Friday, January 4, 2013
The biggest stories of the past 12 months.
To be sure, 2012 saw its share of challenges. But it also saw much of the community’s long-term vision start to become a reality. Here are some of the biggest stories to shape Hopkins over the past year. Cottageville Park Plans Start to Take Shape Residents started to see changes around Cottageville Park in April 2011, when Minnehaha Creek Watershed District tore down buildings on properties south of the park. But 2012 was the year that the community started coming together to decide how the newly expanded park should be used. The discussion culminated in a plan first presented in mid December. That plan includes features, such as a green roof pavilion and remade landscape, that could push the redesign cost up to $5.8 million. Eighth…
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Despite a surge in calls just before the transition, police report that the first day using county services went smoothly.
The closure of the city dispatch center was months in the making, and fate, it turns out, wasn’t going to allow the center to slip quietly away. The Police Department was inundated with calls in the final 15 minutes before the transition at 6 a.m. Tuesday, capping off the center’s run with a burglary and assault call on Oxford. Despite the final surge in calls, police report that the first day of the transition to county dispatch went well and an upgrade to the computer-aided dispatch system went off without a hitch. “The transition went very smoothly today. It’s working very well,” Police Capt. Brent Johnson said. The department will be focusing on dispatch issues for a little bit longer. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, officials gave …
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Police Department
1010 1st St S, Hopkins, MN
/articles/hopkins-closes-city-dispatch-center-transitions-to-county-dispatch
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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Police Sgt. Michael Glassberg details what residents can expect when Hopkins starts using county dispatch services Aug. 21.
Editor’s Note: Hopkins Police Sgt. Michael Glassberg submitted the following guest column about the city’s transition to Hennepin County dispatch services. On June 26, the County Board voted to let Hopkins use the county dispatch center, allowing the closure of the city’s own dispatch center. On August 21, 2012 The Hopkins Police Department along with the Hopkins Fire Department will be making a transition to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office for dispatch services. The advantages of this change have been previously discussed and documented. For the last several months, the police and fire departments has been working behind the scenes diligently to make this transition as smooth as possible. Additionally, a transition team comprised …
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Police Department
1010 1st St S, Hopkins, MN
/articles/hopkins-police-and-fire-working-on-smooth-dispatch-transition
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
A County Board committee advanced a proposal that would allow Hopkins to close its dispatch center and use county dispatch services instead.
After a setback just a month ago, Hopkins could be on the fast track to transfer dispatch services to Hennepin County, closing the city’s dispatch center in the process. In an add-on to the County Board’s Public Safety and Judiciary Committee agenda Tuesday, commissioners voted 5-1 to advance Hopkins’ request to use the county dispatch center. That approval follows the board’s 6-1 rejection of a similar request May 15, when commissioners said a decision should wait until after the completion of a 911 study expected in July. Commissioner Jan Callison, who represents Hopkins, was the only commissioner to support the proposal then. But now Hopkins could drop to just three dispatchers by July 10 because two dispatchers could be headed to jobs …
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Police Department
1010 1st St S, Hopkins, MN
/articles/hopkins-could-switch-to-county-dispatch-center-this-summer
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Commissioners will consider a resolution that would allow the county to negotiate with Hopkins on terms for moving the city to county dispatch.
The County Board on Tuesday kicked off the formal process toward deciding whether to allow Hopkins to transfer dispatch services to the county dispatch center, a move that would allow the city to eliminate its dispatch center. Staff presented commissioners with a resolution that would authorize county administration to enter into negotiations with Hopkins about the terms and conditions under which it could start using county dispatch services. On May 15, the resolution will go before committee for discussion, said Commissioner Jan Callison—whose district includes Hopkins and the commissioner who brought the proposal to the county. The committee will either recommend approval or progress it forward. Callison, who supports the proposal, said…
44.92241
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Police Department
1010 1st St S, Hopkins, MN
/articles/proposal-to-cut-hopkins-dispatch-center-moves-to-county
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Sunday, December 5, 2010
Only 10 out of 854 Minnesota cities have their own dispatch centers for emergency calls.
As governments everywhere look to become ever more efficient, in at least one area of service, Hopkins is choosing to prepare better for emergencies rather than make cuts. The city remains just one of 10 throughout Minnesota to run its own independent dispatch center. Despite a price tag of nearly $475,000 in 2010, Hopkins continues to operate an independent dispatch center with good reason, said Sgt. Michael Glassberg of the Hopkins Police Department. Having the dispatch center specifically for Hopkins and, with that, a dedicated channel for calls from Hopkins residents, speeds up the process from the initial call to getting an officer on scene. "As a cop, there's no way I'd ever want to see us go away from it," Glassberg said. All but …
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-93.41346
Police Department
1010 1st St S, Hopkins, MN
/articles/hopkins-one-of-a-few-minnesota-cities-still-with-its-own-dispatch-center
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Norman Teigen
9:35 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Good summary, I think. You might also have included a summary of the City's budget and information about the City's financial condition. The news is good. For 2013 I think that the City Council and city staff might try to become even more involved in keeping the citizens of Hopkins informed about issues and developments. The Oakes Park lift station issue suggests that there was a deficiency in … more ›