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Home My WebLink About06 June 2024 Arden Hills Notescityofardenhills.org • June 2024 • 1 The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents June 2024 Voting and Election Information August 13 Primary Election Absentee and Early Voting Absentee voting for the Primary Election begins Friday, June 28. You must apply for an absentee ballot and can then cast your vote by mail or in person at the Ramsey County Elections (RCE) office at 90 Plato Blvd. W #160, St. Paul. Early voting (also known as direct ballot voting, where you place your ballot directly into the ballot machine) begins Friday, July 26 for the Primary Election. Between July 26 and August 12, you can vote in person at the Roseville or Shoreview Ramsey County Libraries or at the RCE Office in St. Paul. Visit Ramsey County’s election page at ramseycounty.us/residents/ elections-voting to request a ballot by mail and for more information, including dates and hours of operation. The City’s website, cityofardenhills.org/ electionsandvoting, also has links to this information. Please note you must vote at your local precinct on election day. Filing for a City Council Seat for the November 5 General Election Arden Hills will have two City Councilmember seats on the ballot for the November 5 general election. The seats are four-year terms running 2025-2028. Candidate filing packets can be obtained online from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State at www.sos.state.mn.us/ election-administration-campaigns/ become-a-candidate/campaign-filing- packet or Ramsey County Elections at ramseycounty.us/residents/elections- voting. Paper packets can be picked up at City Hall starting in mid-July. The filing period will run from Tuesday, July 30, through Tuesday, August 13. The fee is $2.00. Candidate profiles will be featured in the August/September newsletter. Night to Unite on Tuesday, August 6 Save the date for Night to Unite 2024 on August 6! The annual night of festivities is designed to promote police-community partnerships and build neighborhood camaraderie. Neighborhoods typically observe Night to Unite in various ways, including front porch vigils, block parties, and cookouts with visits from members of the Arden Hills Public Works Department, Lake Johanna Fire Department, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), and local elected officials. The events are coordinated through the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. Visit cityofardenhills.org/unite to see Night to Unite event ideas, information, and materials. There you can also register online or complete a paper application, which you can return to RCSO at 1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive in Arden Hills. Night to Unite also serves as a School Supply Drive for the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office! From August 5-9, you can donate new school supplies for local students at 1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive or at your Night to Unite Party on August 6. School supplies will also be accepted at City Hall during regular business hours. Street barricades are available for neighborhood events through City Hall. To request barricades, please complete a miscellaneous permit application at cityofardenhills.org/FormCenter/ General-Forms-3/Miscellaneous- Permit-Application-58. There is no fee for the permit. The deadline to reserve barricades is Thursday, July 25. You can also contact City Hall at 651-792-7800 for more information. 2 • Arden Hills Notes • June 20242 • Arden Hills Notes • June 2024 Service Directory City Hall 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112 cityofardenhills.org 651-792-7800 Summer Office Hours Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday, 7:30-11:30 a.m. Sheriff and Fire 911 - Emergency & Non-Emergency Water and Sewer Problems (During non-business hours) 651-767-0640 Mayor David Grant • 651-538-0747 dgrant@cityofardenhills.org City Councilmembers Brenda Holden • 651-636-2987 bholden@cityofardenhills.org Emily Rousseau • 651-792-7856 erousseau@cityofardenhills.org Tena Monson • 612-758-0695 tmonson@cityofardenhills.org Thomas Fabel • 651-303-3611 tfabel@cityofardenhills.org City Administrator Dave Perrault • 651-792-7824 dperrault@cityofardenhills.org Sr. Communications Coordinator Luke Cardona • 651-792-7817 lcardona@cityofardenhills.org City Council Newsletter Liaison Thomas Fabel Resident Resources cityofardenhills.org/resident-resources Council meetings are held at City Hall on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. Council meetings, Work Sessions, and Planning Commission meetings are televised live on Cable Channel 16. Please visit cityofardenhills.org for information about archived meeting playbacks. Arden Hills Notes is the official newsletter of the City of Arden Hills, an equal-opportunity employer. City News Updated City of Arden Hills Website If you visited the City’s website any time after May 29, you may have noticed a refresh. The City’s website vendor, CivicPlus, provides a complimentary homepage upgrade every five years, and the City has just concluded its refresh. The new homepage features an enhanced user experience with quicker and easier-to-find resources and helpful links. But don’t worry, the City’s website still offers all the same functionality as before. The website navigation stayed the same, and all of the content that was on the site previously is still there. Visit cityofardenhills.org to see the new look! Accepting Applications for Youth EDC and PTRC Members The City is seeking passionate and dedicated youth to join the Economic Development Commission (EDC) and Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee (PTRC). Serving on the EDC or PTRC will provide an opportunity to shape the future of Arden Hills and contribute fresh ideas and perspectives on economic growth, community development, and enhancing our parks and recreational spaces. Learn more and apply at cityofardenhills.org/125/Commissions-Committees. EyeOnWater Do you want to know how much water you use at your home or business? EyeOnWater is a tool that tracks water usage and allows users to set up alerts for potential leakage or other problems, like a leaky toilet or sprinkler system. Users receive consumption graphs to visualize their usage throughout the billing cycle. To sign up, visit eyeonwater.com/signup. Enter your service or billing Postal Code and your account number (all 9 digits with no dash), which can be found on your utility bill. Enter your email and create a password. Learn more at cityofardenhills.org/228/water. Subscribe to be Notified Stay informed about the latest City news and events. Sign up for “Notify Me” news notifications via text and email. Construction project updates and the Arden Hills Notes newsletter are just a few items you can receive updates about. Visit cityofardenhills.org/list.aspx to sign up for news that is important to you! Unsubscribe at any time. cityofardenhills.org • June 2024 • 3 cityofardenhills.org • June 2024 • 3 City Council Benchmarks May 13, 2024 City Council Meeting All votes 5-0 unless otherwise noted. • Proclamation Recognizing May 12-18, 2024 as National Police Week • Proclamation Recognizing May 19-25, 2024 as National Public Works Week • Approved Claims and Payroll • Approved Resolution 2024-027 Accepting Donation from the Spring Lake Park Lions Club (for parks improvements) • Approved Resolution 2024-025 Adopting Special Assessment Roll for the 2024 PMP Street and Utility Improvements Project – 1570 McClung Drive • Adopted Resolution 2024-026, Declaring Costs to be Assessed for the property at 1370 Colleen Avenue and deferring the assessment for the second lot for 20 years or until the property is sold or subdivided with the remaining REU being charged to the property. (motion passed 4-1, Holden opposed) • Adopted Resolution 2024-026, Ordering the Preparation of the Proposed Assessments and Calling for a Public Hearing on the Proposed Assessments for 1370 Colleen Avenue related to the 2024 PMP Street & Utility Improvement Project. May 28, 2024 City Council Meeting All votes 5-0 unless otherwise noted. • Approved Claims and Payroll • Approved First Quarter Financials • Approved 2023 City Financial Statements and Audit • Approved Professional Services Agreement for Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Revisions with HGKi • Approved a 6 Month Extension Until November 22, 2024 for a Variance at 1475 Dawn Circle – Planning Case 23-008 • Adopted Resolution 2024-029 Approving Variance at 1511 Dawn – Planning Case 24-008 • Approved Purchase of 2024 Capital Equipment Replacements (Trailer and Roller) ($31,038.70) • Approved Ramsey County Fleet Service Invoice for Annual Arden Hills Public Works Equipment Fleet Repairs ($16,687.95) • Approved Purchase of Hydrant Mod Kits ($24,080) • Authorized the Hiring of a Temporary Office Assistant • Approved Resolution 2024-028 Adopting Special Assessment Roll for the 2024 PMP Street and Utility Improvements Project – 1370 Colleen Avenue For a complete listing of recent City Council actions, visit cityofardenhills.org and click on “View Agendas and Minutes.” Penny Carnival on Friday, July 19 Gather your coins and join in for an afternoon of fun at the annual Penny Carnival! Games and activities will cost between 5-25 cents to play. Don’t miss out on the fun carnival games, face painting, a caricature artist, and more. The carnival will be open from 1-3 p.m. on Friday, July 19, at Perry Park. The Penny Carnival is a free event to attend! Play Pickleball in Arden Hills If you’re one of the many growing fans of the sport of pickleball, then grab your racket and head to one of the City’s courts! Arden Hills offers pickleball courts at Cummings Park, Hazelnut Park, Royal Hills Park, and Freeway Park. These courts provide the perfect setting for players of all skill levels to enjoy this dynamic sport. And coming this fall, there will also be a new pickleball court at Floral Park! All courts except for Freeway Park and Hazelnut Park are equipped with tennis nets. You must bring your own net to Freeway Park and Hazelnut Park. Parks & Recreation 4 • Arden Hills Notes • June 2024 Ramsey County Updates Ramsey County Critical Repair Grant Program for Homeowners Ramsey County, in partnership with Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties (CAPRW), is offering $5,000 grants to homeowners in need of critical repairs. The Critical Repair Grant Program provides eligible owners of single-family homes in Suburban Ramsey County grants for health, safety, and code repairs. Single-family homeowners must be 80% Area Median Income or below to qualify. For more information, scan the QR code, call 651-603-5935, or email chrp@caprw.org. You can also visit ramseycounty.us/residents/property-home/homebuyer-homeowner-programs/home-improvement-programs. New Environmental Service Center Coming Soon Ramsey County’s Environmental Service Center (ESC) will open in Spring 2025! This new facility will make it easier for residents to reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle. Located at 1700 Kent Street in Roseville, the year-round facility will have: • A household hazardous waste (HHW) drop off. • Electronics, food scraps, and general recycling. • A free product reuse room. Please note that the existing mobile HHW collection sites will not continue after 2024. However, the year-round HHW facility at Bay West in Saint Paul will continue to serve you until services transition to the ESC. For more details, visit ramseycounty.us/ESC. Note: the mobile HHW collection site is coming to Arden Hills one final time! During the month of July, you can utilize the mobile collection site at 1352 Ben Franklin, Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Electronics Recycling Ramsey County has partnered with Repowered to offer recycling of televisions, computers, and devices that connect to them, such as DVD players, keyboards, and printers, for FREE. This partnership is for Ramsey County residents only. Ramsey County residents can bring unwanted electronics to Repowered’s Saint Paul location through this partnership. Electronics from businesses and out-of-county residents are not part of this program but are still accepted at Repowered for a fee. Visit ramseycounty.us/residents/recycling-waste/collection-sites/electronics-recycling, or scan the QR code, for a list of items accepted and *not* accepted, plus frequently asked questions and more pertinent information. Repowered is located at 860 Vandalia Street in St. Paul. Find their hours of operations and learn more about Repowered at getrepowered.org. Vehicle Theft Safety Reminder Each year, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office reminds residents of vehicle theft prevention. It’s essential to take proactive measures to prevent vehicle theft. Ensure your car doors are always locked, windows are fully closed, and valuables are removed or hidden. Utilize anti-theft devices such as steering wheel locks or alarms, and park in well-lit, secure areas whenever possible. You should never leave your vehicle running unattended, even for a brief moment. And remember always to trust your instincts. As you walk away from your vehicle, do not walk in directions or areas that make you feel unsafe. By remaining vigilant and following these simple steps, we can significantly reduce the risk of vehicle theft and keep our neighborhoods safe. cityofardenhills.org • June 2024 • 5 cityofardenhills.org • June 2024 • 5 Recreational Fires When summer returns, residents often consider having recreational fires. Recreational fires are allowed in the City and within the Lake Johanna Fire Department district, but residents must follow some rules and regulations. • The fire can be no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet and no higher than 3 feet. • The fire must be constructed in a “ring” or pit at least 25 feet away from any combustible material or structure. • The wind speed must be below ten mph. • Flammable liquids or accelerants may not be used. • Any person having a recreational fire must be aware of local burning restrictions, which can be found at dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html. • Open burning is restricted to vegetative, non-polluting material that cannot be practically composted or chipped. Only clean natural wood may be burned. Treated or painted wood, plastic, rubber, leaves, and grass are not allowed. • Buckets, shovels, garden hoses, or a fire extinguisher with a minimum 4-A rating must be readily available for use at recreational fires. • A person knowledgeable in fire extinguishing equipment must constantly attend to the fire until such fire has been completely extinguished. The fire department is authorized to require that recreational fires be immediately discontinued if smoke emissions are offensive to occupants of the surrounding property or if the fire constitutes a hazardous condition. Violation of any of the above rules will result in the immediate extinguishment of the fire and a potential citation with a fine of $150. Learn more from the Lake Johanna Fire Department at www.ljfd.org. May 19-25 was National Public Works Week, and we let it serve as a time to give an extra thank you to the City’s Public Works crew and all of the team members in that department. Their dedication and hard work are the backbone of our community. From ensuring our streets are safe and clean and our parks are beautiful to maintaining City roads and supporting City projects, their efforts make Arden Hills a great place to live, work, and visit. Road Maintenance Street Cleaning and Snow Removal Parks and Recreation Facilities Infrastructure Planning and Development 6 • Arden Hills Notes • June 2024 Inside Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid TWIN CITIES, MN Permit #1710 Voting and Election Information Youth Commission and Committee Members Penny Carnival Ramsey County Updates Recreational Fires Public Works Postal Customer Welcome Shannon Dietrich The City is pleased to welcome Shannon Dietrich to the team! Shannon has a history working in municipalities and brings her expertise to the Permit Tech and Office Support Specialist role at City Hall. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Shannon moved to Minnesota and earned her B.S. in Communications from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Before coming to Arden Hills, she worked for the City of Golden Valley for over 12 years. She started as an Administrative Assistant in the City Manager’s Office and one year later was asked to work in the Building Department. When asked what Shannon likes so far about Arden Hills, she says, “Everyone has been very welcoming and helpful in getting me set up in this position.” She adds that she “hopes to be able to support the City and the Community Development department and assist many people who come in or contact City Hall.” Shannon has twin daughters and just became a Grandma last month! Stop and say hi to Shannon at the front desk next time you’re at City Hall. SilverSneakers is a fitness and wellness program that helps seniors 65+ on eligible Medicare plans get active at no cost. A SilverSneakers membership includes specially designed online exercise classes for all fitness levels, plus in-person and community classes at over 15,000 fitness locations, including many in the area, like Anytime Fitness in Arden Hills, the New Brighton Community Center, Shoreview YMCA, and the Shoreview Community Center. You can visit as many locations as you like. To learn more and check if you are eligible to enroll in SilverSneakers, visit tools.silversneakers.com. SilverSneakers for Older Adults