HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 Vol 16, Issue 6 September Gem Lake NewsSpecial Interest
Articles:
• Water Summit 9/12
• Recycling Hauler
• City News, Page 4
Scheduled Recycling
Dates:
• September 8
• September 21
• October 5 *
• October 19 *
Check the Facebook
page for updates on
recycling pickup.
See page 3 for the
Facebook page link.
* October recycling dates
may be subject to change
Water Summit Scheduled for September 12
An important informational meeting will be held on
September 12 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the Gem Lake
water plan, which was recently completed by SEH,
which functions as Gem Lake’s City Engineer.
Potential funding options for a possible municipal
water system will be discussed. The MPCA
(Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) will be on hand
to give an update on city well testing, and any
progress on investigating the source of the
contamination.
Late last year, the City Council of Gem Lake began to
look at options for dealing with the discovery of small
amounts of pollution in 22 private wells in the city.
The Informational Meeting on September 12 will be
designed to look at the complex options that are
available to the city, and to get feedback from the
people who live here on what direction the city should
take.
(Continued on page 2)
Preliminary Budget for 2023 Presented 9/20
Minnesota Statutes require cities to certify their
preliminary property tax levies by September 30 each
year. Once the preliminary property tax levy is
approved and certified to the County Auditor, the city
can lower the levy during the remaining budget
planning cycle, but cannot exceed the certified
preliminary levy. For this reason, most cities certify a
levy using worst-case budget scenarios, which is the
case with the City of Gem Lake’s 2023 preliminary
property tax levy and budget.
The 2023 preliminary property tax levy is proposed at
$748,879, which is a 23.159% increase from the 2022
certified preliminary property tax levy. The 2023
preliminary levy consists of a debt levy of $84,418 (a
decrease of $2,864 from the 2022 preliminary debt
levy) and the general operating levy of $664,461 (an
increase of 27.59% from the 2022 preliminary tax
levy).
(Continued on page 3)
Gem Lake News
September 2022 | Volume 16 | Issue 6 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor
Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6
Water Summit Scheduled for September 12
(Continued from page 1)
These options could include installing a city-wide
municipal water system, installing a smaller more
targeted municipal water system in the area where wells
have been affected, or doing nothing for now.
Homeowners affected by the contamination could drill
new wells or install sophisticated water filtration systems.
Each of these options is potentially expensive and
fraught with possible problems.
The process leading up to this informational meeting this
September began with the commissioning of a
comprehensive municipal water study. That study was
meant to evaluate what options are available for
obtaining water from a neighboring city, should it become
necessary, and how the system might be implemented.
The first portion of the study detailed two potential
sources for obtaining municipal water, The City of White
Bear Lake, and White Bear Township, both of which
border Gem Lake. The study concluded that a viable
system that could supply the entire city efficiently is
possible, from an engineering perspective, from either of
these neighbors.
SEH evaluated factors such as water pressure, water
quality, water treatment standards, etc. to draw their
conclusions. They did not reach out to either neighbor to
explore whether they would be able or willing to supply
Gem Lake’s water needs at this point. The ballpark cost
of a system from either White Bear Township or the City
of White Bear Lake was estimated at between $11-12
Million. At the February City Council meeting, SEH was
asked to develop Part Two of this water study. This
second part evaluates options for phasing in a water
system to the part of the city potentially most in need of
municipal water. It also looks at possibilities for municipal
water that could involve working with the City of Vadnais
Heights.
Because many residents of Gem Lake don’t currently
want a municipal water system, and the majority of wells
have not been impacted by contamination at present, it
was the duty of the council to evaluate options such as
moving from private wells to municipal water in phases
on an as needed basis. Therefore, Part Two of the Water
Study explores additional potential options of providing
safe, reliable sources of water within the City, with a goal
of prioritizing those areas with known well water
contamination and the areas with a higher likelihood for
potential future well water issues.
The goal would be to feed these smaller, localized water
service areas by the nearest surrounding community’s
distribution system to limit project costs and complexities.
The Engineering Firm SEH mapped out three priority
service areas and described prices and options for each
of these areas. These more targeted options could cost
between $367,021 and $3,478,076, depending upon the
number of households served, and where the water
would be coming from. Now that an extensive plan has
been completed, the city can pursue possible grants and
loan programs that might help finance the installation of
any municipal water system. (Typically, grant applications
require that a study be completed first.)
Many engineering factors would have to be considered
while determining the best and most feasible options for
Gem Lake. These factors include water quality, system
efficiency, topography, and the ability to reach agreement
with surrounding communities to supply the city with
water.
No decisions have been made about what direction the
city should go and public feedback is encouraged. We
hope to see you on September 12 at 7:00 p.m. at
Heritage Hall.
Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6
Preliminary Budget for 2023
Presented at 9/20 Hearing
(Continued from page 1)
The following changes were made from the 2022
adopted budget, as a basis for the 2023 proposed
preliminary property tax levy:
• Based on the 2015 Refunding Bond schedule, the
debt levy for 2023 is set for $77,873. In addition, in
2018, the City issued bonds for the improvements
on Scheuneman Road and the 2023 debt levy for
this issue is $6,545. The two of these debt levies
make up the City’s 2023 debt levy of $84,418.
• Licenses and Permits increased $2,550, based on
2022 and past activity.
• The City Council contingency was increased to
$25,000 (up from $8,000).
• Clerk/General Government budget includes $10,000
for health insurance coverage and a wage increase
of 5% for the Clerk.
• Clerk/General Government budget includes $50,000
for new software installation.
• The Police budget was increased 23.16% to
$117,000, based on the City of White Bear Lake
budget recently provided to Gem Lake.
• The cost of fire services could increase 15.96% to
$34,025.
• The $14,579 for the part-time code enforcement
position in the building inspections department, was
removed from the budget.
• The road maintenance budget includes $25,000 for
road maintenance/repairs and $15,000 for trimming
boulevard trees.
• Salt/sand costs remain at $15,000 and snow
plowing increased from $17,000 to $20,000.
• A park/trail maintenance budget of $6,000 for
maintaining common area near the Villas of Gem
Lake was added.
• The 2023 budget includes $20,000 for future
improvements.
• Revenue and other expenditure line items have
been adjusted based on past history.
These changes result in the Gem Lake proposed
preliminary tax levy of $748,879 for 2023. This
compares to the 2022 preliminary levy of $608,060 and
the final tax levy of $558,210. Using a 2023 property
tax levy of $748,879 and the City’s 2022 tax capacity
($1,426,695) and median valued home ($352,000) for
Gem Lake, that median valued home would pay City
property taxes of $1,686.94 in 2023, compared to the
2022 preliminary levy of $1,364.02, an increase of
$322.92.
As the City of Gem Lake prepares its final 2023 budget,
the property tax levy can be lowered, from the
preliminary numbers, but cannot be increased. The
final budget is due to the State of Minnesota in
December.
There will be a Preliminary Budget Public Hearing on
September 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Hall. You are
invited to attend.
Gem Lake Selects New
Recycling Hauler
After numerous customer service complaints and nine
delayed pick up cycles, the Gem Lake City Council
voted to switch recycling contractors.
Sometime this Fall, Gem Lake will change from using
Waste Management to Republic Services for residential
recycling. Various details have to be worked out, such
as when Waste Management will pick up their green
and yellow bins, and when Republic Services will drop
off their new bins.
It is projected that Waste Management will provide
recycling pick up through the month of September and
possibly a bit longer.
The dates of old bin pick up and new bin drop off are
being worked out. For more up to date information, be
sure to consult the City of Gem Lake Facebook page.
Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6
City News
Large Donation Given to Willow Lane Elementary
An extra-large assortment of school supplies was
recently donated by the City of Gem Lake to Willow
Lane Elementary School. For the second year in a row,
the city gets a list from the school as to what supplies
they need to stockpile, then buys those items using
charitable gambling funds.
This year’s shopping list filled two shopping carts at
Walmart and included enough materials to last for
several months. Items purchased included everything
from pencils and erasers to folders, notebooks and
pens. The City also authorized $500 for the school to
spend at their own discretion for children in need.
Two Positions Opening on the Gem Lake City
Council
There will be two positions up for election on the Gem
Lake City Council. The terms of Council Members Jim
Lindner and Len Cacioppo will expire at the end of
2022.
Council member terms run four years. The filing
deadline for candidates has passed. Jim and Len are
the only candidates who filed and will be running for
office unopposed.
Gem Lake Hills Golf Course is Hiring
Gem Lake Hills Golf Course is hiring part-time,
seasonal workers for several positions, including
course steward, grounds help, check-in personnel,
bartender, etc. For more information, contact Matt
Greer at 651-429-8715.
License Required for Dogs in City
Dog license tags issued in 2021 expired on May 31 of
this year. Any dog over 6 months in age is required to
be licensed by the City of Gem Lake. A reminder letter
and application was sent out several months ago to all
Gem Lake residents. If you have misplaced the
application, it can be found on the Gem Lake web-site,
under “Permits.” The application has a space for
information on up to three dogs. Proof of rabies
vaccination must be supplied, along with the
application. The fee per dog is $10.
At a recent city council meeting, it was voted and
approved to have dog licenses run on a calendar year
schedule. With that change, all dog licenses issued for
the 2022 cycle, will be good through December 31,
2023. The fee will remain the same for this one-time
period. After that, all dog licenses will run January 1-
December 31. The dog license tags you will get this
year, were created before this change and will show an
expiration of 5-31-2022. Don’t worry, they will be good
until the end of the 2023. Call 651-747-2790 with any
questions.
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 focuses primarily on special
announcements and news items, events, etc. It is
intended to compliment rather than replace the city
web-site. 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!
Septic Inspections Planned for October
Annual septic inspections for Gem Lake homeowners
will take place in October. These inspections are done
by contracted experts who insure that private septic
systems are not creating problems for public health and
safety.
As October approaches, the city may be able to get
more specific on the exact time frame. It will be
important to be sure your septic clean-out is accessible
and can be easily found. The inspections are
authorized by City ordinance.
Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6
Be Part of the County Road E
Corridor Project
You can be part of a multi-city, and multi-agency effort
to revitalize an important corridor in our area. You are
invited to join in workshops this fall that are aimed at
revitalizing the County Road E area from Century
Avenue to approximately Centerville Road.
A series of planning and brainstorming events are
planned in the coming months, all intended to produce
an action plan and goals for attracting private
investment through development and infrastructure
improvements.
This project is being sponsored by The Cities of Gem
Lake, White Bear Lake and Vadnais Heights, as well as
Ramsey County and LISC Twin Cities. (This stands for
Local Initiatives Support Corporation.)
Workshop I will be held Wednesday, September 14
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Century College in White Bear
Lake. This kick-off workshop will focus on what is
important and unique about the County Road E
corridor. Land use and transportation experts will
provide introductory presentations.
Next, there will be a series of three city-based
workshops that will target specific neighborhoods and
areas. Land use experts will be on hand to share
insights. These workshops will be held as follows:
A. Vadnais Heights sites, Wednesday, September 28
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Vadnais Heights Fire
Station, located at 3595 Arcade Street, North,
Vadnais Heights
B. White Bear Lake sites, Thursday September 29
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran
Church, 3770 Bellaire Ave., White Bear Lake
C. Gem Lake site, Wednesday October 5 from 6:30
to 8:30 p.m. at Heritage Hall, 4200 Otter Lake
Road, Gem Lake
Following these events there will be two more
workshops designed to explore opportunities and
challenges of potential development and begin creating
an action plan. These last two workshops will be held in
October.
For more information, contact Ben Johnson, Gem Lake
City Council Member at ben.johnson@gemlakemn.org.
MS4 Hearing Scheduled
A public hearing will be held on September 20 on Gem
Lake’s annual MS4 report, which is a mandatory
document required by state law, covering stormwater
flow within city borders. At the public hearing, an
overview of Gem Lake’s stormwater situation and
anything that would have impacted it in the previous
year will be presented. The report will then be on file at
Heritage Hall and available to anyone who wants to
read more about it.
What is an MS4 and what does it mean to be
compliant? MS4 stands for “Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System” shortened to the “M” and four “S’s” for a
catchy acronym that is all about managing runoff from
storm events. An MS4 is a government entity such as a
city, county, or other governmental entity, that is
charged with the responsibility of preventing the spread
of pollution. MS4 falls under the direction of another
acronym NPDES, the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System. NPDES traces its origins to the
1992 Clean Water Act that was designed to protect the
nation’s water supply.
New Bench Dedicated to
Henry Hoffman
A new bench has been installed on Gem Lake’s trail
area, which is located on County Road E, to the west of
the Gem Lake Villas development. The bench is
dedicated to Gem Lake’s first Mayor, Henry Hoffman.
He was Mayor for over a decade, beginning in 1959.
He was also a very active business leader, with many
shops and properties in the Hoffman’s Corner area,
which is named after him. His last remaining child,
Kathy Brown, died several months ago and was
profiled in this newsletter. Check out the new bench!
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: September and October 2022
The following Gem Lake
meeting will be held in the
months of September and
October. All meetings are
held at Heritage Hall
unless otherwise indicated.
See also the Gem Lake
website for more
information.
September 12, 2022
City Council Workshop is
7:00 p.m. – Water Summit
September 13, 2022
Planning Commission
Meeting at 7:00p.m.
September 20, 2022
City Council Meeting at
7:00 p.m.
October 10, 2022
City Council Workshop is
CANCELED
October 11, 2022
Planning Commission
Meeting at 7:00p.m.
October 18, 2022
City Council Meeting 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 Councilmember 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