Coming up in the next few weeks I will be interviewing at least one of the two candidates running for Apple Valley Mayor. While there are many candidates vying for a spot on the council (including incumbent John Bergman), I just don’t have the time to interview that mess of people. With that in mind I decided to concentrate only on Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland and her opponent Ryan Richard Moe.
I have already gotten in touch with Mr. Moe and he has agreed to the interview. I have been following his posts on both his Facebook page and his Twitter account and found that many of the links he provides point back to me. While I find it flattering that Mr. Moe shares my ideas I want you to know that, at this point in time, I support neither candidate in any way and will leave it up until after I have an opportunity to speak with them before I will feel confident in making a choice. Based on my reading of his Facebook page and Twitter account I have a slew of questions working their way through my mind to ask him during the interview.
I left Mayor Mary a voicemail yesterday asking for her to get back with me about doing an interview either by phone, in person or via e-mail. The affidavit she filed for her reelection only included her phone number and home address and did not provide an e-mail address or website with which I could link to here or contact her at. You will have to use the archive of Apple Valley City Council Minutes on the city’s website or any variety of other sources with which to pull your knowledge of her prior decision making from.
Even though I have some questions I’d like to ask, just like I did prior to interviewing the candidates for Burnsville City Council, I am asking for you to provide your questions that you’d like me to pass along to them. The same disclaimer applies: I will do my very best to incorporate everything that is asked on this site in my interviews of the candidates but won’t hold myself to necessarily include them all.
So please do read through Mr. Moe’s Facebook page and Twitter feed and comb through the minutes or other sources which you find viable about Mayor Mary and come up with some questions which you feel should be asked of these two in the coming weeks.
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August 26th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Last time there was an election for mayor in this town, it was “our Mayor Mary” against, shit I can’t even remember.. no one as far as I know. I started a write in campaign for my dog Giggs. He’d make a pretty decent mayor, he’s crabby and shits on the rug just like the current. Also, it’s not unprecedented. When we livd in California the town down the road from us, Sunol, elected a lab mix mayor.. and then reelected him 4 years later. The MayorDog died shortly after his second term ended and they had a nice city funeral for him.
I told a few friends and neighbors about Gigg’s campaign and let it go. After the election, one our friends, who was an election judge in the 3rd precinct told me they had to stay late after the polls closed to tally an unusually large number of write in’s in the AV Mayors race.. unusual meaning about 50.. of those she said, the majority for Giggs. He also did well in the 2nd where know of 15 people who said they voted for him.
She asked me to NEVER do that again because write-ins are a pain in the ass for poll judges. Fair enough.
Gigg’s has retired from politics now, living a leisurely keeping our yard save from rabbits and afternoon cocktails out of the toilet.
I still think he would be better than the current wacko..
Just say’n.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:58 am
A few thoughts that immediately come to mind:
1. What should the City do in the Founders Circle area to encourage development – assuming that development here is a good thing – and what type of development should occur here? Should a new plan be developed entirely?
2. What are your thoughts on CDA (i.e. subsidized) housing and the Metropolitan Council’s guidelines that suburbs such as Apple Valley need more low-cost and senior housing?
3. What are your thoughts on the upcoming Cedar Avenue construction and the ever-increasing traffic volumes on CR42 and Cedar? Do you agree that traffic is the top issue facing Apple Valley residents?
4. What should the City of Apple Valley do to maintain and improve transit service, especially in light of the Suburb Operator vs. Metro Transit war of words that has been stoked in the news lately?
August 26th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Quoting ACLR – 3. What are your thoughts on the upcoming Cedar Avenue construction and the ever-increasing traffic volumes on CR42 and Cedar? Do you agree that traffic is the top issue facing Apple Valley residents?
As a resident of Lakeville who avoids Apple Valley like the plague, this.
August 26th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I would like to know what role the Mayor feels they should play in ensuring parity if any burden has to be carried across economic groups in Apple Valley as the city struggles with todays economy.
August 26th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Well, first off, I think the question about Cedar Avenue from others is a good one. Particularly vis-a-vis his views on limited government (I read his Facebook page and Twitterstream), since regardless of how it is fixed, it is going to require government action of some sort, it’s just a question of how and what.
Additionally, since he wants to reduce spending, what city services does he consider nonessential, and (this is important) how much money does he project these cuts will save?
Finally, how does he view the city’s role in attracting and keeping businesses? I know he wants to reduce taxes, but are there any other steps he thinks Apple Valley needs to take in this area?
August 27th, 2010 at 8:23 am
FYI: Mayor Mary has agreed to “look over my questions”.
August 27th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
I’d like to know what was the purpose of that stupid spouting rock on Galaxie and 42, for one thing. It’s not even a pretty rock; it looks like a potato. With a leak.
More seriously, I’m wondering why they try to plant trees on land that has obviously been denuded of its topsoil. It’s like a monument to over-development.
Did Apple Valley do anything to recompense the businesses, such as Dunn Bros., that were hurt by the endless construction in the cul de sac area? And why a cul de sac, exactly? Where did those funds come from? And why was it okay to change a profitable traffic plan for those existing businesses?
And what are you building down there, anyway, a strip pit?
Why are there empty police cars parked on streets to stop speeders? Where is the policeman who is supposed to be sitting in it? How much are the taxpayers spending for that car to just be sitting there? And do you really think that’s fooling anybody?
Also, why aren’t the sidewalks cleared consistently over the 77 bridge from the Palomino park and ride in the winter? And why is there no sidewalk down Germaine for the people walking from the bus? Drivers whip off Palomino onto Germaine, and there are kids riding bikes and people walking in the streets and trying to avoid the tree branches. For that matter, why isn’t the brush cleared from the Palomino exit off 77? The visibility is terrible.
It seems as if the park and ride was built for commuters with cars, and the heck with the low and low-middle income people living in the apartments. Many of who pour your coffee, btw, so let’s not be rude.
Whew! Thanks for the rant space. : )
August 30th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Thought I might be presumptuous and attempt to answer a couple of Michele’s questions as I have a passing familiarity with the area in question. As well as vent a few observations about AV’s management.
The bridge on 127th over Cedar actually has to have the snow hauled away (no place to push it to). I believe officially the bridge is the county’s responsibility, and the county is slow to actually do anything. It does make it difficult to walk from the park & ride to anyplace on the other side of the bridge.
The problem with the tree branches is a problem through out the city. Especially now as the kiddies are heading back to school and will be on the corners waiting for the bus. However, this is a city that would prevent a developer from developing lots to save 3 oak trees, so trimming or cutting trees to increase sight lines isn’t encouraged.
The cost of parking an empty police car along side the road (127th is where I’ve seen it) doesn’t cost anything. The car they use is a surplus beater car as I understand it. It works as a cheap visual deterrent. It’s funny because I followed a black & white through there on Saturday doing 50 mph.
I must agree on your comments about AV’s peeing rock. If I had a flow that weak, I would have made an appt to see my urologist immediately. What is the rock’s point other than AV was built over Fischer’s old gravel pit. My question is what is AV’s plan for the center of the roundabout or the empty land that is Founder’s Fsckup? As I recall (because I don’t generally do business in AV being that it’s generally a pain), the whole area is overgrown with weeds. Is/was that the responsibility of the developer (I would think Hartford is bankrupt by now)? The area looks pretty poor for the city’s new downtown. Maybe run a lawn mover over the weeds or perhaps plant some sod. I don’t think its going to see any development in the next few years. They could always put a statue of Mayor Mary and Councilman Goodwin in the roundabout, so we can always be reminded of who brought us that boondoogle.
As I recall, 4 years ago somebody did run against Mayor Mary. However, I think the person ended up pulling out of the race after some road rage incident got some press. It was pretty bad as I recall, because I would have voted for anybody other than Mayor Mary, until I heard the details (whether or not they were true, I think the person ended up pulling out). Anybody been here long enough to recall when Mayor Mary was first elected to the mayorship and was disappoint to find out she couldn’t have a ‘ball’ for her inauguration.
I guess my first question to Mayor Mary would be, “What medication are you on?”. “What helps you maintain your Mary Poppins outlook about AV? (just a spoon full of sugar helps the taxes go down, the taxes go down…)” . I want to know so I can request some from my doctor. The next question, “What are you doing to bring Head of Household jobs to AV?”.
September 6th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
As of Saturday I sent the list of questions, some mine and some submitted here, to both Mayor Mary and Mr. Moe. Once I get both of their responses back I will post them, unedited (for content–they will be modified to look pretty on the site) for everyone to see on consecutive days in the order which they were received.
September 9th, 2010 at 7:32 am
[...] I mentioned back at the end of August, I will be posting the interviews I did with the two running for Apple Valley mayor this year. As [...]
September 14th, 2010 at 7:35 am
[...] 25th and asked her if she’d be interested in answering questions related to her campaign. On August 27th, Mayor Mary called me back and informed me that she would look over my questions and I should then send them along to [...]