People often get confused and it’s no wonder with the alphabet soup of acronyms that are used in government – and MACO often gets mistaken for the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) - and while MACO and AMC have much the same mission – advocating for legislation that is favorable to counties and effectively providing service to the citizens of our counties - legislators are often persuaded more by AMC as the policy-making body (or fellow elected officials) rather than the fact that legislation can often result in “more work” from an administrative viewpoint like MACOs. Luckily for us, MACO has someone who understands these nuances and is always willing to leverage a partnership between MACO and AMC to help advance our initiatives and ensure we are all represented and considered.

Matt Hilgart is the Government Relations Manager for AMC as well as being the policy analyst for the general government committee at AMC. Much of the legislation that directly impacts the day-to-day operations of auditors, treasurers and recorders gets vetted through general government at AMC including everything from property tax administration, document processing fee structures, and everyone’s favorite – elections. Matt is always among the first to reach out to MACO members for feedback – asking how MACO feels about a particular bill, inquiring about the impact to our members and the work that we do. Matt fosters a cooperative spirit between MACO and AMC and helps our team make connections with other agencies as well making sure the local governments are all represented and heard with a unified voice. During last year’s legislative session, Matt volunteered to take the lead on advocating for dedicated election funding – something that MACO had been trying to accomplish for many years. Matt brought commissioners to the testifiers table, met personally with key legislators and through this valuable partnership, we were successful in securing much-needed funding.

Matt also serves as a resource for counties helping to bring additional understanding on concepts to commissioners and staff and facilitating information sharing on a wide variety of topics affecting county government. MACO is so fortunate to have a partner who engages with our membership in so many ways and I am fortunate to get to call him a friend of MACO and a friend of mine. Please join me in recognizing this year’s MACO Honor Roll recipient – Matt Hilgart.

In addition to the Honor Roll, MACO presented awards to two outstanding members for their serve in 2023. MACATFO presented its Member of the Year award to Janel Timm, Yellow Medicine County Property & Public Services Director. MCRA presented its Member of the Year award to Kris Basilici, Carlton County Recorder. Congratulation to Janel and Kris, thanks to each for your many years of service in county government.

In related news, MACO elected Martie Monsrud, Roseau County as its president. MACO is also pleased to announce the election of the following members to the Board of Directors:

• First Vice President - Rita Lodermeier, Stearns County Assistant County Recorder
• Second Vice President - Cory Kampf, Anoka County Chief Financial Officer
• Treasurer - Kirk Peysar, Aitkin County Auditor
• Past President - Debby Erickson, Crow Wing County Administrative Services Director
• MCRA Association Representative - Karen Long, Chisago County Recorder
• MCRA Association Representative - Airabella Lapinski, Dakota County Deputy Director of Property Taxation and Records
• MACATFO Association Representative - Michelle May, Chippewa County Auditor-Treasurer
• MACATFO Association Representative - Brandon Larson, Saint Louis County Deputy Auditor
• District I Director - Sam Melbye, Polk County Director of Property Records
• District II Director - Lindsay Frank, Koochiching County Recorder/Registrar of Titles
• District III Director - Vicki Doehling, Douglas County Auditor-Treasurer
• District IV Director - Sarah Green, Pope County Recorder
• District V Director - Denise Gaida, Todd County Auditor-Treasurer
• District VI Director - Julie K. Hanson, Scott County Property and Customer Service Manager
• District VII Director - Joyce Jacobs, Nobles County Auditor Treasurer
• District VIII Director - Michael Stalberger, Blue Earth County Director of Property and Environmental Resources
• District IX Director - Jennifer Fibison, Olmsted County Property Records & Licensing Manager

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About MACO:

The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) is comprised of county Auditors, Treasurers, Recorders, Financial Officers, and Registrars in Minnesota. All 87 Minnesota counties are members. Two individual associations combine to make up the MACO organization. These individual organizations include the Minnesota Association of County Auditors, Treasurers, and Finance Officers (MACATFO) and the Minnesota County Recorders Association (MCRA).

MACO Media Contact:

Katie Wallstein, Executive Director

651-288-3427

In addition to the Honor Roll, MACO presented awards to two outstanding members for their service in 2022. MACATFO presented its Member of the Year award to Marc Iverson, former Renville County Auditor-Treasurer and current Stearns County Land Records Coordinator. MCRA presented its Member of the Year award to Charlene Friedlein, Hennepin County Project Coordinator. Individuals receiving awards are voted on by their peers.

In related news, MACO elected Debby Erickson, Crow Wing County Administrative Services Director as its president. MACO is also pleased to announce the election of the following members to the Board of Directors: Sam Melbye, Polk County Director of Property Records; Sarah Green, Pope County Recorder; and Michael Stalberger, Blue Earth County Director of Property and Environmental Resources. MACO appointed Brian J. Anderson, Goodhue County, Auditor-Treasurer, to the Board to fill a one-year vacancy. Additionally, MACO appointed Karen Long, Chisago County Recorder (MCRA) and Martie Monsrud, Roseau County Auditor-Recorder (MACATFO), to fill specially designated Board seats for its association partners MCRA and MACATFO. The 2023 MACO Board of Directors was sworn in at the MACO Annual Conference on February 15, 2023.

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About MACO:

The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) is comprised of county Auditors, Treasurers, Recorders, Financial Officers, and Registrars in Minnesota. All 87 Minnesota counties are members. Two individual associations combine to make up the MACO organization. These individual organizations include the Minnesota Association of County Auditors, Treasurers, and Finance Officers (MACATFO) and the Minnesota County Recorders Association (MCRA).

SAINT PAUL – The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) named Denise Anderson, Rice County Property Tax Administrator and Elections Director, to its Honor Roll at the MACO 2022 Annual Conference held February 15-17, 2022. The Honor Roll is the highest honor awarded each year by the MACO organization. MACO presented the Honor Roll award to Anderson to recognize her outstanding service as the Past President of both MACO & MACATFO and her many contributions to the Minnesota Association of County Officers. The Honor Roll has been given annually since 1996.

In addition to the Honor Roll, MACO presented awards to two outstanding members for their service in 2021, one to a MACATFO member and one to a member from MCRA. Individuals receiving awards are voted on by their peers. MACATFO presented its Member of the Year to Michael Stalberger, Blue Earth County Property and Environmental Resources Director. MCRA presented its Member of the Year to Betti Kamolz, Brown County Recorder.

At its annual meeting and conference, Sharon Budin, Le Sueur County Recorder, was sworn in as its 2022 president. She succeeds Chad Struss, Isanti County Auditor-Treasurer. Other newly elected members to the MACO Board of Directors representing regions of the state were Doug Hansen, Crow Wing County Recording Supervisor and Donna Torkelson, Cottonwood County Auditor-Treasurer. Vicki Doehling, Douglas County Auditor-Treasurer, was re-elected to the board, and Kathy Dietz, Sibley County Recorder, was appointed to fill a one-year vacancy.

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About MACO:

The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) is comprised of county Auditors, Treasurers, Recorders, Financial Officers, and Registrars in Minnesota. All 87 Minnesota counties are members. Two individual associations combine to make up the MACO organization. These individual organizations include the Minnesota Association of County Auditors, Treasurers, and Finance Officers (MACATFO) and the Minnesota County Recorders Association (MCRA).

In addition to the Honor Roll, MACO presented awards to two outstanding members for their service in 2020, one to a MACATFO member and one to a member from MCRA. Individuals receiving awards are voted on by their peers. MACATFO presented its member of the year to Char Rosenow, Douglas County Auditor/Treasurer. MCRA presented its member of the year to Jennifer Fibison, Olmsted County Recording & Abstracting Supervisor.

At its annual meeting and conference, MACO elected Chad Struss, Isanti County Auditor-Treasurer, as its 2021 president. He succeeds Denise Anderson, Rice County Property Tax Administrator and Elections Director. Other newly elected members to the MACO Board of Directors representing regions of the state were Vicki Doehling, Douglas County Elections/Property Tax Administrator, Denise Gaida, Todd County Auditor-Treasurer. Julie Hanson, Scott County Property & Customer Service Manager, and Laura Ihrke, Steele County Auditor, were re-elected to the board.

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BLOOMINGTON – The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) named Jill Cordes, Mower County Recorder, to its Honor Roll at the Annual MACO Conference held February 11-14, 2020, at the Doubletree Hotel in Bloomington, Minn. The Honor Roll is the highest honor awarded each year by the MACO organization. The president of MACO presented the Honor Roll award to Cordes, in recognition of her outstanding service and contributions to the Minnesota Association of County Officers. The Honor Roll has been given annually since 1996.

In addition to the Honor Roll, MACO presented awards to two outstanding members for their service in 2019, one to a MACATFO member and one to a member from MCRA. Individuals receiving awards are voted on by their peers. MACATFO presented its member of the year to Jeffrey L. Strand, Hennepin County Administrative Manager, and deputy county auditor-treasurer. MCRA presented its member of the year to David Harvey, Hennepin County Recorder/Registrar of Titles Office.  

Also, at its annual meeting and conference, MACO elected Denise Anderson, Rice County Property Tax Administrator and Elections Director, as its 2020 president. She succeeds Becky McCann, Jackson County Recorder. Other newly elected members to the MACO Board of Directors representing regions of the state were Linda Karst, Waseca County Recorder, and Janel Timm, Yellow Medicine County Property and Public Services Director.

Denise Anderson, MACO President for 2020, presents a thank you plaque to Becky McCann, MACO President in 2019.	MACATFO presented its member of the year to Jeffrey L. Strand, Hennepin County Administrative Manager, and deputy county auditor-treasurer.
MCRA presented its member of the year to David Harvey, Hennepin County Recorder/Registrar of Titles Office.	The 2020 MACO Board elected into office at the conference.

Photos by Kari Aanenson

View the 2020 MACO Conference Video

Becky McCann, MACO President for 2019, presents a thank you plaque to Randy Schreifels, MACO President in 2018.

Gary Poser, retired Director of Elections for the Secretary of State office, receives the MACO Honor Roll award from MACO President Randy Schreifels at the 2019 MACO Annual Conference held Feb. 11-15 in Bloomington.

E.J. Moberg receives the MACATFO member of the year award from 2018 MACATFO President Michelle Knutson.

Amber Bougie (left), receives the MCRA member of the year award from 2018 MCRA President Becky McCann.

Photos by Kari Aanenson

View the 2019 MACO Conference Video

BLOOMINGTON – The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) named Gary Poser, retired Director of Elections for the Secretary of State office, to its Honor Roll at the Annual MACO Conference held February 11-15, 2019 at the Doubletree Hotel in Bloomington, Minn.

The Honor Roll is the highest honor awarded each year by the MACO organization. The award is presented by the president of MACO to an individual or individuals in recognition of outstanding service and contributions to the Minnesota Association of County Officers. The Honor Roll has been given annually since 1996. Poser was recognized for his many years of dedication to the election process in Minnesota. The Secretary of State office works closely with Auditors in each of Minnesota’s counties as the primary election officials at the county level.

MACO is comprised of county Auditors, Treasurers, Recorders, Financial Officers and Registrars in Minnesota. All 87 Minnesota counties are members. Two individual associations combine to make up the MACO organization. These individual organizations include the Minnesota Association of County Auditors, Treasurers and Finance Officers (MACATFO) and the Minnesota County Recorders Association (MCRA).

In additional to the Honor Roll, awards also were presented to two outstanding members for service in 2018 – one to a MACATFO member and one to a member from MCRA. Individuals receiving awards are voted in by their peers.

E.J. Moberg, Auditor-Treasurer from Lyon County, and Amber Bougie, Chief Deputy Recorder in Hennepin County, received awards from MACATFO and MCRA, respectively.    

Also at the annual MACO meeting and conference, Becky McCann, Jackson County Recorder, was elected president of MACO for 2019. She succeeds Randy Schreifels, Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer, as president of the organization. Newly elected members to the MACO Board of Directors representing regions of the state were Linda Libal, Lake County Auditor-Treasurer; Char Rosenow, Douglas County Auditor-Treasurer; and   Mary Ann DeGroot, Pipestone County Recorder.

David Shulkin, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, named Minnesota as one of seven states to receive an Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award at a national conference held in February. The Excellence Awards program was established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize outstanding state programs that support veterans within their states.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) received the award in recognition of its Discharge Access Database System (DADS) – an Index that was designed in collaboration with MACO/MOMS, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota IT, and Olmsted County ITS to provide a statewide military discharge index for the County Veteran Service Offices to search and request a veteran’s discharge document from the county where it was recorded.

DADS is a private index and used only by the VSOs. State Recorders provide the index data from their county. DADS is the first database of county recorded military discharge records in the United States and an example of government agencies working together to support veterans.

The Minnesota DADS program is credited as an effective program to address the four top-line issues of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: eliminating claims backlogs, ending veterans’ homelessness, improving access to VA benefits and services, and creating innovative state programs. 

The Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award program was established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2012 to recognize best practices by state Departments of Veterans Affairs. The state departments, while independent of VA, are key partners in the mission to fulfill the promise of Abraham Lincoln: to care for those “who shall have borne the battle.”

In addition to Minnesota, awards for outstanding state programs were presented to California, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington. 

Brad Lindsay, Deputy Commissioner of Programs and Services for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs said that this is the highest honor that MDVA has ever received. He also thanked the MACO/MOMS team for the creation and implementation of the DADS program.

BLOOMINGTON – The Minnesota Association of County Officers (MACO) named Cindy Geis, Scott County Auditor-Treasurer, to its Honor Roll at the Annual MACO Conference held February 12-16, 2018 in Bloomington, Minn.

The Honor Roll is the highest honor awarded each year by the MACO organization. The award is presented by the president of MACO to an individual or individuals in recognition of outstanding service and contributions to the Minnesota Association of County Officers. The Honor Roll has been given annually since 1996. Geis was recognized for her many years speaking out on behalf of county Auditors, Treasurers, and Recorders and especially during legislative sessions at the State Capitol.  

MACO is comprised of county Auditors, Treasurers, Recorders, Financial Officers and Registrars in Minnesota. All 87 Minnesota counties are members. Two individual associations combine to make up the MACO organization. These individual organizations include the Minnesota Association of County Auditors, Treasurers and Finance Officers (MACATFO) and the Minnesota County Recorders Association (MCRA).

In additional to the Honor Roll, awards also were presented to two outstanding members of MACATFO and one outstanding member from MCRA. Individuals receiving awards are voted in by their peers.

Martha (Martie) Monsrud, Roseau County Auditor, and Michelle Knutson, Big Stone County Auditor received awards from MACATFO and Jennifer Wagenius, Washington County Recorder, received an award from MCRA.   

Also at the annual MACO meeting and conference, Randy Schreifels, Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer, was elected president of MACO for 2018. He succeeds Laurie Davies, Carver County Auditor-Treasurer, as president of the organization. Newly elected members to the MACO Board of Directors representing regions of the state were Cheryl Kantor, Benton County Recorder; Laura Ihrke, Steele County Auditor; and Cindy Geis, Scott County Auditor-Treasurer.