Thank you, Jim Dickinson and the City of Andover, for hosting the June Operating Committee.

The group reviewed the Community Partner program and the tremendous support going back to 1994. Roughly 90 companies have invested dues, plus numerous more have provided in-kind services or products.

A special thank you goes to our current all-star lineup of Community Partners: Abrams & Schmidt, CenterPoint Energy (one of the longest serving), Comcast, Crest View Corporation, Financial One Credit Union, Fogerty Arena, Maple Grove Hospital, Mercy Hospital, Mille Lacs Corporate Venture (new!), North East Bank (one of the longest serving), P.S.D., Running Aces Harness Park, Innovative Office Solutions, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing, Tiller Corp., and Xcel Energy (one of the oldest serving).

Thanks also goes to our chambers of commerce, Anoka Area, MetroNorth, North Hennepin Area, Twin Cities North, and Twin West.

Our message is stronger, thanks to our collaboration. The North Metro is a great place to live, work, play, shop, raise a family, get an education….

Ewald staff and I are working on the candidate forums for the fall. Watch for updates.

Next meeting is Sept. 19, 5:30 p.m., Coon Rapids City Hall.

As always, your calls and emails are welcome. Thank you.

NMMA Board Meeting May 16, 2018

Maple Grove hosted the May North Metro Mayors Association Board meeting. City Administrator Heidi Nelson provided an update on city activities. Three key industries are poised for growth:

1. Health technology—Maple Grove is home to 5 of the top 25 largest Minnesota medical technology companies.
2. Healthcare—The 610 corridor continues to attract healthcare organizations.
3. Manufacturing—95 manufacturers already call Maple Grove home.

Providing the workforce for the growth is one of the biggest issues Maple Grove faces. The same is true throughout the region.

We said hello to Dayton Mayor Tim McNeil. Welcome to NMMA!

We said goodbye to former Ramsey Mayor Sarah Strommen. Best wishes on your new adventures remodeling your husband’s childhood home in Plymouth.

We said hello to Ramsey Mayor Pro-tem John LeTourneau. He brings his experience as a city council member to the role.

North American Joint Purchasing Program Committee Chair Kirk McDonald, New Hope, told the group we had a banner year.  Innovative Office Solutions 2017 dividends are up about 28%.

Since 2014, they are up 36%. Hirshfield’s struggled last year, but the new contract has an additional paint product that should help. The Board ratified approximately 100 dividend checks. Call me if you’d like to get in the program for office supplies or field marking paint.

Thank you, Maple Grove, for hosting the Board. Thank you, Ramsey, for hosting the Operating Committee earlier in the day.

 

Note a calendar change: The June Operating Committee is moved a week earlier to Wednesday, June 13, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Andover City Hall. The change is because of a city conference. We’ll continue the 2019 budget and dues discussion from May 16. We’ll get a report on the legislative session, too.

The next Board meeting is September 19, 5:30 p.m., Coon Rapids.

Watch your inbox for updates from Ewald on the final days of the legislative session.

Call if you have questions or suggestions. It’s always good to hear from you.

Jill Brown, Executive Director

JillCBrown@msn.com

Cell: 612-889-2611

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former Ramsey Mayor Sarah Strommen received a certificate of appreciation May 16 for outstanding service to the north metro. Pictured with (front) Andover Mayor Julie Trude, New Hope Mayor Kathi Hemken, Ramsey Mayor Pro-tem John LeTourneau, (back) Dayton Mayor Tim McNeil, Circle Pines Mayor Dave Bartholomay, Brooklyn Center Mayor Tim Willson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members celebrated earning 2017 dividends in the North American Joint Purchasing Program: New Brighton City Manager Dean Lotter, New Hope City Manager Kirk McDonald, Community Partner Tiffany Schmidt, Mounds View City Administrator Nyle Zikmund, Circle Pines Mayor Dave Bartholomay, Ewald’s Owen Wirth, and Ramsey Mayor Pro-tem John LeTourneau.

Last spring, city golf courses opened March 7. This year we still have a lot of snow on April 20.

Thanks to Blaine and City Manager Clark Arneson for hosting the April Operating Committee.

We welcomed Dayton City Administrator Tina Goodroad to her first meeting. We learned Ramsey Mayor Sarah Strommen is resigning because of relocation to Plymouth.  We also announced Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (a.k.a. Grand Casino) is joining NMMA as a Community Partner. At a future meeting, we’ll get you introduced to their far-reaching business enterprises, including hotels in the Twin Cities and services.

New Hope City Manager Kirk McDonald distributed dividend checks to cities that purchased Hirshfield’s field marking paint last year through our North American Joint Purchasing Program. New this year is a third choice in paint quality levels. Call me to get connected, and you’ll get a dividend check next year.

Legislative update—Six support letters have been completed as of today, touching fiscal disparities, New Hope’s regional 50-meter pool, the North Metro Law Enforcement Training Facility in Maple Grove, landfill clean up in Andover, and transportation projects including Hwy 169/101^st Ave and completion of 610/94. We initiated new letters of support for Brockton and elections items.

The constitutional amendment for transportation (SF 3837) was discussed. It was decided to move the item through the regular review process for inclusion in the next legislative work plan.

One of our themes this year is reviewing the scope of NMMA work. This week, the group did a pulse check on a list of policies and programs we cover. There was one item all agreed could be pulled off the list—invasive water species. Otherwise, we left with a better understanding of our positions, mostly in agreement and sometimes with variations, on finances, governance, transportation, economic development, environment, regional assets, elections, and programs like Community Partners and NAJPP.

 

Next Meetings May 16

The Operating Committee has an extra meeting this year to work on the budget. It’s Wednesday, May 16, 11:30 a.m. in Ramsey.

The Board also meets Wednesday, May 16, 5:30 p.m., in Maple Grove. Come with your questions about public engagement and technology. We’ll have Nick Mastronaldi, CEO of Polco, a new civic engagement online tool. His background includes being an Air Force officer, Econ professor, presidential policy analyst, and Amazon data scientist. Come hungry. City Administrator Heidi Nelson says we’re having Portillos.

Feedback? Questions? Call me any time. Jill

Commitment. Vision.  Persistence. Collaboration. Innovation. Dedication. Intelligence. Service.

These are the words that come to mind as I review the photos and discussions from this week’s Day at the Capitol. Building relationships with our legislators is key to accomplishing our work plan. On Wednesday, each city brought a passion, not only for the needs within their city limits, but for their neighbors’ concerns, too. That message was demonstrated with visits to every delegation legislator available by groups representing as many as three cities at a time.

I tip my hat to you. With everything on your plate, you keep giving your time and your talents to be a champion of the North Metro.  Thank you, to the mayors, city councilmembers, legislators, and staff.

Let’s think spring. The board passed the Hirshfield’s contract that adds a third level of field marking paint, all made locally. Contact Dave Myers at 612-719-9319 or HPMorders@hirshfields.com. Soccer and baseball are coming up fast!

As always, I’m interested in your feedback. Thanks.

Jill Brown, Executive Director

Cell: 612-889-2611

Email: JillCBrown@msn.com

Have you heard? Coon Rapids Mayor Jerry Koch is putting his mother under a bridge.

That’s the joke circulating around town, now that the Hanson Blvd. overpass is getting underway—thanks to bonding success in the last legislative session. Mayor Koch’s mother lives in the shadow of the new bridge.  Good news, she can provide daily construction updates.

Thanks to Coon Rapids City Manager Matt Stemwedel for hosting the February Operating Committee meeting. Matt provided a quick update on a variety of things happening in Coon Rapids, including three new car dealerships, redevelopment in shopping centers, and expansions at Mercy Hospital and RMS. Bunker Hills, the city owned golf course and event facility, turns 50 this year.

A new North American Joint Purchasing Program contract with Hirshfield’s for field marking paint was reviewed and forwarded to the March 7 Board meeting for action. Prices are going up slightly from the 2011 public bid and a third choice for paint quality is being added.

A review of the Feb.9 Olympic Viewing and Spotlight on Sports in the North Metro showed phenomenal turnout and city participation. A photo of the Olympians in attendance is provided. And, here’s a quick event recap in a news story by CTN. Thank you to everyone who participated. A special shout out to event sponsor Comcast, who also presented checks to two local nonprofits, Loaves and Fishes and Champlin Youth Hockey.

One of our themes this year is reviewing the scope of NMMA work. A SWOT exercise at the meeting showed continued commitment to the association’s efforts. Ongoing conversations will get into the finer details of how we channel our energy into specific policy areas.

 

Next Meeting March 7

The next meeting is our Day at the Capitol, March 7. Following meetings with legislators, we’ll hold a Board meeting at the League of Minnesota Cities from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Note the date and time change! Owen is contacting members to set up appointments with legislators.

Feedback? Questions? Call me any time. Jill

Jill Brown, Executive Director

JillCBrown@msn.com

Cell: 612-889-2611