Origins: How Dave Pokorney Helped Transform Chaska from Flood Zone to The Best Small Town in Minnesota

Why does downtown Chaska look the way it does? How did a small river town of 8,000 people become one of the most sought-after suburbs in the Twin Cities metro?

This is the first episode of “Origins”—a new series exploring the backstory of things Carver County residents take for granted. And there’s no better place to start than with Dave Pokorney, who served as Chaska’s city manager for 25 years.

In this conversation, Dave walks us through the strategic decisions that transformed Chaska: a $49 million flood control project that removed downtown from FEMA flood maps, a municipal electric utility that still saves residents 10% on their bills, a community center that won national awards, and a golf course deal partly negotiated at a bar in Colorado.

We dig into the relationship with the Bernardi family (who owned 80% of Chaska’s future development land), the Cloverfield neighborhood’s innovative school partnership, and why the city council’s simple filter—”Will this help us be the best small town in Minnesota?”—made all the difference.

Whether you’re a longtime Chaska resident curious about the history under your feet, or someone considering a move to eastern Carver County, this conversation provides context that no real estate listing ever could.

Topics covered:

• The 1965 flood and downtown Chaska’s pre-levy challenges
• Federal, state, and local funding for the flood control project
• How municipal utility ownership works and why it matters
• The community center’s evolution from YMCA model to destination facility
• Town Course golf and the Hazeltine parking lot connection
• Cloverfield’s neighborhood school concept
• Strategic city planning and managing growth
• Infrastructure advantages for Chaska’s real estate future
• Why Victoria may become Carver County’s largest city

Guest: Dave Pokorney, Chaska City Manager 1984-2009

Host: Greg Anderson, RE/MAX Advisors West | 3,000+ homes sold since 1985