Greg Grover
Name: Greg Grover
Public Office Sought: Inver Grove Heights Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-450-0719
Candidate Bio
I have lived in Inver Grove all my life and know many people. I was born and raised in the village of Inver Grove which was merged with Inver Grove Heights. My grandfather was mayor in the 30's and my father worked for the Rock Island Rail Road [now heritage park] for 37 years. My mother was on the Parks commission when it first was started and was the first woman to be the grand marshal of Inver Grove Heights days. I did volunteer work on Concord Park [now Cameron's Liquors] when I was young and little money was available. We had to shovel off the ice rink or a pond near the river for skating[kids now days are spoiled]I was on the first committee for Heritage Park and have been an activist in the community.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
The business climate is terrible ,two restaurants were closed on Concord and replaced by three used car lots .Ruby Tuesday recently closed along with Napa auto. Arbor point is a ghost town with Walgreens ,Auto Zone and Ruby Tuesday closing .Cahill Ave. our main street is a mixed up collection of old buildings and absentee landlords charge excessive rents making it hard for new business to stay in business .Our planning department has made it increasingly difficult to open a business or to improve an existing building, and our City Administrator is out of touch ,choosing to sue businesses rather than talking with them[i.e. Dixie Trail trucking company , Walser auto on 65th St. Joe Lynch is the worst Administrator we have ever had.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and how would your administration actively solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Inver Grove Heights?
I would be a hands on Mayor
3. Will you commit to hiring a business advocate as a member of your senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
Yes
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Inver Grove Heights? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Inver Grove Heights and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
Minimum wage should be decided on a state level .I have coffee at McDonalds every day the younger kids can get by on 12 dollars but there are many people who pay rent and car payments and are having difficulty getting by.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Inver Grove Heights (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Inver Grove Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I worked in the building trades for 25 years and never had sick time, scheduling notice is common sense and fair it works both ways.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Our public Safety budget is way too high I think we need to merge our fire department with another Cities.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Inver Groves spending is out of control even with large cash flow from the landfills ,too much parkland and poor maintenance. The City just spent 500,000 dollars on a small amount of light poles because the old ones were rusted off for lack of paint.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
I haven't heard any businesses complain but Joe Lynch just rammed thru a fee on x-cell energy [franchise fee] that will be passed on to Home owners and is spending the money on parks.
9. What will you do to expand Inver Grove Heights’s tax base?
We need to tear down some old buildings and build new and get some jobs here.
Workforce development
10. 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 went to vocational free in 1971 I think we need that again to train our workforce as there is a shortage of skilled workers.
11. What do you see as the mayor’s role with regard to public schools in Inver Grove Heights?
He should make sure schools are safe and there is no bullying.
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
Lack of quality restaurants .We have to improve the Business Climate, developers don't like Inver Grove.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Housing improvements including replacing old trailers with new ,more affordable Senior Housing and getting the parks departments budget under control .A noise ordinance similar to Stillwater.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
More bus routes.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We need a food bank.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
You can drive around Inver Grove and see we are moving backwards ,numerous abandoned homes with no ordinance to address them ,bad roads, poor maintenance on sidewalks ,time for a positive change.
Public Office Sought: Inver Grove Heights Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-450-0719
Candidate Bio
I have lived in Inver Grove all my life and know many people. I was born and raised in the village of Inver Grove which was merged with Inver Grove Heights. My grandfather was mayor in the 30's and my father worked for the Rock Island Rail Road [now heritage park] for 37 years. My mother was on the Parks commission when it first was started and was the first woman to be the grand marshal of Inver Grove Heights days. I did volunteer work on Concord Park [now Cameron's Liquors] when I was young and little money was available. We had to shovel off the ice rink or a pond near the river for skating[kids now days are spoiled]I was on the first committee for Heritage Park and have been an activist in the community.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
The business climate is terrible ,two restaurants were closed on Concord and replaced by three used car lots .Ruby Tuesday recently closed along with Napa auto. Arbor point is a ghost town with Walgreens ,Auto Zone and Ruby Tuesday closing .Cahill Ave. our main street is a mixed up collection of old buildings and absentee landlords charge excessive rents making it hard for new business to stay in business .Our planning department has made it increasingly difficult to open a business or to improve an existing building, and our City Administrator is out of touch ,choosing to sue businesses rather than talking with them[i.e. Dixie Trail trucking company , Walser auto on 65th St. Joe Lynch is the worst Administrator we have ever had.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and how would your administration actively solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Inver Grove Heights?
I would be a hands on Mayor
3. Will you commit to hiring a business advocate as a member of your senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
Yes
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Inver Grove Heights? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Inver Grove Heights and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
Minimum wage should be decided on a state level .I have coffee at McDonalds every day the younger kids can get by on 12 dollars but there are many people who pay rent and car payments and are having difficulty getting by.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Inver Grove Heights (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Inver Grove Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I worked in the building trades for 25 years and never had sick time, scheduling notice is common sense and fair it works both ways.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Our public Safety budget is way too high I think we need to merge our fire department with another Cities.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Inver Groves spending is out of control even with large cash flow from the landfills ,too much parkland and poor maintenance. The City just spent 500,000 dollars on a small amount of light poles because the old ones were rusted off for lack of paint.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
I haven't heard any businesses complain but Joe Lynch just rammed thru a fee on x-cell energy [franchise fee] that will be passed on to Home owners and is spending the money on parks.
9. What will you do to expand Inver Grove Heights’s tax base?
We need to tear down some old buildings and build new and get some jobs here.
Workforce development
10. 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 went to vocational free in 1971 I think we need that again to train our workforce as there is a shortage of skilled workers.
11. What do you see as the mayor’s role with regard to public schools in Inver Grove Heights?
He should make sure schools are safe and there is no bullying.
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
Lack of quality restaurants .We have to improve the Business Climate, developers don't like Inver Grove.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Housing improvements including replacing old trailers with new ,more affordable Senior Housing and getting the parks departments budget under control .A noise ordinance similar to Stillwater.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
More bus routes.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We need a food bank.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
You can drive around Inver Grove and see we are moving backwards ,numerous abandoned homes with no ordinance to address them ,bad roads, poor maintenance on sidewalks ,time for a positive change.