"I want to hear from the residents of Minot on what issues they think are important and what City Council should be focusing on. Their voices and ideas will be what guides me as a City Council member"
Here are some issues that I think are important
COVID-19
Update: Despite opposition, I introduced a motion to require masks in Minot. The issue gained national attention and the New Yorker featured a story on my efforts and COVID in Ward County.
This pandemic will have long-term consequences for the world, our country, our state, and Minot. Some of our residents will have lost their jobs and their savings. Some of our local businesses will have suffered greatly. As a City we will have to devise solutions and to help our neighbors. To be sure, I have no doubt we will rise up; like we always do. However, it will take the entire City to come together and committed and smart local leaders. If elected, I will help to ensure we take care of each other and recover from this pandemic.
Recycling
UPDATE: I brought this issue up in my first months in office and Council finally took action. Curbside recycling will begin during the summer 0f 2023.
Let's just do something already. We keep "studying" and deferring action on whether we will adopt some kind of recycling program in Minot.
Mitigating Flood Consequences
It is hard to believe that the 2011 flood was almost 10 years ago. Reminders of it seem to be everywhere. The City has embarked on several projects in response. I look forward to working on continuing to move these projects forward.
Embracing & Celebrating Diversity
The "new" Minot I returned to in 2017 was delightful - a vibrant downtown, Spanish spoken in public places, the LGBTQ community celebrating "Pride in the Park." I think we need to embrace and celebrate all of us. We are a city that has faced hardship and yet we rise up every time. It is our people, in all of their races and ethnicities, ages, religions, gender identities and expressions, and political ideologies that make us resilient. Let's embrace all of the beauty of Minot's people!
Taxes
I know many people are frustrated with the property taxes in Minot. I think residents need to be more involved in determining how we spend tax dollars. I lived in a city that held annual "Taxpayers' Night." This night allows residents the opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns about the City’s proposed budget. When elected, I would urge the Mayor and the other City Council members to help make "Taxpayers' Night" in Minot an annual event.
Common Sense Animal Control Rules
UPDATE: It took me some time, but after two years in office, I spearheaded the repeal of the ordinance prohibiting "pit bulls" in Minot. On September 19, 2022, the City Council determined the dangerous animals law was a more effective tool and voted 4-3 to repeal this law.
Do you know the one thing I hate about Minot? Its law prohibiting residents from having certain breeds of dogs. I was hopeful that we were going to move past this over-reaching and discriminatory law in 2018 when we adopted a law that targets the dangerous behavior of dogs. This new law is a more precise tool – it seeks to prohibit and punish the people with dogs that actually exhibit dangerous behavior. None of us want dogs that exhibit dangerous behavior in our city. However, the solution is not to ban specific breeds. The solution is to use and enforce our new law that applies equally to all dogs - regardless of breed.