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2025 October - Fall NewsletterDecember · December 1, Lions Blood Drive, Community Center, 12-6 p.m. · December 3, Public Hearing, 2026 City Budget and Tax Levy, 6:30 p.m. · December 6, Lions Breakfast with Santa, 8-11:30 a.m. · December 7, Luciadagen, Gammelgarden · December 24 & 25, Christmas Holiday—Office Closed January · January 1, New Year’s Day -- Office Closed · January 19, Martin Luther King Day— Office Closed · January 23 - 24, Vinterfest · January 24, Lions Pancake Breakfast, 8-11:30 a.m. February · February 16, Presidents’ Day— Office Closed · February 28, Fireball, 7 p.m.—midnight March · March 8, Daylight Savings Time Begins See Community Calendar for Foot Care Nurse Services available in the Community Center October · October 3, Cinnamon Bun Day, 6-8 a.m. · October 7, Fire Department Open House, 5-7 p.m. · October 11, Lions Pancake Breakfast, 8-11:00 a.m. · October 16, Scandia Evening Adventures, 5-8 p.m. · October 16-19, Second Hand Swedish Sale, Gammelgarden · October 31, Safe Halloween at the Fire Hall, 5-7 p.m. November · November 2, Daylight Savings Time Ends · November 11, Veterans Day —Office Closed · November 20, Scandia Evening Adventures, 5-8 p.m. · November 21, Turkey Bingo, 7 p.m. · November 27 and 28, Thanksgiving Holiday—Office Closed · November 30 , VinterLights! Artisan Market, 12-5 p.m., VinterLights! Tree Lighting, 5 p.m., Community Center For more information and a City meeting calendar, see the website www.cityofscandia.com For Gammelgården events, see: www.gammelgardenmuseum.org For Scandia Marine Lions events, see: www.scandiamarinelions.org Community Calendar, October 2025 - March 2026 CITY OF SCANDIA Dedicated to Rural Community Values Household Scandia, MN 55073 City of Scandia Scandia Community/ Senior Center 14727 209th Street North Scandia, MN 55073 Phone: 651.433.2274 Fax: 651.433.5112 E-mail: mail@ci.scandia.mn.us Hours: Mon. thru Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. City Council: Steve Kronmiller Mayor 651.538.0094 Jerry Cusick 651.433.5865 Mike Lubke 715.429.0786 Jim Gribble 651.303.8306 Kirsten Libby 651.470.5644 Regular Council Meeting: Third Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. Council Work Session: First Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Planning Commission: First Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. City Staff: Kyle Morell, City Administrator Brenda Eklund, City Clerk Veronica Korby, Treasurer Bee Stignani, Office Assistant Charles Fischer, Director of Public Works Mike Hinz, Fire Chief Amanda Johnson, Attorney Eckberg Lammers Ryan Goodman, Engineer Bolton & Menk TJ Hofer, Planner, Bolton & Menk Like us on Facebook for the most Up-to-Date Information PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Scandia, MN 55073 EDDM Message from the Mayor OCTOBER 2025 VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2 CITY OF SCANDIA Inside this issue: A twice-yearly publication for residents of the City of Scandia, Minnesota Fall is coming to Scandia. With it comes one of the most beautiful times of the year in our corner of Minnesota. The colors in the trees, the crisp mornings, and the smell of woodsmoke remind us why we love calling this place home. This season always feels like a time to pause, reflect, and come together as a community. Whether stopping by the local pumpkin patch or simply waving to a neighbor on your evening walk, these small moments remind us of the strong connections we share here in Scandia. Community Happenings: Even with the rain, Taco Days was an enormous success again this year. It was great to see so many people come out to celebrate the event’s 50th anniversary. Our Parks and Trails are stunning this time of year. I encourage you to take a fall hike and enjoy the scenery—we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the state! Keep Public Safety in mind. Please take extra care on the roads. Watch for children at bus stops, and please remember to keep your garbage and recycle bins off the street. These bins make our already narrow streets even more difficult for drivers and are impossible for the snowplows to avoid. Osceola Medical Center’s Scandia Clinic has begun construction. The Scandia Water Tower Barn and Gateway Trail projects are expected to begin construction in spring. Dates to Remember: This October, Scandia will recognize its 175th Birthday. Cinnamon Bun Day will be celebrated on October 3rd. From 6-8 am (or while supplies last), free cinnamon buns will be handed out on the corners at the intersection at Olinda Trail and Oakhill Road, to mark the 45th anniversary of Sweden’s Cinnamon Bun Day. Gammelgården is also planning to distribute cinnamon buns at the museum when they open at 10am. There are a limited number of buns, so get there early. VinterLights! will be celebrated on Sunday, November 30th. Please join us to celebrate the start of the holiday season with a tree lighting ceremony, an artisan market, and festivities at the Gammelgården Museum and Scandia Community Center. Vinterfest, Scandia’s celebration of Winter, will be January 23-24, 2026. Events vary from year to year so keep an eye out for announcements in early January. Most of All: I want to thank each of you! Scandia isn’t just a beautiful place – it is a community made strong by neighbors who look out for one another. Whether you are volunteering, supporting local events, or simply being a good neighbor, you make Scandia the special place we are all proud to call home. With Gratitude, Steve Kronmiller Mayor of Scandia Vinterfest: January 23 & 24, 2026. Check the City’s website and the Country Messenger for event updates in early January. www.cityofscandia.com/Vinterfest Levy & Tax Information 2 Scandia Website Information 2 Scandia Evening Adventures 2 Scandia Internet Expansion Update 2 Water Tower Information Mtg 2 VinterLights! 2 Safe Halloween Event 3 Parks & Recreation News 3 Recycling News 3 Public Works 3 Community Calendar 4 Gateway Trail Update Do you want to be more involved in the projects, plans, or events that the City of Scandia considers? Scandia City Council is supported by five advisory committees and the Planning Commission. Some committees meet monthly, others less frequently, and while Council members are responsible for all decisions, they rely heavily on the work of these advisory groups. Applications for expiring terms are accepted in December each year. Council interviews applicants and makes appointments in January, with the terms beginning in February. cityofscandia.com/Apply 1. Capital Investment 2. Internet Action 3. Parks & Recreation 4. Planning Commission 5. Tourism 6. Wastewater In 2023, the City of Scandia was awarded a $2.7 million grant for the engineering and construction of a segment of the Gateway State Trail from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) as recommended by the Legislative- Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The project will connect the Scandia Village Center (behind Meister’s Bar and Grill) to William O'Brien State Park. Design and Engineering are almost complete, and construction is scheduled for 2026. This project coincides with planned improvements to enhance state park accessibility. In the long term, this trail segment will be part of the connection between the Capital and Duluth. This project phase will include a pedestrian tunnel under Oakhill Road N (CR-52) and 2,000 feet of recreational trail. The project will ultimately connect to trails within the state park. The City is providing staff support and land for a trailhead parking lot. Consider Applying! Page 2 CITY OF SCANDIA —————–——-———–———–————– ———-- Shop, Eat, & Be Merry! You are invited on October 16 and November 20 to explore the various specials offered at select Scandia businesses between 5-8 p.m. Check out www.cityofscandia/Adventures for specific detail updates as local businesses vary each month. We’re working with Abrahamson Nursery, Apothecary’s Daughter, Countryside Art Studio, Dickens Pickins, Gammelgarden, Garden Gate at Crabtrees, Prairie Restoration, and Rustic Roots Winery. If your business is interested in participating, contact Sue Dickens at sjdickens2000@yahoo.com. We would love to add you to the fun! VinterLights! Artisan Market & Tree Lighting The Best of Scandia Artisan Market is Sunday, November 30th from noon—5 p.m. as part of Scandia’s VinterLights! festivities. Deep Roots Concession food truck will return with more than 30 vendors inside the Community Center for a unique shopping opportunity for hand crafted, locally produced products. Shop noon to 5 p.m. indoors, then migrate outdoors to continue to kick off the holiday spirit with a Tree Lighting event. Scandia families, friends and neighbors are invited to celebrate VinterLights! with cookies, hot cocoa and carols around fire pits! Construction documents are complete - and planning is well underway to break ground on WATER TOWER BARN SCANDIA arts and heritage center! Join Scandia Heritage Alliance and their architect on Tuesday, October 14th for a presentation on construction plans at 7 p.m. in the Community Center - an update on postponed project elements - and the final fundraising target. Learn about Legacy Naming Opportunities to preserve family and neighborhood heritage, and sign up for volunteer opportunities. The event will include a Q&A session at the end. Refreshments will be served. Water Tower Barn Community Information Meeting Please welcome Deputy Jake Anderson who will step in for Deputy Kevin Booth as Scandia’s contracted deputy through the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Congratulations to Deputy Booth as he joins the Investigations Unit with the Washington County’s Sheriff’s Office. Levy & Tax Information The preliminary tax levy has been set at $3,223,111, a 3.36% increase over 2025. This represents a tax rate of 27.419%, a 0.52% decrease over the 2025 tax rate. Further reductions to the levy will occur between now and the Truth-In-Taxation hearing on December 3. Budget discussions will continue at the October 1st and November 5th Council Work Sessions. New Online Building Permits A new online permitting system is scheduled to go live October 1, 2025. The new ClearForms system is designed to be more transparent during the building permit process for homeowners and contractors alike. Applicants will find links to the new forms as well as contact information, online payment options, Quick Reference Guides and a Zoning Map of Scandia at www.cityofscandia.com/BuildingPermits. Scandia Evening Adventures MidCo was awarded a new grant from the State of Minnesota’s Broadband Office late last year to bring fiber to over 160 households in the Scandia area. The funding breaks out as follows: State funds: $689,700 Local Scandia and Midco funds: $689,700 Total Project: $1,379,400 The Midco-Scandia project will build fiber to the premises (FTTP) in portions of Washington and Chisago County in the communities of Scandia and Franconia Township. This project will extend broadband service with speeds of up to 5 Gbps. Most of the new homes to be served are in eastern Scandia along the St. Croix River. MidCo will start the design phase of the new project this fall with construction to begin in the Spring of 2026. The project will be completed no later than June 30th, 2027, which is the specified contract end date given by the State of Minnesota. For further information check the Internet Expansion tab on the city’s website where you’ll find a map and list of addresses to be served. www.cityofscandia.com/residents/ internet_action/index.php Scandia Internet Expansion Update – Fall 2025 Stay Informed! Sign up for E-Notify for email or text alerts to official notices from the City of Scandia—www.cityofscandia.com/Alerts Chose to be notified about Administrative, Parks and Recreation Programs, or Public Works Street Improvement Project updates. www.cityofscandia.com Search Feature Try the new search feature “HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?” box to easily locate information on Scandia’s website. Cannot find a reference to something you need? Please let us know to improve this search feature! Send a message to mail@ci.scandia.mn.us. It helps to include a description of what are searching for in addition to the key words you tried. New Scandia Deputy Parks & Recreation News October 31st 5-7 pm, Safe Halloween Event at the Scandia Fire Station FOOD! CANDY!BOUNCE HOUSE! FUN FOR ALL Page 3 VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2 ———————–——-——————–———-- Public Works Scandia Parks & Recreation will offer ice skating classes in January for elementary school students. 1. Learn to Skate—Beginner / Advanced 2. Pleasure Skate Watch for registration to open in December at www.cityofscandia.com/ WinterRecreation As winter is approaching, please consider installing swing-arm style mailbox supports as they are designed with impact in mind. They cushion the impact by swinging out of the way if a vehicle or snow from the plow blade comes in contact with the mailbox. Specifications are available on our City website at: www.cityofscandia.com/Mailbox under the tab Streets: Ice and Snow Control. If you need to know where to place a mailbox, contact the local post office for details. Garbage and Recycling containers can slow down the snow removal process during collection days. If collection day is during a snow event or within a few days after a snow event, please remember to place the containers two feet away from the edge of the road within the property side of your residence. When receptacles are placed in the roadway or snow bank, they become a safety hazard making it difficult to clear snow from the roadway. Garbage containers in the roadway can cause accidents by forcing vehicles to travel in the oncoming lane of traffic. If you are a resident with a connection to one of the City’s septic systems there are important steps to remember as well. One issue Public Works encounters over the winter is seasonal vehicles, docks, or trailers parked or stored directly over the settling tanks or lift tanks. Please be mindful of where these structures are on the property to keep them clear and accessible throughout the winter. In the event any maintenance or repair is required, clear access to these structures dramatically increases Public Works response to any issue and decreases down time of your service. Winter parking restrictions go into effect November 1st and run through April 30th. If vehicles interfere with snow and ice control a citation can or will be issued and the vehicle removed at the owner’s expense. New this year, City staff will be documenting residents who plow snow across the roadway or deposit snow on the roadway. Minnesota Statute 160.2715 will begin to be enforced this year. The process will begin with a written warning that will be held in perpetuity to the property, if the offense occurs again under the same property owner a citation will be given by the Washington County Sherriff’s office. If you have any questions, please contact City Hall or Public Works. Thank you, and hope everyone has a safe fall and winter this year. A new Tai Chi class will be offered at the Scandia Community Center beginning in January 2026. The form to be practiced is part of the Tai Chi for Health series developed by the Tai Chi for Health Institute, founded by Dr. Paul Lam, a long time Tai Chi practitioner, teacher, and medical doctor. The class will consist of easy to learn beginner and advanced movements. The class will run for ten weeks during January, February, and March. Each weekly session will be approximately one hour long during which time two to three movements will be learned and practiced. The six principles of Sun Style Tai Chi will be discussed and applied. The class will be taught by Bill Jabas, a certified Tai Chi instructor. Bill has been practicing Tai Chi for more than 10 years. The class fee will be $55.00. Day and time to be determined. —————–——-———–———–————–———-- Pumpkin Recycling Free Product Room at North Environmental Center, 6065 Headwaters Parkway, Forest Lake Recycle Film Plastic! Seasonal Snow Pick-up Plow Driver There is a Free Product Room at the Environmental Center in Forest Lake. Residents may browse the shelves and take products such as paints, stains, automotive fluids, and household cleaners. One person’s waste is another’s useful product! The Center accepts self-serve recycling, hazardous waste and electronics, batteries, food scraps, household sharps, and scrap metal items. To find drop-off procedures and more, visit washcorecycles.com/EnviroCenter Free paper shredding event on November 6th from 8am – 4:30pm at the Forest Lake Environmental Center, open to residents and businesses of Washington County. Proof of residency is required. Limit 6 boxes weighing no more than 30 pounds per box. Paper must be in the trunk, rear of SUV, or cargo bed. The City of Scandia is accepting applications for an on call, seasonal street maintenance worker (pick-up truck snow plow driver) to maintain roads in safe driving condition and remove snow and ice from city parking lots and sidewalks during the winter season. Applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalent, a valid class "D" driver's license with a good driving record, and related experience. Pay $18/hr. No benefits. City application required. http://www.cityofscandia.com/Jobs Drop off #4 & #6 soft plastic at the Scandia Community Center. Another #267 before the close of 2025 will earn Scandia another NexTrex bench, like the two at the Community Center main doors remembering Bruce & Janet Swenson. More information at www.cityofscandia.com/Recycle.