Minnetonka City Council Candidate: Peggy Kvam

Editor's note: This week we feature candidates running for the Minnetonka City Council in the . Four days this week, we will feature two of the eight candidates, according to alphabetical order of their last names.

 The election will fill the vacant City Council Member, At Large Seat B, left vacant when former Council Member Amber Greves resigned the position in December.

PEGGY KVAM

Minnetonka Patch: What qualifications do you have that will make you an effective Minnetonka City Council member?

Peggy Kvam: I bring energy, commitment and breadth of skills to help our city deal with new challenges in a changing world.

I am very engaged in our community through city and volunteer activities, and already have working relationships with city government and community leaders. I am an Electrical Engineer with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. I am a small business owner with an MBA and corporate management and financial  job experience as well. With the rest of the seats held by men, I will bring a voice for women to our City Council.

During my campaign for the Ward 1 seat on Minnetonka City Council this fall, I met thousands of my Minnetonka neighbors and discussed their concerns. I am well-prepared to serve our city.

Patch: What is the biggest issue for the city of Minnetonka? Why?

Kvam: Although Minnetonka is financially sound now, the costs of maintaining our services will continue to rise. There is little open space left in the city for new development to build our tax base, and we must not price our residents out of their homes with property tax increases. Also our children are looking for affordable housing in the neighborhoods they grew up in.

One way I will address this financial concern is to look for innovative ways to reduce costs. Listening to our residents is a great source of ideas. Already citizens I've met while campaigning have suggested many areas to examine to lower costs. Also, redevelopment is appropriate in areas such as around the proposed Shady Oak Road Light Rail station. With the light rail and trail links as a featured amenity, the area can attract new residential, retail and commercial development which will boost the city's tax base.

To address affordable housing for young families, I support Minnetonka's low interest loan programs for home repairs, remodeling  and first-time homebuyers. Additionally, many residents in smaller, older homes on non-standard lots would like to add-on but encounter setback and other restrictions. I would like to review our regulations to make it easier to maintain the character of our neighborhoods by revitalizing our existing housing.

Patch: What is current Minnetonka leadership doing well? What could be better?

Kvam:

Doing well:

Minnetonka's parks are excellent and numerous, and it was our residents who made it possible by approving a $15 million Parks and Open Space bond referendum ten years ago. Half of the funding was  used to update recreation areas in our 43 parks. Neighbors were involved in determining how their neighborhood parks should be used and updated. The other half was used for open space preservation, restoring areas that have been overrun by weeds and buckthorn and converting unused mowed areas to native habitat. I participate as  a volunteer on the Minnetonka Natural Resources Restoration team which helps remove invasive species and plant native trees and shrubs in these parklands.

Could be better:

Many of the concerns I've heard during my campaign are a result of poor communication. The residents feel left out of decisions affecting their neighborhoods. Public hearings do not have a two-way dialog that builds a framework of working together. I think we can do much better, and my response to the next question will address this.

Patch: How will you get input from your constituents?

Kvam: Improving Council/Constituent communication is very important to me. I believe the City Council Members are elected to bring the residents’ voices into all discussions.

I will always visit the locations of the city's projects and seek comment from the neighborhood  residents. I plan to hold quarterly  town-hall type meetings. These will be informal opportunities to meet  with the neighbors, and to keep the communication lines open. I look forward to hearing from my neighbors, and will always return their calls and email.

Patch: Give us a brief background of yourself. 

Kvam: My husband Bruce and I have been homeowners in Minnetonka for 27 years. I have lived in the Twin Cities my entire life, attending Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, the University of Minnesota (BS and MS Electrical Engineering) and St. Thomas University (MBA). After working for  over two decades in the semiconductor industry, ten years ago I founded a small software business where I continue to work with my husband. My hobbies are playing volleyball and restoring my own yard's native habitat. I enjoy world travel, and have studied French, Russian and Japanese languages.

I am committed to the well-being of my community, and am an active volunteer for a variety of local organizations, listed below. This has given me an opportunity to work with people throughout the community, building relationships with both residents and local government.

• Lead Election Judge for Minnetonka Precincts
• Senate Recount Election Judge
• League of Women Voters Minnetonka & MN Board Member
• Minnetonka Natural Resource Restoration Volunteer
• Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Raingarden
• We Can Ride Volunteer
• Tour de Tonka Volunteer
• Thanksgiving Day Free Store Volunteer
• Reach For Resources Empowerment Group Speaker
• Freedom Pointe Senior Assisted Living Speaker
• Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society Leader
• 2011 Candidate for Ward 1 City Council Seat

For more information or to contact me, please see my website www.peggykvam.com. I hope to earn your vote on February 14th.