One is the incumbent, Kathleen Heaney, running for her fourth consecutive four-year term. The other is Becker Attorney Duwane B. 

 

Snyder, a seasoned lawyer who wants to see a few changes made in the county attorney’s office and he feels he is the man to get it done.

 

Snyder is a veteran who served 14 years as a United States Marine in San Diego following high school graduation. He met his wife, Susan in high school and they went on to have three boys, Jeff (23), Joe (26) and John (27).

 

Snyder has practiced law in many capacities including attorney, associate attorney and as a law clerk. He established Central Minnesota Law, PLLC in Becker in 2010 and is partnered with Meredith Boudrie.

 

Snyder says he wants to run for the county attorney job because he feels there are some things that are near and dear to his heart that are not being addressed or handled effectively by the current county attorney’s office. When numerous people approached him and suggested he run, he took it into consideration and decided now was a good time to next the next step.

 

One of Snyder’s desires is to establish a county veteran’s court to provide court-supervised treatment for defendants who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and are experiencing treatable behavioral and chemical health issues such as PTSD, TBI, anger management/violence and chemical abuse and dependency. 

 

Currently, there are over 104 Veterans Treatment Courts operating in the United States, with many more in the planning stages. Like Drug Courts, Veterans Courts are based on a problem-solving model rather than the traditional punitive court model.

 

Another program Snyder would like to see instituted would be an adult criminal diversion plan for first-time offenders charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony offense, other than a crime against the person. The goal of the diversion plan is to provide an alternative to criminal prosecution as an incentive to change behavior and thus reduce recidivism, while at the same time promoting payment of restitution to crime victims and reducing court related costs.

 

Snyder’s other big concern is how the county attorney’s office is turning a deaf ear to the backlash the Becker Power Plant — Sherco — is receiving for unsubstantiated emission complaints.

 

“We have Rep. Jim Newberger and Sen. Dave Brown working hard to preserve these jobs in our community,” said Snyder of Sherco. “I think the county needs to play a bigger role in educating and protecting that asset and keep our community and businesses possible.”

Snyder said he remembers one person from the private sector asked him how he feels qualified to be county attorney and how he plans to lead.

 

“I told that person, hey, I led Marines for many, many years. I can lead just about any people,” Snyder said with a chuckle.

 

Snyder received his bachelor of science degree, summa cum laude, from Upper Iowa University and his juris doctorate from Hamline University School of Law. Snyder is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, president of the 18th District Bar Association, member of the Christian Legal Society and Becker Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

He has received numerous awards for his pro bono work for indigent clients including a MSBA Northern Lights Award just this past year, a Friends of Pro Bono Award in 2012 and a Sure Hand Award in 2011

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In his spare time, Snyder enjoys walleye fishing, turkey hunting and camping.

 

Heaney is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter with a bachelor's degree in economics (cum laude) in 1982 and William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1985.

 

After working in the private sector, Heaney joined the Sherburne County Attorney's Office in 1989 and was there until 2001, when she joined the Rinke Noonan law firm.

 

She ran for the county attorney position in 2002 and beat out incumbent Walter Kaminsky 13,649 votes to 10,663.

 

Her community service includes training for Minnesota Child Support and Recovery Council, the Minnesota Supreme Court-Court Administrators Conference and the Minnesota Township Association and the Minnesota Association of County Officers; member of the Governor's Council on Child Support Enforcement and past president of the Eighteenth District Bar Association.