Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitySlick_August_2013CITYSLICK p1 A newsletter for the City Council and employees of the City of Edina by Michael McGivern, Communications Intern Before thousands of baseball fans converged in Edina in early August, the City of Edina’s Public Works staff mowed, trimmed, painted and oth- erwise spruced up Courtney Fields at Braemar Park for the 2013 Minnesota State American Legion Baseball Tournament. The Ci`ty of Edina hosted the tournament Aug. 1-5. Minnesota’s top 16 teams squared off not only for bragging rights of being the North Star State’s best, but also for two spots in the Central Plains Re- gional in Fargo, N.D., the following weekend. Edina Mayor Jim Hovland, Public Works Director Brian Olson and Parks Maintenance Supervisor Bob Prestrud all made the tournament a top priority. The devoted Braemar grounds crew, along with several electricians, mechanics, vol- unteers and Braemar Golf Course Mechanic Rick Green, put the fields in tip-top condition. “About 12 days before the tournament, the main field was shut down. [The Parks Maintenance staff] aerated and fertilized the grass, it was cut sharp, we put diamond dust — to maximize ab- sorbency — on the infield, packed clay on the pitcher’s mound and batters’ boxes, too,” said Braemar’s Grounds Crew Head and Tournament Coordinator Bill Hanley. Parks Maintenance staff Dave Weierke and Lee Swanson put in extra hours to make the event special and Mike “Angelo” Gilligan, a seasonal worker, went above and beyond. “Mike, along with his assistant, Luke Wagner, painted our American flag, designed and painted 22-foot diameter baseballs with flames, targets with distance signage and numerous forms of eye candy throughout the complex. It made for a cool look,” said Hanley. The amount of work put into the field conditions and presentation of the park was comparable to the work you would see at Target Field for a Min- nesota Twins home stand. Hanley said, “A rep- resentative from Eagan (next year’s tournament host) was heard saying ‘What did we get ourselves into?’” With games starting Friday, Aug. 2, the upkeep required just as much work. With more than 250 volunteers giving their time to ev- erything from con- cessions work to infield raking, there were not only early mornings, but also late nights. “We stayed up until 1 a.m. each night to clean out the facilities and make sure the dugouts, bathrooms and con- cessions were immaculate. I think that’s what people were most impressed with,” said Hanley. Edina hadn’t previously hosted a tournament of this caliber, and there was some worry after a miserable spring and early summer weather-wise. “(Courtney Fields) had seven weekends worth of tournaments from the end of May to the middle of July, and it rained almost every weekend. Other than one delay of about 30 minutes, we were lucky to have perfect weather,” said Hanley. Continued on Page 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 Around The Water Cooler 3 Staff Notes 4 Wellness Corner 5 A Day In The Life ... Minnesota American Legion Baseball Tournament A Home Run 8|30|2013 Sept. 4, Joshua, Fire Sept. 4, Eric, Edina Liquor Sept. 6, Taunya, Police Sept. 7, Lynn, Finance Sept. 7, Jeff, Police Sept. 9, Brandon, Police Sept. 9, Cindy, Community Development Sept. 10, Denise, Police Sept. 16, David, Fire-Rescue & Inspections Sept. 18, Jordan, Communications & Technology Services Sept. 20, David, Fire Sept. 21, Darrell, Fire Sept. 21, Joan, Communications & Technology Services Sept. 21, Jim, Fire-Rescue & Inspections Sept. 22, Laurie, Finance Sept. 24, Scott, Administration Sept. 25, David, Edina Liquor Sept. 26, Joseph, Police Sept. 28, Luke, Police Sept. 28, Peter, Fire-Rescue & Inspections CITYSLICK p2 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. Communications & Technology Services Edina Community Channel 16 (EDINA 16) has been nominated for two Emmys by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Tele- vision Arts and Sciences. The 2013 Emmy nominees were announced Friday, Aug. 23. EDINA 16 received nominations for: • Community/Public Service (PSA): “The De- tective.” Other nominees in this category are “End School Violence (FUBOT Pictures), “Recycle Half” (Hennepin County), “Summer Harvest for Kids” (KSTP-TV) and “We Need More Heroes” (Fat Cat Productions). • Community/Public (PSA) Campaign: “Go Green, Edina.” Other nominees in this category are “ClearCause Foundation Campaign” (A2F Pictures) and “South Dakota My Life Website” (South Dakota Public Broad- casting). “The Detective” is a PSA on water leaks produced for the Public Works Department earlier this year. “Go Green, Edina” is a series of PSAs produced last summer for the Energy & Environment Commission. The Communications & Technology Services De- partment received at least two Emmy nominations each of the past five years, and won the gold statuette in 2009. The Emmy Awards will be an- nounced Sept. 28. Employee Advisory Committee The Employee Advisory Committee is working hard to make recommendations for 2014 benefits. The options will be finalized in time for open en- rollment, which will be Oct. 31 through Nov. 30. Employee meetings will be held: • 8-9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 at the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility • 3-4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 at Edina City Hall in the Council Chambers • 10-11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1 at Edina City Hall in the Council Chambers • 3-4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Fire Station No. 1 • 2-3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 at Edina City Hall in the Council Chambers Representatives from the City, Gallagher Benefits Services, Integrity Employee Benefits and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will be on hand to present employees with all the infor- mation they need to make informed decisions on their benefits. More information will follow in the October issue of City Slick. Human Resources The City of Edina’s flu shot clinic for employees will be held Tuesday, Sept. 24. The Minnesota Visiting Nurse Association (MVNA) will be con- ducting flu shots in the Community Room at City Hall from 7 a.m. to noon. The annual Employee Recognition Lunch will be held Wednesday, Oct. 9, at Braemar Golf Course. Sittings will be at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. More information on these events will be sent via email in the upcoming weeks. Police The fall session of Citizens’ Academy will begin at the Edina Police Department Sept. 12. The deadline to register is Sept. 5. The 11-week interactive course was built to give people who live or work in Edina an inside look at the Police Department. Through presentations, demonstrations and hands-on learning, partic- ipants discover from behind the scenes the world of law enforcement. Among other things, participants will take part in mock traffic stops, shoot/don’t shoot video sce- narios, and tour the Hennepin County Jail. They will also meet one of the police K-9s and learn about weapons and defensive tactics. Participants will also have the opportunity to schedule a ride-along with an officer in the evening or during the day. Graduates will receive a certificate, shirt and class photo. Classes are held Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. until Dec. 5 at either the Edina Police Department, 4801 W. 50th St., or the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, 7525 Braemar Blvd. Participants must be at least 21 years old and must pass a criminal background check. The $25 class fee is waived for City employees. For more information or to register for Citizens’ Academy, contact officer Brian Hubbard at 952-826-1610 or bhubbard@EdinaMN.gov. CITYSLICK p3 by Michael McGivern, Communications Intern Former Edina Video Production Intern Ray Widstrand has been taken off a ventilator and is improving after suffering a life- threatening attack by alleged gang members Aug. 4 in St. Paul. After police were called to St. Paul’s east side on Sunday, Aug. 4, Widstrand, 26, was found unconscious on the ground, bleeding from the head. It is believed he was walking to his apartment and was an innocent bystander when he approached a dispute between alleged members of rival gangs. Widstrand suffered “potentially fatal brain swelling” and “per- manent and protracted loss of brain function,” according to a criminal complaint cited in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. One man and four juveniles have been arrested in the case. Widstrand’s condition has improved while at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul. He’s blinked, sat up on his own, given a thumbs up and was breathing without a ventilator the weekend of Aug. 18. Widstrand, a 2010 graduate of St. Cloud State University, worked as a Video Production Intern in the City’s Communi- cations & Marketing Department from August 2010 to January 2011 before becoming a Master Control Operator for Suburban Community Channels, a White Bear Lake-based television station serving Ramsey and Washington counties. “Ray was an incredibly friendly, fun guy to work with,” said Video Production Coordinator Scott Denfeld. “He loved anything that had to do with video, and you could tell he got a lot of en- joyment out of his work, even the most standard, unexciting projects. We’ve had a lot of production interns on our staff over the years, but Ray is definitely one of a kind!” A fund has been set up to help cover medical bills and rehabili- tation costs. You can donate to “Ray’s Fund” at any Wells Fargo bank location. For more information, visit Widstand’s CaringBridge site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/raywidstrand. FORMER INTERN’S HEALTH IMPROVING AFTER BEATING by Nick Lovejoy, I.T. Specialist Using a scissors on your monitor is probably not a great idea! There is an easier way to take a screen shot or screen capture. Windows 7 has a built-in feature called the “Snipping Tool.” This handy tool helps you capture only the portions of your screen you want and allows you to copy, email, save and write on the image. You can choose to capture using a rectangle, free form, windows snip or full- screen snip. Screen shots and images are useful for troubleshooting errors and for use in PowerPoint presentations and other doc- uments. The Snipping Tool can be accessed through the Start menu > All Programs > Accessories, or by typing “Snipping Tool” in the Search window under the Start menu. TECHY TIDBITS The next time you have an error message, try taking a screen shot and emailing it to the help desk at helpdesk@EdinaMN.gov. It may speed up the troubleshooting process. Ray Widstrand, bottom right, was part of the Communications & Marketing Department in 2010 and 2011. For more information, write to helpdesk@EdinaMN.gov or leave a message at 952-903-5711. CITYSLICK p4 STAFF NOTES Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer announced his retirement, effective Friday, Sept. 6. Scheerer is a life-long Edina resident and began working for the City at Braemar Arena in 1977. He became a volunteer Paramedic/ Firefighter in 1980 before being hired full- time in 1989. He was promoted to Fire Lieu- tenant in 1996, then to Fire Captain in 1998 before finally becoming Chief in 1999. Scheerer has served on numerous advisory boards, and was active in several professional associations, including serving as President of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association. Assessing Techs Liz Lopez and Mitzi Wicklund received recognition for being 10-year members of the Minnesota As- sociation of Assessment Personnel at a summer continuing education workshop Aug. 15 and 16 in Mille Lacs, Minn. Kyril Negoda began work as a part-time Graphic De- signer on Aug. 13 for the Communications & Tech- nology Services Department. He is a graduate of the College of Design at the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. Negoda previously worked as a freelance designer at Carticulate Maps and Rarig Center. Frank Petrovic has accepted the position of part-time Communications Assistant. Petrovic began with the City as a Video Production Intern before be- ginning as a part-time Video Production As- sistant with the Communication & Technology Services Department. Petrovic holds a bach- elor’s degree from the Carlson School of Man- agement with a double major in Marketing and International Business. Ryan Quinn was promoted Fire Captain position in the A-shift. Quinn started with the Edina Fire De- partment in 2005 as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Before joining Edina, Quinn worked as a paramedic for Hennepin County Medical Center, as a volunteer firefighter for the Eden Prairie Fire Department and as a firefighter at the Denver Fire Department. He received his associate degree in Paramedic Technology from Century College and a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota. Scott Vadnais was promoted to Lieutenant of the C-shift. Before joining Edina Fire in 1997 as a Fire- fighter/Paramedic, he worked for the White Bear Lake Fire Department as a lieutenant and a firefighter/paramedic, and as a paramedic/dis- patcher at HealthSpan Corporation. MY FIRST JOB Laura Adler What was your first job? I worked at a children’s clothing store selling private school uniforms. I was 16. It was even in Edina! Do you remember how much you were paid? $4.25/hour, which was minimum wage. It felt like a lot. I did a lot of babysitting, but usually didn’t charge near that much. If you could do it all over again, would you still take that job? Sure. I learned the basics of retail, customer service and cash handling. I am glad it was only short-term, though. Kids going to private school usually did NOT want to be wearing uniforms. What did you learn on the job that you have carried with you into your career? I learned those basics I mentioned above, as well as just how to be a good employee. I also learned about the im- portance of professionalism from a somewhat unprofes- sional supervisor. And I learned that having a job that fits you and your strengths, as opposed to just a job, is really important. “My First Job” is a feature of City Slick compiled by Lynette Biunno meant to give employees a glimpse of each other’s professional beginnings. EMPLOYEE MILESTONES Bob Wilson, Comm. Dev. Assessing, 10 (Aug. 11, 2003) David Carlson, Police, 25 (Aug. 11, 1988) Nicole Pesek, Police, 5 (Aug. 11, 2008) Bill Hanly, Park Maintenance, 30 (Aug. 26. 1983) Chetwin Boom, Public Works, 5 (Sept. 15, 2008) Timothy Hunter, Police, 10 (Sept. 29, 2003) Thomas Rinehart, Public Works, 10 (Sept. 2, 2003) Mark Spain, Public Works, 15 (Sept. 16, 1998) Terry Klapperick, Public Works, 20 (Sept. 27, 1993) CITYSLICK p5 AVOID INJURY & FOCUS ON ERGONOMICS by Jordan Gilgenbach, Communications Coordinator Achy backs, stiff necks and sore wrists are not an ideal way to spend your day at work. Putting ergonomics at the forefront can help with those daily aches and pains and prevent long-term problems. Injuries are common for those who work in an office envi- ronment. According to the University of California, Riverside, the average office employee spends six to eight hours every day in front of a computer. It is easy to see how poor form and repetitive actions can wreak havoc on your body. By taking these nine steps, you can lessen your chances of falling to workplace injuries: 1. Position your computer monitor about 20 inches from your eyes, or about an arm’s length. The larger the screen area, the farther away it should be. 2. The top of your monitor should be at eye-level to prevent eye and neck strain. 3. Keep wrists straight, relaxed and in a neutral position in line with your forearm. Use a wrist rest for your keyboard and mouse so your wrists remain relaxed, though it is best to keep your wrists “floating” rather than resting while typing. 4. Staring at a computer screen for long periods can tire your eyes. Periodically rest your eyes by focusing on an object 15 to 20 feet away for several seconds. 5. Stand and stretch your back and arms from time to time. 6. Keep frequently used objects and supplies close to you to avoid un- necesarily long stretches and if you cannot easily reach it, stand up. 7. Keep your body properly positioned. Knees, hips and elbows should be at 90-degree angles. 8. Your feet should remain flat on the floor. Dangling your feet causes pressure on the legs. If your feet do not reach the floor, use a footrest. The back of your knees should be two finger lengths from the edge of the chair. 9. Properly light your work area to reduce glare and eye strain. Avoid intense lighting. If your desk is near a window, keep your computer monitor at a 90-degree angle to the window. By using these tips, you can greatly lower your chances of office injury. For more information about workplace ergonomics, visit www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics. SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE On Aug. 14, the back-to-school supplies donated by employees were delivered to VEAP. The 23 backpacks were filled with: 89 spiral notebooks 122 two-pocket notebooks 46 packs of pencils 46 packs of crayons 42 packs of colored pencils 35 composition notebooks 16 packs of dry erase markers 30 packs of erasers 25 bottles of glue 30 packs of glue sticks 22 packs of highlighters 24 packs of markers 27 packs of pens 28 pencil boxes 35 rulers 37 scissors On top of all of that, the Public Works Department collected more than $200 to go toward the drive. Thank you to all of those who donated to the drive! WALK WITH THE CITY MANAGER The monthly “Walk with the City Manager” is still going strong! Jeff Brown, Jordan Gilgenbach, Laura Knollmaier and Donna Tilsner all won a pair of custom Nike shoes for at- tending four of the six walks during the first part of the year. The good news is there’s still time for YOU to win some Nikes! Attend the “Walk with the City Manager” September through December, the third Friday of the month, and you may be walking around City Hall in new Nikes before you know it. RANGE DAY Employees who present their employee ID card can hit a small bucket of range balls at Braemar Golf Course for free 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. During that time, employees can purchase a turkey sandwich or grilled chicken sandwhich for $5 at the grill. WELLNESS CORNER CITYSLICK p6 LETTER BAG Selected letters are printed in City Slick each month to let you know what res- idents and businesses think of your services. “I wanted to tell you how impressed I am with the job you are doing managing this project, [Engineering Technician Jeff Frahm]. I am in the construction business and thus far you have impressed me with your patience, honesty and project management skills – considering who your customers are (a lot of Edina ladies), you have outperformed our expectations and that should be recognized by your superiors. “Again – thanks for all you have done for this area and this city.” —Phil Schechinger “I want to compliment you on today’s school district and public access meetings, [Community Television Administrator Nathalie Gage]. I thought the meetings went well and it was very clear that you want to accommodate the school districts and producers as best you can. I look forward to working with you. Again, nice job today!” —Patty Latham, City of Minnetonka I.T. Manager “Just a note to say how much Patti and I enjoyed your presen- tation, [City Manager Scott Neal], about the City of Edina this afternoon. Although I suspect you do a lot of public speaking, I couldn’t help but be very impressed by how very skillful you are in getting a message across in a meaningful and sometimes humorous way. It was very special ... I’d trade your talk for a Mark Rosen one any day of the week! “Thanks for being willing to step in at the last minute like that.” —Bob Solheim “My wife, Pam, sent a note to you regarding a tree blocking the walking path and some graffiti in the street. She was pleased with your immediate response and amazed by the corrective action taken by the City of Edina the following day. We don’t know who to thank for this prompt and excellent service, so would you please convey our appreciation to the proper people. We love living in Edina and this is one of the reasons. Best to you.” —Dennis Schulstad GEM AWARD Bill Hanly of the Public Works Department’s Park Maintenance Division made sure Edina was in a position to showcase its fine fa- cilities and world class hospitality to baseball players and fans from across the state during the American Legion State Tournament Aug. 1-5. Hanly led the crew that readied Courtney Fields at Braemar Park for the tournament and worked extra hard during the event itself to keep the facilities looking prestine. CLOVER AWARD Matt Husnik of the Public Works Depart- ment’s Electrical Division repaired the irri- gation at Arneson Acres Park. Earlier this summer, an electrical storm blew out two ir- rigation control clocks as well as six solenoids at the valve boxes. Husnik spent time trouble shooting to find out why two irrigation systems weren’t working. He worked up until the time he left for va- cation and when he came back prioritized to have the irrigation fixed. He made several trips running to MTI for parts and did an outstanding job repairing all of the damage for two irrigation systems. Baseball Tournament Continuted from Page 1... With the American Legion sponsoring this nationwide level of baseball, Tournament Director John Labosky details what went into the three-year process of planning the event: “We wanted to provide appreciation for not only baseball, but also for our veterans. We wanted to educate our players about what our veterans have done for this country.” Opening ceremonies were held at Braemar Fields with a special first pitch from Purple Heart recipient Sgt. Bob Burley, who was the same age as the players when he was battling in France and Germany during World War II – just 17. The Honor Guard and an air show with military flyers continued the patriotic theme. Overall, host team Edina went 5-2 in play, being eliminated by eventual tournament runner-up Burnsville. Burnsville lost to Eden Prairie, who was crowned state champs. Luke Lind of Eden Prairie was named the Fred Wannamaker Outstanding Tournament Player and Edina’s own Matt Hopfner was awarded the Rob Wassenaar Outstanding Pitcher award. The following weekend, Burnsville de- feated Omaha West to win the region and went on to compete in the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C. There’s no doubt that in the end, though, everyone came out a winner.