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Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Eagan's Y2K Compliance - 2/16/1999Patch T/ Transfer Patch , 414- •,1 . ' . I - • II IF III. =r f [ H • , I'• 1 I Y , .,1YsIF 11 •o ••- _ t U[ti `r! dl ? i k•- 9 'fir .1 II .s .. 111h • r1I • rl • I V I. r • I—r • r . I •. • ' • ' n 1 �� --• � . -�• .s , a use. 1 .1, gi., 1 �� , T � I JI 1 I 1 "�'P ,, {I. , • 'I 11 5 :i Ili F:II y •� � • ��1 c� }I I. 1 , 1 w_ -1• likyIVI i1fl �� 1 -, �i �' 1,I i" r,{ 3. 111,1 +r• l �� t.11 • 13 ; 11 1 CJti"0..XCt%\* 1d - Z'Z. •'Z0oq In the Community. With the Community, For the Community www.mnSun.com —Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 — Apple Wlley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current 3 City of Eagan -and Comcast to split studio connection cost GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS The city of Eagan and Comcast could not agree on who should pay for a connec- tion to the city's new community televi- sion studio, so they'll split the bill. The Eagan City Council voted Tuesday, Oct. 6, to accept a settlement with the cable provider to split a $121,000 bill for connecting fiber optic cable to the new studio at the Thompson Reuters campus. ' Last November, the council agreed to pay for the extension with the expectation Comcast would reimburse the city. The studio went live in January. "We were faced with the situation that we were going to go off the air and go dark," said Communication Director Tom Garrison, if the connection weren't installed. The city contended the cable company should pay Tor the connection through franchise fees it collects from customers to be used on community programming. City officials chose to enter mediation rather than take the suit to trial and incur legal costs. Burnsville and Eagan ran a coopera- tive community television operation until this year. The two split after outgrowing the building that housed the joint opera- tion. St. John Neumann in Eagan to showcase fair items from afar GRANT BOELTER • SUN NEWSPAPERS, An Eagan church is encouraging shop- pers to concentrate not only on how cute a dress might look or how tasty that choco- late might be, but also where the items come from. The Just Marketplace Ministry at St. John Neumann Church will sponsor its fourth annual Fair Trade Sale 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the church at 4030 Pilot Knob Road. The goal of the sale is to in part to bring interesting food and clothing items from around the world to residents. But organiz- ers hope the purchases go deeper than just the exchange of dollars. "That's our number -one initiative, that educational piece," said Mary Jo Peterson, volunteer coordinator of the Just Marketplace Ministry "We provide educa- tional information on each of the tables on where the products come from." Among the items at this year's sale are fair trade coffee, hand -carved Peruvian gourds and high -quality African -made apparel. The sale has grown in its four years of existence at the church from a simple con- signment sale using fair trade items from Catholic Relief in its first year. Now, Peterson said organizations are seeking out the church to be featured in the sale. "We want to make sure our products change enough so that people want to come," she said. "I think they'll see a lot of variety in the gift items as well as the food items." Peterson said the Catholic ; Church began exploring the sale as a way to empower impoverished communities. "It's in the social justice vein that we are all about," she said. Where Americans are often buying items made in other countries, most don't have an idea about the conditions for the workers in the factories or environmental practices of the companies who make the items. At the sale, buyers will learn what goes into the items they are purchasing. "It's a model for international trade," said Peterson. "You have a little more assur- ance that your producer is receiving fair wages." In addition to the items for sale, the church will be selling fresh Honduran food for lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. made by one of its parishioners, who goes simply by Raquel. "It's her own recipes," said Peterson. "It's really good food." Items will also be for sale after Saturday evening and Sunday morning services. For more information on the sale visit wwwsjn.org or call 651454-2079. fjO rTins "1 - 23 - Zooq CONTINUED FROM 1B > Eagan Web site staff have sometimes ended up in Salberg's inbox Then there's the issue of con- tent. In 2004, Salberg used the site to toss insults at then -Mayor Pat Geagan, calling him, among other things, a fascist. For a long while, the site read: "Welcome to Eagan, the 8th largest City in Minnesota and home to the Mayor with the biggest ego. Residents enjoy a poorly designed Web site, fre- quent threats from the Mayor, and poking fun at thin-skinned elected officials." The dot-org site was tem- porarily taken down in 2004 after inquiries from the Pioneer Press. Most of Salberg's more recent postings are brief announcements about eatery and small-business openings in the area, such as a new Dunn Bros drive -through or the Little Caesar's pizza shop that opened at the end of Feb- ruary. But not every posting has been so business -oriented A recent entry criticized an indi- vidual by name and accused him of being a womanizer. The posting was taken down, but not before ruffling feathers .at City Hall In February, the city filed; a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum seeking rights to the site, but a March 24 decision by a forum panelist shot the claim down. The arbiter noted the term "city of Eagan" describes, a geographic location and becomes a registered service mark, similar to a patent or trademark, only when it's used in conjunction with the city's stylized logo. The logo con- tains the image of a tree. But here's the postlude: Emmett Salberg apparently has decided to end the back - and -forth in exchange for cash City officials said they've sent him $2,000 for CityofEagan.org and are waiting for him . to deposit the check. Under the title "Good bye," a posting dated July 11 carries the following message: "After the City's law firm failed „to take this site down, I have decided to sell the site. Thanks to all you that regularly fol- lowed this site and to those of you that submitted news tips." An e-mail to Salberg was not returned, and a man answer- ing the phone at Salberg's resi- dence on Monday abruptly hung up on a reporter. 'A phone message left Tuesday was not returned. Frederick Melo can he reached at 651-228-2172. Eagan wants to buy .org Web site Dot-com dot-org confusion ends with $2,000 sale By Frederick Melo fmelo@pioneerpress-.com After a brief legal fight with the city of Eagan and years of being mistaken for something it's not, the Web site "Cityof- Eagan.org" is up for sale — and the city wants it. Lest there be any confusion: the domain name "City- ofEagan.com" is not on the market. The two Internet addresses lead to very different sites, indeed. Owned by the city, CityofEagan.com features municipal announcements, meeting agendas and informa- tion about city services. Its sometimes -nemesis, City- ofEagan.org, is a blog site reg- istered to Eagan resident Stacey Salberg that features, among other things, snapshots taken in March of a dead coy- ote lying wide-eyed on the side of Pilot Knob Road Salberg's husband, Emmett Salberg, purchased the dot-org site in 2003 for $5.99 and trans- ferred ownership to his wife in February. The Web sites, similar in name but not in focus, have been the subject of much con- fusion, with residents tripping across one while searching for the other. City officials said e-mails intended for municipal EAGAN WEB SITE, 58 > Varner vatfey 'enter rt Equipment 7/Glide Laser`: lair affective For all hair ... types, tans ak rval errnabrasion aser Skin... 'rained staff n 5-1234 . # 203 Eagan l . and Cedar ) radv.com www.mnSun.com Eagan hopes chan eg will net improved site on the Internet City Council also approves plans for North Fields Park athletic complex con infra ope the nor Hig from re submit comments and concerns to the ty a city while also giving them the option of incr signing up for various e-mail subscrip- tion lists covering different areas of city spat government. One reason the city's site gets cloggedpave with information is because right now st r information on the site needs to be re- sery moved manually. The changes will allow the p the city to set an expiration date for cer- tain information. BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers In an effort to make things easier for the public, the city of Eagan will soon have a new Web site vendor. The Eagan City Council approved during its Jan. 21 meeting a contract with Quantum Art Inc. to create and in- stall a content management system and other improvements for the city's Web site. "Right now it's easy to get lost on the site, lose your way and not be able to fig- ure out how to get back," Communica- tions Director Tom Garrison said. "The city has more than 1,500 pages of infor- mation, I believe it's actually closer to 1,900 pages, on the site." Updating the site and making it more user friendly has long been a priority of the council, Garrison said. So much so that when he was interviewing for his position last year, it was one of the key things he was asked about, he said. The city is especially interested in en- suring that it is putting its Web site to the best use possible because a resident sur- vey completed last year showed 85 per- cent of Eagan residents have Internet ac- cess. Even with those numbers, the city will not be phasing out its other methods of communication with the public, such as its monthly newsletter focusing on city issues. "This is not going to replace the paper newsletter or other things we send out," Garrison said. "However, we need to re- alize this is the wave of the future." The new site will allow for two-way communication with the public, Garri- son said. The site will allow residents t When that time is reached, the infor- mation will be removed from the public version of the site, but can remain an in- active part of the site so that it can be reused if necessary at a later date. "This will be especially helpful for events such as the Fourth of July when we will be using the information again," Garrison said. "That way we can pull it up and see what we did before and make it fresh for the public." With the way the system will be set up with Quantum Art, departmental ex- perts within the city will provide the content for the site, with city communi- cations staff editing it before it is posted. An important aspect of the content management system is that it allows the city to build off it in the future and add different aspects to its Web site, Garri- son said. "This is really a platform from which to build," he said. "It is compatible with other forms so more can be added to it down the road as the city needs." Quantum Arts was identified through a nationwide request for proposals process that led to nine bidders submit- ting bids ranging from $23,345 to $186,500. Quantum Arts, which was the lowest bidder, and four other vendors were interviewed in November. Quantum Arts is providing only the technology to drive the new system and not the Web site design, Garrison said. A local vendor will provide the design aspects with costs not to exceed $19,000, he said. In other business: The council approved plans for the struction of athletic fields and other structure at North Fields Park and ned up the public bidding process for project. The undeveloped park to the - thwest of Yankee Doodle Road and hway 149, was acquired by the city the state in 2000 through tax forfei- t The city intends to use the groper- s an athletic complex to fill the city's easing demand for field space. lans for the site include an open e of 440 feet by 720 feet for turf is such as soccer and lacrosse, a t d parking lot for 120 vehicles, a m water control system and water ice extending to a fire hydrant near arking lot. WEB: To Page 10A Web From Page 2A The project is estimated to cost $630,000 with funding. coming from the Park Site Fund. The City Council previ- ously reviewed the project and approved the allocation of funds in the city's Parks Capital Improvement Program. The field space created by the project, which is slated to be completed in the fall, is especially needed with the loss of field space on the Blue Cross campus, Parks Director Ken Vraa said. Blue Cross expansion plans include using the soccer fields on its property at the corner of Yankee Doodle Road and Highway 13. 1 r Fress scAji fe . �) 01 o Q.3 BUDGET WATCH Keeping eye on your tax dollars Number was up for Eagan phone system BY MARA H. GOTTFRIED Pioneer Press If you've ever experienced the frustrations of getting a new phone number, pity the city of Eagan. Eagan recently bought 1,000 new phone numbers for City Hall, the police station and at least 26 other city buildings. The price tag for overhauling the phone system was $250,000. That figure may sound like a lot at first, but a closer look shows the costs aren't out of line. It also shows the price paid by growing suburban communities to stay in touch with residents, who expect a high level of service. The $250,000 breaks down like this: $233,000 for new phones and switching equipment; $16,000 for consulting fees; and $1,000 for the new phone numbers. That works out to $3.93 per Eagan resident, based on the 2000 census. Eagan's goal is to maintain its systems inexpensively for as long as it can, said Tom Garri- son, Eagan's spokesman. "When we do have to pur- chase new systems, we try to purchase them at the best price for the city's needs, and we think we've been very frugal," Garri- son said. The need for cities to commu- nicate with residents more effec- tively is ever growing, said the League of Minnesota Cities' Ann Higgins, an intergovernmental relations representative who works on telecom issues. "Upgrading a system can lead to better customer service and the ability to bring more people to the conversation," she said. "People these days expect more advanced ways to get in touch with people at city hall than an old-fashioned phone sys- tem can provide." Telecommunications consult- ant Mike Haigh, a partner in Haigh, Todd & Associates, said his initial impression was that what Eagan paid "does not seem unreasonable. That's a reason- able, competitive price." The benefits of Eagan system "are tied up with the inadequa- cies of the previous phone sys- tem," said Garrison. The previous system was 11 years old, and its manufacturer was on the verge of not provid- ing any more technical support Replacement parts were hard to come by. It was at capacity for adding new phone numbers due to the city's growth during the 1990s. Phone numbers for Eagan's city offices had four prefixes, and the city would have ended up with a sixth had it not pur- chased the new numbers, Garri- son said. Since the upgrade in December, city offices now have one prefix, making it easier to transfer calls when citizens phone. Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at mgottfried@pioneerpress.com or (651) 228-5262. FOUR SECTIONS News • Sports General Section Burnet Realty Section Real Estate Section Classified Section 68 pages IturAitcee,tc z . t,t4- ! c19'l Eagan THISWEE Your Community Newspaper Volume 20, No. 51 February 14, 1999 Visit us online at: http://www. thisweek-online.com As millennium nears, cities gear up for Y2K compliance By BOB TEMPLE This is the first in a series of stories on the Year 2000 Prob `.. lem that will be run throughout 1999. The problem, commonly referred to as the Millennium Bug or Y2K, affects computer chips and software programs that use a two -digit field for the year (such as "99" for 1999). These systems may interpret the change to "00" as being the year 1900, because the century (the "19" part of the• year) is implied. Computers, computer programs and millions of other FIRST IN; SERIES g1oi,i 1100 00113 ' 1010 Bele 01011 01, ; 1110111rn1F 40111 11 +';1 101010 1131101r Is+;, L. 310101111•sti J1010101101101 10101001k .010101010101010110 11111 SOW 19®191011U'e10i1 00011 AI. t[1r Irw1 ip' minx m+nii products that use embedded chips can be affected. This se- ries will look at potential im- pacts to your everyday life and efforts by public- and private - sector entities to solve the prob- lem. • A number, sandwiched by two letters: Y2K. Say it a few years ago and it's meaningless. Say it today and launch a ma- jor discussion. Opinions on the scope and importance of the Year 2000 Problem (Y2K) vary wildly. To some, it's the end of the world as we know it. To others, it's nothing about which to be con- cerned. Regardless of personal be- liefs, area cities are taking Y2K seriously, and in every case have been working on it in one form or another for at least a year. They have carved out a course in their efforts to solve a problem like none they've ever faced before. The Y2K "bug," by its na- ture, has never occurred, so there is no roadmap for cities to follow, and the deadline for "solving" the problem is com- pletely immovable. No amount of meetings or budgeting or arm -twisting can change the fact that at midnight Dec. 31, you're either ready or you're not. While they've gone about it in slightly different ways, area cites have remarkably similar formulas for Y2K success. Many have used the League of Minnesota Cities' "Year 2000 Action Guide," or a modified version of it. That plan calls for working on the problem in four steps: Creating an inventory of all possible affected systems and components; assessing the compliance of each of the in - (See Y2K, p.6A) ` 4S wee. 132. - 11+ - F114 )(2K- (Continued critical ems and we'll have tested them all by the end of August. All the vendors who make those parts have been contacted and all said that yes, the equipment they supplied us is compliant. We'll take that a t step farther and test those in March. We'II be way ahead." i Dakota Electric supplies s electricity to portions of a Farmington, Lakeville, Apple Valley, Eagan, Rosemount, Burnsville, Inver Grove Heights and Hastings. The co- op power company has been working on the problem since 1995 and is regularly distribut- ing information to its custom- ers through its "Circuits" news- letter, Miller said. "We've put a lot of work effort into it so that it com by as smoothly as possible we can say, 'Wow, it wasn't bad as anybody expected,' said Miller. No promises Dakota Electric and ev local city interviewed e pressed optimism that th services will go without disru tion in the new year. But n body's making any promises. "In terms of disruptions, the are going to be minor," sa Farmington City Administrat John Erar. "I don't anticipate great deal of disruption of sery ice and if there is, it .will b resolved fairly quickly." And none of the local offi cials are sounding the alarm that doomsday is approaching. "Do I think the end of the world is coming? No," said Lakeville's Barth. "I don't buy into 'the sky is falling.' There may be some minor systems out there that people didn't know were involved (that ex- perience a problem)." The good news for concerned citizens appears to be that while some problems may oc- cur, local governments and _ utilities are preparing for it. Many experts say to prepare for Y2K as you would for a ma- jor storm that is approaching. Carry that analogy a little fur- ther, and concerned citizens can find another bright light — the same people who fix prob- lems after storms will be on hand to fix Y2K disruptions, as "We ea a that we're on top of t TIMMtiitt. here," said Miller of Dakota Electric. "But who else would you want on top? We've got experience handling emergency situations and restoring power. We've got he experience at doing tha "I've talked to all of the ty companies, and they've aid they'll be totally com nt by mid -year, but the still planning for other prob- lems," said Venables of Burnsville. "They're going to treat it like they do any other storm similar to the storms we saw this summer." Contingency plans Cities are also working on plans to be prepared in the event of disruptions. Those and plans will take shape as the es year progresses. so "We recognize that as a lo- as cal government, we'll be charged with picking up the pieces (in the event of a prob- lem)," said Charles Grawe, e#y assistant to the city administra- x- tor in Apple Valley. eir Cities' public safety depart- p- ments have backup power o- available to keep such things as 911 service, water treatment y and police and fire department id activities going in the event of or an outage. a For its part, Dakota Electric - is discussing having extra peo- e ple on hand in its Information Systems department on New - Year's Eve and extra work crews on -call, just in case. well. there is an interruption." Communication Cities are doing their best to keep lines of communication open with vendors, employees and residents. Most cities have already covered some Y2K topics in their newsletters to residents, and plan to continue to do so in the future. "Communication to the pub- lic is so important on this," said Miller. If nothing else, building a base of awareness for residents will help avoid panic in the event of a disruption of some kind. "I would be hopeful that peo- ple would take things very calmly and understand that systems may go down," said Erar. "I hope people take things in stride if t." util- Y2K issues this year, with the all bulk going for such a system Plt- for that city's Police Depart- y're ment, said Susan Walsh, assis- tant to the administrator. Since cities are responsible for providing water to resi- dents, they have all had to as- sess the preparedness of those systems. All of the cities have classified their water -treatment operations with the highest F ority. Power Cities can't do it all on th own. Just as every private ci zen or business entity relies outside people and firms support their systems, citi can only go so far to fix t problem alone. Everyone's b Y2K (Continued from front page) ventoried items; classifying them in order of importance; and creating a contingency plan for dealing with problems if they occur. "We thought (the League of Minnesota Cities') plan was pretty prudent," said Tom Ve- nables, information technolo- gies coordinator for Burnsville. Where cities are along this path varies, but all have target dates that are ahead of Dec. 31 for completion. In each city, those systems important recc first. For example, system needed wac mid-1999thatill,be sai 'Lakeville's N Another comp some cities 1 upgrade or rc their police c ords manag Rosemount, f spend at lei "Viib oil, -2 gik SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS E the PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY, CYBERSPACE Skt_COMPUTING E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the Web did for commerce. BY LESLIE BROOKS SUZUKAMO PIONEER PRESS, agan is home to many Web -savvy resi- dents, so city officials last winter fig- ured they were primed for point -and -click government. As a first step, they quietly tested a system that let residents register online for a small number of parks and recreation classes. All went well. But when the city expanded the test early this month, chaos ensued. The auto- mated online regis- tration worked smoothly, but the counter clerks who manually process larger volumes of walk-in registra- tions had trouble keeping up with the instantaneous Internet sign-ups. With no way to promptly cross-ref- erence the two sets of registrations on city computers, officials couldn't tell how many peo- ple had signed up for classes and ran the danger of overbooking classes. Frustrated, they shut down the online registration after a few days. "We'll try again in mid -May," says communica- tions coordinator Joanna Foote. It was a hard lesson about the potential and per- ils of what many dub "e-government." Using the technology of the Internet, e-govern- ment evangelists hope to do for government servic- es what the Web did for commerce — let citizens order services from home or their workplace that normally would require a trip to city hall or a state agency. They say such e-services would be more convenient for constituents while saving agencies time and money. The prospects excite Minnesota officials from the state level down to municipalities. They say citi- zens are clamoring for e-government, too. But Eagan's experience suggests, such online services may be hard to implement. Furthermore, start-up costs are potentially so high that some taxpayers may find themselves having to pay extra for the convenience of point -and -click serv- ice. Clicks at the Capitol So far, only a tiny fraction of transactions between local, state and federal governments and their constituents are handled online, but that will change in a few years, experts. say. People already are getting used to doing their NETCETERA Paper, please Columnist Cindy Lane Poch says that an e-book lacks that special something she needs. PAGE 2G MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2001Ell E-government elsewhere In Florida, Miami -Dade County plans to launch a centralized Internet portal with e-services to give queuing and stewing constituents some relief. The site will allow citizens to pay parking fines or renew licenses. "Wherever the lines are longest, that's where we want to strike," an official says. Around the country, government agen- cies at all levels are beginning to embrace e-government. Growth in this area will be steady but not spectacular through late 2001, according to For- rester Research. See pioneerpianet.com/tech for details about Florida e-government plans and the Forrester findings. In Box We want to hear from you. Send your comments to yourtech@pioneerpress .com or to In Box, Pioneer Press, 345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101. Be sure to include your name, city and, if desired, your e-mail address. PIONEER PRESS ILLUSTRATION BY KIRK LYTTLE most serious business on the Internet with the gov- ernment. Two million Americans prepared their federal taxes online in 2000. This year, Boston - based Forrester Research expected 6 million online applications to be filed, nearly 5 percent of all U.S. tax returns. Some of the most dramatic growth in e-govern- ment is expected closer to home, though. By 2006, authorities will roll out almost 14,000 total e-gov- ernment applications nationwide, and the majority of these services will come from the nation's 35,000 cities and towns, Forrester says. What's more, online filings to federal, state and local governments will explode from 25 million GOVERNMENT CONTINUED ON 4G o. Government • CONTINUED FROM 1G this year to 319 million five years from now, and taxes and fees col- lected online will grow from $24 billion to $600 billion by 2006, the research firm says. Many Minnesotans joined the e- government movement this spring when they filed state tax returns online. But the state's top year- round example of point -and -click e- government is the highly publicized online vehicle -registration renewal, which can be found prominently displayed on the state's North Star Web portal (www.northstar.state. mn.us/), the "front door" to the dozens of Web sites put up by indi- vidual state offices and agencies. Vehicles owners can renew their tabs with a few mouse clicks, either with a credit card or an automatic fund transfer, eliminat- ing the annual time-consuming trip to a local city hall or county office building. There are other interactive fea- tures available through North Star that are not readily apparent. Companies that do regular business with the state and are paid with electronic transfers can check with the Department of Finance at http://sysa.state.mn.us/ven dorpmts/Iogin.html to see how much they're owed, says Debra Bean, director of emerging tech- nologies in the Minnesota Office of Technology, which operates North Star. For the average citizen, though, examples like the Department of Natural Resources are more com- mon. A person can renew a hunt- ing or fishing license over the telephone through an automated system but not over the Internet. An online system is coming, offi- cials promise. 'My California' The push to provide online gov- ernment services mirrors the evo- lution of the Internet, observers say. A few years ago, government could be cutting -edge simply by providing tons of electronic docu- ments and downloadable forms that could be mailed back. But now citizens ask why they can't pay for parking tickets or sign up for classes the same way they buy a book online. Minnesota scores high in provid- ing governmental information online and promoting democracy on the Web, but it's not a national leader in electronic transactions, the next step up for government Internet usage, e-government pro- moters note. While Minnesota state govern- ment scored third overall in pro - finished among the lower half of states in the e-commerce side of government. "It doesn't have the most robust of portals I've seen," says center executive director Cathilea Robi- nett. Her group is more impressed by Seattle's Web site, which finished first in the ratings. That site allows citizens to do everything from pay their water bills online to sign up for ball fields. Robi- nett's group also likes the San Jose, Calif., site, which has allowed people to file 58 different permit applications online since 1999. It would be an exaggeration to say e-government is sweeping the country, though. The movement has been more like watching flow- ers sprout one by one. Arizona and a handful of other states allow online vehicle -registra- tion renewal. New York City posts restaurant -inspection results online. California and North Carolina allow citizens to personalize their Web sites as "MyNorthCarolina" or "MyCalifornia." 24/7 government St. Paul is aggressively promot- ing e-government as a way to improve "customer service." Earli- er this year, the city's Web site at www.ci.stpaul.mn.us began letting people renew their dog licenses and alarm permits online. Citizens also can use the site to report potholes and link to the library system's electronic card catalog to find out if particular books are available at branch libraries. St. Paul also allows contractors to apply over the Web for 25 dif- ferent permits, speeding up a process that used to stretch out for weeks. Now, some answers can be had via e-mail in less than a day, says Sean Kershaw, manager of Mayor Norm Coleman's E-Govern- ment Initiative. "What the mayor really wants to do is make it possible to do busi- ness with the city 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," Kershaw says. While he boasts that St. Paul's Web site leads metro -area local governments, he also says the nearly 6-year-old site is "like an old Chrysler K car with its bumper duct -taped on — it works but it's not pretty." And it can't handle what the city envisions for its future, he adds. The city has set aside $1 million to redesign and rebuild the city's site by the end of the year to handle more interac- tive transactions. Minneapolis, meanwhile, allows people to access property records online through its homepage (www.ci.Minneapolis.mn.us), and to view streaming video of City tr MENU Gavnruerit (Mr OS Mars New. Minnesots State Gov,rnrn',n Online Click on the loontohear him call nM a. Explore tvti P STATE * FEATURES Census atI0'- Minnesota Ou-Ilne Renewal of Vehicle Renistratior! meow CriMNet Senate Television Covera!}e Bonne of Euresentative4 elevion Mi!lrt��nlx� LeSiElAtRre Online vehicle -registration renewal is now available at the North Star site. access. The city is studying how to move its job -application process entirely online and allow residents to pay their water bills on the Web, he says. Suburban cities with smaller staffs and budgets can't offer as much. Oakdale, for instance, says it has no imminent plans to offer transactions on its Web site. Burnsville has no interactive fea- tures, and Woodbury says it needs to revamp its Web site first. But many suburbs are looking ahead nonetheless. Woodbury wants to offer some online permit appli- cations by the end of the year because 70 percent of its residents have some online access, says Tim Zais, the city's management infor- mation systems coordinator. Ramsey County also is seeking to redesign its Web site at www.co.ramsey.mn.us by the end of the year. So far, its best e-gov- ernment feature is the one that allows residents to pay their prop- erty taxes online using a credit card or an electronic fund transfer. The service was unveiled last year. Residents also could reserve ice time online at various arenas this past winter. But an eagerly awaited system to let people pay their parking tickets with a credit card online won't be available until 2002 at the earliest, a year after Ramsey and Hennepin counties are sched- uled to combine their traffic -viola- tions bureaus. Dakota County, at www.co.Dako ta.mn.us, already has one feature Ramsey hopes to soon unveil — the ability to look un nronertv of boundaries, plus useful informa- tion such as the latest assessments and the amounts of property taxes due. Starting in the fall, Dakota Coun- ty also hopes to be able to offer online reservations for park pavil- ions and online outdoor education classes, says Jane Vanderpoel, the county's communications director. Hennepin County (www.co.Hen nepin.mn.us), like Ramsey, offers online property -tax payment using credit cards or check transfer and property information online. It next wants to create paper -less relationships with companies that do regular business with it, hoping to save money in what Chief Infor- mation Officer Bob Hanson called "G2V — government to vendor" — a play on B2B or business -to -busi- ness Internet transactions. Pricey pick Washington County may be the farthest behind of the four coun- ties, but by May, it also expects to offer its citizens online property - tax payment, it's first transaction feature, which would coincide with the deadline for first-half property - tax payments. Citizen attitudes toward the prospects of more e-government in Washington Country are mixed, though. A recent random telephone survey of 500 residents found only 40 percent are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to conduct mon- etary transactions, such as paying property taxes or reserving camp- ing or picnic sites, using the Inter- net. cover the cost. About 44 percent say it would depend upon the cost. That's an answer that makes e-government advocates squirm. Many government agencies cannot afford to upgrade their static, information - only Web pages to han- dle interactive transactions and credit card payments on their own, so they've been farming them out to companies that make it their business to do the e-business of cities, counties and states across the country. Official Payments Corp. handles Ramsey County's online proper- ty -tax payments, for instance. It charges a fee based on the size of your payment. A credit- card payment of between $1,400 and $2,000, for instance, costs a taxpayer an extra $49 to process. "So it can get pretty pricey," says Dave Verhasselt, the county's communications coordinator. Roseville's Web site is presently a bulletin board of information, but the city is in the process of offer- ing online ice -time registration and water -bill payments. It is exploring the use of outside firms that would charge residents small fees. Typi- cal charges across the country run under $2 per transaction for parks - and -recreation class registrations. "If we go to a third party, there's no cost to the city," says Terre Heiser, Roseville's computer network manager. "The only ques- tion is: Is it worth it to the resi- dents to have to pay for added services?" More experienced e-government advocates warn against charging so-called -convenience fees." "It's the wrong psychology," says Steve E. Kolodney, director of information services for the state of Washington and in charge of the state's award -winning "Access Washington" portal. "You should be saying, 'I am a public servant. I ought to be a convenience to citi- 1 zens.' Kolodney earlier this month gave a presentation in St. Paul to state information technology off i- t cials, showing some of Washing- s ton's 240 online services. The information director believes e online services save money in the a long run and that governments t ought to find ways to get them up h and running without charging extra c fees or passing the cost on to tax- s payers in budgets. Scott Howell, a former Utah s extra fees. He says such fees would slow adoption of e-govern- ment services. Howell, who now works for IBM as a government -policy executive, says Arizona citizens initially paid IBM a fee to renew their vehicle registrations online. But when peo- ple complained, the fee was absorbed into the regular state fee and transactions on the state's Web site doubled last year, he told Minnesota officials at the same workshop Kolodney attended. "Why should we charge a fee if technology and government work the way they should?" he asked. "Government should be in the busi- ness of providing services at the lowest possible prices." Minnesota would like to follow Arizona's example and absorb the extra fee currently required for online registrations, but it can't right now, says Brian Lamb, direc- tor of Driver and Vehicle Services. In the six months since it opened its online vehicle -tab renewal, Dri- ver and Vehicle Services has processed 50,000 renewals online, about 4 percent to 5 percent of total registrations, he says. The state couldn't afford to absorb the approximately $50,000 in credit-card processing fees vehi- cle owners already have paid out. If the state succeeds in doubling usage of the online service in the first year of operation, those han- dling fees — which go to a compa- ny called EZGov — would be even more difficult to absorb, Lamb says. The state believes online regis- tration will save money in the long run, and it may be able to elimi- nate the extra fee. But the service is so new, no one knows how much people will use it, and therefore, how much can be saved, Lamb says. "It's hard to find the cost sav- ings initially," Bean agrees. Much of the impetus for e-gov- ernment seems to stem from a desire to make government hassle - free, not low-cost. Kershaw says St. Paul dove into e-service because citizens expect it. The mayor directed his staff to tackle easy services first, like the dog- icense renewals, to get something up quickly and handle more com- plex transactions later. "We are convinced that over ime, this will reduce costs," Ker- haw says. Eagan too believes its foray into -government will pay off eventu- Ily. The community has a lot of echnically inclined residents who ave been requesting such services, ommunications coordinator Foote ays. "I think demand will be very trong once it's perfected," she Y exvt l0— 21 — 2Jc 4 Apple Valley, Rosemount & Eagan Sun -Current —Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011—www.minnlocal.com COMMUNITY BRIEFS In the Commu City of Eagan recently launches new Facebook page The city of Eagan has launched a new Facebook page, facebook.com/CityofEagan, which has been attracting followers for the past week. Visitors can fmd information on police arrests, crime alerts, parks and recreation activities, road closures and development projects, and also access occasional sur- veys and polls. "Part of the city council's civic engage- ment goal is to reach out to the communi- ty in new ways, and using social media tools is one of those ways," said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire. A significant Facebook presence is an additional means of connecting people back to Eagan's content -rich website, which has 700,000 pages of information viewed since May and averages 1,500 visi- tors per day. "Residents and business managers can learn important details from Eagan's Facebook page," said City Administrator Tom Hedge, "but interactively we can learn a lot from them too." The Eagan Facebook page replaces a Parks and Recreation page put up last year as an initial foray into social media. Now, city leaders are trying to centralize city information from all departments, but in specific web and social media channels where people can easily fmd information. Phone system test Nov. 1 for county residents and businesses Jul.17. 2001 9:OOAM THE WALLACE GROUP No.7374 P. 2/2 High-speed Internet access comes to Eagan http://www.thisweek-online.com/2001/July/13intemet,httnl Sports I Classifieds 1 Business Dirscto Links I Our Company 1 Contact ve j Monday, July 16, 2001 High-speed Internet access comes to Eagan Posted 7/13/01 by Erin Johnson Staff Writer Eagan City Council Member Paul Bakken announced Tuesday that Eagan residents will get full delivery of DSL, a high-speed Internet service, by August. The announcement was the culmination of a year -long effort on Bakken's part to work with Qwest to establish DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) access for all areas of Eagan. Currently, DSL service is only available in the area around Lexington Avenue and Yankee Doodle Road. That infrastructure is currently under construction and will be extended to other areas by the end of the summer, According to Qwest, the DSL connection provides Internet service that is up to 22 times faster than standard modems, which translates into less time spent waiting for downloads. DSL also works on existing phone lines, making a second line for an Internet connection unnecessary. In addition, users don't have to wait to log on because there is no dial -up; the service is always connected. Simply clicking an icon gets users onto the Web. The DSL access was a big priority for Bakken personally because, he said, "I'm a geek," "I conduct a lot of my business over the Internet," he said, "I'm like most folks in Eagan who want more bandwidth (the amount of data allowed to travel over a network) and they want it now." Another appealing feature of DSL, Bakken said, is that it allows users to talk on the phone and ,surf the Internet at the same time on the same line. Bakken said that residents in extended access areas are already seeing sign-up notices posted in their neighborhoods. "I'm just waiting for mine," he said. ©Thisweek New papers 1 of 1 07/16/2001 12:37 PM 6514523504 -> CITY OF EAGAN ,TEL-6516814612 07/17'01 09:47 (7/18/2001) Page 2 of 2 Search Recent Articles More Search Options Newspaper Subscriptions Terms and Conditions Newspapers In Education Help News Archives Feedback Advertising Information Back to Top On Tuesday, city leaders basically said "thanks a million" to all those who have helped the city recover from last summer's storm. To be more precise, that was "thanks $5 million" to state legislators who supported legislation to give the city $5 million for flood mitigation projects, including Sen. Deanna Wiener, Rep. Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Tim Wilkin. Many people and organizations that assisted with relief by providing donations or organizing assistance also received plaques from the city. "Thank you for your leadership and compassion and heroic efforts to rebuild the community," Mayor Pat Awada said. -- Amy Sherman © 2001 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com- All Rights Reserved copyright information http://www.pioneerplanet.com/neighborhoods/docs/88035.htm 7/18/2001 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 1 of 8 • FIND A CAR ■ FIND A CAREER • FIND A HOME TwinCities.com__. Published: Monday, April 30, 2001 STORY OPTIONS . E-mail to a friend . Print this article • Today's Pioneer _Press E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the Web did for commerce. • PjoneerPlane ;,_fron3 • News BY LESLIE BROOKS SUZUKAMO • Business Eagan is home to many Web -savvy residents, so city officials last • sppilt winter figured they were primed for point -and -click government. • Entertainment • Travel As a first step, they quietly tested a system that let residents • Living register online for a small number of parks and recreation classes. • Tech All went well. • Health • Water Cooler But when the city expanded the test early this month, chaos • Special Reports ensued. The automated online registration worked smoothly, but • Classified Ads the counter clerks who manually process larger volumes of walk- • Site index in registrations had trouble keeping up with the instantaneous Internet sign-ups. With no way to promptly cross-reference the two sets of registrations on city computers, officials couldn't tell how many people had signed up for classes and ran the danger of overbooking classes. Frustrated, they shut down the online registration after a few days. "We'll try again in mid -May," says communications coordinator Joanna Foote. It was a hard lesson about the potential and perils of what many dub "e-government." Using the technology of the Internet, e-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the Web did for commerce -- let citizens order services from home or their workplace that normally would require a trip to city hall or a state agency. They say such e-services would be more convenient for constituents while saving agencies time and money. http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 2 of 8 The prospects excite Minnesota officials from the state level down to municipalities. They say citizens are clamoring for e- government, too. But Eagan's experience suggests such online services may be hard to implement. Furthermore, start-up costs are potentially so high that some taxpayers may find themselves having to pay extra for the convenience of point -and -click service. Clicks at the Capitol So far, only a tiny fraction of transactions between local, state and federal governments and their constituents are handled online, but that will change in a few years, experts say. People already are getting used to doing their most serious business on the Internet with the government. Two million Americans prepared their federal taxes online in 2000. This year, Boston -based Forrester Research expected 6 million online applications to be filed, nearly 5 percent of all U.S. tax returns. Some of the most dramatic growth in e-government is expected closer to home, though. By 2006, authorities will roll out almost 14,000 total e-government applications nationwide, and the majority of these services will come from the nation's 35,000 cities and towns, Forrester says. What's more, online filings to federal, state and local governments will explode from 25 million this year to 319 million five years from now, and taxes and fees collected online will grow from $24 billion to $600 billion by 2006, the research firm says. Many Minnesotans joined the e-government movement this spring when they filed state tax returns online. But the state's top year-round example of point -and -click e-government is the highly publicized online vehicle -registration renewal, which can be found prominently displayed on the state's North Star Web portal (www.northstar.state. mn.usn, the "front door" to the dozens of Web sites put up by individual state offices and agencies. Vehicles owners can renew their tabs with a few mouse clicks, either with a credit card or an automatic fund transfer, eliminating the annual time-consuming trip to a local city hall or county office building. http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 3 of 8 There are other interactive features available through North Star that are not readily apparent. Companies that do regular business with the state and are paid with electronic transfers can check with the Department of Finance at http://sysa.state.mn.us/ven dorpmts/login.html to see how much they're owed, says Debra Bean, director of emerging technologies in the Minnesota Office of Technology, which operates North Star. For the average citizen, though, examples like the Department of Natural Resources are more common. A person can renew a hunting or fishing license over the telephone through an automated system but not over the Internet. An online system is coming, officials promise. "My California' The push to provide online government services mirrors the evolution of the Internet, observers say. A few years ago, government could be cutting -edge simply by providing tons of electronic documents and downloadable forms that could be mailed back. But now citizens ask why they can't pay for parking tickets or sign up for classes the same way they buy a book online. Minnesota scores high in providing governmental information online and promoting democracy on the Web, but it's not a national leader in electronic transactions, the next step up for government Internet usage, e-government promoters note. While Minnesota state government scored third overall in promoting "digital democracy" in last year's "Best of the Web" ratings compiled by the California -based Center for Digital Government, it finished among the lower half of states in the e- commerce side of government. "It doesn't have the most robust of portals I've seen," says center executive director Cathilea Robinett. Her group is more impressed by Seattle's Web site, which finished first in the ratings. That site allows citizens to do everything from pay their water bills online to sign up for ball fields. Robinett's group also likes the San Jose, Calif., site, which has allowed people to file 58 different permit applications online since 1999. It would be an exaggeration to say e-government is sweeping the country, though. The movement has been more like watching flowers sprout one by one. http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 4 of 8 Arizona and a handful of other states allow online vehicle - registration renewal. New York City posts restaurant -inspection results online. California and North Carolina allow citizens to personalize their Web sites as "MyNorthCarolina" or "MyCalifornia." 24/7 government St. Paul is aggressively promoting e-government as a way to improve "customer service." Earlier this year, the city's Web site at www.ci.stpaul.mn.us began letting people renew their dog licenses and alarm permits online. Citizens also can use the site to report potholes and link to the library system's electronic card catalog to find out if particular books are available at branch libraries. St. Paul also allows contractors to apply over the Web for 25 different permits, speeding up a process that used to stretch out for weeks. Now, some answers can be had via e-mail in less than a day, says Sean Kershaw, manager of Mayor Norm Coleman's E-Government Initiative. "What the mayor really wants to do is make it possible to do business with the city 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," Kershaw says. While he boasts that St. Paul's Web site leads metro -area local governments, he also says the nearly 6-year-old site is "like an old Chrysler K car with its bumper duct -taped on -- it works but it's not pretty." And it can't handle what the city envisions for its future, he adds. The city has set aside $1 million to redesign and rebuild the city's site by the end of the year to handle more interactive transactions. Minneapolis, meanwhile, allows people to access property records online through its homepage (www.ci.Minneapolis.mn.us), and to view streaming video of City Council meetings. But it doesn't offer high -volume financial transactions like the state, says Roger Downey, director of information access. The city is studying how to move its job -application process entirely online and allow residents to pay their water bills on the Web, he says. Suburban cities with smaller staffs and budgets can't offer as much. Oakdale, for instance, says it has no imminent plans to http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 5 of 8 offer transactions on its Web site. Burnsville has no interactive features, and Woodbury says it needs to revamp its Web site first. But many suburbs are looking ahead nonetheless. Woodbury wants to offer some online permit applications by the end of the year because 70 percent of its residents have some online access, says Tim Zais, the city's management information systems coordinator. Ramsey County also is seeking to redesign its Web site at www.co.ramsey.mn.us by the end of the year. So far, its best e- government feature is the one that allows residents to pay their property taxes online using a credit card or an electronic fund transfer. The service was unveiled last year. Residents also could reserve ice time online at various arenas this past winter. But an eagerly awaited system to let people pay their parking tickets with a credit card online won't be available until 2002 at the earliest, a year after Ramsey and Hennepin counties are scheduled to combine their traffic -violations bureaus. Dakota County, at www.co.Dako ta.mn.us, already has one feature Ramsey hopes to soon unveil -- the ability to look up property information online using either addresses or parcel numbers. It also provides aerial photos to accompany maps showing outlines of boundaries, plus useful information such as the latest assessments and the amounts of property taxes due. Starting in the fall, Dakota County also hopes to be able to offer online reservations for park pavilions and online outdoor education classes, says Jane Vanderpoel, the county's communications director. Hennepin County (www.co.Hen nepin.mn.us), like Ramsey, offers online property -tax payment using credit cards or check transfer and property information online. It next wants to create paper -less relationships with companies that do regular business with it, hoping to save money in what Chief Information Officer Bob Hanson called "G2V -- government to vendor" -- a play on B2B or business -to -business Internet transactions. Pricey pick Washington County may be the farthest behind of the four counties, but by May, it also expects to offer its citizens online property -tax payment, it's first transaction feature, which would coincide with the deadline for first-half property -tax payments. Citizen attitudes toward the prospects of more e-government in http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 6 of 8 Washington Country are mixed, though. A recent random telephone survey of 500 residents found only 40 percent are "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to conduct monetary transactions, such as paying property taxes or reserving camping or picnic sites, using the Internet. What's more, only 12 percent of those who were very or somewhat likely to use such e-government services say they'd still be interested if a fee were charged to cover the cost. About 44 percent say it would depend upon the cost. That's an answer that makes e-government advocates squirm. Many government agencies cannot afford to upgrade their static, information -only Web pages to handle interactive transactions and credit card payments on their own, so they've been farming them out to companies that make it their business to do the e- business of cities, counties and states across the country. Official Payments Corp. handles Ramsey County's online property -tax payments, for instance. It charges a fee based on the size of your payment. A credit-card payment of between $1,400 and $2,000, for instance, costs a taxpayer an extra $49 to process. "So it can get pretty pricey," says Dave Verhasselt, the county's communications coordinator. Roseville's Web site is presently a bulletin board of information, but the city is in the process of offering online ice -time registration and water -bill payments. It is exploring the use of outside firms that would charge residents small fees. Typical charges across the country run under $2 per transaction for parks - and -recreation class registrations. "If we go to a third party, there's no cost to the city," says Terre Heiser, Roseville's computer network manager. "The only question is: Is it worth it to the residents to have to pay for added services?" More experienced e-government advocates warn against charging so-called "convenience fees." "It's the wrong psychology," says Steve E. Kolodney, director of information services for the state of Washington and in charge of the state's award -winning "Access Washington" portal. "You should be saying, "I am a public servant. I ought to be a convenience to citizens.' " Kolodney earlier this month gave a presentation in St. Paul to state information technology officials, showing some of http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 7 of 8 Washington's 240 online services. The information director believes online services save money in the long run and that governments ought to find ways to get them up and running without charging extra fees or passing the cost on to taxpayers in budgets. Scott Howell, a former Utah state legislator who authored that state's first -in -the -nation digital -signature law that legalized many online transactions, also urges Minnesota officials to avoid charging extra fees. He says such fees would slow adoption of e- government services. Howell, who now works for IBM as a government -policy executive, says Arizona citizens initially paid IBM a fee to renew their vehicle registrations online. But when people complained, the fee was absorbed into the regular state fee and transactions on the state's Web site doubled last year, he told Minnesota officials at the same workshop Kolodney attended. "Why should we charge a fee if technology and government work the way they should?" he asked. "Government should be in the business of providing services at the lowest possible prices." Minnesota would like to follow Arizona's example and absorb the extra fee currently required for online registrations, but it can't right now, says Brian Lamb, director of Driver and Vehicle Services. In the six months since it opened its online vehicle -tab renewal, Driver and Vehicle Services has processed 50,000 renewals online, about 4 percent to 5 percent of total registrations, he says. The state couldn't afford to absorb the approximately $50,000 in credit-card processing fees vehicle owners already have paid out. If the state succeeds in doubling usage of the online service in the first year of operation, those handling fees -- which go to a company called EZGov -- would be even more difficult to absorb, Lamb says. The state believes online registration will save money in the long run, and it may be able to eliminate the extra fee. But the service is so new, no one knows how much people will use it, and therefore, how much can be saved, Lamb says. "It's hard to find the cost savings initially," Bean agrees. Much of the impetus for e-government seems to stem from a desire to make government hassle -free, not low-cost. Kershaw says St. Paul dove into e-service because citizens expect it. The http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 E the People E-government evangelists hope to do for government services what the.../2001 Page 8 of 8 Help News Archives Feedback Back to Top mayor directed his staff to tackle easy services first, like the dog - license renewals, to get something up quickly and handle more complex transactions later. "We are convinced that over time, this will reduce costs," Kershaw says. Eagan too believes its foray into e-government will pay off eventually. The community has a lot of technically inclined residents who have been requesting such services, communications coordinator Foote says. "I think demand will be very strong once it's perfected," she says. Leslie Brooks Suzukamo can be reached at lsuzukamo(a)pioneerpress.com or (651) 228-5475. © 2001 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com - All Rights Reserved copyright information http://www.pioneerplanet.com/tech/cyb_docs/44907.htm 4/30/01 City will revamp its Web site by Erin Johnson MIS WEEK NEWSPAPERS The city of Eagan plans to redesign its Web site to make it easier to use, said Communications Director Tom Garrison. The city's Web site contains 1,900 pages of information, and Garrison said the current design makes it easy to get lost. "We don't feel the information is necessarily easy to find or access," he said. The city is currently working with California consultants Quantum Art to develop a content management system (CMS), which arranges all of the site's information for consistent display and automatically posts and removes time -sensitive informa- tion, Garrison said. The site will also get a new look courtesy of Designwrite Studios in St. Paul, which will graphically redesign the home page and improve the architec- ture of the site, or how the infor- mation is 'organized and dis- played. Currently, the search function See Web, 5A i3 um/4 Web/from 1A is the seventh most frequently used part of the Web site, Garrison said. "If people aren't finding it ini- tially, they're using the search function," he said. 'We want to deliver it more intuitively and consistently for people." So when people log on to the city's Web site, what are they most often looking for? Job openings, he said, fol- lowed by police notices, election information and city codes. "The community survey the city conducted showed that peo- ple are online," he said. Another flaw of the current site is that it doesn't facilitate two-way communication, he said. "That is vital to our city, not only for our city to inform its res- idents, but for its residents to be able to ask questions and get information from the city," he said. Residents will now have the ability to provide comments and make requests of City Hall. The new site will also allow residents to subscribe to automat- ic e-mail lists to be notified of agendas, meetings and other information. "I think the public will find information easier to locate," he said. "Overall, we are making significant improvements to take Eagan to new heights ... to advance our presence on the World Wide Web and our service delivery to our citizens." The Web site overhaul will cost the city about $30,000. The city hopes to switch over to its new site by May, Garrison said. The city's Web site is located at www.cityofeagan.com. Erin Johnson is at eagan.thisweek@ecm-inc.com. ple.A./ de, ...2003 - (.., Z°`Z/ - 'n t, “e ( www.mnSun.com Eagan hopes change will net improved site on the Internet City Council also approves plans for North Fields Park athletic complex BY JOSHUA NICHOLS Sun Newspapers In an effort to make things easier for the public, the city of Eagan will soon have a new Web site vendor. The Eagan City Council approved during its Jan. 21 meeting a contract with Quantum Art Inc. to create and in- stall a content management system and other improvements for the city's Web site. "Right now it's easy to get lost on the site, lose your way and not be able to fig- ure out how to get back," Communica- tions Director Tom Garrison said. "The city has more than 1,500 pages of infor- mation, I believe it's actually closer to 1,900 pages, on the site." Updating the site and making it more user friendly has long been a priority of the council, Garrison said. So much so that when he was interviewing for his position last year, it was one of the key things he was asked about, he said. The city is especially interested in en- suring that it is putting its Web site to the best use possible because a resident sur- vey completed last year showed 85 per- cent of Eagan residents have Internet ac- cess. Even with those numbers, the city will not be phasing out its other methods of communication with the public, such as its monthly newsletter focusing on city issues. "This is not going to replace the paper newsletter or other things we send out," Garrison said. "However, we need to re- alize this is the wave of the future." The new site will allow for two-way communication with the public, Garri- son said. The site will allow residents to submit comments and concerns to the city while also giving them the option of signing up for various e-mail subscrip- tion lists covering different areas of city government. One reason the city's site gets clogged with information is because right now information on the site needs to be re- moved manually. The changes will allow the city to set an expiration date for cer- tain information. When that time is reached, the infor- mation will be removed from the public version of the site, but can remain an in- active part of the site so that it can be reused if necessary at a later date. "This will be especially helpful for events such as the Fourth of July when we will be using the information again," Garrison said. "That way we can pull it up and see what we did before and make it fresh for the public." With the way the system will be set up with Quantum Art, departmental ex- perts within the city will provide the content for the site, with city communi- cations staff editing it before it is posted. An important aspect of the content management system is that it allows the city to build off it in the future and add different aspects to its Web site, Garri- son said. "This is really a platform from which to build," he said. "It is compatible with other forms so more can be added to it down the road as the city needs." Quantum Arts was identified through a nationwide request for proposals process that led to nine bidders submit- ting bids ranging from $23,345 to $186,500. Quantum Arts, which was the lowest bidder, and four other vendors were interviewed in November. Quantum Arts is providing only the technology to drive the new system and not the Web site design, Garrison said. A local vendor will provide the design aspects with costs not to exceed $19,000, he said. In other business: The council approved plans for the construction of athletic fields and other infrastructure at North Fields Park and opened up the public bidding process for the project. The undeveloped park to the northwest of Yankee Doodle Road and Highway 149, was acquired by the city from the state in 2000 through tax forfei- ture. The city intends to use the proper- ty as an athletic complex to fill the city's increasing demand for field space. Plans for the site include an open space of 440 feet by 720 feet for turf sports such as soccer and lacrosse, a paved parking lot for 120 vehicles, a storm water control system and water service extending to a fire hydrant near the parking lot. WEB: To Page 10A From Page 2A The project is estimated to cost $630,000 with funding coming from the Park Site Fund. The City Council previ- ously reviewed the project and approved the allocation of funds in the city's Parks Capital Improvement Program. The field space created by the project, which is slated to be completed in the fall, is especially needed with the loss of field space on the Blue Cross campus, Parks Director Ken Vraa said. Blue Cross expansion plans include using the soccer fields on its property at the corner of Yankee Doodle Road and Highway 13. AMONG THOSE involved in the city Web site project are (clockwise, from top left) Kristi Peterson, Joanna Foote and Teresa Pojman. Photo by Rick Orndorf Web site helps expand hours of City Hall By BRENDA HAUGEN Your neighbors' dog is keep- ing you awake one night with its incessant barking. What should you do? Maybe you're a busy devel- oper or a garbage hauler who has a question to which you'd like an answer, but it's past business hours at City Hall. Where might you find the in- formation you seek? Or maybe you just want to find out a little bit more about the city of Eagan and some of the opportunities it offers. For all these folks, the infor- mation they're seeking can likely be found on the city of Eagan's Web site. The site became a reality about a year ago and through limited promotion has had about 5,000 hits. It can be found at www.ci.eagan.mn.us. "It's still very much in de- velopment," said Joanna Foote, communications and recycling coordinator for the city. "What we really want to know is what the users want." Initially, that included put- ting answers to the questions most frequently asked of city staff on the Web site. Cumber- some documents, starting with the city code book, have been included as well, Foote said. "We get a lot of developers that want to look at city codes," she said. Also found on the site are the phone numbers of the mayor and City Council members, voter information, city depart- ment phone numbers and a resident guide, which began as a new -resident guide with phone numbers for phone serv- ice and utility hookups. Police and fire department information has been included, but is beginning to branch off, Foote said. "They have sort of developed their own site," she said. Eagan's Web site is very much a work in progress. One of the goals is to include GIS (Geographic Information Sys- tems) data, but that could get as detailed as including every tree and every sewer line in the city. "(We're) trying to figure out what's necessary for people," Foote said. That "we" is mainly Foote, who does the content for the site, and Teresa Pojman, an- other city staffer. "She has done pretty much the design and setup of every- thing," Foote said. The two work on the Web site when they have a spare moment. "It's in conjunction with eve- rything else we're doing," Foote said. At present, the site includes City Council agendas. The Ad- visory Planning Commission agenda is likely to find its way on-line as well, but no other agendas are slated to be pub- lished on the site right now, Foote said. "Those are the ones people are mostly interested in," she said. Employment opportunities with the city also can be found on the site. "That's been a big favorite," Foote said. City newsletters and some events and news can be found on the site as well. Links to places closely connected to the city include the League of Minnesota Cities, the Minne- sota Valley Transit Authority, local school districts and the Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau. In the future, browsers are likely to find more mapping — showing where parks and pub- lic buildings are located — and forms, such as those for building permits, as well as lists of requirements. The goal is to save time for both staff (See Site, p.16A) ST_ PAUL PIONEER PRESS • WWW.TW(NCITIRS_COM SUNDAY. MAY S. 2002 S 21A TO O U R READERS SPEAK OUT ON LOCAL ISSUES LOCAL LETTERS SOUTH SUBURBAN EDITION Coininunicalions costs in Eagan are not oiit of line Q. O q (D rb, 4 she '� .-.. Cam' . 0 (�D 0 n L7 is (D O C K 03 (2 p �. '-i tb O Or ► . O 0 I✓ ..1 O n (D p f3 O " �• n CT ' tilCD ' ► O u _g B5-°-w� �* �cDmoc��°. s3.�v,oFsm p°m � �cD _� 6-alma mo'o -; (D C tD " :3' Ci7 - cD v' uO �- CD 0 o O m 04 gt o - f m t_tD m gl 6 (6n `� rn �1 y a7 n m E m c-_,.. ."-. o .�* ,. r('1 .. 04►Y lq o m Ge ►,s 0 � �� mot,pQ��,=.�OpD In n 0`fi:i(o fD �' tom. a, .. o �a "v7 co °r" �' o to on a� m o a ▪ • O ►-! < co (D m (d o to ' O r;. m .-► W O O '� Z Ca t0 CT q Ili d OR m til < 0D Po op �. O 0 g .-► a �' cr (o (D q aD "a R. O .� (D 2 to m A� 3 " 0 0 m CCI ^ O Q. (] O (D on (D ". O gm c ' 'd ,O m b `' r► O rr 9 K i m .. 'CS O O Q. (D m to m h a' C pp O . ► O' Gam '7 '{] (D .. O (D n cm In al ¢• ,14) 'C3 .--r o Q. su E. C� ;-' .-► 0R `y O i]. O q. '. (p . ► fr A� <-► t� r. "� co �m `sxsoo,�m (0,< a� omm o'CJ a, m �, mo m O- O o' O W '- c� .. 's p ci m .— .� p �q c� to s m q so 'C3 "s ' n ..6 .-► ►7 m �. a' (D .-.d P� A ' tD (D '"1 pp .y r..-► f3 .aci E°° ` ►•1 . (D r+mCT�-m R3 ►n. (� R.o .�O r t. — e▪ l �m .m."stl'-13 '•� - �Jm04mUj:CA- Ge IQ • C.) !a m O SU O O b '� `�(D • r�°.(ODD (� m (DD O O�' ONoc�t�<o a� °goc�D m��i"E`�'di n mR(0 � s�.�W« .o ►_. =,_►,� p,� ��Q. • m co ;� 'C �) ro m (D e m sn x m su m to tia as m .1r.• m c-- O •-- m 0' ti pp G] cD .-. f�. (D m Q4 fa 2 P M �. 3 P (D cD ((DD m U a O cD .-. `C QR Apr . 29 , 20029:17AM ,.„THE WALLACE GROUP No,0837 LOCAL mans P. 2 ‘i(z'°Pig's Eye View People and places seen from the city once known as Pig's Eye. * Keeping public abreast of city business is costly Many communications budgets in six figures BY MARA H. GOTTFRIED Pioneer Press They write newsletters, maintain Web sites, coordinate the broadcast of City Council meetings and deal with the media. And they don't come cheap. They may be called commu- nications manager's or directors in the cities where they work. They're designed to be liaisons between the public and city gov- ernment. And each city per- ceives their duties differently, which leads to a wide range of how much cities budget for com- munications. Take Eagan, for instance. The city created a communica- tions coordinator position in 1993 and recently added a new position, communications direc- tor, to the city's payroll. "In this information age, peo- ple want access to as much information as they can put their hands on, and it's our job to connect them," said Joanna Foote, Eagan's communication coordinator, The new communications director for Eagan will make $75,047 a year, and Foote earns 852,854, for a total of $127,401. WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The `I Do! I Do!' couple THE COST OF COMMUNICATING Here's an estimate of how much five titles will spend in 2002 on communications and public relations and what It costs per citizen, based on the 2000 census. City Communications spending* i Eagan $367,400 Plymouth 5317,041 8' dr oa�o 'in some cases, city mpioyees have other duties along with their communications responsibilities. Population 63,557 65,894 Cost per person WNW S5.78 $4.81 Plymouth, with a population comparable to Eagan, employs a communications manager and communications assistant; their combined salaries are $103,696. Comparing overall communi- cations budgets between cities isn't like comparing apples to apples, but a quick look at some 2002 budgets shows Eagan spending about 8367,400, Wood- bury spending $177,900, Inver Grove Heights spending 845,300, Plymouth spending $317,041 and Coon Rapids spending 856,000. What sets Eagan apart, in a look at the budgets of several metro -area cities, is its reliance on The Wallace Group. While several comparable cities employ consultants to design newsletters and manage occasional projects, Eagan primarily turns to a single public relations firm for its com- munications work, Eagan paid the company $99,550 last year and $14,587 so far this year — including $2,750 for Eagan's state of the city address and $1,100 for videotap- ing during interviews for the communications director posi- tion. Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at mgottfried®pioneer press.com or (651) 228.5262, GET INVOLVED This rock has a trilobite foss), and a moss animal and was found in an old brickyard along the river bluffs In lllydaie Endorsee for Mei DFL backing un BY RACHEL E. STASSEN- BERGER Pioneer Pres8 What a difference incum- bency makes. Two years ago, then -state Rep. Betty McCollum had to wade through a crowded field of candidates to win DFL endorsement for the 4th Dis- trict Congressional seat. After a rough $750,000-campaign, McCollum won the seat in November 2000 with 48 percent of the vote. This year, her Saturday endorsement for the seat was over a few minutes after Min- nesota Minority Leader Rep. Tom Pugh, DFL-South St, Paul, nominated her. She had no opposition and was endorsed by a unanimous voice vote. Upon accepting the nomina- tion, McCollum thanked the delegates for their support and for sending her to a job she loves. "My job is to work for you and I love my job," said the 47- }rear-old North St. Paulite. She will work for cleaner air, safer schools, affordable housing and child care, she told the crowd assembled in Arlington High School in St. Paul. And she said she would "never roll ST. PAUL Man arrested after six -hour standoff' A six -hour standoff with a man threatening to kill him- self ended about 10 p.m. Fri- day when Anthony Moore came out of his home in the 700 block of East Geranium Avenue in St. Paul and was immediately arrested. The standoff began about 4 p.m. when Moore, 43, called police and threatened to kill family members and himself. Police later determined Moore was by himself in the i-LL-f2:4-°"\-c\ u•A'.-%-,.4-kirv-INN.Lx1 .tA Ilflmk CD4 (Ai Yay/June 2009 Eagan's 20th Arbor Day Celebration Do You Have a Trophy Tree? Recycle Zone Park Improvements Continuing in 2009 Page 2 Eagan Enhances Transportation Options Become the next Spielberg with Help from E-TV! Home Improvement Loans Homeowner Affordability & Stability Plan Foreclosure Prevention Resources Page 3 Exercise Safety this Summer Park Ordinance Reminders 15th Annual Eagan Art Fest Cascade Bay Celebrates 10 years 3rd Annual Eagan Market Fest Page 4 City of Eapll 2009 Eagan City Council Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Hall 651-675-5000 651-454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com City Council Outlines Goals What began as scribbles on large sheets of paper taped to the walls at Moonshine Park Retreat Center during Council workshops in January and February, has been honed and refined into a set of six goals the Eagan City Council has adopted for 2009-2010. Mayor Maguire outlined the goals in his annual State of the City Address in March and began by saying the goals "represent an assessment of the opportunities we have in these challenging times —and grow out of the impor- tance our community has always placed on remaining committed to our values, while remaining flexible to needs and opportunities as they present themselves." The goals include: 1 Maintain the City's long-standing fiscally prudent and responsible budgeting approach while pursu- ing greater levels of fiscal independence and self- reliance in long-term budgeting. 1 Preserve and expand Eagan's economic vitality by adopting land use and fiscal policies that encour- age maintenance and reinvestment in Eagan's residential and commercial properties. 1 Ensure the economic competitiveness of Eagan's business and residential communities in the glob- al marketplace by anticipating and addressing the evolving "infostructure" bandwidth, capacity and speed needs of Eagan's residents, businesses and employers. 1 Support public and private initiatives addressing the City's changing demographics, including life- style needs of the aging population. 1 Exemplify a broad -based and comprehensive commitment to environmental sustainability and energy efficiency by adopting conservation and alternative energy strategies pursuing the use of local, non-polluting, renewable and recycled resources, while encouraging residents and busi- nesses to do likewise. 1 Strengthen our community through volunteerism and civic engagement. in the community. Showcase Eagan is back June 4 The free event is held in a trade show -like environment in the Civic Arena showcasing the dozens of community groups, associations, civic and religious organizations there are in Eagan and south of the river, to consider joining. Add in information booths from all the City departments, large vehicle displays, police K-9 dog exhibitions, a new fire safety exhibit trailer and there is plenty to do. "If you want to be connected with your community or have wondered what there is to do or what groups to join here in Eagan, Showcase Eagan is the place to be," said City Administrator Tom Hedges. "Or perhaps you want to ask City departments that question you've had, we'll be here to help you discover the value of a com- munity that cares," Hedges added. The event, held on the municipal campus near Pilot Knob and Wescott Roads, is from 4:30-7:30 p.m. and is open to all residents. There is free food, and the 2009 Showcase has a particular focus on new residents, apart- ment dwellers, kids, families and seniors. New this year is an opportunity for Eagan residents to contribute an item to be placed in a 2010 time capsule commemorating the 150th anniversary of Eagan's found- ing as a township. The capsule will not be opened for at least 50 years and will contain greetings, mementos, photos, songs or sayings, receipts or clippings that help document some aspect of life in Eagan today. In 2007, the biennial event attracted upwards of 1,400 people. Tell your neighbors, tell your friends, and check online for the latest event schedule at www.cityofeagan.com/showcase. Cedar Grove Update Formal plans for a 21-acre first phase of the Cedar Grove Redevelopment Area are expected by May 20 from mas- ter developers Doran and Pratt. Following receipt of the plans, public hearings will be scheduled with both the Advisory Planning Commission and the City Council. In March and April the City Council reviewed prelimi- nary concepts and agreed to proceed to the next level of review on three aspects of the project first contemplated when Doran and Pratt signed on to the project in 2007. Those features on the east end of the redevelopment area, near Jensen's Supper Club and Cedarvale Lanes, involve a new independent and assisted living care facil- ity for seniors, high amenity market rate apartments, plus a 160-room extended stay hotel. Despite the tough economy, those projects, if approved, could move for- ward beginning as early as fall and provide more than $6 million in tax increment to help provide the basis to attract additional private investments to the district. Other aspects originally envisioned, including condos, office park, and additional restaurant/retail are not cur- rently market supportable, but more favorable oppor- tunities to include them may exist in a 29-acre Phase II when financial conditions improve. The Council chose Doran -Pratt based on the quality of previous projects by the team. These photos are residential and retail buildings at their Silver Lake Village redevelopment in St. Anthony. At the Council's direction, the Eagan Advisory Parks and Recreation Commission took suggestions from local resi- dents about how to incorporate an urban greenway or commons into the project. The developers are expected to respond to those ideas in their plan submittal. Since 2003, the City has been completing prop- erty acquisition in the development area, improving streetscapes and road alignments, and demolishing old structures including the former mall to make room for redevelopment. For additional information about the Cedar Grove proj- ect or to check on meeting agendas, visit the City Web site at www.cityofeagan.com. 1 Do You Have a Trophy Tree? On Arbor Day, May 2, the City of Eagan will officially kick-off the 2009 Trophy Tree Search. Eagan residents are invited to "search out" and nominate a big tree in hopes of becoming not only the largest tree of that par- ticular species in Eagan, but perhaps the larg- est tree in the state. Eagan conducted a largest oak contest in 1995. As we all know, much has happened since that time. This year's search will be expanded to include five tree species, includ- ing Bur or White oak, Red or Pin Oak, American Elm, Sugar Maple, or Green Ash. This new search for Eagan's Trophy Tree will also have a new twist — the largest tree in each category will be submitted to the MnDNR Big Tree Registry. We'll see how winners from Eagan match up against other large trees in the state. So get out and start looking for those large trees in Eagan parks, your neighborhood and your own front yard. The Trophy Tree Search application deadline is August 14. More information and an appli- cation form are available on the City Web site at wwwcityofeagan.com/forestry. Winning trees will be announced at the Lone Oak days Festival this fall. Questions can be directed to the Supervisor of Forestry at (651) 675-5300. 0 Recycle Zone Dakota County is currently offering a cou- pon for residential electronics recycling. Residents can always bring electronics to be recycled to The Recycling Zone, the county recycling facility in Eagan, but normally are charged $.35 per pound. With the coupon, one can save $.05 per pound on household electronics such as televisions, comput- ers or any household electronic item with a circuit board. Coupons can be printed for use through July 1, 2009; are limited to one coupon per visit, but there is no limit on the number of visits an individual can make. RThe ecycling Bring this coupon and SAVE 5t/Ib. on household electronics recycling. Residential electronics only. • Limit one coupon per visit. Valid through July 1, wog. CODE: DVR Gopher • Co pmaBasaurce Eagan's 20th Arbor Day Celebration Blends Future & Past Past and future blend when it comes to cel- ebrating Eagan's 20th Arbor Day on Saturday, May 16 at Patrick Eagan Park. "We're taking a look back at the 20 annual celebrations we've held, the hundreds of trees, shrubs and flowers that have been planted, the parks that have been transformed, the Arbor Day Posters that have been drawn...and the kids, many who are now adults, who drew them," says Gregg Hove, Eagan's City Forester. " Our celebration this year is very much about looking back at what's been done and looking forward to continuing Eagan's strong tradition as a City and a community that values its trees." The Arbor Day activities will include planting hundreds of seedlings and dozens of larger trees in a woodland restoration project at Patrick Eagan Park. "Several wooded areas of the park were disturbed during the recent park recon- struction," says Hove, "so we're restoring these areas by planting more than 500 trees." In addition to the traditional tree plantings on Arbor Day, this celebration has included 20 years of poster contests held in every Eagan 3rd grade classroom. Each year, more than 1,000 eight- and nine -year -olds draw posters depicting what trees mean to them. The winning poster is unveiled at the Arbor Day celebration. This year, the event will include all past poster contest winners. Among the invitees is the fist Elmer the Elm Tree shows off Paige Moy's 2009 Arbor Day poster entitled "Every Tree is Unique" winner, now a 29-year-old law student. Other past winners include a couple of graduate stu- dents, one currently studying in France, an attor- ney, many still attending grade school, middle school and high school. The poster contest win- ner living the longest distance away is the 1994 winner, a Peace Corps environmental volunteer in Tanzania, Africa. All of the posters will be on display at the Eagan Art House, located within Patrick Eagan Park. Other Art House activities, a picnic lunch, tree planting, displays and much more will be part of the day's events. Get details at cityofeagan.com Park Improvements Continuing in 2009 The rituals of spring have now begun in earnest and even lawn mowing feels good —for awhile! For the Eagan Park and Recreation Department, spring also means the start of the park improve- ment season. One of the most popular park improvements for a neighborhood is the upgrading of the local playground. The City currently has 44 play- grounds in its parks. They are replaced on a rotational basis as determined by age, condition and play value. This year, the play structures in three parks — Northview, Quarry and Wescott Station — will be replaced. Enhanced play fea- tures will also be installed at Blackhawk Park and Rahn Park. Work on the playgrounds begin in May, one site at a time. Completion is expect- ed by late -summer. The single largest project for 2009 is the upgrade of field lighting at the Northview Athletic complex. Northview plays host to leagues and youth and adult tournaments throughout the season. The original light- ing system was installed nearly 25 years ago. With improved technology, the new system will provide more light with fewer fixtures and consume less energy. The new reflector system focuses more light on the fields, greatly reduc- ing the light that travels beyond field areas and improving playing conditions. Work on this project began in March and was completed in time for the spring ball season. During 2007 and 2008 the first two phases of the Patrick Eagan Park Master Plan improve- ments were completed. These included a new entrance road, access to the Art House, a sun shelter, additional parking, native plantings and rain gardens. Completion of the third and final phase is expected in 2009 and will include: Interpretative signage Trail upgrades Construction of an overlook deck Installation of site furnishings including benches and tables Other park improvements planned for 2009 include: 1 Sixteen new entrance signs at par s 1 Installation of a fishing dock at C rlson Lake Park 1 Trail improvements for increased rosion control and better access to certai park features 1 Upgrade of park furnishings at several sites including a shade canopy at Central Park The park improvement process for any given year starts nearly a year in advance with the prepara- tion of the Parks Capital Improvement Program (CIP) by the Advisory Park and Recreation Commission (APrC). Working with City staff, the APrC identifies needs for replacements or new features within parks. The recommendation is subsequently reviewed and approved by Ithe City Council. Funding for the Park CIP does not come from property taxes. Rather, it is derived from money paid by developers at the time of development in lieu of a land dedication and is held in the Park Site Fund. Such park dedication funds can be used only for capital improvement projects spe- cific to parks. 2 2009 Environmental Guide This guide was printed with soy -based inks on 30% Post Consumer Waste Recycled Paper. An environmental guide for the cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville and Eagan For more information on recycling, composting, and waste disposal for residents please visit our website at www.DakotaValleyRecycling.org or call our hotline at 952-895-4559. Uur Eco-Footprint Every day we are using resources and producing waste that puts a strain on the earth. The phrase "ecological footprint" represents the impact that we have on the earth —the resources needed and the amount of waste that we generate from our activities and habits. We can make choices in our day-to-day lives that reduce our impact on the environment. Such a sustainable lifestyle can improve our quality of life, help protect the environment for future generations, and save us money all at the same time. Even if you're not ready to take on a whole new lifestyle, you can take small steps on the green living path; steps that will lessen your ecological footprint on the earth. The ideas in this E-Guide are easy to do and promote a sustainable, green lifestyle. Inside this Issue: Recycle and Reuse Recycling at Home Fluorescent Bulbs Sustainable Food Choices e • ecycling Zone Residential Recycling Services There are also many organizations and programs that can help you calculate and learn about your individual or household ecological footprint as well as all other things green; consider Gl looking at the following websites to learn more: Z The Global Footprint Network www. footprintnetwork.org Redefining Progress www.myfootprint.org Conservation International www.conservation.org Low Impact Living www.lowimpactliving.com Rethink Recycling —Twin Cities Guide www.rethinkrecycling. corn Do It Green! Minnesota www.doitgreen.org NextStep - MN Sustainable Communities Network www.nextstep.state.mn.us This guide is funded in part by Dakota Valley Recycling, Dakota County Board of Commissioners and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Contact Dakota Valley Recycling in Eagan at 651-675-5011 and in Burnsville or Apple Valley at 952-895-4559 www.DakotaValleyRecycling.org Recycle and Reuse The average person generates 600 times their adult weight in garbage during their lifetime. Benefits of Recycling Recycling is an oldie but a goodie when it comes to being green. It is so easy to do, and it matters more than you think. These are some of the benefits of recycling —and how it lessens your ecological footprint: Use less energy —recycling a single aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for three hours. In total, metro area recycling of metal, glass and plastics in 2006 saved enough energy to heat over 78,000 houses for the year. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions —Recycling cans and bottles in the Twin Cities eliminated the equivalent of 125,000 vehicle's greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. Save natural resources —Recycling aluminum reduces water consumption and air pollutants by 95 percent. Making glass from recycled material cuts water pollution by 50 percent. Create jobs —The plastic recycling industry provides jobs for more than 52,000 American workers. Trash or Treasure? Don't trash the slightly used items that clutter your closet, basement or garage. Instead, donate items that are still in good, working condition so they can be reused by others. Below is a list of organizations that accept various items. It is recommended to call first. Clothing, furniture and household items: Bridging, Inc. • Bloomington • 952-888-1105 C.H.A.P. Thrift Store • Burnsville • 952-890-8222 Dakota Woodlands • Eagan • 651-456-9110 Goodwill • Apple Valley • 952-953-4410 Goodwill • Eagan • 651-994-7907 Lupus Foundation of Minnesota • Bloomington • 651-748-0400 Neighbors, Inc. • South St. Paul • 651-455-1508 Salvation Army -Burnsville Family & Thrift Store • Burnsville • 952-435-7462 Building materials: Habitat for Humanity Restore • Minneapolis • 612-588-3820 Reuse Center • Minneapolis • 612-724-2608 Did you know that The Recycling Zone has a "Product Reuse Area"? Household chemical products and paint that are brought in by residents and considered still usable are put on the shelf and are free for the taking! See information about The Recycling Zone on the back page. What Can I Recijcle At Home? These guidelines apply to residents in Dakota County. Plastic Glass Metal Paper Yes: • Plastic bottles and jugs • Water, soda and juice bottles • Milk and juice jugs • Ketchup and salad dressing bottles • Dishwashing and detergent bottles • Shampoo, soap and lotion bottles NO: • Margarine, cottage cheese, cream cheese and other tubs • Yogurt, pudding and fruit cups • Microwaveable food trays • Produce, deli and take out containers • Plastic wrap and bags* • Toys • Containers that held hazardous automotive and yard products, such as motor oil and pesticides • Plastic shopping bags are recyclable at many local grocery stores YES: • Glass food and beverage bottles and jars NO: • Drinking glasses, mugs, dishes, cookware, pottery and vases • Window and mirror glass • Containers that held hazardous products, such as nail polish and hobby paints YES: • Metal food and beverage cans NO: • Paint cans • Aerosol cans • Containers that held hazardous products, such as paint thinner and automotive fluids The energy it takes to recycle is nothing compared to the energy it saves. For example: It takes 95% less energy to make aluminum cans from recycled material than it does to produce them from scratch — trash a single can and it's like dumping 6 ounces of gasoline. Every can, every bottle, every piece of paper counts. Recycle more. Recycling information provided by: RethinkRecycling.com YES: • Mail, office and school papers • Magazines and catalogs • Newspapers and inserts • Phone books • Shredded paper in closed paper bags • Cardboard boxes • Boxes from toothpaste, medications and other toiletries • Boxes from cereal, crackers, pasta and other dry foods NO: • Pizza boxes, egg cartons or boxes soiled with food • Boxes from refrigerated or frozen foods • Paper towels, napkins, cups and plates • Gift wrap In 2007, recycling in the U.S. diverted 85 million tons of material from landfills or combustion. Recycling at Home per�e��ce(8 NarchlApri12009 Severe Weather Awareness Week Smoke Alarms Required Foreclosure Monitoring Program Page 2 Spot the Signs of Spring for Project BudBurst Tree Sale Green Tips Raise a Hoof and Be Counted Page 3 Be an Ambassador for Eagan July 4th Funfest Get Your Antique On Eagan Men's Chorus Hosts "Big Sing" Page 4 City of Eapll 2009 Eagan City Council Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Hall 651-675-5000 651-454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com Got the Signal? We've all been there —sitting at an intersection with no oncoming traffic, waiting for what seems like an eter- nity for a green left turn arrow. Is the light broken? Did I miss the arrow? Coming this spring to an intersec- tion near you will be an increased opportunity to turn safely if you've missed the green arrow. Dakota County will install new flashing yellow left turn arrows on traf- fic signals, in addition to the standard red, yellow and green arrows, at the intersections of Yankee Doodle Road and Blue Cross Road and Yankee Doodle Road and Coachman Road in Eagan. The flashing yellow arrows are part of an effort to increase traffic flow while maintaining safety. Flashing yellow arrows help move more cars through an intersection by allowing drivers to turn left when there is no oncoming traffic — without waiting for the green arrow Drivers making left turns during a flashing A solid red arrow means STOP. A solid yellow arrow indicates Drivers turning left must stop. the light will be turning red. yellow arrow must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, while turning with caution. The new system will reduce left turn delays while maintain- ing the safe operation of the intersection. During the fall of 2006, the Minnesota Department of Transportation conducted a trial of the flash- ing yellow arrow feature at the intersection of Highway 110 and Highway 149 in Mendota Heights with positive results. Dakota County will be monitoring the effectiveness of the flashing yel- low arrows at these two intersections by assessing traffic congestion and collisions over the next few years. Based on this review, more locations may have the flashing yellow arrows installed to allow left turns, after yielding, during non -peak traf- fic times (when feasible) while allowing left turns only on a green arrow during high traffic times. • • A flashing yellow arrow means drivers must first yield to oncoming traffic & pedestrians, before turning. A solid green arrow means turn left. Oncoming traffic must stop. State of the City Address Looking for a comprehensive update about City priorities, 2008 accomplishments and major goals for 2009? Mayor Mike Maguire will deliver the State of the City Address on March 19 at 8:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. "The State of the City address allows us to touch base with the community about where Eagan is and where it is going —both our challenges and accomplishments," says Mayor Maguire. "More importantly, we can have conversation on the Council's vision for the future." All members of the public are welcome to attend. The program will be cablecast on Eagan Channel 16 and also Web streamed at wwwcityofeagan.com/webcastcentral. Your Photos Are Our History The Eagan Historical Society is getting ready to cel- ebrate the 150th Anniversary of Eagan Township next year (established 1860). In order to best capture Eagan's past, the Historical Society needs your photos. The public is asked to provide photos of Eagan loca- tions, families, individuals, businesses, roadways, neighborhoods and more. Any photo that shows Eagan in a way that is different than what we see and know today is history, and therefore valuable. "A photo of the Eagan farm your great-aunt grew up on is great for our collection," says Dawn Simpson, Eagan Historical Society member, " but photos of any past July 4th celebration, community or family gathering, the Cedarvale Mall, a business you worked at or how your neighborhood looked 10 years ago, those are also important to show what Eagan used to be like. History is not just 100 years ago —it's last week too!" Digital or scanned photo images can be sent to HistoricalSociety@cityofeagan.com. Please include per- tinent information such as photo location, when it was taken, identification of people, events, etc., as well as your contact information. Non -digital photos can be brought to one of two events hosted by the Eagan Historical Society where digital copies will be made for the Historical Society Collection. Event dates are as follows: 1 Saturday, March 21 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Eagan Community Center, Lone Oak Room. This date coincides with the Antique Assessment Show hosted by the Eagan Seniors. 1 Wednesday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eagan Community Center, Lone Oak Room. This date coincides with the Monthly potluck hosted by the Eagan Seniors More details about the Historical Society Photo project are available at wwwcityofeagan.com/History or by calling (651) 675-5038. Be Prepared Severe Weather Awareness Week April 20 — 24 As he watched the news coverage of the after- math of the 2008 tornado in Hugo, Eagan's Emergency Services Coordinator, Jeremy Klein, couldn't help but wonder what sort of warning was given to residents as the storm approached. He also hoped people were being accounted for during the holiday weekend — would neighbors really know who had been home or away? Preparing for potential weather emergencies is exactly what Severe Weather Awareness Week, April 20-24, is all about. "It provides an excellent opportunity to make sure you and your family are ready for the upcoming severe weather season and that you have a good plan in place," says Klein. Throughout Severe Weather Awareness Week the National Weather Service and local broadcasters will be providing tips on preparing for severe weather and opportunities to practice your plan. Klein and the weather service offer a few tips to keep in mind: 1 The warning sirens that are tested the first Wednesday of each month are designed to warn people who are out- doors to seek shelter. Once safely shel- tered, people should listen to a radio or watch TV for additional storm informa- tion. 1 The warning sirens are not intended to warn people inside buildings. 1 In Dakota County outdoor warning sirens are activated for severe thunder- storm warnings and tornado warnings. 1 To receive warnings indoors residents are encouraged to purchase National Weather Service All Hazard Radios. These radios automatically turn on when severe weather warnings are issued for the area. Many are equipped with a Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) feature which allows users to program a code specific to warnings for Dakota County. The Dakota County SAME code is 027037. 1 Now is the time to update your emer- gency plan and emergency kit, for addi- tional planning and kit information go to: www.codeready.org Sirens will be sounded during Severe Weather Awareness Week, on Thursday, April 23 at 1:45 p.m. and again at 6:55 p.m. that day. Klien encourages individuals, businesses and families to practice their emergency plans, "as a good way to put your plan into action before you are in the midst of an actual emer- gency." Smoke Alarms Required Smoke alarms are an essential part of home fire safety. To keep your family safe from fire, remember and make use of the following infor- mation. Your lives may depend on it. Where are smoke alarms required? Smoke alarms are now required in ALL of the following residential areas: • In each sleeping room • Outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and • On each additional story of the dwelling (including basements) When a building permit is issued to your home, City Building Inspectors will check to see that working smoke detectors are present in all required spaces. If working smoke alarms are not present, the Building Inspector will not approve the final inspection. Roofing and deck permits are exempt from this rule. What kinds of smoke alarms are allowed? Varieties of battery -powered and hardwired smoke alarms are available at hardware, home, and discount stores. Look for a detector that meets Underwriters Laboratories Safety Standard 217, which includes that the detector sounds an audible alarm. Because smoke rises, alarcus should be placed on the ceiling. If this cannot be done, install them high on the wall close to the ceiling. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. Avoid locating alarms near bathrooms, heating appliances, windows, or ceiling fans. Test and Maintain Your Alarms Regularly. Every month, test your smoke alarms by push- ing the "test" button. Follow testing instruc- tions in your owner's manual. In addition, dust can clog a smoke alarm, mak- ing it ineffective. Carefully vacuum the inside of a battery -powered unit using a soft bristle brush. If your alarms are electrically connected, turn off the power and vacuum the outside vents only. Test your alarms after cleaning them. Plan Your Escape. Working smoke alarms are essential, but they do not save lives unless everyone knows how to get out of the house safely. The peak time for residential fires is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Be sure that everyone in your household knows how to escape when the alarm sounds, whether awake or sleeping at the time. Plan two ways out of each room and a pre -arranged meeting place outside. If you have any questions, please contact Eagan Building Inspections at (651) 675-5675. Foreclosure Monitoring Program Over the past few years, Eagan and other metro cities have experienced increasing numbers of foreclosed and abandoned properties. Although the percentage of foreclosed properties in Eagan is lower than many cities, Eagan staff is commit- ted to minimizing the effect of foreclosed prop- erties on surrounding neighbors and preserving public health and safety in its neighborhoods through prevention, monitoring, and rehabilita- tion. Many local resources are available to help hom- eowners prevent defaults and potentially avoid foreclosure completely. Homeowner education, financing assistance and housing improve- ment programs are coordinated for the City of Eagan by the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA). The CDA pro- vides services and information relating to fore- closure prevention, first- time homebuyer loans, down payment assistance and other programs. City of Eagan staff collects and maintains foreclosed property data from Dakota County Sheriff Sales records. Properties that are known to be in foreclosure are monitored by the City's Code Enforcement Division, Police Department, and Fire Department staff to see whether they are secured and in compliance with the City Code, and to address any damage or vandalism that may occur. In addition, Code Enforcement staff addresses property maintenance ordinance violations at foreclosed properties, like 'long grass, junk vehicles, household items, and refuse. Foreclosed properties that are fpund to have other violations such as rotted wi dows, siding or roofs will be monitored to en ure the conditions are corrected when the pro erties are resold. Programs are also available to rehabilitate prop- erties coming out of foreclosure. The Dakota County CDA offers home improvement loans, energy assistance and weatherization programs, remodeling plan books, and counseling pro- grams. Contact the Code Enforcement Division at (651) 675-5660 if you have any questions or concerns about foreclosures or abandoned properties in your neighborhood. For further informa- tion regarding Dakota County CDA programs and services, please visit the Web site at www. dakotacda.org or call (651) 675-4400. If you are going through a foreclosure and vacate your property, contact the Utility Billing Department at (651) 675-5030 to stop water service and prevent damage to the property from freezing or thawing pipes. 2 2008 Anllual Report Inside Celebrating Community Partnering Naturally Page 2 Improving Livability Page 3 Our Community by the Numbers Page 4 More Annual Reports Residents interested in more detailed versions of department Annual Reports will be able to access them later this year on the City's Web site. City of Eapil 2009 Eagan City Council Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Hall 651-675-5000 651-454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com Those who choose Eagan as their hometown just know it is a great place to live, work, play, build a buisiness and raise a family. Surveys of Eagan residents and businesses confirm it Now regional and national publica- tions recognize Eagan's strengths too. In Business Week magazine's second annual ranking, Eagan was named the top city in Minnesota to raise children and Eagan was named MONEY magazine's 17th most livable city in America for cities with more than 50,000 residents, the only city in Minnesota to be twice named in the top 20. Ninety-eight percent of Eagan residents polled rate the quality of life here as excellent or good. A top job creator for years, Eagan is rated as excellent or good by 90 percent of Eagan business, and the City's sustained AA+ bond rating points to its strong financial health. With all of this said, City taxes remain among the lowest for a community of Eagan's size, within the metro area. This annual report is a tangible way for the City Council and staff to be accountable to our most important stakeholders, you, the citizens of Eagan. Read on to learn about the progress made, the partnerships built, and goals achieved in 2008. eagan L V television E-TV Operation Eagan launched a first -of -its -kind public access com- munity television operation in late 2008 with studios located on the Thomson Reuters corporate campus. The operation is known as Eagan Television —or E-TV for short —and will involve a mentorship pro- gram between the City, Thomson Reuters, and Eagan High School. The unique partnership means more direct dollars for community TV, additional mentor - ship programs, and significant new opportunities for public involvement and community -generated media. The need for a new facility was precipitated by the ending of a lease agreement at the prior facil- ity near Highway 13, and a decision by the City of Burnsville to move its access operation to Burnsville High School. While each city has pursued separate Eagan's Guide Plan After nearly a year of work, the City completed its draft Comprehensive Plan update. Although the City is almost fully developed, it is important to continue to refine and monitor community goals and growth to prepare for redevelopment and demand changes. Within the process several themes were established to set Eagan's development direction for the next 20 years. These include: • Building on the current plan as it has served the City well • Creating areas of the community with distinct character and identity • Enhancing connectivity with more trail and bikeway connections, transit opportunities, tele- communication infrastructure and others • Prioritizing green space needs • Assuring a variety of high -quality housing The plan is currently under its mandatory review period for neighboring city and agency comments. and new partnerships to meet their specific com- munity television needs, Eagan will still partner with Burnsville to schedule and share a jointly -owned mobile production van for sporting events, outdoor concerts, parades, graduations and other events. The cities jointly administer three channels each, with school districts providing content for the remaining channels. Ring Road & Roundabout The new Northwood Parkway Bridge and roundabout opened to fanfare on a chilly October afternoon with a parade, ribbon cutting and speeches. The bridge, the first built and owned by the City of Eagan, provides a connection over 35E and relief to an increasingly strained intersection at Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob Continued on page 4 The final plan will be forwarded for review by the e Metropolitan Council. Fire Department Recruits Record Number The Fire Department added 30 new volunteer fire- fighters in 2008. This is the largest recruit class in the 45-year history of the department, bringing the volunteer count to 110 firefighters, saving signifi- cant tax dollars over a full-time department. Continued on page 4 City of Eagan 2008 Annual Report • 1 Community Gathers at Market Fest Throughout the summer, the community was abuzz over Eagan Market Fest, featuring a farmer's produce market, specialty foods, artisan products and a concert and entertainment series each Wednesday at the Central Park Festival Grounds. The event brought more than 20,000 people to visit 42 vendors during its 12-week run. Market Fest theme nights were highlighted by a Classic Car and Oldies Night which drew 4,000 attend- ees and an alternate location night at Cascade Bay for a free evening of swimming, market shopping and entertainment. National Night Out Most Successful Yet Acting in partnership with the Eagan Citizen's Crime Prevention Association, the City cel- ebrated National Night Out on August 5. This was the most successful year of the celebration as staff members from the City's police and fire departments attended a record 150 neighbor- hood parties. Since the City began sponsoring Establishing Rain Gardens & Turf 2008 was the first year in which the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) included projects that specifically focused on enhancing lake and pond water quality in Eagan. The most noticeable of these improvements were the 21 rain gardens constructed in neighbor- hoods. Eleven of the rain gardens were built in the Coventry neighborhood, east of Dodd Road, where residents were labeled as Community Champions in the 2008 State of the City Address, in recognition of their efforts to clean up their neighborhood pond through personal efforts and financing. Residents are encouraged to bike or walk through the neigh - National Night Out in 1998, there has never been greater citizen participation. Other organizations contributing to the popular- ity of the activities include the Minnesota National Guard and the Dakota County Sheriff's Mounted Patrol. Although all of the neighborhood parties received visits from police officers and firefighters, some residents were fortunate to see military vehi- cles and sheriff's deputies on horseback as well. borhood to get a firsthand look at examples of what they can do in their own yards to help pro- tect Eagan's lakes and ponds. The use of rain gardens is a water quality enhance- ment, used as a part of the process to meet non - degradation standards mandated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The intent is to help remove phosphorus and suspended solids while reducing the total volume of storm water discharged to City lakes and the Minnesota River. The rain gardens constructed were selected for their higher potential benefit to the storm water system, and the willingness of the property own- ers to participate. Historic Marker Dedication On June 1, the Eagan Historical Society dedicated an historical marker in front of the 1914 Town Hall. The marker depicts the history and vari- ous uses of the Town Hall through its 90+ years of service. More than 100 visitors including the Mayor and a State Senator attended the dedica- tion and the Town Hall Museum open house that afternoon. The marker is the second of several the Historical Society has planned for locations throughout the community. The first was dedi- cated a year prior at Thresher Fields Park. Festival of Trees Eagan hosted the Minnesota Festival of Trees featuring the State Tree Climbing Championship competition in spring. The event drew hundreds of participants and spectators to Eagan Central Park for a variety of tree and gardening related activities, displays and presentations by experts, as a part of the annual Arbor Day celebration. Protecting Eagan's lakes and ponds is also at the heart of updates to the City Code implemented in 2008. New ordinance language addresses requirements specified in the federal Clean Water Act and helps to limit construction fea- tures that increase runoff both during and after construction. New homeowners may be affected by the ordinance as it reduces the time allowed to establish their lawn. Improvements for Park & Nearby Neighborhoods A significant storm drainage and flood control project, decades in the making, was quietly real- ized in southeastern Eagan in 2008. ReduLing the potential for flooding of the Lakewood Hills neighborhood and Cliff Road near McDonough Lake will be the most recognized impact of the project. Construction of storm sewer into and through a portion of Lebanon Hills Regional Park and an upgrade of the Holland Lake lift station will now greatly improve the drainage capacity from the southeast corner of the City and ease the flooding potential. The project will also benefit the water quality of several Department of Natural Resources water bod- ies and protect recreation and natural resources within the regional park. Coordination and cost sharing between numerous city, county and state agencies was required to make this project a reality. City of Eagan 2008 Annual Report • 2 Crime is Down in Eagan Each year, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension publishes crime statistics for law enforcement agencies across the state. Although final results are not yet available, preliminary 2008 numbers are very encouraging. It appears the overall number of reported crimes in Eagan fell from 3,867 in 2007, to 3,629 in 2008. When looking further at the data, nonvio- lent crimes account for the overall decrease in crime for 2008. Crimes in this category showing the largest decreases were forgery, vandalism, and driving while under the influence of alcohol. The category of violent crimes increased only slightly in 2008. The less than 2 percent increase was due primarily to a rise in reported theft. Police handled more that 49,000 incidents in 2008, but the 9.44 % decrease from the previous year reflects just how much crime is down. Patrick Eagan Park Improvements As a way of improving the traffic access to the park and better showcasing the natural features of this unique property, Patrick Eagan Park underwent a major transformation as a part of its master plan improvements. A new entrance with improved signage and accessible trail, a new park- ing lot, an Art House drop-off loop, internal walk- ing trails, a picnic shelter, landscaping in the form of prairie restoration and a system of rain gardens, are all designed to maximize the natural features of the park and be sensitive to its distinctive char- acteristics. Strengthening Police & Community Partnerships The Eagan Police Department built upon its exist- ing network of successful community partner- ships to help reduce crime and assist in the man- agement of non -criminal matters. These partnerships include the highly successful Neighborhood Watch program that empowers residents to reduce crime opportunities in their neighborhoods, and an association of apartment managers working together to share information and work on police -related issues in rental com- munities. Police officers established new relationships with hotel managers to help them learn and share information about keeping their guests and staff safe and preventing opportunities for crime to occur. A partnership was also established with a group of corporate security personnel from several larger Eagan businesses, to foster safer workplaces and to look for opportunities to help solve quality of life issues in Eagan. An illustra- tion of this partnership at work occurred when security staff at Blue Cross Blue Shield worked with Eagan Police in 2008 to plan and stage an "intruder drill" to help employees prepare for an actual emergency. New Fire Station Location Considered The City Council authorized a space needs assessment to study the relocation of Fire Station Two. The current Fire Station is located in the industrial/commercial area which has resulted in slower response times for volunteers to travel from their homes to the fire station for emer- gency calls. The Fire Department is currently studying several locations near the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Yankee Doodle Road for the replacement fire station. Commercial Development Remains Steady Due to the economic diversity and strength of many Eagan businesses, commercial and indus- trial construction activity continued at a steady pace. In fact, despite the economic downturn, Eagan businesses invested over $25 million in new construction, with 15 projects estimated at over $1 million each. This is comparable to the remarkable investment growth experienced in 2007 and marks a $5 million increase over 2006 valuations. While overall development applica- tions remained steady in 2008, the City did expe- rience an increase in Amendments to Planned Developments, pointing to an increase in com- mercial development activity. New development for 2008 was highlighted by two new grocery stores constructed and new in -line retail stores adjacent to each. MSP Commercial is finishing a new 32,800 sq ft medi- cal office facility at Town Centre and will be the home to a new Healtheast clinic and sleep center. Whitehouse Custom Colour constructed a $2 million addition to its new facility, and Superior Collision moved from its Cedar Grove location by completing a renovation and expansion of its new facility at Washington Drive. Other devel- opments included new facilities for Final Coat Painting and the Postal Credit Union, an addi- tion to Rasmussen Business School, major lease improvements for Staywell Corporation, French Meadow Bakery and the USPS. There were sev- eral major public and quasi -public projects as well in 2008, including, extensive remodels of the Dakota County Wescott Library and Cedar School, and major additions to the Woodcrest and Eagan Hills Alliance Churches. Residential Improvements Remain Strong Although New Builds Are Down With the economic slowdown continuing through 2008 and limited available projects, Eagan expe- rienced a slowdown in new residential construc- tion with only 30 new permits issued in 2008. This was noticeable in the decrease of new sub- division applications received in 2008. However, the city experienced a significant increase in addi- tions to existing homes, and a very large increase in exterior improvements due to storm damage. In fact, 2008 marked a five-year high for exte- rior improvements to single family homes with 2,738 permits issued. Also, investment in exist- ing residential units increased with 87 permits approved for additions to existing homes, the highest total since 2004. Civic Arena Mezzanine Improvements The City of Eagan had been investigating poten- tial enhancements to the mezzanine level of the west arena for several years to expand oppor- tunities for community use of the building. During their review of options for this space the City Council recommended moving forward with a project to enclose the mezzanine and provide additional rental space for the commu- nity. Construction began in the summer with the space, completed in mid -August. The first occupant was the Wescott Library while their building was being remodeled. More than 3,000 people per week entered the Civic Arena to visit the library from September through December. The space will now be available to rent for meetings, parties, group events or classes, and will accommodate birthday parties and other planned Parks & Recreation programming. Park Projects • New outdoor exercise equipment installed in Central Park. • Pilot Knob & Woodhaven Parks' hockey rinks replaced. • New playgrounds installed at Carlson Lake, George Ohmann and Holz Farm Parks. • Constructed trail viewing deck in Wescott Station Park. Grants Help Ensure Fit Seniors & Teens Health and wellness programs funded through a Community Development Block Grant for teen and for Eagan's 55-plus populations flourished this year. Thirty-one classes for seniors occurred in the Lone Oak Room of the Eagan Community Center and at two other senior housing locations. Classes included Strength/Balance/ Yoga, Tai Chi, Drums Alive, and Art. An after -school program for teens called Extreme Sports & Games took place at Blackhawk Middle School, and an arts and movement class for youth was held at a home- less shelter during the summer. City of Eagan 2008 Annual Report • 3 city of to ®® ®i Groups have now adopted 33 miles of the 61 miles of available streets in the City's Adopt -a -Street program. 860/0 of Eagan residents surveyed cite the importance of achieving world class Internet speeds. 650 1,050 6,523 7,250 children created art projects at the Eagan Art House tent at the Eagan Art Fest. Attendance at the event was up 20% overall to approximately 6,200 37,000 37,852 emergency calls were responded to by the Eagan Fire Department (up from 940 in 2007) rounds of golf played at the Captain's Course at Cascade Bay. participants in the adult sports program and 302 in the golf program feet of wiring, connecting all the equipment within the Eagan -TV studio and edit suites, back to master control equipment at City Hall. Eagan residents voted in the general election on November 4 with 33,318 ballots cast in person and 4,534 absentee, for a total voter turnout of 78.8% 52,081 people work in Eagan daily, based on mid-2008 estimates. 67,106 114,293 366,850 people call Eagan home visitors to Cascade Bay water park visitors to the Community Center 1,394,055 Web pages were viewed by more than 239,408 different visitors to the City Web site 24,300,000 gallons of water were used on July 7, Eagan's highest water usage day this year $ 26,688,500 3,670,000,000 The City's General Fund Budget for 2008 gallons of safe, clean drinking water produced by Eagan's Utility Division. Making Connections...from page 1 Roads. The project moves the City another step closer to completion of its long-standing "Ring Road" Transportation Plan. Completing this first phase of the Ring Road was identified as a top project in the City Council's 2007-2008 transportation goal. Recognizing a need for major "local" transportation improve- ments that have little or no other funding source, the Council increased the 2008 Major Street Fund allocation by $1 million, matching $1 million of federal funding to complete the Ring Road plans and specifications. Remaining federal funds will be used for the design of the Duckwood Drive overpass, the final component of the Ring Road. Construction of the Northwood Parkway bridge, approach roads and roundabout intersection were completed for less than $4 million, thanks in large part to the favorable bidding climate for construction. The City received $675,000 from Dakota County toward the project and will receive an extra $1 million Municipal State Aid over the next 15 years to address bridge mainte- nance needs. Looking Forward...from page 1 Carriage Hills Property 0n November 4, Eagan voters weighed in on whether the City should purchase the former Carriage Hills Golf course, a 120-acre property, for $10.25 million. By a margin of 18,859 to 16,688, voters said no. Because of the vote, and under the terms of a legal settlement negoti- ated with the City, the owner of the property is allowed to develop the land under the terms of the settlement agreement. The agreement calls for a mixed residential development on up to 90 acres of the site, but preserves 30 acres through- out the site as undeveloped space. Access to the development is also restricted by the agree- ment and will be along Wescott Woodlands from. Yankee Doodle Road and by Duckwood Drive from Lexington Avenue. When the property is developed, Duckwood Drive will be extended to the east to connect the two. While it is unclear in the current market if or when the intended developer, Wensmann Homes, will proceed, terms of the settlement agreement and planned development approv- als for mixed residential development remain in place for any future property owner. City of Eagan 2008 Annual Report • 4 Spot the Signs of Spring for Project BudBurst Beginning this spring, the City of Eagan will be asking school classes, scout troops, families, work teams and neighborhood groups to join Project BudBurst, a program that asks nature -loving com- munity volunteers to watch and collect informa- tion about the plants and flowers in their own backyards. Project BudBurst is a national campaign designed to engage citizen scientists in the collection of important climate change data, based on the specific timing of plant and tree activities, called phonological events. Participants take careful observations of events such as the first appear- ance of buds, first leafing, first flower, and seed or fruit dispersal of a variety of tree, shrub, flower, weed and ornamental species. The citizen science observations are reported to the national Project BudBurst database. More detailed project informa- tion can be obtained through the Project BudBurst Web site, wwwwindows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/ budburst/. This site provides all the information needed for interested participants. This is a great stewardship opportunity for any- one interested in plants and the environment to get outside and enjoy nature, as well as report on valuable environmental information. The only requirement is that you regularly observe the plant(s) that you've selected to monitor and record plant occurrences as they happen. If you are considering participating in Project BudBurst, please email the City of Eagan Forestry Division at forestry@cityofeagan.com. Staff will coordinate plant observation site selec- tion to eliminate overlapping of sites. Tree Sale — Saturday, May 2, 2009 City of Eagan Maintenance Facility (Pre -ordering only) Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." The City of Eagan will be doing its part to support this idea with its biennial tree sale this spring. Again this year, Eagan residents will be able to choose from a variety of bare root trees. Seven varieties of trees have been selected : snowdrift crabapple ($25), whitespire birch ($25), bi-color oak ($30), Accolade elm ($30), Northwood maple ($30), skyline honeylocust ($30), and Honeycrisp apple ($25). The trees represent a mixture of larger trees as well as smaller ornamental trees. Remember that although the bare root tree you pick up at the tree sale may be relatively small, it will grow, over time, to the mature height and width provided in each tree's description, available on the City WEb site. Residents interested in purchasing plant material are asked to complete the application form avail- able for use beginning Tuesday, March 10 on the City Web site at wwwcityofeagan.com/treeform, or submit a paper copy available at the City of Eagan Maintenance facility or at the Eagan City Hall. Trees will be awarded on a first -come -first -serve basis. Successful registrants will be notified by email or mail of the exact location and time to pick up tree(s). Additional Details 1 You must be an Eagan resident to partici- pate in this sale 1 Payment must be made at the time of pick up -DO NOT mail payments. 1 The sale will be limited to 450 trees. 1 Trees offered at the sale are bare root (there is no soil around the roots), therefore they need to be kept moist and planted as soon as possible. 1 Residents may select a maximum of two trees. If ordering two trees, you may mix species on the same order. 1 While the City assures that these plants come from reputable local nurseries, it does not extend a warranty for replacement. 1 Free organic mulch will be available at the pickup site; bring your own container. Raise a Hoof and Be Counted Eagan Animal Control is conducting its first -ever Horse Census to find out how many equines call Eagan home. As part of the census, Animal Control is also offering site visits to advise horse owners on planning for disaster manage- ment, and to complete surveys to aid Eagan Fire and Police Departments in caring for horses that have escaped or become victims of disaster. Horse owners interested in participating in this voluntary census or scheduling a free site survey can contact Eagan Animal Control at (651) 675-5700, or visit the City's Web site at www.cityofeagan.com. Green Tips As promised, here are a few new ideas for you to implement to lessen your household and individual impacts on the environment. Employing green ideas at the City is a goal identified by the City Council in 2009. The City survey of residents last year indicated it is a priority for resident too. 1 Look for ENERGY STAR models when upgrading to a flat screen TV. It is now possible to replace an old big -screen color picture tube tele- vision with a slim profile, widescreen Plasma HDTV that actually consumes less energy," according to the lat- est MN Energy Watch newsletter. Approximately 43 models are currently available from a variety of television makers. ASK ABOUT ENERGY STAR The Environmental Protection Agency claims that if all televisions sold in the United States met the new ENERGY STAR requirements, energy cost sav- ings would grow to about $1 billion annually. A comprehensive list of qual- ifying Plasma HDTV models as well as many other energy saving appliances can be found on the ENERGY STAR Web site at wwwenergystar.gov. Plant trees. One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car pro- duces while driving 26,000 miles. The City will be holding its biennial tree sale this spring —watch for infor- mation on the City Web site in early March. 1 Wash clothes in cold water. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine -wash clothes goes to heat- ing the water. Wash only full loads. Install a clothes line, indoor or out and air dry clothing whenever possible. 1 Car pool if possible. Sharing a ride with someone just two days a week can reduce your carbon dioxide emis- sions by 1,590 pounds a year. Send your Green Tips or questions to webmaster@cityofeagan.com and we'll share them in future issues of this newsletter. 3 Get Your Antique On Where might you find a 1800s silver tea ser- vice, next to a toy from the 1940s, next to a reel-to-reel tape recorder, next to an art deco - style clock, next to a horse -hair divan and sheet music from the 1920s? At the 6th Annual Antique Assessment Show hosted by the Eagan Seniors, of course. "The show is March 21 at the Eagan Community Center, and is basically a miniature `Antiques Road Show,- says event Co-chair Yvonne Krisnik. The Assessment Show has become such an interesting and popular event for the community. "People bring in such a variety of items —it makes for a fun and infor- mal event, whether you've brought in an item or just want to watch what antique comes up next," says Krisnik "Last year we had both a button from the 1933 Chicago Worlds' Fair, that the experts said was quite valuable, and we also had a very large lamp that looked like something that belonged in a mafia house —the variety really makes the event fun!" If you are interested in having an item assessed, the fee remains at $5 per item and attendees are strongly encouraged to pre -register by call- ing Yvonne at (651) 454-6418 as space fills quickly. Participants will watch as appraisers Bonnie and Jim from Appraisal Specialists — Midwest assess each antique on stage. The information they share about the antiques is both entertain- ing and informative. If you do not have an antique to assess, you may still come and watch the show, which is free and open to the public. Show starts at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Parks & Recreation at (651) 675-5500. Be an Ambassador for Eagan Miss Eagan Ambassadors face the "Royal Brain Freeze" competition at Funfest 2008 Young women who would like to represent their hometown and become Ambassadors for Eagan are now being sought for the Miss Eagan Funfest Ambassador Program. Girls ages: 9-12 (Little Miss Eagan), 13-17 (Miss Eagan Teen), and young women 17-23 (Miss Eagan Queen) can now apply to become candidates for the 2009 Miss Eagan Funfest Ambassador Program. This program offers girls and young women that either live, work, worship or attend school in Eagan the opportunity to represent the City of Eagan during a year -long reign. The candidates will attend volunteer activities, interview sessions and rehearsals" as well as the final coronation night on July 2. Candidates selected to serve as Miss Eagan Funfest Ambassadors will receive a crown, sash, gift bag and a scholarship upon the completion of their reign. Ambassadors will make a variety of appearances throughout the area during their reign. Anyone interested in this program, or who would like to nomi- nate someone, please email Eagan.ambassador@eaganfunfest.org. July 4th Funfest With its theme this year of "Summer Under the Stars & Stripes" the July 4th Funfest parade is just one of many events the plan- ners of the Funfest celebration have in mind for 2009. Plan now to stay in town for this great community celebration at Eagan's Central Park and take in the carnival, parade, two tent dances, fireworks display and more. Events will take place July 3 and 4. Community volunteers and donations are also needed to help plan and carry out Eagan Funfest events. A schedule of events and volunteer opportunities are available at the Funfest Web site at www.eaganfunfest.org. Eagan Men's Chorus Hosts "Big Sing" The Eagan Men's Chorus, a 25-member choral group, sponsored by Eagan Parks and Recreation, will be furthering its mission of sharing the joy of music, when it hosts the 2009 Big Sing, the weekend of April 24 and 25.The event is is expected to draw 350-plus members of male choruses from throughout the midwest. The highlight of the weekend is a public concert on Saturday, April 25 at 7 p.m. called "The Mighty Men of Song." The concert will be held at the Inver Hills Community College Activity Arena and tickets will be available for purchase ($15 general or $5 student) beginning March 16 at the Parks and Recreation coun- ter at Eagan City Hall. For more information visit www.eaganmenschorus.org City of Eapft 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 *****ECRWSS** Postal Customer Eagan, MN PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID St. Paul, MN Permit No. 4902 Fluorescent Bulbs Visit www.EnergyStar.gov to see fluorescent bulbs in all shapes and sizes, to fit almost any fixture. Fluorescent Bulbs = Good Sense Using energy -efficient fluorescent light bulbs makes good sense —you save money on electric bills and help protect the environment. They have many great benefits: • Fluorescent bulbs last five to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs. • Fluorescent bulbs use only one-fourth as much energy as equivalent conventional incandescent bulbs, reducing fossil fuel emissions at power plants. • Using fluorescent bulbs can save $30-$50 in energy costs over the lifetime of the bulb. However, compact fluorescent, fluorescent tubes, high intensity discharge (HID) and other non -incandescent bulbs do contain mercury and must be recycled. Even though it is a small amount, the mercury can be harmful to our health and the environment and in Minnesota, it is illegal to place fluorescent or HID lamps in the garbage. Fluorescent bulbs are safe to use —no mercury is released when the bulbs are in use. Just make sure to store, install and dispose of them properly to prevent breakage and exposure to mercury. Why advocate using a bulb that has mercury in it? By using less energy, fluorescent bulbs actually prevent more mercury from being released into the air by power plants. A power plant emits about 10 mg of mercury to produce the electricity needed to run a conventional (incandescent) bulb, compared to only 2.4 mg of mercury to run a compact fluorescent bulb for the same amount of time. When the time comes for recycling old fluorescent bulbs, there are several options in the area. • The Recycling Zone, the Dakota County recycling facility in Eagan, accepts all types of residential fluorescent bulbs. See the back page for more information on The Recycling Zone. • The cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville and Eagan all have drop-off sites for the compact fluorescent bulbs; please call 952-895-4511 for more information. • All Home Depot and many local Menards locations offer recycling for compact fluorescent bulbs. M Sustainable Food Choices What sort of ecological footprint does food leave on the earth? From the • growth of crops, to the production, transportation and distribution of food, the impacts are staggering. There are sustainable food choices available; you just have to know what to look for. Consider your choices by how foods are produced —learn the differences between conventional and sustainable agriculture and the impacts that they have. Sustainable agriculture focuses on producing quality food by prioritizing the environment, the humane treatment of animals and supporting farming communities. Another concept is the idea of "food miles" —how far food travels from the farm to the market. Buying local foods is a good choice for environmental reasons, including reducing the amount of fuel and emissions to transport it to your plate. Statistics show that produce travels an average of 1,500 miles to reach the market; for a typical semi -trailer load, this corresponds to about 250 gallons of diesel fuel. For more information on sustainable food in general visit: www SustainableTable.org. What can you do to reduce the impact of your food choices? 1. Seek out local foods at farmers' markets, co-ops or from Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. These all supply foods that come from local or regionally based farms that support sustainable food production. Ask the farmer about his sustainability practices. Know local growing seasons for different types of food, and focus on those foods that are abundant, fresh and in season. • Farmers' Markets in the Twin Cities: Minnesota Department of Agriculture vvvvw.mda.state.mn.us/food/ (look within the Minnesota Grown Directory) • Co-ops in the Twin Cities: www twincitiesfood.coop • List of CSA farms in the region and other sustainable food information: www landstewardshipproject.org 2. Look for eco-friendly food labels. These mark food that is guaranteed to have been produced with minimal negative impacts on the environment, humans and animals. • Certified Organic —food made according to certain production standards. They are grown without the use of conventional pesticides and artificial fertilizers, free from contamination by human or industrial waste, and processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. www.ams.usda.gov • Food Alliance Certified —certifies farms for sustainable practices and fair working conditions. www.foodalliance.org • Marine Stewardship Council —promotes sustainable fisheries, taking into account the long-term yield and marine biodiversity. www.msc.org' • Fair Trade Certified —democratically -organized farmer organizations that receive a guaranteed minimum floor price, do not use harmful agrochemicals, and have safe labor conditions. www.transfairusa.org Farmers' markets provide farmers with 80-90 cents of each dollar spent by consumers, compared to 4 cents in grocery stores. Sustainable Food Choices The Recycling Zone In one year, 112 million lbs. of materials —steel, glass, plastic and other metals —were recycled or reused from electronic waste. Recyctu ngThe Zone Electronics / paint / tires cans / fluorescent bulbs fertilizer / lawn mowers oil filters / pesticides cleaners / and more... The Recycling Zone Drop-off Days and Hours: Household Hazardous Waste Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: Recycling Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: 3pm-8pm 12pm-5pm Closed 9am-2pm 9am-8pm 12pm-8pm 9am-5pm 8am-5pm The Recycling Zone is located at 3365 South Highway 149 in Eagan, just north of Yankee Doodle Rd; the entrance is off of Hwy 149, behind Gopher Resource Corporation. The Recycling Zone (formerly The Dakota County Eco-Site) The Recycling Zone is a drop-off facility, for Dakota County residents, that accepts household hazardous waste, recyclables and electronics. It is located at 3365 South Highway 149 in Eagan. For more information call the Recycling Zone at 651-905-4520 or visit www.dakotacounty.us and search "Recycling Zone". MATERIALS ACCEPTEDAND SERVICES OFFERED Household Hazardous Waste DANGER POISON ARMFUL OR FATAL LLOWED. COMBUS- Rutomotive Auto Batteries Antifreeze Degreasers Oils/Filters Tires (fee) Lawn and Garden Bug spray Fertilizer Insect killer Lighter fluid Pesticides Pool chemicals Weed killer Household Items Aerosols Button batteries Cooking oil/grease Drain cleaner Fluorescent lights/bulbs Home sharps (needles, syringes, lancets) Home Improvement Concrete cleaner Driveway sealer Latex paint Oil -based paint Paint thinner Solvents Scrap Metal Bicycles Grills Lawn Mowers Any item made from metal Compost Bin Sales Backyard compost bins are available for a fee. Electronic Waste (for a fee): Answering machines Calculators CD players/recorders Cell -phones Copiers Computer equipment —towers, hard drives, monitors DVD and tape players/recorders Electronic games Electronic organizers (PDAs) Fax machines Keyboards Laptops Modems Monitors/terminals Phonographs Printers Scanners Radios Stereo equipment Telephones Televisions Typewriters VCRs Any household electronic item that has a circuit board Recyclables Recyclable materials are accepted from both residents and businesses and should be separated by type. See the list of acceptable items under the Recycling section in this E-Guide. Call the Recycling Zone to arrange for loads larger than a pick-up truck or for specific information. Cash for Aluminum Cans Call the Recycling Zone for redemption prices. Product Reuse Usable household chemical products and paint in the reuse area are free for the taking. In 2008, over 3 million lbs. of household hazardous waste was collected at the Recycling Zone; about half was electronic waste. Residential Recycling Services Eagan Enhances Transportation Options 2009 will be another year filled with street and trail construction throughout the City of Eagan. And once again, Eagan will be implementing innovative solutions to enhance its transpor- tation system. Looking back 20 to 25 years, Eagan was booming with development. Accordingly, many of the streets constructed then are now in need of restoration. The street improvements should have relatively minor impacts to the traveling public as roads will remain open throughout the construction. Temporary (up to three-day) loss of access to driveways may occur to less than 5% of the adjacent property owners if curb repairs or commercial aprons are needed. Another area that will receive much needed attention this summer are the landscaped center medians on Cliff Lake Road near Target and Cub Foods. As these were also initially installed dur- ing the development boom, they are in need of new and updated landscaping. The existing land- scape rocks, evergreen bushes and ash trees (sus- ceptible to emerald ash borers) will be removed and replaced with more maintenance -friendly landscaping similar to that found on Central Parkway and Cedar Grove Parkway. As with the initial installation effort, landscaping improve- ments will be financed by adjacent commercial properties. In continuing efforts to keep the travel- ing public moving safely and efficient- ly through Eagan, a roundabout will be constructed at the intersec- tion of Diffley and Rahn Roads. This reconfiguration of the existing four-way stop will be the first implementation of a roundabout at an intersection of a Dakota County Road. The need for an improvement has been apparent throughout the past decade, but more traditional solutions would have meant a loss of numerous homes or caused significant safety concerns for adjacent residents. A roundabout was selected after meeting with the neighborhood and interested parties to discuss options and the impacts of each. It is anticipated that the intersection may be closed to traffic on Rahn Road during some of the construction, which will begin in late June and is anticipated to be completed by late September. Visit www cityofeagan.com/RoadConstruction for updates on these projects. Home Improvement Loans of up to $25,000 Available Does your home need some upgrading but you're not sure how to finance it? The Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) may be able to help. The CDAs Home Improvement Loan Program provides up to $25,000 to eligible homeowners to make improvements to their homes such as insu- lation, electrical and plumbing repairs, furnace upgrades, exterior improvements (roof, siding, windows) or special needs modifications (such as ramps or accessibility enhancements). Loans feature interest rates of either zero or three percent, no monthly payments and are not required to be repaid until ownership in the prop- erty changes or if the home is no longer the bor- rower's primary residence. To qualify, applicants must own their home, have sufficient equity in the property, a satisfactory credit history and have gross household incomes below the following limits. The CDA will help homeowners through the improvement process by inspecting their home, preparing specifications and assisting in obtain- ing at least two bids for the work to be done. Loan proceeds are kept on account by the CDA and payment is made directly to the contractors when the work is completed. Inspection of work in progress and upon completion is required by both the homeowner and the CDA before pay- ment is made. For more information or to request an applica- tion, contact Mark Hanson at (651) 675-4469 or mhanson@dakotacda.state.mn.us or download an application from the CDAs Web site at www dakotacda. oromeowners.htm Household Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0% Loan Income Limit $29,350 $33,550 $37,750 $41,950 $45,300 $48,650 $52,000 3% Loan Income Limit $44,800 $51,200 $57,600 $64,000 $69,100 $74,250 $79,350 Foreclosure Prevention Resources If you're having trouble making your mortgage payment, you're not alone. Last year, 2,063 Sheriff's sales were held in Dakota County. So far this year, the numberis over 400. Foreclosure can be a stressful and complicated time with many questions. Information about the foreclosure process, referrals to commu- nity resources and assistance with working with your mortgage company are just a phone call away. The Dakota County CDAs Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Program provides FREE counseling to homeowners that are in or are facing foreclosure. Trained homeownership specialists help homeowners assess their situation and determine possible solutions. For more information visit wwwdakotacda.org/ homeowners.htm or call (651) 675-4555. Become the next Spielberg with Help from E-TV! E-TV, Eagan's community television program- ming operation is offering a great opportunity for you to learn to shoot and edit video, direct a "live" studio production and much more. E-TV is the place you can be seen and heard and, most of all, have a great time. Short orientation classes are offered covering every subject in video production including videography, lighting, directing, editing and more. Best of all, E-TV equipment is free of charge to use, with completion of training. The classes are fun, informative and designed for people of any skill level. You'll learn in the brand new E-TV studios and be taught by our Emmy award -winning staff. Plus, you'll meet people who share your interest in video and want to work with you. So don't wait, classes are filling up now! The new E-TV studios are located in the lower level of the Thomson Reuters campus in Eagan. For more information about E-TV and our classes, visit: wwweagan-tv.com, or call (651) 898-4696. Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan On March 4, the HOME federal Making Home Affordable Program was launched to offer relief to homeown- ers who have fallen behind or are struggling to make their mortgage payment. Qualifying homeowners may be able to refinance or modify their mortgage loan, depending on their situation. For more information and eligibility criteria visit www.financialstability.gov/ makinghomeaffordable/ or call the Dakota County CDA at (651) 675-4555 to speak with a homeowner- ship specialist. The Home Improvement Loan and Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Programs are part of the Dakota County CDAs Homeownership Connection services that provide homebuyers and homeown- ers resources to be successful. For more informa- tion about all of the programs available through the Homeownership Connection, visit www.dakotacda.org/ homeownerhip_connection.htm OWNERSHIP cokatectiem/ 3 Exercise Safety this Summer With the weather warming up, we're all antsy to move our exercise routines outdoors. The Eagan Police Department encourages you to take these safe- ty precautions while walking or running outside: 1 Stay on trails or roads that are well -lit 1 Avoid places where an attacker could hide such as shrubbery, trees, and/or privacy fences 1 Avoid shortcuts through vacant lots and other desolate places 1 When possible, avoid walking or jogging alone - even during the day 1 Know your surroundings. Make it difficult for anyone to take you by surprise 1 Carry something that can make a loud noise to scare off possible attackers 1 Bring your dog if you have one (or borrow your neighbors!) 1 Carry a cell phone 1 Do not wear headphones. They block your ability to hear someone approach 1 Always let someone know when you are going out for a walk or a run 1 Trust your instincts! While exercise is great —exercising safely is even bet- ter! For additional information, contact the Eagan Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at (651) 675-5700. a O CT) 0 • — V 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 E 0 4.0 ti C..) iG 0 Cl- Not Only Neighborly - Park Ordinance Reminders The City of Eagan has created a variety of ordi- nances that pertain specifically to its park and recreation areas. The ordinances are intended to protect the community's investment in the facili- ties, protect the natural resources and to help create a safe, healthy, and enjoyable experience for all users. There are several specific sections of the City Code that are often misunderstood or require regular clarification. They include golf, alcohol, dogs and hours. 1 GOLF — Golfing is not allowed in any park or recreation area. A golf ball left in the grass can easily become a dangerous high-speed projectile if a mower should pick it up. A golf ball thrown from a mower can travel over 100 yards with enough velocity to cause damage to prop- erty or cause personal injury Golf also limits the amount of safe space available to others hoping to enjoy the facility. (Sec. 10.23) 1 ALCOHOL — It is unlawful to bring beer in case lots, kegs, wine or liquor into any park or recreation area except when authorized by a written permit from the Council or Park and Recreation Director. Beer or malt beverages in glass bottles may not be brought into park areas at any time. (Sec. 5.16) it's the Law DOGS — To prevent unwanted contact with other park users, any dog brought into a park or recreation area must be caged or kept on a leash not more than 6 feet in length. For reasons of sanita- tion, dogs are not allowed in picnic areas, park buildings or shelters. Owners are required to clean up after their pets whenever they are on public property including park and boulevard trails. These requirements also apply to any other creature kept as a pet, including cats. (Sec. 10.11, 10.23) HOURS — Park areas are open between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. It is unlawful to be in a park at any other time unless the Council or Park and Recreation Director have issued a written permit. No privately owned vehicle may remain in a park after closing except by permit. The hours of buildings and spe- cial use areas may vary and will typically be posted at the site. (Sec. 10.23) Should you observe a violation of any ordi- nance, contact the Police Department immedi- ately via 9-1-1 and provide as much informa- tion as possible. The full City code is available online at www.cityofeagan.com/citycode. Fairest of Them All 15th Annual Eagan Art Fest Plan to spend a beautiful summer weekend surrounded by fine art, handmade crafts, art activities for all ages and great music at the 15th Annual Eagan Art Fest June 27 and 28 at Eagan Central Park located next to the Eagan Community Center. This year the Children's Activity Tent will focus on kinetic (moving) art. The Art Experience Tent will have demonstrations of various art forms and a community art project for participants of all ages. The festival entertainment stage will include the Teddy Bear Band, the jazz sounds of Paula Lammers, a juggler, and the Century Brass Band. Admission to the Eagan Art Festival is free and parking is plentiful. Come and enjoy beautiful art- work, great entertainment, and activities for all! For more information go to eaganartfestival.org Cascade Bay's, "Captain C. Breeze" celebrates his 10th birthday this summer! Watch for more information regarding his spe- cial birthday party on August 13. Cascade Bay will be open the weekend of June 6 & 7, then open for the season on Friday, June 12. Find Season Pass and other information at www.cascadebay.com 3rd Annual Eagan Market Fest Eagan Parks and Recreation is teaming up once again with City & County Credit Union, the Minnesota Farmer's Market Association and Minnesota Grown to coordinate another great year of Eagan Market Fest events. Market Fest will take place every Wednesday, July 1 - September 16. Come enjoy live music, fresh produce, fun activities and meeting friends each Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Eagan Central Park — rain or shine. Entertainment, activities and performance times vary each week. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/mar- ketfest for a detailed schedule with highlights like the Grand Opening Night July 1, with music by "Mark Stary & the Whiskey Roses," and Classic Car & Oldies night on August 5.