VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) -The following is a media news release from Ron Manson.
“Biography: Married to Heather Manson and has three children, Justin, Jada and Josie and 2 dogs Jessy and Sioux. Local Barnes County resident living in Sanborn, parents Ron and Dolores Manson, graduated from Valley City High School in 1988. Member of Valley City Eagles Aerie 2192, Ducks Unlimited and Barnes County Wildlife club.
Attends: Connect Church in Valley City.
Enjoys: Fishing, the outdoors, cooking, singing Karaoke, helping others, and visiting with friends.
Education: Attended Trinity Bible College, UND and VCSU. Studied Wildlife Biology and Human Resource Management.
Served in the local Army National Guard unit beginning in 1989.
Career: For most of my early adult life, I had the opportunity and privilege to work at both the Open Door Center in Valley City and at Alpha Opportunities in Jamestown working weekends and overnights providing services to individuals with disabilities. Both my wife and I have worked in this field over many years, with many different people and in many different settings. Working in those settings provided me with my first taste of servitude towards others and putting their needs in front of mine.
I began working for the USFWS as a biologist in the mid 90’s in Jamestown ND. In 1997 I started working for the Stutsman County Weed Board as a seasonal employee. Then in 2006, I became the Weed Control Officer in Stutsman County and have been in that position and Department Head for the past 16 years. Along with those duties of my job, I have been fortunate enough to be elected, and am still currently serving on the State Board of Directors for the Weed Control Association, since 2007. In 2014, I was elected to a term on the North American Invasive Species Management Association Board of Directors. (Weed Controls National Board of Directors)
As a Weed Control officer in Stutsman County one of my strengths at this job has been developing partnerships and positive relationships with state and federal agencies along with different weed boards and Weed Officers around the state. One of the more important tasks at my job is pursuing grants to fund my counties weed control efforts, these monies are above what is given to me by my commissioners from taxes levied each year in Stutsman County. Most grants usually require partnerships and/or agreements with other government agencies. I currently work with numerous agencies, such as the ND Department of Ag, NDSU Research and Extension, ND Game and Fish, ND Dept of Transportation, ND Dept. of Trust Lands, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, US Army Corp of Engineers, US Bureau of Land management, the city of Jamestown furthering my counties efforts against noxious weeds. I also work with private industry partners such as Corteva, where I have provided chemical research for development of new noxious weed herbicides. I have also in the past sat on an advisory panel for DuPont Chemistry. Working with other government and private entities is important to my job at Stutsman County Weed Control, and I also see it as important as a commissioner in Barnes County.
Business: Alongside the hours put in at a “9-5” job, I am also the business owner of R&H Maintenance and Lawncare. A company started in 2003, with our first contract with the US Army Corp of Engineers doing the mowing and building maintenance on the Campgrounds around Lake Ashtabula for 11 years. Along with that we moved snow during the winter for Valley Rental Service, and owned Valley Lawn Applications. We no longer move snow or provide lawn care, but we continue to provide cleaning services to commercial buildings in our area. We currently spend each evening cleaning a local school.
My success in my job as a Department Head, and as a business owner over the years can be attributed to my ability to hire the right people and instilling in them a feeling of importance and accountability. It’s really about the people that work alongside you that make or break you. From their knowledge, work ethic, energy, and more importantly their willingness to be part of a team to get the job done makes my job easy.
Staff that have worked with me usually move on to other careers after spending a few summers of mowing or spraying weeds with me. Those on my list that have gone off to “bigger and better” include: 3 County Weed Control Officers, 2 Doctors, 2 assistant weed control officers, Soil Conservation District Manager, ND Game and Fish. 2 Superintendents, a Middle School counselor, 4 teachers, 3 agronomists, an administrator for Enbridge Pipeline, Head of Technology, 2 Insurance agents, 2 bankers, 2 nurses, 2 HS football coaches, 2 college athletic trainers, one who helped train the US Olympic team, and many others that have moved on with continued success.
What I bring to this candidacy for Barnes County Commissioner representing District 4 is a career of service, leadership, hard work and the knowledge of how a local government operates, and what it takes to fund the services that a county provides. But more importantly the desire to support those people needed to manage and work in these positions around the county.”
Ron Manson will be facing two other candidates in the District 4 primary commissioner race on June 14th. Barry Borg and incumbent Vickie Lovell. Borg and Lovell are encouraged to email their biography, political philosophy and a feature photo of themselves to steve@newsdakota.com to be posted on NewsDakota.com before the June 14th primary.