The spectacle of sight and sound that is ‘Joseph’ comes to Eagan.
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Burnsville-Eagan JULY 15, 2011
VOLUME 32, NO. 20
See Thisweekend page 9A
www.thisweeklive.com
Opinion/4A
Public Notices/5A & 14A
Announcements/6A
Real Estate/7A
Sports/10A
Local Republicans N W standing firm O D T U SH Shutdown standoff deep as GOP rejects new tax revenue by John Gessner AND THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS STAFF
Comments from several legislators in the solidly Republican southern suburbs show the depth of the standoff that has kept Minnesota government partially shut down since July 1. With $1.4 billion still separating Republicans from DFL Gov. Mark Dayton in the fight over spending for the next two-year budget period, local Republicans are standing firm against Dayton’s proposals to raise new tax revenue. “For me, where to get revenue to grow government isn’t the right question,� said freshman Sen. Dave Thompson of Lakeville, who represents District 36. Sen. Chris Gerlach of Apple Valley, a Capitol veteran in a south metro area infused with freshmen from the 2010 electoral sweep that put both
Classifieds/11A
Is your legislator still collecting a paycheck?
“We feel good about where we’re at. We just feel sad about what the gove r n o r ’s done. The governor, the DFL, the unions – they’re pretty much all together on this: Raise taxes. We’re pretty much saying that’s the wrong way; we don’t need that in this economy.� The Republican budget represents a 6 percent spending increase, noted District 37A Rep. Tara Mack of Apple Valley, who is serving her second term in the House of Representatives. “We expect the state to receive 6 percent more in revenue without raising taxes in the upcoming biennium, and that should be enough to support state government priorities,� Mack said. “Families and businesses everywhere are making do with flat or reduced incomes in this economy,
houses of the Legislature in Republican hands, said state spending growth must be slowed. “I have pretty strong feelings that our state spending for many years has been increasing so fast we absolutely have to bring down the spending increase,� said the Apple Valley lawmaker, who represents District 37. “The root cause is overspending. The problem is not that we don’t tax Minnesotans enough.� Most Republican lawmakers say the $34.2 billion in spending they approved this session is the limit. Republican legislative leaders have taken that stance into talks with Dayton. There’s a $5 billion gap between the Republican budget measures and forecasted spending for the 2012-13 biennium based on current spending levels. “The leadership has the pulse of our caucus,� said Senate Republican Dan Hall of Burnsville, a freshman representing District 40. “They’re certainly in agreement with us as a caucus,� Hall said. See Shutdown, 7A
More are choosing to get paid during shutdown than not by Erin Johnson
Lakeville. In the House, Rep. Kurt Bills of Rosemount, Rep. Pat Garofalo of Farmington, and Rep. Doug Wardlow of Eagan have all declined their July paychecks. House members who continued to get paid during the shutdown include Rep. Diane Anderson of Eagan, Rep. Mary Liz Holberg of Lakeville, Rep. Tara Mack of Apple Valley, and Rep. Pam Myhra of Burnsville. According to House payroll officials, lawmakers can choose to permanently not collect the pay, or they can still choose to collect the full amount retroactively when the shutdown ends.
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Some Minnesota lawmakers have declined their July paychecks, but more have continued to receive payment even as the state remains shut down for the foreseeable future. Gov. Mark Dayton announced June 18 that he would refuse pay during the shutdown, and some local legislators have followed suit. Sen. Ted Daley of Eagan is the only state senator in Thisweek’s coverage area who declined his July paycheck. Senators who chose to take their paycheck during the shutdown include Sen. Chris Gerlach of Apple Valley, Sen. Dan Hall of Burnsville, and Erin Johnson is at eagan. Sen. Dave Thompson of thisweek@ecm-inc.com.
Eagan company stands up for healthier workplaces by Jessica Harper
Photo by Jessica Harper
Pete Segar, president of Ergotron branded products, has used WorkFit – the Eagan company’s sit-stand workstation – for three years. Segar said he likes that the computer stand enables him to move more freely.
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
One quick look around Eagan-based Ergotron reveals workers literally standing behind its latest product, which they say will greatly improve employee health. The company, which designs, manufactures and distributes workstations for clinics, hospitals and offices, recently released the WorkFit, a computer stand that enables workers to sit or stand at their desks. “If you use the product, we’re convinced you’ll see the benefits yourself,� said Pete Segar, president of Ergotron branded products. The greatest benefit, he said, is that the stand helps prevent what he calls “sitting disease.� We sit an average of 7.7 hours a day, he said, when you add up time in the car, behind a desk and in front of the television. A study by the American Cancer Society found that women who were inactive and sat for more than six hours a day were more than 94 percent more likely to die during the study than those where who physically active and sat for only three hours. The study found inactive men were 48 percent more likely to die than their standing counterparts. By standing at work, employees are not only
Burnsville candidate profiles inside Nine candidates are competing for one City Council seat in a Tuesday, July 26 special election in Burnsville. The candidates are seeking to finish the term of Charlie Crichton, an 18-year council veteran who died on March 13 at age 83. Crichton was reelected last November, and his term runs through December 2014. The candidates’ responses to a Thisweek Newspapers questionnaire can be found on pages 15A and 16A. Polling and other election information can be found on the city website, www. burnsville.org.
IN BRIEF
improving their health, but also productivity, Segar said. Several studies have shown that standing can increase productivity by 12 to 18 percent. This health issue was what inspired the company — which historically made stands for hos-
pitals and clinics — to branch out two to three years ago into corporate offices. “We missed the top problem,� Segar said. In May the company launched the WorkFit, which is available on amazon.com under the See Ergotron, 3A
City watches closely as Xcel plans $600 million plant upgrade Black Dog plant will be converted entirely to natural gas by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Burnsville will have limited authority over a massive upgrade of Xcel Energy’s Black Dog plant, but city officials will watch closely as plans proceed. City concerns about the $600 million project, which will convert the 1950s-built generating plant entirely to natural gas, include the potential for noise and plumes from the refashioned plant. The project is directly regulated by the Public
Utilities Commission, but Burnsville will have authority on issues such as wetland impacts in the Minnesota River valley, platting and building and fire code compliance. And the city is eager to end nagging problems with access to the plant. The main access road, Black Dog Road, floods frequently, needs repairs and, when closed, sends coal ash trucks rumbling through northeast Burnsville residential streets.
“We’re not adversarial,� City Manager Craig Ebeling said at a July 12 City Council work session. “This is not something we want to make difficult for Xcel. But there are issues that need to be hashed out a little bit.� Preconstruction work at the riverfront plant east of Interstate 35W is proposed to begin next year. Photo by Rick Orndorf “This will be one of the most expensive proj- Xcel Energy’s Black Dog plant in Burnsville will lose its towering ects brought into our city,� smokestack once the plant is converted entirely to natural gas. Xcel is planning a $600 million upgrade of the riverfront plant. See Projects, 2A
Burnsville eyes infrastructure projects to grease development by John Gessner THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Burnsville is poised to pour money into infrastructure projects in hopes that resulting development will provide a return on investment. The city is looking to jump-start redevelopment in the 1,700-acre Minnesota River Quadrant west of In-
terstate 35W, Burnsville’s last great vista of redevelopment potential. Dominated by mining, landfills and other heavy industry for the last half century, the area has little public infrastructure. Zoning is already in place to guide mixed-use development, and special state legislation allows the city to
create tax-increment financing districts in the area. And momentum for redevelopment is building with funding finally in place for a long-awaited new interchange at Highway 13 and County Road 5, officials say. A Walmart store to be built next year east of the freeway could also entice developers to the area.
But “meaningful redevelopment� isn’t likely without public improvements first, said a city staff report. Now’s the time for “bold� action to grease the skids, City Manager Craig Ebeling told the City Council at a July 12 work session. The council gave city staff the go-ahead to plan several infrastructure proj-
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ects. The costs, officials hope, will be offset by the increased value of developed property that can be captured through tax-increment financing. But the projects will add to the city’s total tax levy, with no guarantees or timeline for full payback. It’s possible that “the See Black Dog, 2A
General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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Ergotron Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes workstations for clinics, hospitals and offices. Its global headquarters is at 1181 Trapp Road in Eagan. Annual revenue: $191 million; employees: 177 - headquarters, 1,800 - warehouse and manufacturing facilities in United States, China and Holland; website: www.ergotron.com
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