1989 Fall CITYOF FRIDLEY Fall Newsletter 1989
No. 64
Police Switch To GlockS
nfortunately there are people learning how to disassemble,clean,and care forthe
a
in our society who have guns Glock. The second part of the training is shooting,
who shouldn't have them. Over the remaining time, officers fireda
Consequently Fridley police department 600 rounds and were certified to R'
officers have to carry weapons. In 1972 use the Glock
officers received Smith and Wesson after they
357 - six shot revolvers, and after 15 demon-
years that weapon's useful life was strated a .e
drawing near. It was also necessary to high degreea
modernize the department's arsenal, of proficiency.
given the types of automatic weapons To help teach
some criminals use now.
the finer points of
With those facts in mind,the Fridley using the Glock, '
Police Department switched to the 18 four officers, Craig
shot semi-automatic Glock pistol. Gromek, Skip Stan-
Officers now have as many rounds of dal, Don Abbott, and
ammunition in their guns as they used to Sergeant Hillbert Voigt
have on their holsters. This is a very became range instructors.
interesting hand gun, designed by an To qualify for that position
Austrian Engineer who never designed they shot an additional
ee:
a gun before. It is made of only 33 1000 rounds and attended a -
pieces compared with 100 to 150 for one day Glock armorer school
other semi-automatic pistols. Most of where they learned to repair Officer Craig Gromek taking target
the non-moving parts are made of a the new pistols. For other practice with the new Glock pistol.
secret formula plastic polymer, so it pistols the school would take
weighs only two pounds and an ounce, at least a week because of the
with a third of that weight attributed to complexity involved. Each
the bullets. The Smith and Wesson piece has to be filed or tooled Compost: Not Garbage
weighs one half pound more. for each individual gun. With The City-owned compost pile has been very
Yet it is very safe and reliable. A the Glock all parts are inter- successful at keeping tons of leaves and grass
Glock has been test fired 150,000 times changeable with any other clippings out of landfills. Unfortunately, the
Glock in the department. future of the compost area is uncertain because a
without malfunctioning. It was also
designed not to accidentally fire if Thancers rarelkfully, Fridley Offi-
few people use itto dump garbage,tree branches,
dropped. To demonstrate this,one was y have to pull out bricks and other prohibited materials.dropped 400 feet from a helicopter and their weapons. In fact,it has If the compost site must be closed,residents
did not go off,the only pistol of its type been nine years since a Fri- will have few options for getting rid of their yard
waste. Starting next year,trash haulers cannot
to pass that test. dley Officer has had to actu- dump leaves or grass clippings in any landfill in
ally fire his gun at a person.
Each of the 33 Police Officers in the But, if that unfortunate Minnesota.
Fridley force are now fully qualified to momemt comes again, they The Fridley compost pile is located in the
use the Glock pistol. Qualification was recycle center area, behind Columbia Arena.
achieved during a two day transition will be ready. Only leaves and grass clippings which have been
school. The first half day was spent debagged are acceptable.Help keep the compost
area open by using it properly.
PAGE 2 CITY OF FRIDLEY FALL 1989
e Crime Watch Signs
k-
Installed
rime Watch signs have already been installed in five
1017ridleynei hborhoods.The wam potential criminals to
g Y
stay away,because people in this neighborhood are watching
together to prevent crime.
Program guidelines tell people to call the police at 911 if
they see any suspicious activity. "Don't think about it,
just call
911."
According to Connie Kampa,Crime Prevention Specialist,
"A crime watch sign will be placed in your neighborhood if I
..
have either a block meeting or a Block Captain's meeting with
r� �9
you." For more information about the crime watch signs call
Connie Kampa at 572-3629.
.h
Block Captains,from left to right Nancy Shaw and
Katie, and Ann Hagen with her girls Melanie and
Eileen, standing in front of their Crime Watch sign.
Codes Create
Order
Forreasons of convenience, you in a building or shall be fully screened
to set the old couch out by from public view. The exceptions are
the garage until a destination could be stacked firewood, boats, and trailers
found. Someone else keeps a worthless which may be placed in the side or rear
refrigerator in the driveway due to lack yard. One important note concerning
of storage space. Another neighbor "stacked firewood" is that it means
dumps excess materials from their re- exactly what it states. Tossing old
cent home remodeling project in the boards into a pile does not constitute
front yard. As a property owner, it is stacked firewood.
your right to use your land as you wish. The intent of the code is to make our
Oris it.
city a nice place to live, and following
The Fridley Zoning Code was en- these performance standards helps cre-
acted to help promote a healthy and ate such an environment. If you are
attractive suburban environment,and it bothered by unlawful exterior storage
includes regulations prohibiting many of materials in your neighborhood,call
property uses including the ones previ- Code Enforcement Officer Steve Barg
ously mentioned. at 572-3595. Let's make Fridley an The new 24-hour drop box for utility
Specifically,the code states that exte- attractive community! payments and recreation registration
rior storage of all materials shall be kept: is located on the upper level of the
Plaza's Parking Ramp.
FALL 1989 CITY OF FRIDLEY PAGE 3
Springbrook
Highlights Halloween
This four-part event includes an
This fall the Springbrook Nature Cen- outdoor trail experience, a Halloween
ter has a full and exciting schedule, Play in the amphitheater,an indoor visit
something for everyone in your family.
to the spider den,and a walk down trick
or treat alley. Programs begin at 6pm,
Volksmareh October 31; the last show begins at
The Taste of Nature Autumn Harvest about 9pm. This is co-sponsored by the
Festival will be held on Saturday Sep- Fridley Jaycees.
tember 23,from 8am to 5pm. One of the Family Naturalist Programs
highlights of the festival will be a l Ok or Every Saturday at 1:30 pm, a
a 20k volksmarch. The volksmarch is a Springbrook Naturalist will lead an
non-competitive walk and participants informative program that the whole
receive a Luna Moth cloisonne medal- family will enjoy.
lion. Cost is $5 for pre-registered, and Assessor's
$6 at the festival. Also featured at the For more information about all
festival is Stony Lonesome, who will Springbrook Nature Center programs Corner
provide the music on the City's show- consult the Recreation Natural Resource
mobile. Samples of wild game cooked Department Fall Programing Guide. If by Dori Madsen
by professional chefs will be available. you don't have one,call the Recreation
Also, Naturalist-led hikes and animal Department at 572-3570 during work- Even though the deadline for filing
programs will be presented. ing hours. for homeowner property tax refunds
was August 15, you still may file. A
5% late penalty per month will, how-
ever, be deducted from any refund.
Recycle U p d ate. ® Homeowners are also reminded that for taxes payable in 1989, a refund is
❑Curbside Recycling is in full swing _ available for increases that exceeded
once again. Actually, the program 10%over taxes payable in 1988. This
is stronger than before because the Fri- refund will be 75% of the amount in
dley Lion's Club donated $5000 fora excess of 10%, exclusive of any new
pilot project. The purpose of the project construction value. Application for
is to increase participation by providing this refund is made on the same form as
recycle containers.Two hundred and six- the property tax refund. This is the
teen households in a south east section of gold colored form, M 1PR, that was
the city each received two blue plastic inserted in the 1988 State Income Tax
crates, one for glass and the other for you are missed,call Lisa Campbell at the form packet. If you need a form,pick
cans. City of Fridley offices, 572-3594 before one up at the Fridley City Assessor's
11 am to assure same day pickup. office,or call 296-9118. Renters also
At the present time roughly 23 - 26010 eligible for a refund, and are
ara
of Fridley households recycle. The proj- Newspapers, glass, aluminum bever- urged may be e refer to the same form and
ect will be closely monitored to deter- age cans, steel and tin food cans, and
mine if the experiment increases the per- cardboard are collected curbside. Plastic A study of 62 home sales recorded
centage of people who recycle. pop & liquor bottles, plastic milk and January 1 through August 1, 1989 re-
Service problems experienced earlier water jugs,compost,and motor oil can be veals the following:
this year caused by the financial instabil- taken to the recycle center on 71 st Ave-
ity of the recycle company have disap-
nue behind Columbia Arena. Average sale price: $83,002
peared now that a new company is doing The city and future generations thank Assessor's average value of the same
the collections. Recyclables must be at those people who participated in the pro- homes: $77,695
curbside by 7 am. and will usually be gram over the last three years. With your
collected by 10:30 am. If for some reason support the program will be able to con-
tinue and grow.
PAGE 4 CITY OF FRIDLEY FALL 1989
Municipal
Assessing and
Faxes Center Open
By Edward Fitzpatrick, House Set
Councilmember Ward III
The property tax words that we have D y the end of September or the
come to know are gone. The old termsbeginning of October the remodel-
such as "Mills" and "Assessed Valu- � ing of the Municipal Center and
ation'which were so fainiliar have given 0q ° construction of the Fridley Plaza Park-
way to different terms with slightly ing Ramp will be completed. To show
different meanings. Your property taxes a� off the new facilities and explain city
for payable 1989 were calculated by the services, an open house will be held
following formula: :::N�-- Saturday, October 14. That Saturday
homeowners pay. For taxes payable in National Fire Prevention week
For homestead property,the estimated 1990,there will be no homestead credit,
market value(EMV)is determined b activities culminate,so the three Fridley
( y however the classification rate will be fire stations will also be having open
the Assessor. The State classification
law which sets the classification rates less.
houses to demonstrate their services.
are then applied to your home value. The amount of tax you pay, plus the Early this summer an open house was
The 1st $68,000 of EMV is multiplied amount paid by the State as homestead planned, but it was postponed because
by 2.17%, the EMV between $68,000 credit is divided among various juris- too much of the building remained under
and $100,000 is multiplied by 2.5%, dictions. For each dollar of property tax construction. It will be held this fall to
and any balance over$100,000 is multi- collected, an average of 54 percent is enable the citizens of Fridley to see the
plied by 3.3%. The sum of these prod- distributed to school districts, 27 per- completed work instead of only a small
l ucts is called"tax capacity"(which was cent to Anoka County,and 13 percent to portion.
called assessed value). The next step is the City of Fridley. The other six per-
to multiply your tax capacity by the cent is divided among the Metropolitan There will be tours and other activi-
"tax capacity rate" (which was calledTransit Commission, the North Subur- ties. Please watch for specific activities
the mill rate)This produces your gross ban Hospital District, the watershed and times in the local media as October
tax. districts, the mosquito control district, 14th approaches. You may also call
and light rail transit. 572-3505 for more information.
From the gross tax is subtracted your
homestead credit, which is calculated These details apply only to taxes as- To receive better service on an
by still another formula. The gross tax sessed in 1988 and payable in 1989. every day basis while at the
i is reduced by 54%, or a maximum of Pending legislation could change the Municipal Center, use the main doors
$725. The result is the net tax that amount of taxes payable in future years. on the south or Plaza side of the
--- — - building. Visitors will find it easier
This bus was and quicker to find who they are
seeking. All departments on the
donated by the _ ®�� = upper level have a window facing
Fridley Lions 9 the lobby area for quick access.
and makes
The Police Department is on the
weekly scheduled �,, r� lower level. When the Recreation
shopping pp g sto s
p � "` Department moves back into the
besides special Municipal Center,they will be on the
home pickups. .a e lower level also. Currently they are
on the third floor of the Plaza Ofice
Call the Senior
Center atBuilding.
w e �.
571-1304 for
more information #�`
FALL 1989 CITY OF FRIDLEY PAGE 5
Streets is one
of six divisions
Can 't Drive comprising the
Public Works
■ Department.
Without Them g
Streets Division
consists of 10
T❑he people in the Streets Division are truly workers for full time work-
all seasons. In the summer they repair the streets, and ers and 11 sum-
mer employees �� 01,111
sweep the leaves in the fall. During the winter the same who maintain
��
workers plow them, and in the spring they again clean the 125 miles of city
streets, removing accumulated sand from winter sanding �2
street. Another
operations.
30 miles of road-
way
oad way are owned
In the summer � .
and maintained
workers start all
by the State of
over again,repair-
Minnesota and
ing and maintain- Anoka County. Kim Herrmann and Mike Graves
ing. This is one of fill the cracks with liquid asphalt.
the major budget ! Besides the
items for the Street , ` previously men-
Division, and is
a, tioned tasks,
also one of the °°"
� workers in the
most important. Streets Division trim and remove trees, install signs, stripe
Proper mainte- � � the streets, and repair medians.
nance ensures that
city roads are safe
for travel and that
costly street re-
placement is
avoided.
In fact, this is Seniors Raffle Quilt
a
the last summer of Fridley Seniors worked together and won a 50 inch by 50
an 8 year project ew inch square wall quilt. The quilt which is made up of 16
to sealcoat and re- ;.. , e award winning squares is done in beautiful blues &roses
furbish virtually In 98 degree heat Craig Turbak and is worth almost$500.
all Fridley streets. routes out a crack.
Starting next year According to Connie Thompson, Coordinator of the
an eighth of the Senior Center, a national contest was held by a craft
city streets will be resurfaced each year,but street patching magazine that encouraged readers to vote for their favorite
and repair will not have to be as extensive. senior citizen charity. "As it turned out, people voted for
national organizations,no other senior center got together,
Street refurbishing is a five step process. First they are and consequently we won by a large margin."
cleaned, then inspected and problem areas are marked for
repair.Any crack larger than half of an inch is sprayed with The quilt will be raffled off on November 15. You have
weed killer, cleaned out, and filled. After the holes and until then to buy your$1 chances. If you want to see the
cracks are filled,liquid asphalt is applied to the entire street quilt it will be displayed in area cross stitch stores, the
and crushed granite is spread over the surface. Fridley State Bank, and the senior center.
Proceeds from the raffle will be used to improve the
According to John Flora,Public Works Director, "Other- senior center and buy needed equipment.
materials were tried, but the granite gravel provided the
most uniform surface,with the best traction,durability,and. To buy raffle tickets, either drop by the senior center at
rideability." 6085 Seventh Street, or call 571-1304.
PAGE 6 CITY OF FRIDLEY FALL 1989
City Calendar - Fall 1989
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Briefly ■ ■ ■
j Recycle 2 From the City Council
Area 1-North
of Miss.St. SPEED REDUCTION REQUESTED
3 4Jaber 5 6 7 8 Recycle 9 On June 5, a resolution petitioning
Day A HR Area 2-South Anoka County to reduce the speed limit
of Miss.St. on Mississippi Street from University
10 11 12 13 14 15 Recycle 16 Avenue to Central Avenue was passed.
CC PL HRA Area i-North The resolution was needed so Anoka
PR of Miss.St. County could begin procedures to slow
17 18 19 20 21 22 Recycle 23 traffic going by Hayes Elementary School.
CC EQE CTV Autumn
Area 2-South
CH A of Miss.St. Begins MONEY FOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 The City agreed to loan the Fridley
PL Historical Society up to $7,000 to
landscape and irrigate their property. It
is a 10-year no interest loan, with one
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday` Friday Saturday tenth being repaid annually.
CDBG FUNDS DIVIDED
1 2 CC 3 4 5 6 Recycle 7 On July 10, $34,068 in Community
HR
Area 2-South Development Block Grant Funds were
PR of Miss.St.
8 9Holiday' 10 11 12 13 Recycle 14 distributed to eleven Human Service
Columbus Day A PL HRA Area 1-North Open Organizations.
Observed of Miss.St. House A.C. Assoc. for Retarded Citizens-$1,000
15 16 17 18 19 20 Recycle 21 Central
Central Center for Family Res. -$5,000
CH EQE CTV Area 2-South Family Life Mental Health Center-$4,034
of Miss.St. N. Suburban Counseling Center-$4,034
22 23 24 25 26 27 Recycle 28 Community Emergency Assit. -$1,000
Area 1-North Southern Anoka Community Asst.-$5,000
O CC A PL of Miss.St. St. Williams Church-Food Shelf-$1,000
Alexandra House-$3,500
29 30 CC 31 Fridley Senior Center-$2,500
Conference Halloween ACCAP-Sr. Outreach Worker-$6,000
RECYCLE CONTRACT OK'D
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday On July 24,the Council contracted with
Super Cycle/RECOMP to handle curbside
1 2 3 Recycle 4 recycling until the end of 1989. For
HR Area 2-South additional information see the recycle
of Miss.St. article on page 3.
5 6 7 8 9 10 Recycle 11
PR PL HRA Area 1-North Veterans
of Miss.St. Day Calendar Code
12 13 14 15 16 17 Recycle 18
CC CTV Area 2-South A -Appeals Commission
of Miss.St.
19 20 CC 21 A 22 23 24 Holiday ' 25 CC -City Council
ANIL, Thanksgiving Recycle
g Area 1-South CH° -Charter Commission
CH EQE Day' of Miss.St.
CTV-Cable TV Commission
26 27 28 29 30
EQE-Environmental Quality&Energy
Commissions meet jointly.
The HRA and the Cable TV Commission meet at 7:00 p.m. HR -Hunan Resources Commission
The City Council and all other Commissions meet in the HRA-Housing Redevelopment Authority
Municipal Center and begin at 7:30 p.m.
PL -Planning Commission
PR -Parks&Recreation Commission
FALL 1989 CITY OF FRIDLEY PAGE 7
November 7th Tips Given To Governor
E I ecti o ndiminish the responsibility of local
In anticipation of a special session
INcity-wide general election will be of the State Legislature,Mayor Nee government. We think that this can be
held Tuesday,November 7. It will presented Fridley's position at Gover- done in two ways: First,by improving the
decide who the next Mayor and nor Perpich's Property Tax Reform `truth in taxation'process. There should
Councilmember-At-Large is for Hearing on July 11. be full disclosure of all city financing
including enterprise funds,utility funds,
open from
voting location will be Mayor Nee said that the Council and and tax increment financing. In addition,
open lam to Bpm. staff put a lot of thought and hard work the tax impact of all districts should be
Election locations are listed below. If into the brief statement which captured shown, not just that of city, county, and
you do not know which ward and pre- the important aspects of the City's ideas. school district.
cinct you live in, give Shirley Haapala, "In short,"Nee said,"we think that any Second,levy limits need to be thought
the City Clerk,a call. She can be reached property tax system should be marked by through more carefully. Property tax
at 572-3523 during business hours. stability,farness,relative simplicity,and limits ought to be set at the local level
WARD 1 PRECINCT 1 enhanced local responsibility." He con- rather than at the State level. The people,
Grace Evangelical Free Church tinued by saying," ...to avoid suspicion however, should be allowed to decide
755--73rd Avenue Northeast of political maneuvering and hidden whether or not the City Council has set
WARD 1 PRECINCT 2 agendas,it is imperative that property tax property taxes too high. This could be ac-
Hayes Elementary School reform legislation do the following: complished by providing for a referen-
615 Mississippi Street Northeast dum when taxes exceed a certain per-
1.Severely reduce the number of prop-
WARD 1 PRECINCT 3erty tax classes and rates. centage of tax capacity."
Anoka County Library
410 Mississippi street 2.Radically simplify the formulas for The complete text of Mayor Nee's
local government aid,homestead credit, remarks is available by calling the Public
WARD 1 PRECINCT 4 fiscal disparities,and an other form of
Information Office at 572-3505.
Covenant Church p y
5390 University Avenue tax base equalization.
WARD i PRECINCT 5 3. Restore the true homestead credit
Fridley High School which ties the amount of state aid to a SKATEBOARDING
6000 West Moore Lake Drive city, to the actual amount of property REGULATED
WARD ZJPW-CIS I tax relief granted to property owners in
W Q E� �Serol` that city." In August an ordinance prohibit-
0, b4ft' l d ltathst Mayor Nee concluded his presentation ing skateboards,rollerblades,roller-
�. by saying, "Any effective propertytax skis and rollerskates from the Fridley
dabs reform should enhance rather than Plaza area, including the fountain
fit° hruy 5 Tcltth
and the parking ramp,and all tennis
2R— T, -'3,'-' courts took effect. Those activities
It �'atanuro are still permitted on sidewalks and
Iig4- oy 6 Northeast
streets as long as users follow rules
regulating bicycles. Using parking
NrthPark Elxnent SehT
October Hydrant lots is allowed, but express permis-
5575 lni Street North�st
WARD 3 PRECINCT 1 Flushing
lushing sion from the owner is required.
_
Springbrook Nature Center The City of Fridley will flush hydrants
100-85th Avenue Northeast during the month of October. Flushing is
WARD 3 PRECINCT 2 done every six months to remove iron and drinking, though there is the possibility
Redeemer Lutheran Church manganese deposits plus many other clothes may be stained during washing.
61 Mississippi Way Northeast minerals that built up in the lines during Anyone who experiences water dis-
WARD 3 PRECINCT 3 the summer. The serviceability of the fire coloration that lasts longer than a day
Stevenson ElementarySchool hydrants is also checked at this time. should call the Public Works Department
6080 East River Road at 572-3566 during business hours.
WARD 3 PRECINCT 4 Flushing may create a disturbance in
Roslyn park Wesleyan Church the water mains which results in water No flushing will be done on weekends
5300 Sixth Street Northeast discoloration.The water is acceptable for or Mondays.
PAGE 8 CITY OF FRIDLEY FALL 1989
Finance Dept. 0 .
Receives
Awards
Fridley's 1989 budget received the
Award for Distinguished Budget Presen-
tation. This award was presented to Fri-
fig=
dley because its budgets fulfilled the major '
functions of being a policy document, a
financial plan,an operations guide,and a
s
communication device. The City of Fri- ' ` ami
dley is improving its budget document so
Fridley citizens will have an easier time 4 �
understanding the budget process.
tw "
For the eighth straight year the City of '` m " °~
Fridley received aCertificateofAchieve- From left to right- City Manager Burns,Mayor Nee, Fire Chief Aldrich, Coun-
ment For Excellence In Financial Report- cilmember Jorgenson, Fire Captain Otten, and Fire Inspector Larson break
ing this July for the December 31, 1987 ground for the newest fire station at East River Road and 77th Way.
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
This certificate is the highest form of p u g g i e Joins Fire Department
recognition awarded for governmental
financial reporting. Both awards were An 18 month study conducted by the railroad tracks. This station, like the
presented by the Government Finance Fridley Fire Department showed that other satellite station will be unmanned,
Officers Association(GFOA). response times could be reduced to cer- however, a number of firefighters live
tain sections of Fridley. The expansion very close to the station, which is one
project began in 1988 when the first sat- of the factors that will help reduce
ellite station on Old Central Avenue was response time.
Vikings Cards
planned and built. The addition of the
East River Road and 77th Way satellite In other developments the Fridley
station is the final step for the building VFW Post #363 gave the Fire
Minnesota Viking crime prevention p g De artment $9,600. One third of the
cards are again available from any portion of the service improvement p
funds will be used to expand the
Fridley Police Officer. They can also project.
education program to all age levels
be picked up from the Fridley Police This newest station will reduce re- by buying a robot fire hydrant called
Department. sponse times to the north and west sec- "Pluggie". The other money will be used
tions of Fridley,particularly to areas that to buy a computer software program
are cut off by the Burlington Northern for hazardous incident management.
CITY OF FRIDLEY CITY OF FRIDLEY
6431 University Avenue,N.E. 6431 University Ave. N.E. CAR-RT-SORT
Fridley, Minnesota 5432 Fridley, MN 55432 BULK RATE
Y U.S.POSTAGE
Telephone: 571-3450 PAID
Mayor; .William J.Nee Minneapolis,MN
Cou cilmember-at-large,. .Nancy Jorgenson Permit No.2886
Gouncilmember I st Ward . Steven Billings
Couneilmember 2nd Ward.. . Dennis Schneider
Councilmember 3rd Ward ...... Edward Fitzpatrick
City-Manager... William W.Burns
Editor Jim Froehle .r
CITY OF FRMI.EY SERVICE DIRECTORY' POSTAL sMo M 4
Administrative Offices,/Civic-Center ...........571-3450
tffxre Hours. 8 a.m.to 5 p.m.,MStn.
24 Hour Recreation Hotline. 571.9397
Police(24 Flours-Non-Emergency),. 571-3457
FIRE AND POLICEEMERGENCY'...............911