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Actor’s path to the silver screen began on an Apple Valley stage. See Thisweekend Page 7A.
NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan JUNE 24, 2011
in this
VOLUME 32, NO. 17
www.thisweeklive.com
Announcements/3A
Opinion/4A
Sports/5A
Real Estate/6A
Classifieds/8A
Public Notices/12A
Shutdown may delay road work in Dakota County Public health, domestic violence among services to be affected during special session by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Commuters who drive along Highway 13 or Cedar Avenue in Dakota County likely won’t see much road construction under way next month. Dakota County officials say they expect that a state government shutdown which could begin July 1 will stall most road work. Although the county may have the funds to work on projects like Cedar Avenue, it cannot continue without state inspectors. Commissioner Willis
Branning said the county may be able to hire a private inspector to move Cedar Avenue work along, but work on the Hastings bridge will likely stop. “Things are going to be pretty slow around here,� Branning said. “The outlook is not good for any county in the state.� During the last shutdown in 2005, county services were largely unaffected since the state passed portions of its budget, said Matt Smith, finance director for Dakota County. Officials expect to be
hit much harder this time around as legislators and Gov. Mark Dayton fail to agree on any budget proposals. Millions of dollars dedicated to public health, driver’s licenses and domestic abuse services may not come after July 1. Dakota County faces a heavy financial burden: $71 million of its budget is comprised of state and federal aid distributed through the state. This money supports approximately 289 jobs within the See Shutdown, 2A
Photo by Erin Johnson
Eagan Fire Chief Mike Scott stands in the facility’s training area, which allows firefighters to navigate smoke-filled rooms to rescue victims and includes a stairwell that drains water for hose training. For a photo slideshow, visit www.thisweeklive.com.
New Fire Safety Center is Eagan seeks next ‘Top Dog’ multiuse, green facility Biennial contest aims to crown city’s No. 1 canine
State-of-the-art building will replace two fire stations, improve response times
by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Eagan is again in search of its next Top Dog to represent the city’s canines and encourage owners to license their dogs. The city received 70 entries when the first Top Dog contest was held two years ago. “We’re anticipating a lot more participants this year, so we might have to create more categories, like best lab,� said Animal Control Officer Karen Grimm. Previous winner Henry, a black lab owned by Mike and Sheila Guggenberger, has served the city well for the past two years, Grimm said. “He’s been a great representative,� she said. As the winner, Henry received dog license tag No. 1 and was featured in the city’s dog licensing brochures. He also made appearances at events such as
by Erin Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Submitted photo
Eagan’s current Top Dog is Henry, a black lab belonging to Mike and Sheila Guggenberger, who made appearances at events such as Showcase Eagan. Henry is now ready to hand over his leash to this year’s winner. Showcase Eagan. But Henry is ready to hang up his leash and hand Top Dog responsibilities over to the new winner.
Dog owners are asked to submit photos and short bios of their canine pals by Aug. 1, and members of the See Top Dog, 11A
Eagan Fire Chief Mike Scott said he’s gotten a lot of compliments on how nice the city’s new Fire Safety Center looks from the outside. “But what really excites us is what’s on the inside,� he said. Also known as Fire Station No. 2, the new $8.1 million building replaces two existing fire stations and will serve a multitude of purposes for both the fire and police departments. And it’s eco-friendly: The facility is the first fire station in the country to be certified by Green Globes, an internationally recognized certification process aimed at reducing a building’s overall environmental impact. “We knew we wanted to
Photo by Erin Johnson
Located on the former Carriage Hills golf course at the corner of Yankee Doodle Road and Wescott Woodlands, the new Fire Safety Center is now open for business. build a very green facility,� Scott said. An emphasis was put on green elements that were low maintenance and would pay the city back, such as geothermal heating and cooling, which will pay for itself in less than seven
years, he said. Other green features include energy-efficient LED lighting, cement floors and walls made of recycled ash trees cut down to prevent the emerald ash borer. But perhaps most imSee Center, 11A
Board passes balanced budget, Community Ed shaky in District 191 by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Though the BurnsvilleEagan-Savage School District will have a balanced budget next school year, its Community Education department will remain on shaky ground. “We’ve got a tough road ahead of us, and we don’t know what the economy
will do,� School Board Member Daniel Luth said. While approving the district’s $144.3 million budget on June 16, the School Board faced the tough decision to lay off 43 community education employees, including three directors, to balance the struggling department’s budget. These employees received
notices earlier this year. Though Community Education is expected to start the fiscal year with a balanced budget, it will end the year with an empty fund balance, said Lisa Ryder, executive director of business for District 191. “It may become deficit at some point due to contracts,� Ryder said. “We
may transfer from another fund or keep it deficit for one year.� The department has struggled for some time as more and more residents drop out of its programs due to their own financial constraints, she said. As a result, the department lost its bread and butter – fees, which account for
67 percent of its budget. Despite declining revenue, the district was obligated to uphold contracts with employees until the end of the school year. In an effort to save money next year, the School Board approved restructuring the department. “The new agreement allows more flexibility with
temporary and casual employees which will be based on need,� Ryder said.
More tough decisions The School Board had to make some tough decisions to balance the general budget as well. Notices were given earlier this month to 107 nonSee Budget, 12A
Wood shop open to all comers New Burnsville business is unlike any other, boss says by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The wood-shop smells, brand-new power tools and random sightings of sawdust on the fresh new floor would give any woodworker a happy glow. But North Country Woodshop, now open at 1170 E. Cliff Road in Burnsville, is not a typical wood shop. It’s not a cabinet shop or factory floor. It’s not a woodworking
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sistance, Tim Watts said. It isn’t a co-op, where hobbyists rent a place together, but it does have a classroom and congregating space known as “the garage.� “No guy wants to take classes in a classroom,� said Sam Watts, 27, of Prior Lake. “They want to hang out in the garage.� Tim Watts, 54, said part of the business’ inspiration stems from his frustrations at home, where he’s had to clear out garage space and banish a car to the driveway to work on his own wood projects. See Shop, 2A
Photo by John Gessner
Tim Watts and his son, Sam, are partners in North Country Woodshop, which opened June 13 on East Cliff Road in Burnsville.
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school or co-op. North Country is an open shop where anyone, from beginners to contractors, can pay a membership fee for access to workbenches, tools and professional advice. And then have at it. “There’s nothing like this in the country. I’m positive,� insisted North Country President Tim Watts of Burnsville, whose business partners are his son, Sam, and Brian MacDonald. “We’ve hired people to look.� North Country isn’t a school, though it will offer classes and individual as-