1992-04 Eagan News Special EditionCITY OF EAGAN
3830 Pilot Knob Road
Eagan, Minnesota
55122
681-4600
EAGAN NEWS
THE LONE OAK TREE ... THE SYMBOL OF STRENGTH AND GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY
City Council Sets Community
Outdoor Swimming PooVIndoor Arena
Bond Referendum
A special election for a bond referen-
dum fora proposed community out-
door swimming pool and indoor all-
purpose arena has been set for
May 19, 1992 by the Eagan City
Council. This action was taken by the
Council after reviewing the specific
recommendations of the Eagan
Citizens' Recreational Facilities
Advisory Committee. This advisory
committee had been established by the
City Council in 1990 in response to
repeated requests from residents for
consideration of additional recrea-
tional facilities in the City of Eagan.
After much research and study, it was
the recommendation of the Eagan
Citizens' Recreational Facilities Advi-
sory Committee to the Eagan City
Council that both an outdoor swim-
ming pool and indoor multi-purpose
arena be constructed. The Committee
recommended these facilities because
they do not exist as private or public
facilities within the community. They
provide opportunities for many
different kinds of uses.
The information contained in this
"Special Edition" of the City newslet-
ter is provided to voters so that they
may make an informed decision re-
garding the construction of these com-
munity facilities and may indicate
their desires through voting in the
special election.
The City Council urges voters to be-
come fully informed on the issues and
to vote on May 19, 1992.
The following information highlights
specific aspects of each element of the
community recreational facility.
T Outdoor
Swimming Pool
The outdoor pool is part of a whole
Family Aquatic Center concept which
provides for outdoor recreation and
leisure opportunities for children,
teens, adults, families and seniors.
The Eagan pool will be designed with
features for all ages to utilize includ-
ing: a beach entry "zero depth" area, a
water play area with interactive
moving water elements, a sand play
area, a sand volleyball area and lawn
areas for sun or shade relaxation.
Research has shown that existing
outdoor swimming pools in northern
climates have proven to provide
higher usership than indoor pools.
At outdoor pools similar to the one
proposed by the city, conservative
estimates indicate an average of 1,000
visitors per day during the summer
months.
The outdoor pool is scheduled to be
open from the end of the school year
through Labor Day. Fees will be
charged for initial entry, water slide
rides and concessions. User fees will
be structured to allow for single day
usage or season passes for individuals
and families. It is anticipated that
pool user fees will contribute approxi-
mately one half the needed funds to
offset operational expenses. Addi-
tional revenues generated from the in-
door arena rental fees are anticipated
to cover the remaining operational
costs. Continued next page...
I 70or
Arena [*eConsiderations Q STIONS AND ANSWERS
The indoor arena has been designed to
facilitate a variety of organized com-
munity events.
Ice time in the arena is scheduled for a
minimum of 23 weeks and will provide
for activities such as open skating, or-
ganized hockey, broomball, ringette
and figure skating A major goal of
the facility will be to encourage family
and open skating as well as scheduled
instructions and program e
When not in use for ice events, the
indoor arena will be used for "turf"
activities. Organized soccer is sched-
uled for eight weeks of the season.
This will allow for a variety of organ-
ized community events to utilize the
facility at other times. The indoor
arena can also provide space for ac-
tivities such as: art and craft shows,
corporate gatherings, youth expos
and senior citizens events.
COST TO TAXPAYERS
Estimated Project Costs
The costs associated with the construction of an outdoor
pool and indoor arena have been estimated by major compo-
nents as follows:
Estimated Costs
Arena $ 2,500,000
Pool $ 2,000,000
Bathhouse/Equipment $ 590,000
All Other: $ 960,000
(Architect's Fees, Bond Issuance Fees, Testing
Services, Contingency)
The project is to be funded through the sale of $4.6 million of
General Obligation Bonds and $1,350,000 from the City's
Community Investment Fund.
Operational Estimates
The City has carefully researched other municipal providers
of both arena and outdoor swimming pools. Based on this
analysis and conservative projections for both revenues and
expenses, the facility itself will generate sufficient revenues to
off -set operational expenses. This includes all expenses such
as personnel, utilities, maintenance, insurance and other
related costs. The City Council does not intend to subsidize
the pool/arena operations from its property tax collection.
The facility is designed and expected to be self-sufficient.
E
During the overall planning for such a
facility, many considerations were
evaluated regarding overall community
needs for the future. Not only are the
recreational needs of our community
growing but so are the basic service re-
quirements to the community. Future
expansion of the Eagan Municipal
Center and the needs of the Eagan Po-
lice Department, as part of the "Munici-
pal Complex", were considered in the
design development. Design elements
such as parking, road access and facility
access have been incorporated into the
outdoor pool/indoor arena plans to
address the overall needs of the commu-
nity.
Estimated Costs to Homeowner
Market value of home / Cost per month
$90,000 $ 1.50
$104,000 * $ 1.75
$110,000 $ 1.83
$130,000 $ 2.17
$150,000 $ 2.50
These figures represent what the City's fiscal
consultant has calculated the cost for a
taxpayer based on a referendum amount of
$ 4.6 million to be.
* This is the average valued home in Eagan
according to the Citizens League.
Q: How does this facility differ from
the community center project pro-
posed in 19899
The project being presented for voter
consideration in May has been scaled
down considerably from the previous
community center proposal, resulting
in less impact on the taxpayer to retire
debt. The new design evaluated
community needs and produced a cost
effective facility to meet desired rec-
reational objectives.
Q: In the overall picture of leisure op-
portunities that already exist in the city,
what role does this facility fill?
The community pool and arena will
provide a variety of outdoor and indoor
Q: Why can't skaters use the ice rinks
in other nearby cities?
Other communities commit their ice
time to residents of their city. Because
of ice rinks' popularity, it is difficult, if
not impossible for Eagan residents to
find sufficient ice time in other commu-
nities.
Why is the referendum amount
FiLthan the total project costs?
While the project will cost $5,950,000,
the referendum will only cover up to
$4,600,000 of that total. The remain-
ing $1,350,000 has been committed by
the City Council from the City's
Community Investment Fund. This
fund has been established using
prepaid bond proceeds as a revenue
source for the City's -Capital Improve-
ments Program. This fund will
participate in the costs of other
facilities in the CIP as well.
Q: How long will the community have
to pay for this proposed project?
The City would expect to retire the
recreational opportunities for: youth, bonds over a 20 year period of time.
families and seniors- without them being Q: I have heard that a YMCA is to Y
obligated to a team or membership. be built in Eagan. Why do we need to
build an outdoor swimming pool and
indoor ice arena?
Q: Will my share of the referendum
Q : Other than swimming and The two projects will complement costs remain constant?
skating, what additional activities will each other with their own special
be available at the pool and arena? features. The YMCA is proposing to As Eagan continues to grow with new
h d bh 'll h
The outdoor pool area will feature a
water slide, waterplay features, sand
volleyball and grassy areas in the sun
and shade for relaxing. The indoor
arena will allow for broomball,
ringette, turf sports, practices and spe-
cial indoor activities such as expos,
civic events and more.
n' Will there be user fees? If so, how
will the fees offset operation costs?
Yes, there will be user fees for the
pool and arena. These fees are
competitive with other community fa-
cilities and are established at a level
that insures that all operational costs
are met. For example an annual
resident family pass would be approxi-
mately $55.
include day care facilities and meeting
rooms as part of their first phase
building.
Willother municipal and/or recrea-
tion projects be delayed if the new
community pool/arena is built?
The Eagan City Council recently
approved a five year Capital Improve-
ments Plan for such future expendi-
tures. With the CIP established, the
project proposal will not conflict with
future municipal/recreational facilities
or program needs.
3
omes an usmesses, t ey W s are
in the cost of retiring the bonded
indebtedness through their payment
of property taxes.
Q: If the referendum is passed, what
is the timeline for construction?
The anticipated period for design and
development is six months. Construc-
tion will begin no later than the spring
of 1993. Ice time will be available in
the fall of 1993 and the swimming
pool will open in the spring of 1994.
Q: What will happen to the project
if the referendum does not pass?
If the referendum does not pass, the
proposed outdoor pool/indoor arena
will not be built.
NOTING INFORMATION
All registered voters of the city are en-
titled to vote on the special referendum
in the precinct in which they reside.
Refer to the map for polling places.
Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19. If you
are not a registered voter, you may
register at your polling place on
May 19. Documentation needed to
register on election day is: a drivers
license showing your current address,
or a witness within your precinct who is
a registered voter.
Absentee ballots may be obtained at
the Eagan Municipal Center, 3830 Pilot
Knob Road, now through May 18.
Voters will be asked to vote on two
separate issues: (1) the 1992 School .
Board Elections, and (2) the Eagan
Outdoor Pool/Indoor Arena Referen-
dum. Voters will be given separate
ballots for the City bond referendum
and the School Board elections. A vote
in the School Board elections must be
cast at the voter's City of Eagan
precinct.
SAMPLE BALLOT
The maximum amount of the increased levy re-
sulting from the bonds as a percentage of mar-
ket value will depend upon the term of the
bonds and the interest rate resulting from the
sale. If the bonds are structured to provide ap-
proximately level debt service for 20 years and
bear interest at 6.6% per annum, the maximum
levy raised in the first year would be $450,000.
CITY OF EAGAN POLLING PLACES
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Precinct 3
Precinct 4.
Precinct 5,
Precinct 6:
Precinct 7:
Precinct 8:
Precinct 9:
Precinct 10:
Precinct 11:
Precinct 12:
Precinct 13:
Precinct 14:
City of Eagan Fire Station #2
2980 Lone Oak Circle
Pilot Knob Elementary School
1436 Lone Oak Road
High Site Manor Recreation Building
1364 Highsite Drive
Cedar Elementary School
2140 Diffley Road
City of Eagan Fire Station #1
3940 Rahn Road
Cedar Grove Baptist Church
4200 Rahn Road
Fire Administration Building
3795 Pilot Knob Road
Eagan Municipal Center
3830 Pilot Knob Road
Rahn Elementary School
4424 Sandstone Drive
Christ Lutheran Church
1930 Diffley Road
Thomas Lake Elementary School
4350 Thomas Lake Road
Easter Lutheran Church
4200 Pilot Knob Road
Northview Elementary School
965 Diffley Road
Dakota County Western Court Facility
2030 Cliff Road
Information Meetings
The City Council and Parks and Recreation Department are hosting two informa-
tional meetings about the proposed outdoor pool/indoor arena and bond issue.
These meetings will be held at the Eagan Municipal Center, 3830 Pilot Knob
Road, on:
Wednesday, May 4 at 7.00 p.nL and Tuesday, May 12,at 7.00 p.nL
Cable TV viewers may also watch Channels 16 and 33 for additional taped presen-
tations regarding the proposal.
If you have any questions or comments about the outdoor pool/indoor arena
project, please attend one of the scheduled informational meetings or contact the
Eagan Parks and Recreation Department at the Eagan Municipal Center at 681-
4660.
City of Eagan - Elected Officials
Mayor Thomas Egan
Councilmembers
Pat Awada • Pam McCrea - Tim Pawlenty • Ted Wachter
4