Pat Armon
Name: Pat Armon
Public Office Sought: West St. Paul City Council Ward 1
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-457-8214
Website:
Twitter handle:
Facebook page: Pending
Candidate Bio
I am a former member of the West St. Paul City Council and can bring that experience (including learning from mistakes) of how to get things done for the city. My occupation is working with community and economic development for the MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development. I have and will be able to lend those skills to the city. I am a past and present member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, a past member of the Charter Commission, past member of the South Metro Fire Board, and a past member of a former city economic development advisory group.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? (
1) Effective and adequate police, fire and ambulance teams including maintaining the police budget. (2) Developing policies and attitudes for clean and well-maintained city and private buildings, rental housing complexes, businesses, homes, and open spaces. (3) Demanding that the most modern Internet options possible are available to accommodate the current and future needs of businesses, residents, and the growth of at home businesses and workers.
How would you characterize the business climate in West St. Paul and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
I support enhanced engagement with the business community. The city should explore the creation of a committee comprised of diverse businesses (large, small, retail, manufacturing and BIPOC-owned). The committee would provide reports to the council and city staff that outline common issues, concerns, and recommendations. This would allow the council to not only have a pulse on the business climate, but allow the city to adjust in order to help.
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, West St. Paul?
The city’s business base is predominately retail and service orientated. There is little land that has yet to be developed. This dynamic presents the city with mostly redevelopment and repurposing options for business facilities. With the rising costs of fuel and working from home becoming much more prominent, the city should focus on its geographic advantage in being close to it all. Such as being in close proximity to transit options, downtown St. Paul, entertainment venues, the state capitol complex, the St. Paul Airport, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. A litany of retail and food options are within a very short drive for anyone in the city. The city should work with partners to ensure we have the best Internet options possible in order to support businesses and encourage the location of home-based businesses to West St. Paul as that is part of the wave of the future.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
Work with Metro Transit to enhance park and ride options and ensure that the routes along our employers are dependable, safe, and more frequent. Work with area schools to link training and mentoring programs to employers. Promote working while in school as a way to prepare for future employment while earning money. The city has a fair number of retirees to recruit for part time work. This option would seem timely as many retirees have plans that have lost cash. Model plans to assist businesses from city policies that have worked elsewhere.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in West St. Paul (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 West St. Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
These types of issues warrant a thorough and robust discussion where voices from both business and worker interests are balanced. However, that discussion is most appropriate at the state and federal policy levels.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to address public safety issues facing your community?
I support the current police department’s budget and maintaining prosecution policies for sentencing of crimes. As a smaller community, I would like to see the outcome of reform efforts that inner-ring suburban communities of similar sizes and demographics have. Then learn what we can from the results that they see to ensure that the best reform happens here.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community? With the increase in rental structures to an already good supply of rental housing, the time certainly seems right to propose that the city form a committee of renters, landlords and property managers. The committee would offer frequent reports to the council and city staff that contain current issues, concerns, and recommendations. I also support maintaining current rental housing standards and rental density ordinances. We must also proactively hold property-owners accountable for dilapidated structures and property.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
All those who make public policy should realize that today’s transit needs to account for the reality of higher fuel cost for commuters and moving away from many pre-pandemic transit practices when working or doing business from home was much less prevalent than now. The city should work with our legislators, Metro Transit, and the Met Council to refocus how Metro Transit can change to best and efficiently serve us now and in the future rather than using the same tools that are now simply outdated. These changes should start with cleaner bus stops, many more park and ride options being created, riders being able to feel safe on buses and safe at bus stops, and where more bus stops are better prepared for those with mobility issues. The more highly-used lines (such as Route 68) should be more frequent around peak periods. Exploring the use of smaller buses and scaling back lines without frequent use should be employed to help pay for these changes.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Maintain adequate funding for the police department. Target street funds to the streets most in need of reconstruction and repair. Use the city’s Economic Development Authority’s funds in the most modern and efficient ways possible.
What will you do to expand West St. Paul’s tax base?
As previously stated, the city has little bare land for development. This dynamic forces us to concentrate on redevelopment and repurposing current buildings and facilities as strategies to increase the tax base.
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 need to have an open dialogue with the school district and all schools in the city. We need to ensure that the city is doing everything possible to keep students safe. We need to promote as many mentoring, internships, and direct school to work options as possible within the city.
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 was a heavy promoter of sharing services with other communities in order to reduce the tax burden when I was previously on the city council. One idea we were working on was the expansion of the South Metro Fire Department and I brought about quarterly, informal social hours for area elected officials to meet and share ideas. I will evaluate the annual city budget proposals for any waste, duplication with other entities, obsolete items, or ways to do things with less money.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in West St. Paul?
This is a huge opportunity for the city to increase the number of local businesses and building owners. Often times local businesses can be best engaged with the community and many current commercial buildings have absentee landlords. The city can begin by encouraging those already doing business here to grow and expand and show them what tools can be utilized to do so. Successful food trucks and technology enterprises could be recruited to take over some vacant commercial spaces and storefronts. We can attract other businesses by connecting them to financial tools and tutorial opportunities that are available through the state and encourage them to work with the Open to Business program through Dakota County which has done wonderful work with many area businesses.
What further policies can West St. Paul adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Business needs can change in a quick manner and issues can come and go in rapid fashion. As suggested earlier, we need active engagement with the business community and the city needs to be flexible and nimble in order to respond to everchanging issues.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
All businesses need a safe host city to conduct commerce and we need to ensure that happens with a funded police department. All strong communities have a good relationship with its business community. We need to use and access all the resources at our disposal to ensure their success.
Public Office Sought: West St. Paul City Council Ward 1
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-457-8214
Website:
Twitter handle:
Facebook page: Pending
Candidate Bio
I am a former member of the West St. Paul City Council and can bring that experience (including learning from mistakes) of how to get things done for the city. My occupation is working with community and economic development for the MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development. I have and will be able to lend those skills to the city. I am a past and present member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, a past member of the Charter Commission, past member of the South Metro Fire Board, and a past member of a former city economic development advisory group.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? (
1) Effective and adequate police, fire and ambulance teams including maintaining the police budget. (2) Developing policies and attitudes for clean and well-maintained city and private buildings, rental housing complexes, businesses, homes, and open spaces. (3) Demanding that the most modern Internet options possible are available to accommodate the current and future needs of businesses, residents, and the growth of at home businesses and workers.
How would you characterize the business climate in West St. Paul and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
I support enhanced engagement with the business community. The city should explore the creation of a committee comprised of diverse businesses (large, small, retail, manufacturing and BIPOC-owned). The committee would provide reports to the council and city staff that outline common issues, concerns, and recommendations. This would allow the council to not only have a pulse on the business climate, but allow the city to adjust in order to help.
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, West St. Paul?
The city’s business base is predominately retail and service orientated. There is little land that has yet to be developed. This dynamic presents the city with mostly redevelopment and repurposing options for business facilities. With the rising costs of fuel and working from home becoming much more prominent, the city should focus on its geographic advantage in being close to it all. Such as being in close proximity to transit options, downtown St. Paul, entertainment venues, the state capitol complex, the St. Paul Airport, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. A litany of retail and food options are within a very short drive for anyone in the city. The city should work with partners to ensure we have the best Internet options possible in order to support businesses and encourage the location of home-based businesses to West St. Paul as that is part of the wave of the future.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
Work with Metro Transit to enhance park and ride options and ensure that the routes along our employers are dependable, safe, and more frequent. Work with area schools to link training and mentoring programs to employers. Promote working while in school as a way to prepare for future employment while earning money. The city has a fair number of retirees to recruit for part time work. This option would seem timely as many retirees have plans that have lost cash. Model plans to assist businesses from city policies that have worked elsewhere.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in West St. Paul (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 West St. Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
These types of issues warrant a thorough and robust discussion where voices from both business and worker interests are balanced. However, that discussion is most appropriate at the state and federal policy levels.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to address public safety issues facing your community?
I support the current police department’s budget and maintaining prosecution policies for sentencing of crimes. As a smaller community, I would like to see the outcome of reform efforts that inner-ring suburban communities of similar sizes and demographics have. Then learn what we can from the results that they see to ensure that the best reform happens here.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community? With the increase in rental structures to an already good supply of rental housing, the time certainly seems right to propose that the city form a committee of renters, landlords and property managers. The committee would offer frequent reports to the council and city staff that contain current issues, concerns, and recommendations. I also support maintaining current rental housing standards and rental density ordinances. We must also proactively hold property-owners accountable for dilapidated structures and property.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
All those who make public policy should realize that today’s transit needs to account for the reality of higher fuel cost for commuters and moving away from many pre-pandemic transit practices when working or doing business from home was much less prevalent than now. The city should work with our legislators, Metro Transit, and the Met Council to refocus how Metro Transit can change to best and efficiently serve us now and in the future rather than using the same tools that are now simply outdated. These changes should start with cleaner bus stops, many more park and ride options being created, riders being able to feel safe on buses and safe at bus stops, and where more bus stops are better prepared for those with mobility issues. The more highly-used lines (such as Route 68) should be more frequent around peak periods. Exploring the use of smaller buses and scaling back lines without frequent use should be employed to help pay for these changes.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Maintain adequate funding for the police department. Target street funds to the streets most in need of reconstruction and repair. Use the city’s Economic Development Authority’s funds in the most modern and efficient ways possible.
What will you do to expand West St. Paul’s tax base?
As previously stated, the city has little bare land for development. This dynamic forces us to concentrate on redevelopment and repurposing current buildings and facilities as strategies to increase the tax base.
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 need to have an open dialogue with the school district and all schools in the city. We need to ensure that the city is doing everything possible to keep students safe. We need to promote as many mentoring, internships, and direct school to work options as possible within the city.
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 was a heavy promoter of sharing services with other communities in order to reduce the tax burden when I was previously on the city council. One idea we were working on was the expansion of the South Metro Fire Department and I brought about quarterly, informal social hours for area elected officials to meet and share ideas. I will evaluate the annual city budget proposals for any waste, duplication with other entities, obsolete items, or ways to do things with less money.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in West St. Paul?
This is a huge opportunity for the city to increase the number of local businesses and building owners. Often times local businesses can be best engaged with the community and many current commercial buildings have absentee landlords. The city can begin by encouraging those already doing business here to grow and expand and show them what tools can be utilized to do so. Successful food trucks and technology enterprises could be recruited to take over some vacant commercial spaces and storefronts. We can attract other businesses by connecting them to financial tools and tutorial opportunities that are available through the state and encourage them to work with the Open to Business program through Dakota County which has done wonderful work with many area businesses.
What further policies can West St. Paul adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Business needs can change in a quick manner and issues can come and go in rapid fashion. As suggested earlier, we need active engagement with the business community and the city needs to be flexible and nimble in order to respond to everchanging issues.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
All businesses need a safe host city to conduct commerce and we need to ensure that happens with a funded police department. All strong communities have a good relationship with its business community. We need to use and access all the resources at our disposal to ensure their success.