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Fifth District Commissioner Mike Lee filed for reelection Tuesday on what was the first day of the candidate filing period.

Lee, who first started on the board in 2011, said he thinks with the difficult times the county and nation are facing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, experience has never been more important for the commissioners on the board.

“We’re in different times now, and we need to keep the leadership in place to help us get through this coronavirus and keep the county on track,” Lee said.

Because of the pandemic, the county will have to make difficult budget decisions and will likely have to cut back because many people in the community are struggling and some are losing their jobs, he said.

Some of his other priorities are bringing in more tourism to the community, including at Myre-Big Island State Park, and keeping roads safe and traffic crashes down. He also encouraged continued dredging by the Shell Rock River Watershed District of Fountain Lake and then Albert Lea Lake.

He said he has always made it a priority to be easily accessible to community members and has posted his cell phone number on the county’s website.

He goes to various events and meetings in the county and likes to get out and talk to people.

“You need to be out and about,” he said. “You need to listen to the people like I’ve always said, and for the most part need to listen to them and do what they say.”

Though he’s not sure how the campaign season will go because of the pandemic, he is always open to talking to people if they have questions or concerns.

The Fifth District covers the 3rd and 6th wards in Albert Lea and Pickerel Lake Township.

The candidate filing period is open through June 2.