Over the course of this election there have been a number of issues that the voters have said are important to them. West St. Paul Reader released answers to these questions in separate articles with all candidate responses they received. I’m compiling my answers right here for you! Please see their election guide for even greater detail.
There is also the MPR News and League of Women Voters Minnesota 2020 Election Guide you can consult when filling out your ballot. Another resource is the the East Metro Voter Guide by the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce PAC (who recently endorsed my candidacy).
Top issues: What are the two to three key issues for West St. Paul to address in the next two years?
Some of the most important issues to address in the next two years are items that may not be the most glamorous to discuss, but are the bread and butter of what keeps a city running at its best! First and foremost, we have to prioritize maintaining high-quality and efficient city services for citizens and businesses in West St. Paul. We will continue to look at areas where we can streamline and create partnerships with neighboring cities to create more efficiencies in service.
Another key issue is the repair and improvement of aging infrastructure—this means our roads, sidewalks, and wastewater systems. The successful passage of our local option sales tax has helped us utilize a pay-as-you-go model for street improvements, allowing us to press on with important repairs in a way that decreases the impact on the city budget. It’s important to continue making these improvements and seeking outside funding, while maintaining an affordable community to live in. I also include sidewalks in this prioritization but will include more in my response to a future question.
We also must continue to make improvements in the way we engage our community members that will foster greater inclusion of all citizens, participation in the process of local government, and consensus-building. I will do this by being an active and engaged council member to everyone in Ward 3. Generating engagement isn’t necessarily about planning the best meeting with the best cookies (at five different time slots) to bring everyone to the table, but about being available to your constituents, being willing and ready to go to them, and creating meaningful relationships that make engagement a natural part of our roles—and I have the ability to do this well!
Housing: How will you decide whether or not to support a proposed housing project in West St. Paul?
The current and recent opportunities West St. Paul has had regarding housing development have included a healthy mix of workforce, affordable, senior, and market rate apartments. Housing is drastically needed across the city, county, state, and the entire country right now. It has been critical to say yes to a mix of developments to meet the housing needs of different and changing demographics. The increase in density and the addition of new senior housing will allow some of our seniors to accomplish a goal of selling their home and moving into new and community-connected apartments, while also being able to stay right here in their hometown, West St. Paul (understanding that it may not be every senior’s goal). The projects passed the statutory tests on TIF eligibility, and they will increase the value of the property they’re on, as well as surrounding properties. There will be a reduction of blight and eventually a surge of more activity, spending, and people in our busiest commercial corridor in the city. These are things I will be looking for in proposed developments.
I’ve learned the many cities in Minnesota fight for and wish for the housing development opportunities that have come through and are on the horizon for West St. Paul. I will continue to take into account the reporting of county and state agencies on housing needs in the metro area. We have the opportunity to be a part of the solution for homelessness through the actions we take at the table. The policies we adopt should keep housing in West St. Paul affordable for those who live here and present new opportunities for people looking to join our community. I will keep all of these things in mind when making decisions regarding future developments.
Budget: What do you think the city should do to make the most of our limited resources?
I have been impressed with the ways the city has streamlined and prioritized since creating a debt reduction plan and also in preserving resources around the pandemic and pandemic-related costs. We are now on track to retire Robert Street debt a year earlier than planned, and this remains a priority for the council. After being appointed to the council, one of the first big actions I took was testifying on behalf of the city to the Minnesota Senate Tax Committee in support of our local option sales tax that was approved by our voters. Lots of cities make the hurdle of being approved by their citizens but then don’t make it through the legislature. We were successful in our efforts and the local option sales tax will allow us to pay for improvements to our roads in a pay-as-you go model. We’ve made a plan for the coming years that is within our budget and we’ll be able to make a lot of headway on road repairs, sidewalk creation, and maintenance of parks and infrastructure, all within our tightened resources. We are always looking at partnerships and grants to enhance city services and amenities as well—consider things like the Art Park and the power of determined volunteers and grant resources. I look forward to finding creative ways and outside resources to keep building a vibrant community that citizens are looking for.
Policing: With increased scrutiny in the aftermath of the George Floyd case, what needs to change about policing here in West St. Paul?
The George Floyd case exposed the cracks in police departments not just locally, but across the United States. It also exposed which elected officials were prepared to discuss racial inequities in an open and honest way, and also allowed us to see the intention and principles within our own department. I have been appreciative of our department’s willingness to have conversations around our Use of Force policy, our community outreach, the perceptions people have of the department, and how we might do better here in West St. Paul. We have a small department in a fairly small city (geographically) so there is a lot of opportunity for us to exhibit community policing and be an example to others. In West St. Paul, the department has specialists who focus on mental health services as well as domestic violence services and we are partnering closely with organizations that allow us to serve the public better in these areas. We need to keep funding these vital programs and help expand upon their reach as much as we can.
Sidewalks and trails: How will you support more trails and sidewalks in West St. Paul—including the River-to-River Greenway Trail?
It has been great to see, over the past two years, that this topic has become one of the less controversial across the Council. When we have needed to take action to finalize pieces of the River-to-River Greenway Trail, it has been encouraging to see not only support, but enthusiasm for completion of the project. Last week, we were invited by the county to help create a video to promote the project and I showed up with my roller skates in hand—look for that video and a few other familiar faces in that project soon (so long as I don’t get cut from the video).
I have also been supportive of the longer-term planning for closing of sidewalk gaps and prioritizing the routes that make the most impact for kids walking to school or those around our parks. This is a priority and will continue to stay a priority in the coming years, and we will be as ambitious as possible in closing sidewalk and trail gaps, while also tracking with the city budget.
Ope, here’s that new video:
Diversity: How do you think the city has done with diversity and inclusion, and what specific action should the city take to continue to improve?
I think a lot of strides have been made in the last two years around diversity and inclusion, but this isn’t an issue that fits nicely in a box that we can check off a list. I’m proud of the council for passing proclamations unanimously recognizing Pride (LGBTQIA+) month as well as Black History Month. We also recently were just the sixth city in Minnesota and first suburb to pass a ban on gay conversion therapy for minors. In June 2019, I also helped plan and host the first West St. Paul Pride in the park, along with Council Member Berry, and a handful of dedicated citizens as well. In June 2020, West St. Paul also raised the Pride flag for the first time at city hall, and while some might call this just a symbol, it’s a start to the creation of a more welcoming city hall, and a more welcoming city.
It will take the participation and recognition of every leader, especially at a local level, to understand that there is work to do in battling systemic racism. I have asked that council members all participate in diversity and inclusion training and would look forward to that opportunity in the future. It is critical that we have open dialogue across departments around shortfalls as well as advancements. At a city staff level, there has been an increased focus on diversity in hiring and this prioritization will need to be continued in the coming years. We have come a long way, but this is work that won’t end in our lifetimes.
