 Welcome back from what I hope was a rejuvenating Thanksgiving weekend. As the year winds down, I’m hearing from so many of you that you are tired. Really stretched. I truly hope you’ll find time to recharge, re-center on the “why” that keeps you energized, encouraged each day. Fourth quarter for your chamber is all about gearing up for the year ahead, setting our priorities. As a team, we’ll also be taking some downtime at the end of December so we, too, are recharged and ready. Today I want to update you on the Chamber’s policy priorities into 2023. By now you should know that I strive to approach our work, use our voice, thoughtfully. As it relates to our policy work, we spent the entirety of 2022 taking a deep dive into topics we believe will be transformational and that we can impact: public safety, housing, and the benefits cliff. Through that deep dive, our Public Policy Committee developed a set of recommendations we’ll be pursuing next year. On Nov. 15, we presented our 2023 Advocacy Priorities to the St. Paul Area Chamber Board of Directors for their review and approval. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. See you in the trenches. B 
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On Sunday the Pioneer Press published my latest op ed, this one welcoming our new Chief of Police and sharing the results of our recent public safety survey. Upon accepting his appointment, Chief Henry spoke about his vision for co-producing with the community a public safety strategy that can be a role model for other communities. My response is that “the business community is aligned in our desire, in the strongest terms, to improve outcomes in public safety and support this vision.” Because we have real work to do. In the article I describe that I see St. Paul at an “inflection point”: the majority of respondents (56%) express continued confidence in the city’s long-term plan to improve public safety AND we need some course corrections to demonstrate progress and maintain the public’s trust. I think specifically about a victim-centered approach when it comes to holding people accountable for breaking the law – the need for real and immediate connection to consequences. It's also worth noting the work of social services providers and the City/County in serving the unsheltered, connecting people to housing, shelter, and services, to close encampments. This challenge continues, but their extraordinary effort is worth noting. Follow THIS LINK to read our report on the survey. See you in the trenches. B  
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I spend a great deal of time throughout the year talking with you, our members, about your strategic priorities. It’s important for me to hear directly from you about what you need from us. This year, you are telling us that your top priorities are: talent shortages within your organizations; dealing with inflationary impacts; workplace culture/employee engagement; and continuing to invest in your diversity/inclusion priorities. That first priority was the genesis for our inaugural Career Connect Day in late October. Our vision was to introduce high school sophomores to companies and potential career path opportunities. The day brought together almost 1900 students and 100 companies. Organized along the career pathways as laid out by the Minnesota Department of Education, Career Connect Day creates an introductory, exploratory, and fun day for students to be exposed to new career ideas, new brands, and the people actually doing the work already. I am so thrilled with how the day played out. What a great accomplishment for all of us. Thanks to everyone on the Chamber team, within the school districts, and the participating/sponsoring employers for making the day such a great success. Next year? With the encouragement from employers and the Ramsey County Workforce Innovation Board, we plan to make this a 2-day event: day 1 for students, and day 2 for adults looking for retraining, internships or second careers. Please stay tuned and be sure to engage – we plan for this to become a perennial event, in service to the entire region. On a side note: because I admire Bill Lindeke and how he thinks, I wanted to flag for you this fun interview here. As it turns out, he “believes St. Paul is the better twin!” See you in the trenches. B Dakota County: There is a significant backlog of criminal cases in the Dakota County District Court. The backlog was caused by the inability to conduct jury trials and other hearing types for a significant period dating back to March 16, 2020. Dakota County authorized the use of American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to add 3.0 FTE To County Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in response to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and amend County Attorney's Office and non-departmental 2021 budgets. 
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I’m writing this on Monday, just before Election Day. Historically, mid term elections have seen lower voting numbers. Not so this year. Funding for several Twin Cities metro projects on the ballot, several races (including, surprisingly, the Governor) are too close to call, and control of the Legislature is in the balance. Nationally, U.S. News is reporting that early voter participation points towards a record-breaking turnout, even higher than seen in 2018. We should anticipate as much in Minnesota as well. And, so far, young people have participated in early voting at a much higher level than historical averages. St. Paul and other big districts are keeping students home. And election officials are preparing for scrutiny on voting, election results. Beyond partisanship, I anticipate that the economy and inflation will impact voting. In recent weeks, most voters are giving the U.S. economy a dismal grade. That is, 56% of voters say the current state of the economy deserves a D or F, with inflation and the cost of necessities like groceries and gas driving their assessment. My encouragement? To my mind, we all have power – and responsibility. Use it and vote! See you in the trenches. B
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Election day is THIS week. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates! Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news.
 This morning I joined Mayor Carter and other community leaders for an important announcement about our new St. Paul police Chief, Axel Henry. Public safety is a top priority for St. Paul and fundamental to building vitality in our community. Renewing our focus on improving public safety, while building trust and respect in the community seems more important than ever. With his experience and perspective, Chief Henry is well-positioned to continue building on the culture that he's now charged with leading and we are here to support him. St. Paul faces very real challenges in terms of public safety, and Henry - a seasoned veteran within the St. Paul Police Department and a Saint Paul Native - understands the nuances of our community and the challenges we are facing. I was honored to be a part of this selection process. The candidate pool was very strong, particularly from within the SPPD itself. I look forward to working with Chief Henry as he steps into this important role. B Kyle President & CEO St. Paul Area Chamber
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Election day is next week. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates! Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news.
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