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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitySlick_January_2012by Kaylin Martin Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, City employees will kick off their winter walk aboard a fictional cruise ship, making its way around the Bahamas. Participating staff are encouraged to record their number of steps taken Monday through Friday using a complimentary pedometer provided by the Wellness Committee, and submit the weekly results to Recreation Supervisor Dawn Beitel. The three-week walk includes drawings for prizes and a “welcome home” party Monday, Jan. 30, for employees who participate in the walk from start to finish. Donna Tilsner has helped coordinate the annual winter walks over the past five years. She says the walks are a good way to get City employees active during the long winter months. “Health and wellness are important to the City,” said Tilsner. “We try to keep employees knowledgeable about exercise and healthy eating, while having a fun time.” Human Resources Representative Terri Wilson tries to walk as often as she can. She said she signed up for this year’s walk as motivation. “It’s a fun way to keep on walking through winter,” she said. Employees interested in the winter walk can sign up through Monday, Jan. 9. Weekly steps will be due to Beitel, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17; 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23; and noon Monday, Jan. 30. For more information, or to sign up, contact Tilsner or Beitel in the Park & Recreation Department, 952-826-0367. A newsletter for the City Council and employees of the City of Edina CITYSLICK p1 Volume 15.4 1|6|2012 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 Around The Water Cooler 3 A Day In The Life Of... 4 Staff Notes 4 Employee Awards Jan. 6, David, Public Works Jan. 7, Steve, Building Inspections Jan. 8, Laura, Centennial Lakes Park Jan. 9, Dustin, Public Works Jan. 11, Adam, Edinborough Park Jan. 11, Jeff, Health Jan. 11, Michael, Police Jan. 12, Greg, Building Inspections Jan. 13, Ronald, Braemar Golf Course Jan. 17, Richard, Public Works Jan. 17, Solvei, Health Jan. 18, Jeffrey, Fire Jan. 18, Diesel, Police Jan. 20, William, Fire Jan. 21, Nick, Information Technology Jan. 21, Nicole, Police Jan. 21, Jane, Administration Jan. 26, Timothy, Edina Liquor Jan. 27, Michael, Public Works Cruise Thru Winter with the Wellness Committee Laura Knollmaier, Bob Wilson and Dawn Beitel wave bon voyage as they embark on the annual ‘Cruise Thru Winter,’ sponsored by the Wellness Committee. CITYSLICK p2 Braemar Golf Course Don’t forget the Braemar Grill is open for lunch during the winter, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. After lunch, head to the Dome to hit some balls. The Dome is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Communications & Marketing This year, the EDINA 16 crew will focus its production efforts on programming for the growing internet-viewing audience. Since a half-hour talk show is not the type of programming often viewed on the internet, “In Edina” has been cancelled. After five years, the Communications & Marketing Department taped its last episode of the award-winning talk show last month. Several former members of the department turned out for the show’s final taping, including Marty Doll, Laura Knollmaier, Christina Scipioni, Brian Smith and Ray Widstrand. The final episode will air Jan. 15 through Feb. 15. Edina Art Center The malleability of clay will spark creativity in people of all ages during the 13th-annual Potters’ Games at the Edina Art Center Jan. 16, the pottery department will provide an outlet to explore many ways to create a clay vessel. Participants will be taught how to throw clay many different ways: blindfolded, with their feet, with a partner and in a limited- time sequence. Competitions will be held for size and number of vessels made. The event develops comaraderie with current Art Center students while providing an open house format for students of all ages to “experiment” with clay, tour the Art Center and its facilities and become a part of the “biggest/little pottery department” in Minnesota. The event will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $5, which includes lunch. Edinborough Park It was a record-breaking year for Edinborough Park with 1,372 scheduled birthday parties and revenues exceeding $600,000. The week of Dec. 26-30 alone brought 3,152 paid admissions. Along with breaking records, Peak Café opened, offering a wide variety of healthier food options and much needed coffee for tired parents and grandparents! Finance The IRS recently set the standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes. At 55.5 cents per mile, the rate is unchanged from the mid-year adjustment that became effective on July 1, 2011. The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The City of Edina will continue use of the standard rate to reimburse employees who use their personal vehicles on City business. Park & Recreation Work continues on the Veteran’s Memorial Eagle sculpture by artist Robert Eccleston. The eagle has a brown patina with a white head and tail feathers so that it is easily identified as a bald eagle. The beak and feet will have a bronze finish. When the eagle is cast in bronze, the patinas will have a more translucent look with some bronze highlights. Winter Neighborhood Night Out will be held 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at Normandale, Pamela and Weber parks. This is a free family event encouraging neighbors to connect and stay active in the winter sponsored by the Edina Community Foundation, Edina Lions and Edina Morningside Neighborhood Association. AROUND THE WATER COOLER CAUGHT IN THE ACT Members of the Communications & Marketing Department took their planning for 2012 to new heights at a retreat Nov. 4. The group worked on setting video production goals for 2012. After four hours of brainstorming, the group took to Basecamp’s high ropes course. The group included, from left, David Rannow, Kaylin Martin, Aaron Klein, Al Bliss, Jennifer Bennerotte, Scott Denfeld, Jordan Gilgenbach and Emilie Kastner. 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 Bob Wilson has spent the majority of his career appraising properties. Over the years, Wilson has realized how much he enjoys the tight-knit communities in which he has worked. Wilson graduated from Mount Senario, a small school in northwest Wisconsin where he received a bachelor’s degree in business/ economics and English. After graduation, he worked in purchasing for Musicland Group, an entertainment company that ran stores like Sam Goody. He also did summer stints with the City of Hopkin’s Assessing Department. “I didn’t even know what an assessor was until I started working it,” Wilson said. “Most people just fall into this career path.” In the early 1980s, a position opened in Hennepin County’s assessing office. Wilson got the job and worked there for a year and a half before becoming the Residential Appraiser for the City of St. Louis Park. He then took an assessing position in 1988 with his hometown of Hopkins where he stayed for the next 15 years. In 2003, Wilson came to the City of Edina as the City Assessor. He and his cohorts in the Assessing Department value all single- and multi-family residential, commercial and industrial properties in the City. “It was an interesting transition,” Wilson said. “Edina is a larger city than Hopkins with more offices, residences and a mall.” Wilson said the City’s Assessing Department must view 20 percent of the parcels in Edina every year. Values of homes assessed in 2011 are due to Hennepin County by the end of January. Those values will be used for taxes payable in 2013. One of Wilson’s favorite things about the job is the camaraderie between appraisers. “[Former City Manager] Gordon Hughes called us the ‘assessing club’ because we are so close knit,” Wilson said. “We call each other for help all the time. We are all very close.” Through continuing education and professional organizations, Wilson has met many people who often become a resource when in a bind. “When I first started at Edina, the commercial appraiser was called up to the Army and I was left with a bunch of tax code cases that needed to be resolved,” Wilson said. “I talked to my friend who is the City Assessor for the City of Bloomington. Their commercial appraiser was able to help us for about a year to resolve those tax code cases.” Even though Wilson could technically retire in three years, he sees no reason to do so. “As long as I continue enjoying what I am doing, I will keep doing it.” Wilson lives with his wife, Marie, who is an architect, in Minnetonka. They have four children: Kola, Dan, Marina and Elizabeth, all in their early 20s. For more information, contact the Assessing Department at 952-826-0365. ‘As long as I continue enjoying what I am doing, I will keep doing it.’ A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ...CITY ASSESSOR BOB WILSON by Jordan Gilgenbach EMPLOYEE MILESTONES Paul Buell, Police, 25 years. (Jan. 2, 1987) Rebecca Foster, Engineering, 10 years. (Jan. 14, 2002) Adam Proulx, Edinborough Park, 10 years. (Jan. 11, 2002) Brain Hubbard, Police, 5 years. (Jan. 1, 2007) CITYSLICK p4 Selected letters are printed in City Slick each month to let you know what residents and businesses think of your services. “I have to pass on my experience with a young girl, [Centennial Lakes Park Assistant Manager Laura Knollmaier], who was working in the mini-golf rental hut today. (Hey I had to call it a hut, but maybe it is an office). She was so kind and polite and so accommodating. It really reminded me of why I love this area so much and the people here. I wish everyone had employees like that. Thanks for adding to an already great day today.” – Dr. Robert John Nicholas LETTER BAG STAFF NOTES Dustin Hanly began work as a full- time Public Service Worker on Dec. 19, for the Public Works - Utilities Department. Hanly is not new to the City of Edina as he had worked for us in the past in a part-time seasonal position for the Utilities Department. For the past three years, he has been working full-time for the City of St. Louis Park in its Utility Department. He is a graduate of St. Cloud State University with an associate’s degree. David Katz began work Dec. 19 as Communications Intern for the winter/spring semester. Katz is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with summa cum laude honors degrees in Journalism/Public Relations and American History. Gabriel Martinez began work Jan. 2 as a full-time 9-1-1 Dispatcher for the Police Department. Martinez comes to the City from Harlingen, Texas, where he was employed with the Harlingen Fire Department as a Firefighter/EMT. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. Recreation Supervisor Donna Tilsner will receive the Clifton E. French Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota Recreation and Parks Association for her more than 20 years of professional service, volunteerism and involvement in furthering the profession. Tilsner will be presented with this prestigious award at the Annual Professional Awards Luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 12. Matt Willems began work Jan. 3 as a firefighter/paramedic. After a few weeks of administrative work, he will transfer to the Fire Department’s B-Shift. Willems previously worked for the St. Cloud Fire Department; Virginia, Minn., Fire Department; and Ridgeview Ambulance service. A native of South St. Paul, he completed his paramedic training at Inver Hills Community College. Ann Kattreh was promoted to Assistant Park & Recreation Director on Nov. 15. Kattreh began working for the City of Edina in 1992 as a Special Events Coordinator for Edinborough Park and was later promoted to Assistant Manager of Edinborough and Centennial Lakes parks. She most recently held the position of Manager of Edinborough Park since 2006. CLOVER AWARD Deputy City Clerk Jane Timm brought her iron in from home and ironed all the bows for the holiday garland at City Hall. She was going to make new bows, but thought ironing them was worth a shot. (Several years ago, City Clerk Debra Mangen donated the ribbon and Timm made all the bows. Timm typically stores them under a cover in the “election cage,” but last year someone put them away for her and they were folded.) It worked, they all look nice. Any City employee can nominate a co-worker for a G.E.M. (Going the Extra Mile) or Clover award. Simply jot down why someone should receive recognition and route to the Communications & Marketing Department.