Candidate Docken

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Farmer seeking county seat: Jeff Docken will run for Rice County board
By Corey Butler Jr.Updated: Monday, June 23, 2008 11:20 pmcbutler@faribault.comFARIBAULT — A Webster Township farmer has stepped forward to declare his intention to run for the position being vacated by Rice County Commissioner Jim Brown. Brown last week said he would not seek election in November. Jeff Docken, 51, said he will register to run for the seat when the two-week filing period opens July 1. District 5 covers Bridgewater Township, Forest Township, Lonsdale, part of Northfield, Webster Township and Wheatland Township.Docken said he had been encouraged to run for the position in the past by fellow Rice County residents, but he said the time wasn’t right then. While Docken alludes to an economic slowdown, there is a similar slowdown of sorts at home. His family-operated farm has more people helping. Also, his three children — Heather, Joshua and Bethanie — are all adults and out of the house, which allows him to focus his energy elsewhere, he said.With the presumptive slowdown, Docken said it’s important to help people get going in the right direction and would like to help as much as he can. Docken, who has a two-year degree in agriculture from the University of Minnesota — Waseca, is currently the citizen representative for District 5 on the Rice County planning commission and previously served on the Webster Township Board.“I’m interested in what’s going on,” the Northfield High School graduate said. “I’m interested in seeing what the direction of the county will be and will continue to be.”He said energy, transportation issues, as well as planning and zoning ordinances and economic development of the county are areas where he would like to look.“I think Rice County has a strong agricultural base and I’d like to see it continue as a strong base, but yet there has to be some kind of compromise to spread the tax load,” he said. “There’s got to be some balance there.”Brown, who said he wouldn’t endorse a candidate at this point, did say Docken could fill in just fine.“Jeff’s very conscientious, active in his community and a very commonsense-orientated person,” he said. “He’d be an excellent candidate.”Spending most of his life in Webster with a few years in Northfield, Docken said he knows Rice County. That, along with his lifelong involvement with agriculture, gives him nearly half a century worth of experience that is related to what Rice County is about. He said he never plans to leave Rice County and, if elected as commissioner, would want to serve multiple terms.
But, what could be considered more important than anything, he said, is an interest in filling the seat.“I have the desire to do it,” Docken said.