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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSummer 2000 _ Hastings Rivertown News -:' ~~~~~~~~ ~';;;;A"~"'V~ ~~-~- ---- --- ---- City of Hastings 101 East Fourth Street, Hastings, MN 55033-1955 (651) 437-4127 City Completes A 1'\ 1'\ (.,WI Fil'\al'\cial Report The City has completed its rec- onciliation of the 1999 budget and has prepared its annual financial report A copy of this report is available to the public at the Pleasant Hill Dakota County Li- brary. At 139 pages, this is a comprehensive report outlining expenditures and revenues from 1999. Financial highlights of 1999 are as follows: $ IN THIS ISSUE: Pa!!e 5 8 2 2 4 Item Aquatic Center City Clean Up City Council City Hall Civic Arena Consumer Confidence Reports Newsletter Insert 2 2 1 7 4 8 6 3 I 2 Dangerous Dogs Elections Finance Department Fire Department Parks & Recreation Planning Police Department 2000 Road Projects Sprinkling Ban TRAC WATER SYSTEM CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REpORTS DISTRIBUTED Included with this newsletter is a copy of the City's consumer con- fidence report detailing the water quality of the Hastings water sys- tem. The federal govermnent requires the City to issue these reports an- nually to all users of its water sys- tem. The content of the report and language and descriptions used to describe the water quality have been furnished by the Minnesota Health Department, as required by regulation. If you have any questions about the report, please call Jim Heusser, Utility Superintendent at 437-3922. Revenues were $438,196 over budget and expen- ditures were $214,552 under budget in the Gen- eral Fund; $ Net bonded debt decreased by 4.2% from $33,360,000 in 1998 to $31,960,000 in 1999; $ The Hydro Plant Fund had a net operating income of $551,789 in 1999 compared to $250,019 in 1998; $ The Water Fund had a net operating loss of$68,889 in 1999 compared to $354,211 in 1998; $ The Wastewater Fund had a net operating income of$60,787 compared to a net loss of$185,445 in 1998. Volume V Issue 3 ,. REMINDER: PERMANENT ODD/EvEN SPRINKLING BAN IN EFFECT Please remember, by City Ordinance, a permanent odd! even sprinkling ban is automatically in effect from May 15 to September 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 sununer months by lawn sprinkling. Help conserve water and observe the sprinkling ban. Page 1 Summer 2000 MAYOR Mike Werner 437-4143 .... C COUNCILMEMBERS => Ward I Janette Yandrasits o I.-) Ward 2 Mike Simacek >-- Ward 3 Ed Riveness --+- Ward 4 Janice Johnson I.-) At-Large Lynn Moratzka Paul Hicks 438-3194 437-3387 437-4416 437-2831 437-7869 437-8866 City Hall Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday 437-4127 c ::+: >-- --+- I.-) City Hall Phone CITY HALL STAFF City Administrator Public Works Director Finance Director City Planner Code Enforce.Supervisor Admin.Asst./City Clerk Dave Osberg Tom Montgomery Lori Webster Matt Weiland Bill Mesaros Melanie Mesko ~ Join the TRAC team! Are you looking for a fun part-time job? Then the City of Hastings is looking for you! There are currently openings for both part-time and backup drivers for the City's TRAC bus system. TRAC operates within the city limits between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you are interested in learning more about this great opportunity, call or stop by City Hall during normal business hours for a complete position description and application packet. t-lastiV\gs t-listol"}' Dakota (Sioux) Indians called this area "O-WO-BOP-TE," which translates to "the place where they dig tipsinna, a native turnip." In 1819, a log cabin was built by Lt. W.G Oliver and a five-man detatchment to spend the winter guarding provisions. For the next 34 years the area was know as Olive or Oliver's Grove. Finally, in 1853 the City was named Hastings, after Henry HASTINGS Sibley's name was drawn out of a hat. Hastings was incorporated as a city on March 7, 1857, before Minnesota was even designated as a state. Hastings altitude at Mississippi River Lock & Dam No.2 is 679 feet above the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi drains 30 states and two provinces, with about 2,348 miles in Minnesota. Henry G. Bailly became the City's first permanent resident when he built a trading post on Indian land. This post was located at the corner of East Second and Vermillion Streets, where the Missis- sippi Belle stands. Page 2 Summer 2000 JULY PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE CHANGED Due to the 4'" of July holiday, the City's monthly public meeting schedule has been changed. Meetings in Juiy will be held at 7:00 p.m. on the following dates at City Hall: Monday, July 10 Monday, July 17 Monday, July 24 Monday, July 31 City Council Planning Commission City Council Planning Commission Also, City offices will be closed on Tuesday, July 4 in recognition of the Independence Day holiday. Regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will be in ef- fect on Monday, July 3 and will resume on Wednesday. July 5. ELECTION DA:II JUDGES NEEDED With local, state, and national elections coming up this fall, the City is looking for election judges to work the primary election, general election, or both. Previous election experience is helpful, but not required, as train- ing will be provided. Remember, you only need to be 18 to assist, and this is a great experience for students. If you are interested in helping the democratic pro- cess, call Melanie Mesko, Administrative Assistant! City Clerk at City Hall. GOING TO THE DOGS... Dangerous Dog Ordinance Approved The City Council recently passed a new Dangerous Dog Ordinance. This ordinance outlines the requirements of owners of dogs who have been deemed dangerous. If you would like more information about the code, please contact the Administrative Assistant/City Clerk at City Hall. Please Be Considerate! With the beautiful summer weather, many of us are tak- ing our dogs out for walks in the City. Please be con- siderate of others and keep your dog on a leash and clean up after your dog. The City's trails, sidewalks, and streets are for all of our use! c=;-.,. Public Works Garage 1221 Progress Drive 437-4415 .. Public Works .. Streets Utilities Engineering 2000 SEAL COATING PROGRAM TO BEGIN As a way of extending the usable life of City streets, the City annually hires a contractor to sealcoat 12% to 15% of the City's streets. Sealeoating involves spraying an asphalt! water mix on the streets which is then cov- ered with small rock. The sealeoating helps rejuvenate the existing street pavement and seals the small cracks which helps prevent water from saturating and weakening the road base. The City's contractor should begin sealeoat operations towards the end of July and early August throughout the City. The area sched- uled for sealcoating is east of Highway 61 and generally north oflS" Street. This work will include sealeoating 10" St. from High- way 61 to Highway 291. Other streets out- side of this area to be sealeoated include: . River and Grove Streets north of2nd Street; . 4th Street between River and Prairie Streets; . Commerce Drive and Commerce Court; . and 33'" Street between Highways 61 and 316. A MAP OF THE SEALCOAT AREAS IS AVAILABLE AT CITY HALL. 'Talk to your children and remind them that any construction area Is not a playground. Please report any . safety concerns you may have with construction zone areas to City Hall or the Police Department CITY STREET AND UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS UPDATE Street and utility improvements construction is well underway on 11 th, 10th, 9th, and Forest Streets in the Roadside Park areas. The rock excavation has completed work on Featherstone Road and 6th & 7th Streets east of Bailey Street, and sanitary sewer, watermain, and storm sewer construction proceeds shortly after that. This summer's construction will also include an extension of General Sieben Drive from 4" Street to Featherstone Road and a realign- ment of 4th Street west of General Sieben Drive. As is typical with street and utility construction, the City's con- tractor, Richard Knutson, Inc., has subcontracted the bituminous milling, concrete curb and gutter, sidewalk and driveway work, bituminous paving, and sodding and landscape work to other con- tractors. The subcontractors generally do not move their equip- ment into town until there is enough work to keep them busy for several days. As a result, the construction projects may sit idle for several days while work is being done elsewhere to prepare for a subcontractor. Please keep in mind that when the contractor is constructing the road that the final elevation of the finished surface is about a foot higher than is it during construction. So what seems to be a big drop in your driveway or yard will be much more gradual when the project is completed. Utility companies will then typically replace or upgrade their util- ity lines in conjunction with the City's construction projects. Sprint, Minnegasco, NSP, and Media One all have their own crews or contractors working alongside the City's reconstruction projects. 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 651-437-4127 Hank Drabczak NSP Electric 651-458-1253 Alla Denisova Minnegasco 612-321-5077 Fred Fischer Sprint 612-448-8369 Scott Ruppert Media One 651-312-5127 Page 3 Summer 2000 l} @ Parks & Recreation ~ Summer 2000 \JJ Improvements & Updates ~ ROADSIDE PARK New playground equipment will be installed in the park this summer. The equipment will be handicapped accessible, and some new con- necting trails will also be completed. ~- WALLIN PARK ~ This twelve-acre park located south of Fifteenth Street in the new Wallin development will begin to be developed. In the process, several neigh- borhood planning meetings were held to help determine the neighborhood's perspective for the park's development. As a result of those meetings, plans have come together and the work will start this fall. Grad- ing and seeding will be done this fall and some landscaping work will also be completed. The Hastings Lions Club will be sponsoring a neighborhood picnic, to be held in September. RIVERFRONT IMPROVEMENTS This past April, Koch Petroleum Inc. donated forty acres of riverfront property to the City. As part of the improvements to this property, the City in cooperation with the Army Corps of En- gineers is planning on relocating and upgrading the current lock and dam road. Plans also include extending the current trail that ends at the public access to Lock and Dam #2; construction for this work will begin this fall. Page 4 Summer 2000 GREENWAYS The City has received two grants from the Depart- ment of Natural Resources to preserve and protect the property along the Vermillion River not only within the city limits but beyond. As part of that project, the City has been working cooperatively with the property owners along the south side of the Vermil- lion Riverfrom Pine Street to Pleasant Street in pre- serving a greenway along the river. GARDEN CLUB The Garden Club has been busy, working with members of the Boy Scouts in refurbishing the plantings at the Highway 61 Bridge approach. The Garden Club is also responsible for the beautiful flowers at City Hall and the flower garden at Vermillion Falls. Many thanks for helping to keep Hastings beauti- ful! Hastings Civic Arena: Jfl!l'. The roof replacement for the east arena has begun, with an estimated completion date of September, 2000. A new outdoor hockey rink is also being installed behind the Civic Arena. The new rink will have a bituminous surface and will be similar to the rink that was installed at Lions Park last year. . aO American Lung Association's 16th Annual Great River Bike Ride will be August 18. Call or stop by the arena for more information. For additional Civic Arena information, please call 651-437-8279 Hastings family Aquatic Center ----------- I ----------~ r _ - - - - - - - - - w 901 Map e Street r - - - - - - - - - - ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ Hastings, Minnesota 55033 ~.p-~ Aquatic Center Hotline: 480-2392 Take the plunge! The Hastings Aquatic Center has opened for the season, and there's plenty of summer and hot weather left! Don't forget to buy a season pass, and cool off during warm weather. OPEN SWIM Summer Hours through September 4, 2000 Monday - Friday 12 Noon - 8:30 PM (except Wednesday) Wednesday Saturday/Sunday 12 Noon - 5:30 PM 12 Noon- 8:30 PM POOL CLOSINGS The Aquatic Center will close during severe weather con- ditions or when the temperature is below 68 degrees, based on the KARE 11 Weatherline. Residents can call the Weatherline at 612-512-1111 for a temperature reading. 2000 SEASON PASS RATES: $32.00 per person for a Hastings resident $45.00 per person for a non-Hastings resident. If you'd rather, daily admission rates are only $5.00 per person, or Under 42" tall Under 12 months old After 5:00 p.m. $3.50 per person !Tee $3.50 per person Season passes can be purchased at the Hastings Aquatic Center. ADULT LAP SWIM HOURS ~ Do you want to use the Aquatic Center for swimming laps? On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the facility is avail- able !Tom 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. for just that use. Adult lap swim is available through August 31. . ~ FAMILY SWIM NIGHTS Mom & Dad, suit up the kids and head down to the Aquatic Center for Family Swim Nights, every Wednesday !Tom 6:00 - 8:30 p.m., where families will have exclusive use of the Aquatic Center. BIRTHDAY PARTY RENTAL Do you have a summer birthday coming up and can't think of what to do? The Aquatic Center offers a birthday party op- tion! The birthday boy or girl will get ( invitations to send to ten guests for all- day admission to the facility, plus a birth- , day cake, beverages and a reserved area for one hour to open gifts and eat. Only $110.00 for all that! And you can reserve the Aquatic Center for a birthday party 7 days a week !Tom 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. CALL us TODAY TO SCHEDULE SOMEONE's SPECIAL DAY AT THE AQUATIC CENTER! Please note. each additional guest over ten is $11.00, and reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance TEEN NIGHT~:'j] ~ Teens, get down to the Aquatic Center for Teen Night, when kids aged 13-17 will have exclusive use of the facility! Dates: Time: Cost: Activities: Friday, July 14 and Friday, August 25 9 p.m. -II p.m. $2.00 for season pass holders, $4.00 for non-pass holders DJ, music, raffles, contests, etc... In the Aquatic CenterS first year, 1999, over 45,000 people visited the facility. Over 2,700 season passes were sold in 1999, with more than half of those sold after opening day! Page 5 Summer 2000 Police Department 150 East Third Street Hastings, MN 55033 Police Chief: Mike McMenamy Non-Emergency: 437-4126 Emergency: 911 ~ CURFEW '" REMINDER: With the warm weather upon us, during the late evening hours we need to keep in mind that the rules of curfew are still in effect. As a reminder, the ages for curfew are as fol- lows: Under 12 years: Sun.- Thurs. Fri. & Sat. 9:00 p.m.-B:OO a.m. 10:00 p.m.-B:OO a.m. Ages 12-14: Sun.- Thurs. Fri. & Sat. 10:00 p.m.-B:OO a.m. 11:00 p.m.-B:OO a.m. Ages 15-17: Sun.-Thurs. Fri.-Sat. 11:00 p.m.-B:OO a.m. Midnight-B:OO a.m. Remember, it is unlawful for any juvenile 17 years of age and under to be present in any public place within Dakota County between the hours listed above. To aid in making the cur- few hours more effective we need the assis- tance of concemed parents and citizens to re- port curfew violations by contacting the Hastings Police Department at 437-4126. ~ NATIONAL NIGHT-OUT AGAINST CRIME PLANNED Residents, mark your calendars! For Tuesday, August 1 st, 2000 to again participate in the National Night Out Against Crime. The National Night Out Against Crime is a program where neigh- borhoods host block parties to make a statement against crime and the willingness of neighbors to work together to make their neighborhood a safe place for their families. The fight against crime is a cooperative effort involving all residents and citizens working with their city police department. If your neighborhood currently has a Neighborhood Watch Pro- gram, make sure you become involved! If you don't have a current Neighborhood Watch Program, now's the perfect time to become involved and initiate a program for your neighbor- hood! Are you interested in learning more about the neighborhood watch program? Please contact Officer Wayne Hicks or Of- ficer Craig Puch of the Hastings Police Department at 437- 4126 and they will gladly assist you in starting a program in your neighborhood. SUMMER IS A TIME FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION. Keep in mind that your safety as well as the safety of road workers depends upon our actions to obey construction warning signs. Take it slow and remember to adhere to the posted speed limit signs. Failure to do so within a con- struction zone will automatically double your fine. STATISTICAL INFORMATION - The number of calls the Hastings Police Department has responded to from January 1,2000 through May 31~, 2000: Calls for Service: 4,295 Part 1 & 2 incidents I 595 calls (arson, assault, auto theft, burglary, larceny, driving under the influence, liquor laws, sex offenses, & various other serious offenses) Lost & found, accidents, public assistance, minor traffic of- I 3,700 calls fenses 2,225 charges issued against a total of 1,637 individuals. The charges in- clude traffic tickets, Violation Summons, formal complaints for felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor offenses. Page 6 Summer 2000 POLICE ADV.ISOR RECEIVES t STATE AWARD ~ Heidi Husman, an adult volunteer advisor for the Hastings Youth Ex- plorer program was recognized by the Boy Scouts of America as the Advi- sor of the Year for the state of Minne- sota. The state award recognizes the individual effort and work ethic put forth by the volunteer for promoting the police youth exploring program for the Boy Scouts of America. Congratulations to Heidi for her re- cent award! ~ TIPS TO STAY SAFE ~ W" WHILE WALKING ~ Did you know: That between 1986 and 1995, approximately 6,000 pedestrians died every year in the U.s. after being hit by cars? That for every pedestrian who is killed by an automobile, almost 20 more are injured? That more than 110,000 pedestrians are injured by automobiles each year? Those are significant numbers, and pedestrian deaths account for 14% of all motor vehicle-related deaths. Yet only 1 percent offed- eral highway safety funds is spent on pedestrian safety. As more of us go for walks in our neighborhoods for health and enjoyment, it's important to be aware of some of the dangers that are present to pedestrians. In fact, more than half (55%) of all pedes- trian deaths by automobiles occur on neighborhood streets. The problem is not that pedestrians are walking in the wrong places, but that our local streets are becoming speedways. Many residential streets have been designed to accommodate cars passing through, not the people who live, walk, and play in their neighborhoods. While Hastings has many sidewalks, you may occasionally walk on roadways without sidewalks; it is important to remember these safety tips every time you are out on the street as a pedestrian. ~ Fire Department 115 Fifth Street West Hastings, MN 55033 Fire Chief: Mark Holmes Non-Emergency: 437-5610 Emergency: 911 Holmes Appointed Fire Chief Mark Holmes was ap- pointed Fire Chief by the Hastings City Council at its May 15 meeting. With the recent retirement of Fire Chief Don Latch, the City began advertising for the po- sition opening. Over 25 resumes were received, and the City con- ducted several interviews to de- termine the finalists. Mark has been with the City for over 20 years, and previously held the Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshall for the City. Congratu- lations, Mark! Do not jaywalk. Always try to cross a street at a crosswalk or signaled intersection. Most people are hit by cars when they cross roads at places other than intersections. ~ ~ Do not assume that a green light, a walk signal, or a crosswalk means the street is safe to cross. Drinking and walking do not mix. It may sound silly, but drinking and walking may be as dangerous as drinking and driving. Do not allow people who have been drinking to walk home. Call a cab or have a sober driver take them home. ~ Explain to children the correct way to cross a street. This includes stopping at the curb, looking for cars, looking both ways for traffic, and continuing to look for traffic as you cross the street. Be a good example for kids when it comes to crossing the street correctly and safely. ~ When sidewalks are not available, walk facing traffic as far off the roadway as possible. If avail- able, use sidewalks; they have been installed to be used! ~ Be aware of your limited visibility in rainy or inclement weather conditions. It will take a vehicle extra time to stop when it's rainy or the visibility isn't clear. Page 7 Summer 2000 City's First Spring Clean Up Day a Success Over 319 carloads were processed during the City's first Spring Clean Up, held on Saturday, April 29 at the Public Works Garage. Everything from appliances to tires were dropped off to be recycled and disposed. Appliances: 146 Carpa: Air Conditioners: 23 *' Less than 100 yards: 14 More than 100 yards: 9 Construction Items: Electronics: 180 pieces 77 Items 34 trucks Furniture: Sofas: 26 Chairs/Misc.: 28 Pick-Up Truck: 1 Mattresses: 68 Scrap Maal: 150 pieces 43 pickup trucks Tires: Auto: 318 Tractor. 3 Truck: 10 The City's Zoning Ordinance is the legal implementation tool the City uses to enforce the Comprehensive Plan. The City has adopted a zoning map, which identifies a zoning district for every piece of property in the City. These zon- ing districts must be consistent with the comprehensive land use map. The Zoning Ordinance dictates what land uses are allowed in each district and includes regulations on how these land uses should be developed. These regulations include setbacks, design guidelines, landscaping requirements and many other land use related items. Do you have questions about the City's Comprehen- sive Plan or Zoning Ordinance? Feel free to call the Planning Department for more information! City Planning Department The City's Planning Department is charged with the long- range planning of Hastings as well as the enforcement of existing ordinances and City policies as they relate to cur- rent planning activities. Current planning activities in- clude new commerciaVindustriaVpublic development, re- development projects, and residential projects. The Planning Department staff works with the developers of these projects to get the best possible projects for our City. Development recommendations and decisions are based on the City's adopted ordinances and policies; the City has adopted many policies and ordinances that not only control how land is developed, but also dictate where in the City land is developed and for what land use. The main tools the Planning Department uses in analyzing a potential development for compliance and appropriate- ness are the City's Comprehensive Plan and the City's Zoning Ordinance. A Comprehensive Plan is the City's vision of the future and a guide to get it there; the City Council recently approved Hastings' 2020 Comprehensive Plan, which outlines anticipated future development within the City. Essentially, the Comprehensive Plan is a collection of many plans involving all aspects of City life from physical land use patterns ( future 'growth) to social economics (housing). The main focus of a Comprehensive Plan is a land use plan. The land use plan identifies a land use for every piece of prop- erty in the City. This was prepared by identifying the land use needs of Hastings and then finding the best locations to plan for these needs. Land use needs include commercial, industrial and housing needs, from single family homes to apartments. The Comprehensive Plan is a community-wide plan which looks to the whole community to fulfill the land use needs of the City. City ofHastings 101 Fourth Street East Hastings, MN 55033-1955 , Carrier Route Sort BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Hastings, MN Permit No. 166 POSTAL CUSTOMER PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER CONTAINING NO LESS THAN 10% POST CONSUMER WASTE \.. Volume V Issue 3 Page 8 Summer 2000