Jennifer Santini
Name: Jennifer Santini
Public Office Sought: Woodbury City Council
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: (612) 492-1844
Campaign Website: www.jennifersantini.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSantiniCityCouncil
Candidate Bio
Since becoming a Woodbury resident thirteen years ago, I have dedicated my time and knowledge to serving Woodbury. For the past four years, I have served on the City Council and prior to that, I served 8 years on the Woodbury Economic Development Commission, as well as chaired our 2040 Comprehensive Plan Task Force. I understand the demands on our resources and systems of city services. While we are fortunate to be part of a community that the metro area views as successful, we must be thoughtful, resourceful, and responsible in how we address our community’s growing needs. I have taken the time to learn how our city infrastructure works and the challenges we face as the city continues to develop.
I bring the knowledge and experience of a small business owner, a mother, and an attorney to the Woodbury City Council. I relate to the stresses many local business owners and entrepreneurs face and know the need to ensure businesses have community support, access to resources, and guidance for opportunities to be successful. As a mother, I want to ensure the community in which my children are raised is safe, inclusive, and provides opportunities and amenities to live a healthy and active lifestyle. My law degree and years of legal advocacy for families and businesses also provides me with the expertise to be an effective member of our city council. Every day, I seek to understand all sides of an issue, listen and engage others, do my research, and ultimately make educated decisions to solve problems that face my clients. I bring those same skills to solve the issues facing residents and businesses of Woodbury.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Water Quality - If there was truly one issue that solidified my decision to seek re-election, it would be to work on the implementation of our permanent water treatment facility. Over the past four years, a tremendous amount of work has been done to advocate on behalf of Woodbury residents to ensure the quality of our water. It is vital that we continue to demand treatment for the lowest feasible detectable level of PFAS in ALL of our wells in Woodbury.
Supporting the transition of leadership in our Public Safety Department – Our Public Safety Department has built a strong and positive culture within its ranks and the community. With the retirement of three of our top positions in the department this past year, it is important to support the transition of leadership to ensure the mission of the department is upheld – “to serve all people with compassion and courage.”
Long-term Financial Plan – It is imperative to explore additional revenue sources for the city. Even though our tax base continues to grow, the impact on our services and infrastructure will outpace our revenue long-term. We need to be strategic in our planning to ease the burden on our taxpayers.
How would you characterize the business climate in Woodbury and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Woodbury is a vibrant community for the business community. The city is home to many well-established, successful, and growing businesses. However, some business owners struggle to find and access resources to move them to the next level of growth. They are in need of additional workspace and find it difficult to hire and retain qualified employees. Woodbury recognizes the importance of economic development and I hope to continue the city’s efforts to support the 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, Woodbury?
I think Woodbury should ultimately be an active facilitator in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses. There are a lot of resources and programs already in place available to business owners on a regional, state and national level. However, at the city level I think we can be better at guiding residents and business owners to these programs and creating partnerships between local businesses and with the city so they can find the support needed to grow and succeed.
Woodbury should not duplicate the efforts of other levels of government. The city has been successful at assessing when it should take the lead on initiatives and when it should support the efforts of others already doing what is needed. The city has been a strong supporter and partner with the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce (having two members of the city concurrently serving on the Chamber’s board) and I believe a continued strategic partnership between the two entities is productive. Additionally, it is important to maintain relationships with Washington County’s Economic Development Director and its Open to Business program.
Woodbury should continue to find opportunities to promote our business community and advertise all of the assets it could contribute to successful businesses. We must also continue to maintain strong relationships with our developers, property managers, business brokers, and realtors to help partner in the promotion of Woodbury to businesses and clients looking to move their companies.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
One of the biggest issues I face as a business owner is finding employees who have the right education, a strong work ethic, and an understanding of how businesses operate. I do not believe that the City of Woodbury should implement any particular policy but rather implement policies that ensure we are a community of choice in which to live and work. If we maintain a clean, safe, and stable community – we will attract residents to raise families in Woodbury, maintain a strong educational system, and ultimately create a strong employment pool. I believe there should be more opportunities for schools to implement internship or apprenticeship programs to help students gain hands-on experience to create a more educated workforce. Woodbury schools should find partners within the community and county to encourage such programming.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Woodbury (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in Woodbury and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe that such employment-related initiatives should be addressed by the state legislature. If Woodbury were to explore any such initiatives, I will always listen to the residents and businesses of Woodbury and will consider the proposals for which the community advocates. I would certainly want to dive deeper into the economic impact on businesses, its workers, and the residents of Woodbury – not only in the short term but certainly long term. The City Council’s role should be to assist businesses in understanding the effects of such proposals on the specific business, the lives of the workers, and the overall impact on Woodbury.
With that said, as a small business owner, I believe it is important to support our employees and ensure they are able to support themselves and their families. As a business owner, I understand that fair compensation for all employees produces a productive workforce for our community and, in the long run, is better for our economy. We have found that providing our employees with flexibility has allowed us to retain strong employees – again, increasing our productivity.
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?
We have a strong public safety department and residents should feel comfortable approaching our officers when they or someone they know need help. I certainly support an adequately funded public safety department to protect our residents, but securing public safety requires a community wide effort.
The residents of Woodbury need to be the stewards of the community. To do so we must focus on building a better sense of community. The stronger the sense of community that is created, the more invested residents will be to one another and protect and respect one another. We must partner with schools to ensure students are learning such respect for themselves, their peers, others in the community and our environment – and to carry this foundation forward as they become citizens of the world. Ensuring free or low-cost recreational programing is offered to families provides children with the opportunities to interact with others in the community and make positive connections. Woodbury should regularly connect with school districts for earlier identification of issues facing children and families so that such issues can be mitigated before they escalate.
I also support a coordination of efforts between the city, county and state public safety officials and law enforcement to address larger regional issues, maximize resources and ensure the goals of protecting the public do not end at the city boundaries.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
It is important for Woodbury to retain home rule authority given that we can best plan and develop our city. I fully support our mission of having a diverse inventory of housing. It is vital for residents to have accessibility to the housing choice that fits their needs – both from a financial and lifestyle perspective. Woodbury should leverage resources available on a larger scale, such as grants and other housing programs, to support housing accessibility as well as preserving naturally occurring affordable housing.
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?
While the past two and a half years has significantly changed the landscape of where work is performed, it is important for us to still address transportation needs. Workers might be working from home more now – there may eventually be a shift back to the office long-term. It is important to continue to advocate for more efficient and accessible public transportation options for its residents and visitors – particularly as the Gold Line BRT project is implemented. Additionally, Woodbury is certainly seeing an increase in traffic within city limits and should continue to address demands on our roadways by creating easier means and alternative routes to move and reduce traffic through the city.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
The first priority is to ensure that the fundamental needs of the Woodbury, such as infrastructure and public safety, are in balance with services, programs and amenities that make Woodbury great. We must ensure that the city’s revenues are allocated in a structurally balanced way. City planning efforts must reflect our priorities as well as the budget constraints we face. It is my duty as a council member to ensure that Woodbury uses taxpayer dollars efficiently and effectively – and that budget cuts, if any, do not prevent priority services or programs from functioning properly.
What will you do to expand Woodbury’s tax base?
If we continue to responsibly manage and plan for Woodbury’s growth, the tax base will expand with it naturally without the need for any specific proposal. However, it is important to analyze, on a case-by-case basis, whether there are strategic measures (such as TIF or tax abatement) needed to assist in the progress of any such development or redevelopment as Woodbury continues to grow.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Effective education must begin before kindergarten to see successes later in grade school. While it is difficult to assume young children can commit to what they want to do later in life, if they do not have the exposure to the possibilities, they will not even know what to explore in the future. As I noted above, I believe schools should emphasize more opportunities for internship or apprenticeship programs to provide students with that exposure. Additionally, I believe if you give children the opportunity to contribute positively to our community and feel included in our community, they are more committed to the preservation and success of our community.
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?
As noted above, Woodbury should maintain a strong relationship with the County’s Economic Development Director and its work on stimulating businesses in the region. A stronger Washington County – and not just Woodbury – is beneficial for all.
We must also engage more residents in our advisory commissions. Diverse perspectives are critical in our decision making to ensure that the demographics of our residents are adequately represented.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Woodbury?
As stated before, Woodbury should be an active facilitator in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses – including those of minority- and women-owned businesses. We should ensure such businesses have the knowledge of, and access to, resources (such as financial, legal, and operational resources) that can support the businesses from their foundation and beyond. Additionally, we need to ensure all business owners, including minority and women business owners, have strong mentors surrounding them to support them through growth, transitional periods, and other challenges. Lastly, we certainly need the minority and women business owners to have seats and voices at the table. We need to ensure we have representatives within our city advisory commissions as well as within other community organizations.
What further policies can Woodbury adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
We have recognized the need to review some of our ordinances on a more systematic schedule to ensure we do not have anything restricting the success of our business community. We recognize that while our current businesses might be successful under our ordinances, there may be situations when we have created a barrier to further growth or even entry into the Woodbury business community. For example, we recently voted to change our food-to-alcohol ratio under our liquor license. We sought input from current business owners and the community and while many of the current business owners stated they did not need to have the ratio changed, we recognized that this ordinance might have been creating a barrier to further growth. Likewise, we revamped our charitable gambling ordinance allowing more opportunities for establishments to offer charitable gambling. Hopefully, those establishments will now see an increase of patrons wishing to support the charitable organizations and ultimately, see an increase to their business.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Woodbury is a great community but changes in our demographics, environment and economy require that we remain committed to protecting the interests and needs of all residents. I am committed to building on the work that has been done. I welcome input from residents and business owners about their priorities for Woodbury, as well as the concerns and challenges they face.
Public Office Sought: Woodbury City Council
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: (612) 492-1844
Campaign Website: www.jennifersantini.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSantiniCityCouncil
Candidate Bio
Since becoming a Woodbury resident thirteen years ago, I have dedicated my time and knowledge to serving Woodbury. For the past four years, I have served on the City Council and prior to that, I served 8 years on the Woodbury Economic Development Commission, as well as chaired our 2040 Comprehensive Plan Task Force. I understand the demands on our resources and systems of city services. While we are fortunate to be part of a community that the metro area views as successful, we must be thoughtful, resourceful, and responsible in how we address our community’s growing needs. I have taken the time to learn how our city infrastructure works and the challenges we face as the city continues to develop.
I bring the knowledge and experience of a small business owner, a mother, and an attorney to the Woodbury City Council. I relate to the stresses many local business owners and entrepreneurs face and know the need to ensure businesses have community support, access to resources, and guidance for opportunities to be successful. As a mother, I want to ensure the community in which my children are raised is safe, inclusive, and provides opportunities and amenities to live a healthy and active lifestyle. My law degree and years of legal advocacy for families and businesses also provides me with the expertise to be an effective member of our city council. Every day, I seek to understand all sides of an issue, listen and engage others, do my research, and ultimately make educated decisions to solve problems that face my clients. I bring those same skills to solve the issues facing residents and businesses of Woodbury.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Water Quality - If there was truly one issue that solidified my decision to seek re-election, it would be to work on the implementation of our permanent water treatment facility. Over the past four years, a tremendous amount of work has been done to advocate on behalf of Woodbury residents to ensure the quality of our water. It is vital that we continue to demand treatment for the lowest feasible detectable level of PFAS in ALL of our wells in Woodbury.
Supporting the transition of leadership in our Public Safety Department – Our Public Safety Department has built a strong and positive culture within its ranks and the community. With the retirement of three of our top positions in the department this past year, it is important to support the transition of leadership to ensure the mission of the department is upheld – “to serve all people with compassion and courage.”
Long-term Financial Plan – It is imperative to explore additional revenue sources for the city. Even though our tax base continues to grow, the impact on our services and infrastructure will outpace our revenue long-term. We need to be strategic in our planning to ease the burden on our taxpayers.
How would you characterize the business climate in Woodbury and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Woodbury is a vibrant community for the business community. The city is home to many well-established, successful, and growing businesses. However, some business owners struggle to find and access resources to move them to the next level of growth. They are in need of additional workspace and find it difficult to hire and retain qualified employees. Woodbury recognizes the importance of economic development and I hope to continue the city’s efforts to support the 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, Woodbury?
I think Woodbury should ultimately be an active facilitator in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses. There are a lot of resources and programs already in place available to business owners on a regional, state and national level. However, at the city level I think we can be better at guiding residents and business owners to these programs and creating partnerships between local businesses and with the city so they can find the support needed to grow and succeed.
Woodbury should not duplicate the efforts of other levels of government. The city has been successful at assessing when it should take the lead on initiatives and when it should support the efforts of others already doing what is needed. The city has been a strong supporter and partner with the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce (having two members of the city concurrently serving on the Chamber’s board) and I believe a continued strategic partnership between the two entities is productive. Additionally, it is important to maintain relationships with Washington County’s Economic Development Director and its Open to Business program.
Woodbury should continue to find opportunities to promote our business community and advertise all of the assets it could contribute to successful businesses. We must also continue to maintain strong relationships with our developers, property managers, business brokers, and realtors to help partner in the promotion of Woodbury to businesses and clients looking to move their companies.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
One of the biggest issues I face as a business owner is finding employees who have the right education, a strong work ethic, and an understanding of how businesses operate. I do not believe that the City of Woodbury should implement any particular policy but rather implement policies that ensure we are a community of choice in which to live and work. If we maintain a clean, safe, and stable community – we will attract residents to raise families in Woodbury, maintain a strong educational system, and ultimately create a strong employment pool. I believe there should be more opportunities for schools to implement internship or apprenticeship programs to help students gain hands-on experience to create a more educated workforce. Woodbury schools should find partners within the community and county to encourage such programming.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Woodbury (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in Woodbury and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe that such employment-related initiatives should be addressed by the state legislature. If Woodbury were to explore any such initiatives, I will always listen to the residents and businesses of Woodbury and will consider the proposals for which the community advocates. I would certainly want to dive deeper into the economic impact on businesses, its workers, and the residents of Woodbury – not only in the short term but certainly long term. The City Council’s role should be to assist businesses in understanding the effects of such proposals on the specific business, the lives of the workers, and the overall impact on Woodbury.
With that said, as a small business owner, I believe it is important to support our employees and ensure they are able to support themselves and their families. As a business owner, I understand that fair compensation for all employees produces a productive workforce for our community and, in the long run, is better for our economy. We have found that providing our employees with flexibility has allowed us to retain strong employees – again, increasing our productivity.
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?
We have a strong public safety department and residents should feel comfortable approaching our officers when they or someone they know need help. I certainly support an adequately funded public safety department to protect our residents, but securing public safety requires a community wide effort.
The residents of Woodbury need to be the stewards of the community. To do so we must focus on building a better sense of community. The stronger the sense of community that is created, the more invested residents will be to one another and protect and respect one another. We must partner with schools to ensure students are learning such respect for themselves, their peers, others in the community and our environment – and to carry this foundation forward as they become citizens of the world. Ensuring free or low-cost recreational programing is offered to families provides children with the opportunities to interact with others in the community and make positive connections. Woodbury should regularly connect with school districts for earlier identification of issues facing children and families so that such issues can be mitigated before they escalate.
I also support a coordination of efforts between the city, county and state public safety officials and law enforcement to address larger regional issues, maximize resources and ensure the goals of protecting the public do not end at the city boundaries.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
It is important for Woodbury to retain home rule authority given that we can best plan and develop our city. I fully support our mission of having a diverse inventory of housing. It is vital for residents to have accessibility to the housing choice that fits their needs – both from a financial and lifestyle perspective. Woodbury should leverage resources available on a larger scale, such as grants and other housing programs, to support housing accessibility as well as preserving naturally occurring affordable housing.
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?
While the past two and a half years has significantly changed the landscape of where work is performed, it is important for us to still address transportation needs. Workers might be working from home more now – there may eventually be a shift back to the office long-term. It is important to continue to advocate for more efficient and accessible public transportation options for its residents and visitors – particularly as the Gold Line BRT project is implemented. Additionally, Woodbury is certainly seeing an increase in traffic within city limits and should continue to address demands on our roadways by creating easier means and alternative routes to move and reduce traffic through the city.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
The first priority is to ensure that the fundamental needs of the Woodbury, such as infrastructure and public safety, are in balance with services, programs and amenities that make Woodbury great. We must ensure that the city’s revenues are allocated in a structurally balanced way. City planning efforts must reflect our priorities as well as the budget constraints we face. It is my duty as a council member to ensure that Woodbury uses taxpayer dollars efficiently and effectively – and that budget cuts, if any, do not prevent priority services or programs from functioning properly.
What will you do to expand Woodbury’s tax base?
If we continue to responsibly manage and plan for Woodbury’s growth, the tax base will expand with it naturally without the need for any specific proposal. However, it is important to analyze, on a case-by-case basis, whether there are strategic measures (such as TIF or tax abatement) needed to assist in the progress of any such development or redevelopment as Woodbury continues to grow.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Effective education must begin before kindergarten to see successes later in grade school. While it is difficult to assume young children can commit to what they want to do later in life, if they do not have the exposure to the possibilities, they will not even know what to explore in the future. As I noted above, I believe schools should emphasize more opportunities for internship or apprenticeship programs to provide students with that exposure. Additionally, I believe if you give children the opportunity to contribute positively to our community and feel included in our community, they are more committed to the preservation and success of our community.
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?
As noted above, Woodbury should maintain a strong relationship with the County’s Economic Development Director and its work on stimulating businesses in the region. A stronger Washington County – and not just Woodbury – is beneficial for all.
We must also engage more residents in our advisory commissions. Diverse perspectives are critical in our decision making to ensure that the demographics of our residents are adequately represented.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Woodbury?
As stated before, Woodbury should be an active facilitator in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses – including those of minority- and women-owned businesses. We should ensure such businesses have the knowledge of, and access to, resources (such as financial, legal, and operational resources) that can support the businesses from their foundation and beyond. Additionally, we need to ensure all business owners, including minority and women business owners, have strong mentors surrounding them to support them through growth, transitional periods, and other challenges. Lastly, we certainly need the minority and women business owners to have seats and voices at the table. We need to ensure we have representatives within our city advisory commissions as well as within other community organizations.
What further policies can Woodbury adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
We have recognized the need to review some of our ordinances on a more systematic schedule to ensure we do not have anything restricting the success of our business community. We recognize that while our current businesses might be successful under our ordinances, there may be situations when we have created a barrier to further growth or even entry into the Woodbury business community. For example, we recently voted to change our food-to-alcohol ratio under our liquor license. We sought input from current business owners and the community and while many of the current business owners stated they did not need to have the ratio changed, we recognized that this ordinance might have been creating a barrier to further growth. Likewise, we revamped our charitable gambling ordinance allowing more opportunities for establishments to offer charitable gambling. Hopefully, those establishments will now see an increase of patrons wishing to support the charitable organizations and ultimately, see an increase to their business.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Woodbury is a great community but changes in our demographics, environment and economy require that we remain committed to protecting the interests and needs of all residents. I am committed to building on the work that has been done. I welcome input from residents and business owners about their priorities for Woodbury, as well as the concerns and challenges they face.