HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 -10 OctCity’s Official NEWSLETTERMAPLEWOODLiving OCT 2015A Message From The Mayor
I hope you are enjoying our beautiful fall in Maplewood
with the coming of cooler weather, sweaters, crisp apples
and bonfires. Our schedules are busy with school back in
session and the holidays just around the corner. The
City Council has been working hard with City staff on
numerous projects including many exciting changes within
our business community.
One part I really enjoy about being Mayor is participating
in ground breakings and ribbon cuttings for new
businesses coming to Maplewood. These events have a
feeling of excitement and I am happy to give a warm welcome to new businesses
that are becoming a part of our community.
2015 has been a particularly exciting year for business development in our City.
Each private business investment reinforces and demonstrates the strength and
desirability of the Maplewood community while providing expanded choices for
our residents.
CarMax recently opened its Maplewood store,
which is its second Minnesota location. In
August, PrairieCare broke ground on its new
14,000 square foot clinic located near Beam
Avenue and White Bear Avenue. Another
medical clinic, Minnesota Women’s Care, is
building an addition that will more than
double the size of its existing building located
at 2603 White Bear Avenue.
3M is nearing completion of its new 400,000
square foot research and development lab
located on its campus near Conway Avenue and McKnight Road. This new
building is beautifully designed and demonstrates a significant investment by 3M
into Maplewood. In addition to this new building, 3M is remodeling an existing
building on its campus to house an expanded, three-story design center. 3M’s
design center is part of the company’s effort to put design at the front and center
of all of its operations.
- continued on page 9
In This Issue
2016 City Budget General Election
Utility Fees
New Dance Company Opens
Fish Creek Dig
Recreational Fires
Sewer Backup
School’s Out Activities
Fall Clean Up
50% Off Bulky Item Pick Up!
October 5-9, 12-16, 19-23,
and 26-30
Contact Republic Services at
(651) 455-8634
www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/cleanups
The Fall Clean Up Campaign
focuses on curbside bulky item pick
up and household item reuse and
recycling. All residents that have
curbside recycling are eligible to
schedule bulky item pick up during
the event (including townhomes
and manufactured homes that
have not opted into the City’s
trash program).
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Mayor Nora Slawik
New CarMax Auto Superstore located in Maplewood off Beam Avenue
Frequently Called Numbers
City Hall (651) 249-2000
Maplewood Community Center (651) 249-2230
Recreation (651) 249-2120
Public Works (651) 249-2400
Police Non-Emergency (651) 767-0640
Visit the city website at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us for the
meeting schedule of the City Council, Commissions and Boards.
To advertise in this newsletter call (952) 212-7333 or email
heidi@careycommunications.org.
Elected Officials
Nora Slawik: Mayor ........................................................(651) 738-7099
nora.slawik@ci.maplewood.mn.us
Marylee Abrams: Councilmember ............................(651) 249-2000
marylee.abrams@ci.maplewood.mn.us
Robert Cardinal: Councilmember ..............................(651) 765-8600
bob.cardinal@ci.maplewood.mn.us
Kathleen Juenemann: Councilmember ................... (651) 771-3670
kathleen.juenemann@ci.maplewood.mn.us
Marvin Koppen: Councilmember .............................. (651) 770-5391
marvin.koppen@ci.maplewood.mn.us
Melinda Coleman: City Manager ..............................(651) 249-2055
melinda.coleman@ci.maplewood.mn.us
2 / October 2015
City Working on 2016 Budget and Tax Levy
State law mandates that the maximum tax levy for 2016 be
adopted and filed with the County by the end of September
2015. At the Council meeting held on September 14, 2015,
the maximum tax levy for 2016 was set at $19,751,270 (a 4%
increase over 2015). The final 2016 tax levy and budget will
be adopted in December 2015.
The City’s Budget
The budget is composed of a number of different funds,
the largest of which is the General Fund. The General Fund
is the primary operating fund of the City and includes
services such as police, fire, public works, parks
maintenance, community development, citizen services
and administration. There are essentially two sources of
revenue that fund the General Fund budget – the property
tax levy and revenues from other sources, such as fees,
licenses, permits, fines, charges for services, etc.
Department requests for 2016 in the General Fund are
$533,990 more than the 2015 budget. A majority of this
increase ($328,210) is in personnel services. Union contracts
are one of the reasons for this increase. Other requests
include additional full time staff for the Fire Department,
additional overtime for the Police Department to provide
more targeted policing services and to train officers as first
responders, and the addition of a communications position.
After taking all the department requests into
consideration and calculating projections for 2016 revenues,
the General Fund would require a tax levy increase of
approximately $689,100 to maintain its current fund balance
level of 40% of operating revenues.
Proposed Tax Levy
Based on requests made during the preparation of our
Capital Improvement Plan, we continue to have a need
for capital projects such as street improvements, parks,
redevelopment and investment in city facilities. Over half
of the City’s tax levy increases during the past 8 years have
been dedicated to debt service costs while only about 1/5th
has been applied to General Fund operations. Tax levy
increases have not been able to keep up with the growth
in operational costs due to the need for infrastructure
improvements and redevelopment.
New revenue sources are being explored for the Fire
Department in the amount of $22,500 and for the
Ambulance Service Fund in the amount of $58,750. This
would involve charging for additional items such as auto
extrications, lift assists, non-transport calls and gas line
hits. With these additional revenues, property tax levies
recommended in the 5 year Capital Improvement Plan and
based on operational needs are as follows:
BUDGET
- continued on page 3
October 2015 / 3
Continued from pg 2 ... Budget and Tax Levy
FUND 2015 LEVY 2016 PROPOSED LEVY $ CHANGE % CHANGE
LEVY CHANGE HOME VALUE 2015 2016 CITY TAX 2015 2016 PROPERTY TAX PROPERTY TAX
$4,792,820140,000255,000250,0000089,2700335,000500,000160,000
12,469,520
$18,991,610
$4,792,82075,000300,000250,00060,00025,00089,27050,000310,000500,000200,000
13,099,180
$19,751,270
$0(65,000)45,000060,00025,000050,000(25,000)040,000
629,660
$759,660
0.0%-46.4%17.6%0.0%100.0%100.0%0.0%100.0%-7.5%0.0%25.0%
5.0%
4.0%
Debt ServiceCIP FundPD Squad & Equip FundStreet Project DeficitsFire Truck ReplacementRedevelopment FundEDA FundGeneral Bldg ReplacementAmbulance ServiceCommunity CenterRecreation Programs
General Fund
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
Impacts on Median Valued Home
Based on information received from Ramsey County on August 13, 2015, a median valued home in Maplewood is estimated
to increase in value by 1.9%, from $187,300 to $190,800. The annual impact of different levels of the City levy increase to a
median valued home is as follows:
Next Steps
The City Manager, Finance staff, and department heads
have been actively engaged in planning and preparing the
2016 budget, which funds all City operations and functions.
Governmental units of all sizes and circumstances face
challenges, but for largely developed and established
communities like Maplewood, the challenges are somewhat
unique. Maplewood has very few areas within its boundaries
that offer tax generating development opportunities.
Department Heads, along with the City Manager and
Finance Director have been focused on the following:
• The need to control and/or reduce costs
• Assessment and consideration of new sources of revenue
• Review of all existing City services for possible service
delivery changes
• Analysis of inter-departmental and inter-governmental
service and/or resource sharing
• Identification of critical needs in City-owned buildings
and facilities
Department Heads are looking at methods of addressing
structural budget challenges in a way that is sustainable and
makes increases in the City property tax levy based upon
need and responsible decision-making.
The City is making available tools on its website at www.
maplewoodmn.gov to assist our efforts as we work toward
creating a sustainable budget. One is the creation of the
email address budget.ideas@ci.maplewood.mn.us for use by
members of the public with questions about the City’s budget
and/or services to get questions answered or provide input,
feedback, or suggestions. A summary of the information
received will be posted on our website and provided to the
Council for the purposes of guiding and forming the City’s
budget development now and into the future. Another is an
interactive tax calculator worksheet where residents can get
an estimate of their 2016 City taxes based on their individual
home values. Utilize these tools as well as other information
on the City website at www.maplewoodmn.gov.
$ 187,300 $190,800 $790 $782
$791
$800
$809
$818
$ (8)
$ 1
$ 10
$ 19
$ 28
-1.0%
0.1%
1.3%
2.4%
3.5%
$ CHANGE IN CITY % CHANGE IN CITY
Municipal General Election November 3, 2015
The Municipal General election will be held on November 3, 2015. The four candidates that received the highest
number of votes at the August 11, 2015 Primary Election will be on the General Election ballot for two four-year
councilmember seats. The candidates are: Robert Cardinal, Diana Longrie, Bryan Smith and Tou Xiong. Each
candidate was given an opportunity to introduce themselves and provide a summary of why they are running for office.
The candidate articles are not edited by city staff. Information provided does not necessarily reflect the position
of the city and are the sole opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the candidates.
For additional information visit the city website at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us and key in “election” in the search bar or
call City Clerk Karen Haag at (65) 249-2000 or via email at karen.haag@ci.maplewood.mn.us.
Robert Cardinal, Running For Councilmember
Bob Cardinal served on Maplewood
Planning Commission from February 11,
1985 through December 31, 1991. Elected
Mayor in November 1999 and Re-elected
Mayor November 2001. Served as Mayor
of Maplewood until December 31, 2005.
Elected to Maplewood City Council in November 2011.
Democracy is a test of a community’s capacity to govern
themselves in ways that serve the common good and the
good of the individual citizen. As a Maplewood resident,
we can seek courage to embrace our citizenship with
justice to help build the Maplewood community. Every
voice should matter and every vote should count. Every
act of responsible citizenship is an activity of significant
individual power. We exercise that power through
generosity in ways that help others. We get the public
officials we deserve. Good or lack of good is tolerance of
judgment not only on the elected official, but on us. We
hope as a Maplewood citizen that you look and see
beyond party politics and analyze campaign rhetoric
truthfully to choose political leaders according to
principle, not party affiliation or self-interest. Democracy
is not served by silence.
The League of Minnesota Cities, confirmed that the data
is accurate stating Maplewood is the 7th highest taxed
city in the metro area. This is based on the collective tax
rates for the city, county, school district, and special
taxing districts. The City of Maplewood has no control or
influence on the other taxing jurisdictions included. To
examine the city of Maplewood only the city’s tax rate
calculation based on tax levy utilizing the city’s tax
capacity. On a per capita basis the Office of State Auditor
ranks Maplewood 80 out of 227 cities over 5,000.
actually ranks 32 out of 84 metro cities. Tax rate, is a
calculation based on tax levy utilizing the city’s tax
capacity. On a per capita basis the Office of State Auditor
ranks Maplewood 80 out of 227 cities over 5,000.
If you have any questions, call Bob Cardinal at home:
(651) 765-8600 or cell: (651) 398-1457 ANYTIME.
Can I Count On You? Thank you for your attention to
this campaign.
Diana Longrie, Running For Councilmember
HELLO MAPLEWOOD!
Many of you know me personally –
Gladstone neighborhood attorney,
Maplewood’s first woman Mayor, home-
owner, community activist. You know I
bring understanding, preparation, and
ability to this job. A positive, winning vote
for Diana Longrie will ensure you are heard at City Hall
above developers. Serving and protecting you is job #1!
I have a proven record, delivering transparency,
increasing citizen engagement, holding taxes/spending in
check and opening the doors to City Hall (increasing
accountability that works for ordinary residents).
We know Maplewood is a great place to call home. What
sets Maplewood apart is our parks and park preserves.
Some officials say we have too many. I will vote “no” to
selling any of them for development. The record shows, in
2006, my leadership and vote, stopped the bulldozers from
destroying Fish Creek Park Preserve. In 2009, I signed
the City covenant, permanently protecting, Maplewood’s
Priory Park Preserve.
Like me, many put their roots down in Maplewood,
purchased a home, raised a family, because Maplewood
was a safe community. But with the recent crime spike,
that reputation, once solid, is in doubt.
4 / October 2015
- continued on next page
Serving previously, I voted to add police officers, add
paramedics and exposed insiders’ plans to close fire
stations (medical response delays). Quality public safety,
increasing efforts to reduce neighborhood crime, can-
not be handcuffed by City Hall’s inattention. Additionally,
Maplewood Seniors don’t expect, or deserve, further
occasions where life-saving, medical response policies are
not followed (see: suspension of Maplewood Fire Chief –
August 2015 reports in the press).
Maplewood’s trail network is a gem. However, there are
some that want to compromise the Vento Trail for the
Rushline mass-transit route. The Vento Trail is the wrong
route. Protecting our trail for fitness, reflection, wildlife
habitat is right. City Hall’s suggestion that economic
development will occur along the Vento Trail, located in
single family, residential neighborhoods is preposterous!
If Maplewood is to benefit from the Rushline’s promised
“economic development,” the correct route is along Hwy. 61.
Hwy 61 is a commercial and transit corridor. Good paying
jobs, sustainable jobs, develop in commercial corridors.
Vote Diana Longrie! dianalongrie.com (65) 214-0859
Bryan Smith, Running For Councilmember
In my opinion you’ve made a great
choice to make Maplewood your home.
I love living here. Maplewood is an
excellent city; centrally located, friendly,
and filled with family and recreational
activities. My wife Jennie, my seven year
old son, my dogs and I have called Maplewood home for
five years. We are so glad to be a part of this community.
I believe working together we can make Maplewood even
more vibrant. I’m running for the Maplewood City Council
because I believe continuing our trajectory of a sensible
and reasonable approach to improving our city. My intent
is to keep on the path of investing in our city wisely; fixing
roads, protecting parks attracting new businesses, and
making sure our fire, police, and other city departments
have the resources to perform with both excellence and
efficiency.
As a member of the City Council, I would focus on three
key leadership themes:
• Sensible Government: Good leadership comes from a
mix listening, learning, and then developing a vision
and seeing it through with collaboration
• Economic Development: I believe the key to the
economic future is aggressively attracting the right
businesses that drive growth, jobs and further
development
• Quality of Life. I believe the basics: streets, parks,
transit, environmental stewardship, police, and fire,
these are the essential building blocks of a community.
As a marketing professional for several leading Minnesota
companies, I have learned how to successfully complete
complex projects by building and inspiring teams get the
job done. As a father and husband, I have learned that
while I love my job, there is nothing more important to me
than my family. When things get busy, I find joy, comfort,
and adventure with my family. As a man of faith, I have
learned that personal and spiritual growth is a life long
journey whose promised reward is serenity and insight.
I am hopeful you will support me in bringing my breadth
of experience – both successes and struggles, my
perspective as a father and husband, and my spiritual
core to help our city become its very best.
Tou Xiong, Running For Councilmember
My name is Tou Xiong and I am running
for Maplewood City Council. I believe I
am the best choice for Maplewood
City Council because I have the skills,
perspective, and experience that can
move our city forward, and I am
confident that I can champion your interests as the next
Maplewood City Councilperson.
I am running for City Council because I want to help our
community as a whole, in making Maplewood the best
city to live in. I am delighted to bring youth, innovation,
and diversity to expand public service for our city. I am
dedicated to serving this city because it has given my
family so much. I love Maplewood because it is the city
where I was raised and where I watched my four younger
brothers grow up in a safe and proud community.
I graduated from William Mitchell College of Law, and I
believe I have the necessary and relevant skills to work
towards a better Maplewood. I have a strong dedication
to inclusiveness as demonstrated through my service on
the Ramsey County Library Board, and I’m passionate
about serving the city that allowed new Americans of
my generation to live out and validate their parent’s
American Dream. I hope to make my Maplewood friends
and neighbors proud of me too.
It is an exciting and fun campaign for city council this
year, and I look forward to continue reaching out and
meeting as many Maplewood friends and neighbors as
possible. Thank You. - continued on next page
October 2015 / 5
6 / October 2015
USER FEES - UTILITIES
The City has a number of funds
which account for services such as
sewer, water, storm sewer, recycling
and street lighting. To pay for these
services, fees are assessed to the
benefiting property owners on
their utility bills. Each year the City
analyzes each fund to ensure that
the fees are set at a rate to sustain
operations.
City staff is planning on making a
recommendation to the Council in
October regarding the rates for
2016. Initial analysis is showing the
following:
Sewer: The largest expense within
this fund is the sewage treatment
charge from Metropolitan Council,
which is increasing for 2016. This
fund also covers the cost of replacing
sewer mains and other sewer infra-
structure as streets are rebuilt. Even
with these costs, it appears that no
fee increase will be required for 2016.
The last time the fees for sewer were
increased was in 2013.
Storm Sewer: The demands of the
storm water treatment program are
significant. The City has had to delay
street projects and bond for future
revenues because the needs are
much greater than the revenues
being collected. Fees for this fund
have doubled over the past 9 years.
The City is looking at between a
0% - 3% increase in fees for this fund
in 2016.
Recycling: The contract with our
recycling vendor contains a rate
increase in 2016. Because of this, fees
for recycling will need to be increased
by 7.5% or $0.69 per quarter to
produce sufficient revenues for
the fund.
Water Surcharge: The City maintains
two water surcharge funds – one for
residents on the North St. Paul water
system and one for the residents on
the St. Paul water system. These
revenues are used to finance future
water system improvements that
cannot be financed by special assess-
ments. The user fee for North St. Paul
is not anticipated to increase and the
user fee for St. Paul is anticipated to
drop. With the decrease in the St. Paul
fee, residents on both water system
will be paying approximately the
same amount per quarter.
Street Lights: An electric franchise
fee was implemented back in 2005 to
cover the costs of street light expenses.
This fee is set by ordinance and will
not be increasing for 2016.
Street Revitalization: A gas franchise
fee is being implemented this year
to cover the cost of preserving and
repairing city streets. This fee is set by
ordinance and is initially being set at
$2.50 per month per residential unit.
A table summarizing 2015 fees and
the anticipated 2016 fees for an
average home per quarter is
shown below:
2015 2016 CHANGE
$64.68
22.44
9.09
4.25
3.75
0.00
$104.21
$64.68
22.44 - 23.10
9.78
3.50
3.75
7.50
$111.65 - $112.31
$0.00
0.00 - 0.66
0.69
(9.75)
0.00
7.50
$7.44 - $8.10
Sewer
Storm Sewer
Recycling
Water Surcharge (St. Paul)
Street Lights
Street Revitalization
Total
QUARTERLY CHARGE
SERVICES
October 2015 / 7
Triple L Dance Company Opens In Maplewood
Triple L Dance
Company recently
opened its first
studio located in
Maplewood on
Beam Avenue.
The studio offers
Jazz, Tap, Ballet and
Lyrical classes for
students ages
2.5 to adult.
Owner Laura Linder said, “Triple L Dance Company’s
mission is to offer a place for students of all ages to
dance in the community and feel a sense of belonging
regardless of age, ability, dance experience, and financial
means. Triple L Dance Company is a place for all people
to develop love and passion for dance. We believe very
strongly in modest and age appropriate costuming,
music and choreography. You will never see a bare
midriff on our stage”!
“I think that we are a unique company because of our
low stress, low commitment classes and because of our
modesty policy. In recent years, it has become standard
for young children to be put in revealing costumes,
and often dancing to
songs and doing
choreography that is
much more mature than
what is appropriate for
them. As a new studio
owner in the community
of Maplewood, I want to
set a new standard on
what is fun, appropriate,
and entertaining in the
dance world, even if that
means doing something
different than what
everyone else is doing!”
Laura chose Maplewood for the dance company location
because she is currently a resident of Maplewood and has
always loved the city. She grew up in the neighboring city
of North St Paul and went to school in Maplewood. Now,
that she lives here with her young family, she wanted
a place for her kids to dance in the community in an
affordable and fun environment. Triple L Dance
Company is always, first and foremost, fun. Dance
is one of the greatest passions in Laura’s life and
she wants to share that with the children dancing at
her studio. She believes she was put on this earth to
teach dance and her biggest goal is to spread that
passion and help children find a love for dance at
any age.
Laura has been
involved in the art of
dance for more than
25 years. She has
training in Tap, Jazz,
Ballet, Lyrical and Hip
Hop Dance. She has
also competed with
a group and as a
soloist for five years,
winning many top
awards. She has been
a dance instructor for over 14 years, teaching all age
groups and ability levels. Her choreography has won
many awards at dance competitions all over the
Midwest. Her patience and dedication to working
with children not only comes from teaching in the
studio but also from her experience working in child
care for over ten years.
Bridget Franzmeier said, “Laura has taught my son
to be an amazing dancer. But, more importantly, she
taught him how to be a part of a team, a community,
and something fun and exciting!”
Triple L Dance plans to open additional classes as
needed and will begin to offer more specialized
classes like hip hop, musical theater, and ballet as
enrollment grows.
Registration is going on now. You can also arrange
for a free trial class! To learn more visit their website
at www.tripleldance.weebly.com or
call (651) 329-8407.
Triple L Dance Company students
at Spotlight Dance Cup at
St Paul River Center
Triple L Dance Company students
at Spotlight Dance Cup receive
award for Best Lyrical Dance-Age
12 Category and a special award
for Outstanding Technical Skill
First official competition team
practice at Triple L, August 2015
BusinessMaplewood HigHligHt
8 / October 2015
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MEMBERSHIP SALEMaplewood Community Center
Valid through Nov. 30
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+ GET A FREE GIFT - SWIM LESSON, SPECIALTY FITNESS CLASS OR MASSAGE
*Minimum 3-month comittment on monthly memberships. Some exclusions apply. See customer service for additional details.
OR
Maplewood’s com-
munity archeological
investigation at Fish
Creek this past July
was fun, exciting,
and very successful.
Under the direction of
Archeologist Jeremy
Nienow, a group of
citizen scientists found
several pottery sherd
pieces and flakes (chips
from stone tools).
Most of the artifacts were very small -- nickel-size or
less. The pieces are from the Woodland Culture, a time-
frame that spans from 500BC - 1650 AD. One of the most
interesting pieces was a pottery sherd with a piece of rim.
The style of the rim can sometimes help to narrow down
the age of the piece. Some of the pottery sherds are
carbonized on one side and carbon-dating to better
pinpoint age is a possibility. In addition to Native
American artifacts, items from more recent times were
unearthed such as nails, glass, and a plastic doll’s arm.
Ramsey County Historical Society (RCHS) and Maplewood
Area Historical Society were Maplewood’s partners on
the dig, which was funded in part through a Legacy grant
RCHS received for community archeology.
Maplewood Area Historical Society invites the public to
a presentation by Nienow about the excavations and
the artifacts found. This free event will be held Tuesday,
November 17, 7:00 - 8:00 pm, at the Maplewood Library,
3025 Southlawn Drive inMaplewood. The presentation
is made possible through funding from Minnesota’s Arts
and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Archeologist Nienow to Present “The Fish Creek Dig”
Archeologist Nienow (left) and dig
participant sift through soil
PUBLIC ART IS COMING TO MAPLEWOOD!
Installation has begun on a unique public art play environment at Joy Park.
Stay tuned for more details.
October 2015 / 9
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
At the Maplewood Community
Center, 2100 White Bear Ave.
Fall Splash Bash
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Holiday Fun Hour (Ages 4-8)
Thanksgiving Session
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19
6:15 pm - 7:15 pm
Join us and create fun, easy
crafts that will put you in the
holiday spirit! Music, stories, and
snacks are all part of the fun.
Grab your paint shirt and come
have a great time. Cost is $7.00
per child.
Letters for Santa (Ages 2+)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Calling all boys and girls! Our
elves will have everything that
you need to write and decorate
the perfect letter to Santa -
we’ll even mail it for you! Enjoy
holiday stories and delicious
treats while you create. Parents
are welcome to stay. Children
must be potty trained if parents
choose to leave. Cost is $5.00.
Santa’s Workshop Party
(Ages 3+)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12
9:30 am - 11:30 am
Hey kids, join us for breakfast
treats while your parents are out
holiday shopping or working out
at the MCC. Join Santa and the
gang for a razzle-dazzle good
ol’ time. We’ll have a visit from
Santa, games, music, movies,
arts and crafts, holiday
stories and much more! Bring an
unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots
and you’ll receive a special prize.
Cost is $10.00 ($7.00 for MCC
members).
In our ongoing efforts to identify ways to better serve our community, the City
of Maplewood is conducting a Citizen Survey. The 2015 City of Maplewood
Citizen Survey will be held October 19th through November 6, 2015.
The survey serves as an important evaluation tool that enables residents to
rate city services and offer input on what the City of Maplewood does well
and where it can make improvements. Results from this survey will assist the
Maplewood City Council and the City Manager in setting priority focus areas
for City services in the future.
Residents who would like to participate can complete the survey online
October 19th through November 6, 2015 by visiting:
www.surveymonkey.com/s/Maplewood_2015
A hard copy of the 2015 City of Maplewood Citizen Survey can also be
completed at Maplewood City Hall, 1830 County Road B East, Monday
through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Thank you in advance for taking part in the City of Maplewood Citizen Survey!
In addition to the projects already mentioned, the businesses below have
already made, or will be making in the near future, significant upgrades to
their buildings and properties as they continue to invest in Maplewood:
• Health Partners, 2165 White Bear Avenue; exterior building and landscaping
improvements
• Denny’s, 255 Century Avenue North;
new vestibule and exterior building
improvements
• Harbor Freight, 2950 White Bear
Avenue; new store to Maplewood
with exterior building improvements
• Dairy Queen, 819 Century Avenue
North; exterior building improvements
• Maplewood Import’s Porsche, 2780
Maplewood Drive; new showroom
addition with exterior building improvements
• Kline Volvo, 3040 Maplewood Drive; expanded showroom with exterior
building improvements
One of my goals as Mayor is for the City to have a strong business engagement
program. We have two upcoming events that I hope you will consider attending.
The first is a Community Engagement Breakfast on October 15, from 7:00 -
10:00 am at the Maplewood Community Center (MCC). This event, hosted by
the Housing and Economic Development Commission, will showcase the City’s
vision for the future of Maplewood and will give residents an opportunity to
provide input to shape that vision. The second event will be our first ever State
of Maplewood luncheon that I will be hosting. It will be held on January 14,
2016 from 11:00 am -1:00 pm at the MCC. Join us to celebrate our most
notable achievements from the past year and to talk about the future
direction of the City.
Enjoy your fall and hope to see you around Maplewood!
Citizen Survey - We Need Your Input!
Continued Pg 1... A Message From The Mayor
Denny’s restaurant off Century Avenue gets a makeover
10 / October 2015
Recreational Fires
This is the time of year when some of us like to enjoy an
outdoor recreational fire. Following are the guidelines
established by the City Council for outdoor burning:
Campfires and so-called “recreational” fires are defined
by Minnesota Statute, § 88.171, as those that are no larger
than 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height and used
for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or
similar purposes.
Recreational fires should not be lit or maintained if the
smoke from it unreasonably causes discomfort or a
negative impact to neighboring properties. If a complaint
is lodged and verified by a peace officer or fire fighter
and in their opinion is creating a nuisance situation, the
operator of the fire will be required to immediately
extinguish the fire until conditions change or improve.
No permit is required for recreational fires and a copy
of the recreational fire code section (§ 20-38) is available
online at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us or you can obtain a
paper copy at the Maplewood City Hall information desk.
Following are the minimum requirements for
camp/recreational fires:
• A recreational fire shall be limited to one location
per property parcel/address at a time.
• Recreational fires must be at least 25 feet from all
buildings or combustible materials. Combustible
materials include, but are not limited to: wood,
paper and plastics [MFSC (07) Section 307.4.2].
• Conditions which could cause a fire to spread
within 25 feet of a structure shall be eliminated
prior to ignition [MSFC (07) Section 307.4.2]
• Recreational fires must be constantly attended by
an adult until the fire burns out completely or is
extinguished [MSFC (07) Section 307.5].
• A minimum of one portable fire extinguisher
complying with MSFC (07) Section 906, with a
minimum 4-A rating, or other approved on-site
fire extinguishing equipment such as dirt/sand
(available for use as an extinguishing agent), or
charged garden hose; such extinguishing equipment
shall be readily available until the fire is extinguished.
• The only materials permitted in a recreational fire
are wood from trees, small branches or charcoal.
• No person shall conduct, cause, or permit burning
of rubber, plastics, chemically treated materials, or
other materials which produce excessive or
noxious smoke including, but not limited to, tires,
railroad ties, composite shingles, tar paper,
insulation, composition board, sheetrock, wiring,
paint, paint filters, construction debris, garbage,
waste materials, and vegetation of any sort, e.g.,
leaves and grass.
• Recreational fires must be immediately
extinguished if they pose a fire safety risk, if they
are not in compliance with the above, or when
directed to do so by a police officer, firefighter, fire
warden, or DNR officer [MSFC (07) Section 307.3].
• Recreational fires are only allowed from 10:00 am
until 11:00 pm with winds less than 15 mph unless
written permission for an exception is received
from the fire chief or fire marshal.
(c). The owner of any property upon which a fire
is started or originally ignited, in violation of this
section, shall be responsible therefore and shall be
subject to penalties provided in this chapter,
unless such owner can adduce proof that such fire
was started by a stranger or trespasser. (Repeals and
replaces Ord. 838; Code § 20-38, 5/27/03)
A permit is required for outdoor fires that are not
contained in a city-approved incinerator, at any time,
unless authorized by the issuance of a permit as
provided by the Department of Natural Resources
for “open burning.” This permit can be obtained by
calling (651) 249-2804 or online at the City website
at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us.
The White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce
Invites you to attend
Tuesday, October 27
5-7pm
Maplewood Community Center
This FREE event will offer your business a wide array of unique money saving
opportunities. Businesses and organizations on display will represent a wide variety of
venues dedicated to save you money by using effective recycling and water resources
more efficiently. This is also a great networking opportunity for you to connect with other
business people. Appetizers, a cash bar, and targeted networking. RSVP required.
Register online at www.whitebearchamber.com or email info@whitebearchamber.com.
Green Business Expo
October 2015 / 11
Sanitary Sewer Backup Prevention
As a resident, you can play a key role in preventing sanitary
sewer backups. To help prevent backups, please dispose of
the following items properly, not by dumping in a drain or
flushing down the toilet:
• Diapers
• Sanitary napkins
• Rags or shop towels
• Garage waste products such as oil, grease, gasoline,
antifreeze
• Household waste such as ashes, grease, corrosives, glass,
metals, paint, poisons, or solvents
• Yard waste such as sand, soil, or mud
Inflow and infiltration (I&I) is also a potential cause of sewer
backups. I&I refers to clear water getting into the sanitary
sewer system. This might occur through cracks or leaks in
sewer pipes and manholes or from sump pumps incorrectly
connected to the sanitary sewer system. Particularly during
large rain events, I&I can cause the sanitary sewer system to
overflow resulting in sewer backups.
Because of the potential for I&I to create system issues, City
ordinance prohibits property owners from disposing of clear
water into the sanitary sewer system. This includes water
from any roof, surface or ground sump pump, or foundation
drain, for example.
Sanitary sewer problems should be reported to the City of
Maplewood’s Public Works Department. The City will work
with you to identify the cause of the problem. If there is a
blockage in one of the City’s main sewer lines, the City will
attempt to clear the blockage.
The sewer line from your home, business or other property
to the City sewer main is your responsibility. That means that
you as the property owner are responsible for clearing any
blockages. Property owners must schedule service and pay
the cost of clearing any blockage located in the individual
sewer line on their property. It is important that your plumb-
er notify the City prior to service cleaning so the mains can
be monitored to ensure roots or other debris that may be
pushed out of your service do not backup the main.
If you have questions regarding the City’s sanitary sewer
maintenance program, sewer backup response or a specific
incident, contact the Public Works Department at
(651) 249-2400 Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Outside regular business hours, sewer backup calls can be
reported to the Police Department’s non-emergency
number at (651) 767-0640.
Native Shrubs For
Wildlife & Seasonal Interest
AT MAPLEWOOD NATURE CENTER
2659 7th St. East, Maplewood
Saturday, October 17, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Find out which native shrubs
provide multiple seasonal
benefits, from food and
shelter for wildlife to fall color
and winter interest. Some shrub
favorites include red-berried
winterberry, late flowering witch
hazel, and shrubs with edible fruits for people and
birds alike: hazelnuts, serviceberry and
nannyberry.
Master Gardener Jane Klein will lead this overview
of the many choices of interesting shrubs for your
yard. FREE! Register by October 16th at
www.maplewoodnaturecenter.com and click
RegisterOnline-Go button, or call (651) 249-2170.
Pollinator Policy Forum
Thursday, October 22, 6:30 pmMaplewood Community Center2100 White Bear AvenueFREE EVENT!
Rep. Lillie Hosts Pollinator Policy ForumModerated by Representative Rick Hansen
Speakers from Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources, Minnesota Department of
Agriculture, Minnesota Board of Water and
Soil Resources, Minnesota Zoo, University of
Minnesota, Maplewood Nature Center,
and local beekeepers.
For more information, contact
Amanda Rudolph at 651.296.1237 or
Amanda.Rudolph@House.MN.
Pollinator Policy Forum
City of Maplewood
1830 County Road B East
Maplewood, MN 55109
Phone: (651) 249-2000
www.ci.maplewood.mn.us
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Want compassionate and
individualized mental
health care?
Help for children,
adolescents and adults.
North St. Paul and Five Other Locations.
(651) 662-0800 bhsiclinics.com
Our staff of psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social
workers and family therapists are committed to
offering high quality mental health care.
2497 7th Ave E, Suite 101 • North St. Paul Behavioral Health Services
School’s Out! (Grades K-6)
Are you looking for a
great way to spend those
non-school days? We
have the answer for you!
From 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
kids are invited for
action packed days full of
sports, swimming, crafts
and more. Don’t miss out
on our great field trips.
Bring your tennis shoes,
swimsuit, lunch and towel. Cost is $38.00 per child for
field trip days and $28.00 per child for all other days.
Register for five or more days and each day (including
field trips) are only $28.00. Before Care (7:00 am -
9:00 am) or After Care (4:00 pm - 5:30 pm) is $5.00 per
child per day. Both Before and After Care is $7.00 per
child per day. Registration deadline is one week before
program date. Sign up today - dates may be cancelled
due to low enrollment.
Maplewood Community Center, 2100 White Bear Avenue
School’s Out Dates
Oct. 15 (Field Trip Day) March 21
Oct. 16 March 22 (Field Trip Day)
Dec. 28 March 23
Dec. 29 (Field Trip Day) March 24 (Field Trip Day)
Dec. 30 March 25
Dec. 31*
*no after care available