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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAbout Town Winter2014EPD Begins Dispatching For Richfield Page 16 WINTER•2014 Official Magazine of the City of Edina AboutTown AboutTown Volume 25, Number 1 Circulation 25,000 Winter 2014 Official Publication of the www.EdinaMN.gov City of Edina, Minnesota 4801 West 50th Street Edina, Minnesota 55424 952-826-0359 Editor: Jennifer Bennerotte Contributing Writers: Alyssa Diamond, Jordan Gilgenbach, David Katz, Kaylin Martin, Michael McGivern, Frank Petrovic and Joe Sullivan Photographer: Michael Braun Layout Editor: Kaylin Martin Publisher: City of Edina About Town is produced by the City of Edina. To advertise in About Town, call Barb Pederson, 612-998-7412 . Copyright 2014 by City of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. About Town is published quarterly by the City of Edina. The purpose of the magazine is to keep Edina residents informed of news, activities and programs that are important to them. We include articles of interest about our residents and community history as well. About Town is printed on recycled paper to conform to City conservation guidelines. Cover photo by Chip Jones Table Of Contents Calendar Of Events ..........................................................................1 Winter Calendar Highlights............................................................4 A Word From The Mayor ...............................................................5 Normandale Lutheran Preschool Celebrates 40th Anniversary ..............................................................................6 It’s Not Only Neighborly ... It’s The Law ...................................10 City Hires New Community Health Administrator .................12 Edina Police Takes On 9-1-1 Dispatch For Richfield.................16 Commission Accepts Applications For Annual Human Rights Award .....................................................18 City Council Approval Of Sports Dome Sets Plans For New Facility In Motion ........................................20 $39 Million Emergency Center Expansion Is Under Way ........24 Edina Remembers ‘Days Of Remembrance’ And Victims Of Genocides ...........................................................28 City Launches Online Utility Payment Service .........................30 Community Ed Works To Leverage The Generosity, Curiosity Of The Community .................................32 Environment-Friendly De-icing Methods Prevent Storm Water Pollution ....................................................34 Edina Goes Electric ........................................................................38 Advocacy Group With Edina Roots Celebrates Marriage Milestone, Looks To The Future .................................42 Spaulding STAYS! ..........................................................................46 Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka And St. Louis Park Join Network That Helps Military Service Families .................48 Business Notes ................................................................................50 Planning Matters ............................................................................52 City Of Edina Facilities ..................................................................53 The Last Word ................................................................................54 TheWatersofEdina.com NOW OPEN! (952) 467-8344 Enhanced Care, Memory Care and Senior Living Available Te a r H e r e  Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1New Year’s Day. City Hall closed. No classes for Edina Public Schools. 2No classes for Edina Public Schools. Noon, Brodini Comedy & Magic, Edinborough Park. 4 p.m., Public Art Committee, Edina City Hall. 3No classes for Edina Public Schools. 4 57 p.m., Jim Berner, Edinborough Park. 6 77 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 87 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 97 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Edina High School Jazz Band Concert, Edina High School. 10 1110 a.m., The Author’s Studio, Edina Art Center. 127 p.m., Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra, Edinborough Park. 137 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 147 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 15Applications for Open Enrollment due to Edina Public Schools. 17End of first semester for Edina Public Schools. 18 19 20Martin Luther King Jr. Day. City Hall closed. No classes for Edina Public Schools. 10 a.m., 15th-Annual Potters’ Games, Edina Art Center. 21No classes for Edina Public Schools. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 227 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 23Noon, Teddy Bear Band, Edinborough Park. 4:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 246:30-8 p.m., Winter Neighborhood Night Out, various parks. 7 p.m., Edina High School One-Act Play, Edina High School. 257 p.m., Edina High School One-Act Play, Edina High School. 287 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 277 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 267 p.m., John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. January 2014 29 30Noon, Bob the Beachcomber, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Edina High School Winter Play, Edina High School. 317 p.m., Edina High School Winter Play, Edina High School. 16Noon, Will Hale and the Tadpole Parade, Edinborough Park. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar 2014 WINTER • 1 Te a r H e r e  2 • WINTER 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 110 a.m., Winter Storywalk at Grandview Square Park, Edina Senior Center. 7 p.m., Edina High School Winter Play, Edina High School. 2 37 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 4 5 6Noon, Wendy’s Wiggle Jiggle and Jam, Edinborough Park. 4 p.m., Public Art Committee, Edina City Hall. 7 810 a.m., The Author’s Studio, Edina Art Center. 7 p.m., All City Orchestra Concert, South View Middle School. 9 105 p.m., School Board Workshop, Edina Community Center. 117 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 127 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 14 15 167 p.m., Harmonic Reflief Show Choir, Edinborough Park 17Presidents’ Day. City Hall closed. No classes for Edina Public Schools. 18No classes for Edina Public Schools. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., River Valley Band, Edinborough Park. 19 20Noon, Wonderful World of Woody, Edinborough Park. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 217 p.m., Edina High School Pops Concert, Edina High School. 227 p.m., Edina High School Pops Concert, Edina High School. 257 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 247 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 237 p.m., John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. February 2014 267 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 274:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Edina High School Pops Concert, Edina High School. 287 p.m., Edina High School Pops Concert, Edina High School. 13Noon, Carol McCormick “Ms. Valentine,” Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar 3 • WINTER 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1Registration opens for summer Parks & Recreation programs. 7 p.m., Edina High School Pops Concert, Edina High School. 27 p.m., Zuhrah Shrine Band, Edinborough Park. 3 47 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., District Jazz Festival, South View Middle School. 5 6Noon, Bob the Beachcomber, Edinborough Park. 4 p.m., Public Art Committee, Edina City Hall. 7No classes for Edina Public Schools. 810 a.m., The Author’s Studio, Edina Art Center. 97 p.m., Star of the North Band, Edinborough Park. 10 117 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 127 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 14 15 167 p.m., Rum River Brass, Edinborough Park. 177 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 187 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 19 20Noon, Wonderful World of Woody, Edinborough Park. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 21 22 257 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 2423 March 2014 267 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 274:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 28 13Noon, Brodini Comedy & Magic, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 30 31Spring break. No classes for Edina Public Schools. About Town Calendar 2910 a.m., Northwoods Boutique opens, Braemar Golf Course. 4 • WINTER 2014 Winter Calendar Highlights Other Dates To Remember Jan. 9 Noon, Alpha Bits, Edinborough Park. Feb. 27 Noon, Mister Jim, Edinborough Park. March 11 7 p.m., Edina High School Orchestra Concert, Edina High School. March 23 7 p.m., Hopkins Westwind Concert Band, Edinborough Park. March 30 7 p.m., John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. Winter Ice Festival What: In celebration of the winter season, Centennial Lakes Park will host the 24th-annual Winter Ice Festival. Visitors to the park will be able to have their faces painted and ride on a horse-drawn wagon. Ice Festival participants may bring their own equipment, but ice skates and kick-sleds are available for rental at the Hughes Pavilion, which serves as a warming house and concessions stand during the winter months. Behind the Hughes Pavilion on the terrace overlooking the lake, ice-sculpting demonstrations will be given. When: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 Where: Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S. Info: www.CentennialLakesPark.com or 952-833-9586 Edina Chamber of Commerce Emerald Gala What: The Edina Chamber of Commerce will hold its largest fund-raising event of the year, Emerald Gala 2013. The event, dubbed “A Night in Monaco,” will feature a silent auction, dinner and casino games. When: 6-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 Where: Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. Info: Edina Chamber of Commerce, 952-806-9060 State of the Community What: Edina Mayor James B. Hovland, City Manager Scott H. Neal and Edina Public Schools Superintendent Ric Dressen will present the “2014 State of the Community,” speaking about current affairs in Edina. The event is open to the public and there is no charge to attend. The presentation will also be broadcast on Edina Channel 16. When: 7 p.m. Monday, March 3 Where: Edina City Hall Council Chambers, 4801 W. 50th St. Info: 952-826-0359 Te a r H e r e  A Word From The Mayor “This is a CodeRED alert from the City of Edina, on a missing juvenile runaway. We are currently searching for an 11-year-old white female, with long blonde hair, brown eyes. She is approximately 4 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs about 85 pounds. She was last seen wearing a turquoise jacket and jeans. She is missing from the area of West 55th Street and Brookview Avenue. If you have any information as to her whereabouts or you see anyone matching that description, please call the Edina Police Department … thank you.” That was the message the Edina Police Department sent out using the City’s CodeRED system in October when a young girl went missing. CodeRED is a notification service that allows emergency officials to notify residents and businesses of time-sensitive general and emergency notifications. Through the CodeRED system, all phone numbers in the CodeRED database were called. Those who answered heard the pre-recorded message. The CodeRED database contains information received from public databases, including regional phonebooks. However, no one should assume that their information is in the system. The City of Edina’s website links to the CodeRED Community Notification Enrollment site where you can register online. Those who register online can include multiple phone numbers, including those for cell phones. The City uses CodeRED very sparingly. Despite that fact and the urgency of the situation in October, a few residents were upset at having been interrupted by the phone call. Some asked to be “removed from the list for alerts.” The City will use CodeRED to communicate with residents during emergencies. In the event of a disaster, we want many communications tools available to disseminate important – and potentially life-saving – information, as quickly as possible. CodeRED will be most effective when we have as many residents’ phone numbers as possible. Your phone numbers will not be made available to others. CodeRED is a service of Emergency Communications Network, which takes security and privacy concerns very seriously. They will not sell, trade, lease or loan any resident-supplied data to third parties. I urge all residents to register their phone numbers. A CodeRED Emergency message will have a caller ID of 866-419-5000. Non-emergency, or general, CodeRED messages may also be sent by the City. A CodeRED General message will have a caller ID of 855-969-4636. We suggest you program both numbers into your cell phone as “new contacts” and use “CodeRED Emergency” and “CodeRED General” as the contact names. The 11-year-old girl who went missing in October returned home later that day. We are thankful that she was found and hope that no more children go missing. If, however, a child goes missing, we should all rest easier knowing that the City has tools such as CodeRED available to aid in the search. James B. HovlandMayor 2014 WINTER • 5 Te a r H e r e  Normandale Lutheran Preschool Celebrates 40th Anniversary 6 • WINTER 2014 By Joe SullivanContributing Writer The 1948 request was simple enough: “There should be an Augustana Lutheran congregation in Edina. Would you please check it out?” These words, spoken in early 1948 by Rev. Dr. P.O. Bersell, President of the Augustana Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, really started something. There was already a community of Lutherans in the first-ring suburb of Edina who would be interested in what would later become known as Normandale Lutheran Church. Many of those responding families were already attending Augustana Lutheran, even though it was located near downtown Minneapolis. A survey of the Edina community was conducted. The results indicated there would be a sufficient number of interested families in and around Edina to make the launch of a new Lutheran congregation not only feasible, but desirable. Augustana Purchased Edina Property For New ChurchAugustana Lutheran Church promptly purchased a location on the southwest corner of Normandale Road (which would become Minnesota Highway 100) and Valley View Road as a site for the proposed congregation. At first, the new church’s name was “Augustana Lutheran Church of Edina,” but it was later changed to “Normandale Lutheran Church of Edina.” The price of the 40,000-square-foot property was $5,000, to be repaid when the new church was organized and operating on its own. An additional 20,000 square feet of land next to the site were purchased the following year. Pastor Carlson Called From California ChurchRev. Donald C. Carlson, a Minnesota native, was called from a Lutheran Church in Fontana, Calif., to be the new church’s pastor. Carlson accepted the call and he, his wife, Marie, and their two young children made the long drive from California to Minnesota. He became the charter pastor of Augustana Church of Edina on May 1, 1950. While the new church was being built, Sunday worship services were held in the Minnehaha Grange Hall at Eden and Normandale avenues, near today’s City Hall. The first service took place on May 14, 1950, with 84 worshipers in attendance. Fast Forward 23 Years: Opening Of A ‘Nursery School’After many months of planning, the Normandale Nursery School began ministering to its first preschoolers in the fall of 1973. It was the addition of a new educational wing to the church that made its facilities available for the new school. By that time, the church’s namesake, Normandale Road, had been renamed Highway 100. The first Nursery School director was Arloine Johnson. Teachers were Garnet Haugen, Marilyn Pertl and Betty 2014 WINTER • 7 (continued on next page) Roy. Other members of Normandale Lutheran who helped spearhead the organization of the “Nursery School” included Madelyn Anderson, Jan Kjome, Trudy Lundblad, Miriam Manfred and Bonnie Ostby. Starting with just 36 children, at the end of its first year the school had an enrollment of 40, with many more on the waiting list. Enrollment soon grew to 100. “In the early days of the Nursery, our weekly schedule called for two sessions a day, morning or afternoon, and only three days a week. The cost per child was $21 a month,” Haugen said. “Our classes would run from 10 to 20 children.” Outdoor Playground Funded By Highway Department In the summer of 1974, Highway 100 was widened to six lanes. Normandale Lutheran was compensated by the Highway Department in the amount of $140,000 for loss of property just east of the church. Of the proceeds, $40,000 was put toward the church’s mortgage, air conditioning in the sanctuary and an outdoor playground for the Nursery. Arloine Johnson Replaced As Director By Garnet HaugenJohnson, the founding Director of the Nursery School, died in 1978. Haugen, a member of Normandale Lutheran and one of the school’s original teachers, replaced Johnson as director of the Nursery School. Haugen joined Normandale from the Bloomington school system, where she taught sixth graders. “In the 1970s, a lot more mothers were ‘stay-at-home moms’ and the need for preschools was far lower than in later decades when more mothers worked outside of their homes,” Haugen recalled. “Those working mothers needed a responsible preschool like Normandale’s to care for their 3- to 5-year-olds while they were working,” Garnet said. Su b m i t t e d P h o t o From left, Percy Barrot, Marilyn Pertl and Judy Sigvertsen, three of the veteran teachers at Normandale Preschool in Edina. Pertl, one of the founders in 1973, served until 1988. Sigvertsen started in 1984 and is still active. Barrot replaced Pertl in 1988 and retired in 2003. 8 • WINTER 2014 Percy Barrot had taught kindergarten and second-grade classes at Minnetonka schools before joining Normandale’s preschool program in 1988. She replaced Pertl, who had been one of four original teachers when the school opened in 1973. Barrot explained to parents the requirements for children who joined the preschool program: “The only two things we require are that they be between 3 and 5 years old and that they be ‘potty-trained.’” Barrot recalled one of many funny incidents at the school: “One of the young boys in my class came to me one day asking for permission to go to the bathroom, which I granted. He had been in the bathroom for quite a while when the door opened slightly. Out of the crack in the doorway came a little bare butt and a small voice seeking my approval: ‘How did I do Mrs. B?’” The year of 1993 marked the 20th anniversary of the Normandale Nursery School. That year also saw an enlarged format that included longer school terms, daily lunches (brought from home), plus two weeks of summer camp. Enrollment remained at capacity levels and Debbie Henry was director of the Nursery School. Circus Festival Becomes Annual EventIn the spring of 1995, children from the Nursery School presented their first circus. They performed acts in costumes of elephants and other wild animals, trapeze artists and clowns. Circus snacks and videos of the circus were sold as fundraisers for scholarships and a new “large-muscle room” for the Nursery School. Matching funds were made available through the Aid Association for Lutherans. After many years, the Circus Festival, with the kids all dressed in animal costumes, became an annual affair with new ideas introduced each year. One year, the new idea was kids dressed in penguin costumes strutting all around the school. Halloween Su b m i t t e d P h o t o Su b m i t t e d P h o t o What better way is there to end a trip to the Minnesota Zoo than to enjoy the summer with a picnic lunch? From left, Percy Barrot, Normandale Preschool teacher and class members Ryan DeVoe and Will Burns. (Others unidentified) All dressed up in their favorite costumes are Will Burns in his fireman’s suit and Brendan Lempe with the cowboy hat and vest. 2014 WINTER • 9 costumes and a trip to a pumpkin farm were added to the holiday observances another year. There were also field trips to an apple orchard and a turkey farm at Thanksgiving time where jumping in a hayloft was an added highlight.Other activities included annual field trips to the Minnesota Zoo, the Science Museum and public libraries. 25th Anniversary Honors Alumni Of Nursery SchoolOn April 19, 1998, the founding of Normandale Nursery School was celebrated. In the 25-year span of its existence at the time, an estimated 2,400 children had benefited from the services and programs of the school.The majority of the children who have attended the school (renamed Normandale Preschool in 2001) are from the community, but are not necessarily related to members of Normandale Lutheran Church. This emphasizes the point that the preschool – besides being a valuable educational resource for the church and the community – is also an important mission outreach on the part of the congregation. Background information and photos were provided by: “History of Normandale Lutheran Church” by Carl L. Manfred; Anne Gustafson, current Director of Normandale Preschool; Garnet Haugen, former Director of Normandale Nursery School; and Marilyn Pertl and Percy Barrot, both former teachers at Normandale Preschool. Activities for a 2.5-hour morning session in a typical preschool classroom: • 15-minute conversation with the class members discussing the weather and/or other subjects outside the classroom.• Discussion about art.• Singing songs or seeing a video demonstration of a musical instrument.• Assorted games that everyone in the class plays.• 15-minute nap on floor mats brought from home.• Visit by a local police officer or firefighter and a squad car or fire truck.• A healthy lunch, brought from home. Su b m i t t e d P h o t o Normandale preschoolers and their teachers took many field trips, this time to tour Minnesota Orchards and see the apple harvest. 10 • WINTER 2014 It’s Not Only Neighborly … It’s The Law The Law: Edina City Code Chapter 8 Article II. Division 3. Sec. 8-89. Licensing Requirements. Any owner of a dog over 6 months of age shall secure a license for such dog from the City. What It Means: All dogs 6 months and older residing in Edina must have a license permanently affixed to their collars. Cats do not have to be licensed. Rabies vaccinations are required on all dogs and cats 6 months and older. Dogs are required to wear vaccination tags at all times. Remember, all 2013 City dog licenses expired Dec. 31, 2013. Licenses can be renewed at City Hall, through the mail or online. To renew by mail, send current rabies information and a check for the licensing fee to Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424-1394. The Law: Edina City Code Chapter 8 Article V. Division 1. Sec 8-213. Animals Running at Large. No owner shall allow any animal to run at large on any property without the consent of the owner or possessor of the property. What It Means: Dogs and cats are not allowed to run at large in the community. An off-leash area for dogs is available year-round at Van Valkenburg Park in northwest Edina. Dogs must wear a special collar while in the off-leash area, identifying them as leash-free permit holders. Cost for the permit is $25 for residents and $50 for non-residents. Discounts are available for multiple dogs. The permits can be purchased at City Hall or online. For more information on licensing, contact City Hall Receptionist Lynette Biunno, 952-927-8861. For more information on laws pertaining to pets, such as the keeping or regulation of certain animals, or laws pertaining to kennels, contact Edina Animal Control Officer Tim Hunter, 952-826-0494. The Edina City Code was recently recodified. Please refer to the City’s website, www.EdinaMN.gov, or contact City Clerk Debra Mangen, 952-826-0408, for current chapter, article and section numbers of the City Code. Pets 2014 WINTER • 11 44th & France (952) 920-2010www.erskineinteriors.com BRING IN About Town FOR 10% OFF ANY SERVICE!* CARPET l HARDWOOD COUNTERTOPS l CABINETS * If a current in-store promotion is better than 10% off for your project, you can choose that promotion (but not both). TO ACTIVATE CALL KARL WILBUR 952 897 5476 SOUTHDALE Y FREE WEEK PASS $0 ENROLLMENT, $150 SAVINGS *OFFER EXPIRES 3/17/2014  180+ GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES  FULLY EQUIPPED FITNESS CENTER  SWIMMING & FAMILY POOL  ALL AGES & FITNESS LEVELS  FREE DROP OFF CHILD CARE C M Y CM MY CY CMY K EdinaOnTheGoAd.pdf 1 12/10/13 12:26 PM 12 • WINTER 2014 City Hires New Community Health Administrator By Jordan Gilgenbach Who keeps Edinans safe from foodborne illnesses in restaurants, high levels of carbon monoxide in underground parking garages and exposure to chemicals used in pools? No, it’s not Superman. It’s Jeff Brown and the City’s Community Health Division. In October, Brown was promoted to the position of Community Health Administrator/Sanitarian after working for more than six years as an Environmental Health Specialist for the City of Edina. The position became available after former Community Health Administrator Sherry Engelman retired. “I’m really excited to be in this new position,” Brown said. “I look forward to using my knowledge of environmental health and the skills I’ve gained since starting at the City to further keep Edina residents safe and healthy.” Brown got his start in environmental health as an intern with Brown-Nicollet Environmental Health, while going to school at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. The agency is responsible for environmental health services in Brown, Nicollet, Cottonwood and Watonwan counties. “I was hired to work on water projects,” Brown said. “I would check things like stream flow, monitor volume, gather water samples and do water quality tests.” The department also completed the four counties’ food, beverage, lodging and pool health inspections. His internship was temporarily made full-time and extended through the summer. Brown spent half the week working on water quality, and the other half in food, beverage and lodging health. “The water portion was grant-based, so when that ran out of funding, they needed someone full-time to do the food and lodging inspections,” Brown said. “I didn’t have a lot of experience in it, but was very interested in it.” Brown graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2002 with a degree in Environmental Studies, and focused on conservation, biology and the environment. The more he learned about the field, the more passionate he became. Brown stayed with Brown-Nicollet until 2004 when he transitioned to Hennepin County’s environmental health office in Hopkins to work strictly with food, beverage, lodging and swimming pools as an Environmental Health Specialist. Lynn Moore, who hired and managed Brown at Hennepin County, said, “I was really busy in my last year working at [Hennepin County] working on smoke-free ordinances. When it came time to find the right person to hand that large task off to, I looked over my staff and Jeff jumped out as the person to represent the County on smoke-free provisions. Jeff’s personality, intellectual aptitude and knowledge of public health just made him stand out for that.” 2014 WINTER • 13 At Hennepin County, Brown was one of 14 staff members tasked with inspections and the review of building plans for new restaurants, hotels and other businesses. While he enjoyed his time at the County, when a position opened at the City of Edina, he quickly applied. He was hired and started as Environmental Health Specialist/Assistant Sanitarian for the City of Edina in July 2007. “I really wanted to learn more and experience all the different levels of enforcement,” Brown said of why he wanted to work in Edina. “In addition, the way the department was structured at the County at the time, positions and advancement opportunities were limited.” In his previous work for the City of Edina, Brown conducted health inspections, provided education about environmental health and made sure establishments met the Minnesota Food Code, City Code and other federal and state regulations. After Engelman’s retirement in mid-2013, Brown was one of the first to be considered as a successor. He was appointed to oversee the Edina Police Department’s Health Division in October. “Jeff Brown is a person who thinks outside the box,” said Police Chief Jeff Long. “He has the ability to craft creative solutions in a business with a lot of gray area.” “He’s kind of got the whole package,” Moore said. “He understands the community, he understands public health, making sure the laws are obeyed … He brings that small-town kind of personality to the job, where listening Ph o t o b y M i c h a e l B r a u n Jeff Brown became the City of Edina’s Community Health Administrator in October 2013.(continued on next page) 14 • WINTER 2014 to people is important, and really comes across as a nice guy who is on your side. I think those things in particular really round out Jeff’s personality in being a good public servant.” In this new role, Brown will broaden his focus. While he will still perform some inspections at food and lodging establishments, he will also work with Bloomington Public Health on public health issues and oversee State grants that allow the City to contract with Bloomington. In addition, he will also work more on emergency preparedness and documentation. Once someone is hired to fill Brown’s previous role with the City, he will oversee a staff of two full-time employees. He will also serve as staff liaison to the Community Health Committee. “He has developed healthy working relationships with our customers and they have a great deal of respect for his process,” Long said. “This will be an easy transition for him and we are lucky to have someone like Jeff take over this position.” Brown plans to continue providing the same environmental health services, while working to improve customer service of the division. “Over the years, even before I started here, each person was sort of silo-ed as far as their responsibilities,” Brown said. “I’d like to cross train and help staff become more well rounded. This way, having a diversified staff, anyone in the Division can do anything.” Another aspect of environmental health Brown hopes to improve upon is modernizing the Division’s work. By using technology more effectively and utilizing newer software, he hopes to track complaints better, streamline inspections and create less paper waste. The Division will continue to respond to resident questions. “Residents want to be heard, responded to and taken seriously,” Brown said. Using good customer service and new technology, Brown thinks he can make it happen. For more information on Brown, or the City of Edina’s Environmental Health Division, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/Health. 2014 WINTER • 15 EDINACOMMUNITY Education SLIDE INTO SUMMER WITH EDINA COMMUNITY EDUCATIONSnow may be on the ground, but summer is on its way. Don’t wait until the last minute.Edina Family Center and Youth Programs summer registration opens in March. Visit www.edinacommunityed.org or call 952.848.3952 to learn more. Edina Community Education Services is a program of Edina Public Schools. EDINA FAMILY CENTERThe Edina Family Center provides nationally-accredited, high-quality early education programs for families with children from birth through age five. Summer offerings include:• Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)• Book Buddies (Ages 2-5)• Childcare (block time and sibling care)• Kindergarten Camp YOUTH PROGRAMSYouth programs offers fun and educational activities for ages 3-18, including a variety of subjects, formats and schedules to fit your family’s needs. Summer offerings include:• KIDS Club - All day programming for grades K-3• WISE Guys - All day programming for grades 4-5• SURGE - Field trips and recreation center for grades 6-9• Classes and Camps - All ages By Kaylin Martin The Edina Police Department is now providing 9-1-1 dispatch service for the City of Richfield. In August 2013, the Richfield City Council voted unanimously to seek 9-1-1 dispatch service from the City of Edina. By the beginning of December, Edina began dispatching for Richfield, in addition to Edina and Golden Valley. “To get an entire city’s dispatching services switched over is a lot of work, especially in 90 days,” said Edina Lead Dispatcher Tony Martin. “But we did it with Golden Valley, so we knew it was possible.” Richfield began looking to make a change last spring when the costs of running its own dispatch center became prohibitive. “Unfortunately, with the way technology is, it helps on one side, but it’s always very expensive and always changing,” said Richfield Deputy Police Chief Jay Henthorne about the $750,000 it would have cost the city in the next two years to keep its own dispatch service. “It’s bittersweet, but if it had to be done, we’re glad it’s with Edina,” said Richfield Records Technician Deb Erickson, who used to oversee the city’s dispatchers. Hennepin County and the City of Bloomington also submitted bids to dispatch for Richfield. However, with the already close relationship between the Richfield and Edina Police and Fire departments, the high price of switching to Bloomington and the fear of being lost in the County’s system, Henthorne felt contracting dispatch service with Edina was the best fit. “What we’re really happy about is that we provide the same type and level of service to residents and responders that Richfield dispatchers have been used to providing to their residents and responders,” said Edina Civilian Services Manager Laurene Draper. “In that respect, the Richfield residents and responders will just become part of our family.” Richfield signed a four-year contract and will pay Edina $168,700 annually for its services, in addition to all initial costs associated with the transition. However, the cost will decrease to $148,340 if Golden Valley moves to the County system in 2015, as it plans to do. 16 • WINTER 2014 Edina Police Takes On 9-1-1 Dispatch For Richfield Ph o t o b y K a y l i n M a r t i n On Dec. 2, Edina began dispatching for Richfield. On top of upgrades to the software and additional technologies needed to make the implementation possible, the cost included hiring three full-time dispatchers to Edina’s previous team of 10. “Fortunately, we were able to fill those three positions with dispatchers who came from Richfield’s dispatch center,” said Martin. “Their knowledge of Richfield, and its officers and residents will be invaluable as we learn alongside them.” Draper agrees. “We won’t have to break new ground here and learn all of that on our own, blind. The Richfield dispatchers will be able to guide us and teach us all of that,” she said. Draper said the Edina dispatchers are thrilled to have their team expand and are excited for the challenges that come with dispatching for another city. Between Edina and Golden Valley, Edina dispatchers process about 72,000 calls per year using computer-aided dispatching software. With the addition of Richfield, Draper expects the call load to increase to 125,000 calls per year, or about six extra calls per hour. Similar to when Edina took over Golden Valley’s dispatching, Martin says Edina residents shouldn’t see a change in service. Although, if they do, he said it will likely be for the better. “It may help solve more crimes between the cities, just like it did when Golden Valley joined us,” said Martin. “One of our first calls with Golden Valley linked the two cities together when a suspect vehicle wanted in a theft at Southdale had just committed a theft at Golden Valley’s Menards. We had a cops alert on the vehicle, and were able to catch the offender.” For more information about the expansion, contact Draper at 952-826-0475. 2014 WINTER • 17 SNORKELING EQUIPMENT and SCUBA CERTIFICATION for your TROPICAL AdvENTURES 5015 Penn Avenue S. Minneapolis 612-925-4818 www.scubacenter.com to m p e d e r s o n 18 • WINTER 2014 The Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission is accepting nominations for its Tom Oye Human Rights Award. Anyone who lives or works in Edina is eligible for the Tom Oye Human Rights Award. Nominees will be evaluated based on their efforts to foster respect and dignity for others, model courage and/or compassion in the advancement of human rights, and demonstrate leadership by example for improving human relations and/or advancing human rights. Previous winners include Edina High School graduate/filmmaker Alec Fischer in 2013 and Edina Senior Planner Joyce Repya in 2012. Oye was a longtime Edina resident and humanitarian who demonstrated courage and compassion in the advancement of human rights. He helped found the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission in 1970 and served on it for more than 30 years. He also served on the Edina Chemical Health Partners Committee and the University of Minnesota Human Relations Committee. Oye was a Nisei soldier in World War II, a first-generation Japanese American who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, one of the most decorated units in U.S. military history. In 2003, Oye received the Prize for Humanity by the Immortal Chaplains Foundation. Steve Winnick, Edina Human Rights & Relations Commissioner, is very passionate about spreading the word regarding Edina’s great humanitarians – from Oye to this year’s eventual award winner. “Edina is fortunate to have had the leadership of Tom Oye at a critical time of its growth. Human Rights issues have always been present in the background of this community’s development. Oye brought them to the foreground through his many years of service on our HRRC,” said Winnick. Winnick feels that Oye’s dedication and accomplishments laid the groundwork for many of the humanitarian advancements of the current Commission. “We authored the first domestic partners ordinance of any Minnesota small city or suburb. We have brought to the community’s attention bullying issues and recognition of past wrongs, whether committed locally, nationally or internationally. Our present work plan, including this annual award, seeks to memorialize his leadership during our early years and motivate us in the present and future,” he said. Finalists for the 2014 Tom Oye Human Rights Award will be announced in February. The award will be presented at the City’s All-Volunteer Recognition Reception in April at Braemar Golf Course. Commission Accepts Applications For Annual Human Rights Award 2014 WINTER • 19 Coverage for backups of sewers and basement drains is available, but not always included in a basic homeowner’s insurance policy. In addition, insurance companies that do offer the protection have varying amounts of coverage. Check your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if you have coverage for backups. If you do not have coverage, consider adding to your policy because in most cases the City’s insurance will not cover your damages in the event of an incident. D o You have insurance for sewer back-up s? Check your policy today! ?Applications must be received by Jan. 31, 2014 at Edina City Hall, Human Rights & Relations Commission, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. Applications also can be submitted online at www.EdinaMN.gov/HumanRights or by contacting City Manager Intern Annie Coyle at 952-826-0429 or acoyle@EdinaMN.gov. – Compiled by Frank Petrovic Providing lifetime dental health through quality, patient-centered care. Southdale Medical Center6545 France Ave. S., Suite 390 952-926-3534 ParkDental.com • All new practice• Early morning and evening appointments• Most insurances accepted• Saturdays are for children• New patients welcome PD.ED.About.Town.ad.12.9.13.indd 1 12/9/13 4:17 PM 20 • WINTER 2014 City Council Approval Of Sports Dome Sets Plans For New Facility In Motion By Michael McGivern The City hopes to have a new sports dome, ice rink and athletic fields operational by the end of 2014. The new 400-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, 250-foot-high dome, adjacent to Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way, would be inflated from November until April, but the artificial turf would be available the rest of the year. Also tapped for the project are improvements to Pamela Park, a new outdoor rink and upgrades to Braemar Arena’s east rink. “The residents of Edina have been trying to get a sports dome in our community for 10 or 12 years and I think the conditions were right this time,” said Edina Parks & Recreation Director Ann Kattreh. “Athletics have become increasingly competitive and athletes are now required to participate year round in order to be competitive. Our athletic associations have made an unprecedented commitment to make that happen.” “I grew up in Edina and one of the things I love about it here is this community is so focused on – and committed to – excellence. A lot of our neighboring communities have had domes for 10 or 15 years at this point and often times when we’re at [games], the questions we get asked by our community neighbors and friends is ‘why don’t you have a dome?’ and ‘why don’t you have better fields?’” said Jeff Northrup, Vice President of the Edina Soccer Club. “It’s been a question that’s hard to answer and now I feel the City Council, the Mayor and the community itself has said ‘you know we are committed to excellence’ and this dome is a great example of that.” Such a project has been in the works for years. At an August 2011 meeting, the City Council directed staff, under the guidance of the Park Board, to prepare a feasibility study for an indoor athletic facility. After researching the possibility of a sports dome, Parks & Recreation Consultants presented their findings in February 2012. For most of the spring and summer that year, the Park Board worked with local architecture firm The Cunningham Group to survey possible sites to build facilities. By November, the Board recommended the Braemar athletic field site to the City Council and planted the idea of expanding playing fields at multiple parks in Edina. In August 2013, the Board recommended a new outdoor ice sheet at Braemar Arena and improvements to the fields and facilities at Pamela Park. This past October’s final approval gives all parties a positive outlook. “With recent Metropolitan Council estimates for Edina’s 2040 population topping 70,000 people, we believe it is imperative for the City to actively invest now in new parks and recreation facilities that will not only address our current facility needs, but also set us on course to sustain our reputation as the most desirable city in the Twin Cities metro area,” Kattreh wrote in an Oct. 14 report to the City Council. The new dome and rink will help appease frustrations of Edina’s parents and athletes. Last year, Edina’s youth lacrosse and football associations were without a home for winter activities after the Braemar Golf Dome was taken down following a fire in February 2012. Members of 2014 WINTER • 21 Edina’s High School golf programs also had to seek off-season instruction at other various indoor facilities. In the report presented to the City Council, it was noted that last year Edina’s soccer teams lost well over 800 practices and games due to poor weather and field conditions in 2013. It is apparent that in addition to a sports dome, improvements to Pamela Park’s athletic fields are also needed. The updates to Pamela Park, 4301 W. 58th St., will be vast. A new synthetic field will give the best possible surface for athletes, the south and northeast fields will be redone as sand-based with a new crown for improved drainage, all three parking lots will be renovated, a new walking trail will be added and the park shelter rebuilt. The new outdoor ice sheet between Braemar Arena and the new sports dome will get its refrigeration from a new cooling system in the east arena, which will also get renovated restrooms and changing areas. An important aspect of the new space is its impact on scheduling for the hockey association and local figure skating club that perennially feel the pinch of limited ice time. The next steps include developing detailed financing plans for both construction costs and an annual operating budget. “Our projects are really on the fast track. We hope to have all projects completed by the end of 2014. We’ve started survey work at the Braemar site already. We hope to have plans and [specifications] done [soon]. We’ll start the Su b m i t t e d I l l u s t r a t i o n An early rendering of the Edina sports dome is shown next to Braemar Arena. The City hopes to have the new sports dome, ice rink and Pamela Park improvements done by the end of 2014. (continued on next page) Hornets Nest Braemar Arena Heritage of Edina Is Proud to Present its 5 Star Assisted Living Community • Private apartments with month to-month rental • Flexible meal plans • Transportation forshopping, banking and more • Physician visits and 24 hournursing staff on site • Personal & concierge services • Wellness program with PTA • Weekly housekeeping • Respite and hospice stays • Age in place with lovingcare, dignity and serenity Call for a tour and a FREE LUNCH! (952) 920-9145 Independent Living, Assisted Living, Extended Assisted Living and Memory Care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Unit www.heritageofedina.com Over 50 years of service to the community Exceptional 24 Hour Personal At-homeAdultAssistance&Care NURSING HHA’S COMPANIONS 612-708-1079 www.adulthelpcare.com Assisting throughout the Twin Cities. Insured •Licensed •Dependable 22 • WINTER 2014 bidding process in early 2014 and start construction by next spring,” said Kattreh. Funding for the project will come from bonds sold by the Edina Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and the City’s athletic associations. Money raised from athletes include a $30 per athlete scheduling fee to use the facilities. That will raise slightly more than $95,000 per year and nearly $1.5 million over the next 15 years. Besides the scheduling fee, the dome usage fees will range from $275 per hour for late night times to $350 per hour for peak times in the evening and weekends from January through April. During the off-season period of October to January, usage fees will be a flat rate of $320 per hour. The estimated impact of this increase in Edina’s tax levy on the median single family home, based on 2014 tax levy and valuations, would be an increase of approximately $60 to $75. The new ice sheet is a potential boon for Edina residents. No new staff would need to be hired at Braemar, nor would a new Zamboni need to be purchased. The rink’s location is also ideal because with surrounding arenas and the sports dome, it will be blocked from high sun and wind, helping save on refrigeration costs. The City has applied for a $325,000 grant with the Hennepin Youth Sports Program that would help with the overall financing. For more information, contact the Parks & Recreation Department, 952-826-0367, or visit www.EdinaParks.com. 7601 France Avenue South l Suite 300 l Edina, MN 55435 Jenny Rasmussen Financial advisor, cFP,® aaMs,® cdFaTM 952.857.1238 jenny.x.rasmussen@ampf.com © 2013 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. We offer services tailored specifically to older adults who would like to sell their home. Ted Field 612.418.3901 ted@ResultsSeniorServices.net Lisa Dunn 612.599.3484 lisa@ResultsSeniorServices.net ResultsSeniorServices.net Real Estate Designed for Seniors 2014 WINTER • 23 Celebrating 21 Years of Dance Excellence www.victoriadance.com (952) 835-7497 Edina’s PrEmiErE dancE studio 7109 Amundson Ave. Training Minnesota’s Top Dancers Since 1993! Enroll Today! VDP offers high energy classes with PROPER technique! TAP l JAZZ l CLASSICAL BALLET l LyRICAL l MODERN l HIP HOP CREATIVE MOVEMENT l MUSICAL THEATER l DANCE LINE By Jordan Gilgenbach When Carl Platou broke ground for a new hospital largely surrounded by farmland, people questioned his logic. But the hospital he helped found in the then-mostly undeveloped Southdale area would become the center of one of the metro’s largest medical districts. “Edina was mostly corn fields then, and everyone said ‘you’re going to build a hospital where? You’ve got to be kidding!’” said current Fairview Southdale Hospital CEO Brad Beard. In 1962, Platou met with the Dayton brothers, who owned the land, and presented his vision for Fairview Southdale Hospital. Several years prior, the Dayton brothers saw their own vision come to life – Southdale Center, the nation’s first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping center. After several rounds of talks, the Daytons donated the 16-acre parcel to Fairview for the new hospital. “Carl and my father, (Winston Wallin), were great friends and worked in many things together. He became a very close family friend,” said Brad Wallin who is on Fairview’s Board of Directors. “He gave me one great piece of advice: get involved in something bigger than yourself. It was truly something he lived by.” Platou, a decorated WWII war hero, was hired as Administrator of Fairview Hospital in 1952. At the time, it was one of the smallest hospitals in the metro. With his help, Fairview grew from one hospital to the sprawling health system we know today, which includes Edina’s Fairview Southdale Hospital, the “first full-service satellite hospital in the nation and a model for other hospitals throughout the country,” according to Fairview. Platou served as CEO of Fairview Southdale when it opened in 1965. Because of his vision and leadership, a group of his friends and colleagues wanted to name an Emergency Care Center expansion after him. “When it came time to support [Platou’s] legacy, we were thrilled,” Wallin said. “This project is very reflective of his legacy – it’s expansive and large, just like Carl’s vision for Fairview.” The Carl N. Platou Emergency Care Center is part of an 88,974-square-foot expansion of Fairview Southdale Hospital, 6401 France Ave. S. Construction of the new space began in September, and it is expected to open in July 2015, just in time for the hospital’s 50th anniversary. “Fairview’s mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve,” Beard said. “If you look at our current emergency room, it’s about 15,000 square feet and was meant to serve about 30,000 people annually. Today, we serve a little over 43,500 patients per year. “We think we will get between 55,000 to 60,000 visits annually. With the Metropolitan Council projecting a nearly 48 percent increase in Edina’s population by 2040– possibly reaching 70,800 – it’s Fairview’s vision to serve residents of today and of the future, in a timely manner. “The reality is that we have people come into the emergency room and see the wait and go somewhere 24 • WINTER 2014 $39 Million Emergency Center Expansion Is Under Way else. From my perspective, we are not meeting the community’s need, so this will help us meet that.” In addition to the emergency care center, the $39 million expansion includes urgent care and chronic care centers. Beard explained that parents could bring in their kids with strep throat or an earache, for example, receive the urgent care and not need to be added to the emergency room queue. “One of the most unique features,” Beard said, “is the chronic care area, for those individuals with diabetes who may need an IV for eight or 10 hours to get their glucose levels back, for example. They can come in and we will have a space that has about 18 beds so they can get those services.” The emergency care center will be four times larger than the current emergency room, and will feature 42 patient rooms, a new rooftop helipad, larger rooms for patients and families, and larger spaces specially designed for trauma and heart emergencies. “In the new setting, it will allow for a better flow for ambulances coming in,” Beard said. “We see about 600 heart attacks and about 400 strokes per year, so we anticipate this will provide a much more efficient process, working with all the emergency personnel in Edina, Richfield, Bloomington and Eden Prairie.” “Thanks to the excellent partnership between the Edina Fire Department and Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina still boasts one of the highest survival rates for heart attacks,” said Darrell Todd, Interim Fire Chief. “We are excited that this expansion will help both of our organizations serve the community better and more quickly.” Fairview Southdale Hospital is also preparing for potential disasters and mass injury or casualty incidents with its new addition. “In our new space, we will have the ability for decontamination. Right now, our ambulance garage doubles as a decontamination space. It’s not a great space to do it in, but it’s all we had,” Beard said. “We will have a dedicated space for decontamination so we could fare well in a large-scale decontamination after a chemical attack, for example.” 2014 WINTER • 25 (continued on next page) Su b m i t t e d I l l u s t r a t i o n The new Carl N. Platou Emergency Care Center at Fairview Southdale Hospital is expected to open in July 2015. Beard says Fairview Southdale’s “disaster room,” used as an emergency operations center for the hospital, would have a designated space with computers, telephones and radios readily available. Additionally, the ambulance garage will be expanded to hold up to six ambulances, instead of just four. “This really allows us to respond to a large-scale type of incident,” Beard said. “If something happened at the Mall of America or the airport, we would be able to service those patients.” According to Fairview, its Southdale Hospital, located right off Highway 62 on France Avenue, is the closest emergency room to the airport, the Mall of America and other attractions. The same goes for our own community. “With a larger ambulance garage, there is a quicker turnaround of ambulances,” said Todd, who also manages the City’s emergency operations center and emergency preparedness plan. “If they can take more ambulances, that means they are freed up faster, allowing the medics to get to more people in a shorter timeframe.” Todd said this would be crucial if a tornado or other large disaster affects Edina. With the added urgent and chronic care centers, the broad scope of the project is about saving more than just lives in the ER. “It’s a way to be more efficient, saving the health care system money, and saving people’s time,” Beard said. For more information on the new Carl N. Platou Emergency Care Center and Fairview Southdale Hospital, visit www.fairview.org/emergencycenter. 26 • WINTER 2014 edina care & rehabilitation center Your community of caring in Edina for 40 years. From our charming setting to our top- rated staff, we are our community’s dedicated provider of quality services for people who need physical, speech or occupational therapies, or more intensive help with long-term health care or memory care. Please call to arrange a visit or to ask questions. After all, that’s what neighbors are for. www.EdinaCareandRehab.org • 952.925.8500 6200 Xerxes Avenue South • Edina, MN 55432 www.smilesatfrance.com 4999 France Ave. South, Suite 230 • Minneapolis • 612-824-7033 Enhancing Smiles... Building Confindence... Changing Lives Complimentary,Cosmetic,Resorative & Implant Consultation Located at50th &France 2014 WINTER • 27 RCU Deposit Here. There. Everywhere. Now RCU lets you deposit a check from just about anywhere using a smartphone or tablet. Start with the RCU mobile app. Choose deposit. And we’ll guide you from there. RCU Edina Office 4450 West 76th Street 952-933-9000 ROYAL CREDIT UNION Your savings federally insured to $250,000 National Credit UnionAdministration, a U.S.Government Agency It’s convenient,SECURE!easy, SylvaZoraqi.edinarealty.com Office: 952-924-8739 Cell: 612-710-8081 SylvaZoraqi@edinarealty.com Sylva Zoraqi REALTOR Edina Realty 50th & France R Sylva Zoraqi REALTOR Edina Realty 50th & France R 28 • WINTER 2014 Edina Remembers ‘Days Of Remembrance’ And Victims Of Genocides The City of Edina is among national leaders in raising awareness about genocide and preventing violence and hate. In 2007, Edina became the third city in the country to pass anti-genocide legislation; in 2008, Edina divested public funds from organizations complicit with the Darfur genocide; and in 2012, Edina supported a resolution against using “conflict minerals” from Congo. In 2011, Mayor Jim Hovland signed a proclamation honoring Days of Remembrance victims and survivors. During April of that year, the Human Rights & Relations Commission invited Fred Baron to share his story of survival during the Holocaust. A copy of his speech and other Holocaust videos are available for viewing on Channel 16 every year during the month of April. In 2012, Hovland signed a proclamation indicating the City of Edina would acknowledge the National Days of Remembrance in perpetuity as well as encouraging community members to reflect on the need for respect for all people. Last spring, Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law a bill that designates every April to be Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. The bill encourages organizations to sponsor events in April to educate the public and to remember those whose lives and cultures have been forever changed. This April, the City of Edina will host a series of events with the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission and World Without Genocide. These events are free, open to the public, and educators can receive continuing education credit. “We hope our residents and business owners will join us to hear stories from people who have gone through these types of experiences and horrors in their lives and have survived to help us remember, so that we never forget,” said Human Rights & Relations Commissioner Jan Seidman. The events are:Days of Remembrance, 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square. The program includes the readers’ theater play “Upstanders: Ten Who Dared,” a performance of resistance music from the Holocaust, and the story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose, a youth resistance movement in Nazi Germany. Genocide Awareness – the 20th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10, Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. Ellen Kennedy, Executive Director of World Without Genocide and Edina resident, will speak about the situation in Rwanda today and the crisis in Congo, where six million people have perished since 1996. She will highlight Minnesota initiatives to reduce the violence. Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance, 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 13, Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. Holocaust survivor Fred Amram will speak about his experiences. This event also includes Holocaust displays and photos and participation in an ongoing art project. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov. Design your ownBusiness Cards& Postcardswith our NEW Online Ordering System! 952-920-1949 facebook.com/jerrysprintingedina Enter Promo Code: AT10 when ordering and receive 10% off! 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Convenient Location • Two Driving Levels • Professional StaffOpen 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily 7420 Braemar Blvd., Edina 952-903-5775 BraemarGolfDome.com City Launches Online Utility Payment Service In response to popular demand from Edina residents, the City has launched a free online system for paying utility bills. City utility bills, sent quarterly, include the cost of water, sewer, storm drain and recycling for most properties in Edina. The City is confident that people are going to find the online payment system hassle-free, convenient and informative. Convenience is an overall theme on the payment site, www.EdinaMN.gov/Finance. You can access your account and pay your bill at any time, compare your usage to a typical user and view your past water usage. Residents can make a one-time payment, or register to receive eBills. Once a customer registers, eBills will replace paper statements from that point on. Another available option is automatic withdrawal, which adds another level of convenience for Edina’s residents. An authorization form for auto pay can be downloaded from the site. Registered users can unregister at any time. Assistant Finance Director Eric Roggeman believes these conveniences will prove very valuable for Edina residents. “We are very excited about this new technology because it will allow our utility customers to access their data anytime, not just during regular business hours,” he said. “Customers will be able to view usage and bills and make payments online. People have asked whether these options were available in the past, and now we will be happy to tell them that there are new options.” Edina is part of Local Government Information Systems (LOGIS), a joint powers, intergovernmental consortium of Minnesota local government units. The online system for paying utility bills is a LOGIS solution. A number of nearby cities in the consortium are currently using the system, including Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and St. Louis Park. Feedback from residents in those cities has been positive. Of all the metro area cities using this online service, Eden Prairie has the highest percentage of enrollment at 19 percent. Roggeman estimates that Edina will have 20 percent of its accounts enrolled in online utility billing within two years. For more information on e-Utility Billing, contact Dona Fowler or Lori Lohmann at 952-826-0373. – By Frank Petrovic 30 • WINTER 2014 Edina Community Foundation2012-2013 Annual Report Dear Neighbors, We believe that one key measure of the Foundation’s success in serving Edina is the extent to which it effectively engages the human resources in our community. The Edina Community Foundation is pleased this year to recognize the many people who have provided leadership, support and service for the Foundation and its many programs and partnership organizations. These human resources include approximately 1,200 donors and commercial sponsors, program chairs of a half-dozen Foundation-led programs, representatives of more than 50 charitable giving partners who have Designated Beneficiary funds with the Foundation, and our Board of Directors and staff. The Foundation’s website, www.edinacommunityfoundation.org, provides more complete information about these people and programs, but we wish to highlight in this short report some of the more significant contributors to the life of the Edina community from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. We extend our great appreciation and thanks to all the people who have joined with the Foundation to help us in our mission of Strengthening Our Community. Carolyn Schroeder Dick CrockettPresident Executive Director Celebrating our People DONORS The community programs and leadership reflected in this Annual Report would not be possible without the support of the Foundation’s donors. We recognize and thank all 1,200 of them for 2012-13 on our website, as well as those who have made cumulative gifts to one or more of our 75 funds of at least $5,000 (Community Benefactors), $10,000 (Community Builders), $25,000 (Founders Club or Founders Circle), $50,000 (Heritage Circle), or $100,000 (Leadership Circle). Some significant contributors this last year include: Roger Ekman and Jim and Mary Frey (with Minji) made major gifts to both the Edina Veterans Memorial and the Foundation’s Community Support Fund. Maxine Wallin provided an effective challenge grant for other donors during Give to the Max Day and week, as well as a substantial gift to the Van Valkenburg Fund for Children. Brenda Radichel Quaye, through the William D. Radichel Foundation, was the largest donor to our Community Support Fund. We also recognize the Commercial Sponsors of our programs, with these key examples: Fairview Southdale Hospital, led by its CEO, Bradley Beard, provided major funding for both the 4th of July Fireworks and the Torchlight Concert, as well as general community support for the Foundation. Think Mutual Bank, with its Edina Branch Manager, Laura Weatherly, made a major gift to Connecting With Kids and sponsored its Leadership Breakfast, as well as an additional gift to the Edina Challenge. Lunds/Byerly’s and FlexPerks/US Bank were Presenting Sponsors of the 4th of July Parade. PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND CHAIRS The Foundation takes great pride in helping organize and fund several programs that enrich the Edina community, in large part through the efforts of these leaders: Heather Haen Anderson finished five years leading Connecting With Kids and its annual Leadership Breakfast. She was succeeded by Kris Marshall as Director of the program in the spring of 2013. After the ECF Board approved the Edina Challenge initiative in December 2012, Mamie Segall chaired the Team that met monthly to identify the five priority needs for financially disadvantaged Edina Youth to help them develop as healthy, productive adults—Mentoring, Transportation, Tutoring, Extracurricular Engagement, and Housing. Other regular members of the Edina Challenge Team included representatives of more than a dozen grant makers and service providers in the community. Maureen Millea Smith continued her leadership role of Edina Reads, arranging programs featuring Healing the Heart of Democracy by Parker Palmer, National Poetry Month, A Thinking Man’s Bully by Michael Adelberg, and Romance Novels, with Edina authors Connie Brockway and Susan Kay Law. John Swon began a new 2-year term as Chair of the Edina 4th of July Parade Committee and led a committee that again organized the community’s largest celebration with an estimated 20,000 people participating and watching the Parade. Mindy Ahler and Paul Thompson, Co-Directors of Cool Planet, worked with the Edina Energy & Environment Commission to co-sponsor an Edina Dialogue program featuring Meteorologist Paul Douglas on the topic, What’s Up with the Weather: Our Changing Climate and What We Can Do About It. DESIGNATED FUND REPRESENTATIVES The Foundation also serves as the charitable giving partner for more than 50 independent community organizations. This role involves providing fund-raising advice and support, gift acknowledgement and recognition on the Foundation’s website, banking and bookkeeping services, grantmaking for the organization’s mission, professional auditing, and annual reporting to the IRS and State Attorney General’s Office. That leaves the organization free to focus on its prime mission, and some outstanding examples of that leadership during 2012-13 included these people: Casey Hankinson organized the annual Ikola Cup golf event, which raises funds to support youth hockey in Edina, including the Foundation’s Ikola Scholarship for the Edina varsity boy’s hockey senior with the highest GPA. Andrea Kellar hosted the Golf to Life Patty Berg League, to teach life lessons and values to young girls from ages 6-15 through the game of golf. Ross Robinson served as Treasurer of the Edina High School Senior Class Party Committee, continuing the tradition of bringing graduating students and volunteer parents together to celebrate graduation in a safe and positive environment. Back, L to R: Satoru (San) Asato President and Financial Advisor McNellis & Asato, Ltd. Scot Housh (Secretary as of July 1, 2013) President and CEO Willis of Minnesota, Inc. James B. Hovland Attorney at Law Krause and Hovland Mayor, City of Edina Richard Olson Vice President of Advancement Benilde-St. Margaret’s School Ron Erhardt Financial Planner Ron Erhardt & Associates State Representative Maxine Wallin Community Philanthropist Bradley J. Beard President Fairview Southdale Hospital and Clinics Brenda Radichel Quaye (Vice President as of July 1, 2013) Principal Venstar, LLC, and New Era Development, LLC (Not pictured) Front, L to R: Paul R. Mooty, Vice President (President as of July 1, 2013) Chief Financial Officer Faribault Woolen Mill Company Bonnie McGrath, Secretary CEO, Education Partners Carolyn Schroeder, President Community Volunteer Bernie Beaver, Treasurer Retired CPA Dick Crockett, Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS OF JUNE 30, 2013 In Memoriam James Van Valkenburg was the Founding Director of the Foundation in 1977, while he was Mayor of Edina. He died in June 2013 after 36 years of dedicated service on the Board of Directors, including 10 years as its President, 9 years as its Treasurer and another 9 years as its Assistant Treasurer. The Foundation commemorated its 30th anniversary by establishing the Van Valkenburg Fund for Chil- dren in his honor, and it continues as an important source of funding for youth programs in Edina. New Directors (Terms Began July 1, 2013) Steven R. McDonaldManaging Partner Abdo Eick & Meyers, LLP Mamie Segall Senior Vice President UnitedHealthcare Directors Emeriti Dennis Maetzold Former Edina Mayor Frederick S. Richards Former Edina Mayor Geof Workinger Retired Business Executive The Foundation also contracts for bookkeeping services from Becky McNamara of FiOp and for website services from Mark Shockey. 2012-2013 Finances Our total revenue was $342,175, slightly less than our average for the last four years of $376,759. Our program services expenditures of $241,012 were 78% of our total expenditures of $310,074, which more than complied with the 70% minimum recommended by the Minnesota Charities Review Council. AUDITORS: Ellingson and Ellingson, Ltd. The complete audited statements for this and prior fiscal years, our IRS Form 990 and Minnesota Charitable Organization Annual Report are available upon request. For more information about our programs and charitable giving opportunities, contact Executive Director Dick Crockett at 952-833-9573, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina, MN 55436 or edfoundation@EdinaMN.gov or review our website at www.EdinaCommunityFoundation.org. Program Services ExpendituresCommunity Support (Total Revenue) 0   50,000   100,000   150,000   200,000   250,000   300,000   2008-­‐09  2009-­‐10  2010-­‐11  2011-­‐12  2012-­‐13   Series1   208,985 232,517 260,814 252,866 241,012 0   50,000   100,000   150,000   200,000   250,000   300,000   350,000   400,000   450,000   500,000   2008-­‐09  2009-­‐10  2010-­‐11  2011-­‐12  2012-­‐13   Series1   263,623 350,145 452,603 440,464 342,175 Fy 2012-2013 Staff Dick Crockett Executive Director Edie Opdahl Donor Services Jacqueline Asgrimson Summer Intern Marsha Buchok Development Relations (as of October 1, 2013) 2014 WINTER • 31 2012-2013 Finances Program Services Expenditures Angela Rohland, FNPArthur W. Ide, III, MD Dermatology, P.A. 952.374.5995 l www.dermatologypa.org7300 France Ave. S l Suite 400 l Edina, MN 55435 Providing complete skin care for all ages since 1917.We want to help you OWN AN EDINA HOME Want To Learn More? Contact Joyce Repya 952-826-0462 or jrepya@EdinaMN.gov Flowers of Edina 70th & Cahill (952) 944-5770 www.FlowersOfEdina.com $10 off any order over $40 Local area only. Not valid with other offers. Expires April 1, 2014 Voted Best Florist in Edina for the past 5 years! West 50th & Vernon Avenue at Hwy. 100 952-920-3996 www.washburn-mcreavy.com Family Owned & Operated Since 1857 EDINA CHAPELFUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES 32 • WINTER 2014 Community Ed Works To Leverage The Generosity, Curiosity Of The Community By Alyssa Diamond, Edina Public Schools Communications Manager Edina Public Schools Community Education Services (CES) strives to develop quality programs and services that meet the needs of both the public school population and broader community. It is with those audiences in mind that CES began the work last spring of reevaluating how it serves its adult community members. Through surveys, talking to current program participants and researching other successful adult programs, CES learned how to shape a new direction for the program. “As community educators, we are most successful when we listen and are responsive to what our community members want and need,” said Valerie Burke, Director of Edina Community Education Services. “By evaluating that input, we were able to refocus our adult services in ways that we believe will result in increased involvement, not only with our Community Education programs, but also with the entire Edina community.” Burke said that their research showed evidence of a burgeoning adult community in Edina that has a strong desire to stay engaged and connected through learning for life. These same adults also have a strong desire to serve their community through meaningful volunteer opportunities. “In addition, we heard that life can be complex at times and that getting information about and connecting to the wide variety of resources and services that can meet their needs is important to them,” Burke said. The result is a new vision for adult programming: Learn, Serve, Connect: • LEARN – Enhancement of CES’s adult and community enrichment offerings to engage adults and families in educational, community building, and social and recreational learning options. • SERVE – Expansion of CES’s volunteer program to include a wider variety of options for community members to volunteer individually, as well as bringing community experts, agencies and businesses into the schools to enhance the curriculum for students. • CONNECT – Increase awareness and utilization of the many services available at the Edina Resource Center to assist residents in times of need and help all residents feel welcome in the Edina community. Carrie Cabe, Manager of the Edina Resource Center, a cooperative venture between Edina Public Schools (EPS) and the City of Edina, has expanded her role to oversee the new Community Resources and Adult Involvement Program. Cabe and her team will be responsible for building the opportunities for community members that advance the Learn, Serve, Connect vision. “Our adult learning community is evolving,” said Burke. “Whether it is a new resident looking for ways to make new connections, someone returning to the workforce hoping to gain additional skills or someone who needs a spark of creativity to get through the winter months, the many faces of community education all have one common interest — the desire and passion to keep their mind sharp and stay connected.” 2014 WINTER • 33 With this new vision in mind, community members will see enhanced program opportunities covering a broad range of topics that help participants make connections to what they already know, to what they need to know, and to others in the community. For example, CES has partnered with The Brave New Workshop’s Student Union to bring improvisation classes to Edina for the first time as part of its winter 2014 offerings. “The benefits of an improv class are enormous, and don’t only apply to performers,” said Mike Fotis, Co-Director of the Brave New Workshop Student Union. “Anyone interested in stretching themselves creatively, sharpening their public speaking skills, learning how to react more quickly on their feet or simply meeting new people benefits from the skills taught in an improv class.” Superintendent Ric Dressen noted that the restructuring of the CES program is aligned with the district’s broader mission of ensuring that all members of the EPS community are working together to help all learners, no matter their age, reach their goals and achieve success. “We need not only our students, but also our community members, to continually grow their skills in order to meet the evolving challenges and opportunities of our modern and thriving community,” Dressen said. “This realignment of our adult learning program will help us leverage the power of our partnership with the broader public and ensure that Edina continues to be a vibrant community for everyone.” To learn more about the new Community Resources and Adult Involvement Program, including services available through the Edina Resource Center, visit www.edinacommunityed.org. Su b m i t t e d P h o t o The new enhanced Edina Public Schools Adult Community Education program provides residents with a variety of ways to advance their learning and make connections with the broader Edina community. By Kaylin Martin Whatever enters a storm sewer in Edina goes directly into area lakes and streams. This includes excess salt used to de-ice streets, driveways and sidewalks in the community. “We’re not telling residents not to use salt, but to be mindful of how much they use,” said City of Edina Water Resources Coordinator Laura Adler. Chlorides, or salts, are the main component in many de-icers that wreak havoc on local aquatic plants and animals. One teaspoon of salt can permanently pollute up to five gallons of water. “All of the little critters and aquatic plants that live in the streams and lakes, they don’t do well in salty water,” said Adler. “Chlorides can make lakes and ponds inhospitable.” The chloride levels in Nine Mile and Minnehaha creeks are too high. According to the last Total Maximum Daily Load report for Nine Mile Creek, completed in 2010, salt use would have to reduce by 60 percent in order for the creek to regain a healthy status. Adler said that may be possible because the creeks are always flowing, which means residents can really make a difference. She says there are a lot of easy things residents can do to help keep chloride out of area ponds, lakes and streams. These include: • Apply a liquid de-icer. Before a snow storm, apply a liquid de-icer to prevent snow and ice from building up. This is not a substitute for shoveling; it just makes shoveling more effective. • Shovel the snow. Shovel, snow blow or plow the snow. These are all effective measures that will remove snow and minimize ice. • Less is better. When applying salt, if there are leftover crystals still visible, sweep some up. That means the salt was over applied. Leftover salt can be reused. • Temperature matters. At low temperatures, salt starts to become less effective; check your product for more details. Common salts become ineffective when the temperature falls to below 15 degrees. • Give direction to contractors. If you see snow-removing contractors putting out too much salt, or not shoveling before de-icing, share with them what you know. For temperatures below 15 degrees, the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District recommends the use of sand, but reminds residents to sweep up any leftovers, because the sediments will fill area bodies of water. “It’s great if residents can shovel and chip ice away early in the storm and often,” said Adler. “If you can do it with elbow grease, that’s the best.” When residents and businesses are concerned about safety, that’s when they tend to over apply, she said. 34 • WINTER 2014 Environment-Friendly De-icing Methods Prevent Storm Water Pollution “Better safe than sorry, but just go back out and sweep up the left overs.” According to Adler, you only need one pound of salt for every 1,000 square feet. A pound of salt is one heaping mug-full. The salt crystals should ideally be spread about one to three feet apart. The role of the salt is to loosen the connection between the ice and the hard surface, not to replace shoveling. Another task of Adler and Streets Supervisor Shawn Anderson is to make sure the City is using the correct amount of salt. While there are no requirements as to how much salt the Public Works Department can use each winter, they have set their own ambitious goals focusing on best management practices such as using the correct amount, introducing a salt brining system and keeping the salt supply covered. “Improved technology continues to allow us to analyze and keep better track of our salt usage, so we can be the most efficient with it,” said Adler. “It’s always a balance between safety and salt usage, but we’re doing our best to reduce what we’re using, and then do the best we can with what we do use.” Anderson said the Public Works Department plans this winter to pretreat more streets, and more often, with a salt brine to mitigate the use of rock salt. Adler added that thanks to a grant, Public Works was able to purchase a brining system to wet the rock salt, so when applied, the crystals remain on the roadways where people drive instead of bouncing to the shoulders. She says this will help reduce the amount of salt needed to keep the roads safe. Adler and Anderson carefully watch how much salt is used every winter. During the average winter, Public Works will spread 2,000 tons of salt. “We want to use enough to keep the roads safe, but not too much so that we have a ton of leftover salt flowing freely into the storm sewer,” said Anderson. In order to be most effective and efficient, Anderson reminds residents to follow winter parking rules. No vehicle may be parked on a street when 1.5 inches or more of snow has fallen. Once streets and roadways have been plowed to the curb line, residents can then park vehicles on designated roadways. 2014 WINTER • 35 (continued on next page) Fi l e P h o t o One teaspoon of salt can permanently pollute up to five gallons of water, so it’s important to use the recommended amount of salt and sweep up any leftovers. In the spring, Public Works sends street sweepers out to suck up leftover sand and debris. “It’s important to take care of our lakes, ponds and creeks, and do whatever we can to ensure those critters and plants are staying healthy,” said Adler. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov or contact Adler at 952-826-0445. 36 • WINTER 2014 Valliere Room at Braemar Golf Course BRAEMARCeud MileFailte A Hole-in-One for Meeting Space • Breathtaking views • Seats up to 200 guests • Ample patio seating • O-site catering allowed • Public welcome To schedule an event or for more information, contact Amy Smith, 952-903-5765 or asmith@EdinaMN.gov. 6364 John Harris Drive, Edina www.BraemarGolf.com Reclaim your energy, memory and libido! 6600 France Ave S. Suite 163 Edina, MN 55435Alyse M. 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Expires March 31, 2014 Must present coupon at time of drop off EDINA HARDWARE “We speak fluent doohickey & whatchamacallit!” 4510 Valley View Road, Edina 952-925-1133 Celebrating 54 Years on the Corner 1960-2014 38 • WINTER 2014 By Michael McGivern The City of Edina’s Engineering Department added a 2013 Nissan Leaf this September to its fleet of vehicles. The brand new Leaf EV (electric vehicle) is a zero-emission car that is being used as the department’s inspections vehicle. Edina is at the forefront of a sea change in alternative fuel cars for municipalities. Cities are adding electric vehicles to help decrease fuel costs. Minneapolis has had electric vehicles since 2008 and Eden Prairie will soon add an electric vehicle to its fleet of squad cars. The car is cheaper to operate and had a reduced price tag. The Leaf was chosen over other EV models from Chevy and Toyota because of its lower cost. It was purchased after receiving a $5,000 grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), with the rest of the money for the purchase coming from the department’s annual budget. “Pursuing the MPCA grant made sense because the City of Edina gets to demonstrate a new technology, reduce local air emissions and save money in the long run,” said Edina Environmental Engineer Ross Bintner. The vehicle boasts good range out of its 107 horsepower engine. According to the Nissan website, the average American drives 29 miles a day, and the Leaf has an average range of 73 miles on a single charge. This equates to 129 miles per gallon in a standard fuel combustion engine while city driving. Regarding what it costs to power the 24kW battery, Edina resident and Leaf owner John Hipchen did the math: “At 8.5 cents per kW per hour, it costs a little over $2 to charge the battery from zero to full. It costs less than $15 to power this car per week.” With more than $400,000 spent by the Public Works Department in 2012 on gas, any means of saving money is welcomed. “The electric vehicle allows us to showcase new, more efficient technology,” said Water Resources Coordinator Laura Adler, another member of the Engineering Department. “We’re showing employees and the public that an EV can be a realistic alternative to gas-powered vehicles.” Edina Goes Electric Ph o t o b y S c o t t D e n f e l d The brand new Leaf EV (electric vehicle) is a zero-emission car that on average costs less than $15 to power each week. Work Right. Live Well.™ Helping people choose careers they love. Choose or change your career for a lifetime of satisfaction and success. Your extraordinary life is waiting for you. Kelly M. Lewis Coaching & Associates Career Choice Coaching 952.456.8467 www.kellymarielewis.com Request a Complimentary Career Strategy Session Career Change | Work/Life Balance | Encore Career | College Major Selection 2014 WINTER • 39 According to the University of Minnesota’s Alternative Vehicle Decision Tool, over a 15-year span, the average cost to own and operate a conventional fuel combustion automobile is $41,404, while a plug-in electric vehicle like the Leaf costs $33,955. Besides just gasoline, standard vehicle maintenance like oil changes and other routine fluid changes don’t apply to the Leaf, adding savings over the long run. “Public Works is excited to service a vehicle that reduces our overall consumption of gasoline. It is a great vehicle to use within the City. It runs smooth and is quiet,” said Public Works Director Brian Olson. There are no plans to add another EV to Edina’s fleet, but the Engineering Department’s satisfaction with the Leaf leaves the door open for the City to look at more in the future. “It’s a great fit for what we use it for,” said Interim Engineering Director Chad Millner. “The response from the department has been overwhelmingly positive.” For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/GoGreen. Author’s Note: After driving the vehicle on multiple occasions, the EV’s range and size might not be ideal for a family of five where hockey tournaments and dance recitals are the norm, but for a business or municipality, people who don’t commute much, or those looking for a vehicle for quick errands, the Leaf combines cost effectiveness, sneaky quickness that doesn’t make you fear a freeway and a wide array of options like satellite radio and heated seats. Stephane CattelinGRI, e-PRO, CIPS, TRC The InternationalApproach to Real Estate Serving the Edina French-American Community Realtor/Agent Immobilier Minneapolis Lakes Office SaCattelin@CBBurnet.com612-924-4352 Office612-703-8229 Mobilewww.StephaneCattelin.com Owned and Operated by NRT Incorporated 40 • WINTER 2014 YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS Pam Allen 952-221-2177 Jeff and Diane Anderes 952-927-2842 Ann Burbidge 612-889-4177 John Everett 952-927-1646 Mark Granlund 612-803-8129 Ruthann Holetz 952-927-1624 Patrick Howard 612-382-3109 Jim Jaeckels 612-281-5834 Mary Greig Krieter 612-719-0665 Jane Larson 612-720-1048 John MacKany 952-927-1163 John McDonald 952-927-1197 Kim Melin 952-201-4758 JoanE Mitchell 952-927-1147 Jane Oelfke 952-200-5712 Jude Dugan Olson 952-927-1186 Aaron Ouska 612-940-8020 Ginna Raming 952-210-8342 Kevin Ries 952-927-1196 Tom & Erick Ries 952-927-1191 Margie and John Sampsell 952-927-1195 Josh Sprague 612-501-0252 Jim Starr 612-247-5898 Michael Tierney 952-927-1676 Susan Wahman 952-927-1114 Corky Weber 952-927-1198 Chris Willette 612-388-8828 Dan Willette 952-927-1694 Find us at edina6800.edinarealty.com Find us at edina50thandfrance.edinarealty.com EDINA 6800 OFFICE EDINA 50TH & FRANCE Pam Aagaard 952-261-7576 Dave Anderson 612-750-2209 Sandy Bainbridge 952-915-7980 Babette and John Bean 952-924-8722 Megan Brinkman 612-802-5057 Krysta Clark 952-924-8707 Morgan Clawson 612-810-5793 Sheila Cronin 952-915-7951 Karen Daly 952-924-8746 Amy Deckas 612-735-7430 Patti Eastman 952-924-8786 Lisa Eckert 952-915-7964 Jesalyn Garrett 612-210-7205 Mary Beth Goulett 612-309-3967 Zeb Haney 952-924-8742 Janie Hays 952-924-8721 Stephanie Hays 612-787-8736 Mark Kouatli 612-708-8400 Kyle Litwin 612-803-5595 Bob and Francy Matson 612-865-3549 Brad and Amy McNamara 952-924-8785 Tom and Meg Meyers 952-924-8712 Andy Mitchell 612-242-4514 Andrew Olive 612-669-7452 Marcia Russell 612-965-7997 Margaret Shaw 952-928-9810 Linda Smaby 612-325-7972 Kristin Smith 612-965-0030 Kathie Volland 952-915-7934 2014 WINTER • 41 YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS Pam Allen 952-221-2177 Jeff and Diane Anderes 952-927-2842 Ann Burbidge 612-889-4177 John Everett 952-927-1646 Mark Granlund 612-803-8129 Ruthann Holetz 952-927-1624 Patrick Howard 612-382-3109 Jim Jaeckels 612-281-5834 Mary Greig Krieter 612-719-0665 Jane Larson 612-720-1048 John MacKany 952-927-1163 John McDonald 952-927-1197 Kim Melin 952-201-4758 JoanE Mitchell 952-927-1147 Jane Oelfke 952-200-5712 Jude Dugan Olson 952-927-1186 Aaron Ouska 612-940-8020 Ginna Raming 952-210-8342 Kevin Ries 952-927-1196 Tom & Erick Ries 952-927-1191 Margie and John Sampsell 952-927-1195 Josh Sprague 612-501-0252 Jim Starr 612-247-5898 Michael Tierney 952-927-1676 Susan Wahman 952-927-1114 Corky Weber 952-927-1198 Chris Willette 612-388-8828 Dan Willette 952-927-1694 Find us at edina6800.edinarealty.com Find us at edina50thandfrance.edinarealty.com EDINA 6800 OFFICE EDINA 50TH & FRANCE Pam Aagaard 952-261-7576 Dave Anderson 612-750-2209 Sandy Bainbridge 952-915-7980 Babette and John Bean 952-924-8722 Megan Brinkman 612-802-5057 Krysta Clark 952-924-8707 Morgan Clawson 612-810-5793 Sheila Cronin 952-915-7951 Karen Daly 952-924-8746 Amy Deckas 612-735-7430 Patti Eastman 952-924-8786 Lisa Eckert 952-915-7964 Jesalyn Garrett 612-210-7205 Mary Beth Goulett 612-309-3967 Zeb Haney 952-924-8742 Janie Hays 952-924-8721 Stephanie Hays 612-787-8736 Mark Kouatli 612-708-8400 Kyle Litwin 612-803-5595 Bob and Francy Matson 612-865-3549 Brad and Amy McNamara 952-924-8785 Tom and Meg Meyers 952-924-8712 Andy Mitchell 612-242-4514 Andrew Olive 612-669-7452 Marcia Russell 612-965-7997 Margaret Shaw 952-928-9810 Linda Smaby 612-325-7972 Kristin Smith 612-965-0030 Kathie Volland 952-915-7934 By David KatzContributing Writer Few legal rights are as deep-seated in American society as those associated with the institution of marriage. And few are as easy to take for granted – unless those inherent privileges and responsibilities are conspicuously denied to you. Until very recently, this was the reality for same-sex couples in Minnesota. As civil rights advocate and Edina native Lee Anderson can tell you, the distinction under the law is not a trivial one. “Many laws related to marriage are there to protect spouses at the worst times of their lives: death, hospitalization, disability or financial hardship.” In states where gay marriage is not recognized, same-sex spouses often have little or no legal say in their significant other’s medical treatment decisions. Moreover, in the event of the worst, same-sex spouses are not afforded the same burial rights and estate protections and privileges of a heterosexual spouse in the same situation. Anderson’s husband, William Fehrenbach, is all too familiar with this legal inequality. In June 2012, Anderson sustained a serious head injury in a bicycling accident, rendering him unconscious. First responders notified Fehrenbach that they were taking him to the Hennepin County Medical Center. “Despite being legally recognized as married elsewhere, and despite having every possible paper signed, I was unsure if I would even be let in to see Lee, much less to say goodbye if necessary ... You see, he was a legal stranger to me,” Fehrenbach recalled. Fortunately, Anderson recovered quickly from what ended up being a relatively minor injury. Even so, the episode underscored and reaffirmed the couple’s life-standing mission to see marriage equality extended to all committed couples in Minnesota, regardless of orientation. If their civil rights campaigning can be dated back to any one point, it is to 2004, when Minnesota lawmakers introduced the first of several constitutional amendment proposals proscribing gay marriage. Anderson and Fehrenbach found the heated legislative discussion to 42 • WINTER 2014 Advocacy Group With Edina Roots Celebrates Marriage Milestone, Looks To The Future Ph o t o b y M i c h a e l B r a u n Civil rights advocates Lee Anderson and William Fehrenbach’s work paid off on Aug. 1, 2013, when their legal marriage was finally recognized in their home state of Minnesota. be not only distressing, but very much at odds with the Minnesota they knew. Fortuitously, both had extensive professional experience in government affairs, and “had an inkling of what might be good next steps … to change the debate around same-sex couples,” Fehrenbach said. Pulling inspiration from an ambitious and well-received awareness campaign in Maryland, Anderson assembled a team of volunteer legal professionals from William Mitchell College of Law to comb through all of Minnesota’s laws and log each and every statute that discriminated against same-sex couples “by conferring rights, benefits or obligations” on opposite-sex married couples while excluding their same-sex counterparts. By the end of the process, the team had identified 515 such citable cases. Fehrenbach saw in the number a convenient and poignant symbol of what they were fighting for. Shortly thereafter, when the growing group’s advocacy efforts coalesced into a non-profit organization aimed at righting these injustices, he suggested they call it “Project 515.” In the time since, Project 515 “has grown to include a great staff of true leaders, a tremendously dedicated Board, and countless volunteers and other contributors,” Anderson said. In just six short years, what started modestly enough as a series of informal meetings among close friends at the Anderson-Fehrenbach house has blossomed into a strong voice at the vanguard of the long fight to see marriage equality come to Minnesota. While Project 515 has involved itself in nearly every facet of this complex issue, the organization’s most conspicuous efforts are in the important realms of government advocacy and community education. Project 515’s efforts at the Capitol first bore fruit in 2009, when the state legislature approved a bill allowing same-sex spouses to file wrongful death claims. “While the Governor vetoed it, this generated a sharp response. The Star-Tribune even ran a feature editorial against the veto. That helped people recognize that this was an issue that must be addressed,” Anderson said. That same year, Project 515 helped pass a change in Minnesota’s Medicaid lien law protecting families from the threat of losing their home when one same-sex spouse enrolls in Medicaid. The group’s government advocacy culminated in 2012 and 2013, with the final push for full marriage equality followed closely on the heels of the defeat of the Minnesota Marriage Amendment aimed at restricting marriage to one man/one woman. “The 2012 election felt like a big hug from Minnesota,” Fehrenbach said. Achieving Project 515’s first and greatest goal in such a short time was made possible only through a groundswell of public support in favor of a definitive end to discriminative treatment. Anderson and Fehrenbach can attribute with pride a portion of that support to Project 515’s own devoted volunteers and far-reaching education programs. 2014 WINTER • 43 (continued on next page) In addition to hard campaigning in the metro, proponents visited with city committees, school boards and everyday residents across the state to share both their legal research and heart-wrenching real-life stories of Minnesota families impacted by those statutes. Several even formed a traveling theatre troupe, the “515 Players,” to give audiences an artistic but approachable portrayal of the issue and what is at stake. Not surprisingly, the Project 515 team has garnered its fair share of accolades over the years, including a nod to Anderson and former Executive Director Laura Smidzik as Lavender Magazine’s 2009 “People of the Year.” By far and away, though, Anderson and Fehrenbach (who first tied the knot in Minnesota in a religious ceremony in 1998, and have since legally married in several U.S. states and in Canada) feel that the best possible validation of their efforts came on Aug. 1, 2013, when, at long last, they were able to legally wed in their beloved home state. But Anderson, Fehrenbach and the Project 515 leadership don’t intend to go out on that proverbial “happily ever after.” “We still have work to do. We are dedicated to staying in place until our mission is completed,” said Project 515 Communications Director Eric Jensen. “To get that done, we must [continue to educate] people around the state about the rights, benefits and obligations that are triggered by legal marriage.” In addition, “We will keep a close eye on any issues that arise with implementation of the law, and support legislators who supported us with a ‘Yes’ vote on the freedom to marry through our Project 515 Political Action Committee.” While there may yet be battles to fight, optimism is warranted. Project 515 Executive Director Ann Kaner-Roth sums it up best. “When Project 515 was founded, there was absolutely no recognition of same-sex relationships by the State of Minnesota… And now, just six years later, we live in a state that recognizes full marriage for same-sex couples. It’s almost unbelievable how much we can achieve through the hard work and dedication of volunteers like Lee and William.” For more information on Project 515, including opportunities for you to get involved, visit project515.org. 44 • WINTER 2014 2014 WINTER • 45 6600 France Ave. Suite 310 Cleaning & Prevention, Cosmetic Dentistry, Periodontal Disease Treatment & Restoration Schedule an appointment www.MarkJohnsondds.com or call 952-941-1911 Creating Beautiuful Smiles for 30 Years! Mark J. Johnson, DDS *Mention this ad for a complimentary initial examNMLS ID 607702 www.duffmortgage.com 612.384.9542 | tduff@bellbanks.com Tom Duff, Mortgage Banker Contact me today to discuss your home financing needs. Experience the Bell Mortgage difference. Grandview Southdale 50th & France EdinaLiquor.com Every Purchase You Make Helps Improve Our Roads FEWER BOTTLENECKS All Your Favorite Brands • Three Convenient Locations Friendly, Knowledgeable Staff 46 • WINTER 2014 A beloved dog at 50th & France has been saved. “Spaulding,” a bronze dog by St. Bonifacius, Minn., artist Heidi Hoy, was formally presented to the City Nov. 1 at a celebration next to the sculpture outside Salut Bar Americain at 50th & France. Hoy was presented a check for $7,650 by the SAVE Spaulding! fundraising team, which included Zach Saueressig and Kip Clayton of Parasole, owners of Salut; Ann Swenson, City Council; Larry Friedrichs and members of the Edina Lions Club; Dick Crockett, Executive Director of the Edina Community Foundation; Barbara La Valleur, Chair of the Edina Public Art Committee and Edina Arts & Culture Commissioner; and Rachel Thelemann, Executive Director of the 50th & France Business & Professional Association. “It’s heartwarming that the campaign was so successful. We were able to raise more than $10,500 in just six weeks for Spaulding. Now, we have significant additional dollars available toward future sculpture purchases,” La Valleur said. “That really puts the ‘public’ in Public Art.” Other community members whose generous contributions helped save Spaulding include Edina residents Doug and Sharon Pugh, whose daughter, Anna, is a student member of the Edina Public Art Committee. The couple made a lead gift of $1,000. Peregrine Capital Management donated $2,500. Other contributors donating $1,000 each were Pacy Erck, Jerry and Lisa O’Brien and Warren and Mary Lynn Staley. Salut contributed 10 percent of one day’s receipts, plus revenue from a dunk tank during Pumpkin Festival at 50th & France. The Lions Club contributed $500. Numerous people gave between $1 and $100 at money jars located at Salut, the Edina Grill, Mozza Mia and at two Lions events in October. Several individuals sent checks directly to the Community Foundation, the charitable giving partner for the art committee. Spaulding was one of 11 sculptures in the 2012 Edina Public Art rotating exhibition. For more information about public art in Edina, visit www.EdinaPublicArt.org. Spaulding STAYS! Ph o t o b y K a y l i n M a r t i n In just six weeks, a team raised $7,650 to buy the bronze sculpture “Spaulding” for the City’s permanent art collection. 2014 WINTER • 47 Looking for new digs? We’ll sniff out a new home for you. Fred Little, Realtor, GRI 952-220-3733 fredlittle@edinarealty.com www.fredlittle.edinarealty.com Dr. Tompach and his team at Edina Facial Aesthetic Specialist are committed to excellence and dedicated to making your visit with us personalized and comfortable. Y 6545 france avenue south #690 | edina, mn 55435 | 952.925.2525 edinafacialaesthetics.com Services and products include Botox® Cosmetic, Juvéderm® Ultra XC, Latisse,® Clarisonic, and Revision Skincare Minnesota Center, Suite 270 I 7760 France Avenue South l Minneapolis, MN 55435 Tom Gartner TOM GARTNER, CFP®Fiduciary Financial Planner ISC FINANCIAL ADVISORS % (952) 835-1560 Your Ad HERE! Showcase your business to more than 47,900 Edina residents in the City’s official publication, About Town. Contact Barb Pederson, Ads@EdinaMN.gov or 612-998-7412. 48 • WINTER 2014 Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka And St. Louis Park Join Network That Helps Military Service Families By Frank Petrovic A veteran lived in her car until someone noticed her in a parking ramp and notified the Edina Police Department, who then contacted the Southwest Twin Cities Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network (SWTCBTYR). They quickly helped her find an apartment. A veteran in St. Paul was in urgent need of a hospital bed. SWTCBTYR found a family in Wayzata who no longer needed theirs. SWTCBTYR coordinated the move with the help of a moving company, who transferred the bed for free. Other recent examples of SWTCBTYR’s work include procuring a walker for a veteran’s spouse, finding a stationary bike for a vet’s rehab and getting a wheelchair for a vet who broke his leg. The SWTCBTYR is a coalition made up of the cities of Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and St. Louis Park that creates awareness for the purpose of connecting service members and their families with community support, training, services and resources. Since officially proclaimed part of the statewide Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program in October, the four suburbs are now solely focused on improving their communities on a grassroots level, recruiting supporters and volunteers, and fine-tuning their organization to deliver assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible. They are asking all military service members, Guard, Reserves, veterans and their families to simply get in touch with SWTCBTYR to discuss all of the resources available to them. Mary Brindle, Edina City Council Member and Committee Co-Chair, encourages residents in the four cities to get involved. “If you would like to volunteer, please visit the SWTCBTYR website,” she said. “If you are a military person or veteran and wish to have assistance with something, please don’t hesitate.” There are myriad options available to those who need them. The goal of the network is to help in any way possible – to listen to a family’s issues and then work to make their lives a little easier, to make their days a bit brighter. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon aims to help all Su b m i t t e d P h o t o SWTCBTYR’s mission is simple – to do whatever they can to help service members. 2014 WINTER • 49 service members, currently active or not, get assistance for themselves and their families whenever they need it. Much of this assistance is needed during deployment, but help is available anytime. Edina resident Jocelyn Northenscold, whose husband was deployed to Afghanistan, is thankful for the support she received from Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. With a small child at home, and another on the way, having volunteers take care of things such as snow removal and yard work was a blessing. “I had people who were willing to step up and help a military family, which was great,” she said. Jason Gadd, Hopkins City Council Member and Committee Co-Chair, is proud of the network’s successes so far, and looks brightly toward the future. “We are excited to be a part of this joint effort between our cities to provide services and resources to our veterans and military families. We look forward to seeing the volunteer network of the four cities in action,” he said. Gadd’s partners in the other suburbs echo this mindset of enthusiasm and purpose. “St. Louis Park understands the important role that community support plays in the lives of service members and their families,” said St. Louis Park City Manager Tom Harmening. “Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a great opportunity for all of our cities to join together and connect and engage with these important community members.” Minnetonka City Manager Geralyn Barone agrees. “We are very pleased to be part of the Southwest Twin Cities Beyond the Yellow Ribbon coalition, and we look forward to continuing to work with our neighboring cities to show our support for military members and their families,” she said. Northenscold’s relationship with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon has helped alleviate some of the pressures inherent in the day-to-day lives of military families. She feels it has made a real impact on her life, and that it gives her peace of mind and more time to focus on other things. She encourages all military service members and their families to get in touch with the organization to discuss support options. “The best advice I can give is reach out for help,” she said. “Reach out and ask for the things that you think you may need, or the things that you don’t know that you need, because there’s support for you.” For more information on Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, visit www.swtcbeyondtheyellowribbon.org/ or contact Gadd, 612-839-7030 or Jason@nexgenassociates.com. 50 • WINTER 2014 Business Notes Galleria Welcomes The North FaceThe North Face has a new location at the Galleria, 3510 Galleria, on the east end of the mall between Bluemercury Spa and Pittsburgh Blue. The nearly 6,000-square-foot store, which opened in October, is the third location from the brand in the Twin Cities, joining stores in Uptown Minneapolis and St. Paul’s Grand Avenue. The store features outdoor apparel for all seasons and activities, ranging from running to camping to skiing. The brand has built itself into a leader of outdoor apparel and philanthropic endeavors to save endangered wildlife and land and sponsors global exploration. “This location serves as an urban base camp for outdoor enthusiasts from the area, which enjoys recreating on the trails and around the many parks and lakes in the area. There are also many skiers who travel west for winter vacations, but want to outfit themselves before departing,” said Lindsay Rice, The North Face Direct to Consumer Vice President. For more information about The North Face, call 952-929-1641 or visit www.thenorthface.com Chiropractor Moves Into Vernon ShopsA chiropractic clinic, HealthSource of Edina, 5107 Gus Young Lane, opened its doors on Oct. 21 and is run by Dr. Andrea Wahlin. The practice takes up a part of the space left when Blockbuster Video closed in February 2013.Wahlin’s practice is designed for those dealing with nagging injuries and illness, athletes of any age, rehabilitation patients and people seeking a healthier lifestyle. Besides progressive wellness therapy and supplementation advice, Wahlin is proud of the local support her practice brings. “HealthSource brings a lot of service to the community,” she explained. “We do company wellness lectures, we come to places to do ‘stress breaks’ for people who want a brief massage and do food drives where you can bring in goods in exchange for complimentary exams and X-rays.” HealthSource is a national chain with 23 Twin Cities metro locations. For more information or to set up a consultation or appointment with Wahlin, call 952-303-6043. New Members Join Business GroupsThe Edina Chamber of Commerce and 50th & France Business & Professional Association recently welcomed new members. Su b m i t t e d P h o t o Dr. Andrea Wahlin 2014 WINTER • 51 Joining the Chamber recently were Abelard Construction Inc.; Barr Engineering Co.; Barrett & Company Insurance Services; Carl M. Hansen Companies; Coffee Mill, Inc.; Davies & Associates; Jennifer Esseff, CFP; HealthSource of Edina; Imaging Path; Insty-Prints; iSpace Furniture; Laurie A. Olson, Esq. LLC; Meagher & Geer, PLLP; Metro Sales; Nothing Bundt Cakes; Nova Communications; One Southdale Place; Paradigm Partners; Qumu Corp.; RE/MAX Results -- Larry Boatman; Rodan and Fields Dermatologists; Sedona Skin Spa, Inc.; Stiles Financial Services, Inc.; The Mahon Center at the Church of St. Patrick; Woods & Thompson, P.A.; and Zen Healing Center. “The Edina Chamber is thrilled to welcome newly joined members to our organization. We very much appreciate their membership and look forward to connecting them within our community,” said Erica Hollom, Director of Member Services. Ten Thousand Villages and Ala Mode – Boutique & Nail Spa recently joined the 50th & France Business & Professional Association. 50th & France Business Association Executive Director Rachel Thelemann is thrilled to have the new stores in the area, saying, “New businesses on the corner [of 50th & France] brings new ideas and energy to everyone. “These new businesses help drive traffic for us all and the association is thrilled they are here. We have a diverse selection of businesses and they each complement our shopping district as a destination.” For more information on the Edina Chamber of Commerce, visit www.edina.org or call 952-806-9060. For more information on the 50th & France Business & Professional Association, visit www.50thandFrance.com or call 952-922-1524. – Compiled by Michael McGivern 52 • WINTER 2014 Think Mutual Bank To Build New BranchThere’s another redevelopment project in the works near Southdale. Think Mutual Bank plans to tear down the vacant Szechuan Star restaurant next to Byerly’s and build a two-story, 8,441-square-foot bank and office building at 3655 Hazelton Road. The first level would be used for the bank. The upper level would be 3,333 square feet and include a community or training room, storage, employee lounge and a rooftop patio. The City Council approved a site plan for the project in December. Construction on the bank, which will be adjacent to the Edina Promenade, is expected to begin early this year. City OKs Southdale Medical Office ExpansionEdina’s medical community continues to grow. Last fall, the City Council approved a 60-thousand-square-foot expansion of the Southdale Medical Office building at 6525 to 6545 France Ave. The four-story addition will be located on the south side of the existing building and west of the existing parking ramp. Construction has begun on the project. For more information, contact the City of Edina’s Planning Division, 952-826-0369, or Economic Development Manager Bill Neuendorf, 952-826-0407. Planning Matters Su b m i t t e d I l l u s t r a t i o n The City Council approved a site plan for the Think Mutual Bank project in December. Construction on the bank, which will be adjacent to the Edina Promenade, is expected to begin early this year. 2014 WINTER • 53 City Of Edina Facilities Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. 952-927-8861 Edina Aquatic Center, 4300 W. 66th St. 952-833-4590 (May-August) 952-833-9542 (September-April) Edina Art Center, 4701 W. 64th St. 952-903-5780 Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way 952-833-9500 Braemar Golf Course, 6364 John Harris Drive 952-903-5750 Braemar Golf Dome, 7420 Ikola Way 952-903-5775 Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S. 952-833-9580 Edina Liquor – 50th & France, 3943 50th St. 952-903-5720 Edina Liquor – Grandview, 5013 Vernon Ave. 952-903-5740 Edina Liquor – Southdale, 6755 York Ave. S. 952-903-5730 Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square 952-833-9570 Edinborough Park, 7700 York Ave. S. 952-833-9540 Fire Station No. 1, 6250 Tracy Ave. 952-826-0330 Fire Station No. 2, 7335 York Ave. 952-826-0357 Fred Richards Golf Course, 7640 Parklawn Ave. 612-915-6606 (April-September) Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility, 7450 Metro Blvd. 952-826-0376 South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, 7525 Braemar Blvd. 952-903-5700 Elected Officials Jim Hovland, Mayor 612-874-8550Joni Bennett, Council Member 952-927-0661Mary Brindle, Council Member 952-941-7746Josh Sprague, Council Member 612-501-0252Ann Swenson, Council Member 952-927-7524 Cathy Cella, School Board Member 951-829-5302David Goldstein, School Board Member 952-255-9295Randy Meyer, School Board Member 612-720-3711 Regina Neville, School Board Member 952-351-4164Lisa O’Brien, School Board Member 612-812-5569Sarah Patzloff, School Board Member 952-926-7309Leny Wallen-Friedman, School Board Member 612-799-0222 Jan Callison, County Commissioner 612-348-3168 Melissa Franzen, Senator 612-564-3299Ron Erhardt, Representative – 49A 952-927-9437Paul Rosenthal, Representative – 49B 651-271-8131 Officially Recognized Neighborhoods Concord Neighborhood AssociationContact: Phil Holm; philholm@edinarealty.com CountrysideContact: Christine Henninger; cmhjns@gmail.com Morningside Neighborhood AssociationContact : Jennifer Janovy; Edina.morningside@gmail.com General Information Call 952-927-8861 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for general information. If you have a situation after hours or on weekends, but do not require immediate response from a paramedic, firefighter, police officer or Public Works crew, call the Police Department’s non-emergency number, 952-826-1610. 54 • WINTER 2014 The Last Word I recently had a telephone conversation with a resident who had a concern about a particular issue. The caller was concerned about whether the City would allow some land currently owned by the City to be purchased and redeveloped by a private real estate developer. The resident asked me if the public was going to get a chance to weigh in on a particular issue. It’s a normal question. I get it all the time. But when I heard it that day, something about it struck me. As I reflect on the conversation, I think what struck me was the caller’s side comment that unless the City had a public process involving public meetings or hearings, the public would have no say in the matter. I politely acknowledged the comment on the telephone, but the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. There is ample public process for this, and most other, public issues. We are available and ready to engage residents with concerns. On this issue, for example, there is already a City Council-appointed task force with a dozen members studying and discussing this specific question. Their meetings are public. Anyone may attend. Then there is also the City Council. The City Council is elected by the residents of Edina to represent them in the city governing process. By definition, the members of the City Council represent the public and the publics’ various interests. Council Members run for office knowing they will hear from the public. They get comments, ideas and critique all the time on a wide array of issues. They know that receiving public input is an important part of their role in city government. Some would say it’s their most important role in city government. Phone calls. E-mails. Blog comments. Letters. Facebook posts. Tweets. Dialogue on SpeakUpEdina.org. These are all recognized means of sharing your ideas, concerns and critique with your city government. City government is better when the governed participate in their government. Do you have something to tell your city government officials? Tell us. We’re listening. Scott H. NealCity Manager 2014 WINTER • 55 Edina’s #1 Builderin 2012 & 2013! Build with Edina’s Top Permitted New Home Builder Two Years Running! Call Today about Available Homes & Homesites in Edina Sell Your Existing Home to JMS - Call for Details Award-Winning Industry Leader Since 1985 952.949.3630 www.JMSCustomHomes.com MN Builder Lic. #BC392462 AboutTownAboutTown Magazine City of Edina 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.EdinaMN.gov ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDTWIN CITIES MNPermit No. 3932