Former Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter may be done in his capacity of serving the residents of Wright County as an elected official, but he was honored by the Wright County Economic Development Partnership (WCEDP) as its 2020 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
Potter, the first Albertville resident to serve on the county commission, said he was pleasantly shocked when he got the call that he was being selected.
“To say I wasn’t expecting it was an understatement,” Potter said. “I was told a county commissioner had never won this award, so I was surprised and incredibly honored to be chosen.”
WCEDP Executive Director Jolene Foss said that Potter earned the distinction of winning the award because of his numerous efforts on behalf of the residents of Wright County in the areas of transportation and economic development, which often go hand-in-hand.
In a statement explaining why Potter was selected, the WCEDP released the following statement:
“Commissioner Potter has tirelessly served Wright County for eight years, not only representing District 4, but working on behalf of all Wright County. During his tenure, Commissioner Potter has served on many committees and policy boards, including Region 7W Transportation, Highway 55 Coalition, Great River Regional Library and Wright County Extension’s I-94 West Coalition to name a few. Commissioner Potter took his role on all committees very seriously, was extremely active in all and worked only to make Wright County a better place to live and work.
“Over the past eight years, Commissioner Potter has dedicated his time and energy to improving transportation, transit, economic development, recreational facilities and public facilities. Due to the hard work of him and the County Board, Wright County has seen many improvements.
“In addition to his role as County Commissioner, Mr. Potter has gone above and beyond by serving as the President of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance, Chair of the Association of Minnesota Counties Transportation Policy Committee and a Board Member of the I-94 West Coalition. Potter’s advocacy for transportation not only secured state and federal funding for many projects throughout Wright County, but it made the greatly needed I-94 improvement in Wright County a reality.
“Additionally, Commissioner Potter has always been very passionate about supporting Wright County jobs and businesses and growing the county’s economy. As such, Potter has worked to support, lead and grow the WCEDP. Commissioner Michael Potter is very deserving of the 2020 Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award!”
Potter said he is grateful that his work on behalf of the county, which was often behind the scenes and largely unrecognized, was noted by the WCEDP.
“I was humbled when I was told I would be receiving this award,” Potter said. “I’ve never done anything as a commissioner looking for awards or recognition. Over the last couple of months, I’ve received some from the groups I worked closely with. This one is one that I’m very proud of because I had no idea that it was coming and was so honored that they thought enough of me to pick me for this award.”