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Home My WebLink About2008 - 05 MaySave The Date! Watch for more information. June 19th Taste of Maplewood and Grand Re-Opening of the Maplewood Community Center Featuring the RockinÕ Hollywoods! July 4th Fireworks, Family Fun and Music by Lamont Cranston Bandat Hazelwood Park! NEWS May 2008 Together We Can! for the financial period that ended onMarch 2008, our former Assistant December 31, 2006. That report, theFinance Director helped train our current Comprehensive Annual Financial Report forstaff on the process for reconciling 2006, won an award for financialstatements and many of the bank issues reporting. Our financial staff is in thewere resolved and the remainder should process of preparing the Comprehensivebe resolved within the next few days. Annual Financial Report for 2007, which Another item within the article will be the subject of the audit of the 2007 indicated that Department Heads did not financial transactions. The CityÕs auditing have information Ò...to know if they are firm is aware of these issues and will be over or under budget on a monthly reviewing all transaction from 2007 and basisÉÓ. Since I reported that information making their report to the City Council later to the City Council in February, the Finance this summer. First and foremost let me assurestaff has provided that information and the you that I do not believe that your taxThe financial issues relate to anmonthly budgets are continuously being dollars or fees paid to the City have beenappropriate level of timely accounting or, inreviewed to assure compliance with the mis-appropriated. I have found nothis case, lack there of. One exampleallocated amounts. I am confident that evidence of dollars that are missing andnoted within the Pioneer Press article: Justthere is no longer a Department in have never made any claims or reports tolike in your home, the City gets statementsMaplewood that is ÒÉoperating in the the City Council or media to that end.from the bank about the amount of fundsdarkÉÓ. As was indicated in the article, I Furthermore, I do not believe that haswe have in various accounts. The City ofam confident that the changes that have occurred or will be discovered as weMaplewood has over $2.0 million inbeen made will return the confidence in our continue preparing for our annual audit.monthly transactions, so we have numerousfinancial monitoring and management of accounts to track. Our financial stafffunds. I reported to the City Council on attempted numerous times in 2007 to February 10, 2008, after I assumed theI reported at a Work Shop of the reconcile what the amount of funds that the role of Acting City Manager, that the issuesCity Council on March 10, 2008, about bank believed was in the various accounts; with our financial situation related to thethe Financial State of The City. The 2008 however, we were unable to agree with process of reporting and monitoring, whichBudget for the City presented to the City what we had within our records since are required by government accountingCouncil on December 3rd and December February 2007. In some circumstances, standards. The City is required to have an10th of 2007 estimated that the City would our bank indicated that we had more audit of our finances on an annual basis. end 2007 with a surplus of $308,570. money than we thought and in other The last audit was completed in July 2007 circumstances, we had less. Early in continued on page 5 D ear Friends and Neighbors continued on page 5 2 MAPLEWOOD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE SPRING HAS ARRIVED AND ALONG WITH IT COMES THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER. Ñaffect relativelyÑÑEvery thunderstorm THUNDERSTORMSTHUNDERSTORM WINDSLIGHTNING small areas when compared with mostThunderstorms can produce straight-lineproduces lightning. Lightning kills about other storms. The typical thunderstorm iswinds that exceed 100 miles per hour.100 Americans each year Ñ more than 15 miles in diameter and lasts for 30For this reason you should treat severetornadoes Ñand causes about 300 minutes Ñ but whatever their size, allthunderstorms just as you wouldinjuries. thunderstorms are dangerous. Severetornadoes. Move to an appropriate thunderstorms produce large hail orshelter if you are in the path of the storm. 1. All thunderstorms produce lightning. winds of at least 58 mph. Some windThe strong rush of wind from a 2. Get inside a building or enclosed gusts can exceed 100 mph and producethunderstorm is called a downburst. One vehicle. Many fatalities occur when tornado-like damage. ThatÕs why manyof the primary causes is rain-cooled air warning signs are ignored. communities will sound their outdoorwhich accelerates downward, producing 3. If you are caught in an open area with sirens for damaging straight-line winds.potentially damaging gusts of wind. lightning around, crouch down When a severe thunderstorm threatens,Strong downbursts can be mistaken for immediately! Put your hands on your move inside a strong structure. Mobiletornadoes. They are often accompanied knees, but don't lie down on the ground. home occupants should go to a moreby a roaring sound similar to that of a 4. Do not use a telephone or electrical permanent structure.tornado. Downbursts can easily overturn appliance when lightning is taking place. Ñis a product of thunderstorms thatmobile homes, tear roofs off houses and HAIL A nearby lightning strike can travel causes nearly one billion dollars intopple trees. Campers are especially through phone or power lines, right into damage every year. Most hail is pea-vulnerable because trees can fall into the home. sized. Much of it is the size of baseballscampsites and onto tents. Minnesota's 5. Never seek shelter beneath one lone and it can reach grapefruit-size. Largestrongest thunderstorm gust in 2006 was tree. hail stones fall faster than 100 mph and 85 mph, near Jackson on August 1. have been known to kill people. 3 ARBOR DAY EVENTS Saturday, April 26 Maplewood Nature Center Saturday, April 26th 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aldrich Arena parking lot 1850 White Bear Avenue. Maplewood residents, with proof of residency, will be able to dispose of appliances, tires, construction debris, mattresses, furniture, car parts, scrap metal and electronic equipment such as televisions, computers, monitors, cell phones and other Òe-wasteÓ. There will be no fee for the disposal of electronic equipment. NO BRUSH OR TREE WASTE WILL BE ACCEPTED. After Buckthorn Ð COLLECTION FEES (CASH OR CHECK ONLY) Restore Oaks to Your Woods TYPE OF LOAD 10:00 am Ð 11:30 am Cars without a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . .$10 FREE Ð Call to register 651-249-2170 Cars with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15 Pick-up trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15 Large loads (determined by city) . . . . . . .$50 plus Walking Stick Hike INDIVIDUAL ITEMS 2:00 Ð 3:30 pm Car tires with or without rims . . . . . . . . $3 each Children 6 Ð 12 yrs Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10 each and Adults Make your own walking Please call 651-249-2400 with any questions that you may stick using buckthorn, an have or check the web page at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us. invasive shrub. Then go on a walking stick hike. ADOPT A PARK FOR CLEAN UP Saturday, April 19 Get together with your neighbors, team or group to help For additional information call 249-2170 pick up Trash at the city park you use the most! or go to the web page: Call the Maplewood Nature Center to reserve a FREE kit. Call 651-249-2170 or go to the web page: www.ci.maplewood.mn.us www.ci.maplewoood.mn.us 4 continued from page 1 OPEN LETTER FROM ACTING CITY MANAGER. continued from page 2 LETTER FROM MAYOR DIANA LONGRIE. *Documented 5 CITY MEETINGS: MAPLEWOOD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY City Council Meetings: S pring Tea Citizens Forum: Community Design Review Board: SATURDAY, MAY 10 Environmental & Natural Resources: BRUENTRUP Housing & Redevelopment Authority: HERITAGE FARM 2170 E. COUNTY ROAD D Planning Commission: Parks, Trails & Open Space Advisory Board: Parks & Recreation Commission: Historic Preservation Commission: www.ci.maplewood.mn.us CITYOFMAPLEWOOD Mayor: Diana Longrie651.774.1490diana.longrie@ci.maplewood.mn.us Council Members: Kathleen Juenemann651.771.3670kathleen.juenemann@ci.maplewood.mn.us Erik Hjelle651.846.4328 erikhjelle@yahoo.com Will Rossbach651.484.5427will.rossbach@ci.maplewood.mn.us John Nephew651.776.5963john.nephew@ci.maplewood.mn.us *******ECRWSS** City Manager: POSTALCUSTOMER Chuck Ahl651.249.2050chuck.ahl@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 Printed on recycled paper.