Even though, as of 11:07 PM last night, the Star Tribune had claimed that the Burnsville mayoral race was looking ok for Kautz (please note, they may change the content of this article, who knows with them), it appears that Jerry Willenburg may end up prevailing by just a few votes over Kautz this November.
From the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Election Results for Burnsville’s Mayoral Race:
I would assume these numbers are official but with the close race (17 votes) and Kautz’ pain-in-the-ass attitude, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she drags this out for weeks following the November election. If you’re looking for more election results from yesterday, you can search for them here.
Being that Jerry Willenburg ran under the premise that Kautz and her crew couldn’t handle the Heart of the City development because they had no experience in the area, I would guess that it’s the biggest reason she’ll have problems come the general election. There was plenty of opposition to the project, mostly seen at City Council meetings, and largely ignored by the Burnsville City Council. Perhaps the voters (all 12% of registered voters in Burnsville) finally spoke? But will they back it up in November?
What do you think? Will Burnsville’s current mayor lose her spot during the general election or does this close primary mean nothing of the final outcome?
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September 10th, 2008 at 6:11 am
Its a good question. Turnout will be much higher in Nov, and I would assume that will favor her, judging by the 912898709870987 yard signs she has out around Burnsville, and my heartfelt belief that most people vote for the person they have heard of. I do however, think this shows that people really are sick of the council and mayor doing exactly what they want, and not paying any attention to the feedback they get from the people of Burnsville.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:21 am
I think the Burnsville residents are tired of paying for kautz’s constant redesigning ( ten pounds in a five pound bag) of her “heart of the city” project. The cost to the taxpayer is unbelievable. $1,533,000 in perks to the Mediterranean Cruise Café to move to the “heart of the city . In return for the perks the cafe will provide public bathrooms and a pump/ water filtration system room for the water park/ water feature that is in “commons park”. the Health Department jumped all over the city because of urine and baby diapers found in the water. Then there is the public overflow parking lot that were are going to build next to her condo. It’s the domino theory in action…….. don’t ya just love it. The winds of change are blowing in this town.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:28 am
The numbers are very positive for Willenburg. A pretty strong message for Mayor Kautz, to be sure.
I hope to be saying: “Good riddance to the smarmy attitude of Kautz and her cronies” after November.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:47 am
I think its interesting that not only did Willenburg win, but he received more votes than a candidate with 14 years of campaigning behind her, and that 2519 people in total voted against Mayor Kautz. The fact that so many people came out to vote against her, in a primary election, where turnout is typically not high, should send a message, but she wont “get” it. She’ll be spinning that he “only” won by 17 votes, without seeing (or wanting to see) the larger picture. It’s far too late for her to repair the business and voter relationships she’s damaged over the past several years.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:50 am
I think Willenburg’s ardent supporters turned out for the primary but Kautz’ supporters did not because they felt she was a shoe-in at this point.
However, November will show different results because I think more people will show up and vote for Mayor Kautz. I know I will.
Despite the naysayers, Burnsville needs leaders who are willing to make Burnsville a better city. It’s too easy to forget the ugly suburban wasteland that Nicollet and the Burnsville Parkway was not many years ago. Sure, it’s not perfect but no urban renewal ever is. That doesn’t mean you don’t try.
And, as for listening, I have always found Mayor Kautz and this council open and responsive. They’re not always going to do what every person wants (they can’t, of course). But they do listen.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Kevin,
I assume you weren’t referring to the Burnsville City Council meeting where 19 of 20 people permitted to speak were against the PAC?
Even though I disagree with your choice (I am not a Burnsville resident any longer) I am glad you posted. I welcome any and all supporters of Kautz to explain why they will support her.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Kevin, I am interested to know what you think Mayor Willenburg would plan to do for the city. You stated that Burnsville needs leaders who are willing to make Burnsville a better city. I am guessing none of the people running did so with the intention of making the city worse.
I am a transplant here. I have lived in Burnsville for three years, and MN for about 6. I would be interested to know what Mayor Kautz has done for the city. How many large employers has she brought in? How many large companies to increase the tax base? Have the schools been improved in the time she has been here? Has the infrastructure improved?
I can tell you for 100% sure, that I could care less about the PAC. I would rather see the minor league baseball team because I would use it. But more than that, I would rather see some decent employers come to town. Who is the largest employer in Burnsville? Fairview Ridges? I would rather see a community pool/park area where I can take my son to play. I would rather see noise barriers along the interstate so my property value increases.
There are alot of things I would like to see happen. You are right, the Mayor cant please everyone, but in the three years I have been here, I have yet to speak to a SINGLE person who is in favor of the PAC, and that and Heart of Burnsville are the only things I can tell you that she has done. I am sure there is more, but someone better point it out. Heart of the City is probably the second highest traffic area in the city, next to 35/42. Its a nasty mess in the morning and at night. I would imagine it will be worse if they ever sell some of the empty condo/townhomes. I dont know what it was like in the past, but I can tell you its no paradise now.
I am hoping you will respond to this and tell me what good things our mayor has done for me. All I see is her and her friends pushing through pet projects that I dont understand. What is going to happen when the PAC is built, and nobody shows up? It does not appear to be much of a multi use space.
One caveat, I love the water park in front of the PAC. I have said before, I would love it more and it would be more viable if it was about 4 to 5 times as big. THAT would be something people would travel from the neighboring suburbs to spend time at on summer evenings.
September 10th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Kevin,
I too am glad you posted. Your Coffee News letter that appears at numerous businesses and Burnsville city hall is read by many. I also see that you could potentially have an economic interest in using the performing arts center for your training seminars. We are both residents of Burnsville . However when the mayor went from a privately financed PAC to public financed ,ignoring the will of the residents of Burnsville, I got involved. This was an abuse of power that should not and will not be tolerated no mater how people feel about her. Also her moving to the Heart of the City did not help her image. She got personally involved with the businesses in her building, JoJo’s and the ice cream shop. She continues to have her “conversations with the mayor” meetings with the public every third thursday of the month at JoJo’s. She leaves her fourth floor condo gets on the elevator to first floor and enters JoJo’s while the public drives to the meetings. If the mayor really cared about her constituents don’t you think she would have her “converstations with the mayor” meetings at different locations in Burnsville? Now, we the taxpayers are going to pay for another “pubic” parking lot next to her condo for these two businesses. Are these indications that she is the mayor of Burnsville or only the Heart of the City?
September 11th, 2008 at 11:37 am
I agree with the comment that its about time someone reigns in this regime. I also believe in urban renewal, but blowing $3.5 million in reserves and then making up the $2M shortfall by reducing service $1M and increasing taxes $1M http://tinyurl.com/5radax shows extremely poor management. Cutting services… in Burnsville? We barely get the streets swept (twice per year vs. Farmington’s monthly) and there is no free junk pick-up day as in that city, and it is financially constrained by growth/new infrastructure investment.
September 11th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Mark, I edited your long URL and replaced it with a tinyurl. The content remains unchanged aside from that.
September 11th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Warren – Thanks for your comment. Please note, I no longer publish Coffee News. My business interests are all outside of Burnsville but I have lived here most of my life I want want it to be a great city. I think Mayor Kautz has the ability to do so and I don’t mind expressing my opinion about that.
Bill – Nice of you to comment. I watched some (not all) of those council meetings. You refer to one I did not see. What I did see however was many people who support the PAC. In casual conversations I hear both sides with a fair balance. I don’t think there’s a mandate for or against it but then, I’m no expert, just a plain ordinary citizen who supports my mayor because I think she is most capable of taking Burnsville where I’d like to see it go.
Chad – Thanks too for your comment. I agree, it’s doubtful any of our mayoral candidates want to make the city worse. My opinion is simply that I’ve seen Mayor Kautz in action and she gets results. And she has a vision that I happen to agree with. As for attracting large employers, that’s near impossible with the city 95% developed. Also, regarding the schools, that’s not the mayor’s job. That’s an entirely different branch of government.
All – I appreciate the civil tone everyone here has used. A wise person (I think it was F. Scott Fitzgerald) said: “the test of a first-rate mind is the ability to hold two opposing thoughts at the same time while still retaining the ability to function.”
The only effective way to find solutions, to get along and to make a democracy work is to be able to share our thoughts and opinions without being vilified for doing so. Even though I am a lone voice here for Mayor Kautz, everyone has been courteous and respectful of my position. That’s a big deal and not always common in these types of discussions even in Beautiful Burnsville. So thanks!
September 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Kevin, I often come off as being a smart ass, and I dont mean to be. The questions I asked were ones I truly would like to see answered. Hopefully that came through.
I appreciate your response, but one of the things you stated stands out to me: Quoted – “What I did see however was many people who support the PAC. In casual conversations I hear both sides with a fair balance. I don’t think there’s a mandate for or against it”. That last part is a big part of the problem. My personal experience in my neighborhood is a bit different. I still have not met anyone who is for it, and maybe I dont understand the issue, but if the council refuses to put it to the community for a vote, its impossible for there to be a mandate FOR or AGAINST it. It should have been voted on, at least thats how it seems to me.
Again, I am a transplant here, BUT, I fail to see how a walking community built around what has to be the second busiest artery in the city makes sense. Also, I would disagree about being able to bring business into town. The fact that the city is 95% developed does not change the fact that huge chunks of land are in need of redevlopment (13 and cliff for example). Best Buy built thier world headquarters in an area that would probably be considered 100% developed. After 9/11 literally dozens of fortune 100 companies were suddenly realizing they need to develop contingency locations. They are scattered all over the country. I work at one in Woodbury. 2003 to 2007 was a period of nearly unparalled economic growth in this country, but I personally dont feel like Burnsville really took part in the growth. Jobs did not expand, property values did not increase at the same rate as other areas, and the infrastrucure was not noticably improved.
These are the things I see and feel being new to the area. I hear many people, such as yourself defending the mayor, but I have yet to have anyone point out EXACTLY what she has done for Burnsville. I still see the PAC, and the Heart of the city as her crowning achievements, and I would say that falls far short of the mark for 12 years of work. Or however long she has been mayor.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Chad,
While Best Buy built a sprawling corporate headquarters in an area that was 100% developed, it doesn’t mean that it didn’t come at a grave cost. Do you really believe that uprooting people from their homes via eminent domain to built a corporate campus is an acceptable thing to do to bring in large corporations to town? While they’re not quite doing the same thing in Rosemount, people are upset about Rosemount using eminent domain to take over homes to build a new downtown.
I don’t agree with what Burnsville is doing and I don’t believe that Burnsville’s mayor is doing much of anything to help attract bigger businesses but as you probably know, I think this is a good thing.
September 11th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I thought what Best Buy and the city of Richfield did was pretty crummy. At the time I worked right across the interstate (Near Southtown).
I guess my point is more that there are areas of the city, again, the entire area down where Levitz used to be as an example, that are not developed, or in desparate need of redevelopment. Jobs are a hot topic for me right now. And jobs dont have to mean a big company. Maybe the riverfront area could be developed to be more of an eco friendly local tourism area. Maybe a community center could be built that would employ x number of people full time.
I am not really an expert on this stuff, but I assume (and have read here) that Burnsville has an economic development committee. I came to MN from SD. I can tell you that Sioux Falls, Fargo, N Sioux City, and any number of other small to mid sized communities are actively working to bring in new businesses, and are succeeding at it. IBP (Iowa Beef Processors) is based in North Sioux City South Dakota.
My wifes last company opened a remote/backup location in Woodbury (they were based in San Diego), and increased local employment from 1 person to 120 people, with the lowest people making 30Kish. (In the interest of full disclosure they are now closed). I think economic development is a big part of what a mayor should do, and that could be bringing in a minor league ball team, encouraging small business owners, or courting large employers to move to the area. My observation about Best Buy was simply that there are ALWAYS options.
Sorry if I am taking up to much space or being convoluted. I simply have not seen/heard/read where the mayor has done any of the things I would love to see in Burnsville, either on a job, community, or infrastructure level. That would be a more concise way of stating the many many paragraphs above.
September 11th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Hi Chad – It really wasn’t my intent to have a lengthy discussion. I just wanted to express my support for Mayor Kautz. I appreciate your comments and questions though. And don’t worry, I don’t think you sounded like a smart-aleck or anything like that.
Best regards!
Kevin Stirtz
October 1st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
[...] many residents have already spoken and shown that they are not willing to allow Kautz to waste their money for another term. Even [...]
November 4th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Check out preliminary results from the Burnsville mayor race here.