8.g Administrator's report
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: March, 2019
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, Administrator
Re: Administrator’s report
Building Permits – Through the end of February 26 permits have been issued with a total value
of $346,199 with no permits for new homes. Through the end of February 2018 33 permits
were issued with a value of $743,425 with 1 new home included in the total.
Fiber-to-the-Premise requests for proposals - Two proposals were received in response to the
Fiber to the Premise request for proposals. CTC submitted a proposal to construct the system
for $13,377,782 with $5.0M coming from grant funds, $2,649,777 from CTC, and $5,729,005
from the City. Frontier submitted a proposal to provide a minimum of 25Mbps down and 3
Mbps upload to every property in the City at a cost of $552,500 with the City providing
$352,500 of that amount. The Internet Focus group will be meeting on March 20 to review and
score the proposals.
Legislative efforts – There are a number of bills moving through the legislature related to
Broadband and the Gateway Trail. A status report on those bills follows this repor t.
Codification – The ordinance to be codified have been submitted to America Legal Publishing.
The project has moved up the queue from 15 to 5 so editing of the ordinance is anticipated to begin in
April.
Customer response system – Judi & I have started training on the administrative side of the
system. Organizers have been distributed to the Fire, Public Works, and sheriff Department to
provide a list of questions that should be asked for each request type and information on the
requests that can be provided to the person submitting the req uest. Once that information has
been received and entered into the system we will be able to be fully functional and available
on the website. The target date is April 1 for the basic requests. The system will continue to be
enhanced over time.
Classification and Compensation study – Springsted has provided preliminary information on a
pay plan that is based on the position analysis questionnaires completed by employees and
compensation for like position in benchmark communities. A discussion on this information will
be added to a future Council work session.
Council Chamber audio – Colleen has worked with EMI audio based on the recommendation
from Lakes Area Television. EMI has submitted a proposal to complete the work for $10,614.45
which is above the $10,000 budgeted. Efforts to obtain a competitive proposal from Alpha
Video, who provided quotes previously, have not been successful.
2020-2024 CIP – Work sheets based on the City’s fixed asset schedule and the 2018-2022
Capital Improvement Plan have been submitted to the Fire and Public Works Department to
update the estimated costs and to make any changes. Once received there will be an initial
meeting of the Capital Improvement Committee.
Tourism Assessment – Cynthia Messer is still on target to have the draft report for review by
March 28. I am working with her to see if she could do a presentation on the assessment at the
EDA business breakfast in late April.
Comprehensive Plan – Bolton & Menk has submitted responses to the commen ts received
from the Met Council in the review of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The supplemental
information will be reviewed for completeness within 15 business days which extends to March
19.
BHE Renewable Solar Site: The City issued a grading permit for BHE Renewable to take
emergency actions to raise the height of the emergency overflow at the site. That work
commenced on Thursday, March 14. BHE Renewables is working on plans for longer term
improvements to the site to manage storm water flows and to mitigate the impacts of the
event last fall.
Assessments - Board of Appeal & Equalization and Open Book Meetings Monday, April 8, 2019
5:00 p.m. The City is required to have a least 1 member attend Local Board of Appeal and
Equalization training. Mayor Maefsky and Council members Kronmiller and Ness have taken
the training and their training expires on 7/1/2020. The online training for the other Council
members will be available on July 1, 2019
Washington County has released assessment data for 2019. The assessed value of all taxable
properties in Scandia rose by 10.9% with $7.3M being attributable to new construction. The
assessed value of residential properties in Scandia rose by 11.3% with $6.5M being attributable
to new construction. The average sale price of homes in Scandia increased from 354,600 for
assessment year 2018 to $387,200 for assessment year 2019. The 2019 Assessment calendar
and tables showing the changes in Washington County follow this report.
UPDATE ON LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS 3/15/2019
Folio Status
HF 484
Referred to Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division,
hearing scheduled for 3/19/19
SF 1368
Agricultural, Rural Development, and Housing Policy
Committee hearing 3/5/19, referred to Taxes Committee
HF 311
Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Division, hearing scheduled for 3/21/19
SF 579 Referred to Capital Investment Committee
HF 1657 Referred to Government Operations
SF 1684
Local Government Committee hearing was held on 3/5/19,
recommended to pass
HF no companion bill
SF 1231
Referred to Agricultural, Rural Development, and Housing
Policy Committee
HF 7
Referred to Greater Minnesota Jobs and Economic
Development Finance Division - hearing held on 3/11/19
SF 9
Referred to Agricultural, Rural Development, and Housing
Policy Committee
Broadband grant program appropriation 2020 and 2021 - appropriates
$70M for DEED border-to-border grants
Broadband grant program appropriation 2020 - appropriates $35M for the
DEED border-to-border grants
Broadband - Subordinate Service district - allow Scandia to use the
subordinate service district bondings provisions for broadband
Gateway Trail bond issue and appropriation - appropriate funds for the
development of the Gateway Trail segment.
Metropolitan Agricultural preserves - eliminate the 8-year expiration period
when acquired for parks or trails
45 | P a g e
Assessment Calendar
2019
January 2 2019 Market values established
February 1 Last day to deliver assessment records to County Assessor
March 31 Statutory deadline for mailing 2019 Valuation Notices
April 8-May 7 Local Boards of Appeal & Equalization & Regional Open Book
meetings held
April 30 Last day to file a Tax Court Petition for taxes payable in 2019
May 15 First half payable 2019 taxes due
May 8 Deadline for property owners to notify County Assessor of intent to
appeal at County Board of Appeal & Equalization
June 18 County Board of Appeal & Equalization Meeting 5 p.m.
July 1 2019 Assessment finalized
August 31 First half payable 2019 taxes due for manufactured homes
October 15 Second half payable 2019 taxes due
November 15 Second half payable 2019 taxes due for agricultural property and
manufactured homes
November Mailing of payable 2020 Proposed Property Tax Notices
December 15 Last day to file a Homestead Application for payable 2020
2020
January 2 2020 Market values established
22 | P a g e
Residential/SRR Class Summary: Current Assessment Year Adjustments
Municipality
ay2019
New
Construction
#
Parcels
ay2019
Res/SRR
Value
ay2018
Res/SSR
Value
ay2019
%
Growth
Afton $5,820,800 1,275 $595,018,600 $528,934,600 11.4%
Bayport $13,364,000 1,003 $288,240,000 $250,315,000 9.8%
Baytown $9,254,800 815 $404,616,000 $379,758,900 4.1%
Birchwood $431,500 414 $167,547,700 $153,226,100 9.1%
Cottage Grove $48,650,800 12,277 $3,268,636,600 $3,019,713,900 6.6%
Dellwood $2,299,900 515 $333,101,100 $331,561,200 -0.2%
Denmark $5,030,700 744 $289,485,700 $261,538,300 8.8%
Forest Lake $17,558,100 7,369 $1,925,097,400 $1,834,192,600 4.0%
Grant $6,383,700 1,746 $826,276,300 $744,420,600 10.1%
Grey Cloud $591,200 171 $42,677,100 $40,390,200 4.2%
Hastings $49,800 3 $593,000 $516,300 5.2%
Hugo $36,634,900 6,067 $1,726,586,300 $1,568,046,100 7.8%
Lake Elmo $112,768,600 4,306 $1,704,026,300 $1,449,574,600 9.8%
Lake St Croix Beach $912,500 721 $124,358,700 $114,613,600 7.7%
Lakeland $282,200 785 $241,615,800 $239,187,400 0.9%
Lakeland Shores $959,800 145 $61,226,900 $58,073,700 3.8%
Landfall $0 1 $148,100 $147,300 0.5%
Mahtomedi $8,219,900 3,001 $1,075,804,400 $1,016,423,400 5.0%
Marine $606,500 526 $144,987,400 $131,278,700 10.0%
May $5,067,100 1,470 $600,889,100 $548,660,000 8.6%
Newport $4,155,000 1,289 $262,517,100 $232,751,700 11.0%
Oak Park Heights $256,400 1,560 $313,181,500 $286,367,500 9.3%
Oakdale $1,906,900 9,527 $2,257,506,300 $2,089,475,000 8.0%
Pine Springs $354,800 164 $59,535,400 $59,450,400 -0.5%
St Mary's Point $287,300 316 $80,658,600 $76,971,400 4.4%
St Paul Park $1,851,100 1,984 $385,781,600 $333,891,900 15.0%
Scandia $6,527,100 2,240 $645,979,400 $574,294,900 11.3%
Stillwater City $18,083,300 7,490 $2,205,868,500 $2,026,899,800 7.9%
Stillwater Twp $5,635,300 816 $400,117,100 $344,194,500 14.6%
West Lakeland $3,126,200 1,437 $694,189,400 $641,513,600 7.7%
White Bear Lake $56,600 99 $25,364,900 $24,309,900 4.1%
Willernie $582,800 313 $47,138,500 $39,846,500 16.8%
Woodbury $140,002,500 24,206 $7,975,146,300 $7,461,643,400 5.0%
County Totals $457,712,100 94,795 $29,173,917,100 $26,862,183,000 6.9%
25 | P a g e
Total (taxable classes) Summary: Current Assessment Year Adjustments
Municipality
ay2019
New
Construction
#
Parcels
ay2019
Total
Value
ay2018
Total
Value
ay2019
%
Growth
Afton $7,559,400 1,468 $733,884,300 $661,078,300 9.9%
Bayport $13,907,400 1,132 $346,591,900 $306,074,700 8.7%
Baytown $9,254,800 869 $428,532,500 $403,293,500 4.0%
Birchwood $431,500 414 $167,547,700 $153,226,100 9.1%
Cottage Grove $82,442,300 12,917 $3,851,101,500 $3,560,357,900 5.9%
Dellwood $2,299,900 550 $351,392,600 $349,575,500 -0.1%
Denmark $5,516,100 1,145 $452,570,300 $423,140,200 5.7%
Forest Lake $44,529,800 8,147 $2,411,770,600 $2,280,199,900 3.8%
Grant $6,436,100 1,983 $929,616,000 $847,417,900 8.9%
Grey Cloud $591,200 205 $49,495,900 $46,924,000 4.2%
Hastings $49,800 9 $2,432,000 $2,488,900 -4.3%
Hugo $43,249,900 6,516 $2,000,214,000 $1,833,400,700 6.7%
Lake Elmo $118,530,400 4,633 $1,961,874,800 $1,702,814,200 8.3%
Lake St Croix Beach $912,500 731 $126,823,400 $116,876,000 7.7%
Lakeland $297,400 830 $256,442,300 $255,060,900 0.4%
Lakeland Shores $959,800 153 $63,231,500 $60,078,300 3.7%
Landfall $0 8 $9,341,900 $7,947,600 17.5%
Mahtomedi $14,470,800 3,097 $1,196,533,200 $1,114,993,100 6.0%
Marine $606,500 551 $152,779,700 $138,929,300 9.5%
May $5,230,200 1,754 $740,049,600 $675,019,000 8.9%
Newport $8,777,400 1,553 $372,622,900 $335,003,400 8.6%
Oak Park Heights $864,700 1,818 $642,090,400 $597,529,400 7.3%
Oakdale $12,479,000 9,981 $2,977,058,500 $2,765,995,100 7.2%
Pine Springs $354,800 164 $59,535,400 $59,450,400 -0.5%
St Mary's Point $287,300 316 $80,658,600 $76,971,400 4.4%
St Paul Park $1,867,200 2,267 $447,517,600 $386,378,400 15.3%
Scandia $7,266,900 2,639 $759,842,200 $678,410,100 10.9%
Stillwater City $38,564,700 7,962 $2,649,022,800 $2,434,045,200 7.2%
Stillwater Twp $5,635,300 926 $461,373,000 $403,551,100 12.9%
West Lakeland $3,126,200 1,515 $734,930,400 $682,747,900 7.2%
White Bear Lake $56,600 109 $53,087,300 $51,989,900 2.0%
Willernie $582,800 347 $53,725,700 $46,059,800 15.4%
Woodbury $231,119,300 24,938 $10,156,524,800 $9,436,996,400 5.2%
County Totals $668,258,000 101,647 $35,680,215,300 $32,894,024,500 6.4%
26 | P a g e
Total (taxable classes) Value changes – Past & Present Year Adjustments
ay2015 ay2016 ay2017 ay2018 ay2019 change
Afton 2.1% -1.5% 3.6% 1.2% 9.8% 15.2%
Bayport 5.1% 0.1% 7.6% 8.1% 8.7% 29.6%
Baytown 1.7% 7.2% 1.4% -0.1% 4.0% 14.2%
Birchwood 13.9% -1.6% 4.4% 10.1% 9.1% 35.9%
Cottage Grove 1.9% 2.1% 5.9% 6.3% 5.0% 21.3%
Dellwood 5.0% 8.2% 2.2% 1.2% -0.1% 16.4%
Denmark 4.0% -1.2% 1.1% 3.3% 5.7% 12.8%
Forest Lake 1.6% 2.8% 7.7% 6.7% 3.8% 22.6%
Grant 0.9% 2.3% 2.1% 2.6% 8.9% 16.9%
Grey Cloud 1.0% 1.2% -0.1% 2.2% 4.2% 8.4%
Hastings 0.0% -0.8% 1.3% 2.6% -4.3% -1.1%
Hugo -2.3% 1.9% 7.7% 4.3% 6.7% 18.3%
Lake Elmo 2.6% 6.0% 5.2% 7.0% 8.3% 29.0%
Lake St Croix 3.3% 6.7% 0.5% 13.2% 7.7% 31.5%
Lakeland 5.9% -4.4% 6.3% 12.2% 0.4% 20.4%
Lakeland Shrs -0.3% 1.0% -0.3% 8.4% 3.7% 12.3%
Landfall -1.7% 0.2% 0.0% 3.7% 17.5% 19.7%
Mahtomedi 9.6% -0.9% 7.6% 1.7% 6.0% 24.0%
Marine 4.9% -6.7% 10.6% 1.8% 9.5% 20.1%
May -1.1% -1.1% 5.4% 1.5% 8.9% 13.6%
Newport 4.2% 4.4% 9.8% 1.5% 8.6% 28.4%
Oak Park Hts 2.8% 2.7% 1.8% 7.0% 7.3% 21.5%
Oakdale 1.8% 2.1% 6.9% 6.5% 7.2% 24.5%
Pine Springs 6.8% -12.3% 12.9% 2.9% -0.5% 9.8%
St Mary's Pt 0.4% 2.2% 7.9% -1.4% 4.4% 13.5%
St Paul Park -1.7% 2.9% 7.3% 5.1% 15.3% 29.0%
Scandia -3.5% -0.6% 2.1% 6.0% 10.9% 14.9%
Stillwater City 0.7% 1.6% 7.3% 5.3% 7.2% 22.2%
Stillwater Twp 2.2% -4.8% 7.1% 0.8% 12.9% 18.3%
West Lakeland 2.1% 1.0% -0.5% 1.4% 7.2% 11.1%
White Bear Lk 9.0% 1.3% 20.3% 3.8% 2.0% 36.4%
Willernie -6.5% 3.0% 4.3% 10.4% 15.4% 26.6%
Woodbury 1.5% 1.5% 5.6% 5.4% 5.2% 19.1%
TOTAL 1.7% 1.7% 5.7% 5.1% 6.4% 20.6%
12 | P a g e
Historic Average Sale Prices (Single Family & Townhome/Condo)
ay2015 ay2016 ay2017 ay2018 ay2019
Afton $444,900 $425,200 $509,500 $485,300 $555,200
Bayport $236,800 $224,400 $242,300 $312,900 $423,100
Baytown $547,000 $597,100 $588,700 $615,100 $603,200
Birchwood $369,900 $247,400 $338,600 $483,900 $393,700
Cottage Grove $223,300 $235,300 $244,200 $252,800 $266,400
Dellwood $913,100 $1,180,900 $459,000 $574,500 $740,400
Denmark $580,200 $361,000 $462,700 $505,700 $525,300
Forest Lake $253,400 $237,600 $257,200 $267,700 $265,400
Grant $530,700 $517,100 $458,900 $498,500 $619,500
Grey Cloud $198,000 $256,800 $346,300 $240,700 $298,500
Hastings $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Hugo $229,300 $243,100 $229,000 $249,600 $254,300
Lake Elmo $429,900 $467,900 $463,700 $470,900 $519,300
Lake St Croix $171,900 $250,300 $225,900 $214,200 $215,800
Lakeland $282,500 $330,200 $460,700 $288,400 $444,600
Lakeland Shrs $975,000 $243,500 $264,600 $313,000 $650,000
Landfall $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Mahtomedi $365,800 $380,000 $374,400 $385,400 $407,900
Marine $321,300 $334,000 $388,600 $316,900 $511,400
May $504,100 $575,700 $485,400 $544,400 $474,500
Newport $176,100 $192,000 $229,200 $211,000 $234,300
Oak Park Hts $193,000 $191,400 $232,700 $230,400 $229,800
Oakdale $190,000 $200,400 $207,400 $215,800 $231,500
Pine Springs $377,100 $375,800 $418,500 $434,900 $426,200
St Mary's Pt $510,000 $349,000 $316,500 $390,600 $601,000
St Paul Park $172,300 $176,900 $186,900 $195,100 $210,700
Scandia $340,700 $312,900 $407,500 $354,600 $387,200
Stillwater City $278,400 $274,100 $305,300 $308,100 $340,400
Stillwater Twp $464,200 $450,500 $547,300 $488,600 $666,500
West Lakeland $469,100 $556,400 $471,600 $512,900 $523,100
White Bear Lk $243,600 $0 $232,900 $243,000 $270,100
Willernie $158,200 $179,000 $163,000 $223,800 $236,400
Woodbury $285,600 $285,200 $287,800 $306,700 $317,200
$279,600 $277,200 $283,300 $297,000 $314,500
7 | P a g e
Residential/SRR Class: Past Assessment Year Data – Number of Sales in Study
10/1/13-
9/30/14
10/1/14-
9/30/15
10/1/15-
9/30/16
10/1/16-
9/30/17
10/1/17-
9/30/18
ay2015 ay2016 ay2017 ay2018 ay2019
Afton 23 32 37 31 35 4
Bayport 29 31 35 36 29 -7
Baytown 28 17 22 25 26 1
Birchwood 12 9 12 11 9 -2
Cottage Grove 383 461 528 550 513 -37
Dellwood 18 11 12 15 15 0
Denmark 12 9 17 19 12 -7
Forest Lake 212 284 311 313 254 -59
Grant 28 37 42 46 43 -3
Grey Cloud 2 3 4 3 2 -1
Hastings 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hugo 227 241 307 369 348 -21
Lake Elmo 77 53 78 114 105 -9
Lake St Croix 8 11 15 18 12 -6
Lakeland 15 23 22 24 25 1
Lakeland Shrs 3 3 3 1 2 1
Landfall 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mahtomedi 78 105 97 104 107 3
Marine 12 10 14 12 14 2
May 19 28 26 26 40 14
Newport 22 24 28 34 37 3
Oak Park Hts 41 50 62 59 65 6
Oakdale 265 355 439 438 452 14
Pine Springs 2 6 5 4 6 2
St Mary's Pt 2 1 6 5 2 -3
St Paul Park 39 63 52 51 84 33
Scandia 28 38 28 38 43 5
Stillwater City 205 293 251 306 320 14
Stillwater Twp 17 15 21 18 16 -2
West Lakeland 36 28 45 44 32 -12
White Bear Lk 5 0 3 2 4 2
Willernie 8 8 12 7 8 1
Woodbury 886 1070 1202 1240 1247 7
TOTAL 2,742 3,319 3,736 3,963 3,907 -56
Difference
from
previous
11 | P a g e
2019 Residential Sales Study Statistics
The sales statistics (Number of Sales, Low Sale Price, Mean Sale Price, High Sale Price) are based on data
collected from sales that occurred between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018.
The remaining statistics are measured after the percent of change factor (local effort) is applied to the
going in ratio (previous year assessed value/sale price) in each community for the 2019 assessment. If
there are less than 30 sales in a community the median is the only statistic deemed reliable.
Number of Sales Median COD PRD Low Sale High Sale
Afton 35 95.0% 7.62 1.00 $199,820 $1,100,000
Bayport 29 94.9% $182,865 $1,750,000
Baytown 26 95.1% $235,000 $1,100,000
Birchwood 9 95.7% $235,000 $605,000
Cottage Grove 513 95.2% 5.78 1.00 $106,700 $820,300
Dellwood 15 98.4% $325,000 $1,850,000
Denmark 12 95.2% $250,000 $1,120,000
Forest Lake 254 95.2% 6.24 0.99 $116,400 $875,000
Grant 43 95.9% 11.97 1.03 $191,884 $1,380,000
Grey Cloud 2 84.2% $270,000 $327,000
Hastings 0 0.0% $0 $0
Hugo 348 95.1% 4.78 1.00 $110,500 $879,000
Lake Elmo 105 96.8% 7.25 0.99 $183,900 $1,300,000
Lake St Croix Beach 12 94.1% $169,061 $268,000
Lakeland 25 97.7% $154,000 $2,295,000
Lakeland Shores 2 102.3% $275,000 $1,025,000
Landfall 0 0.0% $0 $0
Mahtomedi 107 95.7% 8.92 1.02 $130,000 $1,150,000
Marine 14 95.2% $215,000 $1,130,000
May 40 95.4% 9.21 1.01 $279,450 $1,000,000
Newport 37 95.1% 7.39 1.01 $142,000 $512,500
Oak Park Heights 65 95.1% 7.58 1.01 $60,000 $650,000
Oakdale 452 95.2% 6.71 1.00 $70,000 $498,000
Pine Springs 6 96.1% $293,000 $603,000
St Marys Point 2 90.3% $187,000 $1,015,000
St Paul Park 84 94.9% 7.49 1.00 $96,389 $312,500
Scandia 43 95.1% 8.07 1.01 $184,300 $1,050,000
Stillwater 320 95.0% 6.47 1.01 $110,000 $1,250,000
Stillwater Township 16 94.7% $389,900 $1,550,000
West Lakeland 32 95.2% 8.00 1.01 $253,946 $755,500
White Bear Lake 4 97.1% $225,040 $355,000
Willernie 8 95.1% $180,000 $323,400
Woodbury 1,247 95.0% 5.36 1.00 $90,000 $1,275,000
COUNTY 3,907 95.6% 6.47 1.00 $60,000 $2,295,000