Andrea Date
Name: Andrea Date
Public Office Sought: Woodbury City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (651) 983-0290
Website: https://www.andreaforwoodbury.com/
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/andreadatewoodburycitycouncil/
Candidate Bio
I was first elected to the Woodbury City Council in 2016. Some issues I’ve been most passionate about include implementing planned unit developments (PUDs), re-development of aging/obsolete infrastructure, ensuring our zoning promotes a variety of housing choices, and ensuring every resident has access to high-quality parks and trails. I have represented Woodbury on several regional committees including the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Gold Line Corridor Management Committee, and the South Washington County Telecommunications Commission.
Prior to serving on the Woodbury City Council, I served on the Woodbury Parks and Natural Resource Commission and the Woodbury 2040 Comprehensive Planning Task Force. I am also a graduate of the Woodbury Citizen’s Academy.
I grew up in St. Paul and have been a Woodbury resident since 2011. Since 2015, I have worked as a Quantitative Research Manager for a market research company. Prior to that, I worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource as a Planning Director. I have a B.A. in American Studies from Carleton College and a M.S. in Natural Resource Science & Management from the University of Minnesota.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
How would you characterize the business climate in Woodbury and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
A robust and thriving business community is critical to the quality of life of Woodbury residents. We have emphasized attracting medical businesses to Woodbury. This priority has brought hundreds of high-quality, professional jobs to Woodbury. It has also brought higher-quality entry level jobs. The shops, restaurants, and local businesses that provide for our resident’s needs allow Woodbury to truly be a place where residents can live, work, play and enjoy life.
What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Woodbury?
The most important role of the City is to continue doing our ‘core’ businesses well, for example maintaining our road, water, and sewer infrastructure. Woodbury’s zoning and development policies ensure that growth in our city is managed and that there is an appropriate mix of business, housing, recreation, etc. We also work closely with the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce to support their efforts to maintain a thriving business culture.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Woodbury (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in Woodbury and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe these initiatives are best handled at the state level where consistency can be established from municipality to municipality. I have built strong relationships with representatives at the state legislature and would actively work with them to understand how proposals such as these would impact local Woodbury businesses.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
I am a strong proponent of Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) that allow the city to design growth that integrates a variety of housing, recreational opportunities, and transportation from a holistic, strategic perspective.
I am also a strong proponent of housing choice. That means, that I will promote PUDs, zoning, and planning that integrate a variety of housing types (e.g. single-family, townhomes, apartments, senior living, income-adjusted, etc.) within our city.
I support the development of the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. This project will bring much needed public transportation to Woodbury, along with re-development opportunities along its corridor. At the same time, we must maintain our current roads and infrastructure.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Through conservative budgeting and a ‘pay as you go’ philosophy, the city has been able to keep our debt obligations extremely low. I will continue to advocate for ‘pay as you go’. I also support maintaining strong reserves in our accounts to ensure that we have funding for capital improvement projects and the ability to keep our tax levy steady from year to year. We do have some large projects on the horizon:
What will you do to expand Woodbury’s tax base?
I support smart, orderly growth in Woodbury. Woodbury will see growth through at least 2040, which will ensure that our tax base expands at a steady pace. At the same time, we must actively work on re-development opportunities that will ensure our tax base grows in areas where aging/obsolete infrastructure may otherwise depress tax base growth opportunities. New growth must complement, not compete with our existing community.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Woodbury is a destination of choice in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Residents move here for the abundant parks and trails, well-managed development, roads, and infrastructure, and excellent schools. It is our responsibility as a city to continue to develop based on our comprehensive plan. Through guided development, we have become a medical office destination. These positions retain highly educated residents in Woodbury. We are currently working on developing the Northwest corridor business development area. This area will bring highly educated and highly skilled professional careers to Woodbury. These work sites will also bring entry-level and less skilled jobs, allowing greater opportunity for all.
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We historically have run a lean operation – we have the third lowest tax levy among Twin Cities suburbs. However, we have taken advantage of many opportunities to leverage our funds through partnerships. I fully support leveraging future partnerships to keep our tax levy as low as possible. Excellent examples of partnerships include:
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Woodbury?
The role of the city council is to support all businesses owners and foster a supportive community environment. We should continue to work closely with our Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce to understand the unique needs of minority- and women-owned businesses to ensure that they have the resources they need to be successful.
What further policies can Woodbury adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Through our Community Development Department, we can help businesses connect to federal, state, and county funding. We also can explore local grants and loans through our Economic Development Authority to fill gaps for our local businesses.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
In September 2019, I was appointed by Governor Walz to serve as the Seven-County Metro Area Elected Official Representative on the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). This position allows me to learn about best practices to bring home to Woodbury, as well as advocate at a state level for beneficial water policy. This is an appointment that I personally received and that is of great benefit to the city; it does not transfer to another council member. If reelected to the Woodbury City Council, I will be able to continue in this important and beneficial role for Woodbury.
Public Office Sought: Woodbury City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (651) 983-0290
Website: https://www.andreaforwoodbury.com/
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/andreadatewoodburycitycouncil/
Candidate Bio
I was first elected to the Woodbury City Council in 2016. Some issues I’ve been most passionate about include implementing planned unit developments (PUDs), re-development of aging/obsolete infrastructure, ensuring our zoning promotes a variety of housing choices, and ensuring every resident has access to high-quality parks and trails. I have represented Woodbury on several regional committees including the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Gold Line Corridor Management Committee, and the South Washington County Telecommunications Commission.
Prior to serving on the Woodbury City Council, I served on the Woodbury Parks and Natural Resource Commission and the Woodbury 2040 Comprehensive Planning Task Force. I am also a graduate of the Woodbury Citizen’s Academy.
I grew up in St. Paul and have been a Woodbury resident since 2011. Since 2015, I have worked as a Quantitative Research Manager for a market research company. Prior to that, I worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource as a Planning Director. I have a B.A. in American Studies from Carleton College and a M.S. in Natural Resource Science & Management from the University of Minnesota.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- Water Sustainability
- Development and Re-Development
- Policing and Public Safety
How would you characterize the business climate in Woodbury and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
A robust and thriving business community is critical to the quality of life of Woodbury residents. We have emphasized attracting medical businesses to Woodbury. This priority has brought hundreds of high-quality, professional jobs to Woodbury. It has also brought higher-quality entry level jobs. The shops, restaurants, and local businesses that provide for our resident’s needs allow Woodbury to truly be a place where residents can live, work, play and enjoy life.
What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Woodbury?
The most important role of the City is to continue doing our ‘core’ businesses well, for example maintaining our road, water, and sewer infrastructure. Woodbury’s zoning and development policies ensure that growth in our city is managed and that there is an appropriate mix of business, housing, recreation, etc. We also work closely with the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce to support their efforts to maintain a thriving business culture.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Woodbury (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in Woodbury and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe these initiatives are best handled at the state level where consistency can be established from municipality to municipality. I have built strong relationships with representatives at the state legislature and would actively work with them to understand how proposals such as these would impact local Woodbury businesses.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
I am a strong proponent of Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) that allow the city to design growth that integrates a variety of housing, recreational opportunities, and transportation from a holistic, strategic perspective.
I am also a strong proponent of housing choice. That means, that I will promote PUDs, zoning, and planning that integrate a variety of housing types (e.g. single-family, townhomes, apartments, senior living, income-adjusted, etc.) within our city.
I support the development of the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. This project will bring much needed public transportation to Woodbury, along with re-development opportunities along its corridor. At the same time, we must maintain our current roads and infrastructure.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Through conservative budgeting and a ‘pay as you go’ philosophy, the city has been able to keep our debt obligations extremely low. I will continue to advocate for ‘pay as you go’. I also support maintaining strong reserves in our accounts to ensure that we have funding for capital improvement projects and the ability to keep our tax levy steady from year to year. We do have some large projects on the horizon:
- We have worked diligently to understand the needs of our Public Safety Department and I want to ensure we have the right mix of staff, and that they have the training and equipment needed to do their job successfully.
- The re-development of Central Park will require a major remodel within the next 3-5 years to repair aging infrastructure and enable the facility to adapt to new uses.
- We need to establish a dedicated source of funding to plan for future parks and trails needs. Much of our amazing park system has been paid for through park dedication funds from new development. As that development slows, we need to proactively prepare for these anticipated expenses.
What will you do to expand Woodbury’s tax base?
I support smart, orderly growth in Woodbury. Woodbury will see growth through at least 2040, which will ensure that our tax base expands at a steady pace. At the same time, we must actively work on re-development opportunities that will ensure our tax base grows in areas where aging/obsolete infrastructure may otherwise depress tax base growth opportunities. New growth must complement, not compete with our existing community.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Woodbury is a destination of choice in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Residents move here for the abundant parks and trails, well-managed development, roads, and infrastructure, and excellent schools. It is our responsibility as a city to continue to develop based on our comprehensive plan. Through guided development, we have become a medical office destination. These positions retain highly educated residents in Woodbury. We are currently working on developing the Northwest corridor business development area. This area will bring highly educated and highly skilled professional careers to Woodbury. These work sites will also bring entry-level and less skilled jobs, allowing greater opportunity for all.
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We historically have run a lean operation – we have the third lowest tax levy among Twin Cities suburbs. However, we have taken advantage of many opportunities to leverage our funds through partnerships. I fully support leveraging future partnerships to keep our tax levy as low as possible. Excellent examples of partnerships include:
- Central Park is a public/private partnership funded by the City of Woodbury, Washington County, South Washington County School District, and the YMCA.
- The HERO Center is a partnership between Cottage Grove and Woodbury and funded partially by the State of Minnesota. Excess time is rented out to other agencies, which brings our operational costs down and a new funding stream to both cities.
- The HealthEast Sports Center (aka HSC, formerly Bielenberg) is a partnership between Woodbury, HealthEast, and Summit Orthopedics. This partnership brings additional revenue to Woodbury, which enables us to keep operational expenses, and the cost to taxpayers, lower.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Woodbury?
The role of the city council is to support all businesses owners and foster a supportive community environment. We should continue to work closely with our Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce to understand the unique needs of minority- and women-owned businesses to ensure that they have the resources they need to be successful.
What further policies can Woodbury adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Through our Community Development Department, we can help businesses connect to federal, state, and county funding. We also can explore local grants and loans through our Economic Development Authority to fill gaps for our local businesses.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
In September 2019, I was appointed by Governor Walz to serve as the Seven-County Metro Area Elected Official Representative on the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). This position allows me to learn about best practices to bring home to Woodbury, as well as advocate at a state level for beneficial water policy. This is an appointment that I personally received and that is of great benefit to the city; it does not transfer to another council member. If reelected to the Woodbury City Council, I will be able to continue in this important and beneficial role for Woodbury.