Sue Denkinger
Name: Sue Denkinger
Public Office Sought: Shoreview City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-252-4154
Website: under construction
Twitter handle: @suedenkinger
Facebook page: Sue Denkinger, Shoreview City Council
Candidate Bio
Foremost, my passion for civic involvement and my community! I’ve been a Shoreview resident for 30+ years and my children attended Mounds View Schools. I bring 4 years’ experience on the City Council. My career at Thomson Reuters included leadership roles from manufacturing to customer service to global enterprise software implementation projects. I truly enjoyed working with local and diverse groups of people from multiple countries, cultures and roles collaborating toward common goals.
Volunteering for nearly 10 years on the Economic Development Commission as well as over 5 years on the Economic Development Authority has provided me with experience on business development and with developing housing policy and programs for Shoreview.
I also currently serve on the Lake Johanna Fire Department Board, was 2019 President of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments and currently serve on its Executive Board.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
In addition to these key areas, I believe in continued focus on our solid financial position as a city, our environmental initiatives, wonderful parks and trails, and safety as a community.
How would you characterize the business climate in Shoreview and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The business climate is diverse and has a mix of business sizes and industry types. The city’s Business Retention and Expansion program initiates outreach to identify needs, challenges and provide support to local businesses. The addition of the ThinkShoreview website has been a wonderful resource for local businesses and contains demographic information, city and county resources and up to date information important to the business community.
Ongoing Economic Development programs also involve gathering information about what businesses and their employees value about the community. Businesses provide feedback about employee’s satisfaction with Shoreview’s parks, walking trails as well as environmental initiatives such as programs that support increased business recycling.
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, Shoreview?
Shoreview has been and should continue to proactively interact with the business community, to attract, retain and assist in businesses’ expansion. The city should continue to leverage the BRE program on-site visits, Tax Increment Financing and ThinkShoreview website to attract and aid businesses.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on many local businesses and the city’s recent loan/grant program has made financial support possible for 29 small businesses.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Shoreview (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 Shoreview and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
To this point, those issues have not risen specifically in Shoreview, however if they did arise, thorough analysis would be necessary to understand the impact of an ordinance on businesses of all sizes.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
I believe that the city of Shoreview should continue and enhance communication with our public safety partners. Our crime rate remains stable however a strong ongoing partnership with public safety our agencies is critical to ensure both optimal safety in the community and information to city leaders about their best practices and policies.
For housing, I support Shoreview’s low interest loan program that supports both existing homeowners and new home owners. Review of planning policies and continued focus on providing affordable housing options are important as well.
Shoreview needs to continue its success in increasing trails and their connectivity within the city, allowing citizens to navigate the city and continually improve walkability. There are limited public transportation options in the city and moderate levels of ridership on existing options. I do believe that a regional approach to public transportation is the best option for bringing more mass transit to the city and surrounding areas based on demand.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
To maintain the city’s strong history of strategic financial planning: Shoreview has a AAA credit rating and a successful approach to managing the budget. The current pandemic has affected Community Center revenues so recovering those, aligned with public health and safety, will be a focus in the near term.
What will you do to expand Shoreview's tax base?
Leverage the new ThinkShoreview site, continue to focus on our Business Retention and Expansion program and optimally use our business development staff to identify redevelopment opportunities that will bring new jobs and businesses to the city.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Through continued partnership with the local school districts and county resources:
Our Economic Development Commission has connected with the school district’s Director of Community Partnerships, resulting in a student internship event with local businesses, delayed at this point by the pandemic. The city’s EDC is also connected with a Ramsey County contact, also taking a leadership role in working the local school districts.
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?
There are no services currently provided that should be cut back from my perspective.
The Ramsey County Sheriff provides Shoreview with law enforcement and Shoreview shares the Lake Johanna Fire Department service with two other cities. Although the Fire Department is a shared service, it has and continues to partner with other local cities to provide optimal responsiveness and emergency coverage. This has been a benefit to the participating cities as it benefits our residents’ public safety while creating efficiency.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Shoreview?
The city, through its Economic Development staff, EDC and EDA provide outreach and support to all businesses. The City Council’s role should ensure that policies and business support are written and applied equitably.
What further policies can Shoreview adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
First, I believe it’s been important to post updates related to COVID-19 on the city’s business website, ThinkShoreview, so that both current and potential businesses are aware of what the city has been doing to mitigate its impact. In addition, the city’s Economic Development staff and commission should work closely with local businesses to identify their needs, share them with the City Council and work together on any policy suggestions depending on those specific needs. One recent example is the expansion of outdoor dining options in Shoreview for those restaurants needing immediate ways in which to increase their revenue during the pandemic.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
The City of Shoreview has a history of fiscal success, environmental focus, numerous parks and trails, an outstanding school district, and is a secure and stable community. Citizen surveys show a high level of satisfaction with the community and its services.
It’s important to maintain and enhance the features that make Shoreview a wonderful city. It’s also important to keep a watchful eye on future opportunities to maintain the quality of life in the city, identify potential impacts and engage all residents to feel a part of the community.
Public Office Sought: Shoreview City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-252-4154
Website: under construction
Twitter handle: @suedenkinger
Facebook page: Sue Denkinger, Shoreview City Council
Candidate Bio
Foremost, my passion for civic involvement and my community! I’ve been a Shoreview resident for 30+ years and my children attended Mounds View Schools. I bring 4 years’ experience on the City Council. My career at Thomson Reuters included leadership roles from manufacturing to customer service to global enterprise software implementation projects. I truly enjoyed working with local and diverse groups of people from multiple countries, cultures and roles collaborating toward common goals.
Volunteering for nearly 10 years on the Economic Development Commission as well as over 5 years on the Economic Development Authority has provided me with experience on business development and with developing housing policy and programs for Shoreview.
I also currently serve on the Lake Johanna Fire Department Board, was 2019 President of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments and currently serve on its Executive Board.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- Continued focus on Economic Development, particularly important since we are a nearly fully developed community. My focus also will be on local businesses dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 and supporting our Business Expansion and Retention program.
- Housing policy and issues, including affordable housing options and leveraging our low interest loan programs for new home owners and improvements for existing homeowners;
- Increase community engagement and enhanced communication with residents. We have over 1,000 new rental units in the city so I hope to engage both new residents and further engage current ones.
In addition to these key areas, I believe in continued focus on our solid financial position as a city, our environmental initiatives, wonderful parks and trails, and safety as a community.
How would you characterize the business climate in Shoreview and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
The business climate is diverse and has a mix of business sizes and industry types. The city’s Business Retention and Expansion program initiates outreach to identify needs, challenges and provide support to local businesses. The addition of the ThinkShoreview website has been a wonderful resource for local businesses and contains demographic information, city and county resources and up to date information important to the business community.
Ongoing Economic Development programs also involve gathering information about what businesses and their employees value about the community. Businesses provide feedback about employee’s satisfaction with Shoreview’s parks, walking trails as well as environmental initiatives such as programs that support increased business recycling.
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, Shoreview?
Shoreview has been and should continue to proactively interact with the business community, to attract, retain and assist in businesses’ expansion. The city should continue to leverage the BRE program on-site visits, Tax Increment Financing and ThinkShoreview website to attract and aid businesses.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on many local businesses and the city’s recent loan/grant program has made financial support possible for 29 small businesses.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Shoreview (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 Shoreview and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
To this point, those issues have not risen specifically in Shoreview, however if they did arise, thorough analysis would be necessary to understand the impact of an ordinance on businesses of all sizes.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
I believe that the city of Shoreview should continue and enhance communication with our public safety partners. Our crime rate remains stable however a strong ongoing partnership with public safety our agencies is critical to ensure both optimal safety in the community and information to city leaders about their best practices and policies.
For housing, I support Shoreview’s low interest loan program that supports both existing homeowners and new home owners. Review of planning policies and continued focus on providing affordable housing options are important as well.
Shoreview needs to continue its success in increasing trails and their connectivity within the city, allowing citizens to navigate the city and continually improve walkability. There are limited public transportation options in the city and moderate levels of ridership on existing options. I do believe that a regional approach to public transportation is the best option for bringing more mass transit to the city and surrounding areas based on demand.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
To maintain the city’s strong history of strategic financial planning: Shoreview has a AAA credit rating and a successful approach to managing the budget. The current pandemic has affected Community Center revenues so recovering those, aligned with public health and safety, will be a focus in the near term.
What will you do to expand Shoreview's tax base?
Leverage the new ThinkShoreview site, continue to focus on our Business Retention and Expansion program and optimally use our business development staff to identify redevelopment opportunities that will bring new jobs and businesses to the city.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Through continued partnership with the local school districts and county resources:
Our Economic Development Commission has connected with the school district’s Director of Community Partnerships, resulting in a student internship event with local businesses, delayed at this point by the pandemic. The city’s EDC is also connected with a Ramsey County contact, also taking a leadership role in working the local school districts.
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?
There are no services currently provided that should be cut back from my perspective.
The Ramsey County Sheriff provides Shoreview with law enforcement and Shoreview shares the Lake Johanna Fire Department service with two other cities. Although the Fire Department is a shared service, it has and continues to partner with other local cities to provide optimal responsiveness and emergency coverage. This has been a benefit to the participating cities as it benefits our residents’ public safety while creating efficiency.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Shoreview?
The city, through its Economic Development staff, EDC and EDA provide outreach and support to all businesses. The City Council’s role should ensure that policies and business support are written and applied equitably.
What further policies can Shoreview adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
First, I believe it’s been important to post updates related to COVID-19 on the city’s business website, ThinkShoreview, so that both current and potential businesses are aware of what the city has been doing to mitigate its impact. In addition, the city’s Economic Development staff and commission should work closely with local businesses to identify their needs, share them with the City Council and work together on any policy suggestions depending on those specific needs. One recent example is the expansion of outdoor dining options in Shoreview for those restaurants needing immediate ways in which to increase their revenue during the pandemic.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
The City of Shoreview has a history of fiscal success, environmental focus, numerous parks and trails, an outstanding school district, and is a secure and stable community. Citizen surveys show a high level of satisfaction with the community and its services.
It’s important to maintain and enhance the features that make Shoreview a wonderful city. It’s also important to keep a watchful eye on future opportunities to maintain the quality of life in the city, identify potential impacts and engage all residents to feel a part of the community.