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2 Fall 2012 An unseasonably dry summer had some Lake Elmo resi- dent’s green lawns turn to red ink as water bills soared into four figures based on a 2009 ordinance adopted by the Lake Elmo City Council to en- courage water conservation and relieve peak water use demands. Twenty-six residents received a water bill greater than $1,000 and one resident used over 400,000 gallons of water in the third quarter of 2012 that can largely be attributed to the water conservation rates established in 2009. “State Statutes and the Department of Natural Resourc- es mandate that we adopt a water conservation rate structure, which we did in 2009. Along with this adop- tion, we tried our best to inform our water customers that there would be monetary consequences for heavy watering and we suggested ways to conserve via news- letters, the City website and mailers.” said Finance Di- rector Cathy Bendel. At the instruction of the City Council, City Administrator Zuleger and Bendel will begin the process of construct- ing a utility rate case to determine if water rates at the high volume use level can be reduced. “We have two years, 2007 and 2012, of data that give us a clear picture of what our operational costs are in a drought year. We will use this data to determine if we can reduce the rate by next summer. But our users need to remember that we do treat our water with chlorine, so high water volume use does compound our operational costs,” said Bendel. The City of Lake Elmo has 1,011 water utility customers that use an average of 22,000-25,000 gallons of water per quarter. In the Third Quarter of 2012, 265 customers used well over 70,000 gallons each of water creating a peak water demand almost 100% higher than recom- mended standards. Lake Elmo water rates at the lower use level are comparable to other surrounding commu- nities but are higher at the high gallon use levels. “Water continues to be our community’s number one re- source. We need to find a way to balance its use with our residents ability to pay,” concluded Council Member Anne Smith. Dry Summer, High Water Use Has Some Residents Seeing Red Lake Elmo Mayor Dean Johnston has been named Chairman of the Metropolitan Council’s Park & Open Space Commission - a policy making body that focuses on parks, conservation spaces and trails in the Twin Cities. Lake Elmo is home to 17 parks and one of the largest park reserves in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. “The Lake Elmo mission statement emphasizes our commitment to preserving the city’s open space char- acter,” so we are thrilled that the Met Council has rec- ognized our true identity by appointing our Mayor to lead this Commission,” said Dean Zuleger, City Ad- ministrator. Mayor Johnston Named Chair of Met Council Open Space Panel In an effort to clean up the community, the City of Lake Elmo in cooperation with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, will begin fining certain property owners who have refused to cooperate in complying with the Municipal Code. The City will recommend $1,000 - $2,000 fines plus abatement orders for properties that have received warning let- ters but have not complied with requests to mitigate everything from cars, wood piles, scrap metal, and property maintenance. Property owners not respond- ing to City requests can expect a citation within 10 days after receiving the violation notice. Beginning in December, the City will begin publishing the names of the worst 12 properties in the City in a section of the newsletter known as “The Dirty Dozen.” City Prepares to Fine Seven Properties for Code Violations The City of Lake Elmo will begin the process of “quieting” the City by engaging in a Quiet Zone Study at the Lake Elmo Avenue crossing. They City will also examine the 31st Street crossing to determine whether the street can be made into a cul-de-sac to eliminate the whistle and provide a safer traffic environment on Highway 5. This work is expected to be completed in 2013. Quiet Zone Study Will Address Railroad Whistles