Mounds View still needs a slogan

Some residents told city leaders they didn't like front-runner "See for yourself" and urged the City Council to take more time selecting the right tagline.

By ALLIE SHAH, Star Tribune

Last update: November 3, 2009 - 4:34 PM

It's back to the drawing board for Mounds View city leaders hoping to help freshen up the community's image with a new slogan.

Until last week, the City Council appeared headed toward choosing "See for yourself" as the new slogan, or tagline, featured on the city's letterhead, website and other marketing materials.

But after hearing objections from several residents, the council decided last week at its regular meeting to postpone voting on the proposal.

Instead, members will discuss that tagline along with other possibilities at a December work session.

"We received feedback from residents and others that was less than supportive of the tagline," said Jim Ericson, the city's clerk-administrator. "They urged the council to take its time and make sure the tagline was appropriate for the community."

Council members may even decide to stick with the current slogan -- "Pride, progress, partnerships" -- or forgo having a tagline at all.

Over the past year, city leaders have been working on a larger branding effort to define Mounds View and distinguish it from other suburbs in the hopes of attracting more homeowners and businesses to the city.

They hired a marketing firm and solicited suggestions for taglines. More than 100 ideas were submitted, including many from residents in Mounds View and surrounding cities.

"See for yourself" emerged as the front-runner recently, when the City Council, meeting as the Mounds View Economic Development Authority, selected it as the best of the bunch.

All that remained to make it official was a formal vote by the council at its Oct. 26 meeting.

Val Amundson, one of the residents opposed to the "See for yourself" idea, told council members at that meeting that the tagline doesn't really tell visitors anything about what Mounds View has to offer.

Ken Roberts, community development director for Mounds View, said city staff is trying to create an interactive poll on the city's website so more residents can give their opinion on the "See for yourself" suggested tagline.

Allie Shah • 612-673-4488

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