Welcome! My name is Julie Strahan and I am running for re-election to the Roseville City Council. I am a 20-year Roseville resident, currently serving my first term as Roseville City Councilmember.
Related to my position, I have served on the Ramsey County League of Local Governments, the Board of Metro Cities, a consortium of elected that advises the work of the Metropolitan Council. I have been on a Wage and Tax Fraud taskforce, participated in a Climate Caucus, met with Moms Demand Action, and have joined Local Progress, a national grassroots organization that forwards economic justice.
Since I was elected in 2020, the Roseville City Council has passed a flavored tobacco ban, a ban on conversion therapy, changed our process for recruiting commissioners to be more inclusive, joined the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Land Trust, added embedded social workers and a Housing Navigator to the Roseville Policy Community Action Team, and advanced the training of the Roseville Fire Department to better serve the people of Roseville. We also strengthened and created greater purpose for citizen commissions with the newly formed Equity and Inclusion Commission that will guide the work of the city. I will continue my commitment to recruiting citizen appointees that represent the array of people who call Roseville home.
What is left to do? We must take bold steps to protect our environment and address climate change – Roseville could be a leader in EV charging stations, car shares, with developers and businesses joining the innovation? We currently have no public EV charging stations in town and very few ways for renters to consider an electric car purchase. The EV HourCar network is seeking it’s next partner city – why not Roseville?
With so many excellent restaurants in town, what about requiring reusable or ecological takeout containers?
Lowered speed limits on residential streets? These ideas could add to our approved EV Fire Truck for the city of Roseville. We must continue to improve accessibility to parks, trails, public buildings, and our website. We need incentives for businesses (or disincentives for those not following the ADA) to make their businesses accessible to others. Roseville has added accessibility to Central Park – that should only be the beginning!
Term limits. I believe in term limits and will step aside after no more than 2 terms on council to allow the next generation of leaders a space to thrive. I will continue my work to develop and inspire young and new leaders to be actively involved in the running of their city. I draw from local politically active students to learn the issues they find the most pressing and get their ideas for a better future. According to a MN demographer, the key to continued prosperity in Roseville is the building up of people of color. With the BIPOC community now comprising 25-35% of the Roseville population, it is vital that the business community and the city address needs specific to BIPOC. The success of Roseville depends on the success of our communities of color.
Citizens regularly express frustration that we no longer have a city paper. I believe this includes limited interaction with city staff and elected leaders. I will continue to lobby for Coffee with Council or similar, once a month or more, spread throughout the city – going to the residents in park buildings, the library, coffee shops, etc. – and learning what issues they are facing in their life in Roseville. I will support viable options to increase city communication.
