Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSummer 2001 ~. Hastin s Rivertown News 2001 STREET AND UTILITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Work is beginning on this year's street and utility construc- tion projects. The City has contracted with Richard Knutson, Inc. for the following projects: .~.. .. 2"' Street-Street reconstruction, including concrete curb I ,and gutter and storm sewer, is proposed for 2"' Street be- 1,'1.1 -, i tween CR #42 and Farm Street. This work will also include replacement of the sanitary sewer main with a much deeper sewer main to redirect sewer flows north of 2"' Street away from the Prairie Street lift station. The new sewer will allow this wastewater to drain by gravity to the treatment plant instead of being pumped to the treatment plant. The pro- posed curb and gutter and storm sewer will solve existing drainage problems on 2"' Street. ~ 4"', 5"', and Sibley Streets - As part of the Guardian An- ~O\~ gels housing development, sanitary sewer and watermains on 4'" and 5'" Streets will be replaced and a looping watermain will be installed on Sibley Street between 4th and 5'" Streets. Storm sewer will be installed on Sibley Street between 5th and 6'" Streets, and new curb and gutter and bituminous surfacing will be completed on 4th Street from Sibley to Tyler Street, 5'" Street from Highway 61 to Tyler Street, and Sibley Street from 4th to 6'" Street. d. . Forest and 9'" Street - Street reconstruction, including con- ." . crete curb and gutter and storm sewer, is proposed for For- '1.1 est Street between 8'" and 9th Streets and 9'" Street between Forest and Walnut Streets. This project was requested by Our Savior's Lutheran Church. The curb and gutter and storm sewer improvements will eliminate existing drainage prob- lems in the area. g Sidewalk Improvements - Concrete walk is proposed to , .... .... '. be constructed on the east side ofWestview Drive from the Lcl- ., South Frontage Road to Hillside and on the west side of Westview Drive from Highway 55 to the South Frontage Road. d.. Bohlken's 6th Addition - Bohlken Drive is proposed to be ; \ ~- i \, extended to the west to serve an additional 8 lots as part of , '1-j l the Bohlken's 6th Addition street and utility improvements. Volume VI Issue 3 2001 Construction Projects, continued on Page 3 IN THIS ISSUE: E'age 4 2 2 1 5 L-tem Aquatic Center City Council City Hall City Website Code Enforcement 2001 Construction Projects Financal Information Fire Department Parks Projects Police Department Sprinkling Ban 1,3,8 2 7 4&8 6 3 Do you know who your ward Councilmember is? If not, you can find out by either calling City Hall (437-4127) or going on-line to the City's website at JliJli.\'Lc.Lha~. Under the Mayor & Council heading is a link to the City's ward map. which will tell you who your ward rep- resentative is on the Council. See Page 2 for more Council information. Construction Progress Information As is typical with street and utility construction, the City's contractor, Richard Knutson, Inc., has subcontracted the bituminous milling, concrete curb and gutter, sidewalk and driveway work, bituminous paving, and sodding and landscape work to several other contractors. These sub- contractors generally do not move their equipment or crews into town until there is enough work to keep them busy for several days. As a result, some construction projects may sit idle for several days while work is being done elsewhere to prepare for a subcontractor. Also, please keep in mind that when the contractor is constructing a road, the final elevation of the finished surface is about a foot higher than the rough graded road cut. What seems. to be a big drop in your driveway or yard will be much more gradual when the project has been completed. Page 1 Summer 2001 v c: =:) o ~ ~ -+- ~ The City of Hastings Council meets on the first & third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. Agendas are available at City Hall, and residents are encouraged to attend. MAYOR Mike Werner 437-4143 COUNCILMEMBERS Ward 1 Janette Yandrasits Ward 2 Turney Hazlet Ward 3 Ed Riveness Ward 4 Danna Elling Schultz At-Large LynnMoratzka Paul Hicks 438-3194 437-5298 437-4416 438-3878 437-7869 437-8866 c =-= ~ -+- ~ Page 2 Summer 2001 City Hall Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday 437-4127 City Hall Phone Inspections & Code Enforcement: City Website: CITY HALL STAFF City Administrator Public Works Director Finance Director City Planner Code Enforce.Supervisor Adrnin.Asst./City Clerk HRA Driector 438-3888 www.ci.hastings.mn.us Dave Osberg Tom Montgomery Lori Webster Matt Weiland Bill Mesaros Melanie Mesko JobnGrossman OrnER CITY FACILITIES Police Department 437-4126 Emergency 911 Mike McMenomy, Chief Fire Department 437-5610 Emergency 911 Mark Holmes, Chief Streets Department 437-4415 Cal Ruedy, Superintendent UtilitiesDepartrnent 437-3922 Jim Heusser, Superintendent Parks Department 437-5858 Lee Erickson, Superintendent Civic Arena 437-4940 Jim McGree, Manager Aquatic Center 480-2392 Darbie Jobnson, Manager "^ C o "^ "^ Historical Preservation Commission Meets 3"' Tuesday of each month 7:00 p.m. E E o ~ Natural Resources & Recreation Commission Meets 3" Tuesday of each month 7:00 p.m. Charter Commission Meets at least quarterly, on 3" Thursday of month 7:00 p.m. ~ "^ Q) Q) -+- -+- Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meets 2" Thursday of each month 7:00 p.m. E E o ~ Hastings Planning Commission 7:00 p.m. Meets 2" & 4th Monday of each month 0, Industrial Park Advisory Board c: Meets 3"' Thursday of each month 7:00 p.m. -+- "^ C Police Civil Service Commission ::+: Meets as needed 7:00 p.m. For more information on any of the commissions, please call City Hall at 437-4127 g CITY RECEIVES AWARD FOR o FINANCIAL REPORTING (- \ The City of Hastings has been ~ awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Report- ing for the City's 1999 Comprehensive Annual Fi- nancial Report (CAFR). This is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental ac- counting and reporting, and its attainment repre- sents a significant accomplishment by the City. The CAFR is judged by an impartial panel to de- termine if it has met the high standards of the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. Important in the analy- sis is demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to fully communicate the City's finan- cial story and motivate the public to read the CAFR. A copy of the City's CAFR is available for review at the Dakota County Library. Streets Utilities Engineering Public Works Garage 1221 Progress Drive 437-4415--Streets 437-3922-Utilities Public Works .. 2001 SEALCOAT PROGRAM As a way of extending the usable life of City streets, the City hires a contractor to seal coat 12% to 15% of the City's streets annually. Sealcoating involves spraying an asphalt/water mix on the streets, which is then covered with small rock. The sealcoating helps rejuvenate the existing street pavement and seals the small cracks in the road surface. This sealing of the road surface helps prevent water from further saturating and weakening the road's base. 2001 Seal coating operations should begin sometime in August. The areas scheduled for sealcoating include the streets west of Highway 61 and south of the Vermillion River, Industrial Park streets, and Cory Lane, Douglas Drive, and Malcolm Avenue. WATER SYSTEM CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORTS Included with this newsletter is a copy of the City's consumer confidence report detailing the water quality of the Hastings wa- ter system. The federal government requires the City to issue these reports annually to all users of its water system. The content of the report and language and descriptions used to de- scribe the City's water quality have been furnished by the Minne- sota Health Department, as required by regulation. If you have any questions about the report, please call Jim Heusser, Utility Superintendent, at 651-437-3922. ~ 2001 Construction Projects, continued from Page 1 The City Council also approved the re- construction of 4th Street from Pleasant Drive to General Sieben Drive and Gen- eral Sieben Drive from 4th Street to Highway 55. The En- gineering Department is currently re-evaluating this project for possible delay until next year due to impacts from pro- posed development in the area, and to provide more time to acquire right-of-way for trail improvements to be con- structed along these roadways. An additional project will be undertaken later this summer involving the extension of sanitary sewer and water trunk mains from CR #47 south to serve the Century South de- velopment. RIVERFRONT ROAD AND TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS Construction is underway for the rebuilding ofthe Lock and Dam access road and the riverfront trail system between the Down- town area and the Lock and Dam. Please be aware: all public access to the riverfront in this area is closed. Vehicle, pedes- trian, bicycle or roller blade use in this area is prohibited due to the widespread construction activities and removal of the exist- ing road and trail as part of the construction activities. Resi- dents are asked to respect and observe the road closed signage. Access to the public boat access, Lake Rebecca Park and the riverfront trail will likely remain closed until this September. The Corps of Engineers will soon begin repair work on the dike, in- volving the placement of sand fill and riprap slope protection. The bike trail will remain closed until the dike repair is com- pleted and construction damage to the trail is repaired. / The completed riverfront project will result in a new access road, a new trail connection between the existing riverfront trail and the trail through Lock and Dam #2, a better access to the public boat access that will result in less conflict with traffic on the Lock and Dam access road, and a new trail and overlook con- necting 2"' Street to the existing riverfront trail. Permanent Odd/Even - d... - Sprinkling Ban I~a By City Ordinance, a permanent odd/even sprinkling ban is automati- , cally in effect from May 15 to Sep- tember 1 of each year. The purpose of the ban is to even out water demands and reduce the peak pumping demand from the City wells caused during the summer months by lawn sprin- kling. The permanent odd/even sprinkling ban ordinance reads as follows; "From May 15 to September 1 of each year, an odd/even lawn sprinkling ban shall be in effect for all lawn sprinkling sys- tems supplied by water from the City of Hastings water utility. Properties with even numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns only on days with even numbered dates. Properties with odd numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns only on days with odd numbered dates. A one (1) week exemption from the odd/even sprinkling ban may be granted for newly planted sod, grass, or landscaping upon registering for the exemp- tion with the Hastings Utility Department. Other exemptions may be granted upon evaluation and recommendation of the Hastings Utility Superintendent." Page 3 Summer 2001 ~ Parks & Recreation ~ ~W- Summer 2001 Information -~~ For more information on park improvements and other park information, see " '-" HAS TIN G1,'R::. ~~~ ",~~ Family Aquatic Center 901 Maple Street 651-480-2392 Open Swim Hours ~- Through Monday, September 3, 2001 Monday-Tuesday: 12 noon to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday: 12 noon to 5:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday: 12 noon to 8:30 p.m. Please note: The Drop Slide will close at 7:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays) Family Swim Families have exclusive use! Floatation devices and toys allowed! Every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. June 13 to August 29, 2001 Adult Lap Swim Through Monday, September 3 Tuesdays & Thursdays Saturdays Mondays & Fridays 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Teen Night Teens13-17, come join us for a night of games, con- tests, open swimming, water volleyball, and basketball! A OJ will be there spinning the tunes! Cost: with season pass: without season pass: 9 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday, July 13 Friday, August 3 Friday, August 31 $3.00 $5.00 Time: When: Thursday, July 19 Friday, August 10 Page 4 Summer 2001 Page 81 Daily Admission Rates Daily Children under 42" tall Under 12 months After 5 p.m., all patrons $5.00/person $3.50/person Free $3.50/person Season Pass Rates Please remember that you must live within the city limits to be considered a resident. Townships are considered non-residents. If you have questions about your status, call City Hall at 437- 4127. Resident: Ages 1-5: Ages 6 and up: Ages 55 and over: $36.00 $40.00 $36.00 Non-Resident: Ages 1-5: Ages 6 and up: Ages 55 and over: City Welcomes New Parks & Recreation Assistant $46.00 $50.00 $46.00 The Hastings Family Aquatic Center has begun its 2001 season and is pleased to welcome a new full-time Park and Recreation Assistant. Jeremy Pire was hired during the spring of 2001 and will be working as an assistant for both the Aquatic Center and the Civic Arena. During the summer months, Jeremy will be working at the Aquatic Center, and will move to the Civic Arena to help out there during the winter months. Jeremy is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse with a degree in Recreation Management. He completed a four- month internship with the City of Rochester Parks and Recreation Department at the end April. Jeremy is from Eau Claire, Wiscon- sin and has worked with their Aquatic Facility for the past five summer seasons. Welcome, Jeremy! Skateboard Park Early July will see the beginning of construction of the skateboard park to be located at Veterans ark Athletic Complex. The ramps for the park have been ordered and are scheduled to be in- stalled in late July. Keep your eyes open for no- tice of the park opening, scheduled for August. Let's Keep Our City Clean! What does the Code Enforcement Division of the Inspec- tions & Code Enforcement Department do? This division is responsible for assisting property owners in coming into compliance with the City's ordinances regarding property maintenance. It is the intent of the City to first educate a violator and pro- vide information to assist in correcting the issue. Gener- ally, a letter will be sent to suspect violator(s), which in- cludes a description of the possible violation(s). The letter encourages the recipient to call with any questions regard- ing the issue. The allotted time to make repairs will be de- termined by the amount of work needed to accomplish the task. If attempts to correct the issue go unanswered, the situation will then be taken to the next level of enforcement, which could include a summons to court. The intent of this code is to help maintain the beauty of our historic community. The City continues to work on devel- oping methods to assist our residents in keeping our City clean. Our annual cleanup day is one such example of these efforts. The City appreciates everyone's help in keep- ing our community a great place to live and to visit. Second Cfetln Up /)tl, Rectlp The second annual City Clean-Up Day was another suc- cess! Held on Saturday, April 28, more vehicles visited the Public Works Garage than last year, and it was busy from 8:00 a.m. to after 1 :00. Here is a comparison of the items collected this year compared to last year. 2000 ~ Appliances 146 255 Air Conditioners 23 16 Carpet < 100sq 14 13 >100sq 9 11 Construction Pieces 180 148 Pick-uplTraiJers 34 31 Electronics 77 96 Chairs/Misc. 53 71 Sofas 26 45 ~ Misc. Pickup load 1 4 Mattress 68 146 Scrap Iron Pieces 150 246 Pickup 43 37 Tires Auto 318 147 Truck 10 14 Tractor 3 4 Inspections &. Code EnforcementDepartment '+38-3888 Hastings City Code Chapter 18 addresses the prop- erty maintenance provisions of the City's ordi- nances. Here are some of the most common code violations being addressed on a daily basis by the Code Enforcement Division: Violation: Oversized recreational vehicles, boats, or trailers being parked in driveways Relevant City Ordinance: Section 18.05, Subd. 3. Licensed vehicles, not exceeding 7 feet in height are permitted Violation: Non-registered/non-running vehicles being stored on properties. Relevant City Ordi- nance: Section 18.05, Subd. 2. Outside stor- age of non-operational vehicles is prohibited. Violation: Failure to keep weeds and grass cut within the city code requirements. Relevant City Ordinance: Section 18.05, Subd. 5. Weeds and grass higher than 12 inches is not permitted. Violation: Miscellaneous materials and debris being stored throughout the property limits. Relevant City Ordinance: Section 18.05, Subd. 4. With a few exceptions, all storage must be done within a building for be fully screened. Violation: Failed paint on homes, businesses, sheds, and garages. Relevant City Ordinance: Section 18.05, Subd. 9. This subdivision out- lines the maintenance requirements for buildings within the City. iii If anyone has concerns or questions regarding this ordinance or a property or business which may have violations, please feel free to contact Rolf Peterson, Code Enforcement Inspector, at 437-4127, Mon- day-Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Page 5 Summer 2001 Police Department 150 East Third Street Hastings, MN 55033 Police Chief: Mike McMenamy Non-Emergency: 437-4126 Emergency: 911 ..~ House I Number~3 >:J.. We know V we have a great community, and others are also discovering Hastings as a great place to live. With new residential areas popping up throughout our City, please remember that City ordi- nance requires that street numbers must be displayed and easily read- able. The standard used for address display is Hastings City Code Chapter 18, Section 18.02, which adopts the International Property Mainte- nance Code and its section 303.3, which states: "Each structure to which a street number has been assigned shall have such number displayed in a position easily observed and read- able from the public way (street)." Mailboxes outside the home or homes should have the numbers dis- played and the displayed numbers should be at least three inches high and a contrasting color to the structure. Help us help you in times of emergency by having your property posted with your numbered ad- dress. ~ ~ Juvenile Curfew Reminder Summer is finally upon us, and as the weather warms up, many of us stay up later. However, please remember that there is a juvenile curfew in effect. It is unlawful for any juvenile 17 years and under to be present in any public place within the City of Hastings (and also Dakota County in general) between the hours listed below. It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to help enforce and make these curfew restrictions effective. The ages for curfew in the city of Hastings are: Sunday-Thursday Friday & Saturday Under Age 12 9:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m.--5:00 a.m. Ages 12-14 years 10:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m. 11:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m. Ages 15-17 11:00 p.m.--5:00 a.m. 12:01 a.m.--5:00 a.m. Citizens are encouraged to report any curfew violations by contacting the Hastings Police Department at 651-437-4126. Page 6 Summer 2001 Bike Helmet Rewa rd Prog ra m Ride with your helmet on & you could win! This summer, if an of- ficerwith the Hastings Police De- partment sees riders wearing bike helmets as part of good safety habits, they will stop, (when POS- sible), and reward a rider with an acknowledgement and a possible reward from a local business. Even if you don't see an officer, all bike riders are reminded to always wear a helmet. Use of a helmet is your foremost offense to protect yourself from a serious head injury. Bike Rodeos The Hastings Police Department is working in a cooperative effort with the Hastings Community Education PITS program in host- ing and organizing six bike ro- deos during the upcoming months. The bike rodeos will in- volve having the participants practice safe bike riding habits and techniques, reinforcing bi- cycle skills and the rules and regu- lations for bike safety. The six bike rodeos will be held at various parks throughout the City at various times during the upcoming summer months. If you are interested in finding out if a bike rodeo will be in your area, please contact Hastings Commu- nity Education at 438-0880. - Fire Department 115 Fifth Street West Hastings, MN 55033 Fire Chief: Mark Holmes Non-Emergency: 437-5610 Emergency: 911 BEDROOM FIRE SAFETY HELPS YOU SLEEP SOUND AT NIGHT Each year, tire claims the lives of 5,000 Americans and injures more than 25,000. Bedrooms are a common area of tire origin. Nearly 1,000 lives are lost to tires that start in bedrooms. Many of these tires are caused by misuse or poor maintenance of electrical devices, such as overloading extension cords or using portable space heaters too close to combus- tibles. Many other bedroom tires are caused by children who play with matches and lighters, careless smoking among adults, and arson. There are simple steps you can take to prevent the loss of life and property resulting from bedroom tires. KIDS AND FI~E: A BAD MATCH Children are one of the highest risk groups for deaths in residential tires. At home, children usually play with tire -lighters, matches, and other ignitables - in bed- rooms, in closets, and under beds. These are "se- cret" places where there are a lot of things that catch tire easily. Children of all ages set over 100,000 tires annually. Of tires where children are killed, over 30% are set by children. Every year, 800 children age nine years and younger die in home tires. For safety, keep matches and lighters locked up and away from children. Check under beds and in closets for burnt matches, evidence that your child may be playing with matches. Finally, teach your children that fire is a tool, not a toy. TUCK YOURSELF IN FOR A SAFE SLEEP Before you snuggle in for the night, take a few extra precautions against bedroom tires: ~ ~ Never smoke in bed. Replace mattresses made before the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard. Mat- tresses made since then are required by law to be safer. ApPLIANCES NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION Did you know that bedrooms are the most common rooms in the home where electrical tires start? Electrical tires are an especially high concern during winter months, which call for more indoor activities, and increases in lighting, heating, and appliance use. However, risk of tire can occur year- round. Some safety tips for a safer bedroom: ~ Do not trap electric cords against walls where heat can build up. ~ Do not run electrical cords underneath carpeting. :J\.. Take extra care when using portable heaters. Keep 8 bedding, clothes, curtains, and other combustible items at least three feet away from space heaters. :J\.. Only use lab-approved electric blankets and warm- 8 ers. Check to make sure the cords are not frayed. /?I.~\ ~~. Finally, having working smoke alarms dramati- cally increases your chance of surviving a fire. Place at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and in halls outside bedrooms. Last but not least, remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family. For more tips, contact the Hastings Fire Department for more ideas on how you can keep yourself and your family safe while sleeping. Page 7 Summer 2001 2001 Park Improvements & Information Wallin Park Wallin Park has had a busy summer so far. In addi- tion to new playground equipment being installed, the The Natural Resource and Recreation Com- park is also having an irrigation system for the ath- mission (NRRC) has met with the Roadside letic fields installed this summer. The irrigation sys- Park neighborhood to gain input on a proposed tern was funded through a grant program from the picnic shelter for the park, scheduled to Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. The City, be installed in September. in cooperation with the Hastings Youth Athletic Asso- ~ ciation, submitted the grant proposal and were ~ In August, the tennis courts at Roadside Park are awarded a $40,000 Grant for the improvements of @ scheduled to be resurfaced and new fencing athletic fields at the park. Work on the park's interior ~ for the courts is to be installed. Also this sum- trail system will also be completed in July. mer, protective fencing separating the play- - ground equipment from Highway 55 will be in- stalled. A neighborhood meeting with residents of the Wallin Park neighborhood will be scheduled in August or early September to determine future park development pri- orities of the neighborhood. Joint Maintenance Facility The City of Hastings Parks Department and School District 200 Grounds Maintenance Department are building a joint maintenance facility that will be located at the current Parks Garage site at 920 West 10th Street. Construction is scheduled to begin in late June 2000 with completion in early 2002. Roadside Park Frisbee Golf The Frisbee National GolfTournament will be held at C.P. Adams Park the first week of August. Participants in the tournament will be coming from all over the world to participate in this tour- nament. C.P. Adams Park was selected due in large part to the work done by local resident Charles Cadwell. Charles has been in- strumental in improving the Frisbee golf course at C.P. Adams Park. 2001 Construction Projects, continued from Pages 1 & 3 Utility Construction Information Other utility companies will typically replace or up- grade their utilities in conjunction with the City's con- struction projects. Sprint, Minnegasco, Xcel, and AT&T Broadband will all have their own crews or con- tractors working alongside the City's reconstruction projects this year. = If you have any problems, concerns or questions about the City's construction projects or the utility companies' construction, please feel free to contact the following people: Dave Gurney, Hastings City Engineer Hank Drabczak, Xcel Energy Alia Denlsova, Minnegasco Fred Fischer, Sprint Scott Ruppert, AT&T Broadband 651-437-4127 651-458-1253 651-321-5077 612-448-8369 651-312-5127 City ofHastings 101 Fourth Street East Hastings, MN 55033-1955 Carrier Route Sort BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Hastings, MN Pennit No. 166 POSTAL CUSTOMER PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER CONTAINING NO LESS THAN 10% POST CONSUMER WASTE Volume VI Issue 3 Page 8 Summer 2001