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2014-11 Experience EaganExperience Eagan • November/December 2014 • 1 November/December 2014 Experience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience Eagan Eagan Makes Top Cities List Yet Again City Budget Basics I don’t have a lot of time, tell me what I need to know Check Your Precinct Before Voting For an unprecedented fifth consecutive time, Eagan is among the Top 20 most live- able cities in the U.S., ranking #11 in Money Magazine’s 2014 liveable cities list out in October. In fact, Eagan is the only Minnesota city to have five Top 20 finishes in these rankings issued every two years. “Eagan is building a reputation for consis- tent excellence,” said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire. The Mayor noted that over a ten year period Eagan has always ranked highly despite different factors weighed by the magazine’s editors. “We are gratified that Money’s editors once again recognize that almost any way you add up the numbers, Eagan is a fabulous place to call home. It’s a testament to the partnership we have between our residents, our business com- munity and the City to foster a great qual- ity of life.” Only 4.5% of all U.S. small cities even make it into the final 35 cities considered for the top rankings. Eagan congratulates two other Minnesota cities named in the Top 20: Maple Grove (2) and Woodbury (12). The magazine ranks cities between 50,000 – 300,000 in population on factors from tax rates and cost of living to public safety, education, air quality and—new this year— the percent of the population that walks or bikes to work. McKinney, Texas was awarded top honors this year. Before you go to your polling place to vote on Tuesday, November 4, take a moment to be sure you are headed to the correct location. Many polling places changed in 2012 and school districts often use different polling places during odd-year elections. Checking your polling place is easy. Visit www.mnvotes.org and click “find where you vote.” Voters can also use this site to check their registration status and find out what they’ll need to bring to the polls if they are not pre-registered. Voters may also call City Hall, (651) 675- 5000 with election questions. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. In response to Eagan’s national recognition as a best place to live, here’s what some of you had to say. On Facebook: Cole Y. Proud to be an Eagan lifer. Marie S: Love all the parks and trails. It’s a beauti- ful city. Sue S. The way my tax dollars are managed fairly efficiently. And I never say that very often about any brand of government! Barbara G. We’ve lived around Thomas Lake for over 35 years and the paths are fantastic. It is so peaceful and I love that the City IS involved with its residents. The workers do a fantastic job keep- ing us looking good in the summer and the roads safe with the snow. The schools are so caring with all the kids. I’d never move from Eagan!!! On Twitter: Dustin F. No other city I’d rather live in #ETown #Top20 Robert G: Eagan is ranked #11 on Money Magazine’s list of Best Places to Live (2014). I’m glad to call Eagan home! continued page 2 People Say the Nicest Things Before you go to your polling place to vote on Tuesday, November 4, take a moment to be sure you are headed to the correct location. Many polling places changed in 2012 and school districts often use different polling places during odd-year elections.places during odd-year elections.The City of Eagan general fund budget of about $31 million may seem like a pretty big number—until you consider all that gets done for that amount and how it compares to the budgets of other Minnesota cities of similar size. How We Compare to Others: ◗ Overall property tax rates (City, County and School portions) continue to be among the lowest in the state. In fact, among Minnesota cities of 30,000 or greater population, Eagan’s rate was recently deter- mined to be the lowest. 2015 City taxes on a $247,534 home (Eagan average) are esti- mated to be $888. ◗ Of the 17 Minnesota cities of 50,000 popula- tion or greater, Eagan had the third lowest per capita spending in 2012 (latest figures available from the State Auditor’s office). ◗ Eagan has earned a Triple-A credit rating, the highest possible, from both major bond rating agencies, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. This is a measure of the City’s credit- worthiness—similar to an individual’s credit score. A higher bond rating allows Eagan to borrow money at a lower interest rate, saving taxpayers money. Currently, only 12 Minnesota cities have Triple-A ratings from both agencies and nationally only about 1% of cities rate this highly. How This Year Compares to Last: ◗ The City’s preliminary tax levy for 2015 is up 3.9% from last year. In the previous five years, the average annual increase has been Live Election Coverage Once polls close, tune to Eagan-TV chan- nel 20 for election night coverage and local results. Find out what was on the minds of Eagan voters as they headed to the polls, interviews with election staff and more. Election programming will be live at 9:10, 10:10 and 11:10 p.m. Experience Eagan • November/December 2014 • 2 Budget...from page 1 100 years ago, when the old Town Hall was built in 1914 at the intersection of Pilot Knob and Wescott Roads, Eagan was a small farming community of about 1,000 residents. Most farms were a mile or more away from their nearest neighbor, so residents looked forward to gathering at the Town Hall for the Annual Town Board Meeting as a chance to catch up with their neighbors. A limited edition painting by local artist Larry Landis, completed for the 100-year celebration of the Town Hall, captures this scene. The artwork entitled “Old Eagan Town Hall” depicts Eagan residents as they gather in front of the Town Hall as it likely looked in 1914. Two hundred numbered and mounted, canvas prints are available for sale for $120 each through the end of 2014. Proceeds benefit the Eagan Historical Society. Paper prints are also available, for $35 each. Prints can be purchased at Eagan City Hall, Commemorate 100 Years of Eagan’s Town Hall with a Limited Edition Print Administration counter, 3830 Pilot Knob Road. City offices are open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Purchase arrangements can also be made by contacting HistoricalSociety@cityofeagan.com. Easy e-Utility Billing is Here Like water from a tap, the City’s new e-Utility Billing system enrollment started out as a slow trickle but is now becoming a fairly steady stream. The already popular program allows City water and utility cus- tomers to sign up for paperless billing, automatic or one-time online bill pay, and the ability to view bill- ing and usage history online, with 24/7 access. “We’re excited to be bringing this technology to our residents,” says Josh Feldman, City of Eagan Assistant Finance Director. “It’s another service we can offer and the initial limited rollout has shown good results. Residents really seem to like this option.” Daniel, a happy customer agrees, saying “I have been waiting for online pay. My bill has always been way overdue as I am not always around to check my mail. Thanks, City of Eagan for making my bill pay more manageable and convenient.” Residents interested in enrolling in e-Utility Billing should visit www.cityofeagan.com/e-UtilityBilling for more information about the program and the enrollment link. 2.4%. The final levy amount will be certified in December. The Council cannot increase it above the preliminary levy. Typically, the final tax levy is unchanged from the pre- liminary levy, but the Council could choose to decrease it before final adoption in December. ◗ The proposed 2015 general fund budget is up 3.6% from 2014. The budget includes addi- tional staff that will bring the total number of full-time equivalent employees to 241, about the same level it was at in 2008. The new positions are: • 1 Sworn Police Officer • 1 IT Network Security Analyst • 5 Firefighters (funded 100% by a Federal grant for the first two years) Did You Know? ◗ Since much of what the City provides is service, the largest segment of the annual budget—three-quarters, in fact—is staff. In addition to Eagan’s 241 fulltime employ- ees, 300-400 summer staffers work in Parks & Recreation, Public Works and Parks Maintenance. The budget not only accounts for wages, but also health insurance, retire- ment and other benefits. ◗ Each year the tax levy includes more than $400,000 for development and rehabilitation of Eagan’s 1,350 acres of parkland. ◗ The Eagan Civic Arena’s oldest Zamboni, purchased in 1998 when the arena was built, reached 4,000 hours this summer, the equiv- alent of nearly 20,000 resurfacings. $125,000 has been included in the 2015 Civic Arena budget for its replacement. The Civic Arena is primarily funded by user fees. ◗ The City’s proposed budget for 2015 will be discussed and the public is invited and encouraged to comment at the December 2 City Council meeting. In addition, the City’s finance director welcomes any budget ques- tions you may have and is available by phone during regular business hours at (651) 675- 5000. The budget is expected to be adopted at the December 17 regular City Council meeting. Limited edition prints of “Old Eagan Town Hall” by local artist Larry Landis celebrate the building’s 100th year. Numbered prints are avail- able through December 31. Airport Town Hall Meeting Questions about runway use? Curious about how weather and wind impact flight patterns? Want to understand how airport noise monitors do what they do? Are you interested in future trends in aviation or emerging plans for MSP International Airport? If so, the upcoming community-wide Airport Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, November 6 from 6:30- 8:00 p.m. should be on your radar. The informa- tional meeting is being hosted by the City’s Airport Relations Commission at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway. Representatives from the Metropolitan Airports Commission and Federal Aviation Administration will be on hand to share how decisions are made regarding runway use. They will also be available to respond to questions from citizens. First Time Homebuyer Program First time homebuyers in Dakota County have a new conventional loan option through the Dakota County CDA’s First Time Homebuyer Program. The program provides mortgage financing with a lower down payment requirements and other benefits, making home ownership more affordable. Visit www.DakotaCDA.org or call (651) 675-4442. Budget Connect Find out even more about the City of Eagan budget and ask your specific questions during the Budget Connect Virtual Open House on Monday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. No need to miss the kid’s practice or leave your easy chair since Budget Connect lets you interact in a vari- ety of ways, right from your living room or mobile device. Select the way that is most convenient for you: Watch a live interactive talk show on Eagan-TV chan- nel 20 and streamed live on the City Web site where the Mayor and City staff will present the budget information that is most important to you. Custom graphics, charts and video segments will help explain and highlight some of the new projects or budget items with a higher price tag. We’ll know what is most important to you because you can ask questions before or during the program on the City’s Facebook or Twitter pages. You can also text to (651) 337-9079 or leave a voicemail at (651) 675-5074. The Mayor and staff will answer as many questions as possible during the live program. Budget Connect will be replayed on Eagan-TV and available on demand at www.cityofeagan.com/bud- getConnect . The League of MN Cities named Eagan a City of Excellence for its 2013 Budget Connect program for increasing public awareness of the budget process. Help make it an even more meaningful program this year by tuning in, asking questions and learning more about where your tax dollars go. Experience Eagan • November/December 2014 • 3 Plowing, Parking and other Winter Wonders Ready or not, winter is coming. Snow will fall and plows will take to the streets. Brush up on Eagan’s winter parking restrictions and plowing plans now, so you aren’t caught in the cold. Odd/Even Day Parking Restrictions To keep people safe and allow plow drivers to do what is needed to clear roadways, the City has adopted winter parking restrictions which are in effect from November 15 through April 15, regard- less of snowfall. What this means for Residents: From 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily, vehicles may only be parked on one side of the roadway (see graphic below). On odd number calendar dates, parking is only permitted on the side of the street with odd house addresses. On even the numbered days of the month, parking is only allowed on the even addressed side of the street, regardless of snowfall. Violators may be tick- eted and/or towed. In the evenings and overnight, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. parking is allowed on both sides of the street every night. Roadway Plowing The City maintains its roads during the snow and ice season to assure access for emergency services and the public. Plowing typically begins on higher vol- ume City streets, followed by residential City streets and cul-de-sacs, once two- inches of snow accumu- lates. Ice, sleet, drifting or other factors may also activate plowing operations. Cul-de-sac perimeters are plowed and snow is stored in the center whenever possible. Plows deposit snow onto boulevards and easement areas. The City is not responsible for damage to any objects/amenities (fences, landscaping, etc.) located in these areas. Garbage awaiting pick-up should be set back four to eight feet behind the curbline. Dakota County and the State of Minnesota are responsible for maintaining County Roads and State/Interstate highways respectively. More information regarding the City Snow and Ice Control Policy as well as contacts for Dakota County and State agencies can be found on the City Web site. Updates are also routinely posted on the City of Eagan Facebook and Twitter accounts. Got Shoes? Instead of throwing out your old or unwanted shoes, recycle them during a one-week collection coordinated by Dakota Valley Recycling (cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville and Eagan). In honor of America Recycles Day (Nov. 15). Eagan residents can drop off shoes from Monday, Nov. 10 to Sunday, Nov. 16 at the Eagan Ice Arena, 3870 Pilot Knob Road. Shoes of all types, sizes and styles, in any condition, will be accepted. Shoes collected during this event are either separated for reuse or recycled into new products. In 2013, Burnsville, Eagan and Apple Valley prevented a combined 3.8 tons of shoes from going to the landfill. What: Shoe Recycling When: Monday, November 10 through Sunday, November 16; 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Where: Eagan Civic Arena, 3870 Pilot Knob Road (Containers located inside building) For more information visit www. DakotaValleyRecycling.org/shoes. Trail & Sidewalk Plowing The City clears 76 miles of the nearly 120 miles of boulevard trails and sidewalks within Eagan follow- ing snowfalls. In order to keep the streets as safe as possible, trails and sidewalks are cleared AFTER streets. This is generally 1-3 days after snowfall—or longer during significant or back-to-back storms. To view a map showing which trails are plowed, visit www.cityofeagan.com/plow. Mailbox Standards Don’t forget the specific mailbox installation stan- dards in place, to help prevent mailbox damage as plows clear streets. Detailed information was in the last Experience Eagan and can be found online at www.cityofeagan.com/streets. Free Curb Marking Stakes In an effort to prevent lawn damage from snow plows, residents are encouraged to mark hidden curb lines. The City provides up to eight free wood- en stakes per household at the Eagan Maintenance Facility (3501 Coachman Point). Visit www.cityofeagan.com/plow or call the Eagan Maintenance Facility at (651) 675-5300 if you have any questions related to snow removal. You’re Connecting, We’re Listening The July/August Experience Eagan, outlined many ways for residents to connect with City information. Now we want to take it one step further to ensure that your voice is being heard. On October 2, we introduced a new way for resi- dents and City staff to communicate called “Eagan Chat”. This real-time Facebook question & answer session allowed a City employee to “take over” the City’s Facebook page for 30 minutes to hear your questions and answer them live. The first “Eagan Chat” featured Eric Macbeth, Water Resources Manager. Macbeth answered questions and shared information on a variety of topics including rain gar- dens, fishing, lakes and water quality. What would you like to chat about next? Let us know and watch Facebook for information about the next “Eagan Chat”. Subscriptions Keep in touch with the City information you want or need. Sign up to automatically receive e-mail updates by visiting www.cityofeagan.com/subscribe, check the items you wish to receive. Categories include things like agendas, City jobs, game and field status, publications, City news and more. You can unsubscribe or add more options any time. Parking only on odd side of streets on odd numbered days 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking only on even side of streets on even numbered days 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Odd/Even Day Parking Restrictions – Nov. 15 to April 15 Parking only on odd side PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDTWIN CITIES MNPERMIT NO. 4902* * * * * ECRWSS * *Residential Postal Customer3830 Pilot Knob RoadEagan, Minnesota 55122Page 1 Eagan Makes Top Cities List Yet Again People Say the Nicest Things Check Your Precinct Before Voting City Budget Basics Page 2 Easy e-Utility Billing is Here Airport Town Hall Meeting Commemorate 100 Years of Eagan’s Town Hall with a Limited Edition Print Page 3 Plowing, Parking and other Winter Wonders Got Shoes? You’re Connecting, We’re Listening Page 4 Additional Open Skating Sessions for the Holidays Give the Gift of Summer Be Market Festive Holz Farm Old Fashioned Holiday 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 Additional Open Skating Sessions for the Holidays Holz Farm Old Fashioned Holiday Be Market Festive As a fun family outing or a relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle, skating can be a group or solo activity during the holidays. The Eagan Civic Arena has scheduled more Open Skate and Club Sk8 ses- sions to help you glide through the holiday season. Two types of skating experiences are offered: ◗ Open Skate is public skating with regular lighting and music. ◗ Club Sk8 is held Friday and Saturday eve- nings. Lighting is changed to a disco experi- ence with more energetic music. These skating experiences are inside the arena, and are open to skaters of all ages and abilities. Skate rental is available, beginning at Toddler size Santa and Mrs. Klaus, two of their reindeer and a gift-laden sleigh can be found at the Old Fashioned Holiday at Holz Farm on Sunday, December 7, from noon to 3:30 p.m. Take a tractor-drawn hayride, enjoy S’mores by the fire, hot cider and cookies. All activities are free at this event, hosted by the Friends of the Farm. Dress for the weather as several activities are out- side. Don’t forget your camera to capture the kids with Santa and take a family photo. Download a flyer and map at www.cityofeagan.com/holzfarm. Market Fest Indoor Market is Back for a Second Year Every-Other Saturday Starting November 22 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Find your favorite summer farmer’s market vendors all Winter at Eagan’s Indoor Farmer’s Market held inside the Eagan Community Center, every-other Saturday. Items include strudel, hand-blended teas, root vege- tables, breads and bakery items, sauces, salsa, farm- fresh frozen pork and more. The indoor market is a great place to shop for locally produced food items to bring to Thanksgiving or holiday parties or to put together as a holiday gift basket. For more informa- tion visit www.cityofeagan.com/marketfest. 6 through Men’s size 13. Sessions are offered vari- ous times during the day, evening and weekend. Hockey enthusi- asts can also enjoy the new morning hockey sessions on Tuesdays 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. Visit www.eagancivicarena.com for a detailed schedule. Birthday-skating- party package information can be found here too. Give the Gift of Summer Struggling to find the perfect holiday gift? Give a gift that can be used all summer—season passes for Cascade Bay, Cardio Bay and gift cards. Regular season passes offer unlimited regular admissions and unlimited miniature golf on the Captain’s Course. The Cardio Bay season pass allows for unlimited admissions into water fitness activities, including lap swim, water aerobics and water walking (walk against the lazy river current). Cascade Bay gift card can be used toward admis- sion tickets, concessions or merchandise purchases. All three gift options are available beginning December 1, from the Parks & Recreation Department at Eagan City Hall; or visit www.cascadebay.com for more information.