2020.12.08 Paul Jacobsen - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

CITY OF NEW BRIGHTON Proclamation WHEREAS After being elected to the New Brighton City Council at the November 2011 Municipal Election, Paul Jacobsen proceeded to spend the next nine years of his life dedicating untold time and energy serving the residents of New Brighton, attending over 1,200 City Council, City Commission meetings and other public agency meetings; reading over 72,800 pages of staff reports and packet materials, and voting on 902 Resolutions and 71 Ordinances; and WHEREAS Paul has worked with other members of the City Council to oversee the redevelopment of the New Brighton Exchange and Midtown Village and he has seen numerous businesses such as APi, TUV, CSI, and Northeast Bank, make New Brighton their home. Over the years Paul has worked with other members of the City Council to oversee municipal facility improvements including New Brighton Lion’s Park, the Eagles Nest Replacement, the New Brighton Community Center (NBCC) Locker Room Renovation and Roof replacement, HVAC and other energy efficiency projects at the NBCC; and, WHEREAS Paul has worked with other members of the City Council to keep City services high while keeping taxes per capita below that of comparable cities and has helped the City implement and adhere to long-term financial management plans that keep the City financially healthy and increased its bond rating to AA+; and, WHEREAS Paul has worked with other members of the City Council to facilitate the implementation of the shared police Records Management System (RMS) with Ramsey County SO, Mounds View and Maplewood police departments and the implementation of a digital evidence system for Body Worn Cameras, squad cameras and facility cameras. During his tenure, he has helped situate our Public Safety Department for National 1st place Awards for National Night Out in 2013 and 2015 and the Local Government Innovation Award for Closest Unit Dispatching in 2018; and, WHEREAS Paul is committed to providing safe and reliable water for New Brighton residents and has worked, as part of the City Council, to win a landmark court case with the United States Army to secure funding to remove contaminates left by the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) from our aquifer and to expand New Brighton Water Treatment Plant 1 to add a new 1,4-dioxane treatment system; and, WHEREAS Paul is dedicated to ensuring that residents have access to parks and recreation services that improve the quality of life in New Brighton and the surrounding community, to helping ensure New Brighton maintains its Tree City USA status, to helping the City maintaining its GreenStep City designation and facilitating the long-term strategic planning for our parks; and, WHEREAS Paul has been committed to community engagement throughout his tenure - seeking out and promoting ways to make it easier and more welcoming for residents to participate in the public process through advocating for increased neighborhood / City Council meetings; revisioning the City logo; approving an award-winning website update; advocating for increased social media presence and an updated magazine-style City newsletter; advocating for returning municpal elections to even-numbered years to ensure more residents had a voice in who their elected officials are; and, authorizing innovative ways to provide access to City Services while keeping staff and residents safe during a pandemic, NOW, THEREFORE, I, VALERIE JOHNSON, Mayor of the City of New Brighton, Minnesota, in recognition of Paul Jacobsen’s service to the citizens of New Brighton, members of the City Council and City Staff, do hereby present this proclamation and, offering our heartfelt thanks and fondest wishes, do hereby thank Paul Jacobsen IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of New Brighton, Minnesota to be affixed this 8th day of December 2020. _________________________________________________ VALERIE JOHNSON – MAYOR