Anoka County Commissioner District 3 – Local Decision 2026

In 2026, Anoka County voters will someone to serve on the County Board in District 3. The candidates are:

MELISSA “MEL” LAWLIS

About:

My name is Mel Lawlis. I am running for Anoka County Commissioner because I believe our communities deserve leadership rooted in integrity, professionalism, and civility. Residents deserve a full-time commissioner who will listen, work hard, and make thoughtful decisions with taxpayers in mind.

I bring 27 years of experience working for Anoka County, giving me a strong understanding of county government and how it can better serve residents.

Currently, I work in the fraud investigations area, helping ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately. Previously I worked in efforts to streamline government processes, saving time and money.

As a community volunteer, I coordinated the Rice Lake Elementary Carnival, led the Centennial Youth Hockey Association golf tournament, served over 20 years on my homeowner’s association board–15 as president, and have been a member of the Centerville Lions Club for six years–the past two as president.

My husband and I have lived in Lino Lakes for 22 years, where we raised our two sons. I am not a career politician. I bring years of actual county experience and more than two decades of active community involvement. I am ready to serve in a larger way and humbly ask for your vote.

Important Issues:

Fiscal Responsibility: I believe every taxpayer dollar should be spent wisely and responsibly. I will ask: Do we have the resources? Can we do it more efficiently? Is this the right investment right now? Most importantly, how will it impact taxpayers? I will also pursue state and federal grants and work with legislators to address unfunded mandates.

Public Safety:I support law enforcement and all first responders who work to protect our communities. They need the training, resources, and support to do their jobs safely and effectively.

Roads and Infrastructure: I will focus on practical, common-sense solutions for roads, bridges, and transportation. We need to prioritize the greatest needs and make sure projects are completed efficiently with community input.

Seniors and Mental Health: I will work to strengthen services that help seniors remain independent and connected, while supporting access to mental health resources for residents and families who need them.

Goals if Elected:

If elected, my focus will be on fiscal responsibility and making sure Anoka County operates as lean and efficiently as possible.

My first step would be developing a multi-year budget that gives homeowners and businesses more predictability and helps them plan for the future.

Second review how county departments are structured and staffed to make sure we are using our resources effectively. This includes looking at supervisor-to-employee ratios, finding opportunities to streamline operations, and making sure staffing supports the services residents need.

Third I would bring back Lean and continuous improvement efforts throughout the county. With my years of experience working in county government, I know there are opportunities to improve processes, eliminate unnecessary steps, and better use technology.

I believe we should always be looking for ways to do things better, provide good service to residents, and make sure we are getting the most out of every taxpayer dollar.

Endorsements:

Former Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah
Former Anoka County Commissioner Robyn West
Anoka County Commissioner Julie Braastad
Chair, Anoka County Board of Commissioners Scott Schulte
Former Columbus Mayor Jesse Preiner
Former Columbus City Councilwoman Janet Hegland
Former Centerville Mayor Terry Sweeney
Senate District 32 Republican Recommendation

Connect with Me:

Website: https://MelLawlisforCountyCommissioner.com
Facebook: Mel Lawlis for County Commissioner
Instagram: Mel Lawlis for County Commissioner
Email: Electmellawlis@gmail.com
Phone: 612-845-0734

Candidate Interview:

JEFF REINERT

About:

I have been married to my wife, Lisa, for 37 years, and we have raised three amazing daughters, who are all married. One of our daughters has given us three wonderful grandbabies. I’m a local kid, graduated from Centennial, and have called Lino Lakes home for more than 50 years. I love our community, which is why I’ve always chosen to serve in local elected positions.

My dad was Mayor of Lino Lakes when I was in high school, which I’m sure influenced my interest in public service. I served 10 years on the Lino Lakes City Council and Mayor for five terms. As Mayor, taxes increased only 5.1% over 10-years. Serving as a County Commissioner for Minnesota’s fourth-largest county requires experience. I’ve been in business for 40+ years and served in office for 20+ years and that has prepared me to make informed decisions for taxpayers and residents.

Experience matters because if you don’t have experience, you can’t ask the right questions. If you can’t ask the right questions, you won’t make good decisions and will properly serve the public.

I’m running for re-election because I believe I’m making a positive difference—and I love where we live.

Important Issues:

Spending: The kind of spending Anoka County likes best is “MORE”. We need to better manage spending in Anoka County.

I’m a bit of a budget hawk and drill down every year and find cuts. In 7 years, the county levy increased 37% but NOT WITH MY VOTE. I approved 10.4% of that 37% increase. With inflation up 20%, we need to be more thoughtful of how we increase taxes. With my background and experience, I am the only one running for this office that has the skills needed.

NEW JAIL: The current plan is to build an oversized and overpriced jail. Even a study done by the State concluded we need only 70% of what the county wants to build. If we downsize, litigation can be settled, we can build a jail the right size and save Anoka County taxpayers the cost of building and running an oversized jail.

Goals if Elected:

Accomplishments in government are only done by working well with others. My goal is to continue to develop a good working relationship with my fellow board members. Nothing is accomplished by yourself, so forming a good “team” mentality to tackle the tough issues is necessary to make good decisions and deliver a good result.

Many challenges and big decisions await us after this election. We need to address the need to improve our jail capacity, mental health issues are on the rise, work force vacancies continue to be an issue and inflation has impacted everyone, including what we pay at the county.

My goal when re-elected, is to use my years of management experience as a business owner, and my experience as an elected official, to work for, and represent residents in the cities and township in my district to the best of my ability.

Endorsements:

Roger Chamberlain – Former MN Senator
Linda Runbeck – Former MN House Rep
Don Raleigh – Former MN House Rep
Tom Knisely – Centennial School Board
Craig Johnson – Centennial School Board
Gloria Murphy – Centennial School Board
Karen Lodico – Former Centennial School Board Member
Dave Povolny – Former Mayor of Columbus
Jim Watson – Columbus P&Z
Bill Krebs – Former Columbus City Council
Tom Weidt – Mayor of Hugo
Rob Rafferty – Mayor of Lino Lakes
Vern Reinert – Former Mayor of Lino Lakes
Jeff Karlson – Former Lino Lakes City Administrator
Dale Stoesz – Former Lino Lakes City Council Member
Mike Ruhland – Lino Lake City Council Member
Chris Lyden – Lino Lakes City Council Member
Jeff O’Donnell – Former Lino Lakes City Council Member
Dan Stoltz – Former Lino Lakes & Circle Pines City Council Member
Nate Vochetch – Lino Lakes P&Z
Michael Root – Lino Lakes P&Z
Neil Evenson – Lino Lakes P&Z
Bob Nelson – Former Lino Lakes P&Z
Mike Murphy – Mayor of Lexington
Tim Sanders – Mayor of Blaine
Tom Wilharber – Former Mayor of Centerville
Russ Koski – Centerville Council Member
Matt Montain – Former Centerville Council Member