Brooklyn Park Mayor Taking Japanese Business Trip with Governor
Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston hopes to bring some new business back with him after a trip to Japan this fall.
Winston plans to attend the Midwest U.S. Japan Association Conference with Gov. Tim Walz in Osaka this September.
Winston told CCX News the trip would provide an opportunity to gain international perspectives on future business needs.
“They’re going to help us prioritize down the road because as [elected officials], you have this view,” Winston said. “But the market demands what the market demands. And so when you talk to different businesses, there’s going to be certain things they need to grow, so I’m looking forward to understanding what that is.”
Three Japanese companies have large facilities in Brooklyn Park. Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Olympus Surgical and Kurita have all set up shop in Brooklyn Park’s Highway 610 corridor.
“Understanding what they’re looking for, even from back home,” Winston said. “Meeting that leadership is going to be important.”
The Brooklyn Park City Council approved the approximately $4,500 trip on Friday, Aug. 18. The vote was not unanimous, and some council members questioned the need for the trip when less expensive networking options will be available domestically.
“Suburbs are where a lot of this action is moving to, whether it’s economic or it’s residents,” Winston said. “Internationally, we need to be a part of this conversation.”
Olympus Surgical, located at 9600 Louisiana Ave. N., is one of three Japanese businesses located in Brooklyn Park’s Highway 610 corridor.
Through Japan Trip, Retaining and Growing Brooklyn Park Businesses
While the trip is partly about making new connections, it’s also about retaining an growing the businesses that are already here.
“So even in terms of tax incentives, or land, or what educational programs they may need in place, what are you looking for from a city?” Winston said. “And how can we over time begin to build that relationship? Because this is not going to be just a one or two year project.”
Winston said that the short-term return-on-investment might not be obvious, but that the relatively expensive trip is part of a long-term investment in the city’s future job market.
“This is, over the years, how are we making Brooklyn Park much friendlier to business, and then connecting those opportunities that we create to our residents,” Winston said. “Hearing and understanding outside of the echo chamber of the United States and our city — it’s a wonderful opportunity for us.”
Brooklyn Park budgeted approximately $20,000 for mayor and council travel expenses in 2023. If the trip is approved, Brooklyn Park’s city manager will also be in attendance.
Pushback from Council
The council was originally set to vote on the trip on Aug. 14. That meeting was pushed back to Friday due to a lack of a quorum.
The Friday meeting was at times contentious.
Brooklyn Park City Council Member Boyd Morson abstained from voting on the issue.
He said the Midwest U.S. Japan Association is planning to come to Chicago next year.
A closer trip would save money for the city’s taxpayers, Morson said.
“Japan has 2 percent diversity in their country — period — that’s reflective of diversity across America,” Morson said. “It appears, as other have said, it looks like it’s a political move … I’m not here to play politics.”
Brooklyn Park City Council Member XP Lee said he was “almost offended” that Morson brought up diversity in the context of Japan trip.
“To say that because Japan doesn’t have enough Black people for us to extend an arm of partnership and then to vote down a business development trip to that country, I would take it personally if I didn’t already know that there was politics involved,” Lee said.
According to city documents, Brooklyn Park’s city manager is planning to go on the trip with the mayor.
Brooklyn Park City Council Member Maria Tran said she opposed the idea of the mayor and city manager leaving simultaneously.
“We need one of them to be here,” she said. “I don’t think its appropriate for the city manager to approve this trip for himself by the public funds.”
