Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas
Name: Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: (651) 371-5561
Campaign Website: VoteKariNT.com
Twitter handle: @VoteKariNT
Facebook Page: facebook.com/VoteKariNT
Candidate Bio
I have earnestly served as Mayor of New Brighton for the past 3.5 years. As I seek re-election to my third term, I continue to be energized at building community together. I have placed my more than 30 years of experience to work for New Brighton and led with my values in action. My leadership and success in the private, public, civic, and nonprofit sectors has served New Brighton well with me as its Mayor as our city deserves committed elected leaders who bring optimism and vision to our community.
My extensive experience includes leading corporate responsibility, sustainability, and innovation strategies with the world's largest companies. In my various executive roles, I managed multimillion-dollar capital/operating budgets and built multi-stakeholder partnerships with inclusion for diverse, cross-cultural communities.
I am a dedicated community volunteer including in our excellent public schools and with my sons’ activities such as the Irondale Marching Knights band. I provide good governance by serving on many for-profit and nonprofit boards of directors and advisors. I also advise start-ups and entrepreneurs. Alongside being a full-time professional and active community leader, I prioritize time with my family, especially our two adult sons, my future daughter-in-law to-be, and my husband.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I have brought to the Mayor role the same skills that have made me a successful professional and volunteer: relationship-building, results driven, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and optimism. I have focused on bringing the temperature down in our city by listening to and honoring residents and businesses ideas, questions, and concerns. I advocate for creative solutions and develop new opportunities to solve the every-city problems in unique New Brighton ways.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
My top three priorities are focused on New Brighton’s needs:
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in New Brighton?
I am human centered and business-friendly; how we can balance and provide success and opportunity for both residents and business is my ultimate outcome. One of the largest challenges for New Brighton is that we are a fully developed community with aging retail facilities that are dispersed across the community in small pockets. In a time of increased costs, there has been little growth in small businesses willing or able to take the risk to start a business, and our city does not have a retail vision which we need. Small business owners are continually supported across the city with appropriate variances and conditions as requested. New Brighton is here to work with businesses that want to make New Brighton their partner, and council and commissions have started conversations about new approaches we could take to spur economic development.
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?
There must be collaboration between government and the business community. In my full-time job, I see the struggles that large companies face working in various states and across the globe; when regulations in one geography conflict with another, it prompts regulatory conversations and creates new business strategies to address new realities. The complications are magnified for small businesses that have demands to understand new operating frameworks following every session. We partner with various business groups to help us understand what we need to know and then we assess how best to support businesses. Balancing the demands of many stakeholders is what every business and every government must do. The complexity of education systems, housing goals vs. developer financing, and workforce upskilling demands to meet employer needs will continue to require everyone aligning on the priorities and driving to the same results. Fractured points of view and attempting to maintain current models, however, will only force Minnesota to the bottom of U.S. state rankings for start-ups, new business models, and corporate growth.
The outcomes of any one legislative session should always positively create new momentum for collaboration and for the state’s business climate. Never should the results of one session hinder progress for the next session or the long arc of the work of our state. I have talked with many in the business community who are pleased with the last legislative session while others have concerns, which tells me then that we are advancing strategies to move us forward and communication of how to mitigate any lack of clarity should be addressed in execution or the next session. I want leaders in government and business community to advocate for progress, and I foster partnerships to bring multiple viewpoints together to make it happen.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in New Brighton?
New Brighton businesses feel valued, and optimistic that the city is fair to work with; I have repeatedly heard from business owners that they do, indeed, see the City of New Brighton as a partner. The business climate in New Brighton also has uncertainty with the world around them—more people working from home, ordering goods online, and interest rates still not moving. As Mayor, I have prioritized reaching out to business owners and operators to integrate them more into the city. From intentional outreach for community insights to starting the new business newsletter to asking them to join New Brighton’s commissions, the city team and I have found new opportunities to engage existing businesses. We have assessed critical market-based insights on potential opportunities and on how to attract new businesses. I have met with many business owners, and I am committed to supporting their role in the community; when they succeed, so does New Brighton.
As a city, we need to provide the right business environment and market our city’s vision, goals, and supports. As a city in supporting the business community, we attract and retain jobs, yet we also know as a suburb that our role is to advocate for regional solutions to benefit the movement of people into the urban centers. Residents benefit when successful businesses provide employment, contribute taxes, and support the community. As Mayor, I am an ambassador for new businesses, meet regularly with existing businesses, talk with our regional Chambers, and champion economic development initiatives. As Mayor, I understand what works for current businesses and what does not, so that the city is able to positively impact their success. The city continually is identifying gaps in goods and services offered in New Brighton and how to meet those needs through partnerships and regionally. As a city, our role is to connect people to each other, and our commissions have been looking at opportunities to support businesses in any hiring challenges they may have.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
New Brighton does not see challenges—we see opportunities to continually improve, and Public Safety is on that same path. Our model as a Department of Public Safety was started in 2000, and our integrated approach has been a success for residents, businesses, and visitors—a positive example for other communities. To continue our leadership in the region, our city just completed a Department of Public Safety organizational assessment and staffing study to ensure that we intentionally plan for positive outcomes, identify new best practices, and innovate with new concepts. Our volunteer New Brighton Fire Relief Association is appreciated for its dedication and has a well-managed retirement plan which provides stability into the future. We have worked hard to recruit; while we have one remaining position to hire, we have successfully applied for funding to start a cadet program for recruitment pipeline development. As Mayor, I have been involved in many regional and county criminal justice conversations. I was an advocate for the development of, and I now utilize, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office dashboards on adult and youth crime data, providing transparency into the system; this data helps municipal teams to understand the regional and local issues better to then make data-driven decisions. As Mayor, I have been intentional at our continued need for community outreach to and engagement of community members; our Public Safety team has been active for years in this work with its award-winning Faith-Community Partnership, Multifamily Housing Partnership, and other cross-jurisdiction partnerships. We also have explored how the city could show up differently where possible. I have promoted various education and training programs, including implicit bias.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
As noted in Question 2, New Brighton conducted a full assessment of its housing stock, including affordability levels, and has been reviewing various current and potential ordinances. As an example, residents have inquired about allowing accessory dwelling units (ADU) for their parents or adult children with disabilities, so we have been engaging community members to understand their insights. The city must be prepared for the full needs of the community at all stages of life and create plans to address resident needs, yet not simply being reactive. The city has started its first affordable housing fund. Any new developments over the past five years have very low vacancies; the council is open to exploring new ideas yet there are no active developer proposals before council. The development of our new goals and policies will provide an opening for more conversations.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I have been a continual advocate for expansion of diverse and public transportation, which is good for residents and businesses. I have consistently voiced concerns that one of the constraints New Brighton faces is limited public transportation options and how we need to address the lack of investments. New Brighton has 7 highway entrances into the city, and we are at the intersection of 35W and 694—one of the busiest intersections in the state. There are no projected regional expansions of public transportation for our city, for the next 30 years; this is not a sustainable plan and is unacceptable as that limits the types of housing options and does not foster a well-planned and welcoming community. This means that in our section of Ramsey County, our residents and businesses will continue to depend on cars for anyone to travel to/from our city. New Brighton has truncated bus lines that could be extended, and rail opportunities left unfulfilled. Two years ago, we lowered our speed limit to 25 on city streets to improve safety and we have seen positive results; we have worked with the county to do the same on a couple of county roads. This year, we approved a Living Streets Plan (which encompasses Complete Streets and Green Streets principles), guiding safety and accessibility of all ages and abilities alongside climate change and stormwater runoff. With this new framework to promote walkability and other non-car options, employment opportunities multiply for residents outside their own city and aligns with the city’s Comprehensive Plan. We also will continue to work for state funding to promote safer rail crossing zones.
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?
I began as Mayor in this public health crisis and worked with the city team to develop a COVID dashboard to drive city government decisions, operations, and messages to best support businesses and residents. Our city has used that vision of how to support our community as we emerge from that period in our discretion to deploy the one-time funds to one-time uses. This thoughtful, planned approach to the uses of the relief sources has extended into our budget processes—we are focused on building into our budgets future commitments that are connected to specified funding sources. Additionally, New Brighton has financial policies and practices that have created a health fiscal position: we have a well-managed general fund, Bond Rating of AA or better, stability in projections for utility and our Capital Improvement Plan, and extensively modeled internal service funds and enterprise funds. I am confident that New Brighton is well planned and managed for continued fiscal stability.
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?
I believe in municipal local control for the issues on which cities are expected to lead given the remit provided in state statute and for which our residents expect services; examples include: parks & recreation; community infrastructure and assets such as streets, utilities, and sustainability initiatives that position us for future regulatory and resource management; economic development to support businesses and growth in areas such as housing; land use including zoning and inspections; public safety which is a combined model in our city for police, fire, and emergency management services; and other community building projects and programs in increase welcoming and belonging in our city.
State government provides policy leadership in areas where local government would not have authority or capacity to address. State policy should move our cities forward to a better future and create level playing fields across all cities for businesses, residents, and other stakeholders; I value mandates that ensure that each city’s individual policies do not drive unfair or inappropriate outcomes to surrounding cities. I have concerns about unfunded mandates at any level of government, as smaller cities have a limited set of tools and resources to lead new initiatives. State policy creation is especially appreciated when there is incentivization tied to local policy changes and innovation, bolstered by grant and other funding programs. I know the challenges that cities face with licensing and permitting where non-local control manifests as lack of information being shared with cities, to lack of right to know on various issues, to extra costs pushed to cities, to safety concerns on issues such as railroads’ impenetrable rights and operations at group homes and mobile home communities leaving cities powerless to solve, to multijurisdictional approvals to operate certain businesses. The state and federal government should provide cities with the guideposts to lead locally and then let the local governments closest to the issues lead with city-specific, equitable policies grounded in planful, locally engaged results.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: (651) 371-5561
Campaign Website: VoteKariNT.com
Twitter handle: @VoteKariNT
Facebook Page: facebook.com/VoteKariNT
Candidate Bio
I have earnestly served as Mayor of New Brighton for the past 3.5 years. As I seek re-election to my third term, I continue to be energized at building community together. I have placed my more than 30 years of experience to work for New Brighton and led with my values in action. My leadership and success in the private, public, civic, and nonprofit sectors has served New Brighton well with me as its Mayor as our city deserves committed elected leaders who bring optimism and vision to our community.
My extensive experience includes leading corporate responsibility, sustainability, and innovation strategies with the world's largest companies. In my various executive roles, I managed multimillion-dollar capital/operating budgets and built multi-stakeholder partnerships with inclusion for diverse, cross-cultural communities.
I am a dedicated community volunteer including in our excellent public schools and with my sons’ activities such as the Irondale Marching Knights band. I provide good governance by serving on many for-profit and nonprofit boards of directors and advisors. I also advise start-ups and entrepreneurs. Alongside being a full-time professional and active community leader, I prioritize time with my family, especially our two adult sons, my future daughter-in-law to-be, and my husband.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I have brought to the Mayor role the same skills that have made me a successful professional and volunteer: relationship-building, results driven, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and optimism. I have focused on bringing the temperature down in our city by listening to and honoring residents and businesses ideas, questions, and concerns. I advocate for creative solutions and develop new opportunities to solve the every-city problems in unique New Brighton ways.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
My top three priorities are focused on New Brighton’s needs:
- TRANSPARENCY— As Mayor, I have advocated for, and we have succeeded at, increasing transparency for decisions we are considering and decisions made. We have made investments in public feedback sessions for the concept plans such as in corridor visioning and our now approved Climate Action Plan. We increased our social media posts across multiple channels, and we started an annual State of the City video and an infographic and digital report on priorities we have accomplished on our multiyear and annual strategic initiatives. We also have a City Council Meeting News email that is sent after every meeting and a business community e-newsletter. We developed a public GIS map on various data across our departments. In doing so, the city, residents, and businesses evaluate data and set our metrics to better report progress and services. I have ensured that that the city asks for feedback, communicates its strategies, and creates action plans on topics such as potential mixed-use development concepts and new Parks’ designs. I have focused on making the city accessible, visible, and transparent.
- COMMUNITY — Over the past two decades, demographic changes have added both value and complexity in New Brighton. This Council prioritized the formation of our Equity Commission in 2021. The recent census confirmed in data the importance of the work started—creating a welcoming, inclusive community and municipal government that supports and celebrates New Brighton’s diverse community which is an opportunity that the city must get right. As Mayor, I listen AND act to embrace race and class realities with meaningful engagement and analysis of solutions. I have had residents tell me that the work we are leading is visible, they feel seen, they are heard, and they know that they belong. From community events to bring us together to policies that ask who is adversely being impacted, we are leading as our community wants and needs us to.
- HOUSING — Thriving cities need a variety of housing to support residents at all stages of life and all income levels. New Brighton’s housing needs have been positively enhanced by our council prioritizing housing: completing our first Housing Study, measuring affordability levels and volume of housing options to create and understand the best policy solutions; assessing various policy recommendations to facilitate setting goals; advocating for all residents including single family home owners and renters; creating short-term rental ordinance to increase community safety; expanding rental housing inspections beyond multifamily housing to include any rentals of single family homes and duplexes to increase safety; and ensuring the city’s mobile home parks are protected in zoning code. As Mayor, I must ask the right questions and seek solutions that benefit everyone.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in New Brighton?
I am human centered and business-friendly; how we can balance and provide success and opportunity for both residents and business is my ultimate outcome. One of the largest challenges for New Brighton is that we are a fully developed community with aging retail facilities that are dispersed across the community in small pockets. In a time of increased costs, there has been little growth in small businesses willing or able to take the risk to start a business, and our city does not have a retail vision which we need. Small business owners are continually supported across the city with appropriate variances and conditions as requested. New Brighton is here to work with businesses that want to make New Brighton their partner, and council and commissions have started conversations about new approaches we could take to spur economic development.
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?
There must be collaboration between government and the business community. In my full-time job, I see the struggles that large companies face working in various states and across the globe; when regulations in one geography conflict with another, it prompts regulatory conversations and creates new business strategies to address new realities. The complications are magnified for small businesses that have demands to understand new operating frameworks following every session. We partner with various business groups to help us understand what we need to know and then we assess how best to support businesses. Balancing the demands of many stakeholders is what every business and every government must do. The complexity of education systems, housing goals vs. developer financing, and workforce upskilling demands to meet employer needs will continue to require everyone aligning on the priorities and driving to the same results. Fractured points of view and attempting to maintain current models, however, will only force Minnesota to the bottom of U.S. state rankings for start-ups, new business models, and corporate growth.
The outcomes of any one legislative session should always positively create new momentum for collaboration and for the state’s business climate. Never should the results of one session hinder progress for the next session or the long arc of the work of our state. I have talked with many in the business community who are pleased with the last legislative session while others have concerns, which tells me then that we are advancing strategies to move us forward and communication of how to mitigate any lack of clarity should be addressed in execution or the next session. I want leaders in government and business community to advocate for progress, and I foster partnerships to bring multiple viewpoints together to make it happen.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in New Brighton?
New Brighton businesses feel valued, and optimistic that the city is fair to work with; I have repeatedly heard from business owners that they do, indeed, see the City of New Brighton as a partner. The business climate in New Brighton also has uncertainty with the world around them—more people working from home, ordering goods online, and interest rates still not moving. As Mayor, I have prioritized reaching out to business owners and operators to integrate them more into the city. From intentional outreach for community insights to starting the new business newsletter to asking them to join New Brighton’s commissions, the city team and I have found new opportunities to engage existing businesses. We have assessed critical market-based insights on potential opportunities and on how to attract new businesses. I have met with many business owners, and I am committed to supporting their role in the community; when they succeed, so does New Brighton.
As a city, we need to provide the right business environment and market our city’s vision, goals, and supports. As a city in supporting the business community, we attract and retain jobs, yet we also know as a suburb that our role is to advocate for regional solutions to benefit the movement of people into the urban centers. Residents benefit when successful businesses provide employment, contribute taxes, and support the community. As Mayor, I am an ambassador for new businesses, meet regularly with existing businesses, talk with our regional Chambers, and champion economic development initiatives. As Mayor, I understand what works for current businesses and what does not, so that the city is able to positively impact their success. The city continually is identifying gaps in goods and services offered in New Brighton and how to meet those needs through partnerships and regionally. As a city, our role is to connect people to each other, and our commissions have been looking at opportunities to support businesses in any hiring challenges they may have.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
New Brighton does not see challenges—we see opportunities to continually improve, and Public Safety is on that same path. Our model as a Department of Public Safety was started in 2000, and our integrated approach has been a success for residents, businesses, and visitors—a positive example for other communities. To continue our leadership in the region, our city just completed a Department of Public Safety organizational assessment and staffing study to ensure that we intentionally plan for positive outcomes, identify new best practices, and innovate with new concepts. Our volunteer New Brighton Fire Relief Association is appreciated for its dedication and has a well-managed retirement plan which provides stability into the future. We have worked hard to recruit; while we have one remaining position to hire, we have successfully applied for funding to start a cadet program for recruitment pipeline development. As Mayor, I have been involved in many regional and county criminal justice conversations. I was an advocate for the development of, and I now utilize, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office dashboards on adult and youth crime data, providing transparency into the system; this data helps municipal teams to understand the regional and local issues better to then make data-driven decisions. As Mayor, I have been intentional at our continued need for community outreach to and engagement of community members; our Public Safety team has been active for years in this work with its award-winning Faith-Community Partnership, Multifamily Housing Partnership, and other cross-jurisdiction partnerships. We also have explored how the city could show up differently where possible. I have promoted various education and training programs, including implicit bias.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
As noted in Question 2, New Brighton conducted a full assessment of its housing stock, including affordability levels, and has been reviewing various current and potential ordinances. As an example, residents have inquired about allowing accessory dwelling units (ADU) for their parents or adult children with disabilities, so we have been engaging community members to understand their insights. The city must be prepared for the full needs of the community at all stages of life and create plans to address resident needs, yet not simply being reactive. The city has started its first affordable housing fund. Any new developments over the past five years have very low vacancies; the council is open to exploring new ideas yet there are no active developer proposals before council. The development of our new goals and policies will provide an opening for more conversations.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I have been a continual advocate for expansion of diverse and public transportation, which is good for residents and businesses. I have consistently voiced concerns that one of the constraints New Brighton faces is limited public transportation options and how we need to address the lack of investments. New Brighton has 7 highway entrances into the city, and we are at the intersection of 35W and 694—one of the busiest intersections in the state. There are no projected regional expansions of public transportation for our city, for the next 30 years; this is not a sustainable plan and is unacceptable as that limits the types of housing options and does not foster a well-planned and welcoming community. This means that in our section of Ramsey County, our residents and businesses will continue to depend on cars for anyone to travel to/from our city. New Brighton has truncated bus lines that could be extended, and rail opportunities left unfulfilled. Two years ago, we lowered our speed limit to 25 on city streets to improve safety and we have seen positive results; we have worked with the county to do the same on a couple of county roads. This year, we approved a Living Streets Plan (which encompasses Complete Streets and Green Streets principles), guiding safety and accessibility of all ages and abilities alongside climate change and stormwater runoff. With this new framework to promote walkability and other non-car options, employment opportunities multiply for residents outside their own city and aligns with the city’s Comprehensive Plan. We also will continue to work for state funding to promote safer rail crossing zones.
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?
I began as Mayor in this public health crisis and worked with the city team to develop a COVID dashboard to drive city government decisions, operations, and messages to best support businesses and residents. Our city has used that vision of how to support our community as we emerge from that period in our discretion to deploy the one-time funds to one-time uses. This thoughtful, planned approach to the uses of the relief sources has extended into our budget processes—we are focused on building into our budgets future commitments that are connected to specified funding sources. Additionally, New Brighton has financial policies and practices that have created a health fiscal position: we have a well-managed general fund, Bond Rating of AA or better, stability in projections for utility and our Capital Improvement Plan, and extensively modeled internal service funds and enterprise funds. I am confident that New Brighton is well planned and managed for continued fiscal stability.
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?
I believe in municipal local control for the issues on which cities are expected to lead given the remit provided in state statute and for which our residents expect services; examples include: parks & recreation; community infrastructure and assets such as streets, utilities, and sustainability initiatives that position us for future regulatory and resource management; economic development to support businesses and growth in areas such as housing; land use including zoning and inspections; public safety which is a combined model in our city for police, fire, and emergency management services; and other community building projects and programs in increase welcoming and belonging in our city.
State government provides policy leadership in areas where local government would not have authority or capacity to address. State policy should move our cities forward to a better future and create level playing fields across all cities for businesses, residents, and other stakeholders; I value mandates that ensure that each city’s individual policies do not drive unfair or inappropriate outcomes to surrounding cities. I have concerns about unfunded mandates at any level of government, as smaller cities have a limited set of tools and resources to lead new initiatives. State policy creation is especially appreciated when there is incentivization tied to local policy changes and innovation, bolstered by grant and other funding programs. I know the challenges that cities face with licensing and permitting where non-local control manifests as lack of information being shared with cities, to lack of right to know on various issues, to extra costs pushed to cities, to safety concerns on issues such as railroads’ impenetrable rights and operations at group homes and mobile home communities leaving cities powerless to solve, to multijurisdictional approvals to operate certain businesses. The state and federal government should provide cities with the guideposts to lead locally and then let the local governments closest to the issues lead with city-specific, equitable policies grounded in planful, locally engaged results.