07/27/2022
Some Questions I was asked. I wanted to share them here as well.
1. Drew Christensen
2. Do you support a TH Sales Tax? - Yes
3. What do you foresee it being used for if you do? - I would like to continue to upgrade infrastructure in the area.
4. Do you think there should be a cap on short term rentals in TH? - Yes, there needs to be a limit before STRs go too far. The city is surrounded by cabins, STRs, resorts, hotels, motels, etc. We need to encourage more long term renters and home buyers to come into the town.
5. If so, do you think it should be a city wide cap, a limit on how many Short Term Rentals a person/family/corporation can hold? Or both? -I think it needs to be a total number. I do not think it needs to be person centric on how many they hold or do not hold. I.e. if 1 person owns 10 vs a family owns 3 does not matter. It’s still 13 STRs at the end of the day.
6. Do you own any short term rentals, if so how many? Do you have other business interests in TH? -No, I do not. Yes, I work in the area.
7. What ways will you help attract affordable housing to TH? - There is a current HRA agenda item being discussed to bring low income/senior housing to 1 of the 3 different proposed locations. I’d like to remove one of those locations (or change that one) and add in a non low income housing apartment building at the other one with a different developer. I’d also like to re-approach the John A Johnson owner to assist in demolition of the current building in order to use the land there and development.
8. What will you do to attract business to TH? What types of business will you try to bring? - I think we need to equally look at how many gift shops we have, how many industry types work such as welding, etc. We need to draw people in, and gift shops limit that, where enough welding jobs may allow us to partner with a professor, or someone to come in and teach classes for welders for more jobs. New jobs and stable jobs in this area are key.
9. What are your thoughts on developing the waterfront, similar to Canal Park? -I think we need to look at successful businesses in Canal Park. Do we consider the adventure zone successful? The multiple gift shops that have gone bankrupt? The cool soda shop that went under? There are others like: the glass blowing shop that attracts the eye, the bar/food shops such as Old Chicago, Green Mill, and Grandma’s. It has taken years to get canal park where it is now. Where it once was 50 years ago with Zenith Clothes Washers and the industry that was there to the tourist shop and huge parking lots that you have to pay to use. I think there are some items we may be able to replicate such as paying for parking (once that idea is hashed out properly), or some sort of a shop that crafts items…. The list goes on!
10. What are your thoughts on TH infrastructure, roads, gas, water, etc? What is good and what needs improvement? - Let’s continue to upgrade them. ESPECIALLY gas and water lines that were created in the 1960’s .
11. Are there any potential conflicts of interest with you serving on the city council? -If anything it’s a benefit as I am also a part of the Two Harbors Area Fund board that helps add money to projects for the trails. I hope to find more projects to partner on.
12. What is your view of the financial status of the campground and golf course, and what do you see for their future in TH? - As of right now, all 3 items; campground, golf course, and liquor store are net positive. I’d like to keep that, upgrade items where we may need to such as a new liquor store, any upgrades for the camp ground that we may find applicable for more ROI.
13. What projects would you like to see in TH? i.e. Community pool, downtown revitalization, park improvements? - I’d love to improve the Odegard and Burlington Parks. I’d compare ourselves to other coastal small towns and see what they have that we may be able to replicate, places like Oregon, Door County, the UP, and more come to mind. I’d love to find out about adding a 2nd level to the community center, fully upgrading the kitchen back to a commercial kitchen, and putting money into the community center for upgrades.
14. What needs, if anything, to be done to change the reputation and image of TH, would you work to install a more stringent ethics code in the city? -We have a charter, a city attorney, and no administrator except the interim one hired in April that will not be here in September. We need to get our candidates in for who will be on the city council and fully pursue a new administrator of the city to provide the key leadership and direction. There needs to be someone to hold people accountable and create some stability. A key interview committee with set out expectations of who the city wants, or an executive search committee would be key.
15. What do you want people to know about you I haven’t asked about? - I’m from Two Harbors. My great grandma was born in the house I am living in. I do not want distractions of past, current, or future issues to be the source of an election. Rather move forward and work on improving the city that I graduated from, love, met my wife in, and work in.
