Bob Hopkins

For Olmsted County Commissioner, District 6

Growing Together

The one thing we know for certain is that Rochester and its surrounding communities in Olmsted County are facing a time of growth. Mayo Clinic, the primary economic driver of our community, is making an unprecedented investment of over $5 billion in Rochester’s downtown that will result in growth and change for Rochester and its surrounding communities within Olmsted County.

I will work with my Olmsted County Commission colleagues to ensure that our path to growth and development includes the following key elements:

Engagement

Engage with the community completely. Every community needs to have a voice and needs to be listened to and heard. This includes neighborhoods and businesses, underserved and immigrant communities, the healthcare community, and many others that have a stake in the outcome of various Olmsted County projects and investments.

Transparency

Growth and change is unsettling to many. A lack of information about the projects and processes and the guiding purpose behind them creates a vacuum often filled with rumors and mistrust. As leaders in Olmsted County, it is incumbent on all of us to ensure citizens are fully informed and given the opportunity to participate in the process at every opportunity.

Responsibility

With growth comes investment. Olmsted County must make investments to ensure the community is benefitting from this growth and its residents’ needs are being met. This requires a focus on responsible use of resources to ensure the county is adhering to financial constraints while making the investments needed to benefit everyone and ensuring that no one is being left behind.

Issues that Bob intends to focus on as Olmsted County Commissioner

Infrastructure Investment

The kind of growth we are anticipating will require a significant investment in physical infrastructure including, roads, bridges, and all forms of public infrastructure needed to ensure the safe development of a growing community. This must be done responsibly and in ways that ensure public trust and financial accountability.

Affordable Housing

We must consider the need to address the severe shortage of affordable housing in the greater Rochester area. Attracting the best talent for a growing workforce includes having sufficient housing opportunities so people can afford to live and work in the greater Rochester and Olmsted communities.

Law Enforcement

Olmsted County has significant law enforcement responsibilities to ensure our communities are safe. We must build on the considerable efforts of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s office build a responsive and effective law enforcement presence with the tools necessary to address the significant challenges they face, including the continued influx of deadly fentanyl into our communities.