Eden Prairie Senior Center is an activity facility for Eden Prairie residents aged 55 and up. Activities offered at the Senior Center include woodworking, card games, trips, tours, computer classes and health and wellness classes. Seniors who require transportation to the Senior Center can utilize the door-to-door volunteer Senior Transportation Program. The Transportation Program provides weekly shopping trips every Monday morning. The Senior Center may also be rented out to residents and businesses in Eden Prairie.
The Lakeville Area Arts Center opened in 2001 and occupies the old All Saints Catholic Church at the corner of Holyoke Avenue and 210th Street in downtown Lakeville. Tom Barnard coordinates the arts center, which promotes cultural enrichment and artistic experiences for the entire community by offering many unique youth and adult art classes as well as a variety of theatrical productions.
The City Administration Department coordinates and oversees the duties of the other city departments. It is responsible for carrying out the city council's plans and decisions.
Eagan City Administrator Tom Hedges has been with the city for 34 years and reports directly to the mayor and city council. He started in 1976, when Eagan's population was only 14,000.
The City Administration Department is also responsible for managing assets, preparing the annual budget and creating the agenda for city council meetings.
In addition, the department "coordinates and staffs the Eagan Airport Relations Commission," as well as activities pertaining to the city attorney's office.
The Plymouth Creek Center houses the Senior Program and is used for a variety of recreational activities. It is available for weddings, banquets, meetings and other private affairs. The center is located near Millennium Garden.
The Communications Department provides the cable-casting for Eagan Television (ETV).
It creates several publications and brochures, including a business and resident newsletter. The department is also responsible for press releases.
The Communications Department is involved with special events and works closely with the Technology Working Group. The department is also responsible for the city's Web site, and the City's Communication's Coordinator serves as the city's Webmaster.
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Eagan Police Department has 69 sworn officers and 25 non-sworn officers. It is the 22nd largest policing offices in Minnesota, including the state patrol. Eagan is the safest city in Minnesota against other cities with a population of 50,000 and more. According to Police Chief James McDonald, the crime rate in Eagan is very low. The department has an annual budget of $11 million and is a full service organization. There are crime, traffic and school resource officers. Last year, the department received 51,000 calls for service and had 275 DWI's. In addition, the department receives grant money from the state for special enforcement, such as "Safe and Sober". It is currently looking for aggressive driving throughout the city.
The Public Works Department oversees four divisions: Engineering, Water Resources, Transportation Operations and Utilities. The department's goal is to "protect the health, safety and welfare of the public and natural environment at large."
The Engineering Division is responsible for road construction, stormwater issues and providing the city with the best-designed and most economical solutions.
The Utilities Division is responsible for the water supply treatment distribution system, and the "maintenance of more 530 ponds and lakes in the storm system." It is also responsible for sewer collection.
The Transportation Operations Division is responsible for street maintenance, structural maintenance of infrastructure, operational maintenance for snow/ice, street lights and litter removal and tree trimming.
Please see the Lakes and Wetlands Department listing for more information on the Water Resources Division.
