March 2011 Gem Lake Newsletter - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6 City News Page Landscape Project Cost Share Opportunity Once again the Vadnais Lakes Water Management Organization (VLAWMO) is making available to residents of Gem Lake the opportunity to participate in its water quality landscaping project cost share program. VLAWMO has funding available to help property owners implement landscaping projects that will improve water quality. Eligible projects include: rain gardens, shoreline restoration, purchase of rain barrels, native habitat restoration, pervious asphalt or paver applications, and other projects that reduce the volume of runoff from a property. The grant is a 50/50 match and can be for up to $1000. It is a reimbursable grant, so the applicant receives their money after the project is completed and reviewed by VLAWMO staff. Money can go towards materials and labor. Visit http://www.vlawmo.org/ to determine if you live within VLAWMO’s boundaries or for the cost share application form. (Parts of this were extracted from the February-March 2011 VLAWMO News website) Rain Garden Seminar Scheduled for March How and why to build a rain garden on your property will be the subject of a special seminar on March 30. Sponsored by the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO), the seminar will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Vadnais Heights Fire Station at 800 East County Road E. The workshop will cover the basics of rain garden construction and their positive impact on rainwater run-off. The $10 registration fee includes a free copy of the "Blue Thumb Guide to Rain Gardens." Participants will also receive up to 2 hours of consulting time from instructor and rain garden expert Kristine Jenson to help with individual rain garden construction projects. For more information, please contact Ms. Jensen at 651-204-6074. Commuter Helicopter Port Considered for Hillary Farm A commuter heli-port for workers to the two downtown areas is being considered for the open land on Hillary Farm, with helicopters taking off and landing every 20 minutes from a landing pad near the original model home. April Fool's... Gem Lake Scholarship Program High school seniors, take note: Gem Lake will award its second annual scholarship to one Gem Lake high school senior. The award provides for $500 for post secondary education. If you are interested, consultant your guidance counselor for more information. Last year's winning applicant was Jamie Nadeau. The program is funded by charitable gambling proceeds. Make Sure Your Street Address is Visible A reminder from the Ramsey County Sheriff: make sure your house number is clearly visible from the street, either on your mailbox or through a number sign. This will insure a speedier response to any emergency call. Ramsey County Sheriff's Department Takes on Animal Control Duties The Sheriff's Department plans to take on animal control duties for its contract cities this sometime this year. This would involve dedicating a full time position to cover animal control duties for its seven contract cities. The retirement of the owner of an animal control company that contracted with area cities is one of the factors that have led to this change. Improved service delivery and coordination are key goals the Sheriff's Department hopes to achieve with this new program. Some of the duties covered by an animal control person would include handling complaint calls due to noisy or dangerous animals, dealing with follow up after animal bite incidents, investigating potential animal abuse and neglect, and acting as a point person for wild animals that appear to be sick or otherwise threatening to humans.