Richfield City Mayor
The mayor is usually the head of the city and may represent the city in front of other government bodies. They also can preside at council meetings and appoint city workers. A mayor usually has a role in proposing a city budget which influences services provided to residents and can veto ordinances proposed by the city council. Learn more here: https://www.lwv.org/blog/voting-local-matters-why-you-should-vote-mayorIf your candidate didn’t fill in the guide below, visit the Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing site to find contact info (https://candidates.sos.mn.gov/). If you reach out, ask candidates to complete their Vote411 Voters Guide from the LWVMN!
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Mary Supple
(NP)
Why are you the best candidate for this position? (750 characters)
If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (500 characters)
If elected, what strategies will you use to ensure transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in city government under your leadership? (500 characters)
How will you engage with residents to solicit feedback, involve them in decision-making processes, and ensure their voices are heard? (500 characters)
How will you approach public safety and community policing to ensure the well-being of all residents? (500 characters)
I have deep roots in our community after having taught in the Richfield Public Schools for 33 years. I also have leadership experience and the skills to do the job well as evidenced by my last four years as mayor and the four years before that on the city council.
I have prioritized building community and trust as we worked together to dream, set goals, and invest in future generations. I have built relationships with people both inside and outside of Richfield. Those collaborative relationships have helped us to meet challenges and thrive. I will continue to advocate for our community and listen to residents as we move into the future.
One priority is to continue to support economic revitalization and growth to help local businesses and their employees after the stress of Operation Metro Surge. Secondly, we need to plan for the design and construction of the new community center that voters approved. Finally, we need to prioritize strategic, long-term financial planning that makes prudent use of taxpayer resources for replacing infrastructure like our water system and for the stewardship of our park system.
I believe in leading by example. One cannot expect others to be transparent, accountable, and ethical unless one follows those values as well. Right now, there are a number of people who no longer trust our institutions. The only way to rebuild trust is by being honest and transparent. No one expects perfection, but we need to admit if we make mistakes and try to do better in the future. Local government is closest to the people and the best place to build trust in government.
I believe we need to go where people are instead of always expecting them to come to us. We should be out there listening to residents and asking questions whether that is by engaging at the Farmers’ Market, visiting schools, or going to community events.
There are also more formal ways like paying careful attention to public comments at city sponsored events.
Finally, I believe in being responsive when someone emails or calls me. They took the time to reach out and deserve a respectful reply.
Effective public safety and community policing is built on both trust and character. We hire for public safety positions by looking for individuals who are committed to safeguarding our community and solving problems. Character is more important than skills because skills can be taught through training, but someone’s underlying character defines who they are and how they conduct themselves. Finally, we have worked hard to build a diverse department that reflects the makeup of our community.
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