Kathy Juenemann
Name: Kathy Juenemann
Email:
Campaign Phone: 651-771-3670
Campaign Website: www.kathyjforcouncil.com
Twitter Handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
Kathy grew up and has spent most of her life in Maplewood.She is a retired high school teacher, was an advocate for seniors (10 years), and a community activist (21 years). A veteran city council member, Kathy champions public safety, the environment and neighborhood preserves, and housing. She is dedicated, thoughtful, thorough, and brings a wealth of historic knowledge to the table.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
My father served as a trustee for the village of Maplewood. He always said, “City Council is not a position of power, it is a position of service!” I hold fast to that belief and will continue as a servant leader on behalf of the residents of Maplewood.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
My top three priorities are public safety, the environment and natural resources, and housing. We cannot wait for state and federal funding and must continue to be creative in funding our priorities. Maplewood has already established ourselves as regional leaders in these top three priorities.
What is the biggest challenge facing Maplewood right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
The biggest challenge facing Maplewood today is stretching our property tax dollars while providing excellent city services in an environment of rising costs. We need to remain fiscally responsible while prioritizing the needs of our community. We need to seize every opportunity to be creative and seek alternative funding sources.
How would you characterize the business climate in Maplewood, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
The business climate is growing thanks to Maplewood’s new Business Subsidy Policy. It will provide businesses with a way to enhance their plans for growth and success. We are always looking for ways to grow and support our businesses and encourage them to hire more staff.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
The most pressing public safety problem is managing the complexity of calls from mental health issues to drug addiction to gun calls. Police officers are being expected to wear may hats and the city must support them in their training and pursuit of wellness. Maplewood is pursuing legislative funding to build and expand a joint police and fire training center that will be beneficial for the region.
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?
Maplewood has been a housing champion for years and gone to great lengths to ensure we have life cycle housing available for everyone in our city. We have a predominance of affordable housing stock and have recently added market rate senior housing, new affordable housing for large families, assisted living and higher end homes and townhomes at the Ponds of Battle Creek. I do not see rent control as a road to housing success. It discourages new development and is not manageable.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I support multi-modal transportation that makes sense. I opposed the Purple Line because it didn’t meet the needs of our community and it would have destroyed the environment. The whole project lacked common sense in both proposals on the Vento Trail and White Bear Avenue. There are better options, including the proposed micro-transit system coming to Maplewood.
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?
The goal with property tax levy decisions is to set community priorities and follow smart budgeting practices and fiscal responsibility. Maplewood has taken great strides in reducing our debt load and will continue moving forward with fiscal constraints and common sense.
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?
The city is best equipped to know their residents and to discern how to meet their needs. This includes providing exceptional public safety services and housing projects that can change lives and create real neighborhoods. The county and state are removed from local communities, are not nimble or able to change course when necessary. The cities shine in this regard and are best positioned to lead in local issues.
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?
Maplewood shines at public engagement and transparent reporting of our budget process. We use a variety of channels to engage with residents from our website, summer celebrations, the monthly Maplewood Living, and surveying the community. We have already had a variety of opportunities for residents to learn about the 2027 budget process and weigh in with their opinions.
Email:
Campaign Phone: 651-771-3670
Campaign Website: www.kathyjforcouncil.com
Twitter Handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
Kathy grew up and has spent most of her life in Maplewood.She is a retired high school teacher, was an advocate for seniors (10 years), and a community activist (21 years). A veteran city council member, Kathy champions public safety, the environment and neighborhood preserves, and housing. She is dedicated, thoughtful, thorough, and brings a wealth of historic knowledge to the table.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
My father served as a trustee for the village of Maplewood. He always said, “City Council is not a position of power, it is a position of service!” I hold fast to that belief and will continue as a servant leader on behalf of the residents of Maplewood.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
My top three priorities are public safety, the environment and natural resources, and housing. We cannot wait for state and federal funding and must continue to be creative in funding our priorities. Maplewood has already established ourselves as regional leaders in these top three priorities.
What is the biggest challenge facing Maplewood right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
The biggest challenge facing Maplewood today is stretching our property tax dollars while providing excellent city services in an environment of rising costs. We need to remain fiscally responsible while prioritizing the needs of our community. We need to seize every opportunity to be creative and seek alternative funding sources.
How would you characterize the business climate in Maplewood, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
The business climate is growing thanks to Maplewood’s new Business Subsidy Policy. It will provide businesses with a way to enhance their plans for growth and success. We are always looking for ways to grow and support our businesses and encourage them to hire more staff.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
The most pressing public safety problem is managing the complexity of calls from mental health issues to drug addiction to gun calls. Police officers are being expected to wear may hats and the city must support them in their training and pursuit of wellness. Maplewood is pursuing legislative funding to build and expand a joint police and fire training center that will be beneficial for the region.
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?
Maplewood has been a housing champion for years and gone to great lengths to ensure we have life cycle housing available for everyone in our city. We have a predominance of affordable housing stock and have recently added market rate senior housing, new affordable housing for large families, assisted living and higher end homes and townhomes at the Ponds of Battle Creek. I do not see rent control as a road to housing success. It discourages new development and is not manageable.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I support multi-modal transportation that makes sense. I opposed the Purple Line because it didn’t meet the needs of our community and it would have destroyed the environment. The whole project lacked common sense in both proposals on the Vento Trail and White Bear Avenue. There are better options, including the proposed micro-transit system coming to Maplewood.
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?
The goal with property tax levy decisions is to set community priorities and follow smart budgeting practices and fiscal responsibility. Maplewood has taken great strides in reducing our debt load and will continue moving forward with fiscal constraints and common sense.
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?
The city is best equipped to know their residents and to discern how to meet their needs. This includes providing exceptional public safety services and housing projects that can change lives and create real neighborhoods. The county and state are removed from local communities, are not nimble or able to change course when necessary. The cities shine in this regard and are best positioned to lead in local issues.
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?
Maplewood shines at public engagement and transparent reporting of our budget process. We use a variety of channels to engage with residents from our website, summer celebrations, the monthly Maplewood Living, and surveying the community. We have already had a variety of opportunities for residents to learn about the 2027 budget process and weigh in with their opinions.