Joe Bodell

Ask Joe: Doorknocking and Lawn Signs

Posted on January 17, 2012

A Minnetonka voter emailed Joe the following question:

I noticed some of my conservative neighbors with your sign in their yard. This is odd as you are an admitted progressive. I’m just curious how honest you are with people going door to door. I shouldn’t assume deceit, but it is rather odd.

I would just ask, regardless of which side your “strong values” fall on, that if elected you help protect the liberties of the Minnetonka residents in regards to their property. The city council from the day we moved here has failed tremendously in this regard.

Best regards,

xxxxxxxxx

We absolutely need our candidates to be honest with folks while doorknocking and engaging in all types of campaigning. Here’s how Joe responded:

Thanks for getting in touch. My pitch at the door is pretty simple: My name is Joe Bodell, and here’s why I’m running: to start fixing the demographic crunch, and to help keep our neighborhoods and small businesses strong. The rest of the stuff that defines us as progressive, conservative, liberal, libertarian…at the local level, a lot of it is just noise. Ultimately we all have the same values — family, hard work, opportunity — and at the local level we really can come together to work on them as a team, regardless of our national/state leanings. Great to hear that the lawn signs are visible!

Are you referring to liberties in terms of eminent domain, and issues like it? I would love to hear what you think.

Thanks!

–Joe Bodell

Let us know what you think!

Sneak Preview

Posted on January 14, 2012

We’ll show off the whole lawn sign design over the weekend — but here’s proof that they’ve arrived!

Want one? Sign up!

Ask Joe: Family

Posted on January 13, 2012

Sending emails to voters and potential supporters is a part of modern campaigning. It helps the campaign and the candidate reach out to voters, and it gives the recipients a way to connect back to the candidate.

In a recent email, Joe talked about his big issues — family, neighborhoods, and small businesses. One recipient replied to ask about family:

Dear Joe,

Do you have a definition of what you consider a family?

Here’s how Joe responded:

I am committed in every way to my own family, which fits the “traditional” definition. But I grew up as an only child in a single-parent home, and my mom and I were a family too. At the most basic level, a family is a group of people who are united by love, and who care for each other no matter what.

The more political component is this: when a right is considered a Civil Right, it means we must always seek to secure it for all citizens, whether it’s the right to unite one’s life, liberty, and property with those of another individual, or adopt children as a couple. I support equality in marriage and family issues, and strongly oppose the related constitutional amendment that’s going to be on the November ballot this year.

What are your thoughts? Hope to hear back, and earn your support.

Thanks,

Joe Bodell

What are your thoughts? Email us at bodellcampaign@gmail.com and let us know!

Why City Council?

Posted on January 12, 2012

When you run for public office, one of the first questions folks ask usually sounds like “why are you running?” or “what’s driving you to run for this office, now?”

They’re good questions. Why, when all we seem to hear about on the news is how poisonous the atmospheres in Washington and St. Paul are, would anyone want to run for even a local office?

The short answer: because it’s important.

Minnetonka’s leadership has done a great job in the past few years, which have presented incredible challenges to cities and towns across America. But we need new voices, especially from the generation that’s going to be tasked with solving the great challenges yet to come. I know what it’s going to take to compete effectively with newer suburbs to the south and west, and I want to put my ideas and values to work for our great city.

In my day job, I work in a large company with a wide range of financial professionals – in short, my job is to build software that make their jobs easier. This requires strong communication skills to make sure we’re building what our stakeholders really need. The same goes for leadership in local government – communicating effectively requires both explanation and listening for what’s not only said, but meant.

So why not another role at the local level? This election, this at-large seat represents an incredible opportunity to put my unique skills – equal parts modern technology and strong communication – to work right now. I don’t believe strong contributors should be kept in the minor leagues until the Big League authorities decide they’re “ready.” We face great challenges now, we need leaders to solve them now.

With your help, I will be just such a leader.

Missed Opportunities: St. Jude moving to Plymouth

Posted on January 6, 2012

Minnetonka Patch is reporting on what should be seen as a big loss for Minnetonka: St. Jude Medical consolidating operations in a new Plymouth campus, taking jobs out of Minnetonka in the process.

The company announced plans to expand its presence in Plymouth, Minn. with a construction project designed to expand its current facilities and consolidate operations for the company’s Cardiovascular Division.

The St. Jude Medical board of directors recently approved plans to add a three-story portion to its existing Plymouth building located at 5050 Nathan Lane, consolidating the company’s current Cardiovascular Division leased locations in Minnetonka and Maple Grove with existing operations at the site.

We shouldn’t blame Plymouth for this loss; our neighbors to the north would be silly not to take advantage of this opportunity. Minnetonka must focus on the small neighborhood businesses that are vital parts of our neighborhoods, but large campus-centered businesses like this are a driver of economic vitality as well. Employees spend money on other local businesses during and after the work day. They tend to be exactly the same people we need to attract to Minnetonka: young and mid-career professionals, family members who work in growing, high-tech, well-paying industries. When we lose employers like St. Jude Medical to neighboring cities, we risk becoming a bedroom community, increasingly vulnerable to economic downturns.

As your next City Council member, I’ll make sure our city’s leadership works hard to keep these employers in town and expand high-tech professional job opportunities in town.

Website Update!

Posted on December 27, 2011

Welcome to the newly updated campaign site! We’ve added a new layout, and will be adding more tools and updates with the new year. If you won’t be around or want to vote early, make sure to check out the absentee voting information in the right-hand sidebar!

Welcome!

Posted on December 27, 2011

In October, City Council member Amber Greves announced that she and her family would soon move to Colorado, and she would resign from the Council. It is always hard to lose a great leader like Amber, but the special election on February 14th is a great opportunity — to give the people of Minnetonka a voice in the makeup of our city’s government, to elect a leader who will push for the policies that will make Minnetonka a magnet for young families and professionals, stabilize our local economy, and instill confidence in an open, responsive government.

The election is coming quickly! Our website will expand as we move along — check back often for updates!

Filing: Complete!

Posted on December 8, 2011

Joe made his candidacy official today by filing at the Minnetonka Community Center!

The campaign is rolling forward – get in touch to find out how you can help!