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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary-February 2018 The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents January/February 2018 2018 tax levy unchanged from preliminary 4.0 percent rate set in September At its December 11, 2017 meeting, the City Council adopted a 2018 property tax levy of $3,786,942. This sets the City’s property tax levy increase for 2018 at 4.0 percent, which is unchanged from the preliminary levy rate set in September 2017. Funding from the City’s share of regional fiscal disparities has increased for 2018 and will contribute $320,003 toward the levy total. The City’s tax capacity also has increased, and taxes paid by City property owners will account for the remaining bal- ance, or $3,466,939. The impact of a 4.0 percent levy increase – applied to a net tax rate increase – trans- lates to a $16.15 (or an approximate 2.0 percent) increase in annual taxes paid by resident owners of median valued homes (value changing from $308,200 to $333,800). In Arden Hills, the entire tax levy goes toward the General Fund expenditures in the City’s budget. The property tax levy ac- counts for approximately 76 percent of the General Fund revenues. Due to the current economic environment, $237,225 in re- serves was used to balance the 2018 budget. In 2017, the City had a reserves outflow budgeted of $195,956, but due to various cost savings the General Fund will likely end at or under budget for fiscal year 2017. Revenues • General Fund revenues in the 2018 budget are set at $4,939,531. • The most notable revenue line item is the levy amount, which will result in an additional $145,652 in revenue over the previous year. • Building permits and other revenues are expected to decrease due to changes in fees set by the State of Minnesota. Expenditures • General Fund expenditures for 2018 total $5,176,756. Public Safety costs are set to increase by 5.7 percent for the Lake Johanna Fire Department, 1.2 percent for the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department contract, and a decrease of 5.3 percent for dispatch services. • After accounting for the Public Safety increases, the remaining General Fund budget increases are primarily due to employee salary and benefit Cost of Living Adjustments and budgeted one-time expenditures. • Expenditures for City Hall main- tenance and infrastructure/capital reserve fund transfers to address in- creasing repair costs for the City Hall are included this year. Other Rate Increases: • 2018 utility rates have not been adjust- ed for 2018 yet due to a pending rate study. The associated utility rates are expected to change following the rate study. Residents will receive updated rates following the completion of the study (1st Quarter 2018). You can make a difference Volunteers are needed to serve on the City’s Planning Commission and other committees. Please visit the committees and commis- sions page on the City website for more information and to fill out an application. Interested residents can also call or stop by City Hall to learn more. Dear Citizens of Arden Hills, I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday season. I would like to steal a minute out of your busy day and introduce myself as your new City Administra- tor. I was appointed by the City Council on November 29, and my appointment began January 1. This appointment was made at the recommendation of Bill Joynes, the City Administrator that served through the end of 2017. I take pride in the fact that Bill recom- mended me; he is commonly known for setting a high standard in local government administration and has had a long tenure in the field. I would also like to congratulate Bill on retiring from a lengthy, successful career in local government (Bill will still be around for six months in an advisory capac- ity to both myself and the City Council). Although I am your new City Administrator, I am no stranger to the City. I started at City Hall in 2015 in a finance role, and have gradually taken on more responsibilities. Prior to Arden Hills, I was with the State of Minnesota, and before that I served in the United States Navy. While working with the State and the City, I obtained my Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration degrees from Hamline University. I am excited to bring my skill set to the City of Arden Hills and play a role in the City’s bright future. For most residents, we may never directly cross paths, but I want to lay out two of my important priorities, customer service and communication. As City Staff, we all work for both the City Council and the residents of Arden Hills. We will do our best to respond to questions and comments. We may not always have the answer right away, but we will work to provide you with the correct answer. I encourage anyone with a question to give City Hall a call, send an e-mail, or stop by the front desk. My door is always open, so do not forget to say hello if you do swing by City Hall. Lastly, I would also like to congratulate Sue Polka, our new Public Works Director/City Engineer. Sue has been with the City via a consulting contract, but was recently appoint- ed by the City Council to a full-time position. Congratulations, Sue! Thank you, Dave Perraultdperrault@cityofardenhills.org Office: 651-792-7824 Cell: 651-755-0227 Arden Hills Service Directory 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 www.cityofardenhills.org 651-792-7800 Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm Sheriff and Fire 911 Water and Sewer Problems (During non-business hours) 651-767-0640 Mayor David Grant 651-538-0747 dgrant@cityofardenhills.org Councilmembers Brenda Holden 651-636-2987 bholden@cityofardenhills.org Fran Holmes 651-631-1866 fholmes@cityofardenhills.org Dave McClung 651-332-0352 davemcclung@cityofardenhills.org Steve Scott 651-604-0919 sscott@cityofardenhills.org City Administrator Dave Perrault 651-792-7824 dperrault@cityofardenhills.org Communications Coordinator Dawn Skelly 651-792-7817 dskelly@cityofardenhills.org Communications Committee Council Liaison Fran Holmes Council meetings are held at City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. Meetings are televised live on Cable Channel 16. Meetings of the Planning Commis- sion are televised as well. Please visit cityofardenhills.org for information about archived meeting playbacks. Arden Hills Notes is the official news- letter of the City of Arden Hills, an equal-opportunity employer. A letter from your new City Administrator City Administrator Dave Perrault The City of Arden Hills gives special thanks to Susan Cathey and Mary Nosek, who have served on the City’s Communications Committee for many years and have written, edited, and produced this City newsletter. Their time and talents have been greatly appreciated. With this issue, the newsletter is now being produced in-house. If you have an article you would like to write or have considered as a story idea, please contact Dawn Skelly, communications coordinator, at 651-792-7817, or at dskelly@cityofardenhills.org. Arden Hills Notes newsletter update November 13, 2017 Absent: Holmes (excused) Consent Items Approved (all by 4-0 vote): • Approved Comcast cable franchise agreement to continue City services for a 10-year period • Approved application by Catholic United Financial to hold a charity raffle in March, 2018 • Approved Resolution 2017-043 to re- duce 2018 curbside and non-curbside recycling fees • Approved final payment of $63,485 to Allied Blacktop for 2017 project • Approved Planning Case 17-026 for PUD Amendment with Boston Sci- entific for expansion of Bldg. 9 and parking lot New Business Item: • Approved City contribution levels for employee health insurance benefits with Health Partners November 27, 2017 Absent: McClung (excused) Consent Items Approved (all by 4-0 vote): • Approved Resolution 2017-044 au- thorizing an insurance agreement for City staff with Health Partners • Approved City Administrator and Public Works Director/Engineer em- ployee contracts • Approved Intergovernmental Agree- ment with Ramsey County and Rice Creek Watershed for Green Infrastruc- ture and Stormwater Reuse Feasibility Study New Business Items: • Approved Planning Case 17-024 for a PUD Amendment at 1160 County Road E with The Commers Com- pany for a new Dunn Brothers Coffee Franchise Benchmarks: a review of City Council action December 11, 2017 Absent: none Consent Items Approved (all by 5-0 vote): • Approved 2018 Compensation Plan for non-union City employees to include a 2.1% COLA • Approved Resolution 2017-046 for 2018 City contribution to employee monthly benefits to include 100% for single coverage, 80% for family coverage and contributing $1,650 to a Health Savings Account • Approved Resolution 2017-047 ac- cepting liability coverage limits from League of MN Cities Insurance Trust of $2.5 million • Approved changes to position de- scriptions and salary step levels for City Clerk, City Planner, and Public Works Superintendent positions • Approved 2017 Budget Amendment reduction of $5.4 million to reflect budgeted capital improvement proj- ects deferred to 2018 • Approved payment to Lake Johanna Fire Department of $10,781 as City’s share of a new Ford 550 Rescue Truck • Approved Amendment to outgoing City Administrator William Joynes consulting services contract in 2018 • Approved annual salary increases for Mayor (+$1,400) and City Council (+$1,050) to align salary levels with neighboring cities of similar size. Changes will not take place until after the 2018 elections and have not been adjusted since 2007 • Approved 2018 Fee Schedule for City services and rates • Approved 2018 liquor license renew- als for nine City businesses conduct- ing sales • Approved Ordinance 2017-011 ex- tending hours for on-sale City liquor establishments during the 2018 Super Bowl • Approved 2018 tobacco license renewals for five City businesses conducting sales • Approved Ordinance 2017-010 allow- ing mobile food vendors at special events • Approved Planning Case 17-024 to The Commers Company for a new Dunn Brothers Coffee franchise at 1160 County Road E • Approved payment of $14,250 to City of Roseville for water booster station upgrades New Business Items: • Approved 2018 proposed tax levy of 4%. This rate can be reduced but can- not be increased. • Approved Joint Powers Agreement with 11 other municipalities for pave- ment maintenance activities Did you know? Plastic bags can accumulate rapidly, and many people wonder what to do with them. You should know that plastic bags are not accepted with your curbside recycling. However, you are encouraged to reuse or recycle plastic bags. Most Cub Foods, Target, and Walmart locations have recycling receptacles for bags. Visit www.plasticfilmrecy- cling.org for a drop-off directory. Before you take your bags to a drop- off location, please remember the following: • Make sure bags are clean and dry. • Do not include compostable or de- gradable bags, pre-washed salad bags, frozen food bags, mulch bags or material that has been painted or glued. • The above locations will also accept newspaper sleeves/bags, grocery and retail bags, plastic packaging from non-food items, bread bags, dry cleaning bags, water bottle case wrapping and fresh produce bags. For more information, check out RamseyRecycles.com, or call 651-633 EASY (3279) answered 24/7. Smart salting saves the environment Reduce the risk of frozen pipes and learn to identify water main breaks Free Fix-It Clinics Pipes and water mains can freeze and break in cold weather. The risk in- creases during long stretches of extremely cold weather. Residents are encouraged to consider the following tips to help avoid frozen pipes: • Ensure the furnace’s cold air return is pointed away from the water service, which enters most homes in the base- ment through the floor • Leave kitchen and bathroom cup- board doors open to allow heat in • Keep the furnace above 55 degrees F • Shut off and drain pipes leading to outside faucets • Wrap foam insulation around pipes most susceptible to freezing • Seal air leaks in the home and garage • Have someone check on the house while away • In extreme cold conditions, purchase Winter is here to stay and we all know that salt can be a good tool to melt ice on our driveways and sidewalks. But while salt can help prevent accidents on the road and around buildings, it comes at an environmental cost. When the snow melts, the de-icing salt, which contains chloride, runs into nearby lakes and can harm fish, ducks, and other aquatic wildlife. How can you make a difference? Here are a few ideas to reduce your salt use this winter: • Check the temperature – is it too cold for salt? Most salts stop work- ing around 15 degrees (F). When the temperatures drop, use sand for trac- tion, but remember that sand doesn’t melt ice. • Apply less than you think. Adding more salt does not equal more melt- ing. Try to use less than four pounds of salt per 1,000 square feet. Keep in mind one pound of salt is about the same as one 12-ounce coffee mug. • Clean-up any extra salt. If you can see sand or salt on dry pavement, it means that it is no longer working and could be washed away. Try to reuse salt or sand somewhere else or sweep it up and throw it away. Source: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Ramsey County Fix-it Clinics pro- vide attendees with opportunities to get household items fixed for free and to learn valuable repair skills. You can bring your broken household goods and clothing in need of repair, along with any tools and supplies you think might help with the job and get assistance with repair. Events are first come, first served. For more information, check out Ramsey- Recycles.com, or call 651-633 EASY (3279) answered 24/7. Saturday, February 24 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. North Haven Church 2240 15th Ave. East North St. Paul Saturday, March 24 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. West Minnehaha Recreation Center 685 West Minnehaha Ave. Saint Paul Saturday, April 28 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Ramsey County Library, White Bear Lake 2150 2nd St. White Bear Lake a thermometer to monitor water temperature. If the water drops below 38 degrees F, leave a cold water tap running at a steady stream of about a quarter-inch in diameter, or approxi- mately the diameter of a No. 2 pencil. Water main breaks Water main breaks are identified by water running out of the ground, through cracks in the pavement or from behind curbing. If you see any of these signs, call Arden Hills City Hall at 651-792-7800. After hours, call 651-767-0640. Photo credit: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency A 4,200 square-foot Dunn Broth- ers Coffee shop is coming to Arden Hills and will share the building at 1160 County Road E with the American Red Cross. The site is under construction and will include a drive-through service, conference rooms, family-friendly area, and outdoor patio. It is scheduled to open in April. Greta and Adam Dvorak, Arden Hills’ residents and owner-operators of the proposed shop, are brewing big plans for the space. They see their franchise venture as an opportunity to bring the community together for conversation and sharing of time and talents over cups of coffee. “I grew up with coffee and what it repre- sents—a willingness to sit with someone and have a conversation,” Greta said. “It’s symbolic of gathering, sitting, and being present with others.” Greta is a graduate of Bethel University and holds a master’s degree in student development, and Adam is a Bethel residence hall director. They envision the shop serving college students and the community in multiple ways. “We plan to hire Bethel and Northwestern students to work here and we want to link them with residents to help them once they graduate,” Adam said. “We want to bring the citizens of Arden Hills together with the students to reduce the isolation students can sometimes feel during this transi- tion.” In addition to college students, the Dvoraks plan to target working professionals and parents. “Our drive-through can accommodate our fast-paced society, including commuters on their way to Land O’Lakes, and parents on their way to school to drop off kids,” Greta added. “We want to create a family-friendly space with toys and books. We can’t wait for families to come.” Conference rooms will be available for business and community meetings, and plans are underway for an outdoor patio, Greta said. “The average New Dunn Brothers Coffee owners seek to build community one cup at a time coffee shop is 2,000 square feet. We are doubling this, because we see this as an opportunity to gather and serve the whole community.” Dunn Brothers Owner-Operators Adam and Greta Dvorak Ramsey County Commissioners Rafael E. Ortega and Blake Huffman, along with Mayor David Grant, Ramsey County Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire, Alatus Arden Hills LLC Executive Project Manager Tom Shaver and Alatus Development Associate Carla Dunham Mayor David Grant and officials from Ramsey County celebrated the completion of roundabouts on the Ramsey County road system, as well as other con- struction improvements to County Roads TCAAP/Rice Creek Commons Redevelopment progresses in the new year H and I near the Rice Creek Commons redevelopment in mid-December. These roadway improvements will enhance traf- fic flow, increase pedestrian safety, and provide access to the mixed-use develop- ment for new residents and visitors. The Rice Creek Commons site was cleaned to residen- tial standards, clearing the way for a cohesive mix of residential and commercial neighborhoods surround- ing a vibrant, pedestrian- focused town center. Construction of surround- ing highway infrastructure and site access is currently underway or completed. Internal site construc- tion is expected to be put out for bids in 2018 and work would begin in 2019, with the first phase focusing on mass grading and development of the site’s infrastructure, including roads, sewers, and water lines. Housing and early commercial construc- tion could begin as early as 2020. Rice Creek Commons was included as a possible site in Minnesota’s regional bid for Amazon’s second headquarters, but Amazon chose to narrow its selection to 20 other metropolitan areas outside of Minnesota. Army staff shared that the optimization study, which looks at groundwater treat- ment, is currently underway and will not be released until the first quarter of 2018. In the meantime, Ramsey County, the City of Arden Hills, Alatus LLC, and the Joint Development Authority continue to move forward with a mixed-use develop- ment as originally planned. needed to connect pedestrians from the Valentine Elementary School trail to the I- 35W bridge. It is a short segment, but will increase safety by removing all pedestrian traffic from walking on the shoulder of County Road E2. Rice Creek Commons Last December a road almost one mile long and utilities were constructed on the northern 47 acres of the TCAAP redevel- opment site. This also included the con- struction of roundabouts on County Road H and County Road I. The next step for this project is the completion of a master development agreement that will outline the developer’s purchase of the property and development schedule. It is antici- pated that the agreement will be finalized in the first half of 2018. Other Projects The projects listed above are just some of the many large efforts currently underway. As we get into 2018, there will be many more, including road-paving projects, sew- er lining and televising, park projects and maintenance, a 2040 Comprehensive Plan amendment, and a host of other annual and new efforts that are needed to keep the City moving forward. Sincerely, David Grant Mayor Postal Customer ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Twin Cities MN Permit #1962 I n s i d e Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 SpringHill Suites by Marriott A demolition permit has been issued for the former Aerotek building on North- woods Drive facing I-694. A 139-room SpringHill Suites hotel by Marriott will be constructed in its place. SpringHill Suites is the largest all-suites style hotel brand in the Marriott upscale tier that de- livers industry-leading service. The brand ranks highly with consumers on J.D. Power’s annual list of hotels with the highest guest satisfaction levels. Land O’Lakes Construction of the 155,000 sq. ft. Land O’Lakes corporate campus addition is almost finished. The building is sched- uled to open this May. The addition will position Land O’Lakes for future job growth. County Road F Improvements The section of County Road F between Hamline Avenue and Lexington Avenue will be redesigned and rebuilt. Intersec- tion improvements, including a traffic signal, will be added at the entrance to the Land O’Lakes and Boston Scientific campuses. In addition, a trail section will be added on the south side of the road completing the trail section from Ham- line to Lexington. County Road E2 Trail Segment The trail segment between New Brighton Road and Cleveland Avenue will be com- pleted this year. This is the last segment From the MayorA new year is here and 2017 is now part of history. As we look forward to the rest of 2018 there are some interesting projects underway. These projects will have a lasting impact on our city. I want to share a few of our 2018 projects. Lexington Station Phase 2 Last year we saw the expansion of the parking lot for the current Lexington Sta- tion tenants. This year Lexington Station Phase 2 will consist of construction of 12 tenant spaces located directly to the west of the current building. The new build- ing will bring additional business to our city. An even larger phase 3 is approved and anticipated to happen in the next five years. Major Trail Segment A new trail is planned from the County Road E Bridge west to Old Snelling. It also will include a segment from the intersection of County Road E and Old Snelling north to McCracken Lane and possibly as far as County Road E2. This small segment is part of a long-term plan that has been a priority for the Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee and the City Council. Dunn Brothers Dunn Brothers will move into the vacant tenant space next to the American Red Cross at 1160 County Road E. This new business will provide another option for coffee and sandwiches. 2018 City tax levy and budget Letter from new City Administrator Dunn Brothers is coming How to prevent frozen pipes Rice Creek Commons update Recent City Council action