HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitySlick_May_2013A newsletter for the City Council and employees of the City of Edina
CITYSLICK p1
by Brady Skoglund, Communications Intern
Greg Bretson knows Edina, and he should.
He’s spent nearly his whole life in the
suburb – 34 of those years working
for the City of Edina’s Public
Works Department. Bretson has
decided to pass the baton at the
end of May and begin a life of
retirement.
Bretson started in Edina as a
technician for the Public Works
Department on March 8, 1979.
He held this position for 17 years
before becoming the Equipment
Operations Supervisor in 1996.
Over his 34 years, Bretson has seen a few
changes, most notably the new facility.
“What we had was such a far cry from what
we have now,” said Bretson, “it was like
walking into the Dark Ages.”
The previous facility, located on Eden
Avenue, was much smaller than the current
building on Metro Boulevard and could not
accommodate the 350 various vehicles the
current facility holds.
Bretson’s time with Public Works is a career
of which he’s proud. Bretson said that
being with Public Works has given him a
way of measuring
accomplishment
because the work
he has done is very
tangible.
“This team is the best
I’ve ever worked with,”
said Bretson of his
team of technicians.
“We’re like six
brothers.”
The team includes Todd Halstead, Gunnar
Kaasa, Jim Voelker, Jay Van Altvorst and Tony
Leone.
Bretson’s work with the Public Works
Department has gained him a lot
of fans, including Public Works
Director Brian Olson.
“Greg has been the biggest
assistance that I’ve had
transitioning into this role,” said
Olson. “He’s been the most
open, honest person.”
Gunnar Kaasa, who has been
with the City for seven years as a
technician, has been preparing to
move into Bretson’s role and is thankful
to have him as a mentor and friend.
“Greg’s been a great guy,” said Kaasa, “he’s
been a very good tutor.”
With retirement comes a feeling of missing
the work place, especially the people. Luckily,
Bretson lives close to the Public Works & Park
Maintenance Facility and is sure he’ll see the
guys often.
“My right arm is going to get tired waving at
the guys,” said Bretson.
Although Bretson is stepping away from the
Public Works Department, he is not slowing
down. He already has plans to head up to the
15-acre family compound on Big Bass Lake
this fall to remodel the cabin. Not, however,
until after he and his wife, Karen, take a road
trip to visit their son and daughter-in-law in
Montana.
Bretson has been a grouse hunter since he
was 12 years old and is looking forward to
being able to do that at the cabin with his new
English Setter puppy, Stormy.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2 Around The
Water Cooler
3 A Day In The Life ...
3 Caught In The Act
4 Staff Notes
May 10, Bob, Braemar
Golf Course
May 12, Tom, Police
May 13, John, Public
Works
May 13, Kristin, Parks &
Recreation
May 15, Susie, Braemar
Arena
May 17, Brian, Police
May 18, Aaron,
Engineering
May 18, Dave, Public
Works
Bretson Equips Himself For Retirement
EMPLOYEE MILESTONES
David Weierke,
Public Works – Park
Maintenance, 10 years.
(May 5, 2003)
Greg Bomsta, Fire –
Building Inspections, 25
years. (May 16, 1988)
Darrell Todd, Fire, 25
years. (May 9, 1988)
5|10|2013
Continued on Page 4 ...
CITYSLICK p2
Edina Art Center
The selections for the 2013-2014 outdoor
sculpture exhibit have been selected and can
be viewed on the Edina Promenade, 50th
& France and Grandview Square beginning
June 1. An opening reception for sculpture
artists will be held June 12, at Pinstripes
Bowling Bocce Bistro.
Police
Traffic Award
Congratulations to Edina Patrol Officer Nicole
Pesek, who received the “2012 Traffic Safety
Recognition Award” award at an annual
meeting of the Hennepin County Chiefs of
Police Association on May 8.
The award is
given to those
who show an
outstanding
effort in
traffic code
enforcement,
innovate
traffic safety
programs,
extraordinary
success stories
and overall
dedication
to traffic
enforcement.
In 2012, while working the night shift, Pesek
made 32 DUI arrests and issued more than
877 traffic citations. In addition to showing
a strong hand in traffic enforcement, Pesek
takes part in the Edina Police Department’s
Teen Safe Driving Initiative. Kuyper said
she’s been instrumental in generating ideas
to educate teen drivers on the various
dangers of driving, included distracted
driving.
Explorers
Congratulations to the Edina/Eden Prairie
Law Enforcement Explorer Post 925, who
placed in the 38th-annual Minnesota Law
Enforcement Exploring Conference last
month in Rochester, Minn.
Post 925 placed second in “First Aid” and
“Crime Prevention,” fourth in “Use of
Force” and “White Collar Crime” and fifth in
“Slow Fire Pistol” competitions. More than 900
Explorers from Minnesota and surrounding states
competed at the annual statewide conference,
working through scenarios that reflected real life
law enforcement situations.
This was Officer Kenna Dick and Officer Brandon
Kuske’s last competition as Explorer advisors, as
they will step down this year. We want to extend
a huge thank you for their exemplary work and
dedication to Post 925 for the last several years!
May ‘Focus In’
As a part of the 2013 “Focus In” campaign, Edina
patrol officers will focus efforts on bike safety
during the month of May.
Starting Over
On May 1, Fox 9 aired a story about Detective
Dave Carlson, who made a difference in a young
woman’s life after she was kidnapped and
abused. It’s a touching story that reminds us how
important it is to show compassion and what
a difference it can make. We encourage you to
watch it at http://bit.ly/18ZbmG0.
Fire
Firefighter/
Paramedic
Brandon Winkel
spent the first
weekend of May
in Madison, Wis.,
for the 2013
Mad-City “Fire
on Ice” Hockey
Classic. Winkel
participated
on the Minneapolis Suburban team, and
competed against teams from the Green Bay,
Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee and Duluth Fire
departments, among others. The Minneapolis
Suburban team won the tournament, which
benefits the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
The Edina Fire Department’s Fire Prevention
Bureau is wrapping up fire safety talks, having
done more than 15 visits in April. The Fire
Department is gearing up for summer activities,
including the Edina High School seniors’ bonfire,
spraying kids with fire hoses at parks, and
neighborhood and block party visits.
The Fire Department has begun the process to
fill vacant Captain and Lieutenant roles. The
positions should be filled sometime this summer.
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.
Sgt. Scott Kuyper, Officer Nicole Pesek, Sgt.
Jeff Elasky and Deputy Chief Dave Nelson pose
for a photo after Pesek accepts her award.
CITYSLICK p3
When Mary Wooldridge started working at Braemar
Golf Course at the age of 15, she never expected
to make her career in golf, or even meet her future
husband at the City-owned facility.
“I started working at Braemar selling hot dogs
and lemonade in ‘the pit,’” Wooldridge said,
describing the pit as a gazebo “between
the nines” that sold snacks to golfers.
“When I started, I never thought I’d be
where I am today. I always thought I
was going to work in an ad agency.”
When the pit closed, Wooldridge, an
Edina native and current resident,
worked in the clubhouse grill, which
is where her romance started.
“I was in the grill, he was
maintenance,” she said. “His mom,
who was also a former Park Board
member, was my tennis coach and
asked if I had ever met him. We were all
good friends and would do stuff after work.
We eventually got
to know each other
and, well, here we
are.”
After the grill,
Wooldridge
started working
in the Pro Shop in
merchandising. She
temporarily left
Braemar when she
got married and had
her first son, but
came back to work
the Pro Shop as
merchandiser and
buyer.
Since her return
19 years ago,
Wooldridge has
taken on more and
more responsibility,
“I love this
community.
It’s been fun
to work for
the City and
I wouldn’t
change a
thing.”
leading to where she currently is today as Facility
Coordinator.
“I still do all of the buying and merchandising in
the Pro Shop, but also wear many other hats,” she
said. “I coordinate the schedule of the course,
including golf leagues, outside groups
and tournaments; run reports for the
course; do special orders and receive
invoices. It’s a lot to do, but I love
the variety.”
Having worked for Braemar
Golf Course for many years,
Wooldridge has seen a lot of
change. But one thing she said
that has remained relatively
consistent is the customers.
“It’s been fun to see the change,
and continually see the same people
come back to golf year after year,”
she said. But a long-time career can’t go
without a good story.
“In 1987, we had a big sleepover in the clubhouse,”
she said. “There was a large group outing of 75
people, and a torrential downpour situated itself
over the course. [Then-Manager John Vallerie] saw
the storm coming from the east and said ‘this
doesn’t look good.’ There was so much rain, no one
could leave the parking lot. To make thing worse,
the power went out. So, we had Braemar staff and
the big group of golfers stranded overnight. We
ended up firing up the outdoor grill and making
burgers for everyone.”
Even though she isn’t writing copy for an ad
agency, she is happy with how things have turned
out.
“I love this community. It’s been fun to work for the
City and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Wooldridge enjoys gardening, running with her
sister, going “up north” with family and golfing
at Braemar and other area courses. She also likes
spending time with her husband, Mark, and two
boys, Tom and Matt.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ...BRAEMAR GOLF COURSE FACILITY COORDINATOR MARY WOOLDRIDGE
by Jordan Gilgenbach, Communications Coordinator
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
City Forester Tom Horwath, Park
Maintenance Worker Mark Spain and
Public Works employee John Buckentine
plant a tree in the snow at Garden Park May
3 to celebrate Arbor Day. The planting was
originally scheduled for April 26, which was
rescheduled because of snow.
CITYSLICK p4
Fire Captain Doug Bagley
retired April 30, after 27
years with the Edina Fire
Department. Bagley
began work for the City
of Edina in 1986 as a
Paramedic and was later
promoted to Captain in
1991. Prior to the City of Edina,
Bagley held various emergency paramedic
and reserve firefighter positions in St. Paul
and Napa, Calif.
STAFF NOTES
City Manager Scott Neal
was appointed as the
Chair of the Southwest
Suburban Cable
Commission. As Chair,
Neal will oversee the
operations and decisions
regarding the public,
education and government access channels
for member cities, which is comprised of
Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Richfield and
Minnetonka. Neal’s appointment took effect
April 24, and runs for one year.
Greg Bretson
Continued from Page 1 ...
“I’ve got quite a few things on my bucket list,” said Bretson, who is
also a wood worker and plans on building a boat.
Bretson has enjoyed working with Edina’s Public Works Department
because he sees it as being able to take care of the city where he grew
up.
“Everyone here in Public
Works is like family,” said
Bretson, “the whole City is
like family.”
There will be a retirement
party for Bretson at 12:30
p.m. May 30 at the Public
Works & Park Maintenance
Facility.
MY FIRST JOB
Patty McGrath
What was your first job? I started as a
weekend custodian and was then promoted
to a bus girl, and then a pizza cook at the
Italian Village Restaurant in Davenport, Iowa.
Do you remember how much you were
paid? I was paid $2.25 per hour and every
now and then the waitresses would share their
tips.
If you could do it all over again, would you still take that
job? Yes! It was not a glamorous job, but a terrific introduction to
the working world and customer service. As an added bonus, you
got a free meal at the end of your shift and all the soda you could
drink.
What did you learn on the job that you have carried with
you into your career? The owner had very high standards and
set clear expectations. Even though I was young, he instilled his
philosophy of “if you are going to do a job, do it right!” and that has
always stayed with me.
Patty McGrath began work on March 18 as the General Manager
for Edinborough Park and the Edina Aquatic Center. McGrath has a
bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from Winona State
University. She held various positions at the YMCA since 1991 and
most recently was Executive Director of the Hudson and River Falls
YMCA.
• “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.
Wellness Committee
Wellness
COMMIT TEEWellness EDINA EMPLOYEE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Accumulate a punch for every W
e
l
l
n
e
s
s
e
v
e
n
t
you attend. Collect 10 punches and receive a
$15 gift card to a local restauran
t
!
Name
Pick up your punch card at the next
Wellness event! Collect 10 punches and
receive a $15 gift card to one of these
restaurants:
• Q. Cumbers
• Good Earth
• People’s
Organic Café
• Subway