Welcome!

Based on the feedback I am getting, things are going great in the city and we are making Cottage Grove the Largest, Small City in the Metro by providing greater VALUE = more Amenities with controlled Costs. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to work in this capacity for you.
We have had some amazing accomplishments in the past few years and there are some existing projects and new projects coming along that I would really like to continue working on for you, so I would be very appreciative of your support.

  • We have kept the budget, and more importantly your property taxes in check. In 2016 our per capita property taxes were 14% lower than similar sized cities in MN (20K-100K) and in 2017 we lowered actual taxes per capita by 1% while increasing revenue in other ways by 15.2%. At the same time we lowered our per capita expenses by 12%.  Adding new homes and businesses increases the amount of money we have to spend on amenities while minimizing increases in your individual taxes - creating greater VALUE.

  • We again achieved an A++ rating, which we have done each of the 8 years I have been on Council. 

  • The City’s 600 acre Business Park is home to 1,150,000 square feet of industrial and manufacturing businesses. Up North Plastics, Renewal by Andersen, Werner Electric, ALC, and Modern Performance Auto have all decided to reinvest in Cottage Grove through expansion and new businesses have been coming in - Leafline Labs, GardenWorld, NorthStar Sheets. I have often used the statement of making our Industrial Park more fertile for growth and we have taken a major step in making it "shovel ready" with the AUAR that was done.

  • We finally got Home Depot and the Developer and other businesses to come to agreement on the commercial contract and the Shoppes at Gateway North will again be full. Getting HyVee to come to our community was a major step toward doing that and we had to make some creative decisions to get it done. Development is a Catch 22 of sorts in that businesses want more rooftops, while residents want more businesses. We have been able to manage that so that they are increasing together but at a controlled rate through effective planning.

  • We are making sure that Cottage Grove is capable of serving it's residents by providing Public Safety personnel the proper tools and facilities at the right time. One example of that is the new Fire Station.

  • We are reaching out to the residents in an effort to get as many of you involved in making this city great. In 2016, a community visioning project called My Future Cottage Grove was begun to answer that question.  More than 3,700 comments were received from residents. They wrote their wishes for the community on large chalkboards placed around town. They answered #FutureFriday questions on the City’s social media sites.  They provided thoughts and ideas at community visioning sessions, both face-to-face and through Facebook Live. They gave input and comments through the online survey. They participated in focus groups at the middle school, high school, and senior center. We now have 7 resident task forces looking at making those visions a reality.

So, again I would really appreciate the opportunity to continue to work on these and new projects and visions. I am excited about continuing this journey AND still passionate about making CG the best place to live. Let’s make it happen – GO CG!!

Thanks for your support! 

Dave Thiede
651-331-9995
thiededj@gmail.com

About this site
This website is intended to tell you a bit about me, keep you informed about what is happening in the city activities I am involved in, and provide a communication channel between you—the people of Cottage Grove—and me.

What do I mean when I say I want Cottage Grove to be the largest SMALL CITY in the Metro? Go to my Principles page to find out.

I am not much of a FACEBOOKer but check out my page and "friend request" me and I will work on providing feedback and information.

About me
​My experience in Cottage Grove: I have been on the Council for 8 years. I served on the Planning Commission (2 consecutive terms – 5 years) and I am ready to continue to serve on the City Council if you’ll have me!

My family: I have a wonderful wife named Cindy who I've been married to for 35+ years, two twins sons named Matt and Dan who graduated from Park in 2003, and a daughter named Sarah who was in Park's Class of 2009. I also have a daughter in law - Jennifer and a son in law Rilee and a grandson Owen.

Learn more: Please take a few moments to learn about my Principles, Where I Stand on Key Issues, updates from Facebook, AND my résumé. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or just want to chat. Thanks!

You can also send a donation to Citizens for Dave Thiede, 7393 Hidden Valley Trl S, Cottage Grove MN 55016.

THIS SITE PAID FOR BY CITIZENS FOR DAVE THIEDE