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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11 -- Fall 1 City Council Members Mayor Ken Guenthner www.kguenthner@ci.corcoran.mn.us 763-478-6699 Councilors Chuck Grabowski – Chris Hudok - Paul Jacobs – Ron Thomas FALL NEWSLETTER November 2007 City of Corcoran IN THIS ISSUE General Information 1 From the Administrator 2 Recycling and Snowplowing 3 City Information 4 City Events 5 Police Department 6 City Sports / Activities 7 Snowmobile Training 8 8200 County Road 116, Corcoran, MN 55340 City Hall 763-420-2288 Public Works 763-420-2652 Office Hours 8am to 4 pm Police Non-Emergency call 911 and dispatch will direct your call Police Administration 763-420-8966 In Memory of Administrative Assistant Patricia Puhle In August, the City lost a very dedicated employee, a friend and a well-respected co-worker. Pat Puhle, at the age of 83, passed away on Sunday, August 26. She was an inspiration to many, as she never gave up her courageous battle and continued to work right up to the last few days of her life before losing her fight with cancer. Pat first started volunteering her time at City Hall with her husband Glenn in 1997. She was later hired part time as an Administrative Assistant. She volunteered at North Memorial Hospital, serving in the discharge area. She also volunteered many evening and weekend hours to the Fire Arms Safety Training and miscellaneous events. When questions would arise regarding Corcoran’s history or past decisions Pat was the go to person. Pat is and will be sadly missed by many. A DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR SPRING CLEAN UP DAY!!!! Once again, Corcoran will have its annual Spring Cleanup Day on Saturday April 26 from 8:00 am to Noon. This day will be a great opportunity for our residents to get rid of any unwanted appliances, tires and other items that are hard to dispose of. We will accept residential refuse only – NO COMMERCIAL OR HAZARDOUS WASTE WILL BE TAKEN. The City is also looking into the ability to recycling electronic equipment. Watch for additional details in the spring. Hennepin County also offers a facility for misc. recycling and hazardous waste materials. They are located at 8100 Jefferson Highway in Brooklyn Park. The hours are Tue, Th, Fri, 10am – 6pm; Wed, 10am – 8pm; and Sat, 8am – 5pm. Call 612-348-3777 for information. Northwest Hennepin County Sub-Area Transportation Study In an effort to plan for transportation needs as growth occurs in the Northwest Hennepin County region, Dayton, Rogers, and Hassan Township created a partnership to look at their needs over the next 20 plus years. Overtime this study took on a broader focus including potential impacts to the City of Corcoran. An open house will be held on Monday, December 10 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Rogers Community Room to allow the public an opportunity to view and comment on the local optional transportation system networks that have been identified. 2 2008 BUDGET TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING - MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2007 7:00 P.M. The City will hold their annual Truth in Taxation Hearing on Monday, December 3, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The purpose of this hearing is to allow the City Council and City Staff to interact with the public to address the proposed budget and levy (tax dollars needed to operate the City) for 2008. The City will identify both revenues and expenditures that they anticipate over the next year and how they impact the tax levy and property taxes. Cities are required to approve a preliminary budget and levy in September. That information is then used to create the proposed property tax statements that are mailed to property owners in November. The final levy will be approved in December after the Truth in Taxation Hearing is held. That final levy cannot exceed the levy that was set in September. Since adopting the preliminary budget/levy, the Council has continued to look at areas within the budget that can be reduced. To date the Council has been able to reduce the proposed levy by an additional $155,896. Below is a comparison of tax rates and the impacts to a home in Corcoran over the past few years that began with a market value of $300,000. This chart makes the assumption that the market value of the home has continued to increase annually based on the overall average market value increases. This chart identifies two scenarios for 2008, #1 is based on the levy approved in September, and #2 is based on the levy with the reductions that have been made to date. Year Average Increase to Market Value Property Valuation Tax Rate City Portion of Taxes Only 2004 $300,000 28.870 866.10 2005 9% $327,000 27.966 914.49 2006 6% $346,620 29.273 1014.66 2007 10% $381,000 30.703 1169.78 #1 2008 9.8% $418,340 34.318 1435.66 #2 2008 9.8% $418,340 32.313 1351.78 We encourage you to attend the Truth in Taxation hearing as all property owners have a stake in Corcoran and should be part of this process. Page 2 of 8 What’s Happening in Corcoran – Corcoran Business Park Moving Forward You may have noticed that some site work is commencing in the southwest area of the City. United Properties has acquired property fronting Highway 55 west of Rolling Hills Road to Pioneer Trail. Over the past few years, they have continued to work with the City to develop a business park, a.k.a. “Corcoran Business Park” that will bring light industrial opportunities to the City, as well as some retail services. Site work has begun that will include grading the site in preparation of construction in 2008. The City continues to work with our neighboring community, Medina, for the extension of sewer and water infrastructure to this site. Currently those services are located within the area of Highway 55 and Willow Drive. Both Cities would like to see a cooperative effort that will retain the character of their separate communities and comply with their development phasing plans within their respective Comprehensive Plans. We do not want to create situations that would promote premature development. The business park will be developed in phases. The first phase will include office/warehouse facilities; the second phase, will include retail services, which will most likely warrant a traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 55 and Pioneer Trail; and the third / final phase will include additional office/ warehouse facilities. We are excited to see this opportunity come to Corcoran, as it will provide employment opportunities and increase the City’s tax base without burdening our School Districts. FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Vergin 3 SNOW PLOWING – Winter will be approaching sooner than we think. Corcoran has over 64 miles of roads that are maintained by our public works staff. The following is information and simple requests for you as a resident to follow during this season. Snow accumulation of 2 inches or more warrants the plowing of asphalt roads, and 4 inches warrants the plowing of asphalt and gravel roads. High winds, drifting of snow, ice, and/or freezing rains may also warrant the commencement of operations depending upon conditions. Safety of the plow operators and the public is important. Therefore, snow plowing operations may be terminated after 12 – 14 hours to allow personnel adequate time for rest. We ask that you DO NOT plow snow from your driveways across the roads. If this is done, it can create a situation that can damage and/or throw the snowplow into a ditch, and can result in you receiving a fine. RESPONSIBILITY OF RESIDENTS Snowstorms create numerous problems. Residents have certain responsibilities in minimizing these problems. Therefore, the following is requested from residents: A. Keep updated on current and predicted weather conditions B. Be aware of the snow removal equipment. Please, DO NOT CROWD THE PLOW C. Expect snow removal equipment to back up frequently D. Obey the “Snowbird Ordinance” by not parking vehicles on City streets during the prohibited hours E. Be patient – plowing and sanding takes time F. Clean snow from around mailboxes, newspaper delivery tubes G. Group mailboxes when possible H. Place garbage and recycling containers away from the edge of the road. Keep garbage and recycling containers off the street during snow events so they do not get covered I. Decorative rock, landscaping items, lawn sprinkler heads, fences, or other obstructions are not allowed in the right-of-way. These items need to be removed as they are viewed as a hazard J. Residents should be aware that they may need to clear their driveways several times until their street has been plowed to its full width PARKING REGULATIONS According to Chapter 71 71.01 of the City of Corcoran Municipal Code, it is unlawful to park a motor vehicle on any public street within the City limits from November 1 to April 1, between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. No parking is allowed on any City street at any time if snowfall is 2 inches or greater. This will be in effect until such roads are plowed, and snow has been removed from such roads. No vehicle of 10,000 gross weight or greater shall park on any city street unless authorized by the Police Chief or Public Works Director. Recycling / Snowplowing Page 3 of 8 RECYCLING - The City contracts with Waste Management to provide recycling services. The City receives many calls from residents questioning why they must recycle, or why they must pay for a service, which they may choose not to use. The answer to that question is that the City is mandated by the State to provide this service. The State also restricts the manner in which these services can be paid. They cannot be billed through taxes; therefore, we are required to bill you directly for this service. However, unpaid bills can be assessed to your property taxes with a late fee, penalty, and or interest. Waste Management is increasing their fees for 2008, in part due to the continued increases in fuel costs. Therefore, the 2008 annual Recycling fee will be increased from $27.00 to $28.00. The actual cost per unit is $2.44 per month, but because the City receives funding through a program referred to as SCORE, we are able to use that subsidy to reduce your cost. Watch for your annual recycling bill to be mailed in the spring. If you do not receive a bill for property(s) you own, PLEASE contact City Hall to avoid a final notice with a late fee. 4 CITY INFORMATION Page 4 of 8 TH 55 - PLYMOUTH TO ROCKFORD UPDATE Design and environmental analysis efforts have continued on the design concept for future expansion of Highway 55 from Plymouth to Rockford, as discussed at the October 25, 2007 City Council meeting. While expansion of Highway 55 is not in Mn/DOT’s 20-year plan, planning is underway now so that Mn/DOT and Hennepin County can work with local communities over time to preserve right of way for the future. It is expected that the City Council will act on a proposed resolution on November 8, supporting the concept plan. The proposed design concept and its impacts on the social and natural environmental will be presented in an Environmental Assessment (EA) that is expected to be released for public review and comment early in 2008. The EA will be available at government offices and local libraries, and on-line at the project website (http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/srf/055/). At the time of the EA publication, property owners along the corridor will be mailed an announcement for a project open house/public hearing. The public hearing will also be announced to the general public through local newspapers and on the website. A NEW BUILDING INSPECTOR HAS BEEN CONTRACTED FOR CORCORAN Effective October 11, 2007 the Council selected a new Building Official, to represent the community and enforce the MN State Building Code. Waldron & Associates, Ltd has been serving communities in Hennepin County since 1984 and has 20 employees ready to assist the citizens and builders in Corcoran with their projects. Scott Qualle is President of the company and the Designated Building Official for the City. “Building Confidence through Code Compliance” is their motto, and they emphasize successful outcomes through education, information, and inspections for builders and homeowners alike. “Most people don’t think that the building code is an important part of their daily lives, but without the building code, we would hear about accidents, injuries, and deaths all the time in the news,” says Qualle. “Getting us involved in a project before you have spent a lot of time and money is the best time to find out what the code does and doesn’t allow,” he added. A new fee schedule and information have been issued and can be found on the City’s website. Waldron & Associates is available by phone (952-442-7520) from 8-4:30 M-F for questions and their Web address is www.mnspect.com. They even have an “Ask an inspector” link so you can get a response, via email, to any questions that you might have. A fine or penalty may be imposed if a violation of the code is found. Therefore, please contact the city prior to commencing any work. It is extremely important that the city fully understand what your intentions are, if that information is not provided you may not receive all of the information pertinent to the work you are intending to do. PARKS AND TRAIL COMMISSION UPDATE Woodland Preservation Meeting A Woodland Preservation public meeting was held at City Hall on September 18. The meeting was well attended and a lot of information was exchanged. The City Council and the Parks & Trails Commission would like to thank everyone for attending the meeting. After the discussion of a possible Woodland Ordinance, the attendees gave the Parks & Trails Commission the direction of drafting a policy on the topic, not an ordinance. When a draft is available, it will be reviewed with the public for further direction. Open House An open house is being planned for Jan/Feb/ of ’08 to review the finding of a study on the current City Park and Athletic fields. Some of the information that will be gathered in the study is the Corcoran demographics, capacity of the current Athletic fields, the possibility of NOT being able to use the Rockford fields, and future needs. Please watch for later announcements on the date and time in your local paper. Volunteers Please help grow and maintain our excellent athletic programs. Volunteers can help with as little as 2 hours/month. For further information, check the article in this newsletter or call City Hall. 5 + FIREARM SAFETY PROGRAM Once again, Corcoran Police Department will host its Firearm Safety Program. The 2008 dates for the training will be March 9, 16, 30, April 6, 13, and field day Saturday April 19th. All courses are instructed at the Corcoran Civic Center, located at 8200 County Road 116. Anyone interested in volunteering to help with this program can call Officer Ryan Burns at 763-420-8965 ext. 19. Minnesota requires that anyone born after January 1, 1980 must complete a firearms safety course to purchase a license to take wild game. Anyone interested in hunting, shooting, or firearm familiarization is encouraged to attend. STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR REGISTRATION, these forms can be found on our website or picked up at City Hall, There are 75 seats open for this course. It is open to residents and non-residents, with a percentage of seats reserved for residents. Applications will be taken until all seats are filled. We typically receive 150+ applications. So register right away to guarantee a seat. NO PHONE REGISTRATION WILL BE ACCEPTED. 1) Complete the Application/Parental Release form. Parent or guardian must sign and date release form. 2) The cost is $15 your fee must accompany the registration form in order to be considered registered. → Please make check or money order payable to Corcoran Firearms Safety 3) You must also enclose a self-addressed stamped #10- business size envelope. The envelope is required for the return of your certificate upon completion of the course. The Corcoran Police Department is once again accepting donations for the Toys for Tots foundation. You may make a donation by bringing a new, unwrapped toy to City Hall now through December 19, between the hours of 8 am – 4 pm. CITY INFORMATION - EVENTS Page 5 of 8 PENCIL IN YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE FOLLOWING UP COMING EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES IN CORCORAN FOR 2008 January February Firearm Safety signup begins March Firearm Classes begin April Spring Clean Up Day 4/26 May *Super Cross June Henn. Co Fair 6/19 - 6/22 *Tractor Pull July Hamel Rodeo 7/10 – 7/13 August *Country Daze *Regional Tractor Pull September *Demo Derby *Super Cross Primary Election October November General Election December *JC Santa visit (*Event dates yet to be determined) A SPECIAL VISIT WITH SANTA Children ages 10 and under are welcome to come visit Santa and get their picture taken as Santa’s elves help. Pick a small gift from beneath the JC’s tree. Visit Frosty the Snowman and stay for refreshments. The cost is FREE with a food shelf donation. Enter your child’s name in one of several large prize drawings. (Need not be present to win) WHEN: Saturday December 8, 2007 10am - NOON WHERE: Corcoran City Hall 8200 Co Rd 116 JC’s will also be selling X-mas wreaths 6 Your Common Questions Answered Q1. What is a “House Check” and how do I request one? A1. Corcoran Police Officers will happily conduct random “house checks” of your home while you are away on vacation. Let your police know you are way, and they can keep an extra eye on your home. Simply call 911 or (763) 525-6220 and request an officer to contact you. You will be asked a series of questions and then leave the rest up to us. Side Note – We encourage that you make your trusted neighbor aware of your travel plans. Should they see any suspicious activity, call 911. In addition, year round, you are the police best eyes and ears. If you see any suspicious activity in your neighborhood, please call 911. Q2. My business requires that I submit a finger print card for employment, do you provide this service? A2. Yes, Corcoran Police Officers regularly assist our residents with taking fingerprints. Often fingerprints are required for employment applications, adoption of a child, and other various needs. We do permit walk-ins during business hours, but for your convenience, it is best to schedule an appointment by calling CPD administration line 763-420-8966. Q3. Where can I hunt in Corcoran? Are there special rules to follow in addition to State and Federal requirements? A3. There is no public property in Corcoran for which hunting of any kind is permitted. All hunting is on private property. If you are not the owner, immediate family, or guests in the company of the landowner, you must have landowner written permission in possession while hunting their land. Codes and permission forms can be found on our website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Yes, additional rules have been created in the best interest of the sport and safety of the community. (1) Discharge must be greater than 500 feet from a home, corral, or building containing livestock. (2) Any hunting on Goose Lake or within 500 feet requires a special permit issued by the Chief of Police. (3) Deer hunting with a firearm must be from an elevated stand no less than six feet in height. No deer drives allowed. For complete rules and regulations on firearm usage and hunting, obtain Corcoran Municipal Code # 130.03 Q4. Who sets the speed limits on our roads? A4. Minnesota speed regulations are based on the same Basic Speed Law that is used in all 50 states. The Commissioner of Transportation sets regulatory speed limits on state and local roads based on a thorough engineering and traffic investigation. The following factors are considered: road type and condition, location and type of access points, length of roadway (1/4 mile minimum), crash history, traffic volume, speed study, sight distances (curve, hill etc.) and test drive results. → Will lowering the speed limit reduce speeds? – NO, Studies show that there is little change in the speed pattern after posting of a speed limit. The driver is much more influenced by the roadway conditions. The speed limits also give the motorist an idea of a reasonable speed to drive in an unfamiliar location. Speed limits are used by police officials to identify excessive speeds and curb unreasonable behavior. → Who do I contact if I have a concern of an inappropriate speed limit posting? -You would need to come and speak at an open forum city council meeting. These meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 7pm. Council will need to pass a resolution requesting an investigation by Mn/DOT. Based on the results, MnDOT may then authorize the city to post new speed limits. (Mn/DOT Information Center 651-296-3000). Page 6 of 8 POLICE DEPARTMENT 7 Page 7 of 8 GENERAL INFORMATION MISC. INFORMATION Page 7of 8 Corcoran Police Volunteer Reserve Officers Corcoran Police would like to welcome two new volunteer Police Reserve Officers to our department. Andrew McClellan and Theodore Schmidt both joined the department in the last three months and have been great additions. The Police Reserves are a group that volunteers their time to the police department in support of its functions. They ride along with the officers on street patrol, assist officers with their daily activities and duties. They also assist with directing traffic at public events, assist with first aid on medical situations, and they transport people to various locations. The Police Reserves also help with crime prevention programs (Nat’l Night Out), child safety programs (Corcoran Firearms Safety), and assist Corcoran Lions and Corcoran Jaycees with their events. The Corcoran Police Reserves are provided training from the department very similar to what the regular officers receive. The Reserve Officers are trained in firearm safety, use of force, Tasers, mace, handcuffing and defensive tactics. The Police Reserves have monthly training meetings on these and other various topics such as radio use, paperwork, court procedures, legal updates, traffic control and policies of the department. All of this training and the duties are done on volunteer time with no compensation. Last year Corcoran Police Reserves put in well over 1,000 hours of time serving the citizens City of Corcoran. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of professional people working with our department and volunteering for the City of Corcoran. Their reward for volunteering for this job is only the pats on the back that they get from the community. So please, when you see the Police Reserves either on or off duty, take a moment to thank them for the time, commitment, and dedication to make our community a safer place to live and work. If you are interested in joining the Corcoran Police Reserve please contact Officer Ryan Burns 763-420-8966 or rburns@ci.corcoran.mn.us Corcoran Soccer Association 2007 Season Wrap-up 215 children participated this season with the assistance of 41 coaches, the majority being parent volunteers. In 2007, the club (previously DC Soccer) successfully split into two separate organizations; the Corcoran Soccer Association (CSA) and the Delano Youth Soccer Club. The upper age for CSA was increased to 14 and small-sided teams were instituted for all age groups. To date, feedback regarding the small-sided format has been overwhelmingly positive. Many parents stepped forward to help re-mark fields, move goals, substitute coach, disassemble, and pack away equipment, and many other needed tasks. The organization simply would not function without all the volunteer help. Many thanks to all the parent volunteers and young adults that helped make the 2007 season a success. The $55 registration fee, slightly increased from 2006, enabled us to replenish equipment lost with the split from Delano. We will try to reinstate a coach’s refund in 2008 and attempt to keep the registration fees low for all parents. On-line registration will be investigated for 2008 to help streamline that entire process. In addition, several parents have expressed an interest in coordinating a year-end Jamboree potluck/lunch in 2008, similar to what is done for the Corcoran T-ball players. CSA needs volunteers for 2008, in particular a new president. Sadly, without a filled president position the club may need to be dissolved, ending nearly a decade of recreational soccer in Corcoran. If your child participated in the 2007 CSA season, please consider volunteering to help administer the club in 2008. Call 420-3914 to help. Unpleasant News for All Levels of Baseball in Corcoran Three decades and one year ago, a small group of parents dreamed of a summer baseball program and created the Corcoran Athletics Association. Their dream was to provide an organization that, through summer ball, would help build a great community and healthy kids. This creation is now in jeopardy… On December 1, 2007, the association may be dissolved. This means there will not be a summer baseball/softball program in 2008 with no tee-ball, no near ball, no machine pitch, no softball, and no traveling ball. The only thing that will save this organization is YOU. The CAA needs volunteers to help run the program. We need a minimum of 12 parents during the months of January through May: The time commitment is minimal, averaging approximately 2-5 hours a month. These are not coaching positions, but organizational, administrative, and creative positions. To get involved call Kevin Dale ASAP at - (763) 923-4154 The above information has been provided by the Corcoran Athletics’ Association as a public service. This is a non-profit organization not affiliated with the City of Corcoran. 8 City of Corcoran 8200 County Road 116 Corcoran, MN 55340 ADDRESS HERE PRSRT STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 28 HAMEL, MN MISC. INFORMATION CONTINUED Page 8 of 8 Visit our website at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us, which provides most information requested, by resident- Meetings, Postings, Agendas, and Minutes, including a variety of maps and downloadable forms. Or E-mail: General@ci.corcoran.mn.us SNOWMOBILE SAFETY TRAINING All residents born after December 31, 1976, MUST have a Safety Certificate to operate a snowmobile in the state of MN. Students must be 11 years old by November 29, 2007. (No exceptions per law) REGISTRATION IS OPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER 29, 2007 – You must attend ALL classes CLASSES - November 29, December 4, 6 from 6pm – 9pm and December 8 for outdoor practical 9am – 1pm. CLASSROOM LOCATIONS - City Hall 8200 Co Rd 116 - Corcoran There are only 75 seats open for this course. Applications are taken until all seats are filled. – Cost is $10 per student - Check or money order made payable to Northwest Trails Association. Your fee must accompany the registration form in order to be considered registered. You must complete and sign the application/parental release form and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your certificate upon completion of the course. (Registration form can be found on our website or picked up at City Hall.) MAIL BACK TO: Roxanne Johnson Attn.: NW Trails Corcoran Training 19605 Patrick Place Corcoran, MN 55340 Contact the MN DNR at www.dnr.state.mn.us/snowmobiling for additional class dates and locations for training, and or regulations.