Financial Health

When Forest joined the city council in 2023, the city was not in a sustainable financial condition. Today, the city is on track to be the most financially secure it has been in over a decade.

In the past, the city had artificially set tax levies at low levels, forcing it to draw from its reserve funds and not adequately invest in its infrastructure. This was further exacerbated by high levels of cost inflation and the city's policy of only paying cash for large infrastructure projects, even though interest rates were at historic lows. These two policies of previous councils created three financial issues:

• The city's reserve fund levels were well below the State Auditor's minimum levels.

• The city was borrowing from its utility funds to pay for infrastructure.

• The city was not investing in staff or infrastructure, creating unrealistic infrastructure replacement schedules.

Forest has been a leader on the council, advocating for more transparent and sound financial practices. This means that the city is setting infrastructure replacement schedules to replace infrastructure at the end of its life, not when there is catastrophic failure and its replacement is more costly. Forest has also advocated for all of the city's budget documents to be published on the city website in an interactive form so residents can see every dollar being spent; this will be rolled out later this year. To reduce the burden on residents, Forest has also advocated for the city to find alternative funding sources beyond the tax levy, including bonding when it makes financial sense.

Reducing Resident Tax Burden

As mentioned in the section above, the city is rebuilding and changing its financial situation. Part of this change is a long-term vision of reducing reliance on owner-occupied residential property tax revenue. Forest is working on this in three ways:

• Increasing the value of Crystal's commercial districts. The higher the value of the commercial districts, the lower the tax burden on owner-occupied properties. Commercial development takes time and vision, which is why Forest successfully kept a promise from his 2022 campaign to create an actionable plan to turn "Downtown Crystal" into an attractive and vibrant mixed-use district and regional destination. This plan will prevent the commercial district from declining and keep up with development trends.
• Exploring new funding that doesn't place an outsized burden on residents. This means looking at utility franchise fees, bonding, and grants to ensure that those who benefit from city spending are paying. The previous policy of paying cash only meant that the city would be saving money today for infrastructure being built a decade from now, often with escalation rates higher than bonding rates.

• Being cost-conscious. adding new staff, buildings, and initiatives only when they act as force multipliers that improve productivity, or are investments that will return more than they cost.

Improving Public Safety

Forest has been a huge advocate for the Crystal Police Department and has worked to support the initiatives of former Chief Revering and current Chief Hubbard. He has worked to support the hiring of new police staff who act as force multipliers, allowing the department to solve more crimes, serve more victims, and address the root causes of many calls for service. These new staff members include a crime analyst, an embedded social worker, and an embedded victim advocate.

The city's partnership with the West Metro Fire Department has been fruitful, as Forest works to ensure the district's sustainable finances and adequate staffing. In 2024, the fire district increased its insurance ISO rating to the highest in the state!

Improving the Environment

When Forest ran in 2022, he promised to change the city's anti-tree ordinances and improve its natural resources. He kept those promises. In 2025, he authored new language that made it legal to plant trees in the right-of-way, giving residents the freedom to plant trees in front of their homes. He also worked with staff to hire the city's first city forester in over eight years. To save costs, this new position will be funded 50% by the city of Brooklyn Center. Forest also led the way in creating the city's new resident-led Sustainability Commission, which has spent the past year writing the city's first-ever climate resiliency plan. This plan, funded by a grant, will allow the city to apply for more grants to improve its critical infrastructure to meet a changing climate.

Getting What the City Needs for the Blue Line LRT

As a certified community planner, Forest gets the need for public transit and supports reliable and safe transit in Crystal. Unfortunately, Forest also has long experience with Hennepin County and the Met Council trying to do as little as possible for local communities and failing to fulfill their promises. Forest has been a leader in negotiating needed safety and infrastructure improvements along the Blue Line route. Forest has applied his technical knowledge, attention to detail, and unrelenting advocacy for Crystal to ensure Hennepin County and the Met Council don't do the minimum.

Public Health

Forest has been an unrelenting advocate for public health and wellbeing in Crystal. Crystal currently has one of the highest ratios of tobacco shops to residents in the state and a well-above-average number of off-sale liquor stores. This affects the public health, wellbeing, and perception of the community. That is why Forest has led the advocacy for the following public health policies:

• Capping the number of alcohol and tobacco stores at half the current number to prevent more stores from opening and, over time, reduce the number of retailers as they close. This policy is currently in effect.
• Regulating the sale of tobacco products to reduce the sale of products that appeal to new users and children. This policy would bring the city in line with neighboring cities and is being considered now.
• Regulating the sale of kratom, an opioid-like drug that falls through a state and federal loophole and is over 500% more potent than morphine. This policy is already in effect in Wisconsin and in some Iowa cities, and is being considered by the council now.

Traffic Safety

Forest has worked with staff to continue prioritizing the enforcement of traffic laws in Crystal. Crystal is currently a leader in DUI enforcement, with multiple officers recognized by the State Department of Public Safety. Forest is also working with public works staff to identify and fix intersections with high collision rates. Forest has also worked with the county on a project that will drastically improve bike and pedestrian safety on Douglas Drive in 2027.

ICE Response

During Operation Metro Surge, northern Crystal saw a high presence of federal agents. Forest worked with residents and city staff to ensure that people knew the city was not enforcing any immigration laws or coordinating with ICE. Forest helped multiple residents and visited nearly every business in Section II to answer their questions, convey their concerns, and assist them during what was a very frightening time.

Constituent Services

Forest has worked with countless residents on issues ranging from utility billing to daycare zoning to lost dogs. He is here to serve the residents of Crystal and always answers emails asking for assistance or change.

A Strategic Plan

Forest advocated for and helped draft Crystal's first-ever strategic plan. Instead of governing as issues arise, the city now has a clear direction focused on meeting goals. Forest served on the working group that built the plan's new mission, vision, and values:

• Mission: Crystal is a destination community that delivers the highest value of city services.
• Vision: An attractive community of connected neighborhoods and thriving businesses where everyone feels a sense of pride.
• Values: Inclusion, High Value Services, Safety, Trust and Engagement, Sustainability, and Premier Employer.

The plan sets real priorities for the years ahead and will guide Crystal to being a city on the rise!