2015-01 Experience EaganExperience Eagan • January/February 2015 • 1
January/February 2015
Experience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience Eagan
Eagan is Rated Highly by Residents—Again
Latest Resident Survey Gives High Marks to City Services
Citizen’s Academy - An Inside Look At Policing
For a decade Money Magazine has ranked Eagan,
Minnesota as one of the Top 20 places to live in
America. Residents overwhelmingly agree. They like
living here—a lot.
Among the highlights of the recently completed
2014 Eagan Residential Survey:
◗ 96% of Eagan residents polled rate the quality
of life as excellent or good
◗ 96% say the same about the sense of neigh-
borliness in Eagan
◗ 98% of residents surveyed feel safe and 96%
and 97%, respectively, rate fire and police
protection as excellent or good
◗ 93% of respondents believe Eagan is headed
in the right direction, 92% regard the job per-
formance of City staff as excellent or good,
and 90% approve of the job the City Council is
doing
“The City of Eagan has consistently been able to
meet and exceed residents’ expectations. This is
a remarkable achievement in light of the residen-
tial and commercial growth in the community, the
impact of the recession and change in leadership at
City Hall.” said, Bill Morris, President of the Morris
Leatherman Company, the independent firm that
conducted the survey.
Those polling numbers have remained quite high
for nearly ten years. Yet, increasingly, either for
themselves or others, a growing number of resi-
dents are worried whether there is enough afford-
able housing (homes and apartments) and “starter”
housing for young families.
Four of ten residents say there are not enough
affordable rental units in the city—a figure up 23
points from two years before; 44% say there is not
enough affordable housing and 37% believe there
are not enough “starter” homes for young families.
Polling was done in September among 400 ran-
domly selected residents in every precinct of Eagan,
representing all adult age groups, and the results
are +/- 5 percent. Nearly a third of those polled (31%)
found no serious issue facing the city. Although
Tired of being on your yard’s schedule during the
summer? Register today to attend a free introduc-
tory Blue Thumb Workshop to learn about low-
maintenance native gardens, raingardens and native
shoreline stabilization projects that help keep our
waters clean. The free Eagan workshop is March 2
from 6:15 – 8 p.m.
During the workshop you will see dozens of afford-
able designs that transform conventional urban
yards into beautiful and beneficial landscapes. You’ll
also learn about financial incentives that are avail-
able. After the introductory workshop, you can sign
up for an advanced session where you will receive
help designing a plan specific to your property.
In the past seven years, more that 250 of your Eagan
neighbors have attended a Blue Thumb Workshop
hosted in conjunction with Dakota County Soil and
Water Conservation District. These sessions provide
an overview of water quality challenges in Dakota
County and demonstrate beautiful, practical ways of
reducing runoff pollutants.
Attendance at the introductory course is free, but
registration is required. The March 2, session will
be held in the Eagan Room at City Hall, 3830 Pilot
Knob Road. Other sessions are available throughout
Dakota County and are open to all County residents.
Register now or find out more by visiting www.
dakotacountyswcd.org or by calling (651) 480-7777.
continued page 2
continued page 2
Think Spring!
Create a Beautiful Garden that
Helps Keep Water Clean
Do you love watching CSI and Criminal Minds? Do
you wonder how much of what you see on TV is
real? The Eagan Police Department invites you
inside the department’s inner workings, through its
20th Annual Citizen’s Academy.
The academy provides a chance to see the Eagan
Police Department from the inside. Participants will
learn what it’s like to drive with lights and sirens
and how to shoot a Taser. They will learn how a
Police K-9 is trained to alert officers of the presence
of illegal drugs. Previous participants have been
impressed with their experiences in the academy
and a follow-up survey gathered many positive
comments such as these from participants:
“I learned a lot about what the PD does for the
city. The academy has made me really proud to
live and work in Eagan.”
“Dispelled many misconceptions for me.”
“I didn’t realize we’d get to actually trigger a
Tazer! –Really cool.”
“Every week has been a great adventure and
learning experience. The program goal of giving
the community insight to what Officers do is
being achieved.”
only mentioned by 16% of survey respondents,
taxes emerged as the most serious issue. That num-
ber is up 6 points from 2012. Still, for the taxes they
pay, 88% rate the value of the city services they
receive as excellent or good.
“We are gratified by the high degree of confi-
dence Eagan residents have in the city services
they receive,” said Eagan City Administrator Dave
Osberg. “We take nothing for granted.” Even the
lowest rated city service in the survey (city trail and
sidewalk plowing) had a 70% approval rating. While
that is perhaps not too surprising after last win-
ter’s “Polar Vortex,” Osberg notes. “We still want
to take a look at what we can do to continuously
improve operations within available resources.”
While the 2014 Survey did not ask about the new
premium outlet mall in Eagan because it was just
Quality of Life Rating
Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Unsure
10
20
30
40
Morris Leatherman Company
ExcellentExcellentExcellent GoodGoodExcellentExcellentGoodGoodGood Only FairOnly FairOnly FairOnly FairOnly FairOnly FairOnly FairOnly Fair 2008201020122014
Experience Eagan • January/February 2015 • 2
Commission Members Give Back to Community
Eagan has four Commissions and a Watershed
Organization that each focuses on a specific area or
function within the community. Each Commission
meets regularly to discuss and research topics
before they come to the City Council for consider-
ation.
The reasons people choose to serve on a commis-
sion are varied, but often sound something like this,
from long time Airport Relations Commissioner
Chuck Thorkildson who says he became a commis-
sioner, “To give something back to the City and
to help shape the City’s future. “ Thorkildson has
served on two different Commissions for a com-
bined total of 17 years.
When asked what value he thinks Commission
members provide the Council and the community,
Joe Dierkes, who was appointed to the Planning
Commission a year ago says, “ I think on several
levels the Commission provides an opportunity for
the public to have input into the decision-making
process. Although I am new to the Commission and
have quite a lot to learn, I can already see from the
questions posed by the more experienced commis-
sioners that they definitely consider the best inter-
ests of the community in making their decisions and
recommendations to the City Council.”
If you are a resident, interested in being consid-
ered for a Commission appointment, applications
are being accepted through March 20, for these
Commissions:
◗ Advisory Planning Commission
◗ Advisory Parks and Recreation Commission
◗ Airport Relations Advisory Commission
◗ Energy and Environment Advisory Commission
The City Council also appoints the Gun Club Lake
Watershed Management Organization members.
Most commissions have six to eight members serv-
ing staggered two-year terms, and an alternate.
Applications are accepted throughout the year; how-
ever, a majority of appointments are made annually
in April. Approximately 15 appointments will be
made at that time.
Candidate interviews will be scheduled in mid-April.
Commissions meet every one to two months—
depending on the commission. Descriptions, general
meeting schedules and applications are available at
www.cityofeagan.com/Commissions.
Coming to City Council?
Here’s what to expect
This is how it typically
happens: The guy next
door is doing some-
thing on his property
that you want to com-
ment about; or, a busi-
ness is moving in near-
by and you have some
questions; you have a
Scout working on a citizenship badge. Whatever it is
that brings you to a City Council meeting, welcome!
These are some of the things to know about how a
City Council meeting works.
Council Meeting Schedule & Agenda
With few exceptions for Holidays, elections, etc.,
the City Council meetings are held the first and third
Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Eagan City
Hall. Agendas for each meeting are published on the
City Web site, typically the Friday preceding.
An agenda is simply a list, in order, of items to be
discussed. To find specific agenda items, refer to the
City Web site, www.cityofeagan.com/meetings,
or call the Municipal Center at (651) 675-5000.
Agendas are available at the entrance to the Council
Chambers at each meeting.
When Can I Speak?
The City Council welcomes the public to Council
meetings, workshops, and hearings and encourages
individuals to express opinions but the public can’t
make motions or give direction during the meeting.
Here are a few other things to know:
The Consent, section of the agenda contains a list of
routine items that typically need little deliberation.
These items are all voted upon in one vote, unless a
Councilmember or citizen asks that an item be dis-
cussed individually.
If you wish to speak about an agenda item, wait
until it is addressed on the agenda and the Mayor
will ask if there are members of the public who wish
to speak.
When addressing the Council, approach the podium
and give your name and address and speak directly
to the Mayor.
Speaking at Public Hearings
Audience remarks are limited to four (4) minutes
during Public Hearings, each person may speak only
once and repeat comments are discouraged.
◗ Presentations concerning items will be heard
only upon approval of the Mayor.
◗ To help maintain order, applause or other dis-
turbances are discouraged.
◗ Petitions should be presented to the City
Administrator.
If the item you wish to discuss is not on the agenda,
a “Listening Session” is held prior to each regular
meeting where you may speak to the Council about
these items. Also, the last item on the agenda is
“Visitors to be Heard,” where non-agenda items can
be addressed.
Meetings are televised live on Eagan-TV channel 16
and are also streamed on the Web at
www.cityofeagan.com/watchvideo.
More information about meeting procedures and
agendas can also be found on the City Web site.
Citizen’s Academy...from page 1
The next Citizen’s Academy will begin on March 5,
2015 and runs for 8-weeks on Thursday evenings
from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Eagan Police
Department, 3830 Pilot Knob Rd.
The program is designed to offer citizens insight
into modern day policing through hands-on train-
ing conducted by Eagan Police Officers. Training
includes:
◗ Information on department history
◗ Tour of the Police facility and squad car
◗ K-9 demonstration
◗ Review of typical police calls
◗ DUI demonstration
◗ Narcotics presentation
◗ Laws of arrest, search and seizure
◗ Self-defense tactics and use of force simula-
tions
Participants are also given an opportunity to ride-
along with an officer for 4 hours during a shift.
The program is open to those who live or work in
Eagan. Because of the sensitive nature of some of
the training topics, applicants must be over age 18
years and agree to a criminal background check.
There are 25 openings available. Applications will
be accepted beginning Tuesday, January 6, 2015.
An application can be downloaded from the City’s
website at www.cityofeagan.com/police. For more
information regarding the program, contact Crime
Prevention Specialist Jill Ondrey at the Eagan Police
Department at (651) 675-5700.
Resident Survey..from page 1
opening in August, there are hints in the results of
its impact already. When asked what type of retail
stores residents would still like to see attracted
to Eagan, 67% said “none” although others want
department stores or a Trader Joe’s. Other interest-
ing findings include 91% or residents indicating that
world class Internet speeds are important and 93%
wanting to see equal upload and download speeds
for Internet service.
The male/female split among survey respondents
was 49/51%. By age, 62% of those polled were
between the ages of 25 and 54, with 32% age 55
and older, and 7% between the ages of 18-24. The
research was conducted between September 16th
and October 2nd. For additional information, visit
the City Web site.
City Services Ratings
Morris Leatherman Company
Positive
Negative
Police Protection
Fire Protection
City Water Supply
Sanitary Sewer Service
Snow Plowing Trails/Sidewalks
Park Maintenance
Storm Drainage
City Sponsored Recreation
Animal Control
Communications
Street Repair/Maintenance
Snow Plowing Streets
97%3%
3%
19%
13%
27%
7%
11%
8%
15%
12%
21%
29%
96%
81%
81%
70%
93%
89%
89%
83%
89%
79%
71%
Experience Eagan • January/February 2015 • 3
Spotlight on Streetlights
Whether a streetlight is blinking or completely out,
it can become a nuisance to not have the light you
are used to. Streetlights allow us to get around in
the dark and are also a safety precaution against
crime and accidents. But what should you do about
a burned out street light?
If the street light is out in your neighborhood, a
good rule of thumb is to call the company that man-
ages your electricity—Dakota Electric, (651) 463-
6287 or Xcel Energy, 1-800-960-6235.
You can also make a report to the Eagan
Maintenance Facility at (651) 675-5300 or at www.
cityofeagan.com/CitizenSupport . In turn, the City
contacts Dakota Electric or Xcel Energy to make the
repairs.
Within Eagan, Dakota Electric owns over 3,000
of the streetlights, the City owns about 400 (not
including parks), and Xcel Energy owns about 250.
The City owned street lights are generally in or near
City buildings and parks. To see a map of which
areas Dakota Electric and Xcel Energy generally
own, visit www.cityofeagan.com/Streetlights .
The City is responsible for maintaining the street-
lights above all traffic signals. The City has begun
reaping the benefits of LED lighting (lower cost,
longer life span, lower carbon footprints) by transi-
tioning some of these lights to LED as the old lights
burn out. These efforts are similar in numerous
Eagan parks and facilities.
From Fire apparatus to a weed harvester, squad
cars to snow plows, weed whips and even the
occasional office chair, all City equipment is put
in the capable care of three Eagan maintenance
employees: Tom Streefland, Chief Mechanic/Shop
Supervisor, and two mechanics, Brian Thom and
Bob Brown. These three men are responsible for
keeping Eagan’s fleet of more than 230 fuel oper-
ated vehicles in working condition.
Theirs are not the flashiest, most visible of City jobs.
Rarely will a resident have cause to interact with
one of them. But without them, City operations
might literally come to a grinding halt.
“We’ve set up an atmosphere here where we’re
really accountable and efficient—these guys
should be really proud of that,” says Streefland.
Many other Cities have twice as many mechanics.
“[Cities] all maintain fleets … the same type of
equipment. Ours isn’t newer or different or higher
quality. These guys are top-notch. Just better
mechanics, I think.”
Streefland and his crew are all about efficiency.
“We try not to keep anyone waiting for a vehicle,”
he says. “That’s one of our philosophies. They’re
not efficient if they’re standing, watching us work.
So we do whatever it takes to get employees back
on the road quickly.”
“We don’t take short cuts, we do things right,”
says Thom. “Tom manages the schedules to get
vehicles in and out. He gets us the training we need
to keep up on new systems. He does it all with an
integrity that is second-to-none.”
Routine maintenance is valued highly —making
sure the squad cars are ready for the next call,
ensuring plows are set when snow begins. But
these guys are also masters at repairing highly
specialized fire truck gear and diagnosing the com-
plex electrical systems found in today’s vehicles.
“Whatever breaks down, they can fix it,” says
Streefland.
Oil changes and brakes are their bread and butter,
but diagnosing a tricky engine or electrical system
is what Thom and Brown thrive on. It’s a lot like a
big jigsaw puzzle, they say. At the start, they know
only a couple of pieces but work tirelessly until the
puzzle falls into place. “Those are the days you go
home feeling like you really did something—you
Three Men and Our Trucks
feel good having gotten to the bottom of the
problem to get [that vehicle] working right,” says
Brown.
That is the dedication and stick-to-it attitude
Streefland has brought to the job and cultivated in
his staff for his 26 years in Eagan. Hired in 1989 as
the lone mechanic, he hired a staff of two, shortly
thereafter. And although the fleet has grown tre-
mendously, his mechanic count has not. There has
been little turnover—only five men in all, including
Thom and Brown. Two that left, remain with the
City in other divisions.
At the end of January, Tom Streefland will begin
mastering his next challenge—retirement.
Is he worried about leaving? “I’ve never encoun-
tered a vehicle that we couldn’t replace,” says
Streefland. “It’s the same for me. These guys will
be just fine.”
“Ultimately everyone here knows we’re here to
serve the public and make sure we’re providing a
good value with everything we do,” says Thom.
Tom has always set the bar high for us and that’s
something that won’t change.”
Are your heating bills high? Does your home feel
drafty? The Dakota County CDA’s Weatherization
Plus Loan pilot program can help permanently
reduce energy bills by helping to make your home
more energy efficient while protecting the health
and safety of family members.
The Weatherization Plus Loan program offers low/
moderate-income homeowners in Eagan, an oppor-
tunity to receive weatherization services with a
zero percent, forgivable loan.
Each home will have an energy audit conducted to
determine the weatherization work items needed
to improve the home. Work items may include:
minor and major air sealing; attic insulation; side-
wall insulation; high-efficiency heating systems; and
general repair and health and safety improvements
needed to allow safe completion of weatherization
services.
Eligible applicants must reside within the City of
Save Energy, Spend Less with Weatherization Plus Loan
Eagan or the City of Rosemount; own their own
home; demonstrate ability to make mortgage pay-
ments; have a gross annual income within the pro-
gram income limits; and cannot have assets greater
than $60,000.
If you qualify, the CDA will conduct an energy audit
to determine the solutions to improve your home’s
energy efficiency. Loan proceeds are kept on
account for you by the CDA and payment is made
directly to the contractors on your behalf when the
work is completed. Inspection of work in progress
and upon completion is required by both you and
the CDA before annual payment is made.
This is a pilot program and funds are limited.
Applications will not be reviewed until all documen-
tation is received.
For more details of the program visit www.
DakotaCDA.org and select “For Homeowners” or
Contact Lisa Henning at (651) 675-4467.
Save the Date:
March 13 & 14
at Eagan Civic Arena
Vendors apply now.
Visit www.eagancivicarena.com
Shop Supervisor Tom Streefland (upper left) and Mechanics Brian
Thom (upper right), and Bob Brown (immediately above) are respon-
sible for keeping Eagan’s fleet of 230-some vehicles on the road.
PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDTWIN CITIES MNPERMIT NO. 4902* * * * * ECRWSS * *Residential Postal Customer3830 Pilot Knob RoadEagan, Minnesota 55122Page 1
Eagan is Rated Highly by Residents—Again
Think Spring!
Citizen’s Academy - An inside look at policing
Page 2
Commission Members Give Back to Community
Coming to City Council? Here’s what to expect
Page 3
Three Men and Our Trucks
Spotlight on Streetlights
Save Energy, Spend Less with
Weatherization Plus Loan
Save the Date: Home and Leisure Show
Page 4
It’s Not Only Neighborly, it’s the Law…
Upcoming Events
Crime Prevention Corner: Financial Check-up
Eagan’s July 4th Funfest is Seeking Ambassador
Candidates
Mayor
Mike Maguire
Councilmembers
Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields
Gary Hansen Meg Tilley
City Administrator Dave Osberg
City Hall
(651) 675-5000 • (651) 454-8535 TTY
www.cityofeagan.com
Experience Eagan
Eagan’s July 4th Funfest
is Seeking Ambassador Candidates
Upcoming Events
Eagan youth interested in representing their com-
munity and participating in an outstanding leader-
ship program need look no further than the Eagan
Funfest Ambassadors. Ambassadors are between
the ages of 10-19 and have not yet graduated from
high school. The program is open to both young
men and women, who live, go to school or worship
in Eagan.
Candidates will acquire relationship-building skills
and gain confidence in public speaking and have
the potential to earn a scholarship. Candidates
are judged through a variety of events during the
Jan 17 Family Ice Fishing Try-It Clinic.
1-3 p.m. at Blackhawk Park, Pre-
registration required, call (651) 675-
5500
Jan 17 & 31 Winter Farmers Market. 10 a.m. –
1 p.m., Eagan Community Center
Feb 13 Chocolate & Hearts. 55+/Seniors
Valentine’s Day Event , 3-5:00 p.m.
at the Ames Center. $12 per person.
Registration/more information call
(651) 675-5500
Feb. 14, 28 Winter Farmers Market. 10 a.m. –
1 p.m., Eagan Community Center
Feb. 25 Hot Dish Cook-off. Senior’s Lone
Oak Room, Eagan Community Center
Call ( 651) 675-5500 for information
the year including a family potluck, community
volunteer projects and events, an appearance in
the Eagan Funfest Parade and participation in the
“Brain Freeze” ice cream eating contest and more.
A panel of judges make the final Ambassador selec-
tions based on public presence, behind the scenes
interaction, social skills, communication, attitude
and volunteerism.
More information about the program and an appli-
cation can be found at the Eagan Funfest Web site
www.eaganfunfest.org or by e-mailing ambassa-
dor@eaganfunfest.org.
It’s Not Only Neighborly,
it’s the Law…
Winter months bring special challenges, especially
when it comes to getting cars into garages and still
finding room for all our other stuff. Eagan’s Code
Enforcement staff has a few reminders:
Vehicles stored outside must be operable and have
current license tabs. Otherwise, they must be
stored indoors.
Vehicles parked in front of the home must be on the
driveway and not on the yard /grass area, even dur-
ing the winter months.
Garbage Can Placement is Limited
Garbage and recycling containers must be stored
inside or alongside the garage or home (at a point
behind the front of the house or garage) when not
being set out for collection. Containers can be set
out as early as 6 p.m. the evening before collection
day and must be removed by 6 a.m. the day after
collection.
Containers set out for collection should be placed
at least 3 feet behind the curb as designated by
City code (not in the street). Containers can still be
reached by the automated arm of garbage vehicles,
but will not hinder plowing operations.
Questions regarding these issues can be sent to
codeenforcement@cityofeagan.com.
Crime Prevention
Corner
Financial Check-up
Now that the holidays have passed, make
sure to check your financial records for
accuracy. Look at each item on your
statement and confirm it is something
you actually authorized for purchase.
If you see unauthorized activity, call
your financial institution and local law
enforcement immediately to report
the fraud and cancel your cards on the
account immediately.
For more information on what to do if
your personal information has been sto-
len, and other crime prevention tips, visit
www.cityofeagan.com/police.
photo by Lisa Schmidt