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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-03 -- Spring 1 SPRING NEWSLETTER March 2006 City of Corcoran CONTENTS City Business 1 From the Mayor 2 From the Administrator 3 Code Enforcement / Public Works 4 From our Police Chief 5 Our Local Fire Departments 5 Current Events 6 General Information 7 Survey Results 8 City Council Members Mayor Tom Cossette www. meltomc@juno.com Councilors Chuck Grabowski – Chuck Lymangood - Paul Jacobs – Ron Thomas 8200 County Road 116, Corcoran, MN 55340 Phone 763-420-2288 City Hall Office Hours 8am to 4 pm Police Non-Emergency 763-420-8966 POLICE CHIEF PAUL SCHUTTE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT Police Chief Paul Schutte recently announced his retirement to the City Council. His tentative retirement is June 30. Schutte has been a member of the Corcoran Police Department for 28 years and took over as Police Chief in 1995. Chief Schutte intends to retire to his lake home in Wright County. He is a Corcoran native and has been a life long area resident. Chief Schutte is looking forward to spending more quality time with his family and friends and as an outdoor enthusiast he hopes to spend more time hunting, fishing, and simply enjoying the outdoors. The City would like to invite you to honor Chief Schutte at an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday June 3, 2006 between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. This will be a special event with food and soft drinks. It will give you an opportunity to wish Chief Schutte farewell and to meet Corcoran’s new Chief of Police, which we anticipate to be hired by that date. You will see first-hand what emergency personnel, services and equipment are available to protect you and your family. Additional information pertaining to this open house will be available closer to June 3rd. STATE OF MINNESOTA IN COURT OF APPEALS A05-695 Recently, the City of Corcoran prevailed in another legal case involving the HRUA and two of its members. The full text of the decision can be found at www.courts.state.mn.us/opinions/coa/current/opa056 95-0207, or copies may be reviewed or purchased at City Hall. This is the second of three legal cases involving the HRUA, residents failing septic systems, and /or the permitting process. Judgment has been granted in favor of the City in each of the first two cases. At this time it is anticipated the third case will receive a ruling from the justices by early fall. If you are going to have your septic system repaired, please remember to have your contractor apply for and receive the appropriate permit BEFORE ANY WORK BEGINS. 2 The City’s 2005 financial audit has been completed. The City saw some excessive expenditures during the year with a decline in revenues, resulting in a decline in the City’s reserve fund by $228,169. $27,500 of that amount was planned (additional police department personnel required beginning April/2005), but the remaining $200,700 is fairly evenly divided between overestimated revenues and underestimated expenses. $87,000 in anticipated development fees was lost because no new developments were approved in 2005. Also, over $62,000 of the property tax levy was not received. Two factors affected this, delinquencies in the payment of property taxes and an adjustment by the State that impacted the market value homestead credit. On the expenditure side, legal, planning and police department contributed equally to a combined $80,000 overrun. Otherwise, no single department was significantly overspent. Since funds from the City’s reserve were used to offset the deficit, the reserve fund balance dropped from $778,524 at 2004 year-end to $550,355 at 2005 year-end. The reserve fund is the City’s “rainy day fund” used to cash flow expenditures throughout the year. Because the general property tax levy, 70% of the City’s annual revenue, is received in lump sums in June and December, the reserve must contain enough funds to cover those expenditures from January through May. For example, from January through May of 2005 the city’s expenditures were approximately $1,103,000, while revenues received were $485,000, leaving a need to utilize $617,000 of the reserves to cash flow the city. The Minnesota office of the State Auditor recommends that cities maintain an unreserved fund balance equal to 35 – 50% of the general expenditures to meet working capital and small emergency needs. A robust and consistent reserve is a positive indicator of the City’s financial health and, as such, is crucial in obtaining the most favorable financing rates. The Corcoran City Council has instituted a policy to maintain a reserve fund level of at least 35%. The City’s 2004 year-end reserve was 37%. The 2005 deficit caused the 2005 year-end reserve level to drop to 24%. At the City’s present growth rate, it will take a minimum of four to five years to restore the reserve fund to 35%. The Council is currently undertaking strident efforts to prevent another year-end deficit and rebuild the reserve fund. Page 2 of 8 FROM THE MAYOR - Tom Cossette OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR CITY NOTICES The Crow River News is the official newspaper for the City of Corcoran. All public notices, hearings, ordinances, agenda, minutes and other general information are published to keep residents informed. Also all Public notices, City Council minutes and agendas are posted on our website @ www.ci.corcoran.mn.us 3 Election Judges are needed for the primary election on September 12, 2006 and for the General Election on November 7, 2006. Election Judges are a vital part of ensuring that the City holds efficient and honest elections. Election Judges are appointed by the City Council and are responsible for the administration of election procedures in each polling place on Election Day. The City is in need of at least 5 Election Judges and one Head Election Judge per precinct on Election Day. Both precincts vote at City Hall. Judges are expected to be at the polls one hour before the 7:00 a.m. opening time until after they close at 8:00 p.m. Judges must also be affiliated with one of the major political parties (Republican, Democrat, Independence or Constitution). Judges are paid for all training time and Election Day service. If you are interested in serving your community by serving as and Election Judge, please contact Clerk Bea Lindberg at (763) 420-2288, ext. 15, or blindberg@ci.corcoran.mn.us. A NOTE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Vergin Page 3 of 8 Proposed Constitutional Amendment – 100% Motor Vehicle Sales Tax to Fund Transportation You will see this proposed amendment on the ballot this November. Currently 46% of the MVST is dedicated to the States General Fund, while the remaining 54% is used for highway and transit purposes. This amendment calls for a 5-year phase-in of the additional 46% of MVST. When fully phased in transportation budgets would realize an increase in approximately $300 million each year. Currently the unmet transportation needs in Minnesota are estimated at over $1 Billion per year for the next 10 years. This information was provided by the Minnesota Transportation Alliance. More information regarding this proposed amendment can be found on their website www.transportationalliance.com 2006 IS AN ELECTION YEAR – ELECTION JUDGES NEEDED CORCORAN SEEKS CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS The Charter Commission for the City of Corcoran will have four terms expiring this year. The City Charter functions under Minnesota Law strictly as an occasional, constitutional/legislative body to formulate and provide long –range conceptual guidance to the City. These terms will expire on June 16, 2008. All appointments to the Charter Commission are handled through the Hennepin County District Court. Anyone interested in serving on the Charter should send a letter of interest to: (a resume may also be included) Chief Judge Lucy A. Wieland Hennepin County District Court Mail Code 422, C-659 300 South 6th Street Minneapolis, MN 55487 If you have questions regarding the role of the Charter Commission, you may contact Sue Vergin, City Administrator at (763) 420-2288, ext. 13. 4 A FRIENDLY REMINDER – WITH SPRING COMES PROJECTS BUT BEFORE YOU START PLEASE CHECK WITH CITY HALL New or Remodel Construction The City of Corcoran follows the State Building Code, and therefore building permits are required for most types of construction, including but not limited to, new construction, remodeling, additions, decks, re-siding, re-roofing, septic system repair or replacement, window replacement, fireplace installation, installation of air conditioning and/or furnaces, swimming pools, and fences 6 feet or higher. The permit process generally takes 5 – 7 days. Swimming Pools Because the City abides by the State Building Code some swimming pools require a permit, while some are exempt. The rule of thumb is as follows: (please follow up with city hall, an informational packet is available) Pools that do not need a building permit: • Prefabricated, above ground, less than 24 inches in depth and less than 5,000 gallons Pools that need a “one-time” building permit: • Prefabricated, above ground, over 24 inches in depth and/or exceed 5,000 gallons (aka – temporary pool) Pools that need a building permit: • All in ground pools • Above ground pools that exceed 24 inches and 5,000 gallons and are permanent in nature Please note that an electrical and/or plumbing permit may also be required. Grading & Filling Prior to performing any grading or filling on your property we recommend that you please contact the city hall. Due to the various regulations that protect wetlands, floodplains, and other water ways it is important that you as a property owner are aware of those. Some activities may require a permit, which typically is when you exceed 300 cubic yards of material. Then there are times when a permit will not be required, but due to the location of the work, or impact that it may cause such as 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. 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. PUBLIC WORKS / CODE ENFORCEMENT Page 4 of 8 DUST CONTROL PROGRAM There are currently two programs available from the City for dust control: an Assessment and a Voluntary Program. An Assessment is for residential streets that have been identified in the City’s Assessment Program. These property owners will receive a notice of public hearing, which tentatively is scheduled for April 27. At this hearing, the City will review roads scheduled to receive dust control and address any concerns or questions these residents may have. The cost for the program is then assessed to those benefiting property owners. Property owners have the option to pay for the service or to have it placed on their taxes. The Voluntary Program is for residents that choose to have the area in front of their property treated with dust control on a street that is not identified in the Assessment Program. The City will provide dust control at a charge of $220.00 for 300 feet minimum. Areas in excess of 300 feet will be charged an additional amount. Residents interested in participating in the Voluntary Program must contact the City Hall and pre-pay for the application prior to May 12, 2006. The City intends to commence with the road applications the first part of June. 6 A NOTE FROM OUR POLICE CHIEF – Paul Schutte Page 5 of 8 OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS The police department would like to thank the residents of Corcoran for their generous donations of gifts; over 200 toys were collected for children of all ages. We were joined by the Rogers Police department to deliver the toys to the KARE 11 drop site. This program will be set up again at City Hall as a drop site after Thanksgiving. So put us on your calendar for this coming year. Currently Corcoran is serviced by four fire departments. The city is divided into quarters; Hanover services the Northwestern area, Rogers services the Northeastern area, Loretto services the Southwestern area and Hamel services the Southeastern area. These fire Departments are all Volunteer organizations. You as a resident of Corcoran can help support these fire departments by participating in their annual fund raising activities. All proceeds go to the fire department to help purchase fire and medical equipment for your safety and protection. NEW POLICE CHIEF We are currently in the process of interviewing applicants for the “NEW” Chief of Police position. This process takes several weeks to screen the applications perform interviews and conduct background investigations to assure we are hiring a competent individual. Hamel Fire Department Fund Raisers “Lamont Cranston Band” Friday May 5th at the Medina Ballroom – Doors open at 7PM Hamel Rodeo – July 6, 7, 8 and 9th Website - www.hamelfire.org Rogers Fire Department Fund Raisers “Chicken Wing Booth” Rockin Rogers Days June 22 – 25th. Open House/October Fest - Oct. 7th Website www.ci.rogers.mn.us Hanover Fire Department Fund Raisers Pancake Breakfast - Palm Sunday, April 9th Golf Tournament – To be determined Poultry Social –November 17th Loretto Fire Department Fund Raisers Fire Prevention Open House with Spaghetti Dinner – October 14th OPEN BURNING – Burning is allowed if residents follow the rules and regulations established by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Permits are available at the City Hall, 10 days for a fee of $10. DNR rules affecting open burning are: • Vegetative materials only, clean wood, brush, leaves, grass, etc. • All burning must burn with active flames; smoldering burns are not allowed and must be extinguished. • It is required that someone be present during the entire burn. • Recreational fires are allowed with out a permit but must not exceed 3’x3’. • Burning vegetative materials only in a barrel allowed (no permit required). • Burning is NOT ALLOWED in commercial areas. 7 WATCH FOR THESE OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS Spring Supercross - 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26 Tractor Pull -6/03 (rain date 6/04) Hamel Rodeo - 7/6 thru 7/9 Corcoran Country Daze - 8/18 – 8/19 Hennepin County Fair – 7/27 thru 7/30 Demo Derby – 9/9 Fall Supercross – 9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6 Corcoran Jaycees Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser – To be determined CORCORAN JAYCEES SCHOLARSHIP FUND The 2006 Corcoran Jaycees’ Scholarship Applications are now available at Corcoran area schools and City Hall. Complete applications must be postmarked no later than May 1 to be reviewed by the scholarship committee. Fifteen $750 Scholarships will be awarded to seniors graduating from high school, whose permanent resident is within Corcoran City limits and will be continuing their education in the fall of 2006. COME SEE THE EASTER BUNNY Rain or shine 10:00 am SHARP, Saturday April 15, Corcoran Jaycees’ will sponsor their annual Egg and Candy hunt. Bring a basket or bucket to hunt for goodies and to meet the Easter Bunny. Find the right egg and win a prize. There will also be craft projects and coloring for fun! See their website @ www.corcoranjaycees.org for more information on events or becoming a member of this organization. ORGANIZATIONS YOU CAN JOIN WITHIN THE CITY There are several organizations in the City of Corcoran welcoming new members. If you are interested in joining or volunteering your service’s please contact them. Jaycees’ (E-mail) infocorcoranjaycees@yahoo.com Lions Club www.corcoranlions.com Pioneer Society Contact City Hall 55+ Club Contact City Hall Athletic Association (E-mail) corcoranathleticsinfo@hotmail.com CURRENT EVENTS CORCORAN LIONS CLUB The Corcoran Lions Club is a service group that helps build communities through events, donations, and assistance. They make donations to many organizations in our area including our local police and fire departments. Other organizations receive donations of time and talent such as the Corcoran J.C. Club. The Lions are proud to sponsor Corcoran resident graduates by offering scholarships to further their education. Forms can be picked up at their school councilor’s office. The Corcoran Lions Club of Minnesota was chartered in June of 1965, and is a member of the International Association of Lions, the largest service organization in the world. We are very proud of all their accomplishments in the past 38 years. Their website was created to familiarize and educate the community about the Corcoran Lions Club. Their goal is to encourage new membership and promote events held at the Corcoran Lions Park. These goals are a win-win situation for everyone in the community, promoting volunteer opportunities and raising money for ones in need. Proceeds from these events help make a difference in the lives of people in our community. The Corcoran Lions Club sponsors many events at the Corcoran Lions Park. Check out their website for a schedule of all the events to be held this year. Whether you are planning to attend one of their many events or thinking about joining the Lions Club, we hope you will find the information you are looking for. (www.corcoranlions.com) Page 6 of 8 8 RECYCLING INFORMATION All Corcoran residents will be receiving their 2006 Recycling Bills in the mail shortly. This year’s fee will be $25. We request that all payments be mailed back by June 9, 2006 to avoid any late charge and to assure accurate record reporting at the end of the year. 2006 PICK UP DATES March 7, 21 · April 4, 16 · May 2, 16 · June 13, 27 · July 11, 25 · August 8, 22 · September 6, 19 October 3, 17 · November 14, 28 · December 12, 27 Recycling MUST be at the curbside by 7:00 AM. If you have questions about your recycling or your pick up is missed please call Waste Management directly at 1800-450-9378. (For additional details on our program, please see our website @ www.ci.corcoran.mn.us.com) Page 7 of 8 CITY WIDE SPRING CLEAN UP DAY Once again, Corcoran will have its annual Spring Cleanup Day on Saturday April 29 from 8:00 am to Noon. You can bring the listed items to the city hall parking lot. Now is a great opportunity for our residents to get rid of any unwanted appliances, tires and other items that are hard to dispose of. The fees for disposal of items are as shown. All tires must be removed from bikes, mowers, garden tractors, etc. (Additional fees may be charged for items not mentioned or disposal of large quantities.) We accept residential refuse only – NO COMMERCIAL WASTE WILL BE TAKEN. Appliances $10 ea. Air Conditioners & Water Softeners $20 ea. TV & Computers $10 ea. Furniture $25 per piece Passenger Tires $ 3 ea. Truck Tires – Medium $ 7.50 ea. Truck Tires – Medium on wheels $10 ea. Tractor Tires Farm & Industrial SM $15 ea. Med. $25 ea. Lg. $30 ea. GENERAL INFORMATION April 28, 2006 Corcoran Jaycees will be having their Spring Ditch Clean-up. Any youth groups looking for service hours should contact Shawn Tharp @ www.corcoranjaycees.org. Bonfire - BBQ and socializing follows cleanup. NOTICE TO ALL: When setting out your waste materials we ask that you please keep your garbage cans and recycling containers away from the edge of the road and not obstruct the right-of-way for our County and Public Works vehicles. TO OUR PET OWNERS All dogs over 180 days old are required to be licensed by the City of Corcoran. A current vaccination certificate showing that the dog has received their rabies shot, which will last the duration of the license period, must accompany the application of a license. All dogs must be restrained by leash or command control when not on owner’s property. A kennel license is required for (4) or more dogs over 180 days old. 9 City of Corcoran 8200 County Road 116 Corcoran, MN 55340 ADDRESS HERE PRSRT STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 28 HAMEL, MN RESPONSE TO FALL 2005 NEWSLETTER SURVEY Mailed out 1974, Received back 85 (4.3%) Are you in favor of a small tax increase for Civil Defense for sirens to be strategically placed through out the community? Yes 29 = 35% No 56 = 65% Are you in favor of a small tax increase to receive newsletters? Yes 15 = 18% No 70 = 82% Corcoran’s current policy requires developers to pay all the costs for land development. Should the city change this policy and have the taxpayers partially subsidize costs associated with development of land? Yes 3 = 4% No 82 = 96% Would you like to see more parks and trails within the city? Yes 38 = 45% No 47 = 55% In the past three years have you or your family used – Yes No Skating Rinks 14 = 16% 71 = 84% City Parks 32 = 38% 53 = 62% Ball fields 15 = 18% 70 = 82% Tennis Courts 8 = 9% 77 = 91% Should the city be more aggressive in pursuing pavement on gravel roads? Yes 32 = 38% No 52 = 61% (1 no opinion) Do you see a positive trend in the maintenance of the City roads? Yes 45 = 53% No 39 = 46% (1 no opinion) SURVEY RESULTS 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