The candidates for the two Hastings City Council at-large seats took to the podium on July 26 to introduce themselves and share their plans for the city and what they can bring to the table if elected.
Candidates Ian Martin, Tom Wright, Angie Haus, Dave Pemble, Joe Balsanek and Dennis Peine fielded a diverse set of questions that were submitted by residents and relayed to them from former City Council Ward 1 representative Anthony Alongi who served as the moderator.
Dean W. Markuson has withdrawn from the race, but he will still appear on the Aug. 9 primary ballot.
The forum was sponsored by the Hastings Progressives, a local nonprofit organization that is not affiliated with any political party or group.
The forum was kicked off with an introduction from each candidate. They were given up to a minute to introduce themselves with residents. After the introductions, candidates were allotted one minute to answer 12 questions sequentially, and the order of the candidates was shifted for each question, giving each a chance to be the first and last person to respond.
Following the questions, closing statements were given by the candidates, allowing them to cement their pitches to voters.
The forum in its entirety can be viewed online at Hastings Community TV’s website or their Youtube page. See our questionnaire for background information on the candidates.
Here are the questions that were asked at the forum and some of the responses and themes that emerged from them.
What do you believe you could bring to the city of Hastings, and why are you the most qualified candidate for City Council?
Wright and Haus each stated that their unique perspectives, Wright’s local journalism background with Hastings Community TV and Haus’ volunteer experience on the boards of IDEA Hastings and THRIVE, inclusion-focused nonprofits, would bring value to the City Council.
Pemble, Balsanek, Peine and Martin all pointed toward their extensive resumes as public servants, whether it was for Hastings, or for the military, as their potential benefit to the City Council.
What do you believe is the biggest issue that needs to be solved in Hastings. What might your highest priority be as you enter the City Council?
Prioritizing economic growth and development was echoed in the candidates’ responses to this question. Seeing the completion of existing development projects, like the Confluence Project and the Vermillion Street Corridor, was a big part of those answers.
The stagnant population of Hastings was specifically brought up as an area of concern by Pemble. Haus wants to see Hastings continue to progress as a welcoming community for all. Peine said that the state of rental housing in Hastings is “bad,” and he would like to see the concept of “urban villages” in the community.
Martin mentioned public safety as one of his chief priorities, and he would like to see community service officers implemented. Wright expressed concern over the loss of key staff members and wants to find the root cause of it. Balsanek shared his idea for turning JayCee Park into a regional nature preserve and his desire for a motocross track in Hastings as a few of his long term priorities.
How will you help industry, and therefore, jobs and families come into town, while you answer that, if you could get specific about the Vermillion Corridor and how you might speed up developments in that area?
The work and importance of the HEDRA commission, the Hastings Development and Redevelopment Authority, were highlighted at this point in the forum. The candidates want to continue to leverage HEDRA to bring in more development projects and streamline the work being done on the Vermillion Street Corridor.
Peine explained that HEDRA has already begun to purchase property along the Vermillion Street Corridor so that the city will be able to better dictate the terms of its development.
The candidates want to discover ways to improve the city’s branding in order to attract businesses and families to the community. Martin commented that the diminishing aesthetic appeal of the corridor was something that needs attention as the project moves forward
Wrapping up the Vermillion Street Corridor project was continually stated as a top priority, but the candidates emphasized that they want to focus on infill development over completely redressing the corridor.
What can a City Council do around affordable housing, and what would you do specifically if elected?
Fostering lifecycle living, a transitional discipline for housing that sees residents periodically adjust their housing based on their stage of life, was a solution discussed to create more affordable housing.
Ensuring that senior citizens in Hastings have access to more assisted living options that they can seamlessly move into, thereby opening up their homes for younger generations, is a key element to this. Lower tax rates, and building a broader tax base, were also ideas candidates threw into the mix.
Hastings resides inside of a variety of townships, there can be annexation of land over time, Would you favor annexing more land outside of the current city limits, essentially expanding our city limits, to encourage more residential or community development, and why or why not?
Annexation of land as a means to spur more development was not seen as a “go to” option by the candidates. Once again, infill development came up as a strategy that the candidates would like to focus on instead of trying to branch out.
How would you help Hastings move forward to fully embrace sustainability in our city?
Consultation with the experts was a recurring answer from candidates on how Hastings can fully embrace sustainability.
Martin, who was in support of the sustainability initiative, said he would definitely have some questions about the fiscal prudence of sustainability efforts and how they would impact all Hastings residents, stating he would like to see the “return on investment.”
Wright would like Hastings to copy the successful sustainability undertakings of other cities. Peine suggested tiny homes and community gardens as possible steps the city could take, and he also wanted to make sure that sustainable efforts touch all parts of the city.
What changes, if any, would you make to the sign ordinance, and why would you make, or not make changes to the sign ordinance?
There wasn’t much that the candidates had in mind for altering the sign ordinance in Hastings, as they didn’t see it as much of an issue. Haus and Pemble would like to see more monitoring.
Peine thinks the city could model their approach after Apple Valley, a community that he said was able to grow and build a stronger identity in part because of their unique signage. He said that Hastings could try something similar by changing the makeup of their signage to reflect the historical nature of the town.
How can the city better partner with our school district, School District ISD 200?
Better sharing of resources and information between the two entities was the common attitude held by candidates on how to improve the city’s relationship with the school district. The candidates want to see both the city and the school district actually engage with each other as opposed to simply commenting on their conduct.
What could be done to attract more residents to apply to these commissions when a vacancy occurs?
Candidates want the community to understand the value that these commissions bring to Hastings. They said that the recruitment process for these commissions must be inviting because if it is too stringent, qualified individuals may be turned off to taking these important positions.
Do you feel the Hastings police department treats people of all backgrounds equally? However you answer that, could you talk about how you would work on the City Council to ensure that the police department treats people of all backgrounds equally?
All of the candidates voiced their approval of the Hastings Police Department and their treatment of all community members. None of them have seen, or heard of, an incident where a Hastings police officer treated someone unfairly due to their background.
Martin pointed out how Hastings was one of the first cities in Minnesota that adopted the use of body cameras, and how that step is indicative of the police department’s commitment to transparent and equitable treatment.
However, they were adamant that the city must always remain on the lookout for discriminatory behavior. Balsanek made it known that he has witnessed racist and discriminatory behavior in the community during his City Council campaigns in the past, and he wants the city to continue to stamp it out.
In your opinion, how well does this city adhere to values of diversity, equity and inclusion? What would you do on city council to ensure a continued commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the hiring or retaining of city staff, or in other ways?
The candidates had a positive outlook on the city’s commitment to becoming a more welcoming community, stating that Hastings has made lots of progress in this area. Haus cited the city’s proclamation in 2018 in support of diversity, inclusivity and equity in Hastings, as an example of how the city is moving forward. Balsanek referenced the proclamation as well, as he was the person who read it in the Hastings High School when he was on the City Council.
It was acknowledged by the candidates that this initiative is still a work in progress, and that it needs to remain at the forefront of the city’s priorities.
What does vision mean to you, and what is your personal vision for Hastings?
Uplifting the riverfront charm of Hastings, and preserving its heritage, were shared intentions of the candidates. Completing ongoing development projects was also essential to their visions.
Specifically, Haus would like to see a public transportation system implemented in the city. Housing, services and jobs were the three things Balsanek said were guiding his vision.
Peine brought up the Heart of Hastings plan, explaining how there is a vision in place for the city, progress is on the horizon and that they need to continue moving forward with it.
Wright wants the trail system to be revamped in order to spark more tourism. Martin wants to ensure that Hastings remains a safe community, and that residents and city government have strong lines of communication.
Pemble wants the city to keep developing on what they have while steering into the riverfront identity in the process.
The primary election will take place on August 9. Absentee ballots are already available, and early voting opens up on August 2. The general election is scheduled for November 8.
