2011 Hopkins City Council candidates

When the filing period ended Aug. 16, Hopkins had six candidates vying for two spots on the City Council. Here’s a look at the candidates.

Wendy Andersen

Time in Hopkins: 10 years total

Education: Bachelor’s in secondary education, diplomas in pastoral counseling and leadership

Job: Teaches science to inner-city, high-risk students at Minnesota Transitions Charter School in Minneapolis, police chaplain with Minneapolis and Hennepin County

Family: Three children

Government experience

• On the Minnesota Transitions Charter School Board and also worked on the board’s finance, personnel and policy making committees
• Works with the Hennepin County watershed districts

Other relevant experience

• Foster parent for six years
• Was on the board for the Edina Girls Fastpitch Association

Issues of interest

• Fostering an active community life: Although Andersen thinks Hopkins has quite a few things to do, she’d like to see even more events in the community— such as National Night Out, Music in the Park and the arts. “I’m just interested in the goings-on in our community,” she said.
• Community education: She’d like to teach residents about how government works and get more residents involved in programs like Hopkins’ Community Emergency Response Team.

Biggest challenges facing Hopkins

• Keeping Neighborhoods safe, she said. But she also noted that, “Most people feel Hopkins is moving along at a nice steady rate.”

Approach as a councilwoman: “I like to listen to ideas. I like to brainstorm together,” Andersen said. She would enjoy taking the pulse of the community and then going after whatever needed to be done.

James G. Beauchene

Time in Hopkins: 44 years

Education: High school

Job: Retired city employee

Family: Wife, Paula and two grown children, a daughter and a son

Government experience

• Beauchene’s work with the city included trimming trees, working on the Dutch elm disease program, maintaining blacktop and plowing snow. “You name it, I did it,” he said.

Other relevant experience

• None

Issues of interest

• Spending: “I just want to get on there to see if I can get them to cut their spending,” he said. Beauchene specified that infrastructure shouldn’t be hit, but he said the city should hold off on capital projects until things improve. “If they cut their spending and the economy turns around, then they can do some more stuff,” Beauchene said.

Biggest challenges facing Hopkins

• Spending: “The biggest challenge right now is their spending habits. The economy is lousy, so they’ve got to think twice before they spend once,” he said. “I’m more interested in cutting spending. If they have any other issues, the city manager should take care of it.”

Approach as a councilman: “I try to get along with everybody. To me, that’s half the battle,” Beauchene said. 

Molly Cummings

Time in Hopkins: 23 years

Education: Some college

Job: Works part time for an accounting firm during tax season

Family: Husband, Sheldon Berg; son; daughter and two grandchildren

Government experience

• Graduated with Hopkins’ first Community Emergency Response Team class
• Attended the Hopkins Citizens Academy twice
• Served on the Park Board, becoming chairwoman in her final year on the board
• Served on the Zoning and Planning Commission and was  earlier this year

Other relevant experience

• Volunteered 10 years at the 
• Volunteers extensively with —including training two dogs to help the physically disabled, interviewing families who are interested in training dogs and working on the auction committee for the organization’s upcoming fundraiser
• Volunteers at schools and at 
• Founded the Avenues Neighborhood Association in 2010 and is the current president

Issues of interest

• Building a strong community: Said the council has got a good start at forging bonds with the diverse groups and would like to continue what they’ve started.
• Encouraging all residents to get involved: Believes that all residents have a stake in their community—whether they’re renters or homeowners. Cummings would like to help them get involved in making Hopkins the best city it can be. “Because I’m so pro-citizen involvement, I think every citizen has a voice and I think every citizen should exercise that voice.”

Biggest challenges facing Hopkins

• Finances: Hopkins faces some of the widespread economic challenges that resulted from the economic downturn. Cummings would like to focus on maximizing partnerships with other entities—such as federal, state and county government.
• Redevelopment

Approach as a city councilwoman: Echoing her emphasis on the importance of citizen involvement, Cummings said she would make sure to consider all voices in a discussion. “I think that one of my really strong suits is my ability to listen to lots of divergent opinions and make a difficult decision that will be the best for the city.”

Jason Gadd

Time in Hopkins: 15 years

Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Communications Studies Minor

Job: Owner of , a Web application developer

Family: Wife, Laura Chesney-Gadd

Government experience

• Serves on the Park Board, becoming chairman in 2010

Other relevant experience

• Hopkins Business & Civic Association board member, serving as president from 2006 to 2007
• Member of the Jaycees since 1995, serving as Hopkins president in 1998 and state president in 2009
• Co-founded the Hopkins Marketing Task Force
• Member of the Think Hopkins Marketing Team from 2006 to the present
• Co-founder and event coordinator for the Hopkins Heritage Celebration
• Member of the Friends of the Hopkins Center for the Arts
• Named the Hopkins Business & Civic Association’s person of the year in 2004 and received the Jaycees’ 10 Outstanding Young Minnesotan award in 2006

Issues of interest

• Marketing Hopkins: Wants to continue the Think Hopkins campaign but enhance that marketing by looking at what other cities are doing best.
• Fiscal responsibility: Plans to seek the opinion of diverse groups to makes decisions that are good for both the present and the future.
• Promoting “active citizenship”: Would encourage people to get involve, find people who can affect the areas they’re passionate about and work with civic organizations.
• Economic development: Would encourage new businesses to come to Hopkins and help Hopkins residents understand the businesses available here so they can support the local economy.
• Quality of life: After his experience on the Park Board, he’s more focused on improving quality of life through resources such as parks.

Biggest challenges facing Hopkins

• Economy: Hopkins is a unique position because the state has already phased out the city’s state aid, meaning it no longer has to fear further state cuts.  

Approach as a city councilman: Gadd said he would take a hands-on approach to the position. He would gather research, collect information from various groups and look to see whether there will be further issues. “I like getting out and talking to people,” he added.

Norman Teigen

Time in Hopkins: 11 years

Education: Master’s in English education

Job: Retired claims adjustor for business, homeowner and auto liability insurance; now volunteers regularly for several organizations

Family: Wife, Judy, and an adult son

Government experience

• Volunteers with Hopkins Public Schools and the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway Program, keeping many miles of roads clean. “My emphasis has been on hands-on, get your hands dirty experience,” he said.

Other relevant experience

• Volunteers to deliver blood products on the weekends for Memorial Blood Center.
• Volunteers with the Minnesota Historical Society—mainly at the Mill City Museum, where he serves as an instructor.

Is in the process of writing a book.

Issues of interest

• Building community involvement: Hopkins is made up of both homeowners and renters, and Teigen said he wants to ensure everyone has a say. “We need to hear the voices of all the people,” he said. “We need to use our scarce resources for the best interests of the entire community.”
• Development: Teigen wants to attract new businesses and new residents while continuing to retain Hopkins’ small-town flavor. “I believe that the City Council has been doing an admirable job. I just look at myself as continuing that,” he said.

Biggest challenges facing Hopkins

• Economic: “People are having a tough time holding onto their homes, making payments, keeping their jobs and so on,” Teigen said. This impacts how the city does business, although he added, “I don’t think that the obstacles that Hopkins faces are any different than any other community.
• Maintaining quality of life: The city must work to maintain quality parks and recreation, housing, fire and police and other services, he said. “We have a nice clean city, and of course we have a nice clean city because the people who live in the community are genuinely interested in the betterment of the community.”

Approach as a councilman: Teigen said he would focus on being responsive to the needs of the community and making himself available to other residents. He promised to be non-partisan, making decisions based on what’s good for the community instead of advancing a preconceived agenda.