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Home My WebLink AboutSpring 2017 About TownNew Race & Equity Task Force Page 40 SPRING•2017 Official Magazine of the City of Edina AboutTown AboutTown Volume 28, Number 2 Circulation 25,000 Spring 2017 Official Publication of the EdinaMN.gov City of Edina, Minnesota 4801 West 50th Street Edina, Minnesota 55424 952-826-0359 Editor: Jennifer Bennerotte Designer: Katie Laux Contributing Writers: Kaylin Eidsness, David Katz, Lauren Siebenaler, Debbie Townsend and Dawn Wills. Photographer: Michael Braun 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 2017 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 Kate Schmitt. Table Of Contents Calendar Of Events ..............................................................1 Spring Calendar Highlights ................................................4 A Word From The Mayor ...................................................5 Willard Ikola Built Hornets Dynasty, Shaped Edina’s Hockey Ethos (Part 2) .........................................................6 It’s Not Only Neighborly ... It’s The Law .......................14 Edina Liquor To Launch Delivery To Edina Addresses....16 Public Service Runs In The Family For New Liquor General Manager ...............................................................18 City Seeks 2017 Heritage Award Nominations .............20 Trail Construction Closes Part of Bredesen Park ..........22 Siems Promoted To Assistant Fire Chief of Operations ..26 Entries Being Accepted For 14th-Annual Photo Contest ......................................................................30 Dressen To Retire From Edina Public Schools ...............32 Bronze K-9 To Set Up Post Outside Of Police Department .............................................................34 Edina Seeks Help Cutting Energy Consumption ..........36 City Begins New Race & Equity Task Force and Working Groups .................................................................40 Planning Matters ................................................................44 Edina Library To Close For Renovations ........................45 Business Notes ....................................................................48 Six Commercial Areas Will Be Focus of Edina Comp Plan ...........................................................................52 The Last Word ....................................................................54 Tear Herea blue print for success. remodeling & design Imagine your life transformed. 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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 27 p.m., Continental Ballet Company, Edinborough Park. 36:30 p.m., Community Health Commission, Edina City Hall. 47 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Brio Brass, Edinborough Park. 57 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 6Noon, Teddy Bear Band, Edinborough Park. 76:30 p.m., Family Movie Night, “The Angry Birds Movie,” Edinborough Park. 810 a.m.-noon, Town Hall Meeting, Braemar Golf Course. 10-11:30 a.m., Barnyard Babies, Edinborough Park. 97 p.m., LaDolce Vita Jazz, Edinborough Park. 10 11 12 14 159 a.m., Bunny Breakfast, Braemar Golf Course. 16 177 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 187 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Roseville Big Band, Edinborough Park. 19 20Noon, Wendy’s Wiggle, Jiggle and Jam, Edinborough Park. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 21 22 257 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 24237 p.m., Emergence Brass Band, Edinborough Park. 303 p.m., “Annie,” Richfield High School. April 2017 267 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 27Noon, Rusty’s Rockin’ Jamboree, Edinborough Park. 4:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 2810 a.m., Arbor Day celebration, Sherwood Park. 7 p.m., “Annie,” Richfield High School. 13Noon, Wonderful World of Woody, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 297 p.m., “Annie,” Richfield High School. About Town Calendar 2017 SPRING • 1Tear Here 2 • SPRING 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 27 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 3 4Noon, Music from Mary Ellen Skeesick, Edinborough Park. 56:30 p.m., Family Movie Night, “Storks,” Edinborough Park. 610 a.m.-noon, Vehicle Day, Southdale Center parking lot. 1 71 p.m., Days of Rememberance, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Southside Big Band, Edinborough Park. 86:30 p.m., Community Health Commission, Edina City Hall. 97 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 107 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 11Noon, Westwood Hills Nature Center Puppets & Storytime, Edinborough Park. 4:30-7:30 p.m., Taste of Edina, Westin Galleria Edina. 1210 a.m.-8 p.m., Edina Garden Council plant sale, Arneson Acres Park. 1310 a.m.-3 p.m., Edina Garden Council plant sale, Arneson Acres Park. 147:25 a.m., Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Twin Cities, Southdale Center. 7 p.m., Northern Winds Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 15 167 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 17 19 20 2110 a.m.-noon, Bike Safety Day, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., The 1st John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. 22 237 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Jazz on the Prairie Band, Edinborough Park. 246 p.m., Metro Blooms workshop, Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility. 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 254:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 26 27 3029Memorial Day. City Hall closed. 287 p.m., Execs Big Band, Edinborough Park. May 2017 31 18Noon, Kid Power with Rachael, Edinborough Park. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar 3 • SPRING 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1Noon, Storytime with Carol McCormick, Centennial Lakes Park. Sunset, Movie in the Park, “Suffragette,” Centennial Lakes Park. 210 a.m.-7 p.m., Edina Art Fair, 50th & France. 310 a.m., Edina Aquatic Center opens for the season. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Edina Art Fair, 50th & France. 410 a.m.-5 p.m., Edina Art Fair, 50th & France. 7 p.m., South of the River Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 57 p.m., Minnesota Symphonic Winds, Centennial Lakes Park. 6Noon, Teddy Bear Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 77 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., The Good News Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 87 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 9 10 1111 a.m.-4 p.m., Parade of Boats, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., The 1st John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 126:30 p.m., Community Health Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Bend in the River Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 137 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 147 p.m., Kreisjugend Orchester, Centennial Lakes Park. 16 179:30 p.m., Nite Glow Golf, Braemar Golf Course. 187 p.m., Honeywell Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 197 p.m., Jazz on the Prairie, Centennial Lakes Park. 20Noon, Alphabits Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 217 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., St. Louis Park Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 224:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 23 24 27Noon, The Bazillions, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 267 p.m., Southside Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 257 p.m., Hopkins Westwind Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. June 2017 287 p.m., Homeward Bound, Centennial Lakes Park. 29Sunset, Movie in the Park, “Sing,” Centennial Lakes Park. 30 15Noon, Will Hale and the Tadpole Parade, Centennial Lakes Park. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar 3-7 p.m., Farmers Market, Centennial Lakes Park. 4 • SPRING 2017 Spring Calendar Highlights Other Dates To Remember April 8 9 a.m.-noon, Richfield Community Wellness Expo, Richfield High School. April 20 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission film series, “Before the Flood,” Edina Senior Center. April 27 7 p.m., “Annie,” Richfield High School. April 30 7 p.m., The 1st John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. May 9 7 p.m., Westwind Big Band, Edinborough Park. May 11 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. May 18 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission film series, “Facing the Surge,” Edina Senior Center. June 6 7 p.m., Vintage Piano with Jim Shannon, Centennial Lakes Park. June 8 Noon, Wonderful World of Woody, Centennial Lakes Park. June 8 Sunset, Movie in the Park, “The BFG,” Centennial Lakes Park. June 13 Noon, Bob the Beachcomber, Centennial Lakes Park. June 13 7 p.m., Sidewalk Café Duo, Centennial Lakes Park. June 15 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission film series, “Merchants of Doubt,” Edina Senior Center June 15 Sunset, Movie in the Park, “Ghostbusters” (2016), Centennial Lakes Park. June 20 7 p.m., Vintage Piano with Jim Shannon, Centennial Lakes Park. June 22 Sunset, Movie in the Park, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Centennial Lakes Park. June 27 7 p.m., Sidewalk Café Duo, Centennial Lakes Park. Days of Remembrance Human Rights Forum What: The Human Rights & Relations Commission will hold its seventh-annual Human Rights event, Days of Remembrance. Days of Remembrance is intended to raise awareness of the Holocaust and other genocides around the globe and to provide an opportunity to remember and honor the victims, and to share experiences of survivors. The event serves to educate the community on how genocide impacts the lives of survivors and affects society. It’s also a time to reflect on what can be done to make a difference on these issues. The Days of Remembrance Human Rights Forum is free and open to the public; no advance registration is required. When: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 7 Where: Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. Info: EdinaMN.gov/days_remembrance Edina Garden Council Plant Sale What: This popular plant sale sponsored by the Edina Garden Council (EGC) offers flowering annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, combination hanging baskets and containers. Plants are not treated with bee toxic or neonicotinoid chemicals. Great deals are the many winter-hardened perennials that EGC members bring from their gardens. The EGC is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from the plant sale are donated to the City for Arneson Acres Park improvements, horticultural scholarships and gardening beautification projects in Edina. When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 12; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 13 Where: Arneson Acres Park Greenhouse, 4711 W. 70th St. Info: edinagardencouncil.org Tear Here A Word From The Mayor 2017 SPRING • 5 Edina is proud to be part of a clean energy initiative: a Community Solar Garden that will provide access to clean, solar power without residents having to install solar panels on their homes. The City of Edina selected Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF), a local, member-owned energy cooperative, to develop, own and operate a 618 kW solar array on the roof of the city’s Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility at 7450 Metro Blvd. It is fully subscribed and will generate enough power for about 66 homes when it comes online this summer. Edina residents who subscribed had the opportunity to buy up to 120 percent of their electricity use from the Edina solar array. Most homes use around 800 kWh of electricity per month, which totals 9,600 kWh/year or 8 kW. Xcel will deliver energy from the Cooperative Energy Futures array to the electricity grid and credit subscribers’ bills for the energy it produces. The solar garden on the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility is not the first on a City rooftop. For several years, there has been a solar garden on the roof of City Hall. The project cost about $200,000, which was covered with grants from Xcel Energy, Made in Minnesota and the federal government. The City investment has been staff time to get the array up and going and maintaining it. However, the City averages a savings of about $1,300 annually in charges for power. Some people challenge these green efforts, being critical of the cost. These decisions are a balance of financial analysis, supporting innovation and environmental stewardship. The City of Edina is proud to be a leader in the use and advancement of solar energy and recognizes that as it catches on, others will benefit at reduced costs. Since the Edina City Hall solar garden came online, for example, the cost of commercial-scale solar installations in Minnesota has dropped by roughly 60 percent because of early adopters and pilot projects similar to ours. Additionally, the SunShot Initiative was a major funder of a number of efforts, helping communities and the industry drive down costs. A recent article on solar energy shares how SunShot’s once seemingly impossible goal of $1/watt installed for utility-scale solar has been achieved three years ahead of schedule. The leveled cost of solar energy is now as cheap or cheaper than most retail electric rates. Xcel Energy, in its most recent long-term resource plan, assumes that solar will be approximately 8 percent of its supply within 12 years. I am proud of the work Edina has done to provide access to renewable energy and will continue to look for ways for our community to champion sustainability efforts. James B. Hovland Mayor Tear Here 6 • SPRING 2017 Willard Ikola Built Hornets Dynasty, Shaped Edina’s Hockey Ethos Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part series. Part one appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of About Town. By David Katz, Contributing Writer In October 1958, while on active duty in California, Willard Ikola received an unexpected call from Leo Fick, Director of Secondary Education for Edina schools. Edina’s hockey coach, former Gopher star Kenny Yackel, had just signed with the Boston Bruins. “Now, Edina was really in a spot because where are you going to find a coach this late in the year, just a month before practice begins?” Ikola recalled in his memoir, Ike: Minnesota Hockey Icon. Without getting the aspiring coach’s hopes up, none other than John Mariucci lobbied hard to secure Ikola the position. Mariucci later joked that he visited Edina so often on his friend’s behalf that he began to suspect the school was courting him to fill the opening. Only 26 at the time, the Minnesota native jumped at Fick’s offer – though he confesses certain reservations. “I was saying to myself, ‘Where in the hell is Edina?’ I had no idea. The city could just have well been east of St. Paul, for all I knew.” The school system hired Ikola, on a substitute contract basis, to take the reins of the hockey program while also teaching physical education at South View Junior High School. He did not know it yet, but Ikola would both start and end his 33-year coaching career at Edina High School. Although inexperienced and at times unsure of himself, Ikola entered the 1958-59 hockey season with certain core convictions and team expectations – principles that would propel the Hornets to their later success. For one, beginning his first day on the job, Ikola stressed punctuality. As noted in his autobiography: “I believed in always being five minutes early for anything I was involved in. Being late was not acceptable. Kids learned that to be on time was an expectation, and it was never a problem for me.” Above all else, however, Ikola valued good sportsmanship. In interviews, he calls out with pride that he never once spent time teaching his players how to body-check. He frowned upon instigating arguments with referees or picking unnecessary fights with opponents. Even fierce rivals grudgingly credited Edina’s hockey ambassadors – consistently the least penalized team in the league – for their clean game play. Attitude and work ethic notwithstanding, Ikola’s first season with the Hornets proved pretty dismal, at least by the standards of their later triumphs. They finished 4-9-5, and just fifth in the Lake Conference. Averaging a mere 1.5 goals a game, and weak on both stick-handling and shooting, the Hornets required more regimented training. Ikola developed thoughtful, drill-intensive schedules for the next year’s practices, and this became the new norm. Students who played under Ike from 1959 all the way through 1991 hold memories of drill cards poking out from his baseball cap, notes Minnesota Hockey Hub. (continued on Page 8) 2017 SPRING • 7 The Man in the Tweed Fedora When the Minneapolis Star profiled Willard Ikola’s career and impending retirement in a 1991 feature, they ran the story under the headline “Hats Off to a Champ.” The reference made perfect sense even to readers with only a passing knowledge of the coach’s accomplishments at Edina High School. On a whim, Ike purchased his iconic fedora for $5 at a St. Louis Park clothier before the start of his second year with the Hornets. The 1959-60 season saw marked improvements over the last. “I really wasn’t superstitious about wearing the hat – but it sure did get me a lot of wins,” he quipped in his 2015 memoirs. Ikola completed the ensemble with a shirt, tie and sports coat. For the most part, however, he limited this signature look to game day. For practices, a baseball cap and sweatpants sufficed. “It was really amazing to me how the ‘Hat’ took on a life of its own,” Ikola said. Edina’s regular appearances at state hockey championships played a role, of course. He also cites the increased popularity of the tournament once the league began televising big games. “I was shown wearing the hat on the bench and people got used to seeing me in it.” For several years after Ikola’s retirement, the Minnesota North Stars sponsored a special Edina Holiday Hockey Tournament at the Met Center. In a unique tribute to a standout coach, they decided to use his iconic fedora as part of the trophy – bronzed and placed atop a wooden pedestal. Ikola does not know what happened to this one-of-a-kind trophy after the North Stars moved to Texas in 1993 and the old Met Center was leveled the following year. After the controlled demolition, he jokingly asked: “Did you see my bronzed hat billow up in the air?”File PhotoIkola is pictured in the houndstooth fedora that would become his trademark. He purchased the hat in part because it was emblazoned with the word “Champ” on the inside – an omen he found amusing. 8 • SPRING 2017 In short order, these changes reaped dividends. Edina secured first place in the region during Ike’s second season, and thereafter, it became atypical for the Hornets not to advance past the semifinals in regional play. Chronicling each of Coach Ikola’s seasons at the helm of Edina’s most storied sports team would take up a full book – and does. Written with assistance from Minnesota sports historian Jim Hoey, Ikola’s autobiography is engaging reading for even the most casual hockey fan. For present purposes, a high-level look at some of the most memorable seasons must suffice. 1966-67 In hindsight, Ikola’s ninth season with the Hornets stands out as a turning point. Edinans could not know it at the time, but 1966-67 marked the beginning of a nine-year stretch when its high school varsity hockey team would win consecutive conference championships and lose just two games in the process. After a bruising loss in the regional semifinals the year before, the Hornets received a much-needed morale boost when the home team moved into a home of its own. Financed by the City, largely through issuance of revenue bonds, Braemar Arena first opened its doors as an early Christmas present on Dec. 14, 1965. As former Edina Historical Society Executive Director Marci Matson noted in a 2015 feature for About Town, the new arena did much to galvanize local interest in hockey and other ice sports. Of course, nurturing a hockey dynasty in the making also played some part. Ikola and his varsity team eagerly moved operations from the Blake Arena in Hopkins to the new facility off U.S. Highway 169. Stymied only by a close-fought 0-0 tie with Bloomington Lincoln, the Hornets finished that season with a near-perfect 15-0-1 record – winning the Lake Conference by a healthy margin. 1968-69Two years later, Edina clinched that conference crown with a clean 16-0 winning streak. Avenging several previous middling appearances at state, Ikola’s team then trounced Bloomington Kennedy and several other worthy opponents during the first rounds of play in the state tournament. Players remembered those games for their charged atmosphere, notes Minnesota Vintage Hockey. For the first time, teams competed not in the Saint Paul Auditorium (home to the tournament for a quarter of a century), but at the Met Center in Bloomington. Built for a new NHL franchise, the Minnesota North Stars, the 15,000-seat rink underscored for Ikola’s team just how far they had come. Edina faced off against Warroad in the championship game. In media portrayals, the match pitted the large, metro, southern school against a smaller, more rural, and northern opponent. Warroad, led in scoring by a future Olympian and Hall of Famer named Henry Boucha, held a clear edge in crowd support. During the second period, in the game’s most memorable moment, an Edina player took Boucha out of the game with a fluke board check that punctured an ear drum. Spectators booed and jeered for the remainder of the match, but Ikola credits his team for keeping an even keel. 2017 SPRING • 9 “As always, I gave them very simple instructions: ‘Got your blades? Got your mouthpieces? Let’s go.’ Edina kids were sort of funny; when there was a big game, you didn’t have to say too much. They were ready to play.” In the end, they took the 1969 state championship – Ikola’s first after 11 seasons with the Hornets – by a narrow margin of 5-4. A thoughtful 2003 retrospective in the Rochester Post Bulletin posits that the Edina-Warroad match may just be “the greatest game in Minnesota high school hockey history.” It’s a contestable claim, but one with merit here in Edina. The game-winning stick and other artifacts from the 1969 championship on display as part of “City of Hockey,” the Edina Historical Society’s recent exhibit on the community’s favorite pastime, proved among the most popular. 1970-71One of the challenges inherent in coaching high school sports is grappling with the turnover in veteran players each season. Returning talent in Ikola’s 1969-70 roster included many of the students who had propelled the Hornets to their first-ever state championship, and Edina went 15-0-1 in conference play that year. With much of the core 1969 team graduated by 1971, though, Edina was not expected to perform particularly well at the state level. Coach Ikola was equal parts proud and surprised after a come-from-behind upset of Minneapolis Southwest and a surprise win against a strong team from St. Paul Johnson put Edina in contention for the state crown once again. “Of the 17 guys on the tournament roster, 13 were in their first year on the varsity. Yet, it was one of the most poised teams I ever had,” Ikola praised in his memoirs. “That team never got rattled and just kept getting better.” 1973-74In 1972, the Edina school district split its growing student body between two high schools, divided by Minnesota Highway 100 and called, aptly enough, Edina East and Edina West. Ikola stayed on with the Hornets at Edina East. Edina West tapped his former assistant, Bart Larson, to helm the team (soon dubbed the Cougars) at the newer high school. (continued on next page)File PhotoEdina brought home the 1968-69 state title, Willard Ikola’s first, after a heart-pounding final against Warroad. It may just be “the greatest game in Minnesota high school hockey history.” 10 • SPRING 2017 Ikola and Larson did a masterful job brokering this transition, though they had much working in their favor. Braemar Arena had expanded to two rinks by this time, allowing the two varsity teams to conduct simultaneous practices. Moreover, the ranks of the Edina Hockey Association had swelled to over 1,500. Ikola therefore retained a fine talent pool for the Hornets. Even so, a division of the best prospects between East and West hampered Ikola over the short term. His team lost its first regular season game in five years, 2-0, to none other than the Cougars. By the 1973-74 season, though, the Hornets had undeniably hit their stride once again. Going 14-0 in conference play and 24-0 overall, Ikola entered that year’s state tourney as the odds-on favorite. Edina East beat Bemidji soundly in the final match. However, that year’s truly unforgettable moment came during an earlier game versus West St. Paul’s Henry Sibley. Fortified by an ace goaltender, Sibley shot ahead to 3-0 by the third period. In a picture-perfect finish, the Hornets then scored an astounding five goals in just over six minutes of game play. “It was, without a doubt, the best comeback of my coaching career – and against a really good club,” noted Ikola in his memoir. “I’d coached more than eight hundred high school hockey games and nothing like that had ever happened.” 1981-82Ikola joined forces with former assistant and one-time Minnesota Vintage HockeyIkola won more than 600 games over his 33-year coaching career. The hard-fought 1969 championship is among the most memorable. 2017 SPRING • 11 (continued on next page) rival Larson in 1981 to shepherd Edina hockey through its next major transition. In that year, East and West reconsolidated as one high school. For the first time in eight years, Ikola again had the opportunity to pull talent from across Edina to play under the Hornets banner. This proved a bittersweet advantage. “With so many players to choose from, it was the only year I can remember when we had no sophomores,” he lamented in Ike: Minnesota Hockey Icon. Compounding matters, Ike did not know most of the Edina West candidates particularly well, as most had not passed through Valley View Middle School (where he taught at the time). Ikola and Larson’s newly recombined team went 16-4 in the 1981-82 regular season. Ike attributes those four losses to the difficulty of reestablishing a seamless rapport. Both offensively and defensively, the Hornets hit their stride by the state tourney, held that year at the St. Paul Civic Center. In a memorable semifinal, in which Bloomington Jefferson scored a tying goal with seconds left in regulation play, the Hornets advanced with a 3-2 overtime victory. Ikola’s senior-heavy team then went on to beat the White Bear Mariners in an impressive 6-0 shutout. “Of all the games I have coached, the last game against Mariner may have been the most perfect game we ever played, not just in the state tournament, but at any level,” Ikola later recalled. That is high praise indeed, given that the 1982 title was Edina’s sixth – and the third in five years. 1987-88Ikola credits Edina’s popular Peewee and Bantam youth leagues for nurturing talent and providing the Hornets with a pipeline that most high school hockey coaches can only dream of. Ike’s 30th season with the team is a particularly illustrative case in point. In 1987, the Hornets boasted 12 seniors – players Ikola had followed from Peewee on up. In all, some 80 students turned out for tryouts. “Many of the kids we cut could certainly play varsity hockey at a lot of schools,” Ikola wrote in his memoirs. With so many veteran players on the ice, “we thought we could make a run at winning state.”File PhotoOver a long and distinguished career, Willard Ikola coached 105 players who would go on to compete in Division I level collegiate hockey. Pictured here is the 1982 roster, arguably one of the best to ever play under Ikola. 12 • SPRING 2017 Although the Hornets finished second to Minnetonka in the Lake Blue conference, pundits judged their prospects good as the tournament approached. Edina took a hit, in both offensive capability and morale, when top scorer Tom Nevers broke his wrist in practice. Relying upon a strong roster with no weak links, Ikola modified his rotations to compensate. After edging out familiar nemesis Warroad in a double overtime 2-1 victory memorable for stellar defense on both sides, Edina advanced to the final opposite Hill-Murray (Maplewood). After a particularly intense first period, the Hornets pulled ahead 5-3 to win the state crown yet again. 1990-91Edina finished the 1990-91 season with a respectable if unspectacular 16-9 record. Even so, this season holds a special place in the annals of Hornets history for two reasons. Prior to the season’s start, Ikola announced his intention to retire. A humble man by nature, the longtime coach would have been perfectly willing to step down without great fanfare. After propelling Edina to dynasty status, however, the hockey community was not about to let Ikola’s farewell season go unmarked. On Oct. 6, 1990, at a special ceremony in Ikola’s hometown of Eveleth, Minnesota, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame inducted the Hornets hero as part of its small but prestigious 1990 class. Edina High School bestowed an award of its own on Ikola during his last home game at Braemar Arena in 1991. Looking back on his final months as head coach, Ikola remembers more than the usual amount of media attention. His impending retirement was not the only reason. During the same season, senior goaltender Jenny Hanley became the first girl to play varsity for the team. “It was no fluke that she played for us. She was a solid goaltender. Jenny had played two years with the junior varsity, so I was very familiar with her game,” Ikola File PhotoEdina brought home eight state championships (four as Edina East and another four as a consolidated high school) with Willard Ikola at the helm. The coach is quick to give his athletes the bulk of the credit. Over his career with the Hornets, he coached nine students who would later go on to careers in the NHL. 2017 SPRING • 13 recalled in Ike: Minnesota Hockey Icon. “ESPN, NBC, CBS, Sports Illustrated and even the Christian Science Monitor were here to do stories on her or me or both of us. It was a fun year!” Hometown HeroFor Willard Ikola, ‘retirement’ proved something of a misnomer. After leaving the Hornets in Larson’s capable hands, Ikola conducted clinics for youth hockey associations across Minnesota. He also became an NHL talent scout, first for the North Stars and later for the New York Islanders. A world-class goaltender in his playing prime (see the Winter 2017 edition of About Town) and an adept scout in retirement, Ikola is still best-known as a coach. His name is inexorably tied to Edina’s strong hockey tradition. Over the course of his 33-year career, Ikola coached the Hornets to eight state titles: four as a consolidated Edina High School, plus four as Edina East. On top of the high accolades mentioned above, Willard Ikola is enshrined in the hall of fames maintained by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association, National High School Sports Federation and the Minnesota State High School League. In addition, WCCO singled out Ikola as Minnesota High School Hockey Coach of the Year on six separate occasions. Some would call that a conservative estimate. Information for this story comes from resources maintained by the Minnesota Historical Society, Vintage Minnesota Hockey and the Edina Historical Society. Sources of particular note include A Complete History of the Minnesota High School Hockey Tournament (1945-2000) by Maggie Kirchoff and Ike: Minnesota Hockey Icon, co-authored by Jim Hoey and the legend himself. HOCKEY SCHOOLwith DAVE LANGEVIN 612-940-7550 D E F E N S E M ANSEDGE.COM 14 • SPRING 2017 It’s Not Only Neighborly … It’s The Law The Law: Edina City Code Section 10-649, Use Of Coal Tar-Based Sealer Prohibited. “No person shall apply any coal tar-based sealer to any driveway, parking lot or other surface within the city of Edina.” What it Means: The use of sealers on asphalt driveways is a common practice. However, scientific studies on the use of driveway sealers have demonstrated a relationship between stormwater runoff and certain health and environmental concerns. Coal tar sealers contain Polycystic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), which have been identified as probable human carcinogens. PAHs from the sealants are released into the environment and become part of stormwater runoff. Once PAHs reach the ponds, lakes and streams, they may pose a risk to aquatic life, birds and mammals. Also, PAHs are causing issues for municipalities in the disposal of stormwater pond sediment. Asphalt-based sealers contain just a fraction of the amount of PAHs as coal tar-based sealants. Because there is a viable alternative on the market, the City of Edina, along with the State of Minnesota, has banned coal tar-based sealers. For more information, contact Water Resources Coordinator Jessica Wilson, 952-826-0445. The Law: Edina City Code Section 20-126, Refuse Containers. Containers on residential properties shall not be placed or maintained in such a way as to unreasonably interfere with the use of the adjoining property. … Containers on residential property shall be stored in such a manner as to be out of view from the street in front of the premises or in a garage located on the premises except as provided hereafter. Occupants of single-dwelling unit, double-dwelling unit and townhouse properties may, but are not required to, place refuse containers adjacent to the street or alley adjoining the dwelling and off the traveled portion of the road but not earlier than 12 hours prior to the day scheduled for collection. Within 12 hours after the scheduled collection, the containers and any material not collected shall be returned [to storage]. What it Means: Garbage and recycling containers must be stored in a place that cannot be seen from the street, either in a garage or screened area. Containers can be put out by the street for collection up to 12 hours before collection and must be put away within 12 hours of the scheduled collection. Any material not collected must also be put away and stored within 12 hours of collection. For more information, contact Environmental Health Specialist/Recycling Coordinator Solvei Wilmot, 952-826-0463. — Compiled by Dawn Wills Driveway Sealers Storage Of Refuse And Recycling Containers 2017 SPRING • 15 www.smilesatfrance.com 4999 France Ave. South, Suite 230 • Edina / Minneapolis • 612-824-7033 Enhancing Smiles... Building Cc e... Changing Lives Complimentary,Cosmetic,Restorative & Implant Consultation Located at50th &France the power printof graphic design • digital printing • offset printing mailing services •promotional products Your 40-Year Neighbor 5101 Vernon Ave. S, #1D, Edina, MN 55436 Ph 952-920-1949 Fax 952-920-1512 www.jerrysprinting.com New Customer Discount. Contact scott@jerrysprinting.com for details.We deliver on time – and on budget. Stop by our new Edina location at 71st and France Ave. Discover all the benefits of AAA in one convenient location. In addition to our famous roadside assistance, browse our expanded travel store and talk with an experienced agent about all of your travel and insurance needs. Visit us at our new Edina location at 7151 France Ave. S., directly behind Lunds/Byerlys, and don’t forget to ask about exclusive member benefits and savings! Business Hours: Monday-Friday: 9am-6pm. Saturday: 9am-3pm. AAA.com 16 • SPRING 2017 By Kaylin Eidsness Hosting a party, but don’t feel like hauling bottles of beer and wine? Having people over for dinner, but can’t find time to run to the liquor store beforehand? Edina Liquor has you covered. This spring, Edina Liquor is rolling out delivery to any Edina address. “This really compliments the in-store experience that we’re striving for and creates another level of convenience, so those folks who don’t have time or don’t want to leave their house don’t have to,” said Josh Furbish, General Manager of Edina Liquor. Edina Liquor contracted with Drizly, a Boston-based alcohol-delivery technology company that services 40 markets throughout the United States and Canada. Edina Liquor is its first municipal liquor store client. Edina Liquor will pay 5 to 8 percent of its monthly revenue from deliveries to Drizly for its software, but handle its own orders, deliveries and transactions, which sets Drizly apart from other delivery providers. Furbish said that’s what made Drizly such an attractive company with which to work. “We’re very excited to be working with the City of Edina and bringing the convenience of Drizly to its residents,” said Andy Frukacz, Midwest Marketing Manager for Drizly. “We are looking forward to people in Edina trying Drizly for the first time and sharing their feedback with us.” “Drizly’s goal is to be the backbone of the operation, but you’ll see our face and our brand, as opposed to the other providers out there,” said Furbish. “Our employees will load up the orders, deliver them and bring them to the doorstep.” Deliveries are based out of Edina Liquor – 50th & France, because of its location in Edina and customer count. The store is typically less busy than the other two locations, giving its employees more time to dedicate to deliveries. Customers can shop via Drizly’s app or website to find what alcohol they’d like delivered, along with other odds and ends that Edina Liquor – 50th & France carries. Delivery is available on orders over $35 and free. Drivers cannot accept tips. Deliveries are made between 3 and Edina Liquor To Launch Delivery To Edina Addresses Customers can order alcohol to be delivered from Edina Liquor through the Drizly app or website. E DINA L IQUOR 2017 SPRING • 17 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Orders placed up until 3 p.m. can still be delivered on the same day. Staff must check customers’ identification upon arrival to verify age and also reserve the right to refuse a sale if the customer does not produce a valid ID or is found too intoxicated to accept the order. In 2016, the City Manager’s Liquor Store Task Force, made up of a small group of individuals who live or work in Edina and have backgrounds in hospitality, liquor, grocery and marketing, was created to examine Edina Liquor’s operations, customer experience, marketing, product mix and operational revenues and expenses, and make recommendations to improve the customer experience and increase revenues. Delivery was one of the task force’s recommendations. “We asked ourselves what are some of the things that residents would like and benefit from,” said Edina resident Nick Pahl, one of the members of the Task Force. “Delivery was a good one. I have young kids and it’s one less stop with the kids, one less stop to get them out of the car. It’s convenient.” This year, Furbish is hoping to see a 5 to 10 percent increase in revenue as a result of the new delivery service. Inventory will be updated in real time. Orders can be placed through the app that can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play or online at EdinaLiquor.com. For more information, contact Furbish at 952-903-5732 or jfurbish@EdinaMN.gov. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K EdinaOnTheGoAd-AS.pdf 1 2/5/17 9:48 AM SOUTHDALE Y FREE WEEK PASS $0 ENROLLMENT, $150 SAVINGS *OFFER EXPIRES 5/10/2017 FREE DROP OFF CHILD CARE 190+ GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES SWIMMING & FAMILY POOL FULLY EQUIPPED FITNESS CENTER ALL AGES & FITNESS LEVELS To activate pass contact Karl 952 897 5476 7355 York Ave. karl.wilbur@ymcamn.org ymcamn.org Public Service Runs In The Family For New Liquor General Manager 18 • SPRING 2017 By Debbie Townsend Josh Furbish’s great-grandfather helped homestead Williams, Minnesota, served as its mayor and was Fire Chief for Lake of the Woods County. Furbish’s grandparents both worked in social services in Lake of the Woods County. His father is the Sanitation Director there and built up a snow-removal business on the side, often working 20 hours a day in the winter. “He always made a point to serve the seniors of the community with his business, providing rates that wouldn’t even cover the cost of his gas, but making sure they had a clean, safe driveway during the worst of storms,” Furbish said of his father. The sole proprietor of a flower shop and greenhouse, his mother supplied flowers to the high school for graduations and special events. So it should come as no surprise that Furbish is following the family path of combining business and public service into a career. He is the City’s new General Manager of Liquor Operations, after more than a decade of work in sales and retail management, including in communications, home improvement and multi-unit mall management. “I believe my family’s involvement with public service was a major influence in my decision to pursue this role and utilize my business experience to serve a community rather than shareholders of larger corporations,” Furbish said.Photo by Debbie TownsendJosh Furbish, the new General Manager of Liquor Operations, has his office in the Southdale Edina Liquor store, which features a wine wall. 2017 SPRING • 19 That dedication and his business experience also made him stand out in the City’s search for a new person to head up Edina Liquor and its three stores. “Josh has an impressive track record of improving both sales and operational practices in highly competitive markets,” Assistant City Manager Lisa Schaefer said. “I am confident that Josh is the right person to lead Edina Liquor.” Furbish arrives at a challenging time. City Manager Scott Neal has set a goal of nearly doubling profits by 2019. Thanks to the dedicated work of members of the City Manager’s Liquor Store Task Force and Schaefer, there is a plan to get there. It includes online ordering, home delivery, a customer loyalty program and improved customer service. Challenge doesn’t faze Furbish. After the 9/11 attacks, he interrupted his business education to join the U.S. Army, training as a combat medic. He returned to finish his schooling, then entered the business world. He was once hired at a place where the doors would likely close in six months and there was no real plan to survive; after nine months working with Furbish, the business was in good enough shape to sign a five-year lease. In Edina, he has the work of the task force and support of City leadership, along with that of many dedicated community members. “That fuels my optimism to get this back to where it needs to be,” Furbish said. “Josh brings an out-of-the-box, fresh approach to the liquor operations,” said Greg “Woody” Keehr, Assistant Liquor Director who manages the 50th & France store. “He is working with the veteran staff to help improve an already good operation while implementing new venues for increased profit and customers, such as delivery and online sales.” Another task will be educating people that the money they spend at Edina Liquor goes to City amenities, improving those while lessening the burden on taxpayers. “We will not only be sharing the message with folks coming into the stores, we’ll be sharing the message with folks at Braemar Golf Course when they reopen the course on how money from Edina Liquor helped make that happen,” Furbish said. The same will be done at other facilities that benefit, such as the Edina Art Center and Centennial Lakes Park. “The message is very, very critical.” And if it comes directly from Furbish, it will come with a smile. He greets everyone with a grin, eager to shake hands and get to know people. He eschews a City Hall office for a spot right in the Southdale store on York Avenue so he is part of the customer experience. Improving that experience is another goal. Furbish encourages people to stop by, check out Edina Liquor and see for themselves. Reach Furbish at jfurbish@EdinaMN.gov or at 952-903-5732. 20 • SPRING 2017 By Krystal Caron Each spring, the Edina Heritage Preservation Board (HPB) asks community members for nominations for the annual Heritage Award. The Heritage Award is given to a local business, person or neighborhood for preserving, rehabilitating or restoring a historical place in Edina. Nominations for the 2017 Heritage Award are due April 12. “The Heritage Award is one of the highlights of the Heritage Preservation Board’s annual calendar. It provides an opportunity for the public to participate in recognizing preservation done right in the community,” said Senior Planner Joyce Repya and staff liaison for the HPB. Doug and Patricia Vayda were recognized with the 2016 Heritage Award for their home at 5201 Wooddale Ave. The Vaydas elected to preserve the historic character of their home and use the house’s current style as inspiration as they updated the space and increased the house’s footprint. “We bought from the original owner and she just celebrated her 110 birthday this past fall. They asked if she could come over to see the house with her grandkids and great-grandkids,” said Doug Vayda. The Vaydas’ success in preserving the integrity of the original home was clear in their reaction. “They still remember this house as their grandmother’s house and the only comment was that we built them the family room that they had really wanted.” The Vaydas worked closely with their architects, Rehkamp Larson Architects, and contractor, JS Johnson & Associates, to maintain the integrity of the 1935 Tudor home. In order to preserve signature rooms, such as the foyer, dining room and vaulted living room, the addition was designed to sit back on the site, allowing the historic living room gable to keep its prominent position on the front façade. “The overall sensitivity to scale, form, materials and craftsmanship successfully created a seamless unified house with consistent period character, and elevated its overall size and function for modern living,” said Architect Jean Rehkamp Larson in her Heritage Award nomination. “It’s great to live in a community that appreciates historic preservation, because it’s such a valuable resource for our culture and it’s sustainable.” That’s why Edina’s preservation consultant hopes the public looks for special landmarks within the city this year. “It would be really nice if people could think of the forgotten places and forgotten people within our community that have made an impact,” said Preservation Consultant Robert Vogel. “Recently, it’s been a showcase of some of the really good projects and remodels we’ve done, but it can be more than that.” Morningside Neighborhood and Convention Grill have both been awarded the Heritage Award, not because of recent projects but because of the history they carry. “If you can nominate a property that typifies something that makes Edina special, then you’re on the right track. Convention Grill, Morningside and the Edina Cinema all make Edina special,” said Repya. “Don’t be shy; City Seeks 2017 Heritage Award Nominations 2017 SPRING • 21 nominators don’t need to be an expert or an architect. Think about what might resonate with the city moving forward as well; something that in 30 years people are going to recognize that it really helped to add to the history of the community.” The Heritage Award was established in 2003 to showcase local preservation activity happening on properties located within the City of Edina. Any individual, company or organization is eligible for the award, including non-residents, but the historic property or resource must be located in Edina. Current members of the Heritage Preservation Board and past recipients are not eligible for the award. In addition to the Vayda House, previous winners include Savory’s Gardens, Arthur Erickson House, Southdale Center, the Convention Grill, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, a colonial revival home in the Edina Country Club District, the Coddington House on Blake Road, Edina Morningside Community Church, the historic Sly Farmhouse on Brookview Avenue, the Morningside Neighborhood, Edina Cinema for its iconic sign and the Baird House. Award nominations are due 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12. Nominations can be submitted online at EdinaMN.gov/heritage-award-form. Submissions should include the address of the heritage resource; description of its preservation, rehabilitation or restoration; and the name and address of the owner. A photo should also be included. Entries can also be mailed to Edina Heritage Award, Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. The award will be presented at an Edina City Council meeting during National Preservation Month in May. For more information about the Heritage Award, contact Repya at 952-826-0462 or jrepya@EdinaMN.gov.Andrea Rugg PhotographyHomeowners Doug and Patricia Vayda received the 2016 Heritage Award for their care in preserving the original character of their 1935 Tudor home, while making updates for a modern lifestyle. 22 • SPRING 2017 By Debbie Townsend The final segment of a 15-mile trail stretching from Hopkins to Bloomington is under construction in Edina. The Nine Mile Creek Trail, when completed in summer 2018, will connect parks, schools, churches and business districts. It will offer paths for both pedestrians and bicyclists and have easy connections to buses and other transportation. “The trail is going to be fantastic,” said Edina Parks & Recreation Director Ann Kattreh. Bredesen Park users will feel the biggest impact from the construction. A section of the loop trail in the southwest area of the park, near Gleason Road and Minnesota Highway 62, is closed until October. Signs are posted to let walkers and bicyclists know where they will need to turn around and backtrack instead of looping around the park. The Three Rivers Park District is improving the trails in that section and extending them to a new pedestrian bridge crossing Highway 62 that will connect Bredesen Park to Creek Valley Elementary School. “In order to incorporate our trail into those trails and get up and over Highway 62, we are using a portion of the bike paved trail. It has to come up to the bridge,” said Project Manager Eric Nelson of the Three Rivers Park District. Work on the bridge is expected to begin in early April. Expect some lane shifts along that area of Highway 62, but no long-term closures are planned, according to Nelson. Three Rivers plans to keep the pedestrian and bike trails separate, as they are now in Bredesen, except where they come up to the bridge and cross it. Once over the bridge, the trails split again, Nelson said. Three Rivers will maintain the entire stretch of the Nine Mile Creek Trail, including where it goes through Bredesen Park. The new bike trail section in Bredesen will be two-way, a feature riders have been asking for, Kattreh said. The Trail Construction Closes Part of Bredesen Park File PhotoA section of the loop trail at Bredesen Park is closed until October while the Nine Mile Creek Trail is under construction. 2017 SPRING • 23 new trail also should eliminate closed paths in that flood-prone section of the park. “By raising the trail up, it will no longer have to close when it rains,” Nelson said. The spring and summer construction closure is not ideal for the popular park trails, but it had to be that way, Nelson said. “We are building the boardwalk segments over the winter, but where the paved trail is, that has to be on thawed ground,” he said. Four boardwalks at various points in Edina will take the Nine Mile Creek Trail over wetland areas. During the winter, construction crews were able to drive pylons into the frozen ground for the boardwalks and begin building them. The majority of construction for this segment, known as the west segment in Edina, will happen this year. Some work is scheduled for spring 2018, with a target date of June 1, 2018, to open the full trail, Nelson said. The east segment – from Tracy Avenue to Xerxes Avenue South – is substantially complete. The City plans to build a trail segment after doing sewer upgrades along Xerxes this year. Despite the work, the east section is expected to formally open this spring after some painting and sign installation. Once the full trail opens, people can use it to reach multiple other trails. Nelson pointed out bicyclists can ride to Hopkins Depot, a jumping-off point for hundreds of miles of trails. “This trail is going to give our residents links between our own parks and access to the regional park system,” Kattreh said. For more information, visit threeriversparks.org and look under the “Parks & Trails” tab. Reach Kattreh at akattreh@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-0430. Minnesota Center, Suite 270 I 7760 France Avenue South l Minneapolis, MN 55435 ISC FINANCIAL ADVISORS Helping you achieve your financial goals. 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The other is Craig Essig, Assistant Fire Chief of Training & Safety. “One of the key positions in our department that Jeff has fulfilled for the last several years is that of Fire Marshal and the Fire Marshal is a very important position,” said Tom Schmitz, Fire Chief. “His ability to interact with people in our department, community, contractors and other City Hall personnel have set him up very well for the position as the Assistant Chief because he will need to interact at the City level, other departments and the community as a whole.” As Fire Marshal, Siems’ main role was preventing fires. He organized and coordinated fire inspection programs for businesses, and ensured building plans and specifications conformed to City Code. He provided supervision and leadership to Department personnel, participating in decisions on matters of hiring, transfers, suspensions, promotions and more. Siems says he had to work behind the scenes as Fire Marshal and looks forward to taking more of an active role again, helping victims in emergency fire situations and keeping them safe. As Assistant Fire Chief of Operations, Siems will coordinate activities, operations, assignments and scheduling for shifts and ensure the effective delivery of the Department’s services to the community. Siems will oversee and coordinate day-to-day operations and activities of the Department, coordinate equipment maintenance and vehicle rotation, and administer recruiting and pre-employment testing. He will serve Photo by Michael BraunJeff Siems will serve as one of two Assistant Fire Chiefs in Edina. 2017 SPRING • 27 as the City’s Emergency Management Coordinator, and supervise emergency response personnel. He will help make decisions on what equipment the Fire Department needs to continue to work safely and efficiently. He will make sure paramedics/firefighters have the tools and resources in the event of an emergency and manage their roles. “The first thing I plan to do as Assistant Fire Chief is understand the roles and responsibilities of the job, and the next thing I plan to do is make sure I work and coordinate with the shift captains and the shifts,” said Siems. “All of the command staff has the capability of managing an emergency incident,” said Schmitz. “It isn’t just the Fire Chief who manages the incident; we have a system in place and any of the chief officers can take on that role of incident commander.” Siems received his associate degree in Emergency Medical Care and Rescue from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Wellness from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He received his Public Safety Master’s certificate from Hamline University and a master’s from the Naval Post Graduate School in Homeland Defense and Security. He completed the Certified Emergency Manager program through the State of Minnesota Homeland Security & Emergency Management, and Executive Fire Officer program through the National Fire Academy. The previous Assistant Fire Chief of Operations was Darrell Todd, who retired last year after 28 years in the department. “I’m really excited and I feel very privileged to be given this opportunity. I’ve been working hard for the opportunity to come and I’m excited for our future,” said Siems. For more information on the Edina Fire-Rescue & Inspections Department, visit EdinaMN.gov/Fire. Preferred provider for most insurance companies. Call or request your appointment online. 6545 France Ave. S, Suite 390, Edina, MN 55435 952-926-3534 | parkdental.com Ann M. Thiele Burt, DDS Camille M. Jensen, DDS Annette G. Dunford, DDS General dental care for the entire family. Early morning and evening appointments. New patients welcome. With you every smile of the way. Dr. Brandon Kvidt Owen J. 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The City of Edina and Edina Magazine invite those who live, work or go to school in Edina to submit their best photos that tell Edina’s story in the 14th-annual “Images of Edina” photo contest. The contest, sponsored by the City’s Communications & Technology Services Department, is free to enter and open to both amateur and professional photographers who live, work or go to school in Edina. For the seventh year, Edina Magazine is a co-sponsor, allowing entrants to submit their photos online at edinamag.com. Past winner Andrea Bryant said, “I think [the photos] represent the community so well when it’s the citizens taking the photos.” Category winners, a “Best in Show” winner and a “Readers’ Choice” winner will receive plaques, be recognized at a City Council meeting and have their work displayed for up to two years at Edina City Hall. Photos may also be published in issues of Edina Magazine or City of Edina publications such as About Town or the Parks & Recreation Activities Directory. “What’s nice about it is seeing your photo on the big screen at the awards,” said past winner Bryan Singer. Photos can be submitted online between April 3 and June 16 at edinamag.com. Following the entry period, readers can vote for their favorite photos from June 19 to July 21. ‘Images of Edina’ Photo Contest RulesPhotos must have been taken in Edina, and should be entered in one of five categories: • Businesses • People • Community Events • Places in Edina • Plants & Animals Photographers may submit up to five photographs in any category. Only photos taken between June 1, 2016 and June 15, 2017, are eligible.Submitted Photo“Edina” by Bryan Singer won Best in Show in the 2016 Images of Edina Photo Contest. 2017 SPRING • 31 Celebrating 24 Years of Dance Excellence www.victoriadance.comTraining 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 (952) 835-7497 EDINA’S PREMIER DANCE STUDIO 7109 AMUNDSON AVE. All submissions must be the original work of the submitting photographer. All photo entries become the property of the City and Edina Magazine. By submitting one or more photos, photographers must agree to the terms of the City’s Submitted Photo & Original Artwork Policy, found at EdinaMN.gov/PhotoContest. For a complete list of official rules, contest criteria and to submit your photos, visit EdinaMN.gov/PhotoContest or edinamag.com. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov/PhotoContest or contact Communications Assistant Dawn Wills at dwills@EdinaMN.gov. 32 • SPRING 2017 By Kaylin Eidsness Extraordinary leader. Genuine love for education. Passion for kids. Those are just a few of the praises colleagues of Superintendent Ric Dressen sang about him while reflecting on his more-than-10-year career with Edina Public Schools. “He has made the Edina journey a lot of fun for me and for [Edina High School] and will be deeply missed,” said Edina High School Principal Bruce Locklear of Dressen. Locklear added that he’ll also miss his daily 6 a.m. phone calls with Dressen. “My wife laughs at our relationship,” said Locklear. “It’s a friendship; it’s a professional relationship. It’s two people working as hard as they can to do the best they can. I will miss those conversations with him.” Dressen, who began as Superintendent of Edina Public Schools in July 2006, started his career as an elementary school teacher in Annandale, Minnesota, about 40 years ago. From there, he worked as a principal in St. Joseph and Waconia and an associate principal in Brooklyn Center before beginning his career track as a superintendent in Waconia and Alexandria prior to coming to Edina. “I’m a teacher,” said Dressen, whose parents were both educators. “All I know is the love of learning and a real strong commitment to serving.” Dressen also ran the statewide Minnesota Education Finance Reform Task Force under former Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s recommendation from 2003 to 2004. In addition, Dressen led the Superintendency Institute, a consortium of superintendents. He serves as the University of St. Thomas Board of Engineering director and is an adjunct professor at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He’s also a member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club and sits on the Fairview Southdale Hospital Board of Directors. “My commitment to leadership aligns well with a community-based approach to educating its young people. Focus on young people, focus on their future,” said Dressen. “Those are all things I believe in and that’s where I like to lead from.” Dressen To Retire From Edina Public Schools Photo by Michael BraunSuperintendent Ric Dressen will retire June 30 after more than 10 years with Edina Public Schools. 2017 SPRING • 33 “Ric Dressen is one of the finest people I have ever worked with during my tenure on the Council,” said Edina Mayor Jim Hovland. “He has set the standard for leadership in the state amongst educators and has helped our District carefully prepare for the future. He is simply as high quality a person as one would hope to know in their lifetime. I will miss him a great deal.” While with Edina Public Schools, one of Dressen’s major projects was overseeing development of the 2012 strategic plan, Next Generation, to bring students into the 21st century. This included the approval of the $124.9 million bond referendum, which funded updates to the facilities and creating spaces that better suit personalized learning. Regina Neville, an Edina School Board member since 2009, praised Dressen for his success in looking forward and seeing how education can change young learners. “He’s an educator,” said Neville. “I see when he’s around kids that he connects with them and his door is always open. He’s guided Edina Schools with a real vision and we see that with a lot of his accomplishments that have happened in the District.” Dressen’s love of education and serving the community shines through when he speaks about his retirement and his plans afterward. “I want to give back, because I’ve gained so much from it,” said Dressen. “I’m looking forward to slowing down a little bit, but it’s about making a difference. I want to keep finding ways to do that. It’s been an honor to be able to do it here and I have a deep passion for it.” Even though Dressen has clearly enjoyed serving Edina, he recognizes the important role community plays in a student’s life. “It’s the magic of community. It’s what Edina does well. It’s what a community-based system does well,” said Dressen. “They recognize the value of neighborhoods, value of education, value of quality of life. We recognize the power of partnership, because that’s what makes it work. Partnership within the schools with staff, between home and school, and the district and community. Because everything is possible when we’re all pulling together.” “It’s also the power of public education. I’ve seen dreams come true, because of it,” said Dressen, who will continue to reside in Edina with his wife, Kerry. “I have really enjoyed working with Ric,” said Edina City Manager Scott Neal. “I’ve worked with a lot of superintendents throughout the years and in terms of sincerely working with the City, Ric sees us as an important partner in helping the school district achieve its mission. I really like that, because I want to help, too.” “I want to live in a community and Edina’s a great community. I like that sense of community. I’m rooted in it,” Dressen said. Dressen’s last day with the District will be June 30. For more information, visit edinaschools.org. 34 • SPRING 2017 Bronze K-9 To Set Up Post Outside Of Police Department By Kaylin Eidsness A life-size bronze police K-9 will have a home outside the Edina Police Department come September. The bronze German shepherd, meant to honor all working dogs, is a creation of Edina resident Michelle Recke. “I’m overly impressed with all the things service dogs do for people,” said Recke, a clay, stone and bronze sculptor and self-proclaimed “dog nerd.” “When they were first talking about doing a K-9 memorial, I was all about it. I said ‘sign me up. I’ll do whatever you want!’” Recke, who started sculpting bronze at age 16, has deep roots in Edina. She’s lived in the city since fourth grade. Her grandparents and parents are also from Edina. She even owns a business in Edina. However, while most of Recke’s time during the week is spent running her in-home daycare – “I’ve potty-trained half of Edina,” she jokes – it’s the weekends she dedicates to art. For the last year, Recke worked on the piece in her home studio, making sure the proportions and characteristics of the sculpture were similar to those of a real life German shepherd. What started as a carved foam armature covered in clay will measure roughly 46 inches from nose to tail and 14 inches from hind foot to hind foot, when complete. Once finished, it will be mounted on a stone pedestal, surrounded by landscaping. “It’s the finest, everlasting honor to what the K-9s have done for the community – not just the sacrifices, but the long, hard work and the devotion,” said Sgt. Kevin Rofidal, who worked alongside K-9 partner Kodiak for eight years. “It’s also something the community when visiting City Hall can enjoy, because the support from the community has been unwavering.” Bronze is everlasting, so to speak. The metal has endured the test of time, tracing back thousands of years. It’s one of the reasons Recke likes the medium so much; it lasts. “I hope the K-9 sculpture will be here watching over Edina for years and years to come,” she said. Recke also Photo by Kaylin EidsnessOfficer Mike Seeger, who was partnered with K-9 Diesel for 8 years, Officer Mike Bengston, who began training in March with his new partner K-9 Ike, and Officer Sean Young, whose current partner is K-9 Blitz, helped carve out fur on the clay sculpture before it was finished and sent to the foundry for casting. 2017 SPRING • 35 enjoys the metal, because “even though it’s an unmovable solid piece, you can get it to flow.” Thanks to funding provided by the Edina Federated Women’s Club, Edina Crime Prevention Fund, Edina Community Foundation and the City of Edina’s Public Art Edina working group, what was once an idea – a longtime coming – will turn into a friendly greeting as people visit City Hall and the Police Department. “Public Art Edina has been talking about having a K-9 sculpture in Edina for many years, long before I was even involved in Public Art,” said Barbara La Valleur, previous Chair of Public Art Edina and member of the Arts & Culture Commission. “People in Edina love their dogs, as we’ve seen with Spaulding (the bronze dog sculpture at 50th & France). A K-9 sculpture will honor not only the service animals, but also our Police Department and the great work they do.” In February, Recke delivered the clay piece to the foundry, Casting Creations in Howard Lake, Minnesota. There, the art will take on its new life as a bronze sculpture. Once back to Recke’s studio, she’ll do the finishing welding and grinding, as well as the patina work. “It’s going to be an amazing piece,” said Edina Art Center General Manager Michael Frey, who worked to secure $11,000 in funding for the sculpture. “I’m very excited about it.” While the foundry funding is secure, the organizations supporting the sculpture are still looking for donations to fund the stone pedestal and landscaping. Approximately $10,000-$15,000 is still needed. To make a donation, visit EdinaCrimeFund.org and specify that the donation is for the K-9 sculpture. For more information about the sculpture, call Frey at 952-903-5729. Since 2001, when Police Sgt. Kevin Rofidal revitalized the K-9 program from the 1970s when Edina’s first K-9 left with his handler to join the Minneapolis Police Department, the Edina Police Department has had five K-9 teams. Sgt. Kevin Rofidal and K-9 Kodiak, retired 2010 Officer Mike Seeger and K-9 Diesel, retired 2014 Officer Jason Behr and K-9 Blade, retired 2016 Officer Sean Young and K-9 Blitz Officer Mike Bengston and K-9 Ike Your Partner In Pet Care. Ban eld.com EDINA Gus Young Ln.-- Your Partner Pet Care. EDINA Gus Young Ln.-- 36 • SPRING 2017 Edina Seeks Help Cutting Energy Consumption By Debbie Townsend Edina has a lot of qualities to brag about, but being a top energy user is not one of them. Edina residents consume more energy per capita than people in almost any city in the state. According to the Regional Indicators Initiative, Edina is third highest, just behind Lake Elmo and Minnetonka, and far above Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. “It’s not something we want to be No. 1 at,” said Sarah Zarrin, 2016 Chairwoman of the City’s Energy & Environment Commission. To change that, the City has begun an effort to reduce energy consumption in homes, businesses and City buildings. It created its plan with the support of Partners in Energy, a two-year service offered to communities by Xcel Energy. Edina is among 23 cities in Minnesota and Colorado that have joined the program. The two most obvious benefits are saving money and helping the environment. Reductions also will help the City reach the state-mandated 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. “We know the largest greenhouse gas emitter for us is energy consumption, so that’s where we are focusing,” said Tara Brown, the City’s Sustainability Coordinator. The City City government is working on energy reduction efforts. Edina facilities have been surveyed and studied for their energy use and efficiencies, or lack thereof. From that, a list of potential energy reduction opportunities is being created and ranked. This spring, the list will be evaluated, looking at various aspects, including costs versus energy savings. Edina officials hope to start making approved upgrades soon after, using money that comes from a charge on utility bills, the Conservation & Sustainability Fund. “The majority of the Conservation & Sustainability Fund customers pay into will be spent on energy-saving upgrades,” Brown said. The projects, once completed, will result in ongoing energy savings for the City and its taxpayers. Electricity Usage in Edina by Kilowatt Hour The community used 584 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2014, spending $59.2 million for power. Commercial and Industrial users accounted for 60 percent of the total and residential use was 34 percent. Source: Xcel Energy Commercial & Industrial Residential Municipal Public Schools 200,641,234 351,963,529 Business The City has an open invitation to businesses to help evaluate their energy use and connect them with resources, including programs offered by Xcel Energy and Centerpoint Energy. “After completing our 10-minute survey, we’ll follow up with you and help you customize a program that will save you money and lower your energy costs,” Brown said. Xcel Energy, as part of the Partners in Energy program, is offering Edina businesses a discount on its Turn Key Services. An energy auditor comes to the business, analyzes the building and identifies energy savings, costs, potential utility rebates and paybacks. The owner decides which projects to take on and when. Businesses must sign up for the assessment by May 31, 2017, to get half off the $600 service. Those who go through it can earn a 30 percent bonus rebate for putting in most measures within one year of the audit. Business owners interested in learning more should visit EdinaMN.gov/green_business or contact Brown at 952-826-1621 or tbrown@EdinaMN.gov. Residential Edina households burn up more electricity than those in any city in the entire Twin Cities region, except for Lake Elmo, according to the Regional Indicators Initiative. The average electricity bill in 2013 – the last year the initiative gathered statistics – was $5,304 annually in Edina. Compare that to St. Louis Park, where the average was $3,517. Most people know the basics: Turn off lights as you leave a room, properly insulate doors and windows. Some reductions, however, come in surprising places. 2017 SPRING • 37 5 Steps Residents Can Take Edina’s residential households use an average of 9,430 kilowatt hours a year. Over the next year, the City is challenging households to save 750 kWh. Here are five steps residents can take. Know your energy use. See a breakdown in the My Energy feature through your Xcel Energy online account. Recycle your second refrigerator (average savings of 1,034 kWh per year) and receive a $35 rebate. Visit xcelenergy.com and search for “refrigerator.” Get a Home Energy Squad visit (average 820 kWh annual savings in Edina). Sign up online at mncee.org/hes/edina. Buy Energy Star-certified appliances. Research options and learn more at www.energystar.gov/products. Check your thermostat’s program. Turning it down just one degree saves up to 3 percent on your heating bill. If you’re out a lot, set it lower while you’re gone. Learn more at energy.gov/energysaver/thermostats. (continued on next page) 38 • SPRING 2017 “Did you know the coolest innovations in energy are in insulation?” Brown asked. Residents are encouraged to schedule a visit from the Home Energy Squad. They’ll evaluate a home for easy upgrades and install efficiencies like weather stripping and programmable thermostats, said Tami Gunderzik, who manages the Partners in Energy program for Xcel. The $100 visits are only $50 for customers after a $50 subsidy from the City. Residents also can go green with where they get their energy, such as turning to solar or wind energy. Zarrin gets 80 percent of her home’s electricity through the Windsource program for about $6 more a month. “It’s the best thing you can do in terms of ease,” she said. As of 2014, 683 Xcel customers – residential and commercial – were signed up for Windsource, according to Xcel. For those who already have subscribed to Windsource or made energy reduction changes, Zarrin encourages them to talk to others about how easy it is. “Talk to your neighbors, talk to your friends. Let them know about it,” Zarrin said. “Let’s do this together.” For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov/gogreenedina or contact Brown at 952-826-1621 or tbrown@EdinaMN.gov RedCowMN.com ST PAUL 393 Selby • 651.789.0545MPLS 3624 W 50th • 612.767.4411N LOOP 208 1st Ave N • 612.238.0050N LOOP 201 Washington Ave N • 612.767.8855 RED COWRED COWRED COWRED RABBIT RedRabbitMN.com WE’RE SHARING THE INTRODUCING OUR NEW CO-STAR CITY EXTRA! EdinaMN.gov/City E x t r a Street reconstructions Public Safety Alerts Parks & Rec activities Business News Job Listings And much more! 2017 SPRING • 39 U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Gold American Express® Card Premium Rewards. Premium Beneﬁ ts. Apply today at your local Edina U.S. Bank branch or visit ﬂ experks.com. Terms and conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. The creditor and issuer of the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. © 2017 U.S. Bank - ADVERTISEMENT- 40 • SPRING 2017 City Begins New Race & Equity Task Force And Working Groups By Krystal Caron The members of the new Edina Race & Equity Task Force are set to begin the challenging process of developing recommendations on policies, practices and strategies to identify and eliminate race-based disparities in City facilities, services and institutions. “This year will be a year where we are going to be part of a larger community initiative to take a deeper look at race and equity in Edina. We are going to examine whether or not our City government policies, practices and operations create disparate outcomes for people of differing racial groups,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “If we are creating disparate outcomes, we are committed to discover why and what can be done to correct that.” The Task Force serves as a nine-person steering committee comprised of community members who will lead three working groups to review practices and procedures in the areas of City services, City facilities and City institutions. “The City Services Working Group will look at access to and equality of government services, such as law enforcement, paramedic services or Public Works services like plowing snow. The facilities group will assess whether parks and public buildings are equally welcoming, accessible and available to all members of the community. And the Institutional group really focuses on the procedures and policies of the City,” explained Assistant City Manager Lisa Schaefer. “That’s where we look at how to recruit more diversity in employment and boards and commissions, and how we ensure that when we’re looking for input and involvement, that we’re hearing from all demographics within the city. A lot of things can have an adverse impact on minority groups, though it may not be readily apparent. These working groups will look into our practices and determine if there is a disparate impact on a minority group in certain areas. If there is, then we will look at why and what we can do on a policy level to change that.” Concurrently, Edina will participate in a program offered by the Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE) and the League of Minnesota Cities. The program will explore race and equity issues, from a policy perspective, in collaboration with several other cities that are participating in GARE. Edina is part of the second cohort completing the GARE program. The first cohort was held in 2016 and involved 14 cities, including Edina neighbors Bloomington, Hopkins and St. Louis Park. “This will be intensive and the Edina team will consist of five staff members, three Human Rights & Relations Commissioners and one City Council member,” said Schaefer. “By going through this programming, we’ll receive training, tools, model policies, surveys, professional networking and technical assistance to share with the Task Force and working groups.” (continued on Page 42) 2017 SPRING • 41 Jessica Kingston (Co-chair) James Pierce (Co-chair) Katherine Bass Leonel Dorvil Thuy Anh Fox Phil Godinez Ramla Hasanali Michelle Meek (HRRC) Christina Smith City Services Working Group Al Alexander (Chair) Ana Munro (Co-chair) Engineering Coordinator Sharon Allison (GARE) Sheila Burmeister Leonel Dorvil Police Sgt. Brian Hubbard (GARE) Daniel Nye Guled Said Christina Smith City Facilities Working Group Val Burke (Chair) Elena Brito Sifferlin (Co-chair) Edinborough Park and Edina Aquatic Center Assistant Manager Dawn Beitel Arnold Bigbee Heather Edelson (HRRC) Ramla Hasanali Phil Godinez Electrical/HVAC Supervisor Noah Silver (GARE) June Yoshinari Davis City Institutions Working Group Kamala Puram (Chair) Eric Rehm (Co-chair) Pat Arseneault (HRRC) Katherine Bass Community Health Administrator Jeff Brown Christine Bremer Randolph Cooper Human Resources Director Kelly Curtin (GARE) Thuy Anh Fox Race & Equity Task Force In addition, Allison, Arseneault, Curtin, Edelson, Hubbard, Meek, Assistant City Manager Lisa Schaefer, Silver and City Council Member Kevin Staunton will serve on the Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE) team. Race & Equity Task Force Members were chosen by City Council in February. They are: 42 • SPRING 2017 According to the League of Minnesota Cities, the government’s proactive work on racial equity has the potential to leverage significant change, setting the stage for the achievement of racial equity. By supporting targeted cohorts of jurisdictions and providing best practices, tools and resources, participating cities are helping to build and sustain current efforts and build a national movement for racial equity. Schaefer agrees. “This will affect every department in the City. This will give us the chance to build skills and resources to look at decision-making through a race and equity lens. We need to start by helping people understand why this is important.” The Task Force’s review process is expected to be completed by December 2017. GARE will require 66 hours of training in addition to homework between sessions. After the review process is completed, Schaefer expects to enact recommendations fairly quickly. “If the policies are operational, staff can just implement those. If it requires an ordinance or policy change at the Council level, then we’ll bring those to the Council for approval,” she said. “It’s also a matter of building the City’s racial equity competency. Having racial equity competency is a trait that will be looked for in leaders and staff.” For more information, contact Schaefer at 952-826-0416 or LSchaefer@EdinaMN.gov. Sylva ZoraqiREALTOR® SylvaZoraqi@edinarealty.com 952.905.5558www.ramonajenkins.com Ramona Jenkins NMLS# 264221 When it comes time to make your most important financial decision, trust an expert. Experience the Bell Bank Mortgage Difference. 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In November, the Edina City Council approved Frauenshuh Companies’ proposal for a development at 7700 France Ave. for Twin Cities Orthopedics. Frauenshuh plans to develop the southwest corner of the site in phases. In the first phase would be a 60,000- to 80,000-square-foot, three- or four-story medical office building and a 358-stall parking deck. Frauenshuh Companies will dedicate 18,000 square feet on the north property line of the site area for a pedestrian easement where a sidewalk will be built. The sidewalk will connect to Centennial Lakes. The second phase could potentially include a 200,000-square-foot addition and more levels added to the parking deck. The parking deck would be shared between the existing and new buildings. The third phase would be for a freestanding 7,700-square-foot restaurant in the northeast corner of the site. This is the same location for which a restaurant was previously approved for development, but never built. “It’s a very large site and it provides Twin Cities Orthopedics that future expansion flexibility,” said David Anderson with Frauenshuh Companies. “Really, it’s an essential part of their future vision to start out with this first phase and have that flexibility to grow.” Twin Cities Orthopedics plans to consolidate operations at three Edina locations into the new building. Those locations offer prosthetics, physical therapy and other services. For more information, contact the Planning Division at 952-826-0369. – Compiled by Dawn Wills Submitted IllustrationTwin Cities Orthopedics will consolidate its operations with a new building at 7700 France Ave. 2017 SPRING • 45 When Hennepin County Library – Edina reopens in late August, patrons will find lighter, more comfortable spaces with improved acoustics, an enclosed reading room and collaborative working spaces, as well as a larger children’s area with interactive learning elements. The library, located at 5280 Grandview Square, will close for renovations at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 9. “The renovation will allow the Edina Library to better serve the community and share the full benefits that the Hennepin County Library system brings,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Jan Callison. “Our libraries provide a space for people of all ages to learn and grow, experience art and culture and to receive services. We are always working to meet the evolving needs and demands of our residents, and the Edina Library renovation is only one part of that work.” While Edina Library is closed, patrons are encouraged to visit other Hennepin County libraries: • Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. S., Edina • Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis • Hopkins Library, 22 11th Ave. N., Hopkins The budget for the renovation project is $1.1 million. Edina Library has been providing service to Edina residents in its current location since 2002, when it opened in a shared facility with the Edina Senior Center. For more information about the project, visit the Edina Library building project page at www.hclib.org/edina. Edina Library To Close For Renovations Submitted PhotoThe Edina Library will close for several months for a renovation. The space has not been renovated since it opened in 2002. 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Get a onjump startplans! 2017 SPRING • 47 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 is not liable for damages and provides only limited coverage. D O YOU have insurance for sewer back-up s? Check your policy today!? Tide Dry Cleaner Business Opens In EdinaA Tide Dry Cleaners business has come to Edina. The second Tide business in Minnesota was opened by Todd and Kathy Laabs at 7131 France Ave. S. in November 2016. “Everything starts and ends with the Tide brand itself. From the moment you walk through the front door, you will experience a bright, clean and friendly environment,” said Todd Laabs. “We use Tide brand laundry detergent and Downy products in all of our wet-cleaning processes versus using bulk/generic laundry products. Our dry cleaning process uses Green Earth technology and scented with the Tide signature scent, so your garments come back clean and smelling fresh.” Tide Dry Cleaners has been growing across the United States, with a total of 48 stores operational at the end of January. Tide offers “signature services” for its customers. These services include “Back to Black” for faded black articles of clothing and “Tide Color Restore” for colored clothes that have lost their brightness. Another service is a loyalty program called “Tide Dry Cleaners Inner Circle Rewards.” The loyalty programs helps customers earn points to go toward free services. New customers automatically receive 50 percent off their first visit to the store, and after 12 articles are brought in, customers will get a free shirt cleaning. An automated kiosk, much like a Redbox machine, makes Tide Dry Cleaners a 24-hour drop off and pick-up service for time-crunched Edina residents. Another convenient service is valet parking, which is similar to a drive-thru. “Our customer service representatives come to your car for both drop-off and pick-up, so there is no need to get out of your car. This is great when you have kids in the car or to avoid the cold elements of the winter,” said Laabs. All cleaning is done on site. Tide Dry Cleaners features a signature seven-point quality inspection – quality is checked and measured at seven different points in the dry-cleaning process. Tide takes care of all minor alterations and button replacements free of charge. For more information about Tide Dry Cleaners, visit tidedrycleaners.com. Business Notes 48 • SPRING 2017Submitted PhotoTide Dry Cleaners owners, Todd and Kathy Laabs, stand in front of their new store front at 71 France. AAA’s Travel Agency And Luggage Store Moves To 71 France AAA Travel Agency and Luggage Store has moved from the Galleria’s lower level to 71 France. “We wanted a larger space after the Galleria remodeled,” said Linda Snyder, AAA’s Vice President of Travel & Retail Services. “After 22 years in that space, we want to add an insurance specialist to our staff, and we didn’t have room to fit someone in there. Our travel store area was very cramped. The setup with the limited space was cluttered.” The move to 7151 France Ave. was official Jan. 11. They have four staff members and have added a full-service insurance agent called a Membership Insurance Representative who sells auto insurance, life insurance and AAA memberships. “We’re excited to be in that neighborhood in a more convenient area,” said Snyder. “We are looking forward to being more visible to more people who might not have seen us down in the Galleria. We’re excited to meet the other tenants who come into the 71 France area because there is a lot of room for development.” AAA has all the necessities for travel and although they are a membership agency, they also plan trips for non-members. There are discounts for members, but everyone is welcome to planning services for world-wide travel, and TripTik map routing for auto travel, among other services. “The staff is thrilled to be in a new location. We have a lot of customers and we hope they find us over at 71 France,” said Snyder. For more information on AAA’s Travel Agency and Luggage Store, visit Minneapolis.aaa.com. Mayor Reappointed To Transportation Advisory BoardEdina Mayor Jim Hovland will again serve as chair of the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB.) This is Hovland’s 12th year serving on the TAB and second year as its chair. According to the Metropolitan Council, the TAB helps shape regional and state transportation plans. It also solicits, reviews and selects local transportation projects for federal funding. “I have been pleased and honored to be able to serve this group, the Metropolitan Council and the region as the TAB chair for the past two years and to continue to serve as its chair for the next two years as well,” said Hovland. The resident members reappointed to districts include Sam Villella, TAB District E; and Rolf Parsons, TAB District F. The new resident members appointed are Carrie Christenson, TAB District G; and Peter Duncan, TAB District H. There are also six new alternates: Christopher Geisler, District E; Mark Wagner, District F; Conor Johnson, District G; Nickolas Fox, District H; Matt Hollishead, Transit representative; and Matt Privratksy, representative for non-motorized transportation. For more information about the TAB, visit metrocouncil.org. 2017 SPRING • 49 Mayor Jim Hovland (continued on next page) 50 • SPRING 2017 Business Organizations Grow MembershipThe 50th & France Business & Professional Association has added four businesses to its membership roster since November. The Edina Chamber of Commerce has also welcomed eight businesses as new members. New members of the 50th & France Business & Professional Association include Shop in the City, Witt + Bliss, Hope Law and Buhl Investors. New members of the Edina Chamber of Commerce include Buhl Investors, Envy Skin Clinic, Giordano’s, IRL Escape, Onyx Edina, Organic Lawns by LUNSETH, Salons by JC and The Reserve. For more information about the 50th & France Business & Professional Association, call 952-922-1524. For more information about the Chamber of Commerce, call 952-806-9060. – Compiled by Lauren Siebenaler Braemar Park, 6364 John Harris Dr952.941.5573 tinﬁshmn.com Golf Clubhouse open all winter for pre-gamesnacks, lunch, dinner, team banquets or parties $5 OFF your next food purchase of $20 or more with this coupon We want to help you OWN AN EDINA HOME Want To Learn More? Contact Joyce Repya 952-826-0462 or jrepya@EdinaMN.gov TechniCrete®.The only concrete with a lifetime, no-crack guarantee. FEW THINGS MAKE AS GOOD A FIRST IMPRESSION AS THEY DO A LASTING ONE. 612-861-4243 HAGECONCRETE.COM CONCRETE WORKS 2017 SPRING • 51 - ADVERTISEMENT- Early Childhood Family Education | Preschool | Youth ClassesYouth Camps | School Age Care | Adult Learning | FitnessCommunity Conversations | Volunteers edinaschools.org/communityed Connect with us! Edina Community Education 52 • SPRING 2017 Six Commercial Areas Will Be Focus of Edina Comp Plan By Debbie Townsend Edina is at the start of a two-year process for shaping the vision of the city for the next 20 years. Technically, the process results in the creation of a dense document known as the Comprehensive Plan. It covers planning topics such as transportation, water resources, parks, housing and land use. In practice, the Plan is used to guide development, prepare for changes in the community such as increased traffic, and give an outline of how to address other factors that may have an impact on people, businesses and quality of life. It’s also used as a basis for developing programs and directing where to spend tax dollars. “This is the opportunity to look at our goals and our vision for the future. Now is the time to readjust those,” said Assistant City Planner Kris Aaker. Aaker emphasized that this is just an update to the 2008 Comprehensive Plan, not an effort that’s starting from scratch. The Metropolitan Council requires cities update their Comprehensive Plan every 10 years. Work on this update essentially began with Vision Edina, a strategic planning process in 2015 that involved extensive public comment. “The vision has been established – a little tweaking around the edges maybe – but essentially the vision has been established and that’s what we’re going to work with as we move forward,” Bill Smith said of Vision Edina while speaking to the City Council Feb. 7. The Council approved hiring Smith’s firm, Biko Associates of Minneapolis, to lead the Comprehensive Plan effort. The City’s Planning Commission will oversee the entire project. Land use usually is the topic that brings the most input and concern. Aaker quickly calms most concerns by clearly stating single-dwelling residential land use – the largest percentage of land use in the city – will not change in the 2018 plan. Most of the land use focus will be on creating small area plans for six areas that residents already know are under pressure for change: • Greater Southdale • 44th & France • 50th & France • Valley View & Wooddale • Grandview • 70th & Cahill Land use designations for those areas aren’t anticipated to change; they were made mixed use – a designation that allows for a variety of development such as housing and retail – from the 2008 plan. But more specific visions for each one will be part of the 2018 plan. Biko actually helped with the Valley View and Wooddale small area plan, which is already done. Small area plans for Grandview and Greater Southdale are in progress. Biko plans to have working groups of residents involved in the development of the other three small plans. 2017 SPRING • 53 “We feel strongly that community residents – people who will be affected by planning outcomes – really deserve a place at the table, so there will be frequent outreach to community members,” Smith said. The most significant change from 2008 is the addition of two elements: Resilience and Economic Competitiveness. Those will be woven throughout the various plan sections, as will the concept of equity and health in all policies. “Those will touch on every chapter,” Aaker said. “For the first time, the Comp Plans for the metropolitan area are going to include resiliency and energy and environmental issues at a different level than they’ve ever considered them before,” Smith said. The process is already under way. Small area planning will take place the rest of this year, with 2018 focused on developing the entire Comprehensive Plan, reviewing it and the City Council giving the final stamp of approval before the end of the year. Between now and then, people have multiple ways to learn more or get involved. • Check for updates online at EdinaMN.gov/comp_plan_update. • Watch or attend Planning Council meetings. They’re held at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at City Hall. They’re also shown live and later rebroadcast on Edina TV and are available on Edina TV’s Youtube channel. • Contact members of the Planning Commission or of the appropriate City Board or Commission. Those groups will have major input on the 2018 document. • Attend a public meeting. Dates are to be announced. For more information, contact Aaker at kaaker@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-0461.Submitted Rendering50th & France is one of the six areas that will be the focus of the 2018 Edina Comprehensive Plan. Speak Up, Edina!Speak Up, Edina! SpeakUpEdina.orgSpeakUpEdina.org JOIN the discussion! 54 • SPRING 2017 The Last Word In the winter issue of About Town, there was a story in the “Planning Matters” section about a sketch plan review performed by the Planning Commission and City Council of a proposed redevelopment project in the Wooddale-Valley View area. The story caused a bit of a stir because some readers did not understand the review was very preliminary in nature and they assumed that the project was imminent. The About Town story, combined with the social media chatter, only raised more questions than answers. The City learned several lessons. One outcome is that we will no longer report on sketch plan reviews in About Town. The lead time for preparation of the quarterly About Town stories is long and the probability of sketch plans actually going forward is soft. Those two factors combined produce too much uncertainty to be included in an official City publication because, as we’ve seen, uncertainty in a redevelopment project can cause real confusion and potential unnecessary economic pain for those concerned. Another lesson learned is that the City should make a better effort to explain the process and rationale of the sketch plan review. The submission of an official application to the City for the development of real estate is a big deal. The standards required by the City for the application materials are voluminous and expensive to meet. Because they are voluminous and expensive to meet, developers tend to get very committed very early in the development review process. One of the collateral impacts of this dynamic is that the various parties can get entrenched on the outcomes they want too early. The sketch plan review was introduced in 2011 to break the City and the development community out of this cycle. The sketch plan standards are informal and much less expensive than an official development plan. It’s not quite back-of-the-napkin kind of stuff, but it’s not too far from that, either. The sketch plan review is not mandatory, but it provides a valuable opportunity for developers. The sketch plan review process allows a developer with an idea to get early, informal feedback from both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The feedback is non-binding because the review is informal, but it provides a development team with valuable insight about the likely reception their plan may receive should they go forward with spending their money to produce all of the application materials for an official development plan. The sketch plan is also an early “heads up” to the neighborhood of a possible project. While the sketch plan review process does not include a public hearing, the review itself is all done in public meetings at City Hall and carried live on Edina TV. Neighborhood residents can see and hear about the possible project as well as the Planning Commission’s and City Council’s reactions to it. This allows residents and property owners more time to react when, and if, the project receiving the sketch plan review advances to the official development plan review process. Once an official application is received, notices are mailed to adjoining property owners and public hearings are held by both the Planning Commission and City Council. The sketch plan review process has proven itself to be a valuable tool in the City’s approach to development projects. It provides more and earlier notice to interested residents of impending real estate development proposals. It provides more and earlier opportunities for policy makers to provide feedback on impending real estate development proposals. It allows the City and the development community to work together more cooperatively to produce development projects that are more sensitive to the community and a development review process that is faster and less expensive. The sketch plan review has been a positive addition to our regulatory process and produced positive results for Edina. Scott H. NealCity Manager 2017 SPRING • 55 Closets • Garage • Home Office • Laundry Room • Pantry • Mudroom Contact us for a complimentary in-home design consultation today! 2634 Minnehaha Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55406 (612) 623-0987 | tccloset.com Dedicated to Project Management Since 1998 (612) 877-7505 results@projectconsultinggroup.com www.pcgmn.com AboutTownAboutTown Magazine City of Edina 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 EdinaMN.gov ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932 Contact one of these Edina Specialists for help with all of your real estate needs! Curt Adams 612-701-7376 Beth Andrews 612-801-2041 Emily Bradley 651-792-5340 Tom and Kari Cartier 612-910-9556 Daniel and Julie Desrochers 612-554-4773 Anne C. Elliott 612-327-3027 Kathryn Haymaker 612-203-1486 Isaac Johnson 612-280-9991 Seth Johnson 612-810-5124 Karen Moe 612-418-6840 Jerry and Stella Rezac 612-720-6942 Steve Schmitz 952-484-6045 Wade Thommen 952-994-2035 Mike Weiss 612-747-5463 Jerome Nelson NMLS #340544 Tel 952-844-6042 PHH Home Loans ©2017 Burnet Realty LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Burnet fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Burnet are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Burnet. Edina Regional Office, 7550 France Ave, S STE 100, Edina, MN 55435