Jeff Giefer
Name: Jeff Giefer
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-382-9034
Campaign Website: giefer4grant.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: N/A
Candidate Bio
After recently retiring from a successful 34-year career as an IT leader in the corporate world, I am eager to apply my experience and leadership to serve the citizens of Grant. Throughout my career, I managed multimillion-dollar projects, bringing together diverse teams from around the globe to achieve common goals while ensuring fiscal discipline and accountability.
Growing up in rural Minnesota, I was instilled with the values of hard work, personal responsibility, and community service. These values have guided my decisions on the Grant Planning Commission since 2016 and the City Council since 2019. As your mayor, I will remain committed to these principles, ensuring that Grant remains a safe, affordable, and desirable place to live.
I will prioritize keeping taxes low, safeguarding property rights, and preserving the rural character that makes Grant unique. By encouraging citizen input and fostering respectful, productive discussions, I will work with our city staff and council members to protect our community's heritage and ensure a bright future for all residents. My focus will always be on protecting the freedoms and quality of life that define our way of life in Grant.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
Listening and Accountability: A cornerstone of my leadership style is listening and learning from the community. I believe in fostering an open and transparent environment where the voices of Grant’s citizens are heard and respected. This approach ensures that decisions are made with the input and best interests of our residents at heart, promoting accountability among elected officials and city staff.
Collaboration with Integrity: Collaboration is another key element of my leadership. I am committed to transparency and integrity, rejecting any behind-the-scenes dealings or hidden agendas that can undermine trust. I value independent voices and believe that diversity of thought strengthens our council's ability to serve Grant effectively. My leadership will be grounded in building consensus through honest and open dialogue, not through backroom deals or divisive tactics.
Unity and Preservation: My leadership will focus on what unites us as a community rather than what divides us. By setting aside personal agendas and focusing on our shared values, we can work together to preserve the unique rural character of Grant. I believe that by coming together in this way, we can maintain the quality of life that makes our city special, ensuring a bright future for all residents.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Grant?
Biggest Challenge: Preserving Grant’s Rural Heritage
The most pressing challenge facing Grant is preserving our rural heritage amid pressures to increase housing density. Our comprehensive plan is a vital safeguard, but it requires meticulous implementation and sound judgment to avoid the fate of neighboring communities like Lake Elmo, which transitioned from pastoral landscapes to high-density housing developments. My opponent, a realtor, has proposed building homes on 1-acre and smaller lots, suggesting minimal impact. I believe this undermines our zoning standards and sets a precedent for increased density that could irreversibly change the character of our community. This approach could lead to a cascade of legal challenges and a dilution of our zoning laws, pushing us down a path that would dramatically alter the rural character of Grant.
Biggest Opportunity: Electing New Leadership for a Stronger Future
This election season presents a significant opportunity to infuse new leadership with strong critical thinking skills and sound judgment into Grant's governance. My opponent has spent 14 years as mayor and 8 years on the council, and has fostered divisiveness and self-interest - it's time for a change. In contrast, I aim to unify our community and uphold our values. I support council candidates Ben Cornett and Lindsay Cremora, who embody the critical thinking and sound judgment Grant needs. They are committed to prioritizing the community's needs over personal loyalties, which is essential for maintaining our town's integrity and focus.
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?
Grant is a rural community with a small number of local businesses, which means there is limited scope for collaboration between our local government and the business community on issues like education, housing, or workforce development. Our primary focus is on preserving the rural character of Grant and maintaining the quality of life for our residents, rather than on expanding business interests.
While Grant itself may not have a large business sector, it’s important to consider the broader impact of state legislation on Minnesota’s business climate. The outcomes of the 2023-2024 legislative session have raised concerns about increased regulatory burdens and higher taxes, which can negatively affect the overall business environment in our state. As mayor, I would advocate for policies that minimize government intervention and allow businesses to thrive without unnecessary regulation. While Grant’s collaboration with businesses may be limited, we still benefit from a healthy state economy, which supports job creation and economic stability for all Minnesotans.
How would you characterize the business climate in Grant and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Grant?
Grant is a rural community with a small commercial district, and most of the businesses we have are agricultural or rural in nature. The business climate here is stable and focused on supporting these types of enterprises that align with our community’s character. The city’s role in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses should be measured and carefully balanced with our commitment to preserving Grant’s rural heritage.
We support our local businesses by partnering with them to establish Conditional Use Permit (CUP) conditions that are fair compromises with the neighboring community. Our practical ordinances reflect the needs of both businesses and residents, ensuring that businesses can operate smoothly while respecting the rural environment. As a result, we have a cooperative relationship with our local businesses, and enforcement actions are rarely needed.
Grant’s approach is to allow businesses to thrive with minimal government intervention, ensuring that they contribute positively to our community without compromising the values that make Grant unique. While we welcome businesses that align with our rural character, our primary focus remains on preserving the quality of life for our residents.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Maintaining Safety in a Rural Environment:
Grant is a rural community with relatively few public safety challenges. The most common issue we face is illegal dumping along our city roads. Our full-time road contractor does an excellent job addressing this, as well as keeping our roads safe by providing and managing essential services like plowing, grading gravel roads, and applying dust control.
Proactive Road Maintenance:
We prioritize road safety by employing a city engineer who regularly inspects our roads. This includes identifying opportunities for brushing to improve visibility, adding, and maintaining guardrails where necessary, and ensuring that our infrastructure meets the highest safety standards. I will work to evolve our road policy to keep our roads in better shape with minimal increase in budget.
Collaboration with Law Enforcement:
Grant contracts with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for full-time deputy services, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the safety of our roads and community. This partnership ensures that we have a strong law enforcement presence that understands the unique needs of our rural environment.
Ongoing Support and Community Involvement:
I am committed to continuing these effective strategies while encouraging residents to share their concerns and ideas. By staying responsive to community input, we can refine our public safety approach to ensure that Grant remains a safe and secure place for all residents.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Grant’s housing standards, which require a 10-acre density and a 5-acre minimum lot size, are designed to preserve the rural character and quality of life that our community values.
I am committed to working closely with the elected council members to uphold these standards, as it is crucial that we prioritize the preservation of Grant’s unique rural environment. Our approach is to maintain these zoning standards to protect the character of our community, ensuring that any development is in harmony with the values that make Grant a desirable place to live.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Grant recently partnered with Washington County and the state to build a walking path near the Mahtomedi schools, enhancing safety for pedestrians and students.
I look forward to continuing this partnership with our city leaders, county officials, and state representatives as we plan additional trails and paths. My goal is to ensure that these improvements are thoughtfully integrated into our community, providing safe and accessible options for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.
While expanding transportation options, I will work to strike a balance that respects the needs of our rural environment and preserves the qualities that make Grant a unique and desirable place to live.
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?
Grant has consistently maintained a strong financial position without relying on county, state, or federal aid to balance our budget. This independence reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility and conservative budgeting principles. Moving forward, I plan to work closely with city leaders to continue this approach, running a lean budget that keeps taxes low while ensuring we maintain healthy financial reserves.
In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we successfully negotiated with Comcast to extend high-speed internet access to over 1,100 additional residences in Grant, using $150K of federal Covid relief funds – none of your local tax dollars were used. This project, set to be completed by Spring 2025, is an example of how we leverage opportunities to enhance community services without compromising our financial health.
As federal COVID relief funds phase out, our strategy will remain focused on minimizing dependence on one-time funds. We will continue to prioritize essential services and infrastructure improvements that are sustainably financed, ensuring that Grant remains a well-managed and financially stable community.
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?
In Grant, we are committed to maintaining fiscal responsibility and keeping local property taxes low. I do not support increasing local taxes to subsidize services such as Uber/Lyft wages or childcare, as these are areas typically best addressed at the state level, where broader funding sources and policy scopes can more effectively manage such subsidies.
Local government should focus on areas where it can directly impact residents' daily lives and where localized decision-making is essential. This includes services such as public safety, local road maintenance, and zoning regulations—areas where local insights and control are crucial for efficient and responsive management.
While there are valuable roles for both state and local governments, it's important that we respect these boundaries to avoid unnecessary tax burdens on our residents. In Grant, we will continue to lead on issues directly within our control and advocate for state-level solutions where they are more appropriate, ensuring that our community's needs are met without compromising our fiscal stability.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-382-9034
Campaign Website: giefer4grant.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: N/A
Candidate Bio
After recently retiring from a successful 34-year career as an IT leader in the corporate world, I am eager to apply my experience and leadership to serve the citizens of Grant. Throughout my career, I managed multimillion-dollar projects, bringing together diverse teams from around the globe to achieve common goals while ensuring fiscal discipline and accountability.
Growing up in rural Minnesota, I was instilled with the values of hard work, personal responsibility, and community service. These values have guided my decisions on the Grant Planning Commission since 2016 and the City Council since 2019. As your mayor, I will remain committed to these principles, ensuring that Grant remains a safe, affordable, and desirable place to live.
I will prioritize keeping taxes low, safeguarding property rights, and preserving the rural character that makes Grant unique. By encouraging citizen input and fostering respectful, productive discussions, I will work with our city staff and council members to protect our community's heritage and ensure a bright future for all residents. My focus will always be on protecting the freedoms and quality of life that define our way of life in Grant.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
Listening and Accountability: A cornerstone of my leadership style is listening and learning from the community. I believe in fostering an open and transparent environment where the voices of Grant’s citizens are heard and respected. This approach ensures that decisions are made with the input and best interests of our residents at heart, promoting accountability among elected officials and city staff.
Collaboration with Integrity: Collaboration is another key element of my leadership. I am committed to transparency and integrity, rejecting any behind-the-scenes dealings or hidden agendas that can undermine trust. I value independent voices and believe that diversity of thought strengthens our council's ability to serve Grant effectively. My leadership will be grounded in building consensus through honest and open dialogue, not through backroom deals or divisive tactics.
Unity and Preservation: My leadership will focus on what unites us as a community rather than what divides us. By setting aside personal agendas and focusing on our shared values, we can work together to preserve the unique rural character of Grant. I believe that by coming together in this way, we can maintain the quality of life that makes our city special, ensuring a bright future for all residents.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
- Preserve Grant’s Rural Character: My top priority is to retain our current residential zoning standards, which require a 10-acre density and a 5-acre minimum lot size. This policy is crucial for preserving the rural heritage that defines Grant and ensures that we maintain the open spaces and natural beauty that make our city unique.
- Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency: I will work closely with council members and city staff to maintain a fiscally conservative budget that keeps taxes low while delivering high-quality services. This requires transparent decision-making and respectful collaboration, free from hidden agendas or divisive tactics. Disrespecting or undermining our professional staff, as my opponent has done, is counterproductive and jeopardizes the services that our residents rely on, such as road maintenance, building permits, and public safety.
- Support for Well-Maintained Roads: I will continue to uphold our current road policy, which has proven effective in keeping our roads safe and well-maintained while being fiscally responsible. This approach respects the choices of our citizens and ensures that our infrastructure meets the needs of the community without unnecessary spending.
- Impact of the State’s Economic Outlook: Given the state’s economic outlook, it’s essential to prioritize fiscal discipline to ensure that Grant remains financially stable. A conservative approach to budgeting will help us navigate potential economic challenges while safeguarding our rural character and the quality of life for all residents.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Grant?
Biggest Challenge: Preserving Grant’s Rural Heritage
The most pressing challenge facing Grant is preserving our rural heritage amid pressures to increase housing density. Our comprehensive plan is a vital safeguard, but it requires meticulous implementation and sound judgment to avoid the fate of neighboring communities like Lake Elmo, which transitioned from pastoral landscapes to high-density housing developments. My opponent, a realtor, has proposed building homes on 1-acre and smaller lots, suggesting minimal impact. I believe this undermines our zoning standards and sets a precedent for increased density that could irreversibly change the character of our community. This approach could lead to a cascade of legal challenges and a dilution of our zoning laws, pushing us down a path that would dramatically alter the rural character of Grant.
Biggest Opportunity: Electing New Leadership for a Stronger Future
This election season presents a significant opportunity to infuse new leadership with strong critical thinking skills and sound judgment into Grant's governance. My opponent has spent 14 years as mayor and 8 years on the council, and has fostered divisiveness and self-interest - it's time for a change. In contrast, I aim to unify our community and uphold our values. I support council candidates Ben Cornett and Lindsay Cremora, who embody the critical thinking and sound judgment Grant needs. They are committed to prioritizing the community's needs over personal loyalties, which is essential for maintaining our town's integrity and focus.
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?
Grant is a rural community with a small number of local businesses, which means there is limited scope for collaboration between our local government and the business community on issues like education, housing, or workforce development. Our primary focus is on preserving the rural character of Grant and maintaining the quality of life for our residents, rather than on expanding business interests.
While Grant itself may not have a large business sector, it’s important to consider the broader impact of state legislation on Minnesota’s business climate. The outcomes of the 2023-2024 legislative session have raised concerns about increased regulatory burdens and higher taxes, which can negatively affect the overall business environment in our state. As mayor, I would advocate for policies that minimize government intervention and allow businesses to thrive without unnecessary regulation. While Grant’s collaboration with businesses may be limited, we still benefit from a healthy state economy, which supports job creation and economic stability for all Minnesotans.
How would you characterize the business climate in Grant and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Grant?
Grant is a rural community with a small commercial district, and most of the businesses we have are agricultural or rural in nature. The business climate here is stable and focused on supporting these types of enterprises that align with our community’s character. The city’s role in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses should be measured and carefully balanced with our commitment to preserving Grant’s rural heritage.
We support our local businesses by partnering with them to establish Conditional Use Permit (CUP) conditions that are fair compromises with the neighboring community. Our practical ordinances reflect the needs of both businesses and residents, ensuring that businesses can operate smoothly while respecting the rural environment. As a result, we have a cooperative relationship with our local businesses, and enforcement actions are rarely needed.
Grant’s approach is to allow businesses to thrive with minimal government intervention, ensuring that they contribute positively to our community without compromising the values that make Grant unique. While we welcome businesses that align with our rural character, our primary focus remains on preserving the quality of life for our residents.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Maintaining Safety in a Rural Environment:
Grant is a rural community with relatively few public safety challenges. The most common issue we face is illegal dumping along our city roads. Our full-time road contractor does an excellent job addressing this, as well as keeping our roads safe by providing and managing essential services like plowing, grading gravel roads, and applying dust control.
Proactive Road Maintenance:
We prioritize road safety by employing a city engineer who regularly inspects our roads. This includes identifying opportunities for brushing to improve visibility, adding, and maintaining guardrails where necessary, and ensuring that our infrastructure meets the highest safety standards. I will work to evolve our road policy to keep our roads in better shape with minimal increase in budget.
Collaboration with Law Enforcement:
Grant contracts with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for full-time deputy services, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the safety of our roads and community. This partnership ensures that we have a strong law enforcement presence that understands the unique needs of our rural environment.
Ongoing Support and Community Involvement:
I am committed to continuing these effective strategies while encouraging residents to share their concerns and ideas. By staying responsive to community input, we can refine our public safety approach to ensure that Grant remains a safe and secure place for all residents.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Grant’s housing standards, which require a 10-acre density and a 5-acre minimum lot size, are designed to preserve the rural character and quality of life that our community values.
I am committed to working closely with the elected council members to uphold these standards, as it is crucial that we prioritize the preservation of Grant’s unique rural environment. Our approach is to maintain these zoning standards to protect the character of our community, ensuring that any development is in harmony with the values that make Grant a desirable place to live.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Grant recently partnered with Washington County and the state to build a walking path near the Mahtomedi schools, enhancing safety for pedestrians and students.
I look forward to continuing this partnership with our city leaders, county officials, and state representatives as we plan additional trails and paths. My goal is to ensure that these improvements are thoughtfully integrated into our community, providing safe and accessible options for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.
While expanding transportation options, I will work to strike a balance that respects the needs of our rural environment and preserves the qualities that make Grant a unique and desirable place to live.
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?
Grant has consistently maintained a strong financial position without relying on county, state, or federal aid to balance our budget. This independence reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility and conservative budgeting principles. Moving forward, I plan to work closely with city leaders to continue this approach, running a lean budget that keeps taxes low while ensuring we maintain healthy financial reserves.
In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we successfully negotiated with Comcast to extend high-speed internet access to over 1,100 additional residences in Grant, using $150K of federal Covid relief funds – none of your local tax dollars were used. This project, set to be completed by Spring 2025, is an example of how we leverage opportunities to enhance community services without compromising our financial health.
As federal COVID relief funds phase out, our strategy will remain focused on minimizing dependence on one-time funds. We will continue to prioritize essential services and infrastructure improvements that are sustainably financed, ensuring that Grant remains a well-managed and financially stable community.
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?
In Grant, we are committed to maintaining fiscal responsibility and keeping local property taxes low. I do not support increasing local taxes to subsidize services such as Uber/Lyft wages or childcare, as these are areas typically best addressed at the state level, where broader funding sources and policy scopes can more effectively manage such subsidies.
Local government should focus on areas where it can directly impact residents' daily lives and where localized decision-making is essential. This includes services such as public safety, local road maintenance, and zoning regulations—areas where local insights and control are crucial for efficient and responsive management.
While there are valuable roles for both state and local governments, it's important that we respect these boundaries to avoid unnecessary tax burdens on our residents. In Grant, we will continue to lead on issues directly within our control and advocate for state-level solutions where they are more appropriate, ensuring that our community's needs are met without compromising our fiscal stability.