Contact Phone
651-321-8348
I am honored to have served as Mayor of South St. Paul since 2016, leading with a proactive, collaborative and supportive approach that has brought significant achievements to our community. During my tenure, we have successfully expanded the tax base through strategic new developments, fostering growth and prosperity. I am particularly proud of overseeing the complete reconstruction of Concord Street, a $31.5 million project that was fully funded and completed under budget and on time. This initiative not only enhanced our infrastructure but improved connectivity and safety for residents. As a servant leader, I believe the success we have had under my leadership is based on mutual respect for City Staff and our role as elected.
#1. Continue Effective and Functional Government, We have a strong tradition of functional government, and I am committed to maintaining and enhancing our effectiveness in all areas of governance. #2. Water Protection and Infrastructure Resilience, Water protection is a critical concern for South St. Paul, particularly regarding our own aquifer threatened PFAS. #3. Economic Development is key to relieving our residents of a high tax burden, SSP is poised and prepared for new development.
During my tenure as Mayor, we have expanded our communications by adding dedicated communications staff, increasing the frequency of city newsletters to every address and increasing our digital footprint with videos and updated mobile enhanced website I will continue to lead with accountability and ethical conduct.
You will not find a more outgoing and engaging Mayor than Jimmy Francis! My phone number is published, I answer and I return calls when I am not able to answer. I will continue to make it easy for residents to have the information they need from their elected. We listen and ensure ample notice is given to every open/public meeting. We provide many ways to communicate to city staff and the elected. We take their feedback seriously and appreciate dialogue and exchanges of constructive input.
Addressing public safety challenges in South St. Paul requires a comprehensive approach. Our police department stands out as a model due to the strong relationships they've cultivated within our community and their respected reputation among peer agencies. Supporting our police chief and his team is paramount. I am committed to collaborating with our judicial system and partners to address recidivism and advocate for fair treatment in sentencing. My approach is clear, and together, we can!
Contact Phone
651-246-8574
My vision, “Embracing the Past, Envisioning the Future” focuses on building a prosperous future while honoring our heritage. I bring civic pride and an eagerness to engage multiple perspectives which I believe will enhance city strengths and address challenges. With a decade+ of political and organizational experience, I understand the political process. I’ve served on various boards and committees, including President of the MN Council for the Social Studies. As a 15-year educator and a three-time MN Teacher of the Year Semifinalist, I integrate civic lessons into my curriculum. I’ll advocate for a more inclusive community approach and aim to enhance South St. Paul's growth and residents' quality of life through collaborative leadership.
I aim to foster a vibrant, thriving community where people want to live, work and play by bringing more transparency, collaboration and creativity to city government. We need to work with community partners to develop new strategies to combat issues like lowering our incidence of domestic violence and opioid use - the 2nd highest in Dakota County. We need to maintain and repair important infrastructure while finding a balance between taxes and spending.
As mayor, I will advocate for our city council work sessions to be recorded and minutes available for our public to read. They currently are not, and while votes do not take place during worksessions, most decisions are discussed and agreed upon at these times. This leads to decisions being made in regular council meetings that offer little to no input other than “We discussed this in depth at a work session that is open to the public.”
We need to actively and effectively work with residents to solicit feedback and ideas for initiatives, through more town halls, comprehensive community surveys, and by inviting stakeholders - coalitions, organizations and businesses - to round tables. Doing this will allow us to better identify gaps and possibilities when reevaluating our goals regarding economic development, public safety, infrastructure, housing, energy and the environment, education, budgets, and more.
I have the utmost respect for Chief Wicke, his vision is for the future, and how he oversees the SSPPD. We also need to recruit and retain more officers and personnel. We need to build a collaborative approach with our local agencies, county partners, and our residents that focuses on proactive problem solving and addressing public safety concerns. We need to advocate with our state/federal partners for more resources to combat opioid use and domestic violence in our community.
