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<br />Mayor Johnson asked what changes Ms. Kuiper would make to draw younger people to the community. <br /> <br />Ms. Kuiper commented she wished the community had more things to do, such as more restaurants, activities <br />or places to gather. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson discussed the process the Council would be following for the committee member <br />appointments. She asked if Ms. Kuiper for her interest in serving and asked if she had any questions. <br /> <br />Ms. Kuiper asked what were some of the Council’s favorite projects in the City. <br /> <br />City Manager Lotter stated he liked to see the planning the City had put in place for its parks system. He <br />discussed the great work being completed by the City’s new Parks and Recreation Director. He commented <br />further on the Comprehensive Parks Planning process the City was undertaking, while also discussing how <br />park and recreation services are a great way of creating community. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson commented on the value each Commission brought to the City. She stated she appreciated the <br />fact that Commissioners put the City before themselves and were making decisions that put the City’s best <br />interest before their own. She explained this was very rewarding to see. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen stated as a Councilmember he served as a liaison to a Commission each year. He <br />discussed how rewarding it was to serve in this role. He stated he really appreciated the engagement the City <br />received from its Commissioners. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson welcomed Stephanie Kitzhaber. <br /> <br />Councilmember Allen asked Stephanie to tell the Council a little bit about herself and her experiences in the <br />community. <br /> <br />Stephanie Kitzhaber stated she has had limited involvement in the community but has lived in New Brighton <br />for the past 8 or 9 years. She reported she works for Ramsey County as a social worker. She explained she <br />wanted to be more connected to the City which led her to apply for this position. <br /> <br />Mayor Johnson asked why Stephanie was interested in Public Safety. <br /> <br />Ms. Kitzhaber explained this was due to the fact she worked with people with mental illnesses. She stated her <br />skills may help police in understanding how to respond to calls. She indicated she received training on race, <br />racism, white privilege and biases. <br /> <br />City Manager Lotter commented on the City’s Inclusivity Task Force and asked if Ms. Kitzhaber would be <br />interested in serving with this group. <br /> <br />Ms. Kitzhaber stated this would depend on her schedule but noted she would be interested in serving with this <br />group. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen asked why she would be a good person to represent the community and advise the <br />City Council. <br /> <br />Ms. Kitzhaber reported her mental health background would be valuable. She noted she worked with people <br />who were in extreme poverty and were struggling the most. She discussed how she worked to find these