HomeMy WebLinkAboutEdition Edina April 2022Edina Chamber Launching Innovation Hub
$100K in ARPA Funding Will Help Establish Program to Assist Businesses
BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND
2022 is the Edina Chamber of Commerce’s
50th anniversary, and it was supposed
to be a year of celebrations: the biggest
gala yet, special events and cheering a
new accelerator program aimed to help
emerging businesses.
COVID-19 changed all that. When the
pandemic shut everything down in 2020,
the Chamber lost more than 50 of its 410
members as businesses scrambled to cut
costs to survive. All the fundraisers and
special events were either canceled or
went virtual. President Lori Syverson said
the Chamber’s revenue plummeted about
73 percent.
“Here we are, the Chamber of Commerce
that people turn to in times of crisis,
yet we were one of those businesses,”
Syverson said.
The Chamber’s leadership got to work,
reaching out to businesses to find
out what they needed most. Stopgap
measures like the federal Paycheck
Protection Program or CARES Act funding
kept many businesses afloat, but they
needed help adapting to new business
models that emerged from the pandemic.
“They were telling us, ‘We survived the
last two years, but we don’t think we can
survive the next two,’” Syverson said.
“They are being forced to change how
they do things, and they are not sure how
they do that.”
So the Chamber shifted its business
accelerator into the Edina Innovation Hub,
using the $100,000 in American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the City of
Edina to launch it later this year.
In explaining the hub, Syverson and
Chamber Board of Directors Chairman
Steve Blexrud cited the parable about
“give a man a fish and you feed him for
a day. Teach him to catch a fish and you
feed him for a lifetime.”
“I can be the best cupcake baker in the
world, but if I don’t know how to market
cupcakes in today’s environment, my
business won’t succeed,” Blexrud said as a
made-up example.
Businesses, whether they are new or have
been around for 20 years, will come to the
hub with a problem, or problems. The hub
will have them working one-on-one with
experts to learn skills – from accounting
to marketing to online sales – so they can
succeed on their own. While the Chamber
is already doing some of this work, the
hub will have a physical space for
learning. In addition to core business
functions, topical training will be offered,
like dealing with staffing during the
“Great Resignation.”
President Lori Syverson and Board Chairman Steve Blexrud are optimistic the Edina Chamber
of Commerce’s new Edina Innovation Hub will give local businesses the skills to thrive.
(Photo by Dan Reisig)
The Chamber is already seeing an influx of
new members eager to participate in the
hub. Bill Neuendorf, the City’s Economic
Development Manager, hailed the hub as
an excellent idea to help businesses.
Gone are the days when Chambers of
Commerce could rely on a few events
where business cards were exchanged
and call it a success. The Edina Chamber is
starting off its 50th anniversary becoming
the Chamber of the future, working hand
in hand to ensure businesses succeed
and to draw new businesses to the area.
Celebrations can wait.
“I’m very excited and as proud as I’ve
ever been to be a Chamber member right
now,” Blexrud said.
Learn more about the Edina
Chamber of Commerce at
EdinaChamber.com.
City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1
Edition: Edina
APRIL 2022
Volume 9, Issue 4Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City
BY THE NUMBERS
Planning Division
- COMPILED BY RICARDO ACOSTA
The Planning Division is part of the Community Development
Department and is responsible for maintaining and updating the
City’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning map, issuing sign permits,
and overseeing the U.S. Census data, among other tasks key to
Edina’s vibrant community.
11 The number of
volunteers appointed
by the City Council
to the Planning
Commission.
98 The percentage of
land fully developed
in Edina.
On average, the Planning
Division reviews and submits
to the City Council between
20 and 30 requests each
year from developers for subdivision, rezoning,
site plan, Comprehensive Plan amendments, and
conditional-use permit approval.
20+ In 1929, Edina was
the first village in
the state to appoint
a Planning Commission.
In 1957, the City hired the
first full-time Planning
Director in the state.
1
Summer Jobs Offer Fun, Learning in Edina’s Favorite Places
Teens, College Students, Retirees Help Community Celebrate the Season
BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND
A summer job means earning extra
money, meeting new people, maybe
even spending more time outdoors.
A summer job in Edina often means
a lot more.
“It’s a chance to be a part of the
community and serve the community by
working at a place you’ve spent time at,”
said Dawn Beitel, Assistant Manager of
the Edina Aquatic Center.
The teens and 20-somethings who
apply there often spent summers
splashing down the water slides or
riding the zip line.
“They often tell us, ‘This was my favorite
place to be when I was a kid. I want to
work there,’” Beitel said.
“It’s fun to be outside all these beautiful
summer days,” said Centennial Lakes
Park General Manager Tiffany Bushland.
Every summer, younger workers are
joined by active retirees to provide a safe,
fun place for the community to play,
attend a concert or special event.
“Centennial Lakes Park always has
something fun going on – concerts for
kids, evening concerts, putting, paddle
boats – all kind of activities that will keep
our employees entertained and busy all
summer long,” Bushland said.
Jobs like guest services cross-train
teens and young adults for multiple
tasks, from greeting to point of
sale, food preparation to event
setup. Playground leaders learn
organization and leadership
while playing with kids at
local parks.
“You learn valuable lifelong
skills: How to work with
other people, and how to
communicate with people,”
Beitel said. “When you get
to be my age, you look back
and think that was the best
job. That prepared me for life.”
Edina Parks & Recreation has summer
jobs indoors or out across the city with
flexible hours to fit most schedules. Some
positions include signing bonuses or extra
cash for applicants who also refer a friend.
Check out all the current jobs and apply
at bit.ly/EdinaSeasonalJobs.
2
BY DAN REISIG
Edina’s men and women in blue will soon
be going green.
At its March 1 meeting, the Edina City
Council approved the purchase of an
all-electric 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E.
It marks the Police Department’s first
foray into fully alternate-fuel vehicles.
“I’m excited vehicle manufacturers are
finally coming out with options for all-
electric police vehicles,” said Deputy
Chief Jeff Elasky. “The technology keeps
improving, and working with the City’s
Sustainability Division, we’re more than
willing to do our part and help out
where we can.”
With a projected purchase price of
$51,583, the Mach-E comes at a
premium of nearly $15,000 compared
to a standard gas-burning squad vehicle.
Money from the City’s Conservation and
Sustainability (CAS) Fund is covering the
difference in cost between the budgeted
replacement value of the vehicle and the
electric version.
The CAS Fund is supported by utility
franchise fees paid by Xcel and
CenterPoint Energy customers. It receives
roughly $1 million every year, and half of
that is dedicated to City operations via
the Council-approved fund policy.
“It makes a lot of sense for the City to
invest in electric vehicles for its police
fleet,” said Sustainability Manager Grace
Hancock. “This is an area of innovation
where Edina can lead the way among
cities looking to make a positive change
in the environment.”
Elasky anticipates the Mach-E’s arrival
in mid-2022, though global automotive
supply chain issues could force delays. It
will then be outfitted with the necessary
auxiliary equipment to join Edina’s patrol
fleet. The police garage underneath 4801
W. 50th St. will also be upgraded, with
two electric charging stations slated for
installation to support the new technology.
“This is a pilot program for us, so we
are going to evaluate all of the factors
needed in a squad to determine if it is
viable moving forward,” Elasky explained.
If successful, he would look to add
more electric vehicle purchases among
the 12 vehicles due for replacement in
2022 and 2023.
The day-to-day uses of a squad vehicle
include room for emergency equipment
as well as detainees in the rear seat
partitioned by plexiglass from the officers
up front. The vehicle will also have to
stand up to cold and snowy Minnesota
winters and constant run time during each
officer’s 12-hour shift.
Edina Police has already started purchasing
more fuel-efficient vehicles, in line with
the City’s Green Fleet Policy. Out of 36
vehicles under the department’s control,
17 are hybrids that blend traditional gas
engines with a battery motor.
All-Electric Squad Car To Join Police Fleet Later This Year
Council Authorizes Purchase of Ford Mustang Mach-E
Last month, the City Council also
authorized the purchase of two
new Toyota hybrid vehicles.
Switching even one vehicle off gasoline
is significant from a sustainability
perspective. An average squad vehicle
is driven up to 40,000 miles per year,
using thousands of gallons of fuel and
emitting roughly 70 metric tons of
greenhouse gases during its life. Police
operations make up about 30 percent
of the City’s total emissions, despite a
vehicle fleet that is just 15 percent of
the City’s total inventory.
Beyond the environmental impact, the
financial savings also quickly add up. The
fuel cost for electric charging is roughly
one-third of filling up at the pump,
along with significant maintenance
cost reductions compared to traditional
combustion engines.
“Electrifying the Police fleet will positively
impact City operations by reducing our
effect on climate change and saving
money,” Hancock said. “This is an
important reason why Sustainability is
contributing funds; we know the return
on investment here is large and will be
recovered quickly.”
To learn more about the City’s
Sustainability efforts, visit
EdinaMN.gov/Sustainability or
contact Hancock at 952-826-1621
or ghancock@EdinaMN.gov.
3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov
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Help Edina Decide How to Spend
Additional ARPA Money
Attend an Upcoming Meeting or Share Your Ideas Online
BY BRITTANY BADER
“How would you spend the $2.4 million?”
That is the question the community is being
asked to answer regarding the second
half of the City’s federal American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) dollars — money aimed at
providing pandemic relief and boosting the
local economy. Whether you live or work in
the city, everyone is invited to provide input
on how they would like to see the money
used.
“It has been about a year since we checked
in with the community about this funding.
We understand that a lot has happened
since,” said City Manager Scott Neal.
“We want this to be a blank slate, and
we welcome any and all ideas to be
brought to the table.”
Neal will lead three community meetings
on the topic:
• Noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 (virtual)
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27
(Hughes Pavilion, Centennial
Lakes Park)
• 7-8 p.m. Thursday, April 28 (virtual)
Community Engagement Manager MJ
Lamon, Race & Equity Manager Heidi Lee
and Annie Coyle, a consultant working
with the City to help implement ARPA
programs, will also be present.
If you can’t attend a meeting, you
can submit your ideas online at
BetterTogetherEdina.org through
April 30. All ideas will be given equal
consideration, whether submitted during
a meeting or online.
After the submission period, City staff
will prepare an initial recommendation.
The current goal is to bring it forward
for discussion at the May 17 City Council
meeting.
The City of Edina wants all residents to
be comfortable being part of the public
process. If you need assistance in the
way of hearing amplification, an
interpreter, large-print documents or
something else, please call 952-927-8861
72 hours in advance of the meeting.
To register for a community meeting or
submit an idea for official consideration,
visit BetterTogetherEdina.org/arpa.
Additional information, including
guidelines from the U.S. Department
of the Treasury on approved uses for
the funding and details from the
Round 1 Spending Plan, is also available
on the website.
Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment Authority and Planning
Commission meetings live:
• Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16)
• Facebook.com/EdinaMN
• “Watch a Meeting” web page at
EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, April 3, 6 p.m.
Dirty Shorts Brass Band,
Edinborough Park Amphitheater
Tuesday, April 5, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, April 7, 7:30 a.m.
Housing & Redevelopment
Authority meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, April 7, 11:30 a.m.
Puppets, Critters and Activities from
Westwood Hills Nature Center,
Edinborough Park Amphitheater
Friday, April 8, 5:30 p.m.
Family Movie Night, “Encanto,”
Edinborough Park Amphitheater
Sunday, April 10, 6 p.m.
Gnu Woodwind Quintet,
Edinborough Park Amphitheater
Tuesday, April 19, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, April 21, 11:30 a.m.
The Bazillions,
Edinborough Park Amphitheater
Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m.
Community Clothing Exchange,
Braemar Arena Backyard Rink
Sunday, April 24, 6 p.m.
First John Philip Sousa Memorial
Band, Edinborough Park Amphitheater
Tuesday, April 26, noon
ARPA community meeting, virtual
Wednesday, April 27, 4:30 p.m.
ARPA community meeting,
Centennial Lakes Park
Thursday, April 28, 7:30 a.m.
Housing & Redevelopment
Authority meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, April 28, 7 p.m.
ARPA community meeting, virtual
For a complete listing of meetings and
events, visit EdinaMN.gov.
952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4
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