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AN ENGINEER’S
APPROACH
TO
CITY HALL.

Carter McNew
Carter McNew · Shakopee, MN

Carter McNew tests ideas, measures the results, and holds every project, including his own, accountable to what it promised.

SeatSHAKOPEE CITY COUNCIL · 2026
CandidateCarter McNew
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MEET CARTER

  • HOA President (2nd term)
  • Lower MN River Watershed District
  • Scott County Parks Advisory
  • Mechanical Engineer

A MECHANICAL ENGINEER SOLD ON SHAKOPEE FOR GOOD.

Carter grew up coming to Shakopee the way a lot of the metro does: Valley Fair trips, Renaissance Festival weekends, and weekends on the river. He studied mechanical engineering at Iowa State, where he led campus groups, and today works as a design lead in automation lines for packaging, inside FDA-regulated fields where oversight, documentation, and getting it right aren’t optional.

He’s worked 8 years as an engineer, 5 in medical-device diagnostics and 3 in automation for pharmaceutical and packaging applications, with a focus on risk analysis, cost management, and project implementation.

He bought his first house in Shakopee three years ago and has lived here for five. Today he serves as a second-term HOA president for a 100-townhome community, sits on the Scott County Parks Advisory Commission, and serves as vice president and finance chair of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District, building, he says, on the work of the people who served before him.

5 years

Shakopee resident · 3-year homeowner

8 years

Mechanical engineering experience

5 in medical-device diagnostics 3 in automation for pharmaceutical and packaging applications

PROJECT TRACKER: THE PROOF

3 years of audits

Done in 9 months

Bond (15-yr term)

Paid in 7

Real track record as finance chair of the Lower MN River Watershed District.

3 boards

HOA & Lower MN River Watershed Dist. & Scott County Parks

HOA

President (2nd term)

304 homes

304 is a placeholder ·
waiting on Carter's exact number

Lower MN River Watershed Dist.

Vice President and Finance Chair

Scott County Parks

Advisory Commissioner

$192K

“Just last week, we approved $192,000 to be sent to Shakopee in a single lump sum as opposed to over a number of years.”

— Carter McNew, Shakopee Chamber interview, Aug 31, 2026

THE MCNEW STANDARD

EVERY CANDIDATE SAYS COMMUNITY, INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY. HERE’S WHAT MAKES THIS PLATFORM DIFFERENT.

The four values below aren’t just words on a lawn sign. Each one comes with a stated mechanism for proving it’s actually happening.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SHAKOPEE

Source: Carter McNew’s positions as stated in the Shakopee Chamber & Visitors Bureau’s Meet the Candidates interview.

PILLAR 01

COMMUNITY

A Shakopee that feels like home for everyone.

Every open issue logged, owned, and tracked until it's actually closed, not just raised at a meeting and forgotten.

PROOF: PUBLIC BACKLOG LOG

Track every open issue publicly, from the day it's filed to the day it's actually fixed

  • Fewer complaints that quietly disappear
  • Residents feel a real say in what changes in their neighborhood
  • Community consent before significant decisions

Community belongs, participates, and has a voice. That means meaningful resident input, meaning real consent, before decisions that change a neighborhood, and a city where marginalized and underrepresented residents are welcomed and represented.

  • Community belonging & participation
  • Resident voice before significant decisions
  • Housing accessibility so longtime residents can stay
  • One Shakopee: downtown, East & West, established & new alike
One Shakopee
Every neighborhood matters
Your Voice
Input before decisions
“People have a large frustration when they don’t feel like they have a say in what’s going on in their community.”
— Carter McNew, Meet the Candidates

YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOUR VOICE.

PILLAR 02

INTEGRITY

No surprises about where I stand.

A position stated plainly in public, and revised just as publicly the moment the facts change.

PROOF: NO QUIET REVERSALS

State a position plainly, and revise it just as plainly when the facts change

  • Residents know exactly where the city stands
  • Changing your mind isn't a lack of integrity; hiding why you changed it is
  • Trust built on consistency, not spin

Residents should know my positions before important decisions whenever reasonably possible, and be able to question them. Changing your mind isn’t a lack of integrity. Hiding why you changed it is.

  • Know → Question → Challenge → Provide evidence
  • Previous position → new information → new position
“Trust is built on asking the hard questions, and being honest with your constituents when you fall short. The age of ‘just trust me’ is gone.”
— Carter McNew, Meet the Candidates

SAY IT
PLAINLY.
OWN IT.

PILLAR 03

ACCOUNTABILITY

If we promise it, we track it.

A goal set before a project starts, and a public report on whether it was met, published either way.

PROOF: BASELINE + 5-YR AUDIT

Set a measurable goal before a project starts, then publish the result either way

  • Completed ≠ successful: did it work, and was it worth the cost?
  • Tax dollars go toward what actually works
  • Residents get a real answer, not a press release

A Shakopee Performance & Project Tracker covering goal, baseline, budget, actual spending, funding source, schedule, results, and status, so every project proves itself. Completed ≠ successful.

DID IT
WORK?

PILLAR 04

INNOVATION

Don’t just keep up. Lead responsibly.

Small pilots with a stated goal before the city commits full funding: prototype first, scale second.

PROOF: 90-DAY TRIAL STANDARD

Pilot new ideas small, with a stated goal, before the city commits full funding

  • Vet first, adopt second, including on AI & surveillance tech
  • Fewer expensive mistakes at full scale
  • A city willing to admit when something didn't work

Pilot and evaluate new approaches, like the social district we continue to monitor.

  • Vet first, adopt second
  • A clear-eyed approach to AI, surveillance & privacy
  • Launching the City Performance Tracker
  • A Small Business Fast Track program
“Responsible innovation sometimes means knowing when to wait.”
— Carter McNew

VET FIRST.
ADOPT
SECOND.

SUPPORT FOR CARTER

I’M HONORED TO HAVE THEIR SUPPORT.

Jody Brennan
“Focused and committed to doing what he believes is right for Shakopee.”

JODY BRENNAN

Scott County Commissioner

Jesse Lara
“We need leaders who will balance responsible growth, fiscal accountability, strong public safety, and a community where families and businesses can thrive.”

JESSE LARA

Shakopee City Council Member

MY POLICY PLATFORM

12 PRIORITIES. PRACTICAL ACTION.

Community. Integrity. Accountability. Innovation. Here is what those values mean for Shakopee.

  1. 01Community Voice & Consent

    Residents deserve a meaningful voice before major decisions are made. I want earlier communication and public input on development, parks, data centers, and surveillance systems. City Hall should explain proposals, listen to concerns, and show how resident feedback affects the outcome.

  2. 02Accountability & Transparency

    Residents should know where I stand and why decisions are made. I will ask questions, review the evidence, explain the numbers, and follow through. Improve City Hall communication, scrutinize budgets, and evaluate projects after implementation so problems are corrected and promises can be checked.

  3. 03Fiscal Responsibility

    Preserve Shakopee's low-tax advantage by reviewing priorities every year, questioning spending, and planning for long-term costs. I have used zero-based budgeting on the watershed district. Every investment should have a clear purpose, measurable value, and a plan to minimize the impact on taxpayers.

  4. 04Housing Affordability

    Support housing options for different incomes and stages of life, while working to keep longtime residents from being priced out. Consider how development decisions affect affordability, neighborhood character, infrastructure, and access to services. Growth should help people build a future here.

  5. 05Public & Community Safety

    Support local police and fire departments with the resources needed as Shakopee grows. Evaluate staffing, facilities, and service results. Public safety also means protecting the rights, privacy, and dignity of everyone who calls Shakopee home, and rebuilding community trust after immigration enforcement actions.

  6. 06Responsible Economic Development

    Judge development by its long-term benefits, costs, and risks, rather than a slogan. TIF can be appropriate when support is necessary for a worthwhile project to happen. It should face careful scrutiny, with risk placed on the developer as much as possible and taxpayers protected.

  7. 07Small Business Focus

    Prioritize the local businesses that make Shakopee distinctive. Explore a faster, clearer process for small businesses to start, expand, and succeed. Support downtown and opportunities around Canterbury and the entertainment district, while pursuing grants and partnerships for the Innovation Hub.

  8. 08Parks, River & Historic Identity

    Recommit to Shakopee's Minnesota River identity. Support river cleanup, erosion control, water quality, habitat protection, and accessible parks and trails. Preserve local history and the places that make our city feel like home. Include residents in decisions about parks and public spaces.

  9. 09Managed Growth

    Plan development around community needs and the capacity of roads, utilities, and public safety services. For data centers, scrutinize siting, utility demand, rate impacts, and safeguards for residents. Welcome worthwhile investment while requiring a clear explanation of who benefits, who pays, and what risks remain.

  10. 10Responsible Technology & Innovation

    Use technology when its benefits and safeguards are demonstrated. Vet AI before using it in city systems, including privacy, security, reliability, and intellectual property concerns. Scrutinize Flock license-plate cameras and data sharing; solving crime does not remove the need to protect civil liberties.

  11. 11Transportation & Infrastructure

    Maintain roads and infrastructure while planning for future needs. Monitor roundabouts after installation, with special attention to pedestrian safety and resident communication. Support practical transit, walking, and biking options, explore sensible e-bike policies, and advocate for Highway 169 improvements.

  12. 12Advocacy & Regional Partnerships

    Work across political lines with the county, watershed district, state, and neighboring communities. Advocate for Highway 169, fiscal disparity reform, and grants that benefit Shakopee. Explore state authorization for an event-ticket or visitor tax to help cover visitor-related police, fire, and infrastructure costs.

My ten questions before spending your money

  • Is it legally required?
  • How necessary or urgent is it?
  • Will it make a meaningful difference?
  • How realistic are the goals?
  • Who benefits?
  • What are the tradeoffs?
  • Can we get 80% of the benefit for 20% of the cost?
  • How long will the benefits and costs last?
  • What can we learn from other cities?
  • Do residents want it?

A NEW VOICE FOR SHAKOPEE

I am a career engineer, Lower Minnesota River Watershed District Vice President and Finance Chair, Scott County Parks Advisory Commissioner, and HOA president. I bring a practical approach: continue what works, fix what can be better, and end policies that do not serve Shakopee's future.

My commitment: review the evidence, show the numbers, and earn your trust.

SHAKOPEE IS HOME

A LIFE BUILT HERE, NOT JUST A CAMPAIGN BUILT HERE.

Five years in, a first home, an HOA presidency, and the everyday life of the place. Carter’s Shakopee story looks a lot like everyone else’s. That’s the point.

Carter McNew smiling with his grandmother at a family celebration
Family firstThe reason he stays put
Carter McNew holding his Scott County nameplate in front of the U.S., POW/MIA and Minnesota flags
Serving Scott CountyAppointed to the county board room
Carter McNew's rec-league volleyball team on the court showing off their championship rings
Rec league champsLeague night, every week
Carter McNew and neighbors holding boxes of cherries, peaches and blueberries from a group produce order
The neighborhood produce runBulk orders, split six ways
Carter McNew in a birthday hat with a friend at a local Shakopee spot
Birthdays with friendsCelebrating at the neighborhood brewery
Carter McNew with a group of friends in costume at the Renaissance Festival
Renaissance FestivalCostumes on, friends who show up

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PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: August 28, 2026

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