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Karl Oskar Days Grand Marshal Joe Thimm exercises the golden rule and is realizing its dividends. The thing most everybody says-- when asked about Joe-- is that he treats colleagues, friends, even short term professional acquaintances the way he would like to be treated.

Wave hello and give him a thumbs-up at the Grande Day Parade in Lindstrom starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 14.

Thimm can be seen cleaning litter along roadways, collecting food shelf donations and doing other good deeds Chisago Lakes Lions perform.

He retired last fall as Superintendent from the Chisago Lakes School District; a post he held a little over four years.  He also was Taylors Falls Elementary School principal, varsity basketball coach and district Activities Director.  

In an interview shortly after announcing to the school board his upcoming retirement (which was effective September 29, 2017)  he said his advice to successor Supt. Dean Jennissen is to be accessible, listen, measure everything.

Thimm’s first job at Chisago Lakes, in the 1980s was as a social studies teacher;  at the start of an era in Minnesota when dozens of small districts were being folded into larger districts, incentivized by state leaders meaning to enhance education opportunities.  Taylors Falls District looked to its bigger neighbor  #2144.  Thimm worked closely with students and staff in activities and sports programs,  hatching the Wildcat brand from what was then a Trojan warrior mascot and Taylors Falls’ Bluejay mascot.

Superintendent Thimm found himself decades later acting again as a listening post and figurehead for a successful referendum package.  He worked all-hours to spread the word on the bonding details and the need for the funding. The referendum passed and there’s a new elementary school, administrative space and a community center for athletes and the public moving forward. The  deferred projects needed at existing buildings and remodeling for consolidation of leased space are also underway.  True to form, Thimm offered to provide input and perspective on projects and stay involved as they advance.

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