Good evening. My name is Susan Johnson, and I'm a member of the Roseville League of Women Voters. I will be your moderator today for the Anoka City Council Member at Large positions. In the general election, there will be two openings. Two people will be elected. In the primary election, four people will be elected out of a total of five candidates. So, as a voter, you will be able to vote for two of your choices. This evening, we have three candidates present. I will introduce each of them to you. First of all, in alphabetical order, we have Andrew Boho. Mr. Boho, good evening. >> Good evening. >> Next, we have Melissa Carroll. >> Hi. >> Good evening, Ms. Carroll. >> Thank you. >> And we have Sam Scott. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. Jackie Young was not able to attend, and Ms. Alvord, who is running, has submitted things, but is not able to be here. So, when we start our questioning, I will read a statement from Joelle Alvord that she supplied to us. Now, all candidates were invited, and unfortunately, with schedules, not everybody could be here. On behalf of our host, QCTV, and the League of Women Voters, I want to welcome all our viewers and candidates. This forum is being recorded by QCTV as a public service. A full, unedited recording will be posted on the QCTV and League of Women Voters website. Editing is permitted only for official media reporting. Candidate forum clips may not be used for partisan political purposes. The League of Women Voters is a volunteer non-partisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. We work to increase the understanding of major public policy issues and influence public policy through education and advocacy. The League does not support or oppose any candidate or political party. The views expressed tonight are those of the candidates. Our goal is to provide voters an opportunity to hear directly from them on issues that matter. If your questions are not addressed in this forum this evening, we encourage you to contact the candidates directly. The questions presented this evening were submitted by the public in advance and selected to capture a broad spectrum of community interests. A randomized rotation process will be used to determine which candidate begins each question and the order of responses. We will begin with two questions that were provided to the candidates in advance. Candidates will have up to 90 seconds to respond to each of the first two questions. Next, we'll move to questions submitted by the public. For these, candidates will have 1 minute to respond. We will conclude with 1-minute closing statements. Our timers will signal you, the candidates, when you have 15 seconds remaining in your time. When time is up, please finish your sentence quickly. And because there are limits that are strictly enforced, you will be interrupted if you continue beyond your one sentence closing. We're going to begin with two introductory questions, and the first introductory question is, number one, what is your motivation to run for a for Anoka City Council, and what experience and knowledge will help you to serve effectively? To begin with, I am going to read this answer to question one that Joelle Alvord has submitted to us. Ms. Alvord said, "I decided to run for Anoka City Council because I care deeply about our community and want to help shape our city that is safe, financially responsible, and welcoming for everyone. I believe local government works best when leaders listen to residents and business owners making thoughtful decisions and focus on practical solutions rather than political division. My experience has taught me the importance of a collaborative, accountability, and being accessible to the people. I understand Anoka City Council decisions affect everyday life, from public safety and infrastructure to parks, roads, housing, and responsible budgeting. I am a volunteer with the Anoka Community Mission, board member of Montessori Renaissance Academy in Anoka, and commissioner vice chair of the Economic Development Committee. I am committed to asking tough questions, carefully reviewing the facts, and making decisions that are in the best interest of our entire community. Now, we will move on to our panelists. Again, the first question is, what is your motivation to run for Anoka City Council, and what experience and knowledge will help you to serve effectively. Mr. Boho, candidate Boho, can start. >> Thank you very much for holding this forum. Andrew Boho, I'm running for City Council, and I'm running Well, let me start with my experience first. I graduated in 2010 with a degree in economics from Hamline University, got an MBA in 2020. I have been on the the economic Anoka Economic Development Commission for the past year and a half, and I believe that in the time that I've been I've been at gadfly at the City Council meetings, as Mr. Scott knows. So, I believe in that time I've I've really kind of keyed into how things work and the issues that are important to Anokans. And but that doesn't really get to why I'm running. The reason why I'm running is because when my wife and I moved to Anoka 29 years ago, we were a young struggling couple, and we're worried that the ladder is basically being pulled up. It's always seemed like when we were when we were going through trying to find our financial and life our footing, that the goal line was always moving just a couple couple yards ahead of us. Didn't seem like we could catch it. And now that my kids are adults, it feels like the goal line hasn't just moved a couple yards. It feels like it's moved a whole zip code over. And honestly, it's worrying me. It's upsetting me. I'm getting getting very tired of it, and I think that the current council policies are maybe some of the best policies of 1999, but things have changed. People are struggling harder now, and we need a different approach, someone more focused on the bottom line. >> Okay. Now, we will go to candidate Carol. Again, the question is, what is your motivation to run for Anoka City Council, and what experience and knowledge will help you to serve effectively? >> Thank you. First of all, thank you to the League of Women Voters for hosting this event. I'm Marissa Carroll and I would be honored to earn the confidence of the people of Anoka to serve on our City Council. I'm running because I believe in what happens when neighbors actually know each other. The last several years have pulled us apart between COVID, social media, and other factors, a lot of us got more isolated, more separated. When people work and play alongside each other in community, it's better for our physical health, our mental health, and even our jobs. I want to help build that back. I want to serve our community and make life better for our neighbors, so Anoka feels like home to all and a place where we look out for each other. That's not a separate goal from budgets and contracts, it's the standard for all decision-making. And my career has prepared me for this. I've led teams of consultants developing and implementing big changes for companies. I know how to manage people, set direction, and own the results. I've successfully run change management, which is turning a decision into real progress inside of an organization, and I built communications that got people to actually say yes and roll up their sleeves together to get things done, even when they don't agree. My government experience includes serving on Anoka's Housing and Redevelopment Authority and on a Housing and Mediation nonprofit that serves the county. I now own a conflict resolution business in downtown Anoka, where I mediate high conflict and high-stakes disputes. My goal is simple: listen, serve, and work together with kindness and competence to build a stronger, more connected community for everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you. And last of all, we have candidate Scott. >> Thank you. And thank you, Ms. Johnson, for hosting this and moderating League of Women Voters this evening. >> [cough and clears throat] >> My name is Sam Scott, and I'm running for re-election because I love this city and the work isn't done. I've been rooted in Anoka since 1987 and have called it home since 2016. I'm an Army combat veteran, a commercial property owner downtown, and a foster parent alongside my wife who teaches in our school district. So, I see Anoka from a lot of different angles, including the same rising costs everyone else is feeling right now. On the council, I've delivered real results. I fulfilled the campaign promise by repealing the chalk ban, which is why this year the Anoka Lions are hosting our very first chalk fest. I helped launch Minnesota's first municipal cannabis dispensary, which helps fund our community instead of just property taxes. I also supported selling nearly $4 million in city land for housing development, and helped secure state funding for the Rum River Dam. In this economy, it with costs rising everywhere, I want to bring voters real options to lower their cost of living. That's why I'm also bringing a contract for organized waste collection to a vote, with rates from 10 15 to 14 40 based on cart size, locked to a modest 4% yearly increase instead of the unpredictable jumps. I'd rather the city bargain once for everyone than ask every resident to fight that battle alone. Anoka deserves a council member who does his homework and follows through. Thank you. >> Okay, we'll go on to the next question. This question is, what are your goals for the future of Anoka? And we will start with candidate Scott. >> Thank you again. My goals for Anoka center on smart growth, growing our revenue so we rely less on property taxes, and strong neighborhoods, safe streets, great parks and trails, and a real sense of community. On the fiscal side, I want to keep moving or keep growing revenue through our enterprise funds instead of asking taxpayers to constantly cover the gap. Our cannabis dispensary is meeting projections and already giving back through change for change. And I want to look at growth opportunities with other cities as well. Greenhaven is the same idea. The golf course wasn't covering its own capital costs. So, we're adding a driving range to get it fully self-funded, potentially even becoming our high school golf team's home course. Downtown revitalization is also a top priority. Bringing projects like the Gaon Hotel and Event Center, growing our social district, and supporting infill development like the Casper house that fits our historical character. I also want to keep connecting our neighborhoods like the 4th Avenue Trail connection at the train tracks and the new pedestrian trail north of the golf course. I'd also like to finish the job on organized waste collection so residents get lower, fair rates, and cleaner streets with full transparency of what it means for each household. And finally, I want Winona to keep leaning into what makes us unique. The Halloween capital identity and our river recreation. Good government is steady, honest work that adds up. >> Thank you. Now on to you, candidate Carol. >> Thank you. I have three main goals. First, affordability, and precisely what that means is property taxes are rising and we know costs are rising. And a city has two real options: grow the revenue base or cut services. I'm more focused on growth. City land city-owned land that sits idle still costs us in financing and upkeep and produces nothing in return. Let's push to put that land to productive use, attract businesses that broaden the base, and strengthen the enterprise funds we already own. Our municipal electric utility keeps rates below Excel and reinvests the profits into our parks. That model works. Let's see more of it. Second, responsible development of our downtown and riverfront, decided on purpose. Keep the historic look and feel that everyone loves and build that deeper with amenities that attract people and businesses. Um for example, I think Council member Scott you mentioned the boutique hotel. So in discussion right now already is this hotel river front restaurant idea, event center apartments, and other ideas that will bring in new revenue and new visitors. Third, public safety that matches the call. Strong partnerships between responsible agencies, city, county, and state make our community safe while respecting the dignity of all. Once those priorities are in place, the council can focus on day-to-day work residents feel directly, the roads, sidewalks, parks, and services that are also a priority, and they hold up without residents having to fight for them. Transparent governance runs underneath all of it. People resent decisions that happen to them, but feel a sense of ownership when invited to the table. Thank you. >> Thank you. Candidate Boho. >> Thank you. So I have three also three top priorities, and they are property tax relief, housing, and more open better government. So on the first one, as Marissa pointed out, there are two ways to relieve the burden on property taxpayers, and she mentioned economic development and raising property and and Sorry, I missed the other one. Sorry. >> Cutting services. >> Cutting services. Thank you. Okay. Cutting services are or raising or Okay. Anyway, there is another option though, and that is we can look at the cost side, and we can approach efficiency. Now I've worked the past 10 years working on process improvements. I have never walked into a new job or department where things couldn't be a little bit tighter. Is this a cure-all? Is this a slam dunk? Absolutely not, but I will look, and I am pretty good at finding things. And the other thing that makes me optimistic about this approach is that we have an excellent new utility director who seems like a very sharp guy and the thing that I've noticed about project improvement and process improvement projects that don't work, it's usually because of entrenched this is the way we've always done things. I don't think he has that attitude and I think that's the a key factor for success. So, I am optimistic that more can be done on the cost side. >> And now, as the last answer to question two, what are your goals for the future of Anoka, I'm going to read the submission from candidate Joelle Albourd. If elected, I will be an Anoka council member who listens first, communicates openly, and works with residents, city staff, local businesses, and fellow council members to solve problems. My goal is to help ensure our city remains a place where families, seniors, and businesses can thrive for years to come. If elected to the Anoka City Council, my goal is to help build a safe, financially responsible, and welcoming community for everyone who calls our community home. I want to support public safety by ensuring our police, fire, and emergency responders have the resources they need while continuing to build trust between the city and residents. I am committed to responsible budgeting that protects taxpayers while investing in the infrastructures that keep our city strong, including roads, parks, utilities, and public spaces. I also want to encourage thoughtful economic development that supports our local businesses, attracts new investment, and creates opportunities for families without losing the historical character that makes Anoka unique. I believe it is important to listen to residents, make decisions transparently, and work collaboratively with neighbors, businesses, and community organizations. City government works best when people feel heard, informed, and respected. Above all, my goal is to leave Anoka stronger than I found it, where families want to live, businesses want to invest, and future generations can thrive. That was from candidate Joelle Alford. Now, we're going to go to questions that have not been posed before, so maybe we can surprise you guys a little bit. We will start off with candidate Carroll, and the first question that hasn't been pre- given to you is, "Anoka established Minnesota's first downtown social district to boost businesses. However, police and business owners have concerns about rule enforcement and clear communication among visitors. Do you support the social district idea? What would you do differently, if anything?" >> Mhm. Thank you. Thank you for asking. The social district was just recently piloted, so there's always some things to work out when a program is new. I do support the social district. Overall, people overwhelmingly enjoy it. Are there some still kinks to work out? Yes, with rule enforcement, um bar closing times, getting people home safely, uh and partnership with the police. So, I support noting these, working together with these uh with the police, with the bar owners, and with residents and visitors to come up with a better uh set of rules, better enforcement, um and continuing with the social district. >> Candidate Boho. >> Thank you. I I nothing against the social district. I would like to see it continue. I think that along with any new new initiative or policy, there's always going to be a learning curve there. And honestly, some of the best policies usually come through iteration, feedback, learn from the feedback, repeat. And I think that's what we're seeing here. I do think that our current city council could be a little bit better about anticipating problems before they happen. I have noticed that in the last year and a half where debates get bogged down into basically they get into a solution lock. They pick what they want to do and they just charge right ahead and there really isn't a whole lot of critical thinking or debate that goes into it. It just marches right through. So, I do think that some of these problems could have been anticipated beforehand. But overall, I mean it's a learning curve and we can't expect I want to be respectful, too. You can't expect everyone to anticipate everything. >> And now it's your turn, candidate Scott. >> Thank you very much. Um I've been in support of the social district since its inception. Uh as everyone knows, we are one of three cities that are now allowed to have it in the state. I believe two are operational. Um >> [clears throat] >> but Anoka has been, I would say, successful overall. Um some of the initial um concerns that people had including between the police, businesses, and folks who participate in the district included what are the rules, when are things open, when are they closed down. Um where can I go with our social district cups? Can I bring them into a establishment or not? Uh took a lot of education and it continues to be educational. Um our police uh use education first when enforcing any of these rules with our businesses or with patrons. Um so we've done things to try to simplify it to make sure everyone knows the rules. We've changed our opening and closing times to be 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every single day every day of the year sans some parades. So I think education is still uh paramount to making sure that uh our rules are enforced. >> Thank you. Our next question, do you agree that that the Anoka Cannabis Company has been beneficial to the community? What other creative ideas do you have to enhance revenue for the city? And I will start with candidate Scott. >> Thank you very much again. Um yes, indeed I do believe the Cannabis Company has been beneficial to the community. It's only been open since February, uh but since that time we've raised over $10,000 through our change for change program going to organizations such as the ACBC Food Shelf, to the Alexandra House, to the Anoka Containment Animal Containment Center, and more's on the way every single month. Because it's a government-run dispensary, our employees can't accept tips. So in lieu of that, we have donation boxes every month. Um on top of that, 100% of the profits go right back into the community. Um outside of that, um ways to en- enhance the revenue, we're actually looking at a recent change in the state law that allows municipal dispensaries to now, instead of operating on one location, they can operate up to 10 locations. So we're looking at opportunities to expand revenue there. Uh but outside of that, um another thing I was uh kicking around is a lot of the packaging seems to be uh a lot. So I wouldn't mind working with the Waste Reduction and Recycling Board to try to find ways to have a recycling program at the dispensary as well. >> Thank you. Candidate Carroll. >> Thank you. Um I haven't been inside the cannabis store yet, but I have heard a lot of the chatter about some of like the morality around cannabis. Um overall, people are greatly in favor. The morality discussion is similar to discussion about liquor at this point. So, the things that I have heard are people are very excited. They've been craving extra craving revenue, and this is one of the biggest revenue and attention generators for the city. So, kudos to the current council. And people want to help. The idea of donating tips every month to a different charity means we can be involved in picking a charity or helping decide what how can I help people with that extra money? Um, I think that was an excellent use of uh using that tip money. One of the other ways to uh to earn some revenue includes um, the dam project. And maybe that question is coming up, I don't know, but we've got a lot of discussion and some debate over what to do with with overhauling the dam. It's an infrastructure that needs to be done, but pairing it with recreation is an excellent opportunity. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Candidate Boho. >> Thank you. I have a complicated relationship with the cannabis store. On one hand, I believe that good leadership is all about helping make people and situations better. And it is hard to square that with something that could lead to substance abuse. I understand that cannabis is legal, it's here to stay. But at the same time, just because we can doesn't necessarily mean we should. On the other hand though, when my mom was suffering from cancer and when she was going through chemotherapy, medical marijuana did help ease her pain considerably. So, there is a a positive side to this, too. That being said, I it's here to stay. I have no intention of trying to repeal it or get rid of it. It's and it's been a profit driver, too. A pretty decent one. So, I I believe that it should stay and I the other thing I would mention is that the plan to syndicate it makes a ton of sense as Council Member Scott suggested. >> Thank you. Next question. What would you like to see happen to the Northstar Station? We'll start with you, Candidate Boho. >> Well, I am all about housing, so I would love to see new houses put on any small square of land that we can find. And the reason why is just because I mean I just for my adult kids, one's one of the top things that concerns them other than their tuition payments is how are they ever going to afford a home? Now, we're a small city. We don't have a lot of land. We don't have a lot of areas that we can develop on, but that's again, that's no reason to abrogate our abrogate our responsibility to at least set an example. And increasing housing supply is just one of the best things and one of the few things the city can actually do to move the needle on what is essentially a national issue and a problem for a lot of young people today. >> Thank you. Candidate Scott. >> Thank you very much. As everyone knows, the Northstar Station recently closed down for its service to Minneapolis. Uh as a city of Anoka, we were vehemently against that, and then we're in the meantime looking for other opportunities to keep that station and keep that uh asset that we have there, the parking ramp, viable. Um in the meantime, we've attracted the attention of Amtrak. They're looking to expand their stop station stops for the Empire Builder, looking to have a stop here in Anoka. And there's lobbying and uh effort right now going to expand the Borealis line, which has been very successful between Minneapolis and Chicago, to have an extension between or St. Paul and Chicago between St. Paul and Fargo, where Anoka would be the northern stop in that regard. Um so, that's kind of where I'm looking forward to trying to maintain the assets that are there uh we have for our community. >> Thank you. >> Candidate Carroll. >> When I found out that the Amtrak station and Amtrak company was looking at this stop, I was very excited because it will uh support if we've got businesses coming in, we've got riverfront recreation coming in, that will help undergird the the traffic um and probably make this a very appealing type of trip, take a train to Anoka, come hang out, shop, dine, stay at a riverfront hotel, maybe make it a mini Stillwater, which would be delightful to a lot of people. Uh around that area, I understand there's some discussion for development with some housing, but also jail discussion, so I am interested in following that discussion and haven't made a decision on that, just following what what happens with the Amtrak station. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next question. Free parking in downtown Anoka is very popular. If elected, would you support charging for parking in the city parking ramp? And we'll start with Candidate Carroll. >> I own a business on Main Street, and parking is currently an issue for my clients. So, it's a little bit tricky for for clients who park longer than 3 hours. So, there's some 3-hour parking, there's some uh permit only parking in the lot behind my business. Uh ideally, I would love free parking for visitors, but also some kind of reserved parking for business owners, but that doesn't seem easy to implement to take up all of the street parking for let's say staff or permit parking that is a little bit cheaper for business owners could be ideal cuz it's not great for me to be able to to try to purchase extra permits and give them to my clients temporarily for the day. It's just it's not very realistic to do. Um whatever the solution is, I'm interested in hearing from the current council what the other options could be because I would like some cheaper parking. >> Candidate Boho. >> Yeah. So, going to be a very similar answer. I I'm my default would be to I'd be opposed to charging for parking. However, I do believe that we should be making data-driven decisions, so I would like to see some basically some numbers as to why this is necessary and what it would actually do. That said, small businesses re really rely on people's ability to patronize them. And parking makes that a lot harder. Now, we have a lot of local restaurants and bars, and we know that alcohol sales are down across the board all across the the country. And I've I've spoke with Jackie about this actually, and she mentioned that since COVID, it's been rough getting people in. Doing more and more things to make that harder should probably be a last resort, and I would I would agree with looking at other options first. >> Okay, I'm going to interrupt for just a moment because I neglected to handle something about our closing and making sure we are timely. So, I need to consult with our timekeepers and ask you to please inform us when there are 10 minutes left in the program. Sorry about that. That was a housekeeping job I should have done earlier. And then could you check out front and see with whoever was in charge of it? Okay. Thank you. I'm sorry. I apologize for that. That was my oversight. Um let's get on with questioning. Enough of that. Gun violence. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Answer. >> Um so, as it relates to free parking downtown, I am preferable to free parking end of the day. Um just a little bit of context is that we do have the HRRD ramp downtown built many years ago under a bond that is expensive. The idea was when it was built that there would be some more development happening along 2nd Avenue that really never came into fruition in the first place. So, a lot of that a lot of those funds that would have been swallowed up through expanded tax base has now been pushed back to the taxpayer itself and then rising um tax rates to cover those bonding bills. Um but in the meantime, I'm very encouraged with the help keep free parking downtown and to have less burden on the average taxpayer is the new Gahn development happening downtown um as well as the potentiality for um an improved social district and river recreation or the the the a dam uh project which would bring in potentially more development to expand that tax base to make sure that the average taxpayer in Anoka doesn't have to feel that same burden from servicing that debt that the ramp has uh every single year. >> Thank you. Next question. Gun violence affects communities in many ways, including homicide, suicide, domestic violence, and accidental shootings. What do you see as the most effective strategies for reducing gun violence in Anoka and why? If elected, what specific actions would you prioritize to reduce gun violence in Anoka? Candidate Scott. >> Thank you very much. This is a very important issue. Um you know, I think about this, some of the big things that come to mind include strong communities, strong supports. So, one of those things is getting to know your neighbors, having opportunities to build on break down barriers to see, you know, how people are doing. Um so, we'd have nights to unite, we have our music in the park series, we have opportunities for people to meet other folks, um have opportunities to have um good discussions with families [clears throat] and friends and neighbors. Outside of that, gun violence can also be precipitated by um mental health crisis. Um one of the things that I'll be supporting going on in this budget cycle is potentially looking at a pilot program for a social worker that could be addressed to uh help handle uh and co-op with our police force uh with going to mental health crisis issues, um substance abuse, um and other issues that we have in our community to help lead people to the resources they need to help prevent some of these things. >> Thank you. Candidate Carroll. >> Thank you. So, barring law changes, which is at the state level, I am interpreting this question to be more about what can a city do to support people. Anoka is one of, I believe, only two cities in Anoka County that doesn't have a social worker yet. Um it's overdue. We we need to try a social worker. Um we also need that to let police focus on the responses that they can address, um free up their time to handle things uh more appropriately. And the partnership between a social worker and police and nonprofit services, uh mental health services, support services, housing services um needs to be strengthened in our community. The other aspects uh Council Member Scott mentioned I am a big fan of third spaces. It is where we increase our health. So, a lot of what we've already talked about with improving our parks, with building riverfront stuff, with uh development is about third spaces where people can be healthier. Thank you. >> You're welcome. And Candidate Boho. >> Thank you. So, I don't see a path for Anoka to target gun violence directly, but I do believe that turning down the temperature, encouraging more civic involvement, encouraging more neighborhood involvement, are all things that lead to a healthy community. And healthy communities are probably just less likely to have gun violence. The topic of the social worker is an interesting one. Now, I spoke with the police chief when the homeless debate popped up. So, on little background on Facebook, there was a there was a pop-up of the homeless debate, and I wanted to get some facts and numbers, and we discussed the the social worker. I am let me be clear, I am for the social worker in principle. However, I do want to make sure that we listen to people who have knowledge about social worker pro- programs that haven't quite panned out the way they were supposed to, and make sure that we learn from those those failures, so that when we come when it comes time for Anoka to implement it, we have the best knowledge and procedures and policies in place to give it its a good, solid shove in the right direction. Thank you. >> Next question. What role does the city play in addressing the homeless issue? What more needs to be done? And we'll start with you, candidate Boho. >> Sure. So, pivoting back to the the social worker, I understand there is a lot of skepticism, and I'm probably going to take some flak from this from people who have already expressed some support. However, I do believe in trusting experts when they tell me what they need, and the police chief and the police department has made it very clear they think this is a vital approach to dealing with the homeless issue. And I know again there's a lot of skepticism about about programs that haven't worked. I One One person commented to me that the Minneapolis program was a disaster. I don't know if that's true or not, but if that's if that is the case, then we have a model for how not to do it, and that's just as valuable as finding positive models as well. Again, I trust experts. I trust them when they tell me they need something. I don't write them a blank check. I want to I will do my due diligence before I vote yes for a social worker and make sure that we have the best plan in place, but I do believe in listening to the people who know best. >> Thank you. Candidate Scott. >> Thank you very much. And yes, this issue has been very topical lately. Um so, homelessness affects many communities. Anoka's not immune to this. Um overall, the role for a city itself is uh oftentimes enforcement of our codes and our ordinances. Uh making sure that people are accountable to themselves and to the community. We discussed this the other day on council. Um talked about some personal experiences. Um so, for a city side of it, oftentimes it's code enforcement, it's rule enforcement. On the other side of it, uh cities have started to co-opt with the county program who get a lot more funding for the social worker side of it. And that's keep keeping people accountable to themselves. Part of addressing homelessness and trying to prevent it in the first place cuz it doesn't just happen, there's a lot of steps that come along the way. It's making sure that when someone needs to have a reminder for taking medicine, for uh making sure they have their documents, or trying to get a job, an email, uh phone number, uh getting clothing, food. There's a lot of steps that need to happen and break down before homelessness happens. So, making sure that we have those opportunities as a city is important. >> Thank you. Candidate Carol. >> Thank you. Um in Anoka County, Anoka City proper doesn't have the highest rates of homelessness. The issue right now has to do with a couple of individuals that have been there for for years that are um frustrating to business owners. Um we do have a higher rate than maybe otherwise because Anoka has carried its share of our county's homelessness response for years, hosting emergency shelter and youth drop-in services that serve people from across the county, not just our own residents, which is worth acknowledging. My approach try ties directly to the public safety model. And a lot of what looks like a homelessness problem on the street is actually a complex problem involving mental health and crisis response partnerships, which I had mentioned in a previous question, which is why a community social worker and a formal handoff agreement between city police and county social services are crucial. This connects the jail conversation to a bigger jail doesn't solve mental health crisis. So, the jail conversation, which hasn't come up talking about tripling a a jail, will impact homelessness in our downtown. And I serve on a board that serves the county for homelessness rates, and the grant uh money has been cut recently, so that impacts. >> Thank you for your response. >> Yeah. >> Next question. Organized garbage collection for Anoka will be voted on by the citizens in the November general election. If the voters approve, how will the council how will you, if on the council, decide on contract negotiations? Do you support a single garbage collection service for the city of Anoka? What should be the deciding factors in selecting waste collection services? And we'll start with you, candidate Carroll. >> All right. I was opposed to this at first in sitting in council mem- council meetings because it seemed like the public didn't want to bring this back to the vote. And I told the mayor, "Look, why are why are we pushing this? This is um seems pretty clear." What I learned was it wasn't clear that information had not been discovered yet about the cost, so people voted before they had information. And early voted voting started before people had the numbers. So, I respect the result, and I'm not trying to overturn it, but if it does come back to voters in November, they deserve the full picture before they decide, not after. And the latest bids, uh I know that Council Member Scott had been very involved in that, so I'll let you speak to that. Um They have quite low rates, especially for seniors and veterans, and I don't really have a dog in the fight because my own house already pays organized hauling through our homeowners association, and we pay a very comparable rate, which is under $12 a month for the largest cart. Um and residents deserve They deserve to see that. They deserve to see side-by-side comparisons clearly and early. Thank you. >> Candidate Boho. >> Yeah, thank you. So, this is uh I don't know how I'm going to get there in is it 90 seconds, but I have a very obnoxiously complicated take on this. Uh what I will say is that I voted no last time. I will be voting yes this time. I'm voting yes specifically because I believe that high fuel costs are going to lead to a spike in the next 1 2 years. And if I was running a business, I would want to hedge against that spike. And I don't see any reason why I should make a different recommendation, but that's my personal vote. And I my I would strongly urge other people to vote for yes as well. However, I do not believe this should have come up again so soon. I do believe it is a bit paternalistic and arrogant to suggest that people voted no because they didn't have enough information. We do know that people some people just value different things higher, such as the ability to choose. Saying that they were just ignorant in my mind was a slap in the face to the voters. So, vote no, vote yes, I love you either way, and my promise to you is that I whatever however it lands, I will not put this back on the ballot again for at least two election cycles. >> Thank you. Candidate Scott. >> Thank you very much. Uh just to address the question directly. Uh so, if it does get approved, how do we adjust the contract? The contract would already kind of has a trigger mechanism. We approved a contract just last meeting and that would be the contract going forward if it the vote is affirmative, then that would be the contract we would be working with. Do I support the contract? Yes, I this is or do I support organized hauling? Yes, I think it's more efficient. It's a more fair process for pricing for all of our residents that could participate in this. Some of the deciding factors for this for me at least include price and just fair pricing. When for example, if I had X hauler and 96 gallon cart and my neighbor had the same X hauler and 96 gallon cart, we could have very often have different pricing. So equity in that regard I think is very important. Outside of that, it was briefly mentioned before the process happened 2 years ago and this is a different process. Was extended, delayed, delayed and we didn't even have a bid to go out to the people until 2 weeks after the early voting started. 1200 votes already came in. Thank you. >> Okay. Okay, we have 10 minutes left. So how about we do a lightning round right now? You get a one sentence answer. What is the biggest challenge currently facing the city of Anoka? And we will start with candidate Scott. >> I would say the biggest challenge facing Anoka is affordability. I think everyone's feeling it and as a city we need to figure out how to either raise funds, become more efficient, cut services where we need to or could have any fat to trim. That's the biggest issue facing Anokans. >> Okay. Candidate Carroll. >> Same same issue. Affordability is definitely the thing I hear the most. How are we going to bring in more revenue? How are we going to lower our taxes or expand our tax base? The thing I hear when I go door knocking and talk to my neighbors is can we make Anoka more affordable in the future? >> And candidate Boho. >> Well, surprise surprise affordability. I want to make it easy for our kids to start their lives here just as my wife and I did 29 years ago. Full stop. >> Well, there's agreement on something. That's good. Actually, I think there's been a lot of agreement and a lot of civility and I appreciate all of your comments. Now you will each get 1 minute to present a closing and we will start with candidate Boho. >> Thank you again for holding this forum. I'm just going to say that you've heard my views, you can go to my website, you can find me on Facebook, you can see how I approach things, but I approach things with the utmost care. I love digging in. I love crafting good plans and ideas and I I just generally enjoy helping people. And I really honestly believe that through everything I've learned through my life, education, struggles that I honestly have it in me to do a great job for the people of Anoka. And I will work my fingers to the bone to make sure that everyone is heard, that we do what we need to do to make sure people can afford to live here and that we do what we need to do to ensure that our kids can also start their lives here. Thank you. >> Thank you. Candidate Carol. >> Thank you again to the league and to all of you. Anoka has to balance steady sustainable growth with protecting the character that makes us a town people choose, not just a place to pass through. And we can do that by growing our revenue base and helping ensure that our downtown is shaped deliberately and by making sure the whole city, not just the neighborhoods closest to downtown are part of discussions. I'm the only candidate in this race, current sitting council members included, no offense anybody, um who lives north of the railroad, which is half of Anoka, which means the only representation in the northern half of Anoka. And decisions about Anoka belong to all of Anokans, made in the open, heard from every part of town. And I would be honored to earn your vote on August 11. Thank you. >> And last of all, candidate Scott. >> Wonderful, and thank you all for watching tonight. And thank you to the League of Women Voters for hosting this forum. I've spent my time on this council trying to earn your trust with honesty, preparation, and follow-through. We've delivered real wins for Anoka. Minnesota's first municipal cannabis dispensary is already giving back to our community through its change for change program, donating over $10,000 to local nonprofits. Chalk is legal again, and this year Anoka celebrates its first ever Chalk Fest. And we've expanded our tax base by selling nearly $4 million in city land to develop new housing. I'm not done. I'm asking for your vote so I can keep doing this work, showing up, doing the homework, and treating every decision like it's my own home. Thank you, and I'd be honored to keep serving as your council member at large. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you, candidates, for speaking to voters about the issues and for running for Anoka City Council Member at Large. It's an important civic duty to run for elected office, and it's not easy. It takes courage. Congratulations. In this election, we have four people that will be elected in the primary because there are two openings. We have five candidates. Voters are allowed to vote for two four candidates. Four candidates, I believe. >> Vote for two. >> Vote for two. Vote for four. >> I'm sorry. This came up at the last minute. So, voters, you can vote for two candidates of the five in the primary. And the top four will go on to the general election. I hope that is verified for the people, and we will put something on the website to make that clear. Thanks to QCTV for the video production tonight. Thank you to all the members of the ABC League of Women Voters who worked hard to put this together. Viewers, thank you for your interest in becoming informed voters. If you need to register to vote or update your registration, you can do so online at vote411.org. That's v o t e 411.org. If you are interested in the League of Women Voters, visit our webpage at lwvabcamn.org. Again, lot of letters. lwvabcamn.org. Most importantly of all, please vote. Thank you.