Fiscal Responsibility

It is important to balance the fiscal responsibility of being a good steward of the taxpayer’s dollar with the insightful planning for long term sustainability. I have been, and will continue to be, vocal advocate in the wise use of tax dollars in our community!

Decisions to increase taxes affect not only the budgets, lifestyles and well-being of community members and influence their ability to remain a resident in this community. This awareness is something I carry on both my mind and in my heart in every decision I make for our community.

Drive Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Growth

Communities thrive when they strike a great balance of residential, commercial, and industrial opportunities. Such a balance provides additional jobs, available housing, and retail options.

During the past five years I have been able to, research, weigh-in, and vote for a variety of development projects that have benefitted our community including.

• Commercial and Industrial growth which brought $57.3 million dollars of additional tax revenue to Chaska.

  • Chaska Creek Industrial park

  • Costco and Oak Ridge Commons

  • Chestnut Business Park ~ rental commercial condos for small businesses & startups

• Residential Development where we welcomed new neighbors and $693 million dollars in new tax base to Chaska.

  • Adelwood ~ a Del Webb 55+ housing community

  • Singles family home neighborhoods including Rivertown Heights and Oak Creek neighborhoods

  • Townhome communities including The Springs at McKnight Lake

  • Apartment complexes such as Hazeltine Plaza and The Carver

  • Habitat for Humanity housing - an affordable housing development with 8 homes.

  • Ernst House/Ess Lot~ a CDA affordable housing project in downtown Chaska.

  • West Creek Apartments (homeless youth housing by the Community Asset Foundation)

• City projects, which brought both unique new amenities and support to our essential city services:

  • The Loop ~a first of its kind adaptive golf course in Minnesota

  • Public Safety Campus for our Fire & Police departments

  • Hawk’s Ridge Mountain Bike Trail - a 4.1 mile mountain bike trail

  • Circle the Brick Trail - a regional bike/pedestrian trail system through downtown Chaska

  • Public Safety Campus for our Fire & Police departments

Additionally, I have helped provide information and feedback to shape the policies and outreach methods we used to inform to the community about potential development projects. My goal is to better communicate with our residents and get their input throughout this process.

In 2023, I had the opportunity to testify before the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee, to ask funding support for City Square West, a downtown redevelopment project, that will provide affordable housing, an economic hub with a cultural mercado and a gathering space. This resulted in the City of Chaska receiving $5.3 million funding from the 2022 Bonding Bill.

Economic Development

Our businesses are an integral part of a successful community in both local job creation and cultural vibrancy. As a small business owner myself, I understand both complexities that face our business owners and the importance of cultivating strong city partnerships - built on trust and understanding.

One immediate focus is to enhance our Chamber of Commerce to organize more Chaska-focused retail events and establish a dedicated local tourism bureau. With Chaska slated to host numerous prestigious national sporting events in the next five years, which will attract participants and spectators from around the world, it's crucial to promote our local businesses and position Chaska as a premier tourism destination.These events promise to leave a lasting positive impact on our local economy, and we are keen to capitalize on this opportunity.

Additionally, development projects such as City Square West, The Loop golf course, and the Circle the Brick bicycle/pedestrian trail will further bolster our appeal as a regional tourism hotspot. Together, we can leverage these assets to attract new businesses and visitors, ensuring Chaska thrives as a vibrant community and tourist destination.

Reinvest in Our Community Center

Recording over 1 million visits per year, one of the crown jewels in our city - the Chaska Community Center - is in desperate need of additional investment. In addition to the necessary structural repairs on the building and its parking lot, it also need of a significant renovation of the inside of the facility. This will help the functionality and operations to make it more proficient and profitable. The Community Center is vital to Chaska and deserves attention.

Serving on the Community Task Force, I had the privilege of doing a review all the elements of the Chaska Community Center. The Task Force investigated the current deficiencies of the Center, got feedback from a variety of present and past users, learned the areas of best profitability in the Center, and researched comparable neighboring community centers to develop a multi-phased plan to both repair and enhance the Community Center. I would love to see the recommendations put forward by the Community Task Force to become a reality for this beloved asset.

Promote Affordable and Available Housing

While it can be difficult to provide affordable housing with private developers, there are effective strategies to incentivize them to include affordable housing. I will work hard to continue to bring a healthy mix of affordable and available housing to Chaska, not only grow our community but also to provide a place where our residents who love our community so much, can stay and make Chaska their hometown.

Uplift Inclusion

I believe our community should be an inclusive one, where everyone respects each other regardless of their heritage or background. We owe it to our children to have city leadership stand strong to support inclusion in our neighborhoods.

I am proud to see Chaska’s expansion of cultural events and festivals by tapping into the hard work of numerous city departments, the passionate volunteerism of the Human Rights Commission and key partnerships with a variety of local organizations. Our community has flourished in these moments by creating human connections with our neighbors and provided insightful education and understanding.

Furthermore, I am excited about the upcoming Community Park in southwest Chaska, which will feature a Miracle Field and Universal Playground. These additions will serve as essential amenities, enhancing the enjoyment of our community.