1970s

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Burnsville Water WellBurnsville water well on Cliff Road. Photo compliments of the City of Burnsville.

City of Burnsville 1970sPublic Works equipment, photo compliments of the City of Burnsville.

Burnsville Public Safety shoulder patch

Change in Park Reserve DistrictArguments for change in the status of the Hennepin County Park reserve District are fueled by the County Board's action on the 1977 Park budget.

County commissioners come to park budget request by $408,000, causing the district to announce many cutbacks and services. The County Board allocates funds, the district decides how to spend. The cutbacks hurt because the use of county parks has been growing. Also, the cutbacks conflict with the metropolitan councils goals for regional parks; the council has provided money to buy and develop parks, the County Board doesn't provide adequate money to operate them.

Some members of the County Park reserve board field the County commissioners arbitrarily trimmed park operating funds in order to demonstrate their lack of control over park spending. It is argued also that county commissioners aren't aware of part needs and give them a low priority. Some commissioners, he just felt, want to eliminate the park reserve board itself and make the parks a regular part of County government. Such a change is not without merit; some commissioners have said that it would produce better management. Greater responsibility could make commissioners more interested in Park needs.

But park board members doubt that commissioners would give Parks proper attention. Besides, money problems with still exist--the County Board cup many other programs this year and still had to raise taxes 14.2%. Some park officials think that the district should become autonomous, like a school district, with its own taxing authority. Or that Hennepin County to become part of a regional Park Authority, supported by the Metropolitan council.

Ways must be found to meet present and future park needs in Hennepin County. The solutions suggested so far involve structural changes that would needs legislative action. The problem deserves the attention the 1970s seventh Legislature.

Citizens Advisory Committee - January 1976Named But Not Heard
The ruling clique of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners owes the citizens of this county a detailed explanation of what it ex- pects of its "citizen advisory com- mittees," and how much impor- tance it att aches lo the work done by these presumably knowledgeable volunteers .
Since December , seven of the 13 members of the Ramsey County Mental Health Advisory Board have resigned in frustration: the chairman in December , six others this week.
The committee is less than a year old.It was formed to advise the county board when that body took over direct responsibility for running county mental health programs , It was a carefully chosen committee, char ged with making recommendat ions to the county board on mental health programs
and budget.
The trouble is, no one would listen.
Those who resigned cited grow- ing frustration in attempting to deal with staff and commission- ers. The last stra w, it appears came when county board Chair- ma n John F inley rallied his board majority to short-circuit his own committee process in appointing a new chairman of the advisory group. It was after that action that the six member s submitted resignations.
Said Hi Kilborn, the former chairman: "The county has lost the services of six very intelligent, capable and willing public serv- ants. I think it signals the end of the advisory board. That's too bad. I'd hoped maybe my with- draw a l could prod some change."
Well, it is too bad, in many ways. Citizens selected for appointment to the board were chosen for the ir knowledge of mental illness, retardation and chemical dependency.The county board has ultimate responsibility for con-
ducting programs in these areas, but it surely needs the best advice it can get in making decisions.
It is an insult to the citizens who give tim e to such work to ignore them. It is bad for the program· it is bad for the whole concept of citizen participation in government.

City Government 1976The Bicentennial Year Book published by the Burnsville Current June 30, 1976 includes a full page photo feature showing Burnsville's Council and Planning Commission.

Ray Connelly filing statement 1976Life long resident Ray Connelly files to run for City Council.

Connie Morrison - council member predicts great future for Burnsville 1979November 27, 1979 Burnsville Sun editor Del Stelling interviews council member and future mayor Connie Morrison.

Council Refuses to play tapesBy PHIL BERG Staff Writer
Dakota County Tribune December 20,1979

BURNSVILLE - The city council made no friends with an audience of about 50 during an almost 45 minute filibuster at tempt following a discussion about the recruitment of public safety dept. personnel. The discussion preceded an item on the agenda for the council to review the tapes of meetings dealing with the public safety dept. recruitment issue, and the council was divided over whether to actually review the tapes or not.

During the request to review the tapes, several related issues surfaced. The original reason for Mayor Paul Scheunemann’s request was to determine the legality of City Manager Glen Northrup’s action in recruiting three public safety sergeants when the council’s intent was to have three fire sergeants recruited.
This led to the questioning of council directives versus administrative duties, and under which the public safety personnel recruitment falls.
The council is also divided on the public safety concept, which was another issue raised during discussion.

Mayor Scheunemann denied that public safety was involved in the issue, and that the issue should be council directives regarding city administration, and specifically Northrup’s action in recruitment. “It could have been what color this building was to be painted,”said Scheunemann.
However, the council later voted to reaffirm the public safety concept. Scheunemann and Council member Paul Hoover voted no to the move. Hoover had stated that he would like to see more specialization in the public safety department.

“I was for specialization on down to the sergeant level,”said Hoover. Council member Warren Kelley said, “I have been strictly for a public safety department.”
The recruitment for public safety sergeants drew applicants from outside Burnsville, but none were hired because they either did not meet public safety requirements or withdrew.
“I think we shortchanged the community,”said Hoover. “I think it’s sad we didn’t have the ability to test for fire sergeants.” Roger Jackson, a citizen member of the public safety com mission, added that he did not think that the community was “shortchanged,”and he stated that the personnel were of exceptional quality.

Northrup also asked the council several times what his direction should be in administering recruitment, adding that it should be his duty to hire personnel that qualify in the public safety concept.“ I don’t want my administrative duties muddled in,” said Northrup. “I must be allowed to function in that framework (personnel hiring kept separate from council politics).”

The question of the request to listen to council tapes was called twice and the calling failed twice. Finally, a motion to deny the re quest to listen to the tapes was made and approved, with Scheunemann voting “nay.”

A workshop was approved for Jan. 8 to discuss the council directives and organization, Also, the city attorney was directed to review the recruitment of public safety personnel and determine if Northrup had acted properly in the recruitment.

County Advanced Life Support proposal 1979 meetingDated December 1979

This proposal will address a method of delivering advanced life support ALS two areas of Dakota County which do not presently have ready access to this service period
The current situation is that 13 cities in the northern and northwestern part of the county Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, and the Grove Heights, Lakefield, Lilydale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, Rosemont, South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake and West St. Paul receive ALS from private ambulance services. The population of these 13 cities accounts for 85.6% of the Counties population 166,940 and 36.9% of the Counties acreage. This area further accounts for approximately 81% of all emergency medical callsAverage of 7.3 when calls per day. Appendix A shows the population percent of population and square miles of beach city/Township in Dakota County.

This proposal is for a paramedic/deputy position within the county sheriffs department. These individuals would not be licensed flea peace officers. Their primary function would be to deliver ALS throughout Dakota County, don't from merrily serving the east and south areas.

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Dakota County Commissioners 1973January 4, 1973 Dakota County Tribune

Leo Murphy, E.W. Ahlberg, Gerald Hollenkamp, Pat Scully and Gary Pagel.
Standing - John Sonsteng -county attorney, Andy Anderson - county administrator and Carl Onischuk - county auditor.

federal Funds and city needsMinneapolis alderman aced with raising taxes and cutting services next year, are understandably dubious about proposals for spending thousands of dollars of federal money I'm such things as a neighborhood radio station and a study of the downtown artists district. As desirable is such proposals may be, they don't feel pressing city needs.

The two recommendations are among those by the citywide citizens advisory committeeFor using $15 million in federal community development fund. Formerly there were federal grants for specific community development projects, but those have been replaced with a lump sum to be allocated by the city council, with advice from citizens and subject to federal approval. The advisory committee, an elected body, recommended about $10 million for housing improvements, more than $3 million for social service programs and the rest for public works and job development efforts.

The radio station, artists' district and some other projects were singled out for criticism by aider- men because they were the most vulnerabl e tar- gets (although a good argument for the artists' area is that it would help rehabilitate the down- town warehouse district) . But the point the alder- . men were making was that more of this lump- sum federal money should be directed toward street improvements , parks and · other capital spending in a manner that would help relieve the city's budget problems-even though the money can't be used for routine operating expenses.
A few alderm,en are disenchanted with the feder- ally required advisory process itself; they say that the elected "advisers" ·are pressured by neighbor- hood organiza tions to approve pet projects that don't merit high priority .
Council President Louis DeMars says, hov.:ever , t hat the problem is the advisory · comm.Ittee's
Inability to consider the cities entire financial situation making its decisions. The committee made its allocations within its interpretation of council set guidelines. In any event, the committees job was to split up the $15 million, not to solve the city's budget problems.

The council can take the overall view of city finances that the committee couldn't, and can make changes in allocations without destroying the advisory process. The council can't overlook the intent of the federal grants– They are controlled by federal law– which is to improve committees basically through physical development. But it can and should make sure that the money is spent wisely and that the spending is for real sitting needs.

-end-

Burnsville has an official flagThe 1970s - A city flag is designed.

Fran Gaston retires 1977March 16, 1977 Burnsville Current reports: Fran Gaston retires from city hall. After 11 years of single handedly managing the assessments desk at the Burnsville City Hall, Fran retired and she and her husband headed to Durham N.C.

Glen Northrup - a decade of progress observed by planner 1974February 7, 1974 Burnsville Sun -

Glen Northrup, planning director for the city of Burnsville for the past ten years has seen the community grow from a township of 4000 people to a city of more than 30,000....

Hall resigns as Mayor 1975The Dakota County Tribune reports that In a brief statement Mayor Alfred Hall resigned as mayor effective December 31, 1975. He sites personal and family reasons for his departure. He served Burnsville since January 1, 1966 except for three months when Donald Holmes was Mayor. When Holmes was transferred out of town by his employer, Hall was appointed to fill the position.

Burnsville Mayor Don Holmes resigns 1970March 5, 1970 Dakota County Tribune:

Mayor Donald Holmes is resigning his mayoral post after two months because of a job transfer. Holmes and his family lived in Burnsville five years. They will move to Georgia....

City Hall Campus 1970s1970s view of the City Hall campus and surrounding schools.

Village provides extensive facilities for ice skating - date neededA Dakota County Tribune from the 1970s reports that during the skating season the village maintains 23 rinks in addition to a rink at Metcalf School.

Roles are opening for women - League of Women Voters 1977May 12, 1977 Dakota County Tribune features a profile of the West Dakota County Area League of Women Voters.

Burnsville city campus 1970sAt the time of this photo you can see the Garage and Ice Arena and Nicollet Junior High and Gideon Pond schools.

January 1970 Burnsville Village CouncilDonald Holmes (mayor seated),
Council members Warren Kelley, Stan Schaefer, Jim Pappathatos and Dave Schwantes. Holmes would only serve 2 months, when a job transfer moved him to Georgia. (Photo copy of newspaper clipping).

Wally Day runs for councilBirth: Feb. 17, 1913 Death: Aug. 30, 1991
Active in township politics, Wally Day ran for city council in 1978.

Jim Pappathatos runs for City CouncilBurnsville Current newspaper ad for Jim Pappathatos' run for City Council.

Margaret Makousky runs for mayor 1978Newspaper ad for Margaret Makousky's run for mayor in 1978.

James PappathotosA 1971 election ad for council member James Pappathotos.

St Louis Park Environment TroublesSt Paul Pioneer Press
DECEMBER 1976
'Insincerity' brings mass resignation
The eight members of the St. Louis Park Environmental Improvement Commission have resigned .
Lee Rickard, commission chairman, said Tuesday the eight are taking the action to protest ''the insincerity of the City Council and staff in their concern for the environment. ''
He said the members are resigning because they have been un- able to get the council to agree to refer more items to the commission for its review.
Rickard said the one-year terms of the eight members expire Dec. 31 and seven of the eight last month had requested reappointment.
The· City Council is to receive the mass resignation letter at its meeting Monday, he said.

Kelley and Oschner sworn in as council membersJanuary 4, 1973 Dakota County Tribune:
Village Clerk Leslie Anderson swears in council members Warren Kelley and Pete Oshsner prior to a council meeting. Kelley is starting his 9th year and Ochsner is newly elected.

These matchmakers pair up employers and job seekers 1976October 21, 1976 Dakota County Tribune

The office was located in the Warrior Building, Travelers Trail.

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