Contact Phone
612-812-3695
I am an experienced, long-term councilmember adept at finding solutions to complicated issues, and a strategic thinker who seeks resident and stakeholder feedback.
Excelsior is a small town with regional appeal and the complexity of a large city. I’ve learned that to make good decisions for the City requires putting in the time to understand the issues. Serving on the council as a councilmember or a mayor is hard work. It’s a role that requires devoting time to analyze the information that staff prepares for the council, engage with multiple stakeholders to understand their positions and concerns, and think strategically about the policies in our ordinances and how they should be uniformly applied in the interests of the entire City.
State Funding for Excelsior Infrastructure Projects: I have worked with our legislators in both parties to secure State bonding. We are well-positioned to receive support if the legislature passes a bonding bill in 2025.
New City Hall at the Public Works Site: This property is City-owned and needs reinvestment.
Parking Policy: Parking meter revenue offsets the City’s tax levy and benefits all taxpayers, but Excelsior should have free parking on Water St., the East Lot, and in the new ramp.
Transparency in government is critical to the process of governing. I strive to ensure that my decisions are well-reasoned and articulated in the meetings so that the public understands my vote. As Mayor, I will work to improve clarity of council decisions by encouraging councilmembers to explain their positions and votes to increase public understanding.
Councilmembers must recuse themselves from topics which are conflicts-of-interest and I have done so when required.
For major projects and topics, I have reached out individually to residents to solicit opinions and feedback. This is time-consuming, but extremely helpful as I weigh competing considerations. I also appreciate hearing from residents via email, or in casual encounters while walking through town. I will remain accessible to our residents and businesses and continue to seek out feedback.
The City should add bi-weekly emails to residents and I will work with staff to initiate these updates.
Excelsior is served by the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) and the Excelsior Fire District. Both organizations are managed by professional chiefs experienced in this work. As Mayor, I will sit on the SLMPD Coordinating Committee, which is the governing body, and will ensure that resident concerns are heard. I have attended Coordinating Committee meetings on behalf of the current Mayor when he has been unavailable so I am well-prepared for this role.
I offer a fresh set of eyes and different ideas and can offer the unique perspective of not just a resident, but a local business owner, commercial land owner, and chamber board member. Wearing all those hats. I have built trust and relationships that I will continue to nurture and expand. I was a Council Member from 2002 to 2004. I enjoyed working with different view points and good healthy debate to spark creativity and compromise, giving us the good lasting results. As Fire Chief I was able to improve and strengthen our Fire Department through the Joint Powers Agreement, which at that time was an “out of the box” idea. I have the energy and drive to tackle the issues we have currently with that same creative mind set.
Top priority I perceive is a lack of communication from the city to its constituents. There has been voiced concern from both residents and business owners that they are not being listened to.
A permanent home for City Hall. We need a place we can call home.
Parking. There needs to be a balance with the residents and businesses to ensure that we are welcoming to those that want to visit. Making it a smooth and easy process for guests to find and utilize parking to spend time and money in town.
I will lead by example, listen to our residents, to our businesses, to our guests, and ask the hard questions of myself and those around me. Being transparent in my leadership, By having conversations with all the parties affected getting their input. I will make sure we always ask the question, is this in the best interest of Excelsior? Not just individuals or select groups but the city as a whole. When we make a mistake, make sure we identify it. Own up to it. Fix it and the trust we lost.
I will be holding “coffees with the mayor” monthly to be front and center with the people that elected me. I will also continue my philosophy of servant leadership by giving my time attending and supporting events and activities in town. I will nurture and foster an environment of community involvement. I feel the best approach is an add hock groups to get input from all sides. This town has a tremendous amount of talent in its 1.3 sq miles and we should be tapping into that.
I retired from the Excelsior Fire Department after 23 years of service, 5 of which I was the Chief. I Still attend many of the Dept events and talk with many current members. My wife Kellie is also the Fire Marshal. As Fire Chief and still today I have a great working relationship with our Police Department leadership and officers. I will continue working with both departments on enhancing their practices, training and equipment to keep us on the cutting edge and our community safe and protected
