HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-14-25 The FreshFebruary 14, 2025
Public Meetings Next Week:
City Council Meeting. Tuesday,
February 18, 7:00 p.m.
City Council Special Meeting.
Tuesday, February 18, 6:30 p.m.
Parks Commission Meeting,
Wednesday, February 21,6:30 p.m.
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Our Mission is to Provide Quality Public Services in a Fiscally Responsible Manner in
Partnership with our Community.
NOTICE OF MEETING
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 7:00 P.M.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North
AGENDA
A. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance
B. Approval of Agenda
C. Approval of Minutes
1. February 4, 2025
D. Public Comments/Inquiries
E. Presentations
Richard Sachs Jr Retirement Woody Glanzer Retirement Introduction by Met Council
District 11 Member, Dr. Gail Cedarberg Update on Hwy 36/Lake Elmo Ave Improvement
Project, Washington County
F. Consent Agenda
2. Approve Payments and Disbursements
3. Approve EDA Work Plan
4. Approve Planning Commission Work Plan
5. Approve Parks Commission Work Plan
6. Approve Interfund Loan & Fund Transfers for Ballfield Purchase – Resolution 2025-016
7. Approve Budget Amendments & Fund Transfers
8. Approve Job posting for PW Seasonals
G. Regular Agenda
9. Accept 2025 Streets Feasibility Report and Call for Improvement Hearing; Approve Plans
and Order Ad for Bids
10. Adopt Strategic Plan
11. Approve Finance Software Purchase
H. Council Reports
I. Staff Reports
12. Future agenda items
13. Q4 Financials
J. Adjourn
Note: Every effort will be made to accommodate people who need special considerations to attend this
meeting due to a health condition or disability. Please get in touch with the Lake Elmo City Clerk if you
are in need of special accommodations
Our Mission is to Provide Quality Public Services in a Fiscally Responsible Manner in
Partnership with our Community.
NOTICE OF MEETING
City Council Special Meeting
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 6:30 P.M.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North
AGENDA
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. PLANNING COMMISSION INTERVIEW
C. EDA INTERVIEW
D. ADJOURN
Note: Every effort will be made to accommodate people who need special considerations to attend this
meeting due to a health condition or disability. Please get in touch with the Lake Elmo City Clerk if you
are in need of special accommodations
Our Mission is to Provide Quality Public Services in a Fiscally Responsible Manner in
Partnership with our Community.
NOTICE OF MEETING
City of Lake Elmo Parks Commission
Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 6:30 P.M.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North
AGENDA
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approve Agenda
4. Public Comment
5. Park Donation
6. Sunfish Lake Parking Extension
7. Communications
8. Adjourn
Note: Every effort will be made to accommodate people who need special considerations to attend this
meeting due to a health condition or disability. Please get in touch with the Lake Elmo City Clerk if you
are in need of special accommodations.
Full meeting packets and meeting minutes can be accessed here:
Agendas and Minutes
Winter Parking Ordinance
The winter parking ordinance prohibits
parking on Lake Elmo streets from
November 1 through March 31 between
2:00 AM and 7:00 AM, or during a snow
event outside of those hours.
Remember, if the City's trucks are
blocked they can't plow your streets!
Washington County Community Survey coming
to select households this February
Washington County residents should check their mailboxes in February to see if they are
one of the 4,500 households randomly selected to take part in the 2025 Washington
County Community Survey.
This survey is a chance for residents to share their thoughts and help shape the future
decisions in the county. Each of the five commissioner districts will have 900 households
selected to participate. Survey results, which are statistically valid, will be shared by early
summer and will inform future decision-making by county staff and commissioners.
Participants can choose one of two ways to complete the survey: online or on paper.
Selected households will receive a postcard with instructions on how to access the online
survey, which will be available in English, Spanish, and Hmong. If preferred, a paper copy
of the survey will be mailed shortly after the postcard. The survey is confidential, and no
personal information will be collected or shared.
If your household is selected, the county encourages you to participate and make your
voice heard.
What do my property taxes pay for?
Property Tax Calculator
The City Council adopted the 2025 Tax Levy on December 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
Lead Service Line Inventory Project
The City of Lake Elmo has completed and submitted its service line materials inventory to
the Minnesota Department of Health. The service line inventory is publicly available, and
you can check the materials for your service line by visiting the Lead Inventory Tracking
Tool (LITT) at https://maps.umn.edu/LSL/ you may also contact us Lake Elmo staff @ 651-
747-3946. To complete the service line inventory our system gathered information from
building records along with, door to door and self verification. As on 09/27/2024, our
inventory contains 0 lead, 2 galvanized requiring replacement, 280 unknown material and
3327 non-lead service lines. You may contact the Lake Elmo Public Works Department to
update the tracking records at any time.
Washington
County
names
snowplows
Community names two Washington County snowplows
Washington County recently conducted its second annual “Name a Snowplow” contest and received more
than 1,200 name ideas submitted by the public.
The list was narrowed to ten finalists, including SKOL Plow, Snowby Keith, Stone Cold Steve Frostin’,
De-Ice Ice Baby, Mr. Clean, Land of 10,000 Flakes, Sir Plows a lot, Just Scrapin’ By, Snow Problem, and
Hotdish Hauler.
More than 2,400 people voted to help name two of the plows. Sir Plows a lot was the top vote-getter at
680 votes with Land of 10,000 Flakes coming in a close second with 677 votes. Sir Plows a lot can be
mostly seen in the northern half of the county, whereas Land of 10,000 Flakes will be located in the
southern part of the county.
Tree Trimming
Lake Elmo Public Works Staff will be trimming trees over public sidewalks, trails
and along the roadways as weather permits. Tree trimming is necessary to improve
the health and appearance of trees and to lessen the interference with pedestrians,
bikers and traffic. Trimming is required if trees are obstructing street lights, signs,
trails, and roadways. Trees are trimmed to 20 feet over streets or curb, and 7 feet
over a sidewalk or path. Staff will only be trimming trees which are in the city’s
right-of-way (typically 15 feet behind the curb or road edge) or impede on a city
sidewalk and trail. Limbs will be cut back to the trunk of the tree and will be
removed from the site. To balance the appearance of a tree staff will occasionally
trim around all sides of a tree.
Questions can be directed to Lake Elmo Public Works
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.
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
Will Your Mailbox Survive the Winter?
Below are the 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 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
5)If you are attaching the box to your house, make sure the postal carrier can reach it
easily from your sidewalk, steps, or porch
6) If your mailbox is physically struck by the city plow (not the weight of the snow wake)
please contact public works within 72 hours to investigate the damage. City plows get as
close as practical to allow for passage of traffic and mail delivery. Residents are
responsible to keep piled snow away from the mailboxes. If mailbox damage is determined
to be caused by a city plow making direct physical contact with a properly installed
mailbox, the city will replace it with a standard size, non-decorative metal mailbox and
treated wooden 4x4 post
Be a Battery Hero!
If it lights up, makes noise, or moves without a plug, it has a battery! Batteries make our daily lives more
convenient. Once they are used, though, they must be disposed of properly.
If thrown in the trash or recycling, batteries may catch fire and pose a threat to people and property.
Some batteries also contain toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead, or mercury, which can pose a threat to
health and the environment.
Be a battery hero! With so many different kinds of batteries, it can be confusing to know how to dispose of
batteries correctly. To make it easy for residents, ALL batteries are accepted at the Washington County
Environmental Center for free recycling, including rechargeable, button, and alkaline batteries.
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.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North | Lake Elmo, MN 55042 US
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