Meet Stillwater City Council Ward 2 Candidate: Tom Corbett

There will be a primary election Tuesday, Aug. 14 for an open seat in Ward 2 on the Stillwater City Council.

Ward 2 residents Tom Corbett, Ted Kozlowski and Cassie McLemore each participated in forum Tuesday at the Stillwater Public Library to address questions regarding their candidacy and some of the issues facing the city of Stillwater.

Tom Corbett: Business Attorney for Target Corporation

Facebook: Corbett for Council

Website: www.corbettforcouncil.com

Email: Tom@corbettforcouncil.com

Why do you want to be a member of the Stillwater City Council?

Corbett grew up in Lakeville, lived in Minneapolis and moved to Stillwater with his family seven years ago when they were searching for an “unique community in Minnesota where there was a beautiful natural environment and historic homes.” The couple was looking for a city with sidewalks, front porches where people get to know their neighbors and shopping nearby.

“I see this as an opportunity to give back and contribute to the community. We’re all relatively young—in our 30s—and one person told me you want to remodel your house while you’re still living in it. So many people get involved after they finish their career and are starting to wind down, but it’s also exciting to get involved when you’re in the prime of your career and see what impacts you’ve had 10, 20, 30 years out.”

What are your personal and professional experiences that qualify you to be on the Stillwater City Council?

Corbett has sat on the Stillwater Public Library Board since 2009, which has about a $1 million dedicated budget from City Hall annually.

“That’s a significant line item for the city. I’ve enjoyed that experience, being entrusted with public funds, entrusted with an institution that is over 100 years old and trying to find the next steps forward for that institution to be successful in the future.”

Corbett also sat on the Stillwater Charter Commission from 2006-2009.

As an attorney, Corbett said he has worked with all types of businesses and nonprofit organizations.

“I work in Minneapolis, but I believe I’ve had significant experience and volunteer hours in Stillwater, as well.”

What do you think are the three top issues facing the city of Stillwater?

1. Sensible Public Development: Downtown is going to change a quite a bit with the bridge going in. It’s going to change the way cars, pedestrians and bicyclists move through, and come to, Stillwater. “We have the opportunity to change the face of downtown Stillwater a bit for good or bad, so we need to make the right decisions.”

Parking ramps and park improvements are setting Stillwater up to be a première destination city, he said, but it is a matter of looking at other projects—like the fire station and armory—and making sure dollars are being spent appropriately.

2. Fiscal Responsibility: Corbett said he sees the city spending has gone up over the last 10 years. “The city is growing at about 20 percent, but spending is much more than that. Eventually, that will be a strain on tax dollars.”

3. General Good Governance Issues: Corbett said he believes the City Council needs to be a model for the type of discussion that happens in Stillwater. City Council members, even if they disagree with one another, need to treat each other with a respect for differing viewpoints. “That only adds to the decision making process and credibility the City Council has with residents.”

How would you maintain communication with Stillwater residents?

Communication is easier than ever with technology.

The ward system allows constituents to get a hold of their representative and share their thoughts, Corbett said. He would also like to take the opportunity to teach residents how to interact with city government by showing up at council meetings, commissions and various public forums.

What do you think a major summer festival should look like in Stillwater?

When reading that the city recently approved a $15,000 festival survey, Corbett said he was concerned, because he believes council members are constantly hearing from community member who tell them what they love or hate about Lumberjack Days.

The council members should have an opinion, Corbett said, and that is a chance to lead.

“It’s not a bad idea to get a survey for the temperature, but there is probably a better way to spend $15,000.”

Corbett said Lumberjack Days needs to be at scale, have the support of Main Street and the residents of Stillwater.

“People don’t enjoy picking beer bottles out of their gardens and yard. Lumberjack Days has occasionally gotten out of hand.”

Corbett said the city needs to do their diligence figuring out what organization will run the future event and make sure that group has the “financial wherewithal to not bounce checks to youth athletic associations.”

“I believe there is an ordinance in Stillwater with an additional fee for bounced checks. I think agenda item No. 1 might be to get the checks that bounced from Lumberjack Days, put them in a frame and put them up in City Council at City Hall, so we don’t make that mistake ever again. It was a bit ridiculous how Lumberjack Days breathed its last breath.”

What should the City Council’s role in moving forward with a new festival?

First the City Council should establish what the criteria for a new festival are. Then it should be open up for different organizations to pitch ideas and give proposals explaining why they should organize the event. We need well thought out proposals from a number of sources to compare them and make the right choice.”

Each of you said people have encouraged you to run for this seat. Has any member of the City Council asked you to run, and if so, who asked you to run?

“No. I learned the seat was opening at the 11th hour and chose to run. If Micky Cook was running for re-election, I would not have thrown my hat in the ring.”

The Stillwater City Council, on a 4-1 vote, attempted to give $80,000 to the Coalition for the St. Croix River Crossing. The state auditor said the method was illegal. Do you agree or disagree with the City Council’s position that it had to help the Coalition to do this?

The City Council is well within its right to engage groups to promote—and move along—city initiatives that are supported by the majority of the City Council.

“I did not agree that it could be done on a handshake basis. Just from an internal controls perspective, an $80,000 agreement needs to be in writing and signed by the city, the mayor and the group to explain the scope of services that will be provided. Regardless of supporting the bridge or not, if you spend $80,000 you need a contract that says what you’re getting in return.”

You’ve all said Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development are top issues facing Stillwater. With those two things in mind, what is your definition of a better Stillwater?

There are certain types of development a city needs to do and residents are seeing that with the improvements to infrastructure, whether it is parking, streets, riverfront issues or things that contribute to the uniqueness of Stillwater.

“I’m a little skeptical of the ability of cities to do economic redevelopment and be very intentional about what they want to go on Main Street.”

There are tools the city can use, but residents saw with the downtown condos that when the city plans for what downtown should look like, sometimes the city can get it wrong.

“We can think there is going to be a condo boom until the end of time, and suddenly realize our projections were off. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it is better to invest in opportunities everyone can enjoy that contributes to Stillwater as a river city, and let business decide what should go on what block and what visitors and residents of Stillwater want to spend their money on.”

What is your take on the Armory Project and proposal to relocate the fire station? What do you think of the proposed spending? And what do you think the Stillwater Fire Department should look like?

“Stillwater is a high-service city and has highish taxes because of that.”

The city has a library and its own police and fire, so much so, that they service other communities.

“The growth is not happening downtown, but when those homes went in, I think they knew where the fire department was, because it is in downtown Stillwater.”

Concerns about response times are being brought up now because of the Armory Project, Corbett said. The Armory Project came along and the city said here’s an opportunity to move the fire station.

“When those properties were built that would have been an opportunity to note we may need a future fire station here, so maybe we should recoup money for that from the developers. But that’s water under the bridge.”

Corbett said he is in favor of keeping the fire station downtown. He said that will impact response times elsewhere in the city—and acknowledges that it is a fairness issue—that will continue to be discussed as the city expands its boundaries through annexation. The council will have to look at this issue moving forward, but Corbett said it is important to note the number of calls the firefighters respond to on the river.

“Let’s make a fact-based decision” after figuring out where the alarms are coming from. “This obviously has big implications for safety.”

Is it important to have consensus on the Stillwater City Council or dissent?

The Stillwater Public Library Board, which Corbett is a member, is a consensus board, he said, even if something isn’t unanimous—that is documented in the minutes—but everyone has to “be on the bus” to support the library.

“City Council is different.” It is the role of the mayor to decide how important consensus is, he said. If the mayor decides he or she only needs 2 or 3 votes to get things done, then there is going to be split boards.

As a city council member, the job is to represent the residents in your Ward, take a stance on issues and try to lead, he said. If there is a minority on a particular issue, the councilmember is well within their right to explain and represent the people with that viewpoint.

The General Election is Tuesday, November 6. Polling places open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Click here for information about absentee voting.

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