Cathy VanRisseghem's Profile

Cathy VanRisseghem’s Profile

I have been a lifelong resident of the Little Falls area and have been married to my husband George for 40 years. We are parents of 4 children and have 12 grandchildren.        

·      Business Owner – 6 years (Cathy’s Country Gardens) 1989 - 1995

·      Mainstreet Director – 5 years (Little Falls Mainstreet, Inc.) 1990 - 1995

·      Tourism Director – 4 years (LF Chamber of Commerce 1995 – 1999 *

·      Executive Director – 13 years (Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau) 1999 – 2012

·      Mayor of Little Falls – 8 years (two terms)  2007 - 2014

Lifelong volunteer, ambassador for the community for 22 years with experience in Business Development, Management and Recruitment, Financial Management, Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising, Strategic Planning, Public Speaking, Fundraising, Special Events Coordination, Program Development, and Communications. Has extensive knowledge of State and local affairs and a good working relationship with State and Local Officials.

Awards and Accomplishments

1. Minnesota Quality Service Award 1994
2. Mayors Pride Award 1996
3. KLTF Good Citizen Award 1998
4. Master Gardener of Morrison County for 12 years
5. Certificate of Appreciation – Maple Island Park Project - 1999

6. Emergency Management – Independent Study (IS-00100, IS-00200, IS-00700) - 2008

7. MN Governors Design Team Member – 1990

Community Accomplishments (with the help of many):

1.     Adopt A Spot – 2008-2014

2.     Blue Letter Campaign to save the Lindbergh Historic Site -  2008

3.     Boys and Girls Club Founder - 2008

4.     Camp Ripley’s Veterans State Trail Founder - 2009

5.     City of Christmas Lights – hung many miles of lights

6.     City Wide Garage Sale Founder - 2014

7.     City Web Site - 2009

8.     Community Beautification Campaign – 2008 - 2014

9.     Community Clean-Up Day – 1993, 1994, 1995

10.  Community Meeting “Town 101” (Created three sub-committees: Economic Growth,

       Quality of Life and Youth and Future Workforce) - 2014

11.  Dam Festival – 2004

12.  Downtown Beautification Committee Founder - 2008

13.  Employee Appreciation – got the policy passed and implemented 2009

14.  Flower Fundraiser and planting - 2010

15.  Linden Hill Task Force Founder - 2008

16.  Little Falls “Adopt A Spot” Program - 2008

17.  Little Falls Bike Lanes and walking paths -  2011

18.  Little Falls Scenic Byway designation

19.  Maple Island Park – design and installation

20.  Mayors Forum Local Access Television Program – 2009-2014

21.  Mayors Pride Awards program – 2008-2014

22.  Mayor’s Youth Task Force Founder – 2009 -2014

23.  Mississippi Minds - 2004

24.  Mississippi River Trail (MRT) through Little Falls - 2000

25.  Morrison Area Cities Collaboration - 2008

26.  Retail Commercial Retention and Development Task Force - 2008

27.  Contest naming the Little Falls Golf Course

28.  Historic Walking Tour Brochure

29.  James and Pamela Fergus Parking Lot - 1992

30.  Little Falls Kiosk

31.  Little Falls Giving Calendar - 1992

32.  Little Falls Murals - 1991

33.  Outdoor Movie - 20010

34.  Party for the Parks - 2010

35.  Pine Grove Park Zoo Design and Installation south side of zoo - 1991

36.  Pine Grove Park Restoration

37.  Quiet Zone - 2009

38.  Resident Guide - 2009

39.  Retail Market Study – 2010

40.  Rosenmeier House Repairs and Maintenance

41.  Securing a $2,000,000 grant for future development of the Camp Ripley Veterans State Trail - 2013 

42.  Signage

43.  St Mary Fence – Columbia Park

44.  Starting a Business Brochure - 2009

45.  Taylor Chebet Twitchell Playground - 2014

46.  Town 180 – 2013

47.  Zebra Fundraiser “Sponsor a Stripe” - 2013

Several Local Governance Accomplishments

1.     Reduced City debt by 11 million dollars

2.     Completion of 18^th St NE extension

3.     Lindbergh Drive North Improvements

4.     First Street NW Improvements

5.     Start the 3^rd Street NE Improvements

6.     800 MHZ project

7.     Major rehab of the pre-treatment facility

8.     Continue working on the cross wind runway alignment at the airport,

9.     Moved two businesses into the buildings the City/EDA acquired through the Airborn expansion. 

10.  City Administrator hired as an independent contractor last August – cost savings to the 2013 budget of about $75,000 – up to $100,000 as administrator will be doing union negotiations as well

11.  Acquisition of MNDOT Property for the Little Falls Area Recreation Complex

12.  New LED City Lights installed due to metal failure of former street lights

13.  Bike and walking Lanes installed on First Street NE and SE

14.  Mayor’s Youth Task Force

15.  City Web Site developed and implemented

16.  Community Beautification Committee addressing cleaning up Little Falls

17.  Retail/Business Development & Retention Committee seeking new business and retaining present

18.  Retail Market Study

19.  Quiet Zone

20.  Pine Grove Park rock wall rehabilitation and new roof on the shelter building.

21.  Wellhead protection, seal abandoned city wells and City water wells rehabilitation

Community Service

Have Been a Member of:

·        Friends of the Pine Grove Zoo

·        Morrison County Historical Society

·        Minnesota Fishing Museum

·        West Side Improvement Association

·        Friends of Crane Meadows

·        Friends of Lindbergh Heritage

·        Friends of Linden Hill

·        Little Falls Business Association

·        Little Falls Chamber of Commerce

·        Morrison County Master Gardner

Community Event Coordination

Little Falls Dam Festival - Co Founder

Riverfest 

Riverfest Ride - Founder

Riverfest Parade

Flavor of Morrison County - Founder

Tricks or Treats Downtown - Founder

Santa Parade

MS TRAM - hosted 4 TRAM while working at the CVB

All School Reunion - Co Founder

Retail Promotions

Lindbergh Symposium

Family Fun Days - Founder

Party in the Parks - Founder

Haunted Forest - Founder

Committee Involvement:

1.     All School Reunion Committee

2.     Area Council of Government

3.     Attractions Committee

4.     Beyond the Yellow Ribbon

5.     Bike Friendly

6.     Blandin Community Partnership

7.     Board of Appeals

8.     Boys and Girls Club

9.     Camp Ripley Marketing Committee

10.  Camp Ripley Veterans State Trail

11.  Chamber Christmas Committee

12.  Chamber Retail Council

13.  Community Beautification Committee

14.  Den Leader Pack 51

15.  Downtown Beautification Committee

16.  Downtown Design Team

17.  Downtown Task Force

18.  Economic Development Authority

19.  Economic Growth Task Force Committee

20.  Economic Restructuring Committee

21.  Energy and Environmental

22.  Factory Outlets Recruitment Team Member

23.  Fire Relief Association

24.  Friends of Linden Hill Liaison

25.  Funways and Trailways

26.  Gateways and Entryways Committee

27.  Governors Citizens Advisory Committee of Camp Ripley

28.  Governors Design Team (Minnesota Design Team)

29.  Grants Committee for Little Falls Area Recreation Project

30.  Great River Great/People

31.  Group Tour Committee

32.  Healthy Communities

33.  Heartland Tourism Association

34.  Heartland Tourism Association Marketing Committee

35.  Highway 10 Partnership

36.  Historic Preservation Committee

37.  Library Board

38.  Lincoln School PTSA

39.  Lindbergh State Park Advisory Committee

40.  Linden Hill Board of Directors

41.  Little Falls Business Association,

42.  Little Falls Business Incentive Program

43.  Little Falls Chamber of Commerce

44.  Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors

45.  Little Falls Park and Recreation Committee

46.  Little Falls Pool Committee

47.  Little Falls Pride Coordinator

48.  Live Better Live Longer

49.  Main Street  Design Committee

50.  Main Street Board of Directors

51.  Marketing Committee

52.  Mayors Youth Task Force – addressing the needs of our youth

53.  Mississippi River Parkway Commission – 1995

54.  MN Motel Association

55.  Minnesota Office of Tourism Technology Committee

56.  Mississippi Minds

57.  Morrison Area Coalition

58.  Morrison County Emergency Preparedness Council

59.  Morrison County Rural Finance Development Authority

60.  MRT (Mississippi River Trail)

61.  Musser/Weyerhaeuser/Rosenmeier Task Force – 1994

62.  National Guard Citizens Committee – 1995 - present

63.  Parent and Family Advisory Council St Gabriel’s Hospital

64.  Paul Bunyan Trail Committee

65.  Paul Bunyan Expressway Commission

66.  Personnel and Finance

67.  Public Works Committee

68.  Quality of Life Task Force Committee,

69.  Recreational Task Force

70.  Rental Housing Advisory and Appeals Board

71.  Region 5 Tourism Committee – 1995

72.  Retail Commercial Retention and Development Task Force

73.  Rural Development Finance Authority

74.  Safe Routes to School

75.  Sister City Committee

76.  Sponsor A Stripe

77.  Stand UP for U - Drug Coalition

78.  TAM

79.  Tourism Assessment Planning Committee – 1995

80.  Town 101 Steering Committee

81.  Trails Issues Committee

82.  Union Negotiations

83.  West Side Improvement Association

Business Development

·    Business Recruitment - Little Fiesta,  Arby’s, Walgreens,

·    Business expansion - Larson Boats, Gekko, Arrowhead Promotions, Airborn, St Gabriel’s Hospital, Super Wal Mart, Country Inn & Suites, Crestliner Building (Little Falls Manufacturing Development Center), Pine Grove Zoo, Boys and Girls Club, Linden Hill, Emblom Brenny Funeral Services, Contgrity. Anez Consulting LLC

·    New Business – Taco Bell, Dollar Store, Family Dollar, O’Riely Auto Parts, Shirley Mae's Outfitters, Johnny C's Sport Bar, Little Fiesta Mexican RestaurantRudolph Auto Solutions, IncBaby's on Broadway

Housing Projects

·    Affordable Housing – River Rock Town Homes – 24 units    

·    Assisted Living – Highland Senior Living, Diamond Willow, Bridgeway Estates and

     Harmony House

     Worked with: Faith Lutheran, Bethal Lutheran,

PAST PROJECTS that I worked on, developed and implemented: 1991-2008

Dam Festival, Riverfest, Riverfest Bike Ride, Riverfest parade, Santa Parade, Community Christmas Tree, Trick or Treats Downtown, City of Lights, Clown Costume Contset, Downtown Scavenger Hunt, Childrens Christmas, Sleigh Rides, Live Nativity Scene, Tastes, Smells and Sounds of Christmas, Window Display Contest, Live Window Displays, Santa’s Workshop, Santa Arrives by Train, Downtown Carolers, haunted Forest, Circus Days, Downtown Open House, Saturday Sunrise, pumpkin contest, Santa’s Treasure Chest, Touchdown Thursday, Teen Dances, Flavor of Morrison County, City Clean up, South east parking lot re-do and design, Giving Calendar, Flower Planting Downtown, Mississippi Minds Projects, Entry Signs, Little Falls Murals, Zoo plantings,  All School Reunion, MS TRAM, Veterans World Cup Orienteering, Cross-Country skiing at Camp Ripley,