HomeMy WebLinkAboutAboutTown_2001WinterPRESORT STD
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Permit No.3932
Edina, MN
AboutTown Magazine
City of Edina
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
WINTER•2001
About Town
Official Magazine of the City of Edina
Edina Residents,
Business People
‘Connect With
Kids’
See page
20 for
details
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POSTAL PATRON
CAR-RT-WS
7•WINTER 2001
Hesterman, the two communities had outgrown the brick
schoolhouse located on the present site of Edina City Hall.
In 1925, a compromise was reached. It resulted in new
schools being built in both communities. Thorpe sold the
Wooddale School site at West 50th Street and Wooddale
Avenue to the Edina school board for $1 and paid $9,000
for the Morningside School site at West 45th Street and
Grimes Avenue, which had been purchased earlier by the
school board. The Wooddale and Morningside schools
were opened with a parade in November 1926.
Country Club Set Standard For Edina’s Future
In his history of Edina, Hesterman stated that “The
Country Club set an architectural standard for future
suburban developments in the village.” The Edina Village
Council minutes of Oct. 28, 1928 stated: “Development of
Country Club led to the modernization of the 50th and
France commercial district, which until the late 1920s had
been an unpaved crossroads.”
According to Hesterman, development of the Country
Club District also encouraged the Village Council to adopt
principles of city planning. On May 14, 1929, Edina
became the first municipality in the state other than
Minneapolis, St. Paul or Duluth to pass a comprehensive
zoning ordinance.
“Passage of the ordinance was important because, for the
first time, it established the values behind the Country Club
District as the standard for future development in Edina,”
Hesterman wrote. “Thorpe’s development plans and deed
restrictions had been a private attempt to develop a
community [that] featured substantial ‘high class’ single-
family residences on large lots separated from not only
commercial activity but also from apartments, duplexes and
Following is the second of a two-
part series on the development of
Edina’s Country Club District. Part
I appeared in the Autumn 2000
issue of About Town.
By Joe Sullivan, Freelance
writer and Edina resident
In the last issue of About Town, we
looked at the early days of Sam Thorpe’s development of
the Country Club District – from 1922 through 1925.
Sales of lots were slow at the beginning, so in the latter
half of the decade, the sales effort shifted into high gear.
In their book “History and Architecture of Edina,
Minnesota,” William W. Scott and Jeffrey A. Hess
reported, “In 1926, to stimulate interest in his Country
Club development, Thorpe commissioned the Minneapolis
architectural firm of Liebenberg & Kaplan to design
seven model homes in a variety of historic revival styles.
These model homes, all built on Edina Boulevard and
Moorland Avenue, were completed in 1927. To a
considerable degree, the Liebenberg & Kaplan designs
set an architectural standard for later construction in the
district … The architecture of the Country Club District
mirrors the taste of the prosperous executive and
professional classes of the 1920s-1940s,” the authors concluded.
Scott and Hess also noted that “elaborate historic revival
architecture held sway in [the] … affluent Country Club
District. Country Club is a veritable museum of historic
revival houses … [with a] stylistic mix of English Tudor,
English Cottage, Norman, French Provincial, American
Colonial, Renaissance and Mediterranean revivals.
“Although several of the buildings are the work of
architects,” they determined, “ … the majority of the
dwellings were evidently designed by contractors. Carl
Hansen, Louis Hanson and Aaron Duoos were especially
prominent builders in the area.”
“He was selling more than land; he was selling a planned
community,” Paul D. Hesterman said of Thorpe in his
book, “The History of Edina, Minnesota.” It was “a
complete, guaranteed restricted residential section. It
boasted … a 10-year fund for maintenance of all the small
parks at street intersections.” Thorpe predicted that “This
… Country Club District will become as well-known as …
[the] Country Club District of Kansas City or the famous
Shaker Heights development in Cleveland or Roland Park
in Baltimore.” (In 1935, Thorpe’s prediction came true.
Edina’s Country Club was named one of the top four
suburban communities in the nation along with the
aforementioned.)
Thorpe Encouraged Building of New Schools
Aware that the type of people attracted to his development
would demand quality schools, Thorpe encouraged a
compromise that ended in an intramural battle between
the villages of Edina and Morningside over where a new
elementary school should be built. Even though
Morningside had seceded from Edina in 1920, it remained,
along with Edina, a part of School District 17. According to
6•WINTER 2001
Thorpe’s Efforts To Sell Country
Club District Lots Went Into High
Gear In Late 1920’s
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These are two of the seven model homes on Moorland Avenue that
Thorpe Realty commissioned in 1926 and completed in 1927 to
promote lagging sales in the Country Club District.
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9•WINTER 20018•WINTER 2001
But, despite strong pressure from Thorpe and others,
the issue was never settled in any conclusive way. The
idea stayed alive for most of the next decade and several
times a vote seemed near, but secession of the Country
Club District never gained enough momentum to carry
the day.
Profile Of An Upper-Middle-Class Community
Thorpe’s continual promotional efforts eventually
succeeded. By 1930, the former fields of the Brown and
Baird farms had been mostly built over. The Country Club
District contained 269 houses and more than 1,000
residents – nearly one-third of Edina’s total population.
Scott and Hess’ demographic analysis of the 1930 “Country
Club Directory” revealed the basic profile of an upper-
middle-class community: 591 adults, 344 minors and 97
servants. Hesterman profiled the “typical” Country Club
family as having “ … one or two children and possibly a
servant. The breadwinner was a white collar worker,
whether in a business or the professions.”
low-value housing. The zoning ordinance used the power of
the village government to accomplish that standard for
virtually the entire village.”
Fire At The Country Club
On Halloween 1929, some 100 Edina Country Club
members held a Halloween costume ball, which kept the
clubhouse hopping until 2 a.m. The club caterer, Robert
Riordan, his brother and their wives inspected the
clubhouse after the guests had left, then went to bed. At
3:30 a.m., the telephone rang, triggered by a fire that had
apparently shorted the phone wires. Alerted by
the ringing phone, the two couples escaped out of the
building through the smoke. The fire spread, and despite
six hours of work by the Minneapolis Fire Department, the
building was destroyed except for the men’s locker room
and the golf pro shop. However, the clubhouse was quickly
replaced with a larger, similarly handsome structure.
All the Advantages, None of the Disadvantages
The first issue of the Country Club Association Newsletter
echoed its members’ values: “We have all the advantages of
a large and modern city, without any of the disadvantages
commonly found. No railroad yards, factories, stores or
apartment houses belching clouds of sooty smoke and no
nerve-wracking traffic. Just a delightful, quiet, beautiful
place to live, to get the utmost out of life. Ideal for children,
of which there are many, a community of homeowners who
are interested always in the appearance of their homes.”
At first, that idyllic situation was protected by the deed
restrictions and the private service corporation owned by
Thorpe Bros. that provided utilities and other public
services. Inevitably, however, this cohesive group of
Country Club residents, all sharing similar values, sought
government action to protect their investment and their ideals.
Secession Was Proposed But Didn’t Happen
The idea of secession first came up in January 1929,
when a bill was introduced to the state legislature at the
request of Thorpe Bros., which would have allowed the
Country Club District to vote for secession from the
Village of Edina. Like earlier secessionists in
neighboring Morningside, a spokesman said that
residents of Country Club felt they had little in common
with other villagers since they “owned no chickens or
horses and did not go in for the livestock industry in any
form or manner.”
Thorpe’s Country Club development included an 18-hole golf course
and clubhouse. The original clubhouse burned in 1929 shortly after
it was completed, but was quickly rebuilt and enlarged. This is what
the clubhouse looked like in 1932 after rebuilding had been completed.
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In the early 1920s, residents of both Edina and Morningside recognized the need for a new school. It was inevitable that building a new
school would arouse opposition. Eventually, the controversy escalated into a deadlock over where to build a new school – on the old site in
Edina or in Morningside. In 1925, the school board compromised with a proposal to build two schools, one in each village. Following 11
referendums held between 1920 and 1924, the measure finally passed by a margin of only three votes and both schools were dedicated in
1926. The Wooddale School (left), at 50th Street and Wooddale Avenue, was built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style and enlarged by a
rear addition in 1936 with funding from the Works Progress Administration. The Morningside School (right), at 42nd Street and Grimes
Avenue, remained part of School District 17 even though Morningside had seceded from Edina in 1920.
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The Depression And War Delay Building Boom
The Depression and World War II delayed the building
boom, but otherwise influenced Edina relatively little.
Individuals and families were certainly hard hit, but
government of the village itself survived with only a bit
of belt-tightening. Hesterman reported, “The (Country
Club) building boom paused for a few years after 1930,
resumed in 1936 where it had left off, paused again from
1940 to 1945, but then began to make up for lost time …
The 1936-1940 boom overshadowed the earlier slump, and
the postwar boom offset wartime stagnation.”
“Old Edina” continued to fade into the background. The
Edina Mill had been razed in 1933 despite efforts by the
Country Club Association and others to save it. The last
passenger trip of the Dan Patch railroad took place in 1942,
although it continues to operate today as a freight line. “Old
Edina” was still there – the last operating farm in Edina did
not cease operation until 1959 – but it was rapidly disappearing.
In a 1999 Star Tribune article, staff writer Jim Buchta
reported, “In 1982, the entire Country Club neighborhood
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
which guarantees the integrity of this fine neighborhood
where handsome stone, brick and stucco houses are
uniformly set 20 feet from the sidewalks along gently
winding streets shaded by a canopy of tall and evenly
spaced elms. Nothing, even houses that are being remodeled
(and there are plenty of them) seems out of place.”
Because they were built in the 1920s and 1930s, many
of the Country Club District houses didn’t have some of
the features that are common in today’s new homes.
“What you find are more formal spaces: sunken living
rooms, formal dining rooms and first-floor libraries …
still highly desirable for people wanting an Old World,
traditional house,” said Edina Realty sales agent Jane
Paulus in Buchta’s article. “Country Club’s homes
generally sell for $300,000 to more than $1 million, but
price is no deterrent. The inventory of houses for sale is
low,” she added. “Many of the houses are sold before
they are advertised or put on the market.”
From personal experience, I know that some of those
houses were and are great for hosting parties. When I
attended Southwest High School in the mid- to late-
1940s, Edina had not yet built its first high school. As a
result, many of my high school friends lived in the
Country Club District. I have wonderful memories of
some terrific parties in those big, older houses – many
of which had nicely furnished “recreation rooms” in
their basements.
An Oct. 2, 1954 article in the Edina Morningside Courier
reported that the suburbanization of postwar Edina
continued at an unprecedented pace. “From 1946 to
1950, a total of 1,897 building permits were issued. And
by the mid-1950s, the city’s population was increasing at
an annual rate of 2,500 people.”
A Philosophy For A Vital, Stable Edina
Another Star-Tribune article written in October 1994
by Jim Buchta quoted former Edina City Manager Ken
Rosland and his philosophy about what makes Edina a
10•WINTER 2001 11•WINTER 2001
vital, stable place to live. “If the City takes good care of
itself by providing reliable services and maintaining the
infrastructure (public facilities, roads, buildings, parks,
etc.) then people will take care of the City,” he said.
“People are reinvesting by remodeling and even
replacing existing homes with more expensive ones –
signs of big demand and an indication that people who
want to live in Edina are undeterred by its almost
complete development.”
“The best [way to see] this trend is [to look at] building
permits. More permits were issued [from Edina City
Hall] in the mid-1990s than in the mid-1970s, when
there was more new construction and underdeveloped
land. [For example,] in 1974, the City issued 587
building permits ... and in 1993, 1,374. Those figures
are for new buildings and structural changes to
buildings. All of this in a city that is basically
completed. People are reinvesting and that is the proof
in the pudding. People are spending unbelievable
amounts of money to upgrade.”
In her book, “Edina – Chapters in the City’s History,”
Deborah Morse-Kahn assessed the affect on present-
day Edina of Thorpe’s 1922 vision: “Samuel Thorpe’s
Country Club District [proved] to be the critical factor,
the one significant event, the reason that Edina is
known today as a suburb of exclusivity and wealth.
Thorpe’s Country Club District spelled the beginning of
the end for Edina as a community of quiet market
gardeners happy with their streetcars, their Grange
Hall, their corner telephone box, their unpaved roads.
“Here was the
future, here
were the new
suburbanites,
wanting admittance
to Edina’s rolling
hills of forested land
and farms, wanting
a better place to
raise children, a
better life, near the
city but not in it,
with all the
amenities of city life
and all the luxuries
money could buy.”
Background
material and
photographs for this
article came from
the archival
collection of the
Edina Historical
Society and the
following publications:
“The History of Edina,
Minnesota” by Paul D.
Hesterman; “History and Architecture of Edina,
Minnesota” by William W. Scott and Jeffrey A. Hess;
the Minneapolis Star-Tribune; the Country Club
Directory; and the Country Club Association Newsletter.
A Thorpe Bros. promotional brochure
for the Country Club District painted a
very romantic picture of life along
Minnehaha Creek.
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13•WINTER 2001
BFI will continue to provide garage side collection
for people who are unable to take their bins to the
curb, such as those who are elderly or disabled.
Nine items are collectible in Edina’s
residential recycling program:
• Newspapers
• Magazines and catalogs
• Mixed paper (junk mail)
• Plastic bottles with necks
• Cans
• Glass
•Telephone books
• Boxboard: cracker, cake and cookie type boxes.
Do not include boxboard products from the
refrigerator or freezer, as they are coated with a
moisture barrier.
• Cardboard: flattened, bagged or bundled and no
larger than 3’ x 3’ x 1’.
All items should be placed in a paper grocery bag
and set out in the recycling bin by 7 a.m. on the day
of collection. Recycling and garbage containers
should be stored out of view from the front street
after collection.
For more information or to arrange garage-side
pickup, contact Recycling Coordinator Solvei Wilmot,
952-826-0463.
12•WINTER 2001
Curbside Recycling Begins In Edina
Our Employees Are Even Bubblier.
Keeping our stores well stocked is one commitment and ensuring customer satisfaction
is another. At Edina Liquor, you will find knowledgeable, friendly staff available to meet
your every request; whether it is carrying purchases to your car or helping you select
the perfect bottle of wine. Whenever you shop one of our three convenient locations,
the proceeds go right back into your community, keeping your taxes low.
We look forward to serving you in the new millennium.
EDINA LIQUOR
Happy Holidays from the staff of Edina Liquor Stores. Please don’t drink and drive.
Edina’s Municipal Liquor Stores
Grand View (near Jerry’s Foods) •Southdale (next to Cub) •50th & France (next to Lunds)
Beginning this month, Edina residents will be
required to take their recyclables to the curb.
Garbage will continue to be collected at the garage.
To reduce residents’ costs and encourage more
recycling, the Edina City Council voted for curbside
recycling collection in 2001. Until recently, BFI had
collected Edina residents’ recycling at the garage for
a higher rate than curbside. Although City ordinance
previously required residents to leave their recycling
at the garage for pick up, staff said that nearly 60
percent put their bins at the curb. For that reason
and the lower rate offered for curbside collection,
the Council agreed to switch to curbside pickup and
amend its ordinance.
Beginning Jan. 1, residents will be required to place
their bins at the curb on collection day. The monthly
rate will be less than $2.10 for single family residences
and duplexes and $1.90 per unit for multi-unit
complexes such as apartment buildings. The current
rates are $2.70 and $2.30 per month, respectively.
“We are hoping that curbside collection will improve
our already outstanding participation in the recycling
program,” said Recycling Coordinator Solvei Wilmot.
“Bins at the curb will be a visible reminder of the
importance of recycling.
“We are also hoping to alleviate any missed recycling
pickups with curbside recycling. I think we’ll also see
less ‘spillage’ of materials from door to street.”
Edina resident Josh Arnold takes his recycling bin to the curb on
collection day. Beginning Jan. 1, all residents must take their bins to
the curb. BFI will no longer collect recyclables at the garage or side door.
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14•WINTER 2001
The City of Edina’s Public Works and Park Maintenance
staffs are knee-deep in a winter ritual - snowplowing.
Each department concentrates on snow removal when
more than 11/2 inches of flakes fall to the ground. The
Public Works staff plows approximately 220 miles of street,
25 miles of sidewalks, three parking ramps and lots in
Edina. Park Maintenance staff remove snow from 20
parking lots and 8 miles of park trails. Snow is also
removed from 15 pumphouses and 23 liftstations. It can
take as long as 12 hours to complete the job. Equipment
includes two graders, five loaders, 20 dump trucks with
plows and wings, and two sidewalk machines.
After a snowfall, staff usually begin their workday
earlier than usual – 4 a.m. – in order to have the City’s “red
routes” plowed before rush hour. Red routes are major City
streets such as 50th, 70th and Wooddale. Sidewalks around
schools also get first priority.
Edina has a reputation for providing excellent
snow plowing. Staff say there are several reasons
why people think highly of the work they do. Public Works
employees plow from curb to curb and around corners,
creating no windrows along the 26 routes they clear. Edina
crews with sufficient back-up manpower go to work before
many other cities. Here, just 11/2-2 inches
is considered a significant “event” and requires an
all-out effort. Residents help to make snow plowing
and removal more efficient by parking off City streets,
clearing fire hydrants and keeping snow on their property.
“An all-department effort is what makes it work,” said Steve
Johnson, Public Works
Coordinator. “Even though
their regular work is still
here and has to get done,
our guys take a lot of pride
in their plowing and
snow removal.”
To allow City crews to do
their jobs properly, obey the following winter
regulations:
•Do not park any vehicle on a City street, highway or
alley when 11/2 inches or more of snow has fallen, until
it has been plowed to the curb line.
•Do not park any vehicle on a City street, highway or
alley for more than six hours unless traffic signs
specifically allow you to do so or if you are engaged in a
certain job-related activity as described in the City Code.
•Do not park on a City street, highway or alley from
1 a.m. to 6 a.m. from Nov. 1 to March 30.
•Clear snow from around fire hydrants on your property
as soon as the snow stops falling.
•Remember that snow removed from driveways,
walkways or sidewalks, whether removed by you or a
private snow removal company, must remain on your
property. Snow may not be pushed across the roadway.
Do not shovel snow into the street or dump it on
someone else’s property.
For more information on snowplowing in Edina, contact the
Public Works Department, 952-826-0376.
Edina’s Public Works,
Park Maintenance Staffs
Plow Through Another Winter
It’s Not Only Neighborly …
It’s the Law
15•WINTER 2001
Winter is the time of year when many people start thinking
about how they can improve their property once the snow
melts and temperatures climb. Keep the following in mind
as you plan those spring projects.
Building a new deck
• Plans need to be approved by the Building Inspections
Department and a building permit obtained before
construction may begin.
• Decks must maintain specific setback requirements.
• Wooden decks must be constructed of treated or
decay-resistant wood.
• The deck must hold a minimum of 60 pounds of weight
per square foot. A guardrail is required for all decks 30
or more inches above ground and a handrail is required
if four or more steps are attached.
Building a storage shed
• Accessory structures such as
garden buildings, utility sheds or
other outbuildings might require a
building permit, depending on the
size of the structure.
• A shed does not require a permit if
it is no larger than 120 square feet in
area. Larger structures require a
permit and must meet specific
placement requirements.
Fencing your yard
• Fences must be placed on or inside
your lot lines.
• The finished side of a fence must face out toward
neighboring properties.
• Fences may not exceed four feet in height in the
front yard area.
• Fences may not exceed eight feet in height in
the side or rear yard. Fences exceeding six feet in
height require a building permit.
• Fences may not obstruct clear view at intersections.
Adding or changing a driveway
• Permits might be required for improvements to a
driveway and are required for new driveways and
curb cuts. The Engineering Department reviews
driveway improvements and all curb cut changes.
For more information about
obtaining a building permit or for
answers to questions relating to
construction, contact the Building
Inspections Department,
952-826-0372.
For more information about
structure setback, height and
zoning matters, contact the
Planning Department,
952-826-0369.
For more information about
driveway or curb cut changes,
contact the Engineering
Department, 952-826-0371.
17•WINTER 2001
Braemar Golf
Course late last
year was
presented the
Minnesota Golf
Association’s
inaugural
“Member Club of
the Year Award.”
The award
was presented
Saturday, Nov. 11,
at the MGA’s
annual meeting,
held at Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove. According
to MGA staff, Braemar was selected for the award out
of 25 nominees because of its tremendous support of
Associate memberships and member club programs,
involvement with the MGA junior program and
accountability. Nearly 500 clubs were eligible to apply
for the award.
“We are very pleased to receive the MGA Member Club of
the Year Award for an 18-hole course,” said Braemar
Manager John Valliere. “We strive to support the MGA
year-round. The Braemar mentors teach junior
participants etiquette, rules and the civility of the game.
Braemar makes its dome available in the winter so
Associates can prepare for spring play. Braemar has tried
to be very generous over the years in hosting MGA events
whenever asked.”
Nominated for the award by Braemar GHIN Manager
John Hoyt, the local course sponsors approximately
1,510 active Associate memberships and support 17
independent clubs, including two junior clubs, two clubs
whose members are “members-at-large,” and 13 leagues.
The golf course has sponsored boys and girls MGA junior
teams for about 35 years. In addition, Braemar has been
an active participant in hosting MGA tournaments and
qualifiers since the late 1960s, including the 1970
Women’s State Amateur, 1974 Minnesota Women’s Public
Golf Association, 1975 Senior Amateur, 1979 national
MGA/USGA Women’s Public Links, and 1989 Metro
Seniors championships.
Besides a plaque Braemar received at the luncheon,
the MGA will donate $500 to a charity of the course’s
choice. Other awards
presented at the MGA
annual meeting
included Players of the
Year, Distinguished
Service Award and
Evans Scholar of the
Year.
For more information
about the award
or any of the local
course’s offerings,
contact Braemar
Golf Course,
952-826-6799.
Braemar Golf Course Receives MGA
‘Member Club of the Year’Award
16•WINTER 2001
Indoor Skating Lessons
Registration for the spring session of skating lessons at
Braemar Arena will be held 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 16. Phone-in
registrations will not be accepted. A schedule of lesson
programs is available at the Arena or City website,
www.ci.edina.mn.us, or by calling 952-941-1322. Open
skating schedules are also available.
Indoor Edinborough Park also offers indoor skating lessons
for toddlers ages 3 to 6 and older youth on its intimate,
family-style rink. Lessons help children learn basic
movements using special games and toys. Classes are
available for a variety of levels, from toddlers learning to
stand on skates to youth ready to start jumping. Winter
classes begin Jan. 2, Feb. 13 and March 27. For more
information or to register, call 952-832-6790.
Outdoor Skating
The City offers 12 outdoor ice skating rinks. The rinks
opened for the season in December. Hours on school days
are 3:45 to 9:30 p.m., 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays, 1 to 9:30
p.m. Sundays, and noon to 9:30 p.m. non-school days.
Winter holiday hours are noon to 9:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday, noon to 9:30 p.m. New Year’s Day.
Going to the Prom
In “Going to the Prom,” an Adaptive Recreation program,
participants will learn all aspects of going to the prom.
Teenagers will practice getting ready for the prom and
discuss how to ask someone on a date, how to ask someone
to dance and what to say when they say “yes.” The program
will be held 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 30 and
Monday, April 2, at Arneson Acres Park, 4711 W. 70th St.
Cost is $15 per person. For more information or to register,
call 952-826-0433/952-826-0379 TDD.
Peer Volunteer Program
The Adaptive Recreation and Learning Exchange Peer
Volunteer Program is in place to give members of the
community an opportunity to assist youth, teens and adults
who have disabilities in a recreation setting. Individual and
group volunteers are wanted. Call 952-826-0433/952-826-0379
TDD for more information on this opportunity to give back
to the community.
Hot Happenings in Park
and Recreation
Adaptive Recreation “Going to the Prom”
19•WINTER 200118•WINTER 2001
students and faculty took responsibility for clearing
litter from the Commons area of the high school and
from the tops of lockers in each hallway of the high school.
Another successful program, which gathered much
media attention last spring, is “Chalk It Up.” Just
before prom, students use chalk to write messages
outside Edina High School about the affects of
drinking and driving. Last year, the students even
brought in a demolished car that was involved in an
alcohol-related accident to show the dramatic affects.
As part of “Big Brother, Big Sister,” ninth-grade
middle school students from Valley View and South
View middle schools come to the high school for one
morning to get acquainted with upperclassmen,
classes and the building. Many believe the program
helps ease the transition from middle to high school.
Stevens said the goal of Target Leadership is to
complete seven or eight projects per school year.
Besides Adopt-A-Hallway, Chalk It Up and Big
Brother, Big Sister, this year’s group is looking to
establish a recreational area somewhere in the school
and set up picnic tables outside for lunch. Principal
Chace Anderson and other school administrators
must approve all projects.
Of course, through each project, the students learn
how to be leaders. Stevens said the only role adults
play in the projects is that of mentors. “Giving kids a
chance to look at how different adults operate is
really important. Our job is to teach the students how
to be leaders,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to see a
student sit on the sidelines for meeting after meeting
just listening, and then all of a sudden, after months
of silence, take a stand or get really involved.
“One of the treats of the whole program is watching
kids blossom into tomorrow’s leaders.”
For more information about Target Leadership,
contact Edina Chemical Health Coordinator Kathy
Iverson, 952-929-7627.
Edina Rotarian Terry Stevens is targeting youth leadership
in the community.
As part of his volunteer duties as a member of a local
Rotary club, several years ago Stevens attended a
one-day seminar with Edina High School students. He
was so moved by the presentation on leadership that
he wanted to make sure there was a follow-up
program for the teenagers. With the help of Edina
Chemical Health
Partners, “Target
Leadership” began.
The purpose of Target
Leadership to is develop
projects for blossoming
student leaders to do
within the schools. The
program, which began
during the 1996-97 school
year, is open to any high
school student who wants
to participate. The Edina
Rotary clubs and Edina
Chemical Health Partners
sponsor Target Leadership.
“I like working with kids
that age and saw value in
offering a program where
the only requirement
was a willingness to
participate,” Stevens said.“Leadership skills
will help them in whatever they choose to do in
life. I believe leadership skills also help improve
self-esteem.”
Edina Chemical Health Coordinator Kathy Iverson
applauds Stevens’ work. “He is totally committed to
developing young people into leaders of today and
tomorrow. He is a team player and very humble,” she
said. “I have found his
ability to keep one foot
going in front of the other
truly inspirational. I have
learned so much from him,
and I know young people
in our community have
also. His service to Edina
has been exceptional.”
Stevens meets with the
students once a month.
About 50 students attend
each meeting. Similar to a
board of directors, a core
group of approximately 12
students does most of the
project planning.
The first major project of
Target Leadership was
“Adopt-A-Hallway.”
Individuals and groups of
Terry Stevens Targets Youth
Leadership With Program
Rotarian Terry Stevens helped develop “Target Leadership,” a program
to promote leadership skills among high school students. Stevens meets
with a group of approximately 50 students once a month to plan projects.
You may qualify for up to $15,000 to make
repairs or necessary improvements to your
Edina home through the Hennepin County
Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program.
This program provides deferred repayment
funds on a first-come-first-served basis to
people who can show financial need. If you would like to receive information,
income guidelines, qualification summaries, interest rates, and applications,
please call Associate Planner Joyce Repya at the
Edina Planning Department, 826-0462. Dozens of
Edina residents have protected the value of their
homes by using this program. If your primary
residence is located in Edina and needs repair or
structural improvements, please give Joyce a call.
Home Rehab Funds
for Qualified Edina Home Owners
CITY OF EDINA
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
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21•WINTER 200120•WINTER 2001
Edina residents, business people and organizations are
“Connecting With Kids.”
Late last year, the Edina City Council, Board of
Education and Chamber of Commerce Executive
Board approved a resolution supporting an initiative
to create a more supportive school and community
environment. The document reads, in part:
“WHEREAS, children and adolescents deserve to
grow up safe, healthy, loved, secure and educated; and
WHEREAS, families, schools and the community need
to work together to meet the needs of children and
adolescents; and
WHEREAS, we recognize the interdependence of
government, schools, the business community, social
service agencies, the medical community, the faith
community, civic organizations and neighborhoods
and thus believe the best way to ensure our children’s
future is to work together; and …
WHEREAS, Connecting With Kids focuses on
developing a community-wide commitment to
surround children and adolescents with the wide
range of “assets” crucial for healthy development,
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the [City of
Edina] endorses the effort and will support the efforts
of the community in Connecting With Kids.”
Many other groups and organizations are also
signing the resolution in support of Connecting With
Kids. As a result of the grassroots initiative, many
have also begun reaching out in new ways to youth
in the community.
City Clerk Debra Mangen trained a number of Edina
High School students to serve as election judges.
Mangen, Voter Registration Clerk Jane Timm and
other election judges worked closely with the students
on Election Day.
While getting paid,
the students were
taught more about
and contributed to
the election process.
The Edina
Chamber of
Commerce, through
its Education
Committee, began
inviting students to
its monthly general
membership
meetings. The
students are seated
with the featured
speaker, introduced
and exposed to a
business luncheon.
Edina High School Principal Chace Anderson worked with
a group of students to paint a mural in the building’s
science wing. Anderson set a budget for the students, who
were allowed to design their own artwork and buy materials
within those constraints.
“The good news is that everyone – parents, grandparents,
educators, neighbors, children, teenagers, youth workers,
employers, health care providers, coaches and others – can
reach out to kids,” said Carl Holmstrom, director of the
initiative’s steering committee. “Everyone has a role to play.”
Do you know of someone who reaches out to kids and
serves as an example for Connecting With Kids? For more
information or to share a story, contact Communications
Coordinator Jennifer Wilkinson, 952-832-6063. To arrange
a speaker on the topic, contact Christine Weymouth or Doug
Johnson, Edina Public Schools, 952-928-2500.
Edina Residents,Business People
‘Connect With Kids’
“Families, schools and the community
need to work together to meet the
needs of children”.
23•WINTER 200122•WINTER 2001
Edina Historical Society Looks Back
On ‘50 Years Of Edina Athletics’
according to school records. Championships have been
won in football, boys gymnastics, girls tennis, girls
swimming, girls soccer, boys soccer, boys basketball,
girls gymnastics, boys hockey, Nordic boys skiing,
Alpine boys skiing, boys swimming, girls basketball,
Alpine girls skiing, baseball, boys golf, boys tennis,
boys track and girls golf. The greatest number of
championships occurred during the 1987-88 school
year when seven were won.
Edina’s first state championship trophy, won by the
boys golf team at Morningside High School in 1954,
and 100th trophy, won by the Edina High School boys
tennis team in the spring of 2000, are placed next to
each other in the exhibit.
“We had been planning the exhibit more than a year in
advance,” said Wetherall. “Winning the 100th state
championship the year of the exhibit was just lucky – it
added another element to our plans. I am glad we are
able to celebrate the 100 wins through the exhibit.”
Wetherall said the exhibit “hits home” for more people
than a typical historical exhibit. “People are having so
much fun finding things from when they or their
children were in school,” she said. “I have heard many,
many stories over the course of this exhibit. Anyone
who has gone to Edina High School should come see
the exhibit. They won’t be disappointed.”
The Museum is open 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays, 10 a.m.
to noon Saturdays and by appointment.
For more information about the exhibit or to arrange a
tour, call the Edina Historical Society, 952-928-4577.
The Society will happily accept donations of high school
athletic memorabilia or will include the items in the exhibit.
Hundreds of teenage faces captured on film smile back
from under glass. The sounds of a championship
basketball game played more than 30 years ago are
heard again. Green wrestling singlets, cheerleading
skirts, gymnastics leotards and baseball uniforms
hung in closets years ago are again getting cheers
from fans of Edina athletics.
They were the center of attention years ago on the
basketball court, hockey arena, golf course and other
sports venues. Hundreds of similar artifacts are on
display at the Edina Historical Museum, 4711 W. 70th
St. The Historical Society opened the special exhibit,
“50 Years of Edina Athletics” in early October. The
display will be open through May.
“I am so glad we could put this exhibit together for the
community,” said Kathleen Wetherall, Executive
Director of the Historical Society. “The museum offers
a cozy atmosphere for people to take their time
reliving their memories of Edina athletics.”
Trophies, uniforms, equipment and photos from Edina-
Morningside, Edina West, Edina East, and Edina high
schools are on display. Favorite pieces include a video
of one of Coach Duane Baglien’s three consecutive
state basketball championships in the 1960s, a Cougar
mascot head and a green beanie and letter sweater.
From 1950 to the spring of 2000, Edina won 100
state championships – the most of any school in the
state. Of those, 59 were won by boys, 41 by girls,
A man looks through a case where the first state championship
trophy, won by Edina-Morningside High School in 1954, is on
display next to Edina’s 100th state championship trophy, won
last spring by the boys tennis team.
Baseball memorabilia is among the many things on display as
part of “50 Years of Edina Athletics” at the Edina Historical
Museum.
Edina resident and former Park and Recreation Director Bob Kojetin
looks over a hockey trophy and artifacts. The goalie mask, skates and
No. 30 jersey were worn by Larry Thayer, Braemar Arena Manager,
in the 1969 state high school hockey championship game.
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25•WINTER 2001
‘Black-And-Whites’Draw Much
Attention To Police Department
Like the squad cars Mayberry Sheriff Andy Taylor and
Officer Barney Fife drove in the popular sitcom, “The
Andy Griffith Show,” Edina police officers are now
patrolling the streets in black-and-white squad cars.
In the fall of 2000, the Edina Police Department purchased
four Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors to replace
older cars with high mileage. The cars were painted black
and white and emblazoned with traditional graphics.
“The trend in squad cars is a return to the traditional
black and white,” said Police Chief Mike Siitari. “It’s
almost becoming the norm.” Some of the other
metropolitan police departments now driving the
black-and-whites are Eden Prairie, Hopkins,
Minnetonka and Plymouth.
Siitari said the request for the black-and-whites came
from patrol officers in 1999. “Part of the reason why I
approved these cars was because they were what our
officers wanted,” he said. “Patrol cars are their office –
it’s where they work.”
But the black-and-whites haven’t just made the officers
happy. Many residents have commented on the new
cars and offered their compliments. “We are receiving
uniform praise for the cars – officers like them and the
public like them,” Siitari said, smiling. “Patrol cars are
the most visible part of our department, and the black-
and-whites are easier to identify. More and more
residents are contacting the officers to talk about the
cars. There is a difference.”
The Edina Police Department has a fleet of 11 marked
squad cars. Siitari said that within two or three years,
depending on mileage, the entire fleet should be made
up of the modern black-and-whites.
For more information, contact the Edina Police
Department, 952-826-1610.
New City Council Members
To Take Oath Of Office
24•WINTER 2001
Dennis Maetzold, Scot Housh, Michael Kelly and Linda
Masica will take the oath of office at the Edina City
Council’s first meeting of the year, to be held Jan. 2.
In an uncontested race for Mayor, Dennis Maetzold, who
was appointed mayor in the summer of 1999, earned
another term during the Nov. 7 General Election.
According to election results, he received 22,467 votes.
In the race for two, four-year positions on the Council,
Michael Kelly and Linda Masica came out on top.
Incumbent Kelly received 11,893 votes. Masica received
11,584. Vote totals for the other candidates were Incumbent
Nan Krieger Faust, 9,324, and Ron Elmquist, 6,951.
Scot Housh won a two-year position on the Council,
succeeding Scott Johnson who did not seek election. Housh
received 10,315 votes. Other vote totals in the election were
Lee McGrath, 5,241; Ardis Louise Wexler, 5,117; and Brien
A. Martin, 2,350.
The City of Edina had a high voter turnout. City Clerk
Debra Mangen said 30,483 residents voted during the
election, more than 80 percent of the community’s
registered voters. More than 33,500 people registered
to vote in advance of the election; 4,316 registered at
the polls.
The results of the local election with a breakdown by precinct
are available on the City’s website, www.ci.edina.mn.us. For
more information about the election, contact City Clerk Debra
Mangen, 952-826-0408.
Edina Police Chief Mike Siitari shows off one of four black-and-white
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors purchased last fall. The cars,
he said, have made a difference aesthetically and in community-
oriented policing efforts.
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PrecinctVoter TotalsPrecinctVoter Totals
Precinct 1A 1,670 Precinct 10 1,500
Precinct 1B 1,802 Precinct 11 1,792
Precinct 2 1,413 Precinct 12 1,534
Precinct 3 1,875 Precinct 13 1,299
Precinct 4 1,547 Precinct 14 1,679
Precinct 5 1,880 Precinct 15 1,761
Precinct 6 1,641 Precinct 16 1,666
Precinct 7 989 Precinct 17 937
Precinct 8 1,546 Precinct 18 1,561
Precinct 9 1,596 Precinct 19 795
The City of Edina saw a high voter turnout during the 2000 General
Election. People had to wait in long lines at most of the City’s 20
polling places.
27•WINTER 200126•WINTER 2001
Late last year, to equalize property values, the City of
Edina Assessing Department, with help from Vanguard
Appraisal Inc., began door-to-door inspections of all
single family residential properties in the community.
State law requires each county and city to complete
quartile reviews. In other words, 25 percent of the
jurisdiction each year is required to be inspected and
reviewed. That information is then used to value the
jurisdiction. Each taxpayer is then responsible for
paying only his or her fair share of the property
tax burden.
“Periodic inspections and reappraisals of properties
are necessary because all properties do not increase
or decrease in value at the same rate,” said City
Assessor Rick Petersburg. “Some properties physically
deteriorate faster than others, economic conditions
might impact areas of the City differently, and in
some instances similar buildings located in different
areas of the City will differ greatly in value due to
economic factors.”
Because of the City of Edina’s limited staff, the Edina
City Council in July 2000 approved the hiring of
Vanguard Appraisal to assist with the reappraisal
project. Data collectors will make interior and
exterior inspections of all single family residential
properties. Information to be collected includes type
of construction, type of interior finish, physical
condition of the property, age of structures and
exterior measurements. A complete sale analysis,
local construction costs and economic conditions will
also be considered. No estimate of value will be given
at the time of the inspection.
“The data collectors will be compiling information to
be used to estimate fair market values of each
property. The information collected is only pertinent
to real property – not personal property,” Petersburg
pointed out.
In order for the inspection process to run smoothly,
the data collectors will vary their working hours in an
attempt to find owners at home. The data collectors,
who will have photo identification cards signed by
City Manager Gordon Hughes, will make the initial
contact to complete an interior and exterior inspection
of the home. If the owner is not home, the data
collector will complete the exterior inspection and
verify the measurements of the home. Before leaving
the property, the data collector will leave a tag at the
home asking the owner to call the Assessor’s office
within five days to schedule an appointment for an
interior inspection of the property.
Property owners are asked to cooperate by allowing a
complete inspection of their property and providing
accurate information in order for a fair and equitable
assessment of each property. Denial of access to the
property or providing inaccurate information does not
release the company representatives from estimating
data not provided. In such a case, the representative
will provide his or her best estimate of data and the
Assessor’s office will place an estimated value on the
property. State law provides that property owners
may not appeal the values of property to which
access is denied.
Preliminary data collection began in the northeast
area of Edina in early November. The entire project is
scheduled for completion in September of 2001.
Notice of final value estimates will be mailed to each
property owner after February 2002. After receiving
the notice, property owners will have an opportunity
to meet informally to discuss their revaluation. The
new assessments will be effective for the January 2,
2002 assessment, taxes payable in 2003.
For more information about the reappraisal project,
contact the Assessor’s office, 952-826-0365.
City Of Edina Begins
Reappraisal Project
It’s more than a move,
it’s a strategy.
It’s more than a move,
it’s a strategy.
edina’s new community bank
member FDIC
6600 france avenue south
suite 125 edina, MN 55435 telephone:952.285.5800
contact:peter dahl or kevin howk
Data collectors will make interior and exterior inspections of all
single family residential properties.
29•WINTER 2001
• Learn where the most recent fires and commercial
crimes occurred in the City.
•Link to other community organizations’ websites.
“The City’s goal is to make the website as user-friendly
as possible,” said Communications Coordinator Jennifer
Wilkinson. “Ultimately, we would like to have most
forms and information available to residents online –
anything you would call City Hall for should also be
available on the website.”
Future website expansion includes adding more
complete information about the Engineering, Finance,
Health, Planning and Public Works Departments; the
2001 Park and Recreation Activities Directory; and
agendas of boards, commissions and committees.
For the website to continue to evolve, the City needs
feedback from residents – especially comments on
what additional information is needed online to
increase the website’s efficiency and meet the needs
of the Edina community. Questions and comments
can be directed to Wilkinson, 952-832-6063, or via
e-mail, EdinaMail@ci.edina.mn.us. Log on today!
28•WINTER 2001
City Website Grows And
Attracts More Visitors
MN Relay 1-800-627-3529
952-928-0444
Since last year, the number of monthly visitors to the
City of Edina’s website, www.ci.edina.mn.us, has nearly
quadrupled. Building on the City’s commitment to
provide residents with current and accurate information
about Edina, the website features 24-hour per day
access to information that was formerly available only
by phone, mail or a visit to City offices.
The City uses a software program to track what is
going on in the website. By using the software, City
officials learned that in December of 1999, there were
a total of 8,309 successful hits to the site. By August
2000, the site was attracting approximately 40,000
visitors each month.
Currently, the website gets more than 1,250 hits per
day, with the most popular days of the week being
Monday, Thursday and Friday. The vast majority log on
during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., entering
through the home page. Top destinations after the
home page are Job Listings; Facilities, with links to
Braemar Arena, Braemar Golf Course, Centennial Lakes
Park, Edina Aquatic Center, Edina Liquor, Edina Senior
Center and Edinborough Park; City Services;
Community Links and the search engine.
In the past year, much has been added to the website,
including the complete City Code, City job application,
information on the Edina Fire Department, Braemar
Arena, Braemar Golf Course and Edina Liquor, weekly
press releases, and About Town. The website also
features a number of documents and applications that
can be downloaded and printed from home, including
agendas, applications and crime reports.
Among the things you can do using the City’s
website are:
• Download a copy of the Edina City Council agenda
prior to meetings.
• Complete research using the City Code.
• Download, print and fill out building permit
applications from home.
• Read press releases under “What’s New” before
they are printed in the media.
• Plan your monthly activities using the City Calendar.
www.ci.edina.mn.us
31•WINTER 2001
groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 13. Before the end of
the year, construction began on the office building, the
first phase of housing and the town square.
The office building and senior center/library complex
should be finished before 2002, according to plans
submitted to the Planning Department and approved by
the City Council in August. The first phase of housing,
which will include at least 40 units, will also be done that
year. The remaining three phases should be finished by 2005.
When the new building is complete, the Edina Senior
Center will move from the third floor of the Edina
Community Center. The Edina Community Library,
currently located next to City Hall at 4701 W. 50th St.,
will also move into the new facility. It is the City’s
intention to move the Edina Police Department into the
vacated library space once that move is made.
Opus will construct all elements of the project except
for the condominiums. Opus will own the office
building and lease the units. Ron Clark will design,
construct and sell the condominiums. The City and
Hennepin County will jointly own and maintain the
senior center/library complex.
“We are pleased to see this redevelopment project begin
in the Grandview area,” said Mayor Dennis Maetzold,
pointing out that completing such a project was a goal
established during the “Vision 20/20” strategic planning
process. “Grandview Square is sure to enhance
northwest Edina.”
For more information on the project, contact the Planning
Department, 952-826-0369. For more information about the
housing or to be placed on a list for the condominiums,
contact Ron Clark Construction, 952-947-3000.
30•WINTER 2001
Opus,Ron Clark Construction Break
Ground For ‘Grandview Square’
Opus Northwest and Ron Clark Construction late last year
broke ground for a multi-use redevelopment dubbed
“Grandview Square.”
The former municipally owned “Kunz-Lewis” site and other
properties south of Eden Avenue will be redeveloped as
part of the project. The $75 million project includes the
construction of a three-story, 93,000-square-foot office
building; a two-story, 36,000-square-foot library and senior
center; and a four-story, 171-unit condominium complex.
The development has been designed to have an “Old
World” feel with a central “town square,” which will be a
City park. Walking paths and sidewalks will connect the
various facilities.
The structure on the Kunz-Lewis property and the building
that formerly housed Thompson Academy of Gymnastics
(TAGS) were demolished in September after a formal
More than a dozen people participated Sept. 13 in a formal groundbreaking ceremony for “Grandview Square,” a redevelopment south of Eden
Avenue and west of Minnesota Highway 100. Among those who attended the groundbreaking were representatives of Opus Northwest, Ron
Clark Construction and the City.
Artist’s rendering of “Grandview Square”
Edina Chamber of Commerce
Gala 2001
Saturday, March 17, 2001
Radisson Hotel South Bloomington
806-9060
33•WINTER 2001
Peterson said the Fund will enable similar activities
and programs in 2001. The Fund, administered
by a board of directors elected annually by the
sponsoring community organizations, is in the
middle of its annual fund-raising campaign.
Sponsoring organizations are Athena Women’s
Club, Edina Chamber of Commerce, Edina
Federated Women’s Club, Edina Kiwanis
Golden “K” Club, League of Women Voters –
Edina, Edina Lions Club, Edina Optimists Club,
Edina Rotary Club, Edina Women’s Club,
Morningside Women’s Club and Southdale Y’s Men’s
Club. Donations are also being sought from residents and
business people.
“The Edina Crime Prevention Fund goes a long way in
assisting local officers. However, we’re not an island and
the things that affect the greater metropolitan area affect us
too,” said Peterson, pointing out that several of the Fund’s
2000 rewards are still outstanding. They include:
• Up to $3,000 for information leading to the
apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or
people responsible for extensive damage done to 10
City of Edina vehicles at the former “Kunz-Lewis site”
between the evening of July 3 and 7 a.m., July 5, 2000.
• Up to $1,000 for information leading to the
apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or
people responsible for arson activity in April 2000 at
Normandale and Weber parks.
• Up to $1,000 for information leading to the
apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or
people responsible for making bomb threats to
Edina High School and Valley View Middle
School on Feb. 15, 2000.
If you have information about one of the crimes
listed above or would like more information about
the Edina Crime Prevention Fund, contact the
Edina Police Department, 952-826-1610. For your
convenience, an envelope addressed to the Edina
Crime Prevention Fund has been included with this
issue of About Town. Please consider making a tax-
deductible donation to this valuable cause.
32•WINTER 2001
Edina Crime Prevention Fund
Kicks Off Annual Campaign
During daylight hours 30 years ago, burglars broke into
an Edina home and viciously beat the resident. The victim
died a few days later from complications associated with
the beating. Even after extensive work, Edina Police
Department officers were unable to develop adequate
information to solve the case. No funds were available to
post as a reward for valuable information related to the case
or to pay informants.
For more than a year, community leaders worked to
establish a private fund for the purpose of offering rewards
and assisting the Police Department with crime prevention,
so similar crimes would not go unsolved. When established,
it was designated “The Edina Crime Prevention Fund.”
In the spring of 1970, other civic organizations were
approached for their financial support as sponsors and a
request for donations was sent to all Edina residents.
Today, hundreds of crimes have been solved in Edina in
part because of money collected and distributed by
the Fund.
“The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is able to do so much
for the Police Department that the City budget doesn’t
allow for,” said Don Peterson, Fund Coordinator. “Just as
our name implies, the Fund is about crime prevention and
setting up rewards for assisting our officers in the local
battle against crime.”
Police Chief Mike Siitari echoed his comments. “The Police
Department has recovered a lot of property, arrested many
criminals and uncovered a lot of information that we would
not have been able to without the Crime Prevention Fund,”
he said. “With the help of concerned citizens, the Edina
Crime Prevention Fund has become a national model of an
effective weapon in the fight against crime.”
In 2000, the Fund offered a number of rewards; purchased
educational coloring and activities books for children,
a projector for the Police Department, reward signs for
placement in City parks and trading cards for various
officers; and helped fund the DARE program and the
Crime Prevention Specialist position within the Police
Department. In addition, the Fund assisted Tri-City Health
Partners with purchasing an anti-drug advertisement.
The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is administered by a board
of directors. The 2000 board of directors included front: Dennis
Maetzold, Chuck Yeschke, Harold Westerberg and Nicholas
O’Hara; back: Crime Prevention Specialist Molly Anderson, Jim
Van Valkenburg, Police Chief Mike Siitari and Don Peterson. Not
pictured are Bob Sherman, Roger Manthe and Bert Merfeld.
Since 1896
7705 Bush Lake Road
EDINA
(952) 941-8601Wwww.northwesternmarble.com
FAX 952-941-0994
Visit our new state of the art facility
in Edina beginning 2001
35•WINTER 2001
investigate a bicycle vandalism. Later in the day, he taught
DARE. He did all of those things while still finding time to
chat with students, talk to parents and write police reports.
“What’s most important is getting to know the kids,” Elasky
said. “I don’t want the kids to only come to me when there
is a problem. I don’t want to just be the enforcer, the
hammer. I want to be a resource person for the schools.
“Working as a school liaison officer is a lot different than
working the street where you are always answering a call.
This job allows me to be more proactive, prevent crime and
prevent teenagers from getting into bad situations.”
Police Chief Mike Siitari agreed. “Jeff is a valuable resource
for students, parents and school personnel in situations
where a law enforcement perspective can help solve a
problem situation,” he said. “In a student population of
several thousand teens, there are going to be kids who
exhibit at-risk behavior. Having a police officer in the
school allows a timely response to address potential
problems and take enforcement action when necessary.”
One of the many ways Elasky helps make himself more
approachable is by wearing casual clothing most days
instead of his uniform. “Some teenagers have a perception
that the police pick on juveniles,” the officer said. “It’s my
job to make sure they know that when they have negative
encounters with police officers, it’s because they put
themselves in a bad situation. It’s not because the police
made them speed, stay out after curfew or drink a beer at a
party. Police officers want to work with kids, not pick on them.”
Because of the success of the program, the Police
Department is considering adding an additional Police-
School Liaison Officer. Such a move would allow the officers
more time to get to know students and prevent crime.
34•WINTER 2001
Jeff Elasky Introduced As New
Police-School Liaison Officer
Before the bell rings sounding the start of the school day,
a dark-haired man wanders the halls of Edina High School,
asking students how their day is going, congratulating
athletes on their most recent win and smiling at those he
passes. During lunch periods, students often stop by his
office to say “hi” and talk.
Although the students have a similar relationship with the
man as they do with their teachers, it is different. And the
students have a different relationship with Police-School
Liaison Officer Jeff Elasky
than they do with many
other members of the
Edina Police Department.
An Edina patrol officer
for six years, Elasky was
named Police-School
Liaison Officer at the
beginning of the 2000-
2001 school year. He is
the third Police-School
Liaison Officer since the
local program began
seven years ago. Elasky’s
first experience working
with students came the
previous school year
when he was named a
DARE Officer and worked
with middle schoolers.
“After working with the
sixth-graders through the DARE program, I knew I
had something to offer kids,” Elasky said. “We all made
mistakes growing up. I made mistakes when I was
younger and am willing to share those stories and the
message of facing consequences. I think I can relate well
to the students.”
Although Elasky has an office at Edina High School, he
serves all of the schools in Edina. Among his many
responsibilities are investigating crimes that happen
in schools such as
thefts from lockers or
backpacks, fielding calls
from parents concerned
about their child’s
behavior, providing
security at athletic
events and dances,
speaking to classes
and teaching the
DARE program.
Proving that no two
working days are the
same, Elasky began a
recent morning meeting
with students in the high
school library about an
issue of concern to the
teenagers. He was then
called to one of the
middle schools to
Police-School Liaison Officer Jeff Elasky, center, talks with a group of students one
morning before classes start at Edina High School. Besides serving as a mentor
to children, Elasky is responsible for investigating and preventing crime within
all Edina schools, speaking with classes and talking with concerned parents.
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