Eagan outreach effort doesn't reach many

What if you invited 50,000 people to an open house and almost nobody came?

If you're a politician in Eagan, you might think that was a good thing, especially given the political climate around the country in the wake of the state and national elections held earlier this month.

Last Tuesday, the city held a budget open house to allow residents a chance to voice their opinions, suggestions, complaints or comments regarding the city's $27.7 million general fund budget for 2011, which is set to be approved in early December by the City Council.

"This is one of the ways that we reach out to the public," said Mayor Mike Maguire, who was at the open house.

Only a handful of people showed up, despite heavy advertising and widespread coverage about the event, including notice of the meeting on the city's large electronic message board in front of City Hall.

City officials, while disappointed with the turnout, said it might indicate that the city's 50,000-plus residents are generally pleased with how the city is being run.

"I think Eagan is the voice of stability," said City Administrator Tom Hedges. "At the local level we pride ourselves on being nonpartisan."

Maguire, who was re-elected easily, said that while he was campaigning door-to-door he heard a lot of complaints about state and national issues, but few about Eagan.

"I heard a lot of satisfaction with the city," Maguire said.

No wage increases

City officials said the expected increase in next year's budget is about one-half of one percent, with no money in it for wage increases for the city's more than 200 employees.

While most cities hold a formal public hearing to allow residents to voice their thoughts prior to the passage of the budget, Eagan this year and last took the additional step of holding a "budget open house" to answer questions or provide feedback on city spending.

The employees and the politicians easily outnumbered the public by 5 to 1 or more during the two-hour event.

Tom Ellingson was among the first to show up, and for a while the only resident at the event. His concern, he said, was getting the city to control employee compensation, especially worker pensions.

"The city and the county can't afford the current pension system," he said after talking with city officials. "Neither can the state or the federal government."

Among the questions Ellingson was looking to answer was how much of Eagan's $27 million budget went to employee compensation. The answer: about 75 percent, according to city finance officials.

Alisha Wong, a University of Minnesota student whose parents live in Eagan, also attended the event. Among the questions she had was why the city's property taxes are going up about 2.8 percent at a time when real estate prices are still flat or even dropping this year.

"We've always had a very open process," Hedges said as the event was winding down. "We wanted to provide people an opportunity to comment, and that's what's important."