2016 October - Fall Newsletter CITY OF SCANDIA
October
October 9, Lions Pancake Break-fast
October 10, Columbus Day Observed— Office Closed
October 11, Fire Department Open House
October 31, Safe Halloween at the Fire Hall
November
November 8, General Election Day, 7 a.m.- 8 p.m.
November 11, Veterans Day Observed—Office Closed
November 17, Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner, Elim Church
November 18, Turkey Bingo, 7 p.m.
November 24 & 25, Thanksgiving Holiday—Office Closed
December
December 7, 6:30 p.m. Public Hearing, 2017 City Budget and Tax Levy
December 10, Lions Community Breakfast
December 11, Lucia Dagen, Gammelgarden
December 20, 7 p.m., Budget Adoption Hearing
December 23 & 26, Christmas Holiday—Office Closed
January
January 2, New Year’s Holiday-Office Closed
January 16, Martin Luther King Day— Office Closed
January 27 & 28, Vinterfest
January 28, Lions Pancake Breakfast
February
February 20, Presidents’ Day— Office Closed
February 25, Fireball
March
March 12, Daylight Savings Time Begins
For more information and a City meeting calendar, see: www.ci.scandia.mn.us. For Gammelgården events, see: http://www.gammelgardenmuseum.org.
Dedicated to Rural Community Values
Household
Scandia, MN 55073
City of Scandia
Scandia Community/
Senior Center
14727 209th St. N.
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:
Randall Simonson, Mayor
651.538.4320
Dan Lee
651.433.4309
Chris Ness
651.707.5689
Jim Schneider
651.433.3692
Bob Hegland
651.538.2129
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:
Neil Soltis, Administrator
Brenda Eklund, Deputy Clerk
Colleen Firkus, Treasurer
Director of Public Works
Mike Hinz, Fire Chief
Andy Pratt, Attorney
Eckberg Lammers
Ryan Goodman, Engineer
Bolton & Menk
Sherri Buss, Planner, TKDA
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Scandia, MN
55073
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Most Up-to-Date Information
No Levy Increase Proposed for 2017 Budget
OCTOBER 2016 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2
CITY OF SCANDIA
At its September 20, 2016 meeting, the City Council approved a preliminary levy of $2,257,871 or 0% increase
over 2016. This is the maximum amount the levy could reach for 2017; however, the Council may decide to
reduce it before final adoption in December. A public hearing on the budget will be Wednesday, December 7,
2016 at 6:30 p.m. The City Council may discuss the budget at its October and November work sessions. The
work sessions are open to the public.
The Council continues to prioritize roads in the annual budget. The proposed tax levy for the Local Road
Improvement Fund of $554,365 is slightly lower than the 2016 levy. The levy amount was lowered in order to
provide funding for the City’s required update of its Comprehensive Plan. In 2016, the Local Road Improve-
ment Fund was used for the reconstruction of 236th Street, 237th Street, Novak Avenue, and Oldfield Avenue N.
The next scheduled road reconstruction project will be Old Marine Trail in 2018.
Operations in most departments will remain roughly the same in 2017, with the exception of the funds budget-
ed for the Comprehensive Plan. After factoring in the increase of $175,000 in the transfer to the Local Road
Improvement Fund and the Comprehensive Plan, the General Fund spending would increase by $4,000 over
2016.
On average, residential properties in Scandia will see a 0.6% decrease in value in 2017 compared to 2016. As
a result, the proposed City portion of the 2017 tax levy would mean a house valued at $250,000 this year will
see a decrease of roughly $16.
The chart below shows how the proposed 2017 property tax levy would be used.
A twice-yearly publication for residents of the City of Scandia, Minnesota
Inside This Issue:
2040 Comprehensive
Plan
Election Day
is November 8
Free, Fun Family
Events at Scandia Fire
Short
Takes
Community
Calendar
2 3 3 3 4
Page 2
CITY OF SCANDIA
Scandia’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan
The City is currently seeking proposals to update the
City’s Comprehensive Plan to be in alignment with the
Metropolitan Council’s Thrive MSP 2040 Regional Devel-
opment Plan. The City will be required to adopt the
Plan, which updates the 2030 Plan that was adopted in
2009, by December 31, 2018.
In essence, a Comprehensive Plan is an expression of
the community’s vision for the future and a strategic map
to reach that vision. The Plan provides a framework for
future growth and development guided by recommen-
dations related to specific goals and policies.
A Comprehensive Plan serves as an important tool to
guide future development of land to ensure a safe,
pleasant, and economical environment for residential,
commercial, industrial, and public activities. In addition,
the long-range planning can help:
Preserve important natural resources, agricultural,
and other open lands.
Create the opportunity for residents to participate in
guiding a community’s future.
Identify issues, stay ahead of trends, and accommo-
date change.
Ensure that growth makes the community better, not
just bigger.
Foster sustainable economic development.
Provide an opportunity to consider future implica-
tions of today’s decisions.
Protect property rights and values.
Enable other public and private agencies to plan
their activities in harmony with the municipality's
plans.
The Plan provides specific action strategies to achieve
long-term goals, objectives, and strategies against
which future actions and policy decisions are measured.
While the current plan retains some value, a new plan is
needed to accurately reflect present and projected
changes in community demographics, developments,
aspirations, and characteristics.
Significant changes in the City’s demographics that will
impact the plan that have occurred since the adoption of
the current plan are a 31% decrease in the number of
residents under 15 and a 47% increase in the number of
residents 60 and over.
The chart below shows the population changes and the
change in these key demographics.
Free, Fun Family Events at the Scandia Fire Department
Short Takes
Page 3
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2
Know What to Throw--Curbside recycling in single–sort
carts is available to all Scandia residents at no cost through
the City’s agreement with SRC. Contact SRC at
651.462.1099 for more information on curbside recycling.
Containers of used motor must be placed next to the cart
and not in the cart. Plastic shopping bags should be bun-
dled together and not placed in loosely as they can get
stuck in the sorting equipment. More information on recy-
cling can be found in the “Growing Green Guide” on the
City’s website.
Make Sure Public Safety Officers Can Find You When
You Need Them— Is your address clearly marked at the
street? If not, public safety officials may be delayed in
reaching you when it matters most. Please make sure your
address is marked on your mailbox and/or at the end of
your driveway. Every second counts in an emergency.
Snow is Coming… Is Your
Mailbox Ready? Now is a
good time to look at your mail-
box and landscaping within the
right-of-way. If your mailbox is
in need of repair, consider
replacing the post with a swing
-arm style support. Detailed
specifications are available on
the City’s website or at https://
www.usps.com/manage/know-mailbox-guidelines.htm,
which shows the proper installation for a mailbox. Make
sure no obstructions, including refuse containers are in the
right-of-way that a plow driver might hit when pushing
back wing rows. Lastly, make sure not to deposit snow
or ice within the right-of-way. It creates a hazard for
traffic and City staff; and it is against the law.
Vinterfest
2017
Jan. 27-28
Annual Open House— Tuesday, October 11, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Join the Scandia Fire Department for their
annual Open House. Bring the kids and learn about fire safety, see the fire trucks and other equipment, and meet
your neighbors for some fun and food.
Safe Halloween Party—Monday, October 31, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. This is a fun event for all ages at the Scandia
Fire Hall. Activities will include a large bonfire, games, hot dogs and hot chocolate.
Voters will go to the polls to elect a new President, and Federal and State Representatives on November 8. All
Scandia residents vote at the Community Center Hall, 14727 209th Street North. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8
p.m. Scandia will also choose a Mayor and two City Council members. The Mayor serves a two-year term, and the
Council members will serve four-year terms, all commencing on January 2, 2017. (The first Monday of the new
year.)
Candidates for City offices in the order they appear on the ballot are—
Mayor: Randall F. Simonson, Christine Maefsky
Council member: Steve Kronmiller, Chris Ness, Lisa Crum, Robert Pilz, Susan Rodsjo,
Jan Hogle
Absentee Ballots are Available Now— You may vote early by absentee ballot beginning September 23rd and up
to November 7th. Absentee ballots are not available at the City office. You may vote in person at any Washington
County Service Center or at the Government Center in Stillwater. Vote during regular business hours Monday
through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Saturday before the election. You may also request that
a ballot be mailed to you. You may call Washington County Elections at 651-430-6175 to have an absentee ballot
application mailed to you. Or voters may apply for an absentee ballot online through the Minnesota Secretary of
State’s Office (www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting).
Registering to Vote— If you were previously registered to vote in Scandia, and have voted at least once during
the last four years, you are already registered. If you moved since you voted last, even if it is just to a new address
within the City, you must update your registration. For the November 8 General Election, voter pre-registration
closes at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18. After that date, you may register at the polls on election day or at the
same time you cast an absentee ballot. When you register to vote on election day, please be prepared to show
proof of residency.
More information on registering to vote can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website.
For more election information including links to downloadable registration and absentee ballot application forms,
please see the City website at www.ci.scandia.mn.us and click on “Election Information” on the home page.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8
Both Events at Scandia Fire Hall, 15040 Scandia Trail (Hwy 97)