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Community Solutions Podcast


Sep 14, 2020

www.commsolutionsmn.com- We welcome Crystal Mayor, Jim Adams, back to the program! He has been an influential force in reimagining how we do local government. Most of the old and tired methods of taxing, spending, going into debt, over-regulation, and other city functions have gone by the wayside. Mayor Adams has challenged the status quo and seen even better results than anticipated. We wanted to bring him in, as he's running for a third term and we like him. We think he's got some great ideas for the rest of the state. One of his first victories in local government was paying cash for a public works building that the old council wanted to bond (just like every other city) and saved the taxpayers millions of dollars. Now they are ready to do the same thing with a new police station... all in cash! They have increased property rights for owners. They were the first city in the metro to allow accessory dwelling units. A homeowner can build a mother-in law apartment or a free standing rental structure on their property. He looked to allow these in order to increase property rights and keep the look and feel of the community. It also served to keep high density out where it didn't make sense. Businesses have more freedom in running their businesses in the way they desire, including in-home businesses. They created a City Code Task Force to address the overwhelming and outdated city codes to fit a more streamlined and modern approach. He left the residents in charge, and didn't put city council or staff in charge to lead the citizens around by the nose. He has also made huge strides in transparency and including citizens from all different walks of life. If you are on a city council, running for a seat on a city council, or just looking to get more involved with your city, make sure to listen in and try some of these ideas. If you live in Crystal, listen in to see whether Jim is your man for mayor! Have you checked out our Spotify playlist? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: Community Solutions Music From the Podcast!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify!