Loading...
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home
My WebLink
About
Council Information Memorandum 06-29-1995
JUNE 299 1995 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS .... 1. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE FOR JULY JULY 11 6:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers TOPIC: City Transit Issues 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers JULY 18 6:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers TOPIC: City Attorney Evaluation 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers 2. FEDERAL DUCK STAMP CEREMONY -- The ceremony honoring Jim Hautman will be at Saturday, July 1, beginning at 10 a.m, at the Mall -of -America. 3. CITY OFFICES CLOSED -- TUESDAY, JULY 4. 4. MUSIC IN PLYMOUTH -- THURSDAY, JULY 6, Events begin at 5:30 p.m., with the Minnesota Orchestra performing at 8:30 p.m., followed by fireworks. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO June 29, 1995 Page 2 5. AMM "OUTREACH MEETING" -- The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities is hosting a forum for city officials on 1996 legislative policy and direction. The breakfast meeting will be held Thursday, July 13 at 7:30 a.m. at Charley's Restaurant (Best Western NW Inn) in Brooklyn Park. Information on the meeting is attached. Please call Laurie if you plan to attend. (M-5) 6. METRO MEETINGS ---- The weekly calendar of meetings for the Metropolitan Council and its advisory commissions is attached. (M-6) 7 MEETING CALENDAR -- The July meeting calendar is attached. (M-7) 1. DEPARTMENT REPORTS a. Weekly Building Permit Report for Commercial/Industrial/Public and Use Types. (I -la) b. Public Safety Traffic Unit - May Monthly Report (I -lb) 2. NEWS ARTICLES. RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS. ETC. a. City news release and leaflet distributed to residents concerning water restrictions. (I -2a) 3. CORRESPONDENCE a. Letter from Peg Snesrud, National Night Out Coordinator for City of Brooklyn Park, inviting Plymouth Council members and Crime Watch representatives to participate in a National Night Out celebration. (I -3a) b. Letter from Edward Sweeney, President, Summit Medical, to Matt VanSlooten, Carlson Real Estate Company, regarding building security concerns. (I -3b) c. Memo from Mary Bisek regarding donation received in the name of Heather Ruzick, Plymouth Community Service Officer. (I -3c) d. Letter from Curt Johnson, Metropolitan Council, on a July 11 panel discussion on the Metro Council's wastewater treatment cost allocation system. (I -3d) e. Letter from Mary Merry, 4155 Ranchview Lane, to Eric Blank, on the cleanup of the park trail between Vicksburg and Plymouth Creek Park. A letter from Eric Blank is also attached. (I -3e) f. Public Service Counter Customer Comment Card from Walter Buchman on the mailing of permit applications to city offices. A letter from Joe Ryan responding to Mr. Buchman is also included. (I -3f) g. Letter from Representative Todd Van Dellen conveying a copy of his 1995 Legislative Report. (I -3g) CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO June 29, 1995 Page 3 h. Notice of public hearing from Metropolitan Council on the 1996 budget for the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services Division. (I -3h) i. Letter from Dennis Murphy, 3600 Wellington Court, to Public Service Department of Telecommunications, stating concern with the loss of telephone service from June 19 - 22. (I -3i) j. Letter from Bruce Larson, Association of Medicine Lake Area Citizens, to Eric Blank, thanking the City for assisting AMLAC's lake clean up on May 6. (I -3j) k. Memo from Craig Gerdes on the National Night Out event scheduled for August 1. (I -3k) Dwight Johnson City Manager The US Fish and Wildlife Service The Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs The United States Post Office cordially invite you to the First Day of Sale Ceremony for the 1995-96 Federal Duck Stamp. This ceremony will honor Jim Hautman, designer of the Federal Duck Stamp Admission is free Page 2 "Music in Plymouth"/Minnesota Sun Publications/1Nednesday, June 28, 1995 I�LISr1�C' [i`a pSIC y 0 U z hario,ior"lize community he Plymouth Civic League was found- ed in 1972 by a group of civic -mind- ed Plymouth residents to create and preserve an identity for the City of Plymouth. "Music in Plymouth" became that identy - - a way to bring the residents of the community together for an evening of free fun and music in an outdoor set- ting. The Plymouth Civic League continues to exist with 26 board members represent- ing many of the businesses of Plymouth. This year the Plymouth Civic League and the City of Plymouth will present the twenty-third annual Music in Plymouth on Thursday, July 6, at the natural ampithe- atre located at the corner of Plymouth Blvd. and 37th Ave. North (directly north of the Plymouth Civic Center.) The Master of Ceremonies for the 1995 program will be Diana Pierce, co-anchor of Kare 11 News and a Plymouth resident. The Minnesota Orchestra has been fea- tured each year, but the program repre- sents entertainment of other types. This year's festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Rockin' Hollywoods, a five -piece band from the Twin Cities Area, who will play music from the 50's and 60's. Dressed in period costumes, this group has broad appeal for all ages. To enhance the 50's and 60's theme, there will be several vin- tage cars parked around the site. The Wayzata High School Trojets Danceline will present a dazzling perfor- mance by students from Plymouth, Wazata and Minnetonka, followed by The Teddy Bear Band. The Plymouth Playhouse Puppet Wagon will present a program for young children. The Puppet Wagon is owned and staffed by the Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department. At approximately 7:30 p.m., The Rockin' Hollywoods will present their sec- ond show of the evening. The Minnesota Orchestra will take cen- ter stage at 8:30 p.m., under the direction of William Eddins, assistant conductor, now in his third year in that capacity. In the 1995-96 season, he will assume the title of associate conductor. The orchestra will perform a wide program of numbers, including selections from "West Side Story" (Bernstein) to "1812 Overture" (Tchaikovsky.) When the Orchestra has concluded its program, there will be a special exhibition of karate, featuring young students of art. The fireworks, presented by Plymouth Target Greatland, will end the night with a bang at 9:55. In addition to the entertainment, jug- glers, clowns and face -painters will roam the crowd. Music in Plymouth T-shirts will be available for $12 each at Plymouth City Hall, First Bank -Plymouth and Norwest Bank -Plymouth. Sizes are large and extra large only. In case of rain, an alternative program and fireworks will be presented on Thursday, July 13, at the same location. Time will be 7:30 p.m. Adventures in Video .................475-1176 473-8334 Bob Fern Salon ............. ..... ... 473-9091 Cleaners Plus......................475-3810 473-5887 Futu re Ki ds ......................... 476-6036 Great Prints ........................ 473-8150 Grocery Hut........................473-6676 Harrington Orthodontics .............. 473-7656 Herb's Servicecenter ................. 473-1525 Little Caesars Pizza .................. 473-0910 Mailboxes Etc ....................... 473-8334 Moy's Chinese Restaurant ............. 473-2518 Oakwood Barbers ................... 473-5887 Picture Perfect Custom Framing ........ 475-3189 Glende Chiropractic Care ............. 475-8281 Dr. John Ryan D.D.S.................473-2929 Subway ..... ...................... 476-8644 Taco John's ........................ 476-0028 Tan & Tone ......... .............. 476-4746 County Road 6 & Hwy 101 M ` '-1 Be sure to bring along your appeti when you come to Music in Plymouth. course, you could pack your own picr supper, if you wish. But if you pref someone else to do the cooking for tl evening, you're in luck. Tom Johnson, who, along with Rog Janikowski, co-chairs the Concessioi Committee for the event, says that a lot food will be available under the big co cessions tent. You can choose from har burgers, brats, hot dogs, nachos ar cheese and corn on the cob. There v` also be soft drinks, coffee, mini doughnu snow cones, ice cream bars, popcorn, at cotton candy available from several "rc As part of Target's "Good Neighbc policy, Plymouth's Target Greatland will providing the fireworks finale for the Mu in Plymouth event. "Target belie% strongly in giving back to the commu ty," said Trudy Klaphake, Team Relatic Leader at Target Greatland. "In fact, I year we gave about $8 million back to v ious communities in which we ha stores." She said that each year, Target sele several events to support, and Music Plymouth happens to be one of the "We felt that there aren't too many fi works any more, and that it would be n SKASE �L TIMES I GREA`I A as ociation of metropolitan municipalities June 23, 1995 Dear Mayor: Many critical issues affecting metropolitan cities will probably be dealt with in the 1996 Legislative session. Talk of property tax reform and elimination of or reductions in LGA/HACA and removal of education financing from local property taxes could be a major issue. Lack of adequate transportation/transit funding has reached a critical point. Land use controls, regional blueprint implementation and modifications to the cost allocation system for the regional wastewater treatment system could be on the front burner as well. We need your views and input on these and other important issues as well to help shape and establish legislative policy and direction for the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities for the 1996 session. To provide a forum for this input and discussion, we are holding our 10th annual series of Outreach Breakfast meetings for you and other city officials. The breakfast meeting for your area is scheduled for Thursday July 13 at 7:30 a.m., at Charley's Restaurant in the Best Western NW Inn in Brooklyn Park. Charley's is located on the northeast comer of I-94 and County Road 81. Exit north to first light and tum right on Braodway. Go 1 block and tum right on frontage road to inn. Your input on these issues is crucial and we invite you to review the enclosed Issues paper to help focus your thinking. This will be an informal gathering and we look for a good exchange of ideas. This get-together can also be an avenue for you to tell us what you'd like to see the AMM do more or less of in the way of member services and how we can build a better rapport between city officials/AMM and metro legislators. We hope you plan to attend your area breakfast by making reservations now. We would ask that managers and mayors make this information and invitation available to city council members and interested staff persons. As always, if you have any questions, please call the AMM office. PLEASE R.S.V.P. TO LAURIE AUDETTE, 490-3301 BY NOON TUESDAY, JULY 11. Sincerely, Joan Campbell AMM President Minneapolis Councilmember Kirk Schnitker AMM Board Member Champlin Councilmember Effi/;3-1/0=0 Gerald Otten AMM Board Member New Hope Councilmember 3490 Lexington avenue north, st. paul, minnesota 55126 (612) 490-3301 0-)-s For several years the Governor and Legislature have been discussing major changes in the property tax - local government funding system with the goal of providing more funding for education and property tax reduction. Just in this last session: - A property tax freeze passed the Senate - A constitutional amendment to eliminate school funding from local property taxes passed the House - B;lls toeliminate city HACA were heard in committees of both houses - Major tax reform bills were heard in both houses The Governor and various commissions he has established during his tenure as governor have recommended total elimination or major reductions in LGA. The business community through its main associations (Minnesota Chamber, Business Partnership and the Minnesota Taxpayers Association) has tended to support the Governor's thrust. Now that the business :.omrnurnity has accomplished major changes in workers compensation, its major legislative focus will be to reduce C/1 property taxes. 1996 could well be a watershed year for property tax - local government funding modifications. Sweeping changes can be used as campaign rhetoric and the effects of such changes (some which may have negative political implications) would not be felt until after the 1996 election. Please think about how cities and the AMM can best position ourselves to be a meaningful participant during these r:scussions in the 1996 session. r ransportation%rransit Funding Something has to give and soon! Major highway projects state-wide and in the metro area such as I -495,1-35W and Hwy. 100 North have been shelved for the foreseeable future. Transit in the metro area, both regular route and metro mobility, is being pared back. Many regular transit routes have been eliminated and many more are scheduled for elimination. There is even serious discussion of eliminating all regular route transit outside of the 1-494- 696 beltway. Fares will have to be raised which will lead to less bus ridership and more congestion on the main highways. Reduced public transportation could also negatively impact the region's efforts to provide more affordable housing in the developing suburbs since lower income people tend to be more public t mnsit dependent. Again, please give some thought as to the role metro city officials and the AMM can play in trying to break the funding "log jam" which has dominated discussions du -in(, the last three sessions. This disagreement between highway advocates (mainly rural) and transit advocates (mainly metro) has resulted in inadequate funding for ::;Ways and tr: rziL. n 3. Land Use Regulation/Urban Service Area Expansion Land Use Regulation and development sprawl could also be issues during the 1996 Session:. Bills were introduced in the 1995 session that would have virtually frozen the MUSA line in its current configuration. While perhaps well intentioned, these bills provided no controls beyond the 7 -counties and preventing growth within the metro area would almost surely lead to more development in adjacent Counties which would exacerbate the sprawl situation. The` developers and realtors are also suggesting that unreasonable local controls are the major cause of increased housing costs in developing communities and are quietly suggesting more oversight of local land use regulatory authority at either the metro or state level. The Met Council is also sponsoring a study of the cost allocation system for the metropolitan wastewater treatment system which could lead to the return of a sub -regional cost allocation system that could produce some tension. While somewhat indirect, there is a relationship between all these issues and concerns and they could "come together" at the Legislature. How should the AMM, with members on all sides of these issues, proceed policy wise for the 19% session? f .:gyp � •� - ' .r} a METRO MEETINGS�� V_� A weekly calendar of meetings and agenda items for the Metropolitan Council, its advisory and standing committees, and three regional commissions: Metropolitan Airports Commission, Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, and Metropolitan Spats Facilities Commission. Meeting times and agendas are occasionally changed Questions about meetings should be directed to the appropriate organization. Meeting information is also available on the Metro Information Line at 229-3780 and by computer modem, through the Twin Cities Computer Network at 337-5400. DATE: June 23, 1995 WEEK OF: June 26 - June 30, 1995 METROPOLITAN COUNCIL Community Development Committee - Monday, June 26, noon, Room IA. The committee will consider: Vadnais Heights Comprehensive Parks Plan; Lake Waconia Regional Park Acquisition Master Plan; Polluted Sites Work Group report; interim rural area guidelines; Industry Cluster Study final report; credible, useful "quality of life" and Regional Blueprint indicators; decision criteria for the alternative growth scenarios; and other business. Blueprint Blue Ribbon Task Force - Monday, June 26, 2 p.m., Room IA. The committee will consider: a discussion of draft Regional Blueprint indicators; review of legislation and its effect on handbook; update on guidelines for reviewing housing elements of comprehensive plans; draft outline for rural service area sections of the handbook and interim rural area guidelines; discussion of draft handbook outline; and other business. Minority Issues Advisory Committee - Monday, June 26,430 p.m., Room 2A. Curt Johnson, Chair, and Jim Solem, regional administrator, will hold an informal discussion with committee members on the best way to involve people of color in the major issues the Council will address next year. Tour of Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Regional Maintenance Facility Computer Center for the Sewer Rate Cost Allocation Task Force - Tuesday, June 27, 7:30 a.m., 3750 Plant Rd., Eagan. Environment Committee - Tuesday, June 27, 4 p.m., Chambers. The committee will consider: funding for contract project "Local Pretreatment Standards in the Waste Discharge Rules"; authorization to award and execute a contract for meter stations M117, M221, M415, M605 and M607 improvements and liquid waste hauler site improvements; Polluted Site Work Group report; authorization to request vendor qualifications for Blue Lake Plant and Seneca Plant solids handling services; Sewer Rate Task Force status report; Alternative Growth Scenarios --evaluation criteria; credible, useful "quality of life" indicators and Regional Blueprint indicators; preliminary visioning process; report on the Metro Plant draft EAW; Consultant Selection Process report; and other business. Tour of Wright and Sherburne Counties (for Metropolitan Council members and local officials) - Thursday, June 29, 2 p.m. departs from Otsego City Hall, 8899 Nashua Ave. NE, Ostego M - Wright and Sherburne Counties Community Meeting: Thursday, June 29,6:30 p.m., Otsego City Hall, 8899 Nashua Ave. NE, Ostego. Metropolitan Radio Board - Friday, June 30, 9 a.m., Metropolitan Mosquito Control District Offices, 2099 University Ave., St. Paul. At the first meeting, the new board will consider: organization of the board; organization and responsibilities of the Technical Operations Committee; work plan and deadlines; consultant engineering services; discussion of technical design and policy issues; and other business. TENTATIVE MEETINGS THE WEEK OF JULY 3 THROUGH JULY 7, 1995 INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY. Tuesday, July 4, Council offices are closed. Transportation Technical Advisory Committee to the Transportation Advisory Board - Wednesday, July 5, 9 am., Chambers. Finance Committee - Thursday, July 6, 4 p.m., Room 2A. The Metropolitan Council is located at Mears Park Centre, 230 E. Fifth St., St. Paul. Meeting times and agenda are subject to change. For more information or confirmation of meetings, call 291-6447, (TDD 291- 0904). Call the Metro Information Line at 229-3780 for news of Council actions and coming meetings. METROPOLITAN PARKS AND OPEN SPACE COMMISSION Special Commission Meeting - Monday, June 26, 4 p.m., Chambers. The commission will consider: emergency building request for Carver County regional parks maintenance shop; briefing on Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources work project approvals; and other business. Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission offices are located at Mears Park Centre, 230 E. Fifth St., St. Paul, MN 55101. Meeting times and agenda may occasionally be changed. To verify meeting schedules or agenda items, call 291-6363. r2 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS July 1995 Sunday .. _y Tuesday Wednesday.. ..Saturday 1 2 3 "Indepen1denc;ay 5 6 7 8 - City MUS1°CIN osed PL:XM©UTI>F ::......: ........ . .........:..... 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 00 Pbt SPECIAL r,OUNCIi' �$w" i00 PM COi}NCII: MEETII�T 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 7:00 PM PRAC - Council Chambers 7:00 P1n ENVatoNMEPII'AL QvALLIY COM6ffCIEE -Pub. Safety 7Yrq Roam 7:30 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Pub. Safety Training Room 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 6:00 PM SPECIAL COIriVCIG i MEETING Couacll"Cbz 7:00 PM PACT - Pub. Safety Library 7:00 PM HRA - Council Chambers 700 Phi COUI+TCYi:, t C,ar Chnmbet 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 7:00 PM BOARD OF ZONING - Council Chambers 30 31 June SMT W T F S 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 I8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 August SMT W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Rev. 6/15/95 - —I; \ ck— DATE: JUNE 29, 1995 TO: DWIGHT JOHNSON, CITY MANAGER FROM: CARLYS SCHANSBERG; DATA CONTROL/INSPECTION CLERK SUBJECT: BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL/PUBLIC & CHURCH USE TYPES JUNE 22, 1995 THROUGH JUNE 28, 1995 Permit #66810 was issued to Opus Corporation for completion of mezzanine buildout for Select Comfort at 6105 Trenton Lane North, valuation $140,000.00. Permit #67006 was issued to Consulting Management Const for completion of P.O. S. Business Systems at 9905 45th Avenue North, valuation $1,000,000.00. Permit #67150 was issued to United Properties Const for completion of interior office space for D.V.I. Financial Services at 505 State Highway 169, valuation $61,293.00. PERMITLIST LIST OF PERMITS ISSUED 06/29/95 AGING DAYS FROM 06/22/95 TO 06/28/95 PAGE 2 PIN NUMBER CLASS OF WORK DATE PERMIT # APPLICANT NAME LEGAL USE TYPE ISSUED ERMT.TYPE SITE ADDRESS DESCRIPTION OUTLOT/TRACT UNIT# STATE LICENSE # VALUATION TOTAL FEE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 118 22 43 0020 HARSTAD HOMES 3675 BLACK OAKS LA N 0003343 MARK WARREN HOMES INC 1340 ZIRCON LA N 00003725 01 118 22 21 0005 OPUS CORP 6105 TRENTON LA N 36 118 22 21 0044 ZACHMAN BROS INC 1129 TRENTON CIR N 0005662 NEW CONST 06/26/95 66697 LOT BLK SFA BUILDING 2 4 SUGAR HILLS 3RD $147,538.00 $3,256.14 NEW CONST 06/26/95 66802 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 2 1 HUNTERS BLUFF $350,000.00 $4,523.92 ALTERATION 06/22/95 66810 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING 1 1 BASS CREEK BUSINESS PARK 3RD $140,000.00 $10,756.17 NEW CONST 06/27/95 66992 LOT BLK SFA BUILDING LLS36QQ210044 $210,000.00 $5,495.42 13 118 22 12 0007 CONSULTING MANAGEMENT CONST 9905 45TH AVE N 3507 17 118 22 42 0027 ORRIN THOMPSON HOMES 16525 40TH AVE N 0001968 32 118 22 14 0007 HAUGDAHL CONST 16130 9TH AVE N 0002204 NEW CONST 06/23/95 67006 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING 3 1 DEKOCO $1,000,000.00 $19,314.67 - ADDITION 06/22/95 67028 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 23 32 WESTBRANCH 2ND $1,536.00 $61.82 ALTERATION 06/26/95 67118 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 9 1 BIRCH BRIAR $13,840.00 $259.37 PERMITLIST LIST OF PERMITS ISSUED 06/29/95 AGING DAYS FROM 06/22/95 TO 06/28/95 PAGE 4 PIN NUMBER CLASS OF WORK DATE PERMIT # APPLICANT NAME LEGAL USE TYPE ISSUED ERMT.TYPE SITE ADDRESS DESCRIPTION OUTLOT/TRACT UNIT# STATE LICENSE # VALUATION TOTAL FEE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 08 118 22 44 0042 LUNDGREN BROS CONST 4620 XENE LA N 0001413 36 118 22 41 0010 UNITED PROPERTIES CONST 505 STATE HWY NO 169 12 118 22 24 0030 OAKRIDGE BLDRS INC 10705 50TH AVE N 0002063 30 118 22 23 0017 ANDERSON MASTER BLDRS 2275 WALNUT GROVE LA N 0001421 20 118 22 33 0058 PATIO ENCLOSURES INC 17100 28TH AVE N 0001676 19 118 22 14 0032 BOB WALLIN 17800 32ND PL N 0001676 20 118 22 43 0070 CUSTOM POOLS INC 2610 ZANZIBAR LA N 0005023 NEW CONST 06/26/95 67146 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 12 1 AUTUMN HILLS $178,920.00 $3,450.86 ALTERATION 06/22/95 67150 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING LLS36QQ410010 $61,293.00 $803.67 NEW CONST 06/22/95 67183 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 4 3 QUAIL HOLLOW $190,000.00 $3,519.92 ADDITION 06/23/95 67186 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 4 4 IMPERIAL HILLS 4TH $20,000.00 $351.55 ADDITION 06/26/95 67187 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 1 4 SHILOH 2ND $16,619.00 $305.31 ADDITION 06/22/95 67192 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 17 3 HEATHER RUN $4,000.00 $105.95 ADDITION 06/23/95 67193 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 6 4 MAPLE CREEK $15,000.00 $274.80 DATE: June 26, 1995 TO: Chief Gerdes FROM: Sgt. Holzerland SUBJECT: Traffic Unit ----May Monthly Report As of June 1 the Traffic Unit has issued 195 citations and made 6 arrests. Officer Stirratt started on May 22 so only one week of his work is included in the total. Attached are the APLIMS reports for both officers. I believe both officers are performing exceedingly well. Besides their normal traffic enforcement work, officers conducted a training seminar for public works employees on truck regulations and loading. They also attended seminars on occupant protection and speed enforcement technology. Citizens have reported traffic concerns at 28 specific locations primarily via the traffic units voice mail number. Several mentioned that they thought the traffic unit was a great idea and expressed appreciation for its existence. Each month four areas will be identified in the PLYMOUTH NEWS as areas of special enforcement. For July the targeted areas will be: Ithaca In, 42nd to 44th Av Schmidt Lake Rd, Hwy. 169 to Northwest Blvd. 22nd Av, Dunkirk to Vicksburg In. Co. 101, 1st Av to Co. 24 For Immediate Release For More Information: June 22, 1995 Fred Moore, 550-5080 City of Plymouth Seeks to Avoid Outdoor Water Use Ban; Requests Compliance with Odd -Even Water Restrictions Due to the hot dry weather and that no significant rain is in sight, the City of Plymouth needs citizen cooperation with its odd -even outdoor water use restrictions to avoid an all-out ban on all outdoor water use. Odd -even water restrictions are in effect in Plymouth through Sept. 30 for all City of Plymouth water customers. The restrictions apply to unattended outdoor watering, including new sod, landscaping and timed sprinklers. Voluntary compliance by all residents will ensure that water is available for firefighting needs. Compliance also will prevent more severe restrictions. "The City's first priority must be ensuring that we have enough water available for a major fire emergency and household and business needs. If people observe the odd -even restrictions that are already in place, we hope to avoid having to ban all outdoor water use," said Public Works Director Fred Moore. "We ask that people water only when necessary and to be sure that they are watering on the day appropriate to their address," he added. Under Plymouth's odd -even restrictions, businesses and residents with addresses ending in an odd number may water on odd- numbered days. Those with even numbered addresses may water on even -numbered calendar days. City water customers may wash vehicles and do hand- held hose watering of shrubs, flowers and trees on any day provided the hose is equipped with a pistol -type nozzle with automatic shutoff. If you hire a lawn service, consider the odd -even restrictions when scheduling service. We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 The penalty for violating restrictions is $100 for each day of violation. You will receive one written warning before you are penalized. The restrictions do not apply to property owners who obtain their water from private wells or other non -city water system sources. If conditions require the City to modify the restrictions, changes will announced on: • WCCO-AM 830 Radio; • Cable Television Channel 37; and The Water Restriction Hotline, 550-5007. The Hotline is a 24-hour recorded message of up- to-date water restriction information. 691111 C i to�_ —�--ate Help Avoid Outdoor Water Use Ban; Observe Odd -Even Restrictions Because of the recent hot, dry weather and that no significant rain is in sight, we need your help to avoid an all-out ban on outdoor water use. Please observe the City's odd -even outdoor water use restrictions. Odd - even water restrictions on all outdoor water use are in effect through Sept. 30 for all City of Plymouth water customers. The restrictions apply to unattended outdoor watering, including new sod, landscaping and timed sprinklers. Voluntary compliance by all city water customers will help ensure that water is available for fire emergencies. Compliance also will prevent more severe restrictions. Please water only when necessary and be sure that you are watering on the day appropriate to your address. Odd -Even Restrictions Residents and businesses with addresses ending in an odd number may water on odd- numbered days. Those with even numbered ad- dresses may water on even -numbered calendar days. You may wash vehicles and do hand-held hose watering of shrubs, flowers and trees on any day provided the hose is equipped with a pistol -type nozzle with automatic shutoff. If you hire a lawn service, consider the odd - even restrictions when scheduling service. Penalty for Violations The penalty for violating restrictions is $100 for each day of violation. You will receive one written warning before you are penalized. The re- strictions do not apply to property owners who obtain their water from private wells or other non -city water system sources. Changes in the Restrictions If conditions require the City to modify the restrictions, changes will be announced on: M WCCO-AM 830 Radio; Cable Television Channel 37; and M The Water Restriction Hotline, 550-5007. The Hotline is a 24-hour recorded message of up-to-date water restriction information. 6/22/95 C PBROOKLYN PARK CRIME PREVENTION aa ASSOCIATION 5400 85th Ave. No., Brooklyn Park, MN 55443-1898 Phone 612 424-801'3,: ' "a Tuesday, June 13, 1995 r 4E Mr. Dwight Johnson Mayor Joy Tierney 3400 Plymouth Blvd. City of Plymouth, Mn 55447 Dear Dwight Johnson: Greetings from the Brooklyn Park Crime Prevention Association, the sponsors of National Night Out activities in Brooklyn Park. Last year our organization organized a grand finale to National Night Out activities in the form of a "Light Up the Boulevard Celebration" which took place in front of Village North in Brooklyn Park at approximately 10:00 PM. If you were watching TV that Tuesday evening, August 2, you know that all three local networks carried live remote broadcasts covering our "blast". We in the organization would like to invite your community to join us in this year's celebration along the Boulevard. We plan to line the street all the way into Brooklyn Center and in the process send a clear message from the Northwest suburban area that we are standing up against crime and drugs and simply won't tolerate those activities in our suburban area. Please spread the word to all your Crime Watch areas and come join us that evening as a finale to your National Night Out activities. Representatives from our organization would like to meet with your Crime Watch officials and City representatives to discuss details and to issue a formal invitation to your communities to participate in this wonderful party. Please contact me at 561-8002 so I may arrange a time to meet with your City Council and Crime Watch representatives to formally invite all to come to Brooklyn Park for this event. Sincerely yours, Peg S15esrud National Night Out Coordinator City of Brooklyn Park St 711.11ITME1)1C 1, June 23, 1995 Matt Van Slooten Carlson Real Estate Company 2222 Plaza VII 45 S. 7th Street Minneapolis, MN 55402 Dear Matt: On May 24, 1995 Summit Medical experienced its third break-in and burglary of our offices in four years. This latest incident resulted in a loss of $20,000 worth of computer equipment. More importantly, the break-in occurred in the evening during the week! We consider these types of break-ins a personal violation of our company and employees. We have many of our employees working late hours during the week and on weekends, and I will not subject them to any risk of personal harm. Period. Further, I am frustrated by the casual manner with which you and the Police Department of Plymouth have responded to these incidents. Clearly, we are not satisfied by your response and your lack of concern. We have initiated hiring our own security officer to protect our premises and employees. I know as the owner of One Carlson Parkway, you will want to share this obligation. Sincerely, Edw rd F. Sweeney P 1ident EFS:nIb cc: Dean Riesen Det. Tim J.Oie Mayor Joy Tierney EFS95/CComp Summit Medical SNstems. Inc. One Carl,cm Parkwav . Minneapolis. MN 55447 800 707 0766 . 612 473-3250 • Fax: 612 4-:18534 2 3c - DATE: June 26, 1995 TO: Craig Gerdes, Director of Public Safety FROM: Mary Bisek, Superintendent of Recreation /I�A- SUBJECT: Donation accepted in the name of Heather Ruzick, Plymouth Community Service Officer This afternoon Nancy Pederson of our staff had the pleasure of speaking to Stuart Miller. He had received assistance from Heather Ruzick earlier in the week when he locked himself out of his car. He said that he had offered to make a donation of $20 in her name to the Police Department, but that Ms. Ruzick had told him she could not accept the donation. Therefore, Mr. Miller asked that the Park and Recreation Department accept the donation in Ms. Ruzick's name. The donation will be used in our Financial Assistance Fund to allow low income families to participate in fee based programs. Please extend our thanks and appreciation to Ms. Ruzick. It is obvious that she extended excellent service and represents the City of Plymouth well. cc: Dwight Johnson, City Manager C] JJA Metropolitan Council Working for the Region, Planning for the Future June 23, 1995 Dear Mayor: Z Environmental Services The Sewer Rate Cost Allocation Task Force has been meeting since January, 1995 for the purpose of reviewing the Metropolitan Council's wastewater treatment cost allocation system in response to metropolitan communities concerns regarding equity in its application to system users. A technical advisory group (TAG), representing system users and comprised of public works, financial management and engineering staff, is studying components of the system and expect to present a report to the Task Force in August. If it is determined that changes are required in the system, the Task Force will recommend those changes to the Metropolitan Council. Before the TAG report is presented, however, we feel it is appropriate to hold the discussion of system equity in public and give users the opportunity to hear the panel's discussions. Questions of the panel will include: What does "equity" mean to individual communities? Is the current system "fair" in its application? How does reserve capacity, SAC and Inflow/Infiltration (UI) impact the actual community charges? Are there benefits to individual communities factored into the system? I would like to invite you, your city council members and appropriate staff to attend the panel discussion of the equity issue on July 11, 1995 at 8:00 a.m. in the Chambers of Mears Park Centre, 230 East Fifth Street in St. Paul. Participants on the panel will be Anoka County Commissioner Paul McCarron, chair of the original 1985 MWCC Rate Structure Task Force; Professor Tom Luce from the HHH Institute, who was a co-author of the 1992 HHH Institute Study of the metropolitan wastewater treatment system; Mr. Jon Elam, City Manager of Maple Grove; and a representative from the core cities. I will moderate the discussion. A continental breakfast and coffee will be served. For your convenience, parking is available in the Allright parking facility on Fourth and Wacouta Streets adjacent to the Mears Park Building. If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Eunice Groschen at 291-6419 or Pauline Langsdorf at 229-2100. Curt Johnson Chair tfsras-m 230 East Fifth Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1633 (612) 222-8423 Fax 229-2183 TDD/TTY 229-3760 An Equal Opportunity Employer ra June 19, 1995 Mr. Eric Blank, Park and Recreation Director 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 Dear Eric, As self appointed liason between Plymouth Creek Townhomes and,,the Plymouth Park and Recreation Department, I want to inform you of our continued enjoyment of the path between Vicksburg and Plymouth Creek Park. In fact, we are so happy with this trail that last Saturday during our annual neighborhood cleanup day a crew was again assigned to sweep and hose out the tunnel under Rockford Road. Another assigned task was to treat the persistant weeds that come through the blacktop trail behind our townhomes. The tunnel crew got so engrossed in their task that they continued on to the second tunnel, which is south of our homes and in no way adjoins our property! I hope you will stroll through these two areas before they again fill with rocks, paper, mud, leaves etc. As Plymouth Creek residents, we have two things which we hope the city will be able to correct for us. The first is the low spot on the south end of the Rockford Road tunnel which is still muddy and wet after every rain and needs some sort of drainage or additional asphalt. Also there is a city -planted tree which has died and needs to be replaced about a block from Vicksburg behind the townhome at 4005 Terraceview. Other than that things are great! We residents continue to support the preservation of the wetlands in Plymouth and are very proud of the suburban parks and trails. I realize that you personally are responsible in a large way for our beautiful city. Again thank you for a job well done. Sincerely, 4115 Ranchview Lane Plymouth, MN 55446 ,�- .303 June 22, 1995 Mary Merry 4115 Ranchview Lane Plymouth, MN 55446 Dear Mary: e CITV CoF PLYMOUTR It was a pleasure to receive your letter and to learn that your neighborhood enjoys using the trail between Vicksburg and Plymouth Creek Park; and on behalf of the City, I would like to thank you and the other residents for cleaning out the two tunnels that you mentioned. It's very gratifying to know that there are citizens willing to lend a helping hand. I am sending a copy of your letter to the Park Maintenance Department, so they can check on the low spot at the south end of the Rockford Road tunnel and also the dead tree located behind the townhome at 4005 Terraceview Lane. Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention. Have a great summer, Mary, and feel free to contact me again if you have any other questions or concerns. Sincerely, E" e,4, Eric Blank, Director Parks and Recreation EB/np cc: City Manager Parks Superintendent City Forester 11 We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 Talk to us. Your opinion is important. Please take a few minutes to complete a customer service card. We welcome your comments aboutthe service you received today. We want to see if we are meeting your expectations. I will personally review your com- ments and see that you receive a re- sponse to your questions or concerns, if you desire. Our goal is to provide the highest quality information and service to our citizens and customers. At the City of Plymouth, you are our first priority. Thank you for your comments. a,( pwoc Dwight Johnson City Manager r \u Date and Time What service brought you in contact with a city employee today? ow would yogi rate our service? Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor ow were you re ted by our employees? Excellent ery Good Good Fair Poor Approximately, how often do yo isit city offices? Once a Year Once a Month Once a Week Other Please suggest how we could serve you better? i fA%,� e- oc-) ?I�would like a reply. I don't need a reply. Optional, unless a reply is requested: �� C Namey/1, 1 �-6 Phone - 7 Address L_ ,E�/__ State Zi l /5 t < < City, r Thank you for your comments. Please drop this form in the Customer Service Card W Box at the City Center or Public Works Garage. If you have any questions, call 41 550-5000, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. After business hours, leave a recorded message on our 24 hour Customer Service Line, 550-5062. d �r CITY OF June 27, 1995 PLYMOUTR Walter Buchman P.O. Box 11070 Minneapolis, MN 55412 Dear Mr. Buchman: Thank you for submitting a Public Service Counter Customer Comment Card. In your card you expressed concern regarding the ability to mail in permit application materials directly to our office. Permit application forms and supporting materials can be mailed directly to our office, however, the City does not accept any checks or payment for the following reasons: We found that in the years past, many checks submitted with permit applications did not accurately reflect the actual cost of the permit fee, furthermore, the City did not want to place itself in a position of assuming any responsibility for any checks lost by mail. Many contractors falsely assumed that the mailing of the permit fee granted authorization to begin work prior to the issuance of a required permit. The submittal of checks by mail would place an administrative burden on our clerical staff to properly track, monitor and process all permit application materials received. As you know, we initiated an automated system for processing permit applications and the issuance of permits. We have continually evaluated our system and have received input about the operation of the system from contractors and from groups representing contractors. We have designed modifications which we believe are responsive to the concerns which have been raised. Those concerns included the faster turn -around time for certain classes of permits and a better means of issuing certain permits by mail which would reduce the amount of time contractors would spend coming to the City Center. The basic concern was that an automated system should provide more efficient and timely issuance of those permits which do not require formal plan review and verification. We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550-5000 Walter Buchman June 27, 1995 Page 2 For these reasons, the following modifications were developed which addressed the concerns that have been expressed to us. 1. Same day permit issuance - the Building Inspection and Finance Departments are prepared to accept and process complete applications, and to issue permits on demand anytime during our normal business hours for all plumbing and mechanical work of one and two family dwellings. 2. Permits by mail and invoicing - the City of Plymouth has implemented a means by which contractors who generally deal in a large volume of permits may charge the fees for such permits on a monthly basis. This program was primarily designed for those contractors who indicated a desire to operate exclusively by mail. Further information describing our invoicing requirements is enclosed for your review. We will be constantly evaluating our system to see if other changes may be warranted. Let me assure you that our objective is to provide the best service to our customers consistent with our responsibility for fulfilling our legal obligations. If you have any questions or if I may be of any further assistance, please feel free to contact me at 550- 5031. Sincerely, Joe Ryan Building Official cc: Ann Hurlburt, Community Development Director File H. Todd Van Dellen State Representative District 34B Hennepin County Minnesota& House ofRepresentatives COMMITTEES: GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND GAMING; STATE GOVERNMENT FINANCE; TAXES June 22, 1995 Dear Friend: Because you contacted me during the 1995 legislative session, I wanted to make stkr that y( received a copy of my 1995 Legislative Report. I believe that I further distinguished myself as a no-nonsense problem solver during the 1995 session. Many of the key provisions of this year's welfare reform bill were recommended by the 1993 IR Welfare Reform Task Force, which I chaired. The House adopted, but the Senate rejected, my proposed two-year limit on welfare benefits to help break the cycle of dependency. My Metropolitan Antipoverty Plan proposed to revitalize our central cities by stimulating private investment, job growth and middle class homesteading there. I opposed low-income housing mandates on suburbs as symbolic, partisan and punitive means of addressing core city distress. My Health Care Opportunity Act, which was the major IR health care reform bill of the 1995 session, was first to propose many of the most important provisions to roll back government interference in the health care marketplace that were enacted in the 1995 MinnCare bill. I also weighed in on tax policy. I proposed to sunset our property tax system effective July 1, 1996 and to enact a new system or cut spending before the 1996 election. At all events, I tried to solve problems without creating more regulations and programs. I want to continue to fight for more comprehensive welfare reform, for an improved business climate and for property tax reform. But I cannot do so without the support of others. Maintaining good communications with my constituents is costly. For example, production and delivery of my Legislative Report cost in excess of $2,000. As much as I would like to be able to finance all of my campaign committee's work myself, I cannot. That is why I need your help. I would very much appreciate your contribution of $25, $50 or $100 to Van Dellen for State Representative, at 1461543rd Ave. N., Plymouth, MN 55446. With your help, I will keep pressuring the legislature to solve problems, not just talk about them. Sincerely, Todd Van Dellen 14095 37th Place North, Plymouth Minnesota 55447 (612) 553-9088 State Office Building, St. Paul,.Minnesota 55155 (612) 296-5511 House Fax (612) 296-1563 TDD (612) 296-9896 ILA NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE s � _ Todd VAN DELLEN why 'p STATE REPRESENTATIVE`'°1P'I'P Rep. Todd Van Dellen Works for District 34B During the 1995 session Rep. Van Dellen was successful in promoting so- lutions to some of the problems facing the people of District 34B. • PINEVIEW CROSSING SIGNAL: Leg- islation he introduced was instrumental in finally obtaining a railroad crossing signal for the dangerous intersection of road and track at Pineview Lane in Ply- mouth. • IIIGHWAY 55 STOPLIGHT: By work- ing closely with concerned local resi- dents and the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation, Rep. Van Dellen helped obtain a stop light at the intersection of Hwy. 101 and Hwy. 55, near Hamel. • MAXWELL BAY ACCESS: A bill in- troduced and shepherded through the legislative process by Rep. Van Dellen facilitated the sale of state lands critical to the development of a public access on Lake Minnetonka's Maxwell Bay in Orono. • I-394 EXPANSION: A bill support- ed by Rep. Van Dellen authorizes the opening of an additional lane on I-394 near the Penn Avenue exchange to eliminate three lanes merging into two. Opening is contingent upon the erec- tion of noise barriers and laying a bitu- minous surface between Golden Valley and Minneapolis. A. - Welfare Welfare Reform Contains Van Dellen Proposals The significant changes made to our state's welfare system are one of the few highlights of the 1995 session. Many of the best provisions had their genesis in the recommendations of the 1994 IR Welfare Reform Task Force, chaired by Rep. Todd Van Dellen. Oth- ers were IR amendments that had broad bipartisan support. An amendment of Rep. Van Dellen's to limit eligibility for AFDC benefits to 24 months out of any 48 month period was accepted by the House but reject- InsideThis Issue • K-12 Funding • Proposed SBE Rules • NVIinnCare Changes • Balanced Budget • Wetlands Changes Stall • Cabin Tax Relief • Ontario Fishing Dispute ed by the Senate. Among the provisions contained in the new welfare laws are these: • WORK FIRST: Requires able-bodied, first-time applicants to seek work in exchange for basic needs vouchers, not cash. If employment is not found within two months, applicants will perform community service work for the next four months. • MINOR PARENTS: Minor parents are required to live at home in order to qualify for AFDC benefits. Government should not pay for teen parents to set up housekeeping on their own. • TWO-TIER STRUCTURE: A two-tier benefit structure will give out-of-state residents who move here and apply for welfare a benefit amount no larger than they would have received there. • PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: Applicants for General Assistance must have their social security numbers in order to re- ceive benefits. •S Rep. Todd Van Dellen making a point on the floor of the House. He's an outspoken proponent of welfare and health care reform. Term Limits Bill Heard; No Action A term limits bill introduced by Rep. ❑ Todd Van Dellen to give voters the right ® " to decide on pas- ' sage of an amend- ❑ ment to the state constitution was one of only two term limits bills given a hearing this session. Neither bill was reported out of the committee that has jurisdiction over election matters. The Van Dellen bill would have im- posed term limits on legislators and constitutional officers (e.g., governor). Although a decision by the U.S. Su- preme Court this year struck down a state law imposing term limits on mem- bers of the U.S. Congress, it was mute on the question of term limits on state officeholders. -*.- PREPARED PREPARED AND PAID FOR BY VAN DELLEN FOR STATE REP. COMMITTEE, 14095 37th PLACE NORTH, PLYMOUTH, MN 55447 STATE REP. TODD VAN DELLEN * HOUSE DISTRICT' 340 Rep. Rep. Van Dellen speaking up during a committee hearing. He serves on the House Committees on Taxes; Capital Investment; and International Trade & Economic Development. Van Dellen Opposes Racial Quotas for Schools Rep. Todd Van Dellen strongly op- poses proposed rules by the State Board of Education (SBE) that would impose racial quotas on metro area schools and require all schools in s the state to close the achievement gap be- tween minority and main- stream students, a goal not met by any school district in the nation. ^� • DESEGREGATION RULE: The proposed racial balance rule would impose quotas—a floor and a ceiling—on each and every classroom in all K-12 schools in the region in or- der to racially balance the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts. Minority students would have the option of being transported to the sub- urban schools of their choice, regardless of open enrollment status. Minneapolis alone would have to send 12,000 stu- dents to the suburbs every day. Because district participation would be mandatory, but student participation voluntAry, the proposed rule appears designed to fail. No city -suburban interdistrict busing plan in the nation has ever come close to the voluntary level of participation en- visioned by the SBE. The inevitable failure to comply is likely to trigger a federal lawsuit seek- ing mandatory busing as a remedy. • ACHIEVEMENT GAP: Failure to close the achievement gap between mi- nority students (defined by race, ethnic- ity or socioeconomic status) and main- stream students would be severely pun- ished under this proposed SBE rule. Failure to close the gap would result in one or more penalties: reconstitution (dispersal of all teachers and adminis- trators); direct state takeover of school operations; withholding state aid; and prohibitions on building, remodeling or expanding school facilities. The expenditure of huge sums of money by school districts across the country has been a dismal failure. Kan- sas City, for example, has spent $1.3 billion in recent years and the gap is unchanged. Comprehensive new studies show student achievement is primarily influ- enced by the educational achieve- ments—and expectations— of parents (one very sophisticated analysis shows a correlation of 85 percent). Since these factors are beyond the influence of schools, a legal commitment to close the gap will do little but trigger a flood of lawsuits. ❖ Record Funding for K-12 Education The K-12 education funding bill pro- vides $5.8 billion in state aid during the two-year budget cycle starting July 1, 1995. This is more than $350 million over the current appropriation, an in- crease of approximately seven percent. Rep. Van Dellen voted for this bill. The state's per pupil aid formula is raised to $3,205 for the 1995-96 school year, a $55 increase. Then transporta- tion , and training and experience cate- gorical aids are "folded into" the Gen- eral Fund, making the 1996-97 formula $3,505. The remaining categoricals will stay at the current funding level. The elimination of these categoricals represents a significant change in poli- cy. Now school districts will have addi- tional flexibility to set priorities and bet- ter manage their resources. The Legislature also eliminated a re- quirement that districts set aside 2.5 percent per pupil for staff develop- ment. All of these are changes that were requested by a variety of local school districts. The new budget also contains $24 million for school districts to use for technical expenditures such as com- puter hardware and software upgrades, and access to the Internet. Because computers are now dou- bling their processing power every 18 months, upgrades of school comput- ers—a number of which are pushing a decade of service—are becoming an important issue in many districts. Another issue that needs to be ad- dressed is develop- ing a youth appren- ticeship program for students who are not bound for four-year colleges. We would benefit from a more co- herent policy. -*.- REPORT ON THE 1995 LEGISIATiVE SESSION MinnCare Changes Are Good Beginning The 1995 MinnesotaCare (MinnCare) revisions encourage com- petition between health care providers by repealing the Regulated All -Payer Option (RAPD) that imposed state con- trols on services and prices. It also deletes the deadline for univer- sal coverage, freezes community rating and repeals the more onerous insurance regulations imposed in 1994. A discount prescription drug pro- gram for seniors be- low 200 percent of poverty is established. The final version signed by the gov- ernor did not contain as many reform provisions as the bill initially passed by the House. However, that there were any market- oriented reforms at all is largely the re- sult of Rep. Van Dellen's introduction of his Health Care Opportunity Act at the beginning of the session. By putting forward a bill that stressed consumer freedom of choice and mar- ket-driven solutions, he greatly influ- enced the subsequent debate. IR amendments not included in the fi- nal version would have permitted the establishment of for-profit health care provider networks, allowed Medical Savings Accounts, reformed the medi- cal malpractice system by imposing caps for non -economic damages, and exempted dentists from the two percent tax on health care providers. A proposal to expand coverage of sin- gle adults and childless households from 125 percent to 150 percent of the feder- al poverty guidelines was scaled back to 135 percent—only if the system is fi- nancially capable of dealing with the expansion in October 1995. -:- Finally! Real Workers' Comp Reform After years of inaction and half -steps on workers' compensation reform, the 1995 Legislature delivered the goods. There are three major changes: Automatic annual cost -of -living in- creases will be trimmed from four per- cent to two percent. - Stricter standards for permanent total disability are set. This alone could reduce the average premium by five percent. - There will be a one-third rate re- duction in insurance premiums for busi- nesses that have no injury claims for three years. 4 - Changes in Wetlands Law Fail in Senate A bill changing the Wetlands Conservation Act was passed by the House, but not consid- ered by the Senate. Rep. Van Dellen vot- ed against the bill because he does not support rolling back current wetlands protection laws. The House would have increased the size of wetland developments exempt- ed from regulation, defined agricultural land more broadly and reduced the re- placement ratio for public road projects. 4- This session, Rep. Van Dellen was a key participant in debates about low-income housing, welfare reform, MnCARE revisions, workers' compensation changes and other hotly contested issues. CAIIIN UWNER Ontario Fishing Ban Owners of private recreational prop- erty will see a slight reduction in their tax classification. A persuasive case was made that the average owner is a seasonal occupant who places limited demands on most county services (e.g., education) The current two percent rate will drop to 1.9 percent for taxes payable in 1997 and to 1.8 percent for taxes pay- able in 1998. 4 - New legislation repeals both the 1994 law that limited Minnesota anglers in Ontario to trophy fish and the require- ment that their catch be brought back home in the round. The governor has the authority to re- impose these sanctions if negotiations between the state and the province are unsuccessful. However, this interna- tional issue should properly be ad- dressed by the federal government, not the Minnesota Legislature. 4 - Rep. Todd Van Dellen working at his desk on the floor of the historic Minnesota House of Representatives chamber. T-_:�9 Skirmishing on Taxes Produces Mixed Results There was a lot of skirmishing this session on property tax issues. Al- though the state's nearly incomprehen- sible patchwork of property taxes and credits is in dire need of reform, the political will essential to dealing with the issue directly is lacking. In an effort to force the issue, amend- ments authored by Rep. Van Dellen would have terminated the current prop- erty tax and state property tax relief programs, and current school funding property tax levy laws in 1996. This would have required the Legislature to replace the system next year. Van Dellen Opposes Housing Mandates Rep. Todd Van Dellen lead the oppo- sition to legislation mandating the cre- ation of more low-income housing in the suburbs. The so-called Metropoli- tan Livable Communities Act requires the Metropolitan Council to set low-in- come housing allotments for cities in the seven -county metro area. It earmarks a portion of each city's residential tax base for spending on low-income housing. Cities that choose not to participate in this program lose eligibility for housing and pollution cleanup grants and may be denied road, sewer and other infrastructure funding. He opposed this measure for three reasons: it will result in property tax in- creases; it will erode local control over development; and the budget already includes increased appropriations for low-income housing. A legislative proposal authored by Rep. Van Dellen, the Metropolitan Anti - Poverty Act, would have balanced a voluntary suburban affordable housing incentive program with measures spe- cifically designed to attack poverty. These included incentives for busi- nesses to locate jobs in or near dis- tressed areas of the core cities, better transportation links to jobs, blight re- moval, job skills enhancement pro- grams and welfare reform. 4 - INSTANT INSTANT INFORMATION: YOUR STATE BUDGET DOLLAR N 440— Education (K-12 & Higher Ed) � g 17. " � S 27¢ — Health & Human Services 15¢ — All Other State Spending (e.g., transportation, environment, �; o011 judiciary, etc.) _ N 140— Local Government Aids & Credits He also authored and introduced leg- islation in two previous sessions to pro- vide property tax deferrals for seniors. Rep. Van Dellen was one of the fore- most opponents of the Orfield plan to place "excess" property tax revenues on homes valued at $200,000 or more in a pool for redistribution to Minneapolis, St. Paul and other cities. Although passed by the Legislature, the governor vetoed it. Rep. Van Dellen believes local taxes should pay for local services, and not be used to bail out cities that are unwilling to rein in their excessive spending. ❖ State Budget is $18.2 Billion; No New Taxes The Legislature approved an $18.2 billion budget for the two-year cycle beginning July 1, 1995. In addition to the state's $350 million cash flow reserve, an additional $200 million has been set aside for dealing with reductions in federal spending that may hit Minnesota this year. However, we should all be concerned about a projected structural state defi- cit of $1.8 billion or more over the next six years. An aging population and growing education needs are the driv- ing forces behind this dilemma. Tough decisions will be required in 1997. How To CONTACT REP. TODD VAN DELLEN Office Address: 291 State Office Building 100 Constitution Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-1298 Phone: 612-296-5511 is Fax: 612-296-3949 E-mail: Rep.Todd.Van.Dellen@House. Leg. State. MN.US NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE Metropolitan Council Working for the Region, Planning for the Future Environmental Services METROPOLITAN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING on PROPOSED 1996 BUDGET of METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1995 4:00 P.M. Council Chambers Mears Park Centre 230 East Fifth Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 On Thursday, July 13, 1995, the Metropolitan Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed 1996 budget for the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services Division. This hearing will be held as part of the 4:00 p.m. Metropolitan Council meeting in the Council Chambers, Mears Park Centre, 230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul. All interested people are encouraged to attend the hearing and offer comments. People desiring to speak may register in advance by calling Katie Elliott at 229-2016 or 229-3760 (TTY). The Council will provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities, upon request. Written comments, which must be received by July 20, 1995, should be sent to Lois Spear, Controller, Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, 230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. Copies of the public hearing draft of the proposed 1996 Environmental Services budget may be obtained from the Metropolitan Council Data Center by callling 291-8140 or 291- 0904 (TTY). 230 East Fifth Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1633 (612) 222-8423 Fax 229-2183 TDD/= 229-3760 An Equal Opportunity Employer d; June 26, 1995 r` l Public Service Department of A•'� Telecommunications 121 7 Place East `�'✓`a St. Paul, MN 55101 To Whom it May Concern: On Monday, June 19, 1995, at approximately 10:00 p.m., I reported to U.S. West that our telephones were not working. The person that took the call said that the problem was not in our home, but outside and that service would be restored by 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. June 22. The service did get restored about 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 22. I am writing to you because I think this is terrible service by a large company. The telephone is our source for emergency services. My children were awaiting calls regarding employment which is just one of the inconveniences we had. Our rates with U.S. West have definitely increased over the years, but the service definitely has not! I would appreciate your help in this situation so we won't have to face such a delay in service in the future. Thank you. Sincerely, I Ir - Dennis E. Murphy 3660 Wellington Court Plymouth, MN 55441 (612) 544-2821 c: U.S. West Communications Arne Carlson, Governor Skip Humphrey, Attorney General Joy Tierney, Plymouth Mayor Warren Limmer, State Representative Richard Stanek, House Representative Association of Medicine Lake Area Citizens June 23, 1995 Mr. Eric Blank Director of Parks & Recreation City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Re: Medicine Lake Spring Cleanup May 7, 1994 Dear Mr. Blank: I thank you and the City of Plymouth for assisting AMLAC's lake clean up on May 6, 1995. I understand that the piles of lake debris were smaller this year than last year. I would interpret that as a "good sign" that we are making progress in keeping Medicine Lake's shoreline clean. Thank you very much. Very truly yours, Bruce W. Larson Treasurer of AMLAC 4717 IDS Center 80 South Eighth Street Minneapolis, MN 55402 BWL/wjr DATE: June 28, 1995 TO: Mayor Joy Tierney and City Council Members THROUGH: Dwight Johnson, City Manager FROM: Craig C. Gerdes, Director of Public Safety SUBJECT: NATIONAL NIGHT OUT National Night Out is a nationally sponsored event celebrating "America's Night Out Against Crime." Since its inception in 1983, it has grown to be celebrated in all 50 states, US territories, Canada and Military bases throughout the US and around the world. The event is always held on the first Tuesday in August. This year for the first time it will conflict with a scheduled City Council Meeting, August 1. Last year Plymouth received national recognition for the largest community participation for cities of our size. This year's celebration is taking shape to be the largest ever. To date we have 57 neighborhoods that have registered their events with us and the number continues to grow each week. Events are scheduled between 6:00 and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 1. Participants from the police and fire departments will be meeting at the Police Department at 5:30 p.m. that evening and plan to be out in the neighborhoods from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. T�vl� 4"V. -I DATE: June 29, 1995 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Kathy Lueckert, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: City Attorney Services Evaluation --Draft Evaluation You are scheduled to review the performance of our City Attorney firm, Campbell, Knutson, Scott & Fuchs, on July 18. Attached is a draft evaluation form for your review and comment. I'd appreciate any input on questions you think we should add, reword, or delete by July 5, 1995. I'll take your suggestions, revise the form, and have the final evaluation forms distributed by July 7. Please give me a call on 550-5013 with your comments. Thanks! h, Check One: ❑ COUNCIL ❑ STAFF EVALUATION OF CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES Questions 1 - 6 deal with civil legal services. 1. Please rate the overall quality of advice and work that the City Attorney provides. Good Fair Needs Improvent Poor Don't Know Comments: 2. Please rate the timeliness of the advice or work. Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Don't Know Comments: 3. Please rate how well the City Attorney helps avoid preventable law suits against the City. Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Don't Know Comments: 4. Please rate the performance of the City Attorney during official council meetings. Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Don't Know Comments: 5. Please rate your overall satisfaction with your communications with the City Attorney. Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Don't Know Comments: 6. Please rate your satisfaction with the fairness of the billings that we receive from the City Attorney Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Don't Know Comments: Question 7 deals with prosecution services. 7. Please rate the overall quality of the prosecution services provided by the City Attorney Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Don't Know Comments: