In 2019, the candidates for the two seats on the Lino Lakes city council are:
About: Brett started living in Lino Lakes in 1992 when he started kindergarten at Centerville Elementary School. He has lived in Lino from then until now, except for a brief time away to attend college and get started in his career field. He is married to his wife Melissa, and they have two sons: Liam and Edison. Lino Lakes has been the place Brett has called home, even while away.
Brett graduated from Centennial High School in 2005, and graduated from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Brett has owned a few businesses over his lifetime and is currently renovating a building to open a brewery with his family, while working full time in his field.
Important Issues: I think the most important issue for the city council to deal with, is the lowering of taxes for our citizens. If you look at our neighboring cities, such as Blaine, Hugo, and surrounding area they are around 15% ($400 for a $200,000 house) cheaper a year compared to what tax payers pay in Lino Lakes. Why are the rates in Lino Lakes so much higher? Especially when Anoka County averages lower taxes then a majority of the counties around us.
As a tax payer myself, I have felt like elected officials have forgotten that the money being allocated is that of our hard working citizens. If elected, I will make sure to keep this at the forefront of the council’s minds when discussing projected projects, while making sure not to lose our excellence, that makes living in Lino Lakes so great.
Goals if Elected: Number one goal is to be: fiscally responsible.
I also think we need to make our city more business friendly to encourage entrepreneurship to help alleviate the property tax of home owners.
Overall, I just want to do what is best for the city; by keeping true to our past beliefs and morals that have made living in Lino Lakes such a great place for all of us. Lino Lakes is a great place to live and I hope to keep it that way.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Endorsements: None listed
Connect with Me:
Email: brettforlinolakescitycouncil@gmail.com
Candidate Profile:
About: Very married. My wife Lona and I have loved living in Lino Lakes for 26 years. We can’t think of a better place to have raised our four children; Danielle, Allison, Macallister, and Elliott. Also our belovedfamily dogs Lilly (t) and Cella!
Education: Graduate ofTotino Grace H.S.,earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree throughThe College of St. Thomas and a Master’s of Education Degree from the University of Minnesota. Holds a Minnesota Teaching and Coaching License.
Employment: I have had the joy of working for Northeast Metro 916 School district for 30 years as a Special Needs teacher. Previously worked for Shriners Hospital for Children as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Also coached Track and Field, and Cross Country at St. Paul Academy, Totino Grace H.S., and the University of St. Thomas.
Community Involvement:
- City Councilman: 4 years, Acting Mayor
- Liaison to Park/Environmental Boards
- Planning Zoning Board Member: 3 years
- City Charter Member: 12 years, Chairman: 2 years
- EDA Member: 4 years
- Volunteer Youth Coach:
- Lino Lakes Youth Football 8+ years
- CBA Basketball 6+ years
- Centennial Lakes Little League 5+ years.
- CBA Basketball Volunteer
- Member and volunteer at Living Waters Lutheran Church.
Important Issues: Our dear neighbors live and have been drawn to Lino Lakes for its beautiful natural open aesthetics and the wildlife it supports. Our schools are solid, and our neighborhoods are safe! THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR CHALLENGE AS WE GROW IS TO ACCENTUATE THESE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES, NOT MINIMALIZE THEM.
Another important issue is not WHAT we do, but HOW we do it. Communication beyond legal notices, transparency, trust, integrity, and a return to civility in Government. As my sign states,“Always Choose Kindness” if you want good relationships between the City Council, Charter Commission and Planning Zoning Board. Know one thing; I have respectfully served on our CityCouncil, P&Z and Charter Commission.
I appreciate those officials who have endorsed my running for City Council, not only in Lino Lakes but from our surrounding communities. It is only through collaboration and compassion that we can best serve our residents.
Goals if Elected: To serve in the spirit of and belief that we are still a government of, “WE THE PEOPLE” that your vote can and does make a difference. That elected officials duty is to serve ALL people and not personal agendas.
You have my word that I will vote “No”to any proposed tax rate increases on your home. I have made that promise as your Councilman before and I will keep my word again. Since 2013 the City budget spending is up over 20 percent.
Further goals include:
- Emphasis on trail completion/maintenance. WE LOVE OUR TRAILS!
- Plan upgrade of 8 of 17 neighborhood parks that are 20 plus years old.
- Emphasis on attracting businesses that provide desired services…. Such as: Chipotle, and Panera Bread
- Support a sustainable street maintenance program
-CIVILITY IN GOVERNMENT!
“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness”
-Jean Jacques Rouseau-
Endorsements:
Tom Knisely – School Board Member Centennial School District #12
Alex Keto – School Board Director Forest Lake School District 831
D. Love – City Councilman City of Centerville MN
Connect with Me:
Email: lyden4linolakes@gmail.com
Facebook: Lyden 4 Lino Lakes
Talk/Text: 651-324-6869
Candidate Profile:
About: My name is Melissa Maher. I have served one term as a Lino Lakes City Councilmember and am running for a second. I have been proud to be part of the Lino Lakes City Council. I’m proud of what the council accomplished during my first term and excited for some of the things we’re in the middle of. I’ve been a Lino resident just about sixteen years now. My youngest is a junior at Centennial High School. I’m a local attorney doing a variety of work in the legal industry. I also serve on the Board of Directors for MN Community Shares, a great organization focused on social justice. I enjoy living at the edge of a wilderness area with ponds and trails where we can walk the dog and enjoy the beauty of the city we live in. I have always appreciated the rural feeling of our city, and its important to me to maintain what we can of that rural feel even as we continue to develop. After sixteen years here I don’t feel that we’ve lost much of that rural feeling and I’m hoping we can hold on to it for years to come.
Important Issues: An issue that I feel very strongly about is the older neighborhoods of Lino. It is easy to focus on the shiny and new, that makes the city money. We have older parts of Lino that don’t have access to city sewer or water. Wells are wonderful, if people like their wells I see no reason for them to have to connect to city water; however, septic systems can pose a health risk when aged or improperly maintained. Finding money to help some of these older neighborhoods connect to utilities is very important to me. It will be difficult because the focus is always on the new, but I am not ready to give up. The oldest neighborhoods are the backbone of our city and they deserve to have access to city sewer without unreasonable tax assessments.
Goals if Elected: My goals if re-elected are to continue my fight for the older neighborhoods to bring them into 2020 and to continue to ensure that developers are held in check when building in our city. It is really important to me that any development out here respects the nature of this city. We were a rural community. We can’t continue to be, nor do we want to be, a rural community. While we are no longer just rolling farmland, we don’t have to be a sea of rooftops either. The current council has been very supportive of commercial endeavors in our city and I want us to continue to be welcoming and encouraging of business looking for a place to land. We owe it to our current tax base to do all we can to ease the burden on them by bringing in industry to share the tax burden out here.
Endorsements: None listed
Connect with Me:
Email: melissasmaher@gmail.com
or Melissa.maher@ci-lino-lakes.mn.us
Phone: 651-468-8135
Candidate Profile:
About: Did not respond
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Goals if Elected: Did not respond
Endorsements: Did not respond
Connect with Me: Did not respond
Candidate Profile:
About: Michael Ruhland is running for Lino Lakes City Council.He decided to raise his family in Lino Lakes because of the excellent schools and his love for the community. Michael was appointed to the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC), and then was appointed by City Council to the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board where he is currently serving Lino Lakes. On the P&Z Board, he operates carefully and sensibly to satisfy the city’s development needs and wants with the right kind of development.
Michael has been married for eight years and has two children,ages three and seven.As avid Christians, Michael and his family attend Eagle Brook Church in Lino Lakes. Michael has been in the residential and commercial mortgage and finance industry for 20 years, operating as a manager for 17 years. Michael is consistently one of his company’s top 10 nationwide producers. He will bring his land development experience to the City Council, along with his real business experience in a service-related industry where details in finance, thinking outside the box, and working with others are keys to his success.
Important Issues: Public Safety is one of the most, if not the most, important government functions.
The Budget in Lino Lakes has only seen a 7.4% increase,on average,in the past decade.The city needs to continue that kind of fiscal responsibility. Michael is excited to get involved and apply his 20 years of financial experience. A constant eye is needed to continue the growth we’ve experienced and not have huge tax increases.
Parks and Recreation is a major asset of Lino Lakes. These need to be maintained and expanded.
The Public Works building– The city does not need to spend the $13 million that was proposed!
Transportation (roads)–Planning for the future is crucial, especially with the amount of development the city is about to see. Supporting and expanding the Pavement Management system can accomplish this.
Commercial development is vital to keeping or even improving Lino Lakes taxes.
Goals if Elected:
Supporting Public Safety!
Taking care of parks and trails!
Developing city storage solutions!
Supporting the Road Management system!
Ensuring favorable businesses proceed in Lino Lakes–For example, a Data Center has been talked about for a few years;Michael calls data centers the “Trifecta.”There is minimal staff, which means low impact (roads/traffic) and minimal stress on public services. These facilities are $10,000,000-$1,000,000,000+to construct, so have high tax value. These businesses are attracted to Minnesota because of state tax exemptions. Lino Lakes needs to capitalize on them now, before they go elsewhere.
Lino Lakes should also be looking to expand on other state tax-incentivized businesses, such as custom software companies. Such companies fall under the non-state-taxed business services.
Michael would like to keep the current trajectory of the city. Being fiscally responsible and forward thinking is the secret to this wonderful community not seeing huge tax increases.
Endorsements:
Jeff Reinert: Mayor of Lino Lakes
Rob Rafferty:City Council, Lino Lakes
Dale Stoesz: City Council, Lino Lakes& North Metro TV Chairman
Connect with Me:
Facebook: Michael Ruhland for Lino Lakes City Council
Phone: 612-618-6039
Email: Mike@MichaelRuhland.com
Candidate Profile:
About: Did not respond
Important Issues: Did not respond
Goals if Elected: Did not respond
Endorsements: Did not respond
Connect with Me: Did not respond
