Council member Steve Scott looks forward to further investing in the community.

By Laura Osterlund and Tatiana Lee

Steve Scott became interested in the Arden Hills City Council because the direct relationships with the residents are rewarding to him. He began getting involved with the city back in 2004, starting as an election judge when the city was running its own elections. Scott continues as an election judge to this day.

In 2008, Scott worked on Parks and Trails Nature Committee until he was elected to the council in 2016. He got involved with the council due to a special election. He was elected to serve a two-year term after a previous council member died in a tragic car accident. His spirit has been a motivation for Scott to continue to serve the community well.

“I filed in 2016, and managed to say all the right things,” Scott said.

Scott and his wife are both military veterans. They met on active duty and moved to Arden Hills in 1996. Their children were in kindergarten and first grade at the time, so they enrolled them in the Mounds View school district. His wife held an education degree, so they both invested their time into school activities.

Scott was an IT volunteer for Dakota Public Schools for five years, which gave him enough experience to pursue this profession further at Lino Lake High School. Scott volunteered for the technology committee as an IT professional. He did that for three years until working his way to their Facilities Committee.

Scott also volunteered in the 2008 Arden Hills Celebration. He and his wife are also actively apart of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, an outreach program for veterans. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a service organization that offers both information and resources.

“If a veteran is having an issue with plumbing or mobility we can offer our services, and a lot of times for free,” Scott said.

Currently, Scott works for the US Department of Veteran Affairs in the Office of Management at Fort Snelling.

“Direct relationships with the community is rewarding for me,” Scott said. “I love working with the residents of the city.”

Scott is one of the few council members that continues to work a full-time job. He works until 5 p.m. every day and attends the three monthly council meetings.

“I feel obligated to attend all the civic activities that happen,” Scott said.

Recently, he attended an open house at the Lake Johanna Fire House, the official groundbreaking for a new business and a block party for phase two of the Lexington Station redevelopment.

Scott also meets with prospective tenants and welcomes them to the city. He says that the direct connection with the residents in the business community is the most rewarding part of his job on the city council.

“I think the duties, the time demands, of a council member were quite a bit more than I originally anticipated,” Scott said. “But I love the job, I really do.”

Scott had to sacrifice some personal activities to fill out his other council duties, but the outcome of this has been the realization of how much trust the legislature puts in him and others. Scott loves the relationships he has formed with the community and hopes to continue serving them on the city council.

Scott’s Top 3 Issues:

1. His main concern is about the redevelopment of the 427-acre (Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant) TCAAP property. He would like to see it as a way to expand the city but has concerns with the financial costs and potential risks going forward. He would like to ensure a way to redevelop the property while lessening any potential risks.
2. Scott also prioritizes serving the community. He would like to be actively involved in the community, so he can know how to serve the people better. Because Arden Hills has a unique military presence with the TCAAP, Scott would like to establish relationships and raise awareness within the community as a veteran himself.
3. Another value for Scott is to affirm the heritage of the community he serves. He wants to promote true democracy among the community so that people have a say in what happens inside of it. He wants to protect the interests of the community, especially when deciding on what actions to take with the TCAAP project. His goal is to make decisions that are tough but vital to the betterment of Arden Hills. Scott would like to make sure those who invest in citywide projects have a voice in the process.