Different pasts but similar goals in race for mayor

The two candidates campaigning to be Ramsey's next mayor come with different background experience but both say the city needs fewer regulations and must loosen Town Center plan restrictions to rejuvenate the stalled project.

Candidates Terri Cleveland, 57, and Bob Ramsey, 44, noted that the original Town Center plan was to attract development that would pay for the spacious new City Hall and adjacent parking ramp that face the largely barren project site across Sunwood Drive. The plan envisioned small retail shops surrounded by parks, a pond and walkways to nearby townhouses. But the dream evaporated in 2006 when developer Bruce Nedegaard went bankrupt and soon afterward died. Bank lenders foreclosed.

"The Town Center project is the biggest problem," Ramsey said. He said the city should work with banks and developers to find a workable plan, or seek a large business headquarters campus. But the key to the project, he said, is garnering county or state funds to build Hwy. 10 interchange bridges to carry shoppers over the adjacent railroad tracks to Town Center.

The September primary attracted four candidates after Mayor Tom Gamec announced he would not seek reelection. Ramsey, a small-business owner, won the primary with 1,088 votes to 712 for Cleveland, a city planning commission member. The other two candidates who were eliminated received a combined 424 votes.

Although the Town Center plan envisioned small retail businesses, Cleveland would consider a big-box business like Fleet Farm. She said as mayor she would help market the project to developers and lobby the Legislature for local government aid or other funds.

"Development can happen. We need to be flexible and open the doors," said Cleveland, who has served on the city planning commission for two years.

The city has sold $19.2 million in general obligation bonds to pay for the parking ramp and City Hall. The mostly rural suburb is struggling to meet increasing debt payments without raising taxes. It plans to borrow from its water and sewer funds until new tax revenues are freed up in 2012 when some tax increment financing districts expire, said city finance director Diana Lund.

Cleveland, who is married with two grown children, has started an interior design business in her home and works part-time for Anoka-Hennepin schools as an assessor of education levels of adults seeking a general equivalency degree (GED). She also serves on the city charter commission and board of adjustment. She said her city experience and two college degrees in public policy and administration would equip her to hit the ground running as mayor.

"I am worried about my city. That is why I am running," said Cleveland, who campaigned for the County Board against Commissioner Dennis Berg two years ago. If elected mayor, she would seek a two-year freeze on the property-tax rate, she said.

Ramsey, married with three children, said he is a common-sense businessman who sees himself as more statesman than politician.

"I like to tell people a statesman looks at the next generation. A politician looks at the next election." He said a lot of door knocking has shown him many residents share his limited government approach.

Ramsey says he gained leadership skills from running his five-employee maintenance business for 10 years and serving 21 years in the U.S. Army. He said he earned a Bronze Star for meritorious service while leading a mechanics' team in 1991 during the Gulf War. Ramsey said he earned a GED within a year of leaving Anoka High School to join the Army at age 17.

The candidates, who both grew up in nearby suburbs, would change park policies. Cleveland said no more parks should be added because the city can't afford to maintain the 47 parks it has.

Ramsey would sell some undeveloped park land to help maintain developed parks and reduce the tax burden.

Ramsey also disputes the science behind the city's wetland buffer ordinance, which requires protecting buffers along a wetland if adjacent property is developed. He said he would repeal the law if it doesn't have a solid foundation. If it does, he would support paying landowners for the buffers, which he concedes would cost tax dollars.

The two candidates believe the city has misused its eminent domain powers. They say city officials wasted tax money by starting to condemn 13 properties near Hwy. 10 and Armstrong Boulevard for the Ramsey Crossings business development.

The process cost about $525,000 for legal and land appraisal costs, Lund said. But the 13 property owners still have their land because two developers backed out last year, she noted.

Jim Adams • 612-673-7658