Ribbon Cuttings

Opening a new business or remodeling your current business? Let us know and we can schedule a ribbon cutting! It is a great way to advertise your new store and meet a few DCR Chamber members!  

Rosemount Transit Station

Dave Osberg Chosen as New Eagan City Administrator 

Hastings City Administrator Dave Osberg has reached a tentative agreement to become only the second Administrator in Eagan's history, following the retirement of Tom Hedges in February.  A contract is expected to be formally ratified at Eagan's next City Council meeting, February 5.

Osberg was chosen from four finalists who interviewed January 17 and 18.

"Eagan had four great candidates to select from who are great assets to their respective communities," said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire. "Dave Osberg emerged as our unanimous choice," Maguire said, "because of his sterling and well-recognized track record, and his genuine enthusiasm for taking our community to the next level. His desire is to make Eagan the very best city in America for people to live, work and play. Dave's working familiarity with our community, our Council and our staff, gives us great confidence that he will hit the ground running."

"I am extremely honored to be selected as Eagan's next City Administrator," said Osberg. "While leaving Hastings after more than two decades is difficult," Osberg added, "I 'm truly excited about the opportunity to help Eagan prosper as it takes it next steps into the future. I look forward to helping to guide such a well regarded City and responding to the needs and concerns of the community."

Osberg, 54, has been Administrator of Hastings since 1989. He's been very active and knowledgeable about Dakota County issues, having chaired the Dakota Communications Center Executive Committee for the combined public safety answering point for 911 calls in the County, including Eagan. He was also a previous co-chair of the High Performance Partnership (HiPP) committee of city managers and mayors working on joint opportunities among the cities in Dakota County.

Mr. Osberg has more than 30 year's full-time experience in local government as a former City Manager and City Administrator in the cities of St. James and Waterville, Minnesota, respectively. He interned for the City of Eagan from 1981-82 where he worked for Tom Hedges. Mr. Osberg has a M.A. degree in Urban and Regional Studies from Mankato State University, and a B.A. in Government from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Osberg and his wife of nearly 29 years, Laurie, have four adult children: Mike, 25; Dan, 24; Sarah, 21; and John, 18.

Please join us in a retirement recognition and community celebration commemorating 36 years of dedicated service to the City of Eagan by City Administrator Tom Hedges. Many of you have been a valued part of Tom's time in Eagan and his 41-year career in public service and you are cordially invited to the celebration on Thursday, February 7th from 4:30pm - 8:30pm (program at 6:30pm) at Eagan Community Center (1501 Central Parkway, Eagan). Light snacks will be provided and a cash bar will be available. RSVPs are not required. Please call Dianne Miller at 651.675.5014 with any questions.

A Voice for Spending Discipline 

By: David C. Olson, MN Chamber

State finances and the projected $1.1 billion shortfall for the two-year budget cycle beginning July 2013 are certain to dominate the 2013 Legislature. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and our statewide chamber federation remain your voice for spending discipline.

Our insistence on focusing first on spending reform to close the gap has drawn a challenge from Gov. Mark Dayton. He asks for specifics from those who advocate a cuts-only approach to balancing the budget, asking how they'd pay for additional programs and services.

Even before the governor presented his plan for solving the budget gap, new requests for spending were being forwarded:

• The Governor's Transportation Finance Advisory Committee is seeking a higher gas tax and tab fees to help the state pay for transportation - boost the gas tax to raise more than $15 billion over the next 20 years and increase vehicle registration fees by 10 percent for another $1 billion. The most recent increase in the gas tax, passed as part of the 2008 transportation law, just took effect this past July.
• The Education Finance Working Group appointed by state Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius presented a wish list that carries an annual price tag of $634 million.
• Legislative proposals for the new state health insurance exchange include increasing premiums 3.5 percent to cover operating costs.
• Many public retirement funds are not in balance, and some employee groups are indicating they want the state to fund the difference.

Then came what the governor promoted as a balanced approach to solving the budget, a combination of increasing taxes and reducing spending. His proposed cuts, unfortunately, are dwarfed by significant tax increases of $2.1 billion. For the next two-year budget cycle, he has proposed a 7.6 percent increase in spending - that represents another $1 billion above the already $1.6 billion in projected growth. His $224 million in spending reductions pale in comparison. The Legislature convened on a common theme of helping Minnesota companies remain competitive in this fragile economy; his proposed budget threatens to send jobs out of the state.

You can see why a different approach is needed.

The Minnesota Chamber is ready to work with the administration and lawmakers to redesign the way services are delivered. We support the administration's outcomes-based budgeting. We look forward to serious legislative debate on spending priorities and results.

The governor and the Legislature will be making decisions about state spending and taxes that will have considerable impact on all of us. Our state leaders must not take actions that will place employers at a competitive disadvantage in the national and global economies. Just look what's happening around us.

North Dakota Gov, Jack Dalrymple is recommending reducing the top rates of both the individual income tax and corporate rate. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announced his goal to lower income taxes for the middle class and small business. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has proposed to lower property taxes for all types of properties. South Dakota presents the longstanding challenge with no individual income or corporate tax. In all fairness, there is more to these comparisons, but the important theme is the message they are sending to investors and employers.

Minnesota's general-fund revenue for the 2014-15 budget is projected at $35.8 billion. That's up 2.4 percent from the current biennium, without any tax increases. At the same time, state government spending - without any changes - is anticipated to increase by 4.7 percent to $36.9 billion.

We're not advocating a "cut" in spending; we're saying let's live within the additional $850 million the state expects to collect in taxes during the next two years and get smarter about how we deliver programs and services now. Minnesotans will be best served if we focus first on ways to make government more efficient before automatically opening the spigot for higher taxes.

David Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce - www.mnchamber.com.  

Fake Tech Support Calls- BBB Advises Extreme Caution

EABC Discusses Crime With Police Chief McDonald

The Eagan Area Business Council invited Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald to present on crime in the community.   Over the past few years, there has been a decrease in the amount of crime in Eagan.  In fact, there seems to be a downward trend in crime throughout the state of Minnesota.  Some upcoming challenges that the Police Department expects to encounter deal with mental health issues, workplace and school safety, technology changes, complicated crimes, and the changes that come along with a new City Administrator.  In light of the recent shootings, Chief McDonald shared a video with attendees that we hope you find informational as well.

RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event

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