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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitySlick_February_2014by Michael McGivern, Communications Intern A hailstorm in August 2013 caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to City property. Most didn’t realize the extent of the damage because it was mostly on roofs. Facilities Manager Tim Barnes worked closely to secure in- surance settlements and is now working to distribute more than $900,000 in reim- bursements. “I felt the process with the insurance agent went really well,” said Barnes. “Typically when an in- surance company pays a property damage claim, most people assume the money will be spent on repairs to the damaged property. I think the ‘debate’ in this case is whether the same City facilities that were damaged need repairs or whether the money could be better spent on something else,” said Assistant Finance Director Eric Roggeman. The hailstorm affected facilities throughout the Edina, though the storm was concentrated. Damaged facilities included City Hall, Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility, Braemar Golf Course, Centennial Lakes Park, Senior Center, Braemar Arena, South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, all three Edina Liquor stores, utility building and both Fire Stations. The clubhouse at Braemar Golf Course, with a roof made of cedar shake shingles, had the most roofing damage, while Braemar Arena had the most damage to an HVAC system. The loss was divided between damage to roofs and rooftop HVAC systems. Roofing and HVAC contractors went to a total of 83 lo- cations and evaluated the damages, including lights and playgrounds. By the end of September, all visits to City facilities and evaluations were complete. Through December, Barnes evaluated the data and then generated a report for Travelers Insurance. “I received more than 80 [reports], all six to seven pages long – lot of data and understanding of what we’re looking at [damage wise,]” said Barnes. “It took a lot of time, but as the Facilities Manager, I felt it was right up my alley.” In January, the check for more than $900,000 was received from Travelers. Barnes is now working with City Manager Scott Neal, Public Works Director Brian Olson and members of the Finance team to figure out how to best use the funds and where to go from here. “Because we are a governmental entity, any expenditure needs to be approved and appro- priated by the City Council,” said Roggeman. “[There will be discussion] among staff about how to prioritize the money before we make a public recommendation to Council. Ulti- mately, the decision will be theirs.” CITYSLICK 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 Employee Milestones 5 Wellness Corner 6 Letterbag 2|14|2014 Hailstorm Nets Large Insurance Claim Feb. 14, Jim, Police Feb. 18, Sean, Police Feb. 19, Mark, Engineering Feb. 21, Bryan, Braemar Golf Course Feb. 29, Tom, Public Works March 2, Daniel, Public Works March 4, Mitzi, Com- munity Devel- opment March 5, Brian, Fire- Rescue & In- spections March 6, Justin, Public Works March 7, Matthew, Public Works March 7, Travis, Public Works March 9, John, Fire-Rescue & Inspections 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 To better meet the demands of its work and create additional opportunities for staff to grow as professionals, the Communications Division was recently reorganized. Kaylin Martin was named Senior Communi- cations Coordinator, assuming responsibility for all of the City’s existing print projects, including publications such as About Town, Activities Di- rectory and City Slick; public information duties for the Police and Fire-Rescue & Inspections departments and supervision of the part-time Graphic Designer and part-time Communi- cations Intern. Martin orders all City stationery, including business cards. Communications Coordinator Jordan Gil- genbach is now responsible for overseeing website maintenance; development and growth of www.SpeakUpEdina.org; development and growth of the City’s social media; and public information projects for the Community De- velopment and Engineering departments and Economic Development Division. Krystal Caron was hired as part-time Commu- nications Coordinator. In her position, Caron will be responsible for development and growth of the employee extranet and coordinating communications, advertising and marketing projects for the City’s advisory boards, com- missions and auxiliary organizations. Receptionist Lynette Biunno now supervises part-time Customer Service Representative Frank Petrovic, in addition to part-time Office Aide Lisa Sta. Maria. Petrovic continues to serve as Biunno’s primary backup. The two full-time video positions were not changed. However, the Video Production In- ternship will be discontinued after Dena Pech completes his internship later this spring. Hours for most of the other part-time positions in the division were reduced. Finance Edina has launched a new website where res- idents can pay their utility bills and access their accounts. Customers can now simply log on to www.EdinaMN.gov/Finance and click on the button to pay their bills. Quarterly utility bills consist of water, storm drain and recycling charges. Instead of dealing with paper bills, postage and/or driving, res- idents are encouraged to pay their bills online, quickly and securely. They can make a one- time payment or register to receive eBills, which eliminate paper bills altogether. Residents can also register to view their utility account billing and water usage information online and compare their usage to Edina averages. Fire-Rescue & Inspections Fire crews were called to Jerry’s Foods, 5125 Vernon Ave., around 2 a.m. Friday, Jan. 3. An employee called 9-1-1 after arriving at work and finding heavy smoke in the basement. Crews found embers and heat in the HVAC duct system. The area of the HVAC system suffered smoke and water damage, and the grocery area suffered smoke damage. Crews from Hopkins, Minnetonka, Richfield and St. Louis Park were on scene to assist. The grocer worked with the City’s Health Division and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to determine what needed to be disposed. This resulted in $300,000 worth of damages to the store, in addition to the loss of around $250,000 worth of produce. Engineering The Engineering Department on Feb. 1 hosted MATHCOUNTS, a math skills competition co- ordinated by the Minnesota Society of Profes- sional Engineers-City of Lakes Chapter. Engi- neering staff assisted with this competition that brings sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students together to compete at a chapter level with opportunities to move onto the state and national levels of competition. Police Thank you to all employees who dined at Da- vanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies from 5-9 p.m. Feb. 4! The restaurant agreed to donate 20 percent of proceeds from that evening to Edina/Eden Prairie Police Exploring Post 925. More than CITYSLICK p2 AROUND THEWATER COOLER STAFF NOTES Krystal Caron began work as part-time Communications Coordinator in the Com- munications & Technology Services Department on Feb. 4. Caron holds a bachelor’s degree in English/mass com- munications from the University of Min- nesota. She most recently served as the Director of Communications for the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council. Ashley Krepsky began work as Commu- nications Intern in the Communications & Technology Services Department on Jan. 6. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Bethel University where she majored in relational communications. She also currently works part-time as a Fire & Life Safety Educator for the Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department. Molly J. (MJ) Lamon started work with the Administration Department on Jan. 22 as part-time Project Coordinator. She will coordinate the City Council’s ad- visory boards and commissions and serve as staff liaison to the Human Rights & Relations Commission, Human Services Task Force and recognized neigh- borhood associations. Since 2005, Lamon has held various positions with the Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Min- nesota, but most recently served as a Community Career Exploration Liaison. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. Anna Limbeck began work as a Police Officer on Jan. 21. Limbeck comes to us from the City of Lakeville where she was working as a Patrol Officer and prior to that a Community Service Officer since 2010. Limbeck has her as- sociate degree in law enforcement from Inver Hills Community College. Chad Millner began his new role as Engi- neering Director on Jan. 27. Prior to be- coming Director, Millner worked as As- sistant City Engineer since June 2012. Before beginning work for the City of Edina, Millner was a project manager for Short Elliot Hendrickson. Dave Nelson was recently promoted to Police Chief on Jan. 30. Nelson began work for the City in 1991 and has served as a Patrol Officer, School Re- source Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant and most recently Deputy Chief since 2010. In December 2009, Dave graduated from the FBI’s National Academy in Quantico, Va. Michael Sussman began work as a Police Officer on Jan. 22. Prior to coming to the Edina Police Department, Sussman worked as a Police Officer for the Mound, Brooklyn Park, Min- netrista and, most recently, Orono police departments. He holds a bach- elor’s degree in criminal justice from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn. 35 families showed up for the fundraiser while the Explorers took turns cleaning dishes and clearing tables, which raised $156 for the group’s national competition. The funds will help cover travel and lodging expenses for the 15 Explorers heading to Indiana in July. CITYSLICK p3 EMPLOYEE MILESTONES Nancy Karkhoff, Police, 35 years. (Feb. 12, 1979) Daniel Johnson, Public Works, 25 years. (Feb. 6, 1989) Matthew Poythress, Public Works, 5 years. (Feb. 9, 2009) Kaylin Martin What was your first job? Kennel Attendant at Rivertown Animal Hospital in Stillwater, Minn. Do you remember how much you were paid? $7/hour If you could do it all over again, would you still take that job? Yes, I loved it! What did you learn on the job that you have carried with you into your career? I took the dogs on walks, cleaned the kennels and exam rooms, did the laundry, kept the front lobby stocked with food and toys. Even though I was at the bottom of the totem pole, I did my best, worked hard every day and it didn’t go unnoticed. So, with every job thereafter I’ve always done my best and worked hard, and it’s paid off so far! Kaylin Martin began work for the City of Edina in 2008 as a Communications Intern and was later hired as a part-time Communications Assistant. In 2010, Martin became full- time and split her duties as a Communications Assistant for the Communications Department and as a Crime Pre- vention Coordinator for the Police Department. In 2013, Martin was promoted to Communications Coordinator and in 2014 to Senior Communications Coordinator in the Communications & Technology Services Department. “My First Job” is a feature of City Slick compiled by Lynette Biunno meant to give employees a glimpse of eachother’s pro- fessional beginnings. MY FIRST JOB CITYSLICK p4 EDINA BUILDING OFFICIAL NEARS RETIREMENT by Michael McGivern, Communications Intern Chief Building Official Steve Kirchman’s career with the City of Edina will come to an end on Feb. 28. Kirchman announced his plans to retire in December and is looking forward to the next phase of his life. With a large family full of grand- children, a stack of fiction and a passion for restoring classic cars, Kirchman certainly won’t be bored. “Steve has one of the most demanding jobs in city gov- ernment. He endures pressure from people who have project requests whether they need to move faster, slower, begin or end. The City of Edina has been fortunate to have him during the second half of his career and I thank him for his service,” said City Manager Scott Neal. A Florida native, Kirchman had a background in home building and remodeling when he took that experience to become a Building Inspector for the City of Burnsville, then a 12-year run as a Building Official for the City of Chanhassen. Kirchman then joined Edina on March 15, 1999, as the Chief Building Official. “[Steve’s] very knowledgeable. He’s one of the best bosses I’ve ever had and treated us with the utmost respect,” said Plumbing & Mechanical Inspector Dave Mickelson. Kirchman has been at the helm to see numerous devel- opment and redevelopment projects, including the building of the Westin-Galleria; expansions of the Galleria, Southdale Center and Fairview Southdale Hospital; construction of the new Super Target; remodeling of the Southdale YMCA and construction of new City facilities such as Edina City Hall, Fire Station No. 2 and the Public Works & Park Maintenance Fa- cility. He’s also had a hand in current projects, such as redevel- opment of the France Avenue Byerly’s and the new One Southdale Place apartments off of York Avenue. “Edina has had a lot of commercial and redevelopment/re- modeling [projects,]” said Kirchman. “The hospital always has something going on; many multi-family houses have been built. It was fairly exciting to see Chanhassen grow, but Edina’s prestigious reputation had a lot to do with me coming to Edina.” A retirement party for Kirchman will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 in the City Hall break room. Cake and ice cream will be served. by Michael McGivern, Communications Intern As Payroll Specialist for the City of Edina, Vicki Olson has seen the growth the City has enjoyed over the years. Since October 2005, Olson has been keeping track of all things pay for as few as 400 employees to a high of more than 700 this past summer. The South Dakota native has a background in English education and taught English in Iowa after graduating from Northern State in Aberdeen, SD. A move with her husband to Minnesota got her into the Human Resources/ Payroll sector more than 30 years ago. “[Payroll] is an occupation you fall into. But it grew on me. I loved the day-to-day interaction with workers,” said Olson. Her career has taken her to many eclectic stops, ranging from banking to manufacturing to education. But Edina has been the right fit as she began the winter of her career. She has especially liked teaching employees about the self- service program that allows staff to fill out timecards online, not only because it saves her time, but also because “it has helped utilize my teaching background by helping others learn about a particular service.” “[Vicki’s] always been extremely consistent with how she’s done her job,” said Finance Director John Wallin. “She does it right, does it on time. You never have to give [her work] a second look or a second thought.” With her retirement coming at the end of February, Olson and her husband plan to drive down and spend most of March in Phoenix where two of her adult children live. Her third child will make the trip with her family as well. All the family members are set for a July vacation to the Black Hills, too. It won’t be all travel, all the time, however. She hopes to use her career skills with possible part-time and volunteer work in the community by working with outreach organizations that assist new immigrants. The idea has come to her after noticing the large ethnic community in her hometown of Brooklyn Park. She feels she can help new Americans un- derstand tax and insurance forms. “These people come from places where insurance is foreign,” said Olson, “[Between insurance] and I-9s and W-2s, I think I can help them un- derstand it all much better.” “Vicki’s excellent at knowing all the payroll, IRS and pension laws,” said Assistant Finance Director Eric Roggeman. “She op- erates independently and people come to her and she has all the answers. … I go to her for answers to payroll questions!” Olson and her husband are also looking forward to con- tinuing their more than 30-year tradition of bowling and spending time with their sheltie-mix, Zipper. Maybe, just maybe, she can keep following “The Bold and the Beautiful” as well. “Vicki is really going to be missed. She was the person I went to on a daily basis and it is her wealth of knowledge that I will miss the most,” said Human Resources Representative Terri Wilson. A retirement party for Olson will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 in the City Hall break room. Treats will be served. OLSON SET TO RETIRE FROM PAYROLL DUTIES CITYSLICK p5 Did you know that City of Edina full-time employees are eligible for great discounts at Edin- borough Park? Present your em- ployee ID and you can receive any or all of the following: • Pool and track annual membership: free • Pool and track annual membership for family member: $25/person • Pool and track daily admission for family members (age restrictions apply*): $3/person** • Adventure Peak membership for family member (age 12 months to 12 years): $25/child • Adventure Peak daily admission for family member (age 12 months to 12 years): $3/child** * Children under 14 years old require adult supervision in the pool (adult still needs to pay even if not swimming). Children must be at least 16 years old to participate in lap swimming or to use the track area. **Separate passes must be purchased for admission to each of these areas. Visit www.EdinboroughPark.com to take the virtual tour or stop by! For questions or more information, contact As- sistant Manager Dawn Beitel at 952-833-9543 or dbeitel@EdinaMN.gov. WELLNESS CORNER CITYSLICK p6 9:00 AM Join us for App Users’ Group9 a.m. the last Friday of the month Edina City Hall Community Room Do you have a mobile device? Do you use mobile apps? Want to use more? Whether you use an iOS device such as an iPhone or iPad or an Android device, get together with other mobile app users in an informal setting to talk about your use. Get ideas for apps to use for work and play! App Users’ GroupApp Users’ Group Extranet Launched to Aid Employees A website designed for exclusive use of City of Edina employees has been launched. The password-protected extranet can be viewed at http://extranet.EdinaMN.gov. Usernames and passwords are comprised of an employee’s first initial and last name, such as “jdoe.” Once an employee successfully logs in, he or she can change the password. Meant to give employees a glimpse of all the things going on in the City at any given time and provide them with valuable resources, the extranet includes a full staff di- rectory, updates from the field, news stories, frequently asked questions, troubleshooting tips for I.T. issues, a City “classifieds” section for buying and selling items and more. Links are included to the City’s electronic timecard and records management systems. In the coming weeks, additional content will be created and programming will be complete. When you log into the network at work, a browser will automatically open the site with you already logged in. Outside of the office or from mobile devices, you will need to log in at http://extranet. EdinaMN.gov. Please review the site and share ideas for improving it with Communications Coordinator Krystal Caron, 952-826-0347 or kcaron@EdinaMN.gov. If you have trouble logging in, please write to helpdesk@EdinaMN.gov. TECHY TIDBITS LETTER BAG Selected letters are printed in City Slick each month to let you know what residents and busi- nesses think of your services. “Thank you so much for the very generous gift. I appreciate it beyond words. I miss you all so much. I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year.” – Liz Lopez “Thanks so much for your assistance with Quinn’s Cup. We really appreciate your hard work and the support you gave the event. “The posters [Graphic Designer Kyril Negoda] created were fantastic! We received countless compliments on how profes- sional they looked. We of course gave the credit to the City – as that credit is much deserved. “Thank you!” – Kyle, Kelly, Jack, Connor, Ryan and Quinn Kirsch