Local 49ers Play Pivotal Role in Eden Prairie’s High Honor

Money Magazine Declares Twin Cities Suburb as the Best Place to Live in America

Eden Prairie City Manager, Scott Neal, would be the first one to tell you the work and commitment of the men and women of The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 is one of the biggest reasons the city was recently named as the best place to live in America by Money Magazine.

“When we sent out the application to be considered for this award, we sent them pictures of our parks, trails and streets,” said Neal. “I am convinced we won this award based on the strong curb appeal the city has. That curb appeal comes courtesy of the work of our 49ers.”

While the award is a reminder of the recent work of the fifty-eight 49ers employed by the city, the relationship that bonds Local 49 and Eden Prairie has been around since 1973, when Eden Prairie was a sleepy village with farm fields and gravel roads.

“I started working for the city 33 years ago when the city had 11,000 residents, today there are 65,000. We haven’t added many workers since then. We have been able to do more with less,” said Scott Cole, turf specialist for city’s parks. “I started on a scraper helping build parks. An honor like this makes all these years of working and negotiating worthwhile. We pride ourselves on making the city look good.”

Cole’s fellow 49er, Andrew Sullivan, an Eden Prairie native, said that having an integral part in the city’s success via the award is cause for celebration. “I almost started dancing I was so happy,” said the 17-year veteran of the city’s public works department, which oversees the city’s water, sewer and storm water systems. “This is something we all take a lot of pride in. To be named the best is very gratifying. We are proud of what we do on the front lines for our residents. There are always people using our trails and some businesses and residents have moved here just because our water is some of the best.”

While the process of converting Eden Prairie from a village to the top city in the country is a feat in itself, the 49ers and city staff agree that the effort put forth by both parties to proactively work together to make the city better has been equally as important.

In the mid-1980s, then Local 49 Business Agent and current Treasurer Jim Hansen spearheaded the way for the union to play a larger role in the city. “Jim was in there challenging the city to give our guys a shot at doing some of the work that had always been contracted out,” said Cole. “It only took one winter of our guys doing the snowplowing for the city to realize we could do it better and cheaper than any contractor could.”

Over time the relationship between Local 49 and the city blossomed from a “them and us” situation to a combined effort focused on one goal.

With the creation of the Labor Management Committee (LMC), a group made up of six 49ers and six city management workers, the two sides have become more focused on working together to make the city the best it can be.

“There was a bit of early resistance from both sides,” said Cole. “Quickly it was realized that by working together we could all accomplish more. Today, we have a city manager who looks out for us, trusts us and listens to us.”

That teamwork has provided residents with countless miles of trails, 300 miles of sewer pipes, 230 miles of city-maintained streets and 120 miles of paved biked trails.

Local 49 Business Manager Glen Johnson said that Eden Prairie’s honor is evidence of the positive impact of the 2,500 members of Local 49 who are municipal workers. “We are extremely proud of our members from Eden Prairie who have made a tremendous impact not only in the lives of residents, but in the way labor-management relations are conducted in a city setting.”

Because of its success, the Eden Prairie LMC has become a blueprint example for others to follow. Today Local 49 has nearly forty other public sector Labor Management Committees established in the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs. These LMC’s are located everywhere from Arden Hills to White Bear Township. Click here for a complete list of these active Labor Management Committees.

Current Business Agent Todd Doncavage agrees that the Eden Prairie partnership is a special one. “Our members work hard for Eden Prairie and, in turn, city management has great respect for them,” he said. “That level of trust allows everyone to do their best.”

For these 49ers and the city, the honor is not a stopping point, but rather a time to briefly pause and celebrate. Union members and city staff are both focused on more projects that will make America’s most livable city even better.

“We anticipate more growth and some redevelopment,” said Neal. “We also are very excited at the prospects of a light rail transit project that will connect Eden Prairie with Downtown Minneapolis by 2015. None of this gets done without hard work and cooperation. And I am confident that by working with our employees of the Local 49 we can accomplish these new ventures and much more.”