HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024 Vol 18, Issue 4 August Gem Lake NewsSpecial Interest
Articles:
• 2023 Audit Results
• Purple Line Update
• SepticSmart Week
• MPCA to Give Update
on Well Testing
• City News, Page 7
Scheduled Recycling
Dates:
• August 14
• August 28
• September 11
• September 25
Gem Lake Passes 2023 Audit with Flying Colors
Gem Lake’s 2023 audit has been completed and the
preliminary results are considered fairly standard.
City Council members were given a complete
presentation of the results at the June 18 City Council
meeting.
The audit was conducted by MMKR Certified Public
Accountants, who have also done the past several
years of city audits. According to MMKR, the result
was what is called an “unmodified” report, which is
good. Auditors found that the financial statements of
Gem Lake presented fairly, in all material aspects,
the true financial position of the city.
Management judgements and accounting estimates
were considered reasonable and supported.
Disclosures were deemed to be clear and complete.
According to the accounting firm, no difficulties were
encountered in performing the audit.
Auditors found no incidents of noncompliance
required to be reported under Government Auditing
Standards. There were also no findings based on
testing of the City’s compliance with Minnesota laws
and regulations.
(Continued on Page 2)
Comprehensive Remodeling Project Underway
at Gem Lake Hills Golf Course
Major renovations and improvements are planned for
the coming year at the Gem Lake Hills Golf Course.
Projects include a new miniature golf course, a new
putting green, completely remodeled tee boxes at
each hole and a new golf cart area.
Greenspan Projects has been hired to design and
install a miniature golf course attraction that has been
on the drawing board for a while. The old “cage”
where the golf carts were stored has been taken
down to make way for the new course. The structure
was built in the late 1980’s and served as a driving
range through the 1990’s. As riding carts were
introduced and became more popular, the cage
served as a cart parking/storage area from the early
2000’s through 2023.
(Continued on Page 2)
Gem Lake News
August 2024 | Volume 18 | Issue 4 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor
Gem Lake News Page 2 of 8
Gem Lake 2023 Audit
Completed (continued from page 1)
MMKR concluded that there were no transactions
entered into by the City of the year for which there was a
lack of authoritative guidance or consensus. Financial
statement disclosures were considered neutral,
consistent and clear. MMKR concluded that there were
no misstatements detected as a result of audit
procedures that were material, either individually or in the
aggregate, to each financial statement taken as a whole.
Here are some findings regarding Gem Lake finances:
• The City’s general fund accounts for the financial
activity of the basic services provided to the
community. It includes municipal operations, police
and fire protection, building inspection, streets and
highway maintenance, etc.
• The City has generally been able to maintain
healthy cash and fund balance levels, which allows
the City to properly meet cash needs, maintain the
City’s bond rating and navigate through
fluctuations in state funding for cities in recent
years.
• The City’s General Fund expenditures for 2023
were $497,359, up $32,690 from 2022, but 24.3%
under budget.
• Public works expenditures were $57,492 under
budget due to a year with very little sanding,
salting and snow plowing expense.
• General Government expenditures came in
$50,898 under budget, due to lower-than-expected
legal fees.
• The City’s taxable market value of all properties
increased 3.7% in 2023, versus an increase in
2.2% in 2022.
• Gem Lake’s General Fund revenues for 2023 was
$717,914, which was $78,355 more than
budgeted. This represented a 28.7% increase in
revenues over 2022.
• The City’s General Fund case and investments
balance at December 31, 2023 was $511,411, an
increase of $158,870 over the previous year.
A complete copy of the 2023 annual audit is available at
Heritage Hall.
Gem Lake Hills Golf Course
Remodel (continued from page 1)
With the remodeling and addition of the miniature golf
course, the carts will be stored in a different area near
the golf house. A new practice putting green is being
installed using artificial turf for ease of use and
maintenance.
As part of the Gem Lake Hills Course commitment to
quality, all the tee boxes are being completely redone.
This fall, all the tee boxes will be excavated, contoured
and enlarged. The result will be larger and flatter tee
boxes, designed to give golfers a better tee shot
experience. This project will begin in mid to late
September. The new tee boxes will be ready for use by
Spring of 2025. The other projects will be completed in
the 2024-2025 timeframe.
The Gem Lake Hills Golf Course is located on
Schueneman Road and has been in existence for
decades.
Gem Lake News Page 3 of 8
Planning Continues for the “Purple Line” Bus System
A status report on planning for the Metro Council’s future
“Purple Line” bus route was presented at a recent
Corridor Management Committee (CMC) meeting on
June 6. Gem Lake sits on this committee, along with
representatives from surrounding cities, the county and
other involved parties. The proposed Purple Line bus
route extends from downtown St. Paul to somewhere in
the northeast Metro area.
Detailed presentations were given on the two major
remaining development aspects of this bus line. First,
what exact route will the bus line take, and second,
where will the bus line terminate. The meeting on June 6
was led by Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria
Reinhardt, who is also Vice Chair of the CMC.
The major issue was which of two routes will the purple
line take from downtown to the north metro. One route
utilizes the Bruce Vento Trail for over 7 miles of its
journey, ending at the Maplewood Mall area. The other
proposed route departs the Phalen Blvd area, jogs east
on Maryland Avenue and then runs north on White Bear
Avenue to the Maplewood Mall area. Each option allows
for the route to perhaps go even further someday, to the
Vadnais Heights Transit Center or to Century College.
The pros and cons of each of these two very different
options was presented during the meeting. In terms of
distance, the Bruce Vento option, or Option 1, goes for
9.5 miles from start to finish, with 17 stops. The White
Bear Avenue option, or Option 2, goes for 11 miles with
24 stops. Option 1 runs by an area with 19,983 people
near it. Option 2 runs by an area with 35,429 people
near it. (Meaning within walking distance.) Transit times
were also compared. From start to finish, Option 1 would
take 28 minutes to complete, while option 2 would take
39 minutes to complete.
While, Option 2 would serve far more households,
(12,226, versus 7093) and pass far more businesses, it
would also cost more. (Option 1 is now projected to cost
about $370M to build, while option 2 would cost between
$420-$450M to build.
Traffic impacts are also vastly different for these options.
Option 1 runs on the Bruce Vento Trail and requires less
adjustment to existing roads, intersections, and private
property. Option 2, however, would require dedicated
traffic lanes, significant road widening in places, revised
traffic flow in some intersection points, etc. This is
because, much of the route runs on two already busy
roads—Maryland Avenue and White Bear Avenue.
Option 1 is projected to have less ridership than Option 2.
This is due to the fact that there are fewer key destination
in the “walkshed” along Option 1 than Option 2.
Walkshed is defined as places within walking distance of
bus stops.
In summary, it was thought that although Option 1 had far
fewer traffic impacts, it also served fewer people.
Conversely, while Option 2 served a significantly larger
potential ridership pool, it also was more expensive and
had more property and traffic impacts, especially on
White Bear Avenue.
The other key matter discussed at the CMC meeting was
the bus line end point. The primary choices at this point
are the Maplewood Transit Center or a layover spot on
County Road D. The County Road D option would be
somewhat more expensive.
The next CMC meeting is scheduled for August 1.
Between now and then, a “robust engagement process”
will take place with the public and gather feedback on
these options, according to county commissioner
Reinhardt.
Gem Lake News Page 4 of 8
How Big is Gem Lake?
Exactly, how big (or small) is the City of Gem Lake?
According to the Metropolitan Council estimates, as of
April 1, 2023, Gem Lake has 211 housing units, 207
households and 557 people. Household size averaged
2.691 persons per household. There were no people
living in group quarters facilities.
Three Positions Opening on the
Gem Lake City Council
There will be three positions up for election on the Gem
Lake City Council this November. The terms of
Councilmembers Ben Johnson and Laurel Amlee and
Mayor Gretchen Artig-Swomley will expire at the end of
2024. Councilmember terms run for four years.
If you are interested in running for election, you must file
with the County between July 30 – August 13 and pay a
fee of $2.00. You can file either at Heritage Hall or at the
County office. You must be at least 21, be a current
resident for at least 30 days before the general election
and be eligible to vote.
For more information, visit the Ramsey County website
www.ramseycounty.us/residents/elections-
voting/candidates.
SepticSmart Week 2024
SepticSmart Week is an annual event that occurs the
third week of September. Save the date, SepticSmart
Week will be September 16 – 20, 2024. Communities,
national organizations, local groups, and state
governments can bring attention to the importance of
caring for and maintaining septic systems by organizing
homeowner education events, sponsoring workshops,
or sharing social media from the SepticSmart program.
This year SepticSmart Week is celebrating its 12th
anniversary!
For more information, visit www.epa.gov/septic.
There are challenges across the country due to
improperly maintained or failing septic systems for
many homeowners, local environmental groups, county
health departments and local governments. EPA’s
SepticSmart program aims to provide materials and
resources to increase homeowner education on septic
systems and promote awareness in caring for them.
SepticSmart education materials are targeted to
homeowners but for use by anyone! These online
resources may be downloaded, printed, and shared as
needed. Many of the materials are available in both
English and Spanish.
For education materials and quick tip videos, visit
www.epa.gov/septic/septicsmart-education-materials.
Gem Lake News Page 5 of 8
Kathy Robins Passes Away at
80
Old time movie star Marlene Dietrich once famously said
“the only friends that really count are the ones you can
call at 3 in the morning.” For this editor, Gem Lake
resident Kathy Robins was such a friend. We had a lot in
common. We were both widowed in our fifties and we
both ended up living alone after years of caring for ill
spouses. We helped each other get through some very
difficult times.
Sadly, “Virginia” Kathy Robins passed away on February
26 of this year, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s
Disease. She was born in St. Paul and was 80 years old
when she died. Kathy was preceded in death by her
parents and her husband Solly Robins.
She is survived by son, Sean Robins (Ryan Lawson);
daughter, Shannon (Rahsaan Yearwood), brother,
Roger Larson; partner of many years, Tom Folsom;
nieces and nephews, Casey, Kelly, and Wylie; six
grandchildren; and by countless friends and extended
family members.
Kathy was known as a loving and kind person to
everyone she knew. She loved animals and they loved
her just as much. She was also passionate and
dedicated to all things related to interior design, at which
she excelled. Kathy also served as a member of Gem
Lake’s Planning Commission about 15 years ago. She
will be missed by many.
New Food Shelf Facility Opens
to Public
The White Bear Area Food Shelf held a ribbon cutting
ceremony on May 30 to celebrate the opening of its new
Community Market located at 2446 County Road F in
White Bear Lake. This new facility will expand the Food
Shelf’s capability to serve the community by providing a
second location where food distribution can take place, in
addition to its facility at 1884 Whitaker Street.
The Community Market is an innovative new way to care
for the food needs of the community. The market
provides a food shopping “grocery store” experience to
an expanded audience. “Food insecurity is at historic
highs throughout the State,” according to White Bear
Area Food Shelf Executive Director Perry Petersen. “At
the new market, people can access fresh, healthy, free
food and connect with partner organizations for additional
services.”
A variety of state and local leaders attended the ribbon
cutting and took advantage of self-guided tours of the
new facility. For more information, contact the White Bear
Area Food Shelf at https://whitebearfoodshelf.org/.
Gem Lake News Page 6 of 8
Lake Links Trail Completed
Article and Photos by Jim Lindner and Lake Links Association
To celebrate the completion of the South Shore
Boulevard trail segment, the Lake Links Association and
White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a
ribbon cutting event on Thursday, June 20 at 3:30 p.m.
The calendar said it was the first day of summer, but
rain and clouds kept the temperature in the lower 60s.
Nonetheless a small group of residents, local officials,
and project engineers came out for the official ribbon-
cutting ceremony for the final section of the Lake Links
Trail that allow trail users to circumnavigate the water
body, White Bear Lake.
Officially initiated in a 2001 engineering study, what
eventually became the Lake Links Association provided
the means for local governments and residents to come
together and created a nearly ten-mile trail around White
Bear Lake. Resolutions of support from White Bear
Lake, White Bear Township, Birchwood, Dellwood, and
Mahtomedi, along with support from Ramsey County
and the state legislature all helped make the trail a
reality. The final segment was included in the South
Shore Boulevard reconstruction project.
The trail’s closest point to Gem Lake is to take Hoffman
Road to White Bear Avenue near Kowalski’s. From there,
the trail is just across the parking lot. Or there’s a
municipal parking ramp at The Boatworks Commons.
Walk, jog, or bike along the trail for a short stretch or go
the full 9.9-mile distance.
Part of the trail includes a new picnic shelter at Bellaire
Beach, named Saputo Station, from funds donated by
Saputo (many Gem Lake residents will recall Saputo’s
former name, Kohler Mix) which reflects local business
investments into the project to compliment public money.
Here, and at Lion’s Park, there are free public bicycle
repair stations should your bike need a quick fix on the
trail.
Gem Lake congratulates its eastern neighbors on the
successful completion of this important local project. For
more project information including local historical
information, visit www.lakelinks.org.
After years of hard work, South Shore Boulevard now
includes safe spaces for people to walk, bike and
roll. This incredible transformation is a product of
exceptional citizen engagement and the persistence of
our legislative and civic leaders.
Gem Lake News Page 7 of 8
City News
MPCA to Give Update on Well Testing
on July 16
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will give an
update at the July 16th Gem Lake City Council meeting.
This update will cover the ongoing investigation into
contamination in 22 private wells of the chemical 1,4-
dioxane, as well as well testing efforts. The council
meeting will start at 7 p.m. and will be held at Heritage
Hall. The MPCA report will be one of the first items on
the agenda.
Digital Photos of Paper Licenses
Acceptable Until March 2025
The Minnesota House of Representatives has passed
several new laws in 2024. One of the most recent ones
will make doing some of your outdoor hobbies less
stressful. Hunters and fishers can temporarily remember
one less thing when heading outdoors if they’re bringing
along a phone.
Effective May 7, 2024, a new law clarifies that
conservation officers will accept a digital photo of paper
fishing or hunting licenses, cross-country skiing passes
and horse-riding passes. It expires March 5, 2025.
The Department of Natural Resources is moving toward
a more comprehensive, online licensing system. The
practice for most enforcement officers in the meantime is
to accept photos of licenses, but the law makes this
explicit.
Conservation officers are not responsible if the phone is
damaged during inspection. Handing over the phone
does not constitute permission to look at any other
content it contains.
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 and $1500 were approved by the
Gem Lake City Council in June and July 2024 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.
Heritage Hall Holiday Office Closures
Heritage Hall will be closed September 2 for Labor Day.
The office will also be closed September 3 – 5.
All other hours remain the same. Have a safe holiday!
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 2024
The following Gem Lake
meeting 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 12, 2024
City Council Workshop is
CANCELED
August 14, 2024
Planning Commission
Meeting is at 7:00 p.m.
August 20, 2024
City Council Meeting is at
7:00 p.m.
September 9, 2024
City Council Workshop is
CANCELED
September 10, 2024
Planning Commission
Meeting is at 7:00 p.m.
September 17, 2024
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:
Laurel Amlee
Email: laurel.hynes-
amlee@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