Life In The Prairie - Nov/Dec 2014

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014

edenprairie.org

ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS If you are not preregistered to vote you may do so at your local polling location on Election Day. You must register to vote if The 2014 general election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 4.

In Eden Prairie, elections for City Council take place every two years with two of the four seats up for election, and election for the position of mayor takes place every four years. City Council members and the mayor serve four-year terms of ofďŹ ce.

For the 2014 election year, Eden Prairie will elect a mayor and two at-large City Council members.

The following Eden Prairie residents have ďŹ led for candidacy in the Mayoral and City Council elections: Mayor

TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA MUST BE MET s 5NITED 3TATES CITIZEN s YEARS OLD ON %LECTION $AY s 2ESIDING IN -INNESOTA FOR DAYS IMMEDIATELY preceding Election Day

PERSONS NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE s 4HOSE CONVICTED OF A FELONY WHOSE CIVIL RIGHTS have not been restored s 4HOSE UNDER COURT ORDERED GUARDIANSHIP IN WHICH a court order revokes the right to vote

Nancy Tyra-Lukens (incumbent)

s 4HOSE FOUND BY A COURT TO BE LEGALLY INCOMPETENT

City Council Andrew K. Moller Kathy Nelson (incumbent) Sherry Butcher Wickstrom (incumbent)

Any individual who votes who knowingly is not eligible to vote is guilty of a felony

s You have never registered to vote in a prior election s You have moved or changed your name since you last registered

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE TO VOTE You must vote in the precinct in which you live. To ďŹ nd your precinct visit pollďŹ nder.sos.state.mn.us and enter your current address. There are 20 precincts in Eden Prairie, each with a designated polling location:

Types of Photo IDs

s You have not voted at least once in the last four years

s Driver’s License, Learner’s Permit or ID Card issued by any state

To register at your polling place on Election Day, you must have one of the following to verify your residence

s United States Passport

s A valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, Minnesota ID card or receipt for any of these containing a valid address in the precinct

s Minnesota University or Technical College ID Card

s A valid registration in the same precinct under a different name or address s A notice of late registration that was sent to you from your county auditor or city clerk s A voter registered in the same precinct as you who can conďŹ rm your address with a signed oath

WHEN TO VOTE

Alternatively, you may provide both a photo ID from the list below and an acceptable bill or document in your name, with your current address.

s United States Military ID Card s Tribal ID Card

s Minnesota High School ID Card Types of Documents s Residential Lease or Rental Agreement (valid through Election Day) Types of Bills (Bill, account or start of service statement due or dated within 30 days of Election Day): s Natural Gas or Electric s Telephone/Mobile Phone/VoIP

s An authorized employee of a residential facility where you reside who can conďŹ rm your address (the residential facility must provide a list of employees to election ofďŹ cials)

s TV (cable, satellite, etc.)

s A student ID card including your photo, if your college provided a student housing list to election ofďŹ cials

s Banking or Credit Card

s Water or Solid Waste s Internet s Student Fee Statement (current) s Rent or Mortgage

s A tribal ID card that contains your name, signature and address in the precinct

ABSENTEE VOTING General absentee voting will take place through 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, 2014.

Absentee voters may vote in person during the 46 days prior to a regularly scheduled election, or complete the entire process by mail.

Absentee Voting In Person Locations City of Eden Prairie 8080 Mitchell Road Hennepin County Elections 300 6th Street South, Minneapolis – Public Service Level Absentee Voting Hours Monday through Friday, Saturday, Nov. 1, Monday, Nov. 3,

8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

10 a.m.–3 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Absentee Voting by Mail An ofďŹ cial absentee ballot application may be obtained from your city or county elections ofďŹ ce, or online at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us.

19A 19B

Return the completed absentee ballot application to: City of Eden Prairie Elections 8080 Mitchell Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Or fax to 952-949-8390 Remember to allow at least seven days between requesting your absentee ballot and completing the voting process.

Deadlines and requirements for return of an absentee ballot

Precinct 1 Prairie View Elementary School 17255 Peterborg Road

Precinct 8 Wooddale Church 6630 Shady Oak Road

Precinct 15 Eden Lake Elementary School 12000 Anderson Lakes Parkway

Precinct 2 Eden Prairie Assembly of God 16591 Duck Lake Trail

Precinct 9 Resurrection Life Church 16397 Glory Lane

Precinct 16 Pax Christi Catholic Community 12100 Pioneer Trail

Precinct 3 Immanuel Lutheran Church 16515 Luther Way

Precinct 10 Eden Prairie United Methodist Church 15050 Scenic Heights Road

Precinct 17 Prairie Lutheran Church 11000 Blossom Road

Precinct 4 Life Church 14100 Valley View Road

Precinct 11 St. Andrew Lutheran Church 13600 Technology Drive

Precinct 18 Prairie Community Church 9145 Eden Prairie Road

Precinct 5 Prairie Hill Evangelical Free Church 17200 Valley View Road

Precinct 12 Eden Prairie Library 565 Prairie Center Drive

Precinct 19A Grace Church 9301 Eden Prairie Road

Precinct 6 Christ Lutheran Church 16900 Main Street

Precinct 13 Hennepin Technical College 13100 College View Drive

Precinct 19B Grace Church 9301 Eden Prairie Road

Precinct 7 City Hill Fellowship 12901 Roberts Drive

Precinct 14 Pax Christi Catholic Community 12100 Pioneer Trail

s !BSENTEE BALLOTS DELIVERED BY 5NITED 3TATES 0OSTAL 3ERVICE 5303 MUST BE RECEIVED by the city or county election ofďŹ ce by the last regular USPS mail delivery on Election Day. s /N %LECTION $AY ABSENTEE BALLOTS HAND DELIVERED BY AN AGENT OF THE VOTER A commercial delivery service or any individual other than the voter) must be received by the city or county election ofďŹ ce by 3 p.m. s /N %LECTION $AY VOTERS MAY GO TO THE POLLS TO VOTE BUT #!../4 DELIVER THEIR own absentee ballots to any election ofďŹ cials. s !BSENTEE BALLOTS #!../4 BE DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO A POLLING PLACE Military and/or Overseas Voters Absentee voting procedures are available for members of the military service (including spouses and dependents), and voters residing outside the United States. For more information visit mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us.

ELECTION RESULTS The 2014 Election results will be available on the City of Eden Prairie website, edenprairie.org/elections, and the Hennepin County website, hennepin.us/residents/elections/election-results, following the election.

PUBLISHED BY: City of Eden Prairie | Communications Division | 8080 Mitchell Road | Eden Prairie, MN | 55344-4485 | 952-949-8300 | edenprairie.org | facebook.com/cityofedenprairie MAYOR: Nancy Tyra-Lukens ntyra-lukens@edenprairie.org 952-937-1898 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Brad Aho baho@edenprairie.org 952-303-6884 n Sherry Butcher Wickstrom sbutcherwickstrom@edenprairie.org 612-296-3721 n Ron Case rcase@edenprairie.org 952-949-0915 n Kathy Nelson knelson@edenprairie.org 952-941-6613

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014

AROUND EDEN PRAIRIE LIVE WELL EDEN PRAIRIE! A Page from the Blog of City Manager Rick Getschow

Making Healthy Choices During the Busy School Year With the school year in full swing, Eden Prairie residents are busier than ever managing homework, extracurricular activities and more. This is even more incentive to make sure your family doesn’t fall prey to the health, mood and energy problems that can result from poor eating habits. It is possible, amid the busyness of day-to-day family management, to eat healthfully and serve nutrient-packed meals!

Public Stewardship

Aug. 22, 2014

Many times there are items on a City Council meeting agenda to approve bids for city projects. In almost every case, these projects have been programmed in a capital improvements plan and the money has been identified and earmarked.

But there are times when the bids are not approved and the project does not move forward.

This has been the case on the following three occasions this summer: 1. At our City Council meeting in June we rejected bids for the total reconstruction of the tennis and basketball courts at Franlo Park. Only one bid was received for this project. This $249,485 bid was nearly $100,000 over the estimated cost. We recommended that the bid be rejected and that we re-advertise the project in 2015.

2. This past Tuesday night we rejected a $194,395 bid for a landscaping project on Pioneer Trail between Flying Cloud Drive and Shetland Road. The sealed bids that were received were 32% over our estimate. We decided to reject this bid as well and re-advertise in 2015.

3. Also, on Tuesday we rejected a $420,300 bid for the steel erection that is a part of our aquatics expansion project at the Community Center. This amount was significantly more than was budgeted and our city staff and consultants felt this amount is too high and should not be paid. We then initiated other methods for securing contractors for this scope of work and received separate quotes for different types of work that were significantly lower.

In all three of these examples, we want to move forward with these important projects. We understand that economic activity is picking up throughout the metro area, and contractors of all types are getting busier and projects could be getting more expensive.

However, we felt that the best course of action is to wait and plan for a more advantageous bidding environment in the future.

I feel that these actions exemplify a value we hold dearly in Eden Prairie city government- public stewardship. It is a city shared expectation and a value that we take very seriously. On a daily basis we have city employees that are making decisions to not purchase something at a certain time because it is simply not the best use of public dollars.

See more of Rick Getschow’s blog entries, by visiting edenprairieweblogs.org.

Susan Thompson, integrative nurse consultant at Thompson Integrative Health, Inc., offers these suggestions for making healthy choices when serving breakfast, packing lunches and planning weeknight dinners: s Make it ahead. Planning your weekly meals and snacks ahead of time is essential for eating well on the go, and makes preparing quick meals much easier. Stock the pantry and refrigerator with nutritious ingredients and prepare meals in advance. Smoothies can be made ahead and frozen in small packets for easy thawing, whole grains can be cooked in large batches to serve all week long, and vegetables can be pre-chopped for easy assembly of meals. s Make it simple. Healthful meals need not be laborious – prechopped veggies can be easily added to stir-fries and salads for lunch and dinner, and pre-cut fruit can be added to yogurt for snacks and dessert. Packets of nuts, seeds and dried fruit can be made ahead for snacks. Use your resources – seek out family friendly cookbooks for fresh inspiration to quick and simple meals. s Make it together. From prepping ingredients to assembling meals, children can be involved in every step of the process.

Younger children can help with simple tasks, like setting the table and putting together ingredients for a salad. Families who participate in meal preparation are more likely to be adventurous eaters. Creating lasting memories and learning lifelong skills is an added bonus. s Make it meaningful. It’s not only what we eat for meals but how we eat our meals that counts. Research has confirmed that sharing a family meal together is nourishing for the body and soul. Start by planning a few family meals together during the week – breakfast, lunch or dinner. This will likely become a treasured time during the week amid the chaos – a time to relax, recharge and reconnect as a family.

Susan Thompson is a member of the Eden Prairie Mayor’s Health and Wellness Committee. Established in 2012, the Committee is made up of community members with a wide variety of training and experience in health and wellness, who have come together to accomplish Mayor Nancy TyraLukens’ goal of identifying ways to increase awareness and access to opportunities for healthy living.

STAYING SAFE IN EDEN PRAIRIE

LIVING GREEN Celebrate America Recycles Day Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on Nov. 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day (ARD).

Sponsored by Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization, ARD is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States.

The Recycling Association of Minnesota is the state organizer for ARD. For an online toolkit and more information about ARD activities in Minnesota, visit recycleminnesota.org.

For more information about America Recycles Day visit americarecyclesday.org or facebook.com/AmericaRecyclesDay.

Did you know the City of Eden Prairie has an ordinance regarding snow removal?

City ordinance requires businesses and homeowners on nonarterial streets to remove snow and ice from a 5-foot width of the public sidewalks or trails abutting or adjoining their properties, with the exception of any trails running between or behind homes or private property.

City ordinance also requires residential sidewalks and trails to be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours after the cessation of precipitation, and requires businesses to clear sidewalks and trails within 8 hours after the cessation of precipitation.

The purpose of this ordinance is to expand the network of sidewalks and trails available for public use in the winter months and ensure the safety of pedestrians, especially children walking to and from school. Residents are also asked to assist emergency officials and postal carriers by removing snow around fire hydrants and mailboxes.

Holiday Fire Safety Based on data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 240 home fires involving holiday trees and another 150 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Following a few simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles and holiday trees from creating a tragedy.

HOLIDAY TREES

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Selecting Your Tree Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground.

If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out and is a fire hazard.

Caring for Your Tree Do not place your tree close to a heat source, fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.

Disposing of Your Tree Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or woodburning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly.

The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS

With questions or concerns about snow removal, call the City’s Streets Maintenance Division at 952-949-8533.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Veterans Breakfast at the Senior Center Wednesday, Nov. 12 9:30 a.m.

Use Only Nonflammable Decorations All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents. If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

Don’t Block Exits Ensure that trees and other holiday decorations do not block an exit way. In the event of a fire, time is of the essence. A blocked entry/exit way puts you and your family at risk.

Never Put Wrapping Paper in the Fireplace Wrapping paper in the fireplace can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers that may result in a chimney fire.

CANDLE CARE Avoid Using Lit Candles If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down.

Never leave the house with candles burning.

Maintain Your Holiday Lights Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.

Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame – candles, lighters or matches.

Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.

Celebrate and honor the veterans who have served our country.

All are welcome to attend and enjoy a full catered breakfast with egg bake, sausage, bacon, fruit, rolls, juice and coffee. Cost is $10 per person, registration is required.

City Council Meetings* Tuesdays, Nov. 18; Dec. 2 *Meetings begin at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Center.

Holiday Boutique Saturday, Nov. 29 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Do your holiday shopping at the Outdoor Center with this great opportunity to purchase handmade items from local crafters.

Holiday Lunch at the Senior Center Thursday, Dec. 11 11:30 a.m.

Celebrate with friends and enjoy a holiday meal of turkey, potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie and beverages; $13 per person, registration is required.

Outdoor Center Family New Year’s Eve Wednesday, Dec. 31 7–10 p.m.

Ring in the New Year with crafts, games and snowshoe hikes for the whole family, complete with stargazing, a bonfire and hot chocolate; $15 per person, registration is required.

For more information about City of Eden Prairie events, meetings or Parks and Recreation Department programs,

For more fire safety tips and information, visit usfa.fema.gov.

visit edenprairie.org or call the City Center at 952-949-8300.