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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Hedges works to keep city government moving smoothly St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch - 4/1/1987 Hedges works hard to keep Eagan. • city government moving smoothly By Nancy Conner Staff Writer The pre-Christmas taping of P*IMI "The Eagan Report" - a cable television talk show about commu- nity affairs, co-hosted by City Ad ° ministrator Tom Hedges - was threatening to disintegrate into 4 a chaos. A guest from the Minnesota Zoo had shown up without her promised reindeer, disappointing a swarm of young visitors. While she . -y was interviewed by Hedges and Pam Wold, the Christmas tree be . hind them began shaking wildly as wY ° the kids turned to some livelier en- tertainment. But through it all - with his ` thumb sucking 4-year-old son bal anced on his knee as the cameras rolled - Hedges conducted a con- genial conversation. "He's pretty much calm and col- lected," observed Eagan city planner Dale Runkle, who works - closely with Hedges on develop- ment proposals that sometimes , wuw~cu w Zwallly wle UWIIII"9 12 ' city's staff. " " - - Hard-working, unflappable - G Joe Oden/Staff Photographer and just plain nice. That's how peo- uaagan City Administrator Tom Hedges has helped direct the ple describe the 38-year-old city ty s rapid grow for the past decade. Please see Hedges/2 -nu ~ t -uel pua. „`fIG ~No p`~Vp Na"4 tvvyw a44 bweaavau teuvq U F1, c vavauuc v{ L lU l v7 S lb 6 Pa;vn SZUaDISa}T -1'anPa S, aid SIP aua I*Tn•n,^••, "1-., ` -ssela canna r 8atrn° 2DW /FROM THE SECTION FRONT St. Paul PlonearPreSS Dispatch Wednesday, April 1, 1987 / He keeps Ea an government moving smoothly Continued from Page 1 the pressures of phenomenal popu- tion was for him. t R administrator who has held the po- lation growth. "I like to work with people, I like sition for a full decade. Last year, 961 building permits the challenge of problems - I "Tom has done an excellent job were issued for single-family hous- thrive on it - and I like to find es, for example. And construction solutions to problems," Hedges ex' for Eagan," Mayor Bea Blomquist promises to remain strong this plained. said. "He actively promotes the year, with nearly 900 preliminary The Hedges cherish their private city and council, and Tom rarely plats for single-family houses a p- and refer not to debate cif has irritated people. Rarely. Tom's roved at a recent council meeting issues du ring social functions. Y style is to try to help people, and and numerous retail and commer "When we go to a city managers' that's why he was chosen many cial proposals in the planning stag- conference, we find out other peo- years ago." es. ple do live in a fishbowl, but we try , When he was hired in July 1976, Eagan had been incorporated as a "Right now if we were to lose to keep a low profile," Debbie Tom, I don't know what we would Hedges said. city only two years and its popula do," the mayor said. "We would Although he serves at the coon Ile tion was 16,000, Hedges recalled.., 4- Vi r What had been a small town with lose our minds. He holds every cil's pleasure and could be fired at thing together," any time, Hedges said he isn't agricultural tradition has been transformed into a suburb of But Hedges has no plans to leave worrried by the fact that other cit 40tr,000. right now, he said in a recent inter- ies, such as Apple Valley, MaPle , The growth has allowed Hedges view at his home, a cream-colored wood and Shoreview, recently have °i rambler sitting on a hilltop in a asked their administrators to - unlike many of his professional roly-poly neighborhood of neat, leave. peers - to put down roots and new houses that typifies Eagan. watch his job around him. 1 grow up "I don't ever work in that fear," In a career where moving up Only two minutes away from City Hall, he relaxed after, work Hedges said. "I do as professional a usually means a move, Hedges has with his wife, Debbie, on their job as I can, and I think you do a not had to relocate to find fresh glassed in porch. disservice to your community if challenges. In fact, he said, the The couple -high school sweet You worry about that. You become city's growth has given him a rare political. opportunity to mold an administra hearts in Spring Lake, Iowa - "I think in some communities y married in 1970 while they attend Joe Oden/Staff Photographer five staff. ed the University of South Dakota. the manager thinks he should be ~11111 Is "When I came to Eagan in '76, it Debbie graduated as a registered making policy, or the city council Eagan City Administrator Tom Hedges, standing, confers with (left to right) Tom Colbert, had no director of public works, no nurse, while Tom earned a bache- thinks it should be carrying it out director of public works, Bob Rosene, consulting engineer, and Joe Connelly, superintendent city planner, no finance director," lor's degree in political science - telling the receptionist how to of utilities with a business minor and then a answer the phone and things like he recalled. "About the first thing I . ministrators and managers fre the porch several times to talk report to a board of directors, so did was say to the council, 'Here master's in public administration. that." are the needs.' It must have been He interned in Vermillion, S.D., Hedges said he also believes his quently have sought Hedges' re- with their parents. having to rely on someone else to hard for them, but they did go and then was hired as city adminis city council has confidence in his v "He's strict when it comes to make decisions would be hard," he y ice on how to present information along with this. They provided the trator of St. Peter, Minn., a com- management style. I think the and proposals to the city council. homework, Brandon said of his fa said tools." munity of 9,000 where he stayed council knows I'm not a liberal "and proposals `Gee, you have a ther, and Abby agreed. And the What he enjoys most about his Hedges credits his management until moving to Eagan. He set a spender. I'm cautious, he said. Y children said their dad finds time job is the annual city budget, part- team's professionalism with mak- goal of working for a city of 50,000 The mayor said most people city ou do council that t work ist well. How to play games with them and coach ly because it uses the accounting ing city government work under when he decided city administra- aren't aware that other city ad- do said. on their track, baseball, soccer and skills he learned in college. Hedges has served as president basketball teams. "I think the part of my job that and in other offices of the Minnesa Residential developer Loren is creating the most frustration is to City Management Association, a Spande called Hedges "one hell of that there's too much going on," 160-member organization of city an outstanding guy" to deal with. Hedges said. "I would like to spend managers and administrators. "It's his born, instilled empathy more time doing long-range plan- zi !d, He's also a past president of the and understanding for all residents ping and getting out in the commu Minnesota Valley Exchange Club of that finding out what the le community he lives in,,, nitY, „ g PeoP which he helped charter, and is ac Spande said. "He listens to every- want. five in the Eagan Lions Club. He body - he listens to every com- And the other hat he's been shared the leadership of a Cub plaint." wearing in recent months - as co- Scout troop for three years with his host of "The Eagan Report" - is a wife and, as an Eagle Scout him Hedges has toyed with the idea of going into the private sector just beginning to be fun, Hedges self, has helped others working said. 5 someday because he enjoys busi• p toward that rank with projects in 1 Eagan's city government. ness, but wonders if he would be "The first time, I was very ner happy in a middle-management vows. I was sitting in front of three The Hedges two sons Brandon a 11, and Aaron, 4, and their laugh position. cameras for half an hour and could t b : r1 ter Abby, 9, popped in and out of 'I'm in charge of 120 people and hardly remember my name."