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2 Fall 2013 Hello Neighbors, I hope this edition of The Source finds you well and enjoying the beginning of another beautiful Minnesota fall. With space limited and news aplenty, I’ll begin. There are many steps being taken in the City in terms of growth and working toward a better Lake Elmo. Please see the special insert to this edition titled “Improving Lake Elmo,” which details the various street and utility proj- ects that are currently underway. I’d like to point out a couple of highlights: • You will notice changes on Highway 5, both near and through downtown. Safety improvements are being made including lane-striping and a raised pedestrian refuge near the elementary school. While further safety discussions continue, our hope is these initial changes will encourage a more urban feel to this corridor, which should encourage a lower rate of speed from drivers. A “thank you” is in order to the MnDOT and MnDOT representative Adam Josephson for responding to our concerns with tangible improvements. • Perhaps more significantly (at least from a histori- cal perspective), the council has ordered sewer service to our downtown. The line is expected to be complete by the end of this year and most downtown residences and businesses can antici- pate a 2015 service hook up. We thank Washing- ton County staff and commissioners, specifically commissioner Gary Kriesel, for moving up their 2017 Lake Elmo Avenue reconstruction project to 2015. This allows a “one and done” disruption, a less costly process, and of course, a more imme- diate relief for residents whose septic systems are non-compliant. If you’ve never gone, put “Lake Elmo Days” on your calendar for next year. The event takes place every year on the first weekend after Labor Day. This year’s event included the first annual Battle of the Bands competition featuring a variety of talented area musi- cians, more than 50 vendors, local food, and games and activities for kids. Quite a good time was had by all. Thanks to city staff, especially Alyssa MacLeod, our firefighters and the many other volunteers for making this another Lake Elmo success. If you have questions, comments, critiques, or would just like to offer ideas, please email me at mpear- son@lakeelmo.org, or come visit me at the next “Visit with the Mayor” session, which will be held at 9 am, Wednesday, October 9, at the Lake Elmo Library. Mike Pearson, Mayor The Mayor’s Corner Lake Elmo Collaborates with County on Storm Clean-Up Efforts The City of Lake Elmo and Washington County joined forces this summer to manage extensive tree and property damage that were the result of heavy storms in June and July. City clean-up crews spent more than seven weeks picking up brush from city neighborhoods. Temporary brush collection sites were created at the Public Works facility on Ideal Avenue, and at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Beginning on August 22nd, the piles of brush were ground into chips and transport- ed to District Energy in St. Paul. The chips will be burned and converted into energy used to heat and cool buildings in downtown St. Paul. Between the two sites, it is estimated that more than 6,000 cubic yards were collected and chipped. A collection site was created on the northern grounds of the Lake Elmo Park Reserve to temporarily store brush, branches, and stumps that resulted from early summer storm damage. In late August, storm debris was ground into chips at both county and city col- lection sites. Pictured above is a screen shot from a stop motion video of the chipping occuring at the Public Works facility on Ideal Ave.