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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 1997 Hastings Rivertown News City of Hastings 0101 East Fourth Street Hastings, MN 055033-1955 0 (612)437-4127 Mayor's Letter During the past year the City of Hastings was again the beneficiary of the Summer youth Employment and Training program directed by the Tree Trust. This program has resulted in various improvements to the City of Hastings over the years, most recently and perhaps most noticeable are the improvements at Lions Park. In 1996, the Tree Trust was involved in the con- struction of the playground equipment and site improvements at Lions Park. This past summer the Tree Trust constructed a portable restroom screen, and post and rail fence at Lions Park. The Tree Trust also completed in 1997 the cutting and removing of 500 feet of brush along the entrance to the park, and completed the landscaping near the park sign. Lions Park was not the only park that was the beneficiary of the fine efforts of the Tree Trust during 1997, as Roadside Park, Vermillion Falls Park and CP Adams Park also saw improve- ments completed, with portable restroom screens constructed at all three of the parks. In addition, the Tree Trust constructed three timber stair cases with 90 steps at CP Adams Park and also cleaned and weeded the landscaped areas. The efforts of the Tree Trust through- out 1997 are sin- ===\ cerely appreciated by the entire community '."-- and on behalf of the City of Hastings, our thanks are extended to the Tree Trust. Mayor Werner and the City Council City of Hastings 1998 Bud~ The total proposed 1998 Budget recommended by the City Council is $13,224,103. This is an in- crease of 2% over last years budget. The total 1998 proposed tax levy that has been certified to the County is $4,754,706, an increase from the 1997 certified levy of $4,245,722. This includes $3, I 04,706 for general revenue levy and $1,650,000 for the debt service levy. The increase is largely due to 1997 state property tax reform legislation. The effect that this proposed levy could have on a city homestead property with a value of $100,000 is ESTIMATED to be an increase of $29.22 for the City portion of the property tax bill. The impact on the average home of the property tax levy for the budget has been estimated only, because the tax base values have not yet been finalized by Dakota and Washington Counties. By November 24, both Dakota and Washington Counties will mail notices to each taxpayer that includes a comparison of 1997 taxes and proposed 1998 taxes. Public hearings on the proposed 1998 taxes will be held between November 29 and December 22. The City's public hearing date has been set for Tuesday, December 2, 1997 at 7 :00 pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The Council's Finance Committee and a Citizen Budget Committee will be conducting meetings to further discuss the 1998 budget in the months of October and November, before the final City budget and levy are approved by the City Council in December 1997. Volume 2 Issue 4 October . 1997 Volume II Page 1 Free Water Conservation Kits Cable Franchise Discussion Free water conservation kits are now The City of Hastings will soon be engaging in a available at City Hall for Hastings very important process, as the current cable residents. The kits include a high efficiency faucet aerator, a pulsing television franchise with King Video is scheduled motion flow showerhead, leak to expire on December 31, 2000. The City Council detection tablets, a toilet tank will soon begin the process of negotiating with displacement bag, and a toilet representatives of the cable company any changes, tank fill cycle diverter. A additions or modifications in the proposed brochure titled "Easy ways to <! ~ . . save water, money, and ~ ~., franchise. The City Council will be establishing a energy at home" will be handed ~.cr.a E ~~ format for soliciting input from the public regarding out with the conservation kits. ... V any comments or suggestions that should be There is no charge for these conservation kits; included during discussions with the cable com- just stop down at City Hall and pick them up. pany. In the meantime, should any member of the public have comments or suggestions regarding the future of cable television, please do not hesitate to contact the Mayor, City Councilor Cable Administrator Dave Baudoin. The free conservation kits are in response to a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources mandate requiring the City to develop a water conservation plan. The MnDNR regulates municipal well water allocation permits. Other water conservation measures taken by the City include an active water main leak detection program, and replacement of early 1900' s City Hall Contacts & watermains in conjunction with street improvement programs. Telephone Numbers Hastings Industrial Park Ward Hastines Citv Council Spiral Boulevard - Mayor Mike Werner 437-4143 1 Councilmember Janette Yandrasits 438-3194 OffHwy 316 2 Councilmember Mike Simacek 437-3387 3 Councilmember Ed Riveness 437-4416 4 Councilmember Janice Johnson 437-2831 Lots available zoned for manufacturing, At Large Councilmember Paul Hicks 437-8866 processing, wholesaling, warehousing At Large Councilmember Lynn Moratzka 437-7869 and garaging Staff Contact Michael Wozniak or John Grossman City Administrator David Osberg City Clerk/Administrative Assistant Joyce Pruitt at Hastings City Hall Community Development Director Michael Wozniak Finance Director Lori Webster 437-4127 Fire Chief Don Latch Parks & Recreation Director Marty McNamara Police Chief Nick Wasylik What's inside this issue. . . Public Works Director Tom Montgomery HRA Director John Grossman Mayor's Letter 1 OFFICE HOURS: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 1998 Budget .................... ....................... ..................................1 Monday - Friday City Hall Contacts and Numbers........................................2 PHONE NUMBERS Parks & Recreation...............................................................3 Emergency 9-1-1 Ci vie Arena Information.... ..... ..... ..... ....... ........ .......... ....... ." ....3 Community Development....................................................4 City Hall Offices 437-4127 City Hall Fax Number 437-7082 Preservation Notes... ... .......... .... .... .... .... .... ...... .... ............. ..... ...4 Police Department 437-4126 Fire Department....................................................................5 Fire Department & Ambulance Service 437-5610 Public W orks.........................................................................6 Streets Department 437-44t5 Snowmobile Corridor Map...................... ........................... .....7 Utilities Department 437-3922 Police Department................................................................8 Civic Arena 437-4940 Parks Department 437-5858 Volume II Page 2 -...",..- -- Parks and Recreation Hazardous Waste Drop Off Day Outdoor Skating Rinks The outdoor skating rinks are scheduled to open around December 20, 1997. The City will have attendants at Wilson Park, Lake Isabel, Kennedy School, Lions Park, Pioneer Park and Dakota Hills Park rinks. The Parks Department will also flood rinks at the Rosemary Ponding Basin and at Westwood Park. The hours the attendants will be on duty are Monday through Friday 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Sunday 12:00 noon to 8:30 p.m. During Christmas vacation the hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. If anyone is interested in applying for a rink attendants position please apply at City Hall, 101 East 4th Street. 1997 Park Improvements Lake Isabel Park - New playground equipment was installed and improvements have been made to the basketball court, new fencing was installed, the warming house was stuccoed and some final improvements will be made in 1998. The Joseph and Gertie Murtaugh family donated a concrete picnic table for the park. Lions Park - The Hastings lions Oub has donated money to develop the lighted trail for the park. New playground equipment was installed, and the lions are providing funds to develop a baseball field and a soccer field in the Northwest Ponding Basin area of the park. The Lions Club is also planning on improvements for the hockey rink in 1998. The Allen Cowden family donated a concrete picnic table for the park. Wilson Park - Decorative lighting will be installed with funds being provided by the HRA. The warming house has been restuccoed. Dakota Hills Park - New playground equipment has been installed. hnprovements have been made to the basketball court. Trail Development - As part of the County Road 42 project there will be a trail that will link Pleasant Drive and County Road 42 to the Lock & Darn area. The blacktopping of the sand dam connecting to Lock & Darn No. 2 work will be completed in 1997. The blacktopping of the trail ITom County Road 42 to the Sand Darn will be completed in the Spring of 1998. Volume II The City ofHastings in cooperation with Dakota County Environmental Services will be hosting ahouseholdhazard- ous waste drop off day on Saturday, November I, 1997 at the Public Works garage located on Progress Drive and East 10th Streets. The hours will be ITom 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Citizens will be able to recycle paints, solvents, batteries, motor oil and other hazardous materials. Tires will also be available to be recycled, but there will be a minimum charge for tires. Waste Management of Hastings will also be providing services for the event. If you are interested in assisting with the program, or have any questions regarding the household hazardous waste drop off day, please call 4374127 ~ 1998 Christmas~' ..~ Tree Pickup ~...~..o~ Waste Management of Hastings will be picking up all Christmas Trees at curbside beginning on Saturday, January 10, 1998 at 6:30 a.m. It is important that residents place the trees at curbside the prior evening. Be sure trees are cleared of all tinsel and debris. Civic Arena "I~ '\ ... ",\ -I:;\~ ;; ".,';"'-"?", .;~" ~~_~_J lJ_~ ~- ~ ~~"'-=--""!! The 1997-98 season at the Hastings Civic Arena will be October 15,1997 thru March 8, 1998. For hrformation on the Hastings Civic Arena 1997-98 schedule contact 437-8279 or 437 -4940. The Hastings Civic Arena has started its addition and upgrades. Construction got under way on 6/30/97. The projected completion date is 2/28/98. With the con- struction of the addition please note that things will be some what different for this season, please keep this in mind when you will be using the facility this season. Veterans Home Trail - The City continues to work on developing a trail connection ITom the Vennil\ion Falls area to the downtown area. Hopefully this work will be completed in 1998. This will provide a complete trail loop of the City of Hastings and will be approximately 13 miles in length. The City has had cooperation in developing the trail ITom the Minnesota Veterans Home, Smead Manufacturing, Intek Company and Cornerstone Bible Church. Page 3 ,...... Community Development ........t;l(' .... ..i ..... . .. .. Preservation Notes: Conservation Areas - What. Why & How At the public hearing on the proposed historic district on important and how changes can be made compatible. Some August 4th, citizens asked the Heritage citiesprovideadditionalpublic Preservation Commission to take improvements, plarming advice, and another look at the district boundary and financial assistance in the to consider ways to both protect and conservation area. Experience enhance a larger area of early Hastings. indicates that designation encourages Several citizens spoke of the need to protect Guardian private owners to improve their properties. Angels Chapel. The Council then directed the Preserva- tion Commission to consider a "conservation district or overlay" to cover a larger area. This would not take the place of an historic district, but would be in addition to it. What is a conservation district overlay or area? The Preservation Commission has found that conservation areas have been adopted in a number of cities nation- wide, including our neighbor, Red Wing. Theirpublic purposes always include historic preservation, but also include some of the following: protect the existing character of the neighbothood during redevelopment and change; assist owner-occupied and rental housing improvements; build confidence and stability by keeping up public and private appearances; enhance the safety of all modes of transportation; encourage neighbothood organiwtionandresponsibility. Conservation areas are usually designated to focus attention and resources on the older neighborltoods which retain their characteristics such as the original grid pattern of streets and alleys, the residential pattern of porches in the ftont and garages in the back; the road pattern of straight, narrow streets with sidewalks, boulevards and trees; the building pattern of generally similar house sizes, shapes and materials. Attention is also paid to retaining the original design of key historic structures within the area. Conservation is accomplished by both design review and assistance. Major changes in building appearances, demolition,relocation, new construction, public works, subdivision and vacation are all reviewed fortheirimpact on the existing neighborltood character. The review of changes would not be as detailed as it would be for a historic district because the goal is conservation of neighborltood character rather than architectural details. Still, the proposed work would have to be approved or referred to City Council. Conservation area ordinances include guidelines spelling out what characteristics are Volume II As the Preservation Commission wOlks on a conservation area proposal, the public will be kept informed and asked to participate. The Preservation Commission, Plarming Commission and City Council willhold public meetings before taking action. Comprehensive Plan Update- Progress Re~ Wark has begun in earnest by City staff and officials on revisions to the City of Hastings Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is a general policy document intended to guide City decisions regarding growth and development, investrnentin public infrastructure and investment in public facilities. Under requirements of state law (Metropolitan Land Plarming Act) the City is required to address the implications of growth and change anticipated to occur in Hastings through the Year 2020. Revision of the Comprehensive Plan is required under state law to be completed by December 31,1998. Hastings is projected to increase from a current population of@17,OOOtoapopulationof28,500in2020. This would include the addition of 4300 households to Hastings current 6200 households. Hastings residents interested in influencing your City' s future are encouraged to share your thoughts and opinions with members of the Hastings Planning Commission and City Council. In addition, a number of public meetings will be held beginning 1aterthis year orearly next year to solicit input from Hastings residents and concerned parties regarding this effort to plan for Hastings' future. Public Meetings related to the Comprehensive Plan will be publicized in future City Newsletters, the Hastings Star Gazette, and through local access cable television. Please direct any specific questions you may have regarding the process of revising the City of Hastings' Comprehensive Plan to Michael Wozniak, the City's Community Development Director at480-2380. Page 4 Fire Department Holiday Fire Tips for Homes and Families The winter holidays are a time for celebration and that means more cooking, lots of parties and a risk of fire! Serious dangers exist for you and your family. Follow these fire safety tips to help keep your family and guests safe during the holidays: Holiday lighting - Be careful ~ when burning candles. Be sure l!JI they are kept well away from decorations or other combustible materials. Always keep candles, as well as matches and lighters, up high, out of reach of children g~ 50 and never leave children unattended in a room with a lit candle. Keep candles away from Christmas trees, wreaths and out of windows. When decorating with lights, be sure to purchase only those labeled by an approved testing laboratory. For outside decorations, use only those labeled for outdoor use and plug them directly into outdoor receptacles. Indoor lights should always be un- plugged before leaving home or going to bed. Holiday Parties - Decorate using flame-retardant or non-combustible materials. A void using candles as much as possible during parties. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of fire fatalities in Minnesota, and smoking coupled with alcohol is a deadly mix. After a party, make a quick check inside and under upholstered furniture and check waste baskets for cigarette butts that may still be smoldering if someone disposed of them improperly. Holiday Decorations - When choosing a Christ- mas tree, pull on the needles to test the tree's freshness. Put the tree in a stand that will not tip over. Place the tree well away from heat sources and exits and water it constantly. Choose holiday gifts wisely, passing up those that are highly flam- mable. Dispose of holiday wrappings as soon as you are finished with your gift exchanging, and place Volume II them into a closed metal container outdoors. Holiday Kitchen Safety - Make sure you roll up your sleeves and tuck in loose clothing before cooking. Turn pot handles in and never leave cooking unattended on the stove. If a pan catches on fire, put a lid on it and turn off the stove. Home Protection - Make sure you have installed smoke detectors on every level of your home and they are tested monthly. If a fire occurs, these lifesaving devices will alert you to take action immediately. Fire Safety Holiday Gift Ideas Smoke Detector: $10-$20. According to Minne- sota law, smoke detectors are required in all new homes, rental property, hotels/motels/resorts, and dormitories. A smoke detector should be installed on every level of your home and outside of each sleeping area. Give a gift of life! Batteries: $1.50-$2.00. Batteries in smoke detectors need to be changed annually. Batteries make wonderful stocking stuffers. Fire Extinguisher: $20-$40. Purchase a good fire extinguisher that can be recharged easily. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal recommends a 2AI0BC. Fire Escape Ladder: $35-$40. This handy device will enable persons sleeping in a bedroom in a 2nd or 3rd story to escape in case fire and smoke make escaping from inside the house impossible. If you have questions about fire protection devices, contact the Hastings Fire Department at 437-5610. Page 5 "'5 E PI ublic Works now mergency Within each snow removal zone there are priority streets which are always plowed first. Some of these streets are; Carmon St., General Sieben Dr., Pine St., Pleasant Dr., Ramsey St., River St., Tyler St., Westview Dr., East 2nd St., 15th St., 31st St. and 33rd St. A nomtal snowfall takes eight to ten hours to clear, with City crews typically starting snow removal operations at 5:00 AM. Another reminder. City ordinances require property owners to clear snow and ice off of sidewalks abutting their property within 48 hours after each storm. In addition, ordinances also prohibit blowing or shoveling snow back out into the street. (The same ordinance prohibits raking leaves out into the street.) Snow plow operations occasionally daniage mailboxes. The City has a policy to repair or replace mailboxes struck by plows. However, mailboxes dantaged by snow thrown by the plows are the homeowner's responsibility to repair. Snowmobile Use Within the City of HastinIDi Snowmobile Regulations Possible Snowmobile Corridor Changes . Prohibit Snowmobile Use On Pleasant Drive - There is an on going problem with snowmobiles driving on the Pleasant Drive boulevard and sidewalk areas in violation of the snowmobile regulations. In an effort to eliminate this problem, the City Council is considering a proposal to remove Pleasant Drive as a snowmobile corridor and replace it with Genernl Sieben Drive. . Additional Corridor in South Hastings- The City Council is considering alternatives for a route to provide the south Hastings area a defined access corridor to the snowmobile trai1 south of the City. Furtherinforrnation will be available at City Hall once a corridor is established. Snow Removal Just a reminder with snow plowing season starting in November; a snow emergency automatically goes into effect when 2 inches or more of snow (as measured at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport) has fallen. Under a snow emergency, no parking on any City street is allowed until that street has been cleared to its full width. Violators will be ticketed and towed. Check cable channel 12 or KDW A 1460 AM if you are not sure if a snow emergency is in effect. KDW A will broadcast snow emergency armounce- ments at 5 minutes past the hour. For snow removal operations, the City is divided into six zones. The Street Department assigns its five dump trucks with plows and sanders attached, and the motor grader to these six zones. The remaining snow removal equipment; three pickup trucks with plows attached and two front end loaders with plows; clear alleys, cul-de-sacs, City facilities, and the downtown area. . Snowmobiles are permitted to operate within the City limits only to travel from the operator's residence to outside of the City or from outside of the City to the operator's residence. In traveling to and from the City limits, snowmobiles must follow the snowmobile corridors outlined on the adjacent City map. Norecreational snowmobiling is allowed within theCity limits. . Snowmobiles must use the paved streets. Snowmobilesareprohibitedfrom using boulevards, sidewalks, bike paths, alleys, City parks orponding basins, and School or City property. . Snowmobile use within the City is permitted only between the hours of 8:00 am and 10:00 pm. Volume II Well #8 Update The City awarded a contract last fall to construct a new water supply well at a site near General Sieben Drive and 15th Street. However, development of a Jordan aquifer well at this site was stymied by a geologic fault that forced the aquifer upward so that only half the aquifer was water bearing, leaving insufficient capacity for development of a municipal well at this site. An alternate well development site was tested at Cannon Park near the intersection of Cannon and 31st Streets. However, water tested from the Jordan aquifer at this site showed high amounts of nitrates, which led to an in depth review of alternate sites, and a review of water treatment options and costs. The Dakota County Environmental Management Department utilized their ground water model study and ground water information base to assist the City in evaluating alternate well sites. A review of this information determined that Jordan wells in the south part of the City would likely encounter nitrate con- tamination, and that the geologic fault rules out most Jordan well sites west of Pleasant Drive. This information ruled out all potential well sites on existing City property near existing water transmission mains. An analysis of water treatment costs determined that drilling a deeper well to tap the Mt. Simon/Hinkley aquifer is less expensive than water treatment for nitrates on a Jordan well. A Mt. Simon/Hinkley well is approximately 900 ft. deep versus a 300 ft. deep Jordan well. Therefore, the original Well #8 site at General Sieben Drive is being tested to determine the water quality of the Mt. Simon/Hinkley aquifer, and if the water quality is acceptable, a Mt. Simon/Hinkley well will be developed at this site. Page 6 q '1.. Hastings Snowmobile Corridor Map Legend ~ Water Snowmobile Corridors City Streets . .. ~ Map Created by Hastings City Planning Dept. Map Desinged by: Matt Weiland 9/6/96 Volume II Page 7 Police Department Halloween Safety New Officer to be Hired The Hastings Police Department and the City of Hastings are in the process of hiring a new police officer to replace Sergeant Ron Hillmer who is retiring from the police department and law enforcement after over 28 years of valuable service to the Hastings Police Department and the citizens of Hastings. The hiring process included a written exam, physical agility tests, and an oral interview. Of the 192 candidates who took part in the original hiring process, there is now a pool of eight candidates for the police officer position. r Hastings ' Police Department On the Internet J ~____=-'=o._"':;;;:""'" The Hastings Police Department is in the process of developing a Web page on the Internet. The site will contain numerous pieces of information about the Hastings Police Department including the D.A.R.E. Program, safety tips, ordinances and statutes, important telephone numbers, and other general information. The Hastings Police DepartInent would like to remind all citizens of some basic Halloween safety tips TRICK OR TREATERS ~ hildre d parents to .AHEAD ,arc' nan follow. . Door to door trick or treating should always be done in the early evening hours. . Children should always have a friend or someone to accompany them, and small children should be accompanied by a parent or adult. . Children should ouly trick or treat in their own neighborhood in areas that they are familiar with. . When walking, always stay on the side of the street. . Use residence driveways or sidewalks to walk up to the door, and try to stay off of the grass. . Homeowners are encouraged to have as many lights on as possible in driveways and entryways of residences to welcome the trick or treaters to their door. . People driving vehicles should be especially aware of children on foot in the area during Halloween evening, and should drive slowly and cautiously through residential street areas. . Children are encouraged not to eat their candy until they are hack at their residence and a parent or adult can go through the candy to make sure nothing appears to have been tampered with. Tfu! Hastings Police Department would like to wish all children and residents of Hastings a sqfe Halloween. City of Hastings 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 ~