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9.h. DRAFT Spring 2016 NewsletterVOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 APRIL 2016 A twice -yearly publication for residents of the City of Scandia, Minnesota �CEZ SCANDIA FRONTIER TO EXPAND AND SUPPORT BROADBAND SERVICES Frontier has accepted $27,551,363 to expand and support broadband services throughout our Minnesota service area from the CAF II program. Like the communities that will benefit from this program, Frontier is excited about getting started with the CAF II program. Frontier was the first company in the nation that has agreed to accept the funds and partner with the FCC to reach these locations. The FCC has provided a model that has more than 46,910 homes and businesses that are eligible throughout the Minnesota serving area. Right now, we are reviewing that model and planning our strate- gy, and the entire Scandia. exchange is scheduled to be completed in 2016. These projects will result in upgrad- ing 4 existing remote serving offices and adding 10 new serving offices to reach our existing customers. Once completed, customers served out of these new devices will receive the minimum internet service of 10/1 Mbps with faster speeds available if a customer chooses. Under the current FCC guidelines, we have until the end of 2017 to complete the first 40 percent of the States build out. The FCC considers this a six -year project, and it will likely take every bit of that to complete all the projects scheduled for the Northern Minnesota district. So, while we know everyone wants to know where and when we will be starting, there's still a lot of work to be done before we get to the point of releasing the remaining project list. Here is a link to the FCC's map for eligible areas. Upon viewing this map, please note that the FCC has explained there is some flexibility to shift deployment among the eligible areas per state. https://www.fcc. gov/maps/fcc-connect-america-phase-ii-final-eligible-areas-map. Frontier Kirk Lehman, General Manager Northern Minnesota MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY Every year there are thousands of fraudulently filed taxes just in MN that the IRS deals with. The sooner that your taxes are r, filed, the less of a chance criminals have to file under your name. With that, there are thousands of fraudulent phone calls T 9-1-1 claiming to be the IRS. The phone call is automated and states the IRS is filing suit against you if you don't pay a certain amount of back taxes. If the money is not paid, there will be a warrant out for your arrest. The IRS will never call anyone. If payment, or further information is needed, the IRS will only contact you through a letter. If there are any questions, call the Washing- ton County Sheriff's Office at 651.439.9381 to report the incident or your tax service for further information. Always remember to keep your houses and vehicles locked when not home. Try not to have important information or money mailed or sent to your house. Be sure to always report suspicious people, vehicles and activity by calling 911 immediately. For further information or questions, email me, Deputy Brandon Yetter, at Brandon.Yetter@co.washington.mn.us. Inside this issue: Filings Open for City Offices 2 Election Judges Needed 2 Clip and Save Elections Calendar 2 Recycling 3 Spring Cleanup Week 3 Hazardous Materials and Electronics 3 Short Takes 3 Community Calendar 4 Page 2 Filings Open for City Offices August 2, 2016 Scandia will elect a Mayor and two Candidates may withdraw from the election by filing City Council Members at the November 8 general an Affidavit of Withdrawal with the City Clerk not later election. The Mayor serves a two-year term, and than 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, 2016. Filing fees Council Members serve four-year terms. The terms of are not refundable. Mayor Simonson and Council Members Lee and Ness end in 2016. Qualifications for candidates are: Filing opens Tuesday, August 2, 2016 and ends on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. Office hours for filing are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and will be open until 5 p.m. on the last day of the filing period. Candidates must file an Affidavit of Candidacy with the City Clerk, signed in the presence of a notary, and pay a $2.00 filing fee. The filing fee is waived if a petition is submitted containing 500 signatures of eligible vot- ers, or 2% of the number of persons who voted in the last election for that office, whichever is less. Candi- dates are placed on the ballot without party designa- tion. Election Judges Needed • Eligible voter • At least 21 years of age when assuming office • Resident of the City for thirty days preceding the General Election (November 8, 2016) • Has not filed for another office in the same election Compensation for Scandia. City Council Members is currently (2016): • Mayor: $3,882.96 annually • Council Member: $3,148.38 annually During the Primary and General Elections, Scandia will need election judges to staff the local polling place, adminis- ter election procedures, and ensure that the rights of voters are protected on Election Day. Serving as an election judge provides an opportunity to learn more about the election process and serve the community. With advance notice, employers must allow workers time off to serve as election judges. Qualifica- tions for serving include being eligible to vote in Minnesota, being fluent in English, and completing a two-hour training session (scheduled for July 12, 2016). Election judges need to be able to com- municate clearly with voters, pay attention to detail, and enjoy helping others. Election judges are paid an hourly wage of $9.00. Would you like to serve? Call the City office at 651.433.2274 no later than Thursday, June 9. 1 7 CLIP AND SAVE — 2016 Elections Calendar Friday, June 24— Absentee voting begins for Thursday, August 18, 5 p.m. --Deadline to with- ; • Primary Election through Monday, August 8 draw filings for Mayor and Council Tuesday, July 19, 5 p.m.— Last day to pre- Friday, September 23— Absentee voting begins register for Primary Election. After this date, for General Election, through Monday, register at the polls on Election Day November 7 Tuesday, August 2— Filings for Mayor and City Tuesday, October 18, 5 p.m.— Last date to pre - Council races open through Tuesday, August 16 register for General Election. After this date, reg- • at 5 p.m. ister at the polls on Election Day ; Monday, August 8, 5 p.m. —Absentee voting for Monday, November 7, 5 p.m. —Absentee voting • Primary Election closes for General Election closes Tuesday, August 9, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.— Primary Tuesday, November 8, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.— General ; Election Day Election Day ............................................................ VOLUME 1 L Page 3 Recycling: Make a Difference Minnesotans are among the best recyclers in the country, and our region strongly believes in recycling. But, there are still people who don't recycle. Scandia has contracted with SRC to provide residents with a single -sort recy- cling cart, at no charge, even if regular trash service is with another company. Most plastics, paper, glass bottles, and metal food and beverage cans can be recycled through the curbside recycling program. Call SRC at 651.464.2321 for more details. Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees! Some items can't be recycled at home, but they are accepted at other programs, such as batteries, electronics and propane tanks. RethinkRecy- cling.com has an easy -to -use guide to help citizens recycle more at home, at work or on the go. Download the "Know What to Throw Guide" and recycle with confidence! Spring Cleanup Week City -Wide Cleanup Week is scheduled for Saturday, tion prices. Be prepared to show proof of residency such April 30, through Saturday, May 7, at the SRC/Forest Lake as a driver's license. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to Sanitation site in Wyoming, MN. Residents may drop off noon on Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday rubbish items not taken by their regular trash hauler such through Friday. Please call SRC at 651.464.2321 for more as appliances, tires, furniture, mattresses, scrap metal information. A pricing schedule is posted on the City's and wood at the SRC facility located at 6320 East Viking website. Boulevard, Wyoming, MN. During this week, Scandia residents will receive a 20% discount off regular collec-I l p „FrceEe 1 Hazardous Materials and Electronics Washington County will sponsor special one -day household hazardous waste collections throughout the county at no cost throughout the year. Nearby collections are scheduled at the Hugo Public Works Building on April 30"' from 8 a.m. to noon, and at the Forest Lake Transit Center (enter at Headwaters Parkway) on June 41h from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. See the County website for more information. For details go to https://www.co.washington.mn.us/index.aspx?NID=1942 Short Takes CONSTRUCTION Scandia will have a busy summer of road construction. Reconstruction - Scheduled for recon- struction during the summer will be 236 Street, 237"' Street, Novak Ave- nue and portions of Oldfield Avenue from 240th and south. Sealcoating and crack -filling - Sched- uled for this summer are Parrish Road, Pomroy Road, Penfield Avenue, Peabody Trail, and 215" Street. Washington County will be adding a left turn lane on southbound Manning Trail into the Big Marine Park Reserve. Construction is expected to start in early May with completion within 4 to 5 weeks. MN DOT will be working on Hwy 8 from TH 95 to Taylors Falls starting this spring and lasting into the fall. While TH 97 is not on the car or truck traffic detour, increased traffic on TH 97 should be expected. LOG HOUSE LANDING IMPROVEMENTS The City, the Carnelian -Marine -St. Washington County will be adding a Croix Watershed District, the DNR, turning lane at the intersection of and the National Park Service are Lofton Avenue and Scandia Trail (Hwy working together on the reconstruc- 97). Construction is expected to start tion of the boat landing at Log House in early May with completion within 5 Landing. Construction is anticipated to 6 weeks. to begin in early fall. SCANDLti ON THE "GROW" Building activity was on the grow in 2015. A total of 197 permits were issued for an increase in valuation of $8,600,000. This is an increase from 2014 when 147 permits were issued with a value of $5,200,000. CITY UPDATES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Residents can sign up on the City's website to receive e-mail updates on City Council agendas, City news and announcements, parks and recreation programs, and the Zavoral mining and reclamation project. ' Just select "E-mail Et4P14 Updates" from the - website's home page. Dedicated to Rural Community Values City of Scandia Scandia Community/ Senior Center 14727 209th Street N. Scandia, MN 55073 Phone: 651.433.2274 Fax: 651.433.51 12 E-mail: mail @ ci.scandia.mmus Like us on Facebook for Up -to -Date Information 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 Dave Williams, Public Works Director 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 PERMIT #6 Community Calendar, April 2016—September, 2016 April • April 11, 5 p.m. Board of Appeal and Equalization, Community Center Board Room. • April 24, Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride • April 29-30, May 1: Gammelgar- den Opening Weekend; Celebra- tion of Hemslojden: Blade and Hammer • April 30-May 7, Spring Cleanup Collection Week, SRC, Wyoming May • May 7, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Lions Chicken Dinner Benefit, Community Center • May 29, Immigrant for a Day; Gammelgarden • May 30, Memorial Day, Office Closed June • June 8, Opening Day-Scandia Farmers Market (3:30-6:30 pm); Runs June 8-September 28 • June 21, 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Bloodmobile at Community Center • June 25, Midsommar Dag, Gammelgarden July • July 4, Independence Day, Office Closed • July 9, St. Croix Fat Cat Triathlon August • August 2, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. National Night Out, Community Center • August 20, Spelmanstamma, Gammelgarden September • September 5, Labor Day, Office Closed • September 10, Taco Daze Festival • September 17-18, Marine Art Fair SUMMER RECREATION BROCHURE INSIDE Lt+S Su!'�M2 For more information and a City meeting cal- endar. see the website www.ci.scandia.mn.us. For Gammelgarden events, see: h ttp://Www.gammelgardenmuseum. org.