Freeborn County Commissioner Chris Shoff on Tuesday announced his intent to run for a leadership position in the Association of Minnesota Counties.

The association is a nonpartisan statewide organization that lobbies for legislation and policies that are favorable to counties. It also provides training and other research for county officials.

“I see this as an opportunity,” Shoff said.

Shoff has been the 4th District commissioner in Freeborn County since 2006 — including a two-year stint as board chairman.

He said he has been attending association meetings since he was first elected and has been involved with various committees, including the association’s annual meeting planning committee, an awards committee and an audit committee.

He is also involved with the National Association of Counties.

He said he hopes to seek election to the second vice president position in the Association of Minnesota Counties, which is on the association’s executive committee. The position carries a one-year term.

Officers are elected at the Association of Minnesota Counties annual conference in December. People have until Nov. 15 to declare their intentions for office.

Shoff said the commissioners have seen the success several county staff have had in leadership positions on various associations — including County Engineer Sue Miller as president of the National Association of County Engineers and County Human Services Director Brian Buhmann as the president of the Association of Human Services Directors.

“I just appreciate Chris being willing to do something like this,” Commissioner Glen Mathiason said. “I think his involvement would be excellent for our county, community and so on.”

Board Chairman Dan Belshan said he agreed with Mathiason’s statement and noted that the position would be positive for the connections Shoff would be able to make, especially in terms of future projects.