(ANOKA) – Retiring Anoka County Commissioner Jim Kordiak will get a fitting honor for his last meeting.
At the December 1st commission meeting, chair Rhonda Sivarajah abruptly and surprisingly stepped down as chair, and vice chair Scott Schulte did the same. Commissioners then quickly nominated and approved Kordiak to take over as chair, which he accepted.
Kordiak has held the District 4 seat for 30 years, and will retire in January, when Commissioner-Elect Mandy Meisner will take his place. Kordiak’s father, Al, held the seat for 32 years prior to Jim. The elder Kordiak had been chair during his tenure, but the heir apparent had not.
“In my own case, I’ve avoided this opportunity for all of these years,” a still surprised Kordiak told the panel after he took over Sivarajah’s seat. “It gets in the way of so much of the rest of my life!”
Kordiak and his father ran a real estate and tax business in Columbia Heights, but now are retiring to Florida. The county will host an official retirement party for Jim Kordiak on December 17 at Bunker Hills Activity Center, one day before his last meeting, where he will be the chair.
“At this point in time, there’s not a lot going on, so this is going to be living the dream,” he said to a cheerful chamber. “Trust me.”
