Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Council Worksession <br />March 22, 2022 <br />5:00 pm <br /> <br />Present: Mayor Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas <br /> Councilmember Abdullahi Abdulle <br /> Councilmember Pam Axberg <br />Councilmember Emily Dunsworth <br />Absent: Councilmember Graeme Allen <br /> <br />Staff in Attendance: Devin Massopust, Jennifer Fink, Craig Schlichting <br /> <br />Guests in Attendance: Maren Hawkins (attending remotely) <br /> <br />Commission Interview <br /> <br />Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas reported the Council would be interviewing Maren Hawkins for a commission <br />position. <br /> <br />Councilmember Abdulle asked Ms. Hawkins to explain how both personal and professional experiences will <br />help you be an effective Commissioner if appointed. <br /> <br />Maren Hawkins explained she has not interviewed for anything in a very long time. She stated she was a little <br />unsure of herself. She noted she was a PERA at Pike Lake and she worked with a lot of different personalities, <br />both students and staff. She believed she had patience and acceptance for these personalities. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dunsworth asked what motivated Ms. Hawkins to serve on a City Commission. <br /> <br />Ms. Hawkins reported Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas encouraged her to apply. She stated she wanted to be more <br />involved in the community. She noted she has two daughters that were out of the house, and she wanted to get <br />involved in the civic arena. <br /> <br />Councilmember Axberg stated each Commission is tasked with making recommendations to the City Council <br />that comply with policies, rules or ordinances already adopted by the City Council. She asked Ms. Hawkins <br />what she would do if she disagreed with a policy or ordinance already in place. <br /> <br />Ms. Hawkins stated she would look into the history of the ordinance and why it was in place. She would then <br />try to find a person that she could learn from. She indicated she did not believe New Brighton would have <br />ordinances in place that would bother her, but if there was, she would want to learn the history of why it was <br />put in place. <br /> <br />Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas requested Ms. Hawkins speak to the biggest opportunities and challenges facing <br />New Brighton and how do you hope to address these serving on a Commission. <br /> <br />Ms. Hawkins explained crime was an issue at this time. She hoped to make sure that residents have <br />opportunities to be involved in the city and that this was a community they wanted to live and stay in.