Politics & Government

Mayor Highlights Apple Valley's Path to Becoming Smart 21st-Century City

Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland gave the annual State of the City address at a luncheon of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

The highlight of Wednesday's State of the City address for Apple Valley for many was an announcement that an employer of 30,000 people worldwide, Stream Global Services, .

But Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland had much more to say during the annual speech, given to about 150 attendees at a luncheon of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, held at the . While she mentioned city services, recreation, military veteran services and housing, she largely spoke about the city's and community's focus on business and jobs on the whole.

"The city council and my No. 1 goal is to create jobs for our community," Hamann-Roland said in the speech, which was themed "A Smart City for the 21st Century."

Find out what's happening in Apple Valley-Rosemountwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hamann-Roland began by talking about how she sees strong education programs feeding into the business community—for example, the focus on science, technology, engineering and math in District 196 schools.

Magnet school , is "preparing the talent of the 21st century" by improving math and reading through its STEM curriculum, she said; and also provide STEM curriculum. further prepares future workforce, helping students "actively learn and gain practical experience," Hamann-Roland said.

Find out what's happening in Apple Valley-Rosemountwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

From there, she provided a picture of how the new bus rapid transit system along Cedar Avenue will help link the community now and in the future with business and city services. She provided a plethora of cases of businesses attracted and retained in Apple Valley, as well as reinvestments made in the past year and prospects for future development. A few examples she included:

  • expansion and remodeling
  • Jim Paul's remodel
  • reinvestment
  • The openings of new businesses including , and

In the past two years, Apple Valley has issued 140 commercial building permits she said.

Hamann-Roland highlighted not just the development of the Cedar Avenue corridor, but of 147th street.

Completing 147th and creating a north-south connection at Flagstaff Avenue between 140th and 147th streets should open access to vacant properties for development, she said, where there is the potential to bring in new businesses with a $30 million impact on the annual gross regional product, Hamann-Roland said.

She also said the former Hanson concrete property will be "master planned" in 2012 with the help of a Metropolitan Council grant.

"We move forward with confidence and optimism for our future, growing economic development and jobs," she said.


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