked to transfer funds to make First Street a CSAH.

The most challenging tasks for Reiman as commissioner have been the countyís finances and the current litigation with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe regarding the status of the reservation. This, he says, is part of the financial problem.

Future plans

Though heís not retiring from his businesses, Reiman does plan on spending some more time with his family. He and his wife have three sons, one of whom has Downs Syndrome and another suffered brain injuries from a car accident in 1989.

"I need to spend more time with those two boys," Reiman said. "My wifeís been great - sheís been taking care of them."

He also plans on re-organizing his extensive collection of toy trucks, many of which are U-Haul and Conoco trucks - only metal ones, no plastic.

Ironically, Reiman and incoming county commissioner Dick Satterstrom graduated together from Princeton High School in 1947.

His advice for Satterstrom and the other incoming commissioner, Phil Peterson, "Try to represent not only your district, but all of Mille Lacs County."