Falcon Heights City Council

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About City Council

The mayor and four council members make up the five-person City Council, which is the policy making body for the City of Falcon Heights. The City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 2077 W. Larpenteur Avenue. Meetings are streamed live from NineNorth (formerly CTV) and televised on public access channel 15.

Council members and the mayor are elected to four year terms. City Council elections are held in odd numbered years. The next City Council election is in 2025.

Form of City Government

The City of Falcon Heights follows the "Plan A" weak-mayor statutory city form of government, which is the most common type of city government in Minnesota. Four council members and a mayor are elected at large and serve four year terms.

City Elections

Elections are held in odd numbered years. Two council members and the mayor are elected in the odd year preceding the presidential elections. The other two council members are elected the following odd year election.

City Councilmembers

Mayor Randy Gustafson

Term Expires: 2027

1775 Saint Mary's St.
651-642-9694
randy.gustafson@falconheights.org
Send email to Mayor Randy Gustafson

Randy Gustafson was first elected to the Falcon Heights City Council in 2015, and elected Mayor in 2019. Randy and his wife, Lyn, have lived in Falcon Heights since 1983, raised two children who attended Roseville Area 623 Schools, and have been active community members. Randy's public/community service work includes two terms on the Falcon Heights Planning Commission and two terms on the Ramsey County Charter Commission, including four years as chair. Served as co-president of the Brimhall Elementary PTSA, treasurer Roseville Area Little League, Roseville Area Ducks Unlimited, youth coach, etc. Randy's employment experiences have included staff positions with the Minnesota Legislature and Governor's Office, printing industry 21 years including 14 as owner of small print shop in the Midway area. Currently employed by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office where he served as the Public Information Office for Sheriff Matt Bostrom, and now serves as Coordinator of Crime Prevention programs. In his spare time he enjoys time with Lyn and traveling to visit their extended family that now includes two grandchildren.

Council Member Melanie Leehy

Term Expires: 2025

1865 Fairview Ave.
651-276-7535
melanie.leehy@falconheights.org
Send email to Council Member Melanie Leehy

Melanie March Leehy as a native of Minneapolis, and resident of Falcon Heights since 2005 has served in the non-profit sector for over thirty-five years as an advocate for the disenfranchised, bridge builder between people groups, and a leader in community development. This, combined with 10 years in banking, and her entrepreneurial endeavors created a skill set for her dedication to the City of Falcon Heights.

She and her husband John Leehy have a unique gifting of reconciliation. Her creativity and versatility has impacted youth, the homeless, the business sector, government, counter cultures, and various ethnic groups. She is the founder of Mobilizing And Releasing Caring Hearts, Inc. (M.A.R.C.H.) through which she serves as a catalyst for transformation. She has successfully lead programs and trained leaders in urban, suburban, and even rural communities. Much of her current focus is in promoting a culture of caring and also leveraging the underserved to thrive. As part of the Twin Cities annual observance of MLK Day she was a 2017 MLK Local Legend recipient.

In Falcon Heights she worked for a brief time as an Office Assistant. Eight of her ten years as a Commissioner she was the Chair of the Community Engagement Commission, in 2016 she became the Inclusion and Policing Task Force Co-Chair. She has served as a City Council Member since 2018. Melanie is passionate about serving others, as well challenging individuals and organizations to live out unity with diversity.

Council Member Eric Meyer

Term Expires: 2025

1878 Pascal Street
218-384-1645
eric.meyer@falconheights.org
Send email to Council Member Eric Meyer

Eric Meyer and his spouse Sara Bancroft (a veterinarian) moved to Falcon Heights in 2019. Before that Eric earned a Master's degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from University of Minnesota and worked for both TakeAction MN (fighting for paid family leave) and the Minnesota Nurses Association, where he fought to protect the healthcare of nurses. In 2015 he attended the United Nations Climate Talks in Paris and began the pro-nuclear environmental organizing that became Generation Atomic, the non-profit he runs as Executive Director. He has been leading this organization since 2016, training hundreds of engineers and scientists to better engage decision-makers on the potential of nuclear energy to address climate justice and energy poverty. In his spare time he enjoys singing opera, mountain biking, and brewing kombucha.

Council Member Jim Wassenberg

Term Expires: 2027

2021-03-20 picture Jim_Wassenberg_3

1446 California Avenue

952-290-6580

James.Wassenberg@falconheights.org

Jim has lived in Falcon Heights since 2008 where and his wife Deena have raised their two daughters who both attend Roseville public schools.

Jim began his involvement with city government in 2015 as a member of the Environmental Commission where he served for six years, three of those as chair. He then transitioned to the Planning Commission for a year before being appointed to the Falcon Heights City Council in 2022.

Jim has a Ph.D. in biochemistry from UW Madison, and works as the director of research and development at a medical diagnostic company in Stillwater where he designs tests to help people affected by diseases ranging Crohn’s to Lyme to Covid. In his free time he enjoys hanging out with neighbors, working on home improvement projects, and throwing a frisbee for his persistent lab mutt, Nika.

Council Member Paula Mielke

Term Expires: 2027
Paula-Mielke-Falcon-Heights-City-Council
1506 Crawford Avenue
612-405-3005
paula.mielke@falconheights.org

Send email to Council Member Paula Mielke

Paula has lived in Falcon Heights since 1990, residing in three different houses. She served on the Parks and Recreation Commission and State Fair Task Force, and represented Falcon Heights on the Ramsey County Library Board for nine years. When her sons attended Falcon Heights Elementary School, she served as PTA president and created the read-a-thon fundraiser, still held annually.

Paula has a master’s degree in business communications from the University of St. Thomas. After a long career in public relations, she is now semi-retired. She works part-time for East Side Learning Center, overseeing a volunteer tutoring program at East African Elementary Magnet School in St. Paul. She also volunteers for the University of Minnesota Children’s Literature Research Collections.

Paula enjoys Sunday dinner and board game nights with her family, reading, gardening and trying new recipes.

View City Council Documents Online

You can locate Council agendas, minutes, public hearing notices, and meeting videos here on our website and through our digital archive, Laserfiche. Please contact City Hall if you have questions or need assistance.

Meeting agendas
Official meeting minutes
Meeting videos, via NineNorth (formerly CTV)
Public Hearing notices

Strategic Planning

In December 2019, the City Council, City Administrator, and City Commission Chairs/Vice Chairs participated in a strategic planning session to set the vision for Falcon Heights for the next few years. Click on the links below to read the report.