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Home My Public Portal AboutFeb-March 2014 Inside this issue: Mayor Weir Honored for Water Quality Efforts ............................................................... Pg. 1 Radon Testing: Take Action .......................... Pg. 1 2014 Budget Summary Data .......................... Pg. 2 Three Officers Recognized for Lifesaving Activities in 2013 ............................................. Pg. 3 Reminder Winter Parking Regulations ......... Pg. 3 Winter Salt Use ................................................ Pg. 3 City Plowing Priority Schedule ...................... Pg. 3 Seasonal Spring Weight Limits ...................... Pg. 3 Land Use Applications Under Review .......... Pg. 4 Open to Business ............................................. Pg. 4 2013: Most Permits Issued in Medina’s History ............................................................... Pg. 4 Uptown Hamel Skating/Sledding Social ...... Pg. 5 City Business Profile: CPS Technology Solutions ........................................................... Pg. 5 Medicine Disposal ........................................... Pg. 5 Tree Sales at Spring Clean-up Day ................ Back Council Agendas/Minutes Notifications ...... Back City Council Saturday Office Hours ............. Back City Calendar .................................................... Back City Calendar February 5th Wed—City Council 7:00 pm 11th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 15th Sat—Council Office Hours (by appointment) 17th Mon—City Offices Closed (Holiday) 18th Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm 18th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 19th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm March 4th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 11th Tues—Planning Commission 7:00 pm 15th Sat—Council Office Hours (by appointment) 18th Tues—City Council Work Session 6:00 pm 18th Tues—City Council 7:00 pm 19th Wed—Park Commission 7:00 pm All meetings at City Hall unless otherwise noted. Meeting agendas on website when available. Tree Sales at Spring Clean-up Day Saturday, April 26th Due to the many storms and the ultimate tree loss that the City of Medi- na residents experienced this last year, the City is trying to get a handle on how many trees may be purchased at its annual Spring Clean-up Day this year. The City will once again have several varieties of trees and there may also be a reduction in price on the first couple of trees purchased on Clean- up Day. Watch for more information on pricing in the next newsletter. Please call City Hall at 763-473-4643 and let us know if you are planning on purchasing trees this year, and approximately how many, so we can make sure to have enough trees for everyone. City Council Saturday Office Hours City Council Saturday Office Hours are on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at City Hall. Residents desiring to meet with an elected official during these Saturday office hours should make an ap- pointment by calling Jodi Gallup, Assistant to the City Administrator, at City Hall at 763-473-8850 by noon on Friday before the Saturday session. City Council Agendas and Minutes Notifications Stay informed on what is happening at upcoming City Council meet- ings. The City emails copies of Council agendas and minutes at no cost to residents. If you would like to be added to the regular email notification list, email jodi.gallup@ci.medina.mn.us to sign up. CITY HALL 2052 County Road 24 Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-4643 f: 763-473-9359 e: city@ci.medina.mn.us City Hall Office Hours Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. PUBLIC SAFETY 600 Clydesdale Trail Medina, MN 55340 p: 763-473-9209 f: 763-473-8858 e: police@ci.medina.mn.us Police Department Office Hours Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mayor Elizabeth Weir 763-473-3226 City Council Jeff Pederson 612-916-6448 Melissa Martinson 763-473-8082 John Anderson 612-618-5702 Kathleen Martin 612-344-1111 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. Newsletter Editor Jodi Gallup Assistant to City Administrator Feb / Mar 2014 Mayor Weir Honored for Water Quality Efforts Medina Mayor Elizabeth Weir received two distinguished awards for her tireless work on local water quality issues. Lake Independence Citizens Association (LICA) honored Mayor Weir with the Friend of the Lake Award for her extraordinary efforts toward the improvement and preservation of the Lake at the October 15, 2013 City Council Meeting. Mayor Weir also received the Outstanding Contribution Award at the October 17, 2013 Minnehaha Creek Watershed Heroes Awards Ceremony. Mayor Weir has been dedi- cated to preserving and protect- ing the environment for over 30 years. She is a founding mem- ber of the Mooney Lake Associ- ation. She continues to be a strong advocate for preventing stormwater runoff and Aquatic Invasive Species and protecting water through best management practices including rain gardens, stormwater ponds and wetland preserva- tion. Thank you Mayor Weir for your incredible dedication to water quality efforts in Medina! Above: Mayor Weir accepting the Friend of the Lake Award from LICA President Mike McLaughlin Radon Testing: Take Action Though you can not see, smell or taste radon, it may be present at dangerous lev- els in your home. Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that seeps up from the earth. When inhaled, it gives off radioactive particles that can damage the cells that line the lung. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer, and causes over 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. In Minnesota, 2 in 5 homes have radon levels that pose a significant health risk. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommends that every Minnesota home be tested for radon. Testing your home is easy to do. Minnesota residents can purchase a short term test kit for $7.95 at www.mn.radon.com. Additional information regarding radon in homes can be found at www.health.state.mn.us. The MDH can also provide infor- mation regarding qualified mitigation contractors in the area. 2014 Budget Summary Data Page 2 Feb / Mar 2014 The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of 2014 budget information for the City of Medina residents and prop- erty owners. The complete budget may be examined at Medina City Hall, 2052 County Road 24 or on the City’s website at www.medinamn.us. The final General Fund Budget for 2014 was approved on December 3, 2013 in the amount of $3,963,175, an increase of $186,750 or 4.9% from the 2013 General Fund Budget. The General Fund total property tax levy for 2014 was authorized for $2,807,902, an increase of 3.0% or $81,784 from the 2013 General Fund levy. The overall 2014 property tax levy was ap- proved for $3,428,080, an increase of 5.5% or $179,274 over the total 2013 levy. The overall levy increased due to the phase-in of new annual debt service payments on bonded debt issued to finance the acquisition of a facility for use by the City’s police and public works departments. Additional increases resulted from associated new facility operating costs, and overall increases for health, property, and liability insurances. Factoring in a 2.7% increase in the City’s overall market value from 2013 to 2014 is expected to result in the City’s tax capacity rate increasing from 24.6% in 2013 to an estimated 25.5% in 2014. Feb / Mar 2014 Page 5 Community News City Business Profile: CPS Technology Solutions Since 2009, Medina has been home to CPS Technology Solutions (CPS). CPS is a 15 em- ployee IBM Business Partner specializing in Network Infrastructure Support for business clients. Our offices are located in the Elm Creek Business Park at 3949 County Road 116. Our primary area of expertise is Network products, services, and solutions with extensive expertise in LAN, WAN, Network Security, Multiple Operating Systems, Connectivity, Con- version, and Enablement Softwares. We hold over 20 IBM Certifications, as well as, Lotus CLS, Microsoft MCSEs, Novell CNE, and Cisco CCNA. We love to tell our customers that we support everything behind the application. In addition to our on-premise services, CPS also provides Infrastructure as a Service cloud offerings which are hosted at our 2 Data Cen- ters, one in Minneapolis, and one at our offices in Medina. Our hosting services are designed to free our clients from the administrative and op- erational tasks and costs of having to manage their own servers. If all of this technical writing has confused you, but you know that your company needs assistance with your network infrastructure, please give us a call at 763-553-1514 or check out our website at www.cpsts.com. Uptown Hamel Skating/Sledding Social Saturday, February 8th, 1 - 4 p.m. Community members are invited to attend the Uptown Hamel Skating/Sledding Social on Saturday, February 8th from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hamel Legion Park. The festivities will be centralized around the Hamel Community Building, ice skating rink, sledding hill, and fire pit. The Uptown Hamel Business Group is sponsor- ing the event and will be serving hot apple cider and making s’mores. For more information visit the Uptown Hamel Business Group web- site at https://uptownhamel.com or call Fortin Health and Wellness Clinic at 763-478-3978. Medicine Disposal Properly disposing of unused medicines is important to prevent abuse or poisoning and to protect the environment. Storing unused medicines in the home poses safety and health threats. Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem, especially among teens. Accidental poisonings from medicines are also on the rise. Medicines flushed down the drain or disposed of in the trash can contaminate bodies of water, harm wildlife and end up in drinking water sup- plies. The prescription drugs that are most often abused are: Painkillers: Vicodin, Tylenol with codeine, OxyContin, Percocet Depressants: Xanax, Valium, Nembutal Stimulants: Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta If you have any of the above mentioned unused prescription drugs in your home, please properly dispose of them right away. Hennepin County offers six medicine drop-off sites, which are free to the public. Please bring your medicines in their original containers or if original containers are no longer available, place the medicine in a quart- sized plastic bag. Medicines from households are accepted, including: Prescription medicines, including controlled substances Over-the-counter medicines Vitamins and supplements Pet medicines Medicines are accepted in the following forms: Aerosols Blister packs Capsules Creams Gels Inhalers Liquids Patches Pills Powders Not accepted No needles, sharps or syringes. No thermometers - take to a drop-off facility. No bandages, glucose meters, medical tape or other medical supplies. No empty pill bottles - you can recycle your empty pill bottles at home. No medicines from businesses, including health care facilities, pharmacies, pharmaceutical representatives, doctors’ offices and veterinary clinics. Hennepin County Medicine Drop-off Locations Brooklyn Center: Hennepin County District Court—Brookdale Edina: Hennepin County Library— Southdale Minneapolis: Hennepin County Public Safety Facility Minnetonka: Hennepin County District Court—Ridgedale Spring Park: Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Patrol Hours and addresses for each location can be found at: hennepin.us/medicine or call 612- 348-3777. Planning Page 4 Feb / Mar 2014 Land Use Applications Under Review The following land use and development projects are currently under review by the City. For more information on one of the projects, or for an up- date on the review schedule, please contact the Planning Department at (763) 473-4643. Dominium – 32 rental townhomes – 510 Clydes- dale Trail Dominium has requested review of a PUD Con- cept Plan for the construction of 32 affordable rental townhomes on approximately 4 acres of vacant property north of Clydesdale Trail and east of County Road 116. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing at the Febru- ary 11, 2014 meeting. Hamel Haven – Lot Split – 805 Hamel Road JJC Hamel LLC has requested final approval of a plat to split the 0.7 acre property at 805 Hamel Road into two lots. The City Council granted preliminary approval January 17, 2012. The appli- cation is tentatively scheduled for review by the City Council at one of the February meetings. Wakefield subdivision – 3385 County Road 24 Wakefield Family Trust has requested approval of a rural subdivision of three lots on 74 acres at the southeast corner of County Road 24 and Home- stead Trail. The City has requested additional information in order to review the request. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the application when it is complete for review. Contact the Planning Department for more infor- mation. 2013: Most Permits Issued in Medina’s History The City of Medina issued permits for 163 housing units during 2013; the most permits ever issued in a single year by the City. Of these permits, 144 were single-family homes and 19 were townhome units. The City issued 64 permits in 2012 and just 15 in 2011. Most of these permits were issued in The Enclave and The Fields of Medina neighborhoods, although construction continued in Bridge- water, Park Ridge Acres, and Keller Estates as well. The estimated val- uation of the homes constructed (building only, not including land) was $64,006,122. The City also issued the first permit for new commercial construc- tion since 2010. Approval has been granted for over 300 additional lots which have not yet been constructed, so the City anticipates another busy year in 2014. Free One-on-One Technical Assistance for Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Are you thinking about starting your own business or are you currently operating a small business and interested in FREE technical assistance? Medina has partnered with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) to offer the “Open to Busi- ness” program. This program provides FREE one-on-one assistance from MCCD’s expert staff, customized to meet the spe- cific needs of each entrepreneur. This can include creating a business plan, suggestions on financial management and bookkeeping practices, assisting with marketing, and referrals for financing. MCCD also administers a small business loan fund which provides capital to expand local businesses. For more information or to schedule a session, please contact Rob Smolund from MCCD at rsmolund@mccdmn.org or (612) 789-7337 ext. 260. More information is available on the City’s website: http://medinamn.us/opentobusiness. Feb / Mar 2014 Page 3 Public Safety & Public Works City Plowing Priority Schedule 1. Main collector roads 2. Residential streets 3. Cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets 4. Trails and ice rinks Reminder Winter Parking Regulations are in Effect There is no parking on the streets of Medina between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. The regulations are in effect until March 31st. The police enforce this ordinance to keep the streets clear for snowplowing. If you have any questions in reference to the parking ordinance, please call the police department at 763-473-9209. Three Officers Recognized for Lifesaving Activities in 2013 At the Medina Recognition Dinner on January 9, 2014, the Medina Police Department recognized three patrol offic- ers for saving individuals lives during the past year. In all three cases, the officers were summoned to situations where the victims were un- conscious, not breath- ing and had no heart- beat. The officers, using their training and equipment, assist- ed in bringing these victims back to life. The first incident was on April 14, 2013, where Officer Jessen responded to an unresponsive female in the City of Loretto. Upon arrival at the scene, it was determined that the female was lifeless. Officer Jessen along with the Loretto Firefighters performed CPR and brought the victim back to life. The second incident happened on April 23, 2013, where Officer Boecker was dispatched to a head-on collision involv- ing two semis on Highway 55 and Willow Drive. Officer Boecker arrived on scene to find a citizen doing CPR on one of the drivers. Officer Boecker hooked up the automatic de- fibrillator, shocked the individual and restored a pulse and the victim’s breathing. The third incident happened on December 8, 2013, where Officer Gregory responded to an unconscious female in the 3000 block of Willow Drive. Officer Gregory was advised that the female was not breathing and that a male on scene had started CPR prior to officers’ arrival. Officer Gregory took command of the scene and instructed to continue CPR while he set up the automatic defibrillator. In this case, no shock was advised from the defibrillator. He and other re- sponders continued CPR until North Ambulance arrived and took over care. The victim was transported to the hospital, her breathing and heartbeat restored. Because of the actions of the three officers all three vic- tims are alive today. We are proud of our officers for their dedication to preserve the lives of our citizens. Winter Salt Use As a homeowner you will likely be using salt or other de- icers on your driveway, sidewalks, and steps. Numerous products are available to remove ice. Some products are a blend of salts and some are considered more pet friendly. RECOMMENDATIONS: ► First, clear as much snow/ice as possible. Use shovels, brooms, blowers, ice chisels and scrapers. Removing snow promptly reduces compaction from walking or driving on it. ► Follow the product directions. Note the effective operating temperatures. Use sand for traction and at lower temper- atures beyond where de-icers do not work. Do not apply more than is necessary. ► Reuse Salt. If you see excess, sweep it up to use in the future. As snow melts the salt and water flows into the storm drains which, in most cases, takes the water and contents untreated to the local rivers and streams. The City of Medina always considers safety first, but is also making a very conscious effort to use less salt and sand to cut down on the environmental impact. Although the City does not have a bare pavement policy, we try to achieve one as best possible on the collector roads, but will be using salt and sand very sparingly on non-collector roads, and primarily only at intersections. Seasonal Spring Weight Limits The Medina Police want to remind everyone that spring weight restrictions will go into effect in early March. If you are planning a construction project, please ensure that you have your materials delivered prior to the weight restrictions. The reason for the restrictions is to protect our roads and keep the cost of road repair down for all taxpayers. We ask all of our residents and business owners to keep an eye out for large trucks using the roads during the restriction period. If you see them using a restricted road, please call 9- 1-1 and report it. Help protect your roads! For questions, you can call the Medina Police Department at 763-473-9209.