Michael Arcand
Name: Michael Arcand
Public Office Sought: Falcon Heights City Council
Campaign Phone: 651-246-6077
Campaign Website: arcandforfhcouncil.com
Twitter Handle:
Facebook: Mike Arcand
Candidate Bio
Born in 1963, raised in Roseville, graduated from Kellogg High School. My wife, Lisa, and I have been married for 27 years and have 2 boys and 4 grandkids. I coached youth sports from 1999 -2008 and just retired from coaching football after 7 years at Roseville Area Middle School. Proudly served as volunteer Fire Fighter for The City of Falcon Heights for 13 years where I also spent 2 years as the Fire Marshal.
Being part of such a special population that resides in Falcon Heights is what makes this city great. I would like to see this continue with more Community involvement and transparency then we experience now. I would aim to make that happen.
I have been self-employed since 1996. I understand fiscal responsibility, deadlines, and an “always do a little more than expected” mentality. I plan to bring this energy to the Council and be available to my neighbors who have concerns about City issues.
We are a small city based in the middle of a major metropolitan area. Falcon Heights faces unique challenges, if we want to keep our autonomy, we need strong leadership and voices from all.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
1. Community involvement in civic decisions
2. Transparency of information to community
3. Fiscal responsibility of city funds
How would you characterize the business climate in Falcon Heights and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
We are a small city in the middle of a major urban environment. Businesses have a role in our community, but I believe it’s the neighbors and the community that dictate our quality of life.
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, Falcon Heights?
The best thing our city can do is create the kind of neighborhood a business would want to move into. We have 3 Avenues that can support business. Most people live in Falcon Heights, not work here. By focusing on my priorities, we will be building the type of safe, respectful community that will attract and keep existing businesses.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Falcon Heights (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 Falcon Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
As a small city, I don’t believe it is our role to regulate this type of legislation. Initiatives of this sort should be implemented at the State and Federal Level.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
My strategy would be to increase involvement which would lead to open discussions regarding these important decisions.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Public Safety consumes the majority of our budget, we should look to procure the best value of these services for the safety of the community.
What will you do to expand Falcon Heights’ tax base?
As we are a fully developed community with a large percentage of our area owned by the State and the U of M our opportunities are limited. I will focus on fiscal management to ensure the taxes that are levied are used wisely.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
I would be happy to engage with our local school district regarding what our council can do to help with any issues.
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?
Falcon Heights has already outsourced many services. If we wish to remain an independent City with local control our opportunity for further reductions may be limited.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Falcon Heights?
It is the role of the Council to set a level playing field for all prospective business owners. It is also critical the actions of our Council members reflect our values to demonstrate our commitment to minority and women owned business owners.
What further policies can Falcon Heights adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I want to create an environment in our neighborhoods that promote civic pride and community togetherness. We can reach that goal by encouraging our citizens to Shop Local!
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
From my experience, our city, has been ran like an autocratic state not a democracy for years. This needs to change! The Citizens who want to show up and voice their opinions should be given a fair chance to let their voice be heard and listened to!
Public Office Sought: Falcon Heights City Council
Campaign Phone: 651-246-6077
Campaign Website: arcandforfhcouncil.com
Twitter Handle:
Facebook: Mike Arcand
Candidate Bio
Born in 1963, raised in Roseville, graduated from Kellogg High School. My wife, Lisa, and I have been married for 27 years and have 2 boys and 4 grandkids. I coached youth sports from 1999 -2008 and just retired from coaching football after 7 years at Roseville Area Middle School. Proudly served as volunteer Fire Fighter for The City of Falcon Heights for 13 years where I also spent 2 years as the Fire Marshal.
Being part of such a special population that resides in Falcon Heights is what makes this city great. I would like to see this continue with more Community involvement and transparency then we experience now. I would aim to make that happen.
I have been self-employed since 1996. I understand fiscal responsibility, deadlines, and an “always do a little more than expected” mentality. I plan to bring this energy to the Council and be available to my neighbors who have concerns about City issues.
We are a small city based in the middle of a major metropolitan area. Falcon Heights faces unique challenges, if we want to keep our autonomy, we need strong leadership and voices from all.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
1. Community involvement in civic decisions
2. Transparency of information to community
3. Fiscal responsibility of city funds
How would you characterize the business climate in Falcon Heights and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
We are a small city in the middle of a major urban environment. Businesses have a role in our community, but I believe it’s the neighbors and the community that dictate our quality of life.
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, Falcon Heights?
The best thing our city can do is create the kind of neighborhood a business would want to move into. We have 3 Avenues that can support business. Most people live in Falcon Heights, not work here. By focusing on my priorities, we will be building the type of safe, respectful community that will attract and keep existing businesses.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Falcon Heights (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 Falcon Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
As a small city, I don’t believe it is our role to regulate this type of legislation. Initiatives of this sort should be implemented at the State and Federal Level.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
My strategy would be to increase involvement which would lead to open discussions regarding these important decisions.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Public Safety consumes the majority of our budget, we should look to procure the best value of these services for the safety of the community.
What will you do to expand Falcon Heights’ tax base?
As we are a fully developed community with a large percentage of our area owned by the State and the U of M our opportunities are limited. I will focus on fiscal management to ensure the taxes that are levied are used wisely.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
I would be happy to engage with our local school district regarding what our council can do to help with any issues.
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?
Falcon Heights has already outsourced many services. If we wish to remain an independent City with local control our opportunity for further reductions may be limited.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Falcon Heights?
It is the role of the Council to set a level playing field for all prospective business owners. It is also critical the actions of our Council members reflect our values to demonstrate our commitment to minority and women owned business owners.
What further policies can Falcon Heights adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I want to create an environment in our neighborhoods that promote civic pride and community togetherness. We can reach that goal by encouraging our citizens to Shop Local!
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
From my experience, our city, has been ran like an autocratic state not a democracy for years. This needs to change! The Citizens who want to show up and voice their opinions should be given a fair chance to let their voice be heard and listened to!