Loading...
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Newspaper clippings of city council articles 1978 to 2010. - 1/1/1978
Fo DER 13c, KS 2A November 5, 2010 THISWEEK Eagan Eagan voters re-elect mayor, two city council members Maguire, Bakken, Hansen will return for four-year terms by Erin Johnson 'FHISWEEK NEWSPAPERS In a year of •sweep- ing change, Eagan voters Tuesday opted to bring back at' least three in- cumbents by re-electing their mayor and two City Council members. Mayor Mike Magu- ire and Council members Paul Bakken and Gary Hansen all held onto their seats Nov. 2. Maguire was elected to his second term as mayor with 16,729 votes. His op- ponent, former Viking • Joey. Browner, received 5,121 votes. "I'm very apprecia- tive that Eagan voters re- turned • the. whole manage- ment team;" Maguire said. "I think it's an affirmation and a credit to the work we've done." • Maguire • said he be- lieves voters like the fis- •caily prudent way that he, Bakken and Hansen have served the city, as well 'as the fact • that they' are non -partisan and. "get the work done." "I don't always see eye - to -eye with (Bakken and Hansen), but I'm always impressed with their com- mitment to their commu- nity and their ability . to Photo by Rick Orndorf Mayor Mike Maguire checks on vote totals at Granite City Food and Brewery in Eagan on Nov. 2. Maguire and City Council members PaulBakken and Gary Hansen were all re-elected Tuesday night. disagree about issues, but not in a disagreeable way," he said.• "I think we have an excellent team, and it's a team that works togeth-, er." Bakken was elected to his third term on the council -with 12,688 votes. "I'm honored that the Eagan voters have entrust- ed me with another four years of public service, and I will do my best to prove worthy of that trust over the next four years," he said. Hansen received 9,935 votes. This will be his first full term; he was original= ly elected in 2008 to take over Peggy Carlson's seat. "I'm grateful for the voters' support and 1 think it's a clear indica- . tion that they are pleased with. the way the city is being governed," he said. "We have some high stan- dards to uphold, and I'm looking forward to doing that." Bakken. and Hansen defeated challengers -Bill White and John Weiser. White, a retired Eagan police officer, received 6,066 votes. Weiser, a reve- nue tax specialist with the Minnesota Department of Revenue, received 3,303 votes. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweekna ecm-inc.com. • NOVEMBER 5, 2010 VOLUME 31, NO. 36 www.thisweeklive.com Opinion/4A Sports/5A Btirnsak- Puzzle Page/8A World-renowned illusionist Rob Lake comes to Burnsville See Thisweek Page 1A Classifieds/ 10A Announcements/14A Legal Notices/15A Republicans take back state seats by John Gessner, Erin Johnson, Aaron Vehling and Andrew Miller TNISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Burnsville and Eagan state legislative seats turned Republican red again Tues- day, in a sweep reminiscent of the DFL blue that over - in Senate District 40, Di- ane Anderson of Eagan in House District 38A, Doug Wardlow of Eagan in House District 38B and Pam Myhra of Burnsville in House District 40A. Senate District 38 CPA and military veteran J T._1__. __-___._J 10 Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current -Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010 - www.minnlocal.com In the Community, With the Community, For the Community City managers FROM PAGE 1 what kind of increase or decrease could the average homeowner see? Under the city's proposed 2011 budget, the city's share of the total property tax levy is recommended to be $139,554 less than the year before. The city's deci- sion to reduce the levy has mitigated the impact to the property tax payers. For 2011, the city taxes paid by the typi- cal home will decline for the second consecutive year. For 2011, 94.7 percent of residential property owners in Apple Valley will see the city portion of their property taxes stay the same or decline. 2.) If the levy changed, what were the factors that made it happen? Staffing reductions and modifications played an important role in being able to lower the levy for 2011. The city cur- rently has nine staff positions vacant. In addition, the city modified the way it handles engineering services resulting in a net savings to the city and its tax- payers. 3.) What are three specific chal- lenges the city faced this year in creating the preliminary 2011 budg- et, and how could these challenges impact overall budget figures? • Holding the line on the tax dol- lars paid by the typical homeowner during a period of declining proper- ty values and economic downturn. We are striving to continually meet the service expectations of our prop- erty owners with fewer available resources. • Steep reductions in state aid to cities. Under current State law the city will lose approximately $1 million in Market Value Homestead Credit for 2011. This is an addition to the loss of approximately $450,000 per year in Local Government Aid beginning back in 2003. The cumulative loss of these revenues will make future capital investments more difficult to fund. • Maintaining the commitment to the city's investment in our streets and infrastructure. The proposed 2011 budget maintains the street mainte- nance, overlay, sealcoating program totaling $1.6 million in the general fund -property tax levy for 2011. This program extends the life of the streets and lowers the overall cost to property owners as we deal with an aging infra- structure. 4.) Are people advocating for any items that appear likely to be cut or reduced? We are attempting to adjust our service levels in the areas that will have the least impact, or impact the fewest number of people. 5.) What is the most important thing residents should be aware of in terms of what kind of impact a city budget has on their daily lives? In short, why should they pay attention? The city budget pro- vides the framework through which essential public services are provided to the public. Essential and desirable services such as police, fire, ambu- lance, street repair, snow plowing, parks and recreation, drinking water, sewer disposal and stormwater man- agement are all accounted for in the city's budget. While these services are sometimes taken for granted or go unnoticed, it is the city budget that helps ensure that the services are adequately funded to help maintain the high quality of life our community is known for. Eagan Tom Hedges, Eagan's city adminis- trator, returned the following answers to our query: 1.) Where does the city's preliminary tax levy stand com- pared to last year's, and what kind of increase or decrease could the average homeowner see? The preliminary payable values and little growth resulting from the economy. For the first time, there is a concern that actual tax collections might fall short of usual levels, necessi- tating planning for uncollected taxes. • Maintaining a constant delivery of services with 10 fewer positions already reduced in 2009 and 2010, including not filling the street supervi- sor position this year when a vacancy occurred, and instead splitting those duties between two other existing posi- tions for savings going forward. • The 2011 level of spending (budget) needs to be sustainable into 2012 and the future as economic conditions sta- bilize and new service delivery expecta- tions are identified. 4.) Are people advocating for any items that appear likely to be cut or reduced? In general citizens appear to be satisfied with the level of services and resulting service costs reflected in the city's budgets. Eagan maintains its `Citizens should continue to pay attention because it is their money that is being spent and their input is important and always welcome.' - Eagan city administrator Tom Hedges 2011 levy is $28,247,711, compared to the final payable 2010 levy of $27,465,585. The average market value house will pay approximately $27 (3.5 percent) more in city taxes in 2011. 2.) If the levy changed, what were the factors that made it happen? There is a slight increase for General Fund costs, primarily for health insur- ance increases, and a slight increase is included in the levy to maintain the city's infrastructure. These two factors result in a levy increase of 0.8 percent. Also, for the first time a 2-percent esti- mated allowance for uncollectible taxes is included in the levy. 3.) What are three specific chal- lenges the city faced this year in creating the preliminary 2011 budg- et, and how could these challenges impact overall budget figures? • The city's tax base is declining due to a reduction of estimated property position as one of the lowest per capita in taxes for Minnesota cities with more than 50,000 residents. As budgets become increasingly con- strained, potential service delivery reductions as to serv- ices or timing of serv- ice delivery might become more obvious. The city expects to learn more regarding this question at the upcoming Budget Open House Nov 9. 5.) What is the most important thing residents should be aware of in terms of what kind of impact a city budget has on their daily lives? In short, why should they pay atten- tion? Residents have told us they want a limited menu of services done well. The city Council remains committed to delivering that high quality, but focused service delivery. We believe our citizens understand the relationship between the values of the public services they receive and the amount they actually pay in taxes for those services. (Eagan is responsible only for the city portion of the overall tax bill.) We further believe they under- stand maintaining the city's infrastruc- ture supports property values and over- all quality of life one of the reasons why, for three times running, Eagan has been named among the top 20 most livable cities in America. Citizens should continue to pay attention because it is their money that is being spent and their input is impor- tant and always welcome as to the level of services and service delivery priori- ties they want Eagan to have. Rosemount Dwight Johnson, Rosemount's city administrator, returned the following answers to our query: 1.) Where does the city's prelimi- nary tax levy stand compared to last year's, and what kind of increase or decrease could the aver- age homeowner see? The levy is showing a decrease of $176,868 (1.59 percent) from 2010 to 2011. This equates to a $60 decrease in the city share of property taxes for the median valued home. This is on top of a $77 decrease in the current year, for a two-year reduction of $137 or 13.3 percent on city taxes. 2.) If the levy changed, what were the factors that made it happen? The biggest reasons for a tax levy reduction were use of surplus funds from prior year operations to reduce debt, and adopting several spending reductions for nonpriority services. 3.) What are three specific chal- lenges the city faced this year in creating the preliminary 2011 budg- et, and how could these challenges impact overall budget figures? • The biggest challenge was an 18 percent increase in health insurance rates for next year. • Another challenge is an ongoing low level of new construction due to the economy that caused us to lay off a building inspector earlier this year and make other more minor staff adjust- ments. • We needed to budget for increases in utility costs such as electric and gas rates. All of these items have been incorporated into the preliminary budget and were fortunately more than offset by our ability to reduce our debt obligations. 4.) Are people advocating for any items that appear likely to be cut or reduced? No. Our official public hear- ing will be Dec. 7. 5.) What is the most important thing residents should be aware of in terms of what kind of impact a city budget has on their daily lives? In short, why should they pay atten- tion? Important services such as snow- plowing and police patrol will not be impacted. Residents and many busi- nesses should see a noticeable decline in the city portion of their taxes for 2011. In the Community, With the Community, For the Community www.minnlocal.com-Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010-Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current 9 Losing Your Hearing, Or Is It Just Ear Wax? Find Out at Our Open House! See inside Your Ears With a Tiny Camera • Free video otoscope inspection*— this show -all picture of your ear canal is displayed on a color monitor so you can see exactly what the professionals see. • Free comprehensive hearing evaluation*— this audiometric evaluation will show you precisely which sounds you have been missing WANTED 25 People Who Have difficulty hearing and understanding in background noise. These 25 people are needed to try the most advanced Miracle -Ear nearly invisible digital hearing instruments and the effectiveness of the directional microphone system in background noise. These people will be asked to try our instruments RISK -FREE. If you are satisfied with the improvement in your hearing and wish to keep the instruments, you may do so at great savings. Hurry, Special Offer Ends 10/29/10 Buy One, Get One, 50% OFF any Miracle -Ear ME-1 or ME-2 Hearing Solution Goosi at participating Miracle -Ear locations only special offer applies to purchase of same Miracle -Ear make and model heanng aid. Does not apply to prior sales. S0% discount applies only when first aid is purchased at the regular list price. No other offers or discounts apply. Cash value 1/20 cent. Offer expires 10/29/10. Hurry, Special Offer Ends 10/29/10 FREE In -Store Demo of our latest technology Offer valid at participating Miracle -Ear locations. No cash value. Offer expires 10/29/10. Hurry, Special Offer Ends 10/29/10 FREE Hearing Aid Remote Free Mini or Pen hearing aid remote with the purchase of any Miracle -Ear'' ME-1 or ME-2 Heanng Solution (2 aids). Valid at participating Miracle -Ear locations only. Not valid with any other discount or offer. Does not apply to prior purchases. Offer expires 10/29/10. ,Miracle -Eat ecked at brand f trust " Patrick Duffy -Actor zOVER 1- W YEARS Hurry — Appointments Are Limited CaII today! Edina Miracle -Ear Center 3300 Edinborough Way, Ste 109 952-983-0417 Minnetonka Sears Hearing Aid Center Ridgedale Mall 12431 Wayzata Blvd. 952-542-2086 Burnsville Sears Hearing Aid Center Burnsville Center 14250 Buckhill Rd 952-435-2201 St. Paul Sears Hearing Aid Center 425 Rice St., 2nd Floor 651-292-0879 Brooklyn Park Miracle -Ear Center Park Square Shopping Center 8046 Brooklyn Blvd 763-315-6571 Eden Prairie Sears Hearing Aid Center Eden Prairie Mall 8301 Flying Cloud Drive 952-943-9486 "Our hearing evaluation and video otoscopic inspection are always free. Hearing evaluation is an audiometric test to determine proper amplification needs only. These are not medical exams or diagnoses nor are they intended to replace a physician's care. If you suspect a medical problem, please seek treatment from your doctor. tRisk-free offer. The aids must be returned in satisfactory condition within 30 days of the completion of fittings. If you are not completely satisfied, 100% of your purchase price will be refunded. C2010 Miracle -Ear, Inc. 13587ROPA_10.375x10 Proposed city tax hike about $15 next year on average home Burnsville Council continues budget talks; open house set by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Next year's city taxes would rise by about $15 on an 'average -valued Burnsville home ($208,000) under proposals taking shape for the 2011 city tax levy and budget. • • The City Council continued delib- erations at a Nov. 9 work session on a proposed budget of- about $81 mil- lion, which includes a general operat- ing fund'of $33.8 million. • Council members discussed fur- ' ther cost -saving measures in an effort to pare the 5.6 percent maximum tax levy they certified on Sept. 7. Based on council members' in- formal rejection Nov. 9 of some of $.175,000 .in additional savings, the levy increase would be pared to 5.2 percent. But further budget talks are sched- uled for Nov. 23, with final action on Dec: 7. A public open house on the budget will be held Nov. 30 at 4.p.m: at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Parkway. City taxes on an . average -valued See Tax Hike, 14A Automatic, Ecotec, XM Radio E a 4 6 17 DEMO ONE TODAY MSRP i12,i MSRP Belzer's Fall Special S11.. Belzer's Fall Special Rebate ($1,000) Rebate USAA Member' STK #C104042 (S750) USAA Member' 5 *ECONOMY CHEVROLET Automatic, 3.5 V-6, Front Bucket TAHOE 6-Speed, Auto, Remote Start, 5.3 V-8 MSRP (S2,000) Rebate ($750) USAA Member ($4,29ci Belzer Discount SILVERADO IMPALA LS STK eC131018 MSRP Belzer's Fell Special Rebate AARP Members Welcome' $4$ MSRP (S. Rebate USAA Member (S Belzer Discount SILVERADO Tax Hike/from l A home would be less next year than the tax homeown- ers paid in 2009, according to city staff. • • Next . year's taxes. on $1 million in commercial/in- dustrial property would rise. by an estimated $368. • Falling values have hit both residential and com- mercial properties. Burns- ville's total residential prop- erty value has dropped 8.6 percent in the past year, according to city figures. Commercial properties have lost 5.4 percent in value, and apartments 7.8 percent. More cuts? The city made large cuts totaling $3:5 million in 2009 and 2010 and didn't increase the 2010 levy. • Council members balked Nov. 9 at some of the $175,000 in added cuts pre- sented by city staff as options for paring the maximum levy. Two council members — Charlie Crichton and Dan Kealey — voted against the maximum levy in Septem-, ber, calling for a 3.7 percent hike instead of 5.6 percent. . A majority of council members 'rejected saving $20,000 by cutting overtime used to speed up spring street sweeping and patch- ing. "This is not the 20 thou- sand to. take out," Crich- ton said. "We need to get the work done as fast as we can." Council members also rejected cutting $25,000 in police, fire and public works overtime costs for the Burns- ville Fire Muster, Interna- tional Festival of Burnsville, Art and All That Jazz Fes- tival and Heart of the City Half Marathon. Those ser- vices have already been cut by $25,000. Council members agreed on $33,500 in police.and fire' overtime cuts, including a $25,000 cut that would re- duce traffic sting operations by two per month. A boost for property, inspections Council meinbers also agreed on a rare budget ad- dition of $25,000 for a sea- sonal position for property inspections. The previous cuts left only one person to do maintenance -code in; spections citywide. And there are lots of complaints from residents about neighboring proper- ties, Council Member Mary Sherry said. In her own neighbor- hood, a "huge" truck trailer is parked illegally in a drive- way, and at another house, a full dumpster of trash con- tinues to sit outside the va- cated property, Sherry said. "It's just so blatant," she said. John Gessner is at burnsville. thisweekna.ecm-inc. corn. ing websites for small and medium-sized businesses. But as the organization quickly took on a life of its own, Mehring decided to quit her consulting career in 2002 to run CaringBridge full time as CEO. That same year, the organization was incorporated as a nonprofit. Mehring said the move was nerve-wracking at first since the start-up had been financed by her consulting business. "It was a leap of faith," she said. "But it was so important to have it go to more and more people." The most difficult task was raising awareness, Meh- ring said, especially when the Internet was still rela- tively new. But as more people start- ed going online, the barrier broke down, she said. 'Bridging' people Today, the organization advertises by reaching out to other charities. hospitals At age 45, Roch was di- agnosed with a brain tumor in 2009 and underwent ex- tensive surgeries, one of which caused a stroke. Mehring said. "That is what is tremendously rewarding." Jessica Harper is at jessica. harper@ecm-inc.com. Build Your Own r If Spruce Tip Pot & Kissing Ball November 13th, 17th & 20th • CaII for details i©LI'D-AY \V®RKSEI©F OPEN HOUSE Sat., Nov. 20th, 9-5 T SMILE AWAY! YOUR CENTERPOINTE DENTISTS: Paul Krech, D.D.S.; Mike & Angie Zagorski, D.D.S.: Sara Tuchscherer, D.D.S. 545 Complete Preventative, Cosmetic & Restorative Farnily Dentistry b Free Wi-Fi Available www.CenterpointeDentalGroup.com 2 SOUTH METRO LOCATIONS BURNSVILLE Nicollet & Cty. 42 952-892-3808 LAKEVILLE Hwy. 50 & 185th St. 952-435-1818 Counciiapprovos final budget, levy Average homeowner will see $27 increase in city property tax by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The Eagan City Council approved its final 2011 budget Tuesday, along with a 2.8 per- cent levy increase to offset un- collectable taxes from a grow- ing number of delinquent properties. The council held a public hearing on the budget and property tax levy at its Dec. 7 meeting; there were no com- ments from residents. Council members unani- mously approved a general fund budget of $27.7 mil- lion, an increase of a little more than half of one percent over last year. The increase is mainly due to rising employee health insurance costs, ac- cording to the city. The total approved proper- ty tax levy is $28.2 million, a 2.8 percent increase over last year. The bulk of the increase — 2 percent — will be used to compensate for potential un- collected taxes from property value appeals and delinquen- cies, which city officials said are on the rise. Eagan is not the only metro -area city to make such an allowance; cities such as Burnsville, Eden Prairie and Edina are also compensat- ing for uncollectable property taxes in their levies. If the funds remain un- tapped, they will be put to- ward planned -for capital expenditures, such as the pro- posed Duckwood overpass at I-35E, or to buy down future tax levies, officials said. The approved levy will result in a $27 increase in property taxes for the owner of an average -priced home in Eagan, which in 2011 will be $241,744. The budget, which remains below inflation, also continues last year's wage freeze for city employees, and eliminates the vacant streets supervisor posi- tion, dividing those duties be- tween two other existing staff members. At $800 for the average household, Eagan's property taxes still remain among the lowest in the metro area. The city ranks fifth -lowest in its city portion of property taxes when compared with 17 other metro -area cities, from Coon Rapids to Hastings. In Dakota County, only Mendota Heights has a lower city portion of property taxes than Eagan. Average home- owners in Burnsville pay $979, while in Apple Valley they pay $1060. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. in good years, budgets are always tight. But now in the Great Recession, it's even more pronounced. When you've gone through all your reserves, your savings and so forth, it's a struggle to meet payroll." The MVHS cut its bud- get from about $1 mil- lion in 2009 to $800,000 in See MVHS,.14A Jeverai or the cats sne saw online nave aireauy found homes, "which is good," she said. Pike has adopted from MVHS before — she al- ready has a cat and a dog — but said she wasn't seri- ously considering adopting another until she heard of the closing. She is now looking to add another cat to her fam- ily. "Or maybe two," she said. "Every animal de- serves a good home for the holidays." MVHS has seen a slight uptick in adoptions since announcing it would close, with 41 pets finding homes last Saturday alone. "It was very, very busy around here," said Execu- tive Director Lynae Gieseke. But that same day there were 12 pets surrendered to the shelter. And the next day was pretty quiet, she said. While several cats, dogs and even rabbits still need to find homes, Gieseke cautions people against rush- ing to adopt an animal. "Don't think you need to come down and adopt an animal to `save' the animal," she said. "Only adopt an animal if you've been thinking of adopt- ing an animal. This shouldn't be a snap decision." Gieseke said if there are animals remaining when the shelter closes, MVHS staff will contact other shelters, breed -placement groups, and rescue groups to take them in. But she said she's confident all the animals will See Animals, 14A City outreach effort doesn't reach many • Eagan officials held their second -annual budget open house, but turnout was low. By HERON MARQUEZ ESTRADA hire@startribune.com What if you invited 50,000 peo- ple to an open house and almost no- body came? If you're a politician in Eagan, you might think that was a good thing, especially given the political climate around the country in the wake of the state and national elections held ear- lier this month. Last Tuesday, the city held a bud get open house to allow residents a chance to voice their opinions, sug- gestions, complaints or comments regarding the city's $27.7 million gen- eral fund budget for 2011, which is set to be approved in early December by the City Council. `'This is one of the ways that we reach out to the public," said Mayor Mike Ma- guire, who was at the open house. Eagan continues on N3 ► 1 tie Hooters closed near the end of October. With that closing, the chain has only one location left in the state. That restaurant is at the Mall of America in Bloomington. Skip Nienhaus, the eco- nomic development coor- dinator for the city, said it was interesting that several establishments so close to each other had shut their doors, though he said it could have just been coin- cidental with corporate de- cision making. "Why that was a good location for restaurants for years and years, and why it isn't now, I don't know," he said. Shidor opens another Farmington location A year after the opening of Shidor in Farmington, a second shop called More Shidor recently held its grand opening not far from the first. The secondhand shop's new location is at 308 Oak St. in downtown Farmington. The store spe- cializes in reselling furni- ture and books. The Ugly Mug has new owners and a new menu The Ugly Mug restaurant located at the Farmington Market Place strip mall off of Pilot Knob Road in Farntincton has new nwn- a restaurant, you wrong with that," said. "People need In the future, ! said she wants to wine bar. Farmington pet sp now a Groomingd, Pampered Pet SI one of several local ingdale&s Pet Salon The pet groomer ed off of Pilot Knot the Farmington Place in Farmingtc The chain has the Twin Cities ar 1988. Its other local in Burnsville, Eal Lakeville. VoIP event with Tl scheduled for Nov To learn how tc latest "Voice over Protocol" (VoIP) ogy to increase pr, ity, businesspeop1E tend a demonstr; TDS' VoIP solutio, agedlP" on Tuesda TDS said some agedIP's benefits reduction in to system maintenan e-mail notificatio: coming calls one mails, and mobili one phone numl can ring anywher, device. The event is 7:3i 9:30 a.m. at the Tr at 3Ai f1 E agan' s outreach effori reaches few 4 EAGAN FROM Ni Only a handful of people showed up, despite heavy advertising and widespread coverage about the event, in- cluding notice of the meeting on the city's large electron- ic message board in front of City Hall. City officials, while dis- appointed with the turnout, said it might indicate that the city's 50,000-plus residents are generally pleased with how the city is being run. "I think Eagan is the voice of stability," said City Admin- istrator Tom Hedges. "At the local level we pride ourselves on being nonpartisan." As evidence, they point out that all three incumbents were re-elected during the Nov 2 elections, when a wide- spread turning -out of incum- bents occurred elsewhere. Maguire, who was re- elected easily, said that while he was campaigning door-to- door he heard a lot of com- plaints about state and na- tional issues, but few about Eagan. "I heard a lot of satisfaction with the city," Maguire said. No wage increases City officials said the ex- pected increase in next year's budget is about one-half of one percent, with no mon- ey in it for wage increases for the city's more than 200 em- ployees. While most cities hold a formal public hearing to al- low residents to voice their thoughts prior to the passage of the budget, Eagan this year and last took the addition- al step of holding a "budget open house" to answer ques- tions or provide feedback on city spending. Also present at the open house were members of the City. Council and just about every department head. The employees and the politicians easily -outnum- bered the public by 5 to 1 or more during the two-houi event. " ` Tom Ellingson was among the first to show up, and;for a while the only resident at;tlie event. His concern, he said; was getting the city to control employee compensation, es= pecially worker pensions. "The city and the coun- ty can't afford the current pension system," he af- said ter talking with city officials: "Neither can the state or the federal government." Among the question's E1= lingson was looking to an- swer was how much of Ea- gan's $27 million budget went to employee compen- sation. The answer: about 75 percent, according to city fi- nance officials. Alisha Wong, a University of Minnesota student whose parents live in Eagan, also at- tended the event. Among the questions she had was why the city's property taxes are going up about 2.8 percent, at a time when real estate prices are still flat or even dropping this year. "" Hedges acknowledged that, real estate prices are dropping, but that .also means a drop in revenue to the city. He said only .8 per- cent of the proposed increase is going to make up for lost revenue. The extra 2 percent is being held in reserve in case the city loses property tax appeals that are made. If there is money left over from that reserve, he said, it will be used to offset future increas- es instead of going into "the general fund to be spent by the city, he said. "We've always had a very . open process," Hedges said as the event was winding down. "We wanted to pro- vide people an opportuni- ty to comment, and that's what's important." Heron Marquez • 952-707-9994 .1. pert- • i • -country and track and field. Grund finished first for the Irish last weekend at state. On the boys' side, the next four team finish- ers behind McCallum last weekend are all ex- pected back. sure," Harder Junior Nath joined McCal the third time runners on th; It also happ WHO'S ON THE SCENE FIRST? SOUTH METRO FROM N1 er changes, such as the fire de- partment turning all the ambu- lance calls over to HealthEast — could increase response times, critics say. "When you're having an emergency medical situa- tion and someone gets there in four minutes and someone gets there in ten minutes ... People can live or die in those six minutes," said Chris Lehm- ann, SMFD board member and South St. Paul city councilman. `And I'll tell ya, the patient or citizen sitting there isn't wor- ried that 'Oh my goodness, an- other ambulance is roaring down my street." But HealthEast counters that it doesn't make sense to have two ambulances re- sponding to emergencies, and that streamlining the service would be more efficient and save money. SMFD's board of directors will meet on Wednesday to weigh options and hear rec- ommendations from the fire department's chief. Under the current arrange- ment, South Metro acts as a first responder, with crews providing immediate care and possible transportation to the hospital. HealthEast coordi- nates who transports the pa tient and handles the most se rious cases. As it stands now, the SMF collects about $650 for each ambulance transport it makes, generating about $330,000 year. However, in negotiation that have to be settled befor the end of the year, HealthEas is insisting that it take ove billing for ambulance service and reimburse the Fire Depart ment at about $240 a trip. Th new arrangement could me a $152,000 drop in revenue fo the department next year. HealthEast also has suggest ed that it could provide all am bulance service, including fo the less -serious cases. If the board doesn't like ei- ther of these ideas, South Met- ro could take over ambulance transports entirelyfromHealth- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1996 SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS SOLD! WEST AND CRAY • t,. ►.. t r• • k t' i • • c° . r r • r First source for merger news: the Internet LEE EGERSTROM STAFF WRITER Both Cray Research and Silicon Graph- ics learned over the weekend that it isn't easy to control your own course when you're traveling on the high-tech fast lane. News of Silicon Graphics' pending merger takeover of Cray made for ripe fodder on the Internet on Sunday, and by Sunday night a leading technology indus- try analyst was even explaining to Inter- net surfers how the two companies may fit together. All this occurred before either company had an opportunity to alert employees or issue a statement Monday morning. Wall Street brokerage houses and investors were also watching the Internet. Investors boosted Cray's stock by $3.50 at the opening of trading on Monday. In a sense, the two companies found themselves being run over on the information super- highway they helped create, says Gary Smaby, an industry analyst and president of Smaby Group in Minneapolis. In addition to its other products, Silicon Graphics is a major manufacturer of soft- ware specifically designed for the construction of home pages on the Internet. "With the `techies' we've got, I don't think many employees were taken by sur- prise," added Don Heffernan, head of international law at Cray. Heffernan had just returned to his Stillwater home from a week's vacation Sunday. "I logged onto the Internet just to see what I'd missed." The Internet brought him up to date quickly. "A little after 5 (p.m.) I was reading what Smaby thought of the fit," he said. "I suppose it is fitting we would find ourselves in the middle of the information stream." Smaby, a former Wall Street securities analyst who now does analytical research for the electronics and infor- mation industries, said he started receiving telephone calls at home Sunday from news media and clients seek- ing comment on the pending merger. A scan of the Internet found St. Paul Pioneer Press, New York Times, Reuter's news agency reports, a University of Pittsburgh pro- fessor's tip line and several other references to the deal. "I started making some calls, and I was con- vinced the speculation was right," he said. Both companies are clients of Smaby's, but he was free to comment on the proposed merger because he had no part in their talks. Moreover, he said, "Cray went out of its way to put me off the track on Fri- day." Smaby isn't sure what the weekend's busy Internet signals for news and information industries, he said. But he knows everything is changing fast. His company now has a full-time employee just to surf the net for anything that may affect Smaby Group's interests or clients. "He's responsible for keeping us up to speed," Smaby said. For the record, Smaby told readers of the Internet on Sunday that he can't think of a better "synergistic partner" for Cray. But any merger's success hinges on execution, he said. "It will be at least six months before we see how well they've integrated." ON LINE A consumer group, the Tax- payer Assets Project, main- tains an archive that includes extensive debate about West Publish- ing's business and its copy- right claims. Go to: http://www.- essential.org/- listproc/tap- info. BELOW: To see what Cray Research and Silicon Graph- ics are saying about their announcement Monday visit their Web sites (http://www.-cray.com and http://www.-sgi.com). Two Twin Cities landmark companies have new out-of-town owners Aerial view of West Publishing in northern Eagan. PIONEER PRESS PHOTOS BY CRAIG BORCK Eagan's two biggest taxpayers involved Although Eagan city officials are optimistic that the sales of West Publishing and Cray Research could have a posi- tive impact on the city, there is good reason for anxiety. West, with 6,000 local employees, is the No. 1 property taxpayer in Eagan, with $3.5 million in county taxes due this year, according to Dakota County Assessor Marvin Pulju. Cray, which employs 900 in Eagan, has the second highest tax bill, $2.1 million. Together, the two companies account for 7 percent of the city's tax capacity, the base on which taxes are com- puted. "It's certainly a significant amount," observed City Administrator Tom Hedges. "We are always concerned about the long-term effect of mergers," he added. "But we have no specific reason to fear." But his cautious optimism is based more in faith than knowledge. "We have heard nothing from Cray," Hedges said Mon- day morning. "So I don't know what that (the merger) means. With West Publishing, from what I've read and from brief discussions (with company officials), it sounds very positive for the company. So I have no reason to believe that it may impact our tax base or employment." — DON AHERN. STAFF WRITER Aerial view of Cray Research in northern Eagan. BEAL Y CONTINUED FROM 1A delivering that system for decades via traditionally pub- lished lawbooks. Then West supplemented its lawbooks with electronic publishing. But Tom Kieffer, chairman of the Minnesota Software Association, notes that the free-for-all environment of online delivery systems has made it much more difficult for West to claim intellectual property rights for its electronic deliv- ery system. "West has discovered that the intellectual property business is changing dramatically in the light of the Internet," Kieffer said. "West had built a business by getting paid to add value and distribute informa- tion that is in the public domain. "The progress of technology is forcing companies to re-evaluate their positions." In the case of Cray, the problem had become apparent three years ago, when John Rollwagen left the CEO post after a 17-year career at the company. "Cray being able to make it inde- pendently? The chances of that were diminishing every day," Rollwagen said Monday. "I'm glad to see that Cray has found a home, and I think it's a potentially great combination." Cray has many more employees relative to sales than does Silicon Graphics. Rollwagen wag asked if he thought there would be job cuts at Cray after the acquisition. Own Directory , Rrfp con Gia •., O8*,, sakcon Yankee:boodle Rd 0 0 West Publishing 149 jr,�, Diffley Rd. ; 63'' 0 CD A s ;N :1 MILE - Cliff Rd. PIONEER PRESS "I think there may be pressure along that line, but I hope the combined operation might be able to grow more rapid- ly," he said. By definition, Cray is more job -intensive because of its specialized hardware functions, he said. At West, electronic delivery came Ito the lawbook business in the 1970s, after Ohio's Mead Corp. introduced its online system. West countered with its own electronic system. In October 1994, Mead sold its Lexis and Nexis electronic delivery systems to Anglo-Dutch publishing giant Reed Else- vier for $1.5 billion. Meanwhile, many so-called "garage entrepreneurs" started their own legal publishing services, often featuring electronic delivery. West fought off the new services by questioning their legality and stressing the value its system adds to the mere reporting of legal decisions. But in the end, Kieffer suggested, it would have been dif- ficult for West to cope on its own with the new competition. Thus the pressures built on West — long viewed as one of the last companies likely to give up its independence by selling out — to find a wealthy partner rather than duke it out alone. It probably didn't hurt that just two men, Dwight Opper- man and his son Vance, hold a great deal of influence in the company. They are believed to effectively control West, so once they were convinced of the need for the sale, it likely had the green light. For now, both West and Thomson say, their alliance will mean more jobs in Minnesota. It's far from clear how big the Minnesota work forces of both West and Cray will be, say, a decade from now. Their new top executives don't know the answer because there are too many imponderables, many of them wrapped up in the uncertainties of technological change. Yet Silicon Graphics and Thomson are friendly acquirers. And they should give both Cray and West more resources than they would have had as independent companies to cope with whatever lies ahead. Or, as John Rollwagen puts it, "It's better to have lunch than be lunch." Dave Beal is senior business editor. 10A c SOLD! SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1996 WEST PUBLISHING Thomson Corp. Headquarters: Toronto, Canada Structure: Publicly held company; four operating groups Employees: 40,000 CEO and chairman of the board: Kenneth R. Thom- son President: W. Michael Brown OPERATING GROUPS Thomson Corp. Publish- ing International ■ Employees: 16,000 ■ Sells 60,000 products a year including 100 on-line services, 200 CD-ROMS, 45,000 different books and directories, 700 jour- nals, 6,500 software titles and 1,600 audio visual titles. ■ Publishes Physicians Desk Reference and Gale Research. ■ 1994 Sales: $1.9 billion ■ Operating profit: $313 million • Thomson Financial & Professional Publish- ing Group ▪ Employees: 8,000 ■ Produces 170 on-line ser- vices, 180 CD-ROMS, 40 software packages, 440 loose-leaf services, 175 newsletters, 2,000 books and directories. • Holdings include American Banker, Sheshunoff Infor- mation Services, Lawyers Cooperative Publishing. ■ 1994 Sales: $1.1 billion • Operating profit: $175 million Thomson Newspapers ■ Employees: 15,000 • Owns 82 dailies in U.S., including seven in central and southeastern Wiscon- sin, and 22 dailies in Canada. It sold the Wor- thington, Minn., Daily Globe last Aug. 31; previ- ous papers owned were in Fergus Falls, Austin and Albert Lea. ■ Publishes Toronto Globe and Mail. a 1994 Sales: $1.1 billion • Operating profit: $191 million Thomson Travel Group • Employees: 9,200 • Firm is Britain's largest tour operator. • Holdings include Brittania Airways./I • 1994 Sales: $2.2 billion • Operating profit: $140 million Source: Thomson Corp. PIONEER PRESS Cost-conscious Thomson spends big on West • Newspaper publisher sees big future online DOUG IVERSON STAFF WRITER Roy Thomson had failed at farming and a stint as an auto parts distributor when he packed his bags, left Toronto and started a radio station in the boonies of Ontario a year after a stock market crash devastated the neighboring United States in 1929. A few years later, after gaining a taste for selling ads, Thomson started buying up small- town newspapers. His management philoso- phy: keep costs low, and focus on the bottom line. When Thomson Newspapers brought its show to the United States in 1952, little had changed from Roy Thomson's founding princi- ples. Today, following a profitable stint in the oil business and a successful forage into the trav- el agency business, Thomson's company is among the largest regional newspaper publish- ers. Its annual revenues approach $7 billion. But like longtime newspaper readers smit- ten with the Internet, the company now called Thomson Corp. — has seen the future, and it comes with an electrical cord attached. Thomson broadened its publishing ventures in the early '80s, focusing on subscription - based publications and cutting the percentage of its revenue from advertising to just 15 per- cent. It still owns more than 140 daily news- papers — including the Toronto Globe and Mail — with more than one-fourth boasting operating margins of 25 percent or more. WEST/Management will change V CONTINUED FROM 1A been head -to -head competitors. "I can't imagine there won't be a lot of jobs disappearing," said James Love, coordinator of the Taxpayer Assets Project, a Ralph Nader consumer group in Washington, D.C. "The his- tory of Thomson is that it is not shy of laying off people." Andrew Mills, a member of Thomson Corp.'s board, admitted there will be some consolida- tion as the two companies "harmonize" their work forces. But any staff cuts will be "mini- mal," with Thomson looking to retrain and move affected workers into new jobs, Mills insisted. Thomson has named Mills as West's next chief executive officer once the deal is completed. In cases where workers must be laid off, Thomson will give those people fair severance packages, Mills said. W. Michael Brown, Thomson Corp. president, echoed Mills' comments, saying: "This business is going to be driven by creativity and opening new markets, not by grinding people down. We have not spent $3 billion to buy a business to destroy it by laying people off." Meanwhile, West's announcement did sur- prise employees. Rumors had circulated for weeks that Thomson was a corporate suitor. Last August, West said it would study its strategic options, including selling the company and holding an initial stock offering to raise capital. Despite being the nation's largest legal pub- lisher, with annual revenues of more than $825 million, West was facing an uncertain future against much larger information service com- petitors, company officials said. "We simply have to grow, and to grow we have to find a partner of some sort," Jerrol Tostrurd, West executive vice president, said last summer. In Thomson, a company whose annual sales are nearly $7 billion with a global workforce of 40,000 employees, West has that dynamic partner, said Dwight Opperman, West chair- man and past president. "Thomson has the financial strength neces- sary to compete in the marketplace," Opper- man stated in a letter to his company's 7,000 employees, most of who are based in Eagan. "They have the capacity to invest what is nec- essary for us to continue our record of suc- cess." West tried to pump up employee enthusiasm for the sale by announcing that company employees and retirees will receive special payments as a result of the firm's sale. When West and Thomson close the deal later West Publishing history 1872 —. John B. West (pic- tured at left.) begins operation of John 8. West, Publisher and Bookseller, in St. Paul. West sells law treatises, dic- tionaries, and office supplies. 1876 —. Brother Horatio joins John to publish The Syllabi, a weekly record of excerpts from the Minnesota Courts. 1882 — West Publishing Company is incorporated. 1899 — West names Hora- tio West president. 1908 — West names Charles Ames (pictured at right) president. this year, West plans to give each retiree and current full-time employee a gift of $1,000 per year of service, Opperman stated. The minimum gift for each person will be $5,000, with $25,000 the maximum payout, Opperman stated. As a result, more than $35 million would wind up in the pockets of cur- rent West workers and retirees. Clarence Hogan Jr., a 62-year-old retired West production worker, was excited about that news. "It was a good company to work for," said Hogan Jr., who worked 38 years at West before retiring in 1988. A West spokeswoman said about 200 share- holders will be paid from the company's sale. Dwight Opperman is rumored to be a majority owner in West's stock. But West officials declined to comment on Opperman's ownership stake. Meanwhile, West's sale will mean a change in management. Dwight Opperman will stay on as West's chairman emeritus and his son Vance, West's current president, will become chairman. "Their continued involvement in West and the local community will be important to our continued success," Brown said. But West's hands-on leaders will be Mills, who become West's new CEO, and Brian Hall, president and CEO of Thomson Legal Publish- ing, will become president of West. The West sale is subject to federal anti-trust approval. Thomson and West executives expect the Justice Department or the Federal Trade Commission to OK their deal midyear. But the Taxpayer Assets Project group opposes the West sale. "They are head to head competitors in a lot of markets, including Cali- fornia and Wisconsin," Love said. "We think the purchasers of law books will be hurt by this merger." Love added that America now faces the prospect of having the country's two largest legal publishing firm owned by foreign corpo- rations. Dutch -based Reed Elsevier owns Lexis-Nexis. Brown said: "West will complement and greatly enhance our already strong legal pub- lishing business. Together we will be well posi- tioned to provide lawyers and the judiciary with fully integrated research products and innovative practice management tools far beyond what either of us could have developed separately. Brown said that buying West will help Thomson move forward in its quest to become the world's premiere leader of specialized information. "Our ability to finance the transaction 1910 — First West law school case- books signal the modern way of teaching U.S. law by using actual cases as mod- els. 1921 — West names Homer Clark president. 1925 — Federal Government asks West and Edward Thompson Company to organize and publish the U.S. Code. 1927 — West publishes the United States Code Annotated. 1932 — Henry Asmussen becomes president of West Publishing. 1949 — West names Harvey Reid president. 1959 — Lee Slater becomes West's president. 1968 — West names Dwight Opperman (pictured at right) president. 1969 — West purchases and But as the 40,000-employee Thomson Corp. has discovered with its $3.4 billion acquisition of Eagan -based West Publishing, the future doesn't come cheap. Thomson executives on Monday acknowl- edged the West price tag is considerable, a figure that may have had founder Roy Thom- son reaching for his wallet from the grave. (Thomson died in 1976. His son, Kenneth, is chairman and chief executive, and the compa- ny remains about 72 percent family -owned.) Thomson's West acquisition would mark a quick return to Minnesota for the Toronto - based company, which last summer sold the Worthington Daily Globe — the last of four Minnesota newspapers it once owned — to the publishers of the Fargo, N.D., Forum. Its newspaper management emphasis has been on controlling costs — down to the costs of darkroom chemistry. "The publishers they send in make one thing quite clear: There's a company policy and that's not to be questioned," said Ray Crippen, who served as editor of the Worthington Daily Globe for more than 20 years before Thomson bought the paper in the late '80s. "But they're not foolish people." Although other former Thomson executives say privately that the company thrived at "bleeding their publications dry," they acknowledge that hard-line budget moves usu- ally came with convincing arguments attached. But it wasn't always clear whether Thom- son had a journalistic vision for its newspa- pers, others say. David Churchill, publisher and president of the Austin Daily Herald in Austin, Minn., was news editor for Thomson through our bank group will enable Thomson to continue to pursue our aggressive develop- ment program right across the corporation," he stated. , Founded in 1872, West is best known for its WESTLAW on-line research service and its database of editorially enhanced primary law, including statutes, cases, codes and regulations. West's customers include law firms, corporate counsel, judges, academics, libraries and law students. Thomson is also a leading legal publisher, best known for its secondary law products, which provide added editorial value by orga- nizing and analyzing primary sources. Its Legal Publishing group is Rochester, N.Y., where it produces such respected names as Lawyers Cooperative and Barclays. TLP has more than 3,000 employees and is part of Thomson's worldwide legal and regulatory pub- lishing activities which produce total annual revenues in excess of $800 million. Mills noted that Thomson has created 5,000 new jobs in the company's U.S. businesses and wants to increase employment by 1,500 work- ers a year, even without West. Some analysts called the West sale price "unbelievable," noting that it's more than four times West's annual sales. "Sure, West has a reputation, but it seems Thomson has a lot of guts to make the acquisi- remodels the Booth Cold Storage Co., and makes its final addition to the St. Paul headquarters. 1973 — Vance Opperman becomes West's president. 1975 — West introduces WESTLAW, the only computer -assisted legal research service that offers synopses, headnotes, and Key Numbers. West's first Art and the Law exhibition is held at the ABA Con- vention. 1978 — The shipping department moves into new facilities in Eagan. West introduces Full -Text Plus, giving WESTLAW sub- scribers the full text of court opinions, plus editorial enhancements. 1982 —The press and bindery departments move to Eagan. 1983 -- The first Edward J. Devitt Distin- guished Service to Justice Award is presented to Judge Albert B. Maris. The first West's Automatic Law Terminal (WALT) is intro- duced. West Publish- ing's former building in Downtown St. Paul. at Fergus Falls. "They just clearly lacked direction in their newspaper operations," Churchill said of his tenure under Thomson. A keen sense of direction is vital for Thom- son Corp. as it navigates the increasingly competitive world of electronic publishing, analysts say. Unlike its newspaper operations, Thomson will have to invest millions more to make the most of what it has acquired from West. "They understand the business, but they must understand what the next steps are going to be," said Lorraine Sileo, analyst with Simba Information Services of Wilton, Conn. "To get their money's worth, they need to grow the company fast." First up: Thomson has to determine how to deliver its specialized information to a wider audience. That will require more than merely speeding up the presses. The company must find a way to tap into the potential of the fast-growing World Wide Web and to reach beyond the legal market to reach a corporate audience. Thomson, meanwhile, maintains that its image as a stingy small-town newspaper pub- lisher is outdated. It has the ammunition, and is intent on developing the weapon to deliver it. Still, Thomson expects its West purchase will provide a boost to its bottom line in about a year. In a sense, it will be West Pub- lishing's introduction to the pressures of being part of a public company. "Our vision for the future is a clear one," W. Michael Brown, Thomson president, told analysts Monday. "We aim to become the world's foremost information publishing busi- ness." Dwight Opperman, West Publishing chairman and past president, applauds W. Michael Brown, Thomson presi- dent, at the announcement of the merger Mon- day in Eagan. JOE ODEN/PIONEER PRESS tion at that price," said Lorraine Sileo, analyst with Simba in Wilton, Conn. Sileo said Thomson still faces key develop- ment questions in broadening the reach of its electronic products. "West's products are based on proprietary technology and the world is moving in a whole other direction," Sileo said. But Thomson executives tried to put the best face on what is easily its most pricy acquisi- tion to date. The West purchase is more than four times largest than any other Thomson deal. "People say it's a lot of money, but it's a question of what are we getting for the money and is it a good value," said Nigel Harrison, Thomson's chief financial officer. A big selling point: West's sizable profit margins — Thomson said they exceed 24 per- cent — and a product line that competitors will find too expensive to effectively duplicate. Although Harrison only discussed financial figures for West's most current fiscal year, he said the company had logged a 9 percent annu- al growth in revenue over the past five years. Staff writer Doug Iverson contributed to this story. PIONEER PRESS FILE PHOTO THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS October 22, 2010 3B Paul Bakken (incumbent) Name: Paul Bakken Age: 40 Address: 697 Oxford Road, Eagan Occupation: Attorney Family: Spouse, Alison; three chil- dren Qualifications: Eagan City Council member. Past experience includes: member, Eagan Advisory Plan- ning Commission; officer, Minne- sota Army National Guard; board member and past president, Legal Assistance of Dakota County; board member and past vice- president, 5p- Society (North American sup- port group for children and families affected by Cri-du-Chat Syndrome) Why should people vote for you? I have spent over a decade in public service to the community of Ea- gan. I have a proven track record of environmentally responsible, fiscally conservative action and in- tend to continue this work. During my service on the council, Eagan's bond rating changed to AAA, which is the best possible rating. Moreover, for the third time run- ning, Money magazine recognized Eagan as one of the best places to live in the United States. I intend to build upon these successes. I will work to preserve open space, sup- port our infrastructure, provide common-sense leadership, and ensure good value for our tax dol- lars. I have the depth and breadth of experience needed to be an ef- fective leader, and have built solid, constructive working relationships with other community leaders. Finally, I will make certain that our decision -making processes are open and accessible to input from the community. What are the most important issues facing Eagan and how would you address them? The purpose of mu- nicipal government is to provide for the health, safety and welfare of its citizens. Open space, good infrastructure, and reasonable tax- es are integral to achieving all three of these goals. Quality open space has a direct, measurable impact on the air quality, water quality, and livability of a community. Accord- ingly, I support preservation of open space, and will continue to advocate for its inclusion in new development and redevelopment areas. Moreover, our quality of life depends on good roads, reliable water and sewer service, excellent fire and police departments, and quality public amenities. I will sup- port our infrastructure by analyz- ing our evolving needs and making adjustments as needed. Finally, all of the services and amenities that we currently enjoy require secure and stable funding. I will protect our bottom line by identifying op- portunities to increase efficiencies in service provision and by helping to encourage a robust tax base. With employee health care costs rising, property values falling, and state aid seemingly a thing of the past, how would you prioritize fu- ture city budgets in terms of cuts and revenue increases? I will con- tinue to follow the philosophy of living within our means. Among other things, this means commit- ting ourselves to balanced budgets and not allowing ourselves to be- come dependent upon handouts from other levels of government. Over the last few budget cycles, I have worked hard to establish self- sufficiency by trimming Eagan's budget. If further budget reduc- tions are necessary, I will look first to reconfiguring staff workload, instead of filling vacancies caused by attrition. Larger reductions would require a harder look at our community priorities, possibly re- sulting in deferring maintenance, delaying capital investment, or re- ducing noncritical areas. Gary Hansen (incumbent) Name: Gary Hansen Age: 58 Address: 1486 Thomas Lane, Eagan Occupation: Risk management of- ficer, AgriBank, St. Paul Family: Wife, Kathy; son, Tim and daughter-in-law, AnnMarie, Ea- gan; daughter Andrea, Burnsville; daughter Kelly, Minneapolis Qualifications: Prior to my election to the council, I served six years on the Eagan Planning Commission, including three years as chair. I also served eight years on the Dakota County Plan- ning Commis- sion, including two years as chair. Previ- ous experience included three years on the Eagan Waste Reduction and Recycling Commission. Why should people vote for you? I of- fer experienced leadership, includ- ing advisory commissions service prior to my council election. My ex- perience and familiarity with public policy issues enable me to make rea- soned and informed decisions on matters of importance. Eagan has been recognized again by Money magazine as one of the best places to live and work. In addition, the city's prudent fiscal management has been rewarded with a Triple A bond rating. These results reflect the current council's teamwork and effectiveness in working with city staff. I represent Eagan within the city and region. As the city's representative on the Dakota Com- munications Center Board, I suc- cessfully influenced re-evaluation of the DCC's operating expense assessment formula, resulting in significant cost savings for Eagan. As vice chair of the Minnesota Val- ley Transit Authority Board, I am working to improve transit service for Eagan residents. These leader- ship opportunities are important in ensuring that Eagan's interests are well represented. What are the most important issues facing Eagan and how would you address them? 1. Provide high -qual- ity services while maintaining an affordable tax base. Due to prudent fiscal management, Eagan doesn't rely on state financial aid to support the operating budget. We maintain a lower tax burden relative to other metro communities, rating No. 4 in lowest tax rate among Eagan's peers. With the costs of essential services as a base, we must maximize the value of tax dollars by identifying desired outcomes and establishing measurable performance standards. This will enable achievement of our goals with available funding. 2. Preserve and enhance the city's economic vitality by encouraging maintenance and reinvestment in residential and commercial prop- erties. We need to make progress in redevelopment initiatives. The Cedar Grove area is a priority. I support phased redevelopment as economic conditions permit. In addition, encouraging maintenance and reinvestment is important to protect property values. We must effectively use rehabilitation pro- grams such as those offered by the Dakota County CDA. With employee health care costs ris- ing, property values falling, and state aid seemingly a thing of the past, how would you prioritize future city budgets in terms of cuts and rev- enue increases? Essential services — police and fire protection, sewer and water — must be maintained. If cuts were required, they would need to be made in temporary/ seasonal services in the areas of parks maintenance and recreation programs This would delay, reduce, or eliminate service in these areas. Increased user fees could prevent some cuts. I believe that fees are warranted to offset the costs of programs and services that benefit specific individuals or groups, rath- er than homeowners and business owners in general, and that increas- ing the tax levy should not be con- sidered unless needed to maintain essential services. John Weiser Name: John Weiser Age: 26 Address: 4110 Rahn Road, Unit 202, Eagan Occupation: Revenue tax specialist at the Minnesota Department of Revenue Family: Wife, Sara Qualifications: I have served two years on my condominium associa- tion and have kept dues down while providing a high level of service. Service to the community is what I strive for, whether serv- ing in the Civil Air Patrol or working for the Department of Revenue, and I will continue this in Eagan. Why should people vote for you? I would like people's vote because I am not a suit -wearing politician. I am your average citizen who knows the status quo is not working for Eagan and I promise to hold the City Council accountable to listen and acknowledge the voices of Ea- gan residents. What are the most important issues facing Eagan and how would you address them? The most important issues facing Eagan are keeping taxes low, affordable housing for families and seniors, as well as the lack of communication between the City Council and residents. The City Council has stopped listening to what the residents have to say, and I promise to hold town hall meetings around the city in loca- tions that are more convenient for citizens to voice their concerns. I will work within the current budget to keep essential services residents have grown to expect while keep- ing property taxes down. Finally, I will work to ensure that there is affordable housing for new fami- lies, current families, as well as our seniors who contribute so much to our community. New ideas are what are needed now more than ever and I will bring a new face and a new commitment to the needs of the community. With employee health care costs rising, property values falling, and state aid seemingly a thing of the past, how would you prioritize fu- ture city budgets in terms of cuts and revenue increases? If elected to City Council the safety and other essential services our community relies on will never be up for con- sideration. Projects may need to be put on hold but like my family does, Eagan needs to live within its means. This means not raising taxes but working with what we have to improve our community to make it the best it can be. Citizens are struggling and I will not do anything that would hurt our fami- lies, especially in this economy. I would not propose any revenue increases and would limit cuts to nonessential items. Bill White Name: Bill White Age: 57 Address: 884 Curry Trail, Eagan Occupation: Retired Eagan police officer Family: Married 30 years; five children; seven grandchildren Qualifications: My experience, training and years of interaction with the public as a Marine and Eagan police officer have taught me how to organize, problem solve, plan, teach, and most of all what it takes to be a good leader. Why should people vote for you? I have a vested interest in Eagan and its future. I've lived here for 30 years, worked as an Eagan po- lice officer for over 31 years and raised my children here. I saw the city grow from 7,000 to over 68,000 people today. I feel very fortunate to have been part of that growth by serving and protecting its citizens. I want to help keep Ea- gan a great place to live for current and future generations. What are the most important is- sues facing Eagan and how would you address them? In this cur- rent financial climate, govern- ment must spend the citizens' tax money wisely. This means all city departments must find ways to cut unnecessary spending. A leaner government does not mean a less efficient one. With employee health care costs rising, property values falling, and state aid seemingly a thing of the past, how would you prioritize fu- ture city budgets in terms of cuts and revenue increases? Govern- ment must find creative ways to become lean but still efficient. As a start, to avoid layoffs, higher taxes and to save money, I would suggest eliminating seasonal help, implementing a temporary hir- ing freeze, and suspending new spending unless it is absolutely necessary for the city's operation. Additionally, we could reduce city mailings, keep vehicles/equipment longer and review opportunities to privatize certain city -responsible services. By privatizing certain city services, it will reduce the size of government and increase private - sector jobs in Eagan at a lower cost to the city. 4B October 22, 2010 THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Joey Browner Name: Joey Browner Age: 50 Address: 2017 Pin Oak Drive, Ea- gan Occupation: Outreach coordinator, Metropolitan Council Family: Single father of a 12-year- old daughter Qualifications: I graduated from the University of Southern California with a major in public administra- tion specializing in urban and re - Mike Maguire (incumbent) Name: Mike Maguire Age: 43 Address: 1331 St. Andrew Blvd., Eagan Occupation: A media relations and communication professional, Mike owns and operates his own small gional planning. 1 have both the local (through work on the Met Council) and global perspec- tives. In a rap- idly changing world both are necessary. Why should people vote for you? Because of my qualifications I can bring experience and a new perspec- tive to the position of mayor. My education specializes in public ad- ministration with an emphasis on urban and regional planning. My work with veterans groups, special needs populations, and ethnically diverse people enables me to see issues from several perspectives. Globally I have traveled to Japan, China, France, Australia and Ger- many as ambassador for the NFL, the Morale Welfare and Recreation- al of the Armed Services and pri- vate veteran organizations. Nation- ally I have traveled to Walter Reed Hospital, Camp Pendleton, Fort Sam Houston and Cherry Point to benefit veterans. I represented the NFL at the Special Olympics in the Twin Cities and Omaha, Neb. I coordinated the first Indigenous Games in the United States. Local- ly, through my work with the Met- ropolitan Council I am aware of issues facing cities in the metro area. What are the most important issues facing Eagan and how would you address them? Maintaining jobs in Eagan while creating new jobs. With the change from Northwest Airlines to Delta and the changes in health care and their effect on Blue Cross/Blue Shield we need to protect jobs currently located in Eagan. In addition to maintaining current businesses, we need to at- tract new businesses. As with many first -ring suburbs, we are dealing with an aging population as well as first-time homeowners and young families. As a city we need to learn how to accommodate the needs of both groups. In the Star Tribune on Sept. 27, 2008, Council Member Meg Tilley stated about the coun- cil, "There's no one of color, but we have age diversity, men and women, religious diversity." We need to encompass and represent all of Ea- gan, not just those we choose to. I believe very strongly that a city is made up as much by its differences as its commonalities. With employee health care costs ris- ing, property values falling, and state aid seemingly a thing of the past, how would you prioritize future city budgets in terms of cuts and revenue increases? 1 would cut health care _(I, for the mayor and City Council as these positions are part time. In- stead of cutting parks as has been suggested, I would like to get the IT budget in line with comparable cit- ies: Eagan: $1,265,100; Burnsville: $611,758; Lakeville: $454,341; and Woodbury: $679,434. With today's economy, many families can't afford to go to sport- ing events. I would keep parks open so families are able to play sports themselves. I would put an empha- sis on police/fire and first response as these are the most important ser- vices to the residents of Eagan. business (com- munication and strategic con- sulting) and is a member of the Dakota County Regional Cham- ber of Com- merce. Family: Mike and his wife, Janelle, married and settled in Eagan 15 years ago. Their son Ian, 8, attends Thomas Lake Elementary School. Qualifications: Served on the Eagan City Council since 2003, elected mayor in 2006. Serves on the City Council's Finance Committee; as a member of the Twin Cities Region- al Council of Mayors; chair, Munic- ipal Legislative Commission; presi- dent, Association of Metropolitan Cities; board member, League of Minnesota Cities. Why should people vote for you? It's been an honor and a privilege to 1 T SCHOUWEILER DAKC) 1.A COLN ti1\1ISSIONER DISTRIC 1 4 Speeding Your Tax Dollars Wisely:• LOWEST tax Me of all 8' Minnesota counties • LOWEST staff per capita ratio of :i. metro counties • ONE of only 88 counties in the t sited States with a :\M bond rating • SAVED Dakota County more than $25 000 by declining my annual salary increase Prepared and paid for by me Schouweiler Volunteer Committee, 4000 90th St. E.. Inver Grove Heights. MN 55076 serve our community for the last eight years on the City Council and as mayor. In those years of experi- ence I've demonstrated the kind of leadership and vision necessary to make tough decisions while preserv- ing the quality services and vibrant community life that make Eagan a city of choice for businesses and an attractive place to live, work and play. As mayor I've brought a professional, nonpolitical approach to building consensus on the City Council and in the community. I'm proud of the work my council col- leagues and I have done taking on and resolving often longstanding community issues. That approach, our council's teamwork, will help Eagan face the challenges ahead. I ask for your support in that mis- sion. What are the most important issues facing Eagan and how would you ad- dress them? 1. Preserving vital ser- vices at a low -tax price. Heightened fiscal pressures will require continu- al reform to our spending and ser- vice approaches. I'll continue lead- ing the discussion in City Hall and within our community about the choices we face and their practical consequences on our priorities (see more below). 2. Adapting to emerging com- munity needs. As Eagan matures we grow more diverse. Longtime resi- dents seek more flexible transporta- See Maguire, 7B Re -Elect "Because Quality Judge Blakely - Courts Matter to You." My Pledge To You: To preserve impartiality, I decline to seek or accept endorsements from political groups and special interest groups, including attorneys. I announced this official position in the year 2000. Dakota County Resident for over 20 years Weighted responsibility for over 5,300 cases annually. Has served as Adjunct Professor of Law at three area law schools, teaching and judging trial skills. In 2005, then LCDR, Blakely was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal for work in Minnesota on Homeland Security. www. JudgeBlakely.com Prepared and paid for by Citizens to Re -Elect Judge Timothy Blakely P.O. Box 21146B, Eagan, MN 55121 Please cast your vote to Re -Elect Judge Blakely on Tues., November 2 JAN. 22, 2000 http:www.thisweek-online.com VOLUME 21, NO. 48 Residents speak out about council discord Eagan City Council split on how meetings should be conducted by Lori Hall Staff Writer Though the schism on the Eagan City Council has been apparent for some time, Eagan residents are finally starting to speak out, ask questions and plead for civility. A group of citizens has even organized into Eagan Organization for Process Enlightenment (Eagan OPEN) to focus on the process of city government. In the last year, there have been threats, lawsuits, com- plaints filed with the Police Department, restraining orders and allegations between City Council members. Confrontations have occurred both during meetings and in private. Though the city's work is still being accom- plished, some are questioning the degree of public service they are receiving and whether the council's discord is interfering with government affairs. Public Several residents spoke dur- ing the "visitors to be heard" portion of the Jan. 18 City Council meeting. Resident Gary Crawford questioned the specifics of the council's disunity and said there are issues going on "behind the See Council, 7A G ,fro7 ' ,Cl /iii „ Vf Cruise, Power (Windows, Locks, Mirrors), Factory Sunscreen & More! �� • APR EVER! M.S.R.P. $22, 735 Discount & Rebate - 3.43¢ 2000 GRAN CARAVA SE orawider, "71; V6, Auto., Air, CD •I�/�/�i1dZ Player, Power BUY 0.9% APR `- (Windows, Locks, Mirrors), M.S.R.P. $23,335 Keyless, Factory Discount & Rebate • 3.636 Ci,ncrroon 2000 GRAND CARAVAN SPORT V6, Auto., Air, CD I _ Player & Infinity BUY OA% APR Speakers. Ouad Seats, Rear Heat M.S.R.P. 328,190 & Air, Foglamps, Discount Si Rebate • 4.191 Laptops open new worlds for kids and parents by John Gessner Staff Writer A $375,000 investment in computers and computer train- ing for more than 100 local schoolchildren and their fami- lies has done more than intro- duce a new batch of kids to computer games. The "Bridging the Gap" pro- gram, which served low- to mid- dle -income families in districts 191 and 196, contributed to increased student achievement, fostered newfound interest in learning and technology and even improved student behav- ior. And many of the parents grew more involved with their children's education while gain- ing technical skills that improved their job prospects. Those are conclusions of an 'ndenendent evaI..-• George, who reported on the program at Thursday's School Board meeting. "Bridging the Gap" was started by George and Denise Griffith, the former District 196 technology coordinator, who in 1996 applied for a telecommu- nications grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The $375,000 grant was used to launch the program in August 1997. Focusing on fourth - graders eligible for free and reduced -price lunches, the dis- tricts offered the program in six elementary schools — Gideon Pond and Sioux Trail in District 191 and Cedar Park, Glacier Hills, Parkview and Rosemount in District 196. It concluded in August 1999. The students and their fami- lies were given laptop comput- ers and asked to complete 50 evaluation of the program by research consultant Dr. Cheryl Lange of Bloomington, who declared "Bridging the Gap" a rousing success that should be duplicated nationwide. "The next step in public -pol- icy discussion must be in repli- cating this project on a large scale," Lange wrote in her October 1999 report. "The out- comes of this small-scale pro- ject are dramatic and worthy of large-scale consideration by both public and private entities." The report charts the progress of students and fami- lies from the program's incep- tion through December 1998 (an up-to-date addendum will be published). Findings were based on surveys; student test data; focus groups of parents, stu- dents and principals; teacher reports; attendance records and or ng id ;y, er ig ts in n- 3n le its as e, ed nt a ts changed their academic perfor- mance as a result of the project," she wrote. "Teachers reported that 27 percent of the study par- ticipants improved their acade- mic performance as a result of the project. Sixty-nine percent of the students reported that they received better grades and were better students as a result of the project. Parents con- curred, with over 50 percent reporting increased academic achievement due to `Bridging the Gap' participation." Having a home computer improved the homework and study habits of at least some stu- dents. "Parent focus -group findings suggest that students had a more positive attitude toward school and their schoolwork," Lange wrote. "Parents and students both reported access to the com- puter and the Internet motivated them to do a better job and gave them a sense that they could produce a better product." Some parents reported that the computer drew their kids away from the TV. Some princi- pals noticed improvements in discipline and behavior, accord- ing to Lange: "At one school students came from apartment buildings where the residents are mostly low- income. (The principal) described the difference in con- versation as the children came off the bus; rather than dis- cussing the sometimes -violent incidents of the previous evening, the students discussed the software they were using." Benefits to parents included new skills to use at work. According to Lange, 25 percent of parents reported progress in the workplace, including pro- motions. One family that started the program while on public assis- tance has since bought a home in Lakeville, and one of the fam- ily members now works in the computer field, said Eileen Abrahamson, a District 191 teacher who worked as a "Bridging the Gap" trainer. "Being connected to the cyberworld is a symbol of afflu- ence or job status," Lange wrote. "Many of the parents dis- cussed how they had been left out of a world that was increas- ingly passing them by." Many students echoed their parents, saying that the comput- er made them feel smarter, more self-disciplined and less bored. "Some students reported that having the computer changed their whole life." Many parents surveyed about "Bridging the Gap" were in tears, according to Lange. "They described the alien- ation of feeling that they may never understand what the rest of society was using and taking for granted. Parents discussed the difference it made for their children to be educated on a level playing field, where their income did not make the differ- ence to their children having an opportunity to learn like stu- dents who come from families with higher incomes." ntistry For Your Family! npFN' tAnt.lnAY _ FRIDAY Council/Continued published guideline to parlia- mentary procedure first pub- lished in 1876. Many organiza- tions use modified versions of these rules, which can be fol- lowed as strictly or loosely as the city's reputation. "It's dragging the city down, it's dragging the staff down (and) it's dragging the city's reputation down," said Awada. Some suggest waiting until election time when new mem- bers may be introduced to the h..�r.7 t...t .... I., t.,,.. mnmF.Prc — for election. Blomquist said she has not made any decision yet about running for re-election. Masin said she is concerned about how the council is currently operat- ing and that would be a major reason for not continuing to CPNP hilt ChP hoc not .,n► mo.io ., Public ;speaks in favor of community. activity center in city of Eagan by Lori Hall Staff Writer From the feedback the Eagan City Council received during its Jan: 18 meeting, the residents of the city are willing to back a community activity center. The City Council held a pub- lic hearing during the meeting to receive- input from the com- inunity and to 'receive a, rough ti draft of costestimates for such a facility. Currently, the facility is pro- posed to be built on:a site owned Et- by: Joe Miller. •The- parcel is an old piece of Unisys land located near Pilot Knob Road - and Yankee Doodle Road'and is sur- rounded by Northwest .Airlines, -Unisys and Lockheed Martin. The city is currently in nego- tiations to purchase the •proper- .tyr • • • A task force, which was ' formed in the- fall, created the perimeters of the proposed cen- ter by working with a consultant and -receiving input from vari- ous organizations and -special -- interest groups in the city. -The task force.recomme_n_ded . - See Center, 12A ' 99,299 OR 36 MO. LEASE SPECIAL $289 '249 PER MO.• PER MO.• P489 Due at Start Inc. 1st Pymt. P1849 Due at Start Inc. 1st Pymt '.9% APR O.A.C. - 4 Wheel Al Dual Door! OR 3 $2! $21 2000 RAM QUAD C 4X4 39 Month Lease Special SLT PACKAGE 5.9 Magnum, Auto., Air, Power (Windows, Locks, Mirrors), Cast Wheel, 40/20/40 Bench. 1flEAG: JAN. 22, 2000 http:www.thisweek-online.com VOLUME 21, NO. 48 Residents speak out about council discord Eagan City Council split on how meetings should be conducted by Lori Hall Staff Writer Though the schism on the Eagan City Council has been apparent for some time, Eagan residents are finally starting to speak out, ask questions and plead for civility. A group of citizens has even organized into Eagan Organization for Process Enlightenment (Eagan OPEN) to focus on the process of city government. been threats, lawsuits, com- work is still being accom- ing the "visitors to be heard" plaints filed with the Police plished, some are questioning portion of the Jan. 18 City Department, restraining orders the degree of public service they Council meeting. and allegations between City are receiving and whether the Resident Gary Crawford Council members. council's discord is interfering " questioned the specifics of the Confrontations have with government affairs. council's disunity and said there occurred both during meetings Public are issues going on "behind the In the last year, there have and in private. Though the city's Several residents spoke dur- See Council, 7A Public speaks in favor of community activity center in city of Eagan by Lori Hall Staff Writer From the feedback the Eagan City Council received during its Jan. 18 meeting, the residents of the city are willing to back a community activity center. The City Council held a pub- lic hearing during the meeting to receive input from the com- munity and to 'receive a rough draft of cost estimates for such a facility. Currently, the facility is pro- posed to be built on a site owned by Joe Miller. The parcel is an old piece of Unisys land located near Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road and is sur- rounded by Northwest Airlines, Unisys and Lockheed Martin. The city is currently in nego- tiations to purchase the proper- ty. A task force, which was formed in the fall, created the perimeters of the proposed cen- ter by working with a consultant and receiving input from vari- ous organizations and special interest groups in the city. The task force recommended See Center, 12A www.mnSun.com C.,uf Y D JE-• GC GI i aoo Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SurrCurrentlThursday, March 27, 2003 19A Eagan From Page lA However, because Eagan has always prepared balanced budgets, it finds itself in a better position to handle the reduc- tions than many other cities, Geagan said. 'All along Eagan has been conserva- tive in its spending and budgeting," Gea- gan said. "As we approach 2004, we are all challenged to look deeper into our oper- ations and find new ways to reduce costs." Geagan said plans for those reduc- tions include spending less money for street improvements, delaying the re- placement of equipment and general fa- cility renewal and decreasing travel and training budgets. One council goal Geagan outlined in his speech is continuing to improve homeland security efforts within the city. "In this post-9/11 world, we know that safety, public safety, is vitally impor- tant," he said. "It's one of the most im- portant city services we provide." That effort will include such things as ensuring first responders have better chemical and biological protective equipment, Geagan said. Other parts of that goal include con- ducting training and field exercises to train responders to respond to not only terrorist attacks, but any kind of emer- gency. The city will also work to enhance neighborhood efforts such as Neighbor- hood Watch, National Night Out and other programs, Geagan said. Other key 2003 council goals Geagan highlighted during his speech included preserving green space, successfully launching the new Eagan Community Center, encouraging land use opportuni- ties for the creation of a diverse housing mix, and recruiting attractive develop- ment and redevelopment in Eagan. "Finally, Eagan is ever -striving to con- tinuously improve," Geagan said as he wrapped up his address. "That is the state of the city: progressive, responsive, confident, forward -moving and in part- nership with you." 20A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, March 27, 2003 www.mnSun.com McGinn From Page lA son, missing out on a chance to prepare for a meeting with Unite 196 representa- tives later that night because he has to rush to his 3:30 p.m. Transportation Committee meeting. Wrapping up his day McGinn spends the next two hours sit- ting in the committee meeting as the committee discusses several bills, in- cluding the driver's license reinstate- ment fee bill he sought more research on earlier in the day. The bill will raise the reinstatement fees for people who have had their li- censes taken away for DWI and other of- fenses. At the same time, the bill would change the distribution of those fees so that more would go toward brain injury advocacy and awareness efforts. McGinn makes a friendly amendment to the bill to make a slight language change and the bill moves from commit- tee on its a tot P Qcni t� sinnr �+�rrc-v Nixrc In- a'l , aocy3 SPORTS Eastview seeks success PAGE 24A Mayor: City will meet challenges Geagan's first State of the City Address highlights Eagan's accomplishments, goals BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers Despite facing some of the same challenges facing the rest of the world, Eagan Mayor Pat Gea- gan declared the city to be in great shape to overcome those chal- lenges and move forward. That was the message Geagan presented in his first State of the City Address March 20. "The state of the city is safe, but it can be safer," Geagan said. "It is fiscally sound, but financial- ly challenged in the next two years. The city is and will remain, service -oriented." Speaking with the rest of the City Council members as his backdrop, Geagan highlighted nu- merous accomplishments the pre- vious council achieved in 2002 and also outlined the new council's goals for 2003 and beyond. Geagan said 2002 can be summed up by what he called the "four S's," namely sound manage- ment, sound safety, sound public service and sound positive strides. He pointed to the fact that the city has the lowest expenditures per capita of any city in Minneso- ta with 50,000 or more residents and that Eagan's bond ratings places it in the top 6 percent of all cities nationwide. Geagan also noted that the crime rate fell by 12 percent in 2002 and that city staff have worked hard to continue to offer exemplary services that Eagan residents have consistently rated highly. Other highlights for Eagan were efforts to improve communi- cations, work on the Eagan Com- munity Center and finishing up flood mitigation efforts, he said. In only his third month as Eagan mayor, Geagan noted that he didn't deserve credit for the ac- complishments he listed in his speech. Instead, he said he and the new council would work to ensure the city built on those accomplish- ments. "There are, however, a few storm clouds on the horizon," Geagan said. Chief among those challenges is Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposed reduction in state aid and market value tax credits that could cost Eagan $1.3 million for each of the next two years. EAGAN: To Page 19A MENTION THIS AD FOR 10% SAVINGS 2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, E HOMEOWNERS NEED OF SIDING WINDOWS TOLLEFSON BRO EXTERIORS IS SEEKING ANOTHER 10 H IN THIS GENERAL AREA PARTICIPATE IN OUR SPRI MARKETING PROGRAM. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SAVING MONEY ON YOUR EXTERIOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS CALL TOD, FOR A FREE, NO OBLIGATI( ESTIMATE! TO QUALIFY FORTH PROGRAM YOU Mt./5 • ALLOW US TO PLACE A JOB SI YOUR YARD • ALLOW US TO TAKE PHOTOS BEFORE, DURING & AFTER THE PROJECT • FILL OUT A COMMENT CARD U COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT • IT'S THAT SIMPLE! e FREE ESTIMATE NO OBLIGATION 100% FINANCING TO QUALIFIED B INSURANCE CLAIMS WELC NORTH: (763) 537-08 SOUTH: (952) 881-22 LICENSED • BONDED • INSU MN License #20200882 THE P s� OH SEALY P MON• E e area could area could get new developer GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS Eagan Council approves tax levy Cedar Grov • Eagan residents will see a mode increase in the city portion of the property tax bills for 2007. The Eagan City Council . approved 3.5 percent increase in city propert taxes after a Truth -in -Taxation hearin at its Dec. 4 meeting. The city's tot .property,:tax.• levy increased from :$22: million. in 2006_to $23:5 million m 2007. That• means owners: of ::an averag in Eagan; •valued' at.$278;02I=w' pay $706 in city property taxes next yea which amounts to about $59 per month. City Administrator Tom Hedges sai the city received only three cal s regarding the property tax levy. after notices. of the hearing were sent out and all three dealt with questions about home -valuation ' estimates, which are made by the county. No residents spoke will ab• out the levy. at the Truth -in -Taxation hearing. _ ' The council also delayed a decision on whether to part' ways with developer Shafer Richardson, who was hired for the Cedar Grove Redevelopment Project near st the intersection. of Highways 77 and •13. it The developers expressed concern over as much as a $3 million shortfall for the a' • project at the council's Nov 9 meeting y . after failing to meet a deadline for Phase g I of the development's site plan. al At that meeting, the council directed 8 ; the city's .finance committee to. make a. recommendation regarding the ;develop ge " ment agreement. The finance cotee mmit ' has since recommended that' the council r, .terminate the: agreement with Shafer Richardson. d . Upon a request by the attorneys for l Shafer Richardson, the council delayed a vote on .the termination agreement • until its Tuesday, Dec. 19 meeting. -If the contract is terminated, the city would. begin the search for a new developer for the project. . . - LriUt ilv SUN 750 Vol. 31, No. 50 CUR In the Community, With the Community, For Property tax levy will increase 3.3 percent Levy accounts for possibility of lost state aid by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS While Eagan homeowners will likely receive an increase in the city's portion of their property taxes, they prob- ably won't see much of a dif- ference in their tax bill com- pared to last year, according to the city. Eagan held its Truth in Taxation meeting on Mon- day and presented plans to raise its 2007 property tax levy by 3.3 percent and its general fund budget by 6 percent. Because the levy increase is less than the rate of infla- tion, the city was not required to hold a Truth in Taxation meeting. It chose to hold onq anyway, said City Ad- ministrator Tom Hedges, to City Portion of Propery Taxes 2007 Truth -in -Taxation Estimates $278,021 homestead (Eagan avg.) Plymouth 1 1629 Mendota Heights 1 1698 Eagan 706 Minnetonka I 1784 Eden Prairie 1 1786 Maple Grove I 1 796 Coon Rapids ( 1809 Woodbury 1 1810 Lakeville Bloomington 18-city averoge South St. Paul Burnsville Apple Volley Brooklyn Park I Inver Grove Heights West St. Paul I Rosemount 1 Hastings 860 1 880 ■904 1910 1921 1 979 J 1,021 11,046 1 1,130 j 1,171 1 1,329 $0 $300 $900 $1,200 $1,500 The city portion of Eagan residents' property taxes remains below the average of 18 comparably -sized cities in the metro area. inform residents and receive public comment, although no residents showed up to speak. The city plans to levy $23.5 million for a total bud- get of $25.4 million. The budget increase is mostly due to higher energy costs, increasing costs for employee health insurance and pensions, and the addi- tion of 1.55 employees. The levy includes $950,100 that the state is supposed to provide to the city in Mar- ket Value Homestead Credit (MVHC). Because the state has cut MVHC funding to Eagan for the past three years, the city is making sure that all of its operations will be financed even if the state money falls through. If the state does provide MVHC funds to the city, the additional $950,100 lev- ied will be applied toward Eagan's portion of capitol costs for the Dakota Com- munications Center, the county's new, centralized dispatch center, which other- wise would be paid out over the next seven years. Eagan's portion of prop- erty taxes make up about 26 percent of the average home- owner's property tax bill. Homeowners will likely not see much of an increase in the city portion of their tax bills, said Director of Administrative Services See Taxes, 7A 1 2006 MODEL YEAR END CLEARAN Grand Caravan SXT 3.8 V6, Power Doors, Rear Heat/Air. Power Seat, PW, PL, CD Players, Quad Seats, ABS, Traction Control MSRP $28,030 Rebate -$4,000 Discount-S2.431 $21,599 App Calointml ntm ent 888-786- n DODGE OF BURN 35 r, SOUTH AND CLII '2,000 down, plus 1' payment & lic. ='219 0 down, plus 1°' payment & lic. ='295 Sign and drive, just your Signature = S325 :special Editior4 No Charge - DVD Player, Leather /Heated Power Liftgate. Power Doors, Power Seats, Power (Window, Locks, Mirrors), 6 Disc CD Player MSRP $31,800 Rebate -$4,000 Discount-$2.801 24,999 All The Toys! Now�N '2,000 0 do Sign ai Submiiied ph,u. An open house is set on Sunday, Dec. 10 to reintroduce the com- munity to the newly -remodeled Eagan Hills Condominiums, which includes affordable rental and homeowner -occupied units. A fresh start in Wescott Square Open house will showcase newly -renovated affordable housing, benefit Dakota Woodlands by Erin Johnson now called Eagan Hills Con- THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS dominiums. Wescott Square, an area in Eagan once associated with crime problems, is experienc- ing a bit of a renaissance these days, said Jenni Wood. "It's time to reintroduce the neighborhood. We still have people that formed opinions 15 years ago," she said. "It's really a nice little community now. We've got a lot of nice families." Wood owns one of the many newly -remodeled buildings on Wescott Trail and manages the owners' association for what is An open house on Sunday, Dec. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. will allow the community to tour some of the units and see just how much the area has changed, she said. Held at 946 Wescott Trail, the open house is also planned as a benefit for Dakota Wood- lands, a homeless shelter in Eagan for women and chil- dren. The 30 mostly rental prop- erties that make up Eagan Hills have always had many See Wescott, 7A V6, PW, PL, Tilt, Cruise, Alloys, CD, Air, & More L0W p$ $199 �p5 r?;* Payments are S1,000 . T T.L. Down ® 72 mo. 9% APR 0 A "W^11,92s Stk. # 12911 2 00 6 0 num V6, Auto, Air, PW, PL, CD, Alloys, & More (AS per $299 men ' Payments are S1.0 O+ TTL. Down®72 n 9%RO.A APC. FROM $ 16 925 9 www. DodgeofBurnsvill Wescott/from IA different owners but no cohe- sive set of rules, which could`. often be problematic, Wood said! Last year, several of the buildings ended up in fore- closure. When they were pur- chased by new owners, many of the rental units were reno- vated and updated, and some were converted to condos, with more condo conversions planned in the future. . Because of the changes in ownership and new, more stringent bylaws like tenant screening, the association has -- changed dramatically over the past year, she said. 'live have more of a team of owners now •than -we've ever had," she said. "There are consequences for not do- -ing the right thing now." Even though most of the u ifs have been updated, the ' housing remains affordable, Wood said. The average rent for a three -bedroom apartment is $950, while prices for three-' bedroom condos are between $124,000 and $160,000. "What's nice about hold- ing some of these units open (during the open house) is that people can get the op- portunity to see a couple of different buildings and floor plans," she said. Jon Hohenstein, Eagan's director of community devel- opment, said the new owners' association has. been commit- ted to making a difference in the area. - "They're really working hard on a -private sector effort to .fix up and reposition-. the properties to . improve their livability while maintaining their affordability," he said. • Items for Dakota Wood- lands will also be collected at the open house. - Dakota Woodlands is a great organization with a very high success rate, and also a neighbor of Eagan Hills, Wood said.. "•It's such a warm, invit- ing place. It gives families the opportunity to regroup as a family, -and that's just huge," she said. The organization has reg- istered at Target specifically for the open house event,so visitors can' purchase items that will be given as Christ- mas gifts to families staying at Dakota Woodlands over the holidays. ;`I figured if you 'can reg- ister.at Target for a wedding shower or a baby shower, then Dakota Woodlands can regis- ter at Target for. Christmas," she said. "That way they can determine what their needs are." The open house and .ben- efit will also feature food do- nated by Applebee's, Buffalo Wild Wings and Bogart's, and a raffle for prizes such as restaurant gift cards. Raffle tickets will cost $5 and all proceeds will go to Dakota Woodlands. For more information or a - copy of Dakota Woodlands' holiday wish list, call Jenni Wood at (952) 484-4075. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. J_) Medicare Part D meeting On . Wednesday, Dec. 13 a representative from Metro- politan Health Plan; will be in the Lone Oak Room at 11 a.m. to share information on Medicare Part D. As many know, the dead— line for select coverage is quickly approaching, so learning about options is important now. This is a free event.For more information, please contact Eagan Parks and Recreation at 651-675- 5500. Movie and game night It's time to -relax in the middle. of the holiday season. On Wednesday, Dec. 27, kick up your feet for the game and movie day in the Lone' Oak Room of the Eagan Commu- nity Center. Starting at 10 a.m. the pop- ular dice game will be played. To participate, simply 'bring day gathering on Wednesday, Dec. 20 from" 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lone Oak Room of the Eagan Community Center: Start- the day off with a cookie exchange (optional), followed by a holiday game, delicious potluck, and en- tertainment by the Grace Notes. This is a free event. The Grace :•Notes are compli- ments of the Eagan Senior Program •Advisory Board funds. To participate ' in the cookie-; exchange, please bring three dozen cookies, bars or treats wrapped in. six half -dozen packages. Each Person will get to take one package -of each treat home (no . store bought, prepack- aged items); For° -more ::information, please check out the senior :pages. at, : www.cityofeagan. com-or contact. Eagan. Parks and Recreation at -651-675- 5500. Volunteer Luau Throughout the 2006 IIPa T— YYla tl.lt_,n I.11.n.tPPY.C_h.al/P out the senior page at www. cityofeagan.com or_ contact Eagan Parks and Recreation at 651-675-5500. Ongoing ,activities Are you looking for some- thing to do on a regular ba- sis? The Eagan. Seniors have a variety of activities for you to try or lend a helping hand. New people are always wel- come and are quickly feeling like one of the gang. • Regular activities include craft projects on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m., quilting is held on the 1st and 3rd Tues- day of each month at 9:30 a.m., Euchre and 500 is ev- ery Tuesday at 1 p.m., Bridge , is every Thursday at 1 p.m. and Bingo on Fridays at 1 p.m. A Court Whist .group • meets on the third Monday. of each week at 1 p.m. No experience is necesary. There are also.four book - clubs that are always in- terested in new attendees. You're more .than welcome Taxes/from lA Gene VanOverbeke. In 2006, the owner of a $264,281 home, which was the average in Eagan, paid about $709 for the city por- tion of property taxes. In 2007, the owner of an aver- age home valued at $278,021 will likely pay $706. The bulk of Eagan's prop- erty taxes, 45 percent, goes toward public safety, fol- lowed by general govern- ment (23 percent), parks and recreation (17 percent), pub- lic works (13 percent), and government buildings (2 per- cent). The final budget and levy are expected to be adopted at the Dec. 19 City Council meeting. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. City plans f�rbjrd flu pandemic • by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS • The city of Eagan -is in the process of mapping out an emergency response plan in the event of a bird flu pan- demic. ' According to the Eagan Po- lice Department, the bird flu has so far been found- in Af- rica,•_Asia arid Europe 'where it has caused the death or de- struction of 150 million birds. About 148. people, mostly farmers in Asia who lived and _See_Pandemic, 14A 5.9 HD Cummins, SLT Package, Ai Aluminum Wheels, Hitch/Tow Grou Power (Seat, Windows, Locks, MSRP S42,345 Rebate-S4,000 Red Dot Inventory Bonus -S1,000 Discount .000 Pandemic/from lA worked in close proximity to infected poultry, have died from the virus. Transmission of the virus from human to human has yet to be established, how- ever health officials are cur- rently studying a case in In- donesia where transmission among family members may have occurred. If the virus mutates and becomes readily transmissi- ble between humans, health authorities believe it will set the stage for a worldwide pandemic. The flu pandemic of 1918- 19 swept across the country in about a month, said Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald. "Now with air travel, they j. figure it would get across the country a lot faster," he said. A committee of employ- ees from a wide variety of city departments, including police, fire, human resourc- es, public works, communi- cations and emergency mangy agement, has been working on the plan since May. The city already has an emergency plan to deal with disasters such as a plane crash, a major fire or an ex- plosion. This is an appendix to the emergency plan, Mc- Donald said. The committee has been working under certain as- sumptions outlined by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. For instance, a pandemic I could last six to eight weeks and include several waves over the course of a year. Thirty to 40 percent of the city's workforce could be out sick, and many people may decide to stay home to care for sick family members or for children when schools are closed. Availability of supplies will likely be limited, as will outside help. "If we had a plane crash that affected Eagan, we can call Apple Valley, Burnsville and the county and get help. But if we have a pandemic where their workforce is af- fected, they can't give us any mutual aid," McDonald said. "We may be on our own, and that's what we have to plan for." Using these assumptions. the committee has been map- ping out how the city would continue to operate and manage its workforce while keeping the public informed. Planning for a flu pan- demic is very different than planning for something like Y2K, McDonald said, where many of the variables were known ahead of time. "For this, the challenge is that we may lose 30 to 40 percent of our workforce. Four out of 10 people won't be there. That's problematic if you're a police depart- ment," he said. While the plan must take into account many un- knowns, there is no way to plan for every possible sce- nario, he said. "We have to build in flex- ibility," he said. "We can't possibly forecast what's go- ing to happen." The final plan is expected to be presented to the City Council for approval in De- cember. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc. com. t . e.ents 2 f>utgoing embers of Cou cll look back at years of service AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER ed Wachter's first encounter with gov- ernment was when a pack of cars showed up at his family's farm in Rose- mount in March 1942. Federal govern- ment hacks said they needed the land for a gunpowder plant and the Wachters had two weeks to pack their bags. Wachter told himself that if he ever 'worked in government, he would try to help folks. He got the chance when he joined Eagan Township's advisory plan- ning board in 1958. Tom Egan's earliest experience with local government was less bitter. His neighbors recruited him to get involved with meetings about the proposed upgrade of Pilot Knob Road in 1977. Residents were concerned about the county's plans to transform the rural two-lane road into a major thoroughfare. Neighbors liked the way Egan handled ark en.! of an era for Eaga himself and encouraged him to run for City Council. He won. Decades later, the two veteran Eagan City Council members are nearing the end of their terms. Both have attracted supporters and critics through the years. But there is one point that cannot be argued: When Wachter and Egan end their terms this month, the City Council will lose a big part of its institutional memory. Wachter is the city's elder statesman. He graduated from the planning board to the village council in 1972. Two years later, when Eagan incorporated as a city, he joined the City Council. Last week, Egan and Wachter sat at the council table together for the last time and were sent off with fanfare. The city named a conference room after Wachter. The Eagan Historical Society unveiled a display about Wachter's life at City Hall. The duo received plaques. The typically reserved Egan even choked up. Both have loved serving the communi- ty, but it hasn't always been fun. There have been bitter lawsuits, EAGAN CONTINUED ON 2B 9 SCOTT TAKUSHI/PIONEER PRESS Eagan City Council Member Ted Wachter, left, has served in city government for 41 years. Tom Egan, the city's mayor, has served for 20. Both are retiring from their gov- ernment posts at year's end. SERVING APPLE VALLEY ei EAGiAN o INVER v CONTINUED FROM 1B marathon council meetings — and plenty of tough decisions. The two have witnessed comical mistakes the city made, such as purchasing diesel squad cars in the early 1970s that were so noisy criminals could clear out long before the cops could nab them. There have been the individual blunders: One time Egan backed through his own garage by acci- dent en route to a meeting because he was so focused on an upcoming vote abouta controversial develop- ment. Wachter accidentally sawed off part of three fingers during the 1980s when he was run ragged by council meetings that routinely lasted until 3 a.m. But the accomplishments out- weigh the problems. The duo can take credit for helping Eagan secure the things residents now take for granted, such as paved roads and full-time city staff, and the things that make the suburb a community, such as the library and the ice arena. Egan helped woo West Publishing, one of the largest taxpayers in the city. Wachter helped- save and restore the old town hall. Neither council member is an Eagan native and neither envi- sioned a life in politics. They come from different back- grounds. Wachter was the first .in his family to graduate from high school. He spent his life as a farmer and a carpenter. Drop by his home, and the 75-year-old will showoff his boyhood toy train, his woodcarving collection and his wife Anne's intricate dollhouse. He's quick to crack a joke and chuckle. Egan is more of a mover and a shaker. After bouncing around the Twin Cities and South Dakota, his family moved to Eagan Township when_he_was :14.. Egan earned a political science degree at the University of St. Thomas and then went to William Mitchell Law School. He moved back to Eagan with his wife Betty in 1976. Liz Witt, the longtime former city clerk, describes the 51-year- old Egan as a quiet but fair lead- er. "Tom certainly followed his - conscience, his value system of fairness and honesty. He gives everybody an opportunity to give their opinion." - Many will remember Wachter's passion for local history. He has a map of Eagan's past ingrained in his mind. If you need to know whom a particular farmer mar- ried or the location of the 1920s foundation of the moonshine still buried in the woods, Wachter is your man. "The experience these two gentle- man have will sorely be missed," Witt said. "It will be a void that will be very difficult to fill." As their terms draw to a close, Egan and Wachter reminisced about their tenure. The following are excerpts from several inter- views: Q: What was Eagan like when you fret moved there? Egan: Oh it was a township — very rural.. There were spot parcels of residential development serviced by local septic systems and wells ... The population was perhaps 5,000 at the time. I lived right next to a (relative) of Ted's actually, the Cordes, at 2 River Ridge Circle. It was a little gravel road just off of Lone Oak Road about three blocks up from Highway 13. (One time many years later) Carl and Dorothy (Cordes) said, "You know, Tom, we couldn't vote for you that first election as mayor because you were responsi- ble ... for throwing tomatoes at our car." I said, "No Dorothy - no. Maybe later than sooner, we're getting this straightened out. It, was my brother Johnny that actu- ally threw the. tomatoes at your car." Q: What does the neighborhood look like today? Wachter: Bulk mail facility on the farm, office building in the neighborhood to the north, office and warehouse in the neighbor- hood to the east. Tothe south is our Promenade shopping center. It's different, no doubt about that. If our forefathers' were to come home they wouldn't know where they were. Q: How did that make you feel about government when your fami- ly's farm was taken? Wachter: I guess that was always in the back of my mind, and I said if I ever had a chance to do something for people from a government angle I would try to do my best to help them. I didn't pursue it at the time. But then when I was asked by Herb Polzin (who was active in Eagan govern- ment) to be on the planning board for Eagan, I accepted. Q: What was your first reaction to learning the name of the town- ship was the same as yours? Egan: Believe it or not, I wasn't very concerned about that as a teen-ager. I was more concerned about the fact that I seemed to be out in no man's land. When you're too young to have a driver's license, living out in a township . . . I felt somewhat isolated. Q: How did you decide to get involved with local government? Egan: I came home from work one evening in June of 1977 and it was a bright sunny day. My next - door neighbor saw me pull in the garage. She said there was a great concern about a project, a county road project. It was coming in at Pilot Knob Road and they would like me to attend the meeting. • We sat down and discussed the preliminary plans for the upgrad- ing of Pilot Knob Road. One of the real drawbacks to our decision to move to Eagan at the time was the condition of the streets. We just didn't feel there was any safe or adequate street in Eagan, and Pilot Knob -was one of those streets I was concerned about. Pilot Knob at that time was a two-lane rural ditch road that went all the way from the knob in. Mendota Heights to Farmington . . . But what was being proposed was not only upgrading the road from two lanes to four lanes but to put in divided medians, frontage roads. There were even pedestrian crosspaths, overpasses. My neighbors were very con- cerned about that.. I think what I'm describing to you is the dawning of the develop- ment of Eagan. It may have been the first time a large segment of the then -Eagan population became aware of the fact that Eagan was in fact developing and they want- ed to be more actively involvedin the process. Q: What did you learn from that first campaign? Egan: I became rather shocked to find out the cause we were try- ing to protect was not universally accepted. The cause was to try and slow down progress. I can tell you I'm not an obstructionist. I worked very hard during the early months of that first term tryingto come up with a reason- able compromise, which we did.. . . What we started to use .almost immediately was the expression "controlled growth": Instead of having rampant, ill-advised growth, let's try and professional- ize this. • Q: Can you give me an example? Egan: Let's use Pilot Knob itself. The fear that the residents along Pilot Knob had was if the road was developed as wide as what was being proposed, it would literally be up to their doorsteps. People were concerned they. would have dust, noise and heavy traffic and safety problems right up in front of their living -room windows. So what we did was come in with a reasonable com- promise by removing most of the center medians . . . the service roads . . . pedestrian overpasses. By thetime we were done, we had worked out what I considered to be an excellent plan. On Interstate 35E, which was built in the 1970s and 80s: Wachter: I was very much con- cerned about my farm because 35E was going to come through it. I .,had established some wildlife, planted trees and contoured the farm for better conservation of topsoil. At first I was opposed to it because I didn't know what was allgoing to take place. Being a farmer, you're concerned about taking your livelihood away. But then after a while I realized what it meant for the city of Eagan. This was the so-called key to opening those big doors to Eagan. Egan: And it did. You could lit- erally hear the "for sale" signs rising from the ground. The whole community had a "for sale" sign on it. The community just started to develop overnight almost imme- diately when 35E was developed. A gentleman by the name of John Klein formed a group called the Urban Council on Mobility. And John was town board chair- man for the township. He spear- headed the completion of 35E. We all took for granted the fact that 35E would come but there was a very strong question about whether it was necessary •with the completion of 35W and the exis- tence .of Highway 13. John Klein took Tom Hedges to Washington, D.C., Tom's first month or two in office as city administrator. He went and lobbied hard with our congressional delegation and begged them to please keep money in the budget for 35E. I think what almost killed John, though, was when a group of Eagan .residents wanted to pre- serve the area. In particular they were very concerned about pre- serving Blackhawk Lake. 35E was going to go right over the narrows of Blackhawk Lake. The residents objected and they eventually filed an environmental- ist lawsuit to prevent if from being built that way. Actually the city of Eagan is better off by the fact thatthe freeway went around it because we have probably one of Eagan's prettiest parks down there. The court ruled there was a prudent and feasible alternative to going right through the middle of the lake — you can go around it. On airport noise, an issue Wachter and Egan predict will never be resolved: Egan: I've been so actively involved in that issue ... it's one of those things that will never go away. It's one of those things that you have to continue and assert yourself and make sure your pres- ence and your views are known. (In the 1970s) you had stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3' aircraft. Most of the airplanes flying back then were stage 1, . which were extremely noisy. There were 'just not many quiet planes at all. Wachter: (Airport officials) weren't concerned about it. Even if people complained they let it go because they didn't feel it was necessary. Now they look at it in a different light and they are will- ing to cooperate now. Q: How did you learn to disagree and stillbe friends? Wachter: Tom and I, we dis- agreed a few times. It never both- ered our friendship. Egan: Ted and I would end the day as cordial as we began it. What advice would you give to the new council? Egan: Listen, listen, listen. Listen to everyone involved all sides on every issue. Listen with your eyes, listen with your ears, listen with your heart but listen with your mind. Then act. There is no place at City Hall for arro- gance — you have to listen. Amy Sherman covers Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount. She can be reached at asherman@pioneerpress.com or at (651) 228-2174. 1 Multiple filings force primary by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS A flurry of candidate fil- ings for mayor and two City Council seats means the city of Eagan will hold primary elections this fall. Four residents had filed as candidates for mayor and seven had applied to run for City Council as of the filing deadline on Tuesday, July 18. Mayor Pat Geagan will not seek re-election in No- vember, leaving his seat wide open for a field of candi- dates that includes current City Council members Cyn- dee Fields and Mike Magu- ire, as well as Mark Olson and former Planning Com- mission Member Ron Mill- er. Seven people are looking to fill two seats on the City Council, one vacated by Mike Maguire as he runs for mayor. See Candidates, 19A Wheels 8 More! #83564 MSRP $; EP Price -S" Burnsville Disc Auto, 4 Di Gray Stock #12 Only $11, 4 Door, Bh V8 Stock #12 Only THISWEEK July 22, 2006 19A Candidates/from lA Current - City Council Member Peggy Carlson will seek to retain her seat in a field of candidates that also includes Buzz Anderson, former City Council Mem- ber Paul Bakken, , Mike Dean, Betty Fedde, Plan- ning -Commission Member Gary Hansen, Chris Nelson and Brenda K. Rivera. A primary election will be held Sept. 12 to narrow may- oral candidates down to two and City Council candidates down to four. The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 7. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. 42b ► 6OJ yS22Y2006>-T4iSWEEK a3 E Scoreboard Cannon Valley As of July 10 Apple Valle 10 2 Burnsville 8 4 Lakeville 6 . 6 Eagan 5 7 Savage 5 ' 7 Rosemount 2 9 Sunday, July 23 ♦ Rosemount at Apple Valley, 2 p.m. .Seven- file fqr..:thTe first an council primary • Blomquist will not run by Dan Gearing • Staff Writer.' -• Bea Blomquist • announced she' will. not run for re-election • to the Eagan City Council. SIt s embarrassing Ito 'serve �r ' with the present council," • she said in a prepared statement. "The council is floundering because•of a lack of leadership." • The deadline to file fof can- didacy for the two open City Council seats Was July 18. The . seats are currently :held by Blomquist and Sandy Masin. A total of seven candidates filed, including Masin, Duey Bendt, Cyndee Fields, Trygve Behny, Gale Anderson, Meg Tilley and Shawn Hunter.' The • filing - deadline is a month earlier than in the past because - the City Council recently_ approved a local prima- ry election. The. primary will take place Sept. 12, the same date as the primary . for statewide offices. The primary 'will reduce the field to two can- didates for each open seat, so this year the top four candidates will go on 'to be on the.general election ballot in November. The day after the filing dead- line,••Blomquist •said in an inter- viewthat she. decided early in y - the ear not to run:. "1 fold a'couple of my closest friends, but they. didn't believe me" she said. Blomquist has lived in Eagan since 1970 and served as 'mayor from 1980 to 1987. • She never served on the City • Council before being elected in • 1996. She said she ran for the council that year because she was dissatisfied with the direc- tion of city government. • • Once on - - the • council, Blomquist was frequently .at odds with former -Mayor Tom Egan and then-Council.Member • Pat Awada. The personality con- flicts increased .when Awada was elected mayor in 1998. Blomquist said she is frus- trated because she believes that Awada and council members Paul Bakken and Peggy Carlson form a solid 3-2 majority. "When they come in with their voting bloc the way they - do, I feel irrelevant," she said. Blomquist was often the sole dissenting vote against public See Filing, 3A PER MO.* ebate may end anytime! and DOC. Payment + Tax O.A.G. All rebates to dealer. ;000 DURANGO 4X4s DE 60 MO. 48 MO. 36 MO. nt Ii $295 PER $308 PER.* $333 PER nt s 325 MO.* $344 MO.* $379 MO.* t ; 55 PER PERMO.* ER $428 PMO.* �i CLASS! TOWING & R VOLUME! 4.7L, auto., it, CD Player, , 31" tires & es, pwr. seat, •ind., locks, ack. 11 #29379 M.S.R.P S31,010 Disc. -Rebate - 3,811 17,199 Plus 1st pymt., lic. fee & DOC. Tux on payment and cash down. AM 1500 Sport Pkg. Only er, auto., air, p. . Hurry! /0 One Price • a 1996 DODGE CONVERSIONS Ram B2500 Conversion Vans, top line Waldochs, V8 front & rear air, Ithr., pwr. rear sofas, custom paint, lease returns, one w/TV & VCP! Priced From S 12,600 a11247 RENTAL RETURN CLOSE-OUT SALE 2000 ODGE NEONS Auto., air, Rental Returns! Best Price $ 10,900 our Pick EROKEE 4 Dr. 4x4, 4.0 iws, locks, tilt, . Save SS! '0 One Price 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE Grand Limited, dark maroon w/leather, V8 pwr., auto w/Quadra Trac 4x4, Gold Alloys, very lite hail. Big Savings!! Best Price $ 12, 100 One Price • 2000 DODGE • INTREPIDS Loaded, Rental Returns! Best Price $ 16,800 Sour Pick Filing/Continued • works projects involving assess- ments. She frequently said that the• city's method of assessing • property owners for road, sewer ' and other projects was inconsis- tent and made the city -vulnera- ble to lawsuits. She sued the city over the assessment of her neighborhood for a road. improvement. Arguments in the case were made earlier. this -year. Shortly before press time for this issue, Eagan city, officials • Bea Blomquist reported that a decision had -.been made in the case in favor of the city. This decision will be .covered in detail in next week's issue. Blomquist said she plans to continue serving' Eagah by working with several citizens' groups that seek accountability -in'goverriment. She is the prin- cipal organizer of one 'of these groups, the recently formed UQSLtz-O1-da-czoop Eagan - chapter of Common Cause. ' Common Cause _is a national organization that works for' open , and ethical govern--. . ment. Blomquist had been involved with the state Common Cause organization before start- ing the Eagan chapter. - • Where is Jesse when you need .himmost? he weight of history hung in the air like John Eagan Foundation spearhead 'Io.the editor: • financial resources to the grow The strong spirit of a com- that can most effectively r munity like Eagan has been deploy them.into_our commur hard to miss since the devastat- ty. ing rains of early Saturday If you would like to make morning, July 8. tax-deductible donation to a With the immediate cleanup in flood relief, you may dire efforts well underway, our com- the donation to The Eag munity will" now move.'intd the; Foundation - Flood Reli arl. interes.t'showri in. Eag:an mayora� %P(,fr' T rtrSwTc< S—2(—czer9 C By BRENDA GUDERIAN Two Eagan men are giving Mayor Vic Ellison early competi- tion by announcing their intention to run for the position of mayor of Eagan: The November election is eight months away, but James B. Wade. Jr. and Larry Kraning this week announced their intentions to run. Both are 10-year: residents of - Eagan: Wade works for -Unisys and Kraning for Norwest Bank. Kraning's early entry into the race came ,from an "awareness - that people are concerned about where we're going and the leadership- .we have," he said Wednesday. • "I'm . disappointed in -the cur- rent leadership and I think I could . do a better job," Kraning said. Ellison is completing his first term -as mayor after two years.as a council member: He said he an= nounced his candidacy for his se- cond term during his first candi- dacy. Kraning said he is not a poli- tician, "but am interested in - providing the; best leadership I can for the citizens of Eagan. The decisions .I would make would be based on that -fact." Kraning served. on the city's Economic Development Com- mission- when it was formed about five years ago and curren- tly -is vice presid yent of the Eagan Citizens Crime .Prevention Asso- ciation. However, he has no expe- rience as a council ,member or advisory.. commission member. He admits that might be a: hin- drance. "I would rely heavily on those who have been there in the past —especially the council," he said. "But I think that the position .is also one of leadership: I believe my experience as - a manager would come into play., Being able to know where to get the answers is more important than knowing_ ---the answers," he said: Kraning's managerial, experi- ence comes from .20 years as a manager for Norwest, including four years at the Eagan branch. He's currently the manager of the Nicollet-Lake office. He •sayshe has leadership qualities that bring about respect and hard work in others, "I think that's LARRY• KRANING has announced his candidacy for Eagan mayor. Another resident, James B.. Wade Jr. also entered this week, giving Mayor Vic Ellison early • competition: Photo -by Randy Erickson - race what the community is looking for." - - He feels' that _the experiences with the Economic Development Commission and the Crime Pre- _ vention Association will help him, also. He's learned the community needs a strong police force that is - backed by the citizens. He also learned, he said, that Eagan is a community being sought after — one that doesn't necessarily have to solicit new -business. He de- clined to elaborate on that point, however. - • Kraning is not ready to com- ment on -many points and is still ' forming his campaign commit- tee, but the decision to run has . been coming for about a month, he , explained. A friend- encour- aged him to come forward now, he added. . He said he will be talking with • residents. His campaign will be of "the style I feel most comfortable with — fairly aggressive, but one - of concern and friendship: Most people who have known me will attest to my friendliness. We built -- (See Candidates, p.-3A) • 11107 FORD MUSTANG 2 DR. GL .. Bright red w/block trim. Power steering & brakes, AM/FM cassette, auto trans., Keystone mags. Super clean car On sale at MIS MICR ISSAS OWN -Butek'spremier 2dr. Loaded wloptions. Very low miles. Balance of fac- tory warranty available. Starting at only $11,888 - Very nicely equipped. One owner highway miles. Arctic white w/woodgrain trim. Perfect family cot. Fresh trade. Just $54 TIN &K NOM DAM • Valise wlwd leather interior. Loaded wloll power options you would expect on a Cadillac. A true luxury car. Just $18,788 A/C, AM/FM stereo, power door locks. Body & in- terior in mint condition. Only 22,xxx octual miles. Priced to move. t'PQcn 1fIM FORE! MOM.ak - 4 spd., AMIFM stereo, power steering and brakes. Full sized Bronco. Get ready for boating! On sale at ASK ABOUT OUR MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! *Payment based on 60 mo. financing, 13.9 APR, $995 down payment + tax & license fees, total note '8374. 11118 DRVY ASTRO VAN • Two-tone red,15,met one owner miles. Loaded wloptions. 7 pa ierger- Why buy new? Save $ at $14,598 1 Ifni MICR BIJCTRA T•TTN - True factory evaluation car. Mint condition. Only 7,xxx actual miles. Loaded wlpower options. Red Firemist in col. or. Sticker price $22,951 . Now only $18,950 BUICK AUThOR1ZED DEAIIR Just South of the Burnsville Center 2A MARCH 26, 1989 THISWEEK BUICK On the West Service Road at 35W 14800 BUCK HILL ROAD Your Community Minded Dealer SERVICE HOURS 7:30 AM 6:00 PM M-F EXTENDED HOURS SAT. 8:00AM-3PM IN BURNSVILLE 435.7100 . 1 1 OD1fl 1 • soup to ° nuts Trees accommodate `civilization,' progress By BRENDA GUDERIAN A.mighty oak can't bend; it can only break, goes one proverb. An Eagan oak tree is going to find out the truth of that saying when it is removed from the Tar- get/Cub site on Cliff Road. The tree, has to be removed, Target people say, because it interferes with the viewing of the lovely bullseye of the Target sign. The Eagan City Council agreed to let Target remove the tree, be- cause there isn't a better . place for the sign•and because MnDOT will receive $8,300 from Target to plant other. vegetation on the site. • An Eagan resident listened to the discussion on Channel 16 and. called me Wednesday to urge me to write about.it. Too many trees have been removed from the site already, she said. Just as God won't let a sparrow fall without his •knowing, Eaganites won't let a tree fall without their feeling a' loss, it seems.' • -,Council members, it should be noted, were not entirely . sym- patheticto the Target plea: tThe tree was . there Before the sign - went up, Council.Member Daye.. Gustafson; said making a. little fun at the requet He also noted the sign was for tiaffic off I-35E; 4_ but no one coming off the freeway'' • could mis's seeing the building, with or without the not -tall= enough sign. Member Pam McCrea com- pared the situation to a game — you. can see the sign now, but when the leaves come out it will be hidden." My caller said that only council Member Ted Wachter seems genuinely concerned about'sav- ing trees, but I think each council member wants to preserve as much of the "country" feeling as he does. • • . The issue goes beyond the. Eagan City Council though.•Each - of our communities is looking at the same kinds of issues — build- ing good communities, while preserving the kind of atmos- phere that brought people here in the first place. It's kind of ironic • . - that the people whose housing de- velopments probably removed a . few trees too are concerned about other buildings taking away their views. .. ' • A tree is a special- organism. -It provides shade, privacy, nature, a place to climb in, to build a treehouse in, and even fuel for a cozy fireplace. _ . I always feel good when I listen ' to efforts to save trees. I like them too and come by it honestly — it's in my genes. My father is a tree nut too. I know -what it's like to help haul wood from our farm's pasture to be burned in our house; I treasured being able to walk in our "woods" and to climb one particular tree in our exten- • sive yard — and I know the work involved_ in planting them. When your father buys hundreds of trees to start a windbreak on the north side of the yard and you end up helping toplant them in the hot sun, you know the effort it takes to replace trees. - • Each tree is unique — I learned that through a junior high science project when my dad helped me -locate different varieties of•trees and:pick:a.choice leaf to put in a t booklet'" . '• I marvel at;the•beauty and use- ° -fulness of rwood- arid trees .whenever I look at carvings' created by my- great uncle. .H used nature's •wood to create likenesses of. -other creatures — including fish and owls. But some of the best things he salvaged from nature he didn't touch. He. could look at a twisted old branch and see its art — a sculpture in its •own right. • Suburbanites have a bit of Druid in them — they sense the spirit of a tree and value it. • The best part of its spirit is that .it is passed on. Unlike other re- sources, trees 'are renewable. An •80-year-old oak removed because.' of a plastic sign won't be "re- placed" in our lifetimes, but its spirit can be passed on to the next generation. - Perhaps trees are more "ben- dable" than we thought. EAGAN THISWEEK PUBLISHERS ' Joseph R. Clay • Daniel H. Clay MANAGING EDITOR Bob Temple NEWS EDITOR Brenda Guderian SPORTS EDITOR Pete Temple • CLASSIFIED MANAGER Diane Henningsen OFFICE:' 1525E. Highway 13 P.O: Box 1439 • Burnsville, Minn. 55337 - OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday -Friday 894:1111 ,.a: ,M4RGH>266;119891:1 ,eTHISWEEK . letters Local aidincrease for Eagan doesn't quite make up for Legislative policies To the editor:... •I recently read with•interest the letter to the -editor from Sen. No- vak, chairman of the Property - Taxes and Local Government Aids Division, in response to an earlier letter from Mayor (Vic) - Ellison. As a resident homeow- ner, I have the same personal in- terest in the level of taxation' in the city as other taxpayers.' As the city's director of finance, I have a professional responsibility to understand how taxes are levied, how state aids affect those tax levies and to help inform tax- payers of how all revenues are raised and where the revenues • are then expended. It is for those reasons that I felt it was appro- priate' and necessary that I re- spond to Sen. Novak's letter. • Mayor Ellison, through the use of his personal property tax statements illustrated how these taxes have impacted the total in- crease. As you recall, the city of Eagan's share has increased by 5.2 percent in'the four-year span from .1985 through 1989. In 1989, the Ellisons pay $278 in property taxes for city services. •I persona- ily pay $244 for city services, in- ' "eluding police and fire protection, street maintenance, parks- and recreation services and related go �ernmental'services T find it extremely difficult tounderstand how•anyone can•claim- that this is an unreasonable amount to pay for these services I pay -more.- than that justfor an insurance po- licy on my residence. When analyzing the total"prop- • erty tax bills, many of which show 10-20 percent increases, it becomes obvious`that there are a number of other factors involved, nearly all of which have greater impacts than .the city's levy. Probably the major factor is the state of Minnesota and its com- plex system of aids and credits. • Mayor Ellison asserted that the level of ,property tax in Eagan is affected by the State Legisla- ture's decision to provide different levels of property , tax Elementary school have to walk a mile Tothe editor: We. have been very pleased with the education our children have received in District' 196 ' schools. We are unhappy with one • district policy, however — the one that says that • elementary: stu- dents living within one mile from school do not receive busing. We understand that the school board has agreed with the rec- . ommendation • of the transporta- tion task force, that elementary children living. beyond one-half mile from school be bused. It is not clear, however, when this can be implemented. It seems to us that if the district can makethe arrangements to begin the school -age childcare program in 1989-90, it could also arrange for the busing of students "beyond one-half mile. This is also an ob- vious community need. "It is un- reasonable to expect elementary students to walk one : mile to school in harsh Minnesota' winter weather. -Parents' are forced to relief to' different cities. A full- time fire department in the City of Virginia with a population roughly one-fourth of ,Eagan's'. was cited as an example of an un- fair subsidy. I am disappointed that Senator Novak responded by stating the `obvious facts that the State of Minnesota does not col • - lect local property taxes and that Virginia does not levy property taxes in Eagan. The residents of Eagan as well as the citizens of the statewould be better served if Senator Novak - and his colleagues in the Legisla- ture would explain why the city of Virginia receives $213.58 of local government aid per capita, while Eagan receives $23.68 on a per capita basis., There is obviously a substantial amount of local dis- cretionary spending- in Virginia • subsidized by the state through aids raised through sales and in- come taxes on a state-wide basis. In the latest year for which statis- tics are available —1987 65.1 percent of that money is raised in the metropolitan area while 45.6 percent 'of the state's aids and credits are paid to the metropoli- tan area. I have no interest in picking on friends and neighbors, but I rea- ' 11y- believe • that an explanation from the Legislature is -in order as to why in 1989 local. govern- . inept aid is distributed -`to- these • seven Dakota County cities :on a • per capital basis .as follows:- -- _Eagan, '$23.68; ~'Apple' Valley, $42.13; Burnsville, $55.90;.:Invei•' Grove Heights, $47.53; Lakeville, -. $46.30; South St. Paul, $131 and West St.. Paul, $87.90. I contend it has more to do with historical spending. -patterns than anything - else. _ ' Sen. Novak correctly points out that the total of the local govern- ment aid and tax levy -in Eagan • increased by 24.1 percent from 1988-89. The city of Eagan is using these revenues to fund basic ser- vices as we have done each and _ every year in the past. There are no' new programs and no frills - have -been added in 1989. Please • students shouldn't for an education . provide ..transportation for their children in the 'winter, a hardship •in many instances. This isn't fair, as our ‘tax dollars are paying for • district busing, yet it is unavaila- ble to our children who need -it. • .Actually, providing school -age child care is not a primary func- tion of the school district. Yet ac- tion has been taken to proceed with this program. It should be a higher priority to implement the recommendation of the transpor- _ tation task force to provide ele- mentary busing beyond one-half mile, as this is an integral part of • the primary function of the school district. We urge the District 196 school board to implement elementary busingfor those living beyond one-half mile from school in the 1989-90 school year, or at least from Nov. 15 to April 1. Where there's a will, there's a way. DON and ARLYS RENS Apple Valley review your taxes paid to the city in 1988 and 1989 to determine what impact this has had for you as a taxpayer. Sen: Novak is quick to point out that -Eagan received a 202- percent increase in local government aid which tells a small part of the story. Eagan in- creased- from $332,917 ($8.55 per capita) in .1988 ,to $1,007,917 ($23.68 per capita) in 1989. Sen. Novak suggests a comparison to Burnsville whose local- govern- ment aid increased from $1,687,515- ($38.05 per .capita). in 1988 to_$2,609,983 ($55.90 per ca- pita) in 1989. • If we extend the comparison again to Virgina, the increase is from $1,921,114 ($199.41 per ca- pita) to $2,057,664 ($213.58 per ca- pita). In that context, the 202 per- cent increase, while appreciated, is only one step toward fairness and equity in the system:•It is ob- vious that -there -is an unfair and inequitable subsidy of expendi- tures in various citiesthroughout the state. • • In response to the citizens of Eagan,: both current and former local elected officials have been very responsible and of the con- servative bent in their taxing and spending philosophies. You will note that Eagan` provides; only, a basic -level of services emphasiz- ing the -areas of public safety and street maintenance: Even; areas such as parks and recreation are provided for only as- money ,.is available • 'and• then - at realistic - levels. There•'is;'hot now nor has there ever been a free -Spending attitude at work , in . the city -of Eagan. It is unfortunate' that the -current citizens are' being pena- lized by our State Legislature for the city's responsible spending. It is equally unfortunate that the State Legislature is either unable or unwilling to• first explain the reason for the inequities.and se- condly, to do what is.necessary to correct the problems. . E.J. VAN.OVERBEKE, Director of Finance/City Clerk 'City of Eagan Correction • In the March 19 edition of This - week, a number in Sen. Steve-No- vak's letter to the editor was typeset incorrectly. The tax levy increase for the city of Eagan should be 24.1 percent, not 42.1 percent as itread. (More letters, p.7A) UN [HA HE:RI -IS. NO`LONEI INES;S:' N() l)ES l I•'1-U l ION, - - NO SICKNESS, ry NO \VAR... Please join: American Rea cross T�sxe-w. .e:rx::r7a."aci`XJJ,•a a'.iw, r+waw•.m'x:.1^i'..4r-'"�"u.`�a;..;. Candidates.....'......,....:•.-• ...• ••• • • • • • OOOOO • O:...• (Continued from front page) the Eagan branch'on that (friend- liness)," he said. • - A good mayor. must have•total involvement," 'he said. "You can't -,be lackadaisical and ori-. again, off-again;..particularly with the growth. So many things have. to be acted upon without. backsliding or footdragging." • Being mayor requires "a per-.' son willing to give commitment," . " he continued, "a person willing to feel the needs and concerns of the community and not be afraid to share his or herbeliefs aslong as those beliefs are shared by the majority of thecoinmunity:" Kraning, 45, and his wife Nancy havetwo children, Bryon, 13;and • Kristin,-8. They, live•at 1236 Carl, son Lake Ln. He has abachelor of arts degree inEnglish :from the Uni•versit-y' o'f' Wisconsin - Madison. While_working in Eagan -hewasa member of the 'Exchange, Club; and .currently is the vice president of the Nicollet- Lake Business Association, a Stride Rite A Special Thanks for 9 Years of "Superior" Service .PHYLLIS "ACE" Shoe Fitter You're The Best! Mike • COBBLESTONE COURT BURNSVILLE 435-3322 With Our '-Steak' &- -Lobster SPECIAL 99 Only." l & plus tax & bey. Now Thru April 30. ' r' Not Valid Friday & Saturday • Not Valid With Birthday._Special Cedar Ave. at Cliff Rd. EAGAN 454-6744 Open 7 Days A Week Major Credit Cards Accepted .. Reservations Not Accepted ii ww 64u11 MVP group of business people concer- ned with the futlire-of: the ..inter- section, he said r' •- (Thisweek-was unable to talk.i with •Wade before -`this edition went .to pressc We will talk with him for our next edition.) The Eagan. Chamber will have its first meeting of 1989 on Thugs;'.,. day, April 6, at noon at the•.Lot Spur Country Club:.Cost is_$10. • The Chamber .plans','.to; hold -- meetings quarterly. The subject of the meeting will be. Tax Increment Financing. There will be a panel discussion 1,, j' '.ram. Eagan Chamber: meets April 61. .;r that Will include a brief overview of what TIF is, how the city wants to use TIF in the northeast corner &EEagan, and there will also be a panel:member discussing the ne- :gative aspects of TIF in general.. • Call the chamber office- to make your reservations, 452-9872. • Cobblestone Court 435-8585 EDA MITCHELL EXXUS STEY; 3 LOCATIONS ' Cedar Cliff . 454-1390 Town Centre 456-9454 . I( you are interested in our profession, ask about our scholarship program. Over The. River and Through the Woods.... ... may be fine if you're going to Grandmother's house but you. - shouldn't have to cross the river to get quality and experience in a lawyer. McMenomy &. Severson, P.A.-with,its twooffices and lawyers with years of experience is right -here in Dakota County and we are ready to help. Whether you are buying a house, have been injured, starting a business or need other legal advice, call McMenomy & Severson. MCMENOMY & SEVERSON Apple Valley 432-3136 • Roseinount ,423-I155_ THISWEEK MARCH 26, 1989 3A Are your property taxes going up? Area city managers explain impacts of 2011 budgets BY JOSEPH PALMERSHEIM SUN NEWSPAPERS Fall has many rituals. The leaves go down, the campaign signs go up, the kids go back to school - and cities approve their preliminary property tax levies and budgets. We recently sent a set of questions to staff at Apple Valley, Eagan and Rosemount seeing how this year's budget differed from last, and what kind of impact the taxpayers might see next year. Here's how they responded. Apple Valley Tom Lawell, Apple Valley's city administrator, returned the following answers to our query: 1.) Where does the city's preliminary tax levy stand compared to last year's, and CITY MANAGERS: TO PAGE 10 We're w r ere planning to purchase nev, Sa, Come meet our designers Kristi and Jenna STAIN eorpet THOI Car Eagan City Council approves Gist of goals The Eagan City Council formally ap- proved its goals for 2003-2004 during its March 18 meeting. -The list of 11 goals was crafted.over a series of meetings beginning with the council's annual goals retreat in Febru- ary at Moonshine Park Retreat Center in Eagan: During that meeting, the council • reviewed goals set 'in 2001-2002 and rec- ommended that many of, those goals con- tinue in 2003-2004. In addition;.the coun-.. cil recommended six new goals. The goals approved by the council in- , clude: . • Secure funding to construct the' "Ring Road" `around; the 'central part of= : Eagan,_including the Community Cen- • ter, with a common streetscape,scheme _;, • Encourage the availability of hous- ing to meet the needsof Eagan's growing work force. - - ' • Encourage productive City Council and commission relationships. Implement a comprehensive city- wide communications plan that includes both a citizens academy and town hall meetings: • Complete construction of the city's entry monuments, which are concrete markers to be 'placed at several of the main entry points to the city. • Research and pursue economic de- velopment opportunities. • • Research and implement homeland security initiatives. • ' • Pursue` future • green -space. initia- tives.. _ Promote Cedar Grove redeVelop- ment.by identifying specific land uses, _;seeking funding_partnerships';and ex- ploring the possibility. of=a-transit hub and housing options and costs: GOALS: To Page .19A abtS `Who's Who' in this issue Look inside this week's edition of your Sun Newspaper -for a special section titled "Who's Who in Your Business Community." The section high- lights the people and stories behind your fa- vorite businesses. See inside for stories on a variety of businesses in a ..7 ..a. . t4llu vcll. a•aanc McGinn is reading over materials for the day and sipping coffee in his basement of- fice at the State Office Building. Glancing out the window be- hind him at the wall of concrete that serves as his view 10 feet below ground level, McGinn jokes that the "G" before his office num- ber refers to "garden level." "I can see the flowers bloom from the roots up," says McGinn, a freshman senator for District 38, which includes most of Eagan and part of Burnsville. In only his third month as an elected representative, the retired St. Paul Police officer is still adapting to his daily schedule, but finds the experience to be everything he hoped it would be. "It's really kind of a lull right now as people try to get their hands around the budget and what it means," says McGinn while waiting for the Thursday session to begin. "It's a good time Sen. Mike McGinn (s (second from right), while outside the Sta On the Sena Goals From Page 2A • Communicate the • impact• of th'e north -south runway scheduled to. open in 2004 at the Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport. • Streamline city operations and staffing -.to reduce city costs and im- prove efficiencies and output. City staff will now review the • goals and recommend objectives and strategies.. as tc: how the.citr.can best meet the goals. McGinn says times like these where he has no meetings coming up and no pressing issues demanding his attention are few and far between. "Time like this to do some research and catch up on stuff is a real luxury," McGinn says. He spends time discussing various communication efforts with Claudia An- dersen, his communications coordina- tor, and gets updates occasionally from his legislative assistant Tim Miller. SUN Eagan edition NEWS NOTES arch 13, 2003 CURRENT SPORTS Eagan loses in playoffs PAGE 22A Eagan City Council backs first step in greenway plan Grant money will be sought to help pay for first parcel BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers For Friends of Patrick Eagan Park member Jack Conrad, the greatest indication of whether the group's efforts have been a success will be if his infant daughter gets to one day enjoy the park as he does today. "Someday when she's not de- pendent on me and my arms and legs for transportation, I hope that when she walks into the park, she won't have three-story houses pushing up to each side of the park," Conrad said. The group and the City of Eagan took a step toward that goal March 4 when the City Coun- cil agreed to throw its support be- hind the first piece in forming the Eagan Core Greenway, a stretch of open land running from the park south to Lebanon Hills Re- gional Park. GREENWAY: To Page 17A 2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan, Sun.CurreniThursday,.March, 13,.2003. www.mnSun.com SchoolDistrii BY JOSHUA NICHOLS... Suh Newspapers . The West St. Paul -Mendota Heights- . Eagan school district will stay a part of an integration district with St. Paul and other districts at least through 2005 'after' • a March-3 decision. The District 197 School Board had dis- cussed the East Metro Integration Dis= trict (EMID) last month while reviewing -. a routine change in contract language:: However, Director Jim Nikolai raised : questions regarding the . opt -out clause that holds a member district in EMIR for 15 months after the decision to leave. • Director Max Saucedo, District 197's 11 • 1. • • 197:tlebates integration district be:nefits change the clause: "I talked to the EMID superintendent about the timeframe of it and he ex- plained the reasoning behind it," Sauce - do said. "I would also say that seven out .of the 10 other members have"approved the contract and three -others have it on ,their agendas." The clause in question states a mem- ber district can only opt out of EMID by notifying the EMID board by Feb. 1. After that notification, the withdrawal would be effective as of June 30.of the following calendar year. ' • That means if a district wanted to opt out, the soonest it could do so would be • Feb. 1, 2004, with the actual withdrawal 1 11 items such as budgeting. Business Di- rector Carl Colmark said that he saw nothing strange in .having;an opt -out • clause of that length for those very rea- sons. Nikolai, who repeated concerns he raised last month -that the district isn't getting enough out of :its involvement with EMID, said that the district still needs to consider opting out of the pro- gram when the time comes. "I would like to see the administration come back to us six months before the withdrawal date to come up with an al- ternative plan to capture more of the in- tegration dollars in the district," Nikolai said. . - • Nikolai made- that motion Nikolai noted that -the district -cur rently'sends two students to EMID's • tegration Crosswinds School in . Ro- seville yet contributes more_ than $400,000 to the program. • The 'district receives funding fo EMID programs from a combination o state funds and a local levy. Roughl three-quarters- of the funding 'come from the state. The district rec $459,796 for the 2001-2002 s $538,790 for. the • However; Longtin and D that wasn't the trict gets out of ."My role as as an . -to see tha Greenway '. From Page-1A The council voted 'unanimously for -the city to submit a grant application to the Minnesota. Department of Natural Resources' (DNR). Scenic and Natural 'Area grant program. That grant could, provide up to $500,000.to help buy a 10- acre parcel of land owned by -Lee Ander- son just to the south of the -Eagan Art House and the park's entrance off Lex- ington Avenue.• In making the decision, the council also agreed to cover 20 percent of the costs to buy the land. In applying for the grant, the city was also requiredto set a public hearing on the issue and did.so for its Tuesday, March 18, councilmeeting. "I would like to compliment the Friends, of 'Patrick Eagan Park for how.' hard they have worked on this," Mayor Pat Geagan said. "This is an important piece and Mr. Conrad and the rest of his group have never stopped working -for this." Conrad said the DNR's Metro Green - ways Advisory Committee has endorsed awarding a.$100,000 grant to the Friends of Patrick Eagan Park. That recommen- • dation is now before the DNR commis- sioner, but Conrad said that the grant is contingent on the• group's ability to - leverage additional funding from other private and public partnerships. • The City Council also agreed to direct ,city staff_ work with the Trust for Pub- . ' .N Land • a group that works to ensure a formal appraisal on the Anderson par- - ce1 Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Cur'ent!Thursday, March 13, 2003 17A -- would make future efforts even more - likely to succeed. • - . The citys' portion of the funding other private- Dakota County Board Commissioner would come.from its Park'•Dedication Fund, with other potential funding com- ing from other state or nonprofit grant programs, the Dakota County Farmland and Natural Areas Land -Protection pro- gran and private -corporation communi- ty grants._ - A preliminary, one:page "windshield" appraisal of the property in question conducted while the city was .consider- ing a golf course for the area around Patrick Eagan Park, estimated the value of the land at more than $70,000 per acre. Councilmember Mike Maguire said that the funds from the Park Dedication Fund must be Used to develop flew parks and cannot be used for any other areas, including offsetting potential impacts to the city's general fund from the state§. budget cutting process. ' - • The council's decision wasn't its first. in support of exploring. the'.greenway . concept. During a Dec. 17 meeting, the council voted unanimously to partner with groups in the community to- help preserve the openspaces that could be part of the. greenway. Earlier this year, Metro Greenways agreed to award Eagan an- $8,000 grant, with the city kicking in $10,000, to study the area and the possibility of forming the greenway. - Although most of the land in the greenway is city parks, including Goat Hill, Trapp Farm; Walnut Hill•and Lex- ington/Diffley, the -Anderson property and two other properties are privately. otection of open space, to conduct owned. WHAT'S NEXT. ers of .the two The own- ly owned: What: Public hearing on parcels_ ,,that grant application for would make Eagan Core Greenway - ' up the green! When:' 6:30 p.m., Tues- way have also day, March 18 • • indicated a Where:_ Eagan Munici- willingness to pal Center,' 3830 Pilot preserve their • Knob Road • land. - • - • Information:. 651-675- According • 5000 - . to Eagan Parks •and •Recreati"on Director" Ken Vraa, Patrick, McCarthy has -discussed the possibility with Dako- ta County and the city. Anthony Caponi, - owner -of the Caponi Art Park to the south of Patrick Eagan -Park, has also been in discussions with the city arid Macalester College about a possible part- , nership to preserve his land. Several council 'members worried that going after•a smaller property first might hurt the chances for preserving those larger pieces down the road. How- • ever, Conrad told- them members of his.. group had been. told the, opposite would be the case. "When we went before groups with this project, they asked us what our track • record was," Conrad said: "They told us to look -to startwith a smaller project and that they like to see that "groups in the community like ours, can be successful _working with,partners." • Because of that advice, Friends .of Patrick Eagan Park members feel a suc- cessful effort with the smaller property, Nancy Schouweiler told the council dur- ing the meeting the project could also re- ceive funding from the $20 million open space_ and farmland protection referen- dum county voters approved in Novem- ' ben' "I can't tell you for sure at this point . this project would be funded by the pro- gram, but this land meets the criteria we were looking at when we wanted to start the program," she said. - Schouweiler said the county will like- ly begin awarding funding from the pro- gram by the end of the year after setting up the program this spring and taking applications during the summer. In addition, the county could also see additional funding come its.way from the federal farmland preservation act' that set aside $5 million for Minnesota. -The state has to distribute the funds to -coun- ties with a plan to use the funding, and Dakota Countyis the Only -county with a plan in place, she said. - - Councilmember Meg Tilley said 'she would like to see the -city work• with Friends of 'Patrick Eagan Park to follow the same process on the other, two, prop- erties.. "I would like to see the Friends of Patrick Eagan Park be partners with the city when it comes to preserving the. Caponi Art Park and the McCarthy property," Tilley told Conrad. "You are going to be the,role model from going through this process." For more information on Friends` of Patrick Eagan Park, visit wwwfriend- sofpatrickeaganpark.org. • irr 18A - Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.Current/Thursday, March 13, 2003 www.mnSun.com Meeting From Page 7A • . The loss of a .period forcedmany stu; dents;_especially-those in eighth grade, to choose between band and a world lan- guage. Eagle Ridge Junior High was present- ed a different challenge"because of the structure of the school, which sought to - keep the house structure that the school was built around. • • The 'choice that the Eagle Ridge staff and site council, which is made up of parents and staff, preferred kept the • house structure intact for seventh and eighth grades while 'providing elective. choices. - Seventh -graders would have an ex- ploratory block of. FACS, technology,ed- ucation, art- and; health, and alternate - day .electives :of band/chorus/world music, physical education or first -year Spanish or French. Students would pick Private, Parochial, & Home -Schooled. High School Students interested in starting a TECHNICAL EDUCATION - earning college credits while: still in high school? is available - at • http://www.moundsview.k12:mn.us/ MathSci/MSO/Index.html. The olympiad will feature 30 teams that earned a berth in the state finals by competing in regional events. Apple Valley High School is_ the de- -fending champion for the second year in a row. Also competing will be teams from- - Bloomington Jefferson,- Bemidji, St. Paul Central (third last year), Waseca (second last year), Stillwater, Rochester- Mayo, Rochester Century, Rochester -John Mar- shall, Norman County West, North St. Paul, Rosemount,. Robbinsdale Cooper, ':Orono, Totino-Grace, Byron, Lakeville, Waconia; Cretin-Derham Hall, Minneha- ha, Academy, .Chaska, Moorhead, Eagan, Delano, 'St. Louis Park; Mounds -View, Minnetonka, -Hutchinson and Randoph Secondary. • two of the three options: . The eighth -grade exploratory block ,would replace health with computer and - would allow for extensive choices of elec lives. 'Also at the March 6 meeting; the board approved ninth -grade baseball and softball teams to. begin play this .• spring. • • - - District 191 is the only member of the . Lake Conference that 'doesn't have. a ninthgrade baseball .and:, softball pro- gram. - "Community supporters of each` sport and the coaching staff at the high school believe the addition of this pro- gram is necessary,to-increase participa- tion at the high school level and to strengthen the. program," said Sue Gris- som; -executive director of human re- • ' sources. Ninth -grade -baseball and soft- ball were eliminated as programs 20 - years ago.-. . Grissom said that fundraising for the program would be done within the com- munity and that the high school fields • would be used for games. - EDUCATION Science olympiad set for . March 15 Planes will swoop, robots will ramble, castles will be stormed, energy -transfer. machines will whiz, and hundreds of brains will be hard at work on Saturday, March 15, at the Minnesota High School Science Olympiad - The University of St. Thomas again is playing host to the 19th annual competi- tion, which providessome of the state's bestyoungintellects the chance to have fun -while putting scientific principles to work. Events will be in the Frey Science and Engineering Center and McCarthy Gym, - both on the: St. Thomas campus that -is west -of Cretin Avenue and south of Sum- mit Avenue. The events are free and open to the public. • - The olympiad generally runs from about 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A detailed schedule of the times and locations -of the events www.mnSun.com Greenway From Page -IA The council voted unanimously for the city to submit a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Scenic and Natural -Area grant program: That grant could provide up to $500,000 to help buy a 10- acre parcel of land owned by Lee Ander- son just to the south of the Eagan Art House and the park's entrance off Lex- ington Avenue. In making the _decision, the council also agreed to cover 20 percent of the costs to buy the land. In applying for the grant, the city was also required to set a public hearing on the issue and did so for its Tuesday, March 18, council meeting. "I would like to compliment the Friends of Patrick Eagan Park for how hard they have worked on this," Mayor Pat Geagan said. "This is an important piece and Mr. Conrad and the rest of his group have never stopped working for this." Conrad said the DNR's Metro Green - ways Advisory Committee has endorsed awarding a $100,000 grant to the Friends of Patrick Eagan Park. That recommen- dation is now before the DNR commis- sioner, but Conrad said that the grant is contingent on the group's ability to leverage additional funding from other private and public partnerships. The City Council also agreed to direct city staff to work with the Trust for Pub- lic Land, a group that works to ensure the protection of open space, to conduct a formal appraisal on the Anderson par- cel. The city's portion of the funding would come from its Park Dedication Fund, with other potential funding com- ing from other state or nonprofit grant programs, the Dakota County Farmland and Natural Areas Land Protection pro- gram and private corporation communi- ty grants.. A preliminary, one -page "windshield" appraisal of the property in question conducted while the city was consider- ing a golf course for the area around Patrick Eagan Park, estimated the value of the land at more than $70,000 per acre. Councilmember Mike Maguire said that the funds from the Park Dedication Fund must be used to develop new parks and cannot be used for any other areas, including offsetting potential impacts to the city's general fund from the state's budget cutting process. The council's decision wasn't its first in support of exploring the greenway concept. During a Dec. 17 meeting, the council voted unanimously to partner with groups in the community to help preserve the open spaces that could be part of the greenway. Earlier this year, Metro Greenways agreed to award Eagan an $8,000 grant, with the city kicking in $10,000, to study the area and the possibility of forming the greenway. Although most of the land in the greenway is city parks, including Goat Hill, Trapp Farm, Walnut Hill and Lex- ington/Diffley, the Anderson property and two other properties are privately owned. --X Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, March 13, 2003 17A WHAT'S NEXT The own- ers of the two other private- ly owned parcels that would make up the green - way have also indicated a willingness to preserve their land. According to Eagan Parks and Recreation Director Ken Vraa, Patrick McCarthy has -discussed the possibility with Dako- ta County and the city. Anthony Caponi, owner of the Caponi Art Park to the south of Patrick Eagan Park, has also been in discussions with the city and Macalester College about a possible part- nership to preserve his land. Several council members worried that going after a smaller property first might hurt the chances for preserving those larger pieces down the road. How- ever, Conrad told them members of his group had been told the opposite would be the case. "When we went before groups with this project, they asked us what our track record was," Conrad said. "They told us to look to start with a smaller project and that they like to see that groups in the community like ours can be successful working with,partners." Because of that advice, Friends of Patrick Eagan Park members feel a suc- cessful effort with the smaller property What: Public hearing on grant application for Eagan Core Greenway When: 6:30 p.m., Tues- day, March 18 Where: Eagan Munici- pal Center, 3830 Pilot Knob Road Information: 651-675- 5000 would make future efforts even more likely to succeed. Dakota County Board Commissioner Nancy Schouweiler told the council dur- ing the meeting the project could also re- ceive funding from the $20 million open space and farmland protection referen- dum county voters approved in Novem- ber. "I can't tell you for sure at this point this project would be funded by the pro- gram, but this land meets the criteria we were looking at when we wanted to start the program," she said. Schouweiler said the county will like- ly begin awarding funding from the pro- gram by the end of the year after setting up the program this spring and taking applications during the summer. In addition, the county could also see additional funding come its way from the federal farmland preservation act that set aside $5 million for Minnesota. The state has to distribute the funds to coun- ties with a plan to use the funding, and Dakota County is the only county with a plan in place, she said. Councilmember Meg Tilley said she would like to see the city work with Friends of Patrick Eagan Park to follow the same process on the other two prop- erties. "I would like to see the Friends of Patrick Eagan Park be partners with the city when it comes to preserving the Caponi Art Park and the McCarthy property," Tilley told Conrad. "You are going to be the role model from going through this process." For more information on Friends of Patrick Eagan Park, visit www.friend- sofpatrickeaganpark.org. qL. 1 EWs NOTES `March l 3, 2003 agan. edition ,agan ity Ccounalb Grant money will be sought to help pay for first parcel BY-JOSHUA-NICHOLS Sun Newspapers . on Friends of Patrick Eagan cks r°sst s' Park member Jack Conrad, the , greatest indication of whether the group's efforts have been a success will be if his, infant .daughter gets to one day enjoy the- :park as he doe's today. Sorrleday when she's not de pendent on mend my arms and SPORTS Eagan loses in playoffs PAGE 22A n greenway • an legs for transportation, I hope that when she walks into.. the park, . she won't have three-story houses pushing up.to,each side of. the;park Conrad said _ The group and;the, City of Eagan took- a step toward that:. " • 1=Niarch`4'wheritheCity Coun. cil agreed to throw its support be- hind the first piece informing the Eagan Core Greenway, a stretch of open landrunning: from the park south to Iebahont Re- ` z gional Park. GREENWAY: To. Page:17A. of zoo -The Eagan City Council -says that, the. new. Minnesota Zoologi- cal Garden in Apple Valley should invite some Eagan resi- dentsfora :free tour. • "The reason is that some • Eagan residents are being pre- maturely assessed for sewer and road improvements leading tothe zoo,"Councilman Ted Wachtersaid: - The '480-acre too in northern "Apple Valley lies on; Eagan's southern boundary. "More than 30 Eagan resi- dents will be assessed for im- provements on Cliff and Johnny Cake Ridge roads near the zoo," Wachter noted. The council unanimously sup- ported Wachter when he intro- duced a resolution to ask zoo of- ficials that:they invite the, Eagan residents. No assessment figures on the , projects were immediately :available but construction costs are in the tens of thousands of dollars, another official said. rie s compietea xive nomes since moving here with, his wife and two sons. He lives in a con- ventional home at 10740 Missis- , sippi Blvd., Coon Rapids, be- cause•"I just haven't had the . time t3 build my own." He said he's planning his own, onflict dnv� council member: J An Eagan council incumbent says a challenger is making false claims regarding a land dispute and her support for a GLBT celebration. By Shira Kantor `" Star Tribune Staff Writer A City Council member at the center of Eagan's latest chapter of political squabbling says she's ' tired of what she calls the city's dirty politics. • Meg Tilley complained to the state about challengerlim Swift, saying he -falsely claimed she :pro- claimed June 2004 as Gay-Lesbi- an-Bisexual-Transgender (GLBT) ., month in Eagan and that she at- tempted to condemn an Eagan woman's land for a bus'garage. Tilley is one of two council members seeking reelection Nov. 2, while""Swift is the lone outsider on the ballot. The top two .vote -getters will get seats. Swift, the chairman of Ea- gan's Republican Party, said he brought up the vote o n the GLBT resolution because he thought the nonpartisancouncil should not get involved in social matters such as GLBT celebrations. EAGAN continues on S17 s. am also a Christian and a retired clergy person. We who have chronic ill- nesses (or have family or friends with chronic illnesses) have lost a reasoned and compassionate advocate. Christopher Reeve can no longer speak for us; we must speak not just for ourselves but for each other and for our chil- dren and grandchildren who may share our genetic makeup. Stem cell research is disput- ably and reasonably not a moral issue for Judeo-Christians. It does not take the life of embryonic tissue that will ever be used to create life. Embry- onic stem cell research would use tissue that would be simply disposed of without grief, cer- emony or notice. Yet the sacred power of those embryonic stem cells could give life, health and productivity to countless people who today suffer from chronic MY VIEW John Soderberg illness. I could not worship a God who would choose to be op- posed to medical resources, medical transplants or the re- sponsible use of the procreative energy of responsible stem cell research. I cannot support a politics of moral and financial opposition to this potential ad- vancement in medicine. Thank you Christopher Reeve. May your voice continue through each of us. John Soderberg of Eagan is a retired United Methodist minister. • WRITI TO US We welcome letters to the editor and guest columns. If possible, please make your submissions by e-mail to stsletters@startribune.com. Our conventional mail address is Star Tribune South, 425 Portland Av., Minneapolis, MN 55488. Our fax number is 612-673-7295. Submissions must be exclusive to us in Minnesota. All must include the writer's name, address, occupation and telephone numbers (work and home). Letters and guest columns become the property of the Star Tribune and may be republished in any format. Because of the volume of mail, we may not print everything we receive and we cannot return manuscripts or other material. • (ORRE(TIONS Star Tribune South investigates complaints about accuracy, fairness and completeness of reports and headlines. When a report is found to be wrong or misleading, a correction or clarification will be published on this page. Contact Star Tri- bune South at stsouth@startribune.com or 612-673-7215. • (ONTA(T THE STA(( William C. Crum, Editor, 612-673-7215, wcrum@startribune.com London Nelson, Assistant Design Director, 1 EAGAN from Si ,. House representative denies involvement Tilley; who is completing her 'first term on the council, said the.council merely acknowl- edged a GLBT celebration, and that it 'often issues resolutions acknowledging celebrations of all sorts. "What he's doing is spinning it," she said. As for the bus garage, Til- ley said only the Metropolitan Council had power to condemn• the `land, which was being §ought last year by the Min- nesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA). The MVTA eventually, . gave up trying to acquire the property. Tilley is the MVTA's board chairwoman and serves as the Eagan council's liaison, to the transit agency. Swift said that Tilley, in working to condemn the land, was "not providing proper oversight of what the MVTA is doing:" He said she was "alleging that I said she person- ally condemned the land, which, is not what I said." Tilley, who ran as a Demo- crat for a Minnesota House seat in 2002, said she was not sur- prised that Swift singled her out for criticism, saying he "lowers the integrity and professional- ism of the whole thing by his antics." She said she saw it as a retali- ation of sorts engineered by Re- publican state Rep. Tim Wilkin, who beat her in the 2002 race. She said she believes Wilkin put Swift up to run against her in this election. Wilkin, a member of the House leadership serving his third term in the Legislature, • said he had nothing to do with Swift's decision to run, nor with Swift's comments. "Jim's pretty much on his own," Wilkin said. "Meg is just a little paranoid." Swiftdoesn't hide the fact that he's out to unseat Tilley, saying the other incumbent, Cyndee Fields, "is a pretty good council member." "I think Meg Tilley is not of the same caliber," he said. "I would like to see her replaced by somebody." Tilley's complaint about the GLBT statements was dismissed in an administrative hearing, while her complaint about the bus garage statements was still pending this week. Still, Swift said they had an impact. "It sucks time and energy away from my campaign to deal with this," he said. "She's prob- ably got more money than I do. She can probably afford to hire an attorney to go after me. As far as a campaign tactic, I have to admit, it's an effective one:": Shira Kantor is at skantor@startribune.com. NEW -SCHOOL STYLE. OLD -SCHOOL SOUL. THE ALL -NEW 2005 HARLEYDAVIDSON® FLSTSCI SOFTAIL® SPRINGER® CLASSIC MODEL As if you needed a reason to come by. See the 2005 motorc cles and the lat wiayo system,-reLervea va-curne. Shaughnessy said the picture changes daily as public heath officials across the country re- direct vaccine supplies; county updates are available by calling 507-357-8246. NEED A TAX SHELTER? BUY A MOTOR -HOME a rent 1 ant! NEW MOTORHOMES FOR SIAIE NEW Bayer Program inclides -- REAL ■oaey back from rental:! and Seemed Stuart'', Voters return incumbents to City Council Voter turnout reaches 81 percent BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers Eagan voters re-elected two in- cumbents to the City Council Nov 2. • The final vote had incumbent Meg Tilley receiving the most votes in the general election with 17,415, followed by fellow incum- bent Cyndee Fields with 15,252 and challenger Jim Swift with 13,863. Both Fields and Tilley will begin their second four-year term on the council starting in January. "I'm very pleased the voters put their faith in me to go another four years on the council," Tilley said. "This council tries very hard to be responsible with both developers and neighbors and take time to make good decisions. I'm proud to be a part of that." Fields said she was pleased with the results. V VT COUNCIL: To Page 164 F ti v f F S%V\ C ueru,-1- �I� a koL\ 16A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•C Council From Page 1A "It obviously went well and I am look- ing forward to the next four years and hope to continue leading Eagan in a positive direc- tion," Fields said. However,.. Fields said -she was slightly ner- vous when she found out from her son that the students at Eagan High School hadn't Fields voted her in dur- ing a mock vote. "That made me a bit nervous," Fields said with a laugh. "But another student told me that_my name didn't appear on all ballots so they were defective and thrown out. Other than that little bump, I was pretty confident." All the candidates also remarked on the turnout for the election. Eagan offi- cials estimated the election turnout at about 81 percent, up from the 70 percent who turned out two years ago. The race featured what some consid- ered partisan campaigning by Swift, who serves as chairman for the Senate Dis- trict 38 Republican Party. Tilley called the campaign a very"challeng- ing" one. She said that Eagan voters had shown that going negative in city govern- ment race doesn't work. "I don't think the residents like to see negative Tilley campaigning like that," she said. "I don't go for that and I don't see the need for it and I think the residents agreed." Jim Swift said he was happy with the. results of the election. "I thought I did great," he said. "Basi- cally I was an unknown really, so I was glad to do as well as I did." Although he said he might possibly consider running for office another time, he would now concentrate on spending more time with his family. "I thought it was a fun experience," he said. "It was something I had never done before and I thought it was an interesting •• •• ••.I I II I,0YI I.YYI11 and fun experience that I'm happy I took a chance on." Swift also congratulated his two op- ponents. "I'm sure they will do a good job for the city," he said. Although Tilley said she felt good going into the election, she said she was never overconfident.' She and a lot of other people put in a lot of hard work for her campaign and she put her faith in the voters, she said. Now that she is returning to the coun- cil, she said she would like to see the council work on a 20-year plan to map out the way the city will go down the road. "I think that's very important," she said. "As we make decisions, we need to be able to look that far into the future." She said the city will also have to keep working to ensure it provides the right kind of housing so that aging baby boomers who are looking for simpler housing have a place to stay in the com- munity. "I want to thank everybody who helped me," she said. "There are so many people out there who helped me. You know, I also consider voting for me help- ing, so I want'to thank everybody" agan's Progress Continued from Page,17) Rosene, town engineer, and Jim Olson, the town's fiscal consultant. , Klein also reported on the status of the Burnsville -Eagan - Bloomington Pollution Control: District which is attempting to gain approval for a regional sewage treatment plant. No evidence was presented . against regional treatment plants during two full days of hearings before the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,. Klein reported. He is hopeful a decision will be reached with a short time after the con- tinuation, hearing set for April 25 and optimistic that the • decision will be favorable for the BEB coalition. Friendly condemnation proceedings have been started by the three communities for the 20 acre site at Highway 13 and Silver Bell Road on which the proposed plant will be located if approval is granted. • ,Report on Building Plans Klein reported on the 1967 operation of the fire, police and street departments, pointing out, that plans are being made. to build a utilities and road equipment building during 1968 on the 20 acre water treatment site near Yankee Doodle Road. • , • A full time employee -was named during 1967 to head up the street department which includes one other full time man and several part tinie employees. . Klein also commented on the close cooperation between Eagan and the Dakota county highway department during the past year in,,the improvement of Yankee Doodle, Cliff and Blac.khawk Roads.' In : commenting on effects of legislation enacted during 1967,.. Klein pointed out new liquor . laws had resulted in issuance of three liquor . licenses within the ;township.''. Most significant legislative action, in his opinion, was the blocking of, legislation detrimental to sewage treatment programs in' the, metropolitan area. ' • • Klein pointed out that, much of the credit for blocking the legislation goes to Rep. Howard Knutson, Sen. Rollin Glewwe, Rep. Walter Klaus and Sen. John Metcalf: Park.Program Noted • A lengthy . discussion •was conducted on the township park program .with a number of residents from Cedar Gove presenting a nine point' program for the board's consideration. " .i..,. _ Klein pointed out that it is necessary, at this time, to keep expenditures in check. "We, cannot let any of these things get out of balance. We don't want to throw the mechanism out of .kilter and start scaring industry away," he said. "Industry is willing to pay its fair share," he pointed out, "but it is not going to come in here if it thinks it will be exploited." Taxes paid?by homeowners do not pay for the services they require, he said. "We have an enviable position' in 'the metropolitan area- ' and in the state as far as taxes are concerned," he said. • Intend To=Do Good Job "We're not going to shave our budget to the point where' we don't do the job and do it well, but at the same time we're not going to 'keep up with the Joneses'." , Estimated population of Eagan by 1980 is 35,000, he pointed out, 'but at the same time there, will 'bean $80 million development in Eagandale Industrial Park, a total of •$30 million in UNIVAC and additional.Yinvestments in Cedar and,Sibley Industrial Parks. �1 Ground will soon be broken in the area fora $6 million Blue Cross building. "Everything will work out with no great increase in the mill rate but it will require patience on the part of the people," Klein promised. 'We are going to have a well coordinated community, providing the .kind of utilities, protection and facilities people expect for their dollars." Lower Levy Expected . f ' ' The planning board and the town board works well with industry, he said, and the 17 mill township levy approved by the board can be expected to be lowered,as the industrial tax base increases. An $84,745 budget for the next fiscal year was adopted as presented. Residents also heard a report from the committee appointed to study the merits of incorporation. The comparative . report: on the merits of township' and village government also _included the possibility of a home rule charter type of government. Klein expressed his satisfaction over the large number of residents who attended the annual meeting. "We want to encourage our people to be better informed. We want them to .know, how we arrived at this stage of our growth, where the money comes from and how we spend it." Wolf During seum Hours opportunity for people, whose schedules might not otherwise allow, to visit the Museum. The Museum exhibits show unique examples of animals ofri:the area in their native environment, For an early taste of spring; there are several exhibits such. as the one of warblers among the apple blossoms inthemid- dle of May. The moose exhibit, as well as the winter scene of wolves on`the. North Shore of Lake Superior, are also ondis- play. der ... from England -Dinner &Dancing Nightly- b.' Dance 'til 1:00 A.M. Dine 'til \10:0 P.M at the HOTEL Francis Drake loth Street at 5th Ave. S. FE 2-0561, aven Sun h fewer rs ON SUN• ical excellence 2,000 circulation IET SUN.. HOURS: Monday thr Friday, 4:0 Saturday, 1 Sunday, 11: "Phone your 2113 WEST 90TH ST.- Enjoy the finest food your 'Dine Around the ,, dinner or event ticket F: Great food! Great ent in town. Your support ices and activities. 1 Order Your Book Participating Members: The Chalet r Gordon's The Poodle a The Brothers Ferrara's a Jimmy Hegg's The "Point" 0 Holcomb's Theater In The Round Theatre In The Round The White House e•Bernie's The Minnesota Muskies Magoo's a la Casa Coronado Chairman Klein Reports .. . Thurs.; -March 21, 1968—Minnesota Valley Sun— Eagan.s PioOress Noted in 'State of Township Re - or-t Cr-) By. Lila Clawson COJ tie c • Residents of Eagan township heard their first "state of the township" report March 12 as John Kleinchairman of the town board, adressed the annual town meeting. Klein presented a comprehensive report on the year's progress, • the financial status and the plans being made for future development in the fastest growing area in the 'state. He announced the donation of a one acre site in Eagandale Industrial Park, by Gerald Rauenhorst for a'newfire,station, a parcel of"land which could 'Cost'the township as much as $15,000 if it'had to be acquired with public money. • "Mr. Rauenhorst has donated a one acre site for the next fire department building near Lone Oak Road and Lexington Ave.," Klein told his listeners. "On behalf of the town board, the fire department and the citizens of Eagan, I wish to extend to Mr. Rauenhorst our sincere appreciation and gratitude for his generous gift to our community." Sewer, waterstorm sewer, hard top road and under- ground utility lines have all been installed at the site of the proposed fire station. Klein expressed his satisfaction over the favorable vote on the $50,000 bond issue for a town hall addition and announced that working drawings will 'be completed by mid -April. Bids will be opened about two weeks later and construction begun as soon as possible with occupancy slated for late summer or early fall. • "There's an awareness out here that we're a community on the move," Klein said of the 1061-380 vote on the bond issue. "The people realize we're running an efficient government for them and that we need the office space to keep pace with Klein announced that architects are also authorized to draw up plans for- remodeling and expansion of the existing fire station. Four trucks presently occupy a two stall area, necessitat- ing juggling of equipment during the frequent training sessions conducted for the volunteer department. "With the, growth rate we're experiencing out here, we're going to need the space and another fire truck soon," William Schultz, chief of the volunteer fire department said in his report on a proposed three year program. Klein emphasized a policy of cautious conservatism in, his,"state of the township" report. 1 "Basically, the board's philosophy is not to move too fast so we scare industries away with overly high taxes," he ,said. "We have made a study of our situation and de- veloped a program to coincide with our growth. •rate. "- A total report is one file, Klein said, of the compre- hensive study just completed. A program on the sanitary and storm sewer and water installations for the entire township has been laid 'out, according to the report, and $2.5 million worth of sewer and water lines were laid during- 1967. A, 500,000 gallon water towner was completed and a 20 acre site acquired for a water treatment plant. Two deep wells are now being drilled on the site. . A full time employee was added to the payroll in the utilities_. department, which operated in the black during its first year of operation,a rarity for an embryonic utility system, Klein said. He gave much of t-ediLfor the utility department's solvent financial state to the -Wise planning of Robert `. f- (Continued -on Page 21)- JOHN KLEIN, Eagan town board chairman. T1aIk Jim Brady' "That Ache in Your Shoulder" Or your elbow. Or your knee. It often seems to 'come from nowhere" and stubbornly refuses to go away. That, as your doctor can tell you, is a common symptom of bursitis. Millions are periodically afflicted with it. For many of us the pain is relatively mild but bursitis can be extreme- ly painful, even temporarily disabling. And, surprisingly, there seems to be no single "best" treatment — individ- ual cases vary too widely. According to the experts, prevention is really the best "cure." Bursitis, they say, is commonly caused by bumps and unusual strains. St. Francis Hospital Plans Pre -natal Class Pre -natal classes will be offered at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee each Wednesday night during April beginning next week. Sessions, which include lec- tures, films, refreshments and a tour of the maternity depart- ment, will begin at 7:30 p.m. They are offered free to hus- bands and wives as a public service. More information canbe ob- tained by calling 445-2322, ext. 34. Lakeville Man Graduates From Basic Training Seaman Apprentice Ronald C. Jensen, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell C. Jensen of Lakeville_ has hFen vrarin- SENIOR GIRLS SCcHITS c1., Christ Lutheran The Sunday school teachers will meet at 7:30 p.m. Mon- day and the board of elders at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Rev. Palmer Ruschke will discuss the last Word of the Cross, "It is finished," at the 7 p.m. Lenten service Wednesday. A coffee and fel- lowship hour will follow the service. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church Members of the Luther League groups and Chi Rho will meet at the church for a roller skating party Sunday. The ALCW general meeting News From The Churches Carol Anderson 890-2177 Faith Covenant Men of the community are invited to come to the church at 6:30 a.m. each Thursday for a prayer service before going to work. The Covenant Women will meet at the church at 8 p.m. today (Thursday). Men of the congregation will meet at the Trio Cafe in Bloomington for breakfast and devotions at 8 a.m. Saturday. A youth team from Minne- haha Academy will present a program of special music at 7 p.m. Sunday. Presbyterian Church Greets New Members Several persons were wel- comed by the congregation of the Presbyterian Church of the Apostles during the wor- ship service Last Sunday. The persons recently com- pleted an orientation seminar and were received by the Ses- sion into the communicant membership of the church. Those welcomed included Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duck - son and Mr. and Mrs. Barry Roberson. Apostles Groups Study Meaning of the Cross Members of the Apostles' Groups of the Presbyterian Church of the Apostles this week are participating in the first of a two -unit study on the meaning of the cross. I ty Gc,,,,--\-- In Eagan "Township.... c 1-11 c, ti.ccc- Schwa-nz;=Seekin _-Re=election.-� -. . �-L _:...__ -,- � Bssues Film Stalem&it Edward Schwanz; supervi- other different and diversified sor in Eagan township for the industries\and businesses. past twelve years, has filed 'for reelection.. A volunteer fire department A lifelong resident of Eagan, has been created and, with -the he is 45 years 'old, married' growth of the department, and 'the father of threesons. more trucks and equipment have been purchased. 'During his tenure, Schwanz has seen many economic de- The police department -has velopments in Eagan, including. been increased from two con-, Eagandale Industrial Park, the stables to the present depart- Cedarvale complex, UNIVAC, m ent consisting of a.chief,two the Blue Cross building, Ce- full timeand three part time dar Industrial Park and many . policemen. Sewer and water installa- tions have been completed in 'many areas of the township. 1 Throughout this period of development, Schwanz point - ed out, Eagan township has continually operated "in the black" while maintaining the +1lowest tax mill' rate of any communities in the metropol- - - :tan area:;, "I believe.„ e cooperation of the boang. as resulted in m any fine developments for )—VALLEY REVIEW---Thurs. Feb.f 21 solicited , Eagan and if I am reelected ' paign,- I .will continue to serve 'the' township and its residents to the best of my ability," Schwanz said this week as he • • Shredded wheat biscuits dip_ ped in milk and toasted for seven minutes in a 350 degree oven make a quick treat.' Top the biscuits if•desired with but- ter and brown sugar; fruit and cream, or scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese. support for his cam- Cool Note in ' of ` ee ing 'Make Power Fit Need' Teachers Prof. Cyrus Smythe, Deep - haven resident and University of Minnesota industrial rela- tions professor, poured a cool note into last week's teachers meeting in Wayzata High School, billed as "both a rally and a revival," There was enough militant enthusiasm for everybody, es- timated at a crowd of about 400, but Smythe asked them to assess objectively, "not to make the mistakes that teach- ers have historically made." He counted these as not knowing accurately what their bargaining powers were, not thinking that all you think of is a strike or sanction. Make the use of power fit the need you have. "For example, some gov- ernmental agencies find great success in doing the job EX- ACTLY as it is outlined," he said. "Or a simple denial of over- time, I would think, refusing to take extra curricular care of my little darlings and others after school hours. This ought to be considered. "Great dama:e responses to situations that will move the school boards In the direction you want," he said. He suggested that teachers' 3rganizations ought to operate Jn objective analysis, not emo- tions. SPEAKERS PANEL A surprise addition to the panel of speakers preceding Smythe was Minnesota Educa- tion Association (MEA) Presi- dent Fulton Klinkerfues. He "The local negotiator need to know right now that you ar 100 per cent behind him. This time we are not going to get to the brink and have the troops fall back!" he roared to cheers and applause. "What teachers DON'T need around here is starting sal- aries for 1968-69 of $5,300 to $5,600. Are teachers going get off their backs and ou the faculty lounges? "Quit apologizing fo we are asking for... to get it!" he conclude. E A G'A N Eagan City Council goes live online The city of Eagan on Tuesday became the latest city to take •'the concept of open govern- ment online. ' Through the free"Webcast —Central," all CityCouncil and advisory commission meetings now can be viewed through streaming online video. Burnsville launched a similar feature last month. Meeting videos in Eagan will be archived for a. year, and the service allows people to select a;specific agenda item to watch, rather than viewing the entire meeting. Video streaming works best With a higher -speed Internet ''Connection, so residents with a dial -up connection might expe- '\ rience delays. City Council meetings can be watched live, usually on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. To access online video, visit the Eagan Web.site at www.cityof eagan.com= r.. = Meggen Lindsay 5v ''s The public is, welcome to ie walk with the veterans, Clark in said. The walk will be on city id streets, and refreshments will ' In be served at'the Anoka Ameri di can Legion Post after the walk. i- For more information, call it Clark at 763-323-1336. 1. — Emily Topinka n, re 'NORTH SUB'US le . i9iRB' e. Scholarships open to media students 1- The North Suburban Com- o munications Commission is e accepting applications for schol- arships from college students in O 10 north suburban cities. s Applicants must attend an f, accredited educational institu- tion and must have completed at o least one year of college or voca- e . tional training in mass commu- o nications, journalism, television o production, video engineering a , or a similar course of study. Lt Students who live in Arden Hills,Falcon Heights,. Laud- il erdale, Little Canada, Mounds n View, New Brighton, North t Oaks, ' Roseville, St. Anthony n and Shoreview are eligible. The minimum award is $1,000. Applications are available at city halls, high schools, college , financial aid offices and ;:Eagan 'For mayor .. BIOS' quist BEA BLOMQUIST; 4504 Oak . Chase Rd. is a chemist. STATEMENT: "Running for third term as mayor; served six Years on the. Eagan Planning Commission; 'member Board of Directors of the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities. . "The city of Eagan has made a cornmitment to plan for and engage an economic* develop- ment commission. In the • past year I. have ,put forth the ideas and goals of the economic development program. It is my. • hope the program; will provide economic growth and jobs for Eagan. • "I will continue to support and lobby for a local government aid formula that is .fair to all cities. We should be taxed equally in all. areas .of the state. Eagan ex- perienced cutbacks from the state this past year..I will, and have. in the past, worked for. equality in state. aid.. We are a stable community and will con- tinue to be. Eagan is notedlor its low mill rate and ability to pro-• vide services to the city residents. "I will continue to work for good planning and zoning. Neigh- borhoods should be compatible and complement ' one. another: Eagan is the fastest growing city in the state. We should work toward good progress. "I will continue to work with citizen complaints :as I have in the past." • For council .: JAMES A. SMITH, 2070 Marble L.', is a bondsman with Goldberg Bonding: STATEMENT: "I decided to run foi reelection because I was urged by many citizens ' to. con- timie; I would like to help com- plete many of the city projects. and policies in formative stages; and I still find serving on the J!1 Wachter council exciting and rewarding. "My" wife, Janice, ,and L have lived in Eagan for. 22 years' and have three .children. 'My business administration degree has helped me make deci- sions in budget and financing that have kept Eagan's taxes among the lowest in Minnesota, while • continuing to • expand staff • and services to citizens. • " D'uring my 11 years . on the council, we have accomplished: new potice building; new fire sta- tion and equipment; ..city hall soon to be completed; construc- tion of . water treatment „plant; comprehensive guide plan; park master plan nearly completed; administrator _ and department head positions staffed with pro- fessionals. "We have the start of an ex- cellent parkdepartment. I intend to 'help the park 'committee, develop plans ar 'finigitta complete the system for our recreational needs. "The next few years will be tremendous . growth years in Eagan. The challenge will be to balance the interests of our cur- rent and' future residents and landownersby allowing orderly and beneficial development." • sonal pleasure, I have served on the city council for 11 years. "I remain dedicated to: con- tinued ;economically sound government, adequate police and fire protection, and planned com- munity development.. I will •at- tempt3 to represent the majority of theicitizens of Eagan without unduelinfluence from vested in- terest groups. My concerns on the budget. are the same each and every ' year while maintaining adequate services and protection' to our residents. Living in Eagan 41 years has developed in me a lasting respect for the communi- ty. I openly express my apprecia- tion to the citizens of Eagan in allowing me to reflect your in- terests as a councilman. "As election time draws near I ask for your help and support. I sincerely appreciate the oppor- TED WACHTER, 4550 Black- tunity to continue to serve you. hawk Rd., works in construction. Would you please exercise. your • STATEMENT: "With a deep constitutional privilege by voting sense of civic pride and some per- Nov. 8 7 a.m. to 8 p.m." PAGE"3A earns of con : artists t money in which there is a pro- , mise of sharing the funds before any commitment is made. s It is further recommended that _, any person solicited in these y areas should: - Check . the reliability of the _ . solicitor with the local sheriff or - police; - Ask, for bank references or,, contact the ,local chamber' of. . commerce. or Better Business' Bureau and;. - Read and understand fully -all- of the fine printcontained iri con- _ tracts for these types of services.. If you do. not understand any and all of the, points of contracts El Dorado. is robbed`. BURNSVILLE . An armed robbery was reported Saturday, ; Oct. 15 at El Dorado'Liquors,1616 W. Hwy. 13. About ' 8: 28 p..m:' ' a' . dark- complected male, carrying a ' revolver, entered ,the'store and demanded the money in the cash register. • He.. was . described as well- groomed, wearing a gray suit, white shirt.and black tie. The suspect left with approx- imately $300. No vehicle was seen. The incident is under investiga- tion by the Burnsville Police Department. regarding these services, you should consult with legal or law enforcement officials.And final- ,-- ly,avoid any service which.' demands immediate cash outlays, with someone with whom you are not: thoroughly acquainted.• } -The sheriff also pointed out that •. many .:'times older persons are often:alone and do not have close friends or'r'elatives;to discuss the possibility. of': someone: attemp- ting to work some kind of fraud on;theim However, by no means isahis:type of.crime:restricted to • the elderly. Money management sessions planned SOUTH ST. PAUL —A three - "session group will give partici- pants an opportunity to develop effective financial management skills in' the following areas: budgeting, record keeping, effec- tive use of credit, ways to stretch the dollar, effective communica- =tion around, financial issues, and. .planning for emergencies. . The group will be held on three consecutive Thursday edenings in November; from 6:30 p.m., to 8, p.m: in South St. Paul. This'series , is being sponsored 'by South_ Suburban Family Service and - South St. Paul Public School. Call Arlene Seitz or Julie .Winans at 451=1434 for information. Cost is $15 for individuals, $25 per cou- ple. It is open to the public. t,i.(• i,• grti 43S'! W&f 7t 1 (!2184 i'i;Efs3"'r�f;�•?t�l�; fnnrda www.mnSun.com Eagan dissolves commission • Economic Development function of a group, to see if it still serves that function and if not, rechar- C o m m i s s i o n disbanded ter it or dismiss it," Gilbert said. - Over the years the EDC also has lost 'some of the connection it had to the JOSHUA NICHOLS • SUN NEWSPAPERS local business climate, Community Development Director John Hohenstein Would you' be missed if you suddenly. said: Currently Gilbert is the only mem- stopped showing up? ber of the seven -member. commission. That's the question the members of who is an Eagan businessperson. the . Eagan Economic Development -"We had that business connection Commission (EDC) asked themselves with the Technology Task Force because • last fall. The answer they received? Not we went out and directly sought them so much. out for the effort," Hohenstein said. "We wondered if we were gone would No one on the commission or with the anybody notice," said Nadim Zoberi, city disparaged the work of the group. EDC . chair. "We haven't met. since In fact, both city staff and council mem- •. October, we haven't been on TV and we bers praised the volunteer commission- have not heard through anybody -that we ers. . - were missed." "We have a great group of smart peo- The EDC voted unanimously in ple here," .Councilmember Cyndee October to, stop meeting until its role .Fields said. . was more clearly defined, Zoberi said. .While the council agreed to dismiss The EDC played an important role the commission, they asked that the during the development of business and commissioners consider applying for • industry during Eagan's developing other volunteer commissions in the years, •Zoberi. said. However, in 2000 the future and be willing to serve on ad -hoc council- ' formed - the Economic groups as issues arise. ' Development Authority (EDA), which-i basically the mayor and the council wearing different hats. - Since that - time the EDA has taken over most of the functions of the EDC, with the commission left .to receive updates on development in the city and not be involved in strategic planning or business growth. t The commissioners again questioned their roles with the development of Eagan's 'Technology Task Force, an informal group of business leaders from the community who. helped study telecommunications and other technolo- - gy issues last year, Zoberi said. 'Commissioner Wayne Gilbert said muchof the issues that the EDC found itself dealing with, came down to public policy 'questions that ideally should .be answered by the City Council. "It's always healthy to look at the www.mnSun.com District 191 Board weighs health insurance options LONNY GOLDSMITH *SUN NEWSPAPERS A potential 51 percent rate increase in the major medical policy. School District 191 has with Medica may be on the horizon. The reason for the large increase is because Medica has paid claims that. exceeded the_ premium by about 30 per- cent, said Business Manager Carter Christie at the Burnsville -Eagan -Savage Board of Education meeting Jan. 5: For the 2004-05 school year, the dis- ,trict purchased a'group majormedical insurance policy from Medica and agreed to self -fund benefits: not covered by the policy. The.. reasoning, Christie' said, w.as becausethe cost to the district • would be lower than through a fully insured plan., The district is estimated_ to have saved nearly $3 million over the last two years by going this route. If a quarter of the savings were used to offset the 51 years are back with us." - Also at Thursday night's meeting: • The Board of Education granted early- . retirement to . Vista View Elementary School Principal Jean Lingbeck, effective Friday, Jan. 13. Lingbeck, the principal at the school for nine years, was diagnosed with a brain tumor that is advanced and inop- erable. She's been replaced on an inter- im basis by Larry Brady; a former prin- cipal . in the district. 'A permanent.. replacement will be sought for the start • of the -school year. • • Gail Morrison was elected as the Board of Education chair for 2006, with Dan Luth the - new vice chair. Bruce. Copp will be the clerk and Vicki Roy will be the treasurer. All four were elected unanimously. • The board approved a Finance Advisory Task Force to develop recom- mendations for the school district that . would provide financial and program --stability. Burnsville residents Ken Slipka and Mike Turner, a Dakota County commissioner and former direc- tor on the District 191 Board of Education, have expressed interest in being the 10-member task force co- chairs. NOTE Girl Scout cookie sales Local Girl Scouts of all ages have begun annual cookie sales, which will run through Jan.. 30. Look for Girl Scouts in your neighborhood and at local businesses to order cookies. Girl Scout cookies are available only once a - year. mu3.nu2flrn.www www.mnSun.com Eagan putsspotlight on taxes BY JOSHUA.NICHOLS Sun Newspapers . Eagan's taxes may be going up, but the city made clear during its Truth -in -Tax- ation hearing Dec., 5 that' those taxes are still -among the lowest in the area. • Due to a 4.65 percent increase in the city's property tax levy, the owner of a $263,458 home, the average in Eagan, will pay $707 a year in city property taxes. In a comparison with 17 other cities; including all its neighbors* in Dakota County and eight other comparably -sized suburbs in the metropolitan area; the city portion of Eagan property taxes ranks • the third lowest behind only Plymouth and Mendota Heights which have more - commercial property tax base per capita. With respect to the city portion of- 2006 property taxes, the 18-city average was $877 on that same $263,458 home. The high among the 18 metro cities was $1,331 and the low was $590. In fact, Eagan's property tax_ levy in- crease is small enough that the rate of in- crease is lower than the state -deter= • .mined rate of inflation.. With inflation in Minnesota running at 5.08 percent, Eagan's proposed levy in- crease of 4.65 percent, by law, did not re- quire a tax hearing. Eagan had oneanyway, said City Ad- ministrator Tom Hedges, "because we are extremely proud of the fiscally re- sponsible budget that has been prepared and it is important that there be com- plete trust and transparency in how the city intends to use the public's tax dol- lars." . Notices of the tax hearing were sent to more than 22,000 property 'owners. Only about a half dozen individuals at- . tended specifically for the hearing and no residents spoke against the city bud- get or levy. The City Council is expected to ap- prove the 2006 budget and property tax levy at its next, meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20. Holding the levy increase below infla- tion given the state's cut of $15 million in homestead credit especially high- lights the work the council and city staff put into the budget, Hedges said. . "We're not just standing pat either," Hedges said. "We are positioning Eagan for the future by eliminating some posi- tions Eagan had a need for when it was ' growing quickly and strategically re- aligning resources that we need as we ap- proach -maturity." Eagan eliminated three positions in areas such as Parks Planning, Public Works and Recreation Administration, while it added four positions including a full-time fire chief"to run its how 100-per- son volunteer Fire Department and two -other positions in the Police Depart- ment. City taxes account for 29 percent of Eagan residents' overall tax bill and pay. for about three-quarters of city govern- " ment operations. The balance of city revenues is made up of license and per- mit fees, program revenue and other sources. • On the spending'side of the budget equation, for the third year running, Fagan has the lowest per capita -spending • among Minnesota cities that have more than 50,000 residents, according to the most recently available statewide com- parison done by the -State Auditor's Of- fice. That 2003 study shows that•while Ply- mouth has lower 2006 taxes, its spending ' per person was "higher at $418 vs. $311 in Eagan. • For more information on Eagan's 2006 - property tax levy or budget, visit www.cityofeagan.com. www.mnSun.com Confused by Medicare health plan options? Sorting through all of your Medicare healt need someone to simply present the facts a about a health plan option that's right for y Attend a free seminar, and put the Making a good choice is not as hard as it fi Geagan won't run in 2006 Race gets early start with two council members planning mayoral bids by Erin Johnson TH IS W EEK NEWSPAPERS.. Even though it is "awfully early" to be talking about the 2006 mayoral race; Mayor Pat Geagan said he will not seek re- election next November. With more than a year to go, . . Geagan likely would not.have made his decision known this early.' But the issue was ex- pedited when City Council Member Cyndee ,,Fields announced her candidacy for mayor on Tuesday. See Mayor, 6A Pat Geagan CO Auto, Air, CD Player, PW,1'+L.,Cruise, Tilt OEM �f♦ $33,765 $24,899 ate-$1,000 PL, CD Player, Cast Wheels $26,590 $22,999 Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 7A •Eagan: City Council sets 2006 preliminary budget, levy City also formingcommittee to - deal with hurricane relief efforts BY .JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers The Eagan City Council gave prelim- inary approval Sept. 6 to .a. 2006 proper- ty tax levy of $22.7 million, about $1 mil- lion more than the 2005 levy amount: The levy'includes about $21.5 million' in the general revenue levy along with $1.2 million for Community Center' bonds debt service. The- total also in= cludes-$3,000 for the Cedarvale Special Services District. The city's 2005 property tax levy was $21.7 million, making the 2006 levy a 4.7 percent increase. The increase is lower- • • .than -the 2005 increase, when the -levy rose by 6.5 percent. • Along with the levythe council ap- proved the city's preliminary 2006 bud get calling for about $24 million in ex= penditures. The budget includes $34,000 in contingency funds. The budget represents an increase of $1.1 million, or 4.7 percent, over the 2005 budget of $22.9.million.- The largestportion of the-budgetis for public safety, totaling. $10.6 million for 2006 compared to just under $10 mil- lion in 2005. • General government totals $5.7 .mil- lion. with Public Works receiving $3.3 million and .parks and recreationbud- geted at $3.8 million. An additional $615,000 is budgeted for building main- tenance: Work on the budget began last spring as department heads met to iron out the beginning of the budget, said Eagan City Administrator Tom Hedges. The largest portion of the budget, as usual, goes to personnel costs, Hedges said. About 75 percent -of -the expendi- tu res are personnel related, he said. The city uses guidelines that take into consideration growth and cost of living increases in forming the budget, and looks at ways other -than taxes to raise revenue, Hedges said: "It's not an easy source and we look . at it as a very difficult source to raise," Hedges said. - "So, we challenge ourselves to find other ways to locate revenue." The city was required by state law to certify the proposed budget and proper- ty tax levy by .Sept. 15. While the levy' can still be decreased -before it's final ;> r approval in December, it cannot be in- creased. The city will conduct its annual Truth -in -Taxation hearing Monday, Dec. 5, with.a continuation•date if nec- essary to Monday, Dec. 12. _ In other business at the Sept. 6 meeting: T• he council announced that the city -is forming a committee to look at how Eagan can contribute to Hurricane Katrina -relief efforts along the Gulf Coast. Ken Southorn, who is a" former Eagan fire chief and also worked with the Eagan Police Department, will lead the effort, Mayor Pat Geagan said. _ "We want'it to be organized and put . together well," Geagan said. "We don't want anything we do to get in the way of other organizations.".. ,} 8A. Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SurnCurrent/Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 www:mnSun:com Davy Jones Band to headline Faithful Shepherd's Septemberfest event BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers • _ . Did you hear_ the one. about the priest and the musician who meet at an airport in Rome? The punchline? AMonkee is coining to Eagan,Sept. Davy- Jones of the. Monkees —will be headlining Faithful Shepherd Catholic School's Septemberfest Sept. 23-25 at the Eagan school, 3355 Columbia. ,Drive. This is .the second year for the event. - . The festival will feature food, games, carnival rides, more musical performances and an outdoor Mass featuring a Chris- tian rock band. - Three Dakota County Catholic parishes, St. John Neu - Rome airport. As he was wait- . ing, he noticed a man. in front of him who, with a group- of-niiisi- cians, . was • greeting every priest and nun Davy Jones .who walked by. - • "Given that it .• -was Rome, there were a lot," La- chowitzer said: "Every time one walked by the manwould say something like, `Hello father, thank you forbeing a priest' or 'Hello mother, have a nice day' in a heavy British accent.',' In a conversation with the man, Lachowitzertold him that he was also a •priest.. The two kept. talking while in line *and thought he would never hear from him again. "It was a celebrityencounter that I figured .nothing -would ...come of"it;",Lachowitzer said. However, a few months later he received. a thank you e-mail •from Clarke sayingthat the medals had been a big hit at his daughters' school. A while later;' he e-mailed Lachowitzer: again saying that the band -was play- ing a charity event for a Catholic school in Chicago and. wondered if St. John Neumann could use such a performance. • From there, the- volunteer committee putting together the Septemberfest event took over, • arranging for the Davy Jones Band to headline the event, - surpass that this year. playing at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. - . Howard said the plan is to ex- children to more adventurous thrill seekers; as well as carni- - vat games. "The •event was designed to ` combine the music, food, bever- ages and spirit.of the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis with the family -friendly festival atmosphere of the long -run- ning Nativity School carnival.... in St. Paul," said Brian Howard, -an Inver Grove Heights resident and a -member. of the school's board -of directors. "We really -Want to offer the suburban ver- sion .of the Basilica Block Party." Last:year's event drew 3,000 people over the course of two days and organizers hope to "T +n +L,%,+ i+ ,,n.,.7 +1,n n,.n,•,+ nnnL, .,nnr• nr, f] concert follow�n oor Catholic=Mass) 1p m 3 ere isnoadmission charge ttoenter the festivall IrondsTickets will �besol n site for rides food and bev-3 6A September 17, 2005 Mayor/from 1A Geagan, who has Parkin- son's disease, said he wants to focus on his family. "You always want to leave on a positive note;" he said. "I'm feeling pretty good, I've got some good years left and things to contribute, but at the same time, there are things my wife and I want to do." In announcing her candidacy so early, Fields said she was just confirming what the com- munity had already been buzz- ingabout. "It's been speculated, and I wanted to put it out there," she THISWEEK EG said. "You get it out there and you're done." Fields has been on the coun- cil for five years and served as acting mayor for three of those years. "I believe I have the leader- ship skills to lead the city," she said. "I feel I'm the best quali- fied for the job." With both of her sons away at college next year, she said, "I'm looking forward to serving Eagan in a different role" Fields said that if she is elected, she will focus on traffic congestion in northeast Eagan as well as airport noise issues and the completion of the Cedar "I've got some good years left and things to contribute, but at the same time, there are things my wife and 1 want to do." — Pat Geagan MAYOR OF EAGAN Grove redevelopment area. "I also want to be an activ- ist mayor within the region by pushing for better transporta- tion and more jobs," she said. Council Member Mike Ma- guire confirmed his intention to run for mayor, but made it clear that he has not yet announced his candidacy out of respect for Geagan. "He remains the mayor, and I remain a council member," he said. "If we start viewing coun- cil members as candidates in- stead of council members, then we're focusing on politics, not policy." Maguire said it is too early to force a campaign and politics on the voters of Eagan a year out, and he is not yet in cam- paign mode. Maguire, who was first elect- ed to the council in 2002, said he made the decision to run for mayor after speaking with Gea- gan and doing "a lot of think- ing about it." "I'm passionately commit- ted to public service," he said. "When I ran for city council, I ran on a platform of a change in tone in the way the council interacts with the city, the com- munity and each other." He and Geagan have served as catalysts for that change, he said. "One of my primary motiva- tions is to continue that kind of leadership and to continue the change in tone on the council," he said. Fields said she, too, played an important role in foster- ing a more positive dynamic among council members, and she doesn't believe the race will negatively impact the work of the council over the next year. "I've already sat down with Mike and (Council Member Meg Tilley) and talked," she said. "Everybody has known it and it hasn't really changed our whole demeanor." There is speculation that Til- ley may also throw her hat in the mayoral ring, but she has not yet confirmed or denied a possible bid. Tilley did not re- turn phone calls before this is- sue went to press. Maguire said he is "con- cerned, but optimistic" that the council can still work well to- gether over the next year. Maguire, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in March, will finish a six-month treatment of chemotherapy on Oct. 10. His prognosis is very good, he said, and his doctors have no concerns about him joining the race for mayor. "I'm very fortunate," he said. } "I'm very confident that I'm as cancer -free as the next person right now." Geagan said he believes his fellow council members when y they say that the race will not interfere with council business over the next year. "They're not new to poli- tics," he said. Erin Johnson is at eagan. thisweek@ecm-inc.com. 1 THISWEEK September 17, 2005 5A I Eagan mayor will step down; councilor to run By Shira Kantor Star Tribune StaffWriter Eagan Mayor Pat Geagan has announced that he will not seek reelection, and City Coun- cil Member Cyndee Fields said she will try to succeed him in, next year's election. Geagan said he made, the decision in part because of his health — he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a few years ago — and because he wants consider at least partial retire- ment. "I'm feeling good now," he said. "It's, something that I've been' thinking about. I would like to reevaluate where I'm at with my life." Two -term council member Fields. said she "just felt it was time forme to take a more lead- ing role in serving Eagan." She said the issues she would focus on as mayor are ones she has "really taken a' leadership role in anyway,' including air- Lportsnoise, redevelopment_in the Cedar Grove area, open space preservation and trans- portation: Eagan, Minnesota's eighth - largest city, with about 66,500 residents, has developed most of its available land. The city ranked No. 1 in suburban job growth in' the Twin Cities area from 2000 to 2004, adding 6,000 jobs. Fields said she made her de- cision at the urging of others af- Pat Geagen Cyndee Fields ter Geagan made his. Geagan will have served the city of Eagan for nearly 35 years by the end ofhis four-year term in December 2006. A"private in- vestigator, he was a police offi= cer for 30 years, including .10 as police chief. As mayor of a mostly built - out city, Geagan said he had been"surprised there were as many issues as there were. "But there's redevelopment, there's always things to do,". he said. , Eagan's mayor is elected at - large and is one of five members of the City Council. The mayor earns about $9,500 per .year; council members. .earn -about $6,880.. • "I think'the nature of the po- sition is one that it's hard to say'I started this and I saw it finished' unless you've been here forever," Geagan said. "But we've finished some things and we've started some others. I'm very pleased with the work we've done." Contact the Writer at 612-673-7275 or skantor@startribune.com. captain, "then someone else, then maybe 12 flights down he's captain again." -The number of flights the two shared increased incrementally, she said: "Pretty soon, he was always the cap- tain." The two, hid their relation- ship from :the airline, which did not approve of romance between flight attendants and captains. They. married in secret — in Olivia; Minn., where the couple figured printed notices of the ceremony would escape the eyes of Northwest employ- ees —; and wore their wedding rings around their necks. Yates worked for the airline until 1962, when she became pregnant .with 'Dorinda., "She quit just shy of five years," her daughter said. "She was very career o ashion illustration - "sort of a lost art," her daughter said. Yates had been an expert seamstress and a' clothing de- signer. : ' • A few,years ago, Yates recon- nected with an old boyfriend from when she was in her 20s. The two of them spent a lot of time together recently = going out to eat, to air shows, togar- den'shows. Yates would pho- tograph flowers at the -garden shows and give th'em to her friend to paint. "She was kind, generous, thoughtful," her daughter said. "She was a collector of friends." Survivors include her daugh- • ter, Dorinda, of Nantucket, Mass.: Burial was set for. this Sunday in Trumbull, Conn. • Shira Kantor p"ocu(d' Build rest II3I Imagine...Join...Build Help Build the Huber Park Community Playground October 4-9 Shakopee Volunteer Playground Committee:. Corky Mars 445-4228 and Dee Joos 445-2011 Anniversary Clearance Sale Eagan City Council sets goals for next two years City to look at standards for outdoor patio' seating GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS Long-term sustainability, both eco- nomically and environmentally, is the 0 • --;•- Visit MRSON;COM tof:Vid6Wrtioi"e;01-1ofos..--- P4' and:EagafPneWs'.0.pciatd&!c" . •••• , focus of the most recent goals laid out by the Eagan City Council. • The council presented its 2009-10 goals at its meeting Tuesday,.March 3. It is the council's practice to 'adopt goals every two years, after municipal elec- tions. The council established the goals dur- ing three. retreat sessions and used results from a 2008 community survey to - craft them.. The goals approved by the council are: COUNCIL: TO PAGE 18 18 Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current —Thursday, March 12, 2009 —www.mnSun.com Council FROM PAGE 1 - • Maintain the city's long-standing fiscally . prudent budgeting approach while pursuing greater levels of fiscal independence and self-reliance- in _long- •' term budgeting.. • Preserve• and expand Eagan's eco- nomic vitality by adopting land use and fiscal policies' that encourage mainte- nance and reinvestment in Eagan's resi- "'dential and commercial properties. • Ensure the. economic competitive- ness of Eagan's business and residential communities in the global marketplace • by . anticipating and addressing the evolving "infostructure" bandwidth, capacity and speed needs of Eagan's res- idents, businesses and employers. • Support public and. private initia- tives addressing the city's . changing. demographics, including lifestyle needs of the aging population. • Exemplify a broad -based and com- prehensive commitment to environmen- tal sustainability and energy efficiency by adopting conservation and •alterna- In the Community, With the Community, For the Community tive energy strategies pursuing the use of local, non-polluting, renewable and recycled resources, while encouraging residents and businesses to do likewise. • Strengthen the community through volunteerism and civic engagement. "I personally feel really strong about these goals, because. I feel this group did a nice job of thinning its focus and com- ing up with substantive, focused work direction," said Mayor Mike Maguire. In other council news: • The council has directed staff to examine standards for outdoor patio seating near residential areas. The ordinance would deal with noise issues and will come before the Planning Commission for a public hearing before • reaching the City Council. City staff will notify affected business. owners about the hearing. • Councilmember Meg Tilley announced she would resign- from the Minnesota - Valley Transit Authority board of directors. She said after eight years of service, she would like to give somebody else a chance' to serve on the board. Councilmember Gary Hansen was selected by the council to fill her seat as the city representative on the board. In the ('orntnutritx With the (.onlndnnMM ', Fin- the (mina uniiv www.nlnSun.com --"Thursday. March 12. 2009-Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current 17 YOGA/PILATES FUSION CLASS This excellent workout combines the best of Yoga and Hates mat work. It is a multilevel class designed to strengthen, lengthen and refresh the body. (Students must bring their own mats.) Mondays and Wednesdays 9:30 -10:30 am Ms Dance Studio - Eagan, MN www.dddance.com 1 1 1 1 * $12 drop -in; or $100/10 Classes * * Bring this Ad for One Free Class * (First time clients only.) Teacher has multiple certdications, including registry with the Yoga Alliance as an RYT at the 200hr level. For information call Ally 651-454-9249 1 J NMI Also Eagan to hold off on replac- ing leaky hockey floor at Eagan Civic Arena. Page 2 hinnesota.com tion 00. offit Fascia Eagan sticking by liquor license rules Discussion on setback requirements led to confusion GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS A discussion of setback require- ments for liquor stores set off a dizzy- ing flurry of conversation on liquor - related issues in Eagan. After three -and -a -half hours of dis- cussion at an Eagan City Council work session Tuesday, Feb. 10, the council WHITE DH REPLACEMENT WINDOW decided the city's laws regarding on - and off -sale liquor licenses are fine the way they are. The council had decided it would take a look at the setback requirements after removing restrictions in November on those requirements for COUNCIL: TO PAGE 23 2 MNSUN.C.J. NOW FEATURING STREAMING VIDEO t NEWS FROM YOUR COMMUNITIES 3850 West Highway 13 • Burn" i11e • 952.808.0754 Mia Are you being Poise Be Safe! cell, tour furnisrc iu Furnace Safe ACfRieTEO Bu SN:ESS 952-4 i`ru 1 your ler+d. Fomil,° 'mixed Harr CounciF . . • FROM PAGE 1 . • establishments that sell malt beverages with a 3.2 percent alcohol content. However, rumors around a new liquor, store,- to be operated by Cub Foods, opening in a strip Mall near its new grocery storeled some members of ',•,::the public to believe,. the,: council was changing the rule's. to accommodate the grocery store chain.' • s • The city confirmed that it. had received - communication • regarding a possible store in that location, however, no business has made an application yet: A . November change in setback requirements affected the sale of 3.2 bev- erages in the new Cub Store at the inter - Section of Diffley Road andLeXington Avenue. However, no change in city ordi- nante would be required should Cub or any other liquor store decide to locate in - the strip mall, which exceeds the 200-foot - setback reqUirenierit. from nearby Northview Elementary School. "It's my concern that those rumors have led to confusion," said Mayor Mike Maguire. Maguire also addressed accusations made by some members of the public that two $1,000 donations from Cub • Foods and accepted by the council at a Jan. 20 meeting were made in exchange . for a favor from the city. The donations benefited the fire and police depart- ments, he said.' "I think at the very least it is a reck- less suggestion • that these donations could or would have been given to the • city [in exchange] of a favor or a change of ordinance," said Maguire. "It's not uncommon in the least," said Maguire of the donations. "I was entire-. ly unaware of the contributions [until they were brought up in the media]. While they were appreciated, they sim- ply weren't noticed." • Donations of that size are commonly approved in the consent agenda portion of City Council meetings. Consent agenda • items are considered routine and multi- ple items are approved in one motion. Number -of stores While it wasn't on the agenda, the • council chose to discuss the Possibility of capping the number of liquor stores -in the city. Existing liquor store- owners have expressed concerns to the council. • Currently, the city has 17 liquor stores that serve a population of more then 67,000. • Kory Krause, who owns an MGM Liquor • Warehouse on Pilot Knob Road, said he had been asked by a number of 'liquor store owners.to speak on their_behalf - • . ",My understanding is that " support o.,support revisiting the cap issue said Krause . If; .P19,many1 stores moved into the cit;iKruansaidltores wouldnot be able:011:4the:quaritity of liquor Odes- sarVo. passsgon a.saYirigs to the customer • ;711e,4Moiei,Stores you add, people • aren't. going to 1be Able to buy * the deep. bilYs Tie said He also expressed the concern that a big -box retailer would drive otherstores out of business with. low prices only 'to . raise them later.- • • ••• • Since, 1994, Eagan has had no restric- tions on the number of liquor stores in .the city. The' coundil. revisited•the issue •in .2005. and decided to continue .a free- • market approach. Councilmembers Meg- Tiliey who was ah§ent.frohi'the.yeh 10 • meeting, 'Cyndee Fields and Maguire also sat on the council at that time. " . Current council members decided the free marketaPproach -is one they -would • ' • like to continue. - "I am confident that if:we, add anoth- er liquor store, the market -will tell us whatthenithiber *is that will succeed," said Maguire. - • Council members agreed that smaller stores could find a way to compete against bigger ones within the system. .. • "Peoplewho are looking for' harder - to -find items that Smaller stores are will- ing to order for them will gravitate to the smaller stores," said Bakken. • Setbacks unchanged. In November, the council elimiriated the 200-foot setback • from properties Such as schools, churches and day care centers, 'for locations such as grocery • stores andgas stations that sell 3.2 bey! ' erages. At that time, council members expressed interest in looking at the set., • back ordinance for all liquor outlets. • While some_ council members said the rules were antiquated, they agreed that community .sentiment may favor keeping . the restrictions and agreed they had no interest in changing the ordinance. They • also directed staff to include a question on the issue in the next community survey .',"AlthOugh we might not all agree that 200 feet is an appropriate separation, I see no compelling reason to change it," • said COuncilmember Gary Hansen. ' • As the Ordinance stands now, schools . • or. day-care centers could move next to a' liquor store, but a liquor store must obey the setbackif it is the one-moying in.: While the setback rules apply, the City • Council also reserves the right under city • ordinance to deny an applicant for any reaSdn4sees fit. A public hearing is also' .necessary with eachApplication. •_ • • • • - . • Have an4eidfOr the (alert:di:1r? Mail it fd SunCurrent Calendar • 10917 Valley.. -View Road, Eden prairie, MN 55344, fax it to 952-392-6868 ore -mail it to suncurrentsoi:ah@acnpapers.com. You can also visit rriSun.cptn • „-. to postyour listing to:_our new comprehensive online community Calendar . The newspaper cannot accept items for the Calendar over the phone. ••• ONLINE AT WWW.MNSUN.COM • © 2009 SUN NEWSPAPERS ...PAGE 24 T ;.41 •S Y . N • • i*A • ' r n .-• ,g 6 School Board .Oriental Favorites .Cooking Class g - , E-TV Studios Grand i '55+ Computer Lab 1 Opening g Where: Wescott Library, kota Ridge : Where: Dakota Hills ' Where: Thomson Reuters , .1340 Wescott Road, 29 144th St. • ; Middle School 4183• i' , . main entrance, 610Eagan Valley , 1:Braddock Trail, Eagan,: .,;.: 1..Cipperman Drive, Eagan . i When: 10:30 ash.-12:30 When: 6-9:30 ip.py ;••-•, i kWhen: 6-8 p.m.. I p.m. • . ' . n: distriot196.oi'g ,Price: $42- i.„;-; ;., _ft Information: f - Information: 651-688- . 1 Information. - •.::, www cityofeagan.corri . 1 1500 •,,-r .i.,.:•:.,/,,:c. . , • on to Swedish i district196, , • .— :it ... - .grg/cp. : , - , , • 1 • ,, ,f,. , ••• .- , :( Radon.InformatiOn; .,i.• i American Red Cross ;ott Highlands,. ; Storytime for,2s and,,ls.-1, 31. Session f'" 4;;;,;,:;-,- - Blood Donation . . loci, 14011 Pilot I Where: Wescott Library,,, ;., r.Where: Dakota tounW I Where: Glacier Hills I, Apple Valley -..1 1340.VVescgttlgad,:- T.,2 1, Administrative Center, . !.:. Elementary, 3825 Glacier , ) p.m. . ; ..Eagan ,- _.•-•.,..+,7,r;?. ;-,,,,,,.. 01 1590 Highway 55, t Drive,.Eagan . . . • i/adult, $22 .•.1 When::10:,10:1,:?0,a,rp:, 3; t Hastings ;:: . . I When: 2-7 p.m. adult i Information. 6'51-688, - --- ' When. 10 a m -2 p m 1 Information...1-800-448- :. ,I+ , • "... .•.; , •. • • ,• • •, n: . . ' 'I. 1500 . ; f ; : , .- - - + f ; : ''' Information: 952-891 3543 • - • - , — 5.org/ce . . st ;1;,-c .;--..; •., ,k_-; br 7552 " ' • * ! . : ".!•;.,i.: ti.--,- ..‘. I: 1 . 1 • Dature,,_ lavor of Latin music-. • will be in both Spanish and English, "But when they're really good, I offer it Schlueter said. - to them." • Guitarist Jeffrey Nap and soprano: Twenty .of the.orchestra's members Sarah Hogstroni,. both West St._ Paul , 'are also formers Students of Schlueter'. fiatives;will be featured in. the concert. Rehearsals for the upcoming concert Van will perform a Cuban guitar concer-• to and Hagstroh will sing:, Alberto Ginastera's "Cantos del tncurna_n The concert will .contain a• piece• by Spanish composer Albeniz; which will feature Six flamenco dancers •from the Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre: "It has all the little textures and twists that Spanish and Latin music have," Schlueter said. "It's just really delightful." Zorongo member Debra. Elias _Will choreograph and perfoirna ballet to the music of de Falla. -Iiere are 65 players-. in - the Mississippi Yalley Orchestra;who: will perform in the concert, including five Sibley High School students. , The orchestra isn't typically open to high school students.; Schlueter said,_ have made orchestra members excited about the music, he said. "The . musi- cians are serious .about what. they're playing, but they have a good time with it," he said. Eva Zorn with the Mississippi Valley Orchestra :said it's a chance to experi- ence the Latino community, both'in West . • St. Paul and the Twin Cities area. "We're _ trying to celebrate that," she said.. "It's • really ' an opportunity • to explorethe whole cultural experience." • . • "Homenaje al Latino a a concert of Spanish, Cuban, and :Mexican favorites, " is at .4 p:m. Sunday; Feb. 22, at Augustana Lutheran Chiirch; 1400 S. Robert St. in. • West St. Paul. It is sponsored by the .' Augustana Music Series at Augustana Lutheran Church, 651-457-3373. .* • • * • - PAGE A10 0 STAR TRIBUNE * THURSDAY, JANUARY 6 0 2000 A UIM G° L IftrOgilD Q� Eagan leaders, reside is wonder what's happened to politics there What's a citizen to think? " `Joe Average' is wondering what the heck is going on," said Susan Widmar, an Eagan resident who organized the open forum Wednesday night.at the library. "Going through people's trash, all these histrionics — it's un- seemly," she said. "If this is what we see, what's going on that we, don't see?" About 30 people responded to her call to meet. They agreed to meet again, on Jan. 31, and to summon like-minded citizens from throughout- the Dakota County suburb of more than 62,000 people. Margaret Schreiner com- plained about byzantine official procedures and stifled discussions at City Hall. "While it may notbe ill -intentioned, it gives the iinpres-. sion that there's a railroad oh the tracks," she said. "I love Eagan," another woman said. "This is a really nice city. But what I'm really getting disturbed about is how personal it's getting: the snide remarks. I just don't like the tone." Neither does Betty Bassett, who said that 'she's lived in Eagan for more than 30 years. "Before, the council members might not agree with you, but they were fair," she said. • "They lis- tened. People now are . being insulted if they try to be heard. "And I'm sick and tired of Ea- gan being the laughingstock of the area. There was a day when we had respect." Neither Awada nor Bakken at- tended the gathering. City Ad- ministrator Tom Hedges sent re- grets', citing a prior commitment. "I told her that if there's any- thing we can help with, providing information and so on,. we'd be glad to help," Hedges said. He can expect a bushel of que- ries soon, judging by the citizens' early strategizing: How do council meeting agendas work? Doesthe council operate under a code of ethics? How much is the council obligated to explain its actions, and who says whether those ' requirements are being met? "I know a lot of people are unhappy," Masin said toward the end of the 134-hour meeting. "But to have people come here to something like this and vocalize it — that's substantial. "And most of these are people I haven't seen before." Michael James Vincent, 34, was accused in December of sending the October letter in which Awada appeared to advise residents that she was considering a run for higher office in 2000. • Awada called the letter a fake, "made to be very, very believable." The first -term mayor said that it appeared to be an attempt to undermine her leadership. The'garbage collected by Coun- cil Member Bakken apparently pointed to Vincent, who had run unsuccessfully for the council in 1998 and sued the city in 1999 when he wasn't reappointed as -a parks commissioner. • Bakken, one of two people elected to the council in, 1998 from the eight -person field that included Vincent; gave police the trash he•took from Vincent's yard. According to the criminal com- plaint, police found latex gloves, empty envelope boxes and shred- ded documents that could be tied to the forged letter. Police later searched Vincent's home com- puter and found a letter nearly identical to• the forged one, the complaint said. Vincent'slawyer, Howard Bass, has said that the charges were "completely politically , mo- tivated," and he denied that his ' client was involved.. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said -Wednesday that Vincent's first court appearance is set for Jan. 24. • "While public officials have to be subject to criticism, you cross the line when you forge an offi- cial's name to an untrue docu- ment and attempt to expose that officialto• ridicule," Backstrom- said. "That's more than dirty poli- tics. That's a crime. "I have not seen a case like this before, and I hope I don't see one again. We need to beencouraging good people to seek office for the right reasons and not scaring them away. This' damages not only the individual who's targeted, but our society." The county attorney's .office' also investigated the anonymous cartoons but declined to charge anyone, citing the' artist's free - speech rights. But "I found [them] very dis- turbing," Backstrom said. In one cartoon, Council.Mem- ber Blomquist is talking about how. "City Hall and the Aliens are teaming up against me to assess my friends' streets, fluoridate the new pool, and STEAL MY BRAIN!!" Bakken is shown seated next to Blomquist, thinking: "I wonder if she would shut up if I stabbed her in the head with a pencil." Widmar, a sailing instructor, said that she has lived in Eagan for about eight years. She han't run for public office; she said. "I grew up in a small town where access to government was. supreme and involvement was assumed," she said. "This is un- comfortable, at least, for me. But it's the right thing to do. "I have breakfast at Hovie's, a little hole in the wall, and that's where you get the jokes about dumpster diving and other un- seemly appearances and activities. It's embarrassing." o.6193 P. 2/3 Apr•17. 2001 8:51AM THE WALLACE GROUP (U r �S[sC-.� r1�. S TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2001 EAGAN +City Council to consider eliminating primaries AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER o hold primaries or not to I hold primaries — that's the question in Eagan once again, Last year the council decided to start holding city council pri- maries and held one in Septem- ber. Now the two council members who ran in that primary want the city to talk about eliminating primaries. The council will discuss the matter tonight. Under the current city policy, a primary is held if more than two candidates run for each seat. Thenext council election will be in 2002.. Council Member Cyndee Fields said she wants to get rid of pri- maries because It increases the cost for candidates. The four res- idents who made it through the primary spent between about 84,400 and 88,500, according to financial reports submitted to the city. Council Member Meg Tilley also asked that the issue be placed on the council's agenda. Tilley said she has mixed feel- ings about primaries. She dislikes IF YOU Go ■ what: Eagan City Council will discuss tonight whether or not to hold primaries ■ when: 6:30 p.m. ■ where: City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob Road the increased cost for candidates,' but having several candidates square off in one election makes it difficult for voters to get to know all of them. The challenge for voters learn- ing about all those candidates was the reason Council Member Peggy Carlson cited last year when she advocated for the addi- tion of primaries. After the pri- mary, voters have fewer candi- dates to learn about, she explained. But Carlson said she is open to discussing the issue again. Last year, Mayor Pat Awada and Council Member Paul Bakken also supported having a primary. Awada and Bakken said they don't have strong feelings about the issue, although Awada said she is' leaning toward keep- ing primaries. The majority of Minnesota cities do not hold city council primaries because they aren't large enough and don't have a high number of candidates run- ning, according to James Monge, a research attorney with the League of Minnesota Cities. Among cities with populations similar to Eagan, Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids hold primaries while Plymouth and Burnsville do not. Amy Sharman can be reached at ashermanaploneerpreee.com or (651) 228-2174'. DAK',OTA COUNTY BRIEFING LAKEVILLE Boy remains In critical condi- tion: A boy struck while walking across 175th Street and Java court in Lakeville remained in critical condition Monday at Hennepin County Medical Center. A vehicle driven by a juvenile struck the boy just before 5 p.m, Friday. He was airlifted to Hen- nepin County Medical Center, Dames of the boy and driver have not been released. Gary Griffin, who lives on 6514523504 The project has- drawn vocal opponents — .including some business owners in the area who petitioned the council when they first approved the project in August 1999, Most concerns have centered on the project's financ- ing, not environmental issues. Council Member Charlie Crichton voted against the pro- ject then, citing the city's portion of the $100 million total price tag, then estimated at more than $14.8 million. Since then, the Metropolitan Council has award- _> CITY OF EAGAN LOCAL NEWS South St. Paul seal City seeks balance of business, recreation NATALIE Y. MOORE STAFF WRITER Cresting a healthy mix of business, industry and recreation off the Mis- sissippi River's shores is the next rede- velopment project for South St. Paul, And city officials are asking for pub- lic input. The river town seeks ecological stabil- ity on 40 acres of land south of the Wakota Bridge. In the 1970s, a sewage treatment plant left the quadrant, which now may be ripe for recreation activity. Whatever is built on the river's banks, South St. Paul officials said, the idea is toconform to the natural surroundings. "We're looking at any sort of redevel- opment plan . . a nice balance between river-c making sure Ile ments are se design," said Cit South St. Pau: creating its urba the river, railrc So far, resident the efforts and 1 urban nature or Business Park al The new initi Bridge must be rain, Goff said, portion of the sewage site was remain. Some cleaned but mop developable con( Potential de parks, more tr ballfields. The Cdidgl AiriiEe{f1,r0, t '�Cal11E'T= gfi± • ryas m l•'jE4iliW! , IIILIp a eo;)644 4i'xr .a; t;;Aiik1rdfrfPJfa1,'rlrbt144 Ci4111.1, i 4' Renovation at Pike Lake .Elementary School In New Brightoi is bigger than the old room. Above are Principal BIII Book si At Pike Lake school ,TEL=6516814612 04/17'01 09:41 Background checks for appointees debated (4/26/2000) Page 1 of 3 <ADVERTISEMENT> Wish you cotiWW spend ode gtta(t y +i C Wt+h +he Ids$, }. LAKE Lonci, LLO;S .PAGES CARS COM ER At • !1'OMESIRENTOaSi STORY OPTIONS ▪ E-mail to a friend ▪ Print this article 9 PioneerPlanet: front 9 News Business 9 Sports 9 Entertainment/Just Go 9 Living Tech 9 Water Cooler 7 Special Reports 9 Classified Ads Site index Published: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 EAGAN Background checks for appointees debated Council seems to be split over the issue AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER Some members of the Eagan City Council want to explore whether the city should do background checks on commission applicants. Council Member Peggy Carlson, who proposed the idea, said she isn't certain exactly what the checks would entail, but they should include criminal records. Carlson said she. would want to make sure the checks are legal first. Applicants for the planning, parks and other commissions would be asked to consent to the checks of public records, she said. The process would allow the council to be confident about commissioners' character, Carlson said. "There are certain safeguards we can take legally and ethically to protect our city's reputation and its people," she said. More extensive interviews are also needed, Carlson said. The topic is not scheduled for any meeting, but could come up in the next few months. Mayor Pat Awada and Council Member Paul Bakken said they are open to discussing the idea while council members Bea Blomquist and Sandy Masin are adamantly against it. "These people are not working with children. They're not in a position where they can exploit people," Blomquist said. "When you are putting them on a park board or park commission where their biggest decision is going to be what color to paint the swing set, you don't go dirt digging." Volunteers in contact with children and vulnerable adults often undergo criminal background checks, as do some public and private sector employees. But a check of 10 cities in Dakota .../000064.htm&NS-query=Eagan&NS-search-type=NS-BOOLEAN-QUERY&NS-collection 4/28/2000 Background checks for appointees debated (4/26/2000) Page 2 of 3 County turned up no community that does such a check for people applying to be on commissions. The commissions, made up mostly of residents, advise the City Council on zoning and economic development, among other areas. The council appoints the volunteers in January after reviewing their applications and conducting interviews. This year 27 people applied for 22 spots. The debate comes on the heels of a lawsuit. Michael Vincent, a former parks commissioner, sued the city, Awada, Bakken and Carlson for allegedly violating the Open Meeting and other laws in connection with the officials obtaining a private investigator's report about him. The report included civil judgments and other information about Vincent, but no criminal convictions. A woman who sued Vincent in an unrelated case had the report compiled. The officials did not support Vincent's commission reappointment. The case was dismissed out of court and settled with the city last week. The League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust agreed to pay $12,000 for Vincent's attorney's fees on behalf of the city. Vincent declared victory, but the defendants were equally adamant that they broke no laws and that the settlement was just to reduce costs to the city. The bill for the defendants' lawyers has totaled $78,245 so far; the city's deductible will cover $25,000 while the rest will be paid through insurance. Additionally, Eagan will pay its city attorney $6,220. Blomquist and Masin, who both supported Vincent's reappointment, have criticized the officials sharing the report. Carlson said she brought up the idea of a more thorough commission appointment process last fall, but then dropped it when Vincent sued. City Council members and candidates should undergo the same check, she said. Under state law, convicted felons can't run for office until they have completed their sentences, including probation. Awada said she would probably support checks, although she wants to see what other cities do. "I certainly don't want someone with certain criminal backgrounds becoming a public official," she said. "Although these folks are volunteers, they do represent the city," Bakken said. "You want the process of governing to be as clean and ethical as possible." Residents may be turned off from applying if it means undergoing a check, Masin said. "Why would you want to subject yourself to a background check just to do a volunteer service?" .../000064.htm&NS-query=Eagan&NS-search-type=NS-BOOLEAN-QUERY&NS-collection 4/28/2000 Background checks for appointees debated (4/26/2000) Page 3 of 3 i% Help News Archives Feedback Instead, Masin would like to make the commissions more diverse. Although Masin said she sees citizens from a variety of cultures in the community, that diversity isn't reflected on commissions. Amy Sherman, who covers Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount, can Back to Top be reached at asherman@pioneerpress.com or (651) 228-2174. 200o PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press - All Rights Reserved copyright information .../000064.htm&NS-query=Eagan&NS-search-type=NS-BOOLEAN-QUERY&NS-collection 4/28/2000 MN'SUN - News Page 1 of 3 !Select a Town Coca -Meiji t' Local°News Community Education Calendar Opinion Public. Safety Seniors dbituaries Legals Election News Local ' o Sports News Sports Briefs Events/Scores: Home Page `Archive , Business News Classifieds Finance Calc Horoscope Market- Place, Net Directory NUtrition Calc • Weather Contact Us How to Advertise Jobs At Sun Local Forecast Thursday, Jar Click Here New Eagan Council members both dreamed of teaching By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers (Created 1/10/01 8:47:21 AM) Two women who dreamed of becoming teachers growing up, one born and raised in Minnesota and the other a California native, joined the Eagan City Council this month. They were sworn into office Tuesday, Jan. 2. Meg Tilley, 52, was born and raised in Bloomington and came to Eagan more than 25 years ago just as it was becoming a city. "We came here because we bought five acres here," Tilley said. "I had never heard of Eagan until we bought that land." Cyndee Fields, 39, was born in Berkley, Calif., and grew up in San Jose, Calif. However, when she was a junior in high school, her family moved to Minnesota. "We never forgave him for that," Fields joked. "I don't like the snow at all. I don't mind the cold, but I've never liked the snow." Both women are united through winning a seat on the Eagan City Council in November. They replace outgoing Councilmembers Bea Blomquist, who occur Color Black 1 Ciiglcl Rt the Pr http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city—Eagan&story=5 8610 1/11/01 MNSUN - News Page 2 of 3 TS•ecial Sections-:; NET DIRECTory dift Guide 2000 Excel Christmas Education Excel! 1Seareh TFie =Web= People Search Business Search Yellow Pages Powered by: -YAHOO aeciinea to run ror re-eiecuon, ana anay iviasin, wno was aereateo in the September Primary Election. Tilley majored in education at Mankato State University, where she received both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She taught for six years in the Rosemount -Apple Valley -Eagan School District before going to work for Control Data Corp. She now works as a strategic implementation manager for Minnesota's Department of Transportation. "My goal was always to be a teacher and even today most things I do have an aspect of that in it," Tilley said. Fields set off to become a teacher but decided along the way she could do more by helping out teachers. She had intended to teach in California, but found the education system in the state lacking. "I decided the best thing to do was to help teachers here and be involved in the schools in any way I can," Fields said. "With my two sons in school, that's exactly what I did. I want to give that extra help to teachers because they are so busy and need the help. This is where I belong." Fields came to Eagan about eight years ago from Crystal, a northern suburb of Hennepin County. At that time she worked in Minnetonka and her husband, Leonard, worked in River Falls, Wis., and she was disappointed with the school district in her area. As they looked for a new place to live, Fields began researching Eagan and its school district and found it to be exactly what she was looking for. "We wanted to be in some place where we liked our community and felt like we belonged," Fields said. "Eagan seemed like the perfect fit." Fields now works as a session -only receptionist at the Minnesota House of Representatives. The two new council members came into politics in two different ways. A member of the city's Advisory Planning Commission, Tilley has been involved in politics since she arrived in Eagan, both at the local and state level. However, most of her work was behind the scenes until she decided to run for mayor in 1998, when current Mayor Pat Awada was elected. Fields' move into politics came much more slowly. As she worked more and more with children in the community, she decided she could make a difference in Eagan by running for office. She started out by running for District 196 Board of Education in 1999. Rather than let her defeat slow her down, she decided to run for City Council in 2000. "I certainly never thought this was where I was going to end up," Fields said. I just thought I am an average resident who people can approach and I am very involved. I thought this was something I could do and make a difference." Both new councilmembers think they will have a good working relationship with Awada and Councilmembers Paul Bakken and Peggy Carlson. "It's exciting," Tilley said. "We have a very good rapport and I think we are going to do some good things." Tilley said she enjoys riding horses and playing sports in her spare time. She http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city—Eagan&story=58610 1/11/01 MNSUN - News Page 3 of 3 also enjoys traveling when she gets the opportunity. Fields said she doesn't really have a hobby but spends most of her spare time working with youth and youth athletics in the community. She said her friends would describe her as "outgoing and energetic." "That's just the way I am," Fields said. "I am always full of energy and always enthusiastic." Tilley described herself as an enthusiastic hard worker who is always positive and open to all possibilities. "I'm here to listen to residents' concerns and make decisions based on facts to do what is best for them," Tilley said. "I think you are going to see us do a lot of good things. There are going to be challenges as there is with any new group but I am sure we will produce some very positive things." Fields stressed that during her time on the council she will have an open-door policy. "I don't want anybody to hesitate to call me on anything," she said. "I love to talk to people and when I go out now people recognize me and it takes twice as long as before to go out shopping. I will always listen to the residents and do my best for them." http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city=Eagan&story=58610 1 / 11 /01 ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS I WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2005 WWW.TW1NCITIES.COM DAKOTA COUNTY ALLEY BURNSVILLE EAGAN FARMINGTON HASTINGS INVER GROVE HEIGHTS LAKEVILLE MENDOTA HEIGHTS ROSEMOUNT SOUTH ST. PAUL WEST ST. PAUL ALLS TO FOCAL POLICE, COMMUNITY EVENTS, HAPPENINGS IN BUSINESS 2B EAGAN Oversize house approved Paralyzed woman wins variance to build special -needs home BY MEGGEN LINDSAY Pioneer Press In an anticipated compro- mise, the Eagan City Council last week gave Theresa and Tom Mitsch the go-ahead to build their large, handicapped - accessible home in Eagan — but with scaled -back dimensions. The Mitsches and the City Council have been at odds since the council in February refused to grant a size exception for the construction of a new house. The couple planned to build the new home because a 2003 motorcycle accident left There- sa Mitsch in a wheelchair and unable to remain in their two- story Inver Grove Heights house. But under Eagan's city code, the Mitsches' planned 3,521- square-foot house was too big: Its "footprint" spanned 22.6 percent of their 15,550-square- foot lot, and the city allows cov- erage of only 20 percent. The City Council wanted the house to be smaller; the Mitsches wanted it bigger. With some reluctance on both sides, they split the difference. The Mitsches shaved off 214 square feet from their original request, and on March 1, the council voted 5-0 to approve a 1.2 percent variance to the city code. VARIANCE APPROVED, 2B +2B D WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2005 -Mff t. s..;,c,:. ' ,EVE N T S LINTY EDITOR MARIA REEVE 651-228-5562 IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD will teach members about proper running form and ovide tips,on,how to • prove,speed and distance. st is $15 per person for mbers•of the community ter and $40 for:, nmembers. To learn more, 1651-675-5550. • LAKEVILLE. W exhibit: The mobile torical exhibit "Behind • rbed Wire: Midwest POWs in zi Germany." makes several ps in Dakota County this nth: Housed in a•converted ool bus, the "BUS-eum". ibit explores the eriences of Midwestern Ws through narrative texts, Itimedia presentations and torical objects. The hibition's'next stop is from 2 itana • packets are available at the library's front desk,orcall 651- 554-3240. WEST ST. PAUL Pancake breakfast:•The Dodge Nature.Center,will hold • its annual pancake breakfast March 19 in its Farm Education ' Building at1701 W: Charlton , St. On the menu will be pancakes with pure maple syrup, sausages, fresh fruit, orange juice,; milk and. coffee., After breakfast, a naturalist will lead a short hike to show the process of • maple sap collection and syrup . production. The event is free for nature center members and volunteers. Otherwise, cost is $4 for ages 12 and older, $2 for ages 3-11 and free for ages 2 and younger. Call 651 45S-4S/1 tn.racarva a cpatinn. ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS WWW.TWINCIT COMMERCE HAPPENINGS IN BUSINESS ,Grant: The Heritage Library in Lakeville recently received a $2,000 grant from the Lakeville Super Target Store. The grant will support the library's Read - to -Me program, aimed at helping young children become independent readers. For more information. about Heritage Library, visit . www.co.dakota.mn.us/library or call 651-365-3232. Issues breakfast: The Northern Dakota County Chambers of Commerce holds its Eggs and Issues Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Friday at -the Mendakota County Club, 2075 Mendakota Drive, in Mendota Heights. During the event, state a legislators will discuss issues affecting the business K community, and Bill. Blazar, 6 senior vice president of the Minnesota Chamber of ' C ,Commerce,is also scheduled to 4 speak. To learn more, contact Dorrine Busta at 651-452-9872 or dbusta@ndccharnbers.com. Career fair: Business owners with employment opportunities for students can participate in the District 196'Student Job and Career Fair held March 17 at the Rosemount Community Center. There is a $25 registration fee DAKOTA COUNTY DISTRICT COU Man sentenced for puttin 4 CONTINUED FRON PAGE1B CORY RYAN, PIONEER PRESS FILE PHOTO Theresa Mitsch, left, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2003 motorcycle accident, plays with her son Nate, 5, recently. The Mitsches won a variance from the Eagan City Council enabling them to build a handicapped -accessible house with a larger footprint than city law allows. Variance approved (continued) "As I look at this, 1 don't know what a hardship is, but I know it when I see it," Council Member Mike Maguire said. Maguire thanked the Mitsches for their "good -faith — effort" to work with the council. But the couple wasn't at the meeting. Only their builders, Rosemount -based Mittelstaedt Brothers Construction, attended. Upset with how they feel Finally... easy, fun Company Picnics Reunions Team Building Enjoy all din, and more( • Bumper Boats • Pontoon Cruises • Softball • Pony Rides • Water Wars • Hoopla Basketball • Inflatables • Volleyball • Hay Rides • Bungee Run • Paddle Boats • Bicycle Surreys Plus, a tasty all--gnu-can-eat meal e Great Day44, ,17Farm and Day Resort Get Your Free Info Packet: Phone (952) 758-5253 www.cedarlakefarm.com they were treated in February, the Mitsches chose to stay home and watch the decision unfold on television. And they still believe they were led astray in the city's variance process. Although the couple always has agreed that their house — expected to cost upward of $680,000 — was large by any standard, they said they need the extra room for Theresa's wheelchair. And after spending weeks working with city planning offi- cials, they said they expected the City Council in February to grant them the full space vari- ance and let them build. "And I am still disappoint- ed," Theresa Mitsch said. "We hoped they would maybe allow us to go back to the original size. But at least now we can start to build." The City Council attributed its initial reluctance in approv- ing the variance to not wanting to set a precedent for others building new homes. But the Mitsches disputed that rationale, doubting that many handicapped residents come before the council. They also said the city's vari- ance process is arbitrary, because although the City Council is reluctant to approve exceptions for homeowners building on vacant land, it often approves expansions of existing homes. Now that the Mitsches have pared down the square footage, Council Member Peggy Carlson, who previously spoke against their variance, said she feels comfortable supporting it because everything left in the house, including the garage, needs to stay the size it is for Theresa Mitsch's needs. "I needed a reason to say yes to this and no to other (requests)," she said. Meggen Lindsay can be reached at mlindsay@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5260. C7r :':!racINP.PcPcPcfiPLPc!<•PcMErcalrJelt73: P0011P.101E PP r r..rr?IEW013.fr r.P.ftcPrL ERIPPTOMEIMO MEN : CI 5 The 2005 Golf Season is •ust around the corner! 1 Memberships available for a low as $479! 5 BOTHER � • • Cart and Range Passes also "'��1� available in 2005 -- .HILLS,y, ,„ . '- • Payment Plans available • 14-day advance tee times 5 GolfClub with membership 5 Please call 651-463-4653 for more information or check us out at 5 www.southernhflsgolfcoutse.com 5 Mention this ad when purchasing a 2005 membership and recetre a free Southern Hills bat) tr r 18950 Chippendale Avenue (MN Hwy. 3) • Farmington, MN 651-463-465-3 F. Conveniently Located on Hwy _3 Between Rosemount and Farmington o rrJP'rJc1- Lror rareraartreri re rsrserstere. areros remtirrattlJ arertt tePLPrlLIPPEPEPLimmi t seelr4ir e1rJ'ScPzit in the Army. Project manager Connie Massengale said that Laabs takes pride in his work and that after a long day of driving, it is not unusual to see him sweeping and cleaning the bus for the next person slated to drive. • William Ritenour of Metro Transit, a graduate of Southwest High School. Before he drove a bus, Ritenour was a subcontractor who worked on remodeling projects. "Bill has been a stellar performer," said Jerry Gudim, project manager for Metro Transit. "His safety and customer service records are excellent and customers have provided numerous commendations." — Meggen Lindsay DAKOTA COUNTY Parents' health seminar scheduled With growing numbers of children suffering from asthma, childhood cancers such as leukemia and learning disabilities, Dakota County is encouraging parents to learn more about ways to safeguard their children's health. The county's Environment and Outdoor Education Program is hosting the class "Protect Children from Health Risks" from 7 to 9 p.m. March 17 at the visitor center in the Lebanon Hills Park in Eagan. Janelle Sorensep, outreach coordinator for the Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education (EAGLE), will lead the program. To register, visit www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks, or call 651-438-4636. — Frederick Melo After more than four decades, Blessed Sacrament school needs at least 50 new students to stay open. BY JOHN WELBES Pioneer Press Robin Kleinendorst remembers that when she was a student at Blessed Sacrament elementary school 30 years ago, there were two classrooms full of students for each grade. Back then, enrollment topped 400 in grades one through eight, reflecting the young families that had settled in the area, said Kleinendorst, now the school librarian and parent of an eighth -grader. "This was the Woodbury back then." Today, the school serves about 100 stu- dents in preschool through eighth grade. The Catholic school on St. Paul's East Side is in the midst of major efforts to boost fund raising and add students by appealing to ethnic communities in the neighborhood. Without those changes, parishioners have bee might have to close a school year, ending 88 ye "To make the school have another 50 stud( Conners, who is on the trustees and its finance don't get help, our future Kleinendorst and Sacrament families witt Note to aquarium: Minnesotans c Afterreading a couple of stories about theGreat Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, I placed an urgent call to a kid I used to have who recently went to Duluth with one of her pals. "Did you go to the aquarium when you went to Duluth?" "The what?" "Never mind." I didn't think she would have gone to the Duluth aquarium or any aquarium for that matter, but I had to check. Although we have been an animal house over the years, with dogs, we have never been a fish tank house. Maybe once, long IN THE TWIN CITIES JOE SOUCHERAY ST. PAUL Police officers to honor four fallen Mounties, 3B ago, there was a goldfish in a by there was, that baby saw the dr about two weeks. According to news reports, t Lakes Aquarium continues to face strife, if not ruin. Apparently, the never turned a buck and now nee diate infusions of public cash or close. Millions of dollars are tosse in these stories and almost as mr to keep the place afloat. It must have sounded like a years ago when somebody prop' aquarium for Duluth. They built a new building rig PRESTON, MINN. Wheels come off plant proposal, 6B lot Mayor/From 1 A "We need to kind of figure out where we're all at and what are the issues that are important to us," he said. "And I know we all have something different." Geagan said he didn't realize how important the green space issue is to residents until he began" knocking on doors. 1 "That's . really important to folks," he said. "We, have to fig- ure out where we're' at, what we have available, what's likely to be available in the future, and if it is available, how do you pay for it?" . He -also -said he would like to bring some of Eagan's large cor- porations together and meet with them a few times a year as a "mayor's task force" "Business is so important to this community and we have a great tax base, and we'd like to listen to those folks so we all try to get on the same page," he said. Geagan said he knows every- body on the new council and thinks it's a good group of peo- ple. "I think we have the basis for a good council," he said. "I want to be inclusive, not exclusive. And I don't see why that can't happen. I think you can disagree and get things done and you don't have to be angry at one another while you're doing it." He said he's really looking forward to working again with Eagan city staff, which he consid- ers one of the best. "It's just nice to be back. I. missed it," he said. "I didn't real- ize how much, really, until driv- ing up here (to City Hall) this morning." Eagan voters also elected two City Council members, choosing to re-elect ' incumbent Peggy' Carlson and adding some new blood to the' council with Mike. Maguire. Carlson and Maguire defeated candidates Duey Bendt and Gregory Wilken Tuesday. Carlson received 14,272 votes; Maguire received 12,069 Peggy Carlson votes; Wilken received 9,216. votes; and Bendt received 6,809 votes. Carlson, • a small business owner and life-long Eagan resi- dent, said she's really excited to have been re-elected. "It was a fun campaign. It was a really pleasurable campaign," she said. "The citizens were so much fun. So much positive feed- back came from the citizens on how we're doing." She said that although the cur- rent council members are a very close group, she has high hopes for the next group, as well. "I think anyy council can be a tight -knit group as long as you respect each other's viewsand. stay with the standing policy that this council has, and that is to agree to disagree, without retalia-- tion," she- said. "There's nothing. wrong with disagreeing with each other; it's how you handle the dis- agreement." Carlson said she and Maguire have distinctly different political_ philosophies, but that is an advan- tage. "That's_ good to have on a council," she said: "You don't want to have a boringcouncil, do ... you?" Maguire, a senior project con- sultant for the Minnesota Department of Health, said be- thinks the council will be able to work for the best interests of Eagan citizens. . Mike. Maguire "I think whenever- the voters put people on the council, we're all required to respond to that and`;. to work together and I think we'll':' be able to do that," he said. . He said he is pleased with and-.. "humbled" by the results of he'.- election and he credits his success in part to a great corps of volun- teers. "We had a good group of vol_ ;r unteers out who were listening io the message we had about chang- ing the tone of Eagan city gov- emment and I think that was heard," he said. "That's One of the things I'm excited about moving forward on." Maguire said he'"s looking ward to taking more input from citizens' than the Council' has -in the past..: "I've talked on a number of occasions and :on a -number of issues where I think- the .citizens ` and various neighborhoods • El of wi AE re' fic njoy 50°/ .'u T ►1'D - zoo 2 o 711.1 !r. t agan City, (ouncr u' °BelecioWon but only' one seat is 1 ;contested i Bruce `;Buzz" son and Gary' :vying toB1b� p left .sby 'th of Pegg seat will carry a two; year ,the 1=20 acre `former golf_ term.., course for. $I0.25'million: Two other council .Should the referendum: members Cyndee -Fields have been putNon the ;hal and" MegwTilley are ' lot, and do you support it?' for .re election; but are Why or whynot? unopposed in their bids, 4." What, other issues' to renew; their four-year`• would you like to: address terms. if elected? ::Thisweek' "Newspapers The .candi sates' re- sent a questionnaire to sponses are ;printed be Anderson . and Hansen low.` • e for yo Vhat are the -most important issues facmgh Eagan ,and how would you Ander address ihem? ' h Hansen are 3 ".The" Carnage Hills an o p err seat referegdum + on Novemher e resignation °:ballots:. will"'ask' voters if arlson That the city _should purchase' t e ccu anon xec u ive , 4sotarReta ami` See b n ..33t on ,t„ y N . r3e ln,rrc,tiYki,y}r fit'. neapolisi Qualifica 1r1" bons I haves ' w',K been an ac' J"•"` ti* ` citizen Gary re:presen , Hansen tative leader oil city arid county., advisory commissions over; the past'several years and -a volunteer leader in'nume' ous`civic ;and professional''r organizations including chairman; : Eagan Plan- ning Commission;' for`mer.,: member, Eagan Waste - Reduction and Recycling: Commission; member=:and immediate past chairman, Dakota. ; County Plan snm a�C.onunission ':forme t:;. #membe Dakota oun�tyr. NSolid4Waste�iMaliageinent `Com uttee;memberk'®a" civ,evCount ,e4grngInrtra tive:Advisor4y Committee; champaii;��Y T taS�tate „„illneso `it n*asgr aw, tn ssociation(MSB tithltura w. ectiCSh��pastOchair � v nvironme, car en 5 vaturalDResources-. ectton, ��rmember rSee Hansen; GRAM BOELTER::SUN NEWSPAPERS A few more slots may open for Eagan residents' looking to; give direct': advice to the city% leader's` = particu- larly on energy and environmental issues. . The City Council discussed adding two new advisory groups or task forces =. one focusedon civic engage-. ment.and the other on energy and the environment. With a tight city budg- et, council members chose to pursue only the latter. Although advisory commissions aren't allowed to spend city money, staff time is needed to provide infor- mation and guidance to commission members. The city currently has three standing commission to which members from the public are appoint- ed by the council for planning, parks and airport relations. "There's some in-house juggling," said City Administrator Hedges.. "I think it's more appropriation of time than anything else." Council members voiced support 'of'both;;co`mmissions as they fit with ;..goals the ;council set for the 2009 10 " bieriniiim,'but agreed an energy and "environment commission: was a more pressing issue for the city in the com ing months: The city could advertise for appointments to the commission as early as next spring. "If the numbers come back on it and in seems doable, I think we should do it next spring," said Mayor Mike Maguire. "This is an opportuni- ty to engage our citizens more and get more an advisory. opinion." Councilmembers Paul Bakken and CyndeeFields said they supported the idea of the commission, but want- ed to be sure there was money and staff time available. "I support both of these concepts, but given in the current budgetary climate we've been agonizing over pretty small expenditures, I'm won- dering if the timingisn't more of a let's continue to look at this, but don't implement it right now," said Bakken. Given' that the• 'city -should expect toappoint, residents "who .would;: be interested in a:highlevel of participa- tion,. Bakken said -the city: should: be sure it has that capacity. . "We wouldn't want to set these commissions and task forces up . unless we wanted them to be very. , active."'he said. Hedges agreed. "We don't want to build anticipa- tion and get people excited and then not have the staff time," he said. Instead of a permanent commis- sion for civic engagement, the coun- cil gave city staff direction to come with a proposal for a task force on the issue. The task force would have a finite time frame to offer suggestions for increasing civic engagement with- in the city. - A group of seven people. serving as a volunteer corps for the city is, in my mind, not really possible," said Maguire. "I just think there's a lot more work to be done on this one and it might be better done in a task force format." `1 w,Q-- 8-u -2,1Z `D2 Candidate forum will: be held prior to Eagan City Council primary election A public forum for. City Council and mayoral candidates will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, -Aug. 28 in the Eagan City Council chambers. Candidates will make open- ing statements .followed by audience, questions. The forum is sponsored ,by. the Education Fund of the -League 'of Women Voters of Northern Dakota County Area as a service to vot- ers prior tothe Sept. 10 primary election. The two candidates for mayor and four candidates for , I f CityCouncilwho receive the highes': voter: fotals 'will :have their names!placedon the Nov. 5 general election ballot. Four `candidates . have filed for mayor and_:eight have filed for two open seats on the City Council. Mayoral candidates include Elaine Eyre, Pat Geagan, Gary : Huusko and Kenneth West Jr. Candidates for City Council include Duey Bendt, incumbent Peggy Carlson, Margo Danner, Rob Kane, Alice :Kreitz, Mike Maguire, Ron Miller and Greg Wilken. The forum will be broadcast live by Burnsville/Eagan replayed several times prior to the election. For more information, call Karen at (651) 454-2631. Council' debates permits for new -billboards, city ordinance requirements By. Jodi L. Wallin Sun Newspapers Reading on your morning commute down Highway 13 will soon become more difficult. . Billboards will be moved' from resi= dential areas in Eagan to Interstate 494, west of Pilot Knob Road, in a deal the city has struck with Eller Media Co. The Eagan City Council allowed the com- pany a variance to put . a sign on a 67-acre parcel and another, on an adjacent piece of property which is 1.2 acres, provided that Eller Media Co. remove signs along Silver Bell Road and Highway 13, and Robert Trail. The council approved the variance and conditional use pernuts for the new bill- boards on5-0`and"44 votes, despite con- flicts with current city codes "If we incorporate this, we are defeat- ing the purpose of the [sign] °ordinance," said Councilmember Sandra; Masin, speaking as the sole opposing ;vote against the billboard on the 67-acre plot: City ordinance states that billboards ad- vertising something that is not on the prop- erty (off -site billboards) can be placed only on land that has been zoned for business'er industrial use. The land on which',Eller Media wishesto place the offsite signs is zoned as public facility. Both the 67=acre' and 1.2-acre parcels are ,on Lost;Spurgolf course property owned by Osmand Proper- ties. For practical purposes, the landis'used as commercial property, according to"a re port by the Advisory Planning Commission The. Planning Commission recom mended approval for' the billboard on the. 67-acre property. and Voted :to recom- mend denial for the sign on the 1 2 acre, parcel because it would require a vari= ance to allow a distance of 1;250 feet. be tween signs as opposed to the 1,500 feet currently required in cityordinance. The commission report stated 'that. Eller. Media did' not demonstratea convincing' need for a hardship exception; 'which' is required for a variance approval COUNCIL: To Page 9A From_ Page .8A The commission recommended>to the; council that .if the 'sign requests are ap - proved,' -the conflict with -the city's ordi nance should be acknowledged Land must be platted before a, C can begranted'. to,erect the new.signs City ordinance states that no more than. one sign can exist oii,each:plattedparcel However ::the golf course property is unplattedrand already has a sign; • Once the golf course land is plattec placing an additional sign on the.premis es would be in violationof city ordinance The council stipulated- that the land must be platted tocomply: with,the CUP-'' requirements. The lease for the billboard along,High way 13 and Silver Bell Road::will :expire ' :... in 2003, regardless °ofEller's request=to, .. . move the signs to a. new,locatior.;:,: "I' don't really have much of a problem,: transferring the: signs to : a more mar._. ketable_location,":said Councilinember . Paul Bakken. In arguing for.the billboards, Michael Cronin, speaking for Eller- Media, told the council that the new: billboardwould reduce the. number of.: billboards in Eagan. Thee new location.for the;signs ... along Interstate 494 west of Pilot Knob Road is isolated and buffered from, the' - residential ,communities, - Cronin said.. Billboard sites. at Silver Bell Road and Robert Trail: are near residential. areas,..` he said, as he showed the council photos; of the present locations of billboards Stating she had- no.,problem.with. the, conditional use permit, :Councilmember Peggy Carlson said'. that the new:loca -tions were excellent for the billboards, with more exposure for the company. In other action:: • The council` defeated 3=2'a:request ,'. for a change of rates at the Eagan.Civic Arena. The $5 an hour increase in rental • rates was .to cover increased personnel:.. expenses: However, .Masin,.Carlson and : Councilmember :Bea: Blornquist voted4to:; direct staff to compare rental costs with ` ; neighboring arenas before they' decide'on a rate. increase. • Approved the hiring:ofmaintenance workers: Due to 'a conflict of interest.. Masin pulled the item from the -consent agenda, allowing her to abstain from vot • ing on the item • Approved a conditional use permit to allow -Master Mechanical to::place; storage trailers at- its facility at Ea gandale Industrial- Park on, Geinini Road.. .r� • Approved an-ordinanceiamen ment to further define mixed municipal solid waste and recycling transfer"sta tions, and making`it unlawful to operate such a business in the city without!;a permit. . it's • [Yee! $3,000 in cash 8 prizes given away each month! Council supports limitation on Met Council Council members also get giggly over horse, ferret ordinance By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers The Eagan City Council threw its support behind some Minnesota House legislation that would limit the say the Metropolitan Council has on cities' comprehensive guide plans but would like to see the a effort extend even further. "In my opinion House File 46 doesn't go far enough," said Councilmember Paul Bakken during the Feb. 20 meeting. "How- ever, the conditions it would bring about would be preferable to what it is now." Rep. Eric Lipman, District 56B, who rep- resents the eastern metropolitan area, re- cently introduced House File 46 regarding the Metropolitan Land Use Act that re- moves the Met Council's veto authority of comprehensive guide amendments. The leg- islation, acting on behalf of communities, suggests that the Met Council is a- helpful planning partner but cities should maintain the ability to work out any differences with- out the threat of a Metropolitan Council veto. • The council, which had its own differ- ences last year with the Met Council over the city's comprehensive guide plan amend- ments, unanimously voted to support House File 46, but also encourage legislation to take the issue even further. The council also approved redevelopment boundaries for the Cedarvale area and ap- proved development goals for the project. With development goals in place, the rede- velopment effort will now turn toward gaug- ing the interest of developers in taking part in the process. Once developers are approved, they will help to form a more specific community de- velopment plan to guide the changes. Part 'of that effort will include studies to determine the financial feasibility of differ- ent .options. COUNCIL: TO PAGE 13A www mnSun.com,::,;v ;. The concept refinements;and-develop- nient goals approved 'by the council in- clude the possibility. of, leaving. the Cedarvale Mall intact and. doing away, with the central _Village:Plaza concept of a. central retail strip- with a plaza and green space in between. The Village Plaza concept, which would have includ- ed housing units built .above the retail strip, was done away with in plan refine- ments. The plan now calls for more office space in that area. Approval of the project area and goals is not a final approval toward any devel- opment and does not commit the City to any specific action. This approval serves as a statement by the City Council to identify what, at the current time, the vi- sion is.,for the Greater.Cedarvale:Area. `.In`addition, the council-agreed.tostart. referring to- the redevelopment area as theCedar Grove area. The name :change:- . is designed to delineate the area more ."clearly as Cedarvale traditionally applies :to the area,aromid.the • Cedarvale Mall. The redevelopment area;stretches.across Highway 13 and down into the 'Cedar Grove neighborhood from the• mall. " We''ve • been referring to the . area as the Cedarvale area or the Cedar/High- way 13 redevelopment area," Mayor Pat . Awada said. "This is just to pigeonhole the area we are dealing with.. Cedar Grove is where Eagan basically got its start and it's become less known as Dako• - ta County has grown.. We decided the area -should be referred to as Cedar Grove because it helps bring back an identity to the area." The. council also approved an amend- ment to the city code that prohibits hors- . es from running at large and allows the Apple Valley/Rosemount; Eagan Sum Current/,WednesdayFeb. 28, 2001. cityto hold_.the owners of.horses-and fer-'_ refs .responsible:if:they ado runfree :Cur=`, rent city code only prohibits dogs and cats from "running at large" inthe: com-, munity and;: if necessary, authorizes .im- poundment:'of the animals. Animal; Control has -dealt with in stances of horses running at large and no enforcement:. action could be taken against the owners -to .correct, the prob-: lem, Police. Chief Kent Therkelsen' told the council: The; amendment will also. allow the city to identify the owners of ferrets which are loose and'hold them re- sponsible. Discussion over the amendment be- came a source of laughter for the council members and the few members of the au- dience left toward the end of the three- hour meeting. "I'm driven to ask this, and I am fight- ing to keep a straight face as i do, but why just horses and ferrets?" Bakken asked before breaking down in laughter. 13A. "I'm not aware of any problems lately with ferrets running large," Therkelsen said as most 'of the council - members fought back' laughter."The run- ning at large issue has to deal with hors- es. There-a-re.some horses that reside in Inver Grove Heights that like to run loose in Eagan." - Councilmember.Peggy Carlson asked why all household pets _are .not included in the amendment. "All pets that a person takes responsi- bility for should be maintained and housed; so whynot include all household pets," Councilmember Peggy Carlson asked Therkelsen. "I'm just asking so we don't have to have this come around. again, because it's too funny to deal with often" . Therkelsen said the amendment is in- cident driven and since the city has re- cently had .troubles with horses running loose, the amendment addresses those situations. Gj um, fur rent O t " 16 - Z 3o z: 2A Apple Valley/Rosemount,Eagan.Sun.Current/Wednesday, Jan.,16, 2002 www.mnSun.com Despite tragedy of Sept. 11, Eagan had good year Mayor: Eagan set ambitious goals, met them By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers Looking back over a year that was marked with accomplishments as well as tragedy, Eagan Mayor Pat Awada said 2002 would find the city continuing to fol- low an ambitious agenda. "We have those finishing touches that are making Eagan one of the most desir- able communities in the. state," Awada said during her Jan. 10 State of the City Address. Awada led off the presentation talking about the changes in the country since the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Cen- ter and the Pentagon. She saluted the work done by the city's Police Department and Fire Department, noting that one project for 2002 will be a garden memori- alizing those who have served the city. "To recognize the contributions that public safety forces play here in Eagan and across the nation, and to honor those who did so much during and after the. at- tacks, the city of Eagan has approved a proposal to dedicate part of the new Cen- tral Park as a memorial to the courage and dedication of these American heroes," Awada said. Declaring that the City Council had. produced the most ambitious agenda ever, Awada said they accomplished what they set out to do and that 2002 will be the same. Councilmembers Peggy Carlson, Paul Bakken, Cyndee Fields and Meg Tilley joined in the presentation, with each speaking to goals and areas in which they have taken a leadership role. The presentation focused on the goals the council set for itself at the beginning of 2001 and recapped how far it had come since then in meeting those goals. Carlson said the city has come a long way toward meeting its redevelopment goals. She pointed toward redevelopment occurring in the -area around; highways 149 and 55 and the. Cedar Grove area. Eagan is working with developers on proposals for office space in. the Cedar Grove area and anticipates a preliminary agreement this year for a mixed develop- ment featuring senior housing, a full -ser- vice hotel and a park -and -ride facility. "Needless to say, all this redevelop- ment activity in the Cedar Grove area will take a lot of time, effort and patience, as well as cooperation with, the developers and current property owners," Carlson said. "We anticipate even greater . and more visible success in our redevelop- ment areasin the year 2002." On the development front, Tilley said the city added commercial projects with valuations totaling more than $60 million to the city's business economy during 2001. Included in that total is three new Duke -Weeks office warehouses, a $5.6 million Sam's Club and new ,office ,and medical buildings. On the residential side, new valuations totaled approximately $45 million, with single family home, apartment and town- house development. Tilley said the council is continuing to work to maintain the city's strong tax base and that its efforts have paid off with a new higher bond rating from Moody's Investor Services. Moody's gave the city a double -A -one bond rating, a standing en- joyed by only 6 percent of all U.S. cities. "This higher rating was mainly due to the city's financial management practices and growth in the tax base, but Moody's also pointed to Eagan's diverse economy, expected continued growth, moderate debt load and ample reserves," Tilley said. Tilley said that while the economic im- pacts post -Sept. 11 have affected many businesses in Eagan, the city's economy continues to look strong as it enters 2002. In the area of infrastructure improve- ments, Bakken reported that the widen- ing of Lexington Avenue had been com- pleted, that Highway 13 had been up- graded and that Cliff Road had been ex- panded. Some 12 miles of highway rehabilita- tion is set for 2002. Approximately 75 percent of the storm water projects planned in the wake of flooding in the year 2000 were completed in the last 12 months, with the remainder slated for 2002. "We are confident that these measures will prevent any reoccurrence of the flooding experienced a year and a half ago, and we . appreciate the cooperation and understanding of area residents," Bakken said. Another goal the council set for itself in 2001 was working to build a sense of com- munity in Eagan. The city strives toward that goal by continuing work on the Com- munity Center and surrounding Central Park. , Fields said the project moved along CITY: To Page 19A From Page,2A Fields said the --project moved -along well 2001, withwork on the park ad- vancing far enough so that the city was able to mark the Fourth of July there for the first time. . "Work is now about to proceed on the multipurpose community center and the band shell, which is being developed in co- operation with the Rotary Club of Eagan," Fields said. "Most of the contracts for con- 5 0,arren..G t - l b struction ,of 'the . community. center have.: now awardedThe major good news • is-=thatmost came: in below .or. at esti mates.". • Another council goal aimed at.provid- ing more amenities for the community was looking into the possibility of a: mu- nicipal golf course. While a city committee has been studying the feasibility of build- ing a course near Wescott and Lexington avenues, possibly including portions of Patrick Eagan Park, a proposal in its be- ginning stages is being considered near Interstate'494 and Dodd Road. The golf course committee is 'slated to present its findings to the council in Feb - rum' At the National League con:_ :'.`Contrary to some rumors, there has ference in Atlanta, the:Eagan City Coun never been'any.prejudgment of this pro- cIl'and one other: -such bodywere cited:as . posal andnow it.appears that an°alterna- world class councils'for:their-perforniance= tive sitemay be'emerging,"•Fields said:: and' work` systems .:by consultant -:Carl `Above all,.we will follow the fair.process, Neu, a nationally recognized authority on that. has been. estabhslied to settle` this local governance; issues: ' - question It Is;the policy of t.his council to ''-.'"Wehave worked• hard to achieve this keep the;public informed." distlnctiori and I'hope you believe we have In reviewing the manyj accomplish- `' lived up"' to the expectations we laid out as ments of the year, Awada said, " We'have : agr'oup just 12 months ago," Awada said: made' this progress because we have.'a '"I am proud to be serving as a member of team where all Contribute,. wherethere' is this council, a'group with highpositive an honest exchange of views; Mutual re- energy a desire to accomplish and an in- spect and a commitment to serve the pub- credible grasp of the desires and pulse of hc." our' city" •• 'fatale." , The- flitiire',•-of the: quality-..pf, life Was the: aiie increasedby -more:Jhaii,- $400A-PilliOn',irt'the.year 2000 accdidirig:s- to Awada, Thus as five -thenibersw ohave•':- :respect for 'each _Other; for the City 'staff aqd.. for the- citizens s one entity. With one,agen- topic of the address with a sum- bringing- the Current total to they serve." ' • ,nication with the.Pliblic. • ?Eagan. Mayor. Pat Awada and City ,Council- members- spoke to -r!the public Jan'. 18 in the State of the City address. fAwada-drew attention to the • 43aSt 'year's challenges, achieve - rent and crisis, • namely, • the floPd. She said that while no 'city could handle 11, inches of : ram in a • three-hour time span, •the Eagan system should be :updated to be more efficient to protect the citizens. Awada led the address with a statement of Eagan's promise. "Without question, Eagan is a very successful city with a great and one strategic plan, " mary of the new central _park • and • community center dis- cussed, as well as the proposed • sites' for the . third flpu'sing and Redevelopment Authority: sen-, • ior housing project and the prospect of a council that will • work together to achieve a more informed citizenry built on a commitment to honesty, open- ness and smart growth. - Awada said the future com- munity center and central park Will be the host of 2001's Fourth of July parade and festivities, and will "help define who we are." Market valuations in Eagan billion dollars, which - She-announcedthat the- -"OPP& OPitirriMucatiWiS the the Cedarvale redevelopment, which will incorporate office, retail and residential elements in the overall project. "Given all that lies ahead, and the challenges, Eagan needs a city council that is able to work together, shares the same core values," said Awada, "and ns-: usinees:•-• Carlson Stated -. the-- ,Ampprtance ..'9f inipiPVitig 'the : of col-mil:a- compares to a little more than ; has entered a new era with:key to an informed cOrimiunitY," $2 billion in 1990. While- the the election of Cyndee:„Fields said Carlson. '•• value of property in Eagan more and Meg Tilley. Council Member Paul . . than doubled,- the city's budget The touncilii§ cbinmitted to Bakken-fOcused, infrastruc- has only grown by 69 percent one set of gpals, and one agenda ture, primarily theimprOvemerit during the same period. — the agenda of building a of Eagan's storm sewer manage Commercial positive community „Merit yrograin.The 'city will; be will continue with 'Projects like ' around -a shared set of values • employing several consulting vision," said and a shared Awada. Council Member Peggy Carlson addressed the public on the revitalization of the central areas in Eagan. She •said the council will pursue the revital- ization with a phased plan and continuous input from the citi- agencies to make sure the pro- posed plan for improving the city's storm sewer capabilities are double checked and to assure the plan's validity. According to Bakken, "2001 is one of the busiest years of construction and road improve - See City, 12A City/Continued ments with 11 projects sched- uled," including the improve- ments of Cliff Road, the com- pletion of the Highway 13 expansion north of Silver Bell Road, and the Lexington Avenue enhancement project. He- also ; said . the improve- ment of the city's telecommuni- cations systems would be a pri- ority for the council. DSL (digi- tal subscriber line) is not yet available in Eagan, and Bakken said that this is unacceptable. "Eagan has the highest per capita Internet usage in the state," said Bakken. Cyndee Fields spoke of building the community identity and continuing to make great progress with the central park. Meg Tilley addressed the topic of airport noise. Shesaid • the airport relations commission was recentlyexpanded, to nine 'members to deal with satisfying '.the•. needs of .Eagan's residents • • City,Council Member Meg Y P z t . t State .: of the Ci Ttille .s oke�br�efly about redevelopment plansrdurmC the?Ea "an State.: ty.event held Jan. 18 at City Ha11. Looking on are Mayor Pat Awada and Council Member sup Paul Bakken. . in line with future saym airport Awada concluded the speech lion, lion: P tax rates which she by draw' d-Y 7\iu ueQ 01 -2-1 2 area. She also spoke of the growth and change in the city's business and residential areas, and the enhanced gateways and central business area that will work toward greater recognition of the city. "Eagan has practiced Smart Growth for a long time and we will continue to define it in our own terms," said Awada. "We believe that community devel- opment decisions shodld be made by the people who live in this community, and not imposed by some remote, unelected and uninformed body." She added that the council demonstrates a new attitude that the citizens` wanted from the election. Awada also thanked the, community and .city='staff mbers for their patience and port overthe 'past four years, g."`through °their' dedica r ' we'hav&made greatstrides' m g"attention to Ea an's '":, fi , towards our goal a d `' g of the lowest in`the metropolitan excellence." .` .. .: , r.;. ,.,.;. are one t .• =� n an era'of. GuNv 05 10- ° 2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, May 10, 2000 rBy Joshua: Nichols: `.-Sun Newspapers,,,,...-- • >` When Eagan• Councilmember Peggy Carlsonwent;door to.-doorduriiig=her successful 1998 election.` campaign,. the biggestcomplaint she;heard:,about the city was`the number of candidates in �tlieTelSection,, } ,. "Peoplezwere saying, There are so `many ofa you, who are {you?'" Carlson said In manycases, they told me;that theyjustrdidn't=knowjmuch about each ' ` candidate sand'"with? so many did not' Lieu mucin. c-o [oxlef on c. "I'.think-the primary process; allows f ocal candidates to be the front run _ ners in the, process when they might be overshadowed,by.'a huge presidential campaign;, "`Carlson said. "The 'hoopla really begins 'after the primaries for the : state'. and -federal ., races, and this ,would allow us' to the front; yuntiers for awhile " Carlson _'madeijher -views on the issue'heard'°at a workshop meeting last month.` . Mayor • Pat Awada, who was=first' elected to the council in the last odd year election thercity coiducted,�said4 she has always preferred having th oe city elections in dd' years s That way, the elections wouldn't clash`..with state or federal felectiorin'; and_would receive -`more -attention • o e•r ;."i O 04 r�.e;,t_:':,;::...;2:...:_z.,..:Y'..,':;v:;."}; - ,7...; , • . .�..:mA.eC:7.f..... ,_•.:.a....m��pq..,.:::..fa•D .,,cnpo '.:.: :;.::,,;-•..,,r=::,,"mrcpryoh 8`.,• ero., •,:«;.r,t,,..,.:.,..... :0pom•C..oyer- .. aO�moGECx •.gi.•.}mof►.pe..:,:,...mC.:; ;''•' .,...0 j. cm.o`.,.r:..:m�ceeoO*fir ..:';.m�.�.*.. ..,:..00pS :' •'.�• .,";.•;'p .,.: Em.. B ..;..•..:p. .:.B b.,���.m4: .... . .m�cp°�✓ .ln.., � .;�o►,::0Nm0.py..•r.�':,,•,..mao :�::Aer•....;. ..•:. .,p..'-... ::-��rp,° r.;'`-..�•m. . b ..`1.,.-,:*- '�. , • cCoOMCo.,ma�ma+.,•u:",a:'..(m�!C•�D, yr )0 ' .m .- r•ii.:..n -aOea emr amMO'", ..;QC.•; r Qmaw ',:ri;a* -.�..5"ym' 5 . 4".s' ..',,.o�eme.epp.?tr.::':c:•..:•:CiepmGwCp:r. .Npm°0_ .pOCiGnraye ..y'...GpnnfOtcd -� �tr�om�*p`�,� m°brrpig N») O° .pmati,.�nam'.°.� `�pm pH � o.p .1:;.tiy O�,.�p.r4-"',`�1,�;� °�•Mm.Gz.Tmoatimoerp�7:-°:g oH�w.Cmo : �o a,�n,-;p b Qy 75O0co •Qa H.a-G-;n,.,,:° O,y o(o..o as a.m ...�. O—.c,. m ..mCa. CI) m .mompp'°O.N.�p.�y0�oG m�.w �.nm`� m',I-7 G ..r �m.00Groco P°,.W o.;0,;°,:, 5' o el:P ED. O gy m0Mm m t.14a:0 °, CI p"-. ,qgC m; 8.maO 6wO .'.m�`°�y'K:.;:.°e' '"?•....S-dq"00 p °p'°, 0,0 1 G ° �i*cC mt4 °'n�Ct-oe00?; r' G'1er.O:4cl—cl-; .g0;0fc0a►. o.me,r'yova, ::`o ao.13" G ,o ,°r..coti. ,y:v:`n a • 8 ci "'v' 5m� C • m,�• p,IoOM,av p'•° tim� "d p , c(_ pc 0, co oWc0:c* °G• t. • Iv, • • • :�.,,'p:o a°tl'��co ., co c, o,o m.�:..p,.0-o ac b ,�b -p.m tp� �m o'C ' co o �1:al 0--.' ,a,tir0 r,C cD CDS`�`�pa,p,:o om: ., °`C ,, 0 uoo.E p;fo +0n.jp •�-•:� .somp 0 03 im:a4 �1s p p.*cp CD:, CD -G°'a .'00y c*:Ofp t7,4 ti,m, 0; �- a °CDam-.,'. my''(D�ym. o, °. ,O..--000.._ .n eopmb.`?G p_MpfM• 42w•�yy�•,' '•e°mo oq..`�"°.tC11"._7 r+'C a.�:CrC''a.0 m m)p,:a 0,0p.0p:e,•0.,e: ,0a "ID 'D' r.,..y .'.. ... :';.rG'C Y °,.�:..,+ . '°pm�m G:o •;g.c,m«�a O� :�'�'no:'m•m`my. m �C+O..g; 1Qa. � , ��o,.in ;cc,e+p'a Cr .y':'•p.'m:.oe,• �fD�..e•p i..26. maa•?�bo� Ce- ww m°,c�«a'�p .—mp mypoaas m(.mYrrmN' i4',m�ac pQtimG:%4:;�,a"r! m ���`O"...:.im'�� � �O+p.,ma.p.m.�.�:.. .:cos,'a't'mrtao �.�� m`°vg ',�0, :°<;K '-�,o Y.r O t ,;.l:;c'133 "� m:m a:°::-R.:b .L 'm m.'o c�.°?, u:.o,, co m q �':G',1 ,�1;i�; �O'b1 m:a'!ylpp.rm::; ;'e'!yt74,cr., � :mp' m,,.--,e,• m y : -•,o,.m.00Go'L.m'a'•G'?aq`:0 n;p.em .+r:.5.m .-,-!10(1p..c+°..ref0 m ..0;-. .,W..p p. tY>eD'O0 o ap ,C 1c*f.or p ..0 .m �Oo,y';...G 0•.:r'� ...m>O0'�r*!:133p'-.yOeD�'p-O � O` r7;7,C1. re ,CYati•. , m .,,,yary; o.'d�;`• P. mm,p:... .p,,*°:m�D �+ ,D..:0,a m;.y.'orr p .pCLAo. `:,'d�.°. a. f;r+:.¢+,1 tp�D,.plm a.'d 0,`C.Ti. ee. •p'� -e+,p.^p+,M p °'"ierf�m ""D ••i:•...oa.'map ap.�Do�!mr `i 'pCma, a, m 1�;Tvy M ,'0 O 0..r:y nD +in m ',,CD C) �. G �+!((DD•:-M:O' :O• 10,•cD''.—. 0', r�r,a,iw,°*GQ"O � p.m O.a.�Om.oe�b.y:iO.10•crm. '�.fCD mti_'0.co :..2 .,, .., .� ,m10 coat. a. www.mnSun.com However, she,•.admits+that with the arge groups of candidates that gather for the elections, pit can .be difficult to get to know eachcandidate "There`"are lotsof•good reasons to, do: -it,' and narrowing the ;':field tis one of • those, but. i would, still tprefer. tosgo back to odd -year elections," Awanda said. "However, primaries maynbe,�th`e:' second best choice of we are `going 'to have even year elections " r f' Councilmember Paul Bakken said The was originally againattheconceptt.. . of city primaries, but he'miglit change' his mind If the council were to decide„to`ap- prove a primary,`it could�take place:as early as this election;year •,%fir,. ie only�cityofficials upfor,re elec=•:; tion in November, , .. • - Eagan Cit! a out meeting rvanu' by Dan Gearino Staff Writer The Eagan City Council spent 40 minutes arguing about the minutes May 2. The minutes are the official synopsis of the previous meet- ing, including votes, motions and paraphrased comments of council members and 'other speakers. The recording secre- tary compiles the minutes based on viewing the videotape of the meeting. In most instances for local government bodies, the minutes are about as controversial as the Pledge of Allegiance. At the beginning of the meeting, coun- cils vote to place the previous meeting minutes in the perma- nent record. Occasionally, a member will suggest a change in the minutes — perhaps cor- recting an inaccuracy — and the council will vote on whether to amend the minutes. Generally, the minutes are quickly approved. In Eagan, however, council members have been arriving at meetings with lists of suggested revisions to the minutes, often correcting seemingly minor details. The current Eagan council often has taken longer to finalize the minutes than most councils,:.=. but May 2 'was an exceptional;" case. Council members Bea Blomquist • and Sandy Masin arrived with three pages of sug gested changes to the minutes. Most of the changes suggested striking sentences from the min:• utes that contained council members expressing opinions: One suggested change relat- ed to the March 21 council meeting, when a resident addressed the council to express his concerns about his road • assessment. This was not the ::: first time.he had come forward with this issue. Mayor • Pat _ Awada said the resident was being encouraged to keep revis- iting the issue: by a council - member. Awada didn't name the . council member. • In . the minutes of the meet ing, this exchange is recorded as, "She (Awada) said that she thought Mr. Poppler was being, encouraged by other council. members to keep revisiting the issue." At the May 2 meeting, Blomquist said she wanted this sentence stricJcen from the min- utes because Awada's statement was her opinion. Blomquist said she believes that opinions should not appear in the minutes unless other council members have :the opportunity the opinion Most of ::Blomquist= 'and Masin's other: -'''suggested changes were similar : either-:. striking an 'opinion-or-'ad'ding: a' refutation of council parliamentarian as well as city attorney, 'was asked by Masin to elarify' the role:of the' minutes. A ,parliamentatian is fions and making Tecoinrnenda- of the -meeting," Sheldon. said., "What one:perSon'thinkS is fad - would ''Pot. Council ;Peggy Council. Meniber :Paul Bakken said. that even a verba- not record body language and '; facial expressions. H. e „said _that. on and that., • See Minutes; 22A, Jan Abbott/Sun Newspapers • jay 4 Y a Neil Simon comedy, at 7:30 p.m. May 4 to 6. Joe only one to see the trench-coatedmessager from id family endures the test of faith through a series The household includes siblings David (Brian J. ;er) and Ben, (Kyle Stennes); Mady (Abi Magil) and ;e (Lindsey Orbzut)..Call 651.-683-6964 for reserved City. Council divided on background checks Carlson wants to look at checks on commissioners By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers Peggy Carlson, a member of the Eagan City Council, began thinking about . background checks for commission appli- cants when she had to go through•a check into her own background. "The reason I brought it up in the first place was that I had to fill out a background check to sit on the hockey board with the Eagan Athletic Association," Carlson said. CHECKS: To Page 26A www.mnSun.co`n 26A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentiWednesday, May 3, 2000 Checks: Councilmember also suggests expanding interview.s From Page 1A "I was selling pizzafor them as a fundraiser and here they were still re- quiring a background check." After undergoing her background check, Carlson started wondering if similar checks should be looked at by the city for positions on its volunteer. commissions. Volunteer advisory commissions are filled by council appointment each Jan- uary. Volunteers advise the council on issues pertaining to areas such as zon- ing, parks, and economic development. "We are giving these peoplea lead- ership position.. in the city and that's something that we should take serious- ly," she said. While she said she wasn't sure ex- actly what .form .the background checks.. should take, Carlson said they should include criminal recordsand other checks of public record. The background checks would be limited to applicants whohad been nar- rowed down to a pool of front runners, she: said. Both Carlson and Mayor Pat Awada said before the city looked any further .Awada Bea Blomquist opposed to the idea. - Masin said the background checks: are perfectly reasonable for volunteers - at background checks, itwould have to who work with children or vulnerable make sure .what kind of checksare al- adults However, she' pointed out the re- :quirements pf the :city's commission 'members: do not include such work. "It's not necessary. and it's not ap lowed by law: The issue of background checks for commission .members has. divided the council with Awada, Carlson -and Paul Bakken open to discussing the: idea and ` : propriate," Masin' said. Councilmembers `Sandra Masin and ` "It's 'an expeiisiv,e process to begin with and it's also intruding on people's private lives." Masin and Blomquist also fear that by requiring applicants to undergo a background check, people will no longer volunteer to serve on city com- missions. This year 27 people applied for the city's 22 commission spots. "These peopleare willing to give up their time toserve their community and to make them give up personal in- formation to do that makes no sense," -Masin said. The process shouldn't be limited to background checks, Carlson said. She also suggested that the inter- view process for commission applicants be expanded. When she applied for a position on the city's Planning Commission, her in- terview lasted10 minutes, Carlson : said. "I felt it was lacking and ;.I. think we -should give people more of an op- portunity to visit with • us," Carlson said. "I think we also need to start requir- ing resumes. I think the current. - process .'is just so much window dress- mgs. appreciate our attempt to get to ,know C Carlson said she originally brought to know whether they, will use. that title mg and I think the ap plicants would them better." up the,possibility of background checks November, but decided to hold off on ,pursuing it further when formerparks. commissioner Michael: Vincent filed a lawsuit against the city, Carlson, Awada and Bakken. Vincent claimed in his lawsuit that the three council members violated the state Open Meeting Law by circulating a report on him compiled by a private investigator. Both sides agreed to settle the suit out of court lastmonth, with the League of Minnesota City Insurance Trust paying $12,000 of Vincent's legal fees to end tho legal proceedings. Since the dismissal, both sides have claimed victory in the suit. "I think there is some merit to the argument of looking more extensively into the backgroundsof our commis- sion applicants," Awada said: "It :certainly would hive been brought up sooner if not forthe lawsuit and I think it's something the council could look at before too long." 'Carlson said in the wake, of the law- suit's settlement, the :issue should be given arrest before the council begins` to discuss it -more extensively. However, she said she planned to pursue a dis- cussion.`on background checks at one of the council's future workshop meet- ' "These :positions . are a big deal,", arlson said "They have a title now,and we need • against the city. "We just nee& to be; more•wilhng. to safeguard ourselves: and the::communl:- tY•" AUGUST 19, 2000 VOLUME 22, NO. 25 City Council hopefuls speak outon city's toughest issues by Dan Gearino Staff Writer Five of the seven candidates who will be on the ballot in the Sept. 12 Eagan City Council primary election participated in a candidate forum Wednesday held in the council chambers at the Eagan Municipal Center. The forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Northern Dakota County Area, gave each candidate the opportunity voice his or her opinion on everything from recreational vehicle -storage rules to light rail transit. Council members Bea Blomquist and Sandy Masin's seats on the council are up for election this year. Masin is seeking re-election, while Blomquist decided not to run. The top four vote -getters in the primary will go on to the Nov. 7 general election. Candidates Duey Bendt, Cyndee Fields, Shawn Hunter, Sandy Masin and Meg Tilley participated in the forum. The other two candidates, Gale Anderson and Trygve Behny, did not attend. The moderator noted that Andersonhad to be away at a family commitment. Each candidate gave a two - minute opening statement, then one -minute answers to a series of questions gathered from .the _ audience. The candidates agreed on nearly every issue. All were in favor of involving Eagan in light rail transit to some extent, all had some concerns about a lack of affordable housing, all believe that • the community center will be an asset to the community, and all are against RV storage rules except for blatantnuisance cases. The greatest distinction was the extent to which each candi- date chastised the current council. Hunter was the most vocal critic of the council. Masin criticized the council, See Forum, 11 A Forum/Continued but said she isn't the problem. Fields, Tilley and Bendt acknowledged that the council has some difficulties, but refrained from placing blame on any particular council mem- ber. Bendt, a recent retiree from Lockheed Martin, made fre- quent references to using his corporate experience to improve the city's image and communication with residents. He added that his experience could be beneficial in dealing with the personality conflicts that currently exist on the council. 1-Ie said he believes in auto- mobile alternatives and that Eagan is an ideal place for transit because of its proximity to major roadways. "We need to let people have their boats and campers," Bendt said in reference to the controversial RV storage rules that have stalled at the City Council. Fields, a member of the Parks Commission and the Eagan Athletic Association board, said there is a need for positive leadership as the city enters the "final stage of devel- opment." She said that the city needs to "watch carefully" to meet its citizens' and potential citizens' need for affordable housing. Fields repeatedly empha- sized .the need for a positive attitude on the council. When asked about the discord on the current council, she said that people need to learnto agree to disagree. Fields was particularly enthusiastic discussing the planned community center. She worked to lobby for. the pas- sage of the referendum for the center. Hunter, who served on the council from 1995-98, said, "Our current council is bro- ken," and called for a restored civility on the council. Hunter said the city should be more open to participating in regional affordable housing programs such as the Metropolitan Council's Livable Communities, which could provide money and advice for affordable housing develop- ment. While in favor of the com- munity center, Hunter cau- tioned against too many more "big ticket" facilities. He said that funds might be better used to improve the city's infra- structure. • Masin opened by saving, "Eagan voters can see beyond the political games being played," and also emphasized her knowledge of city budget matters and a desire to improve the city's infrastructure. On the subject of affordable housing, • she lamented that high land values mean that Eagan's young •professionals often buy more affordable homes in communities such as Lakeville and Farmington. Masin said she is an advo- cate for light rail transit and is eager to look at other transit options. In her time on the council, she has worked with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and other regional groups to improve transit in the city. Tilley, president of the Eagan Foundation and a mem- ber of the Planning Commission, said that the council would benefit from her "great conflict -resolution skills." She said she believes strongly in light rail and would help to involve Eagan in the planned metrowide light rail network. Tilley said that a lack of affordable housing _ is a prob- lem, specifically that young professionals can't afford to pay $200,000 for a house. Tilley, who has heard hours of testimony on the RV issue at Planning Commission hear- ings, said she has no objection to a family camper, but does object to a yard filled with boats and RVs. The Sept. 12 primary is the first local primary in Eagan's history. The City Council voted to hold a primary earlier this year. Council members said that the primary would allow voters to get better acquainted with a smaller field of candi- dates. In the primary and general election, voters will be able to vote for two candidates, one for each open seat. Eagan City Council introduces citizen listening sessions by Erin Johnson Staff Writer The Eagan City Council announced that it will begin holding listening sessions twice a month in an effort to increase opportunities for citizens to have access to their civic lead- ers. "These sessions will give city residents a better means of presenting their thoughts, ideas, and concerns to the city in a comfortable setting," said Mayor Pat Awada. Currently, Eagan residents are able to speak before the council during the "Visitors to be Heard" portion at the begin- ning of City Council meetings, which has a 10-minute total time limit. According to Awada, that causes major problems when a number of citizens show up to be heard, extending discussions beyond the allotted time and delaying the scheduled agenda items. "This was a major concern for people, especially those with children or a baby-sitter wait- ing, who wanted to talk about a proposed project in their neigh- borhood but had to wait for hours to get a chance to give their views," Awada said. In addition to time consider- ations, Awada said she hopes the new, less formal listening sessions will remove the intimi- dation factor of public speaking. "Being able to talk with us over coffee about an issue that's important to them is far better than the formal council cham- ber, which some people find to be intimidating," Awada said. "Our goal is to encourage citi- zens to come forward and share their thoughts in a more friend- ly environment." Listening ses- See Sessions, 8A Sessions/Continued sions will be scheduled a half hour before the regular 6:30 p.m. City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The sessions will be con- ducted on a first come, first serve basis. Citizens who wish to speak will sign in upon arrival and be heard in that order. If time runs out, the next person on the list will be the first to speak at the next session. The first listening session is scheduled for April 3 at 6 p.m. There will continue to be a "Visitors to be Heard" portion at the end of regular City Council meetings. Ptn -T ... P e Ou-' I � -oleo) NEIGHBORS: SPOTLIGHT ON EAGAN SCOTT GOIHL/PIONEEI Eagan Mayor Pat Awada, center, laughs at a joke by City Council Member Peggy Carlson, right, at a work session. Laughter is more co on the council in recent months, as the bitter climate of the past abated. Council Member Meg Tilley is at left. ne Cozy It's a lovefest on the Eagan City Council. Is that. a good thing? Did you hear the one about what one Eagan council member did to the other? Not lately you haven't. The Eagan City Council — notori- ous for bitter infighting in the past — is downright chum- my these days. Since two new members joined the council in January, bickering, bad-mouthing one another and finger wagging have been out. Hugs, BY AMY SHERMAN jokes and peace are in. Animal PIONEER PRESS jokes are way in. Some residents are pleased that their council is working together while others say they get along too well. "I think right now they are at the point where they are kind of boring," said Planning Commissioner Duey Bendt, who lost in the council race last fall but is friendly with the current council. "They love each other." Shenanigans of former council No one would have said the previous council was boring. Many residents used different words: Juvenile. Embarrass- ing. Laughingstock. Eagan politics had been nasty at times in the past, but it sank to new lows between 1998 and 2000. Council Member Bea Blomquist called police to report that Mayor Pat Awada threatened her. Council Member Paul Bakken took some heat after he dug through a resident's garbage in search of evidence in a forgery case. The part-time council would fight about anything — even the way their minutes were written. The conflict can't be simplified into an old vs. new Eagan, although Blomquist and Sandra Masin, who were on one side of the council, were older than the other members, and Blomquist first joined the council in 1980. Instead, the 3-2 split was more about clashing perspec- tives — and some would say tension over old controver- sies. Blomquist and Masin were critical of city government and sought change. Awada, Bakken and Council Member Peggy Carlson have called for continuing the city's positive progress. Some residents blamed one faction or the other for the city's problems; others thought they were just a bad combi- nation and were fed up with the whole council. When last fall's election was over, the minority faction was gone; Blomquist didn't run and Masin lost. Two offi- cials who promised teamwork replaced them: Cyndee Fields and Meg Tilley. EAGAN CONTINUED ON 2B Eagan's council, 1 and pres Mayor Pat Aw Middle of first former council member. Bea Blomquis Finished term 2000. Sandra Masin Finished term 2000. Paul Bakken - Middle of first Peggy Carlsoi Middle of first Cyndee Fields New member. Meg Tilley — New member. will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Rosemount Community .85 S. Robert Trail. There of 40 people per session. s must provide their own The open gym will not May 11. Book Awards ceremony: ota Book Awards ceremo- honors Minnesota writers, and editors, will be at it the Fitzgerald Theatre, ange -St. The event is free, are' not required. Call 21. TURDAY DVE HEIGHTS clean up: Inver Grove 'arks and Recreation : is accepting volunteers inesota Clean River Pro - will begin at 9 a.m. at .y Park, 70th Street and ue. The group will clean rks and the riverfront in city. Ca11 (651) 450-2588. lunteers needed: The St. n of Parks and Recreation volunteers to assist with :leanup of parks from 9 n beginning at the city's ways and recreation cen- i1) 266-6417. kR LAKE ✓ basketball clinic: A chair basketball clinic, y the Orthotic and Pros- nt Association of Century be from 10 a.m. to noon tasium on the West Cam- ollege, 3300 Century Ave. s of a local wheelchair !am, the Minnesota Blaze, the clinic. Eagan • CONTINUED FROM 18 Runaway ferrets and other fun From the start, the new council got along. They hosted a Christmas party together. They took goofy photos of themselves. - Teamwork has allowed them to accomplish more. They have ordered road projects, pro- gressed on the design of a central park and set goals that range from mitigating airport noise to expanding senior housing. Now that Eagan is mostly developed, some of the biggest battles are over, such as the decision to build the swimming pool and future community center. But the council still faces challenges, such as redevelopment and fixing the storm drainage system. This council laughs a lot — to the point of tears sometimes. At one meeting when the police chief brought up the regulation of run- away ferrets, the council had a major giggle fit. At the next meeting, they surprised the police chief with a stuffed ferret toy replete with gold -colored ferret cuffs. Residents say they have confidence in their council because they see it focusing on issues. rather than each other. They are pleased the council has started listening sessions to get the public's views. Lack of diversity But critics say the councildoesn't express diverse viewpoints and that certain groups,. such as low-income residents, aren't repre- sented. They say public input doesn't influence council members because their minds are already made up. And the issues that existed in past years are still there, like affordable housing and drainage problems. "I can't see much change, quite frankly," Blomquist said. "You might see more agree- ment between the five — they've agreed to agree — but I don't see the council agreeing with the public at Large." Some residents like Gene Bettermann miss Blomquist and Masin, who stood up for their points of view and were "willing to dig into some issues without sugarcoating everything." Many residents want more debate. "I don't think disagreement is bad per se. I think they carried it to the extreme in the past," Nancy Blasberg said. "While I'm pleased I'rn not reading about people digging through each others' garbage, I don't neces- sarily feel the city is better served by a bunch of council members operating as one who are afraid to disagree or simply don't disagree." Most votes have been unanimous,, ' althodgly there haven't been many' votes on major ! issues. There is debate, but 'it-takes'`place. at 'workshops and committee meetings,. which are open to the public' but sparesly attended: - For example, Awada said she and Carlson i. "fought like crazy" over: the design of, centrai .. park before reaching agreement. When,.:the:;; : design hit the council, it.: was •quickly,' approved. • • - As larger issues arise, council members -pre- dict. there will be more debate, but it won''t be never-ending. "There's sentiment among ;the.; individual , council members that this . is a team .now, / Bakken said. "You duke it Opt; say your'piece 1l .. once and then yield to the majority and, get, behind the council." • /.!, Council members have a lot in common.' All are in their 30s or early 40s, except' Tilley,) who is • 54. All have children, except Bakken. All are transplants from other places, except,; Carlson. Tilley, who challenged: Awada 'in`the mayri „ oral race in 1998, has' a different viewpoint on `:;'[ some issues, but. takes her stance quietly. For:_,; example, rathev.than arguing with her .:. about affordable housing,. she. has':met''-With housing advocates: She is also the.lone DFLer, `, but the office is nonpartisan. . Tilley says she"is still learning .and -'will' ,pick her: battles' I. "A lot of people told me -.they're glad I'm on there for some. balance," said):;; Tilley; whoi summarized her perspective,.a' open-minded and neutral on many "issues.. . Charter commission Although the council is getting along wel}, , - .„ some residents want checks-andi;balances. A judge recently appointed., a .charter commi\ sion, which. will make suggestions' about how• to improve. city government and , take. it -to voters. The commission may address some other criticisms about the council, such 'as• the lack' of representation for different `geographic "sec tions of Eagan, said Michael Dean;, a commis sion member. All of the council members ,liv east of Int .rstate 35E. :, , ri The. cha ter could call for a ward system;. in which council members • are elected : to rep{`.-.. resent certain sections of Eagan. Currently::, they are elected at -large. • Meanwhi. e, some residents : like Kip Carver already feel better about their council: • . "I 'think they have made a big; effort. to gain back suppoit of the community." , Amy Shermar, who covers Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount, can be reached at asherman@ pioneerpresscom or (651) 228-2174. • MNSUN - News Page 1 of 3 ="0_. ,tewsj apers► Select a Town: Select a Town Local News it' Local News Community Education Calendar Opinion Public Safety Seniors Obituaries Legals Election News Local Sports Sports News Sports Briefs Events/Scores MNSun Home Page Archive Business News Classifieds Finance Calc Horoscope Market Placer. Net Directory Nutrition Calc Weather Contact Us How to Advertise Jobs At Sun _4 • _�_j0 Sun Slots Local Forecast Thursday, SE Click Here EAGAN tWL1J &7LL? Local News City Council seeks ways to lighten impact of state aid cut By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers (Created 9/5/01 9:07:40 AM) Facing a nearly $3 million increase in the city's general fund tax levy to cover additional expenses and lost state funding, the Eagan City Council decided to cut that increase before announcing official levy amounts this week. During an Aug. 28 workshop session, City Administrator Tom Hedges presented council members with a tax levy calling for $2.9 million increase over the 2001 tax levy. While $1.2 million of that increase is slated to support general fund resources, the other $1.7 million is to make up for funds lost from the repealed Homestead and Agricultural Credit Aid (HACA) program. "We need to make sure we are communicating to the residents so they understand about why there is such a jump," Councilmember Peggy Carlson said. "The public needs to know the reason part of the increase is the loss of HACA." According to state estimates, Eagan will be able to levy a total amount of $18.5 million in 2002. The council was scheduled to announce what amount it will levy during its Sept. 4 meeting, after the Sun -Current went to press. Whatever amount was approved at that meeting will be the ceiling for how much the city http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city=Eagan&story=73724 9/6/2001 MNSUN - News Page 2 of 3 Special Sections Fall Motoring Who's Who 2 Who's Who Senior Focus Education Excellence Duk Duk Daze Whiz Bang Days Raspberry Festival NET DIRECTory Dealing With Drugs Affordable Housing Search The Web Powered by: HO4, can levy, meaning the council can decide to levy less but cannot raise the levy amount. Last year the city levied $15.23 million, a $1.06 million or 7.5-percent increase over 2000. As council members discussed the levy numbers at last week's workshop meeting, they decided to make moves to reduce the levy increase. "We are looking at a huge increase here and it not only deals with the increase for losing HACA," Mayor Pat Awada said. "I think we need to find a serious way to reduce this before we bring it to the public." As part of the its property tax overhaul, state lawmakers eliminated HACA, which subsidized cities for tax base lost due to reduced property tax rates on commercial and industrial properties. According to the Minnesota House of Representatives, Eagan received $2.17 million in state aid in 2001, which includes both HACA and Local Government Aid (LGA), which will also decline. Eagan is projected to receive $71,469 in state aid in 2002. The council concentrated on three areas to reduce the levy increase. Those areas were storm water mitigation plans and two new positions in the Parks and Recreation Department. Before moving ahead with increasing property tax levies to pay for some improvements to the city's storm water mitigation system, council members agreed that more effort should be taken to look at other means of funding improvements. Besides $9 million set aside for Eagan and other disaster -affected areas in state legislation, the city is also hopeful it can receive some federal help to fund the $8 million in projects. "I think it's best if we pull out any storm water mitigation improvements out of the levy and discuss ways to finance improvements without property tax," Carlson said. In addition, council members also removed funding for a new city employee to develop publications for the community center and $35,000 requested to hire a city horticulturist. Parks Director Ken Vraa said the department was looking at hiring someone to specialize in horticulture for the city because it has to retrain new people every year to manage the city's 123 flower beds. By hiring a permanent employee, the city would save time and resources by not having to continually train in new people, he said. However, the council decided it would rather look at other ways to address the problem rather than hiring for the new position. Altogether, the reductions made to the tax levy represent more than $600,000 from the $18.5 million levy amount. The schedule for the city as it moves toward the 2002 general fund budget began with the Sept. 4 meeting to set the levy limit. It will continue Tuesday, Oct. 8, when the council receives an overview of the general fund followed by a November public hearing on the budget. Inc Part of the Teti Nett' http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city=Eagan&story=73724 9/6/2001 11Jl rr ht�In �, l r•1 s,. 19t1 SAINT PAUL At PIONEER PRESS St. Paul BRUTALITY CLAIMED *The family of a Roseville man who died in police custody demand a meeting with Mayor Coleman. 2B Region FIRM CHARGED The Minnesota Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a California mortgage company accused of overcharging on loans. 6B SOUTH SUBURBAN EDITION TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1998 SERVING APPLE VALLEY ■ EAGAN ■ INVER GROVE HEIGHTS • LAKEVILLE • ROSE Retiring Eagan leaders planning city -paid trips PIONEER ekAl\TET oN PIONEER -PLANETWhat do you think? }Tell the world ?at www.pioneer ; gienet.com/eagan': ;The Town Square 'link is at the - }bottom; of the page. m Mayor, council member will inform new council AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER Eagan's mayor' and a council member are going to a conference next week that' will cost more than $800 apiece, although they will 'retire from their city posts about a_month later. • Mayor Tom _Egan and Ted Wachter are attending .the National League of Cities conference Dec 2=5:in'Kansas City along` with Council- Member Pat Awada.' Council Member Sandy' Main' will 'stay for one ' night. Bea 131omquist said she is N C) 0 CD not going because the entire council ence in 1987.with just a' few weeks doesn't need to attend and it's close to remaining in her.' mayoral term.' She the holidays. later_ was re-elected to the' council. The; conference fee,; airplane ticket and Blomquist said she needed to finish her ' hotel will average about $820 for each. 'board work for a groupthat discusses member, said Tom Hedges, Eagan's city airport -related issues and holds a, meet - administrator. Participants also will have to pay for some meals; council members have a $44-a-day meal allowance. Blomquist questioned whether Egan and Wachter; need to attend, -because their jobs: soon- will end. "It; would seem that: this. amounts to a taxpayer funded vacation rather than .training.for policy makers;” 'she wrote in a press release. . . Egan said Blomquist is being:hypocriti- cal because':she went to the same; confer mcD 2 r4ori'o5.44 29 v.„we-mcv'm: Cr- aq,��'el a .c oC) AM-a'ao..Mr +-w�a w .y '-n 'G.. 0W g' b" r m• .-n a �C „y CD. 1 O'L7 O `+',p' O a••t O ''19 `C Oq e+ O w e0 N lD r. O y (D 'lb b G „n•• •Uq 0 rn ., CD (=D ,--i - � -4 - A y fD w: n C) CD C CD �7 G y ,,,G cn O n 0. e•r y � O N 1--1 fD .-,6 ,= O Gr'-O O G• .�. .r O y '� f� (IQ a a R' (CD .4- y. ¢�i (D C' OU fD .O. w bs0 w l,•-O co S- cro aP. tix.a,",N E o_ .-...-. (�. a gyp O t- rci et. w O'' �' e•r �•'. o-`�•J {1�i ,`�! 'S7 . fD .Fy lD [1] a G Cam--'. e) C1. _ rJ'_' m -� w . .0 w -y . -G• vwi .`C' - a `-';. g w �° fD . r. o as w -. o • �' oa v,.' • - "CAC °rca w n P nn .e! N m g m:fl a' a d coo COG co En co..00I .O-1 �' CD rn• O 7S' (D ing thesame time as -the. League. Egan, recently president of. the same group, said he is going: to Kansas City.for much the same reason. • Wachter.. and Egan .said it's valuable for •them( to: attend the,, Leagues confer- ence because;they will 4pass information to the _new :council and:sta '`But businesses would be reluctant to: • hIP ,CONTINUED}ON2B cc) EAa• cr SA apy� w ..+.O 03 E 0 N B P o IDap7rif G. n FP-'.T owq tr.)51 Cy.w 0 Cr O cc, .n O ./ gag w o-`6'5'gics4.m�.�• 0O�Yo 0 ,��• fD lD e'y yG0E•o 0 p 0 :0 go w rn CD _ _ w fDococc] o .•ter q.Oq wry ..`"' ,ju%'�'/( Eagan holding public.hearin discuss Comprehensive:.! Three community open ing the possible 'uses for' that houses have been scheduled to -land •before a'p[oposa1r,comes' allow the public to: comment . forth." on the land `use. portion of Ea--. -Neighborhood meetings .are, gan's, Comprehensive Guide scheduled•from'-6 30 to' 8 3 Plan and its proposed changes. .p.rit on three different evenings The ' Comprehensive Guide . and tocations:'-A'•Jan 21+`}meet, •;.t Plan is a tool used to guide the ing will be held at Pilot Knob.. b city's vision for development " Elementary. School, ' located`. iC near the intersection,.;'of'=Pilot.={:n Knob''and•Lone iOak-'road's ° `A i£ 'e. Jan. 28 Meeting' will be:-lield ttr. 1, . the Municipal; Center' Commu=`3' 1 nity Room at;3830-PiloOKnob•;'h: Road. A Feb. 4 meeting is d scheduled: at lEagteClaithefatiA Church; located` 'at'42007- Pilot P Knob Road. In addition to establishing T goals and... policies•`-yused .to' guide the cominunify's Bevel'-_ opment, the Comprehensive Guide Plan - includes" several : di subsections that address_.land<" -` use,.- : transportations::....issues.. housing,, utilities;` parks; natural (;resources airports.., .d€ aviation and economic opment:: It -;also features:`public... aini facilities, such. 'as ;.schools,.:.li thi braries and fire-stations.:i . '"pfl Updating the."Coniprehensive <-Cc Guide Plan• -can impact,:zoning, ;,^•at: development • : : standards'; and long-range• development goals. "The relatively `few landown- gan s neighborhoods. And tt a ers whosprope�rsysexp$ cued'St` a way -to express- ideas or con toy undergo a signifrcant=chahgge co► cerns regarding the. develop- through;; this update Kaye al. tio1 .: ment vision 'proposed for Elie ready been contacted directly wh community and, in."•most3 cases,' they ai "We' typically 'hear from ' working withcity' staff''t9 de neighbors when the open field termrne -what the, impacts ,ma in their neighborhood is pro be' said :Farnham posed for development said For more �rnformatron; t con, Farnham The' -attempt here is tact Farnharh *a51)' 681 .to•get people involved in gui'd 469 in the next 10' to 20 years. The city is in the process of updating' this : planning tool, which has had no thorough up- date since 1983. "The community has moved from 'a developing community in the 1980s to. a 90 percent developed community. The guide plan is being updated now to reflect these changes that have, for the most part, already occurred," said Julie Farnham, an Eagan city plan- ner.. "We don't anticipate mak- ing any broad -sweeping changes with this update; rather, the .new plan will re- flect existing development pat- terns." Residents and area business representatives -may wish to. get involved in this process for a number of reasons. It's a way to be more aware of the types and intensity of future devel- opment that may occur in Ea- mil' J '1.• Z: o-p ei In the Community,.Wth the Community, Eagan Counci of compefin3� Can both advertise at community events? GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS City government is usually ,commit- ted to using the taxpayers' dollars to the maximum benefit. But sometimes, cities also develop fee -based programs that are self-sustaining to serve the taxpayers:. The question then comes' up, how far should the city go to accommodate busi- nesses — who also pay taxes that offer similar services. The issue came up in Eagan when a gr representative from a church -preschool. propro am and if gang [ra jljes Gybe ij program wanted to advertise at•business that W �ust;wananan[even pl S night at Eagan Market Fest. Because the Parks Director'Juh,Sey�_ city also operates recreational preschool made: the oint that:_ if the citi p F:•. programs at its community center, the advertise in another,, resc city turned away revenue: and -adverts- would not be -allowed to d'o's ing from Easter Lutheran Churchat the . weekly farmer's market: •They wouldn t even,�le The council discussed the issue at its door' ::she said Tuesday Sept. 8 workshop. Counc�lmember Paul Bakken sad the Current city policy does not allow com- city :'should `allow'; for teompetit ox because if the private sector.was;'oink something - the' ci offere& better 4th • Low Prices -'xxteer�ipor & Interior raiiiiing Jorge Flores' , " llr Cell: (651) 815-2786: (651) 815-1444 64016th Ave N, S. St. Paul, 55075 • peting business :rto advertise .at ci events inclizdifig fitness centers :ice ar nas:'skate schools and water"parks; wt eIi . are some of the city rune iterprise�von- tures The city does allow an30usiness'to advertise: at one fune events such=as the. semiannual Show aga. . veri . . case Eagan event "You have' the °power : o" fundin �;Y,u -had haver the advantage said one tcev• Borgshatz " We Iusf :want to offer`'the .city maybe shouldn t be 'offerin eruice: . ror a mot of these,thuigs;the reason `the ci " a x,. -- tY got °unto the enterprise --was because the private sector ,wasp t `domg it he said a , ::- Bakken also suggestedI that advertis ing be allowed at places where a cdmpet ing business is not unmediately present For example lie said, preschools should ,; be able•s.to advertise .at ,the ice ;arena However he said he -wouldn t ; be _ so ;;_ amenable, to having another ice arena s skate school`'advertism g in',the city s CIT1f COUNCIL .PAGE-5: eAVapiY. S'PONS'o' 1 T St C CPI "1 1•7-009 In the Community,With the Community, For the Community_ • City Coun FROM PAGE 3 arena, since the =saine service -' likely wouldn't be granted bythe other ;arena F Other :council 'meinbers agreed that-,? the restrictionsscould be loosened to pro_ motethat competition :without the city? giving away "market ° share;:on :ifs <'own enterprises.. The-: council then -?directed staff to".come with a policy thatwould;° carry out that vision t "I wouldn t suggest these policies mdi '; cate that we're afraid of something ' said Mayor Mike Maguire' told` Borgshatz I s , , think it's important that we .h ave..the JCu8 Scout`;Packs�.u"i opportunity to put your:'. preschool and " hosting ` ; newer memb your offerings;in competition September=to mvite boys`• ti gradees 15 t `And I'm not afraid of -that m copete �oui Cab Scouts`ti Boys andYanadult ar tion. Unfortunately our :policy; in this encouraged to attendthe locations particular instance got in the "way off theirrchoiee to learnbmore Glib Scout doing that and communicates that fear '• ""= explore a :variety of Thew +interests rani "That might be one way to frame it is activities with{otler boys their ages; that would wouldn't allowtadvertismg kr s fiCubs Jii eetkiwee sponsorship, whatever word you want toy:• small groups (dens` use within the space °that service is being advertised,"., , said SeydeilJohnson:: "It's not that we're afraidto compete but-: there's regular"� . busuiess;.practice think we could talk about'as=well."`` ' "For things that are community wwwmnSun com=Thursday Sept. 17 2009:—Apple Valley Rosemount &Egan Sun Current Nan was allegedly drivingstolen. vehicle RANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS "•c With the help of a hielicopter fromthe innesota State Patrol Eagan police were able to track down a suspect who i allegedly .stole : a :vehicle in;?the early =morning of .Thursday,- Sept 10 According to .Eagan` Public'' }Information Officer < Danielle aA7iselment; officers 'initiated. a traffic .: Top ne,ar the intersection of •'Lexington." OMMUNITY NOTES _and D ftley ds roaat 12 37 a rn. t ' equipment=violation on the vehicles'° The driver a 20-year old.Hastlr�=: manarid' a passenger then leftthe Lehi;; cl' at. the nearby' Lexington/D'iffl'•'•: Athletic Facility and fled onhfoot 4Vrt' the help of itigiielipkiter and the Dakot 1 Courity'K_g IIiiit police arrested the driv- er but. were. unable to arrestthe passer , gerkAnselment:said police believe-U ,.v. know.tl ey`rdentit . of theme pas§eriger The 'case has beenMforwar`ded to ahe Dakota;County, Attorney s'Oftice for pos, sable felonyrcharges of felony; fleeing j n.• a moto•rvehicle and felony ppssessioii of; stolen property_ -Jtiez1( ;1, /90 Eagan Co nc to test televisecl... sessions. Council hopes cablecasting will help increase public awareness By Marie McNamara Sun Newspapers Residents can get a behind the scenes look at the Eagan City Council at work. Some of the council's work sessions will soon be televised on Channel 16. The purpose of televising the sessions is to better inform residents and to sup- port openness between residents and City Hall. The sessions "will give a first-hand glimpse of what's to come at council meet- ings," said Councilmember Bea Blomquist. By watching the work sessions, resi- dents will receive necessary information to respond to the council, as well as no- tice to attend meetings, said Blomquist. A session at 5 p.m. Feb. 9 may be tele- vised. Council members are expected to discuss the five-year capital improve- ment budget that evening, said City Ad- ministrator Tom Hedges. The only cost of televising work ses- sions is paying the cablecaster an hourly rate of $8 to $10 per hour, .said Gene VanOverbeke, finance director. The coun- cil is trying to limit work sessions to three hours, said Overbeke. After six months, the effectiveness of televising the sessions will be evaluated, said Hedges. "It will be a good experiment to see. how cablecasting will affect work ses- sions," said Mayor Pat Awada. Work sessions can give residents more Cure The Winter Dryness In `details and a view: of the process of city govern- ment. Work sessions.' are fact-finding meetings. that .include ..presenta- tions by city staff and discussion, said Hedges The: information is then brought to coon- cil meetings for public comment and de- cisions: "Action taken at work sessions is the exception, not the rule," said. Hedges..` Some work sessions will not be tele_ vised, such as field trips, which present logistical difficulties, said Hedges. Other exceptions include advisory commissioncandidate: interviews and in terviews for the appointment of top Man- agement positions, according to a memo written. by Hedges. These personnel ap pointments eventually will be discussed and decided at regular meetings. Executive sessions cannot be televised • either, because of confidential informa- tion such as pending litigation or labor. negotiations, said Hedges' memo.'.. City staffcompleted an informal study on other cities' practices in televising -spe- cial meetings and work sessions.- Apple Valley televises its regular and some special meetings. Burnsville, Lakeville, Eden Prairie and Woodbury televise only regular coun- cil meetings on cable TV. However, anriu- ally or bi-annually, the cities maytelevise a meeting that studies the budget,. capi- tal improvements or any other signifi cant. topic: Bloomington does-. not televise its study sessions since rio action is .taken. Y � • -n y fi li ti s, ut irE T (rr ,5 a C IW v loci I. to rom tele 'R* 'E-CA. r Prii --rr Tuesday when they ouneillo add rabbits to the; city, nies are now ;officially Welcole:' Eagan. — AMY SHERMAN, $TAFI', iVii ROSEMOUNT Shamrock Award winner' named: Rosemount Chambeila Commerce has announced the win- ners of its 2001 Shamrock Award, honoring community volunteers in four categories. The winners are: Student — Abby Souders, a senior at Rosemount High; Citizen — Tom Werner Senior. Ted North - wick, Felix and Mary Kropelnicki, and Ted and Lillian Rosen; and Business — First. State Bank of Rosemount. The awards ceremo will' be at 5:30 p.m. March, 31']rat Rose mount Community Center,.13885. S. Robert Trail, Rosemount: - Tick= ets are available until March 23 from the Northern Dakota County Chamber of Commerce,: (651) 2- 9872. —TIM CAREY. STAFF WRITER DAKOTA COUNTY Rides for Spanish,speaking seniors: Dakota Area Resources and Transportation for. Seniors (DARTS) now offers ride schedul- ing for Spanish-speaking senior cit- izens, age 60 and older, who live in Dakota County. The voice mail message, asking for your name and phone number in Spanish, is available by calling (651) 234- 2292. A DARTS staff member, who will assist with the scheduling of a bus ride, will return the message within 24 hours. — TIM CAREY, ST \FF WRITER ,r 1 , • 1l: t jdst ;east and ,west of View, have protested 'the changes. They say limit- fiefrom the south and west wi 1. not dil iy inconvenience them bt t W111 make it difficult for .ambulances and police to get to their neighborhoods. Further, they say, drivers are more likely to snakethrough their residential streets to find another way onto EAGAN CITY COUNCIL ing Garden' :View mum, Highview' Avenue. Garden View Drive resident Barb Wetch, who operates a clay-: care center in -her home just across from the Apple Valley Community' Center and Westview Elementary. School, says she sees too many cars narrowly miss hitting children who frequently cross Garden View near her house. So she's circulating.: saythat as developments spring up on' Highvievinand more residents learn of *;.,connection, more drivers will' aftempt to use Garden View Drive ,as a short cut. Tammy J. Oseid, who covers Apple Valley, Burnsville and Lakeville, can be reached at to seldeploneerpress.com or (651) 228-2171. §hare your local concerns at listening Sessions scheduled before council meets AMY SHERMAN STAFF WRITER' of a beef with something in VI Eagan? Perhaps a suggestion fdr how the city can fix it? ''If you are looking for a little face time with the City Council, the council members will soon be all` ears for half an hour before regular neetings, which are gen- erally held the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The lis- tening sessions, which will start April 3, will be from 6 to 6:30 p.m. This will replace the "visitors to be heard" portion at the start of council meetings. That seg- ment is supposed to be 10 min- utes, but at times has lasted up to an hour. There still will be a "visitors to be heard" segment at the end of the council meeting, a SPRING (1? AFT FAIR time that hasn't been as crowded as the earlier one. "One of our main goals is, to increase communication between city government and its resi- dents, so this is one way we feel to do that in a nonthreatening setting," Mayor Pat Awaasaid. If standing at a podium front of the . council while the cameras are rolling gives you the willies, fear not. Residents will now be invited to sit down at a table and chat with the council in the community room at City Hall. Forums won't be cablecast. Residents can talk about items that aren't on the council agenda. The council won't vote during this time, but could choose to put the issues on a future agenda for. action. Residents or business owners who have concerns that might require staff research or council action — such as requests• to add stop signs to neighbor- hoods — may want to call coun- cil members and ask that the matter be placed on the regular agenda. Sometimes "visitors to be heard" is the juiciest part of the meeting. Issues range from quirky — a woman once came to complain that rabbits were not adequately addressed in the city code — to more widespread con- cerns like flooding. At times, groups of residents with common concerns come en masse. More than 150 people recently showed up at a meeting to demonstrate support e development of affordable hous- .ing; a few spoke. Many cities hold a brief public comment period during council 'meetings, but it's often not enough for the public to provide in-depth feedback. That's why cities have experimented with other communication methods such as email, surveys or call -in television shows. Amy Sherman, who covers Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount, can be reached at asherman@ ploneerPress. com or (651) 228-2174. Columbia Heights resident Nor after blood was drawn at the Tuesday. He Is the post com Post 513. Others, in backgra eight of the past 10 years, mr its Women's Auxiliary and its ed more units of blood to thr Center than any of at least 1 western Wisconsin. Formerly with District 1%, education official to start job as superintendent in. north suburbs four years as assistant superinten- an Kaler has been named the dent for South Washington County D new superintendent, of North andasppalofWoodbury obuand Paul Park ro To give blood Call the VA Medical Center at Cross at (651) 291-4607. Sr, caused 6,000 people to uanc American Red Cross says. MINNEAP Man pleads guilty to rt. 4-year-old boy: A 22-ye; HIV -positive man pleaded Wednesday to charges ster from the rape of a 4-year-o last September in Minneapoli Gabriel Lee Pugsley pl guilty to all five . charges him and is expected to rec sentence of 30 years in pr spokesman for the Hennepin ty attorney's office said. At the time of his arrest, said Pugsley admitted to lur boy into the basement of an ment building in South Minr and raping him. Pugsley al he was HIV -positive, whi, later confirmed by bloc' Authorities did not say if ti was transmitted to the boy. Sheriff defends arri singing -telegram "co' Mar,16. 2001 11:30AM THE WALLACE GROUP No.5635 P. 5/6 Eagan City Council introduces citizen bstening sessions by Erin Johnson Staff Writer The Eagan City Council announced that it will begin holding listening sessions twice a month in an effort to increase opportunities for citizens to have access to their civic lead- ers. "These sessions will give city residents a better means of presenting their thoughts, ideas, and concerns to the city in a comfortable setting," said Mayor Pat Awada. Currently, Eagan residents are able to speak before the council during the "Visitors to be Heard" portion at the begin- ning of City Council meetings, which has a 10-minute total time limit. According to Awada, that causes major problems when a number of citizens show up to be heard, extending discussions beyond the allotted time and delaying the scheduled agenda items. "This was a major concern for people, especially those with children or a baby-sitter wait- ing, who wanted to talk about a proposed project in their neigh- borhood but had to wait for hours to get a chance to give their views," Awada said. In addition to time consider- ations, Awada said she hopes the new, less formal listening sessions will remove the intimi- dation factor of public speaking. "Being able to talk with us over coffee about an issue that's important to them is far better than the formal council cham- ber, which some people find to be intimidating," Awada said. "Our goal is to encourage citi- zens to come forward and share their thoughts in a more friend- ly environment" Listening ses- See Sessions, 8A 6514523504 => CITY OF EAGAN ,TEL=6516814612 03/16'01 12:20 Mar,16. 2001 11:31AM THE WALLACE GROUP No.5635 P. 6/6 Sessions/Continued sions will be scheduled a half hour before the regular 6:30 p.m. City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The sessions will be con- ducted on a first come, first serve basis. Citizens who wish to speak will sign in upon arrival and be heard in that order. If time runs out, the next person on the list will be the first to speak at the next session. The first listening session is scheduled for April 3 at 6 p.m. There will continue to be a "Visitors to be Heard" portion at the end of regular City Council meetings. 6514523504 _> CITY OF EAGAN ,TEL=6516814612 03/16'01 12:21 • by attending special events -- games, concerts, plays, conferences, graduations. Most; however, have never observed us really in action — teaching, learn- ing, explaining, describing, prob- ing; creating, inquiring; striving for excellence -- the real stuff of Burnsville High School. Please accept our invitation. National Honor Society students Egan grateful for re-election To the editor: I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who par- ticipated in any way in my suc- cessful hid for re-election to the Eagan City. Council. It is unfor- tunate that the spoils of victory are always awarded to -the canes didate and not his campaign com- mittee. Two thousand' one hun• - died nineteeri people participated this past Tuesday in a significant way to our successful re-election efforts. However, a very special thinks must be extended to the wonderful group of people who rolled up their 'sleeves and volunteered their efforts lo'work on our re-election committee. 1 have never been so proud of nor pleased with . such a wonderful group of people. ' • I have made a. solemn commit- ment to all of the people of -Eagan • to provide my continuing best ef- forts in serving our wonderful community. I fully intend ' to honor that commitment. From the bottom of my heart. I wish to thank again those of you -who have helped give me the oppor- tunity. • TOM EGAN .Eagan_city council,monyber, ...i 1.7 %AA 1 Election (continued from front) . registered voters in Eagan show- ed up at the polls. City Treasurer and Finance Director Eugene - VanOverbeke said the turnout was fairly typical for a municipal election in Eagan or just a shade less than other years because so many voters'registered last year for the national election. In 1981 and 1972, 22.5 percent and 22.8 percent voted, respectively. In 1983, just 3.4 percent voted in city elections, but the races were un- contested.) Ellison said he was very happy with the election results, and he attributed his win to "hard• work." "Six weeks ago, no one had heard of Vic Ellison. I knocked on 5,000 doors. And I made a lot of phone calls to get people to go out and vote. I knew (winning) would take a lot of work, but I'm not sur- prised. I think I worked harder than any other candidate. "I'm looking forward to work- ing with Bea -and Tom and the other council members. I hope they'll be productive years," he said. Ellison said he plans on work- ing on zoning of property and reworking the Eagan Com- prehensive Guide Plan, which of- fers suggested uses for the city's land. "And I'll be protecting the rights of property owners," he added. Other council member can- didates were Mac Carll, 1790 Crestridge Ln., and David Goodell, 1263 Dunberry Ln. Carll received 1,031 votes, and 442 votes went to Goodell. THISWEEK 1 NEWSPAPERS Volume 7, No. 37 Two Sections Nov. 11, 1985 Section A EAGAN Your Community Newspaper Blomquist, Egan return to posts, joined by Ellison By CHRISTY DeJOY Mayor Bea Blomquist and Council Member Tom Egan will return to their respective seats in 1986, but there will be one new face joining Eagan's city of- ficials. Vic Ellison received enough votes Nov. 5 to take the position away from Council Member Jerry Thomas. Blomquist, 4504 Oak Chase Rd., won 1,846 votes; and challenger Michael Beard, 4775 Erik's Blvd., received 1,642. In all 14 precincts, Blomquist came out with the ma- jority. The closest number of votes was 96-93 in Precinct 2 at Pilot Knob Elementary. The two-year term to be served by Blomquist will be her fourth. "I am very pleased. I felt confi- dent, but you always have to work hard," Blomquist said. She added that the campaign was rough for her at times. "It hurts when people are attacking incumbents. A campaign like this can be so lethal. And I would like it clear that I was not sued," she said. Blomquist said she will review the Comprehensive Guide Plan during the next two years and work with a citywide task force to combat airplane noise. "I love the airport, but we've got to plan it so it doesn't impact our neigh- borhoods. I'm here to serve the citizens." Beard, who lost to Blomquist by 204 votes, said he has "mixed feelings. I'm elated for Vic (Elli- son), but disappointed I didn't win. But we finished tight, especially since I haven't held public office before. I was just 200 votes short and I am very proud. I figure there were 1,642 who thought I could do a better job." Beard said the campaigning was fun, hard work and reward- ing, and that he would do it again. He was unsure, however, if he will run again in two years. He said he hopes officials will work on the Comprehensive Guide Plan and on stopping the "tide of lawsuits" against the city. "If we don't care who gets the credit, it's amazing how much we can get done," Beard said. Egan, with 2,119, received the most votes of any council member candidate. In fact, Egan, 2969 Inland Rd., received the majority of votes in every precinct. He was re-elected to his third four-year term. Egan said he was "elated by the results. I was stunned. Despite obstacles (in the cam- paign) people really got the message. I consider this to be a significant indication that the people want the type of commit- ment to growth and development that I have made. And I will con- tinue to do so." Airport noise, the master street plan and the Comprehensive Guide Plan are a few of the issues with which Egan said he plans to work. Ellison won 1,685 votes to Thomas' 1,283. Ellison, 1308 Carlson Lake Ln., beat incum- bent Thomas, 4895 Pilot Knob Rd., in each precinct. Thomas has been on the council since 1982. "I'm just real disappointed," Thomas said. When asked if he plans to run again for city council he said, "Who knows?" He added that he was not pleased with the voter turnout. (Almost 22 percent of the Election See p.4A Here s the way it will work. Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 15, con- tests will be held in all 10 elemen- tary schools to pick a name for the new elementary school scheduled to open in Eagan in fall 1987. The winning name from each school will be submitted to a task force of parents, teachers and•principals (one from each elementary school) by Nov. 18. The task force will meet to eliminate duplications and nar- row down the list to three to five names, any of which they, believe would be a good name for the school. In early December all elementary students will be sent a ballot with the top names and will vote for their favorite. The name which receives the most votes will be the name of the school. This process not only allows students to name a building built for them, but is also an opportuni- ty for students to learn more about their community and school district. To help principals and teachers conduct the contest, they are given background infor- mation about the new school, the community in which it is being built and the district. The students' choice will be announc- ed in January. In the last two weeks District 196 has had the opportunity to host visitors from China and Japan. As we send our students and staffs out in the world, and as the world comes to us, we learn more about ourselves and others. Several Chinese dignitaries at- EAGAN TEL PUBLISH Joseph R. Clay • NEWS EDI Christy De SPORTS EE Pete Tern' ADVERTISING A John Swen CLASSIFIED M Diane Hermit OFFICE 1525 E. High P.O. Box 1 Burnsville, Minn 894.111 �l eve[ ai .iapanese educators visited Apple Valley an appraiser 0y-parnes-wr10 nave in ine insiani case of Une hrnnahi f1nnCl M. ill .. • 1... * * •:• 1,.•.s.1.,.f.i ♦ F• • i • i i • M • i 2A NOVEMBER 11, 1985 THISWEEK SECTION A Vol. 1 No. 1_ October 8, 1980 • THREE SECTIONS Liquor. license 'denied: City. officials answer court challenge The City of Eagan was in -County - Court last week, defending a -City Coun- cil decision to 'deny a. liquor -license to •Mahmood Aghassi. Three . off -sale liquor licenses, in Eagan are enough for now, says the Ci- ty Council. • Not so, says Aghassi—particularly• when .one of .the three has carried his license in his .,pocket for seven years without opening a liquor store,' Aghassi is a native of Iran who came . to the Twin Cities- 11. years ago and became a .U.S. citizen in August 1979 shortly -before he applied for the off - sale liquor license. - Aghassi, a 40-year-old supervisor for Air LaCarte Food Services, filed a ` lawsuit to compel the council. to give him an off -sale license after his ap- plication was twice rejected. He wants to open a liquor store in the Silver -Bell Shopping Center, at Cedar Avenue and Highway 13, and he calls the council action arbitrary and capricious. ' But council members and 'city at- torney Paul- Hauge testified last week in District Court.- in --Hastings, that Aghassi's proposed.store'is not needed'. It would be too close to an existing li- quor store in the- nearby Cedarvale ed 'the .couneil's liquor. policy adopted. Shopping Center and another licensed = Feb•..22, -1973 (originally. providing for - location not .yet operating next to the.- only two•off-sale liquor 'stores in the ci- Mister Donut just east of Cedarvale,.. • ty) "nonsense,"_ -and its criteria for. they said. grant.irrg additional licenses . Another - off -sale. liquor store is - "nebulous." • located in Yankee Square shopping -- Sax -focussed Much -of his attack on a center, at Yankee Doodle Road and . third license given to realtor Jean Par- - Pilot Knob Road' in the -.northern part - ranto, father of. Eagan City Council- ofthe city. ' , member Mark Parranto, for the loca- Mayor Bea'Blorriquist said the coup-` tion -by, Mister Donut: Although Par - 'ell unanimously denied the, application ranto was given the license seven years for Aghassi• because it was concerned :ago —after the council amended its: about having a cluster of liquor. stores • policy to allow a third license. = and , in one neighborhood. . has renewed it annually, he has not yet • Blomquist presided at 'the June 17 . . opened.a business. -meeting where the council took' only Sax,and Aghassi testified they were. aboutnine minutes to turn down "the . told in telephone conversations with request a second .time. She said the ap-. - the Parrantos that Jean Parranto in- plication had already been discussed at tends to transfer his license to a loca- :length at a Nov.7, 1979. meeting and nothing had changed. Blomquist was present at the Nov. 7 meeting but was not in office then: "There .was .a great -deal of discus- sion about -not clustering them• together," she said, and "not wanting . to have a ueighborhoodcwhere there are many, many liquor stores." Aghassi's attorney, Roger Sax, call- • tion.to open next year at County -Road 30 and Cliff Road. Neither Mark Parranto nor Jean Parrantd testified: • Jean Parranto failed to appear in. response to a subpoena served on him by Sax. "It struck me that -making that kind of statement indicated that he (Mark Parranto) knew something about coun- 'cil liquor policies we didn't know," - said .Sax who suggested the council member might have a conflict of in- terest when he voted to deny the Aghassi application. - COURT: to p. 6 Cable TV for Eagan - Minnesota Cable Communications Board approved" cable television for Eagan and seven other Dakota County communities Sept. 12. Each community_ is required to name a board to conducta needs assessment study before inviting applications for franchises. Other cities approved were South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Sunfish Lake, Mendota Heights, Mendota,- Lilydale and Inver Grove Heights. The proposal was presented by the city of South - Paul, where cable can be installed more economically than in less densely - populated areas. Herb Polzinioves Eagan_ Former . mayor Herb •Polzin was born 74 years ago in this Eagan home. " See feature article on pages 2.3. kerb Polzin liked running for office...but it wasn't a matter of life and death' by Judy Schmidt • Herb Polzin is the kind of man who shares harvest melons with neighbOrs, ,Who•treasures a print of an old steam engine at harvest as much as his favorite oil Painting and who loves the -signs-of progress as he looks at it from his 74 years, Polzin is the boy with an eighth grade 'education who grew up to become a ' civic leader all -his adult life while at the same time running his 100-:acre dairy farm. Polzin (pronounced Pole-zeen) serv- ed as mayor of Eagan, village and •town, from November, 1972,.through December, 1977.. Before that, he was treasurer of the township for 28 years, -first appointed • in 1944, then elected every two years though 1972. . And it was Polzin who first brought . to the- attention, of the townshipclerk ' and supervisors the need for commurii- typlanning back in ,the mid .1950s. ' "1 suggested hat we not just let things •happen," he said -i`n an .inter: view. "It was time for a planning:corn- ' mission." • The supervisors followed his advice in March Of 1956. Poliiritwas asked to • serve on the body which she did for 16 years. He chaired from 1968 to 1972. "I guess Im as proud of that as anything," he explainedas he •of- fered an hour guided tour of Eagan's —Criittisti=y complexes', residential com- munities and shopping areas. . • In Polzin's lifetime, Eagan has • grown,from a township of dairy farms to an urban community, from .5;000 - residents •to 20,000-21,320 to be - act. "My. dad, son of 'German immi- grants, bought this place •in 1900," he said, speaking of the family tarm, "and I've never lived anywhere else," This time •Polzin talks- while over-' looking_ rolling acreage on either side of Blue.Gentian Road. . He now lives in a six -year -old • rambler on the road's highest point. His neighbors are a half dozen urban families he Soldland to for houses and the 78-year-old 'farmhouse in which he •. was reared and he reared his son, . •Herb, now an • animal husbandry • .specialist with an agriculturalconipany in Illinois. couldn't see subdividing the farm He sold 70 acres as a farm that still exists withthe old house, he said. The only. business he had with in- dustry, he explained, was the selling of 20-plus acres in the early 1950s for what are now trucking and beverage businesses- :along State • Highway 55' near Highway -149. "Some say thei-e's a lot of money to be made..in land development," he said. "There's. also a lot of expense. And 1 guess I couldn't see subdividing • the farm, especially when some of the plats wduldrCt have been good fori home sites.',' • In the)midSt of his mayoralty duties in 19.74, at the age.of 68, Polzin did retire from farming. The son wasn't in- terested in continuing on. •the homeplace and his.wife Agnes was ill. • The balding white-haired man talked about how. -he got into and out of politics. r, father had been a, township - suPervisor for about six years when I' was a kid growing up on the farm. He thought it was a good civic duty. "So, in 1944,•when the treasurer of the township quit because he sold his farm and moved to St. Paul, some of the fellas knew m-e and asked if I'd step in as:treasurer for the rest of his term: The job wasn't too hard and it -paid $100 a year,- so 1 -thought why not?" • Though- thejob . never did offer higher wages than $400 a year during • Polzin's_ terms "l enjoyed it. I got to know folks and -it was kind of •a thrill just working with the clerk and super- visors on • the problems of the ' The rewards of planning; he said,. were :seeing growth in an' organized way, making sure roads, ditches and • utilities .attem. pted to keep pace. ' "Then l'm a -conservative, too. I like' • . the tax base that iridustry in a com- munity provides as well as the.people it • • Herb and Agnes Polzin planted this tree when their first son was born., brings with the job's offered:".• • He said many of the people who • ' came to work for Univac, 3M:- Blue Cross -Blue 'Shield, Control Data., Coca-Cola- and, now,- the new U.S. • 'Post Office Bulk Mail Center,•dislike a long drive and decide to move into the • community' 'Winning wasn't that _important' • That brought housing developments and the apartment complexes with their accompanying •shopping centers and professional and medical service offices, he said. • Development of the Planning Com- mission, he said, allowed business to talk about its plans, the township to • fi keep up with services and families buyl ing homes to krioW how they might be affected or,. set their own•priorities for, what should happen in the c:orrimunity. When Polzin decide& to run for mayor -in 1972, he said he felt it 'was a natural idea since he had longtime ex perience in the community. • "And while I liked running for of- fice," he said, "you know it never has been a matter of life and death with me. Winning wasn't that important:" During his years in office, (the job paid $150 a month) Polzin said, further cooperation went on with the county and metropolitan community in -plann- ing for parks and service programs. A police station was built and Patrick McCarthy Park land was purchased. Sewer and water lines were extended and pushes were Made, to improve'. roads and highways into the area and • A6 • .Fall Craft Fair THURS & FRI & SAT, OCT. 9, 10, 11 • Thurs & Fri, -10AM=9PM Sat 10AM-6PM • Featuring over 40 booths • Demonstrations daily in • Center of Mall Register for Chris`tma§ box drawing. Have your Christmas shopping done free,by' winning this box full of gifts. Donated by the, craft merchants: Register all 3 days. Drawing held Sat. at 4:00‘p.m. Apple Valley Square Shopping Mall Co. Rd. 42 & Cedar Ave. / 16 stores :to serve you :•,•EgaarIctilisimffpkEl,ppt?t?sr,7:isso progress from t ' {.'3A the first city administrator was hired. "What I brought to it? Well, I think a lot of knowledge aboutthe communi- ty and its people, an ability to an: ticipate what they wanted, and enough experience with the. land throughout. the township to know instantly when streets or developments. were .planned, whether their design for the land or its drainage problems had been well thought out." . "I wasn't above .saying,' `No, that won't work' .when 1 saw a marsh or wetland that had been misrepresented in a discussion," he said. Theresults, he observed, have been good: "This is a beautiful community," he said.. While'it-"may not .have a core or a heart as:one speaks of a city with a long history, it does have loyal citizens. Many, of the once -rural residents .still live here -"they know and love it" —and as new families move in, go to work, shop andsend their kids to ti. MARRIAGE. . AND ,. FAMILY ti COUNSELING CENTER k ti• Richard. J. Obershaw • MSW ACSW Director -•Marriage Counseling ' •Individual, Counseling •Family Counseling •Psychological Testing- (Licensed Consult ing.Psychologist) • •Grief Counseling: • •'Hypnosis..' 'Stop Smoking • - Weight_Loss Sliding Scale Fee Schedule - q- ` • Suite 238 - S :151 W. Burnsville Parkway I Burnsville 894-5450 1`�.11Jl./l./YJll1Y./Y1l✓./ll /ll.� • ALASKAN CRAB • STEAK & CRAB ® STEAK & LOBSTER Your Choice Only $399 iaxB Be... Extra Expires Oct. 31 Cedar Ave. So. at Cliff Rd; 454-6744 • Banquet facilities Reservations not necessary Open 7 days &week Master Charge • Visa • American Express school, it "becomes home territory" just as much as the city -of St. Paul or th'e village of Mendota .Heights, he'" said. Churches and community organizations help.. `I still visit down at City Hall' And; he watches thedaily.change .in • airport traffic -over his house and the beginning, preparations for interstates 495.and 35E in the valley below and feels excitement about it all. "l live four miles from.the airport and have never been in a plane;" he said, "but •l'm glad for. the new highways coming into this.community. It means convenience /for people who. live and work here..I like: it." Cedarvale Shopping Center and Yankee Square provide meeting places. of neighbors and the convenience of .not having to shop in a bigger town. Whenhe quit as mayor, Polzin said - he "felt comfortable about it. It was time. I still visit down at City Hall. I 'drive the community everyday. And I -like to•know what the police are up to.' Meantime he relishes the mementoes _ "'of-hardwork in citations from m the City of Eagan, Dakota County; the Dakota County- Development Association, the _Northern Dakota Chamber of Com: merce, the Minnesota ' Mayor's "Association and the Order of Knighthood given by King Boreas Rex of the Si. Paul Winter -Carnival." He .frames prints and collects mementoes_ and paintings from his - history and that of the Minnesota farmer. He and Agnes garden and give away. flowers and vegetables to friends and neighbors.. • . . He with friends Arthur Rahn, Ar- nold Carlson, Frank Dombroski, Jim • Diffley and Elizabeth Kenneally gather regularly towork. on'a history of Eagan for the town. • to [ WANTMY. PATIENTS.TO KEEPTHEIR PERMANENT TEETH:' Dennis C. Simmons, D.D.S. Comprehensive Dentistry Ridges -Medical Office Building 200 Nicollet Blvd. E. Suite 232 Burnsville, Minnesota.55337. Call. 4358655 . © Copyright• 1980 •/. Modern dentistry gives us the:tools to protect your teeth so you'll have a• permanent smile for the rest of your • Comprehensive dentistry; an effective program of dentalcare, is a process of personal contact with your dentist and careful planning. ' I have designed my practice around giving all of my patients comprehensive care. . Ask your dentist about-:. comprehensive care. Or call my office and make an appointment.: .. 1,11 be.glad to talk with -you privately about what modern dentistry. can . . do for .you. _,Eagan CHRONICLE, Octobei+7;1980 4& EDITORIAL/OPINION Hello, Eagan: Here comes The Chronicle • As we put together this first edition of Eagan's first community newspaper,. the omens are propitious: • The Cedar Avenue Bridge is, at last, nearly done. Soon we'll be'ablesto get into town and home again without feeling as.though we'd been to China.. (Also there's to be a bike path on that bridge —good news, we, think). • • The Minneapolis daily newspapers strike is funneling. some •unexpected advertising' dollars our way, and the:- firstedition of The Chronicle that we expected to run about 24 pages has turned out to be-60. If you like it, let •the advertisers. know. . • And, all over .the place, fall colors are resplendent in the glory that is . • Eagan in October. What a fine time to begin. Here's what you should know about • your new,Eagan Chronicle:. • First .of all, it's free: You•cari expect to receive it, every Wednesday, this week in the ADS box and later on by mail. If it fails to arrive, be sure to let us know. • - How •come it's free? Because the newspaper business, is largely an adver- tising' business and. advertisers want to reach as many people as possible. By offering total, distribution in a com- munity like Eagan we can better sup- port a professional news staff. , The Chronicle is published•by Cur- , rent Newspapers, a- company that started in a basement in Burnsville five years ago this week, as The Burnsville Current. Officers of the corporation are Mary Ziegenhagen, David Ziegenhagen and Joanne Shiebler. The Burnsville newspaper was followed in 1977 by a community weekly called Countryside serving Ap- ple Valley and Lakeville. Each paper_has•its own -news staff, focusing•on local government, schools, business and people. We unashamedly concede state and national events. to Other publications, and we assume almost everyone watches TV. So we don't try to compete with., Time and Newsweek or Sports Illustrated. We're not the New York Times, and we're not WCCO. We just try hard to give you news, information and advertising that you can't get anywhere else —what's going on in your cit.y, your - neighborhood, the:businesses and peo- ple closest to where you live. The Eagan reporter you'll be seeing most often is Linda Hanson. She's a graduate,:of the University of Min- nesota school of journalism, and her work 'is good. Meeting'notices,•engage- ment announcements, press - releases, etc. should be addressed to her at 1209 .E. Cliff Road in Burnsville, 55337. Let us know what you'think should be included in the newspaper. We need to -print a community calendar, but we have to have help from organization 'leaders and others who seek publicity for their, meetings. We seek news tips and ideas for feature stories. Not everything you suggest will work out, but •at least let us hear it. Not - everything will get into the paper in.the _ first few -editions, but over the year we hope Eagan- will be a more cohesive community of better informed people than it has been- without its own. newspaper... That's the goal; that's what we're here for. --Mary Ziegenhagen Life without the Minneapolis Star and Tribune The strike. at The Minneapolis Star and Tribune may give us all a lesson ,in why, and whether, • we 'need a daily newspaper. Deprived readers soon will . be gobbling up anything with words on it, cereal boxes and match. covers in- . -cluded. Others may simply turn to TVA But however we react, the Twin Cities and Minnesota is bleak indeed without. that daily miracle churning off the,. presses at Fourth and Portland in Min- neapolis. • The strike seems to be more about technology than wages. Star and Trib if the only paper on which the news is employees make pretty good money , printed sits in a box next•to,theph'one?: But for the older, established And who needs all those reporters: newspapers, electronics —those com- and editors in a- shrinking industry puters that make writing easier -is a where every` month we read of another threat as well as a treasure, newspaper folding or merging or sell - Journalists today feel increasing competition for newspaper, jobs. A professor recently told Me that every year in America more people graduate from journalism schools than there are jobs in the entire newspaper industry. Here, at Current Newspapers, we often receive 50 to 100 applications for a single job opening.. - During the past tive years, newspapers. across the country have rushed into the electronic age, making -,.obsolete the work of thousands , of skilled workers, most notably the , • linotype operators. - Since 1976or so, Linotype machines everywhere have been shoved off into dark corners - like so many - dead elephants. At the Washington Post they painted onered and set it at the front .door, -where it' stands today a useless... piece of . industrial art. ' Reporters and editors` pass it on their way in to work. They know what it stands for: changing jobs, changing iigan`CH1iONfel2E -i idtifirLL7;1980= ing out? . • Newspaper people worry. Even - those of us working in. somewhat new and relatively secure community weeklies fret a lot. And we remember what Thomas Jefferson said. He said, times. And while some jobs area liv- • ing, and , news writing, as Jirrimy Breslin put it, " beats heavy lifting," few jobs have the drama, the im- . ' . . .were it left to me to decide whether we should :have a government without • newpapers, or . newspapers. - without a government, I should not mediacy, and the day-to-day rewards.. , hesitate a momentto prefer the latter." of journalism. • • He didn't mean, 1 tliink, that Unions save jobs, like surgeons save newspapers are any substitute for lives. And in times like these, it's get-' government. And heaven knows ting tougher to save jobs. • . newspapers themselves are not But Who.needsTeamsters to deliver democratic institutions. Only newspapers if a home computer strung shareholders can vote for, chairman of up with telephone wires does -it faster?; the board. Not even they affect the Who needs paperhandlers and mailers. :editorials.' • • Still, 200 . or so years .of American history show that . newspapers help democracy work right: Without infor- mation -at least one person's .version -- of what happened at the mayor's office or the county board, or what the gover- nor's up to —democracy cannot func-' tion properly. And television news, as we have seen this week, fails to provide the depth of coverage we're accustom- . .ed to in daily newspapers. Partly it results from the degree' to which televi- • • EA�A� HRON/CLE 1209 E. Cliff Road • Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 . 890.4456 Member. Suburban Newspapers of America ' ; Publisher- - 'Mary Ziegenhagen Executive Editor David Ziegenhagen Advertising Manager. Joanne Shiebler Distributedto every household in Eagan, every Wednesday, except for.the last week of each calendar year. • • . sion'newsrooms depend upon printed news stories for information and news .leads.. This is an•election year. And with the so-called Moral Majority and similar groups determined to baptize and "Christianize" America, with the FBI going• up against the powerline pro= testors, with state budget- cuts and vigilante committees attacking the. public schools, 1 can't think of a time when we have needed newspapers: more. And with so many people look- ing for work; selling used cais, buying homes and having garage `sales, we need the want ads. Businesses like movie theaters are especially threaten-: ed-by the lack- of advertising: outlets: - - - Not everybody likes The Star and Tribune. Most days, I find plenty not. tolike as I read them both cover to. cover. Of course they could be better. Butthe point is this., They're like the} -Foshay Tower, and. the Minnesota Gophers: they've been there as long as we -remember. And substitute papers can't give us what Peg Meier, Jim Par- sons, Klobuchar and Lori. Sturdevant see when they watch andlisten to peo- ple. Other papers can't give us pictures by -Mike- Zarby and. Kent Kobersteen_• and Stormi Greener.. Were just plain used to`those newspapers., And for all their :arrogance;. we'd miss 'em ,like anything, if they weren't here next year • - Fact is, we-miss.-'em like anything right now: — Mary.Ziegenhagen. (Note: Mary • Ziegenhagen was employed at the -Minneapolis Star from 1977.to :19.79.).. u L �r u ._,•v c l i t. t•:.4 L 4 v J P's t• 4 ��. � :. J. •} l',.A. ll.7{`�it C=Q CY• :'.�� LET7TR5FIOM READERS SAf Why shortchange Eagan? To the Editor: Why is Eagan always 'Shortchanged .by the Dakota County .Board? Eagan gave free land to Dakota County near- ly two years ago, and -yet we don't have the ,promised _library. Eagan never seems to get . much -needed traffic -signals. Eagan; never seems to have • county roads improved. The answer is quite simple. Eagan does not have a representative on the Dakota County •Board. Eagan is represented by someone ; who lives miles away at; the north edge of._ West St. Paul. He does not- have our in- ' terests at heart. We have an opportunity to elect. a commissioner who will look_ after our interests. John Voss has been_a plann- ing adviser to Eagan since 1969. He knows Eagan -very well. He : would work for our best. interests. Lloyd Krob . 4070.Beryl Road Kennedy :favorsoffice move To the Editor: Since I have been a commissioner I have supported the satellite offices which were necessary due to the population explosion in Eagan, Burns- ville and the •nearby cities since 1960. We presently are operating out of the Bridgeway building in Burnsville and have the following services:; Housing ,Development Authority, Veterans Ser- vice, welfare,public health nurses and `court services. At the presenttime these services have worked out for the residents in the above mentioned areas. The librarybusiness offices are presently located in the Burnsville • library and -when the Eagan library is • completed they will move their opera- tion into the Eagan facility. It would be logical to assume the county operations would move into the vacated offices of the 'Burnsville library. This move would be a tremendous cost savings to the taxpayers. I'm presently serving my second term as chairman of the Human Services Board and I shall continue to "investigate and work with department • heads tohold our costs down :without _ curtailing services. - James W. Kennedy, candidate for re- election to the County Board of Com- missioners from -the 3rd District. Under New Ownership 2 dozen iimit per customer Offer Good Thru Grand Opening Celebration Oct.. 6-10 • MrDonuf 3808 Sibley Memorial: Hwy ► Eagan* .. Mister 45444382 ,Hour: Sam 10pm, •7 days/wk -. .Doviut: Rodriguez- limits spending To the Editor: - Some of the candidates for House of Representatives in District -53A have attempted to make an, issue of the sources of campaign funds to the cam- paign of Carolyn Rodriguez, the DFL candidate for that seat. It is suprising_, that_other-candidates have attempted_ _ to make an issue of Carolyn's cam- paign spending, since the source of each and every . dollar Carolyn has received for her campaign is open for public inspection. at the state Ethical Practices Commission. A • simple review of our list of contributors would _ reveal that our -campaign's average --. contribution -'ranges between $25 and $30. Our largest contribution to date - has been. $300. What our opponents have failed to understand is that Carolyn's campaign has been funded'. and organized on a , grassroots . level •which has been going on for approx- imately two years: - It -is -also surprising that other -can- didates have made an issue of our.spen-• ding, since we are the only campaign to have voluntarily agreed to a contribu- tion sand expenditure limit. In contrast, Mr. Seaberg has not agreed to such a. limitation on - spending and- contribu- tions. This is because the Republicans intend to win this election by flooding the district with Mr. Seaberg's _cam - paign literature and signs. Through the- -. August _ 22reporting date. Mr. Seaberg had received $1,790 just from various parts of _the Republican party. I -think this indicates that the _ Republicans intend to win the district at any cost. In addition, Mr. Seaberg paid for a professional mail distribu- tion firm to distribute his campaign literature. In contrast, Carolyn .Rodriguez has exclusively used volunteers to distribute her_ literature and get her issues across to the voters of this district. The people of District 53A must -ask themselves if they want.a candidate like Carolyn Rodriguez, -who has limited her campaign spending. and .has run a grassroots, -volunteer-oriented cam- paign, or 1 whether they .want Art Seaberg, who has chosen not to limit his campaign spending and who has us- ed professionals to distribute his cam- paign literature. If how they run a cam- paign is any indication as to the kind of legislator the two candidates would be, Carolyn Rodriguez deserves your vote on November 4: • - James A. Stein 'Campaign manager for Carolyn Rodriguez • • - - Mendota Heights Paid Advertisement This man has given us 14 years of responsible - leadership A. man with: integrity, experience, and voter's. support. Re -Elect Senator. Howard ; TS Senate District:53 Prepared and -paid for by Knutson Volunteer Committee ='6241 Greenleaf Trail, • Apple Valley; 55124 :Allen L. Peterson, TWeasurer .o N gagaCIAFIRONICLE, ;9,091 r;7,119§94 - 6A .le Stock No. 81122 • Economical 4 Cylinder •4-Speed Transmission: • Heavy,;Duty Battery We -take• almost anything on _ trade 2 lights west of 35W on County Road 42 (Across from Burnsville Center) ■■■u■■■•■■■■.■■■,■■■■ ■ ■ , ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Closeout SAVE $100 3526-19 4752.01 Fully Automatic Water Softener Regular 439.95 NOW ONLY $22095 ►WS'INST, '.WHILE SUPPLYLASTS... 12 UNITS ONLY! coW8M IMAtt. 451-2241 ,At:. Participating Dealers Only Officials challenged in court COURT: from p. 1. • Aghassi said he •did, not know until :after his suit was filed that Jean Par- . ranto already had a license. That is; until he got a telephone call from former Town Board Chairman John Klein, •a call that Hauge characterized as`"yindictiveness."' •- That statement by Aghassi surprised his attorney, Sax, who had referred to. ' the Parranto license in the suit filed in Jitly,.and caused some confusion'in the testimony of Aghassi. .• . ,. Aghassi, in response to questions by Hauge and •Sax, said -he' would be the sole owner of the liquor store if he is •.granted a license.' • - . Aghassi said - he had not asked anyone to help pay -his legal fees, and said he did not know that a represen- tative of . his prospective- landlord, Metram .Properties Co.; had _talked to Sax about contributing to the legal' costs .for the lawsuit .• . Sax who was cross-examined by. Hauge acknowledged that in a telephone•call from the manager of the Silver Bell Shopping Center, he had "indicated" it "would- be easier for Mr. Aghassi to bring action if someone contributed .the fees." Sax, in his closing argument before Judge Lawrence Lenertz, called the Eagan council denial of his client's lesson "the most blatant case of government without law I have ever seen." • "Nothing in the record indicates this: (Aghassi application)` is a threat to ',public safety, health or morals," Sax He cited testimony by Council - member James Smith who when asked by Sax what criteria was used in the decision 'said, "You just know, you -knowwhether its. right or wrong... We •do it by the.seat of our pants..." . • The council, Sax said; had in effect told Aghassi, "We don't want 'you there. We don't' really have to justify our reasons," and said the council had failed toexplain or justify their reasons for turning down his client. Sax singled out " Blomquist for his harshest criticisms, accusing her of "unbelievable arrogance." Blomquist, when questioned by Sax, had repeated- ly said she "did not author the fin-. • dings" that the council gave for deny- . ing the license, although she concurred.. With then. • When asked by -Sax if she felt Eagan would be better off without any liquor stores, she replied, "It probably wouldn't hurt. them." She said she had - taken into consideration what Sax termed "the evils of alcohol" as well as - geography and the city's development guide in voting against the Aghassi ap- - • plication. - Sax and Blomquist clashed repeated- ly while she was on the stand, with Sax saying the mayor "was a little excited". at the June 17 meeting. Blomquist in - turn accused Sax of "screaming at me." • But Hauge said the council had acted '�• within its legal discretion. Sax, he said,. had attempted to "muddy the water by focussing on the: Parranto license. • • ."It seems. -to me Mr. Saxe couldn't find anything to jump on other- than the arrogance of the mayor," Hauge - said. - The two lawyers now will submit written briefs. There is no jury in the trial, and Lernetz will make a • decision in the' case'. Daycare providers' event set at . vo-tech An activity for day care providers • A $2 fee_ per provider will cover all and their children will be offered from costs. A nursery for infants will be .9:15 to 10:45 a.m: Tuesday,: Oct. 14 at -. ''available: ' the Dakota County Area - Vocational . , Technical .Institute, County Road. 42 - To register call Phoebe Orton at and Akron Road, Rosemount. 454-8520. ■ ■ • ■ Cedar Bridge will.feature_bike, pedestrian paths ■ ■ ■ .. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ . ■ ■ .■ 11 ■- ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■- ■ . ■ ■ ■ Pedestrians and bikers will be allow ed to cross the •new $23 million Cedar Avenue Bridge, according to John San- dahl, District 9 assistant engineer- for the Minnesota -Department • of Transportation. - During the next year a pedestrian • ALASKAN CRAB • STEAK & CRAB • STEAK do LOBSTER Your Choice Only SO 899 Tax ii Be.. Ewe Expires Oct. 31 3Duziwo Cedar Ave. So. at Cliff Rd. 454-6744 • Banquet facilities Reservations not necessary Open 7 days a week Master Charge • Vise • American Express and bike pathway will be constructed along side the bridge, which is schedul- - ed to open in mid -October. Bids for the project will be taken in September and - construction should be completed by next summer, Sandahl said.. . - -' • Homemakers to. host candidate night The Dakota County Extension Homemakers. will host• a "Meet the . Candidates Night" Tuesday, Oct. `14. • starting at 7 pail. at the Dakota Coun= ty Extension office, in Farmington. About40 candidates have been in- vited, including candidates for presi- dent, Congress, state -Senate, state - - - Legislature, ,county commissioner and County -Court Judge. - - Formal' presentations will begin at , . 7:30 p.m. followed by -questions and answers. All residents of Dakota County are welcome. to attend this meeting to :• become informed votersin the Nov. 4 .attan;CHRONI t , Bober 7, 1980 general. election. J �J �5 1C �"o� b'1 1 Q? PirL.-oJ 60Ck-Q .r OA\ _ v.) -to Nrma�.o 1 ' • tC..12,0 "N, 1-6-1-&-A kvaci.te).44.0_ U �Z12 —l16 - Q6-INS. 1 3 to cam- ec ,1 0 Ita#14(ta4.40_, a I i, I ac�o3 www.thisweek-online.com Council approves initial budget City plans in the face of state aid shortfall by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The Eagan City Council approved the city's prelimi- nary budget and levy Tuesday, with Mayor Pat Geagan calling it the "one of the most difficult budgets that I've seen." The council had to figure out how to overcome a $1.2 million shortfall in state aid, said City Administrator Tom Hedges. "In our case, the city is los- ing about $1.2 million in Market Value Homestead Credit and LGA (Local Government Aid) in 2004," Hedges said. "Knowing that, the council charged the staff with how ... to present a budg- et in 2004 that maintains a pretty healthy service deliv- ery and meets the objective of local city government." The preliminary 2004 gen- eral fund budget totals $21,778,700, which is exactly the same amount approved for 2003, Hedges said. Total expenditures within the general fund increased only 1.4 percent, which Hedges called "a very austere increase." Key areas identified for budget increases include pub- lic safety, information tech- nology and elections, Hedges said. The council also approved" a preliminary property tax levy amount of $20,425,644 payable in 2004. So what does this mean to - the average taxpayer? This year, the average mar- ket value property is $180,000, Hedges said. In 2003, city taxes on a $180,000 property were $508. "If that $180,000 market value home stayed the same in 2004, the tax would be $479, or a reduction of $29," he said. " If that $180,000 home increases in 2004 by $10,000... the city tax would go up to $512." " Both the budget and the levy will be reviewed prior to final adoption in December. The property tax levy amount can be decreased, but not increased before final adoption. The council set the Truth - in -Taxation hearing date for Monday, Dec. 1, with a con- tinuation date, if necessary, of Monday, Dec. 8. Erin Johnson is at eagan.thisweek@ecm- inc.com. 2A September 6, 2003 THISWEE 1-Deci 1 - Ow Yociil 1 2003 CARAV GRAND SPO BIG 3.8 V6, AUTO, REAR HEAT & AIR, QU POWER LIFTGATE, POWER DOOR, CAST FOGIAMPS, CD PLAYER & CASS., POWER D SE SPE AV $8,731 $3T91$2 t. Retail Pkg. Discount Rebate Discount Bonus Rebate Trade-in Bonus Business Owner/COL - $300 $22,9 2003 DURAN cTrr T•TTTV $4500 Rebat LEATHER, LOADED, V8. AUTO. AIR, REAR HEAT & AIR. DU LEATHER. HEATED FRONT, POWER (WIND., LOCKS MI" LEASE SPECIAL $3951$295oNL Y Retail Pkg. Disc Rebate Discount Business Owner/COL - $300'27,4 0% APR in lieu pf rebate, lease plus 1 2003 STRATUS SE JUST ARRIVED RENTAL RETURNS. ALL ONE PRICE 4 POWER WINDOWS, LOCKS, -TILT, CRUISE, BALANCE 0 SAVE THOUSANDS FROM NEW 2003 TOWN & COUN 1 ONLY! GRAND IX WAGON. REAR HEAT & AIR WITH CASSETTE, CD. BALANCE OF 7/70 & MO SORRY - ONLY ONE AT THIS PRICE — 101 DIG LOCOI Or ■ Toll Free 8 # I I I NATURAL GAS MORATORIUM By now, most Eagan residents. are aware of the limit which has been placed on new natur- al gas connections within the City. Al- though this is a complex problem which still has not been resolved, a brief summary of the issue is presented here. It is common for cities to grant an exclusive franchise to a particular company for utility service. In the past,_three —different gas companies--Minnegasco, NSP, and Peoples Natural Gas --has each served parts of the City. An exchange of service lines which took place in 1974, however, left Peoples (with few exceptions) as the single supplier of gas to Eagan customers. In the following year, problems arose with regard -to the supply of natural gas, and in May 1976, after petitioning the Public Service Commission, Peoples was allowed to place a moratorium on all new customer con- nections. The reason given was lack of sufficient storage capacity to adequately meet the demand for gas. Concerned by the curtailment of new gas service, an ad hoc Energy Committee was appointed to review the problem and make recommendations to the City Council. The official position of the City has been that this places Eagan at a disadvantage in attracting new development to the City, since surrounding communities are served by dif- ferent companies and are not experiencing a similar cut-off of new connections. In February 1977, the City Council petitioned the Public Service Commission, which regulates utility companies in the state, to intervene on behalf of the City. Public Hearings were held on March 29,30, May 10, 11, 12, 13 and June 1. The question was whether the PSC should order the three companies to enter into service agreements which would allow Eagan to be provided with new natural gas service. Also considered was the possible realignment of service areas so Eagan would be served by another company. The recommendation of the Hearing Examiner to the PSC was that the PSC did not have the authority to order the remedies and the case should be dismissed. The PSC has not yet made a final decision on this matter. While this case was under consideration, a very limited number of new connections have been allowed by Peoples. In addition, there is the possibility that a private solution could be arranged between the different companies. For the present, however, the limitation on new gas service continues, and it is likely to remain an issue within the City for the foreseeable future. This is the first issue of the City of Eagan Newsletter. It is being prepared through the Eagan City Administrator's office, and is distributed as a public service to Eagan residents. The main purpose of this newsletter will be to provide information on the activities of City government. It will include articles on City Council decisions, City department actions, and items covering other subjects of interest and importance to Eagan residents. The newsletter will be published three or four times a year. The early issues may experiment somewhat with style and content before a standard format is decided upon. Even so, future copies will attempt to provide bothshort articles on different governmental activities and from time to time a more in-depth coverage of major topics which may have arisen within the City. Local newspapers will continue to publish notices and report news items as in the past. However, with delivery, to all City residents, the newsletter will hopefully provide a direct communication link between the citizens of Eagan and their local government. The next copy of the Eagan newsletter will be distributed in April along with the Volunteer Fire Department's Eagan Directory. Thomas L. Hedges City Administrator CITY OF. EAGAN NEWSLETTER FOR AN INFORMED COMMUNITY THE LONE OAK TREE BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. PAUL MN PERMIT NO.4902 POSTAL CUSTOMER EAGAN, MINNESOTA JANUARY, 1978 VOLUME 1, NO. 1 NEW CITY COUNCIL The municipal election on November 8 re- sulted in the selection of a new mayor and two new Council members` for the Eagan City Council. There had been 2 Mayoral candidates and 7 individuals running for the Council po- sitions. 'All three incumbents had chosen not to seek re --election. The names of the Eagan City Council members for 1978-1979 are presented here. An * designates the newly elected members. MEMBERS ELECTED Eagan City Council Mayor Council Members Leo Murphy* Mark Parranto* 1625 Deerwood Dr. 1290 Vildmark Dr. LONG-TIME EAGAN OFFICIALS RETIRE FROM OFFICE The first City Council meeting in January marked the end of many years of public ser- vice for three Eagan officials. They are Mayor Herb Polzin and Council members Art Rahn and Dill Rydrych. All -three had announced their retirement from elective office prior to the November election. The significance of their retirement is that their combined length of official service to Eagan totals 72 years. The first official position for Mayor Polzin was as treasurer of Eagan Township, beginning in 1944. He served in this office until 1972, at which time he was elected as the first Mayor of the newly incorporated Village of Eagan. Herb has ,continued to serve as Mayor of Eagan until his recent retirement. In addition, he was a member of the Eagan Advisory Planning Commission from 1956 to 1972. Thomas A. Egan* 2969 Inland Rd. James A. Smith 2070 Marble Ln. Theodore Wachter 4550 Blackhawk Rd. Art Rahn first served on the Eagan Town Board of Supervisors in 1953. He remained on this Board until 1972, serving as its Chairman for several years. With the Village elections in 1972,.Art was elected as a Council member, and had continued in this capacity until the present. Bill Rydrych was appointed to the Eagan Advisory Planning Commission in 1965. He was elected to the Town Board in March, 1972, and then to the Village Council at the election in November of that year. Bill has continued to serve on the Council until the present time. The residents of Eagan have greatly benefited from the many years of public service given by these dedicated officials. NEW POLICE BUILDING FOR EAGAN CITY EQUIPMENT PURCHASES SNOW REMOVAL The construction of a new Eagan Police Department building is well underway. Lo- cated on a twenty acre site to the southeast of the Eagan City Hall, the building repre- sents an important step in the growth of the City. Planning for the new building began in early 1976. The Eagan Police Department currently has 18 sworn officers, which to- gether with the increased number of other City employees has resulted in a serious lack of space in the present building. After consideration of several alternatives, with input from the Police Department and careful review of the architect's (Horne Architects, Inc.) preliminary plans, the City Council accepted bids and gave final approval to the construction. An official ground- breaking ceremony was held on November 11, and it is expected that the building will be completed by June, 1978. Anticipated cost of this new building is $490,000. There will be 16,000 sq. ft. of floor floor room, dence space, with the basement and first containing office space, the dispatcher two holding cells, and rooms for evi- storage and officer training. The cost of this project will be paid through the use of Federal Revenue Sharing funds which the City has recieved in recent years. The building has been designed with the potential for expansion (both another story and an addition to the side) if neces- sary to accomodate future needs such as a new Council Chamber and additional space for City offices. Additional land is also avail- able on this site for the possible construc- tion of a fire station, community center, library, or other municipal buildings. TELEPHONE NUMBERS For questions regarding Meeting Agendas - Council decisions - Ordinances - Call 454-8100 Sewer & Water Bills - Building Inspections - General Information For questions regarding Snow Plowing - Street Maintenance -Call 454-5220 For questions regarding Park Programs - Ice Skating Schedules Call 454-7802 Police, Fire, Rescue Emergency -Call 454-3700 An important element in the provision of municipal services is the equipment used by City employees. Listed here are some of the larger pieces of equipment which the City of Eagan has purchased in recent months. Earlier this year, a Tandom 8000 truck was acquired for Public Works to be used in hauling and snow plowing. The City has also purchased a one -ton asphalt roller for street repair, and has on order a 21/2-ton truck for road maintenance work. The Park Department has added a number of items, including a one -ton maintenance truck, a 3/4 ton pick-up, plus sweeper and snow blower attachments, a grass mower, and a striping machine for use on playing -fields. The Police Department has purchased an additional squad car this year, and replaced three existing cars. It also has acquired a mobile radar unit. Finally, a major investment for the City was the aerial ladder truck to be used by the Volunteer Fire Department. During 1978, a 5-year Capital Improvement Program will be prepared for the City. Updated annually, the CIP allows for better planning of public improvements and major equipment purchases in line with budgetary considerations. HISTORY OF EAGAN TO BE WRITTEN A brief history of Eagan has been included in the 1978 Eagan Directory which will be distri- buted this spring. This short write-up was designed to provide a general overview of Eagan's history, particularly for newer residents. In addition, a much more detailed and com- prehensive history of Eagan will be prepared in the coming months. The City has hired an indi- vidual through the CETA program to work on the research and writing of this document. Also, a citizen's committee will be appointed to help give direction to the project so that the final document will be as complete as possible. Individuals interested in serving on this com- mittee should contact the City Administrator. AMBULANCE SERVICE Ambulance service for Eagan residents is provided through an arrangement with Divine Redeemer Hospital in South St. Paul. Residents in need of emergency ambulance service should call 454-3700. Members of the Eagan Volunteer Fire Department with training in first aid also respond to these calls. The traffic problems caused by heavy snow- fall and icy conditions are well known by motorists in this area. Snow removal is a major concern of the Public Works Depart- ment and represents a considerable invest- ment of manpower, equipment and supplies. It generally takes 8 to 14 hours to clear the City streets following a major storm. Plowing crews are activated both during the normal working day and after hours when a significant amount of snow has fallen (1 - 2 inches), or when slippery conditions exist. The Police Department also notifies Public Works when hazardous conditions exist in a specific area. There are more than 75 miles of City streets and the City has ten vehicles avail- able for snow removal. The Public Works Director has prepared a Master Plan for snow clearance which is followed by the plowing crews. 1. North Section - North of Yankee Doodle Road: This area is serviced by one unit, be- ginning with the hilly area near Hwy. 13, then working east through both residential and industrial areas. 2. South Section - East of Pilot Knob Rd. and south of Yankee Doodle Rd.: One unit services this section and also the Woodgate and Evergreen Park areas; another plows the Surrey Heights and Timbershore Developments. When the north and south sections have been plowed, the units proceed to the Cedar Grove area. 3. West Section - Cedar Grove: One unit begins with this area and also services River Hills. 4. Special Units: a) There is a grader which plows Blue Cross Rd., Blackhawk, Rahn, Silver Bell, and streets in the industrial parks; b) Three smaller trucks, and if necessary, two tractors are also used to plow cul-de-sacs. EAGAN'S POPULATION ALMOST 20,000 During June, 1977, the City conducted a Special Census which revealed a total population within Eagan of 19,276. This almost double the 1970 census figure of 10,398 and is more than six times higher than the 1960 total of 3,382. At the present time Dakota County is responsible for maintenance and plowing of all County roads within Eagan. These include: Lone Oak Road Yankee Doodle Road County Road 30 Cliff Road Cedar Avenue Pilot Knob Road Lexington Avenue Old Dodd Road In addition, all state highways are plowed by state crews, except in case of extreme emergencies. Residents should be aware that Eagan has an ordinance prohibiting parking on a street for up to 36 hours after a snow fall of 1 inch or more, or until the street has been plowed. These cars could be ticketed or towed at the'owner's expense. Also, it is unlawful to shovel snow from driveways or sidewalks on to a public street. This compacted and frozen snow causes hazards for both motorists and snowplows. The person responsible for depositing snow on the street may be charged with a misdemeanor and may also be liable for a civil lawsuit if damages occur as a result of this action. SPECIAL NOTICE Eagan City Ordinance No. 5 requires that ALL DOGS over 6 months old be licensed annually before February 20. Call 454-8100 for more information EAGAN PARK DEPARTMENT ICE SKATING RINK LOCATIONS The Eagan Park Department maintains hockey and skating rinks at the following locations as weather permits. Free skating and hockey with warming houses Pilot Knob School Carnelian Park Lexington Park Woodhaven Park Highview Park Rahn Park Free skating only with warming house Cedar Pond Hours of Operation is Weekdays during School - 3:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Vacation days & Saturdays - 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Sundays - 12:00 noon - 10:00 p.m. Free skating without warming houses Country Home Heights Park Evergreen Park Burr Oak Pond BY 3-2 VOTE )NtAGAN -- Juke Box Will Stay Open, Council Decides By JOAN WALDOCK Staff Writer EAGAN--The owners of the Juke Box, formerly Discotrec, located in Cedarvale Shopping Center, were allowed to continue operating the establishment by a 3-2 city council vote June 5, following a charge of violating their conditional use permit and the city's liquor ordinance. Burt Roszman, Edina, and William Howell, Crystal, have been owners since last October. The Juke Box is a place for young people under 19 to dance and "have a good time," Roszman explained. The conditional use permit states that no liquor be sold or served on the premises. The violation charge came May 11, according to a letter from Eagan Police Chief Martin DesLauriers. He claims Police Sergeant Kenny Aszmann told Larry Presnall, an Apple Valley police officer, to enter the establishment, purchase a ticket for $5, and was served "what was believed to be ruin and coke," DesLauriers said. Eagan police entered the building and arrested Roszman and Howell, charging them with the liquor ordinance and conditional use permit viola- tions. The two pled not guilty May 23 in Dakota County Court in Burnsville. Roszman said the building was closed to the public May 11, and his sister, a hair stylist, was rent- ing it for $200 for a private clients' party that evening. Li- quor was served, he said, and fewer than 25 people attended. "I thought it was okay to have the party as long as liquor wasn't sold," said Roszman. "Bill (Howell ) and I supervised it. I know nothing about the ticket purchase (by Presnall).'' Roszman explained that two peo- ple were directed to take invita- tions at the door, and anyone who did not have an invitation was to (See Juke Box, Page 7A) e 9 Smith, a kindergarten teacher with Miss Kraft, said. She added that she will be missed by both the teachers and children alike. She said all the kindergarten children were saddened by the death but particularly those in Miss Kraft's class. Miss Smith said Miss Kraft was a dedicated teacher and she enjoyed working with her. She had taught with her for two years and found her to be a con- cerned and considerate person. She was always willing to share, she added. Virginia Smith, another kin- dergarten teacher, had taught with Miss Kraft for six years and found her to be a "great person to be with." She said she was a very de- dicated and excellent teacher with a great sense of humor. was was ws cussion about replacements for Reid: o0:1ell?and Wayne Stoerz- inger, who didn't want another term. Letters seeking appointment came from Levi, Cordes and Joe Balsanek, 6575 Dawn Way, caus- ing Mayor Calvin Blomquist to state: "It's great. People vying for jobs." Warren Krech recommended Cordes for one of the positions stating he was a life-long member of the community and involved here. However, coun- cilwoman Jo Teare said Levi and Balsanek have attended many planning commission and council meetings and have shown an in- terest. She moved to appoint Balsanek, but it failed on a 2-3 vote with only Ken Henderson in support. The mayor said, "We've got to turn a corner on the municipal af- fairs commission, and it needs Balsanek's articulation and abili- ty ,. The vote on Levi was un- animous and the vote on Cordes then passed unanimously. For the municipal affairs com- mission, Tom Scales was re- appointed unanimously and Balsanek also received five votes to replace Leigh Schulze, who didn't want another term. The matter of a replacement for Patricia Joyce, who did not respond to a letter of inquiry whether she wanted another term or not, was tabled to the June 11 meeting on a 4-1 vote (Mrs. Teare opposed) . The council also: DECLINED to reconsider de- nial of a preliminary plat for Inver Knolls Estates on March 26 on a 3-2 vote (Krech and William Saed voted no). DENIED a variance request of Louis Sachs for undersized lot of 2.75 acres where five are re- quired in agricultural zoning of Rich Valley Blvd and 97th St. f , TY TRIBUNE 1 owners to provide. security. Roszman said they have always had good relations with them. Both Mayor Leo Murphy. and Councilman 'Ted Wachter. said they had received letters from parents who were concerned about the building's operation and that some young people were consuming alcohol in the parking lot. Roszman replied that there are policemen present. at all times, and if anyone is caught with liquor, the. owners keep them in the building and call their parents. to come and get them. Wachter' moved to revoke the conditional use permit but the motion was defeated. Murphy and Wachter voted in favor and 'Councilmen -Tom Egan, James Smith and Mark Parranto voted against. • Smith said he was "reluctant," and if the 'court had decided he might vote differently. He added that overall, the two owners have been very cooperative with the city and police. "If the permit is revoked, • they'll sell it and another owner will probably buy it and he may • be cooperative, or may not. Or someone will come in asking for a liquor license, Smith said. Egan said. that he intendedto give the two • owners • another chance, since in this case it may. be due somewhat .to -the city's negligence:, . • , The conditional use permit comes up "for. review in October, Parranto.pointed out; so the two have a few months to "shape up your act or lose it, he said. 'I've seen that parking lot on Saturday' and 'Sunday mornings when there are beer cans and broken bottles," Parranto said. "If it weren't for the fact that ' everyone gets at least two chances, I would vote against you and if anything like this happens again, I will," he told the owners. Roszman Said youth groups from as. far away as St. Cloud have .come to the Juke Box, and he has received several letters t from parents supporting the c establishment. 1 DAKOTA COUN PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF • VALLEY RIDGE DRUG, INC. • NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to 301.06 of the Minnesota Statutes that on the 91h' day of May, 1979, a corporation was in- :orporated under the Minnesota Business ;orporation Act named Valley Ridge.Drug, nc. The Corporation shall have general rosiness purposes. • Theaddress of its registered office is: 2101 Nest Burnsville Crosstown. Burnsville, Min- 4esota 55337. The names and addresses .of the Incor- porators are: Evan N. Anderson, Woodlyn Hills.. Lakeville, MN 55044. Stanley Maisel, 2639 Florida Ave. So., St. Louis Park; MN 55426. Merle Mattson. 165.20 26th Ave. No.. Wayzata, MN 55:391. • The names and addresses of its first -Board of Directors are: Evan N. Anderson Woodlyn Hills, akeville, MN 55044. 'Stanley Maisel. 2639 Florida Ave. Sri.. St. ouis Park, MN 55426. Merle Mattson. 16520 261h Ave. No., 'ayzata, MN 55391.• JOHN M. JAMES 4530 IDS Center Minneapolis. Minnesota 55402 42 - . UBLIC NOTICE` PUBUC HEARING Public Hearing -will be held on June 11, 979 at 6:45 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the applicant can be heard, by the Burnsville Planning Commission at the City Hall, 1313 East Highway. 13, on the application of NuWay Builders, Inc. for a Rezoning from R-3C (Multiple Family Residential) to Plan- ned Unit Development to locate three separate buildings on one lot in the NW0/4 of the SWN of Section 26,' Township 27, Range 24 ... more generally, the southeast quadrant of County Road 11 and 122nd Street. All persons, desiring to be heard on this item will be heard at this time. . ARTHUR-HAGLUND Clfairman • Burnsville Planning Commission 222 14-15 • PUBLIC NOTICE • • PUBUC HEARING ' Puhlic Hearing wilt be held on. June 18. 1979 at 7:15 p.m.. or as soon thereafter as the applicant can be heard. by the Burnsville Ci- ty Council at the City Hall, 131:3 East Highway 13, -on the application of James Lund Construction Co.' for a Rezoning from R-IA to R-IC and'R-2 and a preliminary plat (Lund's High Chaparral) consisting 4.178 single family residential lots in the SE), of the SW.4 of Section :36. Township 115. Range 21 and part of the SE'.1 of the SP.) of Section :35: Township 115. Range 21 ... more geineral- ly the norlheast.cornet' of County Road 5 and the south Corporate Limits. ' All persons desiring to be heard on this item will be heard at this time. LESLIE J. ANDERSON Clerk City of Burnsville 7 - .15-16 C 0 C A r a of m H. B� C, Hif dei obl Tri del the for bid th lo da da in pei tini -chf 6 ani obt Rol pa, wit vid ret da: bid sig ref an, to jec an re: tht 21 JUKE_BOX (Continued. from. Front Page) be" checked. by Howell and• Roszman. ' . • . City Administrator Tom Hedges, told the council' _that Roszman's copy of the conditions • on the permit included the plan- ning commission's recommenda- tions. The condition to restrict li- quor was later added by the city council: before approval, but Roszman• claimed he didn't re= ceive a copy of the motion. • "In this case, the clerk pro- bably listed the conditions from the planning. commission . minutes and just overlooked the additional motion of the council," City- Attorney Paul Hauge . ex- •plained. • Roszman said liquor . was served in the building one other time at a private party last May. Be' had invited some friends who were members • of '.the • Eagan Police Department, although done attended. • "I have no interest in liquor, I •have' no way of. profiting •from •serving• liquor," Roszman ern-. • phasized. "I' honestly didn't know it was a violation that• night. :Eagan police are hired by the lion; the East 660lee( (il,the :Northeast One -quartet- (NEI.) ( ol.Ihc.Nprll)aiist One- ' 'quarter (NE'.t ) of Sec~one 't the Southeast One -quarter tSE!4i of the Northeast One - quarter tNE .t t of Section 9; Ihe'Easl One- half (E _) of the Southeast One -quarter ISE!s1 of Section 9; all in Township 27 North, 'Range 23 Wes!, Dakota County, Minnesota. The general nature of the improvements are as set forth above and are more fully described in and located by map attached to . "Preliminary Report oti Public. Improve- ment Project 'No. 177" prepared by Bonestroo, Rosene. Anderlik and Associates. Inc., consulting engineers.' on file in the ol= Tice of the City Clerk. • Total estimated cost of the improvements is $225,690.00. The area proposed -to be assessed is all benefited property in the - above described areas: DATED: June 1, 1979. /s/ ALYCE BOLKE City Clerk City of Eagan 245 15-16 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF INCORPORATION OF ROCCO ALTOBELLI OF HAROLD'S; INC. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in ac- cordance with the provisions of the Min- nesota Business Corporation Act, Rocco Altobelli of Harold's, Inc. was duly incor- porated on May 23, 1979. • The, corporation shall have general business purposes. Theaddress of the registered office is 1300 Deerwood, Eagan, Dakota County, Min- nesota. The names and addresses of the first Board of.Directors are as follows: Rocco Altobelli, 1300 Deerwood, Eagan, Mn. • Dianne Altobelli, 1300 Deerwood, Eagan, Mn. The name and,address of the sole incor- t a 'a 11 P BI DI e ai p b 1 e:-",_e., • aae,o- . _,_ . . Eagan council holds special meeting, talks of.better .procedure by Dan Gearino --- conclusion. Staff Writer Robert's. Rules of` Order is the bible of parliamentary "pro- cedure, and several members• of - the Eagan City Council -want .to*, better utilize this bible. Before Tuesday's ,,regular • City Council meeting, the.coun= •cil held a special meeting to dis- cuss Robert's Rules - and how council meetings might run more smoothly. Robert's -Rules rarefy .came -up in the meeting; - though, unless tangentially - related to other concerns. Council Member• Sandy •Masin has spoken out the most about procedural matters,, and she suggested the special meet- ing :at the Feb. 7 •council meet: ing.:She arrived at the meeting armed with a list of items she wished to discuss. The list cov- ered a wide variety of. topics; . everything• .from her concern that news reporters receive. a ,copy of upcoming meeting agendas before her, -to questions about which edition of Robert's Rules the council was using. After a half hour of . dis- cussing these _and other Masin concerns, arrangements were made 'for her -to see an ,agenda• earlier and for her to receive a copy of,Ro bert's Rules. Masin also ; questioned •whether. -the council's parlia- • mentarian was doing an effec- tive job of making meetings run smoothly. - _ "Our meetings' are well- known throughout the region. as not so smooth," Masin said. Mayor Pat ' Awada -and Council Member Peggy Carlson both said that they thought the .parliamentarian; City. Attorney Jim Sheldon, was doing his job effectively. Awada said that the . council's problems have little to • -do with failure -to follow rules. After mucti discussion, it was determined that.' -if the council comes to •a procedural stale- mate,_ the mayor_,could call a recess and the parliamentarian would then be consulted. Masin found this to: be a satisfactory Also • discussed was the unlikely flashpoint that is, the consent agenda; The consent agenda is a list•of housekeeping • . items; like routine hires and bill paying, • which: the council approves- at the beginning of • each -meeting. These items are • voted on all at once, mostly to save -time. - - Most consent . agenda items are passed .without discussion, but occasionally, • if .a council .member is concerned about an item, . he or she will ask that it be moved to .the regular agenda for discussion. On most coun- cils, these requests are honored, ' out of courtesy and because they • -don't happen very often. ••. - - With the Eagan Council, however, the consent'agenda has become has become controver- sial. -Council Member' Bea` Blomquist has' been accused by Awada, Bakken and -Carlson of removing items from 'the con- sent. agenda 'simply to protest certain routine city business, often related -to. road construc- tion. • ' This is part of. the ongoing discord on the- council, which . •most often pits Blomquist and Masin against Awada; Bakken -and Carlson.' • Beca_use.of BI'omquist's per- ceived abuse -of the consent agenda, last fall; 'Awada, Bakken and Carlson used their majority. to stop certain consent items . from being discussed. ' At the .special meeting, Masin brought a videotape of a Burnsville City Council meeting to show the Eagan council how - the consent agenda- can be han- - dled, in Masin's opinion, more effectively.. .In the Burnsville tape, a Burnsville council mem- berasks that a consent -item be placed on the,- regular agenda,: and the item is placed on the regular agenda without a vote. _ .On" the Burnsville • Council, no vote is taken out of the same courtesy that existed' on the_ Eagan council - before • Blomquist's perceived abuses. After the "viewing of the Burnsville tape, the meeting was - 10 minutes past its scheduled stop time and was hastily - adjourned after a vote to recon- vene -at anotherspecial meeting next month, when Bakken will be back' from .Army Reserves training. After the meeting Awada said, "Did we accomplish any=_basic hing?.No. In my opinionitwas a waste.of time." 0 ERSTOCK REDUCT I 1 0 INSTANT FINANCING MINNESOTA'S LARGEST SELECTION 2000 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 2000 MERCURY COUGARS .-' tom: 2000 NAV #6239 #68729 From $20,495 $ From 15,388 $E '98 PONT. SUNFIRE #P2541 $98$8 '98 PLY. BREEZE #P2528 $9999 '97 CI $ '96 MERC. GR. MARQUIS LS t:L8686A $13,888 '99 FORD EXPEDITION #P2501 $329 permo. '99 FOR $ '95 FORD CROWNVIC. LX #L8735B $7995 '98 FORD ESCORT ZX2 #L8475A $9888 '98 ' $ '97 FORD ESCORT #P2566 $6495 '98 FORD RANGER SC #P2650 $10,888 '97 LI '93 FORD F150 SC 4X4 #L8745-A $10,499 '95 LINCOLN TOWN CAR SIG. ::L8684-A $14,999 '98 S '98 MAZDA PROTEGE LX #P2504 $9999 '98 RANGER 4X4 SC SPLASH #P2700 $14,999 ' '93 FORD CONV.VAN #L8259-A $13,888 '99 MERC.VILLAGER #P2696 $ 17,999 '98 FO '99 OLDS CUTLASS #P2648 $12,888 '98 CHEV. ASTRO AWD #P2693 $15'999 '98 C' '98 FORD WINDSTAR LX #P2591 $17,488 '98 CHRYS. CONCORDE LXI ::F'2661 $17,999 '98W fro '98 DODGE STRATUS #P2570 $9888 '95 GMC SONOMA SC #P2511 $8888 '98 L '99 MERC. GR. MARQ. LS #P2667 $17,888 '98 MAZDA MILLENNIA #P2375 $15,888 '94 M '92 RANGE ROVER $12,995 '94 CADILLAC DeVILLE #P2613A $10,999 '97 AW '98 CHEV. S I 0 LS #P2524 $10,999 '99 CHEV.ASTRO #P2694 $15 999 '96 '95 FORD WINDSTAR GL #P2407-A $7888 '97 FORD EXPLORER EB #P2639 SAVE '97 E $ '94 CHEV. BERETTA Z-26 #P2702-A $3999 ' ' '98-'99 NAVIGATORS FROM $349 PER MO. BURNSVILL LINCOLN•MER( from. afor- works for an Voracek is the deputythinkserS-)MCt4wis, )10r student who:Pk This year wiU be t from NASA covered purchase thedirec ,ency that sends people to 1 tor of research and engineei ng NASA's -flight research was able to launch its rototics center in California The $6 500 program will participate in the ,firs buiku• §Wiiie(thOP:4,41igi.:66gf to '?Tisch7,3cp',t priior. D'iali'rriali? I eftTAr on e- regional competitioii ase. orthe:,BurrisVitteiliqh.:Sthboiteairi'.s T:BOELTEn• S11-- • ' program for sfat.e',., Roboticsstudents build itieritAeprr-„thil, Teams M NEWSPAPERS: a robot „ . : competition. where- sponsor '• ' • : rebotwitti4he help of adviser Hugh Scherrer. • -. r . have,,a ROBOTICS .TO pAGE:10 .• • Beyond'the elk* •GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS 4' as most people know There NvaS little or support for veterans. Some people • still feel that," said Bud Johnson when • asked about his desire to see the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon initiative in Eagan • . Nietnam.ivas'Teally.a. ;.podi. examine, SUN rJEWSPAPERS EEJITORS TALK on support group working to help Eagan veterans, family move ahead. ,Johnsonis an Eagan resident, a mem- ber of the Air Force Reserve and a veter- an of the first .Iraq War. He's now taken the • lead in developing a program designed to help both soldiers and their families. The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon pro- gram is designed to provide -practical . support for. soldiers before, cluring.,and after their deployment. The initiatii7e.is not only aimed at soldiers but al§O their families, especially duringdeployment. Eagan had an event to kick off its bid. to to become a part of the National Guard's initiative in summer 2008, but since then , development has stalled, said Johnson. A committee . to .develop an action 'Plan will hold its _first meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central _Parkway. 1 -800-Get-Win ASASO�r TIE , M;MNORWAragg=0"aatq,4 Windows, Siding, Roofing, Decks, Entry_Doors, Rain GliftettAifiei44eie:Cifoir SUPPORT GROUP: TO PAGE 14 111 a11V 1111.1 11ItAllk.11l 1QJl 1'Gll- ;yuolAcse2 01 - ZZ - 20 la Community invited to Yellow Ribbon meeting Initiative aims to support military members and their families before, during and after deployment by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS George "Bud" Johnson Jr., a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, said he and his family are all too familiar with the trials of military de- ployment. "It's the typical 'noth- ing goes wrong until you're gone' 'scenario," said John- son, who was deployed for a year during the first Gulf IM,Z,trjkry7 General 952 894 111te n 952 846 2070 hstng 952 846 2011 1 ng 952 846 2000' l'uhllshcn l 34493 00023 • War. "Everything is working fine until you leave. That's when everything breaks." Johnson is the chairman of the Eagan Yellow Ribbon initiative, which is looking to get Eagan designated as a Yellow Ribbon city. The Yellow Ribbon pro- gram was started by the usmesswomen Minnesota National Guard and aims to support service members and their families before, during and after de- ployment. A community meeting to help develop an action plan for the initiative will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, at the Eagan Community Cen- ter. See Yellow Ribbon, 11A Photo by Rick Orndorf School patrol members from Westview, Northview and Parkview elementary schools were thanked for their service in the form of a skating party Tuesday at Skateville in Burnsville. For 29 years, the Apple Valley American Legion has sponsored the skating parties for school patrols in Rosemount - Apple Valley -Eagan District 196. nor ovr 2010 Exceptional Businesswon iry` 28� 2010 at noon £c eeuille Area, cyfrt& Center Dakota oun 20965 teolyokeAve: , Lakeville, M 55044 ESUSINESSq.LWEE'K'LYe l3`' `fir ee-course. lunc/i sponsored 12y, /tN/ j./ . TLejnwte speaker: Jay. 'Eldred, ' -artier ICorrznrunicatihn& •'�. xrEq sh.�:. r.?�,e" fit.; a�} `a+ c C i;To register for'the event, please visitwww. DakotaCountyTribune biz, and click'on Exceptional Businesswomen Wnc on, • Dec 12 2001 11:46AM THE WALLACE GROUP MNSUN - News No 9115 P. 2/8 http://mnsun.com/story.asp?city Eagan&story=80325 newspapers Se ect a Town • Local News e Local News Community' ' EducatiorP ` :Calendar•':. Opinion PUbIic:Safety ;-Seniors; .; Obituaries Le all' ElectIon News Local Sports .Sports News ''SRo"rts Briefs„{ Events/Scores MNSun :.: HonierPigi." Archive ' Business News -Classlfleds Flnance:.Calc Horoscope,. ' i MarketlPIace.� Net Directory Nutrition -Cato TWeathier' Contact Us: _,: How to .. . Advertise Jobs At Sun,.: *.Sun.Slots. pima Sections 1.1olltiar: Gift Guide NET DIRECTory" rDeslingWlth Drugs ';Affordable Housing Focal ForecastWednesday, Dec, 12, 2001 Click Here Local News City Counci'I's criteria debated by writers NA (Created 12/12/01 8:55:24 AM) To the editor: We applaud the Eagan City Council for approving Cedar Villas, a mixed income townhouse community. The developers, the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) and Shelter Corp. of America, have proven track records of providing high-quallty, well -managed housing. These additional units will not only benefit people who work In Eagan but also businesses experiencing difficulty finding workers. The recent statement by the Northern Dakota County Chamber of Commerce confirms this. However the continued need for additional affordable housing Is demonstrated by the 400 families who are on the waiting list for the county's affordable townhouses in Eagan. The developers' initial proposal met or exceeded all city land use requirements and was unanimously recommended by the Advisory Planning Commission, It included 60 percent green space and was considered medium density. Despite no community opposition and 100 supporters at the meeting the City Council rejected this plan. While Cedar Villas will be quite attractive with extensive amenities — we question the council's wisdom in requiring 58 additional garages, 63 extra parking spaces and partial brick exteriors at the expense of 20 desperately needed housing units. It is also curious that our council considered approving 269-luxury townhouses in Eagan where a density of nine units per acre was deemed acceptable but wasn't for.the Cedar Villa development, Our Clty Council has stated numerous times that the city doesn't determine the price of housing but rather the developer and perspective buyer or renter does. But when the Clty Council reduces density and requires more garages and expensive exterior building materials, they are, in fact, making housing less affordable. While exterior brick looks nice, does it really enhance the quality of life enough to consider rejecting developments without It? Are not these examples of the exclusionary practices that this City Council seems to utilize? This leads 1 of2 12/12/2001 10:27 AM Dec.12. 2001 11:47AM THE WALLACE GROUP MNSUN - News No.9115 P. 3/8 http://mnsun, com/story, asp?city=Eagan&story`ii 0325 Search The Web Powered ..HaO Search' exclusionary practices that this City Council seems to utilize? This leads us to wonder if this City Council believes that shelter for cars is more important than shelter for families? Members of MICAH — Eagan Patti Hurd, Maureen O'Connor, Mike Adrian, Ray Larson, Lori Tripp, Elaine Eyre and Dianne Judd 2 of 2 12/12/2001 10:27 AM .Rfts gnation of Jacobson ates Probe Eagan The resignation of David Ja- cobseon from the 'Eagan Town. Board will place two super visors positions on the bal- lot at the March 11 election. Jacobson resigned because he has accepted a •job in Wa- tertown, -S. D. and will move their with.his family._ Jacobson still had two years. to serve of a three-year term. The Eagan Town Board Jan. 21 received. a letter from the Eagan Civic Association ur- ging John Klein (shoe term also expires April 1) to 'run again for another term as supervisor. THE ASSOCIATION thought that if Klein declines to run it will put an undue burden on Arthur Rahn who would then be the only veteran member of Filings open for the. town - the town board. ; ship:,election Feb. 28; Klein In its letters, the . associa- has not indicated•whether or not he will see reeleetiori: • Dave Jacobson • tion also urged the , board to appoint someone to fill the vacancy created by Jacobson's resignation until he can be re- placed at the election. qmr-I w■ Nor ■ imm r ■� WAtL-EYE-(INDIVIDUALLY FROZEN`),FILETS PIKE ONE QUARTER PoRK ,LOIN ARMOUR STAR -SLICED BACON OSCAR MAYER REG: OR ALL BEEF Bolo na • PETERS -.SKINLESS' WIENERs FRESH HOMOGENIZED LB. 5 12 0Z. 6 PKG. 11/2LB. 8, BAG urs ay, anuary.30, 1969, tages of incorporating into a ' village. The meeting is not for the purpose of initiating action tc change -the form of 9yernment • but merely to inform. • AS PLANNED, the agenth A� A Niiehstl*asI EuganMeet'.n to Consider• Question. of • Incor oration.. g _ p Oc ,11 iP/vcc_c.ee, The pros and cons of incor' will include a panel discussior . ome'Adam, Donald Chapdelain $415,000 for trunk water main section 30. . y poration will be -the subject of with ,guest panelists Orville Wallace Potter, Alfred Shad for a•total of $1.792,100. Water main project in; a meeting Feb. 6 iri _Ced,ar . Peterson; .executive 'secretary dpmuck. • Roger Sperling aeludes the area of Blackhawk elementary school, Cedar Ave. , .of the League of ' Municipali• Roger Weierke. .. Areas to be assessed in. Rd. from Blue •Cross Rd. to and County Road 30. ' • ties: 'Ray Boezi, government IN OTHER ACTION, Eagar township 27. range 23 include. County Road 30: County Eagan town. board as spin;, . studies head -of the, metropoli town board has set Feb. 11 as for.sewer, all of sections 10, 11. Road •30 from Blackhawk to soring the information meeting tan council: Bruce Rasmussen the date for a public hearing 12. 13. 16..21 and 29. Also all Rahn 'Rd.: Yankee Doodle Rd. cuss the' merits of remaining executive secretary of th( on proposed sanitary sewei of section, 17 lying south of from County Rd. 31 to State a township as well as the advan• Minnesota Municipal Commis improvements. • - : Kylo Lane and east of Black- Trunk Highway 49 and State sion. Plans include installat►or. hawk Rd. Trunk Highway 49 from Yan- A committee of citizens of sanitary trunk- sewers anc kee Doodle Rd. to Wescott established to 'study the incor water improvements consisting The project further includes Rd. poration question. wi'll,also pre of trunk water mains. the west one-half of'the north - sent its findings. Total cost'of the project is west one -quarter and the ' Hearing' time is 8 p.m. at Committee members are estimated at $1;377.100 for south-east one -quarter and the the town hall. 3795 Pilot Donald Knight. chairman: Jer• the• trunk sewer line and southwest one -quarter all in Knob Rd. We reserve right to limit Prices good thru Sat., Feb. 1, 1969 - U.S. CHOICE BLADE CUT CHUCK STEM SWIFT'S EMPIRE (10 TO 12 LBS. ) SLIGHT SK EN.:TURKE` SWIFT'S PREMIUM FULLY COOKED "MOIST' ,SzA n evtrren 3/02 7/03 Eagan City Council approves list of goals The Eagan City Council formally ap- proved its goals for 2003-2004 during its March 18 meeting. The list of 11 goals was crafted over a series of meetings beginning with the council's annual goals retreat in Febru- ary at Moonshine Park Retreat Center in Eagan. During that meeting, the council reviewed goals set in 2001-2002 and rec- ommended that many of those goals con- tinue in 2003-2004. In addition, the coun- cil recommended six new goals. The goals approved by the council in- clude: • Secure funding to construct the "Ring Road" around the central part of Eagan, including the Community Cen- ter, with a common streetscape scheme. • Encourage the availability of hous- ing to meet the needs of'Eagan's growing work force. • Encourage productive City Council and commission relationships. • Implement a comprehensive city- wide communications plan that includes both a citizens academy and town hall meetings. • Complete construction of the city's entry monuments, which are concrete markers to be placed at several of the main entry points to the city. • Research and pursue economic de- velopment opportunities. • Research and implement homeland security initiatives. • Pursue future green -space initia- tives. • Promote Cedar. Grove redevelop- ment by identifying specific land uses, seeking funding partnerships and ex- ploring the possibility of a transit hub and housing options and costs. GOALS: To Page 19A Goals From Page 2A • Communicate the impact of the north -south runway scheduled to open in 2004 at the Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport. • Streamline city operations and staffing to reduce city costs and im- prove efficiencies and output. City staff will now review the goals and recommend objectives and strategies as to how the eity;can best meet the goals. Sun � uTveAr 3/027�03 Eagan seeks insight from legislators City Council meets with legislative delegation to discuss budget, gun law, other issues BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers Trying to take some uncertainty out of the legislative session, the Eagan City Council took an opportunity to pick the brains of its legislators last week. Sen. Mike McGinn and Reps. Tom Pugh, Lynn Wardlow and Tim Wilkin met with council members before the council's regular March 18 meeting at the Eagan Municipal Center. Chief among the concerns during the hour-long meeting was what the effects of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposed budget will be on the city. "We have some informal targets right now and we hope to get some firm ones soon for the budget," Wardlow said. "It's hard to tell what will happen with the budget because the finance committees are still massaging it." What is known about the potential im- pact is that Pawlenty's proposal would cost the city $1.2 million in eliminated market value credit and about $100,000 in local government aid. McGinn, who earlier in the day had at- tended a Transportation Committee meeting in Austin, Minn., said that un- like other communities he has visited since being elected to the Senate, Eagan has less to worry about when it comes to state aid cuts. "It's great to be back in Eagan where we are not so reliant on state funding," McGinn said. "I really appreciated the frugality of the city and think we are in great shape." Pugh said that issues such as setting a levy limit for local governmental units and installing a reverse referendum in which citizens could petition for an elec- tion to return some of a levy to the pub- lic, are still undecided. The possibility of setting levy limits isn't decided in the House and House Speaker Steve Sviggum has indicated he is against the idea, Pugh said. As for the possibility of reverse refer- endums, the legislators agreed they were not in favor of the idea. "You would pass a budget basically and then just sit there holding your breath that some citizen group doesn't file for an election," Pugh said. "It would cause a lot of headaches." When it comes to wage freezes, Ward - low said he prefers allowing counties and cities to make those local decisions. "I believe in 'little g' government," Wardlow said. "I think we really should let the local government units decide on it for themselves." Councilmember Peggy Carlson said that no matter the effect of the state bud- get cuts, the city would have to continue to provide essential services and that to do so most cities would either face a tax increase or cutting other services. "With all that is going on, some cities are going to have to pass the tax or cut some services," Carlson said. "A tax is a tax whether it is at the state, federal or local level. I don't think people care where they pay their taxes, they just don't want to pay them." Mayor Pat Geagan, a former Eagan Police officer and chief, raised the issue of the possible relaxation of the state's conceal and carry laws. Various bills under consideration in the Legislature would strip police chiefs and sheriffs of most discretion they now have in issuing permits to carry hand- guns to law-abiding, mentally competent adults. LEGISLATORS: To Page 19A Legislators From Page 3A "As an old law man, I have a lot of in- terest in where you think that will be heading this session," Geagan said. Wilkin said the possibilities being dis- cussed in the Legislature would not only open up the requirements for who could carry a concealed weapon, but would also place more restrictions on the issue. "It has changed substantially from the past," Wilkin said. "There are as many restrictions in it as there is open- ing up. There are a lot more restrictions in it." Wilkin said the bill features changes to training requirements, background checks and requirements for obtaining a concealed weapon permit. Geagan said he was uncomfortable with the idea of taking the decision of who should get a permit out of the hands of local law enforcement. Currently chiefs of police have final say in who gets the permit. "I would be one of the first ones to say I denied permits to people because of the way they were talking to me or other things I got from meeting them," Geagan said. "They just seemed on edge and with the legislation, they would have to get a permit because that isn't going to show up in any background check." Carlson said she was also worried that the costs of increased background checks would end up being passed onto the cities issuing the permits. She said she would rather see the person applying for the permit pay fees that would cover the cost of background checks. "The problem you run into there is a lot of these groups don't want to pay a dime of the background checks," Pugh said. "They see it as their constitutional right to carry a gun and don't feel they should have to pay anything. So it needs to be balanced out." Despite concerns from council mem- bers that the session might drag on and end up leading to a special session, McGinn said he thinks the Legislature will be able to wrap up its tasks on time. v Senior citizens thanks council To the editor: As Eagan seniors we want to thank the new Eagan City Council for adopting a tobacco - free parks policy for our com- munity. We think it is wonder- ful that the city has taken action to protect our grandchildren, and all Eagan youth, from expo- sure to tobacco when they are using our parks. It will also be much healthier for us and other seniors to be breathing clean air when we visit our parks. Thanks again for consider- ing our health. Don and Laverne McLaughlin Eagan ncing Available (OAC) City Council consents despite tiff over process Dakota County set to consider TIF district for townhouse development BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers A tiff over TIF funding and the process leading to it was the latest dispute in an af- fordable housing proposal in Eagan. The argument had nothing to do with the project's concept but rather with the develop- er's request for tax increment financing (TIF) and how that is granted through the county. Shelter Corp., one of two developers of the Cedar Villas townhouse development, sought the creation of a TIF district from the Dakota Coun- ty Community Development Agency (CDA). Tax increment financing is a method where the taxes on the land are used to cover devel- opment or infrastructure costs rather than going to support city and county budgets. Councilmember Peggy Carlson said she was concerned that the possibility of TIF being included in the project wasn't disclosed from the start. TIF: To Page 27A N 71-44 L USING_: cI RECTORY ` J S HOUSING WITH HEAL LHCARE your spot! (952) 431-3232 . with NEW Castle Purchase (Excludes Carnival) Rainbow Sunshine SA rim Castle • i .. . Rock Wall Reg. S349. with NEW Castle Purchase (Excludes Carnival) full service mart' — give us a• Save 30%, More! Visit Us Today for Additions DEADLINE: APRIL Over 18 Models. \\ I� �.. on Display Bring the Kids & Let Them Play ' Don't Delay PLAY SYSTE Gome Today "T� 952-Sw88� ,�rrgset OPEN 7 DAYS: Monday Friday: 9 - 9 • S; www.mnSun.com Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Currentirhursday, April 17, 2003 27A TIF From Page 1A "I don't think anybody stands against this project," Councilmember Peggy Carlson said during a special council meeting April 8. "The question for me isn't the project. I worked to ensure the project would pass. My concern is the process." Carlson and several council members also expressed concerns that the cpunty has the legal authority to establish a TIF district within a community without the approval of that community's govern- ment. This is the firct time the CTlA wniild "I'll be candid and say that I don't have these same feelings [as Carlson and Fields]," Geagan said shortly before the vote. "I don't have the problems that oth- ers have with it." Councilmember Mike Maguire said that once the developer decided to seek the TIF district in December 2002, it sent a memo to the city informing them of the choice. "I see no process problem here," Maguire said. "I see the same process working the same way with a lot of the other projects that are done in Eagan. I feel they have dealt with the funding and the city in good faith." The rocky road for this project began when the Eagan City Council approved the development on Nicols Road north of Erin Drive Nov. 8, 2001, after several rhanapc warp marip to Pnciirp the 7nnina nancing was briefly considered, Shelter decided not to take that route. However, when land costs increased and other funding sources dried up, Shel- ter realized in December 2002 it had to turn to TIF financing to cover the $800,000 it was now short. "We went down the list of [funding] sources and there is nothing else out there," Jensen said. The TIF funds would be considered a loan to Shelter and would have to be re- paid when the land is sold or transferred. By the county making the area a TIF district, Eagan would lose $38,000 in taxes it would have collected annually on the development. The Dakota County Board of Com- missioners had been scheduled to con- sider approving the TIF district last month, but delayed the meeting to Tues- day, April 22, once it learned the council had concerns about the issue, City Ad- ministrator Tom Hedges said. If the County Board approves the dis- trict, the TIF loan agreement would go before the CDA Board either later this month or in May, Ulfers said. 28A ,Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, April 17, 2003 www.mnSun.com LEGAL NOTICES School District'197 • (Official Publication): INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 197 PUBLICATION NOTICE WEST ST. PAUL/MENDOTA HEIGHTS/EAGAN March 3, 2003 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING • A school board meeting was held Monday, March 3, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Board Room at 1897 Delaware Ave., Mendota Heights. Superintendent Longtin and the following board members were present: Tami Bakeberg, Lani Bennett, Torn.Henry, Linda Kjerland, Kent Mogler, Jim Nikolai and Max Saucedo. A motion passed to approve the consent agenda including' approval of school board'minutes, gifts, accounts payable, wire transfers January treasurer's report and routine per- " sonnet items. School -District 197 (Official Publication) INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 197' PUBLICATION NOTICE _ WEST ST. PAULIMENDOTA HEIGHTS/EAGA N March 17, 2003 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING A school board meeting was held Monday, March 17, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Board Room at 1897 Delaware Ave., Mendota Heights. Superintendent Longtin and the following board members were present: Tami Bakeberg, Lani Bennett, Tom Henry, Linda Kjerland, Kent Mogler, Jim Nikolai and Max Saucedo. A motion passed to approve the consent agenda including ,approval of gifts, accounts payable, routine personnel m ites and field trips. -_ _Aj pomtedMax Saucedo board representative to TIES. First reading of Policy 612, Development of Parental In volvementPolicies for Title.I Programs.,' . A motion passed to approve the current elementary. and Summit From Page lA , Their afternoon was split into several . different breakout sessions. Some stu- dents filed into the community center's auditorium followinglunch to hear a presentation titled "Manipulation 101." The presentation described the mar- keting techniques used by businesses to . target ,teens. Eric Sumangil, a Target Market- staff worker, .told the audience I that companies use many. techniques to I advertise their products. Many con- sumers are unaware of these techniques, 1 he said. . . - • • 1 Among them is product placement in x Bad id Carlson to � By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD CCT LI rTh Eagan voters elected Paul Bakken and Peggy Carlson as their newest representatives on the City Council. Voters had their choice of eight candidates running for two seats. Incumbent Ted Wachter did not seek re- election. Council Member Pat Awada won the race for Eagan mayor. Carlson, 40, received 8,891 votes. Bakken, 28, came in a close second with 8,352. b:rre;.ar,', three of the four council seats will be held by women — the fifth vote coming from a woman mayor. serve L __ _,apan council (45 The unofficial totals for the other candidates are: Carla Heyl, 7,741 votes; Gale Ander- son, 4,093 votes; Rod Smith, 3,394 votes; Michael Vincent, 3,294 votes; Ron Miller, 2,795 votes; and Craig T. Osborne, 1,863 votes. Bakken, 28, an attorney, said he was very pleased with the voters' response. "I'm honored the people of Eagan are placing their trust in me, and I hope to live up to their trust," he said. Bakken said the key to his win was wearing down a bit of ;;,t shoe leather. (See Council, PEGGY A. CARLSON Council (Continued from front page) "With any election, it's hard to work on getting the message out, and making sure the voters know the issues you are run- ning on, as well as the type of person.I am. So there was a lot . of pounding on the pavement. I think that effort paid off," he said. Bakken also said he-. feels ready. to work with fellow council members. "I feel pretty. good with the new folks. Pat Awada, I worked fairly close with on the campaign. We have. the same - vision for Eagan. Peggy Carlson and .I also have a lot in common, and I think she'll. make an outstanding council member," said Bakken. Carlson, 40, was still revel :ing in 'her victory two days af- ter the. election. - "I'm so excited. I didn't have $20,000 (to spend on the cam- paign). It was just a lot of hard work;" said Carlson. "Everybody is calling me and sending me flowers." This was the first time the Eagan native ran for election. Carlson said she hopes the : new council can work together, and "agree to disagree" on oc- casion. - ".I'm not there to be buddies with .the council. I'm there .to serve the people," she said, adding later, "We can work together. But if the council is 5-0, that's scary, too." Among her " goals on the council is to prevent the city from holding a special referen- dum on the election -year ques- tions. She hopes .the council will•vote to revert to even -year elections. "I'd much rather get a helmet that saves lives than hold bo- gus elections that willgo down in flames," said Carlson, who was referring ,to- the Fire De- partment's efforts to raise .money for Cairns IRIS helmets Carlson also hopes to help ' further the efforts ' in passing new restrictions for the politi- cal sign 'ordinance, so citizen's: won't have to "`look -at lawn` signs three months out of every year." School spirit FANS FROM Eagan High School cheer on the girls' soc dome. The team played against Cretin-Derham High Scho tournament. Photo by Rick Orndorf THE CAT 1S BACK! AVAILAB ALL NEW 1999 COUGAR ''AAV From Only '98 FC 3800 Mt_ DAKOTA COUNTYu en r Charter member looks forward to new Eagan council From diesel patrol cars to fiscal disparities, Wachter has seen it all By HEATHER HENDERSON When the new Eagan City Council is sworn in J•an. •7, it _ will be one .which represents a wealth of experience. Of those taking•the oath, one is a re-elected incumbent, and the other is a former mayor of Eagan. But no one brings more experience to this council than Ted Wachter. - A 25-year member of the council with two years . re- maining, on his seventh term, he is an individual recognized throughout • Ea- gan _ for his strong involve- ment in the development of the city that exists today. "It has been exciting at times, and, I still feel happy about the way a lot of Ea- gan has been developed," Wachter said, looking back not only at his council expe- rience but at his 13 years of Planning Board membership before Eagan was desig- nated a city. "There have, been numer- ous expansions, of city buildings and such, and• all have been good," he said. "And we have been blessed with good people who are interested in Eagan. They are not here for money only. They• live here and are ac- tive in their community." Wachter moved from Rosemount to Eagan in 1942, and shortly after that joined a Planning Board for the village of Eagan..It was up to him and the other members to examine the 35 sections of Eagan and de- termine zoning .,and future development designations. . "The Planning Board was very vital to formulating a plan for the city of Eagan," Wachter explained. "We all sat down and put down what we thought. zoning should be:... It is funny because where things are now is where I thought they should, be then." In 1971, Eagan became a city because, Wachter said, there were certain benefits to functioning as such. With this change,. a council was formed, and Wachter was electeda charter member. The council had duties similar to those .of the Plan- ning Board, but there were new things to take into con - See Wachter • .12A uc w><11 a A..... ..:.. ::Column�st:;i ::. :;- . s tuedof.. _mter:.and::ever. xhm :.ahe::<weather:..:.Distrtct ..............:.... ...:.. ........,...................,...............:............:......:..........._.................. >hassto offe :::.:.::.:::..::..:::.<..:.::.,:'.»;:::>::;<>::::::::;;;::«.,....:.:.:::.:....:.. ..:::::,;;;;:�;.::'.:::<::<;.::.>:;;:;.::;>:<��<.;>:::::::::....:�...<..>:... :.:::....:....:...:.>:':::'.;::;:::........:.......:......... .. : :::.... .........:.. ................................................. On.:the :n ht:.:tra k .:. »:...... /<:.::.::.:;.::.:::.::>:::.:<.,:..:.>:;::;::.::>::>�::.<::::::»:::: .. : ,: ,.; 19 's .6. zoo..school<:::•;hass been floode ....w ..::.:.:.:....,...:...:::..::.......,.............:.......:..:�:....:.::......_..........._...........__.......The..Panther .:. ::a l eat .. he�:'dreams;:of.t s .: .. i ions fulfi , ... ho a who be :. ............................�......................:...............::..._...::.:..._.._......_..:::.... Nord><c sue,:_ r a 10 n:.: , :. :::,.......::... :. •:� ,.:. bo s....and..: irls:<>::aeams..are..off:.to .:... start.ah�sseason:.:..::::::::..,...:..<:.:;.;'::`:"'':��:�:<<'�<:>€'`r>,:... �� � " »>: HUNDREI IRTEE.. DAKOTA COUNTY • Thursday Morning; January 2, 1997 _._RNSVIL NEST 50 C $UMBER Fq Ahhh, the memories 1996 marked by numerous changes, events in county, cities, schoc BY HEATHER HENDERSON Time passes by so quickly it sometimes is easy to forget all that has happened in the space of 12 months. Upon reflection, 1996 was a year that revealed a great number of changes for residents in area communities — from developing to accom- modate increasing growth to denialof development based on an overwhelming citizen voice; from heart-warming acts of heroism to incidents of trag- edy and loss. In three major . arenas, county, city and schools, _high- lights of 1996, included the fol- lowing. • Dakota County The Dakota County Work- force Center opened • in April. 7-4 Lj The agency, locate( St. Paul,. is a oneON ployment office whL -, can receive - employment insur- . . (See Year, p.10A) Wachter (Continued) sideration • as well; things like forming a police de- partment and a fire 'depart- ment. Wachter remembers the learning process the. fledg- ling council went through. "I remember one fiasco (with . the police 'depart- ment)," he said with a laugh. "We bought a patrol car with a diesel-• engine,. and it was so loud everyone could hear the police com- ing, so they would get away. What a fiasco." • With the fire department, which still'eiists as one of the larger volunteer fire de- partments in. the area! things went a little more smoothly. The first engine, a pumper, was purchased for $500, and is still in running order to- day. Although it is _not used any longer, it is featured. in Eagan parades, Wachter said. Beyond the establishment of such departments, Zoning designations continued to be addressed. And, Wachter said, as the population .of the area grew, there .was a need to establish sewer and utility lines. "This was hard because no• one wanted to pay for'it, but , we needed it .(sewer and water).... There was one bad time when people were re- assessed for their water," Wachter said. "It was a ter- rible situation, very unfortu- nate." • Anothercompletely; new, but exciting issue Wachter was involved with was when many of the council and community members got involved in planning 'where I-35E would go when it came through the area. Wachter said they really. wanted it; because already TED WACHTER the impact of such a traffic flow could be seen on the city. They saw, he said, that would really open the area. They were right. When I- 35E came through and the old horseand buggy Cedar Avenue bridge was replaced by a new one, Eagan's growth really took off, and hasn't slowed much. And then there were issues that seemed to come back.. History really does repeat itself, Wachter said. At the Dec. 4 council meeting, for example, he said, an issue arose that was similar to one the first council addressed. "During the time ofgas rationing, we felt we should zone for little stores so peo- ple wouldn't have to drive and use gas to pick things up; they could bike or walk. Then, that was necessary._ .Now, it doesn't seem like it is so much," Wachter said. "At the last meeting, though, there was a proposal to build a little store near Cliff Road and Dodd and it was turned down: But there were people there who wanted it, who didn't want .to have to drive -so far. I thought it was kind of un- usual, but it shows that the The conflicts' come and go.... 1 try to pass - them off and just focus on the improve-_ ment of the city.' —Ted Wachter original thinking from years ago is still the same...." Whether the issues were new or old;. though, Wachter said the ups and downs of being a council member • were something he has ac- cepted because the conflicts at times are inevitable. "The conflicts come and go, •and -I try to pass them off and just focus on- the. im- provement of the city," he said. "The conflicts don't impact me like they do some people. I am conscien- tious, but I try not to worry about it too much." Another practice Wachter has- emphasized has been that . of abstaining from a council vote• on an issue he is connected to. For exam- ple, he said, when his fa- ther's farm was up for de- velopment, he declined to vote on the issue. He also stays away from issues which involve friends, he said. There are issues Wachter will stand firmly and vo- cally upon, though. -Those issues are familiar to people who regularly attend council meetings;• water, air, soil and fiscal disparities. The latter issue is one many people are unfamiliar with, but Wachter is willing to provide a wealth of informa- tion on the subject. "The biggest thing in my mind is the initiation of fis- cal disparities in the early 1960s, when Harold Lavander was governor," Wachter said. "It is the most expensive `invention'' It cost us $10 million in 1996 and more than $10 million in 1995." Wachter explained that fiscal disparities were initi- ated so that _communities with a less -established tax base, such as Minneapolis and St:. -,Paul, receive addi- tional funding for rehabilita- tion projects. These funds are collected ;by the county from taxpayers and then go to the state. Only about '$100,000.came •back to Ea- gan after the last fiscal dis- parities collection, Wachter said. State aid is available, but the Eagan council decided that, rather than suffer in additional tax areas, the city would not take the aid. Since then, the cities taking aid have benefited more than Eagan, Wachter said. And, he added, the tax and fiscal disparities formula have not been adjusted to account for growth, so the impact is even more out of line. "I always was and still am opposed, to it," he said ve- hemently. "And I think that if we were to get the totals for this, it would really scare residents. "The fiscal disparities and tax base are the two 'prime issues which are important to everyone, and I really think the council should look at both." • In another vein, Wachter said he is a strong advocate of environmental protection. Formerly an award -winning farmer and soil conserva- tionist who was recognized for his land contouring, tree planting, and other eco- _ nomical practices, he is continuously on top of de- velopments and the impact they will have on the envi- ronment. "Water and air — they are the two basic things every-•' one needs," he said. "I am - always concerned about the erosion from development, and there is more.- now to be concerned about, although there are more things to help control itnow." Looking forward to 1997 and working with a new council, Wachter is optimis- tic. - "The zoning is pretty set, and we have the compre- hensive guide plan in place which helps the council make decisions.... The change to the council will not be huge, because Bea Blomquist has the experi- ence. She is a former mayor," he said. "I'm sure we'll work to- gether to the best _ of our ability. There will be some natural rough spots, but if we try to do it for the bet- terment of the city, we will overcome them." Will he seek re-election in two years? "No," he said, although he admitted to haying mixed emotions about the question. "I think I have done my duty." Most would _agree. - Year (Continued) said. • IIn the. space of one week in March, two. of Eagan's major industries underwent dramatic changes'as the legal publishing company of West Publishing was purchased by New York - based Thomson Corporation and "supercomputing" giant Cray Research, Inc. merged with California -based Silicon Graphics, Inc. Development and expansion continued in Lakeville, as the Convention and Visitors Bu- reau,.funded by a local lodging tax, formally gained approval in April; the Fairfield Business Campus gained a second major tenant in Itron Inc.; .and d a ground -breaking was held -for a new, 10 million -gallon -per -day water treatment facility. A meeting room and bays for ALF Ambulance are included in the development plans for the water. treatment facility. • After eight months of letter- . writing, petitioning, and public outcry, it looks as though 'a proposal to build a Holiday sta- tion and McDonald's on the corner of McAndrews Road and County Road 11 in Burns- ville will be denied. City Council members asked for paperwork for denial of the proposal at their last meeting in December. Final denial could come at the Jan. 6 City Council meeting. Community•• • ..mobilization paid off for residents in Eagan as a proposed development - by Pulte Homes to change the de- velopment zoning of 120 acres in the Carriage Hills area was denied by the City Council in March. • Eagan officials were shocked when they were notified in De- remher of the need to enter a requirements of the 1995 Liv- able Communities Act and 'housing goal set- by the Metro- politan Council, established a six-month moratorium on mul- tifamily housing development. •Seventeen multifamily zoned parcels remain to be developed in Burnsville. - - • Farmington City Hall re- ceived a facelift when the li- brary moved to its new loca- tion. City office space was re- located, the Police Department - expanded, two bathrooms were. made handicapped .accessible, and more windows and -new carpet were added. Total cost of the renovations was $255,000 and construction was. completed by July. The Farmington City Council awarded construction bids for Phase 2 of the Prairie Water- way Project (PWWP). Phase 1 of the controversial project be- gan in 1995. The project • was developed to accommodate development by drying out the southeastern • . section of Farmington. • Three Apple Valley men, Steve Sheehan, Les Jandert and Michael. Clark, were rec- ognized for going above and beyond the everyday as they saved Apple Valley resident Nancy Fahrforth from her burn- ing home in the Cedar Knolls Manufactured, Home Park. • • In May, 13-year-old Steven Puch of Burnsville died when he and. friend Justin Jay,_also•_ 13, were trapped in .a cave-in at a construction site near the Mill Pond Apartments •on River Hills Drive. • Apple Valley seniors cele- brated the , opening of a new senior center in March. The center, attached to the Hayes Building, consists of two smaller rooms. a large multi- KARL GOEHRING of Apple Valley makes a save on Duluth East's Dave Spehar during the state boys' hockey tournament semifinals last March at the St. Paul Civic Center. Apple Valley! won the game in five overtime periods, as Goehring made a tournament record 65 saves, and went on to win the state championship. Photo by Rick Orndorf, needed. after a moratorium was placed on hiring, cuts were made in junior !high athletics and walking distances were increased earlier.lin the year. Three weeks after the levy referendum failure, administra- tors announced a data entry error which resulted in a $1 million surplus in the general fund.. Concerns were raised re- garding district credibility, and two weeks later Business Serv- ices Director. Dan •Mehleis re- signed: . In District 197 following the passage of a question placed on the ballot by resident re- quest, a seventh board member will be elected to the board in the May 1997 elections. • Several schools in District 196 received special, recogni- tion. Eagan High School was one of only six high schools in the state to be named a Blue Rib- bon High School by the De- partment of Education, and opening a, new middle school and constructing 'a new• high. school to be opened in 1997; District 197 setting the opening of two new middle schools for the fall of 1997; District 191 opening a new middle school and elementary school; and District 192 in Farmington breaking ground on a new ele- mentary school. • The School of Environmental Studies looked back on its first year with satisfaction and offi- cials' hopes for growth in the school were realized in De- cember when approximately 300 students applied for the 200 spaces available in the coming year. • It was another successful, year for the area's high school sports teams, particularly. - in the winter of 1995-96, when two local teams won state championships and three others finished second in their respec- tive state tournaments. In gymnastics Lakeville won hockey included the now - famous five -overtime state semifinal win over Duluth East, a game that lasted through 93 minutes and 12 seconds of playing time. Burnsville in girls' hockey and Apple Valley in wrestling reached their respective state finals ' before losing. And in boys' swimming, Rosemount finished second and Lakeville third in the state meet. In_ the spring, True Team state championships - went to the Apple Valley girls' track team and the Lakeville boys' track team. Eagan finished second in the State Class AA Softball Tournament. _ .- During the fall season, Eagan reached the State Girls' Soccer Tournament for the first time and went all the way to the championship match before • losing.• As the new winter season be- gan, Lakeville suited up a var- sity girls' hockey team for the first time. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Staff writ- Expecting -bes, plann for the =worstfon: New Year's' Eve - City officials, utilities predict New. Year will arrive in Eagan withodt big problems. By. Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers While Eagan officials' predict the only Y2K problem will be for those who . run out of cham- pagne or. the ac- tions from those who"are drinking all that bubbly, they are preparing for the worst. "I don't think much will hap- pen that doesn't . happen on a typical New Year's Eve," said Capt. James McDonald of the Eagan. Police Department. i NEW YEARS: To Page 15A - I.Z--2.a -etc1 ADDITIONS / REMODELIIV Three/four season • Upi porches adr • Lower levels • Kit • Bathrooms* • Far • Home Offices • Ma • Day rooms suit • Atriums • Cm Complete turnkey projects and save $$$. Whate, We still have room in our wi addition/interior remodeling job • References available/ • Financing avails Call for initial (612 Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999 15A Eagan police to add • extra sta .From Page lA . "However, if something does 'happen 'and 'we're not prepared, people are .going to say we .had out heads in the, sand for the past couple years." Throughout the day on both New Year's Eve an& New Year's Day, the Eagan Police Department will be staffed continuously with 40 officers,including a much larger staff of investigators. On a usual Friday, :,the Police Department 'staffs 18 to 20 officers, -he said. The extra supervisory: .staff is in preparation for an anticipated increase in need for seaich warrants: and investi- gations related to New Year's Eve crimes, such as assault. . . "We want to be in the neighborhoods and the business areas and make sure we have a- presence there," McDonald said:_ "We understand there's going -to be a lot. of parties, traffic and the problems asso- ciated with those activities." '• - . Residents, who require emergency as- sistance and cannot contact the city's 911 system, can receive help at each Of the city's five fire stations, at the Police De- partment and at the maintenance facili-' • ty at.3501 Coachman Road. • That .plan: is part•of contingency plan, similar to ;the standard EmergencyPre- paredness Plan, the city has set up in preparation for any-possibleproblenis as- seciatedWith Y2K. "To .the _best. of our knowledge, the city's systems are Year 2000 ready,." the contingency- plan states: "Although sire are like any other business. and cannot make guarantees, we are. confident that we will be able to continue to provide un interrupted public services to our citizens Wand interested parties through the change to the new millennium." • The city has already tested all its com puter equipment and 'replaced systems that Were believed to besusceptible to,the Y2K Bug. .. In regard -to concerns about telephone lines going down due to computer prob- -lems, the city is requesting that residents not test the phone service by picking up the line after the *clock strikes midnight. . Such :actions', could' increase. the impact on the phone systems:. • . _ . If Eagan experiences a widespread' electrical failure, traffic: signals are'to be treated as if -they. were four-way stop signs. Even . if: that power:' outage hap- , pens, the city will stillbe able to manu- .ally operate all its water and sewer utili- ty operations. - However, according to the:utility com- panies that serve the city, such measures . most likely won't be necessary All the utility companies have assured city staff that they are ready.for_Y2K. At Dakota Electric Association; which provides electricity to Eagan, the substa- -tions already think it is the year.200b. • Over the course. of eight weeks in July and August, the digital equipnent on 14 of the association's 22 substationswere rolled forward to Jan.• 1, 2000. The other substations'.do nothave digital readouts and don't care what the date is: Even before that, all the "mission-crit- ' ical" components, ,those requiredtoen- - sure the continued delivery of electricity,- ._ . were•tested forY2K readiness. • "All substation components rolledinto the 'new year'.without a hitch,"" said Har Ian Juvland, the association's substation andelectric equipment manager. `Where are no other mission -critical- systems; that will roll over on New Year's Eve. Our substations are literally operating in the year 2000 right now and they will stay that way." All the association's equipment and procedures were analyzed by both a task force put together by the association .as well as an . outside" consultant. They looked at all the possible circumstances of the: Y2K: problem and drew. up a con- tingency plan that was added totheal as precaution. ready existing emergency .contingency plan. • Extra personnel - will be on hand at. each of the association's headquarters on New Year's Eve. That team will -con •sist'of extra dispatch personnel, line. crews, an electrician 'technician, cns • tomer service representatives, computer :personnel and other support staff. In ad- dition, communication systems and backup communication-:systems:are in - place to allow contact 'with power sup- : pliers, local governnients..and ewer-' gency personnel. • Eagan city staff will be available to an- swer questions andassist with non - emergency issues throughout the day _.New Year's Eve, -through the changeover into the new year at the main Municipal Center number, 651-681-4600, and at the •r maintenance facility, 651-681-4300. - Despite all the preparations, most of- ficials maintain that there will most like` - • ly be no major problems once ,the clock strikes midnight. However,- everybody wants to be prepared whatever may hap- ' pen. • - , "I can'tsay whether or not we will have any serious -problems;" McDonald said. "We just want to be sure we' are . . ready to react adequately to any prob-: � m les that do arise." - - • • Sharon Tsdik, DS. Shelley Wahjdd Dakota Dental Clinic, P.A. DENTISTRY WITH A DIFFERENCE We Take The. Time To Listen our staff is deoo� to • • providing you with a comfortable; Children and Apprehensive �! atmosphere. We are preventive oriented practice rec- Adults Especially Welcome ogninng each individual's unique needs; fears and concerns: Pennock Professional Building 14682 Pennock Ave. • Apple Valley, MN 55124 • 612-431-5774 LAW FIRM -1260=Yankee-Doodle� Rd: #200,-Eagan (651) ' 456-9000 16A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Curient/Wednesday, Dec.-22, 1999 ikidget: Spendingr From Page 1A. for operating expenses for the next 10 years. - In addition to teaching reductions; the budget -balancing plan includes changes in the district's testing policies, increased fees for extra -:curricular activities and elimination of programs. - The most significant adjustment, how -- lever, is- the elimination of teaching posi- tions, which will occur during the 2000- ' 2001 year, said,District 196 Communica- tions Specialist Tony .. According to,the`cut-cutting plan; 18.5 teaching -positions will be cut'.from the district's middle schools, while the same number will be reduced from high schools. Elementary schools will lose 24 positions. The, cuts will save the district $2.29 • million.. , With those reductions; the Student - teacher ratio will increase by an average of 1.25; -next year. Current student teacher ratios average 25:5-to-1 in ele- mentary schools, 20.5-to-1 inmiddle schools, and 22.5-to-Lin-high schools. In addition, 12 teaching:positions.that. are used to handle scheduling situations will be eliminated, saving $450,000. Those positions are not considered when calculating thechange in stu en - teacher ratio, Taschner said. In response to ,the 'teacher reductions, Bob Strandquist, who teaches English at'. Eagan; High School, said the larger class sizes would adversely affect students. "Give me more [students] to teach, every hourevery day and every month, and that which you Bold so -precious, the almighty budget, Will remain. intact," Strandquist said: "But all . that it sup- ports will crack: and chip away."• -ees increased by School District Members of the board shared this con- cern, but also pointed out the need to bal- ance the budget. - "This obviously concerns -me also," said Director Bruce Endler. "However, given the nature of our business, the only. Way we can find. a significant dollar amount is to have less people work for us. That can have a significant: effect on the classrooms, but we have to make sure the budget is balanced." . • - Rosemount funding. The budget reductions 'donot include a preliminary: proposal to cut supple- mental funding for Rosemount High School, Taschner said. - ' When;Eastview High School. opened, the boundaries wereredrawn, and' as a result Rosemount' High School received less funding. For this current school year, the school received.$350,000 to help them maintain the quality of their programs. The board had originally considered - reducing this amount by $125,000 next year. But concern'was expressed at the Nov 22 meeting, it was decided to allo- cate $350,000 to the school again next year "I think this is a necessary component School Ability Test (OLSAT).and: the- Metropolitan Achievement Test (MATT) in the.2000-2001 school year. Under the initial reduction plan, only third -graders would have taken the tests next year. That would have saved the district $29,000. But after discussion, the board voted for smaller testing cuts. The revised plan will require students in grades three, five and eight to take the tests. Jenny. Cooper; ,chairperson of, the',. Curriculum and Instruction 'Advisory Council, said the fifth and eighth grades are critical transition -years for stu- dents. Because- of- the revision, the . dist iict '.. will see $22,000 in testing cuts, insteadof the $29,000 that was originally proposed. The district also will save $5,000 by eliminating a student writing test from grades four, seven and nine. • The board eliminated the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program next year, but not without discussion. The cut saves $50,000. Rob t uchscher, who was elected to the Schoolhoardin November, said DARE isr too important to eliminate. - - • "I suggestthat the cost of.$50,000 is fairly -small, if we can deter one person` from using tobacco or drugs," he said. though the district is cutting the DARE program, drug prevention 'wilt still be taught: : Some of the money used to •fund com- •munity education will now be used for middle school extracurricular activities, meaning that various'adult continuing - education programs will .be cut and . . money used for them- will go to the mid- dle schools. = That shifting of funds will. reduce ex- penses by $25,000- 'this . year, and $250;000 next year. ' The curriculum review cycle will be adjusted both' this year and next. Cur- riculum review is the process the district uses to update teaching methods and in- structional materials. - By cutting back on the review process, the district will save $225,000 this year 'and $450,000 next year. . • Revenue.increases By raising the fees for various services in the schools, the:districtwill increase revenue by $149,300 this. year .and $626,600 next year. • The changes include: increases in ' lunch and breakfastprices, driver's edu- • cation and parking fees, and band in - or em ea a o e vices that the other high schools in the district offer," said Director Bob Schutte. • Additional reductions_ " Changes were made to the assessment I tests students take, but with modifica- tions of the original plan. , • Originally, the plan called for fewer • students_ would take the Otis -Lennon Give Yourself the American Heart Gift of Health Association-, Fighting Heart Disease and Stroke • Choose -foods .low in saturated-1 fat; cholesterol and salt - Eat more:fruits and v4egetables if g SERVING APPLE FOUR SECTIONS (SUN photo by DEL STELLING) THE OFFICIAL STAFF of the city of Eagan was on hand for the first meeting of the new year. Seated, from left, are Alyce Bolke, city clerk; Mayor Leo Murphy; Torn Hedges, city administrator;. Councilman Theodore Wachter. Standing, from left, are councilmembers James Sinith, Mark Parranto and Thomas Egari; Paul Hauge, city attorney; Robert Rosene, city engineer, and. Police Chief Martin DesLauriers. %,* go - !.•'''' - ;,*'t .§' t4e..4 '')': If '''. ..474:4430,r^ ' *r."- ' '''.','''' EWLY-ELECTED OFFICERS of the.student senate at the Dakota County Area Vocational Technical Institute ssumed their duties recently. The new officers, from left, include Barbara Strassen, Rosemount, secretary; raig Servin, Burnsville, president; Pat Brulport, St. Paul, vice president; Henry Erickson, Farmington, arliamentarian, and Linda Oberg, Apple Valley, treasurer. The group is planning student for le year, including several donation drives. , . • ;chmitz looking rorward to 1978 session By State Senator Bob Schmitz Vith the holiday season over, most • ;islators, myself included, are ea- rly looking forward to the opening the 1978 session. Although the ses- n opens in mid -January, we still ect to adjourn by mid -April. The dicted short session should be de pos§ible, by the fact that our dgeting responsibilities were fulfil - last session. ,In addition, commit - 'and ,subcommittees have ,spent 'e past interim putting pending' gislation in shape for quick action. For example, I have chaireda Imber of subcommittee hearings on e municipal boards bill this 'in - rim, and ,that proposal seems .arly ready for full committee ac: n. That bill -would more clearly de- fine the rights and roles of property owners, towns and cities in boundary adjustments and annexation proce- dures. ' • During the coming session, I also expect the elections committee to be. extremely busy.• • A recent court decision. will require substantial changes in the distribu- tion of funds generated through the dollar campaign fund check -off on state. income tax . forms: That same decision, by the way, repealed the campaign and spending and con- tribution limits established by the 1974 iegislature. As a member of the elections comnittee. I :will be exa- mining potential methods to -reinsti- trite realistiC•spending Iimits. 1 sin- cerely believe'„ a. return, to ;unlimited ; campaign spending would .be a step • backward- in the area. of political re- form. 1. also expect quick 'action .on a number of trieasirres heard this in- terim in my. subcoinmittee on bridge and highwayprojects , Another major proposal expected to be debated this coming session is the Ban -the -Can" ormandatciry de- posit .bill. An interim' compromise has produced a.bill Which would re- . quire* retailers who offer beverages in throw away containers to also offer returnabies; exempt returnable's fromthe state sales:tax; .provide state funds to support regional, re- cycling centers and place a one- fourth cent per container tax on throw aways at the point of Production. We will also complete action on lacticIntirm Iaw OITICES LUTHER M. STALLAND SUITE 2340, RANL TOWER MINNEA.POLIS 2, MINNESOTA PAUL H. HAUGE Board of Supervisors Eagan Township St. Paul 1, Minnesota Gentlemen: April 21, 1964 Re: Compensation of Town Officers You have requested my opinion regarding maximum salaries allowable to Town Officers. Applicable provisions in the law are contained in M.S.A. Sections 367.05, 367.06 and 368.80. We need not now be further concerned with Section 367.05 as the other two sections provide for greater comp- ensation because of Eagan Township's special qualifications. Section 367.06 provides: ". . the electors, by a majority vote at any annual town meeting, after notice specifying that the matter is to come before the meeting, may fix the salaries of the chairman and supervisors . . . (3) In all towns . . . having a population of more than 2,000 and an assessed valuation of more than $1,750,000, the salary of each supervisor may be $35 per month and the salary of the chairman may be $50 per month." Section 368.80 provides: "The electors at the annual meeting shall have the power to fix the compensation of the town supervisors in an amount not more than $400 per annum, and for the chairman of the town board in an amount of not more than $500 per annum; and the town board shall have the power to fix the compensation of the town clerk in an amount of note more than $600 per annum, and the compensation of the town treasurer in an amount of not more than $500 per annum, all such compensation to be in lieu of the amounts now provided by law, such compensation to be paid monthly or quarterly as the town board may by resolution determine." This section, however, cannot be invoked unless and until the town electors have complied with M.S.A. Sections 368.83-.84 which, in substance provides that they must adopt the provisions of M.S.A. Sections 368.61 through 368.84 by an annual or special election to vote on the question of adoption and a resolution thereafter adopted by a majority at such meeting which shall then be filed with the county auditor. FE 0-8361 TO: Board of Supervisors - 2 - April 21, 1964 Strangely enough, since 1960 you have been receiving salaries in accordance with my Opinion of May 22nd, 1959 at which time Eagan qualified under Section 367.06(4) which provides: (4) In all towns not inclluded within any of the foregoing classifications having a population of more than 500 and an assessed valuation of more than $1,000,000, the salary of each supervisor may be $50 per month and the salary of the chairman may be $65 per month.tt I have confronted the Attorney General's office informally on this and they are now aware of the ,obvious. inconsistency. Unfortunately, the strict legal construction compels my opinion that your salaries should be reduced to conform with the correct classification in which Eagan now finds itself. As a practical matter, however, unless anyone objects, it could probably be. argued that this was certainly not the intention of the legislature and leave well enough alone. At the same time I must warn you that an irate taxpayer could conceivably object to the illegality and force. each board member to reimburse the township for the difference in'salary permitted under subdivision (3) and (4). Incidentally, all supervisors can charge per mile for business travel expense outside the township up to a maximum of $60 per year. LMS:bh LUTH ER M. STALLAND ATTORNEY AT LAW 1745 RAND TOWER MINNEAPOLIS 2, MINN. May 22, 1959 Board of Supervisors Eagan Township Route 1 St. Paul 11, Minnesota Re: Compensation of Town Officers Gentlemen: The applicable statutes governing your compensation as officers of Eagan Township are as follows:. M.S.A. Sec. 368.80 "The electors at the annual meeting shall have the power to fix the compensation of the town supervisors in an amount not more than $400 per annum, and for the chair- man of the town board, in an amount of not more than $500 per annum; and the town board shall have the power to fix the compensation of the town clerk in an amount of not more than $600 per annum, and the compensation of the town treasurer in an amount of not more than $500 per annum, all such compensation to be in lieu of the amounts now pro- vided by law, such compensation to be paid monthly or quarterly as the town board may by resolution determine." M.S. A. Sec. 367.06 "In any town within the following classifications, valu- ations being exclusive of money and credits, the electors, by a majority vote at any annual town meeting, after notice specifying that the matter ,is to come before the meeting, may fix the salaries of the chairmen and supervisors of the town board in amounts not less than as provided in Sec. 367.05, nor more than the amounts authorized in this section. The amounts so fixed shall remain in effect until changed by like action of the electors. The classifications are: (1)... (2)... (3)... (4) In all towns not included within any of the foregoing classifications having a population of more than 500 and an assessed valuation of more than $1,000,000, the salary of each supervisor may be $50 per month and the salary of the chairman may be $65 per, morith." S a a, r FEDERAL 6-2831 ,First: you will note from reading the foregoing statutes that your compensation may only be sei`. at an annual meeting of the electors. `,Notice of the intention to bring the matter of your compensation -,be- fore the electors at the annual meeting must be posted prior to the annual: meeting_ in the - same manner, presumably, as the notice of the annual town meeting. Second, it.appears that M.S.A. Sec. '367.06.*Subd. 4, as quoted above,. allows; you the .greatest compensation. ' This, provision' allows. $600 per , year to each 'supervisor and $780.00 to. the chairman whereas respective- ly M.S.A. Sec..368.80allows,a maximum of $400 to the supervisors per year and $500'..to.the chairman. It'should be -noted thatM.S.A. Sec. 368. '80,controls the cornpensation'as to the clerk which is a maximum of $600 per year. There isno other provision in the law for his compensation in the situation of Eagan Township. I, have checked again today -with the County".Auditor to. determine the. assessed valuation for Eagan Township. Apparently'the Assessor advised "you ofthe full•and true value.which•would be -in excess of $2,000,000., ;However ` the_ statutory. classifications upon which your 'compensation is based referred to'assessed valuation rather than full.. and true valuation. `Therefore the figure that I obtained from'' the:Auditor's office. on May • 19th'was correct, that is, the assessed valuation is $1,161,928.for the - year 1958 and the population according to the 1950census, the last_offic- ial one, is' 1;.185.. It would be my suggestion that if the matter of your compensation., is to be.brought before the next annual meeting in March of1960,.that .you make - ;a note . to. `remind me of that . fact in February of ' 1960 in order that we will have, time to prepare and post the proper notice to this affect. Lew OFFICES LUTHER M. STALLAND Sur= 2340, RAND TOWER MIN1VEAPOLIS 2, Mmi-NEsom PAUL EL HAUGE Board of upervisors itgan Township St. Paul, Minnesota Gent!emenr ctober L3 Cor7)ensation of Town Officers This letter is a su?p4ement to my opinion of April 21, i964 coneerning compensation of Town officers and ccapensation for mileage eNlenses. in that ooinion stated that Town officers are entitled to miieage at tae rate of $.05 per mile for each mike necessitating travel on official business out of the Township, but not exceeding $60.00 for such mileage for any one Town officer in any one year. 04. S. A, 367.05) The low was not changeei in the ic:65 legislature in this respect. Yours very truly, tliSidaw wther M. !,t_a4land e, /6k,i,c) e6 �1`ZG�J� (•'vr Look inside for our Special Christmas, Churches Section! 750 Mil Newsstand www.mnSun.com 2 Sections Volume 24 Number Sf Fie damages townhome complex A fire most likely ignited by a space heater at an Eagan townhome complex Dec. 16 destroyed one home and left 37 residents out of their home overnight. At 10:40 p.m. the Eagan Fire Department received a call reporting a fire on the outside of one of the town - homes at Promenade Oaks Townhomes, 1110 North- wood Drive, said Eagan Fire Chief Craig Jensen. INSIDE ON PAGE 2A MID AIN Council accepts Cedarvale study Taking the next step in a process that has already spanned nine months and will stretch even further.in the future, the Eagan City Council accepted the report of the task force studying the Cedarvale area. "I think this represents a coming of age for our commu- nity," said Margaret Schrein- er, chair of the Cedar Avenue and Highway 13 Redevelop- ment Study Task Force. INSIDE ON PAGE 3A mow Transit station to add daycare EAGAN December 22,1999 INDEX Opinion Page 4A Worship Directory..Page 17A Let It Be Known...Page 18A Calendar Page 25A Sports Page 26A Classifieds ............Page 1B • Michael Vincent charged with forgery City Council member sifts through garbage seeking evidence to Zink former commissioner to letter By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers A former Eagan parks com- missioner who recently filed a lawsuit over his failed reappoint- ment now finds himself in his own legal troubles. Michael Vincent, 34, was charged Dec. 14 with forgery and criminal defamation charges for allegedly circulating a letter fraudulently claiming Mayor Pat Awada was looking at a run for higher office. The letter, which appeared on Awada's campaign committee stationery, was not written, pre- pared, directed or endorsed by the mayor, nor had she signed it, although it contained a signature which appeared to be a copy of her signature. Distributed to an unknown number of people in late Septem- ber and early October, the letter stated that Awada would give up her position to rim for a Senate seat in 2000. It did not make it clear whether it was the U.S. Senate or the Minnesota Senate. According to a criminal com- plaint filed in Dakota County District Court: An investigator from the Dakota County Sheriff's Depart- ment met with Councilmember Paul Bakken, who had picked up four bags of garbage that were in front of Vincent's house Oct. 15. He inspected those bags and found in one of them envelope boxes, shredded paper and gloves. Bakken turned those garbage bags over to the Sheriff's Department. When officers examined the bag, they found two empty enve- lope boxes, nine latex gloves, glue sticks and documentation bear- ing Vincent's name and address. 'INCENT: To Page 14A Jan Abbott/Sun Newspapers Light fantastic The season is brighter in Eagan, thanks to Marvin E. Bundt and his display of lights at 2082 Diffley Road. This is just one of the hun- dreds of homes decorated in the city, almost every block has the warm glow of holiday lights. Apple Valley/Rosemount; Eagan. Sun•Current/Wednesday, Dec.'22, -1999 Pant Services Starting at 5199.95 You now have an `,;,0 e. when it comes to auto painting Cottisia . r — — — - — ...... .... - 1 I_'' Acrylic Advantage Pack 50% •Off•• Winter Special :..1 •1 Advantage Preparation (full body machine sanding and primer sealer) •• .1 1 AcrylicAdvantage. Paint Service With A 2 yr. Warranty • Bonded Clear Coat Reg: Price $489.00 - ' • _ _. •. — — ......... • . Offer expires 12/31/99 , : - .. e•J • 12236 Riverwood Dr. Burnsville, MN 55337 • Two Blocks West of the Burnsville Bowi On Riverwood Dr. NOW $245.00 (812) 894-1238 Tear out & installation of most kitchens is completed, within 1/- 2 weeks • ■ To deserve your business, we earn your triist" ILO YExtis •oF. u ti riy &'SERVICE IIE VKEUOf) L!.\G* TECIALISTSI 12r 892.7920 Mon:-Th. - 9-8'• Tue., Wed:; Fri..: 9-6, Sat. =10-3' 14266 Plymouth Ave. Burnsville,MN 55337 • Next to Petsmart & Ciatti's By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers www.mnSun.com dealing is apartmen and the computer were later discovered to In a pair of pants identified as belonging An Eagan man fact� drug d stolen to Petty, officers also found a bag of mari- ' property charges'after Being arre ' d "earh- juana. The,offic rs further found two rocks • er'this month for allegedly dealin ' cocaine.: of suspected crack cocaine in the cap ofa can Dennis Charles Petty"19, w charged of instant cleaner - ' With three counts of first -degree possession .. .During the search, Petty arrived home - of a controlled substance and one count each :and was taken into custody.' Officer's. found • -. of receiving stolen property. and "possession an additional 16 to 17 grams of suspected } of drug paraphernalia: • A ypowder and crack cocaine inhhis pockets. • Accordin 'to a criminal cor lai t filed.• •- ' Pettyas taken to the g p ty Eagan Police De - in Dakota. County District Court �f partment, *here Grant read him his Mi- . Investigator John Grant of the\Dakota randa rights. Petty then volunteered during -County Sheriffs Department and the.South a taped statement that he had been selling Metro Drug Task Force began investigating cocaine for' about one year. • • Petty it November after receiving informa-. • The suspected crack and powder cocaine . tion- that he'was dealing' cocaine from his \seized from Petty's apartment were taken to. apartment on Duckwood Trail. - ' t`h,e Minneapolis' Health Department Labo On Dec. 3,,Grant, other members of the 7 `-ratory and analyzed. The results: of those drug task force and members of the Eagan • .tests\ vealed that the material was cocaine. ,,-SWAT team executed- a search warrant on andweig�ied:more than 65'grams.. Petty's apartment` - Petty could face a maximum sentence of During the/Search, officers found two $1:million ifines and up to -30 years" in 'plastic bags containing suspected cocaine prison'on each of the three drug charges if in both crack and powder form: Officers convicted. He also faces up to :10 -years in also: found a 9-millimeter handgun; !a but- prison on the stolen propertycharge and ad- letproof vest, night _vision equipment,'a' ditional fines: He is being -held on $50,000 large' machete, a 30.06 caliber rifle and .a bond and is scheduled to appear 'in,court • Mac Powerbook• computer.: Both the rifle Jan.10.. 1ReQ cee,e4aa€ eiwodel cp, Tote 16320 Kenrick.Loop Lakeville, MN 55044 • Phone (612) 469=3900/Fax (612) 469-3939 , ROOFING . Complete removal and replacement of all types of,shingles'such as...Asphalt, Fiberglass;'Cedar,Metal.and Rubber. eater suspected cause in Eagan fire, destr By:Joshua-Nichols. Sun Newspapers' A fire most likely ignited'.liy a -space heater at an Eagan'. townhome complex 'Dec:16 destroyed one home and left 37 res- dents out of their; homes, overnight:=--.. <- =- At 10:40 p.m: the Eagan Fire Depart= - merit received a call reporting a fire on the outside of one of the townhomes at:Prome- nade Oaks Townhoines 1110 Northwood Drive,: said Eagan Fire.Chief Craig Jensen. When firefighters. arrived on the scene, .. they founder liquid propane tank and the - 'side of a townhome on fire.: Crews had the fire, extinguished, by 11:35' p.M., Jensen said. ome Although no one wag injured in the fire; one of the townhomes was damaged to the point where• it was unlivable, said Jensen. The residents who lived in that unit were moved to another townhome. on site, Jensen said. (•: An- additionale37-residents-of the .com- plex were' moved toa hotel overnight be- cause the fire protection system was inop- erable. Those residentsreturned to their homes the following day. A few of the units had minor.water damage. Althoughthe official cause of the fire re- mains under investigation, Jensen said -- fire was Most likely started by a heating system ;that was . being used for' concrete ' work near the unit where the fire started. • 1� www.mnSun.com . . intent: ' u ntly suing Awada,: cit: other cou cil members From Page lA • T other candidates 'While council members Bea Blomquist and Sandra Masin voted Also found were numerous pieces of paper a for Vincent. , that' had been shredded, which, upon dos- The court complaint claims that Awada, er inspection; appeared to match the head Bakken and Carlson had several .secret. ing on the forged. Awada letter. meetings regarding him and -used con - Based on that information, deputies ob- sumer reports in connection with not ap-: tained and executed a search.warrant'for . proving his appointment Vincent main - Vincent's home'Oct: 28. Among the items tains that the three circulated a "personal theyseized was a computer thatallegedly profile" that included privateinformation. contained a nearly identical letter to. the' Awada, Bakken and Carlson have all forged Awada letter on its hard drive:. disputed Vincent's claims, stating. that :. Vincent is currently suing Awada, coun- they discussed his appointment prior to cilmeinbers Paul Bakken and Peggy Carl - some meetings, but that there were never son and the city" of. Eagan over his failed.' more than two council members present reappointment to the city's parks: commis- - The Minnesota Open Meeting. Law re- sign in January1999: .. quires government bodies to meet in pub - In the court complaint filed in Dakota lic. However, in regard to the five -member County District Court, Vincent claims Eagan City Council, that requirement only'. Bakken, Carlson and Mayor Pat Awada vi- pertains to when a quorum of three or olated the state's`open meeting law and in; , more members are present vaded his privacy in denying his appoint Vincent's lawsuit is, scheduled for trial ment. He also accused them of violating_ in February. the.Fair Credit Reporting Act. ° Vincent could face up to four years in Vincent •was appointed to the city's prison and $8;000 in 'fines if convicted of parkscommissionM. 1994 and had sought both charges: He will be summoned into - . re -appointment in January. `However, .. court to face these charges in approxi- .. Awada, Bakken and .Carlson voted for mately.30 days. -, www.mnSun.com uss — - 7 $1.00 Bud! Tap Beers, During the Vikings games (reg.$1.50) Bring in coupon to receive offer Broadway Pizza Eagles Nest Rabin Center Shopping center 4106 Lakeland Ave. Robbinsdale 612-533-0800 Game 1: Dallas at New Orleans a.. Y 1 WEB -1 Game 2: Denver at Detroit \\ CC° RADIO 8.3.0 "pports to the Max" Monday Night Pre -Game Mike Max ialLE Dec. 27, 6-8pm Game 3: Arizona at Atlanta Bus to the Vikes' games $12 (includes a drink before/after game) 251 W. Burnsvilk Pkwy Rrrrncuil a a • o* F!oo Store Hours: Open 7 days a week 1Oam - 8pm -P,1,1 Now Game 7: Minnes Anthony Hanson Pizza Man 4381 W. Hwy 13 Savage, MN 612-894-2202 Anthony's Picks 1. Dallas 2. Detroit e yeow, eowee,,z EAGAN SunCunient January 10, 2001 INDEX Opinion Page 4A Let It Be Known. „Page 14A Worship Directory..Page 15A Calendar Page 16A Sports Page 17A Classifieds Page 1 B Council members united by dreams of teaching Cyndee Fields and Meg Tilley joined Eagan City Council this month By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers Two women who dreamed of becoming teachers growing up, one born and raised in Minneso- ta and the other a California na- tive, joined the Eagan City Council this month. They were sworn into office Tuesday, Jan. 2. Meg Tilley, 52, was born and raised in Bloom- ington and came to Eagan more than 25 years ago just as it was becoming a city. "We came here because we bought five acres here," Tilley said. "I had never heard of Eagan until we bought that land." Cyndee Fields, 39, was born in Berkley, Calif., and grew up in San Jose, Calif. However, when she was a ju- Fields nior in high school, her fami- ly moved to Min- nesota. "We never forgave him for that," Fields joked. "I don't like the snow at all. I don't mind the cold, but I've never liked the snow" Both women are united through winning a seat on the Eagan City Council in Novem- ber. They replace outgoing Councilmembers Bea Tilley Blomquist, who declined to run for re-election, and Sandy Masin, who was defeated in the September Primary Election. Tilley majored in education at Mankato State University, where she received both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She taught for six years in the Rosemount -Apple Valley -Eagan School District before going to work for Control Data Corp. She now works as a strategic imple- mentation manager for Min- nesota's Department of Trans- portation. COUNCIL: To Page 14A 2A• -: Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SunrCurrent/Wednesday, Jani'10:•2001•: Eagan By.Joshua Nichols - Sun Newspapers , • • • A"charter commission petition `effort kicked off more than. seven months ago will' make ita.-way'•before a :judgethis month as'Eagan.OPEn'centinues towork toward'auditing the'city's government:' , The citizen group' Wined-lil a. petition" bearing the names' of'853 Eagan resi-- dents'to' First` indicial'District='Jud'ge Leslie Metzen .the day`before •the :Nod; 7 ; General Election'." That" number :retire- Bents'more than 10"percent of theEagan voters who' cast a'vote in the September • primary election -That was only the first step; as' -Eagan: OPEn member Michael Dean took 'the. • in:t�ge next one:*hen he -filed a motion Dec.:15 asking•Metzen to use the petition to ap. point a 13-member: charter commission for the city.:. • Metzen sent a letter to city staff and 'Eagan-OPEri members originally setting ' a Dec:-27 hearing,, but that hearing has been postponed to 8:30 a:m. Friday; Jan. 26;atthe Dakota County JudicialCenter Hastings. According to her letter, the hearing is • to=discuss the petition`and "request that interested persons, who seek ,appoint' . mentrto a• charter' commission, submit their qualifications" to• Metzen z=Part:of that -process• will include a de- cision •onyWhether or not- the}required number of 'signatures' on the petition `is • based on the last Gneral' or=Primary • Clerk': election: State law calls for the number•of Chi signatures on the: petition to the -at -least merit� .10 percent of the voters who Votediri the - cil moi fast -"regular' city election." porter ' Widmar' and. Dean lave argued- that y If A because state law does'not 'specify Geri - would eral Election, the standard applies to ei= would ther type''of election: . • - • •• - would r According to•=•the Secretary of:State's strong Office, 32;705•peopleast their vote in:the • • The Nov '7`General'Election'in,Eags -If Met-.; er ,cou zen were to decide the:p..00001cl have ability to meet'the General`. Election "standard, , up'' a 1 the:group'. would actually have'to%gather counci about •2400 'more• signatures.to obtain Oni the 10 percent.. L° :`- charte City Admini'stratorTom Hedges said draft he'`and'tle council'= have`•not, had -much . could 1 dealing' with' the process; because- it has= jorityi n't=reached:tle'level,where the -city is in nesota volved. "If%the .judge%'decides -thia petition is • valid, I 'asSllimelshe would then move ton, -ward appointing-a•commission"" 'Hedges said»'If thatais,the-case we will -go ahead and work with them fully on it. If the : judgedecides they need more signatures, We are •preparedqo' Work. with °them whenever they reach_ that point:":! -_ Eagan OPEn spokesperson' Susan 14A' Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SuniCurrent Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2001 } Council From Page:1A'' "My goal was always to be a teacher. and even today most things I do have ari aspect of that in it," Tilley said. Fields setoff to become a teacher but decided along the way she could: do more , by. helping out .teachers. She had in- tended to'teach in California, but found. ,. the education system in the state lack- ing . "I decided the best thing.to do was to help teachers- here and be involved in the. schools in any way I can," Fields said. "With' niy two sons in school, that's exactly. what I did. I want to give that extra "help to teachers because they are . so busy and need the help. This is where I.belong." . Fields came -to Eagan about. eight years ago from Crystal, a northern sub urb of -Hennepin, County. At that time she worked in Minnetonka and her husband, Leonard, worked in River Falls, Wis., and she was disappointed with the school district in her area. As they looked for a new place to live, Fields began researching Eagan and its school district and found.it to be exact- ly what she was looking for. "We wanted to be, in some place where we,liked.ourcommunity and felt like we• belonged," Fields said. "Eagan seemed like the perfect fit." Fields now works as a session -only receptionist at the Minnesota House of Representatives. ' The two new council.members came - into politics. in • two 'different ways: A member of the city's Advisory Planning _Commission; Tilley has•been:involved in politics since she arrived in Eagan, both at the: local and state level. However, most of her work was behind the scenes until she decided to run for mayor; in 1998, when 'current Mayor Pat' Awada ,was elected. • . Fields' move'into-politicscame much more slowly. As she worked more 'and more with childrenin the community, she -decided she could make a difference in Eagan by running' for office. She started out by running for District 196 Board- of Education in 1999. Rather than lethetdefeat slow her down, she decided to run for City Council in 2000. • "I certainly never thought ,this was where I was; going to end. up," Fields said. "I just thought I am an average resident who people an approach and I am very involved: I thought this. was something I could do and make a :differ- ence:" .. . Both new council members•,thirik they will have a good working relation- ship with Awada' and Councilmembers Paul Bakken and Peggy Carlson: - "It's.exciting," Tilley said. "We have a very good; rapport and I _think we "are going to-do some good things."' • Tilley. said .she enjoys ridinghorses. and playing sports in her spare .time: ' She also enjoys traveling when•she gets the, opportunity. •• 'Fields said she doesn'.t really have a -hobby but spends most ofherspare time working with youth_and°youth' athletics in the community. She said her friends would describe her as "outgoing and -en- ergetic." ; • "That's just the way • I am," Fields said. "I am always full of energy and al- ways enthusiastic." ' Tilley'described.herself as an enthu- ". siastic hard worker:who is always posi- five and open to all possibilities. • • • "I'm here to' listen to residents'- con- cerns and make decisions based on facts . to do what is best for them;" Tilley said. - "I think you are going to see us do a lot of good. things. There are going to. be . challenges as there is with any new group, but .I yam sure we will produce some very positive things.". ' Fields stressed that during her time, on the council she will have an open- door policy... -- "I don't want.anybody to hesitate to call me on •anything," she said. "I love to -talk to people and when.I go out now people recognize me and ittakes twice as' long as before to go out shopping. I will always listen to the residents and do my best for them "'. The American- Red :Cross- of the St. Paul Area- has' scheduled a January course designed: for professional' rescuers such as firefighters, police officers, life-- guards, nurses -and first responders • A.nine-hour course, spread' over: two evening sessions, 'will be offered-:from- 5:30.to 10'p.m• Wednesday; Jari.=24, and Thursday, 'Jan: 25:'The:',course •will be taught at the Burnsville Coldwell Banker Burnet: office, `190. Cobblestone Red Cross offers CPR course to rescuers Lane. The reaiatrati • Apple Valley/Rosemount; Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Jan.'10, 2001 COMMUNITY NOTES on. Addressing Domestic Violence." The luncheon is open to all area pro- fessionals, advocates and others interest- ed in building awareness of domestic vio7. lence.:Reservatioris for the luncheon are, needed' by Jan. 12 and can• be made by calling the Lakeville Police Department: Cost is $14.50 per plate. .. - - Brackett's Crossing'is at 17976 Judi- cial°Road in•L'akeville. • Information/registration: 952=985- 2828'` Outdoor programs: are offered in county Learn how to harness- and hook-up a m teaof dogs,, ride a" -dogsled and get. hands-on experience, running your own team. A seniors introduction to dogsledding will' be 'offered -from 10 a.m.. to 4 p.m.. Thursday; Jan. 11; at;Lake Byllesby. Re= gional.Park•in Cannon,Falls This program- is geared -for seniors' 55 and over'ivho do riot have 'experience in dogsledding. An indoor facility _will be geared for summer hikers, families, ;fit- _ ness walker`s and' curious. folks that are interested in learning more about this winter activity. Staff will -be on hand to assist with equipment and answer ques- tions about sriowshoeirig. The' event 'is open to people of•all ages and:abilities. Program is -free: • Develop the skills needed: for surviv irig. the•wilderness:in winter from 1 "•to 4 p.m. -Sunday, Jail. 21, at Camp-Saca= jawea; Lebanon Hills -Regional Park; Apple Valley., .Participants will learri'.to-. build a snow shelter, snowshoe and:more.. All ages. Cost is $7 per personor:$15'fo"r family • _ .• 'Full moon snowshoe is offered 7• to :9 p.in. •Wednesday, Jan 24, for the entire family; • at Spring :Lake Youth Camp; • Spring, Lake--Park'Reser've, Rosemount Geared for all ages. No experience need-- ed. All..equipment provided .by: REI_ and Dakota•County Parks. Cost is.$7;:per per- • son or $15•for family • A winter : camping;' series will be of- fered in two sessions. Session II Will be 7 p.m. Monday,=Jan. 29, by. REI in Bloom=. ington. Session II is for those who will be 13A' - Thursday, Feb.1, and Monday; Feb. 5,' at • • Camp Sacajawea, Lebanon Hills Region al Park in Apple Valley. ' • •Would you know what to do .in an emergency' if medical':treatment was not readily available? This:liands-bn Wilder: ness First Aid class is designed for "out- . door enthusiasts and workers who may experiencemedical: emergencies when emergency medical !systems' are not available or; 'a timely option.. Slides, videos, student .text•andpractice•scenar- ibswill help students feel more confident -handling emergencies. You'll receive' the _ Wilderness' First Aid textbook,•as a refer- e`•nce foryour outdoor experience'andthe three-year: Basic Wilderness 'First Aid certification after successfully complet- ing this. class. Geared for ages 15 and older. Cost is $35 per'person. Information/registration: '651-438- 4660. • Wiener selected to higher education post . a60e ice• __ .. ... .. Eagan- Cit. ' Coun_c•d ar: ,abo t ..mmutes rs� by Dan Geari,io' Staff Writer' The Eagan City .Council' spent 40 minutes arguing about the minutes May 2. The minutes are the official synopsis of the previous meet- ing; including votes, motions and paraphrased comments of council members and other. speakers. The recording secre- tary compiles the minutes based on viewing the videotape of the meeting. , Inmost instances for local government bodies, the minutes are about as controversial as the Pledge of Allegiance. At the beginning of the meeting, coun- cils. vote to place the previous meeting minutes in the perma- nent record. Occasionally, a member -will suggest a change in the minutes- — perhaps cor- recting an inaccuracy — and the council will vote on whether to amend- the minutes. Generally, the :minutes are quickly approved. • In Eagan, however,• council members have been arriving at meetings with lists of suggested revisions -•to the minutes, often . correcting seemingly minor details. • The current Eagan council • often has taken longer to finalize the minutes than most. councils, but May 2 was an exceptional case. `Council members Bea— Blomquist. 'and Sandy Masin arrived with three pages of sug- gested changes to the minutes. Most of the changes suggested striking sentences from the min- utes that contained council members expressing opinions. One suggested change relat- ed to the March 21 council meeting, when - a resident addressed the council to express his concerns- about his road assessment. This was not the first time he had come forward with this • issue. Mayor Pat - Awada said the resident was being encouraged to -keep revis- iting ,. the issue by a council , member. Awada didn't name•the council member. _ In the minutes of the meet- ing, this exchange is recorded as, "She • (Awada) said that she thought Mr. Poppler was being encouraged -by • other council. members to keep revisiting the issue." At the , May 2 meeting, Blomquist said she wanted this. sentence stricken from the min- utes because Awada's statement was her opinion. Blomquist said she believes that opinions should not appear in the minutes unless other council —members • have -.the opportunity to refute theopinion; • Most.' of .Blomquist:- and" Masin's other suggested changes': were similar,either striking' an. opinion or adding a refutation of -an opinion. Jim Sheldon, who 'is the • .council parliamentarian as well as city attorney, •was asked by Masin to clarify the role of the minutes. A parliamentarian is responsible for answering ques- tions and making recommenda- tions about meeting procedure. "The minutes' are the record of the meeting," Sheldon said. "What one person thinks is fac- tual, another may not." Awada said -that Blomquist and Masin's suggested changes • would put things in .the - record that didn't occur at the meeting .. and remove things that did. - Council Member Peggy .Carlson suggested that.one solu- tion:might be -to record the`ver= •batim comments.froni the meet- . ings. • - -. Council Member Paul Bakken said- that even a verba tim record would not be "a com- plete record. because -it •would - not record body language and • facial expressions. He said.that. verbatiin minutes would "border on silliness," and added that See Minutes, 22A - . , • iter st r to ind in, I Community needs to support District 1,97 Tothe editor: I. am thankful to live in a community that has been sup- portive of education for more than 100 years. The volunteer effort, finan- cial and other support consis= tently put forth by our business community, neighbors, parents and staff should make us all proud. Our public and private schools have well earned reputa- . tions of quality due to this sup- port. The community has in turn benefited from well-educated children, rising property values and continued investment in res- idential and business properties. District 197 _ residents. once againhave the opportunity to • show their support. by .voting to renew the - existing operating' levy May 16.1he.operating levy provides funds 'for.learning- related expenses such as teach- ers, programs and books. The cost of this renewal is minimal as noted in .the district publica- tion mailed to all residents. Our strong commercial and industrial b'ase in -this district' keeps' our school taxes among the lowest in the metro area even with the existing operating levy in place. Just as your parents and com- munity . were supportive when you were in school, we all nees to come together and suppor our schools now. Consisten community support helps attrac and retain the quality teacher we expect in this district. Pleas join your friends and neighbor in voting `,`yes" on May 16. . STAN LINNELL Mendota Heights Vote . `yes' on' District 197 levy or students will be forced to face large class sizes To the editor: Imagine yourself a shy .third grader struggling desperately to understand long division. Now imagine yourself competing with 38 other children to ask for vote "yes" in support of the excess operating levy May 16. Two elementary, schools would close, staff -to -pupil ratios•would reach 39 to 1, and sports and co - curricular activities would be • help -in the short time you have cut in a district that has already to learn math each day. • faced budget crisis after•budget • Gradually, inevitably, youl•fall• • crisis. . •, ' further and further behind: And • For most homeowners, the you're not alone; many of your. cost of protecting the quality of. classmates struggle to learn in '• education , in District 197 will classes that have .grown impos-. amount to no more than the cost sibly — unteachably — larger of a few meals a year. In fact, This is the future District 197 • property taxes in Eagan, West VINCENT HYMAN students .face if voters do. riot.: St. Paul •and Mendota Heights West St. Paul • are 93rd, 92nd and 98th lowest of the 107 metro area communi- ties. . `The 'tiny increase will not b- noticed by most residents, bu failure to pass the levy most cer tainly will lower the quality o' life for public school 'childre how. Voting is expected . to b close. 'If you support .qualitl education for all people, be'sur� to vote "yes".May 16. • Minutes/Continued most of what people say is opin- ions and most people know that. Masin.suggested only includ- ing motions and votes in the minutes and keeping a video. archive for those who want a more thorough record. After voting 3-2 to reject most of Blomquist and Masin's suggested changes, the council voted 5-0 to direct staff .to Zook into creating a video archive. Blomquist .and Masin were not the only council members to suggest changes to the minutes. ._Bakken_.suggested one, change, clarifying a motion he had made at the April 4 meeting. - Later in- the meeting, during the public comment period, a resident said that the length of time the council spent dis- cussing the -minutes was "ridicu- lous 11-year-old students in Jim Hippie's fifth -grade class at Westview Elementary School in Apple Valley. The national contest is spon- sored by the American Academy of Family Physicians. In Minnesota, the AAFP's state chapter coordinates the pro- gram. The contest celebrates children, their creativity and their commitment to remaining tobacco -free. According to Hippie, fifth graders at Westview Elementary �-----n in the rnm_ Caleb Durenberger and • City Council candidates came out positions at public forum by Dan Gearino Staff Writer The four candidates for two open seats on the Eagan- City • Council participated in a public forum Tuesday.. . The forum, sponsored by the Eagan Chamber of Commerce, was moderated by former County Commissioner Don Chapdelaine. The. candidates .- -Duey Bendt; Cyndee . Fields,, Shawn Hunter and Meg Tilley agreed on several issues. They agreed that the City. Council -should better communicate with citizens, that the city's green spaces should be pre- . served and that the city should usefulness. of his corporate experience by ,referring to the city as "a business." Bendt said that his top prior- ity is to assess the storm sewer system and . possibly make improvements to it.•He said his second priority is to be accessi- ble to citizens. About the Cedarvale rede- direct clash on the issues but velopment, Bendt said that it is rather different choices about important to work for the long - which issues and- aspects of term good of the area, even if it issues to emphasize. might not be viewed favorably . Bendt, a recent retiree from today.' - Lockheed Martin, said that his "You need to vote for candi-, 39 years of corporate experi- dates who are willing to do ence: and 39 _years as an .Eagan., things- that•..might , not , be too resident are. experiences that popular," he said:. have prepared him for the City. Fields, a member of the Council. '' He emphasized the See Forum, SA' assess whether its infrastruc- ture can adequately deal with severe storms. No questions :were asked about controversial issues such as recreational vehicle storage rules and the widening of Dodd Road: The differences between the ; candidates was not so much 111111 V1 TI1Li t.l UlJl.� 40/20/40 cloth. Lease plus 1st payment, Iic. fee & doc payment + tax. Tax on cash. 'NM A0014x4 DURANCOS INTRO LEASE SPECI $22ai$1600 CASH PER OR edd MO. TRADE 31 PER PAYMENT 1st MO. ONLY RRENT CHRYSLE - DODGE LEASES EXTRA $1000 . ali• Ain FALL SALE PRICE M.S. R.P. Discount S 32,470 -3,471 $28,999 ALL NEW FEATURES FOR 2001 4.7 liter, auto, air, molded running boards, 3rd seat, tire & wheel flares, CD player & cass., heated mirrors, power (seat, wind., locks). • 48 mos. lease plus 1st payment, Iic & doc. payment. Tax on payment & cosh CHRYSLER PROGRAM RENTAL RETURNS nest.. 2001 DAKOTA AWE SLT PACKAGE 4.7 liter, V8, auto, air, power (windows, Locks, mirrors), power -overhead, foglamps, AM/FM compact disc. 42 MO. LEASE SPECIAL PER sigr. $16PER MO. $400 CASH OR TRADE $1500 CASH OR TRADE M.S.R.P. Rebate Discount $22,� • Lease plus 1st payment, Iic. tee & doc payment + tax. Tax on Duey Bendt Forum/Continued Cyndee Fierds Park ti <'ommission and the Eagan ,athletic Association Board, Maid that Cedarvale redevelopment was needed, but Shawn Hunter steps must be taken to mini- mize the negative effect on businesses already in the area, such as helping businesses relocate. Fields listed her desire to "Get out and listen to the peo- ple," as her top priority. Her second priority is to help shep- herd the city through the final stages of development and then redevelopment in areas like Cedarvale. Fields said that the home is a family's most important investment and she would respect that importance through shaping city policy to preserve home values and address the needs of homeown- ers. In her closing statement, Fields added to her comments about homeowners by promis- ing to keep property taxes low. Hunter, who served on the council from 1995-98 and works as a director of technolo- Meg Tilley gy services, repeatedly addressed his campaign theme, that there is a need to restore civility on the council. He men- tioned the lawsuits and argu- ments that have occurred recently among the council members as examples of the incivility he hopes to remedy, referring to the council as com- ing out of "the Dark Ages." Hunter said that the city's infrastructure needs to be fixed, something he listed as a top priority. Hunter said he sees mixed - use zoning as the key to mak- ing the Cedarvale redevelop- ment successful. He said he envisions multifamily housing, commercial buildings and a new hotel in the area, as well as new roads to make the area eas- ier to navigate. Tilley, a member of the Planning Commission and an employee of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), referred, to herself as "a professional at MnDOT by day, a soccer mom at night." Tilley said she agrees with the city's assessment policy, but is concerned that some res- idents feel the policy isn't uni- formly applied. She listed resolving infra- structure problems, helping flood victims and communicat- ing effectively with con- stituents as her top priorities. Tilley said she values the city's green space. "People come to Eagan because it's green," she said. "They like the parks and they want it calm." The four candidates are competing to fill the seats cur- rently held by Bea Blomquist and Sandy Masin. Blomquist decided not to run for re-elec- tion and Masin was among the three candidates defeated in the Sept. 12 primary, the first time a local primary had been held in the city. DEALS RIPE FAR TI #300482 2000 MOUNTAINEER 4X4 • 4.0 SOHC V6 • Auto. • A/C • White MSRP $30,635 YOUR PRICE Plus title, tax & license. Rebate to dealer. OAC. • 5.4 L • Comfort Group • Running Boards • 16 Inch Wheels • Trailer Tow • 6 Disc CD Changer. MSRP $36,835 YOUR PRICE ?ViS PLUS 0.9%, 1.9%, 2.9% FINANCING OAC ARV AIRLAKE F PRE• `00 FORD EXPLORER 4 DOOR XLT White, 12,000 Miles, Save On This Loaded Demo!! '23,500 `00 FORD FOCUS Choice of Three. Special Purchase. Miles As Low As 200. Sale Price From $I0,995 `99 FORD F 150 SUPER CAB Loaded with All Options, Low Miles. '17,995 `99 FORD F- 150 4X4 SUPER CABS CHOICE OFTWO! Loaded, off roads. From $21,995 MKS. 2000 EX LTD • 6.8 LVIO Gas E • Illuminated Running Seat • Heated Mii MSRP .... j YOUR PI $36,1 2000 FORD SVT LIGHTNING • Silver Clearcoat Metallic • Med. Graphite Cloth / Leather • XLT • 18" Spoked Alum. Wheels • 5.4 Ltr. Single Overhead Cam • SOHC V8 Limited Production YOUR PRICE $3 I� 2000 F EXPLORER Plus title. tax & license. Rebate to deal OAC. 1 , 'Democracy in Eagan: 'What the heck is going on?' Page 1 of 4 Wcrld's Largest Suaergaltery • startribune,com Metro Published Thursday, January 6, 2000 Democracy in Eagan: 'What the heck is going on?' Chuck Haga / Star Tribune As it came time for her to introduce herself Wednesday night, Sandy Masin said her name, hesitated, then added that she's a member of the Eagan City Council. She looked around the meeting room at the Wescott Public Library. "Is it OK if I'm here?" she asked. A man spoke to her from across the room as others nodded. "You're a citizen, too," he said. Consider the state of democracy in Eagan: A failed City Council candidate was charged in December with forgery and criminal defamation for distributing a false letter under Mayor Pat Awada's signature. The suspect was fingered by a City Council member who found shredded documents and other evidence in bags of garbage that he snagged off the suspect's front yard early one morning. Earlier in 1999, two anonymously drawn cartoons were circulated in Eagan lampooning the council. The cartoons prompted Council Member Bea Blomquist to consult a handwriting expert and accuse fellow Council Member Paul Bakken -- he of the dawn garbage raid -- of at least having a soiled hand in mailing the cartoons. What's a citizen to think? " 'Joe Average' is wondering what the heck is going on," said Susan Widmar, an Eagan resident who organized the open forum Wednesday night at the library. http://startribune.com/cgi-bin/stOnLine/article?thisSlug=TCJO6 1/6/2000 'Democracy in Eagan: 'What the heck is going on?' Page 2 of 4 "Going through people's trash, all these histrionics -- it's unseemly," she said. "If this is what we see, what's going on that we don't see?" About 30 people responded to her call to meet. They agreed to meet again, on Jan. 31, and to summon like-minded citizens from throughout the Dakota County suburb of more than 62,000 people. Margaret Schreiner complained about byzantine official procedures and stifled discussions at City Hall. "While it may not be ill - intentioned, it gives the impression that there's a railroad on the tracks," she said. "I love Eagan," another woman said. "This is a really nice city. But what I'm really getting disturbed about is how personal it's getting: the snide remarks. I just don't like the tone." Neither does Betty Bassett, who said that she's lived in Eagan for more than 30 years. "Before, the council members might not agree with you, but they were fair," she said. "They listened. People now are being insulted if they try to be heard. "And I'm sick and tired of Eagan being the laughingstock of the area. There was a day when we had respect." Neither Awada nor Bakken attended the gathering. City Administrator Tom Hedges sent regrets, citing a prior commitment. "I told her that if there's anything we can help with, providing information and so on, we'd be glad to help," Hedges said. He can expect a bushel of queries soon, judging by the citizens' early strategizing: How do council meeting agendas work? Does the council operate under a code of ethics? How much is the council obligated to explain its actions, and who says whether those requirements are being met? "I know a lot of people are unhappy," Masin said toward the end of the 13/4-hour meeting. "But to have people come here to something like this and vocalize it -- that's substantial. "And most of these are people I haven't seen before." Early -morning garbage raid Michael James Vincent, 34, was accused in December of sending the October letter in which Awada appeared to advise residents that she was considering a run for higher office in 2000. http://startribune.com/cgi-bin/stOnLine/article?thisSlug=TCJ06 1/6/2000 Democracy in Eagan: 'What the heck is going on?' Page 3 of 4 Awada called the letter a fake, "made to be very, very believable." The first -term mayor said that it appeared to be an attempt to undermine her leadership. The garbage collected by Council Member Bakken apparently pointed to Vincent, who had run unsuccessfully for the council in 1998 and sued the city in 1999 when he wasn't re appointed as a parks commissioner. Bakken, one of two people elected to the council in 1998 from the eight -person field that included Vincent, gave police the trash he took from Vincent's yard. According to the criminal complaint, police found latex gloves, empty envelope boxes and shredded documents that could be tied to the forged letter. Police later searched Vincent's home computer and found a letter nearly identical to the forged one, the complaint said. Vincent's lawyer, Howard Bass, has said that the charges were "completely politically motivated," and he denied that his client was involved. Dakota County Attorney James'Backstrom said Wednesday that Vincent's first court appearance is set for Jan. 24. "While public officials have to be subject to criticism, you cross the line when you forge an official's name to an untrue document and attempt to expose that official to ridicule," Backstrom said. "That's more than dirty politics. That's a crime. "I have not seen a case like this before, and I hope I don't see one again. We need to be encouraging good people to seek office for the right reasons and not scaring them away. This damages not only the individual who's targeted, but our society." 'Disturbing' cartoons The county attorney's office also investigated the anonymous cartoons but declined to charge anyone, citing the artist's free - speech rights. But "I found [them] very disturbing," Backstrom said. In one cartoon, Council Member Blomquist is talking about how "City Hall and the Aliens are teaming up against me to assess my friends' streets, fluoridate the new pool, and STEAL MY BRAIN!!" Bakken is shown seated next to Blomquist, thinking: "I wonder if she would shut up if I stabbed her in the head with a pencil." http://startribune.com/cgi-bin/stOnLine/article?thisSlug=TCJ06 1/6/2000 • Democracy in Eagan: 'What the heck is going on?' Page 4 of 4 startribune.conm QMetro Widmar, a sailing instructor, said that she has lived in Eagan for about eight years. She hasn't run for public office, she said. "I grew up in a small town where access to government was supreme and involvement was assumed," she said. "This is uncomfortable, at least, for me. But it's the right thing to do. "I have breakfast at Hovie's, a little hole in the wall, and that's where you get the jokes about dumpster diving and other unseemly appearances and activities. It's embarrassing." © Copyright 2000 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. http://startribune.com/cgi-bin/stOnLine/article?thisSlug=TCJ06 1/6/2000 Smith enters county -auditor race -7-1-"-s=_„ JIM .SMITH By CHRISTY DeJOY ".Fifteen years on the job is pro- bably 'enough," -Council Member Jim Smith said of his time on the Eagan City Council. Smith has decided to- move to the county. government level and, has filed for Dakota County auditor. If he wins the seat this fall, Smith may have to relinquish his city council position. Smith cited two different opinions given in the 1940s by attorneys general on the subject. The first ruling call- ed the . positions of council member and county auditor com- patible'However, a year later the two seats held by one person were deemed incompatible. "It's probably incompatible," Smith said.."If I win I'd request an opinion from the attorney, .general. I'd like to finish out my (council) term." Since filings have opened, only two candidates have put in a bid' for the auditor's race. The other is Norma Marsh, who has-been - working as auditor since she was appointed in December 1984 after 'auditor Carl Onischuk retired. Filings are still open. "As a courtesy," Smith notified all but one person on the council before filing; that person was contacted soon after. ."Several • have voiced their support,, •while some are reluctant 'to see me. leave," Smith said. Even if he doesn't win the race for county auditor, Smith pro- bably won't run for council again, he said. He has been on the coun- cil since 1972,-when Eagan was incorporated as`a village, and the mayor and four council member format was adopted. Smith's terin.will be up in January 1988. "It's :time for me to move on and meet the 'challenges of the - whole county," Smith said in his trademark tell -it -like -it -is style. -He said he filed at the urging of a 'number o f people in the county. "I felt I could contribute fresh ideas. And I have the ability to work with the county board. I know the commissioners and how the board works," he said. r Smith said the issues that in- terest him'are county growth, the move of county offices and "the - budget crunch. The financial workings of local government, in- cluding tax increment financing and housing bond issues,' interest Smith. "I guess my area of exper- tise would be the budget," .he said. ' **AII sale prices are subject to tax and license fees. 4'4 APPLE s 70' ***All lease payments are 48 month term, closed -end with option to buy Payments do not include tax and license. Refundable security deposit HURRY FOR BEST SELECTION! LARGEST TRUCK CENTER SOUTH OF THE RIVER! WiLROY'S 7705 COUNTY RC Willey et/7d 1 BLOCK WEST OF CEI CALL TODAY 431-5900 - YOUR LOCAL FORD DE JULY 21,1986 THISWEEK Eagan City Council votes to hike its annual salaries C G Cr c� By CHRIS BALDUS The Eagan City Council voted unanimously Sept. 17 to increase the annual salaries of its members. Council members justified the move measuring the increase against other cit- ies and inflation. The raises, adopted through an amendment to the city code, increase the mayoral salary by $500 to $9,500. The council member salaries in- creased by $400 to $6,880. According to City Adminis- trator Tom Hedges, the council had only raised its salaries twice in the past seven years, in 1989 and 1994. Council Member Ted Wachter said that he brought up the of issue of raising sala- ries, not city administration. For all the time Mayor Tom cw,..c i L Egan puts into the office, Wachter thought the raise was justified. According to Hedges, the salaries for mayor and council were less than cities of compa- rable sizes such as Coon Rap- ids, Burnsville, Brooklyn Park and Blaine. Council Member Shawn Hunter said the raise is justi- fied considering that Eagan is the largest city in Dakota county and the eighth largest in the state and there are still other smaller cities paying higher salaries to its mayor and council. He added that the raise is frugal in that it doesn't even keep up with the rate of inflation. Adhering to state law, the salary increases don't take ef- fect until Jan. 1, 1997. Zoo (Continued from front page) The United HealthCare Ma- rine Education Center will .be the focal point of the zoo's ex- panding learning program about aquatic life. Currently more than 130,000 children participate in the zoo's struc- tured educational programs. Some of those children, fifth - grade students from Vista View and Edward D. Neill Elemen— tary tary - schools in Burnsville, were on hand for the news ,con- ference and tour of Discovery Bay. Thanks to a business partnership with the zoo, these District .191 students are par- ticipating in ` the .SPORE (Science Partners Organized For Relevant Education) pro- gram this school year. The Minnesota Zoo, which runs thelargest summer zoo camp in the country, is plan- ning to expand its class offer- ings, adult lecture series, fam- ily zoo adventures and other ro ' rams. Zoo offi- able to touch sharks and rays in a free-standing coastal estu- ary exhibit. The tidepool ex- hibit will also allow visitors to touch other shoreline inhabi- tants. "This marine educational unit will be an extraordinary tool and service for the com- munity...a place for people to learn` and interact with the en- vironment," McGuire said. "(The facility _ will), in fact, take zoos beyond just a place to go and look at things, (and become a place where people' ;can) actually participate and learn about . the important con- nections between our environ- ment and our society." Discovery Bay will be the zoo's largest new. exhibit struc- ture since the main complex was built in 1978. As with the zoo's main structures, the state of Minnesota has contributed significantly to Discovery Bay by providing a $20.5 million bond issue which the zoo will JANUARY 10, 1980 Eagan Mayor, Councilmen Sworn In BEA BLOMQUIST was sworn in as Eagan mayor, Wednesday, January 2. In above photo, City Clerk Alyce Bolke is administering the oath of office. NEW EAGAN council, FRONT, from left, Mark Parranto, Mayor Bea Blomquist, and Tom Egan; BACK: Administrator Tom Hedges, Jim Smith and Ted Wachter. By SANRA FORSMAN Staff Writer EAGAN -- Mayor -elect Bea Blomquist and Councilmen re- elect Jim Smith and Ted Wachter were administered the oath of of- fice by City Clerk Alyce Bolke at the council meeting Jan. 2. Tom Hedges, city ad- ministrator, gave an update on the cable television territory. The city has objected to the service territory as outlined by Capitol City Cablevision, Inc. which con- sists of 15 suburban St. Paul unicipalities but does not in- lude Eagan. He stated, "we eed to establish ourselves in a rritory." He further recognized 'that it will be difficult to attract able television since the city is erved by three school districts." Council member Jim Smith tated, "Northern Dakota County hould have a territory of its own. et's get together with neighbor- g communities and get a umber of proposals." A representative from the city ill be present at the Jan. 11 eeting of the Minnesota Cable elevision Communications oard to express concerns and in- erests of the city. Approval was given for the con- tional use permit renewal for apa's Inc. for the operation of e Juke Box after Bill Howell, o-owner, reassured council members "that security has been creased to four individuals hich includes one police of- ficer." He also stated "if patrons are loitering in the parking lot the police officer will patrol outside also." Chief of Police Martin DesLauriers stated "four in- dividuals should be adequate security." The city's program for tax ex- empt mortgages has received ap- proval from the Minnesota Hous- ing Finance Agency. Further in- formation will be available at a later date. In other action the council: CONTINUED until Feb. 5 the Gordon and Doris Leibel rezoning and preliminary plat at 3850 Beau D'Rue Dr. APPROVED the conditional use permit application of Burton H. Eppen for a nursery school at 2057 Garnet Lane. CONTINUED the 1980 fee schedule and user charge. CONTINUED until Jan. 15 the off -sale liquor license application for Mark and Pamela McCrea. AMENDED the number of on - sale liquor licenses from nine to eleven. APPROVED the on -sale and Sunday liquor license applica- tions for R. L. Kraus and S. J. Parranto for the Nichols Station located at Cedarvale Shopping Center. SET Feb. 5 as the public hear- ing date to consider Industrial Revenue Bonds for Road Machinery and Supplies, Inc. SET Feb. 5 as public hearing date to consider Industrial Revenue Bonds for Yankee Doo- dle Terminal Park Industrial Park. APPROVED conditional use permit renewals for Merlin Bar - CLERK ALYCE BOLKE administers oath of office to Ted Wachter, re-elected councilman serving another term. JIM SMITH raises his right hand taking oath of office from Clerk Bolke. FORMER MAYOR Leo Murphy received an appreciation award at an earlier meeting, from Ted Wachter, coun- cilman, for his two-year service as mayor, and also for serv- ing on the planning commission. FKnecht, 835 Lone Oak Rd. for storage only of tires and sup- plies; Omar Hinricher, 3165 Dodd Rd. for car storage; Dr. Ethel Traxler for an office in the home at 1467 Highview Dr. APPROVED renewal of on -sale liquor license for Eagandale Ten- nis Club. The next city council meeting will be Jan. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the city hall. JANUARY.10, 1980., • APPLE VALLEY THEFTS Two Apple Valley ' residents reported their bikes were stolen • Dec. 29. Kimberly Swanson said her Schwinn five -speed, valued at + $150, was taken from her garage. A Schwinn 10-speed owned by Debbie Morrison 'Was taken from . her residence.' Gene 'Herrmann of Granite Falls reported that his CB and eight -track 'tape player were taken whilehis vehicle was park- ed at the . Apple Rollerway lot. Both items were recovered' in a snowbank nearby. Dec. 29. The items were valued at $195. Valley Middle School reported some audio-visual equipment was removed' during the Christmas holiday. Two plants were also stolen. Total value of the items is $612. District 196 school bus garage. reported . Dec. 31 that gas was siphoned from several of the buses and a radio wad stolen. The radio is valued at $1,200; the 'amount of gas siphoned is not known. A tool box and miscellaneous tools valued at', $200 were stolen' from the garage . of Robert. McNeil, 6826 133rd St. W. Jan. 6. Residents of 7514 Germane Tr.. reported Jan. 3 that a tool box and various tools had -been stolen from that garage as well. Value of the items is $270. • Apple Valley police reported that a burglary attempt had been made at 'Apple Valley Standard at about 10:58 p.m. Jan. 3. Entry was not made; the suspect had. apparently been scared away.. •A 1971 snowmobile•was stolen from Keith . Kosanke, 15614 Heywood Way Jan. 6 and aban- doned at Hayes Tr. and Heywood Way. There was no apparent damage to 'the snowmobile, valued at. $200. The suspect or suspects involved have not been found. VANDALISM Vandals did $700 worth of damage to a vehicle owned by Leroy Carson, 8373 157th St., Dec. 28. Four • hubcaps were also stolen. The vehicle was parked at his residence. • Robert Schatzlein, 6525 W. 133rd St:, reported Jan. 1 that the windows of his 1974 Mazda truck andcamper; were broken while it was parked at Dick's Valley Mobil. Damages were $300. I .Stephen ;J,. Rocone, 20215 Dunbar Ave., Farmington, ad- vised police that about $300 in damages were done to his 1979 Pontiac at Apple Place Dec. 27 when the entire driver's side of the car had been scratched with a sharp instrument. A vehicle windshield was cracked by an unknown projec-• tile causing $150 in 'damges, ac- cording to Francis Hufnagel,14492 Genesee, Apple Valley. The exact date of the incident is not know. It was reported Jan. 2. About $800 in damages to a vehicle was reported Jan. 3 by Katheryn Deer of Eagan. Deer said the damage was done while the, vehicle was parked at the Ap- ple' Valley Ice Arena parking lot that day.Numerous dents were kicked into the vehicle and the turn signal lev,er was torn from the inside of the vehicle. Three Apple Valley juveniles. were warned for their attempts to vandalize a pinball machine at Apple Place Jan. 6. The caused minor damage to one machine. Sixteen mailboxes were'knock- ed down by a vehicle on Pinewood Dr., Walnut Dr., and Spruce, ap- parently between 12:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Jan. 6. Total damages were estimated at $170 because a number of wooden supports were also damaged. ' ACCIDENTS • One person was reported in- jured'in a two -vehicle accident Jan. 4 at 5:29 p.m. on Cedar•Ave. at 159th St. Marcia, R. Ellingson had possible injuries but she was not transported by • ambulance. She was the driver of a 1980 Oldsmobile. Ellingson, of 605 E. 153rd St., Burnsville,' had been making a left turn off 160th onto Cedar Ave: Terry L. Garr, 849 Cortland Dr., Apple Valley, was the driver of a 1978 Pontiac, nor- thbound, on Cedar.. Damages •were approximately $300 to the Oldsmobile and over $300 to the Pontiac. • One vehicle received $1,000 in damages Jan. 5 at 7:07, p.m: when it collided with a deer on Co. Rd. 31 at Co. Rd. 38. The driver, David C. Hoffman, 2009 Highland View Ave., Burnsville, was north- bound in a 1979 Chrysler. Two vehicles collided Jan. 6 at 11:47 a.m. on Co. Rd. 42 and Galaxie Ave. There were no in- • juries. Donald R. Westerhausen, 7374 W. 143rd St: Ct., ,Apple Valley, was driving a 1976 'Ford which received $800 in damages. Clara P. Sanders, 7333 Fremont So., Richfield, was driving a .1977 Ford which received $500 damages. The accident was at- tributed to icy road conditions. MEDICALS Divine Redeemer Ambulance transported .'Kathy Bleckwenn and Richard A. Livingston to the Apple. Valley Clinic , Jan. 2. Bleckwenn, 13827 Euclid Ct., was 'having fainting spells. Liv- ingston, 7254 132nd St., was sent for examination of a rapid heart- beat. Blaine Huber, 14103 Garrett, was transported by his parents Dec. 29 from his residence to the Apple Valley Clinic for treatment of high temperature and profuse nosebleed. Shiith Ambulance and Apple Valley police were called and responded to the scene. Margaret Paradeau was transported by ambulance to Ap- ple Valley Clinic Dec. 29 after ap- parently injuring her back while tobogganing in the area of 13814 Holyoke Lane. Robert Linder was transported by Divine Redeemer ambulance to Divine Redeemer Hospital Jan. 4 after a fall from the roof at 14011 Pilot Knob Rd. Apple Valley police were also contacted and responded to the scene. Theodore Denuszak was. transported by Divine Redeemer Ambulance to the VA' Hospital from 113 Beaumont Ct. Jan. 6 after having trouble breathing. FIRES Apple :• Valley . fire and police units responded to Mel Ludvigson residence, 14501 Galaxie, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. where there was a fire in the chimney. There was no ap- parent damage. Fire and police units also responded to the the Marti Dailey residence;.7438 Germane Tr., Jan. 5,. where ,flames were coming from the dryer. The fire was out upon arrival. OTHER Apple Valley ' police were notified Jan. 3 that a check was' cashed with a forged signature on the account of Kurt Drews, 6540 134th St., in the ,amount of $500. An investigation is continuing. EAGAN THEFTS Jan. 2, at 7:33 a.m., Mrs. Frischer, at Albe Craft Fabrica- tion, 3500 Dodd Rd., reported that the business had been burglariz- ed and an unknown amount of cash was taken. Mark Jacobs of ,St. Croix Falls reported Jan. 2 at 12:57 p.m. that his vehicle was parked at Cedar - vale Shopping Center and was broken into the evening of Dec. 31 or Jan. 1. Taken were clothing, 'car mishap. Linda Foster of St. Paul was the driver of a, 1980 Oldsmobile, which was a ' total loss. Also a total loss was the 1965 Ford driven by Kenneth Hippler of 2025 Co. Rd. 30, Eagan. Brett Solmonson of 2898 Eagan Ave., Eagan, was the driver. of .a 1975 Chevrolet which' was also a total loss. Foster and Solmonson were injured. , ' Jan. 5 at 12:34 a.m., there was a two -car accident at Hwy. 3 and Gun Club Rd. Henry Marotzke of Rosemount was the driver of a .1968 Ford which incurred $2,000 damage. Catherine. Richardson of Lakeville had a 1979 Chevrolet 'with $800 damage. A New Year's Day accident oc- curred at 2:45 a.m. at Rahn Rd. and the frontage road in' Cedar - vale. James Rodelius' 1975 Ford had $1200 damage. David Larkin had a 1967 Chevrolet with $800 damage, ' Jan. 4 at 4:49 p.m., at Cedar Ave. and Cliff Rd., there was a two car accident. Timothy Saufley of Chaska had a 1979 Pin- to with $600 damage. Neil Chell of Apple Valley had a 1979 Chevrolet with $300 damage. tape deck, AM -FM radio, and speakers, worth $200. • ' Jerry Braun of .Batesville Casket Company, 3350 Mike Col- lins Dr., 'reported that sometime during the past . month 1,245 gallons of .diesel fuel was stolen. Value was $1,120. Richard Edens of 2014 Carnelian reported Jan. 6 at 12:49 p.m. that his Toro snow blower was stolen from the garage. Value was placed at $275. VANDALISM Jan. 1 at 11:53 a.m., Jill Conlan. of Inver Grove Heights reported that while at 740 Blue Gentian Rd. the previous, evening, _three Michelin tires were slashed. Value was $375. , Bill Kullander of 740 Blue Gen- tian reported Jan. 1 at 2:35 p.m. that during the previous evening,,, 15 tires were slashed on nine vehicles parked near there. A loss of $660 was compiled. A later report made the total loss about $1,000. ' Jan. 1 at 4:03 p.m., A. K. Bahrani of 4050 Diamond Point reported someone entered his vehicle and cut up the seat cushions. Damage was about $52. Maureen Scanlan of South St. Paul reported Jan. 7 at 1:21 p.m., that tires were slashed between. Jan. 5-7, on Skyline Dr. ACCIDENTS Jan. 2 at 4:04 p.m., at Co. Rd. 26 and Co. Rd. 31, there was a three MEDICALS Jan. 3 at 12: 34 a.m., at Univac's Corporate Square location, Gary Rossi had a possible heart attack: Divine Redeeier -ambulance took him to St. John's Hospital, St. Paul: Jan. 3 at 8:19 a.m., at 3924 Beau d' Rue Dr., Adlai Olialley had severe" stomach pains. Divine Redeemer ambulance took him to its hospital in South St. Paul. Jan. 4 at 2:01 p.m:, at Sperry Univac's Yankee Square office, Mary Dietsch had chest pains. Divine Redeemer ambulance responded. Jan. 5 at 10:46 a.m., at 995 Cliff Rd.,, Greg Kruse had gasoline in, his eyes. Divine Redeemer am- bulance and the fire department rescue squad responded. Greg was taken to a doctor by his father. Jan. 7 at 6:12 a.m., at 1701 Woodgate Ln., Larae Jensen had a seizure. Divine Redeemer am- bulance and the-. rescue squad answered the call. Larae's mother took her to a doctor. OTHER' Jan. 7 at 3:21 a:m., the dispat- cher reported a stolen car in Burnsville. An Eagan officer saw a vehicle answering the descrip- tion and verified the license plate number. He followed the car to Burnsville and made an arrest. Burnsville public safety officers then took custody_: Mobile Home Destroyed HAMPTON = Cannon Falls, Fire Department was called to o mobile home fire at 10:15 p.m. Monday, Jana. 7. The mobile home, located on Co. Rd. 85 and 260th, was owned by Randall Willis, and 'occupied by Vance Willis. Neither was, home at the time of the fire. According to Cannon Falls Fire Chief, Lyle. Wilson, the blazewas out of, control upon arrival: "The entire inter completely destroyed." Accor parently started in the'kitchen loss has been made. Three um department and three units fro responded in mutual aid. The a tanker of water: There were ayor � � �� plagued by false eter Awada not leaving for Senate run By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers Questioning. whether Eagan should.be'renamed Twin Peaks, Minn., Councilmember Paul Bakken called the •most recent act of political prevarication. "weird." Bakken was commenting on• a letter distributed to an un- kridwn • number .of people which falsely • stated, that Mayor Pat Awada will•give up; her position to run for a Sexy - ate :seat in--2000. The letter „doesaiot niake,it clear whether. it,•was the U S:}Senate or the:' • :Minnesota Senate. •"It's time' for the peoplewho are doing this' to stop," 'Awada.' said at an Oct. 15 press confer- ence where she discussed the letter. "They need to join in on the. process and work to make changes in a positive and legal way„ . While she did not dismiss the possibility of running for. higher office-when-h'er term is up in 2002, Awada, steadfastly said that she would "absolutely fiil • ;fill" herterm as. mayor. A similar situation with anonymous mailings cropped :up in May, when political car- toons lampooning the City Council set off, a _controversy that had Councilmember Bea Blomquist accusing_Bakkeri of being responsible for the car- • toons, which she found person - offensive. AWADA: To Page 16A ; Thursday. $2 off with student/college ID Friday $I off with any non-parishable food it Free'Frishee to the first 100 kids under Twelve. 8:I0 Scream/Howl Contest, 9:00 Mummy Wrap, .10:00 Freaky' October 14-16, 21-23, 28-31 Thursdays & Fridays? -I I. Sat Just a few mild south of Shakopee on 169, go north on Hwy 41 Advance tickets available at www.trailot'terrortast.cum LENNOX • Over'30 years of Quality Se ' • Fes" Call NO ' ' I i ' for early II' specials. 1-. • Apriiaire Humidifiers and W House Air -Exchangers Indoor Air Q Specialis HOME FINANCING PNC Mortgage financing process from th At PNC Mortga • Custom -fit fi • Decisions in a! • A firm commit At PNC Mort{ bedone with y 'information'pli Y PNC MORT(GAAdE A subsidiary ofPNC Bank Corp. - Ttis is not an offer to enter into an int Equal Housing Lender ' ca.,. )() rffi • Awada: Letter includes signature From Page lA Bakken denied involvement with the cartoons and the county attorney's office decided not to pursue the case because - the cartoons were considered a political . satire of elected geyerninental official's protected under the First Amendment. Bakken, who along with Councilinem- 'It's time for the people who are doing this to stop. They need to join in on the process and work to make changes in a • ber Peggy Carlson was named in the positive and legal way.' • Awada letter, agreed with the may -or that • -- Pat Awada incidents like the letter need to stop. -• Eagan mayor "It's apparent that someone has too much time on their hands," Bakken said: "My first reaction when I saw the letter • was that it was weird. It seems like a pos- Although.he said what charges could• ' itive letter that is• very believable, and be filed in the case would 'be up to the that's a strange way to attack a person." , county attorney, McDonald said possible After further reading the letter, charges could include mail fraud, forgery Bakken said he started to see it as a very _ or a violation of the state's Fair -Cam-, subtle attempt to make Awada look bad. paign Practices Act. r, - . The letter, printed on what appears to Since the County Attorney's Office re - be Awada's .campaign stationery, -in- ceived a copy of the letter Oct. 14 and has cludes the mayor's signature and states , never seen a similar case, County Attor- that it is prepared and paid for by the ney, James Backstrom said he couldn't Awada Volunteer COmmittee. . say what charges would be involved in 'L The signature that appears on the let- the incident ter is indeed Awada's, however, she said she did not sign the letter. As mayor, she said her signature is readily -available, _ . since, it goes out on *numerous city dis, - patches. . - 1 - ' The letter reads in part _ "Although I believe in a strong con•?; "- mitinent to my present elected office, I know that I can successfully transition •from mayor to a Senate position because Of the confidence I leave behind in coun- - cil member Paul Bakken and council member PeggyCarlson. -' - "I have established effective coat tails • in,the community to insure dominance in local government as promised. I am con- vinced 'that councilman Bakken will transition easily into :the, Mayoral posi- • tion." . , While she reftised to name_ names; .. -Awada said that "we all have our suspi- cions" of who wrote the 'letter. She theo- rized that the letter was intended as a personal shot at her and an attempt to ' . .force her to .come out and ,reveal her po,: litical plans. The letter came to the attention of the city Oct. 13, when the Eagan city attor- ney received: the letter in ,the mail and • then faxed a copy. to Awada the next day. While it appears that the letter was mainly sent to Awada's supporters and other political leaders, the city has not .beeri able to determine how extensively the letter was distributed, said Eagan Po- lice Capt. James McDonald. . -' "It would be hard to speculate now on who sent the letter," McDonald said. "As ' • of right now, we have not identified any suspects." - , - • To avoid any conflicts of interest, the Eagan Police. Department has requested the Dakota County Sheriff's Department and the Dakota County Attorney investi- , gate the -incident. . "Right now this is really a case of first- - • impression," Backstrom said. "We are re- : searching this issue right now to deter.- • mine what kind of laws 'may have been - broken here,- whether it be, criminal , charges or soinething pertaining to cam- "paign practices. We just haven't seen anything like this before." - The :U.S. Postal Service' hai'mot been ,contacted to take part in the investiga- tion of the letter, but that option remains . open, McDonald said. • "There is a lot of arrogance in the let- ter," Awada said. "It's filled with some • positivethings and Qbviously it was.made ,to be very believable." •The letterwas so believable that •Awada received calls from about 10 peo- ple, some of whom supported a possible • run. She also received -a call fromstate Rep. Tim Pawlenty, who believed the let- . ter to be true. • The letter also contains wording froth Awada's campaign literature distributed when she was running for mayor in No- ,•vember 1998. •1 It was during that campaign that the. negative politics began,'Awada said. Be sides. false campaign literature, concern- ing Cascade Bay that 'Was distributed without the required campaign Idisclo- . sure, some of Awada's lawn signs were' cut up and scattered over her yard, she • - said. • . •- "I have faith -that thie will end at some • point in time," Awada said. "I don't think •city politics, or any politics, should be this way." • • •• While she said she isn't sure if the same people who distributed the _cartoon are re- •_'sponeible for the letter, Awada said she thinks the instances are related., • "All ofthis stuff is obviously connected because it is all a new occurrence over the past year," she said. • - 'i999 o o Iball EAGAN 1380 Duckwood Drive 681-9726 If you tii APPLE VALLEY__ y Apple `� 145 St. and '{cedar 432.3699 for bagels, check out these deals! OFFICE DEAL: 24 Bagels & three 1/2 LB, Cream Cheese MEGA DEAL: 18 Bagels & Two 1/2 LB. Cream Cheese MINI DEAL: 6 Bagels & 1/2 LB. Cream Cheese Store Hours: Monday-Fri4ly 6am-7pm, Saturday 7am-5pm, Sunday 7am4pm • Game 1: KC vs. Baltimore $15.90 $11.70 $5.40 WCCO Sports Cafe "Sports to the Max" Monday Night Pre -Game Mike Max Oct. 25, 6-8pm Game 2: Buffalo vs. Seattle Bus to the Vikes' games $12 (includes a drink before/after game) 251 W. Burnsville Pkwy Burnsville (612)895-0800 Premium Dog, Cat, Rabbit, Hamster and Gerbil Food Buy 1 Bag at Reg. Price & Get 2nd Bag at... 50% OFF 2nd bag must be of equal or lesser value. Expires 12/31/99 We know that our price per bag is lower than Petco or Petsmart! -74.KlCy etavied alnee /967" L 1 During the Vikings games Bring in coupon to receive offer 1 Broadway Pizza Eagles Nest I Robin Center Shopping Center 4106 Lakeland Ave. Robbinsdale 1 612-533-0800 ` _ aarr�4nantvs find iaRalis. 'esee stac%tee FARM, GARDEN & PET SUPPLY 4719 42nd Avenue • Robbinsdale ab=11it a Gd1 612-533-2244 Game 3: Chicago vs. Tames Bay J $1.00 Bud' Tap Beers, (reg. $ I.SO) 1 1 Game 7: San Francisco vs. Minnesota Telephone 6800 Shingle Creek Pin Appal Michael Goude Up North Sirloin & Seafood Buffet 1320 W. Hwy 13 Burnsville, MN 612-895-0030 Michael's Picks 1 K.C. 2. Seattle 3. Tampa Bay 4. Indianapolis 5. St. Louis 6. New England 7. Minnesota 8. Carolina 9. Green Bay 10. N.Y. Giants 11. Oakland 12. Miami 13. Washington Tiebreaker Atlanta.-13 Pittsburgh - Contest Rules: Only one entry per person. The winners will be ann the weekly prizes. All entry forms will be placed in a all taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners. A entries. Employees & family members of Sun News. purchase necessary. Each Week Win S25 Cash tball _ all o ptesf Q Official Sun CIRIN R ai I I � [ I Find the game listings throughout th 1 1 ✓ �� N. t?av LETTERS e. 'f,7 6,e�L Comments on Eagan council disco , liberals To the editor: I don't know whether it's hilarious or simply pitiful to read the constant whining of the liberals in this publication. I' don't know who whines more, liberals or the teachers belong- ing to the MEA union. Oh yeah, they're one and the same. But of course, that's what freedom is all about. I wonder if you people were whining this much when your fellow liberals controlled the state Legislature for years on end? I doubt it. A recent letter writer must have been huddling in the cold that morning, spying on the City Council member who was "stealing" a constituent's garbage. How else would he have had the facts?. But wait a minute. Can garbage really be stolen? Isn't garbage something that the owner no longer wants? Just a thought. Also, how is this activity a politically motivated investigation? The accused whose garbage was "stolen" had not been re -appointed to the Park Board by the City Council and now he has the unpleasant task of trying to defend himself against charges of forgery and criminal defamation. By all means, let's not mention what Mr. Vincent is accused of. But, as liberals always do, they always put the blame on some- one else. Mr. Bakken (a conser- vative) had his suspicions. Perhaps he should have informed the police or the sher- iff before he took, oops, sorry, "stole" possible evidence. Maybe they were going to, but Mr. Bakken beat them to the punch. On a related topic, I attended a meeting last week at the Wescott Library that had been called for those interested in dis- cussing their displeasure with the Eagan City Council, or should I say displeasure with the conservatives on the council. I thought 1 had taken a wrong turn at Diversityville and wound up in Euphoria! Boy, pour me another glass of soy milk. What a coincidence that the individ- ual, Susan Widmar, who coordi- nated the event and was the main spokesperson, was also Sandy Masin's campaign man- ager in her bid against Tim Wilkin (another conservative) for . state representative. And what a coincidence that the two City Council members who were held in such high esteem at the = meeting (and in Mr. McGowan's letter) were both there. Why, you don't think this meeting was politically motivat- ed? Hah! It seemed more like a meeting to recruit future cam- paign support for Sandy Masin and Bea Bloomquist. Some people at the meeting felt that there was no room for politics and partisanship. at the local level. A la Rodney King, they just want us all to get along. Hello! There is some form of politics in almost every facet of life. Get real. The mem- bers of the City Council were elected by a majority of the vot- ers. It's called democracy. If you don't like who's on the council, try to change it at the next elec- tion. I'm sure if you liberals (I know 'you hate labels, but. shouldn't you wear it proudly) had control of the City Council, everything would be just hunky- dory. Incidentally, while you liber- als are constantly whining for toleranceand calling for all of us to get along, who was it that coordinated the "Dump Awada" sign campaign during the last election — the conservatives? You know, I. try not to be too caustic with my letters, but it seems the more I write, the more it flows. Well, that's what hap- pens when I don't get my daily serving of tofu. And last, a warning to Mr. Bakken: don't even think about lurking around my garbage. I've coated it with an invisible dye. You'll never get away with it. You conservative, you! GARY CRAWFORD Eagan [EFS 67, I d City Council reviews 2000 goals progress Eagan has 'made many advances' on the 2000 Goals the City Council began _ discussing in the spring;of 1999. ' 1 Already the city has completed 30 of the more than 100 goals it outlined. `. under five specific goal statements deal- ing with communication, recreation, property maintenance, citizen partici-, pation, and infrastructure .mainte- nance. - . A, report .presented by City Adminis- trator Tom Hedges.at the council's Jan.:13 meeting, indicated that such goals as a successful first. season for Cascade: Bay, taking part in the Cedarvale Task Force and updating the city's emergency pre-: paredness plan were 100 percent met in 1999.' , The report also indicated progress in other areas. The city is about halfway to completing its goal of enhancing com- munications through its Web page, newsletter and cable programming. It's also made the same progress to- ward acquiring land for a .central city park, which city staff is currently in ne gotiations for and on target to acquire. early this year. spoke about the center, one of them a member of the task force, kids of School I charged -with suggesting what features it should have and one board director; of the others is the,vice .president of the Eagan Athletic Associ- - their fresh per ation.. continuing suc Judging by the features -that are under consideration for this . trict arid its st center, a large portion pf Eagan is going to use the center at one ' It is fortuna time or another. While there will certainly. be more opportuni- • leaders that s ties for residents to speak up on the center, .the referendum' -input and rest being the most obvious, Eagan residents should not'stop,there. divergent per: The City Council has a public comment portion set aside dur- . trict administ: ing each of its meetings, a.period of timq thakis seldom used by . that challenge anyone. The task force and the City Council are going to be niak-_ identify and ing some tough .decisions over the next few months and they ways of doing i have made pleas -to the:public to raise their voices. broader range Now and anytime_is,:the time to answer that call because it ever -changing was the residents. of Eagan who elected this council to.serve.the I. am a riche , city. The best.way the council members can,do that is through are a ..richer an open line of communication, from all sides on an issue. cause,of all of. Concerned residents unable to attend a meeting to voice their I am gratef opinions can write a letter to the city, whether'the topic be the. 'have represen community. center, city streets, water. quality or -whatever. The committed to tl i _ ,' _ 3,, ___-- c___ 4_1_ _-L,__.__ AiT.. :-:-...l. .I,-4---_:,. Qi;: (.1_p;]i.4 _.c,...,.r:o�.. ;...c._..£ 00 oN a �• ► . ^ .0 y •- �•h ,.� • e ()•_, Q. co ra. Ca ▪ . o o . • c0 c cjw y.v� • V c0 >, 0 Q"O Cg ° s c0 .o BRENDA HAUGEN y 4/3 . 0 C s 3 o.c c. c° .= w v 2 4-4 riitioao� UJee�- c �d �� in�Vny 21a) M `6 Council (Continued from front page) pass for transportation to the National League of Cities Con- ference in March 1998." "I was hurt by this ex- tremely," Wachter said of the letter, during the "Visitors to be heard" portion of the coun- cil meeting. -"And I also want to say. I don't appreciate the friction we have on the council as of now." The incident atissue took place in Washington, D.C., last March. Mayor Tom Egan, City Administrator Tom Hedges and council members Pat Awada and Wachter were in Washing- ton attending the National League of Cities meeting, which' ran three days, Sunday through Tuesday. The group had scheduled a Tuesday meeting with Con- gressman Bill Luther to discuss. federal funding for improve- ments to Highway 13 in Eagan, Hedges said. In an interview. Friday, Blomquist said she de- cided to go to Washington on a holiday. According to Hedges, Eagan Public Works Director Tom Colbert also flew .\to Washing- ton. Hedges said a memoran- dum from Eagan's city attorney said Colbert used Blomquist's Northwest Airlines guest pass, which would violate ethics laws. Blomquist denied meeting with Luther was the purpose of her trip. And, she said, Col- bert's plane ticket to Washing- ton was a gift from her out of her city stipend, not a free guest pass. _She said there was nothing illegal or unethical about her trip. On the advice of its attorney, _ the city reimbursed Northwest. Airlines for the cost of Col- bert's ticket, Hedges said. "We tried to keep the whole thing quiet," Awada said. "We dealt with it our own way by reimbursing Northwest for the ticket. And in our minds, the whole thing had gone away, at least in the public eye, be- cause, again, you know this is embarrassing for the city to deal with this whole thing. "Now it's become even worse where there's threats and so on against us, especially the letter that Ted got." Asking to respond at the council meeting, Blomquist said, "What you've heard from various council members is certainly not true:: There was no wrong -doing. I did not at- tend the conference. "The important thing is a few people won't let it die." Awada said whether Blomquist attended the confer- ence is irrelevant. She. said her concern is that Blomquist and Colbert flew to Washington and had lunch with Luther, which presents the same con- flict of interest in her mind. In an interview Friday, Blomquist said she didn't meet with Lu- ther personally during her trip. At the council meeting, Blomquist said the cause of the friction among council members may stem . from her asking unpopular questions about issues with which the council has been dealing in the last six to eight months. "Every time I did bring up something I question, the re- taliation came, the vindictive- ness, the hurtfulness,"- she said. Blomquist added her issue with Wachter shouldn't be dis- cussed at a council meeting because it's personal, not city business. "This has no business on City Council or City Council time," she said. "I think we should get back to business and leave our bloody battles in the battlefield and go on with city business. This is not city business." Awada said the Washington trip was one of the first inci- dents causing friction on the council, and things have dete- riorated from there. "It certainly doesn't belong on the City Council," she said. , The council has no policy to sanction members; it just fol- lows state law and has no eth- ics policy of its own, Awada said. She suggested an inde- pendent commission look at information on ethics . policies compiled by y the League • of Minnesota Cities and re- quested by Hedges after she had. asked for information at an earlier • council meeting. It wouldn't be appropriate for the City Council to tackle such a policy right now because it al- ready has an issue with ethics, Awada said. Saying the discussion .. had gone beyond the scope of what he expected, Egan asked the council to move along on its agenda. But, he added, he be- lieves it would be appropriate for a neutral group to look into an ethics policy. It's important, he said, that a1f council mem- bers work on the city issues at hand. "I feel very • badly that this particular item is festering the way it is," he said. e. City Council needs to listen to the citizens To the editor: As a member of the Eagan City Council -appointed Citi- zens Recreational Facilities Advisory Committee (CERFAC) of June 1990, I find myself compelled to speak out regarding the current fiasco regarding the aquatic facility. In January 1991, CERFAC provided its comprehensive recommendations to the Eagan City Council. Review of cur- rent plans for the aquatic facil- ity and civic arena expansion show very important CERFAC recommendations have been ignored by the city. Also, I'm shocked by the proposed loca- tion of the pool and water slides. It is obvious poor land use planning and facility design are resulting in the forceful ac- tion to build an aquatic facil- ity. Our family would like to see a municipal swimming pool in the city, but we cannot support the proposed aquatic facility. I believe the role of local government is to listen to its citizens. As the affected resi- dents have indicated, and I agree, the choice of site and size of the aquatic facility is not compatible with their neighborhood. I believe the City Council and city staff should step back for a moment and consider how they would feel if they lived adjacent to the proposed aquatic facility. The facility is too large, too expensive and far exceeds the needs of the community. The "lazy river" is not necessary. If families want a lazy river ex- perience, they should visit Val- leyfair, the Apple River in Wisconsin or the Cannon River in southern Dakota County. Everyone should keep in mind that the aquatic facility is a destination -oriented site. If it were built in an industrial area, the swimmers would go there. Pending library expan- sion and the future need for a third sheet of ice at the civic arena are realistic expectations for our city. The city of Eagan continues to struggle with plans for the Cedarvale area. In hindsight, it appears that, the civic arena should have been built in the Cedarvale area. It is not too late to reconsider using the Cedarvale area as a location for a municipal swimming pool. I encourage the City Council to reconsider its pending deci- sion on construction of the aquatic facility. It is time for new vision. I believe it is in the best interest of Eagan if CERFAC was reappointed to assist the city in finding the best location for a _municipal pool and what type of ameni- ties a pool facility should in- clude. Lastly, to those City Council 'members ,who •will.,be .seeking re-election or may voluntarily be leaving the City Council, I strongly encourage you to lis- ten to the voices of the resi- dents near the proposed aquatic facility. av) This wecle, July Remember, listen to the voices of the citizens. That is why you were elected. FLOYD HIAR Eagan EAGAN October 7,1998 Jan AbbotVMinnesota"Sun Pub6catioris )en day 1-grade Green Team members (from left) AustinLynch,- <eprios, Chan Lenway and Nicki Lenway receive help Eagan High School junior Mike Cierzan while planting a pple tree Tuesday in the front of Northview Elementary .: tan. Two crabapple, Hawthorne and red oak trees were :d in the Environmental Learning Garden. Tree Trust, i" >ored by Dakota Electric and the school's PTA, provided )rt for the school's outdoor learning center. Opirnon, Page 4A Worship Directory Let It Be Known Calendar Sports Classifieds ayor, council members discu$ alltkatio CA -- By Jon Fure Minnesota Sun Publications CC— C (T1 c.. .Eagan voters will make some tough choices in the Nov. 3 elec- tion. In 1999 the council will have a new mayor and at least two new council members. Mayor Tom Egan and Coun- cilmember Ted Wachter are not seeking re-election for the first time in more than 20 years. Other changes depend on the outcome of the election. Councilmember Sandra Masin is running against Tim Wilkin for the House of Repre- sentatives seat in District 38A. If she wins, the newly elected council would appoint her re- placement in January 1999. If Wilkin wins, Masin will return to finish her term. Three of the council candi- dates are members of the Eagan Advisory._Planiiing Commission," .so"if any of them are elected, the council will have to appoint their replacements on the APC." Three candidates have filed for mayor and eight have filed for City Council. All have been active in the community and say they want to make Eagan an even better place than it is today. "It's a wonderful opportunity to .get some fresh blood, on the council," said Mayor Tom Egan. "It's a real benchmark year with three,_" potentially_four changes_ impressed with this slate of candidates most do have a lot of experience, involvement with the city and familiarity with city government and growth and development issues — it's an outstanding group.' — Mayor Tom Egan ... and with the impact on the Planning Coinnussion, it's like a house of cards. . "I'm impressed with this slate of candidates — most do have a lot of experience, involve- ment with the city and familiar- ity with city government and growth and development issues — it's an outstanding group." Regardless of good intentions and `qualifications, with any new job or, responsibility, there. is a learning curve. COUNCIL: To Pag A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Oct. 7, 1998 Council. From Page lA Wachter, a charter member of the City Council, said the responsibility is proba- bly more than people realize. "It takes years — you cannot just jump into -a council or mayor seat in one.Year and learn. all the things you need ,to know,"- he said. "It's very important .to have some experience and background information and training." Time commitments include attending • about four meetings per month, spending time with city staff discussing questions - about the budget or other council biisi ness, taking telephone calls from resi- dents and doing a lot of. homework. City • staff .prepare a packet of information be- fore each meeting; which includes memos, drawings of proposed projects, descriptions of requests for variances, minutes of previous meetings and re- ports on everything from sewer systems to telecommunication towers. "It takes a tremendous amount of time," Wachter said. "It's very important to read the packet. You have to- love to read, and I love to read. And working with the city staff is essential — a coun- cil cannot work effectively without them." City Administrator Tom Hedges will be instrumental in bringing new council members up to speed on the various re- sponsibilities. After being involved in city management for 26 years, Hedges said he has found that it works best to encourage the newly elected council members to at- tend all the November and December meetings before they take office. He sends them the council information pack- ets for the meetings, and he spends about one full day with each candidate to intro- duce them to the departmentheads and acquaint them with city ordinances and policy issues. Qualifications "It's very important that they have the best interests of the community at heart," Wachter said, when asked what it takes to be a good council member. "It takes dedication — as long as they're not trying to be a certain faction; or have an ax to grind. If they have a per- sonal idea that they feel is very impor_ -tant:and will not cooperate.with anybody,.. else, that doesn't help the community". "It takes a person who will listen to people and hear them,"_. said Coun- cilmember Bea Blomquist. "And once you listen to them, don't -shoot them down be.:`=: • • fore they express what their needs are." . Wachter said it helps to be retired. He was working -as a carpenter when the city's growth was booming. Council meet- ings would last until 3 a.m., and he lost two of his fingers in a work -related acci- dent, which he said was because he was exhausted from the late council meet- - ings. The additional responsibilities' of being mayor make it necessary to be flex- ible, Wachter said. "I don't know how anybody could hold •down a job and be mayor — a lot of the events, like ground-breakings and things like that, are during the day, and if you have to punch a clock, I don't know how you could do it all," he said. "Tom [Egan], his work as an attorney has al- lowed him to schedule his work around the events." . Time isn't the only commitment. Blomquist said it is important to be avail- able, but a council member also must have the right motivation. "The idea is that you're doing it be- . cause you care about the city, and you want to spend the time because you want to do a good job,",she said. "I tend to go a step further — I will do research at the brary or call 'state offices if I need infor- mation or ask city staff, because I want the best possible information for what, I'm going to vote on." Learning curve Part of what they need to know, they learned in kindergarten. As withany five -member group, the P City Council must consist of people who can work together despite differences in age, background or perspectives. A criti- cism of the current council has been that - points of discussion are fueled by person= r:s' ality conflicts, and not just constructive;;~ .: debate. • Egan said it is an`uncommon problem for the city, and the new•council will have to workto overcome it. :. "In the last 16 months or so we've been ;r: a little out of focus in that we've.. been dealing on personalities More -than I've ever seen: I have a sense that most of the = candidates would like to get back on course discussing policy, direction and vi- sion rather than personalities or style: "There's been an undertone of suspi- cion, questions about why something is being raised now, or if there is a hidden agenda. I think the current council and candidates are trying to resolve that." Blomquist said the council members consistently worked well together when she was mayor in the 1980s. "It wasn't always the same people, an sometimes they agreed to disagree had an emphasis on planning — was growing by leaps and bounds, an were trying to keep a lid on expen need to get back to more prudent spe As the potential lone council returning in January, is Blomquist ner- vous about the possibility of w with so many new members? - "We'll work through it," she s wouldn't be afraid to work with them." d but it the city d we ses. We nding. member orking aid. "I any of Editor's note: Candidates for Eagan mayor and City Council will be profiled, along with area candidates for the House of Representatives, Dakota County Board of Commissioners and U.S. Congress., in the Oct. 21 Sun Current. ' 1 A 3 .� 0 o a ♦ • 0 0 0 0 0-G a o a'A c . L 6.: 1: f fi lS r t G 7S s;•R' R r t ^. - /.' . .4.re. eM.rsYp•Y As.Asl: gtss4 zt+ees rya.r—.— �V�-•-M1•-.— i THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS Volume 7, No.44 Two Sections �" Volume 7, 44 Two Sections Dec. 1985 Section A Dec. 30,1985 Section A Your': Community Newspaper City figures share The new year _brings a new beginning. And a new beginning usually . brings resolutions or • promises to ourselves and others about making the new'year better than the old. Some want to make 1986 a more. productive year,. while others need to take more time to relax. 'Some goals are tangible and 'others more.abstract. Various city figures were ques- tioned last week about their New Year's resolutions, either profes- sional or private, for 1986. Their responses are as follows: . • TED WACHTER, council member • ' "My resolution is to try to do what I feel is best for -the citizens of Eagan and keep up with the changes in 1986 for the city's im- • provement. I also resolve to render my actions on behalf of the city, so that my diary at the end of the year, as in other years, can be read by anyone." BEA BLOMQUIST, ,mayor "My resolution .is for another prosperous. year in the city and good health for.my fatnily." TOM HEDGES, • city administrator ' "My resolutions are to continue . our goals of a well-informed com- munity and to look for more and improved ways to deliver ser- vices in all departments at a cost- efficient and effective way' to the residents." • On New Year's Eve evu Yersreo1it1�ns-, TOM EGAN, council member • "I promise. to keep all ,..tnot.ions short, sweet and -§tandable." of my under- •- VIC ELLISON, • council member - -"I-'usually don't make.resolu- tions because I don't smoke and-I- ddik't drink -much. •So, I guess I resolve to be as conscientious and attentive as I can --as a council person." KEN VRAA, parks and - recreation director "I have two. One is I'm not go- ing to take myself so seriously and lighten up..And number two is I'm going. to enjoy. my own' parks. We've worked hard from a design and development stand- • point, and I haven't had the , chance to sit back and enjoy them." JAY BERTHE, police chief - '"I want to remind myself how proud I am to be affiliated with the Eagan Police Department." JIM SMITH, . council member . "It's too early for me to think • about it yet." TOM COLBERT, public works director "First, I want to try to lose a _ pound for everyday it doesn't get above freezing. (I'm hoping for a warm winter.) Secondly, I want • to teach . the kids the joys of shoveling snow. Also,' I want to make . a friend out of anjrate citizen. And number four, I want - to visit the Sun -Belt to observe their snow removal operations." Party hosts can serve guests safety New Year's --Eve is a time for . parties and celebrations, • and many times -the festivities in- clude alcoholic beverages. How- ever, good times and safety can • be had by all, according to Bar- ' •tiara Mittelstadt, traffic safety_ .coordinator for Minnesota AAA. Planningcan provide safe alternatives to drinking and driv-• ing; she said. : "One choice is -to use the desig- ,,, mated driver, program•when going . ... ,��- s., e4 oPOoaa o�v� out. The idea' is simple. One.per- - son in your group agrees not to drink alcoholic beverages and to drive .the others home safely," • Mittelstadt said. She • added that all should develop safe drinking habits and be aware of‘. some basic facts about. alcohol. Drinkers should sip: not gulp, drinks and eat food with their beverages. . •• : Drinkers should remember that it takes the body, one hour to, rid itself of the alcohol . in one drink-- be it a•beer, glass of wine or a mixed drink. They all have the same alcohol content. Mittelstadt has a number of suggestions for hosts. Those hold- - ing_a party should provide plenty of high -protein or starchy snacks. (Snacks containing milk, cheese, eggs and beans are good.) Eating has a tendency to slow. down guests' drinking and will also help. delay the. absorption . of alcohol into the•bloodstream. Hosts shouldn't. center the par- ty. on drinking: Dancing or party games are a fun alternative, she said.. ' • Drinks .shouldn't be pushed or • forced on guests. Hosts should also allow a lengthy interval bet-' ween serving drinks, Mittelstadt said. As the party winds down,, the alcohol should be stopped. Never . offer -"one for the road."Mittel-+, stadt reminds partiers that cof- fee, fresh air or exercise will not sober up a guest; only time can do that. The host's final responsibility is to stop impaired guests from driving home. One way to-do this _is to take their car keys and call a Party Safety See p.SA Police play Santa's elves for needy Some Dakota County police of- ficers shed their law enforcement,,,, titlefor the title of Santa's helpers" last week when they made several people's Christmases merrier. Apple Valley Police Officer Kevin Kallestad and other of- ficers delivered gifts, fruit and cheer to some residents at Apple Valley Health Care Center Dec. 20. When Kallestad handed resi- dent Rose Leisner a few pack- ages she had a big smile on her face. One health care center em- ployee said she never saw Leisner smile that much. Christmas also came early for other health care center resi- dents as well as some needy families in Apple Valley. The officers in Apple Valley, as well as Burnsville, Eagan and Lakeville, were able to play San - la's elves thanks to a holiday - inspired idea Dakota County Judge Bill Thuet had a few years ago. When people were convicted of traffic violations, misdemeanors or felonies, Thuet gave them a choice: either pay the normal fee or contribute to a special holiday fund. The first fund was started in Eagan and has now expanded to 1' BURNSVILLE PROFESSIONAL PLAZA A. 'rail ":1101 �dl— oc ^rtt� t. I I '-,`:ra + ,,, .`^sy Tom-.y ...0:E ... ; Burnsville's Newest Office Complex EFH CO GENERAL CONTRACTOR 14,000 s.f. available for lease or equity participation. Prime location w/Hwy. 13 visibility, easy access to :35W, under- ground heated parking, telephone system, atrium lobbies. GENE HAPPE 890-6450 1601 EAST HIGHWAY 13, BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA 55337 612-890-6450 include Apple Valley. Burnsville and Lakeville. The Apple Valley department had $2,350 to spend on several health care center residents and 14 families. The total holiday fund in Dakota County reached almost $10,000. Apple Valley Police Sergeant Tom Lagace was in charge of the holiday fund project in Apple Valley and had the officers help with all of the gift wrapping and delivering. New Sociables to meet Jan. 6 Women new to Apple Valley, Burnsville. Eagan and Lakeville are invited to a New Sociables meeting Monday, Jan. 6, at 9:15 a.m. at Presbyterian Church of the Apostles, 701 E. 130th St., Burnsville. All women who have lived in the area for two years or less are welcome. Connie Johnson will lead an aerobic workout. Those attending should dress appropriately. Baby-sitting is available for a nominal fee. For information call 894-5163. Mid -winter session of Son Light Fitness set The eight -week mid -winter ses- sion of Son Light Fitness will begin the week of Jan. 6 at Faith Covenant, St. James Lutheran, Prince of Peace Lutheran and Berean Baptist churches in Burn- sville, at Easter Lutheran and Peace Reformed churches in Eagan, Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Rosemount and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savage. Morning classes meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon at Faith Covenant, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Lutheran Church of Our Savior and Tuesdays and Thurs- Sunnyside Chrysler Plymouth's PRE -NEW YEAR'S DAY SALE Choose from a large selection of New & Used 14 automobiles, and take advantage of the sales tax deduction! 1984 HONDA PRELUDE. Front wheel drive, sporty economy, 5 spd., air, toss., sunroof, and more. #86154A. ONLY $10,895 1984 PLY. HORIZON. 4 door, 4 speed, low miles. This dk. blue Horizon is great for getting where you want to go. #86139A ONLY $3750 1984 FORD ESCORT. Need a wgn. but not a full size? Then this one's for you - bright red, 4 speed, & front wheel drive. N86044A ONLY $3995 1979 FORD FAIRMONT. Maroon in color, low miles, great car for that son or daughter that's going back to school. ONLY $1995 1985 CHRYS. 5th AV. Luxury at its finest. Loaded w/power options and only 17,000 miles. White w/burand cloth int. #12P2103 ONLY $11,995 1984 FORD RANGER. Not only is it a pickup, but its a 4x4. 4 speed OD, V6 eng. This is one of the sharpest little red trucks you will find. $12CP2105 AND ONLY $9999 NEW CAR BUYERS! L6% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE FINANCING AVAILABLE ON A WIDE SELECTION OF CHRYSLER & PLYMOUTH CARS ENDS 1-10-86 1978 MERC. COUG. XR7. Power st., PB, air, tilt, cruise, loaded. Special Sole Price. ONLY $1695 Just 10 Quick Minutes south of old Met Stadium on Cedar Ave. rd sionide CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH APPLE VALLEY Co. Rd. 42 at Galaxie Ave. 432-2840 1981 OLDS CUSTOM CRUISER. This is the big wgn. for those weekend ski or fishing trips. Only 61,xxx mile. Nicely equip. Sale Priced at $3995 FINANCING AVAILABLE A GOOD DEAL CLOSER WE'RE HERE! N IISENNINT f� --.... BURNSVILLE Cty. Rd.42 Galazie Ave. R 'hei.East el is Cedar Ave. A BurnApple Dealer We Service What We Sell! days trom 9:30 to 10:30 a.nt. at St James and Easter. Baby-sitting is available for all morning classes. Afternoon classes meet Mon- days and Wednesdays from :3 to 4 p.m. at St. John the Baptist and 4 to 5 p.m. at Prince of Peace. On Tuesdays and 'Thursdays a class meets at Berean Baptist 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. with baby-sitting available. Evening classes meet Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. at Faith Cove- nant and 'l'uesdays and Thursdays at St. James. Other evening classes are Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Lutheran Church of Our Savior and Tuesdays and Thursdays at Peace Reformed. Son Light Fitness is a program for women consisting of warm-up exercises, an aerobic workout with choreographed routines and a cool -down period set to contem- porary Christian music. For information and registra- tion call Louise at 890-7247, Sharri at 890-8:383, Maureen at 894-4233 or Katy at 890-20:33. Applicants sought for CAC board Community Action Council, Inc., a private non-profit human service agency, is now taking ap- plications for open positions on its board of directors. Interested applicants should call Donna at Community Action Council, 431-2112, for an applica- tion form. deaths Marie Dehrer Marie J. Dehrer, 89, of Wedge - wood Care Center, Inver Grove Heights, died Dec. 21. The funeral service was Tues- day, Dec. 24, at 1 p.m. at Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran Church, Eagan, with the Rev. Donald Wilke officiating. Burial was Trinity Lone Oak Cemetery. Visitation was noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24 at Johnson - Peterson Funeral Home, St. Paul. Mrs. Dehrer was born Nov. 1, 1896 in Eagan to Daniel and Josephine Erickson. She lived in the Eagan and Inver Grove Heights area until she moved to Wedgewood Care Center in 1977. Mrs. Dehrer is survived by her husband, Casper; daughter, Mildred Shay, Bloomington; son, Elroy Dehrer, South St. Paul; four grandchildren and six great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by 'AP MOO?, ?,'IVIVi6 tokitiist. ` • - . 2�1t iM�Et33�.1885 TI+ISWEEK First women elected to EL township offices share vv„�, memories and thoughts "2"/ By ERIN HEMME FROSLIE The two women bend over the yellowed newspaper clip- pings, glancing at headlines and exclaiming over the fading photos. "Who do you think this is, Alyce?" asks Helen Kennedy. "Why, is that Silas Palmer? Yes... yes, it is," replies Alyce Bolke, who says she's old enough to have forgotten more than she ever knew. She holds the clipped photo a bit closer to her wire -rimmed glasses. A moment later Kennedy picks up a clipped article with a bold headline. "This is absolutely hysteri- cal," she says. "You and I had no kind of attitude." "This was before Gloria Ste- inem," Bolke adds, shaking her head covered with short, blond hair. "This" was an article written by the St. Paul Dispatch in April 1962, shortly after Ken- nedy and Bolke became the first women to be elected to office in Eagan township. Even 35 years after they embarked on their maiden voyage, the two women don't consider themselves pioneers. They were just doing their jobs. Soft, lilting, feminine voices mix with the heavy masculine tones in the white frame Eagan township hall these days...One voice belongs to personable, attractive Mrs. Theodore Bolke. "I don't think there were too (See Women, p.8A) 7701V5 $1,04`N.vn! $1,02E O Cap. Red., $450 ACO Fee, 1st pay.. sec. dep. & lic. fees in advance. 36 mo. Res. ($15,625.26) 48 mo. per mile over 12.000 per year. payment 6 tax. '97 DAKOTA CLUB � • 4x4 • SLT PKG. Auto., Air, Power Windows, Locks, Mirrors, Tilt, Cruise, Dual Air Bags, Keyless Entry, Rear Sliding Window, Fog Lamps, Body Side Molding, AM/FM Cassette. 3-1/2 YEAR LEASE SPECIAL fact M.S.R Disc. $, 1 • $0 cap. reduction. 8525 acquisition fee. 1st payment & lic. fees in advance. Total remaining payments ( ($14.817.15). 12,000 miles per year. 15c per mile for over. On approved credit. USED CAR • TRUCK • VAN • SPORT UTILITY '96 DODGE INTREPID Rental Returns $13,975 '96 DODGE NEONS Rental Returns *9975 '96 PLYMOUTH BREEZE Rental Returns $12,975 '96 CHRYSLER SEBRING Convertibles *15,975 '95 DODGE RAM 2500 4X4, Cummins Diesel . .'19,975 '95 OLDS CUTLASS SL 4 Dr., Supreme •12,975 '95 CHEV. CAVALIER 4 Dr., Auto., Air *9975 '95 FORD ESCORT Teal, 5 Spd., Air *7975 '95 DODGE NEON Women (Continued from front page) many women running for office at the time," Bolke said. "Coya Knutson was our (U.S.) representative and her husband told her to go home." She paused for a moment. husband didn't seem to me being in office." Bolke was elected as town- ship clerk, after assisting the clerk and township assessor for a couple years. In 1961 she was appointed to the clerk's position. When she ran "against a man" during that fall's election, she won by a two -to -one margin. "I always ran against men," Bolke said. "Of course most of them told me `Don't worry. If I get elected, Alyce, I'll keep you on as my secretary, and you can do the work.' " "You're kidding," Kennedy said, jingling numerous silver bracelets on her right wrist. "Well, isn't that something?" "It makes me angry when I think about it now," admitted Bolke. "Of course, I always won." While some eyebrows were raised when the two women an- nounced for office, both have been well accepted. And, they don't plan any changes, no cur- tains on the windows of city hall, no rugs on the floor or flowers on the table. "We didn't have any time to "My mind worry about curtains," Bolke exclaimed. "We.. were too busy." Indeed, both women were. For $50 a month, Bolke took minutes at township meetings, posted legal notices, kept one set of the treasurer's book, li- censed dogs, issued permits and absentee ballots, answered phones and forwarded com- plaints — all from her kitchen. As Eagan's justice of the peace (JP) from 1962 until 1977, when the state Legisla- ture eliminated the position, Kennedy held court once every two weeks, in addition to work- ing full time as a medical technologist. She heard cases ranging from drunk driving to horses ruining a neighbor's lawn to conducting weddings. "Weddings were the fun part," Kennedy said, recollect- ing stories about the groom who asked her to get the "show on the road" so he could watch Monday Night Football and the couple who brought an entire bus full of friends to observe the ceremony. Both women agree that al- though people were surprised they ran for office, nobody was ever unfriendly about the fact. "Sometimes Helen would stay back and talk to the patrol officers before court," said Kennedy's husband, Jim. "So I'd take her briefcase and set everything up. Of course, eve- ryone would think I was the JP." "Then I'd come in," said Kennedy, laughing under her breath. "I wish we had a video- tape then. I'm sure many of them were so surprised." Bolke said she could think of only one way she was treated differently than male clerks. "They (men) probably had to clean up their language around me." As a result of Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Bolke's work in the town hall, women are becoming interested in town government. At coffee parties women, rather than talk about their children, garden bridge, etc., ask about the town meeting the night be- fore. "At the time I didn't think anything of it," Bolke said. "Now we'd think it was sexist, right?" "We didn't think about run- ning or being in office as odd," Kennedy said. "I have a per- sonal attitude about it today, Alyce. I wouldn't think twice about doing it again." Not that it would raise as many eyebrows today. Before she retired in 1980, Bolke gave the oath of office to Eagan's first female police officer, its first female firefighter, and its first female mayor — signifi- cant events of which she's quite proud. "I think it's good," she said. "Women can do any city job." r CITY SEL COUNTRY TRI IRLAKE FORD TS YOU A NEW FORD RANGER! • -44106' 4'170823 MANY COLORS AVA/LABLE, Rear Windows, 24 Month Lease, 24,000 ayment, Lic., Sec. Deposit, Total Down • EDITIONS 4x4 XLT 070223 ade 29,9 FROM rs Available In St WINDSTARS MSRP Was $2 Now$17,9 Save $ (2) AT THI • # 180049 RD TAURUS Retail $3 24,9 Savings $ bate To Dealer le At This Price Co 5a 7lu5 !N-ef Peace, remembrance are keys to proclamations approved by City Council By BRENDA HAUGEN Citizens. concerned about peace brought forward two procla- mations, which were approved by the City Council April 2. The first declares Eagan "A City of Peace." According to Mayor Tom Egan, the proposal was brought to him by Larry Levenson, an Eagan resident. "He's very concerned about a peace movement at the grass- roots level," Egan said. According to the proclamation, "it takes a concerted effort individually, collectively and as a community to turn the tide of violence and protect ourselves, our children, and our neigh- bors." The proclamation recognizes where Eagan has made progress and that more work needs to be done:Egan said other area communities are likely to follow Eagan's lead by declar- ing themselves cities of peace as well. "I think the timing is extraordinarily advantageous," said Council Member Shawn Hunter, adding that the city's com- munity policing efforts are really paying off. The second proclamation names April 14-21, as days of re- membrance of victims of the Holocaust. The theme for 1996's National Days of Remembrance is "Crimes Against Humanity — Nuremberg, 1946." According to the proclamation, 1996 marks the 50th anniver- sary of the International Military Tribunal's trial at Nuremberg of 22 major Nazi leaders, and the continuation of subsequent military tribunals, at Nuremberg as well as in other Allied - occupied sectors of Germany, to try additional Nazi criminals. Through the declaration, the city of Eagan not only set aside the week to remember the Holocaust victims, it also vowed that the citizens of Eagan "will collectively and individually strive to overcome bigotry, hatred and indifference through learning, tolerance and remembrance." According to Egan, he, City Administrator Tom Hedges and Council Member Ted Wachter had gone through the Holocaust museum in Washington about three weeks ago. "Not one person spoke a word," Wachter said of those who went through the museum. "It certainly made an impression on myself." Councilmen file countersuit agains CG ; By ScG: cott Carlson Staff; Writer Eagan ' Three Eagan:councilmenho have been suede. "for allegedly .violating the state,Open. Meeting Law, are on the counterattack:' • Thomas Egan,Mark Parranto and James Smith are suing, Eagan citizen Paul Taylor for more than $50,000 in what they claim is his "bad faith" lawsuit against them. The councilmen's lawsuit comes as part of their answer, filed in Dakota County District Court, , denying Taylor's allega- tions that they held- Finance Committee meetings lacking no- tice and :closed to the public. - Taylor, who lost a 1979,council race,, is showing "bad faith"' be= cause' ,he's trying: to , "use. 'the Open Meeting Law,„ to cause damage to political opponents and potential opponents," alleges Bruce Willis, attorney .for the :He explained Taylor's lawsuit ' • questions.the councilmen's.:polit- • ical•acts and character while en- hancing his chances for election if he tries another council bid next fall. Further, Willis 'con- tends that his clients' reputations as elected . officials have been damaged. , Interviewed' • earlier by the Dispatch, Taylor 'said his lawsuit isn't politically motivated. "I be- lieve' in , open ,government,"" he said after filing his lawsuit in February. Taylor, in his lawsuit, charges that' Parranto and Smith held five .private meetings in loca- tions inconvenient to the public in 1979. Two meetings eac1Vwere held at the St. Paul Athletic Club and. Decathlon Club,in Bloomin Parranto Smith Forepaugh's •Resthurant in St. Paul, he also charged. "I',ve been told they transacted city business," Taylor, a law stu- dent, said. However, Willis' answer states that each of'these disputed meet-, ings involved the Finance Com- mitteel•of ,Parranto and Smith who only gathered information on c revenue bond financing from , business professionals. councilmen.. ton with a fifth meeting held at The answer further states a itizen •\,Z Egan sixth meeting, which Egan also attended; was called by a home- owners' association to question council . members about their . vote on a lawsuit regarding the alignment of Highway 35E. Notice ,of ,all the meetings, Willis contends, was posted at Eagan City Hall and the actual sessions held "in the open in a public place." The- councilmen have asked that , Taylor's lawsuit against them beidismissdd. Kay Harvey A Korean'.harpist is among those in Linda. Carter'scollec- tion of dolls made by nuns in a Korean orphanage. A fish- erman, an archer and a bride and groom are among others* representative of Korean culture. Court Si Continued from Page 1 S Fired 0/Continued from Page 1S "I think this (firing) was per- ' haps more expedient, to do than to consider the . dismissal- of someone wno might .e covered by the merit system and county ti personnel_policies." :• Contacted by the Dispatch, An- derson said: "My only comment is the real facts of the situation justifiedthe bourse of action tak- en." • ,Meanwhile, Holmlund said his $660,000 energy assistance. pro- gram 'serving 5,000 . people . "hasn't gotten the cooperation we might well have gotten. from ' the county in budget and fiscal management." Both areas are handled by Anderson, he indicat- ed. • "There are some very deliber- ating processes in forcewithin. our county structure in an effort to deal wisely with public dol- lars," Holmlund said. ". Dako- ta County is very thorough in making expenditures. • ment Center in Hastings. Joy has • • area or people attending court,,, ,,,,, ____„ L_ " .L__,_ to Apple Valley, Burnsville or. Eagan to provide city hall space ' for courtrooms. They report: • a In Eagan — The existing Cityt Hall is full. The city may build a new municipal hall and sell its'existing 4,500 square foot building. But that wouldn't meet the county's need for its pro- posed 14,200 square foot com- bined court and jail facility. In Burnsville.— The existing • City Hall is fully used, including Atkins Joy Afterwards, the task force . council chambers. Further, there suggests that a 60-bed main jail would be no adequate waiting be built at the. current Govern - ( The result has been a loss of Fallon's "client -centered focus,"'. contended ,Holmlund. He told of his admiration for Fallon and how the former director per- suaded him to stay with Dakota - County after once considering resigning. _ "I thought Jack Fallon made every attempt to assist in the de- livery of all 'programs," Holm- lund said. "I haven't had that cooperation..:.. It seems to -me there is . a: misdirected focus in this office. ' "Unfortunately, I don't think our clients best interests 'are al- ways served." . Holmlund concluded he ,hopes Fallon's successor recaptures the former director's concerns. "I think there is a potential to continue many of the things .that Jack Fallon started." f Councilmenvfule counters,uit.a By Scott: Carlson. • :Staff Writer Three Eagan councilmen,' who' have • been sued for allegedly ,violating •the state Qpen Meeting Law, are on the counterattack.'' Thomas Egan, Mark Parranto and James Smith are suing Eagan ,citizen Paul Taylor for ' more' than: $59,000 in, what they claim is' his "bad faith" lawsuit against them; ; The councilmen's lawsuit ' comes as .part of their answer, • filed in Dakota County District • Court, denying 'Taylor's allega- • tions that- they held Finance. Committee meetings lacking no- tice and closed to the public. Taylor,+who lost,a 1979 council race; is showing "bad faith" be-' cause— he's • trying .to: "use 'the Qpen Meeting. Law , .fo:: cause damage to political' opponents . and potential opponents," alleges Bruce Willis, attorney for the, councilmen. • Eagan ' He explained Taylor's lawsuit questions the councilmen's.polit- ical acts:andcharacter while en- . , hancing his chances for, election , . if he tries another council bid next fall. Further, Willis con- tends that his clients' reputations' as elected officials have been . damaged. Interviewed earlier by the Dispatch, Taylor said his lawsuit • isn't politically motivated. ,"I be-' • lieve in: open government,'; he. said after filing phis lawsuit February. • • Taylor, in his.lawsuit, charges that Parranto and Smith :held five private meetings in loca• - tions inconvenient. to the public in 1979.`Two•meetings-each,were 1 held'at the St.• Paul Athletic Club and•Decathlon Club in Blooming-. ton with a fifth meeting held at • Parranto Forepaugh's Restaurant in St. Paul, he.also charged. "I've been told they transacted city business," Taylor, a law stu- dent, said. . However, Willis' answer states that each of these. disputed meet-' ings involved the Finance Cent- - mittee of Parranto and Smith who only gathered information on revenue bond financing from.. business professionals. The answer further states a • \ Egan sixth -meeting, which Egan also attended, was called by a home- owners" association to question council members about their vote on a lawsuit regarding the, alignment of Highway 35E. • Notice of all the meetings, , Willis contends, was posted • at i Eagan City Hall and the actual •sessions held "in , the open in a public place." The councilmen have asked that ;Taylor's lawsuit against them be dismissed. • • Kay' Harvey • A Korean harpist is among those in Linda Carter's collec- tion of dolls made,by nuns in a Korean orphanage. A fish- erman, an archer andsa•bride,and groom: are among others representative of Korean culture. Court 1 Continued from Page IS to Apple Valley, Burnsville or Eagan to provide city, hall space r 1 for courtrooms. They report: ■ In Eagan — The existing City Hall is full. The city may build a new municipal hall and sell its ex_ isting 4,500 square foot building. But that wouldn't meet the county's need for its pro- ; posed 14,200 square foot com- bined court and jail facility. ; • ® In Burnsville — The existing City Hall, is fully used, including council chambers. Further, there would be no .adequate waiting area for people attending court. Atkins Afterwards, suggests that a be built at the ment Center in re . ort Joy the task. force 60-bed main jail current Govern - Hastings. Joy has area ® Continued from Page 1 S "I think this (firing) was per- haps more expedient to do than to consider the . dismissal of someone who might be covered by . the merit system and county personnel policies." , Contacted.by the Dispatch, An- derson said: "My only comment is the ,real facts of_:the situation justified the course of action tak- en." Meanwhile, Holmlund said his $680,000 energy assistance- pro- gram serving 5,000 people "hasn't gotten the cooperation we might well have gotten from the county in budget and fiscal management." Both areas are handled by Anderson, he indicat- ed. "There are some very deliber:' ating ,processes in force within our county structure in 'an effort to deal wisely, with public dol- lars," Holmlund said. ... Dako- ta County is very thorough in making expenditures. - The result has been a loss of . Fallon's "client -centered focus," contended Holmlund. He told of his admiration for Fallon and how the former director per- , suaded -him to stay, with Dakota County- after once considering resigning. • • "I thought Jack Fallon made, every attempt to assist in the de- , livsery. of all programs," Holm- lund- said. "I haven't had that cooperation.... It seems to me there 'is a misdirected focus in • this office. "Unfortunately, I don't think our clients best -interests are al- ways served." . Holmlund concluded he hopes, Fallon's successor- recaptures the former director's concerns. "I think there is a potential to continue many of the things, that Jack Fallon started." A little Eight vie for - Council --E-- CC c,T`--NCA/ frct Eight residents will vie for two seek re-election. McCrea opted open seats on the Eagan City out of the council race,. citing Ef'` Council in the general election time commitment to family, job ',,,`- Nov. 3. as executive director of the St. �..3,_ Those candidates are Ray Paul YWCA, and accomplish- „—(ro Bohn; media consultant; John ment of goals as a coun- Griggs, mechanical engineer; cilmember. Pawlenty is -the In- ( L Shawn Hunter; . software dependent Republican -endorsed engineer; Robert Paul Mann— candidate for the House of ing, . graduate student; Sandra Representatives in District 38B. Masin, volunteer coordinator for This is the first year city elec- Shakopee Women's Prison; tions will coincide with the Mark Miller, certified public ac- general election, having occur- countant; •John Parranto, real red every odd year in the past. estate developer; Roy Wallace, Cost savings and a desire for public relations consultant. more voter participation were Council members Pam Mc- reasons for the change. Crea and Tim Pawlenty will not (Not valid with the use of any other coupon.) This offer expires 10/5f92 In Eden Prairie, 3 mi. W. of Flying Cloud Airport and U.S. 169 on Cty. Rd. #1 (Pioneer Trail) at Dell Rd. APPLES '1 OFF. HARALSONS AND CORTLANDS wan Pick Your Own Purchase of 1/2 bushel a more with this ad. Containers provided. EDEN APPLE -ORCHARD 934-7873 w4AL T EM9t Call ahead for crop availability and field conditions. Peace, remembrance are keys to proclamations approved by City Council By BRENDA HAUGEN • Citizens• concerned about peace brought forward two procla- mations, which were .approved by the'. City Council April 2. The first declares Eagan "A City of Peace." According to Mayor Tom Egan, the proposal .was brought to him' by Larry Levenson, an Eagan resident. "He's very concerned about a peace movement at the grass- roots level," Egan said. According to the proclamation, "it takes a concerted effort individually, collectively and as a community to turn the tide of violence and protect ourselves, our children, and our neigh- bors." The proclamation recognizes where Eagan has made progress and that more work needs to be done. -Egan said other area communities are likely to follow Eagan's lead by declar- ing themselves cities of peace as well. "I .think the timing is extraordinarily advantageous," said Council Member Shawn Hunter, adding that the city's com- munity policing efforts are really paying off. • The second proclamation names. April 14-21, as days of re- membrance of victims of the Holocaust. The theme for 1996's National Days of Remembrance is "Crimes Against Humanity — Nuremberg, 1946." According to the proclamation, 1996 marks the 50th anniver- sary of the International Military Tribunal's trial at Nuremberg of 22 major Nazi leaders, and the continuation of subsequent military tribunals, at Nuremberg- as well as in other Allied - occupied sectors of Germany, to try additional Nazi criminals. Through the declaration, the city of Eagan not only set aside •- the week to remember the Holocaust victims, it also vowed that the citizens of. Eagan "will collectively and individually. strive, to overcome bigotry, hatred and indifference through learning, tolerance and remembrance." According. to Egan, he, City Administrator Tom Hedges and Council Member Ted Wachter had gone through the Holocaust museum in Washington about three weeks ago. "Not one person spoke a word," Wachter said of those who went through the museum. "It certainly made an impression on " myself." lesson in understanding ie fascination with 'the game' L ey Sara, can I call you back af- ter the Packer ne?," my boyfriend pleaded s past fall. - ay no more. I guess I )uld've known better than to one during the middle of an 'ense battle among men act- like barbarians on a grassy Id over an odd -shaped ball •apped in pigskin. vow I don't mean to give the ipression that I don't enjoy otball — I do. I love "getting to a game" of football at any vel just as much as the next �1. But honestly, I'd have to y that hockey is more my p of tea. "`All right," I figured as I ung up the phone. "He should nderstand that the same goes 3r me during a Gopher hockey ame." It's true that avid sports fans ome in all shapes and sizes - and sexes. Despite sports ►eing a somewhat "shared" nterest among the sexes, I am ;till amazed at the level of in- tensity it plays in the. lives of some men. • Being from the heart of (Wis- consin, it's no surprise that my boyfriend is a die-hard Packer • Sara Peterson each player puts into the game and relish in a hard-earned vic- tory. But of course with the wins come the losses. I'll admit that I was bummed when the Go- phers were defeated a couple of weeks ago by Michigan in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA college hockey tourna- ment. It was a tough loss to swal- low. Especially when it seemed this year's team had more than enough talent to fi- - nally pull off a NCAA title. And especially considering Michigan's "lacrosse style" - goal that quickly snuffed out the Gopher's dream. It was dis- heartening to see their season 'end, but I didn't let it ruin my day — well not my entire day. Wort is 0• In Eagan Township . ov .ncilm n c a Files .for Re-election Paul J.- Uselmann, J.r.;. Eagan Town •Supervisor, has' filed' for• re-election to; a_ three-year,term. Uselmann's decision to, seek re-election is. based• on his conviction that every citizen should devote a' period of time to,public sere ice. "This type of involvement by many," Uselmann . said, "would broaden the individu- al's awareness and respon- siveness'to people's needs; and keep. office holders• arid others .with vested interests from exploiting elective and appointive office.." -;In filing for the position, Uselmann stated,• "Eagan can be proud of what•.it:has attained to date,; but we also face serious problems which. accompany rapid and explo- sive growth: • •Long before the major highways.of 35E and 494 are .completed, we. must prepare to meet the pressures ofvfu: Lure, expansion. Soon it will be"too late _to :formulate and provide our citizens with the model 'community ,foresight and :areful 'planning can accomplish. But . ..'the time is now:" • He,,'further stated: '"I a'm proud of the fact that since I have, served 'on the Eagan Town Board', I have .helped develop a :viable park ,plan, have urged and brought about the hiring of a' profes- sionalplanner, and have been instrumental 'in developing recreational programs which did not previously exist:'.' Uselmann went on to say, "I believe -I have fairly rep; resented :the entire Town of Eagan and not any particular vested interest, especially in this matter of `protecting zon- ing of''established residential areas from land developers.," He pledged`::.continued objective representation for all the people of Eagan. Uselmann, his e,,Joan, •andrtheir four children live at 3012 Woodlark ,Lane. He is a marketing account executive ,with Jensen Printing Co. of -Minneapolis: -Uselrnann•.is- a: former' member .of the :Citizens Committee:of School District 197, is an active member of Minneapolis Sales and Mar keting Executives, and the Minneapolis Citizens League Housing Committee. ` - He is also a.member of St.• Peter's Parish Council, and is vice chairman of the Dako- ta County Day 'Care Center for Retarded Children. .c `s •v St. James Lutheran Church. . In addition, Charlie Brown and his friends, including Snoopy, will be among the performers. A Saturday/ afternoon performance, starting at 2 p.m., March 13, isiplanned for the children. Proceeds from the event will go to the Mary Egan Benefit Fund. Benefit Prograrn Slated For St. Patrick's Day Eagan Boa Right -of -WI Program 'rehearsals began last week for the tradi- William Merritt, distric tional observance of iSt. Patrick's Day at St. John the Bap- .engineer for the Minnesota fist Church in Savage. The program will be held at 8 p.m., Highway, Department, wa Sunday, March'14, in the school gymnasium.. scheduled to appear befori • The theme for this year's program will be "Happi- the Eagan - •Board •d1 ness is a Green Shamrock." Supervisors Tuesday nigh According to /the program committee, the program'• `to discuss time schedule: will feature a variety of local talent, including • students fo right-of-way acquisitiot from St. John's School, the Esther Bowles,Dancers„plu`s'" fo.'Highway 36 bear, High combined voices' from the choirs of St. John's Church and" " way 13 and for 35E. . The board was also 'slat ed to give final considera tion•to adoption of an ope: burning ordinance, to re view -a proposed amend ment to Ordinance 10 con cerning dedication for part If you wait e Klein Abst�in.s;ho�f 3 Times, Eagan � it- By ELISABETH KENNEALY Staff Writer EAGAN - - A busy agenda at Eagan's board of supervisors meeting December 7 was high- lighted by' the abstension by Chairman John ' Klein on three items, apparently due to his in- volvement in them as a realtor. The items. concerned the IDS Properties, Inc., Wall Corpor- ation, and ;Inland. Construction Corporation. Supervisors :Paul Uselmann and Arthur Rahn acted upon the requests. Reconsideration of the IDS Properties, Inc., matter was re- quested by the company since, it felt theresti-ietions placed on it .would .cloud• its property title: A 'recent • rezoning .of 24 acres in Section 4 to ,commercial- stated that zoning would revert to,agri- cultural if not developed by IDS; The restriction was . removed. Tabled to, January 4 was action. on the Wall Corporation for a mo- bile home park permit near Wes-, cott road and Highway 49..It would, allow 290 units on 63,acres. Ad jacent owners had not been no- tified and the Rdsemount school district will also be contacted. Cal Lundquist of Inland Con- struction Corporation appeared about rezoning of 40 acres in Sec- tion 29' from agricultural to resi- dential and multiple. Thispro- posal was approved. It contains 10 residential lots, and 410 multi- ple units, located north of the Clearview Addition. The NSP easement could .be used for a trail system. This will be near the 35E highway location. '' The fire department reported it has decided on the location of Fire Hall 2, on donated land in Eagan- dale Center Industrial Park, on Lone Oak Circle, south of the REA Express building. Planned is a new building on a lot 150 x 200 feet. Bids will be taken in Janu- ary or February for the station. Raunehorst Co ,'about a rezonifg in Section 9 from multiple to commercial. This was approved. It is on Yankee Doodle and Coachman road, adjacent to multiples. Planned are related retail stores such. as a barber, beauty shop,; grocery, and a sav- ings and loan branch. ' Denied was the • application of - Ebner Scottfor'rezoning in Sec- tion.24 from, agricultural to light industrial. This 'was • believed to be spot zoning on Highway 49 on the former Clarkson .,.faint. Neighbors • will be consulted 'on the matter. •. A public 'hearing • was ;set for December 14' for Norman Vogel-• pohl's plans for an.apartine:.c complex near. Silver Belk iroc and Highway-13. re ,. r.. . -Reaffirmed waS Donald Camp- bell's application• for .a prelim inary plat approvaltfor'the bier- - nefield Addition located on' Mc- • Carthy,road and Red Cedar road. This had been approved -June 2, 1970.. Approved Was the'final plat for Wilderness Run, ,second addition. • The board approved an agree= ment between Arvilla Homes and Land Planning and Engineering Corporation on screening and setbacks in Wescott Hills drive. A public hearing was. set for December:14 for Wilmus Prop- erties, Inc., for rezoning 205 acres south of County Road 30, adjacent to Inland property. A public hearing will be held January 18 at 8 p.m. for proposed street improvements in the Pilot Knob Heights first addition, Pro- ject\90. Another public hearing. on De- cember 14 was slated for Mrs. Clarice:•McRae for replating and rezoning in the LeTendre second addition near Highway 13 • and Yankee Doodle road. rict 196.V First inaugurated by Mrs.Hil- debrandt in an earlier class, the teachers decided that the three children's groups could build the Indian village for a Thanksgiving project. Using white paste and many long piecesofwrappingtype paper, the children had a ball smearing the white paste over the surface of several layers of paper to make it stiff enough to "stand alone." This they then colored to make teepees, totem poles, and a canoe that they could sit in and "paddle downthe stream." With some reluctance the chil- dren saw the display and activity unit dismantled as Christmas time ideas took over this past week. All agreed the project was great fun from its beginning to end! Farmington Concert Tonight FARMINGTON - - The annual Christmas Concert of the Farm- ington High School Music Depart- ment will be held Thursday, De- cember 16, at 8 p.m. Three bands under the direc- tion of Darryl Johnson and the three choirs under the direction of Grant Norum, will present a variety of the music of Christ- mas from very old to very new. The Seventh Grade Chorus will open the choral program with "Alleluia", a four-part round, followed by the well-known spiri- tual "Amen" and "The Manger", an Austrian Carol. They will close their part of the program with "God We Give Praise to Thee", a 17th century two-part fugue. The Eighth and Ninth Grade Chorus will first perform a short polyphonic setting of the tradi- tional Christmas text "Gloria in Excelsis Deo". The rest of their LAKEVILLE -- Plans are being mad of Lakeville High school for Interir held January 24 through 28, with director, Ray Kolbe. Pictured INTERIM TERM plans were di with Lakeville High school studei ber 7 in small group meetings wi NEW SNO ■ ■ w Thurs., April 4, 1,768—Minnesota Valley Sun— C (� Ll wK_ r--C. �L • (photo by L.. Myron) TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE as supervisor on the Eagan town board is bavid "Jake" Jacobson, 2078 Carnelian Lane, Cedar Grove. Jacobson, who will officially begin his duties April 2, was sworn in by Clerk Alyce Bolke who was reelected to serve another term. ctural Changes L� Oppressiveness s the ,t the ining Wing con- s the tribe State Ving, ings, the the ions ings ;on- Ving ere, ;on - At 42 'ban ,oP- ind, g is art • . 4 MOW own Officials Elected; Eagan Bond Issue Passe's Residents of- Eagan township. voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $50,000 bond issue Tues- day to provide badly needed office space at the town hall. The vote was 1061 in favor and 380 opposed. The ques- tion of Sunday liquor sales also won approval with 983. yes votes and 450 opposed. David 'f `Jake' ' Jacobson,' candidate for supervisor, won by a wider margin over the in:, cumbent, Edward Schwanz, and two other candidates. Jacob- son polled 667 votes to 405 for Don Knight, 235 for c,r, co��c.,� C(m- C�?KrCtL Schwanz and 119 for Richard LeMay. Jacobson had strong sup - .port in Cedar. Grove which will have an area represen- tative on the town board for the first time. Clerk Alyce Bolke, unop- posed in her bid for reelec- tion, received 1343 votes. Named to serve as justice of the peace `were Dorman Atwood and incumbent Helen Kennedy who polled 740 and 663 votes respectively. In- cumbent Harry. N. Ray lost David Jacobson Alyce Bolke his bid for reelection with 640 votes. Unofficial r e t u r n s' from Lebanon township indicated that Cecelia Strunk, town clerk for the past six years, was Gordon Wolf Cecelia Strunk returned to office with 285 votes. Her opponent, James Niesen, garnered a total of 236 votes. f. • Named ,to a three year term as supervisor was Gordon Wolf, 108 Pinewood Court, who outstripped his opponent, Ri- 'chard Edwards, 331:176. Wolf will fill the position now held by Arleigh Thorberg who did not seek reelection. In Glendale township, only 56 voters .went. to 'the polls to reelect George Mingo as town board supe;visor with 54 votes. and name Mildred Ludowese .village clerk with •55 votes. • ' John Connolly received 37 Write-in votes for the office of constable. Mrs. Ludowese will take, • over a post held for the past 22 years by John McCann who chose not to seek reelection. More than 30 citizens -at- tended the annual town meet- ing conducted after the polls closed. Main item of business was 'approval of the.budget for the next fiscal year with.$12,000 allocated to the road and bridge fund, $8000 to the general. revenue fund, $2400 for the fire protection fund and $500, for • a park fund, the first park budget item in the his- tory of the township. SUN n Minneapolis and St. Paul Newspapers Serving Suburbs Community 26� ERS Banquet Facilities From a bowling team to a company sales meeting. We accommodate up to 300. CaII for more in- formation. 7 • ACRI • EASY • 2 Mil • 9 M11 its K1 TU,ESDAY, DECEMBER .9, 1969 *** .22 Township Offkiai. Is Revenue Dissenter By ROBERT FRANKLIN Minneapolis Tribune Staff Writer John Klein stuek out like a ships, which are home for sore thumb Monday at Gov. Harold LeVander's three-hour conference, on how to raise more money for Local gov- ernments. • "I was, the only one who talked about efficiency and economy,•" Klein, a 47- year-old Egan Klein Township supervisor, told a news, :conference afterward. "People are just fed up with .taxes.". . Klein, representing t h e Minnesota Association of Township Officers,. was the only:, one of five persons at tlie•news conference who said he does not see a need for new ,sources of . rievenue for local, governments • • .He suggested -that local of- ficials —rare trying ' to 'push through, new. taxes without being held responsible for, them. The property tax seems to be objectionable because it must be paid' in two lump sums he said, adding: "It's a matter of trying to pluck the feathers from' the chicken without it's knowing it's losing them. That's what the sales tax does. ' - .Klein's • comments appar- ently?srankled some of the other- ,,.,:,participants at the news conference., St ` Paul Commissioner James C(� CC1J e more than a quarter of Min- nesota's population, want only their fair share and. for their people to be recognized as "just as •,human" as others. LeVander said he • will name a committee to study real-estate taxes, with a• goal of making them more equit- able and- better administered. He said he would approve of a metropolitan -wide tax for local governments if 60 percent of -local officials 'agreed .to it, although it should be'subject to referen- dums. He added that it would be desirable but not essential to have a single type of such tax .for the Twin Cities area. Also represented at the .meeting were the Minnesota School „Boards Association and the Minnesota. Associa- ion. of Counties. Red flannel.sleep shirts Cotton flannel. By Dick') Slim down his credit ca in black, brown, olive le Pirate chest wooden place. By Hertz. 8.00. , Wrap -a -round cuff links 10:00; cuff links 7.50. B) to order from Men's Fur dayton's Extra Shopping Hours t Shop'Dayton's Southdal jMeiro `Council called enemy :pi people by. torn =bard. chairman ]I/ By BETTY WILSON Minneapolis Star Staff Writer • 't ' CC^"V, John J: Klein; chairman of the town board of Eagan, sometimes known; as Kleinville, fights higher government bodies as he would dragons threatening a•kingdom. v\` As a member of the Eagan Town Board the past seven years and chair- manthe past three years, he''s ,taken on such men acest as.; the Metropolitan , C o u-ri' c 1, the 'Minnesota Pollution. :?Control Agency and;,•the.}Lo.wer Minnesota;•, River. C atershed •District;:.: Grass' roots, local-lev el,' close to ;the people gov ernrhent is:the white horse. he mounts. - •This( sort of stance has made. the 47 - year -`old,'; stocky, goateed Eagan man well. known but has not en- deated• him to, some lead-, ersiin the, Twin Cities'met- rop'o1itan: area who spell - progr'eSSi in terms of :metropolitan .approaches lem;solving. • Klein to them :is t`a ;myopic, provincial rustic," and as one frustrated legislator put it, "He makes me want to vomit` crooked nails." tle.T. Klein' indicates, though, he feels he's losing the bat • • J. KLEIN Government 'dragons' to p.rob- •,."I. felt so bad after this last legisla- tive. •session;; •my;.wife and I started; look ing --for-land, in • W iseensin. "We are in serious trouble in this area when we 'have a 15-member Metropolitan Council that is appointed by the governor; and they appoint a seven -member sewer board with none of them:• accountable to the voters. "And these are the people who are controlling the whole area right now. "Everything has to go through them." Klein contends that the -Metropolitan Council is "the worst thing that's happened to this area," and maintains: "I. bet there aren't a hundred people of the two million people in this seven -county area. right now who know who their Metropolitan Council and Metrppolitan_Sewer Board representatives are." • The net step,'`a `metropolitan tax system and pool-. Ping of ',local •municipal tax revenues, will destroy this • area, he said.. • ! "I call this.; Community'.',Communism ;where every- body is supposed' to be equal as- far as finances go. And Communism destroys initiative. . "'Once we put in a metro .tax base, I 'don't want any more industry out.in• Eagan. • I .want -a- country club and all the nice- things."' • • . The more • than 200- local government units - in: the • Twin Cities are not bad; they are what has made this area grow, Klein said. • • Different people. want to live in diftrent kinds- of` communities, he argued. Klein„ a post -office eniployee and real-estate sales- r man, said`'he puts in •'at least' 40 hours a week in his sev- • eral public• positions. He's,•, paid $175 a month as chair-_ man of the,,town hoard of;booming Eagan, which. issued $17 million in building permits .last year, .much .of it to industry. He's also chairman of the Bloomington -Eagan -Burns- ville Pollution ,:Control District: and a membe.r of the Dakota CountyPlanning Commission. He said he wasonce a Democrat but became "very disenchanted." . _ "Then I became a Republican but found there really. isn't a great deal of difference between the `two parties.. I'm just about totally confused as to which way either of them stand. ' "So I have to say now I'm an independent." ,wervar !iv me- vor er 1•00 Styks of .med..MirrOes• to. • t, • . • . • . Oose t OF OUR FINE SELECTION gold leaf finishes $44.00 LE.. 1VZ60" ular, $21J0' • • ,ILEA.• I ; . .„ • . U1SAVE BECAUSE WE'PURCHASE TRUCKLOAD QUANTITIES'' 26 x 32", gold metal leaf finish ====== == en so ow on Imom No ow ' •-• • , • -• SPACIOUS • PARKING LOT ..' • ur I.arge, ,n4034/AITING! • hoiovrootri.L. Other terror Values REG. - • PRICE ' ' 24.20 29.30 •. 32.30 3.10 • SALE PRICE- 18.15 21.98 24.20 26.30 Dnei-Stop Home )ecorating Center• idale Ave. So. 884-7311 FREE PARKING r • .11 41115" -a I Z111541 P°. - pen meeting Iaw;'7' alive: yin. city,: C 1'ty. t!ja ' - C c T.'. Coai me.; Several Eagan residents have been troubled lately by the fre-. • quency.of executive sessions held by the City Council. Doors are closed, press and residents barred, minutes kept but never revealed in public. Secretive, many argue. Yes, but necessary at times and clear- ly in compliance -with state open meeting laWs. •. " Public bodies are required to give 'notice for all meetings. Eagan posts meeting; notices and agendas'on the door and in the.. lobby of the Municipal Center. • ; - If a council meets in. executive: session, -it must identify before... hand the issue it intends to discuss: There are only two reasons a council can close a meeting °and move to 'executive session:To'•, discuss personnel -matters or litigation. • . Eagan's City Council has met inexecutive session ,several times in the past few months: Every time; but one, the.. topic of discussion listed has'. been the -O'Neil or 'Bieter. *Company lawsuits against the city. One executive session was held to discuss negotiating strategies 'about ,city workers' contracts. There has been discussion in the community as to whether these meetings are in the public's best interest. The open meeting law is designed to keep the decision making process of public bodies .public. It appears Eagan's city at- torney, mayor and .councilinembers are well aware of their rights and responsibilities as outlined in the open meeting law. As far as I am aware,there have been no violations of this law by the city in the past three months. Monetary punishmentfor violating the law is $100 for the first offense. The cost and burden of proof of bringing a violation to light rests on reporters, residents or interested parties. It's good that some residents are interested enough in their local- government to serve as watchdogs, making sure the public's trust in elected officials is preserved. But we must also be aware of theintent and letter of the laws that we attempt to enforce. —S. Maus Bettenga • f "JT0919 302 V8, AT, AUX FUEL TANK AM/FM, TILT, TACH $18,585 to*. IiC, rust '88 TEMPO GLS 2 DR w�TN #1C 4014 $11,075 Dir. 8 Fact. Disc. —900 + tax, I,c rust ► k A 'o L'• L SALES STAFF 1 Henry Felten Bill Solomon Even though his personal appearance schedule is hectic, Jerry Thomas enjoys feeding and helping care for the more than 120 horses on his ranch in Eagan. (Photo_by S. Maus Bettenga) Rancher, folk hero explores movie career, lives character By S. Maus Bettenga "Only John Wayne did John Wayne.' I'm just trying to keep. something alive' that was very good for America — kind of that mom and apple pie image," said Jerry Thomas, Eagan rancher, folk hero and budding movie star. "I made up my mind when I got into it (making personal ap- pearances) ... these people are the ticket paying public and that they should be treated as such. Some actors affect their own. stardom." He cited Sean Penn as an example of an actor who has no time for fans. Thomas often draws a crowd, no matter where he goes. "Something that should take 10 minutes to do takes me half an hour sometimes. That's the responsibility. of it,. though. If you're going to do it right, - sometimes things take a little longer," he said. Thomas may have a harder time getting around if the televi- sion pilot he recently finished filming is bought by national - broadcast or cable networks. In `Bigger Than Life," a pilot show for a series called "Just Left of Dawn," Thomas co-stars as a sheriff who comes tolife in a daydreamer's fantasy. Carol, his wife, plays the local dancehall girl. Rojay North, of "Gunsmoke" fame, wrote and co -directed the show with Michelle Nostrum. Hector Figueroa; whose credits include television's "Cagney and Lacey" series, directed the. photography. Scenes were shot on Rancho Maria,. the backdrop for such western classics as "Maverick," "Gunsmoke" and "High,Chapar- ral." If the pilot sells, both Jerry and Carol will appear in subsequent episodes. Both have appeared in three Hollywood movies. Jerry has done several regional televi- sion commercials and is schedul- ed to portray "The Duke" in a Thomas and Morgan, the boxing cat: • military in-house service an- nouncement. "The film business has come full cycle.I guess they've smash- ed as many things as they could and now it's coming back to fami- ly entertainment, the western," Thomas said. - "It was always a dream of mine to play John Wayne, Thomas said last week at his ranch, -the Diamond T. "I've been .a rancher for 20 years..I guess you could say our lives paralled each other but we didn't exactly travel in the same - circles." • Thomaselieves his life fe as a rancher enhanced his physical similarities to Wayne, who died in 1979. "People who knew him tell me that I have the same man- nerisms, same walk and voice. If. I had to work at it, it would be one thing, but I don't. It's just me." Johnny Cash, a close friend of Wayne, invited Thomas to his trailer when both were in Nashville. "Johnny bounced down the steps of his trailer and stopped cold. 'My God, it's like seeing a ghost;' " he said. Thomas said he makes about • 200 appearances a year. Often, people will ask him to recite lines from Wayne's movies. He's hap- py and able to oblige since he's seen most of them several times. "They want to hear the voice. They watch to see how I move..I don't have to pay particular at- tention because what I'm doing is me." - Recent appearances have been as grand marshal of a parade in Colorado, the Fanfare Festival in Nashville, Shotgun Red Jam- boree in Brainerd and Frontier Days in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He gives away about 5,000 8-by-10 autographed photographs of himself a year but is always careful to let people know he's Jerry Thomas, "The Duke," not. John Wayne. -Thomas recognizes the power of the image he projects and says he tries to use it in as positive manner as possible. PM Magazine shot a feature on the Thomas' and their ranch in 1983. North, who wrote the pilot episode for Bigger Than Life," saw the feature and decided he wanted Thomas in a leading role. Included in the feature was a quick glimpse of the ranch's sign. North replayed the tape several times to get the phone number off it. The Thomas' said they were. very surprised to get a call from North about doing the movie last spring. Perhaps . Thomas' most memorable experience con- nected with the character also happened as a result of the PM Magazine story, he said. The evening the show aired for the first time Thomas received a long distance call from a Viet- nam veteran contemplating suicide. "I knew you were the only per- son I.could talk to," the'vet told Thomas. "We talked on the phone for half an' hour. That Christmas, I got a card from him," Thomas said with tears in' his eyes. "That's rewarding." Chroni MINNESOTA SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS my 13, 1988 Pets on parade Bethan Tushie showed off her dog Caesar during the Lakeville Pan- O-Prog Pet Shoff Thursday. Caesar Has entered in the best dressed pet category. Bethany's parents are Gary. and Jo Tushie of Lakeville. $7 million schools in By S. Maus Bettenga More than $7 million has been cut from the Eagan High/Dakota Hills Middle School project and new bid ap- plications will be released by the end of the month. Architects and School District 196 administrators made the cuts because initial bids were approximately $6 million higher than projected by district ar- chitects Hammel Green and Abrahamson (HGA) . Several factors contributed to the cost overrun. Architectural errors in estimating costs and a lack of competition among bid- ders created the need to redesign, said Tom Wilson, prin- cipal on special assignment who is overseeing the project. Most savings were achieved by eliminating architectural details and broadening specifications for some materials. Some support equip- ment and finished areas which were to be constructed for the anticipated 800-student addition, were scaled back or eliminated. Nearly one-third of the $7 million was eliminated by reworking ceiling sculpting and brick trim bands inside the school as well as reducing the size and number of windows. Savings in the areas of veneer plaster, ceiling and interior brick amounted to slightly more Eagan skater raises $1,500 By Gary Gunderson Elby Cossette loves to roller skate. Skating since he was 14, he works part time at the Hearthrob Cafe, a St. Paul eatery featuring waiters with roller skates. But last week , Cossette was collecting more than tips. The 24-year-old Eagan man raised $1,500 for the American Diabetes Association by roller skating 300 miles on parkways around Lake of the Isles and Calhoun and Har- riet lakes. Cossette had more than 100-degree temperatures and thirst to contend with during his skate. His diabetes, diagnosed when he was 11, requires that he take two insulin injections each day and test his blood sugar four times daily. Another concern for Cossette was blisters, which take twice as long to heal for diabetic people. This increased the chance of in- fection. "It's not something to play with," he said. The blister problem forced Cossette to exchange his regular roller skates for roller blades, which have more padding. The roller blades, hockey skates with wheels instead of blades, were donated by a manufacturer. But the biggest challenge, he said, was a steady and strong south wind, which made skating difficult on the eastern side of the lakes. "It's a risky business, I'll tell you," Cossette said, running his fingers through his dark brown hair. "It's a lot of fun. I like roller skating, and I wish my feet would hang on." Cossette started planning his skating marathon in March. He and his family gathered pledges from 200 people and businesses. In addition to money, businesses donated a Walkman radio, food and other goods. "I knew I had two weeks vaca- tion coming in July, and I was up for doing something charitable," Cossette said. "I didn't have enough money to donate anything, so I decided to raise SKATER: To next page t n e p 0 v a ti h tl s c t limzi ackr, i i it Kbtim_� ract• iti itinn wit „ 2/7 ,/6 4; - DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE Cc; ✓'f C C cr.1 h 1 Greenwalt Files For Eagan Post Dwaine G. Greenwalt has filed as a candidate for Eagan township supervisor to fill the unexpired term of two years created by the resignation of Dave Jacobson. Greenwalt is a native of the Twin City area and has attended Purdue University. He is employed asadis- trict sales en- gineer by Am- erican Hoist and Derrick Company of St. Paul. The Greenwalt Greenwalts, Dw- aine, wife Dee and son Bryan reside at 2057 Flint lane in the Cedar Grove section of Eagan township. His decision to file was prompted by his continuing in- terest and concern in community affairs. Active participation and leadership has been shown in the many organizations to which he belongs. In filing for office Greenwalt stated, "We should not let the many problems of the past in Eagan overshadow the proper decisions which will shape our community in the future. The community in which we live can be the greatest community in Minnesota if representation is by the people, for the people and fills the needs of the people. Untiring energy and willing- ness to accept respnsibility are prerequisites for true rep- resentation of the people. I feel I have the ability these pre- requisites require.” Stea Stea )teak McCrea. joins Eagan City Council C6 Cvl��,� crcrc _ By Bruce Orwell with on the, five -member council. glad -that Pam saw the changes Staff Writer • Ellison, McCrea and newcomer that needed to be made and had the Eagan Planning 'Commission • David Gustafson are expected to courage to switch camps." member Pam McCrea was iap- on vote as a block on critical develop- The new council flexed its mus- pointed to the Eagan City, Council, ment issues, with frequent support cle for the first time Tuesday night Thursday, completing the team of from Ted Wachter. when it nullified a group of actions new public officials that already is McCrea echoed Ellison's mayor- the Blomquist-led council took at a changing the city's posture on criti- al platform in her council inter- special meeting last week. The ac- cal development issues. view, saying that Eagan needs to tions reaffirmed the old council's stress quality residential and com- support for the controversial Cliff McCrea. was co -chairwoman of mercial development. Lake Galleria shopping complex Mayor Vic Ellison's election cam- She also made note of the deep proposed by the Hoffman Develop- paign last fall. • divisions that developed in city ment Group, and would have government during the last cam- hampered any attempts by Ellison McCrea, a ,six -year veteran of paign and said they must be fixed. to delay the Cliff Lake center. • the planning commission, was one "The community is factional- « of 12 applicants who sought the po-The former council tried to lock sition. She was • considered the ized. The 'council has been faction- us, in a box on this .issue," Ellison heavy favorite because of her con- alized. We have . to make that go said. "We tried to push the box nection to Ellison. away, she said. open a little. If I were the Hoff - Ellison credited McCrea with mans, I would try to work with the Ironically, McCrea got her start having "a great wealth of knowl- new council and the new leader - in ! Eagan politics as a supporter edge." ` - ship." and business : partner of former "She shares my goals ,andMike n. for Mayor rival. But ea after a falling-uist; Ellison's out t dreams for the city and for quality the Burnsvilleadeveloper,ssaid his said. " h he re," s. that neither will discuss, McCrea developmentcompany has accommodated the abrubtly shifted her support to El- He said he is, not concerned city at every turn. The steps the lison last summer and helped di- about her former ties to Blomquist. council took Tuesday night, he rect his successful campaign. 0 said, could lead to legal action.. • It takes some people. longer' to The appointment gives, the new wake up and see realitythan it "What they did was unethical , mayor a solid majority to ,work does others," he said. "I'm just and illegal," Hoffman said. 1 vy1.1wasrua6 vyaa Y J, goal, .• a .. %ea, tra, Swedish and American soloists, a children's chorus and a 600-voice Festival Chorus. Performances will be. held in open air and un- der tents, including a newly developed "free span" tent' that may be the largest tent ever , erected in North America. The tent, which will make its North American debut in February at the Olympics in Calgary, will accommodate 10,000 persons. Total attendance at the music festival is ex- pected to be about 100,000, Nelson said. The music festival is being underwritten in part by grants from the Minnesota Department of Tourism and the Volvo Corp. of Sweden. Trammel Crow Co., a Bloomington development firm, also has made a substantial contribution, Nelson said. The festival is now soliciting "founding" members, who, by paying $150, will be, entitled l` to a ticket to all performances,a gift, a listing in the program, and other considerations. Interest- ed persons may call 897-1670 for information. ' Season tickets will cost $100; individual tick- ets will sell for $12 to $7. The plan is for celebrations similar to New Sweden Minnesota to be held in alternate years. "We're already in touch with East and West, German representatives, about being our guest nation 1990," Nelson said. 2 men charged in bid to rob St. Paul bar Two Minneapolis men were charged Thursday in �6e,o44mm�4nrf �rmnrf rnhhciry n{• 2 St 'Pahl tsar' thati additional line. Private individuals only. SUPER SELLERS,- 2 lines, 7 days, $15.00• Total price all•items $2500.00. $7.50 each additional line. Private individuals only. . ACTION ADS - 2 lines, 7 days, $20.00* Total price of all items, $2501.00 to $7500.00. $10.00 each additional inc.lPrivate :.:dividuals only. 'FLAT CHARGE, NOT REFUNDABLE IF. CAN- CELLED. • SPECIAL CLASSIFICATIONS: The following classifications will be billed at a rate of: ' $2.37 per line Sunday $2.07 per line Weekdays 002 Birth Announcements 006 Cards in Memorium 007 Cards of Thanks 009 Lost and Found 010 Fraternal lodge Notices 024 Happy Ads 027 People Meeting People BLIND BOX service charge $20.00 TO PLACE•A CLASSIFIED: CaII 222-1111 6 pm 12 noon 6pm , Day before publication Friday for Saturday ad Friday for Sunday ad CORRECTIONS call 222-1111 Outside the Twln Cities In MINNESOTA call toll free 1-e00-438-4415. TO CANCEL A CLASSIFIED: CaII 222-1.111 6 pm Day before publication 12 noon Friday for Saturday ad 6 pm Friday for Sunday ad Be sure to ask for a'cancellation number. HOURS: Monday thru Friday 7:30 am-6 pm Saturdays • CLOSED Sundays . 1 pm-5 pm ' nit) 5y'w • • • St. Paul YWCA still is mired in turmoil LOUIS PORTER II AND c "I'm aggressive, and DEBRA O'CONNOR STAFF WRITERS sometimes 1 might step on people's toes." PAM MCCREA YWCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR When Pamela McCrea was named ex- ecutive director of the St. Paul YWCA in June 1989, her appointment was seen as a fresh start for a troubled agency. She was inheriting an organization that was clearly beleaguered. Her predeces- sor, Judith Justad, had been fired in a dis- agreement with the YWCA board of direc- tors over her management of the agency. But more than one year after McCrea took over, the St. Paul YWCA is still in turmoil and McCrea, who also serves in another high -profile public role as a member of the Eagan City Council, has NEWS/GENERAL 222-5011 become a lightning rod for criticism and dissent. In an interview last week, McCrea, 39, said she always knew running the YWCA would be no easy task. "When I accepted this job permanently, I knew this organization was not going to be turned around in a year," McCrea said. "I now feel very strongly it's going to take three years. We've gone from almost clos- ing the doors to surviving." McCrea acknowledges that she has her critics, but she says it is because her style is to move fast, even if it means making some people angry along the way. "I'm aggressive," she said, "and some- times I might step on people's toes." Despite McCrea's dismissal of her de- tractors, the YWCA faces a number of allegations and problems: ■ McCrea and YWCA are being sued by a former housing manager who claims she was fired for refusing to falsify docu- ments for a city -administered federal TOLL FREE 1-800-950-9080 W� v /�//////pyy) / /(,Jed l.- YWCA CONTINUED ON 12A ► CIR , under makeup or alone, for every skin type. 1.7 oz., $25. Cosmetics. Offer ends July 21. li iplimentary Je t'Aime glasses, roses, a plate of finger pastries, Sofitel robes to take home, breakfast each morning and 'An Enchanted Evening" board game. Couples also receive mvous" including champagne and complimentary glasses, roses, French pastries, his and her including 5-course dinner at Chez Colette, with appetizers, choice of soup, house salad and and dessert. Plus an overnight stay in one of the Sofitel Hotel's finest rooms. YTON'S EXPR SS® CARD OR DISCOVEVCARD. 13, YTON'S OPEN MON. - FRI. TILL- 9!:30; SATURDAY 9:30.6 SUNDAY 12.64 cials and our duty is to ac- cept or deny this particular' tax under the provisions, of. the City. Charter." A different reply came from the other 3rd Ward'' alderman, James Ilusman, who said, if the council doesn't take any action, he. will offer a resolution urg- ing the ;governor. to calla special session.of the Legis- 1 a t u r e to deal with fi- nances. e Human expressed con- cern over "West St. Paul going it alone" on adopting such a tax when surround-, ing communities haven't. •He • cited the hodgepodge: system of taxes imposed by Minneapolis and Blooming-. • Eton on hotels " and motels and St. Paul's proposed in- come tax. Conceivably, he said, a person could have • his property taxed in one': coinmuuity, his- income in •• • another` and, going to the Twins game in Blooming- ' ton could mean -another., - . 'The state . Legislature.dumped this problem:in our.' • laps, and it's a metro -wide ' ,:problem," Husman said•: ", The. West St. Paul Cham-, ter .of. Commerce is. con-` floor near the gym. The present Simley hay an enrollment of 1,300 witl capacity of` 1,600 students. Tf a96 �w) A resolution opposing the' annexation petition p r c-' sented to the Minnesota Municipal Commission (MMC) , by.: Apple Valley Clerk I IaS Residents Nurmbers' . The' clerk for Rose- mount.Township has the number, of quite. a few r u r a l 'residential and farm residents: • Mrs., .Clarence Alsip. saieshe would just. as. soon:not have, so rural area residents'who have not' done so already are asked to pick up their, address pla'tcs. Mrs. `Alsip has, heeii trying'to get the plates distributed, for several i ibiitha g 1W mid said 1 erg Village was approved unan- imously. by the Rosemount Town Board last week. . The board went on record .opposed to attempts 'of Ap- ple ' Valley to annex , the township, which is attempt- ing to obtain MMC approval • for a •merger of Rosemount Township and Rosemount • Village. • • The board agreed to take on an Apple .Valley water request, agreeing to furnish water to to the new Rose- mount:' District 196 school, . o f f i'c e, 'bus garage and warehouse complex in Ap-' 1ple Valley. The service had ,been requested by the dis- ' Wet; and financial -agree- ment :on ' water hookup and rental rates will be negoti- ated,': • The • board directed the ;township attorney: to reply 'ad the: .school district's let- aer,. informing the district ..that :the township can fur- •nish water to the;; new school'facilities. The: board agreed to re- quest' the contractor to de- lay ' • resurfacin ' nue and within a 'mile of proposed Interstate 35E. Minutes of the Feb. 4 Town Board meeting show that the re zoning was granted on a motion by Klein and a vote of 2-0. (A vacancy existed on the board at that time.) Although records in the, Dakota County register of! deeds office show the 100 acres is owned by a Her; bert W. Heuer, Minea told the Town Board he plans a $20 million complex on' it which would include/a s h o p p i.n g center, office park, townhouses and apartments. Estate Igo through a 'broker _ to hang your license," Minea j said, adding this is why he signed the- license applica- tion. ; Asked • about the license link between Klein andrM1— Associates, Minea sai yes "salesmen" in Minnesota, and pays no 'salaries. !"To be a, salesman you have to d he has no emplo John Klein Is Licensed ,, Tn Sell Real John J. Klein, chairman of the Eagan Town Board, was licensed byithe state as a real' estate .salesman last July 22, the Disptach hasd. learne According to the states Real Estate, Section, Klein was licensed as a "sales - Man for Minea & Asso- ciates," a business name used by Girard F. Minea, 1691 Victoria Road,iVlcndo- ta Heights. Minea, a real estate'bro- ker, has an interest in Ea- gan Township which re- quired action by the Town Board. The action, however,. came last Feb. 4, or more than five months before, Klein, an employe .of the , Post Office Department, was licensed ;:as.'a real es- tate salesman. . It involved rezoning:: a . s 1,00-acre parcel of land lo- the southwest • The Real Estate Section said a two-year period as a salesman is Tequired in or- der. to 'qualify, for a broker license, which would per- mit an individual to estab- lish his own real estate agency. All applications for a salesman's license must be signed by a broker -employ- er, who is responsible for verifying the eligibility 'Of a salesman applying for a brokerlicense, according to the Real Estate Section. Minea claimed: there -are - some 8,000 real .e state John Klein Is L cens'ed' Continued from Page 1. re not ac- • T - -- DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE FFiEe1-orFEBRUARY 13, 1969 v Eagan Offices (� 1 c 1 T- CGv,c iT Filings closed February 10 for the Eagan township election March 11, Clerk Alyce Bolke announced. Chairman John Klein, Lone Oak road, is unopposed in seeking reelection to a 3 year term. Three persons are seeking the two year term vacated by Dave Jacobson. They are Dwaine Greenwalt of 2057 Flint lane; Paul Uselmann, Jr., of 3012 Woodlark lane; and William Heine, Pilot Knob road. Herbert Polzin of Blue Gentian wants to retain his post as trea- surer. Speaker At Cedar Grove Baptist Speaking at Cedar Grove Baptist church's 7 p.m. service February 16 will be Joel Schintz, brother of Rev. Thomas Schintz. Several members of the con- gregation will be attending Founders Week exercises at Bethel College in St. Paul next week. terc..r-ouvppiug-cen - r146 Clay E. & Clay R., DBA County Tribune 42 Corcoran Hardware & . Inip.•''- 144, Corrigan, Thomas, DBA Corrigan Electric 77 Dole, Wm.'G., DBA Doles Explosives Inc. 186 . •Dongoske, R. F. & Sons DBA Crow Ready Mix _ . 1334 Duffy, Robert L. & James DBA Duffy Bros. 980 Erickson, Marvin C., DBA Marv's Skelly 81 Erickson, Dr. R. L. 495 Everson, James & Young, R. Inc.. DBA Rose mount Dodge 485 Fluegel Elevator Inc. . 456 General Electric. Co. Lamp Division 6 Genz-Ryan Plumbing & Heating 100 Geraghty, H. J., DBA Geraghty Agency ___' 11 Greif Bros. Cooperage I ' Corp. 680 Haugen, Janice & Harris DBA Beauty Salon 391 • Holzer, Marvin J. C., DBA Barber ' - 64 Huber, Marvin, DBA 45.66 13.13 45.03 24.08 58.16 :417.16 306.46 25.33 154.79 151.66 170.26 1.88 31.27 3.44 212.64 122.27 20.00 Western Outdoor Adv. • Co. • 52 15.04 Wiederholt, -Sylvester DBA Vendrite 100 28.92 Central Natural Gas ' - Co.. 300.74 Great Northern Oil Co: __ 1785 516.18 Great Northern Oil Co. _- 87312 19,653:93 GreadNorthem Oil Co. _- 255 72.35 Hydrocarbon Transpor- tation 3670 1,061.25 International Business Machine's • 16391 4,739.80 Minneapolis Gas Co. 150 — 43.38 Minnesota Pipe Line - Co: 82 23.72 North Star Chemicals 'Inc. 3488 785.15. Peoples Natural Gas 7040, 2,035.76 Peoples Natural Gas 6182 1,391.57 St. Paul 'Ammonia Prod- ucts Inc. - 35003 7,879.18 Williams Bros. Co. 78 22.55 Northern Natural Gas 6330 1,795.82 Northern Natural Gas 31732 9,175.94 Williams Bros. Pipe Line _ 14546 4,206.26 Minnesota Pipe Line 7182 1,G16.68 Mid America Pipe Line Co. ' 13388 3,871.40 Mid America- Pipe Line Co. Mobile Oil Corp. Mobile Oil Corp. 904 174 744 203.50 50.32 167.47 New Eagan.council has start By Conrad deFiebre Despite a November council election Ellison later criticized both actions as velopment Group. "Were not going Staff Writer that swung support from 'one pro- "secret -meeting high finks" intended. to take this,lying down." I f ' posed Target site to another, little to limit the new council's ability to The incumbent council member else has changed in this -Dakota act on the project. Parliamentary pro- Gustafson, who called the whole a i- called it "hanky-panky, out 'of order, County suburb that is becoming as cedure allows only one reconsider- sode a "Mickey Mouse business;" out of line, politicking as usual:" ea for land -use litigation as for ation a body's previous action. said the council's latest action was its burgeoning population. necessary to achieve "what is best+for The new council member voted in IITuesday night's meeting began Eagan." Like Ellison, he supports favor of it but added: "I'm not exact- For example: with the swearing -in of Ellison as building a Target on Diffley Rd: Edr- ly happy tobe part of a Mickey, mayor and David Gustafson as coun- ly.last year the old council defeate41 a Mouse business:" • The City Council held 'a ' special cil member replacing Smith. With developer's proposal to put a Target meeting last week with an agenda of Wachter, they now comprise a 3-1 ' there. The attorney for a controversial Tar- only one substantive item: reports majority against the Cliff Rd. Target. ' get development accused the new ' from Mayor Bea Blomquist. and- A member for Ellison's former seat is "We're trying to clean up a mesis that mayor ,of "cynicism, machinations -Council Member James Smith, both to be appointed tonight by the-coun- was'created by the old council," Elli- ' 'and bullying actions." lame ducks about to leave office, on cil. son said. "I felt the old council had _ their recent trip to Las Vegas for a tried to lock us in a box. Times have In a. series of 3-1 votes in the very conference of the National League of Target was not on the agenda of changed since December. They? can't early hours Wednesday, the new Ea- Cities. Tuesday's council meeting. The regu- ignore me.anymore." gan City Council acted first to' re- lar business concluded at midnight. scind recent council support of a pro- Also attending was Thomas Egan, the Then Ellison introduced -Several reso- Finally the' council hired -the St, Pa l posed Target discount store on Cliff third member. of last year's 3-2 coun- lutions regarding Target..All passed law firm of Maun-Green Hayes lSi- Rd., then hired new attorneys to cil majority in favor of the Target'site 3-1, with Egan angrily dissenting.: r mon Johanneson & Brehl to repr.e- check the, legal foundation for the on Cliff Rd. The two council oppo- sent the city in dealings with ;the actions. As a result, the Target proj- rents of the project, Mayor -elect Vic The resolutions declared "all pur- Hoffman developers. "' ect, which won council approval only Ellison and Council Member Ted ported' motions, approvals or other A last month now may never be built, Wachter, skipped the meeting. • action' taken last week. as null and Iri thepast the city has been repre- at least not without a lawsuit first. void, scolded the developer for some sented in land -use litigation by Or - Two items not on the agenda 'came late submissions to the city and kin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren: Two It was all business as usual in Minne- up. The council trio unanimously ap- scheduled reconsideration of a key principals, of that Bloomington law • sota's fastest -growing city, right down proved an environmental agreement environmental approval for the proj- firm; including Robert Hoffman,) a to the attendance of so many devel- involving the Cliff Rd. developer. In ect for Jan. 19. . former Metropolitan Council opment lawyers that one official lik- ' 'addition, Smith moved to reconsider member, own land on the Cliff Rd. ened the meeting to a wee -hours the project, whereupon all • three "This appears to be an absolute Target site. The development group gathering of the bar association. council members voted down his breach of due process," said George is three of Hoffman's sons. • ; motion. May, a lawyer for the Hoffman De- _ Al Mt ti• wti until after the suit was filed, when t e amount was raised to $100 a month. The center is used by Lutherans, Catholics and ,fundamentalist Chris- tian groups.• ; -Mottl argued to U.S. District Judge Harry. MacLaughlin in Minneapolis that the vocational technical board and members is a policy making- body that deals with.educational pro- grams. He said, as did Lavorato, that 'the boards were .not parties to the 'lease between the school and reli- gious center, -nor had .they approved it. . The attorneys also said the two boards are state agencies and thus immune from the lawsuit. Robert Bruno, representing the plain- tiffs, said the two boards are the entities that operate the college. , • The Iv1CLU seeks restitution of about. • $75,000 from the religious' center for services it has received as: a result of being on the campus. The suit also seeks eviction' of. the religious groups from the building, removal of a brick cross :built into the facade,- and a ruling prohibiting the school ,board from granting exclusive 'use of the property to religious organizations. MacLaughlin took the motion under advisement. • DELUXE SEDAN LEASE FOR... Per Month* IMMEDIATE Auto., trans., power steering, power brakes, tilt wheel, cruise DELIVERY . control, AM/FM stereo and more. 'Based on 60 mo. closed end lease with 5450 down. Purchase option available.•Total of.75,000 miles. Tax, license and ref. sec. dep. due on delivery..Total of payments $11,940.60. On approved credit: OF BROOKLYN PARK 566 = 00• 60 - .732,5 Brooklyn Blvd.,'7 blks. N. of I-694 on 152 OpenaMa -$1,000 and earn 6i more and e� s MINNEAPOLIS RIDGEDALE 371-2200 542-8000 • • Corp ,r u,• C Tuesddy, June..22; 1982• • -;1 St.,Paul Dispatch - City Council concerns week asked (officials of the St.. - ;:Paul Dispatch and, Pioneer Press 'to apply for a permit toplace •`newspaper, sales boxes in its (community. -Mayor ,Bea Blomquist said ' 'city .staff members also will vork•with newspaper officials to determine safe locations for the ':boxes.. . ,- "We have a process" to follow ' and we require a permit," Blom= quist said. "There has been a to- , tal disregard for safety in the placement of boxes," Jack Delo, circulation director' .of the newspapers who attended, :the council meeting, said: "We .are working with Eagan".offi- cials. If there are any boxes cre- ating hazardous situations, we'll remove them." r;CCouncilman James Smith said • in an interview that the issue arose because of the placement • of the boxes. He said the council was concerned about traffic ac- cidents when motorists 'stop to °•buy Papers.' • "They chain ; the boxes : to street signs, light and •telephone :pokes on boulevards at busy in =tersections," Smith said. "The boxes aren't the nicest looking things in the world but as long as ,they are not causing a problem, it's OK." Smith said newspaper officials last year placed boxes at hazard- ous locations but later removed them. At the council meeting, Smith discussed a permit fee of $500 for existing boxes with ad- ditional fees for future boxes. ab placementof newspa. f, :o jk,. es The Eagan City• Council last Eagan. Blomquist . Smith According to City, Administra- tor Thomas Hedges, there are approximately. 56 boxes in the city,' including 25 placed recent-. ly. City Attorney Paul Hauge said Eagan staffers told • newspaper officials last yearthat a permit was required. , Hauge also mentioned that • Hastings officials have ex- pressed •concerns over the place- ment Of St. Paul newspaper box- es in their. community. James Storkamp, Hastings as- sistant city attorney, said news- paper. representatives last year created traffic hazards when they placed boxes on boulevards. He said city officials told newspaper representatives to re- move the boxes or the city would remove them: Northwest Publications, .which, publishes the -newspapers, and Steven Block; a local news= paperdistributor; then filed a . lawsuit `against Hastings and ac- 4: quired"a' preliminary order froni Dakota . County District Court 'preventing' the: city from remov- ing the- boxes, Storkamp said. Meanwhile, he, is ¢rafting a pro- posed ordinance for .regulating. boxes that the Hastings City. 'Council will.review. -• Delo said some Hastings off i- cials. originally wanted to ban newspaper boxes and there was a disagreement over whether or not safety; was involved. "We have to do our business and we recognize thatcity offi- cials have their responsibilities," Delo said. "It's to the benefit of the community, city officials and us to work within the law and that's what we're trying to . ac- complish." _ Dispatch South sports/ 3S is' 1 -game win streak One pitcher, one catcher, four ,unfielders and five infielders. Last Wednesday's battle vas between the Yankees, oached by 14-year-old Kathie tichgels, and the Twins, man- ged by Lisa Meyer, also 14. ;ntering the game, it was ,isa's second as a skipper. Ka - hie is in her fifth year of oaching. Entering the duel, oth were undefeated this sea - on (1-Ol. Oh yeah, one more thing: 'he ball with which they play s solid rubber, producing ome bounces that make the 4etrodome caroms look like ;round -huggers. e field was unusuall si- Tanya Josephs Vicki Skarda ng or getting ready to be the Kathie Richgels Lisa Meyer that prohibits any player from hafting mnre than nnue in an , ,>. --.A L.. �..._ 4A—Eagan Chronicle —Wednesday, June 21, 1989 LETTERS: City administration criticized To the editor: Over the last several years I - have listened, with much' chagrin, to city staff praising themselves or to City Council praising its efforts. Budget spen- ding is not one oftheir qualifying features. Mr. Hedges apparently has tunnelvision with certain department heads and appears not to know what some do altogether. His recent statement about discontinuing the practice of police opening . locked cars leads one to believe we have a full-time officer devoted to this practice. In a recent interview Mr. Hedges was concerned with tax limitations. He should look to cutting costs within the four walls of City Hall. They should inform the taxpayers what the organizational structure is for ' City Hall. (being very specific) including salary ranges. Surely they could benefit from an in- dependent study of ,their efficiency. The latest idea for getting around tax limitations is to charge us a $4.48 fee for storm sewers. A basic principle I learned in school was when peo- plegive government money it is . . called a tax, not a fee. We should not allow them to do this to us. Perhaps we need a city manager. Someone who will reorganize our city operations so they can function in a more non -political and less in- timidating and more efficient manner. We don't/ need more taxes: We need'better services _ for less money. Tom Grundhauser Eagan Eagan Chronicle —Wednesday, June 21, 1989-3A Is your child caught in a Failure Chain?, A Huntington Learning Center is now open in Burnsville Your son or daughter may have :weak study skills or poor reading or math skills. Some daydream, while others talk too much in class Some are even unmotivated or lack confidence, despite good IQ's ' Let's improve school skills, while there's still time. Ourcertified teachers help students of all ages overcome frustration and failure. INDIVIDUALIZED TESTING - AND INSTRUCTION IN: Reading • Phonics • .Math • Study Skills Writing '• Spelling• CallUs,WeCanHelp. Southdaleurnsville Ridgedale 922.30001892.171 A I kifi.011A7 and to the RCA Building in . P.lease. see Mill 4C" ARCHITECTURE Eagan mayOr's‘report, s • ee h. critic ed. as 'political' efforts By'Tony Blass Staff Writer Eagan Mayor .Vic Ellison this week distributed a first -ever 'May- or's Annual Report, paid for by his re-election Com- mittee, and an- nounced a "State of the City" address to be broadcast Jan. 19 on cable television. I The mayor's move • sparked both criticism and support from city coun- Ellison r cil members. City Council Member. Tom.Egan r described • Ellison's actions: as "nrive and inappropriate';: for. a 44;000. He accused Ellison of using the report and_ the address for personal benefit as part 'Of a ,continuing campaign.effort. • "Vic Ellison is Eagan's consurn ' mate politician and this is just typ- • ical," Egan • said. "I can't `under- stand how anyone can look at this as anything other than a political` • .ploy.": Ellison took the . criticism in stride: "Everything I do could be con strued as being political and could help .or hurt my, efforts for re-elect tion,". Ellison said. "But I'm not going to let some naysayers stand in the way of. me communicating with the people I'm serving." , The mayor released 14;000 cop- - ies of his report, which were. dis-. ` tributed with Wednesday's editions of the Chronicle, a local newspa- per. Thefour-page brochure li s the city's accomplishments" in 1988 and features a photo of the mayor on the cover. Ellisonsaid the report cost $2,000 and was privately funded by his re-election committee. The first -term . mayor won election in November 1987 over. Bea Blom- quist, who also gave regular State of the City addresses during her eight -year tenure as mayor. "But it was probably done with a lot ' less flamboyance," she said, adding that her addresses were a joint effort with the Chamber of Commerce . and the city adminis- trator. • . Blomquist said 'she never issued an annual report. She said she was critical of-Ellison's report bcl'ause on, the last page he openly invites residents to callhim if they're in - Please see Ellison/2C • tion in November he plans to have a report again next year and anoth- er State of the City address.. .He`' said the address, scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 19, will be an .oral ver- sion of the.report: Council member Dave Gustafson said that while the State of the City address might not be necessary, he applauded Ellison's effort. "I think the attempt is to com- municate with the citizens and I think that's ideal," said Gustafson, adding that the mayor's report is "needed and a very good idea." But Egan, an 11-year veteran on the council, called the idea "silly" and said addresses like the one El- lison is planning' are usually re- served for big cities:. CORRECTION . Because of an editing error, an article in Wednesday's Pioneer Press Dispatch incorrectly , de- scribed an agreement between Da- kota County and the University of Minnesota for extension of 160th Street in Rosemount. Plans call for the street to be extended through the - university's .Rosemount -Re-- search Center, forming an east - west county highway. no evidence the man' committed a felony, said John Woedle, a spokes- manfor the Ramsey County attor- ney's office. The man,' who received a minor gunshot wound in the thigh, was re- leased from custody Thursday. Police said two officers, Molly Finnegan and . Mark Pierce, at- tempted to stop thecar the man was driving about 3:30 a.m. Thurs- Pierce e o er. inne fronted the man and drew her weaponwhen he continued to ap- proach her, ignoring her orders to. stop. The man grabbed at the weapon and, in the 'struggle, it dis- charged. Police said the man briefly had control of the gun after the shot was fired, but Finnegan hit him in the hand with her flashlight, dis- St no A w du w Review askedof gene-altere By Charles Laszewski -_Staff Writer A citizens' group concerned with food production asked a state agen- cy Thursday to do an environmen- tal review of a proposal to grow genetically altered sweet corn in Minnesota this year. • The Environmental Quality Board will review the request at its meeting next week, " said the board's executive director, Mi- chael Sullivan. , Margo Stark, associate director of the Minnesota Food Association, presented the request for an envi- ronmental assessment worksheet on.: rop " Genetics In ernational's. plan to grow the genetically al- on tered corn on a one -acre plot in _ bii Stanton, Minn. Fe Protein material used in chemi- cal pesticide sprays, would .be in- corporated into the corn plant by ' ze the Hanover, Md., company. The Si material is supposed to make the st plant resistant to the European n< corn borer, which the company claims destroys more'than,200 mil- -lion bushels of U.S. corn each year. No one from Crop Genetics could be reached for comment Thursday. . An Environmental Quality Board task force is preparing rec-1",---- . _____ - B to n� a le Sl R, l e Countersuit will be filed by city of Eagan The Eagan ,City Council recent- ly voted unanimously to file. a countersuit . against the Bieter -Co., which sued *the city last month .over the denial of the $50 • million Diffley Center. The city attorney's office was instructed to "vigorously" de- fend the city's actions and sue for damages, attorney's fees and other costs incurred by the city, according to City Administrator Tom Hedges. • . The original lawsuit was filed _ by Bieter March 26. It called.the - city's actions of denial of a pre- liminary plat, rezoning and com- prehensive guide plan amend- ment "unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious'.." The center was to be located on 91 acres at Inter- state 35E and Diffley Center. "We're going back to recoup the city's dollars," Mayor Bea Blomquist said. -She called a number of recent lawsuits against Eagan over developmen- tal issues "nonsense." "The city's being blackmailed and pushed around (by the threat Of lawsuits)," she said. iie for_ arJ seats- ict 196 Board of Education July 1 and are now held by Albee, Eagan. Both have' running for office again. he openings must be at least citizen of the United States t 30 days before the election, pril 6 and April 21 with board t., Apple Valley, 423-6222, or mond Path, Rosemount. The :30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. e election but who will be un- ly for an absentee ballot now t the superintendent's office. -. • O llf Wit seek r� Filings for local school board elections open Monday, April 6, t� but at least one incumbent has s . k decided not to seek re-election. ' . Richard Bonin, who is com- _ c pleting his second three-year 1 - term on the District 191 Board of i i Education, said he needs the time . devoted to board matters to work. .1 on a master's. of business ad E ministration (MBA) degree. . Bonin,. a department manager *with "'Control. Data.; was registered for an MBA program • When elected to the board in 1981, agan voters shoot down a rising star 4} BY Tony Blass Staff Writer • . I ° On Monday, • Eagan Mayor Vic Ellison was one of Minnesota's fastest-rising political stars, confi- �• dent as ever that voters would give him two more years to shine. • • "If the election were held today, I'd have 77 percent of the vote," said Ellison, citing his own tele- phone tracking done since Sept. 1. "But I don't expect to win" by 77 percent." In a one -day nose dive, Ellison's support in Eagan plummeted to 40 percent. He lost 13 of 14 precincts to challenger Tom Egan, a city council member for 12 years and a longtime Ellison adversary. Egan won by nearly 1,000 votes, punctu- ating his victory by capturing Elli- son's home precinct by three votes. "We don't know what happened," said Carol Ellison, the mayor's wife. D.J. Leary, a reader of political tea leaves, said almost no one an- ticipated the outcome of the Eagan race. In fact, he said, Ellison's de- feat was the only major surprise in local politics' this Election Day. "It's not something you can even call close..That was really a sound trouncing," said Leary, co-editor of "Politics in Minnesota." Leary said' he expects Ellison will bounce back and make a run for the state House or Senate, per- haps in the 1992 election after the state 'undergoes redistricting. Leary said Ellison's name has been mentioned occasionally by Minne- sota conservatives who see the 34- year-old former newspaperman as governor material. "They did not hesitate to drop Ellison's name as a future star," Leary said of .the- state's ranking conservatives. "He was very highly thought of, but this may take some of the luster off." Dejected and a bit self-absorbed, Ellison spent eight hours Wednes-. Please see Eagan/8C • k�v OUR REG. LOW PRICES...COTTONS, PRICES t RAGG WOOL, FANCY HAND KNITS... START TOP BRANDS...ALL ON SALE AT 9.9 wi• k, 1 sints TO PRICES :,OHOOSE WARMEST`"----- �`�` _ �... START AT ... 25" BOOTS MADE -.� WITH HEAVY WOOL LINER -__--= 61S FOR THE FAMILY MINNETONKA MOCCASINS WE HAVE THE LARGEST SELECTION OF MOCCASINS YOU CAN FIND ALL STYLES IN STOCK AND AT ... 1 Yo OFF! OUR REGULAR LOW SALE PRICES CALL 646-3544 FOR YOUR NEAREST UNITED STORE • OPEN EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS! 8C St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch Eagan Continued from Page 1C day picking up lawn signs. "It was good therapy," he said. 'Ellison, who in 1987 posted a landslide victory over then -mayor Bea Blomquist, couldn't explain the trouncing at the hands of Egan, a DFLer. "I really have no idea (why)," Ellison said. "They must not have liked the message or the messen- ger. I was certainly surprised by'• the outcome. We expected it go the other way, with about the same margin (of victory)." As for his opponent, Ellison said, "Tom's been on the council .a long time, he knows a lot of people and he has a great last name." Egan was in his Burnsville law office Wednesday; pinching himself all day: "It's quite a fairytale finish," he said. • - A few scattered theories em- erged Wednesday, but no one was really ableto explain the story- book rise and fall_of Ellison,,a vice president with the Council of Hos-' pital Corporations in: St. Paul. Egan said voters were turned off as much by Ellison's personality as his position on issues. He faulted the mayor for "not really listen- ing" to residents and for promoting strip malls that he says now. linger _half-vacanton several Eagan street corners. Learyspeculated that Ellison may have been viewed by residents in 1987 as a quick fix to Blomquist, a longstanding liberal mayor. But after two years of Ellison's con- servative approach, he said, voters may have realized the old guard was better. Leary said Bloomington voters appear to have reacted similarly in their rejection of first -term Mayor' Kurt Laughinghouse, an independ- ent, who was narrowly defeated by a longstanding council member representing Bloomington's old guard. Ellison advocated slower resi- dential and commercial growth in Eagan, favoring a "quality,. not quantity" approach, a notion that seemed to take hold during his ten- ure. Eagan is no longer the fastest - growing city in Minnesota, a dis- tinction it held for much of the 1980s. But Egan said Ellison didn't al- ways stand by his maxim. In at least two instances, he said, the mayor voted to upgrade rezoning to accommodate more commercial development. "I think people were dissatisfied and disillusioned by his promises," Egan said. On the heels of defeat, Ellison would not comment on his political future. A journalism and econom- ics student. from St. Cloud State University, Ellison wrote for the Red Wing Republican -Eagle and later covered politics for the Man- kato Free Press. He left newspaper work and became a press aide to former Minnesota House Speaker David Jennings. He formally en- tered politics in 1985, when he was. elected to the Eagan City Council. Ellison, whose ' heroes include Jennings and Abraham Lincoln, was momentarily encouraged when a reporter passed along Leary's comments about a possible run at the state House by 1992. . "(But) I'm damaged goods now," the mayor said. S , St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch F 7C Fund guilty taking use. A sentencing date has not been set for Clark, according to the Da- kota County Attorney's office. The maximum penalty for malicious punishment of a child is three years in prison and a $5,000 fine, but sentencing guidelines' recom- mend probation and up to a year in jail. The jury apparently was unable to agree whether Clark intended to harm the child when she shook him, accordingito the county attor- ney's office. Intent to harm must be proved in a first -degree assault conviction, which carries .a maxi- mum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. • County •prosecutors said they would review the case to decide whether to refile the charge. Clark has been released on her own recognizance pending sentenc- ing. Noting that this is the third baby -shaking case prosecuted by his office in just over a year, Coun- ty Attorney James Backstrom said he would seek legislation to in- crease the criminal sentence for. malicious punishment of a child. ors' lawsuit e Cross fails ited in federal antitrust statutes. • The judge wrote that the plain- • tiffs failed to prove either a con- TaX Continued from Page 1C ranking fell in most categories. "Compared to the ranking of states using Commerce data, Reve- nue's major study of taxes is much more current, accurate and mean- ingful in rating the Minnesota in- come tax system for 40 different typical taxpayers," James said. Donald Paterick, executive di- rector of the: taxpayers association, • said his organization has::been us- ing Commmerce Department rank- ings for 30 years.. He said the state and federal studies aren't contra- dictory; they're just different. Both studies show "Minnesota has, been a high income tax state, but we're getting better," Paterick said.. . The Revenue` Department re- leased its study in August, but didn't call attention to it until after the Commerce Department's rank- ' ing made the news. James held press conferences in St. Cloud, Fargo and Duluth, in ad dition to St. Paul, on Wednesday, andl was scheduled to travel to Ro- chester, Winona, Mankato and Worthington today. . The press conferences apparent- ly were prompted by Perpich, who reportedly was angered by .news stories on the state's high tax rank- ing. ycw, VYY •..•••••.m..., to go, Bruno. J.M. HAUGH St. Paul ■ ■ ■ Once again the taxpayers of Minnesota are paying for one of Rudolph "Rudy" Perpich's moronic ideas. By giving 95 percent (33,250) of Minnesota's state employees half a day off.. to go see a parade, it will cost taxpayers ap- proximately $400,000. If this parade was such a priority for Rudolph, it should have been held on a Saturday, so as to save the taxpayers' money. THOMAS M. LYONS Jr. Fridley Letter -writers Numerous articles have appeared -over. the - past several months in various publications dealing with allegations that Eagan's current mayor, Bea Blomquist, has conflicts of inter- est directly related to her family's video stores in Eagan and her conduct as Eagan's mayor. What appears to be occurring in my city has deeply troubled me. Bea and her husband owned a video store originally located in the Yankee Square Shopping center, which is owned by a local developer, Federal Land Company. The store opened a. few months after Bea supported a_ rezoning for Town Center, another Federal Land development, and about the same time Bea cast one of the two votes denying Robert O'Neil's proposal for a commercial develop- ment across the street from Town Center. Mr. O'Neil thereafter brought suit against the city. The suit is still pending. The Blom- quists opened another video store in Town Center shortly after the center was complet- ed. The most recent articles featuring Bea's apparent conflicts of interest appear in the Oct. 12 Real Estate Journal (an industry . newspaper) and in the October issue of the Corporate Report Minnesota magazine. The Real Estate Journal article quotes Eagan City Attorney Kevin W. Eide as admitting that the Blomquists' rent for their Yankee Square video store was "definitely below market.". The Corporate Report article questions Bea's activities and focuses on testimony: (taken in another suit pending against the city) dealing with Federal Land's negotia- tions with the Blomquists for the video store leases. A former Federal Land leasing agent is quoted as testifying that Martin Colon, an owner of Federal Land Company, stated, in connection with the Blomquists' Yankee Square lease, "I'll make it very easy on the mayor." The Blomquists have refused to pro- duce copies of their leases with Federal Land covering either video store. The citizens of Eagan should recognize that the time has come for change in our city leadership. Vic Ellison offers the promise of this change by providing Eagan with a may- or who will have fresh ideas without . being. burdened by questionable relationships like those that continue to mar our city's image. Dave Gustafson, currently a planning com- mission member, is running for city council and offers this same promise. Fresh faces in those controversial taxes coma participate. JIM WELTER Lakeville ■ ■ ■, I think it was most gracious of Gov. Rudy Perpich to allow "non -essential" state of Minnesota employees a half day of vacation to join in the victory celebration of the Min- nesota Twins. However, I feel a better adjective could have been used by the media to describe which employees were granted this privilege, i.e. state of Minnesota employees, non -emer- gency personnel, employees of the state of a uio 1VLt.c[ w w 6[142111\ LIIC 1./c1./1/1c apolis and St. Paul for an unforgettable marathon. I was a participant hoping simply to run "a good one." Little did I know running in the Twin Cities Marathon would be such a heart-, warming experience as well. The people along the way were so great They would look right at you, smile, call out your number and wish you well. It felt so good. I was a stranger and you made me a friend. Thank you. t Yi urge voters this way and that ELSA BRULE _-.City Hall would be a positive change and help assure that the future conduct of our city government is focused on the common good of all as the primary objective. JOSEPH J. CHRISTENSEN Eagan ■ The writer's law firm represents the Bieter Company, which has a suit pending against the city of Eagan over the denial of Bieter's application to develop a commer- cial center at I-35E and Diffley Road. Misstatement of views No fiction writer could have created a false impression greater than that which your reporter did while misstating my views on the "leg" development in Maplewood. I have NEVER favored "development as quickly as it can occur." I do believe prog- ress is inevitable and I did state that "we do not have the right to stop people from devel- oping their land if they wish." I feel the development of the leg should be left to occur at its normal pace with no gov- ernment action to promote or deter: This is. certainly a long way from the Pioneer Press Dispatch statement. GEORGE ROSSBACH Maplewood ■ The writer is a candidate for Maple- wood City Council. The article referred to by Rossbach was printed in the Southeast and Northeast sections Wednesday. A correction appeared Thursday. — The edi- tor. Return Masanz in Ward 5 I see assessments have gone up again 21 percent. When Ward 5 candidate Hugo Masanz was our councilman, he voted to eliminate assessments for snowplowing, tree -trimming and side streets on corner lots. Also, street assessments were reduced 25 percent. My Nov. 3 vote will be for Masanz. JOHN SCHMIDT St. Paul A vote for Roedler While serving as St. Paul's city administra- tor and as a •Factor of a city department, I Iron Mountain, Mich. worked with and became acquainted with- Council Member Patrick Roedler. We didn't always agree on the issues, but he was al- ways sincere in his concern for people and their welfare. I believe that is reason enough to elect Pat Roedler to the council again. TOM KELLEY St. Paul A vote for Dimond Tom Dimond is my choice for 7th Ward council member Nov. 3:' I have known and worked with Tom as a community activist in East St. Paul for the past 10 years. He has clearly demonstrated he has the knowledge and experience to effectively deal with the issues that will determine whether or not St. Paul will continue to be an afford able and preferred place to live. We need a representative, and Tom is the one, who really believes in shared responsi- bility with district councils regarding those issues directly affecting their neighborhoods. We need a representative, and Tom is the one, who is willing to take a stand on the big issues such as reducing property taxes, but also stands just as strongly for the enforce- ment of often -neglected zoning and housing codes. We need a representative who isn't tied to a power base of special interests outside our area, but a person, and Tom is the one, whose base of support and commitment is to the people he will represent — those who live and work in the 7th Ward. BILL DORGAN St. Paul Wilson's annual pitch Council Member Bill Wilson has made his annual pitch concerning University -Dale por- nography, including his renewed promises to "look into" and "study" what can be done for Frogtown residences. Handling, selling, mailing pornography is a city, state and federal offense, with enforce- ment laws available to council persons if they want to make the effort to do so. It is evident the citizens',do not have as much influence as do the businesses. BOB MODER St. Paul County attorney rejects Eagan . disclosure plea By Conrad deFiebre $taff Writer • . �•�tµii Two political committees need not • disclose• the sources of more than $12,000 they,raised- for former Eagan Mayor Bea Blomquist's unsuccessful reelection campaign last fall, the Da- kota County attorney says. • • "A report of a political committee is not required to be as detailed as reports required of candidates, their personal campaign committees or party committees,"_County Attorney James Backstrom said in an opinion sent to Eagan officials Wednesday., "A political committee is only re- quired to report the total amounts of receipts and .disbursements and for , what purpose such -disbursements • were made." `New; Mayor Vie Ellison, who'defeat- ed Blomquist by a 3-to-2 margin de- spite being . outspent $19, 500 • to $11,350 in 'the most. expensive, elec- tion. campaign in the. city's history, criticized the opinion. "It's not right," Ellison said. "It com- pletely defeats the purpose of the state's campaign disclosure require- ments. People have a right to know • where the money came from and how it was spent."' The Eagan city clerk asked for. an. opinion from Backstrom on the mat - :ter after receiving brief reports from . the Blomquist, Volunteer Committee and Neighbors for Bea Blomquist.. • The volunteer 'committee reported raising $8,486 and' spending $8,200. The neighbors committee said it raised and spent $3,940. No other financial information was -provided. The two groups were major partici• - pants in a bitter. campaign that was heavily funded by rival real-estate developers in Minnesota's' fastest - growing city, according to, more de- tailed reports of the candidates' per- sonal committees. "It is our opinion that the reports are in compliance with state laws," Back- strom wrote. "I don't know whether partisanship has -entered into this," said Ellison, who has ties to the Independent -Re- publicans. "I hope not." Backstrom' and Blomquist have ties to the DFL. .95e 126s/e- I/e 43A+ I/6 ' 145A+ 3A - 63U+ I/ .12 81/3- V. .40' 101/a+/z+ I/e 53A+ I/a 13A- 1/ .901 10 • 14b+ '/e A - IA 51/e •' - 3313+ V. . 8 + 1/e 1 +1-16 2.40 25 - IA Ig. 01 01 01 01 08 08 02 01 02 1o8 y7 1 7 5 0 8 1 1 [ ou 16'/Bt 48 NRMAc Pi 2 91/e+/ NVRyn s.41i 41/e+ V. Nantck 2z/e ' Neste n 41/2-. ve NtGs0 .40b 101+ I/e NHItC 1.23e '11 - 412 NfPatnf .10 ' 6 NIRty n .50 31h NelsnH n 4e • NewLine 5 + 'V NMxAr 133'12+ I/e NProc 1.44e 22,A- Va NWIdE 20/e+ I/6 NYTEI n.11e 101/e- Ve NY Time.44 '303/. Newcor .32 61/4 NewLew 31'e- 1/e Sell Buy Chg. Cus S4r 4:11 NIL Intl r 6.34 NIL-..05 KPM r 18.33 NIL+ .06 TxETr r 10.26NIL TxFr r 8.10, NIL Keystone America: AmTx r 9.74 NIL Egln r 8.95 NIL+ .01 HiYld r 9.30 NIL Kidder Group: Gvt. r. 14.34 NIL+ .01 KPE r 16:44 NIL- .01 MktGd 14.18 14.77 Nall - '14.86 15.48- .02 NY Ser • , 14.50 15.10- .02 SpGth r 14.31 NIL+ .02 Landmark Funds: CaoGt 8.67 NIL+ .05 Glhlnc 9.33 NIL+ .03 NYTF 9.29 NIL- .04 USGov 9.19 -NIL+ .02' LMH - 17.17, NIL+ .05 Legg Mason: Sollnv 8.80 NIL TotRet 8.07 NIL+ .04 Valtr 21.63 NIL+ .08 LehOpt 20.03 ,NIL+ .09 Levrge 5.28 'NIL Lexington, Grp CLdr fr . 11.63 12.51- .14 GNMA 7.64 NIL+ .03 Global 9.56 10.06- .06 Goldfd, -5.90 NIL- .03 . Grow 7.91 NIL+ .01 Resh.. .r; 13.47. NIL+ 9321 TE.Bd 9.75 NIL Liberty Family: • Am Ldr 12.19 12.76+ .04 �''Hnvilcm Inc ' 10.90 18.47 81.41+ .02 Tx Fre' 9.97 10.44- .01 US Gvt' 8.38 8.77+ .01 LibMuG 9.68 10.08- .01 LtdTrm _ . 12.65 13.01, LindDy r • 20.42 NIL+ .06 Lindr r . 15.30, NIL+ .01 'Loomis Sayles:' • Capil 15.56 NIL- .15 Mut • 19.74 NIL- .08 Lord Abbett:• ARiltd 8.87 9.56+ .02 Bnd db 9.50 10.24+ .03 • Dev Gt 6.42 6.92- .02 FdVal' 9.14 9.85 GvtSec 2.97 3.12+ .01 TaxFr 10.33 10.85 TFCaI 9.82 10.31 • TxNY 10.46 10.98- .01 ValAp 9.09 9.80 Lutheran Bro: BroHi 9.6010.11 Fund 13.97 14.71+ .01 Incom 8.32 8.76+ .01 Muni 7.88 8.29- .02 MFS: MIT 11.04 11.90- .01 FinDv 9.46 10.20+ .03 GrISIk 8.44 9.10+ .03 CapDv 10.49 11.31- .04 Specl 7.47 8.05= .05 Sectrs 9:56 10.04- .04 EmGI 11.71 12.63= .07 TotRet 9.64 10.39+ .02 • GovGu. . 9.42' 9.89 1 GvHiY 8.28 8.69+ .01 IntBnd 11.58 12.49+ .03 FinBd 12.89 13.90+ .02 HIIBd'" 6.04 6.51' Hilnll 8.82 9.26, MuBd 10.07 10.57- .03 TxFCA 4.88 5.12- .02 TFMA 10.33 10.85- .01 TFMD 10.34 10.86- .02 TFNC • 10.81 11.35- .02 TExSC 10.8511.39 ' TFVA 10.50 11.02 TEWV 10.27 10.78 MuHY • 9.57 10.05+ .01 MFS Lifetime: CapG r - 8.18 NIL- .03 Globl r 10.60 NIL- .05 Sectr r 7.49 NIL- .02 Ern9 r 5.64 -NIL- .04 DIVPI r 8.23 NIL+ .02 GyPI r 8.17 NIL+ .01 Hilnc r 6.81 NIL MuBd r 7.73 NIL • MacKay Shields: CapA r 9.38 NIL- .01 Cony r 8.55 NIL+ .03 • CpBd r 8.77 NIL Globl r unavail , GovPI r 9.28 NIL TxFB r 9.52 NIL Value r 8.82 NIL+ .02 Mairs Inc • 3938 NIL Mackenzie Grp: GvtSc 7.37 7.90- .02 AmFd 10.48 11.45+ .03 Opllnc 7.24 7.91- .05 Mathers 13.95 NIL- .02 Meschrt 24.79 NIL+ .04 Merit Pa 11.56 NIL Merit Gv 12.06 NIL+ .01 Merrill Lynch: Basic 15.79 16.89+ .05 CalTx r 10.74 NIL- .04 Can't 19.85 21.23+ .06 CPDiv 10.13 10.34+ .02 EqBd r 11.30 11.77 Euro r 8.35 NIL- .07 dS Fec' 9.26 9,88+ .02_ PSYCB wt I/e PsvcB un 214 QuakFb 5,4 Quebc g .16 101% R RAI .28f 6 .RMS Int '21 Ransbg 93 Raven .44 131/ RltSou s1.12 91 RItSo wt Reco n 4 RedLi n 2 141 Redlw g . 31 RegalB s .44 173 RestMg 1.22e 51 Sell Buy Chg. Partn 15.10 NIL+ .04 NewEngland Fds: Bdlnc 10.98 11.74+ .01 Ewa 8.79 • 9.40+ .01 GvSec 12.0912.93 Grwth '7.29 7.80- Ret Eq 6.05 6.47- TaxEx- 6.78 7.10 NY Mun 1.05 NIL Newt Gt 18.15 NIL - Newt Inc 7.97 NIL+ Nicholas Group: Nich 29.29 NIL-'.0 Nch II r 15.63 NIL- . Nchln 3.67 NIL+ .0 NchLt 9.11 NIL- .0 NodCnvS 8.27 NIL NelnvGr 16.49 NIL- .NelnvTr 11.90 NIL+ .0 Nomur 1 17.57. NIL- NovaFd 13.37 14.53- . Nuveen, Funds: CA Spc 9.12 9.50- .0 InsNat 8.91. 9.28 MunBd 8.36 8.71 TFNY 8.97 9.34- .02 Oberws 8.97 9.34+ .01 'OldDom 19.06 20.83+ .05 Omega 11.86 12.55- .03 Oppenheimer Fd: AssetA 8.87- 9.31- .01 BlueC 11.86 12.45- .02 Direct 17.01 18.59+ .02 Ealnc 7.77 8.49- .02 ;:GNMA '' 13:58,14.26+ .01 Global 20.31 22.20- .14 Gold 10.97 11.99- .03. Hi Yld ;, 15.91 17.06+ .02, NY ,Tax • 11.79 12.38- .01 • • OTC Fd 14.91 15.65= .03 Omen 7.32 -8.00- .01 Prem 22.04 24.09- .09 Rgcy •.I '-11.0802.11- .02 Specl 1 14.80116.17+ .03 Target 12.80 13.44+ .05 Tx, 9.09 9.54- .01 Time.13.44114.69-..02 ToIR 1 ' •5.80 6.09- .02 USGvt 9.65 10.35+ .01 OTC Sec '' 13.53' 14:17= .07 Pacific Horizon: Agrsv, 12.70 13.30- .05 Calif ' 13.34 '13.97 Hi Yld 14.61 15.30 PIMIT LD 9.92 NIL PIMIT Tr 9.81 NIL+ .02 Paine Webber: AstAll r 9.36 NIL+ .06 Atlas 12.53'13.69- .13 Amer 12.03 13.15- .01 CalTx 10.57 11.04' - GNMA x 9.37 9.79 HiYld x 8.90 9.30- .02 HYMu 9.42 9.84 InvGd x 9.50 9.92 MstEU 9.26 9.27- .01 MstGI r 10.69 NIL= .01 MstGt r 9.12 NIL- .01 Mstln r 8.99 NIL+ .03 01ymp . 9.72 10.62- .04 TaxEx 10.78 11.26- .01 ParkAo 18.32 NIL+ .01 Parnasus 16.24 16.83+'.11 PasadG 12.58 NIL+ .02 PatrtCC ' 48.97 49.16- .02 PaoWld 11.59 NIL- .02 Penn Sq 8.44 NIL+ .01 Penn Mu 5.55 NIL+ .01 PermPrt .14.71 NIL+ .03 Phila. 5.00 5.46- .01 Phoenix Series: Balan 12.10'13.22+ .01 ' CvFd 15.62 17.07+ .09 Grwth 14.96 16.35+ .02 HiQual 8.90- 9.34+ .01 • HiYld 8.76 9.42 Stock. 10.56 11.54- .05 TotRet 12.42 13.04+ .01 Pilgrim Grp: CpCsh • 10.00 NIL FGvSc 9.35 9.64+ .03 ' FHiln 8.50 8.76- .01 GNMA 14.07 14.77+ .04 HiYld 7.16 7.52 • Map 8.24 8.65+ .03 PAR 20.04 20.35+ .01 Prefd 20.49 20.80 RisPrf 7.98 8.38 Pioneer ,Fund: Bond 9.06 9.49 Fund 18.39 20.10+ .03 • 11 Inc 15.69 17.15+ .02 III 'Inc 12.29 13.43+ .01 Piper- Jaffrey: • Balan • 8.82 9.19+ :ot Govt • 9.47 9.86+ .01 Sector 7.93 8.26+ .02 Value 8.58 8.94+ .04 PlymSpc 13.52 14.08+ .11 PI I Gr 9.66 10.06+ .01 Price Funds: CaITF 9.05 NIL- .05 CapAp 9.31 NIL+ .02 Equln .11.50 NIL+ .04 GNMA .9.42 NIL+ .03 Grwth 13.87 NIL- .05 Gthlnc 10.82 NIL+ .03 HiYld '9.85 NIL- .01 Incom 8.52 NIL IntlBd' 11.12 NIL InhIStk 8.39 NIL- .13 Mc1TxF 9.12 NIL- .02 NewA 10.43 NIL+ .04 Will city ever have one district' by S. Maus Bettenga Will Eagan ever have just one school district to call its Probably not. Some residents believed, mistakenly, the city's rapid growth would eventually br- ing its own school district. Representatives from the three school districts in Eagan ( Burnsville -Eagan - Savage District 191, Rosemount -Apple Valley District 196 and Mendota Heights -West St. Paul District 197) and the Min- nesota Department of Educa- tion agreed last week that an- nexation or creation of a total- ly new school district in Eagan was unlikely in the foreseeable future. "It just can't be done without legislative involve- ment." said Bob Buresh, school district organization specialist at the Department of Education. "Current law doesn't give power to school boards to break away and start their own districts. They can con- tract their boundaries or dissolve a district to combine with another, but they can't start their own," he said. The issue of Eagan having its own school district crop- ped up during the recent school bond referendum. Con- sidering the growing popula- tion of the city. some residents felt it was only a matter of time before Eagan grew large enough to have its own district. They didn't realize district boundaries don't change as cities grow or what a com- plicated endeavor it would be to leave one district for another. "The financial implications of creating another district might be more scary than people realize," said Ellen Rogalin, assistant to the superintendent in District 196. A new district would mean enormous start up costs. establishing an ad- ministrative structure, transportation system and all the equipment and manpower costs involved in running a school district, she said. "Most efforts in regard to changing boundaries have been merging outstate districts," Rogalin said. Before the referendum vote for new schools in Eagan was approved by the Board of OTHER To Page 2A Spring fling — Page 4 Diffley — 35E developers file lawsuit against city by S. Maus Bettenga Alleging "the city's rejection of the applic n was arbitrary, capric:c wireasonable," Bieter become the third developer in the last five years to file a lawsuit against the city of Eagan. The company had plans to develop 94 acres near Diffley Road and Interstate 35E as Dif- fley Center with a Target store and Northwest Racquet and Swim anchoring the regional shopping center. First step in the project was to have the agricultural land rezon- ed to Regional Shopping Center status. The City Council denied rezoning of the land Feb. 3 by a 4-1 vote. The Advisory Planning Commission had denied the re- quest a week before, 6-1. Bieter bought the property in 1979 and one of the partners ap- proached the city to "explore the possibility of commercial zoning and designation of the property," the suit alleged. City officials told the partner "it would consider the request. but only after the company presented a specific proposal for development of the property designating proposed uses and primary users," the suit con- tinued. When Bieter presented its plan to the city, with committed tenants, the application for rezoning was denied. The lawsuit, filed last week in Dakota County, claims at least one city official who actively op- posed and voted against Diffley Center rezoning should not have participated in the deliberations or decision. It does not specifically name the official or officials. Robert O'Neil sued the city two years ago after his request BIETER: To page 2A Gone fishin' — Page 21 VL Lcan1uy a,/ Ill vYca Ly wn. Residents with a home value of $50,000 would pay $2 more a month, those with a $100,000 home would `pay $3, those with a $125,000 home would pay $4, and those with a $150,000- home would pay $5.more. New pipeline planned in county. A• new pipeline running from; Rosemount to Mi "'� some property owners worrying that it will :pose'- -'to them, decrease land values, and hurt crop'pr The12-inch steel line will begin at the Koch Refinery in Rose mount and run through the,townships of Nininger, Marshan,,,� Ravenna and Vermilliorr1t will run parallel to an existing 6-inch line owned byKochPipelines Inc. • One property owner, whose house would be unusually close to. the line, worried that a break in the pipe would be dangerous to his family. He requested that the line be set back at least100 feet and asked that heavier pipe be used near his house. A company official indicated that such requests would be granted. Farmers whose property will be affected complained after the ' meeting that, in the area where,a pipeline crosses their_land, crop_productionis limited for years. Because pipelines are regulated -primarily -by- federal _and. state agencies, the role played by county government is limited, said Gary Erickson, Dakota Countydirector, of . physical -development. Apple Valley library likely Negotiations . continue between Apple Valley and Dakota County over the final details; but the proposed Apple Valley county library appears to be a certainty. Thursday night, the Apple Valley City Council set a public. hearing for rezoning the land earmarked for the library site. That action followed the County Board's decision Tuesday. mor- ning to approve a library -in Apple Valley. - The public hearing is April ,15 at the Planning Commission meeting for the parcel of .land north of County Road 42 and east of. the Learning Tree day care center (the old Scott farm.) The parcel would be'rezoned from agricultural to institutional. The council -also set an April 15 Planning Commission public hearing for the possible com-tercial indoor soccer facility pro- posed south of County Roa 42 _between Galaxie and Cedar avenues. Eagan Chronicle —Wednesday, April 1; 1987 ointy studies pay disparity by Jor:. Klaverkamp 'bout 75 •Dakota -County• erirployees, most , of . them —wgmen,.will.get pay, raises this year as .a result of . a two-year • study showing _that_ unfair pay disparities exist among the countys 950 workers. • The, purpose of the study was • to analyze the •county's 186. job classifications and to determine if -certain classes were paid less than other classes of com- parable value. The study foundthat pay disparities exist in some classes; most- of them dominated by women. To correct the problem, the -Dakota County -Board- of Com- ` missioners - on March 24 agreed to increase the comity's payroll by 2 percent, meaning $450;000 will be used for pay raises over a • our -year period. -• Nonunion' employees affected by the study will receive pay ..•raises immediately, . said Will Volk, the' county's employee • relations director. Volk • added 'that negotiations on pay equity . for union- employees will . begin - 'soon. - The plan adopted by the board • includes a new pay structure .. consisting. of ,29 salary ranges ,,.and 29-• job levels. These classifications will take. effect: May 1. Existing nonunion salary ranges will be replaced by the new pay structure, while union - salary ranges; governed by col- lective -bargaining-agreements,__ • will -have to be negotiated. Volk was__ not surprised by the results of the -study. -"We an=--•, ticipated the results would be similar to what they were," he, said. Volk said the county will spend $100,000 this year to -help correct pay disparities. Commissioner. John Voss sug- gested that the money be taken from the .county's contingency fund, while' Chairman Steve Loeding wanted some of the money to come from existing departmental budgets. -The mat- ter was left. unsettled. All units of local government in Minnesota are required by law to ensure that job classes • dominated by women are not paid - less . than 'comparable job classes dominated by men. State lawmakers 'required; local governments to undertake comparable worth studies. . • Dakota -County's study was - done by a consultant for $70,000. • • • Bieter challenges; zoning decision From page 1A • for rezoning-122 acres across from Town Centre was denied because proposed uses for the land were not specific. Mayor Bea Blomquist and Councilmember Tom Egan voted against that.rezoning. O'Neil's pending . lawsuit alleges both were biased in con- - sideririg • development issues because of their support for Federal • Land Company (developers of Town Centre) and opposition to projects competing projects. In 1984; the city lost a rezoning case brought before the Min- nesota Supreme Court by Am con Corp. and O-J Sporting Goods Co. when the court ruled the city had been arbitrary and capricious in refusing to -rezone the agricultural land. Blomquist and Federal Land have consistently denied favoritism charges leveled by critics. " "We reached a decision to sue only after careful deliberation," said Dennis Klohs, a member of the Diffley Center- development team. - "We do not initiate lawsuits lightly. We- are convinced the standards applied by the city of Eagandid not comply with legal standards," he said. Eagan city attorney Paul. Hauge said Monday hehadn't had a chance to formally discuss the suit with city officials. never c on . lower t an' f �e agait�� EgjaD has . kept, his time'.as . the newly erected,,mayor..But . despite a new: title, residents should expectto_'see, the same Tom Egan they:taaive known as :enuncilmember _for.12. years. ' crx I think there's: been a shift 'tea_ rd the ' moderate center ` ` 1 feel I represent," Egan said: • Egan, an attney, soundly ,defeated•;incurnbent:Mayor Vic llison by nearly _1i000 votes in city'smunicipal : elections `IfIoy?.7.„"- .,'Rf,TneedaYhight I felt I had t to "beeonfident.` After '35do knocks on`doors,;the issues we chose for tht§ campaign were warmly reoeaved •' ;.The newly'elected`inayor said 7 i "pm ov.- ; more information; call RHS at 423-7690. (Photo by Bill surprised thatEllison,: llison thin it boils down . to - the ap- : °` • lost ::`However the mar m r earance.;:of fundamental•- Eitison lost by did surprise hun. fairness: I know wh y he lost.. I'm Egan captured 13 of the city's 14 sorry Vic doesn't know why he incts,-including the precinct_ lost" , ' ' where . Ellison lives by ; three - Egan's main eampaignlssues: had been. addressing _city issues Money 'spent in the mayoral„. fairly, spending priorities, and.: .campaign: didn't appear to of-. what'the,definition of quality -hi feet the .outcome. Ellison outs- • the city means..• pent- Egan by more than 3-to-1. "A mayor has got to be con- -"I deliberatley chose not to cerned about all neighborhood look to certain groups'for a• lot of issues and, notjust the more money; so on Jan. 1 I would not glamorous, focal issues," he have a lot of `I-owe-you's.' " said said. • Egan, whose campaign spent Ellison's definition .of "quali= nearly $4,676 from May 25 to ty" has been too narrow, Egan Oct. 27. said. Quality goes beyond ap- Instead, Egan credits his vic- pearance, it affects such things tory to his 12-years' experience as the city's quality of air and . on the council, good reputation, water, he said. - ' name recognition and a 2 Egan and Ellison campaign dedicated campaign committee. , literature .distributed one week About presiding over a council before . the election veered on which he had been identified toward • Mudslinging that both as a minority. voice, Egan. said, had earlier avoided. or�lect Tom. with his wife, Betty (right), and da "Vic had his way for two years, "One,vow that l'make'during y' but he last . miserably. I still the next two years , .that I'm non.. (moo by Bill Jones). • .a developer of Lexington . Pointe; ayne ,and3 Imo: ?priced the Iots- at:: $32,500' ,to:. for the housing of 20-ca systems. criticism an• e s will keepthese s �x rcF utr eBoi tc� zin ove.our newspaper Sp Contest held in conlunc ymerit pl . w� 1te3 announ- llison searches yeas :ganssaid will •not hear the, terms, "old_ he will strive.toward are .main . : guard" or,"new breed;" discuss .. • tamim a, working;` council: while ed unless • I'm. saying it in a ..promoting' a'sense of belonging humorous fashion," Egan,said. _.� .. among neighborhoods:. mayor'of: this community;' you; By Terrance Mencel Mayor Vic Ellison avoids the label •"temporary aberration" as he searches for the why's for„ his •mayoral defeat in- last week's election. • "I don't believe it could have been the message. If it wasn't the message, maybe it was the messenger," said Ellison of the election results. • Ellison lost to 12-year City Councilmember Tom Egan who , received,3;512 votes toEllison's, :2,539 votes' Nov. 7. Egan won .13 • • • of the 14 precincts., '`Frankly I'm as surprised as most people. I,think we've done good things in the last two years, Ellison said. "Maybe I ' wore out my welcome." . Ellison points to the {city's 'slower growth and higher quali- ty development that occurred.` during: his term'. ' Further, he said, his "protege" Tini Pawlen- ty and Pam McCrea won elec tion to the City Council. Eagan needed direction when Ellison said he sought the mayoral , seat-- two .years. .ago,: defeating then long;timen; Bea Blomnquist by, 63 percent .of 'the votes: His slogans have quality vs. quantity;. and bricks. and mortar or.better. . • "If anything,. Tom (Egan)' identified his supporters <better: than I did. I take nothing away: frotn,Tom," he said: ' Egan had beemviewed as'part` of the minority during the last two years on the council.: _Although -Egan votedpart'of the majority the last'two*ars;' ELL1SON To • -,;a . Ja Minneapolis Star and Tribune/Friday/March 27/1987 . 5B nover.rezc..ning refI.isai Devel�persues By Paul Klauda Staff Writer Developers who proposed a $50 mil- lion retail project • in Eagan sued. the city Thursday for refusing to rezone .land for the project last month. The suit, filed .in Dakota County Dis- trict Court, alleges that Eagan was "arbitrary, capricious and unreason- able" in rejecting a request to 'rezone 94 acres of agricultural land.at Dif- fley.Rd. and Interstate Hwy. 35E. • The rezoning was sought by . the Bieter Co., an Edina -based develop- er, for a retail complex anchored by a Target store and a health club. The Eagan City Council voted 4-1 to reject the rezoning application Feb. 3. A week earlier the city's Planning -Commission had defeated the same request by,a 6-1 margin. The suit, which seeks to overturn the rezoning denial, claims that public deliberations on the project involved a city official and, otherswho should •not have participated because they have financial ties.to "persons who had a, financial. interest in rejection" of the project. It also alleges that the. city was aware of those ties but allowed.those people to participate in the rezoning,:debate. The suit claims that the standards used by the city to deny the- request "have not been ' fairly or uniformly applied." The suitdoes not directly identify anyone involved in the process. However, . similar accusations have frequently been leveled at Mayor Bea Blomquist and Federal Land Co. Federal Land developed Town Centre, • Eagan's largestretail com- plex. Blomquist is. co-owner of a vid- eo store there. She also has support- ed Federal Land projects and partici- pated in city discussion' involving the. company. The four -term mayor and . Federal Land officials have consis- tently denied charges of favoritism. Blomquist was one of the four coun- cil members who voted against the rezoning request for the so-called 35E Diffley Center. Developers claimed that her opposition stemmed from her support of Town Centre, which has -long sought a retail anchor such as Target; • Blomquist has called those claims' untrue and said she voted against the project because she opposed amend- ing the city's comprehensive plan, which designates the land for mixed - residential use. `She could not be reached for comment last night. Chris Dietzen, an attorney represent- ing the city, said city officials were analyzing the•suit but could not com- ment on it. • • The suit is the third filed by develop- ers who have been frustrated by Ea- gan's handling of rezoning matters. The .city lost a 1'982 rezoning'. case before the Minnesota Supreme 'Court, which ruled that the city had - been arbitrary and capricious when, it refused to _rezone agricultural land for a developer. The court ruled in 1984 that the city denied the request vi by Amcon Corp. and O-J Sporting ' Goods Co. without stating any justi- fication. . . . .al • i; i t Two years . ago, landowner Robert O'Neill sued' after an •unsuccessftil 'attempt to .rezone 121 acres of agri: cultural land on the corner, of Eagan js future downtown. The measure failed when Blomquist and Council Member Tom Egan voted against it: They argued that the proposed use's for' the land, across the street front Town Centre, weren't specific enough. The suit, which still is pending, al- leges that Blomquist and Egan were biased in considering develofinent issues, as shown by their support ,Of Federal Land and frequent , opposi- tion to projects that' would compete with the development company. •,rti 6B . '• „,,},;,;Friday/March 27/1987/Minneapoiis,Star and Tribune Obitwaries onald C Gillis, consultant and AIDS activist,. dies at 36 Donald' C. Gillis, 36, of Minneapolis, a5publie-affairs_consultant and since last May a Member 'of the board of directors of the Minnesota AIDS Project, died of pneumonia Wednes- day at Mount Sinai Hospital in Min7 -Adneapo is. He was diagnosed•as having AI�DS'about a year ago. "' • "For the past five or six years, he has been involved in trying to. shape pub-, • tuc.;policy toward, high-technology projects," said Gillis' companion, on St. Paul's infrastructure' and helped prepare part .of Gov. Rudy Perpich's proposal to General Motors for the Saturn car project. Gillis also co-authored a 1984 study on the role of technology -intensive industry in the state, commissioned by the Minnesota High Technology Council. • At the Minnesota AIDS Project, he was chairman of. its education com- Donald'C. Gillis Theodore E. (Ted) Cham operated pony farm nea Theodore E. (Ted) Chamberlain, 82, former owner of Chamberlain Pony 'Farm near Hastings, Minn., died Tuesday at. St. Croix Care Center in Prescott, Wis. He had had two strokes in the last.two weeks. More `than 200,000 youngsters visit- ed his pony farm from '1962 to 1974. "He started a program called Visit the, Farm," said, his son, Stephen, of Hastings. "And kids from schools in all the cities would come for an hour and get to ride on a pony, a horse- drawn cart and on a bag swing in the haymow (the upper part of a barn). They would also get tb handle baby groups a year in advance and many days had, , 200 to 300 kids come through the farm." In the late 1960s, the Hastings School District had an evening horse riding program at the farm. For the last. seven `years that he .operated the farm, Chamberlain offered weekly summer farm vacations for groups of 15 to 30 children. . •Chamberlain and' his wife, Margaret, cared for. 57 foster children. "At one time, they had as many as five foster children besides me," said their son. _"One boy stayed for 13 years. .: Some, stayed for just three or four letters Elected officials ecte o c><als E should address v; future, not past To To the editor: Having been an Eagan resident ly for less than six years, I consider rim myself a newcomer. As such, I ve have felt the city's decision sh makers have concentrated on El looking backward while making hi; decisions regarding the future. qu Many of their votes appear to be }lc in defense of actions taken 10 or ov 15 years ago. I believe elected of- ficials should be addressing the el( future, acting in a progressive "e manner, and. above all, making pri decisions based on what will be tic best ofr Eagan ... 10, 15 ormore are years into the future. • po I was pleased to learn recently that a real "forward thinker," he Council Member Vic Ellison, has el( decided to run for the office of mayor. In this position, 'I am con- TI. fident-he can provide the leader- Ea ship and vision Eagan so vitally needs. Changing faces at city hall can and will provide the "new" Eagan with representation it justly and rightly deserves. BOB HAFVENSTEIN Eagan Ban all grills from decks To the editor: All grills should be banned from decks. - Besides the - fire hazard, there .is the nuisance of fumes, smoke, heat and odors on a deck that is as close as one foot away from a neighbor's deck. When living in an apartment- -type community, one has to con- sider others in that close setting. All grills should be banned from decks in Burnsville. it it PAT MEDFORD Burnsville Bodies can The heat is on this summer and tempei that can mean hot trouble for peo- higher, ple who are outdoors for work ing m: and fun. Judy Walters, registered . scious nurse and occupational health cases. nurse with the Apple Valley water Medical Clinic, provides the on the following information about victim physical disorders related to be re heat. ment Excessive heat stress to the feet sl body can result- in minor and ma- salted jor disorders. be to Heat rash: This is most likely to been occur in areas of heavy.perspira- take tion where sweat is not easily. Howe evaporated from the body. It is quids uncomfortable and sweat glands consci may become plugged and inflam- choki ed. Regular;bathing and drying of Heat the skin can usually correct and and so prevent this problem. - victi Dizziness and fainting. This to coo most frequently occurs in per- ubsid sons standing erect and immobile gency' in the heat. It is caused by pooling ing d e, of the blood in the blood vessels of vated. the skin and lower body resulting Hea in inadequate blood flow to the most s = heart and brain. The victims is alw usually recover quickly when ly- . sympt ing-down with feet elevated. . skin, Heat cramps. These are painful althou; muscle spasms that occur in the been I arms and legs following strenu- the b ous work and exertion. They are degree caused by loss of body salts and Mental • Coo much water being consumed. convul Excess water seeps into the may/o muscles and causes the pain. cal em, They are seldom serious and are nent bi short-lived. Rest and a cool en- not tr vironment are advised, along caused with adequate salt intake at regula meals and salted food such as down potato chips (unless you have sweati been advised to restrict your salt ity to intake by your physician). most Heat exhaustion. The symp- should toms' of, heat .exhaustion are ex- also vi treme weakness and fatigue,.diz- by wet ziness, nausea and headache. The ating skin may be, pale or flushed, body Farr t flietersuit damages. ask$ of $10 million By BRENDA GUDERIAN The Bieter Company has filed suit asking for damages :it believes -to be in excess of $10 • million. . The defendants are former Eagan Mayor Bea Blomquist; the city of Eagan; Federal Land Co.; Hoffman Development Co.; and - partnerships and associations of . Federal and Hoffman. The summons says a con- spiracy 'exists among the defen- flints- to, prevent Bieter from.de- veloping,-its land' and therefore • has resulted in a . $10. million loss •. of potential `income. The 93-acre; parcel"at the northeast corner.of Diffley Road and I-35E`has been under litigation since March 1987, :The Bieter Co. — principals Hugh Thorson; Ronald Cornwell and Dennis Klohs'.= .petitioned the • city in October 1986 fora. zoning . change . from 'agricultural to : commercial. Despite repeated at-- .- tempts'to gain. approvals, Bieter has been denied: • The.suit filedin'1987 asked that. thedesired zoning be granted. .The suit filed Nov.- 21 in U.S. District Court asks monetary compensation for, the delays.- It • also says the company has in- • vested about $250,000 just for ap- plications and preliminary plans. , • The suit alleges that Blomquist, the city, Federal Land, Hoffman and their attorneys conspired to . increase the commercial de- velopment . of those two com- panies and prohibit the de- yelopment.of Bieter land. For ex: ample, it says that denials made Target change plans•to,locate.on the'Bieter land and to build in- • stead on the Hoffman=owned land. - at Cliff and Rahn roads. It also re- iterates charges. that Blomquist- and her husband. Edwin received • special leasing-. privileges. at Town' Centre: for=their video. and photography business. It says the conspiracy created a monopoly- in Eagan retail' .markets and therefore is a viola- , ,tion of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Eagan City Attorney: Jim Sheldon. had . no .comments -Wednesday evening on the .-lawsuit, other than to say the city • must file a formal answer with - the court within 20 days: Mike Hoffman of Hoffman De- velopment said Wednesday night that he had not yet- read the summons, but has heard about it. • • (See Bieter, p.3A) Only Grade A #1 Trees Over 6,000 to Choose. From Bieter (Continued from front page) "I assume it's without merit," he said. The developers purchased the land formerly known as' the' Bieter farm in 1978. It is still zon- - ed agricultural and had been designated mixed. residential in 1974. Inthe 1983 Comprehensive Guide update it retained the:same designation. Two acres acquired by Bieter in 1986 had the roadside business designation, according to the,siIimons. In 1379 the developers first ap-- proached the city about changing, zoning to commercial, but were told . they needed to- present a building plan before• zoning could be considered. After preparing a • plan, the developers again..re= quested a regional shopping center designation' during comp -guide updates in 1986 and 1987, the summons says. The proposed development and potential tenants were announced in September 1986 and Bieter said - it would pursue zoning arid other application processes. In • February of i987 the application was denied In the meantime,- though, the;, Cliff Lake de--- velopment was prrnosed 'and Federal Land's Town Centre was increased. in density, the summons points out. It also men- tions that Federal Land applied for commercial development to be built across Rahn Road from the Cub/Target site -and was granted approved: . - Bieter filed. its .first lawsuit in • March 1987 asking for rezoning to . a commercial. shopping center -use. •In February 1988, the de- velopers'approached the city with a revised 13,1anfor the site, hoping it would help bring a resolution to the lawsuit. This followed after the city partially settled a lawsuit with . Robert and Grace O'Neil, granting them commercial zon- ing on land they own near Town Centre. The proposal -brought a number of citizens to the city council to express concern about the less -than -formal application . process. Some also said that Mayor Vic Ellison and Council Member David Gustafson could not be impartial because of cam- paign donations from Bieter principals: - However, council members could not be persuaded that the development was better for the site, or that commercial zoning would be the best use for the land. Bieter left with no progress, and promised to press on with the , lawsuit. - • opinion soup to nuts Advisory: Information follows; Read it: It may be valuable. By BRENDA GUDERIAN Are. you the "infoniania"? . nnvon• But sometimes I want more. The signs of information overload victim of I quoted above come from Self magazine, which I subscribe -to. My husband (another infniunkiel First = realize not everything is going to have significance in our lives and then ignore that data which •doesn't mean anything to vou_anvwav when my side Turkey -buys as step in ad By EVELYN HOOVER My life with my hush centl grn7. 3A McCrea, Kubista chair campaign ,Pam McCrea and Tom Kubista have. been named co- chairs of Vic Ellison's campaign for mayor of Eagan. McCrea has been a member of the.- Eagan Planning Commis- sion for six years and was its chair last year. She is a super- visor for the Minnesota Depart- ment of Jobs and Training. She has lived in -Eagan l0 years and has owned two businesses in the city. A member of the' DFL party, she has a bachelor's degree in social work and psychology and. a master's degree in vocational - rehabilitation from -Mankato STate University. Kubista is. a vice -chair of the Republican 3rd Congressional. District - and a consultant for Unisys in Eagan.... He. has a .bachelor of 'arts - degree from the College of St. Thomas, bachelor of science and master .of science .degrees in electrical ,engineering from -Notre Dame University. He and his family have lived in Eagan l6 years. Schools Seatbelts in scho by Candace Garry "Mommy, where'sthe seatbelts.?" Your child- flashes_ _ you a look of disbelief. For five years, you have etched the "buckle up" message on his • brain. It's a momentous September morning. With camera in one hand and Kleenex in the other, you've watched him board a on buses would do more harm than good." Referring to a lap _type of seat restraint, she said it could -cause. internal damage to passengers. in a bus -crash. Burnsville resident Len Nachman, acting director of transportation for the Minnesota Department of Education, agrees. "Basically, the bottom' line of the .whole think is based neeaea more time to Compietc design work and arrive at cost estimates. Stores Inc. to develop both Bloomingdale's and MainStreet department stores. =he la;iiion Mall, similar in scope toTri- ple Five's West Edmonton Mall, is expected to provide space for 800 stores, 100 restaurants. a hotel and an indoor amusement park. If final design work began this month. Hoffman says, it would take until about April 1 to complete the designs and start construc- tion. In that scenario. the completed first phase of thc mega -mall would open in September 1990. Interestingly, Triple Five officials would like to open the mega -mall in March 1990. But while it's theoretically possible to com- plete the first phase by then, PCL's six-month was originally set tor April 198/. In May, however, Triple Five officials invoked an "unavoidable delay" clause in their develop- ment agreement with the city, saying they needed more time to complete design work and arrive at cost estimates. Hoffman cautions that even an April 1988 construction start isn't likely because Triple Five doesn't have signed leases from four department store anchor tenants. What Triple Five does have is com- mitments from Nordstrom and Federated, and similar commitments from about 500 smaller tenants, Hoffman says. It also has a good chance of gaining commitments from one or more additional anchors within 30 days, according to Hoffman. Donaldsons, Dayton's, Neiman-Marcus, Saks, Lord and ed, that tenants will remain in thc mall, and so on. In addition, he says some prospective an- chors are seeking more space, an additional story, underground parking or other special features, which also delays the design process. But while actual mall construction is at least six months away, work on the roughly $80,million in off -site highway improvements to serve the facility is already underway. Improvements to Cedar Avenue, and In- terstate 494 at Cedar and 24th avenues, will take about two years to complete and will be financed up front by the city of Bloomington. The Minnesota Department of Transporta- tion will later reimburse the city through the state's fiscal disparities program. will pay property taxes on the mega -mall even before construction is completed, starting in 1989. Hoffman says he is working with Bloomington officials to estimate how much work will be completed by Dec. 31, 1988, which will determine 1989 property taxes; Dec. 31, 1989 for 1990 taxes and Dec. 31, 1990 for 1991 taxes. . Bloomington faces the prospect of increas- ing its overall property tax levy if the assess- ed construction value of the mega -mall is below a certain level on each of those dates. However, property taxes will be more than enough to amortize the bonds once the pro- ject is completed, Hoffman says. Work on the construction values is just beginning. "It's not an exact science." Hoff- man says. —Murray Wotf Wanted: more answers NEW MOTIONS FILED IN EAGAN LAWSUIT ttorneys for the frustrated devel- opers of a proposed $50 million Eagan retail project are seeking a court order compelling seven people involved in the case to provide more information. Attorneys for the city, meanwhile, are opposing the effort and are seeking additional information of their own. A hearing was scheduled for Oct. 7, after this edition went to press. A motion by the Bieter Co. (an affiliate of. Thorsen-Cornwell-Klohs Co., or TCK, the developer) wants the seven to provide answers and documents they have allegedly refused to provide in the past. Specifically, the motion seeks details about alleged conflicts of interest involving Eagan Mayor Beatta Blomquist and attorney Robert Hoffman. But a city motion served Sept. 30 seeks notes kept by TCK's Ronald Cornwell and Dennis Klohs, and a motion served Oct. 5 seeks denial of the TCK motion. Kevin W. Eide, an attorney representing the city, says the TCK motion "does not ac- curately state" the substance of depositions (testimony) in the case. TCK officials and their attorneys declined to comment. But a 31-page memorandum fil- ed Sept. 21 supporting TCK's motion names /(a 7 2c L.7 4-- S 7-0- r7ro - he TCK memorandum, filed along with about 160 pages of deposition excerpts and other materials, cites "the glaring inconsistencies between what the mayor and others have testified. Edwin Blomquist, the mayor's husband; Eagan City Planner Dale Runkle; Patrick Hoffman of Hoffman Development Group, a competing developer and the son of Robert Hoffman; and Jerry Knoben, vice president of Northland Financial Co., which financed a project by Federal Land Co., a competing developer. It also names Gerald Marko, senior vice president of Dakota County State Bank, which provided financing for the Blomquists' businesses: Joel Anderson, a Korsunsky Krank Erickson architect who has done work for Federal Land and Hoffman Development; and James Benshoof, a traffic engineer who worked for the city and Hoffman in relation to Federal Land and TCK projects. The TCK memorandum alleges Edwin Blomquist and Knoben refused to answer cer- tain questions and to produce specified documents; that Runkle wouldn't answer some questions; that Marko wouldn't provide certain documents; and that depositions from Anderson. Benshoof and Hoffman were postponed when they gave notice they wouldn't produce key documents. "The information sought is reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissi- ble evidence," the memorandum argues. According to the TCK memorandum, the seven argued that the requests aren't relevant to the case, that they are burdensome, and that some of the information sought is confiden- tial or proprietary. The original TCK lawsuit was filed in Dakota County District Court in March, following the Eagan City Council's Feb. 3 re- jection of a request for compehensive guide plan and zoning changes needed for TCK's proposed 735,000 square foot 35E/Diffley Center. The suit calls the council's 4-1 denial "arbitrary and capricious," and says Mayor Blomquist and Robert Hoffman should not have been involved in the matter due to con- flicts of interest. The TCK memorandum, filed along with about 160 pages of deposition excerpts and other materials, cites "glaring inconsisten- cies" between what the mayor and others have testified. The mayor has been tied to Video Hollywood Style of Eagan Inc., a family business that leases retail space from Federal Land. The memorandum says testimony sug- gests the mayor had greater involvement in the video business than she admitted. It also suggests that the video stores got unusual rent concessions and other special treatment from Federal Land; Blomquist denied that in her deposition. Citing testimony by Pam McCrea, an Eagan Advisory Planning Commission member and a former partner in the video business, the TCK memorandum suggests the mayor was encouraged to oppose the TCK project by Federal Land's Vernon Colon. In her deposition, McCrea said Colon told the mayor that the TCK project could drive Video Hollywood Style out of business, and that the mayor had to stop the project. Blom- quist has denied speaking privately with Federal Land officials about the project. The TCK memorandum also alleges that the mayor lobbied against the project and directed preparation of the draft resolution listing reasons to reject the proposal. Eide, who represents the city, says many of TCK's statements are unsupported. He ad- mits Blomquist's lease for space in Federal Land's Yankee Square shopping center was "definitely below market," but he says that's because Federal Land wanted to help the fledgling video business develop into a tenant for its Town Centre mall. That's what hap- pened, he says, and "there's nothing unusual about the Town Centre lease." Continued on next page Page 32 Pace 8 Continued from previous page Even if the TCK allegations about the mayor are true, Eide continues, that wouldn't amount to a legally recognized conflict of in- terest. He says state law specifiies a "straightforward financial interest in the vote;' and he says none exists in this case. What's more, he says TCK's zoning and guide plan changes would've lacked sufficient votes for approval even without Blomquist's vote. As for Robert Hoffman, the TCK memorandum states he has been involved in both the TCK lawsuit and in projects by TCK competitors. It states that Hoffman —tea part- ner with the Larkin, Hoffman, Lin- dgren Daly law firm — has acted as the city's "special council" and his firm' at - has represented four of the seven people orneys say won't comply with depositions. Hoffman, law partner Jack F. Daly and businessman Ed Finke own most of the 90-acre Cliff Lake project site, northwest of Interstate 35E and Cliff Lake Road. Hoffman is also the father of the three brrd Hoffman in- cluding Patrick Hoffman, Minnesota Real Estate Journal RETAIL CONT. Development, co -developer of the mixed -use project. Planning Commis- sion Eagan Advisory g sion is set to consider plans Oct. 27 for pehase a one of the $100 million Cliff Lake project: 325,000 square foot retail center: The memorandum says TCK suspects Larkin free Hoffman might beg g deponents legal services to delay the TCK suit pending action on Cliff Lake. argues that Hoff- man TCK memorandum man should not have been involved in deliberations and decisions involving Diffley Center, and says Hoffman made inaccurate representations that contributed to its denial. "Hoffman ... has a strong interest ing and preventing discovery (of evidence). Target Stores, which has been one of the an- chors for (TCK's) proposal, has indicated its intent to develop a facility on his Cliff Lake propertyif it obtains necessary approvals by the city," the memorandum states. Eide confirms that Hoffman recommend- ed against approving residential -to - commercial zoning changes pending the out- Eberhardt Our Product is Service come of a previous lawsuit. (That suit, filed by developer R.J. O'Neil in October 1985, similarly charged the Eagan City Council with unfairly rejecting a zoning change. At- torneys for both sides have tried unsuccessful- ly to reach an out -of -court settlement.) But Eide says the city never acted on Hoff- man's recommendation. "It's clear the city never adopted such a policy.." During one public hearing, Eide adds, Hoffman did argue that it would who hadunf itpto him and other land owners — carrying costs for years — if the city approved new commercial zones. Eide says that's the only Hoffman opposition to the TCK pro- posal on record. It will probably be several veldays before e ft last judge rules on the arguments week's hearing. But Eide says the city wants to see attention refocused on the initial charge that the city. council was "arbitrary and capricious." If we can get back to that;' Eide says, "I think we can resolve this lawsuit'Marray 1*4 At Eberhardt we bring people together - buyer and seller ... investor and investment property owner landlord and tenant...lender and developer. We don't sell you, we help you - find the right property ... the right financing ... _-:..►,. i.,r•atinn or the. right tenant Ltd. between JMB Realty and a group October 12, 1987 Negotiations continue on Cadillac Fairview deals Toronto — A pair of transactions that will divide Toronto -based Cadillac Fairview led by a top Cadillac Fairview off►c►al ar moving closer to consummation, according to a company spokesman. i John Garner, public relations department manager for the multi -billion dollar Canadian development firm, says the sale of Cadillac Fairview's U.S. and Canadian shopping centers and its Canadian ofis fice holdings ld �gs to to Chicago -based JMB Realty close Nov. 2. JMB, which has an interest in the Pipe Piper Jaf- fray Tower in downtown Minneapolis, agreed May 8 to buy all common shares of Cadillac Fairview stock for about $2 billion (U.S.). Shareholders are expected to approve the of- fer at a special meeting set for Oct. 26 in Toronto. on Garner says Cadillac Fairview's price the Toronto Stock Exchange had been well below JMB's offering price of about $34 per share (Canadian). But apparent growth in in- vestor confidence regarding the impending JMB deal had pushed the puce to more than $33 per share as this edition went to press. At the same time, Cadillac Fairview of- ficials are negotiating the sale of all of the firm's U.S. office, mixed -use and ess park properties, ybland,an investor group headed developable president of Cadillac Fairview's Dallas office and mixed -use development sub- sidiary. Shortly after the JMB announcement in May, Prentiss and his joint verdure partner, Copley Real Estate Advisors (an affiliate of The New England, formerly New Enlad Mutual Life Insurance Co.), agreed $450 to pay Garner sfnoor thclosing dat has been set tor say the Prentiss/Copley transaction, but he says that deal is also nearing agreement. Cadillac Fairview officials, meanwhile, continue to maintain that the firm's ownership changes will have no impact on plans to develop the $100 million, 1.125 million square foot Woodale regional retail center in urv. ,.• Touch TONY JOHNSON, son of the Rev. Tom and Jo Johnson of Eagan, was presented with an award of achievement from Mayor Bea Blomquist and the city council. • Johnson recently won the national fencing 'comp`etition for the 19-and-under age group in Phoenix, Ariz. Johnson'will attend the University of Wisconsin in the fall. • • • Welcome Wagon to hold coffee, party The Eagan Welcome Wagon in- vites any new residents to a cof- fee party Wednesday, July.15 at 7 p.m. in the lower level meeting room of the. Eagan: Library 1340. Wescott Rd. • 3 The Eagan Welcome Wagon of- fern ._area residents:- a 'Chance • to ::• come and meet their neighbors,- - become informed about coh mun :.4 ' ity and professional services and,: • receive gifts from local mer- • chants: For more information, call Ellen Nelson at 454-2750 or - Shirley boyce at 431,1710. EPOSIT MUM., ILABLE.! - • board' bv1ef1ng Fee may address high school parking problem • 'Too many vehicles and a need for supervision in District 196 high school parking lots -may lead to a parking fee of $40 a year to be in ef- fect by this .fall. - • 'The District 196'Board of Education asked staff to look into the problems with parking at.the overcrowded high schools. Staff came back With a report' at the board's July 6 meeting. • '"We've essentially out of space,.. Director of Secondary Education John. Hanson said. Therefore, he is proposing a .parking fee for students. The fee would be $40 a year, $30. for two trimesters or $20 forone trimester;to•fund the cost of hiring a security supervisor.. • A supervisor would do all of the•administrative paperwork involb- ed with the fees and issuance of permits, would patrol the lots to make sure each vehicle has a sticker., watch for students hiding in cars during school and report any incidents, check for things such as lights left on and generally prevent possible vandalism and keep the students' vehicles safe. Hanson Said he hopes that themere presence of a supervisor would put a stop to any problems now occurring in the crowded lots. The permits would. be issued with priority given to -seniors, to students who must leave school early to work, to juniors and then to sophomores: :If'space is not available'for permits requested, a lottery would be used. • A few designated' spaces in the lots would •be for visitor parking freeof charge, for students who purchase one -day parking permits for an appointment, for example; and for employee parking. When making the parking fee'guidelines, staff -looked into what other area schools do, Schools such as,Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins and Minnetonka all have. a security service .and charge $36 to $40 as an annual parking fee. ' - Some board members expressed concern about • seeing a half empty lot -because students will not be ,willing to pay a parking fee.: "The public has paid for the lot already;" board chairman Bill Smith • said; adding that he is philosophically opposed to a fee, - Board member'Donn McLellan said he liked the parking fee idea: • "This is part of the real world,".he said; adding that everyone has to .'. pay topark these days. "I hate to,seeus start charging a fee for, our students," board. member•Don Westerhausen said. "It would really be:a,hardship on • them to pay 'an additional fee.", • .. • • . Staff 'suggested that the item be on the -next meeting's consent agenda July 2o. If approved, the board would•re-evaluate the parking . foa nrnaram when F.aaan Hiah Srhnnl nnens in tom^ r 11 of 1Q60Q when _� A DIGEST OF NEW • Lame duck officials. criticized -for trip.; Two losers in Eagan's November election traveled to Las Vegas at city expense for -a ' national conference. - The travel by Mayor Bea Blomquist and: city council member James Smith was criti- cized as a waste .of 'public money by Eagan Mayor -elect Vic Ellison; who is a city council - member and political rival of Blomquist. Lame duck mayors and . council meinbers . from St. Paul, Roseville and Cottage Grove• - also planned to attend the National.League of Cities convention. - The cost to- the public. for the trips varies, from city to city, but is •generally in range of $800 to $1,000 a person. • The Dakota county Pi - i is" aaiiy editionthat airport •wasthe of,the Building inspector is fu'ed AM and PM Pioneer Press Dispatch: ;it stresses "-, coverage of events and issues Important to e A West St Paulth building inspector hastbeen residents of Dakota county. Max Schneiderman . . • the set Suggested retail: $1,245 includes an 18" leaf. i mechanism and are . Mastercard/Visa Accepted ' Financing Available/Free Delivery eiderman's tion of Hwy. 7 4. 101): 612/04-8328 • to 43% 0 Gigantic Carpet Sale .. . • Weardated' Nylon - Moodmaker ' Scotchgard" treated. Reg, $31. Sale $17.99 sq. yd. installed. • Dacron- Polyester - Softly Suede. Reg. $36. Sale $20.99 sq. yd. installed. ,'' • Dupont StainmasterC." • - Ev.eningMagic. Reg. $35. - Sale $19.99 sq: yd. installed.. • Anso V` Worry Free - ' Fantasy. Reg. $38. - Sale $25.99 sq. yd. installed. Sale includes'normal installation and padding. Sale ends Dec. 26th. JCPenney Custom Decorating DUPONT CIRi1IIID STAINMASTER ., Ott appolntr Percentages off represent savings from regular prices. Call JCPenney Custom Decorating for your free at-home no -obligation appointment: Brookdale. Burnsville Southdale Ridgedale Rosedale. Skyway . . Sun Ray, 566-1520 435-7928 920-7240 ' 544-0199 636-2404 375-9101,' 735-5711 • After store hours call: 338-6670 - •1;:i .. Lme4ucks flock° to Vegas meeting' Cities will pick up the tabs By Bruce Orwell Staff Writer . Lame duck city officials in a number of St. Paul -area communi- ties Will travel at public:expense to La's:. Vegas for a national confer- ence next week, despite the fact • they go out of office :at:the;end of the month. • InwEagan, travel plans.for Mayor -Bea Blomquist and t'City' Council ,.member' James Smith have been criticized`as a waste of public.mon- ey. Blomquist and. Smith lost re- election bids in November. But retiring St: Paul council member Chris Nicosia and some defeated incumbents, including Roseville Mayor Donn Wiski and Cottage Grove council member Glen Brown, also areg plannin to, attend the, National League of Cit- ies convention that will begin Sat- urday. The outgoing officials cite a ya-, riety of reasons forhoecanceling their conference plans; .ranging from their own -political ambitions to their view that such trips are at least partly a. reward for public has nothing to• gain from atten- dance at the League of Cities meet- ing by officials who are ending their political careers. City officials from .around the country attend the annual meeting to exchange information about common problems and attend sem- inars on topics ranging from eco- & homic..development to hazardous waste management. Anne Higgins, a .spokeswoman for the :Minnesota League of Cities, said some will also serve on panels that develop the organization's lobbying posi- tions. Smith, a 15-year veteran of the Eagan council, said he views the National League of Cities meeting , as part • education, part "token reward for services rendered" on the coniicil: He never has attended. one in the past. Blomquist serves on a National League of Cities committee deal-, -uig'with airport noise and said she feels a responsibilityto attend. But Ellison said Blomquist should pay her own way. "I think it's inappropriate that elected offi-. service. ; . • ; n cials who are leaving office are' The cost,to;the3public for the . traveling around the country at: —trips varies,from.city, to city,..but is' , taxpayers' expense,". he said.. Ab 'generally $800 to'$1,000 a:person, ...-.,solutely-_no .public •purpose: can'.be-. Eagan Mayor -elect Vic Ellison, served by their taking this trip." a council member and political ri- Ellison told Blomquist and Smith val of. Blomquist,, said the public Please see Conference/4B •' .• ' , .• • 4 YG 4VJ'G4 W 1411 LIlG l4GQ Vl U'J(.l ' } ' Luas a.. • Savior said he was confronted by three street gang members twice on Feb. 22 and that one youth pulled a gun and another showed a knife before he. shot at ,, them. No one was injured in the incident. St. Thomas. gets NW Bell grant The College of • St. Thomas announced on Monday the establishment of a Northwestern Bell Chair in In- ternational Management to strengthen the college's international programs. A gift from Northwestern Bell, a US WEST compa- ny, has funded almost three-quarters of the $1 million • . chair, which will be used to support a professorship and related programs, a college official said. countries. IIlonsigrior Ter the gift comes w efforts to add at and student body, Youth why • DULUTH — F� luth boy tried as er this year, was Court in Duluth ti tional Facility in motor vehicle ani Crandall admi last month and 1 Bouza, NRA gun control debate will be broadcast Associated Press WASHINGTON — Minneapo- lis Police Chief Tony Bouza has taken on the National Rifle As- sociation in a soon -to -be -aired debate over handgun controls, a contest complete with finger - pointing and name-calling. A debate in Washington dur- ing the taping of a nationally syndicated television show over the weekend grew heated, as Bouza blasted opponents of gun - control laws for their "lunacy." The "law of the jungle" would prevail, he said, in the absence of national handgun controls. Not known for passivity, the NRA didn't back down in the taping session. Ted Lattanzio, a top NRA official, accused the Minneapolis chief of "emotion- alism and distortion of,fact." The installment of ."Headlines on Trial" will be broadcast in about three weeks. Council takes actin By Jeann Linsley Staff Writer • The South St. Paul 'City Council . on Monday took the first official step toward reviving the aging Ar- mour & Co. meatpacking plant site, which hasbecome known,as pride in the: economic development of our community," said,Kenneth: Nelson, president of Drovers First. American Bank of South St. Paul. Nelson urged the council to ap- prove the money and applauded the city's efforts to attract . indus- Conference Continued from Page 1B at a recent council meeting that he .- was concerned about the, appear- ance the trip would create.. "I suggested to both of them that they cancel their plans," Ellison said. "They didn't think much of my recommendation." Blomquist and , Smith said they .would gladly share with the council printed materials they bring back from the meeting, and will brief council members on seminars they find especially valuable. "It"depends on what workshops I go to and who will listen. to me when I get back," Smith said. Tom Hedges, Eagan city admin- istrator, did not criticize the two Eagan officials. "That's an awkward one for me," said Hedges, who reports to the council. "They know they're off the council. They know they're'not going` . to be serving after this year." If a city staff member were re- tiring, Hedges said he -would .al- most certainly refuse to pick up the tab for that person's convention plans. "I'd question it, and I would bestrict on it," he said. - Hedges added that, although the $1,500-plus seems a relatively small sum, every penny counts in Eagan. "We have budget con- straints, real severe budget con- straints," he said. In St. Paul, Nicosia, who re- signed his council seat, hinted that he may run for mayor in the fu- ture. The information he picks up at the conference will be useful if he attempts a return to public life, he said. Nicosia, who said he has been se- lective in taking trips paid for by the city, said his motive isn't per- sonal. "Let's say I run for. a higher of- fice within city government," Ni= cosia said. "Whatever I can learn when I'm gone is something I can bring to the table. I have given the city three good terms, have worked very hard, and I am looking very seriously at continuing. to help my city in the years ahead. "I want to stay in tune right up to the last day,". he added. "I feel I'm kind of positioning myself for something." . �either Mayor George Latimer no -,council member Am Scheibel — the only *other St. Paul city off i- cials attending the conference — begrudged Nicosia's trip at city ex- pense. ` "I have a high level of deference for the City Council in how it con- ducts its business," Latimer said. "It's really their business." Scheibel, chairman of the League of City's human resources committee, agreed the decision to attend rested with each city offi- cial. "If I was a lame duck I would still go to the conference because I'm chairman of a committee," he said. "Cities should be represented there. It's nice to have a show of support from St. Paul people." Glen Brown, the Cottage Grove council member, said he hasn't, heard any complaints about his plans. Brown has served the city 30 years on the town board, council and a variety of committees, and has already applied for a planning commission vacancy since his elec- tion defeat in November. Wiski couldn't be reached for comment. Staff Writer Thomas J,!- Collins contrib- uted to this report. ' ' II `Losers' By Beth Gauper Staff Writer When the rapacious cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul come after the suburbs' state aid this year, says. Eagan Mayor Bea Blomquist, they will find the sub- urbs ready to do battle... , "I. felt .last year like we had been had," she said. "This year I said, no more — we will not be had again." The Eagan City Council last week joined the Munic- ipal Legislative Commission, a brand-new group of 14 suburbs, previously known as members of the "losers' club." Each city will contribute a quarter per citizen for a lobbyist to champion their cause in the state Legislature, which will;convene March 6. A commis- sion committee has recommended that the Blooming - club aims to .be winriersforstate aid' Bloomington, retained Capitol Hill Associates. "We didn't understand they were going to take away. state aid until it was almost too late," Blomquist said. "We still got in there and fought tooth and nail., I think we would have lost a lot more if we hadn't, and we' spurred other cities to go along with us." i Eagan lost; $163,000 of the aid it had expected. .Burnsville lost $267,000. over 1982 and Bloomington 'lost $722,000. 'They will be joined in the new group by Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, Edina, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Roseville, Shore- view, White Bear Lake and Woodbury. , We didn't understand they were going to take away state aid until it was almost too late. We still got in there and fought tooth and nail. —Eagan Mayor Bea Blomquist ii ton law firm of Larkin, Hoffman, Daly'& Lindgren be hired. A forerunner of the group actually was started last spring, when Blomquist looked at computer printouts of the effect the state -aid formula would have on Eagan and called Burnsville Mayor Connie Morrison. They/agreed the cities should hire a lobbyist and, with The mayors and administrators of each city will get together for a meeting and dinner Monday. Legisla- tors will be invited. The group, Blomquist says, wants to counter the im- NeighborhooPioneer ds/southwest pression some legislators have that everyone in the suburbs is rich. When she tried to testify to that effect at'a committee hearing last year, she said, 'she was virtually ignored,. "I get to the point where I resent it when people say, `You're such a wealthy,. area, you can afford the little things,' " she said. "It's not fair to fund one city whert� others are struggling and growing. Our needs are.no' different. Maybewe don't have alleys to plow in th winter, but basically there's not a whole lot of differ ence. Maybe they're trying to rebuild roads, but we're, trying to put in new ones." Under the present formula, she.said, Eagan will get. no state aid at all by 1986. "I think it's just plain selfish greed," she said. "They're going to look out only for themselves, and that philosophy doesn't set well with me." ® Apple Valley Burnsville' Castle .Rock Wednesday, Jan. 25, 1984/ 1 SW * Eagan * Farmington Empire' *Lakeville Eureka Rosemount r"‘ 2SW St. Paul Dispatch Wednesday, Jan. 25, 1984 Budget hike is not as bad as it looks, city official says By Scott Carlson Staff Writer An 11 percent or $990,000 in- crease in South St. Paul's budget for 1984 isn't as bad as it looks," says City Recorder Charles McDermott. "What is misleading is our sewer bill from the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission went up $520,000," McDermott said. McDermott's comments came after the City Council last week adopted a $10.7 million budget. The metro agency is in charge of treating wastes before they are re- leased into the Mississippi River South St. Paul lion, of the city's 1984 budget will go to the police and fire depart- ments. Other appropriations in- clude: $1.1 million for general ex- penditures, $3,000 for civil defense, $193,000 for library, $370,000 for parks, $654,000 for street repair, $235,000 for Wakota Arena, $51,000 for diseased tree control and $33,000 for the municipal air- port. Minutes after adopting the 1984 budget, the council approved spending $52,000 in revenue -shar- ing funds. That includes $22,000 on take statements wit Informal Eagan Council interviews nixed Eagan will not allow it's 1988 City Council to convene informally. next month to interview applicants for a vacant council seat. City Administrator Tom Hedges asked the council Tuesday to let the incoming council meet with de- clared candidates in mid -Decem- ber. That would have allowed the 1988 council to fill the vacancy at it's first meeting next year. The vacancy was caused when, council member Vic Ellison was elected mayor earlier. this month. Hedges said that January is typi- cally a busy month for city govern- ment and it would be advantageous to have a new council member on board as soon as possible. But council member Tom Egan, who will remain on the council in 1988, argued that December is also a hectic month, and fitting in inter- views would be difficult. - - Egan and Mayor Bea Blomquist, who was defeated in the general election, voted against the plan. El- lison and council member Ted Wachter voted for it, while council member James Smith, who was also defeated earlier this month, abstained. The deadlock on • the council meant that the plan was defeated. The 1988 councilnow plans to in- terview candidates sometime in January._ Joe Rossi/Staff Photographer ce 111 Chicago, said the agency has been considering filing the suit for two years. None was filed before, he said, because Koch has been nego- tiating with the state Pollution Control Agency about the viola- tions since early 1984. "There have been ongoing nego- tiations because they have not been in compliance since a month after the permit was granted," Dismukes said. "Some people nego- tiate to buy time. Perhaps they need a bigger stick upside their head." Kim Carraway, a Koch spokes- woman at the company's head- quarters in Wichita, Kan., said Tuesday, "Most of the exceedances la Lc allu a LLV114:11 L. 111Cy JUVl1111 have challenged those before the permit was issued, not after some- body says, No, you are not in compliance.' " Carraway said none of the dis- charges that violated the permit standards were detrimental to the environment. But Velasco, who discovered many of the violations during an inspection earlier this year, said hexavalent chromium, sulfide, un- ionized ammonia and phenolic compounds all are toxic to aquatic life, and some are acutely toxic. The lawsuit also alleges the company dumped excessive amounts of oil and grease, violated Small-business owners given forum for action By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer Former Eagan Councilmem- ber Mark Parranto told about 80 people who attended the organi- zational meeting of the Eagan Small Business Association that the association was borne out of frustration and concern that the Former council • member serves as moderator City Council no longer listens to the business community. - Bea Blomquist, former Eagan mayor, also attended the meet- ing. Parranto was the meeting moderator. "I've sat on the opposite side of the table. They won't listen unless -we're a forceful group who will make our case in a con- structive manner," Parranto said. - Business owners were asked to serve on one of the subcom- mittees or to organize a subcom= mittee of their choice. These are some of the issues the associa- tion wants to address: • street assessments and de- sign' standards policy. - • land use and zoning changes. • the potential impact of a proposed Central Area Ring Road and its assessments. • business property tax ap- BUSINESS: To Page 12A —wurnenetit you as your investment knowledge and portfolio grows. • Keynote Speaker Mark Hulbert - Hulbert Financial°Digest FULL REGISTRATION • Includes 4 learning tracks, 7 seminars, workshops, computer labs, 6 complete meals, 6 presentations, corporate exhibits, mini -presentations, prizes, plus A ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP TO • THE NAIL. June 16-18 $23000 • SATURDAY ONLY Including -seminars & meals June 17 $14000 SUNDAY ONLY Including seminars & meals June 18 $11000 Ca11 Jerry Cooper (612) 431-2476 for additional informationOlin 'NM IIII EMI I When legislators ende t em- When ende t eir 1995 session, they had approved a highway funding bill adequate only for maintaining existing, roads, say Met Council officials and legislators. New- federal laws disallow listing projects for federal fund- ing that don't have the state match money included. "They want to try and avoid wish lists from states," said Na- talio Diaz, the director of trans- portation for the Met Council. So that means the list 'will "no longer _ include.' two projects viewed by southern suburban rec e o buses to quickly get commuters toand from downtown jobs. . While that may help, legisla- ' tors agree it isn't a long-term so- lution to what planners say will continue to be a growing conges- tion problem. • It's accepted that that 'can come only with revamped, wider highways that likely will include some form of Light Rail Transit (LRT). Bloomington legislators said few — if any — legislators in St. Paul fail to recognize the state is falling behind on highway infra-_. but few will vote to in- ]et; ls, 11e said. said. Rep. Kevin Knight, IR-40B, issued a warning to his col- leagues. "It's important for us to act soon," he said. "My reading is the mood in Washington, D.C., is to send more things back to state, but- not always include a check..". That makes the political grid- lock over paying for highway im- provements — with a sprinkle of LRT debate thrown in — all the more frustrating for commuters, truckers, and businesses while the debate continues. And all. Bloomin: on le: •sla- 1 i DAKOTA WEST REVIEW: Lawsuit moves to City buys ,armory land • Inver Grove Heights>s joining forces city council hall with the Minnesota,National Guard to get On Jan. 5, District Judge Jack Mitchell the Guard a new,armand get the city ory' to take a lawsuit out of his Hastings some new.meeting rooms and recreation plansg facilities. ' courtroom and into the Eagan City Coun- cil chambers in search of a settlement. Mitchell took the unusual step after halting a day -old trial in a lawsuit chal- lenging a zoning decision. Settlement talks in that case and two others involv- ing the same parties sputtered for days as attorneys tried to negotiate with•the pres- ent Eagan City Council. With a new council taking office in Jan- uary, Mitchell delayed the trial indefi- nitely and announced plans to haul his court reporter to Eagan to wait while the attorneys wrangle with the city's new po- litical leaders. The city paid $200;260.for.6.46 acres at Babcock Trail and''80tht Street. The land was owned by Thomas' and Karen Metzen and James and SandraMetzen. The city plans lo deed, thie+property to the Minnesota State,Armory Building Commission and pay for:a''portion of the construction costs of'an,armory building. In return, the city, will get to lease the. building for city and community activi- ties. The Dakota County Final.is a -daily 'edition of the AM and PM Pioneer Press Dispatch. It stresses coverage of events and issues im- portant to the residents of Dakota County. rs e_ n you r only rmo.P&I r for a Reggie Ining;home NTY ESTATES 6800 �ltlO WIP P IN II IO CO,SO` • Good Housekeeping. • -••901.1IS-. cl g,Cfllf Yl OI'PI IUIO II Ol1l` �'ir■ - ■� ■ on our 24-piece portrait package now only re '1.10x13Wall Portrait plus 2.8x10s,3.5x7s; 95 $24.95 15 wallets and 3 portrait charms ' YOUR CHOICE of a traditional nurse No Sitting Fee! nursery, �. Ispring or fall background , . `'Gidudes sz.00 deposit ' No appointment necessary. Use your Sears Credit Card or DiscoveiCardl Adults'& families welcome. Each additional person S2.00 in addition to the package price. Poses our selection. White and Black 'Backgrounds;' Double Feature and other Special Effects Portraits not available in,advertised package. Not combinable with any other advertised offer. Offer is void where prohibited, taxed, or licensed by ' t ' law. Cash value 1 /204. Also available: Instant Color Passport Photos and Copy & Restoration. 1 ••approximate size 5. 1 ' Speeial,Ioffer good through January 9,-1988 I Studio hours Sun. Store hours (where store Is open); Mon. -Sat•. Store _ -. ,e gj 1' ' opening until one"hour prior to store dosing. • „, /�Mv [Q�"vS�n��0�� Metb RS IIIIII i PRESENT COUPON ATTIME OF SITTING `O .� L (If aza. coundll pllzaz olly :llneeriirra , .5a..1 (II By Bruce Orwell Staff Writer Eagan's new City Council, the one that doesn't formally convene until January, would meet unoffi- cially in December to interview candidates for a vacant council seat under a plan before the cur- rent council tonight. The purpose of .the meeting would be to fill council member Vic Ellison's seat, which is vacant because of Ellison's recent ascen- sion to the job of mayor. The public meeting would include council member -elect David Gustafson, who- won a . seat in November's election, but -,not current Mayor 17 Bea Blomquist and council mem- ber James Smith, .who were both defeated. - City Administrator Thomas Hedges said the plan is a time -sav- ing maneuver designed to get the new council, moving quickly in Jan- uary Because the present council can't select a new council member under the city's charter, Hedges wants to advertise the position and complete interviews before the ,new council is in plce. That way, the new city council will be able to select its fifth mem- ber at the first meeting in January, Please see Eagan/2B would lessen public accountability of elected officials for the appoint- ment of judges. CORRECTION An article in some editions of the Saturday Pioneer Press Dispatch incorrectly reported the allega- tions made in a lawsuit filed in connection with an Amtrak train derailment. ` The suit, filed by a passenger on the train, alleges the Oct. 9, 1986, ' accident occurred near Fall River, Wis., "in an•attempt to get Amtrak trains to run on time." Amtrak and the Soo Line Railroad Co. were named as defendants. The lawsuit does not state that the crew disregarded the safety. of passengers in an attempt .to keep tle train on time. a k,rOS6n • A 28:year-old Wisconsin `woman? "de was killed Monday morning after the car she was driving collided tic head-on ; with a van in southeast Dakota County, authorities said. of Rachelle T. Tooke, of 3137 S. sti 25th St., La Crosse, Wis., was. dead W; at the scene of the accident at 7:04 of, a.m., a State Patrol spokesman • said. The driver of the van, John Francis Anderson, 36, of Minneton- ka, suffered possible minor injuries but was not hospitalized, authori- tiessaid. The accident occurred on Minne- sota Highway 50 about a half -mile from Minnesota Highway 60 in dii Douglas Township. Authorities said Tooke's 1981 Datsun drifted across Pi the center line while heading west da on Hwy. 50 and collided with a sp 1984 Chevrolet van driven by An- of no w� p.i inl Sh th RI Eagan Continued from Page 1B immediately after Ellison and Gus- tafson are sworn in. If the council approves the plan, Hedges said the city would soon ' advertise the council vacancy in a local newspaper. The new council — Ellison, Gus- tafson, Ted Wachter and Tom Egan — would then meet in mid - December to interview the candi.- dates. No official action could be taken at that meeting. Hedges said the plan is neces- sary because January is typically a busy month for city government. The council needs to make organi- zational decisions, make appoint- ments to city commissions, decide on a newspaper to carry the city's legal advertising and other mat- ters. "If you wait and do it in Janu- ary, you're kind of doing a disser- vice to the city," he said. "To have to delay any of those decisions, or' make them without.a full council, may not be in the best interests of - everybody." Sco Ily mobile medical student at the Univerl I up 1,860 Memorial Stadium s 2 steps in each of 30 aisles, he tones his muscles for triath PAGE 6C. Eagan Council Acts. On long List Of Topics By MARILEE MOERSCHEL Staff Writer EAGAN -- A loaded agenda and packed council chambers kept the Eagan council busy un- til after one o'clock in the morn- ing at its July 15 meeting. The insurance bid for the city was awarded to Valley View, Inc. at a cost of $29,739. Agent Bruce Medvec drew up the plan which includes a workman's compensation variable plan with Home Insurance and -an um- brella package with Midland Insurance. Tax abatements presented by the Dakota County assessors office were approved by the council, after determining that some of the property included was owned by the metro zoo. Police Chief Martin Des- Lauriers reported that there were parking problems in the vicinity of the tennis courts and swimming pool on Surrey Heights Dr. He recommended posting a 30 m.p.h. speed limit in the area. The resolution was approved for both the summer and winter months because of ice during the winter. DesLauriers also asked for and was given, authorization to con- duct a speed survey of High Sight Dr., Sherman Ct., and Maurice Dr. for posting. A bid for a front-end loading tractor to be used by the utility department, was awarded to Carlson Tractor of Rosemount at a cost of $11,387. John Voss, city planner, ap- peared to ask the council to make application for funds from Law - con, a state natural resource grant fund, for two city projects. A two-mile walkway between Rahn School and Thomas Lake was the first project discussed. Eagan's share of the project was an estimated $26,000. Ac- quisition of 50 acres north of Northview School, to be used as an athletic field, was also sug- gested. Twenty-five percent of the cost would be paid by the city. Council members agreed to look into the matter. After approving the "top of the hill" location for the play area in Blackhawk Park, described in a previous article, council mem- bers gave approval to accept the concept plans for several park improvements and to advertise for bids. The projects are in- cluded in the new park contract and include the following, as outlined by Eldon Hugeland: PILOT KNOB PARK in Tim- berlin -.an area for jogging and na rre study with a pond as the main recreational feature, at a cost of $27.000. BLACKHAWK PARK - Pipe- line, curbing and catch basin for the entrance to the park at a cost of $2,000; and a sandbox play area costing $8,600. EVERGREEN PARK - tnls courts and an al; -purpose court for badminAc,,n, volley ball and basketball, and a tennis court at OAK CHASE PARK at a cost of $19,000. RAHN PARK - Work to rectify the step wall danger at a cost of $4,000. Several pieces of unfinished business were settled by the council. The application of General Coatings, Inc. for a building per- mit was granted with several provisions set forth by the plan- ning commission. The 26'x102' storage building can be built after the company submits a letter of intent, including the provisions set forth, plus a per- formance bond, to the council. The council gave its approval to American Fruit and Produce Co. to build a warehouse addi- tion after hearing a letter stat- ing the company's intent to remedy some situations that had caused complaints from resi- dents living near the company. The council had previously de- nied the request and asked for the letter after hearing the com- plaints. In the letter, the company stated that use of the loud speakers had been discontinued during late hours; the lights on buildings had been adjusted; and trucks were being parked on the premises as much as possi- blq. Cot`11j'rany_ treasurer, Sheldon Levin, agreed to. meet with neighbors if there_ problems to be discussed. —Bob Losinski, 2899 Fairlawn Place, said that he felt the company had at last decided to become good neighbors. An application for a building permit for an addition for ban- quet facilities at Vogi's on High- way 13 was also approved. Univac was granted a tem- porary two-day beer license and asked that a policeman be on duty at the softball tournament it was conducting. Councilman James Smith asked that organi- zations not be checked on for the license unless they were ques- tionable, to cut down on the cost of issuance. Roger Martin, 4435 Oak Chase Rd., was temporarily bailed out of a damp situation when he asked the council's aid in divert- ing water from the pond on which his home is located. The council agreed to authorize a temporary solution and look into a long-term solution if needed. Pumping the water, which had risen nine feet to within a short distance of Martin's home, to a larger pond nearby was sug- gested as the most likely solu- tion. Bea Blomquist, another resi- dent. on the pond, objected to adopting any long-term solution that would result in costly as- sessments to others on the pond, as Martin was the only resident on a low lot. John Klein, asked council members if the city had looked into a shoreline study. He won- dered if the city would bail out all the homeowners who built too low; how much it would cost the taxpayers and how long they would put up with it. Mrs. Elizabeth Bassett's re- quest for a cost study for ex- tension of sewer trunk to her property was approved. The council agreed when it was shown that the line could come from Cedar Ave. and residents in Slater's Acres would not be affected. Mrs. Bassett, who plans to build homes for the handicapped, had been told previously that the council would probably reject any study because of the opposi- tion of Slater's Acre residents. The loss of several 80-foot oak trees and a 20-foot deep cut at the edge of her property, causing the exposure of the roots of trees which can't be replaced and which, she maintains, has destroyed the value of her land, prompted Mrs. Harvey Braun to appear before the council to ask for help with the problem. ' Mrs. Braun said she didn't know if the city contractor, McGrand & Frovarp, or the de- velopers of Pilot Knob Heights had caused the damage. She told the council that she had signed an easement just so the trees wouldn't be touched. Robert Rosene, city engineer, said that the contractors were new to the city and had adequate recommendations when hired. The council was told that the Brauns would meet with their attorney, the contractor, and Rosene at the site to work out an agreement. The question of letting storm sewers drain into lakes without notice to the owners was also brought up by Mrs. Braun. Rosene responded that the water has always gone into the lakes, but when developments are built, it's necessary to build storm sewers. He also suggested to the council that it should con- sider controlled -outlet drainage for ponds to maintain water levels. John Klein, as project director of Urban Council on Mobility, commented on a report to the sub -committee to the transpor- tation advisory board prepared by Eagan. Theodore Wachter had been chosen to represent Eagan, but Klein said that not all communi- ti asked for a representative. Burnsville and Apple Valley would be represented, sharing a committee member, after a re- quest that they be represented. Klein said that he thought the committee "was stacked." The council also approved mo- tions to advertise for bids on August 18 at 3 p.m. for improve- ments on Ridgeview Acres and Wilderness Run Road and on August 12 at 3 p.m, for seal coating for several city streets. es in Dakota County had been IL II•Ia run. Eagan Council Takes No Action On Letter 8��`�' 3y MARILEE•MOEttSCHEL Staff Writer EAGAN -- No action was taken by the. Eagan Council Tuesday. evening in- response to, a. letter. from .the ,Metro, Waste, • Control, Commission which asked the city council to fake some `; immediate.. steps" of its'own.�.The letter was t. in response to one sent •to the MWCC and the Minnesota Pollu- ` tion Control Agency by the Eagan 'Council •when Eagan citizens, who could smell strong, odors from the Seneca plant, ap- pealed to the council for help. In its fetter, the city council, said it• would not consider ap=' proval of conditional use permits for the use of property in the area of the Seneca plant if the odor problem was not cleared up. The MWCC letter read to the council by Alyce Bolke, asked council, among' other things, to "take immediate steps" to pro- vide the commission with a sur- vey and summation on industrial wastes corning from Eagan in- dustries. The commission acknowledged the fact that Eagan residents had complained and stated that it had investigated each and every com- plaint.. In some. instances, • the MWCC could substantiate the . claim, and in many cases, it was not able to. "The commission undertook a • number of studies of the pro- blem," the fetter went on, "and in action Aug. • 5, had authorized preparation of ,plans to provide covers and air pollution control equipment over grit chambers.. "The valise of odors is com- plex," the letter noted. In the, MWCC's opinion; most of the pro-. 'blems-Were'caiised'by industrial' wastes and it was now'investigat- ing the discharge of various con- tributors, including the City of •Eagan. In regard to Eagan's, intention not to allow more development at the Seneca plant, tiie letter stated that the MWCC 'considered such action punitive and contrary to the objective's :of the`'council. It went on to state that it considered a 'punitive stance unconducive to the elimination' of the problem. The letter pointed out that charge of ,exceptional .wastes is the responsibility of the city and the city does have the responsibility to. carry out: com- mission rules and regulations which limits discharge: The city was then asked to -in- vestigate all industries in the city to determinc if they• are, within the limits. • • • The. MWCC letter concluded that it was doing its part by !`pro: ceeding.with concern and timely action 'to. eliminate •the odor pro- blem." It further .asked im- mediate action on its request for continuing development east of the present planned site. Changes. Sought HASTINGS -- The Dakota County Government Study Com- mission voted Monday evening to recommend that the; county change to a "chairman -at -large with administrator" form of, goy` ernment. That plan, ,which would ball. for the, chan:Man, of. the.,.board of commissioners. to' `be -elected t- Iarg&from -the whole county, ,re- ceived nine 'votes. The chairman • 'is presently elected from and by. the board. The. other'inain,'pro- posal, which would have'involved a strong county manager position and the elimination of 'several elective, offices;' received —four - votes. There' were two absten- tions. The study commission also re - 'commended that the . county board : be', expanded.- from five members to, seven, which would require;' a new `census and :re- districting, and that the offices Of', 'treasurer and auditor be com- bined. The commission further suggested that the offices of auditor -treasurer, sheriff, re- gister of deeds and county at- torney remain elective offices. ..Ray Wheeler, chairman of the commission, said the recommen- dation will now be presented. to the county:board, which will pro- bably call for a .referendum on the proposal. All, 15 members of the' study commission were present •at the Aug. 18•meeting. Voting in favor of the' chairman -at -large plan 'were Bill'Thuet; Carl Onischuk, rnnnfv 'Ray Wheeler: Foutchi's, county register of de- eds, and Commissioner Pat Scul- / The -.four who • voted for the county manager plan were Mayor. Al Hall of 'Burnsville,. Robert . Callahan,, Mrs. Val Nordin and Jim ,Sheldon. Com- missioners 'Leo". Murphy ,and, Ernest Ahlberg'abstained'favor- ing no change from the,present form of county government'.9y The 'Dakota County Govern- ment Study Commission has s.been •meeting 'for about. a year. It was appointed by District Judge Irv- ing Beaudoin ' and allotted a budget of $7,000.by the county. • , • The Aug. 18meeting was held after a'' meeting two weeks earlier had ended indecisively, with seven members favoring the chairman-at-large'form, six vot- ing for the county•manager 'form and 'one voting for 'no .change. Another member was absent. Bus To Go From Lakeville To - State Fair LAKEVILLE -- A bus will be available 'to take Lakeville area residents to .the Minnesota State Fair Wednesday, Aug. 27. The bus will leave the Lakeville Middle School at, 10 a.m. and return at 9:30 p.m: This' will allow time to • see the grandstand show if people wish. Tickets including the bus ride and fair admission are $3 for adults and $1.50 for children' 16 and under. It is recommended -Judge dismisses suit inEagan:shoppir g- Ruling means bribery allegation won't go beforea jury. By Mike Kaszuba and Kevin Duchschere Staff Writers A federal judge has ruled that suffi- cient evidence existed for a jury to conclude that a former Eagan mayor was bribed to vote for a proposed shopping center, but he dismissed the civil case because the mayor's vote did not make a difference. The ruling, made public Wednesday, is the latest chapter in what was an intense fight in Eagan among com- peting developers to build shopping centers along Interstate Hwy. 35E, which cuts through the rapidly devel- oping suburb. In making the ruling, Chief U.S. Dis- trict Judge Donald Alsop in St. Paul did not say that a bribe occurred, but said that on two occasions there was sufficient evidence to at least raise "a genuine issue of fact." Attorneys for several defendants, in- cluding the former mayor, Bea Blom- quist, denied yesterday that any bribes were offered or accepted. The suit had been brought by the Bieter Co., an Edina development firm. Starting in 1986, Bieter 'had sought to build a $50 million shop- ping center with four anchor tenants on 90 acres of land.. The company charged that city officials, led by Blomquist, blocked its project and, then granted a competing proposal. from developers with whom Blom- quist had close ties. The case took!.an abrupt turn last May when two' prominent Twin Cit- ies lawyers, who were financially con- nected with' the competing proposal, were accused of trying to influence Blomquist's 1987 reelection bid by setting up dummy campaign com- mittees and secretly funneling money to her campaign.. ,80444K Metro/State news tkE Star Tribune Q Thursday February 20/1.992 Read then recycle 1BW c;; nter case 1 The allegations were contained in the statements of two men who said they .worked for the lawyers, Robert Hoff- man and Jack Daly. Hoffman and Daly are partners in Larkin Hoffman Daly& Lindgren, one of the Twin Cities area's best known and most politically active law firms. While. the case before Alsop was .a civil case and not one exploring criminal wrongdoing, the judge said, Ruling continued on page 6B Thursday/February 20/1992/Star Tribune Top story: Panel of federal judges rejects DFL redistricting map, draws its own/ 1 A • A panel of federal judges Wednes- day threw' out a legislative redis- - tricting map passed by the DFL - and drew up one of its own. • The judges ruled that the DFL map protects white incumbents and violates the interests of mi- nority voters in Minneapolis. The • new map apparently places 70 of • ••the 201 state representatives and. senators. into newdistricts in which they would face fellow in- cumbents. • The most striking feature of the map is a ji w;.Senate district in Minneapclis.that is clearly drawn through neighborhoods with large numbers ',of minority residents. The court, said it would provide a greater chance that a minority senator and two minority House members. will be elected next fall. The judges' decision was immedi- ately challenged by DFL legisla- tive leaders, who promised an ap- peal to the U.S. Supreme Court. School violence comes under scrutiny -.'Districts would have to develop, programs/1 B Mac hail chief: Center to stay in busness after split from `U' By Gregor W. Pinney Staff Writer The MacPhail .Center for the Arts, where thousands of youngsters take music lessons, will stay in business and try to .hold fee increases to a minimum after it loses its annual subsidy from the University of Min- nesota, according to its director. Peter Mansfield said standard 30- minute lessons, now costing $16 each, might go up to $17.50 or $18 over the next three 'years, but no higher. The center receives about $600,000 a year in support for its $2.4 million • annual budget. It will see that subsi- dy cut to zero by the time it splits from the university on July 1, 1994. The center will become independent, just as it was for more than 50 years during the lifetime of founder Wil- liam MacPhail. After his death in the early 1960s, his family gave the school to the university, which has operated it ever since as part of the College of Continuing Education and Extension. But in 1988, the universi- ty decided to eventually sever the tie. Because most of the clientele is under 18, MacPhail was not considered es- sential to the mission of the universi- ty, said Finance Vice President Rob- ert Erickson. The details' of the sepa- ration were worked out only recently, and they are to be approved next month by the Board of Regents. As part of the arrangement, the universi- ty will give back the 64-year-old building, at 1128 LaSalle Av. in downtown Minneapolis, 'and throw in $200,000 for remodeling. There is some talk of reverting to the old name, the MacPhail School of Music, although that doesn't quite fit now, particularly in preschool pro- grams, which include drama, dance and visual arts as well as music. Mansfield said several steps are being taken besides boosting fees to make up the lost money. Enrollment will be increased, a fund-raising drive has been launched, and employee health benefits will be cut back. The school has about 100 instructors, two-thirds of them part-time. Because most of the clientele is under 18, MacPhail was not considered essential to the mission of the university, said Finance Vice President Robert Erickson. About 3,500 students, ranging from preschoolers to age 80, take part in MacPhail programs at the main building and eight other sites each year. Settlement -'‹P'n-1 Continued from Page 1C acres revolved around the politi- cally charged maneuvering of sev- eral developers to build large shop- ping complexes in the growing city. In 1985, Mayor Bea Blomquist and council member Tom Egan voted against a planned develop- ment proposal for the land, and their votes were enough to block the project. In the complaint, the O'Neils asked the court to force Eagan to rezone the land, and attorneys have now agreed on that point. Duffy said the city's attorney told him the city council voted in exec- utive session last week to approve seeking a settlement by allowing the rezoning. The council met in executive session again Monday. Making the property available for commercial uses is itself an important development in Eagan, where developers have competed fiercely for a large shopping com- plex that would include the city's I first Target store. The O'Neil farm was part of that race until the zon- ing change was denied, and it might be expected to again be part of the debate if the legal settle- ment goes through. The settlement also would help the city resolve a potentially sticky situation regarding its legal coun- sel in the O'Neil case, the Bloom- ington law firm of Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren. Robert Hoffman, a partner in the firm, is the father of three men who run Hoffman Development Group, which is forging ahead with its controversial Cliff Lake Galler- ia shopping center in Eagan. Hoff- man is a legal adviser for his sons on that project, which includes a Target store and is a competitor of other proposed commercial devel- opments in the area. Hoffman's sons have said they would consider suing the city if their Cliff Lake project is not ap- proved. That would put the Larkin Hoffman law firm in the position of representing the city in the O'Neil case, but suing it over the Cliff Lake Galleria. By Katherine Lanpher Staff Writer An eagerly awaited reorganiza- tion plan that would grant inde- pendence to the Minneapolis Insti- tute of Arts and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design was re- leased Monday by the institution that has governed the two since 1883. The proposal, the product of an eight -member task force made up of trustees of the Minneapolis Soci- ety of Fine Arts, establishes the museum and the college as sepa- rate entities with their own boards and fund-raising responsibilities; the plan also details the division of the endowment funds that will go to each institution. The proposal, which goes to the society's full 85-member board of trustees for approval on Monday, would retain the society as a legal entity while its functions would es- sentially be absorbed into the mu- seum. If approved, the plan will he im- plemented on July 1, 1988. It is hoped to be the much -need- ed solution to the turmoil that has B loomin plagued the society in the past two years, including accusations that the society had poor financial and organizational management that was crippling the operations of the museum and the college. The turmoil increased in Decem- ber 1986, when a small group of so- ciety trustees made an aborted at- tempt to merge the college with the University of Minnesota, a pro- posal that allegedly would have de- stroyed the college's undergradu- ate program and eliminated its faculty. Complaints against the society surfaced again when Alan Shes- tack, the much -praised director of the institute, left after 1'/2 years to Bos- Pickup pullout Ramsey County Sheriff's d turned out to be a day -long ed it had gone into the Mi reported stolen Sunday ni' found in the truck. ZC o Bell pleads not g in plan to defrauf Glenda Elizabeth Bell, accused in ; fraud a St. Paul bank of more than $1 not guilty Monday during her arraignr Magistrate Janice Symchych in St. Pa) A Feb. 8 trial date was set for & arrested in November after fleeing band, Peter Paul Taubenberger, and ruary. When authorities found her li Iowa, she had changed her name. Sh ried another man despite not havin from Taubenberger. Bell is accused of falsifying investr inflating Taubenberger's net worth million from the Commercial State She allegedly transferred the funds account without Taubenberger's know Fridley crash victim id A man who died Sunday after a ti Fridley was identified Monday as J nen, 33, of Brooklyn Park. Haverinen was killed when the ca west on Interstate 694 crossed the m eastbound vehicles. He was pronounc al at Unity Medical Center in Fridley A passenger in his car, Joan Brenr lyn Park, was admitted to the hospiti listed in fair condition. Gary Lee Mc* wood, who was driving one of the ott in the crash, was listed in serious con pital. Ashley Smith, 3, who was in the tl leased from the hospital Monday. She in a car driven by her father, Stever was treated at the hospital and rele passengers, Louise Ann Smith, 27, an( Boy pulled from river ends stay in hospital By Jeff Meyer Associated Press FARGO, N.D. — An 11-year-old boy who was considered clinically dead when he was pulled from an icy river more than two weeks ago wished hundreds of cheering sup- porters a merry Christmas on Monday as he was released from the hospital. Alvaro Garza Jr. left St. Luke's Hospitals wearing ankle braces and wrist splints because of nerve damage that has limited his con- trol of some muscles. "I would like to thank everybody who prayed for me and helped me," he told well-wishers packed into the hospital clinic lobby. "I can't wait to get home and back to school. Merry Christmas, every- body " As many as 200 hospital work- ers, family members and onlookers attended the farewell ceremony in the lobby that was decorated in balloons and a banner proclaiming "Best Wishes Alvaro!" The ceremony ended with the cinnina of "R,,.inlnh +ha Road .M, ,. A • 1 MINNESOTA BRIJ' St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch DAKOTA COUNTY METRA Despite lame duck status Blomquist, Smith plan to make Las Vegas trip Despite being voted out of her mayoral seat, Bea Blomquist.will follow up on her commitments when she attends a convention of the National League of Cities the Dec. 10 weekend in Las Vegas. City Council Member James Smith will also .be attending the convention. He also lost his seat . in the recent city election. ----Blomquist said Thursday night that she•does not necessarily wish to. attend. She is very busy with her own work at this time, she ad- ded. "I'm very 'concerned that. (Eagan) be represented at, the convention," she said. Blomquist` serves on the • Na- tional Organization to Insure a Sound -Controlled Environment. ' The group works with national legislation and the Federal Avia- tion Association and Blomquist- . feels it is too importantto neglect. She will be attending for two days;: just long enough to at- tend the meetings. Smith serves on a -committee on cable television. Despite some claims that the two should not be attending, no one else has stepped forward to take their places, Blomquist noted. "Jim and I have 29 years of service to the city, 'and we're, still willing to go." • Smith and Blomquist will be reporting back to the city council on their findings during the con- vention. Chevrolet and the Ground Round in Burnsville; many Burnsville Center shops; Nova Travel in Ap- ple Valley; and the DECA Club in Rosemount. The kinds of toys the program looks for are things of $5 or more in value, new and unwrapped. "The difference between a new toy and an old toy shows on the face of a child," Flanagan said. Nine apply, for Eagan council seat As of 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, nine persons had filed applica- tions to be considered for a seat on the city council.' The seat will -be vacated at the beginning of the year when City . Council Member Vic Ellison becomes mayor. The nine who .have filed are Larry B. Guthrie, 3740 Drexel Ct.; Stephen J. ' Rosenthal, 3294 Valley Ridge Dr.; Sandra Masin; 1795 Carnelian Ln.; and Lloyd Krob, 1381 E. Balsam St.; Katharine N..Shoaps, 4963 Safari Cr.; Michele Swanson, 1977 , • Badger Ct.; Nadim B.A. Zoberi, , 4126 Meadowlark Way; William E. Dove, 1152 S. Tiffany Cr.; John Dr. Westley, 1747 Bluebill Dr: , A. two-year term remains.. for Ellison's seat. The city council is expected to make an appoint • - ment for the seat in early January.. •i 4 our children lear of what they're g -to learn' early-lncludingat • important lesson of all to learn: That's why the form years of pre-school and tary school are so criti their future. Now•there's a new with a philosophy of in learning, designed to your children a high q early education and a edge in an increasingl petitive world. Learning Doesn't Be AtAge6... Tesseract'M School o continuous, high quail cation from preschool sixth g� ade. , -. Our pi eschool pro help your children dev socialization and beha skills; They get a head using: a=rich variety of resources. They're enc to become actively inv in theivown education Most importantly, e ing experiences are p1 help with later ones. Y atmosphere that is pos merit -oriented and . Or End At 3.30 1f you need child c school day, you should baby sitting. L) 0 18,16 Jim Smith :files for county commissions Jim Smith, :2070. Marble' Lane, Eagan, has filed for the post of county commissioner in the third dis- .frict, which includes all of Eagan, Lilydale;;,•Mendota and Mendota Heights and parts of Burnsville and West St. Paul. - • ' Smith, elected to the 'Eagan City Council in 1972 and reelected in 1975, • feels his experience as a councilman will be :most beneficial as a -county. • James -Smith commissioner ., .; stage of programs, especially on long EMPLOYED as a fieldman• for range planning •. decisions, such as American Hardware Mutual; he is a building programs, park acquisitions member.of the Governor's' Voyageur ;and budget priorities , • :National Park' Citizen's Advisory "Attliis time there is no process'for Committee. He and his wife, Jan, have three children and have been residents and homeowners in Eagan since 1961. . While serving, as an Eagan 'City Councilman, Smith has made it part my county 'and 'would like to -partici- of his responsibility to listen' to -the " .pate;' " he concluded. public before forming an opinion. . 'DAKOTA COUNTY'S budgetns $13.5. million. Competent, experi- enced, and trustworthy public ser-. : • vants with common sense are'needed to manage those tax dollars in "an'' open, orderly and business"- like manner; Smith noted:" •.` ' • ,The establishment of priorities is -essential to -maximize our.tax dollars. because fiscal responsibility is man - 'dated by the 6 per cent levy limita- `•tion, he added. "MY 'FIRST priority in spending ,will be those programs'which benefit people'most directly,"•said Smith. "Clear policies on long-range plan- 'riing and budgeting need to be devel- oped; Benefits need4o"be weighed L•_____ against the future cost of . new and • 'expanded programs: • County agen- hum Gies, especially in the `an ser vices area, need to be streamlined," he said. , . . '? Smith feels more openness and bet- ter communication with the people county commissioners represent is essential to gaining the trust and con- fidence of residents of the district. ;', Meetings need to be accessible to ;citizens so they may express their opinion in the initial development • citizens - to volunteer for an advisory comrnittee.or.to know which commit- tee openings will be available,'.' Smith said: "There needs to be away for citizens to say, `I am interested; in' ped de- advance addressing envelopes. n, D.C. Method, $2," followed by an address. e pro The joke, of course, is that if you papers answer the ad and send $2, you get, fering not envelopes to address, but a ng en- brochure instructing you to place ailing your own ads in newspapers and other publications to lure others into tfit in sending you $2. It thus becomes in ef- 1 fraud feet a chain -letter promotion that to $25 puts you directly in the path of a he two postal sleuth and a trip to the federal ise of "slammer." Variations of the basic scheme alimn ►9751 DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE v- c >.2 d e Wachter Statement Of Filing THEODORE WACHTER EAGAN -- Theodore Wachter has filed for re-election to the Eagan City Council. He has is-, sued the following statemnt: I am seeking re-election as councilman for the City of Eagan. Eagan previously had a Bba rating on the bond market and now has a Baa rating. In fact, this is closer to an A rating. I believe this reflects the stable fis- cal policy that our community now has. I was on the Eagan Advisory Planning Committee for 13 years and am at present Eagan's representative to the Interstate Highway Study Committee which meets weekly to finalize a recom- mendation by the time the Legislature reconvenes Feb. 1, 1976. Our park system is now serving more people by expansion with a minimum of expense. I would like to represent all re- sidents to the Eagan Council for the next term. I urge all residents to exercise the privilege of voting on Nov. 4. and playgrounds are a must and good development of civic and cultural programs. and above all. a definite. well-rounded youth program. Now a word to all people of the community. Please, please. get out and vote on election day for the person of your choice. This what helps to keep America un- ited. Thank you. Jensen Statement Of Filing ROSEMOUNT -- Arnie Jen- sen has filed for re-election to the Rosemount City Council. He has issued the following statement: Having served the past four years as your councilman, I am seeking re-election because of a sincere desire to continue the programs that have been fostered during this term and to continue to serve all the citizens of Rosemount. I have resided in Rosemount for the past 14 years. My wife and I live at 14625 Chianti Ave., with four of our six children. I have served the past two and one-half years as acting mayor and president of the utilities commission for one and one-half years. Because of my position as business agent for Operating Engineers, I fell that I can con- tinue to have some very good in- put into the development of the projects which are now being considered as future projects within our growing city. As president of the utility de- partment, which now has over 900 water and sewer customers, I will continue to preside in a manner that will ensure that all facets of this department shall continue to be operated at a level which will always be in the best interests of the present customers and the entire City of Rosemount. Your vote on Nov. 4 will afford me the opportunity to continue to serve you. Hassler Statement Of Filing KEN HASSLER EAGAN -- Ken L. Hassler has filed for the position of mayor of Eagan. He has issued the follow- ing statement: Today's mode of living calls on each of us to participate in some way within our government. We want and deserve a peaceful, safe and well managed city. The cost and conduct of our officials should be within budgetry, responsibility and always recep- tive to constructive criticism. If elected to this office I pledge to: 1. Solicit. accept and pursue the desires of our residents. I will have the time and interest, at our peoples' convenience, to listen and act in some satisfactory way on problems which need action. This position would not be a hob- by as I am permanently retired. 2. Enforce a tight fiscal policy that will reflect efficiency of gov- ernment and reduce the tax burden with available state and federal aids. 3. Strongly cooperate with and support our police and fire de- partments to insure a strict, safe, and peaceful existence throughout the city of Eagan. 4. Acknowledge the desires of the residents of the City of Eagan with the courtesy and dignity they deserve. 5. Recognize the senior citizen and the less affluent resident in particular as regard to develop- ment of real estate in Eagan. I am a retired U.S. Marine Corps Officer and consulting in- dustrial engineer in civilian life. I am a graduate of the University of Minnesota, 58 years of age and now retired. Former employers were Univac. Control Data and Lull Engineering. I pledge to give Eagan my trust. honesty, fairness. common sense and hard work. "A govern- ment •by the people and for the people." I humbly ask you for your vote on Nov. 4. Saed Statement Of Filing INVER GROVE HEIGHTS -- William Saed has filed for a posi- tion on the Inver Grove Heights City Council. He has issued the following statement: As a resident of Inver Grove Heights for 16 years, I have wit- nessed much growth in our city. With the opening of the Lafayette Freeway and future freeways in our area, we can expect a good deal more growth in our city. We must prepare for this growth to preserve and hopefully enhance the quality of life for our citizens. Your city council has authorized an update of the com- prehensive plan as one of the tools to ensure that the growth will be consistent with quality of life inour city. We have all noticed a rise in our property yaxes this past year. Most of this increase was due to the fiscal disparity law enacted by our state legislature. The "Pot" bill, as it is referred to. takes 40<< of our new in- dustrial and commerical growth and pools it with all other Twin City communities for redistribu- tion. As a result of this law. Inver Grove Heights loses millions of dollars of tax base to St. Paul and Minneapolis. I introduced a resolution passed by your city council re- questing the legislature to repeal this law. I shall continue the fight to have the fiscal disparity law repealed so that our city can re- alize the full benefits of any new industrial or commercial de- velopment. As in the past, I shall continue to weigh each decision carefully with the consideration of what is best for the citizens of Inver Grove Heights. Ludowese Statement Of Filing SAVAGE -- Mildred R. Ludowese has filed for re- election to the Savage City Coun- cil. She has issued the following statement: To the Citizens of the City of Savage: I have filed for re-election to the position of- Councilman for the City of Savage because I would like to continue to serve you as your representative in local government. We have a city with many potentials, a city of considerable growth - both residential and in- dustrial which must be developed with balance and with certain restrictions to provide the ul- timate needs of the taxpayer. We have a city which has given us a great historic legacy to be proud of and which we shall con- tinue to preserve. We have a city with efficient departments, such as our fire de- partment. police department, street and park department and the public utilities department and these departments must always be maintained on the local level. We need a government of local- ly elected officials to serve us rather than a metro government. As a public servant. I am always receptive and open to listen to your problems and I do listen to them. I know that is is impossible to satisfy and to solve the pro- blems of every individual citizen and I know you understand this as we work together. I must and I will continue to serve with the obligations of justice and respect to all the citizens and for the future of the City of Savage. Lyle Heir Statement Of Filing EAGAN -- Lyle Heir has filed for a position on the Eagan City Council. He has issued the follow- ing statement: I filed as a candidate for Eagan City Council because I believe in an active participation in the af- fairs of government. Effective and efficient government re- quires the involvement of all citizens. Orderly expansion of our com- munity must be for the benefit of all. Our growth must be well planned and judgment used for the best interests of the City of i Eagan. Fiscal responsibility in our i local government should be re- viewed. Services to our people I must be our top priority. I believe that in hiring our own City Engineer, we can save money i and also get more efficient i engineering services. I have lived in Eagan for 81/2 I years at 1037 McKee St. My wife, f Donna and I have two children, Robert and Kari. 1 Your support on Nov. 4, will be i appreciated. Rahn Statement Of Filing EAGAN -- Arthur Rahn has filed for re-election to the Eagan City Council. He has issued the following statement: I have filed for re-election as councilman for the City of Eagan. I am a life long resident of Eagan, having farmed the area now known as Cedar Grove num- ber 5. My wife Clara and I live at 4100 Blackhawk Road. If re-elected I will strive for continued good government, pro- vide essential services such as police, fire, utilities, continued progress in the development of our park program, and also keep a well balanced tax base for Eagan. DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE >dn al Id ig �t- al is ld of 1v in a rid t Stocks Of Old Corn, Oats Low; Soybean, Wheat Stocks High Old crop corn stored in all posi- tions on Oct. 1. 1975 totaled 39.1 million bushels, 23<< less than a year earlier and the lowest for this date since 1952. Corn stocks on farms. at 21.6 million bushels. were 40r' less than October 1 last year and the lowest since 1952. Stocks in off -farm facilities at 17.5 million bushels were up 16(- � from a year ago but still the second lowest since 1949. On - farm stocks accounted for 55rr of the total. All wheat in storage on Oct. 1. 1975 totaled 91.4 million bushels. This quantity was 12<< above a year earlier and the highest since 1965. Oats in storage Oct. 1. 1975 totaled 107.7 million bushels - 12<< less than a year earlier and the lowest for the date since Min- nesota records for total stocks started in 1945. Barley stored in all positions on Oct. 1 at 46.8 million bushels were 7e • below a year earlier. This was the lowest quantity on hand since 1966. Rye stocks in all storage posi- tions on Oct. 1 totaled 3.0 million bushels. 14(-r less than a year earlier. This was the lowest quantity on hand since 1958. Flaxseed stocks totaled 3.5 million bushels - 18rless than a year ago. This was the lowest quantity on hand since records TOOLS - TOOLS $75,000.00 Truck Load AUCTION LAUMEYER'S AUCTION CENTER 3 miles East of Freeway 694 on Freeway 94 next to Captain Jacks. Sat., Nov. 1 - 6:30 p.m. NAME BRANDS INCLUDE Chicago Pneumatic - Rodac - Black & Decker - Fuller - Her Brand - Brown - Marflow - Shopmate - McGraw Edison - Wright - Wen - Diamond - Loy - Lufkin - Ingersoll Rand - Channel Lock - Remington. '; Electric impact wrenches; Hand power sanders; Belt type sanders; Disk grinders Air power chisel, drills & sanders; Bench ks; Bench grinders; Large assortment of ension cords; Plumbing tools; Tap & Die es); Air hoses; Torch hoses; Screwdriver 's & women's; Glassware; Stereo Units; etric wrenches; Tap and die sets, standard; hannel lock wrenches; Knife sets; Impact ipe wrenches; Fire extinguishers; Small et sets; Electric chain saws; Trikes; Chan- ); Measurement tapes; Hacksaws; Creep - per cables; Portable type air compressor; lights; Open and boxed end wrenches; g kits; Electrical tape; Truck tarps; Trailer ms; Toys. Numerous To Mention ISE GUARANTEED yer Auction Co. 5-9547 - 739-9898 TAIIM SUVICE AVE YOU 111 O IN AT SERVICE N CO-OP BE PLEASED, PLE!�-� 1 n - Feed - Fertilizer II: 23-1388 rN CO.OP K PETROLEUM &TIRE tM SUPPLIES ;TON, MINNf 1 started in 1947. Carryover of old crop soybeans totaled 21.8 million bushels on Sept. 1. 1975. up 49r'r from a year earlier. Farm holdings at 11.0 million bushels were up 73<< and off -farm stocks at 10.8 million bushels were up 31e-. Farm hold- ings accounted for 51<< of the total stocks. c`� AUCTIONS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER I, 1 p.m., 205 Greenvale Apartments, Northfield. Household furniture and appliances, miscellaneous. Owner: Miss Frances Sieben; Auctioneer: Erle Mapes; Clerk: First National Bank of Northfield. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1. 9:30 a.m. County Road 18 and Bass Lake Road, Plymouth. Minn.. West of Minneapolis. Machine Shop equipment, office equipment, camping equipment. metal building, boat. motor and trailer. dock, scrap iron and much misc. Wally Laumeyer Auction Co.. Clerk and Auc- tioneers. See complete ad. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 6:30 p.m.. 3 miles east of Freeway 694 on Freeway 94 next to Captain Jacks. Large tool sale. Wally Laumeyer Auction Co.. Clerk and Auctioneers. See com- plete ad. MARKETS No. 1 Spring Wheat $3.74" No. 2 Spring Wheat 3.72 No. 1 Winter Wheat 3.34 No. 2 Winter Wheat 3.32 Soybeans 4.48 No. 2 Corn 2.38 Rye 2.70 Oats 1.20 to 1.30 HOUSEHOLD AUCTION SAT., NOV. 1st - 1:00 P.M. 205 Greenvale Apartments Northfield, Minn. Platform rockers; Cocktail table; Hide -a -bed; Step tables; 2 Kitchen tables; 10 kitchen chairs; Kitchen utility stand; Elec. fry pan; Toaster; Waffle iron; Hand mixer; Large stainless steel Hamilton Beach coffee maker; Elec. carving knife; Dishes; Pots; Pans; Silverware; Large turkey platter; Pole lamp; Footstool; Elec. heater; China closet; Singer sewing machine wlseat; Elec. wall clock; Glassware such as - Glass compote; brides basket, amber glass bowl; fancy opalescent glass bowl, etc.; set of cutlery; Floor lamp; several pair cloth shears; pictures; 2 sets dresser lamps; Barrel chair; 1 double bed; 1 single bed; night stands; dresser wfmirror; 2 large metal trunks; luggage; metal cabinet; metal step stool; card table; 4 folding chairs; ironing board; arm chair; pillows; sheets; towels; blankets; bedspreads; rugs; door mirror; wall mirror; Hoover vacuum; elec. broom; elec. fan; 3 steam irons; elec. refrigerator defroster; bathroom wall shelves. 6,000 B.T.U. Sears window air conditioner. TERMS: CASH. All settlements to be made with the clerk the day of the sale. Very clean merchandise in good condition. MISS FRANCES SIEBEN, Owner Auctioneer Erle Mapes, Farmington Clerk: 1st Natl. Bank, Northfield ....................... • • • GREEN GIANT• • SWEET CORN SILAGE • • • Chopped sweet corn silage will be for • sale starting Monday, Nov. 10, 1975, • Monday thru Friday, 8 AM - 11 AM • and 1 PM - 4 PM daily. Silage will be • loaded on your truck for $9.00 per ton. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • Protect your mci If you're between 20 and 40, a long-term disability befo T__ the Farm Bure. really makes sen Farm BUrem Farm Bureau Life Insurance Con Gary LeRoy V� William Phone 4 FOR by Farm Manage' (Owned & Operat EQUIPMENT 2 year old 5-18 Melroi spring loaded colters Two 1974 Schuster groin tops One 1974 350 Chev. 4 above trls. FERTILIZER Good prices on bulk and b CUSTOM CORN PICKING 642 Ford diesel 4 row 38" "Call Collect FERTILIZER - Cal Colvin 61: home 612-9 Equipment & Custom Work FARM OFFICE 612-463-25 Wide Realty Bldg., Hwi 55024 • • Green Giant Co.: • • Montgomery, Minn. Phone 364-7375 34-35 • • • • Jan Smith Missed Only 4 Council Meetings In 4 Years -- r d s s • Eagan Councilman's Wife Shares Her Husband's Job By HELEN HUNTER Staff Writer EAGAN -- When Eagan voters elected Jim Smith councilman four years ago, they got something extra. Unknowingly, they "elected" his wife Jan also. Since Smith's election. Jan has attended all but four regular council meetings. As a result, when a constituent calls Coun- cilman Smith's home. he will in- variably receive an answer to his question, even if Smith is not home. At council meetings, she is jokingly referred to as his "secretary." Jan says she likes to attend council meetings. "I like to be up on the things that are going on in the city. I'm interested in how my city is being planned around me and how my tax dollars are spent. Most important, I'm the one who often gets the phone calls when people have questions. If I can answer those questions, it takes less of Jim's time and there is one less phone call he has to make when he gets home." Jan exhibits the same en- thusiasm and dedication about all aspects of her busy life. Born and raised on the Iron Range. she and Jim graduated from Nashwauk High School. She ob- tained her degree in elementary education from St. Cloud State. although political science and history are passions she still pursues by taking courses in her spare time. The Smiths have lived in Eagan 15 years and have three children ranging in age from 10 to 17 years. Smith is employed by American Hardware Mutual Insurance while Jan has served as a substitute teacher and Title I tutor for the past 15 years in area schools. In her "spare time" between attending council meetings, answering phone calls, her job, running her family and acting as a Shaklee distributor. Jan finds time to play bridge and participate in winter sports and snowmobiling. She confesses to a childhood dream of becoming a figure skating star. One of her main interests, however is work with the DFL party, and when encouraged, she sounds a bit like a walking ad- vertisement for the party. "We are politically minded. I consider it a hobby. We spend a lot of time, and we enjoy it and the people with whom we work. Everything we do we try to do for people. The programs that the DFL stands for are strictly people programs sand that is what the name of the game is." When pressed, she admits that political history and politics have always been among her interests. During Jim's campaign for the council seat and his recent try for county commissioner, Jan took an active part. She has been ac- tive in politics since 1966, helping on campaigns, supporting the party financially. and doing volunteer work, including help- ing on the DFL telethon and Dollars for Democrats. All the hours paid off recently when the Smiths received an invitation to Jimmy Carter's inaugural in January. Needless to say. Jan did not think twice before accepting. The most difficult thing about being married to a councilman. she says is the time he has to de- vote to studying and extra meet- ings, which take time away from the family. In addition, she feels she cannot be as vociferous a citizen as she•would like to be at council meetings. "I don't say as much as I would like to because 1 do not want people to think what I say is necessarily Jim's view. The hardest time for Jan oc- curred this past summer at a hearing for building a proposed facility for the physically and mentally handicapped. During the week prior to the hearing, an anonymous flyer was distributed in Eagan alleging many things about the proposed facility. Phone calls to the Smith re- sidence were numerous, mostly from people who wanted addi- tional information or wanted to clarify items in the flyer. What made the incident difficult for Jan was the fact that the Smiths have a handicapped son. Attending the hearing. Jan found herself straining to retain her composure while "listening to people talk about handicapped people like they were dirt or less than dirt. That has to be the most upsetting thing which has hap- pened. Of course, a lot of the peo- ple did not know we had a han- dicapped son." She admits pride in her husband's suggestion to the coun- cil that night to hear out all dis- cussions and complaints so "everyone could say his piece rather than taking the issue behind closed doors and distort- ing it." The upsetting thing. she felt, was that everyone seemed to think it is fine to have good pro- grams and facilities as lopg as it's not near them or won't affect them in any way. "I'm very strong on the fact that we have to provide for everybody, not just those who have things, but those who don't." People who call the Smiths have a reason for doing so. says OFTEN JOKINGLY referred to as his "secretary," Jan Smith arrives for another regular meeting with her councilman - husband, Jim. JAN SMITH attends all re- gular council meetings because "I'm the one who gets most of the calls." The most difficult thing about being married to a coun- cilman, she says, is the time he has to devote to studying things pertaining to the city. Jan. They are usually upset with some action of the council and often are acting on hearsay in- formation, Rezonings, proposed apartment buildings and low in- come housing are among the items which evoke the most reac- tion. She acknowledged that some people might think she is living vicariously through her husband. However. the reason there are so many divorces, she feels, is that there is so much to do now. "Fifty years ago, we didn't have all the things to do and places to go. If we don't do things together. be involved together, if one goes one way and the other goes another, that's just asking for trouble. If he is more interested in something than I am. I go along. However, those times when I am interested in something and he is not, he com- es with me." Her advice to spouses of anyone interested in politics is to be interested also. "Think of the things we wouldn't do if I wasn't interested. He comes home from the budget meetings, for in- stance, and we talk budget. There is never a dull moment or a time we can't talk. There are times we don't talk, but there is never a time we haven't got something to talk about. Most of the time we don't have time to talk about everything we would like to talk about." Jan admires Eleanor Roosevelt, but she sees herself as "just me." She wants to be a strong person and "active until the day I can no longer be ac- tive." She laughs when asked if there are any plans .for elective office in her future. "No, I don't have the time. With all the interests that I have. I couldn't devote the time to the studying and the learning that you have to de- vote.' she says. PAGE 2C FAMILY LIFE lifeddwAQ Wendt -Trost Janice Mae Wendt and Jeffrey Alan Trost were united in mar- riage Saturday, Nov. 6, 1976 at the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Bloomfield, WI. Officiating the traditional ceremony were Pastors Kurt Lederer and Raymond Wiegert. The bride was escorted to the altar by her father. Parents of the bride are Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Wendt of Fre- mont, WI. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Trost of Eagan are the parents of the groom. Maid of honor was Carol Koehler of Manawa, WI, sister of the bride. Bridesmaids were May Trost, Wanamingo, sister-in-law of the groom; Bonnie Wendt, Wild Rose, WI, sister-in-law of the bride; and Julaine Kobiske, Weyauwega, WI, cousin of the bride. Susie Koehler, niece of the bride, Manawa, WI, was the flower girl. Greg Trost, brother of the groom of Wanamingo was best man. Groomsmen were Tim Trost, Eagan. brother of the groom; Ron Wendt, Wild Rose, brother of the bride; and Jim Trost, Hastings, cousin of the groom. Ushers were Steve Schutte, Eagan, and Nick Rueger, Eagan. A dinner, reception and dance were held at the Hahn-A-Lula Ballroom in Orihula, WI, follow- ing the ceremony. The bride attended Wayauwega High School and Concordia College and is employed as a teacher at Trinity and Peace Lutheran Schools in Faribault. The groom attended St. Croix Lutheran High School and Con- cordia College and is employed at Rayfo Manufacturing Inc., in Rosemount. After a wedding trip to Ken- tucky. the couple is making their flower girl was Andrea Burdick. Best man was Mike Whalen. Groomsman was Mike Furth, and LeRoy Burdick was usher. Ringbearer was Bobby Peterson. The bride was given in mar- riage by her brother Jim Walters. Following the ceremony a re- ception was held at Starks Halfway House. The couple is residing in Valley Park. Wielinski-Gebben Rev. Nelson Gebben, Sr. pre- sided at the wedding of Candice Joan Wielinski of Inver Grove Heights, to his son, Nelson Jay Gebben, Jr., of Inver Grove Heights, Nov. 6, 1976 at Grace Christian Reformed Church in Inver Grove Heights. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Wielinski, 7420 Cleadis Way E., and the groom is the son of Rev. and Mrs. Gebben, 7332 Cleve Ave. E. The maid of honor was Barbara Zeimet, sister of the bride, South St. Paul. The best man was Dan Gebben, brother of the bride. of Inver Grove Heights. Ushers were Greg Holi- day and Howard Hopp. Jr., both of Inver Grove Heights. Traditional wedding songs, were played on the organ by Karen Vrieze and sung by guitarist Mike Swan. A dinner re- ception in the church basement followed the ceremony. The bride is a graduate of Simley High School and is employed as a bookkeeper at Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. The groom is also a Simley graduate and is a machinist with Cardiac Pacemakers. After a wedding trip to Canada. the couple is at home at 801 E. Co. Rd. D, Apartment 205, White Bear Lake. residents of Apple Valley. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. E John David Bready of Greenwood. The bride was given in marriage by her father. Performing the double ring ceremony was Rev. Richard Barth, of Pocahontas, MS, and Rev. James S. Price, pastor of St. John's. Mrs. Charles Gray of Jackson, MS, sister of the groom, served as matron of honor. Bridesmaids were Mrs. Charles Fondren, Grenada, MS; Mrs. James Kelly, Greenwood; and Mrs. Michael Young, Starkville, MS. John David Bready •attended his son as best man. Groomsmen D were Charles Gray. brother-in- law of the groom; Jake Lennard; Du John Ballas; Michael Ragsdale, m brother of the bride; and Al Michard Young. M -The reception was held in the church parlors following the a ceremony. The • bride's table He featured a three -tiered cake fi topped with the bride and groom Ch figurene from the wedding cake of the bride's parents. A cut glass pl punch bowl, which had belonged to the bride's great- grandmother, was used on the punch table. Mrs. and Mrs. John Bready en- 8 tertained the wedding party and a out-of-town guests with the re- the hearsal supper at the Holiday Inn Mi in Greenwood. an The couple will make their AP home in Greenwood where both are employed by local radio sta- Pe tions. e —It's easy to find an excuse for delaying hard work. /sr When you get fearful of th Remember, sunshine is TURKEY CRUNC 1 16 oz. can green be 2 cups diced cooked t 1 101/2 oz. can cream 1/4 cup milk 1 4 oz. can sliced mus Drain can green beans and put Combine turkey with cream of chic including the liquid from mushroo the beans. Top with 1 can chow fried onion rings. Bake for 30 min TURKEY -CRANBERRY SALAD: gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Heat 1 with 1 tbls. lemon juice and stir i until the gelatin dissolves. Add salt mixture into 3/4 cup mayonnaise, s rest of the mixture and refrigerat diced cooked turkey and 1/2 cup hpeins to thicken. stir the turkey cg:MA AJTY TR iAj A/dv. /ea 77 PAGE 4B American Education Week Set BURNSVILLE -- Savage Mayor Cleve Eno adds his signature to a proclamation already signed by the mayor of Eagan and the acting mayor of Burnsville Nov. 3. The proclamation calls Nov. 13-19 American Education Week and will hang in the new District 191 administration building. Watching Eno sign are, from the left, Dr. Robert Tschirki, superintendent of District 191; Paul Sjoquist, chairman of the board of education; Jim Pappathatos, Burnsville acting mayor; Herbert Polzin, mayor of Eagan; Tom McCoy, Burnsville Education Association and Joe Helgestad, Dan Patch American Legion, 643. NAIL i►i Farmington Poster Winners FARMINGTON -- During Fire Prevention Week, the fourth graders at the elementary school participated in a fire poster contest. Firemen also showed the students the fire truck and ex- plained about fire safety in the home. Poster winners in the order they won from first to sixth place are, front row from left, Doris Strahl, Paul James, Kevin Henze, Debbie Bedeaux, (Kim Ramsdell, not pictured), and Charles Weisbrich; back row: Dan Churchill, fireman; seventh to 12th place winners Vinh Tran, (Kelly Butz, not pictured), Kris Johnson, Kevin McFadden, Kel- ly Kirchner and Greg Juenemann and Ken Kuchera, fireman. McCrea, Kubista chair campaign Pam McCrea and Tom Kubista 'have been named co- chairs of Vic Ellison's campaign for mayor of Eagan. McCrea has been a member of the Eagan Planning Commis- sion for six years and was its chair last year. She is *a super- visor for the Minnesota Depart- ment of Jobs and Training. She -has _lived in Eagan 10 years and hasownedtwo businesses in the city. A member of the DFL party, she has a bachelor's degree in social work and psychology and 3A a master's degree in vocational rehabilitation from Mankato STate University. Kubista is a vice -chair of the Republican 3rd Congressional District and a consultant for Unisys in Eagan. He -has a bachelor" of- arts degree from the. College of. St. Thomas, bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from Notre Dame University.. He and his family have lived in Eagan 16 years. Schools Seatbelts in S�hOi by Candace Garry • "Mommy, where's. ;the- seatbelts?" Your 'child flashes you a look of disbelief. For five years, you have etched .:the. "buckle up" message on his brain. . It's a momentous September morning. With camera in one hand and Kleenex in the other, you've watched him board a on buses would do more harp than good." Referring to a la type'of seat restraint, she said could. cause. internal damaged passengers in a bus crash. , Burnsville • resident Le Nachman, acting director-. transportation for the Minnesot • Department of Education agrees. "Basically, the bottor •line• of the whnle_thina_ic_hncc New Eagan council plans early meeting to fill seat By Bruce Orwell Staff Writer Eagan's new City Council, the one that doesn't formally convene until January, would meet unoffi- cially in December to interview candidates for a vacant council seat under a plan before the cur- rent council tonight. The purpose of the meeting • would be to fill council member Vic Ellison's seat, which is vacant because of Ellison's recent ascen- sion to the job of mayor. The public meeting would include council member -elect David Gustafson, who won a seat in November's election, but dot current Mayan Bea Blomquist and council mem- ber James Smith, who were both defeated. City Administrator Thomas Hedges said the plan is a timesav- ing maneuver designed to get the new council moving quickly in Jan- uary. Because the present council can't select a new council member under the city's charter, Hedges wants to advertise the position and complete interviews before the new council is in place. That way, the new city council wig be able to select its fifth mem= ber at the first meeting in January, Please see Eagan/2B - Eagan Continued from Page 1B immediately after Ellison and Gus- tafson are sworn in. If the council approves the plan, Hedges said the city would soon • advertise the council vacancy in a local newspaper. The new council — Ellison, Gus- tafson, Ted Wachter and Tom Egan — would then meet in mid - December to interview the candi- dates. No official action could be taken at that meeting. Hedges said the plan is neces- sary because January is typically a busy month for city government. The council needs to make organi- zational decisions, make appoint- ments to city commissions, decide on a newspaper to carry the city's legal advertising and other mat- ters. "If you wait and do it in Janu- ary, you're kind of doing a disser- vice to the city," be said. "To have to delay any of those decisions, or snake them without a full council, may not be in the best interests of everybody." ORi. Cam. „ C:...a .voon< tAie..-i.ca.,,lcv A,vv g EAGAN uncurren 3 Sections August 5, 1992 Vol. 13, N or safe keeping 'Volunteer firefighters from Eagan, Mendota Heights, Rosemount : and ,Inver .Grove . Heights don their equipment in preparation for a practice burn.The abandoned Sunfish Lake home was engulfed with flames Saturday. (Photo by Bill Jones) - Dress code By. Deb Schewe Students' . clothing was the center of debate at the District 196 Board of Education meeting July 27. The discussion arose while discussing .the district's new discipline policy,. which includes a regulation on . what students_. cannot wear to school. The policy was first presented to the board at a July 7 meeting... dispute • ;:administrative assitant to the superintendent. • The change' that .riled :some audience members was 'a •sug- gestion to eliminate 'clothing• :.advertising tobacco and alcohol 'from 'a `regulation. banning' clothing deemed `obscene, abusive .or discriminatory" and clothing • •advertising . controlled substances. Similar policies disallowing such clothing exists in districts 191 and 194.• _• ormer Town oard member dies Fought for Cedar Bridge, •roads By Terrance Mencel Every time the Klein family crosses the Cedar Avenue Bridge they think of their father' and husband.' He also comes to mind. whenever they travel ,the • Interstate 494 river crossing and Interstate-35E in Eagan. Without John Klein, .they say those roads might not --be built today. . "We've commented 'so many times how very few people kriew how much dad. had worked for them," said Paul Klein, who resides in Eagan. But John Klein wouldn't have had it any other way. Klein died recently after suf- fering a heart attack at the Eagan home he built with wife, Gene, 27 years ago. He never • awakened from the coma he lapsed into July 22 and died four days later at age :69. • - • Diabetes; had •slowed the • former -Town .Board- member - and chair (1963-1971) the past couple of . years. Although diet_ controlled, the diabetes con- . tributed to a life -threatening leg infection two years ago. • Before that, Steve Klein guessed his father slept no more than five hours a night — ever the working man. .• Steve, • who also lives in Eagan, talked of the significant "powers that be" his father • overcame to complete the road projects planned in the late 1950s. He remembered the several trips his father took to . Washington, D.C., to lobby for the projects. Klein's drive to build those •, arteries, that now supply Eagan's life blood, became ' a crusade after leaving the Town Board. He had formed the Ur- ban. Council on Mobility, a non- profit group of citizens and business people who lobbied for the roads. The fight would last until the ribbon -cutting ceremonies in the mid 1980s.. "There are a lot of people who KLEIN: To next page discipline policy "Why, can students wear clothing promoting alcohol and drugs? I think an inappropriate message is being sent.." —Sherri Jensen tion efforts. : "Why can students' wear clothing promoting alcohol and •drugs?" said Sherri Jensen of Apple Valley. "I think an inap- propriate message is being sent. • • _ Eagan parent Kay Grabner agreed, -and cited.an example of 'a T-shirt made by and for Apple, Valley High School students this year that read "Chug a brew in policy against that," she said. ""I don't_like the message (-it sends) at all ... If (seniors) wore the shirt to school, they might be 18, but the school has some (students) who are 14." Watching what students wear is not the school's' job, said John.. Hanson, director of secondary instruction. ' Rather, .. it is the parents' responsibility. "First; parents see children -nijA «shasnt aVi— tnanuOonLr2 r+'rAa 2A—Eagan Sun•Current—Wednesday, Aug. 5, 1992 1 TREASURE ISLAND COUPON SALE Good thru Sunday August. 9, 1992 FisherPrice Sure Grip Gat. Reg. $345° �— -- Sale $2999 `Good thou 8/9/92 Fisher-Price 1 3-Stage Walker rReg. $5450 thi Sale $46 ‘110 Fisher-Price • T-Shield Booster Reg: 53950 Sale $3499 `Good thru 8/9/92' Fisher-Price Car Seat • Reg. $7450 Sale $699 `Good thru 8/9/92. Fisher-Price ' High Chair Reg. $6950 Sale $5499 `Good thru 8/9/92 FisherPrice Potty Reg: $17" • Sale $14 9 Good.thru 8/9/92 • Fisher-Price Fold -Away Bed Rail Reg. 52450 Sale $1999 Good thru 8/9/92 Fisher-Price 3-in-1 Travel Tender Reg. $8950 • �,. Sale $7999 Good thru 8/9/92 ) `Good thru 8/9/92 l J , i Fisher-Price Deluxe Nursery Monitor' Reg. $4950 Sale $449 `Good thru 8/9/92 Fisher-Price Table & Chair Reg. $6450 Sale $56 �. 1 Good thru 8/9/92 FisherPrice Diaper Pail Reg. $17" Sale $1.499 `Good thru 8/9/92 Fisher-Price Booster Seat Reg. 512" Sale $1_099 Good thru 8/9/92 Fisher-Price Deluxe Port -A -Swing Battery Driven Reg. $7950 Sale $7499 Good thru 8/9/92 Fisher-Price Bath Center Reg. $15" Sale $1 299' L Good thru 8/9/92 1 , • l l i Klein . T From_previous page 'get credit for:.the roads. But if -you talk to those people they would tell you dad was the key reason why those roads .were built. ` "I'm very, very proud of him for that," Steve said. A photography enthusiast, Klein always carried a camera to capture the tragedies of com- muting over the old Cedar Avenue bridges. "He felt very badly that families had ;to suffer' for something that had been on the books for a long time," Paul said. Klien was always the fighter, whether pushing to build 'a school in Eagan's northern region or to fight against taxes. "He got into.politics because they raised our- taxes tremen- dously," said Gene, recalling a civic group her husband began. Then, Louis Trapp asked Klein to run for -his seat on the -board. "John had a vision for the community;" Gene said. Klein.would traverse Eagan's rolling hills with engineers, pointing out the highest areas where water towers should go to meet the. town's future growth: His' membership on the Town Board came at a pivotal time for Eagan.. _ • The groundwork helped prepare the city for its explosive ;growth when Cedar Avenue, I-35E, and I-494 bridges opened. "He always figured this place would fill up rapidly and grow into a city," she said. The Seneca Waste Water Treatment Plant is another ac- complishment Klein could take part credit.. It began as the Bloomington, Eagan, Burnsville plant until the Metropolitan Council took over and gave it to the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission. - Early on,- the city of St. Paul wanted Eagan's sewage bound for the Pigseye treatment plant. "He had a real rough time with that," Gene said. "He was very ecologically concerned." Then came time.for Eagan to become a city and change its • political structure. Klein fought against the move, Gene said, p_._ 1 \; John Klein etched a fond memory for his wife, Gene, the day before died by stepping to a Laural & Hardy dance. believing a Town Board with three members could better serve residents: "With fewer members you could keep a better finger on the purse strings," she said. All. residents would vote on the town's budget at an annual meeting. . He would give up the political fight after serving as Town Board chair in 1971, the year before Eagan became a city. Having retired from the U.S. Postal Service, Klein turned to real estate. "The longer you're in office the more enemies you make ... He just got sick of fighting all the,time to get things done," she said. • "There are always 1,000 men to defend the past. Even soldiers get tired of the battle." Classmates and teachers would badger the six Klein children whenever their father took unpopular stands with their parents, Steven and Paul said. But they never once resented having him as their father. "Dad voted the way he thoughtthings were, the way he saw it. . "As a result he might have been best friends with somebody one day and mortal enemies the next because he disagreed with the person's special interests," Steve said. While people would disagree with Klein, Paul said they always knew his stand and respected his honesty. . "When John told you something his word was good. He was a lot different than the politicians today," said Martin DesLauriers, former Eagan police chief. "You knew the ground rules with John." The Klein family said he would cringe if,_pegged:.as a politician because 'Klein' wouldn't succomb to special in- terests. Once, there was a move- ment encouraging him to.run for governor. - "Most of all he was a family, man. There's nothing he wouldn't do for the family," Steve said. Klein is survived by Gene, his six children and four- .grand- children. He was preceded in death by a son. Memorials are preferred to donor's choice. kTY TRIBUNE PAGE 5A 6 Youths Honored By Eagan Council � EAGAN -- Six area youths were honored Feb. 6 by the city council for receiving Eagle Scout and 4-H awards. Front row, from left, are: Rep. Ray Kempe, Rich Horsley, Mike Schim- mels, Eagle Scout awards: John Buehler, selected as Min- nesota's delegate to the National 4-H Congress in Washington, DC; Scott Schimmels and Tim Martin, Eagle Scout awards. Presenting the awards were, back row, from left: Mayor Leo Murphy, Mark Parranto, Jim Smith, Ted Wachter, Tom Egan, councilmen; and Sen. Howard Knutson. PAGE 6A IN INVER GROVE HEIGHTS -- ,Counclwoman" Teare Proposes Elections To Fill Vacancies r INVER GROVE • HEIGHTS ,- Stating that :appointment as, 'a way of filling council. vacancies is not' "popular" and :election is a ,preferred 'method, a city 'council 'Member, ' .Mondaynight,' • pro- . posed a 'resolution asking the legislature to amend state t statutes toicall'for a special elec- tion- ' The proposal which was mov- •, ed by Councilwoman Jo: Teare, stated when vacancies occur.on the 'city council:or• for mayor,. a ' 'special election ...shall 'be held. "This would place, the responsibility for determining of, •ficeholders directly: on the elec- , torate... _' the resolution said:' The `resolution 'would request • , theDakota County legislative de -- legation to initiate and facilitate passage of 'an amendment to'the.. state statutes to fill vacancies on ..'the city council or, for mayor- by special election „rather than by , •. 'appointment. It also asked the re- solution be ' forwarded to other Dakota County municipalities re- questing their support. Mrs_. Teare,' in her presenta- APPOINTED TO the newly- established position of 'chaplain : to the • police de- partment in "Inver'' Grove Heights is• 'Rev:. 'Bro. Stephen Baker, TOR;' ;St:. Patrick's Church. revision- allowing for Planned Unit Development. (PUD). This followed denial of a preliminary plat for Robert Bartz for 32 dwell- ing units (quadrarriiniums and town houses) at 67th, St. near Craig Ave. -A petition with 35 to the police department: • ' • SET the board of canvass for the city facilities bond election on Feb. 17 to 8.p.m. that same day at the city hall. . 'APPROVED the recom= mended promotion of Michael Malszycki from engineering aide •I to aide II effective March 1. and the appointment of David Hempel to engineering aide I ef- fective March 1. SET sale of $540,000 in general obligation improvement bonds"' of 1979 for 7:30 p.m. March 26, and directed its fiscal consultant to proceed to obtain a bond rating from---Moody's Investors Services: APPROVED an application for excavation permit for Kamehill, Inc.,;Warren Krech. president, to remove , an estimated 200,000 cubic yards of fill 'during atwo- year period at S. Robert Tr. and Hwy: 49. Krech stepped •down from the council table during this presentation and didn't participate in the voting. • OKAYED an application for an auto service .station for Robert DAKOTA COUI gistration. Dismissed. • TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS , j , Divanne Berta Jones. 65/55: $30. Timothy G..Harris. Improper number of license plates. $10. Nancy Jo Anderson. 70/55. $30. Rick Elmer Gillman. 70/55. $30. Patrick James`Casey. 43/30. $35. Lawrence N. Conzemius. $emaphore. Barbara Dettmer. Park in 'traffic lane: Dennis Robert Henderson: 65/55. $30:. Patricia Jo Hill. Overtime parking. $10. Ronald Jerome Jordan. 70/55. $35: ,Thomas Leo Klannert. 75/55: $30. Rolf E. Lagerquist: 65/55. a20.• ' Valerie E. Lennon. 65/55. 620. William Todd Manske. Snowbird. $15. Robert B. Moeller 69/55. $20. , ' Robert Bruce Ohr. Snow removal: a15. Harmony D. Olson. 65/55. $25. John Matthew Rivers. 40/30. $20. Frank X. Stockinger: Handicap park- ing. $15. Burness R. Eiler. No parking. $10. Alan M. Kaufenberg: Improper pass- ing. $30. ., Jeff John Lucking. Snowbird. $10. Harry W. McElmury. 40/30. $20. Duane•A. Norstad. 65/55. $20.i Joseph V. Novak. Snowbird. $10. Ronald Carl Starker. Snowbird. $19.. Carol Ann Younggren. No Minnesota registration. $10. , 'Lynne Mary Laski, 40/30. 820' Michael F. Gergen. 65/55. $20. ' ' 'ThoinasJ. McNamara. Snowbird. $10. Lois Marie Gaston. 70/55. $30. , Patricia Jo Hill. No current registra- tion (two counts). $30. No parking. $10. Mark Hunt. Snowbird. 615.' . Jonathon M. Welter 78 r55. $30. Janet Kay Laing. Parkin fire lane. $15. Leona Arlene Baum. 73 /55. S30.1 Gerald C. Hoffstrom. 65/55. $20. , Jerry Paul Younge. No current re- gistration. $10. , David -William Latch. Snowibird: $10. Debra Marie Peters. Snowbird. $10. GeraldTCullinan: License plates. 610. James G. Lorentz: No registration dis- played.a15.' Chris Dovrak. Snow,removal emergen- cy.•510. • Dakota- ,. -..1. bktn.. • UV. ..M ^15m1-1 By RobbHotakainen Staff Writer- DakotanCounty Auditor Norma Marsh;i-whociis up for .reelection, spntmore.tthan $14,000;:in. public . money°°tiiisg'fiionth to sendnotices to' all of the county's. 120,000 registered voters, reminding their where: they should.cast their ballots: • .51,1 ors_ . Whenimore than• 13,000 of the cards were. returned by. the Post- Office,. Marsh,said she knew, the registrants had either moved or died. The cards, which mentioned the, incumbent's name -three times, were:a good way td update voter registration lists,•she, said. Her opponent in next weeks election thinks otherwise. "It's, a paid political advertisement, paid for. by the county residents," said Jim Smith; a member.: of the Eagan City Council who 'is. challeng- Minneapolis Star and Tribune ;,0 ounty auditor's rnaHingdraws opponent's ir Wed., Oct. 29,1986 ing Marsh in what is thought to be a close race. A similar mailing of.105,000 notices • went out in June in Anoka County, where Auditor Charles Lefebvre is ',being challenged by Charles Rike. ' • It might' be a, perfectly legal way to 'boost name recognition in close con- tests,' but ,county auditors in outstate Minnesota seemed to ' wonder Tues- day what their 'counterparts in 'the Twin Cities are doing. "I have not 'sent cards to verify • if these people live at a certain ad dress. It 'doesn't serve any useful purpose," said Beltrami County:Audi- • for Julie Thompson. . - • the computer capability to send but the notices until after the 1984 elec- tion. "And .we• were only made aware of this -part of the law in' late sum- me_r,"-she said. "That was the`soon- est it could be done." Marsh said the •county, which paid 12 cents apiece to mail the cards under bulk rates, will .do, a follow-up mail-, ing in 60•days-before dropping any - registered voters from the lists. ; • "We've' had one ,.complaint out of- 120,000. I think that says something .-‘. It says•they aren't complaining a0"Qt-MT this card." • • • • In Anoka County, 15,000 of .the cards�on were returned by the Post Otifce,; said Dick Sivanich, the county s e e,WO tion supervisor. He said the mailing .. is a way to prevent election fraud: v'isti The cards mailed in Dakota County., have Marsh's name title•in,¢aip b.. "capital' letters at the top left-hand,w • corner of the front side. The back rk side bears her name and title again, in smaller letters, and her signattwe,., as well. That's part of the work of the ing out in early October.. names on the registration lists, 2,000 -•voter •.registration cards +that five,'° she .said. "I cant veryt Beltrami County updates its voter list Mansky said. "The fact that they are were either duplicated or had' rids-. sendit out,anonymously ; • t by removing cards for people who "Why would you, --Wait until •three have .not voted in the county in four :four ' weeks before the election?". years. Auditors in other counties, in- asked Smith, who said the mailing ' cluding Becker, Otter Tail, Winona, will hurt his chances of defeating and Big Stone also follow the "four- . Marsh. `'-' •- ' year pull" rule:- • • Officials with' the outstate 'counties '. said they use death• notices to re- move names from their lists and rely on other counties to tell them if registered voters move to another voting jurisdiction.., . "They are smaller counties," Dakota • County's • Marsh said. "They `don't ' have the. moving -in and out- that larger counties do; 'I feel it's a ser- vice to the public. I 'just wish we could've done it sooner because our files definitely needed updating." Marsh said she mailed the last of the notices Oct. 14, three weeks before election day - The notices began go - "Ina race `such as auditor,' which -is ' fairly low -profile, name identifica- tion is probably'90 percent," he said. "The county paid for a piece of liter- ature that went to every' registered voter in the county." • Joe Mansky, election procedure ad= visor, with the Minnesota secretary ' of state's office, said he is aware of mass mailings being 'used in only Dakota and Anoka counties this year. He said elected auditor posi- tions are open this year in all Minne • sota' counties except Hennepin and Ramsey, where auditors are appoint- ed. . • A• 1973 state law -allows county audi= tors to use a mass mailing to verify "There are 'other ways to purge the list," Smith' said. "You don't have to. do a mass mailing. It makes no sense whatsoever." In addition to the ,returned;.card, Marsh said, the mailing discovered up for election does not preclude spelled names on them. . • • them from carrying out their respon- sibilities," he said. • a "We have many people who are just' delighted to get this card telling . Marsh said the county did not have - them where to vote," she said. _ -- —i 0'.f• • ' „ -• T T 'V( Marsh wins over Smith's challenge by Amy O'Marro Perhaps Eagan residents thought they could keep Jim Smith on the City Council. Residents did not support him Nov. 4 in his attempt to become Dakota County auditor. Incum- bent Norma Marsh took the county vote 36,325 to 20,328 and took Eagan's vote 4,014 to 3,360. In his July announcement to run, Smith said he would vacate his City Council seat, win or lose. He has served on the coun- cil for 15 years, joining the coun- cil in 1972. But Smith said voters may not have taken his decision to step down from the council seriously. In 1976, Smith said he became a candidate for county commissioner. When he finish- ed third in the primary race, Smith said supporters said they voted for other commissioner candidates so Smith could con- tinue serving as a City Council member. A mailing from the auditor's office before the election also may have hurt Smith's chances, he said. The October mailing consisted of voter registration information with Norma Marsh's name pro- minently listed three times. Smith's decision to step down from the council remains firm, he said after last week's elec- tion. He also said he had no campaign plans for future elec- tions. The election was Marsh's first campaign. She had been appointed to the office in 1984, after the retirement of Carl Onischuk. Marsh was chief deputy auditor from 1975 to 1984. She has been a member of the coun- ty auditor's office since 1959. vay J, UIGCSLGI JLUUGIILJ [l1 C LW 11 ed away because there isn't room to perform, what used to be the janitor's closet has become the music room. A growing population in School District 196 has forced ad- ministrators and teachers to create space for new students who must crowd into buildings each year. Need for additional high school space is at a premium and district residents have strong opinions on where, when and how needs should be ad- dressed. As of Oct. 1, 15,927 students were enrolled in District 196 schools. Capacity for Rosemount, Scott Highlands and Va11 v middle prove a third high school in September 1984. A $12.5 million referendum for two elementary schools and special education facilities passed. The second question on the ballot proposed building a high school on district -owned proper- ty in Eagan, adding a theater to Rosemount High School and stadium to Apple Valley High School. Also included was half the cost of building a multi- purpose arena at Rosemount High School. Total cost of the high school question was $24.5 million. It failed by a vote of 5,186 to 3,922. Passage of the elementary school question allowed 'The Matchmaker The Community Theatre of Bui Friday ninht at the Pprfnrminn Campaign '86 Below voters will find statements from candidates in the general election Nov. 4. • Candidates in Dakota County races were mailed a questionnaire and given two weeks to complete it. Th , were asked to state the endorsements they re- ceiv4 or qualifications they have in 100 words or less, and'what issues are central. in the campaign and their stands on those issues in 350 words or less. Statements dare printed in the candidates' own words. County auditor Norma Marsh County Auditor NORMA MARSH, '1838 Forest St., Hastings, is the Dakota Coun-- ty auditor. QUALIFICATIONS: "Twenty- seven years experience in the Dakota County auditor's office, including 10 years as chief deputy auditor and the past -two years as , county auditor. - "A thorough and comprehen- sive knowledge of.all laws;gover• - ning tlie'office of 'county auditor. `Proven ability to fulfill aliahe requirements • of : the office ` as mandated by -statute. -• • "An excellent -working relation- ship and -;.cooperation with :of- ficials of the cities, townships and school districts of the county. "Management skills which will enable me to continue operating. •--.an.efficient,• non-partisan_office._� "Member Business and•Profes- sional Women. "Member State Assn. of County Auditors." ISSUES: "I believe the only issue pertinent to the campaign, for county auditor is the qualifications of the candidates. The voters must decide who is most qualified to fulfill the duties of the office. "My qualifications have been . proven.over a span of 27 years in the county auditor's office. "The county auditor is strictly an administrative officer and has no vote on county policy. The of- fice is -- and must remain -- a non- partisan office, continuing to serve all citizens in an efficient and courteous manner. "The taxation laws in Min- nesota are extremely complex. My experience and knowledge in this area assures compliance with all phases of this process:: "I have managed the complete computerization of our approx- imately 90,000 tax parcels, our voter registration system and -other systems which dramatical-' '1y increased office efficiency. ,iThis. increased efficiency pro- vides better. and faster •service to :the public.. All- this -has been ac- 6complished without increasing 'department staff since' 1979: "I will continue to increase effi- ciency and service by additional computerization, especially in the delinquent tax and distribu- tion areas. "On a daily basis, I work with :officials of_ the various taxing .authorities --cities, townships, -and school districts. I will con- tinue to assist these officials in every way possible. "The county auditor's office has been well-known during my 27-year tenure for the courteous service provided to the public on many subject matters. I pledge to continue to serve Dakota County residents in the same efficient, .non -Partisan manner." • • Jim Smith county Auditor JIM SMITH, 2t70 Marble Ln., • Eagan, is manager at Goldberg Bonding Co. • QUALIFICATIONS: "My wife and I have lived in Eagan for 25 years. We have three grown children. ' "I graduated from St.�,Clo State University with a degree business administration and concentration in accounting. I a employed with Goldberg Bondin g ud in a m . Co: as manager of the St.. Paul branch office. "I have been a member of the Eagan City Council for the past 14 years and acting mayor for the last seven years. I have served on the finance committee for nine years and have been chairperson • for the Last seven- years. "My -"community: service —in- -- eludesMembershipmembership on the Burns- ville/Eagan Cable Commission, Citizens Council on Voyagers Na- tional Park, Knights of Columbus and Chairperson of the- -Eagan Cable Television Commission." ISSUES: "The primary func- tion of the auditor's office should . be service to local governments. This service ,has been sadly lack- - ing. Dakota County is growing County: recorder • , rapidly ,-- -it . is -now_ the third. • largest•county in Minnesota. We .- can, no longer continue. with a ,business -as -usual • attitude but - must operate more efficiently, • especially through. greater utili zation of computers and prioritiz- ing of staff time: In the city of • Eagan, we have ' used these methods .to increase the level of, service, while maintaining a mill rate` among the lowest in the-' county. • "My work on the Finance Com- mittee'has dealt extensively with the .budget, mill rates, special assessments, industrial • revenue bonds, housing' revenue bonds and tax increment financing. . Dakota County needs a county auditor who has a strong finan- cial background and the experi- ence of elected leadership 'and• professional management. As county auditor I would bring such expertise to the office. `: `.`My goals as auditor would in- clude modernizing and computer- ' izing the office, and expanding services as needed, while holding- the line:on taxes. I will manage • the office so -that Dakota County citizens can obtain quick. and complete responses to their in- quiries. •- "I will use my experience and in-depth knowledge of local government and financing to pro- - vide taxpayers with dependable • and accountable county service. • "I:will provide the'1Ieadership to develep'improved coordination and teamwork between the of- fices 'of auditor, recorder and -treasurer so as to provide a more efficient delivery of services to our citizens and local units of government. - "My 14 years -of proven elected leadership will provide the visi- bility, direction and. cooperation required to fulfill these goals." ounty attorney Robert Carolan did not respond to the questionnaire. James Dolan County Recorder JAMES -DOLAN, 2450 Heimel St., South St. Paul, is the Dakota County recorder. _ QUALIFICATIONS: "I have • served as Dakota County record- er since 1982. A'resident of South St. Paul, I was a businessman in Dakota County: for many years, as was my father before me. I:at- . tended the College of St. Thomas business school. My wife Marlene is a teacher in the South St. Paul school system: As Dakota County • recorder I have established vital new programs to keep pace with the tremendous growth of our county. I look forward to continu- ing these programs and meeting the challenges of future county growth with vigor. and creativ- ity." - . ISSUES: "The central issue in the campaign for county recorder is the continuing dynamic growth of Dakota County - and the re sponsibility, of the recorder,'s,df- • • • Ifee'tb'keep.f Dacewith thi1'gi oWth 111 12A OCTOBER 27, 1986 THISWEEK • in terms of recording deeds, mortgages and other key trans- actions and documents. "Our volume of business has actually more than doubled since I was elected to this office four -years ago. To give you an idea of the numbers I am talking about, in 1985 alone our staff individual- ly recorded and processed over 56,000 documents and handled more than 60,000 phone inquiries. •"We were able to do this suc- • cessfully because we have com- pletely restructured,and modern- ized our operations over the past. ,four years: We have established a new research department and telephone system, computerized a number of our procedures, learned new microfilming tech- niques and installed new book- keeping systems. We are on our way to building an office and en- vironment that is completely - service -oriented. "I believe that my experience and -leadership have played an important part in the accomplish- ments of the past four years. The challenges of growth will - con- tinue and I will continue to seek solutions and, build • programs dedicated to prompt and efficient public service. I ask the people of ;Dakota County_ for their support 'and theinvete•on'Nov:-4 -•.- • Richard McCarthy County Recorder - RICHARD McCARTHY, -Hast- ings, works in maintenance at a parochial school. - QUALIFICATIONS: "Experi- enced in land survey and.right of way acquisition. Experience of five years as Dakota County register of deeds and register of titles. Position recently retitled Dakota County recorder. ISSUES: "There is a crisis in the recorder's office which needs to be corrected. Morale is at an all-time low, with several valu- ' able employees leaving in frus-• tration and. disgust. There is also an unprecedented two -month backlog of abstract filings. The hiring of more and more inex- perienced full-time employees in the last few. months have created further confusion in this office ad- ding a still greater burden on the taxpay_ers�! 1' . 'A •'a•-fernier•offt%e holder, - when Dakota County expanded at an, exploding pace, I called our friends at 3M, IBM and others. I. made use of their expertise to im- prove and modernize our filing and recording systems resulting in fast and -accurate service. "Dakota County .recorders have been rated very highly in the state until the' last four years. We are now rated as having•the poorest service in the metro area. "Persons needing the services of this office are frustrated -over the seemingly endless. wait for •their documents to be recorded. The Dakota County recorder's of- . fice has a dedicated professional • staff. If elected I" will 'provide them with the .tools and leader- ship to make this office what it should be ... efficient! "My number -one priority is ... to obtain additional microfilm equipment to break the backlog of documents to be filed. Dakota County needs a qualified, ex- perienced officeholder • who is • able to respond to the needs of -the . public in a professional and responsible manner. . "Dakota County can no longer r:a :dearcoanty.afficer.in nametl;lct;. • only!" - State senator District 38- Dave Aussendorf did not respond to the questionnaire. Howard Knutson did not respond to the questionnaire. CITY PHONE - NUMBERS ' Emergencies Dial 911 Police Department Noni•i .igencies� Fire Department Nnn.•mrrgencics Municipal Center . Adminislral1111 ('arks nail Recreation) 454-8100 Public Works Department i I an'n);o I 454-5220 t St•wer and Wale!. Iti lling 1454-8100 454-3900 454-8100 The Eagan Municipal Centere 38311 Pilot Knob Rd., is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday -Friday. A nnitlir sere ire •I•hi.s -,-k • Jail break GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES for the $12.5 • million, 152-bed Dakota County Law Enforcement Center took place- Oct. 21. The new facility, to be located adjacent to the north end of the existing Government Center in Hastings, should be completed by June 1988. "This is a very functional and flexible facility 'that will give Dakota County many options in •' the future," Commissioner Chairman Joe Harris said during the ceremony. Participating in the ground - Photo by Lori Welle breaking, from left, are: Dakota County Sheriff Rod Boyd; Minnesota Department of Corrections Com missioner Orville Pung; County Commissioner Steve Loeding; Commissioner John Voss; Commissioner Joe Harris; Commissioner Russell Streefland; Judge Eugene Atkins, who is a former county commissioner; Commissioner Jerry Hollenkarnp; and Dakota County HRA Chairman Mike Turner. • HUNDREDS_ TO CHOOSE. FROM, LARGE SELECTION OF STYLES AND COLORS PLUS YOU RECEIVE FREE 1/2" PRIME URETHANE PAD WITH EACH REMNANT HURRY IN FOR BEST SELECTION: Sale. Ends 1111186. And get it all right here: • • The right advice • The right installation CO. RD. 42 BURNSVILLE CENTER • • 1.616,...a. • WAREHOUSE CARPET. SALES 1516 Cliff Rd. • Burnsville 890-7199 Mon.-Thurs. 9:00-9:00 Fri. 9:00-6:00, Sot. 9:00-5:00 . - . •,4 • • • , • • • • 1 0.0...• THISWEEK .f?.,1)66.T.OriER Bieter lawsuit ends Plaintiffs may appeal . decision By Terrance Mencel A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed a $10 million lawsuit filed by the Bieter Com- pany that alleged "conspiracy to restrain trade." Chief Judge Donald Aslop's ruling 'Feb. 18, apparently ends a five year court battle that has involved, former Eagan Mayor Bea Blomquist and prominent Eagan developers. This was Bieter's second lawsuit -regarding a failed bid to rezone 94 acres it owns on the northeast quadrant of Diffley Road and Interstate 35E, from agricultural to commerical planned development. Bieter alleged Blomquist con- spired with Federal Land Com- pany and- Hoffman Develop- ment to prevent the Edina- based company from developing the land for a shopping center. "We're absolutely elated," said Blomquist of Aslop's ruling._ "It's an iron clad denial.... It's bulletproof." The lawsuit never should have been brought to court, said Blomquist, saying it cost the League of Minnesota Cities nearly $500,000 in legal fees for defense. Blomquist said she hopes some of that cost can be reimbursed by Bieter. But Bieter Company. officials said they have other intentions. They're currently .considering an appeal of-Aslop's ruling, said James McCarthy, of the lawfirm . Lindquist & Vennum, who represents Bieter. "We are pleased that the court recognized that evidence - of bribery exists here, but I per- sonally don't think the case should be dismissed," said Ron Cornwell, a principal officer for Bieter, in a released statement. BIETER: To Page 7A d Price Alone Ilves Exceptional w Price.... Found LLY`S LIR OF JEANS PRICE, GET PAIR AT „ (or tetryo e •L y of California TOPPING CENTER 688-6173 • EAGAN 'S rect Are Sale. 3res you'll always less. Since we're t can save everyday. Any Purchase >f Old Bedding ing ($350 min.) fort Guarantee CORES xne pple Valley 70 Sleepwell 4 yr. 100% Guarantee Win ea. pc $59 Full ea. pc $79 Queen set $188 Hotel Embassy 8 yr. 100% Guarantee Win ea. pc. $89 Full ea. pc $119 Queen set $288 King set $388 Excellence 12 yr.100% Guarantee 11vin ea. pc $129 Full ea. pc $169 Queen set $418 King set... ..... .... .......... $568 Supreme 15 yr. 100% Guarantee Thin ea. pc. $169 Full ea. pc $209 Queen set $498 King set $698 Other models also available. FREE FRAME OR PILLOWS OR MATTRESS PAD with any set purchase and this coupon. Limit one per set purchase. (One pillow with Twin, two with Full, Queen & King) 'rlo �/•iui '•no•r slams Hours: Mon. -Sat. 10-7, Sun. 1-5 L Exp.3-31-92 J lore: election results:;oiJ pages 5A- A Voters chose incumbents fithe majority of open positions,in Dakota County governmerital, bodies. This election also brought out a high number of voters in, Dakota County, with manycities reporting turnout well above€Ltie 65 percent statewide level.;!! Bi. t'4 f3quist Masiti' emerge victorio Female majority elected to City Council By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer Experience and name recog- nition accounted for something among Eagan voters last week. Bea Blomquist, a former mayor and council member, fin- ished with 9,601 votes in last week's City Council election. She was followed by incumbent San- dra Masin, who had 8,015 votes. The other incumbent, Shawn Hunter, trailed with a tally of 7,310. He was followed by Paul Bakken, Mark Miller and Ron Hanson respectively. When Blomquist and Masin are sworn in as council members in January, the makeup of the board will change from predomi- nately male to a female majority. Masin said she saw a concert- ed effort to draw women out to vote and that may have had some influence in the outcome. Both Hunter and Blomquist said name recognition helped Blomquist win re-election after a 10-year hiatus. "I've always been active in the Blomquist' . " '. Masi community. I never left," Blomquist said. Before filing for election, she tested the waters with a survey. When her supporters emerged, Blomquist said she ran a cam- paign that worked like "clock- work." "We had a plan. It ticked very well," she said. All three top vote -getters have served on the „council, which was an indication that people are generally hapjpy with how things are going, :Hunter said. What moved Blomquist to the top of the pack was her name recognition, he said. "She also had a long list due- ; ! COUNCIL: To Page 5A Ak�, ' 3, l i% cItl!tW 11fW Tc 1\4%TrirB Council:.72 percentnirned out From Page lA dentials in her brochure," he said. Blomquist said it's her stance on is- sues that voters liked. "I hope to take the lead on the com- prehensive guide issue," she said. Cities are being required by the Met- ropolitan Council to update the guides so that they match current zoning. Taxes were the second campaign issue for Blomquist. She doesn't believe the city should spend the windfall earned through higher property evaluation. Rather, the city should lower the mill levy, she said. Blomquist also said the mayor has not always been receptive to hearing public comments. "I want to see him open up the meet- - ings and not be so conservative with the meetings," she said. Blomquist opposed a recent parks ref- erendum because the council was vague on which parcels it wanted to purchase. 6 "I also want to get my arms around / this park issue. People want a say in it," she said. Much has been said on the council about developing the remaining portions of Eagan so that the city has an identity. Eagan Promenade was viewed as one of the parcels which was supposed to help define Eagan. Blomquist said Eagan already has an identity, with its open green spaces, trails and good 'schools. As second -place finisher, Masin said vot- ers put their trust in her because she has demonstrated that she cares about Eagan and about what happens to residents. Masin Said 'she didn't believe that is- sues were:a major factor during this elec- tion. "There's the ongoing issues over de- velopment and taxes in general. I didn't get the feeling those were serious issues," Masin said. Eagan voter turnout was 72 percent, higher than the state average of 65 per- cent. • ! "That was encouraging. People got out to vote. As a community we're really very conscientious," Masin said. >)etv /3, /41cl4 Su,;—r,ut* 8 Outlook A February 4, 1979 St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press Eagan: Projects still unfinished Continued from Page 4 petitioned the Minnesota Munici- pal Commission to become a charter city. They recalled that they want- ed a broader -based governing body of five elected council members. KLEIN FOUGHT to keep Eagan a township ("the most re- sponsible form of government with citizens approving the budget") but he lost that battle in 1972. Klein retired from office, Uselmann lost an election and Eagan eventually became a city. Among his achievements, Klein counted fending off an an- nexation effort by the municipal commission and helping estab- lish the first regional sewage treatment plant in the state. In addition, he said he re- served hills for comparatively modest -sized water tanks so spindly towers would not dot the landscape. He also said he helped defeat four proposed school district bond issues until plans showed more economy and also included a new elementary building for Eagan. ASSISTING WITH developing Ft. Snelling State Park, the po- lice and fire departments, utility systems, county park land as well as committee work for the state zoo in adjacent Apple Val- ley were other Klein projects. Klein had joined the county planning advisory commission in 1971 with an appointment from the County Board. By 1976, still as a commission member, he also was the broker for three of four Eagan sites un- der consideration for a proposed west county government service center. A conflict of interest question was raised. A county legal opin- ion stated the commission, estab- lished by a special state law re- quested by the county board, was not subject to state law govern- ing formal planning commis- sions. AT THE TIME, Klein argued he had "a constitutional right" as a citizen to both hold office and pursue his real estate business. Later in 1976, he retired from the commission. The County Board shelved plans for the west county center but Klein recently pointed out that the county has rented office space in Burnsville to accommo- date the burgeoning population of that city, Apple Valiey and Eagan in northwestetn Dakota County. Ever energetic, Klein recently unrolled an Eagan map. He out- lined how major highways and railroads span the east and west sides of town and angle inward toward the northern border near where the main industrial park lies. "IT'S A NATURAL," he said, pointing out Eagan is just across the Minnesota River from the airport and Bloomington. And Eagan is only 9 few miles from St. Paul on the south side of Men- dota Heights. While Klein appreciates the estimated $10 million the county engineering department has ex- pended on 100 miles of roads since 1972, he's pushing the state and federal governments for in- terstate highway construction. Gary Pagel, Metropolitan Council member who helped Klein found the Urban Council on Mobility in 1974, says: "Just think what would hap- pen if people could get from the inner cities to Dakota County." True. their council has suc- cessfully lobbied the current construction of the Cedar Ave- nue bridge from Bloomington to Eagan. But they are impatient with the pace of building on In- terstate 35E crawling north from Burnsville to Eagan. AND THEY AWAIT various government approvals of the fi- nal Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed I-494 project from Bloomington across the Minnesota River. The • route is to run east between Eagan and Mendota Heights and on to Sunfish Lake and South St. Paul. "We want those roads but we want them coordinated," com- mented Donald Huber, Mendota Heights' former mayor and city highway officer. Sunfish Lake Mayor Duncan Baird, described I-494 as "stupid, ugly and not overly clean." Of similar opinion is Minneap- olis Attorney Philip Getts who represents the Dakota County Environmetal Protective Associ- ation that stopped construction on the $70 million, 1 i-mile 1-494 project in 1973 by demanding the EIS. Getts says, "The only 'need' for this freeway ,is the need of private economic interests in northern Dakota County to se- cure adequate transportation fa- cilities so they can harvest the fruits of tl speculative real estate acqu ions and invest- ments." State highway engineer Mer- ritt Linzie and Klein have claimed that the I-494 project is Minnesota's "missing link" in the federal interstate system. Klein has said he does not want just a bedroom community but a total city with industry, business, jobs, homes and apart- ments. This, he added, is more democratic. But upon such battles John Klein thrives. There are three things that make a country great, he says: fertile soils, industrious people and good roads to transport peo- ple and goods efficiently from place to place. r St •Paul Sunday Pioneer Press ill find them ti aan By MIKE BARRETT '• Staff.Writer First,' John Klein planned Eagan, some say, and now he's selling it. "That's not too far wrong." al- lowed the ex-townhoard chair man turned real estate broker as he wheeled, his' car ` around streets ,paved over once rolling farm land. Eagan is one of the fastest growing cities, in Dakota ,County and Dakota is the' fastest grow- ing county in the state. , Not every citizen, however, shares Klein's boosterism. And county growth has slowed recently, but would explode, ob- servers say, if planned interstate highways are finished. . . "I W'ORK.ED' A LOT of years, out here on my own -time %plan- ning,and developing this commu- nity„" Klein said. "Businessmen coming out here kept saying, 'Why don't you go - into real, estate?' So I did." To critics' questions of whether he has.conflicts•of'inter- est, Klein says, that when he was in office. he would disqualify himself' from township board voting whenever his business , came up. "To be fair to John,''. said one of Klein's old -political foes, for- mer town board member •Paul Uselmann Jr., "he used, to step • down into the audience when his, property transactions came' be- fore us." "Are you getting rich'? :an ac- quaintance asked•Klein the other day. "SURE I AM," 'smiled the 56 year;old;"arid there's ..nothing • members of The Hate John Klein - Club hate to hear more."' ' • While the goateed. burly bro- ker has.critics and admirers, few deny that he's been a driving force here for years, so much so ,that one town nickname is 'Kleinsville.' • Statistics from Eagan, the. county, the Metropolitan Council' and the state show_he,has been in' • the right place•at the,right time Since 1970, Eagan's population. has doubled. to 20;000 while .the:, •county has soaredi, from: nearly. 140,000 to 190,000: In the 1970s,' Eagan listed about 4,000 residen- tial building permits , and the county counted 26,000. : • ,'DURING. THAT TIME, Klein and others have'been developing business properties that have helped create new jobs: • i "And don't forget," reminded Klein, "Eagan is among the low- est. taxed 'communities in the area because of its industrial base." Rauenhorst Corporation's • EagandaleIndustrial Park, in ' which Klein has been involved, began 'in 1966 and now has 2,700' acres, nearly half developed.. The park'. is one reason the number of jobs in Eagan has February. 5t:. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press ast • •240. papers that took - him from Summit Avenue mansions to Set-. by -Dale' apartments ' of .federal project workers: • "I met some of the richest peo- 'ple•in the ,world`and some, of the , poorest." .World. War II found him in an.. ' • airplane cockpit •as 'an Army Air: Corps pilot.'. A -Carper, with the U.S. Post office followed: ' • ,In '195.5', 'Klein and his wife, Gene, moved to what was then known as Eagan. Township. Only 3 000.persons lived there.. • - ' • •• '"WE HAD 'A BUNCH of kids -and we were going to have more:" ,. chuckled . the, father ' of se yent;',ages.116'to 32. • ••'. ' • • - 'Heand Gene built 'their home• • with their own hands just.' off. • Lone Oak Road on , a• high ,hill overlooking the Minnesota River Valley; From their picture window, in the 'distance, -a- visitor can see airplanes gliding .in and ..rising'. off the runways of the St. Paul- • Minneapolis International • Air- port.. "We don't ,mind 'erri,".,the ex - •aviator nodded• .towar'dv the planes, "We like em:" . • ' • With his house up -,and family growing, Klein's concerns turned • -toward-rising taxes and he joined a 'local citizens league whose members elected him chairman: THAT WHETTED his , appe= • tite•for politics-and•in 1963 on his first campaign •for the town :board lie won one of three town- •.' John Klein,'former Eagan.Township,board chair- ship supervisor's ' posts. He be man turned real estate brok'er,:'. says the outlook for - came .chairman in 1967. During Dakota County holds'',promise evenilough there are •' the '60s, he also. ran unsuccess- a'lot of.pr,•ojects yet" toi' b` I t 'd St ff Photo a , fully for the,county board. •; e.comp e e ..,— a Former board member Usel- risen from nearly 6,000 in 1970 about' three -fifths the size of ' to more than 8,000 today. And Minneapolis. . jobs• in the *county 'shot from •r - ' • ' • 7 ' 34,000 in 1'970 to approximately • YET ,TNE CITY has just two .. 50,000 now:;•• shopping centers and its industri .'., . ral zones are on its northeastern. According- to ,,the, Metro (oh- ;l, and western borders. ' cil, Eagan_ ,turned(oh-. 'over. 2,6,43:',',; �,' • ' ' : r. acres for; homes and byusinesses `Nobody knows his' communi-` • and .1,747 acres 'for parks°'from ty better than John Klein -knows- 1970 to 1975. . • : Eagan and he does research to ,; ' back up what' he says," observed AFTER' A •BUILDING -slow.. -county assessment officer •Wil-r down because Peoples •Natural liam:Benjatnin.: ' , • - .- Gas -temporarily could ;not -,sup ;«If;you don't'.know °what`you'i,e ply.. afuel ebr nadditional fi' Hookups, , talking,,about,"; Benjainin added, .,Eagan ' rebounded', in .1978.T,with, ,°_<<John.,Klein'11• make ;mishmash some $25 million ' in: new Cori_ � out of you:" struction... • . • With •such growth, �;tliough;;:;, gs• Eagan's City Hall often: rin-- with debate, between developers such as Klein and homeowners who left the core cities' for. what • they thought would be the lidyllic countryside. . "You do me and the communi;, ty a disservice," he told a rort=. er, "by giving so much attepention ;- ,to. conflicts with the no -growth people. _ • , "They're just a sinall minority;`. of the population," he said: "I've • never lost an election out here yet.• What does that tell you?" • • Klein said Eagan's geographi- cal size is deeper than St.,•Paul: and almost as wide and Eagan's'• The. past;,year,y for example; .some•homeowners'• and political'; opponent's,`ofKlein have bumped up against, him,.and others• -pro moting. -bigger "roads; a'. third shopping center, a 'highway 'interchange, an+apartment build-• ing with subsidized units, a'highf , way• '(Kleinbridge • across Blackhawk 'Lake insists _it's a marsh) and interstate highways! : . •, • One, bridge:,,•opponent, -David" Johnson, commented, "John, has ;done 'many 'good things but', he, •has set up a master.'plad largely.: in ' his own mind. Disagreeing .with him' does not make for, easy, living." ' The onetime St. Paul newsboy',' 'had,a• 1930s Depressionroute,'of • 1 inann,, who. began his term in 1968, • said he ran for the town board because he wanted to cor- rect' the lack of a, master plan, park 'plan and, resultant "wild 'land'speculation. ' In•-•tim,e, Eagan adopted stricter codes,, "Uselmann said. He witli, ' among others, Robert Losinski, - who also has been known..'to' disagree with Klein; See Eagan, Page 8 e`trucks and hoses like,these enth and Sherman streets in - Staff Photo by Joe-Oden Paul Sunday Pioneer Press 1' February 4, 1979 lation sqtezes 's pocketbook By JACK RHODES Staff Writer The same inflation that wreaks havoc on the family budget inflicts magnified economic woes . on local government: Like any other consumer, the Ramsey County and St. Paul city governments are hard hit by the inflationary pressures that drive up the cost of everything ;from paperclips to computers to printing of legal notices'. Added to those spiraling .costs of goods and services are, the effects of inflation on salaries and construction projects. . As might be expected, city and•county_offi- cials are quick to agree with President Carter's • declaration that inflation is Enemy No. 1. "I do think inflation . is a very serious problem," said county Executive Director •Lar- ry Brown, "and it's a problem we're going to have to live with through the 197,0s and 1980s.' FOR THE city -county Purchasing Division, living with inflation means paying $587,705 in 1977 for roughly the same amount of chemicals that cost' $309,797 the year before (1978 figures aren't compiled yet). The. Purchasing Division, which also buys supplies for the St. • Paul School District, spent. $261,290 for office' supplies in 1976 and had to 'lay out $312,363 in 19.77, says Purchasing Agent. William' Peter. In short, there's hardly a commodity used by locat government that isn't increasing in price. But by far the biggest portion'of St. Paul and Ramsey County budgets affected by inflation is. for salaries. . See City, Page for cost cuttin energy 'costs can somehow be held down. And, of course; more . dollars for energy means fewer dollars for instruction. o ., Both Sigvertsen ,and Berg, say the day may come when energy considerations will 'virtually di0- tate what kind of programs the school district will be able to offer. For example, if gasoline prrc- . es continue their sharp increase, the day may well come when the..., school district can no longer af- ford to bus children to various special programs. Another effect of skyrocketing energy cost might be to force a • change in the school year so that . buildings can be kept closed dur- '` ing the coldest months. THE SCHOOL district has al- ready•taken energy conservation measures such as turning ther- mostats down to 65 degrees, a move that has met with a decid- edlychilly reception from many students and teachers. And the district is considering some extensive work on its heat- ing systems to make then more The situation, hoWever, may not be as unremittingly bleak as some school administrators like to picture it. For one thing, the state legis- lature has always been generous with money for education and so • can be counted on to help the schools as much as possible. lFor another, there are "signs that the ,enrollment nosedive may finally 'hit bottom in the early 1980s, giving school dis- . 'tricts. a chance to get ..off the downward financial spiral de- clining enrollment creates for them. Still; there's no question that schools — because• of •the twin effort problems of inflation and declin- ing enrollment - will -face tough going over the next five years: . ' And if inflation turns 'into hyperinflation, especially in 'the area of energy, many school -Sys- tems - St. Paul among them :— could be forced to radically alter their programs and policies, in order -to make ends meet.• When your credit's good, yu,ca$enjo the " good things in life. ,..just by saying From furniture . to fireplaces ... topcoats to television sets skiwear to sound. movies- . there',s an alriiost endless List of the good things.in.life that you can, enjoy ii>Ii�t�edi- ately when you' have a good credit rating. It's -as simple as saying "Charge it!" in hundreds of shops' and stores. througliout the St. Paul area: To put your good credit •rat- ing to or for you, drop into thew• Credit Department of one of your favorite stores this week and • open your .account. • You can' insure your privilege of 'saying "Charge it" by paying 200 /*JARr Eaga �-�- Officials EAGAN--About 200 persons at- tended the recognition dinner Saturday, Jan. 21 for retiring Eagan mayor, Herbert Polzin, and councilmen, Arthur Rahn and William Rydrych. Their combined service to Eagan township and city govern- ments totaled more than 70 years. The dinner was held in the new addition at Lost Spur Country Club, Eagan. Masters of ceremonies were Jim Smith and Ted Wachter, both Eagan coun- cilmen. Several photographs, plaques, and gifts were given to the men. The $750 contributed by the public will be used for a flagpole at the new police facility. Richard Stevenson, president of the Nb.thern Dakota County Chamber of Commerce and the Mid America National Bank of Eagan was also a presenter. Letters were received from former Governor LeVander, Senator Wendell Anderson, and Rep. Hagedorn. A barbershop quartet, "Premium Blend," en- tertained. HASTAD-ELLINGBOE Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Hastad of Madison announce the engage- ment of their daughter, Mary Ann, to Craig Ellingboe, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Ellingboe of Lakeville. Miss Hastad received her bachelor of science degree in 1971 from Concordia College, Moorhead. She is employed with the Little Falls School District at Lincoln Elementary School in Little Falls, MN. Ellingboe received his bachelor of arts degree in 1970 from St. Olaf College, Northfield. He is a student at Northwestern Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul and is presently serving as an in- tern pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND. A summer wedding is being planned. S a�gszylq EAPAGJ' C041Y CLEIRCi-= yce 3©k® IE©y V®ty O L©b ,+..;.,.h.,t' ?r, r;,+"n Yr rPRi4ariW ALYCE BOLKE,' Eagan city clerk, views • one of the many city's development maps. The job provides a variety. of duties and she never gets bored. .. - By YVONNE MACKO - ' Staff Writer • EAGAN--"What don't I do?" replied Alyce Bolke, Eagan. city clerk, when asked what she did in her job. Mrs. Bolke, a resident of 1365 Deerwood Drive since 1948, is the official - keeper of records, is in charge of all elections, notices of council agendas and publichear- ings, is responsible for minutes . from meetings, pays the • bills, keeps city maps, financial; re- cords, ordinances and resolu- tions. - She also invests$7:8,million of surplus funds such as debt service'funds from the city's ap- portionment • from the county. "By investing the .money in 14 savings and loans, banks and U.S. -Treasury notes last year, I 'made• $450,000-interest for- the - • city," she proudly remarked. Mrs.:Bolke.has been a familiar face in city governm s i board.. "We didn't even have a fire department then. Now - we have two stations and will have a bond referendum . May 1 for a •third station,'' she said. The city, building program has also expanded. "We (the staff) still are crowded but all have good relationships. It's unique that ' we don't have a great turnover with -staff," the clerk commented. • ` Having -worked with men for several years, Mrs.. Bolke said she has always been treated fairly and always- been respected. She added she has. never felt discriminated against. 'I've become friends with the - . people I've worked with,:' she smiled. Sometimes there can be.a lot of . tension with the details of the job , • and with the deadlines, but meet- ing the public far outweighs any negatives of the duties, Mrs. Bolke said. "I enjoy people and it is exciting to see the growth and_' development, both residential and industrial. I like the variety of the job and am never .bored," she remarked. •Another positive aspect of the city; she added, -is "that even with the growth, we aren't crowded." With all the industry in Eagan, there • is a low un- en`►ployment rate and "we have a lot of teenagers who work here." The community' is • spread out - but. the churches seem"'to'bring - people together, the clerk said. During. •her active , years as clerk, Mrs. Bolke also managed being..a homemaker. She is the ' mother ---of Judith Mundahl,- Eagan; _Gloria '.Wac•htler, Prescott, WI; Kathleen Sauer, Albuquerque, NM; John, Eagan; and Cheryl, Eureka; CA. She also has ll.grandchildren. . • One common thread that' strikes Mrs.'Bolke about Eagan, • and that she thinks residents are' aware of, is that there is a "great' feeling of well-being." She would, know, 'she helped ` create it. • • - ti- eecond annual • throughout the city will sponsor booths to display their goods and services. arch 30, 31 and , Built 10 years ago,. Brooksville Mall is located on Toronto Ave. off So. Hwy. nd merchants 13. syScene • •in.the area. When students at the • nearby school found out, they . quickly made signs, banners and formed a',protest group. Then they marched down the busy 'in- tersection and formed_ --ring aroiuid:the tree. Eagan police, highway .patrol • and other officials soon arrived on the scene, along with' more, students and area residents.. Legislators. and highway de- partment officials -heard about - the situation, and the tree was spared. The highway department :. said it was not 'aware that'.tbis wasn't -just another tree, or that it was a community landmark. bl ' didn't' know that._ HELLO!.. LET'S TALK FASHION CAREERS TODAY! r. PHONE NOW! FOR INTERVIEW WITH OUR .. FASHION INSTRUCTORS FASHION MERCHANDISING AND, RETAIL MANAGEMENT 14 month program with internship. Classes begin- April, July, Oct., Jr. NEXT CLASS OPEN - APRIL grid •Fashion Buying •Store Operation •Supervisory Techniques •Advertising and Promotion DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE Ordinance violation complaint lodged at Eagan council meeting By JUDY STRACHAN Staff Writer EAGAN -- John Klein, 1495 Lone Oak Rd., requested time on the city council meeting agenda Tuesday, Dec. 2 to register a complaint, for the third time, regarding a city ordinance viola- tion at 2850 Pilot Knob Rd. According to Klein, the residence of Roger and Shirley Olson is being used for storage of heavy duty industrial vehicles, in violation of the city's residential zoning ordinance. Klein noted in his prepared statement to the council: "It has been over two years since the violations were last brought before the council. They have had time to bring their residence in compliance. Just because they brought a few friends in here that don't object doesn't mean the council doesn't have to enforce the ordinance. That's like not ar- resting a speeder because he can bring in a few friends to say they don't object to his breaking the law." Klein added that "no areas have protection of the ordinances and zoning laws if they city won't uphold the ordinances. You must enforce the ordinance." `iein closed his prepared statement by saying, "I intend to bring charges collectively and individually against the council if you won't enforce the ordinance." After a seemingly endless period of deafening silence, coun- cil member Mark Parranto said. "I won't dignify that last state- ment with a comment." Ted Wachter, council member, said, "We have an obligation to address it. We should take some action on it." Council member Tom Egan said, "There have been no changes in the circumstances of the situation since we last ad- dressed it, have there'? I think we have to consider the ramifica- tions of shooting sling shots at residents." Klein said, "The rest of the city is going to know that you won't act on this matter. You can't whitewash this just because some of you had campaign signs in that yard. I'll make sure everyone hears about this." Parranto said he "knows of other instances of small scale in- dustry in residentialareas. If the neighbors don't complain about it, I don't see why we need to act." Jim Smith, council member, said, "The minute the neighbors in the immediate area complain, we'll act." Klein accused the council of "acting under a double standard. This is an example of corruption in city government and I intend to do something about it." Egan noted that the city must provide "equal protection. If we are going to cite one person for a violation, we'll have to do it to all." Klein said, "I'm ashamed of the government of the city, and I hope the members of the press got all this." "How could they miss you?" asked Parranto. "Cronyism extends in a great many areas, including the press," stated Klein. Klein asked the mayor if taking no action on this complaint was her position on the matter. When the mayor refused comment, the council informed the petitioner that no action would be taken unless the neighbors in the im- mediate area complained to the city. At that point, Klein left the council chambers. (See the 'Staff Commentary' column for comments on the Klein appearance before the city council.) DECEMBER 4,1980 staff commentary Ulterior motives? When John Klein appeared before the city council at the Dec. 2 meeting, his speech reeked of ulterior motives and "use" of the press. He appeared at the meeting to lodge a complaint concerning a residential zoning ordinance violation at 2850 Pilot Knob Rd. Klein contends that the resident is using the area to store con- struction vehicles, which is a violation of zoning ordinances. Mr. Klein lives at 1495 Lone Oak Rd. The ordinance violation can't be a problem for him, personally. It is obvious that he is looking for straws. According to reputable sources at the highway department and the Urban Council on Mobility, Klein intends to run for city of- fice, "probably mayor," during the next election. Klein has been a vocal antagonist of the mayor since she defeated Leo Murphy during the last city election. Klein's complaint of ordinance violations in the city is a moot point, considering that he may also be in violation. According to articles of incorporation, he operates two businesses out of his residence at 1495 Lone Oak Rd., and has business associates park- ing their vehicles at his residence. It seems to me that Klein's motive in lodging the complaint, and the threat to the city council members, was to receive some quotes in the newspaper which he could later use in his campaign for city office. The Dakota County Tribune has attempted to report the facts from all council meetings, and does not take sides. If one wishes co use the press to one's advan- tage, one should not falsely ac- cuse the press of "cronyism," or one may get more press than one had anticipated, Mr. Klein. JUDY STRACHAN . • is /- •• , • 3. Hauge . &' HoeT Feb. . •A tto.ine ys, a Law •. '39 0:$ Sibley Mem. Hwy. Ei.g-arj TWIN 5 5:1: 2 , MAIN • OFFICE FARMINGTON 463-7884 APPLE VALLBY OFFICE 432-4646, ' • • :LAKEVILLE OFFICE 469-2000 ROSEMOUNT.OFFICE BURNSVILLE OFFICE 890-2530 ••. - 1E4,10,080, ) 147240: , DISTRICT 191 SUPERINTENDENT ' • •-•4-,2616.• •'NUMBER FORTY-TWO • / Tschirki gets good marks from school board members By GARY KUBAT , . ' Staff Writer , • BURNSVILLE -- Even though a director may know he has a hit • on his'hands, he takes theshow on the road before its Broadway - opening Ito work out the rough spots. Similarly, the District 191 School Board was positive about the perfOrrnance. of. Sukerinten, dentRobeit's-Tgchirki,Stet, gave him input as to Whatareas:apis, performance theywere uncom- fortable With. • ' ' ' , . The .dikti§sion occurred 'at, a school board; workshop held Thutsday,tDec. ,11. Prior ,to that dote,, all school members received .evsalLiation forms which they completed and gulled into; Board Chairman Robert Alpers, , Alpersthen made a composite of all the responses. • , The•performance ratings were taken taken from the: American. Management Association , and contained three possible ratings: a "one":'rating meant that the performance met or possiblyex- ceeded. set standards; a, "tWo''' rating meant. that the Perfor- mance almost always met set standards; and a ."three'' meant that the performance failed to meet some important standards. • One of the lowest markings on the evaluation, 'according - to Tschirki, concerned submitting, recommendations based on study, and analySistothe board, an area Tschirki said "I feel I really take a lot of pride -in." - , • Board member Daniel Cybyske stated that he had a "real pro= blem'.,' with the board "reversing ourselves after we made com- mitments," citing the basic skills prOgrarn.as an example. The pro- gram. was originally 'scheduled ' for three years, but waS cut :in half lag spring, the victim of a budget cut., •-; - Tkhirki agreed with.Cybyske. "I :surely don't disagree with what you're salting," he.replippl. The . remainder' : Of: the. • board , agreed 'with' Cybyske's feelings also and yet not in the particular instance he cited. "Wehaye gone_ into financial arrears,'. board member 'Franees, Potts stated, adding that when the board: lin- plemented the.program it had'? $4'million reserve fund.balance. •1 ' Gladys Schennemann felt that • it Was important to involve staff,;, teachers and parents as well as other residents. -in the : budget reduction • process so that they could see "why we are there and how we got there."; Alpers added that in the future it might be wise 'if • the ;board was "more ,conSer- ' yatiVe".about program length.: :Another :concerti under the • same item was raised by board mernber John Coskran •Coskran stated 'that he felt "95% of the background • was quite well •done,"but that there was a need for more long-range planning. • "There :shouldnt •be too many ,surpriges,'' he added. • ::Pqtts !echoed COskran's feel- ings about surprises stating that she likes: the chance. "to mull, things' Myer" 'before making an important'deciSion-. She cited the' •upcoming decision . over the legality of allowing 'youth Workers into the secondary schoOls as an example. . Phyllis Evans also felt that the Planning was not . 'tong -range ,enough.and added that she wish- ed that the administratiohrecom- mendation would come with op- tions. Evans said that she didn't like the "feeling of voting against the 'administration. I appreciate the thinking of the administra:- tion," sheadded. Tschirki replied ' that he would get all information to,the board:on the Friday before the meeting 'the next week with the understanding that such things as leaves of absences can • be filed the day before the board meeting • and. therefore the background'. information could possibly beincomplete. Another low mark was receiv- ed in, the area of identifying the , present and .future needs of the district. 'Tschirld.respondedthat he is currently studying, criteria for the closing.of,school•buildings in the'future. Also,,Tschirki said, there are two target areas in ad- ministration; long-range 'plann- ing and a staft,deVelopment pro- , gram. The final criticism dealt with, - as•Evans called it, "a breakdown in our system between, the 'ad- ministration and the teaching staff. "The teaching staff does 'hot perceiveltself as being utiliz- ed," she. commented. Tschirki •' said that perhaps teachers didn't recognize the, opportunities or sweren't taking advantage of the opportunities ,to impact the district. •. • 'The teachers don't want to get tinVolved because their recont-• mendations are ignored,". Evans said: "I've heard it from 'a number of sources so I have to put some,weight on it," she add- ed.,Tschirki stated that he has us- ed a "variety" of Means to in- • volve teachers and insists that a teacher be•on every, district com- ;mittee: • . • • • . Nevertheless, just like the future Broadway `show,Ithe board Was- 'generally. pleased with Tschirki's performance. Potts stated that she felt positive about the education a, child receives in - - District 191. "There's a lot that's going on that's good 'for' kids," she said attributing the success to , Tschirki...1EVans commended , Tschirki for his "exceptional" ' levSt'referendum meetings, while • Schennernann said "I think we Can be verSt proud." , Cybyske felt :that Tschirki had taken great steps in relations with the labor unions in the district and stated -' he was ,told that they feel they are being treated fairly. "I think it's tremendous," he concluded.. Alpers also thanked ,Tschirki for -an "excellent education pro- gram." AV council to review , 1981 budget • APPLE VALLEY. -- ,The city, • councilCwill have an informal meeting.' regarding the 1981 budget Thursday, Dec. /18, at 8 p.m. at cityhall: , • 60t.. .'Stitran$011,' ions at the Donald 'and Judith the center is � Nativity scene,'with Santa and his reindeer sides of the Chiistinas story. In on one side and, just visible on the left, Santa's workshop. • The nativity scene and many Ot the lights have. been there. in other' years, but the Santa's workshop and the reindeer 'are new thia yeai. "We decided to' give more or less . the two sides; to • the' Christmas :story,' Swanson , ex- plained. ,1 It took hini, bo• th of his boys and a neighbor two and a halfdays to set itsall up. On Thanksgiving day alone they started working at noon and didn't finish until 12:30 a.m. , • His son'Douglas was a major (See SNyansons, Page 12A) The Inside . . • . • v Business 3B • 1,Busineis Service. • Directory •15B 8E1 Classified Ads .. 130413 J./Court 'News , 1SA . '121 $•-•,Faim 9B . , •:•• Food -Entertainment '10A, Obituariet •4A- Police News ' 3A v•• Proceedings .... 14-15A Public Notices .. 13-14A I/Senior Citizens 4A School ..... .. 5-7A Sports 6-9A, ,,• • • PAGE'2A 1' .r 4410101.8111.11111111111111111.11111111111111/. Dakota County Tribune, Inc.. ago 3rd st. Farmington, Minnesota .' 147240 , • a {s 4 . Co -Publishers ' Joseph R. Clay — Daniel H. Clay A ' . Janet Greenslit, Managing Editor •, ' John Swennes„Advertising Manager ,Entered as second class matter at the post office at Farmington, Minnesota. Second ' class postage paid at Farmington, Minnesota. Issued weekly from offices in Farm ington, Lakeville, Rosemount, Apple Valley and Burnsville. •'SUBSCRIPTION RATES (Payable in Advance), - Inside Minnesota ' • ` . Outside Minnesota 6'Months $ 8.50 6 Months $ 9.50 9 Months $10.00 9 Months N $11.00 12 Months, '$12.00 12 Months $13.00 Servicemen Anywhere ' $12.00 one year, . , Main Office and Plant at Farmington - 4637084 . Branch 'Offices ' Lakeville • • Burnsville Apple.Valley Rosemount 46,9 4000 • . 890 930 . 432-4646. • 0714636 ment. Section 52.05, Subd..'15, I-1, Lirnited'.Industrial District: C.3 • Contractor Yards. .5 • Truck Parking and Open Storage (even under this zoning, they 'do not 'comply with the screening provi- sions of the ordinance):- • . ' It has been over two; years since this. ordinance violation was first brought,to the attention of the City Council and; the Olsons. The Olsons have had ample time to comply, with. the. ordinance. The part of their industrial opera- tion that intrudes on the residen- tial integrity and visibly violates the ordinance can be moved to their industrial land- in less than an hour or two.-Their'claim to a hardship does not hold water, for • they have 'admitted' to owning. over 20 acres .of industrially zon- ed land in the Sibley Terminal In- dustrialPark less than two miles. away. For some reason they feel secure in violating,Eagan's laws, and that the Council will not en- force them. No place can I find' in the Zon- ing Ordinance that if a person br- f w' friends, as the in s in a e e g Olsons did at the May 15, .1979 Eagan City Council meeting, who do not object to their•violating our laws, that it, is ok for them to-do so. If that is the way Eagan is to be governed, then a person who gets ticketed' for speeding ` or breaking any other laws need on- ly •bring in a few friends who do not object -to it in order to get' away with violations.- Zon'ingl`aw.s ::ha•ve•. ;been, established in Eagan; in part, for the protection of the residents and businesses:/The integrity of the residential quality of life in .Eagan • is. dependent upon the unilateral enforcement: of those laws:. If this city council does not enforce the residential zoning or- dinance, then no residential area in Eagan has the protection of the ordinance. It is: .then mean- ingless! . There will be no assurances to the residents , in Timberline, Cedar, Grove, Wilderness .Run, . Woodgate, Thomas Lake,• Highview,• Duckwood .Estates, •St: •Francis Wood, Carlson Lake, and all the other residential, areas that they • will have .protection under the zoning laws against loss .of their quality of life and against'erosion of their property values. Madam Mayor and City. Coun- cil Members, all of you took a solemn oath of office to uphold the laws of Eagan: ,You have a report from the City Planner that there is a violation, the City.At- torney's legal opinion that you can not grant a variance or condi- tional use, and- under Minnesota law, you must enforce the or- dinance, and a registered com- plaint from a citizen for the fourth time in over two years. • If you continue •to violate,,your 'oath 'of .office'and - refuse to' shoulder your responsibility. under the law: it'is my firm inten- tion to bring appropriate'charges against"you, collectively and'in- dividually.: ', Sincerely, .44 .,.,o-:r'%i•:..;t.v n:.1,:..::.... , •k:.'••:+.:i:::.•rr:v. {.C..::n. �. .. Signed letters to the editor are welcomed •ond will be printed al' space,permite. We reserve the right to edit letters and request thot they be kept short. Mein wants. to set record straight December 12,-1980 To the editor: i • In the Dec. 4, 1980 editionof the, Dakota • County Tribune, Judy Strachan reported on my com- • plaint of an ordinance violation in the•City,of,Eagan. • •• • Throughout her article she has misquoted the prepared state- ihent' which • I read into, •the record. It is also interesting to note that she made no mention of. the/ salient points .in my com- plaint: '1 That an official. complaint was registered that residentially ioned property is. being used for the operation of a business, in dustrial in nature; which Is an • unequivocal violation of the. zon= • ing-- ;ordinance of the 'City ; of • Eagan. • 2. The city planner's confirma- tion of the violation. 3. ,The city attorney's -written • ;` • legal opinion to the council that ' state;=law• prohibits, the .council from, granting a. conditional use permit or a variance under the ' ordinance, -and that the council, • • under the law is required to en- force-the"ordinance. - • • I'd like,to correct several of her misquotes: I did not say, "This is an example of corruption-=" ; I said,. `•'There is corruption, double-standar�d� government, and'cronyism for the first time in the City, of Eagan, and as,ea citizen I am.ashamed of,it, and in- tend to do something7about lit. That there is cronyism.even'with some of the press." •It is. in- teresting' to note that• although I did not mention , any press member, Strachan. put .the shoe on, as is evidenced by her Vindic- tive staff commentary. The other reporter -who covered the meeting made no mention of it in her article. ' • When Councilman' Parranto said my statement about the city government was a strong accuse, tion and that I had better be able to proveit, •I told him that he will not it,whenlike I do. It was then that i said; "That is• a pretty strong, ',statement, and that I hoped the press would get'' all of it •,' - Strachan .for :some .reason seemed to' think 'it; .necessary to :reportthat-I deft the meeting -= as though , there,., -was ';-something wrongwith it. Mine Was the' last scheduled item on the agenda; so. when Mayor Blomquist cut Coun- cilman Wachter off from,any fur-, ther discussion and called for any other item to -come before the cou>?cil, therewas no point in my remaining. - It has been reported to me that Mayor Blomquist and reporter Strachan had a lengthy discus- sion..after1the meeting. In Jher staff commentary, Strachan has printed the smokescreen handed to 'her; by the 'mayor and other council members in 'an :,effort to Mask their dereliction to,duty. ( To set the record straight: ‘s 1. I have no intention running for any office in the City of Eagan. I served this community for nine years , in an official capacity, and that is 'enough: 'That does not mean; .however, that I will • sit idly:by while unethical government exists. 2:. Ichallenge Strachan • to pro-' -duce the "reputable: sources at the highway department and the Urban Council ..on Mobility" r whom she reported to' have said • that.I intend to run for,city office. She can. not ! . • - . • • 3.. If. hoping,:the ,press will in- form the public.of, law'violations is "using the press; then I guess I'm guilty of .it, . 4. My complaint is not a "moot ,point" as she editorializes. She wrote that I may alsobe'in viola-. tion of'the,zoning• ordinance and that I: have business associates parking' their : vehicles • at. my; residence. No one other than my family parks vehicles here. Again;; a diversionary attempt. Had she read the ordinance, Sec- tion 52.05, •Subd. 2CC and bothered to 'check, she would know that 'I am in compliance 'with the zoning ordinance: There. is' a distant difference between an industrial operation with several' trucks; heavy equipment, and debris'and the.useof part of.one's home for an office when evidence of the occupation is' not, visible from the street. To protect the residential integrity, the zoning ordinance of the City of Eagan takes that into account. , This reporter who resents allegations of unfair and biased reporting, who has written a, number of totally'-' untrue statements about me, which were easily verifiable, has never once asked •me:.' Strachan's mint'serious viola- tion of fair and impartial repor- ting is her not -so -veiled threat to see that I "may get more press than one had=anticipated." Enclosed is a , copy ; of the prepared statement which I read into the record. I' request, - in fairness, that you print it in its en- tirety., . Sincerely, - JOHN J:'KLEIN, ' 1495 Lone Oak Rd; Eagan • ' (Following is the prepared statement which Klein submitted to the, Eagan City Council at its Dec. 2 meeting.) Dec. 2; 1980 .• `v• Dear City Council: On three previous occasions; I have. registered an official com- plaint.relative to violations of the Eagan.. Zoning Ordinance taking place at 2850 Pilot Knob Road, Lot 7 and Lot9, Block 9; Country Ho rne Heights'` Addition.. I am hereby, :again registering this - complaint. This property is zoned R-1, Residential Single Family, and is being used for the opera- tion of a business,- industrial in nature, which is an unequivocal violationofthe,Zoning.Ordinance ,of the City„of Eagan. Evidence • of the hereinabove stated violation follows ' ,'1. Photographs of the violation have previously been 'submitted as evidence. ' • 2. Letter dated December 4, 1978 to the City of Eagansigned by Roger D. Olson and Shirley H: Olson claiming part of the Zoning., Ordinance to be "null and void," but admitting to having vehicles .on Lot 9, Block 9. • • 3. A' legal opinion,;dated May 15, 1979, to the City from;tlie City Attorney, Paul H. Hange,.that:the ordinance' is not ``null 'and void"' as claimed ,by the• Olsons: The legal opinion very ,clearly states the Eagan Zoning Ordinance Noy 6 and No. 52 have been -in effect from the commencenient.''of the Olsons' violations. -It:also• states that -none of the conditional uses: under these ordinances would ap- ply'to the present situation. He further states in his opinion, that. 'thecity' not, only has the right to enforce the ordinance,. but';that under' Minnesota Statutes Section- 462.357, Subd. 6,.the city not permit as a variance any:use that is not "permitted under_ the'. or,: dinance-for .property in the •zone. where the affected person's land is located." The Conclusion of his legal opinion is, "The Eagan City - Zoning Ordinance Numbers 6 and 52, do ;not: provide for a- condi- tional use.. -or ,variance from the established use -'undee::•the or= dinance,:: which', would allow the storage of,.heavy 'duty coniiher c`ial vehicles in an R-1 Toned area:: The :proyisions of 'the-Minne'sota" Statutes would,.appear--to :state that the Eagan City Council: is' without the power 'to grant either; a conditional use perntit•or. aause, variance for the storage of trucks. underthese circumstances.," 4: May .;15, 1979 • Eagan .City Council Meeting;•Packet, (page. 23). "According to City Planner, Runkle, the storage of heavy or. commercial equipment on .Lot 7,' Block 9 or Lot 9, Block 9, Country Home Heights was in violation of Ordinance 6 and is in violation'of' Ordinance 52 as interpreted by the Planning,Department." ' 5. Eagan 1980 Phone Directory: Page 54 - Roger D. Olson -- 2850 Pilot Knob Road-=454-5435; Page 75 - Wade Construction Co. -- 2850. Pilot Knob, Road - 454-6932. • - 6., . Eagan Zoning Ordinance Section 52.05; •Subd. 4 (page '29) • and Section 52,05, Subd: ;2CC, Residential -Districts- - •( page- '6), ,prohibit -the industrial use of residentially zoned property: '•,. 7.. Only in.:Section 52.05, Subd: 15, I -I, Limited Industrial District. (page 49); do we find the Permit,. ted ;ruse which applies :to, the, Olsons' .use. of the 2property which they park and store heavy earth moving equipment on a semi -trailer flatbed truck, large trucks with various•kinds of con struction debris,. panel trucks,` - and other construction equip-. JOHN J,.KLEIN -Life and -breath - To the editor: Christmas Seals have' been a holiday tradition in, Minnesota for over 70 years. But they work all year round, supporting programs of the Minnesota Lung Associa- •tionaimed at:the prevention and control of crippling lung diseases such:: as : emphysema, asthma, chronicbronchitis and • tuber- 'culosist Diseases,of the -lungs in1- pair" breathing and cause untold 'siifferiitg for young and old, alike. Ninety percent of Christmas Seal funds' remain in Minnesota. Our own state residents are the real beneficiaries. of th'e Christmas . Seal Campaign. The remaining 10% of Christmas Seal ,'contributions go to the American ,_Lung.;Association to' sponsor ea- • tionwide;,efforts ;against: and research on -lung disease. . 'Among' the special -health-'ser- vices, Christmas; Seals make possible'in Minnesota are: Free breathing .tests• -to •:detect ;respiratory' ,problems early k before' permanent -lungs; damage. has been done,' Camp,Superkids, the camp.for Minnesota- children• with asthma; -school health cur- . riculums intended. 'to •deter youngsters from : smoking; : Min- nesota D-Day and other';pro; `grams.designed''to help smokers • ,"kick their habits;" -and 'medical • research • at state institutions `vestigating possible• treatments or cures for various lung diseases. - I wish to - personally thank everyone who answers` his or her ,Christmas 'Seal letter: Your generosity is in a very special Way/ "a matter of " life and breath.'.' ' . Sincerely, • `;_' JOHN •O:• HANSON Rosemount • = L'Chain . not closing ,December 11;1980 To the editor ';.- •�•• L'Chaini:;shelter is NOT .clos- ing! ; . , The articles in c; recent • newspapers- •have apparently given some people in the area the wrong impression. Dakota Coun- cy , has cancelled its 10 bed 'guarantee- theyhave;not stopped ' using our shelter nor.have'any of .the'other 14 counties who refer young people to us -for emergency shelter.. . • • :• • ' Dakota County decided after one year that they cannot con- sistently; utilize 10 beds every day in.:,our• facility._, :This„ was a budgetary decision - not a state- • JANUARY 12, 1978 New Eagan Council Is Sworn In EAGAN GOVERNMENT officers and council, as seen at their organizational meeting a week ago Tuesday night, are, FRONT, from left, Clerk Alyce Bolke, Mayor Leo Murphy, Tom Hedges, DAKOTA COU administrator; and Ted Wachter; BACK ROW: Jim Smith, Mark Parronto, Tom Egan, all councilmen; Paul Hauge; city attorney; Robert Rosene, engineer; Martin DesLauriers, police chief. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLU OP THE IX= SF.X[1 OF ANi W CA AND T O THE 1tkT't1B- tJ►' I WWII IT S1 1 ONE % RA L711lBER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY Are JUSI'JCE FOR ALL. NEW MAYOR Leo Murphy is sworn in by City Clerk Alyce Bolke. In opening remarks Murphy quipped that new councilmen should enjoy being sworn in, because there are times they will be "sworn at." Murphy was elected to replace Mayor Herb Polzin who retired. TRIBUNE JANUARY 12, 1.978 andfill Insurance ay Be Decreased, he Dakota County Board of, rnmissioriers; is considering ending arf ordinance govern the insurance liability .cov- ge of sanitary landfills.. ' he amendment . proposal e after F. A. Pope of the rnsville Sanitary Landfill re- sted a variance from the 0,000 liability insurance as vided , in the solid waste or- nce. Pope requested cov- ge of $500,000 and said the pre - for the $500,000 coverage is 9,000. - )ther.landfill operators have erage of $750,000, said county iitarian John Curry. ;ounty Commissioner Russell eefland said the stability of Burnsville company war - its reduction of the liability to ,000 and suggested amending ordinance to $500,000 cov- age. As the present landfills have 50,000 coverage, the could get a fund, Commissioner Gerald follenkamp said. According to follenkamp it would take 30 days t least to amend the ordinance a public hearing is needed., and the number of employees she supervises. He recommended an additional $1,000, making her salary $21,500 for 1978. Unanimous approval was given. It was Streefland's recommen- dation that the board set the 1978 salary for the under sheriff at $27,200, particularly considering what the sheriff will receive for • 1978. It was unanimously adopted by the board. In other action, the board: ESTABLISHED a position of maintenance man Iii in the coun- ty highway department at $4.77 per hour, effective Jan. 10; HELD 'for-. further study, establishment of positions of :senior design supervisor and senior ' construction supervisor for county highway department; DENIED two grievances of John Lewis 'of county .'highway maintenance division, with in- formation to be coinmunicated to Lewis within five days, according to grievance procedures; APPROVED and supported ap- plication'request.of Inver Grove Heights for a LAWCON grant for park land acquisition; AUTHORIZED erection of 45 ph speed limit 'signs on Co. Rd. from Eagan -Burnsville city its to Portland Ave.; AUTHORIZED receiving. bids b. 15 for two tandem trucks th snow plowing equipment, re four-wheel sweeper, one, e-half ton pickup, one survey inel, one four -door automobile, e four-wheel drive loader, one actor with mower and broom, etal culverts, bituminous aterial,_ lubricants, cutting ges,. gravel crushing, sign sts and sign blanks; APPROVED West Forty Plat West St. Paul; • AUTHORIZED surveyor eaking at a continuing educa-. n workshop, sponsored: by the nnesota Land Surveyors,Jan and 14, at Brooklyn Park; AUTHORIZED payment of 008.76 to Horne Architects for rchitectural services on useum ; AUTHORIZED waiver of enalty of $46.03 on second half of xes of Richard and Marsha A. rvetnick; DENIED penalty and interest atement of $50.70 to Teddy M. stianson of Apple Valley; ALLOWED George Ostrand to AUTHORIZED any interested board' members to attend 1978 Western Region Conference of National Association of Counties, held Feb. 8 - 10 at Riveria Hotel lin Palm Springs, CA. Hollenkamp voted no. Up until the 17th century, some people believed that geese grew from barnacles, the silly geese. ment of $5,843.45 due within 10' days, on Jan. 20; and . Childhood Diseases Has your child been in)munized against diphtheria, tetanus and :whooping cough? Against polio, measles and German measles? Because fewer cases of these diseases are seen than in the past,, many' people assume there • is no ,need to be immunized against them ... but the danger still exists. The Food and Drug Ad - ;ministration -advises parents to !be sure that their children be pr4,: Itected- by getting the ap- propriate inoculations. CROSSWORD • • • By A. C. Gordon ACROSS 1-Minister 5-Those to the fore 9-Perform 10-Time period 12-Mystic word 13-Chinese measure 15-Perfectly 18-Parent 19-Famed Cuban castle 21-Surpasses 23-College degree 24-Female rela- tive (abb.) 27-Public way (abb.) 28-Resolution 31-Public convey- ance (abb.) DOWN 32-New York island (abb.) 33-Customarily 38-Cerium (chem:) 51-Semiannual (abb.) 52-That fellow 53-Biblical high priest 54-What's that? 56-Gleams 57-Abate 1-Concealed in the hand 2-Public way 8-To inure 11-Sun god 14-Zeus's beloved 16-Act 17-Weight unit 18-..Everest 20-Withdraw 22-Pacified 24-Metal worker 25-Roman deuce , 26-Hairnet 29-Go astray 30-Lubricant 33-Characteristics 34-Make more profound 35-Ionium (chem.) 36-Diverts 37-Navy clerk 42-Legal Service (abb.) 44-Public notice 45-Exists 48-The thing, in law 49-Beginning of illiteracy r 1 1 VILLAGE/CITY COUNCIL MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS 1972 First villageelection 10/19/1972, Fire Station 2 opened in 1971 1973 Herbert Polzin Arthur Rahn William Rydrych James Smith Theodore Wachter Mayor Herb (1) one yr term & (2) two year term 1974 Herbert Polzin Arthur Rahn William Rydrych James Smith Theodore Wachter Phillips Accounting Machine purchased 1975 Herbert Polzin Arthur Rahn William Rydrych James Smith Theodore Wachter Eagan agreed to provide sanitary sewer to the Zoo property, The 3 places designated as posting locations were City Hall, the Lone Oak Tree & Applebaum's Grocery Store, Peoples Natural Gas moratorium 1976 Herbert Polzin Arthur Rahn William Rydrych James Smith Theodore Wachter First City Administrator hired on July 12, 1976, Public Works Garage Addition built, 40 acre Municipal Site purchased 1977 Herbert Polzin Arthur Rahn William Rydrych James Smith Theodore Wachter West Publishing develops book bindery in Eagan, First Fire Ladder Truck 1978 Leo Murphy Mark Parranto Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter 1st Floor of the Current City Hall was built as the Police Station, Tom Colbert first Public Works Director hired 1979 Leo Murphy Mark Parranto Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter Authorized a $20m Tax Exempt bond sale for first time mortgages, Mak `n Magic closed, Gene VanOyerbeke first Finance Director hired 1980 Bea Blomquist Mark Parranto Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter Fire Station 3 opened, Cedar Freeway opened Oct 30, Ken Vraa was hired as Parks & Rec Director, Metrodome Proposal 1981 Bea Blomquist Mark Parranto Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter Cable TV Commission formed 1982 Bea Blomquist Jerry Thomas Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter Special Election Approved City Hall addition & Old City Hall to Fire Admin Bld•, Phase of 1-494 opened, City Hall Referendum Passed 1983 Bea Blomquist Jerry Thomas Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter A second -story addition was built for City Hall, Westcott Library opens. Burnsville/Eagan First Cable Franchise 1984 Bea Blomquist Jerry Thomas Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter $38m Horse -racing facility, Airport Noise Committee established, Lone Oak Tree cut down, 35E First Phase 1985 Bea Blomquist Jerry Thomas Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter 125 yr Community Celebration, Final Segment I-35E 1986 Bea Blomquist Vic Ellison Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter UPS and Rainbow Foods opened, Solid Waste Committee established, Final Segment of 1-494 1987 Bea Blomquist Vic Ellison Thomas Egan James Smith Theodore Wachter 1,100 lots approved at one City Council meeting, First Arbor Day Celebration 1988 Vic Ellison Dave Gustafson Thomas Egan Pam McCrea Theodore Wachter Construction begins on EHS (Eagan High School), Fire Station 4 & 5 opened 1989 Vic Ellison Dave Gustafson Thomas Egan Pam McCrea Theodore Wachter Changed Elections from Odd to Even, Cliff Lake Center, Community Center referendum defeated 1990 Thomas Egan Dave Gustafson Tim Pawlenty Pam McCrea Theodore Wachter Remodel Historical Town Hall, First Water Quality Management Plan 1991 Thomas Egan Dave Gustafson Tim Pawlenty Pam McCrea Theodore Wachter South Water Treatment Plant Built, Recyclin• Program started 1992 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Tim Pawlenty Pam McCrea Theodore Wachter West Publishing six story office bldg established, Black Hawk Middle School opens 1993 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Shawn Hunter Sandra Masin Theodore Wachter Special Service Dist/Cedarvale, Kohl's opened 1994 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Shawn Hunter Sandra Masin Theodore Wachter / Mann Theater and Hampton Inn opened f EG/B �Q$f0.tllitiv 1995 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Shawn Hunter Sandra Masin Theodore Wachter City Hall Remodeled, Current Police Facility and Eagan Civic Arena were built 1996 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Shawn Hunter Sandra Masin Theodore Wachter Park Referendum, Kids swimming pool opened (pool was taken out in 1998 for arenas) 1997 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Bea Blomquist Sandra Masin Theodore Wachter Water Tower at Deerwood & 35E was built 1998 Thomas Egan Pat Awada Bea Blomquist Sandra Masin Theodore Wachter New Fire Administration Bldg, Ted Wachter & Tom Egan retire with combined 60 years served 1999 Pat Awada Peggy Carlson Bea Blomquist Sandra Masin Paul Bakken Cascade Bay was built, Y2K Preparation 2000 Pat Awada Peggy Carlson Bea Blomquist Sandra Masin Paul Bakken July super storm, $15m referendum approved Community Center, 150 years old Bur Oak Tree moved to Central Park 2001 Pat Awada Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken Start Redevelopment of Greater Cedar Grove 2002 Pat Awada Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken Band shell opens, Wescott substation closes 2003 Pat Geagan Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Mike Maguire Community Center opened, HiPP Project, Lego Land Kevin Von Feldt 2004 Pat Geagan Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Mike Maguire Ken Vraa retires, Launched first significant citywide website 2005 Pat Geagan Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Mike Maguire North Water Treatment Plant completed, S&P Bond Rating Upgraded to AA+, 30 acres acquired Caponi Art Park 2006 Pat Geagan Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Mike Maguire In 2006 the Metro Council announced that Eagan had the highest job growth in the Twin Cities (2000-2004), Captain's Course Opened at Cascade Bay, Hired first full time Fire Chief, Money Magazine Best 100 Cities (Ranked 12) 2007 Mike Maguire Peggy Carlson Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken Hwy 149 opened 2008 Mike Maguire Peggy Carlson /Shawn Hunter Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken 911 Calls dispatched through Dakota Comm., Carriage Hills Referendum (Nov 4, 2008)/Lennar builds homes, Money Magazine Best 100 Cities (Ranked 17) 2009 Mike Maguire Gary Hansen Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken Launched E-TV at Thomson Reuters, Northwood Pkwy Bridge Ring Rd 2010 Mike Maguire Gary Hansen Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken 150 yrs of Community for Eagan, New slides at Cascade Bay, Aaa Moodys Bond Rating Upgraded, Money Magazine Best 100 Cities (Ranked 15) 2011 Mike Maguire Gary Hansen Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken Fire Safety Center opened, Duckwood Drive Overpass Bridge opened 2012 Mike Maguire Gary Hansen Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken Access Eagan wholesale fiber installed, Gene VanOverbeke and Tom Colbert retire, Money Magazine Best 100 Cities (Ranked 14) 2013 Mike Maguire Gary Hansen Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley Paul Bakken First City Administrator Retires (Dave Osberg appointed as second City Administrator) 5,, No. 103-1/2L HASTINGS, MN LOS ANGELES•CHICAGO-LOGAN, OH MCGREGOR TX -LOCUST GROVE, GA U.S.A Cities examine laws governing bus benches Eagan City Council plans to discuss. regulation during a workshop this month. By Sue Hegarty Minnesota Sun Publications, . Bus benches aren't only for sitting -on any- - . mare. Theye become what some considerA other style of billboard — advertising banks; realtors,'funeral-homes and other businesses... Benches. are placed along roadsides by two private business owners, not by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), as some peo- ple might assume.. However, city laws govern what can be placed in the right of way and sign ordinances prohibit off -site advertising. Brothers Roily and Woody Danielson of U.S. Bench in Minneapolis have been placing and maintaining bus benches for 51 years -in the metro area. Their benches can be found in more than 90 communities. . • Bill Keegan owns. National Courtesy Bench, based in Hopkins: For the past year, his benches have been placed in a couple of cities, including 23 in.Eagan. City regulations concerning benches vary: - from no regulation to detailed ordinances. Savage allows bench signs, "but only at designated bus stops -and provided such bench is not within the bus shelter. Each bench. sign . shall not exceed 10 square feet and shall only be affixed to either or both . sides of the back rest of the bench." Burnsville and Eagan officials' are talking about -how they can better regulate benches. "We've got to do something post haste," said Eagan Councilmember Bea Blomquist, who said she's never seen anyone sitting on • the benches anyway. Both Danielson and Keegan said they only put benches along mass transit routes: If a route changes, the 500-pound benches are moved to another location, Danielson said. He works close- ly with the MVTA when deciding where to put a new bench. His business provides a tax-free ser- vice to residents and helps promote the use of mass transit, he said: He's been recognized by the governor for his contribution to mass transit. National Bench is a newcomer to the market: Keegan said he was recently told his benches are non -compliant in Eagan after receiving the go-ahead from the city 10 months ago. His.cri- teria for bench placement is based -on the "flag system." Riders can flag down a bus at any safe or controlled .intersection where the site dis- tance is good, he said. As long as the site is not on residential or church property, he said bench- - es are placed along designated bus routes. 'BENCHES: To Page 11A The Cottage in Northfie supervised living for those Supervised Living, a service of Three Links Care Ccntc 507-645-i VERTICAL BLINDS l7 SAVE from 50% to 75%.retail prices o FREE Valances and Backing o Free Estimates and Samples a Beautiful New Fabrics o Largest Selection Available o Expert installation available Superior quality at super savings 'FREE Backing. Offer expires on 10-7-97 c Manufacturer of Designer_Blin CaII the window covering experts tod Burnsville 890-3083 St. Paul 777-3 Hall dy--Stolle®Retaining Wall Uni See our'extensive 2 Retaining Wall Materials Interlocking Pavers Boulders Edging Stepping Stones Patio Stone. acres of displays... Washed Sand . Water Gardens Bird Baths Waterfalls ' Rock Gardens Fountains . The MVTA member cities tried to devel- op a istandardized amendment to address . the -non-conformance issue, but they could- n't agree on the same policies, said Audrey Schwartz, MVTA assistant administrator. Now, Burnsville and Eagan are working on drafting separate amendnients to regulate the bevy of benches in their cities. • Burnsville has about 65 benches, said Barb Anderson, the city's housing and re- development official. Earlier, there were problems. with benches being placed along streets that didn't have bus routes. That problem has been rectified, Anderson said. A few residents -do use the benches, she said, but city ordinance conflicts with the off -premise advertising found on the back From Page 1A of the benches. The Burnsville City Coun- cil directed staff to prepare an amendment that may include licensing of bus bench companies. The amendment could include the stipulation that "nothing obscene" be used in the advertisement and that the city be allowed to place free public service an- nouncements on the bench backs: The committee also is studying whether the city could gain any revenue .from benches located in city rights of way. The draft amendment is scheduled to be presented to the Burnsville Planning Commission dur- ing its Oct. 20 meeting. Eagan also prohibits structures in the right of way and off -premise advertising. The council -plans to discuss regulation- during -a workshop this month; said City Administrator Tom Hedges. The ques- tion will be asked, "Do they:serve a pur- Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.Current/Wednesday, Oct. 1; 1997 11A Benches: Eagan officials halt raised question of aesthe0s. , purppse tor. "It's doing what it's designed to do`," he said. He pays about $39 a month for each bench. National Courtesy Bench charges advertising clients an average of $43 a month, Keegan said. Some form of regulation is needed be- cause benches are cropping up all over, sometimes four to an intersection, Klein said. He's worried that public sentiment will become so negative, government will try to take away all forms of signage, in- cluding temporary signs for open houses. Maintenance is another issue that concerns residents and city officials. Oc- casionally, the benches- fall - victim to. the blade of a snowplow or at,the hands of a graffiti artist: Danielson and Keegan. said crews.routinely examine the bench- es and repair or replace those damaged. pose," Hedges said. Because the buses primarily stop at Park and Ride lots, Eagan officials have raised the question of aesthetics and purpose. • • • Danielson said he's familiar with at - least. 25 different- ordinances' drafted by cities he serves. He's not opposed to regula- tion and said he has supplied the cities with examples of other ordinances. Keegan said he supports regulation of bus benches. Burnet Realtor Paul Klein of Eagan has rented advertising space for five years on a corner bench at Pilot Knob and Lone Oak roads. He said he's never seen anyone sit- ting on the bench.' "So my advertising is never covered up," he said. He believes the benchsign is less obtrusive than calling someone at home during the dinner hour.. Clients have told him that they saw his bench and were reminded that he's a real- rAgigr t 12A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.Current/Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997 Kindergarten: 'They can do more in-depth studying of subjects' From Page 1A The rewards of a kinder- garten teacher are measured in smiles. "I made my name Mrs. Siegel. I made my whole name!" exclaimed one excited student. For Anne Siegel, a District 197 kindergarten teacher, it's all in a full day's work — a full day of teaching the same 20 stu- dents enrolled in a two-year pilot program. As she adjusts and refines the full -day kinder- garten program, a few things have surprised her. "I thought at rest time, they'd really rest. They're not tired, but I am," Siegel said. Advantages of all -day tended day care program. Ryan Andert's father, Jim, said the program is worth the expense. "You can't put a price on your child's education," Andert said. "They can do more in-depth studying of subjects because they have time to do that." Ryan, 5, attended a full -day preschool before entering kindergarten. "He seems to be adjusting. When he comes home he's tired. We can tell he's been chal- lenged. It's going to make his transition to first grade easier," Andert said. The students in Siegel's class do have opportunities that half -day students don't have. For example, they have ty. ,orders all bus benches removed MVTA disappointed by,City Council's action. By Sue Hegarty Minnesota Sun Publications Bus benches in Eagan have been ordered removed from the city by Oct. 31, at the direction of the City Council. At their Sept. 16 meeting,_. council •members..told staff to en- _ force a city code tha't'prohibits advertising signs or obstructions in any Toad ,right of way without council ap- proval. On Oct. 10, City Administrator Tom Hedges wrote a letter to National Courtesy Bench and US Bench to inform them that the benches must be removed by month's end. In the letter, Hedges wrote, "Failure to remove the signs and bus benches from the city will cause necessary city -action." "We were very surprised in 'view of .the fact • - that US Bench has been serving Eagan for 30 years," said Leonard . Thiel, a US -'Bench spokesperson. - Bill Keagan of National Courtesy Bench was just as surprised. Both companies expected the city to work on amending zoning codes to improve the regulation of benches. "We will comply but we've filed for an exten- sion," said Keagan, who received the city's letter Oct. 15. The issue was first raised last April when coun- cil members questioned the• proliferation of the benches. on city street corners. US Bench has-62 benches and National Courtesy Bench owns 23 placed within Eagan: Advertising space on the bench backs is sold to area business owners. A por- tion of the advertising space is provided free of charge to the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Eagan's massltransit supplier. BENCHES: To Page 9A 3 • Celebrity® Blinds .. • Country Woods .. . • Applause® Honeycomt • Winners Circle Vertici • Ask about our FREE C Custom Expressions Serving the Metro area with Free Shop -At -Home Srrvire Call 898-2123 We elimi FREE SHt • Professional Sal • 2-4 Week Delis • Full Product Li; SHOP AND COMPARE • PRICE • SER An alternative to nursing 1 The Cottage in Northfield offer supervised living for those with m A service of Three Links Care Center k 15 Forest Avenue N 507-645-6611 uniumwrInno eu n r r( �� Sun•CurrentlWednesday, Oct. 22,'1997 9A Benches From Page 1A Council members asked staff to conduct a study. Hedges said staff was still working on the study when the council decided Sept. 16 to enforce its current'pol- icy. The issue had•not been placed on the published agenda, rather it came up during the council's roundtable discussion. In •addi- tion, there have been no public in- forinational me eting's'regar'ding the issue: "This. all happeiied"si. fast," Thiel said. • `` ' Besides the bus'6encli' compa- nies, the Minnesota Valley Tran- sit Authority (MVTA) also was disappointed by th'e city's decision to remove all bus benches. • In a letter to the city, the MVTA outlined the benefits say- ing they mark bus routes, re- mind • residents that there is a mass transit system available, promote area businesses, pro- vide a tax-free service and are the result of a public/private partnership. The MVTA has asked the city to reconsider its' position. Previously, Eagan was in- volved with other MVTA member cities in reviewing a bus bench agreement. Due to different zon- ing codes ineach of the six cities, . bench agreements were left up to:. each city. Burnsville has drafted a proposed bus bench zoning code amendment that would require " • bench companies to be licensed. ' The public hearing for the amend- ment is scheduled for Oct. 27. Thiel said US Bench had not begun reinoving_the benches as of Oct. 19.. - "We would -like to be invited to speak to the council," Thiel said. Staff is not through dis- cussing bus benches. The council directed them to explore sign or- dinance provisions and to report back during a future. council workshop. 10A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SuneC County's public health plan to receive update Written comments on a preliminary 1996-2000 Dakota County Public Health Plan Update are being accepted until Oct. 28. -State law requires the Dakota County Board, serving as the Community Health Board, to submit a public health plan update to the Minnesota Department of Health to assure that its public health priorities and services are -consistent with local needs. The five-year- plan update • adds cur- rent year -and new data for the most im- portant 11 public health problems identi- fied through the community assessment process. It also provides 'a status report for 12 intervention strategies. The plan reflects intervention strategies. 15th ANNUAL I FALL TOUR,_ ' "/plJ! CNICAO- MINNEAPOLIS - OMANA SIOUX FALLS - ELANEDES MOINES > 1997 AN; ARTS 8L Where You Can, Buy That C - FAMILY FUN OVER 500 OF AMERICA'S FINEST ARTISTS a. CRAFTSPEOPLE FROM 30 STATES • CONTINUOUS STD OCT. 30, 31 CANTERBURY PARK -- ( HWY 101 -- ACRO • Hours: Thurs. and Fri. 1 1 am - 1 Opm Tlckets at the dour: Adult $6.00, Childrei 1110.1611 AMERICA'S FINEST T editions! & Contemporary Works, Primitives, Staine Arrangements, Watercolor Quilts,/Acrylic /1Oil Paintingss IPrints, Cloth Contemporary Jewelry, Handmade Paper, Candles, Sto nnnnr Fnlk Art YinIntnree PnNern a,eke*e Dn:n Public ignored during bench talks Bus riders" in Eagan should •stand up and take notice. After next week, you will have to stand up. City leaders are pulling the bench out from under you. They have decided to'enforce a little-known law that prohibits strut-. tures'and advertising in the public right of way` Bus benches are both, structure and advertising. So owners of the benches, private small-business owners, have until next week to remove _ their benches. Certainly laws are to be enforced, but we ask, why the urgency? 'There is no immediate threat to public health here. Did anyone on the. council or city staff try to ascertain if the benches serve a public need? We don't believe so. Instead, it appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to a complaint or two over the benches non -aesthetic appeal. Why wasn't the public invited to comment on this issue before coun- cil members decided to enforce a law they had ignored for years? This issue deserves due process and public comment. If, the public agrees with the perfunctory 'decision of the council, then have them re- . moved. • But no one knows at this juncture how many residents spend five to. 10 minutes a day waiting for bus someplace other than the Park and Ride lots: The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority says the benches provide a service to riders and help promote mass transit. Seldom are such ser- vices free to taxpayers. Before we throw this tax-free service out the window, let's ascertain if it's justified. TAKE THEM TO SKB ENVIRONMENTAL'S Yard Waste Recycling Facilities ! SKB will take your leaves, grass clippings and weeds to make high quality compost. We will also take your brush, tree branches and stumps. 8 9- 149hSL.W ' Carpal Site * Qx Ri 1a SHAKOPEE 4 niles South of Shakopee on 169and Gouty Road 14 Open April thru November ember Mort - Fri 7am- 4:30pm Sat 8am-4pm Closed Sundays 8 Holidays 4455247 Lima coRQ 1E0t1 a w c/9 1701h St. W Site LAKEwLLE 17750 Mkt Knob Fat Open April ti1ti - November Mat - Fit 11an- 7pm Sat. &Sun 9 am- 5 pm Gland Fblidays 4608332 Collap ea.SI. f a 1001has 0°' Sfra COTTAGE 114 niles south of Hwy.61 on.taneolaAve. Open April thy ft:w inter Mon -Fri 11 am-7 pm Sat. &Sun9an-5pm Closed Holidays 458-1026 i Apple Valleyfflosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Oct. 29, 1997 11A „ . • , • . . . • • . • • CITY BRIEFS ;. . , . I • Council extends policy-. City`ineetingIresCheduled. • : F .1. on bus bench.removal . . . • • .; • Atiits.Oct.! 21 Meeting, the Eagan City . Council voted itg postpone the deadline for when bus benches must be removed from the right -.of -ways in the city. • ‘. - After bench companies had been noti- fied to remove all benches before Nov. 1, - - company owners and the Minnesota Valley TransitAuthority cMVTA) asked the coun- • eil to reconsider its requestjhe council de- nied their request bufagreed to.eztend the removal. deadline„to Nov, -.15.. MVTA spokesperson Audrey Swartz said the bus company plans•to;send letters to ridersre- garding the cle943icp of ;tile Eagan Council. .! ,4 • ; , • .!,. .11; H'I'!;• ! • '; • 14 I.' • : : •Sharp Eletroqics Corporation hasienlisted'us to Sell. to: the public Jett 'over vacuum cleaners from a cancelled purchase, commitment due to .a nation- al ietailer's bankruptcy These new -1997'thodels rrtuStbe.soldatid are cov-. ere:by full ',factory warranties, ;are designed.. for sll carpets and have on- board attachments. These Models .are. priced at, or below original, wholesale cosi:Sharp, vapuunis are rated #1 in a leading consumer magazine.: Limited. supply, 2, per customer! , • !: 2. Days onlyli :.FridayOct aist Saturday Nov..Ist • • • 'Friday 9am -,.9pm ,.• !-:2• : Saturday 9am — 5pm ' , • due to election day rules . . . Eagan's City Council regularly meeth on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Because Nov, 4 is an election day, the council has rescheduled its regular meeting and special workshop from that date to Nov. 3. All piiblic hearings for va- cation and special •assessment hearings ' scheduled for the Nov. 3 meeting have been rescheduled for the Nov. 18 meeting. Information: :681-4600. • • tr. iriewsrs r dicaticiliirie is 5 irs-wrz- , VVteciirkesclisay. " • 1 Council upholds ccxemoval of benches .„ All to be removed by Nov. 15 By ERIN HEMME FROSLIE bus routes, but not necessarilf at the bus stops," said City All bus benches in Eagan Administrator Tom Hedges. will be removed by mid- "The council is concerned we November after the Eagan City are misleading the public by Council agreed in a 3-2 vote to having benches where there is e.uphold a Sept. 16 decision. no bus stop." "It's time to clean up our In addition, some council corners and start from scratch," members feel the advertising said Council Member Ted on the benches could be con - Wachter. sidered a billboard or sign. Although the intent of bus Billboards are not allowed in benches is to mark bus stops, the boulevard, according to benches, which are constructed city code. by private companies, can be During roundtable discussion found throughout the entire city in September, the council — bus stop or not. (See Benches, p.27A) "The benches may be on the rel i • ion The Episcopa By LORI HALL "The - Episcopalians in Farmington shared with the whole westward movement an abounding confidence in the future," wrote Catherine Gaines . Boehlke, of the first settlers of the city in "History of the Church of the Advent." The same holds true today as the Church of the Advent cele- brates its 125th anniversary Saturday, Nov. 1. The small clapboard church with seating for 75 has sat in the heart of Farmington on Oak Street witnessing the growth of the city for well over a century. Located near two railroads running through the city, it brought many people to UNITY OF THE VALLEY 'Teaching Pandositive Living Individual Spiritual- Growth' SUNDAYS 10 00 AM :Adults'; and Children Everymae W•e(ca ne ` 1513 E. Hwy. 13 • Burnsville Church of the Advent celebr Farmington in the. mid-1800s. Some of those people stopped for a rest and others decided to stay and live there. Episcopalian services were inaugurated in Lakeville in the 1860s as a stop on a regular missionary circuit ,along with Castle Rock, Vermillion, Rosemount and Farmington. After the mid-1880s, the Lakeville station closed but as a booming town the Farming- ton station remained open. • "Although there were only 15 families, they had begun, as early as .1867, to talk parish and church," said Boehlke. Services were held every two weeks in a resident's home and Bishop Henry Whipple stopped in town to baptize, confirm, - marry and bury people. The small church was built in 1872 and held its first service on Feb. 18. The church and its parish survived several tragedies in the late 1800s. Several deaths in the congregation, the rever- end's death, a suicide, one of the founders moved and a scandal liurt the livelihood of the church. In 1901 the new Bishop of Minnesota decided all churches that could not support THE. EPISCOPAL Church of unchanged_fr_om when it w Benches (Continued from front page) asked that bus benches-' be re- moved from the city's right-of- ways, and staff was asked to continue the review of bus, bench ordinances, which staff had been reviewing since April. Eagan currently has no bus bench ordinance. Permits, licenses or franchises can be used to regulate bus benches. At a workshop in October the council reconfirmed that a let- ter asking bus bench 'compa- nies to remove the benches should be sent. In addition, the council asked that the Advi- sory Parks Commission to con- sider the need of additional courtesy benches in city parks and. trailways. In response to the council's action, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority asked the council to reconsider its posi- tion. Some of the reasons it listed were that the benches remind residents of their transit system and mark the bus routes. "Bus benches are a service to MVTA and to our custom- ers," said Audrey Swartz of MVTA, "but it's up to each city how they regulate them." According to Swartz, Rose- mount currently has an ordi- nance allowing bus benches in the public right-of-way. Burns-, ville recently has drafted . an ordinance that requires bench providers to have a license and restricts the number of benches. Swartz said none of the other three cities MVTA serves has an ordinance. The U.S. Bench Corporation, which has served Eagan for 30 years, also . asked council to reconsider its action. "Proper restrictions provided by an ordinance or self- imposed by our company have resulted in an effective, effi- cient and publicly acclaimed program for the mass transit ' rider," wrote Roland C. Danielson, senior vice presi- dent. National Courtesy Bench of Hopkins is the other company that provides benches in' the city. Presently there are 85 benches in Eagan. Nearly half of those are located within the Dakota County right-of-way.. At the Oct. 21 meeting, Council Member Sandra Masin asked that the council recon- sider its action. "I just feel we ought to have • another program in place be- fore we remove them," she said. "We did direct the Park Department ' to consider whether the city might provide benches, but we won't have those ready to go." Mayor Tom Egan agreed with Masin and felt that the council acted too soon. "I felt the council's action might have been a little pre- mature, a little inappropriate without sufficient thought or consideration," he said. He added that other members of the MVTA.have been able to adopt policies which allow the bus benches, rather than eliminate them. "I see them as billboards," said Wachter, adding that the benches "make snow removal and lawn care cumbersome. Council members Pat Awada and Bea Blomquist also agreed to remove all bus benches. FOR LEASE FARMINGTON New Building. Hwy. 3, Warehouse/ Shop/Offices, 2,400 SF. $1.275 + Utils. 14' drive in door. '431-4284 City orders all bus benches removed MVTA disappointed by City Council's action. By Sue Hegarty Minnesota Sun Publications Bus benches in Eagan have been ordered removed from the city by Oct. 31, at the direction of the City Council. At their Sept. 16 meeting, council members told staff to en- force a city code that prohibits advertising signs or obstructions in any road Might of way without council ap- proval. On Oct. 10, City Administrator Tom Hedges wrote a letter to. National Courtesy Bench and US Bench to inform them that the benches must be removed by month's end. In the letter, Hedges wrote, "Failure to remove the signs and bus benches from the city will cause necessary city action." "We were very surprised in view of the fact that US Bench has been serving Eagan for 30 years," said Leonard Thiel, a US Bench spokesperson. Bill Keagan of National Courtesy Bench was just as surprised. Both companies expected the city to work on amending zoning codes to improve the regulation of benches. "We will comply but we've filed for an exten- sion," said Keagan, who received the city's letter Oct. 15. The issue was first raised last April when coun- cil members questioned the proliferation of the benches on city street corners. US Bench has 62 benches and lational Courtesy Bench owns 23 placed within Eagan. Advertising space on the bench backs i sold to area business. owners. A por- tion of the a vertising space is provided free of charge to the innesota Valley Transit Authority, Eagan's mass transit supplier. BENCHES: To Page 9A Benches From Page lA Council members asked staff to conduct a study. Hedges said staff was still working on the study when the council decided Sept. 16 to enforce its current pol- icy. The issue had not been placed on the published agenda, rather it came up during the council's roundtable discussion. In addi- tion, there have been no public in- formational meetings regarding the issue. "This all happened so fast," Thiel said. Besides the bus bench compa- nies, the Minnesota Valley Tran- sit Authority (MVTA) also was disappointed by the city's decision to remove all bus benches. In a letter to the city, the MVTA outlined the benefits say- ing they mark bus routes, re- mind residents that there is a mass transit. system available, promote area businesses, pro- vide a tax-free service and are the result of a public/private partnership. The MVTA has asked the city to reconsider its position. Previously, Eagan was in- volved with other MVTA member cities in reviewing a bus bench agreement. Due to different zon- ing codes in each of the six cities, bench agreements were left up to each city. Burnsville has drafted a proposed bus bench zoning code amendment that would require bench companies to be licensed. The public hearing for the amend- ment is scheduled for Oct. 27. Thiel said US Bench had not begun removing the benches as of Oct. 19. "We would like to be invited to speak to the council," Thiel said. Staff is not . through dis- cussing bus benches. The council directed them to explore sign or- dinance provisions and to report back during a future council workshop. Public ignored during bench talks Bus riders in Eagan should stand up and take notice. After next week, you will have to stand up. City leaders are pulling the bench out from under you. They have decided to enforce a little-known law that prohibits struc- tures and advertising in the public right of way. Bus benches are both, structure and advertising. So owners of the benches, private small-business owners, have until next week to remove their benches. Certainly laws are to be enforced, but we ask, why the urgency? There is no immediate threat to public health here. Did anyone on the council or city staff try to ascertain if the benches serve a public need? We don't believe so. Instead, it appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to a complaint or two over the benches non -aesthetic appeal. Why wasn't the public invited to comment on this issue before coun- cil members decided to enforce a law they had ignored for years? This issue deserves due process and public comment. If, the public agrees with the perfunctory decision of the council, then have them re- moved. But no one knows at this juncture how many residents spend five to 10 minutes a day waiting for a bus someplace other than the Park and Ride lots. The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority says the benches provide a service to riders and help promote mass transit. Seldom are such ser- vices free to taxpayers. Before we throw this tax-free service out the window, let's ascertain if it's justified. to LDER ANDS S,, ead No. 103-'/2L HASTINGS, MN LOS ANGELES-CHICAGO-LOGAN. OH McGREGOR TX -LOCUST GROVE. GA U S.A Oct.17. 2001 9:41AM THE WALLACE GROUP VSUN - News No.8565 P. 7 http:llmnsun. comistory.asp?city=Eagan&st0ry=7 6876 (''' , ' i A w 1 Y'f its i, tlft sll i�rs rielect a Town • Local News ►..:Local Na ::-Community Education Calen�tar. ' ,;=Opinion .. ,Public:S'afey •Obltui�I'ies.�' '"Ledals .Election' News Local Sports 'rSports News:. :;Sports Briefs Events/Scores' MNSun Home. Page Archive F Business Newer a.!Clas3lfleds; Finanoa'Calc Horoscope Market,Place; ate. .:Net Oirectory!' NutrItlonCalc Weather..':.;.. `Gontact` lJs:: . How .to: Advertise Jobs At Sun".; Sun Slots: pec al Sections aA"Homes'", ,NET biREC7orY Dealing With brags Affordable ,HdCisInq Search The I Local Foreces Wednesday, Oct, 17, 2001 Click Here EAGA'N goollvCcormovl Local News Eagan Council looks to cement plans for entry monuments By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers (Created 10/17/01 8:57:08 AM) Long-dlscussed plans to provide monuments at key entryways to Eagan is moving forward as the clty identifies possible locations and begins to discuss possible funding sources. The Eagan City Council discussed the monuments, which are part of its 2001 Strategic Plan, during a special City Council workshop Oct. 9. "These would be very attractive markers that would help enhance our community's identity to not only those who Ilve in the city, but also those that come into the city each day," Mayor Pat Awada said. While the actual design of the monuments is still up in the air, the city's Economic Development Commission recommended talking to one of the city's consulting engineer firms for draft design options. In September, the Image Committee of the city's Economic Development Commission met with Senior Planner Mike Ridley and Assistant City Administrator Jamie Verbrugge to discuss the markers. One item discussed at that meeting and also brought up during the Oct. 9 meeting was potential sources of funding for the markers. City staff has been examining the feasibility of using income from cellular antenna rentals to provide the funds for the markers as well as a potential street -soaping plan. Staff contacted representatives within the cellular Industry to see if the Highways 494/35E/55 intersection would be a desirable location for future communications antenna towers, Hedges sald. Industry representatives told city staff that a future demand for more antenna space would exist and that the area around 1-35E and Highway 55 would be a desirable location. According to Verbrugge, .the industry representatives will provide the city with Information to map out s potential timeline showing the cellular industry's need so that the city can more easily plan for when that funding might be available. rknor .. Click Hare 1 of 2 10/17/2001 9:22 AM Oct.17. 2001 9:41AM 'INSUN - News THE WALLACE GROUP No.8565 P. 8 http: //mnsun. comistory. asp? city=Eagan&story=7 6876 The council had originally expected to discuss the monuments during a Sept. 11 meeting, but that meeting was shortened due to the attacks on the East Coast that day, Hedges said. The city has already identified possible locations for the markers. Such locations under consideration were Identified as key entryways Into the city and Include areas such as the Highway 13/Cedar Avenue area, Pilot Knob as it enters the city from the north, and the Cliff Road/Highway 77 area. The city has been looking into the possibility of•building entrance monuments for at least the past two years. Identifying possible locations was a part of the council's strategic plan in 2000 and continuing with that effort was Included in the councils goals during 2001. The monuments, along with a goal to develop a streetscape plan for Eagan's central area around Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob roads, are objectives toward meeting larger goals within the strategic plan. That goal is to "expand our sense of place and community identity through physical development and cultural activities." Other objectives in that area include completing the Community Center and working to support community events such as the Winter Festival, Lone Oak Days and the Fourth of July Funfest. The EDC is expected to discuss the possible design of the monuments and funding possibilities later this month. In other business, the City Council also: •Reviewed the proposed 2002 budget for Cascade Bay. According to Parks Director Ken Vraa, the above average heat during the summer of 2001 helped Cascade Bay exceed the previous year's attendance and revenue figures. The successful summer provides challenges in preparing the 2002 budget, Vraa said. Also figuring Into the budget numbers were expenditures associated with maintaining an aging facility and the possibility that Interest in Cascade Bay will wane as its novelty wears off. The total proposed 2002 budget for the facility Is $1,217,500, compared to $1,110,500 in 2001. The change would represent a $107,000 Increase. 2 of 2 10/17/2001 9:22 AM Council keeps policy on assessments Process will be examined by staff By Jodi L. Wallin Sun Newspapers With one more road recon- struction project to be complet- ed in the near future, the Eagan City Council recently debated and decided what would happen to the city's 16-year-old road re- construction assessment policy. Despite the controversy the as- sessment policy has caused, the council voted 3-2 at its May 18 special meeting to keep the policy intact. Council members Sandra Masin and Bea Blomquist voted to change the policy. The policy since 1983 has been to levy a special assess- ment to those whose property abuts the road under recon- struction. The assessments in recent years have covered be- tween 30 percent to 50 percent -of the cost of the projects, with the city financing the remainder through local property taxes and state aid, said Tom Colbert, director of public works. The issue of whether or not'a special . assessment ought to be levied, and how much the assess- ment ought ta'cost came to a head in February. Council members. debated revamping the policy, with some stating the policy was unfair to those levied because the assessments were higher than the increase in market value re- couped by the homeowner after the public improvement. The inequity in costs to the homeowner versus the increase in market value seen by the owner has been the primary ob- jection to the policy. ASSESSMENTS: To Page 17A 12A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, June 9, 1999 Lights: Will be in place before end of year. From Page 1A A dozen of his neighbors stood behind him as he addressed the council from the podium. The new lanes on Wescott would slow traf- fic through the intersection, save money compared to other avail- able options and avoid contact with the Williams pipeline along the road to the south, Bolling said. In addition, it is the best option for. property owners in thearea, the city and the county, he said. Eagan and DakotaCounty will pay for the improvements and the signal light. Property owners will not be assessed for the cost, which is es- timated to run approximately. $763,000, if right hand lanes along Wescott at. Pilot Knob Road, Denmark •Avenue, Erlene Road and Highway 149 intersections are included. The county will pick up $75,000 - of the project, which will cover half the cost of the sig-. nallight. . q Residential' landowners along die. south side of Wescott had ob- jected to the two of the options early in the planning process as more than a half dozen would have cidents and anticipated traffic lost land in the project. County growth in the area. planners rejected a third option. At peak times of use, from 6 to City Public Works Director Tom 8 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., nearly 7,500 Colbert worked with residents in vehicles pass through the inter- numerous meetings to come up section. , with two more options,.kom which ° There were 31 accidents there th final 1 was selected in the five years from 1993 to e pan The fourth option was eventu- 1998, of which 22 might have been ally rejected because it was too ex- avoided with the placement of a traffic signal, the study concluded. pensive. the light m In the final option, one proper- In addition, putting ty owner will lose some of his five now will provide acceptable levels acres of, land, which the city will of service into the year 2020, based purchase to provide a right of way on traffic flow increases of 2.5 per- for the project cent annually. "Colbert went'•the extra mile The current four -lane intersec- with these neighbors,";said Coun tion.;willbecome three, with one cilmember Bea Blomquist The ; : through .lane and one right and comment drew loud - applause . one left Band turn lane. From Pilot from the audience, of which about ' Knob :Road to Highway 149, 40 were there to support •the, sig „. Wescott will be widened to accom nal lights under Option D. Three imodate a center common turn people ,indicated: they were there , lane. to oppose the lights, but when the:: -Bids on the project are set to council asked if they would. like to= open on Aug. 12 with construc- speak, they chose not to Y tion. tobegin on Sept. 1. The sig A feasibility study on:,the need : ' nal-ie to be operational by Dec. 1. for the signal found tha `there was justified based 'on safe levels of congestion, traffic ac Isi7all other construction= re ed''to'the project finished by Residents,City Council agree on signal.lights at Lexington and_Wescott By Jodi L. Wallin Sun Newspapers The Lexington. Avenue and Wescott Road intersection is about to become safer and less congested. Eagan City Council members. unanimously approved at their May 18 meeting to install traffic signals there before the end of the year.. The lights had been request- ed by a nurnber of residents and users of the road who called in to the city with comments., ' The intersection is. now°'con- trolled'bythe use of a- four=way stop. A feasibility study conducted for the ,•city-concludes`Ihat-the four way stop :,forces."excessive (rlelays" and :provides and "unac eptablelevel•of service.. Of the five7options presented o area residents, the three -lane; option (Option.. D) on Wescott; provided the least `disruption of. !abutting land while increasing,:. 'traffic flow and reducing. safety +eoncerris. "For -the benefit of all par- j ties, Option D-would be ideal," said Terry : Bolling, a. spokesperson '.for his .Briar`' Ceek'rieighborhood, LIGHTS :To'Page`12A ': Eagan. prioritizes street im Cliff Road expansion from two to four lanes sought By Jodi L. Wallin Sun Newspapers Planning takes time, and the city of Eagan is making sure it has plenty of time to implement its five-year capita l" improvement program. None of the projects city officials are planning for the turn of the. century are critical in terms of the need to act now, said Tom Colbert, director. of Public Works. The city has had a five-year plan in place for the past 15 years. Even so, due to the increasing complexity of work- ing with inter -governmental agencies, the planning has been pushed six months up from past years. The council met in a special meeting on June 29 to discuss part, three of thet plan, which is public infrastructure of streets and highways, the park system and development. The final CIP will not be approved until fall, however, the coun- cil prioritized the most pressing issues and voted to delay less critical projects. "We need to lighten. up the load in other areas and push Cliff Road," said Mayor. Pat Awada. "Cliff Road hasto be done in 2000." Cliff Road; east : of Pilot Knob and west of Lexington Avenue, will be converted from a two-lane to a feur- lane highway, with concrete medians:and. left-hand turn lanes: The widening of the road requires obtaining the right of way' from landowners:adjacent to the project. Parkcliff neighborhood residents had pushed for a 1999 work date. However, the county was unable to respond that soon due to its heavy workload. The coun- cil received word on June 18 that the city may have. to become the lead agency on the project for it be completed in the year 2000. 'Otherwise, the county may push the project back to 2001. "It's the new trend for cities to become the lead agencies 'for projects," Colbert said. Counties have become more and more burdened:and are passing some of the responsibilities on to the cities that. are requesting projects. As a lead agency, the - city would need to put forth engi- neering designs and- conduct other pre- liminary studies. "We are the lead agencies in several of these [projects]," said Councilmember Sandra Masin. "W&r:A..-4 to prioritizethis'`' [CIP] so we don't overburden our staff" ' The council decided ,to delay work'on Lone :OakJtead until:2002,r followingthe county's need: for a .delay. The project, once completed,: will'take,.tlie .tvvo`=lane portion of the road form Highway 55. to County Road 63`(Argenta Trail) in Inver. Grove Heights and make it'd', four lanedr- vided highway `' ' ' Local street improvements including new construction, -`recycling of 'older,:.. streets, in which bituminous material. is `: crushed and blended into the`base will -be delayed until 2002. Resurfacing of streets with. more than' 4 inches 'of. as- phalt and need onlytlie top 1-2 inches:re - placed will be delayed' -until 2002, as well. The delayswill' help take some of the' pressure off the Public Works Department. In other streetimprovements, the; ;. council is considering asking .the; county for temporary control of the intersection of Lexington Avenue 'and Northwoods Drive. The city wants to put in a stop sign or temporary hanging signal light to reg ulate traffic. This is a death trap, trying to cross.' Northwood," said Councilmember Peggy Carlson. "We need :to do something: as a council to mitigate this." The county: has jurisdiction over the road, but will' not be able to work on the project until: 2002.. "The county has not keptup with the growth of_ the city," Carlson` said.:: Several signals on local roads under city jurisdiction will be put in. next year. The intersection at Diffley and Johnny " Cake Ridge Road May get a light in 2000 and Lexington Avenue at Duckwood •: Drive is being considered for lights with in two years. Items pushed back include the resur- facing of Beau d'Rue Drive due in part' to s the moratorium in the area.. "L hate to-: overlay it when, we don't know what we-:. will be doing with it,": said Awada. The' project was scheduled for 2000 and was pushed back to 2001. .,Any action on South Dodd Road; will be delayed until 2002. "I want it to go `away forever, until people come to thecouiicil and say-7 'We want' a road,'"':Carlson.: The five-year CIP will cone` up for a final vote in August, with . many issues ; being presented along the wayatregular and special meetings to allow, time ,for Public coin/tiei t. ' • • 1ji:.loe( % 4 /ff f Council arrives at fork in road -'regarding- Eagan street reconstruction;:;: overlay nohc By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD Following a handful of in- depth workshops, members from the Eagan City Council paved their way toward a reso- lution on whether to revise the city's street reconstruction and overlay policies. The council also agreed to continue discus- sion on some process changes. The city is nearing its cycle of street -reconstruction proj- ects. With one project remain- ing on the list — which will take place this fall on Beau De Rue Drive — Public Works Director Tom Colbert predicted that if the city maintains its roads, none will need to be re- constructed in the next 50 years, pending "no anomalies." Because of this, council members Peggy Carlson and Paul Bakken and Mayor Pat Awada voted in favor of keep- ing the current policy intact, but to review six process changes,which are: • To educate the public on the history and status of street rehabilitation through a display at City Hall; • To evaluate the process for publicimprovement projects that provide some backupas to how -the city is doingwith its major street rehabilitation;. • To review the process within the assessment -policy manual for assessing private driveways within . a multiple residential neighborhood; • To consider whether final assessment hearings should be held at the . time of the public hearing_ for approval of recon- struction projects; •. To determine whether ap- praisers should enter resi- dences to complete their ap- praisals, and • To determine whetherno tices should include the antici- pated assessment amount based on the cost and the re- sults of the appraisals and not simply the amount per applica- tion of the assessment policy. According to Larry Danrich, a consultant/appraiser for the city, in order for an appraisal to be valid, appraisers are re- quired to enter residences as part of the appraisal process, but some council questions have yet to be answered re- garding this process. The six process changes will be reviewed by ,the council at the next workshop, which is expected to be held June 1 at 4:30 p.m. Awada, Bakken and Carlson contend the policy has been successful since its implemen- tation and to change it now would be unfair to previous residents affected by road - reconstruction assessments.._...,_ "Given ' the information, I don't,think it makes; sense' to: switch` rules at the :end.of the. cycle," said Bakken. The three also agreed ,that even if they made changes to the policy now, future'`douncils will have the option to change the policy again,and that it is time to move on to more time - sensitive issues. "In 50 years that council can face the policy again; that council ` cane -implement' deci- sions. We can't}role' -?any coun- cil' (to " :our changes); s -said Awada y .. Councir...:-,members;,, .Bea Blomquist and+ Sandra' Masin voted against " the motion. Blomquist`,-.said "she believes that since discussion is open on the street -reconstruction. process, now is :t opportune time to "take a look at, the, pot- icy, worksit:over and: evalu,_. ate. Blomquist also suggested" city could drop,, 'special; sessments on 'street' reconstruc- tion.;by"raising the levy,_to;ap- proximately $800;000 per year;_ a plan used" by. Many other.-cit= ies,: but . that. discussion ..was quickly dropped:' • "I don't want to turn around. and say '(to taxpayers) :the last few neighbors get -a free ;ride. on your money," said'' -Bakken. "We should finish the cycle now and make: a clean break." Masin said she feels_ it's,not too late to makechanges- td the policy: "It can't be -too late. We can refine what we have ... so no one has to go from crisis to cri- sis," said Masin. - Masin said she 'was -_particu- larly interested in reviewing the process the city uses to.''ap- r praise property affectedby% street -reconstruction. • assess- ments. "I won't vote'zuntii sure everything 'is. '.valid:a tW e 'don't have anything tobase it on. We have to prove : what we_'re doi has. �vaiidity, ands to see if (appraisal) ,-figures that we ,:are: using 'are • .truly valid," said Masin: - . - Based on. a. recommendation by Masin; the - .council" voted unanimously to directci'ty"staff to determine the: cost otihaving someone review; the appraisal process. •. . Council eyes numbers for aquatic center By SARA THOMALLA-BLOOD Eagan City Council members got to glimpse at some hard numbers for the city's new aquatic center, slated to open in 1999. City Administrator Tom Hedges and Ken Vraa, director of Parks and Recreation, pre- sented a preliminary budget for 1999, attendance projections and suggested user fees. The center calls for an opera- tional budget of $637,950, with $65,000 going toward mer- chandise for resale. This budget also covers day-to-day expenses. In his memo, Vraa explained this calculation was based on a budget of $675,000 to allow for capital items that will need to be added in later years: $50,000 toward renewal and replacement of equipment and $165,000 for debt service. "Based on other budgets that staff has reviewed, this appears to be within a reasonable range given the large number of un- knowns, variables and assump- tions that have been made about staffing needs, salary ranges for seasonal staff and other costs," wrote Vraa. Vraa also calculated the op- erationaL budget would require an additional $35,000 annually after year one for future capital needs. This brings the total budget to $890,000. Vraa said the expenditure. budget is based on 95 opera- tion days, but revenue projec- tions are based on fewer days to allow for partial days of op- eration due to poor weather or holidays. over the rates. "The zoo and these other places are what I consider ex- pensive entertainment items. This is a community swimming pool where I think you'd want to go every day. (With these rates) that would be out of the question as an everyday activ- ity," said Masin. Awada said she wants to see season passes go only to Eagan residents. "I don't think we should sell nonresident season passes... Mayor Tom Egan warned the additional $35,000 would bring the budget over the top. "The reason I mention this is because you're going to have to fight for every penny you can get, so make sure it's bal- anced," said Egan. Vraa said the extra $35,000 is needed- after year one for wear and tear, such as re- placement of deck chairs. Council Member Pat Awada requested a separate budget be created for concessions. "Under these numbers, I think you're going to lose money," she said. Vraa and Hedges also went over attendance. The complex has a bather capacity of 2,000. Vraa determined the annual attendance would be slightly more than 130,000. With these figures, Vraa de- termined a daily entrance fee of $7 would cover projected costs. Season passes would be available for $48 per individ- ual, with each subsequent fam- ily member being charged $38. Passes for a family of four would amount to $162, which equals to 23.14 visits per fam- ily, or six per individual. This averages one visit every two weeks of the season. Vraa said the rates were comparable to other local entry fees, Including the Minnesota Zoo, which has an adult rate of $8, a first -run movie admission of $6.50, or a visit to the Omni Theater at the St. Paul Science Museum for $9. - Council Member Sandra Masin - expressed her concern since part of the money spent is community investment dol- lars," said Masin. Council members also brought up ideas on who should get priority on full -capacity days, and suggested discounts for infants, youth, senior citi- zens and evening admissions. Vraa will present rate struc- ture scenarios and a conces- sion budget at a special City Council meeting slated for No- vember. The' city of Eaganrlrgke ice by installing secop sheet _ . at Arena. The city; also field a g'coun breaking ceremony for they E, gan aquatic :`center:, sR'e'srdep; submitted. 141 ;names '_for tt project: Cascade nI3ay,the " se; lected name, was•' submitted" by Eagan resident •Dan..Scheller �_ a Elsewhere:: in. the. county; the new Dakotas County Juvenile. Services'; Cente""c Y' opened ,ii " April in. Hastings: And Eastview High School' held its- first home football; game last fall. rin,,its new -sta.;.. diem. = Resolutions - The city` of ..Eagan .L:imple. mented a new snow -removal% program -for its `.'1"TO mile trail system. Following a minimum two-inch snowfall, city • • crews and contractor services now will be clearing snow' from54 miles of trails•. Council members helped;to. preserve Eagan's reputation.. as .a tree •city by approving"Ea- gan's Forever . Green project. The project will help to` re- place more 'ithan 4,0007trees that were damaged;;; during>>se-. vere. storms in 1996 an-d 1998. , The city' was Trioranger to the court room: An Eagan'`driig case was heard by the_:.U.S2.:Su- preme Court. Justices ruled 673 to reinstate the .convictions of two Chicago then involy,ed',.in the case. It was the, fiist,;case the Dakota County • attorney's office had argued before the Supreme Court in'65'yeais:..:, The case which involved an Eagan police"officer"`who obz!" served .drug activities ,: through the drawn •blinds of an ,.apart ment, also hinged ,Yupon the Fourth Amendment; which:, pcor I tects people,.'a id.itheirpipper.ty against .unreasonabl'e;, searches and seizures..""Justiee William Hubbs Rehnquist delivered:'the opinion of the -;court, in which he wrote that the .amendment protects an overnight •guest,, but notsomeone who' is.;where merely visiting the house holder. Judges from_ the. Minnesota Court -of Appeals ruled ori`: a'_ . case known as the.:Country Joe, lawsuit in .October The judges; ruled that the city ofEagan.-;is'; not required to_ refund nearly-_ $3.2 million in road connection" fees. Attorneys.: representing: ,0G 0 i - 2G-ZDoz City encounters roa to new entrance monu by Erin Johnson nies. The lease money - would: Staff Writer :' Design and funding issues have put barriers' in the way of Eagan's plans for gateway mon- uments to mark various entrances into the city. Preliminary design ideas for the entrance markers were pre-. sented during a City Council workshop Jan. 17, none of which quite met with the approval of council members. Funding was also an issue. Initially,. a tower was to be con- structed at I-35E and I-494 to accommodate cellular antennas to be leased by cellular compa- generate revenue to offset the cost of the entrance markers. However, Senior Planner Mike Ridley said that so, far therehas been no interest from cellular companies in that location. He was told there is no demand at this • point, but in the future, when the existing anten- nas in that area are overloaded, they will need an additional location. "So there's no question that the location itself is prime. It's just that it's presently covered;" he said. He said they will have to look into other funding sources for: construction' costs:'and land F acquisition for the signs The .monuments=.would:17.be placed at four:, different:entrance:_ sites: I=35E and ,1494 north .bound. •Pilot;nob Road ,,, Jenson Lake; northbound' j Highway 3 at the Rosemount border and the d>494,off ramp: at :'�. Pilot Knob Road:. SRF Consulting Group'` presented different designs 1 reflect each location. The marl .er on Pilot. Knob Road;at Jenson Lake, for instance; would'be on. a county right of way and With- in 30 feet of the curb` line;'so.it would have to be �a -"break- See City, 14A City/From 1 A away" sign constructed of wood. Others would be constructed of brick and concrete. - The message on each sign would show uniformity, however, with either "Eagan", or "City of Eagan" printed with a picture of an oak tree. The oak tree, said SRF's John Larson, "not only says strength and love of nature, but in Eagan in particular it says community because it is the oak that was the original gathering place." Mayor Pat Awada said she had a different vision of what,the signs would look like, such as being constructed of wrought iron. "This is not what Cyndee and I envisioned," she said. Awada and Council Member Cyndee Fields are on the sub- committee looking into the mon- uments. She said they will work further with consultants on the design and maybe bring in pic- tures of what they're looking for. Council Member Paul Bakken said he liked the look of the more corporate designs SRF presented, but he would like all the lettering to be green. He and Awada both said they need to find alternative funding sources. "I'm strongly of the opinion • that these have to be revenue neu- tral, and that means that they somehow generate the revenue necessary to build them," Bakken said. The city also still needs to secure the land where the monu- ments would be placed. Ridley said it was necessary to first have a design before • asking the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) or indi-, vidual owners for theland. "They're •going to want to know what they're- giving us the land for. So until . we have a design to show that ... they're, not even going to talk to us, most likely," he said. Awada said the SRF. designs • could be shown to MnDOT to get the process started, even though. the city will most likely not use, those exact designs: The four entrance sites repre- sent the first phase of this project. The ,second phase will possibly include markers on Highway 55, Highway . 13, Cedar and I-35E coming in from Apple Valley and Galaxie Avenue coming in from Apple Valley, Ridley said The subcommittee will meet with City staff and SRF Jan. 30 to better define the look of the mon- uments: ‘au c.Lur reAkt 0 - 0 be Eta • s- • 16' it Cascade Bay bget By Jothuatlicho • • • SinNewspapers. , key.enpaya,to Eagan'are moving forward as the efts, identifies possible loCatiOns. and begins to disl cuss possible funding sources. The Eagan City Council cliscusSed,the monu ments, which are part of its 2001 Strategic Plan, during a specialCit.y:Council workshop Oct. 9. "These would be very attractive Markersthat would help enhance our community's identity to not only those who live in the city, but also, those.that come into the city each day" Mayor Pat Awada said. CEMENT: TO Page'17A Cem From Page 1A • Lorigi:disciissOd Plans th provide.monuments at tential street-scaping plan. Staff contacted representatives within the cellular industry to see if the High- ways 494/35E/55 :intersection would be a desirable locationlor future communica- tions antenna towers, Hedges said. In - While the actual design of the monu- dustry representatives told city staff that ments is still up in the air, the city's.Eco- a future demand for more antenna space nomic Development Commission recom- would exist and that the area around I - mended talking to one of the city's con- 35E and Highway 55 would be a desir- sulting engineer firms for draft design able location. options. In September, the Image Committee of the city's Economic Development Com- mission met with Senior Planner Mike Ridley and Assistant City Administrator Jamie Verbrugge to discuss the markers. when that funding might be available. One item discussed at that meeting The council had originally expected to and also brought up • during the Oct. 9 discuss the monuments during a Sept. 11 meeting was potential sources of funding meeting, but that meeting was shortened for the markers. City staff has been ex- due to the attacks on the East Coast that amining the feasibility of using income day, Hedges said. from cellular antenna rentals to provide The city has already identified possi- the funds for the markers as well as a po- ble locations for the markers. Such loca- According to Verbrugge, the industry representatives will provide the city with information to map out a potential time- line showing the cellular industry's need so that the city can more easily plan for "The community has• alwaYS supported the district and has always wanted whatis best for their kids," he Said., • The other candidates at the forurd, incumbents Tarni Bake - berg nil& Jim ,Nikolai and ehal- lenger Raymond S. Mickelsen; echoed Saucedo's comments. The five candidates Will face offNov. 6.in an election for three four-year. terms on the board: FORUM: To Page 19A Apple Valiey/Rosemoui*Eagan,EprilCui-reniNVedneeday;.0ct..17, 2001 toils undercOnSiderationwere,Klentified as key entryways into the city and in- clude areas such as the Highway 13/Cedar Avenue area, Pilot Knob. as it enters the city from the north; and the Road/Highway 77 area. The city has been looking into the pos- sibility of building entrance monuments for at least the past two years. Identify- ing possible locations was a part of the council's strategic plan in 2000 and Con- tinuing with that effort was included in , the council's goals during 2001. The monuments, along with a goal to•- develop a streetscape plan for Eagan's cen- tral area around.Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob roads, are objectives toward meeting larger goals within the strategic plan. That goal is • to "expand our sense of place and community identity through physical development and cultural activ- ities." Other objectives in that area in- clude completing the Community Center and working to support community 17A • events such as the Winter Yestival,,Lone Oak Days and the Fourth ofJuly Funfest. The EDC is expected to discuss the possible design of the monuments and funding possibilities later. this month, In other business, the City Council also: •Reviewed the proposed 2002 budget for Cascade Bay. According to Parks Di- rector Ken Vraa,'the above average heat during the summer of 2001 helped Cas- cade Bay exceed the previous year's at- tendance and revenue figures. The successful summer provides chal- lenges in preparing the 2002 budget, Vraa said. Also figuring into the budget numbers were expenditures associated with maintaining an aging facility and the possibility that interest in Cascade Bay will wane as its novelty wears off. The total proposed 2002 budget for the facility is $1,217,500, compared to $1,110,500 in 2001. The change would represent a $107,000 increase. Hearin. The Eagan City Council held a public hearing for the improvement project for Lexington Avenue at its Jan. 16 regular meeting. During thepublic hearing several members' 'representing the U.S. Postal Service: and employees of the Bulk Mail Center, , both,,,located along Lexington Avenue, addressed: the council requesting the- addi tionof a traffic signal at•the intersection of Gemini ,Road' and Lexington Avenue. Brian Marshal, representing the._..U.S: Postal Service, informed the council .that traffic safety. near the intersection would improve greatly with. the See Upgrade, 15A Upgrade/Continued: addition of a signal to prevent the mixing of faster car traffic with slow merging trucks from the Bulk Mail Center. Mayor Pat Awada asked about the possibility of the post office developing a reliever street on the rear of the property that could exit onto Denmark Avenue, providing that the post office allow the city of Eagan to use the property to . extend Denmark Avenue further into the property. The city and the Postal Service agreed to look further into possibilities that could relieve traffic congestion and potentially dangerous situations of mixed truck and car traffic dur- ing future meetings.' Funding sources -for the ro- ect will, be divided betty P J and county. ty. The city een:City ,i expected' to pay for,45,percentof the_ street; `constiuc`tioii cost; `with the -County-.- picking up the remaining 55 per- cent of the cost: The .total cost 'of tle'project' has been estimated at$6:6 Mil:: lion, with $4.25 inillioric goiilg to street construction cost. The project is expected to be; open to trafficr.by Nov: 2 Fiiial project •completion;'''vj ii h .'1;ili; include the. completion of bitutni_ nous trails along'the roadside, is estimated to be June 14, 2002. Citizens can expect'thefirst prop erty tax payment for the cost of the project to be in May of 2003. Will (G t,k1c.c.i< 'cOrt,46t ry Eagan completes reorganization of planning division The Eagan City Council has endorsed a plan developed by City Administrator Tom Hedges that completes the re- organization of the city's plan- ning division and allows the unit to function effectively de- spite having fewer staff mem- bers. The revamped staffing sys- tem takes effect immediately and will produce . savings of $125,000 annually. "This reorganization is - he result of the city's practice of continually reviewing opera- tions to ensure good perform- ance, avoid waste and restrain spending for the sake of Eagan taxpayers, said Hedges. He said those interacting with the planning division will. not experience any negative impacts under the new system. Until two years ago, there were 9 1/2 professional posi- tions in the department aside from clerical staff. Headed by a community development di- rector, the division also in- cluded two senior planners, two planners, two associate planners, a planning aid and one and a half interns. Profes- sional staff now totals seven. The reorganization process began when the community development director resigned and those duties were allo- cated among the city adminis- trator, an assistant to the city administrator and two senior planners. Recent resignations allowed the city to realign re- sponsibilities and accomplish the staff reductions without (See Planning, p.28A) Planning (Continued) layoffs. An informal study of compa- rable communities, carried out by city staff, revealed little difference in staffing levels among developing and devel- oped communities for the func- tions Eagan's planning division performs. When such tasks as zoning code enforcement, housing and redevelopment, economic development and environmental health are in- cluded, the examination indi- cated that the developed- city average of staff per 1,000 resi= " dents was .20, while the devel- oping city average was .18. By this standard, Eagan's planning division remains lean at .11. "Our experience suggests that new development tends to impose different demands on the time of planning division personnel than modifications of existing facilities, code en- forcement and other tasks," said Hedges. "To ensure maximum efficiency, there is a need for city staff to constantly retool and adjust to changing demands in the community." S[An Ck'VL\- fv�vc later Road project P headed for development CITY BRIEFS Two of three lots on a six -acre wooded site between Slater Road and Cedar Avenue in Eagan will be developed as office buildings. The City Council approved a plan by Prairie Oaks developers March 17 to build on vacant land south of the Amoco gas station at Slater and Cliff roads. Residents nearby succeeded in pre- venting development on a third lot, clos- est to their single family homes. If Chris Moarn of Prairie Oaks wants to build on the third lot sometime in the future, he'll have to submit plans to the city's Plan- ning Commission that could be subject to a public hearing before being evaluated for council approval. Informational meeting set for Delta townhomes An informational meeting to discuss a proposed townhome development in the Cedarvale area is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Council Cham- bers, 3830 Pilot Knob Road in Eagan. Developer Mark Parranto is proposing to construct more than 200 townhomes south of Beau De Rue Drive. Interested citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting. CITY BRIEFS _ Council authorizes use of antennas on utilities Commercial antennae will now be al- lowed on public utility poles in Eagan re- gardless of the zoning district. The council amended its Land Use Reg- ulation ordinance March 17 to create the possibility of constructing a telecommuni- cations monopole within a utility pole. Per- mitting antennae to locate on existing util- ity structures will allow the communica- tion industry to achieve its needs while still limiting the amount of additional free- standing monopoles within the city. Prior to the amendment, commercial antennae were not permitted in residential areas. The city has twice denied an application by AT&T, which wants to place a monopole and antennae in or near Parkview Golf Course in southeast Eagan. Office buildings approved after city's reconsideration By MARK LARSON After originally being denied by the City Council, the final planned development for three office buildings in Eagan was approved — minus one build- ing. The developer, Chris Moarn of Parks Real Estate based in Edina, agreed to put the south- ernmost building in lot 3 on hold in order to get started on the first two. At its regular meeting Feb. 3, the City Council denied Moarn's application based on the density and potential envi- ronmental impact of the south- ern building. Several neighbors to the south on Warrick Court spoke against the development of the third building because they said it would require tak- ing down too many trees and would result in increased traf- fic noise and an unacceptable loss of animal habitat. The entire proposed devel- opment is approximately 6 acres and sits to the west of Cedar Avenue, to the east of Slater Road and to the south of Cliff Road. The southern lot is 2.8 acres and has the most number of trees, which the neighbors said they depend on to screen their homes from the noise of traffic on Cliff Road and Cedar Ave- nue. "I think the issues the neigh- bors raised are extremely good issues," said Mayor Tom Egan. "The development will not be that controversial if we can work out the issues with the third lot." At it's Feb. 17 meeting, the council approved a reconsid- eration for the two northern buildings on the site. The council's original decision to turn down the subdivision was (See Buildings, p.24A) Buildings (Continued from front page) based on the Advisory Plan- ning Commission's recommen- dation that lot 3 was incapable of accommodating the building proposed on the lot. Twice, Moarn decreased the size of the building in his plans, reducing it by 16,000 square feet in his last attempt. After meeting with neighbors to hear their concerns, Moarn decided to put plans for the third building on hold to learn more about the site. Since the third lot has been • subdivided as an outlot, any future development proposals would be required to go through the complete public hearing process. "Before continuing on the third lot, I would want to work on understanding the tree situa- tion, redrawing the building, fixing water drain -off issues and meeting with the neigh- bors," said Moarn. One solution to the use of lot 3 Moarn said he would. con-, sider would be to sell the land, for $2.75 per square foot or, lease it for about $45,000 a year. Debbie Budd, who lives near the proposed office buildings, said she was concerned about the amount of traffic they might cause on Slater Road. She said because Cliff is a four -lane road and Slater is a two-lane road, much of the traffic turning onto Slater is already becoming congested. Budd said the additional en- trances to the new office build- ings would obstruct traffic even more. Director of Public Works Tom Colbert said there is not much the city can do to allevi- ate the current problem, but the city could look into im- proving the traffic light system at the intersection. Cell tower put on hold for 60 days Council wants more on - - which to base.iissdecision.: By Sue Hegarty Minnesota Sun Publications Cellular phone use has ex- ploded in recent years, according to Peter Beck, an attorney repre- senting AT&T:Wireless Services. Beck esti- mates that up to. 40 percent of Eagan residents are using wire less technology: About 15 percent of Eagan cellular consumers are AT&T custdmers. To abide by its FCC liceiiing re- quirements, the comp&iy needs to provide wireless access to the southeast portion of Eagan. Since last summer, AT&T Wireless has tried to obtain a con- ditional use permit from the city of Eagan to provide that service by putting a 100-foot monopole on the Parkview Golf Course near Pilot Knob and Cliff roads. On March 2, the City Council voted to continue the issue for 60 . days to gather additional infor- mation and to consider alterna- tive sites for the tower. Residents who live near the golf course ob- ject to its location and say it would decrease their property values. Meanwhile, AT&T Wireless is sitting on a federal lawsuit filed against the city, pending the out- come of the council's decision. This is AT&T's third attempt to place an antenna tower so that cellular service can be sup- plied to southeast Eagan. "I don't think we're going to be filing a fourth application here. We have filed three, all of which comply with the ordinance. We were forced to commence litiga- tion because of the statute of lim- itations," Beck said. MawChh If ,ovifttrl City Council reluctantly approves cellular tower By MARK LARSON Reluctantly, Eagan City Council members decided April 7 to allow AT&T Wire- less Services to construct a 100-foot cellular phone an- tenna on the north end of the Parkview Golf Course, just south of Cliff Road. Several area residents, par- ticularly those living on Dun - berry Lane to the north, Park - ridge Drive to the east and Fairway Hills Drive to the west, voiced their opposition to the tower. City Council mem- bers said they doubted AT&T's claims that the site was the only acceptable one. However, after the city hired a consultant to analyze the site and AT&T's broadcasting re- quirements, they concurred with the company's claims. Council members said they had no choice but to approve the antenna, which would sit 310 feet from residential prop- erty. "I find this whole process very frustrating," said Mayor Tom Egan. "We as local offi- cials are handcuffed as far as what we can do in land use planning." The Telecommunications Act of 1996, which limits cities' ability to restrict the place- ment of cellular antennas and equipment, has instilled fear of costly legal battles in the council and city staff. AT&T filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Eagan in October 1997 after the council denied its second application for a cellular tower. "We don't have a choice le- gally at this point. Our own consultant has told us there is no other spot (for the tower)," said Council Member Patricia Awada. "We're already in a lawsuit. If we deny this,- we'll probably be in another one and (See Tower, p.14A) Tower (Continued from front page) we might not win." The Advisory Planning Commission recommended ap- proval of the conditional use permit at its Feb. 24 meeting. Then at a March 2 meeting, the City Council decided to continue the item and impose a 60-day extension of the agency action deadline re- quirement in order for AT&T to review alternate sites and to allow staff to hire a communi- cations expert to review AT&T's proposal to determine if suitable alternate sites would be available. Jeff Nelson of W.M. Mont- gomery & Associates, the con- sultant company hired by the city, indicated in the com- pany's report that the proposed location was the best site for the tower. The report states al- though there are other suitable locations, such as the playing area of the golf course and the city water treatment property, the respective property owners would not agree to constructing the tower in those locations. In a previous proposal, the city denied AT&T's request to build the tower on the water treatment property, northwest of the golf course. Peter Beck, a representative for AT&T, explained the tower was necessary to improve cov- erage to the southeast of Ea- gan. Beck said it is AT&T's prac- tice to build on existing struc- tures whenever it can because that saves us the cost of build- ing another structure. "We just don't have any- where else to put this (tower)," said Beck. "I hope there is some understanding that we are doing our best, but there are very few options." Beck said it is also AT&T's practice to accommodate other users on their structures, elimi- nating the need to build more poles. "I can assure you, that (pole sharing) will happen," said Beck. "There are so few places in southeast Eagan where a tower can be built." Doug Carlson, a neighbor of EMyr) kAtc-ci(_ krvi l Igcg the golf course, said a new plan should be made in which the tower is built farther south on the course, behind a grove of trees on the sixth hole. "That's the highest place on the course and the most pru- dent place to put it," said Carlson. "It wouldn't be as ugly and it would be as• .far away from the houses as possi- ble." Both Egan and City Adminis- trator Tom Hedges agreed the aesthetics of the plan would be better, but they said the golf • course owner, Don Larsen, said he did not want the pole to in- terfere with the playable area of the course. Council Member Bea Blomquist motioned to deny the request, but the motion failed without a second. ' "I cannot believe with all the park land there, we cannot find another place for this," said Blomquist. "I've never felt so haggled, intimidated by a group of people who will not bend and will sit there and threaten to sue us." PARKVIEW GOLF Course will become the home for a new AT&T Wireless antenna tower. The circled area shows the site, just south of Cliff Road, that will hold the 100-foot tower and equipment building. Egan said that based on the recommendation of the con- sultant, the city was pretty "locked in" as far as its op- tions were concerned. "Moving any farther north would betray the trust of the residents and create new issues for people who thought the im- pact on them was behind them. I'm reluctant to make any switches at this point." • • Focus gr6us .•announced ByJoshua Nichols Sun Newspapers' • • ;•-••.-..?. • • . - - • The Eagan City Council added39 new members plus ' a construction Manage- nient'finii'laStrWeek to•the tam that will help design Eagnn'S fii*t ConiuniunitY cep - ten Stahl' Congt;rictioif ef Minnetonka was named time cOnStriittioii manager for the $15.3 million corrirniinitY tenter dur- ibg the City .CoUncil'S Sept. 19 regular meeting. The company joins architectur- al firms, TKDA and 'Moody/Nolan and master park planner Damon Farber 'As- sociates on the design team. - TKDA is a St. Paul architectural and co( engineering firm The company's full name:is Tciltz-King4)Uvall-AndeneoU Associates'Inc. Moody/Nolan isaColum- bus, Ohio based architectural firm that will partnen up with TKDA in the design process. • The other final component to the de- • sign- team was named -just before the Sept 19 regular meeting, when 39 mem- - bers were selected for six focus groups. The 39 members were chosen after four rounds of balloting at the special meet- ing. Each of the six focus groups repre- sents a different section or function of the community center or park. The architect and park planner will meet with the focus groups as the process starts up, said Parks arid Recreation Director Ken Vraa. . • • • ' • ; - - • Apple Valley/ROserpOunti•Eagarv.Sun,CurrentOednetday; Seipt.27; 2000.,9A The members of the focus gnoUps are: !Gyms, Ilealth and Fitness Focus Group: Keith, Behnke, Amy Crary, Michael Dean, Patty, Hamling,,Dan • Klekner, John Rudolph, Scott Swenson. •BanqUet/Oothputers/lWeeting/Co nfc.rence/P1aygrounci/Cliild Compo- nents: Ann Carlon, Lynangieseke; Kay Gustafson; Douglas James Heffner, Cindy Johnson, Cathy Miller, Catherine . • •Seniors: Joseph Bari, Gloria Carl- son, Barbara Johnson, Shirley Lawrence, Wally Lawrence, Joseph Nardi. •July 4/Festivals: Don Clark, Margo Danner, Jerry Marko, Raleigh Seelig, Judy Stewart, Pat Thomas, Ted Wachter. •Teens: Alison Bakken, Don Eisen- heimer, Julie Stackhouse; Tim Staley, Clyde Thurston, John Wagner' e•- •siBandshelh. John Curlee,- Dennis Felling,• 9uinnButson, Dorothy. Peter- - son, Jim-Beitz,,Tom Wilson.i; • - , • • • • 24.Hour Information '& Referral (liliS f111110. AlIA• presented to CITY OF EAGAN for its significant contributions in providing relevant hands-on learning experiences to the students of Burnsville Senior High School. ,,,iwz-/-(' Ron Hill, Board of Education Chair Gil arylck Benjamin Kanninen, Superintendent of Schools March 21, 2002 Burnsville -Eagan -Savage Public Schools A garbage raid at dawn, shredded documents,and forgery have left some asking, "What the heck is going on?" Its the stuff of crime novels not suburban politics.- in Eagan By Chuck Naga Star Tribune Staff Writer As it came time for her to introduce herself Wednes- day night, Sandy Masin said her name, hesitated, then added that she's a member of the Eagan City Council. She looked around the meeting room at the Wescott Public Library. "Is it OK if I'm here?" she asked., A man spoke to her Tvvin Cities from across the room Journal - as others nodded. "You're a citizen, too," he said. Consider the state of democracy in Eagan: A failed council candidate was charged in December - with forgery and criminal defamation for distributing a false letter under Mayor Pat Awada's signature. • The suspect was fingered by a council member who found shredded documents and other evidence in bags of garbage that he snagged off the suspect's front yard early one morning. Earlier in 1999, two anonymously drawn cartoons werecirculated in Eagan lampooning the council. The cartoons prompted Council Member Bea Blomquist to consult a handwriting expert and accusefellow Council Member Paul Bakken — he of the dawn.garbage raid — of at least having a soiled hand in mailing the cartoons. • • JOURNAL continues on A10 sag. �lZ itutAY� i/k/oa ' 612-673-7777 Jeff Christy, Minne- State football coach, e' copies .of Page C1 tative to investigate completeness of re- en'a report is found larification will be D between 8:30 a.m. may send e-mail to: ling numbers: '•36•Bonus 40 kpot: None; an estimated ind jackpot: Friday, an esti- a. ginning numbers, 7 'otteries erCash for Wednesday: !33.34 rabucks for Wednesday: i • 29.35 t: $2.7 million. 573-9050, press 1198. • 1 or 1-800-65743946. If you have comments or questions on the Editorial Pages: 612-673-4823 To flnd•out about Star Tribune Newspaper Job opportunities: )° General: 612-673-4075 ›- Newsroom only: 612-673-4040 The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to republish all local news On* in this newspaper. Starlibune (USP.S/351-200) (ISSN/0895-2825) (10/16/95D) Periodicals postage paid at Minneapolis, MN: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Star Tribune,, 425 Portland Av., Minneapolis MN 55488 published Sunday through Saturday by The Star Tribune Company, 425 Portland Av.,- Minneapolis, Minn. 55488. John R. Schueler, Publisher and President "Star Tribune" is a registered trademark of The Star Tribune Company, a subsidiary of The McClatchyCompany. THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY Since 1857 Gary B. Pruitt, President, CEO M 22 -i2 4.---A-4A) i9 d9/9-S/A) -rom s- • 4111111"161116111161101.0111*' .,.66,6/....1...1411111111111111111Q1111111111hh......, row .ate.,, .e` dalkP 63 L --1111MINffillatar . • 0-1-1,•1 www.mnSun.com Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Currentfrhursday, Oct. 21, 2004 21A ECTION 2004 Dakota County District 3 Voters will select from two candidates for one open seat in District 3 of the Dakota County Board of Commissioners. Running are Eagan City Coun- cilmember Peggy Carlson and former Eagan mayor and current Met Council member Tom Egan. Commissioner Patrice The term is for four years. The salary is $55,800 per year. Peggy Carlson Address: 883 Betty Lane, Eagan Age: 46 Family: Hus- band, Jay; 2 chil- dren, Shelby and Erick Education: Henry Sibley High School graduate; Weather Techni- cal Institute, Chanute Ill., Associate of Arts, Inver Hills Community College Occupation: Small business owner, Spec Co Inc. Years in county: 46 Community involvement: Eagan City Council member, 1998 to present; acting mayor 2000, 2003; Eagan planning commissioner, 1995 to 1998; Caponi Art Park and Open Space Acquisition Com- mittee; ECVB member; District 196 vol- unteer; Former EAA board member and Eagan Hockey Association Board Endorsements: None listed For more information on this can- didate: peggy4dakotacountycom Peggy Carlson said she is running be- cause she has been serving at the city council level for six years and the vacan- cy on the board offered her a new oppor- tunity. If elected to the board, her top three issues would be budgets, transportation and continuing the work the county has done on the High Performance Partner- ship effort designed to find ways to coop- erate with local cities. She said the board has done an ad- mirable job of dealing with reductions from the state, but the task could become even more difficult down the road. "Dakota County is just swelling as far as development and roads have never caught up," Carlson said. "We need to find the funding to get some improve- ments and we need some real coopera- tion from the state." Carlson said she would consider a county gas tax or some other way of en- suring that more funding gets to the local level to pay for road improvements. Now that the county has taken the :first step in conducting the HiPP study, it must work to ensure everybody sits down at the same table and can agree on what to do next, she said. She said dis- patching is one area where consolidation is likely to be beneficial. With the large case loads taken on by the county's social service workers, more staff is necessary to ensure the county continues to offer a good service level while also retaining the experi- enced staff it already has, Carlson said. "One of the reasons taxes are so low in Dakota County is there hasn't been a demand for much of these services," she said. "But as the county is growing and the county has to deal with needs of more residents, that is going to change ." While the Dakota County Community Development Agency does a great job working to provide affordable and life cycle housing, the main problem re- mains funding, Carlson said. She said she would like to see the CDA work on not only rentals, but also find ways to encourage would-be first time home buyers to find a starter home. Carlson said she has no passion one way or the other on the idea of a smok- ing ban. However, if a ban was to be con- sidered, it should be on a broader scale and not at a city or county level. Carlson said she has a passion for pre - 'Li; serving open space, something she has L worked on in Eagan. Tom Egan Address: 864 Great Oaks Trail, Eagan Age: 57 Family: Wife, Betty; daughter and 3 grandchil- dren Education: William Mitchell College of Law, JD, 1974; University of St. Thomas, bach- elor of arts, 1969 Occupation: Attorney with Egan, Stewart & Lauer, P.A. Years in county: 30 Community involvement: Metro- politan Council, May 2002 to present; for- mer Eagan mayor and City Council member; Rotary; March of Dimes, Amer- ican Cancer Society; Apple Valley Cham- ber of Commerce board of directors; Eagan Foundation Endorsements: Burnsville Chamber and North Dakota County Chamber PACs; AFSCME Council 14- AFL-CIO; AFSCME Local 306, Dakota County Human Services For more information on this can- didate: ATTYegan@aol.com Tom Egan said his current stint on the Metropolitan Council and his love of pol- icy led to his decision to seek a seat on the Dakota County Board. Egan said it's important for the coun- ty to continue to practice fiscal con- straint and that the state needs to control its budget better rather than passing problems onto the county. Along with fiscal constraint, Egan said his other top two issues would be dealing with transportation and conges- tion in the county and using good growth management practices. "Dakota County received a great amount of state and federal funding in the 1980s for roads, but there's been a dirth of funding since and several prob- lems are starting to manifest," he said. Egan said he supports continuing to work on the bus rapid transit system for Cedar Avenue, but also working at the same time to take a broader look at trans- portation needs as whole in the county. As the county continues to grow, it's important for the county and the cities within it sit down and discuss ways to work together, Egan said. Egan said the county and cities can work together the most in the areas of planning, traffic and construction. The one area he sees that could use some improvement is court services, Egan said. Court services are stretched to their limits and need more staff to continue to serve the county, he said. As a member of the Met Council, Egan said he has worked closely with the Dakota County CDA on affordable and public housing over the entire region. He said he also worked on housing during his time on the Eagan City Council and helped get what became the Livable Com- munities Act passed. It's also important for the county to provide the leadership to communicate with the public so that people better un- derstand the need for housing for all peo- ple, he said. Working on a city and regional level in the past, Egan said he hasn't had much experience with welfare, but like all areas of government, he would strive to improve efficiencies in the way the county works. When it comes to the smoking ban, Egan said he supports the county's posi- tion on deferring action to the state. VOTERS GUIDE Voter information Q. When are the polling places open for voting? A. For state elections, most polling places open at 7 a.m. Q. Can I get time off from work to vote? A. Yes, Minnesota law allows you to take time off from work without loss of salary or wages to vote during the morning of state elections. Q. Who is eligible to vote? A. You may vote if you are: • at least 18 years of age • a U.S. citizen • a Minnesota resident for at least 20 days before the election • not a convicted felon without your civil rights • not under guardianship of the person where you have not retained the right to vote • not legally incompetent Q. Where do I vote? A. Most people vote in the neigh- borhood where they live. You can also look up your polling place location on the Secretary of State Web site or call your county auditor or city clerk. Q. How do I register to vote? A. Fill out a voter registration card and return it in person or by mail to your county auditor or the secretary of state. Voter registration forms are avail- able at county courthouses, city halls and other public buildings through- out the state, in many telephone books, in your state tax booklet (in even -numbered years) or by down- loading a copy from the Secretary of State Web site. You may also register to vote when you apply for or renew your Minneso- ta driver's license or state identifica- tion card. Q. Can I register to vote on Election Day? A. You can register at your polling place on Election Day. You will need one of the following to verify your residence. • Minnesota driver's license, learn- er's permit, identification card, or re- ceipt for one, with your current ad- dress, • If the Minnesota license or ID has a former address, you may bring a re- cent utility bill to use with your li- cense • "Notice of Late Registration" postcard • U.S. passport with utility bill • U.S. military photo ID card with utility bill If you are a student, you can use... • Student ID, registration, or fee statement with your current address • Student photo ID with utility bill • Student ID if you are on a student housing list on file at the polling place • Someone who is registered in the precinct where you live who will vouch for your residence Learn more at the Secretary of State's Web site: www.sos.state.mn.us/election. Eagan Charter For a Better Community What is a charter? • A charter is the city's "constitution": it Pays out the basics of a city's government. it is a form of LOCAL CONTROL where WE decide on what WE know is best for Eagan. Where does YOUR city council member live? The charter adds 2 council members to match Eagan's population growth. To bal- ance representation 4 council members are elected from neighborhood wards, 2 council members and the mayor elected from the entire city. Your first contact on city issues will be someone representing your neighborhood. Do you want a say on development and zoning? • The charter allows you to be heard by establishing a mechanism for referendum. You don't have to wait until the next election to vote anyone out of office. You have a say on ordinances when they are passed. The Referendum provision reminds our elected officials that they must always remain accountable to us. Is Charter Government Unusual? • No. 8 out of 10 largest cities in Minnesota are charter cities (Including some suburbs, like Plymouth and Stillwater). Will my taxes go up? • No. Adopting a charter does not directly affect your tax rate. The city council has always been and will continue to be responsible for setting the tax rate. Can the charter be changed? • Yes. Citizens or the city council can initiate changes in the charter. VOTE YES! Shall the Proposed New Charter Be Adopted? On November 2 www.CharterForEagan.com Prepared and Paid for by the Friends of Eagan Charter Committee, 1662 Norwood Drive, Eagan, MN 22A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, Oct: 21, 2004 www.mnSun.com ELECTION 2004 VOTERS GUIDE County Soil and Water Conservation District The Dakota County SWCD board of directors has five members, each elect- ed to a four-year term. This year, three seats are up for elec- tion. This information was provided by the SWCD organization. Candidates for a particular seat must reside in the corresponding geo- graphic region of the county. However, all seats are elected county -wide so vot- ers have the opportunity to vote for all supervisors. District II, IV; and V seats are on the election ballot in November. District II: This seat is -currently held by Suzanne Savanick Hansen. This seat is open, as the incumbent has moved from the district. Three candidates have filed for this position. They are:. Kevin Bigalke: •He has a bachelor.of arts degree in biology from Gustavus Adolphus College and a master of arts in public administration from Min- nesota State' University -Mankato. He serves on the Vermillion River Water- shed -Planning: Commission and has' worked• for 'local,- regional; -and 'state government, aswell as non-profit orga- nizations. He helped organize the Dakota Habitat Alliance and coordi- nate the Vermillion River Watch Pro- gram. He has more than nine -years ex- perience working on natural resource and agricultural issues. Marian • Brown: - She moved to Lebanon Township in 1958 and has, lived in Apple Valley/Rosemount all but 10 years since. She has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Minnesota and master's degree from Hamline University. She is self-em- ployed in sales. She• retired from the University of :Minnesota, Hennepin • County -Extension as a research inter- viewer. She wants any future redis- tricting to retain rural representation. She said grant money should be used so that it will do the most good for the county. - Ron Finger: He retired from teach- ing in June. He.taught for five years in Minneapolis and then the past 28 years in School District 196 (Rosemount- Apple Valley -Eagan). He was a member of the teachers union,and was elected to a district- wide leadership position for the.last 14 years. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve for 21 years, retiring in 2001. He -said land and water are two of ourgreatest resources and proper management and conservation will im- • pact all of us now and in the future. District IV: • This seat is currently held by Dwain Otte. He is retiring from the SWCD board of supervisors having served 27 years. Running unopposed for this seat is Chris Nielsen. Chris Nielsen: He has lived in Dakota County all his -life and has been a life=long`°fa"rmer. He' and his wife; . Amy' reside' in Eureka Township and have two young daughters. He farms and maintains township roads in Dako- ta County. He said the SWCD has helped his farming operation and he filedfor candidacy to help the district that has helped him and others. District V: - • This seat is currently held by Joe Meyers. He is•running.unopposed. - Joe Meyers: • He' isa lifelong resi-• _dent of Douglas Township and is a crop farmer, livestock operator, and- seed dealer. He has been a supervisor for the Dakota County Soil and Water' Conser- vation District since 1992. First District. Court Listed on the election ballot Nov 2 will be the following candidates for First Dis- • trict Court judgeships. The following candidates are running unopposed: - Seat 3: Thomas Poch. judge - positions Seat 7: Timothy McManus :Seat 8: Timothy Blakely 'Seat 9: Martha Siinonett Seat 11: Rex Stacey Seat 12: Philip Kanning• Seat 23: Richard Spicer Seat 24: Patrice Sutherland • Values "Our families, especially our children, deserve thoughtful, compassionate, and forward looking representation"; www.ElectMadore2004.org Shelley Macire For Minnesota House District 37A House District 38A Voters will select from three candidates for one seat to represent House Dis- trict 38A. Running are Green Party candidate James Hammes; DFL candidate Christine Harbron and incumbent Republican Rep. Tim Wilkie. District 38A covers a western portion of Eagan and part of Burnsville. The term is for two years. The annual salary is $31,140. Hammes did not respond to requests for an interview. Christine Harbron Address: 4782 Highcroft Court, Eagan - Age: 47 Family:, Hus- band, Garrett; 1 son • Education: Bachelor of sci- ence in finance - from University of Illinois at Chain- paigri-Urbana; JD Law, University of Texas at Austin - Occupation: Background. as attor- ney/CPA, investment industry Years in district: 4 • Community.. involvement: Ambas- sador and legislative committees with the Northern -Dakota County Chamber Endorsements: DFL, Education Minnesota, AFL-CIO, Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association . For more information on this can- didate: www.christine4rep.org Christine Harbron said the biggest issue is the economy because most other issues in the state can be tied back to the economy. • . - "We haven't done well on the.economy . in the state," she said. "I have a lot of ex- perience in that area and think we can do . ' a lot better than what we have been • : doing." • - The budget difficulties are cyclical': 7 • problems that -are predicted to happen, Harbron said. The state just needs to do a.better job of taking the advice from its state economist, she said:. • . Harbron said funding isn't -the main - problem facirig education, but rather the overall attitude toward public education. "If we could learn to treat teachers as experts who are allowed to treat students -as individuals, you would have much bet- ter results," she said. "Just funding and structure don't make education excel- lent." . • • . . - No Child Left Behind stresses testing • too: much' -when testing' should -be' only one .tool-used..toevaluate education; she :"- said. - ' Building :roads and providing more ' • means' of mass transit. is:.importantbe-1.' cause the state cannot continue -to grow Without them; Harbron said'. • ': The lack of a bonding:bill from • the ' - • 2004- session was disappointingtecause it means more costs down the road as well as a lost opportunity to provide jobs.• today, she said.- Harbron said the inaction was an in- dication of. a large dysfunction in the House that is best solved by electing new • people who •will bring new ideas and a willingness to work past party partisan- ship. Public/private partnerships are the best way to go about funding stadiums if public money is going to be involved, Harbron. said. But that partnership should only be pursued if it's for the pub- lic good and not about making a huge profit for team owners, she said. Although the dangers of second-hand smoke is a public health issue that the. state may have to eventually look at-Har- bron said she doesn't think the govern- ment should get -involved in people's per- sonal lives. Putting a referendum onthe ballot calling for a constitutional amend- ment banning same -sex marriages would be redundant because state laws already address the issue:. • • • It's important for state: legislators to • play a role in thenoise mitigation issue with the Minneapolis -St. Paul Interna- tional Airport. - • - Tim Wilkin Address: 1415 Kingswood Ponds Road, Eagan Age: 38 . Family: Wife, Eileen; 4 children Education: BBA in finance from the Univer- sity of Iowa Occupation:_ Small-business owner, sales and marketing Years-indistrict:13 - - Community involvement: Prior ser- vice on Dakota County Planning Com- mission (vice chair) and Burnsville/Eagan Cable Commission Endorsements: Chamber Leadership Fund; Burnsville' Chamber of Com- merce; Republican Party; Police Officers . Alliance' of Minnesota; Care Providers - For more information- on thiscan- didate: wwwtimwilkin.com Tim Wilkin said that while the job mar- • ket in the state has been improving and , the economy is moving in the right.direc- tion, more needs to be done to reduce the tax burden on the people of Minnesota. If voters return him to the House, his top three issues this session would be health care, education funding and im- proving the jobs and business environ- ment. He also wants to work to ensure funding formulas are!fairerfor suburban�� school districts. ' " • • • - "Wealso need to put more -money back. into education as the economy grows-,-"- Wilkin said. "But it needs to' be a steady - diet, not a huge increase and the' school - ' districts must be held accountable." •- • While the No Child 'Left Behind Act helps provide that accountability, it also - offers unfunded mandates. That issue, however, is -a federal one that local legis- lators have little control over other than petitioning the federal government for changes, he said. Part:of the solution to -- the state's transportation problem-is''di=ra redtirig'-more`ofthetstate'siniotor vehicle sales'tax'to transportation:: '• • - Wilkin:doesn't support -taxpayer -fund • • ed stadiums and -would. rather see -user y- fees•pafor Viking or Twins stadiums.' "The University'of=Minnesota is a'-dif=_ ferent issue•because it's a'taxpayerTund- ed university," Wilkie said-.' "I think it's', h. reasonable to assist them in getting -a sta- -' dium.and I-stillwould like -to get the uni- versity and Vikings_together on this:" Although Dakota County has deferred action on a smoking ban to the state,'- Wilkin said it is an issue better handled on the local level. • Wilkin said the concern over the 2004 session has been overblown. He said the Legislature passed more bills in 2004 than it did in 2003. - . Several significant bills were passed, including a health care reform bill Wilkin worked to pass on a tripartisan basis and -a lottery reform bill, he said. - - •- However, he said the Senate locked up the bonding bill because senators didn't have to worry about re-election this year - One of the best ways to address that is by staggering the Senate's terms so that some 'senators are, elected every two years, he said. Wilkin said he supports putting a same -sex marriage ban constitutional amendment before voters and that he co- . authored the bill proposing to do that last session: • • . - Wilkin said he will continue to work with the Metropolitan Airports Commis-. sion to reduce the area planes fly over Dakota County. . self-employed - 18A AppleValley/Rosemount,,Eagan SyneCurrent/Thursday, oci:p , 2004 • Eagan City Council Voters will select from three candidates for two seats on the Eagan City Council. Running are incumbents Cyndee Fields and Meg Tilley and challenger Jim Swift. The term is for four years. The annual salary is $6,878. ELE,C T I 0:N 2.004' VOTERS _GUIDE Cyndee Fields Address: 4725.. Weston -Hills Drive Age:. 43 Family: Hus- band, Leonard; 2 sons,: Sam and Jared Education: At- tended Anoka Ramsey Commu- nity College and University of Minnesota Occupation: Legislative assistant for Minnesota House of Representatives Years in city: 11 Community involvement: Eagan City Council; Eagan Park Commission; Public Works Committee; Holz Farm Committee; Noise Oversight Committee for Metropoli- tan Airports Commission; liaison to School Districts 196, 197 and 191; former Eagan Athletic Association board member Endorsements: None listed -For more information on this candi- date: .www.cyndeefields.com Cyndee Fields said the decision to run again for the City'Council was an easy one because she has always had a passion for Jim Swift ' Address: 1125 Westbury Path Age: 39 Family: Wife, Annette; 3 chil- dren • , • Education:" Bachelor of sci- ence in computer • science with minor in economics from Michigan State University Occupation:Senior programmer ana- lyst •- • Years in city: 9 • Community involvement: Chair of Senate District 38 Republican Party Endorsements: None listed For more infbrmation on this can- didate: 651-681-1730 Jim Swift said he is seeking election to the Eagan City Council to give voters a choice. His position as chair of the Senate District 38 Republican Party also pre- pares him to serve the Eagan community, he said. The best way to make housing afford-. Eagan.. able is to keep property taxes low, Swift Fields said she thinks through things said. "Whether you are buyingor renting, and tries to make sure the council is doing property taxes are part of what you pay," things for the greater good when it acts. he said. "The other component is to have Although affordable and lifecycle hous- a good business environment so people ing can be a tough issue because the mar-, are earning a good amount of money so ket decides what housing goes for, the city they can turn around and have plenty to will continue to take opportunities as they spend on housing." arise to ensure that kind of housing re- - Swift said the city is handling redevel- mains available in the city she said. , opment well.. "We can't tell a developer how much to "The cityhas a plan and if, in doubt we sell a house for she said: "We really need should stick to the planiY. he said. "We to think about lifecyclehousing, especially shouldn't deviate from the plan unless for these empty nesters. I like the fact that there is a really, really good reason and it we've begun to look outside of the box and would be to the benefit of Eagan to do so." started to provide that" , Swift is opposed to the charter propos- _ Sorne of the biggest challenges with re- al because he said it will- increase taxes development is costs and displacing prop- • • 'and set up a •"horse-tradmg system" be- erty owners, but the city, has managed its ' tween the newly.-e§tabliShed wards. • " redevelopment well and will continue to do • • He said he also has concerns over the so, Fields said. , . • permanent Charter Commission that re - The city is keeping an eye on northeast- mains in place and the powers it has as a ern Eagan as well as a corner of southeast non -elected body. Eagan with redevelopment. . . The cityhas an important role to play ' The Charter proposal offers too many in dealing with airport noiseand the Met - changes for Eagan and provides a ward ropolitan Airports Commission ; he said.:, system that isn't healthy, Fields said. She Besides putting pressure on the MAC he used the floods of 2000 as an example, say- would use local media to get the issue. ing that some wards might have had their more attention and seek assistance from problems fixed while others didn't. . Gov. Pawlenty, he said. ' - • ; "As an at -large council member I have • "The job of the city is to fight for the in - the same concerns over in the Cedar Grove terests of the citizens of Eagan," he said. area as in my own neighborhood," she said. "That means basically fighting for all the "That's important to keep so we don't have noise mitigation we can get out of the coalitions building up where I'll do a favor MAC." • for you and you'll do a favor for me. It's not Eagan is already doing well in listen - fair to Eagan." ing to the demands of residents to pre - The best thing Eagan can do when it serve open. space, Swift said. It needs to comes to airport noise is communicate seek ,opportunities • for grant money to with residents, Fields said. preserve open space, he said.: "I still don't think they have an idea Overall, Eagan is run well and Swift what impact we are going to have from that said he would work to ensure it continued new runway," she said. "Our role is aim- to stay on top of public safety, flood con- munication to the citizens and not only the trol in Lebanon Hills Regional Park, keep - ones who are being affected, but every- ing taxes low and preserving open space. body", • . . Swift said he took exception:to:the City Eagan has a role in ensuring the groups Cotincil's- unanimous 'vote in May:.to de - working to secure funding to preserve open 'dare Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans - space have the city's backing in their effort, gender Pride Month in June -because the she said. • * city should not get involved in issues out- • It a huge role to preserve open Space," side local government.' • • ' she said ' -, • : • disagree „with that decision and I, Eagan has handled budgetary chal ; don't think it refleatg .the:desires%•of the lenges well in the past because the council citizens of Eagan" he said1 think we; has managed its money well, she said. • . are just betternffnot purposely bringing ,Keeping taxes low iy.i:.the. city carihe aer thi§-•,kind, of divisive issue .into,,,the city ' coMplished by not only Oicqueaging more, .cOuncil,thatdoe§n't need to belgoiight:in buSiiiegse,s,to come to Eagan, but by con ! 'there:" ' : • ' • tinning 0_140k for excess areas m city gov He said he would also hke to ensure • ,etp*Ut;$1--le %;,.• • • - thatall referendums the City might seek,. . • "I would just •continue down that road ••iii the future •are put to voters &nil -lithe she said "We should be self sufficient. :general election And not There are some cities that can't be, but we ry election or specially scheduled eleCI are, We've got a healthy base, so let'S keep it • '-tion: • . • • ,6 „that WAY", • • .;, : l• ' • • : Meg Tilley Address: 1055 Wescott Road Age: 58 - Family: Sin- gle; 2 daughters • Education:. Bachelor of sci- ence and master's of science in edu- cation Occupation: Education consultant - . with state of Minnesota • Years in city: 31 . ' - • Community involvement: Eagan Parks Commission; Eagan Planning Com- mission; Eagan City Council; Eagan Foundation, president; volunteer coach with Eagan Athletic Association; Easter Lutheran Church Endorsements: None listed For more -information on this can- didate: wwwmegtilleycom Meg Tilley said she has been effective as a City Council member for the past four years and the council has come together as a group. "I care about people and what happens to them and I put myself in their place and ask how would I feel if this happened to me," she said. With Eagan aging, it's important for people to be able to stay in their commu- nity as they age. Eagan already has a good mix of housing, including affordable se- nior housing, she said. Providing 'that senior housing also frees up more affordable houses for empty nesters and first-time homebuyers, she • -said. • Tilley said there is going to be ari.bp portunity for Eagan to get more involved in affordable housing, especially with the • Cedar Grove area, where the MVTA is pursuing a mix of affordable housing and retail near its future transit station. - Eagan is On top of redevelopment, both in the Cedar Grove area and the northeast -- portion of town, she said. The city is care-. • • ful with What it does in those areas and pays strict attention to the comprehensive guide plan, she said. Tilley said there hasn't been enough • time to educate the public on what's in the • charter. She said her vote on the proposal Nov. 2 is a private issue that she wouldn't disclose. Eagan must continue to band together with other affected cities to push the MAC to come through with the promised noise insulation program, Tilley said. She would also support taking MAC to court if , , necessary, she said. _ . The city is making prudent decisions in preserving open space, especially with the Core Greenway. A remaining goal is to ensure Caponi Art Park is preserved, she said. Eagan has an excellent staff that helps out when it comes to times of bud- getary struggles, Tilley said. The city has been fiscally prudent for its entire history because of that and will continue to be. An issue that has come up in the race is a unanimous council decision on a procla- niatiori declaring -June Gay, Lesbian,. Bi- sexual and Transgender Pride Month. "If we acknowledge these things it's not like we are endorsing them;" Tilley . said. "We've had many groups that have - :.come before -us, including National Day of .':Piayer, and we had some criticism on that too 1 don't loOliat it as endorsing it but ac- knowledging it is happeriing:" • Since the feedback the city received over the GLBT proclamation the Council 441.1',n6 longer deal With-prOciamations ;:0-i4tJobn't deal directly with city. govern-.;; friOnt iSsites-,•she'§aid Tilley said her vision for the corturiuni-„, tY:. involves ,getting more Upscale; restau-:•. • rants as Well as doing' a 20-year planning: .session that would hivolVd, ccommunity meniberS. .• . •" • • ' • • ••www.mnSun.com E4gan. ch.Orter... .0170.00041..: Eagan zesideniS• Will vote on whether to approve a proposed charter for the city during the Nov. 2 general election. The wording for the question on the ballot will read: "Shall the proposed new charter be adopted?" - Currently, Eagan is a statutory city that has its. authority estab- lished by the state Legislature. Of the 853 cities in the state, 107 are' charter cities. If Eagan voters approve the pro- posed charter, it would mean four main changes for the city's govern- ment: • Adding. two more council members to -form a seven -member council • • Switching to a city manager style government • • • • The mayor and two members would be elected at -large; while four members would represent four wards to be created within the city. Currently, all council mem- bers are elected at -large. • Voters could reject ordinances adopted by the council through a referendum. However, that power would not extend to the budget, capital programs, zoning, taxes . and city employee salaries. • To start such a process, five reg- • Jstered voters ,would have to gather Tf "04 petitions 'With- the numberof sig- natures needed set at 15 percent of "the number of voters registered to vote at the last regular city elec- tion." Those five voter i would then become the "petitioners' comMit- . tee." • The council then would have 40 days to either repeal thenrdinance or negotiate changes with the peti- tioners' committee. If neither had been accomplished at, the end of that period, the council would then submit ordinance to the voters • at either:the next citywide regular election or at a special election Within one year The charter was prepared by a: Charter . Commission that was ap- pointed by a Dakota County Dis- trict Court judge in March 2001 . based off the petitions of Eagan residents. • Either way Eagan voters go on the charter Nov. 2, the,Eagan Char- • ter Commission is likely to contin- ue to exist. • If the charter were approved, the commission would help with the transition process and would meet at least once annually to con- sider potential changesto the char- ter. . • If the charter fails, the commis- sion would staY. intact unless two- thirds of its members °vote to dis- solve it. It could propose an addi-. _ tional charter proposal in the fu- ture. The 'charter, would go into effect • -at the begitiriirig of 2005, hut that , wouldn't mean special • elections would he necessary The City Conn cil would remain the'antliority for how the council : is elected and . • • whether the terms are "staggered or _ not, • For more information Or to read • the "entire charter proposal visit , the city's Web siteat Www.cityOfea- gan.com. • - www.mnSun.com Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 17A pi ANNUAL HOWWWL-O-WEE PARTY Sat., Oct. 30 12-3 651-686-1056 Pet Photographer www.ppdogdaycare.com Dog Costume Contest sEa Centre or. Pumpkin Pie EatingContest Eagan,an, m MN 55123 P The Orginal Philadelphia Stele Greek and Italian Food Pizza & Hoagies 510°° Off Your Next Service CaII With Repair. Seniors - 515°° Off Your Next Service with Repair. Cal! U.s Tfrdu, A• • A/1_ce •r- A•li'•IUv HEATING, COOLING & RADIANT SUN1103 Expires 11.30.04. Not valid with other offers. Present coupon at time of service to Qualify North Metro 763-434-7747 South Metro 651452-2025 www.ai mucharoc alinc.com 24-hour service available tYttrfloweei oueztles. Pumpkin painting, carving for youth Leave the mess to the Apple Valley Community Center with pumpkin painting and carving over MEA break. Pumpkin, paint or carv- ing utensils, supervision will be pro- vided. Dress with older clothes that can get messy. For ages 6-12 years, three sessions are available Monday, Oct. 25, including 9-10 a.m. for painting, 10:15-11:15 a.m. for carv- ing and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for carving. The cost is $6 per person per session, with a six youth mini- mum and 15 youth maximum per session. Information: 952-953-2300. 'The Great Pumpkin' Halloween party Leave the mess to the Apple Valley Community Center with pumpkin painting and carving over MEA break. Pumpkin, paint or carv- ing utensils, supervision will be pro- vided. Dress with older clothes that can get messy. For ages 6-12 years, three sessions are available Monday, Oct. 25, including 9-10 a.m. for painting, 10:15-11:15 a.m. for carv- ing and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for carving. The cost is $6 per person per session, with a six youth mini- mum and 15 youth maximum per session. Information: 952-953-2300. Volunteers needed for Halloween event Individuals and groups are needed to help make the annual Halloweeri Hodgepodge a haunting success. The Halloween celebration will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway. Volunteer areas include Terror Trail stations, trail guides, wandering characters and more. For more infor- mation, check out the Fall Discover brochure, visit www.cityofeagan.com or call Eagan Parks and Recreation at 651-675-5500. Haunted hayride at Majestic Hills Ranch Majestic Hills Ranch is sponsoring a "Haunted Hayride" 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, through Oct. 30. Food will be available to enjoy at the bonfire after the ride through the woods of ghosts and monsters. This is an outdoor event and will be at the ranch at 24580 Dakota Ave. in Lakeville. Tickets may be pur- chased_ the gate: $8 for adults, $5 for children 4 to 12 years old, and children under 4 are free. Majestic Hills Ranch is a therapeu- tic riding ranch serving special needs children and young adults. They work with children who have cerebral palsy, eating disorders, autism, chron- ic illness, severe asthma, hearing loss, Down Syndrome, cancer, organ trans- plants and children suffering from neglect or abuse. Many of the children and their families are sent to the ranch from the area's hospitals and therapeutic cen- ters. The service provided to these children and their families is free. Majestic Hills does not receive sup- port from any government resources and is totally dependent on communi- ty support to run the program. Information: 952-888-6077 or www.majestichillsranch.org. lists www.tiresplus.com Ole Piper Inn (952) 432-7111 Happy Halloween from Corner AL Medical 14690 Galaxie Ave. Suite 104 Apple Valley, MN 55124 Open Mon - Fri 9am-5:30pm • 952.9533.9945 Ha Halloween! 3784 150th St. W. Rosemount 651-423-0300 Curves® for women "30 minute fitness & weight loss centers" Dri4 inilbe &d, The First Annual Enjoy! Halloween Costume Party This Halloween, jump in your saucer or grab your broom and fly on down to Enjoy? It'll be a night of wall -to -waif high spirits and not one but two costume contests - at 9pm and 11. Each fora $100 gift certificate. So come as you aren't. We guarantee you'll see more weird characters than a Vikings game - but the food will be a heck of a lot better. FOOD • FRIENDS • LIFE 7pm Saturday, October 30th 2 blocks south of the intersection of County Road 42 and Galaxie Avenue in Apple Valley: MN 952.891.6554 4A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.CurrentiThursday, Oct. 21, 2004 www.mnSun.com Eagarl0Cit BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers While most voters' attention was on a • presidential debate taking place 1,800 miles away, a group of 25 Eagan voters spent their evening Oct. 13 watching Eagan candidates square off less than three weeks before the election. What they saw in the Eagan Council • Chambers was three City_.Council candi- , dates who discussed a variety of city is- sues, mapping out a•few differences and all agreeing that the city is in good shape. "The city is in great shape," Coun- cilmember Cyndee Fields -began in her. opening statement. • . • • "I'm Meg Tilley and_I love Eagan," fol- Council candidates map ou lowed Councilmember Tilley. "Eagan is a very well run city," chal- lenger. Jim Swift said in his own opening statement. "In ,fact, it's so• well run the question is sometimes who is paying at- tention to whatthe council is doing?" • The League of Women Voters of Northern Dakota County. Area conduct ed the candidate forum, which also _ in- cluded a portion on the proposed Eagan charter Swift, a nine-year Eagan resident and chair of .the Senate District 38 Republi- can Party,. said he ran for the election.to give voters a choice and challenge the in- cumbent council members. Challenge them he. did; especially Tilley during the forum. . In a question from the audience re- garding why he brought political party affiliation into the race, Swift said it was important for voters to know. Swift high- • lights his position as Senate District Re- publican chair. in his campaign litera- ture and points out that Tilley ran for the state House of Representatives in 2002 as a DFL-endorsed candidate. .. Swift said he brought up his own party affiliation to highlight his commu, nity involvement. "As long as I have to tag myself with party affiliation, I thought. I might as well tag my opponent with their party af- .filiation.:if they have sought endorse- , ment from a political,party in a previous race," Swift said. - However, both Tilley and Fields said that such partisan affiliations have no part in City Council business. "This is a non -partisan race and I don't know why party politics came up," Tilley said. "I certainly didn't bring them in. We don't need divisive issues like this in the City Council. Fields echoed Tilley's comments: "As City .Council, members we have something yin common; . we all love Eagan, Fields said. ,`We all:get along. We don't have:anypartisan issues on the :.City Council:" -. Air" three candidates said the city • needs to be careful in deciding issues. that could be affected by increased noise . from the Minneapolis -St.. Paul,Interna-. i t onal Airport. "It's going to affect us to an amount that. nobody can imagine," Fields said. "The runway. is going to affect all of. Eagan and we need to be very clear in let- . • -ting Eagan residents know the impact it will have." • Especially with a.portion of northeast .Eagancurrently.-;under a development moratorium, Eagan needs to be careful differences. in where it approves residential develop- ments, Tilley said.' "We have a person in that area who has been waiting for 20 years fora com- mercial development to come in there," Tilley said.,"So, when they proposed a housing development,we as a council put a moratorium in the area to really study that area. It would require a change in the comp guide and we've al- ways been_careful in considering those - kinds of changes." . _ Swift said he would be opposed to putting housing'in that area of Eagan be- cause of the overhead jet noise as well as it would require that comp guide change. "I'm opposed •to it," he said. "That • area of northeast Eagan where there is a proposal to. switch toresidential, that would' be a bad move." - - Swift and Fields came out against the Eagan charter proposal during the forum, both saying they had concerns with the waythe proposal's wards would divide the city. "A ward system turns the council into the senate," Swift said. "You get regional representation, but you also get the horse trading that comes with it between wards." • Tilley said' she was disappointed that Eagan residents haven't had more time to inform themselves about the proposal. However, she declinedfo give her own po- ' sition on the charter proposal. • Fields said she was disappointed Tilley wouldn't- take a stance on the issue, because the City Council members should be leaders in the community. "The ward system is 'not good for. Eagan," Fields said. "In the last election under the at -large system -I had to .go. to areas of the city I didn't even know ex- isted. But, I went there and now I do know those areas and the people who live there." _ _L1 www.mnSun.com Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 3A Maplewood 651-482-9338 1261 E Hwy 36 New Hope 763-420-9944 9430 36,' Ave N THE RIGINAL MATTRESS FACTORY linalmattress.com • Factory direct no middle man mark-ups • Save $100's on excellent quality • Compare side by side with national name brands • Immediate availability, financing & delivery Apple Valley Eagan Bloomington 952-953-9399 651-994-6994 952-345-0636 7602 150"St. W 1380 Duckwood Drive Mounds View Maple Grove 763-780-9383 763-420-9944 2535 W County Rd. 10 8071 Wedgewood Lane Hours: Mon -Fri: 10-8pm Sat: 10-•om Sun: 12-5om orthwestern "Our ever -evolving curriculum poises us on the forefront o best practices, clinical relevancy, and business acumen are "The professors constantly encourage you to apply scientif memorization of anatomy, but an integration of science a NORTHWESTERN H EA 250 I West 84th Street, Bloomington, MN 5543 I • ( 814 West 98'" St Anoka 763-712-1195 3691 Round Lake Blvd NEW LOCATION Chanhassen 952-380-9801 940 West 780 Street www.mnSun.com Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Currentfrhursday, Oct. 21, 2004 7A LETTERS TO THE EDITOR From Previous Page Being an independent -minded candi- date, Jim Carlson is not beholden to the heavyweights of his party as we have seen with other local representatives of late. He is a thoughtful, engaging, team - spirited candidate who is skilled at lis- tening to constituents. He deserves your vote Nov 2. .. Roberta and Jack Conrad Eagan Also writing in support of Carlson were Katie Tilley and Jim Johnson, both of Eagan. - A changing view on charter process To the editor: Take my name off the list as a charter commission supporter. I signed the peti- tion and even talked it up with my neigh- bors, but now' clearly disagree with the monster that has been created. This proposed charter would create more layers of government, raise taxes and bring about unrepresentative gov- ernment. Eagan does not need such a charter. Pam Holm Eagan Eagan charter would provide benefits To the editor: In a few short weeks Eagan residents will have an opportunity to adopt a local constitution by voting to adopt the Eagan Charter. This change provides a greater opportunity for local self-gov- ernment and increases City Council rep- resentation. Last week Mayor Pat Geagan raised some cost;issues about the Eagan "Cliar- ter. Plymouth, Minn., a city comparable in size to Eagan, is the,most recent city to adopt a charter. As owner of a high technology business in Eagan, we are constantly evaluating costs for planning and the first thing done for estimates is to ask someone who has done it. So•I asked the assistant manager of the city of Plymouth cost questions mentioned by Mayor Geagan and here are the an- swers. The transition cost for Plymouth was $25,000 to $30,000. Mayor Geagan's estimate of Eagan's cost was up to eight times higher than Plymouth's actual ex- perience. Mayor Geagan's second objec- tion is that the charter would add' $100,000 every year to running the coun- cil. If you compare the mayor/council budget for the two cities you will find that the seven -member Plymouth budget is actually $1,900 lower than the five - member Eagan budget. The cost.for adding two council mem- bers would include salary plus benefits and minimal administrative costs for council packets, meals, conferences and insurance. The cost for adding two coun- cil members should not exceed the pay/benefit cost. Adding administration to take care of the council would be completely unnec- essary as the change tb a city manager would simplify their job. The city mah- ager form of government would allow the council to concentrate on forward is- sues of development and governance. Delegating responsibility in an organi- zation is a proven method of cost control and increasing effectiveness. The major benefit of a home rule charter for Eagan is to increase repre- sentation on the City Council. We had five council members when the city was first organized with a population of 10,000. The population of Eagan is at ap- proximately 66,000 with the same council size. Increased representation will bring a fair and equitable balance to the coun- cil. To achieve this balanced mix on the council the Eagan Charter Commission recommended four neighborhood wards with two council members and the mayor elected at large. Your vote carries much more weight in ward elections be- cause you are voting in a smaller area. It makes it more difficult for "political ma- chines" to control the city. According to the assistant manager of Plymouth, wards have not hurt. She said it feels good to have more balance. She also mentioned that prior to adopting the charter when a citizen had an issue the city had to give them the names of all five council members. Now citizens have first contact with the councilperson rep- resenting their neighborhood. LETTERS: To Next Page ..... _ .. Rt u e in . . 1st District Court 33 Chosen from field 31 Judge Kevin fa a of candidates, Mark was appointed to Goodhue County District Court bench in December 2002. He brought with him over two decades of trial court experience and a wide range of volunteer and civic committees - his last 17+ years as a Red Wing School Board member. In that capacity, Judge Mark was re-elected annually to the position of chair of the school board for ten years prior to taking his seat on the bench. He also continues to be active in his church and in youth activities with . his .three children. Facing his first election, Judge Mark would appreciate your support and your vote November 2nd.. For more information, go to: www.judgemark.org Prepared and paid for by Mark Volunteer Committee, Tom Gorman, Treasurer. Type 1 Diabetes Seminar Did you know that the only Truly Smart Insulin Pump is made right here in the - Twin Cities? Smiths Medical, headquartered in Arden Hills, invites you to learn more about the benefits of insulin pump therapy and the Truly Smart CozMore" Insulin Technology System To register for this FREE seminar, call 651-628-7534 or visit www.cozmore.com/mnconsymposium Smiths Medical 1265 Grey Fox Road Arden Hills Hwy 694 Red Fox Road o ni c c Lexington Ave Smiths Medical Grey Fox Road smiths CozMore is a re•gistered trademark of the Smiths Medical family of companies. `2004 Smiths'Medical family of companies. All rights reserved. Monday November 15 6:00-8:00 pm 6:00 - 6:15pm Registration 6:15 — 7:15pm Benefits of Insulin Pump Therapy 7:15 — 7:45pm Smiths Medical and the CozMore System 7:45 — 8:oopm Questions and Answers Dr. Christopher Dr. James Balgobin Young Help us welcome our two newest providers! Fairview CedarRidge-Clinicis`committedto`--""'— providing high -quality, •personalized medical care for you and your entire family. Our physicians and. staff work with you to ensure that you receive the best care and medical results possible. Fairview Cedar Ridge Clinic offers a complete spectrum of primary care and specialty services. To make an appointment with Dr. Balgobin, Dr. Young or any of the providers at Fairview Cedar Ridge Clinic, call 952-997-4177. c FAIRVIEW Fairview Cedar Ridge Clinic.. 8A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.Current/Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 www.mnSun.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR From.Previous Page ; ' You have the opportunity to vote to make the city of Eagan more efficient, cost effective, and more representative with a council that can focus on the for- ward planning that has been missing. Vote yes for the Eagan Charter. Betty Fedde Eagan Charter Commission chair Charter proposal - not Eagan Council's idea To the editor: In several weeks the citizens of Eagan will decide whether to change the exist- ing form of city government. On the • Nov 2 ballot is -the question of whether the city.of, Eagan should become a char- ter city. - On several occasions, residents have informed me that he or she believed that the City Council was in favor of the charter, since it was the council that voted to place the charter question on the ballot. To be clear, placing the charter ques- tion on the ballot was a statutory oblig- ation of the council and does not reflect the desire or opinion of the City Coun- cil. In fact, members of the council op- pose the adoption of a city charter. The council members believe that the pre- sent form of city government has and continues to work well and if the coun- cil had any ability to exercise discre- YOU.CAN .EARN 6.35% 5.85% 5.35%. includes base rate and first -year bonus on initial premium of $500,000 or more guaranteed for first 12 contract months. includes base rate and first -year bonus on initial premium of $50,000 -$499,999 or more guaranteed for first 12 contract months. includes base rate and first -year bonus on initial premium of $25,000 -$49,999 or more guaranteed for first 12 contract months. Earnings are tax -deferred!* For details on a AAA Platinum Bonus "10" Annuity available through AAA, contact Dan Cylkowski, LUTCF, (651) 554-9897 • '*Under current tax law. Rate as of 924f04; subject.to change. Rates shown are annual effective yields. Annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, 17250 Newburgh Rd.,Livonia, MI 48152. Contract form series 43303. AAA Life Insurance Co. and its agents do not provide legal or tax advice. You may wish to consult independent legal, tax or financial advice prior to purchase of any contract. ALMI-12809-94-XX • Bonus 1/2% interest rate for 6 months on a Bremer Money Market Investment Account. A Bremer -Money Market Investment Account is a great way to make your money work for you. Now we've made it even more appealing with an additional 1/2% interest rate for 6 months during the Bremer Bonus Bonanza.'Plus, you'll receive free internet and telephone banking and access to new, convenient online features to help manage your accounts; including Bremer eStatements, and simplified downloads of your account information to financial management software. Oct in on the Bremer Bonus Bonanza today. Offer ends November 30,,2004...For more- , details, stop by Bremer today or call 1-800-908 BANK.' ` ' • BREMER BANKING • INVESTMENTS • TRUST . INSURANCE - . We;see banking differently. Bremer Bank is Member FDIC. Bonuses are for new accounts only. $1O,o00 minimum deposit. Certain restrimions apply. • Inver Grove Heights • 680o Cahill -Avenue East • 65x-451-8581 South Saint Paul • 633 Concord Street South •651-451-6822 LETTERS: To Next Page tion, the charter question would not be on the ballot. Pat Geagan Eagan mayor Opponents' numbers on charter are wrong " To the editor: I went to the forum Oct. 13 to hear Paul Bakken use the same bogus num- bers he and his small group of anti -char- ter folks have been using to scare Eagan citizens off the charter. As you can see from the state auditor's report, Mr. Bakken, the Wallaces and Tom King have the dollars that Eagan spends wrong. • The voters in Eagan should think about why the entrenched power in Eagan and northern Dakota County are so strongly opposed to seven council members. . . Jeff Gregory Eagan NDCC recommends no vote on charter - To the editor: 'r The Northern Dakota County Cham- bers board of directors voted earlier this 'proposed to recommend a "no" vote on the , a proposed Eagan charter Nov 2. Front porches. Sidewalks. Distinctive architecture. And perhaps the most important feature of all, a sense of community. Welcome home to Cobblestone Lake in Apple Valley. Call 952-322-4900 CrContact Land Office or visit our website or exact model home hours Nw,111A1 'O(fSP���T�.QO�ISy It "Know What To Throw -GreenGuardian.corn 02004GreenGuudlan.com .. m tt /44./14... ce-J r 4C St. Paul Pioneer Press Wednesday, March 30, 1983 Judge Kluck, 62, dies at work By Lucy Daiglish Staff Writer First Judicial District Chief Judge J. Jerome Kluck collapsed and died of a heart attack Monday in his chambers at the Dakota County Government Center in Hastings. Flags at the government center will fly at half-staff through today in honor of the judge, said Russell Streefland, Dakota County Board chairman. Kluck, 62, was found slumped over his desk about 3 p.m. by his court reporter, James Benson. Benson called for help and court assignment clerk Roger Sames ap- plied cardio-pulmonary resuscita- tion to Kluck until paramedics ar- rived. The judge was rushed to Regina Memorial Hospital in Hastings, where doctors tried to resuscitate him for nearly an hour, according to Dr. John Plunkett, hospital patholigist and county coroner. Plunkett said Kluck suffered from coronary artery disease, which hardened the arteries of his heart. It is impossible to tell how long Kluck had been dead when he was found, Plunkett said. "All of the judges are very sad- dened," said assistant chief judge Gerald Kalina, who has known Kluck for more than 20 years. "He was a very easy guy to work with. All of the other personnel around the courthouse liked him, too. I don't think he had an enemy," Kalina said. A lifelong resident of West St. Paul, Kluck graduated from the College of St. Thomas in 1941. He served as a naval aviator during World War II and then returned to Minnesota, graduating from the St. Paul College of Law in 1949. Kluck was in private practice in Obituaries West St. Paul from 1950 to 1961. He also served as a West St. Paul municipal judge from 1952 to 1961. In 1960, Kluck was elected Dakota County Attorney, a position he held until he was elected district court judge in 1972. The other district court judges elected Kluck chief judge in 1981. The First District has jurisdiction in Dakota, Carver, Scott, Goodhue, McLeod, Le Seuer and Sibley coun- ties. Streefland said he first became acquainted with the judge when Kluck was county attorney. Kluck and his wife, Mary, lived at 412 E. Haskell St., West St. Paul. Other survivors include two sons, James of South St. Paul and Joseph of Inver Grove Heights; three daughters, Jean Williams of St. Paul, Helen Dahlman of Delano and Mary Ann Kluck of West St. Paul. Services will be at 7:30 p.m. to- day at St. Agnes Church, 548 Lafond Ave., St. Paul. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at West Funeral Home, 1051 S. Robert St., West St. Paul. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Mendota. St. Paul Pioneer Press Wednesday, March 30, 1983 3C REMNANTS - ROLL E All Styles - Colors - Sizes LARGE, LARGE SELECTION Save4O%to70% 12x6 White Plush 12x7-11 Blue Saxony 12x8-7 Kitchen Print 12x24 Beige Saxony 12x9-7 Brown Splush 12x 12-3 Kanga Back 1 2x 12-8 Raspberry Plush 12x 15 Earth Sculpture 12x10 Sculpture 12x 14 Avocado Plush 12x 15-6 Maroon Plush 12x10-6 Multi Plush 12x9-5 Green Multi Plush Hundreds More to Choose from! $ 40.00 $ 55.00 $ 60.00 $175.00 $ 80.00 $120.00 $ 90.00 $ 90.00 $ 59.00 $100.00 $135.00 $110.00 $ 80.00 LINOLEUM at DISCOUNT PRICES!!! REMNANTS ARE PRICED CASH & CARRY SUPPLY LIMITED SO HURRY IN! Open Mon., Wed.. & Thurs. to 9 P.M. OPEN MON. WED.-THURS. T1L 9 PM SAT. 9-4:30 TUE. & FRI. 9-5:30 771-5571 _ 1195 E. 7th St. LARGE SHOWROOM State District Judge Kluck dies of -apparent heart attack Associated Press • nicipai judge by. Gov. Luther Young- dahl. He later served, :as ,Dakota J: JeromeKluck, chief judge,of Min County attorney and',was elected to, nesota's First Judicial District, died the district court bench 10 years ago. Monday of an apparent heart attack c in his office in the Dakota County "We're going to miss, him sorely, Government Center. He was 62. both personally and professionally," • Judge Robert Pavlak said Tuesday.., James Benson, Kluck's : aide. and "He was a beautiful person and an court reporter, found the judge excellent jurist." slumped over his desk about 3 p.m. A , • and summoned help. Kluck was: Kluck and wife Mary lived in West prounounced dead at Hastings Regi- St. Paul. Survivors also include chil- na Memorial Hospital. dren James, Joseph, Helen, Jean and Mary Ann. A graduate of the St. Paul College of Law, he served as West St Paul 'The funeral will be at 7:30,tonight at • justice of the peace and in 1951 was the Church of St. Agnes, 548 Lafond appointed West St. Paul's' first 'mu-- Av., St. Paul. Burial will be private. u-r - uVWflmOnt,Sala. !Nursing conunuea on page vn ►et: bisho Daring those years he was chairman of the diocese Committee on Sacred Liturgy, which implemented liturgi- cal changes required after Vatican II; said the Rev. Tim Reker,. asso- ciate pastor .at Sacred Heart.. Brom also served as vocation director. and director of continuing education for priests before he was appointed vic- ar general — a position just below , bishop — for the Winona diocese In ! 1975. He returned to Sacred Heart in '1979, where he pushed for renova:, ' tion of the cathedral, Reker said. i , The process of being appointed bish- op begins with questionaires in which priests describe colleagues who would make good bishops, • Receives key to Eagan The Eagan City Council presented gym- nast Lisa Wittwer an award and a key to the city of Eagan. Wittwer was honored during a recent visit back home. Wittwer is an Olymic hopeful, living and training in Fort Worth, Texas. Pictured with Wittwer are, from left to right, Jim Smith, Mayor Bea Blomquist, Jerry Thomas and Ted Wachter Receives key to Eagan The Eagan City Council presented gym- nast Lisa Wittwer an award and a key to the city of Eagan. Wittwer was honored during a recent visit back home. Wittwer is an Olymic hopeful, living and training in Fort Worth, Texas. Pictured with Wittwer are, from left to right, Jim Smith, Mayor Bea Blomquist, Jerry Thomas and Ted Wachter. Scoreboard Swimming High school girls Section Three Meet at Hemline University - Results Friday, Nov.11. 1)Burnsville, 235; 2)Park-Cottage Grove/Wood bury, 165; 3)Ramsey, 169; 4)Apple Valley, 143; 5)Hastings, 119; 6)Simley, 68; 7)Kellogg, 62; 8)St. Paul Johnson, 49; 9)South St. Paul, 47; 10)Sibley, 41; 11)Rosemount,•29; 12)St..Paul,-Academy,.'26; 13)Visitation, 25; 14)Highland Park; 13; 15)Derham;Hall,-8. • State Coaches -Ratings as of Nov. 11,1983 1)Edina; 2)Hopkins; 3)Mounds View, and Burns-.. ville, tie; .5)St. Anthony; 6)Northfield; 7)Park/Woodbury;48)lrondale; 9)Ramsey;'10)Ap- ple Valley; II)Richfield;,i2)Alezandria; 13)Water town; 14)St. Cloud Tech; 15)Blake; 16)Armstrong;' 17)Lakeville; 18)Grand Rapids; 19)Wayzata; 20)Montevideo. State qualifiers-200 Medleyrelay:,1)Apple Valley, ' 1:54.54; 2)Burnsville,.l:55.09. . . 200 freestyle: Amy Reed, St: Paul Johnson, 1:56.15; 2)Rachael Faehn, Apple Valley, 1:56.39. , f Vicki Luoma Milt Luoma Attorneys At Law Basic Will ' 3500 (Nn iuinl twills) . Divorce (uncont.) 25000 • (Plus (cwrl l kls) Adoption (uncont.) • - 17500 (Plll� to111f i OS IS) Incorporation . .29500 (Phu insls) DWI.(thru pre-trial) 30000. Title Opinion 8500 Bankruptcy - 39500 (Ind. Char: 7) (PI,y co; t osls, 890-7560 ;:303 Concorde Place • 200 individual medley: Nancy Swanum, Burnsville, 2:11.31; 2)Kirsten Schwarti, Burnsville, 2:12.50. 50 freestyle: Ruth Gunard,Ramsey, 24.61; Linda Kieffer, Hastings, 25.05. Diving: Amee Koebnick, Burnsville. 100 butterfly: Amy Reed, St. Paul Johnson; 57.68; Jeni•Jurgens, Park -Cottage Grove/Woodbury, 1:00.82. • 100 freestyle: Ruth Cunard, Ramsey, 53.97; Pavane _Boesen, Apple Valley, 55.03.. 500 freestyle: Rachael !Faehn, Apple. Valley, 5i11.08; Tracy Stankovich, Burnsville, 5:15.88... 100 backstroke: Nancy Swanum, Burnsville, 59.44; -,Ruth Cunard, Ramsey,-1:02.07. 100 breaststroke: Tami Grewehow,:Burnsville, 1:09.68; Janell Bolstad,•Apple Valley„1:09.85. 400 freestyk relay: Hastings, 344.32; Burnsville; 3:45.42: Section One Meet at Northfield Results Saturday; Nov. 12 1)Northfield, 208; 2)Lakeville; 144; 3)Prior Lake; 133;:4)Red Wing, 123; 5)Rochester'John Marshall, 105; 6)Austin, 96; 7)Altiert Lea, 94; 8)Winona, 84; 9)Mankato West,' 78; . 1.0)Owatonna, 44; II)Mankato East, .38; 12)Faribault, 36; 13)Rochester.Mayo, 22;114)Waseca, 2." - • State qualifiers-200 medley relay: Northfield,. . 1:54.59; Lakeville,1:56.66. ' .200 freestyk: Michelle Dalsin, Prior Lake, 2;03.97; Sid Holubar, Winona, 2,05.31. 200 individual medley: Stacy-Kraina, -Red Wing,_ 2:18.38; Gail Plunkett, Austin, 2:20.70. S0 freestyle: Colleen Griffin, Lakeville, 24.27; Bren- da Brady, Austin, 25.37. ' 100butlerfly: Jill Krus, Prior Lake, 1:02.16; Paula Guentzel, Lakeville, 1:02.54. 100 freestyle: Colleen Griffin, Lakeville, 53.58; Michelle.Pregier; Northfield, 55.06. 500 freestyle: Michelle Dalsin,,Prior Lake, 5:32.82; Marit Swanson, Mankato West, 5:35.97. 100 backstroke: Marsha Schmitz, Northfield, 1:02.95; Debbie Griffith, Rochester John Marshall, 1:05.55. 100 breaststroke: Andrea McCarty, Northfield, 1:09.86; Stacy Kraina, Red Wing, 1:10.42. • 400 freestyle realy: Northfield, 3:45.66; 2)Lakeville, 3:49.85. • Diving: Shawn Anderson, Rochester John Mar- shall, 448.75; Edie Klingman, Winona, 403.60; Pam Klein, Prior, Lake,• 351:45; Lisa Davis, Austin, 345.60; Darlene Walser, Rochester Mayo, 315.40: A summary of•the stale swimming tournament, which took place Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19, can be found on page 1B of this section. • 7 Ell, 22 Packed Hours �l 9 a.m. = 10 p.m., Friday, Nov: 25 Hourly -Specials - Prizes — Refreshments — *Posters -Surprises Register to win FREE North Star Tickets *Save 15%-2$%n on *Super New Jogging Suits Dexter Bowling Shoes ' - at dealer cost Buy Now! 44 Nike Tiger and Pony Shoes from •_ (10 =noon): Short sleeve, long sleeve and y hooded T-shirts from • T $2.99-$8.99 FREE Skate sharpening •* ";•. -. :14.95 •20o-/0off August 2006 The Cedar Grove Gateway Cedar Grove Redevelopment District: Eagan's new gateway destination Advice, financial help offered during business relocation Well before the City of Eagan was granted permission to acquire Cedarvale Mall in June, mall tenants had been scouting potential new business sites (see "Silver Bell" sidebar). That's because last December, developer Schafer Richardson had informed tenants of the plan to close the mall in order to proceed with the Cedar Grove redevelopment plans. About that time, Dan Wilson of Wilson Development Services, a commercial and residential relocation company, and City of Eagan staff members met individually with tenants to discuss business relocation in broad terms. "Wilson Development Services represents the City of Eagan to coordinate the relocation of businesses, which are located in properties that have been acquired," says Jon Hohenstein, Eagan's Community Development Director. "The company is current on all of the benefits and requirements related to the Federal Relocation Act and is experienced in helping business owners through the challenges and costs of getting established at their new locations." Once the mall purchase was made official, businesses received their notices of relocation eligibility and the business relocation process could begin in earnest. Searching for a new site "Business relocation is a pretty straightforward process," says Wilson, who has advised in such situations for 36 years. "Now we've had a chance to meet with mall cm/tin/red fur pcw 2 "The plan to move has been a lot of work, but the City of Eagan has been terrific working with us. So far, everything's working well." Dave Diioia, owner of Mike's Shoe Repair Silver Bell welcomes 4 Cedarvale Mall businesses In light of Cedarvale Mall's closing, four tenants have plans in the works to move to nearby Silver Bell Center, just two blocks away. Those businesses include Cedarvale Barbers, Cedarvale Tailors, Burton's Frame Shop and Mike's Shoe Repair. "The plan to move has been a lot of work," says Dave Diioia, owner of Mike's Shoe Repair, "but the City of Eagan has been terrific working with us. So far, everything's working well" The businesses plan to make their moves in early fall. City of Eaftall Still have questions? Visit www.cityofeagan.com, or contact Jon Hohenstein at jhohenstein@cityofeagan.com or 651-675-5660. The Cedar Grove Gateway Business relocation, continued /i•nm pace / tenants, as well as other relocating businesses, to discuss how relocation procedures are applied individually to each unique business" First, Wilson says, his firm offers advisory services as necessary. "We help a business determine what the obstacles are to moving and help direct the business to find a potential new site, which is at the sole discretion of that business. We encourage the business to find a real estate agent, attorney or other counsel to assist in finding and securing a new site." Business searching expenses are paid up to $2,500. If you are a business owner who would like more information about business relocation, please contact Jon Hohenstein at 651-675-5660. "tte help a business determine what the obstacles are to moving and help direct the business to find a potential new site, which is at the sole discretion of that business." - Dan Wilson, Wilson Development Services Determining financial assistance Once, the site is secured, Wilson turns his attention to discussing business reestablishment expenses, such as packing, moving and unpacking personal property; disconnecting and reconnecting equipment; replacing such printed materials as stationery; and helping get the business ready to reopen its doors. "Relocation costs must be necessary, reasonable, eligible and incurred," Wilson says. "Our goal is to minimize hardship and facilitate the reestablishment of the business." Additionally, if a tenant has made building improvements, which can't be moved to the new location, Wilson helps determine whether the tenant or building owner must be reimbursed. Sometimes a portion of new equipment costs also may be covered. Not all costs covered But Wilson cautions, "The business relocation process is good, but it's not perfect." For example, financial claims must be concrete; the law doesn't account for any perceived disruption of business. Because of that, many businesses strive to move and reset up shop within the space of a few days. "Our role is to work with people through the process," Wilson says, "interpret the law, determine the city's obligation and ensure that the business receives all of the benefits they're entitled to." City grants extension for Phase 1 plan submittal The City of Eagan granted a three-month extension, through October, to developer Schafer Richardson for its submittal of a revised concept plan and Phase 1 development plan. "We believe it is a reasonable extension that keeps the project on track for first -phase construction by spring or summer of 2007," says Mayor Pat Geagan. The extension is intended to permit the developer to refine the proposed site plan to address the housing mix, in response to the evolving demand for rental housing versus condominiums, and to incorporate additional input from retail prospects interested in the Cedar Grove development. The revisions are intended to support the goal for the redevelopment of the area to be market supportable in both the short and long term. City of Eaftall Business owners wishing to explore opportunities within the revitalized Cedar Grove area are invited to contact Schafer Richardson at www.sr-re.com or 612-371-3000. August 2006 e Ce.ar rov Cedar Grove Redevelopment District: Eagan's new gateway destination Advice, financial help offered during business relocation Well before the City of Eagan was granted permission to acquire Cedarvale Mall in June, mall tenants had been scouting potential new business sites (see "Silver Bell" sidebar). That's because last December, developer Schafer Richardson had informed tenants of the plan to close the mall in order to proceed with the Cedar Grove redevelopment plans. About that time, Dan Wilson of Wilson Development Services, a commercial and residential relocation company, and City of Eagan staff members met individually with tenants to discuss business relocation in broad terms. "Wilson Development Services represents the City of Eagan to coordinate the relocation of businesses, which are located in properties that have been acquired," says Jon Hohenstein, Eagan's Community Development Director. 'The company is current on all of the benefits and requirements related to the Federal Relocation Act and is experienced in helping business owners through the challenges and costs of getting established at their new locations" Once the mall purchase was made official, businesses received their notices of relocation eligibility and the business relocation process could begin in earnest. Searching for a new site "Business relocation is a pretty straightforward process," says Wilson, who has advised in such situations for 36 years. "Now we've had a chance to meet with mall continued on page 2 "The plan to move has been a lot of work, but the City of Eagan has been terrific working with us. So far, everything's working well." Dave Diioia, , owner of Mike's Shoe Repair Silver Bell welcomes 4 Cedarvale Mall businesses In light of Cedarvale Mall's closing, four tenants have plans in the works to move to nearby Silver Bell Center, just two blocks away. Those businesses include Cedarvale Barbers, Cedarvale Tailors, Burton's Frame Shop and Mike's Shoe Repair. "The plan to move has been a lot of work," says Dave Diioia, owner of Mike's Shoe Repair, "but the City of Eagan has been terrific working with us. So far, everything's working well" The businesses plan to make their moves in early fall. City of Eau Still have questions? Visit www.cityofeagan.com, or contact Jon Hohenstein at jhohenstein@cityofeagan.com or 651-675-5660. The Cedar Grove Gateway Business relocation, continued froni page 1 tenants, as well as other relocating businesses, to discuss how relocation procedures are applied individually to each unique business." First, Wilson says, his firm offers advisory services as necessary. 'We help a business determine what the obstacles are to moving and help direct the business to find a potential new site, which is at the sole discretion of that business. We encourage the business to find a real estate agent, attorney or other counsel to assist in finding and securing a new site." Business searching expenses are paid up to $2,500. If you are a business owner, who would like more information. about business relocation, please . contact Jon Hohenstein at 651 675-5660. "We help a business determine what the obstacles are to moving and help direct the business to find a potential new site, which is at the sole discretion of that business:" — Dan Wilson, Wilson Development Services Determining financial assistance Once, the site is secured, Wilson turns his attention to discussing business reestablishment expenses, such as packing, moving and unpacking personal property; disconnecting and reconnecting equipment; replacing such printed materials as stationery; and helping get the business ready to reopen its doors. "Relocation costs must be necessary, reasonable, eligible and incurred," Wilson says. "Our goal is to minimize hardship and facilitate the reestablishment of the business." Additionally, if a tenant has made building improvements, which can't be moved to the new location, Wilson helps determine whether the tenant or building owner must be reimbursed. Sometimes a portion of new equipment costs also may be covered. Not all costs covered But Wilson cautions, `The business relocation process is good, but it's not perfect." For example, financial claims must be concrete; the law doesn't account for any perceived disruption of business. Because of that, many businesses strive to move and reset up shop within the space of a few days. "Our role is to work with people through the process," Wilson says, "interpret the law, determine the city's obligation and ensure that the business receives all of the benefits they're entitled to." The City of Eagan granted a three-month extension, through October, to developer Schafer Richardson for :.. its submittal, of a revised concept plan and Phase i development plan ' We believe it is a reasonable "extension that keeps the project on track for first -phase construction by spring or summer of 2007," says .Mayor Pat Geagani ;The extension is intended to permit the developer to refine the proposed site plan to address the housing mix, in response to the evolving demand for rental. housing versus condominiums, and to incorporate 'additional, input from retail prospects interested in the Cedar Grove development to support the goal forthe be'market supportable rnb . The revisions are intended redevelopment of the area to oth the short and long term. C!ty of Eau Business owners wishing to explore opportunities within the revitalized Cedar Grove area are invited to contact Schafer Richardson at www.sr-re.com or 612-371-3000. 6,./t7 ( Ski enthusiast Gabe Cyr dies in car crash Called races at Buck. Hill for 25 years by Sara Peterson Staff Writer Anyone who has raced at Buck Hill ski area in Burnsville over the last 25 years, or has been there during a race, has probably heard the deep voice of Gabrielle "Gabe" Cyr announcing the races from the crow's nest above the main chalet. Cyr, known to ski enthusiasts as the matriarch of Minnesota skiing, died on Dec. 31 in a two - car crash in Rosemount. She was 77. Cyr came to work at Buck Hill in 1975. She held the title of director of racing, handling all of the high school, USSA, NASTAR, Ski Challenge and other races on Milk Run. "It's a huge job with multiple races going on," said Buck Hill's General Manager Don McClure. "She was working like a 20-year-old, right in there with 60- and 70-hour weeks (during ski season). It was a labor of love for her." McClure,- who was 15 when he started working at Buck. Hill in 1975, said Cyr "was a very kind person" with incredible perseverance. According to a St. Paul Pioneer Press article last month, See Cyr, 6A SC2 Black. RY L.E. 575 IINA air. 175 '97 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 Sport,V8. S speed. SALE PRICE $ 17,975 '97 TOWN Sr COUNTRY L.X.I.,AII-Wheel-Drive, Red. SALE PRICE $ 18, 675 '96 MERCURY VILLAGER G.S.,V6, rear air, loaded! SALE PRICE $ 11 , 975 '96 CHEV. S10 BLAZER 4 DR., 4X4, 4.3 Power, L.T. SALE PRICE $ 13,975 '98 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 Short Box Sport. SALE PRICE $ 18, 875 '97 GRAND CARAVAN S. E., V6, auto., air. VALE PRICE $ 13, 975 '95 DODGE CARAVAN Loaded, S.E.,V6, 7 Pass., Hurry! SALE PRICE $ 8775 '96 JEEP CHEROKEE 4 DR., 4X4, Grand Laredo. SALL PRICE $ 14, 775 '96 DODGE RAM 1500 4X2, Club Cab, LeRoy'ss Paint. SALE PRICE $ 14, 875 '97 PLY. VOYAGER V6, auto., air, 33K act. miles. SALE PRICE $ 13,475 'W South on Cliff Road wy. 13 in Burnsville 94--9010r '94 GRAND VOYAGER S.E., AI I-W he el -Drive. SALE PRICE $ 8975 '94 CHEV. S10 BLAZER 4 DR., 4X4, 4.3 Power,Tahoe. SALE PRICE $ 8975 Email us: sales@dodgeofburnsville.com We'd like to thank our customers for making us what we are today: A FIVE-STAR DEALERSHIP • Cyr/Continued Cyr's skiing career began as a youngster growing up in St. Paul when she and friends would ski down a.hill alongside her house. Cyr graduated from. • University High School in Minneapolis and attended :the University of Minnesota. She was.a championship tennis play- er in high school and college. Cyr met her future husband; ` Oscar, when he came to St. Paul , during World War II to look for' • skis for U.S. troops. They,wei-e married in 1945. ' According to the article, Cyr got into the ski business in the 1950s. when she and her hus- band cut a few trails and installed a rope tow on their property at Pine Bend -in Rosemount, which overlooked the Mississippi River: Because of the ski hill's growing popu- larity, the Cyrs opened the Pine Bend -Ski Area in 1954. • Oscar died in 1966, the same year Cyr stopped ^•.`skiing.' However, she continued to run the, :Pine Bend Ski Area until 1972. Nancy. Stone, Buck Hill's • president, has known Cyr since 1954 when she and her late hus- ". •band, Chuck,'opened Buck Hill. After the Pine Bend Ski Area closed, Cyr- ran into Chuck Stone in the mid-1970s:. Gabe Cyr "(He) wondered if . she '•wouldn't like -to -come and work at Buck Hill because he knew how much she liked the ski busi- ness. and what a good job: she would do," Stone said. --"We have quite an extensive adult racing program and Gabe was in charge of doing the timing, organizing the schedules of adult and high school teams..... And that was a big job and she handled it very well." Over -the years at Buck Hill, Cyr worked with thousands of adult andhigh school skiers as she scheduled -and directed the. ski area's racing program,. She said in last month's arti-- cle that she was most proud of three Olympians who were products of the area's junior rac-'• ing program.. • "She was very proud of not - just the Olympians but- actually -•all the other kids who have - worked so hard over the years," Stone `said. "She was just a very open and'caring person and was , just .:very •interested in all the people. drivmg eastbound, on -Highw y -55, the State Patrol said Cyr and 'her golden ,retriever, Jazz, were.both thrown from the. "She had :.ver'y good:•friends. vehicle. Cyr was not wearing a The Eagan Police 'in' all age groups and' got to ' seat belt, the State Patrol said.. Department .will -hold its fifth know everyone quite well. And.l The",dog wa's found Jan.:1 in a citizen academy beginning Feb. think she would of, if possible, nearby ditch with no broken. 3 at 7p.m. . wanted everyone to win the"bones and apparently will be The academy lasts six weeks race.. fine. Brown, ,41, of Hastings, and is held Thursdays 'from-7 to "Her life touched three gen- was treated for minor injuries. 10 p.m. -The course also • erations within the skiing com- Cyr was'born May 20, 1922, includes a four-hour ride along munity, :from people who.to. Carl and Ann (Hallstrom) with a patrol officer. worked with her. to those who - . Weinhagen. Participants must be either skied with her at Pine Bend," - "Sheds survived by her daugh- Eagan residents or business - 'McClure said. ter, Gabrielle"(William) Blake; owners, over 18, years old and 'According .to McClure, Cyr enjoyed being active. During the summer, she golfed almost daily at the Hastings Country Club. Stone said Cyr will be remembered most "for her dedi- cation to the ski business and her dedication to the job she had' taken on at Buck Hill and to the people it had involved.... We're all going to miss her very much." .According to the State Patrol; Cyr died at the scene of the acci- dent. about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 31 when the car she was driving was hit broadside by another vehicle at the intersection of Highway 55 and Pine -Bend Trail. Cyr,. who was 'traveling southbound on Pine Bend Trail, apparently failed to yield at the right of way of the intersection and traveled into the path of Duane: Willis Brown, who was • a : Eagan .Police . . Department sets citizen academy grandchildren, Tricia Gabrielle and James Blake, all of White Bear Lake; sister, Sally Wilson, of Scotts Valley, Calif.; nieces, nephews and friends. A private interment was held Jana 7 at Lakeside Cemetery. A • memorial service is pending. In lieu -of flowers, memorials are preferred .to the Gabe Cyr Memorial- Fund to benefit junior ski racing, c/o Buck Hill Ski Area, 15400 Buck Hill Road, .Burnsville, 55306; Last Hope Inc. — animal rescue program of Farmington; or to the donor's choice. - _ Arrangements.were made by the. Cremation Society of Minnesota. _ — Staff writer John Gessner contributed to this story. must undergo a criminal back- ground check. Applications are currently being accepted for the free academy and can be obtained by contacting Officer Duane Pike ai 651-686-1114. • Eagan Garden Club will meet Soni Forsman will discuss water gardening at the Jan. 12 Eagan Garden Club meeting. The meeting will be held at the Eagan Municipal Center Building, 3830 Pilot Knob Road and will begin at 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome. . For more information, call Donna at 651-454:3922: • '' - 4.4,414 4 ""M « Ku, �.ti.�N�,,,�� ,�jf �% ��, GAIN ,►► 1p MNarst SIP ' 1 alkla i __ •• �,'��K«K�K��.� ���r ►` ,*y` aN••. PRICES ON ��'itosiffismr���`'�"" `"� OODYEAR HIGH iiii 411.4rivartir SAVE PERFORMANCE,, GOODYEAR TIRES! *444,1 - PASSENGER - Ola +l RADIALS!- ._v**�' pnJw -iet„<„4t." li OMr I 01 - it404 ` .irkMu1tlri(.[rM)+Mr��c�0�1 I. "'■yam+�... iliffelilMth t4414 vitte;e,h """"c4c4Vicjigire*PitlY ilixo":14 is-Lausj—.tfikis ,hbi e tpilik t // // ��/{��uf. sa_ asm iiI itttia� N14/tri grZgatj ,ial�/*//�v ...s/41ii) w �4. R«([LtiiiroudLli[i► .Y�r tea\ Vol. 6, No. 2 M:NNJESOYA VA I J SERVING APPLE VALLEY, EAGAN AND SAVAGE Copyright 1978: Sun Newspapers, Inc.}FOUR SECTIONS E Y I FRIDAY EDITION Friday, January 6, 1978 (SUN photo by DEL STELLING/ THE OFFICIAL STAFF of the city of Eagan was on hand for the first meeting of the new year. Seated, from left, are Alyce Bolke, city clerk; Mayor Leo Murphy; Tom Hedges, city administrator; Councilman Theodore Wachter. Standing,from left, are councilmembers James Smith, Mark Parranto and Thomas Egan; Paul Hauge, city attorney; Robert Rosene, city engineer, and Police Chief Martin DesLauriers. �. 25 CENTS 'New' Eagan council meets, confronts newspaper issue By I)EL STELLING Members of the "new" Eagan City Council, meeting for the first time Tuesday night, organized for what may be a momentous year of activity in the community. As the first item of business, city clerk Alyce Bolke administered the oath of office to the newly -elected council members — Mayor Leo Mur- phy and councilmen Thomas Egan .and Mark Parranto. ' " . The new officials replace retiring Mayor Herb Polzin and councilmen Arthur Rahn and William Rydrych, who combined contributed 72 years of service to the community. .. - Theodore Wachter, an incumbent council member, was appointed act- ing mayor to serve during the ab- sence of Mayor Murphy. The council was confronted with a problem when it came to consider de- signating the official newspaper. City administrator Thomas Hedges said bid letters had been received from the Dakota County Tribune and Sun Newspapers. Hedges pointed out that one of the requirements of an official news- paper is that it have offices in the county. In this connection, he said the letter from Sun Newspapers did not indicate where their county legal of- fice was located. He further questionned the number of paid subscribers'of each of the papers within the city of Eagan. In response to a question from one of the councilmen;_Hedges said it would be more convenient to have the Dakota County Tribune as the legal newspaper as its deadline for legal notices is a day later than that of the -. SUN. Councilman Wachter,' following Hedges comments. said he was of the opinion the Dakota County Tribune might better serve as the legal news- paper as it is more of a county paper, serving a broader area. City clerk Bolke also noted that one EAGAN CC io page 2 .SUN photo by DEL STELLING) MAYOR LEO MURPHY, elected to replace retiring Mayor Herb Polzin, assumed his duties at the Tuesday night meeting of the Eagan City Council. The oath of .office, was administered by city clerk Alyce Bolke.