Interview with Don Ness, Mayor of Duluth

Yordy: That’s one of our similar issues. The big campus that’s still expanding is on the north end while our Downtown is further south, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our students never ventured down there because it is rather an inconvenience.

So, with all these changes you’ve made over the past few years, I image that you’ve probably aggravated a lot of people because, of course, when you come in strong willed, you might possibly make some enemies in different circles. How do you feel about that?

Ness: Well, I took office in 2008, just as the world was imploding and had massive, massive problems. Financial problems. We were being sued by the federal government, sanitary sewer overflows, our retiree healthcare benefits were threatening to bankrupt the city, and I made a lot of really difficult and politically unpopular decisions. But at the same time, I tried to be honest and straightforward with the voters. Here’s the problem that we have, and it’s not going to solve itself, so we’re going to have to make these tough decisions so that our city can get better while, at the same time, having this vision of wanting to invest in our parks and in our trails and having a new set of values that will attract this next generation of homeowners and talent that our local employers need.

In the end, it’s been a very effective political strategy, and it’s worked for me. My first re-election campaign in 2011 was the first time in the history of our city that the mayor ran unopposed, and the last annual approval rating was 90%. That only happens because people are now seeing the progress, the job creation. People are seeing that the problems that were burdening our city for a long time are now being solved, and we’re not dealing with those same issues over and over again. You know, part of politics is having folks that disagree or have a different opinion, and I always try to be respectful of those opinions and learn from them and listen to what others have to say, but in the end, it’s worked out at least in Duluth.

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Obviously, Don Ness’s strategy is working, and I image it would prove effective in many other cities because when you work more with the citizenry and less with the bureaucracy, good things happen. Ness’s approval rating and the fact that he was the first mayor to run unopposed since 1887 are some of the main reasons why I looked to him for some pointers on how to deal with some of Colorado Springs’ political, economic, and social challenges. Instead of pointing fingers and operating in a state of secrecy, Mayor Ness tends to take responsibility for his actions and fix things in as transparent a manner as possible. He understands what is needed to foster a well-rounded, attractive, successful community. Regardless of his well-deserved reputation as a successful mayor, he’s also a modest resident of Duluth. He’s personable and conveys a great sense of humility. In all, Don Ness is a leader from whom others can and should learn.