HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_December-2025_WebBrian Olson to Retire After 13 Years Leading Public Works
Stronger Streets, Water and Snow Services Mark His Legacy
BY BRITTANY BADER
The reason for choosing a career in public
service was always simple for Public Works
Director Brian Olson: “I love helping people.”
That mindset has stayed with him through more
than three decades in local government, first in
New Brighton and Ramsey, and then in Edina
since 2012. “Edina was far too intriguing for me
to pass up,” he recalled. “The rest is history.”
Over 13 years with Edina, Olson has built a
stronger foundation for the city, advancing
major work in streets and utilities and bringing
sustainability into daily operations.
Leadership highlights include:
•Expanding the mill and overlay of
streets, raising the overall pavement
condition significantly
•Reconstructing two of the City’s largest
and oldest lift stations
•Launching a sidewalk inspection and
maintenance program
•Completing significant upgrades to the
City’s water system
•Expanding the North Parking Ramp at
50th & France
•Implementing a Green Fleet initiative
•Overseeing snowplowing services with
consistently high marks from residents
while reducing overall salt use by more
than 30% over the past five years
Olson’s Assistant Directors say his trust in staff
and support for key investments made many
improvements possible that will benefit the
city long after he retires.
“Brian’s always been very focused on Public
Works’ core missions and keeps that front
and center for all the divisions,” said Assistant
Public Works Director Dave Goergen, who has
worked with Olson throughout his tenure. “If
we bring him a project, he gets the ball rolling
and does what he needs to do to grease the
wheels and make it happen.”
“With his support, we’ve tackled major
upgrades like the new SCADA system, the
reconstruction of Lift Stations 3 and 6 and
now the upcoming water meter replacement
project,” said Assistant Public Works Director
Nathan Kaderlik, who oversees the Utilities
Division. “Those are big steps forward for us.”
Olson’s leadership extends from capital
projects to the everyday work that keeps the
city running. He says what sets his team apart,
though, is how prepared they are to respond
when things go wrong.
“What makes our Public Works Department
special is how this team bands together when
we have an emergency,” Olson said.
He recalled the June 19, 2014, flooding along
Minnehaha Creek as one of those times. “That
day was a historic rainfall event,” Olson said.
Crews worked late into the night responding
to more than 200 flooding service requests,
and that spring and summer, they delivered
more than 15,000 sandbags to residents.
Different seasons bring different challenges,
and that same readiness is essential every
winter in Minnesota, when timely snow and
ice removal keep the city moving.
“Snow plowing is the only emergency where
everyone gets impacted, every single time it
happens,” Olson said. Each snowfall, crews
clear 230 miles of roadway and 80 miles of
City-maintained sidewalks.
City Manager Scott Neal said managing one of
the best snow removal teams in America is a
team accomplishment with Olson as its leader.
“Brian cares about the big picture and the little
picture equally,” Neal said. “For example, he
devotes time and energy to figuring out the best
community-wide snow removal strategy, but he
is also able to understand and resolve situations
where a community-wide policy might create a
hardship for an individual homeowner, which he
will work to resolve, too.”
As Olson reflects on his career, he says
he’s proud to have worked in a community
where his team could rise to meet residents’
expectations every day.
“I believe we absolutely have the best Public
Works Department in the state of Minnesota.
They are specialists in their field and take a lot
of pride in their job,” Olson said. “I’ve never
been part of a place where expectations have
been so high, but yet the appreciation has also
been as high. I’ve never gotten so many thank-
you emails about a job well done as I have here.”
Olson will retire as Public Works Director
Dec. 31 and continue part-time through mid-
2026 to assist with the transition. Engineering
Director Chad Millner will step into the role
of Director of Public Works & City Engineer
Jan. 1 in a newly combined department.
Director Brian Olson, who has led Edina Public Works
since 2012, will retire Dec. 31. (Photo by Jason Heuer)
City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1
Edition: Edina
DECEMBER 2025
Volume 12, Issue 12Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City
Braemar Golf Course Named MGA Member Club of the Year
Edina Municipal Course is the First Club to Win Award Twice
Course co-hosted the 2008 and 2025 MGA
Mid-Amateur Championships, the 2002 and
2010 Junior Team Championships, the 2000
Mixed Amateur Team Championship and the
1998 Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
“It is an honor to be recognized as the 2025
Minnesota Golf Association Member Club of
the Year,” said Braemar Golf Course General
Manager Joe Abood. “I believe this award
marks the culmination of the transformation
of the golf operation over the past 10 years.”
Plans to make Edina’s golf operations better
and more sustainable began in 2014 when the
City closed Fred Richards Golf Course to allow
municipal golf resources to go solely to Braemar
Golf Course. An expanded Par 3 course and
a larger driving range opened in 2016 on the
footprint of Braemar’s former executive course.
A new 18-hole course designed by Richard
Mandell opened in 2019, replacing a 27-hole
facility, giving the golf holes more space and
allowing the City to expand wetland areas and
restore more than 30 acres of oak savanna.
The renovation was motivated by a desire to
make the course playable for golfers of all ages
and abilities. That goal aligns with the MGA’s
mission of creating open playing opportunities
for all people to enjoy golf. Braemar’s adaptive
clinics and the Adaptive Open are shining
examples of this drive for inclusion.
“Braemar really bubbled up to the top when
we were having discussions about which clubs
have earned the award,” said Warren Ryan of
the MGA. “In addition to the fact that Braemar
hosted two adaptive golf clinics this year, the
staff at Braemar have been great to work with,
particularly with the Adaptive Open. They
were very hands-on and supportive, and
they really went the extra mile to make
that event a success.”
BY EDIE WEINSTEIN
Braemar Golf Course was named 2025
Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) Member
Club of the Year for outstanding support of
the MGA Associate Member program, for
being open to hosting MGA championships
and qualifiers and for staff’s efforts to make
golf more accessible to all who want to play.
This is Braemar Golf Course’s second time
winning the honor; the club was also named
the first Member Club of the Year when the
award was created in 2000. It is the only MGA
club to have won it twice.
Braemar Golf Course’s history of hosting MGA
events and United States Golf Association
qualifiers most recently includes the Inaugural
Minnesota Adaptive Open, hosted at the
course Sept. 26-28. Additionally, Braemar Golf
MGA also recognized Braemar Golf Course for its
support of MGA’s Golf Handicap and Information
Network (GHIN). GHIN is the formally recognized
service for golfers to determine their handicap
and is based on a golfer’s performance on the
course at which they play the most. 1,192 players
are registered with Braemar Golf Course’s GHIN
handicap management tool, making Braemar
the largest active member program of any golf
course in the state.
“Our GHIN roster is a testament to how many
people view Braemar as their home,” explained
Braemar Director of Golf Tommy Koehler. “The
golf course is incredible, and I think our service
just continues to get better because of our staff.”
The course was specifically recognized by the
MGA for careful maintenance of their GHIN
system, providing accuracy for the hundreds
of golfers who use the service. The funds
generated from GHIN support both the MGA’s
profit-based and charitable programs.
“2025 was such a great year that we thought it
was worthwhile to give Braemar the recognition
twice. Braemar has been a great partner of ours,
and the renovation is really starting to mature
and come into its own,” said Ryan.
The club received a plaque to commemorate
this honor and was recognized at the 2025
MGA Annual Awards Dinner in October.
“All the members of the Braemar team as
well as the City of Edina as a whole should
be proud that they were a part of this journey.
The award recognizes Braemar’s commitment
to serving Minnesota’s golfing community as
well as growing the game of golf for all ages
and abilities,” said Abood.
For more information about Braemar Golf
Course, visit BraemarGolf.com.
Braemar Golf Course General Manager Joe
Abood received the MGA Member Club of the
Year plaque at the 2025 MGA Annual Awards
Dinner in October. (Photo by Glenn Gray)
Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) has provided food and social
services to residents of Edina and the wider Twin Cities area for more than
50 years. VEAP volunteers connect people in need with healthy food, supplies
and social services. The City of Edina provides VEAP with financial support to
further its mission; in 2025, the City contributed $19,000 in human services
funding to VEAP. To learn more about VEAP’s services and how they help
Edina residents, visit veap.org.
BY THE NUMBERS
Neighbors
Supporting
Neighbors
- COMPILED BY EDIE WEINSTEIN
4,663,936
pounds of food distributed in 2024
Edina families
received social
services support
in 2024
140
$30 donation to VEAP
provides an individual
with three meals a
day for 30 days
food deliveries
to Edina
residents
last year1,413
provided by the City of
Edina for Emergency Rent
Assistance in 2024-2025
$300,000
2
Watch City Council, Housing &
Redevelopment Authority and Planning Commission meetings live on Edina TV
(Comcast Channels 813 or 16) or online.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturdays through Dec. 20, noon-2 p.m.
Fireside Carolers, 50th & France
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.
Photos with Santa, Centennial Lakes Park
Friday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m.
Winter Celebration at Centennial Lakes
Park – Jingle Bingo & Joyful Creations,
Centennial Lakes Park
Saturday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m.
Family Day, Centennial Lakes Park
Saturday, Dec. 6, noon-2 p.m.
Holiday Llamas in the Plaza, 50th & France
Saturday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
Edina Liquor Holiday Sip,
Centennial Lakes Park
Sunday, Dec. 7, 1 p.m.
Merry Merry Fashion Show, 50th & France
Monday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, Dec. 11, 7:30 a.m.
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
meeting, Edina City Hall
Friday, Dec. 12, 5 p.m.
Movie night, “It’s a Wonderful Life,”
Edinborough Park
Sunday, Dec. 14, 4:30 p.m.
Hanukkah Lighting, 50th & France
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m.
The Gift of Giving, 50th & France
Thursday, Dec. 18, 10:30 a.m.
Zinghoppers Holiday Show,
Edinborough Park
Saturday, Dec. 20, 9 a.m.
Walk with the Mayor, 50th and France,
starting at the fountain outside Faherty
Saturday, Dec. 20, 3 p.m.
Last-Minute Gifting In-Store Tastings,
Edina Liquor
Wednesday, Dec. 24
Christmas Eve, City offices closed
Thursday, Dec. 25
Christmas, City offices closed
Friday, Dec. 26
City offices closed
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 10 a.m.
2025 Family New Year’s Eve Parties,
Edinborough Park
For a complete listing of meetings
and events, visit EdinaMN.gov.
Mount Olivet Rolling Acres will update two community homes with Local Affordable Housing
Aid funds. The home pictured will get a deck replacement to improve safety and accessibility;
landscaping updates, including the removal of dead trees; and a new parking pad. (Submitted Photo)
BY LAUREN SIEBENALER
When housing costs rise faster than
paychecks, even a short-term crisis can put a
family at risk of losing their home. Thanks to
new State funding, Edina is helping residents
stay housed and creating more affordable
options for the future.
The City of Edina is in its second year using
Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) to help
with the affordable housing need. LAHA is
sales tax revenue distributed by the State to
cities and counties for affordable housing.
Edina has received over $1.2 million in LAHA
since its first year of funding in 2024.
The original intent for the sales tax revenue
was to keep people housed by providing
emergency rental assistance, so in 2024,
LAHA funds were allocated to Volunteers
Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) for
emergency rental assistance and Homes
Within Reach. Through VEAP, families who
experience sudden job loss or illness can
receive short-term rental assistance to avoid
eviction. The funds provided to Homes Within
Reach support the purchase and rehabilitation
of homes that are placed into a community
land trust and sold to income-eligible buyers.
“As things get debated at the Legislature,
the scope broadened, but I wanted to keep
with the spirit of the original intent because
that’s why we are receiving this money,” said
Affordable Housing Development Manager
Stephanie Hawkinson. “We have a need.
These funds are going to people who are at
risk of homelessness.”
In 2025, Edina received $875,382 in LAHA
funds. The Housing & Redevelopment
Authority allocated the money to programs
that support neighbors staying in their
homes, improving the safety of homes for
vulnerable adults and creating affordable
homeownership opportunities. This year,
$200,000 was allotted to VEAP for emergency
rental assistance, $581,882 was allotted to
the City’s Affordable Ownership Preservation
Program and $93,500 was awarded to two
group homes for necessary upgrades.
Mount Olivet Rolling Acres (MORA) is a
nonprofit that bought two homes in Edina
to provide safe, accessible living spaces for
residents with disabilities, allowing them
to live more independently. MORA will use
some of the LAHA funds to make much
needed improvements to address basic safety,
accessibility needs and general maintenance
to improve living conditions for their residents.
“Thanks to the City of Edina’s LAHA funds,
MORA can make our homes safer, more
accessible, and more welcoming for the
people who live there. This support isn’t just
about fixing porches or painting walls, it’s
about creating spaces where residents feel
valued, comfortable and connected,” said
Heather Guerin, Director of Development
for MORA. “This investment helps us turn
houses into homes filled with dignity and
care, and for that, we are deeply grateful.”
As Edina continues to receive LAHA funding,
City staff plan to expand partnerships and
preserve existing affordable homes to ensure
all residents have a safe, stable place to live.
For more information about the City of
Edina’s Affordable Housing efforts, visit
OpenDoorsEdina.org.
Helping Neighbors Stay Home: Edina
Uses State Tax Revenue to Support
Affordable Housing
2025 Beneficiaries Include VEAP and Mount Olivet Rolling Acres
3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov
City Council to Hold Public Hearing on Local Gun Control
Public Invited to Weigh in at Upcoming Meeting
Members of the City Council want to hear from residents before
considering a potential local gun ordinance.
Following the August mass shooting at Annunciation Church and
School in Minneapolis, several Minnesota cities have called for updated
gun legislation at the State level. While some cities are exploring their
own ordinances, current Minnesota law prevents cities from enforcing
local gun regulations, a provision known as state preemption.
In early November, the City of St. Paul adopted a gun violence
prevention ordinance that would not take effect unless State law
changes. St. Paul’s ordinance includes five provisions:
•Ban the possession of assault weapons, large-capacity
magazines and binary triggers within city limits
•Prohibit untraceable “ghost guns” by requiring all firearms
to have serial numbers
•Restrict firearms in sensitive public spaces, such as parks,
libraries, recreation centers and city buildings
•Require clear signage in public facilities to inform residents
of restrictions and encourage compliance
•Define enforcement authority and penalties—to take effect
only if the State repeals or amends preemption law
At the request of the Council, City Attorney David Kendall drafted a
similar ordinance for members to consider, but City Manager Scott
Neal said staff could not support it. “We’re at a position where
we can offer an ordinance, but can’t endorse it because of the
unenforceable nature of the ordinance,” Neal said.
After some discussion, Council Members agreed last month to hold
a public hearing to give residents the opportunity to weigh in on
the issue before any action is taken locally. The public hearing has
tentatively been set for Tuesday, Jan. 6.
In other business last month, the Council:
•Agreed to withdraw the City’s wetland banking application
for Fred Richards Park to pursue a wetland preserve
alternative, which fits in with the project budget and
sustainable maintenance for the park. The Council also
awarded a contract to H+U Construction for early earthwork
for the project, which is converting an executive golf course
into a regional park.
•Heard a proposal from the Edina Education Fund and
Edina Athletic Boosters to consider charitable gambling
in Edina. Edina is the only city in the metropolitan area
where pulltabs are not played.
•Reviewed a sketch plan for a proposed Kwik Trip at
5780 Lincoln Drive and provided nonbinding feedback.
Kwik Trip would like to tear down the existing office
building on the site and build a 9,176-square-foot
convenience station with 10 fueling stations. There
would not be a car wash.
•Amended the spending plan for the Southdale 2, Pentagon
Park and 70th & Cahill tax-increment financing (TIF) districts
to extend the City’s SPARC program by one year. Any
monies unused by Dec. 31, 2026 msut be returned to the
original TIF account for future City use or turned over to
Hennepin County.
The Council will next meet 7 p.m. Tuesdays Dec. 2 and 16.
A special meeting will also be held 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8,
to consider 2026 street improvement projects.
For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov.
– COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE
PROFESSIONAL MOVERS
QualityMovingCo.com
952-831-6800
952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4
Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali
EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE
Escanee este código para ver en español