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2016-04 -- Spring-Summer
Spring/Summer 2016 Southeast District Updates www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Corcoran News Spring/Summer 2016 To help Corcoran residents better identffy protected wetland areas near their property, the City of Corcoran is postfng wetland signs which designate areas that are protected and should not be cut, mowed, filled or changed in any way. As Corcoran contfnues to coordinate efforts with the Elm Creek Watershed district in helping protect our local streams and watersheds, the signs will be a marker reminding residents to help protect our community and environment. For more informatfon on the Elm Creek Watershed, please visit the links below: www.elmcreekwatershed.org www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Select Services, Environmental and Storm Water Wetland Signs Appearing in Protected Areas Near You A Fresh Look at the Future of Corcoran Over the past several months a great effort has been put forth to update plans for what is referred to as the “southeast district”. This district includes the existfng business district, Shamrock Golf Course, Maple Hill Estates, several existfng neighborhoods, the new Ravinia neighborhood, and a future new downtown for Corcoran. The original plan was adopted in 2003 and is entering the final phase of the update, which included two community meetfngs and four meetfngs of the appointed Community Advisory Team. The plan is thoughtiul, creatfve, forward-looking, and ambitfous. It involves creatfng a new downtown mixed- use district, establishing diverse housing opportunitfes, constructfng a town square park while enhancing other natural resources, and requires the re-alignment of two County Roads. While the future downtown will likely look different than the plan moving forward today, it sets the basic parameters and intent of what the vision is for this district. The new downtown is not going to happen overnight, nor is there any specific project in the works. That being said, the City can, and should take an actfve role in long-term planning to protect its vision and character as a community. If you doubt what change can take place in a few decades just talk to someone that used to live in Maple Grove or Plymouth 20 years ago, I hear it transformed a bit. A special thank you to the many residents and business owners that have been a part of this process so far. The next steps in the review will take place at the Parks and Trails Commission meetfng on April 19, the Planning Commission meetfng on May 5, and the City Council meetfng on May 26. As usual, if you have comments or questfons don’t hesitate to reach out to the City Council or myself. I can be reached at bmartens@ci.corcoran.mn.us or 763-400-7030. Sincerely, Brad Martens City Administrator Fast Fact: The City Council will be holding additional work session meetings various times throughout the year. These work sessions are open to the public. Agendas for the work sessions will be available on the website prior to the meeting, at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Select City Council, Agendas, 2016. Upcoming Work Sessions: May 12, June 9, and July 14 8-9 City Council 2016 Strategic Goals Updates In 2015, the City Council directed staff to focus on seven strategic goals for the City. Here is an update on how each strategic goal is progressing in 2016: Complete Downtown Utility and Street Improvement Project An assessment hearing was held on October 22, and plans and specificatfons were reviewed on December 21. Bidding process occurred in January. Bids were opened on February 4, and were competftfve. Council has awarded the bid to Lametti and Sons, Inc. Significant constructfon on the project begins in May. After review, the City Council approved the bids with the alternates of lift statfon locatfon and utflity services for City Park. Pave Gravel Collector Roads In November, Council selected Willow Drive and Larkin Road as a preferred project. Council contfnues discussion on a proposed project to pave a portfon of Willow Drive. A neighborhood meetfng was held on March 29 which the Council will utflize in deciding the next steps on the project. Regional Recreation Amenity Plan (Athletic Complex on Roehlke property) Discussion took place at the February 11 Work Session, and March 10 City Council meetfng. The discussion will contfnue later this year alongside the park dedicatfon ordinance update review. Establish a Business Group As part of the survey of downtown business owners, staff asked about the desire of having a Corcoran business group. Limited support existed and no further actfon is being taken at this tfme. Establish Night to Unite Program The City is going to build on the success of the 2015 Night to Unite program. This year’s event will take place on Tuesday, August 2. New this year the City will be hostfng the event at the Corcoran Public Works facility. Updates on the 2016 Night to Unite will be available on the City’s website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Update Sign Ordinance The City Council adopted the updated ordinance at the July 23 City Council meetfng. Improve the City Council Chamber Council approved the Capital Improvement Plan on February 26. Staff is coordinatfng purchase of video recording equipment that will be installed summer 2016. This will allow City Council meetfngs to be placed on the City’s website for review. 6 Page Page 11 Corcoran Clean Up Day Public Safety/Public Works 4 Page Understanding Property Tax Page 5 Parks and Recreation Environmental Page 12 Page 2 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Page Corcoran Happenings 12 Fast Fact If you would like to address the City Council at a meeting, please contact City Administrator, Brad Martens, at 763-400-7030. If you have a question or concern for the City Council, please see City Council contact information on the back page of this newsletter. Page 15 MN City Festivals Recycling Information Page 8 Environmental Page 7 Page Election Information 16 Page 10 9 Page Most Requested Building Permit Fees Reroofing, Re-siding $91 each Windows-in same openings $91 Furnace or A/C unit Replacement $76/unit Gas Fireplace $101 General Plumbing $51+ Water Heater Replacement $21 Water Softener Replacement $16 *All of the above fees include the State Surcharge ($1) and can typically be issued immediately at City Hall. Accessory structures which do not exceed 200 square feet are exempt from building permit. These structures must stfll meet building code, set- backs, and zoning requirements. If you have any questfons please stop by City Hall or call Mike Pritchard at 763-400-7033. For Building Code relat- ed questfons, please call our contract- ed Building Official, Metro West In- spectfons at 763-479-1720. City Updates The City Council meets on the second and fourth Thursday’s of the month at 7:00 pm at City Hall. The following is a recap of a selection of items discussed at meetings since the last newsletter. A full recap can be found by reviewing the approved City Council minutes on the City’s website . Resolution Declaring Hazardous Building – Order to Remove Approved the resolutfon ordering the removal of building at 20112 County Road 10 within 120 days. Directed staff to work with property owners to review optfon to assess over tfme. Final Plat for “Strehler Estates” Approved the final plat to create four residentfal lots from an 80.06 acre parcel to be served by a private driveway. 2016 Planning Priorities Discussed use of discretfonary planning funds for 2016. Directed staff to develop a work plan for updatfng the park dedicatfon ordinance and to consider additfonal updates with surplus funds from 2015. City Council Compensation Approved an increase in City Council compensatfon effectfve January 1, 2017. This approved increase is the first increase since 2001 for City Council. 2016 – 2017 Capital Improvement Plan Reviewed the financial plan for the 2016 – 2017 Capital Improvement plan and directed staff to proceed as presented. Lawful Gambling Approved the ordinance regulatfng lawful gambling. The ordinance was requested by a local organizatfon. The ordinance requires contributfons to the City from an organizatfon’s charitable gambling proceeds. Credit Card Processing Authorized staff to proceed with the steps necessary to implement credit card payment services. Bid Award – Downtown Utility and Street Improvement Project Awarded the contract for the Downtown Utflity and Street Improvement Project to Lametti and Sons, Inc. in the amount of $3,001,800. This amount includes two alternates which place the lift statfon on City property north of the CR 10/CR 50 intersectfon and extends service to City Park. Approved a set sale resolutfon for the sale of bonds. Compensation Study— Selection of Comparable Cities Authorized staff to use the presented group of comparable citfes in the compensatfon study. Estfmated completfon is May 2. Regional Recreation Amenity Discussion Discussed optfons for moving forward with the regional recreatfon amenity project. Council took no actfon and will contfnue discussion alongside the park dedicatfon ordinance update later this year. Police Officer Recruitment Process Council approved the updated Job Descriptfon and directed staff to begin the hiring process for the Police Officer positfon. Antfcipated start date is early July. Commissioner Recognition Kevin Dale and Commissioner Reappointments Council approved a resolutfon honoring outgoing Commissioner Kevin Dale. Approved reappointments to the Parks and Trails Commission, Planning Commission, and Charter Commission. Years of Service Recognition Council recognized Jeff Schmid for his 15 years of service to the City. Council recognized Clyde Bechtold for his 25 years of service to the City. Beacon Academy Update Beacon Academy withdrew their applicatfon to construct a K-8 Charter School in Corcoran. An existfng school building within another city was selected as a future locatfon. Paving Collector Roads Review of assessment policy and the proposed project was conducted. A petftfon was submitted by residents. Council held a neighborhood meetfng with residents to discuss the project on Tuesday, March 29. Cropland Bids Approved bids for the rental of the 48 acres the City owns near City Hall for 2016-2017. City Mission Statement The City of Corcoran will provide high quality public services in a cost effective, responsible, and professional manner in order to create a preferred environment to live, work, play and transact business. Page 3 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Building Permits Understanding the Assessment and Appeals Process Role of the Property Tax Assessor The assessor has an important role in the property tax process in that it is very important to make sure all property is valued at its market value and classified according to its use so the property tax levy is divided correctly among all taxable propertfes. The assessor does not determine your property taxes, and assessors do not raise revenue by increasing market values. Using a mass appraisal system and historical data, the assessor’s job is to estfmate the market value of all propertfes on the assessment date of January 2 each year. The assessor considers the locatfon of the property, the amount of land in each parcel, any improvements to the land, physical characteristfcs of the improvements, such as square footage, decks, porches, etc., and the quality of constructfon. The property is then compared to similar propertfes in your area that have recently sold in order to determine the estfmated market value. The assessor determines these factors each year, and they are shown annually on the Notfce of Valuatfon and Classificatfon. What if I disagree with how my property was assessed? If you have a disagreement over valuatfon or classificatfon of your property, the first step is to contact your city assessor. Review and verify informatfon with your city assessor such as dimensions, age and conditfon of structures. Review records to determine the market value of similar propertfes in your neighborhood. Review sales data to find out what similar propertfes in your area are selling for. Ask the assessor to explain the criteria used for classifying your property. You may also review the classificatfons of other propertfes used in the same manner as yours. If your property has not been inspected recently, both interior and exterior, ask the assessor to come out to review your property. If your concern is not resolved after conferring with the assessor, you may attend the Open Book meetfng for Corcoran residents, scheduled on April 14. Your assessor is not responsible for the dollar amount of taxes that you pay. Tax rates are determined by local taxing authoritfes (the city, the county, school districts, etc.). If you think your taxes are too high, you should make your opinion known to your taxing authoritfes during the budget meetfngs in September and December. For clarificatfon on your property assessment, Corcoran City Assessor Rolf Erickson is available to answer questfons at 763-473-3978. If you stfll disagree with your property tax assessment, appealing your assessment is the next step. You can appeal your assessment with the Hennepin County Board of Appeal and Equalizatfon, which typically meets in June. By law, the Local Board of Appeal and Equalizatfon cannot make a change favoring a taxpayer if the assessor is not allowed to inspect the property. You have the right to appeal your estfmated market value and or property classificatfon if you feel your property is: Classified improperly Valued at an amount higher or lower than you could sell your property for Valued at a level different from similar property in your area Visit www.taxes.state.mn.us for more informatfon or click here for a flow chart of the appeals process. www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Page 4 Spring/Summer 2016 Open Book Meeting April 14, 2016 The Open Book meetfng is an opportunity for residents to discuss their property valuatfon or classificatfon. For more informatfon on the process see the Hennepin County Assessor’s Office website at http://www.hennepin.us/ residents/property/property-value. Open Book Meeting Info April 14, 2016 5:30 pm — 7:00 pm Corcoran City Hall Community Room 8200 County Road 116 Corcoran, MN 55340 Fast Fact: In 1849, the first territorial assembly established a property tax levy to support schools — nine years before Minnesota became a state, in 1858. Notice of Valuation and Classification Each spring, the assessor will mail you a Notfce of Valuatfon and Classificatfon informing you of the market value and classificatfon of your property. Classification and Class Rates The assessor classifies property according to its use. Each class of property (single-family home, apart- ment, cabin, farm, and commercial) has it own classificatfon rate. The class rate is determined by the state legislature. Similar to market value, the class rate of your property plays a role in how much property tax you pay. Other Helpful Property Tax Links MN Department of Revenue Property Tax Division www.revenue.state.mn.us/propertytax/ Pages/Tax-Informatfon.aspx Understanding Your Assessment and Appeals Process: http://www.revenue.state.mn.us/ propertytax/factsheet_12c.pdf Community Room/ Park Rental The City Hall Community Room is available to rent for family or business events. The Corcoran Community Room is a great locatfon for family holiday gatherings, graduatfon partfes, birthday partfes, weddings, baby or wedding showers, and family reunions. The Community Room is 45 x 45 feet and accommodates seatfng for up to 140, has a full kitchen, men’s/women’s restrooms and access to the Memorial Garden with a gazebo behind the City Hall. Banquet, classroom and lecture style seatfng are available for room setup optfons. Community Room rental fees per day: Monday-Thursday $150.00 Friday $275.00 Saturday or Sunday $350.00 Park Shelter/Picnic Facility rental fees per day: Park Shelter $80.00 Ballfields/Soccer Fields $30.00 (6 hour usage) Lion’s Field-Lighted $30.00 (Addl per game) Tennis Courts $30.00 (All courts-4 hour usage) Volleyball court $30.00 (4 hour usage—Updated 4/4/2016) For more information, please contact City Hall at 763-420-2288 or view the City’s website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Page 3 Winter/Spring 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Page 5 Spring/Summer 2016 Parks & Recreation Parks and Trails Commissioner Dale Retires On March 24, 2016, the Corcoran City Council approved a resolutfon honoring outgoing Parks and Trails Commissioner Kevin Dale. Commissioner Dale has served the City of Corcoran on the Parks and Trails Committee since 2005. Mr. Dale has also served as the President of the Corcoran Athletfcs Associatfon (CAA) since 1979, and is retfring from that role as well, as the baseball season concludes in August. CAA is a non-profit, volunteer organizatfon and was incorporated in Minnesota in 1979. The program is for local area youth interested in baseball, softball and t-ball. What is unique about CAA is that there are no tryouts, everyone plays, and everyone has fun! Mr. Dale’s philosophy of “player first, winning second” has been a vision statement for CAA since it was established in 1979, and contfnues to be the focus of this long-standing summer ball program in Corcoran. Thank you for your years of service to Corcoran residents as Parks and Trails Commissioner and as President of Corcoran Area Athletfcs! Corcoran Gardeners Club Sponsored by Corcoran Parks and Trails Commission Corcoran has many resident gardens and many experienced gardeners but most of us do not know each other, which is unfortunate, because gardeners beautify the community and also help preserve native plants and wildlife. With the end of winter approaching, it is a great time to start planning new gardens, and also to start thinking about which perennials will need to be divided in the spring. A gardening fact, perennials that have been in the ground for three years or more will usually need to be separated and replanted to a new garden, or a friends garden or a city garden! Hostas, hydrangeas, coneflower, rudbeckia, phlox, forget-me-nots, sedum, daylilies and so many more are great perennials for Minnesota gardens! To learn more gardening tips, join the Corcoran Gardeners Club! Please consider volunteering and/or partfcipatfng in the Corcoran Gardeners Club to share your gardening expertfse, or simply join the Corcoran Gardeners Club to learn about gardening! Come be a part of designing gardens as the City of Corcoran develops and grows! Volunteers for the Memorial Garden, and at the City Park, are especially needed to enhance the beauty of these areas of Corcoran. The Corcoran Parks and Trails Commission is overseeing and organizing the Corcoran Gardeners Club. If you are interested in partfcipatfng or learning more, please send an email to Tom Anderson at tom.thegardener@yahoo.com or call 763-428-2559. Commissioner Dale (left) is presented with Years of Service Award from Mayor Guenthner (right). Public Safety When Do I Call 911? By dialing 911, you can reach the police department, fire department or an ambulance. When you call 911, a dispatcher connects you with the services you need. Dialing 911 is not for just emergencies such as medicals, burglaries or fires, but when you need any non-threatening police, fire or medical services. When the dispatcher answers they will ask you if it is an emergency and determine from there what services you need. If you’re not sure if you should call 911, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The dispatcher can help you determine if you need emergency assistance. Examples of when to call 911 would be a medical such as a possible heart attack or stroke, trouble breathing; house or grass fire; domestfc violence; burglary or theft; car accidents; suspicious actfvitfes; anything else that may seem like an emergency or for police services. If you call the police administratfve office with any of the above situatfons, you will be transferred to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Emergency Communicatfons/911 office to have the officer dispatched to your locatfon. The Police Administratfve Office is for administratfve services, such as registering for youth firearms training; permit to purchase applicatfons; returning a police officer’s call; to find out about paying a citatfon; setting up house watches while you’re out of town, etc. and does not dispatch the officer for police calls. Do not call 911 for informatfon; when the power is out; to report a broken fire hydrant; when your water pipes burst; to get a ride to an appointment; for paying tfckets; for your pet, or as a prank. It is against the law to make a prank call to 911. It is a prank call when someone calls 911 as a joke or calls 911 and hangs up. If 911 lines or emergency operators are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the necessary help. Hennepin County Sheriff’s 911 website link: http://www.hennepinsheriff.org/emergency-communicatfons911 Suicide Prevention If you or someone you know is in immediate danger call 911. Suicide is preventable. Help prevent suicide by knowing the warning signs: Talking about wantfng to die Looking for a way to kill oneself Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain Talking about being a burden to others Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs Actfng anxious, agitated or reckless Sleeping too little or too much Withdrawing or feeling isolated Showing rage or talking about revenge Display extreme mood swings If you are concerned someone is at risk for suicide: Ask them if they are thinking about killing themselves (this will not put the idea in their head or make it more likely that they will attempt suicide) Stay with the person (do not leave them alone) Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt Take the person to an emergency room Call the Natfonal Suicide Preventfon Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) The Corcoran Police Department shares informatfon on Facebook and Twitter regarding emergency informatfon, weekly press releases, special events and other happenings around the community. View or follow the links below for more informatfon: Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Corcoran- Police-Department/459695357400188 Twitter: www.twitter.com/corcoranpolice Corcoran Police Social Media www.ci.corcoran.mn.us page 6 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Fast Fact: Over 240 million calls are made to 911 in the United States each year. Over 70% of 911 calls in the United States are generated from wireless phones. Some other countries use 999 as their emergency response number. Information from www.facts.randomhistory.com DSMD Signs Appearing on a Road Near You Dynamic Speed Monitoring Displays (DSMD) are interactfve road signs for drivers that measure vehicle speed as motorists approach. The DSMD signs help encourage motorists to drive more safely by adjustfng their speed to comply with the posted speed limit sign. The DSMD sign, in combinatfon with a standard regulatory speed limit sign were found to be an effectfve long-term speed management solutfon at speed limit transitfons, reducing overall speeds in the area posted, with an increased conformance with the posted speeds. View http://1.usa.gov/1LtfLXF for the complete Long-Term Effectfveness Report of Dynamic Speed Monitoring Displays. www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Information in this article was collected from: Bulletin No. 8 revised November 2003 © Copyright Wisconsin Transportation Information Center. Road Restriction Reminder In the spring of each year, Corcoran Public Works follows MNDOT’s guidelines for road restrictfons throughout the City. Due to our geographic locatfon, we follow the Metro Region for placing restrictfons, but follow the Central Region for lifting restrictfons. This involves flagging and postfng signs at the entrances of these roads. A vehicle cannot exceed a total of four tons per axel weight. Why do we have road restrictions? In spring, roads begin to thaw from both the top and bottom. As the frost/ice melts, water saturates the road’s base and subgrade. The layers lose strength, like a handful of mud compared to dry compacted soil, and as thawing contfnues, water becomes trapped in the upper sub-grade and is unable to drain away through the stfll frozen soils below. Pavements and gravel roads weaken considerably in a very short tfme under these conditfons. These conditfons can also occur during and after periods of heavy rain, (more so on gravel roads). What causes the damage? Without adequate support, pavement deflects too much under heavy loads, developing cracks or depressions. Gravel roads develop soft spots and ruts as vehicle traffic compacts and displaces the over-saturated surface and subgrade. This degradatfon on both gravel and asphalt roads allows more moisture to penetrate, worsening the cycle untfl the road fails completely. The amount of damage a road sustains is directly related to the weight of the large trucks and how often it is applied, according to tests by AASHTO (the American Associatfon of State Highway and Transportatfon Officials). Passenger autos and light duty vehicles are not a problem. It is large trucks carrying usually legal weight loads over weakened surfaces which do the damage. When trucks carry loads that are heavier than the weight limit, the potentfal for damage is much higher. Another factor is the amount of weight and number of tfres on each axle. Damage increases rapidly with higher axle loads and actually worsens at a faster rate than the load increases. A nine-ton axle load, for example, causes about ten tfmes more damage than a five-ton axle load. Distributfng a vehicle’s weight and its payload over more axles and tfres assists in lightening the load at each point of contact, reducing damage to the road. Reducing Damage Imposing restrictfons on truck weight limits is a reasonable and practfcal way to protect vulnerable local roads when they are at their weakest. Spring weight limits begin with the first thawing (typically early March) and contfnue untfl the road surface is again strong enough to carry normal loads (typically mid-May). Public Works page 7 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Over 98% of wildfires in Minnesota are caused by people and are preventable. With the early warm weather, burning permits are required in the City of Corcoran. Burn permits are required for any burning, including brush or grass, weed control burns or any other type of controlled burn. Burn permits are required for any fires larger than 3-feet diameter by 3-feet in height. Anything smaller than a 3 feet by 3-feet fire must be a recreatfonal fire. Burn permits can be purchased at the Corcoran Police Department or City Hall for either a one-month burn period ($10.00), or a six-month burn period ($50.00). With either permit, please call the Corcoran Police Department to report the date and locatfon of the antfcipated burn. Both the police department and the appropriate fire department will be notffied in case your fire is called in as an emergency by a concerned resident. Any landowner or resident in Corcoran that does not have a permit for a controlled burn or bonfire can be cited and fined. For burn ban informatfon check the City’s website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us or the MN DNR website at: www.dnr.state.mn.us/ forestry/fire/plannedrestrictfons.html Burn Permits & Wildfire Prevention Residential Recycling Billing Reminder page 8 Winter 2015 The City of Corcoran partnered with Randy’s Environmental Services to provide convenient payment optfons to residents for their recycling services. Startfng in 2016, Randy’s Environmental Services, the City’s residentfal recycling contractor, billed residents directly for recycling services. All payments for recycling services are to be made directly to Randy’s Environmental Services. Account logins can be setup and payments can be made through Randy’s Environmental Service’s simple and secure Bill Pay portal at https://secure.randyssanitatfon.com. Payments can also be made over the telephone to Randy’s Environmental Services using a credit/debit card at 763-972-3335, or by mailing in a check to Randy’s Sanitatfon. Invoices were mailed to residents from Randy’s Environmental Services for the annual recycling fee in early 2016. The late charge for past due recycling fees will be 1.5% monthly of the annual fee and a one-tfme $10.00 late fee for recycling fees not paid by August 31, 2016. Be sure to submit your payment for recycling services to Randy’s Environmental Services early to avoid additfonal charges. Any unpaid recycling fees will be certffied to Hennepin County and will be added to your property tax bill. For more informatfon, contact the City of Corcoran at 763-420-2288. www.ci.corcoran.mn.us page 8 Spring/Summer 2016 IRS Impersonation Telephone Scam Be Aware of Suspicious IRS Phone Calls Information from IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts An aggressive and sophistfcated phone scam targetfng taxpayers, including recent immigrants, has been making the rounds throughout the country. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These con artfsts can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identfficatfon badge numbers. They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. Victfms are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victfm refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportatfon or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostfle and insultfng. Or, victfms may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private informatfon. If the phone isn't answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request. Note that the IRS will never: 1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill; 2) demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to questfon or appeal the amount they say you owe; 3) require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card; 4) ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or 5) threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. 2016 Corcoran Recycling Schedule For more information regarding recycling, please contact Randy’s Environmental Services at 763-972-3335 or visit their website at www.randyssanitatfon.com Fast Fact: A used aluminum can is recycled and back on the grocery shelf as a new can, in as little as 60 days. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours — or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline. Information from www.recycling-revolution.com page 9 Winter 2015 page 9 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Items Not Accepted at Clean Up Day Hazardous/Other Types of Waste Brushes, Paints, Stains, Oil/Oil Products, Household Garbage, Lawn and Garden Waste, Organics, Disposable Propane Tanks, and other Hazardous Waste. Hennepin County also offers a facility for recycling and hazardous waste materials disposal, and is located on Jefferson Highway in Brooklyn Park. Call 612-348-3777 for informatfon, or visit: www.hennepin.us/residents/recycling- hazardous-waste/collectfon-events Needles and Sharps Disposal Effectfve March 1, 2016, needles and sharps will be accepted from households for disposal at Hennepin County Drop Off Facilitfes in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington. Its important to manage and dispose of sharps (needles, lancets, and syringes) safely to prevent injury and disease transmission from needle-stfcks. Follow the link below for a complete list of safe disposal optfons for sharps, including mail-in and destructfon optfons, and the proper steps to utflize the drop off facilitfes: www.hennepin.us/green-disposal-guide/ itmes/needles-sharps Electronics Best Buy charges customers $25 per TV and computer monitor brought into their store for recycling (Limit of 2 per household). The fee helps cover the increasing cost of TV and computer monitor disposal. E-waste volume is rising while the need for recycled glass has declined. Best Buy contfnues to accept many electronics products such as batteries, ink cartridges, computers, printers and many other items needing to be recycled free of charge at all of their stores. Corcoran Clean Up Day 2016 City of Corcoran 2016 Clean Up Day Price List* Listed below are items accepted and the fee. Cash or Check Only Please. (*All Prices are subject to change) General Recyclable Steel (Scrap Metal) No Charge (Equipment and engines to be recycled must have all fluids drained) Upholstered Furniture/Mattress $25.00 (Each piece) (Mattresses, box springs, recliner/chair, etc.) Loveseat/Couch/Carpet $25.00 (Each piece) (Carpet per room [120 Sq. Ft.]) Misc. Junk (Price depends on amount) $5.00+ Level Pickup Box (Approx. 2 cu. yds.) $30.00 Level with Cab (Approx. 4 cu. yds.) $60.00 Tires Car $3.00 Pick-up Truck $4.00 Large Truck $7.00 Tractor Not Accepted (May bring to West Side Tire, 19925 75th Ave N, Corcoran) Appliances, Electronics, Etc. TV/Monitor (Tube style/CRT) 27” and smaller $20.00 28” and larger $30.00 Flat Panel LCD, LED, Plasma $5.00 Compressed Gas Appliances $15.00 (Refrigerator, Freezer, A/C, Dehumidifier, Etc.) General Appliances No Charge (Washer, Dryer, Stove, Dishwasher, Water Heater, Etc.) Batteries (Including automotive) No Charge Fluorescent Bulbs (Up to 8’) $1.00 (Each bulb) Propane Tank* (Valve must be removed) No Charge *No disposable tanks The City of Corcoran’s Annual Clean Up Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 7, 2016, from 8:00 am – Noon, at the Public Works Facility located at 9100 County Road 19 in Corcoran. The City of Corcoran will be acceptfng appliances, electronics, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, tfres, general junk and debris and scrap metal. There is a charge for many of these items. The City of Corcoran cannot accept hazardous materials such as paint, chemicals, oil, flammable liquids, disposable propane tanks, etc. Yard waste or other organic materials will not be accepted. Fast Fact: In an ancient Egyptian tomb painting, ‘The ancient Egyptians transported their hives along the Nile to pollinate crops and buried their pharaohs with containers full of honey to sweeten the afterlife.’ Photograph: Philip de Bay/Historical Picture Archive/Corbis Environmental Updates page 10 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Design A Minnesota Native Garden 1. Assess your yard. Consider adjoining property including natural features and opportunitfes for links to neighboring habitat; locatfon of your house, window views, neighbors, structures, sidewalks, utflity lines (both above and below ground), mature trees, weak or diseased trees, vegetable gardens, current shrubbery and flower beds; sun including number of hours of direct sunlight; topography including slopes and aspects (facing directfons); soils including drainage, pH, fertflity and texture (have a soil test done); water such as natural seeps and roof runoff. 2. Think about your preferences. How will the garden be used? (Is if for entertainment, play, public, private, and quiet areas) How long do you plan to stay in this house? What wildlife species would you like to attract? How much tfme is available for gardening? What kinds of trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses do you desire? Consider colors and appearances at different tfmes of the year. 3. Determine how much money you want to spend. 4. Develop a design based on your answers to the above questfons. Consult references, visit gardens and landscapes using natfve plants to modify your plan. Be realistfc about the size of your landscape project. Start small and add to it with each passing year. 5. Prepare garden/landscape site. Use a method appropriate for your site and preferences. Optfons include newspaper and mulch, selectfve use of herbicides, sod removal. For more information visit: http:// www.dnr.state.mn.us/gardens/ nativeplants/landscaping_steps.html Native Bee Pollinator Friendly Areas Information Courtesy of Parks and Trails Commission What do blueberries, squash, apples, tomatoes, soybeans, and alfalfa all have in common? They all depend on pollinators for their success. But as you have probably heard in the news, many pollinators are in trouble and their populatfons are plummetfng. The Guardians of the Food Chain Bees pollinate approximately 84% of the crops grown for human consumptfon. About 400 different types of plants need bees and other insects to pollinate them. Bees also make a priceless contributfon to our ecosystem. The seeds, fruits and berries eaten by small birds and mammals are all from plants pollenated by bees. One way to help bring some buzzing back to our yards, roadsides and farms is to create a pollinator friendly landscape. Minnesota natfve plants are the friendliest since they are nectar and pollen are rich. Natfve seed mixes and plants are available in many locatfons in our area. The Xerces Society website is a great place to find out where to get them and how to prepare your site. Corcoran Parks and Trails Committee is excited to introduce a pollinator plot to the City Hall lawn. This spring, a sectfon of sod near the wetland will be converted to a haven for bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Corcoran Parks and Trails are hostfng a plantfng event scheduled for Saturday, May 21, at 10:00 am at the Corcoran Community Room. Stay posted to the Corcoran website for plantfng updates. For more information, visit: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/17/why-are-bees- important Photograph: Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty Images Environmental Updates Learn About Importance of Honey Bees in Minnesota Information Courtesy of Corcoran Bee Club The Corcoran Bee Club was organized by Corcoran residents three years ago to provide an opportunity for area beekeepers to meet and support their hobby. Club meetfngs or events occur three to four tfmes per year and are very informal. There are no membership requirements or dues. Anyone interested in bees and the broad spectrum of issues involving bees is welcome to attend meetfngs. While we call ourselves the Corcoran Bee Club, the Club is intended to be a resource for anyone located in the western suburbs. The recent meetfng on February 23 included guest speaker, Dr. Becky Masterman from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad. The topic discussed was maintaining healthy honey bee colonies. Dr. Masterman stressed the importance of frequent, community-wide testfng for Varroa mites, which play a significant role in colony collapse. Current surveys show that over 50% of all colonies in Hennepin County are dying on an annual basis. The University is recommending that all hives be tested monthly, spring through fall, and appropriate treatment steps be taken. If any readers are keeping bees, and haven't connected with the Club, please do so we can share the latest research, techniques, and support to address this serious problem. For more informatfon visit www.beelab.umn.edu or emailing corcoranbeeclub@gmail.com. Meetfng topics are determined by the group and have included local hive site visits, guest speakers, and a group honey extractfon session last Fall. Meetfng regulars have been beginner, novice and experienced beekeepers, people who provide space on their property for hives maintained by others, gardeners, students, and plenty of people just curious about bees, beekeeping, and bees in the environment. Our indoor meetfngs are held at the Corcoran Community Room, typically on Monday or Tuesday evenings, and outdoor meetfngs and events tend to be held on Saturdays. The Club maintains an email list to provide meetfng notfces (no marketfng, etc.), as well as a Facebook page. If you’d like to receive email meetfng notfces or would like more informatfon about the Corcoran Bee Club and local beekeeping, simply send a message to corcoranbeeclub@gmail.com. page 11 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Fast Fact: The honeybee plays the most significant role in our ability to produce the basis of our diet: fruits and vegetables. Globally there are more honey bees than other types of bee and pollinating insects, so it is the world's most important pollinator of food crops. It is estimated that one third of the food that we consume each day relies on pollination mainly by bees, but also by other insects, birds and bats. Elm Creek Watershed General Info The Elm Creek watershed in northern Hennepin County is approximately 83,600 acres and drains land from nine communi- tfes including Champlin, Corcoran, Dayton, Greenfield, Hassan Township, Maple Grove, Medina, Plymouth, and Rogers. Land use throughout the watershed is highly variable and ranges from rural (predominantly row crop agricultural and hobby farms) to high density urban and commercial develop- ment. Based on the current comprehensive 2030 plans for the respectfve communitfes throughout the watershed, it is antfcipated that much of the currently rural land will be converted to low and medium density resi- dentfal land in the next 20 years (with in- creasing areas of high density residentfal and commercial development in specific areas). The watershed includes three major stream systems (Elm, Rush, and Diamond Creeks) that total over 41 stream miles. Ma- jor lake systems within the watershed in- clude French, Diamond, Rice, Fish, Weaver, Henry, Cowley, Hayden, Lehman’s, Goose, Mud Lakes and the Mill Ponds. To address water quality throughout the watershed, the Elm Creek Watershed Man- agement Commission in collaboratfon with Three Rivers Park District, Hennepin County Environmental Services, Minnesota Depart- ment of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pol- lutfon Control Agency (MPCA), United States Department of Geological Services (USGS), and the Metropolitan Council has conducted a series of monitoring and as- sessment studies. Previous studies include a longitudinal channel stability and erosion study; fish and invertebrate Index of Biotfc Integrity (IBI) studies; invertebrate monitor- ing through the Stream Health Evaluatfon Program (SHEP) and River Watch; mainte- nance of a long-term, USGS stream gauging/ water quality monitoring statfon; and a wa- tershed-wide Surface Water Assessment Grant. Based on the results of this work, seven waterbodies (Diamond, Fish, Weaver and French Lakes and Elm, Rush and Dia- mond Creeks) are currently listed as im- paired for dissolved oxygen, biota, nutri- ents, or mercury by MPCA. Corcoran Happenings page 12 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Parks and Trails Commission Donate Shade Trees Sponsored by the NW Area Jaycees and Corcoran Parks and Trails Commission For the past several years, the Parks and Trails Commission has given away shade tree saplings to Corcoran residents made possible with funds donated by the Northwest Area Jaycees. Varietfes offered include deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The trees will be distributed the end of April. Check the Corcoran website for updates at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Corcoran Lions Scholarships The Corcoran Lions are excited to offer their 28th annual scholarship program. Each year it is a great opportunity to be able to help our youth with the opportunity to further their educatfon. As in past years, the basic rules remain the same and they are as indicated below. Applicatfons are due by April 15, 2016, along with a transcript of grades. Applicatfons can be found on the Lions website at www.corcoranlions.com or at or the following high school offices Buffalo, Delano, Maple Grove, Mayer Lutheran, Osseo, Rockford, Wayzata, Providence Academy and West Lutheran High School. If a student attends a high school outside of the area or has been home- schooled and stfll resides in the City of Corcoran, he or she is eligible for a scholarship. Please contact Jerry Cain by email if you need an applicatfon: jerryjcain@gmail.com. The Award Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at Corcoran City Hall, at 7:00 pm. The Corcoran Lions Club awards scholar- ships to graduatfng seniors who live in the City of Corcoran. This year the Lions will have the 7th annual Bill Schalo Scholarship. Bill’s scholarship is given based on community service in Corcoran. This scholarship is given in memory of the Lions’ fellow member who gave so freely to our community for so many years. The scholar-ships are based on academic, leadership, service to the community and a need basis. The graduate must attend college, junior college, university, trade or vocatfonal school in the year directly following graduatfon to receive the award. The Corcoran Lions Club is a service that helps build communitfes through events, donatfons and assistance. The Lions Club makes donatfons to many organizatfons in our community, which includes the police and fire and City Hall. Their goal is to encourage new memberships and promote events held at the Corcoran Lions Park. If you are interested in becoming a Lions member, email jerryjcain@gmail.com or stop by one of our meetfngs held at the Corcoran City Hall at 7:00 pm, on the first and third Tuesday of each month. NW Historical Pioneer Society Display at City Hall Sponsored by the NW Historical Pioneer Society Have you ever looked into your attic, closet or storage and found a treasure to be restored and displayed or used again? Members of the NW Historical Pioneer Society decided to renovate a display case found in storage of the historical Burschville School. Joe May, a Pioneer Society volunteer with family roots in the community, assisted with the display case transformatfon. He located a pane of old glass, and fitted the glass into the case, giving the case new life. The display case was filled with antfque school items from the original Burschville School. Currently on display at the Corcoran City Hall, are memories from the three of the one-room schools of Corcoran. Only one of the seven schools stfll stands in Corcoran and is available to tour by appointment only when the doors reopen again in May. For more informatfon about the NW Historical Pioneer Society or the Burschville School, contact Betty 763-498-8507, Bonnie 763-420-3440, or Verneal 763-498-8677. If you would like to attend a meetfng, please join us for coffee and learn more about the Burschville one-room school at a NW Historical Pioneer Society meetfng: Apr 16: 10:00 am meetfng at the Corcoran City Hall May 18: 4:00-5:00 pm cleaning the school-Pot Luck and meetfng at 6:30 pm June 15: 6:30 pm meetfng at the school July 20: 6:30 pm meetfng at the school Aug 21: Summerfest Corcoran Lions Blood Drive Sponsored by the Corcoran Lions, NW Jaycees and St. Thomas Church The Corcoran Lions, NW Area Jaycees and St. Thomas Church are sponsoring an annual blood drive on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, from 3:30 pm — 7:00 pm. The blood drive will be located at St. Thomas Church at County Road 116 and County Road 10, at 20000 County Road 10, in Corcoran. To make an appointment, for additfonal informatfon or questfons, please contact Ken at 763-420-2279 or Val at 612-578-4314. Corcoran Happenings Fast Fact: Thank you to the CSA Board Members and all the volunteer coaches who helped make 2015 a great season of Corcoran Soccer! Visit www.corcoransoccer.org for details. Corcoran Soccer Sponsored by the Corcoran Soccer Association Registration Opens Mid-April for Summer 2016 Soccer Season Corcoran Soccer is a co-ed, summer recreatfonal soccer league serving the citfes of Corcoran, Greenfield, Hamel, Medina, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Rockford, and surrounding areas since 1999. Corcoran Soccer offers affordable recreatfon emphasizing skill acquisitfon, conditfoning, and most of all, fun, for children ages 5 through 14. Teams are formed into age brackets based on date of birth using US Youth Soccer Associatfon guidelines. Corcoran Soccer is a non-profit, volunteer-run organizatfon. Online registratfon for players and coaches opens mid-April 2016 at www.corcoransoccer.org. Please consider coaching your child’s team! Families receive one free player registratfon for a parent who is coaching! Corcoran Soccer Association Looking for Board Members The Corcoran Soccer Associatfon has board member openings for interested parent volunteers looking to support local athletfcs. Board members seats are volunteer positfons. Please contact current President Kevin Pomerenke at 763- 420-6090 (evenings) or via email at Kevin.pomerenke@corcoransoccer.org for more informatfon. Referee Training Want to be a soccer referee? Visit www.minnesotasrc.com for more informatfon and follow directfons there. Most requirements can be completed online (returning referees can be recertffied entfrely online). New referees are required to attend a clinic once online requirements are completed. There are many clinics but the sooner you sign up, the easier it is to attend one near you…as April approaches, clinics are less available. Open to youth and adults! Check the Minnesota State Referee Committee website listed above for further details. Please note that completing your certification in no way guarantees you a spot with any specific soccer club. www.ci.corcoran.mn.us page 13 Spring/Summer 2016 NW Area Jaycees Scholarships The Northwest Area Jaycees will be awarding up to $15,000 in scholarship monies to graduatfng senior high school students. All applicants must reside within Corcoran city limits and will be contfnuing onto their college educatfon during the entfre Fall 2016-Spring 2017 school year. The applicatfons are scored on the following: Academics, Leadership, Community Involvement, and Financial Need. Complete all questfons, including teacher recommendatfon letter, high school transcript and you must sign the applicatfon in the space provided. The Scholarship Committee will notffy all applicants of scholarship status via mail and/or email. All questfons must be answered on separate paper and typed. All unanswered segments of the applicatfon will be scored as zero. Completed Scholarship Applicatfons must be received or postmarked no later than Friday, May 6, 2016! Visit www.ci.corcoran.mn.us and select Organizatfons/Events, and then Northwest Area Jaycees to view scholarship applicatfon informatfon. Local High School Scholarship and Commencement Dates: Buffalo HS Scholarship Page http://bit.ly/1NVVjxC Commencement Date: Fri, June 10, 2016 Delano HS Scholarship Page http://bit.ly/1MHhJkn Commencement Date: Sun, June 5, 2016 Maple Grove HS Scholarship Page http://bit.ly/1SmMLFs Commencement Date: Sat, June 11, 2016 Rockford HS Scholarship Page http://bit.ly/1OxWdpy Commencement Date: Thurs, June 9, 2016 Wayzata HS Scholarship Page http://bit.ly/1TpUuAZ Commencement Date: Fri, June 3, 2016 page 14 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us 2016 Corcoran Event Calendar Apr 7: Planning Commission Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers Apr 14: Open Book Meeting—Property Assessments 5:30 pm — Community Room Apr 19: Parks & Trails Meeting 7:00 pm — Community room Apr 28: Council Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers May 5: Planning Commission Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers May 7: Corcoran Clean Up Day 8:00 am — Public Works Facility May 12: Council Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers May 17: Parks & Trails Meeting 7:00 pm — Community room May 21: Parks & Trails Planting Event 10:00 am — Community room May 28: Council Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers May 30: HOLIDAY City Hall Closed June 2: Planning Commission Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers May 21 June 6: Lion’s Spring Tractor Pull 7:00 pm — Corcoran Lion’s Park June 9: Council Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers June 16-19: Hennepin County Fair (See page 15 for complete County Fair listings) Corcoran Lion’s Park June 21: Parks & Trails Meeting 7:00 pm — Community room June 23: Council Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers July 4: HOLIDAY City Hall Closed July 7: Planning Commission Meeting 7:00 pm — Council Chambers July 7-10: Hamel Rodeo Corcoran Lion’s Park Corcoran Happenings Hope Community Church Upcoming Events Sponsored by Hope Community Church Hope Community Church is located at County Roads 30 and 116, and has been actfve in the Corcoran Community since it was founded in 1997. One of the key ways they serve is through community events such as the Corcoran 5K, children’s sports camps, comedy nights, and holiday events. Veteran’s Dinner We would like to spend a night honoring our veterans with a delicious dinner and uplifting presentatfon. As our special guest, we welcome Keith Lorensen, retfred Master Chief, United States Navy. Keith was born in St. Paul MN and enlisted in the Navy after graduatfng from Osseo High School in 1985. Much of his Navy career was spent on the East Coast serving on guided-missile frigates and destroyers. During 10 years of duty at sea, he toured the Atlantfc Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Middle East. During what was to be his last deployment, he was serving as the senior enlisted engineer on the USS COLE when it was attacked by terrorists in the port of Aden Yemen. Seventeen sailors were killed and 39 more were injured that morning, including Keith. You will be inspired and encouraged by Keith’s powerful story. Date: Friday, April 29 Time: 6:30 pm Cost: Veterans receive complimentary tfcket (must RSVP by April 22). Other guest tfckets are $15.00 per person. RSVP by April 22 at www.myhopecommunity.org/ veterans/, or call 763-494-4673. Location: Hope Community Church, 19951 Oswald Farm Road, Corcoran Sports Camp for Kids 2016 Faith-based coaches, quality sports instructfon, positfve role models, faith-related study tfmes, with skits and games, are all part of the Sports Camp for Kids 2016 fun! Boys and girls Age 4-12 are invited to register. Sports Available: Soccer (age 6-12) Flag Football (boys age 8-12) Cheer (girls age 6-12) Team 45 (ages 4-5) Date: June 13-17 Time: 5:00—8:15pm Cost: $45.00 per child (includes camp t-shirt). Visit www.myhopecommunity.org/sportscamp/ for more informatfon or to register, or call 763-494-4673. Location: Hope Community Church, 19951 Oswald Farm Road, Corcoran Minnesota City Festival Happenings www.ci.corcoran.mn.us page 15 Spring/Summer 2016 Fun All Summer Long County fairs and city festfvals evoke fond memories for adults and children alike. Minnesota has over 300 fairs and festfvals each year for family fun! A county fair is a local, public event exhibitfng equipment, produce, livestock and traditfons. County fairs and city festfvals can include carnival games, amusement rides, baked goods contests, sportfng events, livestock competftfons, just about anything that brings people together for entertainment. Corcoran Country Daze Corcoran Country Daze is co-sponsored by the City of Corcoran and the NW Area Jaycees and takes place on August 19-20. With bands playing both Friday and Saturday nights, and plenty of free family fun on Saturday, Corcoran Country Daze has quickly become an annual family favorite event in Corcoran! For more informatfon on Minnesota summer events visit: www.exploreminnesota.com Festival City Dates Website Tater Daze Festfval Brooklyn Park June 16-18, 2016 www.brooklynpark.org/tater-daze Hennepin County Fair Corcoran June 16-19, 2016 www.hennepincountyfair.com St. Louis Park Parktacular St. Louis Park June 16-19, 2016 www.partacular.org Rockin’ Rogers Rogers June 22-26, 2016 http://www.rogersmnlions.org/programs-events/rockin-rogers/ Big Lake Spud Fest Big Lake June 23-26, 2016 www.biglakespudfest.com Plymouth Music in the Park Plymouth June 29, 2016 www.musicinplymouth.org Delano 4th of July Celebratfon Delano June 29-July 4, 2016 www.delano4th.com World Championship Hamel Rodeo Corcoran July 7-10, 2016 www.hamelrodeo.org Robbinsdale Whiz Bang Days Robbinsdale July 7-10, 2016 www.whizbangdays.com Maple Grove Days Maple Grove July 13-17, 2016 www.mgco.org Ramsey County Fair Maplewood July 13-17, 2016 www.ramseycountyfair.com Montfcello Riverfest Montfcello July 14-17, 2016 www.montfcelloriverfest.com Sherburne County Fair Elk River July 14-17, 2016 www.sherburnecountyfair.org Anoka County Fair Anoka July 26-31, 2016 www.anokacountyfair.com Wright County Fair Howard Lake July 27-31, 2016 www.wrightcountyfair.org Scott County Fair Jordan July 27-31, 2016 www.scottcountyfair.com Riverboat Days Wabasha July 29-30, 2016 www.wabashamn.org/riverboat-days Crow Wing County Fair Brainerd August 4-8, 2015 www.cwcfair@brainerd.com Dakota County Fair Farmington August 8-14, 2016 www.dakotacountyfair.org Carver County Fair Waconia August 10-14, 2016 www.carvercountyfair.com Mille Lacs County Fair Princeton August 11-14, 2016 www.millelacscountyfair.com St. Michael Daze & Knights Festfval St. Michael August 12-13, 2016 www.stmichaelfestfval.com Rockford River Days Rockford August 12-14, 2016 www.rockfordriverdays.weebly.com Corcoran Country Daze Corcoran August 19-20, 2016 www.countrydaze.org Minnesota State Fair St. Paul Aug 25-Sept 5, 2016 www.mnstatefair.org Become an Election Judge Do you have an interest in serving as an electfon official? Join our team. Electfon Judges attend training, assist the equipment testfng and work at the polling places on electfon day. If you are interested in becoming an electfon judge contact Jessica Beise, City Clerk / Administratfve Ser- vices Coordinator via email at jbeise@ci.corcoran.mn.us or via phone at 763-400-7029 for more informatfon. Corcoran News is published quarterly by the City of Corcoran to update residents and businesses on city government news. City Council Ken Guenthner, Mayor kguenthner@ci.corcoran.mn.us Pat Hank, Councilor phank@ci.corcoran.mn.us Mike Keefe Councilor mkeefe@ci.corcoran.mn.us Tonya LaFave, Councilor tlafave@ci.corcoran.mn.us Ron Thomas, Councilor rthomas@ci.corcoran.mn.us City Administrator Brad Martens 763-400-7030 bmartens@ci.corcoran.mn.us City of Corcoran Main Office — 763-420-2288 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am — 4:00 pm Upcoming Meetings Planning & Commission Meetings April 7, May 5, June 2, and July 7 7:00 pm Parks & Trails Commission Meetings April 19, May 17, June 21, and July 19 7:00 pm Corcoran City Council Meetings April 14, April 28, May 12, May 26, June 9, June 23, July 14, and July 28 7:00 pm City Website www.ci.corcoran.mn.us Primary Election Dates June 24: Absentee Votfng Begins July 19: Last Day to Pre-Register to Vote for the Primary (Registration on Election Day Available) Aug 6: City Hall is Open for Absentee Votfng In-Person from 10:00 am-3:00 pm Aug 8: In-Person Absentee Votfng Ends at 5:00 pm Aug 9: Primary Electfon Day City Council Candidates Aug 2: Filing Opens for Candidates Aug 16: Candidate Filing Closes at 5:00 pm Are you Registered to Vote? Voter Registratfon is required prior to castfng your ballot. Voter registratfon applicatfons can be completed online at https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/ VoterRegistratfon/ VoterRegistratfonStep1.aspx, by clicking here to printout the voter registratfon applicatfon, or by applying in-person on electfon day (includes in-person absentee votfng.) To register, you must be: A U.S. citfzen At least 18 years old on Electfon Day A resident of Minnesota for 20 days Finished with all parts of any felony sentence You can vote while under guardianship unless a judge specifically has revoked your right to vote You cannot vote if a court has ruled that you are legally incompetent. If you have moved, changed names, or haven't voted within four years, you must update your registration by completing a new registration application. Registration Deadlines You may register on Electfon Day, however, individuals are encouraged to register before Electfon Day to save tfme at the polling place. Online registratfon deadline is 11:59 pm, 21 days before Electfon Day. If registering by mail, applicatfons must be received by your electfon office by 5 pm, 21 days before Electfon Day. General Election Dates Sept 23: Absentee Votfng Begins Oct 18: Last Day to Pre-Register to Vote for the Electfon (Registration on Election Day Available) Nov 5: City Hall is Open for Absentee Votfng In-Person from 10:00 am-3:00 pm Nov 7: In-Person Absentee Votfng Ends at 5:00 pm Nov 8: General Electfon Day For more informatfon on electfons, contact Jessica Beise, City Clerk / Administratfve Services Coordinator via email at jbeise@ci.corcoran.mn.us or via phone at 763-400-7029. PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID ROGERS, MN PERMIT NO. 98 City of Corcoran 8200 County Road 116 Corcoran, MN 55340 page 16 Spring/Summer 2016 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us General Information Important Election Dates