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August 1998 Shore Reportzr_tr.� Hear Us With There have been some improvements to the Council Chambers at City Hall this summer. A built in audio /video system has been installed which has resulted in better sound and vision for those who view the City Council meetings on Cable as well as those who attend meetings. We want citizens to be more at ease about attending meetings and about voicing their thoughts. The new system creates a more comfortable situation because: • People speaking from their seats can be heard and seen without having to stand or approach the podium. • There is not a large visible camera being aimed directly at the person who is speaking. • Microphones are suspended from the ceiling so that people can be heard on cable T.V. without having to go to the podium. • Visual presentations such as charts, maps, graphs, data, etc. will be projected via a computerized system to a screen for better clarity, and also directly to video for cablecast of the meetings. There are still some cosmetic repairs and improvements slated for this year to complete the project. The environment of the Council Chambers will hopefully have an updated feel and look to go along with the new sound and view. All In The Family P ublic Works employee, Dan Randall is truly celebrating a 25 year milestone as a member of the City of Shorewood crew. He started working for Shorewood when it was just a village and he was just a lad. Dan's father literally housed the public works department in his back yard on Smithtown Road in the early years. He was also an employee for Shorewood (then the Excel- sior Township) from the 1920's to the 70's. Being the seventh of eight children, Dan often helped his father with errands. As a teen, he would sometimes drive one of the two trucks to pick up a load of rock or help with running a backhoe or plow. At the age of 21, Dan's career with the Village of Shorewood officially began. He was then one of a four man crew people have come to know what a truly caring and helpful person Dan is because of his work there. And he approaches his work for the City in the same spirit of concern and service for others. When Dan speaks of his family, there is an extra sparkle in his eye. He, his wife Chris, and their four daughters live in Tonka Bay. He is very involved in softball as a player and as a coach for girl's softball. In the fall, he likes to spend time hunting. Dan credits the department leadership and staff for the positive work environment which allows him to go above and beyond the call of duty in his service to residents. He has a personal goal in his work to change public opinion about the reputation of government workers. He is proud of the work ethic and sincerity of the entire crew. Residents who have seen Dan in action are impressed by that very thing. Another avocation which Dan "inherited" from his father was the Woodside Cemetery Association. Many Disaster R B ecause of widespread damage throughout eight metropolitan area counties this spring and summer, the City of Shorewood has become eligible for Federal and State Disaster Assistance funds, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has indicated that it was a unique set of storms and circumstances in our area which caused our City to qualify for the federal and state reimbursement. (continued on page 4) INSIDE THIS ISSUE TrailTalk .......... ............................... S M 2 Communications Corner ................. T {_ S Early Shorewood ............................. AUGUST EVE Community Events .......................... 3 Senior Center ... ............................... 3 Recycling News ............................... 3 Shorewood Events Map .................. 4 Free Tree Care Workshop ............... 4 1 8/3 7:00 Council Work Session 8/4 7:00 Planning Comm. Mtg. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 8/10 7:00 City Council Meeting (� 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 8/11 7:30 Park Comm. Mtg. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 8/17 7:00 Council Work Session Q 8/18 7:00 Planning Comm. Mtg. 23 4 25 26 27 28 29 8/24 7:00 City Council Meeting & Work Session 30 31 8/31 7:00 Council Work Session Underlining indicates cablecast of Council meetings - see schedule on page 3. INSIDE THIS ISSUE TrailTalk .......... ............................... 2 Land Conservation Report .............. 2 Communications Corner ................. 2 Special Election Page ............ Insert Early Shorewood ............................. 3 Community Events .......................... 3 Senior Center ... ............................... 3 Recycling News ............................... 3 Shorewood Events Map .................. 4 Free Tree Care Workshop ............... 4 T he City of Shorewood has just celebrated the second anniversary of its initial presence on the world wide web. This communication tool has been developed with the help of some very loyal residents and a couple staff members, all at a nominal cost. While we have tried diligently to keep our site current and informative for you, we have come short of our goal of late. Our service provider,although cost effective, has made many modifications which have caused us some down time. That, coupled with timing of vacations among our small staff has left us with a "not so up -to -date site." We do apologize and anticipate being more current in the very near future. In the meantime, we hope you still find this tool an effective means of getting information about Shorewood, and also as one method to communicate your thoughts. Visit us at: www.state.net/shorewood or Send us a message at: cityhall@shorewood.state.net H eat P eople have become increasingly aware of the need to protect their own health and the health of their children from over - exposure to heat and sun. In the process, we may not always think of the pets who also depend upon us for protection. Yes, their un- domesticated cousins and ancestors have survived the elements and they didn't need luxuries such as air conditioning. Yet these critters in the city who live with people do not always have access to relief from the heat. If your pet is left outside for the day, be sure it has a sheltered area for escaping from the sun, heat or severe weather. And in summer as well as winter, ani- mals need lots of clean drinking water throughout the day to prevent dehydration. Finally, in all seasons, pets need your time and attention because they are social creatures, too. T he Excelsior Fire Department Auxiliary is selling reflective address markers for your house or mailbox. Their goal is that the address of every home in the community will be properly marked so that emergency services can find the home more easily at night and daytime. The effort is also intended to raise money for the fire department and the purchase of new equipment. For more information, contact the auxiliary at 474 -5364. Jtzve a qff xj � T he City of Shorewood is more than 90% developed. In order to balance the economic pressure to develop land and the desire to protect open space, the Ad Hoc Land Conservation Committee is developing a Land Conservation Program for the City. The Committee has recently started meeting twice a month. The Committee consists of three Shorewood residents: Dean Riesen, Committee Chair; Frank Svoboda; and Fred Bruno. City staff involved with the Committee are Jim Hurm, City Administrator; Brad Nielsen, Planning Director; and Erica Johnson, Planning Intern. The Committee will recommend objectives and a work -plan for land conservation to the City Council in November. The Committee is researching land protection tools for citizens and local governments, such as conservation easements. One of the goals is to educate the City Council and Shorewood residents about land protection options with round table discussions and newsletter articles. If you have questions about the Committee or land conservation in Shorewood, contact Dean Riesen or Jim Hurm at City Hall (474- 3236). You will see more of the Committee in future newsletters. A trail and park Citizen Review roup has met on three Thursday evenings in July. The group of about sixteen persons volunteered to participate from a randomly selected list of citizens. Facilitator, Mark Koegler of the Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc., lead the group through exercises to: identify issues to be addressed as part of the trail planning process, • evaluate each side of the issues, and • consider options to resolve each issue. They also spent time reviewing Shorewood's parks and identifying what might yet be needed to complete park development. The results of all the information gathering will be reported to the Park Commission at its August 11 meeting. The Commission will review the material and consider further steps. For example, the input will be used to guide park improvement recommendations in the Capital Improvement Program and to determine if and how trails should be pursued. Gnat Chips? Wood chips will continue e to be available at Freeman 0 Park until the supply is depleted or moored away forever. Street Sealcoating L ast month's issue of the Citizen Informer included a list of streets to be given a coat of fresh bituminous, followed by a new layer of small rock. One more street has been added to the projects for August. Wood Duck Circle will be sealcoated in addition to the following streets: Apple Road, Bracketts Road, Brom's Boulevard, Cardinal Drive, Chaska Road, Christmas Lake Road, Christmas Lane, Covington Road, Deer Ridge, Hillendale, Lilac Lane, Murray Court, Murray Street, Radisson Entrance, Radisson Road and Stratford Place. Residents should note that the contractor will post signs for no parking on the evening prior to the day that work is scheduled to be done on each street. Citizen Informer/ August 1998 2 IR Minnetonka Reminiscences b y George Day (1845 -1937) Reprinted courtesy of the Excelsior -Lake Minnetonka Historical Society Editor's note: This segment is a continuation of the oral history account that was printed in the last issue of the Citizen Informer. While this is certainly not one of the many pleasant sides to our local history, it has been included because it is indeed apart of the reality of our local history. It is one account of the turbulent relationship between tribes of the area. Indians Return to Their Old Camping Ground (continued) I will say here that Cut Nose [referenced earlier as a leader of a band of Sioux] - so named on account of the absence of a portion of that useful member, lost in fight - was one of the most cruel and blood- thirsty of the savage band that under the leadership of Little Crow in August, 1862, swept the Minnesota frontier, leaving a trail of murdered men, women and children. Cut Nose, the Sioux, Had Slain Ten Chippewas Cut Nose was afterward captured and with thirty -seven others was hanged at Mankato. On the scaffold he sang his death song and boasted of killing seventeen men, women and children. While he was camped in Excelsior, I went into Cut Nose's teepee and found the old villain sitting in state with his blanket wrapped around him and ten eagle feathers in his hair, of which he was very proud. He volunteered the information by words and signs that every feather represented a Chippewa slain by himself. Holding up both hands and pointing to the feathers he grunted "Nepo Chippewa." (George Day published these accounts in 1918 when he was 73 years old. The events described in this section occurred when Mr Day was in his teens. He enlisted for a three year service in the army, Company B, Minnesota Volunteers in 1862, at the age of 17) Council on Cable City Council meetings can be seen on Cable Channel at the following times: August 10 Meeting Wednesday, August 12 at 5:30 pm Saturday, August 14 at 10:00 am August 24 Meeting Wednesday, August 26 at 5:30 pm Saturday, August 28 at 10:00 am Comm unity Opportunities For Kids: AlphaBits Music will be at the Excelsior Library on Wed., August 5 at 7:00 p.m. and the Schiffelly Puppets will entertain for an End of the Summer Party on Wed., August 12 at 10:30 & 11:30 a.m. • • • • • Remember to cruise Lake Minnetonka on the restored Minnehaha yet this summer. Call the ticket office for prices and scheduling (474 - 4801). Office hours are: Wed. to Fri., Noon to 5 p.m. and Weekends 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. • • • • • The local Farmers Market continues in Excelsior on Thursdays from 2 to 7 p.m. through October. Stop by Lyman Park on Water Street and see the variety of wares to buy. • • • • • The Southwest Hennepin Branch of the American Red Cross is offering classes in the area during the month of August. Course topics are CPR and First Aid at various levels. They also offer Instructor Courses. Call 872 -3245 for details. I n 1996 in the metro area, 102,735 gallons of latex paint was collected at household hazardous waste sites. A large volume of this paint was still useable. These are some suggestions on what you could do with extra paint: • First of all, minimize the amount of leftovers by purchasing only enough to finish the job. Calculate the area to be painted and plan on approximately one gallon of paint per 400 sq. ft. • Consider donating leftover paint to a school's theater group or a neighborhood church or community project. • To keep leftover paint from drying out, cover the can with plastic wrap before replacing the lid tightly and store the can upside down. • Also keep the paint in a place where it will not freeze. • Blend and mix similar colors for larger jobs or use as a primer when the finish is not critical. Be a Center [, R ent er T he Southshore Senior Community Center has been open Q 4 � ,, for almost one year and people are discovering what a beautiful facility it is. The Center is available for rental by groups of various sizes for business meetings, sports banquets, family reunions, birthday & anniversary parties, wedding receptions and other gatherings. The rent is reasonable and it is permissible to serve alcoholic beverages. Call 474 -7635 for details and reservations. Senior Corner August Outings for Seniors For all of the special events described below, call the Center at 474 -7635 for information and to make reservations. Wednesday, August 5 "Women Through the Ages ", a musical and theatrical presentation at the beautiful Lafayette Club of Lake Minnetonka. The cost is $26.50 or $21.50 if you drive. The bus leaves Southshore Center at 10:40 a.m. and returns at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, August 6 Noerenberg Gardens - Cost $1 for transportation. The bus leaves the Center at 10:30 a.m. and returns at noon. Wednesday, August 12 "The Sunshine Boys" at Hopkins Center for the Arts. Cost is $12. The bus leaves the Southshore Center at 11:45 a.m. Monday, August 17 Fundraising Boat Ride - The annual Southshore Center Fundraising Boat Ride on Lake Minnetonka will be on Monday, August 17. Boarding begins at 11:45 a.m. For only $7 you can enjoy a boat cruise and a picnic lunch. Space is limited, so call early to reserve. Thursday, August 27 Visit the new Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. Lunch, program and transportation cost only $4.50. The bus leaves Southshore Center at 10:30 a.m. and returns at 1:00 p.m. 3 Citizen Informer/ August 1998 t .. Ma Voting Information When Primary Election - Tuesday, September 15,1998 General Election - Tuesday, November 3, 1998 Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Where Precinct 1 Shorewood City Hall 5755 Country Club Road Precinct 2 Excelsior Covenant Church 19955 Excelsior Blvd Precinct 3 Minnewashta Church 26710 West 62nd Street Precinct 4 Residence on Enchanted Island 4445 Enchanted Point Who A person is eligible to vote, if at the time of the election he /she is: at least 18 years of age a US citizen a Minnesota resident for at least 20 days before the election not a convicted felon minus his/her civil rights not legally incompetent Employees have the right to vote without the loss of salary before noon on the day of a state general and primary election. Absentee Ballot E ligible Shorewood voters may vote by absentee ballot if they are unable to vote in person on election day for any of the following reasons: Out of town Illness or disability Unable to go to the polling place due to a religious holiday or beliefs An election judge serving in another precinct Absentee ballots are available for 30 days prior to each election. Vote in person at Shorewood City Hall during regular business hours before election day. Additional absentee voting hours at City Hall will be: . Saturday (prior to election day) 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Monday (prior to election day) 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. OR Complete the entire process by mail. Be sure to apply early and avoid "speed mail ' handling fees! Allow at least seven days for the entire process if applying for an absentee ballot by mail. College -bound residents will want to be especially aware of this option. Pre - Registering to Vote When Deadline for Primary Election Tuesday, August 25 Deadline for General Election YJ Tuesday, October 13 Where Stop in at Shorewood City Hall, any Hennepin County Service Center or Government Center and complete a voter registration card. Identification is not required when completed by the deadline. Who Individuals who: have never registered to vote. have moved or changed their name since they last registered. have not voted at least once in the last 4 years. TP t Election Day Registration E ligible voters who are not on the official list of voters (pre- registered) may register at their polling place during voting hours. The voter must provide proof of residence within the precinct by one of the following means: a' Valid Minnesota driver's license, learner's permit or Minnesota identification card showing correct/current address in the precinct w' Notice of Ineffective Registration card mailed by election headquarters within the two weeks prior to election day, showing address of voter in the precinct Voucher - oath of a pre- registered voter in the same precinct or of a voter who registers on election day with one of the above identifications There is a NEW option for showing T proof of residence! I your photo ID does not show your current address within the precinct, just present the ID along with a current, original bill for gas, electric, telephone, cable television, solid waste, water or sewer services which does show your name and current address in the precinct. The due date on the bill must be within 30 days of election day. How to File to Run for City Office E very person who is entitled to vote in Shorewood at any election and is twenty -one (2 1) years of age is eligible to file as a candidate. Three municipal offices for the City of Shorewood will be included on the November ballot: Mayor, 2 year term Two (2) Council members, 4 year terms Individuals who wish to run for an office must complete an application and pay a $2.00 filing fee at City Hall. Candidates may file as early as Tuesday, August 25, 1998. The closing date for candidate filing is Tuesday, September 8, 1998 at 5:00 p.m. s Al Be an Election Judge Help Wanted: Consider becoming an election. judge. Employed persons nay be excused from work without less of pay in order to serve. Also note that students (over 16 years of age) are allowed to apt as election judges. Contact City Hall for more information. Results and Resources Some Campaign Rules Campaign signs not meeting the restrictions of the municipal code shall be removed by the City. Political campaign signs shall not exceed six (6) square feet in all resi- dential districts or twelve (12) square feet in all other zoning districts. Campaign signs shall not be located closer than ten (10) feet from any street surface, and shall not be placed in front of any property without the consent of the property owner. (Contact City Hall for other restrictions that apply.) Also note these restrictions regarding the polling place on Election Day: w' Persons who are campaigning and/or any campaign materials including literature or buttons are not allowed in the polling place. This means that a voter may not even wear a campaign button or carry campaign material when they enter to vote. W , Minnesota Election Laws also prohibit lingering near a polling place. "No one except an election official or an individual who is waiting to register or to vote shall stand within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling place." Campaign activity is now allowed on election day as long as it takes place at least 100 feet outside the polling location and entrance. E lection results will be made available as soon as they are tabulated by the election officials. To find out results late on election night people can log on the City's web site or call City Hall and listen to the recorded message. There are several ways to access City Hall to comment or to ask questions related to the upcoming election: Telephone 474 -3236 The Shoreline (To leave a message) 474 -3236, Ext. #1 Fax 474 -0128 E -mail cityhall@shorewood.state.net Web site www. state. net /shorewood Mail City of Shorewood 5755 Country Club Road Shorewood, MN 55331 City of Shorewood /July 1998 I Ma Descriptions The following item is on the August 4 Planning Commission Agenda. The owners of property located at 22695 Murray Street propose to divide it into two lots, creating one building site suitable for a single - family dwelling. PUBLIC HEARING The City will hold a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on August 4 to consider an amendment to the City Code which would add regulations relative to adult use establishments. (This topic was mentioned in the July issue of the Citizen Informer.) Workshop on Storm Damaged Trees he Twin Cities Tree Trust will be givigg a free workshop on storm damaged trees at City Hall on Thursday Actg45, at 6, 30 p.m. Topics covered will be: dealing with storm damage, preventing dainage ,�'" an arborist, and replanting. A professional arb t will answer any gttestionS you have about the trees in your yard. Residents a courtoed to take a&'antage of this unique opportunity. The City is also eonidering future workshops on tree planting and tree care. Sessions might include derrionstratYfl tg and information on planting, pruning, selecting species, or whatever interest 01-1. Discounted trees may also be available. Workshops would be one to two hours in length during evenings or on weekends. Please come to the storm damage workshop on August 27, and if you are interested in participating in future tree planting and 'care wbrkshop please call the Shoreline (474 -3236, Ext. #1) and tell us.what topics interest you! Disaster Relief - from page 1 Current estimates show that the storms cost the City of Shorewood approximately $123,000. The expense reimbursement from the State and Federal Government is expected to be about $85,000. The difference will come from City funds on hand and therefore will not have immediate impact on local property taxes. Of course, the damage to private homes, businesses and other organizations is not accounted for in this type of disaster relief. One option for private storm damage is through special disaster loans offered to residents and businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration has federal disaster loans available for residents and businesses in Hennepin County. The application filing deadline for physical damage is August 24 and March 25, 1999 is the application deadline for economic injury. Call 1- 800 -359 -2227 for details. CITY OF SHOR.IrWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD SHOREWOOD, MN 55331 (612)474.3236 N FAX 474.0128 SULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #128 EXCELSIOR, MN 55331 DELIVER TO: Citizen Informer/ August 1998 C o This newsletter is printed on recycled paper. Election Flier Enclosed Primary Election Tuesday, September 15 General Election , Tuesday, November 3 ..................... as Administrator James C. Hurm o ° Newsletter Editor > Connie Bastyr Citizen Informer/ August 1998 C o This newsletter is printed on recycled paper.