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1996 Fall SEPTEMBER FALL 1996 OCTOBER NO. 92 NOVEMBER 117 FEATURES AMAYOR'SFARE W E L L by William Nee,Mayor Mayor's Farewell — 1 _ n July I made a difficult choice. I decided not to run for another term as Mayor. I will finish out my term and pass the gavel to a new Mayor next Janu- Innovation Award — 2 — ary. Hyde Park Remodeling — 2 — Looking back on some forty years of public service several things stand out-most of all,the people who live and work in Fridley. You have been the driving D.A.R.E.Addition — 3 — force to create a community which we are all proud to call home. I am honored that you have elected and Second Annual Safety Camp — 4 — reelected me to office. City government is just one part ofwhat it takes to run Fall Recycling Day — 5 — a good city. Fortunately, I have been able to work with forward looking leaders in county,state and fed- Home Front — 6 — eral government, school districts,community organi- zations,etc. Together we have had some disappoint- ments but many,many lasting accomplishments. Frid- Fridley at the Crossroads — 8 — ley in 1996 is a far cry from Fridley in 1957 when I first ran for elective office. Voting Locations — 8 — My fellow councilmembers stand out in a particular way. I am continually impressed by their vision,their Rental Property Inspection — 10— concern for their constituents and their willingness to do what it takes to get the job done. They have sac- Help in Minutes — 10— rificed countless hours of their personal time to serve the people of Fridley. National Night Out — 12— I have enjoyed my relationship with the City managers and other city staff-dedicated public servants who New Construction — 12— F 12—F A L L 1 9 9 6 A MAYOR'S FAREWELL coNT/NUED FROM PAGE 1 HYDE PARK REMODELING TOUR with the Ci Council to build a AND BARBECUE by Grant Fernelius have worked closely City HRA Housing Coordinator better Fridley. n Wednesday, July 17, 1996 a remodeling If and when I write my memoirs I will be more specifictour was held for residents of the Hyde Park and name names. There are far too many to mention 0 neighborhood. The event celebrated a year in this brief column. I will also go into detail about the long program by the City and HRA to help residents changes that have taken place during my watch. improve their properties through low-cost financing and technical assistance. But,for now there are still four months left in my term and many things to do before I leave office. Let me More than 50 people attended the event which in- just say that it has been a great experience,and I have cluded a free barbecue and a trolley tour of the neigh- enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks for the confidence borhood. Representatives from the City Council,City you have placed in me. staffand the Center for Energy and Environment(CEE) hosted the event. The HRA contracted with CEE to administer rehabilitation programs in Hyde Park and INNOVATION AWARD by Kevin Thomas the City. Outreach Coordinator he City ofFridley received the 1995 Associa Eleven properties were highlighted as part ofthe tour. tion ofMetropolitanMunicipalities Innovative Types ofimprovements and cost information were pro- City Award for its efforts with Project Safety vided on each project. So far this year, 19 loans have Net. The program attempts to build a healthier com- been made in the Hyde Park neighborhood for a total munity for families and youth through a late night cur- of$115,000. In addition,two new homes have been few and minor offense drop offcenter;the Zone which constructed and a third home will be under construc- provides evening recreational activities;and commu- tion this Fall. The HRA plans to continue its programs nity outreach services. The collaborative effort by the in Hyde Park for the remainder of this year. Fridley Police and Recreation departments serves Frid- ley and surrounding communities. For more information about the Hyde Park Home Improvement Programs please call the Center for En- This year,the drop-off center has assisted over 300 ergy and Environment at 348-2582 orGrant Fernelius, youths and families and over 800 since the inception ��,Housing Coordinator at 572-3 591. of the program in May of 1995. It continues on the beliefthat juvenile crime and victimization are integrally related to the enforcement of curfew. The drop-off VEHICLE LOCKOUT by Herb Zimmerman center is an attempt to protect and support area youth. Lieutenant ue to the technological changes in today's The Zone continues to serve area youths through late modern vehicles,it is increasingly more difli- night recreational activities and special events onSat- urday nights from 8 p.m. -12 midnight.For more in- formation,please call Kevin Thomas at 5 72-3 643 or Therefore effective September 1, 1996,the Fridley Deb Campobasso at 572-3574. Police Department will only attempt to open vehicles in emergency situations at the owner's risk. 7 A F A L L 1 9 9 6 D.A.R.E. ADDITION by Julie Swanson Crime Prevention Specialist ou may have noticed that the Fridley Police technicians and two paint technicians donated their time Department has added a new vehicle to the to perform the work. Donations also came in from police car fleet recently, a D.A.R.E vehicle. Minco,Fridley Kiwanis,Norwest Bank of Fridley, Actually the vehicle is a 1986 Suburban the depart- First Community Credit Union and Fridley VFW. ment purchased new in 1986 and used mostly during Those donations were used to pay for paint supplies, snow emergencies as a police patrol vehicle. Over the graphics and other work.Now,when citizens see the years of service the vehicle had developed some rust D.A.R.E.vehicle parked at the Middle School,they problems and can be reminded minor nicks and that the Fridley scratches but has Police Depart- relative low mile- ment is taking a �m s age. The cost of step in prevent- repairing the ve- ing youth prob- hicle was esti- lems before they mated to be . " start. It also about$2,600. -# serves as amov- ing bulletin The Police De- board advertis- partment also ingtheD.ARE. had another program and problem. Two r e m i n d s years ago the D . A . R . E . police department added the position of School Re- graduates ofthe D.A.R.E. message so they can con- source Officer.The main duty of the resource officer tinue their desire to make good choices and to not use is to work with the youth of the community which in- drugs. Although the vehicle will be mostly used as a cludes counseling,juvenile investigation and teaching D.A.R.E. vehicle, it is available to patrol whenever the D.A.R.E.program at the elementary level and the needed. middle school. As a result of the resource officer spending much time attheFridleyMiddle School,some residents got the impression that there were many po- Block Leaders Needed lice problems at the Middle School. A solution to the problems came when it was sug- gested to make the Suburban a D.A.R.E.vehicle and have the resource officer use that vehicle at the Middle School. Soon donations were solicited to have they . vehicle refinished.Last Spring this was done with the help from several Fridley businesses and organizations. Abra Auto Body,7710 University Ave.,donated all Julie Swanson the labor to have the vehicle repainted.Two Abra body @ 572-3634 F A L L 1 9 9 6 SECOND ANNUAL SAFETY CAMP by Julie Swanson Crime Prevention Specialist at's exciting and fun and teaches you a lot about safety? Based on their two day experience last June, 135 Fridley third graders would answer: "Safety Camp!" Local business organizations,service groups, senior citizen volunteers,and City staffjoined forces to get across the message of safety. Hands-on demonstra- tions,inspirational talks,and interactive games pro- vided the children with powerful safety tips and alerted them to everyday hazards. Presenters covered all areas of safety: bike, water, Helicopter Explore Donations from many organizations helped keep the registration costs to a minimum. Special thanks go to McDonald's, Frito Lay, Hardee's, SuperAmerica, Bob's Produce, Mercy/Unity Hospital, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad,Kiwannis,Medtronic, Wal Mart,NSP,LaMaur, and Haagen Dazs. Their generosity and the help of many volunteers made the , 1996 Safety Camp a tremendous success. For information on next year's Safety Camp contact Liz Chevalier (572-3626) or Julie Swanson (572- 3634). Video highlights are available from Fridley Municipal Channel 35. Call Brian Strand at 572-3501. fire arms,railroad,animal,fire, campground,home, ; first aid,electrical,seat belt-you name it! The arrival of an Air National Guard helicopter marked the high point of this year's camp. The military per- sonnel talked to the campers about drug awareness and let the kids sit in the helicopter. In addition to safety education each camper received a cap,t-shirt,bike helmet, tote bag, medallion, and certificate. Safety Camp concluded with an awards a ceremony and ice cream social for the girls and boys and their families. W e t S ! 1 d e ® F A L L 1 9 9 6 FALL RECYCLING DAY by Wanda Brown Recycling Coordinator he City of Fridley will hold a eners. These can be collected by your Fall recycling day on Saturday, waste management service. September 21, 1996,from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m.,at the north parking lot Tires will be accepted for a small fee. of Community Park, The fee will range from $1.00 to 7000 University Av- $7.00.The cost depends on size and enue NE.This event is whether they are rimmed or rimless. designed to provide a service forFridley resi- 't Scrap metal will also be accepted. . F dents wishing to recycle The metal needs to have any attached �e e9,. wood household items. wood,plastic or glass removed.p Unlike last year's clean- Construction debris,wood,concrete up program,Recycling Day 1996 is a and/or asphalt will NOT be accepted. smaller one day event with a select list of acceptable materials to be dropped For more information on Recycling Day off.The following is a list of acceptable call Wanda Brown,Recycling Coordi- materials: nator,at 572-3594 on Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. Household items will be accepted by Goodwill which include kitchen uten- 27 Anoka County will also sils,bedding,pots,pans and cloth �� � � �' host a Household Haz- ing.All items must be in usable con9 ardous Waste Collection e dition. on September 21,from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Furniture will be accepted by Anoka ° g Anoka County Fair- County Community Action Program ' ` „ � ���I grounds, 3203 S t. (ACCAP).Please make sure furni- Francis Blvd,in Anoka. ture is not torn or in need of repair. For additional informa- tion regarding accept- Appliances will be accepted for a fee able materials call Anoka County Inte- of $7.00 and air conditioners for grated Waste Management Unit at 323- $17.00.Please do not bring water soft- 5730. F A L L 1 9 9 6 S HOME FRONT by Robert VanNelson Home Remodeling Counselor all is here-a good time to take care You, as a homeowner, can do some work to of household maintenance items which prepare your heating system for winter. If you will help you avoid headaches this have a forced air system, dust and clean the r winter. heat registers. This will improve your indoor , air quality. If you have a hot water Have a licensed heating system, bleed the air out of the sys- contractor clean and ser- tem. Air pockets can cause uneven heat distribution in your radiators or baseboards. Also, dust and clean ra- diators, baseboards, and thermostat controls. Dust can insulate pipes and re- duce the ex- ' change of heat ee vice your furnace or boiler before the heating season starts. The heating contractor will check your pilot and ignition systems,lu- bricate pumps and fan motors, check the fan belts, and clean out dirt and rust which may lower the efficiency of your unit. This work will reduce the chances that your heating unit into a room. Dust can also cause the thermo- will go out during the winter. stat to work erratically. ® F A L L 1 9 9 6 Other maintenance projects which should be done before the snow flies: 0 Drain 3 to 4 gallons of water from the bottom valve of the water heater. (Be careful! The water is HOT.) This will re- move sediment at the bottom of the tank which lowers the water heater's efficiency. 0 Check the locks on your doors and windows, and repair any damaged or missing weatherstripping. A tightly closing door or window is more weathertight. 0 Patch and seal any worn areas of asphalt or concrete pave- ment. This will prevent further damage from water and ice. 0 Checkyour attic. Make sure thatyou have adequate ventila- tion above your insulation. Add insulation and clear open- ings for vents as necessary. 0 Clean leaves and debris out of gutters and window wells. 0 Cut back tree branches that are rubbing against the house or garage. It is best to wait until the temperatures are cooler to lessen the chances of tree infection. ..:....... Ifyou are interested in aFREE home evaluation or have a remodeling question,call Robert VanNelson,HRA Home Remodeling Counse- lor, at 572-3515. F A L L 1 9 9 6 0 FRIDLEY AT THE CROSSROADS - MILEPOST 3 by Dennis Schneider Councilmember, Ward 2 n the City's Spring newsletter,I reported on a va- ment(CEE).Many ofthe rehabilitation loan applicants riety ofprograms that are important for maintain- who once faced major hurdles with more traditional ing a healthy and safe community.In this article,I sources of financing have found it less difficult to ob- will provide an update on our efforts to maintain tain loans from our non-profit rehabilitation loan spe- Fridley's housing stock. cialist.In addition to providing user friendly loan pro- cessing,CEE markets our programs, discusses vari- In addition to hosting a very successful housing re- ous loan alternatives with our clients and conducts in- modeling fair in April,we have streamlined our hous- spections to verify that work has been done satisfac- ing rehabilitation loan programs. The impact ofthis torily. streamlining has been to raise the total number ofloans and grants from twenty in 1995 to ninety-three through Another very positive change for our housing rehabili- the first seven months of 1996. tation programs occurred when we made the decision to hire a remodeling counselor. Since March of this While it is difficult to attribute all of the response to year,Mr.Robert VanNelson has met with more than our changes, there are at least three changes to our 120 families.According to Robert,he helps those who loan programs that seem to have helped. We have are considering a rehabilitation loan understand the restructured the loans in a manner that provides loans process and pitfalls involved in hiring a remodeling with very attractive interest rates for both singe family contractor.He also helps people prioritize their projects and multiple family properties.We have also created and gives how-to advice on various aspects of their loans of last resort for property owners who are un- project. able to get any kind of conventional financing for health and safety related property improvements.Addition- Ifyou are considering remodeling your home,you can ally,we have combined our loans with those ofvari- connect with Mr. VanNelson by calling 572-3515. ous state and federal agencies such as the Minnesota Alternatively,you may want to call CEE at 348-2582 Department ofPublic Service's loans for energy re- regarding terms for a rehabilitation loan. lated improvements. If you would like to talk with me about housing or In addition to the positive effect of our loan programs, other community issues,I would like to hear from you. we have also benefited tremendously from our em- I can be reached at my home at 571-7059 or send me ployment ofthe Center for Energy and the Environ- e-mail at 71206.25@compuserve.com. OTING WIEN Tuesday,November 5, 1996 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. LOCATIONS WHERE Check the map on the opposite page or Call 572-3523 or 572-3533 or 323-5275. ® F A L L 1 9 9 6 I • , it FRIDLEY O I Ward VOTERS MAP Precint 1 FRIDLEY VOTING LOCATIONS Ward 2 ,>s,k.KL * WPt)WARD 1 PF1W 1 Wa d 3 Ward 1 Prec ct 1 GraceF��c Precinct 1 755 73rd recinct 2 wP2)WARD 1 �y2� � 6>5 Shcet K Ward 1 W rd 2 WP3)WARD 1 PBECNCT 3 Precinct 2 f p ecinct 2 Fridey Corder O 6d31 Aveiro NL f WP4)WARD 1 PRECNCT 4 and 1 F*Sena Ho S hW QQ', (@ 6000 West Mwe lace Drive ar 3 Precin t 3 W2M)WARD 2 PENT 1 * W rd 2 so w KE'°°' Pre inct 3 � recinct 3 02)WARD 1 PRECINCT 2 Kn¢�Is m 6831 H�cetv,55 NL # 03)WARD 2 PRECKT 3 Ward 1 O d 2 St.Ws Ldww ch % ecinct 4 Precinct 04)WARD 1 FR XT 4 Ward 3 Nath Pak Elanaday School 5575 Firm steer NL Precinct 4 W3PQ WARD 3 PRECKT 1 Spreeoroak Nave Cada N 851h Avenue NL W3F2)WARD 3 PRECINCT 2 Q* Voting Sites ' ``�" DudDudPrecinct Boundaries 61�Wat Way NL p � WY3)WARD 3 PRECKT 3 Steview Elemeday Sana 6060 East Riva Rood t W94)WARD 3 PRECW 4 Frwq Cwmad Chnh 6390 wvw*Arecae KE. W2P1 ad W3P4 p&V om are kwaW wW&of prw ict 4 � Election Judges NEEDED. Call 572-3524 for more information. F A L L 1 9 9 6 RENTAL PROPERTY INSPECTION HELPS IN MINUTES Rental Housing Assistant uality housing is a top priority. In recent yearsy mother fell out of her wheel chair and the Fridley City Council and theHousing and can't get back in." "I think my husband is ! Rehabilitation Authority(HRA)have coop- having a heart attack." "There's a three j erate numerous initiatives to eliminate blight and car pile up on East River Road." Teams of Fridley foster home improvements. An ordinance passed in police officers and firefighters respond within minutes 1 1994 sets standards for rental property(apartments, to 1,800 of these 911 medical emergency calls every 1 duplexes, etc.).It also provides for inspections on a year. ! regular basis and in response to complaints. Trained first responders and the latest equipment pro- The Fridley ordinance requires rental property own- vide a fast and effective response. All police officers ' ers to obtain a rental housing license. Trained fire- and firefighters receive professional emergency medi- fighters inspect about 1,000 ofthe City's 4,000 rental cal training with follow-up testing and recertification housing units each year. They cooperate with owners every year. In addition, public safety personnel re- r and tenants to make sure that each unit is safe and in ceive in-depth training on specific subjects such as ge- reasonable repair. riatrics, pediatric emergencies, new trauma assess- ment techniques, and mass disaster response. Tenants who experience repair or maintenance prob- lems between regular inspections should first notify the All police squad cars carry basic life support equip- property owner or caretaker, preferably in writing. ment. Firefighters respond with Fridley Rescue 1, a Allow reasonable time for them to respond. A tenant special medical vehicle equipped with a heart defibril- who has difficulty obtaining landlord assistance may lator,emergency childbirth kit,splinting equipment,res- call the Fire Department's Rental Housing Inspection cue tools such as"the jaws of life,"and medical sup- Division at 572-3616. Ordinarily,a city inspector will plies. In their first year using the defibrillator firefight- contact the owner or agent to verify their awareness ers restored pulse to two heart attack victims before of the problem. they were transported to a medical facility. In most cases an inspector will visit the apartment or Fridley's first responders provide help until the para- rental unit to determine whether or not state laws or medics with ambulance and advanced life support Fridley ordinances have been violated. If a violation equipment arrive. HealthSpan Transportation Service has occurred,division personnel will notify the owner uses computer projections to rotate their ambulance or agent in writing; provide a reasonable amount of crews throughout their service area. They also post time to correct the violation;and reinspect for compli- an ambulance and crew at Fire Station No.2 between ance with the correction order. calls and rotations. As a result,the paramedics usu- ally arrive hard on the heels ofthe Fridley public safety When complaining tenants are under an eviction order team. or unlawful detainer order,an inspector will order the correction of only those violations which constitute a First,a police and fire team;soon after,paramedics. life safety hazard.For more information call the Rental That is a winning combination when people who live Housing Inspection Division at 572-3616. or work in Fridley call 911 for a medical emergency. ® F A L L 1 9 9 6 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday t3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 i t Y S..i PL HR Recycle] T= 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 PR A HRA Recycle 2 4 .; � 15 16 17 18 19 20 2&a ar CC PL Recycle I Up 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 � A ecycle 2 29 30 Fa I I 1996 CCI Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Calendar Codes 1 2 3 4 5 PL HR Recycle 1 3.y 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 A Appeals Commission PR A IIRAecycle 2 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 CC City Council CC EQE PL Recycle 1 O20 21 Council 22 23 24 25 26 CH Charter Commission Conf. A ecycle 2 27 28 CH 29 30 31 CTV Cable TV Commission CC EQE Environ. Quality&Energy Committee Sunday Monday I Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday HR Human Resources Commission 1 2 Recycle 1 HRA Housing&Redevelopment Authority 3 4 PR 5 6 7 8 9 -� CC PL HR Recycle 2 P)_. Planning Commission 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Holiday A HRA Recycle 1 PR parks&Recreation Commission � 0 17 189 20 PL 21 22 23 Council Con. CATV ecycle 2 Recycle I North of Mississippi Street 24 25 CH 26 27 28 29 30 3' CC A Holiday Holiday ReC cle 2 South of Mississippi Street The City Council meets at 7:30pm in the Municipal Center located at 6431 University Avenue NE. The public is welcome. The Cable, Charter, and Park & Recreation Commissions meet at 7pm. Other Commissions meet at 7:30pm. Hearing impaired persons planning to attend public meetings who need an interpreter, or others with disabilities who require auxiliary aids, should contact the City Manager's Office at 572- 3500 ten days before the meeting. The Municipal Center is accessible to persons with disabilities. F A L L 1 9 9 6 NATIONAL NIGHT OUT by Julie Swanson their crime and drug prevention efforts.If you or your Crime Prevention Specialist block would like more information, please call Julie Fridley is proud to annouce that it celebrated its Swanson at 572-3634. greatest National Night Out ever.August of 1996 marked Fridley's eighth year ofparticipation in the NationalNight Out festivities.Citizens against crime NEW CONSTRUCTION by Ed Hervin united in the nationwide effort to reduce crime in our CityAssessor communities.The program originated in Pennsylvania he assessor's office personnel expect to com- J in 1983 and continues to grow nationwide. plete their regular inspections in September at 11 which time new construction inspections will National Night Out begins with the block captains'spon- begin. soring a float in the"49er Days"parade reminding the residents ofthe upcoming events in August.Fridley resi- New construction does not always result in increased dents turned on their outside lights and spent the evening property values such as re-roofing or siding your house becoming more acquainted with their neighbors. or installing a new furnace.Values may increase if there Approximately 60 FridleyNational Night Out parties are multiple upgrades to the property. representing over 150 ofthe 350 block captains were There is a program available to selected properties visited by 24 Fridley Police Department personnel and that are at least 3 5 years old called"This Old House". 17 Firefighters. In addition Mayor Nee, It allows 50%ofthe value ofthe improvement to be Councilmembers Ann Bolkcom,Dennis Schneider and deferred for up to 10 years. Afterwards the value is Nancy Jorgenson joined in the celebration.For the first added back to the tax rolls at the rate of 20%per year time ever,a number ofFridley's rental complexes par- for five years.The minimum value that can be used in ticipated in the activities.In 1995,Fridley placed fourth the deferment is$1,000.If interested,please call Ed nationally in the population category under 30,000 for Hervin,Assessor, at 572-3536 for details. FALL NEWSLETTER 1996 a V Q ECR Mayor William J.Nee w BULK RATE Counc lmember-at4arge Nancy J.Jorgenson U.S.POSTAGE Councilmember Ist WardSteven Pain . g Minneapolis, MN Coucilmember 2nd Ward Dennis L. Schneider W `' Permit No. 2886 Councilmember 3rd Ward Ann R.Bolkcom City Manager William W.Burns > t Editor Lisa McConnell - z F=LEY SERVICE DIRECTORY Fridley Information Line 572-3600 `^ **ECRW S S** Administr.oTices/Municipal Ctr 571-3450 Office hours:Sam-Spm,M-F > Postal Customer 24 Hour Recreation Hotline 571-9397 TDD 572-3534 -� Liquor Store 571-3480 Police(24HourNon-Emergency) 572-3629 F=AND PoucE EMERGENCY 911 ® F A L L 1 9 9 6 I