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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-07 -- Summer City Council Members Mayor—Ken Guenthner 763-478-6699 Councilors—Tom Cossette, Rich Asleson, Diane Lynch, Ron Thomas If you would like to speak at open forum, please contact City Administrator Brad Martens at 763-400-7030. If you have a question or concern for the council, please email general@ci.corcoran.mn.us. “Let your voice be heard.” C i t y o f C o r c o r a n C i t y o f C o r c o r a n INSIDE THIS ISSUE Strategic Planning - continued 2 Planning and Development 2 Election Information 3 Adopt -A -Highway Program 3 Scholarship Awards 3 Corcoran Bee Club Meeting 4 Police News and Burning Permit 4 Gravel Roads / Dust Control 5 Events and Activities 6-7 Property Owner Requirements 8 Support Local Businesses 9 Waste and Recycling 10 Watch For Emerald Ash Borer 11 Septic Compliance 12 Contacting Staff 12 Homesteading 12 NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER July 2014July 2014 City Council Strategic Planning City Council Strategic Planning One of the most important actions any organization can take is to establish a strong focus on what they want to be and how they are going to get there. It is with this in mind that the City Council has placed considerable time and effort into adopting a mission statement, vision statement, values statement, and strategic goals for the City. A regular question I have received when speaking about these items is “Isn’t that what the comprehensive plan is for?” In short, they work in coordination. To use a transportation metaphor, the comprehen- sive plan is the road map and the mission statement, vision statement, values statement, and strategic goals are used to decide which road to drive on. These items are shorter term in nature and are meant to be updated as needed to reflect the priorities, goals, and leadership of the organization. A brief description of each adopted item is below. For more information please visit our website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us and click on About Us. A mission statement is the purpose or role of the organization: a statement describing the organization’s reason for existence. The following is the adopted mission statement for the City: “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.” A vision statement is a mental picture of a possible or desirable future state of the organization. The adopted vision statement is below; four objectives are tied to this vision statement (service delivery, financial management, and two related to development), which you can read more about on the City’s website: “The City of Corcoran will expand opportunities for its residents by supporting life cycle housing, recreational amenities, a vibrant business community, and a strong downtown city center while preserving its natural character and agricultural roots.” Continued on next page Elected Council positions open for 2015. For election details see page 3. Submitted by - Brad Martens, City Administrator 8200 Co. Rd. 116 · Corcoran, MN 553408200 Co. Rd. 116 · Corcoran, MN 55340 City Office Hours 8:00am City Office Hours 8:00am -- 4:00pm Monday 4:00pm Monday -- FridayFriday www.ci.corcoran.mn.us or 763www.ci.corcoran.mn.us or 763--420420--22882288 Page 2 Public Works Open House a Success Thank you to everyone who attended the Public Works facility open house on May 8th. Approximately 175 people braved the rain to view the new facility, speak with staff, and most importantly enjoy a brat and root beer float. Special thanks to Ebert Construction for providing the food for the event. If you were unable to attend you can visit the City’s website for a slide show presentation. (Department - Public Works / Parks ) The latest updated information on Planning and Development The following highlight a few of the planning and development projects which have been reviewed by the City Council. For further information contact City Hall at 763-420-2288.  Ravinia (Lennar development) The final Planned Unit Development plan to allow 426 single family detached homes on 266.57 acres and final plat for phase one of a development called Ravinia was approved in April. Grading began in June along with the demolition of three existing homes on Gleason Road. Due to the significance of the project, a special website has been created to host regular updates on the project. A link can be found on the City’s website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us under About Us / “What’s New.”  Peachtree Partners, LLC (Schendel property) A comprehensive plan amendment was approved in June to re-guide the property from high density residential (10+ units/acre) to low density residential (3-5 units/acre). The applicant (Peachtree Partners) has also presented a sketch plan to the City Council for 249 homes on the 103.3 acre site. Several additional items need to be approved prior to any development taking place (rezoning to PUD, preliminary plat, preliminary PUD development plan, final plat, final PUD development plan). The City Council, Planning Commission, and Parks and Trails Commission will review these applications as they come forward.  Hope Center – Community Center in Maple Hill Estates Final agreements were approved in June allowing construction of the facility to take place this summer/fall. The es- timated total cost of the project is $346,000, of which the City has contributed just over $18,000, or approximately five percent. Other funds committed are a $225,000 community development block grant and a personal guarantee in the amount of $30,000. The City has agreed to cover the costs initially while Mobile Hope completes fundraising to cover remaining costs.  Three Rivers Park District Trailhead Three Rivers Park District is proposing to construct a trailhead at the southeast intersection of County Road 19 and County Road 10. If approved, construction will take place this summer/fall. Continued from page 1 A values statement describes those values that are fundamental to our organization’s success and the fulfillment of our mission. The adopted values are: excellence and quality in the delivery of services, fiscal responsibility, ethics and integrity, open and honest commu- nication, treating the citizen as our customer, professionalism, and equal opportunity. For more information and a description of what each means to us, please visit the website. Last but not least are the City’s adopted strategic goals which outline our short-term priorities. These are: improve communications with the public; develop a mission, vision, values statement, and goals program; strengthen the City’s commissions; enhance staff to prepare for and respond to the City’s future growth; address the City’s infrastructure needs; implement the City’s utilities process; and create a recreational space strategic plan. A work plan for each goal can be found on the City’s website. While the City has taken a very big step in adopting these items, significant effort and dedication is required to make it a reality. Each will be incorporated into the decision making process as well as the organizational culture. I sincerely look forward to working on the im- plementation of these important items and the discussion they promote. If you have comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach me at 763-400-7030 or bmartens@ci.corcoran.mn.us. Page 3 Be Prepared For 2014 Elections ELECTION UPDATE Primary Election: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 Polls Open 7:00am - 8:00pm General Election: Tuesday, November 4, 2014 Polls Open 7:00am - 8:00pm Voting will be held at City Hall 8200 CO RD 116 - Corcoran MN 55340 Municipal Elections The City of Corcoran has three elected positions on the November 2014 general election ballot: the Mayor (2-year term) and two City Council at-large positions, representing all Corcoran residents (4-year terms). Persons interested in running for these offices must file at City Hall. The filing period opens at 8:00 am on July 29, 2014, and closes at 5:00 pm on August 12, 2014. For more information, contact City Clerk Jeanie Heinecke at 763-400-7032 or email: jheinecke@ci.corcoran.mn.us. Absentee Voting—Minnesota law allows individuals to apply to vote by absentee ballot if they are unable to vote in person on election day. Residents may obtain an absentee ballot application by downloading it from our website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us, calling City Hall 763-420- 2288, stopping by City Hall during regular business hours to fill out an ab- sentee application, or visiting the Secretary of State website www.sos.state.mn.us. Primary election absentee ballots are available June 27, 2014 through August 11, 2014, with general election absentee ballots available from September 19, 2014, through November 3, 2014. Additionally, City Hall will be open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, August 9, 2014, and Saturday, November 1, 2014, for absentee voting. Important Election Dates To Remember July 29, 2014 Municipal -Candidate filing period opens August 9, 2014 City Hall open 10:00 am - 3:00 pm for absentee voting August 11, 2014 City Hall open until 5:00 pm for absentee voting August 12, 2104 Primary Election - Polls open 7:00 am - 8:00 pm August 12, 2014 Candidate filing period closes 5:00 pm August 14, 2014 Last day for candidate to withdraw 5:00 pm November 1, 2014 Hall open 10:00 am - 3:00 pm for absentee voting November 3, 2014 City Hall open until 5:00 pm for absentee voting November 4, 2014 General Election - Polls open 7:00 am - 8:00 pm What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program? The Public can volunteer and participate in Adopt-A-Highway to pick up littler along Hennepin County roads and highways. This program is open to schools, community groups, civic organizations, faith communities, businesses, families and individuals by picking up litter on both sides of a road for at least two years. Along with the many volunteer activities giving back to the community, the Northwest Area Jaycees has committed to a two-mile portion of CO RD 30 for over 20 years. To adopt a road you can contact Hennepin County Transportation Department at 612-596- 0339 or go to Hennepin County’s website. THANK YOU LADIES FOR YOUR EFFORTS!THANK YOU LADIES FOR YOUR EFFORTS! Pictured below are: L-R Missy Braun, Meghan Larson, Leah Nybo, Tammy Thompson, Deb Regan, Val Nybo, Shelly Larson. SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS CEREMONY In June the Northwest Area Jaycees held their 2014 Scholarship award ceremony for the graduating seniors that applied. Applications were scored on the following: Academics. Leadership, Community Involvement and Financial Need. The graduate must attend a college, junior college, university, trade or vocational school, in the year directly following graduation to receive the award. For 2015 graduating seniors, applications can be picked up at their high school counselors' office in the spring. Page 4 CORCORAN POLICE RECOGNITION Officer Kevin Wagman (L) and Officer Dan Drake (R) were accompanied by Mayor Guenthner, Chief Gormley and Lieutenant Hamilton at the I94 Chamber of Commerce 1st Annual – First Responder Luncheon held in Rogers. Both Officers were recognized for their outstanding service and lifesaving award for a medical event this past January. The department and community also thank them for their outstanding services. Corcoran Bee Club Are you interested in bees? Are you a beekeeper, or thinking about keeping bees? Are you just curious to find out why bees have been in the news so much lately? If so, you are invited to meet with other bee enthusiasts at the inaugural meeting of the Corcoran Bee Club. We’re meeting on Monday, July 21, 7:00 pm at the Corcoran Civic Center, 8200 Co. Rd 116 (Corcoran City Hall). The meeting will be a casual affair and the group will welcome your involvement at any level of interest. Information, refresh- ments, entertainment, - we’ll have it all. Burning Permits If you choose to burn yard debris, don’t forget to apply for your burning permit; it only takes a couple of minutes to apply in person during the business hours of Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Police Department. Burn permits are required for any fires larger than 3’ diameter by 3’ in height. Anything smaller than a 3’ by 3’ fire must be a recreational fire. Burn permits are not required when the ground is snow-covered, which is ground that has a continuous unbroken cover of snow to a depth of 3 inches or more surrounding the immediate area of the fire. Items approved to burn are vegetative material, such as grass, leaves, brush and untreated lumber. Items not approved to burn are hazardous wastes, demolition debris, motor vehicles, oils, rubber, plastics, chemically-treated materials, sheet rock, paint and garbage. You can find the complete list on the city’s website or on the MN DNR’s website at: www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire Failure to obtain a burn permit can result in a citation. Please feel fre e t o s t o p b y and join t h e b u z z ! LOST AND FOUND FOR PETS - WE CAN HELP If you have lost or found an animal, contact the Corcoran Police Department by calling 763-525-6220. We can take the information and try to locate the pet owner. However we do not have the facility to pickup a found pet and hold them until the owner is located. We ask from our residents, who finds the animal to care for it until the owner is found or until alternative care can be given. If you have lost a pet, calling the area police departments, pet shelters and veterinarian offices are helpful. There are pages on Facebook for lost pets of MN that have great resources with success in returning animals to their owners. For more information, you can check out our website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. and click on Departments / Police. SWING AWAY MAIL BOX POST We experienced lots of heavy snow this past winter, which may have damaged your mail box posts. Now would be the perfect time to replace it with a Swing Away Mail Box Post. This post is designed to reduce or eliminate damages done by heavy snow buildup by the snow being thrown from the plow trucks blade. These post are constructed of galvanized steel designed to meet the Postal regulations and MNDOT’s specifications. There is one on display by the front doors of City Hall and is also available for you to purchase for $65.00, or you can have it installed for a complete price of $150.00. Page 5 Gravel Roads In The Community – Dust Control Program There are 102 miles of roads in the City of Corcoran of which 63 miles are maintained by the City. A full 60 percent of those roads (38 miles) maintained by the City are gravel. Gravel roads are common in rural areas and may be referred to as 'dirt roads' in common speech, but that term is used more for unimproved roads with no surface material added. If well-constructed and maintained, a gravel road is an all-weather road. In order to keep the roads in good condition, a dust control product is applied to 27 miles of the City’s most traveled gravel roads. Benefits of using dust control include a more stabilized road, retained moisture for prolonged periods to reduce dust, a smoother driving surface, and reduced gravel replacement. The product used in 2014 is calcium chloride. Since not all properties in Corcoran use gravel roads, the City has chosen to assess costs related to the project to benefitting properties as follows:  Total costs of the project are estimated and a dollar amount in the City’s general fund is dedicated towards the project. This amount is $55,000 in 2014 or 50% of the estimated costs.  The remaining costs are assessed to benefiting properties based upon what type of road they live on (neighborhood, high density collector, cul-de-sac, or low density collector).  Affected properties are mailed a notice of the proposed amount to be assessed.  A public hearing is scheduled where affected properties can make their views heard formally.  The City Council then chooses to maintain the proposed assessment or adjust the assessments lower. The amount cannot increase after the notice has been mailed. In 2014 the City Council held the Public Hearing on June 12, 2014. The final decision related to assessment amounts will be determined after the product is applied (originally scheduled for late June however delayed until late July due to the rain). When complete costs of the project are known, If you would like further information on the program please contact Brad Martens at 763-420-2288 or bmartens@ci.corcoran.mn.us . HELP DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS BY VOLUNTEERING A SMALL AMOUNT OF YOUR TIME The Northwest Area Jaycees and Corcoran Lions are always looking for men and women young (age 18) and old who would like to give back to the community. These organizations have been giving back for many years contributing thousands of dollars to our city parks to assist with building a better, brighter future for our next generation. These organizations also sponsor events at the City Park and Corcoran Lions Park off CO RD 10, along with volunteering time for several activities. The more the merrier, make it a family thing by joining with your brother or sister, aunts, uncles or cousins. For more information on becoming a Jaycee contact Val Nybo 612-518-4314 or Chad Robran 763-498-0167. Or go to the website at www.corcoranlions.com on becoming a Lion’s member. A special thank you to these organizations for all they do to give back to the community Page 6 Annual Summer Fest The Summer Fest will be Sunday, August 17th. It will be held at the Corcoran / Burschville School. Located 4 ½ miles west of CO RD 116 and CO RD 10, from noon to 4:30 pm. Coordinated by volun- teers from the North Hennepin Pioneer Society, the festival offers live music, pork chops, entertainment, kids’ games, face painting, clown, flea market, hourly raffles and a look inside the school and the Potter cabin. For more information, raffle tickets, assistance or charitable contributions, please contact Verneal Klersey at 763-498-8677 or Bonnie Maue at 763-420-3440. To help conserve this historical site and schoolhouse, please consider becoming a member of the North Hennepin Pioneer Society. They are also looking for any memorabilia or copies of class photos from the Burschville area and especially from District #107. Donations are greatly appreciated to help with the maintenance and grounds upkeep. Visit the city’s website under Organizations for more information about the school. $25.00 Registration Prior to 8/16/14—$35.00 Race Day Start @ 8:30am Registration available at: www.hope-church.info Page 7 Page 8 ARE YOU NEW TO CORCORAN OR PLANNING ON MAKING A CHANGE TO YOUR HOME? Permits are required for Manufactured /Mobile Homes, Residential Homes and Accessory Structures. The following permits can be issued “over-the-counter.” Reroofing $95 Residing $95 Windows (installed in same openings) $95 General Plumbing $55 Water Heater $25 Water Softener $20 Furnace, Heat Pump, or A/C Unit $80/unit Gas Fireplace $105 Mobile Home Installation $255 *All fees above include a State Surcharge Fee ($5) - per the adopted 2014 Fee Schedule. Other projects such as new homes, decks, additions, and remodeling require plan review prior to permit issuance and fees are based on project valuation. Plan review times can vary depending on the time of year but typically take 5-7 business days if the application and plans are complete. The City of Corcoran has a number of handouts available, including: accessory structures, additions, new homes, basement finish/remodel, decks, etc. These guidelines list permit submittal requirements and examples of plans. Handouts and permit forms are available at City Hall or online at: www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Please call Mike Pritchard, at 763-400-7033 with questions. NOXIOUS WEEDS AND GRASSES FOLLOW THE CITY AND STATE CODES Corcoran’s ordinance limits the height of weeds and grass to a maximum of 12 inches. It also enforces the state noxious weed ordinance. Enforcement is done on a routine checking basis or in response to a complaint. Following the receipt of a complaint, an inspection is made to determine if the vegetation is in excess of 12 inches or is on the state noxious weed list. If so, a notice of violation is sent to the recorded property owner. If the weeds and grasses are not cut in 10 days, the City of Corcoran or a contractor hired by the City is authorized to cut the vegetation. The property is then billed at the City’s approved fee schedule. Complaints or questions may be directed to Mike Pritchard, 763-400-7033. Prior to performing any grading or filling on your property, please contact City Hall. Property owners should be aware of the various regulations that protect wetlands, floodplains, and other water ways. Many activities will require a basic permit. Typically, engineering review is required when you exceed 300 cubic yards of material, but there are also times when a permit will not be required. Due to the location of the work or the impact it may cause, such as by altering existing drainage, guidance and inspections from the city engineer or other staff person is required. The intent is not to create a burden on any property owner, but to help protect properties from any negative impacts. Please contact Mike Pritchard, with questions or concerns at 763-400- 7033. Requirements For Property Owners Bull and Canada Thistle are considered noxious weeds and should not be allowed to go to seed For more information on noxious weeds go to : http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/badplants/ noxiouslist.aspx Page 9 SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSESSUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSESSUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES www.philsauto.com (763) 420-2059 7590 Commerce Street Corcoran, MN 55340 BRING IN THIS AD AND RECEIVE $5.00 OFF AN OIL CHANGE OR $10.00 OFF ANY OTHER SERVICE OVER $50.00 Certified Automotive Master Technicians Since 1979 - Electronic Services ∙ Onboard Computer Diagnostics ∙ Tune-ups & Emissions ∙ Fuel Systems ∙ Air Conditioning ∙ Alignment / Suspensions /Steering ∙ Brakes / Exhaust / Shocks ∙ Tires ∙ Transmissions ∙ Extended Warranties Sales & Services and Towing Available Thinking of Buying or Selling Thinking of Buying or Selling your homeyour home Call 763-442-2290 Leanne LaFaveLeanne LaFave A Corcoran resident for over 45 years Email: LeanneLafave@edinarealty.com Website: leannelafave.edinarealty.com A Licensed Realtor ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS OR EVENT For a small fee as low as $75.00, you can advertise your business or event in the Corcoran newsletter. This newsletter is distributed to more than1,950 businesses and residences in Corcoran. For more information pertaining to advertising contact staff at 763-400-7031. SAVE THE DATE Loretto Fire Department will be hosting Night to Unite Tuesday, August 5th from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. Food will be Food will be provided, bounce provided, bounce houses, truck rides, houses, truck rides, safety tips and safety tips and other fun things. other fun things. Bring your family Bring your family and friends to a fun and friends to a fun evening visiting evening visiting with your with your neighborsneighbors Page 10 REDUCING WASTE AT HOME Households in Minnesota are creating and throwing away more waste than ever. From junk mail to excess paint to food scraps – it takes a lot of time and money to deal with all of this garbage! Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to reduce your waste at home. Besides, nobody likes taking out the trash… What can I do?What can I do? Reduce excess paper at home A good portion of what you throw in the garbage each day is paper. Much of the paper generated in our homes comes in the mail. The average American household receives more than 500 pieces of advertising mail each year. You can take action to reduce the amount of unwanted mail you re- ceive.  If you want to get off most national marketing lists, you can register with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service at PO Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735- 9008.  If you just want to stop certain catalogs, you can contact individual mailers and ask them to remove your name from their mailing lists; call them or send your request by mail or e-mail. There’s also a toll-free number to stop mailings of credit card offers. One call to 1-888-5- OPT-OUT will reach the major national credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Benefits: Recycling junk mail is good, but reducing the flow of junk mail will conserve natural resources, save land fill space, and save you time and money. To learn more go to www.reduce.org Did you know... Plastic caps can now be recycled. Empty the container and put the cap back on recyclable bottles, such as milk, juice, beverage, liquid detergents, shampoos and more. They go right along with the plastic bottles to be recycled. Plastic shopping bags are collected throughout the metro- politan area at many grocery and discount stores including Target, Coborn’s, Cub Foods and Lunds/ Byerly’s. All materials must be clean and dry. Learn more at: www.itsinthebagmn.org After your spring and summer planting, Lowe’s will accept the plastic pots from your annuals, shrubs ,etc. for recycling. About 40% of what we throw away can be recycled. When we increase our efforts we’ll enjoy more benefits, like conserving energy, protecting natural resources and conserving landfill space. Find out more at: www.RethinkRecycling.com RECYCLING YOUR USED OIL Remember: Environmental quality is everybody's business and everyone can help. Developing smart recycling habits makes good sense. Recycling saves money and it protects our environment. Did you know your motor vehicle, gardening and recreational equipment oil can be recycled and re-fined. So become a part of the solution, recycling your used motor oil and oil filters along with newspapers, glass, metals, plastic, yard trimmings and other materials. OIL AND WATER DON’T MIX Used motor oil never wears out - it just gets dirty and can be recycled, cleaned and used again. Motor oil poured onto the ground or into storm drains, or tossed into trash cans (even in sealed containers) can contaminate and pollute the soil, groundwater, streams, and rivers. Used motor oil is the largest single source of oil pollution in our lakes, rivers and streams. Keep oil out of our lakes and rivers! 1) Recycle used motor oil at a local collection center. 2) Have your car checked for any leaking fluids that might run-off into storm drains. Cars that leak oil and other fluids pollute our water. 3) Recycle and re-use oil filters. Recycling one ton of drained oil filters produces 1,700 pounds of steel and recovers about 60 gallons of used oil. Stormwater runoff from rain and melting snow flows over rooftops, streets, sidewalks and parking lots, across bare soil, and through lawns and storm drains. As it flows, runoff collects and transports soil, pet waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizer, oil and grease, litter and other pollutants. This water drains directly into nearby creeks, streams and rivers, without receiving treatment at sewage plants. One quart of oil poured down a storm drain can contaminate one million gallons of water. For more information on becoming a part of the solution to a cleaner and healthier Environment, visit our city website at ww.ci.corcoran.mn.us (under Services, click on Environmental) or stop by City Hall for informational brochures. DON’T FORGET RECYCLING PAYMENTS ARE PAST DUE Page 11 With nearly one billion ash trees, the most of any state in the nation, Minnesota could suffer a great loss from emerald ash borer. The insect is a major threat to the tourism and lumber industries, and the state's natural landscapes and recreational areas. EAB kills ash trees. All ash trees are susceptible to EAB and millions of ash trees have been killed in infested areas already. Minnesota has the highest volume of ash trees in the U.S. with almost a billion forestland and urban wood ash trees. The potential economic and environmental impacts of losing these trees is substantial. The cost of removing and replacing a single tree can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars – how many ash trees are in your yard? There is something simple Minnesotans can do to ensure they are not helping spread emerald ash borer. Don't move firewood. Here is why: While emerald ash borer only lives in ash trees, once firewood is cut it is hard to tell if it is ash or some other wood. Therefore, you may not know if there is a potential to spread emerald ash borer. Even if a pile of firewood has been seasoned for a year, there is still a possibility it may be infested with emerald ash borer. The bug can live in cut firewood for up to two years. Hennepin, Ramsey, Winona and Houston counties are under quarantine for emerald ash borer. That means it is illegal to move firewood out of those counties without treatment under the permission of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). What should you do to protect Minnesota's trees and ensure you're not moving emerald ash borer? When going on vacation or heading to the cabin for the weekend, buy firewood near your destination, burn it there, and don't bring any back with you. Look for heat treated firewood. This method is certified by the MDA and is known to kill any pests that may be living in the wood. REPORTING SIGHTINGS - The best way to reduce the spread is to timely report sightings of EAB-infested trees. Contact MDA’s “Arrest the Pest” by voice mail at 888-545-6684 or email at Arrest.The.Pest@state.mn.us Be on the watch for PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 98 ROGERS, MN City of Corcoran 8200 Co Rd 116 Corcoran, MN 55340 Change Service Requested Know Your Septic Hennepin County has a septic inspection and enforcement program to protect ground and surface waters, provide consistent regulation across city boundaries, and to prevent waterborne illnesses. FREQUENCY OF PUMPING - The septic tank MUST be periodically cleaned (pumped) to remove floating scum and sludge that accumu- late. If either floating scum or sludge is allowed to enter the soil treatment system (drainfield) it will cause expensive and often irreparable damage. How often to clean a septic tank depends on its size, use and operating condition. Not paying attention to sludge buildup in the tank or putting off having a tank pumped could cause toilet backups and possibly damage the septic system's drain field, which can result in expensive repairs. Not pumping the tank when needed can also cause the entire system to fail, and it would need to be replaced. New Home Installations - the tank should be cleaned after 6 - 12 months of use as a precautionary measure to ensure good bacterial ac- tivity and proper functioning. In new homes, wastewater from painting, varnishing, staining, and other construction functions can reduce the initial levels of bacterial activity, causing damage to the soil treatment system. If finishing work is still being completed, the tank should be cleaned before it is used for sewage. A Typical Household - will calculate a cleaning frequency of 18 - 30 months. If there is a smell of sewer gases in your home, immediately call a plumber or other qualified person to identify the source and correct it. When it does come time to pump the septic tank, make sure that the person who will clean the tank has all of the proper permits for removal, as this will help ensure that the company won't damage the system while pumping it. ARE YOU NEW TO CORCORAN The State of Minnesota maintains a benefit program for people who own and occupy their home called the Homestead Market Value Exclusion. This program has two main benefits for qualifying homeowners:  It reduces the Taxable Market Value of the property (for properties valued under $413,800 only), thereby lowering taxes, and  It is one of the qualifying factors for homeowners to receive the State of Minnesota Property Tax Refund. The procedure is generally done at closing time by bringing your papers here to City Hall and filling out a Homestead Application. This process makes us aware you are a new resident in the home and we can change our property records and forward the paper- work on through the proper channels. If you have forgotten or have not done this yet please do, so we can have the current property records on file here. CONTACTING CITY STAFF With development activity being increased, staff receives many phone calls and walk-in visitors at the counter with questions and concerns. To better service you we are diligently trying to inform you with updates on the latest events, guidelines, regulations and development progress on our website. All City Council, Planning and Parks and Trails minutes, agendas and packet information are posted at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us under the Government tab. These packets contain maps, proposals, meeting information, etc. This is an excellent starting point for you to obtain the facts about current projects. If you are calling staff at City Hall and not able to get through please leave your name, address and phone number with a brief message. Staff can then research your call before calling you back and have information in front of them and the answers to your question. You can also use our general email address at general@ci.corcoran.mn.us, send us a message and it will be forwarded to the proper department.