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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-2001 Winterro /Mgr..Bruce Anderson Safety -James Kinsey Works..Les Burshten ..,, Web Site: www.cottage-grove.org City Hall: 7516 80th Street South Cottage Grove, MN 55016 Open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday- Friday !, •' River Oaks Golf Course Sunday, Dec, 10 Great brunch menu! $6.95 Ages13- Adults $3.95 Children 6 -12 Free for Children 5 & Under Visit with Santa and give him your list. Santa's elves will take pictures with Santa for only $2.00. See Santa's reindeer on the GoV Course! Reservations: 651 -438 -3627 Warmest holiday greetings to everyone in Cottage Grove from, the Mayor, City Council, and City Staff: Winter 2000 -2001 Sandy Shiely elected mayor; Kohls & Wolcott win; applications open for new Council member Police News........t.. Home Humidity Tips. Street Parking Ban .....7 Brunch with Santa /Elves ....8 taxes City • remain stable for 00 CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE by Elizabeth Johnson Cottage Grove Finance Director Every year the City Council carefully deliberates the City budget. The Council takes into consideration the cost to provide services to citizens, the City tax rate, and total property taxes paid by citizens. The City tax rate is expected to remain stable for 2001. Some budget initiatives for next year include providing for addi- tional staffing and equipment needs for the Fire Division. The budget provides additional capital needs for the Police and Public Works Divisions. Safety equipment is scheduled to be added to the (Cant. on Page 3) 2 City welcomes three new businesses to Industrial Park CCE Technologies' MAYOR JACK DEN - ZER, left, and Don Erkkila, president and CEO of CCE Technologies check out the blueprints for the company's new facility on 95th Street in Cottage Grove. The two were among about 25 people who partici- pated in the ribbon - cutting ceremony at CCE in October. Welcome, CCE Technologies? (2 Tradehome Shoe Stores, Inc. An office and distribution facility for Tradehome Shoe Stores, Inc., will be located on a 4.13 -acre site near Jamaica Ave. and 97th St. in Cottage Grove's Industrial Park. The initial structure will be approximately 50,000 square feet, with future expansion expected to 60,000 square feet. Tradehome has been in business since 1921, and currently has retail outlets in 11 states, including 17 stores in Minnesota. The company was named the top performer among full - service shoe retailers by the Footwear Distributors of America in 1997. Tradehome was the first company to deliver a letter of intent to the City since the Economic Development Authority and City Council adopted the EDA's 2000 -2005 Strategic Plan in April. (I Advance Corp. The Cottage Grove City Council has authorized the Mayor and City Administra- tor to enter into a letter of intent with Advance Corporation for a new manu- facturing facility in Cottage Grove's Industrial Park. The facility will be located on a 6.6 -acre site near Ideal Ave. and 97th St. The initial structure will be approximately 44,400 square feet, with future expansion projected in three additional phases to a maxi- mum of 80,400 square feet. Founded in 1941, Advance Corporation manu- factures corporate recogni- tion awards and interior sig- nage in its Award Line, Braille -Tac, and ID Products divisions. The company has more than 80 employees at the present, time. The coming of Advance Corporation fits well with the Cottage Grove Economic Development Authority 2000- 2005 Strategic Plan, which places a high priority on attracting manufacturing firms. Work begins on revised Nuisance Ordinance Fifteen Cottage Grove res- idents, along with representa- tives of the City Council and Commissions, have begun work on a revised Nuisance Ordinance for the City. At their first meeting Aug. 24, the group listed topics they would like to address, including vehicle parking, unkempt yards, weeds, struc- ture maintenance, fences, exterior storage, fires and open burning, animal con- trol, and sight lines. Since then, the group has begun to discuss fires and open burning, lighting, noise, pet regulations, and animal licensing. The Nuisance Ordinance Work Group meetings are usually held on the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. Due to schedul- ing conflicts during the upcoming holidays, please contact the Community Development Dept. for exact meeting dates. All meetings are open to the public. For further information, contact Martha McBride in the Community Development Dept., 458 -2877. 7 On- Street Parking prohibited to April 1 Cottage Grove residents are reminded that the on- street parking ordinance is now in effect and continues until April 30, 2001. The ordinance prohibits parking on any City street between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. Parking is permitted at other times as long as the vehicle is not obstructing the removal of snow and ice by City crews. Residents are asked to be alert to street plowing schedules after major storms. Please help our Public Works Dept. in their efforts to clear snow this coming season, and park your vehi- cle in your garage or drive- way. Pet licenses due Dec. 31 for 2001 Animal licenses or renewals for the year 2001 are due by Dec. 31, 2000. For your convenience, City Hall will be open for extend- ed hours on three days in December to issue pet licenses. All pet owners will pay $15 per year for spayed or neutered animals, and $20 per year for non - spayed or non - neutered ani- mals. Licenses run from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. A late fee of $2 per month will be assessed beginning Jan. 1, 2001, for pet licenses that have not been renewed. You may use the form below and mail your pet license appli- cation(s), with the fee (payable to "City of Cottage Grove ") and an up -to -date rabies certificate to: City Hall, 7516 80th St. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016, Attn: Pet Licensing. Or, you may complete an application at City Hall during regu- lar office hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You must include the fee and a copy of the Rabies Vaccination Certificate with each application. With any questions, please call City Hall at 458 -2800. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2001 Pet License: City of Cottage Grove ; Date Please: one form per pet. ❑Renewal ❑New ; Owner's Name 0 Address Owns a ❑ Male ❑ Female ❑ Neutered /Spayed ❑ Non - neutered /Non- spayed i Dog named Color , Breed Cat named Color Breed ; If renewing, 2000 license tag number (NOT rabies tag number): Fee ($20 non - neutered /non- spayed; $15 neutered/ spayed): A late fee of $2 per month will be assessed beginning Jan. ; 1, 2001. ; , ❑ Check # ❑ Cash ❑ Mail ❑ In Person (_Make check payable to "City of Cottage Grove ") Owner's Signature Phone: , ; , r• Too much humidity in your home? Check these out from the Cottage Grove CAUSES OF TOO MUCH HUMIDITY Building Division IN THE HOME: Complaints about excessive indoor mois- ✓ POOR VENTILATION: Ventilation is ture have become common in Minnesota as a major moisture control strategy. older homes are weatherized to reduce heating Passive ventilation is important for costs. Standard building practices in the crawl spaces, attics, and other uncon- cheap fuel era produced extremely drafty ditioned spaces. Mechanical ventilation, homes. So much air leaked into and out of the however, is recommended in kitchens, living space that any moisture leaking into the bathrooms, and other high humidity home or created by cooking, bathing, and areas. (All mechanical ventilation MUST other activities disappeared quickly. be exhausted to the exterior.) Today, homes are being built or remodeled ✓ PLUMBING LEAKS: Many small "tighter" to keep the cold air out and the cost- water leaks go undetected for a long ly warm air in. One common unwanted result time. If these leaks are not repaired, is too much indoor moisture. the interior of the home may eventually rot and begin to decay. SYMPTOMS OF EXCESS MOISTURE: ✓ PLANTS: Plants can contribute to excessive moisture indoors. Attached ✓ ODORS: Odors increase in intensity greenhouses may cause moisture prob- with high relative humidity. lems within the shared house wall. ✓ EXTERIOR MOISTURE: Many ✓ FROST AND FOGGING times windows and doors are placed WINDOWS: Frost or ice or replaced without being properly on any surface could be flashed or sealed. Exterior sidings an indicator. may require paint to assure a Condensation on win- proper seal. dows and other smooth ✓ INSULATION: If an attic or surfaces may be a sign outside wall is not properly insu- of excess moisture, or lated, the warm interior air will of the need to stop air condensate at a point of contact leaks, insulate, or warm with the cold exterior air. the surface. PREVENTING EXCESS MOISTURE: ✓ DAMP FEELING: The sensation of dampness is common in areas of high humidity. ✓ DISCOLORATION, STAINING, TEX- TURE CHANGES: Mold, mildew, and water - carrying fungi are often seen as a discoloration that may be black, brown, white, orange, or green. These surface conditions may be located under trim work, carpets, linoleum, between subfloors, and behind cabi- nets and cupboards. ✓ DEFORMED WOODEN SURFACES: Wood swells when it becomes wet and warps, cups, and cracks when allowed to dry. ✓ Make sure you have proper attic and soffit ventilation. • Install proper mechanical interior venti- lation within high humidity areas. • Seal and weather -strip windows and doors. • Repair any leaking water pipes. • Install insulation as needed. ✓ Paint and caulk as necessary. ✓ Provide an air -to -air heat exchanging system. (Contact a licensed mechanical contractor for further information.) Want to know more about how to control home humidity? Contact the State of Minnesota Energy Information Center at 651 -296 -5175. 3 City taxes to remain stable (Cent. from Page 1) Municipal Pool and in various sites in the Water Operating system. General operating expenses in Public Safety and Public Works are expected to receive additional budgetary support, while general administrative expenses remain stable. As planned, debt due to the pavement management program is expected to increase significantly over 2000. The market value on a typical home in Cottage Grove is $125,000. The property tax paid by this homeowner in 2000 is divided as follows: TAXING AMOUNT % OF BODY TOTAL City $434.71 22.9% County 441.20 23.2% School 887.42 46.3% Other 144.35 7.3% Total $1,897.68 99.7% Property tax support for City operations for 2001 equals approximately 54.8 percent of the City's total revenues, which means Were you there? Hundreds walk or watch CG Halloween Parade ibution of CG City Taxes Administration Recreation 11% Qoi that 45.2 percent of revenue comes from other sources. The following chart shows how your total 2000 City property taxes are spent. (This is the amount of City tax for the typical $125,000 home used in the table at left.) Administration $48.67 Public Safety 171.31 Public Works 110.33 Community Development 12.69 Recreation 13.26 Economic Development 4.60 Debt 42.77 Other 31.08 TOTAL $434.71 The pie chart at top shows the same infor- mation in approximate percentages. This means that the cost to the typical household for police protection, snow plowing, street striping, and pot -hole repair is $0.82 per day. Please come to the Truth in Taxation hearing at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at City Hall to discuss any questions you have about the 2001 proposed City taxes. At the Fire Prevention Week Parade Fire Chief Dave Dally at the staging area for fire equipment just before the Fire Prevention Wk. parade. l 2 schools plan D.A.R.E. graduations Congratulations to the sixth graders from two Cottage Grove elementary schools, who will complete the 17 -week D.A.R.E. (drug resistance) program soon. Crestview Elementary will celebrate graduation on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m., and Hillside Elem. on Friday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. Police distributing Vikings cards For the 18th consecutive year, Cottage Grove Police Officers are distributing Minnesota Vikings Football cards to area youngsters. Player cards distributed this fall include Daunte Culpepper, Mitch Berger, Robert Smith, Randy Moss, John Randle, Ed McDaniel, Dwayne Rudd (week of 12/1), and Cris Carter (12/8). The program is sponsored by the American Society for Industrial Security, Olmsted County Safety Council, and Manhein auctions, in cooper- ation with the Minnesota Crime Prevention Assn. Thanks, Officers! City wins award for National Night Out Again this year, the Cottage Grove Police Division received an award for the City's celebration of National Night Out, held last August in Woodridge Park. The Cottage Grove cele- bration was ranked 19th in the nation for cities with a population between 30,000 and 100,000, in a competition sponsored by the National Assn. of Town Watch. Shiely, Kohls, Wolcott share hopes for Cottage Grove Incoming Mayor Sandy Shiely and recently re- elected Council Members Cheryl Kohls and Jim Wolcott were asked about their hope for Cottage Grove and what they consider the biggest challenge for the City in the next few years. MAYOR -ELECT SANDY SHIELY: First, let me tell you how happy, excited, and honored I am that you elected me Mayor. I'm grateful for the opportunity to spend the next four years working for all of you. I have so many hopes. The biggest one is to create more jobs so we'll have more people in Cottage Grove during the day, and can develop the shopping and restaurants we want. I believe that if we develop the Industrial Park, the shopping and restaurants will follow. I think the biggest challenge we face is coming to some kind of agreement about Grey Cloud Island. CHERYL KOHLS: I think the challenge is trying to find a balance between improving the tax situation on the one hand, which usu- ally means construction and building, and main - taining the quality of life - what our citizens really value - on the other. My hope is that we can reach a resolution on Grey Cloud Island that will include a large regional or state park. That would be a wonderful thing for our community and citizens. I also hope we can continue to make Cottage Grove unique and a great place to live. JIM WOLCOTT* I hope Highway 10/61 and the 494 bridge will get started and completed on time. It's important to our citizens who need to get to and from work, and is needed to entice new business to Cottage Grove. Second, t I hope to attract businesses to the Industrial Park which will provide jobs and tax base. I think the biggest challenge is to try to bring in new businesses, including a couple of restau- rants. We have to try to improve the tax capacity of the City - we're quite low in this area. If we increase the tax capacity, we can provide t he services our citizens expect and deserve. Police Division welcomes 4 new staff members The Police Division and the City welcome four new employees to the Police Division staff. Gwen Martin was hired as part of the Accelerated Recruitment Program and has been appointed to the position of Community Service Officer /Paramedic. This program gives certi- fied paramedics who are seeking careers in law enforcement an opportunity to become police officers once they have completed their law enforcement training. Ms. Martin expects to complete her schooling in the spring of 2001. Pam Eggert, Teri Langness, and Julie McGrath have been hired as Public Safety communications dispatchers. 5 Volunteer Police Reserve STOP and help your local police The Cottage Grove Police Division offers many opportu- nities,for citizens to help with crime prevention and neigh- borhood safety. Please con- sider helping with one of these worthwhile Public Safety programs. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH BLOCK CAPTAINS The Police Department is looking for citizen volunteers who would be interested in being Block Captains in the Neighborhood Watch pro- gram. Block Captains are the communication link between the 10 -18 homes in their designated Watch Block, and the Police Dept. Watch Block members learn from the Police how to recognize suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, and when to report that activity to the Police. If you would like to help organize a Watch Block in your neighborhood, contact Community Affairs Officer Greg Reibel at 458 -6025. seeks applicants Applications are now open for women and men interested in joining the Cottage Grove Police Reserve. The Reserve assists Police officers with local parade details, crime scene security, surveillance, ride - alongs, low- priority serv- ice calls, Neighborhood Watch, Summer Safety Camp, and City- wide celebrations like National Night Out and the Great Grove Get Together. They participate in a 10 -week Reserve Academy. Qualifications? A Reserve Officer must be 18 or older, a U.S. citizen, a valid licensed driver, and a high school graduate or the equivalent. Successful candidates will have high standards and a strong moral character. If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Police Reserve program, please contact Officer Greg Reibel at 458- 6025. Applications are available at City Hall or the Police Dept., 7516 80th St. S. An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer r The Cottage Grove Crime Prevention Advisory Board is seeking new members who are willing to volunteer at least one hour of their time per month. The Board is made up of local citizens concerned with the reduction of crime and the promotion of crime pre- vention in Cottage Grove. It works directly with the Police Dept., but is inde- pendent of City government. Board meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Fire Station #2. Persons wanting addi- tional information or who wish to apply to the Board should contact Community Affairs Officer Greg Reibel at 458 -6025. MCGRUFF HOUSE The Cottage Grove Police Dept. is looking for home- owners to participate in the McGruff House program. This is a nationally recognized safe haven program for our children. The children learn about '' McGruff Houses from their D.A.R.E. officers. As a McGruff House owner, you simply agree to open your home as a tempo- rary safe haven for children who find themselves in emer- gency or otherwise frighten- ing situations requiring immediate help. You would display a McGruff House placard, and notify the Police Dept. any time your home is used as a McGruff House. Call Community Affairs Officer Greg Reibel at 458- 6025 for more information. We're on -line! Log on to the Cottage Grove Police Dept.'s interesting, informational web site. The address: www.eottage- grove.org