Michael Streiff Candidate for Isanti City Council

Michael Streiff For Isanti City Council

“The Better Choice”

Background:  Below are a series of questions that were submitted to the Isanti County News and will be run in the paper as a voters guide for the Isanti Special Election.  My answers to these questions are outlined below.

1). Talk about your personal background and qualifications for this position?

A). I feel I am most qualified, and the better choice for Isanti Council Member, due primarily to my extensive background and the perspectives it provides. I grew up on a farm in Lakeville, MN, which provided a solid background in common sense, the meaning of hard work, and personal pride in a job done correctly. I have a degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas, in Saint Paul, MN. I was able to take the everyday real-life experiences of operating my father’s farm and reinforce these principles with the knowledge I gained in a degree program at the University of St. Thomas. I have worked for a St. Paul based bank for the past 9 years, currently serving as Vice President, Community Banking Manager. In my current position, I am in charge of creating financial solutions for small business lending customers in the bank’s footprint ranging from Lakeville, MN to Milaca, MN. I also own and operate my own landscaping company in Isanti. I have also had the opportunity at the will of the current Isanti City Council, to serve as a member of the Isanti Planning Commission. It has been an honor to help guide the planning and zoning of this great city for the past two years. On top of all of this, my most important responsibility is that my wife and I are currently raising 5 children here in Isanti, MN. I feel my background as listed above gives me a good perspective on what the majority of Isanti residents and businesses are experiencing on a daily basis. My background will aid in keeping my hand on the pulse of both the short term and long term needs of residents and businesses in Isanti.

2). What do you feel are the critical issues/concerns facing Isanti in the near future?

A). I firmly believe there are several issues that will be decided by the Isanti City Council in the short term which will have a long term impact for many generations to come. The price of the services the city provides its residents and businesses continues to increase, however, we cannot look to increase taxes to cover these costs. The current leadership of the city will need to work very closely with the residents and businesses to decide what level of service is desired from the people of Isanti. Examples of these services include fire & police protection, public works, planning and zoning, development, as well as building administration. In my opinion, the bottom line is that the 2011 Isanti City Council will need to work very hard to entice additional tax paying residents and businesses to this city.

I also believe the city is at a crossroads with both the municipal liquor store and the police department. I firmly believe in a very strong local police department for Isanti, thus I do not believe it is prudent to meet overall city budget balancing objectives by modifying the current number of officers working in the Isanti police department. I believe there are other areas in the budget that can be looked at first in order to achieve a balanced budget.

I believe the city has made a tough but necessary choice in changing the management of the municipal liquor store. I believe the city council will need to make certain that the new manager hits the ground running in enhancing the bottom line of the store. I firmly believe that the right management of the municipal liquor store will be key in the long term viability of this store as a bottom line enhancement to the City of Isanti.

Most importantly, I believe the city of Isanti will need to continue to count less and less, and eventually not at all on funding received from the State of Minnesota. As all residents and businesses have been forced to cut budgets and do more with less as a result of the economic downturn, the City of Isanti will need to continue to do so as well. The City of Isanti is just like any business or household budget, the bottom line will need to be monitored very closely in order to meet long term viability.

3). What will be your priorities in your work as council member if elected?

A). My top priority will be working very closely with you, the residents and businesses of this great city. I will not lose sight of the fact that the primary task of the Isanti City Council is to serve you, the people of Isanti. I do not seek this office with any other ambitions than to provide my expertise to the Isanti City Council in providing leadership to the future direction of Isanti. My top priorities as council member would be the following:

1). I will work very hard to make decisions that will keep taxes affordable for all residents and businesses of this city. An increase in taxes on both the residential and business side is not an option.

2). I will be very focused on attracting other businesses and residents to this great city, as it is a terrific destination to raise a family as well as own and operate a profitable business. In order to increase the tax base we need to attract additional tax payers.

3). I believe the Isanti City Council needs to work hard to partner with both the Cambridge/Isanti School District, the City of Cambridge, and Isanti County. I believe there are many resources that could be shared among these entities that would result in cost-cutting measures across the board.

4). I will work constructively with the mayor and my fellow council members in order to create solutions that are best for the City of Isanti. I will maintain a high level of ethical standards and will work hard with the entire council to rid any personal agendas from clouding decisions.