HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974 Stillwater City NewsletterMany of those of
you who were assessed for the Sewer Separation. Project questioned
the bill. Some apparently thought that since no, work was done on their street that
they would not be assessed; others thought that the assessment should have been a
front foot basis; and there were some who, thought that they would not be assessed
at all because the sewer rates had been increased. We're sorry for the confusion
and we'll try to explain the assessment policy again.
When you are constructing a storm sewer system (which in essence was what the
separation project entailed) you try to utilize surface drainage as much as possible
to keep the costs down. So work was not done on every street within the drainage
district. But it would have been unfair to assess only the people who had work
done in front of them for much of the water that went into these pipes came from
yards and streets where no work was done. The,philosopby,of,the assessment roll
was that since -everyonein the drainage district contributes to the storm water
flow, all should participate in the cost of the construction of the new system.
Following essentially the same reasoning, the project was assessed on an area rather
than a front foot basis. Generally, the more property you own, the more runoff is
generated. Of course, there are exceptions, but as a general rule, this statement
is considered to be valid by engineers. So the assessment of storm sewers inmost
communities has been on an area basis.
As you may recall, the City was fortunate enough to receive a Federal Grant of
$657,300 to finance a good share of the project. The City Council decided that as
the project was a benefit to both the area as a whole and to the entire sanitary
sewer system, that sewer customers should pay a portion of the costs. The benefit
to the sanitary system was that we would no longer be overloading the pipes and the
treatment plant and we would be reducing our bills from the Sewer Board for treating
rain water and spring run -off. Accordingly, the Council decided to use Sewer
Revenue to pay for a portion'($600,0oo) of the costs of the project. The remaining
$335,000 was assessed to all property owners within the drainage district.
DTMP BOXES
For several years now, the City has provided dump boxes behind the CityTe71 to
provide for brush and other items too large to go into garbage cans. Even at a
cost of $15,000 per year, most people believe tbat this is a goo, City service.
The City Council agrees and intends to keep the boxes there:'
But one thing is disconcerting. You would be sick to see some of the things people
throw away that are still functional (and often even nearly brand new). It would
be possible to furnish a home adequately with what can be found there. Just be-
cause the furniture or applicance stores won't take trade -ins doesn't mean that
some use can't be found for used chairs, stoves, toys, etc. The Goodwill maintains
a box at Hooley's downtown. Why not drop off some of your smaller items there if
they are usuable.
And if you can get a sofa from your home to the City Hall, surely you could get it
to the Goodwill, Salvation Army or some other charity in St. Paul. Many people,
young and old alike, depend on used furniture and applicances. If what You are
throwing away works, why not help them out? Spme :organizations (The Worn -A -Bit
Shop in St. Paul, for example) will even come to your home to pickup umble items,
ANNEXATION
Over the past several ye
other about the City and t
most people don't really
taken the time to inform t
There are two basic types
There are many varieties o
degrees of power and respo
in common - if they chose
tomorrow. Specific Cities
wishes of the State Legis
changing City Charter pro
people, or drastically alt
The Legislature, through i
sion (MMC), has decided t
and rural problems and tha
residents and their -probl
of responsibility until a
suburban growth and its pr
either have the Township i
did, merge with the adjace
Elmo and East Oakdale To
the Township experiencing
case between Stillwater an
Annexation simply means th
a Township into a City. A
responsibility of acting o
and detachments.
Over the past 15 years or
City (about that much was
1920's). All of the rece
the owners of the property
The City's position on ann
petition from a property o
and a better utilization o
advantage if one community
duplication of facilities
prevented.
Some in the Township feel,
want to become a City. So
don't want to become too b
Whether the City or the To
will be growth and develo
when urban growth comes, i
going to come in certain
areas.
i
s there have been quite a few articles in one paper or the`.
e Township and annexation. As with most City activities
derstand- what is going on, generally because we haven't
em. Here is an over - simplified explanation.
f local government in Minnesota - Cities and Townships.
each of these'and those different types have different
sibility. But all local government here has one thing
o do so, the State Legislature could abolish all of them
and Townships have no constitutional immunity from the
ture. We have to do what they say. And that includes
sious, even if they have been adopted by a vote of the
ring Municipal boundaries.
s administrative agency, the Minnesota Municipal Commis.
t Townships are best equipped to deal with rural residents
Cities are best equipped to deal with urban and suburban
There are generally no problems with this division
ship adjacent to a City begins'to experience urban/
blems. The current policy of the MMC at that point is.to
corporate (become a City) as Cottage Grove and Woodbury
t City if there is one as Afton and Afton Township, Lake
hip and Hugo and Oneka Township did, or have a portion of
ban problems be annexed to an adjacent City as is the
Stillwater Township.
placing of property now under the legal jurisdiction of
detachment would be the opposite. The MMC has the sole
requests for incorporations, consolidations, annexations
0, 500 -600 acres of the Township have been annexed to the
etached from the City and placed in the Township in the
t requests for annexation have come at the request of
because they wanted City services.
xation has been that we will accept any reasonable
er. The advantages to the City are increased tax base
City physical plant and services. Further, - it_ is_an
controls an area being developed and that an unnecessary
police' and street departments, City Halls, etc.) be
hat they should be able to control their own destiny and
e in the City feel that we shouldn't annex because we
g•
ship ultimately controls the area politically., there
ent. The City's position has been and is that if and
should be under the control of the City. If it is not
eas, then there is no reason to annex property in those
People complain about high
the reasons for this is th
dustrial buildings built i
T. H. 212 and South Greele
in Oak Park Heights or Sti
taxes in Stillwater as opposed to our neighbors. One of
t there has been only about ten new commercial or in-
the City since 1945. All the development along
Street (who depend on Stillwater customers) is located
water Township.
-2-
Annexation of portions of the Township won't solve all of our problems, but it
do sure would help.
SENIOR CITIZEN ASSESSMENT DEFERRALS
The City Council recently passed an Ordinance authoriZing the >deferral of S
Assessments for Senior Citizens who can demonstrate that ;. the aseeaa places
financial hardship on them. Forme are available at the my, Hall.
SENIOR CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX FREEZE
The State Legislature passed a law freezing the property taxes of Senior Ci
at the 1973 level. If your 1974 taxes were higher than those in 1973i _you:.
out a special form when you file your State Income Tax Return next year and the
State will rebate to you the difference. ' The forma will be available at lotiltibha
where you commonly find all other State Tax Forms: '`
SAME DAY 'OTC REGISTRATION
Even if you are not now registered to vote, you can do ac
Day. The" State Legislature authorized this new foliey.
Driver's License for identification or have a witness attest
live in your precinct.
SNOW= PLC's PRIORITIES
on Eldon
de ''yogi
ct that you
There is one truism in local government - everyone wants their street plowed first.
Even our- most severe critics would have to agree that this would be an impOssibill
There is a system, believe it or not.
ALL SNOW ELY' ROUTES are plowed first.
and are as follows:
Third
Churchill
Myrtle
Fourth
Pine
Greeley
Anderson
Third
Myrtle' to Churchill
- Third to Greeley
• Main to Greeley
• Myrtle to Wilkins
▪ Third to Greeley
- Myrtle to Anderson
- Graeiey to Everett
▪ Myrtle to Laurel
Laurel Third to Owens
Croixwood Boulevard
Snow Emergency Routes are plowed with the grader and
standard is maintained.
After a 1" snowfall a Snow Emergency is generally declared (over WAVA,
if possible) and all parked cars must be removed from these streets
until the plows have finished.
The Second Priority streets are the Bus Routes of Valley Transit and
the Metro Transit Co m isston. The bare pavement standard is for ,the
driving lanes only.
The last priority is residential streets. A bare pavement policy is
maintained on them. Generally we do not begin to plow residential
until after the snow has stopped. However, if you have a 1211 emergency:
call the Police Department and a plow will be dispatched to your street.
-3- (over)
All plows will b
after a storm.
kept moving until all snow is removed from 1
A comment on dri
Is to have the
to the sides of
of extra time an
your best bet wo
street until aft
eways. The only way to avoid plowing in your driveway..
ver stop at-each driveway, back up and plow. the windrow
our, drive. As you, can see, this would take a great deal
would greatly slow down the plowing effort. - Maybe
d be not shovel the portion of your drive near the
r the plows have gone by.
ENGINEERING
Every once in a,, while we h
consulting engineer and t
We have not had an engine
deserves attention.
the complaint that we are:, spending too much for our
t the City should get a staff engineer to save, money.
r on our staff since 1969. But the issue is complex and
The City's contracttwith
of the cost of .improvement
all of the. money we have
To date in 1974, the City
that is not for one man.
draftsmen, survey crews
Of the $122,000, $42,000 i
$58,000 is for this year's
are of such a size that ev
done by a consultant. Tha
for out of either the prop
have to be at least compos
$16,000) and two draftsme
Setting up a new engineers
benefits per year in addit.
large projects to a consul
It could, then, be possibl
it be worth the extra expe
from our current consultan
consultant specifies. that they; are . paid - a percentage
projects and an hourly rate for.> extra , wore.; Virtually
id them has been for improvement'projecta.
as paid about $122,000 for engineering services. But
or this we get the services of at least 'Wow-engineers,
inspectors,
for Croixwood. projects and 18 paid by Orrin'thompecny ::
and last year's improvement pro3eects. These projects, .
if we had a staff engineer, they would have had to be
leaves about $22,000 in engineering which will be paid
y tax or sewer revenue. An engineering .staff oui d
d of three additional people -- one engineer (C at least
surveyor's helpers %inspectors (@ bout $11,000 Each).
staff would cost about $40,000 to $45,90Q ,(and fringe
onal salaries. And we would still.. have to farm out the
,t.
to hire a new engineer. But the questions -is, would
se? A:s long as we : c ontinue - get- excell eWeervi ce
it probably would.not.
DOG AND BIKE LICENSES
That time of year is here again. Dog and Bike Licenses are due for
renewal starting May 1. About a third of you have complied so far.
Licensing is the only way we have to trace lost or stolen bikes and
dogs. Bike licenses are 50# and permanent. Dog licenses, renewed
annually, are $3.00 for males and spayed females and $25.00 for unspayed
females.
A local male dog owner (who must be a Woman's Libber) feels that we
should treat male dogs the same as female dogs - - that is, only
neutered males would be licensed at the $3.00 rate. Untreated males
cbrniZ d, he feels, be liccnscd at a higher rate. H e feels that ti
ry
cause as much trouble as unspayed females. What do you think? Let us
know.
1973 PROJECT ASSESSMENT HEARINGS.
The final dates have not yet been set, but the following tentative
schedule has been set for the assessment hearings for projects done
last year:
Street Matting
Sidewalk Construction
Sewer Separation
Utilities (water /sewer)
State Aid Streets
Street Reconstruct
July
July
August
August
September
September
You will be notified by mail of the exact date of any hearing which
affects your property and the amount of any proposed assessments.
If you are buying your property on a Contract for Deed and expect a
special assessment, let us know your name and address. We may not have
it in our files.
PUNCH LIST
We still owe the contractor nearly $100,000 for work not yet done.
We will get to all the problem areas before he leaves town. We will
check with you the first part of August to make sure all repairs are
made and omissions corrected.
1974 SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION
We intend to repair more sidewalks this summer. If you would like to get
in on the project, call us. Assessments run about $4.00 per front foot.
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO COUNCIL AG
NDAS
From time to time we receiv
agendas to them. We do do
subscriptions to the agenda
would be a good way for you
It also would increase atte
1974 ELECTION JUDGES
Anyone who is interested in
Primary and General Electio
contact us at the City Hall
each precinct. The 1972 ra
minimum of 40 hours work al
GARBAGE RATES
We are now in the process o
Stillwater Sanitation. Alt
increase in the current rat
DUMPING IN RAVINES
We have received complaints
people are dumping junk in
your property, a junk pile
junk and debris (City resid
collection can be brought t
of it at no cost to you. I
us know and we will try to
requests from people to have us mail the Council
his for some We are considering offering
(24 per year) at cost ($3.00 per year) . It
to keep abreast of what is going on in the City.
dance at meetings. We hope.
being an election judge this fall (for both the
s), especially in Croixwood, is requested to
We need people from both Political Parties in
e was $2.50 per hour and one could expect a
together.
negotiating a new two -year contract with
ough final figures have not yet been set, an
s is expected, effective July 1, 1974.
from the Pollution Control Agency that a lot of
he ravines around the City. Even if it is on
s still considered an illegal dump. All such
nts only) which isn't picked up by the garbage
the rear of the City Hall where we will dispose
you really have no way of getting it to us, let
rrange for Scouts or someone to help you out.
Effective with this billing the rates you are being charged for
sewer service have been increased. This is the first time that they
have been adjusted since 1959. The rate increase was necessitated
by increases in the cost of maintaining the system, increases in bond
payments due to the construction of secondary treatment facilities
and the storm sewer separation and by the imposition of the treatment
cost charges of the Metro Sewer Board.
The new rate is $6.00 for the first 10,000 gallons generated and 50e
per 1,000 gallons in excess of the minimum. The bill will continue to be
based on the winter quarter's water consumption. (The old rate was
$5.00 for the first 10,000, 40e per 1,000 for the next 30,000 gallons
and 25e per 1,000 after that)
Only those customers who use more than, 40,000 gallons of water in a
quarter are likely to see significant increases in their bills.
Generally, these are commercial customers and apartment owners.;; An
average bill (12,000 gallons) has been increased from $5,80 to $7 .00
per quarter.
WHERE DID IT GO?
The following is a list of the contractors, vendors and items to whom
or for which the City spent more than $5,000 in 1973. It was an
abnormal year with respect to construction items because of the Sewer
Separation project. Construction costs alone totaled well over
$2,000,000.
Orfei & Sons
Johnson Bros. Construction
Dependable Surfacing
Dawson Construction
Blacktop Construction
Tower Asphalt
Pederson Bros.
Banister Engineering
Springsted, Inc.
Bond Retirement
payroll
Stillwater Sanitation
F. W. D. Corporation
NSP
Metro Sewer Board
Pens ions
McGarry- Kearney Ins.
Junker Sanitation
SEPARATION PROJECT
CONSTRUCTION RELATED
$1,455,456
$ 225,128
$ 180,518
$ 99,567
$ 35,425
$ 19,051
$ 14,974
$ 270,721
$ 14,777'
OTHER
$687,336
564,938
104,121
71,418
60,363
49,290
47,882
32,468
17,623
Separation
Croixwood
Separation
Croixwood
Sealcoating
1971 Street Project
Sidewalks
Engineering
Fiscal Consultant
Washington County $13,111
DeLaHunt Co. 10,241
Croix Oil 9,705
Blue Cross 9,428
Brookman Motors 8,625
Burroughs Corporation 8,381
Northwestern Bell 7,998
Burlington Northern 6,270
Hoffman Refrigeration 5,182
Because of the fine weather last fall,' virtually all of the Separation
Project was completed. All that remains is a small stretch of South
Fifth Street and an inch thick "punch list ". This list is a compilation
of all of the small cleanup items which remain to be done. If an item
was forgotten in your g
sure that it gets done. T
difficult construction pro
SKATING RINK SURFACING
This summer we intend to s
Grove Parks and the small
to begin work on the devel
as a park.
SEALCOATING
The sealcoating district t
Willard and Laurel Streets
hborhood, give us a call and'ell make
hank you all for your cooperation during a
ject.
urface the Rinks at Meadowlark and Ramsey -
rink at Staples Field. In addition, we intend
opment of the old Schulenberg School Site
his year will be the area roughly bounded by
, east of Holcombe and North Fifth.
1974 TAXES
The tax statements won't be out for a month or so, but here is a pre-
liminary look at what should happen. The total mill rate increased
slightly over 5 %. The Sales Tax replacement, however, was increased by
the Legislature from a maximum of $250 to a maximum of $325. Many
homeowners, thus, should receive some sort of a decrease in their
total taxes.
The following table is a 1
assessor's determination o
Assessor's
Value
$12,000
$16,000
$20,000
$24,000
$28,000
$32,000
$36,000
$40,000
$48,000
Total
Tax
$ 232.38
$ 356.41
$ 480.25
$ 604.19
$ 770.19
$ 960.87
$1,,151.54
$1,342.21
$1,532.89
* Other is 916 Vo- Tech,
Mosquito Control
Of course, any special ass
the above figures and due
There is a list of where t
receives is spent:
Assessor's Total City
Value Tax Share Gene
$12,000 $ 232.38 $ 58.10 $ 16
20,000 356.31 120.06 33
28,000
36,000
44,000
770.19 192.55 53
1,151.54 287.89 79
1,532.89 383.22 106
52,000 1,914.23 478.56 132
* General: Administration,
ist of approximate tax bills based on the
f market value:
School City County
Share Share Share
$121.30 $ 58.10 $ 42.76
$185.99 $ 89.08 $ 65.66
$250.69 $120.06 $ 88.37
$315.39 $151.05 $111.17
$402.04 $192.55 $141.71
$501.57 $240.22 $176.80
$601.10 $287.89 $211.88
$700.63 $335.55 $246.97
$800.17 $383.22 $282.05
Metro Transit, Metro Council and
Other *
$10.22
$15.68
$21.13
$26.58
$33.89
$42.28
$50.67
$59.06
$67.45
essments (local tax) would be in addition to
and payable to the City.
he portion of your taxes which the City
Public
ral* police Fire Works Parks
.09 $ 9.06 $ 4.65 $ 13.54 $ 2.85
.26 18.73 9.60 27.97 5.88
.34 30.04 15.40 44.86 9.43
.75 44.91 23.03 67.08 14.11
.15 59.78 30.66 89.29 18.78
.56 74.66 38.28 111.50 23.45
Insurance, Pensions, etc.
Library Debt
$ 4.13 $ 7.79
8.52 16.09
13.67 25.80
20.44 38.58
27.21 51.35
33.98 64.13
SUHHER 19,74-
UTILITY HILL PE14ALTY
All unpaid: arrears for this billing which are not paid to the
City by October 10th will be certified on your 1575 taares with
a penalty charge. The Penalty Charge is 10% of the unpaid .
balance or $5.00, whichever is greate-r.
DUTCH ELIII DISEASE
As many of you are aware, Dutch Elm Disease is rampant. Because
of the rural areas around us and the ravines and bluffs in the
City, rve may not be aide to stop it. ?e are, however. trying to
save some of the hick yarn• and Park Elms. There is a chemical
called VAS which seems to work at innoculating Elms against
the disease.
If you contact the City Hall (,?.39-6121), we will get you some
at no cost to you and we will provide the instructions on how
to use it.
They may be a pain in the Fall when the leaves come down, but
Elms in large part are :responsible for the beauty of the City.
t'?e would hate -Co lose them all.
POLICE JOURNAL
Many people - uondes what a Police Department does. Those who come
in contact with them generally have an unfavorable impression
i_ an arrest or a ticket is involved. Most of us are not aware
of the good they do with the fec%r men they have. Unlike Kojak,
there aren't a squad of detectives - only one. The Chief, Nally,
1%,brahamson, and Dave Knefelkarnp do the detective io7ork. The
men in the field assist.
To give you a feel of the vork in the Stillwater Police Depart-
ment, here are a =ear eXcerpts 'rom their logs
7/1/74 Transported man with a cut leg to hospital
Disposed of dead squirrel
Lost bike complaint (found in Oak Park Heights)
Vehicle Accident
(continued on the 'pack)
7/21/74• Tree down - Sherburne and Oak
weighbors "euding
Lost child (found)
Bike Accident
7/3/7'• Delivered blood to St. Croix, County Sheriff
7/4/74 vlarihuana Arrest
Firecracker complaints
Domestic argument
15 year old runaway (found)
7/5/74 House break-in
Disturbing Disturbing the peace arrest
Barking dog complaint
7/5/74 'Burglary
Burglary (Juvenile)
Assist Fire Department
7/7/74 Bar disturbance
Assist Sheriff at Mahtomedi Disturbance
Took girl from beach to hospital - complained
Of stomach pains
Careless driving arrest
Checked on elderly mar_ who hadn't been seen
or a Yew days (he was okay)
Stolen car (round in Minneapolis)
7/8/74 Cat complaint
Attempted break -in
Domestic argument
Vandalism
Iffeighborhood dispute
7/S/74 Found open door in building check (called owner)
Watermain theft
Vehicle Accident
Traffic Jam
Lot child (found)
Dead fish in street
7/10/74 Bad check complaint
Shop lifting complaint
Aggravated Assault Arrest
ELECTION DATES -
Primary Election - September 10, 1574:
General Election - oovember 5, 1574
(over)