Eagan News
Investing in Eagan's Future While Keeping Strong Finances
Eagan continues to grow, and so do the needs of our community. From maintaining safe streets and parks to ensuring quick emergency response and reliable city services, the proposed 2026–2027 budget reflects this growth.
For 2026, the City's general fund is proposed at $59.5 million, a 7.9% increase over 2025. The following year includes a 4.8% increase. The proposed tax levy would increase by 8.9% in 2026 and by 6.8% in 2027.
A portion of these increases reflects new obligations under the state's Paid Family Leave program, which begins in 2026, and the phased use of public safety aid Eagan received from the State of Minnesota. Those one-time state funds allowed the City to add 10 new public safety positions, with costs gradually built into the tax levy over the next four years.
The proposed 2026 budget includes two new staff positions, a mechanic and a Geographic Information System (GIS) supervisor. No new positions are proposed for 2027.
Like many households and businesses, the City is also managing higher costs in areas such as health insurance, as well as increases in equipment and technology expenses.
For the average Eagan home, valued at $426,000, the proposed City portion of property taxes would rise about $140 per year, or roughly $12 a month.
The 2026 tax levy also includes $992,828 to cover bond payments for the Eagan Community Center renovation. Improvements include a new upper-level fitness center, a larger group fitness studio, a dedicated personal training room, more bathrooms, new meeting and event spaces, a relocated and upgraded senior room, a new elevator, a renovated indoor playground, and an updated lobby and staircase.
Eagan continues to hold the highest possible credit rating, AAA. This reflects the City's responsible budgeting and strong financial health, helping to minimize long-term costs while supporting community priorities like parks, streets, and public safety.
Learn more at cityofeagan.com/budget.
The 2026-2027 budget is scheduled for adoption at the Dec. 2 City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Eagan City Hall.
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The Mayor for a Day Essay Contest is going to find out!
Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders are invited to share their ideas by answering one question: “What would you do if you were mayor for a day?”
Winners will receive $100 and be featured in Minnesota Cities magazine. The deadline to enter is Friday, Dec. 12, 2025.
For more information and to enter, visit lmc.org/mayorforaday.
When kids talk, cities listen. Let’s hear what the next generation of Eagan leaders would do to make our city even better!
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City of Eagan Statement on Gopher Resource Class Action Settlement Notice
Some Eagan residents will soon receive a legal notice about a class action settlement related to the Gopher Resource facility.
A Florida state court approved the settlement, which involves Gopher Resource facilities in both Eagan and Tampa, Florida. The case concerns alleged harmful emissions. Individuals who lived, worked, or attended school within one mile of the Eagan facility’s stack between January 1, 2000, and July 24, 2024 may be eligible to participate.
This settlement is separate from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) findings of elevated lead levels identified in early 2025, as well as the City’s ongoing discussions with residents and state regulators this year.
Due to an administrative error, about 425 households near the Eagan facility did not receive the original settlement notice. Gopher Resources has informed the City that those households will now be receiving the notice to ensure they have the same information as other potentially affected residents.
The City of Eagan is not a party to the lawsuit. The letter residents receive will include instructions and contact details for the settlement administrator. Residents with questions about the settlement should use that contact information.
FAQ: Class Action Notice Related to Gopher Resource
Why are residents receiving a notice now?
A third-party administrator recently discovered that about 425 households within one mile of the facility did not receive a court-approved class action notice last year. Those households are now being mailed the notice.
What is this class action about?
The class action settlement relates to activities that occurred from Jan. 1, 2000, to July 24, 2024.
Does this notice have anything to do with current operations?
The settlement involves activities from Jan. 1, 2000, to July 24, 2024, prior to the MPCA identifying elevated lead levels in 2025. The notice addresses past operations; it is separate from ongoing conversations about the facility in 2025.
What should residents do if they receive the notice?
The letter includes instructions and contact information for the settlement administrator. Residents should use that information if they have questions about the settlement. GopherSettlement.com
What is the City’s role?
The class action settlement process is managed by the court and a third-party administrator. The City has no insight into or claim in the suit. The City's only role is to share timely, accurate information.
Gopher Resource Facility Air Monitoring
Following recent communications from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), we want to share important updates regarding air monitoring near the Gopher Resource facility. The MPCA has confirmed that lead levels returned to within state standards as of April.
The health and safety of our community remain a top priority, and we understand that residents may have questions and concerns.
What Should Residents Do?
Learn More from MPCA and MDH
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently hosted both in-person and virtual community meetings to help residents learn more and ask questions directly to the experts.
For the most current information and updates, please visit the MPCA’s Gopher Resource webpage:
City of Eagan Update on Water System Safety
The City’s water system remains secure, and the likelihood of lead entering the water supply is extremely low. To verify this, water samples were collected from the Yankee Reservoir and submitted to a certified laboratory for analysis. The test results confirmed that no lead was detected in the water.
City of Eagan Update on Soil Testing
Soil samples were collected from Thresher Off-Leash Dog Park, the athletic fields, and Burr Oaks Park spaces to be tested for lead. Results:
Thresher Fields: 25.0 mg/Kg
Thresher Off Leash Dog Park: 27.1 mg/Kg
Bur Oaks Park: 11.0 mg/Kg
All results are well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) residential soil threshold for concern. This means the lead levels found in these parks are considered low and not a health concern under current EPA guidelines.
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Over the past year, the City of Eagan invited residents to participate in a series of Community Conversations, exploring what it means to thrive here. These gatherings were part of the City’s commitment to race equity and inclusion, recognizing that a strong community is built not only on infrastructure and services but on people. The conversational goals were simple yet profound: to listen, to learn, and imagine together a future where everyone feels welcome and valued.
The effort was guided by professional facilitators from the Finding Human Institute, which helped create safe spaces for honest dialogue. In living rooms, schools, and senior centers, and at large group events like the Spring Summit, residents of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds came together to share. Participants reflected on when they thrive, what gets in the way, and what each
of us can do to make Eagan more inclusive.
Conversational Themes
More than 300 voices contributed during mini conversations, student and senior circles, and large community events. Common themes emerged: People want more ways to connect, more opportunities to celebrate cultural diversity, and more choices in housing, transit, and recreation. Residents also shared that thriving means feeling safe, having supportive networks, and being able to both give and receive care in community.
Conversations also highlighted challenges. Many participants said social isolation, car dependence, affordability, and a lack of central gathering spaces make it harder to build connections. Residents of color spoke about the fear they carry for themselves and/or their children in how they’re perceived. Others described barriers to accessing information, resources, and opportunities to get involved.
Still, the energy in these conversations was hopeful. Neighbors shared simple but powerful ideas for action — hosting community dinners, volunteering, mentoring youth, supporting cultural celebrations, and being a voice for change.
What Comes Next
The City of Eagan also heard a call to invest in gathering spaces, expand cultural programming, improve access to information, and create leadership pathways for the next generation. The City will carry forward what we learned, working with residents and partners to celebrate our diversity and reduce inequities. Together, we’re building a more connected, more inclusive, and more thriving Eagan.
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What will Roger New, Eagan’s police chief, do after his retirement this October? One word: sleep. He laughs when he says this, but it’s not exactly a joke — being chief has brought a higher level of stress and a lower amount of sleep than he experienced before he ascended to the top job.
“I don’t think people realize the mental push-ups that go along with being chief,” New says. “You’re looked to for answers and constantly thinking about the organization. You want to be consistent and reasonable, and sometimes those mental push-ups start at two in the morning and make it difficult to go back to sleep. As much as I love what I do, I’m looking forward to shedding some of those responsibilities and seeing what’s next for me.”
Career Path
New understood from a young age that he wanted to be in law enforcement, he says. Attending elementary school in St. Paul, he looked forward to the Officer Friendly visits, which brought police officers into classrooms. “I was always impressed by the uniform, and by what they did in the community,” he says. “I was always actively involved in service-oriented activities.”
No one in New’s family served in law enforcement, so he didn’t have a clear path to pursuing the career. After reaching out to community members to learn more, New earned his bachelor’s degree in social sciences at Concordia University. After graduating in 1994, he landed his first job: community service officer (CSO) in Eagan.
Two months later, the City approached him about joining its Police Officer Career Opportunity Program. New then spent 20 weeks at the Rosemount Armory, taking law enforcement and skills classes.
That fall, he was sworn in as a police officer. Three years in the patrol division were followed by two years as a DARE officer. Next, New served as a school resource officer at Blackhawk and Metcalf schools, while simultaneously working as a detective for the Eagan Police Department. In 2004, he was promoted to sergeant, and then lieutenant two and a half years later. The next step was deputy chief from 2016 to 2018 — then, in 2018, New was named chief of police.
30+ Years At EPD
How has that gone for him? “Well, look at my hair,” he jokes, showing off his bald head. New says he never aspired to be chief. His goal was simply to serve the community with integrity, pride, and honor.
Service is the overriding theme in New’s description of his career. The most important thing to him, he says, is making a difference in people’s lives. He recalls countless personal stories about people who’ve stayed in touch after meeting New on their worst days, proof that he’s made real connections and a real difference.
“The people who touched me the most are the ones who reached out after a tragedy. That means a lot,” he says.
Shifting gears, he notes that over his tenure, technology has transformed policing. “When
started, we had one cell phone. There was no such thing as email. We had to figure out how to read a map.
“Retiring will be hard,” New says. “I’ll miss the people in the department and the community members. It’s time, though. The of chief is taxing to me personally and to my family.”
New says nothing makes him happier than sharing in the excitement of people taking next step in their careers with their oath of office.
“The department is going in a good direction, and I look forward to handing the department keys over to my successor."
Showing Up Every Day
“When people look back at me and my career, I hope they simply say, ‘The guy showed up every day, he worked really hard, and he was here for the community and the people of Eagan.’ ”
As for his relationship with the community, New says he’s grateful. “I’d like to say thank you — to the community for giving me an opportunity to lead the police department, to the people I work with for their sacrifices and commitment, and to staff and friends for putting up with my Roger New-isms. I’ll miss everyone dearly, but I’m excited about what the future holds for the Eagan Police Department."
Watch a video of our conversation with New on our YouTube channel.
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Saturday, Sept.13–Saturday, Sept. 28
Various locations throughout Eagan. Visit eaganartblock.com for more details.
For two weeks, Eagan will enjoy art activities and events across the city. From Qigong Tai Chi and mosaic-making workshops to forest bathing to tie dye, there’s something for everyone. Locations range from Caponi Art Park to Wescott Library to Emagine Theater, where the Eagan Film Festival finishes the festivities off with a full day of film on Saturday, Sept. 27. A full list of events is available at eaganartblock.com.
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Development projects are happening all over Eagan this summer as evidenced by the number of cranes popping up. While not every project features a crane, here’s a rundown of many current projects:
- Former Thomson Reuters buildings have been demolished in order to make site improvements for a new Amazon facility and additional development.
- Grading and site improvements are underway at Trails End, a new 104-unit townhome development by Lennar southeast of the Yankee Doodle Road and Elrene Road intersection.
- Construction of a new 61,554-square foot, single-story data center (3621 Argenta Trl.) is underway. Developer Oppidan expects the data center will be fully occupied and operational by December 2026.
- Construction of 21st Century Bank (3390 Heritage Ln.) is underway; the 3,430-square-foot edifice is being built on a one-acre site.
- A few homes on the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church campus have been demolished in order to clear space for Veterans Village. The new facility will feature 22 townhome units for veterans.
- Omni Viking Lakes Hotel & Conference Center is constructing a new outdoor pool/spa/amenity area.
- Demolition of the former Delta building (1500 Towerview Rd.) will occur later this summer or fall as part of the Northwest Central Commons Small Area Plan.
- The renovation and expansion of Eagan Community Center continues.
- Solventum, a 3M healthcare spin-off, continues to expand and remodel the former Blue Cross Blue Shield call center (1750 Yankee Doodle Rd.).
- Hunt Electric (1000 Blue Gentian Rd.) continues to remodel its 58,000-square foot office and warehouse.
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