La Rae Mills
Name: La Rae Mills
Public Office Sought: Cottage Grove City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-508-1811
Website: www.laraemills.com
Twitter handle: @laraemills
Facebook page: facebook.com/millsforcg
Candidate Bio
With the completion of nearly one 4 year term, I have carefully listened, initiated, participated in conversations and voted on hundreds of motions to provide our community with quality service for people to live, work and play. We have steadily grown our tax base of industrial, commercial and residential and this growth has helped us keep the average city tax rate nearly flat. During this time we have navigated a health base change in our water and in 2017 quickly put into place an awarding winning temporary water filtration system for several of our wells and currently wait on the State settlement money for a permanent solution. We have continued to support our local businesses during our current pandemic and continue to provide quality support and safety to our residents. Our city has also worked together with our local chamber to establish a Visitor’s Bureau to help to continue to promote Cottage Grove. All of these accomplishments were made possible by working together as a council team along with our outstanding city staff. I look forward to continue this work if re-elected.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Committed to continue residential and business growth
Actively listen to the residents to build recreational amenities
Advocate for a long term solution for better water
How would you characterize the business climate in Cottage Grove and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Business is growing and the relationship between the City and local businesses is positive. We reach out regularly and seek to hear the needs of the community. We also see local businesses participate in community events such as donating time or money. There seems to be a strong connection to our local businesses and likewise businesses to our community
What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Cottage Grove?
A city needs to assist and play a large role in attracting jobs and businesses and retaining business. This is part of the goal and mission of our city and the entire council with the EDA and the city staff work hard to continue to promote businesses to come to Cottage Grove through conferences and networking. We also develop policies and programs that will assist growing and expanding businesses along with grant programs such as our facade improvement program to assist businesses to continue in our community. I support these efforts and support efforts to assist businesses, when warranted, to earn grants or other financial assistance. We also work closely with our businesses on ordinances that might change or impact our business owners to come to a reasonable outcome for all involved.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Cottage Grove (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 Cottage Grove and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
At this time, I support our State in their efforts to regulate and write policy on these items.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
We work closely with the county on many of these efforts since our community is a mid-range population. However, we do look and work on solutions for our community when appropriate, such as monitoring our needs for more staff due to growth and demand. Working with business and community organizations to implement a local circular bus. And working with our neighbor and the state to build a public safety training facility. It is important to work together with our surrounding communities and county to find solutions.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
We look very closely at our needs and work hard to plan and balance the budget each year. We are fiscally sound and have high ratings of excellence.
What will you do to expand Cottage Grove’s tax base?
We are continuing to slowly add business in both industry and commercial and also residential.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
We are currently working with businesses and the school district in looking at how we can incorporate the trades into our either our schools or bring a trade school to our immediate area. There has been a lot of conversations happening to work on expanding this opportunity.
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 don’t think we have any services that need to be cut back or eliminated at this time. We are currently contracting out some services such as lawn and snow services to private companies and do look for other opportunities when then present themselves as a viable option.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Cottage Grove?
We are currently working towards having a city staff that reflects our community. I do think this will play a part in fostering minority and women owned businesses in Cottage Grove. We do have a Women in Business segment of our Chamber, this has a strong influence on Women owned businesses. However, currently the city does not have any efforts to foster minority or women owned businesses directly.
What further policies can Cottage Grove adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
We quickly put together a plan for grant money for businesses that qualified. We also quickly made adjustments or accepted conditional permits for outdoor seating for restaurants. We have expanded our grants for Facade Improvements for business who are able to make improvements during this time. Cottage Grove has been in close contact with our businesses to see how we can assist.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Cottage Grove is a great place to live, work and play. We take pride in being a great community for everyone. If re-elected, I look forward to continue with these goals.
Public Office Sought: Cottage Grove City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-508-1811
Website: www.laraemills.com
Twitter handle: @laraemills
Facebook page: facebook.com/millsforcg
Candidate Bio
With the completion of nearly one 4 year term, I have carefully listened, initiated, participated in conversations and voted on hundreds of motions to provide our community with quality service for people to live, work and play. We have steadily grown our tax base of industrial, commercial and residential and this growth has helped us keep the average city tax rate nearly flat. During this time we have navigated a health base change in our water and in 2017 quickly put into place an awarding winning temporary water filtration system for several of our wells and currently wait on the State settlement money for a permanent solution. We have continued to support our local businesses during our current pandemic and continue to provide quality support and safety to our residents. Our city has also worked together with our local chamber to establish a Visitor’s Bureau to help to continue to promote Cottage Grove. All of these accomplishments were made possible by working together as a council team along with our outstanding city staff. I look forward to continue this work if re-elected.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Committed to continue residential and business growth
Actively listen to the residents to build recreational amenities
Advocate for a long term solution for better water
How would you characterize the business climate in Cottage Grove and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Business is growing and the relationship between the City and local businesses is positive. We reach out regularly and seek to hear the needs of the community. We also see local businesses participate in community events such as donating time or money. There seems to be a strong connection to our local businesses and likewise businesses to our community
What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Cottage Grove?
A city needs to assist and play a large role in attracting jobs and businesses and retaining business. This is part of the goal and mission of our city and the entire council with the EDA and the city staff work hard to continue to promote businesses to come to Cottage Grove through conferences and networking. We also develop policies and programs that will assist growing and expanding businesses along with grant programs such as our facade improvement program to assist businesses to continue in our community. I support these efforts and support efforts to assist businesses, when warranted, to earn grants or other financial assistance. We also work closely with our businesses on ordinances that might change or impact our business owners to come to a reasonable outcome for all involved.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Cottage Grove (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 Cottage Grove and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
At this time, I support our State in their efforts to regulate and write policy on these items.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
We work closely with the county on many of these efforts since our community is a mid-range population. However, we do look and work on solutions for our community when appropriate, such as monitoring our needs for more staff due to growth and demand. Working with business and community organizations to implement a local circular bus. And working with our neighbor and the state to build a public safety training facility. It is important to work together with our surrounding communities and county to find solutions.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
We look very closely at our needs and work hard to plan and balance the budget each year. We are fiscally sound and have high ratings of excellence.
What will you do to expand Cottage Grove’s tax base?
We are continuing to slowly add business in both industry and commercial and also residential.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
We are currently working with businesses and the school district in looking at how we can incorporate the trades into our either our schools or bring a trade school to our immediate area. There has been a lot of conversations happening to work on expanding this opportunity.
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 don’t think we have any services that need to be cut back or eliminated at this time. We are currently contracting out some services such as lawn and snow services to private companies and do look for other opportunities when then present themselves as a viable option.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Cottage Grove?
We are currently working towards having a city staff that reflects our community. I do think this will play a part in fostering minority and women owned businesses in Cottage Grove. We do have a Women in Business segment of our Chamber, this has a strong influence on Women owned businesses. However, currently the city does not have any efforts to foster minority or women owned businesses directly.
What further policies can Cottage Grove adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
We quickly put together a plan for grant money for businesses that qualified. We also quickly made adjustments or accepted conditional permits for outdoor seating for restaurants. We have expanded our grants for Facade Improvements for business who are able to make improvements during this time. Cottage Grove has been in close contact with our businesses to see how we can assist.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Cottage Grove is a great place to live, work and play. We take pride in being a great community for everyone. If re-elected, I look forward to continue with these goals.