Background

I grew up just across the river in St. Paul and remember my first time in Mendota Heights for a sleepover at a friend’s house. Little did I know that my husband Jimmy and I would buy that home to raise our family!

We moved to Mendota Heights 32 years ago because we cherish its location, green spaces, local businesses, fantastic schools and vibrant community. Our three children, now in their 20’s, are proud Two Rivers (formerly Henry Sibley) graduates. Over the years, we have engaged in Mendota Heights athletics and participated in a variety of Parks and Recreation programs. We appreciate our public works and value our public safety. 

Every day my dog Leo and I walk our wonderful trails. If you ever want to chat, we always welcome company. I am also available to meet at your convenience, just contact me and we’ll schedule a time.

Experience & Qualifications

These past (almost) four years have been busy! In my role as mayor, I have approached every task with a commitment to listen and learn, enthusiasm, energy, and a focus on getting the job done.

I bring experience in governance, ethics, leadership, and communication as well as a background in finance and fiscal policy. I believe that fact-based reasoning and collaboration is essential in decision-making.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota. I spent 15 years in the private sector as an actuary specializing in health care and pensions. Later, I spent eight years as a Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commissioner, including two years as Chair. Additionally, I served 7 years on the West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area School Board (ISD 197) including time as Treasurer and Vice-Chair. I have held leadership positions with numerous non-profit agencies, including the Greater Twin Cities United Way on their Board of Directors and the Association of Metropolitan School Districts as Board Chair. I have represented our community on both county and state-level advisory committees and have advocated and testified at our state legislature. In these roles, I have built strong relationships at the city, county, state and national levels.

As Mayor, I have effectively leveraged my diverse background in business, government, non-profit and education sectors to serve our city. I am involved in the Regional Council of Mayors, Dakota County Mayor-Managers, and participate in training sessions offered by the League of Minnesota Cities throughout the year. Regular meetings with the mayors of Lilydale, Mendota and Sunfish Lake as well as participation in a “walking/learning mayors’ group” with South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights and West St. Paul foster collaborative efforts to address regional challenges and opportunities for our Mendota Heights community.

I value integrity, honesty, and transparency in public service. I spend much of my time engaging directly with our community. Mendota Heights is a close-knit community whose residents care about our city and each other. Each of us has a voice that matters.

Accomplishments & Vision

So much has been accomplished these past (almost) 4 years! Our success is due to the partnerships we have fostered between elected and appointed leadership (our City Council and 4 advisory commissions), staff and community.

It is a point of pride that our Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Administration, Natural Resources and Public Works departments provide the highest quality city services. Despite a competitive job market, we have not only retained our highly skilled workforce, but have also attracted exceptional new talent to our city. Our dedicated team of only 50 full-time employees takes pride in serving Mendota Heights, and it shows.

At the beginning of my first term, in 2021, we undertook a comprehensive city-wide strategic planning initiative aimed at improving service and proactively planning for our city’s future. That effort has evolved into four strategic areas refined during my second term in 2023:

1. Economic Vitality & Community Vibrancy
2. Environmental Sustainability & Stewardship
3. Premier Public Services & Infrastructure
4. Inclusive & Responsive Government

We are dedicated to continually improve how we serve our residents. Some recent enhancements include:

Economic Vitality & Community Vibrancy

• Expanded recreation programming for all ages and seasons, with record community event participation (e.g., Dog Day at the Dog Park, Trick or Tee at the Par 3, Music in the Park series)
• Strong support and services for the business community
• Enhanced partnerships with community groups such as athletic associations, master gardeners, schools and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
• Increased opportunities for public safety engagement with the community
• Launched Volunteer Portal to harness community expertise

Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship

• Received first-ever bonding allocation from the MN State Legislature for $1.85 million dollars for improvements at Oheyawahi/Pilot Knob
• Established the Natural Resources Commission
• Designation as a Green Step City, achieving Level 3 in 2024
• Highest percentage of population composting in Dakota County
• Integration of sustainability into city decisions (e.g., plowing, use of brine instead of salt, planning for EV charging stations)
• Adoption of Living Streets Policy
• Grant recipient for stream stabilization at Valley Park and collaboration with Dakota County on trail enhancements
• Community efforts to promote rain gardens and native species vegetation on private property
• Investment in Tree Canopy Program to mitigate loss of trees from Emerald Ash Borer
• Became a Tree City

Premier Public Services & Infrastructure

• Successful recruitment and retention of high-quality staff, including our volunteer paid-on-call fire department
• Proactive policing initiatives ensuring safety and security
• Responsive firefighting services in times of need
• Preservation of the Fire Department Volunteer Paid-on-Call model
• Public works keeping our city looking great in all seasons
• Open and welcoming City Hall for resident concerns
• Ran numerous problem-free elections
• Completion of 25-year street reconstruction plan
• Key investments such as new Ladder 11 Firetruck, brine plow named Ka-Plow!, improvements to recreational facilities (e.g., Wentworth warming house, Par 3, tennis and pickleball courts, Valley View Park, Skatepark at Rogers Lake, and enhanced ball fields) and trail connections.

Inclusive & Responsive Government

• Refreshed city communications with a new web site, additional Heights Highlights issues, and expanded social media presence
• Streamlining city code and aligning it to our 2040 Comprehensive Plan (nearing completion)
• Policy chances to improve cell service, address short-term rentals, and code enforcement (in progress)
• Monthly Coffee with Council to hear resident concerns
• Outreach efforts to include groups that have been historically underrepresented in decision-making
• Preserved AAA Bond rating with responsible and impactful budgeting
• Maintained reasonable tax rates

Looking ahead, our focus remains on providing high-quality public service at a reasonable tax rate. We aim to build community, protect our environment, (re)develop responsibly, and plan for our future. With a growing number of young families and retirees, we need to plan around these demographic trends. We also must address our aging infrastructure, including our police department/city hall building.

We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to pursue our goals over the past (almost) 4 years, and I hope to continue that momentum. As a developed city, we need to think about redevelopment that preserves the natural feel of the city. Our parks are aging, and we are addressing long-term issues with a Parks Master Plan that will give us a roadmap for the next 15 years. We will be looking for new funding streams, especially in Natural Resources. We will continue to harness community expertise through volunteerism. We will support our business community and look at ways to revitalize our business park together (one recent example was allowing pickleball courts to be built for tenants). We also will enhance and grow our recreation offerings, particularly for underserved seniors and teens. We will continue to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars by making prudent capital improvement plan all while retaining a AAA bond rating and reasonable tax rate. City work is transparent, and council members are accessible to the public through many means, including a monthly Coffee with the Council.

We must continue to provide public safety and security for our community in a challenging environment and prepare for regional growth that will impact our city. Preserving our natural resources requires us to “act local” by challenging ourselves as a city and community to protect our environment. Supporting our schools and vibrant business community are crucial to maintaining Mendota Heights as a desirable place to live, work, raise a family and retire. 

As always, I remain accessible to all members of our community. I value your thoughts and ideas, and you can reach me through email, phone or in-person meetings. I generally respond to constituents within 24 hours.

Email: stephanielevine4mayor@gmail.com

Phone: 651-686-0340