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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 December 2009 Gem Lake News December, 2009 Volume 3, Issue 12 Gem Lake News Special Interest Articles: • Free Water Testing Program - See page 4 • The Highway 61 Make-over that Changed Gem Lake • Single Sort Recycling Comes to Gem Lake Upcoming Recycling Dates: December 30 January 13 January 27 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor Gem Lake's 2010 Final Budget, as approved at the November 17 City Council Meeting, produced some welcome good news as compared to the preliminary budget. Due to cost cutting and budget reallocations, the city has been able to reduce the 2010 Property Tax Levy from $443,289, as listed in the preliminary budget, to $395,828 in the final budget for next year. In addition to this reduction from preliminary to final budgets, the 2010 property Good News on 2010 Gem Lake Budget The Highway Make-Over that Changed Gem Lake Today’s modern highways follow a pattern of generally straight lines and gentle curves. Not so, before the Eisenhower Era focus on Interstate Highways and suburban growth. In the early 1950’s, Gem Lake’s portion of the transportation system looked pretty much like any other rural suburb at the time. Lazy country roads skirted along the edge of existing property lines, even when that meant a highway would zig-zag across the landscape, instead of following more efficient (and safer) straighter lines. As it tax levy is also down by 10.71% from 2009. The final general operating fund budget of $401,087 budget is a 16.7% decrease from 2009. It is also down from the 2010 the preliminary general operating fund budget proposed several months ago. The general fund budget makes up 65.34% of the total city budget and covers the operations of the city. This includes police, fire, road maintenance, snow removal, city hall ran through Gem Lake, Highway 61 flowed in front of the White Bear Floral Shop, made a sharp turn east, then turned again to the north at the location of the present day Stadium Bar (now Hoffman Road), and then curved again as it crossed over the existing railroad bed. It then followed the route of current day Hoffman Road, all the way up to the area of the old White Bear Township Hall. Clearly this “patchwork quilt” highway was a prime (continued on page 2) expenses, elections, council and meeting costs, etc. The major source of revenue for this fund (over 85%) is property taxes. Other pieces of the pie that together form the entire city budget of $613,876 include the Debt Service Fund, which pays for the cost of building Heritage Hall (24.56% of the budget); and the Enterprise Fund, (continued on page 5) Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6 The Highway 61 Make-Over that Changed Gem Lake Forever example of a road that needed a makeover to keep pace with its ever increasing automobile traffic. As the suburbs began to grow dramatically after World War II, this old fashioned road plan wouldn’t work anymore. So began a major project to “un-kink” the road. In reality, this was a precursor to today’s “Unweave the Weave” project that just wrapped up for the I-694/35E junction point. There were many notable examples of why this needed to happen--first and foremost being driver safety. For example, careless, inattentive or drunk drivers were often unable to negotiate the corner when they crossed over the railroad bed in the area past the current bowling alley on Hoffman Road. As a result, they ended up in the railroad ditch or even on the tracks, according to long time Gem Lake resident Dick Arcand. This area is now covered by modern day Highway 61. The railroad bed isn’t visible anymore from the highway. Another problem was very much related to nature. Frogs crossed the road in masses during the summer in the area of the old township hall (current day Hoffman Road) seeking the cool water of Goose Lake. There were so many frogs in the early 1950’s that cars running over them created a slippery slime that is described by Lloyd and Madonna LaBore as “gruesome.” Naturally, the slime and sliding cars created their share of accidents. (YUCK!!) The project to realign Highway 61 to its present day route seemed to take forever, according to Gem Lake residents. It created noise, confusion, a complete rerouting of traffic away from Gem Lake’s business district, and even a tragic accident. Lloyd LaBore remembers the dust, the noise and the endlessly rerouted cars as the highway was ripped up and rebuilt. “You could hear the trucks at 5 a.m. each morning, filling Goose Lake with sand," says Lloyd. Prior to the project, Highway 61 steered clear of Goose Lake, traveling along what is now Hoffman Road instead. The construction meant that a route was created right through the middle, cutting the lake into two parts. The filling process went on for many months, using sand and gravel hauled in from a nearby gravel pit. “When I was a kid, there used to be an island in the middle of Goose Lake. You could walk out to it when the lake was dry. I think the new highway took a route that covered up that old island, but still a lot of fill was needed," says Lloyd. "Remember, these were the days before air conditioning. We kept our windows open and we heard all those trucks going back and forth with their heavy loads.” Both Lloyd and Dick Arcand remember one night when a drunk driver ignored the construction barriers and drove his car right into the freshly laid concrete somewhere near Hoffman’s Corner. “That section of the road had to be redone. I remember the car was stuck pretty good,” says Dick. One major consequence of the Highway 61 straightening was to reroute traffic away from a major part of the Gem Lake business district. The old highway traveled right in front of White Bear Floral and Hoffman’s Grocery. The newly built Highway 61 traveled behind these businesses and in front of a new car dealership called Tousley Ford. While Tousley Ford (which opened after the construction project) was later happy, the owners of the grocery store and the floral shop were not quite as overjoyed. “We saw a drop off in traffic,” says Lorraine Birkeland, owner of White Bear Floral. “It wasn’t right away, but within 6-8 months it was apparent that things had changed.” (concluded on page 5) Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6 The City of Gem Lake has negotiated a new recycling contract with Waste Management. As part of this contract, all households will be able to use a new 64 gallon (or larger) "single sort" recycling container, which was recently delivered to each Gem Lake household. The cart is green with a hinged yellow lid and wheels in order to distinguish it clearly from any other waste containers that you may have. Gem Lake’s recycling contractor has delivered the new bin to allow you to throw all recycling into one large container. The hope is that the process will be more convenient and will result in more recycling and less trash for the local landfill. The decision to move to “single sort” recycling was made at the November 17 Gem Lake City Council meeting at Heritage Hall. Although the move will cost a few dollars more for each household, the benefits outweigh the extra cost, according to the council. “We want to do everything possible to move towards “greener” city policies,” says Gem Lake Mayor Bob Uzpen. “Single sort” recycling programs have been shown to increase household participation levels in surrounding cities.” According to Waste Management, only about 40% of Gem Lake households have been putting out their recycling under the current program. However, when nearby Vadnais Heights went to “single sort” containers, their household participation recycling increased from about 50% to nearly 80%. It is hoped that the same increase can occur in Gem Lake. ”Single Sort" Recycling Comes to Gem Lake Although the bins will be different, the recycling materials will continue to be collected every other week on Wednesdays. The first “single sort” pick up will be December 30, 2009. Here are some tips for using the new program: • Break down the cardboard boxes to fit inside the container. • Avoid placing plastic bags as liners inside the cart. • Place all recyclables into the new green and yellow cart, including containers, paper, glass, metal, loose cardboard, etc. All recyclables can be mixed together. • Recycle carts must be placed curbside to be emptied. There are some items that should not be placed in your “single sort” container. They include garbage, food waste, diapers, paper plates, wax paper, plastic bags, Styrofoam packaging, window glass, freezer food packaging, mirrors, light bulbs, take- out food packaging and meat or dairy plastic or paper packaging. After 90 days of using the 64 gallon container, you have the option of getting a larger or smaller container, based on your volume of recycling. To obtain a different container, you would call Waste Management at 952-890- 1100. For individuals who leave town during the winter months, adjustments in service are possible and will save the city money. Gem Lake City Secretary Jean Reiter will provide a list to Waste Management of households that do not need service during various months, and in return Waste Management will credit Gem Lake's recycling bill. For more information, contact Jean at 651-747-2790. Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6 Free Water Testing Insuring a high quality water supply is a priority for Gem Lake. In order to achieve this goal on an ongoing basis, the city has decided to underwrite the entire cost of well water testing for any interested citizen. Ramsey County has supplied the city with well water testing kits. If you are interested in having your well water tested, you can drop off a sample on the morning of January 25, which will then be conveyed to the state lab for analysis. However, you must use one of the water testing kits supplied to us by the county and you must drop off the sample by 9 a.m. on January 25. The sample must be new. Full directions will be listed with the kits. For more information, or to get a testing kit, contact Jean Reiter at Heritage Hall. Inlet/Outlet Mystery Gem Lake needs to complete an inventory of the city’s storm sewer inlets and outlets are for inclusion in a water report now being prepared by our city engineers. Instead of putting photos on the local milk carton we are asking residents-- Do you have one on your property? Inlets would include things like catch basins, drainage pipes, etc. Outlets would include things like outfalls into small ponds or water drainage pipes to the railroad tracks or elsewhere. Call Jean Reiter at City Hall if you find one. You can also call Jean for more information on what these things might look like. If you cannot tell the difference between a catch basin and a catcher’s mitt, you are not alone. Donate Your Outdated Cell Phone You can give your old cell phone a brand new life, while helping someone in need get out of a life threatening situation. The 911 Cell Phone Bank is working to ensure that seniors and victims of crime have access to emergency 911 communications. The Phone Bank is endorsed by the National Sheriffs Association and the National Association of Triads. Every cell phone donated provides a life line in emergencies to someone in need. If you have extra batteries or cell phone chargers, please include them in your donation. The collection box is located at Heritage Hall, 4200 Otter Lake Road in Gem Lake. City News Page Electronic Newsletter!! This newsletter is now available electronically. This will save a few of your very own tax dollars each month. Can we convert you from a printed and mailed copy to an electronic version? If so, please call Jean Reiter and City Hall. You may also wish to receive both electronic and printed versions. If so, you can also let Jean know and she will take care of it. If we don’t hear from you, the printed version will continue to be mailed to you. Public Hearing Held on Road Assessments A public hearing was held on December 15 at Heritage Hall to discuss the final amounts to be assessed to property owners along South Scheuneman Road for recently completed repairs. Following the hearing, which was designed to gather feedback from the public and listen to any questions or concerns, the city council approved the assessment amounts. Owners have a short window of time to pay upfront for their share of the repairs and thus avoid interest charges. The assessments are scheduled to be placed on the owners’ property tax bills, giving each five years to pay for the total cost of the project. The interest rate being charged over the course of the five year period will be 2%. Gem Lake Recognizes Military Families One response was received to our request last month about Gem Lake residents with family members in the active military. Shirley and Richard Arcand, Jr. had the following to say: “We are very proud of our son Chad, his wife Kerrie and their two children Logan and Cameron. Chad is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and is now stationed in Germany. Next June, he will be taking his family to the Netherlands, where he will be in charge of a garrison.” Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 Robert J. Hansen, whose family once owned Summit Dairy in Gem Lake, passed away November 22 from cancer at the age of 62. Rob and his brother Bryan owned a large parcel of land on County Road E in Gem Lake, next to the Tousley Ford dealership. Rob was very involved in the crafting of the new zoning ordinance now in place for Gem Lake’s newly designated Gateway Development Zone, which includes the Hansen land. He was also the mayor of White Bear Lake from 1976 to 1979. He is survived by two children and one grandchild. Good News on 2010 Budget (concluded from page 1) which pays for the cost of sewer operations and maintenance (10.10% of the budget). The total and final 2010 city budget ($613,876) is down 14.36% from 2009. Key changes leading to these budget reductions include: 1. Reduced costs anticipated for development activities in 2010. 2. Refined revenue estimates based on actual 2009 activity and more accurate information regarding 2010 costs. 3. Reduced costs anticipated for legal services; and 4. Reduced costs anticipated for storm water management. Gem Lake's tax rate for 2010 is 33.47%, which is down from the year before. This is partly a reflection of the fact that the city's tax capacity (total value of all property) is also down by 4.6%. The median value of homes in Ramsey County is now $270,800, down from $290,000 a year ago. The 2010 Budget represents many hours of hard work on the part of the mayor, the city council and the city finance director, Jessie Hart. "We are very pleased with the 2010 Budget numbers," says Mayor Bob Uzpen. "We all worked hard to be more efficient and to cut costs where it made sense to do so. Although not everyone is going to see a reduction in the property taxes, at least some people will." Rob Hansen Dies (concluded from page 2) Lorraine’s mother lived in a little house across the street, approximately where the used car dealership is today. “My mother’s house had to be moved to accommodate the new road, which Henry Hoffman did for us. “ Hoffman’s Grocery, which was run by Dick and Shirley Arcand, also noticed a drop in traffic. “Of course, it's always better having the cars running right in front of your store, rather than right behind it,” says Dick. One tragic consequence of the road straightening was an accident that killed Dick’s son Larry, who was about five at the time. Larry had been outside playing with Lorraine’s daughter. He stayed outside an extra minute or two possibly because he didn’t like the egg salad sandwiches that Lorraine was serving the children that day. In that short space of time, Larry was hit by one of the many construction vehicle in the area. “It's strange,” says Lorraine, “I can’t remember how long the project took or exactly when it happened, but I remember those sandwiches.” Highway 61 Make-Over Lorraine Birkeland of White Bear Floral Bob Uzpen-Mayor Phone: 651-492-5083 City Council Members: Gretchen Artig-Swomley Phone: 651-260-9742 Jim Lindner Phone: 651-429-7597 Tom Rasmussen Phone: 651-426-8854 The following Gem Lake Meetings will be held at Heritage Hall through October: January 4, 2010 City Council Workshop at 7:00 p.m. Goals for 2010 will be discussed January 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 To reach the Gem Lake City Secretary Jean Reiter: Phone: (651) 747-2790 Jean’s E-mail: Jean.Reiter@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 January 5, 2010 Planning Commission Meeting at 7:00 p.m. January 19, 2010 City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Chuck Watson Phone: 651-653-8319 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.