Thissen is first to challenge Woodbury City Council incumbents

• Mike Thissen

Mike Thissen

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Mike Thissen wants to bring a different voice to Woodbury City Hall. A prompt and quick voice, too.

On numerous occasions he expressed concerns regarding traffic in the Fairway Meadows neighborhood without one call back from City Council, he said.

He said he would appreciate it if local government was more responsive to residents’ needs, especially concerning safety in residential neighborhoods.

Which is why he decided to run for City Council and filed for election Friday, Aug. 10.

“If you can’t get anything as a resident, I guess you kind of have to do it from the inside,” Thissen said.

The 42-year-old, who works as a health inspector for the city of Bloomington, said he plans to respond to residents’ “reasonable requests” when it comes to things that affect speed in their neighborhoods, traffic safety around city parks and community amenities.

When Cottage Grove Drive was closed off to through traffic, he said all vehicles are now redirected to Fairway Meadows, causing speed issues there and around children at the neighborhood park as well.

“I’ve asked several City Council members and city staff for some solutions… just reasonable things and I never heard from any City Council members,” Thissen said.

As a council member, he also wants to add a community center and an outdoor water park or community pool.

“Other than Central Park for toddlers, there is no active water parks, swimming-pool type things like a lot of cities have,” he said.

Thissen knows what it’s like to work with local government officials – he’s been in the business since 1994. Prior to joining the city of Bloomington, he was the environmental services director for Watonwan County in southern Minnesota.

“I’m familiar with how things run in city governments,” he said.

Thissen said he’s one to listen, look into things and respond. He realizes often times Woodbury would receive unrealistic requests, but he still wants to bring a “can-do attitude.”

“I always return calls, I always return emails,” he said. “I just don’t like it when my representatives don’t respond to constituents.”

Thissen plans to challenge incumbents Amy Scoggins and Paul Rebholz in the at-large race for two seats.

The filing period for City Council closes at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

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