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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 03 Gem Lake News mail boy March, 2013 Volume 7, Issue 2 Gem Lake News Special Interest Articles: • Building Boom in City • Sheriff Looks to Future • City News Page 4 • Medical Complex Nears Completion Upcoming Recycling Dates: March 20 April 3 April 17 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor According to Gem Lake Finance Officer Tom Kelly, you might get an unpleasant surprise in your Ramsey County tax statement. The county mailed the 2013 property tax statements around mid-March. The tax portion for the City of Gem Lake may be incorrect. It appears that the county used the preliminary property tax levy figures, which were higher than the final property tax figures. Tom spoke to officials at the county and learned that they are preparing corrections and will be mailing those to Gem Lake property owners as soon as possible. "This is really a shame," says City Council Member Rick Bosak. "We worked so hard to lower our city taxes for the third year in a row. You don't want to see this kind of thing happen." There is apparently some time needed to reprogram the financial formula into the software in order to generate new statements. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tom at 651-747-2760. Tax Snafu Affects Gem Lake Residents th Sheriff Bostrom Looks to Future of Law Enforcement Ramsey County Sheriff Matt Bostrom spent an evening with citizens of Gem Lake at a recent council meeting, where he had a chance to review 2012 and also look forward to 2013. Although the Sheriff's department has been around since 1849 (yes, that's nine years before Minnesota was a state), much emphasis and planning goes into looking to future law enforcement needs and priorities. These priorities include things like coordinating and collaborating with other local law enforcement agencies and insuring that his staff has the equipment and training they need to keep pace with changing law enforcement concerns. (continued on page 2) Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6 For instance, the Sheriff's Department recently took part in training on "active shooter situations" in terms of building cooperative tactical response. This could cover such incidents as a school shooting. Another example of staying current with training and technology comes into play due to the layout of Ramsey County. With 82 lakes over 18 square miles of area, water rescues are not uncommon, even in the winter. To assist in situations where someone has fallen through the ice on a county lake, the department recently purchased a new type of inflatable water rescue vehicle that should make these situations safer for everyone involved. During his meeting with the Gem Lake City Council, Bostrom gave a short presentation on the Sheriff's Department in general, during which he reviewed the functions of its five divisions. The Administration Division coordinates all functions of the Sheriff's office and supports operations by providing resources, direction, policy and leadership. The Court and Security Division is committed to protecting and serving both the public and the judiciary system with skill and integrity. The Detention Services Division creates a safe, secure and humane environment for detainees and staff, and promotes public safety together with other agencies. The Public Safety Services Division promotes public safety through awareness, enforcement and education. The department is committed to strong community partnerships. The Regional Special Services Division delivers specialized law enforcement capabilities to the Sheriff's Office and supports other agencies through the region with those capabilities. At his recent meeting with Gem Lake, he made a point of reviewing the primary values and goals of the Sheriff's Office, which include: Sheriff Bostrom Looks to Future (continued from page 1) 1.) providing safety through community policing, 2.) restoring trust through fiscal responsibility, 3.) collaborating with local law enforcement, 4.) encouraging diversity to reflect the community, 5.) improving service through technology, and 6.) connecting with youth to build the future. Matt Bostrom was elected Sheriff of Ramsey County on November 2, 2010 and took office on January 3 of 2011. He sought the office of Sheriff based upon a vision for law enforcement and public safety that encompasses the community. With this in mind, Matt is known for frequently reaching out to the contract cities within Ramsey County that use the Sheriff's services for law enforcement, such as Gem Lake. Sheriff Bostrom has nearly 29 years of law enforcement experience at the St. Paul Police Department with service as a police officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Commander, Senior Commander, Chief of Staff and much more. He received a Master of Education from St. Thomas and a doctorate in Public Administration from Hamline University. Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6 Medical Center Takes Shape Building Boom in Gem Lake After years of real estate inertia, things seem to be picking up dramatically in Gem Lake and the surrounding area. Two homes are now under construction in the Hillary Farm housing development on Scheuneman Road. One home is being built near the northwest corner of the development for a private party. The lot borders the Gem Lake Hills Golf Course. Another home is being constructed as a model and is located near the south entrance of Hillary Farm. This home is being built by McNulty Homes is what they call a "re-creation of old fashioned lifestyle with modern day amenities. The home sits on a 2.77 acre lot and will have 3,684 square feet, as well as three bedrooms and three baths. There is also a good deal of building activity on our borders. (See story above.) As you have no doubt noticed, the corner of LaBore Road and County Road E will soon be the site of a new medical building. VH Medical Partners, LLC was issued a building permit on October 15, 2012 and immediately started construction on their 60,000 square foot office and medical facility. The building's two main renters to date are Allina Health Partners for an Aspen Medical Group Clinic and the Urgency Room, operated by Emergency Physicians Professional Association (EPPA). The Aspen Clinic co-location with EPPA's Urgency Room will provide patients with a more connected continuum of care. The two organizations will share resources, such as imaging devices, providing greater efficiency for everyone. The facility is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2013. WKK Hotels, LLC plans to submit an application and plans for a 90 room Fairfield Inn and Suites just west of the VH Medical Partners facility. The possible completion date of the hotel would be sometime in 2014. There are signs that the local real estate market is on the rebound, according to a recent report from the Minneapolis and St. Paul Realtors Association. For instance, the average home sold in 113 days compared to a year ago. That is about 22% faster than last year at this same time. Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6 Gem Lake Scholarship Program Gem Lake residents who are graduating from high school in 2013 should consider the Gem Lake Scholarship program. The program will be in its fourth year and uses charitable gambling receipts to fund scholarships for post secondary education. Information is available in the spring through high school counselors. Applications are due in April. Winter Parking Rules in Effect in Gem Lake On-street parking is not allowed in Gem Lake after a snowfall of two inches or more, until after streets have been plowed, according to City Ordinance Number 86. (Section 6.4.2) Already, several snow events have occurred, to the degree that some plowing was needed. Because several cars were parked on city streets, the plows had to make an extra trip back in the hopes that the cars would be gone. "We want to be responsible with your money, so please get your car moved off the streets when we get a snowfall, " says Mayor Bob Uzpen. City News Page February Workshop Topics Gem Lake's fee structure was one of two topics discussed at the February City Council Workshop, to be held at 7:00 p.m. on February 11 at Heritage Hall. The second topic was bringing consistency throughout city documents, such as zoning ordinances, the Comprehensive Plan and city maps. Please feel free to provide your feedback on either topic. Interim Use Permit Renewed An interim use permit for farming and gardening in 2013 was renewed at the February City Council meeting for property bordering on County Road E. The 18 acres of land is owned by Hansen Investments LLC and was used last year for urban gardens. It was the first property approved for this interim use under Gem Lake's new garden overlay ordinance. Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 Time to Start Thinking About Severe Weather During a month when Gem Lake residents have dealt with one snowfall after another, it might seems strange to start thinking about "severe weather." But, its time! Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 15-19. This annual public event is designed to remind individuals , families, businesses, schools and other institutions that it's essential to plan ahead for Minnesota's severe spring and summer weather. There will be two statewide tornado drills on Thursday, April 18 at 1:45 p.m. and again at 6:55 p.m. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, an informed, involved community is more resilient to disaster, and being prepared helps reduce risks and costs of hazardous weather events. Here are a few ideas for preparing your family: 1. Create or update an emergency plan with your entire family so everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency. Ensure for instance, that everyone has an updated contact information list and knows what to do if severe weather hits. 2. Check with places that your family spends time, such as schools, workplaces and churches and find out what they severe weather plans are and what facilities exist for shelter during bad weather. 3. Talk to your family about what you would do if your family was not together when severe weather hits. 4. Consider getting a NOAA weather radio for your home. This special radio will alert you (loudly) to severe weather in your particular area. These radios are on sale at many locations and are easy to program. They range in price from about $30-$50. 5. Learn how to safely shut off electricity and gas to your home in the event of disaster. 6. Keep paper maps of your area. This way you can follow the track of a storm and make shelter decisions, etc. when the power is off. For more information on severe weather preparedness, here are three web-sites that could be helpful: Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week http://weatherawareness.dps.mn.gov National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov FEMA http://www.ready.gov Bob Uzpen-Mayor Phone: 651-492-5083 City Council Members: Gretchen Artig-Swomley Phone: 651-260-9742 Rick Bosak 651-426-9695 Faith Kuny Phone: 612-718-4316 The following Gem Lake Meetings will be held at Heritage Hall for the next few months: March19, 2013 City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. April 2, 2013 City Council Workshop at 7:00 p.m. Meetings: March and April 2013 Meeting Dates Your Gem Lake City Council 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: gretchenas@comcast.net Kiki Sonnen: 651-747-2790, or Kiki.Sonnen@CO.RAMSEY. MN.US To report incidents for the Neighborhood Watch program or for information on that program contact Block Captain Chuck Watson 651-653-8319; Charles.Watson@bdk.com We’re on the Web! See us at: www.gemlakemn.org CITY OF GEM LAKE 4200 Otter Lake Road Gem Lake, MN 55110 April 8, 2013 Planning Commission Meeting at 7:00 p.m. April 16, 2013 City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Jim Lindner Phone: 651-429-7597 For more information on meetings, city ordinances, recent events, permit procedures, etc. please consult the Gem Lake web-site. The address is www.gemlakemn.org Each Gem Lake Newsletter is also posted on the web-site under the news section. Please email your ideas, comments and suggestions. See box at left for detailed contact information.