Excelsior Transitions to Organic Land Management
Excelsior has launched the “Parks for a Sustainable Future” program. In partnership with the Rotary Club of Lake Minnetonka-Excelsior, Beyond Pesticides and Osborne Organics, the initiative supports the creation of transition to organic, pesticide free practices for The Commons.
The Commons has three main features:
- The “Great Lawn:” The high traffic area serving concerts, picnics and other gatherings is being transitioned away from chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
- Commons ballfield: This historic 55,555 square foot ballfield space was built during the WPA and has frequent summer use. The field is currently being redesigned and maintained using organic methods.
- The Lake Minnetonka shoreline encompasses around 14,000 square feet and is free of synthetic chemicals. Organic land management is being used to create healthier turf and ecosystems.
The transition to organics happens by:
- Eliminating herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilizers in high-use public spaces;
- Training city staff in organic practices to ensure long-term, sustainable maintenance;
- Prioritizing community health, biodiversity, and lake protection through safer, nature-based care;
Volunteer activism played a critical role. Excelsior council member Jennifer Caron and Horticulturist Colleen Lockovitch, founder of the “Uncommon Gardeners,” helped launch this push toward chemical-free, pollinator-friendly landscaping.
Shorewood Approves 2026 Police and Fire Budgets
On Aug. 25 the city council approved both budgets for South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) and the Excelsior Fire District (EFD). The department chiefs each gave brief explanations of proposed increases and cuts in their 2026 budgets.
Watch the discussion here (start at minute 12:14).
- SLMPD requested an 8.4% increase for 2026. Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood and Tonka Bay run the police department through a joint powers agreement (JPA). See the chief’s explanatory memo and budget here (start at p. 122).
- EFD asked for an 18.28% increase primarily due to the required purchase of SCBAs (air packs for each fire fighter) and related equipment. Read the cover memo and see the budget here (see p. 125). The EFD is governed by a separate JPA. Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood, Tonka Bay and Deephaven pay for funding for the EFD. Shorewood pays about 41%.
Council members asked a series of clarifying questions to further understand the process used. Overall the council was supportive of the requests and recognized that both organizations had pared costs without affecting public safety. Recognizing the $1/hour raise for the firefighters, council member DiGruttolo emphasized her support by saying “if we are paying our administrative person $34/hour, we should certainly not be complaining about a very small increase that pays our fire fighters $22 or $25 an hour.”
Both budgets were approved unanimously.
Is Rubber Stamp the Expectation?
The August 11 council meeting saw council member DiGruttolo stepping up her quest for transparency and accountability. Specifically, she asked for discussion of a consent agenda item: the new office admin hire. She questioned the $100,000+ cost (includes salary and benefit) suggesting it was high for the job description: tracking building permits and inspections, answering phones and meeting the public at the reception desk (per Admin. Nevinski). She was met with resistance from Nevinski who defended the hire saying it followed the salary guidelines approved by the council in 2023 (p. 56). (The employee handbook and salary guidelines are not available on the city web site.)
“The average salary for an administrative assistant is $21.95 per hour in Minnesota. 2.4k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (Indeed.com updated August 10, 2025).”
There were 150 applicants for the position. At the time of this meeting an offer had already been extended to the finalist. Consequently, the council was too late in the process to discuss what essentially is a $100,000 (with benefits) annual expenditure before the decision was made. The item was on the consent agenda, which means to be approved by the council without discussion.
Reminder: Shorewood is a Plan A statutory city. This means the elected city council (mayor + council members) makes the decisions while the staff implements them.
Watch the meeting video here (Chapter 8 – start at hour 1:03)
Read the memo (Item 2F, p. 38)
