HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 Vol 16, Issue 1 January Gem Lake NewsSpecial Interest
Articles:
• MPCA featured at
January City Council
Meeting
• Well and Water Reports
• City News, Page 4
Upcoming Recycling
Dates:
• January 12
• January 26
• February 9
• February 23
MPCA to Report on Wells – January 18 Meeting
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
will be providing an update at the January 18 City
Council Meeting on city wells that have shown
trace contamination from a chemical substance
called 1,4 Dioxane. The meeting will take place at
Heritage Hall starting at 7:00 p.m.
They are also hosting a time slot for individual
meetings at Heritage Hall for any resident who
wants to show up (no appointment needed) and
discuss their own well situation. These one-on-
one meeting slots are available on a first-come,
first-served basis, starting at 6:00 p.m. and
ending around 8:00 p.m.
For the past several months, the MPCA and MDH
have conducted extensive well testing of
residential wells. Please come to the meeting and
hear about their results.
See also the story below for more information on
the science behind Gem Lake’s water supply.
Hydrology 101 and Gem Lake’s Well Situation
Last fall, slight traces of the chemical 1,4 Dioxane
showed up in a handful of wells in Gem Lake. After
extensive testing of wells all over the city by the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) that
number grew to a total of 22 wells. The numbers
were measured in parts per billion, with most of the
22 wells coming in with a score of 1-2, and a
couple coming in at 3. (More on this later).
Since that time, the MPCA and the Minnesota
Department of Health have worked closely with the
city to answer questions, help determine future
strategies for ensuring safe water supplies, and
most importantly, determining the source of the
contamination.
(Continued on page 3)
Gem Lake News
January 2022 | Volume 16 | Issue 1 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor
Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6
Gem Lake Final Budget Passes
The final budget for Gem Lake covering 2022 was
passed at the December 21 City Council Meeting
following the city’s first ever “Truth in Taxation”
Hearing. According to Minnesota State Law, all cities
must hold a “Truth in Taxation” Hearing once their
population exceeds 500 people. The recently released
2020 Federal Census Figures put Gem Lake’s
population at 526. Prior to this, Gem Lake’s City
Council simply approved the final budget without a
special public hearing.
The 2022 final property tax levy was set at $558,210,
which is a 4.25% increase over 2021. The 2022
property tax levy consists of a debt levy of $87,282
(which includes $2,505 in fiscal disparities funds) and
the general operating levy of $470,928 (which includes
$10,726 in fiscal disparities). Per the League of
Minnesota Cities, fiscal disparities is a metro-wide
property tax sharing program, which Gem Lake
participates in. It is rather complex, but the fiscal
disparities numbers listed above represent our share.
Here are a few notables for 2022:
• The police budget was increased 10.85% to
$95,000 based on the City of White Bear Lake’s
budget.
• The cost of fire services increased 14.40% to
$29,343.
• The road maintenance budget includes $15,000
for trimming boulevard trees.
• The salt/sand budget reduced to $15,000 and
snow plowing contract reduced from $18,500 to
$17,000.
• A park maintenance budget of $5,000 for
maintaining the trail area was added.
• The 2022 budget includes $20,000 for future
improvements.
• Revenue and other expenditure line items were
adjusted based on past history.
• The 2022 budget includes $25,000 for future
improvements.
• Based on the 2015 Refunding Bond Schedule,
the debt levy for 2022 is set for $79,477. In
addition, in 2018, the City issued bonds for the
improvements on Scheuneman Road, and the
2022 debt levy for this issue is $7,805. The two
of these debt levies make up the city’s 2022
debt levy of $87,282.
These changes result in the City\s final tax levy of
$558,210 for 2022. The compares to 2021 preliminary
levy of $538,308 and 2021 final levy of $535,476.
Changes Planned to Home
Occupations Ordinance
Gem Lake’s Planning Commission is currently
reviewing the city ordinances pertaining to home
occupations. This includes Home Occupations
Ordinance No. 85 and language that appears in the
Gem Lake Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131.
A public hearing on the subject was scheduled for
January 11, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Hall to
gather further feedback. The review of this ordinance
has been underway for several months. The review
was prompted by massive changes that have
happened in the United States over the past several
years regarding remote work. Gem Lake’s leadership
wanted to be sure this ordinance remains relevant and
up-to-date in the midst of societal change.
Archery Deer Hunting Within
City
The Gem Lake City Council issued a permit for archery
deer hunting to Anthony Scornavacco and Mike Garrett
for hunting to take place on their property on the south
side of Gem Lake last September. A primary goal was
to reduce the city’s large deer population. The hunt
took place between mid-September and mid-
November, on three weekends that were preapproved
by the council. Neighbors were also notified in
advance. The event was concluded safely, according to
all rules and guidelines, and resulted in no complaints
from nearby residents. A total of 5 deer were
harvested, one doe and four bucks.
Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6
Hydrology 101 and Gem Lake’s
Well Situation (Continued from pg.1)
In the past few months, the MPCA and MDH have
continued testing, monitoring and following up leads as
to where the problem may have started. The problem is
multi-dimensional, and a lot of the same questions have
emerged from citizens who are trying to understand the
science behind this situation. Why did the problem
emerge generally in one area of the city? Is the
contamination moving? Why did one neighbor have a
slightly contaminated well, while another nearby did
not? Is the situation stable? Can wells heal themselves,
so to speak?
Following are a few general answers to these
questions:
Why did the problem show up in one area of the
city? 1,4 dioxane was initially detected in residential
wells located in the vicinity of Haven Lane and Tessier
Road as part of testing done by Water Gremlin. Based
on these detections, additional testing was completed
to determine the extent of the contamination in Gem
Lake. As testing continued, 1,4 dioxane contamination
was detected in additional wells to the southwest of the
initial detections, towards Little Fox Lane and LaBore
Road.
The highest concentrations of 1,4 dioxane were
detected in the area around Haven Lane and Tessier
Road. The groundwater contamination appears to have
migrated to the southwest, based on lower 1,4 dioxane
detections in residential wells in this direction. The
distributions of contamination indicated that the source
may be located north of Haven Lane and Tessier Road
area of Gem Lake.
Is the contamination moving? At present the problem
appears to be fairly stable and confined to the western
portion of Gem Lake. There have been no
exceedances of the HRL for 1,4 dioxane in the northern
or eastern portions of Gem Lake. As the pattern of well
contamination emerged, it might have seemed like the
pollution was moving around with ease, but the
situation is a bit more complex. The contamination is
dissolved in the groundwater, and therefore moves in
the same direction the groundwater is flowing beneath
the surface, which is generally to the southwest in this
area of Ramsey County. The rate of groundwater
movement, or “flow”, beneath the surface is generally
much slower than water flowing in a river or stream at
the surface.
Why did one neighbor have well contamination,
and another nearby had none? Here is where the
real complexity emerges. We tend to think of the
ground beneath us in terms of north, south, east and
west, as though it is two- dimensional. In reality, the
ground beneath us is like a three-dimensional layer
cake. It is made up of multiple layers of gravel, sand,
clay, bedrock, and other materials. The bedrock is
generally very deep, and other materials (sand, gravel,
clay) are layers on top of the bedrock, deposited as the
glaciers receded from the area.
The majority of residential wells in Gem Lake are set in
the sand and gravel layers, with a few set in the deeper
bedrock layers. However, the wells are not all set at the
same depth, even in the sand and gravel layers. There
are likely different concentrations of the 1,4 dioxane
contamination in the different sand and gravel layers in
the area. Therefore, the 1,4 dioxane levels may be
higher in one well than another well right next door
because that well is set in a different water bearing
layer, that has a higher 1,4 dioxane level.
Is the situation stable? Can wells heal themselves?
The ground way below us is usually a mixture of gravel,
sand, clay and other material. The water beneath us
finds a pathway through it and can be somewhat
filtered by what it is traveling through. As contamination
travels through the ground, the groundwater dilutes the
contamination to a certain degree, depending on how
much and what type of contamination is present.
Private wells don’t generally heal themselves, although
contamination can become more diluted, depending
upon a lot of factors. Some private well owners do
extensive filtration of their well water, which can have
an effect on water quality. Additional on-going testing
by the MPCA will evaluate the stability of the
groundwater contamination and determine if any
additional wells may potentially be at risk from 1,4
dioxane.
Will the MPCA be able to determine where the
pollution came from? How long will it take to find
out? A generation ago, there were very few rules about
what could and couldn’t be buried when it came to
pollution and harmful chemicals.
(story concluded on page 5)
Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6
City News
License Required for Rental Properties in City
If you are renting out your house in Gem Lake you
need a rental license. If you own rental property but are
not currently renting it, you still need to fill out a rental
license application to keep the City updated. The
application process is easy. Fill out our form located on
our website, which can be found under “Permits” or
contact Melissa Lawrence, City Clerk, pay a license fee
(if you are actively renting), and go through a brief
inspection of the property by our code enforcement
officer. We check for things like smoke detectors. Call
651-747-2790 to find out more.
Changes Made to Fire Ordinances
Fire safety was discussed at length at the October Gem
Lake City Council meeting. Various changes were
made to the City’s Ordinance No. 77, which pertains to
fire safety matters. Many of these changes were
updates to fire code language to keep the city in sync
with State Fire Codes and the City of White Bea Lake,
which provides Gem Lake with firefighting services.
However, new language was added to the Outdoor
Recreational Fire Section of the Ordinance. These
changes were made to ensure consistency between
White Bear Lake and Gem Lake, and to respond to
several recent problems pertaining to unattended or
unwise use of recreational fires.
If you are going to have a recreational fire in your
backyard, new rules required the following conditions:
• Firewood may only be burned within a non-
combustible containment less than three feet in
diameter and not less than 8 inches in depth or
height. The fire shall be limited to fuel such that
at no time does the flame height exceed 36
inches.
• Fire pits or rings must be located a minimum of
25 feet from structures or combustibles, such as
houses, garages, sheds, wood piles and
wooden fences, and 15 feet from property lines.
• The fire may not be lit prior to 10 a.m. or after
11 p.m.
• The fire must be constantly attended and
supervised by an adult until the fire has been
completely extinguished.
• A means of controlling or extinguishing the fire
must be immediately available.
• The use of flammable or combustible liquid
accelerants is not permitted.
• Recreational fires are not permitted on days
when wind speeds exceed 10 miles per hour.
• Any person planning to have a recreational
fire must be aware of any local burning bans
that are in effect. If a ban is in effect, all fires
are prohibited.
After Hour Emergency Number for Public Works
In the event of a public works emergency after our
normal business hours, there is a number you should
call. Gem Lake’s normal business hours are 7:30 a.m.
to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. A public works
emergency is defined as a threat to public safety or
critical infrastructure. (Not a pothole, or something that
can wait)
Examples of an emergency would be a water main
break, (please don’t call City of Vadnais Heights), a city
sewer line back up or the collapse of a manhole. The
phone number to call after business hours is
651-755-9828. The City of Gem Lake has a
cooperative agreement with White Bear Township to
handle these emergencies.
Charitable Gambling Donations
The Gem Lake City Council approved charitable
donations of $2,500 to both the White Bear Lake
Emergency Food Shelf and Newtrax, a local non-profit
transportation provider. These donations were made
using a percentage of funds from pull-tab sales at the
Country Lounge.
The funds will go to meeting increasing calls for service
at the food shelf. Newtrax plans to utilize the funds to
help deliver supplies from the food shelf for patrons
who cannot pick up supplies on their own, due to
illness, lack of transportation, or other factors.
Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6
What is “Smart Salting”?
Smart salting is a new phrase that you may be hearing
these days. The concept refers to being thoughtful
about your use of winter salting in order to maintain
groundwater quality and help the environment.
According to the Vadnais Lake Area Water
Management Organization (VLAWMO), you can keep
outdoor surfaces, such as sidewalks, safe, while still
keeping groundwater clean. VLAWMO points out that
one teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes five gallons
of freshwater. Chlorides found in road salt are harmful
to wildlife, soil and groundwater. They also disrupt the
seasonal lake cycles that make our lakes enjoyable,
and corrode cars, bridges and streets.
Sometimes salt is needed to make sidewalks and
entryways safe for everyday use. When necessary, salt
can be used in a smarter way by adopting the motto:
Shovel, Select, Scatter, Sweep.
Shovel
Store shovels and tools in convenient locations before
winter weather strikes. Consider both a scoop and push
shovel for maximum preparedness. Use tools first:
shovel, scraper or broom.
Select
Select a de-icing product carefully, depending on
temperature, and allow for the expected melt time. Use
sand or grit for temporary traction.
Scatter
Use salt only where it’s critical, striving for 3” between
crystals. Plan ahead and practice to make smart
estimates quick and easy. Plan ahead for the space
you expect to maintain during the winter and keep a 12-
ounce cup in a convenient place with the salt storage.
Cover storage buckets or store salt indoors to keep it
dry.
Disperse salt and other de-icers evenly, without piles.
The goal is not to form a blanket, but to break the
bonds of ice/compacted snow. Once salt crystals
infiltrate the ice/compacted snow, a scraper can chop
and scrape the surface. Shoveling off ice chunks
reduces the need to re-apply. Salt that is diluted with
meltwater becomes less effective: re-freezing occurs
and raises the risk for falls.
More product doesn’t mean faster results. The chemical
reaction depends on temperature. Excess product
remains in meltwater and runoff. Never apply de-icers
to dry pavement or loose snow.
Sweep
Sweep up extra salt, sand and grit. Salt and grit can be
re-used, but sand will likely lose its traction and should
be thrown in the trash.
Hydrology 101 and Gem Lake’s
Well Situation (Continued from page 3)
Then things like Love Canal happened. (Love Canal
was a New York neighborhood near Niagara Falls that
became highly affected by chemical contamination.)
State and Federal Superfund Laws emerged in the
early 1980’s to hold polluters accountable for
contamination they release to the environment. There
are also state systems in place to address
contamination if the original polluter is not able to be
identified or they are no longer available to investigate
and clean-up the contamination. When a situation like
this happens the MPCA begins immediate testing to
ensure safe drinking water, to figure out where the
contamination came from and who may be responsible.
It is not uncommon to find slight contamination in water
wells located in an urban area with historic or current
industry present. Additional testing, monitoring and
analysis of data and historical records will be needed.
The process could take several years. More information
will be provided on the subject by the MPCA at the
Gem Lake City Council Meeting on January 18.
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: January and February 2022
The following Gem Lake
meeting will be held in the
months of January and
February. All meetings are
held at Heritage Hall
unless indicated.
January 18, 2022
City Council meeting at
7:00 p.m.
February 8, 2022
Planning Commission
Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
February 14, 2022
City Council Workshop at
7:00 p.m. CANCELED
February 15, 2022
City Council meeting at
7:00 p.m.
See also the Gem Lake
web-site for more
information.
Please note: if meeting
formats need to change
due to COVID
restrictions, notice will
be made on the web-site
and on the door of
Heritage Hall.
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