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January 1992 Shore ReportCITY OF SHOREWOOD JANUARY 1992 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD, SHOREWOOD MINNESOTA 55331 CITY OF SHOREWOOD FORMS SNOW PATROL The City of Shorewood has worked with South Lake Minnetonka Public Safety Department and area snow - mobile clubs to form a snow patrol. The snow patrol's duties will be to patrol and respond to snowmobile complaints throughout the City of Shorewood. They will also concentrate on safety education and public relations. If you are interested in serving on the Snow Patrol please call City Hall at 474 -3236 and a representative of the snow patrol will then contact you. Because of snow conditions this year, it is a particularly dangerous year for snowmobile accidents. Our own City crew has had several near misses with snowmobilers ... please ... be careful! If you are not sure what the rules are regarding snowmobiles in the City, please stop at City Hall and pick up a copy of the Ordinance. Some of the snow mobile regulations are as follows: • Snowmobiles are not allowed in any City Parks... No person shall operate a snowmobile upon the roadway of any street or highway except for the purpose of direct travel from the person's home to the closest snowmobile area by the shortest possible route and then only if travel on the adjacent right -of -way is restricted because of developed yards or physical barriers. The speed limit is 20 mph on the Hiking and Biking Trail and 10 mph when on the roadway traveling to a snowmobile area. No snowmobile shall enter any uncontrolled intersection without making a complete stop. The operator shall then yield the right -of -way to any vehicles or pedestrians. An operator shall bring his snowmobile to a stop and switch off the engine when flagged by a police officer or duly authorized uniformed snow patrol member. 4fV This publication is printed � recycled paper. DO YOU CROSS COUNTRY SKI? OR ENJOY WALKING IN THE "WINTER WONDERLAND "? Try it in Freeman Park. We have 55 acres of natural parkland that is perfect for these purposes. Parking is available in the park. THE SKATING SEASON IS HERE Three rinks are in use again this year - Badger Park - 5745 Country Club Road, Manor Park - 20630 Manor Road and Cathcart Park - 26655 West 62nd Street. They will all be staffed by rink attendants. These attendants are required to follow City regulations so please do as they ask. We welcome your comments regarding our rinks and attendants. Parents .......... again we are asking for your help. Please make arrangements ahead of time to pick up your children at scheduled times. The telephones in the warming houses are for emergency use only. The rink attendant will be busy doing his job, and the telephone is locked up when he is outside. There is a reason for this ... in the past some people have taken advantage of the telephone and made long distance phone calls, charging them to the City. Also, please don't take advantage of the rink attendants as "babysitters ", they are very busy because they have two rinks to keep clean and to supervise, the warming house to supervise, plus various other duties. Thank you. cut and save) NOTE* THERE IS 10:00 PM CITY CURFEW FOR JUVENILES 14 YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER, THEY CANNOT BE AT THE RINK AFTER 10:00 PM UNLESS THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THE JUVENILE'S PARENT, GUARDIAN, OR OTHER ADULT PERSON HAVING AUTHORIZED CARE, CUSTODY OR CONTROL OF SUCH JUVENILE. REGULAR HOURS Monday - Thurs 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm Friday 3:00 pm - 10:30 pm Saturday 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 9:30 pm Are you still feeding that old MONSTER in your basement? Is that inefficient furnace in your basement eating up your energy dollars? Do you worry about your family's safety? Maybe its time to get rid of the old beast, but you're not sure what to do- should you repair? replace? How can you pay for it? Community Energy Services can help you slay that dragon - replace your heating system if needed -and even help you pay for it! Simply, our service offers: Low interest financing -no income restrictions Objective Information -state of the art technology Contractors screened and trained A trained energy consultant (working for a non profit organization, not a heating contractor) will help you evaluate if it is cost effective to replace your present heating system. We even provide a list of contractors who have been screened to provide the best installations at a reasonable price. And to help you pay for your new furnace, 8.78% financing is available -no income restrictions -the consultant will even bring out the loan application. Don't spend another minute worrying if your furnace will conk out this winter -or cost you an arm and a leg. Call or mail in the enclosed postcard for a free furnace consultation and start saving on your heating bills this winter! Call 348 -4367 for a free appointment Community Energy Services is sponsored by Minnegasco & NSP through the Center for Energy and the Urban Environment. With WINTER comes SNOW so here are a few REMINDERS . ............................... Please do not pile snow from your yard or driveway on the City right -of -way or push it into the street. This can cause serious damage to our plows and trucks. Please remember that the City has approximately 10 feet of right -of -way on each side of the streets to enable the crew to pile snow. Within this 20 foot strip it is unfortunately necessary for people to place their mailboxes. The crew has taken great care not to hit the boxes with the plow, but the force of the snow as it comes off the plow sometimes does knock over a box. We appreciate your understanding when this happens. The crew will open every road immediately following a snow fall. Then they are to go back and fully clear each road. This could be an inconvenience for the residents because it may be necessary to shovel the driveway opening twice. Our reasoning for this method of plowing is that the first "swipe" will give you a path to get out to work or for an emergency, and the second plowing will then clear the entire roadway. Thank you for your cooperation. We appreciate your courtesy. ELECTION JUDGES NEEDED FOR 1992 There will be a number of elections in 1992 including a Presidential Primary in April, a Primary Election in September and the General Election in November. Although we have a number of judges who have constantly been able to help us over the years, we need to maintain a file of persons who would be willing to serve. To be an election judge you must be: 1. a resident of Shorewood 2. a registered voter 3. At least 18 years of age 4. a citizen of the United States of America If you want more information on being a judge... contact Sue Niccum at 474 -3236. CITY COUNCIL APPROVES 1992 CITY BUDGET The City Council held a public hearing on November 25, 1991 to consider its City Budget and Tax Levy for 1992. Following the public hearing, the City Council voted to adopt the proposed budget and tax levy. The budget adopted by the City Council represents a 4.2% increase over the 1991 budget. However, the City tax levy will not increase, but will decrease slightly. Other revenue sources and reserves from prior years which are being carried over to 1992 will make up the budget increase. The adopted 1992 budget reflects the anticipated needs for municipal services for 1992, and also considers the improvements stated in the City's newly adopted Capital Improvement Program. Although the City's overall tax levy decreases slightly for 1992, some residents may experience an increase in their tax bills. This is due to inflationary increases in the property value, and a new formula for determining the taxable value of property adopted by the state legislature. The new formula, in essence, lowers the taxable value of higher value homes. This will shift a portion of the tax burden to lower value homes. However, the City's share of your total tax dollar will decrease from 18 cents in 1991 to 16 cents per tax dollar in 1992. Below is a comparison of City property taxes on homestead properties with market values of $100,000, $150,000 and $200,000 for 1991 and 1992. Also shown is the taxable value for each property for each of the two years. Market Value 1991 1992 Difference $100,000 Tax Value $1,320 $1,280 (3.03%) City Tax 270 258 (4.44 %) $150,000 Tax Value $2,720 $2,455 (9.74 %) City Tax 556 495 (10.97 %) $200,000 Tax Value $4,220 $3,705 (12.20 %) City Tax 863 746 (13.56 %) On the next page is a summary of the City's adopted 1992 budget. 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O+ O +�+ ee O O O --A b O hit PC a �• a A ° o 0b ° °� ° C b :: p• y y c, .., Cl PC y� .0 P C y Q , rS PC a P a as u PC y W y y a y �+ [•� y p b V N ee '~ PC ON s v y ON aaa ay ya PC o b w •a ° ° � '� �'t7 b • f: y r � � C DRAINAGE: The focus of this element is to develop a cost effective way to improve surface water management and the environment. Objectives of the program are to : • Solve existing private flooding problems. • Improve the quality of water runoff to the lake through detention. • Control the quantity of water runoff to the lake. help recharge aquifers. help control lake levels. decrease erosion and sediment to the lake. • Direct water from street surfaces which saves street maintenance dollars. • Minimize legal and administrative time and costs by combining projects resulting in economies of scale and preventing redundancy. To finance the surface water management program the plan is to create special Drainage Districts to address specific area problems and a City -wide Drainage Utility District which would establish a user fee of about 4 dollars ($4.00) per quarter per parcel. SANITARY SEWER: The City Council will continue the program of upgrading sanitary sewers lift stations. In addition, the City will continue to investigate causes of water infiltration into the system. Please be sure your sump pump and down spout water does not empty into the sanitary sewer system! Such actions are against city ordinances. PUBLIC FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT: The City will follow a schedule of equipment purchases and replacement to maintain an economical public works fleet which meets our City's needs. In 1992 the public works garage will be relocated to a new building which totally meets City Codes. An enclosed storage area will be provided for the storage of road salt. In addition the City Hall /Badger Park site plan will be reviewed after the public works garage is relocated. PARKS: The updated Park Improvement Program, developed by the Park Commission, is intended to involve the private sector, civic and sporting groups and the City in a coordinated effort to minimize the impact of the improvements on property taxes. A Trail Plan is also now being completed. The program calls for a referendum election to receive voter approval to borrow funds to allow for about $865,000 in improvements. The Park Commission and City Council have yet to establish a date for the referendum election. Over the next few weeks the Park Commission will be sponsoring a telephone survey of a sample of Shorewood residents., The intent of the survey is to get a feel for the current level of interest in improving Shorewood's parks and trails. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions if you are called. FUNDING: The City Council recognizes the importance of maintaining a reasonable funding level for public improvements, equipment, and depreciation of current City assets. A minimal increase of one percent per year in property tax levy dollars, plus good planning and efficiencies in project management will somewhat maintain efforts in current dollar value over the years. New fees such as the minimal surface water management fee will take formal City Council action. Borrowing to initiate a park related improvement will require voter approval. SEWER UTILITY RATES TO BE ADJUSTED IN 1992 To meet the cost of increasing rates being charged to the City by the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission, and because of increasing operating and maintenance costs, the City will increase its residential sewer charge from $49.75 per quarter to $54.75 per quarter as of January 1, 1992. This is the first increase in sewer rates since 1988. The City has attempted to hold the line on its sewer rates. However, increasing costs require the increase of rates to meet those costs. The rate increase averages to 2.5% per year, which is less than the annual rate of inflation. The new rate will appear on utility bills mailed in April of 1992. POLICY ON PROVIDING SAND /SALT BARRELS FOR PRIVATE ROADS The Shorewood Public Works Department will sell and set up barrels of sand /salt to City residents on private roads. Cost will be $40.00 which must be paid by the requesting party before set up. The barrel then becomes the property and responsibility of the requesting party who must store it off public property during the non winter season. Barrels will be refilled upon request and upon payment of a fee of $20.00. Barrels provided by the property owner which meet Public Works specifications, will be filled upon request and payment of $20.00. Adopted by the Shorewood City Council November 25, 1991 PRIDE IN SERVICE Shorewood City employees take pride in the job we do for Shorewood residents and property owners. The employees developed and the City Council has adopted the following statement which should act as a point of reference for all decisions and actions of Shorewood City officials and employees. OUR PURPOSE: to provide a value in municipal services, to assure compliance with community laws and standards, and to keep citizens informed of those services, laws and standards. OUR GOAL: to serve our purpose in such an efficient, friendly manner that residents feel good about being citizens of the Shorewood community. OUR EXPECTATIONS: to accomplish our goal we must serve in an impartial fashion; be open, accurate, patient and courteous; and take pride in the job we do. Let us know when we don't meet our expectations! WEEKLY $25 RECYCLING AWARD It pays to recycle. Each week an address is selected from our bin. If that address has their recycling at curbside the day of collection the resident wins a $25.00 cash recycling award for the week. If the selected address does not recycle that week - the award is rolled over and add to the following week until the City has a winner. All recycling bins must be curbside by 7:00 a.m. on Wednesdays (Tuesdays on the islands). Recyclable items include newspapers, magazines, metal cans, plastic containers with necks, glass bottles and brown corrugated cardboard - flatten and bundled together. Rinse cans, bottles and flatten the plastic bottles. Remember it pays to recycle in Shorewood. CITY OF SHOREWOOD SUMMARY OF ADOPTED 1992 GENERAL FUND BUDGET % OF 0 REVENUES 1991 BUDGET % OF 0 1992 BUDGET General Property Tax 1,840,663 80.52 1,840,663 77.30 Licenses & Permits 172,500 7.55 128,525 5.40 Intergovernmental 62,480 2.73 18,750 .79 Fines & Forfeitures 90,000 3.94 95,000 3.99 Charges for Service 20,000 .88 9,500 .40 Transfers & Miscellaneous 100,000 4.38 288,753 12.13 Total Revenues 2,286,003 100.00 2,381,191 100.00 % OF % OF EXPENDITURES 1991 BUDGET 1992 BUDGET General Government 615,189 26.91 627,773 26.36 Police Protection 382,152 16.71 392,336 16.48 Fire Protection 88,527 3.87 95,398 4.01 Other Public Safety 83,086 3.63 99,033 4.15 Public Works 484,788 21.21 494,862 20.78 Capital Equipment 100,500 4.40 14,750 .62 Street Projects 200,000 8.75 312,000 13.10 Parks & Recreation 118,649 5.19 130,847 5.50 Capital Improvements 163,112 7.14 165,000 6.93 Contingency 50,000 2.19 49,192 2.07 Total Expenditures 2,286 100.00 2,381,191 100.00 CITY OF SHOREWOOD 1992 PROPERTY TAX DISTRIBUTION ESTIMATE OTHER TAX SCHOOL DISTRICT 276 (51.6 %) SHOREWOOD (16.1 %) HENNEPIN COUNTY (27.5 %)