1 January 2010 Gem Lake News - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6 New Council Member Sought Residents with an interest in their city government are being sought to potentially fill the spot on the city council vacated by Chuck Watson's resignation. Chuck's term would have expired in November of 2010. City procedures call for the council to appoint someone to fill a vacated term until the next election. The city council position involves working on a variety of city matters and attendance at two or more meetings per month for the next eleven months. Candidates are asked to attend the Gem Lake City Council workshop on February 1, where each interested party will have a chance to describe their background, interests and qualifications to fill this spot until the official expiration of the term. The workshop will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Hall. The Gem Lake City Council expects to fill the vacated term at its February 23rd City Council meeting. In November the spot will be up for election in the normal manner. Well Testing Underway Insuring a high quality water supply is a priority for Gem Lake. In order to achieve this goal on an ongoing basis, the city has decided to underwrite the entire cost of well water testing for any interested citizen. Ramsey County has supplied the city with well water testing kits. If you are interested in having your well water tested, you can drop off a sample on the morning of January 25, which will then be conveyed to the state lab for analysis. However, you must use one of the water testing kits supplied to us by the county and you must drop off the sample by 9 a.m. on January 25. The sample must be new. Full directions will be listed with the kits. For more information, or to get a testing kit, contact Jean Reiter at Heritage Hall. Deer Hunting Ordinance Being Drafted Regulations regarding deer hunting with bow and arrow within the City of Gem Lake are now being considered by the city council and will be discussed at the next several meetings. A new city ordinance is expected to cover such things as what types of hunting would be allowed by permit, how that permit could be obtained, and where and how hunting could legally take City News Page place. This ordinance would not replace deer tags that would still have to be obtained by hunters through the state licensing procedures. Residents with input are invited to take part in this on-going discussion. Flood Plain Ordinance Will Allow for Flood Insurance for City Residents Although it isn't exactly a glamorous subject, the city council is excited to be working on a flood plain ordinance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has requested that Gem Lake complete and pass an ordinance specifying rules and regulations regarding city flood plains and building within and around flood hazard areas. This will allow FEMA to extend flood insurance coverage to local residents who wish to purchase it. The ordinance will be discussed, drafted and voted on this Spring. It must be completed and in place no later than June in order to comply with FEMA rules. Miracles Happen After years of coming in last on the list of scheduled repairs, it appears that Gem Lake's one and only railroad crossing is now getting some much needed attention from Ramsey County. (Hurrah!) The crossing on Scheuneman Road, near the intersection with Hoffman Road, is now scheduled for repaving and general TLC sometime in 2010, according to the County. Although this may seem vague, it is a big step up from "someday" and city officials are very grateful. Railroad crossings are scheduled for maintenance based on train traffic and automobile volume in the area. Believe it or not, Gem Lake does not score anywhere near the top on either of these indicators. Utility Bill Request If you would like to drop off your sewer utility bill at Heritage Hall, please put it in the mail slot so it doesn't go astray.