HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-25 The Fresh Weekly NewsletterOctober 17, 2025
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Schedule
Parks Commission Meeting
Monday, October 20, 2025 - 6:30 p.m.
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 7:00 pm
Meetings are held at City Hall, 3880 Laverne Ave N., Lake
Elmo, MN 55042. Changes or cancellations will be posted at
Lakeelmo.gov/calendar.
How to Watch
Watch online or on cable television here.
Find meeting agendas and minutes at the City of Lake Elmo,
MN
CITY BUSINESS
Reid Park Parking Lot Construction
The Reid Park updates are looking good, and the final lift of
pavement is due to be installed next week, weather permitting.
Enjoy all of Lake Elmo's Parks; you can find them here.
Well 2 Water Quality Update - PFAS Testing Results
The City of Lake Elmo recently received the MDH September 2025
PFAS sample results, confirming zero PFAS detections in the water
samples leaving the Well 2 treatment plant on September 9, 2025.
These results demonstrate that the City’s water treatment system is
successfully removing PFAS, ensuring our drinking water complies
with all state and federal standards.
The Well 2 Treatment Plant went online at the beginning of July
2025. For more details on PFAS monitoring and water quality, visit
our website.
Mayor For a Day Essay Contest
Calling all 4th–6th graders! Want to run the city—for just one
day? Put on your mayoral hat (just for fun), and tell us:
“What would you do if you were mayor for a day?”
Write an original essay (125–300 words) and submit by December
12, 2025, for a chance to win $100 and be featured in Minnesota
Cities magazine. Three winners will be selected based on creativity,
originality, and understanding of city services, according to the
League of Minnesota Cities.
How to submit:
Submit online Mayor for a Day Entry Form - League of
Minnesota Cities via the entry form.
PDF via email as a fillable attachment: LMC-
MayorForDay2025_EssayForm-1.pdf
Or print and mail-in physical entry LMC-
MayorForDay2025_EssayForm-1.pdf to 145 University Ave.
W, St. Paul, MN 55103.
Let’s hear from the next generation of leaders: ideas for better parks,
safer streets, greener neighborhoods, or fun community events —
everything is on the table!
Learn About the Features on Our New Website
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Have a question and don't know how to find it? Each of our
departments has FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) at the bottom
of their home page that can help you with most general questions.
Questions like: Do I need a permit to run a small business from my
home? Look at the FAQs on the Community Development page.
Who do I contact if I believe there’s an error on my property tax bill?
Look at the FAQs on our Finance Department page. What are the
winter parking rules? Find it on the FAQs on the Public Works page.
Also, don't forget to sign up, navigate to the NOTIFY ME to stay informed on city business. You can go to
the Notify Me tab from the notifications tab in the center of the home page at LakeElmo.gov, choose email
options, and/or if you prefer text messages on your phone, select that. You can unsubscribe anytime!
ROAD PROJECTS
Road Closure on Hudson Blvd East of Inwood
Hudson Boulevard east of Inwood Avenue will be closed to
westbound traffic, along with a full closure of Hudson Boulevard east
of Eagle Point Boulevard, starting September 11, 2025, to complete
a forcemain replacement project. Business access will be fully open
west of Julia to the point of the road closure.
The closure and detour route are shown on the attached drawing.
Pre-warning signs were installed last week to notify drivers of the
upcoming work. It is expected to remain in place for about 7 weeks,
weather permitting. Emergency services and school district
transportation representatives have also been notified.
Washington County / Lake Elmo Summer Road Projects
Washington County's Phase 3 of the County Highway
15 (Manning Avenue)
The project includes the addition of center left-turn
lanes and right-turn lanes at key locations, the
elimination of (northerly) 18th Street North access to
Manning, a trail connection from 18th Street North to
18th Street Ct, and pavement rehabilitation.
This project is expected to be completed by the end of
the fall. You can learn more here.
LAKE ELMO PARKS AND RECREATION
With over 500 acres of city parkland and more than 80 miles of trails, Lake Elmo features an extensive park
and trail system for residents and visitors to enjoy and explore. Our park and trail system provides a diverse
range of recreational opportunities, including organized sports, casual play, nature appreciation, hiking,
cross-country skiing, horseback riding, picnicking, relaxation, and many other outdoor activities.
Each park offers high-quality recreational facilities and open spaces for the community to enjoy while
preserving the history, setting, character, and unique features that make each park special. We are excited
to highlight one of Lake Elmo Park's parks biweekly, inviting our community to learn about and appreciate
the contributions these parks make to our growing and thriving community.
Reid Park
Reid Park, located at 11430 30th Street N, is a neighborhood park
that features new playground equipment, an ADA-accessible walking
path, a basketball court, multi-use fields, and bike trails.
The new parking lot has increased the number of parking spots,
making the park more user-friendly.
Visit Reid Park or visit LakeElmo.gov to learn more about all our
parks.
LIFE IN LAKE ELMO
Are you a school, non-profit, or Minnesota
organization using municipal community public water?
The Minnesota Department of Health is committed to improving the
health of Minnesotans by getting more people to drink more water.
Filtered water units, in the form of hydration stations, provide a
healthy alternative to sugary drinks, especially in communities with
limited access to health and affordable beverage choices.
Properly certified hydration stations remove lead and other
contaminants associated with plumbing materials. They also
maintain optimal fluoride levels in drinking water. The Minnesota
Department of Health has a grant opportunity for the 2025 Hydration
Station Competitive Grant Program here.
Application deadline: Friday, November 14, 2025; 2:00 p.m.
Central
Eligible Applicants:
Any Minnesota organization, such as schools, Head Start centers,
community centers, non-profits, clinics, etc., receiving water from a
municipal community public water system (PWS) is eligible to apply.
Guided Walking Tour Saturday at SMINC
Join us on Saturday (10/18) in the afternoon at 1 p.m. for Guided
Walking Tour of our Tree Trek exhibit. The Tree Trek is our biggest
exhibit. It’s new, and many of the trees are still little, but fall is when
they really “show their colors.”
A cooperative effort of the Washington County Master Gardeners
Tree Squad and the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center, our
Tree Trek follows a short path around the center, then along a
wheelchair accessible trail into the Park, with information along the
way about the various tree species that you will encounter.
Take a guided tour with local master gardeners to learn about native
trees and their life in Sunfish Lake Park, with a special focus on what
happens to these trees during the fall season. This is a free event
and open to the public.
For more about the SMINC’s Tree Trek, check out the Tree Trek
page on our website: https://sminc-lake-elmo.org/tree-trek/
Friends & Volunteers Bonfire - Nov 4
Join us on Tuesday, Nov. 4 (6-8pm) for a cozy bonfire and night hike
outside the Nordic Center at Lake Elmo Park Reserve (1515 Keats
Ave N).
This event is an opportunity to make friends, meet some of our local
Water Steward volunteers, and learn about training and volunteer
opportunities in 2026. Yes! There will be s'mores.
RSVP here.
Public Notice of 3M Community Meeting and Agenda
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 6 pm -7 pm
3M invites you to a community meeting to learn more about our
Cottage Grove site and the management of stormwater and
wastewater.
The meeting will feature current information regarding facility
operations, changes made or planned to enhance our environmental
stewardship, management of production materials, implementation of
our new permit, and community engagement in Cottage Grove.
The meeting will be recorded, and seating will be available on a first-
come, first-served basis.
Date: Wednesday, Dec 10, 2025
Time: 6-7 p.m.
Location: Cottage Grove City Hall Training Room (12800 Ravine
Parkway South)
How to Dispose of Pumpkins/Jack-O-Lanterns after
Halloween
Once Halloween is over, what do you do with your pumpkins?
Remove all decorations that are not organic before disposal. You
can handle them as food waste or yard waste, or you can drop them
off at the Lake Elmo Pumpkin Drop Off site at City Hall on November
1.
Please do not place them in recycling bins.
Holiday Lights and Extension Cords
Long, stringy items, such as holiday lights and extension cords, get
caught in the recycling facility's machines. Recycle at drop-off
centers or participating retailers.
Washington County Disposal Directory
Join the Lake Elmo Rotary
Come and join the Lake Elmo Rotary Club. We are a dynamic group
of women and men doing great work in the community and looking
for other members of the community who believe in providing service
to others, promoting integrity, and understanding to others.
Lake Elmo Rotary Club - Free Breakfast Coupon
Join us the 1st or 3rd Wednesday of each month, at 7:00 AM
Lake Elmo Inn, 3442 Lake Elmo Ave., Lake Elmo MN
Please RSVP Mondays by noon - text Liz at 651.283.8794
Expires January 30, 2026
Early Voting is Open for the School District No. 622
Operating Referendum Election November 4
School District No. 622, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Schools,
will hold an operating referendum on November 4, 2025.
The upcoming school bond referendum asks District 622 residents to
consider approving an increase in per-pupil funding to support
student learning, as well as an investment in technology to keep pace
with today’s educational needs.
If approved, the measure would provide additional tax revenue to
acquire, install, replace, and maintain essential technology, including
software, licenses, computers, upgraded equipment, networks,
infrastructure, and security systems. Funding would also support the
personnel and training needed to ensure these tools are used
effectively in classrooms.
Early voting is available from September 19 to November 3. Polling
locations are listed below:
Vote early (absentee) in-person
VOTING LOCATIONS:
Washington County Gov. Center | 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater, MN
55082
Central Service and License Center | 1261 Woodlane Drive,
Woodbury, MN 55125
Cottage Grove Service Center | 13000 Ravine Pkwy, Cottage Grove,
MN 55016
Hours: Mon-Fri. | 8 am – 4:30 pm
Nov. 1 | 8 am – 3 pm
Nov. 3 | 8 am – 5 pm
For more information, visit ISD No. 622, North St. Paul-Maplewood-
Oakdale Schools or visit Elections | Washington County, MN -
Official Website.
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.
What Do My Taxes Pay For?
The City Council adopted the 2025 Tax Levy on December 17. City
Finance staff have developed a downloadable property tax calculator
that estimates 2025 city taxes (no other jurisdictions) on your home.
It shows approximately how much of your taxes are allocated to each
service area.
Check it out here.
Watering Season and Irrigation
Lake Elmo City Watering Ordinance allows properties connected to
the city water system to irrigate twice a week, as indicated on the
city's irrigation zone map. Irrigation is restricted from 5:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Hand watering is permitted at any time, and new sod
waivers are available if needed.
Using a smart irrigation controller device can further reduce your
water usage. For more information on watering restrictions, please
visit lakeelmo.gov.
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, and printed copies are
available at City Hall. A recording of the meeting is available here.
The Lake Elmo Community Development
Department is happy to share our new Sign
Guide, created to help local businesses and
residents understand the sign regulations in our
community. This guide offers information on the
types of signs allowed, size requirements,
placement, and more. Whether you are a
business owner looking to advertise or a
resident curious about neighborhood guidelines,
this is a good resource for you. Check out the
Lake Elmo Sign Guide (linked here: Sign Guide)
to learn more.
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Visit our website
Our mission is to provide quality public services in a fiscally responsible manner in
partnership with our community.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North | Lake Elmo, MN 55042 US
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