Minnesota and North Dakota Voter's Guide

Forum Communications Co., in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and of North Dakota, is providing this voter guide to help keep you informed ahead of the 2024 election.

  • Learn where candidates running for office in your community stand on the issues.
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Voter Guide

Brooklyn Park City Council Member Ward C

As local legislators who sometimes have executive power, council members can propose ordinances, set administrative policy, and authorize the budget proposed by the mayor. They oversee all city activities, including city services, programs, licensing, and public safety. Mayoral appointments to city government typically require council approval.Learn more here: https://www.lwv.org/blog/voting-local-matters-why-vote-city-councilUse the MN Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing page (https://candidates.sos.mn.gov/) to find specific candidate contact information.Watch a candidate forum for this race recorded on August 27, 2026.

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

  • Candidate picture

    Ashyante Shantell Gill
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Nichole Klonowski
    (NP)

Biographical Information

Why are you the best candidate for this position? (750 characters)

If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (500 characters)

How do you plan to engage with and represent all members of our diverse community?(500 characters)

What steps will you take to ensure transparency and accountability in city government? (500 characters)

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I am running because I care deeply about Brooklyn Park and the people who call it home. As a resident, mother, community advocate, and member of the Community Long-range Improvement Commission, I have seen how important it is for residents to have a voice in decisions that affect their neighborhoods. I bring a community-centered perspective and a willingness to listen, learn, and work with others. I want to help build a Brooklyn Park where families feel safe, residents can afford to stay, young people have opportunities to thrive, and every resident feels heard and represented.
My top three priorities are affordable housing and economic opportunity, safe and strong neighborhoods, and opportunities for youth and families. Families should be able to afford to remain in Brooklyn Park, find good-paying jobs, and feel safe in their neighborhoods. I also want to invest in opportunities that help young people succeed and ensure our city's growth benefits the residents who already call Brooklyn Park home.
Representation begins with listening. I will make myself accessible to residents, attend community events, connect with neighborhoods and community organizations, and create opportunities for residents to share their concerns and ideas. I will intentionally seek input from people who may not always feel heard in city government and make sure different perspectives are considered before decisions are made.
I will communicate clearly with residents about decisions, priorities, and how taxpayer dollars are being used. I will ask questions, review information carefully, and explain the reasoning behind my decisions. I also believe residents should have accessible information and meaningful opportunities to provide input. Accountability means listening, being willing to answer questions, and remembering that elected officials are there to serve the community.
Over the past four years, Brooklyn Park has made real progress. Crime has fallen to its lowest level in 36 years, and after decades of state disinvestment, our city is finally receiving its fair share. That funding is helping build a new fire station to replace a 1970s-era building, expand our community activity center, and train residents for careers in biotech.

We are working to bring the retail and restaurants residents have long asked for, and community input is shaping plans for a new senior center.

I’ve been part of that work, helping secure that state investment, partnering closely with staff and colleagues, and making sure Brooklyn Park has a seat at the table. I’m ready to keep delivering for our community.
First, clean, soft water. Our water is among the hardest in the state, and new PFAS standards require a solution that addresses both, with state and federal help to protect residents’ wallets.

Second, public safety. Keeping crime at a 36-year low means supporting police and firefighters, investing in violence interruption, and giving young people meaningful things to do.

Third, smart growth. Bringing retail, restaurants, and biotech jobs expands our tax base and eases the load on homeowners.
Brooklyn Park’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and every resident deserves to be heard. My career began in social services, where I learned that people thrive when treated with dignity and respect.

On the council, that means working closely with our resident commissions and regularly inviting the community to weigh in on the city’s direction. More than once, we’ve changed course because of what residents told us, and that’s exactly how it should work.
Residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent. On the council, I pushed to require that this information go directly to taxpayers with their year-end property tax statements. It explains what the levy covers, how it’s set, and how the city, county, and school district each make up a share of the bill, with visuals showing where the money goes, including the more than half of our budget that funds public safety.

I’ll keep doing the city’s work in the open and own every vote.
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The League of Women Voters of Minnesota and North Dakota crafted the questions sent to the candidates in the Spring of 2024. They reached out to candidates based on contact information in their public candidate filings. Candidates with email addresses were invited and reminded with emails. Candidates with only mailing addresses were sent a letter. Candidates with phone numbers received a phone call as well.

Candidate responses are published as they responded and have not been edited, except when responses were longer than the given character limit. In those cases, the responses are truncated.

VOTE411 is brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund and League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund. The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any political party or candidate for office.