Meet Mayoral Candidate Jordan Glynn
Website: https://voteglynn.com/
Official Bio:
Almost every Sunday throughout his childhood, Jordan and his mother would gather around the kitchen table at his grandparents’ home along with other members of the family for dinner. Everyone would catch up on the latest news and enjoy the evening together, which usually featured one of his grandmother's "new recipes" as the main dish (though they were often received with mixed reviews). It wasn't until years later that Jordan would begin to see the importance of those dinners not just for strengthening family bonds, but in understanding how Rochester, MN became the city it is today.
He never viewed his upbringing as anything but ordinary. Raised in the southeast side of town, Jordan played football and basketball throughout his youth, although music would eventually become his main focus as he started high school. At 16 years old he officially started his first business, a music production company still in operation today. He would eventually go on to establish several businesses, both in and out of the music industry. As a business owner and student everything changed, and Jordan began to see the world in a different light.
That same year, Jordan was asked to volunteer for an annual event hosted by Bear Creek Services and ultimately served on the planning committee for the next several years. This inspired him, providing a way to combine his experience and love for music with the benefit of giving back. Jordan would go on to host several other events himself, with the proceeds going to other organizations. Still, he couldn't help but think he should be doing more.
As his career developed, traveling became unavoidable. That time away from Rochester would show him first-hand the issues other growing cities were experiencing, at a time well before DMC had arrived back home. He would see gentrification and crammed roads become a normal sight, along with historic neighborhoods being replaced with new developments. As expected, the residents would then share stories of increasing housing rates, property taxes, and general cost of living, without, what they considered, to be a rise in quality of life.
Traveling also increased throughout the upper Midwest for him. Unlike the metro areas, the smaller towns he visited were experiencing problems associated with a decrease in population, often having a decline in the quality of their schools, lower quality care facilities for seniors, and because of the need to travel to other cities for supplies, similar travel times of major metropolitans. After years of seeing the results of leadership that had let their communities down, Jordan couldn't help but wonder what could be done to prevent this same fate from happening to Rochester.
In the fall of 2011, Jordan met Diana Orbelo, a clinician and researcher originally from Oklahoma who had moved here several years earlier after accepting a new job. They began dating soon after, and rarely could be seen apart, bonding over their love of music, art, and the occasional football game. Jordan was drawn to Diana's passionate and caring nature, and ultimately was inspired to create a new path for himself. On October 5th, 2014, Jordan and Diana were married in Rochester among family and friends. Shortly thereafter, Jordan decided to call together a group of friends and business associates, telling them it was time to make a change.
Over the next several years, Jordan dedicated as much time as possible to learning about the issues impacting Rochester both now and in the foreseeable future. He began changing his team and advisors from entertainment industry professionals to those with expertise in a variety of industries related to social issues, economic development, and culture. While away on work trips, he made a point to talk to as many locals as possible to hear how their city had changed over time, and how that change impacted them personally. After several years, the plan was to start a new company helping to bridge some of the missing gaps in our community. As he and his team dove deeper into the root of the issues here at home, it became clear that what was missing was direction and leadership from the top of city hall. Jordan took the initiative and announced his candidacy in front of a group of family and friends on April 26, 2017.
In his words, "As I think back now on those family dinners, I see how rare of an opportunity I was given. Four generations having a conversation around that dinner table sharing not just stories of my family history, but the history of the city. They were stories of compassion, of creativity, of pride and honor in doing what's right not for a few, but for the benefit of all. Those stories revealed how we have overcome obstacles before, and how a little planning and ingenuity can put us on the road for success.
There is a unique opportunity upon us now, the opportunity of empowerment. That power lies within each of us, and is what our community will rely on as we continue to move in this new direction of uncharted waters. To make the growth of our city work for everyone, we must rely on the minds and talents of those who already call Rochester home. No one understands the nuances of the city more, or has more reason to see the city succeed than you as a resident. Therefore, I'm asking you to help guide the discussion so that your voice is no longer missed. Rochester is a destination for all who visit, and we will continue to improve that destination for all. Let us also remember that for every person who lives here, Rochester is home, and after all, isn't home the real destination?"
Your key platforms
Transportation
I think it’s safe to say that we’re building our roads around what’s convenient for vehicles, rather than the common good. What if, instead, we made transportation decisions around what’s right for people? By redirecting some existing funds and reprioritizing our approach, I believe we can make transportation work more efficiently for drivers, pedestrians, and those utilizing alternative transportation options.
Housing
I'm glad that our current leadership is finally acknowledging that we have a housing crisis, but it's time to start taking action to break the cycle. This is an issue that affects every resident of Rochester, across all income levels, if for no other reason than the consequences it has on our tax system. If we want to truly address transportation, childcare, and other every-day issues, we must begin working towards fixing our housing situation. Because of the urgency of this issue, one of my first priorities as mayor will be to set clear, consist standards for subsidy consideration of all projects (including housing).
Realizing Rochester
Though some have trouble remembering it, DMC plays just a small part in the definition of Rochester. Our leadership should be utilizing the diverse talent of our community, not restricting creativity and refusing to adapt. We should be willing to try new ideas, and we should be encouraging those who wish to add to the conversation in productive ways. We must also be willing to move past the point of conversation and begin putting plans into motion. The consequences of inadequately executing the DMC initiative would be real and long-lasting, but we must remember that the only way DMC will truly succeed is by providing the opportunity for every resident of Rochester to reach their fullest potential.
Why should Rochester vote for you as our mayor?
I entered this race with one goal in mind – to make sure the issues are discussed. We can no longer afford for this position to be viewed as a retirement career. The stakes are too high and the responsibility too great for a nice smile and a good handshake to be the primary job requirement anymore. We need creativity. We need leadership. We need someone who doesn’t view us as “Med-City” or “DMC” but simply as “home”. We need someone with critical thinking skills, someone who will always listen to all viewpoints before making a decision. Someone who doesn’t allow reaction to determine policy. In short, we need a leader. As a musician, as a consultant, as a business owner, I’ve built my reputation and my career with these principles in mind. I’ve seen the consequences a city faces because of poor-planning, of refusing to act, and the long-term result of leadership that simply didn’t lead. I want better for Rochester, and I’m confident that by working together we can create a community that encourages everyone to reach their fullest potential.
What do you envision for the future of Rochester?
A city that lives up to its reputation as being one of the best places to live in America. Everyone defines that differently, and we need to recognize the many different voices within our community to better define that path, but I believe most of us agree that we have major work to do on our transportation offerings and infrastructure, our housing market, and overall cost of living. To make this city livable for all, we need to be paying close attention to the needs of those living below our median income level of around $65,000, particularly seniors, students and young adults/families, and those with special needs and/or disabilities.
What are your connections to The Mayo Clinic? How do you plan to work with The Mayo Clinic?
My aunt worked there for many years working with medical histories, and my wife works there now. I plan to work with them as I would with any organization - professionally, efficiently, and equally.
What are your connections to the DMC? How do you plan to work with the DMC?
My only connection to DMC is as a resident of Rochester. Again, professionally and efficiently while representing every resident of Rochester to the best of my ability.
How would you address the concerns of citizens about the loss of some of the city's older and potentially historic buildings to new development?
The City desperately needs to address this subject. I believe this is an area where subsidies should be more appropriately utilized. Historical repurposing is a great way to revitalize an area, and encourages neighborhood identity. By providing subsidies in this sector, we also relieve some of the pressure on the City to purchase these buildings. As we've seen in recent years, our leaders are not real estate developers, and shouldn't pretend to be - the chaos of the Armory building and the Chateau come to mind. Subsidizing these properties will almost certainly cost the City less than purchasing the building and attempting to renovate and operate within, or more likely, sitting on the property for 3-5 years and then selling it for 20% of what we purchased it for.
Favorite Rochester Moment?
The Fourth of July! As a kid, my family would gather at my great-grandparents home to watch the fireworks. As I grew older, my friends and I would visit different homes and parks to watch (or, more typically, catch a glimpse of) the fireworks. Now, Diana and I spend the day visiting different parties, and then find a different part of the city each year to watch the fireworks. It's always a wonderful day!
What’s one thing you want the Rochester community to know about you?
The newspapers love to call me the "local musician", which I think is great! As a musician, learning how to coordinate with others to create one unified sound is an incredible skill to develop, and develops a different approach to things. I encourage you to remember that while I am a musician, I'm also an entrepreneur, having started my first business while still in high school. My profession has taken me around the nation, seeing first-hand how people of all demographics have been directly impacted by the decisions of their local and state leaders. We have an incredible opportunity with DMC, but whether it is successful or not, the consequences of our leadership will have long-lasting consequences. Many of the other candidates have great job qualifications, but not necessarily the skillset or experience required for seeing the larger vision and direction for the long-term. Only the one who has run multiple businesses in a mobile capacity while continuing to live in Rochester, and happens to be a musician, has that experience.
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