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Home My WebLink About2023 City Newsletter - Winter216 Fourth Street North Stillwater MN 55082 www.stillwatermn.gov 651‐430‐8800 SęĎđđĜĆęĊė CĎęĞ NĊĜĘ Winter 2023/2024 AċċĔėĉĆćđĊ HĔĚĘĎēČ IēĎęĎĆęĎěĊ The City is focused on creating real improve- ments for its residents by implementing an affordable housing initiative. Data shows a signiϐicant challenge for those earning less than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). These community members are crucial to Stillwater's daily life and deserve accessible housing. The state legislature has allocated an additional one billion dollars for housing, a signiϐicant increase from the usual funding. While reasonable people can debate this move by the legislature, the money will be spent in the state whether or not Stillwater uses it to address it’s housing challenges. We must actively participate in this statewide effort to make effective use of these funds locally. At a recent council meeting, Council decided to tackle this issue head-on. The goal is to form a diverse team to develop a strategic approach to affordable housing. This team will include a mix of renters, homeowners, and individuals from various backgrounds, and they will gather insights from the City's Comprehensive Plan and state funding opportunities. The 2040 Com- prehensive Plan, located on the city website at stillwa- termn.gov/services/2040-comp-plan guides the ac- tions, from initiating a Housing Action Plan to analyz- ing housing issues and supporting efforts like Accessi- ble Dwelling Units. The team will focus on using state funds effectively for impactful local projects, optimiz- ing city staff's time, and working in alignment with the Community Development Department. The City is at the beginning of this journey. If you are interested in contributing to this vital cause and want to participate on the citizen-led team, contact the City Clerk’s ofϐice at 651-430-8800. SęĎđđĜĆęĊė CčėĎĘęĒĆĘ TėĊĊ Many thanks to the Stillwater Public Works, Stillwater Police, Councilmembers and many other volunteers who helped put up and deco- rate the 48 foot Christmas tree located on the new Chestnut Street Plaza downtown Stillwa- ter. The tree arrived from Somerset Township and was donated by Missy and Jeff Hause. The Tree will light up from 4:30 pm to midnight each day till mid-February. Visit downtown and see the magical splendor of the tree. Dė. MĆėęĎē LĚęčĊė KĎēČ Jė. BėĊĆĐċĆĘę The City of Stillwater Human Rights Commission is hosting an event to celebrate Dr. King’s bold vision, leadership and ϐight for equal rights. Monday, January 15, 2024 at 7:30 am The breakfast will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 115 4th St N, Stillwater. Visit the City‘s website after January 5th to sign-up. PĆĞ Ćēĉ VĎĊĜ ĞĔĚė UęĎđĎęĞ BĎđđ AēĞęĎĒĊ ċėĔĒ AēĞĜčĊėĊ! We are pleased to announce a new electronic billing and payment system. Set up your utility account and take advantage of managing your online proϐile from the comfort of your own home. The previous online system has been disabled. Payment Methods: OēđĎēĊ (pay, view bills, or view balance due) Go to: stillwatermn.ourcommunityconnect.com Register and make payment. An email will be sent when a new bill is ready for viewing. CĆđđ (pay or review balance due) 651-430-8800 have your account number handy MĆĎđ your payment to the City of Stillwater DėĔĕ Oċċ your payment at City Hall Online Features: Pay online by checking/savings (EFT), or by credit/debit card Opt out of paper bills Pay immediately, schedule a payment or setup auto-pay View balance due Print receipts and bills Payments on your utility bill can be made using cash, check, EFT (electronic fund transfer), ACH (electronic fund transfer via Automated Clearing House) or credit/debit card. A convenience fee of $1.00 will be applied to all EFT payments. A convenience fee of 2.9% of the total charge plus $0.30 will be applied to all credit/debit card payments. ACH is free, submit form and voided check to the City to set up this payment method. SĆěĊ MĔēĊĞ Ćēĉ EēĊėČĞ TčĎĘ WĎēęĊė To use less energy and save money this winter, customers can take advantage of the many energy-saving tips at xcelenergy.com/Tips. The company also offers incentives and rebates that customers can use to make their homes and businesses more energy efϐicient. Find more infor- mation by visiting their website at mn.my.xcelenergy.com . Customers can ϐind ways to save energy and money, learn about payment assistance and/ or to enroll in the Averaged Monthly Payment program to help make your monthly energy bills more predictable. Here are some ways you can conserve energy and save money: Let the sunlight in and keep the cold out - Open blinds to take advantage of the sun's warmth during the day and close them at night to insulate against the cold air outside. Lower your thermostat during winter months by setting the thermostat between 65-70 degrees while you are home, and 58 degrees when you are away. Try using a programmable thermostat to auto- matically adjusts the temperature. Make sure exterior doors are fully closed - Run ceiling fans clockwise to force warm air down. Keep your oven's heat where it belongs - Use your oven light or timer to avoid opening it often while you cook; each time the door is open even for just a few seconds, the temperature drops 25 degrees. Lower your water heater's temperature or insulate it - The proper temperature for a water heater is 120° F, and by lowering it 10°’s, you can save 3-5%. Insulating will maximize efϐiciency. Keep ϐilters clean - Dirty furnace ϐilters reduce airϐlow, requiring your furnace to work harder and use more energy. Change the ϐilter once a month during the winter to reduce your heating costs by 5-15%. Don't let heat escape - Window sealing kits can help you save. Have your home evaluated for leaky ducts, drafts around doors and windows, ϐireplace dampers and other places where air might escape. Improve insulation of walls, crawl spaces, ϐloors and heating ducts is one of the fastest and most cost- effective ways to reduce energy costs, saving up to 10% on monthly energy bills. Xcel Energy will always work with customers to provide options such as payment plans and assistance pro- grams to get them through difϐicult times. Learn more by visiting xcelenergy.com/EnergyAssistance or by calling 1-800-895-4999. WĆęĊė EċċĎĈĎĊēĈĞ RĊćĆęĊ AěĆĎđĆćđĊ The City of Stillwater was awarded another $10,000 as part of the Metropolitan Council’s 2022-2024 Water Efϐiciency Grant Program. The City is offering rebates to Stillwater prop- erties that are connected to City water and replace their washing machines, replace toilets or by replacing their irrigation controller with a smart irrigation controller. Rebate catego- ries and amounts are as follows: Clothes Washers - Rebate $200 or 80% the cost of a new US DOE Energy Star labeled clothes washer, whichever is less, (excluding sales tax and labor/installation costs). Toilets - Rebate up to $100 or 80% of the cost of a new EPA WaterSense labeled toilet, which ever is less, (excluding sales tax and labor/installation costs). Smart Irrigation Controllers - Rebate up to $150 or 80% on the cost of a new US EPA WaterSense labeled smart controller, whichever is less, (some exclusions apply). Rebates are for replacement of existing devices only. New construction and new develop- ments are not eligible. Program runs through June 30, 2024. Rebates are available on a ϐirst come ϐirst served basis and not guaranteed. Copies of re- ceipts must be provided with rebate request form and all supplemental information must be submitted to the City of Stillwater. Rebate is for the cost of the device only and excludes sales tax and any installation/labor costs. Rebates will show as a credit of your utility bill. The rebate application is available on the City’s website at stillwatermn.gov/waterrebate. Any questions, contact Public Works Utility Department at 651-275-4100. WĎēęĊė TėĊĊ CĆėĊ ƭ PėĔęĊĈęĎĔē Minnesota's harsh winters can be stressful for trees, but with proper care you can help them thrive even in the coldest months. Follow these tips to protect your trees this winter! Mulch root zones. Mulch keeps roots insulated from extreme cold, and prevents damage during freeze thaw cycles. Avoid piling mulch on the trunks of trees (known as a mulch volcano). Remove water bags. Similar to mulch volcanoes, tree watering bags can provide shelter for rodents to hide out and eat tree bark during the cold months. Protect thin‐barked tree stems. Wrap trunks in tree wrap or use corrugated stem protectors to reϐlect sun- light, preventing potential sunscald and frost cracking. Protect young trees from animals. Use deer fence, chicken wire, hardware cloth and corrugated stem pro- tectors to prevent rodent and deer damage on young trees. Protect evergreens from wind, snow and ice. Wrap evergreens with burlap to prevent them from drying out from winter winds and to prevent breakage from excessive snow-loading. Protect from salt. Deicing salt can be harmful to trees. Avoid excessive salt use near tree root zones. Young ash tree “girdled” by rodents. Mulch or snow piles on tree trunks can provide winter refuge to hungry rodents. WčĊėĊ DĔĊĘ YĔĚė CĎęĞ TĆĝ DĔđđĆė GĔ? For every tax dollar collected from City residents, a portion goes to different departments to help keep the city running smoothly. Here is a list of what your money supports: Public Safety includes 24/7/365 Police and Fire protec- tion, which provide ϐire suppression, BLS medical calls, water/ice rescue, ϐire prevention, patrol, investigations, cri- sis response, emergency management and animal control. Building inspections are also included in this breakdown. Debt Service is utilized for major improvements to parks and city infrastructure. Street improvements on the 96-mile street network and major facility repairs. This also includes large capital purchases such as ϐiretrucks, plow trucks, and IT Infrastructure. General Government includes management of the annual budget, managing and recruiting staff, licensing, elections, maintenance of IT infrastructure, planning and zoning, auditing, legal, billing, and assessing services. Parks includes the maintenance of 35 parks, 26 miles of trails, 18 playground areas, 13 ballϐields, 12 tennis courts and 6 bathroom facilities. Clearing trails and maintaining park equipment such as play structures, benches, refuse receptacles, courts and bathrooms. In addition, this includes mowing 75 acres of parkland. Public Works includes maintenance to the city’s road and right of way network. This includes snow and ice removal, road maintenance/repairs, tree trimming, crack sealing, seal coating, painting crosswalks, and sidewalks. Library services provide open access to information and resources, early literacy development, education and life- long learning support, and community meeting and gathering spaces. The City funds half of the new items added to the collection, skilled staff to assist visitors of all ages, a robust online library, and upkeep and preservation of the historic Carnegie building. PĔđđĎēČ SĎęĊĘ ċĔė CĎęĞ Ĕċ SęĎđđĜĆęĊė RĊĘĎĉĊēęĘ The City of Stillwater has 4 precincts. Your voting location depends on where you live. Find where you vote online at the Secretary of State website sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting or call City Hall. (W=Ward, P=Precinct) W1 P1– St. Paul Lutheran Church 605 5th Street South W2 P2 – Trinity Lutheran Church 115 4th Street North W3 P3 – Stillwater Evangelical Free Church 7671 Manning Avenue North W4 P4 – Our Saviors Lutheran Church 1616 Olive Street West PėĊĘĎĉĊēęĎĆđ NĔĒĎēĆęĎĔē PėĎĒĆėĞ EđĊĈęĎĔē ĎĘ MĆėĈč 5, 2024 AćĘĊēęĊĊ BĆđđĔęĘ ƭ EĆėđĞ VĔęĎēČ To vote early, visit the Secretary of State website at sos.state.mn.us/elections‐voting to request an Ab- sentee Ballot, or to register to vote, or to check your voter registration status. Allow enough time to complete the absentee ballot process by mail or you can vote in person by absen- tee ballot at the Washington County Government Center. What happens after my absentee ballot is accepted? Accepted ballots are set aside in a secure area. Starting 19 days be- fore the election, the signature envelopes are opened and the ballot envelopes are removed and set aside so that no one knows whose ballot is whose. Once the ballot envelopes are separated, they are opened, reviewed by election judges, and inserted in the ballot counter. However, no totals are produced until polling places close at 8 p.m. on election night. On March 5, 2024, Minnesota will hold a presidential nomination primary election. Only the major parties (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Legal Marijuana Now Party and Republican Party) participate in this election and each party will have a separate ballot. No other offices will be on the ballot. Voters must request the ballot of their party choice and can only vote for candidates from that party. If a voter refuses to select a party, they will not be able to vote. A voter’s choice of party ballot will be recorded and is private data. However, a list will be provided to the chair of each major political party of voters who selected that party. How a voter voted on the ballot will be secret. Registered voters will be able to vote at their polling place on presidential primary day, March 5, 2024, or by absentee early voting starting January 19, 2024. TčĊ CĎęĞ WĊđĈĔĒĊĘ TčĊĘĊ NĊĜ HĎėĊĘ Angela Ross, Comm. Dev. Admin Assistant Benjamin Decker, IT Technician Brandon Comiskey , Patrol Ofϐicer Cassandra Ciupik, Patrol Ofϐicer Katriona Molasky, Assistant City Planner May Vang, Payroll Technician Ronald Dox, Patrol Ofϐicer IēęĊėĊĘęĊĉ Ďē JĔĎēĎēČ OĚė TĊĆĒ? To sign up for vacancy announcements or to view the City’s employment opportunities visit mn-stillwater.civicplushrms.com/careers/ TčĊ CĎęĞ WĆēęĘ YĔĚė IēĕĚę The City of Stillwater is committed to improving communication between the City and its residents. The City has a platform where people can provide their opinion on services the city provides. Resi- dents become active users by signing up through Polco. Each month Polco will email survey ques- tions on different topics affecting Stillwater. Sign up at polco.us/Stillwater to help us understand what’s important to you! WĎēęĊė PĆėĐĎēČ Ďē ĊċċĊĈę ċėĔĒ NĔěĊĒćĊė 1 ęĔ MĆėĈč 31 On the odd numbered days, cars parked in the street must be on the side of the street with odd numbered addresses. On the even numbered days, park on the side of the street with even num- bered addresses. Vehicles may park on both sides of the street between 7 pm and midnight each day but must be moved every 24 hours to a different location. Parking in Downtown Stillwater changed this past September. Parking east of Main Street became paid parking, portions of Main Street have 30- minute “Quick Zones” and parking west of Main Street remains free. Timed parking is still ob- served throughout so please observe signs.. Please note, there is no parking on city streets from 2 am to 6 am during the winter months. To learn more about the parking in Stillwater scan the QR code or visit stillwatermn.gov/parking FĎėĊ HĞĉėĆēę SēĔĜ RĊĒĔěĆđ Let’s keep them clear. If there’s a ϐire hydrant near your house, do your part to keep it accessible this winter. Please remove any snow and ice. Clear a wide enough perimeter around the hydrant for ϐireϐighters to work (about 3 feet) and clear a path from hydrant to the street . CĆėćĔē MĔēĔĝĎĉĊ PĔĎĘĔēĎēČ PėĊěĊēęĎĔē Carbon monoxide poisoning incidents peak when it is cold and snowy due to increased use of heat sources like ϐireplaces and wood stoves. Blowing snow can also block exhaust vents on the sides or tops of homes. There are some simple steps to prevent a carbon monoxide poisoning incident: Clear snow from your gas meters and any vents on the outside of your house (furnace, dryer, ϐireplace and oven vents). Install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors in your home and test the alarms to ensure they are working properly. A carbon monoxide alarm should be on each level of a home and with- in 10 feet of sleeping rooms. Don’t run your car in your garage. Carbon monox- ide can leak into your house faster than you think. Don’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home or garage or near a window. Don’t heat your house with a gas oven. PĔėęĆćđĊ SĕĆĈĊ HĊĆęĊėĘ Did you know that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home ϐire deaths? With a few sim- ple safety tips and precautions, you can prevent most heating ϐires from happening. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, ϐire- place, wood stove, or portable space heater. Never use the oven to heat your home. Always plug space heaters directly into a wall out- let. Never use an extension cord or power strip. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leav- ing the room or going to bed. Be warm and safe this winter. MĆĎēęĆĎē SĆċĊ Ćēĉ AĈĈĊĘĘĎćđĊ SĎĉĊĜĆđĐĘ The City of Stillwater requires that every resident clear snow and ice from any sidewalks abutting their property. This is particularly important in or- der to uphold equitable and safe access to the sidewalks, for people with disabilities and peo- ple pushing child strollers. To be in com- pliance with City Code, please make sure your side- walks are clear within 24 hours of the snow/ice de- positing. To report an uncleared sidewalk/safety issue, call 651-430-8820 GĆėćĆČĊ CĔđđĊĈęĎĔē DĆĞ Please place garbage carts 2 feet behind the curb line so crews can plow curb to curb . This applies to portable basketball hoops as well. This should be done all year to help with street maintenance, such as plowing, patching and street sweeping. BĔĚđĊěĆėĉ PđĔĜ DĆĒĆČĊ Snow plows may cause damage to grass in the boulevard area. Grass that has been damaged and reported will be repaired with topsoil and seed in the spring. The City shall not be responsible for damage as a result of the use of sand or de-icing chemicals or for damage to lawn sprinkler sys- tems, fences, ornamental or decorative plantings, wood chips, decorative rock gardens or any other items in the boulevard. Report damage to Public Works at 651-275-4111. CĎęĞ PđĔĜĎēČ SĈčĊĉĚđĊ Stillwater Public Works begins plowing when snow- fall reaches two inches, or when roadway condi- tions warrant a response. Equipment is dispatched dependent upon timing and in- tensity, weath- er, personnel and equipment availability. The City continues to strive to reduce chloride/salt over application due to environmental impacts of excess sand/salt. DėĎěĊĜĆĞ CđĊĆėĎēČ Make sure that yourself or your snow removal com- pany is aware of MN laws and Stillwater ordinances which strictly prohibits moving snow into the road- way. Snow removal must be within the conϐines of your own yard without moving it into the street. These rules exist to ensure roads stay clear of ice and snow piles, which could cause vehicle accidents, or pedestrian injury. TĎĕĘ ċĔė SĆđę UĘĊ Ďē ęčĊ WĎēęĊė To help melt snow and ice during the winter months, salt is applied to the roads and sidewalks. As the snow and ice melts, it travels into storm- water systems. Because of salt, the concentration of Chloride has increased in surface and ground water. Chloride does not degrade in soil and water, and it can create toxic conditions for ϐish and other ani- mals that live in our lakes and streams. Residents can help reduce Chloride by doing a few simple things: Shovel. The more snow and ice you remove manually, the less salt you will have to use and the more effective it will be. 15 degrees Fahrenheit is too cold for salt. Salts stop working at this temperature. Use sand instead for traction, but remem- ber that sand does not melt ice. Apply less. Use less than 4 pounds of salt per 1,000 square feet. One pound of salt is approx- imately a heaping 12-ounce cof- fee mug. Sweep up extra. If salt is visible on dry pavement it is no longer working and will be washed away. Use it somewhere else or throw it away. Hire a certiϐied smart salting contractor. Ask your contractor if they have completed the Metro- politan Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Smart Salting Training. WĆĘęĊ RĊĉĚĈęĎĔē NĊĜĘ WĆĞĘ ęĔ RĊĈĞĈđĊ MĔėĊ Quickly ϐind local disposal and recycling options for items you no longer want or need by searching the Washington County Disposal Directory at co.washington.mn.us/630/Disposal -Directory. It’s easy to use and mobile-friendly. You can also visit the Washington County Environmental Center year-round to drop-off household hazardous waste, electronics, and recyclables. Check their website for hours. As part of your Garbage and Recycling bill you can have the following items picked up curbside each year at no extra cost: 3 appliances, 4 electronics and 2 bulk items. If you go beyond these, its $15/item. Call Waste Management at 952-890-1100 to arrange a pickup. LĊę’Ę MĆĐĊ 2024 GėĊĊēĊė The amount of trash, recycling, and hazardous waste generated impacts the quality of our air, water, land, and ultimately our health. Here are a few tips to try in 2024: Reduce Single Use Plastic. Try packaging items for lunch and snacks using reusable, reϐillable bottles and containers. Challenge yourself to ϐind new uses for food and drink containers that can be safely cleaned and reϐilled. Reusing a water bottle can save hundreds of plastic bottles from being used per year. Purchase Clothing Mindfully. Fast fashion is one of the leading contributors to pollution and waste. In stead of buying cheaply made, low quality clothes from fast fashion stores, opt for sustainable brands that are focused on reducing their environmental impact. Also shop at thrift shops for unique pieces that won’t end up in a landϐill. Donate items that are still in clean useable condition to local thrift stores, or give them to a friend. Maybe sell them online or at a consignment shop. Not only does this help reduce garbage, but it helps the community by raising funds for job training and other programs. Keeping clothing and textiles out of the trash prevents the items from tangling up in the machinery at Solid Waste Facility. This helps keep trash hauling cost down. Recycle Organics. Drop-off sites are open in Woodbury and Hugo. More than one-third of our trash is organic material that can be recycled into compost. Recycling organics is an easy way to reduce your trash and makes a great fertilizer for your plants, shrubs and trees! Visit co.washington.mn.us/3629/Food-Scraps -Drop-off for more information. Food: Too Good to Waste. Buy what you need, eat what you buy. Reducing food waste saves you money and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. When we waste food, it’s not just the food that goes to waste, but also all the resources that went into producing that food (like water for growing crops and fuel for trans- porting them). Visit recyclingandenergy.org/food-waste-reduction/ to learn more. Recycle Often, Recycle Right. If you know an item can be recycled, place it in your cart. Not sure? Check the Stillwater website. Placing correct items in your recycle cart is crucial to the success of recycling. Research shows that 26% of consumers put things in the recycling carts that don’t belong there. One non- recyclable item in your container may seem like a minor detail, but it can contaminate an entire batch of recyclables and prevent them from ϐinding a second life. If you are still in doubt, throw it out. CĔĚēęĞ EēěĎėĔēĒĊēęĆđ SĚėĈčĆėČĊ FĊĊ Ĕē ĞĔĚė TėĆĘč BĎđđ IēĈėĊĆĘĊĘ Ramsey and Washington counties jointly own and operate the Recy- cling & Energy (R&E) Center in Newport. This center processes trash to recover resources instead of putting it into landϐills. The R&E Center charges every trash hauler a tipping fee (gate fee). The tipping fee co- vers operating expenses, including labor, transportation of material, insurance, as well as capital invest- ments being made at the center, which in turn supports the recovery of additional recyclables from the trash, as well as the food scraps pickup program. Processing waste at the R&E Center not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding landϐills, it adds jobs and value to the East Metro economy. Tipping fees typically account for about 1/3 of a household’s trash bill. An average household produces about one ton of trash per year, Beginning January 1 the tipping fee increases $18 per ton and that charge will be passed onto the consumer. The increase amount for each type of residential container is as follows: Senior 35 Gallon $0.43/month, 35 Gallon $0.51/month, 64 gallon $0.99/month and 96 gallon $1.55/month. WĆĘęĊ MĆēĆČĊĒĊēę AđĊėęĘ Updates at Your Fingertips My WM can keep you in- formed with alerts and texts so you are up to date on service updates and de- lays. Scan the QR code or visit wm.com/us/en/user/ register to sign up, opt in and get started. DĎĘĕĔĘĆđ Ĕċ HĔđĎĉĆĞ IęĊĒĘ Christmas Trees can be placed curbside for pickup the ϐirst two weeks in January. Trees must be free of tree stands, plastic bags and all deco- rations including ornaments, lights, tinsels, etc. Trees with artiϐicial snow are not accepted and if your tree is over 7 feet tall, you will need to cut it in half. Waste Management will collect the Christmas trees on your regular scheduled trash pickup day during January 1st - 12th, 2024. If you want to keep your tree longer or miss the pickup, you can drop it off at the Northern Yard Waste Site in Hugo for free. Holiday Lights are not recyclable, nor safe to throw in the trash. Drop them off at the Washington County Environmental Center. MĆęęėĊĘĘ CđĊĆē‐Ěĕ WĆĘ Ć SĚĈĈĊĘĘ! The City of Stillwater collaborated again with Ramsey/Washington County R&E to offer free mattress and box spring recycling collection. The collection was done by Second Chance Recycling this past October. This collection gave residents an opportunity to get rid of a mattress/box spring for free without counting it toward a bulk item with Waste Management. 125 households participated in this program and 233 mattresses and box springs were collected. Thank you Stillwater residents for helping to keep these items out of the trash collection system. The City will continue to work with Second Chance Recycling to make this mattress clean-up program an annual event. A PUBLICATION OF STILLWATER PUBLIC LIBRARY V OLUM E 35S HELFL IFE D ECEM BER 2023 224 3RD ST N * STILLWATER, M N 55082 * 651‐275‐4338 * LIBRARY.STILLWATERM N .GOV LIBRARY HOURS Monday ‐ Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM Friday & Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM Sunday (during school year) 1 PM to 5 PM Wondering what your neighbors have been reading? We've dug into the data and determined the top ten adult titles most checked out from Stillwater Public Library in 2023. These popular books range from gripping thrillers and mysteries to a historical drama and a comedic and poignant graphic memoir. Missed one? Place a hold at library.stillwatermn.gov, or ask a librarian if you would like help ﬁnding other trending titles. The winner of the "most circulated" prize for 2023 was not a book at all. Mobile Wi‐Fi hotspots topped the list. Many thanks to the generous donors of the Stillwater Public Library Foundation for providing wireless internet access to our community. STORYTIMES Preschool Storytime Wednesdays at 10:30 & 11:30 AM On the ﬁrst Wednesday of the month, get grooving during Music & Movement Storytime with Music Together in the Valley. On the other Wednesdays, join Baby Bear and Miss Kim. Baby & Toddler Storytimes 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 10:30 AM Join Puppy Pete and Miss Kim for an interactive storytime designed especially for our youngest learners. Activities include books, songs, puppets, ﬁngerplays and body move‐ ment. Second Saturday Storytime 2nd Saturday, 10:30 AM Join Baby Bear and Miss Kim at 10:30 AM on the second Satur‐ day of each month for stories, songs, poems and more to encourage the development of early literacy skills. ADULT WINTER READS Follow the call of the loon to the library and settle into winter with a good book! Participate in our adult winter reading program in January and February. From good reads to informa‐ tive classes, we have a plan to keep you active and engaged as the weather gets colder. Tap into your inner artist with a painting class, learn new skills with a 1:1 tech session, explore musical genres with guest presenters, or try an intro‐ duction to guided Tai Chi. Back by popular demand is the Winter Reads Reading Challenge. Enjoy a novel set in the Northwoods or warm up with a book in a tropical location. Submit entries at the library or online at stillwaterbayportlibrary.beanstack.org. Entries will be drawn for prizes at the end of February! Preschool Drop‐in Playtime Friday, Jan. 12, 10 AM Join us and meet new friends during drop‐in playtime. Enjoy the dedicated time and space to play alongside your young child in an inclusive and welcoming environment. A Sampling of Activities for Kids Petite Concert (ages birth‐5)* Monday, Jan. 8, 10:30 AM Petite Concerts presents interactive classical music for ages 0‐5. Lego Club (ages 6‐12) Thursday, Jan. 18, Feb. 15, Mar. 21, 4 PM Come create with the library's LEGO collec‐ tion. Participate in challenges or themes or just free build ‐ your choice. Animals in Winter (ages 6‐12)* Monday, Jan. 22, 10:30 AM Brrr! It’s cold outside. On this no school day, Park Naturalist Elizabeth discusses how ani‐ mals survive through tough MN winters. Silly Millies Snowﬂakes (ages 6‐12)* Saturday, Jan. 27, 10: 30 AM Create colorful beads of clay and string onto a snowﬂake‐shaped wire form. Then bake your creation in your own oven. Animals of the St. Croix River Valley (all ages) Friday, Feb. 16 at 10:30 AM On this no school day, learn about some of the amazing animals that call the St. Croix River Valley their home and meet them up close. Family Book Bingo (ages 6‐12)* Saturday, Mar. 16, 2 PM Play bingo and win a free book! We'll play different variations of bingo and send every‐ one home with a book to enjoy. Folk, Roots, & Blues Feb. 21, 6:30 PM Join Julie Johnson and the No‐Accounts for the Midwest’s equivalent to the South’s rich tradition. Hear logging and voyageur songs, and unusual arrange‐ ments of folk, country, and blues tunes. This program is funded by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Jigsaw Puzzle Competition* Feb. 24, 10:30 AM Are you ready for a challenge? Come be a part of the Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament! Teams of 2 to 4 people compete to ﬁn‐ ish a 500 piece puzzle. Prizes are awarded to the ﬁrst two teams to ﬁnish the puzzle! Needle‐Felted Toadstool (Online)* Feb. 27, 6 PM Add color and whimsy to your home! Learn how to use a felting needle to form loose wool roving into an adorable mush‐ room. Materials will be available for pickup two weeks prior to class. Mid‐Century Modern Style Mar. 5, 6:30 PM Professor Steve Schroer will discuss Mid‐ Century Modern style in architecture and interior design, and will identify the show that best exempliﬁed the aesthetic. WINTER PROGRAMS Programs are free. Classes with an * require registration. Register to attend and ﬁnd more events at library.stillwatermn.gov/calendar. For Adults Tech Help* Sign up for a half‐hour session to work individually with a staff member to receive tech help for a speciﬁc need or question. Various session dates and times are available. Tai Chi Introduction & Practice* Jan. 18, Feb. 15, Mar. 21, 10:15 AM Join us monthly for Tai Chi. Learn to enjoy ﬂowing motion in a relaxed, fun, and safe space through an introduction and guid‐ ed practice. No prior experience is need‐ ed, but experienced Tai Chi practitioners are also welcome! Art Class with Karen Chan (Online)* Jan. 25, Feb. 22, Mar. 14, 5:30 PM Learn to paint and build your skills in online guided classes with artist Karen Chan. Materials will be available for pickup two weeks prior to class. Unwrapping Film Music* Jan. 29, 6:30 PM Join us as we explore how ﬁlm music changes the narrative in movies and the techniques that ﬁlm composers use to amplify or contradict the visual story. This program is funded with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. IN THE DISCOVERY ROOM The Discovery Room is ready for imaginative play centered around the wintry theme of “So Cold”‐ snowﬂakes, snow friends, icy winds, and, of course, ice cream! Children can play ice cream parlor as they scoop, serve, and sell sweet creations at the ice cream store. They can investigate wind currents with chiffon scarves and snowﬂakes with the ﬂight lab wind tunnel, identify animal tracks in the snow, and detect cold things in the begin‐ ner and super challenger I spy games. Enjoy this theme through February. Open during library hours, the Discovery Room is a place for kids and caregivers to play and imagine together. The Discovery Room themes are created by staff and funded by donors to the Stillwater Public Library Foundation. S HELFL IFE DECEM BER 2023, VOLUM E 35 SHELFL IFE IS FUNDED BY A GIFT FR OM THE STILLWATER PUBLIC L IBR A R Y F OUNDATION. The Greater Stillwater Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Stillwater, is hosting the 3rd World Snow Sculpting Championship com- petition in downtown Lowell Park, January 17th ‐ 21st. Teams from around the world will travel to Stillwater to create amazing snow sculptures while competing for the title of the World Champion. This event will include social activities, ceremonies, peo- ple's choice award, and is free fun for the whole family. For more information visit the event web- site: greaterstillwaterchamber.com/WSSC GĎěĊ BđĔĔĉ Ćēĉ HĊđĕ SĆěĊ LĎěĊĘ! Mark your calendar for the annual Stillwater Fire Department Blood Drive on Tuesday, January 9th. Appointments are available from 8 am – 1 pm. The blood drive will be held at the Stillwater Fire Department at 250 Maryknoll Drive in the Memori- al Blood Center bloodmobile. Sign up to give blood here: mbcherohub.club/ donor/schedules/drive_schedule/72685 On February 24th, come see the Annual Brian’s Bocce Ball Tournament held in the parking lot be- hind Brian’s Bar & Grill in downtown Stillwater at 219 Main Street S. Contact the bar & grill for more information or to sign up your team. On January 27th the Washington County Histori- cal Society is hosting their annual winter ice cream social from noon to 4 pm near the pavilion in Low- ell Park in downtown Stillwater. Enjoy free ice cream and coffee provided by local businesses. Chili will also be availa- ble for sale with proceeds beneϐit- ing WCHS. Visit wchsmn.org/events/ for more information. UĕĈĔĒĎēČ EěĊēęĘ