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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Appointments to advisory positions - 12/14/1987Patch T/ Transfer Patch www.thisweek-online.com New advisory commission members are appointed by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS The Eagan City Council appointed several new members to the city's advisory commis- sions_ at its Jan. 21 meeting. The council had previously interviewed the 31 people who applied for 26 openings and voted to approve appointees at Tuesday's meeting. Commission members play an important role in the com- munity, said City Administrator Tom Hedges. "There are about 80 individ- uals (who) give their time (with) no compensation," he said. "They work, really, for the community in a volunteer capacity." Hedges said the city council entrusts commission members with holding public meetings, interfacing with citizen groups, gathering facts and making rec- ommendations. "All of these individuals that serve are really valued," he said. Council Member Mike Maguire said he was impressed with the quality of applicants the council interviewed, adding it's a "very fortunate problem to have so many qualified people." "It's almost painful to have to go back to them and say, `There's just not enough room,"" he said. A majority vote was required for the council to make an appointment. The council appointed Ron Miller, Carla Heyl and Gary Hansen to three-year terms on the Eagan Advisory Planning See Commissions, 16A Residents appointed to Eagan's advisory posts_ The Eagan City Council made several ap- pointments to city advisory commissions. Among those appointed were: Lee Ashfeld, Calvin Clark and Margaret Tilley to the Eco- nomic Development Commission; Greg Steininger and Gary Huusko (alternate) to the Advisory Planning Commission; James Orcutt, Tom Petrilli and Ron Moening to the Solid Waste Abatement Commission; Jerry Sowells to the Telecommunications Com- mission; James Gallagher, Tom Pedersen and Lance Staricha to the Airport Relations Commission; Nelson Mark Filipi, Barbara Johnson, Daryle Petersen and John Rudolph to the Advisory Parks Commission. Eagan City Council tends to annual business needs At the start of each year, the City Coun- cil must perform some housekeeping du- ties, such as choosing an acting mayor and when to schedule council meetings. On Jan. 20, Mayor Tom Egan appoint- ed Councilmember Ted Wachter as acting mayor for 1998. Wachter, a charter coun- cil member, said this will be his final year on the council. Regular council meetings will remain on the first and third Tuesday of each month, with the exception of one day that falls on an election day. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. GiAM JantAary 22, KrIV t003! xgan *149,900 place, cen- itchen and ✓coded lot, odel open 12:00-4:00 nt. Model lge Drive. it 4/./ iersary of iruary 2nd am 3i11 Droste Knutson 5679 Eagan Charter Commission has set plan for new year Commission seeking to fill open spot, open lines of communication to Eagan City Council BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers With a little less than two years since its inception, the Eagan Charter Com- mission opens up 2003 looking for a new member and trying to keep its activities in the public eye. "We really want to keep it out in front of the public, otherwise we run into a lack of enthusiasm on the public's part and have people not knowing what is going on," said Betty Fedde, Charter Commission chairperson. "That's some- thing we are constantly working against." Since the commission was formed in March 2001, it has studied how charter cities work and the differences between charter cities and statutory cities. The commission's first task as laid out by law was to determine whether or not a char- ter should be drafted for the city. That de- cision was made in May 2002 and since then the commission has turned to what that charter should look like. That process will continue as the com- mission goes through 2003, Fedde said. During its first meeting of the new year, the commission set out a variety of phas- es it hopes to go through as it completes its task. At the end of each phase, a con- sensus would be reached. The first of those phases will be re- viewing, in February, the forms of gov- ernment, Fedde said. The commission will list as many pros and cons about the different forms of city government to help decide what is the best form of gov- ernment to put before voters. Following sessions will concentrate on the number of council members, weighing open elections vs. elections by wards, the use of a primary election, fi- nancial controls, referendum, recall elections, and other issues such as in- stant runoff voting and odd or even year elections_ that has been vacant since December. Fedde said there has been little interest expressed to the city for applying for the position. David Keller, a former Eagan city attorney and an Eagan resident for more than 20 years, filled a previous opening. Dakota County Judge Richard Spicer directed the city to run another ad seek- ing applicants for the open position, Fedde said. In addition, the judge told commission members that they could nominate any candidates they think might be interested. A charter would lay down the rules of government for the city and serve as a city constitution. The charter also could allow for a larger city council, place limits on the council's ability to spend taxpayer dol- lars, set up a process to allow for the recall of council members, or go in any other di- rection the commission sees fit. The city could become a charter city only if a majority of voters approve the draft. In Minnesota, 12 percent of cities have charters, with the rest being statu- tory cities whose operations are pre- scribed by state law. An aspect of the commission's busi- ness that could change in 2003 is its rela- tionship with the Eagan City Council. In the past, Fedde said, there wasn't much cooperation between the commission and the council. She hopes new Mayor Pat Geagan and the addition of Mike Maguire to the council will change that. The end of 2001 found the commission trying to arrange meeting space in the Eagan Municipal Center free of charge but being met with a denial by the coun- cil. When the question came before the council in November 2001 the vote was 4- 1 with only Councilmember Meg Tilley supporting giving the commission free meeting space. Once all those phases have been ex- amined, the basis for the city's proposed charter would be in place and ready to go before voters. "The idea is to work toward a consen- sus using the work plan we set out," Fedde said. "By going through those ses- sions dealing with each of the issues, we should reach that point." Originally Fedde had the personal goal of the commission completing its task by this summer so that voters could decide on the charter's fate in November 2003. However, she said she now realizes that goal is unlikely to be met. The commission is also seeking an- other Eagan resident to fill a position — However,- during the election both Maguire and Geagan talked about im- proving city relationships with the com- mission and looking for ways to work to- gether. Fedde is already preparing a let- ter to be sent to the city requesting meet- ing space for 2003 and also requesting a future workshop meeting with the coun- cil. Once the commission members have had a chance to weigh in on the issue, Fedde plans to mail the letter to the city. "We certainly need to try to open the communication process more than it has been in the past," Fedde said. "We want to establish a relationship with the new mayor and the council and we cannot do that with- out trying to communicate with them. It's been frustrating at times, but I am pleased that we are making some progress." The Charter Commission meets the second Wednesday of each month from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. at the Wescott Library, 1340 Wescott Road, Eagan. For an application to fill the open com- mission spot, contact the city of Eagan at 651-675-5001. EAGAN City Hall weighs in on charter dispute Council would oppose commission, if pushed BY MEGGEN LINDSAY Pioneer Press City officials in Eagan want out of the legal battle between the Eagan Charter Commission and two of its citizen opponents. But if a judge forces the City Council's involvement, it will side against the commission, according to a court motion its attorney filed Friday. Although the commission and, now, the council have asked a district judge to dismiss a law- suit filed by resident Thomas King and longtime charter opponent Paul Bakken, they want the same thing for differ- ent reasons. At least four of five council members have spoken out against the Charter Commission and want it to disband. Mem- bers of the commission believe that it should still exist. Bakken and King are trying to force the commission to dis- solve. They contend the com- mission's bylaws required it to disband after more than 80 per- cent of Eagan voters rejected the home -rule charter last November. "This is between a private citizen and the commission." Thomas Hedges, city administrator Bakken and King included Eagan in the lawsuit because the Charter Commission insists it is part of the city and cannot be sued separately. A court order created the Charter Com- mission in 2001, after an Eagan citizen group collected signa- tures for a petition. "We don't feel we belong in this," city administrator Thomas Hedges said. "This is between a private citizen and the commission." Hedges and City Council members dispute that the Char- ter Commission is part of the city. They believe it is a separate enti- ty that "should follow its own bylaws," but if a judge finds the Charter Commission a part of the city, the council should be able to disband the commission itself, according to the city's motion. "That's a myth, a myth from the City Council, that the com- mission is merely an outside group," commission Chairman Jon Felde said. "Their attempts to portray us as a fringe associa- tion that has no constitutional standing within the city is mis- guided, to say the least." Bakken could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. Under a charter system, the city would have a council-man- ager form of government. That would divide the city into four political wards, with a council member from each district, two at -large members and a mayor. Currently all four council mem- bers and the mayor are elected at -large. A section of the Charter Commission bylaws states that "if the commission or voters determine a charter is not nec- essary for the city, the commis- sion shall dissolve as directed by Minnesota statutes." The statute requires a three -fourths vote to disband, Felde said. In February, the court -appointed charter members voted 8-4 to CHARTER DISPUTE, 4B Charter dispute (continued) remain an organization. "This is just a political attack," Fe1de said. "I would have been surprised if the City Council hadn't filed something. It's consistent with their effort to marginalize this." Eagan Mayor Pat Geagan said the commission did that on its own. "The council members do independently have personal feelings about the charter," he said. "But Eagan does have rep- resentative government. The people are against this. That's what they voted for and I don't see how (commission members) can get past that." Meggen Lindsay can be reached at mlindsay@pioneerpress.com or 651-5260. www.mnSun.com 5 Ct/Y/I id//3/z047< LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Apple Valley/Rosemount, 1 From Previous Page Voters already said 'no' to Eagan charter To the editor: Did you ever let a salesman inside your house or office, only to regret it? You say no, but he won't go peacefully. After a while, it looks like he won't leave until you get uncomfortably assertive. That's the feeling that Eagan voters have after backers of an Eagan charter refuse to accept that "no" means no. In the 2004 general election, the voters rejected the idea of a charter, and they rejected it by a landslide, 80 "no" to only 20 percent "yes." But like the salesman who won't go his way peacefully, charter advocates won't accept their loss. Members of the charter commission voted to keep going, focusing on the bad relationship they had with members of the City Council as if that should overturn the 4 to 1 drub- bing their position took. And now Councilmember Meg Tilley gives away the game plan in her Sept. 22 letter ("Suit a waste of taxpayers' dol- lars.") You would think that an 80-to-20 vote would be enough to end the matter for a few years. Not so, says Tilley. She calls for allowing the commission to "complete its work," saying that it "is not unusual to have several votes before the charter passes." I would think that after bringing the issue to the ballot, the com- mission had completed its work. But implicit in the argument of Tilley and the Charter Commission is this thought: "We're going to keep holding elections on this charter until we wear down the public's resistance and they see things our way." I say give it a rest. Tilley argues that a recent lawsuit to force the Charter Com- mission to do the decent thing and dis- band itself in light of the 2004 vote is re- ally an attempt to "silence our own citi- zens." This is simply not true. If the com- mission disbands, charter advocates can start the process over in a few years, with a new set of petitions, a new commis- sion, and if warranted, a new election. But for now, let's face facts: 80 percent of voters said no. Why won't charter ad- vocates respect the will of the people? John LaPlante Eagan 16A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Currentlfhursday, Oct. 13, 2005 www.mnSun.com Judge: Eagan Charter Commission may stay together BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers The Eagan Charter Com- mission may be a "thorn in the side" of the city's govern- ment, but that's not only part of its role but also something its now been cleared to con- tinue doing. Dakota County District Court Judge William Macklin ruled Friday, Oct. 7, that the commission does not have to disband. Eagan resident and former commission member Thomas King and charter op- ponent Paul Bakken sued the commission in April seeking to have it disbanded. Macklin wrote in his judg- ment: "Understandably, a charter commission can be a thorn in the side of the gov- erning body of a city and an annoyance to a majority of its residents. "But, such is the nature of enfranchising the minority," Macklin added. The commission put a pro- posed charter before Eagan voters last November that would have divided the city into political wards, added two council members and switched to a council-manag- er form of government. Voters rejected the charter with a vote of 25,080 against and 6.159 in favor, or with more than 80 percent voting against the charter. King's and Bakken's law- suit argued that the commis- sion's bylaws required it to fold after voters turned down its charter proposal, but com- mission members disagreed. A section of the Charter Commission bylaws states that "if the commission or voters determine a charter is not necessary for the city, the commission shall dissolve as directed by Minnesota statutes." The state statute requires a three -fourths vote to disband, said Jon Felde, chair of the Charter Commission. The commission voted 8-4 in Feb- ruary to stay together and work toward resubmitting a new charter to Eagan voters. "We think it is important that the court recognized that the Charter Commission is a way for citizens to have a voice in shaping their govern- ment," Felde said. Macklin also dismissed the city from the lawsuit, saying that Eagan had "no dog in this fight" and no power over the commission. Bakken had in- cluded the city in the suit be- cause the commission had said it was part of the city and could not be sued separately. While charter opponents didn't get exactly what they wanted from the judge's deci- sion, Bakken said it was a partial victory. "The long and the short of it is it's a bit of a mixed bag," Bakken said. "They got part of what they wanted and we got part of what we wanted. One thing the decision did was as they move forward their role is more clarified and that was a big part of what we wanted." rkho 20A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, May 24, 2000 • (2 www.mnSun.com Eagan OPEn turns focus topetition for c harter commission Citizens group seeks 3,000 signatures to ask judge to appoint charter commission By Joshua Nichols Sun Newspapers In the wake of a judge's decision not to fulfill an Eagan citizens group request to appoint a charter commission for the city, the group has started down the second of three avenues open to their effort. "We are committed to pursuing it to see what it could do for the city of Eagan," said Eagan OPEn spokesperson Susan Widmar. "We think it's necessary to review what is now a one -size -fits -all govern- ment and really should be a custom -fit government for a city that has grown from a small city to nearly 60,000 in a blink of an eye." In a written response to ttte group's re- quest last month to form a charter com- mission, First Judicial District Judge Leslie Metzen declined to appoint a com- mission but did not judge the merits of forming one. Instead, she advised the Handy -Stone• Wall Units group to start a petition if Eagan OPEn wanted to continue with the initiative. Work has now begun on that effort, Widmar said. Although state statutes call for such a petition to bear the names of 10 percent of voters who voted in Eagan's last city election — amounting to about 2,700 sig- natures — the group is aiming for 3,000 signatures, she said. Part of the process associated with the petition is educating residents on what a charter commission and a charter city mean. "The people need to understand that the commission is an audit of the city gov- ernment," she said. "It's a review process to determine if things need to be changed." Widmar and other supporters of home rule charter status said they hope the process would allow residents to make changes to Eagan's form of government that would make it more responsive to the public. If Metzen appointed a commission, it would meet to work out a charter that would map out how the government would be run, including whether it has a 'strong' or `weak' mayor system. Do 11 Yourself or We Install Caen in and see am ow stone -like Yasa-lok• YONb- 'r; _Msi�lu�wlW '. The charter could also allow for a larg- er council, place limits on the council's ability to spend taxpayer dollars, and set_ up a process to allow for the recall of council members. Once a commission decided to seek charter status, it would present the char- ter draft to the public for a vote. The city could become a charter city only if a majority of voters approved the draft. "More than 25 years have gone by now since Eagan became a city and the statu- tory city status may or may not work for it now," Widmar said. "It would be up to the charter commission to make that kind of appraisal." According to state statutes, the group could also approach the City Council to ask it to request a charter commission be formed. During the council's May 16 meeting, Councilmember Peggy Carlson said she didn't understand why the group felt the need to pursue the petition instead of ap- proaching the City Council. Following the meeting, Widmar said Eagan OPEn chose to seek the commis- sion through petition because it feels some council members are against allow- ing the residents who support the group a role in the proceedings. At the May 16 meeting, Councilmem- bers Sandy Masin and Bea Blomquist both indicated they supported the group's efforts to get a commission ap- pointed. Masin attempted to make a motion to place consideration of the issue on a fu- ture council meeting agenda, but her re- quest did not meet council meeting pro- cedure since it was not relevant to any items on the agenda. However, Masin and another council member can request the issue be placed on a future agenda. Carlson said she would be open to talking with Masin about bringing a dis- cussion of the issue before the council. Nearly 11 percent of the 853 cities in Minnesota are charter cities, according to the League of Minnesota Cities. Those cities include some of Eagan's neighbors, including South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Hastings, St. Paul and Minneapolis. Petition forms from Eagan OPEtt are available by calling 651-456-0173, e- mailing eaganopen@uswestmail.net or writing to Eagan OPEn, P.O. Box 21321, Eagan, MN 55121. WERE EXPLORIN14 NEW PROGRAM OPTIONS To establish new programs at Dakota County Technical College, one of the factors the college must determine is student interest. For this reason, we ask that you fill out the following survey and either drop it in the mail or drop it off at DCTC. You may also e-mail us at: sandra.loney@dctc.mnscu.edu with your survey answers. ❑ E-Commerce/E-Business ❑ Construction Electrician ❑ Painter and Paper Hanger ❑ Concrete and Terrazzo Installer ❑ Medical Laboratory Technician ❑ Chiropractic Technician ❑ Carpentry ❑ Roofer ❑ Drywall Installer ❑ Maintenance Electrician ❑ Dental Hygienist ❑ Fitness Technician 6 / apt- 4k Residents appointed to advisory posts By Sue Hegarty Staff Writer Volunteer committee appoint- ments and other organizational matters for the city of Eagan were decided by the City Council Jan. 16. The Advisory Planning Com- mission (APC) reviews develop- ment plans and makes recom- mendations to the council. Carla Heyl was reappointed to a three- year term. Former County Com- missioner Dee Richards received the other three-year seat on the APC. Don Shindle was given a one-year term and Larry Frank will fill the remaining year of the three-year term left vacant due to the resignation of Roy Wallace. The city's Airport Relations Commission (ARC) reviews air- port issues and recommends pol- icy changes to the council. Steve Soderling and Jane Vanderpoel were reappointed for three years; Joseph Harrison, two- year term; and Ted Gladhill, one-year alternate. Members of the Economic De- velopment Commission (EDC) help to promote the city's com- mercial/industrial climate, direct policy and offer recommendations to the council. Those appointed for three years were Eldon Johnson, Dave Vogt and Julie Stackhouse. Issues related to city parks and natural resources are discussed by the Advisory Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commis- sion (APRNRC). George Kubik and Michael Vincent were reappointed to three-year terms; Randall Ahern, three-year term; and Guy Kolnhofer, one-year alternate. Daryle Petersen and Tim Callister will fill two-year terms left open due to the resignations of Sherie Wallace and Thomas Walkington. Waste management issues and policies are reviewed by members of the Solid Waste Abatement Commission (SWAC). Reappointed to SWAC were Daniel Breva, John Tapper, Jim Weinzettel and Rick Patraw. Cable Communications Com- mission members oversee the joint Burnsville -Eagan cable television system. James Blair and Bob Cooper were appointed for three years; Maggie Jensen and Bill Ista for two years; Jeff May as a one-year alternate. Council members received standing committee appoint- ments as well. Mayor Tom Egan will serve on the Finance Committee, Minneso- ta Legislative Committee Board and as representative to School District 197. Shawn Hunter will serve on the Finance Committee and as the School District 196 rep- resentative. Ted Wachter was ap- pointed to Public Works Commit- tee, Personnel Committee, History Committee and the Dakota Coun- ty Economic Development Part- nership. Sandra Masin will stay on the Dakota County League ofGov- ernments and serve on the Per- sonnel Committee, Minnesota Val- ley Transit Authority Board and as representative to School Dis- trict 191. Pat Awada will serve on the Public Works Committee. Egan appointed Shawn Hunter to serve as acting mayor in Egan's absence. The council also resolved to leave its regular public meet- ings on the first and third Tuesday of each month, except where a con- flict such as an election occurs. 7`!Ls � %� /y, (4 ? 7 Eagan citizens sought for city advisory positions The city of Eagan has announc- ed the scheduling of appoint- ments for city advisory positions. Those positions include those on the Advisory Planning Com- mission, Advisory Parks and Recreation Commission, the Joint Burnsville/Eagan Cable Communications Commission, the Airport Relations Committee, and the Gun Club Lake Watersh- ed Management Organization. Four appointments will be made to the Advisory Planning Commission, which reviews de- velopment plans and makes rec- ommendations to the city council. Three appointments are need- ed to be filled by the Advisory Parks and Recreation Commis- sion, which advises the council on park dedication. To the Cable Communications Commission, which oversees the administration of the Joint Burnsville/Eagan Cable Televi- sion System, four appointments will be made. Airport issues are reviewed by the Airport Relations Committee, which will be making seven ap- pointments. The committee studies how airport noise affects neighborhoods. Representatives from the business community are encouraged to apply. One position is open on the Gun Club Lake Watershed Manage- ment Organization, which works to preserve and use natural water storage and retention. Current appointees to commis- sions and committees may apply for reappointment and will be given consideration along with all other applicants by the city coun- cil. Letters from those Eagan residents interested may be directed to the City Ad- ministrator, 3830 Pilot Knob Rd., Eagan, 55122. Deadline for the riri©©©rlonMA pir'!r� application is Dec. 31. Interviews are expected to be Jan. 12, and appointments will be considered at the 1988 organizational meeting of the city council scheduled for Jan. 19. The assessment committee, which reviews assessment poli- cies and appeals and makes recommendations to the city. council, is in need of two persons. The term lengths have not been set yet. Two-year terms are being considered. PIONEER MESS DISPATCH� DAKO competition fierce fog By Bruce Orwell Staff Writer The freeways running through Eagan, the fastest growing city in Minnesota, are still mostly lined with rolling hills and old oak trees. An occasional lake draws the attention of the passing motorist. Newcomers to the city may wonder: Where's the rest of it? From Interstates 494 and 35E you can see the plants and offices of businesses like Northwest Airlines and Unisys that have been drawn to Eagan. But except for Town Centre, a shopping cen- ter that features grocery and drug stores, there is little evidence of the commercial develop- ment that should accompany rapid suburban growth. It isn't for lack of trying. At every freeway interchange, land is marked by a sign declaring a developer's inter- est in bringing retail shopping to the city. The signs represent what anyone who has examined Eagan's future knows to be true — there is a tremendous amount of money to be made here. But so far, no developer has been able to cash in on the city's retail needs. Eagan's population has doubled since 1980 to more than 40,000 resi- dents, but the city almost literally has no place to shop. No Target, no K mart, nothing. "Eagan has a good start on becoming a self- sustaining community that can meet its own needs," new Mayor Vic Ellison said. "But what we've lacked so far is adequate places to do shopping." There are many reasons for the slow pace of commercial development, but most are linked to the ferocious race between developers to hit the jackpot first. They all want the popular Tar- get chain to build its long -planned Eagan store on their property. The issue has divided the city council into factions formed around different developers, and the factions have used parliamentary 6 6 Eagan has a good start on becoming a self-sustaining community. But what we've lacked so far is adequate places to do shopping. 9 9 Vic Ellison Mayor maneuvers to help their favorite projects. Meanwhile, the developers have also worked vigorously against each others' projects, often appearing at public hearings and canvassing Eagan neighborhoods to drum up opposition for their competitors. The contest's intensity has led to name-call- ing between the developers and legal headaches for the city, which has been sued three times and could be headed for a fourth lawsuit. And even though one shopping complex that includes Target has gained preliminary approval from the city council, it is by no means a sure thing. Have things gotten out of hand in Eagan? "It's a sweepstakes," said Ellison. "I think it looks bad, but it's probably to be expected be- cause there's so much money to be made in Eagan." Ellison asks for patience from retailers who are hungry to serve the growing market: "I would feel very frustrated. I would feel as if I was being yanked around by a city that can't make up its mind. But give the new leadership team a year to solve these problems before giv- ing up on the city of Eagan." Each developer has a horror story about his project's history and a conspiracy theory about its future. The major competitors are: • The Federal Land Co., which owns Town Centre at Interstate 35E and Yankee Doodle TA WE EAGAN ■ APPLE VALLEY ■ ROSEMOUNT ■ LAKEVILLE ■ BURNSVILLE ■ EDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1988 Eagan retail development Road. The brothers who run the development firm, Vernon and Martin Colon, have succeeded in building a shopping center, but they have failed to attract a big -name discount store. ■ The Bieter Co., owner of 91 acres at Inter- state 35E and Diffley Road, proposed a com- plex last year that would have included Target and a Knox Lumber store. The developers sued the city when they couldn't get their land re- zoned from agricultural to commercial. They now have new hope because Ellison and new city council member Dave Gustafson are strong proponents of their project. ■ The Hoffman Development Group and Ryan Construction Co. have gained preliminary approval for Cliff Lake Galleria, a shopping complex that will include a Target store. Their property is just a minute south of the Bieter project. The Hoffmans now worry that their project is in danger because Ellison and his new council majority oppose it. They plan to sue the city if their plans fall apart. ■ Robert and Grace O'Neil, a St. Paul couple who have owned land across the street from Town Centre since the 1960s. They tried unsuc- cessfully to rezone their 122 acres for commer- cial uses in 1985 and then sued the city. Earlier this month, a settlement was worked out that grants the zoning change. Ellison says the O'Neils can now be expected to re-enter the competition, but the city's settlement has al- ready inspired another lawsuit by the Federal Land Co. It's no surprise that developers want to build shopping centers and retailers want to open businesses in Eagan. Within the last three years, Interstate 35E to St. Paul and a pair of bridges that direct drivers toward Minneapolis have made Eagan vastly more accessible. The resulting demographics are appealing. Young working families have moved to Eagan by the hundreds, and projections indicate that more than 90,000 people will live there when Please see Eagan/2 0 cc S YANKEE DOODLE ROAD EAGAN DIFFLEY ROAD CLIFF LAKE GALLERIA Hoffman Development Group n TOWN CENTRE. Federal Land Company ©35E DIFFLEY CENTER Bieter Company O'NEIL PROPERTY 2DW /FROM THE SECTION FRONT St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch Eagan/ Retail growth race is fierce Continued from Page 1 the city is fully developed. Everyone agrees that no regional shopping center will ever be built here, Ellison said. Burnsville Center is too close and serves the area well, and the specter of Bloomington's Fashion Mall of the Americas looms in the fu- ture. But many shoppers have become fed up with going to Burnsville for everything, and some residents have told the city council at public hearings how much they desire a discount store like Target. Much of the fight to build the shopping cen- ters has centered on zoning questions: Does Eagan need more commercial zoning, or should it restrict shopping areas to those outlined years ago in its comprehensive guide plan? The developers have carved out two general positions on the city's development questions. The view taken by Federal Land and the Hoffmans is that the city should stick to the zoning dictated by' Eagan's comprehensive guide plan. The developers say they relied on the plan when they bought land in Eagan. If changes are necessary, they say, the changes should be made during the formal review proc- ess that occurs every five years. The Colon brothers argue that rezoning large chunks of land for commercial use now is an unfair and unecessary move that will result in chaotic development. "It's open zoning," Martin Colon said. "It's SWAT Continued from Page 1 on our side, but when there's a con- frontation we prefer to negotiate and to wait things out. The purpose of SWAT is to be prepared for al- most anything." Police were unprepared when a cninnr nlimharl to tha tan ne n hall wide open then. That's the last control the city has. If the comprehensive guide plan means nothing, what's to control the zoning?" The Bieter Co. and the O'Neils argue that the city has to be flexible with the comprehensive plan. Their opponents' positions, they say, are simply means to protect their investments from competition. "We have absolutely no fear of competing with them in the marketplace," said Bieter partner Ron Cornwell. "There's no question that our project, item for item, compares with any other project in the city of Eagan," added Dennis Klohs, another partner. Most of the competition in the last year has focused on Bieter and the Hoffman group. Un- der former Mayor Bea Blomquist's administra- ton, the Hoffmans were thought to have the up- per hand, but Ellison's election has made the Bieter Co. the favorite. Mike Hoffman, a partner in the Hoffman group, said his claim is based on a 1979 planned development agreement that granted commer- cial zoning at Cliff Lake. "If the Bieter site is rezoned and our site is somehow temporarily loaded down, something doesn't pass the smell test," Hoffman said. "If the city wants to declare war, we'll declare war." The delay might hurt because it could allow the Bieter Co. to get moving at Diffley Road. Bieter's Cornwell said he might resubmit his zoning application, but it is more likely that the three officers to the team, which meets regularly to train. On the average, the team goes out six or seven times a year on drug busts or to the pick up homi- cide suspects, group coordinator Dan Sams said. Dakota County communities also developer will try to get its zoning through set- tlement of its lawsuit, as the O'Neils did. But Bieter Co. officials face a different prob- lem. Two of the four retailers promised in their 1987 proposal — Knox Lumber and Northwest Racquet and Swim Club — have scattered to locations in northern Eagan being developed by the Opus Corp. That may represent some growing impa- tience on behalf of retailers who have to wait for the political wars to work out before they can build stores. Harvey Ratner, co-owner of Northwest Rac- quet, said he liked Bieter's Diffley Road site, but couldn't wait. "I think we've kind of moved along," Ratner said. "I just have a feeling that we'll probably have a building up before he has his situation resolved. It wasn't the only site in the city. I said, 'Don't go ahead on the premise that we're going to be available.' " The Bieter Co. has also been subject to tough criticism from its competitors, the Hoffmans and the Colons. Vernon Colon calls Bieter offi- cials "inexperienced," "amateurish" and "un- professional," while Pat Hoffman says Bieter has "shadowed" his project at every turn and tried to intimidate city council members. Bieter officials say they are struggling just to be treated fairly and dislike the nastiness as much as anyone. "Developer fighting developer is something new to me in this business," Cornwell said. History Continued from Page 1 In the category of favorite sons, Parker notes that Jim Carter, a former football player for South St. Paul High School, the Minneso- ta Gophers and the Green Bay ParkPrc nnpp liuM in Tnu r f_rnvn were followed by the settlement of the southern part of Inver Grove Heights by Irish immigrants, in- cluding Parker's great -grand fa- ther, Parker said. The 1950s was a period of post- war starter homes, followed by NEIC Singles honored Four persons who have ma significant contributions to Tw Cities area singles organizatioi will be honored Saturday at t Winter Carnival Singles Dance 8:30 p.m. in Landmark Center. T. women, Seaneen Brennan, Paul and "Dickie" Johnso Mounds View, are officers of Pa ents without Partners, Rosevil Chapter. The men, Ron Mudra Blaine and Bert Spohn, Eaga serve on the Board of Directors Singles All Together of St. Paul. Swimmer honored Now in her fourth year as a Ur versity of Minnesota swimme Sue Roell recently set an NCA record in the 100 meters brea troke. Her time was 1:02.69. TI Burnsville High School gradua currently holds eight Minneso Varsity records, five Cooke HE pool records and was named "Cc legiate Individual Athlete of tl Year". Monday evening at ti March of Dimes Sports Dinner the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minnea olis. Care coordinator Fairview Ridges Hospita Burnsville has named Jill Loe fler, R.N. patient care coordinate for the Labor and Delivery Uni Loeffler is a graduate of the Fai view School of Nursing and hi been with the Fairview systei since 1968. Teacher award Convent of the Visitation Scho speech and English teacher Norm Seashore was presented an "Ou standing Teacher Award" by tt University of Chicaeo. She ‘.IN A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM LAST WEEK'S DAKOT Eagan rule will force three to leave boards Eagan is going to get some new blood into its city advisory boards and commissions, but it took a blood-letting of sorts to bring it about. Pam McCrea, the newest member of the city council, proposed that the council limit members serving on the advisory bodies to nine years' service. After the council adopted McCrea's proposal, council members — in- cluding McCrea — said they were surprised to learn the action meant three people had to be dropped immediately from the advisory planning commission, advisory parks board and the park board. The three people removed from office — each with more than 15 years' service — are Chuck Hall, Roger Martin and Carolyn Thurs- ton. "This is organizational business," said May- or Vic Ellison. "It appears that we're doing some reorganizing." 1�T;ns.rc.m.n. ....1;.,4* new, .•nice% 1.k.1 Eagan seeks applications for advisory boards, commissions Interested Eagan residents are encouraged to apply for positions on the city's Advisory Planning Commission; Advi- sory Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commis- sion; Joint Burnsville/Eagan Cable Communications Com- mission; Airport Relations Committee; Economic Devel- opment Commission; and Solid Waste Abatement Commis- sion. A number of appointments will be made to each commis- sion/committee by the City Council in January. Advisory Planning Commis- sion — The Advisory Planning Commission meets the fourth Tuesday of each month to re- view development plans, zon- ing applications, comprehen- sive guide plan amendments, usage permits and to make recommendations to the City Council. Advisory Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Com- mission — This commission meets the first Thursday of each month to advise the City Council regarding park dedica- tion by developers, purchase of additional park land, develop- ment of existing park land, rec- reation programs and protec- tion and enhancement of Ea- gan natural resources. Cable Communications Commission — This group meets the second Thursday of each month to oversee the ad- ministration of the joint Burns- ville/Eagan cable television system. Airport Relations Committee — This committee regularly meets the second Tue;day of each month to review airport issues within the city of Eagan and to recommend airport re- lated policy to the City Coun- cil. Residents from airport noise affected neighborhoods and representatives from the business community are espe- cially encouraged to apply to this committee. Economic Development Commission — The group meets regularly the fourth Thursday of each month to re- view policies and issues per- taining to economic develop- ment and redevelopment in the city of Eagan. Members each represent different categories of business interests. Appli- cants must either reside in or do business in the city of Ea- gan. Solid Waste Abatement Commission — This commis- sion regularly meets the third Thursday of each month to re- view waste management is- sues/policies which include the Eagan recycling program. Members include business and hauling community representa- tives and residents. Present appointees to com- missions and committees may apply for reappointment and will be given consideration along with all other applicants by the City Council. Residents of Eagan who wish to apply to serve on one of these commis- sions should submit a back- ground information form, which can be obtained by calling the Eagan Municipal Center at 681-4600. The deadline for ap- plication is Dec. 28. interviews are tentatively scheduled to he held the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 9. Appointments will be considered at the Jan. 16 City Council meeting. Eagan seeks applications for advisory boards, commissions Interested Eagan residents are encouraged to apply for positions on the city's Advisory Planning Commission; Advi- sory Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commis- sion; Joint Burnsville/Eagan Cable Communications Com- mission; Airport Relations Committee; Economic Devel- opment Commission; and Solid Waste Abatement Commis- sion. A number of appointments will be made to each commis- sion/committee by the City Council in January. Advisory Planning Commis- sion — The Advisory Planning Commission meets the fourth Tuesday of each month to re- view development plans, zon- ing applications, comprehen- sive guide plan amendments, usage permits and to make recommendations to the City Council. Advisory Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Com- mission — This commission meets the first Thursday of each month to advise the City Council regarding park dedica- tion by developers, purchase of additional park land, develop- ment of existing park land, rec- reation programs and protec- tion and enhancement of Ea- gan natural resources. Cable Communications Commission — This group meets the second Thursday of each month to oversee the ad- ministration of the joint Burns- ville/Eagan cable television system. Airport Relations Committee — This committee regularly meets the second Tuesday of each month to review airport issues within the city of Eagan and to recommend airport re- lated policy to the City Coun- cil. Residents from airport noise affected neighborhoods and representatives from the business community are espe- cially encouraged to apply to this committee. Economic Development Commission — The group meets regularly the fourth Thursday of each month to re- view policies and issues per- taining to economic develop- ment and redevelopment in the city of Eagan. Members each represent different categories of business interests. Appli- cants must either reside in or do business in the city of Ea- gan. Solid Waste Abatement Commission — This commis- sion regularly meets the third Thursday of each month to re- view waste management is- sues/policies which include the Eagan recycling program. Members include business and hauling community representa- tives and residents. Present appointees to com- missions and committees may apply for reappointment and will be given consideration along with all other applicants by the City Council. Residents of Eagan who wish to apply to serve on one of these commis- sions should submit a back- ground information form, which can be obtained by calling the Eagan Municipal Center at 681-4600. The deadline for ap- plication is Dec. 28. Interviews are tentatively scheduled to be held the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 9. Appointments will be considered at the Jan. 16 City Council meeting. Eagan Sun•Current—Wednesday, Jan. 29, 1992-5A Council appoints new members to advisory commissions The Eagan City Council made 'ral appointments as part of yearly organizational business during its meeting Jan. 21. Appointed to Eagan's Ad- visory Planning Commission's three year terms are John Gor- man, Mark Miller and Ronald Voracek. John Griggs was ap- pointed to a two-year term and Shawn Hunter became the one- year alternate. Three-year appointments were given to Theodore Billy, Jack Johnson and David Moora- dian on Eagan's Parks, Recrea- tion and Natural Resources Commission. Erin Ipsen was ap- pointed to fill out the remaining one year of John Griggs' three- year term. Jonathan Widem also will fill out the remaining year of Shawn Hunter's three- year term. (Griggs and Hunter were appointed to the Planning Commission.) Kevin Knight was appointed as one-year alternate. Airport Relations Commission three-year appointments went to W. Dustin Mirick, Lois Monson and Jane Vanderpoel. Two one- year alternate appointments were given to Robert Cooper and Patricia Todd. Councilmember Pam McCrea requested a loth category for small business be added to the Economic Development Com- mission. Appointed to that new category was Tom Pederson. Patrick Grinde was appointed for the development category. Roger Hughes was appointed for public representation. Appointed to the Joint Burns- ville/Eagan Cable Communica- tions Commission is Michael Guncheon as the one-year alternate. Appointments were made to the city's Solid Waste Abate- ment Commission for the first time. Past commission members were appointed on an ad hoc basis. The nine member commission and one alternate represent residents and business. To move to term ap- pointments, council members appointed the following members: Terry Davis, resident to three- r year term; Floyd Hiar and Ken Ische, residents to two-year terms; Dennis Seiz as a one- year resident alternate; Terry Jacobs, business to three-year term; Larry Knutson, business to a two-year term; Craig Seim, business to a one-year term; and Patrick Frater, business to a two-year term. Eagan's Water Resource Coordinator Rich Brasch was named the city's representative on the Gun Club Lake Watersh- ed Management Organization; Tom Colbert, public works director, was appointed as an alternate. Councilmember Tim Pawlen- ty was named acting mayor to preside if Mayor Tom Egan is absent. Thisweek Newspapers was named the city's legal newspaper. Standing Committee appoint- ments for council members are: Finance — Tim Pawlenty and Pam McCrea; Public Works — Ted Wachter and Tom Egan; Personnel — Pat Awada and McCrea. City Council meetings will continue to be scheduled on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, except where noted. Those meetings which fall on legal holidays and elections will be sheduled for Thursday of those weeks. Five Thursday dates are: March 5, April 9, May 21 and Oct. 9. Commission vacancies remain Interested Eagan residents are encouraged to apply for un- filled positions on the city's Solid Waste Abatement Commission and Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization. Two vacancies remain in the Solid Waste Abatement Com- mission: a one-year resident term and a one-year resi- dent/business alternate term. The commission has moved to term appointments. Current ap- pointments have been tem- porarily shortened so as to stag- ger what will become three-year terms. No resident applied for a one- year alternate position for the Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization. Eagan's Public Works Director Tom Colbert will remain the one-year alternate until interest is shown by a resident(s). For more information about commission vacancies, call the Eagan Municipal Center at 681-4600. Citizen involvement in county government takes many forms By EVELYN HOOVER Apple Valley resident Bill Holton seems to have found his niche in county govern- ment. After serving a term on the Dakota County Planning Advisory Commission, the former Apple Valley City Council member and mayor was appointed to the county's Parks and Recrea- tion Advisory Committee (PRAC), a committee he chaired for two terms. Former state Rep. Connie Morrison also serves Dakota County on the Library Board, which is responsible for the library system's budget and day-to-day op- erations. The Burnsville woman finds her work with the Li- brary Board meaningful. "I think that according to stat- ute, we have a very impor- tant role to play, and we take our responsibility very seriously," Morrison said. "I think that because of the people on the board, who are just outstanding people, we are taken seri- ously" by county staff and the County Board. Holton and Morrison are among the many citizens serving on advisory groups that offer citizen input to the County Board. Other opportunities for citizen input include calling and writing commissioners and speaking at public hear- ings and board meetings. County commissioners agree that citizen involve- ment is what makes county - 7- 9 government work. "It's very important, be- cause you get the feeling of non -political people. You get their feelings, and I think ... it's very important to get interaction between political and non -political people," said Commissioner Paul Krause. Advisory boards, commissions No one disputes the impor- tance of advisory boards and commissions. But some commissioners wonder whether or not the citizens' involvement is used as well as it could be by the board. Commissioner Steve Lo- eding, in particular, ex- pressed some frustration lege. With the use of medica- tions, she was able to finish college. After graduation, she got a job and worked success- fully for a large corporation for six years. However, in 1983, Jeanne's doctor stopped the medication treatments and essentially told her to "get on with her life," Brown said. Shortly afterward, Jeanne suffered a "psychotic break" at work and was offered an immediate sabbatical by her employer. Right before the sabbatical was scheduled to end, her employer gave her two choices — resign or be fired. "That's why I got so in- volved," Brown said. Jeanne JEAN BROWN "never really totally recovered. "I didn't get involved until she lost her job. That's when I joined the Alliance," Brown said. "I wanted to channel my anger and do something good with it and not sit back and say, 'Why me Lord.' " Brown's volunteer role within Photo by Evelyn Hoover the county has changed over the years. She is currently a member of DCAMI and served as the organization's president from 1985-90. Since 1985, Brown has served on the county's Human Services Ad- visory Committee. She is also involved in the Mental Health aeciaea sne neeaea to 'ma more balance between her vol- unteer efforts and her career as a wardrobe consultant for Day- ton's FYI service. Housing, she said, was a "selfish" choice, since that's the service she needed most for her daughter. "I've spent the last five years intensely pursuing housing to suit (Jeanne's) needs," Brown explained. Although she has tried on three different occasions, Jeanne is unable to live by herself. Group homes, Brown said, are only temporary hous- ing. That's where the Shared Housing project comes into play. Guild and DCAMI are looking at buying two homes Citizens (Continued from front page) over the lack of communi- cation between the County Board and some of its advi- sory boards. He said he finds it frustrat- ing when he runs into a citi- zen he's appointed to a committee, and the citizen brings up an issue that's a hot topic in the committee and Loeding hasn't heard anything about the issue. "I like to think I stay more in touch," Loeding said. Commissioner Patrice Bataglia agreed that the lines of communication be- tween the board and its ad- visory boards needs to be more open. "I think (the advisory boards) have been underutil- ized," said Bataglia, whose district includes most of Ea- gan and all of Mendota Heights, Mendota and Lily - dale. "I would like to see the relationship ... strength- ened." At the same time, she said, the County Board isn't always going to agree with the recommendations of its advisory boards, which are comprised of citizens ap- pointed by the County Board. Burnsville Commissioner Mike Turner said he sees the advisory boards' role as one of assisting the board with policy decisions. He added, "They shouldn't be scapegoats for the board." Holton said he thinks the county does a good job of utilizing citizen input. The PRAC, which formed in 1993 to improve citizen input in the area of parks and recreation within the county, advises the County Board on parks issues. "I think we provide citizen input to the County Board that they wouldn't hear oth- erwise," Holton said, "on a rational, well -thought-out basis." Before being appointed to the PRAC, Holton served on the county's Planning Advi- sory Commission (PAC) and said he was "disillusioned with that." Unlike a city's planning commission, which has a great deal of input on plan- ning issues, the county's PAC reviews environmental and natural resource propos- als and makes recommenda- tions to the board. It also discusses trails and transpor- tation issues and reviews planning and program pro- posals relating to the com- prehensive plan. Turner said the PAC suf- fers from a lack of board direction. Loeding agreed and said PAC needs a mis- sion. "There's been no real communication ... to estab- lish a specific issue we want them to address," said Loeding, whose district in- cludes most of Apple Valley and all of Rosemount. That kind of direction was invaluable for the Human Services Advisory Commis- sion (HSAC), Loeding said. In the commission's early days, members felt it was their mission to address budget issues and discuss nearly any human services - related issue that arose. In more recent years, the board has changed the mis- sion of the HSAC, giving it an important issue or two in the areas of early interven- tion or prevention. The commission spends the greater part of a year studying the issue and then makes recommendations to the County Board. Loeding said many advi- sory groups could benefit from a similar structure. "What (the board) should be doing is being visionary ... saying to the committees, `Here's our vision. This is your area.' " To help foster communica- tion between advisory boards and the County Board, one commissioner is assigned to each legislative - mandated advisory board. Bataglia and Krause agree that it's up to individual commissioners to get in- volved with the advisory board to which they've been assigned and try to make a difference. Bataglia, who is liaison to the Library Board and the Community Corrections Ad- visory Board (CCAB), has been able to help make changes, particularly with the CCAB. After a series of work- shops, the CCAB has taken a new direction and has formulated several goals including strengthening ties with the County Board and increasing public awareness. From the County Board's perspective, changes also being made foster commu- nication with the advisory groups. Bataglia said the board now holds an annual meet- ing with advisory group members. During the meet- ing, the county's organiza- tion is explained, as is the role of the advisory groups. "We're always looking for ways to do business differ- ently or better," she said. "If we don't value these re- sources, they may not be ours anymore." Citizen input Citizens can provide input on issues at public hearings, through letters and phone (See Citizens, p.22A) Citizens (Continued) calls to commissioners and by joining citizen groups to rally for or against projects, like the proposed new air- port. But how much impact does citizen input carry? Commissioner Loeding, in particular, believes the County Board needs to im- prove its use of citizen feedback and input. "My concern is the system insulates the board from hearing things," Loeding said. The funnel-like system is set up, Loeding said, so most citizen concerns are handled at the staff level. Recognizing that as an issue, the board has added a five-minute public comment time at the beginning of each regular meeting and is looking at other ways to ad- dress the issue, Loeding said. Turner said he thinks the county does an "excellent job in terms of getting citi- zens involved." He added, "I think people want to be involved in gov- ernment." Although he's only served one year on the board, Krause said he can see "there is a great deal of ... involvement from private citizens. THE HUMAN Services Advisory Committee took testimony from local experts March 19. Photo by Rick Orndorf I. !PM IppD1A ,coo" District 3 Icl°as Patrice Bataglia SarISM 438-4429 District 5 Michael Turner 438-4431 Ikn SVIIIE ERG. District 2 Donald Maher 438-4428 ©AC(Ou T A ©OMUJ T V INVER ©IMASSII©HEN DDIISSTQX 'i GROVE Ir 1�11S District 4 James Mueller 438-4244 onE District 7 EDs'>1 aln Steve Loeding M..,,Mr, "Basically the calls I would get from citizens are on decisions that are being made that would affect those who live in my dis- trict," said Krause, whose district includes parts of Apple Valley and Burnsville and all of Lakeville. For instance, he said, a stop sign was installed on Highview and Dodd, at the suggestion of a citizen. And if it weren't for citizen in- volvement, Lakeville might not be included in the county's capital improve- ment program (CIP) for 1997. Citizens successfully lob- bied the County Board to have the construction date for Lakeville's library moved up to the 1997 CIP. "A library in Lakeville is very, very important to me as a commissioner and all my constituents," Krause said. He said citizens showed their interest by making phone calls and sending let- ters. Like, Lakeville residents, Inver Grove Heights resi- dents also rallied around adding a new library in their city to the county's 1997 CIP. "Inver Grove Heights worked out a solution and brought it to the board, and the board put it in the CIP," Turner said. Aside from library issues and taxes, Turner said roads garner the most public re - District 6 Paul Krause 438-4243 LAIEYIIIE II CA 438-4430 Vcalau W District 1 Joseph Harris FAallwtfa Z 438-4427 . rla ' wows 1 I CREDIVAtt I I SCIOtA 'I WIPE CAS1LE laa sponse. The interim third lane on I-35W and the expansion of McAndrews Road both brought about a great deal of public input during the process. And after a car slid off County Road 5 and into a Burnsville resident's back- yard, Turner said, the citi- zen's comments were the impetus for the installation of a guardrail and for the eventual development of guardrail policy. "People do make a difference," he said. "I don't get a lot" of phone calls or letters, Turner said. "Hopefully that's attributed to the fact that staff handles it very well." Occasionally Turner gets positive phone calls from constituents as well. In fact, he said, he's gotten more feedback from constituents 1114 I r' about the fact that he re- fused a raise this year than he has on any other issue. For Bataglia, the Inver Grove Heights library gar- nered an "enormous amount of letters, phone calls." For her, citizen input is used to help make a deci- sion on an issue. "I can't think of a time when (citizen input) changed my mind, but I can tell you I reserve judgment until I've done my home- work," she said. "I try to be a big -picture person ... and look at (issues) from many points of view." (EDITOR'S NOTE: "Special Assignment" is a monthly feature of Thisweek Newspapers. To suggest a topic for a future "Special Assignment," call Managing Editor Evelyn Hoover at 894- 1111 or fax to 894-1859.) r�2 A April 7, 1996 THISWEEK More metro news/ 15A, 16A, 16C, 24C ■ Obituaries/3B DAKOTA COUNTY METRO s ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS DISPATCH., THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1988 3 lose Eagan posts in quest for 'new blood' By Bruce Orwell Staff Writer Eagan City Council members acted to put new blood into the city's advisory commissions Tues- day night, and in the process swept aside three planning and parks commission members whose terms had not expired. Planning Commission Chairman Chuck Hall, Advisory Parks Com- mittee Chairman Roger Martin and Parks Board member Carolyn Thurston lost their positions when the council voted to limit citizens serving on city commissions to no more than nine consecutive years. All three had been on their re- spective boards for more than 15 years. Mayor Vic Ellison said the re- strictions adopted by the council were good because they'll inject "new blood" into city government. But even new city council mem- ber Pam McCrea, who proposed the limits, conceded that the result of the action was "tacky." She said she hadn't realized her motion would immediately drop the three members, who serve as volunteers. McCrea said the limits were in- tended to give more people a chance to serve the city. Eagan re- cently was flooded with 35 appli. cants seeking a variety of commis- sion slots dealing with planning, parks, cable TV and airport noise. One city council member, Thom- as Egan, protested that the move was inappropriate and hadn't been advertised on an agenda. "I'm sure that when Chuck Hall receives his packet and finds out he's been summarily eliminated from the Planning Commission, he's going to be shocked," Egan said. "I don't think you take some- thing away from someone without due notice." Council member Ted Wacher — who served 13 years on the Plan- ning Commission before being elected to the council — voted for the limits, but said he also did not understand that Martin, Hall and Thurston would be ousted immedi- ately by the change. The dismissals made him uncomfortable, he add- ed, because last year he personally "begged" Martin to serve another term on the Parks Board. "This is organizational busi- ness," responded Mayor Vic Elli- son. "It appears that we're doing some reorganizing." Ellison, too, said the change "probably could have been handled more smoothly." But he endorsed it because it will bring newer resi- dents of the booming city into serv- ice. Martin said Wednesday he had not been informed of the city's de- cision. While not upset, he added that "it sounds like a pretty un- ceremonious way to get dumped . I felt I was putting forth my best effort for the city. If they thought I wasn't doing the job, that would be another thing." Martin said he was a supporter of Ellison's political rival, former Mayor Bea Blomquist, and thought the city council's actions might be thinly veiled political maneuvers. But Ellison said the change had nothing to do with the three indi- viduals involved. In all, four Planning Commission vacancies and an alternate's slot were filled. The new members add- ed to the Planning Commission were Daniel B. Gary, Timothy J. Pawlenty, Gary A., Graves, Scott M. Merkley and alternate Mark Miller. New members of the Park Board are Richard L. Carroll and Michele Swanson, with David J. Hennes as an alternate.