Richard Henderson
Name: Richard Henderson
Public Office Sought: Lakeville City Council
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 952-456-0058
Campaign Website: https://VoteRichardHenderson.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/voterichardhenderson
Candidate Bio
I am an independent political outsider, funded by no special interests. I’ll do what is right for Lakeville, and not what a special interest might pull strings on. With my military leadership experience (retired U.S. Navy Captain); technical background (licensed civil engineer); MBA and local business owner experience, I offer a unique set of skills and perspectives that I believe qualify me for City Council.
As a senior military officer that led 8 separate commands, I have been accountable for leading the broadest range of decision-making groups. And to always make decisions in the best interests of “my Unit.” Drilled with a leaders’ 3 principals: Authority, Responsibility, Accountability! This will transfer well to city council leadership, to reach consensus among wide ranges of stakeholders. I am actively involved with community organizations such as the Rotary Club, Veterans of Foreign War, and Chamber of Commerce.
My 5 children all graduated from Lakeville public schools, and I’m hoping that they will want to return to Lakeville to raise their families. I have good ideas and a vision to manage Lakeville’s growth, improve economic development, and keep Lakeville “family-Friendly” with a strong sense of community and safety. Thank You!
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Balanced growth: As Lakeville pushes to soon be over 75,000 people, balance the demands of multiple stakeholders (businesses, families, homeowners, seniors, city gov’t, infrastructure, etc.) to achieve SUSTAINABLE quality growth; where we continue to grow but maintain Lakeville’s “small town” flavor. Push for quality economic development with a “business-friendly” attitude and a greater diversity of businesses. Increase percent of jobs filled by Lakeville residents. Support “Downtown Lakeville” development.
Family-Friendly & Sense of Community: Provide resources to improve infrastructure and parks, increase inter-connectivity of city, support youth sports, and promote community ties. Build on the “Envision Lakeville” roadmap to improve Lakeville’s sense of community and connectivity as the city grows, expands, and gets more diverse. Support diverse housing options to fit every stage of life, from the new home buyer to a retiree who wants to downsize. Invest in community development that ultimately pays off in higher property values.
Safety-Friendly: Work to keep Lakeville one of the safest communities in Minnesota. This challenge will increase as Lakeville grows to be one of the larger cities in the metro area, with increasing densities. Be sensitive to the needs of a fire department staffed primarily by volunteers. Support the recently proposed public safety training facility. Through community outreach, work to improve citizen’s sense of well-being and personal safety. Overall, public safety must always be the highest priority of government.
How would you characterize the business climate in Lakeville and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The business climate is generally good in Lakeville with high demand, as Lakeville has its strong points of strong residential growth, rising business permits, location and accessibility to the I-35 corridor, an industrial park, rail spur, and expanding airport. Lakeville’s business climate is greatly fostered by integration with community support such as the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Bureau, Rotary Club, Lions Club, and 360 Communities. Businesses are critical to supporting quality of life issues for three most important reasons: 1. Generate tax revenue for the city’s general fund (that takes pressure off property tax levies). 2. Provide employment opportunities for Lakeville residents, to reduce the numbers of residents who have to commute out of Lakeville. 3. Local businesses provide convenient access to services, shopping, and entertainment.
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, Lakeville?
As in the military, leadership sets the tone for the climate in the city. City leaders set the culture that “Lakeville is open for business.” The City should work closely with the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism bureau, economic development commission, and Open To Business to attract/retain both jobs and businesses. Support a business expansion program that integrates in a “business cluster” strategy for net new businesses. Form a “Tiger Team” to work with a specific large business interested in moving to Lakeville, to customize a city outreach plan. Aggressively outreach to existing businesses to stay ahead of their expansion plans, and work to proactively address issues that might lead the business to re-locate elsewhere. In coordination with the City’s 2020-2023 Economic Development plan, work to increase the diversity of the industrial base and that existing job opportunities match skills availability.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
For more entry-level jobs, work closely with high schools and trade schools to improve preparation for local job openings, to include mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities. Building these relations during school years will be critical to keeping new workers in Lakeville. Focus on providing a good diversity of housing that will offer lower cost options so that folks can afford to live and work in Lakeville, on a working-class salary. Keep connections strong with community groups, such as the Chamber of Commerce’s “Lakeville Works” program, to communicate Lakeville job availabilities and get out in front of future job openings.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Lakeville (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 Lakeville and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I would support reasonable city ordinances/regulations that protect the safety and rights of employees. Before any new ordinance is implemented, I would ensure there is responsible outreach to the Chamber/business community for an impact analysis. On a case-by-case basis, provide exceptions if the burden is significant in either putting the business at risk or that costs of compliance are not reasonable; particularly for smaller businesses.
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?
In the military, we focused on building what we called “defense in depth.” We can apply this principle to public safety, where its role is to build “safety in depth” in our city. It’s more than just police patrols and fire prevention. Lakeville’s Public safety role should continue to be a lynch pin that connects into the city-at-large for greater security, safety awareness, and sense of well-being. This role includes mental health outreach, domestic abuse intervention, citizen police academies, water safety, code adherence, reserves and volunteers, and - most importantly - aggressive liaison with community outreach organizations such as the Public Safety Foundation. A broad “safety tapestry” that goes deep into the community.
Due to the city’s growth and risks that on-board staffing levels could decline, work closely with public safety leadership to proactively identify and fill job openings. Lakeville’s public safety is expertly led, and I would leverage that professionalism to identify/address any gaps in public safety and input into the annual budgeting process - before they become problems. To improve overall community sense of safety and well-being, work to improve community inputs on their specific issues with public safety. Monitor changes in personnel retention rates, as that is a leading-edge indicator on problems, particularly for new volunteers. Re-start the Citizens Academy in 2023.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
The primary issues with housing relate to affordability of housing; and increasing the diversity of housing options for all different price points, so that people can afford to live in Lakeville throughout their life. There are gaps in meeting the needs for everyone who wants to live and work here. Less than 10 percent of housing units are affordable to households with income 30% to 50% Area Medium Income. There is greater demand than supply for senior housing. Affordability also makes it difficult for local employers to fill job vacancies. Natural Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) currently meets significant demands for affordability, with Lakeville’s decentralized development. I would look for way to Increase sources of NOAH preservation financing. To bolster NOAH housing stocks, provide maintenance assistance for low-income homeowners and incentives for maintenance of older more affordable housing stocks.
Review potentials for limited higher density design in zoning areas designated for Corridor Mixed Use Development. Prioritize the building of more housing to serve Lakeville’s growing senior population. Track trends in building permits for the relative numbers of homes, town homes, and apartments; to address housing diversity. Per Lakeville’s 2040 Land Use Plan, we can adapt city policies to encourage more development of a very small amount of acreage for higher density developments. And per this plan, avoid concentrating higher-density housing in certain areas of Lakeville not compatible. These changes would improve access to affordable housing and would have negligible impact on Lakeville’s housing character; and keeps the private sector leading in the solutions.
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?
I’m a licensed civil engineer who used to work in transportation. I understand the issues related to transportation. First, transportation road networks, particularly primary arteries, must keep pace with development, particularly for new larger businesses. This requires close integration with the County and state transportation agencies for planning capital improvements (i.e., Dakota County Capital Improvements plan for I-35: mobility improvements/MnPASS extension to CSAH 50 and the I-35 and CSAH 50 interchange reconstruction).
For expansions of major roadways I would ensure that “buffers” are adequate with impacted housing neighborhoods. Lakeville is designated a special Transit Market Area. Develop this resource that provides access to peak period express bus service, small vehicle circulators, special needs paratransit for ADA and seniors, ridesharing. and more. Among these transit options, expanding express bus service will fill Lakeville’s largest transit demand, and is the best fit for our lower density commuter origin and destination points. We should support connectivity into Orange Line and Red Line Bus Rapid Transit and push for improved Express Bus Service through the I-35 corridor. Work with Metro to expand available destination points.
Review demands for opposite north-south transit of workers who commute into Lakeville, considering that 75% of Lakeville jobs are filled by workers commuting into Lakeville. With our growing senior population, plan for increased demand on transit mobility services, such as Metro Mobility and DART. Transit planning should also include the building out of bike paths for this small transit market. Most importantly, Lakeville should “get ready” for the revolution coming with driverless vehicles, which will transform public transportation everywhere.
The impact of the pandemic, with shifts in road use and increased work-from-home models, increases the importance of flexible express buses, transit mobility services, and better bike path connectivity. Fortunately, it also decreases peak traffic demands on roadways.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
A leader must see what’s coming on the horizon. The last tax levy for Lakeville declined to 5 percent, so that is a good indicator. I will still review growth in the major departments/components of the city budget. Get ahead of any negative trends. Compare city expenditure increases to rates of inflation and city growth. Determine any changes required.
I have reviewed in detail the city’s budget and agree with the relative priorities set in the general government expenditures. Until I received specific feedback from leaders in the city (i.e., public safety), I would not propose significant changes in relative funding priorities. Overall, I believe the city’s fiscal management to be effective.
Project annual budgets conservatively, as costs always come in higher than estimated. Achieve a diversified and stable budget revenue system to shelter from downturns in any one area.
As someone trained in civil engineering, I will prioritize public works/infrastructure investments. Due to their reduced visibility, public works/infrastructure often seem to lag in funding. With the passing of the park bond, plan for increased park maintenance costs.
Closely monitor the city’s change in fund balance, to maintain a healthy balance and stay within required financial ratios. This will avoid volatility in tax rates, allow for adequate consistent funding of services, and be critical to maintaining the city’s excellent bond rating; while minimizing interest costs as inflation rises dramatically.
What will you do to expand Lakeville’s tax base?
As outlined above, I would work with city groups/leaders to improve economic development for new businesses and the expansion of businesses. Focus also growing Airlake industrial businesses. Move forward on more downtown development and its planning. I also support responsible planned growth in diverse new housing developments, which will also expand the tax base.
Closely review user costs. Verify that the full cost of the activity fund by user fees is in fact covered by that fee.
Look for new sources of non-property tax revenue, such as outside-funded grants.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Educational institutions/leadership should take the lead for this issue. First, align efforts of the city and businesses with higher education providers, and that these are aligned with the “Lakeville Works” initiatives. Review jobs that are open and inventory with existing worker skills, to identify gaps. Work to better match demand with job availability, to increase percent of Lakeville jobs filled by Lakeville residents. Liaison with the Chamber and business leaders to project changes in job skills; and communicate these with educational leaders. Coordinate with Dakota County Technical College to better align high technology manufacturing job demands with students.
Support innovative solutions such as grants; i.e., Impact Grants awarded to schools and organizations that support innovative, student-based programs, that include workforce readiness initiatives and/or STEM career exposure.
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?
As part of the review in growth in the major departments/components of the city budget, I would look for any areas that can be cut back or eliminated; and or shared. But due to Lakeville’s very high growth rate, proceed with caution on any cut-backs or eliminations of services. If anything, services will likely have to be expanded to keep pace with city growth. The planned rail car storage area and Art Center expansion could offer new sharing opportunities. As development creeps closer to adjoining cities, that will present opportunities to share planning/development services.
Work with the City’s Technology Work Group to identify opportunities for improvements to City services through use of technology.
Overall, I believe Lakeville’s city staffing is highly professional and performing efficiently and effectively.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Lakeville?
I think this begins with the City Council leading efforts to better cultivate a sense of community as Lakeville grows more diverse. Integrate the recently completed City task force recommendations on cultivating a sense of community into the upcoming update to Envision Lakeville. A better sense of community will have many positive outcomes, including improving business opportunities and climate for minority- and women-owned business - both in the numbers and economic activity for these businesses.
City leadership can also look at the city services being offered, and then be sensitive to any need to make adjustments to better serve minority- and women-owned businesses. The city can also outreach to state and local agencies to identify/obtain potential funding to promote these businesses. Support closer integration with Dakota County’s Open to Business support to grow and prosper these new businesses.
What further policies can Lakeville adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
As Lakeville bounces back from COVID-19 downturns, the City should continue to liaison closely with the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism, Economic Development commission, and other groups to identify businesses/industries (i.e., tourism) that are slower to recover. As federal and state support programs for COVID-19 support (i.e. from Minnesota’s department of employment/economic development) move to disestablishment, look for funding opportunities as accounts are closed and remaining funds distributed. Review relief options the City can provide for businesses that were hard hit. Staying on track with responsible growth and overall community prosperity is the best long-term way to help businesses hard hit by COVID-19.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
THANK YOU for taking the time to read through my detailed responses. All that military, business, and engineering experience drilled into me “attention to detail!”
You can be assured that I will come into the city council with an open mind, independent and non-partisan. And beholden to NO special interests.
I will stay flexible as circumstances always change -- “Expect the Unexpected!”
As a new council member, I’ll invest the time and effort needed to get up-to-speed on all issues coming in front of the council.
I have been fortunate to have traveled around the world through my military service; and have seen so many other far-away places where people live. This gives me added appreciation for what a special place Lakeville is to live. I’ll work on the City Council to keep Lakeville special.
Public Office Sought: Lakeville City Council
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 952-456-0058
Campaign Website: https://VoteRichardHenderson.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/voterichardhenderson
Candidate Bio
I am an independent political outsider, funded by no special interests. I’ll do what is right for Lakeville, and not what a special interest might pull strings on. With my military leadership experience (retired U.S. Navy Captain); technical background (licensed civil engineer); MBA and local business owner experience, I offer a unique set of skills and perspectives that I believe qualify me for City Council.
As a senior military officer that led 8 separate commands, I have been accountable for leading the broadest range of decision-making groups. And to always make decisions in the best interests of “my Unit.” Drilled with a leaders’ 3 principals: Authority, Responsibility, Accountability! This will transfer well to city council leadership, to reach consensus among wide ranges of stakeholders. I am actively involved with community organizations such as the Rotary Club, Veterans of Foreign War, and Chamber of Commerce.
My 5 children all graduated from Lakeville public schools, and I’m hoping that they will want to return to Lakeville to raise their families. I have good ideas and a vision to manage Lakeville’s growth, improve economic development, and keep Lakeville “family-Friendly” with a strong sense of community and safety. Thank You!
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Balanced growth: As Lakeville pushes to soon be over 75,000 people, balance the demands of multiple stakeholders (businesses, families, homeowners, seniors, city gov’t, infrastructure, etc.) to achieve SUSTAINABLE quality growth; where we continue to grow but maintain Lakeville’s “small town” flavor. Push for quality economic development with a “business-friendly” attitude and a greater diversity of businesses. Increase percent of jobs filled by Lakeville residents. Support “Downtown Lakeville” development.
Family-Friendly & Sense of Community: Provide resources to improve infrastructure and parks, increase inter-connectivity of city, support youth sports, and promote community ties. Build on the “Envision Lakeville” roadmap to improve Lakeville’s sense of community and connectivity as the city grows, expands, and gets more diverse. Support diverse housing options to fit every stage of life, from the new home buyer to a retiree who wants to downsize. Invest in community development that ultimately pays off in higher property values.
Safety-Friendly: Work to keep Lakeville one of the safest communities in Minnesota. This challenge will increase as Lakeville grows to be one of the larger cities in the metro area, with increasing densities. Be sensitive to the needs of a fire department staffed primarily by volunteers. Support the recently proposed public safety training facility. Through community outreach, work to improve citizen’s sense of well-being and personal safety. Overall, public safety must always be the highest priority of government.
How would you characterize the business climate in Lakeville and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The business climate is generally good in Lakeville with high demand, as Lakeville has its strong points of strong residential growth, rising business permits, location and accessibility to the I-35 corridor, an industrial park, rail spur, and expanding airport. Lakeville’s business climate is greatly fostered by integration with community support such as the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Bureau, Rotary Club, Lions Club, and 360 Communities. Businesses are critical to supporting quality of life issues for three most important reasons: 1. Generate tax revenue for the city’s general fund (that takes pressure off property tax levies). 2. Provide employment opportunities for Lakeville residents, to reduce the numbers of residents who have to commute out of Lakeville. 3. Local businesses provide convenient access to services, shopping, and entertainment.
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, Lakeville?
As in the military, leadership sets the tone for the climate in the city. City leaders set the culture that “Lakeville is open for business.” The City should work closely with the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism bureau, economic development commission, and Open To Business to attract/retain both jobs and businesses. Support a business expansion program that integrates in a “business cluster” strategy for net new businesses. Form a “Tiger Team” to work with a specific large business interested in moving to Lakeville, to customize a city outreach plan. Aggressively outreach to existing businesses to stay ahead of their expansion plans, and work to proactively address issues that might lead the business to re-locate elsewhere. In coordination with the City’s 2020-2023 Economic Development plan, work to increase the diversity of the industrial base and that existing job opportunities match skills availability.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
For more entry-level jobs, work closely with high schools and trade schools to improve preparation for local job openings, to include mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities. Building these relations during school years will be critical to keeping new workers in Lakeville. Focus on providing a good diversity of housing that will offer lower cost options so that folks can afford to live and work in Lakeville, on a working-class salary. Keep connections strong with community groups, such as the Chamber of Commerce’s “Lakeville Works” program, to communicate Lakeville job availabilities and get out in front of future job openings.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Lakeville (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 Lakeville and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I would support reasonable city ordinances/regulations that protect the safety and rights of employees. Before any new ordinance is implemented, I would ensure there is responsible outreach to the Chamber/business community for an impact analysis. On a case-by-case basis, provide exceptions if the burden is significant in either putting the business at risk or that costs of compliance are not reasonable; particularly for smaller businesses.
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?
In the military, we focused on building what we called “defense in depth.” We can apply this principle to public safety, where its role is to build “safety in depth” in our city. It’s more than just police patrols and fire prevention. Lakeville’s Public safety role should continue to be a lynch pin that connects into the city-at-large for greater security, safety awareness, and sense of well-being. This role includes mental health outreach, domestic abuse intervention, citizen police academies, water safety, code adherence, reserves and volunteers, and - most importantly - aggressive liaison with community outreach organizations such as the Public Safety Foundation. A broad “safety tapestry” that goes deep into the community.
Due to the city’s growth and risks that on-board staffing levels could decline, work closely with public safety leadership to proactively identify and fill job openings. Lakeville’s public safety is expertly led, and I would leverage that professionalism to identify/address any gaps in public safety and input into the annual budgeting process - before they become problems. To improve overall community sense of safety and well-being, work to improve community inputs on their specific issues with public safety. Monitor changes in personnel retention rates, as that is a leading-edge indicator on problems, particularly for new volunteers. Re-start the Citizens Academy in 2023.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
The primary issues with housing relate to affordability of housing; and increasing the diversity of housing options for all different price points, so that people can afford to live in Lakeville throughout their life. There are gaps in meeting the needs for everyone who wants to live and work here. Less than 10 percent of housing units are affordable to households with income 30% to 50% Area Medium Income. There is greater demand than supply for senior housing. Affordability also makes it difficult for local employers to fill job vacancies. Natural Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) currently meets significant demands for affordability, with Lakeville’s decentralized development. I would look for way to Increase sources of NOAH preservation financing. To bolster NOAH housing stocks, provide maintenance assistance for low-income homeowners and incentives for maintenance of older more affordable housing stocks.
Review potentials for limited higher density design in zoning areas designated for Corridor Mixed Use Development. Prioritize the building of more housing to serve Lakeville’s growing senior population. Track trends in building permits for the relative numbers of homes, town homes, and apartments; to address housing diversity. Per Lakeville’s 2040 Land Use Plan, we can adapt city policies to encourage more development of a very small amount of acreage for higher density developments. And per this plan, avoid concentrating higher-density housing in certain areas of Lakeville not compatible. These changes would improve access to affordable housing and would have negligible impact on Lakeville’s housing character; and keeps the private sector leading in the solutions.
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?
I’m a licensed civil engineer who used to work in transportation. I understand the issues related to transportation. First, transportation road networks, particularly primary arteries, must keep pace with development, particularly for new larger businesses. This requires close integration with the County and state transportation agencies for planning capital improvements (i.e., Dakota County Capital Improvements plan for I-35: mobility improvements/MnPASS extension to CSAH 50 and the I-35 and CSAH 50 interchange reconstruction).
For expansions of major roadways I would ensure that “buffers” are adequate with impacted housing neighborhoods. Lakeville is designated a special Transit Market Area. Develop this resource that provides access to peak period express bus service, small vehicle circulators, special needs paratransit for ADA and seniors, ridesharing. and more. Among these transit options, expanding express bus service will fill Lakeville’s largest transit demand, and is the best fit for our lower density commuter origin and destination points. We should support connectivity into Orange Line and Red Line Bus Rapid Transit and push for improved Express Bus Service through the I-35 corridor. Work with Metro to expand available destination points.
Review demands for opposite north-south transit of workers who commute into Lakeville, considering that 75% of Lakeville jobs are filled by workers commuting into Lakeville. With our growing senior population, plan for increased demand on transit mobility services, such as Metro Mobility and DART. Transit planning should also include the building out of bike paths for this small transit market. Most importantly, Lakeville should “get ready” for the revolution coming with driverless vehicles, which will transform public transportation everywhere.
The impact of the pandemic, with shifts in road use and increased work-from-home models, increases the importance of flexible express buses, transit mobility services, and better bike path connectivity. Fortunately, it also decreases peak traffic demands on roadways.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
A leader must see what’s coming on the horizon. The last tax levy for Lakeville declined to 5 percent, so that is a good indicator. I will still review growth in the major departments/components of the city budget. Get ahead of any negative trends. Compare city expenditure increases to rates of inflation and city growth. Determine any changes required.
I have reviewed in detail the city’s budget and agree with the relative priorities set in the general government expenditures. Until I received specific feedback from leaders in the city (i.e., public safety), I would not propose significant changes in relative funding priorities. Overall, I believe the city’s fiscal management to be effective.
Project annual budgets conservatively, as costs always come in higher than estimated. Achieve a diversified and stable budget revenue system to shelter from downturns in any one area.
As someone trained in civil engineering, I will prioritize public works/infrastructure investments. Due to their reduced visibility, public works/infrastructure often seem to lag in funding. With the passing of the park bond, plan for increased park maintenance costs.
Closely monitor the city’s change in fund balance, to maintain a healthy balance and stay within required financial ratios. This will avoid volatility in tax rates, allow for adequate consistent funding of services, and be critical to maintaining the city’s excellent bond rating; while minimizing interest costs as inflation rises dramatically.
What will you do to expand Lakeville’s tax base?
As outlined above, I would work with city groups/leaders to improve economic development for new businesses and the expansion of businesses. Focus also growing Airlake industrial businesses. Move forward on more downtown development and its planning. I also support responsible planned growth in diverse new housing developments, which will also expand the tax base.
Closely review user costs. Verify that the full cost of the activity fund by user fees is in fact covered by that fee.
Look for new sources of non-property tax revenue, such as outside-funded grants.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Educational institutions/leadership should take the lead for this issue. First, align efforts of the city and businesses with higher education providers, and that these are aligned with the “Lakeville Works” initiatives. Review jobs that are open and inventory with existing worker skills, to identify gaps. Work to better match demand with job availability, to increase percent of Lakeville jobs filled by Lakeville residents. Liaison with the Chamber and business leaders to project changes in job skills; and communicate these with educational leaders. Coordinate with Dakota County Technical College to better align high technology manufacturing job demands with students.
Support innovative solutions such as grants; i.e., Impact Grants awarded to schools and organizations that support innovative, student-based programs, that include workforce readiness initiatives and/or STEM career exposure.
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?
As part of the review in growth in the major departments/components of the city budget, I would look for any areas that can be cut back or eliminated; and or shared. But due to Lakeville’s very high growth rate, proceed with caution on any cut-backs or eliminations of services. If anything, services will likely have to be expanded to keep pace with city growth. The planned rail car storage area and Art Center expansion could offer new sharing opportunities. As development creeps closer to adjoining cities, that will present opportunities to share planning/development services.
Work with the City’s Technology Work Group to identify opportunities for improvements to City services through use of technology.
Overall, I believe Lakeville’s city staffing is highly professional and performing efficiently and effectively.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Lakeville?
I think this begins with the City Council leading efforts to better cultivate a sense of community as Lakeville grows more diverse. Integrate the recently completed City task force recommendations on cultivating a sense of community into the upcoming update to Envision Lakeville. A better sense of community will have many positive outcomes, including improving business opportunities and climate for minority- and women-owned business - both in the numbers and economic activity for these businesses.
City leadership can also look at the city services being offered, and then be sensitive to any need to make adjustments to better serve minority- and women-owned businesses. The city can also outreach to state and local agencies to identify/obtain potential funding to promote these businesses. Support closer integration with Dakota County’s Open to Business support to grow and prosper these new businesses.
What further policies can Lakeville adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
As Lakeville bounces back from COVID-19 downturns, the City should continue to liaison closely with the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism, Economic Development commission, and other groups to identify businesses/industries (i.e., tourism) that are slower to recover. As federal and state support programs for COVID-19 support (i.e. from Minnesota’s department of employment/economic development) move to disestablishment, look for funding opportunities as accounts are closed and remaining funds distributed. Review relief options the City can provide for businesses that were hard hit. Staying on track with responsible growth and overall community prosperity is the best long-term way to help businesses hard hit by COVID-19.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
THANK YOU for taking the time to read through my detailed responses. All that military, business, and engineering experience drilled into me “attention to detail!”
You can be assured that I will come into the city council with an open mind, independent and non-partisan. And beholden to NO special interests.
I will stay flexible as circumstances always change -- “Expect the Unexpected!”
As a new council member, I’ll invest the time and effort needed to get up-to-speed on all issues coming in front of the council.
I have been fortunate to have traveled around the world through my military service; and have seen so many other far-away places where people live. This gives me added appreciation for what a special place Lakeville is to live. I’ll work on the City Council to keep Lakeville special.