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FN December 2013On October 19, Springbrook Nature Center hosted its annual Pumpkin Night in the Park event. Nearly 3,100 visitors flocked to the Nature Center for this wonderful event. With 850 carved and lit pumpkins along the scenic trails, the event brought the fall season to life and engaged the community as hundreds of volunteers shared their time and carving skills. As a rainy day turned to a beautifully crisp fall night, lively crowds of all ages enjoyed great food, a dance, campfires, themed trail stations, live entertainment and an amazing blacklight trail as they explored the candle-lit trails. Attendance for this year’s event was among our best ever. The Springbrook Nature Center staff would like to thank all of the volunteers, visitors and supporters for making this magical fall event a Fridley tradition. Mark your calendars for October 18, 2014, and be sure to join us as a volunteer, or just for fun, as we look forward to another amazing Pumpkin Night in the Park. december 2013 No. 185 A report to the citizens of Fridley 6431 University Avenue NE Fridley, MN 55432 phone: 763-571-3450 www.FridleyMN.gov e-mail: info@FridleyMN.gov C O M M U N I T Y R E P O R T PRESORTED STD U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit NO. 92886 Mayor – Scott J. Lund Councilmember-at-Large – Robert L. Barnette Councilmember 1st Ward – James T. Saefke Councilmember 2nd Ward – Dolores M. Varichak Councilmember 3rd Ward – Ann R. Bolkcom City Manager – Wally Wysopal Pumpkin Night in the Park Fridley We wish you a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. Fridley City Hall Holiday Hours: December 20 - Offices will close at 3 p.m. for an Annual Employee Meeting December 24 - Offices will close at 1:30 p.m. December 25 - closed January 1 - closed Christmas in the 1950s Fridley Historical Society’s Christmas in the 1950s exhibit is open Tuesdays 2 - 4 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. through December 17. The Historical Society is located in the old Hayes School Building at 611 Mississippi Street NE in Fridley. Holiday Tea and Handmade Sale at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts A one-of-a-kind experience awaits you at the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts, located at 6666 East River Road in Fridley. You are invited for tea and to do your holiday shopping at the Art Center this December. Beginning with a Holiday Tea and grand opening celebration, the annual holiday sale starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, and runs through December 21. You will find handmade soaps, jewelry, textiles, and artworks made by artists from the North Metro area. Check www.banfill-locke.org or call 763-574-1850 for more information. In August, the City Council set the preliminary tax levy at $11,511,288, an increase of 2.3% or approximately $259,000 over 2013. At the October budget work session, staff presented departmental budgets to Council. Each department manager had an opportunity to discuss the key intended outcomes for the upcoming year. 2014 is expected to be another active year for all of the City’s departments. The 2013 Legislature enacted two important changes that will have positive financial impacts for the City. The first legislative change involved a change in the formula for calculating Local Government Aid (LGA). This change eliminates a number of unique and narrowly-defined criteria that had continually altered the LGA formula over the past years. The City is expected to receive $1.2 million in 2014, an increase of $450,000 over the past couple of years. Even though this increase in LGA is a welcomed sight, it is still a reduction of about $500,000 from what the City had been receiving about a decade ago. This new LGA funding, along with the base LGA, is being dedicated towards capital improvements. LGA has had a history being at the whim of the Legislature, meaning that State budgets have been balanced in part by LGA. Cuts to LGA have come as late as December of the fiscal year, causing the City to scramble to absorb changes in budget funding levels. Realizing this can easily happen again, the City is directing their entire LGA allotment towards capital projects. Capital projects are often one-time expenditures and can often be shifted to another year or eliminated if financial issues arise. If LGA was budgeted within the General fund, which is for the most part on-going expenditures that occur year after year, reducing or cutting these operational expenditures has a much more dramatic effect on service delivery. The other major legislative change is the elimination of the requirement for the City to pay sales tax. For more than 20 years, the City has been required to pay sales tax on a majority of its purchases. Beginning on January 1, 2014, a vast majority of the City’s purchases will be exempt from sales tax. Staff has estimated this will save the City’s General Fund approximately $70,000 and $125,000 city-wide. The General Fund savings, from the sales tax exemption, allow the 2014 levy increase to be redirected towards capital equipment. Approximately two-thirds, or $175,000, of the 2.4% levy increase is being directed towards the Capital Equipment Fund. Over the past several years, the City has had to issue equipment certificates in order to purchase necessary capital equipment. Due to the City’s tax levy charter restriction, the levy could not be increased by a sufficient amount to cover basic operations and the replacement of necessary capital equipment. As a result, the City was required to issue debt in the form of capital equipment certificates to purchase necessary capital equipment such as police and fire vehicles. The goal of Council is to eliminate the need to issue debt and the subsequent interest expense associated with these equipment certificates. By dedicating a portion of the levy along with LGA funds towards capital equipment, the City is making great strides in realizing this goal and saving the taxpayers unnecessary interest expenses. A public meeting to consider the 2014 budget is scheduled for December 2, with final Council approval slated for December 9. The public is welcome to provide input at the December 2 meeting. page 2 F r i d l e y C o m m u n i t y R e p o r t 2014 Preliminary Budget Sees Modest Levy Increase Did You Know – Liquor Store Proceeds Reduce Property Taxes Over the past 10 years, the City’s municipal liquor stores have contributed $3.8 million to the City’s general operating budget. The liquor store proceeds defray the cost of police and fire protection, snow plowing, park maintenance and a host of other operational services. In addition, these annual contributions directly reduced the tax burden for all Fridley property owners. For example, the 2014 preliminary levy is increasing 2.3% over the prior year. The 2014 liquor store proceeds are projected to be $250,000. If those proceeds are not included in the budget and the budget was to remain whole, the tax levy would need to increase an additional 2.2% to cover the lost contributions from the liquor stores. The profits from the liquors stores have and will continue to help the City maintain one of the lowest tax rates of our surrounding city neighbors. Journey to Freedom Veterans’ Day was remembered in a special way this year at the Fridley Community Center. The Fridley American Legion Post #303 Color Guard presented the Colors, and over 200 people in attendance heard Peter Vodenka talk about his journey to freedom. His story is one of hope and willingness to sacrifice for freedom. In June of 1983, Peter and his wife, four- year old daughter, and two-year old son, defected from behind the Iron Curtin of Czechoslovakia. Driven by his desire to live free from government suppression, Peter spent 10 years planning an escape. He knew that even the thought of escaping could land him in prison, so his plan needed to be solid and kept in the utmost secrecy. Their escape came in the middle of a cold, dark, and rainy night while being chased by guards with automatic weapons. He described the anguish of what would have happened to him should the escape fail. Many in attendance had experienced their own fight for freedom. Nonetheless, they were all on the edge of their seats as Peter described landing safely beyond the Iron Curtin. Today, Peter and his family, which includes 6 grandchildren, reside in North Dakota. He owns a construction company and speaks regularly to groups about his journey to freedom. His harrowing story left those in attendance feeling grateful for the liberties often taken for granted. Lunch followed and was provided by the generosity of the Fridley American Legion Auxiliary and Sam’s Club. The program is an annual event sponsored by the Fridley Parks and Recreation Department to remember those who served to protect our freedom. Five Inducted into the Fridley Historical Society Hall of Fame The Fridley Historical Society proudly announces five new inductees to the Historical Hall of Fame. They are: Gordon Backlund, Charlotte Fitzpatrick, Charlene and Earl Hatten, and John Meyer. The Hall of Fame is reserved for those who through dedication, work and accomplishments have contributed significantly to the growth and success of the City of Fridley. The inductees were recognized at a luncheon in their honor on November 2 at the Community Center. How Does the Cost of City Services Compare to Other Common Services? On average, a Fridley homeowner would spend about the same amount monthly for cable television service as the combined cost of all property tax supported services. Avg Monthly City Utility Bill......$46.59 Police & Fire ...............................$26.05 Public Works .................................14.28 Parks & Recreation..........................4.85 Community Development...............3.85 Debt Services...................................3.47 TOTAL: $52.50 Cost of City services for home assessed at $150,000 for taxes payable in 2014 w w w .F r i d l e y M N .g o v page 3 Bringing Local History to Life: Civil War Christmas December 7, 2013 2:00 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. Mississippi Branch Library 410 Mississippi St NE A fashionable woman of the 1860s would have worn her very best to celebrate the season and that is just what this living history presentation brings! A spirited talk from a presenter in full 1860s fashion shares stories of how a tree might have been decorated in this area in the 1860s, what Christmas treats would have been prepared, the kinds of gifts exchanged and more. Guests hear the music of the season and get a taste of what a Christmas in Anoka County celebrated during the hard years of the American Civil War may have been. This free program is offered in partnership with the Anoka County Historical Society and is funded with money with from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The Bringing Local History to Life programs are a collaboration between the Anoka County Historical Society and Anoka County Library. Programs are free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Residential Properties to See a Reduction in City Property Taxes Police & Fire Emergency..................................911 Municipal Center ............................763-571-3450 Building Inspections.........................763-572-3604 Code Enforcement...........................763-572-3592 Planning and Zoning .......................763-572-3592 Public Works ..................................763-572-3566 Police Administration .......................763-572-3629 Fire Administration ..........................763-572-3613 Parks & Recreation ..........................763-572-3570 Springbrook Nature Center ..............763-572-3588 Senior Program...............................763-502-5150 Engineering....................................763-572-3552 City Manager/City Council..............763-572-3500 Human Resources............................763-572-3504 Utility Billing ...................................763-572-3529 Assessing .......................................763-572-3536 Fax................................................763-571-1287 Newsletter......................................763-572-3500 Sewer Division (M-F 7am - 3:30pm)....763-572-3566 (after hours)...............763-427-1212 Service Directory www.FridleyMN.gov info@FridleyMN.gov Even with the preliminary levy increasing by 2.3%, residential property owners will likely see a reduction in their City property taxes. Truth-in- Taxation notices were delivered to property owners in the middle of November. Those notices provided the estimated property taxes payable for all taxing jurisdictions. The notices also provide the market value for both 2013 and 2014 for comparison purposes. Overall, residential property owners saw another decline in taxable market value for taxes payable in 2014. On average, the market value of residential properties declined approximately 10 percent. This decline was for the period October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012, which is the interval assessors study to estimate market value for taxes payable in 2014. This is an average, and individual properties can vary significantly depending upon variables such as location, size, and other property amenities. City staff prepared estimates for three separate home valuation ranges and the decrease in City property taxes almost mirrors the decline in valuation. So if residential property taxes are experiencing a decline in tax burden, where did the lost and new tax proceeds go? For taxes payable in 2014, the tax burden is shifting to the commercial and industrial properties. These properties experienced less of a percentage decline in market value than did residential properties. Thus, the overall value for commercial and industrial properties is proportionately higher than residential property compared to a year ago. Each year, the City levies a specific dollar amount that is split amongst the various property types. The proposed preliminary levy increases the size of the pie by 2.3%, and yet a vast majority of residential properties will experience a reduced tax burden or receive a smaller piece of the pie. The remaining pie, which is now larger than the prior year, is then shifted to the commercial and industrial properties resulting in a shift of additional tax burden. These shifts are all cyclical and are dependent upon market conditions. Preliminary market indicators for taxes payable in 2015 are that residential properties are increasing in value at a higher rate than commercial and industrial properties. Thus, residential properties may likely see an increase in property taxes even if the tax levy for 2015 remains constant. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Pickleball is a combination of tennis, badminton and ping pong. The sport is played on a badminton-sized court with a perforated plastic ball (similar to a whiffle ball) and wood or composite paddles. Players of all ages enjoy the easy-to-learn game that can be friendly competition or a fast- paced workout. Gym time will be set aside for Pickleball players of all skill levels at the Fridley Community Center this winter. Several wooden paddle racquets and plastic poly balls will be available for players to use during open gym. Call the Fridley Parks & Recreation Department at 763-572-3570 for further information. Open Gym for Pickleball! Mondays 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. January 13 –March 17 $3 per person/$6 per family Neighborhoods Personalize Your City Experience page 4 F r i d l e y C o m m u n i t y R e p o r t Fridley residents continue to Go Green! Fridley’s strength as a City comes from vibrant neighborhoods, through which the City organizes many of its services. Small parks serve the personal interests of neighborhoods. The Fridley Police Department even organizes itself around neighborhoods by assigning neighborhood officers. Each of Fridley’s more than forty neighborhoods has a distinct character attributable to the people who settled the area or to a distinctive physical feature. Heading to Fridley’s northeast corner, for example, you will find Flanery Park Neighborhood. The family that gave its name to Flanery Park and Flanery Park Neighborhood began farming land there in 1910, and still has family members living in the neighborhood today. The Flanery Family Dawn (Flanery) Cordes and her mother Fyllis Flanery reside on Onondaga Street. Dawn has researched her Flanery heritage and can trace family records back to a Bernard Flanery born in Ireland around 1816. Some of his descendants settled in Minneapolis after spending time living in England and New York. Around 1910, Dawn’s great-grandfather, Thomas Flanery acquired the land that is now Flanery Park, for use as a crop farm. The family built only a small shelter and cellar to use while tending to vegetables and fruit and hazelnut trees, maintaining their home in South Minneapolis. The first Flanery to take up permanent residence in the area was Dawn’s great-uncle, William Flanery, who began building a home on Onondaga Street in the mid-1940s. Having been an active member of the Minneapolis Fire Department, he was appointed to serve as the First Chief of the Fire Department of the Village of Fridley in 1951. The same year, Dawn’s family moved in down the street. She remembers her “Uncle Bill” as a gentle, kind man who always had butterscotch candies for her and her cousins. She also calls him an unsung hero of the family. He never married or had children of his own, opting instead to care for an ailing brother and aging father until they died. William made arrangements for the farmstead to be donated to the City in 1962, just months before his own death. Development of a City park on the land began later on. A memorial plaque for William was installed in 1973. Longtime Residents Dawn is not the only current resident who can recall the earlier days of the neighborhood’s development. Bob Locker settled his family in the neighborhood in 1968. “A lot of new homes had just been built, so quite a few families moved in the same year. At that time, Onondaga Street was just a dirt road and the area to the south of us was still a field.” Sandy Money remembers that same field: “My husband and I both worked at Onan [Power Generation], which is why we moved here. To get to work we just walked across the field from our house. Back then this was quiet country.” Sergeant Ryan George of the Fridley Police, who has served as one of Flanery Park’s Neighborhood Resource Officers since 2006, comments: “I have met several people in the neighborhood who have lived in the same house for over 40 years. They still speak fondly of the neighborhood and the City, as they reflect on what they have accomplished, such as raising children, making improvements to their homes, and getting to know their neighbors.” Many longtime residents recall neighborhood barbecues or volleyball games as families grew up together. The close proximity to the park allowed for many recreational activities. The Park “The park is irregular shaped, yet a very nice example of a neighborhood park, with open space to allow tennis, hockey, play equipment for the younger kids, or an open area for softball or that touch football game after Thanksgiving dinner,” notes Fridley Community Development Director Scott Hickok. Resident Larry Alpert, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1978 can attest. He says his family spent a lot of time in the park as his kids were growing up. “Even now, when relatives visit, a trip to the park is in order,” he says. “It’s always been nice to have the park,” says Bob Locker. “I coached hockey, and my two sons played hockey, so they spent many many nights at the hockey rink there. I could just open the door at home and hear them playing and know they were okay.” Today Longtime residents have seen natural cycles in the neighborhood’s demographics over the years. “Over the course of time, you see rotations of young and old, and I think we’re starting to see some of that now. This Halloween we had probably 40 trick-or-treaters, and in years past there have been less. We’re starting to see more young ones again,” says Larry Alpert. Sandy Money has been able to share wisdom with newer residents. “My husband and I are kind of the grandparents of the block. When the younger neighbors have problems, they come to my husband to help fix things.” Dawn Cordes, who remembers Irish and Norwegian neighbors when she lived here as a child, says that nowadays she has met neighbors with roots in Vietnam and Tibet. “I feel that it is a safe, comfortable, and caring neighborhood. Everyone looks out for each other,” she says. Bob Locker echoes that sentiment: “It’s a nice comfortable area. A lot of people don’t come up to this northeast corner. But when they do, they see that it’s nice –there are a lot of trees and it’s quiet.” A wealth of fascinating history and life experiences is contained in each of Fridley’s neighborhoods. Whether you are a longtime resident with a lifetime of memories here or a newcomer just starting out, what’s your story? Get out and meet your neighbors and watch for more featured neighborhoods in the Fridley City Newsletter. If your newly designed City of Fridley utility bill hasn’t arrived yet, it will soon! The new bill provides simple instructions for enrolling in eBill. This free service sends an email notification to you when your bill is available to view online. In addition to enrolling for eBill, you can also sign up for our Direct Payment service to have your utility bill paid automatically prior to its due date, avoiding late fees, stamps and the hassle of mailing a payment! Simply complete the form to the right and include it with your next utility payment. For more information, on either of these programs go to www.FridleyMN.gov and click on “utils/streets” or call 763-572-3529. Name: Address: Utility Account #: Daytime Phone#: Financial Institution:Checking Savings By signing below, I am authorizing the City of Fridley Utility Department to automatically withdraw my utility payment from my checking/savings account. Signature Date / / Attach voided check or savings withdrawal slip here. Want your neighborhood featured? Call the City Office at 763-572-3500 w w w .F r i d l e y M N .g o v page 5 Not too long ago, you could barely hear the person talking next to you sometimes,” says Parks and Recreation Director Jack Kirk, recalling the experience of traffic noise spilling into Springbrook Nature Center along 85th Avenue. Today, visitors to the park are sheltered from the sights and sounds of the road by a landscaped berm that reaches up to 15 feet high. “The berm serves as a buffer, exactly as expected, and will do an even better job as the plants continue to grow,” Kirk adds. This successful landscaping installation is one completed element of the Nature Center’s ongoing $7.6 million improvement project, known as the Sanctuary Protection and Renewal Into the Next Generation (SPRING) Project. The ambitious, three-phase project aims to revamp the 7-acre entrance area of the park. In addition to the berm, Phase 1 of the project plans for an outdoor pavilion, a celebration plaza, and a healing garden. Highlights of the following phases include adding an amphitheater and outdoor classrooms, and nearly tripling the size of the interpretive center. Springbrook Nature Center Director Mike Maher is enthusiastic about the potential of the new facilities. “These improvements will make Springbrook a real ‘destination’ nature center, attracting people from the entire region, which will have an economic impact that will reach out into the community.” In addition to providing more amenities for the casual visitor to use for free, the new spaces will bring the capability to host a huge variety of events such as weddings and community gatherings, he says. Kirk emphasizes that the renovations will allow Springbrook to expand on its educational purpose. “Education is a major goal of all nature centers, but especially at Springbrook. We are part of four different school districts in Fridley, which is a rare opportunity. The SPRING Project improvements to facilities will allow us to expand our interaction with the schools. We will be able to broaden the reach of our message, to teach more students about the relationship between people and nature, and to show them how to be better stewards of this planet.” Kirk and Maher’s view of the project’s outlook is shared by many local legislators. Bipartisan support for the SPRING project has resulted in its inclusion in three state bonding bills; however, funding for the project has been line-item vetoed by the governor each time. Nevertheless, Springbrook again hosted visitors from the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Capital Investment Committee this fall to promote the project for the upcoming bonding bill. “We’re optimistic that we’ll be in the bill and be able to move forward,” says Kirk. The final bonding bill is expected towards the end of the session, most likely in May. The balance remaining beyond the $5.5 million being requested from the State will be raised through grants, corporate donations, and grassroots efforts coordinated by the Springbrook Nature Center Foundation. Funds already raised by the Foundation have covered the installation of the berm and are paying for detailed Phase 1 architectural plans expected to be completed in February. The Foundation’s support for advanced planning puts the SPRING Project on “shovel ready” status—always prepared to move forward as funding comes through. With a target to complete Phase 3 within five years, the project relies on the involvement and support of local organizations, businesses, and individuals. Those interested in making a donation can watch for publication of the Foundation’s upcoming fundraising campaign. To learn more about the SPRING Project, visit springbrooknaturecenter.org or contact Springbrook Nature Center Director Mike Maher at mike.maher@FridleyMN.gov or 763-572-3589. SPRING Project Update Toy Safety Tips With the holiday season fast approaching, the City of Fridley and the Fridley Fire Department would like to offer some safety tips to help make sure your holidays are spent together as families instead of at the emergency room. There are many new toys that make their debut each holiday season, and while many young children are excited to try them out, not every toy is appropriate for every child. Parents know their child’s developmental stage the best, and are encouraged to recommend to other family members the gifts they feel are appropriate. For infants and toddlers, toys with small parts should be avoided; anything that can fit through the inside of a toilet paper roll can pose a choking hazard. Toys with sharp edges or points should be avoided for all children under age eight. Any sports equipment should always be utilized with the appropriate safety gear. Parents should also inspect new toys prior to allowing their child to play with them. Plastic wrappings should be disposed of immediately, loose parts secured or removed, and battery covers checked to make sure they are secure. Every year in the United States, an estimated 2,800 kids are treated by emergency rooms after swallowing button batteries. The small coin-sized lithium batteries are found in toys, remotes and run many everyday electronic devices. When swallowed, the batteries pose a significant risk of injury or death. All toys designed for children are required to have safety doors with screws to limit access to the batteries. Items geared toward adults however, do not have the same requirements, and may be easily accessible by small children. We encourage you to secure those items and make sure that small children do not have access to spare batteries. Taking a few extra steps this holiday season to inspect all new toys, read through all directions/safety information, and properly assemble toys will help make your family time memorable for the right reason. Enjoy a wild winter afternoon at Commons Park with the entire family. Sleigh rides, ice games, dog sled rides, and snowball launching are just a few of the many outdoor activities you can participate in. Or, challenge yourself and your family to a medallion hunt with a $100 cash prize. Afterward, keep warm at the huge bonfire while enjoying s’mores, crafts, refreshments, BINGO, games, and dancing located indoors at the Fridley Community Center. Call 763-572-3570 for information. Saturday, January 25, 2014 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. page 6 F r i d l e y C o m m u n i t y R e p o r t Development Update Exciting developments are happening in Fridley. One recent example, Vision Woodworking is expanding. Other exciting developments include: McDonald’s in the Fridley Market Development, movement forward on the Gateway NE project along University Avenue, and a tremendous amount of activity in the scattered site housing replacement program. Vision Woodworking Vision Woodworking is an industry that provides beautiful cabinetry, other woodwork, solid surface, thermoformed products, and other high-end interior products for clients around the world. Situated quietly back against the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line in Fridley’s Onaway Industrial District, this company has experienced enormous growth since their establishment in 1994. Since then, they have not only purchased other buildings near their original location on Hickory Street, they also purchased another woodworking industry in Bloomington a few years ago. This company has been experiencing positive growth. We are not only happy for them, but we are proud they call Fridley home. Currently, Vision Woodworking is moving forward with a 13,100 expansion to the north end of their westernmost building (they also own 2 buildings on the east side of Hickory). In order to complete this expansion, Vision Woodworking needed to request that a short section of the dead- ended 79th Avenue NE, north of their property be vacated. They needed the cooperation of the two industries to the north and an official vacation action from the City of Fridley. All necessary items were received and the addition has been given the green light. Construction is expected to begin in late 2013. McDonald’s McDonald’s in the Fridley Market is scheduled to open in mid-November. After closing its store near Cub Foods just before demolition of the old store, McDonald’s has not had a presence in the martplace near Cub. The good news is that is changing. McDonald’s began construction of a beautiful new facility in September. The store is one of McDonald’s new prototype. Though it is similar to others you may have seen elsewhere, it is most like their first store of this McDonald’s generation in Chaska. The store is modern in that it will have the double drive-though/menu board feature to help with vehicle stacking and it will have an outdoor dining patio for nice weather dining as well. The architects from McDonald’s worked with the Fridley Market architects to make sure that their color selection for the store would be complimentary to the color scheme of the larger development. It all has come together nicely. Regulars will tell you, it isn’t until a store is down and you don’t have it for a while, that you realize how much you appreciated it. Many seniors tell us this was their morning coffee/meeting spot, and they look forward to having it back. Gateway Northeast Plans for a development at Gateway Northeast are moving along well. Trident Development and Lyon Construction, the developer, and our staff met with everyone who have utilities in the area to make provisions for the 3 new buildings that will occupy the 6-acre site between the Gateway East Townhomes and 61st Avenue. A Transit Oriented Development Masterplan and a S-2 Redevelopment District Masterplan will be before the City Council in early 2014. If all goes as well as it is anticipated, the first of three buildings will be under construction by mid-2014. Scattered Site Housing Replacement Program The 36th of 100 homes will soon be under construction within the next month. Our readers may recall that the Minnesota State Legislature allowed the Fridley Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) to purchase up to 100 homes to put in a Scattered Site Housing Replacement Tax Increment Finance District. The idea of the program was to allow the HRA and its staff to investigate and purchase homes that are empty, blighted and in need of demolition and replacement. By doing this, it has not only removed blight from neighborhoods, it has encouraged reinvestment in neighborhoods. The increment generated from the new taxes goes back into the housing program so that the HRA can continue to address housing/redevelopment needs in the community. Gateway West, north of Burger King, along University Avenue is one of the most obvious areas where you can see these homes being built. Drive many streets in Fridley however, and you will see a new home standing where a tired older home once stood. The HRA has gotten very positive feedback from Fridley residents on the success of this program and the delight of having a new home standing where there was once a home in need of serious attention. Next year promises to be excellent for development in Fridley. Many projects that have been somewhere in the process of redevelopment, are now out there and are ready for ground- breaking events. Keep watching as new and fresh projects continue to come our way. Trees Near Power Lines: Take Caution Many homeowners find the winter season a good time to trim trees. If you find yourself thinking the same, please consider the overhead power lines. Trees provide many environmental and aesthetic benefits, but they are also a major cause of electric service interruptions. Under certain circumstances, Xcel Energy will prune and removes trees near power lines. Tree pruning is the selective removal of branches that are not an adequate distance from power lines, or that will grow too close to the power line before the next maintenance cycle. Trees may cause outages in two ways: mechanical and electrical. Mechanical damage refers to entire trees or portions of trees falling and physically damaging facilities (knocking down wires, poles, etc.). Because trees can be conductive, electrical outages can also occur. These interruptions are caused when a portion of a tree becomes a short-circuit path for electricity to flow, causing a protective device to operate and stop the flow of electricity. Therefore, trees must be maintained an adequate distance from the conductors in an attempt to prevent electric service interruptions. Xcel Energy recommends that customers not attempt to trim trees near power lines and reminds customers that contact with overhead lines or downed lines poses safety hazards that can result in serious injury or even death. Adults should remind children to stay away from fallen power lines and any object a downed line may come in contact with, especially trees whose limbs might come into contact with lines. A tree limb touching a power line will become energized, and touching the energized limb would be just as dangerous as touching a live line. If you have concerns about trees growing near power lines, please contact Xcel Energy’s customer service at 1-800-895-4999. A customer service representative will be happy to assist you. What Winter Teaches By Peter William Stein The sun barely wakes up these days I wait for it in bed as long as I can Then medicate with coffee black as the morning sky I stay up hours past sun down which isn’t so late and wait It’s all there is to do all we ever do we wait in traffic we wait in the elevator we wait while tying our shoes riding a rollercoaster or reading a book We wait in our dreams for a little more sunlight then wake grateful there is something to wait for Peter William Stein is a member of the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts. w w w .F r i d l e y M N .g o v page 7 Embrace Winter and Head Outdoors When the days shorten and the snow piles up, do you curl up in your favorite chair, venturing outside only when necessary? Are you wasting days you will never get back, waiting for spring? Maybe it’s time to embrace winter, zip up your coat, grab your hat and gloves, pull on your boots, and head outdoors. There are plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities in Fridley during the winter months. To start with, Fridley maintains 11 neighborhood ice skating rinks, 5 of which have hockey rinks. In addition to the neighborhood rinks, there is a large winter recreation area at Commons Park. Commons Park is located at 555 - 61st Avenue, across from the Community Center. Commons Park is home to two hockey rinks, a skating oval, a sliding hill, and plenty of open space for snowshoeing or just making snow angels. Fridley’s only warming house is also located at Commons Park. Warming house hours are Monday through Friday, 3:00 to 9:00 p.m.; weekends and schools-out days, 12 to 9:00 p.m.; and Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, 12 to 4:00 p.m. Maybe nature is your thing. Springbrook Nature Center is alive all winter long. The trails are open for hiking and snowshoeing. Cross-country skiing is also allowed, but the trails are not groomed. New this year, Springbrook Nature Center has snowshoe rentals available on a first-come, first-served basis Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.; as well as December 26, 27 and 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Snowshoe group lessons are also available. Contact the Nature Center at 763-572-3588 for more details. Springbrook staff asks that you respect the Nature Center and remain on the designated trails. You may want to join in on the winter bird count on Saturday, December 21 (preregistration required). Sunday bird banding will be held through the winter. Springbrook offers many more activities throughout the season. For more information about upcoming events or to register for events at Springbrook Nature Center, go to their website at www.SpringbrookNatureCenter.org. Within the City of Fridley, Anoka County has many parks. Most of these parks are in natural surroundings and are open to guests from sunrise to sunset through the winter. Their park trails are plowed and available for hikers and snowshoeing; cross-country skiing is allowed in designated areas. Perhaps you feel adventurous and want to hike the woods and take winter photographs of nature. Many species of birds and wildlife winter in Fridley. The Mississippi River and many creeks flow all winter long, making these parks a great place to view winter wildlife. Anoka County hosts many outdoor activities throughout the winter in some of their parks outside of Fridley. Check out their website at www.AnokaCountyParks.com. Many people enjoy ice fishing on Moore Lake. While ice fishing and skating on lakes and ponds are great winter activities, please be very careful of ice conditions. No lake or stream is completely safe in the winter. Ice conditions can vary drastically within just a few feet, and falling through the ice can be deadly in a matter of just a few minutes. As always, the Fridley Recreation Department has many outdoor winter sports leagues. Broomball and boot hockey leagues are now accepting team registrations. Check out all their offerings at www.FridleyMN.gov/Recreation. Fridley’s Winterfest is the perfect event for the entire family. This indoor/outdoor festival will be held Saturday, January 25, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Fridley Community Center and Commons Park. Full details will be available on the City’s website as the festival nears. The City is also maintaining sidewalks and many bike paths this winter. Please keep in mind that although these paths are important, they are not a priority, and will be cleared last during snow events. Now you have the information to get outside, and get some winter exercise. Bundle up, stay warm, and have fun. How are we doing? The City wants to constantly improve its quality of service. To accomplish this goal, we need feedback just like a business does. The feedback for a business helps improve the bottom line--profits. At the City, we are interested in feedback so we can improve satisfaction levels and value for the taxes paid. We do get feedback when citizens contact us. While we appreciate the emails, phone calls and letters, they are not enough to know if we are getting any better at providing services. We need to reach out to citizens and ask the tough questions related to satisfaction and tax value. The City has contracted with the Morris- Leatherman Group to conduct a Citizen Survey. This survey will be scientifically designed, and implemented to assure impartiality. It will be done by phone, and participation is completely voluntary. It is too costly to call everyone, so a random sample of approximately 300 will be called. If you get a call, we encourage you to respond. It should take about 15 minutes of your time. If you do not get a call to participate in the survey, send us an email, give us a call or send us a letter and tell us how we are doing. It will not be a part of the survey results, but we appreciate knowing what you think. The results of the survey will be shared with the public in January. The results will help guide the City Council in developing policies and programs that meet the needs of the City. It also helps City staff manage the programs more effectively and efficiently. If you have any concerns about the survey, contact Wally Wysopal at 763-572-3500. Fridley Community Calendar December 2 City Council Parks & Recreation Commission 4 Appeals Commission 5 Housing & Redevelopment Authority 9 City Council 18 Planning Commission 20 City Offices close at 3 p.m. 24 City Offices close at 1:30 p.m. 25 City Offices Closed in Observance of Christmas January 1 City Offices Closed in Observance of New Year’s 2 Housing & Redevelopment Authority 6 City Council Charter Commission Parks & Recreation Commission 14 Environmental Quality & Energy Commission 25 Planning Commission 20 City Offices Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day 27 City Council NOTE:City Council and Commission meetings start at 7:00 pm. Meetings are held at the Municipal Center, 6431 University Avenue NE. The public is welcome. Hearing impaired persons who need an interpreter or other persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids and would like to attend a meeting, should contact Roberta Collins at 763-572-3500 at least one week in advance. Fridley Neighborhood Watch Block Captains provide an integral link between the Fridley Police Department and the community. Block Captains are the foundation for Fridley’s strong community- police partnership. Fridley has 38 police officers, with 27 patrol officers who respond to calls for service and look after the City 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even so, it is difficult for officers to know the rhythm of a neighborhood as well as those who live there. This is where the role of a Neighborhood Watch Block Captain comes into play. Block Captains often know who lives where, what vehicles frequent the area, and when something seems out of sync. Block Captains are essential to the success of our community-police partnership. Fridley instituted a Neighborhood Watch Program in 1978 to help facilitate communication between the community and the Police Department. It also helps residents make connections to other City departments and programs. For example, Block Captains worked tirelessly at getting information out when the City initiated a recycling program. Fridley has 43 individual neighborhoods divided into 11 separate districts. Each district has two Fridley officers who have volunteered for the extra assignment of being a Neighborhood Resource Officer. Neighborhood Resource Officers work directly with Block Captains and the neighborhood to help resolve issues, which are not necessarily emergencies, but affect quality of life. Over 20 years ago, solid partnerships were established between Fridley’s police and our residents. While the demographics of Fridley have changed in the intervening years, the original partnerships and relationships continue to provide a strong foundation for the Police Department to work from. Block Captains become involved with many of our police efforts such as organizing Night to Unite, distributing extra crime alerts when needed, and each fall by ensuring neighbors know about the Fridley winter parking ordinance. Fridley always has a base of Block Captains who come forward with helping hands, something that is not always the case in many communities. All relationships take work to grow and evolve, and community-police partnerships are no different. A Fridley Block Captain is a resident who is concerned about his or her neighborhood being a safer place to live and is willing to share that concern with others. A Block Captain is a communication link between the residents, the immediate neighborhood, and the Fridley Police Department. Many of Fridley’s Block Captains become quite knowledgeable of how other City departments can assist with resolving quality of life issues. A Block Captain is not expected to respond to suspicious situations or intervene when a disturbance occurs in the neighborhood. Block Captains do not have foot patrol duties, nor should they investigate crimes. Block Captains are not expected to be available 24 hours a day. The number of active Block Captains is always changing, but it is fair to say Fridley has around 200 Block Captains at any given time. With that many volunteers, it may appear that every block in Fridley has a captain, but that is not the case. Some areas of the City could use additional block captains. If you are interested in becoming a Fridley Neighborhood Watch Block Captain, please contact Myra Harris Johnson at 763-572- 3638. It is a great volunteer opportunity! w w w .F r i d l e y M N .g o v page 8 Fridley Neighborhood Watch Block Captains: The Best Volunteer Job Around! Meet the Snow Plow Crew Minnesota is a good place for Fridley Public Works employee Rich Perron, especially this time of year. “I love plowing snow and I love winter,” he says. He and the rest of the City’s 24-person snow removal team are some of the first people at the ready when a winter storm moves in—and there is a lot to prepare for. “Fridley plows 107 miles of city roads, 80 cul-de-sacs, 18 alleyways and dead-ends, 17 parking lots and about 12 miles of sidewalks,” says Streets Division Supervisor Jeff Jensen. In addition, Public Works crews will begin plowing select trails in the City of Fridley as part of a pilot program beginning this snow season. The City Council will be presented with the formal policy on trail plowing in accordance with the Active Transportation Plan approved earlier in 2013. After any snowfall, the first priority for crews are the “redlines,” or emergency routes. Public Works and Public Safety worked together to establish redlines that would allow emergency vehicles to get within one or two blocks of any house. “We double up equipment in order to get these roads cleared in one pass. After the emergency routes are clear, we move on to the 11 plowing districts,” says Jensen. In an effort to take fairness into account, there are 4 different starting points spread out within each of the districts that are used in rotation with each snowfall. “We don’t want anyone to feel like they are always the last street plowed.” Bud Zurbey has over 20 years of experience in snow removal. He says that one of the biggest hazards of the job is obstacles left in the street by residents. Cars parked in the street during snow removal are against City Code and cause a number of problems. There is risk of damaging the snowplows, damaging the vehicles, and incurring extra cost for the City to tow the vehicles and re-plow streets. Vehicles are not the only obstacles left behind. “There can be thousands of trash and recycling bins left out in the street every winter. It’s important to keep them on the driveway.” adds Zurbey. Residents should also be careful when encountering snowplows. When driving, giving the plows ample space to turn and back up during snow removal is crucial. Sight lines from the trucks can be limited at times. For Perron, whose duties focus on cul-de- sac clearing, his biggest concern is children who come out to play in the snow banks. Children should be monitored and kept at a safe distance when plows come through. While Perron and Zurbey say that the majority of residents are appreciative and understanding, some residents express frustration at the perception that extra snow gets pushed into their yards or driveways compared to their neighbors’. There are some factors such as how close together neighboring driveways are, or how near the street corner is, that can affect the way snow gets pushed, but the crews do what they can to split roads right down the middle. Perron asks people to remember that the crew members themselves are not immune to the reality of the situation. “We still have to go home and shovel our own driveways, which will look just the same.” Walking a mile in a crew member’s boots might offer some new perspectives on the work they do. “I don’t think a lot of people realize that we’re basically on call all the time. With the weather being so fickle, you have to always be ready day or night,” says Zurbey. “We’ve had four-day Christmas holiday weekends where the guys have had to work three out of those four days, sacrificing time with family and visitors,” says Jensen. On top of snow removal, over half the crew members have other Public Works’ duties that must be completed. For an overnight snowfall, 7 crew members report at 4 a.m. to prepare for plowing by 5 a.m. A standard snowfall of 2-6 inches takes about 8-10 hours to clear completely. Despite the cold temperatures, odd hours, and unique hazards, Perron is back for his 9th winter of snow removal for Fridley. He overcomes the challenges with a positive outlook and an attitude of service: “It’s not any easy job. It’s a mentally stressful job. But we’re trained to do it and we love to do it. We’re here to do our job as best we can so everyone else can get out and do theirs.” Do your part to make snow removal as quick, efficient, and safe as possible by keeping parked vehicles and waste receptacles out of the street, driving cautiously around snowplows, and keeping a careful eye on children. For more information, please visit the Street Division page at www.FridleyMN.gov. Sharie Ahlers • Bruce Nelson • Dick La Kang Jan Retzer • Marilou Johnson