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Home My WebLink About2020-2021 Winter SourceWinter 2020 City Hall - 3800 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042 (651) 747-3900City Hall - 3800 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042 (651) 747-3900City Hall - 3880 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, MN 55042 (651) 747-3900 2021 Budget Update On September 30, 2020, the City Council adopted a 2021 Preliminary Property Tax Levy of $5,263,268 which is an increase of $313,445 or 6.3% over 2020. The City’s Preliminary Tax Rate was set at 23.3959% which is the same tax rate as 2020. 2021 Preliminary General Fund Budget The operating budget for expenditures for 2021 has an overall increase of $287,562. A large portion of the increase comes from three factors; An increase in the cost of the Sheriff's Department coverage contract comes from the addition of a Sheriff's deputy assigned to Lake Elmo, who started on October 1. The Fire Department is seeing an increase to allow for the creation of an additional full time position. The Building Department budget is increased to provide contracted inspection services as well as an operational audit of the department. Additionally there are transfers to the Economic Development Authority to provide City office space as well as transfers to the vehicle replacement fund. These funds help reduce the need to bond for equipment in the future. The operating budget has decreased revenues of $80,394 over the 2020 budget. This is due to anticipated decrease in licenses ad permits, charges for services, and investments given the current economic state. 2021 Preliminary City Property Tax Rate The tax rate is calculated using the City’s Taxable Value on property divided by the levy. The levy is made up of the General Fund property tax levy needed to balance the budget and the City’s required debt levies on its outstanding bonds. This table below shows the impact on this to various home values in the City. 2 Snow Plowing in Lake Elmo Winter weather is never a popular subject, especially for plow operators who are trying to keep roads clear and safe for traffic. The follow- ing are a few tips and information that will hope- fully make winter a little easier for everyone. • Do not deposit or push snow across any street (MN State Statute 160.2715) • Please keep garbage and recycling containers off the roadway. • Make sure your mailbox is at its legal height and properly secured. The city will only replace mailboxes that are physically hit by city plows. • Priority will be given to roads with higher amounts of traffic. Roads serving residential areas and cul-de-sacs will be plowed secondary. • Depending on snowfall timing, crews will be- gin operations between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM. • Please leave plenty of room when following plows. These units do frequent turning and backing. Remember, “If you cannot see their mirrors, they cannot see you!” Public Hearing on the 2021 Budget and 2021 Tax Levy A public hearing is scheduled on December 1, 2020 at the Regular City Council meeting at 7:00PM. After the hearing the City Council will consider adopting the Final Budget and Tax Levy for 2021. Storm water Utility Fee The City has received several questions from residents regarding the stormwater utility billing that is distributed in January. The revenue received from your stormwater utility fee is used for preparation of a Surface Water Management Plan, maintenance of existing ditches, culverts, ponds and storm sewers, capital improvements in developing areas, equipment,planning, inventories and water quality improvements including weed control The utility charge is reviewed and determined by the City Council each year, the stormwater utility fee will be raised to $65 this year from $60 last year Find The FIREFIGHTER in YOU! Station #1 3510 Laverne Avenue N - Station #2 4259 Jamaca Avenue N Contact us for an application: 651-770-5006 - www.lakeelmo.org 2021 RECRUITMENT INFORMATION The Lake Elmo Fire Department is recruiting! We're currently hiring paid-on-call firefighters. We offer great benefits including: paid training, pension, state-of-the-art equipment, and the opportunity to serve your community. Individuals with Fire and EMT certifications are encouraged to apply. Training is provided for those willing to learn. No previous experience necessary. Applications can be found at www.lakeelmo.org/fire Please submit completed applications to Dkalis@lakeelmo.org or mail/deliver documents to 3510 Laverne Ave N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042. We want to provide you with all of the information to make this important decision. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Fire Chief Dustin Kalis at 651-747-3933 or dkalis@lakeelmo.org. New Fire Department Staff Dustin Kalis, Fire Chief Ryan Hillman, Firefighter 4 New City Staff Michael Kuehn, Accountant Mike has a Business degree from Minnesota State Mankato and an Accounting degree from St Paul Community College. Mike is moving from private sector accounting to government accounting. "Should be an exciting experience.” Chris Chandler, Building Inspector Chris joined the City in October as a building inspector. Chris has nearly a decade of inspection experience and has worked with multiple metro area cities. Juan Rivera-Reyes, Administrative Intern Juan joined the City of Lake Elmo in early October. Juan is beginning his career in local government and excited about the opportunity to kick of his career in the City of Lake Elmo. Juan is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota Duluth with Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science, International Studies and Hispanic Studies. Rebecca McGuire, Deputy Clerk Rebecca previously was a clerk for a small town outside of Rochester. She joined the City of Lake Elmo as Deputy Clerk in early October. 5 Will Your Mailbox Survive the Winter? Below are proper installation instructions from the USPS 1)Position your mailbox 41” to 45” from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox or point of mail entry. 2)Place your mailbox 6” to 8” back from the curb. If you do not have a raised curb, contact your local post- master for guidance. 3)Put your house or apartment number on the mailbox. 4)If your mailbox is on a different street from your house or apartment, put your full street address on the box. Retrieve your garbage cans soon after collection. Garbage cans often sit at the roadside on collection day until the evening. Empty cans are vulnerable to winds and road maintenance operations and could cause a hazard if knocked into the roadway. Prompt removal of empty containers is recommended. These tips can make garbage collection day safer and easier for all of us Where To Place Your Garbage Can Please do not place garbage cans on the street. We realize this area is an enticing location to place garbage cans, but it creates a hazard as it narrows the travel lanes creating safety concerns. The cans could get hit by vehicles or create visibility issues. Most garbage trucks are equipped with a hydraulic extending arm that grasps garbage cans. It is recommended that garbage cans be placed at least 3 to 5 feet off the edge of pavement, into your driveway, so they are out of the way of traffic and maintenance vehicles. Fire Department Update Put a FREEZE on Winter & Holiday Fires Home fires occur more in winter than in any other season. As you stay cozy and warm and celebrate this winter, be fire smart •Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. •The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. •Heating equipment is involved in 1 in every 7 home fires and 1 in every 5 home fire deaths. •Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms at least once a month. Working alarms save lives! •Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters. •More than half of the home decoration fires in December are started by candles. •Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are dangerous. On average, 1 of every 52 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death. •A heat source too close to the Christmas tree causes 1 in every 4 winter fires. •Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles or heat vents. Also, make sure your tree does not block exits. •Get rid of your tree after Christmas or when it is dry. Adopt a Fire Hydrant - Help Us Help You or Your Neighbors! Chances are, it’s going to snow this winter in Lake Elmo! If there was an emergency in your neighborhood, could firefighters locate the closest fire hydrant? We ask residents to help your firefighters by clearing snow and ice a minimum of 3 feet around fire hydrants and clear a pathway to the street. This will allow firefighters to focus on fire department operations during emergencies when every second is critical. Smoke Alarms at Home Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan. When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly. •Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. •Install smoke alarms in every bedroom. They should also be outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Install alarms in the basement. Large homes may need extra smoke alarms. •A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire. •It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms. When one smoke alarm sounds, they all sound. •Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working. •Current alarms on the market employ different types of technology including multi-sensing, which could include smoke and carbon monoxide combined. •Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms. •A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove. •People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers. For the most up-to-date information and activities of your fire department, follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lakeelmofd/ 7 Online Bill Pay Now Available! National Flood Insurance Program The National Flood Insurance Program aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does so by providing affordable insurance to property owners, renters and businesses and by encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations. These efforts help mitigate the effects of flooding on new and improved structures. Do You Need Flood Insurance? Here are some important facts to keep in mind: •Homeowners and renters insurance does not typically cover flood damage. •Approximately 50% of flood damage occurs outside mapped flood zones, often due to stormwater flooding. •Anyone who lives in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can buy flood insurance. More than 95% of all Minnesotans live in a community enrolled in NFIP Flood insurance plans typically have a 30-day waiting period before they pay, so residents are urged to buy a flood insurance policy before the Springtime. For more information visit www.Floodsmart.gov Winter Parking Ordinance Now in Effect Winter parking ordinance prohibits parking on Lake Elmo Streets from Nov. 1 through March 31 between 2:00 AM and 7:00 AM. Public Works can't clear the roadways with cars blocking their paths. The City of Lake Elmo wants your input! The City is using Polco, a community engagement tool, to gather feedback from residents on topics like parks, budgeting, amenities, and everything in between. Visit www.polco.us/lakeelmo and create an account! 8 Mayor Mike Pearson Council Justin Bloyer Dale Dorschner Christine Nelson Lisa McGinn City Administrator Kristina Handt Internet: www.lakeelmo.org Email: comments@lakeelmo.org POLICE-FIRE Emergency: 9-1-1 Non-emergency: (651) 439-9381 A publication of the City of Lake Elmo 3880 Laverne Ave. N., Lake Elmo MN 55042 • 651-747-3900 PRSTD STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 19 LAKE ELMO, MN 3880 Laverne Ave. N. Lake Elmo, MN 55042 POSTAL PATRON LAKE ELMO MN 55042 www.facebook.com/LakeElmoMN Public Works Contact Info:Winter activities in Lake Elmo Parks Public Works: 651-747-3940 Emergency: Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. City Hall: 651-747-3900 All other hours and weekends, Washington County Dispatch: 651-439-9381 Are you looking for something to do outdoors this winter? Below are a few activities you can enjoy doing in Lake Elmo City Parks. • Ice Skating – Lion’s Park has a Hockey and Pleasure Rink. The Warming House will be closed for the Winter due to COVID-19. There also will not be any attendees present during daytime operations. Public Works however will maintain the park and Ice rink. • Cross Country Skiing/Hiking/Sledding – Sunfish Lake Park has groomed trails for those that enjoy skiing, snow shoeing and hiking. You can also enjoy the sledding hill located in the park. • Sledding – Tablyn Park boasts a sledding hill that is a popular spot for many to come and test their skills at downhill sledding