Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas
Name: Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas
Public Office Sought: New Brighton Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-371-5561
Website: https://www.votekarint.com/
Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/VoteKariNT
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VoteKariNT
Candidate Bio
Serving others to build community is one of my core values, but campaigning for elected office was on hold while I worked full-time, raised our two sons with my husband, volunteered for their activities and cared for family members’ health.
Reflecting on the urgency that this moment in time demands, however, I know it is time I put my 30 years of experience to work for New Brighton. My leadership and success in the private, civic, and nonprofit sectors is what New Brighton deserves in its mayor.
My professional experience includes leading corporate responsibility, sustainability, and innovation strategies with the world's largest companies. As an executive at The Mosaic Company Foundation, I managed a $28M budget and built multi-stakeholder partnerships. At Neighborhood House in St. Paul, I oversaw critical programs for diverse, cross-cultural communities, with capital and operating budgets of more than $30M.
I have been a committed community volunteer in our excellent public schools as a PTA leader running carnivals, and co-chairing festivals and recruitment activities for the Irondale Marching Knights band. I regularly advise start-ups and entrepreneurs, and I serve as a judge for the MN Cup. Moreover, I have served on many boards and ensure good governance.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
CRISIS — Since the latest information indicates that the global coronavirus pandemic will remain a serious public health issue well into 2021, our businesses and residents deserve more clear messaging and a plan from our City government. What data are we monitoring, when might we change course, and how? I would ensure that that the City develops, executes, and communicates strategies and an action plan for the City to support all residents and businesses in any crisis.
COMMUNITY — Demographic changes have added both value and complexity in New Brighton. Three years ago, the City’s Inclusive Task Force made recommendations and those ideas have not yet been implemented. As mayor, I will listen AND act to embrace race and class realities with meaningful engagement.
HOUSING — Thriving cities need a variety of housing to support residents at all stages of life and all income levels, but New Brighton has struggled. Neighbors in affordable housing were evicted, and now New Brighton is being sued by those evicted residents for violations of several statutes. The City has not done anything to prevent this from happening again, and as mayor, I would ask the right questions and seek solutions such as a tenant protection period.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Businesses in New Brighton, large and small, are facing challenges. They are operating in our city, yet we need to reach out to them to have them be more integrated into our city. Some businesses may need marketing insights, some may need a new business plan, and others may have ideas on how they can grow with City partnership and promotion. We must learn what they need as they success brings success to New Brighton.
Quality of life refers to the well-being of individuals and groups, and it is often measured with health and happiness as major components. Businesses have a critical role in, and supporting quality of life issues in the community, in a number of ways: Making and/or distributing goods and services to meet public needs; creating jobs; providing income to its owners and to its employees, who then spend that income in our community and beyond; and contributing to the tax base that enables the government to deliver critical services.
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, New Brighton?
New Brighton businesses should feel valued, and that the City is fair to work with. Residents benefit when successful businesses provide employment, contribute taxes, and support the community. The mayor should be an ambassador for new businesses, meet regularly with existing businesses, hold roundtables, and champion economic development initiatives. The mayor should clearly understand what is working for current businesses and what is not, so that the City can positively impact their success. The mayor should also ensure that the City identifies gaps in goods and services offered in New Brighton and how to meet those needs.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in New Brighton (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 New Brighton and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I do not support any specific employment-related proposals in New Brighton at this time, but I do believe that there is an opportunity to link our businesses employment needs to our residents. I commit to serving as an ambassador to and for the current businesses. Regular communication with businesses, targeted surveys, and continued conversations are tools to understand the impact of new ideas, policies, and necessary exceptions. 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.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
New Brighton adopted its model Department of Public Safety in 2000, long before other cities were discussing 21st Century Policing, and this integrated approach has been a success for residents, businesses, and visitors. The department has become a model for other communities for its cost effective and efficient way of providing coordinated public safety, combining fire, police, emergency management, and other services. As mayor I would support continued community outreach and engagement so we meet our community members and understand what they value, and I would ensure we provide education and training around de-escalation techniques, implicit bias and other best practices so that the City continues to be a model.
As noted in Question 2, New Brighton must do a full assessment of its housing stock to determine: are we prepared for the full needs of our community at all stages. Topics to address: do we have a plan to address those needs and not just respond to opportunities as they arise, or even worse, let housing stock transitions happen without integrating them into our Comprehensive Plan; we must ensure community safety by exploring if the City has enough inspectors to handle aging, rental housing; and we must adopt tenant protection periods for our affordable rental housing. The City should also develop relationships with the rental property landlords as they also are businesses who deserve cultivation, support and connection to available resources to support their business.
Transportation services for the inner core of Twin Cities has supported business growth, yet the suburbs remain isolated from expansions. New Brighton has truncated bus lines that could be extended, and rail opportunities left unfulfilled. Additionally, the suburbanization of poverty across the Twin Cities is exacerbated by a lack of mass/public transportation options leaving residents dependent on cars and often unable to access employment opportunities outside their own city. We must do better to seek new solutions.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
The City’s budget should tell a clear story of what the City has prioritized in its Comprehensive Plan, but New Brighton’s budget does not. I would ensure that transparent key performance indicators (KPIs) are developed, and then integrate these KPIs into a strategic scorecard that tracks progress and holds the City accountable for results. The City should also budget for outcomes so New Brighton delivers both what everyone loves AND what it is that we said we would do.
What will you do to expand New Brighton’s tax base?
I will diversify New Brighton’s tax base by exploring various economic development opportunities. As a representative of the City, I should engage in conversations across the region to attract new businesses and look across the country for new models. The City should assess its commercial corridors, provide opportunities for redevelopment, and commit to forward-looking strategies that allow for New Brighton to increase its profile and remain competitive in the region.
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 is a tremendous opportunity to build stronger partnerships with the Mounds View Schools and the many public, charter, and private schools in our city. We could integrate civic service and city hall insights into their curriculum and classes, and the loss of newspapers for the City could be a fabulous community service program for students to develop one. There are ample office internship and trades apprenticeship opportunities that the City could champion so students could be inspired to become civic leaders today and in the future. The City has been a great partner to the district for school resource officers and to co-curricular activities for events such as the Irondale Marching Knights Music of the Knight festival; yet the City’s calendar should also include K-12 community building activities that bring residents and businesses together and draw in the region. Business leaders are often just seen as donors, but there are so many other ways that the business community could add depth and breadth by joining the City in exploring new ideas with educational institutions.
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?
I believe in making data-driven decisions, and until New Brighton has transparent KPIs and a strategic scorecard aligned with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, it would be challenging to guess what should be a stop, start, or continue program (see response in Question 7). Those same tools will enable the City to explore new opportunities based on what we have learned. The City appears to provide services at an appropriate level. My vision for New Brighton as mayor is not focused on reducing or eliminating services.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in New Brighton?
The City Council, including the mayor, can play an important role by acting as an ambassador to existing minority- and women-owned businesses in New Brighton, helping to determine their needs and how they can grow with support from the community and the City. City Council members should visit with all businesses and ensure that there is regular communication from the City to support them. Many residents are interested in serving small businesses and the City has an opportunity to provide neighbor-peer connections as a form of community service; for example, marketing, social media, and real estate management are all specialties that residents with those skills could provide pro bono to community businesses. As mayor, I would ensure that City seek bids or pricing from minority- and women-owned businesses for goods and services purchased by the City in its normal course of business.
What further policies can New Brighton adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
There are different types of business community needs that the City must assess. For example, public-facing businesses such as restaurants and stores need to build consumer confidence to return to storefronts. The City can provide guidance to businesses on spacing and consumer expectations; to residents, the City can communicate regularly on which businesses are open and how to reach them. For business-to-business companies, the City can support these businesses by connecting them to workplace readiness resources and tools. The first practice, not policy, that New Brighton must adopt (one of my top three priorities) is to develop, execute and communicate a plan so that the entire community including businesses knows what data is being monitored by the City and how to communicate if coronavirus case increases in the City. While New Brighton’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants must be expended within the next few months, the City should assess if any additional relief funds and business support is needed for the business community over the next year or more of recovery.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
The current mayor Val Johnson suspended her campaign on September 15th and is asking residents NOT to vote for her, yet her name will still appear on the ballot. I encourage all New Brighton residents to share this information so that all voters are making an informed decision.
As residents of New Brighton make their choice for a new mayor, I want them to know that I always ask a lot of questions and I find creative solutions so together we can find answers. My executive experience will lead us to face our problems together and get something done. At a time when it is easy to see divides, I want to bridge differences and positively impact our city. I will bring authentic leadership to New Brighton…new ideas, new energy, new vision. Please join me in #BuildingCommunityTogether.
Public Office Sought: New Brighton Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-371-5561
Website: https://www.votekarint.com/
Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/VoteKariNT
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VoteKariNT
Candidate Bio
Serving others to build community is one of my core values, but campaigning for elected office was on hold while I worked full-time, raised our two sons with my husband, volunteered for their activities and cared for family members’ health.
Reflecting on the urgency that this moment in time demands, however, I know it is time I put my 30 years of experience to work for New Brighton. My leadership and success in the private, civic, and nonprofit sectors is what New Brighton deserves in its mayor.
My professional experience includes leading corporate responsibility, sustainability, and innovation strategies with the world's largest companies. As an executive at The Mosaic Company Foundation, I managed a $28M budget and built multi-stakeholder partnerships. At Neighborhood House in St. Paul, I oversaw critical programs for diverse, cross-cultural communities, with capital and operating budgets of more than $30M.
I have been a committed community volunteer in our excellent public schools as a PTA leader running carnivals, and co-chairing festivals and recruitment activities for the Irondale Marching Knights band. I regularly advise start-ups and entrepreneurs, and I serve as a judge for the MN Cup. Moreover, I have served on many boards and ensure good governance.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
CRISIS — Since the latest information indicates that the global coronavirus pandemic will remain a serious public health issue well into 2021, our businesses and residents deserve more clear messaging and a plan from our City government. What data are we monitoring, when might we change course, and how? I would ensure that that the City develops, executes, and communicates strategies and an action plan for the City to support all residents and businesses in any crisis.
COMMUNITY — Demographic changes have added both value and complexity in New Brighton. Three years ago, the City’s Inclusive Task Force made recommendations and those ideas have not yet been implemented. As mayor, I will listen AND act to embrace race and class realities with meaningful engagement.
HOUSING — Thriving cities need a variety of housing to support residents at all stages of life and all income levels, but New Brighton has struggled. Neighbors in affordable housing were evicted, and now New Brighton is being sued by those evicted residents for violations of several statutes. The City has not done anything to prevent this from happening again, and as mayor, I would ask the right questions and seek solutions such as a tenant protection period.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Businesses in New Brighton, large and small, are facing challenges. They are operating in our city, yet we need to reach out to them to have them be more integrated into our city. Some businesses may need marketing insights, some may need a new business plan, and others may have ideas on how they can grow with City partnership and promotion. We must learn what they need as they success brings success to New Brighton.
Quality of life refers to the well-being of individuals and groups, and it is often measured with health and happiness as major components. Businesses have a critical role in, and supporting quality of life issues in the community, in a number of ways: Making and/or distributing goods and services to meet public needs; creating jobs; providing income to its owners and to its employees, who then spend that income in our community and beyond; and contributing to the tax base that enables the government to deliver critical services.
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, New Brighton?
New Brighton businesses should feel valued, and that the City is fair to work with. Residents benefit when successful businesses provide employment, contribute taxes, and support the community. The mayor should be an ambassador for new businesses, meet regularly with existing businesses, hold roundtables, and champion economic development initiatives. The mayor should clearly understand what is working for current businesses and what is not, so that the City can positively impact their success. The mayor should also ensure that the City identifies gaps in goods and services offered in New Brighton and how to meet those needs.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in New Brighton (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 New Brighton and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I do not support any specific employment-related proposals in New Brighton at this time, but I do believe that there is an opportunity to link our businesses employment needs to our residents. I commit to serving as an ambassador to and for the current businesses. Regular communication with businesses, targeted surveys, and continued conversations are tools to understand the impact of new ideas, policies, and necessary exceptions. 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.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
New Brighton adopted its model Department of Public Safety in 2000, long before other cities were discussing 21st Century Policing, and this integrated approach has been a success for residents, businesses, and visitors. The department has become a model for other communities for its cost effective and efficient way of providing coordinated public safety, combining fire, police, emergency management, and other services. As mayor I would support continued community outreach and engagement so we meet our community members and understand what they value, and I would ensure we provide education and training around de-escalation techniques, implicit bias and other best practices so that the City continues to be a model.
As noted in Question 2, New Brighton must do a full assessment of its housing stock to determine: are we prepared for the full needs of our community at all stages. Topics to address: do we have a plan to address those needs and not just respond to opportunities as they arise, or even worse, let housing stock transitions happen without integrating them into our Comprehensive Plan; we must ensure community safety by exploring if the City has enough inspectors to handle aging, rental housing; and we must adopt tenant protection periods for our affordable rental housing. The City should also develop relationships with the rental property landlords as they also are businesses who deserve cultivation, support and connection to available resources to support their business.
Transportation services for the inner core of Twin Cities has supported business growth, yet the suburbs remain isolated from expansions. New Brighton has truncated bus lines that could be extended, and rail opportunities left unfulfilled. Additionally, the suburbanization of poverty across the Twin Cities is exacerbated by a lack of mass/public transportation options leaving residents dependent on cars and often unable to access employment opportunities outside their own city. We must do better to seek new solutions.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
The City’s budget should tell a clear story of what the City has prioritized in its Comprehensive Plan, but New Brighton’s budget does not. I would ensure that transparent key performance indicators (KPIs) are developed, and then integrate these KPIs into a strategic scorecard that tracks progress and holds the City accountable for results. The City should also budget for outcomes so New Brighton delivers both what everyone loves AND what it is that we said we would do.
What will you do to expand New Brighton’s tax base?
I will diversify New Brighton’s tax base by exploring various economic development opportunities. As a representative of the City, I should engage in conversations across the region to attract new businesses and look across the country for new models. The City should assess its commercial corridors, provide opportunities for redevelopment, and commit to forward-looking strategies that allow for New Brighton to increase its profile and remain competitive in the region.
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 is a tremendous opportunity to build stronger partnerships with the Mounds View Schools and the many public, charter, and private schools in our city. We could integrate civic service and city hall insights into their curriculum and classes, and the loss of newspapers for the City could be a fabulous community service program for students to develop one. There are ample office internship and trades apprenticeship opportunities that the City could champion so students could be inspired to become civic leaders today and in the future. The City has been a great partner to the district for school resource officers and to co-curricular activities for events such as the Irondale Marching Knights Music of the Knight festival; yet the City’s calendar should also include K-12 community building activities that bring residents and businesses together and draw in the region. Business leaders are often just seen as donors, but there are so many other ways that the business community could add depth and breadth by joining the City in exploring new ideas with educational institutions.
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?
I believe in making data-driven decisions, and until New Brighton has transparent KPIs and a strategic scorecard aligned with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, it would be challenging to guess what should be a stop, start, or continue program (see response in Question 7). Those same tools will enable the City to explore new opportunities based on what we have learned. The City appears to provide services at an appropriate level. My vision for New Brighton as mayor is not focused on reducing or eliminating services.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in New Brighton?
The City Council, including the mayor, can play an important role by acting as an ambassador to existing minority- and women-owned businesses in New Brighton, helping to determine their needs and how they can grow with support from the community and the City. City Council members should visit with all businesses and ensure that there is regular communication from the City to support them. Many residents are interested in serving small businesses and the City has an opportunity to provide neighbor-peer connections as a form of community service; for example, marketing, social media, and real estate management are all specialties that residents with those skills could provide pro bono to community businesses. As mayor, I would ensure that City seek bids or pricing from minority- and women-owned businesses for goods and services purchased by the City in its normal course of business.
What further policies can New Brighton adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
There are different types of business community needs that the City must assess. For example, public-facing businesses such as restaurants and stores need to build consumer confidence to return to storefronts. The City can provide guidance to businesses on spacing and consumer expectations; to residents, the City can communicate regularly on which businesses are open and how to reach them. For business-to-business companies, the City can support these businesses by connecting them to workplace readiness resources and tools. The first practice, not policy, that New Brighton must adopt (one of my top three priorities) is to develop, execute and communicate a plan so that the entire community including businesses knows what data is being monitored by the City and how to communicate if coronavirus case increases in the City. While New Brighton’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants must be expended within the next few months, the City should assess if any additional relief funds and business support is needed for the business community over the next year or more of recovery.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
The current mayor Val Johnson suspended her campaign on September 15th and is asking residents NOT to vote for her, yet her name will still appear on the ballot. I encourage all New Brighton residents to share this information so that all voters are making an informed decision.
As residents of New Brighton make their choice for a new mayor, I want them to know that I always ask a lot of questions and I find creative solutions so together we can find answers. My executive experience will lead us to face our problems together and get something done. At a time when it is easy to see divides, I want to bridge differences and positively impact our city. I will bring authentic leadership to New Brighton…new ideas, new energy, new vision. Please join me in #BuildingCommunityTogether.