Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Itsca County Commissioner Michael ``Burl'' Ives who recently passed away after years of dedicated service to his community. Burl was born to Mike and Mary Ives, both influential figures, who built multiple successful businesses in the Grand Rapids, Minnesota, area including the Timberlake Lodge. In the early 1990s, Burl started a business of his own before joining his family in their many hospitality businesses. Eventually, Burl became a beloved Itsca County commissioner, using his compassion and experience to advocate for the betterment of the community that he loved. Burl was running for his third term as county commissioner when he passed away at the age of only 57. As a true testament to the incredible job he did in this role, Burl was still elected to the county commissioner seat, despite his death being well-publicized by our local media. Mr. Speaker, my prayers are with the Ives family as they mourn this huge loss, and my heart especially goes out to Burl's wife, Kristine, and their two children, Samantha and Thomas. May his legacy of hard work and service live on through all those who knew and loved him. ____________________”