Tonka Talk Community and Connection
Welcome to Tonka Talk, the podcast that explores community and connection around Lake Minnetonka.
Nestled near the serene shores of Lake Minnetonka in the Twin Cities, our show is your guide to discovering the inspiring stories of individuals and groups who are crafting vibrant, meaningful community and connection in this picturesque setting.
From lakeside gatherings to community events, from stories of local heroes to heartwarming tales of collaboration, we dive into the ways people are coming together to create a strong sense of belonging.
Whether you're a longtime resident, a newcomer to the area, or simply interested in the power of community, Tonka Talk has something for you.
Do you know of someone creating community and connection in a unique or big way? Share it with us. We would love to hear from you.
Learn more and connect with us at https://www.tonkatalk.com
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Tonka Talk Community and Connection
The Andrew Myers Effect: Crafting Dialogues and Policies for a Better Community
Have you ever wondered what it takes to serve as the voice of a diverse community? Join Andrew Myers, the dedicated representative of District 45A, as he unravels his path from the Minnetonka Beach planning commission to the floors of the Minnesota House.
During our enlightening conversation on Tonka Talk, Andrew dives into the balancing act of public service, his personal life, and business management, while also navigating the intricate needs of different communities. Here's a rare glimpse into the life of a public servant who prioritizes connection over politics and emphasizes the power of representing a kaleidoscope of viewpoints.
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Hello everybody and welcome to Tonka Talk. I'm Natalie and we share the ways people create community and connection all around Lake Minnetonka, and today I get to chat with Andrew Myers, who is our local representative in the House of Representatives. So you are like our representative around Lake Minnetonka.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm a represent District 45A and it's 11 cities around Lake Minnetonka.
Speaker 1:Wow, okay.
Speaker 2:So you know, a good size area, which I like because it's, you know, every city kind of has different things going on, so kind of one big community but small little ones in between.
Speaker 1:It is. That describes it well. It's a large community around Lake Minnetonka, but there are so many small cities that they're all, like these individual worlds all around oh yeah, very different. I feel like Lake Minnetonka could be its own planet in ways, because there's different cities and everybody comes together. Good reality show Exactly, it would be a good one. Now, tell me one thing I'm most curious about is what made you decide. One day you know what I think I'm going to get involved in politics.
Speaker 2:Well, I try not to call it politics, I try to call it public service, public service. Yes, you know, I started out in Minnetonka Beach. I was on the planning commission and became the planning chair and then became a council member. You know, I had people in my community reaching out asking me hey, you know, we would love, you know somebody that has a younger family to help represent the other younger families in the community. So served there and then actually became a you know person, doc chair in Tonka Bay.
Speaker 2:And then one day I got a phone call from somebody in the house of representatives said hey, you know, you've been doing some good things around the community and you know we'd love for you to run for Minnesota house. And I, you know, had a rough idea what it was. But I had to say well, what does that include? Because I've got, you know, four little kids and trying to run a business. So, you know, I thought it was a way for me to, you know, kind of do what I was doing at a you know city council level at a you know a little larger level.
Speaker 1:Did the person who told you what it would be like? Did you find that to be accurate or were you like okay, you did not prepare me for this.
Speaker 2:And you know, I guess I'll be honest. I think the person that told me about it wasn't very accurate. So when I'm always telling people about what I do and if they're looking to get involved in things, I just I want them to be really honest, because there is a good amount of balance that you have to have between your own personal life. You know public service and then you know I run a small business, so you've got to be able to balance that stuff out. You know I always push people into, you know, serving in their local communities. I mean, there's we have, you know, 11 great communities out here. You can be on the planning parks, you know. You know a lot of different communities. That to make an impact.
Speaker 1:That makes a lot of sense, and you've been doing it now since 2023.
Speaker 2:Yep, so I am a new member. We just finished the first session and we've started up here with our second session. We are. This is the start of the third week.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's exciting. So now that you're, you're, you've gone that far and you've had that experience, where does that compare to what you thought it would be like when you were first going to get started? You?
Speaker 2:know, the biggest thing for me was actually trying to represent my district, which means you really got to go and talk to a lot of people and people that don't think like you, people that think differently, because you're, you know, the job of public services to represent the entire community. So you know, I thought I did that really well, went down to the legislature and again I really try hard down there, you know, working with Democrats, republicans, to make sure that you know the bill is coming forward, if I, if I have an idea or I had an amendment that I can bring that forward to build the relationships. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but you just kind of you kind of have to keep trying.
Speaker 1:That's, I think, what I find so interesting about what you do is the challenge and the follow through on working with people that don't share all of your same ideals. You are by no means working in an echo chamber of yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. How and it? There's probably a longer answer to this, but what are some tips that you have for doing that? Because even people who are not in public service maybe they, you know you share in a community. It could be an HOA, you could be a business in a chamber, and the same kind of thing would apply where you want to work together, but you know you don't all share the same ideals.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I you know you talk about HOA, like, for example, I said on the housing committee, and you know there's a representative from St Paul and I really made sure to go and speak with him to better understand the housing issues they have in St Paul, which are very different than the housing issues that we have here, you know, around the lake, in these communities. So you know what's maybe good for his district is it maybe good for my district? But what's good for mine may not be good for his. So I want to, you know we want to better understand each other and what we're trying to support and at the end of the day, you're making votes that not only impact, you know, your backyard, but the backyard of Minnesota, and see how to make sure that you're talking to people you know from different areas.
Speaker 1:That makes a lot of sense, and I think you also have to have that personality and demeanor where you have a willingness to hear what might be considered to be an opposing side, and I think that's something that you've really been able to do in the short time that I've kind of gotten to know you and familiar with your work. That's what impresses me so much about our very local public servants is, it seems, that you all are kind of good at that. Of course there's exceptions, but that it is a focus, because I've heard Kelly Morrison share the same thing and our area is considered to be a very what do they call it? Purple.
Speaker 2:Purple.
Speaker 1:A purple district. So how do you go about doing those things? You were very key in getting the ball going and it's still going on for to get mound a water treatment plant. Can you give an update on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, again, as you're out there talking to people and you go door to door and I always kind of had a question, I'd ask everybody what's your priority? And when you walk through mound, even before you got up to the door, you'd look in the garage and you'd see cases of bottled water. Yeah, you'd see people with call again and even before I get into the door I knew that was probably going to be one of the top priorities dealing with the issues that they have here for a clean, accessible water. So working across the aisle to draft a bill to get partial funding for that was really important.
Speaker 2:I sit on the Capital Investment Committee and I learned a lot in that. But what happened is you built the relationships you could focus on that priority of clean water. We secured 10 point, just over $10 million for the project and we're hopeful it's a bigger issue. We've been trying to reach out to Governor Walls to try to make sure that he's really aware of it, because he has a priority list as well. I want to try to do everything I can to advocate for my cities.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely. And for people if you don't know, mound has a high amount of its magnies Magnize Yep, and it's advised to not drink the water, so residents do have to have an alternative for that. And so do you think this is something that'll be like a year or in two years? Because not only does the money need to be raised, but it needs to be built.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think the project is being done in phases. I can't remember it was two or three phases, but we're hopeful with another potential bonding bill this year. It's not going to be as much as next year that that opportunity is going to be there for additional funds, but I think, like any of these projects, it does take a teamwork between the cities, the community and the state. I'd really like to see in some of the bonding, a higher priority on our infrastructure needs roads, bridges, water that's the stuff that's really important.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you were also involved. What are some of the what? You've done that? Because I would feel like if I were in public office I would have a hard time focusing on which project to take on first. But you've done a few already. What is one or two where you're like I'm so glad that we did that because it's helping today?
Speaker 2:Yeah, A couple of things being a new member in the minority. You have to build those relationships to hopefully get some stuff across the aisle and into law. One of those was we had a keep it clean initiative. Environment's really big for my district, my family. We love to be out on the lake, snowmobile, ice fish, just fishing. My kids love to fish as much as they can. It was something simple that our local litter laws on the street. You couldn't enforce them on the water. This keep it clean initiative came out in greater Minnesota through people that ice fish a lot. They have those RVs and they're dumping waste and when I mean waste, yes, sometimes it's poo.
Speaker 1:But they're out there, just ride on the ice. Yeah, they'll dump it there.
Speaker 2:Open up that black tank and let it just go on the ice, and up there it's known as the Brown Road Wow, which is again, I mean it's disgusting, but let alone, you know, people that are just leaving their trash out there. So now DNR can go out there and write a fine for that, so that people can be a little bit more aware and accountable for that, because you know, we've got to make sure, both from an economic aspect and an environmental aspect, that we're taking care of our water. The impact it has, you know, locally and throughout the state, is really important, and so, you know, I was really proud of getting that initiative done.
Speaker 1:So now people can actually be ticketed for it. Yep, they could it before, and this is year round.
Speaker 2:Yep, it's year round it's. You know we had a heavy focus on ice fishing because it started up in Upper Red Lake with the people that I'm working with. But you know, we see it, I mean the DNR when they post. You know, during wintertime maybe, maybe not this winter because it hasn't been that cold, but you know, you see, when a nice house is removed and all the garbage is left underneath. So what happens is, you know local organizations or people are left cleaning that up. You know, in the ice melts people that are cleaning their local beaches. It washes up. It all has an impact on, you know, wildlife and you know the water in our district.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm so glad because that is so disgusting. Yeah, it is, it is so disheartening, though it does seem that, if I remember correctly and correct me if I'm wrong last 4th of July there was less garbage that was cleaned up, unlike the Natanka compared to years prior. Yep, so it's good, but then it's going in that direction of, like you said, you wouldn't think that we'd have to educate people on that. You should not put your poo on the ice or in the lake.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I thought it was, you know, it wasn't a groundbreaking idea, but it was just something that we could just take from our roads over to our water because, again, I mean, you know, the outdoors in Minnesota is unmatched and something small like this can make a big impact.
Speaker 1:That's very true. Is there anything that you're working on that's coming up that you want to share?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know we do have a lot of infrastructure issues in these 11 communities but, you know, kind of. Again, the jewel of the district is, you know, lake Natanka and we're really trying to focus on. We had a good Boater Safety Bill passed last year but the Lake Natanka Conservation District is always looking to ways to, you know, improve safety on the lake. So we have a a a Minnetonka Ice and Plate Bill that we're doing.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, well, like a decorative license plate, yep. So specific to Lake Minnetonka.
Speaker 2:So well, you know it's one of the busiest lakes in the state and I think you know we're we're proud of that and we want to take care of it. So you know the funds generated from that will go towards Boater Safety on that Lake Education. So we're we're excited about that. Hopefully we can get it across the finish line.
Speaker 1:When do you think we'd be able to start ordering those if it gets approved?
Speaker 2:I think it's going to be probably in the fall to do that. You know. I know that Senator Morrison is carrying it in the Senate. It's very appreciative of that and you know, I hope to get a hearing in the house, so we'll we'll see what happens.
Speaker 1:Well, that's exciting. I would like one of those. It would be a ton of fun actually. Yeah, it would be cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean you get people from Maple Grove, rogers, I mean you know, south of the city, that come out at Lake Minnetonka.
Speaker 1:So and then the money can go to help also take care of that natural, that natural resource, Yep. So how do you, with you, run a small business, you know you're, you're, you're working in the house of representatives, You've got was it? Four kids.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:So what do you do on all the downtime that you have?
Speaker 2:My downtime is probably getting kids to swimming, picking them up from soccer, you know, trying to spend as much time with my wife Amanda, but yeah, just trying to, kind of. We're a home body, so we're, you know, just trying to. You know, enjoy each other and watch the kids grow up, and you know we're a big part of Minnetonka school supporting their.
Speaker 1:You know, education is really important to us, so yeah, so somebody in the community wanted to start getting involved in public service. As what? What advice would you give them?
Speaker 2:You know I would try to figure out. There's going to be a lot of openings coming up. As I said, there's going to be council spots and mayors and planning chair. I mean, some of them are elected, some are appointed. Find that thing that you want to do or you think you can make an impact, but you got to be willing to learn, have that humility.
Speaker 2:I think that's the biggest thing that I've really tried to bring forward is that humility, because there's so many things down there that come across my desk that you have people at the Capitol telling you, oh, this is good, this is good, oh, this is bad, this is bad. And I'm like, okay, well, I'm going to make some phone calls back to my district, to people in my district, to say what do you think? And an example of that is we had something that was going to impact our local firefighters. So I was on the phone with our fire chiefs to make sure that what I was being told was accurate and it was. But I think doing that legwork, investing the time and if you're going to participate in your community, it is investing that time yeah, it's making sure that you're listening to people and you're not going to make everybody happy, I mean, however much you kind of want to. It's really, though, if you're listening and respecting each other, helping reduce that divide. I think we can get some really good policies locally.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you find that part of it of working this way and doing the different initiatives and projects that you've been involved in not, like you said, you can't make everybody happy all of the time. How has it been when you come across or, as we like to say, come across the haters? In having to deal with that. What is that like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean and I would look at that twofold it could be from people in the district, it could be other legislators. I mean, my biggest thing is if it's down with the legislature. If I have an amendment idea and it doesn't work out, that's fine. I'm still going to bring forward other amendments to try to share how I think that's going to impact the bill in a better way. Hopefully people are willing to listen. I know on the bills that I have drafted that have passed, I've worked with anybody and everybody that's willing to support it, and having that bipartisanness is really important. Back in the community, of course, you're talking to people that just assume you're a certain type of person until you have a conversation and you realize that locally we're going to the same stores, our kids go to the same school, we may go out to dinner at the same place, just trying to find that common ground which I think most of the time, by the end of it, people are. You agree, 70 to 80% of the time. That's what we really need to focus on.
Speaker 1:It does seem that way. I think people are so much more we have more in common than we think Finding that common ground. Do you think that that's easier to do on a more hyper-local level as opposed to national politics? I feel like we don't see a lot of that. But do you think, because these are really boots on the ground in these communities and you live there and you know what's going on that there's more of an effort to work together in a bipartisan way?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you use a phrase I use a lot boots on the ground For me. Again, going back to that humility I've got to go talk to if it's an education piece. I've built relationships with our superintendents and our teachers. Those boots on the ground I need to know, hey, is this idea going to make it worse or better for our schools and our kids and our teachers? Naturally, I guess the frustration is is people are covering such large areas that they can't really build relationships. They can't go and door knock and have conversations with 15,000 different houses when you've got to go and do 100,000 houses. There's no possible way to really build the support better understand what the priorities are. I just national politics to me. I just literally I don't watch it. That's not something where I can make an impact. The impact I can make is locally.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I hear that Hopefully more people who want to see change will get involved and have that same kind of an idea. Because so many cities? Because you've got your city council but you also have other committees and things that people can work on, like planning commission and whatnot.
Speaker 2:It's good. I mean, I started in planning so I got a really good idea of how my city's zoning works, and then you also learn from other cities and sharing some of those ideas can make efficiencies for other cities as well. One person has all the ideas and the answers, so the more that you can share with people, the better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I totally get that. Are there things that you're working on right now for in the area, especially around Lake Minnetonka, that people should be aware of or look forward to?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean we'd like to focus on some property tax relief options I've heard that a lot at the doors for young families that maybe can't afford a house, trying to look at housing affordability for those older people on fixed incomes, trying to make sure if they want to stay in the house they can afford to do it. Because, again, I mean we do have a lot of infrastructure issues from, I mean, I think probably nine out of my 11 cities all have infrastructure needs and so you know I've been there as a city council member. You know we had an issue with a water tower or a water plant, but there's a lot of, you know, roads and sewer and just clean water issues I'd like to see if I can help out with.
Speaker 1:Yeah, those are important things that we kind of take for granted. I think, as a resident, I turn on the water. The water will come out. It's kind of a thing. But you make a good point. A lot of this infrastructure has been around for an incredibly long time.
Speaker 2:And that was, you know, sitting on capital investment. I get to tour the state and bus for I don't know what it was 15 days. But you know, what I really enjoyed was having, you know, Chair Lee come out that runs the capital investment committee, to come look at our district because you know, I think there's everybody thinks that everybody lives on the lake here, yeah, yeah, and they show up and they look at some of these projects in the area. I think it helps them to better understand that. So I was happy to be able to show them my community, my backyard and some of the issues that we face.
Speaker 1:I love that. That's so important, I think too, like you're saying, to be able to reach out to people who work at a higher level, that work on a more, even more localized level and have some kind of consistency with what the goals should be or what they are moving forward. And, like I said, there's so many that I'm often amazed when that can be narrowed down. How does that decision get made for you? Is it primarily what you hear from the people in your district?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, you know, I think there's, you know, certain elected leaders that are just walking the party line. Maybe they bring the rubber stamps and stuff. I mean, for me it's really important in this district to be looking to, as you said, those boots on the ground. But that also means community leaders. You know, I hosted a town hall for all our elected leaders to talk about some housing issues and some other issues, to get their feedback, because I knew there were bills that were going to be coming to impact kind of local control, and so it was really important for me to hear their feedback, give them the opportunity and again, I consistently just try to, as things come forward, who can I talk to in our district? How does it impact us? And not that it's, you know, doesn't impact other districts differently, but at least gives me a sense of, you know, those everyday things.
Speaker 1:Yeah and to really I love that you do that, though that if there's something with the fire department that you call the fire chiefs, go find out, Just assume.
Speaker 2:Well, and it's. You know, I maybe have four kids in school, but I'm not an expert in education, so you know I've got to call this, but I mean, and the nice thing is, though, but I'm also having, you know, building those relationships. I'll get text messages within a committee saying oh, I know you're hearing this bill soon. I want to give you some feedback, though having that openness, I think, is really helpful for me, because it makes me, you know, produce policies or represent my district better. You know not that I always agree, and there's always questions to be had and it's okay to push back. You just got to do it respectfully and then try to, as I said, find that common ground where you can have a bill, like from education bills we have where we agree on it.
Speaker 1:What do you think moving forward, what do you see in the future? Do you see yourself doing more in the House of Representatives or doing something different in terms of public service?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean the biggest president. As I said, people, I like to be married, I like to see my kids, I mean and it's tough, I mean you know my kids are having a Chinese New Year event tomorrow and you know we'll have session till six, seven o'clock, so I'll miss those and those are tough to miss. You know, what I want to just try to do is, you know, be around so that people have those opportunities to share those things that are important to them, share those priorities, so that I know it's. You know, my family is just one family, the more families I can talk to, the business owners, community leaders, you know I just all I have right now is to. You know I love representing this district. The people are great, raising your kids here is awesome. The schools are great here. We're very lucky.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I would agree with that. Yeah, well, I'm excited. I'm excited for what's to come. I hope that you come back and talk with us again and share more about that side of things. You know what we can look for in Lake Minnetonka. I'm really looking forward to the Mount Water Treatment plant and seeing more. You know a cleaner lake I love that one that you did where people can now be taking it. Yeah, no-transcript, that is so great. Well, I really appreciate you taking the time and sharing with us. Anybody listening or watching. If you have questions, you can comment down below, depending on where you're watching this. Is there a way where people could reach you as well?
Speaker 2:Yep, so I will do this and my wife doesn't like that I do this, but my cell phone number is 612-615-8444. It's really important to me. I mean, part of public service is being accessible. So people can, you know, get a hold of you with that text message. You know, great, if you need to give me a phone call. I get a lot of phone calls. Our district is very active, so people are really sharing their thoughts, which again, is awesome. It really helps me to, you know, represent the district better.
Speaker 2:So, and I'm excited for you. I'm hoping you're maybe going to run for one of these positions with all your free time, exactly.
Speaker 1:I you know, it's something that I think would be very meaningful and it would be a really neat experience.
Speaker 2:It is.
Speaker 1:I just don't know that. You know it's just having it, because I would imagine sometimes you have to use more decorum and keep your mouth shut and I think I would struggle with that.
Speaker 2:I mean, but you know what? And that's the thing is, my wife says like, oh, you talk too much, you get yourself in trouble. And I said, but that's okay. I mean, the more, the more bitballing we do, the better ideas that we come up with. And it's like not every you know, not every person has the best ideas. But I mean share them and they can build into something.
Speaker 1:Exactly. Build it on. You know, one idea might turn into something else when you get enough input. Yep, I love that. All right, well, thank you very much. Thanks for having me, thanks for everything you're doing for the community. Thank you, I enjoy doing it and if you listen or watch Tonka Talk and you know someone doing cool things in the community ways of creating community and connection, do reach out. You can reach me, natalie, at TonkaTalkcom. In the meantime, everybody go have a great day and we will talk to you later.
