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Home My WebLink About1992 Decemberr* o0v All Residents Invited! o Refreshments Singing by Grey Cloud Elementary School Choir 0 016* Hofida y Giving r pport these local holiday collections! Many area businesses and organizations are supporting the Toys for Tots program which helps local families. Toys for Tots is coordinated this year by the "Friends in Need" food shelf. The deadline for toys will be Dec. 15. Please give generously! Toys for Tots Dropoff Barrels: Fantasy Cruise Bingo, Colleen's Hair Studio, Plaza Video, Hampton Bank, Norwest Bank, First Bank Other Holiday Donation Programs: Cub: Food dropoff; small change collection at checkout lines for "Friends in Need" First Bank: Cash donations for "Friends in Need" Norwest: "Tree of Warmth" (hats, mittens, gloves) food dropoff for "Friends in Need" Rainbow: Salvation Army Belhinger; Santa Anonymous Park H.S: Food and gifts for "Friends in Need" Many elementary schools: Food drives r� printed on recycled paper POSTAL PATRON Carrier Route Presort Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID PERMIT NO. 1 Cottage Grove, MN 55016 LOCAL POSTAL PATRON December, 1992 Happy Holidays from the Mayor, City Council and city staffs INDEX .. Tax Rates ...............1 Budget Award ...... l Mayor's Column ...2 City Plan ................3 Jamaica Hearing .3 Autumn Events .....4 Commissions .........5 Pet Licenses ..........5 Hist. Preservation ..6 Public Works .........7 Tree Lighting .........8 Holiday Giving ......8 by Kevin Frazell City Administrator Cottage Grove property owners have received their "Proposed and Final Tax Notice" showing the anticipated 1993 tax levy for the city, county and school district. For the first time, this notice is parcel - specific, meaning that it shows the The city is extremely proud to announce that its 1992 budget has received the much - coveted Distin- guished Budget Presenta- tion Award from the Gov - emment Finance Officers Assn. of the United States and Canada. This award, granted after independent review by a panel of budget experts from throughout the country, recognizes the budget of a local gov- exact impact on your individual parcel of property if the city, county and school district adopt their tax levies as proposed. The notice also shows when and where you can attend a public hearing to learn more about these spending programs and voice your opinion. The net city levy (net meaning the dollars actually paid by Cottage Grove residents after deduction of state aids), is proposed at $2,694,757, a 2.7 per cent increase over 1992. Because of changes made by the legislature to grant more property tax relief to upper - bracket homesteads and commer- cial /industrial property, the impact on individual ns award emment that is particu- larly effective as: • a policy document • a financial plan • an operations guide • a communications device. This award is the highest form of recogni- tion in governmental budgeting and represents a significant accomplish- ment by Cottage Grove management and elected officials. taxpayers will vary. Homesteads valued at $115,000 or less will see the greatest percentage increase, about 6 per cent. For the "average" Cottage Grove home, this will mean around $15 per year more in city taxes. Homes of higher value and other types of property will experience little increase or even decreases in their tax bill. The General Fund budget for next year is proposed at $6,648,000, a 2.5% increase over 1992. Essentially a "mainte- nance level" service level and spending plan, there are no new programs or employees (the city currently has 101 full- time employees.) There is a slight increase in the commit- ment to contract seal - coating of city streets. The budget also has to provide for payment of approximately $100,000 Cont. on Page 4 2 ..+ by Jack Denser Mayor of Cottage Grove It has now been one year since I was elected Mayor of Cottage Grove and took office on Jan. 1. It has been a very busy and rewarding year with many things happening in our great city. Girl Scout Gold Award Recently I had the unique opportunity to attend the "Girl Scout Gold Award" ceremony of Jennifer Werrback. Jennifer is the first person to receive this prestigious award in this community. Congratulations, Jennifer! Wilmer Retiring In January, 1993, one of our city employees, Wilmer Holz, will be retiring. The city, his fellow workers and the citizens of Cottage Grove will surely miss this loyal and dedicated employee, but we all want to wish him and Louise a long and happy retirement. Halloween Parade Congratulations to the Chamber of Commerce and their committee for sponsoring a very suc- cessful Halloween Parade and party this year. More than 1,100 children and parents enjoyed the Teddy Bear Band at the Gold Rush. Congratula- tions to all the float and contest winners and all the people who put so much work into making this a community event. All contestants were winners. E.D.A. Director I would like to welcome aboard Kirstin Barsness to the Economic Development Depart- ment. This is a new position for our city. The City Council and Eco- nomic Development Authority have set their priorities, with the highest emphasis on: 1) industrial uses; 2) commercial service; 3) commercial retail; and 4) residential — high -end housing. Kirsten will begin her new duties with the city on Nov. 30. Election The election polls in Cottage Grove were very busy places on Nov. 3. More than 78.3 percent of the population voted, and we had 2,181 new registrations. The results of the President's election were 5,942 for Clinton & Gore; 3,312 for Bush and Quayle; and 3,308 for Perot and Stockdale. What a great turnout! Tree Lighting On Dec. 6, the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce will host the 3rd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at City Hall. The Grey Cloud Elementary Choir will sing Christmas carols, and the Chamber of Commerce will pro- vide refreshments. Everyone is encouraged to attend this annual event. Development In your travels through the city, you will find many new and exciting things happen - ing, such as the South Community Counseling Service's purchase, renovation and move into the old Woody's building. If you are longing for that chance to improve your golf game and can't wait until next spring, you won't have to. The new All Season Golf Dome should be completed around the middle of December for your golfing pleasure. The Cottages (Senior Housing) are under con- struction with completion due by next spring. They will help fill the need for senior housing and will certainly be an asset to our community. Sunbelt Auto Sales has been approved, and will fill the now -vacant 5- State Auto Building on E. Pt. Douglas Rd. School District 833 is in the process of complet- ing a lease agreement with the Housing and Re- development Authority on the old Country Club and Cub buildings on E. Pt. Douglas Rd. They will move their district offices and other departments to the buildings after exten- sive remodeling. With the completion of road improvements and refurbishing of the empty buildings, E. Pt. Douglas should have a new and improved look. Holiday Greetings? Marlys and I would like to wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year! Winter Parking Regulations � Another Halloween has come and gone, although not as bad as the `91 storm. The snow plows have been out and about early again this year. Cars parked on the street during snowplowing cause a problem for the drivers and your neighbors by not allowing work to be completed in a timely manner. Here's a reminder about the Cottage Grove parking regulations: • No parking 2 to 6 a.m. It is illegal for any vehicle, trailer or implement to be parked on any street between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. from Oct. 1 to April 13; • Or, no parking, period Vehicles, trailers and implements may not be parked on any street during the removal of snow and ice until the street has been plowed curb to curb. Senior Citizens' Water Bill Discount The City Council has revised the discount policy related to water usage by senior citizens. The city will allow a 50 percent discount for water usage up to 15,000 gallons. The previous policy was a 50 percent discount for all water usage. The sanitary sewer discount for seniors remains at 50 percent. 4 QP 4 0 N a b Check heaters, fireplaces to prevent fires With the advent of the heating season, the Build- ing Inspection Department of the City of Cottage Grove urges all homeowners to check their home m heating units. There may be danger there! � J . Woodburning Heaters and Fireplaces The most important item to check before using the woodbuming appliance is the physical condition of the unit. Also verify that the unit is approved by a recognized testing laboratory. Be sure to check for soot content. A rule of thumb is if you have one -fourth inch of soot in the flue area, you should have it cleaned. Never leave a fire unattended. And be sure the unit has combustion air (fresh air from outside) for proper operation. Gas- and Oil -Fired Furnaces In older units, the physical condition should be checked annually. A safety check by a professional using special equipment to check for various gases and to check burner operation is highly recommended. Combustion air (outside fresh air) brought into the furnace room improves the burner operation and saves on the fuel bill. By following these suggestions, you will improve your home environment. Re- member: "The life you save may be your own." 04 Snow Removal A friendly reminder for you, your neighbors and the city: snow and ice removed from private property is not allowed to be dumped, thrown or pushed onto public property. This includes boule- vards; except that snow removed from driveways and sidewalks may be placed on adjacent boulevard areas. Basically, what this means is that you should not deposit snow and ice from your property back onto the city street, public property or someone else's private property unless authorized to do SO. Mailboxes and Posts Some residents still have mailboxes and posts that have seen better years. Every year the Public Works Dept. receives calls about mailboxes being knocked over during snowplowing. In most cases, the boxes or posts are not hit by the plows. Snow being thrown up and over the curb is the problem. If your mailbox or post is in bad shape, please repair or replace it before winter REALLY takes hold. Thank you. 6 Try giving a gifi by Robert C. Vogel Historic Preservation Officer Need a special holiday gift? For something unique, why not give one or more of the Perspec- tives in Cottage Grove History booklets, avail- able from the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation? Perspectives in Cottage Grove History is the name of the infor- mational publications series offered by the city's historic preserva- tion department. Copies may be purchased at City Hall, 7516 80th St. S. Cost is $2.95 per booklet. PANORAMA C/TY R H.1 NIA, e'Sw I& rt1N.Rbw Ayy. /yJT i of 1Hi � j pE Suburban Develop- ment in Cottage Grove. by Anne Wedewer Hurlburt. With a Fore- word by Richard E. Lewis. Written by a former city planner, this 15 -page essay traces Cottage Grove's evolution from a rural township with a population of 800 in 1955 to a bustling commuter suburb of 24,000. The transformation from farming to bedroom of Cottage Gr® community was not always smooth, and unlike earlier chapters in Cottage Grove's 150 -year history, the era of "subur- bia" is not over. Pub- lished in December 1987. 15 pages; maps, illustra- tions. �n An Overview of Upper Mississippi Valley Prehistory with Special Reference to Cottage Grove. By David G. Stanley and Robert C. Vogel. In a broadly written overview spanning ten thousand years, Stanley and Vogel sketch the major prehistoric Ameri- can Indian cultures which inhabited and utilized the natural resources of the Cottage Grove area. In spite of the community's suburban appearance, more than two - thirds of Cottage Grove is rural, and many archaeological sites are preserved on farmlands. Cottage Grove is one of a handful of cities nationwide with its own conservation archae- ology program. Published in December 1987. 20 pages; maps, illustrations. Barns in the City: Agrarian Landmarks in Cottage Grove. By Larry Kiaeh. "Imagine," writes architectural historian Larry Much, "the farm- lands of Cottage Grove without any barns." This booklet, the result of a comprehensive inventory of local farmsteads, explores the meaning of bams in the context of the American "big bam" tradition. The barns of Cottage Grove are a vanishing breed — fewer than 70 traditional wooden specimens survive. Published in August 1989. 15 pages; illustrations. Y [mil C! GVD .. y L'i'YC)r. NJ Down by Grey Cloud: The Mississippi River in Cottage Grove History: By Robert C. Vogel. Those interested in sampling some of the rich Grey Cloud Island lore will find a series of "historical snapshots" in this booklet, written by the city's Historic Preser- vation Officer. Based upon data collected during a decade of preservation studies in Cottage Grove, Down by Grey Cloud introduces the reader to the Schilling Archaeological District, Indian mounds, Joe Brown, early trading posts and Indian villages, the abandoned town of Grey Cloud, the oldest surviving lime kiln in the state, and other sites. Published in August 1989. 16 pages; maps, illustrations. MW A cost -share grant has been awarded to Cottage Grove through the Minne- sota ReLEAF Program. This was a competi- tive program; the city's plan was one of i l chosen from the entire metro region. The grant monies will be used to help plant energy - efficient land- scapes near several city - owned buildings. The plantings will block winter winds, encourage winter solar infiltration and help block the summer sun. This is the second grant received by the city. In 1991, Parks and Forestry received $5,000 to aid in planting replace- ment trees city -wide. After finishing their first growing season, the trees are doing well. 3 City's growth areas identifie by Jane Hannestad The Metropolitan governmental agencies Council, a regional Associate Planner and is currently being authority, is required to review the plan to ensure The Cottage Grove reviewed by the Metro - City Council recently politan Council. that it is consistent with regional plans prior to final approval by the City Council. granted initial approval to The city's Compre- a revision to the city's hensive Plan is just that — Comprehensive Plan, comprehensive. It in- which consists of long- eludes such topics as land The plan has been range plans for the city use, housing, historic distributed to adjacent through the year 2000. preservation, energy, • • •' • • •' A. East Draw (Pine Meadow) - 40 Acres D. West Draw (Phase 1) - 279 Acres lssa_l C. Went Draw (Phase 2) - 148 Acres 1997 -2000 01 D. West Dr. (Phase 31 - 203 Acres E. East Draw (Jansen) - 40 Acres F. Eaht Draw (Drive -In) - 120 Acres transportation, utilities, and parks and open spaces. One of the significant findings of the plan is the identification of the city's growth areas through the year 2000, which are shown on the map below. The plan proposed that approximately 830 acres of additional land be included in the Metropoli- tan Urban Service Area (MUSA), which is the area in which public utilities will be provided. Cottage Grove currently has 5,369 acres within the MUSA; with the addition of 830 acres, approximately 29 percent of Cottage Grove will be within the MUSA, with 71 percent remaining rural. During 1993, the city will be reconstructing Jamaica Avenue from 70th Street on the north to East Point Douglas on the south. We would like yourinput! A public forum is planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 13, at Cottage Grove City Hall. This will be an opportunity for area residents and all citizens to raise issues, concerns and give suggestions before we begin to design the improvements. Please plan to attend! TOTAL MUSA EXPANSION — 830 ACRES 1992 -1995 Halloween Parade Big crowds watched and marched in the Annual Halloween Parade in Cottage Grove. 3 r More than 300 young people collected food door -to -door last month to stock the "Friends in Need" food shelf at its new location in the S. Communities Counsel- ing Service building on W. Pt. Douglas Rd. and Belden Blvd. Donations are always welcome! W. Continued from Page 1 of state sales tax, about $60,000 in the General Fund. In an effort to keep tax levy increases to a minimum, the Mayor and Council cut back mod- estly in some areas, including tree trimming, economic development, street sign replacement and publication of this newsletter, the Reports, which will come out four rather than six times next year. Water rates are pro- posed to increase 3% and street lights 5 %; no increase is planned for sewer rates. Slight user fee adjustments are also proposed for the Ice Arena, River Oaks Golf Course, the Municipal Swimming Pool and SoWashCo Ambulance Service. More than $2.2 million, or about one- third of the city's reve- nue, comes from various aids from the State of Minnesota. With a sizable projected budget gap for the two -year `94 -95 biennium, caused primar- ily by increased K -12 school enrollments and Continued on Page 5 5 Openings currently exist for a number of City Advisory Commissions. Generally, these groups meet once a month to discuss issues of impor- tance to the city. Individ- ual citizens are non -paid volunteers with advisory responsibilities to the City Council. Applications are received and filed with the City Administrator's office and are reviewed by the City Council as openings occur. Occasionally, tempo- rary Ad Hoc committees are formed; recent examples were the capital improvements and snowmobiling commit- tees. Interested residents are asked to make appli- cation by Dec. 30, 1992, for appointment to fill 1993 vacancies. Advisory commissions include the following (Commissions with current openings marked with an asterisk): • Parks, Recreation 1993 pet licenses die Jan. 1 POwnersf dogs, cats and exotic pets may apply for 1993 animal licenses now. The licenses are due by Jan. 1. Again this year, the licenses will be issued at Fire Station 2, 8641 80th St. S., Cottage Grove, or may be purchased through the mail using the form at right. A current Certificate of Rabies Vaccination must be presented with the application. Proof that the pet has been neutered or spayed will result in a $5 reduction of the license fee. The only Cottage Grove residents exempt from the cat licensing requirements are those owning properties of 10 acres or more in zones RI, R2, Agl or Ag2. Any questions about rural zones can be answered by City Hall staff at 458 -2800. License fees will remain unchanged from 1992: Non- neutered, non- spayed pet $20 Neutered/ spayed pet $15 Late fee $1 per month (beginning March 1, 1993) Fees for pets owned by senior citizens (65 and older) will be $10 for spayed or neutered animals. 1992 Compliance The Cottage Grove Department of Public Safety is following up on delinquent 1992 dog and cat licenses. If you have not yet purchased your 1992 license, please do so before additional late fees are added. Failure to purchase a 1992 license may also result in a citation which could bring a court fine. & Natural Re- sources Commis - simt ** Planning Commis- sion • Public Works Commission ** Public Safety, Health & Welfare Commission • Human Rights Commission If you are interested in serving on a commis- sion or Ad Hoc Commit- tee, please contact Amy at 458 -2833. Continued from Page 4 the cost of medical care for the elderly and disabled, many state officials are questioning whether the property tax relief support for cities and counties can con- tinue. Cottage Grove officials, as a part of the 1993 budget preparation process, have begun work on contingency plans in case of major aid losses. The city's budget hearing is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1992, at Cottage Grove City Hall. All residents are welcome. APPLICATION FOR ANIMAL LICENSE (Pet licenses are due Jan. 1, 1993) A copy of the following certificates must accom pany your application: 1) Rabies Vaccination (current) 2) Neutering/Spaying, if applicable Owner's Name _ ' Address _- -- Home Phone ---- _ Work Phone i Check one in each line: 1) Dog _ —_- ____Cat ___Other: 2). Female Male 3) Spayed/Neutered Unspayed/Unneutered Animal's Nance Color Age Breed _ FEES: Make check payable to City of Cottage Grove ' Unspayed/Unneutered ($20.00) — Spayed/Neutered ($15.00) Owner is Senior Citizen ($10.00) Late Fee ($1.00 per month, beginning Mar. 1) TOTAL MAIL TO: Cottage Grove Fire Department, 8641 80th St. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016 Note: Please call Fire Station #2 (458 -2809) before mailing in renewal licenses. L__________________J