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2021 October - Fall Newsletter October • October 4, Cinnamon Bun Day, 6-8 a.m. • October 5, Fire Department Open House, 5-7 p.m. • October 11, Columbus Day Observed— Office Closed • October 16, Lions Pancake Breakfast, 8-11:00 a.m. • October 23, Prescription Drug Take Back Event, Fire Station, 10 a.m.—2 p.m. • October 31, Safe Halloween at the Fire Hall, 5-7 p.m. November • November 11, Veterans Day Observed—Office Closed • November 19, Turkey Bingo, 7 p.m. • November 25 and 26, Thanksgiving Holiday—Office Closed • November 28, Vinterlights! • November 28 Scandia Holiday Shopping Extravaganza, noon—5 p.m., Community Center For more information and a City meeting calendar, see: www.ci.scandia.mn.us. December • December 1, 6:30 p.m. Public Hear-ing, 2022 City Budget and Tax Levy • December 6, Lions Blood Drive, Community Center, 12-6 p.m. • December 11, Lions Breakfast, with Santa, 8-11:30 a.m. • December 12, Lucia Dagen, Gammelgarden • December 24 and 27, Christmas Holiday—Office Closed January • January 1, New Year’s Day--Office Closed • January 17, Martin Luther King Day— Office Closed • January 29, Vinterfest • January 29, Lions Pancake Breakfast, 8-11:30 a.m. February • February 21, Presidents’ Day— Of-fice Closed • February 26, Fireball, 7 p.m.—midnight March • March 13, Daylight Savings Time Begins CITY OF SCANDIA Dedicated to Rural Community Values 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: Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. City Council: Christine Maefsky, Mayor 651.433.2684 Patti Ray 612.812.5590 Jerry Cusick 651.433.5865 Heather Benson 651.433.0168 Steve Kronmiller 651.538.0094 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: Ken Cammilleri, Administrator Brenda Eklund, City Clerk Colleen Firkus, Treasurer Brenda “Bee” Stignani, Office Assist, Parks & Rec Coord Charles Fischer, Director of Public Works Mike Hinz, Fire Chief Chris Nelson, Attorney Eckberg Lammers Ryan Goodman, Engineer Bolton & Menk Evan Monson, Planner, TKDA PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Scandia, MN 55073 PERMIT #6 Like us on Facebook for the Most Up-to-Date Information OCTOBER 2021 VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2 CITY OF SCANDIA Internet Expansion Update 2 2022 Budget Tax Levy 2 Recycling News 2 Best of Scandia Extravaganza 3 Parks & Recreation News 3 Public Works News 3 Fire & Rescue News 3 Community Calendar 4 A twice-yearly publication for residents of the City of Scandia, Minnesota Message From the Mayor It seems during this past year even more often than in the past, I’ve heard from people outside of our community telling me what a wonderful place Scandia is. When I say I’m from Scandia responses come such as “what a beautiful place that is.” Or “there are so many good things going on there.” When I think about why we are projecting this image, I think it is because we in Scandia continue to maintain our positive outlook on our people, our businesses and our future. We continue to celebrate Good Neighbors, active participation of community members on committees meant to improve our city, and interest in preserving our culture and heritage. We’re coming out of a summer/early fall where we’ve once again been able to gather together (with safety measures in place) a nd celebrate – Taco Daze arguably one of the best ever – the Midco thank you event topped by our elementary school story contest and winners posted along the Children’s Story Path at Lilleskogen Park. And, while not in person, our city government did have a joint council meeting via Zoom with our Sister City of Mellerud, Sweden. That was quite an enjoyable experience. Looking ahead, we have Vinterlights! and a craft sale set for November 28th and Vinterfest to be held on January 29th. We also will again be part of the Metro area ice sculpture celebration which brings new people to the Village Center and its businesses. Last year we chose an ice Dala Horse to represent Scandia; if you have any ideas for what we might choose this year, let us know. We’ve welcomed two new businesses, Thirsty Buffalo Saloon and Your Home Café. Be sure to frequent them to show support. And, check out Scandia Adventure Tours on the city website. Sponsored by our Tourism Committee, it invites people to visit and enjoy what Scandia has to offer. You might even learn new things about the city. www.cityofscandia.com/ScandiaAdventureTours Please keep in touch. c.maefsky@ci.scandia.mn.us Christine Maefsky Mayor Inside This Issue: Late last year, the City of Scandia initiated the process to update its Development Code regulations. This code requires changes in order to reflect the 2019 updates to the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Updating the Development Code also attempts to simplify this document to be more user friendly. Visual example illustrations are being added and creating what is referred to as a ‘unified development code.’ The intent is to simplify this code for the public, in addition to aiding the review process and interpreta- tion of code regulations for zoning officials. Finally, this updating process intends to refine the existing regulations to address any inconsistencies and to confirm that these regulations are still meeting community goals. The City is close to completing the drafting phase, but additional phases for refinement and public input activities are yet to come. The City invites all interested residents to get involved in this important policy discussion. Those who wish to participate at upcoming Code update workshops are encouraged to contact City Hall to be notified of future public meetings. ‘Twinning’ with Mellerud, Sweden The first online international meeting was held on August 24th between City Councils of Mellerud, Sweden and Scandia, Minnesota. Scandia requested “twinning” with Mellerud because many of Scandia’s original families with names such as Dahlin, Kuno, Abrahamson, Anderson, Edstrom, Engquist, Karrman and Scholstrom were from the Dalsland Province. The Sister City Committee has plans to connect with Mellerud through international tourism, a farmer exchange program, elementary school project exchanges, Lions Clubs, music and festivals, EDA business groups, arts and crafts and many more areas and activities. We also hope to share history connections through Gammelgården Muesum and Mellerud’s Museum och Skältforskningsarkiv. If you would like to join Scandia’s Sister City Committee, please contact Lynne Moratzka, gammelgardenlynne@frontiernet.net or Patti Ray, p.ray@ci.scandia.mn.us. Meetings are once a month on the fourth Wednesday. Vinterfest is scheduled January 29, 2022. We anticipate family friendly events all day. Due to potential public health guidance, most (if not all) of the events will be outdoors. Check the City’s website and the Country Messenger for event updates in early January. Development Code Update Process The City Council met September 3, 2021 in a Work Session to discuss and adopt a preliminary budget and levy for taxes payable 2022. As a part of this year’s preliminary levy process, the City Council has decided to aim for a net 0% change to tax rate. This year’s preliminary total tax levy is $2,579,051 which is an overall 2.68% increase in levy total over this year. The estimated tax rate for 2022 is 30.128% which is a -0.0624% difference from this year. The Preliminary General Fund Budget saw an overall 7% decrease in expenses, but its levy was increased by $201,300 to meet the City’s tentative fund balance goal of approximately 69% of next year’s expenditures. Highlights to this year’s preliminary general budget include potential funding for one additional seasonal summer maintenance worker, increases towards salary and benefits consistent with the City’s 2019-2020 pay scale study, and the replacement of deteriorated park tables and garbage & recycling receptacles. The Capital Expenditures included in this year’s preliminary budget are estimated to be approximately $1,845,000. Road improvement projects are scheduled for Melanie Trail North and 238th Street at approximately $700,000. Year 3 funding towards internet buildout is estimated to be approximately $310,000. $100,000 was tentatively set for funding the replacement of the playground at the Community Center Park, and $260,000 was set aside for the replacement of the City’s ditch mowing tractor. The community is encouraged to share its thoughts and concerns regarding this budget and levy. The City Council reserves the right to make budgetary adjustments and to lower the city levy anytime before December 30th. In addition, a public hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at 6:30pm. Please also feel free to attend an upcoming City Council meeting or reach out to the Mayor or any City Council Member should you wish to weigh in on this issue. Letters and emails are also strongly encouraged. We want to hear from you! Due to the limited space available, many details of this year’s preliminary budget and levy were not able to be included. Those seeking to view a copy of the 2022 preliminary budget and levy or those of previous years can obtain copies on the City’s website www.cityofscandia.com or by contacting City Hall. Preliminary Budget and Levy Page 2 CITY OF SCANDIA Scandia residents may bring leaves, grass clippings and tree waste to the Northern Yard Waste Site located at 5527 170th Street North in Hugo. Find more information at www.co.washington.mn.us/ yardwaste or call 651 275-7475. Yard Waste Tips and Reminders · Keep plastic bags, masks, wipes, and latex gloves out of the recycling bin. · If someone in your home has COVID-19, treat your recyclables as trash. · Don’t put your recyclables in plastic bags. · Clean and shake dry your recyclables to ensure products get recycled. · Break down cardboard boxes and put them in the recycling bin whenever possible. If it lights up, makes noise or moves without a plug, it has a battery! Batteries make our daily lives more convenient. Once they are used, though, they must be disposed of properly. Batteries cannot be placed in your curbside recycling bins because they can’t be picked out by the equipment designed to crush and sort large volumes of paper, glass and plastic. They are small and may damage equipment designed to break down larger recyclables. Batteries thrown in the trash or recycling can get punctured or crushed and cause fires at waste facilities. Some batteries also contain toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead or mercury, which can pose a threat to health and the environment. Be a battery hero! Visit the Washington County Disposal Directory for a battery recycler near you. Stores such as Target, OfficeMax and Walmart are some of the available locations that accept used rechargeable batteries. With so many different kinds of batteries, it can be confusing to know how to dispose of batteries correctly. Washington County Environmental Center accepts ALL batteries for free recycling, including rechargeable, button, and alkaline batteries. Since our expansion project began in 2019 we’ve grown the number of households served by high speed broadband (1 Gb/s Down and 20 Mb/s Up) from 848 locations to 1,263 having added 415 homes over the last two years. Up to 63 more locations are already set for construction as part of MidCo’s Rural Digital Opportunity Funds (federal support) expansion in 2022. There remain an estimated 589 locations yet to reach out of a total of 1,852. Therefore we’re at 70% coverage. Our 5 year plan calls for us to complete the expansion by the end of 2024. With 589 locations to reach over the next 3 years we’d need to average about 196 locations in each year, 2022,2023 and 2024. The city has been able to leverage its funding by tapping into funds from the state and MidCo. To this point the city has allocated $415,000 and has received matching funds totaling $1,266,861 ($589,182 from the state and $677,679 from MidCo). So Scandia was able to achieve a 3 to 1 match for its contribution. We hope to continue the expansion with ongoing assistance from city, county, state and federal funding and are working on firming up our plans for 2022. We will strive to reach our goal of adding about 200 households next year. As more details become available they will be posted on the city’s website. High Speed Internet Expansion Progress Report – Fall 2021 RECYCLE Be a Battery Hero Page 3 VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2 • Please meet our crews at the door and wear a mask if at all possible for 911 emergency calls, we are still being cautious about the COVID-19 virus • Mark your driveway or mailbox with at least 2” reflective numbers (visible from either direction) for fire, police, ambulance & other public safety members to quickly find your home in the event of an emergency. Additional markings are needed for shared driveways and mailbox clusters. See City Ordinance 152.20 on the city’s website for specifications of identification (www.cityofscandia.com) • Driveways must be accessible to fire engines. These trucks must have a clear path for travel that is 12’ wide by 14’ tall. Tree branches can cause damage to our vehicles responding to your home in times of crisis. Goodbye Summer and hello Fall….This Fall weather we are experiencing sure came in a hurry and sent all of us into fall and winter prep. Whether it is picking up your favorite mum at your local vendor, planting winter wheat, baking grandma’s secret apple pie recipe or inspecting your winter equipment in preparation for the frozen fluffy material (we won’t say the word quite yet), we are all in a way busy doing something. As winter is approaching remember to to prepare anything along your prop- erty in the Right of Way for winter. This would include mailboxes, cul- verts, landscaping, refuse containers, or vehicles and trailers. You should inspect, and replace if necessary, your mailbox soon. Please consider installing swing-arm style supports as they are designed with impact in mind. They cushion the impact by swinging out of the way if a car or snow comes in contact with the mailbox. Specifications are available on our Cit y w ebs it e a t : w w w . c i t y o f s c a n d i a . c o m / StreetsIceSnowMailboxes under the tab Streets: Ice and Snow Control section. Culvert preparation can be the key to preventing flooded ditches, roadways, or even potentially a basement. Please do what you can to clear culvert open- ings on either side of your driveway by removing brush, sand or soil, and fallen leaves. If you are not sure where your culvert is or believe it is damaged and not working properly, please contact us at 651-433-2274 or visit the City webpage and click on the How Do I: Submit, Service Request tab. If you have any landscaping in the Right of Way, please cut back any plant material close to or above the roadway and cover any delicate plants. This will help your plants as much as it will help us through the winter season. Garbage and Recycling containers can slow down the snow removal process during collection days. If collection day is during or a few days after a snow event, please remember to place the containers at the end of the driveway on the property side of the road and in a cleared area. When receptacles are placed in the roadway or snow bank, they become a safety hazard and make it difficult to fully clear snow from the roadway. Last, but not least, vehicles or trailers parked along the roadway should be moved off the road in a safe location. Thank you, and hope everyone has a safe fall and winter this year. Best of Scandia Holiday Shopping Extravaganza! We are happy to announce the Best of Scandia Holiday Shopping Extravaganza is scheduled for Sunday, November 28th from noon—5 p.m. as part of Scandia’s Vinterlights! The best artists, crafters, and retail stores in Scandia will all be at the Community Center for your Holiday shopping convenience. Mark your calendars as this event is not to be missed! If you would like a vendor table at this event, please contact Sue Dickens, sjdickens2000@yahoo.com, Kirsten Libby, kirsten@libbylawoffice.com or Patti Ray, p.ray@ci.scandia.mn.us Scandia Fire & Rescue October 31 * 5-7 pm, Safe Halloween Event at the Scandia Fire Station Scandia-Marine Lions providing food, and candy will be handed out. Scandia Public Works Household Prescription Drug “Take Back” Event In cooperation with the Washington County Sheriff's office and Department of Public Health, the Scandia Fire & Rescue department will host a Household Prescription Drug “Take Back” Event on Saturday, October 23rd, 10 a.m.—2 p.m.. Bring the following items directly to the Scandia Fire Department at 15040 Scandia Trail N: household prescriptions, over-the-counter, and pet medications. Do NOT bring needles, used EpiPens, syringes, lancets or thermometers. We also cannot accept any liquid chemotherapy drug or vaping devices or e-liquids. However, these items are accepted at the Environmental Center, 4039 Cottage Grove Dr, Woodbury, MN 55129. Year round drop boxes are located in Cottage Grove, Forest Lake, Hugo, Mahtomedi, Stillwater and Woodbury. For locations & hours, visit: www.co.washington.mn.us/meds . Or, for more information, call 651-275-7476. Please help the Scandia Parks & Recreation Committee select the name for the newest Scandia park on Orwell Ave N. The survey is open until October 21, 2021. Go to www.cityofscandia.com/ParkSurvey to participate. Scandia Parks & Recreation department will offer three ice skating classes this winter for elementary school aged students. 1. Learn to Skate—Beginner / Advanced 2. Pleasure Skate 3. Hockey Skills Watch for registration to open in December! Kids Winter Programming Park Survey!