A city of Faribault water tower located at City View Park on the city’s east side. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2026)
THIS NOTICE IS PRIMARILY for anyone living in Faribault. If you have a question, a concern, an idea, a solution or just want to connect with elected city officials and/or staff informally about city-related issues, plan to attend this week’s monthly Council Chat.
The public event, with a theme of “Open Office Hours,” is scheduled from 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, in Faribault’s Central Park. Show up, mingle and talk with city council members, the mayor and city staff. They will listen to your questions and concerns and, hopefully, provide answers, information and/or follow-up.
I’ve previously attended several of these casual Council Chats held at various locations in the city and with differing themes. But this month, the gathering is open-ended with no specific focus. I appreciate that. I value this opportunity to meet one-on-one rather than appearing before the City Council at a formal meeting or contacting city hall.
Meeting face-to-face seems a much more effective way of communicating concerns. But it needs to be done respectfully. Residents need to be heard as do those with the city. At the heart of everything should be an authentic desire to do what is best for the residents of Faribault.
An electronic speed monitoring sign records a southbound motorist driving 38 mph on Willow Street near my home. The offending vehicle is not seen in this image. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo August 31, 2026)
Right now, my focus is on my Willow Street neighborhood. Yes, that’s a narrow perspective. But that’s OK. I need to express my concerns over speeding, crashes and a junkyard property. I want to feel safe and respected in my home along this busy arterial street. Right now I don’t feel that way. I want my voice to be heard and for something to be done to address these issues.
Maybe you have something on your mind. Data centers. Property taxes. City spending. Enforcement of existing city ordinances and laws. A problem property. Even speeding. Now’s your chance to talk with your local elected officials and city employees one-on-one, face-to-face. Let your voice be heard this Wednesday, 5-6 p.m. at Central Park.
So you voted, then what? (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
TWICE I’VE ATTENDEDCity Council Chats in Faribault, a recently-implemented way of connecting local residents with the people they’ve elected and with city employees. And I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed.
All too often, there’s a disconnect, a feeling that elected officials aren’t listening and don’t care what constituents think. But I’ve found, at these informal sessions, that I am heard. I have a voice. Council members and staff members are, indeed, willing to listen. They care, because Faribault is their home, too, and they want this to be the best place it can be.
So how exactly do these Council Chats work? Once a month, the council sets a time and place to address a specific topic. Locations and times vary. You just show up. There may be a brief presentation. Or not. But there’s always time to mingle and ask questions of council members, city staff and others.
A rock arch rapids like this one in Pine River is being considered for Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2024)
FOCUS ON TWO FARIBAULT DAMS
Wednesday evening, for example, the Chat had an open house format to gather public feedback on options for improving the Woolen Mill Dam and the adjacent north dam on the Cannon River. A 2024 flood damaged the northern wall of the Mill Dam so repairs or improvements are needed. And now, the city decided, is an ideal time to consider alternatives beyond repairs.
You may wonder why I care about these two dams. Well, last summer I saw a rock arch rapids replacement of a traditional dam in Pine River in north central Minnesota. I loved what I saw. Smaller rip-rap rocks, larger rocks and boulders were placed in sloping rows across the Pine River, replacing the 200-foot long by 13-foot high 1910 concrete dam. Water spills over the rocks in a visually-pleasing way that looks almost natural. This area along the Pine River draws outdoor enthusiasts to fish, swim and more. That got me thinking about the dams in Faribault. Could we have the same thing—rock arch rapids that improve water quality, fishing and recreation while also functioning as a dam?
When I learned about the Council Chat addressing the two dams, I wanted to see if rock arch rapids were being considered. They are. An engineering firm presented multiple options, all laid out in architectural drawings spread across several tables. I could actually see choices. I had plenty of opportunity to study the designs, ask questions, get answers and offer my input. Attendees could even vote on project priorities, like fishing, canoeing, cost, funding and more. Just place a colored dot sticker next to your top three priorities.
I’ve never forgotten the message on this photo I photographed at a Civil Rights March exhibit at St. Olaf College in Northfield. It’s powerful. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD
Like the previous Council Chat I attended, questions and conversations were encouraged in this informal, relaxed setting. I felt a comfortable level of accessibility, something not found at a regular city council meeting with an agenda and limited time for the public to speak. Certainly, those formal meetings are necessary to discuss, debate and make official decisions. But these Council Chats add a new, approachable dimension to city government that I appreciate. They directly involve the public.
Elected officials at all levels should embrace this way of listening to voters rather than keeping their distance. And, yes, I’m referencing the town halls many federal politicians are currently avoiding. Our government representatives need to hear our thoughts, our ideas, our concerns. And we, as voters, as Americans, need to continue expressing ourselves, educating ourselves, letting our voices be heard.
TELL ME: What, if anything, do your elected officials do to encourage constituent engagement so your voice is heard?
FYI: The next City Council Chat will give an airport overview and will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 9, at the Faribault Municipal Airport.Past Chats have covered the budget, construction projects, nuisance/blighted properties, tree removal and affordable housing.
Serving on the Faribault City Council is about more than attending meetings and making decisions. It’s also about being involved in the community. Here council member Peter van Sluis, left to right, Mayor Kevin Voracek and councilman Royal Ross serve chili and engage during the Faribault Main Street Chili Cook-off in October. The WTF on Vorack’s tee stands for “Welcome To Faribault.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2022)
JUST MONTHS OUT from the general election, 17 individuals applied for an open seat on the Faribault City Council. The current council is tasked with choosing the individual who will fill the spot vacated by Jonathon Wood with two years remaining in his term. The council invited interested individuals to apply, resulting in the unprecedented 17 applicants.
Without talking to each of the 17 applicants, I can only speculate on their reasons for wanting to join the council. Some come with a history of government and community involvement, whether locally or elsewhere. Some are life-long Faribault residents, others newcomers. Some are young, others more advanced in age. Whatever their reasons for wanting to serve, I hope they approached this with open minds (and not with personal agendas), with a strong desire to do what’s right and best for Faribault, all of Faribault.
I know some of the people on this candidate list personally. I can easily envision them sitting on the council, doing their homework, carefully researching and considering issues, listening, voicing their thoughts. I can see them investing the time, energy and effort needed to make informed decisions that affect not only how this city operates, but also Faribault residents and businesses.
From my perspective, the ability to listen, really listen, is vital. That means listening to all voices—heard and unheard, loud and quiet.
I don’t envy the current council’s task of filling this council vacancy. They met, narrowed the choices down, and are sending follow-up questions to the five remaining contenders. Those individuals will be asked to give short presentations at a council workshop session next week.
I’m grateful that so many individuals applied to serve on the Faribault City Council. Seventeen. That’s an incredibly high number of people willing to devote their time and energy to issues that affect my community. Whomever the council ultimately appoints, that individual will help shape the future of this city, shaped, too, by its rich history.
I took this photo of a St. Olaf College student watching a video in an exhibit, “Selma to Montgomery: Marching Along the Voting Rights Trail,” in 2015. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr is shown in this frame. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo April 2015)
TODAY, THE DAY WE HONORCivil Rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with celebrations and a federal holiday, seems fitting to share my excitement over the election of Adama Youhn Doumbouya to the Faribault City Council. Elected in November and just recently taking office, the Liberian-born immigrant becomes the first person of color to serve on the Council in a city chartered on April 9, 1872.
I expect Dr. King, who advocated tirelessly for equality and human rights, would be proud. I feel not only pride, but also gratitude in knowing that Doumbouya will bring a new young voice (he was born in 1987) and perspective to my ever-changing city.
This is my all-time favorite award-winning photo showing diversity in Faribault. I shot this image at the 2012 International Festival in Central Park where kids gathered to break a piñata. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2012)
Today’s Faribault is vastly different from the Faribault of the past, even of recent decades. It is decidedly more diverse in skin tones, religion, culture, customs, dress, language and more. Admittedly, those who have moved here from places like Somalia, Sudan and Mexico have not always been welcomed. Racism exists. Sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant. I wish that wasn’t true, but it is.
Faribault is a city rich in immigrant history. This banner hangs in the downtown historic district. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2019)
In the context of this evolving, diverse Faribault, it’s important to remember that nearly all of us (with the exception of indigenous peoples) are descendants of immigrants. Too often we forget that. Our forefathers landed in America, then Minnesota, with dreams. Faribault’s newly-elected councilman, who witnessed civil war in his home country along the west coast of Africa, landed in New York City in 2013 with dreams.
Visitors could photograph themselves at the 2015 “Selma” exhibit at St. Olaf College and express their thoughts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2015)
Although I’m not privy to Doumbouya’s personal dreams, I’ve read his backstory published in a Faribault Daily News feature. After moving to Minnesota, he worked at a meat-packing plant in Austin, south of Faribault near the Iowa border. He served on the Austin Planning Commission. Eventually, he pursued a college degree, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in urban and regional studies. He moved to Faribault in 2020, owns a home here.
That’s a nutshell summary of the background Doumbouya brings to city government. Responses to a Q & A published pre-election revealed a candidate eager to serve his community. Eager to advocate for affordable housing, transportation and inclusive workforce development. Eager, too, to improve city infrastructure and technology for residents and businesses. Eager to focus also on economic development. I’m confident he will work hard on those goals of improving life and expanding opportunities in Faribault.
This image from a 2015 Downtown Faribault Car Cruise Night shows the diversity in my city. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2015)
It took a long time—going on 151 years—for my city to get here, to the point of a person of color serving on the City Council. It took time, too, for social justice activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to make progress towards equality and human rights for all. As we approach the 55th anniversary of King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, much work remains to be done.
A promo for the MLK Breakfast in Faribault. (Credit: Faribault Diversity Coalition)
The same can be said in Faribault. But I see progress. I see progress in the election of Doumbouya to the City Council. I see progress via the efforts of the Faribault Diversity Coalition, which today hosts its ninth annual MLK Breakfast and has also started a recent Speaker Series. I see progress in personal connections and communication and caring attitudes. Faribault’s future is as limitless as our dreams.
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