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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 - 09 SepJoin as an annual member or renew your annual membership and get a gift certificate to GuldenÕs Restaurant, a FREEfitness orientation with a personal trainer, and a FREEt-shirt. Offer is good September 16, - October 16, 2007. NES W September 2007 Together We Can! three Lieutenants and seven Sergeants, plus BANICK LAW SUIT the Police Chief, provided enough supervision SETTLEMENT to our police officers so that a deputy chief was no longer necessary. The Maplewood Reviewrecently represented in a misleading headline and news story that There was also a desire by the City Council the City of Maplewood paid a half million to increase the number of street patrol officers dollars to the former deputy police chief to significantly. The Council decided in the settle a law suit. For the record, the former 2007 City Budget to hire four new police employee and the City did settle a law suit on officers rather than retain the deputy chief August 23, 2007, but the settlement of that position. The position of deputy police chief matter was paid by our insurer, the League of was then eliminated from the 2007 city Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, ÒLMCITÓ. budget. The cost to City of Maplewood to Additionally, the amount actually paid by retain the deputy chief over the seven years LMCIT was much less than half a million remaining before the deputy chief reached his dollars. In fact, it was over 45% less than the 30th year in 2013 would have surpassed amount stated by the newspaper. Finally, it one million dollars in wages and retirement was LMCIT that paid the settlement, the City benefits. The Police Department command of Maplewood did not pay one dime of structure was also changed so that all the taxpayer money to settle this litigation. Lieutenants who previously reported to the deputy chief now report directly to Police This inaccurate report by the Maplewood Chief David Thomalla. Reviewon August 29, 2007 was made by their reporter who simply did not fact check John Banick, the former deputy chief, sued the the story with any City of Maplewood official City of Maplewood following this before going to press. It is unfortunate such reorganization; the suit and all the claims gross errors were made by the Maplewood brought by Mr. Banick have now been Review, but here are the real facts. dismissed by the Ramsey County District Court NIFTY FIFTY as a part of the settlement agreement There was a reduction in staff, which was CAR SHOW approved by Mr. Banick, LMCIT and the City approved in 2005 by the City Council and Manager. For further information, please see took effect earlier this year, when ten 911 Sunday, September 9, 2007 the Letter to the Editor submitted to the Emergency Dispatch employees (who had 2:00 - 9:00 pm Maplewood Reviewwhich is also in this previously been supervised by the deputy At The Maplewood Community Center edition of the City News. police chief) moved to a new centralized 2100 White Bear Ave. dispatch facility administered by Ramsey No admission fee County. The recommendation by the City ItÕs GrandparentÕs Day...Bring the kids! Écontinued on page 3 Manager and approved by the City Council was that the Maplewood Police DepartmentÕs D ear Friends and Neighbors By Mayor Diana Longrie Greetings! I hope you had a pleasantSt. Paul Tourist Cabin site wastax bill and I hear and enjoyable summer. Time goes byapproved. Managed by Walkerfrom Seniors on so fast! The days are starting to getMethodist, The Shores consists of 180fixed incomes who shorter and my youngest is back inunits of senior housing and is beingjust canÕt afford school. Although summer is a time forbuilt through private investmentanother increase. I am taking vacations and weekend Òget-without the use of tax incrementoptimistic the Council will join me in awaysÓ, your council has been hardfinancing. Ten minutes from theholding the line on city spending, at work, moving forward on manyCapitol, at the Gateway to Gladstone,making our municipal government projects that have been in the makingon the western most portion of themore efficient, and setting the 2008 over the past year as well as preparingGladstone Neighborhood, borderingtax rate to be at an amount no to set the 2008 annual budget.the DNR trail and adjacent to Lakegreater than the tax rate of 2006. Phalen, this development will be aAs always, the Council and I appreciate As you know, after many public welcome addition to Maplewood. Asyour advice, encouragement,expertise, meetings, workshops, and hours of a part of the review process by ourcriticisms and suggestions. I welcome policy discussion and document Planning Commission, Design Reviewyour comments and invite one and all review, the Council adopted the Board, and Historic Preservationto attend the CitizensÕ Forum, I host Gladstone Neighborhood Commission, along with extensiveas your Mayor on the first Saturday of Redevelopment Plan in December citizen input, staff worked with theeach month at Maplewood City Hall 2006. Some of the key features included developer to preserve many of thein the Maplewood Room from in the finally adopted plan include: landmark trees and enhance the10:00 am to noon. Call me at 1.) No sale of the neighborhood environmental attributes of the site.651.774.1490 or send an email to preserve, i.e. the "Savanna", and Additionally, this project is expectedmayorlongrie@yahoo.com. only natural improvements or to compliment the infrastructureBest Regards. restoration will be allowed thereon; improvements soon to be completed 2.) Limited changes to Flicek Park; with the $1.8 million grant awarded MAPLEWOOD MOVIES NIGHTS 3.) Buildings adjacent to Frost and to Maplewood by the Metropolitan English shall be a maximum of 2 stories; COME ENJOY A MOVIE ON OUR Council as part of the Gladstone 4.) The future development shall be Phase I redevelopment. This grant NEW12 FOOT INFLATABLE SCREEN! consistent with the Village Concept money is specifically Òear markedÓ A EVENT! FREE embraced by the citizens by promoting for storm water improvements, a "blended" redevelopment where the sidewalk/trail enhancements, turn scale of new buildings is compatible lane improvements and a round-a- with the existing buildings in the bout at Frost and East Shore Drive. neighborhood; 5.) An emphasis on working togetherOur big challenge in September is to with current Gladstone businesses toset the maximum property tax levy for encourage them to remain in the2008. It is estimated by Ramsey neighborhood; County that MaplewoodÕs property 6.) A public policy encouragingvalues increased by less than 2%. Featuring: CharlotteÕs Web private investment and limiting orMany of our citizens struggle with the (Rated G) eliminating the use of Tax Incrementhigh cost of property taxes levied by Financing, TIF; and Ramsey County and our School Friday, September 21 7.) Density incentives for developersBoards as well as the City. at approx. 7:30 pm who build senior housing, implementMaplewoodÕs actually accounts for Bruentrup Farm, underground parking, utilizeapproximately 27.2% of what our 2170 E. County Road D environmentally friendly practices incityÕs residents pay in total property Featuring: Free Willy their site development and/or usetaxes. The remaining 72.8% of taxes (Rated PG) green building construction. are levied by Ramsey County at Friday, October 5 38.8%; Schools at 29.7%; other at approx. 6:15 pm At the August 13, 2007 councillevies at 4.3%. I talk to hard working Maplewood Community Center Pool meeting, The Shores, a senior housingfamilies who get a knot in their 2100 White Bear Ave. development proposed for the formerstomach every time they open their Daily admission fee or MCC membership require Écontinued from page 1Reviewnobody, not the City of Maplewood or the Insurer, made Òa payment of (a) half million dollarsÓto settle any lawsuit filed against THE LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF the City. THE MAPLEWOOD REVIEW The Maplewood Reviewgot the facts wrong again, when it wrote Dear Maplewood ReviewEditor, that Òsettlement payments from the City will includeÉa monthly sum The Maplewood Review got the facts wrong in the August 29, for life.Ó There is no such payment being made by the City, all 2007, edition in your front page article on the Settlement of the settlement payments were made by the Insurance Carrier and the Banick Case. City was reimbursed by the Insurance Carrier for any payments the City made, including reimbursement for back wages paid in the The City of Maplewood has settled three claims made by former amount of $60,318.00, as well as the federal and state taxes. employees, whose positions were eliminated in the 2007 City Budget due to a reorganization of staff of which a total of 13 Furthermore, your article failed to report to your readers that the City positions were eliminated. The reorganization reduced senior of Maplewood prevailed against Mr. Banick on every motion he administrative staff overhead by $700,000 and allowed the City to brought before Ramsey County District Court Judge J. Thomas Mott, hire four more Police Patrol Officers and two additional Firefighter/ including his motion for a temporary restraining order, which was Paramedics, as well as the CityÕs first full-time Code Enforcement denied. It is an irresponsible and unacceptable practice for reporters Officer in 50 years. to ignore their responsibility to check the facts, in order to get them right for their readers. The City of Maplewood has now reached settlements with three individualswho sued the City due to the reorganization. The three Apparently, the Maplewood Reviewdoes not care enough about settlements were made by the CityÕs Insurance Carrier, the League of accuracy to even check its facts with the City and verify those facts Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT). All attorneysÕ fees and before they are published. The readers, however, do care and for settlements were funded from the Insurance Trust Ð not Maplewood journalists and publishers who wish to protect and to retain their taxpayers. creditability, the facts matter. The City of Maplewood, like all other public agencies, and many Thanks, as Paul Harvey says, for allowing me to tell, Ôthe rest of the private businesses and corporations, is a target of litigation. And so storyÕ, to your readers. it carries insurance to protect City taxpayers from these lawsuits. City Greg Copeland staff, our attorneyÕs and our Insurance Carrier nonetheless all work to City Manager of the City of Maplewood prevent or reduce the potential cost of lawsuits. An opportunity to resolve litigation and reach a settlement is a A NEW OFFICER prudent business practice that we apply in Maplewood when it makes sense to reach a compromise to avoid further cost, avoid the JOINS THE FORCE risk of trial and the distraction of time consumed with the Officer Markese Benjamin burdensome court processes of discover, e.g. depositions and the like. Limiting the costs and risks of litigation through a settlement joined the Maplewood Police agreement by paying ten or fifteen cents on the dollar of alleged Department on August 20, damages is done every day by insurance companies, plaintiffs and 2007 and was officially defendants. sworn in at the City Council meeting on August 27. In fact the City has entered into three settlement agreements which I approved, in consultation with our attorneys and Insurance Carrier, Officer Benjamin sworn in by Mayor Longrie for a total cost to the Insurance Carrier of $359,913 Ð not the half million dollars reported by the Maplewood Reviewfor just one Officer Benjamin was born and raised in New Haven settlement agreement. In each case the settlement barred any and all Connecticut. Upon completing High School, he served in employment claims forever against the City, and in the Banick the U.S. Marine Corps for four years. Officer Benjamin agreement there was a release granted by Banick which released earned an Associate Degree in Physical Education from the city from all other employee related claims and specifically Mt. Jacinto Community College in California and then agreed there were no facts that would give rise to a discrimination transferred to the University of MN Morris where he or retaliation lawsuit. earned a Bachelor of Art Degree in Sociology. He Under Minnesota Statues administration of the City is vested in the received his Law Enforcement Degree from Metropolitan City Manager and as such the authority to resolve legal claims is State University and completed his Skills training at provided to the Manager. The City Council did not vote on this Minneapolis Community And Technical College. settlement or any of the other agreements reached in this case. Prior to becoming a Maplewood employee, Officer The Maplewood Reviewhas engaged in irresponsible and Benjamin worked as Capital Security Officer for the MN questionable journalism by overstating the cash value of the Banick Department of Public Safety. He previously worked for the settlement by over 45%, a six figure error by your staff, who did Hennepin County SheriffÕs Dept and the Ramsey County nothing to verity these facts with the City before going to press. SheriffÕs Dept as a Correctional Officer. Contrary to the falsely reported headline printed in the Maplewood A Few Forgotten Soldiers MAPLEWOOD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY City Meetings: AND FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARK City Council Meetings Honor A Few Forgotten Soldiers Council meeting at 7:00pm who were laid to rest at Forest Lawn September 10 & 24 Costumed characters will portray the life and Special City Council Meeting September 13 at 5:00pm times of 3 United States soldiers. One soldier Canvass Primary Election Returns served in the Spanish-American War of 1898; Community Design Review Board September 13 & 25 at 6:00pm two served during World War I, 1914-1918. Historical Preservation Commission Complimentary refreshments. September 20 at 7:00pm Saturday, September 15 at 1:00 pm Housing & Redevelopment Authority September 12 at 7:00pm Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 1800 Edgerton Street Parks & Recreation Commission (between Larpenteur Ave. and Roselawn Ave) Enter through the main September 19 at 7:00pm Planning Commission gate. Follow the flags to the SoldiersÕ Rest. September 18 at 7:00pm $8 Ð No advance reservations required. For more information, call All meetings are held at City Hall,1830 Janice Quick at 651.735.3280 County Road B East,Maplewood. Buckthorn Removal If you have basic cable service,all City Commissions,information and programs can ¥ Nominate your neighborhood for be viewed on Channel 16. FREE pick-up! Buckthorn Herbicide Coupon All City Council meetings will be rebroadcast at Join the CityÕs effort to remove buckthorn from ¥ Volunteer to remove buckthorn from a Cancellations will be posted online at Maplewood. To help with this important community designated Maplewood City Park or www.ci.maplewood.mn.us environmental issue, local businesses are offering attend a FREE Buckthorn Removal Demo! Maplewood residents a discount on buckthorn Buckthorn Drop-Off Sites: If you removal products. Please check your buckthorn ¥ Borrow a Weed Wrench©, for up to brochure for effective chemical concentrations. live in Maplewood, but not in a one week FREE! DegeÕs Garden Center: 25% OFF nominated neighborhood, drop ¥ Use our money-saving herbicide coupon! Concentration Kills ALL, with surfactants (41% Glyphosate) ¨ off your buckthorn at one of Ferti-LomeBrush and Stump Killer (8% Trichlopyr) ¨ ¥ Find information online! Type in Gertens: 20% OFF these sites: www.ci.maplewood.mn.us. Click on All Glyphosate products 651.450.1501 1.Maplewood City Hall Campus ONLY ÒNature CenterÓ. Scroll down to find BachmanÕs: 20% OFF (Maplewood store only) on November 3, 4, 10 and 11. All Trichlopyr Products 651.770.0531 Fall programs, or click on ÒNatural LinderÕs Garden Center: 20% OFF 2. Londin Lane Fire Station, ONLY from Resources ConservationÓ for our All Glyphosate products and Brush-B-Gone(8% Trichlopyr) ¨ October 1 through November 11. 651.488.1927 Buckthorn Management Brochure and Coupon is good 9/1/07 - 10/15/07 3.Four other Ramsey County locations. other information. For more information, call the Call Ramsey County Yard Waste at Buckthorn Hotline at 651.249.2188. Call the Buckthorn Hotline! 651.266.1155. Site maps and hours are 651.249.2188 or Carole Gernes for available online at www.co.ramsey.mn.us. more information at 651.249.2170. Click on ÒHealth and EnvironmentÓ, ÒCompost HomeÓ, then ÒSite LocationsÓ CITYOFMAPLEWOOD or ÒSite HoursÓ. Mayor: Diana Longrie651.774.1490diana.longrie@ci.maplewood.mn.us PRSRT STD Council Members: U.S. POSTAGE Kathleen Juenemann651.771.3670kathleen.juenemann@ci.maplewood.mn.us PAID Erik Hjelle651.217.2172erik.hjelle@ci.maplewood.mn.us Permit #4903 Will Rossbach651.484.5427will.rossbach@ci.maplewood.mn.us St. Paul, MN Rebecca Cave651.773.7059rebeccacave1@hotmail.com *******ECRWSS** City Manager: POSTALCUSTOMER Greg Copeland651.249.2050greg.copeland@ci.maplewood.mn.us CITY HALL 1830 County Road B East, Maplewood, MN 55109 Phone 651.249.2000 Fax 651.249.2009 www.ci.maplewood.mn.us DEPUTY REGISTRAR AND PASSPORT HOURS Monday Ð Friday: 8:00 am Ð 4:30 pm Printed on recycled paper. Saturday: 8:00 am Ð 12:00 noon Upon request, this newsletter will be made available in an alternate format.