www.ci.minnetonka-beach.mn.us - 952-471-8878 NOVEMBer 2019 Important Dates & Meetings Garbage pick-up is every Friday unless noted. Meetings are held at City Hall at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Saturday, November 30 Garbage & Recycling (containers out by 7 am) Monday, December 2 Special City Council Meeting Interview finalists for the City Administrator position City Hall, 6 pm Truth in Taxation (2020 Budget) Meeting City Hall, 7 pm Tuesday, December 3 Park Commission Meeting Livingston Strong Playground Proposal and Public Input City Hall, 5:15 pm Monday, December 9 City Council Meeting City Hall, 7 pm Friday, December 13 Garbage & Recycling (containers out by 7am) Monday, December 16 Planning Commission Meeting City Hall, 7 pm Tuesday, December 17 Livingston Playground Public Information and Input Forum City Hall, 7 pm Wednesday, December 25 City Hall & Post Office Closed for Christmas SATURDAY, December 28 Garbage & Recycling (containers out by 7 am) Wednesday, January 1 Happy New Year City Hall & Post Office Closed
Transcript
www.ci.minnetonka-beach.mn.us - 952-471-8878
Matt Sundell NOVEMBer 2019
Important Dates & Meetings
Garbage pick-up is every Friday unless noted.
Meetings are held at City Hall at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Saturday, November 30 Garbage & Recycling
(containers out by 7 am)
Monday, December 2 Special City Council Meeting Interview finalists for the City
Administrator position City Hall, 6 pm
Truth in Taxation (2020 Budget) Meeting
City Hall, 7 pm
Tuesday, December 3 Park Commission Meeting
Livingston Strong Playground Proposal and Public Input
City Hall, 5:15 pm
Monday, December 9 City Council Meeting
City Hall, 7 pm
Friday, December 13 Garbage & Recycling
(containers out by 7am)
Monday, December 16 Planning Commission Meeting
City Hall, 7 pm
Tuesday, December 17 Livingston Playground Public Information and Input Forum
City Hall, 7 pm
Wednesday, December 25 City Hall & Post Office Closed
• Adopted Resolution 2019 – 52 – Donation of Trees in City Right of Way
• Adopted Resolution 2091 – 53 – Gambling Exemption Request – United Health Care Children’s
Foundation (Lafayette Club - 2/21/2020)
CITY HALL HOURS
8 A.M. T0 4:30 P.M. Monday through Thursday
Closed from Noon – 1 for Lunch
8 A.M. TO NOON Friday
CITY HALL SERVICES
• Notary Public: Susanne Griffin, City Administrator, and
Heidi Honey, City Clerk, are commissioned notaries.
There is no fee for this service.
• City Drop Box: There is a drop box for utility bill payments,
Civic Committee dues, and correspondence for City offices.
The drop box is located in the Post Office (rear door) to the left
of the post office boxes.
• Post Office: Here to meet most postal needs. There are no
waiting lines at this post office!! Holiday stamps have arrived!
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS:
Mayor – Jaci Lindstrom
Council Members:
Tracey Breazeale, Susan Enlow,
Steve Howarth and Andrew Myers
Treasurer – Chris Zinn
Get the latest City information, breaking news and updates weekly via email! Sign up online: www.ci.minnetonka-beach.mn.us. Click on “CONNECT”. We promise we won’t spam you.
Salutations and welcome to chilly weather and winter activities on the lake! Water tower updates At the November meeting, Council voted to proceed with plans to replace the City water tower with a new 75,000-gallon-capacity tower. City Engineer Darren Amundsen is now in the process of evaluating two potential sites on the grounds of the public works facility and will soon make a determination of the best site. We will then seek preliminary designs for two options: 1) a vintage design that is aesthetically similar to the current water tower and 2) a more modern “mushroom” style tower. If the preferred vintage design turns out to be cost-prohibitive, the Council will revisit with residents whether to proceed with the modern version or rehab the existing tower.
Bids on the water tower are expected in the Spring, with construction to start in Summer 2020. Water tower debt service is currently projected to be repaid 100% from water utility revenue, without any increase in property taxes.
Projected Year End Budget/Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) summary I am happy to report that we anticipate surpluses of $115,000 this year, which will go into City reserves (unless otherwise redirected by Council). This should bring our total reserves to a very healthy $1.1 million well within the City’s policy of reserving 65% of the next year’s expenses. At the November meeting, City Treasurer Chris Zinn explained the projected surpluses:
• Budget surplus of approximately $50,000 due to an increase in building permit activity and higher-than-expected interest on investments.
• Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) surplus of $15,000, due to delaying the planned water plant upgrades ($25,000) and savings ($45,000) from reusing dirt and equipment from the 2019 infrastructure project for pathways to the pedestrian median crossing.
Ray Peters Park Warming House The Ray Peters Park Warming House is a precious City asset that is much enjoyed by residents during the colder months. Upon inspection earlier this year, it was determined that while the roof and building structure are sound and the interior is in good shape, the exterior is in need of repair.
Weather permitting, the Park Commission will begin initial repairs, which include replacement of damaged cedar siding, installation of new shutters, and a new front door with a deadbolt lock. Additionally, windows will be washed, overgrown hedges trimmed, and a fresh layer of cypress mulch will be applied around the front porch. Commissioner Kim Petersen will restart an old tradition by decorating the window boxes with a wintery theme. Next Spring when the weather warms, more improvements are scheduled. The Warming House will be power washed and stained. If the budget allows, window replacement and removal or relocation of the window planters is possible.
In other news Voters in the Orono School District, including residents of Minnetonka Beach, voted down a technology levy on November 5. The levy failed with 1,399 people (55.67%) voting no and 1,114 (44.33%) voting yes.
Council recently heard the concerns of the property owners at 2217 Huntington Point East regarding infringement of their water rights by City Dock 10. A number of requests conveyed by the homeowners’ attorney, including potential removal of Dock 10 and relocation of current dock holders, are under consideration and legal review by City attorney Ron Batty.
The Planning Commission will review the City’s stormwater management ordinance. Given that street sweeping and leaf removal programs already are successfully meeting the mandated phosphorous reduction targets set by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, the City’s stormwater management rules for single-family home projects may be able to be made less restrictive.
Council has also asked the Planning Commission to clarify what happens in situations in which there is a change (e.g., new construction) to replace structures or other hard cover such as driveways that were approved in the past but do not conform to City zoning codes. Our goal is to make these regulations less ambiguous.
Council asked City Engineer Darren Amundsen to draft a proposal to evaluate a long-standing stormwater drainage issue at the Brooks Lane location after the Utilities Commission reviewed and recommended further study.
Stay warm, and please stay tuned to forthcoming developments with the water tower and other City projects.
Snow Plowing - Keep cars OFF city streets whenever possible in the winter and especially when it snows. Snow removal is much more difficult and unsafe when there are parked cars to maneuver around.
Also remember to place trash and recycling bins at the end of your driveway and not in the street and return them back to their storage place as soon as possible. If the plow cannot get through, that area may not get plowed.
TRUTH IN TAXATION - DECEMBER 2, 2019 AT 7 PM YOUR INPUT IS WELCOME ON THE 2020 CITY BUDGET
Minnetonka Beach will hold its Truth in Taxation meeting on Monday, December 2nd, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. At the regular City Council meeting on December 9th, the final budget will be adopted and tax levy
certified to the County for taxes payable in 2020.
The Truth in Taxation meeting is an annual public meeting where the budget and tax levy for the upcoming year are discussed, and where taxpayers are given an opportunity to voice their concerns and comments over the jurisdiction’s
proposed budget. By now residents should have received a Truth in Taxation notice from the Hennepin County Auditor showing the maximum property tax levy for 2020 which was based on a preliminary levy set in September. The statement has a breakdown of the maximum property taxes by county, city, school district and other taxing districts and the date and
time for each entity’s hearing. Residents can attend and speak at any of the hearings shown on the notice. After the Truth in Taxation meeting, each entity approves a final budget and sets the tax levy amount for the following year.
Residents often mistake this hearing with the annual Local Board of Review meeting when residents can appeal their
property values. That meeting is called the Local Board of Review and it will be in April.
To see the 2020 Minnetonka Beach
proposed city budget, go to the city website at: www.ci.minnetonka-
beach.mn.us. Click on Government, then City Hall, then City Budget.
A little salt goes a long way for managing snow and ice. But too much salt – which may be less than you think – can cause irreversible damage to nearby lakes and streams when the snow melts and the salt goes into nearby water. The chloride contained in one teaspoon of road salt can permanently pollute five gallons of water. Chloride upsets aquatic environments and can kill birds and some plants. Many people use more salt than they need and using more salt does not melt more ice or melt it faster. Salt only works when there is enough snow or ice for it to react with and excess crystals will eventually become a pollutant. It’s best to use less than four pounds of salt per 1,000 square feet. One pound of salt fills up a 12-ounce coffee mug. Want to protect your local lake or stream from chloride pollution? Here are some easy ways you can help:
• Apply salt or other de-icers before snowstorms, so you will need less later.
• Shovel regularly (a great form of winter exercise) to minimize ice buildup.
• Break up ice with an ice scraper before deciding if sand or a de-icer is necessary for traction – you may find that it’s not.
• Use sand instead of salt in below 15-degree temperatures
• Sweep up any salt that’s visible on dry pavement and use it elsewhere or throw it away. By using salt wisely, you can save money, time and the environment without sacrificing safety. Learn more at www.minnehahacreek.org/salt.
Livingston Strong Project Update - A Message from the Mayor
At the August meeting, Council heard a presentation from residents proposing to secure private funding to update the playground at Half Moon Park to honor resident Doug Livingston, who passed away in early September. Council approved the overall vision of the Livingston Strong playground, pending future review and input from the Park Commission and the public. The playground design plan is expected to be presented to the Park Commission on Tuesday, December 3.
As with any other change to community property, the City must abide by rules requiring formal plans, adherence to City codes and regulations, and public input on the playground update. The Park Commission will therefore review the proposal for consistency with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, City Code and other regulations, and may recommend that Council obtain zoning or legal opinions on the proposal. If a zoning code variance or Comprehensive Plan amendment is required, the appropriate zoning code process will be followed. This will include public hearings on the proposed variance or zoning code amendment and/or review by the zoning administrator, City engineer or the City attorney. All of these steps would need to be completed before construction can begin.
Here is the tentative timeline of next steps for this proposal:
December 3, 2019 (5:15 pm) - Proposal presentation to Park Commission (see presentation materials on city website after November 27th). Public input will be taken-written input also accepted.
December 17, 2019 (7:00 pm) - Park Commission to continue to take public input on proposal-written input also accepted.
January 7, 2020 (5:15 pm) - Park Commission Regular Meeting – Commissioners to discuss proposal and input received from the public and draft a recommendation to the City Council.
January 13, 2020 (7:00 pm) - Regular City Council meeting – Park Commission to report their findings and recommendations.
In the end, the City Council will make the final decision about the donation and park upgrades.
Parking permits are required on vehicles parked at Ray Peters Park.
Residents can stop by City Hall to get a free Minnetonka Beach parking permit for your vehicle if you don’t have
one. Your license plate number is required.
Save the Date
The Annual Skating Party is Sunday January 21
3 – 5pm at Ray Peters Park
Thank you, Max Hacker & Nell Mathews! As part of the city infrastructure project on Arcola Lane, some beautiful and well-established lilacs had to be replaced. Max and Nell donated larger replacement lilacs than were budgeted for the project so they will catch up sooner to the size of the existing lilacs in the area. The city accepted their donation at the November 12 Council meeting. Thank you, Max and Nell, for your thoughtful contribution and helping make the city a more beautiful place to live.
Another infrastructure improvement has been concluded in the community. Construction and repair of the east Northview Wall has been completed. The project included regrading of the slope, stone wall re-stacking, stormwater management and street repair.
Northview Wall Before Repairs Northview Wall After
Needed Items: BABY CARE PRODUCTS – diapers, wipes, lotions, etc. PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS – toothpaste, shampoo, shaving cream, etc. HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS – laundry detergent, 409, dish soap, etc.
WeCAN provides emergency human services to households in crisis in the surrounding twelve local
communities.
For more information, visit www.wecan-help.org or call 952-472-0742
Because together, WeCAN.
Ease the holidays for budget stressed families in the area. WeCAN will distribute donated items to
families in need.
St. Martin’s Church Events
Annual Great Day of Service Saturday, December 7th, 10 am – 2 pm Join us for our annual Day of Service from 10 am to 2 pm. Drop by when you can. We will work on family-friendly projects to help the needy throughout the Twin Cities and beyond. Projects include creating birthday party kits for IOCP, writing holiday letters to our service personnel, making birdhouses for Episcobuilders, making 500 sandwiches for the homeless and decorating a community Christmas tree.
Jeff Dayton Concert: Music from the Heart Sunday, December 8th at 4pm This is not a church service. Jeff Dayton is graciously performing a concert at St. Martin’s. Jeff is an international artist with sold-out concerts throughout the US; he’s also been a road guitarist for Kenny Chesney, Lee Greenwood and 15-year bandleader for Glen Campbell. Because seating in the church is limited, you will need to RSVP for the event by December 5. Seating will be general admission. You can sign up here –or you can call the church office at 952-471-8429 to place your name on the list. There is no cost to attend; free-will donations will support St. Martin’s ministries.
Christmas Services: Christmas Pageant – Sunday Dec. 15th, 10:30 am Christmas Eve – Tuesday, December 24th Contemplative Service with harp – 10:30 am Family Service – 4:00 pm Music Prelude – 9:30 pm Choral Eucharist – 10:00 pm Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25 - 10:30 am
Junior Civic would like to wish you Happy Holidays!
A message from Junior Civic President, Courtney Zinn
This month we are doing a food drive. If you have any non-perishable goods that you are able to donate, please bring them to City Hall. We will have a basket there until December 11th for donations. Anything would be greatly appreciated. The food will be going to WeCAN.
Also, we would like to spread Holiday cheer around our neighborhood this season. If you know of anyone that could benefit from a holiday carol or a wreath please email me at [email protected]. Please put their name and address in the email or in our request box at City Hall. This box is also for any ongoing requests or suggestions where we could help. Thank you and Happy Holidays, From all of Junior Civic
Minnetonka Beach merchandise makes great holiday gifts!
The Minnetonka Beach Post Office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed from noon to 1 p.m.), and
on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. We sell stamps and have holiday/winter stamps available for sale. We can process priority
flat rate packages and have a variety of sizes of flat rate envelopes and boxes – free! We do not offer Express Priority mail
however so, if you are crunched for time, we suggest you visit one of the other area post offices shown below.
Want to make sure your holiday mailings arrive on time?
For an estimated delivery date before December 25th, the U.S. Post Office suggests the following:
• First Class cards, letters and packages - December 20th
• Priority Mail Flat Rate - December 21st
LOCAL POST OFFICE HOURS – DECEMBER 1, 2019
POST OFFICE ADDRESS HOURS M-F HOURS SAT AM PHONE
Crystal Bay 1355 Brown Rd. S. 8:30-12:30/2:30-4:30 9-10:30 952-473-2352
Mound 5510 Shoreline Dr. 8:15-4:30 8:15-11:00 952-472-7547
Spring Park 4044 Sunset Dr. 12:30-4:30 8:30-9:30 952-471-9284
Wayzata 229 Mtka Ave. S. 8:30-5:00 9-12 952-745-0570
Effective Immediately – Batteries No Longer Accepted at City Hall: Per Hennepin County, Alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, etc.) can be put in the trash. All other batteries can be disposed of the Hennepin County drop off facilities.
