Paul Hager and Mary Rossing are running for Mayor of Northfield. We’ve invited them to interact online with us (the LoGroNo Triumvirate) here in the message thread attached to this blog post for the next few days.
And then we’ll invite you, the citizens of Northfield, to also chime in over the next ten days or so.
Here are some links to find out more about the candidates:
Candidate web sites:
Representative Journalism (RepJ)
Northfield.org:
Northfield News:
Northfield East Side Neighborhood Association
[...] Northfield Mayor [...]
Mary/Paul,
Three weeks or so ago, the Northfield News ran a story titled Candidates disagree on settlement with Roder.
Since then, Roder signed the agreement (link to Nfld News article here) that the city council approved Aug. 15.
Do either of you have further comment on your differences on the issue?
Some people contend the agreement with Roder is not yet a done deal because Mayor Lansing has not signed it. (See discussion starting here.)
What’s your take on this?
I don’t think Paul and my positions were distinctly different. Paul’s suggestion to table the issue came AFTER the current council voted. My point was that the council had already voted--they stated their opinion and that they should not waste time rehashing the issue if their decision was just going to be the same--they have a history of not being able to make decisions and move on. I didn’t agree with their decision, and wouldn’t have voted for the separation agreement had I been there. Staff had initially recommended tabling the issue until the report came out. I would have respected staff’s recommendation. I still think that the current council probably has information that we are not getting.
Thanks for the quick and substantive response, Mary.
Let me point out to people here that Mary has replied to 17 questions from citizens via Northfield.org’s election Q&A process.
Paul Hager has a mayoral candidate website, I just discovered by accident.
I’ve added a link to the Northfield East Side Neighborhood Association candidate forum Q&A pdf that we’ve posted here on LG.
Mary, I got your Gravatar working for you. Paul, let me know if you need help with yours.
Here’s a leadership-related question.
Looking back on the controversy re: Judy Dirks and the prayer ladies, how might you handle something like this if happens while you’re Mayor?
My point is not to rehash an old issue or to try to get either of you to take pokes at those in a leadership position at the time. I just would like hear how you’d approach an incident like that that’s a tough policy issue but tangled in human relations problems.
I don’t think it’s such a tough issue. There are two distinct parts to the solution. Regarding the space use issue, the problem, if I recall was that there was no clear policy in place--an oversight that is easily remedied once realized. As to the human rights issue, I would bring a question such as this to the human rights commission and ask for a recommendation. This isn’t “passing the buck”, instead it is using and respecting the expertise of of our citizen volunteers.
Mary, it may not have been a tough policy issue but it was hugely contentious… a real ‘people problem.’
Imagine yourself sitting there as Mayor at a council meeting and a member of a city’s commission publicly chastises the city administrator at open mic, which then prompts the city administrator and some councilors to publicly chastise that person in return.
Tell us more how you think about this type of ‘people problem’ — addressing it, resolving it, preventing it.
I have a few questions, too, but I’d like to wait until Paul Hager is “here” before I start so that he can address the questions Griff already proposed.
Tracy -
I understand that Paul is “on his way” and that both candidates have asked how many essay tests must one take to become Mayor of Northfield.
Mary and Paul -
Not long ago, a prominent local leader summarized (what I believe to be) four important issues in our community thusly:
Prayer Ladies in the Administrator’s Office: “Who cares?”
Annexation of the Northwest Territory: “No brainer”
Police Chief Allegations Against the City Administrator: “Sour grapes”
Efforts to Create a Rental Ordinance: “Not the City’s Problem”
Do you agree with his summary and, if not, how do you differ?
Thanks much,
Ross
To Griff’s follow-up
The great thing about the open mike is that it is a way for citizens to get the ear of the council, mayor and staff and it becomes part of the public record. The frustrating thing is that the conversation is one sided and it is hard to know if one’s concern fell on deaf ears. Please know that I will listen. But it is also the mayor’s job is to keep the meeting moving along--this shows respect for all the people attending. I have been at council meetings where citizens have been very upset. I have dealt with customers at my store or people in my life that are upset and need me to listen. Objective listening is a skill and it takes a certain amount of emotional maturity. I believe I possess these skills, and I hope that I will be able to always approach hard issues with careful wisdom.
As to the negative personal comments by staff and councilors later in the meeting which you referenced, this is absolutely unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated in any meeting that I run. I have always operated under the adage that we can disagree with an opinion, but that the person with that opinion must be respected. On another issue we may agree.
On a related note, one of the things that I think we have lost site of is that the very act of governing must be treated with great respect. I will remind staff, councilors and citizens as we come together in the council chambers that we are there to serve the community and that egos need to be checked at the door. We are gathered there for a common purpose--to find the best solutions to the issues of our community.
Mary and Paul,
Why would I vote for either one of you over the other?
How does your approach to city government differ over the other?
How will you address future budget shortfalls?
Will either of you have the political will to cut spending?
While I don’t believe that we should let businesses come in to Northfield at will, but there is a definite need to attract more business. If only to provide us with a more balanced tax base.
How will you attract new business?
Ross,
I love brevity as much as the nest person, but some of these issues deserve a few more words :
1) I think we should all be concerned about private citizens having un-attended access to a staff person’s office. And I don’t believe that it is appropriate for staff to give people of any faith special favors.
2)Annexation should move ahead in an orderly but careful fashion. More importantly we must make sure that this area is reserved for its intended purpose: an industrial/ business park.
3) Let’s wait for the Goodhue Co. report to come out.
4) The business of the city is to provide for public health and safety. A safe place to live seems to fall into this category.
Peter,
I would think you would make your decision based on the information that you have on both candidates. I also encourage you to talk to people who have served with Paul and I on various boards, committees and on the council with Paul. That may tell you more than either of us could tell you about the way we will lead.
Here and through out this campaign I have shown that I am actively engaged, accessible, and have an authentic commitment to this community.
On the financial and business questions you raise, I will refer you to the candidate forum at northfield.org Griff and Ross made reference to these above, and I don’t want to overburden locallygrown readers by answering them again here. If there is still a specific question that you think has not been addressed that would be particularly helpful for you in making your decision then I encourage you to re-post.
Thank you for all your answers so far.
The term “green jobs” or “green collar jobs” is being used quiet frequently, what exactly qualifies in this category?
Would the Malt O’ Meal distribution center have qualified as a green job?
Is Northfield going to place environmental restriction on interested companies in order to meet green requirements, and what would be the guidelines to those restriction?
To the moderator and all interested readers,
Just a quick to note to say I spoke with Griff on Sunday about his timing for launching this discussion. I’m going to participate but not until I finish meeting a few requests that were in the que ahead of Griff’s request. So, stay tuned. I’ll be back.
Mary:
You stated that annexation should move forward in a “careful” fashion. Of what should Northfield be careful regarding the proposed development?
David,
Perhaps a better word would have been “thoughtful”. We live in a community where citizens are very concerned about green issues, conservation of agricultural land and energy use especially as we look at develop 5-10-30 years out. Green field land is a valuable resource that we need to develop mind-fully. We can’t afford to do otherwise. The master plan must be developed, the environment impact issues satisfied, the transportation plan implemented and the infrastructure planned. The way to bring the public along is to show that we have done our homework. We must use the guidelines that the 20008 Comprehensive Plan outlines, as well as respect the recommendations of the Energy Task Force. The way to bring quality companies or developers along is to have our land “shovel ready”. Careful, thoughtful, deliberate planning is necessary so that we can have development of which we can be proud and that will provide quality jobs and an expanded tax base for our community.
Peter,
From wikipedia:
“A green-collar worker is a worker who is employed in the environmental sectors of the economy, or in the agricultural sector. Environmental green-collar workers satisfy the demand for green development. Generally, they implement environmentally conscious design, policy, and technology to improve conservation and sustainability. Formal environmental regulations as well as informal social expectations are pushing many firms to seek professionals with expertise with environmental, energy efficiency, and clean renewable energy issues. They often seek to make their output more sustainable, and thus more favorable to public opinion, governmental regulation, and the Earth’s ecology.
Green collar workers include professionals such as conservation movement workers, environmental consultants, environmental or biological systems engineers, green building architects, holistic passive solar building designers, solar energy and wind energy engineers, nuclear engineers [1], green vehicle engineers, organic farmers, environmental lawyers, ecology educators, and ecotechnology workers. They also include vocational or trade-level employment: electricians who install solar panels, plumbers who install solar water heaters, and construction workers who build energy-efficient green buildings, wind power farms, or other clean, renewable, sustainable future energy development workers could all be considered green jobs.”
The energy task force report includes many exciting recommendations for development of the business/industrial park, such as exploring the idea of shared cooling/heating facilities and encouraging use of renewable energy sources. I would support green standards for ALL future development, including city facilities and housing. If we have the will, I believe we can position Northfield as a state and national clean energy leader!
Mary,
Most people seem to be in favor of some restrictions on the development to ensure that is “thoughtful”. What I have not heard in public is a suggestion that the restrictive principles of the Comp Plan should also come with fnancial incentives to offset the additional costs associated with the restrictions.
What do you think about offerring financial incentives to companies that want to expand or relocate infill or annexed land?
David,
Restrictive sounds like you have already decided that they are negative. How about “guiding principles”? Regarding economic incentives, I would love to hear what he EDA thinks we need; and maybe that will change with time/market and with infill/redevelopment vs. greenfield development. I do not want us to sell ourselves short. We have distinctive assets in this town that make Northfield a unique and desirable place to both locate a company and to live. Marketing is important. In retail it’s important to show the customer what sets you apart from the competition. Having a sale or a special incentive is not always the best approach, particularly when going after a higher-end customer. They want good, attentive customer service, and a quality product.
Mary and Paul,
As you may or may not know, I’ve been ranting about the City Charter here for quite awhile. (See the most recent/active post here.)
What is your position on the current City Charter? Should it be amended? If so, how? If not, why not?
I’m specifically concerned about clarifying the respective roles of the Mayor and the City Administrator, but there are other issues.
Tracy,
This question feels a little awkward. It is akin to asking someone who is applying for a certain job whether or not they think the responsibilities of that job should be changed, and if so, how. I think this is better left for the charter and the citizens right now.
Do YOU think that the mayor should have a public opinion on this issue?
Mary, I absolutely think the mayor should have a public opinion about this.
The citizens think they are electing someone to a leadership position when, in fact, our current charter hamstrings the mayor and puts leadership responsibility into the hands of an unelected official. (Okay, guess what I think about the charter?) I believe that responsibility should lie with the mayor and the City Council, and the last time we had a referendum on the issue, that was the opinion of the majority of voters here.
You’re running for an office which has leadership parameters which are unclear at best. If Teddy Roosevelt were mayor under the current charter, he could probably exert some effective leadership, but short of someone of that caliber, I have my doubts about how readily it can be done given the current structure.
It IS absolutely essential that whoever becomes Mayor has a strong, clear picture of what their role is with reference to the Charter.
Much of the power struggles between the Mayor and former city administrator were rooted in the possible conflicts.
Personally, after many careful readings I feel it IS clear that the Mayor is *#1*, but it could be stated a LOT more clearly than it is.
There is no shame in being a city employee; on the contrary they have a marvelous chance to repeatedly prove the competency of their expertise by working FOR the community.
I would like each of the candidates to explain how they think the *power* flows, and we don’t need the obligatory(sorry if that sounds harsh) statements about working together… That is a given.
Mary, I thought your answer was very diplomatic. Of course you should understand and respect the charter. It seems, however, that the problems of the past two years were caused more by personalities of the mayor and administrator and the people around them than by any flaw in the charter.
It would make sense for the new mayor to work with the incoming and continuing councilors to review the workability of the current charter, while the charter commission does the same. Sometime after the budget problems and annexation and CIP issues are addressed, the improvements to the charter can be made.
These arguments over regulations are like the arguments over whether K-8 schools are better than separate elementary and middle schools. Educators will tell you that almost any system will work if the people are committed to it.
Really, when was the last time you looked at a great community and said, “Boy, they must have a great charter.” You admire the people who show leadership, fairness and an ability to bring people together.
Good luck to both candidates.
Tracy, I’m not trying to be flip, but can you think of a single city where a good charter overhaul has turned two bad leaders into good ones?
Anne, I don’t for a minute think that revising the charter is a panacea. However, the issue of city leadership vis-a-vis the mayor and city administrator, as articulated by the charter, HAS been a point of confusion/bone of contention at three discrete periods since I moved here in 1991; it’s not something that’s sprung up in the current administration.
Northfield needs and deserves the best constitution it can get; the current Charter does not fit that description.
If the candidates state “this is my reading of the charter and how I plan to govern” then when elected he/she will have voter approval of their reading to justify their position. If on the other hand they choose not to address this issues then she/he will not be able to claim voter approval to justify their positions. I would think the first option would be the best for governing ~ unless, of course, voters don’t like the ‘reading.’
Mary -- how much do you think the Mayor should be paid ? I think even as a part time position the mayor should be paid $50K so they can dedicate the time required to promote the city.
David, you make a good point. On the other hand, simply reading the charter and drawing conclusions without any discussion with other councilors or the charter commission or public could lead a candidate to stake out a position that might have to modified later.
Perhaps the candidates can address in general terms the relationship between the mayor and administrator, since that seemed to be the sticking point.
Does anyone have an example of a city where the charter works well?
Mary is absolutely correct. Whether she wants changes or not, if she is mayor, she must abide by the Charter. Her opinion is not only irrelevant, it could be divisive.
David H: Regarding the mayor being paid 50K, no; we have staff that are paid 100K. The City Council is the general contractor; the staff are the plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc. Just tell them what to do, and get out of the way.
Thanks David L for answering my question to Mary.
The language in the charter is a can of worms and rather than rely on attorneys to interpret after the fact -- I would think voters would prefer to know the Mayoral candidates interpretation of the language before the election so their democratic selection could be deemed a voter endorsement of the Mayor’s interpretation.
I’ve heard a rumor that, if true, has bearing on the question of which candidate I would vote for (for mayor).
The rumor is that when Mr. Hager was mayor before, he was also running NTV. NTV was responsible for taping/broadcasting the council meetings. Mr. Hager paid himself (as an NTV employee) to set up the broadcasting technology during the same time that he was physically present in council chambers as mayor.
I’ve searched online (Northfield News, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and Google) to try to assess this rumor with any kind of fact, and I’ve come up short. Could someone who lived in Northfield at that time please speak up to help those of us who are newer in town? And I mean that either way -- whether you remember something or not.
I really don’t feel comfortable spreading rumors, but the election is now less than two weeks away. I need information in order to be an informed voter.
Felicity: Paul Hager was the Mayor when I first came to town in 1994-5. He was also the lead person of NTV, which originally had a founding board (That before my time, as to the structure, etc)
I do not personally see the implied conflict unless the meeting tapes were being edited for a point of view, which of course they were not.
Bear with me a minute here … this conflict of interest thing is very difficult in a small town.
I do NOT think Mary, should she win, have to give up her downtown business because of a perceived *conflict of interest* on any vote that dealt with the downtown, its physicality or its finances.
I do NOT think that Gary Franek, our very able Fire Chief who is also an electrical contractor, should be considered to have a *conflict of interest* in his capacity as fire chief because someone might say well, the fire dept didn’t save the building, and now the chief will get to do the wiring in the replacement building.
These are obviously ludicrous… aren’t they?
Would you question the rent paid by a city councilor to a building owner who is also a developer currently working with the city, (i.e. Scott davis renting from John Mathern)?
What would you say about ANY local bankers being on the EDA? Would that be a concern for you?
In a community of this size, many of these relationships are impossible to avoid, and the only concern should be disclosure, that too oft-used word transparency, and the obvious existence of a relationship, but one that is within the accepted business standards.
I hope Mr. Hager will address this question when he joins the discussion here, and put this “rumor” to rest.
Finally, I’m here on the blog.
I’ll try to respond to the previous questions while at the same time I address the most recent questions. And, I invite people with question to call me, yes, you can call me at home, 663-0267. I ave found that talking to someone one-on-one is still a great way to communicate.
As to NTV.
When I was Mayor in the mid-1990′s, the City hall was equipped with a multi-camera system used for video taping the council meetings. The system was operated by the City administrator, who started the tape and pushed the buttons to select the camera.
I did not run the system.
While I was serving as Mayor, David DeLong accused me of having a conflict of interest by serving as Mayor and also being president of NTV. The issue was sent to the Minnesota Attorney General, who ruled that I did not have a conflict of interest.
NTV has an agreement with the City to operate the public access channel. If I am elected Mayor, NTV will end its agreement with the City to provide that service. There are two reasons for ending the agreement: one, I won’t have the time to devote to my job at Carleton, the Mayor’s position and operate the public access channel.
The second reason is that the public access television landscape has changed since 1985, and a new model of public access is needed. I submitted a proposal to the Council in 2005 documenting those changes and proposing a new model for the Council to consider. Mine was just one proposal, I encouraged the Council to consider it, and call for other proposals, as well.
The proposal was assigned to Scott Davis, who had a few ad-hoc committe meetings, but the proposal has never had a hearing or discussion at the Council work session level. Of course, the Council has had many, more pressing issues to address in the past three years.
I am patient.
The Al Roder/ severance issue.
Griff wrote:
Do either of you have further comment on your differences on the issue?
The Council passed the severance agreement on September 15. I read in the Northfield News that Al Roder wanted an amendment to the agreement that passed on the 15th. If the Council were to reconsider the previous motion (via Robert’s Rules of Order) to accommodate Roder’s request for an amendment, that would re-open the discussion and provide an opportunity for the Council to consider my resolution- which called for a time-out on signing any severance agreement until the results of the Goodhue county investigation are released.
Roder, perhaps not wanting to risk losing the immediate ten thousand dollars, signed the September 15th agreement even though it did not include his requested amendment.
I have never been in favor of a severance payment to Mr. Roder.
Griff wrote:
Looking back on the controversy re: Judy Dirks and the prayer ladies, how might you handle something like this if happens while you’re Mayor?
I would tell the City Administrator that it is not acceptable to sublet his/her office to anyone and shall not be allowed.
If it was not already obvious and in City policy, I would ask the Council to consider adopting a policy that would prohibit the use of City staff offices for religious purposes.
Ross wrote:
Not long ago, a prominent local leader summarized (what I believe to be) four important issues in our community thusly:
Prayer Ladies in the Administrator’s Office: “Who cares?”
Annexation of the Northwest Territory: “No brainer”
Police Chief Allegations Against the City Administrator: “Sour grapes”
Efforts to Create a Rental Ordinance: “Not the City’s Problem”
Do you agree with his summary and, if not, how do you differ?
Thanks much,
Ross
The prayer issue is separation of church and State. I have no problem with prayer- I do it often, but not in a formal manner in the office of the City administrator, after the office has closed for the day.
So I care.
Annexation of the proposed land adjoining the Northwestern part of the City.
Yes, it is a no-brainer that we need more inventory of industrial land. However, the details of how the annexation is structured, how the land is serviced with utilities, roads, etc. how the land will be platted for maximum flexibility for use in the short and long term. The payment of taxes to Greenvale. These are all very important considerations with long term costs- we need to annex with our eyes open to the costs, not just the benefits.
Police Chief sour grapes
I’m not sure what the charges are, but a few signs tell of something substantial coming from the Goodhue county investigation. In the City Council’s motion of Sept. 15, the motion calls for the City to pay an additional $25,000 if Mr. Roder is exonerated in the the investigation. Exonerated (in my knowledge of the word) means that Goodhue county has not found anything substantial in its investigation to merit charges.
Mr. Roder asked the Council to amend the Sept. 15 motion to in effect, grant the $25,000 if he is found not guilty of any charges resulting from the prosecution of the Goodhue county matter.
This looks to me like Mr. Roder knows or assumes he will be charged, and he that wanted to protect his chance at the $25,000 with his amendment. Exonerated and not guilty of charges are not the same.
As we know, Al Roder signed the Sept. 15 agreement without his amendment, thus receiving $10,000.
Rental ordinance.
Housing is a City issue. For more, check my answer to the NESNA questions, at my website or at the NESNA website.
Good to see Paul Hager join in. His clarification on the NTV issue should put any concerns to rest. I have to wonder who would attempt to dredge that up during this late stage of the mayor race.
His response to the police chief/sour grapes topic I find very insightful. We need a mayor skilled at analyzing situations. Reminds me of an Ibsen play. Something about peeling an onion.
Paul, great to have you here. Your Gravatar is now working, too!
Paul and Mary,
I’m posing the same questions to the council candidates; I’m looking for a brief paragraph or so as an answer. (If you’ve answered these questions in other contexts, please point me to that information.)
1. Why do you want this position?
2. What is your personal vision, passion, or hot-button issue as it relates to Northfield and public service here?
FYI, Paul Hager’s responses to citizen questions via Northfield.org are now posted.
Tracy,
1. This was not a decision I came upon lightly, or alone. I gathered a group of citizens from varied backgrounds, points of view, and who had had experiences, both good and bad, with the city. I asked them what they thought we needed in a leader.
They were looking for someone who could restore pride in city government, and heal the relationships between the council, staff, boards and commissions. They were looking for someone who had credibility with a wide variety of constituencies, who can listen to many points of view but then have the ability to move ahead in a positive way--someone who could get things done. I believe that I have shown these skills through my work throughout the community , and now am ready to serve as mayor.
I have credibility with the academic community (family background) and also with the business community as the owner of a downtown business. I have served in leadership positions with the Historical Society, Arts Guild, Chamber of Commerce and the NDDC. I have shown an authentic commitment to my community and ultimately just want to make Northfield a better place. The question was: “where can I do the most good?”
2. I don’t have a “hot button” issue, but there are two areas where I am particularly excited to be a part of future planning. I believe Northfield is poised to take advantage of some exciting economic development opportunities and that we can also position ourselves as a leader in the area of clean energy. Supporting the work of the EDA and the Energy Taskforce, (hopefully soon to be a commission) and bringing their work forward will be a way that I can make a lasting impact on Northfield’s future.
Just a reminder to everyone that The Cow along with the Key is hosting a Mayoral forum tomorrow evening (Wed. Oct. 29) at 6pm. Both candidates, Mary and Paul will be in attendance.
Please join us for an informative discussion.
Thanks,
Julie
Paul, thanks for your responses. You cleared a couple of things up for me. Also, I really like your comments on the severance package.
Mary, I see you are interested in clean energy for Northfield. How do you feel about corn ethanol? Roder told me Northfield would look forward to providing housing, goods and services to the ethanol plant workers.
Stephanie,
I think we can agree that production of corn ethanol is a poor use of our limited and valuable resources--land, water, etc, and that it has created a hardship for those who depend on cheap corn. The only ones who are doing well are the corn producers, but this might not be sustainable.
This question begs the questions: 1) why are you only asking me, and not my opponent and 2) what exactly does this have to do with the mayoral race in Northfield?
As to Mr. Roder’s comments,
I believe we would be happy to welcome ANY kind of workers and their families to Northfield!
Tracy,
My answer to your question.
Why I’m running for Mayor.
I believe in public service and I want to help my hometown. Northfield has many volunteers that serve their community in so many ways, and through a variety of organizations. My interest is in government. My desire to serve doesn’t mean I have all the answers to the problems we face as a community, or as a people. What it does mean is that I have a desire to help, to step out of the crowd and work to find solutions that benefit the greater good of the community--not the demands of a single individual or group.
I’m running this year, because I see a council without leadership, as evidenced by 18 months drafting a rental ordinance that is found to be unconstitutional; by dragged-out discussions about sidewalks on Lincoln Parkway, the Woodley Street infrastructure, the Fifth Street reconstruction, and the City’s Liquor Store. In censuring the Mayor, there was not leadership but gamesmanship.
I am concerned that in a vacuum of leadership from the elected body, City of Northfield staff members are without direction and may act independently on issues of policy and development. This is ineffective, but more importantly, it bypasses the public’s role in decision-making.
I’m running to restore the public’s trust in the Northfield City Council. I want the council to once again communicate with citizens and invite participation in the governing process. I want the council to work together for the common good. Governing is a difficult job, but leadership can make the job workable and successful. Leadership is needed to set an agenda, identify priorities, incorporate ideas from others, and direct a plan of action. I have demonstrated my leadership in previous service as
both a councilman and as Mayor. It is this experience that I would like to bring the Mayor’s office again.
An important issue is: how do we bring the Hispanic population into participation with the larger community ?