Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutEdition Edina Nov 2022Capt. Wayne Thomas Henderson Added to Edina Veterans Memorial Criteria Allows the Honor 50 Years After Marine’s Death BY KATHERINE HULBERT A conversation over breakfast helped kickstart the process of honoring an Edina veteran who died more than 50 years ago. Former Navy Pilot John Haggerty visited Utley Park last fall to see the Edina Veterans Memorial and noticed an important name was missing from the wall honoring fallen Edina veterans – that of his childhood friend, Capt. Wayne Thomas Henderson of the U.S. Marine Corps. Haggerty connected with Edina resident Pacy Erck over breakfast and told her about the absence of his friend’s name. Erck referred him to Edina Veterans Committee members Bob Kojetin and Marshall Schwartz to determine if Henderson would be eligible for the Edina’s Veterans Memorial. According to the committee’s criteria, a Gold Star Servicemember who is eligible to be added to the memorial must: •Have either been killed in action or otherwise died in the line of duty while serving our country during a time of declared war or other designated period of armed conflict. •Have had a strong familial or residential bond to the Edina community as it is presently constituted. This essential linkage could be any one of the following fundamental connections: •Their parents were residents of Edina when they were born •They were a resident of Edina for a significant part of their life •They registered with Selective Service, were drafted or enlisted while they were a resident of Edina •They entered into duty while they were a resident of Edina •They died or were declared dead while they were a resident of Edina •Their spouse or at least one parent was residing in Edina when they died or were declared dead Committee member Schwartz spearheaded the research on Henderson to determine if he could be added to the memorial. According to his research: Henderson and his parents moved to a house on Abbott Avenue in Edina in the 1950s. He graduated from Edina High School in 1959 and subsequently the University of Minnesota in 1966. He enlisted in the Marines after graduating. He served a tour as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam in 1967 and was a 29-year-old Captain assigned on active duty to a Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi, when a helicopter he was flying exploded in April 1970. He and the other Marines aboard were killed. Henderson and his wife were residing in Meridian with their young children at the time of his death. His parents were still residing in Edina. Henderson did not die in combat, so his name does not appear on the Vietnam Memorials in Washington, D.C., or at the Minnesota State Capitol. Nevertheless, the confirmed facts that he graduated from Edina High School and his parents were residing in Edina at the time of his death while serving on active duty during the period the United States was engaged in the Vietnam War meld to meet the committee’s criteria to be included on the Edina Veterans Memorial. Henderson’s name was etched on the memorial on Aug. 8, 2022, by Murphy Granite Carving, Inc. His was the first name added to the memorial since it was dedicated in 2015. “Wayne and I went to grade school and caused quite a bit of ruckus in our Boy Scout days,” recalled Haggerty. “During his time serving as a Marine, he flew a H-34 helicopter and survived being shot down three times during his tour in Vietnam, which is remarkable. It is unfortunate that his life ended prematurely during the accident in training while he was back home. I’m looking forward to being able to visit the Edina Veterans Memorial and seeing the addition of his name.” Henderson is the 35th veteran to be added to Edina’s memorial. Visit the Edina Veterans Memorial at Utley Park, 4521 W. 50th St. Capt. Wayne Henderson’s name was etched on the granite wall of the Edina Veterans Memorial and an updated information kiosk featuring the veteran’s photo was installed in August. (Photo by Scott Denfeld) City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1 Edition: Edina NOVEMBER 2022 Volume 9, Issue 11Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City - COMPILED BY AMY KYLLO Braemar Golf Dome, 7420 Braemar Blvd., opens for the season Tuesday, Nov. 1. Come out and experience one of the largest and longest-hitting indoor practice facilities in the Twin Cities. Whether you are looking to improve your game or just hang out with friends, Braemar Golf Dome is the place to be! BY THE NUMBERS Braemar Golf Dome 44 Hitting bays with Toptracer Range Technology Scheduled educational golf programs and classes84 PGA Golf Professionals who work at the Dome 6Balls tracked by Toptracer Range Technology during 2021 5,174,215 BRAEMAR GOLF DOME Money Available for Solar and Energy-Efficiency Projects Community Climate Action Fund Available for Residential, Commercial and Industrial Properties BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND Residents and businesses can reduce their monthly energy bills, and the City’s Community Climate Action Fund will help them pay for the projects to do it. Utility rebate match amounts or cost shares are available for: •Energy-efficiency projects (except those using natural gas) •Replacing natural gas systems and appliances with electrical systems •Rooftop solar installations Many projects can pay for themselves within a year or two, such as water heater replacements or low-flow toilets. Yet the up-front costs are often a barrier. The City launched the Community Climate Action Fund program to help residents and businesses overcome that barrier, reduce and clean their energy usage and contribute to the City’s overall climate goals. “We recognize things are getting more expensive, including utility bills,” said Sustainability Manager Grace Hancock. “We’re paying more for energy, so it’s a good time to lower the amount of energy we need.” Steve Kincaid took that step a year ago, installing rooftop solar panels on his Brookview Heights 1954 rambler. May through August, the panels generated more energy than his home used, resulting in credits from Xcel Energy. This September, he used a meager 3 kilowatt hours from Xcel. Over the course of the first year, he’s buying less than half the energy he did before solar. Kincaid didn’t benefit from the 4 percent total cost share now available from the Community Climate Action Fund, but he did get a federal tax credit to help pay for the system. That federal credit is now 30 percent. The environment — not money — was Kincaid’s reason to add solar. “It seemed like the responsible thing to do, being a good citizen of Edina and of planet Earth,” he said. “Every little bit helps, however infinitesimally.” He had already made several other sustainability improvements, including replacing the home’s original windows with energy-efficient ones that reduced the heating and cooling needs and, as a bonus, made the house much quieter. Energy-efficiency projects are where people should start before solar, Hancock noted. If your home or building uses less energy, the solar installation can be smaller and less expensive. Hancock urges Edina residents and business owners to get started now, as about $100,000 is expected to be available annually from the Climate Action Fund, generated from a franchise fee on utility bills. The program is vital to the City’s Climate Action Plan goal of reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent below 2019 levels by the year 2030. “This is an all-hands-on-deck plan,” Hancock said. “We need everybody to participate, not just those who can afford these projects. Everyone has an important role.” Where to Start •Visit EdinaMN.gov/ClimateFund for program details. •Schedule a Home Energy Squad visit: bit.ly/EnergyEdina •Learn about solar: bit.ly/3MltENb Steve Kincaid added rooftop solar panels to his Brookview Heights home and has seen his energy bills plummet. (Photo by Glenn Gray) 2 City Hires Sidewalk Inspector, Launches New Inspection Program Program Aims to Improve the Safety of Edina’s Sidewalks and Ensure Accessibility BY BRITTANY BADER This summer, Derek Leonard walked up and down the streets of the Country Club Neighborhood at a rate of five to six blocks per day assessing the condition of its sidewalks. As the City’s first Sidewalk Inspector, Leonard is responsible for inspecting the city’s sidewalks for compliance with City Code and communicating any damage or trip hazards found to property owners. In addition, this position will ensure the ADA compliance of new sidewalk construction within the city. “The City started the Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Fund in 2013 because the City Council wanted to be responsive to community calls for better and more sidewalks in town. We knew that would mean both repair of old sidewalks and construction of new sidewalks,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “We have been accomplishing our goals for new sidewalk construction, so now it’s time to focus on making sure the old sidewalks are still safe.” Eventually, over the next several years, this position will cover every neighborhood in Edina until all 92 current miles of sidewalk have been inspected. Leonard estimates the average age of the concrete sidewalks in Edina is 50 years. Most last at least 25 years before needing repairs or replacement. He noted that some panels in the Country Club Neighborhood are from the 1930s, making them almost 100 years old. To aid Leonard in inspections, Senior GIS Specialist Rebecca Foster helped create a database that allows him to document the location and detail every trip hazard and damaged panel encountered while walking a neighborhood. “I assess the panels on eight different measures to determine which have severe enough damage to require immediate replacement and which have minor issues that just need future monitoring,” explained Leonard. “I then record that data in the database so we can follow progress in each neighborhood.” Sidewalk panels are evaluated for the following: •Trip hazard a half-inch or greater (vertically) •Cracks greater than 0.75 inch •Panels raised or sunken more than two inches from grade •Multiple cracks or crushed paneling •Pitted or scaled surface •Pooling of water, indicating a lack of adequate surface drainage •Tree roots, low-hanging branches or impeding vegetation •Grade over 2 percent The Country Club Neighborhood was chosen as the site for the first inspections because it had the greatest number of resident-reported concerns. Leonard did a complete inspection of the neighborhood from late July to mid-September and found more than 400 properties with trip hazards or damaged panels, which were marked in white sidewalk paint. However, not all of these will require immediate attention from property owners. Only the most severely damaged panels – approximately 70 panels – were top priority for replacement this year. The City plans to develop a schedule where each neighborhood will undergo a complete inspection every three to five years. Leonard says the order in which neighborhoods will be inspected has not yet been finalized, but will likely go in the order of the number of known concerns. Once the next neighborhood has been identified for inspection – a decision anticipated in early 2023 – the City will contact residents to discuss the process and what to expect. In general, after a neighborhood has been inspected, properties needing repairs will be notified by mail. Property owners are first asked to hire their own concrete contractor. If, after 30 days, the repairs have not been made, the City will place the property on its maintenance plan, complete the work and bill owners according to City Code. “Trip hazards on city sidewalks pose a safety risk to all pedestrians,” said Leonard. “Identifying and recording them is a good first step, but I don’t want them to sit without progress. I look forward to working with residents to make sure repairs can be made in a timely manner.” To learn more about the Sidewalk Inspection Program, contact Leonard at 952-826-0384 or DLeonard@EdinaMN.gov. Sidewalk Inspector Derek Leonard holds certificates in Public Works and Fire Science and has experience in Emergency Management. Prior to Edina, he worked for Ramsey County Public Works for 10 years as a Crew Leader and a member of the County’s Safety Committee. (Photo by Brittany Bader) Derek Leonard marks a sidewalk panel for replacement in the Country Club Neighborhood. (Photo by Brittany Bader) Money Available for Solar and Energy-Efficiency Projects Community Climate Action Fund Available for Residential, Commercial and Industrial Properties 3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4 UPCOMING EVENTS Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Nov. 3, 4 p.m. Pumpkin Smash & Bash, Countryside Park Tuesday, Nov. 8, Election Day Friday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day City offices closed Friday, Nov. 11, 5:30 p.m. Movie Night in the Amphitheater, “Encanto,” Edinborough Park Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Nov. 17, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Nov. 24, Thanksgiving City offices closed Friday, Nov. 25 City offices closed Sunday, Nov. 27, 6 p.m. First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park For a complete listing of meetings and events, visit EdinaMN.gov. Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment Authority and Planning Commission meetings live: • Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16) • Facebook.com/EdinaMN • “Watch a Meeting” web page at EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings Nearly a decade after Edina’s Public Works operations were moved, the City has an exciting new strategy to redevelop the vacant industrial site on Eden Avenue as a combination of public and private uses tentatively called “Grandview Yard.” Since the Public Works operations moved to a larger facility in 2013, the City’s Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) has considered nine different concepts for the three-acre site at 5146 Eden Ave. These concepts were shaped by guidance collected from the community through a series of workshops and public meetings, including a Community Advisory Team tasked with preparing documents to recruit potential development partners. Under the current concept, the southern- most portion of the site would be developed by United Properties as 86 units of for- sale cooperative housing. Jester Concepts would construct a new restaurant on three levels next to it. The City would retain the northernmost portion of the site for a green space or public plaza. The first phase of the project would be the senior housing development. It is proposed to be six-and-a-half stories with underground parking. Nine of the units would be sold at affordable prices to qualified households. In June, the HRA approved the sale of land to United Properties and Jester Concepts. The Edina City Council took the next step in the redevelopment process last month, approving a rezoning of the property from Planned Industrial District to Planned Unit Development. In other recent business, the City Council: •Approved the redevelopment of 7200 and 7250 France Ave. The project would be developed by Orion Investments in two phases, beginning with the construction of a five-story, 140,000-square-foot office building with underground parking. Phase 1 would also include a pond, sidewalks and green space. Phase 2 would be a similar-sized building for office or housing, retail. •Set the maximum proposed tax levies at $49,610,800. The impact of the proposed levy on the $659,900 median-value home in Edina is a 3.15 percent decrease in City property taxes to $1,971 annually. The City Council will next meet 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 15. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov. - COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE Council Approves Redevelopment of Former Public Works Site Grandview Yard to Include Senior Housing, Restaurant, Green Space Tell the City of Edina’s Sustainability Division what you think about car-sharing, and whether you would use an electric vehicle car-sharing service. Scan the QR code to take a 10-minute survey or visit bit.ly/3CSur3y. Participants have the chance to win a $25 Visa gift card. Survey closes Nov. 30. Take climate action, share your opinion. ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932 Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE Escanee este código para ver en español