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2015-03 Experience EaganExperience Eagan • March/April 2015 • 1 March/April 2015 Experience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience Eagan Eagan Police Celebrate 50 Years Reinvention is Focus of State of the City Address The Eagan Police Department is celebrating 50 years of service. In 1965, the department was officially formed with a police chief, two part-time officers and no squad car. Since then, the organization has grown to 70 police officers, 15 civilian staff, and eight volunteer chaplains. Over the next several issues, Experience Eagan will take a look back—decade by decade—at the events and routines that shaped the Department into the organi- zation it is today. Eagan Police Department – The Early Years Bumping along the unpaved surface of Yankee Doodle Road in 1965, Eagan’s first Police Chief, Martin DesLauriers responded to calls from his home along that roadway, as there was no Police Station yet. Often, he headed toward the Minnesota River bottoms because someone was taking target practice there, or helped to round up continued page 2 Use of Outdoor Warning Sirens Revised On the morning of Thursday, March 19 at 7:30 a.m. Eagan members of the Chamber of Commerce and all interested community members are invited to the Mayor’s annual State of the City Address. The theme of this year’s speech is “reinvention” – and what better location to hold the event than in the center of Eagan’s “reinventer” Cedar Grove Redevelopment District at the Market Hall at the Twin Cities Premium Outlets. “This new location, set in the wonderfully revital- ized Cedar Grove, is just one way Eagan is reinvent- ing itself,” says Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire, “but the City Council and staff are also paying close attention to ways our programs and processes may need to change to reflect new realities and to ensure forward momentum.” The public is invited to attend in person, watch a live Web stream of the event (technology allow- ing) or watch the event later on E-TV Channel 16 or at www.cityofeagan.com/EaganSOTC2015. The event will also be live tweeted on the @ CityofEagan Twitter account. The public is encour- aged to ask questions and comment during the event on Facebook & Twitter using the hashtag #EaganSOTC2015. animals running at large, or checked out a site of illegal dumping. All of these were fairly typical calls in those earliest days of the Police Department. DesLauriers had been a Constable for the Township for nearly 10 years. But on June 1, 1965, when the department was officially authorized, Constable DesLauriers became Chief. He was also given the okay by the Town Board to hire two part time offi- cers to round out the force. The officers were to be paid $2.50 per hour (hired for a six-month trial peri- od) while DesLauriers himself made $3.00 per hour. A squad car would not be authorized for several more months. A dispatcher – other than Martin’s wife Marie taking calls on their home telephone – was still several years in the future. The Township was the original 34-square miles it is today, but was primarily farm land. Only a few sub- urban style neighborhoods such as Mckee, Country Home Heights and Cedar Grove pointed toward the type of community Eagan would become. As the Township grew, things changed. “I used to know everyone in Eagan, where they lived, who their family was,” DesLauriers said, “As neighbor- hoods grew, we’d add 50 or 100 families in a short Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 13 – 17 with the statewide tornado drill Thursday, April 16. Watch for more information and important reminders at www.cityofeagan.com/EmergencyPrep on Facebook and Twitter. Outdoor warning sirens are meant to notify people who are outdoors of severe weather and alert them to go inside to get further information from TV, radio, or the internet. If these sirens are used too often, however, without damage occurring, some people may begin to ignore the warnings. Siren “fatigue” is not just a Dakota County issue. Cities and counties across the country are learning that the overuse of outdoor warning sirens may do more harm than good. That’s why city and county emergency man- agers in Dakota County have worked with the National Weather Service to revise the policy regarding sirens. The past practice acti- vated warning sirens for both thunderstorm and tornado warnings. In 2015, sirens will continue to be activated for all tornado warnings, but sirens will now only sound for severe thunderstorm warnings where wind speeds are expected to reach/exceed 70 mph. While winds less than 70 mph can uproot some trees, the dam- age generally is not catastrophic. All other outdoor warning siren procedures will remain the same. Sirens for all Dakota County cities are activated by the Dakota Communications Center located in Empire Township. When the National Weather Service issues warnings, the center will sound sirens only for the warning area. Local police and fire can also call to have the sirens activated. The new policy will undoubtedly reduce the number of siren activations in our area. Nonetheless, upon activation, remember to seek additional information and stay safe. If the 70 mph wind speed threshold for severe thunder- storms had been used over the last 5 years, siren activa- tions in the county would have been reduced by 75%. The Police Department’s original staff members, Left to Right, Officer Richard LeMay, Officer Don Smith and Chief Martin DesLauriers pose next to their first squad car, in 1965. One of Eagan’s early Police Officer’s, Mike Gerrety, investigates an accident scene on the unpaved Lexington Ave, near Yankee Doodle Road in 1972. Experience Eagan • March/April 2015 • 2 Arbor Day Celebration & Tree Sale Pickup Two Events, One Day—Saturday, May 9 Water-Smart Landscaping A “How-To” for Healthy Lawns & Landscapes Jump Start Spring Gardening Efforts Expanded opportunities to get an affordable rain barrel or compost bin Arbor Day Celebration Celebrate Arbor Day two ways this year. Purchase and plant a tree or two in your yard, and attend Eagan’s 29th annual Arbor Day Celebration where the 3rd grade Arbor Day Poster Contest winners will also be announced. Both events will be held May 9 at Eagan’s Maintenance Facility. Tree Sale Residents can reserve one or two trees beginning March 23, by visiting www.cityofeagan.com/tree- sale. Purchase prices vary by species and payment is due at time of pick-up. The number of trees is limited. All reserved trees must be picked-up on Saturday, May 9 at the City of Eagan Maintenance Facility. If you are unable to pick up trees on that date, you may have someone else pick them up (with your order receipt) or forgo ordering. Trees types available include: ◗ Elm - Cathedral ◗ Maple - Red Sunset ◗ Birch - Whitespire Clump ◗ Honeylocust - Northern Acclaim ◗ Oak - Bi-Color (Swamp White) ◗ Apple - Haralson ◗ Crabapple - Snowdrift ◗ Spruce - Black Hills For more information on Arbor Day activities or Tree Sale information visit the Web site or call (651) 675- 5300. Eagan PD..from page 1 period of time—there was no way we could know everybody anymore.” According to Eagan’s history book, “The Lone Oak Years” which DesLauriers helped compile: Before the growth of suburban housing, police activities were less formal because the officers knew most of the residents. Juvenile mischief makers were likely to be taken home to be punished by their par- ents…DesLauriers carried a camera and makeshift fingerprint equipment in his car but rarely used them…After years of “shirt pocket” crime records, [DesLauriers, and his Administrative Assistant, Virginia Knight, Eagan’s first civilian staff member] set up Eagan’s first uniform crime reporting system according to FBI standards which proved valuable as the town grew. It was not only the neighborhoods that grew dur- ing this period though; businesses were choosing to locate in Eagan too. In 1967, Sperry Univac (later becoming Lockheed Martin) opened the doors to its semiconductor plant and brought hundreds of employees to its facility each day—all traveling on the unpaved Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Roads. About the same time, Cedarvale Mall opened, bringing the first large retail development to Eagan. These factors amplified traffic, and along with newly posted speed limits, increased the number of traffic violations issued by Eagan Police. In what was a rather high-tech move for the day, DesLauriers crafted a signal box that sat on the dash of the Eagan squad. “If someone at Cedarvale needed Police response,” said DesLauriers, “they would push a button in their store, the signal would be transmitted to the little box on the dash and turn on the light. It worked great as long as the squad was in range and someone was inside the vehicle,” DesLauriers laughs. “Boy, we’ve come a long way since those days.” Curious about when (or if) you should aerate your lawn? Would you like to have a nice lawn that you can mow and water less often? Having trouble keeping plants alive in your landscape? A free Water-Smart Landscaping class can help residents learn practical landscape tips to have a healthy and sustainable lawn and landscape. Register today to attend a free class to see local examples of com- mon-sense lawn and landscape practices that build functional and beautiful landscapes that are also low- input and use rain as a resource. This free class is May 11, 6:15 – 8 p.m. at Eagan City Hall. Register at www.cityofeagan.com/watersmart Winter might not be an ideal time to start thinking about backyard gardening for green thumb enthu- siasts, but it is a great time to get a jump-start on waste reduction gardening and water conservation efforts by setting up a compost bin or rain barrel at your home. This spring, the Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) is partnering with Minnesota cities and counties to bring residents affordable rain barrels and compost bins at greatly reduced cost to help: ◗ Conserve water by collecting and using rain rather than paying for water from the spigot. It can also help with storm water management. ◗ Reduce storm water runoff, which can be a major pollution contributor to waterways. ◗ Composting can reduce the amount of waste that goes to a landfill by 25% -- good for your pocketbook in the long run and good for the landfill! These compost bins come with a 10-year warranty, are made from recycled content and are extremely affordable at only $55. Rain barrels are $69. RAM is hosting several rain barrel and compost bin distribution events, including one in Burnsville, among other locations. For specific dates and information go to: RecycleMinnesota.org. 50th Anniversary Celebration - Save the Date Commemorating a half-century of service, the police department will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, May 14, 2015, at the Municipal Center from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. This family event will feature refreshments, enter- tainment, tours of the police department, displays and demonstrations. Look for more information as the date draws near, but in the meantime, be sure to mark your calendar as we hope to see you there! The City’s Annual Report to Citizens (typically included in this issue) provides the highlights and accomplishments of 2014 and can be found at www.cityofeagan.com/ AnnualReport. Experience Eagan • March/April 2015 • 3 Commission Applications Due March 20 If you are a resident, interested in serving on a City Advisory Commission, applications are being accepted through March 20. The four Commissions are: ◗ 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. Candidate interviews will be scheduled in mid-April. Commissions meet every one to two months— depending on the commission. Descriptions and general meeting schedules as well as applications are available on the City Web site at www.cityofea- gan.com/Commissions. Check your Smoke Alarms! When is the last time you replaced your smoke alarms? Did you know that smoke alarms and CO detectors expire? In 2014 25% of the calls that fire- fighters responded to were false alarms, often due to expired or non-maintained alarms. Follow these key steps to keep alarms working: ◗ Test alarms monthly to make sure they sound ◗ Change batteries annually, even in hard- wired alarms Note that some newer alarms have 10-year lithium batteries which will not require annual battery replacement. Hard-wired systems are designed to connect your home’s alarms to each other. The wiring is not intended as a source of power. ◗ Replace CO alarms every 5 to 7 years per manufacturer’s suggestions ◗ Replace smoke alarms every 10 years per manufacturers suggestions Note that the date stamped on the back of the alarm is usually the date it was made; add ten years to that date to know when it expires. Contact the Fire Department with any additional questions about alarms at (651) 675-5900. Burning Issues from the Fire Department: Schedule a Home Safety Survey-provided by Eagan Fire Corps Is your home free of fire and injury hazards? Trained Fire Corps volunteers will come to your home and provide fire and injury prevention review and education. They will walk through your home with you and make recommendations about how to make your home safer. Call the Fire Department at (651) 675-5900 to schedule today. Blood Pressure Checks – Provided by Eagan Firefighters Second Wednesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. ◗ March 11 ◗ April 8 ◗ May 13 Community Center Lone Oak Room, 1501 Central Parkway Baby Boomers, teens, students, parents and retir- ee’s—all ages and demographic seem to be making time for—and finding the benefits of – volunteer- ing. Minnesota ranks third in the nation, in fact, more than 1/3 of the population formally volunteer- ing. Upwards of 70% engage informally by helping neighbors and doing favors within their communi- ties, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Here at the City of Eagan, the Parks and Recreation programs alone benefit from some 8,000 volunteer hours given by members of the community each year. Throughout City operations, volunteers assist at community events, serve on boards and commis- sions, work as election judges, shoot video and pho- tographs, complete fire safety checks for residents, participate in the Police Explorer program, take part in street and park clean-ups, monitor lakes and wet- lands and provide a host of other service needs. That’s why in 2014, the City invested in a new sys- tem to help recruit, retain, manage and notify its community volunteers. The new online volunteer management system also allows potential new vol- unteers to apply online and indicate areas of inter- Volunteering is Easy in Eagan est, and special talents. This in turn helps City staff inform volunteers about the best potential oppor- tunities available. Each quarter, volunteer opportunities are emailed to interested volunteers, providing the information they need to see what opportunities might be a good fit. “Our hope is that this new tool will provide a flex- ible and easy process for people who want to be involved,” says Recreation Supervisor Kerry Phillips, who utilizes volunteers on a regular basis and helps manage the new system. Whether you are a student with volunteer require- ments to fill for school, an employer looking to con- nect your employee volunteers in the community, or an individual with time and interest in giving something back, volunteering is a win-win situation. Interested volunteers are encouraged to visit www.cityofeagan.com/volunteer to get connected with the City of Eagan’s many volunteer opportuni- ties. Will You Plow This Trail? When going for a bike ride or a walk, the winter cold and snow doesn’t keep residents from using the City’s sidewalks and trails. The City is occasionally asked, “Will you plow this trail?” The City Council approved plowing nearly 75 of the City’s 122 miles of boulevard trails and sidewalks for the 2014-2015 winter. Deciding what can be plowed is a balance of—identifying the highest traffic areas (near schools, retail districts, etc.)—against the City’s available resources. Often only one side of a roadway is designated for clearing. All winter trail maintenance is performed by City personnel after street snow removal operations are complete. Each spring, the City Council considers requests to include additional trail sections on the plow routes. Requests must be accompanied by a petition (avail- able at www.cityofeagan.com/snow) containing at least 50 signatures from properties within the ¼-mile segment adjacent to the trail section request- ed for clearing. Requests should be submitted by April 1, to the City’s Transportation Operations Division for consideration by the City Council in May. Requests and petitions can be e-mailed to streets@cityofeagan.com, mailed or brought to the Eagan Maintenance Facility, 3501 Coachman Point, 55122. For more information, and to view a map of currently plowed sidewalks and trails, visit www.cityofeagan.com/snow. Some 600 volunteers gave more than 8,000 hours of time to assist with City events and programs in 2014. PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDTWIN CITIES MNPERMIT NO. 4902* * * * * ECRWSS * *Residential Postal Customer3830 Pilot Knob RoadEagan, Minnesota 55122Page 1 Eagan Police Celebrate 50 Years Reinvention is Focus of State of the City Address Use of Outdoor Warning Sirens Revised Page 2 Arbor Day Celebration & Tree Sale Pickup Water-Smart Landscaping Jump Start Your Spring Gardening Efforts Page 3 Burning issues from the Fire Department Volunteering is Easy in Eagan Commission Applications Due March 20 Will You Plow this Trail? Page 4 Eagan Artist Connect Citizen Support Center – We’ve Got an App for That Get Social with the City Streets Alive: The Cedar Grove Experience 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 Get Social with the City The City of Eagan is always working to find the best ways to connect with the community on social media. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and via email for updates about events, job postings, public safety information, snow and construction alerts, fun facts about the community and much more. Be sure to like, follow and sign-up today. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/connect. Eagan Artist Connect A group of local artists began regularly meeting last fall as the “Eagan Artist Connect.” This expanding group has quickly become a place to do just that- connect artists with one another to share resourc- es, ideas, and generally receive the support from others who understand the work of making art. The artists involved are potters, photographers, painters, illustrators, etc. “They all bring a wealth of passion and talent to the table,” says Recreation Supervisor Julie Andersen of the Eagan Art House. The group is facilitated by Eagan Art House staff, and each month topics such as exhibit opportu- nities, social media information and marketing resources are discussed. “Artist Connect is a gathering of creative minds,” says Steve Sheehan, one of the artists who regu- larly participates in the Artist Connect. “The group is able to meet new artists, both local and from other areas to exchange ideas, sources of materials, exhibits, discoveries, and....pitfalls.” Artists can also bring work samples for critique and feedback, or just to share a cool new technique they’ve discovered. Sheehan say he has met some very accomplished artists, “and being new to the area, I’ve received lists of resources and lots of sup- port,” he continues. “To me Artist Connect is price- less!” “Creating art is rewarding, but it can sometimes be lonely, as many artists work independently in their studios,” says Andersen. “Eagan Artist Connect allows local artists to connect and share similar experiences. The arts help build community, socially and economically,” says Andersen. “Working artists in our community add to the vitality of Eagan.” Artist Connect meetings are open to anyone work- ing in the field of art. Meetings are scheduled gen- erally on the first and second weeks of the month, with both day and evening options. For a complete schedule, go to www.eaganarthouse.org or call the Eagan Art House at (651) 675-5521. Eagan Artist Connect is funded, in part, by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appro- priation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Streets Alive The Cedar Grove Experience Save the Date – Saturday, September 12 New Location: Eagan Outlets Parkway (Cedar Grove District) The popular community event Streets Alive is back September 12 with a new location showcasing Eagan’s redeveloped Cedar Grove District. Eagan Outlet Parkway will be closed to traffic creating a unique street party atmosphere filled with com- munity organizations, City vehicles, food trucks and local eateries, deals from Twin Cities Premium Outlets Mall stores and more. Community organizations are encouraged to visit www.cityofeagan.com/alive for more informa- tion about getting involved in this free community event. Citizen Support Center: We’ve Got an App for That Since 2010, the City has utilized a Citizen Support Center to help residents find answers to frequently asked questions, request assistance and report issues. This convenient, popular tool is used more than 75,000 times each year. Now, that same convenience can be accessed in the palm of your hand with the new Citizen Support App. The app is available for free download for Apple and Android phones and tablets from their respective online stores. Citizen Support Center – We’ve Got an App for That Citizen Support Center: We’ve Got an App for That Since 2010, the City has utilized a Citizen Support Center to help residents find answers to frequently asked questions, request assistance and report issues. This convenient, popular tool is used more than 75,000 times each year. Now, that same convenience can be accessed in the palm of your hand with the new Citizen Support App. The app is available for free download for Apple and Android phones and tablets from their respective online stores. Lebanon Hills #4, an acrylic painting by Eagan artist Steve Sheehan.