6 June-July 2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6 City Challenges Metropolitan Council's Population Figures Earlier this summer, the Metropolitan Council issued estimated population numbers to area cities, giving them until June 20 to accept or challenge the information. Gem Lake decided to challenge the number provided for several key reason. First, council members felt certain the number of 451 was well over the actual number of people living here. Second, and more importantly, future growth and density projections issued by the Met Council will be based on numbers that Gem Lake feels are incorrect. Given the fact that the Met Council projects 10 and 20 years ahead, counting on regular growth each year, an inaccurate number now becomes more and more of a problem in the future. To arrive at a more accurate number, the Gem Lake City Council decided to do phone and door-to-door canvassing up and down each street. After reaching most households, the council feels the true population of Gem Lake is around 328, which is 123 less than the estimated number arrived at by the Met Council. Mayor Bob Uzpen conveyed the number to the Met Council, following the city survey. The response was to let us know they disagree with our number, but have offered to compromise at a population of 387, which they plan to certify and publish on the Met Council and State Demographer's web-sites in July. The principal forecaster at the Met Council explained in an email to our Mayor that they are basing their total population number on the average number of people per households that are found in surrounding communities, as well as data from the 2000 Census for our community. Using these factors, the Met Council originally estimated Gem Lake had 3.021 persons per household. After doing our local survey, Gem Lake City Council members feel the average number of people per household in our city is more like 2.2. However, both entities agree that there are 149 housing units in our city. The Met Council feels the drop from 3.021 persons per household to 2.2 is too drastic to be accurate, partly because it is less than households in Vadnais Heights and White Bear. They have agreed to compromise at 2.6. The Met Council said they will wait for the official 2010 Census figures to make further revisions. Storm Packs a Punch for Gem Lake Residents Residents spent much of the week cleaning up after the strong thunderstorms that plowed through the Metro Area on July 17. At least a half a dozen households had significant tree damage, including Mayor Bob Uzpen and long-time residents Connie and Dan Kunin. Both households lost large trees. The Kunins lost one evergreen that snapped near its trunk and hung very dramatically over their driveway near Goose Lake Road. Trees were lost all around Gem Lake, including several large old trees on the south side of the lake. Residents around the city reported significant loss of branches. "In some places, it was a real mess," says Mayor Uzpen. No one was hurt, but a lot of people are rethinking where they put their spare flashlights.