Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Multipage Campaign Newspaper Section Vote Pat Geagan for Eagan Mayor - 8/1/2002I I � tuA *��
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Dear Neighbor,
After years of growth, our city is
almost fully developed. Eagan is moving
into a challenging phase. It is a
maintenance phase, maintaining our low
taxes, maintaining our quality parks and
way of life, and maintaining our safe and
secure neighborhoods.
My years of service in the Eagan
police force and as Chief of Police, together
with my leadership in a host of charitable
and civic organizations, have given me the
management experience and leadership
skills that Eagan will need in the coming
years.
I am asking for your vote on
September 10 and November S. Your vote is
a vote for a healthy, wholesome and
successful city.
Pat Geagan
:1+11 RK,
CRY
LEADER
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Dear Neighbor,
After years of growth, our city is
almost fully developed. Eagan is moving
into a challenging phase. It is a
maintenance phase, maintaining our low
taxes, maintaining our quality parks and
way of life, and maintaining our safe and
secure neighborhoods.
My years of service in the Eagan
police force and as Chief of Police, together
with my leadership in a host of charitable
and civic organizations, have given me the
management experience and leadership
skills that Eagan will need in the coming
years.
I am asking for your vote on
September 10 and November S. Your vote is
a vote for a healthy, wholesome and
successful city.
Pat Geagan
:1+11 RK,
Pat Geagan 9 s Priorities
After such rapid growth, the City of Eagan will
need to adjust to being a mature city. We will need to
put a high priority on communication. This means
that citizens should be encouraged to talk about what
they want their community to be, and elected officials and city staff will need to listen.
Communication is the key.
Communication is an active dialogue. In the coming years, together we will need to find ways to utilize resources to
retain our low tax status and to continue to provide the highest quality of services. We certainly can better utilize the
Internet, cable television and old fashioned, face-to-face community meetings to improve our understanding of each
other- elected officials, citizens and city staff. Together we will need to figure out how to do the same good job with
fewer resources.
I am proud that this is a city that has always been frugal and
maintained one of the lowest tax rates in the Twin Cities metropolitan
area. We have carefully considered
how to use the taxpayers money in the
flush times of the housing boom and
those same skills will need to be applied as the economy slows and as there are fewer new
developments to add to city revenues.
We might have to reduce some services or eliminate others that people do not think
are of high priority. These are tough decisions to make and I am prepared to face them.
It is in the best interest of all of us that we do not use taxpayers money to do that which
is best left for businesses and non-profit organizations. I believe that the people of Eagan are fiscally conservative. They
save for what they want, and they cut back when the budget gets tight. The city should do the same.
As a former policeman and chief, I know
there is nothing more valuable to a family
than feeling safe in your home and your
neighborhood. From nationwide acts of
terrorism to children disappearing from their
own bedrooms at night, we are ever mindful of the importance of a safe community. These
new circumstances recognize the need for new attention to safety by all citizens.
As Eagan's mayor, I would make sure that safety and security of our neighborhoods and
parks will remain a top priority. High standards require sensible, efficient and thorough
procedures, and close cooperation with county, state and federal authorities. Often the
common sense solution can be found when right-minded people take on the complex
problems together.
J
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An Interview with Pat Geagan
Why are you running for Mayor?
My experience in managing budgets and people enable me to be a leader on city issues and
ensure that our government reflects the intent of all citizens. I feel like I am a part of Eagan
and Eagan is a part of me. I care about the community and I know it will face many chal-
lenges in the near future. I want to guide Eagan through these challenging times.
What are the three most important issues facing Eagan in the next four years?
Taxation and financial management, transportation gridlock and the new runway bringing airplanes over Cedar Grove in
2005 are issues that will need to be addressed. Focusing on these complex issues early will be important.
In each of these areas a well planned, strategic approach will help us use tax money wisely, benefit from citizen, business
and government agency cooperation, and keep Eagan citizens well informed at each step along the way. Those are the
challenges facing Eagan.
What is your leadership style and how will you use that as mayor?
I listen. I like to hear what others think, and consider that when making a decision. Soon after the elections the new
city council and mayor will need to take time to get to know each other to begin to act as a team. The council needs to
develop a mutual respect for each others' point of view. This gives a good foundation to rely on when making important
decisions for a city of this size. We will have to agree to disagree, to respect opposing votes and be good students of the
question, "What is in the best interest of our city?" We cannot be good representatives when narrowly focused on per-
sonal agendas.
Get to Know Pat
■ Pat, the oldest of five siblings, was
born in Graceville, Minnesota and raised in
Mound. "We were so poor we didn't have
two nickels to rub together," remembers Pat.
Family was all important to the Geagans. At
age 15 Pat assumed serious family
responsibilities due to the untimely death of
his father.
■ "The paper route was my first job,"
said Pat. "I started the route when I was
10 and had the route for three years. It
helped me buy school clothes and other
basic things that were needed."
■ Pat's career in law enforcement
began in Eagan, Minnesota in 1969. At that
time, Eagan had 13 police officers and a
population of 8,000. Pat worked in the
evening patrolling near the Cedar River Bridge
for teen parties.
■ When Pat was sworn in as Chief of
Police and Eagan had grown to a population of
45,000. When Pat retired ten years later,
Eagan's population was 65,000, with a 100 -
person police department and more than 60
sworn officers.
■ Pat attended the two management
training programs at the FBI Academy in
Washington, D.C. After one program
the certificate was presented by the
director of the FBI, Louis Freeh.
■ After 5 years on the board of the
Minnesota Association of Police Chiefs, Pat
served as president.
■ Pictured in his first uniform as a
proud boy scout at age 12, Pat remains
involved in scouting today as Chair of the
Black Dog District of the Boy Scouts of
America. His wife, Sue, wasn't the first to
note that he always looked good in uniform!
■ Continuing his attraction to wearing a
uniform, Pat started a three -and -a -half year
military career by starting his training as a
medic at an army base in Greenville,
Mississippi.
■ Pat and Sue Geagan have been
married for 27 years and have five children
and six grand children. Together they enjoy
golf, Twins baseball and camping with
their grandchildren.
■ For the past 2 years Pat has applied
his investigative skills as a senior
investigator. He works for
Heartland Business Intelligence,
a Minneapolis based
investigation business.
■ Pat recently had the
honor of throwing out the first
ball at an August Eagan Family
night at the Twins attended by
500 Eagan baseball fans.
You can
When to votes.
cote for Pat twice
September 10- Primary Election mo a.m. to s:oo p.m.
The primary election allows voters to reduce the number of candidates
vying for each open seat. There is no party affiliation in the mayor or city
council races. Currently four Eagan citizens are interested in being our city's
mayor. Vote Geagan.
Movember 5= General Election i:oo a.m. to s:oo p.m.
The November general election is when we make our selection for
mayor, city council and a number of state and national offices. With a record
number of positions on the ballot in November, don't overlook our local
elections. The mayor and city council members make decisions about your
street, your neighborhood and your community. Vote Geagan.
Where to vote:.)
agan
agan
Information from the City of Eagan's Internet page, www.cityofeagan.com. For more details in the location of your polling location based on your address go to
the Secretary of States office's on the Internet at www.sos.state.mn.us.
Precinct --- location-- Address
1. Pilot Knob Elementary — 1436 Lone Oak Road
2. Oak Hills Church * — 1570 Yankee Doodle Road
Precinct --- Location— Address
11. Northview Elementary School — 965 Diffley Road
U. Living Word Lutheran Church* — 4300 Nicols Road
Prepared and paid for by Geagan for Mayor, Paul Jaeb, treasurer, 3440 Federal Drive, Suite 130, Eagan, MN 55122