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Changes sought in dealing
with shaken baby syndrome
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
A baby crying through the night has
prompted many a parent to throw their
hands up in frustration. Not every parent,
however, stops at that point. Some try to
remedy the situation by shaking their baby
to try to stop the wailing.
Those few seconds of anger can lead to
death or a lifetime of physical and mental
problems for the child, not to mention jail
time for the person who shook the child.
Dakota County prosecutors have seen a
few cases of shaken baby syndrome cross
their desks. Nicole Nee, head of child
abuse/domestic violence unit at the county
attorney's office, said in the last seven years
the office has seen eight cases — three of
which were in 1989.
Nee, along with 750 people from across
the United States and other countries, at-
tended the first conference on shaken baby
syndrome to be in the United States. The
conference brought together people from
the medical, law enforcement and legal
communities to talk about ways to address
the issues.
Up until 1990, when Dakota County At-
torney Jirn Backstrom helped change legis-
lation, those who shook and injured a baby
faced "vast discrepancies in sentencing,"
Backstrom said. He worked to ensure that
the offender would face a felony charge,
which carries a minimum of a four-year
orison sentence.
'This is a serious crime that warranted
s more serious penalty," Backstrom said.
Prosecutors also had to prove that the
aerpetrator intended to harm the child,
which is difficult to do without witnesses.
!..low, prosecutors no longer have to prove
ieyond a reasonable doubt that the person
ntended to harm the child. Of the three
rases in 1989, Backstrom said they were
able to prove intent with one — a case in
which the offender had previously struck
the child in the stomach. In the other two
cases, the perpetrators faced malicious
punishment of a child which at the time did
not carry a prison sentence.
Dr. Evelyn Dickson, a pediatrician with
Southdale Pediatrics, said it doesn't take
much force to injure the child because a
child's head is proportionally Larger than an
adult's head and the child's neck muscles
aren't strong enough to fully support the
head. Most often, shaken baby syndrome
strikes those under age 3_
Injuries resulting from being shaken in.
clude tearing of the blood vessels in the back
of the eyes, possible spinal injuries, and de-
struction of brain tissue. Though varying
from child to child, Tong -term effects could
include mental retardation, cerebral palsy
and blindness. Statistics show that 15 per-
cent to 30 percent of the children die from
their injuries and 30 percent to 50 percent
are afflicted with a long-term disability
It's difficult to diagnose a child with
shaken baby syndrome, Dickson said, be-
cause they don't exhibit any external in-
juries. When the child is brought into the
emergency room, they can be comatose or
lethargic and typically "people don't volun-
teer that they've been shaking their child,"
Dickson said. Only after scanning the head
and checking the eyes is a physician able to
discern the cause.
Medical personnel are seeing the injury
more often today than years ago, Dickson
said. Not necessarily because it's happen-
ing more often, but because medical tech-
nology is making it easier to diagnose — an
assessment that Nee agrees with.
"There were probably some shaken ba-
bies in the `50s, 460s and '70s because their
little bodies were so clean and the damage
was inside, it may have been written off to
SIDS," Nee said.
Although three in the medical field are
more aware of the syndrome, more public
education is needed, Dickson and Nee said.
People need to be made more aware of ways
to deal with stress. Those who feel their
frustration level climbing are encouraged
to take preventive measures such as plac-
ing the child in a crib or safe place and leav-
ing the room until they calm down or call-
ing a friend to watch the child.
Along with education, Nee said she
would like to see jurors understand that
shaken baby syndrome isn't a case ofsome-
body losing it and they didn't intend to
hurt the baby." Although every parent has
experienced frustration, she said it takes a
great amount of force to injure a child.
Also, she would like the prenatal and
well -baby check up records released with-
out needing a parent's authorization so
legal professionals can look for previous
problems. Currently, only the emergency
room records relating to the incident are re-
leased without a parent's authorization.
Newsstand
Price
CI?)
3 Sections
City
doesn't
blow
smoke
First tobacco
license fined
By Terrance Nfencel
Selling tobacco products to
minors carries a price in Eagan_
Ceder Cliff Amoco found out
t} : nard way. Amoco will not be
allowed to sell tobacco products
in November. a penalty for sell-
ing cigarettes to a minor two
times in 12 months. It's the first
such tobacco license suspension
enforced under Eagan's revised
tobacco ordinance. State law
makes selling tobacco products
to anyone younger than 18
illegal.
City officials toughened
Eagan's ordinance two years
ago to reduce juvenile access to
tobacco products. License
suspension was one of several
recommendations the City
Council approved from Tobacco
Task Force. The council also
agreed to prohibit cigarette ven-
ding machines in public areas
where minors are present, and
to conduct yearly reviews of its
tobacco licenses.
Eagan Police conducted two
sting operations in 1992, cat-
ching a handful of businesses
selling tobacco products to
minors. Amoco was the only
merchant caught both times,
said Liz Witt, assistant to the ci-
ty administrator. Mediation
over Amoco's suspension lasted
six months, before council
members approved the one -
month suspension Oct. 19.
Amoco officials declined
comment.
With Amoco's tobacco license
suspension. the city has placed
TOBACCO: To next nage
Police officers Ok'd
From 220 applicants, the Eagan Police Department received
City Council approval to hire five police officers to fill vacant
positions.
The new officers will start once they pass medical,
isychological and drug testing. They are: Deanna Duncan-
'arduhn, David Bork. Steven Bolluyt, Claire Wagner and
'.ichaei Fineran.
EAGAN
un'Current
Lae inside sins
edition for a spec al
CAR & MUCK
SECTION
With 2,200 feet of shoreline, Schwan' Lake in Eagan offers a variety of activities for recreation enthusiasts. (Photo by Bill Jones)
Schwarz Lake could see brighter day
City seeks $94,000 grant
By Terrance Mencei
If not the first time, try, try
again.
That could be the motto for
some grant applicants. For
Rich Brasch, he expects a se-
cond try to be the charm for a
$94,000 matching grant to
clean up Schwanz Lake. The
overall cost to improve water
quality would be about
$188,000 for Schwanz. a
children's fishing lake as
managed by the Minnesota
Department of Natural
Resources.
"We're not looking to make
it into a swimming lake, but
we can still improve the
wa ter quality in the lake from
seeing 1'•2 to 2 feet down to 3
to 4 feet," said Brasch,
Eagan's water resources
coordinator. Water clarity
relates to the depth at which
a person can see a submerg-
ed disk.
Algal blooms have produc-
ed a mat -like effect on
Schwanz Lake, which has
2,200 feet of shoreline in
Trapp Farm Park off
Wilderness Run Drive. The
culprit: phosphorus laiden
run-off from six storm water
sewers.
The $1 : ,000 project would
require several steps, struc-
tural and educational, to im-
prove water quality. It's part
of a Clean Water Partnership
Program grant offered
through the Minnesota Pollu-
tion Control Agency.
And a clearer lake will
benefit the city and the 30,000
summer visitors to Trapp
Farm Park. Reservations for
the Lakeshore pavilion have
incresased nearly 200 percent
in four years.
"This project is an
outgrowth started by the ci-
ty" in the late 1980s, Brasch
said.
Eagan used a $37,000 mat-
ching grant from the MPCA
in 1990 to study what has an
effect on the lake's environ-
ment. This feasibility study
outlined several steps to
enhance the lake.
Brasch expects the grant to
be approved by early next
year. The city applied for a
similar grant last year, but
was one project short of ap-
proval, he said.
Schwanz Lake is one of four
lakes the city lists as a priori-
ty for cleanup among its 350
water bodies. The lake is one
of 20 children's fishing lakes
in the Twin Cities
metropolitan area. A dock
and canoe launch cater to the
lake's users.
This grant reduced the cost
by $16,000, and the project
improvement period from
four years to three years. The
plan calls for increased
public education, street
sweeping, new water reten-
tion ponds, sedimentation
control and storm sewer
extensions.
Leaflets, soil testing and
seminars on yardwaste
management would be
presented to neighborhoods
GRANT: To Page 14A
2A—Eagan Sun•Cunent—Wednesday, Oct 27. 1993
Tobacco: Dakota County will use grant to curb toba
From previous page
other retailers on notice not to
sell tobacco products to minors.
"We didn't know what to ex-
pect. We were pleased when we
went out that there was only a
handful of violators," Witt said.
"It has worked better than we
thought it would."
Time constraints have
prevented the city from conduc-
ting similar tobacco stings in
1993, she said. That doesn't imp-
ly the city isn't watching.
Residents such as Sheryl
Casey continue their involve-
ment in tobacco -related issues.
Casey, a past member of the
Tobacco Task Force, presses
ahead to restrict youth access to
tobacco products. And the
Eagan resident is seeing results.
"Businesses, on their own, are
choosing to be more responsible
in selling tobacco," Casey said.
"It's a business position, my
point is we have to look out for
the health of our kids."
Rainbow Foods in Town Cen-
tre has locked up its cigarettes,
requiring a service manager to
assist customers, said Greg
Bauer, assistant manager at
Rainbow. Shoplifting was the
main reason for the lock up,
Bauer said. However, the
grocery store no longer sells
single packs of cigarettes.
"It was getting too tough to
police," he said.
Customers, of legal age,
would become irritated with
cashiers for checking identifica-
tion, he said. Other customers,
too young to purchase cigaret-
tes. would harass the cashier
whenever asked for
identification.
"Rainbow Foods has really,
responded. We're happy that
they have taken that step," Witt
said.
Other businesses have forged
new paths as they go smoke
free. Customer preference is the
main reason. Baker's Square in
Eagan has gone smoke free. Al
Baker's in Eagan also started to
restrict smoking.
Limiting smokers to the
saloon area during lunch hours
reflects a trend in customer
preference, said Chris Baker,
manager of Al Baker's. The
shift to smoke free dining from
11 a.m. to 3 p.m- occurred about
nine months ago.
A fairy godmother takes care of her cus-
tomers. So does Norwest. A fairy god-
mother has the power to grant many of
her customers' wishes. So does Norwest
A fairy godmother can turn a
mouse into a horse. Norwest can
('ustnnvers who purchase cigarettes at Rainbow Foods in Eagan mint no
unlock
a display case. (Photo by Bill Jones)
"We're trying to accom-
modate the change in the way
customers eat out. If the trend
coming into maturity or are looking for a
low -risk savings option. And if you're not
a Ni irwest customer, all you have to do is
open a checking account with
us to get in on these great
rates, too. So there you have
went (totally smoke free) we
would stay with the trend,"
Baker said. "But we're not go-
ing to jeopardize our business to
accommodate only the
nonsmokers."
Dakota County's Public
Health Department recently
secured an $18,000 grant for
tobacco use prevention. Called
ASSIST Tobacco Youth Grant,
the grant will "promote broad
public policy changes through
collaborative intervention and
community action to address
tobacco products," said Donna
Anderson, director of Public
Health in Dakota County,
The Minnesota Department of
Health has issued similar grants
to all counties in the Twin Cities
metropolitan area, Anderson
said. She expects the one year
grant will be reissued for the
next four years.
"You can't make public policy
changes in one year," she said.
At Chemical,
findafirst
MA —Eagan Sun sCur►ent —Wednesday On 27, 1993
Grant
From Page 1 A
around Schwanz Lake. Cur-
rently, water drains into the
lake from 360 acres. This
drainage area will expand to
900 acres when more land is
developed.
Street sweeping would oc-
cur monthly throughout the
summer to reduce sediment
and phosphorus washing off
streets. A nearby wetland
would be dredged to hold
larger volumes of water off
Rogers Court.
The south bay of Schwanz
Lake would be deepened and
separated by a subsurface
dike to contain sediments
washing into it. Other im-
provements call for a storm
sewer extension from Hay
Lake and new pond near the
park beach. A pump station
would pump out nutrient -rich
water from the lake's bottom.
Of the city's 394,000 con-
tribution, 57 percent will be
in -kind services using city
staff and equipment. The
city's remaining portion will
be a combination of its water
quality developer fees, storm
water utility fees, in -kind ser-
vices from the University of
Minnesota Extension Ser-
vices, and $2,000 from the
Gun Club Lake Watershed
Management Organization.
Improving water quality in
other lakes doesn't depend on
grants. The city's storm
water utility fee helps cover
the costs of protecting and
enhancing surface water
quality.
The city recently reduced
the storm water run off into
Heine Pond off Diffley Road
from 2,200 acres to about 15
acres. This will all but assure
a clearer Heine Pond, Brasch
said. Fish Lake also receives
nearly yearly attention in an
effort to reduce pollutant
flow.
Vehicles have had difficult times exiting from ('edarvale Boulevard onto Silver Bell Road, especially during rush hour. (Photo by Bill Jones)
City eyes possible street realignment in Cedarvale area
Ky Terrance Mencel
Scrutiny continues on how to
improve the economic climate
in the Cedarvale shopping area
in Eagan.
Last week, the city scheduled
an open house to discuss possi-
ble street improvements in the
area- Those attending submitted
written comments on two con-
ceptual designs to realign
Cedarvale Boulevard with
Silver Bell Road.
Currently, traffic congests on
Cedarvale Boulevard exiting on-
to Silver Bell Road. To alleviate
this congestion, one concept
would connect Cedarvale
Boulevard with the current in-
tersection of Silver Bell Road
and Beau-D-Rue Drive. The se-
cond concept would connect
Cedarvale Boulevard with
Silver Bell Road at the current
stop signs with Beau-D-Rue
Drive. However, Beau-D-Rue-
Drive would end in a cul-de-sac
short of Silver Bell Road.
In either concept, the Express
Donut store owned by Hanna
Nasr would be removed.
These are concepts only, said
Tom Colbert, Eagan Public
Works director. Comments from
the open house will help the City
Council determine whether to
conduct a feasibility study of one
design. Such a study, if approv-
ed, would culminate in a public
hearing in the next few months.
Transportation is one of
several remedial steps to im-
prove the Cedarvale shopping
area. Extra street lights have
been installed to produce more
uniform lighting. The city and
business owners are considering
a special service district to help
pay for aesthetic improvements.
Financing a road realignment
would be considered in the
feasibility report.
Firefighters
fix up truck
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
With its newest truck, the
Eagan Fire Department will be
able to fight grass fires in the
hilliest areas; drive down into
the Minnesota River bottom to
rescue crash victims; and drive
up and down and through the
most rugged terrain.
"It's not flashy, but it will do
what no other vehicle we have
will do," said Eagan Fire Chief
Dale Nelson.
What's more, the department
spent $1,000 on it.
The department acquired the
truck, a U.S. Army M561
"Gamma Goat,* through the De-
partment of Natural Resource's
surplus equipment program.
Using money from the Chica-
go and North Western Railroad,
an donations from local busi-
nesses, fire personnel were able
to sandblast the camouflage
green off the truck, add roll bars,
lights, and fire equipment, and
paint it bright, shiny red to
match their equipment.
Eagan firefighters Dave Hammer, Dave Feterl, Jeff Deming
and Paul Illsley helped restore an old Army vehicle into a life-
saving addition to their fleet. (Staff Photo)
If they had to contract the
work out, Nelson figures they
would have apent about $15,000.
The 1 1/4-ton machine, used
as a personnel and cargo carrier
and ambulance during its life
with the Army, has six wheels
and Tots of power. It can drive up
steep hills, through mud and
water, and can mow over trees
that are 4" in diameter.
Local businesses contributing
time and labor to the project in-
clude Abra Auto Body, Knox
Lumber and NAPA Auto Parts,
all of Eagan, and B&J Auto Sup-
ply of Rosemount.
I-504 cuRkENr
Police retirement party planned
A retirement open house has
been scheduled for Eagan
Police Officer Pete Poppler
from l to 5 p.m. Feb. 18 at the
Eagan Municipal Center, 3830
Pilot Knob Road.
A roast of Poppler is schedul-
ed at 3 p.m. in the Council
Chambers. Poppler, who has
been with the department for
27'1 years, will officially retire
Jan. 22.
Cost is ;10 per person, which
includes a light buffet and
monetary gift for Poppler. Make
checks payable to Linda Myhre,
Eagan Police Department, 3830
Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, 55122.
Registration deadline is Feb. 11.
For more information, call
Myhre at 6814700.
Awada turns political
views into full-time job
By Terrance Mencel
Pat Awada expects to
create a stir during the 1994
state legislative session.
This will be the year Min-
nesotans For Term Limits
beefs up its public campaign
for term limits on political of-
fice, said Awada, executive
director for the nonpartisan
grass roots organization.
Awada. a long time sup-
porter for term limits, joined
the group two months ago as
its only full-time paid staff
member. A six -member
board of directors governs
the three -year -old group. The
group is backed by well-
known advisers, including
former governors Elmer
Anderson and Al Quie. It has
ties to the national movement
for term limits.
The group will lobby
legislators for voters to
decide whether term limit
legislation is good for Min-
nesota. If successful, the
question would be placed on
the next general election
ballot.
"Term limits is never go-
ing to get on the ballot unless
there is pressure from the
AWADA: To Page I3A
Apple Valley/Rosemount/Eagan S
0A/ for term limits
Awada: Council member works
From Page IA
citizens,"
Awada said. "Term limits is at
the heart of the (political) pro-
blem that could affect my entire
life."
Supporting term limits ex-
poses Awada's political
philosophy. She is a first -term
Eagan City Council member,
elected in 1991. Awada said she
will seek a second council term
this year, which, according to
her campaign pledge, would be
her last year on the council if
elected. (Eagan moved to even -
year elections in 1992, requiring
Awada to serve three years of a
four-year term in the
realignment i .
Awada said term limits would
create a citizen legislature
similar to what occurs at the
local government level. It's in
local government where the In-
dependent Republican has
softened her partisanship.
"Everybody has their political
party preferences, but we all
have to work together," said
Awada, about her council ex-
perience. "At the city level (par-
tisan politics) doesn't matter.
You still have to plow the
streets."
Resident involvement found
at the city level makes office
holders more accountable, she
said. Awada hopes people
pressure legislators this session
to seek term limits.
Pat Awada
"We need everybody to buy
into it. That's the way you get
things accomplished," she said.
Currently, the group has a
financial donor base of about
2,000 individuals. Another 25,000
people have expressed interest
in term limits and are an the
group's mailing list, she said.
A recent lawsuit freed the
organization from being
classified as a political action
committee (PAC). The
organization is considered a
ballot access group, which lifts
the ;100 maximum contribution
limit, Awada said.
While Awada realizes term
limits has been more of a
Republican issue, she said she
expects to gain more nonpar-
tisan support. Many of last
year's freshmen DFL
legislators support term limits,
she said. She said pursuading
DFL leadership to buy into term
limits remains a challenge.
Freshman state Rep. Tim
Pawlenty, IR-Eagan, has
authored a term limits bill he in-
troduced at the start of the 1993
Legislature. House leadership
has promised to debate term
limits when the 1994 Legislature
convenes Feb. 22, Pawlenty
said. Pawlenty represents
District 388 which covers the
southern two-thirds of Eagan,
northwestern Burnsville and
Apple Valley.
Minnesotans For Term Limits
supports Pawlenty's term limits
bill, Awada said. The bill would
limit state legislators to 10 years
in office and other statewide of-
fice holders to eight years. U.S.
senators and House represen-
tatives would be limited to 12
years' service.
Groups such as Minnesotans
For Term Limits bring the grass
root efforts needed to make
term limits a reality, Pawlenty
said. "So far, they have not been
able to bring a lot of resources to
bear," he said.
The DFL-controlled House of
Representatives formed a term
limits task force last week, of
which Pawlenty has been ap-
pointed a member. The task
force will conduct public hear-
ings across the state to gain
public opinion regarding term
limits, he said.
Awada expects Minnesotans
For Term Limits efforts will
bear results if not this year, next
year. Public pressure will
mount that the DFL-controlled
Legislature will have to listen to,
she said. Eighteen states have
adopted term limits.
For more information about
Minnesotans For Term Limits,
call 221-4043.
Hohenstein takes job in Mahtomedi
By Sue Hegarty
Mannesoia 5:n Pubncauons
Eagan officials may be able to fill the
assistant city administrator position
but they can never replace Jon Hohen-
stein, who announced his resignation
May 19, said Tom Hedges, city adminis-
trator and Hohenstein's boss for the
past 12 years.
Hohenstein has accepted a job as
city administrator for Mahtomedi, a
community of 7,000 northeast of St.
Paul.
On the eastern shores of White Bear
Lake, the city is four square miles com-
pared to Eagan's 32. The community
has been without a city administrator
since the end of January and officials
are looking forward to Hohenstein's ar-
rival June 22, said Deputy Clerk Mary
Kodheboy.
In Eagan, Hohenstein was thought of
as the guru of airport issues and an ex-
pert on tax increment financing. Mah-
tomedi doesn't have airport issues, but
it does have TIF districts, Kodheboy
said.
"Something Jon will be handed is a
long-range plan to cooperatively develop
land along Interstate 694 for an ice
arena," Kodheboy said.
The project
would be.a joint
venture of Centu-
ry College (for-
merly Lakewood
Community Col-
lege) and the
cities of White
Bear Lake and
Mahtomedi.
Hohenstein
graduated cum
Iaude from Har-
vard University
in 1980 with a bachelor of arts degree in
government. He earned his master's de-
gree in urban and regional studies at
Mankato State in 1985. While at Manka-
to, he worked as a teaching assistant for
undergraduate courses and later became
an instructor on municipal organization-
al theory and behavior.
He is president of the Minnesota
City/County Management Association
and past president of the state associa-
tion of Urban Management Assistants.
Eagan Mayor Tom Egan said Hohen-
stein will be missed and the entire coun-
cil gave him a standing ovation at the
May 19 meeting.
His last day working for Eagan is June
19,
Jon Hohanstein
1_ so%) C.)ki:LEasir
City purchases Holz
farm for historic site
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
The City of Eagan last week
purchased the Holz farm, one of
the few remaining farms in
Eagan, for $337,500 and is mov-
ing ahead with plans to open it to
the public as a historic site.
The city closed on the proper-
ty Jan. 4, after lengthy discus-
sions with the property develop-
er.
Ken Vraa, Eagan's Park and
Recreation director, said the
City Council will determine how
the site is to be used, and the
parks department will do some
preliminary preparation on the
site in anticipation of its open-
ing.
The land contains a farm
house, barn, several outbuild-
ings, and a garden.
The site was considered the
best -maintained and most his-
torically valuable from a list of
possible sites. Vraa said other
park department projects will
probably be postponed because
of the acquisition, which will be
paid for from the park depart-
ment budget.
Otto and Ella Holz, the own-
ers and residents for many
years, both died in the summer
of 1993. The childless couple had
left the property to a number of
descendants.
Until the time of their death,
they were said to have cooked
their meals over an old wood
stove, and Ella dragged tubs of
water into the kitchen where she
scrubbed the clothes.
The farm is located between
Dodd Road and Highway 3 in the
southeast corner of Eagan. It is
adjacent to a small, existing city -
owned park.
-;.1-qs- so)
"1
Taking
shape
Possibilities
narrow for
Eagan's `heart'
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Eagan's plan for a stylish hub
for its retail and social activity,
which a year ago was just a
vague concept, is continuing to
take shape.
A task force of Eagan resi-
dents just wrapped up a two -
month series of weekly meetings
and released its report, which
will go to the City Council and
city commissions.
And Opus, the development
company that has been design-
ing concepts for the 120-acre
spot and finding retailers to fill
the buildings, is analyzing the
task force's recommendations
and honing its plan.
"The task force worked very
hard and in a short time period
were able to come up with a re-
port to guide the private devel-
oper," said Peggy Reichert, Ea-
gan's community development
director.
"They had to cover a lot, con-
sider a lot, and came together as
a group with a strong consen-
sus," Reichert said.
Many ideas are still fuzzy and
need to be focused, but a few of
the bigger ingredients in the
area, in the northeast corner
where Interstate 35E and Yan-
TASK: To Page 10A
10A Apple Valley Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentWednesday.Feb. 22, 1995
Task: Options explored
From Page lA
kee Doodle Road meet, are
known.
The main entrance to the
area will be across the street
from the tall, white Blue
Cross/Blue Shield building on
Yankee Doodle Road.
The road leading into the area
would be designed as a "grand
boulevard" lined with trees,
landscaping, trails, special light-
ing and benches.
The area will include a
400,000 square foot "power cen-
ter" of large retailers that Opus
is developing, multi -family
housing, probably in the form of
700 townhouses to the north and
east of the shopping area, sit-
down restaurants and a park.
The task force would like it to
be more, though, and has come
up with a conceptual drawing
and impressions of Opus' plan.
Task force members want to
ensure the space is multiple -use,
not just retail, with a formal
open area that could serve as
space for Fourth of July celebra-
tions, farmer's markets or fairs.
"I would like to see more
green space," said task force
member Carla Heyl, who is also
a member of Eagan's Advisory
Planning Commission.
"I'd rather not have the focal
point of Eagan be a huge parking
lot," she said, which is what she
said Opus' proposal would be.
The task force's vision in-
cludes a main street line with
businesses such as ice cream
shops, bookstores, card shops
and bakeries to give it more of an
old-fashioned "down town" feel.
It would also have a commu-
nity building which could serve
as a space for meetings, plays,
concerts, receptions, recreation
and swimming.
The task force has said that
the central area should include
paths for bikes and pedestrians
and that the entire area be con-
nected to the city's trail system.
Because of its central loca-
tion, the task force believes it is
the right place for this develop-
ment, which will include a mix of
public and private uses and
room to grow.
"This is important because it
is the last, largest bit of land we
have left for this," said Heyl.
"It's a concern to everyone
that this is developed right," said
task force member and Eagan
Chamber of Commerce Presi-
dent Dan Aberg. "This location is
the busiest intersection in the
Central Area
Design Concept
city, across from a Town Centre."
He said he is pleased with
how the process is moving along.
"I think the task force took a lot
Restaurants
<•a
of pain in trying to look at the
whole area, to figure out what
would be the best use," he said.
The project will coincide with
Community
Center
Yankee Doodle Rd
11
MSP Graphhc
building a $10 million ring road
around the entire area that is al-
ready a part of the city's plans.
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Feb. 22, 1995 9A
COMMUNITY LINE
Amy Heitzman, and
Thomas Matchinsky of Eagan
have been honored by the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin -Stevens
Point for attaining high grade
point averages during the fall se-
mester ending in December.
Thomas Hunter, whose par-
ents are Dennis and Jan Hunter
of Eagan, has been named to the
dean's honor list for the fall 1994
semester at the University of
Northern Iowa. He is a freshman
chemistry major.
Laura McClure of Eagan
was named to the dean's list at
the Institute of Technology at
the University of Minnesota for
superior academic performance
during fall quarter 1994.
Richard Huntington of
Eagan has been promoted to
lieutenant colonel and awarded
the Air Medal in his Air Force
Reserve unit. He is an instructor
pilot and chief of safety with the
934th Airlift Wing, based at the
Minneapolis -St. Paul Interna-
tional Airport Air Reserve Sta-
tion.
Scott Traynor, whose par-
ents are John and Dona Traynor
of Eagan, has been named to the
dean's list for the fallsemagtsr sf
ents are Fred and Carol Oelrich
of Eagan, is a teaching assistant
for grades seven to 12 in St.
Cloud and surrounding area
during January through St.
John's University in Col-
legeville, Minn.
Shannon Trevis of Eagan
was named to the president's list
for fall semester at Northern
State University in Aberdeen,
S.D.
Jamie Simon, whose par-
ents are Michael and Jan Simon
of Eagan, has been named to the
Concordia College dean's honor
list for first semester.
Jennifer Obrzut and Cort-
ney Whitehouse, both of
Eagan, have been named to the
fall semester dean's list at the
University of Iowa in Iowa City.
Matthew Dickinson, Kari
Nyman and Timothy Woods,
all of Eagan, have been named to
the fall quarter dean's list at the
University of Minnesota, Morris.
Erin Dealy, whose parents
are Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dealy of
Eagan, has been named to the
first semester dean's list at St.
Norbert College in Wisconsin.
Post Office to set
up retail shop here
The United States Postal Ser-
vice has announced it is looking
for space to put a retail shop in
Eagan.
The retail shop, which in-
cludes self-service vending, yent-
a -boxes, and services, is a new
concept for the Postal Service,
which is setting up such shops
all around the country.
They chose Eagan, said
CITY BRIEF
Ruthann Coburn, because its'
main post office is several miles
from the busiest part of Eagan.
The Postal Service is solicit-
ing proposals for sites or existing
space which must be submitted
no later than the close of busi-
ness on March 10_
They would prefer the space
to be located with the bound-
aries of Diffley Road to the
north, Cliff Road to the south,
Pilot Knob Road to the east and
Nicola Road to the west.
Eagan is still set to get a new,
larger Post Office north of its
current location on Lexington
Avenue, in 1997.
The space should be from
27,962 to 34,952 feet, including
all easements and setbacks.
Forms can be obtained by
writing to Ruthann Coburn,
Real Estate Department, United
States Postal Service, 6800 West
64th Street, Suite 100 Building
8, Overland Park KS 56202-
4171 or by calling (913) 831-1855
ext. 469. Interested parties may
also contact the existing Eagan
Post Office for information.
Student will be
charged in assault
A 13-year-old female student
at Grass Junior High School in
West St. Paul will be charged
with assaulting the school's as-
sistant principal.
Police Chief Tom Iago said on
Feb. 14, Assistant Principal Kay
Gould was talking with the stu-
dent in a hall near the school of-
fice. The student got upset and
nuahnri Gould info a steel door
POLICE 1
on her condition.
Phone scams tried
on Eagan residents
Two Eagan residents called
the police last week after receiv-
ing phone calls from women say-
ing they represented local banks
or were doing banking surveys.
Both were checked out and
found to be false.
In both cases, the caller had
personal information about the
banking. The recipient of the call
phoned the bank and found the
person who called her did not
work at the bank.
Geagan said that if residents
receive such calls, they should
notify the police department at
681-4700.
He said residents should be
suspicious of such calls. "That's
not the way bankers work," he
said. "Banking business is never
conducted in the home."
The Eagan Police Depart-
ment renorterl the fnllnwinp ineL
Arena
From Page IA
raised through a community
raffle that drew 600 people.
But to reach the goal, Dill said
they need a few more contribu-
tions — maybe from a family or
business that has made its
money from Eagan's growth
Some of the businesses that
have made generous contribu-
tions so far are: West
Publishing, Coca Cola, Cray
Research, Dart Transit. Nor-
thern Hydraulics, McDonalds,
Ecolab, Norwest Bank, Peoples
Natural Gas. Northwest
Airlines, Villaume Industries,
First American Bank, John
Henry Foster Inc., Eagan
Rotary Club, State Farm In-
surance and Opus_
Newsstand
Price
(111:1)
3 Sections
EAGAN
Surnturrent
July 6, 1994
Eagan Civic Arena goal is near
Hy Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
After a year of planning and
seven months of fund-raising,
you can almost hear the skate
blades cutting into the ice and
the rackets slapping the tennis
balls. Eagan's Civic Arena looks
like it's going to happen.
Fund raisers announced they
had raised $500,000 toward their
$600,000 goal, and they're confi-
dent they can raise the rest
before their Dec. 31 deadline.
If they do, the city will con-
tribute the remaining $1.4
million for the arena, and Eagan
residents will have their own in-
door place to skate, play hockey,
With six months to go, group
has $100,000 left to raise
soccer, tennis, volleyball and
other sports. or attend a flea
market or program.
In the summer, children will
be be able to swim in an outdoor
wading pool.
"I'm just euphoric on how suc-
cessful the civic arena commit-
tee has been," said Eagan
Mayor Tom Egan.
"The committee has elec-
trified the Eagan community,"
he said. "This is very, very
significant."
Fat Dill, fund-raising
chairperson, said Eagan needs
the arena.
"About 30 percent of Eagan's
population is under 18 years old
— we need to provide opportuni-
ty for this age group," he said.
"Right now, a lot of families
drive 30 or 40 miles for ice time
or to play indoor soccer," he
said.
About a year ago, the City
Council challenged residents to
raise money for its own arena,
which, if it is built, will be on the
same property as City Hall.
A group of residents took up
that challenge, and since then, a
core committee of six fund
raisers and about 300 to 400
Eagan families have par-
ticipated in the effort. Dill said.
Many local businesses have
contributed generously to the ef-
fort, he said.
By raising the money within
the community, the city will
avoid having to raise taxes,
have a referendum, or issue
bonds, Dill said.
"I think the average person
didn't want to pay for this
through tax dollars," Egan said.
About $85,000 of the total was
ARENA: To Page 19A
Look inside
this issue for the
Living Spames
.vial
'.et--tion
Vol. 19. No. 29
EAGAN CIVIC ARENA
FUNDRAISING PROJECT
$600,000
$500,000
$400,000
$300,000
S200,000
$100,000
GOAL
July, 1994
April, 1994
March, 1994
January, 1994
Family sleeps easier with specially designed bed for child
Woodworker
akes life safer
for 2 year old
s Doug Erickson
tail Writer
luting on a mattress in her
rents' living room, Lynzee
hase's 2-year-old body sudden-
y stiffens.
For a few brief moments, her
elicate limbs twist and quiver.
"That's one of her seizures,"
xplains her father, Patrick, a
tate trooper who lives in Burns-
ille.
"She doesn't really know shers
ving them," says her mother,
ammy, a sales associate at
acy's department store. "She
.omes out of them like she's
n daydreaming."
Born with severe brain
mage, Lynzee endures 10 to 15
inures a day. The seizures are
rticularly worrisome at night
ause of the potential for in-
ury, Patrick said.
"She could bump her head on
mething or fall off the bed,"
said. "We can't put her in a
egular bed, and she was getting
fnr a nrih 11 lus�6mnsai
A custom-built hed provides [,)luxe with a cumfortahte and safe skeping am. Pictured with Lynzee are her
sisters, Danielle, 9, and Alexcee, 3, and parents, Patrick and Tammy Chase. (Hill Jones/Staff Photographer)
her caretakers.
allowing Patrick and Tammy to
The Chases are in awe of the
care and craftsmanship that
went into constructing the bed.
Thanks to Roberts, everyone at
the Chase home is sleeping bet-
ter these days, Patrick said. The
Chases have two other children,
Danielle, 9, and Alexcee, 3.
"People should know that
there are people like James out
there," Patrick said. "His heart
is probably the whole inside of
his chest."
Roberts said he'd never
undertaken such a project
before. Crate Prospects, which
doesn't advertise and relies sole-
ly on word of mouth, typically
doesn't custom -build furniture,
he said.
"Just because she's
disabled, we didn't
want her to sleep in a
metal bed. We wanted
something with class.
It's a gorgeous bed."
—Tammy Chase
Because Lynzee's health is But he felt an immediate
—j)—u 3V1►1 tthzP "NT
Officers mourned at Capitol
Officer Lou Jeska's family, colleagues to attend ceremony
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Two Eagan police officers and
a local family will travel to
Washington, D.C. this week on a
somber mission of solidarity.
The group will join police of-
ficers and families from all over
the country for Police Officer's
Memorial Day, a day set aside
to remember police officers kill-
ed while on duty in 1993.
Lou Jeska, a 20-year member
of the Eagan Police force, was
killed in a three -vehicle accident
in August 1993, while on duty.
Jeska's wife. Sandy, his three
children and their spouses and
children will be accompanied to
Washington by Eagan in-
vestigators Linda Myhre and
Jim McDonald. Myhre had
Lou Jeska
worked closely with Jeska, and
McDonald had worked with the
AP
family after his death.
The weekend will begin with a
Friday evening vigil, where the
officers' names will be read.
Saturday, seminars will be
scheduled for the families and
co-workers. to help them deal
with their loss. And Sunday,
Police Officer's Memorial Day,
the memorial service will take
place.
"It's great that the country
honors and recognizes police of-
ficers and the work they do,"
said McDonald. "It will be a
privilege to attend the
ceremony."
Locally. police officers will
stand at a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. vigil
at the Police Officer's
Memorial, at the Minneapolis -
St. Paul airport main terminal.
Apple WIley/RotemountrEagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, June 29, 1994
Digging in
Eagan city officials broke
ground last week for the
new Eagan police facility
that will be built on to the
existing municipal building.
Shoveling dirt are, from
left, architect Dewey
Thwbeck; Councilmemher
Sandra Masin; Slay or Tom
Egan; (.'ouncilmemhers
Pat Awada, Ted Wachter
and Shawn Hunter; Police
Chief Pat Geagan; and City
Administrator Tom
Hedges. At left, Coun-
cilmember Awada's
daughter Alexandria tries
on her mother's hard hat at
the groundbreaking
ceremony. (Lori
H a u g e n/ S t a f f
Photographer)
EAGAN
Curr¢nt
June 29, 1994
Vol. 19. No. 28
the woods for science
dents taking part in research
formational booklet for the cam-
pground. The reports detail in-
formation on area wildlife,
botany, lakes, geology and other
topics.
"It is like a hiker guide," said
EHS science teacher Mike
Foreman. "The trip has two
goals. It allows students to do
science -oriented field research
and allows students to camp
out.
The program is in its second
year. Thirty-six students are
first-time campers: four of the
students are EHS graduate
teaching assistants who went on
the trip last year.
The idea for the course came
during a Boundary Waters
canoe trip Foreman took with
EHS science teacher Jim
Lynch. Lynch said he was amaz
ed at the number of students
who had never been outside the
city or camping.
On a field trip to Duluth, he
asked students to raise their
hands if they had never been to
the city. "Almost half the
students on the bus raised their
hands," Lynch said. "I was
amazed. Students aren't getting
this kind of experience."
SCIENCE: To Page ISA
On the
rights
side
Man plans human
rights commission
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
As a child, Randy Cirksena J
bed how others treated h
Eva✓ CU7R12E/✓T
`Community policing' is more than a name
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Today, when Eagan Police Of-
ficer Duane Pike goes out on pa-
trol, people say "hi" to him.
That may not seem remark-
able, but a few years ago it was
more common to see cops sitting
in their patrol cars, talking on
the radio to a dispatcher than
out on the street talking to resi-
dents.
Pike, one of the 54 employees
of the Eagan department, is part
of the department's community
policing effort.
Chief Pat Geagan says com-
munity policing — an idea that
has gained attention recently
with congressional approval of
the crime bill — is more than a
program, it is a philosophy that
involves the entire department.
Under the crime bill, Eagan
Eagan Police Officer Duane Pike on the beat last week. (Bill
Jones/Staff Photographer)
ill receive a "Clinton Cop" whose
salary will initially be paid for
with federal funds, if the bill
goes ahead as approved.
In Eagan, community polic-
ing includes summer bike patrol
officers, crime prevention pro-
grams, cooperative programs
with Eagan schools, and neigh-
borhood crime watch groups.
"We are training a number of
officers to work in crime preven-
tion," Geagan said. "And we are
initiating a group to work with
apartment owners to deal with
the problems they have."
The point is to focus more on
solving problems, Geagan said.
"You don't solve a problem
with an arrest," he said. It takes
early, active involvement.
In addition to responding to
40,000 calls a year, that keeps
the department busy, said Gea-
gan. Pike said residents who
otherwise may not call the police
about a problem may call him
personally when they see some-
thing now, because they know
him.
By having a presence in the
neighborhood, Pike said, people
are more supportive and they
offer more tips. "Often, we're
frustrated doing investigations,
especially with property crimes.
But now I get more tips," he said.
POLICE: To Page 7A
A•1
INKOS
OUR
ENTER
GAN
how
KnM.
MAR r
Nma Krnkn is iunt'ensently
fncand on Fagan. Featuring full
and self-service copies 24 our,
a day, and a range of busine.,
services including: full (No -
copies, self -serve Mac and i lc \1
computers, FAX, bluepnnl
copies, and UPS shipping
kinko's
the copy center
1 Student attacks teacher at DCTC
1344 Towne Centre • 683-98(X)
Staff Report
An 18-year-old Eagan male
has been charged in Dakota
County District Court for at-
tacking his teacher with a butter
knife.
Rosemount Police were called
to Dakota County Technical Col-
lege on Nov. 17 and told that a
student, Sean Edward Maynor,
had assaulted one of his teachers
with a knife.
Maynor, a student in the spe-
cial education program there for
youths with behavior problems,
had reportedly been uncoopera-
tive with teachers and had to
be restrained when he got into
a fist fight with another
student.
Maynor repeatedly told those
restraining him to get off him
and that he would kill them,
says the police complaint.
A teacher who had been re-
straining him later left to get a
cup of coffee, and when he went
to the lunch room, Maynor ran
down the stairs and threatened
to kill him.
About five minutes later,
Maynor tackled the teacher from
behind at a full run, screaming
"I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna
get you!" while pushing him for-
ward and smashing the teacher's
nose with his hand.
The teacher realized it
was Maynor and rolled him off.
Maynor, who was holding a
butter knife in his right
hand, was disarmed by other
teachers.
He faces up to five years in
jail for making terroristic
threats, a felony. No court date
has been set.
iutol off fl,e
io(eN c e
Violence is a learned behavior. It can be unlearned.
Police: A several -pronged effort
From Page IA
He said community policing
also puts more of the burden on
residents to watch out for them-
selves and their neighborhoods.
The number of neighborhood
watch groups continues to grow,
Geagan said. Another aspect of
the program has been to estab-
lish closer ties between schools
and troubled residential areas,
Geagan said. The Police Depart-
ment, parks department and
schools have cooperated to em-
ploy someone who works with
children before they have to
have contact with the police.
They plan to expend their
summer bike patrol program,
which makes the officers more
visible in the communities.
And hundreds of children
graduate from the department's
DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance
Education) program in the
schools.
Geagan said they are putting
together a'citizen's police acade-
my,' that will invite a group of
residents in to learn about what
the department does — from
drunken driving arrests to ar-
rest techniques.
It is hard to quantify the ef-
fect community policing is hav-
ing, Geagan said. He said the
crime rate doesn't always reflect
community policing efforts — in
fact, sometimes it appears to go
up because people feel more com-
fortable reporting crimes.
"The measure is the support
the department gets," Geagan
said.
&uiJ Cv.g.r&rWr"
Fire truck retires at age 30
Eagan Fire Chief Dale Nelson handed over the keys to Eagan's first fire truck, Unit 3, to
Ken Peterson from the Firefighter's Museum. The truck will be on permanent display at
the museum, 1300 Water Street in Minneapolis. (Bill Jones\Staff Photographer)
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wedneeday, Sept 6. 1995 3A
District 196 opens No. 18: Red Pine Elementary
District 196 Superintendent John Haro speaks during the opening of Red Pine Elementary,
the districts 18th elementary school. (Mike Howell/Staff Photographer)
By Melissa Bergquist
Staff Writer
Opening a new school never
gets any easier.
But District 196 Superinten-
dent John Haro said it's always a
thrill.
Red Pine Elementary, the dis-
trict's 18th elementary school, is
no exception. The school, on Gun
Club Road east of Highway 3 in
Eagan, opened its doors Sept. 5 to
590 students.
"I'm really excited at the
thought of opening a new school.
Everyone's real upbeat and opti-
mistic at forming a new family,"
said Principal Bill Mack.
Mack said the parents are al-
most as excited as the students
about Red Pine.
Red Pine will draw students
from Shannon Park, Pinewood
and Rosemount elementaries.
Students from Shannon Park and
Pinewood may experience deja vu
because the three schools have
similar designs, he said.
In order to give all students an
idea of what to expect, Mack vis-
ited schools last spring to show a
video of the school and answer the
student's questions, he said.
Haro said the school is beauti-
ful to look at, but it's the inside
that counts.
"What makes a school nice is
not the building, but who's in it:
the administration, clerical staff,
teachers, students and parents,"
he said.
Even though students from
three schools will be sent to one,
Red Pine will remain under -en-
rolled for its first year. The 590
student enrollment includes
about 40 students in the four spe-
cial education programs located
in the school, Mack said. The pro-
grams are being housed in the
school because it has the room. As
the regular education enrollment
reaches the 8''25 student capacity,
the programs will more than like-
ly be moved, he said.
4A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday. Sept. 6, 1995
Our viewpoint
Mega -sale is a bargain
that benefits everyone
Over the past month, charity has begun in the homes
of nearly 2,900 parishioners of Prince of Peace Lutheran
Church of Burnsville.
Parishioners have been digging through closets,
garages, cupboards and basements, salvaging clothes, ap-
pliances, kitchenware and other household goods to supply
the church's fifth annual mega -sale, which runs 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 8 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 9 at 200 E. Nicollet Blvd.
Pat Olson, co -chairperson of the sale, said more than
10,000 items of clothing, all of good quality, will be avail-
able for a $1 or less. Other items, including furniture and
electronic goods, also will be sold at cut-rate prices.
Olson likes to think of it as more than a garage or rum-
mage sale, accentuating the quality of the items offered.
She is right, in more ways than that. The sale is a com-
munity event designed to give lower -income families an
opportunity to purchase back -to -school clothing or other
at near giveaway prices. Also, half the proceeds
OPINION
LETTERS I
Reader criticizes
paper's editorial
To the editor
The Sun -Current's Aug. 2 ed-
itorial about "Board Member's
Actions" displayed a surprising
reversal of opinion and lack of
understanding of the facts.
In May 1995 the Sun -Current
endorsed Judy Lindsay for Dis-
trict 196 school board, saying
she `knows the issues" and takes
a strong stand toward "listening
to the public and working for the
best interest of the students.' By
contrast, the August editorial
stated that she waged a person-
al battle against the state grad-
uation rule. Not so. She fought a
lone battle to convince the board
to have a public hearing con-
cerning a major change in policy.
I had spoken to her and several
`�� other hoard memh�rQ to ,lrvn hnvr`i ui wining to tin It is tlif-
District 197
up to old tricks
To the editor.
Well the days are getting
shorter, it's back to school time
and already District 197 is back
to its old tricks. We need another
bond issue. They told us a year
ago when they shoved the last
bond issue down our throats, re-
member, a vote only on Monday,
at Sibley High School, and all the
other things that were ques-
tioned by the taxpayers. We don't
need another bond issue. Let the
one we got run out and forget it.
This district pays too much for
what we are getting in education.
I recently saw that the average
graduate has the reading ability
of a fourth -grader.
This district is facing higher
and higher taxes. The tax bur-
den is being shifted from com-
the state "changed the rules,"
and District 196 would have to
implement parts of the new
graduation rule a year early in
order to continue as a pilot site.
That meant that this year's in-
coming ninth -graders would be
subject to a change in the gradu-
ation requirements. But board
policy requires the public be in-
formed about major district
changes and that hearings be
held to get input from the public.
Judy Lindsay had tried to get
other board members to agree to
hearings even prior to the July
24 meeting, or to at least have
some discussion about it during
the board meeting.
Your editorial described de-
laying tactics, which they may
have been. But I see that as a le-
gitimate attempt to accomplish
for the public and for students
what no other member of the
-i;. - i 5vi1 ct)(ZREW r
Charter member
of Eagan Lions, dies
By Patrick Spaeth
Staff Writer
Carl H_ Langnickel was a go-
getter and "the kind of guy who
liked to help," his son, Terry,
said.
Langnickel, "Chuck" to his
friends, died Aug. 23, 1995, at
the age of 69.
A charter member of the
Eagan Lions Club, Langnickel, a
resident of Burnsville, sold office
products for J.A.K. Office Prod-
ucts in Bloomington and Gener-
al Office Products in St. Louis
Park. He approached his work
with an attitude of helping oth-
ers, Terry said.
"If something special needed
to be done, he'd dig until he got it
done, Terry said. "He'd do the
things other people didn't want
to do. He was very active, very
outgoing. Everybody he came
into contact with noticed his pos-
itive attitude.'
Langnickel also was an avid
angler throughout his life and
became a devoted bass fisher-
man over the last 15 years.
"That was his most favorite
thing to do," Terry said. "He en-
joyed every aspect of it. He was al-
ways on the go and he had a hard
time relaxing. Except when he
was on the water. He knew there
weren't any phones, any roads.
That was where he could relax."
Langnickel's generosity ex-
tended to friends and strangers
but was particularly felt at
home, Terry said.
"I was very close to my father,
said Terry, an only child. "As
much as he would do for others,
he would do it ten -fold for me. I
had to make sure I didn't take
advantage of him. He bent over
backward for me."
He was born Feb. 20, 1926 in
Minneapolis to Carl and Elsie
(Gerlach) Langnickel. He at-
tended private Lutheran schools
as a child and after graduation
attended the Minnesota School
of Business. He served in the
U.S. Navy during World War II
and on Aug. 6, 1946, married
Joyce Kirkpatrick in Brisbane,
Australia. He worked as an ac-
countant until age 50 before tak-
ing his job selling office products.
He and his wife lived in
Burnsville for the past 20 years
and had been Dakota County
residents since 1960. He was a
member of the Masonic Lodge
and a 32nd degree York Rite
Shriner.
He is survived by Joyce and
Terry; aunt, Anita Langnickel;
cousin, Delores Bergland and
her husband, Frank, and their
children, Scott and Mitchell;
cousin, Jean Ginther and her
husband, Tom, and their chil-
dren, John and Amy; godchil-
dren, Vikki Smith, Shawn Ed-
wards, Scott Bergland, Scott
Austin and Kim Curtis. He also
is survived by loving friends he
referred to as "family," including
Tom and Shelly Smith and their
children, Ashley, Brittany,
Abbey, Bob and Darlene as well
as his beloved friend, Lisa Baer,
and his canine companion, Luke.
Langnickel's funeral was
Aug. 25 at Prince of Peace
Lutheran Church in Burnsville
and he was buried later that day
at Fort Snelling National Ceme-
tery in Minneapolis.
BOAN
urre
Look inside
this issue for
Bulletin
Board
3 Sections
September 27, 1995 Vol. 20, No. 40
Co_
mm
unity will be skating on new ice
Grand opening
of Civic Arena
starts Sept. 30
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Dedication weekend of the
new Civic Arena in Eagan is
Sept. 30-Oct, 1.
The celebration includes free
pleasure skating, instructional
clinics, a charity hockey game,
entertainment by the Eagan
High School band and a Parade
on Ice.
The celebration begins with
free power skating and figure
skating clinics for Eagan resi-
dents at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept.
30_ There are a limited number
of tickets available. A charity
hockey game between Eagan
Hockey Association coaches and
former North Stars begins at 7
p.m. Cost is $20 per family. Pro-
ceeds will be used to buy perma-
nent seating for the concrete ris-
11 Getting a sneak preview of the new Eagan Civic Arena Sept. 22 arc, from left to right, Lydia Bohn, 9; Franny Doherty, 9; Min-
nesota Moose mascot, Mick E. Moose; Julie Franzen, 8; and Julie Pontrelli, B. Grand opening activities are Sept 30-Oct. 1. (Sue
He : art /Staff Photographer)
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Center rive
Time Fitness in Eagan is prohib-
ited beginning Oct. 20.
Eagan's City Council adopted
the parking ban at its Sept. 20
meeting in response to safety
concerns by the staff and council
members.
Three other streets in Eagan
also were targeted for parking
bans — Town Centre Drive and
O'Leary Lane near the Waterford
Apartments (near the Mann The-
ater), Thomas Lake Road in front
of Thomas Lake Elementary
School and Rahn Road near Cliff
Road Townhomes and Rahn Park.
Three accidents along
Thomas Center Drive have been
reported since the fitness club
opened in September 1994. One
of those involved a deer.
Bill Garlick, vice president of
operations and co-owner of Life
Time Fitness, said he doesn't be-
lieve the club's location has been
a factor in any of the accidents.
Garlick doesn't like the alter-
native. The fitness club will be
from the clu
ble assaults on women walking
across the street and through a
parking lot to their cars. It also
could lead to a higher incidence
of vehicle vandalism, he said.
Councilmember Ted Wachter
said he received complaints from
business owners at the shopping
center that parked cars along
Thomas Center Drive hampered de-
liveries to the rear of the businesses.
Garlick said most of the park-
ing problem is from 5-9 p.m.
Mondays through Wednesdays
during winter months. Owners
of the club had a conceptual
agreement with the neighboring
developer to use office parking
as overflow parking space. How-
ever, the office development plan
has not been approved for con-
struction on adjacent land.
Mayor Tom Egan said people
have parked on the street even
when there have been open
parking spaces in the lot. "That's
dysfunctional," Egan said.
On the other side of town, resi-
dents of the Waterford Place
Apartments will be given the same
amount of time (30 days) to get
their cars off Town Centre Drive.
The apartment complex is
near the Mann Theater, a child-
care center, and a vehicle emis-
sions testing site. About 2,500 to
4,000 vehicles per day drive on
Town Centre Drive, said Tom Col-
bert, Eagan public works director.
Apartment manager Gretchen
Gensler asked for time to rectify
the problem.
"I agree we have a problem,
but they have permitted this for
a long time," Gensler said after
the meeting.
Gensler would have preferred
Councilmember Shawn Hunter's
suggestion that parking be
banned on one side of Town Cen-
tre Drive.
Apartment residents are
being informed of new require-
ments to register their vehicles.
Man sentenced to prison for receiving stolen goods
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A Minneapolis man has been
sentenced to 24 months in prison
after he pleaded guilty to receiv-
ing stolen property in Eagan.
Jethero James Boggs, 23,
also was charged with two felony
counts of third degree burglary,
but those charges were dropped.
At 12:55 a.m. Sept. 6, Eagan
Police responded to an alarm at
the Amoco gas station at the cor-
ner of Cliff Road and Slater
Road. The panel on an overhead
garage door had been kicked in
and the business burglarized.
Nearby at the Cedar Cliff
shopping center, police found a
stolen van and spotted Boggs
against a rear business door, ac-
cording to a complaint filed in
Dakota County District Court.
Boggs ran to the stolen van.
When approached by officers,
Boggs said he had "just robbed
the Japanese place," according to
the complaint.
Police arrested Boggs. Upon
further investigation, they found
a crow bar and money bag on the
passenger seat of the stolen van.
Police found the rear door to Hong
Wong's Restaurant pried off and
money taken from a cash box.
Come Visit The
0
On Sunday, Oct_ 1, Grand
Opening festivities begin with a
public open skate from 12:15 to
1:15 p.m. The Eagan High
School Band will perform, fol-
lowed by figure skating demon-
strations. At 2 p.m., the official
dedication ceremony will begin.
Public skating will be allowed for
one hour following the ceremony.
The ceremony will conclude with
a Parade on lce by representa-
tives from the Eagan Hockey As-
sociation, Eagan High School
hockey, Eagan Figure Skating
Club, the Minnesota Moose and
other organizations that will use
the facility.
"Hopefully, everybody will
ARENA: To Page 10A
Arena: Eagan to open new ice
From Front Page
come out and have fun," said
Todd Burkart, arena manager.
Community residents con-
tributed $600,000 to build the fa-
cility.
The $2 million arena is the
practice home for the Minnesota
Moose, a professional hockey
team.
The Moose were to begin
practice on the new ice sheet on
Monday, Burkart said. The club
is building a locker room addi-
tion which is expected to be com-
pleted Dec. 1.
Prior to the arena's opening,
all the rental times for ice use
was taken, Burkart said.
Eagan Youth Hockey and
Eagan High School hockey
teams have rented the majority
of ice times. Also, 360 openings
for the Learn to Skate program
are full and a waiting list has
been started.
For information on programs
or grand opening events, call
686-1100,
'ter tower planned over Deerwood, freeway
I4-14 —q5 SUN Clkv;2ENT'
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Construction will begin this
fall on a $1.3 million water tower
on top ofa hill at Deerwood Drive
and Interstate 35E in Eagan.
Financing for the 4 million gal-
lon Deerwood reservoir will come
from fees collected from users as
they connect to the water utility
system, said Wayne Schwanz, the
city's utilities superintendent.
The reservoir is needed to
maintain water pressure as
more residents and businesses
hook up to the city's water sup-
ply, Schwanz said.
Last summer, Eagan residents
and businesses set a record for the
highest water use in one day— 20
million gallons. Daily storage ca-
pacity is 15.5 million gallons.
More reserve is needed to en-
sure adequate supplies during
peak demand periods and for
emergencies, such as fire fighting.
Peak times for water con-
sumption are 4-9 p.m. during the
spring and summer when resi-
dents are most likely to water
their lawns, Schwanz said. Ea-
gan's sprinkling ordinance re-
quires residents with even num-
bered addresses to water on even
numbered days and those with
odd numbered addresses to
water on odd numbered days.
As the city reaches these peak
times, the water level drops in
the reservoir, as does the pres-
sure. Residents may notice a
slight decrease in pressure when
a reservoir's water level drops
significantly.
The new reservoir will help
keep up to one days water sup-
ply stored in its bowl 90-feet
above the ground.
In addition to the new reser-
voir, the city will begin construc-
tion this winter on two ground
water wells. The underground
wells will supply water to the
Cliff Road Water Treatment
Plant at Cliff and Pilot Knob
roads. One well will be drilled
near the treatment plant and
the other one will be south of
Thomas Lake Elementary
School on Thomas Lake Road be-
tween Difiley and Cliff roads.
Newsstand
Price
EAOAN
5un'Current
issue for the
River Hills
Market
Circular
2 Sections
November 1, 1995
Vol. 20, No. 45
Business owners share concerns at city forum
• Roads, new and old, are
source of frustration.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan business owners, in-
vited to share what's on their
minds, told the mayor and city
officials last week that recon-
struction and new road projects
are a major concern.
Determining who will pay for
infrastructure for the proposed
Eagan Promenade, a commer-
cial/residential/park develop-
ment north of Yankee Doodle
Drive and east of Interstate 35E,
was discussed by those who at-
tended the first of four public
meetings Oct. 23.
Remaining meetings are 7:30
to 9 a.m. Nov. 16 at Royal Cliff,
2280 Cliff Road; and from 4 to
5:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Cedarvale
Shopping Center, lower level.
Moderator Don Chapdelaine,
an Eagan business owner, said
the meetings are designed to de-
velop communication between
the city and the business com-
munity.
City officials are waiting for
developers to present their plan
to build a shopping ^nrter, town-
houses and park on 200-acres
north of Town Centre. A new
"ring road" system has been pro-
posed to circle the development,
including the construction of a
bridge over I-35E.
Informational meetings will
be scheduled in December and
January when more detailed in-
formation is expected.
Business owners, anticipat-
ing special assessments for the
new roads, asked for the city's
long-range financial plan for in-
frastructure. Tom Colbert, the
city's public works director, said
funding for roads can come from
three sources: special assess-
ment, developer's obligations or
general property taxes.
The first phase of road im-
provements are expected to he
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The dust is settling after more
than six months of remodeling at
the Eagan Municipal Center.
City staff are to return to ex-
panded offices by mid -Novem-
ber. During the construction pe-
riod, staff operated from three
other municipal locations — the
new police facility, the mainte-
nance facility and the Parks and
Recreation building.
The remodeled Municipal
Center, at Wescott and Pilot
Knob roads in Eagan, retained
the same address and telephone
numbers, but a new public en-
trance and parking lot were cre-
ated.
During the estimated $2.8
million renovation project, the
city offices were structurally• joined to the new $3.7 million po-
lice facility that opened last
April.
The project was funded by the
community development fund,
money the city earned through
the sale of bonds and through in-
vestments.
The project cost is currently
Business: Owners share concerns
From Front Page
funded by the developer, Colbert
said, Road projects will be par-
tially funded through state aid
raised by gas taxes. Construc-
tion could begin in March on the
Eagan Promenade commercial
center with an estimated open-
ing of a Byerly's supermarket
scheduled for Nov. 1, 1996.
Scott Smith of Smitty's Outlet
on Highway 149 said the widen-
ing of Yankee Doodle Road has
increased traffic through resi-
dential neighborhoods and made
it difficult for employees to make
a bank deposit or drive to Town
('entre for Lunch. "It does impact
my business," Smith said. In ad-
dition, detoured traffic at the in-
tersection of Lexington Avenue
and Wescott Road, is "an acci-
dent waiting to happen, a night-
mare," he said. Colbert said the
intersection is scheduled to re-
ceive a signal Tight next year.
Employees of West Publish-
ing, the largest single tenant of-
fice building in Minnesota, and
United Parcel Service have had
to find alternate routes during
the Yankee Doodle Road recon-
struction, too. The project is
scheduled for completion Nov. 1.
As the city of Eagan draws
nearer its build -out capacity,
staff has begun to initiate revi-
talization of areas in the city.
"If Eagan had a middle name,
it would be change," Colbert
said.
Keeping the city's infrastruc-
ture ahead of business develop-
ment was good planning on the
city's part, Colbert said.
Eagan is a popular area for
businesses to locate and re-
sponding to the many develop.
Eagan business owners and residents listen to City Adminis-
trator Tom Hedges talk about development proposals Oct. 23.
(Sue Hegarty/Staff Photographer)
ment requests in a timely man-
ner is required.
"Time is money. If our ordi-
nances or processes are cumber-
some, we need to know," said
Tom Hedges, city administrator.
Donald Oren, president of
Dart Transit Co. and host for
last week's business/city meet-
ing, said he has had an excellent
relationship with the city of
Eagan. Dart Transit has dou-
bled its business since moving to
Eagan from St. Paul in 1988.
Oren is looking to expand his
trucking business on seven acres
next to the company site on Lone
Oak Road_
The business meetings are
being sponsored by the Eagan
Chamber of Commerce and the
city of Eagan.
Hedges said the meetings are
"our opportunity as a city to
reach out to you and find out
what's on your mind."
John Young, an industrial
business owner in Eagan and
Lakeville resident, said the
meetings are a step forward. He
and others recently organized an
Eagan Small Business Associa-
tion. Association members meet
in sub -committees to address is-
sues from the business owners'
perspective.
"Government needs to under-
stand the business point of view
on economics," Young said.
Those interested in attending
either of the remaining two
meetings are asked to call the
Eagan Chamber of Commerce at
452-9872.
Attendees do not need to be
Chamber members.
we
best
vs?
Gangs: Actions identify members
From Front Page
rud shared his thoughts with a full
house at a forum about youth
gangs and violence. The meeting
was open to people from Lakeville,
Farmington, Rosemount, Apple
Valley, Eagan and Burnsville.
People may be quick to point
fingers at who a gang member is,
Evenrud said, based on how the
person dresses or looks. However,
he cautioned audience members
to judge others by their behavior,
not on outward appearance.
Of those who are involved in
gangs, Evenrud said half are pe-
ripheral members — those who
are in and out of the gang. Thir-
ty-five percent affiliate or associ-
ate with the gang and 15 percent
are hard core members. Of the
hard core members, 2 percent
are considered gang leaders.
While Evenrud painted a
broad picture of gangs, other
speakers gave a more local per-
spective.
Lenise Butler, a junior at
Rosemount High School, re-em-
phasized Evenrud's point that a
person must be judged on their
actions. There's a misconception
that gang members fall into cer-
tain intelligence and wealth
classes. Gang members can come
from any background, she said.
Students may become a part
of a gang or imitate gang behav-
ior because "it's a status thing,"
she said. "A lot of kids become in-
volved because it looks good."
Low self-esteem is a reason
some youth are driven to join
gangs, Lenise said. Another rea-
son is because there is a lack of
things for students to do.
"We need to focus on [outside
activities]," she said. "How we
prevent (gang activity] is by
making things available, such as
a basketball team."
Doug Matteson, school liaison
officer at Dakota Hills Middle
School and Eagan High School,
talked of his experience in the
schools. In the four years he has
worked at the school, he said he
has learned that the more time
he spends interacting with stu-
dents, the less time he spends
enforcing the law in schools.
One Dakota Hills Middle
School student who recently
moved to Eagan from Chicago,
said the gangs people refer to in
Eagan and in the schools are
merely people who hang out to-
gether. The gangs he knows of in
Chicago are those that "run
around shooting and killing peo-
ple," the audience member said.
Students at Dakota Hills are
"too busy to be concerned with
gangs," he said.
If parents are concerned
about who their children are
hanging around with, the boy
said, they shouldn't badger or
"work the nerves' of the child.
Instead, they should sit down
and explain their feelings.
The meeting at Rosemount
Middle School was the first of
three to be in Dakota County.
The next two are planned to be
in Hastings and in one of the
northern suburbs, such as South
St. Paul or Inver Grove Heights.
Put on by the South Metro
Youth Gang and Violence Pre-
vention Project, the purpose of
the program is to establish a way
for communities to share re-
sources to maintain positive
youth relations, provide infor-
mation about violence, and pre-
vent youth gang involvement,
said Dakota County Attorney
James Backstrom.
2 Sections
October 18, 1995_
City ponders offer
to buy golf course
• Mayor calls for study to see
if building from scratch
would be more feasible.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan officials are dis-
cussing the feasibility of enter-
ing the public golf course busi-
ness.
Last summer, City Adminis-
trator Tom Hedges worked with
the city's fiscal consultant and
Effective Golf Course Systems
lnc. of Richfield on an analysis
of Carriage Hills Golf Course on
Wescott Hills Drive in Eagan. A
report was presented to the City
Council during a work session
Oct. 2.
Bill Smith, owner of Carriage
Hills Golf Course, refused to
comment, but according to the
consultant's report, Smith wants
to sell the golf course at the close
of the 1995 golfing season.
Carriage Hills is a regulation
18-hole course located south of
Yankee Doodle and east of Town
Centre. About 20,000 rounds of
golf are played each season.
Consultants liked the loca-
tion but said the course has
rough terrain and would need
an estimated $585,000 in capi-
tal improvements.
Analysts said the condition
of the greens are good but the
fairways and tees need work
and the parking lot needs en-
larging. Carriage Hills does not
have a driving range, which is
important for business success,
according to the report.
"The importance of a teach-
ing program at a public golf
course cannot be overstated.
'The importance of a
teaching program at a
public golf course
cannot be overstated'
— Report on purchase
of Carnage Hills Golf Course
This is a major selling point to
the facility," said the report.
The initial asking price was
$5 million, according to the con-
sultant's report.
Council members were cool
to the idea of purchasing Car-
riage Hills. Staff has been di-
rected toward a dual track
process to study other alterna-
tives. Staff is examining the
possibility of purchasing 200
acres of land elsewhere in
Eagan on which to build a mu-
nicipal course. Consultants for
Effective Golf Course Systems
said the estimated cost of build-
ing a new course without a club-
house is $100,000 per hole,
which includes design, con-
struction and maintenance
equipment.
A full presentation to the
City Council is expected Nov.
14. Mayor Tom Egan said Oct. 2
that he supports doing a mar-
ket analysis of golf as a recre-
ational choice. There is more
competition for recreational
dollars today than in the past,
Egan said.
Councilmember Shawn
Hunter said the first step the
city should take is whether to be
in the golf business at all. Coun-
cilmember Ted Wachter sug-
gested putting the question to a
Karl Foote sinks a putt while his friend Lee Brady holds the
pin at Carriage Hills Golf Course. (Mike Howell Staff Pho-
tographer)
referendum vote.
Eagan has two privately
owned golf courses. Perkview
Golf Course is on Cliff Road,
east of Pilot Knob Road in the
southern part of the city.
There are about 25 munici-
pal golf courses throughout the
Twin Cites area. Eagan's neigh-
boring communities have voted
both ways on the issue of
whether to build a municipal
course. West St. Paul began last
year to build a nine -hole course
on Thompson and Oakdale Av-
enues. Opening of the course is
delayed until next summer due
to problems with turf condi-
tions.
Last week, the Burnsville
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10-6, Sun. 1-6
355
Todd Morris of Lakeville started a carpool with co-workers from World Travel and Incentiv
(Mike Howell/Staff Photographer)
Commuters from area get by
with a little help from friends
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Okay, so what if suburban
commuters are getting to work
faster than by bus. So what if
they are bonding with fellow
carpoolers enroute to the Twin
Cities. How long can they keep
it up?
"Indefinitely," said De-
Lonne Miller, an Apple Valley
resident and employee of
World Travel and Incentives
in Minneapolis.
While not all commuters
agree with Miller, many said
they were surprised that traf-
fic was not the headache they
thought it would be during the
first week of a strike by Metropolitan Council
Transit Authority (MCTO) workers.
"I'd hate to say so far it's gone well, but this has-
n't created complete chaos," said Beverly Miller, ex-
ecutive director of the Minnesota Valley Transit
Authority (MVTA).
The MVTA is the public transportation service
serving most of the suburbs south of the Minneso-
ta River. Although it contracts with three other ser-
vice providers, the MCTO contracts to transport 85
percent of MVTA riders.
When news of the impending strike reached the
MVTA, they conducted a survey of passengers. Of
the 1,100 respondents, 200 said they were transit
dependent. Alternatives were offered to commuters
such as registering for a car or vanpool. An MVTA
database found carpool matches for 525 riders, who
called to register, said Audrey Swartz of the MVTA.
Carpool,
strike
hotline:
882-7500
• Push #1 to
register for
carpooling and
vanpooling.
• Push #2 to re-
ceive a route
schedule.
• Push #4 for
updated strike
information.
Carpoolers are meeting at the MVTA park an
ride lots, such as the new Burnsville Transit Sta
tion at Highway 13 and Nicollet Avenue.
"We typically have 510 cars parked here. Toda,
(Oct. 10) we counted 120," Miller said.
Last Wednesday, officials counted 80 cars at th
Eagan park and ride lot at Blackhawk and Clil
roads; 68 at Yankee Doodle and Pilot Knob road
and 30 at Palomino and Pennock in Apple Valley.
Some corporations have helped commuters se
up carpools as well.
Dorothy Hull of Apple Valley said her employe
is matching people by zip codes.
Four or five Pillsbury employees who work ii
the mechanical engineering department meet a�
the Burnsville Transit Station. �II
"I'm afraid if we get used to it, we may never
back to the bus," said Godan Nambudiripad,
Burnsville resident and resource manager fo
Pillsbury.
But Holly Dahl of Credit River Township said peo
ple in her Burnsville carpool are taking work home
at night or driving back downtown after dinner.
Carrie Bergman of Burnsville works at Ameri
can Express Trust in Minneapolis and said car
pooling is "kind of a pain." Passengers get droppec
off at the door but the driver has to park about 14
blocks away and walk to work. They rotate drivers
and those who choose not to drive must pay $3.5C
to a replacement driver, she said.
Despite inconveniences, commuters said they
support the stikers and felt those hurt most by the
strike are the inner-city people who are dependent
on buses for transportation.
MVTA announced last week that they may ever
add service to downtown for commuters south o
the Minnesota River. A decision will be made thi.
week whether to use other service providers.
Suit says MOA guards racist
Golf: City ponders offer to buy course
From Front Page
('ity Council voted unanimously
not to build a golf course on Ter-
race Oaks parkland. Council
members based their decision on
public outcry combined with a
lack of feasibility. The park has
slopes and wetlands which would
make designing a course difficult.
Apple Valley operates Valley -
wood Golf Course at Pilot Knob
Road and McAndrews Road.
About 40,000 rounds of golf are
played annually on the 18-hole
championship course. There is a
driving range, snack bar and golf
lessons available.
"I think it's a good investment
for a community," said Randy
Johnson, Apple Valley's Parks
and Recreation director.
In the winter months, the
course is used for snow -tubing
and cross-country skiing.
One of the issues Eagan faces is
whether to set aside land for a
course, even if the council decides
not to operate a course at this
time. A community with rapid
growth and escalating land val-
ues must set aside open space
early before "build out" or it will
not be able to afford such an en-
deavor later," said the report.
Golf: Public or Private? 1
Levy
From Front Page
fund for this year. Capital ex-
penses such as the purchase of
technology equipment, is also on
the list, as are co -curricular and
extra -curricular programs_
The task force's first priority
was to find areas to cut that have
the least impact on students_
However, 85 percent of the
district's expenses are salary
and benefits related. The largest
gains would come from cutting
teaching positions by raising
class sizes by four students. New
class sizes would range from 25
to 35 students.
Transportation also is on the
list. Private school students may
be bused with public school stu-
dents instead of riding separate
buses. According to the task
force, $60,000 could be gained by
eliminating some bus stops or by
increasing the walking distance
prior to busing students.
Eagan resident Margaret Lof-
stetter said the plan could jeopar-
dize the safety ofsmaller children.
"This is not a place to cut. I
suggest you look into this in
greater depth," Lofstetter said.
Other items on the list, such
as eliminating travel reim-
bursement for district employ-
ISD 197 Proposed Cuts if Levy Fails
Nov ' Joiiowukg Curs ale proposed in oiler '.
Eliminate Amount
x Operating fund balance .......4300,000
x $150,000 from capital fund __150,000
x 5172,000 from co -curricular
& extra -curricular progrsms_172.000
x Some bus routes .60,000
x Small elementary class sizes
(& 18 teaching positions) 630,000
x Small secondary class sizes
(& 10 teaching positions) 342,843
x Elementary field trips to
Dodge Mature Center
& related programs .33,515
x 7th period at secondary
schools (go to 6-period days;
14 teaching positions cut) 490.000
:K Elementary bandAnst. music 101,583
Daily half -day kindergarten:
replace wt./alternating day
full day kindergarten 140,000
x Standardized testing 15,000
x All team leader positions 80,960
x 5 eiementery student
service coordinators .235,400
x 1 Special Ed. teacher
$ 1 Special Ed. Para 35,000
x 50 paraprof. positions 500,000
Eliminate Am411ni
2 H.S. alt. grog. positions .$50,000
2 counselor positions ____.___87,500
1 Chemical Dependency
Counselor position _._._..__41.992
3 administrative positions:
Asst. Supt. tor Curriculum;
Asst. Special Ed. Director;
Asst. Principal at H.S. 174,826
Staff Development Coord.
b $100.000 in staff
development fund 135,583
Community Relations Coord.
position and communications
supplies 43.155
Police liaison officer position21,000
10 buntings and grounds
positions: Supervisor; Asst
Supervisor: 8 custodians .___.152,664
1 bus mechanic position 37,500
7.5 clerical positions
x School board salaries .......... 20,000
x Legal consultation fees..____10,000
Travel Reimbursement 10,000
Community Ed. TRA/FICA
C►oseldrain swimming pool 80,000
Total dollars reduced = $4,500,000 Total staff cuts = 132
'This is not the bait and switch tactic..
These are the
1
Eagan firefighters work to put out the blaze that destroyed a house on Savannah Road. (Mike Howell/Staff Photographer)
Eagan couple loses home to fire
• Winds work against firefighters.
Damage estimates exceed $ 100,000.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
An Eagan couple was Ieft homeless Oct.
5 after a fire destroyed their home on Sa-
vannah Road.
Jeff and Deb Clemens had already Ieft
for work when the fire was discovered in
the attached garage.
Rob Bursik, a brother-in-law who had
been staying with the Clemens, had just
finished taking a shower when he heard an
explosion, he said. He grabbed the cat and
left the house.
The fire must have shorted out the au-
tomatic garage door because the door
raised by itself, Bursik said.
Once the door opened, oxygen fueled the
fire and high winds pushed the fire into the
living quarters, said Dave Diioia, battalion
chief for the Eagan Fire Department.
The first pumper arrived within seven
minutes of the emergency call. By that
time, the fire had broken the windows and
engulfed the front of the home, Diioia said.
About 35 Eagan volunteer firefighters
were on the scene_
"We tried to make an interior attack_ We
were inside, but it was too hot and not
safe," he said.
Intensity of the fire was evidenced by
the peeling and warped siding of the neigh-
bor's house to the east.
The fire also had spread to the attic,
making it unsafe for firefighters to be on
the roof, said Diioia.
Damage estimates exceed $100,000,
Cause of the fire is under investigation.
Clemens said he had been staining a
wooden ladder with linseed oil inside the
garage the night before, but doubted the oil
would have spontaneously combusted.
The Clemens have lived on Savannah
Road since November 1994.
L A peC CCU..
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de easier.
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ince 1927
akeville Chapel
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with any questions
KI SALE
YPIOS6
and Redevelopment Authority
(HRA) sued the city and on Feb.
22, Dakota County district
court ordered that the city ap-
prove the development.
Last week, a spokesperson
for the neighbors west of John-
ny Cake Ridge Road said they
are more supportive than at the
outset and are impressed with
the HRA's handling of the pro-
ject.
"We understand more about
the type of housing. The town-
house design is aesthetically
appealing and will fit into the
neighborhood," said Joe
Hamand.
Hamand said residents and
council members automatically
thought of the worst case sce-
nario.
"Everybody's gone through a
discovery process. The whole
thing went off a little half-
cocked in the beginning. We
didn't understand the project
on the front end. We kept our
finger on it to understand it,"
Hamand said.
Density of housing was re-
duced from a possible 200 units
Cliff Road (Co
to 42. Each of the two- and
three -bedroom units will have
attached garages. There will be
a preschool playground on site.
Downing Park is nearby.
Mark Ulfers, Dakota County
HRA director, said qualifying
residents will need references
and a criminal history check
will be done.
Selection will be by random
drawing from all qualified ap-
plicants.
Two -bedroom units will rent
for $435; three -bedrooms units
for $485.
The housing is aimed at pro-
viding affordable housing for
families of' four that have a
combined household income of
Cf i ,t.Ctirr-
S4T'
Rd. Na. 32)
FAIRLIGHT AHL6REh5TAFF ART
$30,600 or less.
"That's about $7 to $12 a
hour," Ulfers said.
There is a definite need fo
this type of affordable housin
in the county, he said.
A healthy vacancy rate fo
homes in that rental bracket i
6 percent.
The current rate is 2 per
cent, Ulfers said.
Another need is for handi
capped accessible housing.
The Oak Ridge project wil
include five one -level units tha
will be totally handicapped ac
cessible.
The homes will be ready fo
occupancy in August 1996
Ulfer ;aid.
District 196 to change its boundaries
By Melissa Bergquist
Staff Writer
District 196 is beginning the
boundary realignment process
for middle and high school at-
tendance boundaries.
The change is in preparation
for the opening of the district's
sixth middle school in fall 1996
and fourth high school in fall
1997.
The new middle school is at
McAndrews Road and Johnny
Cake Ridge Road and the new
high school will be on the cor-
ner of Johnny Cake Ridge Road
and 140th Street. Both schools
are in Apple Valley.
Although the Apple Valley -
Eagan -Rosemount Board of Ed-
ucation is realigning both mid-
dle and high school boundaries
this fall, the new high school
boundaries won't go into effect
until fall 1997, said Dan Kaler,
director of secondary educa-
tion.
The board approved Sept. 25
a time guideline for finishing
the realignment:
• Administration will design
the tentative attendance
boundary realignment plans in
October and November.
• The board will review the
administration's plans, revise
accordingly and publicize the
plans in December.
• Three public hearings are
scheduled for January 1996.
• The board will make any
necessary changes to the plan
and approve the new bound-
aries in February.
Neither of the two schools
have names yet.
Middle and elementary
school students are submittinji
possible names for the new
middle school.
The names will be screens
in a committee and student,
will vote on the one they like
the best.
Kaler said the board will ap-
prove a name in late October or
early November.
The high school won't be
named until fall 1996, Kaler said.
1 -3A-9S 5UA/ CkY40.E N7—
Eagan maintains
control on growth
• Statistics released by the
Metropolitan Council show
city ranks third in population
increase in area since 1990.
By Patrick Spaeth
Staff Writer
Growth has become a relative
term in Eagan.
During the 1980s, when con-
struction of Interstates-494 and
35-E was completed, Eagan
more resembled a homestead
town than a maturing metropol-
itan suburb, as businesses and
residents swooped in to gobble
up the now strategically -located
land.
As a result, the city's popula-
tion swelled from about 20,000
to nearly 47,000 in 1990. Since
then, the growth has slowed, up
7,548 to 54,957 in 1994. Still,
that was enough to place Eagan
third in the population growth
rankings released by the Metro-
politan Council last week.
Apple Valley was seventh,
climbing 4,590 to 39,188_
Ironically, managing the
city's growth has become more
difficult since those heady days
of the 1980s, when the city was
building up to 1,100 single-fam-
ily home units a year, said Peggy
Reichert, community develop-
ment director for the city.
"It's tapered off,' she said.
Friatnct rtrnwinq Mir.* '44.44
Rank/City Population Increase
1/ Woodbury
21 La
3/ Eagan
4/ Coon Rapcis
5/ Eden Prane
28,627
32.978
54 95r
58,991
44,189
8.552
8,124
7,548
6,013
4,878
6/Maple Grove 43,542 4,806
7/ Apple (Haley
N Oakdale
9/ Andover
39,188
22,933
19, 465
4,590
4,559
4,429
10/ Cottage Grove 26,675 3,740
Source: Metropolitan Council
MAKE GEARS/ STAFF ARTIST
"Now we're developing land
that's harder to develop. And
there are neighbors, so there is
more concern about what's going
POPULATION: To Page 1SA
Population: Eagan controls growth
From Front Page
on there. The city's constantly
changing."
Reichert said the city's
healthy business community —
Blue Cross Blue Shield has an-
nounced expansion plans while
other, smaller companies also
have applied for expansion
grants — force the city to rede-
velop. That includes creating
new intersections, redirecting
water and sewage lines and ex-
pansion of interchanges or road-
ways. Yankee Doodle Road, a
major artery of the city, is tar-
geted for expansion sometime
next year.
The city also is undergoing re-
pairs and replacement of its in-
frastructure and is adding water
towers and pumps.
All of which puts added pres-
sure on the city to finance and
manage the growth. So far, the
city has managed to keep a
pledge of a zero -percent raise on
its municipal tax levy for 1995
and 1996. Instead, the city has
drawn on enterprise funds gen-
erated from water and utility
billings. But Reichert is as un-
certain how the city will be able
to meet its maintenance and re-
development needs as anyone.
"That is always a struggle,"
she said. "It's real hard. What is
a fair way to share costs? Isn't
that the ultimate question of a
democracy?"
The ultimate questions for
Apple Valley were answered
rather satisfactorily in the late
1960s, when the city was a quiet
hamlet of about 8,700. John
Gretz, the city administrator,
credits city planners then for
projecting growth that allowed
Apple Valley to reach its current
level at a consistent, relatively
bump -free rate.
"We were fortunate," he said.
"Somehow, we were able to go
through recessions and other
things and maintain a steady
rate of growth."
Apple Valley has averaged
between 300-400 housing starts
a year through its history,
topped out at 600 and ebbing at
200.
"We really haven't had any
surprises," Gretz said. "Most of
our infrastructure is relatively
new and was built with technol-
ogy that may have escaped some
of the problems of the cities from
the 1950s."
EAGAN
tunCurrera
Look inside
this issue for
Bulletin
Boar
3 Sections
September 13, 1995
V•
Eagan City Council certifies $12.6 million tax levy
■ Development allows tax rate to re-
main unchanged from 1995.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan residents won't be able to blame
city officials if they receive proposed tax
increases on their November Truth in
Taxation notices.
Eagan's City Council froze taxes at
1995 levels when it certified its proposed
1996 tax levy and city budget Sept. 5.
The proposed $12.6 million levy could
be decreased, but not increased, when the
council gives final approval Dec. 19.
The city is able to offer more bang for
the same buck because new development
has added revenue to city tax rolls. Even
before new buildings are built, new con-
struction fees and permits account for a
large portion of city revenue.
City Administrator Tom Hedges cau-
tioned the council not to rely too heavily
on non -tax revenue when setting next
year's $15 million budget.
"There's becoming more reliance on
property tax as a revenue source because
we won't always have the rapid growth,"
Hedges said.
By the year 2000 the city's reliance on
property taxes for funding will increase by
8 percent, according to staff projections.
Non -tax revenue sources already are
decreasing in some areas, such as state
aid and some city licensing and permit re-
quirements. For example, animal licens-
ing has dropped from every year to every
other year.
The city's budget is expected to in-
crease by $787,000 next year.
New budget items proposed for 1996
include:
• An estimated $100,000 maintenance
bill for the new police facility and ex-
panded city offices.
• Full year salaries for two police offi-
cers who were added midyear in 1995,
• A part-time clerical position and dis-
patcher for the Police Department,
• Insurance for the mayor and City
Council jumped $11,000 over last year,
• 1996 is an election year. The estimat-
ed cost for three elections — primary, gen-
eral and a parks referendum —
$51,000. No decision has been made on
whether there will be a parks referendum.
• Additional seasonal parks staff to
meet the rise in recreation programs.
The City Council may change line -item
budget allocations, provided the change
does not increase the overall levy. A hear-
ing will be scheduled in December for res-
idents who may have concerns or ques-
tions about the proposed tax levy.
Dakota County will use the proposed
$12.6 million levy amount to issue prop-
erty -specific truth -in -taxation state-
ments to property owners. Notices are ex-
pected to be mailed in mid -November,
prior to the Dec. 5 public hearing
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By Melissa Bergquist
Staff Writer
District 191 students may be
going to the mall in the future in-
stead of Burnsville High School.
The Burnsville -Eagan -Sav-
age Board of Education gave ad-
ministration the green light to
negotiate a sale with the owners
of Diamondhead Mall, 296 W.
Burnsville Parkway.
During the Sept. 7 meeting,
board directors agreed that
using the $3 million in bond
money set aside for additional
high school space would be the
easiest way to finance the pur-
chase of the mall.
The mall is attractive because
it has the space the district
needs, it is centrally located and
it is easily accessible from
Burnsville Parkway.
Turning the mall into a satel-
lite high school would also alle-
viate future overcrowding at
BHS.
District 191 Business Manag-
er Carter Christie said the ask-
ing price for the I1-acre site is
$2.1 million. However, about
$4.7 million in renovations will
be needed to make the building
into high school classrooms.
In addition to the $3 million
health and safety levy authority,
Building Construction Fund,
and Capital Expenditure Fund
to complete the purchase and
renovation of the building,
Christie said.
Using money from the capital
budget will create a significant,
although temporary, impact on
that fund.
"Obviously, if we use the
money to acquire and renovate
the building, that money isn't
available for any other purpose,"
he said. "But if this is the high-
est priority, it appears it would
be an appropriate investment."
Christie said the major reno-
vation of Bob Pates Stadium at
BHS would have to be delayed if
money from the capital budget is
used.
However, the mall project is
more affordable now because
there is available money in the
capital fund and the district has
done significant work on the
schools using the bond money, he
said.
"Most of our roofs, parking
lots and buildings are well fixed
up so we shouldn't have some of
those ongoing needs and expen-
ditures that we have seen in re-
cent years," he said. "I think it
will be manageable. I don't think
administration submitted ex-
cluded the hardware store on the
site. However, the directors
agreed purchasing the hardware
store would protect the district's
interests.
Director Frances Potts said
buying the store would allow the
district to control who leases the
building if that's what the dis-
trict decides to do.
"If we're going to do the pro-
ject, we need to do it completely,"
she said.
Director Bruce Copp agreed
the store should be included in
the property. However, he was
concerned about the operating
and administration costs the dis-
trict would incur.
Christie said the building will
have higher operating costs than
a regular high school, unless
more efficient equipment can be
added during renovation.
"I don't think it would neces-
sarily cost any more to adminis-
ter the satellite facility than ad-
minister more students at the
high school site. Perhaps a little
bit more, but not a lot," he said.
If everything goes smoothly,
Christie said the terms of the
purchase agreement would be
agreed upon within a month and
the contingencies, such as an en-
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EAAN
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--oo inside
this issue for
Meet your
Merchant
special
I section
3 Sections
August 16, 1995
Vol. 20, No. 34
Shindig planned for Boesel Barn dedication
• Murphy's Landing to use former
Eagan barn as interpretive area for
large school groups.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
An Eagan barn's summer -long move
and restoration culminates Aug. 20 in an
old fashioned "Barn Raising Shindig" at
its new location.
After the shindig, the barn will be used
for farm life interpretation and as an ed-
ucation area for large school groups. It
will house a portion of Spookyworld, a
new Halloween theme park opening in
October.
The barn, formerly owned by Eagan
residents Anna Boesel and her late hus-
band, Fred, was moved off its foundation
last week and set on another at Murphy's
Landing, a historical village in Shakopee
just west of Savage on Highway 101.
"I am happy that our barn will be pre-
served at Murphy's Landing. I hope many
generations to come will enjoy it," Boesel
said.
A fare two years ago destroyed the barn
that the Boesel barn is replacing. It is the
first Eagan building to be added to the
historical village.
"It is especially appropriate that this
building is coming to our site. It will make
a great addition to our facility," said
Shirley Olson, executive director for Mur-
phy's Landing.
The village is a living history site con-
sisting of buildings from the 1800s
arranged in chronological order to depict
the history of the Minnesota River Valley.
Hoffman Development purchased the
land under the barn from Boesels in the
late 1960s. Hoffman, who plans on build-
ing townhouses on the farmland, donated
the barn to Murphy's Landing.
It was dismantled in sections by
Stubbs Building Movers with special care
because of its post -and -beam construction
and the hand-hewn pegs that held it to-
gether. Moving crews delivered the barn
Aug. 8 and volunteers began painting it
Aug. 9 in anticipation of the shindig, said
Olson.
A full day's activities are scheduled for
Aug. 20, beginning with an 11 a.m. church
service. Activities include story telling,
tethered balloon rides, children's theater,
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Safety dog
Eagan K-9 officer Kevin McGrath and "Tex" visit with children at the Eagan Youth Safe-
ty Camp after putting on a demonstration at Thomas Lake Park. (Bill Jones/Staff Pho-
tographer)
Barn
From Front Page
old-fashioned games and demon-
strations. The barn will be dedi-
cated at 6 p.m., followed by a
dance until 10 p.m. Music will be
provided by the Sir Brothers
Band.
Admission to the village is
$10 for adults; $8 for students
and senior citizens. Children up
to age 5 are free when accompa-
nied by an adult. A $2 discount is
available when purchased in ad-
vance.
Tickets are available at the
Shakopee Chamber of Com-
merce, Shakopee County Mar-
ket, Norwest and Marquette
banks in Shakopee.
The last section of roof is lifted out of place at the Boesel Barn in Eagan on July 27. (Bill
Jones/Staff Photographer)
Vol. 20, No. 30
Promenade
draft plan
approved
in Eagan
■ 120 acres near 1-35E and
Town Centre targeted as a
major development area.
Park area might be better
elsewhere, some say.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A plan for Eagan's new com-
munity focal point was given
preliminary approval by the City
Council July 12, despite disap-
pointment regarding the lack of
open park space.
A 120-acre parcel of land east
of Interstate 35E and north of
Town Centre has been targeted
as a major development area for
a myriad of uses.
Opus Corp., the proposed de-
veloper, designed a mixed com-
mercial, retail, residential and
park area north of Yankee Doodle
Road and east of I-35E. As pro-
posed, the development would
have six major retail stores, a By-
erly's grocery store, small retail
shops, four sit-down restaurants,
294 apartment units and a 14-
acre park, with an optional com-
munity center. A trail system and
pedestrian walkway would link
the areas together. Opus calls the
project "Eagan Promenade."
Since Eagan began the vi-
sioning process for this parcel of
land, ideas have evolved from
the Parks and Recreation De-
partment, a Central Area Task
Force, the developer, the city's
Advisory Planning Commission
and the City Council. A Central
Area Task Force, comprised of
planning members, residents
and council members, met sever-
al times to provide the City
Council with a vision of how
Eagan Promenade should be de -
PLAN: To Page RA
Plan: Promenade to be home to shops
From Front Page
veloped. This vision included a
retail center, small scale main
street, central park and a resi-
dential neighborhood. After re-
viewing the Opus draft proposal,
the task force concluded that
while the plan clearly meets the
shopping criteria, it lacks a
"sense of place" for residents.
"Eagan Promenade is basical-
ly a large shopping center. While
it may be a commercial success,
the project does not contribute
any substantial community
characteristic to create a com-
munity focal area," wrote Clyde
Thurston, task force chair, in a
June 20 letter to the council.
"Much of the designated park
land area is unbuildable and un-
usable for community gathering
because of the steep slopes. The
Village Green area, for example,
has less than one acre of usable
space," Thurston wrote in his
memo.
Councilmembers Pat Awada
and Sandra Masin agreed and
called the design a glorified strip
mall. "This to me is really far
from our vision," Masin said.
Councilmember Shawn
Hunter and Mayor Tom Egan
praised the development plan,
which is expected to raise more
than $1 million in annual taxes
for the city and create 500 jobs.
"We can accomplish only so
much on this site. This allows us
to capture those incredibly vital
uses our residents want. The
residents are not on the same
wish list as we are, Egan said.
He suggested the city find an-
other location for the_open space,
perhaps on vacant land north of
the proposed development. "It
doesn't have to be done today. It
can be a 10-year process," Egan
said. "This is not the end. This is
the start."
Staff was given authorization
to work on further defining the
project and to research other
parcels of land for the desired
park space. The Promenade plan
is expected to come before the
council again this fall. Approval
of a preliminary plat and vari-
ances will require a 4/5 vote from
the council.
$�N C�lRtLeN
Blue Cross cans expansion
P
• Eagan development pro-
posed to consolidate corpo-
rate campus.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Minnesota, the Eagan -based in-
surance giant, stuck its toe in
the water last week.
Company officials gained pre-
liminary approval from the
Eagan City Council Sept_ 5 for a
long-term building expansion
plan on the hanks of the Min-
nesota River.
The plan calls for construc-
tion of four new buildings (each
100,000 square -feet). The build-
ings would flank an existing
190,787 square -foot office build-
ing owned by BCBSM west of
Highway 13 on Yankee Doodle
Road. Eagan Mayor Tom Egan
gave the plan a warm reception.
"1'm extremely glad you want
to grow in the city of Eagan,"
said the mayor. "You have been
an excellent corporate citizen."
The company moved to Eagan
in 1970 from St. Paul and cur-
rently employs more than 3,000
BLUE: To Page 13A
Blue: Development proposed for Eagan site
From Front Page
people. The proposed building
expansion would be phased in
over several years and could re-
sult in more than 1,000 addi-
tional employees at that loca-
tion, said Karl Oestreich, com-
pany spokesperson. The main
corporate headquarters are east
of Highway 13 off Yankee Doodle
Road. Several acres of vacant
land is owned east of the corpo-
rate headquarters. Additional
office space is owned near Yan-
kee Doodle Road and Denmark
Avenue. A 10-year lease recently
was signed to house employees
in the former Unisys building in
Eagan as well, Oestreich said.
Development plans are an ef-
fort to consolidate into one cam-
pus environment, Oestreich
added.
Gaining preliminary approval
was only the first step in the over-
all development process. The
plan requires an Environmental
Assessment Worksheet for public
review and approval by the Min-
nesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA). The large amount of
parking spaces requires MPCA
approval as well Final city ap-
proval can be given if these two
other steps are approved.
7-ia-Qs Sun/ CuoRaeNr
Special agent fights crime
from a bar stool
Former Eagan cop is undercover investigator
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
When Bob O'Brien goes to
work, he puts on faded blue
jeans and cowboy boots. Then he
drives to bars, sometimes as far
away as International Falls,
where he sits on a stool for hours
on end.
Special Agent O'Brien is an
undercover investigator for the
Gambling Enforcement Division
of Minnesota's Department of
Public Safety. He has five alias-
es, including two phony busi-
nesses.
As one of a dozen state inves-
tigators, his job is to follow up on
tips involving illegal gambling
in bars.
"We have more illegal gam-
bling than we can handle,"
O'Brien said.
The division investigates all
forms of illegal gambling, as well
as inspecting legal gambling ac-
tivities. As additional and ex-
panded casinos sprout in Min-
nesota, the investigators can't
keep up with the requests for in-
vestigations, O'Brien said.
There are more casinos in Min-
nesota than there are state in-
vestigators.
How he gathers evidence is
simple. He walks into a bar, per-
haps posing as an out of town
salesman, orders a beer and
waits.
He has a pat answer for any-
one who questions his identity.
"Can't a guy just have a beer?"
He does his best to blend in to
the bar scene.
"During Happy Hour, you're
just a face," he said.
Sometimes, if he knows the
job will require hours of "beer
drinking" surveillance, he'll use
a trade secret.
111 excuse myself and take
my beer to the bathroom where I
dump it in the toilet. That way, I
only drink (the equivalent of)
one beer in three hours," O'Brien
said.
In small towns, where every-
one knows each other and the
local newspaper prints who is in
town for a visit, it's more difficult
to be an innocuous bar patron.
"You have to work them for
awhile. 111 go in and have a Coke
just to be known," he said.
Small towns also are less like-
ly to hide their illegal gambling
activity, he said.
In northern Minnesota, for
instance, four or five cow pie raf-
fles are played on hockey fields
each year. The field is divided
into numbered sections. A cow is
released onto the field and peo-
ple place bets on which section
the cow will drop a cow pie.
O'Brien said he gained a lot of
his investigative knowledge as a
patrol officer and investigator
for 18 years with the Eagan Po-
lice Department. His Eagan job
included the role of hostage ne-
gotiator.
In 1990, he was approached
by the Department of Public
Safety to join the Gambling En-
forcement Division,
"My first question to them
was, 'If I win the lottery, can I
AGENT: To Page 14A
Agent: Investigates illegal gambling
From Page 1A
keep the money.'"
From hundreds of applicants,
he was hired because the job fit
his personality, he said.
"My dad owned bars for years,
so I learned how to walk the walk
and talk the talk," O'Brien said.
Common instances of illegal
gambling include book making;
tip boards, where numbered
squares are purchased; large
card games, where bets are
placed; and tampered state lot-
tery tickets, slot machines and
pull tabs.
O'Brien tried working a bingo
hall once. "Those are worse than
bars. I was sick the next day
from the cigarette smoke."
Drug -related violations often
are part of illegal gambling ac-
tivities.
Once, while working under-
cover, he said friends of a man
charged with possession of nar-
cotics used a bar to make money
for the man's defense.
"Every hour they'd fire up the
man's Harley (motorcycle) in the
middle of the bar room. Every-
one was wearing guns_ At odds of
150 to 1, I just observed," said
O'Brien.
At other times, he has traced
illegal gambling to organized
crime.
O'Brien also is president of
the Midwest Gaming and Regu-
lators Association, a job which
requires him to inspect slot ma-
chines and other legal gambling
items manufactured by compa-
nies that sell machines to Min-
nesota casinos. Inspections have
taken him to manufacturing
plants in Australia and Japan.
Last month, he performed in-
spections in New Mexico, Ari-
zona and Nevada.
He's also president of the Tri-
County enforcement division.
Though his expense account
is chock-full of bar and hotel re-
ceipts, O'Brien said the Gam-
bling Enforcement Division
gains some return through
court -ordered forfeiture of ille-
gal income. When money, cars
and other items are seized in a
bust and the suspect is convict-
ed, courts can order disburse-
ment of the forfeited income.
Half the money is given to the
county attorney's office which
prosecutes the case; the other
half is usually split between the
state and local police enforce-
ment agencies.
In 1994, the state's Gambling
Enforcement Division received
about $10,000 in forfeiture in-
come, which was less than 1 per-
cent of its $1.2 million general
fund budget, said Dan Boykin,
department spokesperson. The
money is used to supplement
equipment purchases, such as
video surveillance cameras,
Boykin said.
Dakota County seized
$143,218 worth of forfeited p rop-
erty and cash in 1994. It has
kept $19,445 to date for 1994 but
some cases are pending Of that
amount, $3,810 was gambling
related forfeitures, said County
Attorney James Backstrom_
Some property has not yet
been converted to cash, includ-
ing five vehicles, a copier, cellu-
lar telephones and jewelry.
Dakota County funds one as-
sistant county attorney position
entirely from forfeiture proceeds
and also uses the funds for pur-
chasing office equipment, said
Backstrom.
Hennepin County Attorney
Mike Freeman said most of their
forfeiture money is related to
drug convictions which in 1994
totaled $160,000.
Individual city departments
benefit as well. In 1993, the West
St. Paul Police Department re-
ceived about $1,050 and a video
poker machine as a forfeiture
from a convicted local bar owner
The machine was auctioned for
non-commercial use and the
cash was used to pay a portion of
the construction costs to subdi-
vide an investigation room at the
Police Department, said West St.
Paul Police Chief Tom Iago.
D do artwork
Clark said Martin-Senour
Paints is donating the paint
needed for the maps and for fu-
ture touch-ups.
Although the paint is sup-
posed to last up to five years, no
one knows how the Minnesota
winters will affect it.
Even though the Telephone
Pioneers are encouraging teach-
ers to use the maps, children
don't need an invitation.
"It's a big hit with the kids,`
McDonald said.
"They didn't know it was com-
ing so it was real exciting to see
their faces when they saw it."
The great thing about the
map is children use it during re-
cess, as well as in class.
In a sense, they are learning
without being aware of it, she
said.
"We're very happy with what
they did. We think it's a wonder-
ful project," McDonald said.
As long as the paint is donat-
ed and the group has the equip-
ment and manpower, the Tele-
phone Pioneers will keep paint-
ing the maps, Clark said.
For more information, call
Clark at 431-3812 or Sanders at
835-7153.
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432-2682 423-6302 463-2800
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Health care is chan ing...
do you have effective covera
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health insurance covers risincosts of
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Eagan Sun•Curront—Wednesday, Doc. 22, 1993-3A
Runway extension hearingattracts few visitors
By Lisa Harden
Less than 30 people showed up
for a day -long open house -style
public hearing on the revised
draft environmental impact
statement for the proposed
2,750-foot extension of Runway
4-22_
Staff members from the
Department of Transportation,
Federal Aviation Administra-
tion and Metropolitan Airports
Commission were on hand from
2to9p.m. at the former St.
Kevin's School in Minneapolis to
answer questions and take
comments.
The few people who trickled in
during the day from Min-
neapolis, Richfield, Bloom-
ington, Burnsville and Eagan
were interested in looking at
large maps to see if any of the
proposed six alternatives would
have planes flying over their
homes.
The project would redirect
flights from south Minneapolis
nd north Richfield to areas fur -
Eagan opposes airport runway extension
Eagan officials have gone
on record against the propos-
ed runway extension at
Minneapolis -St. Paul Interna-
tional Airport.
Four reasons highlight the
city's opposition in a Nov. 19
letter to Glen Orcutt of the
FAA from Jon Hohenstein,
assistant to the city ad-
ministrator. They are:
• "The city is opposed to
major expendituresfor new
facilities at the airport until a
conclusion is reached on the
dual track airport planning
study;
• The extension will not
significantly decrease noise
impacts in northern Eagan
while opening up new noise
impact areas in the
southwestern part of the city,
which has not been planned
for commercial -industrial
land uses which might absorb
noise;
• The rerouting of traffic
will result in other types of
air pollution which will have
detrimental effects on Eagan
residents;
• Past experience indicates
that impacts will be
widespread as aircraft
diverge from their intial
headings to their destinations
overflying much of southern
Eagan.'.
ther south and east, including
portions of Bloomington and
south Richfield.
The alternatives being studied
would displace threshold loca-
tions on Runway 4 approaches
either 1,550 feet or 2,750 feet.
Lengthening the runway would
increase the capacity for inter-
continental flights.
Flight heading departure
changes on Runway 22 to direct
air traffic east of Cedar Avenue
are also being studied. A
modified alternative has planes
start out at a heading of 180
degrees and then turn right after
three nautical miles over the
Minnesota River Valley.
Only about a dozen people at
the hearing/open house made
written or oral comments to a
court reporter. The comments
will be transcribed and become
part of the public record within
the next few weeks.
Comments will be accepted
until Jan. 3, 1994_ Comments
should be sent to Richard
Theisen, environmental coor-
dinator, Mn/DOT, Office of
Aeronautics, 222 E. Plato Blvd.,
St. Paul MN 55107-1618.
The cities of Richfield, Bloom-
ington and Eagan oppose the ex-
tension. Richfield city officials
have asked for an extension to
study the environmental impact
statement in depth.
POLICE
The Eagan Police Depart-
ment reported the following in-
cidents Dec. 9`15:
Six reports of burglary on the blocks of
800 Lone Dalt Road, 3600 Birchpond
Place, 700 Haverhill Road, 3800 Dolomite
Drive, 1200 Redwood Point, 1600
Snowflake Drive.
Twelve reports of theft on the blocks of
4500 Slater Road, 3800 Beau De Rue
Drive, 3300 Coachman Road, 3400
Golfview Drive, 900 Wescott Trail, 800
Lone Oak Road, 1500 McCarthy Road,
4600 Manor Drive, 4000 Diamond Point,
4100 Rahn Road, 3600 Wescott Hills
Drive. One report of attempted theft on
the block of 3400 Golfview Drive.
Five reports of shoplifting at Tom
Thumb, Walmart, Snyder Drug and
Target.
There were two vehicle -deer accidents
at the intersections of Pilot Knob/pocky
Lane, Deerwood/Denmark Avenue.
There were two reports of vandalism,
four assaults and three fires
Friends Don't Let
Friends Drink and Drive
4A — Eagan Sun •Current — Wednesday. Dec. 22, 1993
OPINION
Is there ever too much
pumpkin pie filling?
Editorial cartoons often try to educate as well as
entertain, and the one you see today is no exception.
Although there is humor in the fact that area food
shelves are laden with pumpkin pie filling this time of
year, that also presents a serious problem.
The food shelves have a good supply of pumpkin pie
filling, cranberry sauce and macaroni and cheese.
However there is still a desperate need for gift
certificates from area grocery stores so families facing
financial hardship can purchase fresh fruit, dairy items
or meat for their holiday meals. These don't have to be
for large amounts; a $5 certificate will be most
welcome.
Especially needed now, and year round, are
disposable diapers (medium and large sizes specifically)
and sanitary products for women.
Which brings us to the next problem. Thankful for the
giving spirit of so many generous people, area food
shelves ask that we not forget to continue our giving
throughout the year.
For example, one month, instead of invitin: our best
I BROUGHT
YOU 5 MORE CANS
OF PUMPKIN PIE
FILLING!
Newsstand
Price
EAGAN
Sung=urrent
3 Sections
Dec. 22, 1993
Vol. 15, No. 1
School cop
Schools consider adding
an officer as resource
1iv Terrance Mencel
Police liaison officers have
worked so well with schools in
district's 191 and 196 that of-
ficials are branching into the
middle school arena.
An Eagan police officer is ex-
pected next fall to split time bet-
ween Metcalf Junior High
School and the Black Hawk Mid-
dle School under construction in
Eagan. Called a school resource
officer, this person will shed the
uniform for street clothes while
working with students. The posi-
tion is contingent on final ap-
proval from the cities and school
districts.
Both districts have a police of-
ficer at the high school level.
While the concept of having a
plain -clothes officer in high
schools isn't novel, having one
for lower grade levels breaks
new ground. A Burnsville police
officer works with Nicollet
Junior High School in District
191 part time.
'.'These kids are becoming
more and more sophisticated at
a younger age. As they get more
sophisticated they're bringing in
tools we used to see with older
kids," said Doug Matteson.
school resource officer for
Eagan High and Dakota Hills
Middle School. "That's our
society."
Societal pressures are affec-
ting students at a younger age
than in past years. said Jim
DeLong, assistant principal at
Dakota Hills.
"By the time they get into the
high school age. their opinions.
attitudes and beliefs have
"1 see it primarily in a
positive way for the
Police Department to
connect with the
community."
—Terry Tuite
Principal
New Black Hawk Middle School
already been formed," DeLong
said.
Both stress having a police of-
ficer in school doesn't imply
juvenile crime is out of control.
The officer doesn't roam
hallways seeking to catch
wrongdoers, Matteson said.
Matteson and DeLong view
the resource officer as someone
who takes a proactive approach
to nip criminal tendencies
before they become problems.
The officer builds relationships
with students and acts as a role
model. they said. The officer
works as part of a team with
faculty and staff.
"I see it primarily in a
positive way for the Police
Department to connect with the
community," said Terry Tofte,
principal for Black Hawk Mid-
dle School in District 196. Black
Hawk will open with 974
students next year.
Each district will contribute
$6,250 and the Eagan Police
Department $17,500 to hire a
school resource officer. That
person will be reassigned to the
OFFICER: To next page
Helping hands
Helper Laura Anderson provides technical support to Nicky Hidu ou one of s eral crafts children
created in "kids ('rafts" Saturday, sponsored by the Eagan Parks and Recreation Department.
(Photo by Bill Jones)
2A—Eagan 5un•Current—Wednesday, Dec 22, 1993
Officer: Focus not on patrol, but working with students
From preFious page
department's investigation unit
during summer months.
While the primary focus is
educational, the officer will deal
with criminal matters as they
occur. Matteson spends up to a
third of his time making
classroom presentations. The
remainder ties into counseling
and legal contacts with students,
faculty, parents and law en-
forcement officials.
"We're finding an awful lot of
our current (police) officer con-
tacts are in the middle schools,"
said Pat Geagan, Eagan Police
chief. "We're seeing more
assault situations and other ac-
tivities of that kind at a younger
age.'.
Middle school students are
searching for who they are and
what they want to be, DeLong
said. They're at an impres-
sionable age when positive role
models can shape their lives.
Metcalf Principal Rudy
DeLuca agrees. Students need
to view police officers as good.
However, DeLuca said it's im-
portant for the school resource
officer to focus on education and
building relationships with
students.
"If we need an officer for a
criminal matter we call Eagan
( police) . But we don't need an
officer in the building for that,"
DeLuca said. "For the most
part, this is a good school. We
don't need a law enforcement of-
ficer for enforcement."
That's an approach Matteson
said he avoids. He made 103
classroom presenations to
Eagan High and Dakota Hills
students last year on such topics
as law and shoplifting.
Seeing Matteson in action has
sold DeLong on the need for a
school resource officer.
"He dovetails beautifully into
existing curriculum," DeLong
said. Students can make the con-
nection of what they're learning
;4,
%a
''re1p
Although a policy officer, Doug Matteson doesn't see himself as a cop tle, school resource officer, he says befit reflects his role in the schools •
patrolling Dakota Hills Middle and Eagan High schools. Matieson's ti- a positive role model. (Photo by Bill Jones)
in class with the real world.
Matteson will assist students
with classroom assignments
and counseling to confronting
them on delinquency issues and
making an arrest. He handled 98
criminal cases between Eagan
High and Dakota Hills last year.
Students freely inform him of
criminal activity that has occur-
red, and they don't fear retribu-
tion, he said. By the time Mat-
teson hears about an incident, he
said it's likely 40 percent of the
student population has heard
about it.
"We've cleared a lot of
criminal activity in the com-
munity just by being here,"
Matteson said.
Matteson solved six
burglaries in Apple Valley,
Burnsville and Eagan with the
help of high school students.
More than $4.000 in stolen pro-
perty has been recovered as a
result, he ss id.
"A year ago kids wouldn't
have done this," Matteson said.
"I'm a clearing house for all
these kids with their problems."
Parents call Matteson two to
three times a day with questions
and complaints about a child.
"He's assisting us at different
levels we don't know about or
FOUR GRE
GIFT IDEAS!
have experience with," DeLong
said. "He's another person here
to help families and young peo-
ple sort out issues."
An example occurred recently
when two young adult males
entered Dakota Hills. Matteson
approached them and found that
there were warrants out for
their arrests.
Three percent to 5 percent of a
school's population is involved
in criminal activity, he said.
Working with the remaining 95
percent of the students brings
the most reward.
Matteson said the school
resource officer must enjoy
working with youth. Such an o
ficer can work with students a
risk and help them understan
where a criminal path eventua
ly leads. he said.
At the same time, studen
know Matteson means busin
He added, "If I'm dealing wit
the same kid on theft issues I'
going to tag him until he gets
attention of the juveni
system."
JCPENNEY STYLING SALON
EAGAN
uwCurrent
Jan. 5, 1994
Look inside ibis
edition for a special
CAR & TRUCK
SECTION
ti
Vol. 19, No. 3
joili
fr
A tractor grooms ice to create a smoother skating service for speed
skaters at the Clearwater Park ice rink off Pilot Knob and ('tiff
stir
roads. Recent normal winter temperatures have tempted more
skaters outside. (Photo by Bill Jones)
Eagan parks ready for winter recreation
By Terrance Mencel
Eagan Parks and Recrea-
tion officials wished for cold
weather, but not the extreme
temperatures that sent the
mercury into a nose dive.
Ice rinks opened last week,
more than one week behind
schedule due to the
unseasonably warm weather.
Ironically, it was
unseasonably cold weather
that made ice possible by
New Year's Day.
But with temperatures in
the minus -degree range, few
ice skaters could enjoy the
outdoors. City employees
established an ice base within
one week when the process
usually requires two weeks,
Rinks 2 weeks behind
said Jon Oyanagi, recreation
supervisor.
Frigid temperatures are
not ideal when making ice,
Oyanagi said. At subzero
temperatures water freezes
too fast to flow evenly over
the rink surface. And because
of the quick freeze, water
doesn't freeze the existing
surface. This causes cracking
and flaking.
Just how the cold weather
has affected participation in
recreation programs is yet to
be seen. Parks officials rely
on an earlier skating season
to promote winter programs.
The cold weather) hurts
at the beginning because we
do a lot of advertising in the
warming houses," Oyanagi
said.
Skating enthusiasts won't
want to waste normal winter
temperatures. Eagan's out-
door ice skating season usual-
ly ends in mid February
when the closer sun and
warmer weather ruin ice
rinks.
For up to date information
on recreation happenings,
call the city's 24-hour hotline
at 681-4670.
Rink hours are 4 to 9 p.m.
Monday through Friday, 10
a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and
noon to 9 p.m. Sundays.
Rinks that have warming
shelters are Bridle Ridge,
Clearwater, Goat Hill,
Quarry, Rahn, Sky Hill,
Carnelian, Ridgecliff, Lex-
ington, Pilot Knob and
Woodhaven. Neighborhood
rinks with no warming
shelters are Bur Oaks,
Evergreen, Highview, Coun-
try Home, Slater Acres.
Warming shelters are clos-
ed when the wind chill factor
drops below minus
25-degrees, when at least
three inches of snow falls and
the ice hasn't been cleared,
and when warm
temperatures soften ice for a
good skating surface.
2A—Apple Valley/RosemounUEagan Sun•Current—Wed .. Jan 5, 1994
Forum: Conference will link several county si
From previous page
are not role models because
they aren't obtainable. I'm just
college educated and all kids
can obtain an education,"
Brown said.
Those attending the con-
ference at community sites will
be able to phone in to IHCC with
questions or comments for
Brown beginning at 9 a.m. Com-
munity sites include Lakeville
and Eagan high schools, and ci-
ty halls in Inver Grove Heights,
Mendota Heights, South St.
Paul, and Burnsville.
Community discussion
packets will be available at the
city hall sites. Curriculum
guides have been distributed to
teachers at participating
schools.
Facilitators at community
sites will lead discussions focus-
ing on building positive relation-
ships, resolving conflict through
r
FITNESS SHOULD
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YOUR DAY.
WE'D LIKE
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mediation, creating cultural and
diversity enrichment and par-
ticipation in action -directed
groups. Following lunch,
facilitators will give a report to
the primary site at IHCC.
Conferees will be able to call
in their comments beginning
again at 1 p.m. There will be
time for community planning
and evaluation at 2 p.m. The
conference will end at 2:30 p.m.
Each site will have a resource
fair with a collection of
literature and videotapes
available for viewing.
The first family conference
was Sept. 24, 1992. A report
issued after the conference,
"Community Report Card: A
Profile of Children in Dakota
County," profiled Dakota Coun-
ty residents in the areas of
health, basic needs, nurturance,
education and at -risk behavior.
Sources for the report were
the Minnesota Department of
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Health. Department of Human
Services, Department of Educa-
tion, Department of Social Ser-
vices, the Dakota County
Department of Health, Depart-
ment of Community Corrections
and Department of Economic
and Employment Assistance.
The findings showed Dakota
County's children fared above
average in the areas of health
and education.
Minnesota had the third
lowest infant mortality rate and
the fifth best low birth weight
rate in 1988 in the United States,
said the report.
In the fall of 1991, in Dakota
County, 46 of 5,124 kindergarten
students were not adequately
vaccinated.
At the other end of the educa-
tion spectrum, Dakota County
students scored slightly higher
than the state and national
averages on the SAT and ACT
college entrance exams.
Minnesota leads the nation in
the percent of youth who
graduate from high school. Min-
nesota's graduation rate of more
!Heidi Edmonson, of Eagan, is
one of 500 musicians who will be
seen and heard on radio and
television broadcasts as part of
the St. Olaf College Christmas
Festival. Edmonson is an alto in
the Manitou Singers group at St.
Olaf College.
Susan Judd, age 16 of Eagan,
is performing as a grand-
mother. a rat, a snowflake and a
flower in the Minnesota Dance
Theater and Orchestra produc-
tion of the "Nutcracker Fan-
tasy." Judd is a junior at Eagan
High School.
James Lucht, whose parents
are Ron and Lindy Lucht of
Eagan. has completed Army
basic training at Fort Sill, Okla.
Lucht is a 1993 graduate of
Eagan High School.
Michelle Walker, of Eagan,
was named to the fall quarter
dean's list at Winona State
University.
than 90 percent compares to a
national average of 71 percent.
Minority students in the coun-
ty are more likely to drop out
than their white classmates,
stated the report.
Teen pregnancies declined 15
percent in the county between
1980 and 1990. The number of 15-
to 19-year-old females has also
declined.
The report card on juvenil
arrests, child maltreatment an
the number of low-incom
families was not as favorable
according to the report.
The number of juveniles ar
rested for criminal activities in
creased by 50 percent while
juvenile population declin
said the report. In 1991, 1
juveniles were arrested fo
every 1,000 juveniles aged 14 t
17 in Dakota County.
Physical abuse and chil
neglect have also risen s
1906.
The number of children on A
to Families with Depende
Children ( AFDC ) has ris
COMMUNITY LIP
OUTDOOR
Ryan Kerner. 18, of Eagan
was named the $150 ventu_
capital winner in the Young En
trepreneurs of Minnesota coin
petition, sponsored by Koc
Refining Company in Rose
mount. Berner created Lasti
Impressions, which serves as
manufacturers respresentativ
for two local woodwork
manufacturers.
Christopher Abbene, o
Eagan, was named to the "A"
honor roll at Holy Angels
Sunt
I},
4pp.r NII4TIRo•nmmnt,
Sun•Curreot Newspapers. L209 E. CIIIT
Miraging Eden*
1.A.0
1994,
MINNESOTA SUN
sun•crun•m
7831 Fist Rush Lake Rd., Bloomit
DONALD THURI.OIY EDU ARD H. SHUR
Putdlsller Eauo+e Edami(ksnal the
Clarified Ad•
Newsstand
Price
0
3 Sections
EAGAN
Sun'Current'
March 16, 1994
WING SPACES
in this week's
edition.
Vol. 19, No. 13
Juvenile deliquency mars police report
By Terrance Mencel
Will juveniles one day
regularly appear on a police
department's most wanted list?
That question hovers as police
departments witness a surge in
juvenile offenses.
In Eagan, a 13 year old girl
continues to elude a warrant for
her arrest. The girl's alleged
crime: assault with a knife, ter-
roristic threats and failure to ap-
pear in juvenile court.
1993 arrests increase by 112 percent
Eagan investigator Larry
Billmeyer remains confident
that he will eventually catch up
with her. But police remain
troubled that her parent won't
report when she returns home,
Billmeyer said. Neither does the
parent make her go to school.
"I've seen more and more
teenage violence at younger
ages. Now, it's the 13-, 14- and
15-year-olds that we're dealing
with primarily," said
Billmeyer, a juvenile
investigator.
Statistics back up Billmeyer's
experience. Last year, the
Eagan Police Department
witnessed a dramatic increase
in the number of juvenile con-
tacts with its officers.
Juvenile arrest and charge
rates burgeoned 112 percent to
375 juveniles in 1993. The total
number reports of police in-
volvement with juveniles rose 61
percent to 4,229 incidents.
"We knew it was coming and
it's here," said Eagan Police
Chief Pat Geagan.
Geagan views the number of
runaway and incorrigibles
reported as the telltale sign of
juvenile deliquency woes. "It's
probably the most accurately
reported," he said.
Parents reported 300 juvenile
runaways in 1993, up 107 percent
from the 143 reported the year
before. Incorrigible reports,
those citing a juvenile out of con-
trol, increased 47 percent to 72
reports last year.
These two reports set the tone
for the juvenile deliquency
REPORT: To Page 1SA
2A— Apple Valley/Rosemount/Eagan Sun.Current— Wed., March 16. 1994
Council douses firefighter pension fund debate
Agrees to raise
service benefit
By Terrance Mencel
Eagan firefighters can
breathe a sigh of relief, especial-
ly those who mighthang up their
hats this year.
The issue on whether to raise
the firefighter pension fund has
simmered since last fall. The
Eagan Fire Department Relief
Association proposed increasing
the pension as a recruitment in-
centive and reward for service.
Rut City Council members
grew weary of such a request in
late 1993, after they set Eagan's
1994 budget. Since then,
however, funds have been found
to cover an increase, said City
Administrator Tom Hedges.
The council voted 4-to-1 March
8, in favor of increasing the pen-
sion fund from $22.50 to $28 per
month, per year of service. State
law allows cities to budget up to
$30 per month per year of ser-
vice. Councilmember Shawn
Hunter voted against the
proposal.
"I can't make a decision
without seeing the whole
budget," Hunter said. "We're in
a mess because this didn't hap-
pen during the budget proc;s."
January is not the time to be
adding new funding requests to
a budget, he said.
An actuarial report will be
prepared to determine how the
pension increase could affect the
1995 budget, Hedges said. The
increase will not create a deficit
in the 1994 budget, he said.
The original pension fund
budget will increase from
$104,000 to $130,000 a year. The
Resident survey cancelled
as board continues stalemate
By Sue Hegarty
But if the first question would
fail, the results of the second
February so that residents could
be asked if they would sunnnrt
Volunteer Fire Department's
operating budget is $800,000 for
1994.
The operating budget would
more than triple if Eagan in-
stalled a full-time Fire Depart-
ment, Hedges said. About 100
volunteer firefighters serve the
city, using five fire stations.
The new pension plan will be
in effect through 1996. A com-
parison with other volunteer fire
departments shows varying
pension rates per month, per
year of service: Apple Valley,
$17: Brooklyn Center, V22.50;
Minnetonka, $30; and Bloom -
Fish Lake
meeting set
ington, $57.80.
Questions remain whether the
city will seek special legislation
to change the pension's optional
lump sum amount to $4,200 per
year of service, Hedges said.
That role might be taken over by
the state firefighter association.
Eagan successfully petitioned
the Legislature last year for a
change in the lump sum pension
formula to $ 3,500 per year of ser-
vice. An error in the city's pen-
sion calculations would have
caused Eagan to exceed the
previous limit.
money.
Information: Rich Brasch,
681.4300.
1
1
Increase burdens juvenile system
By Terrance Mencel
Juvenile violence has taken
the high road in Dakota County.
The number of dangerous
weapons -related charges has
shot up 300 percent in three
years to 75 charges last year.
Cities such as Eagan face
juvenile delinquency problems
that seem to compound each
year.
"I'm concerned over the
changing face of (juvenile)
violence," said Mark Carey,
community corrections director
for Dakota County. "It's becom-
ing more random."
Random in terms of what oc-
curs and where in the county.
Youth not only spar against
each other, more seem to com-
mit offenses against adults and
their parents.
"You think this is coming
from one -parent families and
that's not true." said Eagan
Police Chief Pat Geagan. "It's
important that you don't
stereotype this issue."
Part of the problem stems
from family stress, Carey and
Geagan said. More parents are
working to stretch their
resources. Dakota County has a
high rate of dual -income
households, one of the highest
rates in the country.
"Take your pick" of the many
factors that play a role in
juvenile deliquency, Geagan
said. Parents, in many respects,
have abdicated their respon-
sibility to the schools, he said.
No longer do youth regard
adults and other authority
figures with high esteem, he
said. Delinquent youth would
rather resolve conflict with their
fists and blame others.
Geagan cites a lack of conse-
quences as one reason for in-
creased juvenile crime.
"Far more kids have way too
much unsupervised time,"
Carey said.
Education, rather than en-
forcement, is the key to helping
families function. they said.
Another solution would be to let
police notify schools of a child's
delinquent behavior.
"There are some temendous
programs statewide. They're
absolutely top notch, but they're
full," Carey said. "We don't
have the luxury to wait three or
four months to put them in a
facility to meet their needs."
The growing number of
juvenile delinquents should be
enough to alarm the public and
create a desire to intervene.
Carey said grassroots efforts
are needed to control the
problem.
"I would like to believe all this
anxiety that exists can be
directed toward community pro-
blem solving," he said.
Carey added, "It's easy to
react in an alarming way to
crime, and we all do it. But I
would hate for us to interpret
this as a blanket loss of social
control."
Share your news
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to: Community news, Sun -
Current, 7831 E. Bush Lake
Road, Bloomington, MN 55439.
You also may fax your informa-
tion to us at 896-4728.
Donald D. Reigstad, Sr. Pastor
435-554d
e,°r j93
Toe
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Testament Church
410,
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COMMITTED TO:
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• Spiritual Growth
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Sunday Worship
930 a.m.
Christian Education
10:45 a m. can airs)
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Saturday Worship 4:00 p.m.
Sundays 8:30 & 10:30 am.
Christian Education 9:15 a.m.
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18A — Apple Valley/Rosemount/Eagan SunsCtarInt—IANd., March 16. 1994
3(i&(q 1 s-14/
one cause of increase
Report: Chief cites disrespect as
frrnnPage IA
scene.
[n Eagan, 37 juveniles were
charged with assault in 1993
compared to 16 in 1992. General
theft and shoplifting charges
grew 68 percent while vehicle
theft jumped from 14 to 30
charges.
Increases in juvenile deliquen-
cy are visible in nearly every
police account.
"The suspects and the
witnesses are all wrapped into
one," Geagan said. "The
Violence in kids seems to in-
crease against each other and
against their parents."
The 13-year-old girl scuffled
with another girl before pulling
out a steak knife and cutting a
junk out of the other girl's hair,
Billmeyer said.
In another case reported Feb.
22. sixth -grade boys assaulted
two girls with hockey sticks.
And then there are the parent -
child assaults. On Feb. 27.
Eagan police received a report
regarding a 14-year-old girl and
her mother.
According to the dispatcher's
account, the mother, who had
been drinking, pulled the
daughter's hair and threw her to
the kitchen floor. The mother
received a bloody lip.
"I'm finding more and more
parents calling for help,"
Billmeyer said. "You name it,
there's a reason to have a fight
nowadays. If kids don't have
one, they'll make one up."
Eagan's overall 1993 juvenile
arrests climbed 43 percent com-
pared to a 6.5 percent increase
in the number of adult arrests.
"It seems to be the trend
metrowide," said Don Bruce,
juvenile and family service divi-
sion attorney in the Dakota
County Attorney's Office.
Eagan officers assigned to
oversee juvenile cases spend
more than half their time with
runaway reports, Geagan said.
The incorrigible report is a sign
of no control.
In response, Eagan Police
have stepped up enforcement of
the city's curfew ordinance.
Police arrested and charged 33
juveniles for violating curfew in
1993 compared to two juveniles
in 1992.
Police don't want to be the
"bad guys," he said, it's just
that's when (after curfew)
juvenile crime seems to occur.
Children younger than age 15
have a 10 p.m. curfew in Eagan.
Those ages 16 and 17 have a mid-
night curfew.
"The idea isn't to harass kids,
but to lower the criminal activi-
ty the kids are committing." he
said.
Police chiefs in Dakota Coun-
ty have studied creating a
uniform curfew ordinace for
better enforcement across city
lines. Other proposals suggest
making parents accountable for
their children's deliquency.
Geagan said.
Having an office near the lob-
by. Geagan often hears parents
scream at an officer for ar-
resting their children
"They blame everyone else
but the child," at least publicly,
he said.
Another step Eagan Police ex-
pects to take this year will be
assigning another officer to the
schools. Doug Matteson serves
Eagan High and Dakota Hills
Middle schools. A second officer
will be assigned to the new
Black Hawk Middle School and
Metcalf Junior High School.
1993 Criminal Activity
AAAAAAAAAAft
=5,383
1992 Criminal Activity
AAAAAAAAAL,
=500 reports 5,178
1993 Non Criminal Activity
=32,922
1992 Non Criminal Activity
44 ki
AAAAA4■4 =27,109
A. =2,000 reports
Adult felony crime up 4 percent
Probing statistics becomes
a delicate task when dealing
with police statistics.
That's according to Eagan
Police Chief Pat Geagan
when responding to inquiries
about his department's 1993
activity report. Adult crime
appears to keep pace with
Eagan's growing population,
now estimated at about 55,000.
Last year, the total criminal
reports increased by 4 percent
to 5,383 reports. included
were calls regarding assaults
(up 8.6 percent), theft cup
about 4 percent), and
burglary (down 10 percent).
Non -criminal reports
jumped to nearly 33,000 in
1993, up 21 percent from 1992.
The number of citations writ-
ten, for such things as traffic
violations, rose 44 percent to
more than 6,000.
Burning calories
Chilly wind or not, 'mess is still recess for Pinewood Elementary begins with the equinox March 20. (Photo by Bill Jones)
students, who have no trouble finding ways to keep warm. Spring
on w . . to ' ated.
he second question would seek
12 million to build seventh- and
ighth-grade classrooms adjoin-
* Henry Sibley High School in
iendota Heights.
The referendum would fail if
oters turn down both questions.
Supporting the proposal were
oard directors John Niemeyer,
usan Maher and David
ackson, all from West St. Paul.
Board directors Gary
Lagstrom of Mendota Heights,
tarb Tani of Sunfish Lake and
im Nikolai of Eagan voted
gainst the proposal.
The issue was tabled in
EYou
ROWN
proposal. Board Chair John
Niemeyer said the board decid-
ed later to cancel the poll.
The board's failure to resolve
the middle school issue is reflec-
tive of the diversity in the seven
communities the district serves,
Nikolai said. Those com-
munities are West St. Paul,
Mendota Heights. Eagan, Men-
dota, Sunfish fake, Lilydale and
Inver Grove Heights.
Nikolai's late arrival at the
March 7 meeting meant that the
vote could have swung 3-2 in
favor of the proposal. When
STALEMATE: To Page 9A
If you bag yard waste for
collection in Dakota
County, you must now use
compostable paper
yard waste bags.
Lake monitoring results from
Fish Lake will be presented in a
public information meeting at 7
p.m. March 24 in the Eagan
Municipal Center, 3830 Pilot
Knob Road.
Rich Brasch, Eagan's water
resource coordinator. will
discuss phosophorus lake water
quality and where it enters Fish
Lake. Comments will be
solicited regarding several pro-
posals to enhance Fish Lake's
water quality.
Monitoring results will be us-
ed in a plan similar to the water
protection efforts at Schwanz
Lake and to secure grant
Dodd Road work
to begin
One -mile of Dodd Road is
scheduled to be reconstructed
starting this spring, between
Diffley and Cliff roads in Eagan.
The city will pay 92 percent of
the $814,000 reconstruction cost.
Property owner assessments
average $1,840 per lot.
Reconstruction will include
widening the road to 36 feet.
storm sewers, eight -foot
bituminous sidewalks on both
sides and street lighting. Traffic
speeds will be limited to 35 mph.
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Saving of the Green :it
]Iushkits should hush complaints, planes
r
r Lori Haugen
aff Writer
It should get a little quieter in
e airport flight path next
ring, when Northwest Airlines
gins upgrading its workhorse
9 planes_
The DC-9s, 100-seat planes
lick make up about one-third
the airline's fleet and half of its
partures, are used for shorter
ips such as to Chicago or Des
oines.
"If somebody's in their back
ird, they'll be able to perceive
le difference," once the improve-
ents are made, said Northwest
>okesperson Jon Austin.
Hushkits, mechanical im-
rovements that absorb engine
)und and re-route the exhaust
ystem, act like improved muf-
ers for the planes_
They also plan to install com-
letely new interiors in the 90 or
•
Mayor presides over NOISE
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
In the enduring struggle for
quieter skies, Eagan has a
powerful advocate. Its mayor.
Tom Egan, mayor of Eagan,
was recently appointed presi-
dent of NOISE, the National
Organization to Ensure a
Sound -Controlled Environ-
ment.
NOISE is comprised of
elected and appointed officials
from noise -impacted cities
surrounding airports all
around the country
"It's very specific in its
goal," said Egan. The group
works to decrease the noise
over their cities.
The group was created in
1978, in response to airport
deregulation and the ensuing
increase in flights and airport
noise.
Egan, then a City Council
member, joined as Eagan's
representative to the group in
1985. Since, he has served on
NOISE: To Page 13A
so planes, including an addition-
al lavatory in the front of the
plane and larger overhead com-
partments.
By spending an estimated
$500 million to improve them,
the airline moves toward coming
into compliance with the Airport
Noise Control Act that requires
them to make their entire line of
planes quieter by the year 2000.
Now, the planes are at what is
called Stage II compliance. By
making the changes, they will be
at Stage III. The Stage I1I noise
level is arrived at through a for-
mula that varies from plane
model to plane model.
Before the deadline, the air-
line will buy 40 new mid size Boe-
ing 757 airplanes, 16 larger Air-
bus planes, and new 400-seat
747s, all that will comply with
Stage III requirements. New
planes cost at least $30 million_
"We've gat a plan that will
bring us into compliance ahead of
the deadline," said Austin.
Economics led them to refur-
bish, rather than replace, the
DC-9 models, said Austin.
They could have replaced
HUSHKIT: To Page 13A
r
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Districts see rise
in proposed levies
Newsstand
Price
3 Sections
SPORTS
Eagan gridders
stop Kennedy
tember 21, 1994
LIFESTYLE
Volunteers manage
Aliveness Project
11
Look inside this icur for the
FALL HOMES
s section
Vol. 19. No. 40
City property taxes to remain the same in '95
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Eagan residents can expect a
pleasant kind of deja vu in up-
coming months. Property tax
bills, the city's portion at least,
are expected to remain exactly
Eagan will pay less to fund poorer municipalities
the same as last year.
City expenses went up by
about 4.5 percent but Eagan res-
idents will be paying the same
because of state tax contribu-
tions over which the city has no
control.
The proposed 1995 budget is
$14,043,500, or about $609,000
more than 1994. But because the
city's expenditure for its fiscal
disparity share is smaller this
year, taxes will remain the same.
Fiscal disparity refers to the
amount of taxes Eagan must give
up to other Minnesota cities with
smaller tax bases, to promote eq-
uity.
All that means for taxpayers
is that after going up for a num-
ber of years, Eagan taxes are ap-
BUDGET: To page 14A
2A Apple Vel$sWRoMmounf, gape Sun"CurrenVWednesday, Sept. 21, 1994
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Jude, Luther win in Sixth District
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Bill Luther and Tad Jude won
their respective primary races
with comfortable margins last
week, and are gearing up to face
off in the race for the open con-
gressional 6th District seat.
Jude won the IR primary with
57 percent of the vote. The next -
highest vote getter, at 34 percent,
was Natalie Steffen, the former
Human Services commissioner
for Gov. Arne Carlson. Retired
nurse and frequent candidate
Beatrice Mooney trailed with 8
percent.
Luther won the DFL primary
with 20,166 votes. about twice
that of Desert Storm veteran and
attorney Daniel McCarthy. Jen-
nings Campbell, a chemist and a
Lyndon LaRouche supporter, re-
ceived 4,643 votes.
Voter turnout for the IR pri-
mary was 61,542, compared to
35,240 for the DFL race, possibly
due in part to the hot gubernato-
rial race between moderate in-
cumbent Arne Carlson and right-
wing challenger Allen Quist.
Jude is a Hennenin County
Tad Jude
spend."
Jude said he thought the Re-
publicans were beginning to at-
tract more disgruntled Democ-
rats like himself and Ross Perot
supporters.
Both said they will be retiring
their parade walking shoes and
heading to more church dinners
and community festivals before
the Nov. 8 general election.
Jude said people are con -
Bill Luther
ers responded to his focus on
crime, safe streets and schools.
He plans to continue to foc
on his agenda of crime contro
and the economy, and position
himself as a hard working candi
date who prefers not to meddle i
people's personal lives.
"The voters want someone
go to Washington D.C., roll u
their sleeves and get to work," h
14A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SurrCurrenVWednesday, Sept. 21. 1994
part of proposal
Budget: New construction is not
From Page IA
pearing to level off.
Most of the 4.5 percent budget
increase is due to added person-
nel including two new police offi-
cers and three other positions
needed to serve the growing pop-.
ulation, said Eagan City Admin-
istrator Tom Hedges.
"We're very labor intensive,"
said Hedges. "Local government
is service delivery, and most of
our service is labor, like police of-
ficers and street maintenance
workers."
If the council makes no
changes to the budget, a resident
with an $100,000 home will pay
$284, a resident with a $150,000
home will pay $505, and a resi-
dent with a $250,000 home will
pay $948.
Hedges said an average home-
owner might be paying about $9
a month for police and fire ser-
vice, about $4 a month for street
repair and snow removal, and
about $3 a month for parks and
recreation services.
Some of the changes in this
year's budget include:
* For the first time in several
years, a 13 percent increase in
the mayor's and city council's
salaries.
* A 14 percent drop in the
legal fees budget to $315,800,
due to changes in the city's attor-
neys payment structure.
* Five -and -a -half new employ-
ees needed to serve the growing
population.
* An almost 6-percent in-
crease in the parks and recre-
ation budget, accompanied by an
increase in revenues that act to
negate the change.
Net tax capacity — the value
of all property — is up from about
$56 million to $59 million, due to
development and growth.
About half the total property
taxes collected in Eagan come
from home and apartment own-
ers, and the other half comes
from industrial, commercial,
utility and agricultural tax
sources.
Added to the budget is a
$199,200 contingency fund that
will be available in case of emer-
gency, such as if the state doesn't
come through with its share of
payments, so the city won't have
to lay off any workers, said
Hedges.
None of the construction
planned in 1995 on the new po-
lice department, the city hall re-
modeling, or the new civic arena,
will come out of this budget.
Money for those projects
comes from the independent
Community Investment Fund.
That fund was set up in the
1970s, during an early stage of
Eagan's growth. At the time, the
city sold municipal bonds to com-
plete street, utility and other in-
frastructure projects, and invest-
ed the money when the bonds
were sold. Because interest rates
hovered around 18 percent at the
time, and because it has contin-
ued to add to the fund over the
years, the city was able to amass
$12 million in the fund.
The City Council decided sev-
eral years ago it would use the
money for capital improvements
that would benefit the entire city,
rather than spending it on some-
thing that would benefit only a
handful of residents, such as res-
idential street projects.
Residents will be able to dis-
cuss the budget with the council
before they give it their final ap-
proval at Truth in Taxation hear-
ings on Dec. 7 and 14 at City
Hall.
Before that, residents should
have received their Truth in Tax-
ation notices detailing their city,
county and school district taxes
from Dakota County.
City of Eagan Proposed
1995 Budget
General
Government
25%
a
a
1
Public
Safety
41%
Public Works
15%
Parks and
Recreation
15%
• Total budget equals S14,242,700
• Numbers are rounded
• General government includes: Mayor and council,
administration, legal, community development and
cable TV expenses.
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A
Eagan mom's idea goes national
Newsletter's goal
is to link moms
around the country
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
With three children, all under
the age of 4, Lisa Roddy of Eagan
had precious little time to spend
lolling around and reading long
articles in parents magazines.
Besides, she said they were so
impersonal, so slick, showing
perfect parents and their perfect
children.
Then, early this year, Roddy
and a friend were talking philo-
sophically, wondering aloud just
how they knew how to be moth-
ers. They decided they learned a
lot about mothering from one an-
other, just through talking and
sharing advice.
Those two thoughts came to-
gether in a happy kind of colli-
sion, and Roddy came up with
her idea for a newsletter for
moms — it would have very short
articles, would cover a wide
MOMS: To Page 17A
Lisa Roddy of Eagan poses with a stack of the newsletters she
published recently. (Lori Haugen/Staff Photographer)
9/ 7 -sue A
rom real life
t
1
s
/-
c-
ig
a,
cs
s-
a
Ile
ut
ue
eh
to
he
ted
las
ier
500
!re,
ion-
For
ome
:hil-
ery-
1 be
•hile
she
said.
It carries the message of sup-
port, and that moms can only do
the best they can do.
"Mothering is the most impor-
tant job there is," she said. And
they need support, someone to
say that if the floor doesn't get
waxed today, that's OK.
She also plans to use profits
from the newsletter to form a
foundation that would give
money to charitable organiza-
tions such as the Jacob Wetter -
ling Foundation, or a battered
women's shelter.
Her next issue will come out in
January, and the publication will
be monthly from then on.
Now, she works out of an office
in her basement, and works
sometimes until late at night,
after the children go to bed.
Copies of the $3 newsletter
are available at Maggie's Caffe
Espresso shop in Eagan, or by
contacting her at Rosemary
Court Publications, 4294 Rose-
mary Court, Eagan MN, 55123.
As the business grows — she
has ideas for a cookbook and un-
limited ideas for her newsletter
— she expects she may have to
move out to an office outside her
home. But she'll always be a mom
first.
Fighting fire with volunteers
1
ire department
orges tradition
y Lori Haugen
taff Writer
It could happen at any time: in
e midst of reading "Little Red
iding Hood" to a child, during
hristmas dinner or in the mid -
le of a much -needed nights'
eep.
Whenever it happens, when-
ver their beepers go off, Eagan's
+lunteer firefighters jump into
ction, climb into their cars,
heel to the station where they
op into their rubbery boots,
lanket-thick pants and coats
d onto the shiny, red flashing
ck,
Within about eight minutes,
e flashing lights, sirens and
dies heavy with gear are at the
azing site, unfurling lengths of
+se, surveying the scene, and
adying to step into the danger
d uncertainty that is a fire.
Eagan's Fire Department is
ade up of volunteers, men and
omen who give up hours of their
ivate time each week to help
eir neighbors. They are paid a
minal amount for each fire call
F1RE: To Page 13A
•
A trio of Eagan firefighters practice extinguishing a car fi
(File Photo)
mes o
ort Center!
ence. Sears Optical has
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And, we even have the
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the independent Doctor
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etry. He has 12 years
nterest in fitting contact
-•
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Mdrba American Association of O'Thodanasts
Afternoon disc jockey, Matt Hansen, spins records for the popular Eagan -based radio
station. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
'The Edge' lands on top
Eagan station tops the ratings after just months
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
You're driving along, surf-
ing through the radio stations,
when a song catches your at-
tention.
There's a driving beat, raw,
grinding guitar and raspy vo-
cals. You recognize the band
— you saw them last week in
a bar downtown.
Chances are, you're listen-
ing to KEGE 93.7 FM, "The
Edge."
It's hard to ignore The
Edge. The station is every-
where — sponsoring events,
giving away T-shirts, on TV
commercials, and hanging its
signs on the backs of buses.
After eight months, the sta-
tion housed in a homely little
building off Cliff Road in
Eagan has gone from nonexis-
tent to one of the most lis-
tened -to Twin Cities radio sta-
tions.
The station is behind only
KQRS (which is owned by the
same company, Capital
Cities/ABC) with listeners
ages 18 to 34, and was third
overall in the ratings for the
summer.
That means that of all the
people listening to the radio in
a day, almost 7 percent of
them are tuned to The Edge.
"It's quite a feat," to come
from nowhere and get such
phenomenal ratings, said
Scott Lief, promotion director
at the station,
Past stations on that same
spot on the dial haven't been
nearly as successful, but The
Edge's management team
said they have the right mix of
music, promotion and person-
ality to make it work.
Lief said the Twin Cities
was thirsting for the modern
rock format. They play rock
generally produced by
younger rockers, or older rock-
ers with their roots in alterna-
tive music, as well as fresh
EDGE: To Page 10A
rney
•J
'S/Ncut Strindcrno
ts, MN 55077
)IS
edge
Scrool Honors Graduate
HOmlrne LOw Review
- &Jr Association Member
Lawyers Association Member
orlon Assoc.at►on Member
• yer in the I st Judicial Donor
al History of Public Service
.S. Federal Distncr Court
•urt of Meaty Appeats.
IST. JUDGE
:ir Judge"
Arishois, Eagan. IN
Your Choice
for
DAKOTA COUNTY
SHERIFF
.25 years - Dakota County
resident and Burnsville
Police Officer, serving in
ALL levels of management
and administration.
•Commendations/Letters
of Excellence
Narcotics Investigations,
Homicide Investigations
Insurance Fraud &
Theft Investigations
*Endorsements
Law Enforcement Labor
Services Local #3
Intl Assoc. of Firefighters
Local #2910
Martin DesLauriers-retired
Eagan Chief of Police
"I have worked with Charlie
Deutschmann on multiple
occasions &found his leader-
ship abilities to be that of
motivating people to Mork
with him, rather than for him."
Apple Valley Police Officer
Vote
DEUTSCHMANN
for
SHERIFF
'repared & paid for by Deutsetunann
Volunteer Committee. Mike films
Treasurer, 14437 Portland Ave. So.
Eiurnsville, Mn 55337 892.1073
t emse ves a
as their primary disability."
There are people who present
themselves as having physical or
mental health issues. As they get
to know their counselor, they do
reveal that they have HIV/AIDS,
Lundquist said.
Once a person identifies
themselves as having the virus,
the department works on help-
ing them in any way that meets
their vocational needs, as is done
with other clients at the depart-
ment.
This is done by evaluating
their vocational strengths,
needs, interests and aptitudes.
Once this is done, a vocational
plan is drawn up.
"The plan can be as different
as people are different," he said.
"It must include a vocational
goal — which may be to keep cur-
rent job or seek out something
that is entirely different — the
objectives, resources needed, and
timeframe to implement that
plan."
Something that sets the
HIV/AIDS person apart from
other clients is the struggle the
people go through on the psycho-
logical level, Lundquist said.
This includes depression, chemi.
cal abuse, anger
"As counselors we must help a
person deal with that," he said.
"We're not therapists, but we do
try to make sure they're hooked
up with appropriate mental
health provider if needed."
Typically, people with
HIV/AIDS are "self-starters,
they take initiative, and have
good work history or are at least
capable of finding jobs or already
have good jobs," Lundquist said.
They may need extra support
from the department or need
extra training that may help
AIDS: To Page 14A
"J I M"
4th
District
MUELLER
For County Commissioner
Willing to Listen and Tough Enough to Act
ENDORSED BY UN D_R.I.V.E., ST. PAUL BUILDING 1 CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL,
BUSINESS ENDORSED, LABOR ENDORSED
Pra• rod and • id for • Muaaar vohnMw Corn n,t s 7260 Gandl IGH, MN 55076
schools, police and probation ol- successful in school.
jo17),114 r_,
Edge: Heavy promoters
From Page 1A
Minnesota acts.
"Twin Cities tastes are very
progressive," said Lief "People
here are hungry for cutting edge
music." Hence the name.
Wade Linder, assistant pro-
gram director, said they have
their finger on the pulse of the
music business. They know who
the hot acts are, and they know
what people want.
"At the same time, we aim to
be unpredictable so people want
to come back," Linder said.
Program Director John Lass -
man wouldn't divulge how much
music they have on hand (can't
let the competition in on that) or
how much say the disc jockeys
have, but he said they decide
what to play based on requests,
record sales and occasional polls.
The staff gathers often to lis-
ten to new music that music
companies send in, and decide
what to put on the air.
They also make themselves a
presence in the community by
putting on festivals such as this
summer's "Edge Fest" and by
showing up in community pa-
rades and events.
They're at First Avenue and
the Fine Line, two live music
spots in town, and they are ac-
tive in the "politically correct"
world of environmentalism.
"You promote yourself the
way you want to be perceived,"
Lief said.
"It's an exciting time for this
format," Lassman said. "There
are tons of these bands out there
— Green Day, REM, The Cure."
The format's roots are in the
college radio stations of 10 years
ago, Lassman said. "But the real
beauty of the format is that there
really are no rules," Lassman
said. "It constantly changes, and
it could be completely different
in a month."
Bird lovers flock to store
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Glen Unruh glances out the
window to the sun -soaked yard
outside. He stops midsentence to
say, "there's a bird. Actually a
grackle."
Unruh would know. He's co-
owner and manager of the Wild
Bird Center, a new store in
Eagan that specializes in stuff
for people who love to watch
birds.
His love of the little feathered
creatures began when he was a
small boy, and the Audubon So-
ciety visited his classroom in
West St. Paul.
He begged his mother to pay
BIRD: To Page 21A
Bird: Store is new company prototype
From Page 1A
the $1 so he could join the soci-
ety, and soon found he had a
knack for identifying birds by
their calls.
As a child, he won contests
with his unusual talent.
In his spare time, he'd take
his Golden field guide out into
the woods and track down new
and different kinds of birds.
Asked what interests him
about birds, he mulls over the
question briefly and then decides
its the freedom they seem to
have; the way they move around,
He let his hobby slide for
awhile, but a few years ago,
began setting up bird feeders in
his yard again, and while out of
town, picked up regional bird
books.
Then, several months ago,
Unruh and his fiancee Jennifer
Naas were looking for a place to
buy good -quality bird feed and
supplies. They heard about a
place in Lanesboro and drove
there, only to find a little tiny
store, barely big enough for two
people to stand in.
They decided the Twin Cities
needed a store. He quit his job at
Northwest Airlines, she invested
some money from her chiroprac-
tic business, they did some re-
search and, about 2 1/2 months
ago, opened Minnesota's first
Wild Bird Center.
The store, in Cliff Lake Cen-
"We're about enhancing
the enjoyment of
watching birds."
--Glen Unruh
ter between Target and Cub
Foods in Eagan, has a corner
spot in the building, and its un-
usual shape and many windows
afford a view of a nearby pond
and the wild birds that visit the
birdfeeders just outside.
Inside, there's a river rock
trail, water trickling over rocks
and into a tiny little pond, a
deck, and a part of a tree.
The store appeals to what are
popularly called "cocooners," or
people who are interested in
staying home and finding their
own, quiet entertainment with
their families.
A recent government survey
finds that about 60 million U.S.
residents feed birds, and this
store aims to supply the Twin
Cities' share of those with every-
thing they need.
From the casual bird watcher
to the serious hobbyist, this store
has just about everything.
If you're not sure what to feed
birds, or what kind of bird house
to buy, the Wild Bird Center is
the place to go. Unruh is there to
point you to what feeders are
best for what birds, and which
birds prefer suet.
Unruh said bird houses are
important because so many of
the birds' natural habitats, rot-
ting trees, are now torn down so
the birds have no where to go.
The store leads Saturday bird
walks through area parks, and is
working with the Dakota Coun-
ty parks to set up feeding sta-
tions. Saturday night, they had
a program on bats, the repulsive -
looking creatures that nonethe-
less eat an estimated 3,000 to
7,000 mosquitos each night dur-
ing the summer.
"We're really about enhancing
enjoyment of watching birds as a
hobby," said Unruh.
It carries high -quality equip-
ment, seed, suet, books, binocu-
lors, feeders, birdhouses, video
tapes and even CDs of bird -in-
spired music, bird toys and ear-
rings.
They sell squirrel -proof feed-
ers, and feeders specifically for
squirrels. Most of the feeders run
about $30 to $40, with a few
cheaper models too.
In designing the store, Unruh
decided to decline the franchise's
help and go out on his own.
He hired Renee Corbin to de-
sign the store. She did so well,
the chain hired her to do all their
new stores from now on.
The store is now a prototype
for the future stores.
4
)f
it
t.
OBITUARIES 1
she was employed at Lambert
Lumber in Worthington. She
was also a member of the Heron
Lake Hospital board of directors.
In addition, she initiated a youth
volunteer group that served res-
idents of both the Heron Lake
Hospital and nursing home. She
established Girl Scout groups in
Heron Lake and was an avid
writer and gardener. She had re-
tired after several years with the
Holiday Corp. She had been a
resident of Burnsville since
1987, moving from Prior Lake,
where she lived from 1972 until
1987.
Preceding her in death was
her father and her husband,
Francis Mortensen, who died in
1979.
Survivors include her daugh-
ters and son-in-law, Cynthia and
Douglas Iverson of Burnsville,
Margaret Mortensen of Bloom-
ington; mother, Esther Hager of
Heron Lake; granddaughters,
Jennifer and Kathryn Iverson of
Burnsville; one sister; two broth-
ers; and numerous nieces and
nephews.
Services were Oct. 29 at
Mary, Mother of the Church in
Burnsville. Burial was at St.
Michael's Cemetery in Prior
Lake,
Arrangements were by the
Burnsville Funeral Home,
12804 Nicollet Ave. S.,
Burnsville.
North Dakota State University
with an M.S. in mechanical en-
gineering. He worked for the
Boeing company in Seattle for
three years and retired in 1990
after 27 years as a mechanical
engineer with Control Data
Corp. in Minneapolis.
Ostby was a retired major
and pilot with the USAF Re-
serve. He served as a Burnsville
City Council member from 1966
to 1968.
Survivors include his wife,
Sharon of Burnsville; daughters,
Cherylyn Kelser of Richland,
Wa., Gail Jaworski of Eagan;
sons, Paul Ostby of Seattle, Wa.,
and David Ostby of Rapid City,
S.D.; brother, Paul Melvin Ostby
of Plymouth; sister, Jean John-
son of Arlington, Va.; grand-
daughters, Junelle Snobeck and
Kristin Snobeck of Eagan; nieces
and nephews, Steve and Karen
Ostby, Mark, Eric and Hillary
Johnson.
Herbert Pool
Herbert Francis Pool (Frank),
74, of Ebenezer Ridges Nursing
Home in Burnsville died Oct. 20,
1994, at the nursing home of
heart failure.
He was born April 11,1920, in
Farmington. He grew up on the
family farm, moving to Savage
in 1951. In 1984 he moved to
Shakopee and in 1994 he moved
to the nursing home.
4_1�_ ll_alY. D 1_rripd. Rnhv F.Ilinch
and Ardy Neutz of Savage, Bev-
erly and Alan Standly of Savage,
Karen and Steve Smieja of
Lakeville and Theresa and
Carter Anderson of Eagan; sons
and daughters-in-law, Ronald
and Shelly of Prior Lake, Kevin
and Kathy of Savage, and David
and Susan of Crystal Lake, Ill.;
18 grandchildren; one great-
grandson; sisters and brothers-
in-law, Dorothy and John Ryan
of Shakopee, Myrtle and Marvin
Oldenburg of Jordan; former
wife, Ruby Pool.
Services were Oct. 24, at
Friendship Church in Prior
Lake with the Rev. Doyal Van -
Gelder officiating. Burial was at
All Saints Cemetery in
Lakeville.
Pallbearers were: Michael
Neutz, Brandon Smieja, Jacob
Standly, Nathan Pool and sons,
Kevin and David Pool.
Arrangements were by White
Funeral Home, 20134 Kenwood
Trail, Lakeville.
Also noted .. .
• Paul D. Brunjes, 45, of
South St. Paul died Oct. 20,
1994, in St. Paul. Survivors in-
clude his wife, Karalee; children,
Emily, Jessica and Jeremy; par-
ents, George and Evelyn; broth-
ers, Robert and Kenneth; sister,
Mary Grant.
• Michelle M. Murray, 27,
formerly of Inver Grove Heights
and recently of Spokane, Wash.,
,died Oct. 25_ 1994. in Spokane.
14A Appeal Vo ey!Rosemount, Eagan Sun CiarwltlWednesday, Nov. 2, 1994
r
LEVOLOR® SALE!,
o/
1"RIVIERA Eagan minister finds calling
o WITH MIS .G . : . joy,
.SALEEMDf17-11->K in moments of crisisain
7 STCE'
Lli<T
TERPRISES
14268 PLYMOUTH AVE • BURNSVILLE (IN CIATTI-S CENTER}
Jude's record is clear:
435-2588
sHop.AT.HoME AVAILABLE
D He voted against allowing parents to use medical leave
to care for their sick children.
0 He worked to defeat a resolution condemning bombing
and arson at women s health clinics.
0 He voted to instruct our law enforcement agencies to
conduct criminal investigations against women seeking abortions.
No wonder Tad Jude is supported by
Radical Right extremists —he's one of them!
ate LUTH ER
Hove ber 8th.
Through the
ages...
You never outgrow the need for
regular dental exams and good
oral hygiene. So keep it up. And
when you need dental care, our
hygienists, assistants and dentists
are sensitive to senior needs,
routine or special. Most insur-
ances accepted. Early or late
visits available. Come see or call
us soon.
PARK DENTAL
Eagan 686-6678
1885 Plaza Drive, Eagan
Ridges 892-6010
305 Fast Nicoliet Blvd.. Burnsville
Salem Square 450-9579
5.151) SAuth Hobert Trail. Giver Grow }eights
Larson installed
at Fairview Ridges
By Doug Erickson
Staff Writer
For the Rev. Elizabeth B.J.
Larson, job fulfillment often
comes from intervening in peo-
ples' spiritual lives when they
need guidance the most — times
of intense joy or crippling pain.
As the new chaplain at
Fairview Ridges Hospital in
Burnsville, Larson will no doubt
experience both extremes many
times.
She will bless newborns and
officiate at naming ceremonies
for stillborn babies. She will wel-
come new life into the world and
ease others' passage.
"Being with people at critical
moments has always drawn me
to the ministry," said Larson,
who was installed at Fairview
Ridges at a special worship ser-
vice Oct. 27.
As chaplain of the 150-bed
hospital, Larson will work close-
ly with area pastors and train lay
volunteers to provide 24-hour
pastoral care to patients. She
also will supervise clinical pas-
toral care students.
Larson succeeds the Rev. Fred
Peters, who retired this year. He
was the original chaplain when
Fairview Ridges opened in 1989.
Growing up in the farming
community of Forest City, Iowa,
Larson attended a small Luther-
an church and realized early that
she wanted to spend her life in a
ministry of some sort.
"Back then, you still didn't see
women in the pulpit, so I didn't
think of being a preacher neces-
sarily," she said.
Studying psychology and reli-
gion at Luther College in Deco-
rah, Larson began to see female
role models and drifted toward
the ministry Her first job out of
college was with the Minneapo-
lis -based national headquarters
of the American Lutheran
Church, where she worked with
the missionary sponsorship pro-
gram for three years.
During that time, she traveled
often, studying religion in China
and Hong Kong. When she didn't
want to leave Hong Kong, she re-
alized fully her calling, she said.
"I wanted to continue to do
what I was doing," she said. "I
wanted to be with people and
Newly installed Chaplain Elizabeth Larson is congratulated
by her husband Oct. 27at Fairview Ridges. (Bill Jones/Staff
Photographer).
talk about things that really
mattered."
She returned to St. Paul and
earned her masters of divinity
degree at Luther Northwestern
Seminary in 1988. Further trav-
els took her to Japan, Madagas-
car, Kenya and Singapore.
"My travels always keep me
open to seeing things in a little
different way," she said. "I think
wherever we are, it's basically a
mission context."
Larson spent four years as
pastor of two congregations in
northwestern Wisconsin before
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entering a two-year clinical pas-
toral education residency at Ab-
bott Northwestern Hospital in
Minneapolis.
She likes pastoral care be-
cause it encompasses mind, body
and soul. "I really think faith
and life are connected, and this is
really a place where I see this
happen," she said. "Sometimes,
we tend to compartmentalize
what is spiritual and what is not.
Well, I think those lines are more
blurred."
Larson's duties include crisis,
trauma and grief ministry, for
staff as well as patients. She
serves on the hospital's bio-
ethics committee.
In helping families make crit-
ical decisions, "we find out their
values and what's important to
them," she said. "Oftentimes, we
work through doubts and strug-
gles they're having with their
faith."
"Many situations can be very
overwhelming," Larson said,
"There is a toll in this type of
ministry that you really have to
watch out for."
Larson is settling into not
only a new job but a new home
life. She married Tim Gustafson
in May, and the two have com-
pleted a home in Eagan. She met
Gustafson, who works in the dis-
tribution department of Ri
town Trading Compan
mutual friends
the Valley
Apple V
THA
IT'S NE
1 I � '• 1 1 1 I• , f f1
Apple Vdle�rA;oaerrrorrrlf Eapan Sun urrerrvWWednesdayr,! F ov. 2,1994
9A
Property tax increase
due to passed bond issue
Notices of proposed 1995
property taxes will arrive in
Burnsville -Eagan -Savage School
District households within the
next few weeks. The notices will
show an increase in the property
tax levy proposed by our district
for next year. However, the total
net impact has been confined to
the impact of the bond election
held last May.
Full levy authority authorized
by the state of Minnesota would
have resulted in an increase of
more than 13 percent in taxes
payable for 1995. The proposed
levy adopted by the Board of Ed-
ucation did notinclude approxi-
mately $900,000 of levy authori-
ty, resulting in an increase of
10.65 percent.
The proposed increase can be
accounted for by two major fac-
tors. Only one of these factors
has a direct impact on the total
tax bill paid by residents.
The state changed levy au-
thority for intermediate school
districts last session that trans-
ferred their authority to local
chool districts. This change ac-
counts for approximately
$700,000, or 2.25 percent of the
10,65 percent increase.
Since Intermediate School
District 917 (Dakota County
Technical College) was responsi-
ble for this portion of the tax levy
last year, the transfer of authori-
ty to our district does not affect
your total tax bill. Rather, it
shifts the source of the levy with-
in each tax bill.
The second major factor ac-
counting for an increase in the
tax levy, as mentioned earlier, is
the bond election approved by
voters five months ago. The an-
nual tax impact of the $49.5 mil-
lion bonding authority repre-
sents approximately $2.8 million
or an 8,3 percent increase of last
year's levy.
This increase is almost an
exact match with the net in-
crease in the proposed property
tax levy adopted by the board.
A number of elements within
the total tax levy provide local
districts with authority to make
up state aid shortfalls in special
education, provide transition
levy related to intermediate
school districts and undertake
health and safety projects. How-
ever, the net effect of these vari-
ations i� to camel each other out
and result in what would have
been a no -increase tax levy if the
change in levy authority for in-
termediate school districts and
the bond election impact were
not present.
Information provided by
Dakota and Scott counties indi-
cates that actual tax rate in-
creases, attributed to the school
district and experienced by tax-
payers, will be somewhat less
than the levy increase because of
growth in the district's tax base
and other factors present in both
counties.
Information provided by the
county auditors indicates that
the actual tax rate is likely to be
80.51 percent of the tax capacity
value. This represents an in-
crease of 8.12 percent over the
1994 tax rate or 6.58 percent if
you factor out the transfer of the
intermediate district levy.
Several factors may result in
individuals finding that their
proposed tax bills vary from the
tax rates represented here.
These include market value of
property as determined by your
county assessor, changes in the
tax classification rate estab-
lished by the state and special
assessments on particular prop-
erty parcels. Questions regard-
ing the amount of tax assigned to
a particular piece of property as
a result of these changes can be
answered in Dakota County by
calling 438-4390 and in Scott
County by calling 496-8560.
Our district will have a public
hearing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday,
Dec. 1, at the Administrative
Services Center, 100 River Ridge
Court, Burnsville. Residents
with questions or comments re-
garding the proposed property
tax levy are invited to attend.
Editor's note: James Rick-
abaugh is the superintendent
of the Rurnsi ille-Eagan-Sar-
age School District 191.
1 COMMUNITY NOTES
Program promotes
walking as exercise
The annual "Walk to your
Heart's Content" program begins
this fall through District 196
Community Education.
Exercisers may walk through
the halls of Rosemount Middle
School, 3135 143rd St. W., in
downtown Rosemount or Dakota
Hills Middle School, , 4183 Brad-
dock Trail, Eagan, during the
late fall and winter months.
Distances are marked out so
walkers can plan their route.
Both schools will be open Mon-
days - Fridays 7 to 9:30 p.m. and
Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The program at Rosemount
-"^ has begun but Dakota
open for walking
'Toy. 12.
include a
Information/registration
423-7733 or 683-6879.
Energy assistance
now available
Applications for the CAI'
Agency Energy Assistance Pro
gram (EAP) are now being ac-
cepted.
EAP offers help with heating
bills for eligible renters and
homeowners in Carver, Dakota
and Scott Counties.
Eligible households may re-
ceive assistance once per heating
season (Oct. 1, 1994 through
May 1, 1995.)
It is not necessary to have a
past -due or shut-off notice to
apply.
Funds for crisis situations
and energy related repairs are
also available.
Information: 496-2125 or 1-
800-640-6128.
eadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday
iv DEAN WITTER
-Tuts. Nov. 15. 7 p.m.
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Holiday Inn West
(Highway 394 & 169)
Wed. Nov. 16. 7 p.m.
"FINANCIAL PLANNING: GETTING STARTED"
Seville Plaza Hotel
(Highway 494, west of France)
Presented by
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RSVP 340-6704 • No charge for seminars
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guns, but the program got them out of homes where they
could've been stolen and used to commit crimes.
We encourage the citizens of Hennepin County to re-elect the
fire fighter endorsed candidate, Mike Freeman.
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Ukrainian families move
v, ,, ti to Apple Valley, Eagan
sto
New ti Eagan is the Skladanovskiy family. Pictured are front
(from left) Yuriy, Mikhail, Valentina, and Zhanna. Back: Vik-
toriya, Yuliya, and Vitally. (Bill Jones'Staff Photographer)
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
Lyudmila Gutsalyuk smiles
bashfully and looks at the floor
before saying, "My family, they
are basically good people."
Though a simple statement,
it's quite an accomplishment for
the girl who, along with her fam-
ily, arrived in the United States
in early September with little
knowledge of the English lan-
guage. The eight member family
is from the Ukraine.
The Gutsalyuk family is spon-
sored by Apple Valley's Mt.
Olivet Assembly of God church.
Arlene Lageson, a church
member who works with the
family, said the church was ap-
proached by World Relief Min•
nesota to sponsor the family this
spring.
"They wanted to leave
Ukrainia," Lageson said. "Life
was hard there, and because
they were Christians there was
persecution."
After arriving in Apple Valley,
they stayed with a host family
until permanent housing could
be found, which was no easy
task. They made more than 300
phone calls to find housing. One
factor that made the search diffi-
cult was "a lot of people don't
want (to rent to] that large of a
family," Lageson said.
Lageson attributes their find-
ing a home for the family to the
power of prayer.
The church also helped the
family get social security cards,
enrolled them in English classes,
and taught them how to shop in
American stores.
The goal is to move the fami-
ly toward independence, Lege-
son said.
The church has a three month
commitment to help the family,
but Lageson estimates it will
take longer.
"I don't see it as an abrupt fin-
ish," she said. "I think it will be a
gradual independence being
gained."
Also sponsoring a Ukrainian
family is Colonial Alliance
Church in Apple Valley.
The seven -member
Skladanovskiy family is staying
with Paul and Gloria Heitzman
of Eagan until they move into
their own place.
Even though 13 people have
been living in the Heitzman
home, Paul said the house "has
been pretty stress free. The best
part about the whole deal is
we've been living together and
making it work."
Finding a place for the family
to stay has also been a challenge
for the Heitzmans. They either
run into people who don't want
to rent to such a large family or
the family is asked to show doc-
umentation outlining one year of
renting. Places that are within
the family's grasp generally have
a six month to two year waiting
list.
The ideal home for the family
would be a four bedroom town-
house or apartment, Paul said.
Helping people escape perse-
cution by coming to the United
States is an extension of a pro-
gram the church has long been
involved in.
The difference is "this is more
of a hands on world missions,"
Lageson said. "It's not just a
matter of putting a check in the
mail and helping a missionary
across the world. It's bringing
people into our lives and helping
them out."
School will
imitate life
District 197 approves
new learning policy
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
With the belief that school
should be more like real life, Dis-
trict 197 board directors ap-
proved a high school learning
policy that will combine some
clays and focus more on think-
ing skills, problem solving skills,
attitude and respect.
The policy will, by combining
curriculum and teaming up
teachers from different subjects,
help prepare students for life.
"Ultimately, students will be
prepared for individually appro-
priate life and career paths," the
policy states.
By combining classes tthcy
POLICY: To Page 15A
ppia VallayfR4sanwunt, Eagan Sun•CurrrnVWednesday, Nov. 16, 1994 15A
Policy: Begins next year
From Page 1A
haven't decided which yet), and
putting each student in one such
combined class, they plan to
show the connections between
different curriculum areas.
"They'll leave here as problem
solvers, not just with a lot of
stuff," Henry Sibley Principal
David Brom said.
Flexibility in teaching teams
will allow students of all levels to
learn, Brom said. He said accel-
erated classes will not be elimi-
nated.
After discussion and a num-
ber of failed amendment propos-
als, the school board approved
the policy by a 4 to 2 vote, with
directors Barb Tani and Janice
Chasman voting against it.
Parents attending the meet-
ing asked if the board was mov-
ing too fast, or if they could
promise the program would
work. "The teacher task force
has put a lot of thought and ef-
fort into this," said a health
teacher in the district.
"It is moving ahead, it is a
change, but not a major change,"
he said.
Brom said teachers will have
the assistance of experts, if nec-
essary, to help them develop and
refine the program over the next
nine months before it kicks in
next fall.
To Director Janice Chasman's
concern that the program was
coming on too fast, Brom an-
swered, "Nine months is a lot of
time. We have the skills, the
money and the commitment to
do this." Board Chairman Jim
Nikolai added that the district
had been working on this delib-
erately over a long time.
Director Barb Tani was con-
cerned that with a "shared deci-
sion making" clause, the board
would be giving up too much
power over the program.
"Shared decision making
means we're all involved," said
Nikolai. The new classes will
begin in the fall for ninth -
graders, and new grades will be
added in the future.
This new park is one of thethings the city of Eagan and the Wescott community have com-
pleted to bring more opportunities to the residents there. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
Wescott: Program will go on elsewhere
From Page IA
landscaping. The 22 owners of
the rental buildings helped ac-
quire the land.
"It's been unusual," said Ken
Vraa, director of Eagan's Parks
and Recreation Department.
"It's not very often that city gov-
ernment gets the cooperation of
adjacent property owners like
this. It's a real positive thing"
The area has one of the high-
est densities of youth in the city,
and they lacked transportation
to the city's other parks and pro-
grams, Ashley said.
His responsibility was to as-
sess, evaluate, and meet with
people there to decide what to
do.
Among the programs that
have sprung out of his work are
a morning preschool class which
meets,in an apartment that the
city rents, afternoon children's
cooking classes, basketball tour-
naments and a jump -rope class
through Dakota County. On Fri-
day evenings, they show movies
to the children.
"We try to keep the kids busy,
active, occupied, and broaden
their horizons," Vraa said. He
said other cities — New
Brighton, Shoreview, Cottage
Grove and Brooklyn Park —
have similar programs.
"It's very rewarding," said
Ashley. "You get to work with
kids, you see a lot of personali-
ties, and you get to see kids go
from one side of the fence to an-
other."
Dakota Hills Middle School
has hired Ashley as an assistant
counselor for 10 hours a week, so
he can work with the same chil-
dren at home and at school, to
provide a kind of bridge between
the two places.
"When a kid has a problem at
school you can understand, but
will better understand if you
know that they are the fourth
child of a single -parent family."
Last Wednesday afternoon, a
group of children gathered and,
under the direction of Juanita
Kulhanek, a school food service
manager whose grandchildren
live in Wescott, learned how to
make pasta and fill it with meat.
Melvin Smith, 11, cut toma-
toes while his 13-year-old sister,
Tasita, made taco meat. "I find
the kids are really willing to
learn," said Kulhanek. "The
cooking class takes them on an
adventure — we've made stir
fry, chili, pizza. She lets them ex-
periment so they learn about
cooking and have some control.
Plus, she said, they need
something constructive.
"It has gotten expensive,"
Ashley said, with the supplies,
facilities, and employees.
"We don't make money, 'nor
are we trying to," said Ashley.
"This area has been in need for
a long time, and the money they
are spending is well worth it."
Vraa said success in such a
program is difficult to measure,
but they've gotten the sense
from the community that things
are going well. That's partly be-
cause the community is so in-
volved — Joyce McGee, a resi-
dent, was hired over the sum-
mer to run the program after
Ashley left.
Ashley recently moved on to
Foxridge Estates in Eagan to do
the same thing over again, but
he still goes back to Wescott.
"I still need to go back. It's my
baby," he said.
iso, longtime Burnsville resident, dies
Thomas Truso
and Cecelia Truso of St. Paul. He
graduated from Cretin High
School and earned a bachelor's de-
gree from Metropolitan State Uni-
versity in Minneapolis. He earned
a master's degree from Cardinal
Stritch College in Edina in 1991.
On Aug. 14, 1965, he married
Joan Unger in St. Paul_
For 16 years, Truso worked in
management for Western Air-
lines. He joined TravelCorp in
1982 and became the travel agen-
cy's president six years ago.
'He was a very good executive,"
said Peter Johnson, a friend and
current president of TravelCorp.
Truso resigned from Travel -
Corp about one month before
the bone marrow transplant in
order to spend more time with
his family and do some of his fa-
vorite things — like play golf, a
sport he was well-known for,
said his son.
He played three or four times a
week and all over the country,
Matthew said. He played the last
three years in the Pro -Am portion
of the LPGA Tournament during
its stop in the Twin Cities. Truso
also enjoyed traveling and was a
high-performance sports car en-
thusiast.
Truso retained good health
until the transplant, Matthew
said. Doctors told him he would
have the best chance of recovery
by undergoing the operation
when he was strong, his son
said. Truso's sister, Trish
Jaramillo of California, donated
the bone marrow.
Matthew said his father rel-
ished time with his family.
'Regardless of all the things he
did or had, he was most proud of
his role as a husband and father,
and he did a great job at them
both," he said.
He is survived by his wife,
Joan; son, Matthew, and daugh-
ter-in-law, Denise, of Burnsville;
daughter, Sarah Hastings, and
son-in-law, Paul, of Shakopee; son,
Neil Truso, of Burnsville; brothers
and sisters, Mary Christjaener of
St. Paul, John Truso of Colorado,
Carol Gamblin of California, Trish
Jaramillo of California, and Mar-
guerite Buchen of Germany; and
special aunt, Marcella Huberty of
St. Paul.
Services were Nov 10 at St.
John the Baptist Catholic Church
in Savage. Burial was at St. John
the Baptist Church Cemetery in
Burnsville. Memorials preferred
to the Leukemia Society of Min-
nesota, 5217 Wayzata Blvd., St.
Louis Park, MN. Arrangements
were by the Burnsville Funeral
Home, 12804 Nicollet Ave. S.,
Burnsville.
Dallas Koivu
Dallas L. Koivu, 69, of Eagan
died Oct. 23, 1994, at his home in
Eagan.
He was born Nov. 16, 1924, in
Hibbing, Minn., to Harry and
SINTER SPECIALS!
!is winter and you'll save SOS
:HES:
$7 00o
BASEMENT
FINISHING:
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Ina Koivu.
Koivu was a draftsman for
Unisys Corp. and a veteran of
World War II.
Survivors include his wife,
Leola; brothers, Milton and Jack;
several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were Nov.
10 at Fort Snelling National
Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Kle-
catsky and Sons Funeral Home,
1580 Century Point, Eagan.
Also noted...
• Alice M. Anderson, 83, of
South St. Paul died Nov. 4, 1994,
at United Hospital. Survivors in-
clude her sisters, Luella Voigt,
Villa Sohomka, Florence Larson,
Delores Koethe, Lois Heimbuch,
Marjorie Stien and Jeannie
Schriener. Services were Nov. 10
at the Church of St. John Vian-
ney in South St. Paul. Burial was
NEWS
1994 election
results outlined
N•wsstanc+
Pries
3 Sections
13A
SPORTS
Wildcat tanker
a state qualifier
22A
LIFESTYLE
Heroes among us
will be honored
EAGAN
r.101:4ik,
1
B
Look Inside
for the premier issue Of
ri
for Great
Shopping
Values!
November 16, 1994 Vol, 19, No. 48
Crayons and s atulas are building
ptools in Wescott
fly Lori Haugen Cooperative projects begin to make a difference g
e.
Staff Writer into a different kind of pla Road.
De
Where there was once a patch Where there was once little percentage of lower -income ten- opportunities and the most The Parks andgwith Recreationhecn pr-
of long grass and weeds, children communication between parents ants and a low amount ofpark- lems and helpdevelopprob-tiumrto n u along the and the
programs tium of building owners, and the
are throwing footballs and and schools, there is a man who land for the many children to for the young people, while forg- Housing and Redevelopment
climbing colorful play equip- works to bridge that gap. ment_ play. ing friendships with them. Authority, paid about $240,000
That man is Walker Lee Ash- Ashley had a challenge when Several months later, Ashley, to put in a park complete with
Where there was once an ley, and the place is Wescott the city of Eagan hired him Last the city's Parks and Recreation playground equipment, im-
empty apartment, giggling chil- Commons. summer. Department and the owners and proved basketball courts and
dren are learning about colors Wescott is an area dense with He was to go into the areas in residents, have helped change
and letters and how to cook. rental property. It has a high Eagan that had few recreational Wescott Commons, in northca WESCOTT To Pave IAA
2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan SumCurrsnVWednesday. Nov 16. 1994
Burnsville Center
to welcome Santa
To kick off the holiday season,
Santa Claus and his helpers will
arrive at Burnsville Center at 7
p.m. Friday, Nov. 18.
The event, which begins the
Center's holiday celebration, will
feature a staged production cre-
ated especially for Burnsville
Center and art indoor fireworks
display.
Central to the celebration is
"The Legend of the Magical Lap-
land Geese," a Christmas story
that tells of giant magical geese
that carry presents on their
backs for less -fortunate chil-
dren. The event, a Burnsville
Center tradition, features a Lap-
land Geese musical, A Spirit of
Giving," performed by Variety
Arts.
An indoor fireworks display,
sponsored by Norwest Banks,
augments the story.
The evening will culminate
with the arrival of Santa Claus
and his helpers.
Giving is integral to the Lap-
land Geese story. All who attend
the celebration are asked to
bring a new, unwrapped gift to
donate to Toys for Tots.
1 WE AREA SHADE ETTER
65%0
DEL JM AR..
PLEATED SHADES
, 2. Z1
e`°FREE
DUO -FOLD
(TOP DOWN -
BOTTOM UP)
BUSINESS I
Long-awaited theater to open
Interview with the
Vampire, Star Trek,
will debut Thursday
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Beginning Thursday, Eagan
residents won't have to leave the
city to go to a movie.
Mann Theater will open its
Eagan location, with "Star Trek
Generations,' "Swan Princess,"
"Interview with the Vampire,"
and "The Santa Clause" flicker-
ing on the big screens.
Benjie Mann of Eagan, who
owns the theater along with his
brother, Steve, said business
owners and residents alike seem
excited about the opening.
"This is long overdue," he
said, as the finishing touches
were being put on the new build-
ing in Town Centre, off Yankee
Doodle Road and Interstate 35E.
"You look at a city this size, it
fnr vrara tf)
Football
Playoffs
Nov. 11 results
Class AA Quarterfinals
Alexandra 42. Park 21
Anoka 21, Lakeville 7
Jefferson 28, Gratin-D.H. 7
Grand. Rapids 34, Riddied-
13
Sure Class Maerdlhlals
Metrodonse
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Anoka vs Grand Rapids
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Jefferson vs Alexarrdna
Volleyball
Playoffs
Nov. 10 results
Class AA Quarterfinals
Alexandria del Woodbury
15-2. 15-4, 15-3
Nx8i Branch det. Tartan 15-
8, 15.9. 15-13
Apple Valley der Columba
Heights 157. 15-9. 15-9
Chaska del. Lakevree 15-4,
15-5, 15-10
Nov. 11 results
Sernlfinals
Chaska del Apple Valley 15-
11,
Caneowion simifkub
Woodbury del Tartan 15 13.
16.14, 3-15. 15-13
Lakeville del. Columbia
Heap s 15-6.15-11, 15-6
Nov. 12
Section 3
Term standings
Woodtury 322, Apple Val-
ley 231, Hastings 218.
Rosemount 122. High-
land Park/SPA 122.
Simely 92, Eagan 90.
Visitation 72. Sibley 42.
Park of Cottage Grove
42, St. Paul Central 12.
Crelrn-Derham Hall 10,
SI Paul Como Park 7.
South S1 Paul 6. S1. Paul
Johnson 5, St. Paul
Harding 1
Stale qualifiers
200-+riedhey refry — Wood-
bury 1:53.56: Hastings
1:53.92; Apple Valley
1:54.15.
200 freestyle — Maya
Hamilton, Highland
Park/SPA 157.06; Frannie
Vdlatana, Woodbury
1.57.38; Lisa Kramer.
Apple Valley 1:57.52; 8
Crissinger. Hastings.
1:59.13; Sally Boyd. Apple
Valley 1.59.97-
200 lndhddusl medley —
A•Lisa Miles. Woodbury,
212.94; Jennie Olson.
Woodbury. 213 99. Barb
Colbert. Woodbury.
214.95
50 freestyle — Becky
Umbel. Hastings. 24 72;
8nrna Waft. Hastings,
25 35, Kim Paraadeise.
Apple Valhi, 25.38
100 buttnthr — Tracy Mon-
ahan. Vis4a:ion. 1 00 12;
A Lisa Mites, Woodbury.
1 00.26, Chas Riley Hatt
I SCORECARD
200 freestyle relay — Hast-
ings 1:41 92. Woodbury
1:41 94, Apple Valley
1:42 47, Highland
Peit/SPA 1:43 08; Eagan
1.43.50; Rosemount
1:45.25
100 backstroke — H.
Krastins, Apple Valley.
59 95. Tracy Monahan.
Visitsbon, 1.00.22.
100 breaststroke —Jennie
Olson, Woodbury. 1:08. 55;
Arty Schutz. Rom seount.
1:08.68.
400 haestyle Way — Apple
Valley 3 37 95 (new pod
record): Hasbro 3:39 49;
Woodbury 3:41.85; High-
land Park/SPA 3:43.93.
Section 5
Tam standings
Minneapolis South 396 5.
Park Center 299. St. Anth-
ony/Spring Lake Park
296.5, Brack 282, Osseo
232, Benrlde 174. Mpls.
Southwest 153, Blake 130.
Fridley 101, Mpls. Wash.
burn 76. Mpts
NorelHenry 54. Cokrlibra
Heights 50, Edison 27,
Roosevelt 22
Slate qualifiers
200 medley relay — Park
Center 1 52 54 South
1:5312, Si Anihory,SLP
1:54 65
200 /rNslyre — Anne Ro-
galls. Park Center.
1-59 20. Heather Comoro.
Bradt, 2.03.83.
200 Individual medley —
Amy Bouta. South.
o.1n ta. It- I.. n..:....
Center, 5.26.87
200 freestyle relay — Breck
t 43 94. Blake 1:43 96.
100 backstroke — Jaina
McClure. South. 59.39,
Amy Miller, St.
Anthony/SLP. 1.00 63;
Anne Knopman, Breck.
101 89: Molly Quinn.
Saahwestl'0230.
100 breastslroks — Amy
Boutta, South, 1:06.60,
Andrea Pennington, Park
Center. 1 08.71
400 freestyle relay — South
3 43 75, Park Center
3:43.76.
Section 6
Team standings
Edina 332, Minnetonka
287.5. Eden Prairie 260.
Shakopee 234. Hopkins
233. Richfield 206.5,
Burnsville 196. Chaska
196. Wayzata 123. Arm-
strong 73. Jefferson 47, St
Louis Park 47. Kennedy
44, Mound 18, Orono 14,
Cooper 14
Stars QNalMers
200ma ltyMayHopins
—
1.50.97: Burnsville
1:53 13, Eden Prairie
1.53 82; Wayzata 1.54.51;
Minnetonka 1:54 80;
Edina 1:54.81; Chaska
1.55.08.
200 freestyle — Kalis Carl-
son. Shakopee, 1:57.30:
Usa Anderson. Richfield,
1 58 50: Christy Lefler.
Edina, 1.59.55; Kelly
Amundson, Shakopee,
1.59.74, Danielle Miller,
C L...L........ n AA Co ....
375.95, Amber Perry,
Shakopee, 374.90.
100 butterfly — Gretchen
Weber, Hopkins, 59.14;
Laura Theodore, Wayzata.
1;00.70, Kara Peterson.
Hopkins, 1:01.64; Amy
Magnusson. Richfield.
1.01.85; Katie Klamer,
Minnetonka, 1:01.92;
Nicole LeBaron, Kennedy.
1132.10
100 freestyle — Heather
Scholta. Minnetonka,
54 03. Becca Meyer,
Shakopee, 54.61.
500 freestyle — Katie
Carlson, Shakopee,
5:09.40; Janine Wilk.
Edina, 5 14.96; Michelle
Macy, Chaska. 5:18.93;
Kelly Amundson,
Shakopee, 5.22.44;
Chrissy Lefler. Edina,
5:22.51; Lisa Anderson,
Richfield, 5:23.74; Gu-
drun Minck, Chaska,
5:22.37. Stacey Monson.
Minnetonka 5,25.99.
200 freestyle relay —
Hopkins 1:40.84. Edina
1 ,41.1 B; Richfield
1:41.50; Eden Prairie
1:42.68; Shakopee
1:42.84, Minnetonka
1:43.05.
100 backstroke— Lindsay
Engstrom, Burnsville,
1 00.46; Erin Pohle. Min-
netonka. 1:01.45; Katie
Talton. Edina, 1:01.74;
Jamie Olson. Minneton-
ka, 1:02.09; Katie
Klamer, Minnetonka,
1:02.16; noelle Peterson,
Eden Prairie, 1:02.22;
lnn.w DI hid,* Wend-, ch.
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current\Nednesday, Nov. 16, 1994
SURPLUS
t'r
MILITARY HARDWARE
We're Moving
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everything until
we move
894-0413
12487 Zinran Ave., Ste. #3, Savage Mn
(1 block W. Hwy. 13/101 interchange)
27A
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The latest in performance & reliability for those
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LIFT -MASTER
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Model 1270-7
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Regular Price
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Also Available: 1/2 H.P. Garage Door Opener Model 1260
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28A Apple Valley/Rosamount. Eagan Sun..Cumnt/Wednesday, Nov. 16, 1994
Bulletin n Boaz rd
BULLETIN BOARD is tisir_ action of
SUN PUBLICATIONS. Headers are encouraged
to be aware that some advertisers may require
an additional fee. Sun Publications has not in-
vestigated & accepts no responsibility for the
truth, statements or products offered by these
advertisers
Hoops By Lynch • 835-7251
Private Basketball Coach/Instruction
REACH YOUR POTENTIALlri
VETERINARY TECH - FT
Able to do: lab work, x-ray, assist in surgery
Apply at: River Ridge Pet Clinic, 12443 River
Ridge Blvd, Burnsville.
FAT AND/OR TIRED?
I can help! I was both, now I'm neither
Cal now! Dianne 894-0457
RICHFIELD SENIOR SUITES
Lic. 8 & C in a Home Setting
"A beautiful alternative for senior care '
Beautiful Private Room
Costs About 50% Less
Full Time Live in Nurse
Over 40 Yrs Experience
FREE ADVICE
866-3961
Close to Southdale
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Turn your life around safely & positively! No
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Call 469 2064 for details
DIVORCE $88
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Midwest Paralegal 561-7999
WE BUY USED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
& Sell Karaoke Equipment & Software
GROTH MUSIC 884-4772
BAD CREDIT?
We specialize in helping
restore your bad credit rating.
You Deserve Financial Freedom!
CALL NOW, WE CAN HELP!
UCENSED & BONDED 891-2327
MONEY PROBLEMS?
Consolidate your bills.
Family Life Credit Services 854-5553
DESKTOP PUBLISHING
Flyers * Brochures * Resumes
Word Processing * Newsletters
Custom Graphic Designs * 890-4200
CQCC
Lose Weight -Feel Great
MAKE EXTRA $
Call 1-800-460-3278 124 hr message}
Then call 894-7744
CARPET CLEANING
Commercial or Residential. Also commercial
Janitorial. Call Scott 560 2870
TRAVEL AGENT
Don't get lost in one of those chain or "mega"
agencies. Go for an agency which is plenty big
enough to offer a career path, but not so big
that you're just one of the crowd. Go for Cor
proate Travel! (located in Richfield)
We're one of the most technologically in
novative agencies in the country - have been
since we started up in 1974 - and we offer
growth and excitement We also offer corn
petitive salaries and benefits.
We're known for the high quality and long
tenure of our people. We're looking for reser
vetionists who have been trained on Sabre
and/or Worldspan; we have both. on the same
CRTs! Positions available: Domestic Commer
cial Dept - permanent full-time; Ticketing
Dept - permanent full-time.
Call Patty at 861 4443 or fax resume Attn:
Patty 861 2522.
SMALL BUSINESS
FOOD - CLOTHING - GAS
goes MLM
Call 894 8056
CABINETS OR WOODWORK
MAKING YOU FEEL S1CK?
CALL KITCHEN TUNE-UP
Let us rejuvenate your kitchen
with our one -day scrub attack or
restyle your cabinets with new
doors and fronts
688-6761
PIANO PLAYER
Christmas Parties
Weddings & Special Occasions
Variety of Music 452-8353
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• Results Guaranteed. 424.4351 *
RICHFIELD 2BR APT
7500 Oliver. Carpet. AC. on busline, off st
parking $465/ mo. 881-2116
WANTED
Old fish & hunt equip, tackle, rods, reels,
guns, decoys. Top 39 paid. 449-0912
RETAIL
Once Upon A Child - Southtown Center. is
s -- • -
.47- t • )•111-• -
•
Steve Adams plays with Christine Gourley's pet Maltese, Meinard, at her Eagan home last week. Adams owns Critter -
Care, a pet sitting business based in Eagan. See story on Page 9A. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
ndria
5-1901
night
d night free.
t of the week
- may not be available on
ny other discount or offer)
ru 1-31-95
ross country
ill skiing
CLUDES
1pool • kiddie pool
or volleyball
• restaurant
e entertainment
ed in 1994
not have a first -run movie the-
ater. "I went out trick or treating
with my kids and all my neigh-
bors were asking, 'When's that
theater going to open?'"
He said many area restau-
rants and businesses have asked
about cooperative advertising
with their businesses, and to buy
the advertising they sell before
their shows.
The nine -screen theater has
stereo sound and speakers on the
walls as well as behind the
screens in each theater, and
Steve Saurer, left, the new manager of the Mann Theater in
Eagan, and Jim Payne, a theater supervisor, prepare for the
opening of the theater as Lee Martinson puts the finishing
touches on the floor. (Lori Haugen/Staff Photographer)
built-in cup holders.
The brothers now own 72
screens in the Twin Cities, and
this, their newest one, is dedi-
cated to their father, who died
earlier this year.
EVERYONE LOOKS FORWARD TO Gran'
FRIDAYS Openi
'
Burnsviie
We've
Ex
• flew Dining Room
Friday • Saturday • Sunday
November 18,19, 20
Mediation seeks to stop
repeat crimes by youths
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
If criminals knew who they
were hurting, if they had to
look into the eyes of the person
whose heirloom wristwatch
they had stolen, maybe they
would think twice about steal-
ing again.
For more than a year,
Dakota County has been
working under that assump-
tion, to try to cut down on ju-
venile crime.
It is part of the county's
restorative justice program,
an aggressive program that
helps place Dakota County on
the top nationwide for use of
preventive crime efforts.
Using volunteer mediators,
the county brings together ju-
venile offenders with the vic-
tims of their crimes, and the
two sides work out a deal. A
judge must approve it, but the
program avoids sentencing di-
rectly by the judge.
"It's very powerful for the
offender," said Carolyn
McLeod, who runs the pro-
gram for Dakota County. "This
is a real prevention program.
Both sides find it healing"
The county will have per-
formed more than 67 media-
tions by the end of this year,
McLeod said.
In each mediation, the vic-
tim and offender agree before-
hand to meet and resolve the
problem with two volunteer
mediators. Each side is al-
lowed to bring family or
friends for support.
MEDIATE: To Page 17A
Mediate
From Page 1A
from their perspective, and
then agree to some type of resti-
tution that may include mone-
tary compensation for the value
of the damage or item stolen, and
community service.
"It doesn't have to be easy, it
just has to be do -able," McLeod
said.
Little research has been done
to check the effectiveness of the
program, but McLeod believes it
is effective for offenders who are
flexible and able to change their
ways.
But of the county cases re-
ferred to the program so far, only
one juvenile has re -offended.
The county has about 13 me-
diators. and is in the process of
training another seven. Each
goes through a comprehensive
training and apprenticeship pro-
gram before taking on their own
When they get going, they
take on about 10 cases each year,
each taking about eight hours to
complete.
The mediation itself takes
about an hour.
They meet wherever they are
comfortable, and have, on occa-
sion, met in the home where a
burglary has taken place.
"The offender sees real people
living in the home, and sees it
put back together. The last pic-
ture they have of the place is all
the damage they had done to it,"
said McLeod.
And it is empowering for vic-
tims because they get to show
the offender the crime didn't
keep them down, that they've
been able to recover.
To volunteer to be a mediator,
call Natalie Nelson at 438-8218.
Eagan woman is mom
to dozens of teen girls
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Isabel Ketterling throws her
head back and out comes a
hearty "hah-hah!"
It's a spontaneous, joyful,
from -the -belly outburst. It's
hard not to laugh right along
with her.
Ketterling doesn't laugh
bashfully, and she doesn't be-
have bashfully.
It's with that gusto that she
has given herself for the past 28
years, nonstop, as a foster par-
ent.
She and her husband, Bob,
have taken about 70 teenage
girls into their home over the
years, fed them, sheltered them,
loved them, disciplined them
and sent them out into the world
again.
Their four sons grew up with
a stream of foster sisters coming
in and out of their home — the
two youngest boys never lived
without them.
Isabel Ketterling
At one point, they had nine
girls in their home at once, in ad-
dition to their sons. The ninth
had been found crawling into a
MOM: To Page 17A
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun.CurrentWednesday, Nov. 23, 1994 17A
Mom: Every room has been a bedroom
From Page 1A
Salvation Army donation box
to sleep at night. "We couldn't
turn her away."
Nearly every room in the
house has a sofa, and each one is
a pull-out bed, just in case.
"Every room has been a bed-
room," she said with a laugh.
But she doesn't always laugh.
Isabel was in her mid-20s,
with two small children and not
enough to do when she and her
husband signed up to he foster
parents.
When they first began to take
in girls, Isabel would cry herself
to sleep at night — the girls had
so many problems.
"My husband said, 'This is
not going to work.' Then I
learned that you can't make
them better, but you can keep
them from getting worse."
The girls end up in their home
after landing in the juvenile
court system. For one reason or
another, they are not able to go
back to their parents, some of
whom are on welfare, and some
of whom are wealthy attorneys.
Most of the girls stay for
about a year. During that time,
she and Bob lay down strict
rules, expect them to study hard,
attend church and youth group,
and try to teach them that ac-
tions have consequences. That
takes time, though, and there
are the inevitable problems
along the way.
One girl pulled a knife on her.
Another pulled a knife on her 11-
year-old son when she and her
husband were gone.
Since the boy grew up with
troubled teens all around him,
he knew how to talk her down
and take control of the situation.
"We had her leave."
Another girl disappeared and
about three days later, the Ket-
terlings got a call from her. "I'm
not sure how to pronounce it, but
I'm in S-A-N D-I-E-G-O," the girl
said. She had hitch -hiked there
with a series of truckers.
Isabel had an occasional call
from the police in the middle of
the night asking if she knew
where one of her girls was, and
the family has been kicked out of
hotels after taking girls along on
family vacations. "You never
know what to expect."
Some girls are more difficult
than others to get to know and
become close to, she said.
"Sometimes it's hard to reach
them, so they're just here,
they're safe, and they function,"
she said.
For some who are squeamish
about physical affection, she de-
veloped a "finger hug," where
they lock fingers, rather than
committing to a full-fledged em-
brace.
It's been a family project all
along, though it is primarily Is-
abel's responsibility. Every year
as the boys were growing up,
they had a family meeting to de-
cide if it was all right to contin-
ue accepting foster children, and
at any time, a boy could ask a girl
to leave.
Despite the problems, she
can't seem to give it up. The re-
wards are too great.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh," she
said, "there are so many.
"My reward is when 1 get a
phone call and the woman says,
"My life with you was the only
normal thing I ever had, and I'm
now patterning my family life
after yours."'
And, she said, every one of the
girls they've had has had her
grades improve while there.
A strong family, an unshak-
able faith in God and Tots of com-
munication has helped the Ket-
terlings deal with the troubles
that come with being foster par-
ents.
Isabel believes that the girls
have gotten worse in recent
years — not because of television
or movies, it is because of the
world right around them.
"It's real -life things that are
crippling our children," she said,
the things they see in their
homes and on the news.
She's heard them talk about
their mothers having abortions,
and wondering, well, what if it
was me who had been conceived
now instead?
"I think that's why we have
harder kids now. They're con-
fused about life. When is life im-
portant?"
That's why she's there. To
teach them what's important,
and, if possible, make their lives
a little better.
"I lone seeing kids change."
l POLICE
The Eagan Police Depart-
ment reported the following inci-
dents from 8:06 a.m. Nov. 3 to
7:39 a.m. Nov. 16:
Twenty-one reports of theft on the docks
of 900 Wescott Trail, 1200 Eagan Industrial
Road, 1200 Lone Oak Road (2). 3800 Kings
Wood Court. 3400 Washington Drive, 1900
Cliff Lake Road. 2000 Carnelian Lane. 1300
Town Centre Drive (2), 2700 Lone Oak Park
way. 1900 Silver Bell Road, 1300 E Balsam
St.. 1800 Silver Bell Road, 3500 Lexington
Ave . 4100 Blackhawk Road. 3800 Riverton
Ave . 3800 Highway 13. 4100 Countryvrew
Drive, 4100 Braddock Trail. and 3800 Bat-
lantrae Road
Five reports of burglaries on the blocks of
4900 Royale Way. 4800 Pilot Knob Road.
3300 Highway 149. 1000 Kenneth St., and
3100 Coachman Road
Three reports of vehicle thefts on the
docks of 900 Wiley Road, 1300 Amaryllis
Lane and 3200 Alden Pond Lane
Nine reports of thefts from vehicles on the
blocks of 4100 Rahn Road, 1200 Town Cen
tre Drive, 1500 Thomas Lake Point, 1800 Sd•
ver Bell Road (2), 2000 Rahncrtf Court (2),
4600 Penkwe Way, and 3900 Riverton Av-
enue.
Four reports of shoplifting were reported
Two at Wal-Mart, and two at Cub Foods
Fifteen reports of assaults. five van
dal sms and rune fires on the blocks of 1500
Snowflake Drive, 3100 Highway 13. 3700
Pilot Knob Road, 3300 Highway 149, 2100
Carnelian Lane. 1400 Lone Oak Road, 1300
Lone Oak Road. 2200 Clark Street, and 4400
Sandstone Dove.
Eleven reports of car,deer accidents were
reported at Blue Cross and Yankee Doodle
Road, Ditfley and Interstate 35E (2), Highway
13 and 1-494, Highview and Highway 13,
Highway 77 and Highway 13, Johnny Cake
Ridge and Sherwood, Seneca and Highway
13, on the 3700 dock of Pilot Knob Road.
4400 Highway 3. and 600 Chapel Lane
18A Apple Valley Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current Wednesday, Nov. 23, 1995
CALENDAR - WEEK OF NOV. 23
Wednesday
Clubs
LeTip International, professional
business organization to exchange
business leads, 7:16 a.m., Apple Val-
ley American Legion, 14521 Granada
Drive. Information: 432.8939 (Wally
Shaver)
Kaposia Kamera Club, 7 p m.,
NDCTV Cable Access studios, 5845
Blame Ave.. Inver Grove Heights. In-
formation. 451-081 7.
Mendota Toastmasters, 11:30
a.m., 1333 Northland Drive, Mendota
Heights. Information: (w)688-4656 or
(h)895.5259 (Paula Crum).
Net Working Group, 7:15 a m., a
select group of highly qualified busi-
ness organizations who are dedicated
by networking through the exchange of
qualified business referrals. Pan-
nekoeken. County Road 42, Burnsville
Center. Information: 945-2539 (Tracy
O'Kane).
Rotary -Apple Valley, 7 a.m.,
14521 Granada Drive, Apple Valley. In•
formation: 432.8111 (Ed Holmes).
Rotary -Eagan, noon, Lost Spur
country club, 2750 Sibley Memorial
Highway, Eagan. Information: 454-
0073 (Larry Haugen).
Singles Organized South, 7:30
p.m.. Burnsville City Hall, 100 Civic
Have a happy Thanksgiving
Tom Turkey and his friends wish you all a happy Thank. -
giving. (Submitted Photo)
Lakeville Community Chorus,
7:30 p.m., McGuire Middle School,
21220 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville. Infor-
mation: 435-5522 (Rosy Bacon).
Lions -Lakeville, 6:30 p.m.,
Lakeville VFW, 8790 W. Upper 208th
St , Lakeville. Information: 469.5717.
Rotary, Burnsville, 12:10 p.m..
Russ' Pub 3080 W. Highway 13
Burnsville. Information: 435-2549.
Toastmasters, 7 p.m., Apple Val-
ley, Dakota Speakers, Burnet Realty
building, 14222 Glenda Drive, Apple
Valley. Information: 432-8085 (Lynn)
Government
Inver Grove Heights City Coun-
cil, 7:30 p.m., 8150 Barbara Ave. E.
Inver Grove Heights. Information: 457•
2111.
West St. Paul City Council, 7:30
p m., 1616 Humboldt Ave.. West St.
Paul. Information: 455-9671.
Schools
Interpretation of Career Plan-
ning Program results, for parents of
Burnsville High School sophomores, 7
p.m., park in the upper lot and arrive
about 10 minutes early to pick up stu-
dent's CPP printout, Mary, Mother of
the Church, 3333 E. Cliff Road,
Burnsville Information: 895-7344.
q't iniarirt nrru rrIQ
mation: 683-6879.
Rededication of Burnsville High
School after reconstruction project, 7
p.m., Thomas B. Mraz Center for the
Performing Arts, 600 E. Highway 13,
Burnsville. Information 895-7212.
Support groups
AA at 6:45 p.m. and Big Book
Study Group AA and Al -Anon com-
bined at 9:30, South Suburban
House, Highway 110 and Chariton
Road. West SI. Paul, west end of St
Anne's Episcopal Church parking tot.
Information. 455-7036 (Dick) or 455-
8284.
AA, 10:30 a.m., Mary, Mother of
the Church, 3333 Cliff Road,
Burnsville. Intor mation: 890-0045.
AA-Alanon, mixed group, 8 p.m.,
Apple Valley Health Care Center,
14650 Garrett. Apple Valley. Informa-
tion: 447-3738 (Carolyn).
AA-Alanon-ACOA, 10 a.m.. 6 and
8 p.m., Step, 14760 S. Robert Trail,
Rosemount. Information: 423-3622.
ACOA, 7 p.m., St. Patrick's Church
basement, 3535 E. 72nd St., Inver
Grove Heights. Information: 455-6624
Adult Children of Alcoholics.
7:30 p.m., Grace United Methodist
Church. 15309 Maple Island Road,
Burnsville. Information: 431-4598.
B. Robert Lewis House, shelter
for battered women and their children,
7
Above and left: The Holz
farm, now boarded up and
empty, may be purchased by
the city as a historic site.
(Bill Jones/Staff Photogra-
pher)
City tries
to acquire
farmstead
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
The house, though boarded
up now, still has a careful coat of
lemon yellow paint trimmed
with white and green.
The out buildings, though be-
ginning to lean a bit, are painted
a matching shade of red and
trimmed in white.
A healthy apple tree, though
the apples now remain un-
picked, stands as a testament to
years of careful pruning and
care.
The Holz farm, for many
years occupied, farmed and
cared for by Otto and Ella Holz,
has been empty for about 15
HOLZ: To Page 16A
de meetings in which the pub -
gave its input for solving
oblems of overcrowded ele-
entary schools and a deterio-
ting junior high school.
A core group of concerned res-
ents emerged from those meet-
gs and prepared its recom-
endation.
•
ern
ends of the district. School Dis-
trict 197 includes the communi-
ties of West St. Paul, Mendota
Heights. northern Eagan, Men-
dota, Lilydale, Sunfish Lake and
portions of Inver Grove Heights.
Two previous bond referen-
dums which would have autho-
rized the construction of a single
se o0
"This will be good forstuden
in all parts of the district," Kj
land said.
Board Director David Jac
son agreed.
"Obviously it's been the sol
tion for quite some time. I ju
want to keep moving forwar
Jackson said.
Apple Valley 25th Anniversary
Holiday Events
,J9
,, ' Santa On The Ring -Route 4"''6
4 jl' Saturday, November 26th, Noon to 3pm 4**
CUB Foods, Apple Valley
Santa arrives in Apple Valley on a fire truck. He stops at
CUB foods to visit with youngsters and to collect
donations for Armful of Love.
Visit with Santa from 12:20 to 2:30pm
Free cookies and refreshments.
Photo opportunities (bring your own camera) small gifts
for children to benefit Armful of Love Sponsored by the
Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Donations requested for a visit with Santa. Items needed
most by Armful of Love for distribution in this area include:
food, socks & mittens for people ages 10 to adult, football
and baseball cards, gift certificates and cash.
1ST ANNUAL
Apple Valley Holiday Light Tour
November 23rd through December 3 I st
More than 30 displays
Sponsored by
Dakota Electric Association.
Maps of the FREE Light Tour
available at local retail outlets and
distributed to all cars leaving the
"Holiday in Lights" exhibit at the
Minnesota Zoo.
Mb
Nalor .
INI 1
• ' IWI1IN
u
i
Holz: Farm is best preserved
From Page IA
months, since they died with-
in two weeks of one another.
Now the city is looking at ac-
quiring the property to use as a
historic site.
It may have many uses, in-
cluding as a farmer's markets,
for garden club plant sales or
apple cider festivals, said Ken
Vraa, Eagan's director of parks
and recreation.
Han agreement can be struck
o..
CHRIS
SAMPLE SALE
- Now thru Dec. 17th -
Save 25-75%
with the property developer, it
could result in a partnership be-
tween the city and the historical
society — or some other group
that could plan and carry out
programs there.
The city had looked at a num-
ber of other farms but the Holz
farm had the best combination of
well -kept buildings, location,
size and historical significance.
Volunteer talent could be
used to restore and repair some
of the old buildings on the farm,
on 1 orations * Lights * Trees
* Wreaths * Ribbons * And More
Hours: Mon -Fri 10-6 and 14
=•= 1353 LARC INDUSTRIAL BLVD •Sat BURNSVILLE
(off Cie Road and t2M Aw.) 882- :: •
•
•
Q
SURPLUS
MILITARY HARDWARE
• New & used military clothing
*Boots, duffel bags, cold
weather gear
• Deer hunting clothes. winter
white camo
• Sleeping bags, camping supplies
• Rain gear
894-0413
12487 Zinran Ave., Ste. #3, Savage Mn
(1 block W. Hwy. 13/101 interchange)
Hours:
Mon. - Sat.
10:OOam - 5:OOpm
which is between new housing
developments between Dodd
Road and Highway 13 in the
southwest corner of Eagan.
Barb Ussert, a former neigh-
bor, sent a letter to the city as
soon as she heard about the pos-
sible acquisition.
She was one of a number of
people who have called and writ-
ten to support it.
"If we can't take time to pre-
serve the best from the past I be-
lieve it saddens the future," she
wrote.
In an interview, L'ssert, who
now lives in Buffalo, Minn.,
choked back tears as she talked
about the special couple.
She was one of the many fre-
quent guests to the Holz resi-
dence, who dutifully signed her
name to the guest book Ella
kept.
When she met them in 1975,
the couple still had a few cows
and Otto still had an egg route.
The pair never had children,
but they had legions of friends.
Ussert always made a special
effort to stop by when she was
out running or horseback riding,
and Ella would serve her a bowl
of ice cream topped with fresh
raspberries from the garden.
Even until the end, Ella
cooked on an old wood stove,
pressed clothes using an iron
heated on the stove top, and
washed clothes by dragging tubs
of water into the kitchen and
scrubbing the clothes there.
When guests came by, she
was known to tell old stories and
show off the quilts she and her
mother had made.
Costumed volunteers m
someday spin similar tales
visitors, carrying on that tradi-
tion.
Vraa was unsure how long ne-
gotiations might take. or when
the farm could open.
1
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DARTS offers
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SPORTS
Local bowling pro
58th at Brunswick
LIFESTYLE
Senior Jocks
are going strong
EAOAN
S121,CurriLLI
Look inside
this issue for the
Holiday Mac
section
3 Sections
November 23, 1994
Vol. 19, No. 49
Eagan church provides home for the homeless
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Sandy never expected to end
up in a homeless shelter. She
had a job, a family, a place to call
home — until a series of events
suddenly left her alone with her
Rotating service provides a temporary reprieve
two children, no place to stay
and nowhere to turn.
She prayed, she called a help
line, and soon after, found her-
self surrounded by smiling,
friendly people who offered her a
hot meal, a hot shower, a clean
bed, and help finding a new
apartment.
Sandy had found the North
Commons Interfaith Hospitality
Network, a consortium of 28
Twin Cities churches that pro-
vide shelter during the day and
housing at night.
Last week, Sandy and her two
children spent their nights at St.
John Neumann, one of the par-
ticipating churches that host
homeless people four times each
year, one week at a time.
HOMELESS: -To Page 16A
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HOLIDAY DECORATING & SHOPPING
DISTRICT 197
Two new schools recommended
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Recognizing that bigger is not
always better, an advisory com-
mittee of School District 197 res-
idents were to recommend to the
School Board Monday that the
district build two middle schools
to house students in grades 5-8.
Committee members based
their proposal on the opinion
that an 800-student school will
provide the optimum blend ofed-
ucational programming.
"We talked about the cost to
run two versus one (school),"
said Chris Epstein of Eagan. Ep-
stein, who is a teacher in Inver
Grove Heights, said there are
several reasons for selecting the
two school option: smaller class
sizes, less competition for stu-
dents in band, sports and other
extra -curricular activities, and a
greater sense of community.
"We're trying to keep it small,
to keep it a community versus a
large school," Epstein said,
The recommendation came as
"We're trying to keep it
small, to keep it a
community versus a
large school,"
- Chris Epstein
The board is expected to meet
in special work sessions to dis-
cuss the proposal before taking
formal action at its Dec. 5 meet-
ing.
One of the new middle schools
should be at the current F,M.
Grass site in West St Paul, ac-
cording to the committee. The
second middle school should be
on a site south of Highway 110
(to be determined by the School
Board). The cost for building
both schools is not expected to
exceed $29 million.
The two -building plan is
viewed as the latest compromise
in trying to address the needs of
middle school facility failed. On
May 18, 1993, a $33.6 million
bond issue failed by a vote of
2,909 to 2,290, Then on Dec. 13,
1993, voters again rejected a
proposal for a single middle
school which would have been
built at the Henry Sibley High
School site in Mendota Heights.
Linda Kjerland of West St.
Paul was one of the residents
who attended the four neighbor-
hood meetings and subsequently
volunteered to serve on the mid-
dle school advisory committee.
"What came out of those
meetings was that we really like
neighborhood schools. The com-
munity is willing to make the -
neighborhood schools work,
said Kjerland, who has a first
grade daughter in the district.
Kjerland also saw the mos
recent meetings take an a differ
ent tone than the last two refer
endums. There was a mutual re
spect for what West St. Paul ha
and doesn't want to lose, an
what Eagan is fighting for —
more centrall locate
n • t
a resu
Apple Valley. Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentlWednesday, Nov. 23, 1994
Homeless: Shelter helps residents look for housing
From Page 1A
Volunteers, including Ju-
lianne Deutsch of Eagan and
JoAnn Hardegger of West St.
Paul, arrange for meals to be
prepared, beds to be made and
nurseries to be attended.
They are three of the 15 to 20
people who help out each night
the guests are there, and they're
among about 2,000 Interfaith
Hospitality volunteers across
the Twin Cities.
The network is funded by
local congregations, foundations
and individual donors. Linens
and other supplies are donated
by Target.
North Commons is one of only
two shelters that take in two -
parent families and boys over
age 11, said Deb Van Kuiken, the
agency's executive director and
an Apple Valley resident.
When the program began
with a day shelter in the base-
ment of St. Andrew's Episcopal
Church in north Minneapolis, in
1991, organizers couldn't get the
zoning changed to allow for 24-
hour operation.
They heard about a night
boarding program where guests
were sent to other churches for
"This gives me time to
think, regroup, and
time to rest."
- Sandy
the night, so they set up their
own boarding program.
Sandy remembers looking at
her 15-year-old daughter and
feeling crushed about having to
take her to a shelter. But, she
said, "when I got to the church, 1
knew everything would be al]
right.
"This gives me time to think,
regroup, and time to rest," she
said. "It keeps me positive."
In one week at the shelter,
she has looked at several apart-
ments and had a job interview.
But, most of the day is spent
finding a new home, with the as-
sistance of case workers at the
day shelter.
Her daughter has begun at-
tending classes at a local school
until they find a permanent
home, so she won't lose school
credits. In some cases, the shel-
ter is able to transport the chil-
�e Btie fr4(e-
dren to their regular schools, or
to provide early childhood edu-
cation.
Users of the service are re-
quired to make at least three
phone calls a day to find housing,
and to make three site visits
each week, using bus tokens pro-
vided by the shelter. On average,
most find housing within 21
days, Van Kuiken said.
Deutsch said the Interfaith
Hospitality network is a way to
get people through a tough, tran-
sitional time in their lives.
As one of only a few at St.
John Neumann who are there
every day, she gets to know the
guests well. She said she was
happy, but slightly disappointed,
when one woman she had be-
friended didn't come back
halfway through her week there,
because she found a home.
"You don't get to say good-
bye," she said.
Some volunteers, including
Hardegger who attends St.
Thomas Beckett church, come
from other churches in the area.
Participating churches repre-
sent the gamut of denomina-
tions: Jewish, Presbyterian,
Lutheran, Episcopal. Together,
the congregations can house -up
to 32 people at a time.
"Sometimes when they leave,
I ask myself, 'What did I do? I
didn't teach them anything, I
didn't give them a job,'" Deutsch
said. "But we did help them get
through a tough period, and
helped them get their lives back
on track, versus spiraling down."
For more information on the
program, call 529-2185. To vol-
unteer, call Deutsch at 687-0005.
.0IIImin.
MIN III.
1
Rose Mary Teaford of Eagan stirs spaghetti sauce served Fri
day night at the temporary homeless shelter at St. John Neu
mann Church. She is a volunteer in the program that brings
homeless people to Twin Cities churches to sleep at night.
(Jan Abbott/Staff Photograper)
POR THEM
1 Section
Jennje.
Sun.
Subs
Twin Cities, Minnes
ota
seas kick-off
et is year's hol-
idaythe great tastingmaker of
Natural Choicer"' Turkey,
has
issued a veryTurke
special challenge to
all of you who are reading your
Sun Newspaper right now.
Last year, Sun readers
employees donated over800
turkeys to Second Harvest Food
Bank. This year, Jennie-0 has !Za
challenged us to donate 1,000
turkeys to needy families -
passing along some extra cheer
during the holidays.e YO •
but not without your help. can do it, kl
Rise to the Jennie-0 Challenge
by miming a paid subscriber to
Minnesota Sun Publications. jJ
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Apple Vallay/Roaamount, Eagan Sun'CumsnVWedneaday, Nov. 23, 1994
FOR EVERYONE
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R
15A
Eagan's Town Centre
to become North Pole
Santa and reindeer will appear for events
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
When you find Santa and his
reindeer, snow bowling and holi-
day hayrides, candy canes, color,
and lots and lots of lights, you'll
know you're at the North Pule —
Eagan's North Pole, otherwise
known as Town Centre.
Eagan Town Centre near In-
terstate 35E and Pilot Knob and
Yankee Doodle roads will twin-
kle and shimmer this year when
merchants string lights down
Town Centre Drive, throughout
the businesses, and set up a
North Pole headquarters.
The lights will go on at 4:30
p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, when Mayor
Tom Egan gives the word. Carol-
ers from St. Thomas Beckett
Church will be there, in front of
Wal-mart and Kohl's, for the hol-
iday season kickoff.
Ann Carlon, director of Ea-
gan's Convention and Visitor's
Bureau (ECVB), said the idea
promotes shopping in Eagan
while it builds community.
"We Avant to work with the
residents to create a community,
not just a suburb," Carlon said.
This is the first year the city
LIGHT: To Page 12A
Light
From Page IA
1'
has had the department store,
Kohl's, and it's the second year of
the Convention and Visitor's Bu-
reau.
Until the New Year, holiday
shoppers can stop into North
Pole headquarters (between
Weight Watchers and Hunan
Garden), where they can drop off
donations to a food shelf, pick up
free Millstone Coffee or Mary
Kay Cosmetic samples, and at
certain times, meet live reindeer
or hop on a hayride.
The ECVB will sponsor Won-
derland Holiday Hayrides on
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10
and 11, beginning at the North
Pole. Hayride participants are
encouraged to bring along a do-
nation to the food shelf, such as
non-perishable foods, baby dia-
pers, peanut butter, toothbrush-
es or laundry soap.
Also that weekend, Cedarvale
Lanes will sponsor snow bowl-
ing, in which participants roll a
bowling ball down an icy lane in
the parking lot. Proceeds go to
the B. Robert Lewis House bat-
tered women's shelter.
Bob Klatt of Cedarvale Lanes,
which is in another retail center
in town, said it is a chance to
heighten bowling's image while
raising money for a worthy
cause.
Parkview Golf Course plans
to offer "Snowbird Golf" for any-
one hearty enough to try it.
A candy cane hunt for chil-
dren ages 2 to 8, sponsored by
Rainbow Foods and Coca-Cola, is
scheduled for Dec. 10, at the Boy
Scout Christmas tree corral in
front of Wal-Mart.
Santa will appear at Burger
King the Dec. 10 and Dec. 11,
and live reindeer, sponsored by
DART Transit, will appear at
the North Pole on Dec. 11.
Next year, Carlon said, orga-
nizers plan to develop the Cliff
Lake Center as the South Pole.
The ECVB had tried to devel-
op a Dickens Days festival, fea-
turing displays of the miniature
holiday-themed buildings, but
that fell through for insurance
reasons, Carlon said.
She said they still need vol-
unteers to help string the lights
and decorate the North Pole on
Dec. 1 and 2. Call the ECVB at
452-9872 for more information.
North Pole Events
LIGHTING CEREMONY
4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2
WONDERLAND HOLIDAY
HAYRIDES
Dec. 10 & 11, 5.8 p.m.
SANTA CLAUS
Dec. 10 & 11, 11 a.m.•3 p.m.
LIVE REINDEER
Dec. 11, 1-3 p.m.
SNOW BOWLING
Dec. 10 & 11, 1-3 p.m.
CANDY CANE HUNT
Dec. 10, 11 a.m.
YMCA edges towaru guar
Campaign moves
on with new focus
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
With less than 40 percent of
its $4 million goal left to go, Ea-
gan's Southwest Area YMCA is
thrusting ahead and trying an
additional strategy to raise
money.
The YMCA, on Opperman
Drive, is in the middle of a "build
as we raise" campaign, and
though the shell of the building,
a day-care center and offices are
up and running, it needs more
1
cash to finish the project.
Moat of the first $2.1 million
came from local companies —
West Publishing donated
$660,000, Blue Cross/Blue
Shield gave $250,000, and most
recently, the neighboring United
Parcel Service chipped in anoth-
er $10,000.
West Publishing, across
Highway 149 from the YMCA,
also provided the 21 acres on
which the new facility, its play-
ground and athletic fields sit.
This new phase is concentrat-
ing more heavily on individual
contributions, said Paula Mc
YMCA: To Page 15A
1
Janelle Anderson from "Growing with Music" entertains toddlers at the partially completed
YMCA's day-care renter in Fagan. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
YMCA: Not just a health club
early around the clock
same amount of time, he said.
Gary Kubat, District 191
communications coordinator,
said the best indicator of the
strength of the district was after
the fire when both city and state
iscount Sale for the Holidays.
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governmental agencies pulled
together.
"With that kind of focus and
that kind of commitment, you
can't help but have a great
school district," he said.
Approximately 350 workers
spent long hours, almost work-
ing around the clock, to get the
school in working condition in
time for the start of fall classes.
The finishing touches are
being put on the Mraz Center
and various spots throughout
the building. "Most of the other
stuff is just fine-tuning and de-
tail -oriented, but the major work
is done,' Kubat said.
The total loss hasn't been fig-
ured yet because the insurance
company is still receiving state-
ments. However, the tally is ex-
pected to be near $15 million,
said Carter Christie, business
manager.
Burnsville Mayor -Elect Eliz•
abeth Kautz, also an honored
guest, said the BHS comeback is
one example of what can hap-
pen when people cooperate.
"It's quite astonishing what
can happen when you get a
group of people focused on the
same goal with the desire and
passion to make it a reality," she
said.
Recent graduates attending
the ceremony to get a firsthand
look at their alma mater were
pleased with what they saw.
While the school has been
modernized, it's still the same
"wonderful school" it was when
he graduated, said Mark Mc-
Cleary, a 1991 graduate.
McCleary said the credit goes
to the students and staff who
kept the spirit alive even though
they didn't have a school.
"It just goes to show how
strong a district is and how
strong the staff is without a
building," he said. "It's the stu-
dents and staff that really make
the building. This isn't the high
school I went to, but it's defi-
nitely BHS_ And one we can be
proud of."
FREE OFFER
Grown Backing rnd valances on pit
From page 1A
Clung. the center's executive
director.
Until now, corporations and
foundations have been the focus
of the campaign. McClung said
the Y is continuing to raise
money from those sources but
some, particularly foundations,
can take a long time to bear
fruit.
While waiting, Eagan resi-
dents have been recruited to go
out in their neighborhoods and
bring in large individual contri-
butions.
Those who give at least
$1,000 will get their names in-
scribed on bricks in the new fa-
cility. And the tax-deductible
gifts can be paid off over a three -
to five-year period.
"We hope to get contributions
in the $500 to $1,000 range," Mc-
Clung said.
Asked if the Y is on schedule
for fund raising, she said there is
no schedule.
"We haven't set a schedule be-
cause fund raising isn't some-
thing we can control directly,"
McClung said.
She said people stop in occa-
sionally asking to join, not real-
izing that the center is not yet
complete in the middle.
Where eventually there will
be pools, weight lifting rooms,
locker rooms and running
tracks, there is a cavernous dirt -
floor middle with the poured
concrete bases of a couple of
swimming pools.
But what is there is running
well, said McClung.
The day-care center filled up
to capacity almost immediately,
which is rare, McClung said.
Many of the 120 children who
attend the day care are the sons
and daughters of West Publish-
ing employees, said day-care di-
rector Nancy Seipel.
The specially -designed center
has low ceilings, small windows
for the little ones to look out, its
own chef, and targeted curricu-
lums for each age level, from 6
weeks to kindergarten.
Children have an enclosed
playground to play in, a lower -
than -required teacher -student
ratio, and lots of activities.
We try to develop the whole
child," said Seipel.
The program offers music and
computer classes, and when the
rest of the center is finished, the
Y will be able to offer swimming
lessons.
The kindergarten program is
the only one that still has open-
ings, McClung said.
1116
ARTS expands
enior services
75,i
European woman
is now local artist
!EA
GAN
December 7, 1994
Above, a choir from St.
Thomas Becket Church in
Eagan entertains a crowd
at Town Centre Friday. At
left, Eagan Mayor Tom
Egan turns on the lights.
(Bill Jones/Staff Photog-
rapher)
Eagan stays
home to shop
Sales are up in town
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Even before Mayor Tom
Egan turned on the decora-
tive lights in Eagan Town
Centre Friday afternoon,
things were looking brighter.
Eagan retailers, along
with retailers all over the
state, are reporting sales are
up compared to last year.
Merchants in the Town Cen-
tre area. which is fast devel-
oping into Eagan's central
shopping district, said sales
are starting out strong.
Shop: To page 13A
ARTS buses accessible
in months ahead
`We who live in Dakota
ounty are lucky to
ave an organization
'ke DARTS."
— Millie Gignac
bout 25 specially -equipped
ns gives up to 500 door -to --door
des in Dakota County.
"They're so visible, and
ey're on the road seven days a
eek," Graham said. "People are
rprised we do all these other
ings_"
Other services include:
• Matching senior home own -
and renters.
• Counseling seniors with al-
hol and prescription-medica-
n problems.
• Helping seniors with clay -
day tasks, including grocery
opping, filling out medical
s, and house cleaning.
• Staying with frail seniors
ile their family caregivers
take a break.
• Assisting the county's
Meals on Wheels program.
"We who live in Dakota Coun-
ty are lucky to have an organiza-
tion like DARTS," said Millie Gi-
gnac of Eagan, chairperson of
the DARTS board of directors.
"It's such a big umbrella organi-
zation that covers so many
areas."
Another big change for
DARTS this year was the re-
placement of its annual gala and
silent auction fund-raiser with a
banquet focusing more on volun-
teers.
The auction, which had been
conducted for about six years
and typically raised about
$25,000 annually, became too
labor-intensive for the financial
return, Graham said. The fund-
raising focus has shifted more to
major gifts and individual
donors, he said.
DARTS, an agency served by
the United Way, also receives
funding from federal Title III of
the Older Americans Act, the
Regional Transit Board, and
Dakota County foundations.
For information about
DARTS programs and volunteer
opportunities, call 455-1560.
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Barb Linkert
DARTS
volunteer
honored
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
Rheumatoid arthritis may
have caused Barb Linkert to re-
tire in 1971 as an emergency
room nurse, but it didn't pull her
away from helping others.
Instead, she turned her atten-
tion to volunteering. Over the
years, the Apple Valley resident
has devoted time to the Red
Cross bloodmobile, the Apple
Valley Historical committee, the
Community Action Council, 4-H,
Girl Scouts, area senior centers,
and her church.
In 1991, Linkert started
working with Dakota Area Re-
sources and Transportation for
Seniors (DARTS). Three years
later, she is one of six people rec-
ognized at a Dec. 3 ceremony for
their contributions to DARTS.
Linkert was drawn to DARTS
because of her medical back-
ground. At the time, the organi-
zation was looking for volunteers
to help seniors with medical pa-
perwork.
"It just sounded like some-
thing I'd be interested in," she
said.
She helped DARTS develop
the Medicare Assistance Pro-
gram (MAP) in 1991. The pro-
gram helps people complete sup-
plemental insurance forms and'
other paperwork related to
Medicare.
Linkert works as an intake
service worker, which requires
her to sort out requests and
needs of new clients and to as-
sign people to one of the 20 MAP
volunteers. She also keeps sta
tistics to report to the Minnesota
Board on Aging.
MAP volunteers are assignea
to specific areas of the county —
such as Burnsville, Eagan or
Apple Valley. Because the volun-
teers who serviced South St.
Paul recently moved, Linkert
goes out to clients in that area,
along with clients in parts of
West St. Paul.
Shop: Retail sales grow
From page 1'A
"Retail is beginning to be-
come a dominant factor," in the
city's economy, Egan said. In the
coming years, the city plans to
develop 200 acres of land across
Yankee Doodle Road from the ex-
isting Town Centre for more re-
tail, and to create a downtown
shopping district.
"Eagan's retail community is
vibrant and growing," said Egan.
The lighting ceremony was
part of an effort, sponsored by
the Eagan Convention and Visi-
tor's Bureau, to draw attention
to Eagan's retailers This week-
end, Santa, live reindeer and
holiday hayrides will be part of
the events.
But even before the promo-
tional boost, retail merchants
said they were doing well.
"We're doing much better
than expected," said Greg St.
Clair, store manager at the
Eagan Wal-Mart. "We are doing
10 percent better than our plan."
It is the first holiday shopping
season for Kohl's department
store next door, Eagan's only
non -discount department store.
"We're very pleased with
what we're doing there," said
Don Oscarson, senior vice presi-
dent of marketing for the Kohl's
chain. He said rugged -look
clothing, bread makers and little
girls' dresses have been big sell-
ers.
Amy Adler, team relations
leader for the Eagan Target
store, said sales are up this year
as well. "We're very optimistic
about the season," she said.
Toys, she said, are the biggest
selling items.
The owner of Collector's Par-
adise in Eagan, Baerbel Ansari,
said business is up for her this
year also. Redland prints, De-
partment 56 collectible snow vil-
lages and limited edition nut-
crackers are popular.
All over the state, retail sales
are up 6 percent over last year,
said Annette Henkel, director of
public relations for the Minneso-
ta Retail Merchants Association.
Her group does an informal
survey of retailers each week,
and she speculates the reasons
for the increases include heavy
promotion by retailers, good
weather, and an improving econ-
omy.
1
Sun •Cumsnt / Wednesday, August 3, 1994 3B
Arts & Entertainment
Caponi's
art opens
for public
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
Artist Tony Caponi will allow
the public to see his work -in -
progress, a 60-acre art park he
knows he will never finish, this
weekend.
Caponi, an Italian -born art pro-
fessor and Eagan resident, has
planned his park carefully so each
slope, contour and tree heightens
the impact of the metal, concrete
and stone sculptures visitors dis-
cover as they saunter through the
park.
Capon Art Park, as it is called,
embodies his philosophy that art,
nature and humanity can live har-
moniously together.
ture, "A Walk in Outer Space." (Daron Bennett/Contributing Photographer)
nding
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City nixes Cedarii1e project
Express Donuts
will remain
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
The revitalization effort in the
Cedarvale Mall area faltered a
bit last week when the Eagan Ci-
ty Council denied a construction
request, saying it wasn't worth
destroying one business for the
possibility of increasing
business at others.
The project was an attempt to
realign portions of Beau-D-Rue
Drive and Cedarvale Boulevard
so they converged into one in-
tersection at Silver Bell Road. It
was expected to improve traffic
flow and business access in and
out of the area,
As it is now. the area has two
three-way stops very close
together. Express Donuts,
located in between Cedarvale
Boulevard and Beau-D-Rue.
would have been eliminated or
would have had its parking area
cut by 40 percent in the plan;
proposed last week.
Doughnut shop owners Hanna
and Kathy Nasr said at the
meeting they were concerned
that even cutting part of its
parking could ruin the business,
At certain times of the day,
the cars trying to turn left from
the area onto Highway 13 stack
up so people have difficulty get-
ting in and out of businesses,
said Greg Larson, who manages
CEDARVALE: To Page 15A
Cedarvale:
From Page IA
Cedarvale Mall.
Larson said he was disap-
pointed by the council's deci-
sion. but said he was reassured
that the city would work with
them on finding a solution as
soon as possible.
Gary Morgan, a former presi-
dent of the Eagan Chamber of
Commerce who's been active in
to the drawing board
Intersection plans l sent back
trying to revitalize the area,
agreed that the plan was pro-
bably not the best.
"The plan should have con-
sidered the effect on Express
Donuts, a proposed bike path
and new signage in the area,"
Morgan said.
He said the area was, "an ac-
cident waiting to happen," and
that when the Mendota Bridge
opens again in the fall, traffic
f 1 1 1 0-'w11 • 1 1
•11
will increase and the problems
will only get worse.
But he was optimistic a
satisfactory plan could be made.
He'd like to see another plan
that didn't affect Express
Donuts, perhaps one that routed
the road more toward the large
ditch between Cedarvale
Boulevard and Highway l3.
Another plan will have to be
drawn up now, and probably
couldn't be done in the 1995 con-
struction season, said Eagan
Public Works Director, Tom
Colbert,
"I'd need a really firm study
on the direct and indirect
benefits to the Cedarvale area,"
to approve the measure. said
Mayor Tom Egan.
"Before I take a look at
dislocating a business or taking
away 40 percent of its parking
__• ..1.-1n_.....%
under the auspices of revitaliza-
tion, 1 need to see more quan-
tifiable benefits," Egan said.
Tom Butler, who owns the
McDonalds restaurant near that
intersection, challenged the
council to come up with a better
plan.
"I think we need a vision for
that area," Butler said. "We
need to look years down the
road..'
OBITUARIES
New elementary mov s apead
District 196 plans to begin grading at Eagan site this week
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
With classes scheduled to
begin in jtt over a year, School
District 196 officials have little
time to spare in planning a new
elementary school in the
southeast corner of Eagan.
One obstacle, the approval of
the Eagan City Council, was
cleared last week. But other
obstacles, many of them
neighbors who are slated to pay
aqsegsments for the project, still
snarl the path.
The council approved the
complicated plan July 19, in-
volving a new road, abandoning
two others, installing a traffic
signal and utilities.
The money For the school and
a portion of the road and utility
construction will be paid for
with funding from a $78 million
bond referendum approved in
May by district voters.
The referendum will pay for
the elementary school, a middle
school that will open in the fall of
1996 and a high school that is
scheduled to open in the fall of
1997.
The new school is near the
growing Weston Hills develop-
ment and a large undeveloped
area, the Pine's Edge Addition.
SCHOOL: To Page 15A
Ncnool: Lnilctren Will name new
From Page IA
The children in the area now
attend the overcrowded
Pinewood Shannon Park
elementary schools, said Calvin
Zweifel, the district's Director of
Elementary Education.
Residents and area land
developers who attended the
meeting opposed the
assessments, arguing that
others. not the private residents,
should pay more.
Don Morotzke, who said he
just bought property in the area
four months ago, said he faces a
$50.000 assessment on his small
parcel.
John Bennigan, an attorney
representing property owner
Gene Finch, said his client
would have to postpone develop-
ing his property because of the
assessments. No one would be
interested in the property if they
knew about the assessments, he
said.
He asked if the city would
postpone approving the project
in order to negotiate lower
assessments on the property.
"I sympathize with your client
to a point, but not to the point
where it jeopardizes the viabili-
ty of this project," said Mayor
Tom Egan.
Rick Packer. representing the
Pine's Edge developer, objected
to the assessments also, saying
he couldn't sell the property
with such high assessments, and
they would have to postpone
developing it.
At this point, the city is ex-
pected to pay $2,150 toward the
project. But Councilmember
Shawn Hunter said he thought
eiC111Gy, MtA111V1
3l t / )H
the city's share should be
higher. "We can always revise
down some assessments," he
said.
Most assessments hover
around the $40,000 to ;80,000
range. Assessments will be fine-
tuned. and an assessment hear-
ing will be held at a later date.
Others wondered why the
relocation of the road was
necessary.
Mark Hanson of the engineer-
ing firm, Bonestroo Rosene
Anderlik and Associates, ex-
plained that the relocation is
necessary because the existing
intersection. located Gun Club
Road and Highway 3, is too
dangerous.
Hanson said if that intersec-
tion was upgraded, it would re-
quire extensive reconstruction,
would harm local wetlands, and
would be still be more
dangerous than the new road_
A new road. temporarily call-
ed School Road, would be safer,
would provide direct access to
the school. Halley's addition and
other areas that are expected to
develop. and would be less
harmful to wetlands.
Zwiefel said grading work on
the new school would begin
sometime this week. He said
school districts are often rushed
to get things done, and this is no
exception.
"People aren't going to vote
for a referendum until there's a
need for it," Zwiefel said.
That particular site was
chosen because it is in the east
side of the district, where the
growth is; the city had planned
to put utilities in there soon; and
it had an open 15-acre parcel.
Michael Rogers
Michael J. Rogers, 11, of
Eagan died July 9, 1994 at his
home from Adrenal Leuko
Dystrophy. He had been ill for
three years.
Michael was born June 21,
1983 in Oklahoma City, Okla-, to
Pat and Vivian Rogers. He was
a fourth -grader at St. John the
Baptist Parochial School in
Savage.
Survivors include his parents.
Pat and Vivian; brothers, Scott.
Ben and Patrick; sister, Sacha;
grandparents; cousins; aunts
and uncles.
Services were July 12, 1994 at
St. John the Baptist Catholic
Church in Savage with the Rev.
Peter Wittman officiating.
Memorial are preferred to the
Michael J. Rogers Scholarship
Fund at St. John the Baptist
School or Make A Wish
Founda tion.
Minnesota River pollution
both rural, urban problem
Study cites development run-off ills problems
By David Christenson
The Minnesota River '`flows
through a most delightful coun-
try, abounding with all the
necessaries of life, that grow
spontaneously; and with a little
cultivation it might be made to
produce even the luxuries of
life," wrote explorer Jonathan
Carver in 1766.
Agriculture and urban
development did come to the
river valley, and along with
them came pollution.
The Minnesota is "one of the
state's most highly polluted
waters," according to results of
the Minnesota River Assess-
ment Project, a four-year study
led by the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA).
The study places blame for
the pollution primarily on what
are called "non -point" sources,
as opposed to "point" sources,
such as factories and sewage
treatment plants. Common non -
point sources include field and
feedlot erosion, storm -water
run-off from roads and parking
lots, septic tank overflows, and
others.
Overloads of soil, fertilizers,
organic waste, bacteria and
chemicals make the river
unhealthy for human recreation
and wildlife, the study says.
The U.S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency (EPA ) and Gov.
-1/279Y.
Arne Carlson have set goals for
river cleanup. But questions of
responsibility remain, and they
are key questions for Minnesota
River communities, where ef-
fective management of storm
water and run-off would be the
most costly.
Suburban officials in cities
along the river have argued that
most of the run-off problem
comes from rural agricultural
sources in south-central and
western Minnesota, and big
spending in the metro area
would produce little gain.
That money could be better
spent buying agricultural land
RIVER: To Page 17A
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574 Prairie Center Drive
7935 Southtown Ctr.
13596 80th Circle N.
Crystal Shopping Center
we otter safety inspection,
cleaning. and repair services.
9:00 - 6:00. Mon.•Fri, 9:00 -
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EAGAN — N.W. corner of Pilot Knob & Diffley Rd.
PRIOR LAKE — 4995 lSpth 5t. S.E.
Or. Jeanne M. Gau, D.Q.S., M.S.
River:
Focus is on
farm, cities
From Page IA
along the river and converting it
to wetlands or open space, said
Marty Jessen, an Eden Prairie
City Council member and
former president of the
Freshwater Foundation.
"The problems of the Min-
nesota River start in the corner
of the state," said Jessen. "They
don't start at Chaska."
Tim Larson, coordinator of
the assessment project for the
MPCA, said the study is not an
attempt to fix blame.
"We can't just do it by clean-
ing up the non -metro area." he
said. "We have to clean up the
metro area as well."
The answer is not as simple as
assigning percentages of pollu-
tion responsibility to urban and
rural sources, said [arson.
Pollution from parking lots,
streets. storm sewers and lawns
is not less of a problem, but a
different problem, he said.
The good news from the
study: Low levels of some
typically urban pollutants such
as mercury and PCBs, said Lar-
son. Mercury often dissolves in-
to storm water from older paint.
PCBs are synthetic oils used for
dustrial processes.
e bad news: Storm -water
f from streets and parking
ntains traces of toxic
and oils harmful to wild-
d Larson. Excess fer-
nd chemicals on lawns,
pet droppings, can con -
run -off pollution.
.se is a real problem.'
on. "Anything we do on
{pe is a potential pollu-
-point-source pollution
)out land -use activity,
nsively we use that
more intense the land
Teen, the more expen-
nup could be. Grow-
rbs with less -dense
housing and commercial
development have found room
for storm -water sedimentation
ponds, the main treatment
method for runoff pollution,
said Larson.
"To go back into Minneapolis
and St. Paul and retrofit sewers
is a very expensive thing," he
said. The same is true of older,
fully developed suburbs. he said.
Jack Frost, senior planner for
the Metropolitan Council, said
some suburbs, including Eagan,
are ahead of the pack in plan-
ning and instituting storm -water
management.
Frost said that in coming
years, communities might see
pollution standards for streams
such as Nine Mile and
Purgatory creeks written by
watershed -district managers
who would monitor compliance.
Individual standards for
tributaries may be necessary
because the Minnesota River
changes as it flows, said Frost -
"You can put different amounts
into it at different spots with dif-
ferent effects." he said.
The EPA has given the MPCA
orders to reduce non -point -
source pollution in the lower
Minnesota 40 percent by 1996.
That is a goal, not a deadline.
said Frost. if state and regional
agencies can show they are
moving toward a cleanup. they
should be able to avoid the
penalty of costly sewage -
treatment upgrades, he said.
The EPA's order has focused
attention on metro -area pollu-
tion sources, said Frost. The
assessment project "starts to
identify the fact that this is
much, much larger than a
metro program," he said.
A group of local officials and
planners. the Lower Minnesota
River Technical Advisory Coun-
cil, is about two to three months
away from completing a report
on river remedies, said Frost.
"Everyone's going to have to
do their share," said Frost,
"and it's going to be costly."
Minnesota River Project
cleanup recommendations
• Set phosphorous standards for the river basin to correct an
overload of that fertilizer. Phosphorous is typically a problem in
lakes, not streams.
• Control feedlot run-off, upgrade bad septic systems, and set
other controls on rural and urban phosphorous and nitrogen
pollution.
• Control soil erosion on all land, urban and rural, with public
education about erosion's contribution to pollution.
• Manage urban storm water in all communities.
• Restore wetlands and create vegetation buffers along ditches
and stream banks. Assess stream banks For further protection
needs. for
• Limit river clearing and channel dredging, performed
boat traffic at the expense of wildlife habitat.
'A 10-year cleanup goal, setting priorities on the worst
tributary watersheds.
• Long-term monitoring of river basin trends.
fe
ore re ev o
people's lives, Konold said.
"The question is why did they
leave? Why aren't they involved
now?" he asked.
Several reasons affect why
Cable, Discovery
join for contest
Meredith Cable has joined The
Discovery Channel in offering
viewers an opportunity to win a
trip for two to India, as well as
one of 100 first prizes. This con-
test is in conjunction with an up-
coming Discovery Channel
special, "Queen of the
Elephants."
Meredith Cable viewers can
enter the contest by picking up
trivia contest postcards at
Meredith Cable offices in
Eagan. The answers to the
trivia questions can be found by
watching "Queen of the
Elephants," which premieres on
The Discovery Channel Wednes-
day, March 9. from 8 to 10 p.m.
After filling in the trivia
answers on their postcards,
viewers send them to The
Discovery Channel, Queen of the
Elephants Contest, P.O. Box
675889, Marietta, GA 30067-0023.
All correctly completed game
cards will then be registered for
the grand prize drawing — a trip
for two to India and $50o cash. In
addition, 100 First Prize Queen
of the Elephant gift packs will be
awarded to eligible viewers.
Information: 483-3233.
Learn to cook
vegetarian food
Vegetarian Cooking is a two -
session class for people who
want to learn to cook healthy
meals without meat.. it will be
offered 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays.
March 9 and 16.
lnforma ti on : 895-7213.
Konold refers to "unchurch-
ed" people as those who grew up
outside the church or are
without a church home. To catch
their attention, Aspen Hills
dropped traditional worship in
Drenk added, "We're not just
trying to build a church as an
organization. The goal is to
minister and to get it out there
as easy as possible for people to
understand.'.
RELIGION DIGEST
Seminar offered
on helping women
"Helping Women In Need" is
the theme of the Saturday,
March 5, Women's Time Out
Event at Suburban Regular
Baptist Church, 1513 E.
Highway 13, Burnsville.
Paul Funk, administrative
director of Alpha Women's
Center in Prior Lake, will speak.
Information: 895-9602 or
681-1883.
Speaker to explore
men's spirituality
John Reardon, counselor and
director of Phoenix Process
Consultants, will explore
challenges to men's spirituality
from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, March
13, at Mary, Mother of the
Church, 3333 Cliff Road, Burns-
ville.
Information: 890-0045.
Meeting set for
Christian women
The Minnesota Valley Chris-
tian Women's Club will meet at
12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9,
for lunch at the Chart House,
11287 Klamath Trail, Lakeville.
This month's theme is "Java
Good Time" featuring gourmet
coffees by One Mean Bean of
Lakeville.
Cost is $9. Information;
423-3255 or 431-2120.
'Test of Faith'
to be shown
The film "Test of Faith" will
be shown at 6:30 p.m, Sunday,
March 6, at Grace Fellowship
Church, on the corner of
Highway 50 and Cedar Avenue
South, in Lakeville.
The film concerns Taylor Mit-
chell who desperately needs his
scholarship to stay in school.
The public is invited. It will be
followed by a pie social for
Women's Ministries.
World Prayer
Day scheduled
The Rosemount United
Methodist Church, 14770 Canada
Ave., Rosemount, will be host
for a World Day of Prayer on
March 4.
Refreshments and fellowshi
begin at 9:30 a.m. with the
ship service beginning at
This year's service,
"Go, see, and act," wa
by Christian wo
Palestine. The wr'
Lutheran, Episcop.
Malkite Catholic, Ar
Arab Orthodox churc
World Day of Pray
portunity to join in
Christians t
for peace and justic
Those attending a
enter the large parki
147th Street. ('hild c.
requested by callin
office.
Information: 4Z1-2
I • 1
1.
•
State will rebuild
shoulders on Cedar
Work set
for April
By Terrance Mencel
Bus commuters traveling
Cedar Avenue should have a
smoother ride starting in
May.
That's when the Minnesota
Department of Transporta-
tion expects to complete
reconstruction work on
Cedar's shoulders. The
shoulders, from Interstate
35E to Old Shakopee Road in
Bloomington, will be re -built
to withstand bus traffic.
Few traffic delays are ex-
pected during construction
that begins April 4, said Scott
McBride, transportation plan-
ning engineer for MnDOT.
Road work will occur during
non -rush hour times, day and
night, McBride said.
Currently, commuter buses
travel the shoulders when
traffic congests on Cedar
Avenue. But those shoulders
do not have the asphalt base
needed for constant use,
McBride said.
"Cedar gets congested on a
fairly regular basis and buses
get caught in the traffic," he
said. More than 76,000
vehicles travel daily that sec-
tion each way.
Driving on the shoulder
reduces travel time up to
eight minutes, said Beverly
CEDAR: To Page 17A
31zlfy
Cedar Avenue, background, will have a facelift starting in April as the Minnesota Department of Trans -
portation reconstructs its shoulders to withstand commuter bus traffic. (Photo by Bill Jones)
Miller. executive director of
the Minnesota Valley Transit
Authority. Of the MVTA's 96
daily trips, about half travel
the Cedar Avenue cooridor.
"It's been a real boost to our
ridership," Miller said.
The MVTA started using
the shoulders last summer as
flood waters encroached on
roads upstream along the
Minnesota River. MVTA has
taken advantage of the
shoulders ever since.
But the shoulders have
traffic delays
deteriorated under such wear,
McBride said. Shoulders can-
not handle bus traffic during
the spring thaw.
In addition to depth,
shoulders will be widened
from 10 feet to 11'7 feet, he
said. Regular traffic lanes are
12 feet wide. New lane mark-
ings will be provided on the
Cedar Avenue Bridge.
Work on Cedar will be com-
pleted as MnDOT begins to
widen Interstate 35E in
Burnsville from the Burns-
ville Parkway to 76th Street in
Bloomington. The additional
expected
lane will be used as a high -
occupancy vehicle (HOV
lane, limited to buses, car-
pools and vanpools.
The MVTA will divert its
buses off I-35W and onto
Cedar Avenue should I-35W
become too congested during
construction, Miller said. It
will reroute buses to Cedar
Avenue as a time -saving
measure.
More traffic is expected to
use Cedar Avenue as an alter-
nate route while I-35W
undergoes construction.
ins, outs of television commercials
Contest winners in the NBA "Slay in School" contest are (from left) Jessica F'ashant, Lyndi Hostetter,
Banat, Thorman, Mlndi Langstraat, Tara Dibble and Kyle Kinimski. (Photo by Bill Jones)
Merger: Pastors share focus
From Page 3A
us, we went to him," Drenk said.
"They now look at the church as
a whole lot more viable."
Aspen Hills had difficulty
breaking the 100-member mark,
often used as a milestone in
church growth. But eclipsing
that barrier takes a lot of
energy.
The merger has given both
churches a road to fulfilling
their mission. Their contem-
people drop out of the church
scene. Konold said people can
view church as boring, time con-
suming, irrelevant and as a
money seeker.
"Where do you hear an organ
besides a church or a ball
park?" Konold asked. "We use
music that's more in tune with
the culture.
"Drama and music raise
questions about the way we live.
The message's goal is to answer
favor of a contemporary setting
and music.
Sunday's worship is geared
toward people seeking a church.
About 60 worshippers, convinc-
ed of the Christian faith, gather
on the second and fourth
Wednesday of each month.
Aspen Hills doesn't stress
memberships, Konold said. But
to be a member, adults must ac-
cept baptism by immersion in
accordance with
Arena group on target,
city will hire architect
By Terrance Mencel
The starting gate has
swung wide open for boosters
of an Eagan Civic Arena.
Nearly half of the $600,000
fundraising goal has been
pledged with 11 months to go.
Corporate donors have com-
mitted $75,000 and $50,000
sums to the Civic Arena Fun-
draising Committee, said Pat
Dill, committee chair.
"We're in a very serious
part of the process now," Dill
said. "We're at a point of no
return."
Having crossed that point,
the committee has requested
the city hire an architectural
firm to design and identify
construction specifications
for a multipurpose ice arena.
Potential contributors con-
tinue to waver without seeing
the specific plan, Dill said.
Architectual plans also will
help the committee secure in -
kind contributions from
donors for such things as con-
struction and installation
work. How can the commit-
tee expect contributors to
donate time and material
without a specific plan?
The committee has the
momentum it needs to raise
$600,000, Dill said. But that
success would be hindered
without the architectural
plans.
Eagan City Council
members agreed to hire an
architect, at the committee's
expense. Those plans are ex-
pected to cost nearly $50,000.
About 500 families are pois-
ed to conduct a raffle to raise
ARENA: To Page SA
Arole Vallev/Rosemount/Eaoan Sun•Current —Wed , Jan. 12, 1994 — 5A
Vehicles have had difficult times exiting from Cedarvale Boulevard onto Silver Bell Road, especially during rush hour. (Photo by Bill Jones)
City eyes possible street realignment in Cedarvale area
By Terrance Mencel
Scrutiny continues on how to
improve the economic climate
in the Cedarvale shopping area
in Eagan.
last week, the city scheduled
an open house to discuss possi-
ble street improvements in the
area. Those attending submitted
written comments on two con-
ceptual designs to realign
Cedarvale Boulevard with
Silver Bell Road.
Currently, traffic congests on
Cedarvale Boulevard exiting on-
to Silver Bell Road. To alleviate
this congestion, one concept
would connect Cedarvale
Boulevard with the current in-
tersection of Silver Bell Road
and Beau-D-Rue Drive. The se-
cond concept would connect
Cedarvale Boulevard with
Silver Bell Road at the current
stop signs with Beau-D-Rue
Drive. However, Beau-D-Rue-
Drive would end in a cul-de-sac
short of Silver Bell Road.
In either concept, the Express
Donut store owned by Hanna
Nasr would be removed.
These are concepts only, said
Tom Colbert, Eagan Public
Works director. Comments from
the open house will help the City
Council determine whether to
conduct a feasibility study of one
design. Such a study, if approv-
ed, would culminate in a public
hearing in the next few months.
Transportation is one of
several remedial steps to im-
prove the Cedarvale shopping
area. Extra street lights have
been installed to produce more
uniform lighting. The city and
business owners are considering
a special service district to help
pay for aesthetic improvements.
Financing a road realignment
would be considered in the
feasibility report.
Winter contest
participants
sought
The Eagan Parks and Recrea-
tion Department and Sun -
Current Newspaper are spon-
soring a winter in Eagan contest
for all ages and residents to en-
joy. The contest has three
categories: photography, essay,
and coloring. ( Eligible for the
coloring contest are children in
grades kindergarten through
fifth).
Winners will receive a gift
certificate from local merchants
and a trophy. Winning entries
will also appear in the Sun -
Current Newspaper Feb. 2.
Entries must be received by
Jan. 21 at the Eagan Municipal
Center, 3 30 Pilot Knob Road,
Eagan, MN 55122. For specific
information, call Eagan Parks
and Rec at 6814660.
6A—Apple Valley/RosemountJEagan 5un•Current—Wed., Jan. 12. 1994
EDUCATION DIGEST
District 196 events scheduled
Jan. 13 — Pinewood PTA meets at 7 p.m. in the art room;
Dakota Hills 7th and 8th grade band concert at 5:30 and 8 p.m.;
Rosemount Middle School Site Council meeting 5 p.m.; Rose-
mount Middle School band concert at 7 p.m.; Cedar Park band
concert 6:30 p.m.; West view DARE graduation 6:30 p.m.;
Pinewood PTA 7 p.m. in art room; Oak Ridge Parent Informa-
tion Night at 7 p.m. ; Parent/Child Activity at Greenleaf at 6 p.m.
Jan. 14 — Dance at Apple Valley High School in Gym D 9 p.m.
to midnight
Jan. 15 — "After Hours" in Apple Valley High School Theater
at 7:30 p.m. by Rosemount High School students;
Jan. 17 — No school in District 196
Jan. 18 — Dakota Hills 6th grade party 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Rase -
mount Middle School band concert at 7 p.m.; Scott Highlands
Middle School Site council at 6:30 p.m.; Valley Middle Site Coun-
cil meeting 5:30 p.m.; Student -teacher conferences at Diamond
Path run through Jan. 28; Diamond Path school council meeting
4:15 p.m.; Woodland 5th grade band concert at 7 p.m. at Thomas
Lake; Thomas lake band concert in the gym at 7 p.m.;
Southview site council at 6:30 a.m. ; Shannon Park advisory coun-
cil 4 p.m.;
Jan. 19 — Woodland first grade parent visitation; Northview
Site Council meeting 3 p.m.
District 196 Inventor's Fair
District 196 has scheduled its Inventor's Fair for fourth- and
fifth -graders from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 15, at Valley
Middle School. The public is welcome after the judging is
complete.
Pancake breakfast planned Jan. 22
The Pinewood PTA is sponsoring a pancake breakfast 7 to
10:30 a.m. Jan. 22 in the school gym. Sausage, juice, coffee and
all you can eat pancakes will be served. Cost is $10 per family of
four; or $3.50 per person. Door prizes will be given out. For more
information, call Sharon Shelerud, 452-0933.
Advisory Council to meet
The District 196 Community Education Valley Area Advisory
Council meets at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at Greenleaf Elementary School,
13333 Galaxie Ave., Apple Valley. The council offers suggestions
for programs and services offered by Community Education's
Valley Area Office, serving the western and central Apple Valley
regions of the district. The public is welcome. Call 431-8321) for
more information.
SCHOOLS
Contracts mask pay increases
By Paul Rergquist
Controversy about the way
school districts report teacher
contract settlements has led to
speculation that districts are
trying to hide the real settle-
ment figures from the public.
Districts 191 and 196 have
changed the way they report
teacher salary contract negotia-
tions. Only increases in salary
schedule improvements are
reported. The salary schedule is
the chart that stipulates what a
teacher with a particular
number of years of experience
will be paid.
District 191 teacher salary
schedule increases are 1 percent
and 3 percent, for years one and
two of the contract.
respectively.
However, teachers also move
up a step and may make a lane
change on the salary schedule,
thus raising their salaries more.
Step advancement is an in-
crease in pay for a teacher who
earns a satisfactory perfor-
mance review for a year. A lane
change is a pay increase a
teacher receives for completing
additional college credits, earn-
ing a master's degree, or both.
When these changes are used
in calculating teacher salaries
in District 191, the increase is
3.02 percent and 5.96 percent — 9
percent total, doubling the listed
schedule improvement of 4
percent.
"The confusion in salary
amounts lies in the fact that in
the past, school districts used
the total package amount in
determining increases," said
Carter Christie, District 191
business manager.
Pay increases for step ad-
vancement and lane changes
were not included in the
schedule improvement percen-
tages, Christie said.
These changes in a teacher's
salary are not part of the
negotiated agreement, but are
determined by teacher perfor-
mance and educational level,
Christie said. These pay in-
creases are not negotiated, so
are not included in the annual
salary schedule improvements,
he said.
Cities, counties and private
sectors report settlements and
contract negotiations without in-
cluding compensation, Christie
said. "Many districts use
schedule improvements to show
how salaries change from year
to year," he said.
District 196 also did not in-
clude step and lane change in-
creases to the reported salary
increases.
"The numbers for step im-
provement and lane changes are
misleading in that it assumes
everyone stays, and everyone
moves up a level," said Richard
Thomas, District 196 coor-
dinator of employment systems.
The total pacakge is probably
more than 9 percent, Thomas
said, but he cannot be sure
because of turnover.
"It is a hard number to quote.
It is always going to be more in a
district where people are at the
top of the pay schedule, the per
teacher cost is higher. 1t can
also go up because lots of new
teachers are hired," Thomas
said. This makes it very hard to
report the change as a percen-
tage increase in salary, he said.
Christie said District 191 isn't
trying to hide the facts from the
public. "Unlike some districts,
we do show total costs," Christie
said, but said the budget sheet
did not show a percentage in-
crease for total costs.
"Part of the concern is there is
no common method of repor-
ting," said Thomas. The state
Legislature was going to write a
standard format for reporting
contract settlements, but it was
not finished in time for the cur-
rent round of negotiations. he
said.
"If we are reporting what was
agreed to in the deal, we have
agreed to maintain the other
features of the contract."
Thomas said. Step and lane in-
creases are a fixed amount. he
said.
Christie said the confusion
about how the contract in-
creases are reported points out
the real problem — there is no
standard format on how
negotiated agreements are
reproted. "That's what we were
trying to resolve," Christie said.
"We showed the total value of
the contract and the percentage
increases. We don't include the
total package to avoid
confusion."
Are the districts hiding the in-
creases from the public? Both
Christie and Thomas say no. "If
you are reporting what was
agreed to in the negotiations, the
other features of the contract
are maintained in the deal,"
Thomas said.
Awada turns political
views into full-time job
By Terrance Mencel
Pat Awada expects to
create a stir during the 1994
state legislative session.
This will be the year Min-
nesotans For Term Limits
beefs up its public campaign
for term limits on political of-
fice, said Awada, executive
director for the nonpartisan
grass roots organization.
Awada, a long time sup-
porter for term limits, joined
the group two months ago as
its only full-time paid staff
member. A six -member
board of directors governs
the three -year -old group. The
group is backed by well-
known advisers. including
former governors Elmer
Anderson and Al Quie, It has
ties to the national movement
for term limits.
The group will lobby
legislators for voters to
decide whether term limit
legislation is good for Min-
nesota. If successful, the
question would be placed on
the next general election
ballot,
"Term limits is never go-
ing to get on the ballot unless
there is pressure from the
AWADA: To Page 13A
Apple Valley City Races 2D
Eagan City Races 3D
Burnsville City Races 5D
Dakota County Commissioner District 4 Race 8D
First Judicial District Court Race 8D
Dakota County Sheriff Race 9D
Dakota County Attorney Race 9D
Dakota County Commissioner District 6 Race 10D
House District 41B Race 11D
House District 38A Race 11D
House District 38B Race 12D
House District 37A Race 12D
House District 37B Race 13D
House District 36B Race 14D
House District 36A Race 15D
U.S. House Third District Race 15D
Governor Race 17D
Lt. Governor Race 18D
Attorney General Race 19D
U.S. Senate Race 19D
State Constitutional Officers Races 20D
2D -'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun PubiicationsJOctober 26, 1994
VOTER'S GUIDE
Apple Valley Mayoral Race —
In the Apple Valley mayoral race, City Council member Gary Humphrey is
attempting to unseat incumbent Will Branning, who has spent more than 20
years in Apple Valley city government. Humphrey has two years remaining
on his council term. This election marks the first time candidates are run-
ning for a four-year mayoral term.
Will
Branning
Address:
13775 Guild
Ave., Apple Val-
ley
Age: 57
Education:
Bachelor of sci-
ence degree me-
chanical engineering, North Dakota
State University; graduate studies, Uni-
versity of Washington; alumni Ft. Belvoir
College of Management, University of
Minnesota College of Management
Employment -profession: Depart-
ment manager
Family: Wife, 3 children
Years in city: 30
Memberships: Charter member
Apple Valley Jaycees, Apple Valley Opti-
mists, Apple Valley Chamber of Com-
merce, Grace Lutheran Church; active
with Boy Scouts and Valley Athletic As-
sociation
Government experience: Mayor,
1977-78, 1984-1990, 1993-94; city coun-
cil member, 1969-1976, 1981-1983;
Chairman Minnesota Valley Transit Au-
thority; President League of Dakota
County Governments
As an elected official, Will Branning
said his primary goal has always been to
make Apple Valley "a great place to live,
work" and rear families.
During his time with the city, Bran-
ning said through "planned, controlled
development we have built a downtown
that gives us identity and is the envy of
our neighbors." The city has also "been
fiscally responsible" by keeping city tax
growth to 1 percent during the last 15
years, and continues to expand its tax
base by attracting "businesses and light
industry that are compatible with our
goals and existing development."
Among his accomplishments, Bran-
ning lists are seeking and achieving "or-
derly phase -out of gravel mining north of
County Road 42, ensuring development
compatible with surrounding neighbor-
hoods," working with city staff and
Lebanon Cemetery Board to "form a new
organization from both the private and
public sectors to operate, maintain, and
expand the cemetery on County Road 42,"
and fighting for "continued adherence to
quality standards for new commercial
construction that are compatible with ex-
isting development."
If re-elected, Branning said he will
seek council support to direct the Urban
Affairs committee to create a code of
ethics for city government (to be adopted
by the city council), he will support a sec-
ond high school in Apple Valley "built in
conjunction with a needed city athletic
complex on acreage already secured for
that purpose," and will place priority on
developing Landmark Corner (the north-
east corner of County Road 42 and Cedar
Avenue). He would like to see "first class
motel, restaurants, and banquet and con-
vention facilities" at that corner, he said.
He sees the business -city relationship
to be an integral one.
To keep that relationship going, Bran-
ning has monthly meetings with business
people. He also said he believes in work-
ing with the school district. One of his
first projects with the school district was
getting schools to open their doors to the
public after hours. Since then, he has
worked with the district on the first sheet
of indoor ice and the Zoo School.
He would like to take the Zoo School to
a higher level, he said.
"My vision is why not go into vo-tech,
why not go into the university and add to
it?" he said.
He would also like to work with the
Minnesota Zoo on becoming more com-
munity -oriented.
"We're working on maybe a large com-
munity center with a large municipal
swimming (pool] to draw the community
into the Zoo," he said.
"We need to work together to make it
all happen."
Gary
Humphrey
Address:
1063 Ramsdell
Drive, Apple
Valley
Age: 53
Education:
Bachelor of arts
in political sci-
ence, University of Minnesota, Duluth
Employment -profession: Business
owner, business insurance and real es-
tate
Family: Wife, 2 children
Years in city: 26
Memberships: School District 196
Facilities Committee (1971 and 1994),
Community Action Council, Special
Olympics, Boy Scouts, Jaycees, Rotary,
Chamber of Commerce, DARTS, March
of Dimes, Junior Achievement, and Grace
Lutheran Church (council president, on
church council for 5 years)
Government experience: Apple
Valley City Council (12 years, 5 years as
acting mayor); Apple Valley Planning
commission (6 years); regional transit
board (1-plus years); Minnesota Valley
Transit Authority (3 years); Metropolitan
Council Transportation Advisory Board
(3-plus years); RTB Local Officials Advi-
sory Board (2-plus years); 35W Coalition
Executive Committee (2 years)
Gary Humphrey is running for mayor
because he believes he "would bring a
consensus building management style
that would ensure input and participa-
tion by all of the elected officials," he
said. "I would be supportive of the city's
professional staff and I would not direct
them to circumvent state bid laws or ig-
nore the policies previously established
by the council."
The city needs to continue the planned
growth of the residential areas in a man-
ner that is consistent with established
neighborhoods," he said. It should also
provide a variety of housing that meets
the needs of "our youth as they move into
the housing market and for our 'empty
nesters' as they change their lifestyles
and have different housing needs."
"Our neighborhoods must be main-
tained and preserved," he said. "We
should not provide bureaucratic stum-
bling blocks for someone who wants to
upgrade their home."
Humphrey said retail development
must be encouraged.
"The retail segment of the economy is
in a growth cycle and we must take ad-
vantage of our unique position as a re-
gional retail center that meets the needs
of the population," he said. "Commercial
and industrial development will be en-
couraged to help build the employment
base within the city. We need to expand
the infrastructure (i.e. office space) for
white-collar employment."
The city's tax and employment base
must also be increased.
Humphrey said he supports a city code
of ethics.
"I am the only member on the City
Council, including the mayor, that must
report my sources of income to the Min-
nesota Ethical Practices Board because of
my Metropolitan Government positions,"
he said.
"I have always withdrawn from voting
and debate on any issue [in which] I had
a financial interest. I will always thor-
oughly discuss any perceived or potential
conflicts with the city attorney and strict-
ly abide by his rulings_"
Other issues Humphrey stands in
favor of are: a new high school located in
Apple Valley, with no change in Apple
Valley High boundaries; a second ice
arena construction project based on "self
funding or a citizen vote;" continued sup-
port for the Fire Department Relief Asso-
ciation; adherence to the Minnesota pro-
curement and bidding laws; and having
the city become the "underlying owner" of
Lebanon Cemetery, expanding it and es-
tablishing an independent board to man-
age it.
Apple Valley City Council Race —
In the Apple Valley city council race, voters will decide which candidates
will step into the two open positions. Two incumbents, Ginny Sterling and
Robert Erickson, are running against challenger Len Miller.
Robert
(Bob)
Erickson
Address:
14299 Garland
Ave., Apple Val-
ley
Age: 54
Education:
Partial college
Employment -profession: Software
engineer
Family: Wife, 2 daughters
Years in city: 25
Memberships: Chamber of Com-
merce, American Legion
Government experience: Apple
Valley City Council (3 1/2 years), Apple
Valley Economic Development Authority
(3 1/2 years), Apple Valley Planning Com-
mission (7 years - 5 as chairperson),
Apple Valley Park Committee (2 years)
Being active in city government for
more than 12 years, Bob Erickson said he
has several strengths that make him a
qualified candidate: he keeps in touch
with the residents and he is willing to lis-
ten, and respect, what the residents have
to say.
"When controversial issues arise, I ac-
tively solicit opinions from the citizens
before I take a position on those issues,"
he said. "When I do take a position, I am
more than willing to let you know why.
"I respect anyone who comes to me
with a problem involving the city, ...I can
help with problems because I know who
to contact when a problem arises, and
who can resolve those problems."
Erickson believes two officers should
be added to the Apple Valley Police De-
partment. In the past five years, the city's
population has grown by 25 percent and
commercial growth has exceeded 25 per-
cent. Until this fall, when one officer was
added, the number of officers remained at
35.
"The best deterrent to crime would be
a proactive police department where
there are no unsolved crimes," he said.
"Increasing our tax base is important,"
he said. "Businesses that bring head of
household jobs, new services or new
products to Apple Valley are my No. 1 pri-
ority_ When it is appropriate, financial in-
centives should be offered."
Erickson supports the expansion of
Apple Valley's sewer capacity.
"Currently approved projects will use
all of our existing sewer capacity," he
said. "If the city does not act soon, we will
have no option but to deny any expansion
in the city," he said. "Should a highly de-
sirable commercial or industrial complex
approach the city today, 1 doubt we could
approve the project."
Along those lines, Erickson said the
city must strive to provide residents with
its basic product — services — "in the
most economical manner possible.
Among those services are police and fire
protection, parks and recreation, water
and sewer, and street maintenance.
"The City Council has a tendency to
lose sight of the fact that the monies we
spend are our citizens' hard earned tax
dollars," he said. "Monies have been allo-
cated (or there was an attempt to allocate
monies) for projects where there was no
demonstrated need for the expenditures.
In some cases, it appears that a member
of the council is attempting to reward
friends with city contracts."
An example of an unneeded expendi-
ture that Erickson points to is the coun-
cil's approval of spending $60,000 on
three information kiosks.
He also plans to pursue locating a se-
nior citizen's center in the city, to make
himself available to discuss any city issue
with any member of the community, to
work with the planning staff to establish
procedures for the preservation of exist-
ing housing in the community ("particu-
larly rental housing"), and to encourage
the city to publish a newsletter dis-
cussing city issues or to conduct occa-
sional town meetings allowing residents
to discuss issues with elected officials in
an informal setting.
Len Miller
Address:
12984 Findlay
Way, Apple Val-
ley
Age: 47
Education:
15 years
Employ-
ment -profes-
sion: District sales manager
Family: Wife, two sons
Years in city: 4
Memberships: Director of Apple Val-
ley All -Sports Boosters Golf Classic, Op-
timist Club
Government experience: Apple
Valley Planning Commission (1 1/2
years), 24 years belonging to United
States Marine Corps, United States Ma-
rine Corps Reserve and MISUT
Len Miller is interested in making the
move from Planning Commission to City
Council because "1 wish to become more
involved in my community," he said. "I
believe that we need people in govern-
ment that go beyond the normalcy of
council meetings and who are willing to
expand their roles as leaders. I bring to
Apple Valley a progressive attitude and a
leadership style that is not afraid of mak-
ing tough decisions,"
Having served on the planning com-
mission, Miller said he has gotten an
overview of"where the city is going, what
it needs to do and how it's going to grow
into the whole city concept." While the
traditional leadership seen in Apple Val-
ley "is one that is fundamentally good,"
he believes there needs to be a more pro-
gressive perspective brought to the coun-
cil.
"There are people who are serving on
the city council, today as we know it, who
are six -hour -a -month council people," he
said.
"I think the role is much more expan-
sive than that.... There's a whole gamut
of exercises and roles that could be played
by a council person. I don't think we're
getting that right now."
While it is "very easy to sit on a coun-
cil meeting twice a month and make de-
cisions on issues that are relative to plat
locations and where to rezone," he said
the more difficult issues - juvenile crime,
more police officers — require more coun-
cil involvement.
Along with being involved in commu-
nity issues, Miller suggested the city
should look at how other cities are han-
dling similar issues — such as attracting
light industry to a city.
The proposed fourth high school is one
of the top issues in the city, Miller said.
During School District 196's campaign to
pass the referendum this spring, Miller
said he was "fairly vocal" about not sup-
porting it.
"I support a referendum, but didn't
support this one simply because it would
put Apple Valley High School in an obso-
lete position down the road," he said.
"The one thing that I'm worried about is
if we build another high school in Apple
Valley, this school will become obsolete
very soon, much sooner than what we
would expect."
One of Miller's "dreams" is to have a
field house built in the city that would
provide a facility for athletics, trade
shows, conventions, senior citizens.
"This would be an income producing
facility for the city and further assist in
reducing taxes while giving local busi-
ness a greater market," he said. "It will
cure a lot dills.... I think the revenue we
can generate from the field house will fur-
ther assist in keeping taxes at a level peo-
ple can accept."
The field house is something Miller be-
lieves the school district, the county, and
the city need to work on together,
"It's not a project that just one com-
munity can get done," he said. "It's going
to take effort on a lot of the different fac-
tions to come together and work together
to put it together."
Other issues he sees as important is
the needs of senior citizens and the need
for more law enforcement.
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun PublicationslOctober 26. 1994 - 3D
VOTER'S GUIDE
Apple Valley City Council Race --
Continued
Ginny
Sterling
Address:
6646 129th St.
W., Apple Val-
ley
Age: 53
Education:
Edinboro Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania
Employment -profession: Apple Val-
ley City Council
Family: Husband, 1 son
Years in city: 25
Memberships: Joined Apple Valley
Mrs. Jaycees in 1969, selected to be the
first (of only two) life time members of
this organization; Community Action
Council — 19 years doing some kind of
volunteer work, currently on board of di-
rectors; Optimist Club charter member
and current board of directors; American
Legion Auxiliary
Government experience: Apple Val-
ley City Council (elected in 1990), Apple
Valley Planning Commission (6 1/2
years), Apple Valley Park Committee (9
1/2 years), reforestation committee,
Arbor Day committee, Mid -Winter Fest
committee (13 years).
Four years ago, Ginny Sterling decid-
ed to run for a seat on the city council be-
cause "I felt the voters in a city of 34,000
should have a knowledgeable choice when
they went to the polls to choose their
council member."
After serving her first term, she is run-
ning for re-election at the urging of "so
many" of the residents.
As a councilmember, she said she lis-
tens to residents, tries to help them with
their concerns and works with the "issues
that are important. I am their voice at the
council table."
She said she works with businesses
and developers to bring more jobs into
Apple Valley and to provide "the services
Eagan Mayoral Race
our residents would like to have here."
"I've tried to keep the city's portion of
our tax bill down by voting against an in-
crease," she said. "Representing the citi-
zens of Apple Valley on the city council is
my only job outside the home," she said.
The city is in need of "nice sit-down
restaurants," Sterling said.
"The mayor, the council and the staff
have worked very hard to get some estab-
lished here," she said.
"We may have to give incentives such
as helping with the landscaping or park-
ing lot to the first restaurant, Once
some are established, many more will
come."
The same philosophy applies to getting
a hotel with a small conference space in
the city. With many local businesses
bringing in people from out of town, Ster-
ling said there is a need for such a space.
By bringing in a hotel with conference
space, Sterling said light industry will be
drawn to the area.
The combination of the three develop-
ments — restaurants, hotels, and light in-
dustry — will in turn help Apple Valley
residents by keeping taxes down and "our
services up," she said.
Sterling would also like to see
the fourth high school built in Apple Val-
ley.
"The numbers I was given show that
there are enough students in Apple Val-
ley to fill a school built in the next few
years," she said. "I feel it should be built
in Apple Valley. 1 then feel we should
have a school district football stadium in
Apple Valley."
If re-elected, Sterling said she plans to
continue her work on projects started in
the past few years, such as completing the
light industrial area west of Pilot Knob
and working with development on Land-
mark Corner (the northeast corner of
Cedar Avenue and County Road 42).
She would also continue working with
the cemetery board to improve the ceme-
tery at the corner of Pilot Knob Road and
County Road 42.
Eagan's Mayor Tom Egan is running unopposed in his re-election bid. The
mayor serves as one of five councilmembers, all of whom have equal votes,
while the day-to-day business of the city is handled by the city administra-
tor. He has served as mayor for two terms. This election is for a four-year
term.
Tom Egan
Address:
2969 Inland
Road
Age: 47
Education:
Bachelor of arts
from the Col-
lege of St.
Thomas; JD,
William Mitchell College of Law
Employment/Profession: Attorney
Family: Wife Betty, one daughter
Years in city: 22
Tom Egan has served nonstop as a
councilmember or mayor in the city since
he was first elected in 1978.
He was a part of the council during the
city's busiest years of growth, and said he
would like to remain as mayor as it enters
a new stage.
"1 believe Eagan is at a threshold
point," he said. "We're rapidly moving
from a single -dimension purpose of con-
trolling growth to the multi -faceted pur-
pose of trying to become a mature com-
munity."
Eagan has achieved a critical mass of
residential and business development, he
said, and "now comes the difficult part:
Trying to fit in the mortar between the
brick."
He says this challenge is the most crit-
ical one the city has faced to date. Now is
the time to provide the necessities and
services the city needs in the right loca-
tions. And to do that, the city needs
Egan's stability, maturity, experience
and knowledge, not to mention the net-
work of people he has worked with over
the years, he said.
Attending a minimum of about 250 city
functions each year, he said he believes he
has a general feel for what the communi-
ty wants and is looking for.
And he feels the community is looking
for a downtown.
"Eagan really needs a central location
where people can come and meet, recre-
ate, shop, play and just greet one anoth-
er," he said.
A downtown will help achieve an iden-
tity, image, and self-esteem, and he said
the council has the task of trying to direct
its development.
A 200-acre site near the existing Town
Centre, at the intersection of Yankee Doo-
dle Road and Interstate 35E, would made
an ideal location for a downtown, he said,
and the city has already begun working
with an architect and planning what it
should look like. This new, central busi-
ness district would be at the geographic
center of Eagan, and would complement
the businesses that already exist, he said.
Along with that, Eagan has to pursue a
ring road that will relieve traffic a Yankee
Doodle and Pilot Knob Road intersection,
and make room for future traffic. The cost
of the project, estimated to be about $11
million, would be shared by the Minneso-
ta Department of Transportation.
Egan says he draws on his experience
as an attorney and councilmember when
he makes decisions, and always tries to
communicate with people on an equal
level.
"I try to be fair, objective, and I try to
evaluate all sides of an issue before com-
ing to a conclusion."
"I feel really good about creating a tax
climate, and I feel good about trying to
centralize the city's retail and commercial
areas into a more proper location."
Eagan City Council Race —
Voters have a list of six candidates to choose from for the Eagan City Coun-
cil this year. Each of the five candidates who have participated in the inter-
view process have been involved in city government and issues in one way or
another for a number of years. The two who are elected will take their place
alongside two incumbent councilmembers and the mayor, all of whom have
equal votes on the council. The elections are for four-year terms.
Pat Awada
Address:
1700 Four Oaks
Road
Age: 28
Education:
Bachelor of
arts, University
of Minnesota
Employ-
ment/Profession: Partner in political
consulting firm, director of Minnesotans
for Term Limits
Family: Husband Michael, one
daughter
Years in city: 5
Pat Awada's life is politics. She runs
Minnesotans for Term Limits, does polit-
ical fundraising and lobbying and ma-
jored in international relations in college.
She was elected to the Eagan City Coun-
cil when she was 25, and is running for a
second, and she says last, term as a coun-
cilmember. She practices what she
preaches as a term -limits spokesperson.
Although she deals in state and na-
tional politics by day, she likes her role on
the city council, "I like the city level of
government because if you get two people
to agree with you, you can get things ac-
complished," she said.
In her three years on the council, she
said she is proud of watching spending
and keeping taxes low, and if she's re-
elected, she said she will be most proud of
having a role in developing Eagan's
downtown.
The council's role in developing a cen-
tral business district, or downtown, will
be through guiding the look and contents
of the area. She envisions a park sur-
rounded by pedestrian -friendly build-
ings, shops, offices, high-rise apartments
and set off with decorative lighting. It
will be a place to put the city's Christmas
tree, walk around and meet your neigh-
bors.
A downtown, she said, "is someplace
that gives you the feeling that 'this is
where I belong.'"
Other issues she would like to address
are dealing with the Metropolitan Coun-
cil's idea of spreading affordable housing
more widely across the Twin Cities, and
controlling crime in problem neighbor-
hoods. "I believe low-income housing and
crime are correlated and (I) will work to
improve our depressed areas and keep
more of Eagan from falling into that
trap."
The solution, she said, is in empower-
ing people, not spreading around low-in-
come housing.
And she promises, if re-elected, to con-
tinue to control spending. "I consistently
vote against new spending. I believe we
should do a few things and do them
right."
Another issue she's championed in her
term is natural resources. She has sup-
ported a strict tree -preservation ordi-
nance, the city's oak wilt program, recy-
cling, and efforts to protect the city's
water quality.
She plans to continue that, and to con-
tinue to push for high -quality develop-
ments in the city, with cozy, defined
neighborhoods.
As a 28-year-old wife and mother
who's been in town for five years, she said
she is representative of much of the com-
munity.
The median age in Eagan is 28, and a
large majority of the population is new
within the last decade.
As a councilmember, she has carved
out a role as a mediator. "I try to find a
compromise," she said. "I try to get things
steered right," by finding the relevant is-
sues.
"I have strong views on issues but I
also work to find the middle ground. I feel
that I have a realistic, logical view of the
issues and give citizens every advantage
in the discussion. And as a business
owner, I understand the ramifications of
our decisions."
Gunnar
Isberg
Address:
1528 Blackhawk
Ridge Court
Age: 62
Education:
Bachelor of arts
in political sci-
ence from Roo-
sevelt University and Urban Planning
degree from the University of Illinois
Employment/Profession: Metropol-
itan Council planner
Family: Wife Carol, two sons
Years in city: 4
Gunnar Isberg, a member of Eagan's
Advisory Planning Commission, is a pro-
fessional planner. He currently works for
the Metropolitan Council, and has
worked as a planner for Rochester and
Olmsted County, St. Paul, and Dakota
County.
Not surprisingly, one of his major
planks is to develop a comprehensive
strategic plan for the city, including a
clear vision, strategies and priorities for
guiding future development, he said.
That is his area of expertise: He has writ-
ten books and led seminars on planning
for government officials in the past.
"Because 1 have knowledge of plan-
ning, I think I can bring something to the
City Council,' he said.
That something is vision, he said. "We
need to know where we are going to be 10,
20, 30 years from now. We now lack the
overall vision that pulls together plans
and protecting wetlands, lakes, wood-
lands and residential areas," he said.
"It's important to balance economic de-
velopment with natural resources. That's
called sustainable development"
And, he said, the quality of services in
the city needs to be an issue. "We need to
borrow quality management programs.
from the private sector, put it into effect
in Eagan, and focus on customer service.
Services are very good, but like any busi-
ness, you need to continuously pay atten-
tion to the customer."
Through neighborhood meetings,
focus groups and polls, he said the city
government should aim to keep in close
touch with what the citizens need. As a
longtime public servant, he said he's
acutely aware that public trust has plum-
meted.
But, he said, "There's a thin line be-
tween leadership and slavishly following
what the people want," he said.
His past achievements as a public offi-
cial include planning issues. "I've been
able to sell the validity of public plan-
ning," he said, which brings about greater
awareness of land use, strategic, and
long-term planning.
Projects he is proud of as a planner in-
clude Spring Lake Park in Dakota Coun-
ty, and while on the Northfield City
Council, he pushed a bond referendum to
refurbish their library and pushed for a
river walk downtown, both of which are
now proud attributes of the city.
If elected to the council in Eagan, he
said he would bring bigger concepts into
the discussion. "I would be concerned
about natural resources and parks for the
children in Eagan," he said, and he would
continue his style of throwing out a lot of
ideas.
To create more of a community, he said
the city should create city festivals, cele-
brations and events.
John
Mazurek
Mr. Mazurek
declined to take
part in the in-
terview and en-
dorsement
process.
Photo
Not
Available
4D — '94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994
VOTER'S GUIDE
Vote
Eagan City Council Race
Continued
Gary
Morgan
Address:
4375 Capricorn
Court
Age: 33
Education:
Associate de-
grees from In-
ver Hills Com-
munity College, continuing education
from Carlson School of Management
Employment/Profession: Insurance
broker and salesman
Family: One daughter, one son
Years in city: 11
Gary Morgan says he's always been in-
terested in local issues and local govern-
ment, and that is why he is running for
City Council.
Ever since he moved to Eagan, he has
been involved in local groups such as the
Jaycees, the Optimists, the Eagan Cham-
ber of Commerce, of which he has been
president, and the Northern Dakota
County Chambers of Commerce.
Recently, he spearheaded an effort to
revitalize the Cedarvale area by organiz-
ing the merchants and working with Ea-
gan's legislators to get a special service
district designated and make it a more
successful area.
He said he got involved in that issue as
a member of the Eagan Economic Devel-
opment Commission and as a chamber
member. When he got involved, he said
the merchants were waiting for the city to
do something and the city was waiting for
the merchants to do something.
Since then, a number of lights have
been put up to make the area brighter and
safer, and mowing has increased from
twice a year to regularly.
He looks at community involvement as
his civic duty, he said.
Morgan's background in insurance
and finances, as well as his connections
and involvements, would be his biggest
assets on the council, he said, and those
skills would complement the existing
councilmembers's attributes.
He said he understands small business
owners, that they don't always under-
stand how city governments work, and
would be there to help guide them
through the processes.
Morgan is skeptical of the efforts to
build a ring road and a downtown. "I do
not support the spending of tax dollars to
create a place to call downtown," he said.
"Community service organizations do
more positive things for community spir-
it and involvement than a place ever will."
If its done for economic reasons or to
increase business, that's OK, he said.
"Community is a feeling, not a place.
Community is to bring people together
where they can share common experi-
ences, such as city celebrations, and not a
place created with bricks and mortar."
He said he has demonstrated his lis-
tening, negotiating and facilitating skills
in his past involvement, and he'd use
those skills on the council.
"I have been successfully insuring in-
dividuals, families and small businesses
for over a decade. By listening to my
clients' needs, I am able to help them de-
sign and implement innovative financial
plans to achieve their goals. My traits of
being resourceful, committed, accessible,
and a provider of quality service will ben-
efit the people of Eagan if I am elected to
City Council."
PAUL KRAUSE
DAKOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONER - DISTRICT 6
Proven Leadership in Business & Community!
• Supports Juvenile Detention Facility
• Supports County Programs that encourage and support traditional
family values
• Will Actively Pursue attracting long-term business growth in
Lakeville and Dakota County
• Married for 32 years - wife Pam - 3 children, Zendi, Mandi & Blair
• Lakeville resident & business owner for 23 years
• Owner of Pinewood Golf Course
• NFL professional football player for 16 years - 12 yrs. Mn. Vikings
- 4 yrs. Washington Redskins
• Member - Berean Baptist Church "- served on numerous building
committees and pastoral search committees, as well as being a
senior high youth leader."
• Former coach, Lakeville Athletic Association
• Volunteer for many charitable organizations
• Former football coach, Minnehaha Academy
Papa 1 Jk pod for by Ur Paul Krauhe v4,1un,:, i - Boa 122. 177Y4 Ke•w' .d rral. Lakerllk. MN S764-1
Apple Valley
Voters Map
Apple Valley
Precincts and Polling Places
Note: The entire civic area is covered by U.S.
Congressional District Six.
Apple Valley Precinct Polling Addresses
1. Southview Elementary School
1025 Whitney Dr
2. Cedar Park Elementary School
7600 Whitney Dr.
3. Redwood Community Center
311 County Rd. 42
4. Apple Valley Community Church
14603 Hayes Rd.
5. Mt. Olivet Assembly of God
Church - 14201 Cedar Ave.
a Apple Valley Health Care Center
14650 Garrett Ave.
7. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran
12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Rd.
MN
III
ME
1
8. Greenleaf Elementary School
13333 Galaxie Ave.
9. Reorganized Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints
5990 134th St. Court
10. South Suburban Ev. Free Church
12600 Johnny Cake Ridge Rd.
11. Diamond Path Elementary
School
14445 Diamond Path
12. Lao Community Reformed
Church
14401 Pilot Knob Rd.
County District Boundaries Legislative District Boundaries
II= Dist. 3
Dist.7
IM
O Dist. 36A
Dist. 38B
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994 - 5D
VOTER'S GUIDE
Eagan City Council Race —
Continued
Ted
Wachter
Address:
4540 Black -
hawk Road
Age: 71
Education:
Rosemount
High School,
Chicago Tech-
nical College
Employment/Profession: Retired
carpenter
Family: Two grown daughters
Years in city: 52
Ted Wachter says that after 22 years
on the Eagan City Council and 13 years
on the planning commission, this will be
his last attempt at the office_
He's running one more time because
he still wants to accomplish what he first
intended to do, to help citizens, he said.
He said he's on the council because he
is genuinely concerned about the people.
"I got interested in government way back
when because of the muddy roads," he
said. The ruts were a foot deep and you
couldn't get your car out unless someone
else had before you." He went to a council
meeting to ask that something be done
about it, and all they did was brush him
off.
"All we need, Ted, is a little sunshine,"
they told him. "I decided if I ever made it
on the council, I would never tell someone
something like that," he said.
He said he still has the enthusiasm to
try to help. "I love Eagan. I have tried to
let the people use my experience to their
advantage. I know what it means when a
person comes to the council and lays their
heart out to us," he said.
Wachter's main issues over the years
have been protecting the environment
and keeping the taxes low and the streets
safe. His early goals of a strong commu-
nity with 50 percent commercial and 50
percent residential property to promote a
healthy tax base has been achieved, he
said.
Now he'd like to see that careful plan-
ning benefit the city more. A statewide
fiscal disparities program takes away
money from Eagan that the city should be
able to keep and spend on Eagan pro-
grams or to lower taxes, he said.
"If we could have our fiscal disparities,
we would have the lowest taxes in Min-
nesota," he said. "In 1992, we paid $12
million into the state fiscal disparities
fund. In 1993, we paid $11 million and in
1994, almost $10 million."
He said he's not against fiscal dispari-
ties completely. "I'm willing to share, but
I don't want to carry the burden," he said.
Wachter said he's always decided how
to evaluate the city budget by prioritizing
it in the order of police and fire protection,
then city services, and then parks and
recreation programs.
But on everyday decisions, he said he
treats each one as a separate case.
"Everything that comes before the coun-
cil is something new," he said.
Many of his most important achieve-
ments over the years have been in the
area of preserving natural resources and
trees. He also uses his construction expe-
rience when construction -related issues
come before the council to evaluate their
soundness. And when the council is plan-
ning new buildings, like it is now, he
helps evaluate building materials and
processes.
Roy
Wallace
Address:
3138 Farnum
Drive
Age: 56
Education:
Bachelor of sci-
ence, State
University of
New York, master of arts, New York Uni-
versity
Employment/Profession: Co-owner of
marketing and public relations firm
Family: Wife Sherie, two sons
Years in city: 5
Roy Wallace had covered politics as a
broadcast journalist, hovered around the
edge of politics as a public relations exec-
utive, and always been interested in
holding political office. But until now, his
work prevented him from crossing the po-
litical line.
As the co-owner of a marketing, public
relations and communications firm, he
has in recent years taken steps to cross
that line.
He has served on Eagan's Advisory
Planning Commission since he ran for
the council, and lost, in 1992.
He said that in that capacities, he has
a common sense approach to problem
solving.
"I have experience and judgment I've
developed over time," he said. As an
Eagan planning commission member, he
said he led the effort to approve a new
theater, which residents told him they
wanted, and more recently questioned
the addition of a propane tank off of Pilot
Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road, a
high -traffic intersection.
The council's priorities in coming
years should be developing a balanced re-
mainder of the city, ensuring education-
al and recreational opportunities for chil-
dren by working with local school dis-
tricts, and keeping Eagan an affordable
place to live by encouraging efficiency
and avoiding waste. He also wants to
make sure the city continues to develop
and maintain recreation and natural re-
sources.
Wallace advocates putting pressure
on state and county governments to im-
prove Eagan's main arterial roads when
necessary, and advocates "smart" buses
to help Eagan residents get around with-
out having to use their cars.
He supports building a ring road and
establishing a downtown to preserve
quality of life and to build a sense of com-
munity.
"Eagan certainly doesn't need a
'downtown' in the traditional sense," said
Wallace, "but a focal point or critical
mass does help a city achieve some of its
development objectives," he said.
He said the property across from Yan-
kee Doodle Road from the existing Town
Centre "holds the promise of becoming a
"signature" development for the city, but
only if handled properly.
"Tithe council tries to force schemes it
favors, but which don't make economic
sense, the development will be a major
disappointment."
He warns against too much high -den-
sity development, he said, saying that
would come at the expense of current
property owners.
"Above all, government can't dictate
private economy. It should facilitate and
provide models."
NOVEMBER 8
7:00a.m.-8:00p.m.
Burnsville Mayoral Race —
Incumbent Burnsville Mayor Dan McElroy is stepping down after eight
years to run for the State House of Representatives. Three candidates filed
to be his successor. The term is for two years.
Ron
DiCosimo
Address:
1100 West 156th
Street
Age: 41
Education:
Washington
High School (St.
Paul); former
certified vocational instructor
Employment -profession: Owner of
RJ's Shoe Repair in Burnsville
Family: Wife, Kris; five children
Years in city: 16
Organizations and memberships:
Served on redistricting committee for
School District 194; active in IR politics;
member of Bloomington Church of God
When Burnsville City Council mem-
bers decided earlier this year to delay a
vote on a parks referendum until next
spring, Ron DiCosimo decided he'd had
enough.
"I thought, `That's it. We need a
change,'" he said. "I'm willing to step up
there and make the race for mayor and
make that change and give the govern-
ment back to the people."
It's not that DiCosimo wants a parks
referendum to pass — he's actually not in
favor of more parks — but if a referendum
is to be conducted, it should at least be on
the ballot in a general -election year, he
said. That was his complaint with the re-
cent community center referendum.
"I think that's the issue that pushed
me into the mayor's race more than any-
thing," he said. -They keep having these
referendums in off elections."
As for more parks, DiCosimo said ex-
isting ones are used sparingly.
"We have over 70 parks in Burnsville,
and building more is almost useless be-
cause when you drive past them, very sel-
dom do you ever see them in use," he said.
"They're nice to have in your neighbor-
hood. It's nice to have a place for my kids
to go and play, but for the most part,
they're not heavily used."
DiCosimo said he's sensitive to "tax -
and -spend" politics.
"My property taxes have gone sky-
high year after year," he said. "I know the
city portion of that isn't everything, but
you have to start somewhere by taking
control, and we just don't seem to have
the control right now.
"Burnsville has bought a lot of things
in the last 10 to 12 years, a lot of new toys
— a new sheet on the ice arena, the new
maintenance garage, the new City Hall,
they bought a golf course. Where does it
end?'
DiCosimo said crime prevention would
be a top concern of his as mayor.
"The inner city crime is spreading. It's
kind of like a disease that's coming out
this way," he said. "I think we need to ad-
dress crime in a more serious way. I don't
think you can address it with touchy-
feely programs."
In addition to pumping up Neighbor-
hood Watch programs, DiCosimo would
like to see a collaborative program be-
tween the city and the county corrections
department that would "put some blis-
ters" on juvenile offenders.
"They haven't sentenced anyone to
hard labor for years," he said. "I'd like to
see some walking trails built in
Burnsville, and I'd like to see it done with
juvenile -delinquent labor. I'd like to see
them cutting down trees, digging dirt,
paying a little for their crimes."
DiCosimo said he's bothered by the
amount of land being rezoned from com-
mercial to residential.
If that's the way people want it — to
not have business in their town and to put
in more residences — then they have to
be prepared to pay the price of higher
taxes," he said.
DiCosimo would consider "dropping
some of the strict requirements that
Burnsville holds" when it comes to com-
mercial and industrial development, he
said.
"If [companies] can build down the
road a mile for a lot less, our land is going
to be vacant for a long time," he said.
Elizabeth
Kautz
Address:
2104 West Man-
or Boulevard
Age: 47
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in theology
from the Col-
lege of St. Catherine; master's degree in
psychology from Alfred Adler Institute in
Chicago; additional graduate work in or-
ganizational development and philoso-
phy
Employment -profession: Owner of
Growth Dynamics in Burnsville
Family: Husband, David; two chil-
dren
Years in city: 15
Organizations and memberships:
Member of Burnsville City Council; mem-
ber of School District 191 Site Council;
former board member of Burnsville
Chamber of Commerce; member of Dako-
ta County Quality Council; served on
Governor's Council on Early Childhood
Care and Education; member of St. John
the Baptist Church
As the former director of pastoral min-
istry at St. John the Baptist Church in
Savage, and now as owner of Growth Dy-
namics Inc. in Burnsville, Elizabeth
Kautz believes she could bring consider-
able leadership skills to the office of
mayor.
"Burnsville is at a place where a lot of
the issues have to do with human rela-
tions," she said. "There are policies that
guide us, but sometimes policies can be-
come so rigid. If we're going to create a
caring and safe community, it has to do
with people.
"I see myself as a collaborative leader.
We're shifting from a hierarchical, patri-
archal method of leadership to a more
horizontal, collaborative method of lead-
ing. 1 have those skills and I can bring
them to the city."
A psychotherapist, Kautz founded
Growth Dynamics in 1988."Efficiency, or-
ganization and management is what I
would bring to Burnsville as mayor," she
said.
Kautz was appointed to the City Coun-
cil in December 1992 to fill the last two
years of a term vacated by Ken Wolf.
She identifies three issues as key to
Burnsville's future: tax control, develop-
ment/redevelopment and youth.
Taxes can be controlled with no loss of
service through user fees and cost -control
measures, she said. Business develop-
ment plays a part because it expands the
tax base and creates quality jobs, she
said.
Government "can and should play a
key role in creating opportunities for
business expansion," she said. "We have
13 percent [of the city] that's left to de-
velop, and that 13 percent has some light
industry. One of the things I will push is
the tax -increment financing district, sim-
ply because that's another way of gaining
a revenue stream."
Kautz was, and remains, an enthusi-
astic supporter of the community center
concept.
"I'm still a big proponent of an inter -
generational activities center, and that's
the way I saw it," she said. "We talk about
creating a safe environment for our chil-
dren. That center would have brought to-
gether senior citizens, the arts and fami-
lies."
Park improvements are needed to
meet American Disabilities Act require-
ments and to supply adults and youth
with more athletic fields, Kautz said.
Residents have made it clear that pub-
lic safety is a key issue, Kautz said. "My
plan supports and complements the
Partnerships for Tomorrow vision to
build public safety, city and citizen coali-
tions that focus on making every
Burnsville neighborhood and commercial
area a model of suburban safety," she
said.
Burnsville bas come a long way, but
faces significant challenges in the 90s,
Kautz said.
6D - '94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994
VOTER'S GUIDE
Burnsville Mayoral
Race — Continued
M. Edward
Ramsdell
Address:
3101 Keating
Court
Age: 61
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in business
administration
from Mankato State; pursuing graduate
degree in gerontology from Mankato
State
Employment -profession: Retired
Control Data employee; member of the
board of directors of U.S. Federal Credit
Union
Family: Wife, Jean; 6 children
Years in city: 21
Organizations and memberships:
Former commissioner of Metropolitan
Waste Water Service; member of Ameri-
can Legion, VFW, and Knights of Colum-
bus; member of Mary, Mother of the
Church; member of the Concorde Coali-
tion
As a marathon runner, M. Edward
Ramsdell figures he's Togged at least
10,000 miles training in Burnsville.
"I don't think there's anyone else run-
ning who has a better view of the city
from ground level," he said. "I'm literally
running for mayor."
Introducing himself to residents while
jogging around the community is one of
his campaign techniques, and it speaks to
his emphasis on communication.
"If there's ever an issue I pick on, it's
communication," he said. "If elected, one
of my goals would be to go into the neigh-
borhoods and really try to find if I can get
a dialogue going with the residents on a
regular basis. I hope I can do something
to get people turned back on to being in-
volved."
One possibility is to change the cur-
rent at -large elective system,Ramsdell
said.
"I do think that from a general stand-
point, perhaps a ward system would be
better for the community — to get neigh-
borhood involvement, to get people more
closely tied to who represents them."
Ramsdell said he entered the race
when it looked like Elizabeth Kautz
would be the only candidate.
"Only.one person filed, which I think is
rather ridiculous for a community like
ours," he said.
He's not running against anyone or
anything, he said. "I have no bones to
pick."
As a former mayor of Blaine from
1966-69, Ramsdell served two elected
terms. He did not seek a third term due
to a job relocation to Detroit. He does not
intend to seek re-election to his current
seat as director of the U.S. Federal Cred-
it Union (he's a former chairman of the
credit union).
Ramsdell voted against a 1993 com-
munity center referendum because the
city packaged it with a parks referendum,
he said.
"I am for development of neighborhood
parks and playgrounds for all citizens,"
he said. "I think we need to rethink the
idea of a centralized community center
and look at decentralized neighborhood
centers as a starter."
Although the city has "a responsibility
for creating a community environment
friendly to business development, ...at
our stage of development, moving beyond
the current business base might be
counter -productive," Ramsdell said. "We
elected officials do need to balance the
community -at -large against throwing
money at business development that can
be at best marginal in helping all the cit-
izens of the community."
A self -described fiscal conservative,
Ramsdell said he'd use his background in
finances and ethics to guard taxpayers'
money. "It's time to take apart every city
expenditure item by item and determine
real need for it," he said. "Nothing should
be sacred and hard decisions may be re-
quired."
Ramsdell said he has an "excellent"
wwledge all levels of governmgr►t -
Burnsville City Council Race —
Burnsville voters will elect two at -large City Council members, each for a four-year term. Charlie Crichton is the
only incumbent. Elizabeth Kautz relinquished her council seat to run for mayor.
Charlie
Crichton
Address:
2104 Manor
Drive
Age: 67
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in govern-
ment with sta-
tistics major from George Washington
University
Employment -profession: Retired
Control Data Corporation executive
Family: Wife, Terry; 6 children
Years in city: 10
Organizations and memberships:
Member of Burnsville Chamber of Com-
merce; member of advisory board of
Burnsville Convention and Visitors Bu-
reau; member and past -president of
Burnsville Rotary Club; City Council li-
aison to Burnsville -Eagan Cable Com-
mission; member of transportation advi-
sory board of the Metropolitan Council
A former member and chairperson of
the Burnsville Planning Commission,
Charlie Crichton was elected to the
Burnsville City Council in November
1992.
He's running for re-election because
"there are lots of things that still need
doing," he said. Known for his meticulous
questions about development proposals,
Crichton said he "takes the [city's] Com-
prehensive Plan and planning and zoning
very seriously."
Before making a decision, he usually
goes to the site in question, walks around
the neighborhood, talks to neighbors, and
researches the history of the site, he said.
"I'm trying to look out to make sure
that what happens in this city is what the
citizens really want," he said. Crichton
worked for the Control Data Corporation
from 1964-1984, including, at one point,
being directly responsible for 600 em-
ployees and 2,000 field interviewers as
vice president for operations of Arbitron,
a media audience measurement compa-
ny. He founded his own computer con-
sulting service in 1985. He is also a for-
mer council member and mayor of Arden
Hills.
With his management, government
and financial background, he will "ensure
that full value is received for any [tax-
payer] money spent," he said.
On some high -profile decisions, Crich-
ton has found himself the lone dissenting
council member. For instance, he voted
against holding a community center ref-
erendum in 1993 (an off-year election) be-
cause he said voter turn -out would be
low.
"I want all the people to be able to tell
us whether they want us to do it or don't
want us to do it," he said.
He's opposed to a possible spring 1995
parks referendum for the same reason.
"I pointed out at the time that I would
vote against it if I'm still on the council,
and I still intend to do that," he said. 'I
don't think it's appropriate in off years."
Crichton voted against the $17.3 mil-
lion 1994 city budget, breaking ranks
with his colleagues because he wanted to
find a way to cut $130,000 more from it.
"It gets a little frustrating to be on the
end of a 4-to-1 vote now and then," he
said. "I haven't been trying to carve that
niche, but there are a lot of areas where
questions need to be asked."
If re-elected, Crichton said he plans to
scrutinize the Capital Improvement Plan
for Parks and Natural Resources.
"There's been a certain amount of
money set aside every year for capital ex-
penditures for parks," he said. "1 think
maybe we can't afford that much money
each year.'
Crichton said he routinely seeks ways
to increase public participation in city
government, which is why he'd like the
council's work sessions to be televised on
cable in the same way official meetings
are broadcast.
"I'm trying to look into whether there
are any new or modified ordinances or
state statutes that could give our Police
Department more tool , he said.
�+.sA I3.14i' 4 *.s t k 4-41-NIOAtirce
Gary
Dukes
Address:
2525 Williams
Drive, #148
Age: 36
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in sociolo-
gy and religion
from the University of Iowa
Employment -profession: Computer
hardware and software retailer
Family: Wife, Carla; 2 children
Years in city: 9
Organizations and memberships:
Recently served on the Safety Committee
of the Burnsville Partnerships for To-
morrow project; served on the 1988
Burnsville Planning Task Force; charter
member of St. Mary Magdalene Luther-
an Church; involved in DFL party poli-
tics, including having served as precinct
chairperson
Looking over the field ofcandidates for
Burnsville City Council, Gary Dukes sees
a void he can fill_
"I don't see them saying a lot about
public safety," he said. "But I see people
in the Partnerships -for -Tomorrow poll
talking a lot about crime, so I want to un-
derline that issue very heavily."
Public safety should be the top priori-
ty of city government, Dukes said.
"Having lived in Burnsville for over
nine years, I feel less safe now than when
I first moved here. I will work for a safer
city," he said. "The Burnsville City Coun-
cil voted to cut more than a fourth of the
Police Department's training funds in
1991. From 1992 to 1993, the number of
crimes in Burnsville increased 14.4 per-
cent."
Dukes supports an increase in police
training funding and neighborhood polic-
ing, and he would push for a police gun
range at City Hall.
"I think we can get a police gun range
without increasing taxes," he said.
"There is a forfeiture fund that is avail-
able to the city for police training and
there are sufficient funds in there, I be-
lieve, to build that."
Dukes recently helped write the vision
statement for the city's Partnerships for
Tomorrow Safety Committee.
"In part, it states, 'Our community
will not tolerate violence or crime.' City
government and citizens can do what the
safety committee has recommended, in-
cluding establishing city-wide neighbor-
hood safety groups, an additional police
liaison at the high school and a city-wide
information program for everyone."
Dukes did not support the $12.9 mil-
lion community center and parks refer-
endum.
"The defeat of the $13 million tax in-
crease was a positive move," he said. 'It
shows that citizens are not ready to in-
crease taxes by millions of dollars."
Although Dukes does not think a city -
owned community center is necessary, he
supports community efforts to build a
YMCA.
"I've contributed financially to that, as
have many others," he said.
"I think that would be a very good idea
and a very positive contribution to
Burnsville."
He does not call for new parks, con-
centrating instead on "keeping and mak-
ing existing ones safe," he said.
Businesses can be attracted to the city
by keeping taxes and crime low, Dukes
said.
"One way to balance the needs of busi-
ness and residential neighborhoods is to
carefully develop the relatively small
amount of undeveloped land left in
Burnsville," he said.
A twice -endorsed DFL candidate for
the State House of Representatives,
Dukes said his party affiliation could be
a plus for Burnsville.
"I believe that it would be beneficial to
have a DFLer such as myself on the
Burnsville City Council," he said. "The
council would have a majority party
member to lobby the majority party mem-
bers of the Legislature."
Jeff
Gerbino
Address:
10804 Hayes
Drive
Age: 41
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in commu-
nication from
the State University of New York
Employment -profession: Stand-up
comedian
Family: Wife, Jean; 2 children
Years in city: 5
Organizations and memberships:
Burnsville -Eagan Cable Commission
Although he makes his living making
people laugh, comedian Jeff Gerbino is
straight-faced about his candidacy for
Burnsville City Council.
"Believe me, you don't sign up for a
minimum of 26 meetings and probably
another 26 more workshops unless you're
serious about what you're doing," he said.
After unsuccessfully seeking appoint-
ment to both the Burnsville Planning
Commission and the Burnsville Parks
and Natural Resources Commission,
Gerbino decided to appeal directly to vot-
ers,
"I've tried to present myself to [the
City Council] in as many ways as possi-
ble," he said. "So, in a sense, I think I
haven't been allowed to be as big of a part
of the community as I've wanted to be.. .
.In order for my voice to be heard, I have
to get on that City Council.'
Gerbino said he's "diametrically op-
posed" to much of what the City Council
has done. His would be a voice of "cre-
ative, intelligent dissent" from an "aver-
age homeowner," he said.
"I don't think there's an average per-
son sitting on the City Council right now,"
he said. "I see so many City Council mem-
bers bragging about their business ties.
To me, this is a conflict -of -interest area.
What if one of your friends is walking up
there with a project?"
Developers get their way too often in
Burnsville, Gerbino said.
"[Real estate] is a speculative busi-
ness," he said. "What the people coming
in to City Council are saying is, 'It's a
guaranteed investment. I'm entitled to
develop it when 1 want, where I want,
how I want.' If that's true, than the City
Council doesn't need to exist. They should
just rubber stamp any development."
Gerbino doesn't want Burnsville to be-
come "just another sprawling suburban
mass of mini -malls and fast-food restau-
rants." He would pursue head -of -house-
hold jobs, not minimum -wage ones.
"I'm not against intelligent develop-
ment," he said
On the other hand, "I don't want to
build this city up," he said. "I don't want
to make it Minneapolis, and I don't think
other people who live here do, either.
There's no voice saying that."
Gerbino has been critical of the money
the city has spent on trying to woo eco-
nomic development.
"I don't think we need to be that proac-
tive," he said.
He voted against the 1993 community
center referendum.
"It was a decent idea, but I don't think
it should have come up in an off-year elec-
tion," he said. "I didn't like the way they
were trying to sneak it under the rug."
And the pricetag was too high for peo-
ple to stomach, he said.
"That was a stop -spending -my -money
vote," he said.
Gerbino said he'd be a strong opponent
of further development of the Minneapo-
lis -St. Paul International Airport and of
Minneapolis Rep. Myron Orfield's legis-
lation.
"The bill was basically a suburban ver-
sion of the failed inner city policies of the
'60s and '70s," he said.
An advocate of greater participation in
local government, Gerbino would propose
installing open phone lines during City
Council meetings so that home cable
viewers could ask questions during the
meetings, he said.
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publicat onsIOctober 26, 1994 - 70
VOTER'S GUIDE
Burnsville City Council Race —
Continued
Deborah
Moran
Address:
13604 Fourth
Ave. S.
Age: 43
Education:
Two years at
Oregon State
University
Employment -profession: Adminis-
trative assistant for Northwestern Mutu-
al Life
Family: Husband, Tom; 2 children
Years in city: 18
Organizations and memberships:
Active in Independent -Republican poli-
tics since 1987, including serving as
precinct chairperson and district chair-
person; member of Saints Martha and
Mary Episcopal Church
Although Deborah Moran's interest in
running for Burnsville City Council is
broad -based, she said one of her primary
concerns is taxes.
"I'm a tried-and-true Republican," she
said. "1 like to keep the taxes down."
Since real income is decreasing while
taxes are increasing, the city needs to
tighten its belt, she said.
"People on fixed incomes and our
workers hit by downsizing may have to
sell their homes because they cannot af-
ford to live here," she said, "We need to
look long and hard at where these taxes
are going."
The City Council has done "a fairly
good job" at managing the city's money,
Moran said. "but I think there are ways
to trim the budget.
"I think we should probably look at
staff at City Hall, and I know they don't
want me to say that, but how much are
their salaries? Companies are downsiz-
'7rig. TheYre looking at ways to stream-
line."
Moran would lobby to reduce the
amount of money the city pays into the
metropolitan fiscal disparities pool.
"Can we return to Burnsville some of
the millions of dollars in taxes we are
compelled to give to such 'poverty pock-
ets' as the city of North Oaks?" Moran
asked.
"They don't need our money."
Moran sees a need for more business-
es to increase the city's tax base. She
would consider rezoning some light -in-
dustrial land at Southcross Corporate
Center to commercial.
"I don't know if we're going to get a
Sperry or a Microsoft or whatever in
there," she said. "Meanwhile, the people
are paying high taxes and losing their
land."
The city needs to "listen to the private
developers," Moran said.
"1 have always been a proponent of the
private sector. They do it better and more
efficiently than government," she said.
Moran deemed the 1993 community
center referendum too expensive, al-
though she is open to the possibility of a
parks referendum, she said.
Knocking on doors while campaigning,
Moran said she's discovered crime is a big
concern in Burnsville. A former
Burnsville apartment complex manager,
Moran would expand the Neighborhood
Watch program and push for more com-
munication between police and complex
managers.
"I've talked with police officers, and
they say most of the calls are coming from
the multi -unit dwellings," she said. "I was
a leasing agent at one time and I know
there's pressure to make sure the apart-
ments are full. But you can't take anyone
with a pulse. You have to check them out.
I think the police can help train people."
Moran said her qualifications include
being a wife, a mother, a homeowner and
an employee with heavy contact with the
public.
"I think I'd bring a fresh approach,"
she said. "I think I'm straightforward
enough. I'm not a career politician. I have
experience from my work and family. I
could come to compromises. I think I
could do the job, and I'd be committed.
And I'd be a very good ambassador for
Burnsville." •
Daniel
St. Onge
Address:
13501 Park -
wood Lane
Age: 39
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in business
administration from North Dakota State
University
Employment -profession: Co-owner
of Twin City Truck Equipment Inc. of
Lakeville
Family: Wife, Caroline; one daughter
Years in city: 8
Organizations and memberships:
Served five years on Burnsville Planning
Commission; has been active with Com-
munity Theatre of Burnsville; member of
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church; past
member of Rotary and Kiwanis clubs
Daniel St. Onge makes one promise re-
peatedly during his campaign speeches.
If elected, he said, he'll say what needs
to be said for the good of the city, whether
it's politically popular or not.
"I won't dilly-dally," he said. "I truly
am open-minded, but once I make a deci-
sion, I'm not afraid to take the heat for
that decision."
He's outspoken about his years on the
Burnsville Planning Commission and his
disagreement with the City Council. He
did not seek reappointment to that com-
mission when his term expired.
"It was a way of saying to the council
that I did not appreciate how I personal-
ly was treated," he said. "They did not
take our advice and our recommenda-
tions very seriously."
In several cases, traffic management
was an issue. St. Onge thinks the City
Council has merely delayed the in-
evitable in turning down developments
such as Wal-mart and the Don Woodward
sub -division proposal in southwest
Burnsville.
"Everybody wants to live on a cul-de-
sac, but everybody wants to get to work
on time," he said. "Nobody wants cars to
go in front of their house. Some of us have
to have cars go in front of the house.
Somebody has to have the guts to say,
-Sorry, that road is going to have traffic.'"
While chairperson of the Planning
Commission, St. Onge said he tried to
keep the debate focused on the facts.
"What I did on the Planning Commis-
sion was highlight what the issue was
and try to take away the fringe stuff," he
said. "It did cause me to appear to be in-
sensitive about certain people. But I kept
reminding people that our function was
to evaluate and screen a particular pro-
ject.'
St. Onge would address senior and
low-income housing needs by down -zon-
ing apartment lots to townhome and con-
dominium usage and encouraging single-
family dwellings in the $70,000 to
$80,000 range.
"1 think our (housing] inventory needs
to reflect the entire community, not just
the affluent," he said.
The city must encourage quality busi
ness development to equitably share the
tax base with residents, St. Onge said.
On the controversial issue of a com-
munity center, St. Onge has no regrets for
his backing of a 1993 referendum, al-
though, in retrospect, he would have sep-
arated the community center issue from
the parks improvement issue, he said.
"We need space for community groups
to meet in this city," St. Onge said. "It's
24-hours-a-day now using every space in
the community."
If elected, St. Onge said he'll be able to
"get beyond some of the politics that have
been played" in the City Council .
"What do we want in our politicians?"
St. Onge asks. "Do we want someone who
has the fortitude to make a tough deci-
sion when it's necessary, or are we going
to kowtow to everybody who complains?
You have to remember we're represent-
ing 52,000 people, not the 50 or 100 that
are coming in and making the effort to
complain on a certain issue. Let's make
the decision based on what's good for
Burnsville."
Re -Elect Bob
Jensen
Count Commissioner
For today's children and our
children's tomorrow .. .
D - S
E
D
I
C
A
T
E
D
I
N
C
L`.
R
E
CONSERVATIVE
EXPERIENCED:
When it comes to experience in public service, few candidates can compare
to the record of Lakeville resident Bob Jensen. From State Representative to
City Council Member to Township Board Chair. Now County Commissioner
Bob Jensen has established a dedicated career of service for the residents of
Lakeville and Dakota County.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
• No Multimillion Dollar Garbage Burner
• Third Lane Being Constructed on 35W
• Traffic Control Signal at Dodd Road & Highway 50
• Reconstruct Highway #50
• Helped Obtain 4.6 Million Dollars Federal Aid For Construction Of Co. Rd.
46 & 35W Interchange
Pad for Ay Ur k,s-a VoI uwerr Cr+nm,i • Ma 29 • lakevdk, MN 35(M4.
/Y� p e PAIL) AL)VERTISEME�T
cee Eileen
Tompkins,
State Representative 36A
Service
Experience
Leadership
Pre¢iedmet paid far rmg. ac:: ..,gralei tyJa.looms kw Tompkins. Eton Roman Treawrct.405Reflection Ro. Al 55121
BD - "94 Vot&Pdnnssola Sun Publications/October 26, 1994
VOTER'S GUIDE
Dakota County Commissioner Fourth District
The Fourth District Dakota County Board of Commissioners race is be-
tween a one -term incumbent and an Inver Grove Heights resident who has
been active in his community. The district includes Inver Grove Heights and
the southern third of Eagan, including precincts 12-16 and 18-20. The election
is for a four-year term.
Dee
Richards
Address:
4734 Ridge Wind
Trail, Eagan
Age: 46
Employ-
ment -profes-
sion: Regis-
tered nurse
Education: Bachelor's degree, Uni-
versity of Illinois in Chicago; master of
science degree, University of Minnesota.
Years in county: 19
Dee Richards, just finishing up her
first term as Dakota County's Fourth Dis-
trict commissioner on the County Board,
says she's just begun to accomplish much
of what she set out to do as a commis-
sioner.
The garbage incinerator issue, one of
the central issues of her campaign, has
been resolved as she had hoped: The
county is finding other ways to dispose of
garbage. And the board is now more ac-
cessible. Its members recently began
broadcasting their meetings on cable
television, and occasionally meet during
the evenings, rather than always during
the day. She's also invited residents in
her district to meetings to hear what they
have to say on issues, and acted as a host
for a cable show on the county budget.
She says her background as a nurse
not only gives her expertise in the health
care field, but also gives her listening
skills and time -management skills that
are valuable for her as a board member.
Richards calls herself an independent
board member who doesn't align herself
with other board members, and who at-
tempts to talk to people with different
points of view to help her make her deci-
sions.
"I vote on issues, and the merit of the
issues," she said.
She expects juvenile crime to be an
issue that will be addressed in part by the
new juvenile detention center Dakota
County officials hope to build in coopera-
tion with other counties.
But she said that should be supple-
mented by more prevention efforts un-
dertaken along with schools and commu-
nities.
She has been increasingly involved in
state health care and welfare reform,
having served on county and state com-
mittees on the topics, and has been in-
volved in many other community activist
groups.
She also keeps a close watch on the
budget, she said.
She is concerned that the county is re-
imbursed for providing additional ser-
vices, and that the costs aren't shifted to
county government. And a part of watch-
ing the budget is pursuing other sources
of revenue for the county, such as at-
tempts to increase insurance reimburse-
ment for mental health services the coun-
ty provides.
She said during her first term the
county has rearranged some accounts to
save money, and cut insurance costs by
$800,000 by switching from a self-insur-
ance program for county employees to a
managed care system.
Other up -and -com ing issues include
light -rail transit, which she said should
not leave out the surrounding suburbs.
James
Mueller
Address:
7800 Boyd Ave.
E., Inver Grove
Heights
Age: 54
Employ-
ment -profes-
sion: Printing
company owner
Education: High school and training
in graphic arts
Family: Wife, three grown children
Years in district: 54
James Mueller said his lifelong resi-
dence in the area, experience as a busi-
ness owner, Inver Grove Heights plan-
ning commissioner and leader in local
groups such as the Lion's Club, Chamber
of Commerce, Moose Lodge and snowmo-
bile club make him a good choice for
Fourth District commissioner.
As a printing company owner, he has
experience dealing with unions, handling
a budget, and with health, welfare, work-
er's compensation and regulations. He's
run his company for the last 25 years, he
said, and has dealt with those issues
closely.
And as an active community member,
he said he's shown leadership. He orga-
nized Inver Grove Heights Days, back
when it was a larger festival, and has
served in a number of positions, including
as a deputy district governor for Lion's
International. Within Inver Grove
Heights, he has served on the Planning
Commission and park board, and has
served as a justice of the peace.
As a commissioner, he said he would
concentrate on juvenile crime issues, the
budget, and issues that affect his district.
On juvenile crime, he said the deten-
tion center, for which the county has ap-
plied for a grant, is only a start. He said
the county should pull together with
cities in the area to establish preventive
measures.
He said he believes in the importance
of a strong family unit and support for
youth and education. And at the other
end of the spectrum, he is concerned
about senior citizens and "upholding
their right to maintain a good life," he
said.
In his own district, he would like to see
roads in Eagan improved, would like a
new library in Inver Grove Heights, and
would like to have input on opening a new
county service center in the northern part
of the county. He is concerned about air-
craft noise over the county, and advocates
the county's active involvement in the
airport planning process.
He also says he supports recycling and
composting programs, and will "strive to
inform taxpayers of new ideas that devel-
op in the environmental protection
arena."
He said his experience managing a
budget will also help.
And he'd like to see the county help
with road projects to alleviate trans-
portation problems in Eagan, especially
the east -west roads in the northern part
of the city.
He said he'd work to develop Tong -term
solutions, and to be flexible.
"I'm willing to listen and tough enough
to act," he said.
DON'T
FORGET.
NOVEMBER 8.
First Judicial District Court Race
Four judge's seats are up for election for the First Judicial District Court
this fall. Robert Carolan, appointed in 1987; George Hoey, appointed in 1981;
and Leslie Metzen, appointed in 1986, are running unopposed. Jean Davies,
appointed in 1993, is facing competition from Leo Brisbois. The following in-
formation on Brisbois and Davies was taken from a questionnaire the Sun.
Current sent to them. Judges are elected to six -year terms.
Dakota County residents also will vote for two state Court of Appeals
judges. Candidates are James Harten, who is running unopposed. Incumbent
Fred Norton is being challenged by Roger Peterson.
Leo
Brisbois
Address:
1047 Humming-
bird Lane, Ea-
gan
Age: 33
Education:
Hemline Uni-
versity School
of Law, cum laude, 1987; Hemline Law
Review, 1986-87; Hamline University,
B.A., magna cum laude, 1984; Minnesota
state teacher's license holder since 1984.
Employment -profession: Attorney
Family: Wife
Years in the judicial district: 3
Organizations: Minnesota State Bar
Association; Minnesota Defense Lawyers
Association; Editorial Committee,
MDLA; Minnesota American Indian Bar
Association; American Arbitrators Asso-
ciation; Fort Snelling Officers' Club; past
volunteer for collegiate and high school
mock trial competitions; former member
Minnesota Federation of Teachers.
Government experience: Experi-
enced in working effectively within large
bureaucratic organizations through sev-
eral years of military service both on ac-
tive duty and in the Army Reserve. "I pos-
sess a solid understanding of the judicial
process and workplace through experi-
ence as a staff member with the Min-
nesota Court of Appeals,"
Brisbois is running for office because
"the founders of our state set out in the
Constitution that District Court judges
were to be elected by voters just the same
as other offices in state government," he
wrote.
However, some people have been able
to get a seat on the bench through ap-
pointments.
While the process "was only meant to
be a tool to temporarily fill vacancies on
the court until the voters could elect a
judge for the seat at the next general elec-
tion," those appointed are rarely chal-
lenged, he said.
Therefore, Brisbois is running to give
voters a choice on the ballot.
Issues he sees facing the courts in the
next 10 years include the increasing
numbers of criminal and civil cases and
the need for courts to "foster public
awareness and understanding for just
how and why our legal system functions
the way it does."
To handle the increasing court load,
Brisbois said the courts will be required
to "continue to pursue the delicate bal-
ance between expeditious handling of
cases and making sure the people are pro-
vided with a full and fair opportunity to
have their disputes resolved according to
the law."
The courts will have to continue devel-
oping new "or alternative procedures to
resolve cases as expeditiously as possible
without minimizing or sacrificing the im-
portant and basic fundamental rights for
which this country serves as an example
to the world."
Jean
Davies
Address:
538 Westwood
Lane, Chaska
Age: 41
Education:
B.A., Universi-
ty of Minnesota, 1974; J.D., Wil-liam
Mitchell College of Law, 1979
Employment -profession: District
Court judge
Family: Husband, 5 children
Years in First Judicial District: 8
Organizations: Minnesota State Bar
Association, District Court Judges Asso-
ciation.
Government experience: Assistant
county attorney, 1980-1993; District
Court judge, 1993 to present, serving the
First Judicial District Court of Dakota,
Goodhue, Scott, Carver, Sibley, McLeod,
and LeSeuer counties.
After being appointed to the bench in
1993, Davies is running for a six -year
term because the election "provides the
people of the district with an opportunity
to review the qualifications of the incum-
bent and the challenger to determine the
most qualified candidate for the bench."
Her "strong background" in govern-
ment, which includes all aspects of civil
law, family issues and juvenile matters,
"well prepared me for the bench."
Since her appointment, she has been
the Juvenile Court judge in Scott County,
and has handled "all types of civil and
criminal matters throughout the dis-
trict."
As a judge and a lawyer, Davies said
her approach "has been based on a com-
mon sense application of the law."
During the next 10 years, the growth
in the counties "will necessitate an effi-
cient, organized approach by the criminal
justice system and the local government,"
Davies said.
"The increase in juvenile crime and
family violence will place increasing bur-
dens on the system, and the courts have
to be prepared, in advance, to deal with
these problems."
The justice system also has to see itself
as a service industry, Davies said.
To meet these changes, Davies said,
"Experience on the bench is the most ef-
fective way to maintain consistency and
fairness in the context of the changes fac-
ing these growing counties."
Major issues facing judges include:
family issues, juvenile crime and violent
crime.
To address these issues, Davies said
she will 'faithfully and impartially per-
form the duties of my office according to
the laws of Minnesota."
If elected, Davies said she will "contin-
ue to work hard to improve the adminis-
tration of justice and the legal system."
VOTE!
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun r 26. 1994 - 90
VOTER'S GUIDE
Dakota County Sheriff Race —
Dakota County Sheriff Rod Boyd is not seeking re-election after serving
five terms as county sheriff and another 14 years in the department. A Sept.
13 primary whittled the number of candidates to succeed him from six to two.
Of the four candidates who lost in the primary, Michael Marben and Glen
Miller now endorse Burnsville Detective Sgt. Charles Deutschmann, while
Lynus Bloedow endorses Lakeville Police Chief Don Gudmundson. Ery M.
Paulson said he is not taking a position on the race.
The Dakota County sheriff is responsible for an $8.5 million annual bud-
get and supervises 150 employees. The term of office is four years.
Charles D.
Deutschmann
Address:
1002 E. 156th
St., Burnsville
Age: 46
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree from Win-
ona State Col-
lege; attended the International Associa-
tion Chiefs of Police Management Train-
ing for four years
Employment -profession: Detective
sergeant, Burnsville Police Department
Family: Wife, Nancy; 3 children
Years in county: 25
Charles Deutschmann points to his
decades of law enforcement experience in
Dakota County as one of his strong qual-
ifications for running for sheriff.
As a 25-year employee of the
Burnsville Police Department,
Deutschmann said he's served in all posi-
tions in the department at some point, in-
cluding multiple occasions as acting -chief
in the chiefs absence. He's been in su-
pervisory roles since 1972, and has
served on many county -wide special pro-
jects.
"I've grown up with the law enforce-
ment in this county," he said. "I've
worked with virtually every law enforce-
ment department in the county and most
of the police chiefs. I have a deep knowl-
edge of the county and a strong work
ethic."
Deutschmann was Burnsville's Police
Officer of the Year in 1991. The same
year, the Minnesota Police and Peace Of-
ficers Association awarded him honor-
able mention in its officer -of -the -year
competition.
As a detective sergeant, Deutschmann
reviews all police activity and police re-
ports, supervises detectives, makes deci-
sions on personnel assignments and as-
sists with budget development, special
projects, and procedural issues.
If elected, Deutschmann said he'd es-
tablish a Citizens Crime Commission
whose members would assist the county
in deciding haw to best allocate its crime -
fighting resources.
"I believe the citizens should tell the
law enforcement community what needs
to be done, rather than the law enforce-
ment community telling the citizens," he
said. "Their priorities may very well be
mutual, but let's find out."
Deutschmann would pursue more
multi -jurisdictional task forces such as
the South Metro Drug Task Force, which
pools the knowledge and resources of per-
sonnel from several police departments
to target specific drug cases. Other task
forces could tackle areas such as welfare
fraud and credit-card fraud, he said.
Deutschmann would like to see the
sheriffs department become more of a
catalyst for communication among coun-
ty police departments so that work isn't
duplicated. He described a recent case
where the Burnsville and Apple Valley
police departments were trying to find
the same suspect.
"My experience as a working officer
shows me there is limited communication
among departments," he said. "The sher-
iff could provide assistance in that area."
Deutschmann said he'd push for a
county forensic evidence collection pro-
gram, an area that has become increas-
ingly critical to investigations as DNA
testing plays a larger part in trials.
Noting his years in the county,
Deutschmann said his "aspirations and
goals have been and will continue to be in
Dakota County. I'm not using the office as
a stepping stone to anywhere else."
He said he has a reputation among his
peers for being a supervisor who gets
things done by inspiring the best in oth-
ers.
Dan
Gudmundson
Address:
17905 Jaguar
Path, Lakeville
Age: 46
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree from Con-
cordia College,
Moorhead; graduate of the Detroit Police
Academy and the Illinois Bureau of In-
vestigation Agent Academy
Employment -profession: Lakeville
Police chief
Family: Wife, Merry; 3 children
Years in county: 5
Don Gudmundson said he's always
made an attempt to speak out on crime
topics in an effort to inform and educate
the public about police issues.
Although critics sometimes fault him
for being too visible in the press, the
Lakeville Police chief is unapologetic
about his style.
"I'm doing it right," he said. "This is
how it is supposed to be done, so I don't
think it's fair to criticize someone for
doing his job.
"I just want to be available to my citi-
zens, and being available to the press is
part of being available to citizens."
Gudmundson said he'd be a visible, ac-
cessible sheriff.
"I think it's important for citizens of
this county to know what the sheriffs de-
partment is all about," he said.
Gudmundson said his experience as a
sheriff in another Minnesota county
would be invaluable as Dakota County
sheriff. He was sheriff of Fillmore Coun-
ty in 1978 and was re-elected in 1982 and
1986.
While in that position, he ran one of
the only local jail industries in the coun-
try, a woodworking shop. He also started
one of the first drug task forces in Min-
nesota and served as coordinator of the
Southeastern Drug Task Force in
Rochester. He knows how to plan a bud-
get and supervise people, he said.
"I've made the hard decisions," he said.
While serving as Fillmore County
sheriff, he taught a senior -level criminal
justice course at Winona State Universi-
ty for seven years.
Prior to his sheriff's experience, Gud-
mundson worked as a police officer and
homicide detective in Detroit. He left that
position to become a special agent with
the Illinois Bureau of Investigation. His
work history has given him experience in
rural, urban and suburban settings, he
said.
If elected sheriff, Gudmundson said
he'd first focus on the fundamentals, such
as making sure solid investigations are
conducted and that the department con-
ducts its business in a courteous and po-
lite way, he said.
"That's one thing I'm known for and
that people around me know is very im-
portant to me," he said,
Gudmundson said he'd focus on career
criminals as an area where the sheriffs
department could use its resources to
help coordinate law enforcement activi-
ties. In each community, there are usual-
ly a handful of repeat offenders who take
up considerable police time. As a support
organization, the sheriff's department
could assist in tracking them, he said.
Also, Gudmundson would like to dedi-
cate an officer's time to the Federal Fugi-
tive Task Force. As the third -largest
county in the state, Dakota County needs
to commit personnel to the project. The
fourth• and fiRh-largest counties already
do, he said. "I think it's time for us," he
said.
Gudmundson is the current president
of the Dakota County Chiefs of Police As-
sociation and a member of the Communi-
ty Corrections Advisory Board.
Dakota County Attorney Race —
Dakota County residents will decide between Jim Backstrom, who has 17
years of experience as the county's attorney, and challenger Mike Maher, an
Eagan attorney, in the November election for the Dakota County Attorney
position. The following are the profiles of the candidates and what they per-
ceive as the county's most critical issues.
James
Backstrom
Address:
Inver Grove
Heights
Age: 41
Education:
Graduate of
University of
Minnesota -Du-
luth and William Mitchell College of Law
Employment -profession: Dakota
County Attorney
Family: Wife, Mary Beth; son, Craig;
daughter, Annalise
Years in county: 20
James Backstrom offers more than 17
years experience in the Dakota County
Attorney's office, besides having served
on numerous county, state and national
committees.
"1 am seeking re-election because of
my continuing desire and commitment to
effectively and efficiently prosecute
crime, protect those in need and manage
the legal affairs of the county," Back-
strom said.
A growing juvenile crime rate and the
need for secure detention for those juve-
niles is the major issue facing the county,
Backstrom said. In response to those is-
sues, Backstrom has helped develop two
juvenile programs aimed at increasing
awareness and accountability among
first-time juvenile offenders. Those pro-
grams both received national achieve-
ment awards.
Backstrom is the current president of
the Minnesota County Attorney's Associ-
ation. He also is a member of the Nation-
al District Attorney's Association, where
he serves on several committees. His
credits also include past president of the
First District Bar Association.
His management duties have not kept
him out of the courtroom, however. Since
1988, he has personally tried five major
criminal cases which involved murder,
attempted murder, rape, kidnapping and
assault. All but one of these resulted in a
conviction. He has presented major crim-
inal cases to the Dakota County Grand
Jury.
Backstrom sees himself as an agent for
change.
"I have been active in proposing leg-
islative changes to strengthen and im-
prove Minnesota Law," Backstrom said.
As a result, changes in the law have re-
sulted in the areas of domestic abuse,
baby -shaking, victims' rights, drunken
driving, probation violations and sex
crimes, he said.
He also joined forces with the county
Sheriffs Department to address welfare
fraud, an effort that tripled the number of
welfare fraud prosecutions in the last
three years, he said.
Backstrom characterizes the role of
county attorney as a person who must
possess the proper balance of leadership
skills, management experience and legal
expertise to adequately address the
broad duties of the job.
"The county attorney must be a leader,
possess common sense and intelligence,
be hardworking and responsible. My
record demonstrates that I have all of
those qualities," Backstrom said.
Mike
Mayer
Address:
Eagan
Age: 34
Education:
Graduate of St.
Mary's College
in Winona and
Hamline Uni-
versity Law School, St. Paul
Employment -profession: Partner
in the Grannis, Grannis, Hauge, Eide,
Anderson and Keller Law Firm
Family: Wife, Shannon; one daughter
Years in county: 8
Public confidence in the Dakota Coun-
ty Attorney's Office has been lost, said
Mike Mayer, who is challenging the in-
cumbent.
From August 1993 through mid -July
1994, 20 cases tried by jury in Dakota
County ended in nine acquittals, two
hung juries, three convictions for lesser
charges and six guilty -as -charged ver-
dicts, Mayer said.
"If I had that kind of track record as a
prosecutor, I would not retain my con-
tract. The public sector should not be dif-
ferent from private business," Mayer
said.
As prosecuting attorney for the cities
of Burnsville and Eagan, Mayer said he
has won a majority of the cases he has
tried over the past nine years as an at-
torney.
As a partner in a law firm which em-
ploys 24 people, Mayer is responsible for
managing the firm along with the other
partners.
Juvenile crime, especially violent
crimes, is the biggest issue facing they
county, he said.
"We have to treat juvenile crime seri-
ously. That means putting some fear of
consequences back into the system, work-
ing on prevention through education in
the schools, building a sense of communi-
ty and holding parents accountable when
they contribute toward the delinquency
of their kids," Mayer said.
The job of county attorney, Mayer said.
is to see that justice is done and that pee
ple are treated fairly. He criticizes the in
cumbent as being too media conscious.
'The role of the county attorney is to
administer the office in a professional
and fair fashion. It is not to oversee the
faxing of press releases or to conduct the
affairs of the office in the media," Mayer
said,
In addition, he said, the role involves
developing a mutual respect with law en-
forcement agencies, the County Board
of Commissioners and department
heads.
"Police officers need to feel confident
that their cases will be prosecuted fully,
fairly and quickly," Mayer said.
Mayer has received the endorsement
of Minnesota DRIVE (Democrat Republi-
can Independent Voter Education).
The Dakota County Bar Association
conducted a straw poll which resulted in
83 votes for Mayer and 74 votes for the in-
cumbent. The association is a volun-
tary association of 217 lawyers and
judges who live or practice in Dakota
County.
DON'T FORGET TO
Vote in the
Minnesota General Election
November 8 • Tarn-8pm
10D - '94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994
5te4 Shirley
errant
• Invest in K-12 educati
• Make taxes fairer and
reduce property taxes.
on.
• Fight crime with tough
sentences and prevention.
• Link economic aid wit
real job creation.
h
• Protect a woman's right to
choose.
7,14-ekoree, PM-044a*
Vevtaeot, An wed
DFL-Labor Endorsed
for 38A State Representative
Rep ant lit M the (lrant Vul„n,pa Committer. -119I Hilltop R-, Fagan 55123 Call 454-1266
AID ADVERTISEMENT
KING FOR SOLUTIONS
WOR
"Property tax relief and
education finance
reform, these are our
legislative priorities. Do
you agree? Then vote
on November 8th and
put me to work."
Join us in supporting
Jeff Renner for State
Representative.
• Minnesota Education Association
• Minnesota Federation of Teachers
• Minnesota Association of Professional Employees
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
• Minnesota AFL-CIO
• United Auto Workers
• Clean Water Action Alliance
• Sierra Club
• DFL Green Caucus
• DFL Feminist Caucus
• Democratic Farmer Labor Party
•
Imo
1 -
ID
VOTER'S GUIDE
Dakota County Commissioner District 6 Race —
Dakota County District 6 for county commissioner seats is made up of
Lakeville, Apple Valley Precinct 3 and Burnsville precincts 9 and 13. Com-
missioners are elected for four-year terms. The two people running for Coun-
ty Board commissioner in District 6 are Bob Jensen and Paul Krause.
Bob Jensen
Address:
17995 Flagstaff
Ave., Lakeville
Age: 65
Education:
35 years of pub-
lic service
Employ -
men t-profes-
sion: Harmer and
Family: Wife,
dren
county commissioner
Bernice, and 10 chil-
Bob Jensen has lived in Dakota Coun-
ty for 57 years. During that time he has
served on such civic organizations as the
Lions Club, Knights of Columbus and the
Lakeville Chamber of Commerce.
Jensen also has government experi-
ence on the Lakeville Township Board,
and as a City Council member and has
been the District 6 County Board com-
missioner for the past two years.
Jensen is running for re-election be-
cause he believes he has done a good job
in his last two years as District 6 county
commissioner.
When Dakota County was planning to
build a $160 million garbage burner at
taxpayers' expense, Jensen objected.
"Instead we are going to rely on pri-
vate industry to provide the necessary
processing facilities to properly dispose of
our waste in Dakota County."
Jensen said he also worked diligently
on several road projects such as the re-
construction of Highway 50 from Inter-
state 35 to Highway 3.
The third lane project currently under
construction on I-35W is also a project
Jensen fully supported and worked to
make a reality, he said.
"My previous experience as a City
Council person, mayor and state repre-
sentative have been helpful to no end in
accomplishing these most important
goals," he said.
Jensen's association with state and
local government officials is a strength
that he believes he can bring to the board.
In the coming years, Jensen would like
to work on developing a transit system
that would provide good transportation,
including a reliable system for those with
physical disabilities.
"Handicapped people need transporta-
tion provided," he said. "We ought to be
doing a better job with that. Those of us
who aren't handicapped, don't realize
what it's like to not be able to get around."
With the growing population and
crime rate, Jensen said there needs to be
better crime prevention and interven-
tion. He would like to create an interven-
tion program for youth to combat the ris-
ing crime rate.
Taxes is the most important issue fac-
ing Dakota County in the upcoming
years, Jensen said.
"We need to provide the needed ser-
vices to our residents and business people
while maintaining taxes at a reasonable
level," he said. To Jensen, the current
level the county is taxing its residents is
at a reasonable level.
The board recently authorized a 2.7
percent increase in taxes for next year
"and that's pretty reasonable," he said.
The county is being unreasonable
when it starts raising taxes 7 percent or
8 percent, he said.
Paul
Krause
Address:
18099 Judicial
Way N., Lake-
ville
Age: 52
Education:
University of
Iowa
Employment -profession: Owner of
Pinewood Golf Course
Family: Wife, Pamela, and three chil-
dren
Paul Krause's decision to run for elec-
tion stems from a need to give something
back to the community in which he's lived
for 25 years.
"I have seen it [Dakota County] grow
and develop into the finest county in the
state," he said.
"My sincere desire is to improve upon
what we have accomplished, so that the
Dakota County of tomorrow will be even
better than the Dakota County of today."
Although he doesn't have experience
in government, Krause believes that as a
golf course owner and 16 years as a pro-
fessional football player have given him
the strengths necessary to be a leader in
Dakota County.
Through Krause's career as a football
player, he learned how to work with a
team toward a common goal and the
value of dedication, self-discipline, and
leadership.
Krause's business has been a source of
good experience, he said.
"In 25 years of business, I've had to
meet a payroll, make and keep a budget,
do short- and Tong -term planning and mo-
tivate employees. I also have firsthand
knowledge of the impact that taxes and
government regulations can have on
business growth," he said.
"Greater cooperation and communica-
tion will be necessary with adjoining
counties, the cities of Dakota County, the
local school boards, and the various state
and federal agencies involved in the coun-
ty," he said.
Krause said infrastructure develop-
ment is an issue facing Dakota County.
With the growing population in the coun-
ty, there will be an increasing need for all
kinds of infrastructure, including water,
sewer, roads, transportation and waste
management.
Strengthening the cooperation be-
tween government entities would help
the long-term infrastructure planning
that must be done, Krause said.
As more people move into the area, law
enforcement is another area that needs to
be focused on, especially juvenile crime.
The focus can't be just on detention, it has
to be on crime and stress prevention as
well, he said.
However, Krause said the most impor-
tant issue in the upcoming years is taxes.
Dakota County needs to develop new in-
dustries and businesses to strengthen the
tax base, as well as support economic
growth in the area.
"Dakota County has done an excellent
job of providing services for minimal tax
dollars, but the challenges over the next
10 years will demand the ability to make
difficult, sometimes unpopular choices. I
can make those decisions," he said.
DON'T FORGET TG
■
Vote in the
Minnesota General Election
November 8.7am-8pm
'94 vote/'Minnesota Sun PublicationsrOctober 26, 1994 - 11 D
VOTER'S GUIDE
House District 41B Race —
Jeff Renner, DFL, is challenging Ken Wolf, IR, who is completing his first
term in the House of Representatives in District 41B. The district covers
northeast Burnsville, Savage, portions of southeastern Eden Prairie and
southern Bloomington.
Jeff Renner
Address:
12426 Palmer
Ave. Savage
Age: 33.
Education:
Accounting and
liberal arts de-
grees from Nor-
mandale Com-
munity College
Profession: Accountant for city of
Savage
Family: Married; three children
Endorsements: Democratic Farmer -
Labor Party; Minnesota Education Asso-
ciation; Minnesota Federation of Teach-
ers; Minnesota Association of Profession-
al Employees; AFSCME; AFL-CIO;
UAW; Clean Water Action Alliance; Sier-
ra Club; DFL Green Caucus; DFL Femi-
nist Caucus.
For Jeff Renner, running for House
District 41B started as a matter of prin-
cipal_
"Nobody bothered to file against this
person and nobody runs unopposed in my
book," he said.
He said he was asked to run and after
he looked into it, and discovered that Sav-
age, now Scott County's biggest city, has
never been home to a legislator.
He has used his vacation time to cam-
paign and has found that no matter
where he has knocked on doors or spoken
at community meetings, the No. 1 issue is
property taxes,
"This is a suburban district and people
are fed up with property taxes and so I
have focussed my efforts on learning
about education financing," said Renner.
He has concluded that the state needs
to pay a majority of the cost of education,
the largest user of property tax dollars.
"It's the state constitutional responsi-
bility and as such should be the highest
priority of state spending. The rest is
fluff," he said.
To increase the state's education pay-
ments — thus lower property tax bills —
Renner would decrease state aid to cities,
particularly "greater Minnesota" cities,
which have their schools and city
spending subsidized by metro -area tax-
payers.
He said he considers himself a conser-
vative DFLer and finds people in the dis-
trict want smaller government and less
programs. But at the same time, the state
continually hears from state residents
that they want more and more. "Since fil-
ing, I've been plagued with question-
naires from special interest groups and
they not only want the same level of fund-
ing, but more. A good legislator has to
know how to say 'no'," he said.
He can't imagine the Legislature ever
approving an airport move. "What would
you do with the current airport land?
Building a new airport seems like an aw-
fully expensive alternative to a noise
problem," he said.
He agreed that the metro area needs
the inner city to thrive, but using puni-
tive measures to urge more affordable
housing in the suburbs is the wrong way
to go. "We need incentives, not punish-
ment, to get that housing built," he said.
He said he has difficulties with black -
and -white labels on abortion positions. "I
don't feel criminalizing abortion will stop
them," he said. "But 1 would work on be-
half of preventing the need for abortion."
He said there may be an unofficial con-
tingent of suburban legislators trying to
organize into a voting bloc. That's a result
of suburban representatives feeling
alienated by greater Minnesota and city
voting blocs.
He said there isn't room for partisan-
ship, but rather everyone should be work-
ing together for fairness in taxes and
spending.
"I think we've reached a point where
the district could do more by electing a
conservative DFLer," said Renner. He
said his opponent has good points and
ideas but as a member of the minority
party, has been unable to have many of
his ideas put into action.
Ken Wolf
Address:
13319 Morgan
Ave. S., Burns-
ville
Age: 56
Education:
Bachelor of
arts, in mathe-
matics from
University of St. Thomas, cum laude
Profession: Computer consultant.
Family: Married; three grown chil-
dren, two grandchildren.
Endorsements: Independent -Repub-
lican Party; Teamsters; Minnesota
Chamber of Commerce; Care Providers of
Minnesota; Minnesota Police and Peace
Officers Association
For Ken Wolf, his two issues remain
what they were when he was first elected
to the state House as an IR in 1992 - the
state spends too much money and has too
much power centered in St. Paul.
"If I had my way, the state would
spend money on education, state crime is-
sues like on prisons and the State Patrol,
transportation, and in helping those who
can't help themselves," said Wolf.
He would like to discontinue the prac-
tice of the state subsidizing city budgets
and allow residents to decide local spend-
ing priorities and how much they want to
raise in property taxes. "The whole tax
system needs to be revised," he said.
While the state should operate social
programs, Wolf hopes the Legislature
will once again examine a bill killed last
year by parliamentary maneuvering in-
volving right to life issues. He said it was
connected to the welfare reform bill.
"The welfare reform bill, which pro-
vided incentives to have recipients work
and dropped some income guidelines,
then stripped public medical benefits if
they earned certain levels of money," he
said. He characterized the legislation as
something "people who want to work
liked and people who didn't want to work
didn't like."
The bill was combined with one about
insuring "informed consent" when a
woman seeks an abortion. "I am pro -life,
but I didn't support combining the two
bills," he said.
Wolf believes the airport should stay
put.
"I think it's ludicrous to even think of
moving it," he said. "We have already
wasted millions studying the issue and
the cost of building a new airport is so
mind -boggling that I can't imagine it
being moved."
He said the tougher issues are runway
expansions at the current airport, an
issue he said he "has an open mind
about." He pointed to Bloomington build-
ing its infrastructure around the airport
and said it would be disastrous for the
city and its economy.
He said the biggest issue facing the
Legislature continues to be taxes and
spending and the need to slow growth in
state spending.
He doesn't see the productivity of
fledgling efforts to establish a suburban
coalition voting bloc. `That's the totally
wrong approach. Legislators shouldn't
form a coalition to fight one another."
He said Myron Orfield legislation,
which calls for having outlying suburbs
build more affordable housing, takes the
wrong tack by punishing those cities that
don't meet guidelines rather than re-
warding those that do.
He said his experience as a first -term
legislator hasn't been what he had ex-
pected. "I'm kind of disappointed at the
party bickering and grandstanding that
goes on. When it's one-on-one working it
goes well, but there are an awful lot of
strictly party line votes," Wolf said.
He pointed to his continued votes
against tax increases, work on ensuring a
temporary third lane is built on Inter-
state 35W, and securing the final funding
for the Bloomington Ferry Bridge as the
accomplishments of which he is most
proud.
House District 38A Race —
First -term incumbent Tim Commers, Independent -Republican, is being
challenged by Shirley Grant, a member of the Democratic Farmer -Labor
Party who has been active in the party for years.
The district covers the northeast portion of Burnsville, most of the north-
ern and western part of Eagan, and Mendota Heights, Lilydale and Mendota
to the north.
Tim
Commers
Address:
3005 Woodlark
Lane, Eagan
Age: 28
Education:
B.A., St. Olaf
College
Employ-
ment -profession: Real-estate agent
Family: Single
Years in district: 16
Endorsements: Independent -Repub-
lican Party of Minnesota, the Chamber of
Commerce, the Minnesota Police and
Peace Officers, and the Minnesota Med-
ical Association
Tim Commers says he's running for
re-election for the same reason he ran for
the state House of Representatives, at
age 26, in the first place: Government is
too big. Minnesota has the eighth -highest
tax rate in the nation, said Commers, and
the tax burden is just too high.
With that principle guiding him, he
plans to oppose fully implementing Min-
nesota's universal health care plan. He
says it could have an annual price tag of
$100 million if approved as planned, even
while about 85 percent of the Min-
nesotans have good health care coverage,
and about 8 percent do not have coverage
at all.
He said he can afford to vote his con-
science because politics is not a career for
him. He doesn't take political action com-
mittee money, and votes with his eyes
firmly on the bottom line.
He votes against most programs that
will increase taxes, even though the pro-
grams, like most programs, appear to be
worthy. "We've already got so many pro-
grams," he said.
He also believes in personal responsi-
bility, and that if the community or pri-
vate sector can do something better, the
government shouldn't get involved. "That
includes health care," he said.
On the subject of welfare reform, he
believes the government should, rather
than pay full benefits or none at all, sup-
plement poorer paying jobs to get people
back into the work force. He doesn't be-
lieve welfare benefits should be cut off
after a certain amount of time, because
children would only suffer.
He continues to support changes in
worker's compensation laws, an issue he
says is not exciting to most, but that he
estimates costs a person buying a new
home in Minnesota about $3,000 more
than if it were built in Wisconsin. Insur-
ance rules should be changed. and among
other things, those who have been in-
jured should stop receiving worker's com-
pensation benefits at retirement age,
rather than receiving them until death as
they do now, he said.
He believes the state ought to send a
message that it plans to get tough on
criminals also by improving on the "three
times your out" provision, refusing to
plea bargain crimes committed with
guns, and encouraging families to stay
together to provide more stable home
lives. A study conducted in Stillwater
prison, he said, found that most crimi-
nals grew up in single -parent homes, had
been abused, and as children felt they
had no one to talk to.
Shirley
Grant
Address:
4191 hilltop Point,
Eagan
Education:
B.A., College of
St. Catherine
Employ-
ment -profes-
sion: Hospital administrative assistant
Family: Two sons
Years in district: 14
Endorsements: Democratic Farmer -
Labor party, the Minnesota AFL/CIO,
Planned Parenthood, the Minnesota Ed-
ucation Association, the Minnesota Nurs-
es Association, the Minnesota Women's
Political Caucus, and the DFL Women's
Caucus
Shirley Grant went to a church meet-
ing not long ago, and a young woman's
speech touched her. The young woman
told her personal story, and ended it, say-
ing "see me, hear me, help me." That
speech has become a guide for Grant. She
wants to see and hear people, help them
achieve and give them access to opportu-
nities.
"I'm running to make a change," she
said. The state isn't doing enough for chil-
dren, and she'd like to change that. By
promoting more, better -paying jobs, by
helping small not large) businesses, by
providing more money for preschools,
schools and colleges, by helping fund day-
care services and more school programs,
she said the state could play a bigger role
in making citizens lives better.
Driving her ideas is the belief that
everyone needs self-esteem, and that gov-
ernment should be there to assist them if
they need it, to give them opportunities
and choices.
She is in favor of raising income taxes
to accomplish her goals, rather than tak-
ing money from other state programs or
from raising property taxes.
Her beliefs come from her personal ex-
periences — she's been a single mother,
she's worked in the health care field, at
3M, as a salesperson, and on political
campaigns, from local to presidential.
She's been with and without health in-
surance, put her children in public and
private schools, and had to rely on her
family for help, at times.
Grant says she was able to choose to
live in Eagan, and when she was in trou-
ble, she was able to rely on her family to
help her through the rough times. But not
everyone has those options, and she said
the state should help everyone to have
the same opportunities.
As a legislator, she said she would use
her "workaholic" nature and persistence
to get a lot done and her patience to lis-
ten, as she has done as a hospital volun-
teer, to voters.
She said she is also open minded,
and would be willing to consider any
issue.
If elected, she said she would work to
educate citizens, and to make public in-
formation available to everyone. She has
worked as a Spanish -English translator,
and believes that the government should
work through newspapers, brochures and
other community forums to educate the
public.
Emergency FoodShelf
Network, Inc.
Send your contributions to:
1400 - 12th Ave. N.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55413-1602
Helping the hungry
in your neighborhood
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12D —'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994
VOTER'S GUIDE
House District 38B Race
The first -term incumbent is unopposed in this district, which covers the
south and southeastern portion of Eagan and a swath of property in north-
east Apple Valle,
Tim
Pawlenty
Address:
732 Windmill
Court, Eagan
Age: 33
Education:
B.A., Universi-
ty of Minnesota,
and J.D., Uni-
versity of Minnesota
Employment -profession: Attorney
Family: Wife, one daughter
Years in district: 8
Endorsements: Minnesota Police
and Peace Officer's Association, the Min-
nesota Chambers of Commerce, and the
Minnesota Education Association. He re-
cently was awarded with the Guardian of
Small Business Award from the state's
National Federation of Independent
Business, Minnesota's largest small-busi-
ness group.
First -term Rep. Tim Pawlenty, an at-
torney, is running unopposed in his bid
for a second term. The freshman Inde-
pendent -Republican said he wants to be
re-elected because he has unfinished
business, including cracking down on
crime, preventing tax increases, reform-
ing the welfare system and drawing up
new government ethics laws.
In his first term, Pawlenty was named
Freshman Legislator of the Year by Poli-
tics in Minnesota newsletter, an honor he
attributes largely to leadership on the
successful government ethics bill of the
1994 session.
if re-elected, he plans to take on ethics
once again. crime, taxes and welfare re-
form.
Having had first-hand experience as a
criminal prosecutor in Hennepin County,
he says he decided the best way to deter
crime was to ensure that punishment
would be certain, swift and severe.
He said the justice system must be able
to process cases more quickly, and must
have the capacity and resources to incar-
cerate those who are convicted.
"The main thing is that people are
brought to trial as quickly as possible," he
said.
He said he will continue to support
Gov. Arne Carlson's no new taxes pledge.
"We're taxed enough," he said.
On welfare reform, he said that the
system should be changed so that able-
bodied welfare recipients are required to
work for benefits.
'"They should be willing to be trained,
willing to work, or willing to be cut off."
Also, he said, it's not too much to ask
that welfare recipients are socially re-
sponsible.
He said he's proud of his reputation as
a legislator who does his homework, and
said he wants to keep that intact. "Prepa-
ration is a big part of success," he said.
He said a lot of the laws approved go
unnoticed by the general population, and
some of those become the more difficult
decisions.
But for all decisions, he said, he applies
his attorney's skills for analysis, common
sense, and the traditional Republican
philosophy of individual freedom rather
than mandates or dictates.
"There are instances where it is appro-
priate for the government to intervene,"
he said, "but it must do so in a way that
empowers rather than issues orders."
Pawlenty had previous political expe-
rience as an Eagan City Council member,
and before that, a member of the Eagan
Advisory Planning Commission.
ARE YOU TIRED?
PAru AuvEr; i i �tb,iE?a
Tired of Government that doesn't listen?
Tired of property taxes going up?
Tired of business -as -usual polities?
It's Time for
New Ideas
It's Time for
New Solutions
Seed e
9411S Burnsville - 368
.Stale Refrwearettecie
IT'S TIME FOR A CANDIDATE
WHO LISTENS!
ON NOVEMBER 8TH VOTE FOR MIKE STONE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
House District 37A Race —
District 37A House Representative Dennis Ozment is unopposed during this
year's election. The Independent -Republican candidate has been in office for
10 years.
Dennis
Ozment
Address:
3275 145th St.
E., Rosemount
Age: 49
Education:
University of
Minnesota,
Metropolitan
Community College
Employment -profession: Fire cap-
tain, Minneapolis Fire Department
Family: Wife, 2 children
Years lived in District: 49
Organizations/memberships: Lions
Club; American Legion; Vietnam Veter-
ans of America; Ducks Unlimited; Min-
nesota United Snowmobilers Association;
Minnesota Conservation Federation;
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce - Rose-
mount, Farmington, Cannon Falls Chap-
ters - "Waste Wise" State advisory com-
mittee; Southern Dakota County Sports-
man's Club; Firefighters Local 82 •
AFIJCIO; Minnesota Fire Marshals As-
sociation; Stop Our Airport Relocation;
Young Entrepreneurs of America
Endorsements: Sierra Club,
AFL/CIO of Minnesota, Teamsters (Min-
nesota DRIVE), Minnesota Education As-
sociation, Minnesota Federation of
Teachers, AFSCME (American Federa-
tion of State, County and Municipal Em-
ployees), Minnesota Police and Peace Of-
ficers Association, Police Officers Federa-
tion of Minneapolis, Minnesota Chiro-
practic Association
Government experience: Minneso-
ta state representative for 10 years;
Waste Management - Legislative Com-
mission; Minnesota Resources - Legisla-
tive Commission; Education - House com-
mittee; Education Finance - House com-
mittee; Environment/Natural Resources -
House committee; Regulated Indus-
tries/Energy - House committee; Airport
Planning - Minnesota Council; National
Education Commission of States - com-
missioner. In the past, Ozment has be-
longed to the Health/Human Services -
House committee; Transportation -
House committee; Local/Urban Affairs -
House committee; Crime/Family Law -
House committee; Higher Education com-
mittee; Government Operations - House
committee; Metropolitan Affairs - House
committee; State Office Buildings sub-
committee - chair; Rosemount Planning
Commission; Regulatory Enforcement -
Minnesota Fire Codes; U.S. Fire Academy
adjunct professor
Ozment is running for re-election be-
cause "I make a difference in the House of
Representatives," he said. "A Republican
voice in support of labor, education, law
enforcement and the environment is
needed and is effective."
Due to experience, Ozment says he is
an effective communicator on a number of
issues.
"I enjoy working with my colleagues in
a bipartisan effort to resolve difficult is-
sues," he said.
"I believe it is necessary to understand
the art of compromise and I pledge to
work for the best solutions for all Min-
nesotans_"
Paid Mw•rtaamnti
VOTE TO KEEP
PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY
AND SUCCESS WORKING FOR YOU
RE-ELECT
JAMES C.
BACKSTROM
DAKOTA COUNTY ATTORNEY
JIM BACKSTROM
A Strong Independent Voice
As Your County Attorney
Need mid pod er M ter Mee Sruwr fu Stile Rq.ne,raw or Vd."nr c•.1 IE i. T4"hrr Pi& n . Mrolk. MM'1117 M w<,...a. rer•er
Prepared and paid for by the Backstrom Volunteer Committee 1380 Corporate Center
Curve, Suite 317, Eagan, MN 55121, Treasurer, tom Scott
VOTER'S GUIDE
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994 - 131)
House 37B Race
District 37B in the Minnesota House of Representatives consists of
Lakeville. The term is for two years and two candidates are vying for the seat.
Janet
Lekson
Address:
16228 Gladiola
Ave. W., Rose-
mount
Age: 42
Education:
Graduate of
Lakeville High
School, Bachelor of arts degree at Ham -
line University and continuing studies to-
ward a master of arts degree in education.
Employment -profession: Customer
service account representative for a major
Minnesota corporation
Family: Husband, James Bragg
Years in the district: 32 years
Organizations and memberships:
Involved in civic organizations such as
public policy chair of the local chapter of
American Association of University
Women and a member of the Educational
Equity Committee, member of the Dako-
ta County Child Abuse Prevention Coun-
cil and director in DFL Senate District 37.
Endorsements: Democratic Farmer -
Labor Party, AFL-CIO, Minnesota Wom-
en's Political Caucus, NARAL, DFL Fem-
inist Caucus and International Brother-
hood of Electrical Workers Local 160
Janet Lekson's decision to run for the
Minnesota House of Representatives seat
stems from a need to make a positive con-
tribution, instead of just being a critic.
"The suburbs south of the river have no
moderate representation," she said,
Lekson said her opponent and other
Republican incumbents in the Lakeville,
Apple Valley area are all supported by
factions of the Republican party that
aren't moderate.
"The qualities I would bring to the leg-
islature. when elected, are leadership.
problem solving skills, and a variety of
life experiences which have enabled me to
gain knowledge of the problems which af-
fect the average person trying to make a
good life for themselves and their family,"
Lekson said.
Lekson was a small business owner for
14 years, until 1992, so she knows the
perspective of both the employee and the
employer, she said.
Because she has been involved in poli-
tics for more than 20 years and knows the
issues concerning small businesses, Lek -
son said she feels qualified to represent
the district.
New representation would be Lekson's
first goal if elected, but her long-term vi-
sion is growth.
"A growing district such as 37B will
need progressive and pro -active policy -
making," she said.
Additional needs in the region need to
be addressed, such as schools, infrastruc-
ture, transportation, law enforcement
personnel and basic services, Lekson
said.
A policy on property tax must be ad-
dressed at the state level because home-
owners and small businesses can't sur-
vive with continuing property tax hikes.
"The increase in low -paying service
type jobs and the decrease of manufac-
turing and industrial employment
shrinks the tax base, while at the same
time it sustains the demand for the gov-
ernment subsidized programs," she said.
Transportation also has to take a pri-
ority.
To Lekson, education and welfare re-
form are key issues facing the legislation.
They are intertwined because education
plays a lead role in diminishing the need
for welfare.
"Health care, day care and availability
of livable wage jobs are keys to welfare re-
form," Lekson said.
PAID ADVERTISEMEN
ON NOVEMBER 8 RE-ELECT
Die RICHARDS
4th District Dakota County Commissioner
Dear Neighbor,
For the past two years it has been my privilege to serve you
on the Dakota County Board. As your County Commissioner I have
worked hard to represent all of the residents of the 4th District.
I have acted on many requests for assistance with county ser-
vices and roads. I am proud I was able to stop the costly garbage
incinerator and increase county board accessibility with cablecasting
and evening board meetings. I have been active and visible in the
4th district by attending meetings of the city council, chamber of
commerce, and community groups. I have held listening hours and
budget meetings to hear your input and concerns.
While much has been accomplished there is still much to do.
We continue to face great financial, environmental, and social chal-
lenges. I will continue to work cooperatively with you to find the
best solutions.
As your County Commissioner, I will continue to emphasize
excellence, accountability, and openness on the Dakota County
Board. I would appreciate your vote on November 8.
Sincerely,
,(1 efoc,,,,A)
Dee Richards
Dakota County Commissioner
Dee Richards is endorsed by:
• AFSCME Council 14 & Local 306 •Clean Water Action Alliance
• 4th District Minnesota Nurses Assomtion • Dakota County Women's Politit3l Ca►xus
• Uniied of Arnerica, Weal 7263
* Endorsed by St. Paul Pioneer Press 10/19/94 *
YOUR VOICE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Prepared and pod for by Richard's Campaign • 4867 Partridge Dr • Eagan 55123
Janet Lekson is the Democrat -Farmer -Labor (DFL) candidate and Bill Mack-
lin is the Independent -Republic (IR) candidate.
Bill
Macklin
Address:
23021 Woodland
Road, Lakeville
Age: 48
Education:
Bachelor of arts
at the Universi-
ty of Minnesota
1968 and juris doctor at the William
Mitchell College of Law Magna Cum
laude 1975
Employment -profession: Attorney
Family: Wife, Paige; three daughters
Years in district: 16 years
Organizations and memberships:
President of the Lakeville Chamber of
Commerce; a member of Lakeville's Eco-
nomic Development Commission, Busi-
ness -Education Partnership and Educa-
tion 2000 Committee.
Endorsements: Independent -Repub-
lican Party, Minnesota & Peace Officers
Association, Care Providers, Minnesota
Medical Association, Minnesota Chamber
of Com merce, Minnesota Chiropractic As-
sociation and the Minnesota Education
Association
Bill Macklin was motivated to run
again for the seat because of his back-
ground in a family that put a lot of store
in public service, he said.
"When my family and I came to this
area 16 years ago, my father encouraged
me to get involved and contribute some-
thing to the community," Macklin said.
He feels he has done that by serving
for the last six years in the Legislature.
"My greatest strength is the knowl-
edge I have gained by serving in civic or-
ganizations so that I can better under-
stand what my constituents would have
me do in Legislature,' he said.
Macklin's key vision for the future is to
ensure that the district and the commu-
nities are safe places to live, work and
raise families.
"I want parents to be able to let their
children walk to the park or playground
without fear, families to know that their
homes are secure and all people to be free
from violence," Macklin said.
Education is also a top priority on
Macklin's list. He would like to improve
education so today's children are fully
able to compete in the "national and glob-
al marketplace" as we move into the 20th
century, he said.
Macklin also wants to see property
taxes stabilize so everyone can afford to
live in their homes.
In 1995, the top four issues facing the
Legislature are crime control, fiscal re-
sponsibility, education and welfare re-
form, he said.
"We have toughened criminal laws,
most recently in addressing serious juve-
nile crime, but there is more to do," Mack-
lin said.
Those people who are "sexual preda-
tors" have to be committed to prison with-
out parole, as well as repeat offenders
committing serious and violent crimes,
especially those using -weapons, he said.
Macklin also said fiscal responsibility
requires the Legislature to limit spending
to the growth in personal income, no tax
increases, no unfunded local mandates
and property tax reform.
"In order to ensure and improve quali-
ty education, we need to increase the
funding for basic education and encour-
age more control and decision -making at
the local level ," Macklin said.
Macklin would like to see welfare re-
form so the focus is on education, job
skills and work, enabling the recipients to
become self-sufficient.
Charlie Deutschmann's extensive experience in coor-
dinating crime fighting efforts with local police
departments throughout the state makes him my
choice to keep Dakota County a nice place to live.
- Eagan Resident
Tour Choice
for
Dakota County
SIIER!FF
25 years Dakota
County resident
and Burnsville
police officer, serving In
ALL levels of management
and administration.
V• Board of Directors
law Enforcement
Labor Services.
• Labor Endorsed.
• Dedicated public servant
of Dakota County for
25 years in Police and
Firefighting.
Commendations/Letters of Excellence-
• Narcotics investigations
• Homicide investigations
• Insurance Fraud & Theft investigations
Consultant-
• State of Minnesota Police Operations Support
• City Budgeting & Ordinance
• Police Training & Development
• Advocates Citizen's Crime Commission
Your Vote Makes A Difference
Vote V Deutschmann November 8t°
P68dPaid for byDIDId6t8IT088,>
14437 Portland Awe. NM
14D - '94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Pubscations/October 26, 1994
VOTER'S GUIDE
House District 36B Race
Voters in State House District 36B will elect a successor to Independent -
Republican Rep. Connie Morrison, who opted not to run after serving four
terms. The district is solely in Burnsville and covers the southern part of the
city and some eastern neighborhoods.
Dan
McElroy
Address:
12805 Welcome
Lane
Age: 46
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in history
from the Uni-
versity of Notre Dame
Employment -profession: Partner in
Travel Agency Management Services;
Mayor of Burnsville
Family: Wife, Mary
Years in district: 17
Endorsements: Independent -Repub-
lican Party; Minnesota Association of
Teachers; Minnesota Education Associa-
tion; Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Leadership Fund; Minnesota Medical As-
sociation; Minnesota Politically Involved
Nurses; Minnesota Board of Realtors
First as a Burnsville Charter Commis-
sion member, then as a City Council
member, and for the last eight years as
mayor, Dan McElroy said he's developed
a track record for managing budgets and
conducting meetings well, calling people
back and researching issues.
Now he'd like to take that experience
to the State House of Representatives.
"I believe that my business experience,
my community experience and my gov-
ernment experience give me the qualifi-
cations to be effective in a tough, compet-
itive, very difficult environment in the
State Legislature," he said. "I have a deep
knowledge rtfthe issues that it would take
someone else a long time to catch up
with."
McElroy said his years as a business
owner and manager are important quali-
fications for serving in the Legislature.
"I'm a businessperson by nature, and a
major part of government is its role as a
large business."
McElroy would work to reduce the
share of personal income that goes toward
state and local government, he said.
"I'm proud of the record we have in
Burnsville," he said. "We've been very fru-
gal, holding our increases to at or below
inflation. We've done a good job of setting
priorities, and I believe the Legislature
can do that for the state as well_"
As chairperson of the 35W Solutions
Alliance, McElroy has been a highly visi-
ble advocate of a multi -pronged approach
to transit problems. He fought hard for
the interim third -lane project, which will
add an additional high -occupancy vehicle
lane this November to part of Interstate
35W.
"I'm a supporter of a comprehensive,
multi -disciplined approach to transporta-
tion that would include light -rail transit
in inner cities," he said. "However, only 29
percent of cars that cross the Minnesota
River in peak morning hours are going
downtown. We can't ignore those pat-
terns."
Policy decisions affecting education
should be kept at the local level as often
as possible, McElroy said.
Philosophically, McElroy said he's a
party moderate.
"To me, moderate people look at the
very best arguments from everyone in-
volved in the discussion and try to forge
solutions that meet the needs of a major-
ity of Minnesotans," he said.
He believes his views accurately re-
flect what Burnsville voters are looking
for in a representative.
U.S. House Sixth District Race
The Sixth District congressional seat opened up when current U.S. Rep.
Rod Grams decided to run for the Senate this year. The two candidates, Bill
Luther (DFL) and Tad Jude (IR) have extensive political resumes at the
Tad Jude
Address:
5688 Arthur St.,
Fridley
Age: 42
Education:
College of St.
Thomas, Wil-
ham Mitchell
School of Law
Employment: Attorney, politician
Family: Wife, six sons
Years in District: 42
Tad Jude, the IR-endorsed candidate
for the Sixth District, has had a long po-
litical career as a state senator, a state
representative, and is currently a Hen-
nepin County commissioner.
Most of his career was spent as a De-
mocrat, until he said the party changed
and was no longer the party of main-
stream Minnesotans.
He ran for the Sixth District seat once
before, as a Democrat. and was defeated
in the primary by incumbent Gerry Siko-
rski.
As a legislator, he was chairman of the
full House Judiciary Committee and has
been named Citizen Legislator of the
Year by the Minnesota Chamber of Com-
merce, and a Citizen of Distinction by the
Human Services Council for his role in
bringing Head Start to Minnesota.
Jude was one of a group of Republican
candidates and incumbents who signed a
pledge recently that would, among other
things, work for a balanced budget, term
limits, welfare reform, a line -item veto
and tax cuts for middle- class families.
They hope to get their issues on the floor
within the first 100 days of the next ses-
sion.
If elected, his biggest priority will be to
change the way things are done in Wash-
ington by installing new committee
chairs, cutting congressional staff by half
and cutting spending.
He said he'll push for a special session
devoted to cutting spending. "At this
point, people can't bring up ideas for cut-
ting spending, and this would give them
that opportunity."
One of his big priorities is crime. "My
approach is to ensure that criminals are
arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to the
fullest extent of the law," he said.
But he said he wouldn't have voted for
the bill that was approved in Congress
this year because the $33 billion bill was
full of pork for states on the coasts, and,
he said, Minnesota will get back $1 for
every $2 it pays for the bill. He said crime
should be handled at a local level rather
than b}1`a federal burttaucracy.
On welfare reform, he says the federal
government should discourage illegiti-
mate children and teen pregnancy by pro-
hibiting giving welfare to minors. It
should also have definite termination
dates for welfare benefits, should require
work, and encourage education and train-
ing.
He says that when he votes, he consid-
ers whether his vote will further burden
the next generation with debt.
He said that after 40 years, it's time for
a change in leadership in the House of
Representatives.
IR-endorsed candidate Dan McElroy and Democrat -Farmer -Labor -en-
dorsed candidate Mike Stone both overcame primary challengers to proceed
to the general election.
The term is for two years.
Mike Stone
Address:
13612 Heather
Hills Drive
Age: 68
Education:
Bachelor's de-
gree in electri-
cal engineering
from Penn State
Employment -profession: Self-em-
ployed electrical engineering consultant
Family: Wife, Caryl; combined family
of 7 children
Years in district: 9
Endorsements: Democrat -Farmer -
Labor Party; Minnesota AFL-CIO; Min-
nesota People Committee of AFSCME;
Communications Local #7201; United
Auto Workers Minnesota Community Ac-
tion Program; Minnesota Association of
Professional Employees; Sierra Club
North Star Chapter; Abortion Rights
Council Political Action Committee of
Minnesota NARAL; DFL Feminist Cau-
cus; Minnesota League of Conservation
Voters; East Metro Choice Coalition
From job creation to environmental
protection to crime prevention, Mike
Stone says he's been a lifelong issue -ori-
ented person.
"It isn't something that's new," said
Stone. "I dig in."
It was a transportation issue that
spurred Stone to seriously consider run-
ning for the State House, he said.
He was miffed when Burnsville Mayor
Dan McElroy asked residents, in a letter -
to -the -editor, whether they would sup-
port a lawsuit against Minneapolis over
the interim third -lane project on Inter-
state 35W, -I felt he was appealing to the
worst instincts and going about it in ex-
actly the wrong way — in a confronta-
tional manner rather than a cooperative
manner," Stone said. "If that's his ap-
proach to anything, that's one reason I de-
cided to run."
Mass transit is one issue he'll push,
Stone said.
"We just can't keep widening high-
ways," he said.
Another issue is support of small busi-
nesses. A former entrepreneur and busi-
ness manager, Stone sees job creation as
an avenue to strengthening communities
and lowering crime.
"If people don't have jobs and [people]
are standing around with nothing to do,
that's going to lead, in many cases, to vi-
olence," he said.
He would push for more loan programs
with more reasonable terms for small
businesses, he said.
"I recognize the problem with taxes,
and I realize we can't continue to raise
them, but there are some priorities we
have to look at," he said.
Those priorities include education,
crime prevention, environmental con-
cerns and job creation, he said.
Stone would support an adjustment in
Minnesota's tax structure.
People in the $150,000-and-up cate-
gories pay a smaller part of their income
in taxes than someone in the $25,000
range, he said.
"I take a broad and long-range view —
and a non -partisan view — of these is-
sues, because I see the partisan wran-
gling that prevents anything good from
coming out and I'd like to avoid that," he
said.Stone is strongly pro -choice.
"The government has no right to tell. a
woman how to control her reproductive
functions," he said.
state and county level, and won their primary elections with ease.
The Sixth District covers most of the northern, eastern and southern Twin
Cities area.
Bill Luther
Address:
6351 St. Croix
Trail N., Oak
Park Heights
Age: 49
Education:
B.S., J.D., Uni-
versity of Min-
nesota
Employment: Attorney, legislator
Family: Wife, two children
Years in District: 12
Bill Luther, after 20 years as a state
legislator, has taken the opportunity of
an open congressional seat to take a run
at the federal political scene.
Many of the issues the Democrat is
known for at the state level — watchdog
on state spending, crime, government re-
form and welfare — translate well to the
next level of government. He has served
as the state Senate's assistant majority
leader since 1982, and during his tenure,
has authored bills that set up the DARE
program in Minnesota, anti -crime bills
and resolutions identifying problems
with NAFTA.
He believes in programs such as Head
Start, universal health care and welfare
only in the short term, not as a permanent
support system.
He is concerned about the budget
deficit, and approaches those issues with
an eye on the budget.
He was disappointed that no health
care bills were approved this year be-
cause, he said, the sooner the government
approves one, the more the government
will save, because health care costs are
driving up the budget deficit. "Projections
say that premiums could double by the
year 2000, so the sooner we get started,
the better," he said.
He's excited too about Vice President
Gore's "Gore Commission," a task force
with a goal to streamline government and
create more efficiency. Another way to de-
crease the federal deficit would be to
share more military defense costs with
our allies, he said.
He'd also like to do away with perks for
public officials, and to further reform the
government, implement term limits and
rotate committee chairs so individuals
don't hold too much power. He'd also like
to see limits set on campaign spending to
even the playing field between wealthy
and poorer candidates.
The federal government should assist
state and local governments in education
and crime by leading, he said, and shar-
ing information and assistance. As a for-
mer prosecutor, he said he understands
the criminal justice system and pledges to
make it a priority.
Luther supported the crime bill that
Congress approved earlier this year,
adding that local governments need lead-
ership and support for law enforcement,
but that federal government shouldn't
micro -manage individual departments.
"I try to look out for working people,"
he said. "I try to look at the impact of how
I vote," he said. "I'm a strong advocate, a
roll -up -my -sleeves person, and I'm will-
ing to work with both parties to stop the
gridlock and grandstanding."
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26. 1994 —150
VOTER'S GUIDE
House District 36A Race --
Incumbent Eileen Tompkins and newcomer Marc Schwach will face off
during this year's election for District 36A House of Representatives.
Marc
Schwach
Address:
5769 Ellice Trail,
Apple Valley
Age: 45
Education:
University of
Wisconsin -
Madison and
the University of Minnesota
Employment -profession: Invest-
ment/insurance representative
Family: Wife, two daughters
Years lived in district: 16
Organizations/memberships:
Member of School District 196 Outcome
Based Education review task force, co-
chair of 1994 Rosemount High School se-
nior class party, member of review com-
mittee for School District 196 Zoo School,
board of trustees of Bet Shalom congre-
gation, seventh grade religious school
teacher at Bet Shalom, chairperson of
Knowledge Empowers Youth (1993-94),
Habitat for Humanity volunteer
Endorsements: Democratic Farmer -
Labor Party, AFL-CIO, Minnesota Fed-
eration of Teachers, Minnesota Educa-
tion Association, MAPE, DRIVE, UAW,
MN -PIN
Experience in government: I am a
newcomer to politics. I have had business
experience in dealing with government
agencies related to chemical regulation
and worker safety and health.
There are two reasons Schwach is run-
ning for office: He is "frustrated with the
rhetoric and finger pointing that have
come to characterize government in the
1980s and 1990s" and because he believes
"our community deserves stronger, more
effective leadership to represent their in-
terests and needs in the years ahead."
He plans to take to the Legislature
"the skills I have developed through lead-
ership roles in community activities and
in my work, to make sure that Apple Val-
ley and Lakeville's interests are well rep-
resented," he said.
The issues he sees as important to Dis-
trict 36A residents include: education
funding, crime prevention, and creating
more efficient state government.
When it comes to education funding,
he said it's important that the current
system of funding K-12 education be re-
formed. If property taxes are discontin-
ued as a source of funding, Schwach said
"we must guarantee that school funding
is protected from economic down turns,
since other taxes are more economically
sensitive."
Schwach is also calling for fairness in
education funding and an end to unfund-
ed mandates "which often force our dis-
trict to reduce important local programs
and result in loss of local control."
For his second issue, crime prevention,
Schwach said although penalties for vio-
lent crime "have been increased many
times over the years, crime rates contin-
ue to rise dramatically. Keeping violent
criminals in prison is necessary and im-
portant in our criminal justice system,
but it is wasteful to only spend more
money on punishments which do not
deter crime."
To prevent crime, Schwach said proac-
tive programs should be developed that
involve families, schools, religious orga-
nizations and communities.
Prevention should involve rehabilita-
tion and programs of restorative justice
which include restitution paid for by the
people who commit the crimes.
His final issue, more efficient state
government.
"Minnesotans expect a high quality of
public service and take pride in the posi-
tive quality of life that we have achieved,"
he said. "To maintain these standards
without tax increases, we must seek in-
novative ways to create more efficient
government operations that meet the
needs of all of our citizens."
In 10 years, Schwach said he expects
District 36A to continue to change.
"Our choices for District 36A are to ei-
ther take the initiative and lead that
change or to let that change happen to us.
I prefer the former," he said.
Eileen
Tompkins
Address:
7734 133rd St.
W., Apple Val-
ley
Age: "Over
60"
Education:
Inver Hills
Community College, St. Thomas College,
and the University of Minnesota
Employment -profession: Home-
maker
Family: Husband, 9 children
Years lived in the district: Nearly
30
Organizations/memberships:
Church of Risen Savior, American Legion
Auxiliary
Endorsements: Independent -Repub-
lican Party, Minnesota Police and Peace
Officers Association, National Federa-
tion of Independent Business' Guardian
of Small Business award, Minnesota
Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture
award, Minnesota Chamber of Com-
merce, Minnesota Chiropractic, and
Young Republicans
Government experience: Precinct
chair, IR legislative district chair, vice
chair to IR Senate District, and office-
holder since 1985 as state representative,
member of the Health and Housing Fi-
nance, Local Government and Metropoli-
tan Affairs, Health and Human Services,
and Transportation committees
Tompkins is running for re-election
because her "only interest is to serve this
community and its people," she said. "I
have had the privilege of representing
our district for 10 years. During this time,
I believe I have voted in the best interest
of the people I represent. "
During her time as a representative,
she said the most exciting time was when
Republicans had the majority (1985-86).
"We actually did make a difference,"
she said. "We promised a billion dollar
tax cut, we achieved that."
She enjoys learning about the various
aspects of government, she said, but the
most interesting part of being a repre-
sentative is the ideas that come forward
on how to improve the quality of life in
Minnesota.
"Although we share different philoso-
phies, everyone over there has a real con-
cern for doing something good for the peo-
ple," she said.
Her philosophy is "more isn't always
better," she said. "1 think less govern-
ment and holding the rein on the spend-
ing and taxing is extremely important.
There should be a correlation between
the income of our people and the tax that
is put on them. I think that isn't the way
it is right now."
One of her greatest concerns is "state
government's insatiable appetite for cre-
ating new programs and more spending
and outstripping our citizens' ability to
pay the price," she said.
"Soaring property taxes, especially in
the suburbs," are posing a threat to
homes and businesses, Tompkins said.
The increase in property taxes ties into
education funding. Tompkins is calling
for the state to relieve the education fi-
nance "burden which is increasing our
property taxes. We must prioritize other
state spending so that the state can pick
up a greater amount of education finance,
thus reducing the property tax,"
The quality of education delivered in
Minnesota schools plays a top role on
Tompkins platform.
While encouraging more state funding
and higher standards, Tompkins also
said "the accountability of our adminis-
trators, teachers and students is of para-
mount importance. We can no longer con-
tinue to throw money at education with-
out expectations for the investment
made."
Tompkins opposes efforts to "allocate
or force the distribution of subsidized
housing by some artificial formula...and
will continue to oppose attempts by the
state to usurp the rights of communities
to control their own growth."
U.S. House Third District Race —
U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, an Independent -Republican, is being challenged
by DFLer Bob Olson in Minnesota's Third Congressional District.
Bob Olson
Address:
348 W. Lake
St., Orono
Age: 48
Education:
WA- in psychol-
ogy from Bethel
College in St.
Paul; Universi-
ty of Minnesota law school
Profession: Banker, tax attorney
Family: Divorced, one son
Years in district: 8
Civic/community involvement:
Youth counselor at Glen Lake Home in
Minnetonka; Bethel football coach for
four years; coaches various sports for
son's teams.
Endorsements: Democratic Farmer -
Labor Party: AFL-CIO; UAW; Team-
sters; Minnesota Federation of Teachers.
As a banker and tax attorney, Bob
Olson said he has the answer to econom-
ic stagnation: Productivity 2000.
He designed the plan as a means of
boosting company productivity through
cash bonuses for employees based on the
company's pre-tax, or post -tax, profits.
"Congress needs tax incentives for
cash bonus plans that businesses can im-
plement, based on bottom -line production
from the janitor to the CEO," he said. "If
the president gets a 10 percent bonus, the
janitor gets 10 percent- People are re-
warded as a group for their work."
The income-tax free bonuses would be
distributed on an annual or semi-annual
basis and have a limit of up to 15 percent
of the total wages, he said. Bonuses over
that limit would be subject to regular tax
treatment, he said.
The proposal is simple and rewards
workers as a group, rather than creating
competition between employees and mar-
ring overall productivity, he said.
Olson approaches the economic issue
from the aspect of an experienced busi-
ness person. He owns Northern Pension
Corporation, a bank in Sauk Rapids and
one in St. Stephen. He serves as the tax
adviser to "Top 40 Executives," a local
Fortune 500 company program, and
drafted one of the first stock ownership
plans adopted by a Minnesota company.
He also specialized in employee bene-
fits programs and designed profit sharing
and pension plans for workers. Olson op-
poses any general increase in income
taxes as well.
These economic issues are important
to Third District workers who know that
an education and hard work do not guar-
antee prosperity, he said.
Another important issue for district
residents is crime, he said. Even as a
hunter and sportsman, Olson strongly
supports a ban on assault weapons. He
sees the ban as a deterrent to attacks on
police and a message to youths.
He supports the proposal by Sen. Bill
Bradley, D-N.J., that sets a national goal
of reducing homicides by 80 percent over
the next decade. He is also a proponent of
the death penalty.
By 2053, half of all Americans will be
imprisoned and the other half will be
working for the corrections system if the
present incarceration rates continue, he
said. He believes drug intervention pro-
grams and prenatal and early childhood
services are the most cost-effective in-
vestments the government can make and
will create a more productive society.
"I know that what it takes [to lower
crime levels] is not just a crime bill, but
an overall attitudinal change toward op-
timism and hope for a better future," he
said. "From the black kid in the ghetto to
the homemaker in the suburbs, attitudes
have to change. We must get rid of preju-
dice."
Olson said his politics are simple: Get
elected. Get the job done. Go back to your
life. He reminds others that elective office
is public service, not a career.
"I'm running [for officel because I want
to change the future for my son and his
children," he said. It's time we see our-
selves and the world for who we are and
what we can be — it definitely is up to us,
he said.
Jim
Ramstad
Address:
2618 Crosby
Road, Minne-
tonka
Age: 48
Education:
B.A. in political
science from University of Minnesota;
George Washington University law
school.
Profession: Lawyer; state senator
from 1981-1990.
Family: Single
Years in district: 16
Civic/community involvement:
Children's Heart Fund; Violence Against
Women Coalition; Hazelden Founda-
tion's National Advisory Council; Wayza-
ta Area Chamber of Commerce, former
chair of State Human Rights Advisory
Committee, Big Brothers -Big Sisters of
the Metropolitan Area
Endorsements: Independent -Repub-
lican Party, GOP Feminist Caucus of
Minnesota
Incumbent Jim Ramstad will build on
his previous four years of public service in
Congress and continue working to de-
crease the federal deficit, control and pre-
vent crime, lower health care costs and
change governmental operations, he said.
The "mind -boggling" deficit and public
concern for rising violent crimes are the
main issues he faces this year, he said.
"I plan to cut federal spending across
the board. No area will be exempt — ex-
cept Social Security, which is self -fund-
ing," he said in regards to over -inflated
government spending. "I have consistent-
ly opposed excessive spending. The three
main areas fof spending] are domestic,
military and entitlements. As for other
areas, some will be cut more than others.
"We need the moral force and legal au-
thority for a bAlanced budget amend-
ment," he said. He supports the line item
veto as a means for accomplishing these
goals.
As for the crime issue, Ramstad voted
in favor of the crime bill, was the chief Re-
publican sponsor for the Violence Against
Women Act and helped push the passage
of the Jacob Wetterling bill.
"We need to break the cycle of vio-
lence," he said. "Every 15 seconds a
woman is battered in America. That
number is unprecedented."
Ramstad advocates the tracking of
sexual predators and notification to the
community of a convicted sexual preda-
tor's release.
Crime prevention programs and more
prisons also will help alleviate crime, he
said. "There are about 30,000 violent
felonies that are not convicted due to
overcrowding in the prisons," he said.
That's ridiculous.
"Our juvenile justice system is a
farce," he said. "They (juveniles] face no
consequences. We need stricter sentenc-
ing laws for juveniles and swift and cer-
tain punishment."
He also has been appointed to a bipar-
tisan task force by the House that is des•
ignated specifically to address the juve-
nile crime issue.
Ramstad deplores the drug business
because he feels it tends to attract
youths. "These drug dealers have kids
doing their dirty work because they know
[children] won't face stiff penalties," he
said.
He supports drug prevention pro-
grams and wants "more cops on the beat"
to control crime areas, he said.
"We need to address the crime issue in
a comprehensive manner," he said. "The
passage of the crime bill was a necessary
first step."
Ramstad cites his legislative and "real
world" experience as the factors that set
him apart from his opponent. A two -term
veteran of Congress, he was first elected
in 1990 and then re-elected in 1992.
Currently, he serves on the House Ju-
diciary, Small Business and Joint Eco-
nomic committees of Congress. He is also
the founder and co-chair of the House Re-
publican Task Force on Disabilities.
16D — '94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Pubhcahons+October 26. 1994
agan Voters Map
Eagan
Precincts and Polling Places
Q
0
z
Meadow View Rd.
Four Oaks Rd.
fed Sadtin
stile Park
c
cc
0/0
cc
0
Lone Oek Rd.
Diflley Rd.
0
CIIH Rd.
►0
0
Yankee Doodle Rd.
0
Wescott Rd.
VQa
a
0
0
Clll Rd.
aeummin Precinct Boundaries 0 Precinct No.
Note: The entire civic area is covered by U.S. Congressional
District Six.
Eagan Precinct Polling Location Addresses
1. Piio1 Knob Elementary School
1436 Lone Oak Rd
2- Quarry Park Shelter
3340 Coachman Rd
3. Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran Church •
2950 Hwy. 55
4. Cedar Elementary School
2140 Dittky Rd
5 MI Calvary Lutheran Church
3930 Rahn Rd.
6. Cedar Grove Baptist Church
1985 Diflky Rd.
7 fire Administration Bldg
3795 Pilot Knob Rd
& Eagan Municipal Center
3830 Pilot Knob Rd
A Woodland School
945 Wescott Rd.
14. SI. John ttuemann Church
4030 Pilot Knob Road
�. rr
wear r
mow: ♦ a
woo On
County District Boundaries
i District 3
District 4
11 Northview Elementary School
965 Citrley Rd.
12. Cedar Ridge Christian Church
2024 Rahn Way
13. Rahn Elementary School
4424 Sandstone Dr
14 Christ Lutheran Church
1930 Dinky Rd.
15. Thomas Lake Elementary
4350 Thomas Lake Rd.
16. Easter Lutheran Church
4200 Pilot Knob Rd
17. Si. Thomas Becket Church
4455 So Robert Trail
18. Fie Station No 5
4701 Galax* Ave.
19. Chapel Ha Baptist Church
4888 Pilot Knob Rd
2o. Pinewood Elementary School
4300 Dodd Blvd.
Legislative District Boundaries
O Dist. 38A
M. Dist.38B
Burnsville Voters Map
Burnsville
Precincts and
Polling Places
0
0
ail Road
lam St
0 0
* o
McAndrews Rd
o�
Precinct
Boundaries
0 Precinct No.
0 Polling Site
6
Burnsville Polling Location Addresses
1. Sioux Trail Elementary
2801 River Hills Dr.
2. St. James Lutheran Church
3650 Williams Dr
3. Vista View Elementary
13109 County Rd. 5
4. Sky Oaks Elementary
100 East. 134th St-
5. Gideon Pond Elementary
613 East 130th St
6. William Byrne Elementary
11608 River Hills Dr.
7 Neill Elementary
13409 Upton Ave. S.
6. Bumsville City Hall
100 Civic Center Parkway
9. Echo Park Elementary
14100 County Rd. 11
10. Mary, Mother of the Church
3333 East Cliff Rd.
11. YMCA Building
14020 County Road 5
12. Grace United Methodist Church
15309 Maple Island Rd.
13. Berean Baptist Church
309 East County Rd. 42
County District Boundaries
[—I District 5
MB District 6
Legislative District Boundaries
I 1 Dist.36B
L 1
Dist. 38A
® Dist. 388
— Dist. 41 B
Note: The entire civic area is covered by U.S. Congressional
District Three.
'94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994 - 17D
THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN VOTERS
MINNE SOTA
Governor
John Marty.
Democratic -Farmer -
Labor
Agc: 37
Roseville
Occupation: State Senator
Education: Graduate of St. Olaf College. Northfield,
MN. degree in Ethics and Society
Experience: Eight years in Minnesota Senate: former
grant administrator for Minneapolis corporate founda-
tion; former researcher and administrator for Minnesota
House of Representatives.
Priorities if elected: First. we must make our economic
system more fair. This means taxes based on one's abili-
ty to pay and jobs that pay a decent wage. Second, we
must begin investing in Minnesota's future so that we
prevent the problems that drive government spending.
This will yield Tong -term savings to taxpayers. Third. we
must restore trust in government by reducing the influ-
ence of wealthy interests in government.
Governor
Eric Olson
Libertarian
Age: 31
Minneapol is
Occupation: Independent Insurance Agent
Education: B.S. in Business Administration, Mankato
State (1985 cum laude); U.S. Army Reserves 1981-87,
honorably discharged.
Experience: Five years self employment. Prior work in
accounting and property management. Active in
Armitage Neighborhood Community Association. Hugh
O'Brian Youth Foundation volunteer. Army
Commendation Award.
Priorities if elected: I will work to restore individual
rights and foster self-reliance. 1 support cutting taxes and
spending. giving parents choice in education. and focus-
ing law -enforcement on violent crime. 1 also support
choice in health care: tax-deductible medical savings
accounts. repeal of mandated benefits, and deregulation
of alternative medical practice.
The League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund
provides this nonpartisan Voter Guide as a public service for the
citizens of Minnesota. Answers exceeding the word limits
were cut at the nearest sentence. Responses are printed as
received except for the correction of any spelling errors and
arrangement to allow continuity of formai. Nothing is to he
considered or used as an endorsement of any candidate or party.
Governor
Arne Carlson
Independent -
Republican
Age 59
St. Paul
Occupation: Minnesota Governor
Education: Carlson received scholarship to Choate
School. Later, on scholarship, earned bachelor's degree
from Williams College, Massachusetts.
Experience: Former city councilman. legislator, state
auditor. Carlson transformed an inherited $2 billion
deficit into a $623 million surplus and signed a tax -cut
hill in 1994.
Priorities if elected: I. Fight to control government
spending by setting priorities, making tough choices and
long-term planning. 2. Create world -class education sys-
tem from early learning through apprenticeship and high-
er education. Set high, measurable academic standards
and hold schools accountable for results. 3. Reform wel-
fare system that undermines work and families.
4. Reform a costly worker's compensation system that
drives employers out of Minnesota.
Governor
Leslie Davis
Nutritional Rights
Alliance
Age: 57
Minneapolis
Occupation: President. Earth Protector. Inc.
Education: High School graduate
Experience: After an honorable discharge from the
Army. I worked in my father's New York garment center
factory where 1 learned production. purchasing. market-
ing, sales and worker relations. In 1962. 1 moved to
Minnesota to sell women's apparel to retail stores. in
1982, 1 founded Earth Protector. Inc.. an environmental
watchdog group. in order to participate in government
decision making regarding pollution permits and to edu-
cate students and business on why and how to protect the
Earth.
Priorities if elected: Reduce pollution, protect health.
improve nutrition. prevent crime, support education and
increase jobs.
Governor
Will Shetterly
Grassroots
Agc: 39
Minneapolis
Occupation: Writer. editor '
F.ducation: B.A., Eng. Lit., Beloit College. 1976
Experience: Self-employed Minnesota resident since
1980. Winner of 1992 Minnesota Book Award for
Fantasy and Science Fiction. Husband. home -owner and
proud American.
Priorities if elected: A privacy amendment to the state
constitution will guarantee the right of all Minnesotans to
do as they choose. so long as they don't inhibit the rights
of others. Each year, the state will save millions of dol-
lars that are currently spent prosecuting consensual activ-
ities and will earn additional millions in new tax dollars.
Governor
Jon Hillson
Socialist Workers
Age: 44
SI. Paul
Occupation: Railroad Switchman
Education: H.S. graduate; attended University of
Colorado; Boston State College
Experience: Participant in social protests since 1965,
including anti -Vietnam war. civil rights, Boston desegre-
gation struggle; Twin Cities abortion clinic escort and
defense activist; challenged U.S. ban on travel to Cuba.
1994; union activist, on strike against CP-Soo Line since
July 14. Author, Battle of Boston (1977); contributor to
the Militant newspaper.
Prioritis if elected: Support all struggles to defend
rights and interests of working people in U.S. and around
the world to help prepare way for development of mass,
revolutionary movement to establish workers and farmers
government and end rule of big business and corporate
super rich.
The Governor is elected for a 4-year teen. The person
must be 25 years old. a resident of the state for one year,
a citizen of the United States and elected by the people.
Salary: 3109,053
Health Care
Do you support?
GOVERNOR
John Marty
Arne Carlson
Will Shetterly
Eric Olson
Leslie Davis
Jon Hillson
Taxes
DFL
iR
GRP
LIB
NRA
SWP
Do you support?
Universal
Coverage
Pre-existing
Condition
Coverage
Portable
Insurance
Coverage
Malpractice
Reform
$ For
Rural
Hospitals
Single
Payer
Plan
Reproductive Choice
Programs Requiring
To Prevent Parental Constitutional
Teen Consent For Rights For
Pregnancy then Abortions Fetus
Freedom
Of Choice
Act
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
1
NO
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
NO
1
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
YES
1
1
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
1
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
1
1
1
YES
YES
YES
1
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
YES
GOVERNOR
John Many DFL
Arne Carlson IR
Will Shetterly GRP
Eric Olson LIB
Leslie Davis NRA
Jon Hillson SWP
Current
Local
Government
Aid
Sales
Tax On
Clothing
More
Reliance
On User
Fees
State Set
Local
Government
Levy Limits
Education
School
Vouchers
Most
Funding
By State
Taxes
Most
Funding
By District
Levy
Longer
School
Year
Government
Term Limits For Nonpartisan
Legislators And Legislative
Constitutional Redistricting
Ortcers Commission
YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
NO
1
NO
YES
1
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
NO
YES
YFS
YES
NO
NO
1
YES
YES
1
NO
YES
1
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
1
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
1
NO
NO
•
KEY: 1 No response
Undecided or qualified response
DFL Democratic-Farmer-Labot
IR Independent -Republican
GRP Grassroots Party
Ind. Independent
IP Independence Party
LIB Libertarian Party
NLP Natural Law Party
NRA Nutritional Rights Alliance
SWP Socialist Workers Party
1 BD - '94 Vote/Minnesota Sun PublicationslOctober 26.1994
i r�
THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN VOTERS
MINNESOTA
Lt. Governor
Nancy Larson
Democratic -Farmer -Labor
Age: 52
Dassel
Occupation: Exec. Dir., MN. Assoc. of Small Cities
Education: B.S. degree. Si. Cloud State University,
1988, Political Science/Mass Communication Majors
Experience: Executive Director! Lobbyist. Minnesota
Association of Small Cities; Vice President, Rural
Initiatives Coalition; Candidate for Representative, State
Legislature. District 20A. 1992; reporter, Dassel
Dispatch, St. Cloud Times
Priorities if elected: Universal health care to provide
affordable access. and choice; increase the minimum
wage; target economic development; strengthen rural
economy; reform and improve workers compensation;
move toward full stale funding for education; increased
funding for Head Stan, WIC. and sliding child care pro-
grams; reinstate the MEED program; fully fund STRIDE
program: rel. less on local property taxes and more on
progressr%e income taxes.
Lt. Governor
Mike Strand
Lihertarian
Age: 31
Oakdale
Occupation: Factory worker. Andersen Windows
Education: High School; U.S. Army Reserves (honor-
ably discharged); self-taught in linguistics. German. and
Finnish.
Experience: Intern for Senator Gary Laidig. Legislative
liaison. Lakewood Community College. Student
Governing Board. Executive Board
Priorities if elected: l will work to decentralize govern-
ment and empower communities. As Li. Governor. I
want to help county and municipal governments become
leaner and more efficient. so that more responsibility can
he returned to the local level.
Lt. Governor
Joanne Benson
Independent -Republican
Age: 51
St. Cloud
Occupation: State Senator. Associate Professor
Education: Honors degree in elementary and special
education from St. Cloud State University: graduate
work in educational administration.
Experience: Current: State Senator and Term). and
Associate Professor. Former: SCSU Alumni Associate
Director, teacher. numerous community volunteer posi-
tions.
Priorities if elected: As lieutenant governor. I would
work to identify and remove artificial harriers to citizens'
success. and serve as a liaison between people in Greater
Minnesota and the Executive Branch la conduit for infor-
mation exchange). My priority issues are education
excellence, job creation. welfare reform, taxes and spend-
ing.
Lt. Governor
Phil Ratte
Nutritional Rights Alliance
Age: 56
Columbia Heights
Occupation: Engineering and Management Consultant
Education: Nazareth Hall; White Bear High School: St.
John's University (Collegeville); U. of MN-. Mechanical
and Industrial Engineering: Post Graduate MBA
Program. major - Marketing and Management, Minor -
Finance and Accounting.
Experience: Owned and managed small business since
1981. Experienced as manager and engineer for seven
Minnesota corporations from the giant Honeywell to the
tiny Nord Photo Engineering.
Priorities if elected: Search for new ideas that will
reduce pollution, improve health and nutrition and
increase jobs. For example. Sonic Bloom, a Minnesota
product that reduces pollution and doubles crop yields
and the Water Fuel Cell, that produces hydrogen fuel
from water to drive engines without pollution.
Lt. Governor
Tim Davis
Grassroots
Age: 38
Minneapolis
Occupation: Forklift Operator
Education: Former Radio Announcer; some college
Experience: Have run a small non-profit organization
for over 5 yrs. Ran unsuccessfully for State Rep. twice.
Priorities if elected: Educate! The past 60 years have
seen an unprecedented amount of out and out lies. We
need a fresh start. Truth and use our brains to think! We
must invest in sustainable forms of living. Halt the popu-
lation explosion and respect personal freedom with an
end to persecution of consensual activities. Vote
Grassroots.
The Lieutenant Governor is elected for a 4-year term.
Theperson must be 25 years old. a resident of the stare
for one year, a citizen of the United States and elected by
the people jointly with the Governor by a single vote
applying to both offices. Salary: $59.981
Lt. Governor
Leah Finger
Socialist Workers
Age: 38
Minneapolis
Occupation: Auto Worker
Education: B.A. New York University
Experience: Veteran activist in struggles for women's
rights and against discrimination; labor activist in
Steelworkers, Autoworkers, other unions; participant in
defense of Twin Cities abortion clinics; helped collect
and deliver humanitarian aid to Cuba in 1994 trip to
Havana.
Priorities if elected: As an activist in fights waged by
victims of profit system for justice and dignity, l seek to
build unity among working people without regard to
nationality, gender or borders; to explain the need to
replace current government of. by. and for the rich with
one which defends rights of the working class and farmer
majonty.
Business Climate
Do you support?
GOVERNOR
John Many DFL
Arne Carlson IR
Will Shetterly GRP
Eric Olson LIB
Leslie Davis NRA
Jon Hinson SWP
Further
Reform Of
Workers
Comp
Tax
Incentives
To Attract
Business
Economic
Development
incentives To
Greater MN
Increasing
Minimum
Wage
Agriculture
$ To Help More Easing Expansion
Farmers Meet Of MN In Loan
Feed Lot Corporate Program
Environmental Farm Law For Beginning
Standards Restrictions Farmers
Continuation
Of Lawsuit
To Overturn
Fed. Milk
Pricing
Expansion
Of Ethanol
Incentive
Program
Increased
Funding For
State
Extension
Program
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
1
YES
YES
YFS
1
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
1
1
NO
NO
1
NO
1
1
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
NO
YES
1
YES
YES
Social Policy
Do you support?
GOVERNOR
John Many
Arne Carlson
Will Shetterly
Eric Olson
Leslie Davis
Jop. it 9_,--
DFL
IR
GRP
LIB
NRA
SWP
Work
Requirement
For Welfare
Recipients
More $
For Domestic
Violence
Shelters
Tougher
Child
Support
Enforcement
Housing
Incentives To Lowering Tax
Communities Rates On Low
To Promote A Income
A Housing Rental
Mix Property
Regional
Housing
Policies
Criminal Justice
More $
To Build
Prisons
$ For
Violence
Prevention
More
Use Of
Electronic
Monitoring
"3 Strikes
You're Out"
Legislation
1
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YFS
YES
YES
YES
1
YES
1
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YFS
YES
NO
YES
YES
NO
1
1
1
NO
YES
1
NO
NO
NO
1
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
NO
NO
YES
NO
NO
NO
YES
1
YES
YES
F
NO
NO
NO
NO
...._... ►a.. a.sr.. a.f•-•ras+r..w ..,.
-94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Public abons/October 26, 1994 - 19D
THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN VOTERS
MINNESOTA
Secretary of State
Joan Anderson Crowe
Democratic -Farmer-Labor
Age: 58
Minneapolis
Occupation: So. I oat) of State
Education: Buffalo, MN Public Schools; B.S. degree. St.
Cloud State Uni%crsity; Special Education, University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.; Executive Management
Program Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
Experience: Elementary/special education teacher; State
Representative, 1973-1974; Secretary of State. 1975-pre-
sent; Official observer, Romanian elections; United
Nations observer, South African elections; National
Commission for the Renewal of American Democracy
Priorities if elected: Toll free number for voter informa-
tion; election information sent to every home; ease absen-
tee ballot restrictions; propose legislation to simplify the
precinct caucus process and make it more meaningful;
continue to improve business services to the corporate
community.
State Auditor
Donald Moe
Democratic -Farmer -Labor
\ge: 51
St. Paul
Occupation: Property owner, investor
Education: B.S. degree. Bus. Admin.. U. of MN., 1968:
Graduate School, U. of MN., 1968-70
Experience: 20 years in the MN. Legislature including
service as chair of the Senate Governmental Operations
Committee, the Legislative Audit Commission, and Leg.
Commission on Pensions and Retirement.
Priorities if elected: To ensure an honest government.
The people of Minnesota need an Auditor who is fair,
knowledgeable, independent, and incorruptible_ We need
to create a culture of responsibility in government. We
must recognize and foster ethical performance in govern-
ment. The State Auditor should set a good example for
other officeholders; an example of integrity. an example
of leadership.
l;
4644
State Treasurer
Michael McGrath
Democratic -Farmer -Labor
Age: 52
Bloomington
Occupation: State Treasurer
Education; B.A. in American Studies, Stetson
Uni%ersity, 1969
Experience: 8 years service as Minnesota's State
Treasurer; 12, years. Vice President, International Dairy
Queen. Inc.; 4 years, U.S. Air force, Accounting and
Finance
Priorities if elected: 1. Keep tax dollars safe and invest-
ed prudently. 2. Invest public pension funds so as to save
taxes while assuring retirement security for public
employees and teachers. 3. Innovations in electronic
financial systems continue. 4. Restore balance to
Federal/State financial relations, 5. Serve 1995-96 as
President of National Association of State Treasurers
(now President-elect).
Secretary of State
Dick Kimbler
Independent -Republican
Age: 54
Anoka
Occupation: Independen insurance Agent
F.ducation: Crosby -Ironton High School, 1958;
Rochester institute of Technology, 1969; Mpls. School of
Theology, Divinity Degree. 1976-1978: Anoka -Ramsey
Community College
Experience: Founder and president of Timberland
Mobile Homes. Inc. (A mobile home dealership); founder
and president of Active Housing, Inc.. (a real estate and
mobile home listing corporation)
Priorities if elected: Become an ambassador for busi-
nesses in Minnesota; he accessible and available 365
days a year and not just at election time. Promote the
idea that voting should be a duty, not a privilege! Take
away the partisan control of the election process by
putting it in the hands of a non -partisan entity.
State Auditor
Judi Dutcher
Independent -Republican
Age: 31
Minnetonka
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Univer.nty of Minnesota. B.A. in Political
Science and English, 1984; University of Minnesota Law
School, B.S., I987
Experience: Former prosecutor for the cities of
Minneapolis and Eden Prairie. Attorney specializing in
the areas of municipal law. criminal prosecution and civil
litigation
Priorities if elected: 1 would, in a nonpartisan manner,
work to ensure that government entities conform to the
high standards required by law. With my background in
civil litigation. I will work with local governments to
develop strategies to deal with the increasing number of
lawsuits against local governments to minimize the finan-
cial impact on taxpayers.
State Treasurer
James C. Olson
independent -Republican
Age: 52
White Bear Lake
Occupation: President. Midwest Markings
Education: Harding High School. St. Paul. MN.: U. of
MN., Minneapolis
Experience: U.S. Navy, honorable discharge; Brown &
Bigelow. Regional Saks Training Manager; Morgan
Adhesive, Account Representative; Midwest Markings,
President since 1972
Priorities if elected: My purpose in seeking this office is
to restore honesty, dignity, and credibility to the office of
Minnesota State Treasurer, to completely fulfill the oblig-
ation of office as dictated in our state Constitution. These
obligations include keeping the citizens of Minnesota
informed of the financial affairs concerning the state by
offering to the media an unbiased assessment of money
bills going through the state legislature.
Secretary of State
Dale Wilkinson
Grassroots
Age: 27
Hopkins
Occupation: Ma.hine Operator
Education: High school diploma. Education is the
knowledge accumulated through personal experiences.
unfortunately those experiences are only acknowledged
after secondary schooling.
Experience: By being raised in rural Minnesota and
attending four separate schools before graduating, I've
developed respect for both our natural environment and
each individual's rights.
Priorities if elected: As Secretary of State I would: pro-
mote a proportional democracy; attempt to dissolve the
two party system to provide representation for everyone;
increase the difficulty of incumbent's names appearing on
the ballot each election; encourage special interest groups
to run candidates instead of influencing representatives;
reduce. distribute evenly, or eliminate the state's funding
of campaigns.
State Auditor
Steven C. Anderson
Grassroots
No response received
The Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor and
Attorney General are elected for 4-year terms. They are
officers of the executive department. To qualify for these
offices the person must be a qualified voter, 21 years old
and elected by the people.
Secretary of State salary: $59,981
State Treasurer salary_ $59, 982
State Auditor salary: $65,437
Attorney General salary: $85,194
7
State Treasurer
Colleen Bonniwell
Grassroots
Age: 42
Minneapolis
Occupation: Activist, homemaker
Education: B.A., Bemidji State University
Experience: 1990 Grassroots Party candidate for MN.
State Treasurer with most votes for third party candidate
in ten years in MN. (numbering 84,914). Freelance
activist and researcher for 25 years in environment and
social justice.
Priorities if elected: To keep the Minnesota Treasurer's
office as is, a vote on the executive council, but change
the meaning of office to "protect Minnesota's Treasures,"
our children, their future, our lands and waters. minerals.
forest and farms, our fundamental principles and personal
freedoms. To uphold state sovereignty, human rights and
personal liberties. and to make substance laws reflect tox-
icity of said substances.
PROPOSED
CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT
OFF-TRACK WAGERING ON
HORSE RACES: TO AUTHORIZE:
YES "Shall the Minnesota Constitution
be amended to permit off-track
wagering on horse racing in
manner prescribed by law?"
NO
The Attorney General has this to say regarding the pro-
posed amendment:
In Chapter 626, the legislature also adopted statutory pro-
visions that will be effective only if the people ratify the
proposed amendment. The statutory provisions would
require the director of pari-mutuel racing to submit a
report to the legislature by February 1. 1995. containing
the director's recommendations on legislation to autho-
rize and regulate off-track pari-mutuel betting on horse
racing. The report would be required to contain draft leg-
islation that embodies the director's recommendations.
The draft legislation would be required to provide that:
(11 off-track pan-mutuel betting be conducted primarily
to support on -track horse racing and not supplant it;
(2) a separate license be required to operate each off-
track betting location;
(3) off-track betting locations be limited to facilities with
television displays of live horse racing. adequate seating
and dining and beverage service; and
(4) a limited number of off-track betting locations be
licensed, with a reasonable geographic distribution of
locations around the state.
If a majority of all who vote in the election vote YES,
the amendment will pass. This means that not voting
on the amendment has the same effect as voting NO.
20D - 94 Vote/Minnesota Sun Publications/October 26, 1994
THE LEAGUE
OF WOMEN VOTERS
MINNESOTA
Attorney General
Hubert H. Humphrey tot
Democratic -Fanner -Labor
Age: 52
New Hope
Occupation: Attorney, Attorney General
Education: Juris Doctorate, University of Minnesota;
B.A., American University
Experience: Minnesota Attorney General. 1983 - pre-
sent; Minnesota State Senator, 1973 -1982; Attorney in
Minneapolis, 1970-1982
Priorities if elected: Preventing violence has been my
number one priority. As Attorney General, 1'11 continue
leading the fight against crime by pushing tough laws for
violent predators, working to keep guns away from kids
and off our streets and expanding violence education in
schools. I'll also continue to tackle the tough issues fac-
ing working families and children — taking on the health
care industry; cracking down on polluters; making dead-
beat parents pay for the cost of supporting their children.
U.S. Senate
Ann Wynia
Democratic -Farmer -Labor
Age: 5I
St. Paul
Occupation: Teacher
Education: B.A., University of Texas, Arlington; M.A.
in political science, University of Wisconsin
Experience: Taught American Government at North
Hennepin Community College since 1970; elected to the
MN. House of Representatives, 1976; House Majority
Leader, 1987; Commissioner of Human Services, 1989
Priorities if elected: Meeting the challenge of the three
deficits: 1. Balancing the hudget. We must do a better
job prioritizing programs and increasing value for dollars
.pent. 2. Children need economically secure families, a
good education. safe communities and health care if their
future and our nation's future are able to be strong.
3. The environment: protecting the earth's water. land and
air resources_
U.S. Senate
Dean M. Barkley
independence Party
Age: 43
Plymouth
Occupation: Mortgage Broker
Education: Annandale High School; University of
Minnesota. Bachelor of Science with Distinction;
University of Minnesota, Juris Doctorate; Mortgage
Broker
Experience: I have been involved in small business my
entire life. We need people from the private sector to
hring their experience to Washington.
Priorities if elected: We must remove the corrupting
influence of special interests from the political process
before we will ever see any meaningful deficit reduction
or health care reform. PAC contributions are nothing
more than bribes that have been made legal by Senators
whose only interest is in remaining in power. Without
public financing of campaigns and a ban on PAC contri-
butions, nothing will ever change.
Attorney General
41i. Sharon Anderson
Independent -Republican
Age: 55
Si. Paul
Occupation: Retired, Real Estate Entrepreneur
Education: Graduate, St. Paul Central High School.
1956; attended U. of MN., not registered; self-taught by
trading abstracts and law hooks
Experience: Running in everelection since 1970 to
expose judicial corruption and promote justice reform.
Have filed briefs Pro Se in U.S. Supreme Court.
Priorities if elected: i _ Have lawyers licensed. regulated
by Executive Branch - Commerce Dept. 2. MS. 609.385
Treason "levying war" when any government official by
force and intimidation prevents the execution of a statute,
or force its repeal, including judges. Immediate criminal
prosecution M.S.609.43. 3. Enforce state and federal
constitution on all government officials and computer
fraud. 4. Prosecute white collar, real estate corruption.
U.S. Senate
Rod {:rams
Independent -Repot -II lean
Age: 46
Ramsey
Occupation: U.S. Representative
Education: St. Frances High School. Anoka; Anoka -
Ramsey Junior College; U of MN; Brown Institute;
Carroll College, Helena. Montana
Experience: Spent 23 years in radio and television
broadcasting, including 9 years as news anchor at KMSP;
10 years as a home builder; Member of the U.S. House of
Representatives
Priorities if elected: My top priorities will he cutting
taxes for middle-class American families and eliminate
the budget deficit. My "Families Fins" legislation will
accomplish this by providing working families an annual
S500 per child tax credit (S500 million to Minnesota fam-
ilies) and placing a two percent cap on spending growth,
which would balance the budget in eight years.
U.S. Senate
Stephen R. Johnson
Natural Law
Age: 48
Minneapolis
Occupation: Businessman
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology; Master of
Science in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling
Experience: Experience in vocational rehabilitation in
south-central Los Angeles and Minnesota; also in private
husiness.
Priorities if elected: We want to focus on new, cost-
effective, prevention -oriented programs that have been
scientifically validated to achieve better results and spend
Icss matey - "a new seed for a new crop." Regarding
reproductive choice: this is a moral/religious issue which
doesn't belong in the political arena. We support political
reform., equal access for all parties, and Tess government
control in general. We arc against politicians receiving
money from special interest groups.
Attorney General
Dean W. Amundson
Grassroots
Age 36
Minneapolis
Occupation: Hairdresser. Gay/AIDS activist
Education: I attended primary school on the Iron Range
in a little mining town, Keewatin; high school at St. Peter
and 2 years of college at U.M.D.
Experience: My experience in the law has come through
first hand experience of trying to protect my own rights
as a gay man.
Priorities if elected: End the war on drugs being waged
on the poor, people of color and unprotected people. This
war in Minnesota is orchestrated through the Attorney
General's Office. immediately help the legislature over-
turn our state sodomy statute which is the basis for hate
and discrimination against Gays and Lesbians, this statute
also stops effective AIDS prevention.
U.S. Senate
Candice E. Sjostrom
Grassroots
Age: 44
Tonka Bay
Occupation: C.N.A., employed in health care field
Education: Graduate 1969. Tustin High School, Tustin,
Calif.
Experience: Ran unsuccessfully Sec. of State 1990,
2 5'k of vote
Priorities if elected: Education: We need to make col-
lege education affordable. available and accessible to all
regardless of economics. Health Care, 1 see a network
that provides comprehensive health care for all. 1 am
pro -choice and favor open access to contraceptives.
Crime: l will work for effective approaches to crime
without undermining civil rights and liberties. 1 suppon
the Fully Informed Jury Association and an end to drug
prohibition.
U.S. Senate
Marea Himelgrin
Socialist Workers
Age: 34
St. Paul
Occupation: Factory worker
Education: High School graduate
Experience: Rank and file trade union activist. Have
helped organize strike support and protests against
Washington's wars and embargo of Cuba. police brutality.
racist attacks and farm foreclosures. Have helped defend
abortion clinics from Operation Rescue.
Priorities if elected: Working people and youth are con-
fronting the capitalist profit system's march toward war
and fascism. If elected, my office would serve as a tri-
bune of the people. We would use it in the fight for a
workers and farmers government in this country and in
the world wide struggle for socialism.
U.S. Senators are elected for a 6-year term. The person
must be 30 years old a citizen of the United States for
nine years, a resident of the state and elected by the peo-
ple. Salary: $133, 6(X),
Reproductive Choice
Do you support?
Constitutional
Rights For
Fetus
Freedom
Of Choice
Act
Federally
Supported
Family
Planning
Clinics
Deficit
Reducing
Defense
Spending
Means
7ksting For
Entitlements
US. SENATE
Ann Wynia DFL
Rod Grams IR
Candice E. Sjostrom GRP
Dean M. Barkley iP
Stephen Johnson NLP
Marea Himeltnin SWP
NO
YES
YFS
YES
1
Balanced
Budget
A mendment
NO
Line item
Veto
YES
Environment
Stronger Stronger
Measures to Water
Protect Quality
Wetlands Standards
YES
Promoting
Non -Nuclear
Energy
Sources
YES
NO
NO
1
NO
NO
YFS
YES
1
YES
1
YES
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
Mak
YES
YES
YES
1
Wit
YES
YES
YES
YES
,
ico
YES
NO
YES
1
Act
YES
YES
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Residents discuss
airport proposals
• Eagan seeks written com-
ments on airport issue.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
By the year 2020 the number
of airplanes buzzing overhead
each day could total 1,425. Air-
port operations at Twin Cities
International Airport (MSP)
have grown from 400 flights per
day in 1980 to 1,250 flights per.
day in 1995.
The Minnesota Legislature,
through its Metropolitan Air-
ports Planning Act of 1989, es-
tablished a seven-year plan to
study long-term aviation needs
for the Twin Cities area. Two
primary options. have been pre-
sented — limited expansion of
the current airport or relocating
the airport to a rural site in
Dakota County. Communities af-
fected by either choice have fol-
lowed the planning process
closely.
Eagan, home of Northwest
Airlines and several airport -re-
lated businesses, has not taken
an official position on the dual
track choices. However, the city's
Airport Relations Commission
(ARC), Advisory Planning Com-
mission (APC) and Economic De-
velopment Commission (EDC) is
preparing for takeoff from its
neutral stance.
Eagan residents have until
Nov. 27 to submit written com-
ments to any of the above listed
groups that will help the City
Council take an official position.
The council will make a recom-
mendation to the Metropolitan
Council and the Metropolitan
Airports Commission (MAC). In
turn, the Met Council and MAC
will consider Eagan's stance, as
well as other community and
county preferences, and will
make a final recommendation to
the state Legislature in July. The
ultimate decision rests with the
Legislature.
About 15 residents who at-
tended a public hearing in
Eagan last week were presented
detailed alternatives by Nigel
Finney, MAC deputy executive
director.
One track examines the pos-
sibility of adding up to two new
runways at the airport's current
location. One would run
north/south almost parallel to
Cedar Avenue on the west side of
the 3,100 acre site. When need-
ed, the other runway could be
added parallel on the north side
of the two existing east/west
runways.
This plan also includes relo-
cation and expansion of the main
terminal to the west side of' the
airport. Consequently, major
street improvements would be
necessary along Highway 62
(Crosstown) and Cedar Avenue.
In 1995 dollars, the financial
implications associated with the
current site expansion is $2.8
billion plus any new noise miti-
gation associated with the new
runway contour.
Steve Soderling, an Eagan
Airport Relations Commission
(APC) member, said MAC has
not included enough mitigation
costs in the financial analysis.
"I would like to see the real
costs included so the Legislature
sees from the onset and not
count on later legislative dol-
lars," Soderling said.
Sound insulation is provided
to residents who live within a
specified noise contour sur-
rounding the airport. Finney
said those contours will recede
as airlines continue to convert to
quieter aircraft by the year 2000.
If the current facility is ex-
panded, it would displace ap-
proximately 227 residents, 76
businesses and nearly 3,000 em-
ployees, Finney said.
By comparison, construction
of a new airport in Marshan
Township in Dakota County
would remove 17,000 acres of
farmland and displace 915 resi-
dents, 147 businesses and 712
employees.
If built OR 14,000 acres of des-
ignated farmland in Dakota
County, the estimated cost
would be $4.7 billion.
Major road improvements
would be needed on Highway 55,
AIRPORT: To Page 16A
Proposed new airport site
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FAIRLIGHT AHLGRENSTAFF ARTIST
Airport: Nov. 27 deadline set
From Front Page
Highway 52 and at Minnesota
River crossings, including the
Wakota Bridge which connects
Dakota County to Washington
County.
Don Knight, a 37-year-resi-
dent of Eagan, wants the airport
to stay put.
"To me it would be an eco-
nomic disaster to move the air-
port," Knight said.
A definite advantage exists to
having the site closer to the busi-
ness community, Knight said.
What is needed, though, is a
method of ensuring that pilots
fly within the three-mile noise
corridor before fanning out over
the metro area.
"Nobody spanked their hands
or took money out of their pock-
ets for going out of the corridor.
They should fire a few if neces-
sary," Knight said. "I think we
could live with it if they stayed
within the corridor."
Altitude over Eagan is be-
tween 1,500 feet and 3,000 feet.
If the airport relocates to
Dakota County, altitude over
Eagan would be about 7,000 feet.
That would please one Bridle
Ridge resident who said he can
see people sitting inside the
planes from his backyard deck.
Highview Terrace resident
Tom Monahan said he's against
spending $2.8 billion to expand
if a few years from now a larger
site is going to be necessary.
Jerry Segal of the city's Advi-
sory Planning Commission
What's coming
Eagan residents still
have time to respond to
the dual track airport
study. City commissions
will offer recommenda-
tions to the City Council at
the following meetings:
Nov. 27 — Airport Rela-
tions Commission, 7 p.m.,
City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob
Road.
Nov. 28 — Advisory
Planning Commission, 7
p.m., City Hall.
Nov. 30 — Economic
Development Commis-
sion, 7 a.m., City Hall.
The City Council is ex-
pected to adopt its recom-
mendation at 7 p.m. Dec.
19, City Hall.
Written comments may
be sent to City Hall, 3830
Pilot Knob Road, Eagan,
MN 55123.
Information: 681-4600.
wants guarantees that North
west Airlines is committed t
keeping its hub in the Twi
Cities. Kansas City built a ne'
six -runway airport in the 1960
When major carriers move
their Kansas City operations,
void was left on the runways ar
in the concourse, said Micha
Schlax, an ARC member.
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4
Dakota County budget proposal
funds status quo, and then some
By Amy Eriksen
Staff Writer
Dakota County's proposed
budget for 1996 maintains cur-
rent services while providing a
few extra dollars to answer in-
creasing demands.
If approved Dec. 19, $80.5
mullion of the $188.9 million
budget would be funded by the
county's property owners. The
levy would be 3.3 percent higher
than the amount taxed in 1995,
making it the lowest levy in-
crease by the county in 19 years.
"This is an accomplishment
that should not be underesti-
mated," said Dakota County Ad-
ministrator Brandt Richardson
as he presented the budget to
commissioners last week.
"I believe that no other form
of state tax will show" such a
minimal increase, he said.
In addition to property taxes,
the county relies on state and
federal funding, service fines and
charges, and other miscellaneous
revenue to bolster its budget.
T1L n_rnnnsed hudvet nmvideta eliminated by the state as sulk
STAFF ARTIST
• Tax statements evoke
questions from taxpayers.
Please see story on Page 3A.
federal assistance could have on
Dakota County residents.
"The impact is hundreds of
millions of dollars," he said. 'The
elimination of library, park and
highway operations wouldn't
begin to make up for those cuts."
If the Homestead and Agri-
cultural Credit Aid (HACA) is
ed through other county money.
Those 16 new employees
would be used to expand current
services, a move necessary to
meet increasing demand by a
growing population and a chang-
ing society, Neumann said.
A majority of those positions
would be in community services.
They include staff in the county
attorney's office for welfare
fraud prosecution and
victim/witness services, a dis-
trict court clerk, social workers,
child support and fee collectors,
and public health nurses.
The Sheriff's Department
wants to add three jailers to its
staff, which would be offset by
the elimination of five food ser-
vice positions. The department
is looking to contract out its food
service, which would save an es-
timated $100,000.
Increased use of the county's
parks and libraries will require
the addition of staff. Three part-
time positions are planned for
the park system, while one full-
time position is proposed to work
extended hours at the Farming-
111 L'VIt 1(�7:��1'!'►:L'LiJ:��l�t��l���''�"
What are some alternatives to overcrowding of indoor rinks? Report on Page 25A.
Paths need clearing to Eagan's Promenade
• Parties must agree on funding
formula for road improvements.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
By this time next year, developers hope
Eagan residents may be headed to a new
Byerly's grocery store and other shops
and restaurants at the proposed Prome-
nade shopping center.
But major details remain to be worked
out before the Opus Corp. can build
"Eagan Promenade," a proposed 102-acre
commercial/residential development
north of Town Centre at Yankee Doodle
Road and Interstate 35E.
An estimated $8.6 million road con-
struction project must be in place to bring
shoppers to the new commercial district
in the center of town.
At a City Council work session last
week, the SRF Consulting Group of Min-
neapolis presented a 20-year transporta-
tion plan that includes road improve-
ments needed to handle the increased
traffic Eagan Promenade would generate.
About 5,089 vehicles drive through the
Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road
intersection during the evening peak
hour. Engineers predict that by 1997, one
year after the proposed mall opening,
6,388 vehicles will move through that in-
tersection. if the project is scratched, traf-
fic would increase to about 5,273, accord-
ing to the engineers' report.
The consultant's plan is broken into
four major projects: View intetnar Prome-
nade streets, Yankee Doodle corridor im-
provements, modifications to I-35E, and
upgrades to Lexington Avenue.
If approved by the Metropolitan Coun-
cil, road improvements scheduled for
1996-1997 include adding another
through lane on the north side of Yankee
Doodle. Motorists would have two left
turn lanes from all approaches at Yankee
Doodle and Pilot Knob roads.
Westbound motorists will be able to
ROAD: To Page 15A
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Vol. 14, No. 47
Ring
road
Plans call for
road around
Town Centre
By Terrance Nlencel
Eagan's Town Centre area
faces a potential flood that could
snarl traffic like no one has seen
there before.
City officials say they are not
all wet when it comes to predic-
ting future transportation needs
around Pilot Knob Road and In-
terstate 35E_ The so-called flood
t
3
t
would occur, not from water,
but the growing number of
vehicles funneling into what
Eagan considers its downtown.
Recognizing this potential pro-
blem, the Eagan City Council
will spend $39,000 on a transpor-
tation study of the area.
The study will determine how
many vehicles existing roads
can handle, and the anticipated
traffic levels when the area fully
develops, said Tom Colbert,
public works director. It will
then present various options the
city would have to avoid future
traffic congestion.
"If no more development oc-
curs, the way it is now I don't
see a problem. But we have hun-
dreds of acres of land left to be
developed," Colbert said.
Large tracts are expected to
develop in the next few years,
namely the 109-acre O'Neil pro-
perty on the northeast corner of
Interstate 35E and Yankee Doo-
dle Road: the Unisys property
north of Yankee Doodle Road:
and land owned by the ()pus Cor-
poration east of 1-35E.
"This is our last opportunity to
do this comprehensively," Col-
bert said. "We need to know how
intense we can concentrate
(future) development.
A ring -road system will be the
study's focal point. Such a
system would act as a reliever
ROAD: To next page
"v
A
fcat-,
-.
.`S 1.
4
2A—Eagan Sun•Current —Wednesday.
Ring road
From previous page
'for the current arteries that feed
vehicles through Eagan and to
I-35E, said Colbert. It would help
,separate commuters and local
traffic. Drivers could access
area businesses without mixing
with vehicles entering 1-35E, or
passing through Eagan on Pilot -
Knob or Yankee Doodle roads.
The ring -road would connect
Duckwood Drive west over
1-35E to Federal Drive and
travel north to Marice Drive.
Marice would pass over I-35E to
connect with Denmark Avenue
on the east. This would create -a
half -mile loop.
A move to a ring -road system
would not affect developed land.
Rather, any road extension
would cross undeveloped land,
said Colbert.
Too much reliance has been
built into the county road
system, he said. Already Pilot
Knob Road at Yankee Doodle
Road is considered one of the
busiest intersections in Dakota
County.
' Public works vehicles en-
icounter traffic backups during
rush hour at that intersection.
This slows their response time to
plow, sand and salt streets dur-
The
IsT
Invest
1
8
a.m. Jan. 6, students were told
as possiote.
HRA has option to sue Eagan
over low-income housing vote
By Lori Haugen
Staff Writer
With all eyes on them, the
Eagan City Council last week
upheld its decision to block a 42-
unit, low-income townhouse de-
velopment that has pushed the
city into the spotlight.
The decision divided the
council, prompted applause from
a crowd of neighbors, and sent
the HRA scurrying for alterna-
tives.
The ball is now in the Dakota
County HRA s court, and HRA
Director Mark Ulfers said he's
taking his time and considering
several courses of action.
The HRA could sue the city, it
could build a higher -density
housing development that would
fit in the area's current zoning,
or it could find another site.
The council struck a nerve
when, at its Dec. 7 meeting, it de-
clined to rezone the property and
in doing so, halted a proposal by
the HRA.
The vote was 3-2 in favor of
the rezoning, but to change zon-
ing, a vote of 4-1 is required. At
the council's Dec. 20 meeting, it
postponed taking the final step
that would make the denial offi-
cial. It needed time to consider
the fact that the day before, the
HRA board met and decided it
would prepare to file a lawsuit.
At the Dec. 7 meeting, council
members Pat Awada and Ted
Wachter voted against the re-
zoning. Awada said she wanted
owner -occupied developments in
that area. Wachter said he want-
ed to do what the people wanted,
and that he thought it was an
improper location.
Mayor Tom Egan supported
the proposal, saying the loca-
tion, near the corner of Diffley
Road and Johnny Cake Ridge
Road, is far from ideal. But
many Eagan companies have
employees in the income range
targeted by the development.
And he said similar HRA de-
velopments in Apple Valley and
Burnsville were well-built and
well -run.
The development would con-
tain two- and three -bedroom at-
tached -garage townhomes and is
aimed at families of four who
make $30,600 or less a year. The
average annual income for resi-
dents would be $20,000.
Egan said the proposal is bet-
ter for the area than the current
zoning, which is for high -density
apartments.
The site is now surrounded by
an elementary school, owner -oc-
cupied townhomes and $200,000
to $300,000 single-family homes.
At about 3.5 percent of its
total housing stock, Eagan has a
lower percentage of subsidized
housing than moat cities in
Dakota County, where the aver-
age is slightly more than 4 per-
cent. Only three cities — Men-
dota Heights, Apple Valley and
Lakeville — have less.
Burnsville, the city most sim-
ilar to Eagan, is slightly more
than 4 percent.
Egan said he was disappoint-
ed about the lawsuit, but not to-
tally surprised.
"You cannot deny a develop-
ment based on whether it is
owner- or renter -occupied, or on
income criteria," Egan said. "De-
spite tremendous political pres-
sure from residents, we still did
not have sufficient legal reason
to deny this."
He said before this, Eagan
had a good reputation as a com-
munity that accepted subsidized
housing without prodding.
Probably because of the tim-
ing, the vote prompted a minor
uproar. In the Last two state leg-
islative sessions, Rep. Myron Or -
field of Minneapolis has at-
tempted to push through legisla-
tion that would require suburbs
to carry a larger share of the
metropolitan area's low income
housing.
The Minneapolis Star Tri-
bune and St. Paul Pioneer Press
covered the council's decision
and gave council members ver-
bal spankings for not approving
the proposal.
Egan agreed. "Cities such as
Eagan are being watched by the
governor and Legislature. If
Eagan doesn't do what is
deemed socially responsible, our
choice will be taken away, and
the Legislature will mandate
that we make room for more af-
fordable housing," he said.
"I want to retain local con-
trol," said Egan. "And we won't
be able to if we don't take some
responsibility."
Dakota County Commission-
er Patrice Bataglia, a non -voting
member of the HRA board, re-
buked the City Council at a
County Board meeting.
"The need for this kind of
housing has been proscribed,"
said Bataglia. "Eagan has a
waiting list of people already in
the community who need it."
Bataglia said the HRA has a
sterling reputation for building
and maintaining its properties,
and approving this would be the
right thing to do.
She said the ideal form of sub-
sidized housing is scattered -site,
but that requires money from
the federal government, and is
hard to come by.
If the HRA does sue, it will be
solely to get that property, not to
make a point, Ulfers said.
"We feel there are legal
grounds to sue. Without rezon-
ing, we could go ahead and de-
velop apartment buildings right
now. But our idea is that low -
density townhomes are better.
They are more attractive, and
they fill our needs better."
mmomk
School District 197 voters,
confused by frequent changes in
their polling places in the past
few years, won't have to worry
about where to vote in the next
bond election.
A new state law requires the
district to have either one
polling site or to open all 25 city
polling sites in the district.
Last week, the Board of Edu-
West St. Paul
Family Skate
set for Feb. 5
Public ice rinks and warm-
ing houses in West St. Paul
finally opened following un-
seasonably warm tempera-
tures.
The 2nd annual Family
Skate Night is scheduled from
5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at
Harmon Park, 1028 Charlton,
West St. Paul.
Free hot dogs, hot choco-
late and orange drink will be
available.
Skaters should bring their
own skates.
Boot hockey will also be of-
fered. Registration is pre-
ferred by calling 552-4150.
The event is sponsored by the
city's Parks and Recreation
Department.
cation opted to open one polling
site at Henry Sibley High School
in Mendota Heights for the
March 7 bond referendum.
Voters will be asked to vote on
a $28 million bond issue to build
two new middle schools, one at
the current F. M. Grass site in
West St. Paul and one in the
Friendly Hill neighborhood in
Mendota Heights. The two
schools would house students in
grades 5-8 with a capacity for
800 students each.
This is the third time the dis-
trict has offered a middle school
referendum. In each of the two
previous elections, more than
5,000 voters were drawn to the
polls.
Getting that many voters in
and out of one polling site will be
Playing an impromptu hockey game at Harmon Park last Thurs
St. Paul and Tony Peters of White Bear Lake. (Bill Jones/Staff P
Some say costs outweigh benefi
y Lori Haugen
taff Writer
With the merger of Minneso-
's technical colleges, communi-
y colleges and state universities
ust months away, nagging
oubts remain about the im-
nding consolidation,
The price for students and
payers will certainly be high,
Higher tuition, fewer courses feare
doing this?"
Nagging questions
Funding the merger will cost
more than $110 million, said re-
cently -retired State Representa-
tive Connie Morrison of
Burnsville, the lead Republican
doubt."
She said the merger will only
take money from academic and
student services for non-acade-
mic purposes.
'Simply putting the technical
colleges on a statewide system
will cost somr $ V million with
a
pl
v
INSIDE
NEWS: NSP ensures
flood waters, electricity
don't mix, Page 10A.
SPORTS: High school
golf teams set for start
of season, Page 23A.
11011111
$T.PAIL'
GROVE HE
2 Sections/Newsstand 750
April 23, 1997
The Beanie Baby craze has caught on with Brittany Hviding, 11, Courtney Wilcox, 9, and Becky Bauer, 10, all of
Apple Valley shown in front -of Becky's collection. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
Fullof
Beans
Stores try not
to succumb
to the law of
the jungle as
Beanie Baby
creators limit
retail supply.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
ove over Elmo. Beanie Babies,
those pint-sized bean bag ani-
mals that come in a variety of col-
ors and species, are stampeding
through gift shops all over town. They also
are arriving in fast food sacks and are al-
lowed to go home with new bank customers
willing to open savings accounts.
These 100 or so plush bean bag toys sell for
about $.5 each, which makes them a very af-
fordable collector's item for young and old
alike. When the TY Corp. stops producing a
style, its value can jump dramatically. An In-
ternet ad on the TY Web site Listed Humphrey
the camel for sale at $300.
Since Christmas, the demand has far ex-
ceeded the supply, according to area retailers.
Hordes of collectors have made retailers ner-
vous.
Roxanne Chevalier, owner of the Balloon
&Connection in Eagan, called the Eagan Police
Department for assistance March 26.
"They said they'd send an officer to check it
out and whenhe got here he called for backup,"
Chevalier said. "We've seen extreme behavior."
When working women complained that
shelves were always empty by evening, the Bal-
loon Connection held some back to put on
shelves later in the day. When people began
buying 75 Beanie Babies at a time, store own-
ers adopted policies limiting purchases to a
dozen or less. But even that didn't always work.
"One customer bought 12, tank them down
the line of customers and sold them for more
than she had paid," Chevalier said. "It's been a
difficult thing for us to manage."
Hundreds of people call the stores each day
to inquire about availability.
Retailers have installed Beanie Baby Hot-
lines to keep customers informed. Home -
crafter's Gallery owner Karen Engelking hired
three additional sales staff to keep up with the
demand.
UPS delivery drivers are being stalked by
collectors looking for fresh shipments of
Beanie Babies. Brian Shepherd delivers to
three stores in Apple Valley. He's been stopped
or flagged down by women several times. They
ask him where he's going next and then they
arrive there ahead of him to be first in line.
Shepherd said customers in line at Home -
crafter's Gallery in Apple Valley applaud when
he arrives with the cases of bean bag animals.
BEANIE: To Page 16A
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111
Class size to be looked at1
by District 199 officials
By Rebecca Gander -Banat
Contributing Writer
The Inver Grove Heights School Board
voted at its April 7 meeting to approve the
formation of a committee to study the
issue of class size.
Teachers, principals and administra-
tive staff will make up the committee.
While the district has made efforts to
reduce class size in the last two years
years, many classes have not reached lev-
els that were considered manageable just
five or six years ago.
At that time the district made teaching
staff reductions due to cuts in the operat-
ing budget. Board directors said that with
the effects of those cuts still being felt so
widely in the district now would be the
best time for the study.
When the issue of a committee was
first discussed at a March board meeting,
Director Nancy Schouweiler disagreed
with the plan because of its proposed
member composition. Later, at the April 7
board meeting, she explained that her ob-
jections had been based on the idea that
this would have been a strictly adminis-
trative committee with no teacher or
board representation. Schouweiler spoke
in favor of placing a board representative
on the committee to broaden its perspec-
tive and facilitate communication with
the board.
When the issue came up for a vote
Schouweiler and Director Deb Scofield
were the only two members of the board to
support. it. The rest of the board rejected
the idea of adding one of their own to the
committee.
A second measure then came before the
board to approve the committee composi-
tion as originally proposed, including
teachers and administrators. That vote
carried with Schouweiler and Scofield vot-
ing against it.
Passage of the measure created a com-
mittee with its members consisting of
three teachers from the elementary
schools, three from the middle school,
three from the senior high. Also included
were Simley Principal Rich Ehlers, mid-
dle school Principal John Riley, Hilltop El-
ementary Principal Tom Barker, Superin-
tendent Phil Moye, and Assistant Super-
intendent Jack Holm.
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BA Apple 1/alleylRoaamount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, April 16, 1997
Beanie: Demand increasing
From Page 1A
Shepherd said customers in line at
Homecrafter's Gallery in Apple Valley
applaud when he arrives with the cases
of bean bag animals.
"If 1 don't have a shipment, I'm not the
nicest guy in town anymore," Shepherd said.
It wasn't always like this, said En-
gleking.
"When we started selling them 2 1/2
years ago, we couldn't give them away. We
had a clearance sale and sold them for $5
a pair. They were the ones that are now re-
tired. We cut the red tags off and put bows
around their necks until someone said not
to cut the tags off," Engelking said. "What
was left we just threw in a corner."
Now, Engelking said she could sell
5,000 a day if she had them.
The demand for Beanie Babies is only
going to intensify said Chevalier because
the TY Corp., creators of the bean bag col-
lection, began limiting retail orders, En-
gelking and Chevalier said. Beginning
this month, they are limited to ordering
three dozen ofeach variety and place that
order once per month. Some think it's be-
cause TY signed a contract with McDon-
ald's to provide Teenie Beanie Babies in
the restaurant's Happy Meals. One
restaurant employee said usually Happy
Meal toys last for one week before a new
one is introduced. They predict each Tee-
nie Beanie will run out after three days.
Obviously not all collectors buy the cute
plush toys to play with. Some of the 22 re-
tired Beanie Babies have been priced be-
tween $75 and $300. Collectors advertise
their stock on the Internet Web page cre-
ated for Beanie Baby enthusiasts.
But 9-year-old collector Courtney
Wilcox of Apple Valley isn't ready to part
with her collection, which now totals 45.
Her favorite is Freckles, a spotted leop-
ard. She keeps them tucked snugly in a
'When we started selling
them 2 1/2 years ago, we
couldn't give them away. We
had a clearance sale and sold
them for $5 a pair.'
— Karen Engelking
Homecrafter's Gallery owner
wicker basket at home.
"I don't want to take them anywhere
because I don't want to get them dirty,"
Courtney said.
Her friend, 10-year-old Becky Bauer of
Apple Valley has 86 Beanie Babies. in-
cluding retired Beanies such as Tabasco
the bull, Libearty the bear and Sting the
ray. Each Beanie comes with a red tag
listing a "birth date." Next week, Becky
will share her l lth birthday with Squeal-
er the pig, who also was "born" on April
23. The perfect birthday gift for her
would be Ringo the raccoon, one of the
few Beans she's still looking for.
"All the fun was in the hunt, but it's
such a craze now, it's not fun anymore,"
said Becky's mother, Mary Bauer.
Becky and her friends decide which
one they'll take to school each day.
Students generally have been allowed
to take their Beanies to school, but some
are limited as to when they can play with
them, such as lunch and recess.
Mendota Heights Elementary School re-
placed its carnival cake walk with a Beanie
Baby walk. Principal Bill Booher said, so
far, students have been responsible about
when they play with the Beanies.
"If it gets to be a problem, we'd stop,"
Booher said.
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun-CurrentJWednesday, April 16, 1997 7A
Reviewing plans for a new building are Owobopte board members (from left)
Wendy Keller, Linda Stageberg, Scott Duckson and Carolyn Dobis. (Submit-
ted Photo)
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IEWS
akota County Tech
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SPORTS
Girls hoops coach
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LIFESTYLE
Ballplayer recalls
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Isiewistand
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750
EAGAN
EFZ
Look inside this
issue for the
River Hills
\M
arket
.Circular
2 Sections
November 29, 194
Vol. 20, No.49
ome for persons with disabilities creates stir
Move away from institutional care is
petted to reduce cost to taxpayers
and afford clients comforts of home.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Plans to shut down state -run mental
institutions and place clients in homes
with 24-hour supervised care caught the
attention of the Eagan Timberline neigh-
borhood last week.
Dakota County has contracted with
the state to house up to three adult men
in a three -bedroom home at 3034 High-
way 13.
"These are people put in institutions
before we knew how to keep them in
homes," said Roberta Opheim from the
Minnesota office of the ombudsman for
mental health and mental retardation.
Moving persons with developmental
disabilities out of large institutions and
into Supervised Living Situations (SLS)
is expected to reduce care costs. For ex-
ample, the average per diem cost at the
Faribault Regional Center is $355. Com-
munity -based foster homes average $100
per day less than institutional care, offi-
cials said. The Faribault Regional Center
is operating under a closure plan slated
for 1998. So far, there are 65 such homes
in Dakota County, each housing up to four
people. Clients receive 24-hour supervi-
sion and many attend vocational training
or jobs during the day.
Details about the men who will live at
the Eagan home are protected by data pri-
vacy laws.
Sue Sprick and Marilyn McNurlin sent
meeting notices around the neighborhood
inviting residents to meet with govern-
ment officials. Those who attended the
Nov. 21 meeting voiced several concerns
about their expected neighbors. Several
residents appeared agitated and frustrat-
ed about the lack of information they were
being given.
"All I can tell you is we serve the whole
HOME: To Pa ± e 16A
2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1995
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Sitting with Santa
Little 1-year-old Taylor Tvedt of Eagan, whose parents are John and Karen Tvedt, ex
perienced Santa for the first time Friday night at the Burnsville Center mall. (Mike How
ell/Staff Photographer)
RHS looks at less, but longer classes
16A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun-Current/Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1995
Home: Neighborhood residents voice their concerns
Marilyn McNurlin stands next to the fence errected by the state to offer more privacy for her
and her new neighbors. (Mike Howell/Staff Photographer)
From Front Page
gambit of people from a 70 IQ on
down" said Mike Fitzgerald, of
the state Human Services De-
partment_
One resident said he worried
about the safety of children in
the neighborhood.
"We are not the Department
of Corrections. We're the Depart-
ment of Human Services,"
Fitzgerald said,
Other residents wanted to
know why they weren't contact-
ed before a decision was made to
purchase the house as a group
home. Officials said they are not
obligated to notify adjacent
property owners and that to do
so would be a violation of the
clients' civil rights,
"People with mental retarda-
tion have not lost any rights. You
move in and out as you please.
These people have that same
right," Opheim said.
That doesn't mean residents
have to put up with behavior that
would be unacceptable for others
in the community, she said.
Johanna Mohwinkel didn't
understand what all the fuss
America's First. The Twin Cities' Best.
*WU ms.
`These are vulnerable
people who will be
supervised.'
— Milton Conrath
Section manager for persons
with developmental disabilities
was about.
"We've been set up to feel de-
fensive and to feel angry. This is
what's causing the ambiance in
this room. Let us come together
and understand this and let us lx+
good neighbors," Mohwinkel said.
A 30-year resident of the
neighborhood agreed.
'These are lovable people. It's
the responsibility of a civilized
society to help these people. I
don't think we should look for a
problem that isn't here yet."
Milton Conrath, a section man-
ager for persons with developmen-
tal disabilities in Dakota County,
said that when officials used to
have neighborhood meetings, resi-
dents felt it was to "warn" them.
"There's not something about
these people we have to warn
you about. These are vulnerable
people who will be supervised,"
Conrath said.
The new residents are expect-
ed to move into the Timberline
neighborhood following a final
inspection of the home.
ociety: Environment the focus
From Front Page
causes, which included experi-
menting with manure to see if it
could be turned into gas to heat a
home, Griffin said. Another pro-
ject initiated by the group result-
ed in the erection of a wind electric
system in Goodhue County — the
first supported by public dollars.
Perhaps the organization's
most visual presence was through
the Earth Journal, a Reader's Di-
gest -type publication that melded
the talents of local photographers,
artists and writers into an an-
thology on Minnesota.
"Minnesota has such a rich
ethnic history, and I think we
were the first to really push
that," O'Neill said. We like to
explore Minnesota — the polka
halls, the brewing industry. We
want to explore Minnesota be-
yond bed and breakfasts. We are
as interested in what goes on on
Main Street as we are in pre-
serving the peregrine falcon."
Eventually, society grasped
the need for environmental con-
sciousness and government
stepped in to make sure the
planet was looked after. Eight
years after it was formed, the
Geographic Society disbanded.
"There was no reason to keep
an organization going if its mis-
sion is accomplished," O'Neill
said.
Twenty-five years later, the
non-profit guild has found new
life. While its members (about 30
compared to its former member-
ship of 2,000) continue to hold a
concern for the environment, the
thrust is now different.
"Environmental policy has to
be sincere, not just formed to get
governmental jobs," O'Neill said.
"I see the environmental move-
ment as so greedy now."
While their journal is no
more, a new publication with a
similar' format called the Min-
nesota Geographic Society Re-
view has surfaced.
The group plans on support-
ing its cause with a few grants
and money raised through fund-
raisers like the Weiner Feed Oct.
29 in South St. Paul. Though the
concept of hinging on hot dogs
was somewhat off -beat, O'Neill
said enough money was raised to
fund the next issue of the Re-
view.
For more information on the
Minnesota Geographic Society,
contact O'Neill at 457-6014 or
write to the Minnesota Geo-
graphic Society, P.O. Box 18171,
West St. Paul, MN 55118.
Apple Valley/Rosemount. Eaqan Sun•CurrentANednesday, Nov. 29. 1995 15A
Financial News
You Can Use
Listen to WCCO Radio 8.3.0 for the
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cademy: Police accepting applications
m Front Page
of force, self defense tactics,
-view of community pro-
ns, including DARE (a drug
reness program for youth).
lany portions of the classes
designed as hands-on learn -
During a demonstration of
ring under the influence,
e participants will drink al-
)1 and go through the tests
unistered by officers, includ-
a breathalyzer test.
presentation by the inves-
'Live division will examine
cotics, search and seizure,
and arrest laws_
In a self-defense session,
padded suits will be worn to pro-
tect participants during demon-
strations.
Another aspect of police work
that Geagan said is important
for people to understand is the
use of force.
"People should understand
rules and regulations and laws
that govern us," Geagan said.
"By the time they're done,
they'll have a pretty good idea
how their Police Department
works."
Class dates are Jan. 11, 18
and 25 and Feb. 1, 8 and 15. A
graduation ceremony on Feb. 15
will conclude the program.
Applicants must be at least
18 years old, an Eagan resident
or business owner and agree to a
criminal background check. A
criminal record does not auto-
matically disqualify an appli-
cant. The classes are free and
limited to 25 participants.
For an application or more in-
formation, call Officer Dwayne
Pike at 681-4700 or pick up an
application at the Eagan Police
Facility, 3830 Pilot Knob Road,
Eagan.
A
Program lets students
SAIL through school
SPORTS
EHS girls hockey team
starts winning streak
2 Sections
December 20, 1995
Officers
to offer
Citizen
Academy
• Six -week course to give
residents an insider's glimpse
at police work.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan residents and business
owners can ride along with a pa-
trol officer, see what crack co-
caine looks like up close and in-
dulge in a few drinks as part of a
breathalyzer experiment.
These activities and others
will be part of a new six -week
course offered through the
Eagan Police Department and
cosponsored by the Eagan Citi-
zens Crime Prevention Associa-
tion,
Police are accepting applica-
tions to its Citizen Academy, de-
signed to share ideas and opin-
ions on how to control and pre-
vent crime in the community.
"We can look at those things,
but l would like to hear from the
community," said Police Chief
Patrick Geagan. "We hope acad-
emy graduates will educate oth-
ers when the opportunity arises
to help keep Eagan a good place
to live and work."
Classes will meet once a week
for three hours. Topics will in-
clude a tour of the new Eagan
Police Facility, a K-9 demonstra-
tion, a narcotics presentation,
Christmas tree to be
Rob Amundson of Eagan prepares a tree at the Troop 205
Boy Scout lot off Cedar Avenue in Apple Valley. Eagan Boy
Scout Troops 345 and 510 are selling trees in the Wal-Mart
parking area of Town Centre at Pilot Knob and Yankee
Doodle Road and behind Taco Bell at Cliff Lake shopping
center. (Mike Howell/Staff Photographer)
ACADEMY: To Page 11A
5
Students SAIL through school
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Henry Sibley 10th-grader Joe
Thul just received his first A,
something his mother credits to
a new program at Henry Sibley
High School.
Speaking to the District 197
School Board on Dec. 4, Thul
said the changes in her son's
learning habits after the first
quarter of school are "very dra-
matic."
"We're used to report cards
being F, F, D, F or NC for no cred-
it," she said. "The teachers don't
let the kids skate by. It's teach-
ing some responsibility."
The Sibley Alternative Innov-
ative Learning program (SAIL)
began last fall as a pilot program
for 30 students who haven't
found success in the traditional
school setting.
"It made the difference be-
tween fighting with Joe about
dropping out of school, which
was not an option for our family,"
Thul said.
During the first four periods
of school, SAIL students go to
third floor classrooms at the
high school to smaller -sized
classes than their fellow stu-
dents. There is about a 15 to 1
student -teacher ratio. The cur-
riculum is based on applied
learning, which is more hands-
on than lecture oriented, said
Joel Andrychowicz, SAIL coor-
dinator and Sibley High
teacher.
Compared to last year, the
SAIL students are missing fewer
days of school per quarter and
have improved their grade point
averages, Andrychowicz said.
The classes are for only ninth -
and 10th-graders, which is what
brought the teachers before the
School Board last week.
"To limit us to 30 students is
difficult. We could have 50,"
Andrychowicz said. Nine are
currently on a waiting list. Staff,
parents and students are asking
the board to expand the pro-
gram to include juniors next
year and seniors the following
Sibley ninth -grader Joe Herschbach gets some help on his
computer project Dec. 8 from alternative learning program
teacher Eric Nelson. (Mike Howell/Staff Photographer)
year.
"It has helped. Basically, I
told myself I can learn, before I
gave up. I really appreciate this
alternative program," Joe said.
Andrychowicz is a stickler for
attendance, which is running at
85 percent.
"Some are just not morning
students. I call early in the
morning and ask why they aren't
there. Sometimes I get them,
and their parents, out of bed,"
Andrychowicz said.
These are not special educa-
tion students.
"Some just got off on the
wrong foot to be motivated and
do the work," he said. "They need
organizational skills to function
in society."
Others would rather work
and earn money than go to
school. Some are pregnant teens
or have discipline problems. Re-
ferrals are given by guidance
counselors.
Every 20 days, students and
parents are given a written eval-
uation for each class. Teachers
try to call parents at least one
time a week to give updates.
"With shorter grading periods,
kids can see where they're at. That
seems to help," Andrychowicz
said.
Six teachers are assigned to
teach at least one of the SAIL
classes: Mary Longley, Eric Nel-
son, Sara Lund, Peggy
Finnegan, Tim Newcomb and
Margaret Waters. Next semes-
ter, Tim Wilson will teach a SAIL
science class.
"They're not with SAIL stu-
dents all day long. I'd hate to
burn them out because they're
good staff members,
Andrychowicz said.
Board directors were encour-
aged by what they heard.
"Certainly the success speaks
highly of staff and kids involved.
1 don't want to be closing the
door on those kids," said Director
David Jackson.
Keeping fewer students from
dropping out of school also has
revenue benefits for the school
district, he said. The district
loses state revenue when stu-
dents don't return to school.
Andrychowicz also would like
to offer SAIL classes from 3 to 8
p.m. to accommodate those
who've left school because they
failed to show up for morning
classes.
Falcon Ridge is new District 196 school
By Melissa Bergquist
Staff Writer
District 196 students have decid-
ed that Falcon Ridge Middle School
is a good name for the newest addi-
tion to the school family
The Rosemount -Eagan -Apple
Valley Board of Education ap-
proved
three most submitted names —
Falcon Ridge, Rolling Hills and
Sky Ridge — and let the stu-
dents vote on their favorite.
During the board meeting,
Director Judy Lindsay disagreed
with the name, saying it should
reflect the "rich history" of the
land on which the school is lo-
gave an example of a high school
in California that was almost
named after D.J. Simpson.
"That's part of the reason we
don't name schools after people
because we have no idea what
the future will hold. We some-
times don't have any idea of the
true background of the various
incident
Photographer cFiargec�1in peeping
• Search warrant turns up
sexually oriented photos and
videos of minors.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
An Eagan photographer faces
charges of possessing sexually
oriented photos of minors and of
peeping through a hole in the
studio dressing room while a
client changed clothes.
Don Peterson, an Apple Val-
ley resident and owner of Don
Peterson Photography at 3960
Beau de Rue Drive in Eagan,
was charged last week in Dako-
ta County District Court with in-
terference of privacy, a gross
misdemeanor punishable by up
to 90 days in jail and a $700 fine.
On Oct. 20, an anonymous fe-
male called Eagan Police to re-
port she had caught Peterson
looking through a hole in the
wall of the room where her
daughter was changing clothes.
A search warrant was issued
Dec. 15 and Eagan Police discov-
ered a hole where the woman
said it would be. As police peered
through the hole, a mirror inside
the dressing room on the oppo-
site wall made it possible to see
someone completely, said Eagan
Police Chief Patrick Geagan.
Peterson, 38, also is charged
with possession of pictorial rep-
resentations of minors, a misde-
meanor punishable by up to one
year in jail and a $3,000 fine.
Near the peep hole, police found
an empty film box, an unmarked
video tape and a camcorder. A sec-
ond search warrant produced sev-
eral photos and video tapes which
depicted persons in various stages
of nudity. Geagan said none of the
people in the videos or photos ap-
pear to be clients of Peterson.
One video, labeled "preview,"
showed children playing nude on a
beach. Another was of a wet T-shirt
contest which occurred several
years ago in Brainerd in which
several participants appear to be
minors. Several other explicit sex-
ual scenes involving children were
contained in the remaining videos,
according to officers. Also seized
was literature containing photo-
copied photos of nude children.
Peterson agreed to let officers
search his home at 5715 126th
St. W. in Apple Valley. Items
seized did not reveal any nude
photographs of suspecting or un-
suspecting clients.
According to the complaint,
when interviewed by officers Dec.
15, Peterson told officers that he
had photos and tapes and that he
had peered through the hole, but
he denied that he photographed
or videotaped anyone.
Peterson will receive a court
summons to appear at a later
date. A woman who answered
the telephone at the studio on
Thursday said the business re-
mains open, but that Peterson
was refusing further comment.
Stratford Lane or Red Pine
Lane.
Posted speed limit is 30 mph.
Hussman had requested that
speeds be reduced to 20 mph but
council members said the state
prohibits that action.
When a speed study was con-
ducted Dec. 7 and 11 at the near-
est intersection to the school, the
highest speed recorded was 43
mph.
Average speed was 29.9
mph. Public Works Director
Tom Colbert said snowy road
conditions may have been a
speed factor.
Hussman expects to return to
the council with a petition for
sidewalks and an additional
crosswalk at the "7 intersection
of Stratford Lane and Weston
Hills Drive.
"My personal goal would be
sidewalks to get the children off
the streets," Hussman said.
INSIDE
NEWS: New supervisor
boosts Wescott Square
rec program, Page 2A.
SPORTS: Softball player
thinks World Series has
a nice ring, Page 27A.
2 Sections/Newsstand
Task force
criticizes
fall vote
on parks
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Any hope for a summer parks
referendum in Eagan has been
pushed to the fall, following dis-
cussion at last week's City Coun-
cil meeting.
The council is expected to set
a date for a $4.6 million referen-
dum at the July I6 regular coun-
cil meeting.
According to state statute,
referendums must occur 45 days
or more after receiving council
approval.
At the June 4 council meet-
ing, the council indicated it was
abandoning an Aug. 6 referen-
dum date and considering alter-
native dates, such as in conjunc-
tion with primary u:ld general
elections on Sept_ I0 and Nov. 5.
Councilmember Ted Wachter
opposed the August date be-
cause it would cost the city more
than $30,000 to have a special
election. Public criticism about
the cost of a special election so
close to state elections prompted
the council to reconsider. When
it looked as though council mem-
bers were settling on Nov. 5,
Michael Vincent, David Szott
and Lee Markel!, all members of
a land acquisition subcommit-
tee, sent a letter in favor of an
Aug. 6 referendum and ad-
dressed the council June 18 stat-
ing, " _.. the park system is at its
peak use during the summer
months. This allows a greater
number of residents to he aware
of and to support the bond refer-
endum by actively participating
in the vote.
The Eagan Athletic Associa-
tion ... has supported the Aug. 6
da te."
In addition, "It is the sense of
the community that Aug. 6 is the
established date for the referen-
dum as a result of newspaper ar-
ticles, task force activities and
community dialogue."
Reasons given by the subcom-
mittee why a Nov. 5 referendum
would fail included, "There will
be many issues on the Nov. 5 bal-
lot which will compete with the
attention of the voter, who
should have the opportunity to
decide on a referendum as a sin-
gle issue."
Although City Council mem-
bers have agreed to a referen-
dum amount, $4.6 million, they
have not resolved their differ-
ences about when to have an
election, whether to only buy
land or to use some funds for
park improvements. Specific
parcels have not been publicly
PARKS: To Page 9A
1
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From Page 1A
identified from a list of possible sites.
Taxpayers have said regardless of
when the referendum is, they want to
know how the funds will be used.
Staff and task force members have
said they prefer to wait to see if the ref-
erendum passes before negotiating land
purchases.
Perhaps not all the $4.6 million
would be used to buy additional park
land. One option is to simply purchase
new park land. The alternative is to ask
voters for $3.8 million to purchase land
and another $800,000 to enhance exist-
ing parks.
For example, some funds could be
used to build an interpretive center and
parking lot at Patrick Eagan Park.
Discussions include building such a
center on the east side of the park near
Lexington Avenue. Several years ago, the
city purchased a home on the west side of
the park assuming a similar use. That
home currently is being rented by the
city.
'The council is looking for greater flex-
ibility" on how the $800,000 would be
spent," said Mayor Tom Egan.
Councilmember Pat Awada suggested
that if park improvements were included
as part of the referendum, the ballot
should be split into two questions. One
request could be for acquisition funds
and another for "betterment" of existing
parks.
Staff was directed to draft the ballot
question(s) and return to the July 16
meeting.
hotel project
to( ,
residents, Eagan Council stop
,ue Hegarty
Writer
hotel developer said he will
the Eagan City Council's
estion and re -design two
;tory hotels planned for the
southwest corner.
1e do like Eagan. It would be
;take to abandon the site,"
lay Anderson, vice president
ney Tree Ltd. of Burnsville.
The council voted 3-2 June 18
to deny height and setback vari-
ances for Honey Tree. The appli-
cation sought approval to build
a 122-room Comfort Suites, in-
cluding a swimming pool and
conference center, a 64-room
Sleep Inn with a pool, and a
Country Kitchen restaurant vis-
ible from Cedar Avenue.
The buildings would sit be-
tween Cedar Avenue and a pond
at Nicols Road and Erin Drive,
across from McDonald's.
"The place for tall buildings
is Town Centre. I'd be all in
favor of this if it were shorter,
maybe four (floors), definitely
three (floors)," said Coun-
cilmember Shawn Hunter.
The entire council was in
favor of a hotel on the site but
each had opinions about the pro-
ject's scope. Besides Hunter,
Councilmember Sandra Main
and Mayor Tom Egan voted to
deny the original project. Coun-
cilmembers Pat Awada and Ted
Wachter voted against denial_
"The council had every right to
do what they did," Anderson said.
About a dozen residents who
live east of Nicols Road behind
the Cedar Cliff shopping center
Hotel
From Page IA
attended the meeting and spoke in oppo-
sition of the project.
Revised plans include deleting the
restaurant, skimming the top floor off the
two hotels, while still adding 20 to 30 more
rooms to the Sleep Inn, Anderson said. If
the new plan appears profitable, it will be
resubmitted for council approval.
Hotel services could include complimen-
tary breakfast. The Comfort Suites would
have full cooking facilities and offer compli-
mentary cocktails. Occupancy for the con-
vention center is expected to be 250 to 270.
Neighbors also were concerned about
on -site parking and traffic on Nicols
Road_ According to the first plan, a vari-
ance was required to allow fewer parking
spaces than was required. Results of a
traffic study showed that the additional
traffic generated by the project would not
exceed capacity on Nicols Road.
Honey Tree continues to research other
cities in which to build the hotels, Anderson
said. He is not interested in building along
Interstate 35E, where several other Eagan
hotels are located. Rather, he is hoping to at-
tract travelers on Cedar Avenue on their
way to the Mall of America. Ann Carlon, ex-
ecutive director of the Eagan Convention
and Visitor's Bureau, said the mall is the na-
tion's third largest tourist attraction. She
told the council the Honey Tree project
would economically benefit the city.
Hotels are Eagan's newest construction
boom. On May 20, the council approved
plans for a three-story, 104-room Marriot
Fairfield Suites hotel and restaurant east
of I-35E and west of Crestridge Drive near
'Hawn Centre. Similar to the Honey Tree
project, the Fairfield Suites hotel was
scaled down from four to three stories.
Last March, Holiday Inn Express in
the Rahncliff shopping center completed
construction on a 50-suite addition.
And on June 16, AmericInn opened a
four-story hotel at County Road 42 and
Cedar Avenue in Apple Valley.
Apple VaIleylRosemount, EaAlan Sun CurrenIMlednesday, July 3,199S
5A
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IS
Dogowners suspect poisoning killed pets
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Dogowners in southern
Eagan suspect their dogs might
have been poisoned, resulting in
the deaths of three dogs.
Fred Clapp and his wife Dei-
dria lost two Samoyeds, 7-year-
old Shadow and 10-year-old
Gangster, in May to a mysteri•
ous illness.
Don Walstrom and Andrea
Grazzini-Walstrom live about a
half mile from the Clapps on Sa-
fari Trail in Eagan. Their 85-
pound yellow Labrador, Foster,
died June 22.
The Clapps spent more than
$6,000 trying to save their dogs'
lives and to bury them.
On May 7, Shadow was
lethargic and was having ab-
dominal cramps and spasms. He
later vomited, so the Clapps
took the dog to an animal clinic.
A doctor there said Shadow had
a 105-degree temperature. The
doctor did a barium test but
found nothing obstructing the
dog's major organs. Exploratory
surgery was performed at 4:30
a.m. May 8, after which the dog
developed pneumonia. He was
taken to the University of Min-
nesota animal hospital where he
was put in an oxygen box in the
intensive care unit and given
plasma transfusions.
"It looked like he was going to
make it," Clapp said. "We visit-
ed him Thursday afternoon and
Friday night."
When they returned home
Friday, the Clapps found their
second dog, Gangster, lying list-
less in a mucous -type diarrhea.
They immediately drove
Gangster to the University hos-
pital. He did not respond to med-
ication and had a coronary the
next morning. Doctors resusci-
tated the dog but later that
evening he had two seizures and
died. Two days later, Shadow
also died.
The Clapps wanted to bury
their dogs, so they refused an
autopsy, but allowed doctors to
perform a necropsy, a post-
mortem exam, on Gangster.
Tissue samples were tested
for toxic substances or poisons
but came back normal_ A final
report has not been complet-
ed.
Clapp checked his home for
toxic materials and notified the
dog food company to see if the
food had been tainted.
The dogs were only out on a
chain, he said, and weren't al-
lowed to roam unattended. He
said a plastic bag containing
cubed meat was discovered
under a neighbor's tree. The
meat was too spoiled to be teat-
ed.
"I have a feeling someone poi-
soned our dogs," Clapp said. "I
think it was intentional. The
University said they'd never
seen anything like this. What-
ever was used, they knew what
they were doing."
About a month later on June
22, the Walstroms' dog, Foster,
began to show similar symp-
toms of diarrhea, vomiting, an
elevated temperature and
lethargy. Foster died within 12
hours of becoming ill.
Prior to that, their dog had
been near a pond and was visit-
ing another Labrador a few
houses away. Necropsy results
indicated that Foster had twist-
ed intestines but probably was
not poisoned, said Grazzini-Wal-
strom. An autopsy was per-
formed on Foster and the Wal-
stroms are awaiting those re-
sults.
Grazzini-Walstrom called the
similarities "suspicious," al-
though authorities are not call-
ing their dog's death a poison-
ing.
"We have searched our area.
We didn't find anything," said
Grazzini-Walstrom.
However, both families have
discovered other suspicious ac-
tivity recently in their neighbor-
hoods, apparently unrelated ac-
cording to authorities, said
Grazzini-Walstrom.
Pranksters stole hood orna-
ments on cars and entered the
Walstroms' garage to turn off
the underground sprinkler sys-
tem, she said.
On June 22, Clapp called
Eagan Police at 2:16 a.m. to re-
port that three people were hid-
ing behind a parked car and took
off running when his new dog,
Bailey, growled and barked at
them.
Besides Bailey, the Clapps
also have adopted a puppy
named Stormy.
"It was just too quiet around
here," Clapp said. "(Gangster
and Shadow) were part of our
family. We have no children, so
these are our children," Clapp
said.
Daysare numbered for Learii
6A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan ;fivMCurrentlWednesday. July 3. 1996
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
About 900 senior citizens and 1,000
families who attend classes in District
197's Learning Center North await a de-
cision on the future location of communi-
ty education.
As a Dec. 31 closing date nears for
Learning Center North in West St. Paul,
the School Board made it clear that it is
nowhere near a decision about where to
move community education classes and
the West St. Paul Seniors Center.
The State Fire Marshal had cited nu-
merous building violations but had ex-
tended occupancy of the F.M. Grass "A"
unit through Dec. 31, 1996. After that,
the district must vacate the premises.
The A unit is attached to Grass Middle
School which will be demolished when
the new Heritage Middle School is com-
pleted in the fall 1997.
Two options have been proposed.
Option One
The Dakota County Housing & Rede-
velopment Authority (HRA) would con-
struct a 32,000 square foot building on
Butler Avenue to replace the A Unit
which currently houses community edu-
cation programs. The new building could
be paid for through a lease agreement
with the School District, using a Levy for
Lease option. School Board directors
could authorize that option without a ref-
erendum vote. The estimated cost to Dis-
trict 197 residents would be $17 annual-
ly on property valued at $100,000. The
city of West St. Paul would contribute
$30,000 toward the senior center.
If option one is selected, the district
must submit its Levy for Lease request to
`Everybody in this community has been waiting.
Lease for years. This is not new. I absolutely thi
government.'
the Minnesota Department of Children
Families and Learning by July 15. The
amount to be levied would appear on Truth
in Taxation statements in December.
Although the plan received no public
opposition at recent school board meet-
ings, directors are reluctant to use that
authority.
Option Two
Instead, a smaller, second task force
was appointed by administrators, which
met three times and offered this option:
Send about 75 Garlough Elementary stu-
dents to other schools to make room for
community education students at Gar -
lough. Senior citizens would move to ei-
ther Moreland Elementary or Signal
Hills Mall.
Garlough staff and parents of stu-
dents disagreed with the second option
and were angry that they had not been
consulted by or asked to join the task
force.
Kathy Wills has a son in the early in-
tervention program and a child at Men-
dota Elementary.
"You don't know where he's going to go
when you evacuate by Jan 1. You still
have not officially (corresponded) to ask
my opinion," said Wills.
Parents said they felt betrayed by a
promise to reduce or
ementary schools a
recent excess levy
dums. We voted fo
to give us more root
Last week in 6-on
parents and teach
asked staff to appoint
would be inclusive. I
of a third option th
dents, be cost effecti
interest of the childn
Variations of Op
For example, the du
nior center onto IV
and an early learn
lough or spread ear
ming among all fiv
There would still t build additions to t
Extend
Regardless of ar
ed variance will be
A unit past the Dec
trict is requesting t
Paul support a ri'
tension through J:
But without a
facility plan, the s
likely to approve
St. Paul City Man
Eagan boy es m es
By Sue Hegarty ) 3 k'(1��,�
Staff Writer + s lye L.,
Joshua Kibler, 15, of Eagan was
supposed to start summer school
yesterday, June 2, but instead fam-
ily and friends held a wake for him.
On Friday, June 28, Josh was ac-
cidentally killed in front of the
Unisys building on Pilot Knob Road
where his father, James Kibler, was
working. Word quickly spread that
there had been a fatality outside on
Pilot Knob Road. His dad knew that
Josh and his friends frequently
walked that way between houses, so
his dad left work to talk to police and
was told that Josh was the victim,
said his mother, Carol, who was
scheduled to work her Unisys shift
at 11:30 p.m. that night.
Josh and others had just left a
riend's house and were walking
•outh-bound along a construction
a on Pilot Knob Road about 10
. m. Josh walked ahead of the group
nd gravitated toward the center of
e road, said Erica O tterstedt, 15,
ho was with .Josh when the acci-
ent occurred.
A pizza delivery driver, Troy Lar-
on, 19, was changing lanes and
ACCIDEN1: To Page 14A
Friends signed a poster in
memory of 15-year-old Josh Ki-
bler, who was killed June 28 on
Pilot Knob Road. (Jan Ab-
bott/Staff Photographer)
`Joshua, our son, we
love you always. The
happiness and joy
you gave us will be
missed. Through the
trials and tribulations
we experienced
together, we learned
how to communicate
better with each
other and make
better choices. We
are sad that this
experience of
growing together and
enjoying each other's
company is over
because of this tragic
accident.'
— James Kibler
Josh's father
Memberships
Now Available
Single - $39/month
Dual - $59/month
Family- $69/month
Club Facilities: Outdoor/Indoor
Swimming Pool, Red Cross
Swimming Lessons, Indoor Tennis,
Racquetball, Cybex Equipment, V.
Complete Cardiovascular Area,
Free Weights, Whirlpool, Sauna,
Tanning
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Membership includes use of the
entire Eagan Athletic Club facility.
Also Available:
1
aced irn I year MSHP.
Per
Monrb
Special
Call for more
information CP
454-8790
Fagan Athletic Club
3330 Pilot Knob Rd.
Eagan. Nei 55121
O�tdoor Pool Is Now OPEN III
daughter was saf
But one Min
couldn't be eased,
Marthaler of Cum
sualties, Minor
termined to be h
offer her support.
"We didn't say
Minor, who had
when she was
on Marthaler. "
MVTA
Staff Report
The Metropo
fares for Minne
ty (MVTA) servi
The 25-cent i
public transpo
Burnsville, Eag
and Savage.
Express fare
per ride, while
$1.25to$1.50
MVTA Exe
Miller said the
budget shortfal
politan Council
gional public
does not need
stay in line wi
cil, she said.
In addition
Council requi
W lauu a t% balms ac N• c.w.••.sw... .... .-......
i ent: Friends, family d mourn loss
From Page 1A
struck Josh from behind, killing him in-
stantly, according to Eagan Police and eye-
witnesses. Larson was not charged at the
scene. Eagan Police are con-
tinuing to investigate the
accident, along with the
Minnesota State Patrol.
The friends had been on
their way to visit Josh
7bvsen, who was working at
a restaurant at Yankee
Doodle Road and Washing-
ton Drive in Eagan. Josh Kibler
"We were supposed to ex-
perience the whole world together, side by
side," said his friend Josh.
On Saturday, friends and family brought
flowers, a balloon and a poster to the acci-
dent scene as a memorial,
"It's hard to deal with. You don't want to
believe it," said Thal Thongratsamy, 18, who
was visiting the scene on Sunday. "I still feel
him with me, but I can't see him."
Josh was the only son of the Kiblers.
Though he didn't always get along with his
four sisters, he knew he was loved, said his
oldest sister.
"He knew everybody loved him. Dad told
him so every day," said Missy, 18.
He was born Jan. 20,1981 in Illinois. His
family lived in Pennsylvania prior to moving
to their Surrey Heights townhome about
four years ago. He attended sixth grade at
Pilot Knob Elementary School in Eagan and
seventh and eighth grade at F.M. Grass Mid-
dle School in West St. Paul. He currently at-
tended the IDEA school in Apple Valley.
Besides his parents and oldest sister, he
is survived by sisters, Bambi, 17; Dora, 13;
('ourtney, 12; grandparents, Milton and
Elizabeth Kibler, Danny and Belle Hopkins,
Richard and Elizabeth Bold and many
other relatives and friends.
Funeral services are today, July 3, at 11
a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ Latter
Day Saints , 651 South Cross Drive E. in
Burnsville. Arrangements were by Kle-
catsky & Sons Funeral Home in Eagan.
LIFESTYLE
Eagan senior wins 'Downtown' makes
state in 800 meters � suburb like home
Look inside
this issue for
Bulletin
Board
June 14, 1995 Vol. 20, No. 29
Rainbow of dreams
Eagan High School's Class of 1995 proceeds on to the field for graduation ceremonies June 9. More area high school grad-
uation photos can be found on Page 9A. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
2A Apple Valley;Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrenVWednesday. June 14, 1995
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Custom Crafted Upholstery
Bob Cooper unloads items donated to the Community Act
and his wife, Molly, have volunteered at the agency since t
tographer)
Couple dedicates 25 y
working Help Line, c
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
Bob and Molly Cooper remem-
ber the days when the Communi-
ty Action Council (CAC) operated
out of a trailer in Lakeville_
In 1970, the beginning of the
CAC — then called the Commu-
nity Life Center, the Apple Val-
ley couple volunteered to answer
the "IF ALONE" telephone line
on Saturdays.
"We never got many calls,"
Molly said. "It was just the be-
ginning of the Hr1p Line."
"IF ALONE" later turned into
the CAC's 24-hour Help Line,
which offers residents informa-
tion about services available in
the county.
The IF ALONE line helped
the CAC determine what needs
people in the county had. Most
CAC's early
`Somebody needed he
and we had the time."
— Bob Coo
Pantry each day.
The Coopers stepped forw
to help the non-profit agency
cause "somebody needed h
and we had the time," Bob sa
Twenty-five years later,
hasn't changed.
"We see the need," Bob s:
"We try to help."
Between 1970 and 1990,
couple kept busy as manager.
Camelot Trailer Park
Burnsville. During that tin
Molly said they didn't do t
much work with the CAC. Or
thev retired in ltiaflimliam
on airport iab uca
Neighbors seek representation
Pawlenty agrees
to research idea
for new district
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan residents upset about
jet noise in northeast neighbor-
hoods don't think their com-
plaints are being heard.
In April, two neighborhoods
registered more than 50 com-
plaints each to the Metropolitan
Airports Commission (MAC).
Three other neighborhoods in
the vicinity made between 11
and 25 calls. Complaints came
from Hawthorne Woods, Aspen
Ridge, Bridle Ridge, Stone -
bridge, Coventry Pass, Stonebri-
er, Country Hollow and Autumn
Ridge neighborhoods.
Jon Hohenstein, Eagan's as-
sistant city administrator, said
the complaint hotline (726-9411)
is a recording mechanism, not a
method for change.
"It's not an instantaneous re-
sponse where corrective action is
taken," Hohenstein said.
Bob Mayer lives in the Stone -
brier neighborhood and is one of
the people trying to organize a
neighborhood coalition. Mayer's
goal is to get an Eagan resident
appointed to MAC. Commission-
ers represent districts. Eagan is
in District H which includes all
Dakota County. Louis Miller of
Farmington is the District H
commissioner.
"He really doesn't have a
first-hand experience of the kind
of problem we have," Mayer said.
So Mayer went to his neigh-
bor, Rep. Tim Pawlenty, IR-38B,
and asked for legislation to cre-
ate a new district for Eagan.
Pawlenty said he would sup-
port the plan and has begun to
research the possibility.
"We're getting kind of the
short end of the stick. It's not un-
reasonable for Eagan to get a
NOISE: To Page 19A
Noise: Complaints rise in summer months
From Page 1A
representative (on MAC)," Paw-
lenty said.
The plan would require a
change in statute.
One commissioner from each
of the 12 districts is appointed by
the governor. In addition, the
mayors of St. Paul and Min-
neapolis appoint one member.
"I don't know why we'd give
St. Paul a representative and not
Eagan. The data clearly shows
Eagan is experiencing more of
the traffic," Pawlenty said.
Air traffic at Minneapolis/St.
Paul International Airport
(MSP) is supposed to fly within
an established three-mile corri-
dor prior to turning over resi-
dential areas. Residents say
more and more planes are not
flying within the designated cor-
ridor.
"If they did, they wouldn't be
`l don't know why we'd
give St. Paul a
representative and not
Eagan.'
— Rep. Tim Pawlenty
flying over our neighborhoods,"
Mayer said.
Once pilots clear the corridor,
which ends at about Knox Lum-
ber in Eagan, they may turn to-
ward their destination. Last
July, MAC began tracking the
percentage of flights which stray
from the corridor. At first, there
was about a 30 percent noncom-
pliance, but that has been re-
duced to about 20 percent, Ho-
henstein said.
Perhaps what residents are
perceiving as increased noise
stems from the increased num-
ber of flights. There are about
100 more daily operations than
last year, Hohenstein said.
Other factors which might
create less tolerance of airplane
noise include season, weather,
type of aircraft and frequency of
flights.
Noise complaints increase
during warmer weather, Hohen-
stein said. As residents begin to
open their windows and spend
more time outside, the noise is
more noticeable, he said. Cloud
cover and wind direction also arc
noise factors, he said.
If the northeast neighbor-
hoods form a grassroots action
group, Hohenstein said the
Eagan Airport Relations Com-
mission would be willing to work
with them. A similar action group
formed in the 1980s called Eagan
Noise Abatement Committee.
"There is some weight carried
with each. If you can combine the
two, you increase your chances
for success," Hohenstein said.
Apple Valley'Rosemount, Fagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, June 14, 1995 19A
MAC Aircraft Noise
Complaints for April 1995
More than 50 cans
11-25 calls
20A Apple Valley Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrenVWednesday, June 14. 1995
Barbara Bonnar
Barbara Bonnar, 66, of
Burnsville died May 31, 1995.
She was born Sept. 30, 1928
in Calumet, Mich,
Bonnar was a licensed practi-
cal nurse.
Preceding her in death was
her husband, Andrew.
Survivors include her daugh-
ter and son-in-law, Rebecca and
Warren Eck; son and daughter-
in-law, Scott and Kathleen Bon-
nar; grandchildren, Stephen and
Sarah Eck and Margaret and
Alyce Bonnar.
Services were June 5 at Faith
Covenant Church, 12921 Nicol -
let Ave., Burnsville, with the
Rev. David Satre and the Rev.
Karen Dorshimer officiating.
Memorials may be sent to
Faith Covenant Church, 12921
Nicollet Ave., Burnsville, MN
55337, or Fairview Hospice,
2450 26th Ave. S., Minneapolis,
MN 55406.
Arrangements were by the
Henry W. Anderson Mortuary,
19850 Garrett Ave., Apple Val-
ley.
Lakeville died May 30, 1995.
He was born Sept. 22, 1928 in
Turtle Lake, Wis., and had
worked in real estate sales.
Preceding him in death were
his father, Walter; and brothers,
Howard and Robert.
Survivors include his wife, C.
Virginia (Ginny); sons and
daughter-in-law, Randy and Pat
and Scott; grandchildren, Jason
and Jessica; mother, Anna
Gentz; sister, Audrey Jokinen.
Services were June 2 at the
Henry W. Anderson Mortuary,
14850 Garrett Ave., Apple Val-
ley, with the Rev. Mark Huggen-
vik officiating. Burial was at
Fort Snelling National Ceme-
tery.
James Sinclair
James M. Sinclair, 49, of
Burnsville died June 3, 1995, at
Fairview Ridges Hospital in
Burnsville.
He was born Aug. 8, 1945, in
Indianapolis, Ind., to J. Howard
and Evelyn Sinclair. He was
raised in Indiana and graduated
from Purdue University in 1968
with a rnaior in indus
I OBITUARIES
Alton, Ill„ Columbia. S.C., West
Chester, Penn., and Eagan be-
fore moving to Burnsville four
years ago.
Sinclair was a member of Phi
Delta Theta fraternity while at-
tending Purdue and was a mem-
ber of Faith Covenant Church.
He worked as a manager with
Crysteel Distributing.
Survivors include his wife,
Jane; daughters and sons-in-
law, Deborah and Craig Cos-
grove of Harrisburg, Penn., and
Sarah and Christopher Buoni of
Philadelphia, Penn.; mother,
Evelyn Sinclair; brother, Robert,
and sister, Karen Grove, all of
Indianapolis, Ind.; and four
grandchildren.
Services were June 8 at Faith
Covenant Church in Burnsville,
with the Rev. David Satre offici-
ating. Burial was at Pleasant
View Memorial Gardens in
Burnsville. Memorials may be
made to the James M. Sinclair
Memorial Fund, in care of the
Burnsville Funeral Home,
12804 Nicollet Ave. 5.,
Burnsville, MN 55337. The
memorials will be used for vari-
ous charities and organizations.
wer
Ronalie Vigstol
Ronalie A. Vigstol, 42, of
Lakeville died June 3, 1995.
She was born Oct. 8, 1952 in
Thief River Falls.
Survivors include her hus-
band, David; daughters, Melis-
sa, Karalee and Andrea; son,
Reid; parents, Harold and Mari-
an Vatthauer of Plummer; sister
and brother-in-law, Renate and
Greg Schmitke of Lakeville;
brothers and sisters-in•law,
Neilden and Pamela Vatthauer
of Rochester, Edlen and Sandra
Vatthauer of Longview, Texas;
nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts,
uncle. and mother-in-law, Effie
Byer.
Services were June 8 at Trin-
ity Evangelical Free Church,
16165 Kenwood Trail, Lakeville,
with the Rev. Don Reigstad offi-
ciating. Burial was at Evergreen
Point Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Henry
W. Anderson Mortuary, 14850
Garrett Ave., Apple Valley.
death were his father, Frank,
sister, Theresa and brother, Nor-
man. Survivors include his
mother, Rose of Foley; sisters,
Margarat Peppersack of Cald-
well, Idaho, Mary Jane Gapinski
of Foley, Florence Schrodek of
Anoka, Alice Pedersen of West
St. Paul, RoseAnn Zablocki of
Minneapolis, Frances Jorgenson
of Redding. Calif., and Evelyn
Pekarek of Howard Lake; broth-
ers and sisters-in-law, Richard
and Karen, Earnest and Janice
of Searcy, Ark.; daughter, Lisa of
South St. Paul; many nieces and
nephews. Services were June 6
at Southern Funeral Home, 414
Marie Ave., South St. Paul. Bur.
ial was at Fort Snelling Nation-
al Cemetery.
Bernice M. Shepard, 77, of
South St. Paul died June 6, 1995,
at St. Joseph Hospice. Survivors
include her son, Gary. Services
were June 9 at English -Meeker
and Kandt Funeral Home, 140
Eighth Ave. N., South St. Paul,
with the Rev. Bruce Chris
3 Sections
Audit
reveals
surplus
City administrator
recommends saving
for long-term goals
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Results of a 1994 financial
audit of the city of Eagan is
"cause for celebration," said Tom
Hedges, city administrator.
All special funds were fully
funded and there were no
deficits in the overall fund bal-
ance, according to the audit firm
of Deloitte & Touehe LLP.
Revenue for 1994 exceeded
expenditures, leaving the city
with an extra $1.2 million.
"The City Council is very con-
servative and has been for a long
time. The management team is
very frugal and so are the de-
partments in their operations,"
Hedges said.
Credit for the positive balance
was given to all departments.
For example, the Community
Development Department spent
$112,000less than was budgeted
AUDIT: To Page 14A
14A Apple Valley Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentWecr'Bscay JJ^.e 14. 1.c
Audit: Surplus at $1.2 million
From Page 1A
and the Police Department
saved $134,000. Building per-
mits accounted for $250,000 of
the excess, as did program and
recreation fees.
When added to the fund bal-
ance from other years, the gen•
eral fund balance now tops out at
more than $6 million. The city
collects interest on the excess
fund balance.
Last year, it earned $256,530
in interest.
Auditors suggested the city
trim the balance, but keep a por-
tion of its excess for cash flow
needs or unforeseen catastro-
phe. Excess funds should equal
35 percent of a city's general
budget, according to the audi-
tors.
Eagan had a $13.5 million
budget last year.
That means about $4.7 mil-
lion of its general fund balance
should be reserved which leaves
$1.3 million that the city could
spend. But the money is not
burning a hole in the city's pock-
et.
Hedges said long-term needs
could easily eat up the excess
funds.
'The City Council is
very conservative and
has been for a long
time.'
— Tom Hedges,
city administrator
A bill passed by the Legisla-
ture last month will require all
metro area public safety workers
to be linked to a digital radio
communications system. The
system would use 100 radio
channels in the 800 megahertz
range.
Eagan would need about $1
million to comply with the new
legislation, Hedges said.
There are some items for
which the money should not be
spent, including adding police of-
ficers or other city staff, he said.
"The money is only there
once," he said.
Instead, he expects that star
will make priority lists wher
they draft their 1996 budgets
Hedges said he will review those
budget requests in July.
City rekindles fireworks show
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Fagan residents can begin practic-
ing their `Oohs' and "Aahs.` The
Fourth of July fireworks display which
had been canceled has been resched-
uled to an alternate Bite.
City officials received authorization
from the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion to offer a 20-minute show on the
grounds of Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Minnesota at Highway 13 and Yankee
Doodle Road. Fireworks will begin
about 10 p.m. There are about 2,000
parking stalls at BCBS and Eagan Po-
lice will direct traffic. Alcohol will be
prohibited on site and sparklers are
discouraged, said Eagan Police Chief
Pat Geagan.
The Lion's Club, which had orga-
nized the Fourth of July celebration for
more than 20 years, canceled the fire-
works show this year due to construc-
tion on the former site. The carnival and
parade remain canceled for this year.
The city and BCBS officials worked to-
gether to provide the alternate site.
The city is purchasing $10,000 in
fireworks for the event.
And baby makes three
Newest fertility
procedure works
for Eagan couple
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
After dinner at their favorite
Chinese restaurant, Lynne and
Ray Pernsteiner opened a mes-
sage more wonderful than any
fortune cookie could offer.
Unable to handle the sus-
pense, Lynne tossed the folded
note from the couple's fertility
specialist at her husband and
asked him to read it. His eyes
filled with tears.
"We're going to have a baby,"
he told Lynne. who had under-
gone three unsuccessful in -vitro
attempts to get pregnant during
their five years of marriage.
Nine months later on April
25, weighing in at 7 pounds, 2
ounces and sporting wisps of
dark hair, Brianna Pernsteiner
arrived — the first child born in
the Twin Cities area using a new
fertility procedure called Intra
Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection
(ICSI).
"We're really happy for this
gift. She's more than we ever
dreamed for," Lynne said.
Prior to using ICSI, the
Eagan couple had endured 3 1/2
years of taking pills and drug in -
a jections to better Lynne's
chances of becoming pregnant.
But nothing worked.
"You plan your life around
when you ovulate," said Lynne, a
former flight attendant for
Northwest Airlines. "If I ovulat-
ed during a layover in Fargo, I'd
have to call Ray and tell him to
come to Fargo."
Tired of the roller coaster ride
of emotions from month to
month, the couple decided to try
ICSI as a last resort.
They became patients of Dr.
Jacques Stassart, a fertility spe-
cialist with Reproductive Health
Associates.
Developed in Belgium, the
method is a form of micro -ma-
nipulation of the woman's egg
and the man's sperm. Eggs are
extracted from the woman and
sperm from the man. An embry-
ologist puts the egg on a slide,
and using a magnifier and mi-
croscopic needle, injects the
sperm into the egg. The egg is
placed into a petri dish to await
fertilization. Fertilized eggs are
then transplanted back into the
woman's body, said Stassart.
"This new technique has real-
ly brought a lot of hope to pa-
tients," Stassart said.
Research reports say the
technique is safe. Although
other countries have done micro -
manipulation for some time, the
University of Minnesota began
offering the service only last
BABY: To Page 12A
Five -week-old Brianna, with her mother, Lynne Pernsteiner
of Eagan, who was the first woman to successfully conceive
and deliver a baby based on a new fertility procedure at the
University o114�i�^^sofa. (Bill Jones/Staff Photo¢ranherl
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t to km,t auantrties
win stuuy miaaie scnooi learning
criteria, design programs to fit
that criteria and then decide ht,w
two new middle schools buildings
should be designed to enhance the
programming.
On March 7, district voters ap-
proved the construction of the
schools that will replace F.M.
Grass Junior High School in West
St. Paul. One school will be built
on the Grass site while the other
will be built on district -owned
land in the Friendly Hills neigh-
borhood of Mendota Heights.
District officials have estab-
issues about the Middle School
Design Committee and the con-
struction process.
"I want to see philosophically
and educationally where well be,"
Director Barb Tani said.
Who and how many should
serve on the committee was an-
other issue.
The committee consists of one
parent from each of the five ele-
mentary schools, support staff,
teachers, district administrators
and the architect.
During a recent board meet-
ing, Tani had suggested including
open to the public. At its first
meeting last week, the committee
scheduled six workshops from 8
a.m. to 4 p.m. in the board room at
the District Offices, 1897
Delaware Avenue, Mendota
Heights. Workshops are sched-
uled June 14 and 26; July 13, 19
and 26; and Aug. 23.
An architect and a construc-
tion manager have been hired.
The project architect is the firm of
Armstrong, Torseth, Skold and
Rydeen. Stahl Construction of
Minnetonka is the project manag-
ing firm.
Marshalla says goodbye to district
By Melissa Bergquist
Staff Writer
Director John Marshalla bid
farewell to the District 196 Board
of Education May 22.
Marshalla, who was nearing
the end of a three-year term,
moved to Eden Prairie last week,
making him ineligible to finish
his term.
Because Marshalla did not
run for re-election, he would
have vacated his seat July 1
when the new directors, Gene
VanOverbeke and Judy Lindsay,
are seated.
"Because I won't be a district
resident from Friday (May 26)
and beyond, I fall under the cate-
gory of cease to be a resident," he
said. 'While that's not the way I
wanted it, that's the way it came
together."
Marshalla has become more
involved in his job and is moving
his family to be closer to work, he
said.
He had originally wanted to
wait until after he vacated his
seat on the board, but the deal on
a house he was negotiating came
through. Instead of losing the
house, Marshalla made the deci-
sion to make the move, he said.
Even though he won't miss the
long hours or many night meet-
ings, Marshalla said he is going to
miss being a member of the board.
"I will miss the relationships
I've made," he said. "I've enjoyed
the time and I'm proud to have
been a board member for the last
three years."
Even though the board had
some tough times, there were
plenty of good times and learning
experiences, he said.
feel good about having made
an investment and contributed to
this community and public educa-
tion in general," he said.
Chairperson Jackie Magnuson
said she and Marshalla didn't al-
ways agree, but the arguing was
always constructive.
"I've enjoyed working with you
on the board," she said, "You've
been a really fun person to get to
know"
Director Kevin Sampers said
he has a lot of respect for his co-
worker because Marshalla could
vote for something the rest of the
board thought was in the best in-
terest of the district even if he had
doubts.
Director Mary Hamann -
Roland said she and Marshalla
also clashed at times, but differ-
ences of opinion make a dynamic
district.
m
Baby: Others seek hope
From Page 1A
June.
"I wanted to make sure there
would be no malformations,"
Stassart said.
So far, seven of 18 University
patients have become pregnant.
Depending upon how many
drugs are needed to increase egg
or sperm production, the whole
process can cost couples about
$8,000, Stassart said. There
have been about 3,000 cases of
ICSI world-wide.
Since Brianna was born, the
Pernsteiners have received sev-
eral phone calls from as far as
Canada from couples who want
to know more about the proce-
dure. Lynne said she personally
knows several people who have
not been able to conceive.
"I don't want to give false
hopes," Lynne said.
The success rate is approxi-
mately 30 percent, Stassart
said. There are several decisions
couples must face, such as how
many fertilized eggs to re -im-
plant and what to do with eggs
and sperm not used. Remaining
eggs and sperm can be frozen for
future use or donated to others.
"We decided we would donate
and help someone else. We'd
have to go through it again if we
decide we want more children,"
Lynne said.
Adjusting to motherhood has
been an exciting challenge,
Lynne said.
"I give any mother a lot of
credit. I'm lucky to get breakfast
dishes off the table before din-
ner. It's as if life doesn't even
exist outside your front door,"
Lynne said.
Lynne is cautious about who
she is with when she dotes over
Brianna. She knows how painful
it can be to hear about other cou-,
pies' success when you are try-i
ing to conceive yourself.
"It's a sensitive issue even/
though you're so happy for;
them," she said.
Apparently it can be difficult
for pets as well. The Pernstein-
era' cat ran away and their gold-
en retriever, Shannon, is jealous,
she said.
Mother's Day had added
meaning for Lynne this year.
The family celebrated with rela-
tives from four generations: Bri-
anna, Lynne and Ray, maternal
grandparents Marcia and Jim
Gowling of Apple Valley, and
great-grandparents Vivian and
George Gowling of Eagan.
If interested in more informa-
tion about the fertility method
used by the Pernsteiners, call
Reproductive Health Associates
P.A. at 222-8666.
High school seniors
prepare to graduate
Eagan man named
SPA soccer coach
`Thunder' prevails
at his motordrome
Newsstand
brimSunie
EAGAN
Look inside
this issue for
Bulletin
Board
3 Sections
June 7, 1995
Vol. 20, No. 24
Two radio controlled model cars tangle at the jump during races at Hobby Town USA in
Eagan June 3. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
Model race cars take
first in large scale fun
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
It's been said that what sepa-
rates men from boys are the size
of their toys. There is one toy that
brings men and boys together.
Model car and truck racing by
remote control attracts hobbyists
of all ages.
Doug Palms Sr. and his son,
Doug, of Apple Valley are a team
that has turned their shared
hobby into a family business.
Three weeks ago, they opened
their backyard "off -road" dirt
track to the public. Doug, a 16-
year-old Rosemount High School
sophomore, grooms the track.
"Dad owns it. I just mostly run
it," Doug said.
Maintenance includes killing
weeds and grass that grow over
the track. building moguls and
hosing down the track before
races. Races are scheduled 4 to 8
p.m. Mondays and Fridays and
4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays. Rac-
ers pay $7 for four hours of corn -
petition. Open runs are offered 4
to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thurs-
days for a $5 charge. Palm's Off -
Road Racing track is at the cor-
ner of County Road 42 and Dodd
Road on the Apple Valley/Rose-
mount border near the blue barn.
An alternative to dirt track
racing is parking lot racing.
Reaching speeds up to 30 mph,
the buggies, pan cars and trucks
zip through the parking lot at
Cliff Lake Center in Eagan every
Saturday afternoon. Hobby
If you're having fun,
it's OK. If you're not,
you can take your car
and go home.'
— Dan Bujold
Town USA began sponsoring the
races last October. It's not a club
and there are no dues. Anyone
can register to race between
10:30 and 11 a.m. Saturdays.
Races are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each
vehicle is placed in two heats and
a main race_ Race entry fee is $3
for an unlimited number of vehi-
cles. The course can take any
shape depending on how the fire
hose guard rail is laid on the as-
phalt.
There's one basic rule to be fol-
lowed, said Hobby Town USA
owner Dan Bujold. `If you're hav-
ing fun, it's OK. If you're not, you
can take your car and go home,"
Bujold said.
Everyone who finishes a heat
receives a ribbon. Doug said he's
been winning a lot at the Hobby
Town races. His secret — `I set
my truck real low so it goes fast.
A lot of guys don't like to do that
because it scratches the bottom,"
he said.
Doug has owned 10 remote
RACE: To Page 9A
2A Apple VallevlRosemount. Eagan Sun•CurrentWednesday. June 7. 1995
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Defeat of property tax freeze heralded
by some legislators, disappoints others
By Patrick Spaeth
Staff Writer
Not only did the 1995 Legis-
lature recess with no general tax
increase, it had a spirited battle
before defeating a proposal to
freeze property taxes for one
year.
Legislators trumpeted it as a
vindication to voters who spoke
:n November of their weariness
of government spending and in-
trusion into their incomes.
The property tax freeze
passed the Senate but fell in the
House, despite several attempts
to resuscitate it in different
forms.
Critics of the bill called it a
gimmick by Democratic Farm
Laborers that would delay un-
avoidable spending down the
road.
"It puts way too much pres-
sure on local government,' said
Rep. Dave Knutson, IR-36,
which covers Burnsville, Apple
Valley and Lakeville. "For the
state to come in and say we're
going to freeze your property
taxes, all it does is build up the
logjam. You've already commit-
ted to your budget"
But Sen. Jim Metzen, DFL-39
which covers South St. Paul and
nearby cities in northern Dakota
County, said the whole debate
was symptomatic of the need to
revamp the tax system.
"We need to let the folks know
we're serious (about reducing
spending)," Metzen said. "The
freeze was an attempt to slow it
all down. I think that by the time
it was lifted we would have re-
vamped the system."
Metzen argues that property
taxes, which are regressive,
place an unfair burden on those
least equipped to pay them.
"Those renters are paying
dearly," he said. "But nobody
wants to talk about it."
Metzen's brother, Dave, who
is the superintendent of South
St. Paul Public Schools, agrees.
"We (schools and taxpayers)
are on a collision course," he
said. "We need to level the play-
ing field."
"I think most people would
generally agree the property tax
system is too complex," said Tom
Pugh, DFL-39A which covers
South St. Paul and nearby
northern Dakota County cities.
"But we can't just eliminate it.
That money has to be replaced
and that would bear on different
people in different ways. If you
raise the sales tax, you'd have
someone with six kids who
would be hurt by that."
Pugh said Gov. Arne Carl-
son's reluctance to alter income
or sales taxes puts more pres-
sure on property taxes to raise
revenues for community or
school district programs.
Both parties acknowledge
that property tax legislation in
some form will likely have to be
addressed in the next session.
But solutions are as varying as
they are elusive.
They do agree on one thing,
however. Their political lives
hinge on voters' satisfaction
that they're getting more for
their money.
"One thing nobody's paid any
attention to is called the price of
government," Knutson said, cit-
ing a recent study that estimates
20 percent of Minnesotans' in-
comes go toward government.
"Our objective is to get more
in line with other states. If the
Legislature has the guts to stay
with it, that will have the biggest
effect on how well do."
Long-awaited highway projects
vanish from council's road map
By Parker Hodges
Staff Writer
Four high -profile highway
projects studied in the 1980s
have been wiped off the metro
area's long-term transportation
financing plan.
The list is compiled by the
Metropolitan Council and repre-
sents state plans for the order in
which metro highways will be
expanded.
The projects include inter -
states 35W and 494 and high-
ways 100 in the northern sub-
urbs and 212 in the southwest.
Elimination from long-term
plans doesn't reduce their im-
portance for highway planners.
It recognizes legislators have
thus far refused to pay for
them_
struction in the 1980s," said
Diaz.
That means there may be in-
terim lanes and other short-
term projects to reduce conges-
tion, but no major expansion
and intersections designed to
ease rush hour bumper -to -
bumper traffic common on
stretches of those two inter -
states.
"Those include an interim
third lane on 494 west of High-
way 100," said Mark Bernhard -
son, Bloomington's city manager.
"The improvements on Coun-
ty Road 18 will help north -south
flow, but an improved intersec-
tion at 494 would be a great
help," he said.
Another measure designed to
help ease I-35W crowding
passed the Legislature this year.
The_hiet Council has heen_di-
is in a crisis in transportation
funding," he said.
Rep. Alice Seagren, IR-41A,
said the onslaught of amend-
ments calling for road and
bridge repairs shows the declin-
ing condition of bridges and
roads around the state.
"But in surveys I've done a
high percentage of people are
opposed to a gas tax hike," she
said. "That's even though you
can see a two-, three-, or even
five -cent difference in gas
prices in stations in the same
area."
Diaz said metro planners
aren't "going to throw our hands
in the air and give up" and will
seek interim ways to reduce con-
gestion.
"We do have significant
amounts for projects, but not
enoueh for `mega nroiects."' he
at.J/
Small-business owners given
forum for action
Former council member serves as moderator
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Former Eagan Councilmem-
ber Mark Parranto told about 80
people who attended the organi-
zational meeting of the Eagan
Small Business Association that
the association was borne out of
frustration and concern that the
City Council no longer listens to
the business community.
Bea Blomquist, former Eagan
mayor, also attended the meet-
ing. Parranto was the meeting
moderator.
'I've sat on the opposite side
of the table. They won't listen
unless we're a forceful group
who will make our case in a con-
structive manner," Parranto
said.
Business owners were asked
to serve on one of the subcom-
mittees or to organize a subcom-
mittee of their choice. These are
some of the issues the associa-
tion wants to address!
• street assessments and de-
sign standards policy.
• land use and zoning
changes.
• the potential impact of a
proposed Central Area Ring
Road and its assessments.
• business property tax ap-
BUSINESS: To Page 12A
Historic Eagan barn to
travel back in time
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
'My dad was born on this farm
and 1 was born on this farm. It no
longer is the rural area — the
`boon docks" as city people would
call it. Interstate 35E is cutting
through the farm, and soon all
the old buildings except the house
will be torn down to make room
for the city.'
— Excerpts from a family his-
w tory by Irlene (Boesel) Schuster
May 1985
It's taken 10 years to fulfill
the prophecy of Irlene Schuster,
one of six daughters of Anna and
Fred Boesel of Eagan. This
month, the family's 90-year-old
barn will be the first building re-
moved from the homestead at
Blackhawk and Cliff Lake roads.
It will be replaced by 70 new
townhomes.
Fred and Anna sold all but 1
112 acres of their 120-acre farm
to Hoffman Development in the
late 1960s. Fred died in 1990.
Anna, 85, still lives in the 1917
family home up the dirt road, be-
hind Cub Foods. Removal of the
barn is necessary to begin fall
construction on the townhouse
development, said developer Pat
Hoffman. It will be called Cliff
Lake Shores because it is on the
edge of Cliff Lake.
Others have offered to buy
the barn from Hoffman for scrap
lumber, but he has found anoth-
er use.
"In the last decade Eagan has
filled up and barns have disap-
peared. We just felt it was worth-
while to keep," Hoffman said.
Its wide boards and sturdy
construction made it the perfect
replacement for a barn which ac-
cidentally burned to the ground
in 1993 at Murphy's Landing, a
history theme park in Shakopee,
said Shirley Olson, executive di-
rector of Murphy's Landing.
The Boesel barn will be the
first Eagan building owned by
the historical park, Olson said.
That's significant because most
BARN: To Page 19A
Look inside for Normandale
Community College
Summer Class Schedule.
If you do not
receive a copy
call 896-4700.
Vol 20, No. 22
Veterans
continue
service
Eagan VFW seeks
to add members
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Thirty veterans have served
their country, now they want to
serve their community.
Efforts are underway to boost
membership in VFW Post 8520
in Eagan, said Greg Martin, pub-
lic relations director for the Post.
Chartered last June, the first
order of business was to attract
new members, Martin said.
There are about 5,000 eligible
veterans living in Eagan, said
Commander Joe McArthur.
McArthur served in the U.S.
Air Force and was sent to Iraq
during the Persian Gulf war.
Both men said they like the ca-
maraderie associated with the
Post.
'It'e nice to get back in touch
with people I spent 20years with
and chew the fat about the good
old days," said Martin, a retired
master sergeant who served in
Viet Nam.
Veterans who served in either
Norld War, Korea, Viet Nam or
he Persian Gulf are eligible to
nin. Membership is open to any -
me with military service who
arned an expeditionary, cam -
sign or occupation medal.
Vomen can join, "but we're still
bachelor post," McArthur said.
b form an auxiliary post, 25
kembers are needed.
Benefits include free life in -
trance and discounts on travel
id eye wear.
But the greatest benefit is
!Iping the community, said
cArthur.
"You see an immediate return
funds go into the community.
VFW: To Page 16A
CITY BRIEFS
VFW: Lessons to learn
From Page lA
The majority of it stays right
here in Eagan," he said.
Proceeds from the annual
Buddy Poppy sale assists veter-
ans and their families.
VFW sponsored programs in-
clude the Voice of Democracy
essay contest. National winners
receive a $20,000 scholarship
award. Several other scholar-
ships of lesser value are also
awarded. Members of Post 8520
would like to help teach Eagan
children about their experiences
and Americanism. If desired,
they would offer to speak in
schools.
"There's a generation out
there that doesn't know any-
thing about World War I or
World War II," Martin said.
'There are lessons to be learned,
so it doesn't happen again."
A manual explains several
community activities, but many
require larger membership than
what Eagan has currently. The
group is too few to have a trained
color guard perform at funeral
services for Eagan veterans or to
march in city parades. Martin
said he hopes the post, which
meets monthly at one of the
McArthur
members' homes, can attract
more members and eventually
raise enough money to rent or
buy a building.
Annual dues are $20. Life-
time memberships are based on
age at the time of application for
membership. For more informa-
tion about VFW Post 8520, call
McArthur at 686-5179 or Martin
at 454-7372.
Community invited
to clean up farm
Eagan residents are invited
to join the community June 3 for
clean-up day at Holtz Farm, on
Manor Drive in Eagan.
The Holtz Farm task force is
beginning to plan for the use of
this park. Clean-up day is an op-
portunity to see the property up
close. The park is south of Cliff
Road, between Dodd Road at.,i
Highway 3.
Call 681-4660 to register.
BUSINESS I
Douglas Zubick of Eagan
was honored as master driver by
the Metropolitan Council Tran-
sit Operations.
Master drivers must attain
customer service, attendance
and safe driving for five years.
Samantha Sengpanya,
whose parents are Khampheng
Sengpanya and Seng Sengpanya
of Eagan, and a senior at Abe -
Eagan High School, has enlisted
in the U.S. Marine Corps De-
layed Entry Program.
Ap
Deer: County takes aim to cut number
From Page lA
morning hours Monday through
Wednesday in October and No-
vember
Hunters may only use portable
stands and must be out of the
park by 9 a.m.
The park will open to the pub-
lic on those days at 10 a.m.
Hunters must sign an ethics
pledge and will be pre-screened
by a shooting proficiency test. No
;bait will be used.
White signs, 12-inch by 12-
inch, will be posted along resi-
dential borders, to help clarify
park boundaries for hunters.
The first deer killed by
hunters should be a deer without
antlers, but one of the successive
deer killed by a hunter may be a
buck.
"The main reason is not to
provide trophy deer hunting ex-
perience, but to get the popula-
tion tinder control," Forrest said.
Since deer are polygamous,
the emphasis is on thinning the
doe population, he added.
Dead deer will be removed
from the park under a cover or
cloth using game transporting
carts.
"There's no reason to flaunt
this in front of people who might
be offended,' Forrest said.
Hunters will be allowed to
keep a portion of the venison but
will be encouraged to donate
most of the meat to charity Bow
hunters will pay the processing
costs, which can be about $20 per
deer.
This is the first time a deer
management strategy will be
used in Dakota County parks, al-
though similar plans have been
used in Hennepin County and at
Fort Snelling.
The goal is not to totally re-
move deer from the county's
parks.
"The county has always rec-
ognized that deer are enjoyed by
park visitors. They're a symbol
of the wilderness. We believe
that deer have a place in the
county parks, but we're getting
too many," Forrest said.
By removing some of the deer,
the county hopes to reduce the
number of deer -car collisions, As
vegetation inside the park be-
gins to regenerate, fewer deer
are expected to run across the
roads to forage in residential
areas.
"For the good of motorists,
landowners and long-term dis-
ease control, we need to do this,"
Forrest said.
I COMMUNITY LINE
Sarah Anderson of Eagan,
an incoming freshman at the
University of Iowa is one of 19
students who have recently
joined the Honors Program.
Peter Lee of Eagan has re-
ceived class honors in the colle : e
been named to the dean's list at
Concordia College in St. Paul
where she attends the Concordia
School of Adult Learning.
Traci Schoenike, whose
parents are Ken and Rita
Schoenike of Ea an . artici . at-
arship at the College of St.
Catherine, the highest honor
given to a student entering the
college in St. Paul. Her parents
are Carole and Bradford Ander-
son.
Nanc
Sell of Ea an has
School election
results analyzed
Spring
splendor
Warm temperatures,
fishing season and
greening forests - (top)
canoeists on Holland
Lake in Eagan had a
picture perfect day May
17. (At right) a cloudless
sky and temperatures in
the 70s brought
sunbathers out on the
shores of Holland Lake.
(Bill Jones/
Staff Photographer/
Eagan softball team
hopes for deja vu
EAGAN
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TION
USINESS
ERS
CONCERNED
EEN TREATED
ABLY BY THE
F EAGAN
MUNITY
OPMENT
RTMENT:
Strategy for foster care keeps
more troubled youth at home
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Dakota County wants to put a
hold on the more than 250 chil-
dren sent to foster care each
month. The practice of taking
children out of their homes cost
more than $6.2 million last year.
The community services division
is nearly $1 million over budget
this year due to escalating child
placement costs.
The number of children in
need of foster care is expected to
keep rising along with the
steady increase of teenage popu-
lation in the county.
A new plan was unveiled last
week to curb overspending by
keeping more troubled children
at home and providing social ser-
vices for families to deal with do-
mestic crisis.
I think the public wants peo-
ple to have to be accountable.
There is an obligation on behalf
of those parents to change that
behavior," said Commissioner
Michael Turner of Burnsville.
The county's Social Services
Department and Community
Corrections Department recom-
mended several strategies for re-
ducing child placement costs.
• Eliminate emergency foster
care resulting from parent -child
conflicts.
For example, a 13-year-old
boy with a history of drug abuse
and truancy got into a fight with
his father. The father was furi-
ous with his son for his drug use,
truancy and negative peer
group. Rosemount police inter-
vened and the boy was placed in
a shelter for 72 hours. The fami-
ly requested long term help with
controlling their son's behavior.
Under the new policy, this boy
would not be taken to an emer-
gency shelter or put into foster
care.
• Eliminate stays at St. Croix
Camp, a 90-day treatment pro-
gram near Hinkley on the St.
Croix River. Of the 18 youths
sent to the camp, only two were
successfully placed back at
home. The placements cost
about $9,000 each.
• Reduce emergency place-
ments by 25 percent. Reduce av-
erage length of emergency stays
from 12 or 13 days to 8 days.
To do this, more emergency
foster care homes are needed. A
payment increase from $38/day
to $50/day is proposed to attract
more providers.
But Dakota County has the
highest percentage in the state
of dual -income parents working
outside the home. The likelihood
Dakota County Children
in Substitute Care
The number of children in some Iorm of substitute care has grown from
220 children in 1983 to 1,152 in 1994. an increase of 433%. This level
of out of home placement occurred even as Dakota County worked to
prevent placements. and made placement critena more restrictive.
1200 •
1000 •
800 •
600 •
400 !-
200
I I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I I I I I
rn
oT
of maintaining a larger base of
foster homes is uncertain, said
Sally Moran, Social Services di-
rector.
• Reduce the length of stays
in interim, treatment and pri-
vate agency homes by 15 per-
cent,
These homes accounted for
about 43 percent of Social Ser-
vices placements in 1994. Under
the proposal, more will be asked
of these providers in shorter pe-
riod stays.
• Convert children in resi-
dential treatment to specialized
foster care in their own commu-
nity.
No cost savings is expected
with this plan, but it supports
the county's position that chil-
dren and their families need op-
portunities to rebuild relation-
ships.
• Reduce the use of private
agency foster homes by 80 per-
cent. Private homes will be used
only to preserve ethnic heritage
or to keep siblings together.
r • No court -ordered place-
ments for misdemeanor proper-
ty offenders.
• No placements for truant
behavior alone. About 10 juve-
niles were placed in a shelter in
1994 at a cost of $31,000.
• No nightcap warrants un-
less there is a felony history.
Judges can issue warrants that
may be executed night or day.
Juveniles arrested at night are
taken to a detention center.
Judge Leslie Metzen cau-
tioned the county board about
restricting the number of treat-
ment center placements.
We judges have the societal
pressure to get tough. We try a
multitude of services in the com-
munity first, but the time comes
when you have to do something
else," Metzen said.
County commissioners re-
sponded to the strategies with
their own solutions_ Among the
suggestions were increased pre-
vention efforts, requiring fami-
lies to attend parenting classes
and hiring a collections agent to
collect the sliding scale fees
charged to families,
"We almost have to start
treating this as child support
and require parents to pay. If a
parent is going to dump their
child on the taxpayers, then they
should be held accountable,"
said Commissioner Joseph Har-
ris of Hastings.
Moran said staff had consid-
ered coming to the board at a
later date to fund a collection
specialist position. "It's also an
incentive to take your child
home sooner," Moran said.
"Have staff put that on a front
burner instead of a back burner,"
Harris urged.
County Attorney James
Backstrom said in order to force
parents to pay, new legislation
may be required. "Many do not
have the resources to pay these
kinds of bills," Backstrom said.
Turner suggested that those
parents could substitute com-
munity service in exchange for
foster care services.
DCAL celebrates graduation
i Ii the Lost Spur
Ceremony scheduled
from their home high schools,
uonon}tareePr Raid
an integrated curriculum, com-
bining courses such as English
State pitcher
s summer plans
EAGAN
Television anchor
deals with illness
Look inside
this issue for
Bulletin
Board
Page 23A
May 17, 1995
Vol. 20, No. 21
Fire Department's safety trailer
will be new house on the block
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan's Fire Department has
put in a special order for a
$30,000 fire safety house.
The "house" is really a 30-foot
long trailer that will be used all
over the city to promote fire safe-
ty and prevention.
"This thing will be every-
where," said Fire Chief Dale Nel-
son.
The mobile unit will have spe-
cial features such as a 911 simu-
lator and theatrical smoke.
When a person dials 911 from
the trailer, it will ring into a con-
trol room, where a firefighter
will read through a list of ques-
tions that 911 operators are like-
ly to ask in the event of a real
emergency. Theatrical smoke,
activated from the control room,
will set off amoke detectors.
Heating elements in doors will
be turned on periodically to
teach people how to test a door.
If it's hot, don't open it. If it's
cool, it's OK to leave through the
doorway, Nelson said.
Visitors will be challenged to
find hidden hazards in the liv-
ing room."
The entire community will
benefit from the trailer, Nelson
said. "It isn't just the young that
need to be made aware of fire
safety. While some communities
target the young, we're targeting
all ages," he said.
Delivery of the trailer is ex-
pected in August, in time for the
Youth Safety Camp at Thomas
Lake Park. It is being purchased
with donations collected over the
past five years.
Major contributors include
the Eagan Fire Fighters Relief
Association, the Lion's Club and
an Eagan family who wanted to
thank firefighters for their quick
response when their house
caught fire.
>E �
2A Apple VslleyiRosernount, Eagan Sun•CurrenttWednesday, May 17. 1995
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Attracting
limmini rhjrd.s
Sibley High Prom
Mindy Manninen is escorted
School Grand March May 13
Siblev Hi
CITY BRIEFS I s-
Public Works `'1 9'
director honored
Thomas Col-
bert, director of
public works
for the city of
Eagan, was
named one of
the 1995 Top
Ten Public
Works Leaders
in North Amer-
ica. The award
is presented
during Nation-
al Public Works Week, May 21-
27, which honors all who serve in
the field of public works.
Honorees are chosen by the
American Public Works Associa-
tion, an organization of more
than 26,000 professionals in the
United States and Canada.
During the time Colbert
served as public works director,
Eagan grew from 17,500 in 1978
to more than 55,000 people today.
He worked on developing a
Comprehensive Water Quality
Management Plan which has
been used as a model by other
communities and agencies.
The plan addresses the caus-
es of surface water quality; it
catalogs existing wetlands and
water bodies; it documents
drainage basin characteristics;
and it establishes parameter
values and limits the impact of
new development.
oth
Colbert
Colbert also led the establish-
ment of joint powers agreements
creating several water manage-
ment organizations in Dakota
County. He proposed a study
that resulted in the Tri-County
Geologic Atlas and Well Influ-
ence Study.
He also is credited with a
Pavement Management Pro-
gram to manage Eagan's trans-
portation system while coping
with rapid growth. The comput-
erized management program
has been integrated into the
city's Geographic Information
System.
Colbert has a bachelor's de-
gree in civil engineering from the
University of Minnesota and has
done post -graduate work in busi-
ness administration. He and his
wife, Karen, live in Eagan with
their three children.
Summer programs
brochure available
Eagan residents should have
received the summer newsletter,
"Experience Eagan" and the
park program brochure, "Discov-
er Us."
Extra copies are available at
the Eagan Parks and Recreation
Department, temporarily locat-
ed at the Eagan Fire Adminis-
tration Building, 3795 Pilot
Knob Road. Copies are also
available at the new Eagan Po-
lice Facility (upstairs reception
desk) at 3830 Pilot Knob Road,
or at the Wescott Library, 1340
Wescott Road.
Information: 681-4600 or
TDD 454-8535 for hearing im-
paired.
Auditions begin
for `Fiddler'
Auditions for the summer
community production of "Fid-
dler on the Roof" are May 18
through May 21.
Persons age 12 and older are
invited to audition. Middle
school and high school students
will audition from 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Thursday, May 18. Adults will
audition from 1 to 4 p.m. Satur-
day and Sunday, May 20 and 21.
No advance preparation is re-
quired_
Auditions will be in the
Eagan High School choir room,
4185 Braddock Trail. Parking is
available in the lower east lot.
Rehearsals begin June 13.
Performances will run the last
three weekends in July.
Information: 683-6964.
Red Cross lab in Eagan tests blood
Collection center
increases its goal
for blood donations
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A new Eagan facility is help-
ing to ensure the safety of the
country's blood supply.
Blood .samples from 600,000
donors are expected to be tested
annually at the new $2.5 million
Red Cross testing laboratory in
Eagan.
The lab, on Eagandale Boule-
vard, opened March 27 and cur-
rently is processing about 27,000
samples per month. The facility
was built to consolidate 44 test-
ing sites into nine nationwide.
Other labs are in Michigan, Mis-
souri, Oregon, Oklahoma, Mass-
achusetts, Pennsylvania, North
Carolina and Georgia. Eagan
was chosen as one of the sites be-
cause of its access to transporta-
tion, said Dennis Zalenaki, prin-
cipal officer for the American
Red Cross.
Fewer locations will ensure
greater quality control and ad-
herence to the Food and Drug
Administration's regulations,
Zalenaki said.
LAB: To Page 13A
Dropouts return
to school, get GED
Iowa
mak€
3 Sections
Aims -
Gone fishin'
Andrew McMenomy and his dad, Bill, of Mendota
Heights decide if this one's a keeper on Fish Lake in
Eagan. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
11 I
Apple Valiey/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Cu
City, business owners reach compromise
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Single-family housing is en-
croaching upon the southeast
corner of Eagan, but a dozen in-
dustrial businesses and a gun
club may be allowed to remain
there under a compromise
struck between the city of Eagan
and landowners.
The industrial park, known
as Halley's addition, is south of
Cliff Road on Highway 3 near
the Rosemount border. About a
dozen business owners occupy
20 acres next to the new Red
Pine Elementary School and two
residential neighborhoods. The
West End Hunting and Fishing
Club is to the south of the indus-
trial park on Gun Club Road.
The city': Advisory Planning
Commission had discussed re-
zoning the industrial site as res-
idential to make the area more
compatible with the neighbor-
hoods and school. In 1994, the
city's Comprehensive Land Use
Guide, a long term plan, desig-
nated the area as residential.
Property owners in Halley's ad-
dition feared they would be
zoned off their land.
But with the help of the Eco-
nomic Development Commis-
sion and the Chamber of Com-
merce, a compromise was struck.
think we may have found a
solution that everyone can live
with," said Councilmember Pat
Awada.
Under the compromise, busi-
ness owners would be allowed to
remain there, but they would
have to make improvements to
the site. At its May 2 meeting,
the City Council authorized a
feasibility study to determine
the cost of providing utilities to
the industrial park, which has
remained rural in nature. Staff
also recommended a planned de-
velopment study to document
plans for road improvements
and landscaping.
Bill Schiltz operates a sheet
metal manufacturing business
in Halley's addition. He was en-
couraged by what he heard at
last week's meeting.
"I like what I hear. It's close to
what we're looking for. We real-
ize with encroaching residences
that some compromises are nec-
essary," Schiltz said.
Mayor Tom Egan said the
compromise will not be without
hardship. Improvements will be
expected at the industrial site.
"I'm trying to avoid telling the
businesses they're not impor-
tant here, but we have to use the
same standards throughout the
community," Egan said.
The council directed staff to
continue working with the prop-
erty owners to resolve the issue.
The council took no action
with regard to the West End
Hunting and Fishing Club. The
club has been there for about 30
years. A gun club is considered a
public facility and the 400 acres
it sits on is currently zoned as
public facility.
Attorney Rally Crawford rep-
resented the gun club at the
council meeting.
'Some have said they didn't
know we were there even though
we're on Gun Club Road. We
think the continued use of the in-
dustrial use serves as a buffer
between us and others less com-
patible," Crawford said.
But Tim Czaja, a homeowner
in Weston Hills, said the gun
club is a problem as a neighbor.
"When the gun club came 30
years ago it was a rural area. It's
now a residential area," Saja
said.
Bob Hosch, a board member
Bill Schiltz works on a plastic grinder in his industrial shop
located in Halley's Addition in Eagan. (Bill Jones/Staff Pho-
tographer)
of the gun club, responded by
saying the club has tried to be a
good neighbor. They intend to
have an open house this spring
to talk to neighbors. The dub
has a limited membership and is
open 35 Sundays a year from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. and three weekday
evenings for 20 weeks during the
summer.
Igan Sun•CurrenVWednesday, May 10, 1995
OPINION
.ion program
tng for buck
•s in last November's elections
uck."
a County is heeding the mes-
nvolves collecting fines from
s been so successful it likely
nd ultimately expanded.
Inced by county money, a full -
monitor fine collection sched-
r and misdemeanor offenders.
ling to numbers presented to
last week, the program has
e fines from a sector of Apple
rove Heights and Eagan. That
egged down by excuses and de-
-ants and driver's license sus-
tm collector, said its success is
excuses no longer will be ac-
otten or ignored. Offenders' fi-
credit histories are checked
nquent payers are made.
irogram already has paid for it-
my wanted to make — provid-
ent agencies to cut costs by giv-
ings are spent.
earch and development tool
spend money more efficiently
. It is not a seamless approach,
hector position proves it can
Legislature was wise to ignore
sal to eliminate a similar state
)f cost-cutting.
>pular, but as Dakota County
lent as in business, sometimes
to make money. The trick is to
innovative funding, it appears
Granger works
for `empowerment'
To the editor:
I am writing to support Gus
Granger for District 196 school
board.
Gus wants to empower teach-
ers with the tools necessary to
motivate our children to learn.
He wants to encourage the
use of new technologies to edu-
cate our children and he also
wants to implement policies that
will help our children be pre-
pared for the 21st century.
Gus Granger is a man of in-
tegrity and believes in the im-
portance of teamwork, problem
solving and consensus building.
I ask your support for Gus
Granger for District 196 school
board.
Tom Goodwin
Apple Valley
Lindsay displays
her commitment
To the editor:
On May 16 I will vote for Judy
Lindsay for School Board be-
cause of her commitment to im-
prove our public school system.
I have gotten to know Judy
through mutual efforts to rid
District 196 of Outcome Based
Education (OBE.)
Judy is a soft-spoken, gentle
woman who has repeatedly held
her own ground in "calling it as
she sees it."
She is a generous volunteer,
giving her time not only to her
children's own school, but also to
others in the district.
LETTERS 1
out detracting from curricula
geared to the larger student pop-
ulation.
Judy's priorities for District
196, Rosemount, Apple Valley,
Eagan, are to deliver the best
academic education to every stu-
dent and to provide teachers
with the materials to do so; to
eliminate nonacademic expens-
es and nonacademic programs
that interfere with the essential
function of school.
Judy shares our concern for
the much publicized drop in test
scores across the country and
the increasing demand for more
funding to solve the problem.
Judy knows that some of the
greatest solutions are not tied to
dollars.
A school board member inde-
pendent of any special interest
organization is one such solu-
tion.
Most importantly, Judy Lind-
say knows that taxpayers, par-
ents, and students must be rep-
resented on the school board as
the owners, stakeholders and
consumers of our public educa-
tional system.
Lilie-Jean Awsumb
Apple Valley
Kloeber and Prest
deserve support
To the editor:
Thank you for the thorough
and well thought-out editorial
endorsing school board candi-
dates Jcvne Kloeber and Shari
Prest in the District 191 race.
Both have earned respect for
their leadership on the board
and in the community.
mal membership list exists. We
are parents, pure and simple.
Republicans and Democrats,
conservatives and liberal, united
solely in our desire to maintain a
quality school district for our
children. If the moderate views
KEY values in the candidates it
supports are offensive to Mr.
Chamberlain or others, the an-
swer is easy, don't vote for them.
If extremist views held by candi-
dates are offensive to me or oth-
ers, do what I do, don't vote for
them.
KEY was born out of concern
that the school board was being
polarized by left- and right-wing
thinking.
It has chosen to follow a mod-
erate course, in the middle, and
its mission statement and the
candidates it supports bear that
out.
In ending, Mr. Chamberlain
makes the claim that everyone
knows knowledge is not the key
to a successful life, but that wis-
dom is.
That reminds me of the quote,
"Wisdom doesn't necessarily
come with age. Sometimes age
just shows up all by itself"
Mark Schroer
Burnsville
Joan Haan is a
strong advocate
To the editor:
I would like to encourage
residents of District 196 to
vote for Joan Haan for school
board.
I know Joan through our
work together in a local com-
munity organization.
Newsstand
Price
EAOAN
3 Sections
May 10, 1'
Club cancels 4th of July events
Schools' construction project dampens fireworks dispay
By Sue Hegarty
staff Writer
It appears to have already
-ained on Eagan's annual
Fourth of July parade this year.
The parade, carnival and fire-
works celebration sponsored by
;he Lion's Club has been can -
;vied this year due to construc-
tion near the site.
"We had everything ready to
go when we found out (about the
onstruction)," said Jerry Marko,
he club's president-elect. You
rannot bring that many people to
a construction site." It was too
late in the planning stages to
find another site, Marko said.
The celebration started at
Cedar Pond Park in the 1970s
and later moved to Rahn Park
because of development around
Cedar Pond Park. Now, because
of a construction project at Rahn
Elementary School and other
neighborhood development, the
Lion's Club board of directors
has decided to cancel the event
this year.
The club is working with the
city of Eagan, the Chamber of
Commerce and the Convention
and Visitor's Bureau to find a
new site for next year's celebra-
tion.
'We knew this was probably
going to be our last year at this
park anyway due to building and
growth," Marko said.
The directors were unani-
mous in their decision to cancel
the carnival and fireworks, but a
few board members still wanted
to go ahead with the parade.
Marko said the club sent appli-
LIONS: To Page 14A
SADD students cruise with police
to learn effects of drunken driving
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Prom and graduation are fast
approaching.
Students and law enforce-
ment officials agree that teen al-
cohol use is often an unfortunate
part of those celebrations.
To encourage students to
have a fun and safe experience,
Eagan Police officers have invit-
ed members of Students Against
Drunk Driving(SADD) at Eagan
High School to ride along with
them to see the effects of driving
drunk.
Eagan's Ride -Along Program
is part of a state grant designed
to heighten the awareness of
driving under the influence
(DUI) of alcohol.
Several SADD members have
ridden with officers during the
school year. Megan Kral, a
ninth -grader, rode with an offi-
cer between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. on
Dec. 30, 1994.
"I got to see first hand what
it's like to get picked up. 1 know
I don't ever want to get picked
up. I'll make sure I always have
a ride home or that my friends
do," Megan said.
Of the seven drivers stopped
that night, two were stopped for
speeding violations and were
found to be driving drunk,
Megan said. It was scary being
"It hurts innocent
people who aren't even
part of the picture."
—Emilie Carter
Emilie Carter, a junior, rode
with another officer the same
night as Megan. Even though
the squad car parked one block
from a bar, it was a quiet night
and the officer made no arrests
for drunken driving. Emilie said
she isn't as concerned about the
drunken driver as she is about
the innocent victims that might
become involved in a drunken
driving accident.
"It hurts innocent people who
aren't even part of the picture,"
Emilie said.
Sgt. Greg Johnson said the
students have asked good ques-
tions. Enlisting the students'
help in carrying the "zero toler-
ance" message is important in
Eagan, Johnson said, because
about 30 percent of Eagan's pop-
ulation is under the age of 18.
"Eagan is a very young com-
munity. We spend a lot of time
dealing with youth issues relat-
ed to drug and alcohol use,"
Johnson said.
son said. Between April 1994
and March 1995, 10 percent of
the arrests in Eagan for driving
under the influence involved miA
nors, according to the records de
partment.
Teaching students about zero!
tolerance toward drinking an
driving is the job of detective
Doug Madison, Eagan High
School police liaison officer. The
law states that if a minor is con-
victed of driving a motor vehicle
after drinking any amount oral.
cohol, the offenders driver's li.
cense is suspended for 30 days
Repeat offenders can have thei
licenses suspended for up to Ik
days, Madison said.
Prevention needs to be tars
geted at parents, too, because
they often are the ones who sup.
ply "the case of champagne iti
the limo" on prom night, Madi
son said. Other parents have
been known to give their
teenagers a credit card to rent
hotel suites for after -prom par,
ties. "That's frightening," he
said.
His advice for students is to
"be careful — make some good
choices.
'What's about the best you can
do. I'm not their parent,' Madi-1
son said.
More SADD students will be
riding with officers leading up to
prom and graduation.
Jury delivers 'not guilty' verdict
in murder trial of Susan Roers
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
South St. Paul resident Susan
Roers reacted with tears and
hugs Friday when a Dakota
County jury found her not guilty
of killing Ryan Ford, the 1-year-
-4d Eagan boy for whom she pro-
vided daycare.
Roers had been charged with
first and second degree murder
and with second degree man-
slaughter. She was declared "not
guilty" on the two murder
charges about four hours after
closing arguments in the three-
week trial. On Thursday, Judge
Richard Hopper dismissed the
second degree manslaughter
charge for lack of evidence.
"Justice was finally done,"
said Earl Gray, Roers' attorney.
Assistant Dakota County At-
torney Karen Asphaug, who
prosecuted the case, said the
verdict was understandable in
light of the requirement for proof
beyond a reasonable doubt.
The fact that there were no
eyewitnesses and only circum-
TRIAL: To Page 12A
Festival celebrates
variety of cultures
Newsstand
Price
FAAN
air
3 Sections
May 3, 1995
Old schoolhouse has a lot of `Hart'
Family looks forward to moving
into historical `dream home'
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Once again, children's voices
will ring out in the old one -room
schoolhouse where many of Ea-
gan's settlers learned arith-
metic and their ABCs.
The former District 104
School on Beau D'Rue Drive
across from Ccdarvale Lanes
will Boon become the "dream
home" of Daryl and Nori Hart of
Eagan. Together, they have
seven children.
The Harts were married
Christmas Day 1994. Daryl
brought three children into the
marriage: Jon, 13; Michael, 11;
and Sara, 10. Nori has four
daughters: Alicia, 8; Ashley, 7;
Samantha, 5; and Jessica, 3.
They soon found that their
blended family was crowded in
the three -bedroom home on
Turquoise Trail, just two blocks
from the old schoolhouse.
They began to look for a new
home to buy.
The former schoolhouse was
perfect, with its big yard and
scenic pond, Nori said,
Daryl, a backhoe operator
for Northdale construction,
said the family plans on doing
most of the renovations them-
selves.
First on the list is to put in a
kitchen on the north end of the
school building. They plan to
move in Memorial Day week-
end. The school's former library
will become the younger chit.
dren's playroom. Walls will be
knocked out to make spacious
bedrooms upstairs and down-
stairs, Daryl said.
The pond is filled with
wildlife — a beaver dam and
ducks. An egret rocks back and
forth with the ripples in the
middle of the water. The Harts
plan on adding salamanders
and frogs, a special request
from the girls.
When asked what they think
of their new home, the children
shout in unison, "Cool." Michael
asked if anyone had died in the
schoolhouse. He didn't want to
share his new bedroom with
spirits.
Neither Daryl nor Nori grew
up in Eagan or knew the histo-
ry of the school. Yet they are
looking into how they can help
preserve its integrity and have
it listed on the state historical
register.
The original flagpole still
stands in the northwest corner
of the lot, rusted and peeling.
Nori hopes to once again fly a
flag from the pole after they
scrape and paint it.
The Darts purchased the
schoolhouse from Roger Grom-
mesh last week.
Since it closed in 1955, it has
been used as a duplex and as
commercial offices. Grommesh
had been trying to sell the com-
HART: To Page 17A
"Old Blackdog School" was purchased last week by Daryl
and Nori Hart. Joining them in their new home are their
children: Jon, Michael, Sara, Alicia, Ashley, Samantha and
Jessica. (Sue Hegarty/Staff Photographer)
Graduates remember 'Old Blackdog School'
School District 104, Circa 1905 (Submitted Photo)
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
The blackboards and neat
rows of desks may be long gone,
but for some area residents, the
"Old Blackdog School" is still
filled with memories.
Eagan resident Larry Wen-
zel recalls how, in the 1930s, he
used to eat lunch there from a
5-pound syrup pail.
"We'd pop the cover off that
baby and start eating," said
Wenzel, 65. "You could smell
the sausage all over the school
yard."
Formally known as District
104, the one -room schoolhouse
on Beau D'Rue Drive was a
joint venture that included stu-
dents from Eagan and
Burnsville. Among its gradu-
ates were members of the
Slater, Kennealy and Hause
families, as well as other nota-
bles from the area.
The first school burned down
in 1932. Students attended
classes in the party room of the
Beaudette Hall until another
school was built the following
year.
In 1955, the Burnsville
School District formed and the
one -room schoolhouse closed.
The building was then used as
a residence before being turned
into commercial offices.
Now the schoolhouse is
about to open its doors to chil-
dren again. Daryl and Nori
Hart of Eagan purchased the
building last week and plan on
renovating it as a home for
themselves and their seven
children. Nori said several peo-
ple in the community have
shared stories about what hap-
pened within its walls when it
was a country school.
Wenzel said at recess, the
girls played on a merry-go-
round while the boys played
HART: To Page 17A
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14
Festival celebrates diversity
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
A May 6 event will strive to
bridge the cultural gap.
Funded by the Girl Scout
Council of St. Croix Valley, the
Multi -Cultural Festival at Scott
Highlands Middle School will
give people a taste of life in other
lands.
Last year's event attracted
600 people, said Yer Moua, a
member of Dakota Alliance for
Prevention and an educator with
the Dakota County Extension
Service.
This year, they hope to attract
just as many people.
She said the goal of the festi-
val is to create an appreciation
for "the different lives of other
cultures and what the cultures
have to offer."
A fashion show, for example,
not only gives people a chance to
show off their country's clothing,
but Moua said she hopes people
gain such an appreciation for the
styles of other countries that
they are moved to purchase
clothing from other lands for
their own wardrobe.
Also, she hopes to create a
network "for people to come to-
gether and know who and what's
out there."
Participants can spend the
day by attending ethnic perfor-
mances and informational ses-
sions.
Ethnic performances include
Hmong, African, Hawaiian, and
American Indian dancers.
Informational sessions will
feature origami making, a fash-
ion show, a storyteller, and a ma-
gician, among others.
There will also be all -day
events, including face painting,
Last year's Multicultural Festival featured a Laotian dancer
This is the second year of the festival. (Submitted Photo)
international music, arts and
crafts, Hmong photography and
information booths from a num-
ber of community organizations.
Among the organizations with
an information booth are the
Community Action Council, Girl
Scout Council of the St. Croix
Valley, Dakota Alliance for Pre-
vention, and the Dakota County
Diversity Working Group.
Moua said she "invited many
of the non-profit organizations
that serve minorities, especially
the Southeast Asians," she said.
"Alot of Southeast Asians don't
know that there are agencies
that could serve them. We want
them to be aware of what's out
there."
Other organizations helpini
out with the festival include
Amerasian 4-H Club, B. Rober'
Lewis House, Center for 4-h
Youth Development, Communi
ty Action Council, Dakota Al
liance for Prevention, Humar
Resource Associates, Minnesot!
Valley Adult Basic Education
and School District 196 - Com
munity Education.
The event is scheduled for 1
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Scott High
lands Middle School, at the cot
ner of 140th Street and Pilo
Knob Road in Apple Valley.
Discipline policy update planned
Parent may have
to shadow student
who misbehaves
By Melissa Bergquist
Staff Writer
Parents may be playing a
larger role in their children's
school discipline under proposed
revisions to District 196 policy.
The proposed changes to the
Student Rights and Responsibil-
ities Policy offer several conse-
quences for student misbehavior
that include parental involve-
ment. "Parent shadows" may be
used when an elementary stu-
dent is given one day of out -of -
school suspension. The parent
would follow the child around in
school for half a day, said Cal
Zwiefel, director of elementary
education.
For assault offenses, students
and their parents may attend
family education classes on how
to handle anger and solve fights.
That would help the family work
together to prevent other inci-
dents.
The student could also go
through the home consultant
program, he said. However,
these consequences can only be
used when they are offered by
the principal and agreed upon by
the parents, he said.
The policy was changed to say
that students are responsible for
their possessions (and that in-
cludes anything they bring into
the school). Also the policy states
that before any suspension be-
gins, the administration must
make a reasonable attempt to
contact a parent or guardian,
Zwiefel said.
The review of the discipline
policy began in October 1994
with a committee of 37 parents,
staff and Dakota County repre-
sentatives giving input on what
they did and didn't like about the
policy, Zwiefel said.
Kay Grabner, an Eagan resi-
dent, said she is pleased that
contacting parents was written
into the policy.
However, she questioned
what a reasonable attempt is
and, if the parent can't be con-
tacted, what happens to the stu-
dent being suspended.
Dan Kaler, director of sec-
ondary services, said a reason-
able attempt is calling the num-
bers on the student's emergency
card to locate the parents.
Ifa neighbor's number is on
the card, that person will be con-
tacted and asked to help find the
parent, but not to assume re-
sponsibility for the student,
Kaler said.
"Those numbers aren't on
there so we can release students
indiscriminately, but so those
people can help us find the par-
ent," he said.
If no parent or guardian can
be reached after a reasonable at-
tempt, and the student poses a
threat, the student will be re-
moved to the police station.
"It could happen that v e have
to remove that student from the
scene and then contact parents,"
Kaler said.
Director Sue Duggan said she
was happy to see the district
putting some responsibility back
on the parent.
Director Bruce Endler agreed
that emphasizing prevention
and family involvement is a pos-
itive change to the policy. The
changes also give the staff flexi-
bility to deal with misbehavior
"It could happen that
we have to remove that
student from the scene
and then contact
parents."
.. Dan Kale
by choosing a consequence frorr
the alternatives, he said.
Director John Marshalla was
concerned the policy didn't ad.
dress enough behaviors in ele'
mentary school, such as gam.
bling or terroristic threats.
If children are playing poker
or using bottle caps in games in,
the third grade, it should bd
stopped and not ignored until
high school, he said.
"If they do (gamble), I think
we ought to have a uniform way
of dealing with it, he said.
Zwiefel said elementary
school is different from middle or
high school because it includes
six years of maturing.
If an issue arises, such as
gambling or running in the
halls, staff will deal with it on a
case -by -case basis because not
everything can be written into
the policy, he said. "It becomes
an issue of whether or not we list
everything for everybody or do
we leave some things up to the
staff because it is minor and
with children that are very
small," Zwiefel said.
The board will vote on the
changes to the policy at its next
meeting, 7:30 p.m. May 8 at Dia-
mond Path Elementary, 14455
Diamond Path in Apple Valley.
School: Rebuilt after fire
From Page lA
"kitten ball" (softball). In the
winter, students would ice skate
on the pond.
"Wed take the barn lantern
down to the pond and put it on
the ice. Then we'd grab a willow
tree branch and use it as a hock-
ey stick. A block of wood was the
puck," Wenzel said.
One vivid memory Wenzel
has of the old schoolhouse hap-
pened on a cold winter morning.
"One of the Slater boys told
me to stick my tongue on the iron
porch railing," he said. "I did and
my tongue stuck to the railing.
"I lost the skin on my tongue."
Chores had to be done before
and after school, Wenzel said.
He'd have to help milk 18 cows
before school. When he got home,
his father had five rows of pota-
toes dug up, waiting to be bagged
by Wenzel and his brothers.
The origin of the 1932 fire at
the school still has former stu-
dents wondering. It was the
Great Depression. Two other
schools burned in the area the
same night. Some suspected
book salesmen who needed the
business, but no one was ever
caught, said Joe Kennealy, a for-
mer student and School Board
member.
It cost about $3,500 to rebuild
the school, said Kennealy. Last
week the Harts purchased the
school and land for $100,000.
Kennealy, an Eagan resident,
said he and six classmates grad-
uated from the eighth grade in
-
1937. His family farmed next to
the school.
"I was hired to start the fire in
the old school's wood burning
furnace," Kennealy said.
Other students were given
jobs such as hauling water from
neighboring wells to fill the
crock or to fetch a pail of milk for
the teacher.
Virginia Emond (nee Berres)
was the last teacher to teach in
the school.
"It was a beautiful building
and setting," said Emond of
Lakeville. "It was truly a country
school. I know that's hard to be-
lieve now."
Last week, as the Harts
talked about their plans for the
site, their seven children played
on a jungle gym in the yard.
Their laughter and play was
reminiscent of days gone by.
Historical data
needed on school
The community's help is
needed to gather informa-
tion about the former Dis-
trict 104 school in order to
submit an application
claiming it a historical site.
If you have information
or know of someone who
may have historical infor-
mation about the school,
contact the Harts at 454-
5430. In addition, the fami-
ly hopes to assemble a
scrapbook for their children
about the history of their
new home.
Hart
From Page 1A
mercial property for several
years.
Nori said her realtor told her
there was little chance the city
would rezone the property as
residential. Nori found that as-
sumption to be false.
The city's Advisory Planning
Commission and the Metropoli-
tan Council unanimously ap-
proved the rezoning. Eagan's
City Council was expected to ap-
prove the rezoning at its May 2
council meeting.
"It's a good way to preserve
the site. You might not get that
chance again," said city planner
Shannon Tyree.
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6 1:
6 1:
Trial begins
for murder
of Eagan hoy
Ryan Ford had
rash associated
With child abuse
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Ryan Ford was a 27-pound
happy baby boy at his one-year
checkup. His height and weight
revealed he was in the top five
percentile for babies his age, ac-
cording to his pediatrician.
One week later, on Aug. 4,
1992, Ryan's daycare provider
drove the limp, lifeless son of
Jim and Jennifer Ford from
their Eagan home to the Metro-
politan Pediatric Clinic in
Burnsville. He was not breath-
ing and his heart had stopped.
Last week Ryan's empty baby
crib stood in a Dakota County
courtroom, where his daycare
provider is on trial for his mur-
TRTAL: To Page 15A
lAj
Roerr
rand said he did not feel it was
due to child abuse so he did not
report it to authorities.
"I saw no signs of neglect,'
Durand said.
Grey also pointed to testimo-
ny from Durand that James
Ford, Ryan's father, showed
more anger than grief when told
his son probably would die. Du-
rand found it unusual that the
parents did not "hug" or hold
each other after hearing the
prognosis.
The trial began April 17 more
than two years after Ryan's
death.
Roers was indicted by a grand
jury shortly after Ryan's death
but the judge threw out the in-
dictment due to misconduct by a
grand juror. The state appealed
its case but a judge ruled that
Roers could not be indicted twice
for the same case. The state
again appealed the judge's rul-
ing and won. A second grand
jury ruled that Roers should
stand trial for the murder of
Ryan Ford. Besides the pediatri-
cian, testimony was heard last
week from the parents, James
and Jennifer Ford. The trial is
expected to last about three
weeks.
O 1995 Mimosa Saar linen l arcrr plain 'Mali to I B RIR d
Trial: Doctor testifies to medical history
rom Page 1A
er.
Susan E. Roers, 24, of South
t. Paul was indicted in January
y a grand jury on three counts
- first degree murder while
=mmitting child abuse, second
egree murder and second de-
,ee manslaughter. The first de-
,ee murder charge carries a
aximum sentence of life im-
-isonment.
Roers, a former religious edu-
ction teacher at St. John Vian-
:y Catholic Church in South
Paul, had cared for Ryan and
s brother, Aaron, in the Ford's
agan home. The Fords have
nce moved to Burnsville and
Lye another son, who was born
st month,
Roers and her attorney, Earl
•ey, refused to comment on the
se during a break in the trial
fail 20 in Hastings. Roers ha-
led as Ryan's pediatrician, Dr.
ger Durand, told jurors how a
!dical team resuscitated Ryan
the "crash room" of the clinic.
"At that point we had no idea
y he was in arrest," Durand
d.
He was flown by helicopter to
nneapolis Children's Hospi-
, where he was taken off life
port systems and was pro -
need dead on Aug. 6. Ryan
er regained consciousness,
rand said.
"He'd already been dead and
'ved," Durand said.
Durand testified that Ryan's
ther had first blamed the
ergency on a lactose intoler-
e, an allergic reaction to
a milk. When Durand told
nifer Ford that was unlikely,
told him that Roers had told
of hearing a loud noise in
an's room, as if something
fallen.
hen Durand re-examined
n, he discovered a "boggy
a on the right side of his
d. He compared the injury to
ri
a balloon filled
with fluid
three -by -five
inches in size.
There also
were two lin-
ear parallel
markings on
the right side
of Ryan's
head.
Defense
attorney Earl
Grey raised the question of
when the alleged abuse could
have occurred, asking whether
the injuries had scabs or if scabs
could have rubbed off the baby's
head. Durand said the injuries
did not have scabs.
The defense also said Ryan's
medical records indicated a his-
tory of ear infections that made
him "fussy" and "crabby" at
night. He had 12 office visits be-
tween March 30 and Aug. 4,
1992, mostly for symptoms of
ear infections. Although he had
been prescribed a preventive an-
tibiotic, Ryan continued to get
ear infections, Durand said. His
parents had also reported that
he may have had a seizure,
which Durand said is common
among children who have fevers.
Grey said "if a parent says
they can't handle the crying,
sometimes people will do some
things in terms of injuring the
child." But the pediatrician said
he could not recall the Fords say-
ing they couldn't handle Ryan's
crying, ear infections or sleep-
lessness.
Ryan also had been diag-
nosed at times with Petechiae, a
rash associated with child
abuse, Durand said. Petechiae
are small "micro bruises" caused
by the leakage of red blood cells
into skin tissue. They can be
caused by choking, smothering
or "anything that would cause
enough distress," Durand said.
However, at the time Ryan was
diagnosed with Petechiae, Du-
OBITUARIES I
James Knaeble
James N. Knaeble, 59, of
Rosemount died April 12, 1995.
He was born July 8, 1935, in
Cambridge. Knaeble worked as
a machinist. His hobbies includ-
ed woodworking, model air-
planes (remote control) and fish-
ing. He was a Korean War veter-
an.
Survivors include his wife,
Gretchen; sons and daughter-in-
law, Mark of Prior Lake, Bob and
Janet of Cologne and Bill of
Shakopee; daughters and son-
in-law, Karin Sha of Farmington
and Kristy and Dan Urman of
Cannon Falls; nine grandchil-
dren; mother, Marie Knaeble;
brother, Raymond Knaeble Jr. of
Burnsville; sister and brother-
in-law, Betty and Lloyd Sukraw
of Parkers Prairie; nieces and
nephews.
Services were April 14 at the
Henry W. Anderson Mortuary,
14850 Garrett Ave., Apple Valley
with the Rev. Mark Huggenvik
officiating. Burial was at Sunset
Memorial Park in Minneapolis.
Also noted ...
Cheryl A. Beaumont, 22, of
Inver Grove Heights died in
Ramsey County April 12, 1995.
Survivors include her parents,
Joyce and James; brothers,
Steven and Richard; grandmoth-
ers, Theresa Beaumont and
Gertrude Utschinski; many lov-
ing relatives and friends. Ser-
vices were April 17 at St.
Patrick's Church in Inver Grove
Heights. Burial was at St.
Patrick's Cemetery. Arrange-
ments were by Southern Funer-
al Home, 414 Marie Ave., South
St. Paul.
Joseph A. Behr, 78, of South
St. Paul died March 25, 1995, in
Dakota County. Preceding him
in death was his wife, Marcella.
Survivors include his daughters
and sons-in-law, Carol and Mark
Hagemeyer, Mary and James
Kleinberg, Cindy and Brad
ENHANCERS
FREE RATTAN
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ji
Kacter; son and daughter -in,
law, Robert and Jan; eight
grandchildren. Services wen
March 29 at Holy Trinity
Church in South St. Paul. Buria
was at Resurrection Cemetery
Arrangements were by Southern
Funeral Home, 414 Marie Ave.
South St. Paul.
Esther M. Seidl, 65, of Wes
St. Paul died April 12, 1995. Sh
was preceded in death by he
son, Ronald. Survivors includ
her husband of 46 years
Thomas; daughter, Jane Tayle
of St. Paul; son and daughter-ir
law, Allen and Margie of Has
ings; five grandchildren; fou
great-grandchildren; sisters
Helen Mussehl and Evely
Fritz; brothers, Don and Re
Traver; many nieces an
nephews. Services were April 1
at Augustana Lutheran Churc
in West St. Paul. Burial was
Riverview Cemetery. Arrang
ments were by West Funer
Home, 1051 S. Robert St., We
St. Paul.
Health Professionals here to serve you!
NEWS
SPORTS
Minnesota Zoo plans
Earth Day celebration
2A
Eagan tennis team
enjoys sunny days
Newsstand
Price
EAAN
3 Sections April 19, 1995
•
leer
.,
- . {N.
4 4
^ +�
Egg hunt's everything it's cracked up to be
Scott Burgess, 3, and his dad, Roger, both of Eagan, crack their eggs for prizes at the
Rosemount Jaycee egg hunt April 8. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
orkers comp debate continues,
ills proposed at Legislature
y Patrick Spaeth
taff Writer
The joke making the rounds of
e state Labor and Industry De-
artment is that there are more
orkers compensation judges in
he state of Minnesota than
here are lawyers in Wisconsin.
That bit of gallows humor has
erhaps found its way into the
orridors of the Capitol in St.
aul, where lawmakers are
orking on the perennial issue
f driving down the costs of a
orkers compensation system
hat has locked business and
abor into a bitter struggle.
Workers compensation is a
L2 billion annual industry in
linnesota. Businesses say ben -
fits to injured workers are too
igh while organized labor says
is already given into benefit-re-
uction plans, only to see little
avings in the overall costs of the
ystem.
All sides agree on one thing:
e system is too complex and
eighed down too heavily in ad-
inistrative red tape.
"Complication leads to litiga-
ion," said David Olson, presi-
ent of the Minnesota Chamber
f Commerce.
There are several versions of
orkers comp reform floating in
oth chambers of the Legisla-
ure but none has reached either
floor.
Olson said a $1.2 billion sys-
tem is nuts" and has outlined a
List of reforms to bring down that
figure.
Among those is the elimina-
tion of lump -sum payments,
which can be awarded based on
the severity of the injury along
with weekly benefits. Olson sug-
gests replacing those with inter-
est payments on benefits.
That would decrease litiga-
tion because lawyers would not
be as tempted to grab a slice of
the lump -sum pie, said Patrick
Sexton, a spokesman for the
workers comp division of the
labor department.
"If you spread that money
out," Sexton said, "and make the
lawyers wait, they may not be as
anxious to get involved."
The Chamber also wants to
establish a minimum threshold
of 15 percent disability to quali-
fy for long-term disability status
and cease payments at age 67 if
pensions or Social Security.
None of those reforms, how-
ever, would lead to overall cost
savings, said Bill Moorer, com-
munications director for the
Minnesota AFL-CIO.
"Our position is that many
things can be done to simplify
workers compensation," Moorer
said. "Cutting benefits isn't one
of them. Every year they come
back and want benefit relief. It's
a one -note song."
Moorer cited statistics by the
Department of Labor and Indus-
try that say although workers
comp premiums increased 4.9
percent from 1983 to 1993, ben-
efits rose an average of only 1
percent.
"The figures fail to show ben-
efit costs are driving up the cost
of the industry," he said. "It's
easy to scapegoat workers. It's
one of those things that's going
to happen. They're a small con-
stituency.'
Bernard Brommer, president
of the AFL-CIO, says the 15 per-
cent threshold is an arbitrary
tool that will do nothing to
lessen the level of litigation both
sides blame for driving up costs.
What would happen when in-
jured workers receive ratings of
14 percent or 16 percent?" he
wrote earlier this year. "Would
not the worker or the employer be
inclined to challenge the rating?
So much for reducing litigation."
Labor blames the deregula-
tion of the insurance industry for
escalating costs.
"They've got carte blanche" in
setting rates, Moorer said. Large
companies who've become self -
insured have lowered their costs
and maintained or improved
safety conditions in the work-
place, he said.
But small businesses suffer
1
in the assigned -risk category,
driving up premiums, and they
can't afford self-insurance,
Moorer said.
'They're getting killed," he
said.
Sexton points to another vex-
ing question that has polarized
the two sides: Whether employ-
ers have enough incentive to
bring an injured worker back or
whether the system entices
workers to stay home.
Olson argues that tax-free
payments equalling two-thirds
of a worker's salary plus lump -
sum payments is too generous.
Moorer counters that a 33
percent cut in pay would be un-
acceptable to most people and
that employers are not doing
enough to bring workers back.
"On the one hand it's not fair
to the employee because there's
not enough incentive to take back
the employee," Sexton said, not-
ing that often it requires retrain-
ing or finding a new position.
"On the other hand, it's not
fair to businesses because we're
not showing that it pays to main-
tain safety" because costs con-
tinue to rise regardless of a com-
pany's safety record.
Olson cites a statistic that 4
percent of injured workers eat
up 80 percent of benefits distrib-
uted each year.
"Something's out of whack,"
said Dan Aberg, president of
Northern Dakota County Cham-
ber of Commerce. We just think
we're way too liberal with bene-
fits.'
But Dennis Ozment of Rose-
mount, IR-37A, challenged that
figure. Ozment, a fire captain for
the city of Minneapolis and a
union member, said if the figure
is 4 percent "the actual numbers
ought to be low enough where 1
could put some gas in my car and
drive around until I find them. I
don't know where these people
are but somehow they must be
out there. That's what they keep
telling me. There's a lot of story-
telling. But when I challenge
them to give me facts, they never
come back."
"Anybody can take any statis-
tic and make it say what they
want," Sexton said. "This is lit-
erally a jobs issue. The whole
idea of workers compensation is
to take care of the employee.
There have to be better ways to
Brooksgiveirsentenc
e
for criminal sexual acts
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
An Eagan man who pleaded
guilty to fondling teenage stu-
dents of his driving school was
sentenced April 14 to one year in
Dakota County Jail and to 15
years probation.
Thomas Edward Brooks, 31
and the owner of Highland Dri-
ving School, also was ordered by
Judge Richard Spicer to a sex of-
fender treatment program. He is
to have no contact with his vic-
tims, no unsupervised contact
with males under age 15 and
must submit to periodic poly-
graph tests and urinalysis tests.
Brooks must also register as a
sex offender and submit to DNA
testing. Brooks turned himself
into police in April 1994 and was
charged with two separate
counts of fondling, touching and
taking teenage boys to his apart-
ment, where he wrestled with
them and pressed his body into
theirs over their clothing. Two
other counts were dropped in ex-
change for the guilty plea.
In Ramsey County, Brooks
had pleaded guilty to third de-
gree criminal sexual conduct for
molesting another teenage boy
and was placed on probation for
15 years for that offense in Jan-
uary 1995.
vfic,f1
Bureau puts Eagan
on international map
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Eagan is quickly becoming
more than a dot on the map.
Residents are likely to meet
visitors from Russia, Japan or
one of the Scandinavian coun-
tries who are being courted by
the Eagan Convention and Visi-
tors Bureau (ECVB).
Since the ECVB began mar-
keting the city in November
1993, more than 10,000 phone
calls have been made to the toll -
free request number: 800-
Eagan-20.
Just last week, a delegation of
retired military officers from
Russia toured the Northwest
Airlines Training facility and
Lull Industries.
Igor Britanov lives in Ekater-
inburg, home town of Russian
President Boris Yeltsin. Speak-
ing through an interpreter, he
said he came to Minnesota to
learn about other businesses
and their relationships with gov-
ernment. Britanov, the owner of
a transport service, is president
of a veteran's organization
which is trying to establish jobs
for retired military officers in
Russia.
More than 20 Japanese news-
paper, magazine and television
reporters have stayed in Eagan
in the past year to write stories
about Northwest Airlines and
the Twin Cities area, said Ann
Carlon, executive director of the
ECVB.
Carlon plans to travel to
Osaka and Tokyo soon to meet
with 150 tour operators and
media in Japan. In the United
States, many people arrange
their own vacations, but in
Japan 95 percent of the travelers
make arrangements through
travel agents, Carlon said.
BUREAU: To Page 9A
Retired Russian military officers tour the Northwest Aerospace Training Corporation in
Eagan April 12. Inset — Vladmir Mesentsev and Tatyana Shmykova get a closer look inside a
$20 million flight simulator at NATCO. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
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EarthFest `95 at Minnesota Zoo teaches
the three Rs reduce, reuse, and recycle
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
In the last decade, cries of
"Save the whales" have rapidly
been followed by pleas to "Save
the Earth" as people become
more aware of how their behav-
ior impacts their surroundings.
To further raise awareness
about preserving the environ-
ment, the Minnesota Zoo is cele-
brating the 26th Anniversary of
Earth Day, April 22.
EarthFest '95 will show par-
ticipants how they can play a
role in keeping the Earth dean.
This year EarthFest will span
three days, April 20-22, up from
last year's two days, said Mike
Vinyon, co -coordinator of the fest.
Because the Minnesota Zoo is
the largest environmental edu-
cation center in the state, Viny-
on said the zoo hopes to create an
awareness of environmental is-
sues — a goal that ties into the
zoo's mission statement.
"Our mission is to strengthen
the bond between people and the
living Earth," he said. -One of
the cornerstones of that mission
is education."
School children are coming to
the zoo much more aware of the
environment than students of
days gone by, said Molly Erdahl,
who is also coordinating Earth-
Fest.
"The whole level of the event
has moved up because of [the
students' increased] awareness,"
she said.
In order to make the event
more meaningful to partici-
pants, Erdahl said the zoo offers
hands-on activities.
"The children really are more
active in this than just visiting a
booth and picking up informa-
tion from a table," she said.
Among those helping with the
event are Diamond Path Ele-
mentary and Lakeville Elemen-
tary students, Dakota Electric
Association, Dakota County
Master Gardeners, Friends of
the Minnesota River Valley, and
Apple Valley Forestry and Waste
Management.
While a lot of time has been
invested in preparing for Earth-
Fest, Erdahl said the work is
worth it.
"The key thing about this is
it's such an important issue to
everyone involved," she said.
"It's a good opportunity for peo-
ple to learn things that they can
do personally."
"It can raise awareness and
[provide] an opportunity to act,"
Vinyon said.
The schedule for EarthFest is:
On -going events: Environ-
mental activity stations will be
open in the Tropics Plaza and
Visitor Commons from 9 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. A "Recycle -Rama" ob-
stacle course will be open from 9
a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the upper
plaza. Costumed characters will
FEST: To Page 6A
zkt,
City study will determine
adult entertainment sites
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Possible locations for adult
entertainment in Eagan will be
part of a year -long study autho-
rized by the City Council April 4.
The city is prohibited by law
from banning such establish-
ments altogether, but it may reg-
ulate the location through the
zoning ordinance.
Currently, there are no appli-
cants for such businesses in
Eagan, said Mayor Tom Egan.
And there probably won't be for
at least one year. Council mem-
bers placed a moratorium on the
siting of adult use establish-
ments until April 18, 1986.
"Eagan is not alone in ad-
dressing this issue," said Tom
Hedges, city administrator.
Hedges, who is chair of the
Dakota County City Managers
Group, said staff in several cities
felt an urgency in dealing with
this issue. Last year, an adult
book store opened in Hopkins be-
fore specific zoning regulated
where it could locate.
The concern is that adult -en-
tertainment proprietors are
looking for suburbs where the
zoning ordinances are vague as
potential areas for new develop-
ments, said Peggy Reichert, Ea-
gan's director of community de-
velopment.
About one month ago, Fanta-
sy House opened in Burnsville
near County Road 5 and High-
way 13. The city found out about
the new business when the
owner requested a sign permit,
said Barb Anderson, a
Burnsville planner. A study has
been underway in Burnsville
since last fall to draft an adult
establishment ordinance. A final
report is expected to come before
the Planning Commission in
April and to be presented to the
City Council in May.
Burnsville has had a morato-
rium since November 21, 1994.
Legal counsel advised against a
total ban, Anderson said. An in -
STUDY: To Page 15A
Newsstand
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SuncCurreat
3 Sections
Look inside
this issue for
Bulletin
Board
Page 23A
Apra 5, 1995 Vol. 20, No. 15
Parents
finally
get even
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
For eight years Dick and
Mary Christopherson have been
afraid to leave their home on
April Fool's Day.
Last year, the Eagan couple
adult children kidnapped the
family dog, Tabby, and held him
I for ransom. Clues sent Dick and
Mary throughout the Twin
Cities where they found photos
of the pooch in captivity.
"The one I remember the most
was the sign in the meat market
advertising 'Taffy burgers,"
Mary Christopherson said.
The clues led them back to
their home where they found
amily members of Dick and Mary Christopherson of Eagan are watched by the Eagan Police Tactical Team Friday until bail Tabby safe and secure — and
s posted. Bail for the annual April Fool's Day pranksters was set at two bags of groceries each, which was donated to a local
ood shelf. (Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
PRANK: To page 19A
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LOCATION
Take 35W to County Road 50 East on 50
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go west to Innsbrook Dr. and turn north.
By Matt Wetzel and Melissa
Bergquist
Staff Writers
The federal school lunch pro-
gram is praised by school offi-
cials as an essential part of a day
that's supposed to be filled with
learning.
Under federal guidelines, it is
supposed to provide children
with one-third of their basic nu-
tritional requirements for the
day.
However, those officials say
that program might be jeopar-
dized if a bill passed by the U.S.
House March 24 is also passed
by the Senate.
And it's hard for a hungry
child to learn anything, they say.
The school lunch provision is
part of the welfare reform bill
passed by the House. It would
change federal school -based nu-
trition programs that reimburse
school districts for lunches
served into block grants for the
states. It would limit increases
in those block grants to 4.5 per-
cent a year, even if inflation and
growth demanded more.
The bill would also eliminate
federal nutritional require-
ments in school meals, force half
of reduced -pay students to pay
full price for school meals and
eliminate the school milk pro-
gram.
"There's no substitute for
milk, said one food service offi-
cial.
The block grants would give
states freedom to set their own
nutrition standards and even re-
define eligibility.
Currently, the state and fed-
eral governments combined pay
a ✓
for 22 cents of full -price lunches,
and the federal government pays
$1.18 for every reduced -price
lunch and $1.59 for every free
lunch low-income students get.
That could be in jeopardy.
"We're providing
essential foods and the
energy they need to get
through the day. If the
kids are eating the
kinds of food they need,
they're getting better
dividends in growth."
— Collette Norman
With less money, the districts
would have to cut costs, and any-
thing jeopardizing quality or
raising prices of school lunches
would hurt, they say.
"I really do believe that in
terms of providing kids with the
energy they need, it's good," said
Colette Norman, director of child
nutrition for District 197, which
serves West St. Paul, Mendota
Heights, Eagan, Sunfish Lake,
Lilydale and Mendota.
"When I take my grandchil-
dren to McDonald's, they're not
eating as well," she said.
"Children require frequent
infusions of food. It's a long day,"
she said.
"I don't think we should look
on it as a luxury," she said.
"We're providing essential
foods and the energy they need
to get through the day. If the kide
are eating the kinds of food they
need, they're getting bettei
dividends in growth; Normal
said.
Mary Anderson, food service
director for District 191, which
covers Burnsville, part of Eagarl
and Savage, agrees.
There is a direct correlation
between learning and proper nut
trition, she said. Students
learning potential will decrease
if children are not being fed all
home or at school, she said.
The school lunch program ac-
tually elevates nutrition stan,
dards, said Mary Begalle, fool
and nutrition services coordinal
tor for District 196, one of the
state's largest school districts.
District 196 has 25,000 stu,
dents in Apple Valley, Rose.
mount, Burnsville, Eagan ancj
Inver Grove Heights.
She said the district employe
four dietitians. "We're careful to
plan the menus so they don't rel
ceive more than 30 percent o1
their calories from fat; Begalle
said.
Lunch programs are also ki
help for low-income students
who might not be getting propee
nutrition at home.
"They're undernourished,
they're hungry. We need to pro-
vide for those kids,' she said.
The bill has yet to have a
hearing in the Senate, and offs
cials are urging people to contact
Sen. Paul Wellstone and Rod
Grams.
Contributing Writer Rebecca
Gander -Banat contributed to
this article.
Property owners say they feel threatened
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Faced with an uncertain fu-
ture, industrial property own-
ers in the southeast corner of
Eagan feel the city is being un-
fair in trying to rezone them off
their land.
The Advisory Planning
Commission is recommending
the City Council rezone the in-
dustrial property for residen-
tial use. City development
planners said the northern
portion of Eagan, in the flight
zone for the Minneapolis/St.
Paul Airport, is better suited
for industrial business. The
commission's recommenda-
tions are included in a land use
study and will be part of an
April 6 public hearing.
Halley's Addition, consist-
ing of about 20 acres off High-
way 3 and Gun Club Road, is
home to The West End Hunting
and Fishing Club, Magnum
Towing, Wood Machine Co., a
metal fabricating firm, and
other light industrial business-
es.
In its recommendations, the
commission suggests that
amortization could assist with
phasing out the industrial op-
erations. Amortization would
mean that an appraiser would
determine the economic life left
in each of the buildings. Busi-
nesses would be allowed to con-
tinue for the determined time
ZONING: To Page 12A
Construction at the new Red Pine Elementary School, next to Halley's industrial park on Highway 3 just south of Cliff
Road, nears completion. (Bill Jones/ Staff Photographer)
L'isiL;AL2V14
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651 CLIFF ROAD
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA 55337
(612) 894-1480
The Citizen's for Sound Edu-
cational Planning have orga-
nized a public meeting to discuss
the results of the March 7 bond
referendum and the upcoming
school board elections and levy
referendum in School District
197.
The meeting will begin at
6:30 p.m. April 5 at Mendota
Heights Elementary School,
1979 Summit Lane, Mendota
Heights.
Information: 454-0910.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
The border gates are closing
for students from other districts
who may want to attend District
197 schools.
School Board directors voted
unanimously March 20 to close
open enrollment in the West St.
Paul -Mendota Heights -Eagan
district.
Effective May 1, only those
students who are currently open
enrolled will be allowed to re-
turn to District 197 for the 1995-
1996 school year. Board direc-
tors plan to revisit the policy on
an annual basis.
The policy does not prevent
district students from applying
to another district.
Superintendent Robert Mon-
son recommended closing open
enrollment because there is
overcrowding at the district's
five elementary schools. It will
also give administrators a better
grasp of what enrollment projec-
tions are for next year so that
staffing and scheduling can be
more accurate, he said.
A five-year trend in open en-
rollment shows an increase in
the number of St. Paul students
who enter from the north end of
the district. At the same time,
students at the south end of the
district have left to enroll in the
Apple Valley/Rosemount school
district. At Pilot Knob Elemen-
tary School in Eagan, 67 resi-
dent students have left while
only nine non-resident students
attend.
In 1990, 149 students opted
out of the district. That number
has steadily grown to 266 as o
February 1995.
However, the district showed
a gain of 325 students in Febru-
ary, creating a net gain of 59 stu
dents. Those students accoun
for $240,493 in additional in
EDUCATION DIGEST
Residents organize
opposition meeting
Rummage sale set
for Trinity School
Trinity Lone Oak Luthera
School music department wil
sponsor a rummage/bake sale
a.m. to 5 p.m. April 5-7, at 295
Highway 55, Eagan. Friday onl
everything all day will be hal
price.
All proceeds will benefit th
music department.
Information: 454-1139.
95
Jury rules in favor of IBM
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
An eight -member jury in
Dakota County decided last
week that International Busi-
ness Machines (IBM) was not to
blame for an Eagan woman's cu-
mulative trauma disorder
(CTD).
CTD, a form of muscle pain, is
caused by repetitive motion over
an extended period of time.
Nancy Urbanski and her hus-
band, Gary, filed suit against
IBM and Apple office machines
alleging that the companies
failed to issue a warning that a
computer keyboard she used at
her former job could cause a
repetitive stress injury. Urbans-
ki was a data entry clerk at
Eagan High School.
"We knew all along it was an
uphill battle," Urbanski said
after the trial. "This kind of in-
jury is hard to comprehend. I
think people need to see disfigu-
ration. Just because there's no
disfiguration doesn't mean the
pain isn't very real."
The pain began in her fingers
and wrists. She said it eventual-
ly spread to her arms, neck and
shoulders, preventing her from
taking care of her two children
or washing her own hair.
The Urbanskis settled their
suit with Apple for an undis-
closed amount.
The couple's attorney, Mike
Sieben, said the jury's verdict
was expected.
"It was not unusual. Earlier
trials are less successful than
later ones be-
cause you
learn more
about the
cases and de-
fendants,"
Sieben said.
The Ur-
banski case
drew nation-
al attention
because it
was the first Urbanski
CTD case
against IBM to go to trial. Hun-
dreds of similar cases in the
United States are awaiting trial,
said Sieben, who has other
clients with repetitive stress in-
juries_
The Urbanskis will not ap-
peal their case. "I just need some
resolution," she said.
Sieben argued that IBM
should have put warning labels
on keyboards.
But during closing arguments
March 7, IBM attorney Michael
Cerussi said, "Warnings should
mean something. We'd dilute the
impact if we slap warnings on
everything. Should we put a
warning on these items — ham-
mers, tweezers, screwdrivers,
buffers?" The answer, said
Cerussi, is not to look for some-
one to blame.
"We deny that the root of the
claim has to do with the key-
board. What we do acknowledge
is that work is work. All jobs, if
you do it long enough, you're
going to get tired. If you do it
long enough, you're going to
have discomfort," Cerussi said.
Cerussi also reminded the
jury of testimony by Dr. James
House, a University of Minneso-
ta professor of orthopedic
surgery, who said Urbanski's
condition probably stemmed
from a 1985 auto accident in
which she suffered a neck in-
jury.
11A Amnia Vnllnw/Rnaamnun1 Fanan C,,n.C„rrantTWarinncnav IAnrrh 14 1OOc
1
Growth spurt spawns
City Hall renovations
Services moved to
temporary quarters
during construction
In a city that has had more
than its share of growing pains,
Eagan's Municipal Center is ex-
periencing growing pains of its
own.
When staff moved into the
building on Wescott and Pilot
Knob roads in 1983, there were
62 employees in the Ad miniGtra-
tion and Police departments.
Today, that number has
grown to about 150. Overall pop-
ulation in the city has doubled
since the facility was built.
Last week, the City Council
voted to move ahead with a $2.8
million renovation and addition
to City Hall. This project is in ad-
dition to the new $3.7 million po-
lice facility which is scheduled
for completion April 1_ Both pro-
jects are being funded through
the city's community develop-
ment fund and are not expected
to have any additional impact on
residents' taxes, said Jon Ho-
henstein, assistant city adminis-
trator.
The community development
fund is money the city has
earned through the sale of bonds
and wise investments.
The Municipal Center project
will add an office wing onto the
north aide of the building along
Wescott Road. The main en-
trance to the building will be
moved from the east side of the
building to the south aide, where
a new parking lot and circle
drive have been paved. The cur-
rent council chambers will be
renovated as a community room
for use by groups such as Rotary
Club or Scout meetings. A new
City Council chambers will be
added onto the south side of the
building.
The need for the addition is
apparent, Hohenstein said.
Crunched for meeting space in
the current facility, committee
meetings are in the lower level
staff kitchen, next to humming
By Sue Hegarty vending machines which make it
Stab' Writer difficult to hear what officials
are deciding. Storage rooms de-
signed for filing cabinets have
been cut to a third of the space to
make room for more offices.
To do their part in reducing
the need for storage space, stab
are in a friendly competition to
see which department can purge
or recycle the most city records.
In many cases, records have
been saved beyond the time pe-
riod required by governmental
agencies, said Joanna Foote,
communications and recycling
coordinator. More than 4.5 tons
of materials have been purged in
preparation for the renovation,
Foote said. The winning depart-
ment will get "bragging rights,"
said Hohenstein.
Spent ammonia which has
been stored after use in copy ma-
chines is now being taken to the
Water Treatment Plant where it
can be used to detect leaks in
pipelines, Foote said.
'We're really trying to reuse
what we can, to lead by exam-
ple," she said.
Where possible, lighting fix-
tures, office equipment and
other materials will be reused in
the renovated building to save
money.
In addition, the telephone sys-
tem, communications system and
radio tower and equipment all
will be reused after relocation.
But even with a conscientious
staff' and reusable equipment,
the renovation project was al-
most scratched last week when
the City Council narrowly voted
3-2 to proceed. Overall, project
bids came in 11.5 percent over
budget.
Citing higher than expected
electrical bids and overall cost
increases, council members met
as a Committee of the Whole
prior to the council meeting to
consider their alternatives.
Mike Stowe, of E & V Con-
struction in Plymouth, the pro-
ject's construction manager, said
the inflated cost of the project is
due to recent price increases in
building materials and a short-
age of trades people in the Twin
Cities area.
Councilmembera Pat Awada
and Shawn Hunter, both voted
not to approve the bids, suggest-
ed postponing the renovation for
at least six months until it could
be rebid or redesigned.
"This project is simply way
over what we wanted in the first
place," said Awada.
Waiting another six months
may mean even higher costs,
said Councilmember Ted
Wachter.
"You know that you're going
to need this space," said
Wachter. "Remember, an esti-
mate is only an estimate."
To date, an estimated
$160,000 has been spent on the
project for architect and project
manager fees.
If the council had decided to
postpone the renovation for six
months, the same project would
cost more, Stowe said. Winter
construction also would add to
the cost, Stowe said.
To keep the project nearer the
budgeted cost, the council is con-
sidering saving $28,600 by using
Reconstructing Municipal Center
Engineering, planning
and zoning building inspections
Beginning March 13, 1995
Can be found at: Eagan
Maintenance Facility
3501 Coachman Point
City Council, Commission
and other public meetings
Beginning April 25, 1995.
Can be found at:
Blackhawk Middle School
1480 Deerwood Drive
,/
fir
/YankeeDooclleFinance, administration, utility billing
Rd. Beginning April 18, 1995.
Can be found at: New Police Facility
7
City
Maintenance
facility
Fire
Administration
Building
Diffley Rd.
Blackhawk -
Middle School
The Eagan Municipal Center is being remodeled. Use this guide
to help you find departments and services you need.
Wescott
. Eagan
Municipal
Center
Deerwood Dr.
Rd.
/1
Parks and recreation
Beginning April 3, 1995
Can be found at: Fire
Administration
3795 Pilot Knob Road
less expensive lighting in areas
that don't require special light-
ing over computer use areas.
Foote said.
Another $15,000 can be
gained by using less expensive
materials for exterior walls, by
modifying the new Council
Chamber design and from un-
derestimated costs in ADA im-
provements for the elevator.
Because some of the new
lighting is needed to improve the
quality of cable -casting the
council meetings, the city may
use up to $65,000 from cable
franchise revenues.
The council is expected to fur-
ther define the scope of the pro-
ject at its next meeting.
Which way
did they go?
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
To avoid playing hide and
seek when doing business with
the city of Eagan; administra-
tors have spelled out where city
offices can be found during re-
modeling of the Municipal Cen-
ter_
• Engineering, Planning &
Zoning and Building Inspections
departments have temporarily
relocated to the Maintenance Fa-
cility, 3501 Coachman Point. In-
formation: 681-4669.
• Beginning April 3, the
Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment can be found in the Fire
Administration Building, 3795
Pilot Knob Road, across the
street from the Municipal Cen-
ter. Information: 681-4660.
• Police will move into their
new facility next to the Munici-
pal Center April 18. The build-
ing's entrance is on the south
side. Information: 681-4700.
• Finance, Utility Billing and
Administration departments
will temporarily move into the
new Police Facility April 18. In-
formation: 681-4600.
All departments, except the
Police Department, will return
to the Municipal Center in Octo-
ber when the project is expected
to be completed.
rn
1
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentWednesday. March 15, 1995 13A
DART Transit sets the pace
DART Transit of Eagan and FLEE -MINE, an affiliated
carrier, achieved a pace setting safety performance
record last year. To win the award, a company must have
a ratio of .0125 losses to revenue or less. DART posted a
.0088 and FLEETLJNE at .006 record. Presenting the
1995 President's Safety Award to (left) Don Oren, presi-
dent of DART/FLEFTLINE and (right) David McLaugh-
lin, vice president of risk management is (center) Bruce
Norvell, second vice president of Genesis Underwriting
Management Company which sponsors the award. (Sub-
mitted Photo)
Firefighters honored with service awards
Former Eagan Fire Chief Ken
Southorn, who retired recently
after more than 22 years of ser-
vice, was honored recently at the
department's annual banquet.
Southorn is currently thief of
the Woodbury Fire Department.
Also recognized for his 20
years of service was Firefighter
Dick Schindeldecker.
Seven others received 15-year
service awards: Mark Adams, Ed
Burlingame, Dan Deike, Pat
Dioia, Jim Mueller, Dick Rosen-
berg and Dale Wegleitner.
Southorn
Receiving
10-year service
awards were
Jeff Allen, Dirk
Bjornson, Dave
Childers, Ron
Meyers, Bill
Schmidt, Jerry
Schomaker,
Mark Sportelli
and Maynard
Tourtillott.
During the banquet members
of the Eagan Fire Auxiliary pre-
sented $500 toward the effort to
Stephanie Grimaldi, a resi-
dent of Eagan and a convention
sales manager, received the
Award of Merit for the MPI
"Winter Wonderland" event in
Rice Park. She is employed with
the St. Paul Convention and Vis-
itors Bureau.
John West of Eagan has been
promoted to audit manager at
Boulay, Heutmaker, Zibell and
Co. P.L.L.P., an accounting and
consulting firm. West works in a
variety of industries, including
construction and wholesale dis-
tribution and has experience in
business valuations and litiga-
tion support. He has been with
the firm since 1993.
Thomas Gates has been
named to the advisory council on
small business, agriculture and
labor at the Federal Reserve
Bank of Minneapolis, for a three-
year term beginning in 1995. He
is president and chief executive
officer of Hiles Corp., Eagan,
which manufactures bleach as
well as household and automo-
tive solvents.
Monica Foss of Eagan who is
a teacher at Prairie Creek Com-
munity School in Northfield has
been selected to attend a
Teacher Institute seminar spon-
sored through the Minnesota
Humanities Commission. The
mission of the institute is the im-
provement of education through
the advancement of teaching as
an art and a profession. She will
participate in "Origins of the
Universe: Mythology, Rationali-
ty, and Religion."
Owobopte Industries Inc.,
a non-profit agency that pro-
vides training and employment
for persons with disabilities or
economically disadvantaged,
launches a new business venture
Theft: More charges are expected
From Page 1A
brought down an authority fig-
ure," McDonald said.
Items stolen from the State
Trooper's car were recovered
during a search of a storage lock-
er in Burnsville, according to the
complaint.
Hafferbecker and two others
were arrested by Richfield Police
Feb. 22 while attempting to steal
computer equipment from Lin-
coln Hills Elementary School,
said Police Chief Jack Erskine.
The three were charged with
the school burglary Feb. 24. Also
charged were Gary Nador
Wachsberger, 22, and Joseph
David Ackman, 23, both of Min-
neapolis.
Petri -Seaman was arrested
Feb. 23 with another man after
police spotted them at a
Burnsville storage locker where
stolen items were recovered.
Richfield Police staked out
the locker before searching it.
Soon after the two suspects were
spotted, State Troopers arrested
them traveling on Interstate
35W.
Charges have not been filed
against Petri -Seaman's compan-
ion, who is still being investigat-
ed, said Dakota County Attorney
Charles MacLean.
Investigators believe the re-
maining four are responsible for
a string of church and school
burglaries in Bloomington,
Burnsville, Mendota Heights,
Apple Valley, Lakeville, Stillwa-
ter as well as Richfield and
Eagan.
The group concentrated most-
• ly on computer and computer-re-
W lated equipment, said Erskine.
McDonald said he believes he
can link the group to a burglary
at Peace Reformed Church in
Eagan. Some equipment stolen
from the church was recovered
during a search of the defen-
dants' residences, McDonald
said.
About $10,000 in damage was
done to the church during the
burglary, he said.
Several other churches were
robbed in Eagan. McDonald said
he isn't sure he can link the de-
fendants to those crimes.
Several area police depart-
ments are continuing their in-
vestigation of the group in an at-
tempt to link them to more bur-
glaries,
More charges are expected in
both Hennepin and Dakota
counties.
"It's just a mammoth case,"
MacLean said.
t BUSINESS BRIEFS
Gates
Fritze
of distributing computer share-
ware software on a CD-ROM.
This new venture is expected to
create new job opportunities in
all aspects of its production for
persons in Owobopte's supported
employment program. Owobopte
is an approved vendor for the As-
sociation of Shareware Profes-
sionals (ASP.
Steven Fritze of Eagan was
elected Ecolab's corporate vice
president and treasurer. He is a
15-year veteran of Ecolab, hav-
ing had assignments in corpo-
rate and divisional financial and
planning functions. He is a grad-
uate of the University of Min-
nesota, receiving his baccalaure-
ate degree in 1975 and his
M.B.A. in 1977, and is a member
of the board of the Eagan Foun-
dation, with the purpose of rais-
ing funds and generating re-
sources to support and encour-
age educational scholarships, re-
lated endowment funds and
other non-profit activities within
the community of Eagan. He and
his wife, Susie, are the parents of
Danielle, Kyle and Brett.
It's not too late
to go to college
Metropolitan State University has bachelor's and graduate
programs designed to serve all the people in the Twin Cities
region, with courses offered at a convenient Bloomington
location. Whatever your age or background, whether you're a
new student or completing your degree, Metro State will help
you achieve your educational and career goals.
• New students admitted quarterly.
• No prior college experience required for admission
• Wide variety of bachelor's and graduate degree programs
and continuing education courses available
• Flexible daytime, evening and weekend classes.
• Charge option for tuition payments on VISA or MasterCard
Spring registration in progress.
For more information, call Metro State:
341-7250 in Minneapolis 772-7600 in St. Paul
(TDD 341-7272) (TDD 772-7687)
Metropolitan
State University
Your State University for the Twin Cities
An equal opportunity educator_
OLD NEWSPAPERS ARE NEEDED for Recycling
Save your paper tor collections
Friendly, Competent, Gentle Dentistry
A friendly and nice atmosphere greets you and your family
at the office of Dr. Dennis C. Simmons. Our office provides
complete family dental care, with freedom from the painful
dentistry of the past and a competence to assist you in keep-
ing your teeth and appearance forever.
Dennis C. Simmons, DDS, DICOI
* All instruments heat sterilized •
• COSMETIC DENTISTRY
• PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE
• TMJ DIAGNOSIS & THERAPY
• CROWNS, BRIDGES & DENTURES
• DENTAL IMPLANTS
EMERGENCIES SEEN IMMEDIATELY
Payment Plans Available with approved credit
Have confidence in the appearance and health of your smile.
New patients ask about our special offer!
CALL NOW 435-8655
Dennis C. Simmons, DDS, DICOI
303 E. Nicollet Blvd., Suite 200
Burnsville, MN 55337
Ridgeview Med. Office Bldg. next to the Fairview Ridges Hospital.
r
Clockwise from top: Gary Skogstad (left) and Don Buecksler,
city employees, load file cabinets to be taken to temporary
office space; city employee Judy Jenkins prepares to move
into temporary quarters; a construction worker checks over
plans in the new police facility; artists' model of Eagan
Municipal Center's addition and renovation; Joanna Foote,
communications/recycling specialist, organizes boxes in a
crowded basement storage area at the Municipal Center.
(Bill Jones/Staff Photographer)
Appie vauey,nosemount, tagan aun•uurrent rrec^essay, marcr 1 � 1 aao 1 SA
City Council opts to keep wading pool
next to planned Eagan civic ice arena
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Construction of a $100,000
heated wading pool on the Mu-
nicipal Center campus was ap-
proved by the Eagan City Coun-
cil at its March 7 meeting.
03f f,,: a t� s rwirfr 'o
Ara
After much debate over the
proposed site, it was decided the
pool will be adjacent to the pro-
posed civic ice arena.
Councilmember Pat Awada
suggested the pool be planned
into the proposed 200-acre Cen-
tral Area north of Yankee Doodle
Road at Interstate 35E. But
Councilmember Shawn Hunter
said moving the pool away from
the civic arena would `tee a "slap
in the face" to the people who
bought raffle tickets to support
the project.
Hunter suggested building a
second wading pool at the pro-
posed Central Area site.
Residents raised $600,000 for
the arena and pool.
The city is contributing $1.2
million toward the project from
the community development
fund.
"We sold it as a dual amenity
system. We challenged the com-
munity and they met the chal-
lenge, Hunter said. "I see no
reason to deviate from this
plan."
Hunter succeeded in swaying
the council 4-1 to keep the wad-
ing pool at the arena site.
Voting against the plan,
Councilmember Ted Wachter
said building the pool next to the
arena is like throwing away
$100,000.
At one time, the comprehen-
sive plan for the campus includ-
ed a swimming pool but Coun-
cilmember Sandra Masin said
she does not envision a full-sized
swimming pool on the site, but
rather a second sheet of ice.
Hunter said that should the
city decide to build a second
sheet of ice instead of a swim-
ming pool, it would not affect the
proposed wading pool.
1
1
16A Apple Valle /Rosemount, Eagan Surt•Current/Wednesday, March 15, 1995
o 0
Sun News • a • ers and Bur • er Brothers Outfitters . resents...
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a"Tmt
Man cited for indecent
exposure on public road
On April 5 an officer with the Mendota
Heights Police Department approached a
vehicle parked alongside Highway 13.
According to the police report, inside
the car a 40-year-old man was observed
to be wearing a green, transparent lin-
gene top and nothing else.
When asked what he was doing by the of-
ficer, the driver responded that he was lost.
The officer observed that in addition to
the driver's lack of clothing there also were
a pair of black patent leather pumps lying
on the driver's side floor of the vehicle.
Police advised the driver that he was
going to be written a citation for indecent
exposure because he was parked on a
public highway with no clothing on the
lower portion of his body.
The driver was advised by the police to
drive directly home and obtain some
proper clothing before going out in pubic.
TLL/ ,�-'l��la.
A cappella singers
to perform April 20
The `Dare to Breathe" a cappella
singers will perform in concert at 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 20, at First Presbyterian
Church, 535 20th Ave. N., South St. Paul.
The group specializes in presenting
music from countries and cultures from
around the world. They have appeared in
concert at The Weisman Art Gallery, The
Singer's Voice at the Dakota Bar and
Grill, The Morning Show on KSJN-FM, A
Capital New Year (St. Paul's gala New
Year's Eve Party), and the Minnesota
State Fair.
Information:451-6223.• •
i 2 /! g-/ 7
Barb Olson and Lynn Reimer, owners of J. Doolittle's Air Cafe in Eagan, will
stop serving alcohol at 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Dancing and non-alcoholic
drinks will be featured at the party. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
Doolittles lets you eat, drink
and be sober New Year's Eve
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
New Years' revelers who plan to ring in
1997 at a popular Twin Cities' restaurant
and bar will eat, drink and be merry, and
still feel good the next morning.
J. Doolittles Air Cafe and Mothers
Against Drunk Driving have teamed up to
provide an alternative New Year's Eve cel-
ebration for adults.
At 9 p.m. Dec. 31, Doolittles, with loca-
tions in Eagan and Eden Prairie, will stop
serving alcoholic beverages and replace
them with wines, champagnes and beer
that are alcohol -free. For a $20 admission
price, customers can enjoy a prime rib buf-
fet with hot and cold appetizers, including
meatballs, chicken wings and egg rolls.
Desserts will include mini cheesecakes,
tarts and layer cakes. There also will.be
prize giveaways, music and dancing. For
each ticket sold, $5 will be donated to Moth-
ers Against Drunk Driving.
Doolittles co-owner Barb Olson and her
husband, Dan, came up with the idea,
which met with some resistance. The man-
ager of the Eagan location had his doubts.
"At first 1 was a little skeptical. There's
some cost to setting it up. But now that I
look at it, I think it could be an event that
will follow for years to come," Manager Rich
Moreland said.
Olson said there's a large population of
adults who choose to be non-drinkers, per-
haps due to involvement in Alcoholics
Anonymous or for religious reasons.
"Unless you're wanting to go out and be
in a bar drinking, it's not easy to find some-
thing to do," said Olson, who is a non-
drinker_ "They (non-drinkers) can have
parties at home, but it's kind of fun to get
dressed up and go out. We decided to put
our feet forward and take a risk," she said.
She estimates that she'll lose up to
$4,000 in bar revenue for the evening, but
it's worth it. "Being in this business, you see
the impact alcohol can have. It's something
that has to be handled with care. I think
more of people than of profiting from them,"
said Olson.
Competing bar owners had their doubts.
"It's contradictory," said Jim Casper,
manager of the Cherokee Sirloin restau-
rant across the street from Doolittles in
Eagan. The other 364 days of the year, the
bars compete by offering specials, such as
two drinks for the price of one, Casper said.
Olson said she doesn't understand the
skeptics. "I can own a bar and I can serve
alcohol responsibly," she said.
She punctuates her sincerity by adding
that she supports a plan to lower the legal
blood -alcohol threshold from .10 to .08.
"People will still come out. They'll just be
more mindful of their drinking ... and they
should be," Olson said.
Statistics on the number of drunken dri-
vers arrested in Minnesota are sobering, to
say the least.
Last year, 33,355 people were arrested
for driving while intoxicated, said Barb
Holmbeck, a victim advocate for Dakota
County's MADD chapter. Of the 597 fatal
crashes on Minnesota roads last year, 246
were alcohol related, Holmbeck said.
"That's a telling statistic," she said.
MADD is hoping that Olson and her
brother and business partner, Lynn
Reimer, will be trendsetters.
"I think she's demonstrated her willing-
ness to look beyond the profit margin. It
takes all of us to be responsible," Holmbeck
said.
For more information on the dinner, call
452-6626 (Eagan) or 943-2661 (Eden
Prairie. Tickets are limited to 200 per
restaurant.
NEWS: Doolittles to ring
in New Year without any
alcohol, Page 2A.
SPORTS Downhill skiers
from Eagan, Apple Valley
set for season, Page 19A.
2 Sections/Newsstand 750 December
Kjorlien honoredfor 3
Rahn Elementary's principal looks, forward to retiremen
By James Craven
Staff Writer
Rahn Elementary School
Principal Marilyn Kjorlien
was the guest of honor at a re-
ception Dec. 12.
The reception, sponsored by
the Rahn Parent-Teacher Or-
ganization, included refresh-
ments and a slide show
overview of her career.
Kjorlien is retiring after 35
years as an educator, 16 years
of which were served as princi-
pal of Rahn in Burnsville.
Kjorlien, who was born in
Duluth, attended Concordia
College in Moorhead, Minn.
She graduated in 1961 with a
bachelor of science degree in
elementary education. She im
mediately began teaching.
Her first position was at
Riverwood Elementary
School in Fridley where she
taught fourth grade for three
years.
Kjorlien then accepted a
teaching assignment overseas
with the Overseas Dependent
School System. She was sent to
Germany for two years where
she taught the children of
American service personnel
who were stationed at facilities
in Baumholder and Nurem-
berg.
Upon her return to the
United States, Kjorlien was
hired by District 191 for a po-
sition teaching fourth -graders
at the Burnsville High School
annex.
In 1967 she transferred to
William Byrne Elementary
School and taught sixth grade.
Rahn Elementary School Principal Marilyn
(from left) Seth and Chase Marbry Cirksena and
ing a reception Thursday to honor the retiring
During this time Kjorlien
pursued an advanced degree at
the University of Minnesota.
She received her specialist's
degree in administration in
1977 and was made principal
of Byrne in 1978.
In 1980 Kjorlien trans-
ferred to Rahn Elementary
School as its principal.
During her 35 years as an
educator, Kjorlien has seen
many changes in the school
system, both goo
The tendency
cators to work o
cational needs o
without looking
child and their f
thing she woul
change, said K .jo
"The needs
family need to
going to take
child's education
said.
ating Rinks • Info: 68
HOLIDAY HOURS
2 1 t
C ij-
Mike Schrader, an Eagan police officer, and his wife, Mary, a pilot for the
State Patrol, enjoy a few minutes together with daughters Lyndsey, 3, and
Megan, 1. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
Procrastinators not rare breed
when it comes to gift -buying
Retailers preparing for
last-minute holiday rush
By Amy Eriksen
Staff Writer
Almost before the goblins have eaten
their candy and the pumpkins have been
smashed, signs of Christmas begin pop-
ping up. By the time Thanksgiving left-
overs are packed up, it's nearly impossi-
ble to be out in public without seeing
Yuletide trimmings, hearing lively carols
or encountering reminders that there are
only so many shopping days until Christ-
mas.
Given all the fanfare that precedes
Dec. 25 — that wonderful day of giving —
it seems hard to believe that anyone
could put off one of the most traditional
tasks of the season: Christmas shopping.
Yet each year, retailers bolster up for that
last-minute rush — preparing them-
selves for all those generous souls who
have just one more gift to buy to make
their holiday complete.
Store owners and clerks who live
through the Dec. 24 rush each year —
rather than preparing for their own holi-
day celebrations — have various opinions
as to why people put off their Christmas
shopping. They also give differing ac-
counts about the shoppers they en-
counter during those final purchasing
hours. Nearly all agree, however, that of
the month or so of shopping days before
Christmas, Christmas Eve promises a
more intense onslaught of panic-stricken
people who have yet to find that perfect
gift.
Jackie Peickert, manager of the gift
section at Loch Pharmacy in Rose-
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Employees spread merriment
while they work the holiday
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
It's a scenario that seems straight out of
a Dickens' novel — families gather around
the Christmas tree, laughing and enjoying
time together and you're stuck at work with
Ebenezer Scrooge. As unfair as it may
seem, some jobs aren't conducive to a day
of
Staff at Apple Valley Villa — a senior
apartment complex — are all too familiar
with the idea of always being open. But, to
receptionist Vivian Kyhn, who has to work
this Christmas Day, it's not as depressing
as some may imagine. Her family cele-
brates the holiday the night before, leaving
her adult children to go to their in-laws'
homes on the 25th.
"This (holiday) is one I figure 1 can take,"
she said. "I leave it for others to enjoy the
holiday."
While working, Kyhn said residents
who don't leave for the holiday wind their
way down to her desk to enjoy conversation
or gather in their own chat groups.
"'Those who are left behind usually have
enough friends (to keep conversation live-
ly]," she said. "If we see that we have one
left alone, we make sure it doesn't stay that
way."
The employees at the apartment com-
plex do all that they can to make sure the
holiday is festive, including offering a
Christmas dinner.
Working the holiday has become a
Christmas tradition for Eagan Patrol Offi-
cer Mike Schrader and his wife, who works
for the Minnesota State Patrol. In the 18
years Schrader has worked in law enforce-
ment, he said he has either worked both
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day or one
of the two days, as has his wife.
"For us, after all these years, we don't re-
alize (the day) is any different," he said.
"We've done it for so long. Our kids don't
know the difference."
Having children has changed the couple
from "freewheeling" it to focusing on spend-
ing more time at home during the holidays.
Most of the calls Schrader responds to
during the holidays are medicals, he said.
He attributes the rise in that type of call to
an increase in the number of visitors and
elderly that people have in their homes
over the holidays. There also is a rise in the
number of crisis calls, he said due to people
being more prone to depression over the
holidays than the rest of the year.
Unlike Schrader and Kyhn, who have a
number of yeas experience working holi-
days, this will be nurse Colleen Tripp's first
year on the job at Christmas. Although she
has been a nurse for 15 years, she said she
has escaped the holiday by being on call or
working in a clinic. Now, as an employee of
Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville,
she will find herself celebrating Christmas
with her family on Christmas Eve. Unless,
of course, she is one of the fortunate ones
whose shift is canceled. Depending on the
workload, Tripp said, names of those sched-
uled to work are thrown in a hat at 5 a.m.
(two hours before her shift begins) and the
supervisor draws names of those who will
be able to spend the holiday at home.
While she hopes she is one of the fortu-
nate ones, she said working the holiday is
all a part of the job.
"When you're in a service profession, it's
not a choice," she said. I'm sure the pa-
tients aren't happy to be there either."
The most dread about working on
Christmas comes before an employee re-
ports to work, she said. Once they arrive,
however, she said staff tries to make it as
"upbeat as possible" for all involved.
Of course, with the rotating shift, next
year Christmas Day is all hers to spend
with the family.
starting her holiday festivities prior to
the evening of Dec. 24. Though the
pharmacy closes at 4 p.m. Christmas
Eve, Peickert said it's not unusual for
her to end up getting out the door a half
hour or more later.
One year, Peickert didn't get off to her
celebration until 6:30 p.m., thanks to a
few procrastinators that caught her as
she tried to close up the store. Sometimes
it's those who are already in the store
who cause her to work overtime.
"You get the person who can't make up
their mind, or they do all their Christmas
shopping in one hour," Peickert said.
At In the Spirit Cards and Gifts in
Inver Grove Heights, approximately 35
percent of the holiday shopping crowd
comes on the last few days before Christ-
mas, said owner Lisa Hass. Open from 9
a.m. to 9 p.m. this Christmas Eve, the
Cahill Plaza gift store is the answer to
every procrastinator's prayers. Hass un-
derstands how people can put off the gift
buying task, no matter how important it
is.
"If their business is as busy as ours is,
it's hard for them to get away," she said.
Those who come in that last day before
Christmas are "usually stressed and in a
hurry," Hass said, adding that only a few
are crabby or unpleasant.
The same is true for the frazzled mak-
ing Signal Hills Mall in West St. Paul
their last minute shopping destination.
Mall Manager Tammie Lynn expects the
big day this year to be Dec. 23, though
the center is open at 8 a.m. Dec. 24.
Based on past experience, Lynn doesn't
expect the hustle and bustle to go to peo-
ple's heads.
"It's frantic, but very cheerful," Lynn
said. While the stress experienced by
shoppers may not be as evident to Lynn,
she said she certainly sees her employees
struggling to deal with the madness.
Like other retail professionals, Lynn
expected that people postpone their holi-
day shopping because they are busy with
other things or don't know what to give
as gifts.
'They're fumbling around in the dark
Holiday shopper Megan Sebion o
Apple Valley strolls out of the Targe
Greatland in her hometown. (Ja
Abbott/Staff Photographer)
and hoping for inspiration," Lynn said.
Typically, the professionals agreed,
the last minute shoppers are men trying
to find a meaningful gift (or just any gift)
for that special someone.
In search of that elusive present,
many last minute shoppers find them-
selves buying something most women are
bound to love: jewelry.
Waldeland Jewelers in Eagan plans
to be ready when they come. The jewel-
ry store has cut back on its repair ser-
vices in light of the season, and is open
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 24. Most peo-
ple who come into the store have an idea
of what they want to buy, but usually
need a little additional help from store
personnel, said owner Rick Waldeland.
The shoppers, however, are careful not
to take too much time, as they are in a
hurry to get off to their holiday activi-
ties, he said.
Because they don't have a lot of time,
visitors to Touch of Countree in
Burnsville's Cobblestone Court usually
settle for a gift certificate. The 10,000
square foot home furnishings and decor
store can be overwhelming for the fren-
zied gift giver, especially if they have no
idea what to give, said sales associate
Jo Kotval. Others opt to buy the same
thing for everyone on their list, Kotval
said.
"A lady came in and had a whole list,
Kotval said. "She bought 28 ornaments."
Other suggestions for those last
minute gifts are bath and body baskets.
Godiva chocolate, gourmet food basket.
and collectible figurines.
Whatever their gift -giving dilemma,
and no matter what the hour, last minute
shoppers can take heart in that one re-
peated saying heard so often this time of
year: It's the thought that counts.
Or is it?
It's ._1G..-
nals
Now featured in the
classified section
of this edition
Vol. 21, No. 44
Water
quality
planning
honored
Eagan presented
with national award
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
As a city with more than 360
wetlands in a state with more
than 10,000 lakes, Eagan has
emerged as a
model for
managing
water quali-
ty.
Officials
from the
Minnesota
Pollution
Control
Agency
(MPCA) were
on hand
Oct. 15 at
the City
Council meeting to present
Eagan with the 1996 national
award for water quality man-
agement from the U.S. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency.
"Eagan set the pace that we
are listening to and trying to
catch up to," said Gene Soder-
bech of the MPCA. "Eagan is
heads and shoulders above
other agencies."
In 1990, the council adopted
a comprehensive water quality
management plan for the com-
munity. As the city developed,
the plan was implemented and
applied to all new development
and ongoing maintenance ac-
tivities.
Rich Brasch, the city's water
resource coordinator, was rec-
ognized for his contributions to
water quality in Eagan.
"Rich Brasch is indeed a
champion, leading the way to
show other agencies how it can
be done," Soderbech said.
Rich Brasch
Educating the public about
protecting water resources is
part of the city's plan. Brasch
has trained teachers in Dako-
ta County how to show stu-
dents about the importance of
water quality. He also empha-
sizes the need to be careful
with the amount and type of
fertilizer used on lawns be-
cause it could end up in the
water stream.
What makes water quality
important in Eagan are the
large number of parks and
open water areas used for
recreation and enjoyment, said
Dan Sullivan, an MPCA engi-
neer.
NEWS: District 196 will
settle discrimination suit,
Page 7A.
SPORTS: Rosemount girls
soccer battles Wayzata at
state tourney, Page 20A.
e President Al Gore, flanked by Sen. Paul Wellstone (at left) and Eagan Police Chief Pat Geagan (at right) esponds to
ments by Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmundson during a stop in Eagan Oct. 23 to discuss the Community Orient -
Policing (COPS) program. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
rea showcased in vice president's visit
Sue Hegarty
If Writer
Well wishers, curiosity seekers, as well
a few protesters toting orange Rudy
oschwitz campaign signs turned up at
agan's Municipal Center last Wednesday
fternoon to see Vice President Al Gore.
The city of Eagan rolled out the welcome
t to act as host for an hour-long chat be-
ween Gore, Sen. Paul Wellstone and law
nforcement officials about the crime bill
nd the Community Oriented Policing
Clinton COPS) Program.
The 2:30 p.m. scheduled visit pre-empt-
ed an election judge training class for about
40 Burnsville High School students in
teacher Mary Lenhardt's government class.
Instead of training, the students were
allowed to stand behind the yellow tape re-
ceiving line as Gore made his way from the
black limousine into the City Council
Chambers. Student Leah Anderson of
Burnsville stood in a cold, drizzling rain for
a chance to see the vice president.
"Cops and Secret Service people were all
over. He got out and waved. I stuck my
hand out and he shook it and said, 'Thanks
for coming,'" Leah said. "We can't believe
this happened. It took me by surprise that
he came to Eagan instead of a bigger city."
Leah said Gore had a "nice grip" for a
handshake.
Lenhardt said the students will be trained
as election judges in the classroom since they
canceled last week's class. Leah is more ex-
cited than ever now to serve at the Mt. Cal-
vary Lutheran Church polling site in Eagan
during the Nov. 5 election.
Eagan Mayor'Ibm Egan did not go unno-
ticed by the vice president, who noted the
similarity between the mayor's last name
and the city. Egan presented Gore with the
trademark blue and green Eagan shopping
bag filled with gifts that included an Eagan
necktie, baseball cap and coffee mug.
Gore didn't make the same connection be-
tween the city's name and its Police Chief
Patrick Geagan, who was all smiles during
the vice presidential visit.
Geagan said Eagan has been the recipient
of the COPS More federal grant and used the
funds to purchase dictaphones for officers.
Last spring, the Police Department and
city were hosts for a meeting between Dako-
ta County law enforcement officials and
Wellstone.
"Because of the success of that meeting,
GORE: To Page II
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Luke Ingles (center) plays the title character in "The Nerd," a comedy pr
sented by Rosemount High School Nov 1 through Nov. 3. Sarah Powell a
Dave Wagner play his new best friends. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
The Nerd' brings laugh
to Rosemount High stag
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
Chuck Brooks is confident he'll hear
more than a few snickers in the audience as
Rosemount High School students perform
"The Nerd."
"It's guaranteed to put people on their
backside with laughter," said Brooks, the
production's director. "This is a family
thing. There is a lot of slapstick and visual
humor, but there is also sophisticated
humor where an adult will get it before a
child does."
The play is about a man who tells friends
about a debt he owes to a former GI who
saved his life after he is wounded in Viet-
nam. The two men — Rick Steadman and
Willum Cubbert — never met until Stead-
man shows up unexpectedly the night of
Cubbert's 34th birthday party. Though ini-
tially excited, he eventually finds himself
thinking about violence as he discovers
Steadman is a "hopeless nerd."
Brooks said he chose the play because it
is a comedy and because he saw it as a chal-
lenge. The play also is easy to put on be-
cause it requires one set. What makes it
challenging is students must adhere to the
timing element.
"1f they decide to slow it down, it dies
right in front of my face," Brooks said.
The seven cast members have been re-
hearsing since the third week of September,
practicing for three hours on weekdays and
eight hours on Saturdays. The week of the
play, Brooks said students will prac
each night after school 'until we get do
If 1 think a second run is needed, well do
There are 25 to 35 students on the tec
cal and costume crews.
The production is scheduled to ope
7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, with a preview on Oct.
Other shows are scheduled for 7:30
Nov. 2 and 2 p.m. Nov. 3.
Ideally, Brooks said he would like
the 650 seats in Rosemount High Sch
auditorium, but realistically he said he
be happy if half the seats are filled.
'For me it's important to have as
people in the audience as there are sea
he said. "It's tough to play to a crowd w
there are empty seats." who fills
He doesn't know "anybody
house (when there is al comedy or dr
he said. 'Musicals or concerts, yes. It's
fortunate because this is inexpensive
tertainment. I don't think anybody is goi
to leave wishing they hadn't come."
The "magical" element of the producti
is something Brooks likens to what ma
television shows such as 'Mary Tyl
Moore" and "Barney Miller' successfu
"Each character on the set is different_ Th
have their own personality. You put the
all in one room and it gets loony. There a
no clones on stage."
Tickets, which went on sale Oct_ 21, cos
$5 for adults and $3 for students and senio
citizens. Box office hours are 2:45 to 4:4
p.m. through Nov. 3. The voice mail numbe
for tickets is 683-6969 Ext. 7540.
Problems
Gore: VP discusses crime bill
From Page IA
Wel'stone wanted to repeat it with the vice
president," Geagan said.
Eagan Crime Prevention Officer Bill
White told Gore and other elected officials
that the COPS grant helped establish the
city's Crime Free Multi -Housing Program.
The program teaches landlords how to
screen tenants. They also attach a lease ad-
dendum to be signed by tenants who pledge
not to engage in criminal activity or they
may be evicted, a move Gore called, "One
strike and you're outs
Officers who teach the program perform
an inspection of the apartment premises
and may require the landlord to install
deadbolt locks, improved outdoor lighting
or other crime prevention improvements.
"Owners have to shell out money to im-
prove conditions," White told Gore.
Apartment residents also are invited to
a meeting to learn what is expected of
them, he said.
"I have an obligation as a police officer,
but you have an obligation to me to be my
eyes and ears," White said he tells apart-
ment tenants.
Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmund-
son talked about how Dakota County has
been a role model for alternatives to jail,
such as electronic home monitoring, day re-
porting centers, Sentence to Service work
crews and remote testing for DWI offend-
ers. Community Policing in Dakota Coun-
ty, Gudmundson said, has brought about
restorative justice, but it needs more ac-
11•
knowledgment and funding for others in-
volved such as parole officers and judges,
he said. For example, a group of 72 police
chaplains came together last week for a
conference on restorative justice.
Also present for the Gore visit were 7tvin
Cities police chiefs Robert Olson and
William Finney, U.S. Congressman Bill
Luther, Minnesota Attorney General Skip
Humphrey and all but one of Eagan's City
Council members.
Absent was Councilmember Pat Awada,
a Republican and owner of a direct mail
printing company.
"First and foremost I was busy at work.
This is our busy time of year," Awada said,
before adding, "The visit was simply a cam-
paign stop for Paul Wellstone."
Awada said she did not protest the use of
City Hall because it is a public building and
"anyone can use it if they follow the rules
we've set down. We can't discriminate.
"He chose Eagan because its suburban
and close to the airport. Wellstone needs to
increase his exposure in the suburbs,"
Awada said.
Mayor Egan acknowledged that he had
some concerns about the visit.
"I didn't want to imply that Eagan was
slanted one way or the other. On the other
hand, this is the vice president. He rises
above the political fray," Egan said. "It also
was a golden opportunity to showcase our
new facilities."
The city made use of its new outdoor
marquee that read — "Welcome Vice Pres-
ident Al Gore and Senator Paul Wellstone."
•
_." _.-.1 .-lik elk **r-1 nY'
In the interest of security, don'tflu
In case you were out of the
country last week, Vice Presi-
dent Al Gore was in town.
Gore met with police chiefs
and other law enforcement offi-
cials in Eagan to talk about the
Community Oriented Policing
(COPS) Program. He also came
to Minnesota to campaign for
candidate Sen. Paul Wellstone
for the U.S. Senate.
Security was tight, as one
would have expected. After
passing the required check-
points the local press was
cleared to enter the City Coun-
cil chambers at City Hall. We
were ushered to the back of the
room, saving space up front for
the "traveling press."
Earlier in the day, I had been
instructed to fax my birthdate,
legal name and Social Security
number into the Wellstone cam-
paign office for a background
check.
I'll admit, I was smitten with
the whole national security
issue. I found myself trying not
to make any sudden moves or
hand gestures.
Prior to Gore's arrival, the
audience inside the chambers
had quieted to a few coughs and
microphone sound checks. I was
standing near the technical
command center, where a man
sat in front of a control panel of
buttons and knobs. He ap-
peared to have control over
every microphone and closed
circuit television monitor in the
building.
Anyone who has seen actor
Leslie Nielsen in the "Naked
Gun" movies will appreciate
what happened next. Suddenly,
an unusual noise rose above the
stillness that sent Secret Ser-
vice agents into a tizzy. It's hard
to describe. I suppose someone
might misconstrue that it was a
small explosion or some other
untimely crisis. But the man be-
hind the command center re-
mained calm. A large, impor-
tant -looking man moved swiftly
to the panel. He was followed by
an entourage of men in dark
suits who had cords sprouting
from their ears that disap-
peared down the backs of their
necks.
Don't worry, nodded the tech-
nician. It's just someone with a
microphone who decided to use
the restroom and flushed. The
rush of water carried across the
sound system.
After the media event, I had
returned to my car, but was
stopped from leaving the park-
ing lot until the motorcade was
well on its way north on Pilot
Knob Road. I tried to place a few
calls on my cellular phone
couldn't. All three numbers
1 dialed came up busy. Thi
unusual because two o
numbers have call waitin•
pability and the third rings
switchboard. Did Gore hav
call home scrambled in th
terest of national secur
About a fourth of a mile d
the road I tried dialing a
with more success.
The final compelling mo
was when the motorcade
pared to leave the circular d
at Eagan's Municipal Cen
Silhouetted against the g
cloudy sky stood two unifo
officers, hands ready at th
sides with a watchful eye u
the activity below.
Despite all the security a
the important jobs they had
do, everyone worked togeth
well and with ease. The eve
also showed law enforceme
and political figures througho
the state that Eagan can pl
host like the grown-up citie
City officials and staff met th
challenge. Congratulations, yo
all shined like a rainbow despit
the wet, cold Minnesota weathe
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INSIDE
NEWS: Consent agenda
still being debated by
District 196, Page 3A.
SPORTS: Eagan softball
team has a shot to reach
nationals, Page 16A.
EAOAN
t un'Curre
Look Inside for
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See Page S.
2 Sections/Newsstand 750
July 31, 1996
Vol. 21, No. 32
Trial set to begin for Eagan hit and run case
■ New traffic law goes into effect
Aug. I that stiffens the penalty for
fleeing the scene of an accident.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A new Minnesota traffic law goes into
effect Aug. 1, four days prior to the Dako-
ta County trial for the driver who
spawned the new legislation.
Scott David Robertson is scheduled to
stand trial Aug. 5 for allegedly fleeing the
hit-and-run accident that killed John
Murtaugh last November in Eagan.
Robertson, 37, of Eagan allegedly was
drinking at a Rosemount bar prior to the
accident. But because the county attor-
ney said he fled the scene, the attorney's
office could not obtain evidence to charge
him with more than leaving the scene of
a fatality accident.
Felony charges include Leaving the
Scene of a Personal Injury Accident
(where the driver caused the accident)
and one count of Leaving the Scene
(where the driver did not cause the acci-
dent). If convicted of the first charge, the
maximum penalty is up to 10 years in jail
and a $20,000 fine. The maximum sen-
tence if convicted of the second charge is
three years in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Beginning Aug. 1, drivers who leave a
personal injury accident or a fatality may
he charged with criminal vehicular homi-
cide. If convicted, the maximum penalty
will be four years in prison.
The new law will apply to anyone who
leaves the scene, regardless of whether
they are under the influence of alcohol.
After Murtaugh's death, his sister,
Colleen Youngquist of Hastings, testified
at Senate hearings and said her family is
thrilled with the new law.
Dakota County Attorney James Back-
strom and Mothers Against Drunk Dri-
ving drafted the bill and the state Legis-
lature passed it during the last session.
Although the new law was drafted in
response to Murtaugh's death, it will not
apply to Robertson if he is convicted of
current charges.
Youngquist said the family continues
to grieve over Murtaugh's death.
As snow fell Nov. 26, 1995, Murtaugh,
32, and his wife, Jamie, were walking
along the dirt shoulder of Dodd Road
near their home just south of Cliff Road
in Eagan. About 8 p.m., a pickup truck
approached the couple from behind and
struck Murtaugh, throwing him at least
30 feet, according to the complaint filed
in Dakota County. The driver who hit
Murtaugh did not stop.
Eagan Police made a plea to the media
for help in locating a suspect. Investiga-
tion led to an auto repair shop in St. Paul,
where Robertson's truck had been taken
for repairs. Eagan Police arrested
Robertson, 37, Dec. 1, the same day Mur-
taugh died from his injuries.
2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, July 31, 1996
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Classes begin September 3rd.
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Do It Yourself
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County fair features rodeos,
exhibits, demolition derbies
By Steven P. Wagner
Staff Writer
When Pam Livingston goes to the
Dakota County Fair this year, she won't
be going there just to take in the sights,
sounds and food.
Livingston, a 35-year-old resident of
Rosemount, will be climbing behind the
wheel of her 1976 Chevrolet Impala to
compete in her first demolition derby.
She is one of three women who will com-
pete in one of four nights of derbies.
The Dakota County Fair will be cele-
brating its 131st year, but the demolition
derbies have been a yearly tradition only
since the 1970s.
This year, the fair is Aug. 5-11.
"Last year, I went to the Dakota Coun-
ty Fair and I thought, 'Out of all these
cars, why aren't any of them [driven by]
women?'" Livingston said.
She said she has always wanted to be
in a demolition derby. Livingston said
participation in this year's event will
give her an opportunity to mark off one
of the experiences on her list of things
she's always wanted to do.
Steve Harris, her boyfriend, will help
her get her Impala into regulation con-
dition for the competition.
Besides being her mechanic, Harris
that she and her boyfriend might contin-
ue the hobby.
And what does Harris think of her
competing? "I think he thinks it's kind of
neat," Livingston said.
Livingston will compete in the Aug.
10 derby. The demolition derbies are
grandstand events and will be Aug. 5, 6,
9 and 10.
Depending on which night drivers
compete, between 42 and 56 partici-
pants will drive cars in the preliminary
heats.
Three cars will advance from the pre-
liminaries to the finals each night.
A separate derby for compact cars will
be Aug. 5 and 6.
Each driver who advances into the fi-
nals will receive a bonus check of $120.
The top three finalists each night will re-
ceive cash awards. The winners also will
receive a trophy.
According to fair officials, spectators
should expect capacity crowds at the der-
bies on Aug. 9 and 10.
Additional seating has been added to
handle this year's crowds, and more
than 2,000 people will be on hand to
watch.
No advance ticket sales are available,
but tickets will go on sale at 5 each night
of the derbies.
EHS student question d in computer hacking
• Locker search turns up US
West materials that might be
linked to a truck break-in.
Staff Report
An Eagan High School stu-
dent is under investigation for
allegedly hacking into the
school's computer and erasing
information on the hard drive,
according to Eagan Police.
He also may be linked to a
break-in of a US West Commu-
nications truck in mid -January.
Acting on a tip from someone
at the school, officials at Eagan
High opened the student's locker
and discovered US West materi-
als, said Sgt. Jeff Johnson. The
student had not been in school
for a few days, but he had been
in class when the information
was deleted from the school's
computer, Johnson said.
US West security personnel
were called to the school to ex-
amine the materials, which in-
cluded an employee newsletter.
The materials were not of a
proprietary nature, said Mary
Hisley, US West public relations
manager. Hisley said the items
could have been found by "dump-
ster diving"
She confirmed that a US
West truck was broken into and
items stolen while it was parked
in New Brighton in mid -Janu-
ary.
Eagan Police obtained a
search warrant for a New
Brighton home last weekend
and recovered $15,000 in US
West property, Johnson said.
No search was done on the
Eagan High School student's
home.
Police are continuing their in-
vestigation.
Developer plans for 204 townhomes
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A developer who wants to
build 204 townhomes in Eagan
has hit a few roadblocks, includ-
ing some along the information
superhighway.
Residents in the Cedar Grove
neighborhood built a World Wide
Web home page to raise aware-
ness about Mike Mogol's plan to
build townhomes along Beau -
De -Rue Drive_ The Web site in-
cludes a list of more than 290 pe-
titioners who oppose the pro-
posed townhouse project. The
Web page contains links to more
detailed information and a map
of the proposed development.
The coalition of neighbors call
What: Mogul development
proposal appears before Eagan
City Council.
When: 7 p.m. Dec. 16.
Where: Eagan Municipal
Center, 3830 Pilot Knob Road.
Information: f 1-4600.
themselves Eagan Citizens for
Responsible Development. An-
drew Hogan, a member, said the
main reason they oppose the pro-
ject is because it involves high
density townhouses.
"We like what the city has
guided the land toward. We've
got townhouses all over the
place," Hogan said.
The area in question is zoned
for agricultural use, single fami-
ly homes and commercial shop-
ping center development. The
city's long range vision for the
site is for a mix of commercial
shopping and D1 residential de-
velopment (0-3 units per acre).
Mogol appeared before the city's
Advisory Planning Commission
(APC) last week to request an
amendment to the city's long range
plan (Comprehensive Guide Plan).
The APC recommended denial of
the land use changes and will for-
ward their recommendation to the
City Council which may approve or
deny Mogol's request. The APC
INI'ERNET: To Pac'f' 1 RA
Now featured in the
Classified section
of this edition
Business,
neighbors
reach truce
overs issues
Richfield Blacktop gets
most of permits sought
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Report
Before Richfield Blacktop moved into
an abandoned gas station along Highway
13 near Letendre Street in Eagan, drug
dealers used the building and a nearby
phone booth as a home office.
In 1994, John and Penny Johnson
bought the building for their 35-year-old
blacktopping/landscape business. They
cleaned the place up, removing under-
ground gas tanks, installing new win-
dows, repairing a leaky roof and remov-
ing debris.
The seasonal business was not prof
itable enough so the Johnsons put Eagan
Mr. Tire, an independent franchise tire
store, in the front of the store. They also
agreed to become a U-Haul truck rental
center.
Then last summer, two neighbors who
live on a cliff behind the Johnsons' busi-
ness complained about an outdoor dis-
carded tire bin, the diesel truck fumes,
and the noise of landscape rock being
dumped on -site or loaded into trucks at 7
a.m.
Thus began a six-month dispute be-
tween the Johnsons and the Miller and
Green families of Eagan.
The Millers hired a private investiga-
tor and told the city that the Johnsons
were in violation of a 1994 conditional
use permit.
Ron Miller said at a City Council
meeting that he had cut off the tops of
trees on the Johnson property because
they obstructed his view of the Minneso-
ta River Valley.
The Johnsons obtained a restraining
order to keep Miller off their property.
When the Millers asked a judge to lift the
restraining order, the request was de-
nied.
During the past month, the Johnsons
have reviewed the conditions of their
permits with city staff and the Advisory
Planning Commission. They discovered
that they were in violation of some of the
permitted uses, so they either came into
compliance or asked for new conditional
use permits and amendments to the 1994
permit.
Following a two-hour discussion at
the Dec. 4 City Council meeting, the
council agreed unanimously to allow the
Johnsons to:
• stare rental trucks (such as U-haull
on the property.
• store trucks on the southeast side,
near the Greens' house.
• repair vehicles with a payload of up
to 2 tons in an enclosed facility.
• store new and used tires.
The council denied a request to in-
crease the number of stored vehicles
DISPUTE: To Page 12A1
tiv
Dispute: Noise, fumes led to feud
From Page lA
from 20 to 30.
The landscape rock is stored in con-
crete block bins outdoors. The council
instructed the Johnsons to leave the
bins closest to the Millers' home empty,
but allowed the use of 10 remaining bins
adjacent to the empty ones. The John -
sons also must plant trees at the top of
the hill to buffer, though they don't be-
lieve that will help solve the "perceived"
problem of noise and diesel fumes, John-
son said.
"We have compromised in so many
ways. We have given a lot and he keeps
asking for more and more," Penny John-
son said.
For example, after Miller com-
plained about rocks being moved at 7
a.m., the Johnsons changed their hours
of operation to 8 a,m. One morning at
7:30 a.m., employees hand -shoveled
dirt into a truck so that they did not
start up a tractor and disturb the
neighbors.
They also purchased a new truck
with a bedliner and put new mufflers on
the old trucks.
Several other neighbors of the John -
sons sent letters or spoke in support of
the business.
Gayle Drewry lives on the north,
abutting Johnsons' Richfield Blacktop.
"The noise from Johnson Blacktop is
not substantial. Now if you could do
something about the noise on Highway
13, that would be something," Drewry
told the council.
Dan Green denied that he was trying
to close down the business. Rather, he
wanted to resolve what he views as a
problem with fumes and noise.
"I love Eagan and I love our home
enough to stand up for what is right,"
Green said.
Barb Miller said when other busi•
nesses tried to move next to neighbor-
hoods, such as the proposed hotels at
Nicols Road and Erin Drive, the council
listened and responded to neighbors'
concerns.
"We seem to be the bad persons be-
cause we want the Johnsons to obey the
rules of the city," Miller said.
Penny Johnson said it's unfortunate
that this dispute involved several thou-
sands of dollars for both parties and
used taxpayers' money to settle at City
Hall.
CIP: City Council scheduled to finalize
From Page 1A
posed two-story building will be 11,400
square feet. The 63-space parking lot will
accommodate the more than 100 volun-
teer firefighters who would use the facil-
ity for classroom training and meetings.
It also will provide work stations and
,,ierical space for officers of the Fire De-
partment.
"A lot of volunteers have to work out of
their houses and keep records at home,
said City Administrator Tam Hedges.
The second part of the Capital Im-
provement Plan provides $500,000 in
funds for purchasing new or replacing
city vehicles. It includes vehicles used
by employees of the Police, Fire, In-
spections, Streets, Engineering and
Parks and Recreation departments.
budget at Dec. 16y7,eeting_
The proposed expenditures exceed the
allocations. Staff is asking the council
to provide direction for a revised fund-
ing plan.
The third capital improvement in-
volves funding for park improvements. A
September bond referendum failed
which would have raised taxes to fund
land acquisition for parks. Currently, the
city has reserved $2 million in the Park
Site Fund. That is money obtained
through cash donations in lieu of dedi-
cated park land by developers.
For now, the council is asking the
Parks and Recreation Commission to
place priorities on park improvement
projects and to assume they have only $2
million for 1997 park improvements,
Hedges said. It's a "pay as you go" method
of financing, he added.
'97 budget includes construction
of Fire Administration Building
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Residents who have questions regard-
ing their proposed tax statements will
have the chance to query city officials
tonight, Dec. 4, beginning at 7 p.m.
The Truth in Taxation hearing will be
in the City Council chambers at Eagan's
Municipal Center, 3830 Pilot Knob Road.
If the council deems it necessary to
continue the hearing beyond this
evening, Dec. 11 has been scheduled as
the second hearing night.
Then on Dec. 16, the council is sched-
uled to finalize the 1997 city budget and
to certify the tax levy and capital im-
provement plan. All meetings are open to
the public_
Council members have been meeting
for the past several weeks to discuss the
budget and to prioritize a list of capital
improvements for the city.
Among the projects scheduled to begin
in 1997 is construction of a new fire ad-
ministration building.
The project would be funded through
the Community Investment Fund. This
fund typically has been used to pay for
improvements that have city-wide bene-
fits. Examples of Community Investment
spending include the new and renovated
Police Facility and City Hall projects and
the Eagan Civic Arena.
According to the plan, the current fire
administration building (which is the for -
What's next
What: City Council will adopt 1997
city budget/tax levy and approve Cap-
ital Improvement Plan.
When: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16.
Where: Municipal Center, 3830
Pilot Knob Road, Eagan.
Information: 681-4600.
mer municipal center) would be demol-
ished and a new, $1..6 million building
will be constructed. As of Nov. 1, the Corn-
munity Investment Fund had a balance
of $7.4 million.
The new building would not be used as
a fire station. However, it would house
two or more ambulances and offer ac-
commodations for their drivers. The pro-
CIP: lb Page 15A
Agency outgrows
facility in Eagan
Staff Report
Owobopte, a United Way
agency for persons with special
needs in Dakota County, serves
about 230 individuals each year.
Programs include job place-
ments, vocational training, day
training and habilitation, and on -
and offsite employment opportu-
nities.
The licensed and accredited
center off Highway 13 in Eagan is
almost at capacity, said TerryJohn-
ston, the development specialist.
OWOBOPTE: To Page 15A
Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun• Current/Wednesday, Dec 4. 1996 15A
Owobopte: 230 served each year
From Page 1A
Plans are in the works to move to a larg-
er facility, hopefully by the end of 1997,
.Johnston said. Several sites throughout
Dakota County are being considered.
However the staffs first preference is to
stay in Eagan, she said, perhaps in the
Eagandale Industrial Park
One method .of keeping costs down is
to provide central accessibility for trans-
portation. In 1996, 12 vans logged more
than 250,000 miles while transporting
153 clients.
Administrators anticipate growth in
the number ofclients they serve and hope
to add programs currently not offered at
Owobopte.
"Programs are developed to meet the
needs of the individuals we are currently
serving," said Carolyn Dobis, program di -
rector.
For example, the agency would like to
add specialized programming to meet
the needs of persons with Alzheimer dis-
ease.
Next year will mark the 25th anniver-
sary of Owobopte, "hopefully celebrated
in a new building," Johnston said. A cap-
ital campaign is underway.
NEWS
NWA, MAC plans
for airport compared
Plowsstaid
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
EHS one -act play
places first again
3A
SPORTS
EHS gymnasts get lift
heading into sections
18A
EAGAN
Look inside for
Bridal '66
Your
\ Wedding
Eagan requests five more liquor licenses
• Independent license holders object
to proposal to increase number to 26
from 2I.
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Rep. Tim Pawlenty, IR-38B of Eagan,
amended the Omnibus Liquor bill last
week to include an increase in the num-
ber of liquor licenses in Eagan from 21 to
26.
Independent restaurant and bar own-
ers fear an increase in city liquor licenses
could put them out of business, said Al
Baker, owner of the restaurant by the
same name.
"Independent guys like us just can't
survive anymore," Baker told the City
Council before they voted to support the
increase Feb. 6.
Sixteen of the city's liquor licenses are
used, with five on hold for future applica-
tions. Opus Corp., which plans to build
several eating and drinking establish-
ments in the Eagan Promenade shopping
center north of Town Centre, has asked
for the remaining five licenses, said
Mayor Tom Egan.
"It would be a disservice t.o use up all
the remaining liquor licenses on Opus
and not have any remaining," Egan said.
Councilmember Shawn Hunter said
he'd like to hold at least two licenses in
case the city can attract full -service ho-
tels. The hotel industry in Eagan is "ex-
ploding," Hunter said.
If the Legislature grants the city's re-
quest for five additional licenses, it does-
n't mean Opus would be guaranteed the
five currently on hold.
"I'm not in favor of giving them all the
Promenade," said Councilmember Ted
Wachter. "Ifwe get all five, 1'm not for giv-
ing all five to Eagan Promenade."
Baker said it appears the hospitality
industry is leaning too far to the east side
of Interstate 35E.
There is one application pending for a
city liquor license — Jensen's Supper
Club at the former Perkins Restaurant,
3840 Highway 13.
Pawlenty said city officials should
know if they'll get their request grantad
in two to three weeks.
2A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, Feb. 14, 1996
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Comparisons, contrasts offered
in NWA, MAC airport plans
Both parties propose
runway construction
By Mike Westholder
Staff Writer
The Metropolitan Airports
Commission (MAC) compared
and contrasted airport expan-
sion plans Feb. 6 presented by
Northwest Airlines (NWA) and
MAC staff.
Last month, NWA officials
proposed a plan to expand Min-
neapolis -St. Paul International
Airport for about $600 million.
MAC has already adopted a
$2.8 billion expansion plan if the
airport remains where it is.
Both plans include the con-
struction of a north -south run-
way nearly parallel with Cedar
Avenue, and the addition of
about 15 terminal gates, increas-
ing the number from 69 to 84.
MAC has proposed building a
new 84-gate terminal and park-
ing structures at the northwest
corner of the airport. It would
maintain existing parking and
construct an underground "peo-
ple mover" from current ramps
Airy s rt
Deco maims
that possibility when or if it's
needed," Finney said. "You try to
get as much out of the terminal
until you have to transfer to a
new facility."
Passenger levels at peak de-
parture and arrival times will
determine when more terminal
space is needed, Finney said.
"When we looked at the infor-
mation (NWA] gave us, they
seemed to be using different
numbers in sizing the facility,"
Finney said. "They've used a dif-
ferent set of assumptions, which
led to different conclusions
about what needs to be provided
and what the industry will look
like in 2020."
The plans differ in airfield
use, terminal space and mainte-
nance and fueling facilities,
Finney said.
The MAC design includes 80
percent more passenger circula-
tion space, more parking spaces
and a longer terminal curb for
passenger pick-up and drop-offs.
Also, it would include more
taxiways to improve traffic flow
from the terminal to runways.
The disagreement over the
two plans is mostly philosophi-
cal, said Austin.
Does the airport need a state-
of-the-art facility, or can existing
facilities fulfill future needs?
Austin asked.
A new terminal would provide
more efficiency in parking and
passenger circulation, "but does
that efficiency offer sufficient
benefit to warrant the addition.
al cost?" he said. "Our argument
is no.
"Our plan may result in more
congestion in ramps and the ter-
minal, but not severe enough to
warrant spending $2.8 billion,"
Austin said.
The commission directed
MAC staff to work with North-
west in the hopes ofdeveloping a
compromise that would cost less
than the current MAC proposal.
Austin said he was positive
about the direction MAC is tak-
District 197 to hear
community center plan
SPORTS
Eagan gymnasts set
school record in win
People are finding
fitness innovations
EACIAPI
Sul;Current
Look
inside
for
H�
2 Sections
January 31, 1996
Vol. 21, No. 6
Mayor Egan delivers state of city address
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
For Eagan, the one constant
is change, said Mayor Tom Egan
in his state of the city address
Jan. 18.
Egan talked about several re-
nt changes in city operations and
touched upon upcoming changes.
Communication
Improved communication
ethods ranked high in priority
mong officials and staff last year.
For example, new green signs
have been posted on properties
that have development applica-
tions pending before the council.
"This will increase neighbor-
hood awareness of proposed de-
velopments beyond the legal no-
tice system," Egan said.
Also in the area of communi-
cation, city offices have added
voice messaging services beyond
normal business hours.
Last fall, a series of outreach
meetings brought city officials
and the business community
around a common table and
this winter, public information
meetings allowed residents an
alternative to the more formal
public hearing process.
Later this year, a survey of
residents' attitudes about public
services is expected to further
communication between city of-
ficials and residents.
Fagan Promenade
A March ground -breaking is
scheduled for a new shopping
center in the northeast corner
of Interstate 35E and Yankee
Doodle Road. Opus Develop-
ment Corp. and Eagan's City
Council have approved prelimi-
nary plans for streets and util-
ities. The center will combine
small retail with "big box" an-
chor stores, such as a Byerly's
grocery store. Included in the
overall plan is a 294-unit hous-
ing complex.
Civic Arena
More than 1,200 hours of ice
time have been rented since the
new Eagan Civic Arena opened
last October. More than 400 peo-
ple registered for the first session
of public skating lessons and rink
operators said more than 500 are
registered for the second session.
Municipal Center
Dedication of the remodeled
Municipal Center and of the new
Police Facility included tours for
300 residents. Construction was
finished under budget and without
using property taxes, Egan said.
CITY: To Page 5A
1
b IOW
1
• • .-_r ,.
2A Apple ValleylRosemount, Eagan Sun-CurrentNlednesday, Jan. 31, 1996
L tR lSEMErn
Swiss Scientists
Discover New
Energy Product
Lugano, Switzerland -After 25 years
of research Lightning 828 was devel-
oped with the help of Swiss
Laboratories. After extensive testing
with amazing results, Lightning 828 is
now available in the United States.
Scientists are amazed at Lightning
828's results on improved memory.
attitude and athletic performance.
In a double blind cross -over trial on
university students in Italy, Lightning
828 was given twice daily for 12
weeks. The results were astonishing.
Students obtained higher scores in
math, logic and physical education.
This new discovery has been a wind-
fall for working and active people that
seem to run short of energy around mid-
afternoon and need a little extra lift.
Lightning 828 when taken in the morn-
ing gives a sustained. balanced form of
energy throughout the day.
[hiring an interview in Chicago, a
beautician stated, "I used to go home
exhausted after being on my feet all
day. Now it's just incredible- I go
home with extra energy and really
enjoy my family more." Lightning 828
is a necessary boost for students,
professionals and senior citizens.
Lightning 828 is now available at
most K-Mart Pharmacies including:
Apple Valley-7575 W. I53rd St.
Brooklyn Center-5930 Earle Brown Dr.
Burnsville-400 E. Traveler Trail
Minnetonka-12501 Hwy. 7 .
New Hope-4300 Xylon N.
Richfield-6501 Lyndale Ave. S.
W. St. Paul-I64D S. Roberts St.
Board to hear community center plan
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A proposal to build a new
West St. Paul community center
on School District 197 property
next to the proposed F.M. Grass
Middle School is the subject of an
informal public meeting at 5
p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1037
Bidwell St. in West St. Paul.
The proposal will he presented
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to the full School Board next week.
The West St. Paul Community
Center/Facility task force is recom-
mending that the district raze
three sections of the old F.M. Grass
facility at 1037 Bidwell St. to make
room for a new community center.
A portion of the center would
house the school district's early
learning programs, extended day
care, adult basic education, enrich-
ment classes and a senior center.
The 20-member task force
also is recommending construc-
tion of a large community meet-
ing room with seating for 300
and kitchen/banquet facilities.
An earlier recommendation to
retrofit the auditorium as a com-
ponent of the community center
has been revised. After a task
force meeting Jan. 22, the re-
modeling of the auditorium was
scratched due to the cost of
building both a meeting space
and remodeled auditorium.
Other factors not included in
the proposal were a fitness center,
walking track and a teen center.
According to the task force,
the price tag for the project
should not exceed $10.2 million
and would be built by the city.
What's next
What: Community task
force recommends plan for
new West St. Paul communi-
ty center on School District
197 property.
When: 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5.
Where District. 197 Board
Room, District Office, 1897
I )elawateAve., Mendota Heights
Information: 405-2484.
"The city doesn't have author-
ity to build a community center.
We would need a referendum,"
said Bill Craig, West St. Paul city
manager.
As the primary tenant of the
facility, the school district would
be expected to lease up to 65,000
square feet of the publicly -owned
facility.
Using its "Levy for Lease" au-
thority, the School Board could
raise funds through property
taxes to lease the community ed-
ucation space without seeking
voter approval.
lithe board approves this rec-
ommendation, building funds
could be raised through "levy for
lease" methods.
Craig has attended task force
discussions. He said a communi-
ty center had not been part of the
city's short- or long-term plans,
but there are reasons to consider
a cooperative venture.
"We're concerned about the
senior (citizens)," Craig said.
The city of West St. Paul pays
District 197 $10,000 annually for
meeting space at the Learning
Center North for the West St.
Paul Senior Citizen's Club. Ifthat
.
space is razed during construc-
tion of a new middle school, se-
nior citizens soon will need to find
a new meeting place. Craig said
there are still a lot of questions
about the proposal and more joint
meetings between city and school
officials are expected.
"The City Council appreciates
the cooperative attitude," Craig
said.
The task force's recommenda-
tions are expected to be presented
to the West St. Paul City Council
at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, in the
city's Council Chambers, 1616,
Humboldt Ave., West St. Paul.
Board directors react to public hearings
By Melissa Bergyuist
Staff Writer
With public hearings complet-
What's next
What: District 196 takes
• [:tea
_and
class to graduate from Appli
Valley High School.
"It's always hard when yot
move and have to find nev
friandn" ha aniri "Any kind n
8A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•Current/Wednesday, May B, 1996
Slip slidin'
away
Eagan Mayor Tom Egan makes
a splash at the new waterslide
at the Southwest Area YMCA
Aquatic Center in Eagan on
Thursday night. Jennifer
Hearn of the Northern Dakota
County Chambers of Com-
merce and Linda Nelson, presi-
dent of the Eagan Chamber of
Commerce and representative
of First Bank, hold the ceremo-
nial ribbon to mark the open-
ing of the facility. The pool had
its grand opening on Saturday.
(Jan AbbottlStaff Photograph-
er)
INSIDE
ELECTION '96
For profiles on candidates
in the upcoming school
board elections and other
voting information, please
turn to Page 9A.
EAGAN
Sun'Curre.
2 Sections/Newsstand 750
May 8, 1996
Eagan residents jingle
their way to stardom
Two land parts in Schwarzenegger film
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Those star -struck by the Twin
City filming of Arnold
Schwarzenegger's new movie,
"Jingle All the Way," need look no
farther than Eagan or New Hope
to catch a glimpse of the stars.
Sam Morris, an Eagan resident
and an instructor at karate
schools in New Hope and St. Paul,
was given the role of a Tae Kwon
Do instructor in the movie, cur-
rently being filmed in the Twin
Cities_ Some of his St. Paul stu-
dents also were cast as extras, act-
ing as martial arts students in the
film.
The scene involves Morris test-
ing students in a class, including
Jake Lloyd, who has appeared on
television's "ER" and in national
commercials. Jake plays
Schwarzenegger's son in the
movie. Two of actor Robert Con-
rad's daughters also were cast as
martial arts students.
Morris originally was cast as
the assistant instructor. A profes-
sional actor from California was
cast as the main instructor, but at
the urging of the parents of the
child stars, the director released
the actor and replaced him with
Morris.
"My lines are Tae Kwon Do
commands. That was really easy.
It's something I do all the time,"
Morris said. "It would be different
if it was something I wasn't com-
fortable with."
He spent 12 hours on the set
shooting about a 30-second scene,
he said. He helped build the set to
replicate his school studio. His
wife, Jody, was an extra, but spent
most of her time standing around
waiting to be used in a scene.
"It wasn't as bad for me be-
cause I was going all day," Morris
said.
He was hired by the filming
crew to teach the child actors their
parts in the karate test scene.
"Jake was really good. I got to
know his parents. He has a really
structured family life and nice
parents," Morris said.
Another Eagan resident was
cast in the movie, as well.
Traci Christofore, 7, whose par-
ents are David and Stefanie
Christofore, shot her scene April
29 with Phil Hartman. She plays
a neighbor of Hartman, who
brings home a reindeer for his son.
Traci runs across the lawn with
other children to feed the reindeer
a carrot and ask "What's the rein-
deer's name'""
"At first I was afraid to feed
him," Traci said.
Traci has acted in student films
and has appeared in several com-
mercials and print ads. By chance,
she got to meet Schwarzenegger
when the two of them were in the
make-up trailer together.
"I didn't even know who Arnold
was," she said.
Traci preferred hanging out
with Jake on the set and going to
the school trailer between filming
shoots.
The Pinewood Elementary
JINGLE: To Page 20A
Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a headband for Eagan
resident Traci Christofore, while the two were in
make-up for the filming of "Jingle All the Way." (Sub-
mitted Photo)
It takes both
Devin Morris,
2, and Saman-
tha Morris, 4,
to fill Arnold
Schwarzeneg-
ger's chair on
the movie set
where their
dad, Sam Mor-
ris of Eagan,
was acting in
the movie,
"Jingle All the
Way." (Submit-
ted Photo)
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NORTFLOIN GROWN
Prosecuting
abuse takes
specialized
attorney
Eagan woman appointed
as county coordinator
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Women and children who are being
abused require specially trained prosecu-
tors who know how to work with victims
of rape and incest, according to Nicole
Nee, a Dakota County attorney.
Nee recently was appointed coordina-
tor of the county's Child and Domestic
Abuse Prosecution Unit.
"The perception is that the system
won't do a good job of protecting the vic-
tim when what they need is a full-time
bodyguard; Nee said.
The majority of the time, the abuser is
someone the victim knows. Reporting the
abuse will often antagonize the relation-
ship. Court orders for protection are a
"wonderful tool," but they aren't magic.
They may not keep a more serious of-
fender away, Nee said.
"They've been violated on every level,
physical, emotional, and trust."
Girls often will tell a friend, while boys
are more likely to keep abuse a secret,
she said.
"Adolescent males are viewed as safe
victims because they're unlikely to report
it because it's so humiliating," Nee said.
Dakota County employs a full-time
victimfwitness coordinator. The coordi-
nator and a volunteer staff link victims to
other county -wide resources and keep
them informed about their pending court
cases_ There are special waiting areas
and escorts so victims don't have to be in
the same room as their abuser or abuser's
family. And because these crimes some-
times are committed to or in front of chil-
dren, there's an area with toys and puz-
zles for children waiting to testify.
Nee wants to provide more opportuni-
ties to bring abusers to justice or to pre-
vent abuse from happening in the first
place. Among her goals are safeguards
for children whose separated parents are
transferring the child from one to the
other. Such situations can be combative
and escalate into abuse, she said.
Safe Exchange Centers, such as the
one in Burnsville, are under -used, she
said.
NEE: To Page 3A
PRE SEASON SALE ON
ARCOAIRE AIR CONDITIONING
l
Man testifies about how
drugs changed his life
By Steven P. Wagner
Staff Writer
"There were as many drugs in
prison as on the streets," said
Mark Lindgren, a self -professed
drug addict who spent 12 of the
past 16 years in prison for drug -
related crimes.
Three prison terms didn't stop
Lindgren, 51, from regularly
using drugs while he was locked
up for nearly a quarter of his life,
and he said his addiction con-
trolled his life.
Focus OK DRIM.
Part two in
"Drugs were the priority in my
Life," Lindgren said. They were
basically my first love."
He used contaminated needles
in prison just to get high, and said
he didn't care about the conse-
quences of his drug use or the
threat of contracting AIDS.
DRUGS: To Page 13A
Drugs: 'They were ... my first love'
From Page IA
"Why AIDS hasn't caught me or drugs
hasn't killed me, only God knows — and
I'm finding out what God knows," Lind-
gren said.
Now drug free and in recovery, Lind-
gren is out of prison and working as the
house manager at an addiction recovery
house in Minneapolis. He works as a staff
supervisor at the house, and offers sup-
port for other addicts who want to recover
from their abusive behavior.
However, Lindgren remembers a time
when all he wanted was a drug -induced
high. At 16, he began experimenting with
drugs along with his friends. He said he
was using intravenous drugs when he was
18 because "it seemed like the thing to do."
Though he said drugs were easy for
him to do, he's not blaming anyone else for
his drug abuse. But he believes he had a
pre -disposition to addiction. He said his
dad was abusive and an alcoholic, and he
wasn't educated on the dangers of drugs.
"If I had had the education, I might not
even have gotten into my addiction the
way I did," Lindgren said.
He married when he was 20, and sup-
ported his family and drug addiction by
robbing pharmacies. Known to police as a
"drug store cowboy," he tried recovery but
wasn't able to overcome his powerful ad-
diction.
"They [police] wanted to put a bullet in
my head, and 1 wouldn't have cared if I put
one in theirs," Lindgren said as he re-
membered what it was like to live a life
centered around drugs.
"I had a greater fear of losing my ad-
diction than I did of any kind of conse-
quences," he said. "That's how powerful
that addiction is."
When Lindgren was 35, the law caught
up with him and he went to prison for the
first time. His marriage ended in divorce.
"The lifestyle and the drugs — that was
my identity for many, many years," Lind-
gren said.
Although reaching sobriety was a slow
and painful process for him, Lindgren is
putting it all in perspective. "It seems like
I just woke up and was tired of the conse-
quences, and hurting myself and the peo-
ple I love," Lindgren said.
He said he suffered from at least 12
drug overdoses and had been involved in
shoot outs with police. He tried many
types of drugs — but mostly used cocaine
and opiates (including morphine and
heroine). "I had to face up to my demons,
and my demons were opiates," Lindgren
said.
He first came to terms with his drug ad-
diction about 3 1/2 years ago while he was
serving his third stretch in prison.
His path to reaching sobriety has been
a long and winding road, and getting there
has been a daily task.
"I've got my sobriety and sanity back,"
Lindgren said. "There's not anything I
wouldn't have done for drugs. The only
thing I cared about was my next high."
Now, Lindgren wants to help other peo-
ple overcome their addictions. When he
was high on drugs, Lindgren said that
feelings of fear, anger, resentment, guilt
and shame fueled his addiction. "There
are a lot of people in prison who are locked
into that convict and drug fiend mentali-
ty," Lindgren said.
But with help from people who cared
about him, Lindgren said he has been
able to make changes in his life. "I be-
came empowered by other people," he
said.
When he was using drugs, Lindgren
said all his feelings were related to drugs,
and he didn't know what he stood for.
"I'm not proud of a lot of things I've
done, but being straight counterbalances
that," Lindgren said. "I'm making
amends."
Those amends include supporting oth-
ers who suffer from drug addiction. "We
(recovering addicts] all have a lot more in
common than we do different," he said.
In addition to working at the recovery
home, Lindgren has talked to inmates in
prisons. Next month, he will tell inmates
that there is a way out of drug addiction.
"There are people making it," he said.
"There is a movement and there are peo-
ple making a difference."
He is learning to appreciate life and
love the people in his life. He is proud of
his children, he said, especially his son
who works as a federal law enforcement
officer in New Orleans. Although his ad-
diction has dominated much of his life,
Lindgren has a new attitude toward life.
He's also learning to enjoy life in ways
other than through drugs. He is traveling,
spending time with his grandchildren and
playing golf.
"I'm fighting the good fight against
drugs," Lindgren said. "I'm putting people
in my life that complement that."
ION
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arkable treatment.
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and evenings throughout:
Couple who lost son warn
about dangers of drugs
By Amy Erikson
Staff Wnter
As a child, Jeffrey Olson was a
bright little guy who had the abili-
ty to do well in life.
"He was the kind of kid that if
he was interested in something, he
learned everything there was to
know," said his father, Burt Olson.
In second grade, Jeffrey so
loved dinosaurs that he studied
them intensely, convincing his
Jeffrey Olson, two years before teacher that he knew even more
his death. (Submitted Photo) than she did on the subject, re-.
called his mom, Pam Olson.
He asked thoughtful questions
like "Where do spiders go in the
winter?" and "Where does the
water go when you empty the tub?"
His parents believe that with
an above average IQ, Jeffrey could
have gone through four years of
college successfully with very little
effort.
But Jeffrey's involvement in
drugs — beginning when he was
11 or 12 — led the Burnsville youth
DARE: To Page 10A
it from happening to others
44A Apple Valley/Rosemount, Eagan Sun•CurrentMednesday, Nov. 20. 1996
D.A.R.E.: Couple shares tragedy to prevent
From Page 1A
down a different path that included drop-
ping out of school and spending time in sev-
eral treatment facilities. At age 24, Jeffrey
Olson — high on drugs and alcohol — shot
himself in his St. Paul home.
More than two years later, his parents
are striving to make others aware of the
dangers of drug use. It is a plight that began
immediately after their son killed himself,
when the OLsons agreed to have an open
casket during Jeffrey's funeral. Because the
injuries to his head were so severe, part of
his body was shrouded, Pam said.
"1n order to make a statement, it was re-
luctantly decided to show him like that,"
said Burt. "It made a statement. Everyone
knew how he died_"
Since then, the Burnsville couple has
been doing what they can to save other fam-
ilies from the tragic loss they experienced.
"Following Jeff's death, we took an avid
mission to save kids from this fate — drugs
and alcohol," Burt said,
Pam has become knowledgeable about
suicide and drugs through endless reading
and study. Having done public speaking an
the issue, she hopes to expand and deliver
her message to a wider audience.
"I will be involved in this as long as there
is an interest and/or a need," Pam said.
Burt, the state president of the U.S.
Navy League and public affairs for the US.
Coast Guard Auxiliary, took on public af-
fairs for the Naval Sea Cadets following Jef-
frey's suicide. Seeing it as one of the finest
youth organizations in the United States,
Burt said his involvement in the Naval Sea
Cadets is a way to encourage teenagers to
refrain from drugs.
"One of our mottoes is: 'Isn't this better
than having these kids standing on street
corners and smoking pot?' Burt said.
On Nov. 11, the Olaoaa furthered their
efforts by making a contribution to the Dis-
trict 191 D.A.R.E. program in Jeffrey's
memory. The donation, taken from a memo-
rial fund created after Jeffrey's death, was
presented privately to D.A.R.E. Officer
Elaine Anderson in front of an evergreen
planted at Neill Elementary School in Jef-
frey's honor. The couple expects to make fu •
ture contributions from the fund to support
the DARE. efforts.
Education, through programs like
D.A.R.E., is one of the weapons in fighting
the drug war, Burt said.
Since educating themselves on the prob-
lem, the Olsons have realized that profes-
sionals at the seven or eight treatment pro-
grams Jeffrey underwent failed to get at the
root of his abuse.
Convinced now that Jeffrey was suffering
from a chemical imbalance and depression,
the Olsons say his untreated mental condi-
tion and drugs were a deadly combination.
"I'm very sure he was medicating his
feelings," said Pam, adding that she thinks
many youths who start out using drugs
recreationally end up taking them for the
same reason Jeffrey did.
On the night of his death, Jeffrey was
partying— drinking alcohol and taking four
blue-capsuled pills that were given to him by
a fellow partier, Though he was told to take
one at a time, Jeffrey, "always testing the
limits," took all four at once, Pam said_ Later
on, he ended his life, she said. An autopsy
provided evidence of cocaine and marijuana
use, as well as revealed that Jeffrey's blood
alcohol content exceeded .20 — a concoction
that undoubtedly clouded rational thinking.
"It's such an insidious thing, this drug
use," said Pam.
Those interested in having Pam Olson
speak about drug use and its impacts may
contact her at 894-6779.
Apple Valley(Rosemount, Eagan Sun-Current/Wednesday, Nov 6, 1996 15A
Fire investigated
as possible arson
A fire at a shed on Flint Lane is part of an
arson investigation, said Eagan Fire Marshal
Dale Wegleitner. The fire, on the 2000 block of
Flint Lane, was reported to Eagan Police at
3:44 a.m. Oct. 16. Anyone with information is
asked to call681-4770.
Eagan police
To report suspicious non -emergency activity
in Eagan, leave a recorded message on the
Eagan Police Department Tipline: 686-1111.
Eagan Police recorded the following incidents
from Oct. 21. through Oct. 29.
Oa 21 •• HA and nn, Mpnway 13 and Shawnee Road
Oct. 22 - DWI. Pilot Knob and Rocky Lane. theft. 3300 block
Highivay 149: theft. 4200 block Ptreall CAurt: Haft, 1500 block
Thomas Canter Dnve: theft. 1500 block Ili W Road; the& 1300
block Du:Wood Drive. hit and run. 4100 block Rahn Road
Oct. 23 - Fit and run, 1200 bleck Irks. Doodle Road.
window peeper, 3600 block Baaert Lae Road; assault. 4100
block Braddock Trail
Oct. 24 - Assault. 4100 block Braddock Tr&. crmnal dam
age to property, 4100 block Braddock Trail: belt. 4700 block
Galaxie Avenue; medical emergency, 4100 block Arbo Lane,
underage consumption. 2200 block Daley Road: theft, 2800
block Highway 55, theft, 1500 block DR Road. theft, 3000 block
Eagandale Place. theft, 3900 block South Valley View Drive,
graffiti. 900 block Wescott Trail: theft. 3800 block Pilot Knob
Road. criminal damage to property. 3400 block Washington
Drive
Oct 25 - Car prowlers. 3900 block Highway 13: stow fore.
3600 block Darman( Avenue: medical emergency. 800 block
Cliff Road: assault. 4600 bled( Penkwe Way
0c t. 26 - Theft, 4600 bleck Not Knob Road, DUI, Sdailtz
Lake Beach/CNN Road flak 2700 block Highway 55. burglary,
1300 block Calf Root 'haft. 1900 block Clilf Lake Road: (heft.
1900 block Safari Trot fire, 3800 block Beau De Rue Drive tett.
4400 block Pent Knob Road: aaaim* 3900 block Beau De Rue
Drive: theft 4400 block Pilot IWO Road, garage fore, 1000btook
Kenneth Streit power oulepaa, 4100 block Strawberry Lane,
1300 block Rrapbany Lane. Malmo Lane and Dlftley Road.
Oct 27 -. Assault 4300 block Svensk Lane. stabbing. 4100
block Lexington Avarua.
Oct 28 - Flit afld run. 1000 block Dilfley Road. ttlett, 3900
block Fbghwey 13: assault. 900 block Wescott Trail. vehicle
bleb!, 3000 block Eagandale Place.
Oct 29 - Theft. 2000 block Royale Dnve. theft.. 4300 block
Nicds Drive: theft from today, 4100 block Braddock Trail. trheft.
2700 block Hlgii ay 55. theft of cried's, 3300 black Caac► nvai
Road: assault. 2200 black Dingy Road.
Oct. 30 - Rod fre, 2100 block Cllf Road: DUI. 3200 block Hill
Ridge Drive; hit & inn. 2600 block Lone OW( Pont
"BREATHTAKING!"
— The Neil' 1i,t4 Terre,
to ash tt ,111110.6i I.I4)!1
ntrto r
0)GERS AND HAMERsittv
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worship
Call 896-4790 for rates
Sun. 10 am
7psn
Mc's.age% th.rt rrtr-r•t to-dau'ti needs.
Devoted to loving Christ and taking
His message to the world
• Lolling & Enthusiastic People
• Vibrant Praise & Worship
• Full Nursery & Children's Mtnettrtes
• Weekly Home Groups
801 E. Cliff Rd. • Burnsville • 890-9292
Corner of Cliff Rd. & Portland Ave.
Cold Paths
Reformed Fellowship
• Rooted in Scripture
• Oriented to Reformed Heritage (Heidelberg Catechism)
• Preaching. Teaching 6t Singing God's Word
SUNDAYS
Sunday Sc^�� 9:30 a.m.
Worship 10:30 a.m • Evening Service 5:00 p.m.
Hayes Field Community Bldg. on Hayes Road
Apple Valley
6Iount Olive
Assembly of God
14201 Cedar Ave. S.
Apple Valley
Pastor Mark j. Olson
Sunday Worship
K:l►0 a: 10:45 a.m.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Praise 6:30 p.m.
Wed. Family Night 7:00 p.m.
GOD CARES -H'ECARE
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Sur
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Yp
Byerly'sp opens as first
tenant of Promenade
Party benefits Community Action Council
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Byerly's is the first store to
open in the area's newest shop-
ping plaza, Eagan Promenade.
East of Interstate 35E off Yan-
kee Doodle Road, the Twin Cities'
upscale grocery store will soon be
joined by other retailers, includ-
ing Home Place and a Barnes
and Noble bookstore. The 120-
acre site will have decorative
lighting, trailways and a variety
of eateries when completed. Stu-
art Anderson's Cattle Company
and Dairy Queen will be two of
the first restaurants to open.
HYERLY'S: To Page 15A
oG
1
Byerly's
From Page 1A
Byerly's celebrated its grand open-
ing Nov. 3. The store will be open 24
hours a day, seven days a week. Cus-
tomers of the Twin Cities' grocery
chain will notice a few differences be-
tween the Eagan store and other By-
erly's.
"Our llth store has provided us a
chance to create the store that we be-
lieve will best meet the needs of our
customers' lifestyles today and in the
coming years," said Dale Riley, presi-
dent and chief operating officer.
The most obvious difference in the
new 56,000 square foot store is the ex-
panded take-out and ready -to -cook
foods section.
Partnerships between Byerly's and
other retailers offer shoppers the op-
portunity to try various specialty
foods all under one roof. For example,
customers may enjoy Wolfgang Puck-
's Express -to -Go pizzas, salads, pas-
tas and sandwiches, as well as Leeann
Chin's Chinese cuisine. Eagan shop-
pers also will be able to purchase a
cup of espresso, cappuccino, latte or
other flavored coffee from an in-store
Caribou Coffee shop.
Cafe Caraway provides seating for
those who just can't wait to eat what
they purchase in the store. Other fea-
tures include a U.S. Post Office, full
service First Bank branch and flowers
by Bachman's. A culinary expert also is
available to answer food and enter-
tainment questions.
"We believe the Eagan store sets a
new standard for Byerly's and for the
industry, in its design, merchandise
and services," said Art Miller, general
manager.
When Byerly's opens a new store,
tickets are sold to a preview party
Byerly's grand opening in Eagar
gave hometown boy Andy McAfee
3, a chance to sample some of the
Haralson apples sliced for in-store
demonstrations. (Jan Abbott/Staf
Photographer)
with proceeds benefiting a local char.
ity. Dakota County's Community Aa
tion Council (CAC) received $13,00(
from the Oct. 29 preview party at the
Eagan Byerly's. CAC is a community
organization that provides services it
violence prevention and intervention
and other family support services
More than 900 people attended the
event. Guests who paid $25 a ticket
strolled the aisles of the Eagan store
to sample a variety of foods, including
specialties of Lucia Watson, owner of
Lucia's Restaurant in Minneapolis;
Chef Tony Mascaro from Casper's Sir-
loin Room in Eagan; Chef Nathan
Beauchamp from Table of Contents,
and several other chefs from gourmet
restaurants.
Tent
Suite fM1PPrs�oned in�t
�Classtiled section
of this edition
Vol. 21, No. 46
Developer reduces
density proposal
for Rolling Oaks
Neighbors remain opposed to project
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
A plan to build a 490-unit hous-
ing development in Eagan will be
brought before the City Council by
Pulte Homes on Nov 19.
Pulte, who was shot down by the
citys Advisory Planning Commis-
sion in September, revised its plans
to build the 125 acre "Rolling Oaks"
subdivision. The development
would be in the southeast corner of
Deerwood Drive and Interstate
35E. Before construction can begin,
Pulte needs approval from the
council to rezone the area from its
agriculture designation to a
planned development/subdivision.
The city's Advisory Planning
Co:yrnmj,ion (APC) recommend-
ed appreeal of the revised plan
Oct. 22, subject to more than 50
conditions.
The motion included keeping
a cul de sac on Cashel] Glen that
staff said should be joined to a
street in the proposed develop.
went. Neither the developer nor
Cashell Glen residents were in
What's next
What: Pulte's Rolling
Oaks development proposal
presented to Eagan City
Council.
Wben: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19.
Where: Eagan City Coun-
cil Chambers, 3830 Pilot
Knob Road.
Information: 681-4600.
r
favor of the street extension.
APC commissioners also
voted to require on -site ponding
and treatment of water runoff.
Blackhawk Ponds residents
were concerned about the envi-
ronmental hazards associated
with runoff farther down the line
near or in Blackhawk Lake.
The Oct. 22 APC vote was 3-2
for approval. Commissioner Larry
Frank abstained from voting, say-
ing he did not want to create an ar-
gument for conflict of interest. His
PULTE: To Page 13A
Pulte: Concerns
From Page lA
employer has sold land to Pulte in the past,
he said. Commissioners Mark Miller and
Don Schindle voted against the proposal for
reasons that matched some of the residents,
who packed City Hall for the public hearing.
Residents say the housing mix, which
equates to 4.28 units per acre, is too
dense and will create traffic and environ-
mental problems in the area.
According to the proposed zoning, the
maximum density allowed could go as
high as six units per acre.
Chairman Miller opposed the plan be-
cause the southwest corner of the site
"looks awfully tight," he said.
In September, Pulte had proposed a
mix of502 homes, but the APC sent Pulte
back to the drawing board. The new plan
reduces the overall number of units by
12. Density was further reduced by re-
placing some townhome units with fewer
single family lots.
Pulte said they can't afford to drop the
density any further without raising the
price of the homes.
"Club Home buyers are on fixed in-
comes. These would be the most expen-
sive we've built," said Gary Grant, a
Pulte vice president.
Pulte wants to build four different styles
of homes — single family, court and club one -
level homes and village townhomes. They
call this concept "life cycle" housing.
One 26-year resident spoke in favor of
the Pulte proposal.
"Nobody objected to us moving here and
we didn't object to people moving after us.
But now I want to leave my large home and
I want a one -level home," said Ann Pahos
of Eagan. "We have roots here. This is
home and I don't want to leave."
APC Commissioner Carla Heyl agreed
with Pahos that Eagan needs smaller,
Tower -priced housing.
Pahos and Heyl were outnumbered by
focus on density
those opposing the plan, who live in The
Arbors, Blackhawk Ponds, Cashell
Glenn, Chatterton, Cutters, Deerwood,
Hidden Valley, Hilltop, Kings Wood,
Sherwood and Woodland neighborhoods.
Bill Cottrell, who lives in the Deer -
wood neighborhood, said the neighbor-
hood remains opposed to the plan, de-
spite the revisions made by Pulte. Cot-
trell said residents' comments in a recent
city survey conducted by The Wallace
Group confirms residents' desire to re-
duce the density of new development.
"We're not opposed to reasonable de-
velopment,' Cottrell said.
He defined "reasonable" as a plan that
meets the comprehensive guide plan, is
suitable to the topography of the land, is
not likely to cause environmental damage,
whose design won't cause health problems
and one that won't conflict with ease-
ments, such as the Williams pipeline.
Prior to the Oct. 22 APC meeting,
Pulte met with interested neighbors to
address their concerns.
"The meeting did not go well. Nothing
was resolved," Cottrell said.
Although the average density of homes
would be lower than many surrounding
neighborhoods, the manner in which the
homes are spread out on the 125-acre par-
cel was questioned by residents. The
southwest area, flat and treeless, is more
densely planned than the rest of the site.
"lb maintain open space, and to pre-
serve mature trees and green space,
homes are built in clusters. The city also
decides whether a builder should dedi-
cate land for a park or pay a calculated
fee which goes into the general park
fund. The city's Advisory Parks, Recre-
ation and Natural Resources Commis-
sion has recommended that Pulte make a
$478,000 cash donation in lieu of land.
The council is expected to examine
both the APC and parks commission rec-
ommendations at its Nov. 19 meeting.
A Gore-geous.day in Ea
an
Vice President Al Gore, flanked by Sen. Paul Wellstone (at left) and Eagan Police Chief Pat Geagan (at right) responds to
comments by Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmundson during a stop in Eagan Oct. 23 to discuss the Community Orient-
ed Policing (COPS) program. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
City showcased during visit from vice president
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
Well wishers, curiosity seekers, as well
as a few protesters toting orange Rudy
Boschwitz campaign signs turned up at
Eagan's Municipal Center last Wednesday
afternoon to see Vice President Al Gore.
The city of Eagan rolled out the welcome
mat to act as host for an hour-long chat be-
tween Gore, Sen. Paul Wellstone and law
enforcement officials about the crime bill
and the Community Oriented Policing
(Clinton COPS) Program.
The 2:30 p.m. scheduled visit pre-empt-
ed an election judge training class for about
40 Burnsville High School students in
teacher Mary Lenhardt's government class.
Instead of training, the students were
allowed to stand behind the yellow tape re-
ceiving line as Gore made his way from the
black limousine into the City Council
Chambers. Student Leah Anderson of
Burnsville stood in a cold, drizzling rain for
a chance to see the vice president.
"Cops and Secret Service people were all
over. He got out and waved, I stuck my
hand out and he shook it and said, 'Thanks
for coming,'" Leah said. "We can't believe
this happened. It took me by surprise that
he came to Eagan instead of a bigger city."
Leah said Gore had a "nice grip" for a
handshake.
Lenhardt said the students will be trained
GORE: To Page 11A
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Luke Ingles (center) plays the title character in "The Nerd," a comedy pre-
sented by Rosemount High School Nov 1 through Nov 3. Sarah Powell and
Dave Wagner play his new best friends. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
The Nerd' brings laughs
to Rosemount High stage
By Deb Schewe
Staff Writer
Chuck Brooks is confident he'll hear
more than a few snickers in the audience as
Rosemount High School students perform
'The Nerd."
'It's guaranteed to put people on their
backside with laughter," said Brooks, the
production's director. "This is a family
thing. There is a lot of slapstick and visual
humor, but there is also sophisticated
humor where an adult will get it before a
child does."
The play is about a man who tells friends
about a debt he owes to a former GI who
saved his life after he is wounded in Viet-
nam. The two men — Rick Steadman and
R illum Cubbert — never met until Stead-
man shows up unexpectedly the night of
Cubbert's 34th birthday party. Though ini-
tially excited, he eventually finds himself
thinking about violence as he discovers
Steadman is a -hopeless nerd."
Brooks said he chose the play because it
is a comedy and because he saw it as a chal-
lenge. The play also is easy to put on be-
cause it requires one set. What makes it
challenging is students must adhere to the
timing element.
"If they decide to slow it down, it dies
right in front of my face," Brooks said.
The seven cast members have been re-
hearsing since the third week of September,
practicing for three hours on weekdays and
eight hours on Saturdays. The week of the
play, Brooks said students will practice
each night after school "until we get done.
If I think a second run is needed, we'll do it."
There are 25 to 35 students on the techni-
cal and costume crews.
The production is scheduled to open at
7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, with a preview on Oct. 31.
Other shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 2 and 2 p.m. Nov. 3.
Ideally, Brooks said he would like to fill
the 650 seats in Rosemount High School's
auditorium, but realistically he said he will
be happy if half the seats are filled.
"For me it's important to have as many
people in the audience as there are seats,"
he said. "It's tough to play to a crowd when
there are empty seats."
He doesn't know "anybody who fills the
house (when there is a] comedy or drama,
he said. "Musicals or concerts, yes. It's un-
fortunate because this is inexpensive en-
tertainment. I don't think anybody is going
to leave wishing they hadn't come."
The "magical" element of the production
is something Brooks likens to what made
television shows such as "Mary Tyler
Moore" and "Barney Miller" successful.
"Each character on the set is different. They
have their own personality. You put them
all in one room and it gets loony. There are
no clones on stage."
Tickets, which went on sale Oct. 21, cost
$5 for adults and $3 for students and senior
citizens. Box office hours are 2:45 to 4:45
p.m. through Nov. 3. The voice mail number
for tickets is 683-6969 Ext. 7540.
Gore
From Page IA
as election judges in the classroom since
they canceled last week's class. Leah is
more excited than ever now to serve at the
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church polling site
in Eagan during the Nov. 5 election.
Eagan Mayor'Ibm Egan did not go un-
noticed by the vice president, who noted the
similarity between the mayor's last name
and the city. Egan presented Gore with the
trademark blue and green Eagan shopping
bag filled with gifts that included an Eagan
necktie, baseball cap and coffee mug.
Gore didn't make the same connection
between the city's name and its Police Chief
Patrick Geagan, who was all smiles during
the vice presidential visit.
Geagan said Eagan has been the recipi-
ent of the COPS More federal grant and
used the funds to purchase dictaphones for
officers.
Last spring, the Police Department and
city were hosts for a meeting between
Dakota County law enforcement officials
and Wellstone.
"Because of the success of that meeting,
Wellstone wanted to repeat it with the vice
president," Geagan said.
Eagan Crime Prevention Officer Bill
White told Gore and other elected officials
that the COPS grant helped establish the
city's Crime Free Multi -Housing Program.
The program teaches landlords how to
screen tenants. They also attach a lease ad-
dendum to be signed by tenants who pledge
not to engage in criminal activity or they
may be evicted, a move Gore called, "One
strike and you're out."
Officers who teach the program perform
an inspection of the apartment premises
and may require the landlord to install
deadbolt locks, improved outdoor Lighting
or other crime prevention improvements.
"Owners have to shell out money to im-
prove conditions," White told Gore.
Apartment residents also are invited to
a meeting to learn what is expected of
them, he said.
have an obligation as a police officer,
but you have an obligation to me to be my
eyes and ears," White said he tells apart-
ment tenants.
Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmund-
son talked about how Dakota County has
been a role model for alternatives to jail,
such as electronic home monitoring, day re-
porting centers, Sentence to Service work
crews and remote testing for DWI offend-
ers. Community Policing in Dakota Coun-
ty, Gudmundson said, has brought about
restorative justice, but it needs more ac-
Nick Wirth, 9, grins after seeing Al
Gore's motorcade leave the Eagan
Municipal Center. (Jan Abbott/Staff
Photographer)
knowledgment and funding for others in-
volved such as parole officers and judges,
he said. For example, a group of 72 police
chaplains came together last week for a
conference on restorative justice.
Also present for the Gore visit were Twin
Cities police chiefs Robert Olson and
William Finney, U.S. Congressman Bill
Luther, Minnesota Attorney General Skip
Humphrey and all but one of Eagan's City
Council members.
Absent was Councilmember Pat Awada,
a Republican and owner of a direct mail
printing company.
"First and foremost I was busy at work.
This is our busy time of year," Awada said,
before adding, "The visit was simply a cam-
paign stop for Paul Wellstone."
Awada said she did not protest the use
of City Hall because it is a public building
and "anyone can use it if they follow the
rules we've set down. We can't discrimi-
nate.
"He chose Eagan because its suburban
and close to the airport. Wellstone needs to
increase his exposure in the suburbs,"
Awada said.
Mayor Egan acknowledged that he had
some concerns about the visit.
"I didn't want to imply that Eagan was
slanted one way or the other On the other
hand, this is the vice president. He rises
above the political fray," Egan said. "It also
was a golden opportunity to showcase our
new facilities."
The city made use of its new outdoor
marquee that read — "Welcome Vice Pres-
ident Al Gore and Senator Paul Wellstone."
requires some homeowners to shovel
in the general budget.
The other 1.7 miles of trail is identi-
fied as private residential pathways near
Glacier Hills and Pinewood elementary
schools. The city attorney has been asked
to draft an ordinance that will require
residents in those neighborhoods to clear
sidewalks within a specified time after
each significant snowfall.
While a majority of the council sup-
ported the snow removal plan, Coun-
cilmember Ted Wachter abstained, say-
ing that he's not convinced the pilot pro-
gram is in the residents' best interest.
For example, the program does not in-
clude winter trail maintenance to other
attractors, such as shopping centers or
parks.
Wachter and city staff also discussed
various challenges to providing the new
service.
They anticipate that residents just
beyond the snow removal route will
complain or request program expan-
sion. They also are concerned that prop-
erty damage will result from the use of
large snow removal equipment driven
by contractors unfamiliar with the
area.
Another concern is that the V-shaped
blade used to clear snow from sidewalks
will leave two lines of snow across drive-
ways that homeowners will have to shov-
el.
Council members were clear that this
winter will be a trial run for the new city
service.
"Let's give this thing a shot and see
how it works," said Councilmember Pat
Awada_
State
kins Representative 36A
State ' ocrde. 1 wittad
5t4, ' 996.
Su& e'te4,
ompkms, Don Romain, Treasurer, 405 Reflection Rd., AV. 55124
n Eden Prairie
target snow blowers
Police warn to keep garage closed as thieves
We're getting down to the
best part of the year, when sev-
eral of the biggest holidays
occur: Thanksgiving, Christ-
mas, and then New Year's Eve
and New Year's Day. It seems to
me that one of Andy Williams
songs has the phrase in it, "It's
the most wonderful time of the
year."
All that has little to do with
what's at hand.
One event is the annual
Craft Show and Bake Sale, from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov.
23, at Bethlehem Evangelical
Lutheran Church, Fremont and
22nd avenues.
Ofall the craft shows of north
Minneapolis, there is none finer.
bard
of Broadway
Pete Peterson
The ladies of Bethlehem take
great pride in their crafts, plus
their bake sale is a real treat
with homemade cookies, can-
dies, pies and pastries.
Oh yes, while you shop you
can have a cup of Norwegian cof-
fee, of which there is no finer.
Unless it would be some Danish
coffee, according to Diane who
can give you information at 521-
7655.
Closed for holiday
This is to notify you that the
Northside Senior Center will be
closed Thursday and Friday,
Nov. 28 and 29, for Thanksgiv-
ing.
I hope you made your reser-
vation for the Thanksgiving
meal served from 11 a.m. to
noon Tuesday, Nov. 26. Piano
music will be played during din-
ner.
Blood pressure checks by a
qualified nurse will be available
from 11 a.m. to noon Friday,
Nov. 22. It's a good idea to check
your blood pressure often. It can
change very fast.
The center is at the corner of
25th and Newton avenues, in
the community building of St.
Mark's Church.
Stop in for additional infor-
mation or call 529-7721.
I'rc)tcLt aluahles
I received some information
from the Minneapolis Police De-
partment regarding burglaries
at this time of year.
Right now, snow blowers
and snow removers are prime
targets for garage thieves. Al-
ways keep your garage door
closed, even if you are working
in a different part of the yard.
It is easy for thieves to slowly
drive down the alley looking
into garages for possible valu-
able merchandise. Don't tempt
them by leaving your valuables
in sight.
It's a good idea to make a note
of cars driving the alley and
write down the license number,
BARD: To Page 4
4 North Minneapolis Sun•PostfWednesday, Nov. 20, 1996
Bard: More bazaars, craft sales scheduled for early December
From Page 1
just in case there is a sudden rash of
break-ins later.
Worth repeating
Who said that? "Our earth is degener-
ate in these latter days, and there are
signs that the world is speedily coming to
an end. Bribery and corruption are com-
mon, children no longer obey their par-
ents, and every man wants to write a
book. The end of the world is fast ap-
proaching."
Sound familiar? It should. It was writ-
ten in Asayria in 2,800 B.C.
Library is decked out
North Regional Library, Fremont at
Lowry avenues, is all decked out for
Thanksgiving. Of course it will be closed
that day.
Not much special going on but don't let
that stop you from coming in and picking
up some information on books and other
helpful knowledge.
December will be a busy time. For in-
stance, the Plymouth Youth Center Play-
ers will be giving three special programs.
Watch for the dates.
For information call 522-3333.
Slogans are confusing
What ever happened to the slogan
by WCCO-830 AM Radio when it was
known as "Good Neighbor to the
Northwest?" Now they have several
slogans, some of which I fail to under-
stand.
What do they mean when they say,
"Flagship of Minnesota Agriculture,"
"Flagship of the Minnesota Twins,"
"Flagship of the Minnesota Vikings,"
etc.? I liked it when they were just a Good
Neighbor.
Political wars at rest
Left over from the political wars.
What is going on, or what does it
mean, when both winners and losers in
their last statements have crowds gath-
ered in front of the winner or loser wav-
ing big cards with their names on them?
It is very bothersome to see, and 1 can't
see that the card waving serves any pur-
pose.
Thank goodness the campaigns are
over, nationally that is, for another four
years. I hope they all clean up their acts
by then.
Watch for more sales
I don't know when it will end. I hate to
see it come, but I did receive two notices
this week that there are two more
bazaars and craft sales coming in De-
cember. I'll have information about them
next week. But you can plan on being
able to shop for Christmas Saturday and
Sunday, Dec. 7 and 8.
Kennedy remembered
In 1963 there was a comedy record re-
leased called, "The First Family," about
President John Kennedy and his family
in comedy situations both locally and
worldwide.
I had just purchased my copy, had
played it only once when the president
was slain.
That is now 33 years ago and I still
cannot bring myself to replay the
record.
I did think the other day, that if Bob
Dole had been elected president, how
could they ever make a comedy routine
about him and Elizabeth? Think about
it.
Politics with humor
One last political thought.
In 1948, after several runs at the
presidency and the Republican nomina-
tion, Tom Dewey became the butt of po-
litical satire when as part of a Broadway
play, right after the inauguration, one of
the White House staff approaches the
President and says, "Mr. President,
there is a man outside who says he has
always wanted to see the inside of the
White House." The President says,
"Show the man in," and in walks Tom
Dewey.
Could happen this next year.
Send your notices
Send your notices to the Bard, 2810
Logan Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411.
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Vol. 21, No. 49
Council
rejects
project
Plan sought 490
homes in Eagan
By Sue Hegarty
Staff Writer
About 120 Eagan residents
packed into City Hall Nov. 19 to
send a clear message to council
members — no more townhome de-
velopments.
Following two hours of testimony
by Pulte Home representatives and
the public, the City Council unani-
mously denied Pulte's plan to build
490 homes an 116 acres. The plan in-
cluded 78 single family homes and
several styles of townhomes.
The property boundaries are
Deerwood to the north, DiMey on
the south, Deerwood and Black -
hawk schools to the east and Inter-
state 35E on the west.
Puke officials said even though
this proposal was rejected, they are
not ready to walk away from the
site.
'We would still like to bring our
homes into Eagan," Standke said.
"We'd like some specific information
from you to tell us what it would
take to make this a site that will
work for all of us," he added.
More than 600 signatures were
collected in opposition to the devel-
opment and hours of public testimo-
ny were given in meetings leading
up to last week's City Council meet-
ing.
"In these times of perceived ape -
thy, we have over 10 neighborhoods
that have banded together, exercis-
ing our democratic rights. Are City
Council members going to listen?"
asked Paul Schmidt who lives on
Kingswood Road.
No one objected to the single fam-
ily home lots, but they were opposed
PULTE: To Page 13A
From Page 1A
to the clusters of townhomes, containing from
eight to 12 units.
Residents quoted results of a city survey
that indicated Eagan already consists of 46
percent multiple housing stock.
"This is not in opposition to the Pulte
Home Co.," said Bill Cottrell, a neighborhood
spokesperson. "What we're trying to protect is
the residential feel of this city."
Besides objecting to townhome construc-
tion, residents also said the proposed devel-
opment was too dense and would cause traf-
fic flow problems on Deerwood Drive.
"Knock 50 of them out and we're all going
to say, "Thank you Pulte, you're the best,'" said
a resident on Rocky Lane.
Tom Standke of Pulte Homes said the
townhomes would have been broken into 17
communities and vary in size and amenities.
They would have been owner occupied and
*OW+)
covenants enforced by a homeowner's associ-
ation.
Prior to voting down the project, council
members explained their rationale.
"Our numbers say we need to encourage
more single family development," said Coun•
cilmember Pat Awada.
Pulte's proposal averaged 4.28 housing
units per acre in an area that allows 0-6 units.
Councilmember Shawn Hunter said it's pos-
sible that a subsequent developer could pro-
pce an even bigger project.
'What comes in next may be higher densi-
ty, but I'm willing to take that chance if you
are," he told the crowded council chambers.
Other council members and the mayor
agreed that the plan was contrary to the citys
need for more single family housing. Coon-
cilmember Sandra Masin noted one exception
—one-story housing that Pulte said would at-
tract the "empty nester" who might be look-
ing to move into a smaller home.
Ray Wade (left) comes in to play checkers with Philip Broman of Eagan as
a respite care provider. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
II12 7 /90 C.41
a-.E_
Providing care may alter
lives for everyone involved
By Amy Eriksen
Stag' Writer
A little more than a year ago, Genevieve
and John Eul enjoyed going to the theater, vis-
iting the Minneapolis Aquatennial and taking
long walks along the lake.
Today, the Apple Valley couple takes heart
in simpler things — such as their synchro-
nized humor that can send either of them into
a rolling laughter.
The senior citizens' lives changed forever
1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ■ L \. l l\ L !. . •.' 1. 1.♦ 1. i 1,•,.
last Feb. 29. That was the day John had his
stroke, and independence — for both him and
his wife — became a cherished memory.
Genevieve is one of the countless spouses
and family members who find themselves in
situations they are seldom trained and rarely
prepared for that of a caregiver.
For every person who is in a nursing facil-
ity, two are being cared for at home. That
means many loved ones are being depended
on to maintain the quality of life threatened by
.: , P W4 T9 .gage 15A
DARTS: Week recognizes efforts
From Page 1A
a debilitating medical condition, such as a
stroke, cancer or Alzheimer's disease.
It's a demanding, seemingly endless job
that creates an onslaught of emotion rang-
ing from frustration and grief to gratification
and satisfaction, said Lynn Cibuzar, who
works with Caregivers Support Services pro-
vided by DARTS in Dakota County.
To recognize those efforts and contribu-
tions, caregivers are being recognized this
week, Nov. 24-30, during National Care-
givers Week.
Though Genevieve is a registered nurse
and has been in a care giving situation before,
she still experiences an array of feelings re-
garding her care giving role to her husband.
One of the most demanding times of the past
year was adjusting from the life she had to
the life she was being forced to live.
"Being a nurse, you're used to eight hour
shifts, but this is no eight -hour shift," she
said, explaining that John's stroke affected
his right side and causes him to do some
things without thinking (demanding that
she sleep with one eye open). "This is 24-
hours a day and when that dawns on you,
that's what's overwhelming."
John said his wife handles the stress ac-
companying their situation well, and does a
wonderful job of caring for him. But she ad-
mits that at times, things can get a little dif-
ficult. She said their marriage has been
somewhat strained over the ordeal and the
emotions that have come with it.
`The stroke is his, he owns it, but there-
fore it has completely changed my life," she
said.
Gradually John has been improving, and
within the last month, Genevieve has felt
comfortable enough to leave him napping
while she runs to the store. Combined with
a respite volunteer from DARTS and John's
weekly trips to adult daycare at Ebenezer
Ridges in Burnsville, Genevieve has been
getting slight reprieves from her care giving
duties.
Those breaks, no matter how little, are
crucial for caregivers, Cibuzar said.
"I do run into some caregivers who are so
tired and so burnt out that their own health
suffers," Cibuzar said.
Cibuzar recommends that those in care
giving situations remember that. they can't
do it alone, and they don't have to. In addi-
tion to services provided by DARTS, help
can be found through family members and
some churches, she said.
Those who know a caregiver and want to
offer support may do so by asking how the
caregiver is doing, rather than focusing sole-
ly on the person receiving the care. Family
members and friends should ask if there is
anything they can do to make the job easier,
offering assistance in any way possible,
Cibuzar said.
"If a caregiver knows there is help out
there, even if they don't use it right away, it's
a big relief to them," she said.
While care giving can be a challenging
and demanding job, it is not without joy,
Cibuzar said.
'There are a lot of caregivers who are
pleased with what they are doing and get a
lot of satisfaction out of it," she said.
DARTS offers support group seminars for
caregivers. Scheduled quarterly for six to
eight weeks, they teach caregivers how to deal
with a variety of issues they will encounter in
caring for their loved ones, Cibuzar said.
Topics discussed in the seminars include
legal issues, emotional aspects of care giving
and symptoms experienced by the care re-
cipient. Those attending the seminars also
share their experiences with the group, pro-
viding that much needed awareness that
caregivers are not alone in their experi-
ences, Cibuzar said.
Those wanting more information about
the support services DARTS offers may call
the organization at 455-1560. Additional
support may be obtained through Well
Spouse Foundation, a group for husbands
and wives caring for a spouse. The number
for that organization is 1-800-838-0879.
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Eagan pull tab seller
charged with forgery
A woman who sold pull tabs for a chari-
table organization in Eagan has been
charged with falsifying the signatures of
winners and of pocketing the winnings.
Eagan resident Catherine P. Dearing,
32, is charged in Dakota County District
Court with three felony counts of theft, theft
by swindle and forgery.
When a person obtains and redeems a
winning pull tab valued at $.50 or more,
state law requires that a prize receipt be is-
sued. The receipt must be signed by both
the winner and the pull tab seller and an
imprint of the winner's driver's license
must be made on the receipt.
Eagan Police discovered that five win-
ning pull tabs reportedly had been re-
deemed by the same person last July. Two
were for $100, two were for $200 and one
was a $75 winning tab. When the winner
was contacted by investigators, he told offi-
cers that he had won only twice with two
$100 winning tabs, according to an Eagan
Police detective.
The man also told officers that he had
never purchased pull tabs at the Eagan
business where one of the winning tabs was
redeemed, and that he had recently lost his
driver's license at another Eagan business.
Records indicated that other tabs were
redeemed using a lost or stolen driver's li-
cense between May and July last summer.
According to a complaint filed in Dakota
County Court, Dearing sold pull tabs at two
Eagan businesses, but denied that she stole
any money.
The felony charges were filed on Nov 14.
Dearing's first court appearance is sched-
uled for Dec. 30.
Rosemount fire station
expected to open soon
Rosemount firefighters are expected to
move into the city's new fire station in early
December.
Construction is running on schedule for
the building, which is expected to come in
close to the estimated cast. The station is in
an area bordered by Shannon Parkway,
Dodd Boulevard and 145th Street and is ex-
pected to have a final cost of nearly $1.3 mil-
lion. At a Nov. 19 City Council meeting,
council members approved $30,000 in
change orders. Much of the cost is due to an
increase in paving design, an additional
concrete apron and having to bring in sand
when the city's stock pile ran out.
In the fall of 1995, voters approved a
$1.75 million bond needed to build the fire
station. The second station is needed due to
rapid growth on the city's west side. Once
the station is completed, the response time
to fire calls is expected to drop from 8.75
minutes to under five minutes for most
parts of Rosemount.
Tb report suspicious non -emergency
activity in Eagan, leave a recorded mes-
sage on the Eagan Police Department
Tipline: 686-1111. Eagan Police record-
ed the following incidents from Nov. 14
through Nov. 20.
Nov 14— Theft, 4600 block of Kingsbury Drive: bur-
glary, 3400 block of Washington Drive.
Nov. 15 — Window peeker, 2000 black of Bluestone
Lane. personal injury accident. Pilot Knob Road and
Yankee Doodle Road: vehicle melt. 3800 block of
Riverton Avenue
Nov. 16 — DWI. Lone Oak Road and Pilot Knob
Road; theft, 2000 block Kings Road; theft, 3900
block Highway 13; vehicle/deer collision. Ditlley
Road and Knob Drive: DUI, 3500 block Krestwood
Lane; Gross DUI. Diffley Road and Interstate 35E
Nov 17 — Medreai emergency. 4300 block Dorch-
Eagan residents Dana Alexander,
employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Minnesota and Jared Heisler, employed
by United Parcel Service, Teamsters, IBT
TE
sonal
ester Court; DWI, Diffley Road and Thomas Lake
Road; DUI. Beau De Rue Drive and Silver Bell Road;
DUI, Cliff Road and Beacon Hill Road, criminal dam-
age to property. 3400 block Goltview Drive. tire.
1600 block Wexford Circle
Nov. 18 — Criminal damage to property, 3300 block
Coachman Road; criminal damage to property.
1100 block of Yankee Doodle Road; vehicle theft,
2200 block Chff Road: burglary. 1000 block of DifIley
Road. slashed tires, 1200 block Town Centre Drive.
Nov. 19 — Assault, 1100 block of Town Centre Drive:
theft Merlot and Burgundy Drive: theft. 1300 block
of High Site Drive. theft 0f mail, 3800 block of Can-
ter Glen Drive, theft, 3900 block of South Valley Yew
Drive.
Nov. 20 — Theft. 1300 block of High Site Drive: hit
and run. Eagandale and Lone Oak Road: criminal
damage to property, 1100 block of Town Centre
Drive: car fire, 1900 block of Jade Lane.
Local 638, were volunteer loaned execu-
tives for the St. Paul's United Way Cam-
paign which runs through early Decem-
ber.
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EAGAN
SunCurrei
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The season's first snowfall created havoc on the roads Wednesday. This accident occurred
on Cliff Road at l2th Avenue in Burnsville. (Jan Abbott/Staff Photographer)
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4,1
Reaching out b
a helping hand
By Amy Eriksen
Staff Writer
The need could be as dire as a break
for a caregiver or as simple as a ride to
the beauty salon. Regardless of the level
of importance, community agencies and
churches are joining forces to meet the
needs of senior citizens and bridge the
gap between generations.
A $25,000 grant is enabling DARTS,
a non-profit agency serving seniors and
their families, to establish an Interfaith
Volunteer Caregiver Project for Apple
Valley, Burnsville and Eagan. Funded
by the Robert Wood Johnson Founda-
tion, approximately 450 such projects
have been developed throughout the
country.
The Interfaith projects capitalize on
churches' resources, namely their con-
gregations, to meet the needs of the com-
munities in which they are located.
Some focus on helping handicapped chil-
dren, people affected by AIDS or assist-
ing with hospice programs.
Because of its commitment to the
older population, DARTS aims to use
the grant to provide reliable assistance
to senior citizens that they cannot al-
ways count on getting now, said Janet
Woodhull, project director.
Helping with the effort are six
churches including Grace Lutheran in
Apple Valley, Faith Covenant and
Prince of Peace Lutheran in Burnsville
and St. Thomas Becket, Easter Luther-
an and Ss. Martha and Mary in Eagan;
and four agencies including the
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Many accidents follow storm
Staff Report
The first snow storm of the season result-
ed in more than 50 accidents being reported
to Eagan Police last Wednesday.
Contributing factors were slippery snow
and ice conditions, according to accident re-
ports.
One accident resulted from obscured vision
caused by frost on the windshield.
On Eagandale Boulevard near Lone Oak
Road, the driver of a red Chevrolet Blazer was
involved in a hit and run incident at about
12:15 p.m.
At 12:44 p.m., an Eagan woman driving a
Plymouth Shadow slid into the back of a
garbage truck that was waiting to make a left
hand turn from Cliff Road onto southhound
Interstate 35E.
The Eagan Police were not immune to the
treacherous driving conditions. Two squad
cars were damaged, said an Eagan detec-
tive.
Though some accident victims reported
sore necks and backs, no fatalities were re-
ported.
Winter Travel Tools
• A shovel.
■ A container of sand.
• Warm clothing and footwear.
• A red flag for you vehicle's antenna.
In addition, it is always helpful to have:
■ Blankets or sleeping bags.
• Quick energy foods and drinking
water, and an empty waste container.
• A tow chain and tire chains.
• Electric flares.
■ Jumper cables.
• Candles, and matches or a lighter.
■ A first aid kit.
NEWS: Eagan woman's
photo featured in charity
calendar, Page 3A.
SPORTS: Injuries hinder
chances for Wildcat
gymnastics, Page 23A.
2 Sections/Newssta
WINTER
DRIVING TIPS
One might think that most
Minnesotans are expert dri-
vers on ice and snow. After all,
the state's covered with it for
six months of the year. But
most drivers take at least a
few weeks to adapt to winter's
wonderland.
Here's a few tips to keep in
mind the next time you venture
out onto the frozen tundra.
• Remove snow and ice
from the vehicle.
• Use windshield fluid con-
taining an antifreeze solution.
Don't use the fluid when dri-
ving at high speeds on ex-
tremely cold days. Even with
antifreeze in the fluid, high
speed combined with severe
cold can almost instantly freeze
the fluid on the windshield_ The
next thing you see could be the
wrong side of a snow bank.
• Forget about dragging
yourself out of bed at 5:30
a.m. to start the car. Accord-
ing to the Minnesota Depart-
ment of Public Safety, 30 sec-
onds of idling should do the
job. Contrary to popular be-
lief, a cold engine will warm
up faster driving than idling
for long periods of time.
• Don't use cruise control
on slippery roads,
• Use snow tires on the
front axle for front -wheel drive
vehicles; place them on the
back axle for rear -wheel drive
vehicles. Snow tires, however,
don't provide traction on ice;
chains are your best bet on
roads buried in deep, hard -
packed snow or ice.
• Keep an eye out for snow
removal equipment. Watch
for snow clouds and flashing
white, yellow and blue lights.
Beware of plow blades.
• If you do get stuck, stay
calm. Stay with your car and
attach a red flag to your an-
tenna. Clear the exhaust pipe,
crack a window regardless of
the temperature outside to
prevent carbon monoxide poi-
soning and run the engine and
heater at intervals. Keep mov-
ing and stay awake.
7
Tax hearin raises questions
By Terrance Mencel
In four years, Jeff Foster has
watched the property taxes on
his Eagan home grow by 50
percent.
Next year Foster will dole out
60 percent more in property
taxes. At this rate he expects his
property taxes will double since
he first purchased his home on
Mill Run Court.
Foster was one of about 16
people who attended a public
hearing Dec. 7 on Eagan's pro-
posed 1994 budget and property
tax levy. The hearing was part
of the state mandated truth -in -
taxation hearings required for
cities, counties and school
districts.
Yearly increases to Foster's
home market value have skew-
ed his property taxes in unison
with the larger budgets re-
quested by city, county and
school governments. It's not
that Foster can't afford such
property tax increases, he said.
Rather, he's concerned about
the future when he will rely on a
fixed retirement income.
"'Phis needs to be an affor-
dable place to live," Foster said.
City government hears those
cries, said Mayor Tom Egan.
That's one reason the City Coun-
cil reduced the proposed 1994
budget by S150,000 to keep the
city's property tax increase at 7
percent rather than the 9 per-
centincrease reflected in truth -
in -taxation notices. This places
the proposed general fund
budget at;13.5 million for 1994.
"I was very pleased with the
meeting. The questions the peo-
ple asked were very good, very
responsible," Egan said. "The
purpose for the truth -in -taxation
hearing is working."
Eagan has long scheduled
public hearings to discuss pro-
posed budgets before the state
made them a requirement.
While 16 people of 53,500
residents showed for the
meeting, it's the largest turnout
in recent years. Even more
residents were expected to
watch the meeting live on cable.
'There wasn't one comment
that wasn't totally on target,"
Egan said of the five people who
spoke.
Many of those comments
centered on why the city would
TAXES: To Page 3A
Eagan Sun-Curn9nt—Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1993-3q
Mayor expects more scrutiny in coming years
Page IA
request any increase at all.
That's when pie charts and
governmental jargon are called
on to help answer those
questions.
As a growth city, Eagan finds
itself in a quandry trying to
maintain its standards with a
population that increases by
1,500 people a year. City Ad-
ministrator Tom Hedges
equates Eagan with a growth
corpora tion.
The $13.5 million budget in-
cludes new personnel, a tax
abatement reserve fund and
equipment requests. Personnel
accounts for more than half of
the 8.8 percent budget increase.
Payroll and benefits make up
more than 70 percent of the pro-
posed budget.
Police reflect the largest
budget increase as the city tries
to keep up with having one
police officer for every 1,000
residents. That means hiring
three new officers and one com-
munity service officer in 1994.
Other staff increases include
one public works employee, two
half-time clerical employees
and one three -quarter -time
recreational supervisor for
families and children at risk.
Eagan remains one of the
lowest spending cities per capita
in the Twin Cities metropolitan
area spending $204.30 per per-
son. The average per person
spending among 28 high growth
cities is $340, according to the
Minnesota Office of the State
Auditor. Burnsville spends
$279.96 per person while Apple
Valley spends $330.88 per
person.
Nonetheless, Brad Kennedy
asked why the city couldn't
strive to be the lowest spending
city. He questioned why city
spending was less in past years.
Cities fell under a levy limit as
set by the state in the early
199%, Hedges said. While the
INSIDE
011
tioN
Eagan wrestler
overcomes
amputation
(See Sports
in B-section)
goal was to control costs, it
didn't allow Eagan flexibility in
keeping pace with its population
demands.
Eagan is now in a position to
hire the appropriate number of
police officers to patrol the city
since levy limits lifted.
"Unfortunately that skewed
these numbers over the past
four, five years," said Hedges,
referring to the effect levy limits
had on Eagan's budget.
The city's strong property tax
base would offset much of the
proposed budget increase if not
for several factors. Eagan lost
tax base last year with record -
setting property tax abatements
granted to commercial/in-
dustrial property. Property tax
collections fell when the state
eliminated the third tier of taxa-
tion of 3 percent on higher
valued homes.
The average taxpayer doesn't
have the time to comprehend
the complex issues that govern
property taxes, Egan said. It's
more difficult to convince skep-
tical taxpayers about the merits
behind the proposed budget
increase.
Why more police? Police ser-
vice calls continue an upward
surge and are expected to sur-
pass 36,000 calls this year.
That's more than 4,000 calls
since last year. The city has
more park land to maintain and
streets to plow than in past
years.
Without the meeting, Egan
said the council wouldn't have
the opportunity to discuss long-
standing policies such as the one
officer per 1,000 residents.
Still, Egan sees this year as
the start of more intense public
scrutiny. The pressure is on
cities to control costs, he said.
Eagan remains under added
pressure of trying to control
costs and keeping up with
population demands, he said.
Taxpayers don't understand
the consequences involved in
LISA
RUMBAUGH
(frBURNEf
W. St. Paul/So. Suburban Office
"(STILL) working
hard for you."
- Leading Edge Society
- Executive Sales Associate
- GRI, Relocation Specialist
Call
avoiding budget increases in a
growth city, Egan said. He
believes taxpayers want to hold
government accountable to any
spending increase.
"Would the average person
want his neighborhood to be less
safe?" Egan asked. "Would the
average person wait an extra
day or day and a half to have his
street plowed?"
The city's budget reflects the
demands of its residents. he
said. Egan expects the council
will begin budget discussions
earlier than in the past to better
scrutinize spending.
Service cuts and employee
Layoffs may be the net effect as
pressure builds to curb costs, he
said.
The council has reviewed 11
"cost -saving" ideas it may want
to consider in the future. One
would empower the community
groups, such as athletic associa-
tions, to operate recreational
programs.
Another is truth in hiring
where city positions are not
automatically filled when
vacated. Public employees
might Fuld they do not have in-
alienable rights to expect pay in-
creases and security from
layoffs.
"'We're quickly approaching
the point where forms of tem-
porary layoffs are becoming a
reality." Egan said.
Still another idea would
eliminate developer rights to in-
stall streets and utilities private-
ly. Developers select whether
they or the city will install
streets and utilities. Private in-
stallation requires city
inspection.
"The city doesn't get paid
enough to cover the cost of that
review." Egan said.
A second truth -in -taxation
hearing is scheduled at 7 p.m.
tonight. Dec. 1S, at the Eagan
Municipal Center, 3830 Pilot
Knob Road. This meeting will
not be cablecast.
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4A—Eagan Sun•Current— Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1993
GUEST COLUMN
Promote saying 'no'
as the 'fun' choice
by Kevin Hogan
Drugs are being marketed
daily to our children. Legal
drugs like cigarettes and alcohol
are brilliantly promoted to
young teenagers through
magazine and TV advertising.
Illegal drugs like pot, cocaine,
and speed are marketed to our
children through equally effec-
tive means including "word of
mouth.'' the ultimate
endorsement.
We cannot expect a teacher or
police officer, or anyone to equal
the impact of Madison Avenue
combined with word of mouth.
Efforts of trying to prevent
drug/alcohol/cigarette use will
only bring limited results at
best. Prevention needs to be sold
the same way the children are -
currently "buying" ideas, slick
marketing and word of mouth
Listening to my teacher or
DARE officer talk about the ef-
fects of alcohol will long be
forgotten when the beach babes
and hunks are touting Bud Light
during commercials in the foot-
ball game. The choice literally
comes into the mind of anyone
watching; do you want bikinis
and a Bud or abstinence and a
teacher?
Now we see how to get into our
children's mind. We use exactly
the same techniques for preven-
lion. Saying no shouldn't be pro-
moted as the "right choice."'
but the fun choice, the hunk and
babe choice, (if you will ).
It will cost a great deal of
money to market like this but
the payoffs will be tremendous
in saved lives and money saved
from treatment costs and the
hundreds of millions being
wasted in schools now.
Of course you and I can't af-
ford all that Madison Avenue
money so we need to do
something right here in Dakota
County. (Something that takes
Tess money than we are current-
ly wasting on prevention.) Our
option is word of mouth. We get
well known professional people
talking to the people in colleges,
respected college athletes talk-
ing to high school kids, highly
respected high school kids talk-
ing to the junior high kids and
the junior high kids talking to
the elementary kids.
The theme? Using is out. it's a
waste of time and money. Look
what happened to River
Phoenix, ( and John Belushi,
Elvis, etc. ). Drugs equal death
and depression. Doing anything
else means you can be like me,
( highly respected whoever) . Be-
ing straight is fun and here's
why. Being straight puts me
with the in crowd and here's
why.
Now, all this seems obvious
and easy. It's not. It means big
changes in the community. It
means big changes in how
schools and administrations ap-
proach prevention. Anyone who
works with schools l or govern-
ment in general) knows that it
takes about l00 years to
aeomplish what could be done in
10 with half the cost.
As a concerned community
member, call your school and
let them know your opinion as to
how they should be spending
your property tax dollars.
Remember you are paying their
salary. Ask your school officials
to experiment with new pro-
grams that use peer teaching
and role modeling.
You can make a difference,
or, next year you can tie more
red ribbons and be told once
again that there is a drug pro-
blem and "golly something
needs to be done."
Editor's note: Kevin Ilogan is
the director of Success
Dynamics Foundation. 4162 Dia-
mond Drive. Eagan, 55122,
phone: 452-417:1.
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SORRY, WE HAD
TO DOUBLE UP
ON THE LIMO, BUT
PLANET HOLLYWOOD
JUST OPENED!
Sibling rivalry
As Michael Jackson knows, it's best
to keep your brothers and sisters happy
There'll be a little something
extra in my siblings' Christmas
stockings this year.
After this whole LaToya
Jackson thing, I've decided
sucking up to my brother and
sister is prudent and probably
past due.
Geez, you've got to be so
careful who you offend these
days.
LaToya. being the honest.
upstanding citizen sort, ratted
big time last week, telling the
press that, yeah. sure, her
brother Michael sleeps with
children.
And, by the way, he's guilty of
criminal charges, too, she said.
With sisters like that, who
needs prosecuting attorneys.
I figure Michael must have
done something real bad to her
growing up, something a lot
worse than the frogs -in -the -bed
variety. Lately, I've been trying
to remember just how badly I
treated my siblings.
1 once told my parents that
my sister had just lit my
bedroom wastebasket on fire. I
Felt this was warranted due to
the potential for catastrophe and
the fact that her dabbling in ar-
son coincided with a play visit
from our minister's children.
My sister now agrees.
She's less willing to forgive
me for the time I unwittingly
discovered the stash of birth
control pills under her bedroom
vanity set. I promptly delivered
them to Mom, worried that San-
dy had something like diabetes
and wasn't telling anyone.
Then there's my brother. He's
l0 years younger. so you can im-
agine the trauma I inflicted on
him.
Bean bag chairs were big
then, so I used to prop little Jeffy
up on a footstool in front of one
and cream him with a pillow in a
carnival -type skill contest. Don't
worry, it got old after a couple
dozen times.
It worries me that my siblings
could be harboring some vindic-
tiveness. Lots of brothers and
sisters have been ganging up on
each other lately and squawking
to the press.
Take Susan Powter, the well -
toned fitness guru whose "Stop
the Insanity" book tops the
charts. In it, she reveals how she
once weighed something like 260
pounds. It's an inspiring story,
except it's not true. says her
brother. He claims she never
weighed near that much and
that her fitness regimen is a
scam. Thanks little bro. Love
you. too.
Then there was that Iranian
hostage whose sister, Peggy
Say, became an unofficial na-
tional spokesperson for families
of hostages as she tirelessly
worked to free him. Now freed,
he won't even talk to her. ( In his
defense, she did show up a bit
too often in the media. Ap-
parently, even her own brother
got sick of reading about her.)
If any children are reading
this, the lessen is clear: picking
on your siblings is no longer
safe. One day, the character
witnessyou most desperately
need may be the person whose
shoelaces you tied together
when they were sleeping.
As for that extra cash in the
stockings Jeff and Sandy, it's
been a really good year. Go buy
yourself something nieP
Sun•Current Newspaper welcomes comments
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letters are most likely to be read.
All letters must bear the writer's original signature and address. Telephone numbers where the writer can be
reached during business hours and in the evening are essential for verification. Unverified letters will not be printed.
This newspaper reserves the right to edit letters, or reject any letter that contains libelous or slanderous material.
LETTERS
Contact your state legislator
To the editor:
Recently I have seen more
and more coverage by the
media concerning health care
reform. Whether it be the Clin-
ton and Clinton plan or
Minnesota -care, one thing that
concerns me greatly is, how is
health care reform in Minnesota
is going to be funded and who is
going to pay for'it?
Well, our state legislators
have been very creative when it
comes to this question. In just a
few short weeks -- Jan. 1, 1994,
Minnesotans will see their
health care costs increase due to
a 2 percent "surcharge" impos-
ed by the state of Minnesota on
the gross revenues of all health
care providers. This includes
not only hospitals and physi-
cians, but also your dentist,
chiropractor, physical therapist,
psychologist, optometrist.
podiatrist, and anyone providing
"health care" to the public. The
law allows this "surcharge" to
be passed on to our patients and
third party payors in the form of
higher fees. However, "we must
not separately state the tax
obligation on bills provided to in-
dividual patients" or state that
about pending
there is a tax included in the fee.
In short, the state has created a
"sick tax" and tried to hide it
from the public who will
ultimately be forced to pay for
it.
Why did our legislators create
a "sick tax" which in effect
penalizes those who use the
health care system instead of
creating a fairer across the
board tax on all Minnesotans?
My investigation has revealed
two reasons for the hidden "sick
tax."
I'm sure the public wants to
know the total cost of health
health care reforms
care reform and who will be
paying the bill. But, our Min-
nesota legislators are not listen-
ing. If we speak up, this decep-
tion will be brought into the open
and there will be changes in the
way business is done at the state
capital.
What can you do? Let your
legislators know you are not
satisfied with the way they are
funding health care reform.
Personally. I have talked to
many of our state represen-
tatives regarding the "sick tax."
Not one of them fully understood
the reason for funding Min-
nesotacare with a hidden sur-
charge. However they were
more than aware that openly
raising taxes would make them
very unpopular.
How do you contact your state
legislators?. Call the Minnesota
House information number at
(6121 296-2146 and give your
home address. The operator will
tell you the phone numbers for
your representatives. Then call
them. They do want and they do
need to hear from you and they
do listen to public opinion.
Richard Fuller, D.D.S.
Eagan
Appia V li yfRos.nount/Eag.n Sun •Cure nt 7 Wednesday, March 30, 1994
in southeast Eagan
Council weighs development fate
Urbanization ready
to continue in area
By Terrance Memel
Staff Writer
A familiar story has emerged
— urbanization has taken root
in, what until now has been, a
rural area.
Single-family houses in Eagan
already encroach on fields south
of Cliff Road, on the west side of
Highway 3. Another 24 homes
are proposed on 15 acres off
South Dodd Road.
This development helps fulfill
the City Council's goal to make
Eagan more urban. But ur-
banization runs against the
wishes of 15 homeowners abut-
ting the Dakota County Lebanon
Hills Regional Park.
The South Dodd area required
a special council review March
22. What concluded: Develop the
area as originally planned.
Approving the additional 24
houses would force city sewer
and water into the area where
underground septic systems are
the norm. City code no longer
allows septic systems.
Now neighboring homeowners
are about to face property
assessments of $3,300 an acre.
That's a high price to pay for
something not wanted,
homeowners told the council
Dec. 21.
Homeowners likely will have
an option to defer at least part of
the assessments until they sell
their property.
Landowner Clarence Fitz and
Arcon Development proposed
building the 24 houses on land
zoned agriculture. A cul-de-sac
is proposed to serve the houses
off South Dood Road.
Fairness had much to do with
the council's decision, said
Mayor Tom Egan. Fitz has the
right to develop his land as the
city planned, Egan said.
Councilmember Pat Awada
suggested changing the access
to the cul-de-sac from Dodd to
Highway 3. This would help
alleviate part of the street im-
provements targeted for Dodd
Road.
City staff recommended mov-
ing the Gun Club Road intersec-
tion at Highway 3 to the north,
on the southern edge of Fitz
Lake. This would improve ac-
cess to property east of Highway
3 and safety.
District 196 is expected to
build an elementary school on
the east side of Highway 3, north
of Gun Club Road. The
Rosemount -Apple Valley -Eagan
district targeted the area to
alleviate crowding at nearby
schools.
"There will be market de-
mand. pressures once we have a
school there," said Peggy
Reichert. Eagan's community
development director.
The new intersection would go
a long way to improving safety
in the area, Egan said. Two
women lost their lives last year
on Highway 3 in a traffic acci-
dent April 9.
The Minnesota Department of
Transportation is expected to
work with the city and school
district to identify where to
place a signalized intersection
off Highway 3.
SA
Newsstand
Price
C11)
3 Sections
� oy tari4- s -9Es
EAGAN
Sun'Current
VARSQ
Double delight
'Ilse Burnsville IIigh School girls soccer team became the first team
to win consecutive state soccer championships after defeating Appk
Valley 2-1 in overtime Nov. 4. Teammates Katie Snyder. middle
left. Tricia Good and `oelle Papenhausert celebrate the Burmvilk
Nov. 10, 1993
boys soccer team's 3-1 victory over White Bear Lake at the
\letrndon w in Minneapolis. Burnsville became the first school to
win both girls' and boys' soccer titles in the Same year. 1 Photo by
Hill ,lanes)
Ncfawair
VNTER CUSS
Ifyz do roe
warm a ay,
aa
nano
Vol. 14. No. 47
Ring
road
Plans call for
road around
Town Centre
By Terrance Mencel
Eagan's Town Centre area
faces a potential flood that could
snarl traffic like no one has seen
there before.
City officials say they are not
all wet when it comes to predic-
ting future transportation needs
around Pilot Knob Road and In-
terstate 35E. The so-called flood
would occur, not from water,
but the growing number of
vehicles funneling into what
Eagan considers its downtown.
Recognizing this potential pro-
blem, the Eagan City Council
will spend $39,000 on a transpor-
tation study of the area.
The study will determine how
many vehicles existing roads
can handle, and the anticipated
traffic levels when the area fully
develops, said Tom Colbert,
blic works director. It will
2A —Eagan Sun•Currenl —Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1993
Ring road
From previous page
for the current arteries that feed
vehicles through Eagan and to
1-35E, said Colbert. It would help
separate commuters and local
traffic. Drivers could access
area businesses without mixing
with vehicles entering I.35E, or
passing through Eagan on Pilot
Knob or Yankee Doodle roads.
The ring -road would connect
Duckwood Drive west over
I-35E to Federal Drive and
travel north to Marice Drive.
Marice would pass over I-35E to
connect with Denmark Avenue
on the east. This would create a
half -mile loop.
A move to a ring -road system
would not affect developed land.
Rather, any road extension
would cross undeveloped land,
said Colbert.
Too much reliance has been
built into the county road
system, he said. Already Pilot
Knob Road at Yankee Doodle
Road is considered one of the
busiest intersections in Dakota
County.
Public works vehicles en-
counter traffic backups during
rush hour at that intersection.
This slows their response time to
plow, sand and salt streets dur-
ing snowstorms, he said. The
public works garage is off
Yankee Doodle Road at
Coachman Road.
Ring -roads are effective in
reducing traffic congestion, he
said. Apple Valley has an ornate
ring -road that circles County
Road 42 at Cedar Avenue,
Burnsville relies on a ring -road
system to help traffic flow
around the Burnsville Center.
A ring -road system is one of
several options the six-month
study will likely offer. Several
other, less costly steps will be
explored. City officials will then
weigh the benefits to costs.
Funding for any traffic im-
provement could come from
state and federal grants, an
area -wide assessment, county
funds and other sources.
The Best Investment
Is Time With An
Theater:
From previous page
Remembering
Lenzen said.
Actors tell the Fitzgerald
story through the eyes of the
dead sailors, family and others
involved in the investigation
after the ship sank. Dietz takes
the audience from the ship's
christening to the lore told today
on the shores of Lake Superior.
He makes a statement about the
inability of human beings to
master nature's force, and the
false sense of "invincibility"
they contrive.
"The Edmund Fitzgerald
didn't just disappear. The lake
takes it," said Glenn Wagy, ac-
tor number five who lives in
Eagan.
Wagy returned to the stage
because of its energizing effect
after a 10-year hiatus. As true
with the other actors, Wagy
plays multiple roles including an
investigator and a sailor. He
also plays a young boy whose
monologue asks why things
disappear.
"This is a play you have to go
see because it's hard to ex-
plain," Wagy said. "It sure has
opened up my eyes on what hap-
pened that evening. All I
remembered about it was
through Gordon Lightfoot's
song, up until the play."
Other actors are Kurt
Hegland, Randy Minobee, Hank
Hirsch, Kirk Vogland and Tim
Meinke. Vocalists are Meghan
Williams, Corry Kerl and Sherri
Leyda. The director is John
Kunik, assisted by Gretchen
Roesler. Musical director is
Chuck Leyda.
General admission for "Ten
November" is $8 for adults, $5
for students/seniors. For ticket
information, call 686-7277. Dis-
count tickets are available,
Dakota Civic Theatre is in the
west end of Yankee Square Mall
off Yankee Doodle Road, two
blocks west of Pilot Knob Road
in Eagan.
Rehearsals for the theater's
next play, "A ... My Name Is
Alice," will be 7 to 9 p.m. Nov.
22, 23. The adult comedy will run
from March 4-20.
OLD NEWSPAPERS ARE NEEDED for Recycling
Save your paper for collections
Quality
CARE
I fl ti ( rl I it !j
Were pleased to announce
MONICA L. CLARKE, D.D.S.
has joined our dental team at
SALEM SOl1ARE.
Dr Clarice formerly practiced in Eagan
and received her Doctor of Dental
Surgery Degree and the Advanced
General Dentistry Certificate from
then present various options the
city would have to avoid future
traffic congestion.
"If no more development oc-
curs, the way it is now I don't
see a problem. But we have hun-
dreds of acres of land left to be
developed," Colbert said.
Large tracts are expected to
develop in the next few year.;,
namely the 109-acre O'Neil pro-
perty on the northeast corner of
Interstate 35E and Yankee Doo-
dle Road; the Unisys property
north of Yankee Doodle Road:
and land owned by the Opus Cor-
poration east of I-35E.
"This is our last opportunity to
do this comprehensively," Col-
bert said. We need to know how
intense we can concentrate
(future) development."
A ring -road system will be the
study's focal point. Such a
system would act as a reliever
ROAD: To next page
