Rachel James has been an active volunteer in the community.
Why are you running for city council?
I want to move Columbia Heights forward. I’ve lived here for 12 years, and it has been a great experience for my family and I, but I can see that there are people in our community who haven’t been represented, and I want to ensure that all people have a voice.
What do you think the community of Columbia Heights strengths are and as a council member, how can you leverage those?
The top three strengths that I see in Columbia Heights are our connected communities, our beautiful parks and outdoor spaces, and our diversity. As a city council person, you have the ability to lift up those organizations and help build bridges to connect to newer communities. We need to fully fund our parks. Many of our parks were built in the ’60s and ’70s. And the needed updates are beyond our current budget. So, we need to find a way to update our park system for how people use parks now, including funding a skate park, soccer field, a dog park and an accessible park, as well as trails. We are a city that has a low amount of business development. Most of our property taxes come from residential and homes. At the same time, we have thriving ethnic restaurants and small businesses run by our diverse communities. The city has begun some granting programs for some of those businesses, but we can do more to incentivize our diverse communities to create more business development here.
Of all your previous experiences, which best prepares you for serving as a council member?
I have been a member of the Multicultural Advisory Committee at the Columbia Heights police for the past six years. I’ve been able to work closely with the public safety, fire and police that are doing community-oriented policing. I’ve also served two terms on the Parks and Recreation Commission. The community organizing that I have done for large-scale volunteer events in our city, which includes helping with the town hall on race and policing that we organized in June 2020, and the Heights Next street cleanups on Central Avenue and bringing the backpack feeding program Every Meal to Columbia Heights.
Please list the top three issues you think need to be addressed in Columbia Heights.
Livability, business development, and transportation. I would like to work with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to make Central Avenue safer and more beautiful. It is an important main street in our community. But right now, it’s very dangerous. Also, under transportation I would advocate for expanded public transportation, infrastructure and bike lanes.
How do you plan on engaging members of the community, especially those who are not native English speakers?
The wonderful thing about Columbia Heights is all our diverse communities. We have leaders who are engaged in specific issues that are important to them. And those leaders help us build bridges and become advocates and spokespeople. One of my campaign team members is a native Spanish speaker who translated some of my campaign materials and shared them with people who need to read in Spanish. Our city has done a fantastic job of making our website accessible in multiple languages, but that does not carry through toward any public meetings or forum. I would advocate that we have a translation opportunity. Our public school system has done a fantastic job of having cultural liaisons and translators available. And I would like to see our city work towards a model like the school system.
Do you think the 2023 city budget takes sufficient account of inflation costs for the next year?
Yes, I know that budget has been prepared with the various union contracts in mind. And our city works with three unions, the fire union, the police officers’ union and the public works union. And all those unions have negotiated appropriate raises for their employees, and they use that as a basis to determine inflation for the whole city. In addition to the budget approved in October, I know that the city is considering bonding up ahead. I think that is the appropriate way for us to tackle big new projects, such as park expansion and redevelopment, new community center or redevelopment of our current community center and public works projects that need to be done.
How might the city assist in the creation of more affordable housing?
The city can continue to provide priority zoning for affordable housing developments, as well as providing TIF funds or other incentives to developers to build affordable housing. The city is working on a process of limiting the number of single-family homes that can be converted into rentals in hopes of retaining affordable housing options for our city. The biggest thing that we can do is be proactive to the opportunities that come up. In the past two years, we’ve seen affordable housing presentations come before the council, and some current members have voted no. I would work toward pursuing all affordable housing options that come before the council as well as directing staff to be proactive in seeking out those developments.
Does the city have resources to assist residents who might have to relocate because of double-digit rent increases?
I am very sympathetic to the situation that especially the seniors are experiencing here with their high rent increases in Columbia Heights, and all those who are on a fixed income. Our city does not have a lot of resources available at the current time. I would advocate that we develop some programs, and we work with Anoka County to make resources available to people who are being priced out of their current housing.
What needs to be done to reduce traffic related deaths and injuries along Central Avenue?
This corridor of Central Avenue through Columbia Heights is one of the most dangerous stretches of roads for pedestrians anywhere in the state for the studies done by MnDOT. We need to prioritize the structural changes to the roadways, to reduce speed, to increase lighting, to increase crosswalks and make it a more pedestrian friendly area. I also advocate for making University Avenue more of a commuter road with appropriate crosswalks, lighting and frontage roads.
What are your thoughts about managing green spaces in Columbia Heights including trees, parks public gardens?
As a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, I can confidently say that our parks are very well used in Columbia Heights. We have recreation programs and outdoor activities all year round. Our parks need to continue to be managed for the way people currently use them. I would advocate for more natural landscapes and more sustainable methods of treating the soil. The city has done a pilot project in Łomianki Park to reduce spraying of fertilizers and pesticides. I would like to see that expanded. I’m also a very big supporter of the Columbia Heights forester and the way that he is working to increase the diversity of our urban forest.
What would be the best use for the former Fairview Columbia Heights clinic building at 4000 Central Avenue?
Our family used to visit that clinic and we miss having that accessibility. I would like to see that site become another hub for community services that we need, including other health-related services, or other community businesses that will support all of the new residents that are moving into our area through the new developments that are coming into town.
What should be done about redeveloping the empty strip mall on 37th and Stinson?
That’s one of the largest spaces in our city that is undeveloped right now, and I would like to see that become a business development of some kind. It might be a fantastic place for retail, and that area has expanded in population in St. Anthony. It could be a site for light manufacturing or other employment options. I think that is a place that we should retain as business zoning and bring business tax income to the city.
Coverage for all Columbia Heights City Council candidates can be found at these respective links: Rachel James, John Murzyn, Nick Novitsky, and Justice Spriggs.
Below: Rachel James. (Provided photo)
