Briefs: Taste of Eagan gets ready to refill funding for community programs

The Eagan Foundation's 13th annual wine tasting and silent auction will be held 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at the city's Community Center.

A Taste of Eagan will feature craft beers as well as wines and appetizers. Proceeds from the event help support a variety of community programs.

Tickets cost $55 and can be purchased by check or credit card. To learn more about the event and to buy tickets, go to www.eaganfoundation.org.

Dakota County has renewed its long-standing contract with Gopher Resource to operate the county's hazardous waste recycling facility.

Under the new agreement, Gopher Resource will operate the Recycling Zone through 2018. The Eagan-based business has done so since 1993.

The facility provides recycling of household hazardous waste, electronics and general recyclables, most at no charge to residents. In 2013, it handled 3.6 million pounds of hazardous waste and over 1 million pounds of steel, plastics, glass and paper recyclables.

Gopher Resource also helps operate an on-site community classroom where school and community groups can learn about environmentally-friendly practices.

Dakota County has identified six more properties it would like to appraise and buy for its farmland conservation easements program.

The parcels include: 130 acres owned by John, Marlys and James Weber in Douglas Township; 257 acres owned by Bruce and Laurie Heikes in Greenvale Township; 118 acres owned by Eric and Rebecca Ruud in Greenvale Township; 85 acres owned by Gary, Kathleen and Thomas Fox in Marshan Township; 64 acres owned by Timothy McNearney in Greenvale Township, and 76 acres owned by Mark Niebur in Marshan Township.

A conservation easement would prohibit future development of the land it covers and is aimed at protecting water quality as well as preserving natural areas.

South St. Paul is developing a plan to make it easier and safer for people to walk and bike.

As part of the plan, the city will evaluate the current sidewalk and bikeway network, identify improvements to sidewalks and trails to enhance that network, and recommend ways to encourage walking and bicycling.

Public comments will be taken from 4 to 5:30 p.m. June 29 at Central Square during Kaposia Days; from 4 to 6 p.m. July 8 at Central Square, and from 8 to 10 p.m. July 16 during the Swimming Under the Stars event at Northview Pool.

A draft of the plan will be available for public review and comment this fall and will be considered for adoption by the City Council in March.

For information on the plan, please City Planner Peter Hellegers, 651-554-3217 or phellegers@sspmn.org.

West St. Paul will take action to clean up or remove a home in hazardous condition at 1247 Oakdale Av.

The property, owned by Lila Ingleston, has been allowed to degrade into an unsanitary condition, officials say. The city last week declared it a hazard to public safety, health and welfare.