Christopher Dean Tenquist
Name: Christopher Dean Tenquist
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: N/A
Campaign Website: N/A
Twitter Handle: N/A
Facebook Page: BigFishFishing469
Candidate Bio
My name is Christopher Tenquist. I am a North St. Paul resident, father, homeowner, independent seller, and hands-on problem solver. I am running for mayor because I believe city government should be transparent, accountable, and responsive to the people it serves.
My experience comes from managing real-life responsibilities, working with customers, repairing vehicles and equipment, and finding practical solutions when resources are limited. These experiences have taught me persistence, careful problem-solving, and the importance of listening before making decisions.
I am not a career politician. I would bring an independent perspective to City Hall, ask direct questions, examine how taxpayer money is being spent, and explain decisions clearly to residents. My priorities include responsible budgeting, public safety, support for local businesses, well-maintained streets and infrastructure, and respectful treatment for every resident.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I would not avoid difficult issues. I would address them directly, insist on transparency and follow through on commitments. My goal would be to buildtrust by treating people fairly, protecting taxpayer dollars, and keeping City Hall Focused on results that improve everyday life in North St. Paul.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
What is the biggest challenge facing North St. Paul right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
The biggest challenge I see is rebuilding public trust that serious safety concerns—especially concerns involving children—will be handled promptly, professionally, and responsibly.
As a father, I understand how important it is for families to be heard instead of being passed from agency to agency. Our greatest opportunity is to improve communication and accountability among city police, schools, county child-protection services, and residents.
Although the city cannot control Ramsey County Child Protection or the courts, it can ensure that its own departments properly document concerns, make required reports, follow up professionally, and cooperate with the responsible agencies. As mayor, I would work with the City Council and city manager to promote clear procedures and accountability.
Every child deserves protection, and every family deserves to be heard and treated with respect.
How would you characterize the business climate in North St. Paul, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
North St. Paul has a loyal local business community, a strong downtown identity, and real opportunities for responsible growth. However, small businesses also face rising operating costs, workforce shortages, construction disruptions, and difficulty navigating government requirements.
City government should be a reliable partner—not an obstacle or an organization that chooses winners and losers. I would support clear permitting requirements, reasonable timelines, regular meetings with local businesses, and direct communication about their concerns.
Providing safe streets, dependable utilities, parking, snow removal, and well-maintained infrastructure is also an important part of economic development. To attract jobs, the city should pursue businesses that fit our community, offer stable employment, and provide a genuine long-term benefit to taxpayers.
For workforce development, the city can connect employers with ISD 622, Century College, trade and apprenticeship programs, and county or state employment resources. Success means retaining existing businesses, helping them expand, filling vacant properties, and making it easier for residents to find good employment close to home.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
I believe the most pressing public-safety challenge is making sure residents can trust that every credible safety report is taken seriously, properly documented, and directed to the responsible agency—especially reports involving children, domestic violence, vulnerable adults, or mental-health crises.
I would support a well-trained and adequately staffed local police department with continued community policing, crisis-intervention training, and specialized training for responding to child abuse and domestic violence. The city should also maintain clear procedures for cooperating with schools, fire and emergency medical services, Ramsey County, and state agencies.
I would support regular public reporting about police staffing, response times, crime trends, and complaints while protecting confidential information. The mayor and council should establish expectations and provide necessary resources without interfering in individual investigations.
My goal would be professional, lawful, and consistent treatment: residents are heard, reports are properly handled, officers receive the support they need, and government agencies are held accountable.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability, and how do you view the role of rent control policies in that process?
I would address housing shortages by preserving existing homes while creating more housing options for different ages, incomes, and family sizes. The city should identify vacant or underused properties for responsible redevelopment, make the permitting process clear and predictable, and encourage a reasonable mixture of starter homes, townhomes, senior housing, and apartments.
North St. Paul should also work with its Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Minnesota Housing, and responsible private developers to rehabilitate older properties and create affordable units. New projects must account for infrastructure costs and include meaningful neighborhood input.
Rent control may provide short-term stability for some current tenants, but a rigid citywide cap can discourage construction and property maintenance without creating additional homes. I would not support imposing rent control without reliable local evidence, legal review, and voter approval. I would first focus on increasing housing choices, preserving affordable properties, enforcing existing protections, and connecting residents with available housing assistance.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I would begin by identifying dangerous intersections, crosswalks, and road segments using crash reports, resident concerns, and locations where people have been injured or killed. Those areas should receive priority instead of waiting for another serious incident.
Improvements could include clearer warning signs, brighter pavement markings, improved lighting, more visible crosswalks, pedestrian-activated signals, accessible curb ramps, safer access to bus stops, speed-feedback signs, and traffic-calming measures where justified. Street designs should consider drivers, transit riders, cyclists, pedestrians, seniors, and people with disabilities.
The city should also create a simple way for residents to report transportation hazards and track what action is being taken. When a dangerous road is controlled by Ramsey County or the state, city leaders should actively work with the county, MnDOT, and Metro Transit to secure improvements and funding.
Whenever possible, safety upgrades should be included with scheduled street and utility projects to reduce costs and avoid repeatedly tearing up the same roads.
Residential property owners across the region are feeling significant strain from rising property tax bills. How would you approach balancing fiscal responsibility with the demand for services when setting the city levy?
As a homeowner, I understand this strain personally. According to my calculations, I have paid approximately $20,600 in additional property taxes over the past six years after my home’s assessed value increased by about $120,000—an increase was incorrect. No homeowner should feel at risk of being priced out of their home while wages and fixed incomes fail to keep pace.
Although the mayor and City Council control only the city’s portion of the property-tax bill, they have a responsibility to keep that portion reasonable. Before supporting a levy increase, I would require a line-by-line review of spending, including senior administrative compensation, consulting contracts, vacant positions, and nonessential projects.
Essential services such as police, fire, street maintenance, and necessary infrastructure must remain protected. Lower-priority spending should be reduced or delayed first.
Any levy increase should be a last resort, fully explained to residents, and kept as small as responsibly possible.
What are the two or three issues where you believe city government is best positioned to lead — and why the city rather than the state or county?
I believe city government is best positioned to lead in three areas:
What does real taxpayer transparency look like to you, and what specific steps would you take to achieve it — both in terms of financial reporting and public engagement?
Real taxpayer transparency means residents can easily see where their money is going without needing to be accountants or repeatedly request public records.
I would support a plain-language budget report showing spending by department, the city levy, debt, reserve funds, senior administrative compensation, major contracts, and the estimated effect of proposed increases on homeowners. Quarterly reports should compare actual spending with the approved budget and explain significant differences.
Major projects should have public online reports showing their original budget, current cost, funding sources, contractors, schedule, and progress. Meeting agendas and supporting documents should be published early, meetings should remain livestreamed and archived, and residents should be able to see how every council member voted.
I would hold public budget meetings before the preliminary levy is established and provide several ways to participate—in person, online, by telephone, or in writing.
Transparency means explaining the costs, alternatives, conflicts of interest, and expected results before decisions are finalized—not after taxpayers receive the bill.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: N/A
Campaign Website: N/A
Twitter Handle: N/A
Facebook Page: BigFishFishing469
Candidate Bio
My name is Christopher Tenquist. I am a North St. Paul resident, father, homeowner, independent seller, and hands-on problem solver. I am running for mayor because I believe city government should be transparent, accountable, and responsive to the people it serves.
My experience comes from managing real-life responsibilities, working with customers, repairing vehicles and equipment, and finding practical solutions when resources are limited. These experiences have taught me persistence, careful problem-solving, and the importance of listening before making decisions.
I am not a career politician. I would bring an independent perspective to City Hall, ask direct questions, examine how taxpayer money is being spent, and explain decisions clearly to residents. My priorities include responsible budgeting, public safety, support for local businesses, well-maintained streets and infrastructure, and respectful treatment for every resident.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I would not avoid difficult issues. I would address them directly, insist on transparency and follow through on commitments. My goal would be to buildtrust by treating people fairly, protecting taxpayer dollars, and keeping City Hall Focused on results that improve everyday life in North St. Paul.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
- Public Safety (Dependable core services. Police, Fire, Emergency response, street maintenance, and other essential services must come first.
- Fiscal responsibility and property-tax stability. I would carefully review spending, look for waste and unnecessary costs, and clearly explain the budget to residents before decisions are made.
- Infrastructure and economic growth. I would prioritize necessary streets, sidewalks, and utility improvements while working on supporting local businesses, creating jobs and reducing pressure on homeowners.
What is the biggest challenge facing North St. Paul right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
The biggest challenge I see is rebuilding public trust that serious safety concerns—especially concerns involving children—will be handled promptly, professionally, and responsibly.
As a father, I understand how important it is for families to be heard instead of being passed from agency to agency. Our greatest opportunity is to improve communication and accountability among city police, schools, county child-protection services, and residents.
Although the city cannot control Ramsey County Child Protection or the courts, it can ensure that its own departments properly document concerns, make required reports, follow up professionally, and cooperate with the responsible agencies. As mayor, I would work with the City Council and city manager to promote clear procedures and accountability.
Every child deserves protection, and every family deserves to be heard and treated with respect.
How would you characterize the business climate in North St. Paul, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
North St. Paul has a loyal local business community, a strong downtown identity, and real opportunities for responsible growth. However, small businesses also face rising operating costs, workforce shortages, construction disruptions, and difficulty navigating government requirements.
City government should be a reliable partner—not an obstacle or an organization that chooses winners and losers. I would support clear permitting requirements, reasonable timelines, regular meetings with local businesses, and direct communication about their concerns.
Providing safe streets, dependable utilities, parking, snow removal, and well-maintained infrastructure is also an important part of economic development. To attract jobs, the city should pursue businesses that fit our community, offer stable employment, and provide a genuine long-term benefit to taxpayers.
For workforce development, the city can connect employers with ISD 622, Century College, trade and apprenticeship programs, and county or state employment resources. Success means retaining existing businesses, helping them expand, filling vacant properties, and making it easier for residents to find good employment close to home.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
I believe the most pressing public-safety challenge is making sure residents can trust that every credible safety report is taken seriously, properly documented, and directed to the responsible agency—especially reports involving children, domestic violence, vulnerable adults, or mental-health crises.
I would support a well-trained and adequately staffed local police department with continued community policing, crisis-intervention training, and specialized training for responding to child abuse and domestic violence. The city should also maintain clear procedures for cooperating with schools, fire and emergency medical services, Ramsey County, and state agencies.
I would support regular public reporting about police staffing, response times, crime trends, and complaints while protecting confidential information. The mayor and council should establish expectations and provide necessary resources without interfering in individual investigations.
My goal would be professional, lawful, and consistent treatment: residents are heard, reports are properly handled, officers receive the support they need, and government agencies are held accountable.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability, and how do you view the role of rent control policies in that process?
I would address housing shortages by preserving existing homes while creating more housing options for different ages, incomes, and family sizes. The city should identify vacant or underused properties for responsible redevelopment, make the permitting process clear and predictable, and encourage a reasonable mixture of starter homes, townhomes, senior housing, and apartments.
North St. Paul should also work with its Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Minnesota Housing, and responsible private developers to rehabilitate older properties and create affordable units. New projects must account for infrastructure costs and include meaningful neighborhood input.
Rent control may provide short-term stability for some current tenants, but a rigid citywide cap can discourage construction and property maintenance without creating additional homes. I would not support imposing rent control without reliable local evidence, legal review, and voter approval. I would first focus on increasing housing choices, preserving affordable properties, enforcing existing protections, and connecting residents with available housing assistance.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I would begin by identifying dangerous intersections, crosswalks, and road segments using crash reports, resident concerns, and locations where people have been injured or killed. Those areas should receive priority instead of waiting for another serious incident.
Improvements could include clearer warning signs, brighter pavement markings, improved lighting, more visible crosswalks, pedestrian-activated signals, accessible curb ramps, safer access to bus stops, speed-feedback signs, and traffic-calming measures where justified. Street designs should consider drivers, transit riders, cyclists, pedestrians, seniors, and people with disabilities.
The city should also create a simple way for residents to report transportation hazards and track what action is being taken. When a dangerous road is controlled by Ramsey County or the state, city leaders should actively work with the county, MnDOT, and Metro Transit to secure improvements and funding.
Whenever possible, safety upgrades should be included with scheduled street and utility projects to reduce costs and avoid repeatedly tearing up the same roads.
Residential property owners across the region are feeling significant strain from rising property tax bills. How would you approach balancing fiscal responsibility with the demand for services when setting the city levy?
As a homeowner, I understand this strain personally. According to my calculations, I have paid approximately $20,600 in additional property taxes over the past six years after my home’s assessed value increased by about $120,000—an increase was incorrect. No homeowner should feel at risk of being priced out of their home while wages and fixed incomes fail to keep pace.
Although the mayor and City Council control only the city’s portion of the property-tax bill, they have a responsibility to keep that portion reasonable. Before supporting a levy increase, I would require a line-by-line review of spending, including senior administrative compensation, consulting contracts, vacant positions, and nonessential projects.
Essential services such as police, fire, street maintenance, and necessary infrastructure must remain protected. Lower-priority spending should be reduced or delayed first.
Any levy increase should be a last resort, fully explained to residents, and kept as small as responsibly possible.
What are the two or three issues where you believe city government is best positioned to lead — and why the city rather than the state or county?
I believe city government is best positioned to lead in three areas:
- Local public safety. The city oversees its police and fire services and understands the needs of individual neighborhoods. Local officials can support community policing, establish clear expectations, and ensure officers have the training and resources to respond promptly. County and state agencies remain important partners, but the city provides the front-line response.
- Streets, utilities, and neighborhood development. The city maintains local streets, sidewalks, water and sewer systems, and other infrastructure. It also administers zoning and permits. Local officials are closest to dangerous intersections, aging infrastructure, vacant properties, and development opportunities.
- Taxpayer transparency and service accountability. The City Council sets the city budget, levy, policies, and priorities. Residents should be able to see how their money is being spent, understand decisions, and communicate directly with elected officials.
What does real taxpayer transparency look like to you, and what specific steps would you take to achieve it — both in terms of financial reporting and public engagement?
Real taxpayer transparency means residents can easily see where their money is going without needing to be accountants or repeatedly request public records.
I would support a plain-language budget report showing spending by department, the city levy, debt, reserve funds, senior administrative compensation, major contracts, and the estimated effect of proposed increases on homeowners. Quarterly reports should compare actual spending with the approved budget and explain significant differences.
Major projects should have public online reports showing their original budget, current cost, funding sources, contractors, schedule, and progress. Meeting agendas and supporting documents should be published early, meetings should remain livestreamed and archived, and residents should be able to see how every council member voted.
I would hold public budget meetings before the preliminary levy is established and provide several ways to participate—in person, online, by telephone, or in writing.
Transparency means explaining the costs, alternatives, conflicts of interest, and expected results before decisions are finalized—not after taxpayers receive the bill.