HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdinaNov2017Rich Begins Work as Financial Analyst
Position Serves as Financial Resource for Enterprise Facilities
Financial Analyst Andrea Rich’s wealth of
knowledge from the private to public sector
will help her define the City’s newest role.
“Based on operations in the City, including
Centennial Lakes Park, Edinborough Park,
Braemar Arena and the Liquor operations –
all the businesses we operate for profit – we
needed someone to come in and serve as
a financial resource specifically for those
facilities,” said Finance Director Don Uram,
who hopes the new position lends general
managers a hand to improve their operations and profitability.
“Andrea’s experience with large accounting firms, Fortune 500 companies as
well as smaller businesses and with a county in Illinois will all be very helpful.”
Rich, who started with the City in September, came from Kane County in Illinois,
where she served as the Chief Deputy Auditor. Prior to that, Rich worked for
Sprout Creek Farm in New York and served in various roles at Kraft Foods. She
started her career after college with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Rich graduated
with a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at
Urbana–Champaign.
Besides learning how each facility’s point-of-sale system works and its individual
operations, Rich will begin work to create a gift card that can be used across
all the enterprise systems and at City Hall, so residents can use the same gift
card to pay their water bill, purchase product at Edina Liquor and buy passes to
Edinborough Park.
“I hope to get involved in the businesses where they really feel comfortable
coming to me with questions,” said Rich. “I like solving puzzles and
understanding how things work, so I’m really looking forward to this.”
Other duties of Rich’s job include assisting the Finance Director in managing the
City’s investment portfolio, helping manage the daily operations of accounts
receivable, coordinating ambulance billing operations, and performing in-depth
research and analysis to enhance City operations and effectiveness, as well as
managing special projects, such as utility rate studies and policy development.
Rich and her husband have two children. They currently live in Minnetonka.
For more information, contact the Finance Department at 952-826-0366.
Edition: Edina
2016-2017
PRIORITIES
NOVEMBER 2017
Focused Redevelopment Planning for the Future Intergovernmental Relations Transportation & Infrastructure Enterprise Facilities Volume 4, Issue 10
City Shies From Further
Talks of Passenger Rail
Service in Edina
Community Engagement Study Shows
Support for Other Transit Corridors
The City will not encourage the development of passenger rail
service in Edina in the Dan Patch Corridor at this time.
Over the last few months, the City has been talking to
residents and businesses about the possibility of studying
passenger rail service
through Edina, specifically
in the Dan Patch
Corridor. The Dan Patch
Corridor is a railway that
connects Minneapolis
and Northfield, running
north-south through Edina
just west of Minnesota
Highway 100. Although
transit interest in this
corridor was renewed in
the late 1990s and early
2000s, it is currently
under a “gag rule” that prohibits the Metropolitan Council,
Minnesota Department of Transportation and regional
railroad authorities from further study of commuter rail in
this corridor.
The Edina Transportation Commission (ETC) conducted a
study this year to answer two specific questions:
• Should the City request elimination of the gag rule?
• Should the City dedicate resources to developing a plan
to encourage the development of passenger rail service
in Edina?
Based on high-level review of the corridor and feedback from
the public, the ETC made the following recommendations at
its September meeting, which the City Council received last
month:
• No, the City of Edina should not request elimination of
the gag rule at this time.
• No, the City should not dedicate resources to developing
a plan to encourage the development of passenger rail
service in Edina in the Dan Patch Corridor at this time.
Although it is not recommended the City pursue passenger
rail in the Dan Patch Corridor at this time, there are overall
indicators that suggest Edina could support additional
transit options.
Previous engagement efforts in the community, as captured
in the “Vision Edina” document, have indicated the
community’s desire for enhanced transit. The study suggests
the City should invest time and resources into looking at
other corridors as possible transit corridors. This may also
include consideration of other modes of transit in addition to
passenger rail.
For more information on the study and to view the final
report, visit EdinaMN.gov/Rail.
Photo by Kaylin Eidsness
Neighbors Socialize in the Streets
Edina residents took to the streets at the third-annual Open Streets in late September.
The City closed West 50th Street between Wooddale Avenue in Edina and Chowen
Avenue in Minneapolis for a day of celebration and community building. The street
was open to bicyclists, pedestrians and their dogs to enjoy music, dance, games,
crafts, yoga and other creative and active events. Civic, athletic, artistic, creative and
neighborhood groups, as well as businesses, participated in this event.
4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 | 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.govPhoto by Kaylin EidsnessAndrea Rich began work in September in
the City’s newly created position of Financial
Analyst.
The City will not
encourage the
development of
passenger rail service in
Edina in the Dan Patch
Corridor at this time.
Edina Park Signs Get Upgraded
Signs Will Improve Aesthetics and Visibility of Neighborhood Parks
After an extensive selection process, the City is
now in the process of removing and installing new
neighborhood park signs. The nearly 40 neighborhood
parks in Edina will be outfitted with new signs.
“Our previous signs were installed 30 years ago; they
were the original signs to the parks, so they were rotting
and in poor condition. This replacement was long
overdue,” said Assistant Parks & Recreation Director
Susan Faus. “We are very excited to install these new
signs. When people see a park sign, they are going to
know they are in an Edina park and it’s really going to
improve the overall look and feel in our parks.”
All of the signs have been removed from the parks and the installation process is expected to be
completed before the snow flies.
Choosing the right material and design of the new signs was a process that weighed the
opinions of many people. Input was collected from City staff and the Parks & Recreation
Commission and shared with the vendor to develop a design that would look more natural,
complement the recently built shelter buildings, was durable and would tie into the City’s brand.
Signs will include the park’s address and also be installed at different angles than the old ones so
that they are more visible from the roadway.
The previous signs were replaced as needed throughout the years, but recent replacements were
halted because the new signs were slated to be installed. The main entrance signs for all the
community, neighborhood and mini parks will be replaced, but the bid did not include plans to
replace or add wayfinding signage.
“This current bid package did not include wayfinding signs, but we had $500,000 budgeted
for this project and the bid for the entrance signage came in at $221,022. We have money
remaining, so we will be replacing those wayfinding signs and additional directional signage,”
said Faus. “We hope that will happen in the spring.”
For more information, contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 952-826-0367.
New park signs will be more visible, improve
aesthetics and make it easier to locate parks.
Edition: Edi na NOVEMBER 2017
4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 | 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Nov. 1
Braemar Golf Dome opens for the season
Thursday, Nov. 2
Entries due for Human Rights Essay Contest
Saturday, Nov. 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Family Night, Braemar Field
Sunday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.
St. Paul Police Band, Edinborough Park
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Election Day
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, Nov. 9, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Grandview Green Open House, Edina City Hall
Thursday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
Energy & Environment Commission meeting, Edina City Hall
Friday, Nov. 10
Veterans Day observed; City Hall closed
Friday, Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m.
Friday Family Movie Night, “Sing,” Edinborough Park
Saturday, Nov. 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Family Night, Braemar Field
Sunday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m.
Heart of a Tinman performance, Edinborough Park
Monday, Nov. 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Grandview Green Open House, Edina City Hall
Monday, Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m.
Community Health Commission meeting, Community Room
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
Heritage Preservation Commission meeting, Edina City Hall
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
Human Rights & Relations Commission meeting, Edina City Hall
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, Edina City Hall
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.
Planning Commission meeting, Edina City Hall
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.
Wine and Canvas, Braemar Golf Course
Thursday, Nov. 16, 4:30 p.m.
Arts & Culture Commission meeting, Edina Art Center
Thursday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m.
Transportation Commission meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, Nov. 16, 5-8 p.m.
Up North Holiday Gift Gallery Opening Reception, Edina Art Center
Saturday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m.
Town Hall meeting, Edina Senior Center
Saturday, Nov. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Family Night, Braemar Field
BY THE NUMBERS
Edina Art Center
7,000+
401
Since 1977, the Edina Art Center has served as Edina’s hub for
creative expression. The Center, located at 4701 W. 64th St., provides
the community with a place to view exciting exhibitions, enjoy
artistic and cultural events and express creativity through artmaking.
Members
2017 costs: $35 – Individual • $50 – Family
Discount on
classes
10 %
Discount on
supplies carried in
the supply store
10 %
Discount for
Edina residents
5$
Visitors
each year
Classes, which
are detailed in the
Activities Directory
178
BENEFITS:
Meet Edina’s Newest Building Inspectors
Their Job is to Ensure Homes and Buildings are Safe
Armed with little more than tape measures and extensive knowledge of the building code,
Edina’s Building Inspectors are tasked with ensuring construction and remodeling are done
correctly to keep all residents and the buildings they use safe.
“We make sure everybody is building to Code,” said Building Inspector Nate Borwege. “We
make sure residents have the proper safety compliance in their homes.”
Borwege recently joined Edina’s Building Inspections division after years of experience
working for a home building company in New Prague. Another new Building Inspector is Scot
Jandro, who previously worked as a framing subcontractor and performed inspections. They
now spend their days visiting homes across Edina to make sure builders and construction
crews are meeting Code.
“My favorite part of the job is the variety of projects being built, the quality of homes being
constructed and working with the contractors and subcontractors,” said Jandro, which is
pronounced with a hard “J.” His siblings have first names with four letters, so his parents
dropped a “t” off “Scott” to make his name match.
They both credit other Building Inspections staff with helping them quickly get up to speed.
That includes Stephen Kartak, who was recently promoted from Building Inspector to Field
Supervisor. He supervises the inspectors plus reviews residential building plans. His phone
rings a lot with calls from contractors and builders who have questions regarding Code.
“The best part of my job is working with our department,” Kartak said. “We’ve got a
knowledgeable, experienced department.”
If they come visiting your house, they aren’t checking to see if the furniture has been dusted
or the carpet vacuumed that day. Borwege and Jandro chuckle at how they often arrive at
homes to find people frantically trying to clean up or apologizing for children’s toys in the
middle of the floor or a pile of laundry.
“I have kids,” Borwege said. “I understand.”
“We’ve seen worse,” Jandro said in reassurance.
Other inspectors in the division, led by Chief Building Official Dave Fisher, are Peter
Akmenkalns, Sam Anderson, Tom Eisert, Jim Hall, David Mickelson, James Ruffin, Tedd
Nelson, Mike Rice and John Schweitzer.
Learn more about Building Inspections at EdinaMN.gov or call 952-826-0372.Photo by Debbie TownsendScot Jandro, Stephen Kartak and Nate Borwege are part of the City of Edina’s Building Inspections Division. Jandro and
Borwege are Building Inspectors who joined the City in 2017; Kartak was recently promoted to Field Supervisor.
Checks for Utility Bills to be
Processed Off-Site
Change Will Save Finance Staff Time
Residents will soon notice a new return address on the remittance
stub of their utility bills. Beginning Nov. 10, the City of Edina will
use U.S. Bank’s payment processing service to process checks for
utility billing. The remittance stubs used to submit payments in the
reply envelope will show the following address:
City of Edina
PO Box 860586
Minneapolis, MN 55486-0586
The Finance Department estimates using U.S. Bank’s payment
processing service will save staff roughly 25 hours each month.
“The time saved will allow Finance staff more time to provide
better customer service to our 15,500 customers,” said Accountant
Sharae Sledge, who estimates the Finance Department processes
about 1,600 checks each month. “The change will really streamline
the process, too.”
The decision to use U.S. Bank’s payment processing service comes
on the heels of the department moving to InvoiceCloud, a new
online payment service. In addition to making payments online at
EdinaMN.gov/UtilityBilling, residents can also make payments over
the phone by calling 844-476-3107.
Checks should be made payable to City of Edina. Residents are also
still able to drop off their payments in the drop-box in the entry
way of Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St.
For more information, call the Finance Department at 952-826-0366.
MEMBERSHIP
– Compiled by Scott Dunnigan