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.