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ROCHESTER CITY COUNCIL (CONTINUED)
Q: Why are you running for city council and how does your experience qualify you for the position? A: Having spent a lifetime career in public service--leading small and large organizations and helping people overcome obstacles in life--serving on the city council is an extension of work I have done and enjoy. I do not come with a specific agenda, but instead want to provide practical and responsible leadership at the highest level of Rochester governance. With the incumbent withdrawing from the race after eight splendid years of service, I was asked to file for office. My ex - perience of leading a large 4300 member church in Rochester for more than 24 years has prepared me to listen to all sides of an issue, note differ- ences, overcome division, and lead an organization to goals that propel us forward. I served on a school board for six years in south central Minne- sota, and I served on the Augsburg University Board of Regents for 12 years. I
NORMAN WAHL WARD 3
have served in board positions locally, regionally and nationally. Q: What are your top two priorities or issues as a candidate for city council?
A: My top two priorities are the priorities of the people of Ward 3, and likely priorities of the entire city. As I have knocked on thousands of doors in the Ward, two topics continually arise: taxes constantly increasing and public safety. I will come to the council as a fiscal conservative who will monitor property taxes so that we do not, from the city’s side, tax people out of homes and businesses. I will seek to work with the coun- cil and with staff to identify areas in which funds may be saved and allotted to projects that will benefit the city. I will be a strong voice for public safety so that we can continue to thrive as a city. Rochester has a great police chief, and we have superb officers, fire fighters, and emergency responders. We need to continue to support them--not just with dollars, but with our presence and our words of encouragement. We need to recognize where problems exist and devote resources to those areas. Q: As the city of Rochester continues to grow and develop, how do you envision Rochester ten years from now? How can the city council support that vision? A: Rochester has been on a predictable trajectory since I moved into the region in 1965! There is nothing that suggests Rochester will not continue to grow and develop over the next ten years, particularly as the economic engine of Rochester and all of Southeastern Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic, continues to grow and serve the medical needs of people from the area and from all over the world. As a council we need to be in good partnership with the Mayo Clinic, being very careful to articulate the needs of the city and development of city services as more people migrate to Rochester for work, homes, schooling, recreation, and retirement. The City Council will continue to oversee that growth and will need to work with neighborhoods and developers to provide housing and commerce that serves the public well. The council will need to work with police and fire to ensure that we can adequately serve and protect an expanded city. We need to ensure that Rochester remains a terrific place to live.
| Advantage Magazine 16
October 2022
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