2020.05.12 WS Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Worksession May 12, 2020 5:00 pm Present: Mayor Valerie Johnson Councilmember Graeme Allen Councilmember Emily Dunsworth Councilmember Nasreen Fynewever Councilmember Paul Jacobsen Absent: Staff in Attendance: Devin Massopust Guests in Attendance: Pauline Alfors, Jacqui Sauter Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this meeting was held virtually. Commission Vacancy Recap Massopust reported the Council began holding Commission interviews in March and explained there were two more applicants to interview prior to the Council making appointments. Commission Applicant Interviews Mayor Johnson welcomed Pauline Alfors to the Zoom meeting. Councilmember Jacobsen asked Ms. Alfors to tell the Council a little bit about herself and her experiences in the community. Pauline Alfors stated this was her first step into community involvement. She noted she has lived in New Brighton for the past 21 years. She explained her daughter graduated from Irondale High School and she has worked full time her entire life in the software engineering field. She noted she worked for Trane in White Bear Lake as a Project Manager. She indicated she was of the age she felt the need to give back. She commented she has enjoyed living in New Brighton and wanted to give back. Councilmember Jacobsen asked Ms. Alfors what motivated her to apply to serve on a City Commission. Ms. Alfors explained she first learned of the Commission position after reading the New Brighton newsletter. She reported she had attended a conference several ago that encouraged people to give back to their community and she believed this was her opportunity. Councilmember Jacobsen asked Ms. Alfors what view she has as the role of the Commissioner in the Council/Commissioner relationship. Ms. Alfors stated this was a complicated question. She indicated she was not a government person but rather was a collaborator. She wanted to work to make things better. She explained she would need to be educated