Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026 Vol 20, Issue 3 June Special Interest Articles Food Scrap Pick Up Program VLAWMO Garden Tours Gem Lake Water Main Extension Phase I FAQ’s Candidate Filing Primary Election New Restaurant – Bear Dogs Manitou Days Mark Your Calendars! Gem Lake News June 2026 | Volume 20 | Issue 3 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor Gem Lake Looses Long-Time Resident A man who spent more than 50 years in Gem Lake has left us. Daniel “Dan” Kunin, age 95, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on May 27, 2026. Dan was preceded in death by his beloved son Alex; his parents Maxim and Jeannette; his sister Jacqueline; and brothers Paul, Robert, and Richard. Dan grew up on the north side of Minneapolis before moving to New York in 1948 to study piano at the Julliard School of Music. He received two Fulbright scholarships, which took him to Italy to further hone his skills. As a concert pianist, he performed throughout the United States and Europe. After 10 years in Rome, he married a Gem Lake girl, Connie, who grew up in the area. Dan always lit up every room with his warmth, humor and kindness. He knew how to make everyone feel loved. Dan embraced life with passion for classical music, the arts, tennis and his family. He was an advocate for people with autism and developmental disabilities, inspired by his son Alex. He made a lasting impact on the community through his philanthropy and service on numerous boards. He is survived by his wife Constance, his brother Michael, his daughter Alicia, son Nicholas and two grandchildren. Black Bear Does a “Dine and Dash” in Gem Lake An unwelcome visitor to Gem Lake hung out for 4-5 days in late May, vandalizing trash cans, climbing trees, peering in windows, smashing bird feeders and annoying the canine population of the city. A young male bear made his presence known all throughout the northwestern section of town, leaving a trail of garbage in his wake. There were at least 10 sightings of the bear, who decided to visit homes on Daniels Farm Road, Labore Road and Goose Lake Road and even made an appearance on the Gem Lake Hills Golf Course. The local mail carrier commented that she could tell where the bear had been by the overturned trash containers and the trail of garbage he left behind. The visits happened in both daylight and darkness. Gem Lake officials reported the bear’s presence to both White Bear Police Department and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The news of our visitor was also conveyed to residents through a group email and a story on the city Facebook page. Residents were cautioned to bring their trash cans and bird feeders inside the garage for a while, a strategy suggested by the DNR. continued on page 3 Gem Lake News Page 2 of 8 Food Scraps Pick Up Program Begins July 6 The Food Scraps Pickup Program is a new way for residents to recycle food scraps from home! Over 20% of household trash is food scraps, like fruit peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, bones, and more. By separating your food scraps, you can help turn them into soil instead of waste. Gem Lake News Page 3 of 8 Step 1 Black bear continued from page 1 The agency also added that typically the bear will wander off after a few days. Bears have also been sighted in both Shoreview and Burnsville. you as a human being. Running away is not a great strategy, as it can trigger the bear’s instinct to chase prey. Black bears hate noise. When you see a bear, making a lot of noise, such as banging pots and pans together, makes them very uncomfortable. The National Park Service suggests giving black bears an escape route. Never place yourself between a mother bear and its cubs. All those jokes about the ferocity of a momma bear are true. Black bear attacks are extremely rare, possible exception of a bear protecting its cubs. Based on photos and behavior reported to the DNA recently, it was determined that Gem Lake’s visitor was like a young male. Please report any bear sightings to city hall. According to the National Park Service, you should stand your ground or back away slowly if you see a black bear. It is also recommended to wave your arms slowly so the bear can recognize Gem Lake Water Main Extension Phase I FAQ’s GENERAL PROJECT QUESTIONS Q-1. Why is the city proposing this water main extension now? A-1. 1-4 dioxane and PFAS have been detected in the wells at levels that exceed Department of Health, Health Based Guidelines. PCA website Q-2. Which streets and properties are included in Phase I? A-2. All of Labore Rd, Little Fox Ln, Haven Ln, Tessier Rd and parts of Goose Lake Rd and Big Fox Rd. Q-3. Is this project related to the recent well water testing results? A-3. Yes. Q-4. Is connecting to municipal water mandatory for my property? A-4. Yes, within 2 years of when the city provides service if receiving well sealing grant. Or 5 years, otherwise (this is a requirement of the grants received). DRINKING WATER QUALITY & SAFETY Q-5. Where will the new drinking water come from? A-5. The City of Vadnais Heights Q-6. Does Vadnais Heights have enough water capacity to serve Gem Lake residents? A-6. Yes, the entire system was modeled for capacity and was deemed sufficient to serve Gem Lake residents. Q-7. Will the municipal water meet state and federal drinking water standards? A-7. Yes. Q-8. Will this eliminate concerns about 1,4 dioxane in private wells? A-8. Yes, wells are required to be sealed. continued on page 4 Gem Lake News Page 4 of 8 continued from page 3 Q-9. Will the water be softened? What should residents expect for hardness, taste, or order? A-9. Vadnais Heights has mildly hard water, a water softener would be the responsibility of the resident. Q-10. Will water pressure change compared to my current well system? A-10. The water pressure will range from 40 PSI to 66 PSI during peak usage. COST & FUNDING Q-11. What is the total estimate of the project? A-11. $2.5 million dollars. Q-12. How much of the project is paid for by grants versus local funding? A-12. Approximately $2 million dollars in grants were received. Q-13. Why are special assessments being used to fund part of the project? A-13. To cover project costs. Q-14. How was the benefit to each property determined? A-14. An independent appraiser was hired to determine the value. Q-15. Why are industrial properties assessed differently than residential properties? A-15. Industrial properties will be provided with a larger water service than a standard residential property. SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS & PROPERTY TAXES Q-16. Will my property be specially assessed for this project? A-16. Now, estimated to be $0 for residential homes that will receive a residential service for the water main improvements in the City right of way. This could change with final project bids. . CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS Q-17. When is construction expected to start and how long will it last? A-17. Construction is expected to start in 2027 and is expected to last up to 6 months. Q-18. Will construction occur in front of my property? A-18. Yes, a curb stop will be installed at the right- of-way line. Q-19. Will my driveway, landscaping, or mailed be affected? A-19. Potentially, depending on where the curb stop is installed. This will be coordinated with the property owner. Q-20. Will roads be closed or access limited during construction? A-20. There will be temporary delays to accommodate work. Q-21. Will work mostly stay within the roadway right of way? A-21. Yes, the homeowner will be responsible for work from the right of way to the dwelling. STREET RESTORATION & PROPERTY PROTECTION Q-22. Will damaged pavement, driveways, or boulevards be restored? A-22. Yes. Q-23. What steps are taken to minimize construction impacts? A-23. The water main will be drilled underground to minimize disturbance. CONNECTING TO THE WATER SYSTEM A-24. The city will provide improvements to the right of way line which is approximately 10’ -15’ from the edge of the street. continued on page 5 Q-24. What is included with the City’s construction and what is the homeowner responsible for? Gem Lake News Page 5 of 8 Q-25. Will a water service stub be installed to my property? A-25. Yes. Q-26. Who pays for plumbing changes inside my home? A-26. The property owner. Q-27. What is required to abandon or disconnect my private well? A-27. The requirements are set forth by the Department of Natural Resources. More information can be found on the County website. WATER BILLING & ONGOING COSTS Q-28. Who will bill residents for water usage? A-28. The City of Gem Lake. Q-29. Are billing rates controlled by Gem Lake or Vadnais Heights? A-29. Current water rates can be found on the city website. Q-30. Will residents be billed directly by Vadnais Heights? A-30. No, your bill will come from Gem Lake. FIRE PROTECTION & RELIABILITY Q-31. Will this project improve fire protection in my neighborhood? A-31. Yes, hydrants will be added and spaced out on all streets where water main will be installed. Q-32. Will the new system have adequate pressure during emergencies? A-32. Yes Q-33. What happens if there is a water main break or outage? A-33. Contact City Hall at (651)747-2790. PROJECT APPROVAL & PUBLIC INPUT Q-34. What is the Minnesota Statue 429 process? A-34. An assessment procedure to allow municipalities to assess private property owners for public improvement that provides value to the resident. Q-35. When is the Improvement Hearing and how can residents’ comment? A-35. April 21, 2026, the public hearing allows residents to speak and ask questions. Q-36. Can the City decide not to move forward after the hearing? A-36. Yes, the city ordered preparation of plans and specification at the April 21st meeting. Once plans and specifications are complete, City Council will have to award the bid for the lowest responsible bidder to begin work. LONG TERM PLANNING Q-37. Will future phases extend water service to other parts of Gem Lake? A-37. That is the plan. Q-38. Why aren’t all areas being served at once? A-38. Lack of funding. Q-39. Could the system be looped in the future for better reliability? A-39. The system is planned to be looped in the future but will depend largely on funding. Gem Lake News Page 6 of 8 Candidate Filing for Gem Lake City Council The City of Gem Lake will be accepting Affidavit of Candidacy for two (2) City Council seats from July 14 through July 28 at Heritage Hall. The term of office is January 4, 2027 to December 31, 2030. To file for office, you will need to complete an affidavit of candidacy and pay the filing fee of $2.00 at City Hall. When filing an affidavit of candidacy, you must state under oath that you are: • An eligible voter; • Will be at least 21 years of age upon taking office; and • Will have been a resident of Gem Lake for at least 30 days before the General Election. All candidates that file for office will appear on the November 3, 2026 General Election ballot. If you have any questions regarding filing for office, please contact the City Clerk at 651-747-2790 or by email at city@gemlakemn.org Primary Election August 11 The primary election is August 11, 2026, and Gem Lake residents vote at Heritage Hall, 4200 Otter Lake Rd. from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Early voting begins June 26. Information on absentee voting or voting in-person, scan this code. Question regarding elections, contact Ramsey County Election at 651-266-8500. New Restaurant Opens in Gem Lake by two brothers, both graduates of White Bear High School. Logan Neal and Connor Podewils have crafted an interesting menu of hot dogs with unique topping combinations. One example is a hot dog called the “Seattle Dog” that includes cream cheese, jalapeño and caramelized onions. There are a variety of other options spelled out on their website. The small restaurant opened in April of this year and has a sports-vibe theme. saying he especially loved the Maple Bacon Slaw Dog. (This author tried the Maple Bacon Saw Dog and found it to be especially yummy.) Manager/owner Logan Neal says they are drawing customers from the surrounding communities and even as far away as Wisconsin. Give them a try! Bear Dogs is the latest edition to Gem Lake’s business community. It is a locally owned hot dog restaurant located at 1595 County Road E East. The restaurant is owned and run The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. (Closed on Sundays). A well-known local content creator and restaurant reviewer Tony Cu recently gave Bear Dogs an enthusiastic thumbs up, Gem Lake News Page 7 of 8 City News Charitable Gambling Donations The City of Gem Lake gives monthly donations 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. The City’s regular donations help fund the food shelf’s daily war on food-insecurity in the community. In 2025, the City of Gem Lake donated over $17,000 to support efforts to end food insecurity in our community. Mark Your Calendars! J uly 1 - Recycling day 6 - Food scrap sign up begins 14 - Candidate filing begins 15 - Recycling day 23 - Office Closed Clerk’s vacation 28 - Candidate filing ends 29 - Recycling day August 4 - Night to Unite 11 - Primary Election Day 12 - Recycling day 26 - Recycling day Join in the fun of Manitou Days! This is a three-week summer festival in White Bear Lake. The fun kicks off with Marketfest on Thursday, June 18 and ends on the Fourth of July with fireworks. Some of the events are: June 18 through July 2 Marketfest Downtown White Bear Lake June 27 - 4 & 6 p.m. Pickleball Mixer Sunrise Park June 28 – 8:30 a.m. Manitou Tri White Bear Lake County Park mmraces.com July 4 – 1 p.m. Boat Parade Mahtomedi Beach 8 – 10:30 p.m. Fireworks, Flyover & Music Memorial Beach For a full listing of activities, check out their website manitoudays.com City of Gem Lake Phone: 651-747-2790 Fax: 651-747-2795 4200 Otter Lake Road Gem Lake, MN 55110 Newsletter email: Gretchen.artig- swomley@gemlakemn.org This newsletter is also posted on the city’s website 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) CITY OF GEM LAKE 4200 Otter Lake Road Gem Lake, MN 55110 Meetings: July and August 2026 The following meetings will be held in July and August. All meetings are held at 7 PM at Heritage Hall unless otherwise indicated. July 7, 2026 August 4, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting Planning Commission Meeting July 13, 2026 August 10, 2026 City Council Workshop-canceled City Council Workshop July 21, 2026 August 18, 2026 City Council Meeting City Council Meeting Your Gem Lake City Council Mayor Gretchen-Artig Swomley Email: gretchen.artig-swomley@gemlakemn.org Councilmember Len Cacioppo Email: len.cacioppo@gemlakemn.org Councilmember Ben Johnson Email: ben.johnson@gemlakemn.org Councilmember Jim Lindner Email: jim.lindner@gemlakemn.org Councilmember Joshua Patrick Email: joshua.patrick@gemlakemn.org You can also reach each city councilmember by calling 651- 747- 2790. After hours, follow the prompts for the city council directory.