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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995 DecemberWith the holidays coming near, "Friends in Need" food shelf is seeking strong community support to provide a brighter season for needy families. Friends in Need, through its "Share the Joy" holiday giving and receiving program, is now coordinating all holiday assis- tance in the Cottage Grove /Newport/St. Paul Park communities. "Local churches and businesses are channeling requests and donations through 'Share the Joy, "' according to Sue Kainz, food shelf director. 'This should help to ensure that everyone who needs help receives it, while eliminating duplication of effort." Here's how you can help: • The easiest way is to send a check in any amount ($30 will provide a Christmas dinner) to Friends in Need, P.O. Box 6, Cottage Grove; Drop off an unwrapped gift for a child, newborn to age 18, in one of the red barrels at the local banks or Rainbow Foods; Call the Food Shelf, 458 -0730, for complete details on how to adopt a family (deadline Dec. 8). "Our communities have been so generous in helping the people who need a little extra," Kainz said. "THANK YOU for making the holidays special this year for everyone in our communities." WANT TO HELP 'SHARE THE JOY' THIS HOLIDAY SEASON _ I/we would like to adopt a family for food and gifts for the holidays. The family size we can handle is: — Uwe would like to adopt one child for gifts. Approximate age of I child should be - I /we would like to donate $30.00 to help defray the cost of a Christmas food basket. I/we would like to donate $ — I/we would like to donate a Christmas food basket for a needy I family. I will deliver the basket to the Cottage Grove Armory no I I later than noon on Saturday, Dec. 16. I j NAME PHONE ADDRESS (Deadline to submit this form: Dec. Q. 1995) THANK YOU! I I Please mail to `Share the Joy, P.O. Box 6, Cottage Grove, MN 55016" L ------------------ - - - - -J POSTAL PATRON Carrier Route Presort Bulk Rate U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1 COTTAGE GROVE, MN 55016 City of Cottage Grove • 7516 80th Street South • Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016 • (612) 458 -2800 December, 1995 by Kevin Frazeil City Administrator Each Cottage Grove property owner should have received the 1996 'Truth-in- Taxation" statement from the Washington County Auditor's Office. This statement indicates what your property tax bill will be for 1996 if the City, County, School District, and other taxing jurisdictions adopt their final budgets and tax levies as proposed. Although the City plans no increase in its tax rate for next year, your taxes paid will likely be up based on increase in your property value. The City of Cottage Grove's proposed General Fund Budget for 1996 is $7,736,500, up 4.3 percent over 1995. However, after factoring out the impact of a change in how we account for building permit revenues, the actual growth in "real expenditures" is only 3.1 percent. City 1996 GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION — $7,736,500 Community Development (7 %) Police Protection (35 %) Other General Go cooment (8 %) {all/Special Prog (41t) nd /Assessing (3 %) Fire Protectlo.., Administration/ (8 %) arks and Recrea (10%) Public Works (18 %) West Draw Task Force to develop plan by John M. Burbank Associate Planner City of Cottage Grove The West Draw Planning Task Force is a citizen advisory committee created by the Cottage Grove City Council to initiate a creative and pro- active visioning process for the development of the West Draw residential planning district. The West Draw, located in the northwest corner of the City, is the next area of the community slated for urban development. The groundwork completed by the committee will be the officials feel that this rate of increase is modest when com- pared to inflation at approximately 3 percent and continued annual community growth in the range of 4 to 5 percent, The budget makes few changes in City operations. Beyond inflation, small expendi- ture increases are caused by community Cont. on Page 4 basis for the creation of new zoning regulations that will guide land use, infrastructure, and subdivision develop- ment in the area once urban services are available. The Task Force will meet bi- weekly until Cont. on Page 7 Contains a minimum of 10% postoonsumer waste. K Another year is coming to an end, and we have accomplished many things for our City, including: Resurfacing streets in the Thompson Estates Addition; • Remodeling and redecorating City Hall and the Police Station, bringing the heating and air conditioning up to standard; Building three new fire stations; Bringing the present buildings all up to accessibility standards set by the state. We also have some plans for 1996 that we hope can be done, or think should be done: Resuming plans to rebuild 80th Street; Expanding the Community- Oriented Govern- ment concept; • Creating a visioning task force; Addressing the problem of overcrowding at the Public Works Facility; • Planning a Public Safety vision; Continuing the Pavement Replacement project. On Oct. 1, the City held an Open House for the newly remodeled City Hall and Police Department, the new Fire Station #1 on Grange Avenue, and the old Public Works building. Approximately 1,000 people attended, and with such a good turnout we are planning to have another Open House next year, so you can see what is happening at your City offices and work places. Fire Station #3 (Old Cottage Grove) held an open house on Nov. 18, and #4 (Jamaica Avenue in the Industrial Park) will be completed shortly and open for you to visit. In October, many friends and co- workers gath- ered to bid farewell to our Assistant City Administrator, Kelly Frawley, and his wife Kris. Kelly had worked for the City of Cottage Grove for three and a half years, and did an excellent job. He accepted a job as Administrator in the Village of Waunakee, Wis., which is close to his home town. We wish him good luck, and we will miss him. Congratulations to the Chamber of Commerce for another job well done on the Halloween Parade and the party afterwards at the Rodeo. What a great turnout; everyone had a good time! I would like to welcome the newest restaurant to our city: the Cottage Grove Buffet and Grill, located on the corner of Hadley and Grange. Please stop by and patronize our new business, and also the existing businesses in our City. They all appreciate your business. At the end of this year, we will be bidding farewell to two of our long -time City employ- ees. Our Fire Chief, Denis Erickson, will be retiring after 29 years of service in the Public Safety Depart- ment. Before he was Fire Chief, Denis worked as a policeman with our City. Also, Public Works Superintendent Floyd Johnson will be retiring after 25 years with the Utilities Department. Before working for the City, he was assistant manager at Applebaum's Food Market in Cottage Grove. We wish both of these gentlemen and their families many happy years of retirement. Our sincere sympathy to Washington County Commissioner Myra Peterson and her family on the sudden death of her son. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all City employees, their families, and to all the citizens of Cottage Grove! Planning Department i A -T -Z ON ZONING West Draw ... While many aspects of zoning are subject to a Cont. from Page 1 variety of interpretations, the basic concept is the March, 1996, to bring exercise of governmental power to legally regulate forward a recommen- the use of private property and the structures thereon, dation to the City Zoning consists of dividing the community into Council which will districts or zones (e.g., residential, commercial, or satisfy the following industrial), and regulating within such districts the use mission statement: of the land, building heights, building size, and "To reach agree - density of population. Uses may be permitted outright, ment on a recom- with conditions (i.e., "conditional use permit'), or as mended vision and an accessory use to a principal use. master plan that will The City's zoning code consists of two parts — the guide development of map and text. The official zoning map shows the the West Draw MUSA location of different zoning districts where certain expansion and sur- uses are permitted to occur. The zoning text explains rounding areas as a the permitted uses and defines the minimum standard unique residential for each zone. In this way, similar and related uses opportunity. Issues to can be kept together, and dissimilar and unrelated be addressed should uses can be separated so they will not cause an include housing types adverse effect upon each other. The zoning code is a and sizes; lot size and regulatory tool used in implementing the City's configuration; environ- Comprehensive Plan. mental sensitivity, Zoning has a number of purposes, all of which including the va- are related to promoting the public health, safety, existing g natural morals, and general welfare of the community as a amties; designation amenities; whole. Zoning maps are available at City Hall. Oues- of parks and open tions can be directed to the Planning Dept. at 458- space; economic 2827. layout of public infra- structure, and the efficient provision of City services." Thanks to these 13 volunteers, who make up the committee: Karen Britton, Mark Sprong, Paul Wiegand Area Residents Ronald Reimann, Julie Schenk Land Owners Peter Thompson Develo emirs Mike Rygh Members from Citv Commissions Jeff Podoll, Jon Auge, Dean Sorensen, Terry Miller, Pat Rice Doug White it ■ ti 1111 The Planning Commission for the City of Cottage Grove is a nine - member volunteer citizen commission appointed by the City Council and staffed by the Community Development Department - Planning Division. The role of the Planning Commission is to review various planning and zoning- related applications, and make recom- mendations to the City Council based on objective findings. One of the Commission's responsibilities is to conduct public hearings for re- zoning, subdivision, conditional use permits, variance, zoning text amendment, and zoning appeal applications. The time, place, and purpose of the hearing must be published in the "Public Notice" section of the south Washington County Bulletin newspaper at least 10 days before the Planning Commission meeting, and a similar notice must also be sent to each owner of affected property and property within 500 feet of the property in question. The applicant is responsible for providing the City with a certified list of names and addresses of landowners prepared by the County Recorder's Office, title company, or abstract office. The Planning Division mails public hearing notices to those property owners that appear on the certified list. The purpose of the public hearing is to ensure "due process" so that all parties to the proceeding are treated fairly and equally, that all the necessary information is available to all parties, and that the petitioner and all citizens have the right to have their views and arguments heard. The Planning Commission meets regularly on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Meetings are cabiecast live on Channel 12, and are repeated through the month. PLEASE NOTE: this month the Planning Commission will meet on Dec. 18 because Christmas falls on the fourth Monday. All meetings are open to the public. If you have questions concerning the public hearing process or notification, please call the Planning Division at 458 -2827. Fire Chief Denis Erickson Public A REMINDER: It is residents' responsi- bility to keep the approach to mailboxes clear of snow, vehicles, and other obstructions. The letter carrier must be able to deliver your mail without leaving the vehicle or having to back up. Obstructions should be cleared 10 feet on either side of your mailbox, and back to the curbline. In addition, Cot- tage Grove city code, Section 14 -7.1 states, "No parking within 15 feet of any mailbox between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday through Saturday." Your cooperation is sincerely appreciated by the Postal Service and the Cottage Grove Public Works Dept. Tests on tap for private wells A water quality test for private wells is now available to Cottage Grove residents through the City and Washing- ton County. City prop- erty owners may have their wells tested for coliform bacteria and nitrate- nitrogen as indicators of water quality. Water sampling kits are available through Washington County (430 -6655) upon request. When the kit arrives, take a sample of water and bring it to the City's Public Works Dept., 8635 W. Pt. Douglas Rd. Drop -off at the Public Works Dept. will be on Tuesdays only from 7 to 11 a.m., and will continue through Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1996. After Jan. 9, the sample must be taken directly to the Washing- ton County Government Center, 14900 -61st St. No., Suite 429, Stillwater. Test results will be mailed to you. Cost of the test is $25.00. A check or money order made payable to Washington County Treasurer must accompany the sample. If you have any questions, please call Washington County at 430 -6655 or Cottage Grove Public Works at 458 -2808. ,� Mr t, a' Did you know ... That during a typical snow storm, the Cottage Grove Public Works Department dispatches 11 dump trucks with plows, 10 pickup trucks and plows, 1 motor grader, 1 loader with plow, and 1 tractor /blower for sidewalks? In all, 27 Public Works employees are hard at work keeping our streets safe and passable. City crews clear snow and apply deicing agents to cover 140 miles of roadway, including 190 cul -de -sacs, and the parking lots at City buildings. For aver- age snow storms (2- 4"), City streets can be cleared in 8 to 12 hours, and all but the most severe storms are cleaned up within 12 hours. Plow operators are assigned to the same neighborhood for the season, and take pride in serving "their" customers. Residents may call the Public Works Department at 458 -2808 if they want further information. by Bob LaBrosse Cottage Grove Housing Maintenance inspector This time of year, many people are gearing up for winter so they can keep the cold air out and warm air in. With all the energy conservation techniques available to us, we must keep in mind that all natural gas furnaces and water heaters require some type of fresh combustion air. Many older homes have furnaces that require air from within the home. Most newer homes are equipped with a combustion outside - air intake which leads directly to the furnace area. To maintain the best furnace efficiency, all residents should check the air filters and replace as necessary. Also, make certain that all combustion air intake tubes are free and clear of any obstructions. All roof units should be checked so as to be clear of any bird nests or foreign objects. This is a good time to check all spinning turbine roof units to make sure they are working properly. Caulking may be necessary around leaky windows and doors. If any new furnaces and water heaters are to be installed, remember that building permits are required. So, stay safe and have a nice warm winter. Public S afe ty De. P S400 Police begin Jr. High programs in gang, drug education Beginning this December, the Cottage Grove Police Depart- ment will implement two new programs at the new Cottage Grove Junior High School. Seventh grade students will be intro- duced to G.R.E.A.T., the Gang Resistance Education And Training Program, and students in the eighth grade will take part in the D.A. R.E.(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Junior High Program. The G.R.E.A.T. program began in Phoenix, Arizona in 1991, and includes nine sessions on gang prevention written by Phoenix police officers. The D.A.R.E. Junior High Program is an extension of the highly effective D.A.R.E. sixth -grade curriculum. It consists of 10 lessons designed to reinforce the D.A.R.E. message of saying no to drugs and violence, but is taught at a Junior High School level. The two new programs will be taught by Cottage Grove Police Officers Greg Reibel and Mary McGuire. City honored for National Night Out Cottage Grove is one of only 26 cities in the nation to receive an award for the 12th Annual National Night Out celebration, held last August in Woodridge Park. More than 1,000 residents joined the evening's activities, which focused on "saying Get pet set now goodbye to crime and drugs." Jan. 1, 1996, is the deadline to license your dog, cat, This is the second consecutive year Cottage or exotic pet. Mail in the form (left, below) to City Hall, or Grove has been honored by the National Association stop at City Hail to fill out an application. Fees are the of Town Watch. In 1996, National Night Out will be same as last year: $20 non - neutered/ non - spayed; $15 held on Tuesday, Aug. 6, with a community get- neutered/spayed; $10 per pet owned by a senior citizen together in Woodridge Park. (65 and up). All applications must be accompanied by _ the fee and an up -to -date rabies certificate. I� McGrUff House City License No. Cotta Grove l As a McGruff House rn "AQSOa Date 19 l participant, you would display I _ a placard in your front win- This is to certify that residing at i dow, welcome children who i ( Name are in emergency or frighten- has registered a i ing situations, and notify the Police Depart- Address ment if your home is used as a McGruff ❑ Male ❑ Neutered I House. Children are taught about the ❑ Female ❑Spayed dog, named color I McGruff House program in elementary cat, named color breed and has paid the License Fee on said pet I school. If you are interested, please contact for the year ending December 31, 19 _ . l Community Affairs Officer Greg Reibel at Licenses are due January 1st of each year. Fees: $20 non- neutered/ ( 458 -6025. non - spayed; $15 neutered/ spayed; $10 /pet for senior citizens (65 -up). i Neighborhood Watch On March 1 st, a late fee of $1.00 per month will be assessed. Check Cash Mail In Person_ I The Neighborhood Watch program is By Phone I designed to reduce crime by heightening ( l awareness of neighborhood activity among a group of 10 -18 Watch Block members. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY I If you are interested in becoming a Duplicate License❑ Late Fee l Watch Block Captain or joining Neighbor- New License ❑ Total Fee l hood Watch, please contact Officer Greg L ®— Rabies Expiration Date - -- B — — ity Clark ° ® J Reibel at 458 -6025. 4 Haunting Memories • i i — • • i ammoolva All owners of alarm systems designed to be used for the preven- tion or detection of burglary, robbery, or fire, whether installed in a business or in a private residence, are required to obtain an Annual Alarm License from the City. A $50.00 annual license fee is required. Private residence alarm systems are exempt from payment of this license fee. The City imposes a user fee for False Alarms that occur in a private residence or business. User fees are assessed on an in- creasing scale if a user of an alarm system reports more than three false alarms in a calendar year. Incidents which would constitute impos- ing the false alarm fee include failure of an owner /employee to turn off the alarm, or failure to properly maintain an alarm in a private residence or business. A signal caused by violent conditions of nature, vandalism, or other unusual circum- stances would not be considered a false alarm. Please contact City Clerk Caron Stransky, 458 -2814, for more information. Cont. from Page 1 growth - i.e., more traffic signals and street lights, more miles of roadway to plow, etc. Also, the City will bear the cost of running the 1996 general election. A major issue being studied as a part of the 1996 budget, but not yet decided, is whether the City should con- tinue to operate its own 911 Public Safety Dispatching Center, or turn that responsibility over to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, as do the other cities in the County. The City's pro- posed. net LaK I v (total dollars actually paid by all Cottage Grove property own- ers) will be up 7.7 percent. Growth in the tax levy increases more than the City's operating expenditures for two reasons. First, there is a significant ($84,000) increase in debt service payments on the General Obliga- tion Bonds that were approved by voters in 1984 for construction of Fire Station No. 2, expansion of City Hall, and various park improvements. Second,onthe income side there are a number of significant non - property tax revenues, such as aids from the State of Cont. on Page 5 ♦ i i ', i — Cont from Page 4 Minnesota and court fines, that are either stagnant or decreas- ing. This shifts more of the financial burden on to property taxpayers. The only "good news" in revenue sources is that our share of the Metropolitan Fiscal Disparities Tax Base Sharing Program is up almost $100,000, or about 12 percent. Tax Base is Up For 1996, the City's property tax base has also increased by 7.7 percent, meaning the property tax levy can be met by relying on tax base growth alone, with no increase in the City's tax rate. Cottage Grove's rate will remain at 27.9 percent of tax capacity. An estimated 4 to 5 percent of the growth in tax base reflects reassessment of existing properties, with the remaining 2.5 to 3 percent reflecting actual new construc- tion. How will this affect you? How will all of this affect you as an individual taxpayer? With no increase in the tax rate, any increase in the amount of dollars paid to the City of Cottage Grove will be as a result of an increase in the assessor's market Increase in City's Tax BASE: 7.7% value on your property. Assuming that your assessor's market value went up by 4 percent, the taxes paid to the City will increase somewhere between 4 and 7 percent. The range is due to Minne- sota's "two- tier" home- stead property tax system, which assigns a tax capacity rate of 1 percent on homestead value of $72,000 and under, and 2 percent on all value above $72,000. Please con- sult the notice which you received from Washington County, which calculates the precise impact on your property. In the Longer Term What will City finances be like in the longer term? As with most issues, there is `Of most con- cern is the future of aids from the State of Minne- sota ...' reason for both opti- mism and concern. By the late 1990's, the City will have paid off much of its outstanding general obligation debt. 0 Also, some of the City's more successful tax increment financing districts will expire, meaning that tax revenues from these commercial properties will begin to flow into the general coffers of the City, County, and School District. On the other hand, we face the financial impact of reconstruct - ing our aging streets, as well as the need to replace or upgrade the City's Public Works Maintenance Facility. Of most concern is the future of aids from the State of Minnesota, which currently make up approximately one - third of the City's general revenue base. With cutbacks in aid frorh the federal government, coupled with spending pres- sures for social and health services, as well as K -12 education, it is expected that the State will eventually return less of your income and sales tax dollars to city governments. We will be challenged to determine how to make up for these losses without dramatic property tax increases. Our annual truth - in- taxation public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, We hope you will join us to learn more about the City budget and give us your opinion.