HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 Vol 19, Issue 4 August Gem Lake NewsSpecial Interest
Articles:
• Public Safety Report
• KIA Barnett Project
• Gem Lake Planning
Commission Needs
You
• Mini Gem Set to Open
Soon
• The Importance of
Stormwater
Management Part 3
• Dispensary to Open in
Gem Lake
• City News, Page 7
Scheduled Recycling
Dates:
• August 13
• August 27
• September 10
• September 24
• October 8
• October 22
Public Safety Report to the Gem Lake City
Council
Gem Lake residents were honored to have a
presentation from Dale Hager, White Bear Lake
Police Chief and Greg Peterson, White Bear Fire
Chief, at the May 20 Gem Lake City Council
meeting. Gem Lake contracts for Public Safety
services through the City of White Bear Lake.
Hager highlighted the current size and structure of
the White Bear Lake police force, which now
includes 28 sworn officers. (They are authorized
for 32 officers and are currently recruiting.) This
includes one police chief, 2 captains, 4 sergeants,
17 police officers assigned to patrol, 3
investigators, 3 school resource officers, 5
community resource officers, and 3 administrative
staff. Officers go through a minimum of 12 training
days per year. The department relies heavily on
partnerships and volunteers. For instance, the
White Bear Lake Police Department maintains
partnerships with the Ramsey County SWAT and
Mobile Field Force, the Minnesota Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota Chiefs of
Police Association, the Northeast Youth and
Family Service Community Advocate Program,
and others. Volunteers also supplement
community outreach, including the White Bear
Lake Police Reserves, the Citizen’s Police
Academy and CERT (Community Emergency
Response Teams).
(Continued on Page 2)
KIA Barnett Begins Major Construction Project
Construction has begun on a stunning new sales
and service building at the KIA Barnett dealership
in Gem Lake. The dealership is located at the
northeast corner of County Road E and Highway
61, where it has been located since the 1960’s. In
fact, the current sales and service building was
built in 1968 and has been due for an update for
many years.
After exploring the options, KIA Barnett decided it
would be more efficient to replace the old building
and start over.
(Continued on Page 3)
Gem Lake News
August 2025 | Volume 19 | Issue 4 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor
Gem Lake News Page 2 of 8
Public Safety Report to the Cem Lake City Council (continued from page 1)
In addition to the completion of a new public safety
building, the Police Department benefitted from the
renovation of their evidence room, which was heavily
water damaged. The newly renovated room is newer
and cleaner, with more efficiently organized storage
space.
Chief Hager gave a brief overview of Gem Lake
incidents in 2024. Highlighting the following:
There were 440 Gem Lake case numbers in 2024,
compared to 402 the year before. (A 10% increase.)
There were a total of 17,839 case numbers in White
Bear Lake and other contract cities in 2024. This
compares to 15,972 in 2023, an 11% increase. A case
number could encompass everything from a suspicious
activity report to a robbery.
There were 9 arrests in Gem Lake in 2024, compared to
8 the year before. Department wide, there were 301
arrests in 2024, compared to 180 the year before, a 40%
increase.
When it comes to traffic stops, there was a 30%
increase in 2024 over 2023. There was a total of 3,506
stops in the entire area covered by the department in
2024, compared to 2,477 in 2023. Gem Lake made up
84 of these traffic stops in 2024, a staggering 281%
increase over 2023, when there were 22 traffic stops.
This increase may be a direct result of citizen complaints
about speeding on Gem Lake streets and subsequent
requests for more patrolling.
There were 305 theft reports department wide in 2024,
compared to 289 in 2023, a 5% increase. Gem Lake
theft reports increased from 4 in 2023 to 5 in 2024, a
20% increase.
Thankfully, domestic incidents reports decreased
department wide in 2024, over 2023. There were 151
reports in 2024 in the department’s coverage area,
compared to 206 in 2023, a decrease of 27%. Gem
Lake’s domestic incidents decreased 50% from 2 in
2023 to 1 in 2024.
Greg Peterson, Fire Chief for the City of White Bear
Lake, gave a report on fire services. He began by
describing the service area the department covers, which
encompasses 35 square miles. This includes the City of
White Bear, as well as four contract cities, including Gem
Lake, White Bear Township, Dellwood, and Birchwood.
The department serves a population of 38,000.
In addition to Peterson, the department is staffed by 3
full-time captains, 15 firefighter/paramedics, 1 full-time
firefighter/EMT, 12 part-time staff and an Assistant Chief
of Operations and Training, Bryan Eickleberg.
Overall call volume declined slightly in 2024 as compared
to the year before. There were 4,784 calls in 2024,
versus 4,955 the year before. About 72% of these calls
were medical related or ambulance calls, while the other
28% were fire and rescue type calls. About 64% of
patients are over 60. Peterson pointed out that
Minnesota’s 65 and over age group is expected to double
between 2024 and 2075. In terms of fire related calls, he
pointed out that there were 67 fire related deaths in
Minnesota in 2024, with 63% of these victims being over
61 years old. Peterson added that adults over 65 are 2.3-
3 times the risk of dying in a fire.
To raise awareness of fire safety and medical issues, as
well as providing for community outreach, the Fire
Department attended or sponsored 56 community events
in 2024, from the annual Polar Plunge, Memorial Day
Parade, Truck Visits, and Fridays with Firefighters. Other
events included Fire Safety with Santa, the TRIAD Picnic
and the Annual Open House.
Like the White Bear Police Department, the Fire
Department engaged in extensive and on-going training
last year, including an emphasis on in-house Advanced
Cardiac Life Support, pediatric emergencies and
interactive training with Ramsey County S.W.A.T.
The Gem Lake City Council made a point of thanking
both departments for their highly professional service.
4,231 4,919 5,283 4,955 4,784
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Gem Lake News Page 3 of 8
KIA Barnett Begins Major
Construction Project
(continued from page 1)
The new dealership will have a large showroom floor,
filled with larger glass windows and lots of light. The
service area will be more separated from the showroom
floor, to cut down on noise and commotion. There will be
solar energy generation as part of the new facility, as
well as electric vehicle charging stations. There will also
be a designated indoor area for new car delivery to
clients. The design is one of the approved floor plans
coming from KIA corporate office.
The grading for the project has been started and the
storm water and other underground improvements have
been completed. The goal is to have the footings for the
new building completed in the next month or so.
During construction of the new building, the old building
will remain in place and fully operational. It is now
anticipated that the new building will be completed by
summer of 2026. Then the old building will be torn down,
with the footprints being blacktopped and used for the
display of new vehicles. Congratulations to KIA Barnett
on this major project!
Mini Gem set to Open Soon
A 19-hole miniature golf course is set to open late this
summer at Gem Lake Hills Golf Course. After months of
careful construction, “The Mini Gem” will offer a fun and
challenging entertainment option, suitable to a wide
variety of golfers.
“We are going for a modern take on the traditional
miniature golf course,” according to General Manager
Matt Greer. “This course will appeal to folks at all ages
and skill levels. These holes are formed like real golf
greens. Some of the holes are very challenging, while
others are easier. Because it isn’t just a kid-oriented
course, we expect that experienced golfers could also
use this course as a way to work on their putting skills.”
The course was designed by a company called
Greenspan, which has a good deal of experience in the
construction of what is now called adventure golf. “We
looked at their portfolio and we were very impressed with
their work,” says Greer.
The eventual opening of the Mini Gem will be the
culmination of months of planning and construction,
involving the intricate laying of turf over mounds of
shaped earth. It is expected to take between 30-60
minutes to complete a round at the mini course.
When it opens, there were be a dedicated point-of-sale
clerk for the course, to keep the fun rolling along. Exact
pricing for the mini adventure is to be determined, but will
probably be tiered, based on time of day. “We expect that
daytime hours will perhaps be more appealing to kids and
families, while evening may attract more adults and
couples,” says Greer.
Be sure to check out your newest local attraction!
Gem Lake News Page 4 of 8
From Farm to Dairy via Gem
Lake Jim Lindner, Gem Lake City Council
Gem Lake residents who live along Otter Lake Road,
and the short stretch of Scheuneman Road that
connects with Hoffman Road, may notice tanker trucks
labeled “Four Cubs Farm” passing through town on their
way to Saputo, Inc. in White Bear Lake. Though the
Gem Lake segment of these trucks’ journeys is short, it
is the penultimate part of a trip that initiated about three
miles east of Grantsburg, Wisconsin.
Four Cubs Farm, named after a mother bear and her
four bear cubs that took shelter in an oak tree in the
farm’s front yard a long time ago, milks approximately
975 Holstein cows three times daily. Saputo buys the
milk and processes it into the products they make.
Three members of the dairy herd. Photo by author
June is dairy month in Wisconsin and many dairy farms
sponsor “dairy breakfasts” and on a warm June
Saturday morning, I had the opportunity to attend one
such breakfast at Four Cubs Farm and tour their
facilities. They have an interesting story.
A devastating fire in 2017 burned the original barn
dating to 1895, but the fire proved to be a blessing in
disguise. Rebuilding allowed the farm to embrace
technology and fully mechanize its milking operations.
Robotic milkers efficiently milk the cows, eventually
filling the trucks. According to farm staff, depending on
the day of the week, one company-owned truck, and
one contractor’s truck make multiple trips from
Grantsburg to White Bear Lake, passing through Gem
Lake enroute.
At the dairy breakfast I was greeted by owner Gary
Peterson, who purchased the farm from family in 1973.
Gary and wife Cris have been expanding and improving
ever since. The Petersons not only own the dairy farm
but grow most of their own feed, plus they own the cattle
breeding facility, and established Brickfield Brewing and
Market in Grantsburg.
Four Cubs is a massive operation that takes many family
members and staff to run it, but when I spoke with
various people, including Gary, I was impressed with the
sense of pride everyone has for the farm. Learn more
about Four Cubs Farm at https://fourcubsfarm.com/.
Four Cubs milk truck on Otter Lake Road. Photo by author
The Importance of Stormwater
Management, Part Three
Jim Lindner, Gem Lake City Council
(portions of this article were generated by AI)
Our multi-part stormwater education continues this month
focusing on the economic benefits of stormwater
management. Economic benefits go beyond Gem Lake’s
borders and serve our greater regional community and
even important state-wide industries such as tourism.
Economic Benefits
Investing in stormwater management infrastructure and
practices yields significant economic benefits. Although
the initial costs may be substantial, the long-term savings
and value provided by these investments are
considerable.
Cost Savings
Preventing flood damage through effective stormwater
management can save millions of dollars in repair and
recovery costs. Additionally, reducing water pollution can
lower the expenses associated with water treatment and
environmental restoration. Clean water is essential for
industries such as tourism, fishing, and agriculture, which
contribute significantly to local economies.
Property Value Enhancement
Green stormwater infrastructure, such as green roofs,
rain gardens, and urban forests, not only manage runoff
but also enhance the aesthetic appeal of urban areas.
These improvements can increase property values and
attract businesses and residents, fostering economic
growth and revitalization.
Stay tuned for Part Four on Public Health and Safety in
the next newsletter.
Gem Lake News Page 5 of 8
The Gem Lake Planning
Commission Needs You!
Are you interested in serving your community? Joining a
planning commission allows individuals to actively shape
their community's future by influencing land use,
development, and overall planning decisions. It provides
an opportunity to contribute to the community's vision,
implement its goals, and ensure responsible growth.
Being a planning commissioner involves tasks such as
evaluating development requests that come before the
city, helping to draft new or improve existing city
ordinances, and generally all matters pertaining to
planning and zoning.
The Gem Lake Planning Commission relies on expert
help from a professional city planner and has staff
support from the city clerk. Duties involve attending
monthly meetings and reading a monthly meeting packet
in advance of the meeting. To serve on the commission
you must be a resident of Gem Lake.
If you are interested in serving on the Gem Lake
Planning Commission, contact Melissa Lawrence at
Heritage Hall or download an application from the Gem
Lake website and submit your application by August 31,
2025, to be considered.
See page 8 of the newsletter for contact information.
Results for First Turkey Hunt
Earlier this year, the Gem Lake City Council approved
two licenses for turkey hunting on private property in the
southern part of our city. The hunts were conducted
during the state’s approved hunting season and in
accordance with city rules about timing, location, training,
and other safety parameters.
The results of these hunts netted a total of 5 male
turkeys. Hunters involved in these two hunts had no
issues or problems but suggested that the city allow more
time for turkey hunting next year, within the state allowed
hunting season.
Dispensary to Open in Gem
Lake
Later this summer or early this fall, The Lakes Dispensary
is expected to open in the business district of Gem Lake.
This new business is the first of its kind in the city and will
be licensed to sell all forms of recreational marijuana
products that are approved by the State of Minnesota
through seed-to-sale tracking. There are many forms of
Marijuana products available for consumption in
dispensaries which will include some of the following:
o Edibles (gummies)
o Marijuana in its raw flower form (pot/weed) - Bulk or
Pre Roll
o Marijuana in distillate/wax form (a product which
allows the customer to smoke with a small battery-
operated device that is completely orderless)
o Topicals (creams and roll-ons) - no intoxicating
effects, just pain relief
o Tinctures (liquid form bottled, dispersed typically
with a self-contained dropper)
o THC Drinks (many serving sizes, carbonated and
non-carbonated)
Gem Lake News Page 6 of 8
What makes a dispensary different from a convenience
store selling gummies at the check-out counter basically
comes down to potency. Minnesota law allows for the
sale of 5 milligrams max of Delta9 THC per dose in
edibles and drinks outside of dispensaries currently.
Anything higher per dose than 5 milligrams is
considered high potency "recreational" and must be
purchased through licensed dispensaries.
Other than those on Native American tribal lands within
the state, dispensaries in general are just beginning to
open. The process for opening a Dispensary outside of
tribal lands is highly regulated by the State of Minnesota,
through its Office of Cannabis Management (OCM).
A potential business owner must apply for and be
granted a state license, pass a background check, find a
property within a city that meets cannabis zoning
requirements (such as away from schools, parks, and
other places children might gather), register with their
city, set up the business, and pass a vigorous final
inspection by the OCM.
The Lakes Dispensary bought the Smoke Shop that was
located on County Road E, near the intersection of
Highway 61, with plans to remodel the space for a
licensed dispensary. Once the Dispensary is open for a
while, there will be some form of a Grand Opening event
in which the public 21 or older will be invited to an open
house, according to Business Consultant Roger
Vannelli, whose son Maxwell was granted a Micro
Business License, one of many different types of
available licenses in the State.
When the final inspection is passed, the Dispensary is
allowed to begin the process of purchasing goods for
their shelves, which will include raw flower purchases
from cultivators and wholesale house purchases for all
other types of products. There are about 30 large
capacity cultivators to choose from in the State, along
with many other smaller licensed operations. The
amount of Marijuana plants an operation can grow
depends on their particular license type, with Cultivators
at the highest capacity. Cannabis products will
completely traced from “seed-to-sale,” according to state
law, which allows for the highest level of quality control
and consumer safety.
More information will be forthcoming as the business
officially opens.
Become a Recycling
Ambassador
Are you interested in the environment? Do you have a
passion for engaging with your community? Consider
volunteering as a Recycling Ambassador!
Become a Recycling Ambassador and help inspire your
community to reduce waste. Recycling Ambassadors
take a six-week training program to learn more about
environmental health, waste systems and recycling.
Recycling Ambassadors agree to volunteer 20 hours
annually to encourage others to reduce, reuse and
recycle.
Workshop topics include:
o Waste systems in Ramsey County.
o Yard waste, food waste, and composting.
o Climate change.
o Environmental justice.
o Household hazardous waste.
o General recycling
Workshops are held every Wednesday from September
10 - October 15 and include both in-person and virtual
sessions. Please make sure you have access to the
internet and are available for all six workshops before
registering.
o Sept. 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (In-person)
o Sept. 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Virtual)
o Sept. 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Virtual)
o Oct. 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (In-person)
o Oct. 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Virtual)
o Oct. 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (In-person)
Recycling Ambassadors encourage our community to
reduce, reuse and recycle. You can register for the
upcoming Fall 2025 Recycling Ambassadors volunteer
training at ramseycounty.us/RecyclingAmbassadors.
Registration closes September 3.
Gem Lake News Page 7 of 8
City News
Gem Lake Recycling Report
Residents of Gem Lake have produced impressive
recycling results in the first two quarters of 2025,
keeping a total of 53,961 tons of materials out of local
landfills. The following is a breakdown of the tonnage:
• 19,157 pounds of newspaper, mixed mail and
phone books
• 8,149 pounds of glass
• 2,050 pounds of cans
• 19,372 pounds of cardboard
• 5,233 pounds of plastics
These results compare to the same period in 2024 (first
two quarters), which resulted in 46,920 tons of materials
recycled in our community.
How Big is Gem Lake Exactly?
Recent data was released by the Metropolitan Council to
metro area cities in order to help each city with
population data and future planning. As of 2024, Gem
Lake has an estimated population of 542 up from 528 in
2020.
We have an estimated 200 households with an average
of 2.71 persons per household. This is up from 199 four
years prior, when our average was 2.65 persons per
household. Our growth has been nothing short of
astounding…
Gem Lake Has a Facebook Page
Acting City Clerk Melissa Lawrence has designed and
published a Facebook page for the City of Gem Lake.
The address is: www.facebook.com/CityofGemLakeMN
The Facebook pages focus primarily on special
announcements and news items, events, etc. It is
intended to compliment rather than replace the city
website. Please check it out and “like” and “follow” the
page. We are also looking for a few appropriate Gem
Lake photos. Your feedback is welcome!
Charitable Gambling Donations
Donations of $1500 were approved by the Gem Lake City
Council in June and July 2025 to be given to the White
Bear Area Food Shelf. These donations come from
charitable gambling receipts that result from pull-tab and
bingo sales within city limits.
The City’s regular donations help fund the food shelf’s
daily war on food-insecurity in the community. The city
has also helped fund operations at the Food Shelf’s new
Community Market, which is located at the intersection of
County Road F and Bellaire Avenue in White Bear Lake.
Gem Lake Planning Commission
Meeting Night Change
At the July 8 Gem Lake Planning Commission meeting
the Commission Members discussed changing their
meeting nights from the second Tuesday of every month
back to the first Tuesday of every month. Originally the
meeting night was changed to accommodate the City
Planner’s availability. With the recent change in City
Planner’s and Commission Member’s availability, the
schedule change was voted on and approved.
Beginning with the 4th quarter of 2025, Gem Lake
Planning Commission meetings will now fall on the first
Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Hall.
The City of Gem Lake
Phone:
(651) 747-2790
Fax
(651)-747-2795
City Hall Address:
4200 Otter Lake Road
Gem Lake, MN 55110
General E-mail:
city@gemlakemn.org
Newsletter E-mail:
Gretchen.artig-
swomley@gemlakemn.org
This newsletter is also posted
on the city’s website under the
“Documents” section and the
“News and Updates” section.
www.gemlakemn.org
After Hours Public Works
Emergency Number:
651-755-9828
(For water main breaks, main
city sewer back up, collapse of
manhole, etc. Or call 911)
Meetings: August and September 2025
The following Gem Lake
meetings will be held in the
months of August and
September. All meetings
are held at Heritage Hall
unless otherwise indicated.
See also the Gem Lake
website for more
information.
August 11, 2025
City Council Workshop is
CANCELED
August 12, 2025
Planning Commission
Meeting is at 7:00 p.m.
August 19, 2025
City Council Meeting is at
7:00 p.m.
September 8, 2025
City Council Workshop is
CANCELED
September 9, 2025
Planning Commission
Meeting is at 7:00 p.m.
September 16, 2025
City Council Meeting is at
7:00 p.m.
Your Gem Lake City Council
Mayor:
Gretchen Artig-Swomley
Email: gretchen.artig-
swomley@gemlakemn.org
City Council Members:
Joshua Patrick
Email: joshua.patrick
@gemlakemn.org
Len Cacioppo
Email: len.cacioppo
@gemlakemn.org
Ben Johnson
Email: ben.johnson
@gemlakemn.org
Jim Lindner
Email: jim.lindner
@gemlakemn.org
You can also reach each
city council member by
calling 651-747-2790. After
hours you can follow the
prompts for the city council
directory.
CITY OF GEM LAKE
4200 Otter Lake Road
Gem Lake, MN 55110