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Home My WebLink About2024-10-04October 4, 2024 Public Meetings Next Week: City Council Workshop Tuesday,October 8th, 6:30 p.m.. Visit our website Join us on Nextdoor Full meeting packets and meeting minutes can be accessed here: Agendas and Minutes Early/Absentee Voting for the General Election Begins September 20th Voters may request a ballot be mailed to them at SOS or vote in person at four vote centers Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. See the county’s website for more information: WashingtonCountyMN.gov/elections. The Early Vote Center locations are: • Cottage Grove Service Center: 13000 Ravine Parkway, Cottage Grove. • Forest Lake Headwaters Service Center: 19955 Forest Road N., Forest Lake. • Washington County Government Center: 14949 62nd Street. N., Stillwater. • Woodbury City Hall: 8301 Valley Creek Road, Woodbury. [Starting October 18, in-person absentee voting will also be available at Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Avenue N., Oakdale.] What do my property taxes pay for? Property Tax Calculator The City Council adopted the 2025 Preliminary Levy on September 17. City Finance Dept. staff has developed a downloadable tool that estimates 2025 city taxes (not other jurisdictions) on your home and shows approximately how much of your taxes go toward each service area. Check it out at https://www.lakeelmo.gov/departments/finance___utility/property_tax_calculator.php City Seeking Commission and Economic Development Authority Applicants The City of Lake Elmo is currently accepting applications to serve on the Parks and Planning Commissions and the EDA. For more information and application form, please visit the city's website: City Website IRRIGATION REMINDERS During irrigation season, please remember the city ordinance allows properties connected to the city water system to irrigate 2 days per week (according to the city irrigation zone map). Irrigation is restricted from the hours of 5am-5pm. Hand watering is allowed at any time and new sod waivers are available if needed. You can further reduce your water usage by using a smart irrigation controller device. For more information on how to obtain a smart controller or more information on watering restrictions, please visit the city website. Irrigation. Irrigation enforcement has begun. Thank you for doing your part to insure we all have sufficient drinking water and fire protection! NOTICE FIRE HYDRANT FLUSHING Lake Elmo Public Works Staff will be flushing dead end hydrants beginning Monday September 30th, 2024 and lasting the remainder of the week. Unlike our spring flushing, not all hydrants will be flushed during this time. The flushing of hydrants may cause some fluctuation of water pressure and/or discolored water and particles to flow in into homes. If this does occur, cold water should be ran to clear household water lines. If you have any questions, please contact the Lake Elmo Public Works at 651-747-3946. HUDSON BOULEVARD - TRAFFIC CHANGE Starting Monday, September 16th Hudson Boulevard will be open to traffic eastbound only between Inwood Avenue and Eagle Point Boulevard. Please see the detour in the exhibit below. Attention – NEW Utility Billing Payment Portal We have moved to an intuitive new Utility Billing Portal called Paya. Grab your City of Lake Elmo utility account number and proceed to Paya at the link below to register, manage your account, set up autopay, or make payments. LakeElmo.PayaCP.com If Autopay isn't for you, try out the new Text-and-Pay option. If you need assistance, reach out to us at RNess@LakeElmo.gov or call 651-747- 3906. July 25th Safe Drinking Water Meeting Replay is Available The City of Lake Elmo, along with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) hosted an informational meeting regarding PFAS, safe drinking water and private wells on July 25, 2024, where presentations were given by MPCA, MDH and Lake Elmo’s City Engineer as well as a question and answer period for the participants. The presentation slides are available here as well as printed copies are available at City Hall. A recording of the meeting is available here. Private Wells and PFAS If you have questions about your private well water quality, please reach out to the MPCA. You can request your well be tested here: https://webapp.pca.state.mn.us/gw- sampling-req/ PFAS well sampling FAQs: PFAS Well Sampling Frequently Asked Questions (state.mn.us) Water filtration FAQs: PFAS Water Filtration Frequently Asked Questions (state.mn.us) MDH website about PFAS filtration PFAS and Home Treatment of Water - MN Dept. of Health (state.mn.us) Private well sampling interactive map: Private Well Sampling in the East Metro Area (arcgis.com) If you have questions about private well testing in the East Metro, call 651-757- 2903, or email east_metro_pfas_private_well_sampling_inquiries.mpca@state.mn.us Information about PFAS from the department of health can be found Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - MN Dept. of Health (state.mn.us) MPCA blueprint for Minnesota and PFAS. Minnesota’s PFAS Blueprint | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (state.mn.us) Good information to reduce your exposure to PFAS can be found Reducing Exposures: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-MN Dept. of Health and PFAS - SixClasses.org Please visit the City of Lake Elmo’s water resources webpage to learn more at lakeelmo.gov/residents/index.php If you know someone who has concerns about their water, please forward this newsletter to them and encourage them to sign up for the FRESH HERE County Board approves grants for Lake Elmo Park Reserve improvements The Washington County Board ofCommissioners approved $1.75 million ingrant funding with the Metropolitan Council forthe purchase and installation of a new playstructure at Lake Elmo Park Reserve Aug. 20. The play structure at Lake Elmo Park Reserve is over 25 years old. The 2023 legislature approved state bonds to be allocated to the regional park system through the Met Council. Funds from the Met Council will be used to replace the current play structure equipment, perform site work, make parking lot upgrades, and improve access. Site prep will begin in 2024, and construction will be completed in spring 2025. The first grant is a Modernization Grant for $700,000. Modernization Grant funds are meant to improve or replace aging infrastructure within the regional park system. The second is a Park Legacy Grant for $1,053,680.96. The 2023 legislature approved funding for the Metropolitan Council to allocate state funds towards the regional park system. Community Thread Offers Yard-Raking Assistance to Older Adults, Seeks Volunteers Community Thread will host its annual Rake a Difference Days on Saturday, October 26, Friday, November 1, and Saturday, November 2. Through this service event, volunteer groups are matched to adults age 55+ and adults with disabilities who need yard raking assistance in Washington County. Last year, Community Thread organized 225 volunteers to rake yards for 39 older adults and adults with disabilities throughout Washington County. Volunteer groups typically include families, scout troops, service clubs, school groups, and businesses. A total of 298 bags of leaves were raked. “This was our first-year volunteering with Rake a Difference Day,” shared one volunteer. “We had so much fun, and the kids really felt like they were making a difference. What a cool experience!” If you are interested in volunteering for Rake a Difference Day, visit our website at www.CommunityThreadMN.org or call 651-439-7434 to learn more. For 57 years, Community Thread has been connecting people, neighborhoods, and lives together to strengthen the community. The nonprofit’s mission is to maximize resources and engage volunteers to improve the quality of life for adults and families in our community. Traffic impacts I-94 Oakdale to Lakeland project area map: View full-size map All traffic impacts are tentative and weather-dependent. Current Lane closures Through late October EB I-94 is reduced to three lanes between Century Ave. and Woodbury Dr. Traffic going east past the Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N. exit should use the left two lanes Traffic exiting onto I-494, I-694, Radio Dr./Inwood Ave. N. or Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N. should use the right lane WB I-94 is reduced to two lanes between Woodbury Dr. and Century Ave. Ramp closures 7 p.m. Wed, Sept. 18 through mid-October The ramp from NB I-494 to EB I-94 is closed Detour: NB I-494/I-694, 10th St. N., SB I-694 and EB I-94 (PNG) The ramp from EB I-94 to SB I-494 is closed Detour: EB I-94, NB I-694, 10th St. N. and SB I-694/I-494 (PNG) Through October The ramp from 10th St. N. to NB I-694 is closed Detour: 10th St. N., Inwood Ave. N., Stillwater Blvd., Ideal Ave. N., 34th St. N. and NB I-694 (PNG) The ramp from Century Ave. to EB I-94 is closed Detour: Century Ave., Hudson Rd., McKnight Rd., Burns Ave. and EB I-94 (PNG) Upcoming Information about upcoming traffic impacts will be posted as details become available. Ramp closures 5 a.m. Thu, Sept. 26 through mid-October The ramps to/from EB I-94 and Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N. are closed EB I-94 and Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N. detour: EB I-94, Manning Ave., WB I- 94 and Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N. Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N. to EB I-94 detour: Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. N., WB I-94, Radio Dr./Inwood Ave. N. and EB I-94 More about this project We will be resurfacing the pavement and making other improvements to I-94 between Hwy 120/Century Ave. and the St. Croix River through fall 2024. The work will improve safety, traffic flow and ride smoothness. For more information, including construction schedule and upcoming traffic impacts, visit the I-94 Oakdale to St. Croix project webpage. If you have questions, please contact the project team. Food Scraps Pickup Program now available in Lake Elmo Ramsey and Washington counties’ Food Scraps Pickup Program, a new way for residents to recycle food scraps from home, is now available in 19 new communities in Washington County, including Lake Elmo. Twenty percent of trash in Ramsey and Washington counties is food scraps, such as fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells and bones. This program offers an easy, accessible and environmentally friendly way for residents to manage food scraps at home. The program will roll out over multiple years and eventually be available to all residents of Ramsey and Washington counties. Residents interested in participating in the program can sign up and place a bag order at no cost on the Food Scraps Pickup Program website or by calling 651-661-9393. An annual supply of 6-gallon or 13- gallon food scrap bags will ship directly to participants’ homes with an instruction guide on how to start collecting food scraps. Each week, or when a food scrap bag is full, residents will tie a knot at the top and then place the bag inside their trash cart or dumpster to be collected by their trash hauler. The program-provided food scrap bags are designed to be extra durable, so they don’t tear open during the trip in the garbage truck. After collection, food scrap bags and trash are hauled to the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center (R&E Center), where the food scrap bags are sorted from the trash using robotic sorting technology and sent to an industrial compost facility to become compost. This program is making progress toward Minnesota’s 75% recycling goal for metro counties and is a significant step forward in helping the counties reduce their climate impact. Pilot Park Sand Volleyball Court is Complete Construction of a new sand volleyball court in Pilot Park is complete! Pilot Park, located within walking distance of downtown in Easton Village currently has a soccer field and playground. Completion of the sand volleyball court adds to the availability for playing this growing sport in our area. Pebble Park Upgrades are Underway! Out with the old! The Public works department had began removal of the old playground set at Pebble Park. Construction of a new playground set will begin in September, which will consist of a new tower structure and slides. Over the next several weeks PW staff will be preparing the site for construction. Please stay clear of the site during construction. The Public Works Department has begun preparing Demontreville Park for a new playground set. Removal of the 34 year old playset is complete. Visitors can expect some construction of the area over the next few weeks to prepare the new location. The new playground is expected to arrive in October 2024. The sand volleyball court is finished at Carriage Station Park. Public Works staff put finishing touches on the project this week. This court adds to the recently added sand court in Pilot Park and the original courts in Lions Park. City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North | Lake Elmo, MN 55042 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice