John Maczko
Name: John Maczko
Public Office Sought: Mendota Heights Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-202-6207
Campaign Website: Maczkoformayor.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: John Maczko for Mayor of Mendota Heights
Candidate Bio
I am a lifelong resident of Mendota Heights where, along with my wife Lynne’, we raised our three daughters. I graduated from Henry Sibley HS (now Two Rivers HS), the U of M with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, the University of Saint Thomas with a mini-MBA, and completed the Latimer Leadership program at the Humphrey Institute of Public affairs. I am a registered Professional Engineer (Civil/Traffic) for 37 years, 33 years serving the citizens of Saint Paul. I currently work part-time for a large municipal/traffic engineering firm.
I am honored to have served on the Mendota Heights Fire Department for 39 years and was Chief of the department for 32 of those years. During my leadership, the Fire Department was selected Minnesota Fire Department of the year twice. I also served leadership positions on county and state fire organizations and was recognized by the City Engineers Association of Minnesota as Engineer of the year in 2015.
I believe my leadership skills and extensive experience in local government, in large and small cities, make me uniquely qualified to be Mayor of Mendota Heights. I grew up with Mendota Heights and I understand how cities operate and the importance of community engagement.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Authentic resident and business engagement identifying city needs and wants. Mendota Heights is a great stable community, but it is important for Council and staff to stay connected so that we retain a strong community with that “small town feel” within proximity of big town amenities.
High quality, efficient city services and well-maintained infrastructure. Mendota Heights has a rich history of high-quality services and lean operations. This has been accomplished with a dedicated group of “public employees” that take pride in their work. We need to maintain this history of meeting the needs of our residents and addressing as many wants as possible. Public safety, streets and utilities must come first. They require responsible care and maintenance by the city and planned replacement/refurbishment before they fail, and it becomes an emergency. Our residents and business community benefit with quality services and low tax rates.
Careful planning that maintains Mendota Heights character and natural environment. There are many outside pressures to “change our city” and to increase density. Our residents and businesses enjoy our city because of its charm, open spaces, and natural resources within close proximity to many amenities. We cannot forget this, or we will lose it forever.
How would you characterize the business climate in Mendota Heights and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The role of business is crucial to the city. Mendota Heights benefits from a business park that provides jobs and opportunities for service businesses (restaurant, coffee shops, etc) to also be vibrant. Keeping the business park strong helps to spread the taxes for services, helps keep residential taxes lower and the service businesses provide the convenience and services that residents also desire. Our “downtown” Mendota Heights (The Village of Mendota Heights and the Mendota Plaza) have several examples of successful restaurants and businesses that have developed and are supported by those that live and work in our community.
I see the business climate as bright. As the neighboring cities of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights continue to develop along our southern border and property is less available, the desire for locations close to both downtowns and the airport with excellent transportation access to freeways will continue to grow. This reality will make business properties in Mendota Heights even more desirable and successful.
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, Mendota Heights?
I think the city should be supportive of businesses desiring to locate in the city so long as they fit and maintain the character of our city. As mentioned above, Mendota Heights is uniquely positioned as a highly desired location. We can be patient in our development needs and choose wisely. This was the approach taken by previous administrations as the city was developing and a high-quality business park emerged. I value jobs over warehouse development in our business park as they add vitality to our city and help create the need for other business opportunities.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
I am not sure what a “local government” the size of Mendota Heights can do to address the labor shortage. This is an issue that goes far beyond Mendota Heights city limits. That said, I would be willing to listen to ideas that business leaders may have.
Mendota Heights is fortunate to have three high schools within our city limits. A suggestion would be to have the businesses partner with ISD 197, Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation School to mutually develop programs that can provide opportunities for students to learn and gain experience that will better prepare them for life after graduation and provide a feeder system for employees.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Mendota Heights (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 Mendota Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Our country is founded on the free-market system, so I am reluctant to get involved, particularly at the local level in a city the size of Mendota Heights. Businesses need to compete in the open market, and I don’t believe that a local government of our size has the ability, nor knowledge of the business, to make those decisions. I believe regulations such as those listed should be implemented at the State or Federal level rather than the local level.
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?
I believe public safety is a primary reason that government exists. Services such as police, fire, EMS, streets, and utilities (sewer and water) are basic needs that are a priority for citizens and businesses. The support and funding of these services is my top priority. Residents and businesses need to feel safe and supported to remain and flourish in our city. Historically Mendota Heights provides quality public safety services (Police, Fire and EMS) in a fair and compassionate way and have been recognized for these efforts. Community policing, with open communication, is a practice already employed and police and fire personnel are active in community engagement activities and events. This engagement was important to me as a Fire Chief and I will continue to support these progressive practices as strong community ties are important for Mendota Heights to remain one of the safest communities in the Twin Cities.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
I do not believe that Mendota Heights has general housing issues. The city has a variety of viable housing options. The city is developed primarily around home ownership, open space, and attention to the natural environment - all valued by residents. The demand is high for people wanting to live in Mendota Heights which keeps property values high. Mendota Heights has a housing product and character that is close to many amenities that people enjoy. It is important that we enhance and maintain these products that people want and not diminish it with increased density and crowding that destroys the character of the city that we enjoy. Additional development/redevelopment should maintain the character of the city and mitigate any issues caused by the development so that they are a true asset to improving the city as a whole.
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?
Hwy 35E, Dodd Road (TH 149) and Hwy 62 create barriers in the city as they bisect our city splitting the city in quarters both east to west and north to south. The bike/pedestrian trail under Hwy 62 was a great addition providing a safe pedestrian/bike crossing north to south but more needs to be done.
While there has been a change in traffic as work habits have changed since the pandemic, additional development in the area has filled the void. This is not just locally in Mendota Heights but also development at Viking Lakes in Eagan and the NW area of Inver Grove Heights. Getting onto, or across, Dodd Road (TH 149) near the Mendota Plaza is problematic and even unsafe. This is a big concern for the community. A community “traffic taskforce” was promised in November 2021 but has yet to be set up, though city staff indicate they are collecting data. The community taskforce and public process should be established ASAP and work toward developing a long-term solution to the problem. Robust community involvement is critical to identifying a successful resolution. Once the community and transportation officials can mutually agree and understand the problem possible solutions can be identified. Once a final solution is mutually agreed upon, work can begin to assemble the funding needed to implement it.
Related to transit, Mendota Heights is not developed in a manner that supports a robust local transit system. That doesn’t mean that there are not opportunities for transit, but we need to be realistic in our expectations. That said, Mendota heights has over 27 miles of local and regional bike/walking trails that provide not only recreational use but also safe and efficient opportunities for commuter biking. There are some important missing trail links that need to be completed to improve safety and access to other regional trails. Currently, gaps are being identified in a city Bike/pedestrian plan and I support their completion.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
First and foremost, basic city services must be funded. This includes police, fire, street maintenance, water, and sewer services. Funding includes not only annual operating expenses but replacement/and refurbishment as well. It is important to note that protection of natural resources must be considered in all the above services.
A well-developed asset management system that inventories the city assets and provides a condition assessment would go a long way toward identifying upcoming needs. It also provides the transparency needed to support the decisions that are made. Planned replacement of infrastructure is much less expensive and disruptive, than emergency repairs. It also allows for budget planning to minimize large swings in budgeting and the increased cost and disruption of “emergency” repairs.
Parks, play areas and trails are important to the quality of life but are wants, not needs. It is important to me that if we have them that they must be maintained or they become liabilities. When facilities reach the point of replacement, they should be evaluated for use, need, and cost and not simply replaced. Decisions should be data driven and be part of an open and transparent community process so that expended resources meet the needs and expectations of the community. A good asset management system, as described above, should also be implemented to assist in managing these facilities as well.
What will you do to expand Mendota Heights’ tax base?
The desire for property ownership in Mendota Heights has increased the tax base annually in the form of increased property values. When property values rise so does the “tax capacity” or “tax base”. My 2022 valuation assessment increased 22.5% over my 2021 assessment. Since Mendota Heights is over 95% developed, adding additional development is limited. The only other opportunity for increasing the tax base is re-development to increase valuation.
As a 95% developed community, we need to make sure we make decisions that our residents are willing and able to pay for including both installation and maintenance. Therefore, it is important to be open and transparent in our decision-making process. Nothing in this world is free.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
There are several ways to help. Promoting and fostering partnering between our educational facilities, business community and the city that connect students with opportunities for real world opportunities. School programs such as “touch a truck” expose kids/students to different professions and trades opportunities. Supporting our kids and young adults to realize the vast number of opportunities out there is important to get them excited. There are many important, valuable, and needed professions that don’t require a college education. The educational opportunities in Mendota Heights are extensive and we need to give our students every opportunity to succeed in life.
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?
Mendota Heights does a good job of sharing services and cooperating with neighboring cities. There is strong mutual aid cooperation among police and fire agencies within the county and the coordination of parks and recreation programs with neighboring cities is on-going. Cooperative purchasing arrangements and coordination with Dakota County Public Works and other Northern Dakota County cities for services such as seal coating and street sweeping have been established and are effective.
Relationships are currently strained with the athletic association which has been managing the sports programs for kids for decades. We need to mend that relationship as the athletic association provides sporting opportunities for many Mendota Heights kids. ISD 197 and Dakota County also provide excellent programs that should be promoted and explored as we do not need to “go it alone” and we should not duplicate other available resources.
I am a strong supporter of sharing services where service levels can be agreed upon and there is mutual agreement that all involved benefit. I was involved in establishing several shared services contracts during my employment in Saint Paul as Traffic Operations Engineer that are still in existence today. We should always be open to exploring opportunities to work together in the best interest of our residents.
What is the role of the mayor in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Mendota Heights?
The mayor should be supportive and welcoming of all businesses owners that want to do business in Mendota Heights. Promoting all businesses sets a tone that all are welcome. As mayor I am committed to doing just that. As mentioned earlier, Mendota Heights is uniquely located to provide excellent opportunities for any business to succeed in a safe and welcoming community.
What further policies can Mendota Heights adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mendota Heights needs to follow guidelines and requirements established by the state or federal government as required by law. To the extent that the city is responsible for carrying out any functions related to supporting business as part of those requirements we should expedite the process. I do not believe we should put in place any policies that may hinder business that are not required by law or supported by the business community of Mendota Heights.
I am open and flexible to any ideas that businesses may have that may help them recover to the extent that the city can help.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
For over 60 years I have had the pleasure to grow up, go to school, raise a family, and serve 39 years on the Mendota Heights fire department. I have brothers and sisters, daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren, and many friends who currently live in Mendota Heights. I want all of them, and future generations, to have the opportunity to continue to experience the character and “small town” feel of Mendota Heights. I promise to work for the citizens of our community, as a true proven public servant, and I would appreciate your vote on November 8th!
Public Office Sought: Mendota Heights Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-202-6207
Campaign Website: Maczkoformayor.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: John Maczko for Mayor of Mendota Heights
Candidate Bio
I am a lifelong resident of Mendota Heights where, along with my wife Lynne’, we raised our three daughters. I graduated from Henry Sibley HS (now Two Rivers HS), the U of M with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, the University of Saint Thomas with a mini-MBA, and completed the Latimer Leadership program at the Humphrey Institute of Public affairs. I am a registered Professional Engineer (Civil/Traffic) for 37 years, 33 years serving the citizens of Saint Paul. I currently work part-time for a large municipal/traffic engineering firm.
I am honored to have served on the Mendota Heights Fire Department for 39 years and was Chief of the department for 32 of those years. During my leadership, the Fire Department was selected Minnesota Fire Department of the year twice. I also served leadership positions on county and state fire organizations and was recognized by the City Engineers Association of Minnesota as Engineer of the year in 2015.
I believe my leadership skills and extensive experience in local government, in large and small cities, make me uniquely qualified to be Mayor of Mendota Heights. I grew up with Mendota Heights and I understand how cities operate and the importance of community engagement.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Authentic resident and business engagement identifying city needs and wants. Mendota Heights is a great stable community, but it is important for Council and staff to stay connected so that we retain a strong community with that “small town feel” within proximity of big town amenities.
High quality, efficient city services and well-maintained infrastructure. Mendota Heights has a rich history of high-quality services and lean operations. This has been accomplished with a dedicated group of “public employees” that take pride in their work. We need to maintain this history of meeting the needs of our residents and addressing as many wants as possible. Public safety, streets and utilities must come first. They require responsible care and maintenance by the city and planned replacement/refurbishment before they fail, and it becomes an emergency. Our residents and business community benefit with quality services and low tax rates.
Careful planning that maintains Mendota Heights character and natural environment. There are many outside pressures to “change our city” and to increase density. Our residents and businesses enjoy our city because of its charm, open spaces, and natural resources within close proximity to many amenities. We cannot forget this, or we will lose it forever.
How would you characterize the business climate in Mendota Heights and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The role of business is crucial to the city. Mendota Heights benefits from a business park that provides jobs and opportunities for service businesses (restaurant, coffee shops, etc) to also be vibrant. Keeping the business park strong helps to spread the taxes for services, helps keep residential taxes lower and the service businesses provide the convenience and services that residents also desire. Our “downtown” Mendota Heights (The Village of Mendota Heights and the Mendota Plaza) have several examples of successful restaurants and businesses that have developed and are supported by those that live and work in our community.
I see the business climate as bright. As the neighboring cities of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights continue to develop along our southern border and property is less available, the desire for locations close to both downtowns and the airport with excellent transportation access to freeways will continue to grow. This reality will make business properties in Mendota Heights even more desirable and successful.
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, Mendota Heights?
I think the city should be supportive of businesses desiring to locate in the city so long as they fit and maintain the character of our city. As mentioned above, Mendota Heights is uniquely positioned as a highly desired location. We can be patient in our development needs and choose wisely. This was the approach taken by previous administrations as the city was developing and a high-quality business park emerged. I value jobs over warehouse development in our business park as they add vitality to our city and help create the need for other business opportunities.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
I am not sure what a “local government” the size of Mendota Heights can do to address the labor shortage. This is an issue that goes far beyond Mendota Heights city limits. That said, I would be willing to listen to ideas that business leaders may have.
Mendota Heights is fortunate to have three high schools within our city limits. A suggestion would be to have the businesses partner with ISD 197, Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation School to mutually develop programs that can provide opportunities for students to learn and gain experience that will better prepare them for life after graduation and provide a feeder system for employees.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Mendota Heights (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 Mendota Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Our country is founded on the free-market system, so I am reluctant to get involved, particularly at the local level in a city the size of Mendota Heights. Businesses need to compete in the open market, and I don’t believe that a local government of our size has the ability, nor knowledge of the business, to make those decisions. I believe regulations such as those listed should be implemented at the State or Federal level rather than the local level.
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?
I believe public safety is a primary reason that government exists. Services such as police, fire, EMS, streets, and utilities (sewer and water) are basic needs that are a priority for citizens and businesses. The support and funding of these services is my top priority. Residents and businesses need to feel safe and supported to remain and flourish in our city. Historically Mendota Heights provides quality public safety services (Police, Fire and EMS) in a fair and compassionate way and have been recognized for these efforts. Community policing, with open communication, is a practice already employed and police and fire personnel are active in community engagement activities and events. This engagement was important to me as a Fire Chief and I will continue to support these progressive practices as strong community ties are important for Mendota Heights to remain one of the safest communities in the Twin Cities.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
I do not believe that Mendota Heights has general housing issues. The city has a variety of viable housing options. The city is developed primarily around home ownership, open space, and attention to the natural environment - all valued by residents. The demand is high for people wanting to live in Mendota Heights which keeps property values high. Mendota Heights has a housing product and character that is close to many amenities that people enjoy. It is important that we enhance and maintain these products that people want and not diminish it with increased density and crowding that destroys the character of the city that we enjoy. Additional development/redevelopment should maintain the character of the city and mitigate any issues caused by the development so that they are a true asset to improving the city as a whole.
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?
Hwy 35E, Dodd Road (TH 149) and Hwy 62 create barriers in the city as they bisect our city splitting the city in quarters both east to west and north to south. The bike/pedestrian trail under Hwy 62 was a great addition providing a safe pedestrian/bike crossing north to south but more needs to be done.
While there has been a change in traffic as work habits have changed since the pandemic, additional development in the area has filled the void. This is not just locally in Mendota Heights but also development at Viking Lakes in Eagan and the NW area of Inver Grove Heights. Getting onto, or across, Dodd Road (TH 149) near the Mendota Plaza is problematic and even unsafe. This is a big concern for the community. A community “traffic taskforce” was promised in November 2021 but has yet to be set up, though city staff indicate they are collecting data. The community taskforce and public process should be established ASAP and work toward developing a long-term solution to the problem. Robust community involvement is critical to identifying a successful resolution. Once the community and transportation officials can mutually agree and understand the problem possible solutions can be identified. Once a final solution is mutually agreed upon, work can begin to assemble the funding needed to implement it.
Related to transit, Mendota Heights is not developed in a manner that supports a robust local transit system. That doesn’t mean that there are not opportunities for transit, but we need to be realistic in our expectations. That said, Mendota heights has over 27 miles of local and regional bike/walking trails that provide not only recreational use but also safe and efficient opportunities for commuter biking. There are some important missing trail links that need to be completed to improve safety and access to other regional trails. Currently, gaps are being identified in a city Bike/pedestrian plan and I support their completion.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
First and foremost, basic city services must be funded. This includes police, fire, street maintenance, water, and sewer services. Funding includes not only annual operating expenses but replacement/and refurbishment as well. It is important to note that protection of natural resources must be considered in all the above services.
A well-developed asset management system that inventories the city assets and provides a condition assessment would go a long way toward identifying upcoming needs. It also provides the transparency needed to support the decisions that are made. Planned replacement of infrastructure is much less expensive and disruptive, than emergency repairs. It also allows for budget planning to minimize large swings in budgeting and the increased cost and disruption of “emergency” repairs.
Parks, play areas and trails are important to the quality of life but are wants, not needs. It is important to me that if we have them that they must be maintained or they become liabilities. When facilities reach the point of replacement, they should be evaluated for use, need, and cost and not simply replaced. Decisions should be data driven and be part of an open and transparent community process so that expended resources meet the needs and expectations of the community. A good asset management system, as described above, should also be implemented to assist in managing these facilities as well.
What will you do to expand Mendota Heights’ tax base?
The desire for property ownership in Mendota Heights has increased the tax base annually in the form of increased property values. When property values rise so does the “tax capacity” or “tax base”. My 2022 valuation assessment increased 22.5% over my 2021 assessment. Since Mendota Heights is over 95% developed, adding additional development is limited. The only other opportunity for increasing the tax base is re-development to increase valuation.
As a 95% developed community, we need to make sure we make decisions that our residents are willing and able to pay for including both installation and maintenance. Therefore, it is important to be open and transparent in our decision-making process. Nothing in this world is free.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
There are several ways to help. Promoting and fostering partnering between our educational facilities, business community and the city that connect students with opportunities for real world opportunities. School programs such as “touch a truck” expose kids/students to different professions and trades opportunities. Supporting our kids and young adults to realize the vast number of opportunities out there is important to get them excited. There are many important, valuable, and needed professions that don’t require a college education. The educational opportunities in Mendota Heights are extensive and we need to give our students every opportunity to succeed in life.
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?
Mendota Heights does a good job of sharing services and cooperating with neighboring cities. There is strong mutual aid cooperation among police and fire agencies within the county and the coordination of parks and recreation programs with neighboring cities is on-going. Cooperative purchasing arrangements and coordination with Dakota County Public Works and other Northern Dakota County cities for services such as seal coating and street sweeping have been established and are effective.
Relationships are currently strained with the athletic association which has been managing the sports programs for kids for decades. We need to mend that relationship as the athletic association provides sporting opportunities for many Mendota Heights kids. ISD 197 and Dakota County also provide excellent programs that should be promoted and explored as we do not need to “go it alone” and we should not duplicate other available resources.
I am a strong supporter of sharing services where service levels can be agreed upon and there is mutual agreement that all involved benefit. I was involved in establishing several shared services contracts during my employment in Saint Paul as Traffic Operations Engineer that are still in existence today. We should always be open to exploring opportunities to work together in the best interest of our residents.
What is the role of the mayor in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Mendota Heights?
The mayor should be supportive and welcoming of all businesses owners that want to do business in Mendota Heights. Promoting all businesses sets a tone that all are welcome. As mayor I am committed to doing just that. As mentioned earlier, Mendota Heights is uniquely located to provide excellent opportunities for any business to succeed in a safe and welcoming community.
What further policies can Mendota Heights adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mendota Heights needs to follow guidelines and requirements established by the state or federal government as required by law. To the extent that the city is responsible for carrying out any functions related to supporting business as part of those requirements we should expedite the process. I do not believe we should put in place any policies that may hinder business that are not required by law or supported by the business community of Mendota Heights.
I am open and flexible to any ideas that businesses may have that may help them recover to the extent that the city can help.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
For over 60 years I have had the pleasure to grow up, go to school, raise a family, and serve 39 years on the Mendota Heights fire department. I have brothers and sisters, daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren, and many friends who currently live in Mendota Heights. I want all of them, and future generations, to have the opportunity to continue to experience the character and “small town” feel of Mendota Heights. I promise to work for the citizens of our community, as a true proven public servant, and I would appreciate your vote on November 8th!