E. Maple Leaf Award PresentMaple Leaf Award Presentations
Rod Franks, Park & Recreation Cotnmissioner: Rod Franks served as a Park and
Recreation Commission member for seven years, three of those as Chairperson. Mr.
Franks served on the 1997 Park Referendum Volunteer Committee, the 2002 Community
Center Study Group, and the Dave Huffman Memorial Race Committee. Projects
accomplished with the help of Mr. Franks include:
> Acquisition of the Fox property
> The 1998 Trail Connectors
> Roundhouse Renovation
> Marsh Glen Trail
> Hwy 101 South Trail
> Hwy 5 Underpass Trails
> Construction of Bandimere Community Park
> Renovation of City Center Park
> Improvement of 18 Neighborhood Parks
Rod volunteered at all community special events and served as an articulate spokesperson
for the Park and Recreation Commission.
Jim Bohn, Housing & Redeveloptnent Authority/Economic Development Authority
Member: James Bohn was appointed as a commissioner to the Chanhassen Housing and
Redevelopment Authority on July 16, 1979 and has been a commissioner ever since. Mr.
Bohn has served on the HRA and later the Economic Development Authority which have
been responsible for transforming the community from a small, mostly residential town
to the thriving, full-service city we now enjoy. Projects undertaken while Mr. Bohn was
a commissioner include:
· Downtown redevelopment (including the Target, Byerly's, and Market
Square developments, as well as the associated infrastructure
improvements);
· Establishment of several industrial parks which have added millions to the
City's tax base; and
· Creation of affordable housing options such as the Centennial Hills senior
living facility and Heritage Park apartments
The City of Chanhassen is extremely fortunate to have had a resident like Jim Bohn
committed to the economic development of our City 1'or nearly the last quarter century.
His experience and insightfulness has been a tremendous asset to the commissions he
served on, and his presence will surely be missed.
Randy Herman, Southwest Metro Transit Commissioner: Randy Herman has been a
Southwest Metro Transit Commission member since October 1995. Over the years, he
served on the Development Committee for the new Southwest Metro Transit Station, as
Chair of the Budget and Personnel Committee, and as Treasurer and Vice-Chair of the
Southwest Metro Transit Commission. During his tenure, the agency has transformed
from a small no-frills transit authority with virtually no assets, to one of the premier
systems in the State of Minnesota which has an on-time performance that exceeds 99%,
one of the highest safety ratings in the country, a superior customer satisfaction rating
given by over 95% of its passengers, and today has over $45 million in capital assets.
Some of the major accomplishments that have occurred at Southwest Metro Transit under
Randy's leadership include:
· Tripling annual ridership and fare revenue. Currently, Southwest Metro provides
approximately 700,000 rides annually and brings in over $1.5 million in fare
revenue.
* The completion of the region's first complete transit-oriented development - SW
Station in Eden Prairie.
· And under Randy's guidance, the agency secured over $40 million in federal and
state transportation grants.
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