Stephen Berk
Name: Stephen Berk
Public Office Sought: Blaine Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-800-1933
Website: stephenberk.com
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook page: fb.com/berkformayor
Candidate Bio
I am deeply involved in Blaine and the surrounding community as a leader and volunteer. As a commissioner on the City Charter Commission, I have fought for the rights of citizens to petition the city and would continue to shape Blaine to be government “of the People.” I am a deacon in my faith community focused on maintaining the building and grounds. I manage and recruit volunteers to help with this practical need, and I would use those interpersonal skills to recruit people to our boards and commissions that represent all of Blaine’s residents. I was also briefly involved with the Libertarian Party of Minnesota, running their presidential caucus for U.S. Congressional District 6 in 2016. That said, I am not bound to a political party because of current or past obligations. I support third-party and independent candidates whenever possible, and I will bring that non-partisan, pragmatic and independent voice to the Mayor’s seat if elected.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My professional strength throughout my career in information technology, security, and compliance has been a keen ability to assess deficiencies in systems then strengthen them through improved workflows and processes. That is what attracted me to the City Charter Commission—to be able to focus on the foundational legal document of the city and ensure changes defend the rights of Blaine residents. It is a very low-volume workload commission, but without a solid base we cannot build the Blaine that will lead the county and north metro for decades to come. As mayor, I will bring that same focus on improving the City that I have done for my previous employers in national retail organizations, state government, the energy industry, and my current role in a multinational corporation working with the U.S. Dept. of Defense. First, we need to assess police-community relations and operations. Racial tensions exist in Blaine as they do everywhere else, and we need to take a deep, honest look at how we police to ensure our police department operates with the highest level of integrity and minimal risk to citizens and officers alike. I have begun meeting with and emailing people of color in Blaine to hear their story and listen to what changes they want to see happen. I have an ongoing dialogue with the Blaine Police Chief regarding the department’s compliance with the Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety’s Working Group on Police-Involved Deadly Force Encounters, training on de-escalation techniques, and other standards and best practices that his department strives towards. This work will continue and expand if I am elected. Second, I want to focus our business development funds and activities towards industry and make Blaine attractive to healthcare and future-tech companies. These industries tend to pay well in blue-collar and white-collar jobs which is important to raising the living standard of families. Finally, I want to further modernize city operations and reduce costs through automation and self-service. We have an excellent city staff, and I want them focused on high-value activities, not repeatable tasks that can be performed by technology. With uncertain economic times, we need to find long-term solutions that put people where people are needed and tech everywhere else.
How would you characterize the business climate in Blaine and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
COVID and the failures of big-box retailers in Blaine have shown us that we need to prioritize our limited development dollars towards adding new livable-wage jobs to existing Blaine businesses and supporting employers in sustainable industries. Retail and hospitality have their place in any community, but the future of non-niche brick and mortar stores is bleak. That said, we should not put barriers on businesses that are trying to adapt to the changing market or health crisis. I would like to have seen faster action to allow restaurants to open outdoor, ad-hoc patio space on lawns, in parking lots, etc. There is a due diligence government must perform to ensure the relative safety of its residents, but after that we need to get out of the way and not prevent people from earning an income.
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, Blaine?
I would work with City Manager Michelle Wolfe and Community Development Director Erik Thorvig to recommend and implement plans that meet my vision for the city. I want to support companies that are sustainable and pay their employees well in both professional and manufacturing roles, and we can do that through short-term TIFs, flexible zoning, and other development dollars where appropriate.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Blaine (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 Blaine and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Companies need to compete for available labor, and it is in their best interest to offer a competitive compensation package tailored to the needs of their employees. I worked for FedEx many, many years ago and they used employee surveys to gauge the likelihood of the workforce to unionize—something that would result in a loss of profits and create a more adversarial relationship between employees and management; that’s a lose-lose-lose because eventually the customers are affected as well. Wisely, they chose to treat their employees well and avoided the interference of the government and the labor unions. I would encourage the business owners and managers in Blaine to do the same so the Council is not asked to look at ordinances to fix what could be and should be private matters.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
We must evaluate our policing methods to ensure they meet modern standards and view citizens as citizens and not “interactions.” We need to shift our mindset from a bedroom- or suburban-sprawl community to one that welcomes people of every socioeconomic status. And finally, we must engage State leaders and agencies to try an incremental approach to remedying the “Highway 65” issue. There are reversible and temporary changes we can make using signs, Jersey barriers, and signal timing in the absence of large-scale funding from MNDOT to create grade-separated interchanges from Hwy 10 to 109th Ave. We can do something without pouring concrete.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
I would ask the city manager to propose a budget each year of my 1st term to cap spending at 2018 levels. This will result in a modest $2.5M reduction in spending and drive the goals of finding efficiencies, improving workflows, and increasing the use of automation in city operations.
What will you do to expand Blaine’s tax base?
I want to attract new sustainable businesses to Blaine, increase multifamily dwellings, and reduce the use of and duration of tax-increment financing which shifts development risk to the taxpayers and diverts tax dollars towards private investors.
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 have 3 teens and young adults preparing to move, and the 2 issues from keeping them in Blaine is affordable housing and good-paying jobs. We have an excellent school system preparing kids to go to college, but college is not right for everyone and is often too expensive to justify the cost. We need to train some of these kids to enter the workforce immediately or soon after high school, but we also need to have affordable housing. The continued thrust of luxury single-family homes and apartments does not serve our community well if we want to retain these graduates in our community. The council can and should change course on zoning and building to ensure Blaine has the stock for every class of home, from modular to McMansion. I would welcome input from the business community on how we can we train graduates on-the-job and what resources they would need to have to retain and grow their employee base.
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?
Not initially, but I trust that those issues will surface once the budget cap is implemented.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Blaine?
I would defer to the Metro North Chamber of Commerce women’s networking group for advice on supporting women-owned businesses, and I’d like to see a new commission created in the city addressing the needs of people of color including those in the business community.
What further policies can Blaine adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
The council should suspend and alleviate barriers to reopening. Everything must be on the table for discussion and consideration, and we need to move closer to the speed of business than government to keep businesses open.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
As mayor, I will continue to push for greater visibility and accountability in city operations. I will use social media to be a more visible presence in the community and keep people aware of what we are doing. However, I cannot do this alone and will rely heavily on the expertise of many in the community. It’s the work of the whole council, the city staff, the business community, and the residents to make Blaine the premiere city in the north metro to do business, live, and play in. I am looking forward to doing my part in that as your next mayor and would appreciate your vote.
Public Office Sought: Blaine Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-800-1933
Website: stephenberk.com
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook page: fb.com/berkformayor
Candidate Bio
I am deeply involved in Blaine and the surrounding community as a leader and volunteer. As a commissioner on the City Charter Commission, I have fought for the rights of citizens to petition the city and would continue to shape Blaine to be government “of the People.” I am a deacon in my faith community focused on maintaining the building and grounds. I manage and recruit volunteers to help with this practical need, and I would use those interpersonal skills to recruit people to our boards and commissions that represent all of Blaine’s residents. I was also briefly involved with the Libertarian Party of Minnesota, running their presidential caucus for U.S. Congressional District 6 in 2016. That said, I am not bound to a political party because of current or past obligations. I support third-party and independent candidates whenever possible, and I will bring that non-partisan, pragmatic and independent voice to the Mayor’s seat if elected.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My professional strength throughout my career in information technology, security, and compliance has been a keen ability to assess deficiencies in systems then strengthen them through improved workflows and processes. That is what attracted me to the City Charter Commission—to be able to focus on the foundational legal document of the city and ensure changes defend the rights of Blaine residents. It is a very low-volume workload commission, but without a solid base we cannot build the Blaine that will lead the county and north metro for decades to come. As mayor, I will bring that same focus on improving the City that I have done for my previous employers in national retail organizations, state government, the energy industry, and my current role in a multinational corporation working with the U.S. Dept. of Defense. First, we need to assess police-community relations and operations. Racial tensions exist in Blaine as they do everywhere else, and we need to take a deep, honest look at how we police to ensure our police department operates with the highest level of integrity and minimal risk to citizens and officers alike. I have begun meeting with and emailing people of color in Blaine to hear their story and listen to what changes they want to see happen. I have an ongoing dialogue with the Blaine Police Chief regarding the department’s compliance with the Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety’s Working Group on Police-Involved Deadly Force Encounters, training on de-escalation techniques, and other standards and best practices that his department strives towards. This work will continue and expand if I am elected. Second, I want to focus our business development funds and activities towards industry and make Blaine attractive to healthcare and future-tech companies. These industries tend to pay well in blue-collar and white-collar jobs which is important to raising the living standard of families. Finally, I want to further modernize city operations and reduce costs through automation and self-service. We have an excellent city staff, and I want them focused on high-value activities, not repeatable tasks that can be performed by technology. With uncertain economic times, we need to find long-term solutions that put people where people are needed and tech everywhere else.
How would you characterize the business climate in Blaine and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
COVID and the failures of big-box retailers in Blaine have shown us that we need to prioritize our limited development dollars towards adding new livable-wage jobs to existing Blaine businesses and supporting employers in sustainable industries. Retail and hospitality have their place in any community, but the future of non-niche brick and mortar stores is bleak. That said, we should not put barriers on businesses that are trying to adapt to the changing market or health crisis. I would like to have seen faster action to allow restaurants to open outdoor, ad-hoc patio space on lawns, in parking lots, etc. There is a due diligence government must perform to ensure the relative safety of its residents, but after that we need to get out of the way and not prevent people from earning an income.
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, Blaine?
I would work with City Manager Michelle Wolfe and Community Development Director Erik Thorvig to recommend and implement plans that meet my vision for the city. I want to support companies that are sustainable and pay their employees well in both professional and manufacturing roles, and we can do that through short-term TIFs, flexible zoning, and other development dollars where appropriate.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Blaine (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 Blaine and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Companies need to compete for available labor, and it is in their best interest to offer a competitive compensation package tailored to the needs of their employees. I worked for FedEx many, many years ago and they used employee surveys to gauge the likelihood of the workforce to unionize—something that would result in a loss of profits and create a more adversarial relationship between employees and management; that’s a lose-lose-lose because eventually the customers are affected as well. Wisely, they chose to treat their employees well and avoided the interference of the government and the labor unions. I would encourage the business owners and managers in Blaine to do the same so the Council is not asked to look at ordinances to fix what could be and should be private matters.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
We must evaluate our policing methods to ensure they meet modern standards and view citizens as citizens and not “interactions.” We need to shift our mindset from a bedroom- or suburban-sprawl community to one that welcomes people of every socioeconomic status. And finally, we must engage State leaders and agencies to try an incremental approach to remedying the “Highway 65” issue. There are reversible and temporary changes we can make using signs, Jersey barriers, and signal timing in the absence of large-scale funding from MNDOT to create grade-separated interchanges from Hwy 10 to 109th Ave. We can do something without pouring concrete.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
I would ask the city manager to propose a budget each year of my 1st term to cap spending at 2018 levels. This will result in a modest $2.5M reduction in spending and drive the goals of finding efficiencies, improving workflows, and increasing the use of automation in city operations.
What will you do to expand Blaine’s tax base?
I want to attract new sustainable businesses to Blaine, increase multifamily dwellings, and reduce the use of and duration of tax-increment financing which shifts development risk to the taxpayers and diverts tax dollars towards private investors.
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 have 3 teens and young adults preparing to move, and the 2 issues from keeping them in Blaine is affordable housing and good-paying jobs. We have an excellent school system preparing kids to go to college, but college is not right for everyone and is often too expensive to justify the cost. We need to train some of these kids to enter the workforce immediately or soon after high school, but we also need to have affordable housing. The continued thrust of luxury single-family homes and apartments does not serve our community well if we want to retain these graduates in our community. The council can and should change course on zoning and building to ensure Blaine has the stock for every class of home, from modular to McMansion. I would welcome input from the business community on how we can we train graduates on-the-job and what resources they would need to have to retain and grow their employee base.
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?
Not initially, but I trust that those issues will surface once the budget cap is implemented.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Blaine?
I would defer to the Metro North Chamber of Commerce women’s networking group for advice on supporting women-owned businesses, and I’d like to see a new commission created in the city addressing the needs of people of color including those in the business community.
What further policies can Blaine adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
The council should suspend and alleviate barriers to reopening. Everything must be on the table for discussion and consideration, and we need to move closer to the speed of business than government to keep businesses open.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
As mayor, I will continue to push for greater visibility and accountability in city operations. I will use social media to be a more visible presence in the community and keep people aware of what we are doing. However, I cannot do this alone and will rely heavily on the expertise of many in the community. It’s the work of the whole council, the city staff, the business community, and the residents to make Blaine the premiere city in the north metro to do business, live, and play in. I am looking forward to doing my part in that as your next mayor and would appreciate your vote.