City Commissions

Get Involved in the Community by Serving on a City Commission! 

Do you want to make an impact on your community? Are you an adult or high school student who lives in New Brighton and wants to have your voice heard?  Are you interested in gaining civic leadership experience as you build your resume? Are you interested in having an opportunity to work with local government to make your city a better place?  Are you interested in working with other like-minded individuals to advise and make recommendations to the City Council? 

Apply to serve as a volunteer Commissioner on one of our Advisory Commissions!  

• • Does business or economics interest you? Apply for our Economic Development Commission.
  • Are you interested in parks, trails, sports and recreational opportunities? Apply for our Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission.
  • Are you interested in zoning, land use and urban planning? Apply for our Planning Commission.
  • Are you interested in maintaining a safe community and the goals, policies, and operations of public safety functions ? Apply for our Public Safety Commission.
  • Are you interested in diversity, equity and inclusion? Please let us know in the comment section of your application in case an opening arises over the next year. There are no openings in this commission at this time.
  • Interested in more than one of these? Let us know. We'll help find your best fit!

Return your completed application to New Brighton City Hall or click here to return it by email.  Be sure to save a local copy of your completed application to save your answers before emailing it.

• Click here to download a 2022 Commission Application (English Language)
• Haga clic aqui para descargar una 2022 Solicitud Para Integrar Comisiones (Spanish Language)

Please contact the City Clerk's office at (651) 638-2100 with any questions you may have. (The time commitment is approximately 3 - 4 hours per month.)

About Our Commissions

The City has 5 citizen advisory commissions that play an important role in reviewing and making recommendations to the City Council on matters of public policy.

Commission members are appointed by the City Council and terms are generally for three years. Below is a brief description of the New Brighton advisory commissions:

Economic Development Commission (EDC)

This Commission advises the Council on matters concerning industrial and commercial development for the city. This commission meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 am at City Hall. All EDC meetings are open to the public and are streamed live on the City website. Meeting materials and video recordings of meetings are available for download free of charge.

The following members serve on the commission:

• Chair Harry Carter (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Vice Chair Jacqui Sauter (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Anthony Pledger (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Faycal Belkhous (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Michele Norman (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Mike Murlowski (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Victoria Prasek (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Bob Benke (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Paul Zisla (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Vacancy - Student Commissioner (term ends 3/31/2023)

Council Liaison:  Pam Stegora-Axberg

Staff Liaison:  Ben Gozola, Assistant Director of Community Assets & Development

Equity Commission

This Commission advises the Council on matters concerning diversity, equity and inclusion and will focus city policy conversations and governance decisions with equity in mind. (Equity is defined as freedom from systemic bias or favoritism. Parity across difference. Product and service access, opportunity, quality, and outcomes that do not vary by race, ethnicity, language, age, gender, or other meaningful differences.) This commission meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm at City Hall. All Equity Commission meetings are open to the public and are streamed live on the City website. Meeting materials and video recordings of meetings are available for download free of charge. Information about the City’s diversity, equity, and inclusion journey can be found at: https://www.newbrightonmn.gov/equity

The following members serve on the Equity Commission: 

• Chair Lindsay Spooner (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Vice Chair Kami Miller (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Ruben Vazquez (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Sanja Obradovic (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Jonas Lim (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Kristin Lau (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Carlos Herrara (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Ellen Weber (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Hayden Anderson (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Jason Steffenhagen (term ends 3/31/2023)

Council Liaison: Mayor Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas

Staff Liaison:  Mark Suggs, DEI Coordinator

Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission (PREC)

This Commission advises the City Council on the proper use of and care for parks and the natural environment and advises on policies covering recreational activities of the city. Issues relating to the New Brighton Community Center also come under the duties of this commission.

The commission meets at 6:30 pm on the first Wednesday of the month. All PREC meetings are open to the public and are streamed live on the City website. Meeting materials and video recordings of meetings are available for download free of charge. The following citizens serve on the Parks, Recreation, & Environmental Commission:

• Chair Julia O’Rourke (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Vice Chair Michael Spooner (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Abe McEathron (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Maren Hawkins (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Ahmed Abdiwahed (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Matt Johnson (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Pauline Alfors (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Gary Bank (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Kristin Hicks (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Zoey Tenenbaum (term expires 3/31/2023) 

Council Liaison: Emily Dunsworth

Staff Liaison:  Jennifer Fink, Parks and Recreation Director

Planning Commission

This citizen commission advises the Council on all city land use planning matters.

Duties include the development and maintenance of the New Brighton Comprehensive Plan, carrying out procedures directed by the City Council and making recommendations to the Council. The Planning Commission meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 6:30 pm All Planning Commission meetings are open to the public and are streamed live on the City website. Meeting materials and video recordings of meetings are available for download free of charge.

The following citizens serve on the commission:

• Chair Todd Biedenfeld (term expires 3/31/2024)
• Vice Chair Jeanne Frischman (term expires 3/31/2025)
• Youssef Enanaa (term expires 3/31/2025)
• Tim McQuillan (term expires 3/31/2024)
• Eric Nelson (term expires 3/31/2023)
• Liza Allen (term expires 3/31/2023)
• Vacant (term expires 3/31/2025)
• Vacancy - Student Commissioner (term expires 3/31/2023)

Council Liaison:  Abdullahi Abdulle

Staff Liaison:  Ben Gozola, Assistant Director of Community Assets & Development

Public Safety Commission

This citizen commission advises the Council on matters related to the goals, policies and operations on public safety functions.

Duties include assisting the police and fire divisions in such activities as assessing community concerns relating to public safety issues, developing long range strategic plans, developing and monitoring achievement of performance measures. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. All Public Safety Commission meetings are open to the public. Meeting materials and video recordings of meetings are available for download free of charge.  

The Public Safety Commission has the following 10 members:

• Chair Geoff Hollimon (term ends 3/31/2024)
• Vice Chair Karen Wagner (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Adam Stout (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Aisha Ali (term ends 3/31/2025)
• Jack Winkels (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Leah Kuipers (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Robert Boyd (term ends 3/31/2023)
• Sam Strong (term expires 3/31/2023)
• Vacancy (term expires 3/31/2024)
• Vacancy (term expires 3/31/2024)

Council Liaison:  Graeme Allen

Staff Liaison:  Tony Paetznick, Director of Public Safety

Click here to access Commission Resources.