[Music] Thanks so much for joining us here on Local Decision 2025. We're going to talk about the Lino Lake City Council race now. And Terry Oonnell has stopped by. And Terry, we appreciate you joining us. And uh let's start out with the basics. Tell the viewers about yourself and why you're running for Lino Lake City Council. >> Okay. So, thank you for letting me come and speak to the public. Um, I've been in Lo Lake since 1987. My husband and I bought the home. I'm still in. I love it here. Um, the just development is happening. There is no way around it. People are looking for a wonderful place to live. And Lino Lakes happens to be, in my opinion, one of the wonderful places to live because we have, as in our name, Lino Lakes. We have lakes that are wonderful and easily accessible. Actually, for me, they're easily accessible because I have a kayak, so I can go to just about any lake. Um, and my cons and our dark skies is another thing. I have a sister-in-law who would call when the this past year when the so um um Aurora Borealis was coming out and she'd say, "Now, where should I go? Where should I go?" So I give her three different I said my backyard is not the best because I've got trees all around. So I give her different lake areas that she could look and so she would drive from Lake Emel because they don't have dark skies and it's it's a plus to have that and be able to tell people that. So my concern is to work with developers and make sure they enhance what we have instead of just doing the this is what we're going to build. This is how many lights we can do. So we're going to do this, we're going to do that. Lights cost money. We as taxpayer we end up paying money >> and that really is one of the charms of Lo. You have the lakes where you can put your kayak in the water. You might see the Aurora Borealis some night um in the city but Met Council is saying 30% increase by 2050. So that's a pretty good jump. How do you find that sweet spot? How do you balance? Growth is probably inevitable, but as you said, you want to do it the right way, don't you? >> Correct. Um, I'll go back to lighting. Okay. Now, if you go from Lexington Avenue on 35W to Lake Drive, I'm talking about Highway 23 Lake Drive. The one by Lakes City Hall, there is not one street light on that section of that is a long section of land. Street lights. There are cities who are promoting the fact that they have dark skies. Yes, you need street lights at major intersections where you want to make sure, but a lot of other places you don't. I moved out here without that. The other thing I was bringing up, which just escaped me, we were talking about how to control the development. Um, I don't personally I don't see it happening as fast as a lot of people do because if you look in the Star newspaper, the amount of homes that are being foreclosed are over six pages sometimes and that frightens me. Normally they're four pages when we've gone up to six pages, seven pages. And the other thing is one of the major developers in Lino Lakes is a national developer. And because in the southern part of the United States, they have more homes built than sold and they are looking for people to invest in them. And that's why I think we're going to see kind of a stop for a little bit. A slow I shouldn't say stop, a slowing down of this building. Uh what do you think Lino Lakes at this point in time 2025 is doing right? >> What are we doing right? We are um we are watching different thing I it's not just in one particular time. You have to look over the time we negotiate. I shouldn't say we because I'm not part of this met city council, but they're the ones that inevitably the environmental board brings things to them and and then it goes to the park board and then from park bone to uh the um planning and zoning and then to the city council. Well, along the way, everybody puts in their input as to what we would like to see, and the city council has the job to work with the developers, and I think they've done a good job in a lot of places to tweak what they really want compared to what the city is looking for. And I've watched it in numerous >> Target and um Eaglebrook. I know they're not 2025, but I know it's still going on. There's still things that are being tweaked. look at the development right down the road here if no excuse me other way other way um it's um is that going to happen this year probably not and it's still it's a start but I'm sure it will tweak as we go along and >> and what what would you like to see Lino Lakes do better what would you try to maybe promote if you get elected >> what I would like to see them when we do infrastructure changes roads in particular I would like them to think about how we're going to connect the city because we're not north and south. We all want to go to Fargo Nature Center and that whole area. It's a beautiful area. More ways to get there. I'm talking about biking and walking, more safe walking and biking trails, but it has to go in at the same time as the infrastructure just to make it more affordable. >> All right, let's get your takeaways on this uh recently approved master plan for the Northwest Main area. tell us about the process and and do you like where the city has landed on this right now? >> Um, I think it's a good start, but as I said, I think it will be more defined as more developers are actually interested in going in there. Um the my biggest concern because I did go to meetings because I believe in speaking up before not after something's gone through >> that my biggest concern was is a lot of that ground was done with tiling for farming. It wasn't done tiling for these sixstory buildings that at one point they were going to build. So that has come down and again the lighting have respect for the neighbors and yes some people want lighting but it doesn't have to be that high or that often it can be more substant more spread out. >> Is that prime real estate in your eyes? Is that is that coveted by developers? >> Oh I think so. I really do. And I think um I don't know if Sunset will ever be connected to 35W, but I could see it being connected by 35W if enough homes come in. And between I'm talking not just homes, I'm talking about businesses, too, because I there is not a gas station between Lexington Avenue and Main Street. That is a long stretch if we're building homes, if you're going to get people in there. And I think Lino Lakes is a place that's close enough to the city that even though people are having to go back to this their workplace is not that far of a commute. It does take because I used to work downtown Minneapolis to be realistic they say 20 minutes. Yeah. No, that was 45 minutes for me, you know, and it wasn't during rush hour. It just it's just the way it is and that's fine, you know. So, >> uh, council has also approved a preliminary tax levy, more than 16%. So, that's that's quite a jump. Part of it for, uh, fire protection. Uh, what do you think about all that? >> I actually I we I've talked about recently about this that I thought it was great that the fire department is being separated from the police department. Not that they don't work together. They do, but different skills. And because Lino Lakes, so many people do not live in the area and we're expanding and we don't have enough people that can be volunteers. They're working out of the city. So, you really can't be a volunteer. So, yes, I hate to say it, but yeah, it does it does cost money. I mean, to have the type of services we want and we like. So, 16% is high, but you know, the city council does not need a raise and I know they're looking at that. I mean, that's not where anybody from my perspective goes into the city council to make money and it just should be the minimum. And I don't believe the board people get paid very much. Back when I was on the environmental board, it was $50 a meeting um or a month and you know, sometimes we'd meet more often, but it was pretty much a month. So, yeah, I 16%. A lot of places are talking about that right now that we're not alone. We're not alone on that. So, >> is that a hard sell to the residents though? 16%. I mean, it's it's got to be like jumping through hoops. It >> it would. It's It is. It's got to be. I mean, look at um Menard's. They have 11% off and people It's a big That's a big chunk of change. Yeah. >> And so, if your house is 400,000, think of how much 10% is $4,000 more a year on your taxes. That is huge. So, yeah, I do. Um, it's a hard cell, but it's um there's with our with what we want out of our life living out here, it I think it's going to happen. It's it's you know, like I said, the only thing I know that could be cut would be, you know, if the city council decides to take a raise or we could go back a little. It doesn't have to be what it's at now. So, >> what are some of your other visions for Lino Lakes moving forward? Well, visions. Um, it's not not really a vision. Well, it is a vision. I would like to see more of our lakes get off the impaired list of the lakes in Minnesota. Currently, we have two lakes. Lake Amelia in the south, which is actually in the Blammo Vadness Lake area, whatever. And then the one Arasha, which is in over by in the north part off of Main Street. They're the only two that are. We have one that's kind of on the verge, tipping both ways, which is key in my mind because it is um the lake that has a beach, has dock, has fishing pier, and a nice walking path around it. Um, and I'm going to say the wrong name. I'm going all around it. We've got Peltier and Centerville. Centerville Lake. Sorry, it took me a minute to Centerville Lake is the one I'm talking about. And last year they put an alum treatment in. It's it's it's closer than any other lake in Lo Lakes right now to be getting off the impaired. So >> would it be something where you take a look at I know Golden Lake in Circle Pines came off the impaired list last year. They were >> you know they were ecstatic about that and it took a long time. Would you use that as a model? Would you tap into their uh expertise and what they did to to get off that list? Well, actually, I'm not an expert on that, but I'm on the Rice Creek Citizen Advisory Committee, so I work with people who are experts on that, and they tell me it's not the same situation. The um the soils are different and what was used, what around it was used differently than it is. So, there I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you I knew what to do, but I don't know. I'm sorry. >> No, I think voters like honesty. You don't know everything, right? Well, well, wh why why should somebody put you on the uh Lo City Council? Why should they vote for you? >> Well, I've been around for a while, so I've seen a lot of different things happening and I've seen things that didn't work out that had to be changed. The one that comes to mind is 35E and Main Street interchange going there. I mean, that was a nightmare when they did it. They had too many rows, but they realized the mistake and corrected it a few years later. But you know again I'm not an engineer and it was a trial trial and error. Um so I've witnessed a lot of things and my jobs previously I've always had to deal with people with different perspectives and personalities. So and as you can tell I'm not afraid to talk. So I've always been able to negotiate different set agreements and come out with a good good for not really good for a better situation for everyone involved. may not be exactly what everyone wants, but it's it's it's better. >> What do you think the perception of Lino Lakes is? >> Uh the perception depends on who you're talking to. Okay. Um I can talk about my family members who live by Lake Nakoma. That was it's going out out of the city where you can get clean water from my tap. I have a well and I do feel that the city water we I think we still have one well down but I could be wrong is is concerned and always looking at it. She um this is my sister would come out and get water facility for that. I have another friend who lives in Grove Heights. Same thing. She said your wellwater tastes good and it doesn't smell so I want your water. So that they they look at it as a place just like my sister-in-law looking for dark skies as close in but having these wonderful things that we do have. So, and do they want to move here? No. But that's okay. Other people do. So, >> but but you've been in the city for decades now, right? And and you've seen the changes and and you've you >> you feel like it's one of the jewels in the Twin Cities, don't you? >> I do. Yes. If you can't tell that. Yes, I do. I Yeah. I'm very proud to say I'm from Lionel Lakes. When I first moved here, people go, "Where? What?" And then I still remember I had a cousin that was over and now then, and he says, "Isn't that where the prison is?" I go, "Yeah, that's where the primitive prison is." He's a joker. So, but yes, it's Yeah. >> Uh, anything you want to add or or or tell the voters about again why they should uh cast their vote for you? >> Um, I have I am open, this is something a lot of people disagree with, but I'm open with diversity in housing and people. I live in an area that's on Main Street and right next to me is a duplex and then I have just an acre of land. The duplex is on like three acres and across the street is a single family home and next to it is a home that has like 15 acres. You know, we're we all get along. We have a great time and anybody that moves into those duplexes, which currently is wonderful neighbors, always they're moving there because of what it's like. They're not moving there in hopes that it's like something that they're leaving from. They're not looking for they're looking for more of a rule aspect. They you know the only thing you know is I have time and energy because I am now retired. >> So I do go personally and check out sites of different on the Rice Creek wershed to see what they're talking about so I can know. And I would do the same with the city council. I wouldn't just listen to what the staff tells me. I would actually physically go check them out. >> All right, great. Well, thank you so much for joining us >> and thank you for having me. >> Very good. Yeah, she is Terry O' Connell running for Lino Lake City Council. This is Local Decision 2025. [Music]