Dakota County: By the way, I love your pizza

During my acceptance speech in Washington, D.C., I made it clear the credit didn’t belong to me. It belonged to the American Legion members, senior citizens, City Council colleagues, city staff, local businesses, civic organizations, and residents who believed in working together to build something bigger than any one person or institution. The speech received a standing ovation from a crowd of about 4,000.

Afterward, John Schnatter (aka Papa John) pulled me aside and told me it was the best speech of the night and that he wished he lived in a community like Inver Grove Heights. Several others offered similar compliments.

Later, sitting in the hotel lobby with my family, I was feeling pretty good about myself when a slightly tipsy man with a thick accent approached and shook my hand. Slurring a bit, he introduced himself as the head of the Australian Jaycees and chair of the Ten Outstanding Young People of the World selection committee.

He asked me to keep the third week of August open because he was certain I would be selected for their global award – and that they would fly me to Japan for the ceremony. I gave my family a subtle nod, feeling even more puffed up than I already was.

The man shook my hand again, walked a few steps away… then suddenly turned back and shouted:

“By the way, I love your pizza!”

That moment has kept me humble ever since but the reaction to the stories I shared that night also reinforced something else: what we were doing in Inver Grove Heights was unusual to many people – and it still is. The idea that governments, nonprofits, businesses and residents could align around shared goals and trust one another enough to make it work was not common then. It remains hard work today yet it continues to be the most effective way to serve communities.
You can see that same collaborative model at work now at the county level.

The Wentworth Library renovation in West St. Paul, scheduled to reopen this spring, is a good example. The project received an external grant to improve interior aesthetics and a grant from The Toro Company to build an outdoor patio space. The Kaposia Library in South St. Paul, one of the county’s busiest libraries, opened in 2024 with more than half its funding coming from outside grants, along with a partnership involving the City of South St. Paul and the school district. These weren’t easy deals to structure, but they produced a better facility and reduced the burden on taxpayers.

Another powerful example is the new mental health crisis center in West St. Paul, developed through a partnership between Dakota County, the City of West St. Paul, Guild, a nonprofit mental health provider, and more than $1 million from private donors. The county didn’t try to do everything itself. Instead, we partnered with an experienced nonprofit provider, leveraged city support, and attracted private funding to create a facility that delivers 24/7 mental health crisis-care close to home. That collaboration allows people to get help earlier, reduces pressure on emergency rooms and law enforcement, and saves lives while also being more cost-effective over time.

And then there is land preservation. Through partnerships with cities, townships, nonprofits and willing landowners, Dakota County has helped preserve more than 12,000 acres of natural land, protecting farmland, river corridors, and wildlife habitat while expanding access to parks and trails. Much of that work has been made possible by leveraging outside funding and shared stewardship rather than relying solely on county dollars.

These partnerships are not easy. They take time. They require trust, patience and a willingness to share credit. But they don’t just save money, they build community, strengthen relationships and give us the capacity to take on even bigger challenges together.

The Ten Outstanding Young Americans award itself came with a metal trophy depicting two hands reaching toward one another. It was a fitting symbol of working together and helping one another, the theme of my work then and now.
I was proud to bring it home from Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, I forgot it was in my carry-on bag when I went through airport security. I will never forget the look on the TSA agent’s face when the X-ray revealed what appeared to be two severed hands inside my luggage.

Some lessons, it turns out, stick with you forever.

Joe Atkins represents South St. Paul, West St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights on the Dakota County Board. He welcomes comments at [email protected] and 651-438-4430.

View past articles from this year!
It’s time for the next Minnesota Miracle (January 2026)
What a new Minnesota Miracle could look like (February 2026)

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