2014-07 Experience EaganExperience Eagan • July/August 2014 • 1
July/August 2014
Experience Eagan
Plan ahead and use different options to get there.
Consider taking a bus from the Eagan transit station
or riding with your shopping friends to make it a
safe and efficient opening.
About the Route
Maps and information continue to be generated and
several meetings have been held with neighbors
and businesses that operate near the new mall.
This is in an effort to ensure that those most highly
impacted by mall traffic and operations will know
what to expect on opening weekend and on the
busiest traditional shopping days. Whether you are
a shopper looking forward to checking out the new
mall, a resident of the area trying to determine your
access in and out of the neighborhood or a busi-
ness person coordinating employees and deliveries,
resources are available at
www.cityofeagan.com/abouttheroute
www.eaganoutletmall.com
What to Know Before the New Mall Opens
Get Connected: Be the Neighbor in the Know
Twin Cities Premium Outlets in the Cedar Grove
Redevelopment District is on pace for its Grand
Opening on August 14-17, 2014. Even as the outside
of the center’s buildings are being completed, work
has begun on the over 100 stores that will open at
that time. The mix of stores, many of them unique
to the region, is expected to attract large numbers
of shoppers to the development.
While the road system and available parking are
expected to meet the needs of shoppers visiting
the center the vast majority of the time, the City
and Simon Properties, the operators of the center,
are working together on plans to manage traffic
and parking for the opening and for major sale
dates, like Black Friday. While it will be very busy
at those times, the City and Simon will be installing
directional signage and have traffic control staff on
site to move shoppers in and out of the area as effi-
ciently as possible.
As a major retail property owner and manager at
multiple locations around the country, Simon has
experience with events like this. One of their strate-
gies is to provide off-site parking for employees and
shuttle them to the site at opening and the other
busiest times. With up to 1,000 employees working
at the property during the grand opening, having
employees park elsewhere and use shuttles will
provide up to that many parking spaces for visitors
during that time. In addition, the City is coordinat-
ing with MnDOT, Dakota County, Minnesota Valley
Transit Authority and Metro Transit to maximize the
options for people moving to and through the area
during these times.
One of the main messages for shoppers accord-
ing to transportation managers is to think of the
opening in the same way as we do the State Fair.
In any given week, the City of Eagan is likely host-
ing events, holding City Council or Commission
meetings, coordinating sports team play, providing
public safety updates, responding to maintenance
needs and so much more. How are you as a resident
supposed to keep up on all of this and be sure not
to miss what’s important to you and your family?
To help you out, we’ve created a variety of ways for
you to connect with information the City of Eagan
provides, in the ways that we hope are convenient
to you. In addition to reading this newsletter, check
out the options below and see which ones might
help you be the neighbor in the know or the com-
mittee member with connections.
City Web site – Nearly 1,400 folks visit www.
cityofeagan.com daily, even more when Cascade
Bay is in full swing. You’ll find information about
City programs, services, answers to your questions
and a calendar of City events. You can stream video
of meetings and events. Register for recreation
With severe weather season in full swing, it’s a good
idea to remember and practice your plans so every
family member knows what it means when the
sirens sound in Eagan.
The cities of Dakota County, including Eagan, use
outdoor warning sirens for National Weather Service
tornado and sever thunder storm warnings, as well
as other emergencies. When residents hear the
sirens, they are urged to seek shelter and then turn
on a radio or TV for emergency information and
appropriate safety actions.
Eagan’s 12 warning sirens are activated through the
Dakota Communications Center (DCC). Sirens will
sound for three minutes – not for the duration of
the threat. Keep in mind that sirens can be reactivat-
ed if a new threat enters the area following the ini-
tial warning, and outdoor warning sirens are NEVER
used to announce an “all clear.” This announcement
is made only over radio or TV.
Outdoor sirens are tested at 1:00 p.m., on the first
Wednesday of each month. The outdoor warning
continued page 2
by WaynePhotoGuy
Are You Ready
When the Siren Sounds?
programs, apply for some types of building permits,
report a lost pet and soon pay your utility bill from
this site too. The best part? It’s available 24/7.
Subscriptions – Sign up to get specific information
sent automatically to your e-mail inbox. Categories
available include: meeting agendas, field & game
status, publications, news, police notifications, jobs,
road construction and more. Visit www.cityofea-
gan.com/subscribe and pick the items you want to
receive.
Citizen Support Center – Find answers, ask a
question or report a problem online at
www.cityofeagan.com/citizensupport.
Facebook – If Facebook is somewhere you visit
often, like www.facebook.com/cityofeagan. The
City posts tips, reminders, photos and status of City
programs, events and services.
Twitter – Our newest way to connect is by follow-
ing @CityofEagan or @EaganPolice on Twitter.
Ask us questions, share your photos, tag us when
you’re having fun in Eagan, get short updates, tips,
video clips and more.
E-TV – You can always tune to E-TV channel 16 for
government meetings and programs. Channels 15
and 20 have programs specific to the community.
Channels 18 and 19 focus on schools.
Council Listening Sessions – If you really want to
speak with the City Council face-to-face, Listening
Sessions might be the right place. If you have an
idea or concern that is not already on that night’s
City Council agenda and you’ve already spoken
with City staff, you may want to attend a Listening
Session held prior to regular City Council meetings
(typically the first & third Tuesday of each month)
at 6:00 p.m. in the Eagan Room at City Hall. Call
(651) 675-5000 for more information.
How do you want to connect? Send your ideas
through any of these options. We’re always happy
to get connected.
Twin Cities Premium Outlets
Opening Weekend August 14-17
10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For more information visit:
www.cityofeagan.com/abouttheroute
www.eaganoutletmall.com
G E T C O N N E C T E D
Experience Eagan • July/August 2014 • 2
Celebrating 100 Years—
Eagan’s 1914 Town Hall
Sirens...from page 1
In the year 1914, Henry Ford introduced the first
assembly line to roll out the Model T; the Panama
Canal opened; the first stones were set for the
Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC; Babe Ruth
played his first professional ball game; and World
War I began in Europe.
Here in Eagan—a quiet township of about 1,000
farmers— the Town Board and the members of
the community voted to build a Town Hall on land
donated by local farmer Michael Englert in the geo-
graphic center of Eagan township.
Celebrate 100 Years
Monday, September 8, from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Eagan Historical Society invites the community
to help celebrate the Old Town Hall’s history at a
party on that same lawn, at the corner of Wescott
and Pilot Knob Roads.
View historic photos and displays, listen to music,
and enjoy root beer floats, courtesy of the Eagan
Historical Society. Food will also be available to pur-
chase.
At 6 p.m., artist Larry Landis will present his com-
memorative painting of the 1914 Town Hall to the
Eagan Historical Society.
So come enjoy some old fashioned fun, chat with
neighbors and Historical Society members, enjoy
tasty treats and consider all that has happened here
in Eagan over the past 100 years.
sirens are designed to warn people who are outside,
to seek shelter and gather additional information.
Stay Alert When Severe Weather is Forecast
Always be aware of changing weather conditions
when severe weather is in the forecast and use mul-
tiple sources for warning information.
The City encourages residents to use NOAA weather
radios for receiving warnings inside their homes
and overnight. Weather radios with Specific Alert
Message Encoding (SAME) can be programmed to
only activate for warnings in Dakota County. The
Dakota County SAME code is 027037.
Information about weather radios, and also links
to helpful smart phone apps can be found at www.
cityofeagan.com/EmergencyPrep.
The Fire Inside
The hours are unpredictable, the training is hard,
but most of Eagan’s 80-plus firefighters would tell
you they have a passion for assisting their neigh-
bors in a time of need and that is what stokes the
fire inside each one of them.
Dr. Tony P. – 25-year Eagan firefighter
Without question, what makes it worthwhile
is the feeling of accomplishment when we are
able to take a terrible event such as house
fire and be able to salvage something as
simple as a photo album and return it to the
owner. The look of relief they have, when
they thought everything was lost, is some-
thing that words cannot describe. It confirms
that your actions do make a difference.
Tim B. – 22-year Eagan firefighter
It really feels good when we are able to work
as a team to address almost any kind of emer-
gency the city might face. We are able to
respond when emergencies happen and help
make someone else’s bad day a little better.
We provide a service to our neighbors and it
creates a great sense of pride.
The Eagan Fire Department is one of the largest
volunteer departments in the state. But even here,
as with most other communities, the department
is currently experiencing diminishing personnel
numbers. Many long-time volunteers are retiring;
some have relocated for new jobs or family rea-
sons; still others simply can’t keep up with the Fire
Department’s demanding time commitment and
balance their regular jobs and family life too.
Dan B. – 6-year Eagan firefighter
Many people are surprised at the number of
ways I serve, besides the Fire Department,
and that I am a lawyer too. Our family life is
very busy, but my wife and I have been able
to make the Fire Department work despite
the time commitment. It is great to be able
to help our community by serving. Not every-
one can do it, and we need people who can.
Erica O. – 4-year Eagan firefighter
I enjoy helping people and like the interaction
within the community. I also like that my kids
think it’s cool.
Eagan firefighters come from virtually every profes-
sion, gender and background, but they all share a
passion for service. The reasons they became fire-
fighters are as varied as the department make-up.
Tom S. – 24-year Eagan firefighter
I saw a major accident on the freeway and
helped pull two young girls out. One was very
badly hurt and I wasn’t able to help because I
didn’t have any medical training. It was that
accident that really set me on this path… I’m
just a simple guy. I love being a firefighter
and the people I work with. They are an
incredible group of dedicated people.
Veronica S. – 6.5-year Eagan firefighter
My Mom was the one who introduced me to
the idea of becoming a firefighter. She said to
me, “I could see you doing this,” and she was
right. I love being challenged and I love the
adrenaline I get coming up to a big fire or just
the pleasure of helping somebody in need.
Outside of being a volunteer firefighter, I am
an ophthalmic technician.
Jeff B. – 24-year firefighter
My Father was an Eagan Firefighter. When I
was growing up, I spent a lot of time at the
Fire Station helping my Dad. This is something
I enjoyed. The reason I joined the department
was the excitement of responding on calls
and helping people in the community. After
24 years with the department, I still want to
keep Eagan a safe place to live and be a role
model for the community.
Volunteers are paid a stipend per call and can earn
a quality pension, but many members of the depart-
ment would say one of the greatest benefits they
gain is the bond they build with other firefight-
ers—most will describe the department as a second
family.
Marie S. – 5-year Eagan firefighter
I was a stay at home Mom and heard they
needed help in the days. I love the connection
the department brings between my family
and the community. Being a firefighter makes
Eagan feel like a small community. You really
get to know the people and the neighbor-
hoods. I also love the camaraderie between
firefighters and the relationships we build.
Robert I. – 3-year Eagan firefighter
It’s rewarding to help people, and working
with a group of firefighters is a lot of fun, it’s
like a big family.
Join the Team
The Eagan Fire Department is currently recruit-
ing firefighters to begin training this summer and
is hoping to attract 20 committed volunteers.
But making the decision to become a volunteer
firefighter should not be taken lightly, warns Fire
Chief Mike Scott. “It requires intense training and a
strong commitment to service. We provide a high
level of training to be sure our firefighters are safe
and can handle most any situation,” he says. “In
turn, we need volunteers who are serious about
joining this great team.”
Recruitment requirements and additional informa-
tion is available at www.cityofeagan.com/Fire, and
select Join the Department.
Experience Eagan • July/August 2014 • 3
Funfest Celebrates
Stars and Stripes!
Be Water SmartBe Water Smart and Protect the Watershed
The Primary Election is Tuesday, August 12.
Put on your dancing shoes, practice that parade
wave and prepare to save the perfect spot for fire-
works viewing because Eagan’s July 4th Funfest is
almost here!
Eagan’s largest annual celebration will be held on
July 3 and 4. Schedule highlights* are included
below; unless otherwise noted, all events are
held at the Eagan Festival Grounds, 1501 Central
Parkway. Visit www.EaganFunfest.org for more
information and find Eagan July 4th Funfest on
Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, July 2
w Carnival and Market Fest, 4 – 8 p.m.
w Bloodmobile, 4 – 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 3
w Blood Mobile, 2 – 7 p.m.
w Carnival and Vendors open, 4 p.m. - midnight
w Children’s Bike Parade, 5:30 p.m.
w Texas Hold ’Em Tournament,
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. -- FREE Entry
w Funfest concert featuring The Dweebs for
their 8th consecutive year, 8 p.m. – midnight
Friday, July 4
w “Stars and Stripes” Parade, 10 a.m.
(see Web site for parade route details)
w Carnival and Vendors open noon - midnight
w 7th Annual Brain Freeze Contest, 1 p.m.
w Bingo (in the Texas Hold ’Em tent),
1 – 4 p.m.
w Car Show, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
w Texas Hold ’Em Tournament,
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. – FREE Entry
w Funfest concert featuring Rock Godz,
8 p.m. - midnight
w Fireworks Display, 10 p.m.
Monday, July 7
w Eagan Funfest Ambassador Coronation
w Eagan Community Center, 7 p.m.
Visit www.EaganFunfest.org for button/coupon
books, carnival tickets, to volunteer and for addi-
tional events and details.
*Scheduled events are subject to change; please
check the Web site for the most up-to-date infor-
mation.
There are more than 1,300 lakes and
wetlands in our community, so everyone
in Eagan lives in a watershed and con-
tributes to the quality of the city’s sur-
face water resources. So make sure you
are water smart when planning, planting
and working in your yard.
Water-Smart Landscaping
w Use water wisely; it’s a precious
resource
w 1 inch of water per week (from
rain or irrigation) is enough.
Measure rain with an accurate
gauge; measure irrigation with a
small container (like a tuna can
which is an inch tall).
w Avoid watering between 11 a.m.
and 4 p.m. and on windy days to
reduce evaporation loss.
w Check the soil moisture before
watering with a simple moisture
meter to avoid over-watering.
Too much water causes shallow roots, lawn
disease and stress.
w Adjust spray heads to water your lawn and
not the street, driveway or sidewalk.
w Build good soil to allow water to soak in fully,
promoting lawn/plant health
Tight soil limits deep root growth and prevents
water from soaking into the ground. To determine
Do you run out of room in your recycling cart
before your recycling day? You’re not alone--due to
the fact that more of your waste is recyclable than
ever before – including often forgotten plastics like
yogurt cups, cottage cheese tubs, margarine tubs,
berry and deli containers, empty medicine bottles,
clear plastic clamshell to-go boxes, container lids
and more – many Eagan families find their recycling
carts are overflowing before recycling day. Luckily,
there are easy steps you can take to ease those recy-
cling woes.
Most garbage companies will automatically give
you a 65-gallon recycling cart, which gets picked up
every other week. If that system doesn’t work for
your household, try the following:
Call your hauler and ask to upgrade to a 95 gallon
recycling cart. Most companies will switch out the
bin at no charge.
Still not enough room? Consider asking for a second
recycling cart. Some haulers will provide this for
free; other may charge a small monthly fee.
The Upside to Downsizing Trash
If you are recycling more, you may also be able to
downsize your garbage service. By law, garbage
haulers are required to charge less for a smaller-
Too Many Containers to Contain?
sized garbage cart. You could save $1 to $3 per
month, not to mention space in your garage!
Resist the Crush
When your recycling cart is overflowing, it may be
tempting to crush all the recyclables down to make
them fit. However, this can be trouble down the
line. The machines at the recycling facility sort recy-
clables based on their dimensions--cans and bottles
are three-dimensional and paper and cardboard
are two-dimensional. So, DON’T flatten pop cans or
plastic containers, but DO flatten your cardboard
boxes.
Visit www.DakotaValleyRecycling.org/curbside/bins
for more information, or call Eagan’s shared City
recycling department, Dakota Valley Recycling, at
(651) 675-5011.
if your lawn needs aeration, push a wire
stake flag or medium gauge wire into
the ground when moist. If you can push
in 12” or more, you don’t have a com-
paction problem. If you can only push
1” – 2”, your lawn needs aeration.
w You can contact the Eagan
Maintenance Facility for a free flag.
w Fall is the best time for aeration.
Remember, locate buried wires and
irrigation heads before aeration.
w During aeration, top-dress your lawn
with ¼” of well-aged compost. This
builds healthy soil by adding organic
matter.
Select proper plants for your yard’s
conditions
w Each plant has specific needs for soil
moisture and sunlight. Match the
right plants to the specific situation
so your plants will thrive.
w Your yard can have a lot of variation,
so identify characteristics of each
area where ou’re selecting plants.
w Mulch around plants to keep soil
moist, provide nutrients, and pre-
vent weeds.
More Water Smart tips and guides can
be found at on the city Web site at
www.cityofeagan.com/watersmart.
Polling places are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. Absentee voting for the Primary Election begins
June 27. Offices on the primary ballot will include US Senator, US Representative District 2, Governor and
Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Attorney General, State Representative District 51A
and Eagan City Council. For more information on the upcoming elections and to find your polling place, visit
www.cityofeagan.com/elections.
What can
I do?
KEEP
STORMWATERCLEAN
Direct your downspout onto grass.
Keep yard waste off the street.
Don’t use storm drains for
waste disposal.
www.cityofeagan.com
Soak up rain
Sweep up, rake up, and pick up
Dump no waste
by Jeremy Shawley
Prsrt stdU.s. PostagePAIDtWIN CItIes MNPerMIt No. 4902* * * * * ECRWSS * *Residential Postal Customer3830 Pilot Knob RoadEagan, Minnesota 55122Page 1
What to Know Before the New Mall opens
get Connected: Be the Neighbor in the Know
are You ready When the siren sounds?
Page 2
Celebrating 100 Years—eagan’s 1914 town Hall
the Fire Inside
Page 3
too Many Containers to Contain?
eagan’s Funfest Celebrates stars and stripes!
Be Water smart
Page 4
Puppet Wagon Blasts off for Fun-Filled season
Market Fest Highlights for July-august
New event Brings Food on 4 Wheels
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
Market Fest
Highlights for
July-August
Market Fest, Eagan’s extremely popular farmers
market and weekly entertainment venue continues
to draw thousands of fans each summer Wednesday
afternoon from 4 to 8 p.m. Some of the highest
attended theme nights and some highly anticipated
produce options are yet to come this year.
July 2 Retro Soul 5
Eagan Funfest Carnival rides
July 9 Randy Mcallister & Band
July 16 Classic Car Show Night: Elvis Experience,
Steve & Tommy Marcio
The Rockin’ Hollywoods
July 23 Reggae Music: Pan Dimension
Socaholix
July 30 Latino Night Celebration: Ticket to Brasil
Tropical Zone Band
Aug. 6 Tim Sparks
Kevin Bowe & The Okemah Prophets
Aug. 13 Health & Wellness Night: Sandy & The
Hitmen
Aug. 20 Celtic Music: Lehto & Wright
40 Shades of Green with Rince na Chroi
Irish Dancers
Aug. 27 The Jolly Huntsmen
Eagan Theater Company “Back To School
Blues” Variety Show
The market continues through September 24, for
autumn produce such as apples, pumpkins, cauli-
flower, raspberries and more.
Visit www.cityofeagan.com/marketfest to learn
about which vendors and products at the market,
concert schedule with band times and bios, special
promotions, seasonal produce calendar and sign up
to receive market updates and recipes.
Follow us on www.facebook.com, cityofeagan.com
and @cityofeagan on Twitter for up to the minute
specials, promotions and weather updates affecting
the market.
Puppet Wagon Blasts Off for Fun-Filled Season
About 50 wide-eyed kids sit in front of a small white
wagon in Quarry Park on a sunny Tuesday morning
in June, watching as their three new puppet friends
decide to break up a boring day by building a card-
board-box rocket ship to fly to the moon. The space-
ship, powered by the kids’ chanting of 3…2…1…
BLAST OFF! is soon headed back to earth when the
puppets realize that there is not a lot to do on the
moon either, and they miss being home.
Now in the 12th summer, the puppet program visits
a variety of Eagan Parks each weekday, plus Monday
nights, from June until August 15. The wagon has a
new look this season but continues to provide fun,
entertaining and interactive shows with singing and
dancing for the whole family to enjoy.
Eagan daycare teacher, Lynn Paquette from a center
nearby says they have the puppet shows on their
class schedules every Tuesday. “It’s always a fun
show. The kids just love it,” she says. “The crafts are
always very creative too and they work well for a
variety of ages. We wouldn’t miss it.”
After the show, the Puppet Wagon staff hands out a
craft project. For Space Week, the project included
clay for molding an alien, and a CD with a bubble-
drink lid on top to create a space ship primed for
decorating with the stickers provided.
Kids flock to the tables on site to begin crafting their
creations. Four-year-old Sara has molded a heart-
shaped alien she’s named Braka (she didn’t discuss
alien spelling), while Declan, age six, is trying to
reposition his alien inside his sticker-swathed space
pod. Both agree they liked the puppet wagon a lot.
Following the craft, kids often play on the play-
ground nearby and meet new friends and other
families. Kids regularly bring “puppet mail” which
is read aloud each day.
Puppet shows are free of charge and last 15-25 min-
utes. All shows are planned around a theme and
lesson that is used for the entire week. The themes
and shows incorporate dancing, movement and
crowd participation.
Puppet shows start promptly at the scheduled
time. In the event of inclement weather, shows
will be cancelled and not rescheduled, call the
Recreation Hotline at (651) 675-5511 for up to date
information and see the scheduled shows list at
www.cityofeagan.com/puppets.
Bring the Puppet Wagon Home
The Puppet Wagon is available to rent outside of the scheduled
show times, for a fee of $150 plus tax, and can come to your loca-
tion if available. Call Holly at (651) 675-5520 for more information.
New Event Brings
Food on 4 Wheels
Be sure to save the date to roll on over to the
Eagan Festival Grounds at Central Park on Saturday,
September 6, from 3 to 7 p.m. for Eagan’s first Food
on 4 Wheels , food truck festival.
At least 14 Twin Cities food trucks will bring the
tastiest gourmet food on wheels for an evening of
food, music and fun. Watch for more information
in the next Experience Eagan and online at www.
cityofeagan.com/foodtruck.
by Al Kiecker