South metro briefs: Prior Lake fire chief plans to retire early next year

Prior Lake Fire Chief Doug Hartman will retire after 32 years of public service.

He'll step down in January after 26 years at the Fire Department, where his jobs included captain, second assistant chief and first assistant chief. He's worked as full-time chief since 2010.

During his career, Hartman also spent time in city staff positions, including engineering technician and public works supervisor in Prior Lake as well as street supervisor in Burnsville. He was named "Firefighter of the Year" in 1993. As a retiree, he plans to fish and enjoy the outdoors.

The department will accept internal and external applications for the position. The chief oversees 45 full-time and on-call firefighters for a 74-square-mile area, which includes Spring Lake and Credit River townships.

Natalie Daher

Elko New Market is the latest city to hire a full-time staffer to spearhead postrecession business and development.

Renee Christianson, who spent almost a decade as a planner in New Prague, will work as community development specialist in the growing city of about 4,500 people. The city, which was born out of a merger in 2007, is hoping to attract more industrial and retail business as well as residential properties.

Christianson's other credentials include a decade of planning in Scott County and almost five years as a senior analyst for the county's First Stop Shop. She is also a real estate agent and owns a real estate company in New Prague and a self-service laundry center in Belle Plaine.

Natalie Daher

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has recognized Dakota County Social Services for a program that reduces the need for youth to be placed in treatment away from home.

Dakota County partnered with outside agencies to develop and implement Collaborative Intensive Bridging Services (CIBS) in an effort to cut down on youth re-entry into residential treatment centers.

NACo gave Dakota County a 2016 Achievement Award for the program in the "Children and Youth" category. The county also won awards for initiatives in criminal justice and public safety, libraries and volunteering.

Five years of data aggregated through 2015 show that youth who went through CIBS were less likely to return to residential treatment in the two years after their initial stay, compared with youth who went through the typical treatment process. The amount of time that CIBS participants spent in treatment also tended to be shorter.

Emma Nelson

The I's are dotted and the T's are crossed at Eagan's new craft brewery, just in time for its grand opening.

The City Council approved an on-sale brewer taproom license and off-sale brewer intoxicating liquor license Monday for Bald Man Brewing. The 11,357-square-foot brewery, located at 2020 Silver Bell Road, will include a taproom with an outdoor patio.

It is set to open Aug. 27.

The Mendota Heights City Council has approved the hire of a new police officer.

Weston Raberge was sworn in at the regular City Council meeting Tuesday. Raberge served as a military police officer with the U.S. Air Force while in Afghanistan. After Raberge was honorably discharged, he received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

He started in his new position on Wednesday.