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Burnsville | Eagan May 6, 2016 | Volume 37 | Number 10

Ulfers receives $115,000 in settlement Former CDA executive director will release all claims against the agency

by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

Summer Sensations Inside this edition is a special section that includes a calendar of summer events for the six cities the newspaper covers. Inside this edition

The Dakota County Community Development Agency and its insurance provider will pay the CDA’s former executive director of 38 years $115,000 in exchange for Mark Ulfers’s full release of claims against the CDA as part of a settlement agreement that was reached in

arbitration. T h e C D A Board, which includes all Mark Ulfers m e m b e r s of the County Board, approved on April 19 the agreement, which brings to a close more than a year-long dispute as the CDA accused

Ulfers of workplace harassment and he denied those charges at the time of his termination and later during a 30-minute address to the board during a name-clearing hearing. “My family, friends and colleagues have been amazing and never wavered in their support,� Ulfers told the newspaper this week. “I could not be more fortunate and

Met Council changes afoot

Jill Hutmacher will begin May 31

Columnist Don Heinzman says that changes to the Met Council’s structure are likely after the 2016 legislative session. Page 4A

by Jessica Harper SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

THISWEEKEND The Burnsville Lions Club held a ribbon cutting July 16, 2015, for the splash pad in Cliff Fen Park, which it helped fund. Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, a club member, cut the ribbon. Next to her is club President Steve Knudsen. (File photo by John Gessner)

Burnsville Lions Club turns 50 Has added charitable gambling and opened membership to women since its inception by John Gessner

The Mel Brooks musical comedy “The Producers� is coming to the stage of the Lakeville Area Arts Center. Page 17A

SPORTS

Spring sports welcome sun After some early spring rain, Burnsville, Eagan and Eastview high schools’ sports teams are reveling in the sun. Page 12A

Minneapolis when they agreed to resolve Ulfers’ claims on mutually acceptable terms, according to the CDA. The former executive director sought arbitration, through which the CDA says he attempted to recover all of his severance benefits including a lumpsum payment equal to 12 See ULFERS, 12A

Eagan hires CD director from Arden Hills

OPINION

Classic funny business

blessed to have so many people believe in me.� Ulfers’s termination, which the CDA says was for cause, was effective May 12, 2015 — 60 days after Ulfers received notice that the CDA Board approved the termination at its March 3 meeting. Ulfers and the CDA Board’s insurance carrier Chubb Group entered mediation March 10 in

The city of Eagan has hired Jill Hutmacher, who has experience handling major development projects in Bloomington and Arden Hills, as its new community director. Hutmacher has been the community development director in Arden Hills since 2010. While there, she oversaw large projects including a planned redevelopment of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunitions Plant. The Eagan City Coun-

cil unanimously a p p rov e d hiring Hutmacher to succeed its longtime d i r e c t o r, Jill Jon HoHutmacher henstein who will retire later this month. “It was obvious from our interview that Jill has the background and experience necessary to handle large projects in Eagan,� Council Member Gary Hansen said. “We are excited that she is coming to Eagan to share her talents and skills.� Hutmacher comes to Eagan at a time when the See DIRECTOR, 18A

SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

The 50-year-old Burnsville Lions Club has put up some big numbers lately. A $50,000 donation in 2013 helped the city build the Burnsville Lions Playground at Cliff Fen Park. Another $70,000 last year was matched by city funds for a splash pad next to the playground. The Lions gave $50,000 more to complete funding of a $213,000 Burnsville Skate Park upgrade that will soon be under construction. “We wouldn’t be able to do that kind of stuff on pancake feeds,� club President Steve Knudsen said, noting that charitable gambling changed the game in the 1990s. But pancake breakfasts are an important part of the club’s history, which will be celebrated with a 50th anniversary banquet Monday, May 9, at 6 p.m. at Crystal Lake Golf Course in Lakeville. Sponsored by the Farmington and Lakeville clubs, the Burnsville Lions Club was chartered on May 12, 1966, with 31 members. Robert Stumm

was the all-male club’s first president. In its first 15 years the club raised more than $40,000 through pancake breakfasts, Las Vegas nights, white elephant sales, popcorn sales, light bulb sales and other fundraisers. One of the club’s first big projects was raising money for an electronic scoreboard at the Burnsville High School stadium. None of the original members are active in the club. Roger Richter, a Burnsville resident since 1975 who joined in around 1982, figures he’s the longest-serving member. Richter was at the old Sullivan’s Supervalu grocery store on County Road 11 one day when

then-President John Gargaro, who was selling poppies for veterans, recruited him. “It was very small when I joined it,� said Richter, a past gambling manager for the club. “Gargaro and a bunch of us got together and played poker once in a while and raised money for glasses for kids. That’s about all we did at the time. There were maybe 10 or 15 of us at the time.� The club’s oldest members are Andy and Mickey Stanczak, who came to Burnsville in 1970 and joined the Lions in the early ’90s. For a dozen years the couple have coordinated a program that See LIONS, 18A

Two people were injured, one seriously, this morning when two SUVs collided at the intersection of Diffley and Nicols roads in Eagan. (Photo by Jessica Harper)

Driver seriously injured in Eagan crash Two people were injured, one seriously, in a crash Wednesday morning at an Eagan intersection. Police say a Ford Edge driven by a 30-year-old woman was traveling west on Diffley Road in Eagan at about 7:30 a.m. May 4 when the SUV collided with a Mazda 5 that was turning from the opposite lane on Diffley onto Nicols Road. The driver of the Maz-

da, a 44-year-old woman, sustained serious injuries and was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, police said. The driver of the Ford Edge had non-life threatening injuries and was also taken to Regions. There were no other occupants in either vehicle. The Minnesota State Patrol is assisting in the investigation, which is ongoing. —Jessica Harper

INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Public Notices . . . . . . 11A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 13A Announcements . . . . 16A

Cancer Society hosts Mother’s Day walk Event will benefit Relay for Life Eagan by Jessica Harper

General 952-894-1111 Display Advertising 952-846-2019 Classified Advertising 952-846-2003 Delivery 763-712-3544

SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

In honor of mothers who are battling cancer and those who are survivors, caregivers and supporters, the American

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friendly games, crafts and other activities from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. when the outlet stores opens. There will also be food trucks provided by Eagan nonprofit Chef Lucas Foods. “We felt this is a great way to gain awareness, support our mothers and let people know about our big event (Relay for Life) on July 15,� said Melissa

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Cancer Society will host a Mother’s Day walk this weekend at Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan. The one-mile event called Stepping Out-let for Mom will begin at 8:30 a.m. May 8 and will consist of two laps around the perimeter of the mall. Upon finishing the walk, participants can join in family-

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Wind, community manager for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Participation in the walk costs $15, which includes a Stepping Out-let T-shirt. Children age 10 and younger can walk for free, but T-shirts cost extra. All proceeds will benefit Relay for Life Eagan. For more information or to register online, visit

Stepping Out-let for Mom on Facebook and click on the link. Participants can also register Sunday morning before the event. Twin Cities Premium Outlets is located at 3965 Eagan Outlets Parkway in Eagan. Jessica Harper is at jessica. harper@ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.

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