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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-2003 WinterWinter, 2002 - 2003 gift • • • •• • "Share the Joy," the holiday giving and receiving prograrr Friends in Need Food Shelf, is seeking the help of all residen viding food and gifts to needy families and children. Friends expects to help almost 380 area families during the holidays. Each family that registered for Share the Joy will receive the kids and a $40 gift certificate to a local grocery store. If you are able to help defray the cost of grocery certiticat please send your donation to Friends in Need Food Shelf, P C Cottage Grove, MN 55016. Write "Share the Joy" on the mere If you would like to adopt a family or child for holiday gif contact Bobbie Tufenk, coordinator of Share the Joy 2002, pia 554 -0925. Call her as soon as possible, but no later than De "Share the Joy" is also seeking volunteers to help with th bution of food and gifts on Dec. 21. Please come to the Cotta Armory for the 8:30 -10:30 a.m. or 10:30 -1 p.m. shift if you 'e "The need is so great," said Friends in Need Coordinator` Rageth. "We have received about 9,000 requests for food this 2,000 more than we had a year ago, and 4,000 more than to ago. Please help in any way you can." POSTAL Carrier Ro U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. I COTTAGE GROVE Contains a minimum of 10% postconsumer waste 0- RONY OEM Council Comments ............2 Election News ....................2 4th Grade Council Mtg ...... 2 Pet Clinic Grdbrkg ..............3 Pet Licenses, Ordinances ..3 More on City Budget.., ... _.4 New Employees ..................4 Al Rating from Moody's .... 5 Rec Awards ..........................5 Bad Checks ........................5 New Police Officers ............6 Snowmobile Rules, Trails ...... 6 Parking Ban 2 -6 a.m. .......... 6 Nat'l Night Out Award ........ 6 Snow News ..........................7 Public Works Memo Bd ......7 Home Winterizing Tips ........7 CG Company Store ............ 8 'Share the Joy',,,, ..... .8 mayor, City Council and City staff w wish you Y .` peace and joy in this holiday season and throughout the New fear. ly`s ups City bond rating ` Moody s Investor Service recently announced that Cottage Grove's bond rating has been increased from A2 to Al: The rating will make a sub - stantial difference in the inter- est rate the City pays on its debt. ,See article on Page 5. Rin in the se City a ll D 4 Cottage Grove residents and friends are warmly invited to a holiday tree - lighting party from about 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, in front of City Hall. The event revives a "tree - lighting party" tradition in Cottage Grove (last celebrated about 10 years ago). Celebrate winter and the holiday season with caroling, hot refreshments, and great community fun. • •••• • =9 • ••� In September, 2002, the Cottage Grove City Council adopted a preliminary budget and property tax levy for 2003. The 2003 budget includes General Fund expenditures of approximately $1.0,741,000 ($10.74 million), up from $10,258,700 in 2002. This represents an expenditure increase of 4.7% for 2003. Additional budgeted special revenue, capital project, and propri- etary fund expenditures total $10,826,107 for 2003. Tax Leary The 2003 preliminary property tax levy shows an increase of approximately $620,300 from 2002. The total property tax levy is increasing to $9,086,300 from $8,466,080 in 2002. In 2003, debt retirement constitutes 13.1% of the total net levy, up from 11.8% in 2002. One of the City's commitments has been a Pavement Management Program to improve aging streets throughout You are invited the community. Included in the 2003 levy is $1,193,300 for taxpay to attend the Truth in er support of this Pavement Taxation hearing Management Program. This repre at 6:30 p.m. Monday, t sents an increase of $191,000 from Dec. 16, at city Rath 2002. to discuss any questiow An additional $100,000 of the you may have levy increase will be used to replace about the 2003 psroposet Continued on Page 4 Workers string lights on City Hall trees. 2 Rod Hale, Mark Grossklaus share thoughts about City Council Farewell from retiring Council Member ROD HALE "I am somewhat nostalgic about leaving the City Council. My body tells me it's time to leave, but my mind says I will miss all the action. I have now completed 13 years on the Council in addition to a few years on various commissions of the City. Never has our City been in such an exciting time. We have a theme that some of us have used to guide our future: `Big Enough To Serve - You, Small Enough To Know You.' I believe we are certainly ' moving in that direction with very thoughtful deliberation. i To me, one of the greatest privileges afforded a Citizen is to serve your community in elected office. I am grateful for the support the community has given me over the years. Cottage Grove is a great place to serve. Over the years I had the experience of working with a great number of Council people. I am most impressed with the desire of each of them to serve their City unselfishly and to always have the greatest good for the City as their goal. Although I believe that I have initiated many ideas on the Council, I don't think I can take credit for any. Working on the Council is a collaborative effort, and you get things done by working with others cooperatively. People will support what they help to cre- ate, and working on the Council you build that kind of support if you want to get things done. Thank you again." Thank you from incoming Council Member MARK GROSSKLAUS What would the City's newest Council member like to say to the people of Cottage Grove? "Thank you for having confi- dence in me," said d Mark Grossklaus. "I want to hear your voice. Any citizen that has concerns should feel free to contact me at grossklaus @attbi.com or 458- 2879." "I have no personal goals, or goals for the City like more retail," he added. "I'm hoping for more citizen input - to allow res- idents, who are the taxpayers, to participate in decisions at earlier stages of planning so they can be proactive in the planning process." NOTE: Comments by City Council Member Pat Rice, who was re- elected on Nov. 5, will be included in the next issue of the Cottage Grove Reports. City Council Election Results Pat Rice ....................5,911 Mark P. Grossklaus ..5,630 Myron Bailey ............5,113 Gary Kjellberg ..........2,276 Write Ins ......................113 Election went smoothly, City Clerk says City Clerk Caron Stransky said that despite the additional demands of the Nov. 5 election, everything operated well in Cottage Grove's precinct polling places. Some 14,020 persons voted in Cottage Grove, or 69.3% of the total number of registered voters. Some precincts showed more than 75% of all registered voters going to the polls that day. A total of 1,937 new voters registered in Cottage Grove on Election Day. "Elections in Cottage Grove went very smoothly despite new polling places for many voters, thanks to the hard work of our elec- tion judges," Stransky said. "Some of the judges didn't even have a chance to eat dinner until they finished counting ballots at 2 or 2:30 a.m. Under difficult circumstances - doing both electronic and hand counts of the ballots - they did a great job." Meet the 4th Grade Council Fourth graders from Armstrong School toured City Hall and the Police Department and conducted a mock City Council meeting in early November. Shown at left are the Mayor and City Council members chosen from Mrs. Rose Ross's class: (from left) Samantha Johnson, Jordan Ward, Mayor Hilary Barclay, A. J. Wanta, and Sarah Wenner. Mayor Sandy Shiely (behind Hilary) was on hand to help with Council protocol. V O PUBLIC WORKS MEMO BOARD CITY RIGHT OF WAY Any item installed or placed in the City's right of way, including landscaping, retaining walls, decorative rocks, lawn ornaments, shrub- bery, garbage containers, bas- ketball hoops, and irrigation heads must be reviewed with the Public Works Dept., 458- 2808. The City will not reimburse owners for any snowplow dam- age to personal property, including items mentioned above, in the right of way. Only items which are installed properly and are allowed by City ordinance will be consid- ered for repair or replacement at City expense. NUMBER YOUR HOME Safety considerations (and a City ordinance) require all homes to be marked with house numbers that are easily visible from the street. Please make sure you are complying with this ordinance. LIGHT UP THE SEASON The City of Cottage Grove invites you to join the Mayor and City Council as we revive the tradition of a community tree - lighting. The event is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. with the lighting of the grounds at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, in front of City Hall. Ring in the season and enjoy treats and music before the Council meeting at 7:15 p.m. TREE DISPOSAL SITE When the season is over, fresh trees may be taken to the NRG compost site at 95th and Glendenning Rd. for disposal. The site will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first two weekends in January. Cost is $1.50 per tree. 7 SNOW FORT ALERT! Parents - make sure your child's snow fort is �g set well back from ° I " the street and driveway. It is dan- gerous to build snow forts in the mound of snow left by plowing, since plow drivers cannot see the children in the fort. PLEASE HELP WITH HYDRANTS We need your help in keep- ing fire hydrants accessible throughout the snow season. City crews do try to clear the fire hydrants after plowing, but help from the neighbors is appreciated - especially during periods when there are con- secutive days of snow accu- mulation and plowing. PLEASE - NO SNOW IN STREETS Placing snow in the street or plowing across a street is against State law and City code. For the safety of drivers and pedestrians, homeowners must shovel or blow their snow onto their own property or boulevard. Winterize your home with this checklist The Cottage Grove Building Division offers the following checklist to help you prepare your home for winter: ✓ Leaves and debris hinder the usefulness of your gutters. Take some time to clean out and prepare your gutters for wet weather. ✓ Check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. L • Shut off and drain exterior water spigots to avoid bursting water pipes. ✓ Seal any cracks in siding or trim that may have appeared this summer and provide a good coat of paint if necessary. • Check heating systems: replace filters, cover air conditioners, and light your gas fireplaces so you are well prepared for our next Minnesota season. • Many residents have made energy- efficient changes to their homes that have greatly decreased the availability of fresh air infiltration. Also, many new homes have been provided with residential venti- lation systems. Make sure all cores and filters have been cleaned and /or replaced as required by the appliance manufacturer. • Wood- burning fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected periodically by a qualified contractor. Assure proper ventilation for wood - burning fireplaces and gas appliances. • Building permits are required for most home improvement projects, including decks, sheds, garages, basement finishing, mechanical /plumbing equipment replacement, swimming pools, lawn sprinkler systems, driveways, and room additions. If you have questions or need project planning assistance, please call the Community Development Department at 651- 458 -2877. From the Police Blotter - new officers, awards, ordinances The Cottage Grove Police Department welcomes three new employees this fall: Andrea Selby was hired through the Accelerated Recruitment Program, r in which certified para medics who are seeking R ZT1, careers in law enforcement may be hired as paramedics until their law enforcement schooling is done. She comes from the Healtheast Ambulance Service. David Liermann has been hired as a Police Officer after serving as a Public Safety 2 Communications Dispatcher with the Cottage Grove Police Dept. He will spend the next three months in an inten- sive field training experience. Heather Veenstra has been hired as a Community Service Officer, and will assist the Department with animal control and licensing, code enforcement, and sery . in ice calls. PARKING BAN 2 -6 AM The On- Street Parking Ordinance is now in effect, and continues until April 30, 2003. No vehicle may be parked on any residential street between 2 and 6 a.m. Parking is permit- ted at other times as long as it does not obstruct the removal of snow and ice by City plows. Please help our Public Works Dept. in their efforts to clear snow this winter, and park your vehicle in your garage or drive- way. NAT'L NIGHT OUT WINS! The National Assn. of Town Watch honored Cottage Grove for the National Night Out cele- bration held at Woodridge Park last August. More than 1,800 residents attended the event. Congratulations and thanks to all who planned and participat- ed in National Night Out. Snowmobilers - check rules, trails Times, approved trails, and operator requirements are all cov- ered by snowmobile regulations in Cottage Grove City ordi- nances. The regulations apply to anyone operating a snowmobile in Cottage Grove. All snowmobiles must be registered with the state. After Dec. 1, they may be operated on approved trails at the following times: Sunday - Thursday ....................7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday - Saturday ......................7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Snowmobile operators under 12 years old are not allowed on public lands, waters, or roadways. Those 12 and 13 years old may drive a snowmobile on public lands and waters (but not roadways) with a safety certificate; 14 -17 year olds are allowed on public lands, waters, and roadways with a safety certificate. Under City ordinance, snowmobiles are NOT allowed on Jamaica Avenue from 70th St. to E. Pt. Douglas. On public road- ways, snowmobiles must be operated in a single file next to the right -hand curb line at less than 30 miles per hour, and must have a working headlight and taillight. Operators must make sure they take the most direct public roadway to and from the designated snowmobile trail, and all drivers and passengers must wear helmets. Cottage Grove Snowmobile Trails 0 Park Grove Pet Clinic to build new facility The Park Grove Pet Clinic broke ground in mid - November for a new facility on 79th St. and Hemingway, across from City Hall and the Library. Shown here are Dr. Dan Cedarstrom, DVM, (5th from left), owner of the Pet Clinic; Dr. Richard McConnell, DVM, (far left); Mayor Sandy Shiely (far right); Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, architects, builders, and City staff. The clinic, which will open in early 2003, will continue to be the impound facility for the City, and to offer a full range of veterinary services. It is moving from its present location on 80th because of the Kohl's Dept. Store development. Have a pe Ch lic or d i nance 5 PET LICENSES DUE BY DEC. 31; CITY HALL OPEN EVENING, WEEKEND HOURS City Hall will be open extra hours in December for the convenience of Cottage Grove pet owners who need to purchase or renew animal licenses. Pet licenses for the year 2003 must be purchased by Dec. 31, 2002. Proof of current rabies vaccination must accompany the application for a license. 2003 license fees will be $15 per animal for spayed /neutered animals, or $20 for animals that have not been spayed or neutered. After Jan. 1, 2003, a $2 per month late fee will be assessed. Checks should be payable to the City of Cottage Grove. The check, proof of current rabies vaccination, and license form should be mailed or delivered to Cottage Grove City Hall, or delivered to the Utility Bill drop box in front of City Hall or at Cub Foods. The mailing address is 7516 80th St. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016, ATTN: Pet Licensing. Licenses may be purchased during regular City Hall hours, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or during the extended hours listed here. With questions, call Judy at 651 -458 -2800. Sat., Dec. 14 . .............................10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Wed., Dec. 18 ... .........................4:30 -6 p.m. Sat., Dec. 28 . .............................10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Mon., Dec. 30 ... .........................4:30 -6 p.m. MULTIPLE ANIMAL LICENSES Under a new ordinance adopted in October by the City Council, any residence maintaining 4 or 5 dogs and cats must apply for a Multiple Animal License. A mandatory review process will include the notification of adjoining property owners, who have the option of commenting on the request. City departments, the Public Safety, Health and Welfare Commission, and the City Council will be involved in the review process to determine if a license will be issued. F. 1 104; Will 0 f] IcG�t 'f y��yy_li�i�,1LK�7!_IG�:IVDKO; SI City ordinances prohibit the following: Keeping an unlicensed dog and/or cat within the city. Owners of properties in excess of 10 acres in either AG 1 or AG2 zoning dis- tricts and having active farming operations are exempt from the licensing of cats. However, the cats must be vaccinated against rabies. Keeping as a pet any animal that is normally considered to be wild, ferocious, or vicious by nature, habit, disposition, or char- acter. (Note: a specific list of exotic and wild animals follows in the City ordinance. Make sure your animal is legal in Cottage Grove.) Keeping a total of six (6) or more dogs and/or cats at a single residence. Keeping a total of 4 -5 dogs and/or cats without obtaining a "Multiple Animal License." Running a kennel (where dogs and /or cats are kept for sale or accepted for breeding, boarding, and /or training) in a single- family dwelling residential district. In zoning districts AG1. AG2, and RI, kennels are allowed by conditional use permit only. For more information, please call the City Clerk's office at 651- 458 -2814. L,eM V T Cont. from Page I aging playground equipment throughout the community. The remainder of the levy increase, approximately $329,000, represents approxi- mately a 3.8% increase over the 2002 levy. This 3.8% increase is approximately equal to the growth plus infla- tion that Cottage Grove has experienced over the past year Property Taxes Paid Based on the Preliminary 2003 Levy and Budget, the tax dollars paid by a home valued at $150,000 (that experienced a taxable market value appre- ciation of 10 %) are expected to decline approximately $14 or 2.2 %. Parcel specific notices for each property will be sent out by Washington County during the month of November. Property Tax Rates The property tax extension rates for the City are expected to decrease for taxes payable in 2003. The preliminary tax extension rate for 2003 is expected to be approximately 42.2/0. The reduction for 2003 can be attributed to growth in the total City -wide Tax Capacity, which grew 20 %. You are welcome to attend the Truth in Taxation hearing at 6.30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at City Hall to discuss any questions you may have about the 2003 proposed budget and tax levy. Cottage Grove 2003 Budget Highlights The preliminary budget for 2003 for the City of Cottage Grove includes funding for a few new positions. The General Fund por- tion of the budget includes approximately $40,000 for the addition of a City Engineer position. The remainder of the position funding will come from charges directly to construction projects. Other bud- geted positions include a part -time Management Information Systems position, as well as a part -time Building Inspector position. Other 2003 budget initiatives include significant equipment purchases for Park Maintenance and Street Maintenance functions, as well as additional equipment purchases for Public Safety and for Recreation programs. In the equipment replacement fund, there is $500,000 allocated for the replacement of the 1976 aerial fire truck. Starting with the 2003 budget, the Council has allocated up to $100,000 per year for the replacement of playground equipment and park shelters. The 2003 budget also continues setting aside $100,000 per year, to be used for future pavement management projects. In the enterprise funds, improvements are planned in the Customer Information System to address weaknesses in the current utility billing software. In addition, by contracting out the utility meter reading in 2003, utility staff will be able to increase the efforts to install additional automated meter reading capabilities which will in turn increase future efficiencies in the meter reading area, and provide the ability to provide more customer account efficiencies. In fleet maintenance, the fuel station software and equipment is anticipated to be replaced. An ongoing budgetary and operational interest is the Cottage Grove Ice Arena. Significant improvements to the facility were com- pleted in 2000 and 2001 in reaction to failure of the ice sheets dur- ing that time period. Since 2001, we have been working to recover a customer base lost during 1999 and 2000 when the arena was closed. The budget for 2003 includes a tax levy to support the oper- ations of the Ice Arena. The City currently runs utility operations for water distribu- tion, sanitary sewer, storm water maintenance, and street lighting functions. The Water Utility rates are anticipated to increase for 2003 by $0.05 per 1000 gallons to cover the additional costs for the automated meter reading service improvements. Sewer Utility rates will remain the same for 2003 as the 2002 rates. The Storm Water Utility was created in late 2001, and the rates will remain the same for 2003. The Street Light Utility rates will increase $0.50 for 2003, which is the first increase since 2000. In areas where light poles, fixtures, and wires are owned by Xcel Energy, the quarterly charge will be $1.7.50. In the area with munic- ipally owned lights, the quarterly rates will be $13.00. WELCOME TO THESE NEW CITY EMPLOYEES: AT LEFT: (from left) Andy Bushey, Public Works mechanic; Tami Newton, Parks; Leah McNamara, Finance Accounting Clerk; Scott Nelson, Parks; and Monica Percic, Public Works Management Analyst. AT RIGHT: new City building inspectors Andy McLean, left, and Steve Most. Moody's Investor Service recently informed the City of Cottage Grove that the City's bond rating has been increased from A2 to Al. Moody's said, "The Al rating reflects the city's growing and diverse economy, historically strong financial operations, and a manageable debt burden." This positive news, combined with the recent refinancing of two bond issues, will result in approximate- ly $500,000 in interest savings over the next 15 years, $233,000 in just the next four years. The prelimi- nary property tax levy for 2003 adopted in September will be lowered by $48,000 when the final budget and levy is adopted in December. Cottage Grove has experienced growth in tax base over recent years: the annual growth in property val- uations has averaged 9% over the past five years. In addition to growth in the overall tax base, the tax base has also diversified in the past 10 years. In 1992, the ten largest taxpayers represented over 22% of the total tax base. Recent accounts now have the 10 largest taxpayers making up just under 14% of the total tax base. Moody's commented on "the strong financial operations reserves as evidenced by seven years of operat- ing surpluses" and commented on "the favorable general fund reserves and the actions the City of Cottage Grove recently took providing financial flexibility in the event of a downturn," which provides the ability to mitigate the impact of cuts in State aid revenues. According to Moody's, "While the city's debt burden is above average at 4.5 %, it will remain manageable due to significant non -levy revenue support, rapid amortization of principal, and projected tax base growth. The debt burden largely reflects overlapping government entities, primarily the local school district. With population growth expected in the area, Moody's believes that ongoing capital needs for both the City and overlapping entities will continue to keep the debt burden at an above average level for the medium term. However, Moody's expects that continued tax base growth will help offset impact on the City's tax burden. Debt service comprises a significant 22% of operating expenditures. However, almost all of the City's general obligation debt is supported by non -tax levy sources, specifically special assessments, water and sewer rev- enues, and tax increments, which help mitigate the impact on the general levy." City staff points out that, the Moody's rating increase reflects years of restrained operating growth, con- stantly looking for operating improvements and efficiencies, using opportunities to reorganize, regroup, and improve operations when we have the chance, ensuring that revenues exceed operating expenditures, mar- ket value growth, planning for future growth through infrastructure development timed with that growth, fiscal controls, monitoring debt, and controlling other expenses. West, both of the Recreation Dept., for producing award - winning Public Service Announcements that feature the Rec staff and Freckles, the Rec mascot, promoting recy- cling and recreation in Cottage Grove. Congratulations...