Council confirms routine annual appointments, names Eden Prairie Sun Sailor official newspaper

The Eden Prairie City Council carried a slate of annual appointments and organizational items required by state statute, including designating the Eden Prairie Sun Sailor as the city’s official newspaper and appointing council members to local and regional boards.

City staff explained that state statute requires a physical newspaper office for official publication, and the council moved to adopt a resolution naming the Eden Prairie Sun Sailor as the official city newspaper for 2025. The motion passed by council voice vote.

The council also adopted a resolution setting the official 2025 meeting dates, times and places for city council meetings and appointed Council Member Kathy Nelson as acting mayor, following the city’s historic practice of designating the longest-serving council member in that role. Other appointments approved by motion included city council members serving as commissioners for the Eden Prairie Housing and Redevelopment Authority (with Ron Case identified as chair in the motion), designation of Public Works Director Robert Ellis as director and Council Member Mark Freiberg as alternate to the Suburban Rate Authority, appointments to the Fire Relief Association board (including Finance Manager Tommy Wilson), and delegates and alternates to the National League of Cities and the Municipal Legislative Commission.

On regional panels, the council approved appointments to the Southwest Cable Commission and the I-494 Commission, and nominated Greg Lieber, executive director of the Eden Prairie Community Foundation, as the city’s nominee for an at-large Southwest Transit Board seat; the Transit Board will vote on that appointment at its Jan. 16 meeting. Several motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote without extended discussion.