Eagan News
Most City of Eagan services are provided by people. In fact, 85% of the City’s annual budget goes to funding the people who make our community work, including those who fix and plow our streets, provide public safety, maintain our parks, facilitate our events, and plan our community’s future.
Yet Eagan is facing the same challenges that many corporations, nonprofits, and public organizations are experiencing — that is, recruiting and retaining employees, and, more specifically, a workforce that reflects the community we serve.Our city, region, and state are changing. More people from a wide variety of backgrounds make up our community. Today, over one-third of Eagan adult residents identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), and 46% percent of children in Eagan are BIPOC. This diversity brings new opportunities.
NEW APPROACHES
In the next few years and decades, it will be important to think about how our changing community will affect our services and how we provide those services. As a City, it’s our goal to offer every resident access to top-notch services and programs. And as an employer, we must ensure that we hire the people who can help us provide these programs and services.
“As a service provider, not having the people we need,” says Jesse Swenson, Eagan’s Human Resources director, “is a threat to our organization’s mission to ensure that Eagan is a place where everyone can thrive. Over the past two years, we’ve been more intentional than ever in creating new pathways to careers in the City for people who haven’t traditionally been members of ‘Team Eagan.’ This includes enhancing our internships, seasonal hires, and Pathways to Policing program.”
HIRING STRATEGIES
Like many employers, Eagan is getting fewer applicants for certain positions. “We know if we continue to do only what we’ve done in the past, we won’t have the people we need to live up to our standards,” Swenson says. In public safety, for example, the City is receiving fewer applications for open positions — but that doesn’t mean a passion and talent for the work doesn’t exist.
With the Pathways program, the City brings people into police roles who wouldn’t normally have an obvious entry point. For example, one recently hired police officer had studied human resources, another has a master’s in mathematics, and a third, Kirsten Dorumsgaard, went to school for political science and global studies.
“The Pathways program gave me the opportunity to get into law enforcement, when I otherwise may have not considered it,” Dorumsgaard says. “When I saw the cadet job posting I was looking for a career change, and I immediately applied, knowing this was my way to help the community and hopefully make a difference. It felt like it was meant to be.”
BUILDING WORKFORCE FOR OUR FUTURE
Corporations, nonprofits, and public agencies continue to observe that employees’ diverse backgrounds and perspectives make organizations stronger. City efforts align with companies like Thomson Reuters and Blue Cross Blue Shield, which have also identified workforce diversification and retention as priorities to help accomplish their organizational missions, visions, and values.
The addition of new and emerging voices and abilities in staff can challenge previous approaches and improve programs, practices, and policies. That’s why our focus has shifted from seeking candidates who are a culture fit to those who are a culture add.
We are adding this perspective and lens to our recruitment, hiring, and retention processes.WHAT’S A CULTURE ADD?
We aim to recruit and hire new qualified employees who bring unique skills and perspectives rather than perfectly matching existing team members.
In future editions of Experience Eagan, you’ll meet new staff, learn how they’ve come to work for the City, read about the value they find in public service, and understand how the City is opening doors and pathways for new people to join us in making an impact and serving our community. We’ll also share how we, as an organization, are challenging ourselves, and changing our internal practices to recruit, hire, and retain the team to best serve you and our community needs.
THIS EDITION’S FOCUS: SUMMER HIRES
Three hundred seasonal staff members join the City of Eagan each summer. Many are 15- to 17-year-olds working their first jobs. Last summer we piloted an intern program; this summer we’ll expand the program to seasonal staff, offering field trips to various City facilities and sharing the range of positions they might consider as they continue down their career paths.
Eight 2023 interns visited the water treatment facility, a fire station, and the central maintenance facility. “Whether they continue to work for the City of Eagan or use that expanded view of public service to find careers at other agencies, this inside view serves to show the workings of local government and where they might see themselves in the future,” Swenson says.
“Each summer we get the opportunity to show seasonal staff members the value they can have in their community, the impact they can have, and the career they can make by serving others,” she explains. “From the many wonderful stories of people who came into the City as interns or seasonal staff and grew in their careers, or those who made career transitions to join the City and make an impact, we know that those entry points are important. We are excited to keep building these pathways and welcoming the next generation of diverse voices to the City.”
INTRODUCING POSSIBILITIESCity Administrator Dianne Miller’s first role with the City was as an intern, and she values what the experience sparked.
“Getting the opportunity to see the workings of an organization, the impact I could make on our community as a public servant, and the career I could have in the public sector had an immense and immediate impact on me and shaped my
plans and aspirations.”
“Today, as a community and public service leader, I want to make sure that the ladder of opportunities I was shown is presented not only to people who share my background and path, but a diversity of backgrounds, passions, and interests. And that’s the current focus for our Eagan team.”
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Engaging with the community and hearing from many voices are integral to Eagan’s success. Thankfully, residents have a variety of volunteer opportunities to give back. Featured below are two: serving on advisory commissions and helping with City programs.
EAGAN ADVISORY COMMISSIONS & WMO BOARD
You can make a direct impact by sharing your thoughts and your time as a commission or board member. Advisory commissions meet regularly to review ideas, gather information, and make decisions that help the City Council accomplish initiatives across a variety of topic areas, including sustainability, planning and zoning, and parks and trail amenities.
Each spring the City fills open seats on four advisory commissions plus the Eagan-Inver Grove Heights Watershed Management Organization (WMO) Board. All are encouraged to apply — we want our commissions and boards to reflect the diversity of lived experiences and perspectives in our community. You can positively impact Eagan by sharing your expertise and views.
Commission members serve one- or two-year terms and aren’t required to have previous government experience. Applications are being accepted for the following organizations:
- Advisory Planning Commission
- Advisory Parks & Recreation Commission
- Airport Relations Advisory Commission
- Sustainable Eagan Advisory Commission
- Eagan-Inver Grove Heights Watershed Management Organization
Apply online at cityofeagan.com/commissions or visit City Hall to fill out an application. The deadline is Friday, March 15. Our online application takes just a few minutes to complete and questions are structured to capture other types of relevant leadership or community experiences you may have, for example: leading a church group, coaching or helping with youth sports, volunteering for a nonprofit, etc. We welcome anyone who is an Eagan resident and at least 16 years of age to apply to serve. Please consider applying even if you are new to commissions.
OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We know that Eagan is a successful city and a strong community when we all work together. Eagan’s Water Resources team is a great place to start. They support volunteers in tasks ranging from helping with fishing clinics to adopting a neighborhood storm drain. Besides water resources volunteering, you can find other opportunities geared toward seniors, event support, and with the Eagan Police Department.
A SAMPLE OF VOLUNTEER ROLES IN EAGAN:1. Holz Farm cleanup volunteer
2. ETV volunteer
3. Event volunteer
See all opportunities at cityofeagan.com/volunteer, and find the perfect way to get involved with or give back to your community.
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Thanks to your input, Eagan received a National Award in Mobility.
Each year, the City partners with Polco, an independent research firm, to conduct surveys. These gauge our community members’ or businesses’ perceptions of Eagan. We then use that information to gain insights into community priorities, to track our performance over time, and to make comparisons with peer cities — both local and national.
In addition, Polco uses resident and business responses, from the hundreds of communities that participate from around the country, to select their annual National Voice of the People Awards. What’s unique about these awards is that they’re based on how residents and businesses view and rate City efforts and performance based on facets of livability.
This year, our residents’ responses resulted in Eagan receiving the top national award in mobility.
Why is Eagan a Leader in Mobility?
Thanks to our public works team, strong local infrastructure for cars, bikes, and pedestrians connects our residents to retail, restaurants, recreation, and our community. While we appreciate the efficiency of travel in Eagan, our community gets its top marks for the many ways people can travel in our city and the safety of those options.
We plan and create connections that allow people to safely and efficiently get where they’re going, whether work or school, and to connect with multimodal transit options, or local, national, and international markets.
Each year it’s an honor when Eagan is not only nominated but becomes a finalist. And, thanks to your responses, it’s become routine for Eagan to win up to three categories, including when Eagan received the 2021 “Best of” win among all communities. This year Eagan was a finalist in three categories: mobility, economy, and parks and recreation. Past nominations and winning categories have included public safety, health and wellness, community design, utilities, built environment, natural environment, and more.
This Voice of the People Award shows that our community continually recognizes and values the City’s efforts. Our residents and businesses appreciate the diversity of city services, which help to create a community where everyone can thrive.
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On September 11, 2023, Governor Tim Walz issued a Writ of Special Election following the resignation of Minnesota State Representative Ruth Richardson on September 1. City elections staff are working closely with Dakota County Elections to coordinate details for the Special Election.
House District 52B includes Eagan Precincts 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13-16. Voters in these precincts are eligible to vote in the Special Election. The Special Election District 52B Precinct and Polling Location Map is shown below. Please note the polling locations for the Special Election are unique to the Special Election and may be different from voters' regular polling locations.
Voters can now request absentee ballots for the Special Election online.
Election Dates
| Primary Election - MN House District 52B |
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|---|---|
| Wednesday, Nov. 8 - Thursday, Nov. 9 | Absentee voting available at City Hall during normal business hours (7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) City Hall will be closed Friday, Nov. 10 in observance of Veterans Day |
| Saturday, Nov. 11 | Absentee voting available at City Hall from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. |
| Monday, Nov. 13 - Tuesday, Nov. 14 | Absentee voting available at City Hall during normal business hours (7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) |
| Wednesday, Nov. 15 | Absentee voting available at City Hall from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, Nov. 16 | Primary Election; Vote at your assigned polling location from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. |
| General Election - MN House District 52B | |
|---|---|
| Monday, Nov. 27 - Friday, Dec. 1 | Absentee voting available at City Hall during normal business hours (7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) |
| Saturday, Dec. 2 | Absentee voting available at City Hall from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. |
| Monday, Dec. 4 | Absentee voting available at City Hall from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Dec. 5 | General Election; Vote at your assigned polling location from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. |
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Here are some steps you can take this fall to avoid frozen pipes this winter:
- Before cold weather sets in, locate the water shut-off valve for your outside fixtures by following the pipes from the outdoor spigot to the shut-off valve (generally located in the basement or utility closet inside your home) and turn the valve off. Leave the outside faucet on.
- If you store your sprinklers and hoses in a garage or storage shed, be sure to drain the water from them to prevent cracking.
PREVENTING FROZEN PIPES
With extended cold temperatures comes deep ground frost that can impact the underground pipes carrying drinking water into Eagan homes. This can cause frozen water service pipes.
Tips to protect your home’s water pipes:
- Allow warm air to circulate in the area where the water comes into the house.
- Run the cold water faucet closest to your water service’s entry point for a few minutes and then take the temperature of the water. If the water is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is recommended that you let your cold water run from this faucet at a pencil thickness.
- Run a pencil-thick stream of water nonstop when there is no one home, overnight when temperatures typically dip lower, or when no water will be used for a period of time.
- Leave the cupboard doors open under your kitchen and bathroom sinks.
- Do not turn your furnace below 55° F.
- Wrap foam insulation around pipes most susceptible to freezing.
- Seal air leaks in your home and garage.
- If water lines run through your garage, do not leave the garage door open in cold weather.
- Locate the water meter and main shut-off valve in your home. You can shut your main valve to avoid water damage before leaving for a prolonged period.
If you experience a broken pipe or a frozen service line, shut off the valve next to the water meter and contact the City of Eagan Utilities Division at 651-675-5200.
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For more than 25 years, the Eagan Art House has been our community’s place to create and connect. In fact, thousands of artists have visited the 1960s rambler-style building every year since 1997. It’s no surprise to users or staff that we need a new art facility.
“Art has become a part of Eagan’s DNA,” says Andrew Pimental, Eagan’s director of Parks and Recreation. “And the Eagan Art House is at the heart of that. We’ve been patching this building up for more than 25 years and the sheer number of art enthusiasts who come through the doors inevitably creates a lot of wear and tear. It’s time for Eagan’s art community to have a safe, accessible new facility to match the high value our community places on art.”
Currently, the Eagan Art House hosts visual art classes, special events, and art exhibitions; plus, it performs community outreach. While art’s value is inherent, it has an economic impact in Eagan too — to the tune of $4.9 million annually. Eagan’s investment in facilities like the Eagan Art House benefits the entire community.
PROJECT TIMELINE AND DETAILS
“We look forward to a new building making it easier for people to create and connect,” says Tanya Mozingo, Eagan’s recreation manager. “The new building will allow us to welcome more users with a greater variety of programs, create more flexible activity spaces, and provide community gathering spots for the next 25 years.” On top of that, the new building will better connect visiting artists with nature, Mozingo says. The design will highlight the beauty of Patrick Eagan Park, and some land restoration to native oak savannah will be part of the work.
Additionally, users will experience better safety with enhanced air filtration. The City will also be able to prioritize sustainability in building and maintaining the facility.
The initial design study of the new Eagan Art House highlighted sustainability, accessibility, and spaces that can serve a diversity of interests and programs. Design and planning are underway, and the City expects a final design release this fall with a groundbreaking next spring.
“We don’t expect a break in classes and activities during the construction,” Mozingo says. “We’re planning to keep the current building open and operating until the new building is ready to use.”
For Eagan resident Anne Spicer, Eagan Art House pottery classes have brought her a sense of community and belonging. She says, “It’s a testament to the City of Eagan that
it’s supportive of a new facility that will bring more neighbors together, expand access to art participation, broaden our human experience, enhance enjoyment opportunities, and empower greater investment in our City.”
Learn more about this and other Parks and Recreation projects at cityofeagan.com/parkprojects.
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Since its inception in 1963, the Eagan Fire Department has evolved greatly. “Today we’re all career, all full time, here to respond from the station 24 hours a day, every day of the year,” says Fire Chief Hugo Searle. Those changes have meant faster response times, jumping from an average 14 minutes five years ago to under seven minutes today. “That directly impacts our ability to save life and property,” he says.
Along the way, the department has celebrated milestones, including new fire stations in 2011 and 2017, an all-female engine company for the first time in 2021, and transitioning to an
all-career staffing model in 2022.
With that transition, the City’s firefighters fully took on the roles of medical first responders, answering calls for aid in situations from car accidents to hazardous material leaks, and everything in between.
HOW THEY DO IT: TOOLS, TRAINING, AND TECHNOLOGY
The Eagan Fire Department is dedicated to protecting and serving the community with reliable responses by 40 highly trained professionals, plus three fire stations, a fleet of fire trucks, and equipment. That means a lot of training; regular practice scenarios include water rescues, apartment fires, and heart attacks.
Another key ingredient to the department’s ability to respond efficiently to emergencies is technology. In 2023, the department began using a geographic information system (GIS) to help provide data about locations they serve, helping them better prepare for situations they’ll encounter on calls.
Additionally, Searle says, they never underestimate the power of connection. Eagan firefighters attend community events like National Night Out, the Fourth of July parade, and the Food Truck Festival; plus, they host an annual open house during Fire Prevention Week in October. Participating in all these events helps develop relationships with residents and build trust.
Searle appreciates the community’s support — and their rating of the department in surveys. “We have a 96% positive rating from our community, and we’re very proud of that,” he says. “Our current success isn’t by accident or luck. We’ve had some of the best firefighters in the state go through these doors, and they’ve created a legacy in this community that each firefighter looks to live up to every day, and on every call.”
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