Fresh Perspective With Proven Results
I am running for re-election to build on Bloomington’s recent successes. We have started to update our parks with new amenities for people of all ages and abilities, expand food and entertainment options, diversify our economic development, improve public safety, and foster new housing options for seniors, families, and workers.
FOCUS ON NEIGHBORHOODS
Attract local restaurants and businesses.
Enhance our park and recreational facilities for today and the future.
Maintain our core public services and infrastructure.
Ensure our public safety services have the resources they need.
Expand housing options for seniors and be a community of choice for families.
Increase multimodal transportation options and explore local bus services for seniors and commuters.
PROVEN RESULTS
Park Updates and Master Plan
Expanding amenities like pickleball, bike skills, trails, dog parks, splash pads, and more to appeal to people of all ages and abilities.
Local Small Businesses
Updated ordinances for food trucks, breweries, and restaurants. Provided grants, waived city fees, and expanded outdoor flexibility during COVID. Championed a small business incubator to establish the next generation of local and growing businesses.
Public Safety
Investing in full time fire fighters and updated fire stations. We have a fully staffed police department with embedded social workers, crime prevention officer, and multicultural advisory committee.
FATHER AND HUSBAND SMALL BUSINESS OWNER COMMUNITY BUILDER
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Thoughts on Community Issues
BUDGET AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
I will work to keep Bloomington affordable as we address the needs for reinvestment in roads, utilities, parks, and facilities, and transition the fire department from paid on call to duty staff model.
During my time on the Council Bloomington has had amongst the lowest increases in the tax levy of cities of the south metro, averaging 5%. This is lower than Edina, Richfield, Burnsville, and Eagan. It would be even lower, but we made significant investments in fire and police in 2022.
However, we need to recognize and plan for some serious budget realities looking forward. Adding full time staff fire fighters, maintaining our aging roads and utility infrastructures, and transforming our park system will come with significant costs. We need to take this challenge seriously and remember that many in our community, particularly seniors on fixed incomes and young families, cannot easily absorb these costs.
To keep Bloomington affordable, I am focused on four strategies:
1) New Revenue Sources – Expand grants, review fees for programs to cover more cost (with strong support for those that struggle to afford), and develop a comprehensive sponsorship and advertising strategy.
2) Value Engineering Projects – Design projects to meet the needs closer to the minimum viable project than the best possible project.
3) Reduce Redundant Services – Consider reduction or elimination of services and programs that are redundant with county, state, or private offerings. (Note: I support funding Public Health)
4) Economic Development – Continue our actions to attract and grow businesses in Bloomington, like SICK locating its US Headquarters here, expansions at Skywater and Polar, our upcoming small business incubator, and the Opportunity Housing Ordinance. Our proactive rezoning and planning is generating interest in redevelopment of commercial nodes, including the expansion of Gyropolis that includes the cleanup of an old gas station.
BALLOT REFERENDUM - BLOOMINGTON FORWARD
On the ballot you will have the opportunity to vote on three projects, directly letting the Council know your support of them.
· Health and Wellness Center (Community Center) including Upgrade for Creekside, Public Health, and New Gyms, Indoor Aquatics, and Exercise
· Bloomington Ice Garden Upgrades and Improvements
· Nine Mile Creek, Central Park, and Moir Park Natural Resource Restoration, Trails, and Facilities
· More information on each project is at BloomingtonForward.org
I support these projects and the sales tax. They have been discussed for many years and it is time to get them completed. The sales tax will reduce the cost to Bloomington residents as more than half of the tax will be paid by visitors. Importantly, the sales tax can only be used for approved projects and will end when the bonds for the projects have been paid in full.
More importantly I support having residents vote on larger projects. As a Councilmember I will seek to move forward in the direction you decide.
For any referendum project that passes I have two priorities.
· Robust resident input into the plans and features of the project. As an example, I have received thoughtful feedback regarding concerns about adding bikes to the trail along Nine Mile Creek that need to be considered during design of the project.
· I would continue to scrutinize each project for cost savings and alternative revenues (grants/sponsorship).
If any do not pass, I will not seek to move them forward in their entirety using bonding or other funding. I would be willing to support necessary components of each project, like refrigerant and maintenance at the Ice Garden, long overdue improvements at Creekside for the programs and activities seniors enjoy, and natural resource restoration throughout our park system.
HYLAND GREENS GOLF COURSE
I am excited that the City is partnered with Three Rivers Park District to enhance the golf experience at Hyland Greens. This partnership has maintained and improved the golf learning opportunities and has eliminated the nearly $300,000 taxpayer subsidy that the course received when managed by the City. Better amenities for less money!
I am optimistic about the opportunity to extend our partnership to allow for updates to the club house and course. In addition, I am hopefully that with Three Rivers Park District’s experience we can partner to utilize the vacant 10 acres along Normandale for a natural park amenity.
NELSON FOR SENIORS
Meeting the housing, transportation, and recreation needs and desires of seniors in our community is a priority for me. I will work to enhance our city so that seniors can eat, shop, and play in our neighborhoods - gather with family and friends, stay active indoors and outdoors, have safe housing that is affordable, and participate in art and recreation programs.
HOUSING – Support those seniors that want to stay in their home with modest safety improvements that reduce fall, trip, and other hazards. Help provide senior housing options. Consider property tax freeze and deferment programs to assist those on fixed incomes.
TRANSPORTATION – Ensure transportation services that allow seniors to get to medical appointments, go shopping, and connect with friends.
RECREATION – Maintain and improve the programs and services currently offered at Creekside without interruption. Consider how to expand options for seniors in our local parks - community gardens, stretching and exercise stops, and multigenerational programs that connect seniors and kids.
Bloomington is wonderful because of the people. Many residents I know and have met during the campaign have lived in Bloomington for 40, 50, or more years - and they want to stay here in Bloomington. Meeting their needs will be a priority for me on the City Council.
NELSON FOR FAMILIES
I will work to enhance our community to ensure that it continues to be a wonderful place to live and raise a family. We can have a community where we can eat, shop, and play in our neighborhoods.
EAT, SHOP, PLAY – Attract local restaurants and welcome innovative businesses to our neighborhoods. Protect and enhance our park spaces. Support our community youth sports organizations. We can have a thriving, dynamic community.
COMMUNITY – Enhance our park and recreation areas to provide compelling options for young children, teens, and adults. Consider splash pads, parkour, exercise and stretching stops, skateboarding, wifi enabled shelters, and after school activities in addition to fields, courts, rinks, and playgrounds. Include more kids in the planning process for our community. We can provide positive, safe places for our kids to hang out, have fun, and be active.
SCHOOLS – Strong schools are critical to a strong community. All City Councilmembers, and senior staff, should be a mentor to a high school student. Provide internship opportunities and get students engaged in public works, parks and recs, building inspections, police and fire, and other city services. Connect the business community, city, and schools to provide college and career paths for students.We can value and help students looking to go to college and those seeking career opportunities.
I will bring a fresh perspective to our community and focus on enhancing our neighborhoods.
NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY
The city needs to have the same level of focus and passion for our existing, and aging, neighborhoods as it does for our world class hospitality and shopping districts.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Bloomington should be at the top of everyone's list of places to live. We need to attract great local restaurants and shops into our neighborhoods, support our schools, and provide community amenities our residents desire and will use.
STRONG BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
We need to ensure that our regulatory efforts support and promote our businesses, not overburden them, while meeting our shared goals. I have over twenty years of education and experience in leading the business community, locally and nationally. I own two small businesses.
DIVERSITY
We must celebrate our diversity - religion, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender, orientation, identity, culture, ability, and opinions and ideas - and build a community that unites us based on our common humanity.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
The City Council is responsible for being wise stewards of the people’s money. The first priority is to effectively manage the basic services of the city, including roads, parks, water and sewer, safety services, and others. The second priority is to ensure that investments into capital improvements for infrastructure, facilities, recreation areas, and other community assets are financially responsibility in the long term and has strong community backing.
HOUSING
Housing policy has to be a priority for Bloomington. We need a mix of housing options for our community. We need to plan for our boomers transitioning to smaller houses, continue to attract families, and make it possible to provide workforce housing.
EDUCATION
The City needs to be a strong partner of our public and private schools at all levels. I believe we can help connect schools, businesses, and government to provide real world educational opportunities. I also believe that we need to encourage and celebrate different paths, including college, career, vocational training, trade school and on the job training, military service, and religious study. Worker training and retraining is also important in a dynamic economy.
GREEN SPACE
Green space should be available for the use and enjoyment of residents and visitors. This should include a mix of well maintained open space, picnic areas, trails, shelters, and sports and recreation facilities. We may also consider community gardens, exercise stops, pollinator habitat where appropriate, sledding, snowshoeing, and other creative uses. Green space should serve to bring neighbors together on a regular basis.
PUBLIC SAFETY
We need to ensure our police, fire fighters, and first responders continue to have the training, support, and resources to be safe while keeping our community safe.
SUSTAINABILITY
We enjoy high quality drinking water, great parks, clean air, and access to lakes and rivers. We need to protect these resources with cost effective sustainable management of our resources, view energy and water efficiency as competitive advantages, and reduce our long-term impact and costs.
TRANSPORTATION
Bloomington is fortunate to be bordered and crossed by three major highways. However, the levels of congestion on the highways and internal roads raises concerns about safety and quality of life.
MN RIVER TRAILS
My priority for trails in our community is to repair those we already have and provide a more connected system. I am excited we are working with Three Rivers Park District to connect Hyland/Bush Lake to the Nine Mile Regional Trail in Edina and planning a trail along Old Shakopee Road between Bloomington Ferry Bridge and Nesbitt in the coming years.
I know there are legitimate concerns about the State Trail in the River Bottoms. It is important to note that this is a State project, and the City is not funding design, construction, or maintenance. The DNR, at the direction of the MN Legislature, started construction of the segment between Lyndale Ave and Old Cedar. This will provide safe and accessible access to the area. The optimistic part of me hopes that this creates a unique amenity by providing an 8-10 mile loop with the new 35W bridge pedestrian/bike path, the existing paved trail on the Burnsville side, and the existing Old Cedar Ave Bridge.
*This is from 2019.
Shawn Nelson has demonstrated his support for a strong housing market, which ties together the communities of our great state. He is a proven leader in the community who shares our goal of building safe, smart, and durable homes, at a price that families can afford.
Endorsed by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors
Shawn Nelson
First elected to the Bloomington City Council in 2017
Board Member of the Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau
Business Education at Valparaiso University and MBA at St. Thomas
Small business owner - New Spaces and Blue Sky Skylights
Director and Board member of several local and national organizations
Daughters attended Olson Middle School and Jefferson High School
Helped write two green building programs - MN GreenStar and National Green Remodeling Guidelines
Leader in the housing industry. Worked with industry, agencies, legislature, and city to ensure safe, efficient housing that families can afford.
Volunteer at school events, Feed My Starving Children, Loaves and Fishes, youth programs at church, Bloomington Fastpitch Association, and Olson Middle School Volleyball.
Board Member at VEAP.