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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_April2020Edition: Edina APRIL 2020 Volume 7, Issue 5 City of Edina EdinaMN.gov BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND If anyone you know hasn’t submitted their response to the 2020 Census, that failure could end up costing the Edina community. Money related to the census is like a pie, says Mark Felton, a certified public accountant and Chairman of Edina’s Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census. “Congress determines the size of the pie, and census-derived data guides how the pie is to be divided among the states. If we don’t get our slice of the pie, someone else will, and in this instance, the money may go to fund programs in other states.” According to Andrew Reamer, a research professor at George Washington University, 316 federal programs rely on data derived from the census to guide the funding distribution to states, local governments, nonprofits, businesses and households. In 2017, those 316 programs were funded at an estimated $1.5 trillion. “Yes, it is a lot of money, and the census guides the distribution of this money,” Felton said. Census workers will visit unresponsive households to collect the data. However, that still doesn’t capture everyone. Each decade, many people are missed, leading to what’s called an “undercount.” In 2010, children under age 4 were the most undercounted, followed by renters. “The impact of an undercount on these communities is huge!” Felton said. “By not counting all their children, parents just underfunded the programs they may need to ensure the health and wellbeing of that child. Good examples are programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (previously known as food stamps), Medicaid and Lower Income Housing Assistance Program.” “One aspect that’s often overlooked is how census data affects businesses,” said Assistant City Planner Emily Bodeker. That retail store you really wish would open an Edina location? Their corporate offices might have a census- based population number to hit before even considering a new store. If Edina’s census numbers are off, that new store might open in St. Louis Park or some other community instead. If all that doesn’t convince people, it’s also the law for everyone living in America to respond. As Felton notes, it’s never been easier. It’s a very short form and can be submitted online, by mail or even over the phone. So, dig out that March mailing from the U.S. Census Bureau and respond. Lost it? You’ll be getting reminder follow-ups in the mail. Or a visit from a census worker. For more information, including help answering the census questions, visit 2020census.gov or call 800-923-8282. Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City Census Key to Edina Getting Fair Share of Funding Residents Who Fail to Respond Could Shortchange Projects and Programs That Serve Them It’s more than just a count, it’s an opportunity to shape the next generation. Submitted Photo Stay Informed About the City’s Response to COVID-19! EdinaMN.gov/coronavirus Sign up for City Extra emails at EdinaMN.gov/CityExtra Sign up for text notifications by texting EDINA to 57838 Resources for businesses, residents and seniors can be found at BetterTogetherEdina.org Senior Resource Hotline 952-826-0370 Stay Healthy Wash your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds, cover your coughs and sneezes, practice social distancing and stay home if you are sick. Stay Informed To get reliable and updated information about COVID-19, refer to the Minnesota Department of Health, CDC or your health provider. Challenge the Stigma Sharing facts and accurate information about COVID-19 helps challenge rumors and stereotypes that have been negatively associated with racial and cultural groups or people wearing facemasks. There have been incidents of discrimination, bias and hate reported around the world during the pandemic. If you believe you are a victim of a hate crime because of fear around COVID-19, contact the Edina Police Department, 952-826-1610. If you feel you have experienced discrimination within the City’s services, facilities or institution, contact Race & Equity Coordinator Heidi Lee, 952-826-1622. BY THE NUMBERS South Metro Public Safety Training Facility The number of public safety personnel from Edina, Eden Prairie, Bloomington and the Metropolitan Airports Commission who regularly train at the facility, which is jointly owned by those agencies. The year the facility was built 647 The South Metro Public Safety Training Facility serves many agencies in the area. The facility, located at 7525 Braemar Blvd., has multiple classrooms, a unique fire training tower, firing ranges and a variety of training courses. To enhance the facility and better meet demands, facility owners put in a 2020 State legislature bonding request asking for $4.7 million. Some of the improvements include lengthening the small shooting range to 75 feet to meet Minnesota POST requirements for Police Officer qualification, replacing the HVAC system for lead protection and expanding to provide space for additional trainings. The length of the small and large shooting ranges and – COMPILED BY KAYLIN EIDSNESS 150 2004 45 feet feet BY KAYLIN EIDSNESS A Michigan man was recently arrested for a January hit-and-run of an Edina girl on France Avenue. Carlton Duke Troutma, 26, was arrested March 13 in his home state of Michigan and charged with second-degree assault. The 17-year-old girl was waiting to get on the school bus Jan. 23 when Troutman struck her with a vehicle. She was taken to a local hospital, where she recovered. On. Jan. 28, the suspected vehicle was recovered in Mankato, Minnesota. After Police interviewed a number of witnesses and gathered information as evidence, Edina Detectives were able to determine that Troutman was driving the vehicle at the time of the crime. A warrant was issued March 11 for his arrest. Troutman was arrested during an unrelated investigation in Michigan. At press time, he was still being held at the Eaton County Jail. “The speed in which investigators and assisting agencies were able to locate the suspect vehicle and identify the involved persons in this hit- and-run is impressive. The coordinated effort of multiple law enforcement agencies helps get this menace off the street and behind bars,” said Edina Police Lt. Tim Olson. For more information on the Edina Police Department, visit EdinaMN.gov/Police. Suspect Arrested in Jan. 23 Hit-and-Run with Edina Student Michigan Man Charged with Second-Degree Assault pedestrian safety. The bump-out in front of the building will be reconstructed for accessible parking and electric vehicle charging stations. New bike racks will be installed close to the front steps to promote cycling by staff and visitors. •Authorized the City Manager to create the Street Funding Task Force to make recommendations to the City Council about how street reconstruction and maintenance should be funded in the future. •Provided non-binding feedback on a sketch plan presented by Lund Real Estate Partners at 77th Street and Computer Drive. The development firm is contemplating tearing down an existing office building and constructing a 177-unit apartment building. Due to the high water table in the area, the first two levels of the building would be enclosed parking. The City Council is scheduled to next meet 7 p.m. April 7 and 21. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov. City of Edina EdinaMN.gov The City of Edina has four budget goals. Look for the goal icons throughout this publication to read stories about how the City is working to meet these goals. City of Edina Goals Strong Foundation: Maintain physical assets and infrastructure. Reliable Service: Maintain service levels that best meet the needs of the community. Livable City: Plan for connected and sustainable development. Better Together: Foster an inclusive and engaged community. For more information on the City’s budget goals, visit EdinaMN.gov/Administration. UPCOMING EVENTS Mayor’s Commendation Award Nomination Deadline 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 Nominations are being accepted for the annual Mayor’s Commendations, given to those who have volunteered their time and effort to make significant contributions to the community. Heritage Preservation Award Nomination Deadline 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 6 Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 Heritage Preservation Award. This award is given to a person, business or neighborhood for a commitment to preserving, rehabilitating or restoring a historical place in Edina. Wednesday, April 7, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Should City meetings occur electronically, the public is encouraged to view them at EdinaMN.gov/WatchMeetings, via Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/edinamn/, on Comcast Channels 813 (high definition) or 16 (standard definition), or CenturyLink Prism on Channels 1236 (high definition) or 236 (standard definition). As always, comments and testimony from the public are encouraged. General comments from the community (“Community Comment”) and testimony to be considered during the public hearing can be submitted online at https://edinadocs.edinamn.gov/Forms/ contact. For a complete listing of meetings and events, visit EdinaMN.gov. BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE The City of Edina is working to restore a historical landmark in the community. The Wooddale Avenue Bridge over Minnehaha Creek is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a single 18-foot span steel arch with limestone headwalls and barrier railing built as a WPA project in 1937. The bridge is classified as “functionally obsolete” and is in need of significant rehabilitation or replacement. At its meeting March 17, the City Council approved a contract with Short Elliott Hendrickson to work with the State Historic Preservation Office to develop design options. New designs will include similar materials and techniques. Because the bridge is listed on the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Local Bridge Replacement Program, chances to secure funding increase once plans are under development or completed. In other business last month, the Council: •Extended the Mayor-declared Peace Time Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration invokes the City’s disaster plan and authorizes other appropriate community containment and mitigation strategies. •Approved contract with Pember Companies for a safety and sustainability project at City Hall. As part of the project, a raised crosswalk from the parking lot to the front steps of City Hall will be built to slow vehicles in the driveway and improve SEH Hired to Design Restoration of Historic Wooddale Avenue Bridge Engineering Firm Would Work with State Historic Preservation Office The City has started the design process for rehabilitating or replacing the historic Wooddale Avenue bridge over Minnehaha Creek. File Photo 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.gov City of Edina EdinaMN.gov BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND If Edina is the center of the American hockey universe, Willard Ikola is the one standing watch over it all. A bronze statue of Edina’s legendary hockey coach, who amassed eight state championships and influenced generations of boys during his 33 years of coaching, was unveiled early this spring outside Braemar Arena. “I can’t think of anybody who had more of an impact on Edina hockey, on our community, than our coach, Willard Ikola,” former NHL player Casey Hankinson said during the March 7 unveiling. Hankinson, Steve Brown, Bruce Carlson and Greg and Linda Dornbach spearheaded the effort to honor Ikola. Donations from 112 former players and friends of Ikola raised the $68,000 for the statue. Edina’s own Nicholas Legeros, who has created such iconic bronze pieces across Minnesota including Sid Hartman outside Target Field, Goldy Gopher at the University of Minnesota and the Dreams Take Flight pieces along the Edina Promenade, spent the last several months sculpting a statue that captured the man he called the “gem of our city.” “It’s a daunting task to make a sculpture of someone that means so much to their Casey Hankinson, left, poses for a photo with Willard Ikola during the March 7 unveiling ceremony for the Coach Ike statue outside Braemar Arena. Photo by Jay Ness community, to the game of hockey and to those who played on his team,” Legeros said. Legeros’ piece pays tribute to Ikola as both player and coach. Before his coaching days, Ikola was a goalie, helping win three state titles for Eveleth High School, two NCAA titles for the University of Michigan and a silver medal in the 1956 Olympics. The statue depicts “Coach Ike,” as he’s known, wearing his famous houndstooth hat, looking down the ice while holding a card of his lines of players. His flight deck boots are a nod to his service in the Air Force and his habit of wearing them to keep his feet warm. His right foot rests on an oversized hockey puck while his left foot is propped on the bench, which is made of tubular steel to resemble the top bar of a goalie net. Look closely to find small details like the Olympic pin on his lapel or what’s written on the card. With a half-million people passing the statue each year as they enter Braemar Arena, Legeros and the Ikola Cup Foundation members who led the project wanted to ensure it was interactive. Legeros hopes they will sit on the bench/goal net, pose next to the statue for photos or rub the toe of Ikola’s boot for good luck. ‘Coach Ike’ Statue Unveiled Outside Braemar Arena Bronze Piece Honors Player and Coach Who Transformed Edina Hockey 2020 ROAD WORK AROUND MSP AIRPORT We’ll help you plan ahead: www.AroundtheAirport.com Plan for major road work around the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport starting in April through October 2020. Plan to give yourself an extra hour on the road if your destination is the airport. Highway 5 closures and detours will add time to your drive. “What a great honor,” Ikola said upon seeing the statue unveiled. He recalled another honor when a street was renamed so the arena’s address would be 7501 Ikola Way. Hankinson never got the chance to play for Coach Ike, but he said the statue and the legacy of the man represent so much more than hockey. “It’s a testament to the whole community of Edina and what Braemar Arena means to so many of us,” Hankinson said. “So many friendships forged in that arena, so many lessons whether you win or lose.” For the record, Coach Ike rarely lost. CITY OF EDINA 4801 WEST 50TH STREET EDINA, MN 55424 ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932