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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1st Q 14 City of Oak Tree City USA First Quarter 2014 Newsletter Inside this issue: 2014 Budget and Property Taxes Update At the December 10, 2013, City Council meeting, the Council adopted the City's St. Croix River 2 2014 Budget as was reflected on the Truth in Taxation Notices sent to all property Crossing update owners this past November. The 2014 City Budget includes an increase in the tax levy of 5.4 percent as compared to 2013. The increase was greatly attributable to increases in contractual services that the City utilizes. The City has contracts for Recycling Pickup 3 public services including legal, planning, engineering, grass cutting, waste Calendar many p g g ' en g g' g g' collection, snow plowing, and fire services, which helps keep the City costs and overhead low. What's Included 3 in Trash Pickup The actual 5.4 percent increase in the tax levy will result in an average eight to nine percent increase in individual residential taxes for payable 2014. This is due, in part Washington county 4 to a shift in the market value/tax capacity of the properties in the City. Residential Tree Sale properties on the average increased 1 percent in market value while commercial property values remained the same. Commercial properties comprise of more than Pet Owner 4 60 percent of the City tax base and results in a tax shift to residential properties. Reminders For example, based on a median home valued at $174,000, total taxes for the City are increased by $73.41 over 2013 taxes. This increase is comprised of$25.05 from Survey from 5 MnDOT the market value shift and $48.36 for the City's increases in the 2014 budget. In contrast, the 2013 taxes for residential properties decreased by 8.7 percent as com- pared to 2012. Therefore a two-year comparison will result in similar tax Arborist 6 bills. 2012 taxes are similar to 2014 tax bills and compare with three percent infla News tion since 2011. Snow Removal 7 1 Q&A Calculated City Taxes - Median Household Value $900.00 Notes from 9 _ $850.00 Public Works $800.00 --+--Actual H $750.00 flnflation(3%) Winter Parking 10 Reminder $700.00 2D11 2012 2013 2014 Ice Rink 10 Hours As compared to many communities, the City residents will continue to not pay addi- continued to Page 2... Page 2 First Quarter ...continued from Page 1 tional garbage pick–up fees, which can average over $100 per year, or utility street lighting or utility fran- chising fees. In addition, the City has saved over $2,600,000 for street reconstruction purposes. These funds are being planned for the proposed street reconstruction projects of 2014-2015, which will reduce the benefitting property owner's cost substantially. Additional savings are planned to continue so that all areas are benefitted by such plan. Federal and State financial situations are more challenging, and greater burdens will continue to be placed on local governments to provide services and maintain infrastructure without assistance. Considering this, it is vital to note that the City's financial position is sound, manages cash flow without borrowing, and is largely capable of replacing major units of infrastructure. The City Council and City Staff continue to work to keep taxes as low as possible while ensuring that the demands of operating a safe, vibrant, and clean community are met. If you have any questions about the 2014 City Budget, or the budgeting process, contact Finance Director Betty Caruso at 651-439-4439. St. Croix River Crossing Update The St. Croix Crossing project remains active de- North Frontage Road and on the South Frontage spite the winter season; and expect construction Road east of Osgood Avenue to Club Tara. During to ramp up significantly as temperatures begin to the summer crews will also re-do the Hwy 36 east- warm up. bound and westbound lanes and the rest of High- way 95 north of Highway 36. Reconstructing the Last year saw many accomplishments for the pro- South Frontage Road between Osgood Ave. and ject, to include completing all river bridge pier Oakgreen Ave. will occur later in the season. The foundations work below the river surface at five project team is finalizing these details now and will locations (Piers 8-12). In 2013, construction crews share specifics with residents and businesses later also built a new signalized intersection directly be- this winter. tween Hwy 36 and Hwy 95, built the new Beach Road Bridge, extended the South Frontage Road One great way to get detailed updates as they be- to Stagecoach Trail, completed utility work, paved come available is to sign up for regular e-mail up- new Hwy 36 eastbound lanes and expanded Hwy dates. You can do this on the website. 95 lanes to two lanes in each direction. www.mndot.gov/stcroixcrossing In December, construction crews began the pile If you have questions or comments, we encourage driving process for Piers 1-7 on the Minnesota you to: shore. This will continue through May. Crews also ♦ Call: 1-855-GO-CROIX (1-855-462-7649 plan to begin building up the pier closest to the ♦ E-mail: stcroixcrossing.dot@state.mn.us Minnesota shore (Pier 8) later this winter. Con- ♦ Stop in: 1862 Greeley St. S., Stillwater struction at the other river piers will resume once the ice melts. 2014 includes a packed construction schedule St.Croix along Hwy 36 and Hwy 95. The plan is to have all CROSSING approach work and utility work complete by the 1"W end of 2014. In early spring, work begins along the Tree City USA Page 3 I------------------------------- -----------------1 Recycling incentive program I 2014 Oak Park Heights Recycling Calendar ' I � E Recycling Day The City of Oak Park Heights has ; JANUARY MAY SEPTEMBER a recycling incentive program. i S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 1 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 The City awards a prize of $25.00 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 4 5 6 7 ' 9 10 7 8 9 10 N 12 13 1 or a fire extinguisher and/or12 13 14 15 E 17 18 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ' 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 19 20 21 E 23 24 21 22 23 24 E 26 27 1 smoke detector. Residents partici- 1 26 27 28 29 E 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 28 29 30 1 � pating in curbside recycling are I I I � picked randomly twice a month. I FEBRUARY JUNE OCTOBER ' I I S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S I 1 1 2 3 4 1 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 Recycling benefits the environ- : 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 ' 10 11 1 Ment in countless wa .S.. it reduces ' 9 10 11 12 E 14 15 15 16 17 18 E 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Y I 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 E 24 25 the amount of natural resources 23 24 25 26 E 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 31 ' 1 used to make new products, it saves energy, it prevents water MARCH JULY NOVEMBER ' I and air pollution including green- I S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 1 2 ' 4 5 1 house gas emissions, and it reduc- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2 3 4 5 ' 7 8 ,, }�h }� I 9 10 11 12 E 14 15 13 14 15 16 E 18 19 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 This es waste. his mean`s that he `sim- 1 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 16 17 18 19 E 21 22 ple act of recycling in your daily; 23 24 25 26 E 28 29 27 28 29 30 . 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 life provides significant protection ; 30 31 30 for our environment and reduces APRIL AUGUST DECEMBER ' 1 global warming. S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 I I 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 1 5 6 1 6 7 8 9 E 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 14 15 16 17 18 1910 11 12 13 E 15 16 14 15 16 17 N 19 20 Thank you for recycling! I 20 21 22 23 ■ 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 ' 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 . 29 30 28 29 30 31 ' 31 I What's included in trash pickup? In addition to the typical garbage and recycling pickup, the City also co- vers the disposal of yard waste, large household items, and `white-goods' , such as televisions, refrigerators, couches, chairs, desks, water-heaters, ohwosw stoves, dishwashers, dryers, etc. for single family residences and complexes with four units or less in Oak Park Heights. In order to have these items picked up in a timely fashion, please contact Judy Tetzlaff at City Hall, 651-439-4439, at least two days prior to collection day so that the special truck may be dis- patched to your home. If you receive a bill from Advanced Disposal for these additional services, please call the City Administrator at 651-439-4439 as most, if not all, of these items are covered under the City's contract, and you should not be billed. Some items are not included in your monthly fee are extra bags of garbage not placed in your container. The City's waste hauler, Advanced Disposal, will bill you $1.50 per bag. Some other items that are picked up for a fee are sinks, toilets, and construction debris. You will be billed by Advanced Disposal at a regulated rate as monitored by the City. REMINDER!! Waste pick-up is every THURSDAY and recyclable pick-up is every-other THURSDAY. However, if one of the six holidays—New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas—falls on a weekday, collection may occur on FRIDAY of that week. Page 4 First Quarter Annual Washington Conservation District tree sale Winter weather got you down? Make plans to plant a tree (or many!) in your yard come spring to improve your local habitat. Trees are - both beautiful and functional. They shade your house from scorching sun in the summer and block it from icy winds in the winter. A ma- ture tree canopy can intercept 1600 gallons of rainwater per year; this is stormwater that may otherwise run off of roofs and streets, causing pollution to be carried into local water bodies. Trees improve air ` quality by catching dust in the air and provide valuable habitat for birds and other wildlife. When selecting trees for your yard, it is best to plant a variety of natives to prevent the spread of dis- ease. By interspersing conifers and deciduous trees, you will ensure that your landscape is verdant throughout the year. Choose a fruiting tree, such as a chokecherry or plum, to attract birds and maybe even give yourself a canning project come fall. The Washington Conservation District is currently taking orders for their annual tree sale. Trees can be ordered in bundles of 25 for only $35, and the selection includes conifers, hardwoods and shrubs. In ad- dition we are offering a special bird pack of trees — 30 bird friendly trees for $50 that include Bur Oak, White Oak, Black Cherry, White Pine, Chokecherry, and Wild plum. Conservation District staff can also help you to plan your planting project and have tree bars available for rental. To order trees, check for sold out trees, or to learn more about the program, call Wendy at (651) 275-1136 x24 or visit www.mnwcd.org. Attention Pet Owners City Meetings (subject to change) The City of Oak Park Heights has a leash law in ef- fect that prohibits pets from running at large. Any City Council: dog or cat that is off the premises of the owner and Second and fourth Tuesdays at not under the physical control (by leash or by voice) 7:00 P.M. of the owner or another designated person is in vio- lation of this Ordinance. When you are out walking your pet, please remember to bring a plastic bag. Pet Planning Commission: owners are required by City Ordinance to clean up Typically the second Thursday at 7:00 P.M. pet waste on public and private property. Removal and proper disposal of pet waste helps keep our City clean and healthy. All dogs and cats in the City for Parks Commission: more than 30 days are required to have a City Pet Third Monday at 6:30 P.M. License. There is no charge for this service and it could save your pet from a trip to the animal shelter. Bring proof of your pet's rabies vaccination to City Agendas and Minutes are posted on Hall to receive a pet license and tag. For more infor- the City's website: mation, please call City Hall at 651-439-4439. City www.cityofoakparkheights.com Ordinances can be viewed on the City's web-site: www.cityofoakparkheights.com. I St.Croix CROSSING I Communications Survey I To ensure Oak Park Heights residents are getting needed information about the St.Croix Crossing project,we want to hear from you. Please fill out this brief survey,tear it out,tape it closed and mail it.All postage is paid. If you receive our email updates,you may have already taken a similar looking survey.This paper survey is important because it I allows us to focus in on Oak Park Heights residents.Thankyou for taking a few minutes to help us improve how we communicate with you. I How da you receive 5t. Croix Crossing project updates?Check all that apply: I Y gP 1 p ppY: I ❑ Email updates ❑ Social media(Facebook or Twitter) ❑ At 511mn.org ❑ Newspaper ❑ Mailings to my home ❑ Word of mouth j ❑ Broadcast media(TV or radio) ❑ At www.mndot.gov/stcroixcrossing ❑ Other_________ I jWhat other ideas do you have to get project information to Oak Park Heights residents? I I I I I Are you receivingthe information you need about the 5t.Croix Crossing project? I I ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Not Sure I I I If no,what information would be helpful to you? I I I I I On a scale of 1-5(1 being the least,5 being the most)the information I receive about the 5t. Croix Crossing project is: I Accurate: 1 2 3 4 5 Timely: 1 2 3 4 5 I Accessibte: 1 2 3 4 5 I Comprehensive: 1 2 3 4 5 Easy to Understand: 1 2 3 4 5 I Relevant. 1 2 3 4 5 I If you marked 1-2 for an of the above statements,please explain the reasons below: I Y Y p I I I I I I I Have you ever visited the 5t.Croix Crossing website(www.mndot.,gov/stcroixcrossingl for information about the project? I I ❑ Yes ❑ No I If yes,does the website provide you with the information you need? I ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Not Sure I What other information would be helpful to you to include on the website? I I I I I If you would like to begin receiving regular email updates, provide your email address below.(Please print clearly): I I I I �/I NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 171 SAINT PAUL,MN POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE St. Croix Crossing Project Office - MS 950 Minnesota Department of Transportation 395 John Ireland Blvd. Saint Paul, MN 55101-9799 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fold Here I I ♦ I Tape Here �, Tape Here Tree City USA Page 7 Pruning Trees Tree Ploblems? Early to mid-winter are good times to prune shade trees. Ornamental and fruit trees are best pruned in late February or early March. There is no need If you are an to apply tree wound dressing or paint to wounds made in fall or winter. Hire O a k P a r k a tree service if pruning needs to be done on large shade trees. H e i g h t s resident, and have a problem Risk tree detection with a tree or Winter is also a good time to check the tree, and cracks in trunk or shrub, such as trees for decay and defects which branches, particularly at main stem an insect or a might affect their structural stabil- unions. If any risk factors are found, disease, have ity. Signs to look for are: shelf fungi call the Arborist, or a professional p 1 a n t i n g on tree trunks or branches, wildlife tree service, to evaluate the extent questions, or holes, open decay columns in the of the risk. just want to main trunk, particularly at the base of have a plant identified, call Dr. Kathy Emerald Ash Borer Widin, the Oak Emerald ash borer (EAB) has not yet been confirmed in Oak Park Heights or Park Heights elsewhere in Washington County; however, it's good to check ash trunks and Arborist, at 439- branches for "D-shaped" adult exit holes and "S-shaped" larval galleries under 4439 Ext. 11o6. the bark. If larvae are present there may be a lot of woodpecker activity, par- She can either ticularly in the top half of the tree. If you see any signs of EAB activity, or want to discuss insecticide treatment to protect ash, please contact the Arborist. Do answer your not move ash wood with intact bark from one area to another, as this is one question over way that emerald ash borer is easily spread. the phone or make an appointment for Ash removal and replacement a site visit. This e is paid The City of Oak Park Heights is continuing to remove ash trees which are do- for service the City of ing poorly, are interfering with power lines, competing with other trees, have storm damage, or are blocking sight lines along the street. If you have an O a k P a r k ash tree that you think should be removed, contact the Oak Park Heights Ar- Heights. borist. w Oak Wilt It is best to prune oaks between October 15th and March 15th due to insect transmission of the oak wilt fungus to fresh wounds on healthy oaks during the growing season. Once there is a hard frost, it is fine to prune oaks. Page 8 First Quarter 2014 Newsletter Winter snow removal and road clearing How does the plowing process work in Oak Park Heights? The City of Oak Park Heights contracts street snow plowing and ice control with Raleigh Truck- ing. The contractor's crews remove snow and/or apply ice control after each snow event throughout the winter months. Snow removal and ice control operation varies with particular snow events, but typically the contractor begins ice control and attempts to keep roads as clear as reasonably possible very shortly after the event begins. During events whereby heavy accu- mulation is expected, the contractor makes several passes, concentrating on Oak Park Heights' main thoroughfares, such as the frontage roads, 58th Street, and those streets with heavy traffic and steep slopes. After snowfall stops, the contractor resumes snow removal and ice control in the early morning to have roads cleared as best as possible for the morning commute. Several passes are necessary to clear snow and ice after any given snow event. Why does slush remain on Oak Park Heights streets shortly after the roads have been plowed? Often after a snow event, slush remains on Oak Park Heights streets as the salt applied "works" to allow the plow blades to scrape the remaining compacted snow off of the street. Ice control consists typically of an 80/20 mix of sand and salt, but some occurrences require straight salt to remove the packed ice. Salt melts the snow and mixes with the water to decrease the freezing point from 32 degrees to approximately 0 degrees; therefore, the use of salt is no longer feasible when temps fall below this point. When are Oak Park Heights walking trails cleared? Oak Park Heights Public Works staff work diligently to remove snow from the trail system after each snow event. During snow events, staff's priority is maintaining access and a clear and safe passageway for the Oak Park Heights Police Department and City Hall entrance. During heavy snow with substantial accumulation, trails are plowed initially during the snow event. During snowfalls with less than four (4) inches accumulated, trails are typically cleared the following morning beginning with the main trail thoroughfares leading to Stillwater Area High School. The remaining trails and infrastructure sites such as sanitary sewer lift stations, well houses, and wa- ter towers are plowed after the priority routes are complete. When is snow removed from Ice Rinks? Ice rinks are cleared in conjunction with the trail system. Most of the time, rinks are cleared of snow and swept to clean ice less than 24 hours after a snow event. The plow hit my mailbox; who is responsible to repair it? The City of Oak Park Heights realizes that on occasion, heavy snow or a plow blade will topple a mailbox. Of course, we regret this inconvenience and thank you in advance for your patience. Please call City Hall at 651-439-4439 to report it. The City does reimburse for broken mailboxes due to plow damage. What are the parking restrictions in Oak Park Heights? Oak Park Heights enforces parking restrictions in order to safely and efficiently remove snow from City streets. Parking restrictions begin on November 1 st through March 31 St. During this time, the no parking restriction is enforced between the hours of 1:00 AM to 6:00 AM. Parking restrictions are enforced regardless of a recent snowfall. Tree City USA Page 9 NOTES FROM PUBLIC WORKS Clearing around hydrants Trash receptacles Note the location of the nearest hydrant to During a snow event on a trash pickup day, your home. It is extremely helpful and ap- it is helpful to the street plowing crew when preciated that residents help city staff and residents keep trash receptacles from creep- the fire department in maintaining hydrants ing too far into the street. Please be aware clear of snow. Keeping a hydrant clear and on trash day if a snow event is occurring. easily accessible could save precious time in The plows will likely be out. the case of an emergency. Protect your house from frozen meters and pipes You can take easy and inexpensive steps to prevent the damage, expense and inconvenience associated with freezing pipes and meters. Temperatures are colder along the floor and cement block wall of the basement than near the ceiling. Circulating the warmer air can help prevent fro- zen meters. In some homes, meters are in separate unheated rooms or boxes; open the doors to rooms or open a meter box to allow warmer air to circulate. Simply keeping your home and basement warm enough will help prevent freezing. In addition: • Check along the foundation for areas where cold wind can enter the basement or crawl space and plug with insulation. • Close off crawl space vents and doors. • Replace broken or cracked basement windows or doors. • Install a storm window or cover basement windows with weather insulation kits • Make sure basement doors and windows close tightly. • Seal or caulk cracks in the walls. • Insulate pipes. • Don't forget to turn off the water supply and drain all outdoor faucets! Streetlight out in your neighborhood? Your help in identifying street lights that are not working is very important, as we rely solely on your notification assistance. Once City staff is aware of a light out, we contact Xcel Energy im- mediately to help make sure the light is repaired in a reasonable amount of time. Xcel Energy Streetlighting Department strives to repair outages within two business days of notification that the light is out or not working properly. To report a City street light out, please contact City Hall at 439-4439. If possible, have the following information available: • Property address and/or nearest cross street to where the light pole is located. • Whether the light is located on a corner, midblock, or in a cul-de-sac. • The nature of the problem (i.e. light is out, light is blinking, light is broken). City of Oak Park Heights - 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N. PO Box 2007 WINTER PARKING REMINDER Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 PFone:651-43-4439 Parking regulations begin November I" through March 3 ISt. No 65 1-439574 Police non-emergency:651-439-4723 parking is allowed on City streets during Police Emergency:911 the hours of 1:OOam and 6:OOam. Office Hours: Winter parking restrictions are put in place in an effort to enable snow re- Monday through Friday moval equipment the opportunity to do a top quality and efficient job in re- 8:00 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. excluding legal holidays moving snow from city streets. Please be aware that these parking re- strictions are in place AND ENFORCED regardless of whether or not there has been recent snowfall. Move off the city streets during those hours to MAYOR Mary McComber:351-7879 avoid citation and towing' Please help us by obeying the winter parking re- COUNCILMEMBERS strictions. Chuck Dougherty:491-0419 Mike Liiegren:351-2742 Mike Runk:439-5458 WINTER WARMING HOUSE HOURS Mark Swenson:270-5385 CITY ADMINISTRATOR Ice rinks are open as weather permits. Warming house hours will be as follows: Eric Johnson Weekdays: 3:30pm-9:OOpm Weekends: 9:OOam-9:OOpm Holidays: 9:OOam-9:OOpm The Oak Park Heights PARK HOURS newsletter is published by the City park and trail hours are October 1—April 30 from 6:00 a.m.to 10:00 of Oak Park Heights. P Comments are welcome. p.m. and May 1—September 30 from 5:00 a.m.to 10:00 p.m. 651-439-4439 I I I I I I Y I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 8SS 'oN I?�ad NW`JOVIIAiiRS (11Vd 3&'1SOd.S.n LOOZ-Z80SS NW `sILI-'&3H AJPd AP,0 PUPS LOOZ xog `N PAIS AJP-d VO 891K paliosaid Slu-'diaH 1"d V0 J° 'A4T)