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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRivertown Newsletter - Summer 2007 In This Issue: www.ci.hastings.mn. us Making The Connection........ 2 Sign Requirements 101.. ..... .5 Tips for Summer Fun.... ...... 6 Beware of Dogs ....... ...... 9 Water Wisely .......... ..... 11 Stepping up Code Enforcement .. 12 Rethinking Recycling .... ......13 Park Improvements..... ...... 14 HFAC Summer Info..... ...... 15 Mayor: Paul Hicks 437-8866 mayorh icks@ci. hasti ngs. m n. us Ward Council Members: Ward 1 Anthony Alongi 438-9320 alongihastings@comcast. net Ward 2 Turney Hazlet 437-5298 turneyhazlet@comcast. net Ward 3 Ed Riveness 437-4416 emrivyl@msn.com Ward 4 Danna Elling Schultz 438-3878 dannaelling@hotmail.com At-Large Council Members: Barb Hollenbeck 480-0268 barb-hol len beck@comcast. net Mike Slavik 437-4637 mi keslavik@comcast. net General City Council E-mail CitycouncilC~ci.hastings.mn.us OUR SESQUICENTENNIAL IS UPON US! Padelford Travels To Hastings For Sesquicentennial June 29-July 1 In celebration of the Hastings Sesquicentennial celebration, the Mississippi Riverboat Jonathan Padelford will operate from Hastings for a series of special public cruises Friday, June 29 to Sunday, July 1. Dinner cruises will be offered Friday and Saturday from 7 pm to 9 pm with advance reservations required. Dinner cruises are $35 per person plus tax with a $2 discount for online reservations. This year's show will be held every other Saturday, from 5 to 10 pm Vehicles 1976 and older will be parked in Historic Hastings' Downtown. This free event is a great time to see classics, muscle cars, hot rods, custom and restored cars. With music and food, it's fun for the whole family. For more information, call the Hastings' Downtown Business Association at (651) 437-4400. Historically narrated public excursions will depart the Hastings landing at 12-Noon, 2 pm and 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 5-12 (4 and under are free with a paid adult). Reservations are not required, however a $2 per ticket discount is available online for advance purchase. Discount tickets may be purchased in advance online at www.RiverRides.com All excursions will be boarding at the Hastings' Boat Landing which is located on Lock and Dam Road. For directions or details contact Community Relations Specialist, Shannon Rausch at 651-480-2344. Cruise on Back for the 2nd Annual Historic Hastings Saturday Night Cruise-Ins June 2 -October 6 Don't miss the Second Annual Historic Hastings Saturday Night Cruise-Ins beginning June 2, 2007 through October 6. Events at the LeDuc Historic Estate Come enjoy an old-fashioned radio show. Saturday, July 21 at 1 and 3 pm at the LeDuc Historic Estate, 1629 Vermillion Street, for details call 437-7055 The boats may be sleeker and faster today, but life on the river for kids hasn't changed much in 150 years. Mark Twain's 1876 story, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer comes to I ife at the 1866 LeDuc Historic Estate during Rivertown Days. Creative artist Jeremy Roth of Walking Boxes Productions has reinterpreted the story about the imaginative and mischievous boy Tom Sawyer into an old-fashioned radio show. Members of the Festive Folk, (younger volunteers at the LeDuc Estate,) will play the roles of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn and members of the audience will assist with sound effects and play the role of Aunt Polly. Rivertown News (June 2007 - August 2007) 1 .~ f'jr City of Hastings 101 Fourth Street East Hastings, MN 55033 City Administrator: Dave Osberg 480-2383 dosberg@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Asst City Administrator Melanie Mesko Lee 480-2326 mmesko_lee@ci.hastings.mn. us Elections 480-2350 electionsC~ci.hastings.mn.us http://www. ci. hasti ngs. mn. us/News Info/ Election) nfo. htm Finance Director Char Stark 480-2354 cstark@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Community Relations Shannon Rausch 480-2344 srausch@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us a,;~.r~.- ,~ `~ ~~ ~- \ ~, Making The Connections The City of Hastings is proud to be a partner in a joint collaboration called Hastings Community Connections which offers an online resource center of community information, resources and services. This website offers a virtual portal to help you find the right piece of information, service provider or community support. As a collaborative effort among the City of Hastings, Hastings Public Schools, and local organizations, the goal is to bring together information from commu- nity and government organizations to help give you up-to~iate resources and information. Visit Hastings Community Connections to find links to: • Child Care Resources • City of Hastings • Community Organizations • Faith Communities • Food & Meal Connections • Hastings Chamber of Commerce • Library Connections • Rural Community Connections • School Connections & Community Education • Senior Citizen Connections • Social Service Agencies • Transportation Connections • Youth Sports Programs ...dust to name a few! This site is designed to be a tool for both current residents as well as people who are new to the community. To explore Hastings Community Connections for yourself visit the site today at www. hastingscommunityconnections.com City Attorney, Shawn Moynihan, Appoint To The Bench The City of Hastings thanks outgoing city attorney Shawn Moynihan and wishes him the best of luck as he begins serving as ajudge for the first judicial district. Moynihan attended his first City of Hastings council meeting in late 1982 and became the City's attorney in November 1984. With nearly 25 years working with the City, Shawn demonstrated dignity and professionalism while addressing the myriad of legal challenges faced by a municipality. The City Council held a reception for Shawn on June 4, prior to their normal city Council meeting and declared Thursday, June 14, 2007 as Shawn Moynihan Day in the City of Hastings in recognition of Shawn's contributions over the years. Thursday June 14, was the day Shawn was sworn in as a Judge. The City's legal matters will now be handled by Shawn's Partner, Dan Ruegel. Dan has been a partner with the Ruegel and Moynihan (now the Fluegel) law firm for over eight years and has provided assistance with city-related issues over the years. City Looses Three Long-time Employees The City recently experienced the loss of several valuable members of our city staff. Accountant Lynne Benson recently retired after over 11 years with the City's Finance Department. Fire Chief Mark Holmes will be retiring in late September after nearly 30 years as a full-time member of the department, the last 7 as chief. Senior Engineering Technician Steve Pederson, who served over 34 years with the City of Hastings, recently lost his battle with cancer. 2 Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 ,~ Have a Request for the City? Tell us! In early 2006, the City implemented a web-based online citizen request sys~n to be available to the public via the City's website, known as RequestPartners, which gives the City an opportunity to continue to provide timely, responsive service to the public using technology and the City's website. .~ RequestPartners allows citizens to make an on-line request for service, information, and/or feedback of City services. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section that will provide information to the public as well as link them to the appropriate form to complete if they want to make a request. Looking for Packet Information? Find it now at your fingertips at www.ci.hastings.mn.us The City of Hastings now offers current and previous city council packets available on the city's website. This information will generally be available by the end of day Thursday prior to a City Council meeting. Click on "agenda" to review the upcoming agenda. To view the supporting documentation, simply click that agenda item. The City Council regularly meets on the 1st and 3rd monday of teach month at 7 p.m. New City Code Finally Available After over a year of review, the City of Hastings recently adopted its revised City Code of Ordinances. This recodification was done to ensure consistency with existing state statutes, remove obsolete references, change outdated language, etc. Additionally, the City Code will now be available in a fully searchable format on the City's website at www.ci.hastings.mn.us. Dog Licenses Please remember that the City of Hastings requires all dogs over the age of six months be licensed. Annual licenses became available July 2 with a due date of July 31, 2007. The annual licensing cost is $10.00 for non-neutered/non-spayed dogs and $6.00 for neutered/spayed dogs. A current rabies certificate is also required. City residents are limited to three dogs or 3 cats or any combination. In 2006, there were 131 calls received by the Hastings Police Department concerning dog issues. If a dog is found loose and turned over to the Hastings Police Department, the dog owner must pay a fee to release the dog and also is subject to being criminally charged. It is importance for owners to obtain a dog license for their dog from the city, as it can assist the Police Department in finding you as the owner of the dog should they pick it up, thus saving the dog owner the cost of storing the dog in the pound. Drinking Water Quality Enclosed with this newsletter you will find a three page report titled "City of Hastings Water Quality Report 2006". The majority of the report is generated by the Minnesota Department of Health and gives details about the City's drinking water quality. As in previous years, the City meets all federal drinking water standards. This year, the report was expanded to provide additional information about trace amounts of PFBA which has been in the news for the past six months. PFBA is one of a family of chemicals produced by 3M that has found its way into the drinking water supply of a number of communities in this area. PFBA was discovered in three of the City's wells, but at levels less than half the recommended maximum contaminant level. For more detailed information about PFBAs, please see page 3 of the Water Quality report. Conserving Resources! Please remember, a permanent odd/even sprinkling ban is automatically in effect from May 15 -September 1. This ban is to even out water demands and reduce the peak pumping demand from the city wells caused during the summer by lawn sprinkling. Water rates are based on winter usage. Homeowners using higher amounts will be charged an additional surcharge for increase summer usage. Homeowner associations may have units with both odd and even numbers sprinklered with the association's irrigation system, however the irrigation system is only permitted to run every other day. Homeowners associations are encouraged to check with their irrigation system maintenance providers to ensure that the sprinkler system programming is set correctly. Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 3 j~ ~ r, I ~ , f ~T . ~.-~ ~ I' .- v ..~ City of Hastings 101 Fourth Street East Hastings, MN 55033 HRA Director John Grossman 480-2347 Grossman@ci. hastings. mn. us Planning Director John Hinzman 480-2378 jhinzman@ci. hastings. mn. us Associate Planning Kari Barker 480-2377 kbarker@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Associate Planning Justin Fortney 480-2381 jfortney@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Easement Fence and Landscape Policy Before you begin planning for your new deck, pool, fence, or shed, please be aware that most lots developed in the City over the past 15 to 20 years include front, side and backyard easements. Easements are the area around the parameter of private property which the city has legal rights and access to in the event that maintenance or installations of utilities need to be done. Easements may be used for the underground installation of utilities such as gas, electric, telephone, cable, sewer and water. These easements also provide for drainage of storm Historic Preservation Awards At the May 21st City Council meeting the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) awarded the 2007 Preservation Awards to the following six recipients: • 414 West 5th Street -Marty & Nancy Kranz • 505 West 5th Street -Michael Engle & Amy Nissalke • 510 West 5th Street -Charles & Catherine Stellick • 550 West 6th Street -Kimberly Lewis • 539 West 7th Street -Laura Most • 110 East 4th Street (Elm Salon) -Jeff & Beth Peine (Black River Proprties) These recipients were chosen due to the hard work they put into properly restoring these historic properties to their forgotten glory. For the past 7 years, the HPC has put great effort into recognizing owners of historic properties who have done far more than the minimum amount of maintenance - which often costs more money and takes more time. This is because of the difficulties in restoring a historic structure without compromising its historical integrity to save time and money. Hastings is lucky to have citizens that care so much about the aesthetics and heritage of our city. ~ ~ ~~ ~ r- -- -- water runoff between lots. In some cases, larger easements have been platted to accommodate large storm sewer, water main or sanitary sewer pipes, bituminous trails, and ponding basin storm runoff storage. Residents are encouraged to contact the City before planning for a fence, pool, shed, or large landscaping project. The City can tell the home- owner if their home has an easement, the type, and any restrictions for it. The Easement Fencing and Landscaping Policy can be found at: http: //www. c i .hastings . m n . u s/ PI an n i ngDev/ PI an n i ng/PLNFormsDocs/PLN FencingH andout.pdf 4 Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 ,~ Downtown Redevelopment Update The City Council and Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) will take time to review riverfront redevelopment opportunities and goals. The decision was made after the two developers informed the City that their approved projects were not feasible in the current market. The two developers, the Three Rivers Place group and Sherman Associates had proposed a total of 67 upscale condominium units. The buildings would have been located facing the Mississippi River, on the south side of Levee Park between Ramsey Street and the railroad. The HRA had intended to use tax increment generated by the proposed projects to reconstruct streets and parking lots, expand utilities, enhance Levee Park, and develop a "destination" business to draw shoppers downtown. Sherman Associates requested the City and HRA to modify and extend the development agreement to allow for the construction of 23 townhouses as an alternative to the condominium project. However, a market study indicated that the townhome market was weak, and the Council and HRA agreed that the townhomes would not meet original goals for redeveloping the site. The City Council and HRA Board directed staff to begin the process of terminating the purchase and development agreement with Sherman Associates for the HRA- owned property. In a separate action, the Council extended planning approvals to 2008 for the Three Rivers condominium project on land owned by the developers. .~ ~ - If . . f ~ ~~~ ~~~~ The Council and HRA will evaluate the recent redevelopment efforts and refine their goals and strategies for riverfront development. Subjects for evaluation will include: • The strengths and constraints of downtown for redevelopment; • The public goals of redevelopment; • Areas to target for private redevelopment; • Preferred types of development; • Market and financially feasible land uses; • Public facilities and improvements which would enhance prospects for future redevelopment and public use of the downtown area; and • Public and private roles in funding public facilities and improvements Quiet Zone Work on the proposed quiet zone at the Second and Third Street crossings of the railroad has not stopped. Preliminary plans for the construction needed to qualify for a quiet zone have been provided for review. The next step will be an open house. When the plans and specs are complete and checked by the staff and railroad, the Council will consider advertising for bids for the work. In 2003 the goals for riverfront redevelopment were: • Assure long term viability of the historic downtown area • Connect downtown Hastings to the Mississippi River • Enhance downtown as focus of the community's historic river-town identity • Enhance the stability of the adjacent residential neighborhoods • Replace obsolete (and vacant) land uses 1 I Spring 2007 !` Sign Requirements 101 Questions regarding sign requirements come to the City's Planning Department on a daily basis. The following information covers some of the basics to help you better understand whether or not a sign permit is required and any restrictions. Sign requirements vary by type and location; for full details you are encouraged to contact the Planning Department at 480-2350 before placing a sign. The following is a general list of requirements in the City of Hastings: • Temporary Signs, Banners and Ribbons - No permit required. Businesses are limited to 90 days per calendar year for display of temporary signs banners and ribbons. No fee is required. • Miscellaneous Signs - No permit required. This type of sign include real estate, rental/ for sale signs, construction, garage sale and sandwich boards (which must removed each night). No fee is required. • Temporary Changeable Letter Signs -Permit required. Common temporary signs include those with changeable letters, signs that are on wheels, or signs that are easily movable. Businesses are allowed up to 60 days per calendar year. A fifty dollar fee is required. Permanent signs -Permit required. Permanent signs include monument signs, lettering on buildings, signs on buildings, and signs on permanent posts/poles. A sign permit must be applied for before the sign is placed on the property. Permit fee i based on valuation. Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 5 Hastings Police Department 150 Third Street East Hastings, MN 55033 Non-Emergency: 480-2 300 Emergency: 911 www.ci.hastings.mn.us Police Chief: Mike McMenomy 480-2300 m mcmenomy@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Lieutenant: Joe Kegley 480-2300 jkegley@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Lieutenant: Jim Rgnonti 480-2300 jrgnonti@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Tips For Playing It Safe This Summer With the warm weather upon us, here are some warm weather reminder! Curfew The City of Hastings, as well as Dakota County, has a curfew they would like to remind parents and kids of: Under age 12 Sunday through Thursday 9pm-5 am Friday and Saturday 10 pm-yam Ages 12 - 14 Sunday through Thursday 10 pm-yam Friday and Saturday 11 pm-yam Ages 15 - 17 Sunday through Thursday 11 pm-yam Friday and Saturday 12:01 am-yam It is unlawful for any juvenile 17 years of age and under to be present in any public place within the city limits of Hastings as well as throughout Dakota County between the hours listed above. To make the curfew hours more effective, we need the assistance of concerned parents and citizens to report any curfew violations. Please help us by contacting the Hastings Police Department at 480-2300. Bike Safety Young people and adults can play it safe this summer by attending one of the bike safety rodeos sponsored by Hastings Community Education and Hastings Police Department. Children have fun learning the importance of bike safety while practicing on an actual bike safety course. You will learn and understand the various safety features on their bikes, and how to properly adjust them for riding. You will also learn the rules of traffic and to obey traffic signs. Riding a bike properly takes skill. The better you are at it, the safer you will be, so take time to practice these skills. Hastings Community Education will be providing public information and a schedule of when and where these bike safety rodeos will be held throughout the upcoming summer months. Road Construction Summer is the season for road construction. Keep in mind that your safety, as well as the safety of road workers, depends upon your action to obey construction warning signs. Take it slow and remember to adhere to the posted speed limits. Failure to do so within a construction zone will automatically double your fine. Also, talk to your children and instill in them that any construction is not a playground. Furthermore, please report to the Hastings Police Department any safety concerns you may have with construction zones. Graduation Parties Graduation parties are here and parents could be put in a tough situation. What do you do about alcohol and minors? Here are a couple of suggestions. You could consider not serving alcohol at the graduation party; or if you plan to serve alcohol, ensure that only those legal to drink have access You are not doing your child or anyone else's child any favors by using the old excuses like "l just let them have two drinks" or "l took their car keys" or "Their parents said it was okay to drink. "Please understand, it is illegal to provide alcohol to an underage person and if caught, you will be criminally charged. If you have any doubts about your civil liability, please contact your insurance agent and get his or her opinion. The City of Hastings and the Police Department congratulations all of this year s graduates! 6 Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 rv~, ` r/~ 1 ~~~ 1 I v ir~~~ r~ ~~~ Lieutenant Graduates from School of Police StafF and Command Hastings Lieutenant Joe Kegley recently completed an intensive 3-month course on Police Staff and Command Development through Northwestern University. The course began in January and completed with a graduation ceremony the last week of March. Content of the course included upper level college instruction dealing with management and management theory, organizational behavior, human resources of law enforcement, budgeting, staffing allocation and personal development. A total of 40 students from various police departments in the upper Midwest participated in this 11 week program. Congratulations to Lieutenant Kegley on the successful completion of this intensive management training program. OfFicer Recognized Officer Lilly Murr, a seven year member of the Hastings Police Department, was recently recognized by the Minnesota Association of Women Police for her community service and outreach programs in working with the Hastings Police Youth Explorer program, and also for coordinating and facilitating the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, which is a program for rental property owners to assist in making their rental properties safe and secure for tenants and prospective tenants of those properties. Each year, the association recognizes female officers throughout the state of Minnesota for various accomplishments. Officer Murr received the statewide Community Service Award. Congratulations and thanks go to Officer Murr for her work in these areas serving the citizens of Hastings. National Night Out The 24th Annual National Night Out, a unique crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 7th, 2007. Neighborhoods throughout Hastings are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for this event. National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police community partnerships, and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. The National Night Out campaign is an extraordinary way to build neighborhood unity and strengthen police-community partnerships. For further information regarding National Night Out, please contact Sergeant Hicks or Officer Puch of the Hastings Police Department at 651-480-2300. Click It or Ticket It Did you know that currently, a Police Officer cannot pull a driver over for not wearing a seatbelt, but can only issue a warning? However, if you are pulled over for a different primary traffic offense (such as speeding, running a stop sign, etc) and you are not wearing your seatbelt, you can then get ticketed for not wearing it. This spring, legislatures introduced a law that would have made not wearing a seatbelt, a primary traffic violation. This would have allowed officers to pull motorists over solely for not wearing their seatbelt and be able to issue them a fine. Though this legislation did not pass, wearing your seatbelt is still the law and will help save your life! Stats That Support SeatBelts • Car crashes are the #1 killer of Minnesotans ages 5-30. • The cost of crashes is approximately $1.5 billion every year in Minnesota alone. • Safety belts have saved and estimated 85,000 lives over the last 15 years in the United States. Your best protection against death and injury in your car is your seat belt - Buckle Up. Remember this summer as you head off for the cabin, or family vacation to click it, or ticket .. . Bottom Line: WEAR YOUR SEATBELT Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 z ,~ .~ Hastings Fire Department 115 Fifth Street West Hastings, MN 55033 Non- Em a rge n cy: 480-6150 Emergency: 911 www.ci.hastings.mn.us Fire Chief: Mark Holmes 480-6150 mhol mes@ci. hasti ngs. m n. us Assistant Fire Chief/ Fire Marshal: Mike Schutt 480-6150 msch utt@ci . hasti ngs. m n. u s Fire Inspector: AI Storlie 480-6155 astorl ie@ci. hasti ngs. m n. us Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives Test Yours Regularly and Replace Batteries at Least Once A Year! Grilling Safety rr; With summer finally here, residents are reminded of a few safety tips for this year's ;_ grilling season. Grill owners should: r` • Check fuel hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. ~ ~ • Always keep propane containers upright. • Never store a propane container in your home. - • Charcoal should never be used indoors, even ~ r+ l if ventilation is provided. ~ ~ G t I ~Y, Multi-Family Dwellings (3 or more units) ,ra For individuals living in multi-family dwellings (apartments, townhomes and condos ...) • It is illegal to have a fire or open flame on balconies or on ground floor patios if it is within 15 feet of the building. • You can not store or use grills, lighter fluid, torches or other similar heating devices on balconies or patios within 15 feet of the building. House Addresses When emergencies happen, it can feel like forever before help arrives. In those critical moments, every second counts. Help make your home as easy as possible for paramedics, firefighters, and police officers to find by having your house numbers clearly visible on your home. • Your house numbers should be clearly marked on the outside of your hon • The numbers need to be at least 4" high and 1/Z" wide. • Numbers need to be in a highly contrasting color and easily seen from the roadway. • If your home is set back from the street, post your address numbers at the entrance of your driveway. • Watch out for overgrown trees and shrubs that may block the view. • Do not place your address numbers on your garage door, as they cannot always be seen when the door is left open. Fire Hydrants ,.'" Fire hydrants are there for YOUR safety. Residents are reminded to do their part in keeping hydrants accessible at all times. Two simple reminders include: • Keep shrubs and plantings cut low to the ground near fire hydrants. ~~ ~f~ • DO NOT park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant. ~ r ert , 8 Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 ,~ ~l~'~ "Beware of Dog" There are an estimated 65 million dogs in the United States. Dogs can be wonderful pets, and they can play a special role in the lives of their owners, adding to the mental and physical well-being of adults and enriching the development of children. Most dogs will never bite a human. Yet as we have seen in local media recently, interactions between people and dogs may result in dog bite injuries. Dog bites annually account for more emergency room visits than playground injuries, bike, moped, ATV, inline skating and skateboard injuries combined. It is estimated that almost half of all children have been bitten by a dog at some point in their lives. Children are normally at greatest risk from a dog bite because they play with dogs more often, have less experience in anticipating a dog's behavior, are more likely to engage in activity that stimulates or alarms a dog and are less able to defend themselves when a dog becomes aggressive. Unlike adults, children are typically bitten on the face, neck, head or arms. The median age of patients bitten by dogs is 15 years and children have the highest rate of injury from dog bites resulting in emergency room visits. Among children, boys aged 5 to 9 years experience the highest incidence of dog bites. Fireworks With the Fourth of July just around the corner please keep the following in mind: • Read, understand and fol%w instructions on each device prior to using. • Fireworks should only be used with close adult supervision. • Only ignite one firework device at a time, and then move away from it. .~ 1 I ~I ~~ ~~ r~ S ~~~ Common Misconception It is a common misconception that dog bites are generally inflicted by "fighting dogs" or strays. Over half the dog bite injuries occur at home or in a familiar place, with more than 75°~ of the dogs, belonging to the victim's family or a friend. In most cases, biting takes place while a dog is being aggressively played with, or while eating, being teased or abused. Rabies Although canine rabies is relatively rare in the U.S. (the most commonly reported cases of rabies virus involve wild animals, specifically raccoons, skunks and bats), cases of rabies associated with dog bites may still occur. The risk increases when the dog is a stray or when the dog bite occurs outside the U.S. In general, if a dog's vaccination against rabies cannot be promptly confirmed, if the dog cannot be observed, or if the dog's behavior is suspicious, the dog bite victim should receive rabies immunization promptly. Infection Some dog bite wounds will become infected with various bacteria. Signs of infection could include: a red ring around the injury, the area around the injury is warmer than the rest of the body, an overall raised body temperature, and pain. Seek med- ical attention for further treatment and antibiotics. • Fireworks should only be ignited outdoors and away from animals, buildings, storage tanks, brush and combustible materials. • Never place any part of your body, especially your head, over the firework. r ,, .fir! Jrrr!~~~~~~ Spring 2007 Tips To Avoid Being Bitten • Never approach a dog you do not know; • Never run from a dog if it approaches you stand still and do not make direct eye contact; • Always ask permission from an adult owner before petting a dog you do not know; • Never approach a dog that is tied up; • Do not reach over or through a fence to pet a dog; • Never approach a dog that appears to be sleeping, is eating or chewing on a bone; and • Pay attention to a dog's body language and behavior. Safety Tips For Dog Owner s • Dog owners should try to socialize puppies to people of all ages and both sexes, especially children. A toddler looks, sounds and acts differently than a 6 year old child, a teenager, a 30 year old, or an elderly adult. • The critical age for a dog's socialization is between 3 and 14 weeks of age and continue until your dog is at least 1 year of age. • Supervise all interactions between your dog and children or strangers and never leave infants or children alone with a dog of any size. • Do not mistreat your dog. • Do not let your dog roam. Remember, Minnesota State Law allows only nonexplosive and non-aer- ial fireworks. An easy way to remem- ber, "If it explodes or goes airborne, it is illegal." Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 g ,~ Update on Water Treatment Plant Construction .Ivv ~/rrv//~1 Hastings Public Works Department Public Works Garage 1225 Progress Drive Hastings, MN 55033 480-6185 www.ci.hastings.mn.us Public Works Director: Tom Montgomery 480-6185 tmontgomery@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us City Engineer: Nick Egger 480-2334 engineeringdept@ci.hastings.mn.us Streets & Utilities: John Zgoda 480-6185 publicworksdept@ci.hastings.mn.us - - =,,,_ ~~_. • - {-~~-- `~ ~ ~ -_ °x • ~. ~; r ~_ r. Since the fall of 2006 the City has been constructing a water treatment plant on the North Frontage Road of Highway 55, next to the water storage tank that was already there. This project continues to move steadily forward and in March 2007, four resin tanks and two large brine tanks were installed. Water from Well #5 and Well #3 will be processed through the resin tanks to remove nitrates. The two brine tanks will hold a solution used to recharge the resin tanks. The water treatment plant building will also contain Well #5 and a booster pump station that includes three high capacity pumps to move water from the low system to the high system. Large windows will allow pedestrians on the North Frontage Road to see the booster pumps and water system piping. Work on the treatment plant continues on schedule, Resin tanks and Brine Tanks being insta//ed in the Water with the plant expected to be operational by fall. treatment p/ant .~ 2007 sealcoat Program Annually, the Public Works Department sealcoats City streets The sealcoat process typically involves spraying a layer of hot bituminous emulsion on the streets and covering the emul- sion with a small, angular rock chip covering. As the bituminous emulsion cools, it serves as a glue to hold the rock chips in place. The bituminous emulsion performs two functions: first to seal small cracks in the pavement surface to prevent water from entering and damaging the pavement during freeze/ thaw cycles, and second, to rejuvenate the pavement surface which has been oxidized by sun and wear. The rock chips provide a protective and sacrificial wear surface for the pavement. A regular program of sealcoating helps extend the pavement life of the street for many years. This year's sealcoat program is proposed to include the following streets with work expected to start by mid to late June: • Lock and Dam Road • Eagle Bluff Development • Summit Point Development • Williams Addition • Sibley Street from 4th Street to 6th Street • 5th Street from Highway 61 to Tyler Street • Douglas Drive • Maher Avenue East of Highway 316 • Tiffany Drive East of Highway 316 A map of these locations has been placed on our City web site www.ci.hastings.mn.us 1o Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 Water treatment center on North Frontage Road .~ i r1 -~~J~ i t-1 s ~ I ~il~ ~~r~ Water Wisely In Warm Weather SIMPLE WAYS TO PROTECT Summer Water Rates THE ENVIRONMENT A new water rate structure was adopted last year which raises the rate on the water used over the winter quarter's usage from $1.55 per 1,000 gallons to $1.95 per Compost 1,000 gallons. A typical household may use 18,000 gallons of water during their Compost yard trimmings, leaves, and grass winter quarter. During the summer months, this water use may rise to 60,000 gallons, clippings. Composted material can be used due primarily to lawn sprinkling. With the adopted $0.40 surcharge, this typical as a nutrient rich mixture to improve your soil homeowner would be charged $1.55 per 1,000 gallons for their first 18,000 gallons and to reduce your use of fertilizer and water. of water usage, and $1.95 per 1,000 gallons for all water used above 18,000 gallons. Mulch The $0.40 surcharge for water usage above the winter quarter use will be used to Mulching your grass reduces the need for fund operations of the new water treatment plant. During the winter, the City's water fertilizer because the nutrients are released needs can be met by 2 to 3 of the City's 6 wells. Summer water demands can require back into your lawn as the grass clippings all of the City wells to be in operation in excess of 20 hours per day and drove the break down. Leaving the grass clippings on your need to add the 6th well to the City's water system last year. The new water treatment lawn all summer is equal to one application of plant will be utilized primarily to meet increased summer water demand. fertilizer per year. And the less fertilizer applied to your lawn translates into a reduction WATER Y®UR LAWN WISELY of fertilizer runoff reaching our wetlands. Did you know that the City pumps almost three times as much water in the summer months as compared to the winter months? Most of this additional pumping is to Use Zero Phosphorus Fertilizer meet lawn sprinkling use. A number of homes, townhome associations, and commercial If you do chose to fertilize your lawn, make establishments have lawn irrigation systems that are set up to automatically water sure you use phosphorus free fertilizer. lawns, regardless of need. Other residents may unknowingly overwater their lawn. Phosphorus is the agent that accelerates Overwatering increases the demand for water, which may result in the City having to algae growth in our ponds, lakes, and wetlands. drill expensive new wells to meet the summer water demand, leaving these wells Look for the "zero" in the middle of the formula idle for the rest of the year. The following are watering tips developed by the printed on the fertilizer bag. (ie. 180-12) University of Minnesota Extension Service: Reduce Weed Killers • Water early in the morning-between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. is best! Avoid If you are battling weeds try not to use toxic watering later in the evening to prevent turfgrass diseases. Do not water pesticides on your lawn. Remove weeds by during restricted times. hand or use a handheld tool to assist you. • Watch the weather forecast to avoid watering in windy weather or before a rainfall. • Adjust watering schedule to the season. Established lawns need little or no Water Infrequently watering in the spring and fall. Requirements typically peak in June or July and Overwatering your lawn can do more harm begin tapering off in late August. than good. Excess watering promotes runoff • Rule-of-thumb = 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, minus rainfall, and keep which transports grass clippings, leaves, intervals between watering as long as possible to encourage deeper root growth. fertilizer and other "pollutants" from lawns, • For sandy soils, apply 1/2" to 3/4" two times per week minus rainfall. Stop sidewalks, and driveways and ultimately carrying when soil is moist down to 5" depth, or use a rain gauge to measure the them into our water system. amount to add. • Leave grass longer during hot weather (2.5" to 3.5"). It promotes deeper roots, Increase your lawn mower height shades growth crowns, and helps protect them from drying winds. Don't mow your lawn too short. Instead, mow • For more information, go to www.extension.umn.edu and look under the Garden your grass to a minimum height of 2.5 - 3 links for lawn watering and fertilizing tips. inches. This allows the roots to grow deeper and make your grass more tolerant during dry periods. Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 11 rv~, ` r/~ Hastings Department of Building Safety: 101 Fourth Street East Hastings, MN 55033 480-2342 www.ci.hastings.mn.us Building Official Tom Bakken 480-2342 tbakken@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Code Enforcement: 480-2342 dwest@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us Stepping Up Code Enforcement Goals and initiatives by the City Council and community groups for commercial and residential properties have been set to maintain the high qual- ity of living that Hastings residents, businesses and visitors expect. This summer, the Hastings Code Enforcement Department will be targeting properties for compliance with property maintenance standards. City code requires property owners to maintain their properties at minimum standards to keep the community safe, healthy and attractive. We will be looking at structure maintenance issues: You may receive a notice by mail that we are going to be in your neighborhood this summer. The City's goal is to achieve self compliance by working with the property owners as opposed to issuing citations. The City wants to help educate property owners so they can identify violations and work towards compliance with reasonable timelines to accomplish these tasks. You can go to the City of Hastings website and look up the Structure Maintenance for Rental Properties and Property Maintenance Ordinance at www.ci.hastings.mn.us to read what the City code requires. You will find pictures as examples of violations to help you visualize what we will be looking for. City Recycling Kristin Behrens 480-6175 kbeh rens@ci. hasti ngs. mn. us • failing paint • deteriorated roofs • failing fences • storage of unlicensed vehicles • too many vehicles • outdoor storage of miscellaneous materials • storage unscreened from adjacent properties or not in an approved shelter • long grass and weeds ..~vv ~/ rrv//~• Community input and cooperation is vital to maintain the standards of living Hastings has seen for the past 150 years. New Building Codes Every few years, the National and State codes are updated to reflect the changing times. There has just been a major change in the International Codes and State codes which will go into effect on July 10, 2007. The City has now adopted the 2006 International Codes as well as the new State Code. There have been changes all the way from the foundation to when you need to replace roof shingles. Many of the codes have slight changes in them, but that may be the area that will affect your project. We are asking everyone to check with the City's Building Department before begining any project, to see how the new codes may affect you. Also, the City's web site www.ci.hastings.mn.us has a list of the current codes that are now in effect. We look forward to helping you in your projects to make it safe and easy. For more information call the Building Department at 480-2342. 12 Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 '/. ,~ Rethinking Recycling Top Ten Paper Recycling Facts 1. About 21 percent of Minnesota's household garbage is recyclable paper. Don't forget to recycle your mail, office and school paper, magazines and catalogs, cardboard and other boxes, like cereal boxes, shoe boxes and toothpaste boxes. 2. 186,400 of tons of recyclable paper are thrown away each year by residents in the Twin Cities metro area. 3. Twin Cities metro area recycle almost 1 million K paper every single day. 4. Recycled paper supplies r 37°~ of the raw materials us new paper products in the U an ever growing demand, so counts. ~~~~1["aL1,~ 5. Recycling paper doesn't just save trees! Production of recycled paper uses 80 percent less water, 65 percent less energy and produces 95 percent less air pollution than paper production using raw materials. 6. The average American household receives more than 500 pieces of advertising mail each year. Be sure to .~ ~ I ~ ~ ~~ r~ recycle your unwanted mail, including glossy and colored papers. You can also recycle envelopes with windows. 7. Some people don't recycle their mail because they are concerned about protecting their identity. However, mail and other papers are no safer in the trash. If you shred your paper, you can still recycle it. Place it in a closed paper bag and label it "shredded paper." 8. Trying to figure out which boxes from the kitchen can be recycled can be con- fusing. A quick tip: if the product can be stored in the cupboard it's recyclable. If it goes in the fridge, freezer or microwave it shouldn't be recycled. 9. A newspaper is recycled and back in circulation in less than four weeks. Don't forget that you can recycle the inserts along with the newspaper! 10. Recycled cardboard is used to make new boxes, cereal boxes and other paper packaging. It can even be used to make paper backing for shingles. It's a bit more work to break those boxes down to fit in the bin, but it's worth it. Don't forget to keep recycling your bottles and cans too! Medical Waste From Home Do you have unused medications sitting in your medicine cabinet? When starting a health regime that includes prescription medica- tion, we rarely think about the resulting waste disposal. Always ask the pharmacist or hospital prescribing the medication if they have atake-back program for excess medication. If they do not, then follow this information for safe disposal at home: • Keep the medication in its original container. These containers are typically childproof and the labels may contain safety Congratulations Youth Green Teams!! The City and Waste Management congratulate the McAuliffe Parent Teacher Connection for all of their hard work in recycling during the 1st quarter of 2007. They collected over 53 tons of recyclable mixed paper and received about $800 for their participation in the Youth Green Team Recycling Program! How can our group participate? If your youth group is interested in this pro- gram, contact Sandy Spring at 651-480-0307, ext. 0104, complete the application form, and submit to: Waste Management, 2800 Millard Avenue Hastings, MN 55033. Groups selected to participate will be notified well in advance of their three month term. information. Mark out the patient's name and any other personal information to protect your identity. • Modify the medication by placing water in the container with pills or capsules. The water will begin to dissolve the medication and will discourage consumption. • Tape the medication container lid shut and place in the trash. Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 13 ,1 I i ~~ ~~1r~~~r~Jy!~ Hastings Parks and Recreation 920 10th Street West Hastings, MN 55033 Phone: 480-6175 Fax: 437-5396 www.ci.hastings.mn.us Parks & Recreation Director: Barry Bernstein 480-6176 bbernstein@ci. hastings. mn.us Parks Superintendent: Kevin Smith 480-6178 ksmith@ci. hastings. mn.us City Forester: Paul Mahoney 480-6177 pmahoney@ci. hastings. mn.us Recreation Coordinator: Jared Flewellen 480-6181 pmahoney@ci. hastings. mn.us Recreation Weather Hotline 480-3102 Aquatic Center Manager: Darbie Johnson 480-6179 djohnson@ci.hastings.mn.us Hastings Family Aquatic Center: 437-6999 HFAC Hotline 480-2392 Civic Arena Manager: Sliv McGree 480-6195 jmcgree@ci. hastings. mn.us Parks & Recreation Updates Lake Isabel Access Redevelopment The Hastings City Council approved the design, contractor, and finance package to begin and complete the redevelopment of the Lake Isabel boat and pedestrian access to Lake Isabel this summer. This project includes dredging one acre of material from the lake around the new fishing pier and boat launch. In addition, a new handicapped access to the fishing pier will be constructed along with improvements to the boat launch and parking lot areas. This project is anticipated to be completed late summer. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 480-6176 or bbernsteinC~ci.hastings.mn.us Mississippi River Public Dock Project With each passing day, we are getting closer to our objective of placing a public boat dock just west of the Highway 61 Bridge on the Mississippi River. This is a very exciting project not only for the City of Hastings, but for the recreational boaters who travel along the Mississippi River. The City Council just approved the excavation work for the boat Lions Park: dock access along with the dock design and construction. We are anticipating that the boat dock will be operational by mid-summer! If you have any questions egarding this project, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 651-480-6176 or bbernsteinC~ci.hastings.mn.us The City Council has authorized construction of a new multi-purpose building to be constructed at Lions Park. This new building will replace the previous shelter at Lions Park. The new building will feature a restroom and opportunities for picnics! The building should be completed by the fall of 2007. Parks & Recreation Information Financial Assistance Available: Financial assistance is available for most programs. For assistance, or additional information, please call 480-6175. Photo/Video Po/icy, Periodically the City of Hastings takes pictures or video of participants during programs, special events or people enjoying the parks. These photos may appear in local newspapers, Department and/or the City's website/publication. Lost and Found: We retrieve many personal belongings each year that are left behind at parks, programs or special events. If you have lost something at any of our locations, contact us at 480-6175 to see if it was recovered. We hold items for six months before being disposed of. Removal of Dog Waste: Citizens are reminded that it is their responsibility to clean up after their pets! Data PrivacyAdvisory_ In accordance with MN Govn't Data Practices Act, the Parks & Recreation staff of Hastings hereby informs you that the personal information we are requesting of you and/or your child on our registration form is considered private. Private data is available to staff to perform their duties. While you may choose to withhold this data, the result could be that staff may not be able to complete your registration and/or you may not receive updated program information such as schedule changes, etc. 14 Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 rv~, ` r/~ Hastings Family Aquatic Center Summer 2007 Information Dates Open: Now through August 26, 200 Monday 12 Noon - 8 pm Tuesday 12 Noon - 5 pm (swimming /essons 5:30-7:00) Wednesday 12 Noon - 5 pm (Family Swim 5:30-8:00) Thursday 12 Noon - 5 pm (swimming /essons 5:30-7:00) Friday 12 Noon - 8 pm Saturday 12 Noon - 8 pm Sunday 12 Noon - 8 pm Daily Admission: Over 42": $5.75 Under 42": $4.50 After 5PM: $4.00 For more information on our prices and programs, including Tons of Tots and Adaptive Aquatics, please check out the website at www.ci.hastings.mn.us Family Swim Every Wednesday night, the Hastings Family Aquatic Center is reserved for families. Swimmers can bring in flotation devices that are not normally allowed including rafts, balls, and toys. When: Every Wednesday through August 22, 2007 Time: 5:30-8:00 pm Cost: $4.50/each Teen Night Teens ages 13-17 have exclusive use of the Hastings Family Aquatic Center! DJ, games, prizes. When: Friday June 22, 2007 8:30-10:30 pm Friday August 3, 2006 8:30-10:30 pm Friday August 17, 2007 8:30-10:30 pm Rivertown Days Thursday July 19, 2007 7:00-10:30 pm Cost: With a Season Pass: $4.00 Without a Season Pass: $5.50 The HFAC no longer accepts personal checks. We do accept Cash, VISA and MasterCards. Season Passes and Punch Cards are still available. Fall Adult Sport Leagues Forming Now! Fall Softball Registration Registration packets can be Registration for our fall softball downloaded from the city website program is starting July 16`"! www.ci.hastings.mn.us or can be picked up at the Parks & Recreation Fall Kickball Registration office for any of these leagues. Registration for our fall kickball program will start July 30`"! Touch/Flag Football Registration Registration for our touch/flag football program will start August 13`"! VISA and Mastercards are now accepted for registration! If you have any questions, please call Jared Flewellen at 480-6181. ~~~ f ~ir~-r~~i~~ri Reserve The Party Wagon For Your Event Today! Who: Hastings Parks & Recreation Department What: The Party Wagon When: Memorial Day Weekend -September 9, 2007 Where: Delivered to your event! Why: To encourage neighborhood residents to organize block parties and provide an opportunity for people to get to know their I neighbors The Party Wagon is available to Hastings residents who live within the city limits. Neighborhood block parties may reserve the party wagon free of charge! Individuals may also reserve the party wagon for personal gatherings for a minimal rental fee of $25 on weekdays and $40 on weekends. Please call Kristin with the Parks & Recreation Department at 480-6175 if you have any questions or to receive more information. Reservation forms and information is also available on the city web- site at www.ci.hastings.mn.us Park, Picnic, and Ballfield Reservations Picnic Shelters and Ballfield reservation permits are available at Roadside Park, Vermillion Falls Park, Wallin Park or any ballfield within Hastings. To reserve a shelter and/or ballfield, you must complete and return a reservation form to the Parks & Recreation Department.* Reservation Forms are available on the city website, at City Hall, by stopping by the Parks & Recreation Office or by calling 480-6175 to have one mailed to you. Fees apply for both ballfield and park shelter reservations at resident and non-resident rates, and vary from location to location, so please call for details! * Reservations are taken on a firstcome first-served basis. These reservations do not provide you with exclusive rights to the park, just the ballfield or shelter. Other residents are still welcome to enjoy the park's other amenities. Rivertown News (]une 200 - August 2000 15 ~ ~) , J Hastings Hydroelectric Plant Facts In the early 1980's, a decision was made by the Hastings City Council to construct a Hydroelectric Plant. At the time, just about everybody thought it was a wonderful idea that would turn out to be a great financial cash cow for the City and its taxpayers. The local media extolled the plant's virtues and citizens offered many ideas in the media to the City as to how the profits should be spent. At the time the plant was projected to generate approximately $250,000 in profits on an annual basis. One quote I remember from an article in the newspaper stated; "The hydroplant will just sit there in the river and pump out money." Alas, that was not to be the case due to several unexpected misfortunes that have occurred to the facility since it was turned on in 1987. In spite of the many setbacks, I remain cautiously optimistic about the plant's future because of the resolve of the current City Council and City Staff to do everything in their power to have the facility live up to and make good on its early promise. The current City Council started by hiring a consulting firm with vast experience in operating and managing hydroelectric plants. This proved to be a very good decision and many improvements were made to the facility, which increased the plant's efficiency and revenues. These newly implemented ideas and the fact that the bonds would be paid up in the year 2006 gave rise to my City of Hastings 101 Fourth Street East Hastings, MN 55033 City Hall: Hours: 8 am - 4:30 pm Phone: 480-2350 Fax: 437-7082 www.ci.hastings.mn.us cityhallC~ci.hastings.mn.us personal feelings that I would be very happy to still be around to finally see the plant turn profitable in spite of its many setbacks. The terrible flood of 2001 took care of those feelings in a hurry. The flood damage resulted in almost completely rebuilding or replacing the plant's equipment including new computers, mechanical systems and updated technology. The cost to repair the plant was more than $4,000,000, which was almost all covered by our payments from FEMA. However, the one and one half years of lost revenue due to the repairs being made and the four years it took to get reimbursement from FEMA forced the City to refinance and extend the debt payments on the plant until the year 2016. Now for a little good news! The ongoing maintenance and operating expenses have been significantly reduced. Major structural changes were made to the facility to prevent damage from future floods. A trash rack cleaner has been installed which resulted in about a 10 percent increase in power production. In 2005, the electricity generated by the hydroplant brought the City record $1,168,122 in revenue and in 2006, the facility generated $826,836 in revenues. In 2007 the Franchise Fee will be taken off which will save all of us as taxpayers some money. So these are some of the reasons, coupled with a little good luck, I remain cautiously optimistic in spite of the plants unfortunate history. This City Council and City Staff inherited this challenge but I can assure you that we are and will be doing everything possible to make the plant fulfill its early promise to just sit in the river and pump money. ~d Res and Ward City Council PRSRT-STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID Hastings MN Permit No. 166 Postal Customer Printed on recycled paper containing no less than 10% post-consumer waste.