Dan Kealey
Name: Dan Kealey
Public Office Sought: Burnsville City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 952-250-8573
Twitter: @dan_kealey
Facebook: Dan Kealey Burnsville City Council
Candidate Bio
42 years in Retail operations, buying, marketing, biz development, executive leadership. 17 years of this I owned a 7 store chain in the Metro and St Cloud. Coupled with 11.5 years of serving on the Burnsville City Council with a history of leadership and asking the hard questions, challenging the status quo to ensure government is always as efficient as possible. I work hard to support our law enforcement and public works to keep our city SAFE and CLEAN, and advocate for our Economic Development investment to keep us a growing and vibrant city with quality of life for citizens.
Non-profit work- Created the Heart of the City Race to raise money to feed inner city youth, youth mentoring for middle school at risk students, Fire Muster volunteer, innovated the overhaul of the BV Youth Garage that lead to the Burnsville Youth Collaborative, Church Mission Trips & Feed My Starving Children.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Burnsville?
It is better than it’s been in 2 decades as I have led efforts to break down barriers that were keeping high end amenity rich apartment projects from coming into Burnsville. We are now truly OPEN TO BUSINESS with new Economic Development tools I advocated for that will attract start up and mature businesses to expand in Burnsville. We have a regional Mall that is coming back from effect of many national retail chain bankruptcies and they are filling up space in the mall as well as working with Seritage (Sears REIT) to redevelop the Sears building anchor tenant space in the mall. We are in the process of two major re-development planning strategies: 1 on CR 42 and our Regional Mall, and 2. Our overall economic Development Plan for the entire City. We are engaging developers, our Chamber, our Planning and Economic Development Commissioners and community activists in the process. We have shovel ready lots and some ED tools we recently passed: 1) Demolition fund, 2) Land Assembly. These tools used very carefully and strategically can facilitate development and redevelopment that would have previously passed us by and went to neighboring suburbs. Now we have a fighting chance to attract them here!
2. 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, Burnsville?
The City needs to facilitate and invite investment as well as provide key tools to compete in the new business climate where cities around us with open land are attracting development and business expansion. Burnsville is a mature built-out city which requires us to think about re-development and creating incentives to attract investment. Our new Economic Development tools noted in the previous answer received initial and funded by a Grant from Dakota County is a big step in the right direction for Burnsville to not only retain business who are here and want to expand, but offers new businesses that same “brown dirt” lot to build their new dream business on.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Burnsville?
Burnsville has a Business Advocate with Skip Nienhaus, our Economic Development Coordinator. He is our advocate to market Burnsville to the Business Community, network with Real Estate brokers, developers and anyone who is looking to open or move a business. We need to expand Skips market penetration to be competitive and market Burnsville better by attending industry trade shows like the International Council of Shopping Centers annual convention and connect directly with the movers and shakers in the growing retail, food and entertainment industry as well as the developers community. Skip needs to attend technology, medical and manufacturing trade shows as well to maximize the Fairview Ridges Hospital and clinics campus we have in Burnsville. Burnsville has an incredible location advantage with the two Interstates coming together, regional mall, awesome quality of life in our parks and trails, and housing that is affordable in today’s challenging housing market.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Burnsville? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Burnsville and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
I am a strong local control advocate and believe there is a place for the local control like zoning and planning, however there is also a place for the State to govern, like minimum wage, state taxes, housing standards, Health and safety standards in restaurants and Hotels. If every City had their own level of these wages and standards, it would be a massive financial and logistical burden for companies who operate in multiple cities to comply, as well as a confusing mess for employees who work at different locations in different cities. If this were the case, I believe everyone would look to the state to unify it for common sense government.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Burnsville (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Burnsville and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe in free market principals. Consumers choose where to spend their money which ultimately determines the success or failure of a business. Every business today has the option to pay whatever they want above the state minimum wage and offer any benefits they want to attract the best employees they can find, which is the key to a successful business model. The free market has driven up wages and benefits far above state minimums in many places even in the retail sector that traditionally has not paid higher wages. It is also important for us to protect our “first Job” opportunities for our youth and I retail is a great first job to learn basic fundamentals of work ethic, thinking on your feet and real commitment.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
We are fortunate in Burnsville to have one of the best public safety departments in the state. Both our law enforcement and fire fighters have a wonderful open and community based approach which garners the best relationship with our citizens. We were also one of the first cities in the nation with body cameras, which holds both the officer and the person on camera accountable for their actions and words. From the top on down, our police department is here to be part of the fabric of the community and know its citizens they protect. Our citizens appreciate their work and the fact that our city is a safe place to live and work as evidenced in our residential surveys giving them extremely high marks for excellent service.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Focusing on priorities and funding the investments in growing our tax base has always been my approach to local government budgets. My experience over 4 decades in business and for 17 of those, owning a multi-store retail business in the Twin Cities has given me the experience necessary to make the hard decisions and keep Burnsville an attractive place for people to move to and businesses to open or expand in. Cost drivers like wages and benefits will always be there and good people deserve to get a raise and everyone recognizes this. With my influence on Council we have controlled costs, invested where it was prudent and kept taxes lower than similar cities. Several people over the past few years who moved into Burnsville cited they chose Burnsville due to the lower property taxes compared to neighboring cities, yet we had wonderful parks and recreation facilities for quality of life. That’s a great compliment!
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
We are fortunate in Burnsville to have a good balance of residential and commercial tax base and our tax payers enjoy excellent value for the tax dollar as evidenced by our mid to high 90% range on almost every question in our Business and Residential surveys we conduct every other year. We do not have a commercial vs residential issue here in Burnsville.
9. What will you do to expand Burnsville’ tax base?
Pursue more developers for building new high density, high amenity renal and townhome housing on our vacant lots and further encourage changes city zoning to facilitate redevelopment in our Minnesota River Quadrant and around our Regional Mall, Burnsville Center.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Our ISD 191, 194 and 196 have jurisdiction over our schools, however we meet with our School board through joint efforts with our Chamber, called Burnsville Leaders Breakfast which has convened recently and is meeting again in August. We also meet with our ISD 191 School board annually to work on workforce education initiatives to find where we can help as a City.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Burnsville?
Being at the table, being a supportive resource and sounding board, fostering partnerships where they can happen to bring shared goals forward and provide whatever the City can to help make these a reality.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
1. Clean up the Freeway Landfill (W of I35) and Freeway Dump (E of I35). This will create a massive developable area with a new artisan fed clean lake once mining is done in the future. Moving the waste to the Sanitary Landfill a short distance to the west will also allow that landfill to close years early. MN River Quadrant ‘South’ closer to Hwy 13 can be developed in the next 5-10 years as many of the parcels are being prepped with soil corrections.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
1. Clean up the Freeway Landfill (W of I35) and Freeway Dump (E of I35). This will create a massive developable area with a new artisan fed clean lake once mining is done in the future. Moving the waste to the Sanitary Landfill a short distance to the west will also allow that landfill to close years early. MN River Quadrant ‘South’ closer to Hwy 13 can be developed in the next 5-10 years as many of the parcels are being prepped with soil corrections.
2. Finishing the HOTC Development remaining lots – We have lots of shovel ready and we must continue to be entrepreneurial in attracting developers to build high end amenity rich high density rental & commercial buildings. Each one built will lower taxes to existing tax payers.
3. Re-developing the Sears & building on excess parking at Burnsville Ctr.- I see high density, high end amenity rich mix use building(s) on the east side of the mall with additional restaurants and entertainment venues that will attract todays spenders: Millennials and Centennials.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
Orange Line station in Burnsville at 2 locations: 1) Heart of the City on Nicollet & Hwy 13 and at Burnsville Parkway exit ramp, and 2) At the Burnsville Center Mall. The redevelopment of the Sears building and excess parking lot will be significantly enhanced with a BRT stop off I35 at CR 42/Burnsville Ctr Mall. Our MN Valley Transit Authority is one of the most efficient and highly used BRT systems with service excellence awarded by our riders. We are also looking at public Private Partnerships for BRT to major employers. We currently have a success with Amazon in Shakopee with MVTA, and we are looking at the Fairview Ridges Hospital and other partnerships I am assisting with as an MVTA Board member, and a member of the Partnerships committee.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
I would like to see the Fire Districts initiative move forward as I have a core believe that when a fire or emergency happens, a victim does not care about what name is on the door, they only care that they respond as fast as possible and help them. This new approach would bring significant efficiency and eliminate redundant leadership and attribute more emphasis and funding on fire fighters/EMS paramedics that respond to emergencies. Our FD are not recruiting volunteers the way they have for 100 years and this new approach capitalizes on this rare opportunity to lower overall costs and add Full Time Fireman and Fire Women that would server in a department stretching for example from Shakopee to Rosemount, and Eagan to Lakeville and be called the “South of the River Fire district.”
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I am NOT in favor of a Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) proposed by some on our Council. Satellite cities like Rochester and Mankato with no other large city next to them can use this, not urban metro areas where all the same retail stores are simply a couple miles away. Plus it would be harmful to an already disruptive retail industry with eCommerce expansion and shopping patterns changing dramatically. When eCommerce was growing people flocked to web site to make large purchases to get away from paying sales tax. Why would they want higher taxes now?
As your city Councilman I will continue to work to invest wisely in the development of this great city with not only fiscal prudence but investment prudence to ensure we continue to develop and re-develop keeping us a thriving and prosperous suburb and avoid what has happened to many older suburbs. The MRQ South and the Burnsville Center Mall visions will come true because we are working together with the private sector to make it happen!
Public Office Sought: Burnsville City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 952-250-8573
Twitter: @dan_kealey
Facebook: Dan Kealey Burnsville City Council
Candidate Bio
42 years in Retail operations, buying, marketing, biz development, executive leadership. 17 years of this I owned a 7 store chain in the Metro and St Cloud. Coupled with 11.5 years of serving on the Burnsville City Council with a history of leadership and asking the hard questions, challenging the status quo to ensure government is always as efficient as possible. I work hard to support our law enforcement and public works to keep our city SAFE and CLEAN, and advocate for our Economic Development investment to keep us a growing and vibrant city with quality of life for citizens.
Non-profit work- Created the Heart of the City Race to raise money to feed inner city youth, youth mentoring for middle school at risk students, Fire Muster volunteer, innovated the overhaul of the BV Youth Garage that lead to the Burnsville Youth Collaborative, Church Mission Trips & Feed My Starving Children.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Burnsville?
It is better than it’s been in 2 decades as I have led efforts to break down barriers that were keeping high end amenity rich apartment projects from coming into Burnsville. We are now truly OPEN TO BUSINESS with new Economic Development tools I advocated for that will attract start up and mature businesses to expand in Burnsville. We have a regional Mall that is coming back from effect of many national retail chain bankruptcies and they are filling up space in the mall as well as working with Seritage (Sears REIT) to redevelop the Sears building anchor tenant space in the mall. We are in the process of two major re-development planning strategies: 1 on CR 42 and our Regional Mall, and 2. Our overall economic Development Plan for the entire City. We are engaging developers, our Chamber, our Planning and Economic Development Commissioners and community activists in the process. We have shovel ready lots and some ED tools we recently passed: 1) Demolition fund, 2) Land Assembly. These tools used very carefully and strategically can facilitate development and redevelopment that would have previously passed us by and went to neighboring suburbs. Now we have a fighting chance to attract them here!
2. 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, Burnsville?
The City needs to facilitate and invite investment as well as provide key tools to compete in the new business climate where cities around us with open land are attracting development and business expansion. Burnsville is a mature built-out city which requires us to think about re-development and creating incentives to attract investment. Our new Economic Development tools noted in the previous answer received initial and funded by a Grant from Dakota County is a big step in the right direction for Burnsville to not only retain business who are here and want to expand, but offers new businesses that same “brown dirt” lot to build their new dream business on.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Burnsville?
Burnsville has a Business Advocate with Skip Nienhaus, our Economic Development Coordinator. He is our advocate to market Burnsville to the Business Community, network with Real Estate brokers, developers and anyone who is looking to open or move a business. We need to expand Skips market penetration to be competitive and market Burnsville better by attending industry trade shows like the International Council of Shopping Centers annual convention and connect directly with the movers and shakers in the growing retail, food and entertainment industry as well as the developers community. Skip needs to attend technology, medical and manufacturing trade shows as well to maximize the Fairview Ridges Hospital and clinics campus we have in Burnsville. Burnsville has an incredible location advantage with the two Interstates coming together, regional mall, awesome quality of life in our parks and trails, and housing that is affordable in today’s challenging housing market.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Burnsville? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Burnsville and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
I am a strong local control advocate and believe there is a place for the local control like zoning and planning, however there is also a place for the State to govern, like minimum wage, state taxes, housing standards, Health and safety standards in restaurants and Hotels. If every City had their own level of these wages and standards, it would be a massive financial and logistical burden for companies who operate in multiple cities to comply, as well as a confusing mess for employees who work at different locations in different cities. If this were the case, I believe everyone would look to the state to unify it for common sense government.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Burnsville (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Burnsville and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe in free market principals. Consumers choose where to spend their money which ultimately determines the success or failure of a business. Every business today has the option to pay whatever they want above the state minimum wage and offer any benefits they want to attract the best employees they can find, which is the key to a successful business model. The free market has driven up wages and benefits far above state minimums in many places even in the retail sector that traditionally has not paid higher wages. It is also important for us to protect our “first Job” opportunities for our youth and I retail is a great first job to learn basic fundamentals of work ethic, thinking on your feet and real commitment.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
We are fortunate in Burnsville to have one of the best public safety departments in the state. Both our law enforcement and fire fighters have a wonderful open and community based approach which garners the best relationship with our citizens. We were also one of the first cities in the nation with body cameras, which holds both the officer and the person on camera accountable for their actions and words. From the top on down, our police department is here to be part of the fabric of the community and know its citizens they protect. Our citizens appreciate their work and the fact that our city is a safe place to live and work as evidenced in our residential surveys giving them extremely high marks for excellent service.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Focusing on priorities and funding the investments in growing our tax base has always been my approach to local government budgets. My experience over 4 decades in business and for 17 of those, owning a multi-store retail business in the Twin Cities has given me the experience necessary to make the hard decisions and keep Burnsville an attractive place for people to move to and businesses to open or expand in. Cost drivers like wages and benefits will always be there and good people deserve to get a raise and everyone recognizes this. With my influence on Council we have controlled costs, invested where it was prudent and kept taxes lower than similar cities. Several people over the past few years who moved into Burnsville cited they chose Burnsville due to the lower property taxes compared to neighboring cities, yet we had wonderful parks and recreation facilities for quality of life. That’s a great compliment!
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
We are fortunate in Burnsville to have a good balance of residential and commercial tax base and our tax payers enjoy excellent value for the tax dollar as evidenced by our mid to high 90% range on almost every question in our Business and Residential surveys we conduct every other year. We do not have a commercial vs residential issue here in Burnsville.
9. What will you do to expand Burnsville’ tax base?
Pursue more developers for building new high density, high amenity renal and townhome housing on our vacant lots and further encourage changes city zoning to facilitate redevelopment in our Minnesota River Quadrant and around our Regional Mall, Burnsville Center.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Our ISD 191, 194 and 196 have jurisdiction over our schools, however we meet with our School board through joint efforts with our Chamber, called Burnsville Leaders Breakfast which has convened recently and is meeting again in August. We also meet with our ISD 191 School board annually to work on workforce education initiatives to find where we can help as a City.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Burnsville?
Being at the table, being a supportive resource and sounding board, fostering partnerships where they can happen to bring shared goals forward and provide whatever the City can to help make these a reality.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
1. Clean up the Freeway Landfill (W of I35) and Freeway Dump (E of I35). This will create a massive developable area with a new artisan fed clean lake once mining is done in the future. Moving the waste to the Sanitary Landfill a short distance to the west will also allow that landfill to close years early. MN River Quadrant ‘South’ closer to Hwy 13 can be developed in the next 5-10 years as many of the parcels are being prepped with soil corrections.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
1. Clean up the Freeway Landfill (W of I35) and Freeway Dump (E of I35). This will create a massive developable area with a new artisan fed clean lake once mining is done in the future. Moving the waste to the Sanitary Landfill a short distance to the west will also allow that landfill to close years early. MN River Quadrant ‘South’ closer to Hwy 13 can be developed in the next 5-10 years as many of the parcels are being prepped with soil corrections.
2. Finishing the HOTC Development remaining lots – We have lots of shovel ready and we must continue to be entrepreneurial in attracting developers to build high end amenity rich high density rental & commercial buildings. Each one built will lower taxes to existing tax payers.
3. Re-developing the Sears & building on excess parking at Burnsville Ctr.- I see high density, high end amenity rich mix use building(s) on the east side of the mall with additional restaurants and entertainment venues that will attract todays spenders: Millennials and Centennials.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
Orange Line station in Burnsville at 2 locations: 1) Heart of the City on Nicollet & Hwy 13 and at Burnsville Parkway exit ramp, and 2) At the Burnsville Center Mall. The redevelopment of the Sears building and excess parking lot will be significantly enhanced with a BRT stop off I35 at CR 42/Burnsville Ctr Mall. Our MN Valley Transit Authority is one of the most efficient and highly used BRT systems with service excellence awarded by our riders. We are also looking at public Private Partnerships for BRT to major employers. We currently have a success with Amazon in Shakopee with MVTA, and we are looking at the Fairview Ridges Hospital and other partnerships I am assisting with as an MVTA Board member, and a member of the Partnerships committee.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
I would like to see the Fire Districts initiative move forward as I have a core believe that when a fire or emergency happens, a victim does not care about what name is on the door, they only care that they respond as fast as possible and help them. This new approach would bring significant efficiency and eliminate redundant leadership and attribute more emphasis and funding on fire fighters/EMS paramedics that respond to emergencies. Our FD are not recruiting volunteers the way they have for 100 years and this new approach capitalizes on this rare opportunity to lower overall costs and add Full Time Fireman and Fire Women that would server in a department stretching for example from Shakopee to Rosemount, and Eagan to Lakeville and be called the “South of the River Fire district.”
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I am NOT in favor of a Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) proposed by some on our Council. Satellite cities like Rochester and Mankato with no other large city next to them can use this, not urban metro areas where all the same retail stores are simply a couple miles away. Plus it would be harmful to an already disruptive retail industry with eCommerce expansion and shopping patterns changing dramatically. When eCommerce was growing people flocked to web site to make large purchases to get away from paying sales tax. Why would they want higher taxes now?
As your city Councilman I will continue to work to invest wisely in the development of this great city with not only fiscal prudence but investment prudence to ensure we continue to develop and re-develop keeping us a thriving and prosperous suburb and avoid what has happened to many older suburbs. The MRQ South and the Burnsville Center Mall visions will come true because we are working together with the private sector to make it happen!