Board of Commissioners are the governing bodies of Minnesota's counties. County commissioners are responsible for the operation of the county and the delivery of county services. They are elected to oversee county activities and work to ensure that resident concerns are met, federal and state requirements are fulfilled, and county operations run smoothly.
The five-member Washington County Board of Commissioners is elected from five districts on a non-partisan basis for staggered four-year terms. The commisioners are committed to sound management and emphasize providing sufficient funding for high-quality services and programs throughout the county, and look forward to the opportunities and accomplishments in meeting the needs of Washington County residents.
The commissioners' meetings are two to four times each month in the fifth-floor Board Room of the Washington County Government Center in Stillwater, Minnesota.
The public is encouraged to attend all meetings; the full meeting schedule can be found on the Washington County website.
Washington County Commissioner Districts and Incumbents
Fran Miron, District 1
Commissioner Fran Miron was elected to the County Board from District 1 in 2012, and was reelected in 2016 and 2020.
Commissioner Miron has 25 years of experience in elected office, 16 years as the Mayor of Hugo, and four years as a city council member. He is a graduate of Forest Lake Area High School, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota. He and his wife own and operate the Miron Family Dairy & Crop Farm.
He has served in numerous civic service organizations, including the University of Minnesota Extension Service, and is a director on the Forest Lake Community Scholarship Foundation board. He also served on a multi-jurisdictional transportation coalition, which guided the construction of the Interstate 35E interchange, and chaired the Hugo Economic Development Authority. He has also been involved in a number of agricultural organizations, and his family has won farm and conservation awards.
Commissioner Miron’s current term expires December 2024.
Stan Karwoski, District 2
Commissioner Stan Karwoski was elected in a special election in November 2016 to serve District 2, and was re-elected in 2018.
Karwoski, a native of St. Paul, has lived in Oakdale since 1987. He is a retired 38-year employee of Graco, Inc., where he was a principal designer. He holds nine invention patents.
Karwoski was serving his fourth term on the Oakdale City Council when elected mayor in 2014. He is past president and current member of the 622 Education Foundation, and past chairman and member of the Washington County Park and Open Space Commission. He also has served with the Yellow Ribbon Network, Oakdale’s planning-park commission, and served as a student reading and robotics mentor.
Commissioner Karwoski’s current term expires December 2022.
Gary Kriesel, District 3
Commissioner Gary Kriesel was elected in November 2004 to represent the citizens of District 3. He was re-elected in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. He retired from Xcel Energy (formerly Northern States Power) after 33 years and has served two years on the Stillwater City Council. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and has been an active member in many civic organizations and on advisory boards of Washington County.
Commissioner Kriesel's current term expires December 2024.
Wayne Johnson, District 4
Commissioner Wayne A. Johnson was elected Nov. 6, 2018. He has called Cottage Grove home since 1998.
Commissioner Johnson was serving on the Cottage Grove City Council, to which he was elected in 2016, when he was elected to be commissioner for District 4. He also served on the Cottage Grove Planning Commission for three years. As a council member, Commissioner Johnson served as the liaison to the Public Service Commission and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon network of Cottage Grove. He also represented the city on the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Executive Board.
Commissioner Johnson owns Furnace Doctors and Dust Doctors in Little Canada.
Commissioner Johnson's current term expires December 2022.
Lisa Weik, District 5
Commissioner Lisa Weik was elected to serve the citizens of District 5 in a special election in November 2008. She was reelected in 2010, 2012, 2016, and 2020. She has served her community as a parent volunteer for the Woodbury Athletic Association and Woodbury Schools.
Commissioner Weik has a business background in medical device compliance and as a healthcare professional in clinical laboratory medicine. Commissioner Weik is active in the Woodbury Lions Club, a member of the Woodbury Chamber of Commerce.
Commissioner Weik’s current term expires December 2024.