Holly M. Bernatz
Name: Holly M. Bernatz
Public Office Sought: Farmington City Council
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 320-224-4594
Campaign Website: NA
Twitter handle: NA
Facebook Page: www.fb.com/betterwithbernatz
Candidate Bio
I am a Farmington small business owner, wife, and mother. My husband Scott and I, together with our two children, Ava (16) and Grant (13), have called Farmington home since 2012.
As a small business owner in Farmington, I feel that I’m in a unique position to understand both the needs/desires of our residents as well as the needs of the business community. I believe that would be a valuable perspective to bring to the Council, should I be elected. I hold a degree in Philosophy from the College of St. Benedict.
You can currently find me giving my time in many ways:
At our church (in multiple ministries)
International ministry (I've traveled to both Haiti and India. I hope to serve in Tanzania soon.)
At our schools and with various booster clubs
In the Farmington Community
-Support our Troops Haunted House Organization-since 2013
-Toys for Town (Art for Every Kid Initiative-2020)
-Dew Days 2019, 2021, and co-chairing the event in 2022 and again in 2023.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
BUSINESS SUPPORT, DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION
TAX DOLLARS AND SOUND FISCAL DECISION MAKING
COLLABORATIVE COUNCIL
How would you characterize the business climate in Farmington and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Under-utilized and Underappreciated. The community of Farmington has so much to offer its residents. With 200+ businesses in town and 23,000+ residents (2020 census), we have the opportunity to shop local and support these businesses on a daily basis. And yet, many of our residents work and shop outside of the community. Why? Businesses are the backbone of a healthy and vibrant community. As a council and city, we need to be aggressive in marketing our great community to potential businesses. We need to determine why they are choosing the communities around us and remove obstacles within our power that limit their ability to put down roots here. We also need to work diligently to encourage residents to shop local at every opportunity as that, too, is a key ingredient in a growing and vibrant business community.
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, Farmington?
It’s the responsibility of the city and council to market our community as one of value to businesses and it’s the responsibility of the residents to then support that business once it is here. I realize this may seem like a sharp response, but it is the only one that makes sense. My role, as I see it, is to get feedback from businesses in all industries to learn what we are doing well and what needs improvement. We need to study our surrounding communities and take a good look at communities that have successfully overcome resident/business imbalance to see what they’ve done to address and grow the business sector and what pitfalls to avoid so that we can review and apply what makes sense for us. We need to take another look at our 2040 Comp Plan and the Downtown Redevelopment Plan to see if they still make sense in a post-pandemic business climate.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
It is really up to each business owner to make decisions about wages. I’m not a fan of policies and mandates on private business. From a council level, we need to support business owners so they know what resources are available to them to help with labor issues. It’s up to businesses to pay and charge whatever they think is fair, right, or most profitable.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Farmington (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 Farmington and how would you define any exceptions to those
policies?
No. As a small business owner, I know my business better than our city government does. I believe that to be true of all business owners in our community. The role of city government is not to dictate what we *think* is best for all businesses in the municipality, but rather to offer support to businesses that seek it.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to
address public safety issues facing your community?
Our Police department is strong and supported both by the city council and by our residents. Crime rates across the state have risen, but here in Farmington, we are not seeing the same increase. We have consistently been rated among the top 10 safest cities in Minnesota and we have a borderline non-existent attrition rate due to the positive culture in our department. As a council member, I see my role as one that ensures that our department continues to have what it needs. Strong and supported community-based police efforts and a well-funded fire department ensure that our emergency response teams can grow with our community, remain visible and responsive.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
The big questions are: Do we have a mix of housing that allows for a mix of people? And, is there enough opportunity for first time homebuyers to come into the community, live here, and work here? I look forward to collaborating with city staff, council and advisory boards to make sure we have the resources needed to address these questions. We need to be cognizant of building needs that cater to all ages and demographics so that we can maintain full lifecycle living in our community. This focus will allow for individuals that are starting families, those in their retirement years or anywhere in between to call Farmington home.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation
since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
Proper evaluation of what responsibility falls on the city versus the county is absolutely necessary. We live in a community that is crisscrossed by several county roads and often times residents see a lack of maintenance or safety measures as a short-falling of the city rather than a county issue. Proper engagement on a county level is important as they, too, are responsible for the safety and up-keep of many of our major roadways. A growing road system should not be financially shouldered by only the city and our residents. Additionally, advocating for and providing access to partner services and local public transportation such as Metro Mobility will ensure that underserved, elderly, and low-income residents have access to transportation they need to get to work, church, or to the store.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
As a farm kid growing up in central Minnesota, I have first-hand experience making hard decisions when it comes to being a steward of our resources. That is my promise to you. You entrust the council with your hard-earned tax dollars and I pledge to be a good steward of those resources.
What will you do to expand Farmington’s tax base?
Strategic growth initiatives are at the forefront of the tax base conversation. If you look at our top employers in the city, you will see that they fall largely in the industrial area. Continued expansion of our industrial park area, retail commercial base and proper zoning for future development is top priority. We will accomplish these growth goals through proper zoning, creative initiatives to draw businesses to Farmington, and by educating our residents on the collective responsibility we share to support these businesses as they choose our 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?
Social Media would lead you to believe that our community and our schools are sub-par. As a parent with two children in our public school system, that has not been my experience. Continued partnership between our schools and our business community as well as partnership with local colleges and universities, community colleges and trade schools will create opportunities for our youth to find their best path forward.
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?
Not at this time. This is an area that I am excited to learn more about to determine if there is a need and how to address it.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Farmington?
The role of the council is to remove obstacles and foster relationships. Our local chambers, business networking groups and associations are excellent resources for businesses of all kinds. I don’t believe that it’s up to the council to decide what business should be “allowed” or “incentivized” to come in. Rather, we should open doors for all businesses and ensure that Farmington is a welcoming community to any business that wants to consider us home.
What further policies can Farmington adopt to help the business community
recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I personally think that we need to work as hard as possible to allow businesses to run as they best see fit in this post-pandemic world. We need to allow business owners, whenever possible, to take the best path forward in both safety and profitability for their business and we need to allow our residents to make personal decisions to support that business. I do not advocate mandates and policies that equate to government overreach as a solution and I don’t want to interfere with the running of any business.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
What excites me most is the opportunity to dive deeper into the goals and challenges our wonderful community faces as we continue on this trajectory of growth. I look forward to collaborating with our residents and my peers to bring forward the best opportunities for our hometown.
Public Office Sought: Farmington City Council
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 320-224-4594
Campaign Website: NA
Twitter handle: NA
Facebook Page: www.fb.com/betterwithbernatz
Candidate Bio
I am a Farmington small business owner, wife, and mother. My husband Scott and I, together with our two children, Ava (16) and Grant (13), have called Farmington home since 2012.
As a small business owner in Farmington, I feel that I’m in a unique position to understand both the needs/desires of our residents as well as the needs of the business community. I believe that would be a valuable perspective to bring to the Council, should I be elected. I hold a degree in Philosophy from the College of St. Benedict.
You can currently find me giving my time in many ways:
At our church (in multiple ministries)
International ministry (I've traveled to both Haiti and India. I hope to serve in Tanzania soon.)
At our schools and with various booster clubs
In the Farmington Community
-Support our Troops Haunted House Organization-since 2013
-Toys for Town (Art for Every Kid Initiative-2020)
-Dew Days 2019, 2021, and co-chairing the event in 2022 and again in 2023.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
BUSINESS SUPPORT, DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION
TAX DOLLARS AND SOUND FISCAL DECISION MAKING
COLLABORATIVE COUNCIL
How would you characterize the business climate in Farmington and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Under-utilized and Underappreciated. The community of Farmington has so much to offer its residents. With 200+ businesses in town and 23,000+ residents (2020 census), we have the opportunity to shop local and support these businesses on a daily basis. And yet, many of our residents work and shop outside of the community. Why? Businesses are the backbone of a healthy and vibrant community. As a council and city, we need to be aggressive in marketing our great community to potential businesses. We need to determine why they are choosing the communities around us and remove obstacles within our power that limit their ability to put down roots here. We also need to work diligently to encourage residents to shop local at every opportunity as that, too, is a key ingredient in a growing and vibrant business community.
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, Farmington?
It’s the responsibility of the city and council to market our community as one of value to businesses and it’s the responsibility of the residents to then support that business once it is here. I realize this may seem like a sharp response, but it is the only one that makes sense. My role, as I see it, is to get feedback from businesses in all industries to learn what we are doing well and what needs improvement. We need to study our surrounding communities and take a good look at communities that have successfully overcome resident/business imbalance to see what they’ve done to address and grow the business sector and what pitfalls to avoid so that we can review and apply what makes sense for us. We need to take another look at our 2040 Comp Plan and the Downtown Redevelopment Plan to see if they still make sense in a post-pandemic business climate.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
It is really up to each business owner to make decisions about wages. I’m not a fan of policies and mandates on private business. From a council level, we need to support business owners so they know what resources are available to them to help with labor issues. It’s up to businesses to pay and charge whatever they think is fair, right, or most profitable.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Farmington (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 Farmington and how would you define any exceptions to those
policies?
No. As a small business owner, I know my business better than our city government does. I believe that to be true of all business owners in our community. The role of city government is not to dictate what we *think* is best for all businesses in the municipality, but rather to offer support to businesses that seek it.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to
address public safety issues facing your community?
Our Police department is strong and supported both by the city council and by our residents. Crime rates across the state have risen, but here in Farmington, we are not seeing the same increase. We have consistently been rated among the top 10 safest cities in Minnesota and we have a borderline non-existent attrition rate due to the positive culture in our department. As a council member, I see my role as one that ensures that our department continues to have what it needs. Strong and supported community-based police efforts and a well-funded fire department ensure that our emergency response teams can grow with our community, remain visible and responsive.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
The big questions are: Do we have a mix of housing that allows for a mix of people? And, is there enough opportunity for first time homebuyers to come into the community, live here, and work here? I look forward to collaborating with city staff, council and advisory boards to make sure we have the resources needed to address these questions. We need to be cognizant of building needs that cater to all ages and demographics so that we can maintain full lifecycle living in our community. This focus will allow for individuals that are starting families, those in their retirement years or anywhere in between to call Farmington home.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation
since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
Proper evaluation of what responsibility falls on the city versus the county is absolutely necessary. We live in a community that is crisscrossed by several county roads and often times residents see a lack of maintenance or safety measures as a short-falling of the city rather than a county issue. Proper engagement on a county level is important as they, too, are responsible for the safety and up-keep of many of our major roadways. A growing road system should not be financially shouldered by only the city and our residents. Additionally, advocating for and providing access to partner services and local public transportation such as Metro Mobility will ensure that underserved, elderly, and low-income residents have access to transportation they need to get to work, church, or to the store.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
As a farm kid growing up in central Minnesota, I have first-hand experience making hard decisions when it comes to being a steward of our resources. That is my promise to you. You entrust the council with your hard-earned tax dollars and I pledge to be a good steward of those resources.
What will you do to expand Farmington’s tax base?
Strategic growth initiatives are at the forefront of the tax base conversation. If you look at our top employers in the city, you will see that they fall largely in the industrial area. Continued expansion of our industrial park area, retail commercial base and proper zoning for future development is top priority. We will accomplish these growth goals through proper zoning, creative initiatives to draw businesses to Farmington, and by educating our residents on the collective responsibility we share to support these businesses as they choose our 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?
Social Media would lead you to believe that our community and our schools are sub-par. As a parent with two children in our public school system, that has not been my experience. Continued partnership between our schools and our business community as well as partnership with local colleges and universities, community colleges and trade schools will create opportunities for our youth to find their best path forward.
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?
Not at this time. This is an area that I am excited to learn more about to determine if there is a need and how to address it.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Farmington?
The role of the council is to remove obstacles and foster relationships. Our local chambers, business networking groups and associations are excellent resources for businesses of all kinds. I don’t believe that it’s up to the council to decide what business should be “allowed” or “incentivized” to come in. Rather, we should open doors for all businesses and ensure that Farmington is a welcoming community to any business that wants to consider us home.
What further policies can Farmington adopt to help the business community
recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I personally think that we need to work as hard as possible to allow businesses to run as they best see fit in this post-pandemic world. We need to allow business owners, whenever possible, to take the best path forward in both safety and profitability for their business and we need to allow our residents to make personal decisions to support that business. I do not advocate mandates and policies that equate to government overreach as a solution and I don’t want to interfere with the running of any business.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
What excites me most is the opportunity to dive deeper into the goals and challenges our wonderful community faces as we continue on this trajectory of growth. I look forward to collaborating with our residents and my peers to bring forward the best opportunities for our hometown.