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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitySlick_December_2012CITYSLICK p1 by David Katz, Communications Intern Reflecting back on his career, Parks & Recreation Director John Keprios feels very privileged to say that he found his professional calling in high school – and has been pursuing it ever since. Keprios’ professional introduction to the parks vocation came in the summer of 1970, when the City of Bloomington hired him to work part time as a junior leader in its Playground Program. He returned to the program several successive summers and picked up hours during the winters as a warming house and skating rink attendant. By the time he left Bloomington for new, greener pastures (or greener parks, as the case may be), it was with supervisory experience in both positions and a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Parks Administration from the University of Minnesota. Keprios joined the City of Edina staff as a Recreation Supervisor in 1977 and has been with Parks & Recreation ever since – that includes eight years as Assistant Director, followed by the last 18 as Director. After 35 years with the City of Edina, he will retire Dec. 27. “Being the Director of this amazing Department has been rewarding in so many ways,” Keprios said. “No two days have ever been the same and the job has always provided challenges that test all of my personal and professional skills.” From his time as Director alone, Keprios looks back with pride on the creation of a City-sponsored adaptive recreation program, the development of the Edina Senior Center at Grandview Square, the construction of two City gymnasiums on school district property and the realization of plans for a Tri-City Skate Park at the Southdale YMCA. Those are only a fraction of the highlights, he added. “What sets Edina apart from other cities is Edina’s amazing abundance of park facilities and the City’s never-ending desire to always be a step above.” What he will miss most, however, are not the parks and programs, but the people he interacts with on a daily basis. “I’ve been blessed to have had such wonderful and fun people to work with over these past 35 years … I’m going to miss the people I work with, the people we serve and all of my fellow parks and recreation professionals.” For Keprios, a self-proclaimed “outdoors enthusiast,” retirement will not mark the stark break in routine that it does for many people. Similar to his career, much of his time in retirement will be tied up in outdoor pursuits, including camping, hiking, canoeing and hunting. Keprios is also an avid fisherman. “The fish in Minnesota’s lakes should be getting really nervous pretty soon,” he laughed. In addition, he and his wife are already in the early planning stages for several vacations, including a trip to Alaska and one to a more tropical locale, where they can try their hands at scuba-diving, snorkeling and, of course, a little fishing. Closer to home, Keprios hopes to make steady progress on a number of home improvement projects and plans to explore part-time job opportunities in the private sector. A newsletter for the City Council and employees of the City of Edina 12|21|2012 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 Around The Water Cooler 3 City Hall Planters 4 Techy Tidbits 4 Movember 5 How To De-Stress 6 One-Of-A-Kind Auction Item Dec. 24, Kenna, Police Dec. 26, Peter, Fire Dec. 26, Mark, Police Dec. 28, Brian, Park Maintenance Dec. 28, Matt, Public Works Dec. 30, John, Finance Dec. 31, Lisa, Human Resources John Keprios Retires After 35 Years With Edina Parks & Rec EMPLOYEE MILESTONES John Keprios, Parks & Recreation, 35 years. (Dec. 22, 1977) David Taylor, Edina Liquor, 5 years. (Dec. 17, 2007) CITYSLICK p2 Administration Blood Drive Edina City Hall hosted a Memorial Blood Centers blood drive Wednesday, Dec. 12, during which 37 units of whole blood and eight units of double red cells were collected. Because whole blood contains three components – plasma, platelets and red blood cells – it is estimated that the blood collected during the drive can be used to save as many as 119 lives. Name Your Neighborhood Edina residents have one more chance to weigh in on proposed neighborhood maps and a draft of the City’s Neighborhood Association Policy. The Neighborhood Identification Steering Committee presented its report and recommendation to the City Council in early December. The City Council is interested in hearing residents’ thoughts on the recommendations before a final decision is made in January. Comments on the maps and draft policy can be shared through Jan. 15, 2013, at www.SpeakUpEdina.org/projects. The City Council will hold a public hearing on the issue 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013. Edina Art Center The Author’s Studio continued Dec. 8 with author and Art Center Board Member Colin Nelson interviewed by author Lori Crever. Attendance has been good. A new lineup of authors will take over in January, including screenwriter and Edina Art Center Board Member Hafed Bouassida. Edinborough Park Ring in the New Year at Edinborough Park, 7700 York Ave. The Park will host its annual family-friendly New Year’s Eve Party from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 31, with a countdown at 8 p.m. The event will feature food, dancing, games and Kidz Dance DJ. Cost is $7 per child; adults will be admitted free with a paid child admission. Fire The Edina Fire Department recently launched a new blog on the City’s website. The goal is to provide residents and readers with timely information about happenings at Edina Fire as well as to provide fire prevention tips and safety information. In November, Fire Marshal Jeff Siems, Paramedic/Firefighter Ryan Quinn and Edina Police Officer Eric Carlson spent time in New York assisting with the response to Hurricane Sandy. They shared their stories and photos in the December episode of “Beyond the Badge.” In November, the Edina Fire Department responded to two structure fires and a vehicle fire, as well as more than 300 medical calls. Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer encourages residents to clear the snow around fire hydrants so that valuable time is not wasted locating and digging them out during emergencies. A fire truck holding 750 gallons of water can be depleted in fewer than four minutes. Edina has about 1,900 fire hydrants. VEAP’s Holiday Toy Store Program To assist in making the holidays special for the 5,000 children from low-income families in the Edina-Bloomington-Richfield area, Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) holds its Holiday Toy Store program – and the Edina Fire Department is an avid participant. Ruth Schmoll, Administrative Assistant at the Edina Fire Department’s Station No. 1, has been a big part of the VEAP toy drive for more than three decades, nearly from its very beginning. This year was no exception. Schmoll said she quit counting the toys years ago, but was able to collect hundreds, thanks to generous Edina residents, to donate to VEAP again this year. Police Caroling Cops On Monday, Dec. 17, members of the Edina Police Department caroled their way through City Hall to gather donations for St. Joseph’s Home for Children. The boisterous choir was able to raise more than $300 and six bags of food and supplies for the charity. AROUND THE WATER COOLER Following is a summary of some of the projects of some departments, divisions and facilities. Other areas of the City will be featured in upcoming issues. CITYSLICK p3 Kuske Honored with Distinguished Service Award Officer Brandon Kuske recently received the Edina Police Department’s internal Distinguished Service Award for his exceptional service on a stalking case he pursued for more than a year. While working on the Retail Crime Unit in 2010, Kuske took the lead on a stalking report that involved an 18-year-old woman who worked at Southdale Center. Police Chief Jeff Long said Kuske diligently pursued leads, researched various options, consulted attorneys and pushed through roadblocks to get the suspect charged and convicted. He was also complimented by the prosecutor on the case, who had high praises for his professionalism throughout. Distinguished Service Awards are selected from nominations to an internal awards committee and then referred to the Chief of Police to make the final decision. Parks & Recreation As the year draws to a close, Edina Parks & Recreation Director John Keprios is putting the finishing touches on his 35-year career with the City. He will kick off his retirement Thursday, Dec. 27, with a party! Friends, co-workers and residents are invited to celebrate Keprios’ many accomplishments with a special party from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 27 in the Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse, 6364 John Harris Drive. For more information, call Recreation Supervisor Donna Tilsner at 952-826-0432. Most would argue that the eve of a Minnesota winter is the worst time of year to plan and lay out a new outdoor floral arrangement. Members of the Winahbar Garden Club, one of six clubs that makes up the Edina Garden Council, would counter that the bleak, largely colorless winter months is actually the time when such decorations are appreciated the most. Working from this principle, in early November, Winahbar club president Karen Platt and members Elizabeth Genovese, Pat Mills and Sandy Stadek met at City Hall to build a seasonal arrangement in the two stone-like planters outside the main entrance. “We had already had a basic idea of where we wanted to go with it and what items we needed to procure. We worked out the detail work once we got there,” Platt said. Ordinarily, of course, Edina’s six garden clubs deal primarily with a mix of living flowers, bulbs and saplings. But for this special case, they turned instead to a mix of dried flowers and cut tree boughs, inserting the bases firmly in the dirt. The planters prominently feature “white pine, blue spruce, red cedar and red dogwood branches,” Platt said. Box elder and evergreen sprigs and dried hydrangeas round out the design. The resulting arrangements stand several feet high and have a distinct “wintery feel.” Decking out the planters before the holidays is a relatively new seasonal tradition. The Edina Garden Council’s constituent clubs take turns each year and this is the Winahbar club’s first turn to pick the arrangement. Platt encourages anyone interested in learning more about the Garden Council and its calendar of activities to visit www.edinagardencouncil.org. Garden Club ‘Plants’ Winter Arrangement in City Hall Planters by David Katz, Communications Intern Join us for some "Fish stories" When: Where: 3‐5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27 Braemar Golf course Clubhouse6364 John Harris Drive, Edina CITYSLICK p4 TECHY TIDBITS by Joan Waterstreet, I.T. Coordinator Printing in color costs a bit more than printing in black and white, even on our multi-function color printers (which most people refer to as “copy machines”). For example, the cost per page to print in color on one of those devices ranges from $0.065 (on the new Ricoh in the first-floor Copy Room of City Hall) to $0.1216 (at the Edina Art Center). To print on those same devices in black and white, the range is $0.011 to $0.0239 per page. By default, most multi-function color printers are set to “Auto Color Select.” If the device detects any color on that page, including something as small as a tiny blue ink pen smudge, it will print that page in color. To keep our print costs down, please be sure to print or copy only the pages that need to be in color. When copying packets for a City Council meeting, typically the Staff Report and any documents or supporting documents with photos and graphics should be in color, but correspondence and other background information can be left in black and white. If, for example, you want only your first page in color and the remaining pages in black and white, and you would like collated, stapled sets: 1. Take your “first” sheet that you want in color and copy that separately to get a color copy. 2. Take the remaining pages (i.e., pages 2-30) and select “Black and White” (instead of “Auto Color Select”) and copy those originals (whether they have color or not) to make black-and-white copies. 3. Combine to make a “set” of one front color page and remaining pages as black and whites. This will be your new “original” set. 4. Select “Auto Color Select” on the copier, number of copies needed, collating and stapling options. 5. Place new “originals” as a set in the copier feeder and start your copy job. If you have a set that has the first sheet in color and Page 15 in color, but the rest of the pages are black and white, repeat the same procedure as above to make a new “original.” Copy page 1 in color, 2-14 in black and white, 15 in color, 16-30 in black and white. Make sure the photocopier is set to “Auto Select” and begin your job with this new “original.” In this feature, I.T. staff will highlight some commonly asked technical questions they receive from staff around the City. If you have questions you’d like answered in Techy Tidbits, send an email to HelpDesk@EdinaMN.gov or leave a message at 952-903-5711. To bring awareness to men’s health issues such as testicular and prostate cancer, the Edina Police Department participated in the worldwide initiative “Movember.” During the month of November, Edina Police Chief Jeff Long suspended the Department’s policy on facial hair to encourage the department to participate in the campaign by growing beards and mustaches for the month. More than 25 men and women participated. The women wore faux mustaches or beards on their faces for the last day of the campaign. To encourage even greater participation, a panel was pulled together to select a winner at the end of the month for both the men and women. Officer Brian Hubbard took home first place for his “‘most impressive beard in the least amount of time,’ not to mention ‘best eyebrow ‘stache.”’ Aimee Canepa took home first place for “best female mustache” after trimming her friend’s hair to use as makeshift facial hair. The goal of the campaign was to start conversations about men’s health issues and raise awareness about the importance of early detection. “This [was] our first year participating in the campaign. I was inspired to give it a shot, because there are so many men I know who are dealing with cancer, or have in the past,” said Long. “I lost a friend earlier this year to cancer. During Sgt. Steve Stroh’s cancer journey, I felt helpless. By raising awareness, I have an avenue that helps me to no longer feel that way.” The Police Department plans to participate in the multiple myeloma 5K run/walk in September, as well as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Police Department Participates in ‘Movember’ by Kaylin Martin, Communications Assistant HOW TODE-STRESS OVER THE HOLIDAYS by Jordan Gilgenbach, Communications Coordinator CITYSLICK p5 “If we go out to eat while holiday shopping, we always split a meal,” said Jane Timm. “I people watch and get a good giggle out of some who are rushing so much,” said Donna Tilsner. “I don’t like how some are rude to the store workers, so I try to be extra nice and have a giggle with them about that experience. Experts say ‘laughter is the best medicine.’” For many, the holiday season is a hectic time. Days filled with fighting traffic, waiting in line at the supermarket, long car trips and tense family gatherings can stretch you thin. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), eight out of 10 Americans anticipate their stress levels to increase over the holidays. Lack of time and money, commercialism and hype of the holidays, pressure of giving and receiving gifts, and family gatherings are citied by the APA as contributing factors to heightened stress levels. In the United States, people are more likely to manage stress in unhealthy ways such as eating, drinking, sleeping and watching TV. According to an APA study, common ways to de-stress during the holidays are listening to music, reading and exercising for more than 30 minutes. The City of Edina’s Wellness Committee wants your holiday to be stress free. Members of the committee have offered up their de-stressing techniques: Amy Smith said, “When heading out and about, park as far away from the location as possible – it’s less chaotic than looking for a close parking spot and you get a bonus walk in.” “Try and simplify your life. It is OK to say ‘no’ so you don’t overschedule yourself,” said Terri Wilson. “My very favorite thing over the holidays to keep me calm is to turn off all of the lights in the house and have only our Christmas tree lights on,” said Katie Bisek. “It allows me to just enjoy the beauty that is a Christmas tree and do my best not to think about the clutter of thoughts in my head.” “To make the holidays less stressful, I have been asking my kids and husband to help me decorate the house and make Christmas cookies,” said Shelagh Stoerzinger. “It’s more fun doing it together and the kids enjoy being part of the holiday preparations.” “I make lists for everything, from what I’m going to get family and friends for the holidays, to what I need to take care of at home before I leave for Christmas,” said Kaylin Martin. “There’s nothing more stressful than leaving home and knowing you forgot something.” “A couple of relaxing things I enjoy during the holidays are cross-country skiing through the woods on moonlit nights and listening to special Christmas music of choirs,” said Sherry Engelman. STAFF NOTES After a little more than a year as Interim Director, Michael Frey was hired Nov. 5 as the new General Manager of the Art Center. Frey has been an instructor at the Art Center since 1998. A 1999 graduate of the Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art, an art school in Minneapolis, Frey has a degree in realistic drawing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Colorado. Jeff Siems, a 20-year veteran and former Lieutenant of the Edina Fire Department, was promoted to Fire Marshal in November. Siems had been Lieutenant since 1998. Prior to joining the Edina Fire Department as a Paramedic/ Firefighter in 1992, Siems worked for Gold Cross Ambulance in Rochester, Minn., as an Emergency Medical Technician before becoming a Paramedic at Hennepin County Medical Center. In 2011, Siems completed the four-year National Fire Academy’s (NFA) Executive Fire Officer Program, becoming one of three current members of the Department to complete the training. Joshua Wagner began his employment as Public Service Worker – Utilities on Dec. 3. He previously worked for the City as a seasonal Utilities Worker. Prior to that, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. CITYSLICK p6 Walk With the City Manager 11:30 a.m. Third Friday of the month 2-mile walk | A different location every month! featured here! As the saying goes: The bigger the boys, the bigger the toys! Topping out at 56,000 pounds, the Public Works Department’s five front-end loaders are among the largest and most versatile “toys” to be found anywhere in Edina. As part of the Employee Caring Campaign silent auction held Nov. 15-21 at City Hall, Public Works offered up the chance to spend an hour behind the wheel of this impressive machine to the highest bidder. After intense bidding, Payroll Technician Vicki Olson won the opportunity for her husband, Jerry. “Jerry retires next January, so, among other things, this struck me as a great early ‘happy retirement’ gift,” Olson said. Jerry and Vicki cashed in their prize over their lunch hour Thursday, Nov. 29, in the lot behind the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility. Equipment Operations Supervisor Greg Bretson was on hand to show Jerry the ropes. After covering the basics, Bretson taught Olson how to maneuver the front-end loader’s bucket. The bucket itself Employee Wins One-of-a-Kind Auction Item for Husband by David Katz, Communications Intern weighs in at 2,000 pounds and can lift nearly 3,500 pounds – “about the weight of an average car,” Bretson said. Olson put that capacity to good use, transferring loads of road salt from the Public Work facility’s storage bays into a salt truck. Olson was a natural at the task, having previously logged hours behind a relative’s wheat combine harvester. Harvesters may be large, but the front-end loaders’ great versatility puts them in a league of their own, Bretson said. In addition to moving salt, rubble and other materials, the machine can be retrofitted to help clear snow. Once streets are clear, front-end loaders are instrumental in removing piled snow from cul-de-sacs, City-owned parking lots and other out-of-the-way areas to designated snow dumps. Jerry Olson enjoyed the hands-on tutorial tremendously, but is looking forward just as much, if not more so, to sharing the one-of- a-kind experience with his envious co-workers in Eden Prairie.