Dave Hoelzel
Name: Dave Hoelzel
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612.708.2567
Campaign Website: http://daveforwoodburymn.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: @dave.hoelzel.woodbury.city.council.candidate
Candidate Bio
I am a 14-year resident of Woodbury as a homeowner with my wife and two teenage children attending SoWashCo schools. I served on two SoWashCo district task forces: 1) to reconfigure the middle-school attendance boundaries and 2) to determine & launch the bond referendums to expand SoWashCo schools.
Then, I was City Council appointed for four years on the City of Woodbury Economic Development Commission to work policy recommendations. Following that, Council appointed me for three years on the City of Woodbury Planning Commission where we work on land use & zoning. These experiences allowed me an opportunity to create relationships with city staff & City Council as we tackled strategic city concerns and development on a project-by-project basis in accordance with the 2040 Strategic Plan as our guide.
Lastly, I served in volunteer positions with my children’s organized sports over the last decade.
In business, I have 27-years of experience with an international manufacturer in a role that focuses on planning and cost/quality/service management. This private sector experience has brought value to my public sector situations.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I will bring passion, experience & leadership to this role. It will be important to find common ground on the strategic issues before the body. Decisions will not only be for the issues at hand, but will also set president and affect the long-term strategic plan. Woodbury is fortunate to have a dedicated staff team where I will advocate for Council to staff with top talent. I believe firmly in benchmarking, data and “what if” situations. Please look for me to ensure the what-if numbers will back the strategic decision.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
If elected, my top three priorities are Public Safety, Water implementation & Planning.
Public Safety: Residents rate Public Safety as the top city concern. To address this concern, I will advocate for a reasonable expansion of the public safety campus at the corner of Radio Drive & Valley Creek Road.
Water implementation: The city strategy has been set to address the dynamic PFAS concern in the drinking water supply. Work has yet to be done with other governmental entities to efficiently finance the remaining aspects of the project. A state bonded water tower is a prime example of what has yet to be finalized. Facility & pipeline construction will start in 2024 (already!) – with a 2028 completion date.
Planning (Strategic Management): Woodbury prides itself on a long history of successful city planning. A task force will commence in my term to author the 2050 Comprehensive Plan with for the Met Council. I will work with Council to strike a balance between city growth and city reinvestment for aging parts of the city. As the population grew, demand on our assets increased that we all share. The five-year, Capital improvement Plan (CIP) needs a refreshed look to ensure the roads, parks, trails & city services keep up with the city’s dynamic growth pace. I will advocate for voter’s to have a referendum opportunity with potential M Heath Fairview (Bielenberg) Sports Center projects.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Woodbury?
The biggest challenge for Woodbury is the flawless execution of the Water treatment plant & adjacent pipelines delivering treated water to citizens and businesses. The biggest opportunity is to continue to grow in a moderated way and relook at our vision for 2040 and beyond. From there, the challenge will be when to green-light further residential expansion currently on hold in Phase 2 – south of Dale Rd.
Please characterize your perspective on the ideal collaboration between government and the business community when it comes to tackling challenges whether they be education, housing, or workforce development. Do you feel the outcomes of the 2023-2024 legislative session positively or negatively impacted that collaboration and our state's business climate?
A proactive relationship between government and business is critical to maintain open lines of communication. Unique to Woodbury, Mayor Anne Burt and Community Development Director Janelle Schmitz hold positions on the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce Board. The relationship allows for city visits to business owners for direct feedback on city policy and relationship building. I will advocate for less restrictive ordinances that allow businesses to thrive. A recent example of a change I was involved with – the percent food proceeds was lowered for restaurants serving liquor – in line with surrounding communities.
The legislative session had mixed results for our City. The School Resource Officer (SRO) fix had a positive effect. Officer protection was achieved and set in motion a study to renegotiate & rescope the SRO role that the City provides to SoWashCo high schools.
The execution of the bonding & tax initiatives had a negative effect. Woodbury needs another water tower with the PFAS project & needs state funding via bonding. Woodbury seeks a sales tax exemption on the materials needed for the water treatment plant. Neither City need was accomplished in session.
How would you characterize the business climate in Woodbury and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Woodbury?
The state of the city business climate is strong. Having served on the city Economic Development Commission, I can speak to the proactivity the city takes in attracting business. At first, the City focused on retail. Then, the City pivoted to medical services. In recent years, a planned change was made to light industrial in the real-estate rich northeast corridor. This diversity has strengthened our local economy. Adherence to the well-researched comprehensive plan has been key to the Council and City staff. I stand behind this existing Community Development strategy.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Recent data shows the annual volume of public safety calls at 57,000 with a growing percentage relating to mental health. In a council role, I will advocate for staff data review on root causes to lower volumes. I’d look to expand programs to create proactive citizen relationships with officers & leadership such as it occurs with the multi-cultural advisory Commission (MAC). I will also advocate for a reasonable expansion of the Public Safety campus at Radio Drive and Valley Creek Rd. The funding would hopefully come from a voter approved 0.5% sales tax whereby Woodbury visitors will fund ~53% of the expansion.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Under my term, I would continue strategic support for a 50% (single family home) / 50% (higher density housing) mix. I do not support discussion at a state-level that would limit city powers with zoning tools such as a Planned Use development (PUD) and conditional use permit (CUP). Woodbury planning has maximized these opportunities to create the quality community that we have today.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I will work with city staff to prioritize with county, Met Council & state elected officials to evaluate the local circulator bussing solution from the two BRT stops in northwest Woodbury to the business districts. Additionally, I will advocate to maintain Woodbury’s high-quality trails with the earmarked franchised fee funding mechanism passed in recent years.
Cities have addressed many ongoing needs with temporary, federal COVID relief dollars, what are your plans to ensure fiscal stability as these federal, one-time funds run out?
As I’ve followed recent annual budgets, I’ve come to understand the allocated COVID-19 funds were used for one-time opportunities and projects. For example, COVID-19 dollars were used to remodel and reorganize City Hall staff offices. With this forethought, Woodbury does not depend on these temporary dollars within the annual operational levy. I will advocate to continue this best practice and minimize funding concern. Voters ask for a steady, predictable levy.
Uber/Lyft wages and proposed childcare subsidies funded by local property taxes are just a few areas where local units of government are wading into policy debates that may be best suited at the state. Please articulate the different scopes of work between state and local government (City/County). Are there specific areas of policy that the city should lead on in lieu of the state or county government?
Childcare and any wage discussions are better left at the state level. Playing in these areas creates a “slippery slope” of involvement that does not play well in the city’s general function. Unique city involvement would create a patchwork of regulations that does not allow for an even & consistent playing field regionally for Woodbury’s business community. Traditional local planning & local services (Public Safety, Streets, Utilities) is where the city needs to continue its focus.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612.708.2567
Campaign Website: http://daveforwoodburymn.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: @dave.hoelzel.woodbury.city.council.candidate
Candidate Bio
I am a 14-year resident of Woodbury as a homeowner with my wife and two teenage children attending SoWashCo schools. I served on two SoWashCo district task forces: 1) to reconfigure the middle-school attendance boundaries and 2) to determine & launch the bond referendums to expand SoWashCo schools.
Then, I was City Council appointed for four years on the City of Woodbury Economic Development Commission to work policy recommendations. Following that, Council appointed me for three years on the City of Woodbury Planning Commission where we work on land use & zoning. These experiences allowed me an opportunity to create relationships with city staff & City Council as we tackled strategic city concerns and development on a project-by-project basis in accordance with the 2040 Strategic Plan as our guide.
Lastly, I served in volunteer positions with my children’s organized sports over the last decade.
In business, I have 27-years of experience with an international manufacturer in a role that focuses on planning and cost/quality/service management. This private sector experience has brought value to my public sector situations.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I will bring passion, experience & leadership to this role. It will be important to find common ground on the strategic issues before the body. Decisions will not only be for the issues at hand, but will also set president and affect the long-term strategic plan. Woodbury is fortunate to have a dedicated staff team where I will advocate for Council to staff with top talent. I believe firmly in benchmarking, data and “what if” situations. Please look for me to ensure the what-if numbers will back the strategic decision.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
If elected, my top three priorities are Public Safety, Water implementation & Planning.
Public Safety: Residents rate Public Safety as the top city concern. To address this concern, I will advocate for a reasonable expansion of the public safety campus at the corner of Radio Drive & Valley Creek Road.
Water implementation: The city strategy has been set to address the dynamic PFAS concern in the drinking water supply. Work has yet to be done with other governmental entities to efficiently finance the remaining aspects of the project. A state bonded water tower is a prime example of what has yet to be finalized. Facility & pipeline construction will start in 2024 (already!) – with a 2028 completion date.
Planning (Strategic Management): Woodbury prides itself on a long history of successful city planning. A task force will commence in my term to author the 2050 Comprehensive Plan with for the Met Council. I will work with Council to strike a balance between city growth and city reinvestment for aging parts of the city. As the population grew, demand on our assets increased that we all share. The five-year, Capital improvement Plan (CIP) needs a refreshed look to ensure the roads, parks, trails & city services keep up with the city’s dynamic growth pace. I will advocate for voter’s to have a referendum opportunity with potential M Heath Fairview (Bielenberg) Sports Center projects.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Woodbury?
The biggest challenge for Woodbury is the flawless execution of the Water treatment plant & adjacent pipelines delivering treated water to citizens and businesses. The biggest opportunity is to continue to grow in a moderated way and relook at our vision for 2040 and beyond. From there, the challenge will be when to green-light further residential expansion currently on hold in Phase 2 – south of Dale Rd.
Please characterize your perspective on the ideal collaboration between government and the business community when it comes to tackling challenges whether they be education, housing, or workforce development. Do you feel the outcomes of the 2023-2024 legislative session positively or negatively impacted that collaboration and our state's business climate?
A proactive relationship between government and business is critical to maintain open lines of communication. Unique to Woodbury, Mayor Anne Burt and Community Development Director Janelle Schmitz hold positions on the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce Board. The relationship allows for city visits to business owners for direct feedback on city policy and relationship building. I will advocate for less restrictive ordinances that allow businesses to thrive. A recent example of a change I was involved with – the percent food proceeds was lowered for restaurants serving liquor – in line with surrounding communities.
The legislative session had mixed results for our City. The School Resource Officer (SRO) fix had a positive effect. Officer protection was achieved and set in motion a study to renegotiate & rescope the SRO role that the City provides to SoWashCo high schools.
The execution of the bonding & tax initiatives had a negative effect. Woodbury needs another water tower with the PFAS project & needs state funding via bonding. Woodbury seeks a sales tax exemption on the materials needed for the water treatment plant. Neither City need was accomplished in session.
How would you characterize the business climate in Woodbury and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Woodbury?
The state of the city business climate is strong. Having served on the city Economic Development Commission, I can speak to the proactivity the city takes in attracting business. At first, the City focused on retail. Then, the City pivoted to medical services. In recent years, a planned change was made to light industrial in the real-estate rich northeast corridor. This diversity has strengthened our local economy. Adherence to the well-researched comprehensive plan has been key to the Council and City staff. I stand behind this existing Community Development strategy.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Recent data shows the annual volume of public safety calls at 57,000 with a growing percentage relating to mental health. In a council role, I will advocate for staff data review on root causes to lower volumes. I’d look to expand programs to create proactive citizen relationships with officers & leadership such as it occurs with the multi-cultural advisory Commission (MAC). I will also advocate for a reasonable expansion of the Public Safety campus at Radio Drive and Valley Creek Rd. The funding would hopefully come from a voter approved 0.5% sales tax whereby Woodbury visitors will fund ~53% of the expansion.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Under my term, I would continue strategic support for a 50% (single family home) / 50% (higher density housing) mix. I do not support discussion at a state-level that would limit city powers with zoning tools such as a Planned Use development (PUD) and conditional use permit (CUP). Woodbury planning has maximized these opportunities to create the quality community that we have today.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I will work with city staff to prioritize with county, Met Council & state elected officials to evaluate the local circulator bussing solution from the two BRT stops in northwest Woodbury to the business districts. Additionally, I will advocate to maintain Woodbury’s high-quality trails with the earmarked franchised fee funding mechanism passed in recent years.
Cities have addressed many ongoing needs with temporary, federal COVID relief dollars, what are your plans to ensure fiscal stability as these federal, one-time funds run out?
As I’ve followed recent annual budgets, I’ve come to understand the allocated COVID-19 funds were used for one-time opportunities and projects. For example, COVID-19 dollars were used to remodel and reorganize City Hall staff offices. With this forethought, Woodbury does not depend on these temporary dollars within the annual operational levy. I will advocate to continue this best practice and minimize funding concern. Voters ask for a steady, predictable levy.
Uber/Lyft wages and proposed childcare subsidies funded by local property taxes are just a few areas where local units of government are wading into policy debates that may be best suited at the state. Please articulate the different scopes of work between state and local government (City/County). Are there specific areas of policy that the city should lead on in lieu of the state or county government?
Childcare and any wage discussions are better left at the state level. Playing in these areas creates a “slippery slope” of involvement that does not play well in the city’s general function. Unique city involvement would create a patchwork of regulations that does not allow for an even & consistent playing field regionally for Woodbury’s business community. Traditional local planning & local services (Public Safety, Streets, Utilities) is where the city needs to continue its focus.