This transcript captures the Bloomington City Council special meeting held on January 11, 2023. Speaker identifications are based on the provided list of officials and the context of the dialogue. [18:00] **Mayor Tim Busse**: GOOD EVENING EVERYONE AND WELCOME. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. IT IS JANUARY 11TH, 2023 6:00. THE SPECIAL MEETING IS TO HAVE OUR SECOND INTERVIEWS WITH FOLKS WHO ARE APPLYING TO FILL THE COUNCIL VACANCY CREATED BY THE RESIGNATION OF NATHAN COULTER. WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE SCHEDULED FOR THIS EVENING. EACH WILL GET A HALF HOUR AND IT WILL BE A CONVERSATION BETWEEN COUNCIL AND THE APPLICANTS AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET TO KNOW THEM A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND ADD TO OUR INFORMATION WE HAVE ON EACH APPLICANT. SO ULTIMATELY WE WILL MAKE THE DECISION AND JUST A QUICK REVIEW WE HAD EACH APPLICANT SUBMIT A RESUME AND COVER LETTER ALONG WITH SOME BASIC APPLICATION INFORMATION ONLINE. WE DID HAVE INITIAL INTERVIEWS LAST WEEK ON WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY OF LAST WEEK AND ON MONDAY NIGHT WE NARROWED THE GROUP DOWN FROM 18 APPLICANTS DOWN TO FIVE AND THOSE FIVE FOLK ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES COMING IN TONIGHT. MY INTENTION COUNCIL IS NOT TO MAKE A DECISION. WE'RE GOING TO GATHER INFORMATION AND MAKE A DECISION. OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING WHICH WOULD BE ON THE 23RD I BELIEVE IS THAT CORRECT? MATT, THANK YOU. ON THE 23RD. SO THAT IS MY INTENTION THIS EVENING. SO WHY DON'T WE GET STARTED? WE HAVE FIVE FOLKS TO GO THROUGH TONIGHT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEM AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM. I'M CONFIDENT THAT COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN AND COUNCILMEMBER NELSON WILL BE JOINING US HERE SHORTLY. GOOD EVENING, MR. COLTON. HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? [18:02] **Don Colton**: I'M GOOD, MAYOR. HOW ARE YOU? [18:02] **Mayor Tim Busse**: I'M VERY WELL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT. WE'VE GOT A HALF HOUR TO TALK WITH YOU. UNLIKE THE FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS WE DID NOT PROVIDE THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME. SO WE WANT THEM—WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE FREE FLOWING BACK AND FORTH, THE ABILITY TO FOLLOW UP WITH QUESTIONS, JUST THE ABILITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH AND AS I SAID TO GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER, DON. AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE WILL DO AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO WORK OUR WAY UP AND DOWN AND GO TO IT HERE. I'M GOING TO KICK IT OFF IF I CAN FIND MY QUESTIONS—HERE IT IS. COUNCIL, ARE WE READY TO GET ON? VERY GOOD. I'M GOING KICK IT OFF WITH THIS QUESTION. SO MR. COLTON, WHAT ELEMENT OF THE CITY PLAN RESONATE WITH YOU AND WHY? [18:03] **Don Colton**: You know, I think it's the community outreach piece and first of all, thanks for having me. It's a pleasure to be here and also it's a pleasure to be here before 11 P.M. as I was the last time as before you guys. It's the community outreach piece you know as you go through the strategic plan, there is a huge emphasis on community outreach and I think as we all saw as we sat here Monday night, sometimes residents don't feel like they're being heard and we do our best to let residents feel they're heard and sometimes they're not. And I think that's a challenge since the beginning of government right. How do you get people involved? You know, as you know specifically talking about the single and two family residential standards? I've known about that for four years and I'm just an unpaid resident as as much as anyone else's. But it's the emphasis as we move forward it's getting residents informed and something I've learned is my time on the planning commission specifically speaking to changes in residential neighborhoods you know we can put up an office tower as tall as we want and we won't get any public feedback on it but as soon as we want to change a gas station or put up a billiards hall or anything else across from somebody's house we get a neighborhood of people which is great. I wish we had that room full of people all the time and so it's you know, as we move forward I think about how do we connect with—I have a lot of faith in our community outreach staff. I've worked with them and they're great—but I think that's a challenge we need to continue to work on is how do we reach residents before they feel like they're surprised because I think when you're surprised you have an automated sort of whoa pushback. I didn't know about this. It must be something I don't like. Whereas if we were able to inform them early, let them know what's coming and why we're doing it and I think you'll get more buy in as we go along. So that piece of the strategic plan, the community outreach piece that's what resonates with me the most. [18:05] **Mayor Tim Busse**: SO WITH MAILINGS, WITH OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, WITH ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO INFORM RESIDENTS? [18:05] **Don Colton**: I think we should take a little of a strategic approach based on what the issue is. Like I said, if it's an office tower nobody's going to care if they get something in their inbox or not. But if it's in a neighborhood I think we should approach it as if it's in a neighborhood. We do the extra mile, do your Council Minute if we have other channels kind of a full court when it's something in the neighborhood because that's where we get the most visceral reactions. But there's of course a recognition we can't put something in people's mailbox for every citywide matter. We can't do it. There's a financial cost to it. It's not right to the taxpayer to do that. It's impractical. So I think if we separated the piece of this affects neighborhoods, we need to pay extra attention to this and then I think what we're doing right now is really quite effective for for general matters where I would like to see us step it up is those neighborhood issues where we think we're going to get that sort of emotional testimony or emotional pushback on the things we're trying to accomplish. [18:06] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: YEAH, GOOD EVENING. SO WHAT DOES EQUITY AND INCLUSION MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION? [18:06] **Don Colton**: YEAH EQUITY AND INCLUSION I THINK STARTS WITH US GETTING RID OF WEST BLOOMINGTON AND EAST BLOOMINGTON. I KNOW THERE'S NO FORMAL DEFINITION OF IT BUT I THINK WE ALL SORT OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY SAY THAT AND I THINK THE FIRST THING IS BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIER THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT CITIES HAPPENING HERE. IF WE'RE GOING TO BE TOGETHER WE HAVE TO BREAK DOWN THIS BARRIER OF WHERE YOU LIVE IS THE TYPE OF LIFESTYLE OR THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE. YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE DEFINE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVE OR OR WHAT TYPE OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND THAT CAN'T BE THAT WAY. WE HAVE EXCELLENT THINGS GOING ON THE EAST SIDE OF BLOOMINGTON. I'M AN EAST SIDER. I LOVE LIVING ON THE EAST SIDE BUT I LIKE GOING TO THE WEST SIDE TOO WITH SOME OF OUR NATURAL AREAS OVER THERE. SO FOR ME THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE SORT OF BREAK DOWN THE EAST BLOOMINGTON WEST BLOOMINGTON THING AND GET RID OF THAT. I LOVE SOME OF THE OTHER INITIATIVES WE'RE DOING WITH THE CLOSE TO MY DISTRICT AND THE OLD FIRE DEPARTMENT THREE GETTING THAT SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA SORT OF CITY SUPPORTED. LET'S GET YOU OFF THE GROUND AND THEN LET YOU RUN BY YOURSELF AND I YOU KNOW IT'S NOT US JUST THROWING MONEY AT FOLKS. IT'S PUTTING THEM IN THE RIGHT POSITION TO HAVE THEIR OWN SUCCESSES AND THEN GO OFF ON THEIR OWN AND DO THE RIGHT THINGS. I THINK THAT'S THE PLACE TO BE. [18:08] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: THANK YOU. CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP? PLEASE DO. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR HOW WE COULD BREAK DOWN THE EAST AND WEST? THAT IS A VERY CHALLENGING ONE BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. [18:08] **Don Colton**: VERY SPECIFICALLY I THINK WE SHOULD STOP SAYING IT IN THIS ROOM. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PLACE—FIRST PLACE TO START. WHEN PEOPLE HEAR US SAY IT THEN THEY YOU KNOW THAT'S A TANTAMOUNT TO SAYING IT'S OKAY OR IT'S A REAL THING. YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY AS GUILTY AS SAYING IT UP THERE TOO BUT I THINK WE SHOULD STOP SAYING IT IN THIS ROOM AND THEN, YOU KNOW, KEEPING OURSELVES IN CHECK, MAKING SURE WE ARE BEING EQUITABLE, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR CITY SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY BUT I THINK THE VERY FIRST STEP IS WE STOP SAYING IT IN THIS ROOM. [18:09] **Mayor Tim Busse**: COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN, GOOD EVENING. WELCOME. [18:09] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: THANK YOU. BUSY DAY SORRY TO BE LATE FOR YOU. GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US. SO IN A NORMAL YEAR IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO GET UP TO SPEED AS A NEW COUNCILMEMBER REQUIRING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE REST OF THE WORLD. THIS YEAR IS ALSO AN ELECTION YEAR. DO YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COMMIT TO BOTH? SHARE WITH US HOW YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH AND WHY YOU'D BE BEST SUITED FOR THIS ENDEAVOR. [18:10] **Don Colton**: THERE'S THREE QUESTIONS HERE I MAY ASK YOU TO REPEAT THE SECOND TWO BUT I'LL START WITH THE FIRST ONE OF CAPACITY. I ABSOLUTELY HAVE CAPACITY TAKE ON THE NEXT TEN MONTHS. I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE IF I DIDN'T. I'M ALREADY A PLANNING COMMISSIONER AS YOU ALL KNOW WE DON'T HAVE QUITE THE WORKLOAD YOU DO. IT'S NOT TOTALLY DISSIMILAR. WE HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ALL THE THINGS AND OF COURSE I WOULD STEP DOWN FROM THAT ROLE TO FILL MY POSITION HERE IN CITY COUNCIL. SO I DEFINITELY HAVE THE CAPACITY I'VE ALREADY HAD PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER SMALL THINGS IN MY LIFE SAYING HEY YOU KNOW—ONE THING IS I AM THE CHAIR OF THE MINNESOTA STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION YOUNG MEMBER GROUP—A MOUTHFUL—BUT I'VE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM LIKE HEY YOU KNOW THIS HAPPENS. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PULL BACK FROM SOME OTHER THINGS SO I CAN MAKE SURE I'M DEDICATED TO WHAT I'M DOING HERE. SO THAT'S THE CAPACITY FOR THE RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS THE REELECTION CYCLE I THINK FROM A STANDPOINT YEAH I WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW AS FAR AS AM I GOING TO COMMIT TO RUNNING A CAMPAIGN I BELIEVE IN FINDING OR FINDING SITUATIONS THAT ARE GREAT FOR BOTH PARTIES AND IF I WERE TO BE APPOINTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL I WOULD WANT TO SEE HOW THAT FITS FOR ME. I BELIEVE THINGS HAVE TO BE A GOOD FIT FOR ME AS WELL AS I HAVE TO BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOU AND IF THERE'S A GOOD MUTUAL FIT THERE THEN THAT IS A POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE TO RUN FOR THAT REELECTION AND ELECTION IN THAT CASE AND EXPLORE THAT OPPORTUNITY. COULD I ASK YOU TO REPEAT THE SECOND QUESTION? [18:11] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: SHARE WITH US HOW YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH AND WHY YOU'RE BEST SUITED FOR THIS ENDEAVOR. [18:12] **Don Colton**: YEAH, SO I THINK AGAIN STEPPING BACK FROM A FEW OTHER THINGS. YOU HEARD ME TALK LAST NIGHT—OR BEFORE YOU—ABOUT COACHING. THAT IS ONE THING I WILL NOT STEP BACK FROM. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF STEPPING BACK FROM THAT. I THINK WHEN YOU'RE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE YOU CAN'T HURT OTHER PEOPLE BY DOING SOMETHING FOR OTHER PEOPLE. SO I WOULD CONTINUE TO COACH WITHOUT QUESTION. AND AS FAR AS THE THIRD QUESTION WHICH IS HOW DO I FIT IN RIGHT AWAY I THINK IS A FAIR SUMMARY. SO AS YOU KNOW IT'S INTERESTING I SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WE HAVE A THING IN THE CITY NOW WHERE WE GET A MENTOR WHEN YOU JOIN A BOARD OR COMMISSION OR AT LEAST WE DO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. SO I ACTUALLY PILOTED FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHERE I HAD A FORMER PLANNING COMMISSIONER BE MY MENTOR FROM THE CITY, MR. TOM GOODRUM WHO'S BEEN EXCELLENT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK TOM HAS DONE FOR ME AND KIND OF GUIDED ME THROUGH MY TIME ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THE FIRST THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED ON DAY ONE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IT'S SEVEN PEOPLE UP THERE, RIGHT. AND SO FROM THE VERY FIRST MEETING YOU'RE ONE SEVENTH OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION—IN THIS CASE ONE SEVENTH OF THE CITY COUNCIL—AND IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I CAME TO MY VERY FIRST PLANNING COMMISSION PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO YOU KNOW, HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. YOU KNOW, OFTEN IN LIFE I THINK WE KIND OF TRY TO EASE OURSELVES INTO THINGS. I'LL STEP BACK FOR A LITTLE BIT, WARM UP TO THE POSITION AND WORK OUR WAY IN. AND I THINK THAT WORKS FOR A LOT OF CASES. FOR THIS ROLE, I DON'T THINK IT DOES. YOU'RE IMMEDIATELY YOU KNOW, ONE SEVENTH OF OUR CITY IT'S WELL 90,000 PEOPLE, RIGHT? THOSE PEOPLE ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO BE PREPARED AND THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE ONE OF MY GOALS FOR THIS POSITION IS TO FROM THE VERY FIRST MEETING STEP IN. IF A MOTION IS NECESSARY I'D BE WILLING TO DO THAT, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A DIFFERENT OPINION ON AN ITEM, AGREE, DISAGREE. TO BE A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS SOMETHING I ABSOLUTELY WOULD HAVE THE INTENT OF DOING FROM THE VERY FIRST MEETING. [18:14] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS BLOOMINGTON'S MOST CRITICAL LONG TERM CHALLENGE THAT HASN'T HAD ENOUGH PROGRESS TOWARDS BEING ADDRESSED YET AND AS SPECIFICALLY AS POSSIBLE WHAT NEXT STEPS WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE TO SEE THAT ISSUE ADDRESSED? [18:14] **Don Colton**: SURE. YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR ME OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS HAVING A DIFFERENT IDENTITY THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. WHEN I TELL PEOPLE I LIVE IN BLOOMINGTON, THEY KNOW MALL OF AMERICA AND THEY ALL KNOW IKEA AND MOST OF THEM KNOW OUR OFFICE TOWERS AND THEY KNOW OUR HOTELS BUT THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR GREEN SPACE. AND I THINK THAT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT'S HOLDING US BACK. WE HAVE THESE SIGNIFICANT AMENITIES IN OUR CITY THAT OTHER CITIES DON'T HAVE AND WE ARE NOT PUSHING THAT ENOUGH IN MY OPINION—WITH HYLAND, THE MINNESOTA VALLEY NATIONAL REFUGE DOWN THERE. WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT ASSETS THAT WE ARE NOT PROMOTING—WHETHER IT'S DIGITAL MEDIA CHANNELS OR WHATEVER IT NEEDS TO BE. I THINK WE'RE MISSING OUT ON POTENTIAL RESIDENTS, PEOPLE COMING TO BLOOMINGTON FOR RECREATIONAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON. AND I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE OTHER TREMENDOUS ASSETS. I WOULD NEVER WANT TO BE WITHOUT THEM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THEY'RE GREAT BUT I THINK WE HAVE A CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF US TO SAY WE HAVE OTHER THINGS HERE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST THE AIRPORT EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE AIRPORT IS NOT HERE BUT THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE IDENTIFY US WITH—THE MALL AND THE AIRPORT. HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY BLOOMINGTON WITH OUR OTHER ASSETS WHETHER THAT BE OUR SMALLER COMMERCIAL NODES? I LIVED NEXT TO 90TH AND LYNDALE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I LOVE THE NODES OVER THERE OR EITHER A SMALLER COMMERCIAL NODE. BUT SPECIFICALLY I THINK OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS THAT WE HAVE—I THINK PEOPLE ARE MISSING OUT ON THOSE AND WE NEED TO SHAPE OUR IDENTITY IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO BLOOMINGTON FOR OTHER REASONS THAN THE MALL. [18:16] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: THANKS FOR BEING HERE. YOU MENTIONED IDEAS FOR IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT BLOOMINGTON. I’D LOVE FOR YOU TO EXPOUND UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE WORKING ON TO IMPROVE THAT. [18:16] **Don Colton**: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. YEAH I TAKE AS MUCH TRANSIT AS ANYBODY. I'VE WORKED IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS I'VE TAKEN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION EVERY WORKING DAY TO GET THERE AND SO I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. ONE THING I MISS IS ROUTE 597. ROUTE 597 USED TO GO FROM SOUTH BLOOMINGTON TRANSIT STATION AT 98TH AND LYNDALE—WAS EXPRESS SERVICE TO DOWNTOWN—AND I THINK THAT WAS A HUGE LOSS FOR THE CITY. WHEN THE ORANGE LINE CAME IN METRO TRANSIT TOOK AWAY ROUTE 597 AND ALTHOUGH WE GOT IMPROVED SERVICE HAVING THE ORANGE LINE—WHICH I THINK HAS ITS FLAWS—TO HAVE EVERY 10 MINUTES SERVICE—I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY 15—BUT IT TAKES LONGER AND FOR COMMUTERS EVERY MINUTE MATTERS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY A DOWNGRADE WHEN WE WENT FROM THE ROUTE 597 TO THE ORANGE LINE. YOU KNOW WE'RE COMPETING WITH OUR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT NOW. I THINK ONE OF THE PLACES WE COMPETE WITH MOST IS SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS AND HOW CAN WE COMPETE WITH SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS? WELL, ONE OF THE WAYS WE COULD DO IT IS GOOD ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. ONE OF THE STORIES I WAS ABLE TO SHARE IN MY OFFICE WAS EVERYONE WOULD SAY "OH YOU LIVE SO FAR AWAY" BUT MY BUS ROUTE FROM SOUTH BLOOMINGTON TRANSIT STATION ON ROUTE 597 WAS FASTER THAN HAVING TO TAKE A LOCAL BUS IN FROM SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS. AND SO I COULD HAVE—I THINK IT WAS AN 18 MINUTE BUS RIDE WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WAS TAKING 25 MINUTE BUS RIDES SO I COULD HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD I WANTED IN THE CITY THAT I WANTED AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH SOME OF THE SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS STUFF AND I HAD BETTER ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. IT WAS A HUGE STORY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE AND KIND OF OPEN THEIR EYES LIKE OH GEEZ THAT'S GREAT BUT WE LOST IT AND I'M DISAPPOINTED WE LOST IT AND I WISH WE COULD BRING BACK THAT EXPRESS SERVICE EVEN IF IT'S JUST A FEW ROUTES IN THE MORNING, A FEW ROUTES IN THE EVENING TO GET THE BULK OF THE COMMUTERS THERE. YOU COULD STILL TAKE THE ORANGE LINE THE REST OF THE DAY IF YOU HAD TO BE AROUND AT A DIFFERENT PART OUTSIDE OF THE RUSH HOURS. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ROUTE 597 COME BACK GETTING THAT EXPRESS SERVICE. THE NEXT PIECE AND PROBABLY THE MORE IMPORTANT PIECE IS WE'VE GOT TO GET SAFETY BACK ON THE BLUE LINE. IT UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE MONTH OVER MONTH. THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE SEEN OPEN DRUG USE IN THE LAST 30 DAYS IS MORE THAN TWO HANDS TO COUNT IT WHICH IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE. YOU KNOW IT'S MARIJUANA, I MEAN WE'RE TALKING METH, FENTANYL—THE HARD STUFF. WHEN THERE ARE CHILDREN ON THE TRAINS, WHEN THERE ARE VULNERABLE PEOPLE ON THE TRAINS, THE SAFETY ON THE BLUE LINE HAS REALLY TAKEN A DIVE AND IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING AND IT'S OPEN CARRY. IT'S NOT EVEN FOLKS JUST TRYING TO HIDE IN THE BACK OF THE CAR. IT'S TOTALLY OPEN CARRY OF DRUGS ON THE TRAIN AND IT'S REALLY SAD. IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN BARELY RIDE IT AND I WORK FROM HOME MORE THAN I SHOULD JUST BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO NOT TAKE THE TRAIN AND DEAL WITH THE COMMUTE WHICH IS REAL BECAUSE BLOOMINGTON CENTRAL STATION WHERE I LIVE THAT'S THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT IS THAT TRANSIT STATION AND THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE LIGHT RAIL FROM BLOOMINGTON TO DOWNTOWN—THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL STORY THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT WHEN IT'S UNSAFE OR CHALLENGING OR YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT AFTER HOURS OR YOU'D RATHER JUST TAKE AN UBER HOME THAT'S NOT A GOOD STORY FOR US. AND SO I WANT TO SEE US GET WITH METRO TRANSIT AND SAY WHAT ARE WE DOING TO FIX THIS? WE COUNT ON YOU FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION AND WE WANT TO SEE REAL CHANGES. [18:19] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: AS A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO THAT, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT—THE COMMUTING THING TOTALLY UNDERSTAND—WHAT ABOUT WITHIN BLOOMINGTON? I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND OR IDEAS FOR INTRA-BLOOMINGTON? [18:19] **Don Colton**: YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING ON AMERICAN BOULEVARD. UNFORTUNATELY AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET A BUS RAPID TRANSIT I THINK FROM EDEN PRAIRIE THROUGH THE SOUTH BLOOMINGTON TRANSIT STATION TO THE MALL AND MAYBE UP TO THE AIRPORT. BUT WE NEED MORE EAST-WEST TRANSPORTATION RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT HARD TO GET DOWNTOWN—MAYBE UNCOMFORTABLE—BUT IT'S NOT HARD TO GET THERE. WHAT IT IS HARD IS TO GET ACROSS BLOOMINGTON. I WORK NEAR THE AIRPORT AND SOMETIMES I WOULD TAKE TRANSPORTATION TO DOWNTOWN IN THE MORNING, TAKE THE BLUE LINE DOWN TO THE LIGHT RAIL BUT IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO GET BACK TO MY APARTMENT FROM THE AIRPORT AND SO OFTEN I WOULD ACTUALLY JUST HAVE TO GO BACK INTO DOWNTOWN TO GET MY BUS THAT I WANTED BACK TO MY APARTMENT AND THAT WAS A REAL PAIN. I MEAN YOU'RE ON A BUS FOR AN HOUR AND 20 MINUTES JUST TO GET HOME. SO MORE INNER BLOOMINGTON TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE GREAT ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST WEST DIRECTION WHETHER THAT BE OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD, 98TH STREET OR ALONG AMERICAN BOULEVARD IN PARTICULAR I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR RESIDENTS. ALSO A BETTER CONNECTION WITH SOUTHWEST TRANSIT FOR THOSE EDEN PRAIRIE FOLKS. FOR A VERY SHORT TIME I MADE THE MISTAKE OF LIVING IN EDEN PRAIRIE AND MOVED OUT OF BLOOMINGTON AND THAT'S SOUTHWEST TRANSIT ONLY. SO THEN YOU WOULD TAKE SOUTHWEST INTO DOWNTOWN AND IF YOU HAD AN EVENT IN BLOOMINGTON THEN YOU'RE ON TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND THEY DON'T TALK VERY WELL AND SO AGAIN IT'S JUST EASIER TO GO BACK INTO DOWNTOWN TO GET BACK TO EDEN PRAIRIE WHEREAS IF THERE WAS BETTER CONNECTION BETWEEN BLOOMINGTON AND EDEN PRAIRIE I THINK THAT'S ALSO A BENEFIT TO RESIDENTS. SO KIND OF TRYING TO GET METRO TRANSIT OFF OF THIS "WE GOT TO GET EVERYBODY INTO DOWNTOWN" PIECE AND SPREAD THAT AROUND A LITTLE BIT TO MORE OF OUR SUBURBS I THINK IS NECESSARY. [18:21] **Mayor Tim Busse**: TELL US ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO DEFEND THE DECISION THAT YOU MADE EVEN THOUGH OTHER PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO THAT DECISION. [18:21] **Don Colton**: YEAH THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK BACK TO AN ITEM WE HAD BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION A FEW YEARS AGO AND I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT CAME BEFORE YOU OR NOT BUT IT WAS FOR AN ADULT CARE FACILITY NEAR OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD AND OLD CEDAR AVENUE—RIGHT ON THAT INTERSECTION THERE—AND THE PROPOSAL WAS NOT ONLY FOR AN ADULT CARE FACILITY BUT IT NEEDED A RE-GUIDING IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BECAUSE IT WAS GUIDED AS HIGH DENSITY BUT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE CARE FACILITY WHICH WAS JUST GOING TO GO INTO AN EXISTING HOUSE THAT'S ALREADY THERE. SO THEY'RE APPLYING FOR REZONING AND THAT WAS A REAL BATTLE. OLD CEDAR AND OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD IS ON MY VERY SHORT LIST OF CORRIDORS THAT WE NEED SOME REVITALIZATION IN AND SO IT WAS A REAL TUG AND PULL BETWEEN—WE HAVE AN APPLICATION BEFORE US FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED, IT WAS ADULT CARE FOR HIGHER NEEDS FOLKS—AND YOU HAVE TO WEIGH THE DECISION OF DOING SOMETHING GOOD BUT POTENTIALLY WORKING AGAINST YOUR FUTURE GOALS OF REVITALIZING THAT CORRIDOR. I THINK AS A CITY THAT CORRIDOR NEEDS SOME NEW ENERGY AND SO IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO TAKE A PARCEL THAT WAS GUIDED HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK REALLY WELL THERE BECAUSE WITH THE NEW CEDAR AVENUE BRIDGE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AMENITIES DOWN THERE REALLY GOOD ACCESS TO THAT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD. BUT YOU HAD TO RE-GUIDE IT AWAY FROM THAT FOR ANOTHER GOOD USE THAT WE NEED MORE OF. AND SO ULTIMATELY I HAD TO DEFEND THIS DECISION OF TAKING A HARD LOOK AT THIS AND SAYING NO TO AN ADULT CARE FACILITY WHICH IS HARD ON THE SURFACE TO SAY "NO WE DON'T WANT AN ADULT CARE FACILITY." BUT IT REALLY ISN'T ABOUT THAT. IT WAS EXPLAINING THAT WE HAVE A CORRIDOR HERE THAT NEEDS NEW ENERGY, THAT NEEDS NEW DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAVE TO TAKE A LONG RANGE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS AND ALTHOUGH IN THE SHORT TERM IT WAS A GOOD USAGE, THE LONG TERM GOALS COULD HAVE BEEN SACRIFICED. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE TO DEFEND A DECISION LIKE THAT, I FIND THE BEST THING IS TO EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING. IF YOU DON'T EXPLAIN WHY OR IF YOU JUST PUT IT OUT THERE I THINK THAT CAN REALLY UPSET RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY ONLY SEE IT ON THE SURFACE LEVEL. BUT WHEN YOU EXPLAIN WHY—HERE'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AND THE GOALS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE LONG TERM—I THINK THEN YOU KNOW YOU MAY NOT HAVE THEM ON YOUR SIDE BUT I THINK YOU CAN AT LEAST GAIN SOME PEOPLE'S RESPECT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS IF WE HAVE EACH OTHER'S RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THE DECISIONS PEOPLE MAKE. WE CAN DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER. THAT'S FINE. WE HAVE 90,000 PEOPLE HERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE ON ANYTHING BUT IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE EACH OTHER ARE COMING FROM AND HAVE RESPECT FOR THE DECISIONS PEOPLE ARE MAKING, THEN THEY CAN SORT OF TAKE DOWN SOME OF THAT ENERGY AND AT LEAST HAVE PEOPLE THINK YOU'RE WORKING FOR THEM INSTEAD OF AGAINST THEM. [18:24] **Mayor Tim Busse**: THANK YOU. AND I'LL POINT OUT WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT NINE AND A HALF MINUTES JUST SO YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME IN YOUR HEAD. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO. [18:24] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD RESPOND TO A DIFFICULT DECISION. BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR APPROACH? HOW DO YOU—WHEN YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT DECISION IN FRONT OF YOU—WHAT'S YOUR APPROACH IN GETTING TO THE ANSWER OR YOUR VOTE OR TO THE DECISION? [18:24] **Don Colton**: IT'S TWO PRONGED. IT'S WHAT YOU DO BEFORE THE MEETING AND WHAT YOU DO DURING THE MEETING. SO BEFORE THE MEETING I'M A BIG PREPARATION GUY. YOU KNOW I'M AN ENGINEER BY TRADE SO I LOOK AT THINGS VERY TECHNICALLY AND ANALYTICALLY. I ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF BEFORE THE MEETING IF I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION SO YOU'RE TAKING IN THE BEST INFORMATION YOU CAN TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE DISCUSSION. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THE VERY FIRST THINGS GLEN MARKEGARD FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TAUGHT US IS THAT YOU NEVER MAKE UP YOUR MIND BEFORE YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC AND BEFORE YOU'VE HEARD FROM YOUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. AND I TOOK THAT TO HEART AND I CAN THINK OF A VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE IS AN APPLICATION FOR ONE OF THE VERIZON WIRELESS NODES DOWN ON SOUTH LYNDALE AND 90TH STREET. AND IT GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THE NOISE IT WAS GOING TO EMIT AND I HAD READ THE STAFF REPORT AND FELT GOOD ABOUT IT. BUT DURING THE MEETING A RESIDENT STEPPED FORWARD AND SAID "I READ THIS REPORT AND YES THE NOISE BEING EMITTED FROM THIS FACILITY IS WITHIN CODE. IF YOU ADD ON THE EXISTING NOISE THAT'S ALREADY BEING EMITTED IT WOULD CROSS THE THRESHOLD." AND THAT WAS SOMETHING I'D COMPLETELY MISSED. NOT TO DISCREDIT STAFF I THINK THEY MISSED IT TOO AND WE TOOK A LOOK AT THIS AND SAID YEAH HE'S RIGHT. WE MISSED THIS. AND SO WE HELD OVER THE APPLICATION. WE ASKED THE APPLICANT TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT AND THEY CAME BACK TO US A MONTH LATER AND THEY HAD A MORE ROBUST SOUND WALL THERE TO LIMIT THAT NOISE POLLUTION TO THE SURROUNDING CITIES AND THAT WAS PRETTY EARLY ON IN MY TIME IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND I REALIZED PUBLIC TESTIMONY MATTERS—AND NOT THAT I DIDN'T THINK IT DID—BUT IT REALLY IMPRESSED UPON ME THAT WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO OUR RESIDENTS AND THEY CAN COME FORWARD WITH SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS AND REALLY GOOD THINGS. YOU KNOW NONE OF US ARE EXPERTS IN EVERYTHING, RIGHT? WE CAN'T BE. BUT WHEN WE LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, WE REALLY LEARN A LOT OF STUFF BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERTS OUT THERE IN THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT AND THAT RESIDENT TESTIMONY CHANGED MY MIND AND CHANGED THAT APPLICATION. ONE RESIDENT CAME FORWARD AND IT RESULTED IN THE CHANGE TO THAT APPLICATION. I THINK THAT WAS A HUGE VICTORY FOR THE PUBLIC ON THAT AND IT SHOWED THAT WHEN RESIDENTS ARE ENGAGED AND WHEN THEY COME FORWARD WITH GOOD SOLID TESTIMONY THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND SO FOR ME THERE'S THAT PART BEFORE THE MEETING FOR ME—TECHNICAL, ANALYTICAL, ASKING QUESTIONS WHERE NECESSARY—BUT LISTENING DURING THE MEETING, LISTENING, HAVING MY EARS OPEN, BEING ENGAGED IN THE MEETING, CONTINUING TO THINK WHILE I'M THERE AND ONLY AFTER I'VE DONE THAT AM I READY TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION. [18:27] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: SO I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE ANSWERED MY NEXT QUESTION ON SUSTAINABILITY SO I'M GOING TO DO IS ASK THIS ONE—WE'VE ASKED YOU A LOT OF QUESTIONS THIS EVENING. WHAT QUESTIONS HAVEN'T WE ASKED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AND HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? [18:27] **Don Colton**: WHAT QUESTIONS HAVEN'T YOU ASKED? WELL, I THINK YOU COULD ASK "WHAT DIFFERENTIATES YOU FROM OTHER CANDIDATES?" AND FOR ME IT IS MY BACKGROUND AS AN ENGINEER. I THINK THAT DIFFERENTIATES ME A LITTLE BIT IN TWO PRONGS. I TALKED ABOUT BEING VERY TECHNICAL AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO ME. AS AN ENGINEER I THINK IT'S—LEARNING IS THE HALLMARK OF ENGINEERING IS LEARNING EVERY DAY AND IF YOU'RE NOT LEARNING YOU'RE NOT BEING AS EFFECTIVE AS YOU CAN. AND SO AGAIN, IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THAT PUBLIC PIECE BUT ALSO JUST TAKING IN ALL THE INFORMATION WE CAN. I KNOW YOUR PACKETS ARE 800 PAGES OR WHATEVER THEY ARE. THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION IN THERE AND HOW DO YOU BOIL THAT DOWN? AND I AS AN ENGINEER DO THINGS LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME. I MEAN I HAVE A STACK OF CODE BOOKS A MILE HIGH AT MY DESK AND CONSTANTLY BEING FACED WITH NEW CHALLENGES EVERY DAY. YOU KNOW, I WORK A VERY DYNAMIC JOB WITH ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS WHERE THINGS CHANGE ON SITE IN AN INSTANCE AND YOU COULD HAVE A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE, YOU COULD HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO REACT TO VERY QUICKLY. AND CAN YOU TAKE A MEASURED APPROACH IN THOSE INSTANCES? AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MY BACKGROUND HAS REALLY TAUGHT ME—THROUGH FIRE IS BEING ABLE TO BE CALM IN THAT TYPE OF SITUATION, TAKE IN NEW INFORMATION VERY QUICKLY, DISCERN IT AND MAKE THE BEST DECISION. WITH ALL THIS ENDLESS INFORMATION THAT'S COMING AT YOU, HOW CAN YOU BOIL THAT DOWN AND REALLY DISCERN AN APPLICATION IN A TIMELY WAY AND MAKE THE BEST DECISION YOU CAN? AND I THINK THAT'S ONE THING I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A BACKGROUND IN AS AN ENGINEER AND I THINK I CAN BRING A LOT OF THOSE TYPE OF SKILLS—THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY OR AN INDEPENDENT WAY TO YOU. IF I COULD ADD ON A LITTLE BIT, ONE OF MY PROFESSORS VERY EARLY ON IN ENGINEERING SCHOOL TAUGHT US YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND ON THINGS. YOU CAN'T BLINDLY TRUST THINGS. AS AN ENGINEER—AS STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS—WE ARE LIFE SAFETY ENGINEERS AND YOU CAN'T HAVE A TYPE OF GROUPTHINK ON RESEARCH OR OPINIONS THAT COULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. AND I TAKE THE SAME APPROACH WHERE I STUDY MYSELF AND I TAKE IN THE OPINIONS THAT ARE AROUND ME AND DISCERN THAT DOWN TO MY OWN OPINION. AND IT'S ABOUT CREATING YOUR OPINION FROM ALL THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE WHETHER THAT'S PUBLIC TESTIMONY OR THE OTHER THINGS. AGAIN I THINK AS AN ENGINEER WE ARE IMPLORED TO THINK BY OURSELVES AND NOT BE AFRAID TO BE DIFFERENT. ANOTHER THING MY PLANNING COMMISSION MENTOR TOM TAUGHT ME WAS "DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE THE ONLY PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE." IF YOU LOOK CLOSE ENOUGH AT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS I'M SURE THERE'S NO ONE ELSE THAT'S ON THE BACK SIDE OF A 1 TO 6 VOTE MORE THAN I AM AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO DO THAT THERE OR HERE BECAUSE I WILL NOT SUBSCRIBE TO GROUP THINKING. I'LL MAKE UP MY OWN MIND ON OPINIONS BASED ON THE INFORMATION I TAKE IN. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK I CAN BRING TO COUNCIL AS A CRITICAL INDEPENDENT LOOK AT THINGS AND IF I'M THE ONLY ONE STANDING AGAINST IT I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I HAVE A LOT MORE COMING MY WAY SO. [18:30] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: I HAVE A FAIRLY LIGHT ONE. YOU CAN ANSWER IT IN AS LONG OR SHORT OF TIME AS YOU WANT. IF YOU WERE ASKED BY SOMEONE ON THE STREET "WHAT DOES A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DO?" HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? [18:30] **Don Colton**: I THINK WE SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO DO THE SAME THING AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT A PLANNING COMMISSIONER DOES AND THE FIRST THING I SAY IS WE SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. YOU KNOW, IT'S I HAVE THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AS THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS I TALKED ABOUT ON MONDAY NIGHT THAT WE HAVE THESE SORT OF VERY SMALL AGENDAS WHERE WE TAKE AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM AND I'VE ALWAYS KIND OF THOUGHT LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS THE CLOSEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE. LIKE THERE'S NOBODY LOWER THAN US BUT THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS WE’RE THE CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE SO WE CAN MAKE SITE VISITS, WE CAN GO OUT AND LOOK AT THINGS BOOTS ON THE GROUND IF WE NEED TO AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. AND JUST ONE STEP ABOVE THAT IS YOU ALL HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL AND WE'RE LOW ENOUGH ON THE TOTEM POLE WHERE YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT THE GOVERNOR WHERE YOU CAN'T SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE. I THINK YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITY AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL TO SERVE YOUR RESIDENTS WHETHER IT'S GETTING COFFEE WITH THEM OR JUST LISTENING TO THEM SOMETIMES IS ALL IT TAKES IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THEM OR THEY DON'T AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK SERVING YOUR RESIDENTS IS THE NUMBER ONE THING WE CAN DO AS A CITY—WHETHER IT'S A COMMISSIONER OR COUNCIL MEMBER. IF YOU CAN SERVE YOUR RESIDENTS I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS DISAGREEING WITH THEM. YOU KNOW, I THINK A HEALTHY SIGN OF A COMMISSION OR COUNCIL IS DISAGREEING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND DISAGREEING WITH YOUR RESIDENTS AND THAT CAN BE TOUGH. YOU KNOW WE HAD A TOUGH YEAR. YOU ALL HAD A TOUGH APPLICATION BEFORE YOU MONDAY NIGHT WE HAD A ROOMFUL OF PEOPLE DISAGREEING WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT? IT CAN BE TOUGH WHEN THERE'S SORT OF THESE POLAR OPPOSITES ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND I THINK AGAIN IT COMES DOWN TO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY AND CAN YOU CONNECT WITH THE RESIDENTS AND SAY "HERE'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AND HERE'S WHY I'M NOT JUST DOING THIS FOR—" WE'RE NOT BEING PAID OFF. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT "THESE ISSUES ARE GETTING PAID OFF." BELIEVE ME, I'VE NEVER MADE A DOLLAR ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I CAN TELL YOU THAT. IF YOU CAN CONNECT WITH YOUR RESIDENTS AND SERVE THEM ON THE HUMAN LEVEL AND NOT JUST THINK OF THEM AS 90,000 CONSTITUENTS BUT SERVE PEOPLE ON THE HUMAN LEVEL I THINK YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. [18:32] **Mayor Tim Busse**: MR. COLTON, AND WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU. OUR NEXT STEPS ARE WE'RE TALKING TO FIVE PEOPLE TONIGHT—YOU'RE ONE OF FIVE AS I THINK YOU KNOW—AND WE WON'T BE MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT OR HAVING DISCUSSION. THAT WILL HAPPEN AT OUR MEETING ON JANUARY 23RD. THE INTENTION IS WE ARE GOING TO FILL THIS POSITION AND SWEAR IN A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE LATEST THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE. [18:33] **Don Colton**: OKAY VERY WELL. I ALREADY TALKED TO CITY STAFF ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RULES AND I THINK IN THE EVENT THAT OCCURS WE'LL GET ALL THAT FIGURED OUT. [18:33] **Mayor Tim Busse**: WE CAN CERTAINLY FIGURE THAT OUT. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT. THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN THIS POSITION. THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED. [18:33] **Don Colton**: YEAH, THANK ALL OF YOU. APPRECIATE IT. [18:33] **Mayor Tim Busse**: AND COUNCIL JUST FOR INFORMATION THAT COUNCILMEMBER NELSON WILL BE TUNING IN TO LISTEN BUT HE WILL NOT BE ASKING QUESTIONS OR PARTICIPATING BUT HE IS GOING TO BE LISTENING AND WATCHING AND SO HE'LL BE ON BOARD WITH EVERYTHING. COULD YOU GET THE NAME PLATE AS WELL IF YOU COULD MATT? MATT SMALL, GOOD EVENING. [18:34] **Matt Small**: GOOD EVENING. [18:34] **Mayor Tim Busse**: THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SPEND A HALF HOUR WITH US TONIGHT. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DO HAVE 30 MINUTES ON THE CLOCK. WE'LL GET THAT STARTED AS WE ASK THE FIRST QUESTION HERE. UNLIKE THE FIRST INTERVIEW WE DIDN'T PROVIDE YOU WITH THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME SO THIS WILL BE A BIT MORE OF A TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW WHERE WE'LL ASK THE QUESTIONS, EXPECT SOME BACK AND FORTH, MAYBE SOME FOLLOW UP ANSWERS OR QUESTIONS. WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND BE ABLE TO ADD THAT TO THE FILE THAT WE HAVE AND THE DECISION THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ULTIMATELY. [18:35] **Matt Small**: ABSOLUTELY. SOUNDS GREAT. [18:35] **Mayor Tim Busse**: VERY GOOD. SO I'M GOING KICK US OFF AND THEN WE'LL HEAD ON DOWN THE LINE HERE. I WILL ASK THE FIRST QUESTION—WHAT ELEMENTS OF THE CITY PLAN RESONATE MOST WITH YOU AND WHY? [18:35] **Matt Small**: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY COUNCIL. I THINK THE THING THAT STUCK OUT MOST TO ME WAS THE KEY WORD "COMMUNITY" AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE COMMUNITY CAFE INFORMATION AND THE RESIDENT FEEDBACK DATA THAT CAME THROUGH, TO ME IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT COMMUNITY WAS ONE THING THAT PEOPLE WERE SEARCHING FOR. WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME ABOUT EAST BLOOMINGTON VERSUS WEST BLOOMINGTON AND "ONE BLOOMINGTON" BUT THERE STILL CONTINUES TO BE THIS DISCONNECT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE "I DON'T KNOW MY NEIGHBORS, I DON'T KNOW MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I BELONG HERE" EVEN FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. AND AS WE HEARD FROM ONE OF THE CANDIDATES FROM THE INITIAL FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS, SHE WAS VERY CLEAR THAT "I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE BLOOMINGTON WAS A PLACE FOR ME. I FELT THAT WHEN I LIVED IN MINNEAPOLIS AND OTHER PLACES BUT NOT HERE." AND SO AS WE WENT THROUGH THAT PLANNING FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IT CAME THROUGH OVER AND OVER AND OVER TO ME THAT COMMUNITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN BUILD AND THROUGH THAT IT CASCADES INTO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EFFECTS AND HELPS US COME TOGETHER TO HELP PUBLIC SAFETY. THE FIRST KEY WORD ON PUBLIC SAFETY IS "I FEEL LIKE WE FORGET THAT IT'S NOT JUST POLICE AND FIRE THAT KEEP US SAFE BUT IT'S THE PUBLIC THAT KEEPS US SAFE THROUGH COMMUNITY." THAT IS WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY. IT HELPS US IMPROVE HOME VALUES BECAUSE WHEN YOU CARE ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO TO AFFECT THOSE AROUND YOU. AND SO THAT TO ME WAS REALLY WHAT STUCK OUT TO ME. [18:37] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. SO MY QUESTION IS—WHAT DOES EQUITY AND INCLUSION MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION? [18:37] **Matt Small**: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO ME MEANS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU KNOW TO ME IT REALLY MEANS OPPORTUNITY. I THINK WE LIVE IN AN ERA WHERE SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THINGS SHOULD BE GIVEN OR THINGS ARE TAKEN AWAY AND WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THAT. BUT OPPORTUNITY IS WHAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT EQUITY AND INCLUSION ENTAILS. IT'S NOT UP TO THE CITY, THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED. IT'S UP TO YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND GET THAT. AND WHAT THE CITY AND THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO IS PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND. YES, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TERRIBLE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST BUT MOVING FORWARD FROM TODAY WE'RE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE—NO MATTER YOUR RACE, GENDER, CREED, COLOR, BELIEFS—HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE WHAT IS PROVIDED AND MAKE SOMETHING OF THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. AND THAT TO ME IS WHAT EQUITY AND INCLUSION MEANS. [18:39] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: WELCOME. IN A NORMAL YEAR IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO GET UP TO SPEED TO BECOME A NEW COUNCILMEMBER AND REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE BREADTH OF THE ROLE. THIS YEAR IS ALSO AN ELECTION YEAR. DO YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COMMIT TO BOTH? SHARE WITH US HOW YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH AND WHY YOU'RE BEST SUITED FOR THAT ENDEAVOR. [18:39] **Matt Small**: YEAH, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND HONESTLY EVEN IF IT WAS A NORMAL YEAR, IT'S STILL A LOT, RIGHT? I THINK MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE LENDS ITSELF WELL—BEING ON THE COMMUNITY BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGETS AND HOW CITY WORKS IN THE GENERAL FUND AND UNDERSTANDING JUST THE FINANCING THAT GOES BEHIND IT. BEING INVOLVED AND JUST ENGAGED IN WHAT'S GOING ON HERE—YOU KNOW, POPPING IN. I DON'T GO TO EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I'M NOT GOING TO LIE ABOUT THAT BUT I CHECK IN. I LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA. SO THAT I THINK HELPS ME BE PREPARED TO JUMP IN THE ROLE AND LEARN QUICKLY. AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPAIGNING AND GETTING READY FOR AN ELECTION YEAR, IT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD MANY HOURS TALKING WITH MY WIFE ABOUT. IT'S NOT A "ME" SHOW, IT'S A "WE" SHOW. WE HAVE TWO LITTLE BOYS AT HOME AND THEY TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND EFFORT AND SO WE SPOKE FOR MANY HOURS TO FIGURE OUT THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE MATTERS. IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION BUT IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW SETS THE STANDARD FOR HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO LOOK IN TEN, 20, 30 YEARS. AND SO WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION COLLECTIVELY THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT'S WORTH GIVING THE ENERGY TOWARDS AND SO WE'RE PREPARED TO WORK WITH OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS, FAMILY TO GO AHEAD AND—IF I'M APPOINTED TO THE POSITION—SHOULD PURSUE IT FULLY. BECAUSE I THINK WHEN YOU WORK HARD FOR THINGS THAT DON'T MEAN A WHOLE LOT TO YOU, IT'S JUST STRESS. WHEN YOU WORK HARD FOR THINGS THAT MEAN A LOT TO YOU, IT'S CALLED PASSION. AND I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THE CITY, THE PASSION OF THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE HERE, AND I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING A FOUNDATION IN A PART OF THIS CITY SO THAT THOSE WHO COME AFTER ME HAVE SOMEWHERE TO BUILD AND MAKE BLOOMINGTON CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME. [18:41] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: THANK YOU. WHAT IS A RECENT DECISION OR PROJECT OR INITIATIVE PURSUED BY THE CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU DISAGREED WITH OR WOULD HAVE APPROACHED DIFFERENTLY? [18:41] **Matt Small**: THE ONE THAT CAME TO MIND RIGHT AWAY WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS—BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED—RIGHT LIKE I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON—BUT THE ONE THING I WISH WE COULD HAVE FOUND A RESOLUTION FOR OR FIND A SOLUTION FOR WAS A COMMUNITY CENTER. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUILDING COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT BLOOMINGTON IS LACKING IS A SPACE WHERE WE CAN ALL COLLECT AND COME TOGETHER TO PARTICIPATE IN. THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE NOW IS SMALL, IS OUTDATED. IT REALLY ONLY FUNCTIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, A SELECT GROUP IN THE COMMUNITY. AND ALTHOUGH IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS NECESSARY, IT DOESN’T FIT THE BROADER BREADTH OF WHAT BLOOMINGTON IS. AND THEN WE LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER SPACES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE WHERE THE MALL FEELS LIKE IT'S A VERY TOURISTY—IT'S FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, NOT FOR BLOOMINGTON. WE LOOK AT ALL THE OUTDOOR SPACE BUT THERE'S SO MUCH SPACE THAT WE CAN'T GET TOGETHER SOMETIMES. AND SO HAVING THAT COMMUNITY CENTER AND THAT COMMUNITY SPACE IS SOMETHING I WISH WE COULD HAVE FOUND A RESOLUTION FOR TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALL COME TOGETHER. [18:43] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: WHAT INFORMATION, SKILL, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT YOU ACQUIRED FROM YOUR PARTICIPATION IN BLOOMINGTON'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM HAVE YOU USED THE MOST SINCE AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT WOULD HELP WITH THIS APPOINTMENT? [18:43] **Matt Small**: YEAH I THINK THE THING WITH THE BLOOMINGTON LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS IT PLANTS A SEED BEYOND ANYTHING ELSE. YOU'RE EXPOSED TO SO MANY THINGS—IT’S AN EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM. OVER THE EIGHT WEEKS YOU MEET THE COUNCIL, YOU MEET CITY STAFF, YOU MEET DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY DOES AND IT PLANTS A SEED IN YOUR HEAD OF "MY GOODNESS THE CITY DOES SO MUCH" AND "WHAT CAN I DO?" THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE THE VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DOES. AND YOU CAN SEE IT THROUGH—YOU KNOW WE HAVE A RUNNING EMAIL WHERE WE GET UPDATES ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DIFFERENT COMMISSION OPENINGS AND EVEN JUST "HEY HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY THIS WEEKEND AND YOU MIGHT LIKE TO GO OUT AND PARTICIPATE." AND SO IT LEADS TO MORE PARTICIPATION. IT LEADS TO BEING MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CITY, YOUR COMMUNITY, LEADS TO TALKING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND SPREADING THAT ENTHUSIASM SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE GROCERY STORE, YOU KNOW, PICKING UP STRAWBERRIES OR CANNED SOUP, WHATEVER IT IS, AND YOU RUN INTO YOUR NEIGHBOR YOU CAN SAY "YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM THAT’S COMING UP. YOU SHOULD JOIN BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND GOING TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW OUR CITY FUNCTIONS AND WORKS." [18:44] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: THIS IS A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO THAT SO APPRECIATE THAT. SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION WAS—WHAT ABOUT THAT DO YOU THINK WILL HELP YOU THE MOST WITH THIS APPOINTMENT? [18:44] **Matt Small**: WITH THIS APPOINTMENT I THINK THE WHAT IT WILL HELP ME WITH IS JUST CONTINUING TO STAY CURIOUS. I KNOW I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CITY AND I FULLY EXPECT TO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CITY BUT IT ENCOURAGES ME TO CONTINUE TO BE CURIOUS AND DIG AND BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING SO THAT I DON'T LOSE THAT ENERGY, THAT DRIVE TO CONNECT WITH MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS. SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING IS CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN THAT ENERGY AND TO CONTINUE ON. [18:45] **Mayor Tim Busse**: SO IF YOU COULD TELL US ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO DEFEND A DECISION THAT YOU MADE EVEN THOUGH OTHER PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO THAT DECISION? [18:45] **Matt Small**: YEAH. I FOR A TIME I MANAGED A RATHER LARGE BUSINESS UNIT AND I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WITH DECISIONS IS MAKING A DECISION BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T MAKE A DECISION SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL COME AND MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOU. AND AS I INHERITED THIS PRODUCT LINE IT HAD BEEN CLEAR THAT IT HAD ONCE BEEN A PRIME PERFORMER SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CONSUMERS LOVED BUT WE HAD JUST GOT TO LET IT GO. BY THE TIME I GOT IT, IT HAD BEEN IN A STEADY TEN YEAR DECLINE, HAD BEEN AT ITS LOWEST POINT—WHAT FOR LAUNCHING A NEW PRODUCT IT WAS BELOW THAT—AND IT IMPACTED THE CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF OUR PRODUCT OUR BRAND IN PARTICULAR. AND MY BOSS WANTED TO KEEP IT BECAUSE IT HAD HIGH EBIDTA—RIGHT IT WAS STILL DELIVERING PROFITS EVEN THOUGH THE PROFITS WERE LOW IT WAS HIGH—BUT IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT WE COULDN'T SUPPORT THIS. THEY WEREN'T MAKING THE MACHINES ANYMORE. WE WERE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON REPAIRS EVERY YEAR AND IT HAD BEEN COMING TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE SPENDING ON THE REPAIRS ITSELF WAS GOING TO OUTWEIGH THE PROFITS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THAT PARTICULAR PRODUCT. AND SO I PROPOSED MY IDEA—THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO START TO DISCONTINUE THIS PRODUCT. WE'RE GOING TO START A PLAN TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS TRANSITION AND GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO SO WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. AND ALL THIS DIFFICULT THING THAT I HAD TO DO WAS LISTEN TO HIGHER LEADERSHIP SAY "NO THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WE THINK WE STILL WANT TO KEEP IT. WE'RE NOT READY YET." AND BEING ABLE TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND PRESENT IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DEFLATING THINGS THAT I COULD HAVE EXPERIENCED. BUT WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT IS THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF MY CONTROL AND WHAT WE CAN DO IS PUT PLANS TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT THE DIRECTION WE'RE GIVEN IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION AND DRIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. AND SO I GOT MY TEAM TOGETHER TO SAY "HEY, THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN BUT GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW AND THE INFORMATION WE'VE PROVIDED AND THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE, LET'S BEGIN WORKING ON OTHER THINGS AND FOCUS OUR ENERGIES WHERE THEY MATTER." AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE DECISION THAT I PRESENTED AND WAS TURNED DOWN AT THE TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT AND MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE ORGANIZATION OVERALL IN THE LONG TERM AND HOPEFULLY ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND PRESENT IT AGAIN AND SHOW THEM THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT DECISION AND WE SHOULD MAKE IT NOW EVEN THOUGH WE SHOULD HAVE MADE IT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO. THANK YOU. [18:48] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: GREAT. SO I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I ASKED YOU TWO QUESTIONS AND I REALIZED AFTERWARDS THAT I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE REPEATED THE SECOND PART. SO GOING BACK TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT IDEAS YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION? [18:48] **Matt Small**: YEAH ABSOLUTELY I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IS GREAT. I THINK THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY IS FANTASTIC—BEING ABLE TO REPRODUCE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT I THINK SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD DO IS GET MORE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE COMMUNITY—IN THE PLACES WHERE OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ARE. ALL RIGHT. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW BLOOMINGTON IS CHANGING CULTURALLY, WE'RE CHANGING—THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES BEING SPOKEN HERE. SO BEING IN THOSE SPACES AND HAVING AMBASSADORS THAT SIT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY THAT CAN GO OUT AND COMMUNICATE THAT AND THEN ALSO THAT CAN BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO THE CITY SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE IS OUR POPULATION AT AND HOW CAN WE BEST SUPPORT WHAT THEY'RE NEEDING. SO HAVING LIKE AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE THAT CAN HELP NOT JUST MINORITY POPULATIONS IN BLOOMINGTON BUT IN ALL BLOOMINGTON. AND WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DIFFERENT AREA CODES—THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL IS MEANT TO DO WHERE ONE PERSON CAN HEAR EVERYONE. AND HAVING OUR NEIGHBORS KIND OF BE OUR EYES AND EARS IS SOMETHING I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. [18:50] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: ALL RIGHT. SO MY NEXT QUESTION—HOW DO YOU APPROACH MAKING DIFFICULT OR CONTENTIOUS DECISIONS? [18:50] **Matt Small**: I THINK AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE THERE'S A PLETHORA OF HARD DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE AND I THINK NOT EVERY DIFFICULT DECISION IS THE SAME. BUT FOR ME I THINK THERE'S KIND OF THREE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS RELY ON AND IT'S: WHAT HAVE I EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST THAT'S SIMILAR TO THIS SITUATION? WHAT DO I KNOW THAT'S TRUE ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION? AND THEN WHO IS MY TEAM? I AM NOT AFRAID TO SAY I'M NOT THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM—I HARDLY EVER AM—AND IF I AM THEN I THINK I'M IN THE WRONG PLACE. SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE TRUE FACTS ARE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HIDE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. AND SO HAVING A FIRMER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT SITUATION IS KEY TO DECIDE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND ARE THOSE SITUATIONS CORRECT FOR HOW WE SHOULD ADDRESS THIS TODAY. AND THEN AGREEING WITH MY TEAM—FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THIS COUNCIL YOU'RE MY TEAM, THE CITY STAFF IS MY TEAM—AND I WON'T BE AFRAID TO TAP THOSE WHO KNOW MORE THAN I DO SO I CAN GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IF WE MAKE THIS DECISION SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AND MOVE FORWARD. AND AS I SAID BEFORE THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME IS BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION BECAUSE IF WE DON'T SOMEONE ELSE WILL AND THEN WE'LL HAVE AN EVEN HARDER DECISION TO MAKE. THAT'S HOW I WOULD APPROACH IT. [18:51] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: SO HOW DO YOU SQUARE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE THE WATER PARK AND WORLD'S FAIR WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AROUND PLAN OBJECTIVES, SUSTAINABILITY, AND RESILIENCE? [18:52] **Matt Small**: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. ON ONE HAND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, THE WATER PARK FEELS LIKE IT'S A BIG DRAIN ON OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND HOW WE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN ABOUT BEING BOLD AND TAKING RISKS, IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THAT. AND HOW I WOULD APPROACH IT IS TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING MAKES BLOOMINGTON A DIFFERENTIATED PLACE—AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE WORLD'S FAIR AND THE WATER PARK DO. IT PROVIDES THAT DIFFERENTIATION THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT FROM ALL OF OUR OTHER PEER COMMUNITIES. AND THEN BECAUSE WE ARE—AND WE HAVE IT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN—A SUSTAINABLE CITY IS A CORE VALUE OF OURS—ENSURING THAT WHATEVER GETS BUILT, WHATEVER COMES THROUGH THIS MEETING—MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY. IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER, IT'S ENSURING THAT WE CAN MEET BOTH. AND IF WE CAN'T, THEN MAKING THAT HARD DECISION THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE WHAT'S BEST FOR US. SO THAT'S HOW I WOULD SQUARE THE WORLD'S FAIR AND THE WATER PARK—THEY WOULD CONFLICT WITH OUR VISION AND SUSTAINABILITY BUT I FULLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS CAPABLE. NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE COMING OUT EVERY DAY AND CONTINUING TO IMPROVE EVERY DAY. AND SO IT'S NOT ONLY THE WATER PARKS, THE WORLD'S FAIRS WE HAVE OF OLD. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TODAY TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE, TO MAKE IT ECOLOGICAL, TO DRAW PEOPLE TO BLOOMINGTON AND MAKE BLOOMINGTON A DIFFERENTIATED PLACE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE BOOSTING BLOOMINGTON AND MAKING IT THE PLACE THAT WE WANT IT TO BE. [18:54] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: I'M HEARING YOUR INTEREST ABOUT COMMUNITY AND DECISION MAKING—KIND OF SPARKED FOR ME—WHO'S A LEADER YOU PARTICULARLY ADMIRE AND WHAT OF THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE WOULD YOU WANT TO EMULATE? [18:54] **Matt Small**: MM HMM. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT LEADERS. I'M REMINDED OF AN OLD FAMILY FRIEND OF MINE HIS NAME WAS JOE BROWN. AND AS I'VE MENTIONED, MY HERITAGE IS HMONG AND IT WAS IN 1996 THAT HE BECAME THE FIRST ELECTED HMONG OFFICIAL OF ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT IN THE US. AND WHAT HE SAID THAT I THINK I DIDN'T APPRECIATE WHEN I WAS YOUNG BUT WHEN I LOOK BACK AT IT NOW I DO—IS THAT "I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HELP THE VOICES OF OTHERS BE HEARD." AND THAT TO ME HAS BEEN A LESSON THAT I'VE TAKEN—WHETHER I KNEW IT OR NOT—AND INCORPORATED INTO MY LIFE AS I LOOK AT MY CAREER. THE ONE THREAD—SO I'VE BEEN A FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY ENGINEER. I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS MANAGER, I MANAGE ACCOUNTS NOW—MY CAREER HAS ZIGZAGGED EVERYWHERE—BUT THE ONE THING THAT'S THREADED ALL OF MY CAREER DECISIONS IS THAT I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND I CAN ALWAYS MAKE THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE IN MY TEAM HEARD AND I WILL ALWAYS GO TO BAT FOR MY TEAM. AND AS A LESSON I LEARNED EARLY ON, I THINK THAT'S WHAT DRIVES ME TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE, TO ENGAGE, AND DRIVES ME TO HELP MY NEIGHBORS, MY COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE, ENGAGE IS THAT SIMPLE FACT THAT I BELIEVE THAT I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HELP OTHER VOICES BE HEARD. [18:56] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: WHAT ARE TWO OR THREE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU THINK WILL BE CHALLENGING FOR YOU AND HOW DO YOU INTEND TO MITIGATE THOSE THINGS? [18:56] **Matt Small**: YEAH, I THINK THE FIRST IS UNDERSTANDING WHOSE VOICES MATTER BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN CITY COUNCIL YOU'RE GETTING OUTSIDE VOICES, YOU'RE GETTING INSIDE VOICES, YOU'RE GETTING FLOODED VOICES. WELL UNDERSTANDING THAT MY DUTY, MY JOB IS TO BE THE VOICE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. SO ENSURING THAT I'M GETTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT I'M ENGAGING MY NEIGHBORS IN CONVERSATION—WHICH I BELIEVE CONVERSATION IS THE ONE TRUE WAY TO DEVELOP CONNECTION—AND ENSURING THAT I'M ABLE TO DO THAT SO THAT I CAN OVERCOME THE VOICES THAT ARE SCREAMING REALLY LOUD BUT ARE ONLY COMING FROM A FEW PEOPLE. WHETHER I CAN OVERCOME THE VOICES THAT ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THAT I DON'T HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS—AND SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE OR SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET USED TO BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT I AM HERE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. THE SECOND THING IS TAKING CRITICISM. THE DECISIONS WE MAKE AREN'T SMALL BY ANY MEANS. RIGHT. AS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS FROM THE FIRST ROUND STATED—THE DECISIONS WE MAKE DON'T HAVE AN IMPACT FOR FIVE, TEN, 20 YEARS. SO IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE RASH. IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE THEY'RE NOT THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN THIS MOMENT BUT I WANT TO BUILD THE SKILL—I WANT TO DEVELOP IN MYSELF IS THAT RESOLVE. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS THAT SOMEONE THAT SITS ON CITY COUNCIL SERVING THEIR CITY, THEIR COMMUNITY MUST HAVE IS THAT STRONG RESOLVE TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO HERE MATTERS. TO KNOW WHAT WE DO HERE ISN'T SHORT SIGHTED. TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO HERE IS GOING TO GIVE THE FUTURE OF BLOOMINGTON A FUTURE. AND SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK. I LOVE LISTENING TO PODCASTS ON LEADERSHIP AND READING BOOKS ON LEADERSHIP AND TALKING AND SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW MORE THAN ME WHO HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE THAN ME TO UNDERSTAND HOW I CAN TAKE THAT CRITICISM, TURN IT INTO A POSITIVE, TURN IT INTO MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BLOOMINGTON. [18:58] **Mayor Tim Busse**: IT'S JUST LOOKING AT THE CLOCK. WE GOT ABOUT 2 MINUTES LEFT. WE'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THE TABLE TWICE. IF YOU'RE OKAY I'D LIKE TO JUST KEEP GOING AND I'D LIKE TO DO THAT IF WE COULD. YOU MENTIONED LEADERSHIP AND I APPRECIATE LEADERSHIP COMES IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FLAVORS OBVIOUSLY. TELL US ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU LED BY EXAMPLE—WHAT DID YOU DO AND HOW DID OTHER PEOPLE REACT? [18:58] **Matt Small**: YEAH, I THINK THIS TAKES ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS WORKING IN RETAIL AND UNDERGRAD WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DO AND WHEN YOU'RE 19-20 YEARS OLD YOU'RE KIND OF DUMB AND BRASH. BUT IT WAS A LESSON I LEARNED VERY QUICKLY RIGHT AWAY AND IT'S KIND OF HOW I'VE BUILT MY LEADERSHIP STYLE. I'M ALWAYS A COLLABORATIVE SERVANT LEADER. AND I REALIZED THIS WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THIS ELECTRONICS RETAILER THAT SUPPORTING MY SUPPORT STAFF IS KEY. SO AS THE SALESPERSON—YOU MAKE THE BIG SALE—IT'S EXCITING AND IT'S WHAT PEOPLE SEE RIGHT AWAY. IT'S THE NUMBERS THAT MANAGERS SEE RIGHT AWAY BUT IT'S MY PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE WAREHOUSE THAT SUPPORT ME TO FINISH AND CLOSE THE JOB THAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. IF I DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEM, THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF ME. IF I'M NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM AND SAY "HEY THIS SALE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T GO THROUGH BECAUSE THE CLIENT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT VEHICLE TO TAKE IT HOME." I DON'T WANT THEM TO TAKE IT NOW, TAKE IT OUT TO THE CAR AND THEN BE LIKE "NOPE CAN'T DO IT" AND THEN TAKE IT BACK IN AND BRING IT BACK UP. AND SO THAT IS THE LESSON I LEARNED VERY EARLY—THAT YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU. YOU HAVE TO REMOVE OBSTACLES AS MUCH AS YOU CAN BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO THAT IT ENABLES PEOPLE TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY. IT ENABLES PEOPLE TO BE THEMSELVES AND SHOW YOU WHO THEY ARE SO YOU CAN BUILD YOUR TEAM THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE THINGS TOGETHER. AND THAT'S BEEN MY LEADERSHIP STYLE SINCE THAT DAY. AND AS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT AND READ ABOUT DIFFERENT STYLES OF LEADERSHIP, IT'S CLEAR I WAS PRACTICING THESE VALUES ALREADY BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT THEY WERE. [18:59] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: ALL RIGHT. WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT? [18:59] **Matt Small**: OH MAN. A LOT. I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION NOW IN MY MID-THIRTIES THAT BEING COOL MEANS LIKE YOU DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT—YOU MIGHT LIKE LOOK COOL BUT YOU DON'T DO A WHOLE LOT. SO I’D RATHER BE UNCOOL AND KIND OF NERDY AND DO A WHOLE LOT. JUST FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE—THIS LAST TWO YEARS NOW I STARTED GETTING INTO MUSHROOM HUNTING. MINNESOTA HAS GREAT WOODS, GREAT PLACES FOR YOU TO GO OUT INTO NATURE, BE ONE WITH NATURE AND LOOK ON THE GROUND and LISTEN TO THE WIND AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE. AND SO IT STARTED WITH TAKING A CLASS AT THE CAMPSITE THAT WE WENT TO FROM THE DNR AND THEN IT SPREAD INTO READING WORKS AND THEN IT SPREAD INTO BEING PART OF FACEBOOK GROUPS THAT ONLY TALK ABOUT MUSHROOMS AND IT'S FANTASTIC. AND I MOVE FORWARD IN LIFE LIKE THAT—THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO. WHEN IT RELATES TO THE CITY I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENTS. I GOT A GREAT VIEW BUT I WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN SUPPORT OUR CITY STAFF IN BEING THE BEST CITY STAFF THAT THEY CAN SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES NECESSARY TO OUR RESIDENTS. AND THAT BEGINS WITH A GENUINE CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, LEARN FROM THEM, AND THEN TAKING THAT AND PUTTING IT INTO POLICIES THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT THAT TO GO FORWARD. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW I ADDRESS IT AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW I ADDRESS CONTINUING LEARNING MOVING FORWARD IN MY LIFE. [19:01] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: SO TYPICALLY KIND OF ONCE WE'VE WRAPPED UP OUR WORK FOR THE YEAR IN OUR POLICY AND ISSUE UPDATE WE GO DOWN THE LINE AND EVERYBODY ELSE SAYS "HERE'S ONE BIG THING THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WORK ON SPECIFICALLY." I WANT TO TOSS IT IN THE HOPPER AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL COME OUT IN THE WORKPLAN. SO SAY WE'RE GOING DOWN THE LINE, EVERYBODY SHARES THEIR PRIORITIES AND IT GETS TO YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO TOSS IN THE HOPPER FOR THE YEAR AHEAD? [19:02] **Matt Small**: YEAH, SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I COME FROM FROM A FAMILY OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SMALL BUSINESS DISTRICT THAT GETS THE BENEFITS OF, YOU KNOW, TIFF THAT WE TYPICALLY GIVE TO A LARGE CORPORATION OR A LARGE DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THAT WOULD BREED MORE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE INCENTIVE FOR BUSINESSES TO COME HERE. I THINK THAT WOULD BE OUR OWN INCUBATOR AND THEN BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE BUSINESSES AS THEY GROW CONTINUE SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CHOOSE TO HEADQUARTER HERE WHERE THEY BEGAN BECAUSE WE HAD THIS IDEA. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO TOSS IN AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK I'VE HEARD A LOT OF RESIDENTS SAY LIKE "WE WISH WE HAD MORE SMALL BUSINESS. WE WISH WE HAD YOU KNOW, MORE LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND NOT JUST CHAINS OR WE WISH WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE AN AREA WE COULD GO WHERE THEY HAD DIFFERENT SHOPS AND DIFFERENT VENDORS." THAT'S SOMETHING I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT AND SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE. [19:03] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: QUICK WIN TO FINISH UP AND HOPEFULLY I LIKE THIS QUESTION IS—JUST AS IT'S AN EASY ONE—IF YOU WERE ASKED BY SOMEONE ON THE STREET "WHAT DOES A CITY COUNCILMEMBER DO?" HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? [19:03] **Matt Small**: I WOULD SAY THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER LISTENS BECAUSE YOU GOT A LOT VOICES COMING TO YOU. AND I WOULD SAY A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A VISION. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNDERRATED NOWADAYS—HAVING A VISION AND WORKING TOWARDS THAT because WITHOUT THAT VISION WHAT'S BLOOMINGTON GOING TO BE LIKE? AND SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT. I THINK A LOT OF WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF LIKE BUSINESS RIGHT? SO IN BUSINESS WHO DO I ANSWER TO? I ANSWER TO MY EMPLOYEES. I LISTEN TO SHAREHOLDERS. EMPLOYEES GET PAID TWICE A MONTH SO I GOT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE MONEY IN THE ACCOUNT TO PAY EMPLOYEES TWICE A MONTH AND THEN YOUR SHAREHOLDERS CARE ABOUT REPORTS QUARTERLY AND YEARLY. SO I GOT TO MAKE SURE I CAN MEET THOSE QUARTERLY AND YEARLY REPORTS. AND IT'S HARD TO BREAK OUT OF THAT SHORT VIEW TO MAKE LONG TERM DECISIONS—AND IT'S THE COMPANIES THAT CAN DO THAT THAT SUCCEED. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT COMES IN IS WE HAVE THAT LONG TERM VIEW THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S RELEVANT UNTIL IT IS. AND I THINK A LOT OF BUSINESSES COULD BENEFIT FROM TAKING THAT LONG VIEW AND SO WITH THAT VISION, WITH THAT LONG TERM PLAN FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF BLOOMINGTON THAT THOSE WHO COME AFTER US CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE. I THINK THAT'S WHERE CITY COUNCIL MEANS THE MOST AND I THINK IT'S UNDERAPPRECIATED SOMETIMES BUT PEOPLE CARE AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT TOO. IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE THAT SHOWED UP TO YELL AT YOU OR STATE THEIR POSITION AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HEARD IT, WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO EITHER. SO IT'S GIVE AND TAKE BUT I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT ALL OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES HAVE PUT FORTH. AND IT GIVES ME GREAT OPTIMISM TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT COMMUNITY, WHO CARE ABOUT BLOOMINGTON, WHO ARE WILLING TO PUT THEMSELVES FORWARD TO BE RIDICULED BUT ALSO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND I THINK YOU ARE GOOD. [19:05] **Mayor Tim Busse**: MR. SMALL AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN THIS POSITION AND PROVIDING THE INFORMATION THAT WE GOT. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WE'RE HEARING FROM FIVE PEOPLE TONIGHT—YOUR NUMBER TWO OF FIVE AS I THINK YOU KNOW. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT OR HAVING A DISCUSSION THAT WILL HAPPEN AT OUR JANUARY 23RD MEETING. SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE. [19:05] **Matt Small**: ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. [19:05] **Mayor Tim Busse**: THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MS. FEILER HOW ARE YOU? [19:06] **Maureen Feiler**: I'M DOING WELL AND YOU MAYOR? [19:06] **Mayor Tim Busse**: JUST FINE, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ASKING. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN THE POSITION AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME AND SPEND A HALF HOUR WITH US TONIGHT. ONCE AGAIN THE SHOT CLOCK WILL BE RUNNING AT A HALF HOUR. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS SIMPLY MAKE IT A LOT LESS FORMAL THAN OUR FIRST TIME THERE. YOU DON'T HAVE THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME. SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS—WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP, A LITTLE CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH—JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND ADD THIS TO THE GATHERING OF INFORMATION WE HAVE ON YOU AND THE OTHER CANDIDATES TO MAKE OUR DECISION. [19:06] **Maureen Feiler**: GREAT. [19:06] **Mayor Tim Busse**: SO AS I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SIMPLY GO UP AND DOWN THE LINE HERE AND IT WILL START AS I ASK THE FIRST QUESTION WHICH IS THIS—MAUREEN, WHAT ELEMENTS OF THE CITY STRATEGIC PLAN RESONATE MOST WITH YOU AND WHY? [19:07] **Maureen Feiler**: WELL, AS I HAD MENTIONED IN THE INTERVIEW ON SATURDAY THERE WERE A FEW THAT RESONATED AND ONE WAS COMING TOGETHER IN A SHARED COMMUNITY AND TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. AND I STILL FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT—THAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO EACH OTHER. THE OTHER CORE VALUE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN HAD TO DO WITH BEING BOLD—MAKING THOSE DECISIONS—AND AGAIN AS OFFICIALS YOU ARE HERE TO MAKE BOLD DECISIONS AND THE BOLD DECISIONS REALLY FRANKLY NEED TO BE MADE. YOU ARE ELECTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF BLOOMINGTON SO IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN: HAVING A HEALTHY VIBRANT COMMUNITY—AGAIN THAT'S WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT NOT ONLY THIS CITY COUNCIL BUT MANY OTHER COUNCILS—BEING ABLE TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THRIVING COMMUNITY AGAIN IS IMPORTANT. SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY RESONATE WITH MYSELF MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [19:08] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: GOOD EVENING. WHAT DOES EQUITY AND INCLUSION MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION? [19:08] **Maureen Feiler**: THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. GREAT QUESTION. AND OF COURSE EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE VARYING ANSWERS TO THAT. IT'S VERY INDIVIDUAL. AND SO WHEN I THINK OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION—ALONG WITH DIVERSITY—I THINK OF IT BEING ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. SO WHETHER IT IS SEX, WHETHER IT'S YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR ETHNICITY—THOSE ALL PLAY A PART OF THAT. AND AS FAR AS WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IS WE HAVE TO START EMBRACING EQUITY AND INCLUSION ON ALL DIFFERENT FRONTS. I THINK OF HOUSING—A PERFECT EXAMPLE. WE NEED TO HAVE EQUITABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE NOT ONLY FROM THE C-SUITE HOUSING BUT DOWN TO AFFORDABLE. AND SO WHEN WE DO THAT WE ARE ACCOMMODATING AND TAKING CARE OF THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHEREVER IT LANDS. [19:09] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: HOW DO YOU SQUARE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE THE WATER PARK OR WORLD'S FAIR WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITY PLAN OBJECTIVES AROUND SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE? [19:10] **Maureen Feiler**: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN—GREAT QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW I THINK ABOUT AGAIN TYING BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HAVING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND THAT TIES IN SPECIFICALLY AND DIRECTLY TO THE WORLD'S EXPO AND THE THEME "HEALTHY COMMUNITIES." SO I THINK THAT IS WHERE I SEE THAT PROJECT CONNECTING THE DOTS. THE WATER PARK IS A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC IF YOU WILL AND I HAVE FOLLOWED THAT TOPIC BY THE WAY JUST BECAUSE OF BEING A RESIDENT I LIKE TO STAY INFORMED. BUT AGAIN I THINK GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND REALLY COMING TO A CONSENSUS AND GETTING THE COMMUNITY CENTER BUILT IS WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO TO HELP FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AS IT RELATES TO HAVING THESE AMENITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND THAT GETS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY. AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE VENTURING INTO BECAUSE THESE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE HERE LONG AFTER WE ALL LEAVE THIS GREAT EARTH OR WE MOVED TO A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY OR WHAT HAVE YOU. SO ENSURING WHEN WE SQUARE UP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUSTAINABLE, THAT THEY WILL BE HERE FOR COMMUNITIES AND FOR RESIDENTS TO COME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE A WISE DECISION ON THE FISCAL AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS AS WELL. AND THAT WOULD BE WHERE YOU WEIGH IN AS A COUNCIL—WHAT IS IMPORTANT? HOW DOES IT RELATE BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN? WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS? SO IT ALL TIES TOGETHER. THANK YOU. [19:12] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS BLOOMINGTON'S MOST CRITICAL LONG TERM CHALLENGE THAT HASN'T SEEN ENOUGH PROGRESS YET AND WHAT ARE SOME NEXT STEPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO GET MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION? [19:12] **Maureen Feiler**: WELL, THE FIRST ONE THAT COMES TO MIND IS A LONG TERM INVESTMENT IN TRANSIT FOR OUR COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT IS THRIVING FROM JUST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BRINGING WORKERS INTO OUR COMMUNITY—PART OF THAT IS HAVING ADEQUATE TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY AND SERVICES AVAILABLE. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT IN A WHOLE WAY. TRANSIT TODAY IS NOT THE TRANSIT WE HAD EVEN PRE-COVID WHERE A BUS IS RUNNING DOWN LYNDALE AVENUE STOPPING AT EVERY OTHER CORNER. TRANSIT TODAY IS MORE MULTI-MODAL. IT'S BIKE, IT'S UBER, LYFT. IT'S USING TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO EFFICIENTLY MOVE PEOPLE IN AND AROUND BLOOMINGTON. SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES BECAUSE I KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS THREE LEGGED STOOL—YOU NEED TRANSIT, YOU NEED HOUSING, YOU NEED WORKFORCE—AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL THREE OF THOSE TO BALANCE THE STOOL. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, WHAT HAPPENS? THE STOOL FALLS. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR COMMUNITY. [19:13] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DESCRIBE FOR US YOUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CURRENT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT TWO NEW INITIATIVES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO START TO ADDRESS ANY GAPS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE. [19:14] **Maureen Feiler**: I THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO. I HAVE HAD THE GREAT EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN BLOOMINGTON FOR WELL OVER TEN YEARS AS I SERVED AS THE CHAMBER PRESIDENT FOR THE BLOOMINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AND SO I—WHEN I REFLECT BACK ON MY TIME IN TALKING TO THE BUSINESSES—I BALANCED THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION ALONG WITH THE BUSINESSES HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE NOBODY IS GOING TO GET 100%. SO WHERE—WHERE IS THE MIDDLE GROUND HERE? I THINK THAT'S WHERE I MYSELF—JUST MY EXPERIENCE—CAN BE A BENEFIT AND VALUE TO THE COUNCIL. AND AGAIN THOSE ARE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE HAD. AND WE KNOW BUSINESSES HAVE VARYING DEGREES OF WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE—WHETHER YOU'RE BUILDING A WATER PARK OVER AT THE MALL AND YOU'RE USING TIFF OR IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT REDEVELOPMENT RIGHT DOWN LYNDALE AVENUE OR EVEN YOUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON. SO THERE'S A BALANCING ACT OF THE NEEDS OF THAT BUSINESS. BUT IT'S ENSURING THAT THERE'S FAIRNESS ACROSS THE BOARD. SO I THINK THAT ALL BUSINESSES WANT TO SEE—THEY WANT TO BE HEARD. THEY WANT TO HAVE YOUR EAR. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT IS KEEPING THEM UP AT NIGHT? WHAT'S THEIR HEARTBURN? HOW ARE THEY MAKING ENDS MEET? YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES HAVE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS DUE TO COVID. I SAW MANY BUSINESSES OUT IN DAKOTA COUNTY HAVING TO MAKE EXTREMELY HARD DECISIONS—DECISIONS OF DO THEY CONTINUE WITH AN EMPLOYEE OR DO THEY HAVE TO CUT BACK ON HEALTH CARE? ARE THEY WILLING TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES? AND I GOT TO SAY—I SAW THIS IN BLOOMINGTON TOO—I THINK THIS COUNCIL AND THIS CITY SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF ITS BUSINESS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY AND DIVERSE—IT'S A DIVERSE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE. EVERYBODY WANTS OUR COMMUNITY TO DO WELL AND TO THRIVE—WE JUST HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS AS TO HOW WE GET THERE. GREAT. [19:16] **Mayor Tim Busse**: IF YOU TELL US ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO DEFEND A DECISION THAT YOU MADE EVEN THOUGH OTHER PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO THE DECISION THAT YOU MADE? [19:16] **Maureen Feiler**: I NEVER HAD THAT—THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, I BRING A SENSE OF HUMOR THIS EVENING SO. AS A LEADER I AM VERY HUMBLED TO SAY THAT I HAVE HAD TO MAKE SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS AND DECISIONS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY POPULAR FROM A WHOLE RANGE OF CONSTITUENTS, WHETHER IT WAS BUSINESSES THAT I SERVED, WHETHER IT WAS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE CITIES THAT I HAD TO WORK WITH. THERE WERE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS ON THAT BUT I STAND FIRM TODAY THAT THOSE WERE THE RIGHT DECISIONS TO BE MADE. A COUPLE FOR INSTANCE IS WHEN I WAS WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION AND VISITORS ASSOCIATION—WE AGAIN AS AN ORGANIZATION HAD TO LOOK FOR OTHER DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS BECAUSE THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS SAID "WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU MORE MONEY AND YOU BETTER FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS." SO WE DECIDED TO GO INTO THE SOFTWARE BUSINESS AND WE DEVELOPED A SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT WAS "FOR CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAUS BY CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAUS" AND IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS A WEB BASED APPLICATION, IT WAS A NEW PLATFORM—LOTS OF GREAT EXCITEMENT. WELL, WE HAD TO GO TO THE CITY FOR SOME FINANCING AND SO WE FIRST WENT FOR A $5 MILLION LOAN AND THE CITY SAID YES—WE THINK THIS IS GREAT, WE THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO START MOVING THE ASSOCIATION INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION TO BRING IN REVENUE. WELL, FAST FORWARD WE HAD TO GO BACK TO THE CITY A SECOND TIME. WELL, IF YOU KNOW THE POLITICS OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS THERE ARE 13 PEOPLE THAT WERE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND IF THAT IS NOT A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO BE IN THE SEAT. I SAT DOWN AS VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND I HAD TO GO IN AND DEFEND OUR DECISION TO GO INTO THE SOFTWARE BUSINESS AND TO DEFEND WHY WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING. NOW THE CITY CHOSE NOT TO MAKE FURTHER INVESTMENT AND THEN THE CITY HAD CALLED IN THE LOAN AND REALLY THE ASSOCIATION JUST RECENTLY PAID OFF THAT LOAN TO THE CITY. BUT IT WAS A DECISION THAT WE HAD TO STAND BY BECAUSE WE WERE ASKED TO FIND A DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE OF REVENUE SOURCES FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. SO THAT IS ONE—I CAN GO ON WITH SEVERAL—BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ONE AND THANK YOU. [19:19] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: OKAY. SO WHAT IS ONE PROJECT OR INITIATIVE THAT NEEDS A SECOND LOOK FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE? [19:19] **Maureen Feiler**: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, ARE YOU TALKING SPECIFICALLY A PROJECT HERE IN THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON? YES, I WOULD SAY THE ONE PROJECT—AND AGAIN IT CAN BE A LITTLE CONTROVERSIAL—BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT'S TAKING PLACE OVER IN THE SOUTH DISTRICT IN THE MALL OF AMERICA. YOU KNOW, JUST WITH THE WHOLE ISSUE OF THE SPENDING RISK SETTING THAT YOU'VE GOT 95 MILLION IN TIFF MONIES—HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT FOR THE WATER PARK AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER NEEDS COMING FORWARD WHETHER IT'S AN EVENT CENTER OR COMPLEX. THAT AREA IS REALLY WHAT I REMEMBER AND RECALL WHEN I WAS HERE AT THE BLOOMINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—THAT WAS WHERE THINGS WERE GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON AND WHERE THE INVESTMENT REALLY NEEDED TO BE MADE. BUT AGAIN—NOT SAYING THAT THE DECISIONS WERE WRONG—BUT I THINK AGAIN THAT'S A DECISION THAT THIS COUNCIL'S GOING TO HAVE TO EMBRACE FULLY AND KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LONG TERM RESIDUAL IMPACT ON ITS RESIDENTS. [19:20] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: WHY DON'T YOU GO SO KIND OF AT THE 10,000 FOOT LEVEL JUST WHO IS A LEADER THAT YOU PARTICULARLY ADMIRE AND WHAT ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE WOULD YOU WANT TO EMULATE? [19:21] **Maureen Feiler**: GREAT QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT COME TO MIND. THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS MY FATHER, TOM SCANLON, AND THE WOMAN YOU SEE HERE TODAY IN FRONT OF YOU IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE INVESTMENT THAT MY FATHER MADE IN ME AND ALSO HE BELIEVED IN ME WHEN I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MYSELF. I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WANTED TO DO WHEN I GROW UP—HECK I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP—BUT HIS LEADERSHIP ABILITY. HE WAS AN ENTREPRENEUR, HE WAS A SHOWMAN, HE WAS IN SHOW BUSINESS AND HE KNEW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS AND HE GAVE ME A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AND THAT WAS TO LEARN TO RUN A BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP. COLLEGE WASN'T NECESSARILY FOR ME SO I HAD TO FIND DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND MY FATHER HAD THE INTUITIVENESS AND THE FORESIGHT TO SEE "I GOT TO HELP THIS YOUNG WOMAN BECAUSE OTHERWISE SHE'S GOING TO BE ON MY PAYROLL FOR QUITE SOME TIME." AND SO HE PULLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND HE SAID "YOU KNOW, MAUREEN, I THINK IT'S TIME THAT YOU REALLY LEARN WHAT BUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT AND HOW DO YOU GROW A BUSINESS AND HOW YOU RUN A BUSINESS. SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME—I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU COME IN, YOU'RE GOING TO WORK FOR ONE OF MY BUSINESSES AND YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW TO RUN THIS BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP." AND I'M LIKE "OKAY, I CAN DO THAT." AND SO I SHOW UP FOR MY FIRST DAY AT WORK ON THE 51ST FLOOR OF THE IDS CENTER AND MY FATHER CAME IN AND HE SAID WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? AND I SAID WELL I'M HERE FOR MY FIRST JOB AND HE SAID "YOU KNOW MAUREEN NOBODY STARTS AT THE 51ST FLOOR OF THE IDS CENTER—WE HAVE TO WORK OUR WAY UP TO THE 51ST FLOOR OF THE IDS CENTER." AND HE SAID YOU NEED TO GET DOWN TO THE GARAGE ON 38TH AND NICOLLET BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE HOUSED. AND I THOUGHT FINE. SO I GO DOWN TO THIS GARAGE—YOU KNOW—I REMEMBER I SAT THERE, THE MICE WERE RUNNING ACROSS AND THE CATS WERE CHASING THE MICE AND I'M LOOKING AROUND AND I SMELL OIL AND DIESEL AND I THOUGHT "WHAT HAVE I DONE SO TERRIBLE TO DESERVE THIS KIND OF PUNISHMENT?" AND THEN THAT MOMENT OF CLARITY CAME TO ME—"MAUREEN YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A GIFT. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY. GO FOR IT." AND I DID AND I LEARNED HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP—FROM CHANGING OIL TO ORDERING PARTS. MY FATHER STAYED WITH ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. HE EVENTUALLY TURNED THE BUSINESS OVER TO ME TO RUN. I MADE BAD DECISIONS BUT I LEARNED FROM THOSE DECISIONS AND HE NEVER ONCE REPRIMANDED ME ON A BAD DECISION. HE SAID "I SUPPORT YOUR DECISIONS. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE BAD DECISIONS." SO HE'S NOT A FAMOUS PERSON BUT TO ME HE IS SOMEONE THAT I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR. [19:24] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: I'M CURIOUS ABOUT MAYBE IT'S A FOLLOW UP TO CONVERSATION WITH YOU, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE WAY THAT YOU SEE THE ROLE OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND WHAT COMPLIMENTS YOUR EXPERIENCE AS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS—WHAT CONFLICTS WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS? [19:25] **Maureen Feiler**: YES IT DOES. COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO IT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION AS WELL BUT SO THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE HERE OF RUNNING A BUSINESS AND RUNNING A CITY EVEN THOUGH SOME WILL SAY "WELL IF YOU WOULD RUN THE CITY THE WAY I RUN MY BUSINESS, THE CITY WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF." WELL UNTIL YOU REALLY GET INTO THE TRENCHES OF HOW TO RUN A CITY AND JUST THE COMPLEXITY OF THE CITY—JUST THE FINANCING, THE BUDGETS—THIS IS NOT AN EASY ORGANIZATION TO GET YOUR ARMS AROUND RIGHT AWAY. SO THERE'S DIFFERING VIEWS ON THAT WHERE PEOPLE REALLY DON'T I THINK APPRECIATE CITY GOVERNMENT BUT THEY ALSO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF IT AS WELL. AGAIN IF YOU OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS WELL THESE DECISIONS ARE EASILY MADE BECAUSE YOU WILL ONLY SPEND THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE. BUT WE’RE LOOKING AT INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL INTO CITY ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT I GO BACK TO AS I TALK TO BUSINESSES—THE CITY HAS A PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS CONSTITUENTS AND THOSE ARE PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. TO ME THOSE ARE THE FIRST AND TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT A CITY NEEDS TO DO. NOW WHAT CAN MAUREEN DO TO HELP THAT? I CAN HELP HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE THE DIALOG TO BE ABLE TO COME AND WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO COME UP WITH SOUND PUBLIC POLICY. IT IS SOMETHING I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT AND I GET ENERGIZED BECAUSE BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITIES OF RUNNING GOVERNMENT I THINK I CAN HELP BRIDGE THE GAP. [19:26] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: THANKS. QUICK FOLLOW UP THERE. GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE IF YOU COULD—TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S INHERENTLY COMPLEX, TRY TO TRANSLATE IT. THINK OF ME AS SOMEBODY THAT HAS NEVER REALLY KNOWS NOTHING AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE AND TRANSLATE FOR THE EVERYDAY PERSON? [19:27] **Maureen Feiler**: I DON'T THINK I WOULD TACKLE THE CITY BUDGET NOR WOULD I TRY TO EXPLAIN TIFF AND HOW TIFF WORKS BECAUSE AGAIN VERY COMPLEX THINGS. WHAT I THINK I WOULD TALK ABOUT AND EXPLAIN IS HOW THE PROCESS WORKS WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT AND HOW ORDINANCES COME BEFORE YOU AND HOW THE STAFF PLAYS A CERTAIN ROLE IN THAT BECAUSE BY THE TIME THE ORDINANCE PROPOSALS COME BEFORE YOU A LOT OF THE LEGWORK AND BACKGROUND WORK HAS BEEN DONE. AND SO BEING ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT YOU'VE GOT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU'VE GOT HRA, YOU'VE GOT THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION, YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT REALLY RUN INTERFERENCE FOR YOU AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO WHEN IT COMES TIME TO COME IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR VOTE UP OR DOWN YOU MAKE A FULLY INFORMED DECISION AND AN APPROPRIATE VOTE. SO JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS, HOW THINGS WORK WITHIN THE CITY AS IT RELATES TO PASSING PUBLIC POLICY. DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? [19:28] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: OKAY SO WE WERE ABOUT 7 MINUTES—WE'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THE DAIS TWICE NOW BUT WE CAN KEEP GOING IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU? [19:28] **Maureen Feiler**: SURE MAYOR. [19:28] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: I THINK WE SKIPPED YOU. I DON'T KNOW INADVERTENTLY OR INTENTIONALLY BUT I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ASK THIS QUESTION HERE. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS THIS EVENING. WHAT QUESTIONS HAVEN'T WE ASKED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AND HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? [19:28] **Maureen Feiler**: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN. I'M GLAD THERE'S ONLY 7 MINUTES LEFT OF THIS CONVERSATION. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE NOT ASKED IS, "MAUREEN LOOKING AT THE CITY'S PRIORITIES AND YOUR SKILL SETS, HOW DOES THAT COME TOGETHER? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?" AND I CAN TELL YOU THE PRIORITIES OF THIS COUNCIL OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 5 TO 7 YEARS—WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS—IS SOMETHING THAT MY SKILL SETS BRING TO HELP HAVE THOSE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, TO BE ABLE TO ASK BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND NO QUESTION IS A DUMB QUESTION. SO AGAIN—ALIGNING WITH MY STRENGTHS—AS I MENTIONED IN MY FIRST INTERVIEW I AM A STRONG LEADER. I AM OPEN MINDED. I HAVE CRITICAL AND STRATEGIC THINKING. I HAVE INTEGRITY AND I THINK INTEGRITY IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE ONCE YOU LOSE INTEGRITY YOU LOSE IT ALL. SO REALLY THAT WOULD BE ONE QUESTION COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN—SKILL SETS AND ALIGNING WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES. [19:30] **Mayor Tim Busse**: AND IF I COULD JUST BUILD ON THAT A BIT MAUREEN—SO YOU'VE CERTAINLY WORKED WITH THIS BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER. AND I KNOW IN YOUR MOST RECENT ROLE YOU WORKED WITH ALL KINDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN DAKOTA COUNTY. SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US AN EXAMPLE—OF ALL THE FOLKS YOU'VE WORKED WITH, YOU'VE SEEN SUCCESSFUL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, YOU'VE SEEN LESS SUCCESSFUL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS—WHAT THREE ATTRIBUTES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD YOU EMULATE AND WHAT THREE ATTRIBUTES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY COULD BE? [19:31] **Maureen Feiler**: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A RIGHT ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. I WILL GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT. SO I THINK THE THREE ATTRIBUTES OF A SUCCESSFUL LOCAL CITY OFFICIAL OR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IS REALLY AGAIN IT GOES BACK TO THE ABILITY TO LISTEN AND LISTEN WITH NOT ONLY YOUR EARS BUT WITH YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART AS WELL BECAUSE A LOT OF DECISIONS MADE ARE VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS. SO HAVING THE ABILITY TO LISTEN I THINK IS A STRONG ATTRIBUTE THAT A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDS. AND TO STAY THE COURSE AND TO STAY FIRM ON YOUR DECISION. I HAVE THE UTMOST REGARD FOR CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC OFFICIALS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE MADE THOSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND STAND BY THEM BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU CAN HAVE A TARGET ON YOUR BACK PRETTY DARN QUICKLY WHEN YOU MAKE A VOTE OR A DECISION THAT IS NOT IN FAVOR TO THE PUBLIC. AND SO IF YOU STAY THE COURSE AND YOU STATE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR DECISIONS AGAIN THAT'S ANOTHER STRONG ATTRIBUTE. THOSE ARE TWO. SO I'M GOING TO GET INTO THE ATTRIBUTES THAT ARE NOT ENDEARING AND WHERE THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYBE ONLY HAVE ONE TERM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET RE-ELECTED. AND AGAIN THAT GETS BACK TO: HAVE THEY PRACTICED HONESTY AND BEING FORTHRIGHT? AND I HAVE SEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS MAKE PROMISES THAT THEY FRANKLY SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE—AND THAT WAS THE DOWNFALL OF THEIR POLITICAL CAREER. SO I THINK IT'S NOT A POPULAR SEAT THAT YOU ARE SITTING IN—AND HOPEFULLY THE SEAT I WILL BE IN—BUT YOU MUST HAVE THOSE ENDEARING QUALITIES. NOBODY CAN FAULT YOU ON THAT. BUT YOU CANNOT PROMISE THE WORLD AND THEN DON'T DELIVER—THAT WILL BE A SHORT TERM CAREER AS A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL. [19:34] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: PERFECT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IF YOU WERE ASKED BY SOMEONE ON THE STREET "WHAT DOES A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DO?" WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER? [19:34] **Maureen Feiler**: I THINK FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY ENJOYED THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE ASKED SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS BUT YOU KNOW I HAVE TO LOOK BACK TO WHEN I RAN FOR COUNTY OFFICE AND YOU'RE OUT DOOR-KNOCKING AND YOU SAY "HEY I'M MAUREEN AND I'M RUNNING FOR A COUNTY COMMISSIONER SEAT" AND THEY'RE LIKE—THEY STARE AT YOU WITH A GLAZE LIKE "WHAT'S THAT?" I MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE VERY LONG TO EXPLAIN BECAUSE IF YOU TRY TO GET INTO THE MINUTIA OR REALLY THE WEEDS YOU LOST THEM. SO THE WAY I WOULD DESCRIBE IT IS WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING POLICY AND THE VISION AND THE DIRECTION THAT MAKES THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON SUCCESSFUL AND VIBRANT—WHY YOU WANT TO STAY HERE, WHY YOU WANT TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY HERE, WHY YOU WANT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN TO BE HERE. AND YOU WEAR MANY HATS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER—WHETHER YOU SIT ON VARIOUS COMMITTEES OR COMMISSIONS YOU ALL HAVE TO CARRY WEIGHT IN ENSURING THAT THE CITY IS SUCCESSFUL. SO IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN BECAUSE AGAIN THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL JUST STARE AT YOU IF YOU GET INTO "WELL WE SET THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND THIS IS HOW WE MAKE OUR DECISION." THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE LOW, THAT'S ALL. HOW YOU GET THERE IS UP TO YOU. [19:35] **Mayor Tim Busse**: WELL, MAUREEN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN THIS POSITION. THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE—YOU'RE NUMBER THREE OF FIVE TONIGHT. WE TALKED TO FIVE FOLKS. WE WON'T BE DOING ANY DISCUSSION OR DECISION MAKING TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THAT OFF UNTIL OUR JANUARY 23RD MEETING WHEN WE ULTIMATELY VOTE AND PICK THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEN WE EXPECT A SWEARING IN NO LATER THAN EARLY FEBRUARY. WE WANT TO KEEP MOVING QUICKLY ON THIS SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. [19:36] **Maureen Feiler**: GREAT WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS I'VE ENJOYED OUR TIME TOGETHER AND I APPRECIATE THE DIALOG AND THE CONVERSATION. I AM THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS APPOINTMENT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. [19:36] **Mayor Tim Busse**: GOOD EVENING MISS CARMEN HOW ARE YOU? THANKS FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING. HAVE A SEAT. APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE THIS EVENING AND APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SPEND A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD WITH US THIS EVENING AND JUST GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS AND GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER. UNLIKE OUR FIRST INTERVIEW YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME. SO THIS WILL BE A BIT DIFFERENT AND A BIT MORE INFORMAL. WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUR WAY AGAIN UP AND DOWN THE DAIS AND THERE WILL BE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND PERHAPS DIFFERENT QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SO ON. BUT AGAIN JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN MORE INFORMATION AND TO ADD IT TO THE PILE OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ON YOU TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND THE REST OF THE APPLICANTS A LITTLE BIT BETTER BEFORE OUR DECISION. [19:37] **Nelly Carmen**: THANK YOU. [19:37] **Mayor Tim Busse**: ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE 30 MINUTES IN THE SHOT CLOCK ON THE WALL. I WILL KICK US OFF AND I WILL ASK: WHAT ELEMENTS OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN RESONATE MOST WITH YOU AND WHY? [19:37] **Nelly Carmen**: THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK HERE TONIGHT. THE STRATEGIC PLAN—I'M AN EDUCATOR SO I NEED TO GO BACK TO MY NOTES AND TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN SO I HAVE IT HERE WITH ME. OKAY. SO TO START I'M JUST GOING TO START WITH THE MISSION BECAUSE I LOVE THE MISSION. OUR MISSION IS TO CULTIVATE AN ENDURING AND REMARKABLE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE. WHENEVER WE CULTIVATE IT REALLY BRINGS EVERY SINGLE ELEMENT TOGETHER OF WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS ESTABLISHED FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON. SO YOU'RE ASKING ME WHAT RESONATES THE MOST WITH ME CORRECT? SO I WOULD SAY ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT ALL OF THEM I CAN SEE HOW WE'RE CULTIVATING NOW TO SEE RESULTS THAT ARE OF BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE POSITIVE. SO I LOOK AT THINGS LIKE TRANSFORMATION—HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE OUR WORLD IS CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING AND IS TRANSFORMING AND WE NEED TO MOVE ALONG WITH THAT PIECE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY AND STRENGTHENING THAT COMMUNITY. I SAID BEFORE IN MY LAST INTERVIEW HOW I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY STRONG COMMUNITY AND I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THOSE GOALS WE ARE STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE HAPPENING. ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES—TOTALLY—WE NEED AND DESERVE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES. WE WANT ALL OF OUR BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES TO HAVE THOSE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ACCESS TO GET THERE. SAFETY AND SECURITY. SO I GUESS THE CORE VALUES REALLY RESONATE WITH WHAT I THINK OR WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SEE FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. [19:40] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: OKAY. SO WHAT DOES EQUITY AND INCLUSION MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION? [19:40] **Nelly Carmen**: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION AND I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT BECAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT EQUITY IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT HOW ALL HUMAN BEINGS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES—WE ALL COME WITH DIFFERENT MOMENTS IN LIFE AND IN DIFFERENT STAGES. TO SAY IT A BETTER WAY, EQUITY TO ME IS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERYONE AND TO ALLOW FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE. SO EQUITY IS GIVEN TO EVERYONE ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS. AND SO WE HAVE EQUITY AND WE HAVE EQUALITY AS WELL AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE KIND OF MISUNDERSTAND AND MIX THEM BOTH. BUT WHEN WE START WITH EQUITY THEN WE CAN GET TO A POINT OF EQUALITY WHERE THEN WE CAN GIVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERYONE. AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION—WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER EQUITY AND INCLUSION? I THINK THE CITY HAS TAKEN A LOT STEPS TOWARDS PROVIDING MORE EQUITY AND INCLUSION. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION, THE KINDS OF POLICIES THAT YOU'RE SETTING ARE DEFINITELY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION INCLUSION. WE'RE BEING INCLUSIVE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND WE MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, WE'RE TALKING INCLUSIVE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH OF EVERYONE—WE'RE CONSIDERING DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE TYPE OF DECISIONS. I GUESS I WILL INCLUDE MYSELF BECAUSE I'M ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION BUT YEAH THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE SEEING HAPPENING IN BLOOMINGTON IN TERMS OF INCLUSION IS CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE, LOOK FOR THOSE NEEDS AND IDENTIFY THEM AND ALSO TO ADDRESS THEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT IDENTIFYING THEM BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THEM. AND YEAH THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY AND I THINK BLOOMINGTON HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF BEING INCLUSIVE BUT YEAH WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE MORE IMPROVEMENT IN THAT DIRECTION. [19:42] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: AT A RECENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CITY CODE AMENDMENT FOR SINGLE AND TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AND COMPREHENSIVE TEXT AMENDMENT. WALK US THROUGH HOW YOU WOULD MAKE A DECISION REGARDING THIS POLICY. [19:43] **Nelly Carmen**: I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH PART OF YOUR MEETING SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. WOW. THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING ONE BECAUSE WHEN THE ITEM CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION THERE WERE NOT AS MANY PEOPLE THAT CAME FORWARD TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS BUT WHEN YOU HELD YOUR MEETING THERE WAS DEFINITELY A GOOD GROUP OF RESIDENTS THEY CAME TO YOU. AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT MOMENT BECAUSE REALLY LISTENING TO MORE PEOPLE—PEOPLE BEING ALL OF A SUDDEN FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED KIND OF AT THE LAST MINUTE, RIGHT. I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS FROM THE SIDE OF THE CITY BUT THEY COME IN WITH THAT CONCERN AND WITH THE CONCERN FOR THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. I HEARD "WE ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THE STREETS OR THROUGH THIS AREA." AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO LISTEN TO THAT MOMENT, TO LISTEN TO THOSE CONCERNS AND TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO THEN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY—THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DO AS WELL. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DO AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL STAFF—LISTEN AGAIN, THINK ABOUT IT IN DEPTH, RECONSIDER, REGROUP, COME BACK AND LOOK FOR OTHER OPTIONS OR CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER ALSO WITH MEMBERS OF THE STAFF BECAUSE THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. THANK YOU. [19:45] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: WHO IS A LEADER YOU PERSONALLY ADMIRE AND WHAT ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE WOULD YOU WANT TO EMULATE AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL? [19:45] **Nelly Carmen**: I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT A LEADER I TRULY ADMIRE THAT REALLY BECAME ONE OF MY BIGGEST MENTORS. IT'S NOT A PERSON THAT LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES. IT'S SOMEBODY THAT I KNOW FROM COLOMBIA AND HE'S SOMEONE THAT I WORKED FOR AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL TOO BECAUSE I DID SOME MANAGEMENT WORK BACK WHEN I LIVED IN COLOMBIA. THIS MAN HAS BEEN IN OUR CITY—IN MY HOMETOWN WHICH IS CALI, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CITIES IN COLOMBIA—HE HAS DONE A LOT OF THINGS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE CITY. HE WORKED ALONGSIDE WITH MANY PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT BUT THEN HE ALSO KNEW HOW TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY. HE KNEW HOW TO REALLY LISTEN. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY ADMIRE ABOUT HIM WAS THE KIND OF SUPPORT THAT HE GAVE TO OTHERS FOR LEADERSHIP AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I TAKE TO MY HEART SO CLOSELY. AND IT'S SOMETHING I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO DO IN THE FUTURE—TO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE OTHERS NOT ONLY TO WORK REALLY HARD AND TO SERVE IN A HUMBLE WAY BUT TO GIVE OTHERS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LEADERSHIP TO DEVELOP THOSE LEADERSHIP SKILLS. HE GAVE ME THAT OPPORTUNITY YEARS AGO AND I WOULD SAY THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M SITTING HERE NOW. [19:47] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: GOOD EVENING. SO AS WE KNOW YOU'RE CURRENTLY SERVING BOTH ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOUR APPOINTMENT WOULD CREATE VACANCIES FOR BOTH OF THOSE UNITS. I'M CURIOUS—WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IN THOSE CAPACITIES THAT LEADS YOU TO WANT TO BE ON THIS COUNCIL? I'D LOVE TO UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE REASONS WHY YOU THINK THERE'S MORE TO DO HERE. [19:48] **Nelly Carmen**: YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. THANK YOU. AND I KIND OF THOUGHT YOU WOULD ASK THAT QUESTION AS WELL BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME SO. INITIALLY WHY—WHY DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THERE FOR THE COUNCIL? DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION? DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD? IT'S NOT THAT I'M LEAVING THE SCHOOL BOARD. IT'S NOT THAT I'M LEAVING PUBLIC EDUCATION—IT'S THAT I THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT. AND I WILL EXPLAIN WHY. SO I'VE BEEN ON THE BLOOMINGTON SCHOOL BOARD FOR 11 YEARS AND FOUR AND A HALF YEARS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THOSE TWO JOBS HAVE COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH THE LAST 12 YEARS. I FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW EDUCATION IS THE BASE OF OUR SOCIETY AND SO UNDERSTANDING THAT LED ME TO RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHAT ELEMENTS OF THIS SOCIETY REALLY INFLUENCE THE SUCCESS OF CHILDREN WHO THEN LATER BECOME THE ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SOCIETY AND WILL BECOME THE FUTURE LEADERS. CHILDREN ALSO HAVE FAMILIES—AND FAMILIES ARE HUMAN BEINGS WITH NEEDS AND STRUGGLES. AND SO THE ELEMENTS THAT SURROUND THEIR LIVES—HOUSING, CITY LINE SERVICES, RECREATION, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT—EVERYTHING HAS A BIG IMPACT ON THEIR LIVES. BEING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO ALLOWED ME TO SEE THIS IN A VERY CLOSER WAY. SO AFTER ALMOST 12 YEARS SERVING ON THE BOARD, I THINK THIS IS THE TIME FOR ME ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19. THAT'S WHEN I SAW IT EVEN MORE CLEARLY BECAUSE COVID-19 HAS LEFT SO MANY CHALLENGES. IT HAS DEEPLY IMPACTED THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MANY PEOPLE. OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS WITHIN THE CITY TO COPE WITH THOSE CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE HAVING NOW. SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT ACCESS TO THINGS IN THE CITY LIKE RECREATION—BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT RECREATION IS A BIG COMPONENT—IT HELPS US. IF OUR CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION, PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT IS HEALTHY FOR THEIR BODIES AND MINDS IS VERY IMPORTANT. HAVING A STABLE HOME, RIGHT? THAT'S ANOTHER SITUATION. SO ALL THOSE COMPONENTS TOGETHER—THINGS THAT LEAD TO BETTER COMMUNITIES—IS WHAT ATTRACTS ME TO NOW COME HERE AND BE HERE WITH YOU. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE PARTICIPATION OF OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS IN EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO NOT JUST WITH THEIR ACADEMICS BUT WITH THEIR FUTURE, THEIR LIVES IN GENERAL, THE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND WHAT THE IMPACT THAT THAT CAN CAUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE. SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF COVID, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN POSSIBLY SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT CAN BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. SO GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION—IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT GETTING SOMETHING IN BOTH OF THOSE ROLES, IT'S THAT I'M GETTING A LOT FROM BOTH OF THOSE AND THAT'S THE REASON I COME IN HERE NOW BECAUSE I WANT TO PUT THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND CONTINUE TO PUT THEM AT THE SERVICE OF MY COMMUNITY. [19:51] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: QUICK FOLLOW UP IF I COULD. ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND YOU HAVE TWO KINDS OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES—THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT KNOWN FOR INDIVIDUALS MAKING INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC STATEMENTS. THE SCHOOL BOARD COMES TOGETHER AND MAKES STATEMENTS AS A UNIFIED BODY. HERE, AND PROBABLY IN YOUR WORK ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE IS BOTH A POSITIVE OR MAYBE A CHALLENGE FOR YOU AS IT WOULD BE TO STEP INTO THAT SPOTLIGHT AS OPPOSED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ROLE WHERE IT'S A UNIFIED BODY? [19:52] **Nelly Carmen**: I'M A PERSON THAT'S OPEN TO CHALLENGES AND I'M HERE BECAUSE THIS IS A CHALLENGE TOO AND I'M NOT AFRAID OF CHALLENGES. I HAVE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS—A COMMUNITY THAT ELECTED ME THREE TIMES. SO I KNOW THAT I HAVE THEIR TRUST. YEAH, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS AT THE BOARD LEVEL BECAUSE WE FUNCTION AND WE WORK AS ONE BODY. SO WE HAD SET A NUMBER OF PROTOCOLS OF HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AS ONE UNIFIED BODY. SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TRAINING AROUND THIS—IN WHICH WAY DO WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND WHO'S REPRESENTING OUR BODY—WHICH IS THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD. SO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD IS THE PERSON DESIGNATED. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T GET THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC. WE STILL GET THOSE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS DIFFERENT. SCHOOL BOARD IS MORE GOVERNMENT SO THAT'S THE BIG DIFFERENCE THAT I CAN SEE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I AM DEFINITELY COMFORTABLE TALKING TO PEOPLE ONE ON ONE WHICH THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO DO BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD ACTUALLY ALLOWS ME TO DO. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT GRAB THE PHONE AND CALL ME, PEOPLE THAT COME AND TALK TO US DIRECTLY. THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER GETS INVOLVED SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CHALLENGE OF THE WAY THAT YOU TALK TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL. [19:54] **Mayor Tim Busse**: NELLY IF YOU COULD TELL US ABOUT A TIME—A DECISION THAT YOU MADE—THAT YOU HAD TO DEFEND AND IT WASN'T A VERY POPULAR DECISION AMONG OTHER PEOPLE. [19:54] **Nelly Carmen**: WELL, I'M AN EDUCATOR AND I'M A MOM SO I MAKE DECISIONS CONSTANTLY THAT SOMETIMES ARE NOT VERY POPULAR. I MENTIONED IN OUR LAST INTERVIEW THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AS A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD—AND I WAS ALSO THE CHAIR AT THE TIME—I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT A PANDEMIC WAS GOING TO HIT THAT WAY. DURING THIS TIME WE HAD TO MAKE QUICK DECISIONS, HAVE TO BE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION. WE HAD TO MAKE VERY HARD DECISIONS AND I KNEW THAT I WAS REPRESENTING THE REST OF THE BOARD AS WELL. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC EXAMPLES—FOR EXAMPLE THE MASK MANDATE, CLOSING THE SCHOOLS AND GOING TO VIRTUAL LEARNING. THOSE WERE DIFFICULT DECISIONS. HOW DID I MANAGE THOSE? REMAINING CALM, REALLY THINKING OF WHAT WAS THE BEST WAY TO GO IN THAT SITUATION, WORKING TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE ALSO EXPERTS—OUR EXPERTS IN EDUCATION AND THEN THANKS TO THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON FOR BLOOMINGTON PUBLIC HEALTH WITH DR. NICK KELLEY ALSO CONSULTING WITH HIM. AND SO THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN I HAD TO MAKE THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISIONS. THANK YOU. [19:56] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: OKAY. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IF YOU WERE TO BE APPOINTED TO COUNCIL WHAT WOULD BE YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY? YOU KNOW WE TYPICALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR GO DOWN THE DAIS AND SEE WHAT OUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE YEAR. SO IF YOU WERE TO BE APPOINTED, WHAT WOULD BE ONE OF YOUR TOP PRIORITIES? [19:57] **Nelly Carmen**: WHEN I THINK ABOUT PRIORITIES IN GENERAL, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE. SO THE FIRST THING THAT IF I GET SELECTED TO BE PART OF YOUR COUNCIL, THE FIRST THING I AM GOING TO DO IS GO TALK TO PEOPLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE FROM OUR BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS. SO THAT IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME—COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT—AND ALSO TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THE MISSION IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN. YEAH SO AND THEN DEFINITELY WILL CONTINUE TO GO DEEPER INTO ALL THE DIFFERENT ISSUES BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY COMPONENTS TO THE CITY. I NEED TO GET DEEPER INTO THE ISSUES AND THEN MAKE A DECISION OF WHERE I WANT TO GO NEXT. [19:58] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: YEAH SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS THIS EVENING AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUNDS. WHAT QUESTIONS HAVEN'T WE ASKED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, AND IF YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION. [19:58] **Nelly Carmen**: WELL, I TEND TO BE A PRETTY BUSY PERSON SO I'M KIND OF SURPRISED YOU HAVEN'T ASKED ME HOW I THINK I'M GOING TO HANDLE THE BUSINESS. YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT MY RÉSUMÉ AND IT IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE IN TERMS OF THE MANY THINGS THAT I TEND TO DO JUST BECAUSE IT'S PART OF WHO I AM—I LIKE TO BE INVOLVED AND I LIKE TO LEARN. SO HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS? RIGHT NOW I'M ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION. COMING TO THE COUNCIL, I WILL BE IN ONE BODY. I WILL NOT BE IN TWO DIFFERENT BODIES AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON ONE NOW THAT I AM READY TO DO THAT. I HAVE GAINED ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO COME AND PUT THAT TO THE SERVICE OF THE COMMUNITY. I ALSO KNOW HOW TO BALANCE MY TIME. I MAKE IT WORK FOR MY JOB, MY FAMILY BUSINESS, AND MY SERVICE IN MY COMMUNITY. SO THE SAME THING GOES FOR WHEN I'M CAMPAIGNING. CAMPAIGNING IS REALLY DIFFICULT AND TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND I MANAGED TO DO TWO SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS. PROOF OF THAT IS THAT I WAS ELECTED THREE TIMES AND I WAS THE TOP VOTE GETTER. SO I HAVE A WAY OF WORKING BECAUSE I'M HARDWORKING AND DETERMINED. [20:00] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE ONE NOW ONE QUESTION THAT CAME UP TONIGHT THAT WE'RE ASKING EVERYBODY AT THE END. IF YOU WERE ASKED WHAT DOES A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DO, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? [20:01] **Nelly Carmen**: COMING FROM THE GOVERNANCE PERSPECTIVE, I'D SAY THAT COUNCIL IS IN CHARGE OF THE LEGISLATIVE PART OF THE CITY—OF THE POLICIES. BEYOND THAT—BEYOND BEING IN CHARGE OF ORDINANCES AND REZONING AND ALL OF THAT STUFF—YOU DEFINITELY REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, REPRESENT YOUR PEOPLE. THAT'S ANOTHER BIG PART OF THE JOB—REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE I'VE DONE THAT AS A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD—ADVOCATED FOR LEGISLATIVE ISSUES—AND BE THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, TALK TO THE COMMUNITY. [20:01] **Mayor Tim Busse**: SO WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WE'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THE DAIS A COUPLE OF TIMES NOW. BUT IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT WE'D LIKE TO KEEP GOING JUST MAYBE A COUPLE MORE QUICK QUESTIONS? [20:02] **Nelly Carmen**: YES. [20:02] **Mayor Tim Busse**: SO YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT LEADERSHIP A COUPLE OF TIMES AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU LED BY EXAMPLE—WHAT YOU DID AND HOW IT WAS RECEIVED BY THE PEOPLE YOU WERE LEADING? [20:02] **Nelly Carmen**: THE ONE THING I CAN SAY THAT COMES TO MIND IS REPRESENTATION. REPRESENTATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND I TRY TO SET THAT EXAMPLE WITH MY OWN KIDS, WITH MY STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM—WHEN I TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INVOLVED, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRESENTING WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU COME FROM. SO I GUESS IN THE CLASSROOM AND ALSO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHEN I'M OUT THERE TALKING TO FAMILIES—THOSE WOULD BE EXAMPLES OF HOW I HAVE LED IN THAT LEADERSHIP MOMENT—IN AN HONEST WAY WITH INTEGRITY. THOSE ARE MOMENTS THAT I LIKE TO PASS TO THE KIDS THAT ARE AROUND ME. [20:04] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: WHAT'S ONE PROJECT INITIATIVE OR POLICY THAT NEEDS A SECOND LOOK IN YOUR OPINION? [20:04] **Nelly Carmen**: MM. I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING PROJECTS—THOSE THINGS ARE VERY COMPLEX. AND BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY KEEPS CHANGING AS DEMOGRAPHICS CONTINUE TO CHANGE—IT'S NOT THAT IT NEEDS A SECOND LOOK, IT'S JUST THAT IT IS GOING TO NEED SEVERAL LOOKS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ALSO AS WE LOOK AT THE WAY WE DEVELOP HOUSING AND HOW THAT MIGHT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENTIRE CITY AND THE SCHOOLS. SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONE THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO. YOU KNOW, LIKE THE LAST MEETING THAT YOU HAD WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE THAT YOU KNOW, DO YOU NEED TO LOOK INTO ORDINANCES AGAIN? WHAT KIND OF CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE? [20:05] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: NELLY, BRIEFLY WHAT DO YOU—IF SOMEBODY CAME TO YOU AND SAID "I DON'T LIKE X" AND LET'S SAY LIKE "I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF THE WORLD EXPO"—HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOUR CONSTITUENT? WHAT INFORMATION WOULD YOU COLLECT AND WHAT INFORMATION WOULD YOU PROVIDE? [20:06] **Nelly Carmen**: THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO IS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHY THE PERSON THINKS IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA—TO REALLY GATHER MORE INFORMATION AND WHAT ARE THE REASONS BEHIND THAT THOUGHT. AND I WOULD TRY TO SHARE WITH THAT PERSON THE DIFFERENT REASONS WHY I BELIEVE IT IS A POSITIVE THING FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON. THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT GIVES TO FAMILIES AND KIDS TO EITHER VOLUNTEER OR WORK AT THE WORLD EXPO—TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, OTHER CULTURES. THE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL GIVE TO THE CITY FOR DEVELOPMENT—FOR WHEN YOU BRING PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD IN, YOU MIGHT HAVE BIGGER OPTIONS OF HAVING OTHER COMPANIES COME IN HERE TO DO BUSINESS. THE LEGACY THAT IT WILL LEAVE IN THE CITY—HOW WELL THE CITY IS GOING TO BE REPRESENTED IN A WORLD PERSPECTIVE. AND ALSO THE THEME OF THE WORLD EXPO—"HEALTHY PEOPLE, HEALTHY PLANET"—THE IMPORTANCE THAT THAT HAS FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE SHOWING OUR YOUTH. [20:07] **Mayor Tim Busse**: NELLY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AND YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE CITY COUNCIL. THE NEXT STEPS ARE—YOU'RE FOUR OF FIVE TONIGHT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION OR MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT—THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT OUR JANUARY MEETING. AND THE IDEA IS TO HAVE OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBER SWORN IN BY EARLY FEBRUARY AT THE ABSOLUTE LATEST. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. [20:08] **Nelly Carmen**: THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. [20:08] **Mayor Tim Busse**: GOOD EVENING, MS. CORRELL. WELCOME. THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN THIS COUNCIL POSITION. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING THE NEXT 30 MINUTES WITH YOU. AS I SAID, THIS WILL BE A BIT MORE LIKE AN OFFICIAL JOB INTERVIEW WHERE YOU WON'T HAVE THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME. EXPECT SOME BACK AND FORTH AS WE LOOK FOR AGAIN JUST TRYING TO FIND MORE INFORMATION AND TO GET TO KNOW YOU. SO THE CLOCK WILL START—WHAT ELEMENTS OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN RESONATE MOST WITH YOU AND WHY? [20:09] **Isak Correll**: SURE. I THINK THE NATURAL RESOURCE RESTORATION AND JUST KEEPING AN EYE ON THE NATURAL BEAUTY THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER IS PROBABLY THE PIECE THAT RESONATES MOST WITH ME. I ALSO AS I MENTIONED THE PREVIOUS TIME WE SPOKE I THINK THE WAY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GONE ABOUT TAKING IN PUBLIC OPINION TO FORM THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEN CURATING MEASUREMENTS OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IDEA OF MEASUREMENT AND CHECKS AND BALANCES—IN ADDITION TO TAKING PUBLIC FEEDBACK—IS THE PART OF THE PLAN THAT RESONATES THE MOST WITH ME. [20:10] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: OKAY SO WHAT DOES EQUITY AND INCLUSION MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO FURTHER ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION? [20:11] **Isak Correll**: YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK EQUITY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY AND IN THE WAY WE MAKE DECISIONS. I THINK ONE THING THAT I CAN BRING TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT I SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AS IT PERTAINS TO HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THE OUTCOMES OF OUR BIPOC COMMUNITY ARE GENERALLY SLIGHTLY LOWER UNFORTUNATELY THAN OUR CAUCASIAN COMMUNITY. AND SO WE THINK ABOUT IN MY DAY TO DAY JOB WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE OUTREACH TAILORED IN MEDIUMS WHERE WE CAN BUILD THAT IN A WAY THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE. INCLUSION IS SIMILAR IN THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SEND THE SAME THOUSAND PEOPLE AN EMAIL—SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO EMAIL. SO TO ME EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS ABOUT MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT. I THINK ONE THING THAT THE COUNCIL CAN DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE MODALITIES OF COMMUNICATION—I KNOW WE HAVE THE PAPER THAT GOES OUT THROUGH THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO OPT INTO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CHANNELS. I THINK AVENUES LIKE BEING TELEVISED ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND I WOULD SAY BUILDING OUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM ACROSS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VARIOUS PLATFORMS IS A GREAT WAY TO EXPAND THAT REACH. [20:13] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: IN A NORMAL YEAR IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO GET UP TO SPEED AS A NEW COUNCILMEMBER. THIS YEAR IS AN ELECTION YEAR. DO YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COMMIT TO BOTH? SHARE WITH US HOW YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH AND WHY YOU ARE BEST SUITED FOR THIS ENDEAVOR? [20:14] **Isak Correll**: I'M A VERY FAST LEARNER. I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WAY THAT I CONSUME INFORMATION—THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING. AND SO I DO FIND THAT I'M OFTEN ABLE TO PICK THE PIECES FROM A PUZZLE THAT ARE THE MOST RELEVANT. I WON'T LIE—IT WILL BE A STRETCH. YOU ALL DO A LOT OF WORK. I WATCHED THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR MEETING ON MONDAY—BRAVO—YOU ARE INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT. BUT I FULLY EXPECT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG COMMITMENT AND I THINK THAT COMMITMENT I HOPE GENERATES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF REWARD. [20:15] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: WHAT RECENT PROJECT OR INITIATIVE PURSUED BY THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE YOU DISAGREED WITH OR WOULD HAVE APPROACHED DIFFERENTLY? [20:15] **Isak Correll**: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'M NOT SURE THAT I HAVE A SINGLE PROJECT THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME AS SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. YOU KNOW, IF I THINK TO THE MEETING THAT YOU GUYS HAD ON MONDAY WHERE YOU WERE DISCUSSING THE ROADWAY ON BLOOMINGTON FERRY BRIDGE—I THOUGHT THE WAY YOU WENT ABOUT THAT DISCUSSING THE THREE POTENTIAL ROUTES WAS WELL DONE. I THINK THERE WERE SOME OTHER DATA POINTS I WOULD HAVE PULLED INTO IN ADDITION TO OFFSET CO2—I THOUGHT THE COMMENTARY ABOUT THE TREES WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE SOME QUALITATIVE METRICS PULLED INTO THAT SAME DISCUSSION. [20:17] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS ON THE MINDS OF MANY BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS. HOW WOULD YOU USE THE DATA THAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL ACTION TO IMPROVE THOSE CONDITIONS? [20:18] **Isak Correll**: I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO COMBINE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DATASETS WITH WHAT WE HAVE FROM OUR DISPATCH ETC. AND TO LOOK FOR PATTERNS. IT'S NOT ALWAYS RETROSPECTIVE—YOU WANT TO LOOK AT HIRING TRENDS, THE AGE OF YOUR POPULATION. I THINK LOOKING AT THE CRIME STOPPERS DATA, LOOKING AT POLICE REPORTS, LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHICS AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS CAN HELP LEAD YOU TOWARDS WHERE YOU CAN DEPLOY RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY. SO I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE—IN A HEALTH CARE SETTING, YOU MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF DOCTORS TO HIRE BASED ON THE PATIENT POPULATION. I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING IS TRUE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. IF THERE'S MORE CALLS IN A CERTAIN AREA YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ALLOCATING THOSE RESOURCES TO THAT AREA EFFECTIVELY. [20:20] **Mayor Tim Busse**: TELL US ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO DEFEND A DECISION YOU MADE EVEN THOUGH OTHER PEOPLE WERE OPPOSED TO THAT DECISION. [20:21] **Isak Correll**: LEADERSHIP IS DIFFICULT. I'M FORTUNATE TO LEAD 174 PEOPLE AND WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE. I HIRED A DIRECTOR OF DATA MANAGEMENT RECENTLY—A VERY TECHNICAL ROLE. SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS INVOLVED THOUGHT THAT MAYBE I SHOULD GO WITH A MORE SEASONED CANDIDATE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION. AND WHAT I DID WAS I EXPLAINED THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS PARTICULAR CANDIDATE DIDN'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR SPECIFIC ORGANIZATION, THE FRESH PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BRING WAS GOING TO OUTWEIGH THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT WOULD TAKE ME TO TEACH THEM THE FUNDAMENTALS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION. I WAS ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THAT PERSON HAD ABOUT THE LARGER INDUSTRY WAS GOING TO BE SUCH A BENEFIT. I TRIED TO GET TO CONSENSUS—I SAID "TELL ME ABOUT THE REASONS THAT YOU THINK THAT ANOTHER DIRECTION WOULD BE BETTER" AND I LISTENED—SEEKING FIRST TO UNDERSTAND. [20:23] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: SO IN THE ABSENCE OF REALLY GOOD DATA, HOW DO YOU APPROACH MAKING DIFFICULT OR CONTENTIOUS DECISIONS? [20:24] **Isak Correll**: ALL DATA IS SUBJECTIVE EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE BEST DATA IN THE WORLD. WHAT YOU END UP DOING IS SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THOSE WORKFLOWS—TALKING TO DOCTORS, THE PEOPLE WHO CHECK IN PATIENTS, THE PEOPLE WHO CLEAN UP THE ROOMS. AND PART OF IT IS GUT, RIGHT? PART OF IT IS JUST BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISION BASED ON YOUR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. [20:25] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: CITIES PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEIR RESIDENTS AND LEVY TAXES FOR THOSE SERVICES. DISCUSS WHAT THAT BALANCE SHOULD BE AND HOW BLOOMINGTON'S UNIQUE. [20:26] **Isak Correll**: I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD DRAW A RATIO. I THINK WHAT YOU NEED IS AN EQUATION FOR VALUE. WHAT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY IS "THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING FOR YOUR EXPENSE." IN DATA ANALYTICS I HAVE A $30 MILLION BUDGET AND WHAT I AM EXPECTED TO DO EVERY YEAR IS TO BE ABLE TO SAY "ALL RIGHT FAIRVIEW, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING FOR THAT $30 MILLION." AND I THINK THAT BLOOMINGTON DOES A NICE JOB OF THAT—WHEN I'M LEARNING THAT THEY'LL PICK UP MY CHRISTMAS TREE FOR $6 AS OPPOSED TO $60—THAT'S A VALUE EQUATION. I THINK SO FAR YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY NICE JOB. AN ADDITIONAL 9% ON THE LEVY TO FUND POLICE AND FIRE AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER VERY CRITICAL SERVICES IS VERY REASONABLE. [20:28] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: WHO IS A LEADER THAT YOU PERSONALLY ADMIRE AND WHAT ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE WOULD YOU WANT TO EMULATE AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER? [20:29] **Isak Correll**: NAMES THAT ARE POPPING INTO MY HEAD ARE JOHN WOODEN AND WARREN BUFFETT. WARREN BUFFETT PRACTICED THIS KIND OF PATIENCE, THIS DUE DILIGENCE THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR LEADERS—TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT BREATH AND MAKE SURE YOU STAY COMPOSED. I AM ALSO FORTUNATE TO WORK FOR A WOMAN WHO IS A REMARKABLE HUMAN BEING AND AN INCREDIBLE LEADER—SHE IS A PERSON OF COLOR WHO HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL IN A MALE DOMINATED PROFESSION AS A SURGEON. [20:31] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: WHAT ARE TWO OR THREE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE THE MOST CHALLENGING FOR YOU AND HOW WOULD YOU ENDEAVOR TO MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES? [20:32] **Isak Correll**: WELL, THE FIRST ONE IS THE TIME COMMITMENT. I WOULD WANT TO FEEL AVAILABLE AND TRANSPARENT TO THE CITIZENS AND THE BUSINESSES AND THAT I'M ASSUMING CAN BE A PRETTY LARGE NEED. THE OTHER IS—LIKE ANY GOOD DATA ANALYST—I TEND TO TRY TO OVER-IMMERSE MYSELF IN FACTS AND SO I WOULD HAVE TO PULL MYSELF UP AND SAY "I'VE GOT TO GET TO THE KERNEL THAT IS THERE AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PIECE." AND THE THIRD IS—YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO STOP THE ANALYSIS AND SAY "I'VE ANALYZED ALL OF THE VARIABLES THAT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE AND I CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISION NOW." [20:33] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: DESCRIBE A TIME WHEN YOU FELT DEFEATED—WHEN A PROJECT YOU WERE WORKING ON FELL APART OR YOU MISSED A DEADLINE. HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT ADVERSITY? [20:34] **Isak Correll**: I'LL TAKE ONE FROM MY PERSONAL LIFE. MY WIFE AND I A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE MOVED INTO BLOOMINGTON—THAT WAS A REALLY TOUGH TIME TO BUY A HOUSE. IT WAS INCREDIBLY DEMORALIZING BIDDING ON HOUSE AFTER HOUSE. WE HAD BEEN ON OUR 10TH HOUSE AND NOT GOTTEN IT. WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING WAS BASICALLY REFINING OUR SEARCH AND THE PERFECT HOUSE POPPED UP TWO WEEKS LATER. THE COMMUNITY THAT I FOUND MYSELF IN—THEY'RE SO INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE THAT IT COULD NOT HAVE WORKED OUT BETTER FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. [20:36] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT? [20:37] **Isak Correll**: I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE FULL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON. I HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR A FAIRLY SIZABLE BUDGET AT FAIRVIEW AND I'M VERY CURIOUS TO LEARN HOW THE CITY HANDLES THOSE FINANCES SPECIFICALLY. I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A FINANCE NERD. [20:38] **Councilmember Victor Rivas**: WHAT QUESTIONS HAVEN'T WE ASKED YOU THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, AND THEN GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION. [20:39] **Isak Correll**: WHAT WOULD MAKE ME THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THIS ROLE? TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION I WOULD SAY—HAVING WATCHED ALL OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES—I HAVE THE FRESHEST PERSPECTIVE HAVING NOT BEEN IMMERSED IN SO MANY OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES. THAT CAN GO IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THAT DIFFERENCE IS A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE. BUT THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT I CAN BRING. [20:41] **Councilmember Danielle Robertson**: SAY FOR EXAMPLE THERE'S A MAJOR PROJECT IN A PARK—A LOT OF NEIGHBORS ARE THERE. SOME ARE EXCITED, SOME ARE NERVOUS. WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR HEAD BEFORE YOU OPEN THE DOOR AND WALK UP TO THAT EVENT? [20:41] **Isak Correll**: YOU'VE GOT TO GROUND YOURSELF IN THE FACT THAT NOT EVERY DECISION WE MAKE IS GOING TO BE PERFECT. THERE'S CONCESSIONS. BUT TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING I THINK IS HOW YOU APPROACH THE PEOPLE. [20:42] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: HAVE YOU EVER SOUGHT PUBLIC OFFICE? WHY NOW? [20:42] **Isak Correll**: MY COMMITMENT TO MY KIDS IS STARTING TO WIND DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND I HAVE MORE TIME TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND ME. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY. [20:44] **Mayor Tim Busse**: IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE A TIME WHEN YOU LED BY EXAMPLE AND HOW THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE ATTEMPTING TO LEAD RESPONDED. [20:44] **Isak Correll**: THAT'S PROBABLY MY BIGGEST PHILOSOPHY—LEAD BY EXAMPLE. FAIRVIEW RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A NURSING STRIKE. THE FIRST THING I DID WAS I VOLUNTEERED AND SAID "I'LL SHOW PEOPLE ROOM TO ROOM, WHATEVER I CAN DO TO CONTRIBUTE." I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS A TRAIT THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AS A LEADER—TO BE ABLE TO SAY "I'M GOING TO DO THE THINGS THAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO." [20:45] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: IF YOU WERE ASKED "WHAT DOES A COUNCIL MEMBER DO?" HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER IT? [20:46] **Isak Correll**: I THINK ULTIMATELY COUNCIL MEMBERS HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE LEGACY OF SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER THAN ANY ONE PERSON. [20:48] **Mayor Tim Busse**: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. NEXT STEPS—WE'RE DONE WITH THE SECOND ROUND OF INTERVIEWS. WE'RE GOING TO SAVE THE DISCUSSION FOR OUR JANUARY 23RD MEETING. [20:49] **Isak Correll**: I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I THINK GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY I DO HAVE A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE. [20:49] **Mayor Tim Busse**: WE HEARD FROM FIVE OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES THIS EVENING AND WE'VE GOT A TOUGH DECISION AHEAD OF US ON THE 23RD. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO BACK THROUGH YOUR NOTES. [20:50] **Councilmember Jenna Carter**: THANK YOU MAYOR. SO WHEN WE DO MAKE THE DECISION, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN KIND OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT WHY WE'RE CHOOSING THE PERSON THAT WE'RE CHOOSING? [20:50] **Mayor Tim Busse**: TYPICALLY IN THE PAST WE HAVE NOT DONE IT IN THAT WAY. WE DO A VOTE. WE HAVE SIX MEMBERS VOTING ON THIS. MY THOUGHT IS THAT WE WOULD EACH VOTE FOR ONE CANDIDATE. IF WE GET TO FOUR THEN WE'RE DONE. IF NOT, WE START TO ELIMINATE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE A VOTE OR THE LEAST AMOUNT OF VOTES. WE ONLY GET THREE CRACKS AT THIS AS A COUNCIL. [20:51] **Councilmember Lona Dallessandro**: JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION—IF TWO PEOPLE GOT THREE VOTES, EVERYBODY ELSE IS ELIMINATED THEN WE ALL SIX VOTE BETWEEN THOSE TWO? [20:51] **Mayor Tim Busse**: CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH YOUR TIME FOR DOING THIS. A FINAL THANK YOU TO MATT FOR HIS WORK PULLING THIS ALL TOGETHER. [20:52] **Councilmember Dwayne Lowman**: YOU KNOW ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO FOLKS IS OUR WORK GROUPS AND THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION. THAT'S JUST AN EASY WAY TO PLUG IN IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. [20:53] **Mayor Tim Busse**: NO FURTHER BUSINESS. I WOULD LOOK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. WE ARE ADJOURNED.