September 2005 Shore ReportSeptembei
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1
THE
INSIDE
2006 Budget Process Underway
estimated to be $503,800, compared to the
2005 levy of $496,792.
The City Council will hold Truth -In- Taxation
public hearings this year in December, before
approval of the final 2006 budget and tax
levy. Residents are encouraged to attend the
Truth -In- Taxation meetings and to comment
on the proposed budget and tax levy. The
proposed 2006 budget will be available for
inspection during normal business hours at
the City offices after September 15, 2005. A
copy will also be posted on the City web site,
www.ci.shorewood.mmus, after approval by
the City Council in September. Z9
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Park News ................
Council Activities .........
Recycling /Environment ...
Senior Corner .............
Community Events........
Unsafe Driving............
Cooking Fires .............
T HE CITY COUNCIL has been holding budget
work- sessions since June to review the 2006
draft operating budget and Capital Improvement
Plan (CIP). The preliminary 2006 budget and
tax levy must be approved and certified to the
state by September 15, as required by Truth -
In- Taxation laws. The preliminary budget will
be prepared according to the priorities and
programs identified by the Council. The City is
not subject to levy limits for Pay2006. The City
includes a "special levy" to accommodate the
debt service payments that are made annually
to fund the public safety buildings. For 2006,
Shorewood's share of this "special levy" is
Highway 19 Construction Update
S EVERE HEAT AND WET weather this summer
has delayed the removal of utility poles by
Xcel energy along the Highway 19 construction
corridor. The removal of these poles and the
connection of the new underground facilities
must be complete before road construction can
continue. Construction of the retaining walls
along the corridor has continued.
The original schedule called for the project
to have retaining walls, curbs and gutters, the
base course (first lift) of asphalt, sidewalks
Shorewood
Wine Club
Tasting Event
EMBERS OF THE new wine club at
Shorewood Liquors enjoyed a great
evening in July tasting wine while enjoying
the views from aboard the Queen of Excelsior
II on Lake Minnetonka. The second wine club
event, Wine 101 & More, is scheduled to take
place on Wednesday, September 14, from 7 to
9 pm. This educational and wine tasting event
is free to club members.
If you have not yet joined the Shorewood
Liquors Wine Club, stop by either Shorewood
Liquor Store, Shorewood Liquor East - 19905
State Hwy 7 (Waterford Mall), or Shorewood
Liquor West - 236700 State Hwy 7 (Shorewood
Village Shopping Center). You are also able to
download a brochure and application from the
City web site, www.ci.shorewood.mn.us.
and major landscaping in place by snowfall
of 2005. Due to the delays, it is probable that
the sidewalks, landscaping and a portion of
the color treatment for the smaller retaining
walls may not be completed until spring of
2006, and that the center median islands
may not be placed this fall. Temporary
striping and construction delineators will be
used over the winter months.
Motorists are reminded to drive slowly
through the construction area, and plan ahead
for possible construction delays. Check the
City web site for current updates. If you have
any questions about the construction project,
please contact the City Engineer at 952/401 -
1637.
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THE SHORE REPORT /S EPTEMBER 2005
Parks News and Events
Park Commission to Sponsor Buckthorn Bust!
I F You HAVE A wooded lot you are
be able to borrow for removing buckthorn
well aware of the magnitude of the
in their own yards. Our hope is that by
buckthorn problem. Buckthorns are a
learning how to identify and properly
group of non - native shrubs that have
remove this nuisance vegetation we
invaded Minnesota's woodlands and
can take the message back to our own
wetlands. Their
neighborhoods and tackle the problem
dense infestations
there.
crowd out native
If you are interested in participating in
woodland plants
this event. whether as an attendee or as a
and prevent saplings
volunteer group leader, please contact the
from growing. Many
Park Commission in care of City Hall for
types of birds eat
more information. Further details and a
the berries and help
sign -up form will appear in the October
spread the problem
newsletter. ED
to other areas however most of the seeds
Site Davis, Chair
land beneath the parent tree. The ground
Park Commission
under a mature buckthorn can have as
many as 75 seeds per square foot and if
you have a moderate infestation, as many
Skate Park
of us do, not much else can grow.
The Park C'nmmiccinn 1-inc lnna cx,antP 1
Th
Adds Equipment
to tackle buckthorn education. Since
buckthorn retains its leaves late into
the fall, we will host a Buckthorn Bust
in early November in Freeman Park
with the help of Master Gardener Kathe
White. Individuals, families, classes and
groups are invited to sign up and attend
one of several educational presentations
followed by a buckthorn identification
and removal session in the park. The
commission is also purchasing two weed
wrenches that Shorewood residents will
S KATE BOARD ENTHUSIASTS should
make sure they stop by South Shore
Community Park(SS)— 5355 St. Albans
Bay Road, to try the new skate ramp added
by the Shorewood Park Commission.
The skate park is a great spot for
beginning skate boarders to try the ramps
and other pieces of equipment. If you
have any questions or comments about
the skate park and the equipment, please
contact City Hall, 952/474 -3236, or email
citylrall @ci.shorewoodanln.us.
Shorewood Pare
Foundation Board Position
FIE SHOREWOOD PARKS FOUNDATION is seeking the application of persons interested
in serving on its Board of Directors. The Parks Foundation is a non - profit, volunteer
organization that was formed in 1994 for the purpose of improving, promoting and
preserving City parks, park programs and improvements and public open spaces through
independent fundraising efforts. Some of the projects that the Parks Foundation has been
instrumental in organizing are the annual Art for the Parks show and the new plaza in
Freeman Park near Eddy Station. There are nine positions on the Board of Directors. We
welcome all persons with interest or experience in community parks and recreation, or
fundraising activities to apply. You need not be a resident of Shorewood to be a Board
Member on the Parks Foundation. Interested persons should submit a letter of interest
to Ken Dallman, Chair, Shorewood Parks Foundation, c/o City Hall, 5755 Country
Club Road, 55331; Fax: 952/474 -0128; email: cityhal l @ci.shorewood.iirn.ars.-`
Since the last newsletter,
the City Council:
• Adopted a resolution making a
contribution to the Senior Community
Services for programming at the
Southshore Community Center.
• Approved the Excelsior Fire District
2006 proposed operating budget.
Shorewood continues to receive
exceptional value in its services from
the Excelsior Fire District for its
contribution toward the operating
budget in the amount of S538,278 for
Fiscal Year 2006.
• Accepted the Mound Fire Department
2006 proposed budget. Shorewood's
contribution to this budget for fire
services for Island residents within the
City was $26,421,
• Heard a report from the City Engineer
regarding the lack of progress recently
made on County Road 19 due to
financial issues associated with the
project management due to work
failures by Xcel Energy.
• Heard a report by Lake Minnetonka
Conservation District Chair, Tom
Skramstad. Mr. Skramstad reported
on several activities of the LMCD,
noting several items including issues
associated with de -icing permits,
milfoil harvesting, zebra mussel
prevention programming, formation of
a boat density committee, an outreach
initiative, solar lighting, the Water
Patrol Deputy project, user attitude
surveys, Minnehaha Creek Watershed
District, and LMCD budget.
Adopted a resolution ordering
preparation of plans, specifications
and estimate for the Wedgewood
Drive, Mallard Lane, and Teal Circle
reconstruction project, including an
additional item directing staff to
prepare a feasibility study including
street reconstruction, drainage, and
municipal water service as part of that
project. Further communications with
residents impacted by that project are
anticipated later in the year.
www.ci.shorewood.mn.us 2
Recycling/Environment News
RECYCLING GROWS UP AND PAYS OFF
Y OU EMPTY A PLASTIC milk jug, your
hand pausing over the garbage can.
It's the moment of truth....
Do you drop it in? Or do you take time to
rinse it and place it in the recycling bin?
Consider this:
If you recycle, you'll help save enough
electricity to power 321,000 homes for
a year. That's more households than
Minneapolis and St. Paul combined.
Not worth it? You'll also help keep the
equivalent of 203,000 tons of coal from
burning. That means fresher air and less
toxic mercury in our lakes and streams.
There's more:
Start recycling and you will help to
support jobs —paying an average of $15
an hour— for some 19,000 Minnesotans.
Finally:
Keep recyclable materials out of the
landfill and you'll be contributing to
the state's tax revenue without paying
a dime. The recycling industry adds $64
million to Minnesota state tax coffers
every year.
Minnesota curbside recycling is growing
up. Gone is its infancy, 16 years ago, when
newspapers piled up with no place to go,
when plastic wasn't recycled, and when
the only return on recycling was the good
feeling of helping Mother Earth.
Today, emerging businesses, often in
small Minnesota towns, use recycled
material to make their products:
Old newspapers become egg cartons
in Moorhead; plastic milk and laundry
detergent jugs turn into building lumber
in Worthington and Paynesville; old
cardboard becomes new cardboard in
Becker.
Recycling, the robust teenager, now
adds nearly $3 billion to the state's
economy yearly. The material it produces
has become a valuable commodity.
Recyclable materials are traded
overnight as we sleep, worldwide, just
like corn and soybeans, dollars and yen.
Nearly one of every four tons of collected
paper leaves the United States. About
half of that goes to China, including tons
of paper collected at curbs in St. Paul
that ends up at Nine Dragons mills in
China. Brokers of Chinese companies, as
well as carpet mills in Georgia, are also
looking for Minnesota's waste plastic.
Meanwhile, Mater Mark Plastics in
Paynesville imports 30 million pounds
of recycled plastic jugs annually from
Greensboro, N.C.
Local governments often share in
the profits. Minneapolis, for example,
received $1.5 million from the sale of
its recycling last year and is on track to
THE SHOREREPORTI SEPTEMBER ZOOS
reap even more this year. Manufacturers
use the material to make new products.
Sometimes it's the same item: a glass
bottle becomes another glass bottle, the
newspaper on your doorstep has been
there before, as a newspaper.
Other times, the recycled product takes
a far different shape: the old phone book
becomes a box for cake mix: the new deck
is made from plastic jugs and sawdust.
For more information on recycling and
recycled products, visit Recycle Minnesota
at www.recycleminnesota.org.0
Reduce, Reuse, Recycling Through the Ages
T HE CONCEPT OF Reduce, Reuse
and Recycle has had a part in the
United States since its beginnings. There
have been many ups and downs for the
environment throughout the years, but
recycling is finally in the mainstream and
is hopefully here to stay.
Some interesting history
includes:
1800s: Cotton is scarce, and scrap wool
is collected for use in stuffing mattresses
and making saddles and military uniforms
and blankets. Recycled wool was called
"shoddy."
1880s: Immigrant and poor families
comb the streets for rags and bones and
goods to repair and sell. They lived on
streets with names such as `Bottle Alley"
and "Ragpicker's Row."
1930s: During the Depression, many
people hang onto what they have, fixing
and making do or doing without. They
save the odd shoe or piece of string, "just
in case it's needed later."
World War Il: If you didn't recycle, you
were aiding the enemy. A poster featuring
a Japanese soldier read: "Honorable
Spy Say: Thanks for the can you throw
away."
1960s and 70s: Hippies and other
counterculture types embrace recycling
and re -use. Groups operate voluntary
recycling centers, often in conjunction
with food co -ops.
1987. The garbage barge Mobro roams
the Eastern Seaboard, looking for a place
to unload. The well - publicized dilemma
makes landfills and recycling hot issues.
1908: Waldorf Paper Mill opens in the
Midway area between Minneapolis and
St. Paul. With no forests nearby, the
recycling mill uses scrap paper from the
Twin Cities.
World War I. People eat "meatless and
wheatless" and collect scrap.
1920s: During the Roaring `20s,
Americans begin to embrace a consume -
and -waste lifestyle. Recycling and re-
using, once done by all, is now considered
low -class behavior.
1989: Curbside recycling becomes law in
Minnesota. Block captains set out signs
weekly, reminding their neighbors that
"Tomorrow is Your Recycling Day."
2000: In Minnesota, 46 percent of all
garbage generated is recycled, the highest
recycling rate in the nation.
2005: Recycling contributes millions
to the state's economy. Meanwhile,
recycling goes global. Minnesota scrap
travels to markets across the country and
even to China. S
www.d.shorewood.mn.us
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Ste or�
A day trip to Stillwater will be offered
on Wednesday, September 7. The
trip will include a narrated trolley ride of
historic Stillwater, lunch at the Lowell Inn
(cost on your own), tour of a winery, and
time to stroll downtown and visit the many
shops. The cost is $29 and the van departs
from Southshore at 8:45 AM,
T he Slice of the Center Day for
Southshore Center will be held on
Monday, September 12. The day will
offer a preview of programs being offered
for fall at the Center. Beginning at 10
AM, a program will be offered called
"The Price is Right" with ideas on senior
discounts. At 10:30 AM the program will
be "New Alternatives in Senior Healthcare
Treatments" and at 11:15 a "Living With
Strength -- Techniques to Strengthen Your
Body ". A lunch will be served at noon
with a slice of pie for dessert. At 12:45
PM a Texas Hold'em quick lesson and
playtime will be offered. The cost for the
entire day, including lunch is $4. Call the
Center to register.
he MN History Center will offer a
program on "Cass Gilbert, A Capitol
Architect" at its Senior in Mind program
on Tuesday, September 13. The bus will
leave the center at 9:15 AM and the cost
is $15.
AA will offer a senior driver
improvement program at the
Center on Friday, September 16 from
I to S PM. To reregister call toll free 1-
888- 234 -1294.
The Southshore Center is located at 5735
Country Club Road, Shorewood. The office
is open daily from 8 :30 Amto 4 Pm.. For more
information or to register for classes call
(952) 474 -7635.
The heart of active living
ALL IS HERE and it's time to get out
and enjoy the harvest weather in
downtown Excelsior. Enjoy apples,
antiques, art, accessories, awesome
edibles, entertainment, family fun, Red
Wagon and Doll Buggy Parade at Noon.
Free parking all day.
Purgatory Creek Race &
Family Fun Walk
Saturday, Sept. 17; 9 AM
J OIN FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS at Purgatory
Creek Recreation Area, Prairie Center
Drive and Technology Drive in Eden
Prairie, for this fun family event! The
event includes a IOK race and a 2' /s mile
Family Fun Walk. Event brochures are
available at City Hall, or go online to
www .rileypurgatorybluffcreek.org.
Taste of the Lakes
Friday, Sept. 16; 6:30 - midnight
Bayview Event Center
A N EVENT OF THE Lake M innetonka
Chamber of Commerce, this evening
features samples of fine cuisine from local
establishments, live music by the Tropics
Steel Drums, dancing and a silent auction.
For tickets or more information, call
952/471 -0768.
Public Auction: SLMPD
Saturday, Sept. 18; 9 AM
T HERE WILL BE A PUBLIC auction of
bicycles and other miscellaneous
property at the South Lake Minnetonka
Police Department.
MHS Homecoming Parade
Downtown Excelsior
Friday, September 23; 4 PM
E VERYONE LOVES a parade, so bring
the entire family to this annual
Minnetonka High School Homecoming
event!! The Varsity football game against
Armstrong is at 7 Pm.
24100 Smithtown Road
M ARK YOUR calendar for this popular
eve nt! Watch the October Shore
Report for complete information.
Hennepin County
Library
Excelsior:
Used Book Sale
Saturday, Sept. 10, 8 AM -4 PM
T HIS BOOK SALE TAKES place during
the Excelsior Apple Day celebration.
Bargain hunters and book lovers take
note: the Friends of the Excelsior Library
will hold a sale of hundreds of adult and
children's fiction and nonfiction books in
hardcover and paperback. Funds raised
will benefit the library. Book donations
accepted at the library through Sept. 8
(no textbooks, magazines or phonograph
records please).
Language Learning Online
Using Rosetta Stone:
Quick Class
Saturday, Oct. 8, 11 -11:30 AM
I NTRODUCTION TO ROSETTA STONE, an
online language learning program for
24 languages (including English). Rosetta
Stone allows you to practice and improve
your speaking, reading and writing skills
in a new language! Available to registered
Hennepin County Library users from
home, school or office.
Westonka:
Scrapbook Savvy!
Saturday, Oct. 1, 1 PM
Registration required, begins Sept. 1.
F or adults, teens, kids in grade 5 and
up. Bring your own double -sided tape
or photo -safe adhesive, as well as photos
or keepsakes. Additional materials will
be provided.
www,ci.shorewood.tnn.us
Apple Day Excelsior Fire District
Saturday, Sept. 10; 9 AM -4 PM Fire Prevention Open House
Excelsior Thurs. Oct. 13; 6:30 -8:30 PM
THE SHORf REPORT I SEPTEMBER 2005
Are You an Unsafe Driver?
I N 2004, THERE WERE 567 traffic deaths in
Minnesota. To date in 2005, there have
been 290 (through the same time period
last year, there were 263). The South Lake
Minnetonka Police Department again
urges drivers to:
.Buckle Up
Seat belts are the most effective safety
devices in vehicles. In potentially fatal
frontal crashes, they increase your chance
of survival by 45 % in a car and 60% in a
light truck. Without wearing a seat belt,
a 35 M.P.H. crash is the equivalent of
falling from a third -story window.
An airbag is a supplemental restraint
system; it is meant to work with a seat belt,
not by itself. Airbags in your dashboard
only work in frontal crashes. If your car
is rear - ended, hit on the side or rolls over,
the air bag won't protect you -- but your
seat belt wili.
All children should be secured in child
safety seats, booster seats, or seat belts
(whichever is appropriate for their size
and age) every time they ride in a car
or truck. Officer David Hohertz of the
SI.MPD is a Certified Child Passenger
Safety Technician and is available to assist
you with properly installing your child
safety seat. Call him at 952/474 -3261
to schedule an appointment. You may
also visit I ww.buckleupkids.state.inn.us
for further information on transporting
children safely.
Slow Down
Many motorists wrongly believe that
speeding is not a great risk to safety or
as serious as other traffic violations. In
reality, the consequences of excessive
speed include greater potential for loss
of vehicle control, increased stopping
distance, and increased crash severity
leading to more numerous and severe
injuries, or fatalities. South Lake officers
take these facts seriously and will continue
to firmly enforce speed limits.
Pay Attention
When it comes to driver distraction,
we've come a along way from just tuning
the car radio. Today, it is common to
see drivers eating meals on the run,
checking voicemails and e -mails from
cell phones, and engaging in other
dangerous distractions. Now, more than
ever, it is important that drivers prepare
themselves for the unpredictable behaviors
of other drivers, disabled vehicles, adverse
weather conditions, and other potential
dangers that they may encounter. Being
focused allows motorists to react quickly
and correctly in any situation. For more
information, visit the Minnesota Office of
Traffic Safety website at ivww.dps.state.
Inn. uslotsl.
Drive Sober
Last year in Minnesota, alcohol - related
crashes killed 255 people. Each year,
more than 30,000 people are arrested
in Minnesota for DWI. As of August 1,
2005, if your blood alcohol concentration
(BAC) level is 0.08% or higher (0.04 %
in a commercial vehicle) and you are in
control of a moving or parked vehicle,
you can be arrested for driving while
intoxicated (DWI). If a law enforcement
officer can prove that alcohol caused
you to commit driving errors, you can be
convicted of DWI at even lower alcohol
concentrations. Among law enforcement
agencies of similar size, the SLMPD is a
leader in drunken driving arrests. M
Dave Hohertz
South Lake Minnetonka Police Department
Cooking
IRE CAUSED BY cooking remain s
leading cause of home fires
injuries in the United States. Frequ
these fires occur because people leave
cooking food unattended. The fire often
starts within the first 15 minutes of
cooking, showing that there is no safe
period to leave cooking unattended. A
National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) Study found that, on average,
there were 117,100 home fires involving
cooking equipment each year. These fires
resulted in over 370 deaths, up to 4,290
injuries, and $453 million in property
damage.
Cooking fires are not confined to the
family kitchen. Cooking fires can occur on
grills, turkey fryers, and any open flame
or heat source used for cooking.
Cooking fires are especially dangerous
because people do not know how to put
Things to keep in mind:
• DON'T LEAVE COOKING FOOD ON
THE STOVE TOP UNATTENDED.
Keep a watch on food cooking in the
oven or microwave.
• Do not cook with loose or long sleeves
that can dangle onto stove burners. Do
not reach across burners for spices,
etc.
• If your clothes catch on fire, STOP
DROP and ROLL!
• Keep combustibles away from cooking
surfaces. Pot holders, rags, curtains,
bags, dish towels, and kitchen appliances
should be kept a good distance away
from any open cooking flame.
• Turn pot handles in towards the middle
Home Fires
of the stove.
• Enforce a "kid -free zone" three feet
around any cooking area. Keep pets
from underfoot.
• Keep turkey fryers and grills a safe
distance away from buildings. Never
use any outside cooking appliance
under the eaves of a building. Never
use gasoline to start a grill! In a turkey
fryer, only use the frying oil recommend
by the manufacturer.
• Don't cook if you are feeling drowsy,
are starting a new medication or are.
feeling the effects of alcohol or drugs.
• Like all the detectors in your home
make sure your smoke detector in your
kitchen area is working!! Test your
smoke detectors once a month. ZD
Kelli Murphy- Ringate
Excelsior Fire District
5 www.d.shorewood.mn.us
Major Cause of
the them out properly. Cooking fires should
and be smothered by covering a pan with a lid
ently or closing a door to oven.
CITY OF SHOREWOOD
¢� 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
Zi 7 SHOREWOOD, MN 55331
(952)474.3236 FAX (952)474.0128
Public Works (952) 401.1637
Monday - Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM
Council Members
Woody Love, Mayor
Christine Lizde, Ward 1
�, er
Laura Turgeon, Ward 2
Paula Callies, Ward 3
Martin Wellens, Ward 4
City Administrator: Craig Dawson
Newsletter Editor: Julie Moore
This newsletter is printed on recycled paper.
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S.POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #30681
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
W1P1
I
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What's Happening in the City?
W1 P 1: Ward 1, Precinct 1
W 1 P2: Ward 1, Precinct 2
W2P1:Ward 2, Precinct 1
W3P1: Ward 3, Precinct 1
X Polling Place
W4P1: Ward 4, Precinct 1
Public S afety A Building
Cry Hall/
Southshore Center
X
W2P1
W3P1
Planning Commission Public Hearings Help Wanted
The following items are on the Planning Commission agenda
for September 6, 2005:
1. The owner of 25765 Smithtown Road is requesting approval of a Conditional Use
Permit to allow total accessory space over 1200 square feet in order to add a detached
garage to the property. A public hearing is scheduled for 7:00 Pmt.
2. The property owner of 23975 Yellowstone Trail is requesting to rezone his property
from R-1 A, Single - Family Residential, to R -2A, Single or Two - Family Residential.
A public hearing is scheduled for 7:15 Pmt.
3. The Commission will consider rezoning the Badger Well property, 5745 Country
Club Road (City property near Badger Field Park) from C -3, General Commercial,
to R -1C, Single - Family Residential. A public hearing will be held at 7:15 Pmt.
4. The property owner of 24835 Yellowstone Trail is applying for a minor subdivision
to create one additional residential lot. A public hearing is not required.
5. The owners of properties located at 25070 Smithtown Road, 5615 and 5635 Fairway
Drive are requesting approval of lot line rearrangements between the three sites. A
public hearing is not required.
T HE C ITY OF SHOREWOOD is looking for
a part-time receptionist to work at the
front desk in City Hall.
This paid position will work on an on-
call basis to fill the receptionist position
during some meetings, vacations, etc. For
more information contact Jean at City
Hall, 952/474 -3236. Letters of interest
and resumes can be sent to City Hall,
5755 Country Club Road, 55331; or
email, cityhall @ci.shorewood.mn.us; or
fax 952/474 -0128.
Recycling Update
D UE TO THE LABOR DAY holiday,
recycling for Mainland will be
Thursday, September 8; Island will be
Friday, September 9.0
THE SHORE REPORT I SEPTEMBER 2005