Laurie Elliott
Name: Laurie Elliott
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone:
Campaign Website:
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Candidate Bio
I’ve had the honor of serving as Newport’s Mayor for the past four years and prior to this role, served on the City Council, Planning Commission and two League of Minnesota Cities policy committees. With over 25 years of experience working full-time in several Minnesota cities, I bring an excellent understanding of local government operations including valuable insights on city services and challenges. My education includes a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration. Newport has been my home for over 30 years.
Several things have been accomplished during my first term as Mayor.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I have a collaborative leadership style. I’m level-headed, a thoughtful decision-maker, and use my strong analytical and organizational skills to tackle the tough problems. Working together to find creative solutions is the best way to continue to move Newport forward.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
1) Fiscal Responsibility
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Newport?
Our biggest challenge is we’re a small city with big city issues and a small tax base. We work hard applying for grants, advocating for state and federal funding, seeking business support, and working with our elected officials to stretch our budget and get the most value from our tax dollars.
Our biggest opportunity is with economic development. We’ve been laying the groundwork and will continue to focus on initiatives that support economic growth. These include creating a robust a park system, trail improvements, code enforcement, and an updated zoning code. All of these efforts serve to make us more attractive to businesses and developers. As we move closer to completion of these efforts, we will focus on improving our communication tools and engage in proactive business recruiting and retention.
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?
Newport has approved multiple housing projects which expands the local workforce for our businesses. We rely on Washington County to provide workforce development services and the school district for education needs.
Most would probably say the 2023-2024 legislative results were mixed. There were several tax increases and workplace mandates approved that will be challenging to implement, particularly for small business. On the positive side, infrastructure funding for transportation and investments in education will have a lasting impact that should benefit businesses in the long run.
How would you characterize the business climate in Newport and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Newport?
Similar to our biggest opportunity above, keeping existing businesses and bringing in new businesses to the community broadens our tax base and brings services and jobs closer to our residents. The City has had some recent commercial and residential success stories and this points to Newport’s healthy business climate. Our role in supporting business is to have a variety of housing options for their employees, to have amenities that attract a workforce such as a strong park system, to apply for business financial assistance (for items such as environmental analysis and clean-up), and other programs that help attract customers such as our façade improvement program. We’ll continue to place a high priority on improving our business environment, retaining and growing our key businesses and attracting new businesses to our community.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Lack of proper facilities was one of our biggest public safety challenges, which was addressed with the new city hall and public safety building. Our services have been brought into the modern age with technology improvements, expanded work and equipment space, and health and safety enhancements. A dedicated training space was added for our fire crew.
Two important challenges law enforcement faces are illegal drug use and domestic violence. We’re looking to add another deputy to our current staffing level in 2025 if grant funding is approved. We continue to have open communication between the City and Washington County to jointly to address public safety matters.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
We already have a large number of affordable housing units and exceed the affordability goals established for our community by the Metropolitan Council. We approved smaller lot sizes a few years ago creating opportunities for smaller and more affordable housing. An additional apartment building is being constructed on Maxwell Avenue which will provide 51 more units of supported housing.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
The Metropolitan Council recently released a concept plan that would add bus service from Newport’s transit site to the Woodlane Station in Woodbury (which will connect with the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit service when completed) and the airport – Terminal 1 (which connects to the Light Rail Blue Line). They will be taking public comments on the plan soon. Final service needs, stops and/or changes to the existing routes are yet to be determined.
A trail connection to the Mississippi River trail was completed last year, and we are in the process of developing a trail system plan which will prioritize trail segments and expand connections throughout the City.
Both of these are the result of long-term behind the scenes work that enhances our community, supports businesses, and helps our residents.
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?
Newport used COVID relief dollars for qualifying one-time expenditures such as equipment replacement, rather than for ongoing operational needs. We do not expect the end of these funds to affect our property tax levy.
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?
As a small city we focus our efforts on fundamental city issues such as water, sewer, streets and other infrastructure; parks; economic growth and development; and land use and zoning, as some examples. Most businesses in Newport are small operations and mandatory regulations are especially burdensome to these owners, both through the added monetary cost and the time for administrative tracking/reporting. Newport does not need to create employment-related regulations for businesses.
Smaller cities should lead in maintaining and expanding local control because local government is in the best position to understand the effect of broad policy changes approved at higher levels of government.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone:
Campaign Website:
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
I’ve had the honor of serving as Newport’s Mayor for the past four years and prior to this role, served on the City Council, Planning Commission and two League of Minnesota Cities policy committees. With over 25 years of experience working full-time in several Minnesota cities, I bring an excellent understanding of local government operations including valuable insights on city services and challenges. My education includes a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration. Newport has been my home for over 30 years.
Several things have been accomplished during my first term as Mayor.
- A new city hall and public safety building which has a life expectancy of 100 years.
- Working with the 3M Settlement Trustees to assure clean drinking water in Newport following the PFAS contamination issues discovered in the east metro.
- Tackling our inflow and infiltration concerns which allows rainwater into the sewer system and increases utility costs.
- Updating two playgrounds and our ice rink.
- Adding an off-road trail extension connecting Newport to the Mississippi River Trail.
- A dog park scheduled to open later this year.
- A corridor study for Hastings and 7th Avenues laying the groundwork for our economic development efforts.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I have a collaborative leadership style. I’m level-headed, a thoughtful decision-maker, and use my strong analytical and organizational skills to tackle the tough problems. Working together to find creative solutions is the best way to continue to move Newport forward.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
1) Fiscal Responsibility
- Maintain a reasonable tax rate
- Maximize value for our tax dollars
- Continued use of contracting for services to save money (engineering, city planning, police, recreation programs, and other services)
- Finalize and implement a solution for PFAS contamination in the groundwater supply
- Continue our aggressive pursuit of outside funding assistance for Inflow and Infiltrations issues in Newport
- Consistent code enforcement
- Bring new businesses and housing into the community
- Increases tax base
- Increases support of businesses in the community
- Increases water and sewer revenues
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Newport?
Our biggest challenge is we’re a small city with big city issues and a small tax base. We work hard applying for grants, advocating for state and federal funding, seeking business support, and working with our elected officials to stretch our budget and get the most value from our tax dollars.
Our biggest opportunity is with economic development. We’ve been laying the groundwork and will continue to focus on initiatives that support economic growth. These include creating a robust a park system, trail improvements, code enforcement, and an updated zoning code. All of these efforts serve to make us more attractive to businesses and developers. As we move closer to completion of these efforts, we will focus on improving our communication tools and engage in proactive business recruiting and retention.
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?
Newport has approved multiple housing projects which expands the local workforce for our businesses. We rely on Washington County to provide workforce development services and the school district for education needs.
Most would probably say the 2023-2024 legislative results were mixed. There were several tax increases and workplace mandates approved that will be challenging to implement, particularly for small business. On the positive side, infrastructure funding for transportation and investments in education will have a lasting impact that should benefit businesses in the long run.
How would you characterize the business climate in Newport and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Newport?
Similar to our biggest opportunity above, keeping existing businesses and bringing in new businesses to the community broadens our tax base and brings services and jobs closer to our residents. The City has had some recent commercial and residential success stories and this points to Newport’s healthy business climate. Our role in supporting business is to have a variety of housing options for their employees, to have amenities that attract a workforce such as a strong park system, to apply for business financial assistance (for items such as environmental analysis and clean-up), and other programs that help attract customers such as our façade improvement program. We’ll continue to place a high priority on improving our business environment, retaining and growing our key businesses and attracting new businesses to our community.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Lack of proper facilities was one of our biggest public safety challenges, which was addressed with the new city hall and public safety building. Our services have been brought into the modern age with technology improvements, expanded work and equipment space, and health and safety enhancements. A dedicated training space was added for our fire crew.
Two important challenges law enforcement faces are illegal drug use and domestic violence. We’re looking to add another deputy to our current staffing level in 2025 if grant funding is approved. We continue to have open communication between the City and Washington County to jointly to address public safety matters.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
We already have a large number of affordable housing units and exceed the affordability goals established for our community by the Metropolitan Council. We approved smaller lot sizes a few years ago creating opportunities for smaller and more affordable housing. An additional apartment building is being constructed on Maxwell Avenue which will provide 51 more units of supported housing.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
The Metropolitan Council recently released a concept plan that would add bus service from Newport’s transit site to the Woodlane Station in Woodbury (which will connect with the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit service when completed) and the airport – Terminal 1 (which connects to the Light Rail Blue Line). They will be taking public comments on the plan soon. Final service needs, stops and/or changes to the existing routes are yet to be determined.
A trail connection to the Mississippi River trail was completed last year, and we are in the process of developing a trail system plan which will prioritize trail segments and expand connections throughout the City.
Both of these are the result of long-term behind the scenes work that enhances our community, supports businesses, and helps our residents.
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?
Newport used COVID relief dollars for qualifying one-time expenditures such as equipment replacement, rather than for ongoing operational needs. We do not expect the end of these funds to affect our property tax levy.
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?
As a small city we focus our efforts on fundamental city issues such as water, sewer, streets and other infrastructure; parks; economic growth and development; and land use and zoning, as some examples. Most businesses in Newport are small operations and mandatory regulations are especially burdensome to these owners, both through the added monetary cost and the time for administrative tracking/reporting. Newport does not need to create employment-related regulations for businesses.
Smaller cities should lead in maintaining and expanding local control because local government is in the best position to understand the effect of broad policy changes approved at higher levels of government.