Margaret (Meg) Sletten Behrens
Name: Margaret (Meg) Sletten Behrens
Public Office Sought: Maplewood Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-484-9611
Website: http://margaretbehrensformaplewoodmayor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargaretBehrensforMaplewoodMayor
Candidate Bio
I served as a two-term president and two terms as vice president and member of the board of the of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments. I served as a three-term elected official to the Minnesota State office of the Ramsey Conservation District. I was appointed by the Maplewood City council to serve on the first official Environmental and Natural Resources Commission for Maplewood. I was appointed by the Maplewood City council to serve on the Maplewood Parks Priority Task Force. I have served on a variety of panels, commissions, tasks forces and boards throughout my career. I have studied and been certified in Development and Planning, The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life. I am a certified Business manager. I am a Notary and have paralegal certifications. I am a Program Counselor and work with people with disabilities. You may find more detailed information on my experience on my website listed above.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
How would you characterize the business climate in Maplewood and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The business district in Maplewood has been in steep decline for many years. Our city is blighted. It is dirty and unkept. Our business district is virtually deserted. Crime is escalating and businesses are shutting their doors in moving to other cities. Businesses are the foundation of our economy and tax base in our city. We must revitalize our business district to support the overwhelming amount of housing we have in this city. We need to bring in more businesses to support the demand for living wages and sustainable jobs. We need more businesses to lessen the tax burden on our citizens. We need more businesses by women and people of color. We need diversity in commerce. We must rebuild our business district.
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, Maplewood?
The city must lead by example. We must clean up our blighted city. We must get tough on escalating crime. We must stop the misuse of TIF to lure developers to our city to build and run. We must stop trying to be real estate agency and stop buying properties. We have great debt and the taxpayers are not a bank. Our business district is failing because our city is in steep decline due to poor planning, escalating crime, abusive/harassing tactics by some council members. We must elect a new council so we can get businesses into our city. We have no diversity in our businesses. We need more businesses of color, women owned businesses, young businesses, tech businesses and family friendly businesses and others. All of which I have been talking with for years and are willing to consider our city with a new council in place. We must get politics out of city hall. The infrastructure has been limited in and around our business district and has forced some businesses out of the city. This will need to be addressed. Access to businesses is critical for their success.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Maplewood (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 Maplewood and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
This is another negative issue our businesses are talking about. The city council is harassing, abusive and rude when businesses come to the council. This council is dictating how businesses should run their business down to how they should sell food and drinks and how to run their services staff. That is not the role of city councils or city staff. Businesses know how to run their businesses. They only need to deal with legal requirements with city hall. Not their business plans, staffing schedules, policies, or menus. As a long time, business manager and years of business and community representation. I have met with many of the businesses and have build a great network. We can get positive changes in our business district.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
I will be addressing the escalating crime in our city. Currently, we have more than sufficient housing in relationship to opportunities for employment. We must work to get our city under control and affordable so people will want a come tour city to make their homes and businesses here. We have an extensive bus route system. The ridership is not fully utilized or consistent to warrant any changes. Our transportation availability in our city declined since metro transit change their bus routes from the east side of the Maplewood mall to the bus parking ramp that they tore down our Maplewood 2 movie theater to build.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
I will start with an independent audit. A in depth financial review and audit of expenses and administrative salaries vs. services. We must cut all the wasteful spending. Our city should not be in increasing debt and should not be cutting essential services while increasing the debt. That’s wrong.
What will you do to expand Maplewood’s tax base?
Bring in new businesses and clean up our city to attract more families to our city. Address the escalating crime and make our city more family friendly. I am working on fresh plans with new ideas for opportunities for employment, volunteerism, and mentorships. Making our city a destination city centered around a clean and positive environment is key to positive changes. We need to balance our businesses. Mixed use development is not successful unless it is truly mixed. We have more than ample Health Care in the north end of our city. We need businesses where people can shop and work to make that area sustainable. Currently it is not sustainable.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
As a two-term president of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments. I have worked with all education outlets in and around Ramsey County. In my plans for mayor I have created several new commissions. One of which is for educational opportunities in partnership with mentorships programs and workforce programs. As the vice chair of the Minnesota Math and Science Academy Charter school it was critical to form partnerships in the community to ensure sustainable opportunities for everyone.
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?
When elected mayor I plan on implementing several new commissions. Throughout my career I am built a network of partnerships which are important to cover all the bases necessary to meet the needs of the clients or taxpayers. Having a joint powers agreement with Ramsey County will need to be reviewed as well. The infrastructure throughout our city that has shared responsibility for maintenance has been neglected for years. The cuts to our emergency and essential services will be reviewed for possible action.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Maplewood?
I have already gone over this previously regarding our business district. We need to be welcoming and engaged in bringing women-owned businesses to our city. We need more businesses of color in our city. I am eager to implement my plans for a international market square in the Maplewood mall area of our business district. This is a great opportunity and will create interest as the destination for visitors to come to our city.
What further policies can Maplewood adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Following the CDC guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic is what is important. We need to make sure people are going to be safe in our business community. Just like we need to help our business district recover from escalating crime and neglected infrastructure and blighted properties and unkept properties. We need to provide an atmosphere conducive to positive growth and development.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I would like the voters to know that I have been in this city 57 years. I have seen the best in the worst in this city. I have always served my community. I have been a public servant my entire adult life. We must protect our Parks and recreation assets in our city. I served on the city of Maplewood’s first official Environmental and Natural Resources Commission. I was appointed by the Maplewood City council to serve on the Maplewood Parks priority task force. I was elected to three terms to the Minnesota State office of the Ramsey Conservation District. Environmental issues are extremely important to me. I am dedicated to protecting our natural resources and our open space as well as all our Parks preserves and our nature center. I have served on a variety of panels, commissions, tasks forces and boards throughout my career. I have studied and been certified in Development and Planning, The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life. I am also a certified Business manager. I am a Notary and have paralegal certifications. I am a Program Counselor and work with people with disabilities. As part of my mission to provide all-inclusive opportunities to people. I will be working to get our community center will be reorganized and reestablished to meet the needs of the taxpayers who fund it. It will be affordable and accessible to everyone regardless of age or ability. There will be programs to meet the needs of everyone. We need to sure that everyone is able to enjoy and participate in all activities in our city for better health and wellness.
Public Office Sought: Maplewood Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-484-9611
Website: http://margaretbehrensformaplewoodmayor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargaretBehrensforMaplewoodMayor
Candidate Bio
I served as a two-term president and two terms as vice president and member of the board of the of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments. I served as a three-term elected official to the Minnesota State office of the Ramsey Conservation District. I was appointed by the Maplewood City council to serve on the first official Environmental and Natural Resources Commission for Maplewood. I was appointed by the Maplewood City council to serve on the Maplewood Parks Priority Task Force. I have served on a variety of panels, commissions, tasks forces and boards throughout my career. I have studied and been certified in Development and Planning, The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life. I am a certified Business manager. I am a Notary and have paralegal certifications. I am a Program Counselor and work with people with disabilities. You may find more detailed information on my experience on my website listed above.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- Audit the books and get spending under control. Our city should not have the incredible debt issues that we have especially with all the drastic cuts to services that we have suffered and with the state of our city being in steep decline.
- I will work to revitalize and enhance our business district. As I meet with management companies and business owners and employees. We have great ideas to get a positive change in our economy so our community can work, grow, sustain a positive environment for a thriving business district. We will be able to shop locally instead of traveling outside of our city for necessities and other commerce related things.
- I will immediately be addressing the escalating crime issues by being proactive instead of reactive. I have years of business management and community representation as well as certification in urban development and sustainability. I have experience in law enforcement and training in the necessity and used of lethal force. I have done ride a longs and FATS Training simulations. I have worked with all area law enforcement for many years.
How would you characterize the business climate in Maplewood and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The business district in Maplewood has been in steep decline for many years. Our city is blighted. It is dirty and unkept. Our business district is virtually deserted. Crime is escalating and businesses are shutting their doors in moving to other cities. Businesses are the foundation of our economy and tax base in our city. We must revitalize our business district to support the overwhelming amount of housing we have in this city. We need to bring in more businesses to support the demand for living wages and sustainable jobs. We need more businesses to lessen the tax burden on our citizens. We need more businesses by women and people of color. We need diversity in commerce. We must rebuild our business district.
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, Maplewood?
The city must lead by example. We must clean up our blighted city. We must get tough on escalating crime. We must stop the misuse of TIF to lure developers to our city to build and run. We must stop trying to be real estate agency and stop buying properties. We have great debt and the taxpayers are not a bank. Our business district is failing because our city is in steep decline due to poor planning, escalating crime, abusive/harassing tactics by some council members. We must elect a new council so we can get businesses into our city. We have no diversity in our businesses. We need more businesses of color, women owned businesses, young businesses, tech businesses and family friendly businesses and others. All of which I have been talking with for years and are willing to consider our city with a new council in place. We must get politics out of city hall. The infrastructure has been limited in and around our business district and has forced some businesses out of the city. This will need to be addressed. Access to businesses is critical for their success.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Maplewood (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 Maplewood and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
This is another negative issue our businesses are talking about. The city council is harassing, abusive and rude when businesses come to the council. This council is dictating how businesses should run their business down to how they should sell food and drinks and how to run their services staff. That is not the role of city councils or city staff. Businesses know how to run their businesses. They only need to deal with legal requirements with city hall. Not their business plans, staffing schedules, policies, or menus. As a long time, business manager and years of business and community representation. I have met with many of the businesses and have build a great network. We can get positive changes in our business district.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
I will be addressing the escalating crime in our city. Currently, we have more than sufficient housing in relationship to opportunities for employment. We must work to get our city under control and affordable so people will want a come tour city to make their homes and businesses here. We have an extensive bus route system. The ridership is not fully utilized or consistent to warrant any changes. Our transportation availability in our city declined since metro transit change their bus routes from the east side of the Maplewood mall to the bus parking ramp that they tore down our Maplewood 2 movie theater to build.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
I will start with an independent audit. A in depth financial review and audit of expenses and administrative salaries vs. services. We must cut all the wasteful spending. Our city should not be in increasing debt and should not be cutting essential services while increasing the debt. That’s wrong.
What will you do to expand Maplewood’s tax base?
Bring in new businesses and clean up our city to attract more families to our city. Address the escalating crime and make our city more family friendly. I am working on fresh plans with new ideas for opportunities for employment, volunteerism, and mentorships. Making our city a destination city centered around a clean and positive environment is key to positive changes. We need to balance our businesses. Mixed use development is not successful unless it is truly mixed. We have more than ample Health Care in the north end of our city. We need businesses where people can shop and work to make that area sustainable. Currently it is not sustainable.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
As a two-term president of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments. I have worked with all education outlets in and around Ramsey County. In my plans for mayor I have created several new commissions. One of which is for educational opportunities in partnership with mentorships programs and workforce programs. As the vice chair of the Minnesota Math and Science Academy Charter school it was critical to form partnerships in the community to ensure sustainable opportunities for everyone.
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?
When elected mayor I plan on implementing several new commissions. Throughout my career I am built a network of partnerships which are important to cover all the bases necessary to meet the needs of the clients or taxpayers. Having a joint powers agreement with Ramsey County will need to be reviewed as well. The infrastructure throughout our city that has shared responsibility for maintenance has been neglected for years. The cuts to our emergency and essential services will be reviewed for possible action.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Maplewood?
I have already gone over this previously regarding our business district. We need to be welcoming and engaged in bringing women-owned businesses to our city. We need more businesses of color in our city. I am eager to implement my plans for a international market square in the Maplewood mall area of our business district. This is a great opportunity and will create interest as the destination for visitors to come to our city.
What further policies can Maplewood adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Following the CDC guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic is what is important. We need to make sure people are going to be safe in our business community. Just like we need to help our business district recover from escalating crime and neglected infrastructure and blighted properties and unkept properties. We need to provide an atmosphere conducive to positive growth and development.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I would like the voters to know that I have been in this city 57 years. I have seen the best in the worst in this city. I have always served my community. I have been a public servant my entire adult life. We must protect our Parks and recreation assets in our city. I served on the city of Maplewood’s first official Environmental and Natural Resources Commission. I was appointed by the Maplewood City council to serve on the Maplewood Parks priority task force. I was elected to three terms to the Minnesota State office of the Ramsey Conservation District. Environmental issues are extremely important to me. I am dedicated to protecting our natural resources and our open space as well as all our Parks preserves and our nature center. I have served on a variety of panels, commissions, tasks forces and boards throughout my career. I have studied and been certified in Development and Planning, The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life. I am also a certified Business manager. I am a Notary and have paralegal certifications. I am a Program Counselor and work with people with disabilities. As part of my mission to provide all-inclusive opportunities to people. I will be working to get our community center will be reorganized and reestablished to meet the needs of the taxpayers who fund it. It will be affordable and accessible to everyone regardless of age or ability. There will be programs to meet the needs of everyone. We need to sure that everyone is able to enjoy and participate in all activities in our city for better health and wellness.