The Government Performance Project is a non-partisan, independent program of research focused on state governments and the public’s interest in improving their management capacity and performance. The Government Performance Project (GPP) gives state governments information and data they can use to improve management and achieve goals.
The GPP released its annual ratings of government [...]
Monthly Archives: January 2005
B+
January 31, 2005 – 8:00 am
How It All Works
January 28, 2005 – 1:49 pm
The City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month. The meeting evening starts at 5:00 p.m. with a small informal meal with City staff. At 5:30 p.m. the Council starts what it calls its “workshop”. The workshop is held in the Heritage Room in the lower level of City [...]
Blog Plugging
January 27, 2005 – 7:34 am
I’ll be dedicating my blog this morning to plugging other blogs of note. I like to call that “Blog Plugging”.
Fire Chief George Esbensen
Fire Chief George Esbensen is our new staff blogger. He’s a rookie. He started this week. Feel welcome to give him lots of feedback. Check out [...]
The Market Value Credit Scam
January 26, 2005 – 7:53 am
The Market Value Credit (MVC) is a property tax relief program devised by the State government to help relieve the property tax burdens of Minnesota property tax payers. Sounds like a good idea, right? Here’s how it works.
Residential homesteaded property benefit from the state-funded MVC property tax credit. The credit amount is [...]
Initiative & Referendum
January 25, 2005 – 10:00 am
Included in the Governor’s State of the State Address this year was his annual reference and advocacy to Initiative & Referendum (I&R). The Governor strongly supports I&R. So does one of Eden Prairie’s House of Reprensentatives members, House Majority Leader Erik Paulsen (R-42B). Rep. Paulsen has introduced the I&R bill in the [...]
A New Family Member
January 24, 2005 – 7:38 am
My family gained a new member on Saturday when we welcomed Carina into our home. This is Carina:
Carina is a 17 year old AFS exchange student from a small town outside Munich, Germany. Carina will stay with my family until she goes back to Germany at the end of June. My wife and [...]
It’s Snowing
January 21, 2005 – 5:50 pm
It’s snowing out today. Some people will be joyous. Other will not. I am not sure of the exact reaction of our snow plow drivers. It’s safe to say it falls somewhere in between.
When the snow fails to fall in the snowy parts of our country, it’s not at all uncommon [...]
Fire and Ice
January 20, 2005 – 7:32 am
This is what you’d look like if you fought a blazing fire outside in Eden Prairie, Minnesota on January 18th. It’s cold. It’s wet. It’s hot. It’s ice. It’s fire. It’s dangerous.
This is a photo of a fire in action at 9340 Hennepin Town Road. Despite the best [...]
State of the State
January 19, 2005 – 11:50 am
Governor Pawlenty delivered the Governor’s annual State of the State address yesterday in Rochester. The Star Tribune summarized the address in today’s paper.
The State of the State is, according to the Governor: “Good, but not good enough.” I think that’s a fair statement. Minnesota is a great state in which to [...]
The Farmers’ Market
January 18, 2005 – 10:51 am
At their meeting this evening, the City Council will be considering a request from two Eden Prairie citizens who wish to establish a Farmers’ Market this summer in the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area (PCRA).
The PCRA is one of our news parks in Eden Prairie. It is located at the intersection of Prairie [...]
Confessions of a Fairly Sane Packers Fan
January 13, 2005 – 7:24 am
For heaven’s sake, it’s not me. I am not a Packers’ fan.
Today I am brining in my first guest blogger. It’s Mike Barone. Mike is the Assistant to the City Manager in Eden Prairie. Here’s what Mike has to say about a rather glaring personal weakness that he’s been [...]
It’s Legislative Season.
January 12, 2005 – 1:37 pm
It’s Legislative Season. Cities have interests at the State Legislature, just like many other public and private parties in the state. Cities sometimes confuse themselves into thinking that they are partners in governing with the State Government, but I can assure you that that’s not the way it works. I’m not saying [...]
Before. After.
January 11, 2005 – 8:18 pm
In 2004 we made some major changes in the way that we managed City facilities. Prior to 2004, the City employed a dozen of so custodians and out-sourced the management of the more sophisticated building systems to a well known Twin Cities building management company.
I was not pleased with the condition of [...]
Eden Prairie: Home of the Vikings
January 10, 2005 – 8:21 am
I heard an interesting baseball story on the radio last week. The Anaheim Angels (major league baseball team), that I grew up calling The California Angels, is planning to change their name again next year to: The Los Angels Angels of Anaheim. Is this a joke? I think it’s for real, but it [...]
The Assessor
January 7, 2005 – 9:53 am
This is Steve Sinell. Steve is the City of Eden Prairie’s official City Assessor. It is Steve’s duty to evaluate and value all taxable real estate within the City of Eden Prairie. It is not part of Steve’s job to raise your taxes. I think that bears repeating: the City Assessor [...]
