I've had a couple of calls from voters who've received my campaign literature the past week or so. Mark from the Rum River Elementary area does not plan to vote for me - Mark does not seem to want any government services, and especially does not want to pay for any of the things that help make this a better world - particularly if they're intended to help what he perceives as other parts of town. I understand that Mark took a strong stance against the assessments his neighborhood received for the road improvements the City did in his area. The result of that work however, speaks for itself. That neighborhood has got a fine road system in place, now - and the neighborhood looks clean and attractive.
Mark was also upset that we taped our literature to his mail post, and did not put it in the mailbox. Mark, we're sorry if our tape took off any paint. We purposely purchased blue - and green - painter's tape, with the lower "stick'um" to avoid that. Before we started lit drops, I called the Post Office to understand the rules. Candidates can not put literature inside a US postal box, nor attach it to the box itself, such as rubber-banded on the red flag. But the post is considered acceptable. We've been using the green and black paper boxes wherever possible, and we've attached to wood, where we could. But sometimes, there's been just metal pipes available, or in Mark's case, a beautifully-lacquered post, which we weren't sure would hold onto the tape well-enough.
We were following Julie Trude throughout the northern part of the City - her cards were in many of the boxes, so she or her friends must have been an hour or two ahead of us. This weekend, we drove through most of the area that is just east of Verdin, on across Verdin to Round Lake Blvd., and headed west to Tulip St. I'm surprised by all the dirt roads that remain in that area - 167th Ave.east of Verdin, part of 167th Ln. between Verdin and Round Lake - near opponent Shannen Schmeig's home, and Quay St. off Tulip, to name a few. But with the fall colors at a peak on this gorgeous weekend past, what a beautiful area to drive in. I loved the drive down 174th - what a beautiful street in the fall - I felt like I was in the North Woods off Lake Superior while driving in that neighborhood!
We also have done lit drops in the area south of Station Parkway and south of Bunker the last two weekends. On Saturday, I door-knocked in a couple of those neighborhoods - and on Sunday and this week ahead, I'm door-knocking in my own neighborhood (an odd feeling going to my neighbors' doors yesterday to give them my campaign literature as their candidate, and not just their neighbor...). From the neighborhood south of Tanner's last Sunday, I got a call from John, who wanted to know my position on guns, hunting, and the StarTribune editorial page. As to the editorial page, I used to like it, when it reflected my own liberal-leanings. With new ownership, I find the reporting and editorials much more slanted to the Republicans and conservatives than I'd like to see. The Pioneer Press already offered a conservative editorial page in town.
As to guns and hunting, in my next post, I'll reprint my answers for the Anoka County Union voter guide - the fourth question covers that very topic.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Dog Park in Andover "Paws" Ahead
Dog Parks
A dog park is a facility set aside for dogs and their owners to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment. Parks vary in setups, but a typically is fenced, has separate, double-gated entry and exit points, a place to get water, and bags to pick up and dispose of waste. Dog parks are a great way to get the exercise your dog needs and to tire them out when you need to get some work done. They are also a great way to meet other dog lovers and hear about upcoming dog events.
For indoor cat owners like Cheryl and I, the house itself, provides enough run for our pets, so the concept of the dog park was previously unknown to me. But I'm impressed with the community efforts to place a dog park in Andover, and with the Council's and Park & Rec Commission's efforts to identify that location - which will be at Station North, by the ballfields. Care was taken to find a location that was respectful of the noise to the surrounding neighborhood, and to watch out for areas affected by run-off. The location choice sounds excellent.
I've learned about nearby parks in Coon Rapids (Trackside) and Ramsey (Alpine), as well as in Blaine. The City will make a significant commitment to make this park succeed. I've been meeting many dogs - and their owners - while out campaigning throughout the city this fall, and I suspect this will be a very popular alternative, indeed.
Eric Hagen of the ABC Newspapers wrote of the dog park efforts at last week's City Council Workshop consideration of the dog park proposal, October 1st.
Dog park recommended at Andover Station North
by Eric Hagen
Staff writer
If Andover dog owners are able to raise the funds, it looks like a new dog park will be constructed next to the Andover Station North ballfields.
The whole idea of a dog park was started by Andover residents Jen and Rob Frisby, who own four dogs. Instead of bringing their dogs to Trackside Park in southern Coon Rapids, they thought it would be great if dog owners in their own community could have a more convenient location to exercise their animals. In Andover and other communities, it is illegal to let a dog run off its owner’s property without a leash unless it is in a designated dog park area.
The Frisbys have undertaken a major grassroots effort to drum up interest over the last few months. They set up a booth at the Andover Family Fun Fest and got 300 signatures of support, according to Frisby.
Some have signed an online petition and added comments. Debi and Matt Billing of Andover, who own two dogs, commented online that providing a place where dogs can run and play would reduce the number of dogs running off-leash illegally at other parks. Many others wrote they would love to have a dog par closer to home.
Jen Frisby said she is surprised how quickly this has come together. She credited Andover Assistant City Engineer Todd Haas and the parks commission for giving them tips and seriously looking at the proposal and various locations. She thought this would take a year of organization, but noted how many people she talked to wondered why this had not happened sooner.
“A lot of people want to have this,” she said.
The work is far from over though. Ever since the Frisbys came forward at the May 20 parks commission meeting, the commission has said this project would need to be paid for with donations and not from parks funds that are already designated for other future projects such as a new skateboard park at Sunshine Park.
The Frisbys are on-board with having to raise the funds. Rob Frisby said they have not solicited any donations because there was no specific site proposal and no figures on how much this could cost. The city will be preparing a cost estimate for the Frisbys.
“The most successful dog parks around the nation are the ones that citizens are behind,” Jen Frisby said.
The location options
The location the parks commission recommended for the dog park is on the north side of the Andover Station North ballfields. The north fence is already in place and separates the park from the closed landfill site. The ballfield outfield fences would also be utilized. New fencing would be installed outside the ballfield fence areas so that the dogs would not mingle with the ball players and other residents at Andover Station North.
The Andover Parks and Recreation Commission recommends this site because of its central location in the higher traveled portion of the community and because of the parking lot, according to commission chairman Ted Butler.
Fox Meadows Park was another option, but Butler said the proximity of homes made this a less attractive option.
The area of Eveland Fields the parks commission looked at for the dog park is a storm water runoff area that does hold water after large rain events. The area of Andover Station North where the dog park is looking to go is also a storm water area, but it mostly remains dry.
Purple Park, which is a small park between the Andover YMCA/Community Center and Oak View Middle School, has a lot of trees and shrubs that would have been removed if a dog park went there. The city’s public works staff pointed out that this provides good buffer between the homes and the middle school.
Eric Hagen is at eric.hagen@ecm-inc.com
Staff writer
If Andover dog owners are able to raise the funds, it looks like a new dog park will be constructed next to the Andover Station North ballfields.
The whole idea of a dog park was started by Andover residents Jen and Rob Frisby, who own four dogs. Instead of bringing their dogs to Trackside Park in southern Coon Rapids, they thought it would be great if dog owners in their own community could have a more convenient location to exercise their animals. In Andover and other communities, it is illegal to let a dog run off its owner’s property without a leash unless it is in a designated dog park area.
The Frisbys have undertaken a major grassroots effort to drum up interest over the last few months. They set up a booth at the Andover Family Fun Fest and got 300 signatures of support, according to Frisby.
Some have signed an online petition and added comments. Debi and Matt Billing of Andover, who own two dogs, commented online that providing a place where dogs can run and play would reduce the number of dogs running off-leash illegally at other parks. Many others wrote they would love to have a dog par closer to home.
Jen Frisby said she is surprised how quickly this has come together. She credited Andover Assistant City Engineer Todd Haas and the parks commission for giving them tips and seriously looking at the proposal and various locations. She thought this would take a year of organization, but noted how many people she talked to wondered why this had not happened sooner.
“A lot of people want to have this,” she said.
The work is far from over though. Ever since the Frisbys came forward at the May 20 parks commission meeting, the commission has said this project would need to be paid for with donations and not from parks funds that are already designated for other future projects such as a new skateboard park at Sunshine Park.
The Frisbys are on-board with having to raise the funds. Rob Frisby said they have not solicited any donations because there was no specific site proposal and no figures on how much this could cost. The city will be preparing a cost estimate for the Frisbys.
“The most successful dog parks around the nation are the ones that citizens are behind,” Jen Frisby said.
The location options
The location the parks commission recommended for the dog park is on the north side of the Andover Station North ballfields. The north fence is already in place and separates the park from the closed landfill site. The ballfield outfield fences would also be utilized. New fencing would be installed outside the ballfield fence areas so that the dogs would not mingle with the ball players and other residents at Andover Station North.
The Andover Parks and Recreation Commission recommends this site because of its central location in the higher traveled portion of the community and because of the parking lot, according to commission chairman Ted Butler.
Fox Meadows Park was another option, but Butler said the proximity of homes made this a less attractive option.
The area of Eveland Fields the parks commission looked at for the dog park is a storm water runoff area that does hold water after large rain events. The area of Andover Station North where the dog park is looking to go is also a storm water area, but it mostly remains dry.
Purple Park, which is a small park between the Andover YMCA/Community Center and Oak View Middle School, has a lot of trees and shrubs that would have been removed if a dog park went there. The city’s public works staff pointed out that this provides good buffer between the homes and the middle school.
Eric Hagen is at eric.hagen@ecm-inc.com
I sat in at that workshop session, conducted jointly with the Park & Rec Commission. Chairman Ted Butler and his Commission are doing an excellent job representing our city. Much of the evening's discussion centered on the fund shortage for completing the warming house at the new hockey rinks by city hall. Tony Howard - an opponent in the Council race, and President of the Andover Youth Hockey Association presented the situation and worked with both groups to find a solution to free up city funds to help move the completion closer. I continue to be impressed with City Administrator Jim Dickinson, and members of both the Council and the Commission as they think out of the box and seek practical-minded solutions to reach difficult, but attainable goals.
Thank You County Sector Delegates to the AFSCME Council 5 Convention
On Thursday, September 30, I had the honor of being elected to the 43-member statewide AFSCME Council 5 Executive Board, during the 2010 Council 5 Convention. I was one of five elected to represent AFSCME members from the County sector. My Local's President, Jean Diederich, was re-elected to the Board herself, representing members who live in the West Metro, which includes Hennepin and Anoka Counties.
Cliff Robinson, who retired in August, nominated me, and did a wonderfully moving job of highlighting my career with AFSCME and his expectation that I will be able to provide the Board with continuity after his departure. Thank you, Cliff, for your very kind words!
The Convention assembly heard from Bill Lucy, the retired AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer on Friday, then from DFL Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton on Saturday morning. Resolutions were passed, including one I assisted in the composition of, prioritizing dealing with Workplace Bullying on the AFSCME legislative agenda. Local 34's Katie Farber was honored with the Rick Scott political organizing award, we each attended workshops on Friday morning, and I learned that the West Metro will screen me for AFSCME endorsement on October 9th.
Cliff Robinson, who retired in August, nominated me, and did a wonderfully moving job of highlighting my career with AFSCME and his expectation that I will be able to provide the Board with continuity after his departure. Thank you, Cliff, for your very kind words!
The Convention assembly heard from Bill Lucy, the retired AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer on Friday, then from DFL Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton on Saturday morning. Resolutions were passed, including one I assisted in the composition of, prioritizing dealing with Workplace Bullying on the AFSCME legislative agenda. Local 34's Katie Farber was honored with the Rick Scott political organizing award, we each attended workshops on Friday morning, and I learned that the West Metro will screen me for AFSCME endorsement on October 9th.
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