Name/Age: Nathan Dull, 25.
Address: 2225 Jeffery Allen Drive, #202.
Family: Myself and fiancée Britta.
Employment: Minnesota Field Representative at the Conservative Energy Network.
Education: B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.
Hobbies/interests: I am a big hockey fan! I’m also perennially disappointed by our Minnesota sports teams.
Previous experience: In my professional career, I get to work with county, city, and township governments to get things done. Partnering with business leaders, farmers, and landowners, I have seen what works well and I have seen what does not.
Contact info: contact@NathanDullMN.com; 612-965-1291.
Why do you want to serve on the city council?
I want to work to make Shakopee the best we can imagine it to be. I think that means safe streets, great schools, a thriving local economy, and booming sense of community.
What are the top three items facing the city, in your view, and how would you address them? 1. Community safety/crime prevention: While Shakopee is trending the right direction in terms of crime rate, I think there is always more we can do. I look forward to partnering with the Sheriff’s Office to share resources to deter crime even more effectively.
2. Financial security: Coming out of COVID and living with record inflation, the Shakopee City Council must create resident-focused policies to ensure livelihoods are impacted the least. I believe we are currently in a recession. We should not be raising taxes in a recession.
3. Supporting Shakopee businesses: We have asked our business community to endure so much the last few years. Even those who abided by all the rules may not have survived COVID and the government’s response to it. The last thing we should be doing is preventing businesses from coming to Shakopee, investing in our community, and creating new job opportunities. That is what the Shakopee City Council did with its THC moratorium in August 2022.
Earlier this year, the city council narrowly voted to prohibit the sale of flavored vaping products (minus tobacco or menthol) in Shakopee. What are your thoughts on this decision?
This kind of policymaking is frustrating and short-sighted. The whole idea behind this decision is flavored vaping products can be attractive to younger adults/children and can get them hooked on tobacco. Ok, well why hasn’t the city council banned the sale of alcoholic seltzers or fruity alcoholic beverages? It’s the exact same concept. This is government overreach and inconsistent policymaking that picks winners and losers in our local economy. I would not support any type of similar policy on the city council.
Describe your leadership style:
I have learned the best way to lead is by example. In my managerial experience, to work best with team members, I showed them how to do things rather than tell them how to. I believe this creates an atmosphere of trust and mutual accountability and made my team members more comfortable coming to me with questions and concerns.
Why should residents vote for you?
I am a first-time candidate for any sort of public office. I believe I can bring a unique perspective to the city council with my experience working with local governments, businesses, farmers, and landowners all throughout Minnesota. Moreover, I look to be accountable to the community. On the city council, I will be accessible for Shakopeeans to share their concerns, vision for the future of our community, and how we should get there.
In the past 10 years, have you been convicted of a gross misdemeanor or higher or been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy or foreclosure?
No.
