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Home My Public Portal AboutMedina Message Oct-Nov2023 Inside this issue: 2024 Proposed Budget ..................................... Pg. 1 Land Use Applications ..................................... Pg. 2 Elevate Hennepin ............................................. Pg. 2 Organics Recycling ........................................... Pg. 2 Celebration Day Recap .................................... Pg. 3 Public Works Projects Recap .......................... Pg. 4 Unsealed Wells .................................................. Pg. 4 Reminders for Winter ...................................... Pg. 4 Motor Vehicle Thefts ....................................... Pg. 5 No Hunting Map .............................................. Pg. 5 Hunting Season ................................................. Pg. 5 Fire Hydrant Flushing ...................................... Back City Meeting & Event Calendar October 2023 3rd Tues—City Council 7 pm 10th Tues—Planning Commission 7 pm 17th Tues—City Council Work Session 6 pm 17th Tues—City Council 7 pm 18th Wed—Park Commission 7pm November 2023 7th Tues—School District Election Day 8th Wed—City Council 7 pm 10th Fri—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 14th Tues—Planning Commission 7 pm 15th Wed—Park Commission 7pm 21st Tues—City Council Work Session 6 pm 21st Tues—City Council 7 pm 23rd Thurs—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 24th Fri—City Offices Closed (Holiday) All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. See city website for current info: www.medinamn.us October Hydrant Maintenance and Flushing Notice Annual hydrant maintenance and flushing will begin in October for account numbers beginning with 01 & 03. Flushing the entire City typically takes 4-6 weeks. Weather or other high-priority maintenance needs may result in changes to this schedule. Hydrant flushing is regular maintenance of the water distribution system. While flushing hydrants, associated valves are also exercised and lubricated to ensure proper function. The annual hydrant flushing program ensures: ▪ High-quality drinking water that meets or exceeds standards ▪ Lower treatment costs by reducing disinfection demands ▪ Decreased water age in low flow areas ▪ Sediment and air removed ▪ System hydraulics are improved During hydrant flushing, residents may experience short periods of cloudy, discolored water and low water pressure. Discolored water usually contains some rust that has accumulated on the interior of watermains. There are no health threats associated with using the water. The City recommends running an outside faucet until the water runs clear. Discolored cloudy water usually clears up within one or two hours. More detailed information will be posted on the City website as it becomes available at www.medinamn.us/hydrant/. Independence Beach, accounts beginning with 02, will follow their regular monthly flushing schedule which is the second Thursday of each month from 9 am - 2 pm. CITY HALL 2052 County Road 24 Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-4643 f: 763-473-9359 e: city@medinamn.gov City Hall Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. PUBLIC SAFETY 600 Clydesdale Trail Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-9209 f: 763-473-8858 e: police@medinamn.gov Police Department Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Mayor Kathleen Martin 612-344-1111 City Council Dino DesLauriers 612-812-3290 Todd Albers 763-360-5532 Joseph Cavanaugh 763-473-5123 Robin Reid 763-670-7614 City Council Meetings First & third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Planning Commission Meetings Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Park Commission Meetings Third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Oct / Nov 2023 2024 Preliminary Budget Summary On September 5, 2023, the City Council approved a preliminary budget for 2023. The Council’s action was preceded by an Open House on the budget. Further, the Council reviewed and refined the budget at several meetings prior to approval on September 5. The proposed 2024 tax levy is $6,139,990, an increase of 2.3% from 2023. The preliminary estimates show the City’s 2024 property tax rate as 20.958%, a decrease of 7.1% from the 2023 rate of 22.557%. The City’s proposed General fund budget is $6,724,860, which is an increase of $154,816 from 2023’s budget of $6,570,044. Of the increase, $409,816 is attributed to operations and $100,000 for a future fire facility, a decrease of $355,000 from 2023. A portion of the overall increase of the property tax levy is due to tax base expansion from development growth in 2022. Operational increases are comprised of insurance costs, contractual services, and staff compensation including a 3.0% cost of living increase. The General Fund budget provides for all basic City services, which the Council and Staff strive to provide to residents in a cost-effective way while maintaining a high standard of quality and investing in essential infrastructure. The 2024 final budget will be determined at the December 5, 2023 Council meeting; while the Council can decrease the levy, it cannot increase the levy at that meeting. Planning & Recyling Page 2 Oct / Nov 2023 Land Use Applications Under Review The following land project is currently under review by the City. For more information or for an update on the review schedule, please visit http://medinamn.us/citygov/departments/planning-zoning/ or contact the Planning Department at (763) 473-4643, ext. 1. Meander Park and Boardwalk – north of Hwy 55, east of Arrowhead Dr – Medina Ventures has submitted a request to adjust the previously approved plat and development plan for a commercial development to include an event venue, restaurant, daycare, and retail space. The project was previously approved in the spring of 2023. The proposed adjustment would add a small strip of property to the east of the project to increase the size of the daycare building and add additional parking. The applicant also proposes solar panels over much of the parking area. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to review at the October 10, 2023 meeting. Elevate Hennepin Did you know local businesses here and across Hennepin County are eligible to receive free business advising and consulting services? To get started, visit ElevateHennepin.org or reach out to Economic.Development@hennepin.us to connect with a business navigator to help navigate this incredible resource. Elevate HennepinSM offers no-cost business advising from professional consultants. Businesses can get up to 25 hours of insight, technical assistance, or consulting from each advisor. The more than 20 advisors have expertise in all manner of business topics, including: • Accounting and bookkeeping • Finance • Legal • Marketing • Social media • Web development • Human Resources • Strategic planning • Loan and grant consulting Give Back to Nature with Organics Recycling Give back to nature with organics recycling! About 25 percent what we throw away is organic materials like food, napkins, paper towels, and certified compostable products that could be put to better use as compost. Learn more at www.hennepin.us/organics Oct / Nov 2023 Page 5 Public Safety No Hunting Map As part of the hunting task force that was assembled in 2011, one of our recommendations to the City Council was to develop a no hunting map for the City of Medina. We are offering Medina residents in the rural residential area where hunting is allowed the opportunity to have their property labeled as “No Hunting”. Residents should contact the Medina Police Department through email and request their property be put on this map designating it as no hunting. This map will then be distributed with hunting permits so that the hunters know up front that your property has been designated as no hunting. Requests should be sent to police@medinamn.gov. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209. Hunting Season is Coming Soon The City’s objective is to maintain hunting as part of the City’s rural character, while balancing the rights of the residents in reference to the disturbances caused by hunting. Every year we receive complaints in reference to our hunting. As the City of Medina continues to grow, our population becomes more dense, and less land is being used for hunting. The City believes that hunting is a valued privilege and wants to ensure hunting continues into the future. Hunters need to follow city regulations to ensure we can continue to enjoy this privilege. One of the main complaints is bird shots crossing property lines and hitting roads, houses, and other structures on adjacent property. We want to remind all hunters to be vigilant and exercise safe hunting practices. Know where your shots are going and where they are landing. You need to ensure the safety of the surrounding residents. If you are planning on hunting in Medina, please review the regulations and make sure that you are in compliance with the City ordinance found here: https:// medinamn.us/ regulations- fees/licenses- permits/hunting -permits/ Motor Vehicle Thefts Per the 2021 MN Uniform Crime Report, 13,849 motor vehicle thefts occurred in Minnesota in 2021. Of those vehicle thefts, 12,467 of them occurred on highway/road/alley/street/ sidewalk area, residences/homes, and parking lots/garages. Also, there were a total of 21,822 reports of theft from a motor vehicle. The latest trend we have seen is a group of people (in a stolen vehicle) pulling up to a driveway/garage in the middle of the day to look for keys left in the vehicle/immediate area. Once keys are found, the group takes off in both stolen vehicles. The Medina Police Department would like to share reminders and tips on how to decrease your chances of being a victim of these crimes. Tip #1 – Do not leave items in your vehicle. Even if you are just going into a gas station, a store, or your house for just a minute. Criminals only need a few seconds to break into your vehicle. Criminals will typically grab whatever they can get their hands on and leave quickly to avoid being caught. Make sure purses, wallets, electronics, personal documents, financial documents, expensive tools etc. are not left in your vehicle. Tip #2 – Park where it is safe. If you are using a parking lot or ramp late at night, try to find parking that is well lit and has quick access to exit. Reach out to someone via text or phone call and let them know if you are stopping somewhere and call them back when you get back to your vehicle. Lock your car doors, even if you are sitting inside of it. Tip #3 – Do not leave your vehicle running, especially with the keys in the car. The easiest way criminals can steal your vehicle is by leaving it ready for the taking with the keys in the car/ ignition and already running. It takes just a second for them to hop in your car and take off. Hiding keys in or around your vehicle can also be unsafe as they may be watching and see where you hide them. Remove valuable items, lock your vehicle, keep your keys with you, and park smart. If you notice items stolen/moved around or your vehicle is missing, call 911 right away so we can get the information needed to try and recover your items or vehicle. Page 4 Oct / Nov 2023 Public Works Importance of Sealing Unused Wells An unused well can act like a drain, allowing surface water runoff, contaminated water, or improperly disposed waste a direct pathway into drinking water sources. When this occurs, the quality of everyone’s water is threatened – city water wells, neighbor’s wells, and even your current well. Therefore, it is critical that any unused well is properly sealed by a licensed well contractor. The cost to seal a well can vary considerably. Medina is researching various grant programs seeking options to assist residents with the expense of sealing unwanted wells. If you have a well on your property that needs to be sealed, please email lisa.demars@medinamn.gov for an update on the grant research process. Reminders as Winter Approaches Fall Cleanup - Complete your fall projects before winter so spring rains do not cause erosion. The City’s compost/brush site is located behind City Hall and free for Medina residents. Leaves, grass clippings, and brush are accepted. The site is open daily from 7 AM to 4:30 PM. Mailboxes - Please check your mailbox for sturdiness and repair them as needed. The City is not responsible for damage to mailboxes or support posts caused by snow or ice coming into contact with the mailbox. Parking - City ordinance prohibits parking on public streets from November 1st - March 31st, 1:00 AM – 6:00 AM. The City would appreciate having no vehicles parked on City streets when snowfall occurs during the daytime to assist in plowing. Snow Removal - The snow plowing priority route schedule is as follows: 1) Main collector roads 2) Residential streets 3) Cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets 4) Trails To limit damage to sod, it is advised to place a marker along curb lines. However, metal poles are strictly prohibited within the City right-of-way. The City is not responsible for any damage to obstacles that are located in the right-of-way, such as sprinkler heads, fences, garden areas, etc. The City is also not responsible for repairing grass or sod that has been damaged in the right-of-way. It is the responsibility of property owners to remove snow and ice on their sidewalks. However, please use ice control sparingly for sidewalks and other areas. After it enters the storm drain, it eventually ends up in local lakes and rivers.