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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitySlick_December_2013CITYSLICK p1 A newsletter for the City Council and employees of the City of Edina INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 Around The Water Cooler 3 Staff Notes 3 Wellness Corner 4 Techy Tidbits 12|6|2013 Dec. 6, Mike, Public Works Dec. 10, Jackie, Fire- Rescue & Building Inspections Dec. 11, Jan, Police Dec. 12, Michael, Edina Art Center Dec. 12, Greg, Edina Liquor Dec. 14, Richard, Edin- borough Park Dec. 16, Sean, Public Works Dec. 19, Tony, Public Works Dec. 19, Joe, Fire-Rescue & Building In- spections Dec. 24, Kenna, Police Dec. 26, Mark, Police by Michael McGivern, Communications Intern The City’s Engineering Department was proud to add its latest set of wheels, a 2013 Nissan Leaf, to its fleet of vehicles. The brand new Leaf EV (electric vehicle) is a zero-emission car that is being used as the de- partment’s inspections vehicle. Edina is at the forefront of a sea change in alternative fuel cars for municipalities. Cities are adding electric ve- hicles to help spur fuel costs. Minneapolis has had electric vehicles since 2008 and Eden Prairie will soon add an electric vehicle to its fleet of squad cars. Not only is the leaf cheaper to operate, but it had a reduced price tag. The car was purchased after the City received a $5,000 grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The Leaf was chosen over other EV models from Chevy and Toyota because of its lower cost. An additional federal tax break for plug-in vehicles sweetened the deal to purchase the car. “Pursuing the MPCA grant made sense because the City of Edina gets to demonstrate a new technology, reduce local air emissions and save money in the long run,” said Envi- ronmental Engineer Ross Bintner. The vehicle boasts good range out of its 107 horsepower engine. Nissan points out that the average American drives 29 miles a day, and the Leaf has an average range of 73 miles on a single charge. The leaf is very clean, getting the equivalent of 129 miles per gallon in a standard fuel combustion engine while city driving. “The electric vehicle allows us to showcase new, more efficient technology,” said Laura Adler, Water Resources Coordinator. “We’re showing employees and the public that an EV can be a realistic alternative to gas-powered vehicles.” “The break-even point compared to a conven- tional vehicle is about 5,000 miles per year.” said Bintner. “The next step to prove the cost and environ- mental benefit is to en- courage the use of the EV and displace miles that would have been powered by gas.” Bintner explains that if any City de- partment with “big driving days” in the 90-mile range should reserve the EV using the MS Outlook “ED Electric Vehicle” calendar. This author has driven the car on multiple oc- casions and can sign off that it is fun to drive, has surprising quickness and nice amenities for a smooth ride. It’s great driving something that isn’t hurting the environment in any way, but also has satellite radio and heated seats. Besides just gasoline, standard vehicle main- tenance like oil changes and other routine fluid changes aren’t needed for the Leaf, adding savings over the long run. Engineering Department Turns Over New ‘Leaf’ Continued on Page 4 ... The new Leaf EV is on the go, headed to its next stop for the Engineering Department. Ph o t o b y S c o t t D e n f e l d 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 The City’s I.T. Division successfully switched over the City of Richfield’s 9-1-1 emergency dispatching. With only a few months to prepare, the switchover was finalized and took place just after 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2. Edina Art Center Get your holiday shopping off to a good start by swinging by the Edina Art Center’s “Gifts! Gifts! Gifts!” sale in the Margaret Foss Gallery. The sale runs through Dec. 23 and is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Human Resources Another open enrollment is in the books! Thank you to all the employees who attended the open enrollment sessions and took the time to learn more about our benefits. As part of our efforts to provide quality and service to employees, the Employee Advisory Committee and Human Resources Department have re- viewed the open enrollment information that was given to employees to make im- provements for next year’s open enrollment. Employees should always review their paycheck for accuracy, but it is especially im- portant to review your Jan. 3, 2014 paycheck to ensure that the benefits you have selected appear correctly. Contact Jessica Nikunen in Human Resources if you find an error or have questions. Fire-Rescue & Building Inspections Edina Fire Marshal Jeff Siems recently re- turned from Monrovia, Liberia, as part of a mission trip. Early last month, a nationwide coalition of firefighters landed in the capital of Liberia to help the beleaguered African country rebuild its fire services. Still recovering from the aftermath of civil war, Liberia’s nearly 3.5 million citizens are served only by a few fire trucks nationwide and have scarce resources to rely upon in the event of a fire emergency. Those on the trip to Liberia focused on teaching fire rescue, fire prevention and coor- dinating fire gear donation. Police Department As the 2013 “Focus In” campaign comes to an end, Edina patrol officers are focusing efforts on the “Move Over” law. Each year, hundreds of accidents and injuries occur while police officers conduct roadside traffic stops. Following the tragic death of State Trooper Ted Foss, the Minnesota Legis- lature enacted the “Move Over” law, requiring drivers to move to the furthest lane away from an emergency vehicle. If a driver is unable to move over, the law requires him or her to reduce the vehicle’s speed while passing the officer. From January through November, of- ficers made 1,386 stops for “Focus In” vio- lations. Thank you to all of the officers who partic- ipated in the 2013 campaign! CITYSLICK p2 AROUND THE WATER COOLER LETTER BAG Selected letters are printed in City Slick each month to let you know what residents and businesses think of your services. “Thank you for the professional job you did putting together the (‘Beyond the Badge’) story featuring Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. Excellent work!” — Mary Brindle, City Council Member EMPLOYEE MILESTONES Sharon Allison, Engineering, 10 years. (Dec. 3, 2003) Adam Helgren, Public Works, 10 years. (Dec. 29, 2003) Pat Sandon, Fire-Rescue & Inspections, 10 years. (Dec. 18, 2003) Jim Rygg, Police, 20 years. (Dec. 15, 1993) STAFF NOTES Dawn Beitel accepted the position of Assistant Manager of Edinborough Park and the Edina Aquatic Center and began her new role on Dec. 2. Beitel has worked for the City of Edina in the Parks & Recreation Department since 2006 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Admin- istration/Therapeutic Recreation from St. Cloud State University. Compensation & Benefits Specialist Candy Fiedler retired Dec. 2 from the Human Resources Department. Fiedler started with the City in March 1988 as an Engineering Secretary. She became a Human Resources Representative in October 2000, holding the position until January of this year when her title changed to reflect her duties. Roger Lemire, who had worked part-time maintenance at Edinborough Park since 2010, started a full-time position as a Maintenance Operations Coordinator on Nov. 26. Lemire has more than 20 years’ experience as a maintenance technician, and most recently worked at Golden Valley Country Club. Sandra Shaughnessy accepted a pro- motion to Pottery Studios Supervisor at the Edina Art Center. She will also coor- dinate the Exhibition Programs. Sandra began her full-time position Dec. 2, as the fifth pottery studios manager. Shaughnessy taught her first workshop in clay at the Edina Art Center on Feb. 22, 1997. For the past 16 years, she has consistently taught a Tuesday evening intermediate and advanced wheel-throwing class, and became part-time Pottery Studios Manager in 2007. Shaughnessy has extensive pottery and ceramics experience, having taught at Eastern Michigan University, Winona State University and many regional art centers. Benjamin Wenande began work Nov. 26 as a Community Service Officer for the Edina Police Department. Wenande is currently attending Normandale Com- munity College, pursuing an associate degree in Law Enforcement. WELLNESS CORNER Be Well During The Holidays by Jordan Gilgenbach, Communications Coordinator Given the dreary outdoors, more darkness, holiday shopping and money concerns, stress and depression can increase around the holidays. What are the best ways to cut down on holiday-related stress and depression and improve your quality of life? Here are a few tips from the Center for Disease Control and Mental Health America: • Get enough sleep. Adults should get a recommended 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. • Exercise. Staying active helps relieve tension caused by stress. Strive for 30 minutes of physical activity five days per week. • Watch what you eat. It’s easy to over-indulge. Over-eating and drinking can reduce your energy level. Practice portion control and stay away from unhealthy foods. • Don’t over-commit or over-spend. Set a budget, and stick to it. Learn to say no – you don’t need to par- ticipate in every activity. Know your limits. • Manage your time. It’s difficult to remain focused and calm when you are overly busy or running late. Plan ahead and remain organized and calm. Take tasks at your own pace. • Practice stress-reduction techniques. Do something calming for a while when tensions run high. Do something you enjoy, like reading, exercising or medi- tating. • Don’t dwell on the uncontrollable. You can’t control other people’s behavior. Don’t stress over it. Instead, concentrate on how you can react positively. • Talk to someone about your problems, whether it be a co-worker, spouse, significant other or a therapist. • If you need it, don’t be afraid to get help. Talk to your doctor or a psychologist about the problems you are facing and what is causing your stress and de- pression. The City also has a free Employee Assistance Program to assist staffers. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov or www.nmha.org. CITYSLICK p3 by Katie Bisek, I.T. Specialist Have a safe and enjoyable online holiday shopping expe- rience by following these tips: Use a credit card rather than a debit card. Credit card payments can be withheld if there’s a dispute with a store and if the card is stolen, you won’t have to pay more than $50 of fraudulent charges. But with a debit card, you can’t withhold payments—the store is paid directly from your bank account. And if your card is stolen, you could be liable for up to $500, depending on when you report it. Don’t tell all. No online shopping store needs your Social Security number or your birthday to do business. Only fill in the required information. Also uncheck all of those “Send me product news and alerts” boxes. Make sure that when buying from a retailer or manufacturer that you are on the real website. Here are four practical tips: • Appearance: How is the grammar and punctuation of the website? Is it easy to navigate? Legitimate online store sites are professional and user-friendly. • Believable: Is the website offering a new Xbox One Console or Gold iPhone 5S for $25? If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. • Credible: Other than purchasing online, does the store offer any other order placement method? If you Google the website address, what is its placement on Google? For established companies, the completed results would have the address in one of the first positions. When was the website created? • Checkout: When entering credit card information and finalizing an online purchase, verify the website is secure. The checkout section of all legitimate sites will begin with “https” (instead of “http”), noting that it is secure. There should also be a padlock icon next to the web address in Explorer. Here are other tips for techies this holiday season: • Keep a paper trail of your online transactions, including the product description, price, online receipt, terms of sales and copies of any e-mail ex- changes with the seller. • Check your statements. Don’t wait for your bill to come at the end of the month. Go online reg- ularly during the holiday season and look at elec- tronic statements for your credit card, debit card and checking accounts. Make sure you don’t see any fraudulent charges, even from sites like PayPal. After all, there is more than one way to get to your money. • Beware of nasty links in your email. We know you can’t wait to buy a newest “must-have” product for half off, but make sure you only click on links that you receive from familiar websites or trusted re- tailers. If you don’t, you could wind up in a phishing scheme and led to a website where hackers steal your important personal or financial data.  • Lock your gadgets. During the holiday season, thieves will be on the lookout for unlocked devices that they can steal and use to make purchases. Always make sure that if you leave your device lying anywhere unattended, it’s locked and secure. Smart- phones come with passwords, codes and even fin- gerprint scanners (iPhone 5s, for example) to make them extra secure, so make sure you use them. • Beware of bad apps. Only download apps from a trusted app store or online platform. Amazon, iTunes and Google Play are safe, secure and have everything you need, so why go anywhere else? Regardless of where you procure your apps, if an application ever begins requesting information that doesn’t seem ap- propriate, delete it.  • Shop at home. The most secure place to do online shopping is the one with the most secure network. In most cases, that’s either in your home or at work. Using public Wi-Fi is convenient, but if you’re typing in sensitive information to make an online purchase (credit card info, Social Security number, etc.) it could easily be hacked by someone nearby. If you have any questions, please email helpdesk@EdinaMN.gov or call 952-903-5711. CITYSLICK p4 TECHY TIDBITS Leaf – Continued from Page 1 ... There are no new plans for another EV to join Edina’s fleet, but the Engineering Department’s satisfaction with the Leaf leaves the door open for the City to look at more in the future. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/GoGreen.