DEPARTMENT: Office of the County Manager
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
title
Recognition Of Commissioner Kathleen A. Gaylord
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Recognition of Dakota County Commissioner Kathleen A. Gaylord for 20 years of service.
SUMMARY
Commissioner Gaylord's term expires January 1, 2023, having served Dakota County with distinction for 20 years. First elected to the Dakota County Board in 2002, Commissioner Gaylord represents residents in District 2 which includes the cities of South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Sunfish Lake and Inver Grove Heights Precincts 1 and 8-10.
Commissioner Gaylord was elected to five terms on the County Board and was elected County Board Chair five times by her colleagues on the County Board (2006, 2009, 2013, 2018, 2022).
Commissioner Gaylord led efforts to strengthen the County's financial position and successfully control County property taxes, achieve a AAA bond rating, and pay off County debt. She pushed for changes in regional transit funding, resulting in nearly $100 million for Dakota County transportation projects with no new taxes, and advocated for a new County library in South St. Paul.
In addition to her role as County Commissioner, Gaylord serves on many committees: Dakota County Community Development Agency, Chair of the Dakota County Law Library Board, Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority, Chair of the Facility Operations Advisory Committee for Thompson Park Center, Greater MSP Economic Development Partnership Board of Directors and Chair of the Minnesota Inter-County Association and the Metropolitan Council's Transportation Advisory Board.
Commissioner Gaylord serves on the National Association of Counties (NACo) Transportation Steering Committee and served as the Vice-Chair of the NACo Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee. She has also served on the NACo Sustainability Leadership Team and the NACo Large Urban Caucus Steering Committee.
Commissioner Gaylord has Chaired numero...
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