Candidates race for Columbia Heights mayoral, 2 City Council seats

Candidates Ali A. Farah, Rachel James, John Murzyn (Incumbent), Nick Novitsky (Incumbent), Brook G. Ross and Justice Spriggs are running for two City Council seats. Mohamed Aden dropped out of the race after the deadline to withdraw so his name will still appear on the ballot.

Candidates Michael P. Ahrens, Ali A. Farah, John Murzyn, Brook G. Ross and did not respond to ABC Newspapers’ multiple requests to participate in this Voters Guide for the 2022 Primary Election.

Mayor

Cliff Johnson

Age: 61

Family: Married, one adult son.

Occupation: Retired.

Education: Post high school technical.

Previous elected appointed or volunteer positions: I have never held elected office before. Currently I serve on the Columbia Heights Charter Commission. I was on the Fridley Planning Commission in 1980s. I volunteer at the Heights Jamboree.

Why should people vote for you?

I am a completely independent candidate. Even though this is a non-partisan position, there are candidates running that have party affiliations. This allows me to be completely free of any influence, and decide independently what is in the best interest of the residents of the city. I am a problem solver, and a good listener.

Why would you be the best candidate to run in the general election?

For the same reasons that I feel people should vote for me. I am a very truthful, straight to the point person. I am transparent in my views, and believe in total sunshine being put on all government. I feel strongly about freedom of the press, to achieve that transparency. I invest very little time on branding of myself, and am actually uncomfortable with self promotion, even though I understand it is necessary when running for office. I am authentic, what you see is what you get.

What do you bring to the table that your opponents may not?

I have owned residential rental properties for 20 years, so I know what it takes to be a good landlord. I have been associated with this community longer than my opponents, and have a long history with the city.

Amáda Márquez Simula

Age: Not given

Family: Married, mother of four adult children

Occupation: Mayor and public speaker

Education: Some college

Previous elected, appointed or volunteer positions: Past and current member of Columbia Heights Public Schools Community Education Advisory Board Member, Columbia Heights Business Council, Columbia Heights Lions Club, Fridley-Columbia Heights Rotary Club, Columbia Heights Sister Cities, HeightsNEXT Board Member and past President, Alexandra House Development Committee, League of Women Voters. Girl Scout Council Trainer and Troop Leader for 13 years, Columbia Heights Neighborhood Watch Block Captain nine years, St. Philip’s Church and SACA grocery delivery to homebound people, The Every Meal Program: meals for school children, Past Columbia Heights Public Works Employee, Past Manager Columbia Heights Public Schools Adult Enrichment and Senior Program, 2017 Columbia Heights Humanitarian of the Year.

Why should people vote for you?

I am the candidate that strives for equality, fights nepotism, and I’m committed to representing EVERYONE. I’m the city’s first elected person of color, and representation matters! I don’t wait for concerns to come to me. Instead, I hold regular meetings with organizers, faith leaders, and business owners across many cultures.

I have insights and leadership experience that make me uniquely positioned to continue serving as your Mayor. I know how to get things done by leveraging the talents of our city staff, organizations, and community volunteers.

As a Mayor who connects with other elected officials in our region and state, I’m an active member of the Regional Council of Mayors, where I have led presentations on Race Equity, the Transportation Policy Committee, the Metropolitan Agencies Policy Committee, and MN Cities Climate Caucus.

Why would you be the best candidate to run in the general election?

The community continues to ask me to serve as their Mayor. I study, attend webinars, and meet with mentors and other elected officials to learn how I better myself in this role. I work hard to be here for our community without the assistance of staff and using very limited resources. Regardless, I am creative and committed to continuing to courageously care for Columbia Heights.

What do you bring to the table that your opponent(s) may not?

I’m out in the community almost daily! I hold regular meetings with diverse groups in Columbia Heights. Besides my work as Mayor, I continue to organize and work on my passions, such as the bilingual Monarch Festival (Aug. 17) and the Pride Festival (Oct. 8). That way I meet people where they are at and can listen to their concerns and share updates. I am connected with other local elected officials, and I invite them to these meetings as well. I make sure our residents have a chance to meet and talk with all of their representatives.

City Council

Rachel James

Age: 40

Family: Husband Leo and two kids.

Occupation: Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry at First Lutheran Church of Columbia Heights.

Education: B.S. in Business Administration and Urban Studies, M.A. in Community Ministry Leadership.

Previous elected, appointed or volunteer positions: Appointed to the Parks & Recreation Commission for two terms. Member of the CH Police MultiCultural Advisory Committee for six years. Leader Central Ave Trash Clean-ups with HeightsNEXT. Girl Scout leader in Columbia Heights for 6 years. Block captain for nine years. Leader in bringing backpack food program to Heights public schools with Every Meal . Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters in the Columbia Heights Schools for five years. Adopt-A-Park coordinator for Ostrander Park, Adopt A Storm Drain Volunteer. Leader of the Columbia Heights Town Hall on Race and Policing in 2020. Volunteer Group leader at SACA Food shelf

Why should people vote for you?

My priorities for Columbia Heights are:

1. Livability: I will advocate for increased park funding, expand trails, bike lanes, and environmental initiatives. I will work with MnDOT to make Central Ave safer, more beautiful and to build our public transportation infrastructure.

2. Business Development: We need new business development that lowers the tax burden on families, brings in needed services and attracts employers to our city. I will work toward expanding affordable housing and communication with renters.

3. Inclusivity: It’s time to bring unheard voices to the table, to diversify our boards and commissions and make sure that our city is meeting the needs of all of our diverse communities.

Why would you be the best candidate to run in the general election?

I am the best candidate for City Council because I am a progressive leader, with the experience and connections to move Heights forward. I’ve made Columbia Heights my home for the past 12 years. I have experience advocating for public safety and justice in Heights. I organized the first-ever Columbia Heights Town Hall on Race in 2020. I’ve led domestic violence awareness forums with the Alexandra House.

I care about building inclusive communities for our BIPOC residents, homeowners, renters and businesses. I bring positivity, energy, optimism, and creativity to every situation, striving to make our town better for everyone.

What do you bring to the table that your opponents may not?

I bring people together! I want voters to know that unlike my opponents, you can count on my vote to protect your first amendment right to protest. You can count on me to support funding for our schools. I support our LGBTQ community. I will be asking tough questions of our police when there are issues in our community. You can count on me to be willing to fund park upgrades, sidewalks and city infrastructure that our community has been asking for. I will lead with professionalism, transparency and respect for all.

Nick Novitsky

Age: 43

Family: Wife Angie, Daughters Alayna(15)Natasha(13)

Occupation: Owner and Operator at JM auto recycling

Education: Columbia Heights High School graduate 1997 and 2 years Minnesota School Business (graphic arts)

Previous elected, appointed or volunteer positions: City Council six years, Council President two years, Lions Club President two years, Liasion Library 2 years, School District 2 years, traffic 1 year, park/rec one year. Jamboree Coordinator five years, Adopt a Highway/Park lead eight years, EDA commissioner, volunteer with CH Athletic Boosters (Food wagon), and Kiwanis (Recycling Center) clubs, and Meat raffle caller VFW.

Why should people vote for you?

It would be an honor to be able to continue to serve the community on council.

Why would you be the best candidate to run in the general election?

I have active leadership experience on multiple levels, first hand knowledge of current and upcoming projects and developments happening within the city. I am not backed or endorsed by a political party. Being a non partisan position the residents deserve someone who puts the community as a whole first. Party politics divides people and should not be in local elections. I will continue to make each decision and vote on what is best for our community after hearing and discussing the facts and listening to residents.

What do you bring to the table that your opponents may not?

Raising a young family and being a local small business owner gives me a unique perspective. First hand knowledge of current and upcoming projects and developments.

Justice Spriggs

Age: 26

Family: Wife - Keturah (Labor and Delivery Nurse), Son - Shiloh (4 months old), dog - Nahla (3-year-old Shepard/Retriever mix), dog - Willow (1-year-old Newfoundland)

Occupation: Fourth-Year Medical Student

Education: University of Minnesota Medical School (2019 - May 2023). B.S. Biochemistry, Hamline University, 2019. St. Anthony Village High School, 2015

Previous elected, appointed, or volunteer positions: Special Olympics MN, Ronald McDonald House, Youth football coaching, Pre-medical and medical student mentor, elected captain of Hamline University football team (2017, 2018), Hamline Elementary, Mercy Hospital, Central Ave cleanup

Why should people vote for you?

Because I will always fight for you. Our campaign has knocked on over 2,500 doors and had hundreds of conversations with the residents of Columbia Heights before the primary, and the people have talked about how they love Heights but know that we can do much better. I will bring a new vision for the city’s future - one where we can navigate our streets safely, have a thriving business scene, and bring the voice of all citizens to City Hall. Our city is filled with many great people, places, and ideas, and they all deserve a city council member who will always represent them. I will support our schools, strive to bring a medical clinic back to our city, improve transportation services and access, implement environmentally-friendly policies, increase transparency and responsiveness from City Hall, and make investments in Heights today to allow future generations to thrive.

Why would you be the best candidate to run in the general election?

I am the best candidate because the people of Heights deserve someone who will work tirelessly to make their lives easier, and that is what I promise to do. I have the energy, passion, and drive to make this city all it can be. My education and training have allowed me to hone my listening and problem-solving skills as well as how to best work collaboratively within a team. I will also go above and beyond to continuously advocate for Heights at all levels of government. When you have a question about the city, you will hear back from me.

What do you bring to the table that your opponents may not?

Being biracial, I will bring a diverse voice to the City Council. To my knowledge, there has been only one other person of color elected to the Council in our 102-year history. As the fifth-most diverse city in Minnesota, our council needs to be reflective of the residents they represent. Second, I will represent our younger generation, as they have historically not had a seat at the decision table. Having a medical and scientific background, I have a unique perspective and under-standing of how the health and well-being of our residents are directly impacted by the social factors surrounding them.