March 26, 2007— Beginning April 2 and running through May 4, the Eden Prairie Utilities Division will conduct its annual fire hydrant flushing and maintenance. The flushing is done to maintain superior water quality throughout the distribution system and to ensure all hydrants in the City work properly.

Please remember to slow down when driving near utility crews and while driving through water on the streets.

For questions about the annual hydrant flushing program, contact the Utilities Division at 952-949-8530.

# # #

March 23, 2007— The City of Eden Prairie has announced the appointment of Jay Lotthammer as its new parks and recreation director. Lotthammer is currently the parks and recreation director for the City of Brooklyn Park, Minn. where he has been employed for 18 years. He will begin his post with Eden Prairie April 23.

“We are excited to bring Jay on board with the City of Eden Prairie,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “He brings the depth of expertise required to successfully lead the Parks and Recreation Department into its next chapter.”

Lotthammer succeeds retiring director, Bob Lambert, who headed the department for 29 years.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to work for a City that is consistently recognized for its incredible parks system and abundant recreational programs,” said Lotthammer. “I am also grateful to the City of Brooklyn Park for the 18 wonderful years that have prepared me for this next challenge in my career.”

Lotthammer earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education and master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Minnesota. He has also completed the coursework towards a doctorate in kinesiology. He has served in various leadership positions with several area parks and recreation associations, and has held teaching posts at both Minnesota and Concordia University. Lotthammer and his wife reside in Brooklyn Park.

The City of Eden Prairie is a vibrant community of more than 60,000 people located just southwest of Minneapolis. Eden Prairie has been nationally recognized as a great place live, work and raise a family. In 2006, MONEY Magazine named Eden Prairie the 10^th “Best Place to Live” in America.

###

Local Government-Business Partnership Among the First of its Kind in U.S.

As a result, U.S. Customs and Border Protection worked with the international trade community that it regulates to create the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). This program is now widely considered the most successful program of its type in the world with more than 14,000 companies participating. Eden Prairie’s PER is a local version of C-TPAT.

“We want our business community to have comprehensive and well-designed disaster response and recovery plans, and be able to return to normal operations as soon as possible following a disaster” said Rob Reynolds, Eden Prairie police chief.

The City is able to assist affected businesses and/or residents by working with PER members who volunteer to share their resources and expertise including technology, hard goods, water, office space or staffing.

Reynolds said in return, the City of Eden Prairie provides a number of services to member organizations including comprehensive safety inspections, site security inspections and pertinent crime information bulletins.

Eden Prairie’s PER charter members include Cima Labs, Community Banks, Department 56, Digital River, MasterCraft Labels, Supervalu and Wooddale Church.

Now that the foundation for the program has been laid, Esbensen and Reynolds are actively recruiting new members. The PER has also launched a Web site, edenprairieper.org, that provides more information about the program and why it’s beneficial to join.

Utility Operations Manager Chosen as FEMA’s
Principal Regional Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer

February 12, 2007 - City of Eden Prairie utility operations manager, Rick Wahlen, who is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, has been selected to be the next principal regional emergency preparedness liaison officer (PREPLO) for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V.  This appointment promotes Wahlen to the rank of colonel.

With this appointment, Wahlen will be the Army’s chief reserve forces coordinator for civil-military emergency assistance throughout FEMA Region V, with responsibilities for planning and directing emergency response efforts between the military and citizens throughout a six-state region.

“The position is an honor for me and for my family,” said Wahlen. “I am looking forward to my new responsibilities in the Army while continuing my service for the City of Eden Prairie.”

Wahlen’s place of duty will be Great Lakes Naval Station in Chicago. As the PREPLO of Region V, which includes the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, he will travel throughout the region and the United States to perform his duties. He will supervise a staff and provide leadership for a joint team of senior officers from each of the five branches of the military. Wahlen’s team mobilizes during times of regional emergencies, and augments other FEMA headquarters as needed during crises that occur outside of FEMA Region V.

“We feel very fortunate to have someone of Rick’s military stature and depth of expertise on our staff,” said Scott Neal, Eden Prairie city manager. “We will accommodate his new position in any way we can.”

Wahlen has served for 23 years in both the Army and the Army Reserve in various leadership roles and has been the City of Eden Prairie’s utility operations manager since January 2006. He and his family reside near Le Sueur, Minn.

###

National Child Passenger Safety Week, February 11 – 17

Feb. 7, 2007 — To encourage proper child restraint use, the Eden Prairie Police Department is urging citizens and parents to re-educate themselves about child passenger safety seat use during National Child Passenger Safety Week, February 11 – 17. On Monday, Feb. 12 officers from the Eden Prairie Police Department will be at the Eden Prairie Center presenting information concerning National Child Passenger Safety Week.  Officers will be by the food court between 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. to discuss issues regarding child restraints and child passenger safety.

In Minnesota, three out of every four child restraints are used incorrectly — meaning children are riding in the wrong restraint or it is not properly secured. Between 2001 and 2005, 73 children under age 10 were killed on Minnesota roads and one-third were not in child restraints or the restraint was used improperly.

“So many families are on-the-go all the time,” says Sgt. Jamie Good. “It’s critical we take the time to ensure our children are seated and correctly restrained in our vehicles.”