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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 - 11 NovNEWS November 2007 Together We Can! Two New Officers Join Join in the celebration The Maplewood Police Force of commemorating our Lisa DarvellÐ Lisa has her B.S. in Maplewood Veterans Law Enforcement from Minnesota Honor Roll of Service on State University-Mankato and Saturday, November 3, completed her Skills course at 2007 at 12:00 noon Hibbing Community College. at City Hall, 1830 She formerly worked as a security County Road B. Coffee officer for Park Nicollet and cake will be served. (Methodist) Hospital. Joseph DemullingÐ Joe also received his B.S. in Law Enforcement from Minnesota State University-Mankato and completed his Skills course at Hibbing Community College. Joe has volunteered with the North St. Paul Police Reserves and worked at a furniture store in Little Canada. Mayor Diana Longrie leads a tour of City Hall This is the first police officer position for both Lisa and Joe, and for students of the Next Step Program at we look forward to their future contributions to the Maplewood Beaver Lake School on October 24th. Police Department. MaplewoodÕs 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner & Dance Join your Maplewood neighbors Saturday, December 1, 2007 at the Maplewood Community Center 2100 White Bear Avenue and attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration. Social hour will begin at 5:00 pm, dinner will be served at 6:15 pm and the dance will begin at 7:00 pm. Live dance music will be provided by Reception Jazz Trio. Tickets for this event can be purchased at the Maplewood Community Center-651.249.2230. Tickets: $30/person All tickets must be purchased by Nov. 27. D ear Friends and Neighbors By Mayor Diana Longrie Greetings! Maplewood is not onlyvery often determinedsolely by theavailable on the place we reside, but it is also theleadership of the city. the internet place where we raise and nourishand virtually As a council we are always looking our family; a place where we shareall council for guidance on not only the issues in a sense of community with ourmeetings, your neighborhood but also the neighbors; and a place our childrenworkshops, larger issues facing our city. grow to be good citizens andcommission and board tomorrowÕs leaders. So in a largermeetings are broadcast on cable One of the larger issues facing the sense, all of us share, learn andcast TV. Additionally, we have council is that of money. How will grow here, in our hometown,increased the accessibly of a revenues be raised? How will Maplewood. citizenÕs right to petition their revenues be spent? How much will government, developed the use of ad taxes increase? What past It goes without saying that hoc citizen committees to work on commitments and promises MaplewoodÕscitizens are the most neighborhood projects, and have embodied in past council actions, valuable resource in growing and insisted on a more user-friendly community expectations and the sustaining the shared values of our administration at City Hall. The goal hopes of the citizens will be kept? community. Ultimately, it is the of all these steps, of course, is to How much long-term debt spending responsibility and pleasure of the nurture and encourage citizens to has our City incurred and how will it citizens to determine the direction for participate at all levels. be paid back? There is no getting any community. The citizens are the around it, long- term debt incurred city. As a council we need toWe need your input on how big we today is an obligation passed on to continue to nurture, support andshould increase our long-term debt future councils, our children and encourage our citizensÕ participation. and how we should retire our current future citizens. The yearly interest debt over a shorter period of time. Granted, state law has minimumand principal payments of an There is no doubt that any steps to requirements for citizen access toincreasing city long-term debt ties the manage our long-term city debt government, such as being allowedhands of future councils and limits today, in a fiscally responsible to observe meetings (the opentheir freedom and flexibility to plan manner, will allow the city and future meeting law) or the right to publicand initiate new programs or ideas councils to strengthen our mission to documents. However, state lawwithout drastically increasing serve citizens. says little-to-nothing about howproperty taxes and fees. All too often citizens can participate, howthis reality is overlooked in theAs always, I welcome your comments citizensÕ input should be gathered orexcitement of long-term bonding andand invite one and all to attend the how they should even be heard.spending to purchase the wants ofmonthly CitizenÕs Forum, hosted by Whether a community enjoys widethe moment. myself, held the first Saturday at spread access to city deliberationsMaplewood City Hall in the These are exciting times in the life of and information via cable cast TV orMaplewood Room from 10:00 am to the City of Maplewood. We have whether vital information isnoon. Call me at 651.774.1490 or opened the doors of city hall wide communicatedand discussed withemail to mayorlongrie@yahoo.com. open. More documents than ever are citizens in a timely, meaningful way is FREE Events For Adults! WINTER BOTANYWILDFLOWERS FROM SEED Join botanist Scott Milburn for some in-depthPrepare wild prairie and raingarden seeds now, identification and study of our winter hardy native for planting and growing at home this spring. plants. We'll be studying wide assortment of woodyCo-sponsored by Maplewood Nature Center and and herbaceous species likely to find at the natureRamsey-Washington Metro Watershed District center. Dress for the outdoors!(RWMWD) Saturday, December 1, 9:00 - noonTuesday, January 22, 6:30-8:00 PM Maplewood Nature Center, 2659 7th St. E.Call 651.792.7965 by January 15 to pre-register Call 651.249.2170 to pre-registerRWMWD, 2665 Noel Drive, Little Canada By Erik Hjelle Dear Friends & Neighbors ,members who understand the need toWhile this council has little control over WhoÕs Protecting YOURwallet? Councilmembers in Maplewood rotateÒprotect your walletÓ. things like Fiscal Disparities, we can writing articles in this newsletter and Icertainly effect change in other areas. As hard as we try to control local view this opportunity as a way toDoing more with less is a very common government spending, there are certain inform taxpayers with relevant facts.practice in the private, corporate world. areas that we sadly have no control Last month, Ms. Cave talked about theIn our personal family budgets, we over. Fiscal Disparities is a ÒwonderfulÓ recent Tax levy vote and bringing jobscannot demand more money from our state welfare program where cities like to Maplewood, Ms. Juenemann chooseemployer because we want to spend Maplewood are forced to give over not to contribute an article inmore! ALL council members should $500,000 to other cities because THEY September, and last August Mr.understand that our #1 obligation is to need YOUR tax money more than YOU Rossbach talked about the grass in histhe taxpayer. Having 3 council need it! Cities that benefit from our yard. Each council member views theirmembers who understand that core welfare payments include our neighbor, articles as important to them, and whileprinciple is crucial to the economic North St. Paul. Maplewood taxpayers I learned something about Mr.viability of Maplewood. So feel free to pay for NEST, a government RossbachÕs yard in August, learningremind your friends and neighbors in collaborative transportation program about the Tax levy from Ms. Cave wasSt. Paul (+15%), Roseville (+10%), and that subsidizes local bus service. In the much more relevant and informative.Woodbury (+5%), that Maplewood state of Minnesota, for every $1 The 3-2 vote to limit the 2008 Tax levy(0% or -0%) is a good place to be in collected in fares, taxpayers pay $2 in to 2007 levy rates shows how2008. Now if we could only get subsidy. important it is to have at least 3 councilRamsey County (+5%) to cooperate? By remembering to Vote on November Snow Plowing Safety Reminders 6, you are honoring those that have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we With winter approaching, it wonÕt be long until our snowplow drivers may be free and have the freedom of are out in full force clearing snow and ice, making the roads safe for choice. Take it seriously. motorists. Our snowplow drivers urge you to remember to: Thank you. Erik Hjelle ¥ Keep a safe distance from the snowplow. Stay back at least 100 feet. ¥ Slow down. Yield to snowplows. Give the plow driver room. Lifesaving Award ¥ Be patient. Never drive into a snow cloud. Remember, an average 3Ó snowfall can take eight hours to complete full width plowing of all streets. Officer Tim ¥ Think safety, plan on traffic delays. Hawkinson was ¥ Do not allow children to make tunnels in snow piles on the boulevard. awarded with ¥ Stay alert. A snowplow weighs 17 times more than your car. the Maplewood ¥ Do not shovel or blow snow back into a plowed street. Police Department The City of Maplewood has established a goal of Lifesaving plowing all streets within eight hours after the snow Award at the Choking victim Robert Foss has quit falling for the typical 3 inch snowfall. The and Officer Tim Hawkinson October 8, sidewalk/trail system will be opened within 48 2007 City Council meeting for rendering hours of completion of the street plowing. The city aid to a choking man. While attending has established parking ordinances that when a charity golf tournament banquet on adhered to result in faster, more thorough service, September 13, the father-in-law of a and provide safer driving conditions. Parking for fellow officer began choking on his more than 30 minutes during a snowfall and the food. Officer Hawkinson noticing that plowing of snow is prohibited. Parking is also he was in distress, and immediately banned year round between 2 am and 6 am. Parking on bridge performed the Heimlich maneuver to approaches or on boulevards or medians is also prohibited. dislodge the food. Because of his quick response, Officer Hawkinson For the complete snow plowing policy and city ordinances, please go prevented the situation from becoming to the city website at www.ci.maplewood.mn.usunder city worse and may have saved the life of departments, public works street division, or call the Public Works the choking man. Congratulations on Department at 651.249.2400. a job well done, Tim! City Personnel Promotions and New Additions Drive By City Manager, Greg Copeland Successful Change There have been many personnel changes over the lasteight employees retired, fifteen employees 22 months at City Hall. The big news is more Maplewoodresigned, five employees were terminated city employees have received internal promotions alland one employee died of a non-work related cause. levels than ever before, 22 employees have benefitedThree city jobs were eliminated; in which there were from these changes.incumbants the employees sued and final settlements were reached in all cases. Ten 911 dispatchers and one 911 The City this year has hired more new police officers than Supervisor were transferred to Ramsey County, who now ever before, four new patrol officer positions. provides MaplewoodÕs residents with 911 service. The Fire Department has added three new firefighter/paramedics and over a dozen and half new pay per call fire fighters. 22 City Staffers Promoted 2006 - 2007 The City of Maplewood for the first time in 50 years has a new full time Code NewFilled Reclassified/ Enforcement Officer. Job TitleEmployeeDatePositionVacancyOther Night MCC SupervisorMike GrafX The million dollars in savings from the SergeantKerry Krotty1/7/2006X 2007 City Budget reorganization has Police OfficerJoseph Steiner1/7/2006X made most of this possible. The goals LieutenantMike Shorteed1/7/2006X of eliminating administrative overhead, Office SpecialistEdna Spangler1/14/2006X reorganizing departments for greater IT technicianMychal Fowlds2/6/2006X efficiencies and placing a priority on IT/Network AnalystNick Franzen4/10/2006X Administrative AssistantLois Knutson8/19/2006X delivering Òservices on the streetÓ; Building Inspector ApprJason Brash10/2/2006X police, fire and code enforcement Licensing SpecialistLisa Kelly10/16/2006X were all accomplished. Maplewood is now better protected against crime, loss EMS DirectorRobb Prechtel1/1/2007X Assistant Fire Chief/Fire MarshallButch Gervais1/1/2007X of life from fire and better able to Payroll TechnicianConnnie Kelsey1/1/2007X transport by Emergency Medical Service, MCC Fitness & Ops DirectorLori Hansen1/6/2007X EMS, to hospitals than ever before and Citizen Service ManagerKaren Guilfoile1/29/2007X Maplewood is now able to cleanup Sr. Engineering TechScott Jacobson2/19/2007X our neighborhoods and protect home Sr. Engineering TechAndrew Engstrom2/19/2007X values from those who refused to follow Civil Engineer IIMichael Thompson5/7/2007X the rules. Citizen Service SupervisorDeb Schmidt5/19/2007X Administrative AssistantLisa Kroll6/16/2007X As Paul Harvey says the ÒRest of the Recreational CoordinatorNeil Breneman8/25/2007X StoryÓ is in 2006 and 2007 to date SergeantDaniel Busack9/10/2007X 2007 City Budget Reorganization Saves One Million Dollars Total Annual Positions Eliminated in 2007 BudgetEmployee ChangesBenefited Cost Savings Communications Manager of 911Dispatchemployee transferred to Ramsey County$54,411* Assistant City Manager/Community Development Directorposition eliminated$59,883 Maplewood Community Center Operations Supervisorposition eliminated$76,177 Maplewood Community Center Managerposition eliminated$102,377 Assistant Fire Chiefemployee resigned$119,647 Human Resource Directoremployee terminated$147,206 Director of Parks & Recreationemployee resigned$149,972 Assistant Police Chiefposition eliminated$154,926 Ten 911 Dispatchersemployees transferred to Ramsey County$234,904* Bob Dollerschell Now Public Safety Manager The City of Maplewood is pleased to announce that Robert ÒBobÓ Dollerschell, a Maplewood resident for 28 years, has been promoted to the position of Public Safety Manager. Mr. Dollerschell has a broad range of experience in public safety including over 30 years in law PARKING ORDINANCES enforcement. He is the former police Overnight Parking, Ordinance #36-39 (d)Ð This chief of Oakdale and Sauk Rapids. He has also worked as , ordinance is enforced 365 days a year a Hennepin County Deputy Sheriff and police officer for and it prohibits parking of any vehicle on any the Cities of Willmar and Litchfield. A veteran of the U.S. street or road in the City between 2:00 am and Army, where he also served as a military policeman, Mr. 6:00 am. Permission may be given by a Police Dollerschell graduated with honors from St. Cloud State Department supervisor to temporarily park in the University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Experienced in street overnight in certain situations (such as both the labor and management sides of law enforcement, installing/ paving a driveway or having many Mr. Dollerschell is also a past president of Law overnight guests). Enforcement Labor Services (ÒLELSÓ), a police union. He has also served on the Maplewood Police Civil Service Snowfall Parking, Ordinance #36-39 (c)Ð The Commission, Ramsey County Personnel Board and the City prohibits parking of any vehicle on any street Ramsey County Charter Commission and currently is or road for more than 30 minutes during the time certified as a Federal and State of Minnesota Emergency intervening between a snowfall of two inches or Manager. more and the plowing or removal of snow. Most recently, he has been working as the Assistant Leash Laws Emergency Management Director for the City of DOGS Maplewood Fire Department, where he has been All dogs shall be kept under restraint at all times instrumental in bringing the citizens of Maplewood while in the City of Maplewood . (Ordinance #10-126) together with the CityÕs employees for Certified Emergency This means that while outdoors at home, dogs must Response Team (ÒCERTÓ) training to help Maplewood either be on a leash or within a fenced-in yard. better prepare for any disasters. Mr. Dollerschell said that the CERT training will allow friends and neighbors to really When off of the ownerÕs/custodianÕs premises, the provide efficient, effective help to the City of Maplewood dog must be restrained by a chain or leash not in case of a disaster. He indicated that he is excited to be exceeding 8 feet in length. working with a Mayor who has also participated in The only exception to the dog leash law is in a national training for mayors on disaster preparedness, and designated area at Ramsey CountyÕs Battle Creek believes that by having both the citizens and the City Park in south Maplewood. See Ramsey CountyÕs trained in emergency response, the City of Maplewood website for more information. will be as ready as possible for any challenges the future may bring. CATS Cats are also required to be kept under restraint Mr. Dollerschell looks forward to working closely with the . (Ordinance #10-311) Police Chief, Dave Thomalla and Fire Chief, Steve Lukin to maintain the outstanding tradition of excellence in both While at the owner or custodianÕs premises, the departments. Mr. DollerschellÕs law enforcement cat must be confined by adequate fencing or experience, together with his emergency management leashing. training and experience with the Maplewood Fire When not on the ownerÕs premises, the cat must Department will help him in his new job of Public Safety be on a leash not exceeding 8 feet in length when Manager. ÒI am looking forward to serving the people of not confined in a motor vehicle or cage. the City I love and have made my home with my wife Esther for 28 years,Ó said Dollerschell. Get Fit For The Holidays City Meetings: November 3 CitizenÕs Forum 10:00 am The Maplewood Community November 6 -No city meetings Election Day Center is making it easier November 7 Environmental & Natural than ever to become a Resource Commission 5:00 pm November 9 Special City Council Meeting member. Our 3-month (General Election Results Canvass) membership comes complete November 12 City Hall Closed (VeteranÕs Day) with all the perks of the November 14 Housing & Redevelopment annual membership but with Authority 7:00 pm November 15 Historical Preservation a shorter commitment. You Commission 7:00 pm also pay NOinitial fee and November 20 Planning Commission 7:00 pm all insurance benefits apply! November 21 Parks & Recreation This is A for GREATOPTION Commission 7:00 pm November 22 &23 City Hall Closed retirees who leave for the winter, college students who return for the (Thanksgiving Holiday) summer, or for individuals who want to experience the Maplewood November 26 City Council Meeting Community Center before joining as an annual member. The November 27 Community Design Review benefits are ENDLESS! Find out more on page 4 of the Parks & Board 6:00 pm Recreation issue. All meetings are held at City Hall,1830 County Road B East,Maplewood. 2100 White Bear Avenue If you have basic cable service,all City Commissions, 651.249.2230 information and programs can be viewed on Channel 16. All City Council and Commission meetings are broadcast live on Channel 16 and are rebroadcast on a schedule that is posted at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us.Any meeting cancellations are posted on the CityÕs website. www.ci.maplewood.mn.us Code Enforcement Activity Code Enforcement Activity Chart D E O C SEPTEMBER Ô072007 YTD Total # of calls received200825+ Total # of cases opened70501 ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT Total # of inspections1931,279 Total # of cases closed39267 Total # of cases open/week 174+/- N/A Call 249-CODE to clean up your neighborhood! PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE CITYOFMAPLEWOOD PAID Mayor: Permit #4903 Diana Longrie651.774.1490diana.longrie@ci.maplewood.mn.us St. Paul, MN Council Members: Kathleen Juenemann651.771.3670kathleen.juenemann@ci.maplewood.mn.us Erik Hjelle651.217.2172erik.hjelle@ci.maplewood.mn.us Will Rossbach651.484.5427will.rossbach@ci.maplewood.mn.us *******ECRWSS** Rebecca Cave651.773.7059rebeccacave1@hotmail.com POSTALCUSTOMER City Manager: 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 Saturday: 8:00 am Ð 12:00 noon Upon request, this newsletter will be made available in an alternate format. Printed on recycled paper.