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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 09-23-2005CITY OF PLN Dummy r12Jj. COUNCIL P September 23, 2005 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Youth Advisory Council September 26 meeting agenda ...................................................... Page 3 Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit September 28 meeting agenda .......................... Page 4 September, October, and November Official City Meeting Calendars ................................. Page 5 Tentative list of agenda items for future City Council meetings ........................................ Page 10 FOR INFORMATION ... News Articles, Releases, Publications, etc. Robbinsdale Area Schools Reorganization Plan .................................................................. Page 11 Star Tribune Plymouth -related articles from the Wednesday "West Edition": Plymouth theatre hits big stage................................................................................Page 20 City combines parade, art fair to mark 50th.............................................................Page 22 Open Senate seat sets up an intriguing race.............................................................Page 23 Senior apartments on the way in Plymouth.............................................................Page 25 Letter by Kent Kiewatt, Director, Friends of Elm Creek regarding Comp. Plan .....Page 26 Taxeson the rise....................................................................................................... Page 28 "Should Cities Be in the Business of Providing Wireless Internet'— article from Twin West Directions Magazine, October. 2005................................................................. Page 33 Staff Reports Memo from Public Services Manager Pat Qvale regarding the 2006 Transit Budget Review................................................................................................................................. Page 35 Police Department Monthly Statistical Summary for August, 2005 ................................... Page 37 Correspondence Letters (2) from Planning Manager Barbara Senness to residents regarding an application from Lifestyle Properties requesting approval for rezoning and announcing public hearing date and location.......................................................................................... Page 43 Letter from Planning Manager Barbara Senness to residents regarding a planned unit development site plan amendment for Swan Development, LLC ....................................... Page 45 Thank you from Brooklyn Park and Osseo...........................................................................Page 46 YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 269 2005 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH CREEK CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM 2 1. Call to Order 2. Presentations: a) Mayor's Sleep—out event (Mayor Johnson) 3. Approvals: a) Agenda b) September 12 meeting minutes 4. City Council Update 5. Special Items: a) Youth Service Awards program plans b) Youth Leadership program plans c) Intergenerational activities d) Goals and Objectives; 2005-2006 Work Plan 6. Adjournment 7. Additional Materials: a) October 2005—May 2006 Official City Meeting Calendars b) Next Meeting: October 10, 7:00 PM Time Allotment 7:00 PM AGENDA PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT Plymouth Creek Center (14800 — 34th Avenue North) Wednesday, September 28, 2005 7:00 p.m. 1. Approval of agenda. 2. Approval of minutes for the July 27, 2005, PACT meeting (attached). 3. Ridership information and review of ridership statistics through August 31, 2005. 4. Station 73. update and ground breaking event. 5. Follow-up on cell phones. 6. Discussion on bus breakdowns. 7. Discussion on fare cards that do not work. 8. November and December PACT meeting date discussion. Due to the holidays, it is recommended that the meetings be combined on December 7, 2005. 9. Identification of areas of concern and/or recommendations. Note: Please call Bernie Maciej at 763-509-5535, if you are unable to attend. ^� C:\Documents and SettingsWanger\Local SettingsWemporaty Internet Files\OLK6\092805.doc OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS September 2005 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Oct 2005 S M T W T F S 1 700 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, 2 3 Aug 2005 S M T W T F S 1 Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 LABOR DAY - City Offices Closed 7:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: BUDGETSTUDY SESSION: Cord. Rm. 2, Plymouth creek Center Iowerieael 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek 11:30 AM TRANSIT STATION 73 GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY, Southeast Comer of Highway 55 and County Road 73 7:00 PM PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC) Center Classroom, Plymouth Creek Center (this meeting only) 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 8:30 PM -8:30 PM COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OPEN HOUSE, Plymouth Creek Center, Plymouth Room 8:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING (SPECIAL START TIME THIS MEETING ONLY), Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 4:30 PM VICKSBURG CROSSING GROUNDBREAKING, Hwy. 55 & Vicksburg Lane 8:30 PM -8:30 PM COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OPEN HOUSE, Plymouth Creek Center, Plymouth Room 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Black Box Theater, 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Plymouth Town Square 9:00 AM -3:30 PM PLYMOUTH CLEAN-UP DAY, Public Works Maintenance Facility Plymouth Creek Center Autumn Art Fair 10:00AM-5:00PM and Plymouth on Parade 1:00 PM 25 26 27 28 29 30 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, Sheraton Minneapolis West 12201 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT), Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center modified on 9/20/2005 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS October 2005 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday T Friday Saturday 1 Sep 2005 Nov 2005 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 25 26 27 28 29 30 27 28 29 30 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ROSH HASHANAH 7:00 PMR7:00 PLANNING PM HUMAN IGHTS COMMISSION, Plymouth Creek Center BEGINS AT COMMISSION, Conference Room 2 SUNSET Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ]:m PM ENVIRONMENTAL ounuTYCOMMmEEtEoct, Plym,u.M1—Canter a°.,reemA 7:00 PM REGULAR CITY YOM KIPPUR BEGINS AT 7:00 PM PARK& RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL SUNSET COMMISSION (PRAC), 7:0OPMYOUTHA9VI31RY I MEETING, Black Plymouth Creek Center COUNCIL, Plyewulh G„M amx,Ieer rwl Co,e..M. Box Theater, Classroom A Plymouth Creek Center COLUMBUS DAY (OBSERVED), PUNk WoeMa pMWn clowd 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 7:00 PM PLANNING 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), COMMISSION, Plymouth Town Square Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 7:00 PM -9:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM -9:00 PM COMPREHENSNE PLAN OPEN HOUSE, Plymouth REGULAR CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OPEN HOUSE, Plymouth Creek Center, Plymouth COUNCIL Creek Center, Plymouth Room MEETING, Black Room 700 PM YOUTH ADVISORY C OU NCIL, BoxTheater, Plymouth Creek 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORYCOMMITTEE Plymouth Creek Center, Center ON TRANSIT (PACT), 1— level Conferenw Room 2 Plymouth Creek Center 30 31 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS - set clocks back 1 hour modified on 9/20/2005 1 d OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS November 2005 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EOC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 7:00 PM PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Plymouth Creek Center classroom A VETERANS DAY (OBSERVED), City Offices Y Closed 8:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING (SPECIAL START TIME THIS MEETING ONLY), Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Plymouth Town Square Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 11:45 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, Sheraton Minneapolis West 12201 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEEON TRANSIT (PACT), Plymouth Creek Center City Offices closed THANKSGIVING THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 7:00 PM REGULAR CIN COUNCIL MEETING, Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center HOLIDAY 27 28 29 30 Oct 2005 Dec 2005 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 1 2 3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 30 31 modified on 9/20/2005 01 11 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items October 11, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • Recognize Reserves • Recognize Police Explorer • Approve final plat for a six -lot subdivision to be called "Hadley Hills, 2"a Addition" for property located at 18555 13th Avenue North. Quality Site Design. (2005024F) • Approve site plan amendment, conditional use permit, and variances for improvements at the Waterford Plaza Shopping Center located at 10200 6th Avenue North. Provident/Waterford, LLC. (2005070) • Approve conditional use permit to allow kindergarten classes for property located at 15870 46t Avenue North. Ascension Evangelical Lutheran Church. (2005098) • Approve conditional use permit amendment to allow 25 percent accessory enclosed retail in the I-2 (General Industrial) zoning district and an interim use permit to allow reduced parking for property located at 13810 24th Avenue North. Carlsons Piano World. (2005101) • Approve conditional use permit to allow over 50 percent office use and an interim use permit for reduced parking for property located at 9600 54th Avenue North. WCL Associates, Inc. (2005102) • Award bid for City Center signs • Consider Preliminary Plat for four single family lots for property located at 1010 Harbor Lane North. Calhoun Development. (2005078) • Request from Tree Contractor to Cancel Contract October 25, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • Receive third quarter Financial Report November 8, Regular, 8: 00 p.m., Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center lower level November 22, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center lower level Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. A Reorganization Summary Money on the Students ■Hold High Expectations for A ■Provide Choices for Families 'I N THE REORGANIZATION OF THE ROBBINSDALE AREA SCHOOLS AUGUST 2005 In July 2003 the School Board directed Superintendent Stan F. Mack II to examine various options for reorganizing the district that would respond to current realities, community expectations and best practice. The study was to be participatory in nature, involving over 300 community members and staff in initial discussions related to their values, hopes and expectations for the organization. The information gathered from the community and staff was forwarded to a district Steering Committee where a decision-making process was utilized to examine the advantages and disadvantages of several organizational options. By October 2004 the School Board had approved a reorganization plan that would address the utilization of district facilities, improve student learning and expand educational choices for families. This report provides a summary of the actions that were taken in response to the reorganization and in accordance with the values, hopes and expectations expressed by the community. It is representative of the board's commitment to excellence in programs, services and instruction and its pledge to remain accountable to the public. �a A Reorganization Option Is Selected The community discussion produced clarity and direction on at least two specific issues: spending priorities and balanced demographics at the middle level. While spacious learning environments may be appealing, the community put student learning ahead of maintaining excess space and neighborhood schools ahead of lottery enrollment methods at the middle level. The adopted option, Option IIA, reflects these values by saving an estimated $524,000 annually and by operating three relatively balanced middle schools. Option IIA: • Closed an elementary school and redistributed the children to neighboring schools • Set the stage for the sale or disposal of excess property • Phased out the TLC magnet program and created a neighborhood school in its place • Provided three relatively balanced middle schools Reduce Properties The New Hope Elementary School, founded in 1960, closed its doors on June 8, 2005 and will reopen in the fall of 2005, housing various administrative services and a potential transition center for students in grades nine and ten. Additionally, the district sold the Robbinsdale Area Community Education Center (RACEC) and the Thorson School. Minimize Disruptions for Families The distribution of students from New Hope Elementary was painstakingly scrutinized so that: • Further isolation of the most economically disadvantaged schools was minimized • The overall movement of students across the district was minimized • The geographic cohesion of community and civic boundaries was preserved • The transportation logistics and costs remained affordable • Space was preserved to offer at least one section of full-day kindergarten The number and percent of students affected by the elementary boundary changes was limited to roughly 10 percent and only 69 elementary families requested that their child either transfer back to their previous school or move to yet another building, indicating that most families accepted the change of schools. The number of students and the demographic profile of each elementary school, shown in Table 1, are based on projections for January 2006. Table 1. January 2006 protections for the elementary schools (based on December 2004 enrollment) School Total number of students Percent minority Percent lunch subsidy Forest 492 43.4 40.9 Lakeview 408 40.2 39.0 Meadow Lake 609 67.1 61.4 Neill 479 35.3 36.0 RSIS 634 20.7 8.4 Noble 426 39.6 38.1 Northport 459 73.7 67.1 Pilgrim Lane 434 25.5 25.7 Sonnes n 633 33.9 34.1 Sunny Hollow 509 38.9 33.5 Zachary Lane 582 17.8 13.4 Total District 5664 39.59 35.96 2 1 Phase Out the TLC Magnet Program The Technology and Language Campus (TLC) will open in the fall of 2005 as Robbinsdale Middle School (RMS) with approximately 270 grade six students living within the newly assigned attendance boundary. For the time being, all students will benefit from the current focus of the program, an emphasis on technology and global languages but a task force has been meeting to evaluate the current focus and then either renew or create a new emphasis that will serve the entire student body. The grade six through eight Spanish Immersion School will remain intact and will not change. Operate Three Relatively Balanced Middle School The January 2006 projected distribution of middle school students, including the movement of nearly 161 students who requested a school transfer, 59 students who transferred for IBMYP or Pre -AP, and another 52 open enrolled students, is shown in Table 2. The middle school boundary changes will be phased -in over a three-year period and will result in a balanced demographic profile among the schools. m_Ll_ n ml..- 7........,-.. lour .,r^;o�t;nne fnr the mvlrilr. schnok (hased on December 2004 enrollment) 1 Gule 6. ilio JUHUal School 6 Total number of students 7 g Percent minority Percent lunch subsid Plymouth Middle 374 353 356 39.3 36.8 Robbinsdale Middle 266 245 222 26.1 21.4 Sandburg Middle 352 386 457 47.7 41.6 Program Improvements Materialize The utilization of facilities constituted only half the picture. The community also wanted the district to hold high expectations for all students, to allow choices for families whenever possible and to create programs and services that would be attractive to the district families who enroll their children elsewhere. Hold High Expectations The community recognized that students learn better when they are comfortable in their environment and engaged in the learning. To that end they asked for: • Stronger Beginnings • Stronger Transition Points • Stronger Academics • Stronger Sense of Belonging • Stronger Post -Secondary Preparation Stronger r Beginnings. Emerging research on full-day kindergarten is encouraging, especially for students who need extended access to a language rich environment. At least one section of full-day kindergarten will be offered in each elementary school. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of openings, a drawing will be held to determine enrollment. All other students will be placed into the traditional half-day kindergarten program. Past practices and current state legislation dictates a range of payment options for the full-day ��4 program but most will be a tuition -based model with a sliding fee for qualifying families. Early projections for kindergarten enrollment appear strong enough to suggest that the full- day option retained some families in the district. Stronger Transition Points. Families have asked that more attention be directed toward the transition points from grade five to six and from grade eight to nine. In response, the incoming grade nine students will experience an entire school day of orientation including engaging team -building activities. There's more. During their grade eight year, students and their families will find expanded and enriched opportunities that will set the stage for their transition to high school and by the fall of 2006, the incoming grade six students and their families will find that more transition opportunities are available as they prepare for middle school. Stronger Academics. A look into the district records shows that many students are extremely high achievers when compared to their peers across the state and the nation. In fact, each district high school was recently named among the top 1000 schools in the nation for the number of students taking Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams! Never resting on laurels, the academic programs are regularly scrutinized to ensure they continue to stand with the best in the nation. The science and math courses received the most recent upgrades with fresh new textbooks for the elementary and middle schools and high school math is on track for a total upgrade. Knowing that college entrance depends on the number of challenging courses taken at the high school level, many high school students will benefit from a new program, AVID, designed to help them study more productively and find success in challenging courses. Stronger Sense of Belonging_ It is widely recognized that the path to higher academic performance requires a stable, welcoming environment that encourages a sense of belonging for all learners. To that end, every school in the district will concentrate on building a climate that is more welcoming and engaging. New to the high schools will be improved advisory sessions designed to strengthen personal connections and instructional teaming where the same group of students remains with a core group of teachers throughout the school year. Stronger Post -Secondary Preparation. A more relevant curriculum paves yet another path toward higher academic excellence. The level of interest, intensity and persistence soars when the learner's curiosity is tapped and when the purpose for learning is clear. The plan for improved post -secondary prep couples strong academic foundations with rich experiences in the highest levels of application. Future opportunities may include pre -engineering, medical careers and more. 0 Provide More Choices Families were vocal about their desire for expanded school choice. The location of their daycare provider and siblings, they said, should carry some weight in a transfer request and the selection of a middle school should parallel the importance of selecting a college. District administrators resolved to somehow make it work and for the upcoming school year nearly 500 school transfers were granted. PriorityOrder. rder. Families said common sense should prevail when the number of applicants outnumbers the openings in a particular program or school. In response, a priority order was established that dictates the approval process when families apply for a school transfer. Families living within the school attendance area have first choice, district residents have second choice and families living outside the district have third choice. Middle School Choice Programs. Families representing the new Robbinsdale Middle School asked for an opportunity to either renew the technology and language theme or adopt something new for their instructional program. A task force was formed and options were examined. The options will soon be narrowed to the top few and the RMS community will have an opportunity to indicate their preference. Programming will begin in 2006-07. In the meantime the technology and language program focus will continue for all students. District Families Enrolling Elsewhere. Perhaps the most consistent theme that emerged from the community discussion was the recognition that the basic educational program and the world class enhancements in the academics, the arts and in athletics are a well - kept secret. "People need to know!" they said. Our schools are strong, safe and vibrant and are teeming with productive activity. More attention to the positive may keep more families in district schools. Open Enrollment. Many years ago the state legislature approved Open Enrollment whereby any Minnesota family can request that their child enroll in a district other than the one in which they reside. While district families are entitled to first choice when space is limited, non-resident families are welcomed into our schools. Their membership, in fact, helps slow the enrollment decline seen over the last decade. As of August 9, 2005, 56 families were approved for open enrollment into the district for their kindergarten student. One hundred and thirty eight students in grades 1-12 who live outside the district were approved to enroll in district schools in the fall. Thank You! The School Board wishes to thank the community task force for engaging in open and honest discussion about their values, hopes and expectations for the district. Participatory decision making, while time consuming, emotional and sometimes messy, is worth the effort! We remain forever grateful for your commitment to the district children, for your dedication to school excellence and for your support of public education. fCD APPENDIX An Overview of Student Enrollment for 2005-06 Readers may be interested in a few more facts about district enrollment for the upcoming school year. As a school district that values strong neighborhood schools as well as school choice, it appears that a comfortable balance has resulted for the 2005-06 school year. The data is current as of August 9, 2005 and will certainly change a bit by the opening of school in the fall. Kindergarten • Full-day kindergarten has been a very popular option for most families. Most sections are full. • It appears that the full-day kindergarten option may be drawing some district families back to district schools. Elementary Schools • 570 elementary students will change their school location for the upcoming year due to the boundary changes. Approximately 69 requested a school transfer, indicating that most families accepted the change of schools. • Enrollment in grades 1-5 is within 1% of the January 2006 projected enrollment. Variation in school enrollment at grades 1-5 range +/- 10%. • Forest enrollment is very strong. Higher than normal retention rates are partially due to the new school facility. • With the closing of New Hope Elementary and the redistribution of the students, space at the remaining elementary buildings will be maximized, according to plan, and with the exception of Pilgrim Lane and Sunny Hollow, space at the elementary buildings will be tight for a few years. The two largest neighborhood elementary schools, Meadow Lake and Sonnesyn, will require monitoring. Middle Schools Middle School enrollment is near January projections (2.1% above). 161 students requested to transfer to a school other than their attendance area school, 58 of these requests were related to the IBMYP and Pre -AP program choice and another 52 entered through the Open Enrollment option. High Schools • High school enrollment is reasonably strong at 3.2% above projections. Overall District • District enrollment in grades 1-12 is currently 1.5% above January 2006 projections. An Overview of Program Updates and Upgrades for 2005-06 The list provided below is but a snapshot of the activities that will occur during the upcoming year; more could easily be added. Initiatives begun in the past few years that require ongoing maintenance and support are not listed such as the International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs, the fine arts programs, the gifted program at the elementary school and more. Please contact the director of teaching and learning at 763-504-8032 for more detailed information about programs and services. Kindergarten • Offer full-day kindergarten at every elementary school Elementary • Acclimate 570 elementary students and their families to a new school as a result of the boundary changes • Select a site for the Primary Years International Baccalaureate Program and train staff • Train all elementary principals and support staff as Literacy Leaders • Implement the new elementary science program and begin preparations for the state test • Prepare for the second year of grade 4 MCA testing where Adequate Yearly Progress is activated • Conduct a Data Retreat to ensure broad understanding of the NCLB requirements • Pilot the Campus version of the elementary progress report • Open Forest school Middle School • Adjust the grade 6 staff configuration so students spend more time with a core group of teachers • Implement a new Physical Science curriculum at grade 6 • Begin preparations for the state science test • Prepare for year -two for grade six and eight MCA testing (Adequate Yearly Progress is activated) • Conduct a Data Retreat to ensure broad understanding of the NCLB requirements • Implement a new math series for grades 6-8 including pacing calendars and benchmark testing • Select a program focus for RMS and begin training staff • Begin a train -the -trainers program for the National Urban Alliance Project for reading comprehension. • Implement the recommendations from the Middle School Study including an upgraded family involvement program • Examine the possibilities for a bully prevention program • Enhance the transition activities for students moving from grade five to grade six High School • Institute Link Crew, a program to enhance school orientation for grade 9 students • Institute Advisories with a curriculum designed to prepare students for success in school and a better understanding of their educational options beyond high school • Enroll more students in rigorous classes and provide appropriate support through AVID, a program designed to help students succeed in more challenging coursework • Begin organizing students into teams so that personal connections can be strengthened • Manage the terms of the 1.7 million dollar Smaller Learning Communities Federal Grant • Plan for and open a new 9-10 Education Center • Plan for a total update and upgrade of the high school math program that will streamline course -taking decisions for students and families • Implement a complete new social studies program that embodies best practices in the integration of curriculum and instruction with technology • Prepare for the upcoming state science test • Conduct a Data Retreat to ensure broad understanding of the NCLB requirements • Update and upgrade the delivery of special education services at the high school • Conduct online registration for high school courses • Extend CALT into the high school to ensure appropriate course selection for new students • Examine the possibilities of piloting a pre -engineering course • Implement a Medical Careers course at Robbinsdale Cooper High School Overall District • Orient over 190 Open Enrolled families to district schools/norms • Operate the largest summer program in recent years • Implement Infinite Campus, a powerful new student data base, across the district • Conduct a data retreat for the K-12 special education staff to ensure broad understanding of the NCLB requirements • Create an in-house Transition Program for 18 to 21 year olds to improve services and save the costs incurred with the current model of out -sourcing this component of the special education program. • Move media services, special education, the Welcome Center and Indian Education into the new location • Begin phase I capital projects and continue building renovation plans • Conduct a communications audit and utilize the results to improve communication with the community. • Implement an updated version of the probationary teacher performance review system • And more ........................ J � Printer version: Plymouth theater hits big stage startribune.com Last update: September 20, 2005 at 11:11 AM http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... Plymouth theater hits big stage David Gustafson Star Tribune Published September 21, 2005 Close window Plymouth Community Theatre organizers were excited last year when they moved into the Black Box Theater at Plymouth Creek Center. The director at the time said the new venue had the "most fabulous equipment." Well, it might be fabulous. But perhaps the award for "most fabulous" must go instead to the Wayzata Central Middle School auditorium, at least in the category of "Most Capacity." It can seat about 900. Once again, the Plymouth company has moved into a new venue, and once again, they are excited. "We're really increasing our opportunity to play to a bigger audience and make back the money we've spent on doing the show," said Erin Harney, board member and publicity director. It was time to move on. The little -company -that -can was selling out every show at the 125 -seat Black Box. The company opened "Godspell," a popular musical based on the Bible, last Friday in its new home. The Plymouth Community Theatre formed about two years ago when the city of Plymouth broadcast a call on cable access television to form a community theater. A few members of the Plymouth Fine Arts Council attended a preliminary meeting and said the newborn group should apply for a grant. It did, and a grant from the arts council made the first show possible. The company still runs on a shoestring budget. "We've never spent more than $4,000 to do any show," Harney said. 1 of 2 is 9/21/2005 8:21 AM Printer version: Plymouth theater hits big stage http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... The money it does spend pays for royalties on scripts, materials for props, costume rentals, perhaps a small stipend for a director, and in the case of their most recent show, five nights on a much bigger stage. In true community theater fashion, the cast and crew are volunteers, and many are parents and children eager for an activity they can do together. "There's so many things that your kids can get involved in, like they can play hockey or your daughter can be in dance," Harney said. "And, yeah, mom and dad can go watch, or maybe they can coach or be a team mom or something like that, but to actually be in rehearsal for several hours a night interacting with each other, those kinds of things are great." - IF YOU GO WHAT: The Plymouth Community Theatre presents "Godspell" WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Wayzata Central Middle School auditorium, 305 Vicksburg Lane, Plymouth COST: $11 for adults; $8 for students and seniors Contact the writer at 612-673-7739 or dgustafsonAstartribunecom. 2 of 2 9/21/2005 8:21 AM Printer version: City combines parade, art fair to mark 50th http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... 1 of 1 startribune.com Close window Last update: September 19, 2005 at 5:36 PM City combines parade, art fair to mark 50th Published September 21, 2005 PLYMOUTH ON PARADE/ AUTUMN ARTS FAIR WHAT: Hoping to put together a bigger and better community festival, Plymouth will combine its annual parade with its fall arts fair as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of the city's incorporation. For good measure, the fire department's 5K run/walk and other new events will be thrown into the mix. After the parade, there will be activities including open skating and swimming at the Plymouth Ice Center/Life Time Fitness. Entertainment including music, hay rides, a petting zoo and the annual Rotary Club Duckie Derby is planned at the Hilde Performance Center. The annual Autumn Arts Fair lasts all day. WHEN: Sept. 24 WHAT: Events will include: - An all -you -can -eat pancake breakfast, 8-11 a.m., Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Av. N. Tickets are $5, $3 for children under 10. - The Plymouth Fall Arts Fair, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Plymouth Boulevard near the ice center, 3600 Plymouth Blvd. - A parade at 1 p.m., followed by events from 2:30-5 p.m. The parade will begin on 34th Avenue at City Hall and continue past Plymouth Creek Center, then onto Plymouth Boulevard and down to the ice center. - A Firefighters 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run, starting at Fire Station II at Larch Lane and Old Rockford Road. Registration on race day is $23. Proceeds will benefit the Plymouth Firefighters Relief Association. Call'763-509-5120. CONTACT: For more information, go to www.ci.plymouth.mn.us or call 763-509-5200. 9/21/2005 8:18 AM Printer version: Open Senate seat sets up an intriguing race http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... I of 3 startribune.com Close window Last update: September 19, 2005 at 1:06 PM Open Senate seat sets up an intriguing race Published September 21, 2005 The decision by Republican David Gaither to resign his state Senate seat sets up an intriguing political battle in his District 43, which covers much of Plymouth, northern Minnetonka and the tiny city of Medicine Lake. Gaither has left the Senate to become Gov. Tim Pawlenty's chief of staff. At first glance, Republicans seem to have an advantage in keeping the seat in their party's hands. Gaither won the seat in 2002 with 54 percent of the vote, 20 percentage points more than the DFL candidate. But last year's election results could make Republicans worry: Democrat John Kerry edged out President Bush in District 43, 50 percent to 49 percent. A special election to fill Gaither's seat could be an interesting test of whether this area is indeed becoming more liberal or if the 2004 election was an anomaly. While Minnetonka voters tend to be more liberal, Plymouth has been a Republican stronghold. More DFLers often turn out for presidential elections, so the next senator from this area could be determined by which party can get its voters to the polls for a special election. Of course, a big factor will be which candidates the Republican, DFL and Independence parties can recruit to run. A few possible candidates have already stepped forward: Plymouth Mayor Judy Johnson is already running as a Republican for a state representative seat in 2006 but could switch gears to run for Senate in the earlier special election. She said she is considering it. On the DFL side, Minnetonka resident Terri Bonoff decided to run even before she knew that Gaither was stepping down. Bonoff is a former business executive who now spends most of her time volunteering. She is a member of the Minnetonka Planning Commission and co -chairwoman of the Hopkins School 9/21/2005 8:11 AM Printer version: Open Senate seat sets up an intriguing race http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... 2 of 3 District's Legislative Action Coalition, which lobbies the Legislature on district priorities such as more funding. Minnetonka Mayor Karen Anderson, who is retiring from city government this year, said she considered running for Gaither's Senate seat for "10 minutes" before deciding against it. Anderson's political future has been the subject of much speculation. She had said she was considering running for another political office next year. Anderson now says she's decided against both a run for the state Senate and a run for state auditor. When her term as mayor wraps up at the end of the year, Anderson said she wants to continue work on issues that interest her, especially homeland security and training women to get involved in government. Fighting defamation At an awards dinner in Hopkins next week, Wayzata resident Stan Baratz will receive the Man of Achievement Award from the Anti -Defamation League. The league's mission is to "stop the defamation of Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." Baratz, the founder of Baratz Financial Inc., is an active volunteer with the organization. Musicians wanted If you're a talented musician with Tuesday evenings free, consider signing up for the St. Louis Park Community Concert Band. The band is looking for instrumentalists, and they don't have to be residents of St. Louis Park. Practices are on Tuesdays at St. Louis Park High, and performances are all over the metro area. For more, go to www.slpband.org or call Jim Rhodes at 952-933-1325 or Paula Klinger at 952-933-7175. `Water main cleaning Plymouth is cleaning out water mains starting next week and continuing through next month. The city says that if your water is discolored, you should let an outdoor tap run until it clears up. To find out when your area's water mains will be flushed, call 763-509-5950. FSI 9/21/2005 8:11 AM Printer version: Senior apartments on the way in Plymouth http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... startribune.com Close window Last update: September 18, 2005 at 11:47 AM Senior apartments on the way in Plymouth Published September 21, 2005 WORK UNDERWAY: Plymouth officially broke ground this week on a 96 -unit apartment building designed to provide affordable housing to residents age 55 and up. The $11.7 million building, called Vicksburg Crossing, is at the southwest corner of Hwy. 55 and Vicksburg Lane, adjacent to a new shopping center at the corner. THE NEED: The city says studies show there is a growing need for senior housing in Plymouth. There is a long waiting list for units in another senior apartment building in Plymouth that the city built a decade ago. More than a third of the new apartments will be set aside for households earning less than half the area's median income, and these tenants will pay reduced rents. The rest of the building's residents will pay market -rate rents. THE AREA: The city chose this site because seniors will be close to shops and services in the new Shops at Plymouth Creek, a large shopping center being built next door. It will include a drug store, a bank, a Lowe's home improvement store and a Michael's Arts & Crafts store. Both the shopping center and the apartment building are going up on the site of the former Dana -Spicer factory. THE COST: The city is borrowing money to pay for the $11.7 million building, which will be owned by the city's Housing and Redevelopment Authority. The city will mostly rely on rents, and not city tax revenue, to pay back the loan. CONSTRUCTION: Work on the new building has already begun and should be complete by the fall of 2006. A waiting list for apartments isn't open yet, but the city is starting to collect names of people who might be interested in renting. For more information, call the city at 763-509-5410. Ben Steverman 1 of 1 9/21/2005 8:09 AM Printer version: LETTERS 1 of 2 startribune.com Last update: September 17, 2005 at 3:37 PM LETTERS Published September 21, 2005 Plymouth's example http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... Close window Starting this month, the city of Plymouth will begin reviewing and updating its comprehensive plan, well before the mandated completion date of 2008. (By 2008 all cities in the metro area will need to submit updated comprehensive plans to the Metropolitan Council). In the northwest -metro area, the incredible pace of development over the past five years has effectively outpaced many cities' comprehensive plans originally designed as 10 -year plans. This has left them without all the tools and legal backing to effectively guide the development growth in the rapidly disappearing open spaces and natural resources that remain within these cities. In nearby cities, this has led to a parcel -by -parcel view of development rather than a more comprehensive view, as development has now stretched into areas previously not expected to be developed until 2010 or beyond. The effect is less control for a city's staff to develop and implement broader community goals such as park and trail systems, protection of open spaces and more consistent neighborhoods. Plymouth is acting now to give the community the tools it needs to effectively manage growth in its remaining land. It's spending several months and a lot of staff resources this year to communicate and define the public process that will give citizens, community groups, landowners, developers and governments the forum to debate and guide the updated comprehensive plan. The city has also indicated a desire to include its review in context with large regional goals and those of neighboring communities. This presents a unique opportunity for those neighboring communities to achieve mutually beneficial use of lands along the borders to create connections across our communities (such as the Elm Creek Corridor Trail system and parkway). Since most cities rely on the comprehensive plan as the background and legal support for their development decisions, it makes sense to address the rapid changes we have seen in our communities in a more proactive fashion. Let's salute Plymouth for showing the way in the west -metro area, and here's hoping that its neighbors take advantage of the same opportunity to advance their communities. Maw 9/21/2005 8:07 AM Printer version: LETTERS http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... Kent Kiewatt, Director Friends of Elm Creek 2 of 2 9/21/2005 8:07 AM Printer version: Taxes are on the rise 1 of 5 startribune.com Last update: September 20, 2005 at 11:07 AM Taxes are on the rise Ben Steverman Star Tribune Published September 21, 2005 http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... Close window Nearly all west -suburban cities plan to ask their property owners to pay more in taxes next year. While some are raising taxes just enough to cover increasing costs for budget items such as salaries and fuel, others are increasing taxes substantially to repair potholed roads or to make sure the city has more cash on hand for emergencies. This month cities set their preliminary tax levies -- the total amount they plan to collect in property taxes next year. Residents have a chance to lobby their elected officials before final levies are set in December. City Councils may reduce the tax levy but can't increase it. Two factors will determine whether an individual homeowner's taxes go up. One is the city's tax rate. The other is whether the county determines a house is worth more money, which means taxes go up even if the rate stays steady. Because many homes' values are rising rapidly, some cities can claim they aren't increasing tax rates even as nearly every homeowner sees a tax increase on his or her tax bill. Minnesota's property tax system is complex, and it's not easy to determine how a city's preliminary levy would affect an individual homeowner. City taxes are just part of the total property tax bill, which also includes money for schools, county government and other local governments. After each local government sets its levy, the county calculates each property owner's total tax bill and includes that information on a mailing that should be sent out in November. Following are predictions of the impact of taxes in selected cities, along with information on how extra revenues will be spent: v �1 9/21/2005 7:40 AM Printer version: Taxes are on the rise 2of5 http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... Chanhassen is the only city in the western suburbs that plans to cut its levy. But the average homeowner will end up paying about the same amount in taxes next year. That's because the city will be collecting slightly less money from some commercial properties as the state gets a larger share, leaving the rest of the city to pay the difference. Corcoran plans to increase city spending in part to make its city police force a 24 -hour -a -day, seven -day -a -week operation. Currently the Hennepin County Sheriff covers the city in off hours. The owner of a $200,000 home in Chaska would see taxes increase about $19 next year, assuming the home's value increases about 5 percent. Deephaven's 5.5 percent levy increase would help the city keep pace with increases in salaries and fuel and insurance costs. But the typical homeowner should see city tax bills fall slightly as new development starts providing more tax collections. Eden Prairie plans to spend more to build and operate a new, fourth fire station for the city's southwest quadrant. The owner of a median -valued home -- valued at $310,100 for this year and $339,200 next year -- would see taxes increase $70. Excelsior, planning a 15 percent increase in tax collections, would put some of the extra money in its cash reserves in case of emergency. Next year, the owner of a house valued at $299,000 probably would see city taxes rise $60. For the second year in a row, Greenfield would have the largest property tax increase in the western suburbs. Its 85 -percent levy increase would help pay for a new City Hall and reconstruction of four roads in the mostly rural city. Also, city officials who took over after last year's election said they discovered a deficit that will require an extra $125,000 to pay back loans taken out by the previous city administration. Homeowners in Hopkins might see their city property taxes stay level, but only in the unlikely event that their home's value stays constant. In Hopkins many home values have risen by double-digit percentages in the last year. Long Lake plans to use extra money on pavement and infrastructure improvements. The owner of the 2005 median -valued home of $205,500 would 9/21/2005 7:40 AM Printer version: Taxes are on the rise http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?temprat... pay an extra $69 next year. In Maple Grove, the owner of a $262,000 house would see city taxes increase roughly $48 next year. Medina plans to spend more for a new fire department vehicle, new Minnetonka plans to levy an extra $1.2 million for a new road revitalization program. Over the 10 -year life of the program, every street would be repaired. Officials said calculations weren't available for the impact on a typical homeowner. In Mound, the 14.6 percent increase in the levy would be absorbed by a sharp rise in property values. Lakefront homes, increasing in value faster than inland properties, could bear the brunt of the rise in taxes. In Orono, the owner of a $300,000 home would see city taxes increase about $8 next year. The city wants to collect more for street repair. Plymouth would raise city taxes by $55 on a home valued at $356,200. The city plans to collect an extra $900,000 for street reconstruction. St. Louis Park plans to spend more on salaries, overhead costs such as fuel, and improvements to streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure. City taxes on a $230,000 home would increase almost $100. Victoria doesn't plan to increase the average homeowner's city taxes, but it will collect an extra $189,028. That's because the rapidly growing city will collect new tax money from developments that are being built. • CHANGES IN CITY TAX COLLECTIONS City 2006 change in tax levy Chanhassen -0.8 percent, down $84,864 Carver +15.5 percent, up $165,713 Corcoran +13 percent, up $222,522 Chaska +13.7 percent, up $424,508 I of 5 Mf 9/71/9005 7.40 AM Printer version: Taxes are on the rise Deephaven +5.5 percent, up $87,287 Excelsior +15 percent, up $149,850 Eden Prairie +7.4 percent, up $2 million Greenfield +85 percent, up $757,589 Greenwood +28 percent, up $115,381 Hopkins +6.1 percent, up $495,000 Independence +11.5 percent, up $287,234 Long Lake +8.3 percent, up $74,300 Loretto •+5 percent, up $12,400 Maple Grove +8 percent, up $1.7 million Maple Plain +14 percent, up $101,490 Medicine Lake +23 percent, up $57,980 Medina +16.4 percent, up $273,518 Minnetonka +9.8 percent, up $2.1 million http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... Minnetonka Beach +7.3 percent, up $53,660 Minnetrista +22.3 percent, up $673,487 Mound +14.6 percent, up $543,285 Orono +9.8 percent, up $340,290 Osseo +1.9 percent, up $14,762 Plymouth +9.1 percent, up $2 million St. Louis Park +7 percent, up $1.2 million Shorewood +10.9 percent, up $416,703 4of5 9/21/2005 7:40 AM Printer version: Taxes are on the rise Spring Park +15.2 percent, up $104,723 Tonka Bay +18.1 percent, up $128,179 Wayzata +5.6 percent, up $156,600 Woodland +5 percent, up $10,252 Victoria +6.5 percent, up $189,028 Contact the writer at 612-673-7168 or bsteverman(amartribune.com. 5 of 5 http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story.php?templat... 3 a 9/21/2005 7:40 AM feature story �,�� i�,�z�+ )V[C(_h'0As N ; 611 --)LCI C T Should Cities Be in the Business of Providing Wireless Internet? Your city government may be considering whether to provide your entire city with wireless Internet access. If you have the right technology—a wireless - ready computer, phone, or PDA (personal digital assistant)—this essentially means you would be able to access the Internet anywhere, anytime, within the 1kborders of your city. The idea sounds pretty exciting to the average person. h 12 TwinWest Directions Who wouldn't want to live in a progressive community that offers state-of-the-art technology? But when a city government considers taking this major leap, it must look past the initial excitement into some very complex issues. One of the most important questions is whether the city should put itself in direct competition with the private sector to provide wireless .Internet. The business community, represented by a TwinWest taskforce of industry representatives and employers, says no. First, some explanation: how does wireless technology work? Devices known as access points send and receive a wireless signal. The region covered by one or several access points is called a hotspot, and a person with a wireless -enabled computer, phone, or PDA can connect to the Internet in the hotspot. There are now more than 65,000 hotspots in 100 countries, according to a June 2005 release from JiWire, a wireless information and service provider. The U.S. has l: the largest number with almost 27,600 hotspots, and the U.K. is in second place with almost 10,500. tiFY' Minneapolis -St. Paul ranks ninth out of 100 cities and regions in the U.S. for wireless Internet accessibility, according to Intel's third annual "Most Unwired Cities" survey. With enough strategically positioned access points mounted in high places like telephone poles, traffic signals, and buildings, an entire city can be blanketed in a wireless network. Like high-speed networks using phone lines or TV cables, wireless networks also allow for voice, video, and data transmissions, and wireless is generally more convenient and less expensive than traditional connections. From a city government's perspective, one of the most promising possibilities of a wireless network includes the interconnection and �1 remote accessibility of municipal systems. For example, license plate checks, including downloading an accompanying photo, could be performed from a police car in a matter of seconds. Other opportunities for quick, effective communication among all city personnel and systems, wherever they may travel within the city's borders, are endless. Beyond improving the efficiency of municipal services, cities considering the wireless option hope to appeal to residents and businesses looking for an affordable Internet connection. This is the crux of the conflict between city government and business: is it necessary for governments to enter the competitive marketplace and provide high-speed wireless Internet, or should the private sector continue to handle it? To shed some light on the issue, let's look at a TwinWest-area example. In TwinWest's ten -city footprint, St. Louis Park is the first to seriously investigate the possibility of building a citywide wireless network. Currently, the St. Louis Park City Council is in the midst of a study that began in March 2005. As the city prepared for the study, it considered a number of issues: • Does high speed access to the Internet (now or in the near future) appear to be a basic service that should be available to anyone in order to maintain or raise the quality of life? • Does the presence of and access to competitive high speed Internet access contribute to the economic viability and attractiveness of the community? • Does the extent to which current commercial market providers meet all demands for high speed Internet access at all price points seem less than complete? • Does the city have a proper role in encouraging, partnering, or providing competitive high speed Internet access to as many people as possible in the community? St. Louis Park began to address these questions by gathering input from its residents and businesses. In spring 2005, the city distributed surveys aimed at understanding the public's feelings on the issues above. Response from the survey indicated interest from both the residential and business communities. The city proceeded with additional steps, including a technical, market, and financial feasibility study, as part of generating a business plan. Into the fall, St. Louis Park continues to gather detailed information through public forums, meetings with consultants, and market research. Along the way, the TwinWest Chamber has collaborated with St. Louis Park to provide the business perspective on whether the city should provide wireless Internet. TwinWest developed a taskforce of industry representatives and employers to gauge the local business community's collective perspective. Overall, TwinWest businesses expressed the sentiment that the private sector knows what it takes to build and manage networks, so they should be allowed to do it without municipal interference. The taskforce raised several key concerns: First and foremost, competition is a major issue. If a city provides wireless Internet to residents and businesses, it becomes a player in a game in which it taxes, franchises, licenses, and regulates its competitors. A healthier scenario is competition between service providers in the private sector, which keeps prices affordable and innovation thriving. Private wireless Internet providers already exist to offer their services to the public, and there has been no real need established for city governments in the TwinWest area to step in. TwinWest Chamber has collaborated with St. Louis Park to provide the business perspective on whether the city should provide wireless Internet. Second, the taskforce questioned whether a wireless network would appeal to the local business community as the city government might expect. To transmit confidential data, most businesses utilize high-capacity lines instead of wireless networks. Indeed, the security of wireless Internet has been a major issue in the municipal wireless Internet debate across the country. As of now, wireless Internet is more difficult to protect from hackers than high-speed networks using phone lines or TV cables. So, while a citywide wireless network may be fine for the casual user, the question of the real benefit to businesses remains questionable. Third, technology is rapidly changing. The technology the city uses to deliver services might be obsolete in a few years. Private companies spend millions annually updating their infrastructures to adapt to new technology, so it would be unwise for the city to put itself in such a financially precarious situation. Based on all of these matters, and the Chamber's core mission and values, the TwinWest Board of Directors, in early August 2005, adopted a stance of opposition to municipal governments entering the free market and becoming wireless Internet providers. The following are excerpts from the Chamber's position statement: "We believe cities, as stewards of the taxpayers' dollars, should assure essential services to meet community needs. We believe the public sector's role should be to encourage a vibrant, competitive marketplace for business, not copy or compete with private businesses in the actual providing of services. " "...A municipal role may be to spur service providers to think about the future in a different way, and then turn the project over to companies that know what it takes to build, manage and market services. " "... We believe cities should consider wireless networking for city activities and projects to increase efficiencies and reduce city operations costs. " The last excerpt is an important point. While TwinWest is opposed to cities entering the free market and competing with the private sector to provide wireless Internet to businesses and residents, the Chamber strongly encourages cities to use wireless networks to benefit municipal services and operations. Wireless options often cost less and can be used to make city systems more responsive, interconnected, and effective. The outcome of the extended study and debate by St. Louis Park remains to be seen, but other cities in the TwinWest footprint are sure to observe St. Louis Park's model and decide how they should proceed. As they do, they must be sure to consider the impact on the business community, the health of the local economy, and the resulting impact on the public good. October 2005 13 DATE: September 21, 2005 TO: Laurie Ahrens, City Manager Dale Hahn, Finance Director FROM: Pat J. Qvale, Public Services Manager SUBJECT: 2006 TRANSIT BUDGET REVIEW I have reviewed the proposed 2006 transit operating budget. Councilmembers asked for clarity on three topics in the budget. This memo will cover fuel, subsidy per ride, fares and the current approach to each. Fuel Fuel is our number one operating cost concern. The current contracts with both providers have a fuel escalation clause with a floor rate per gallon. This means the City pays the cost above the floor cost per gallon. We determined the rate for both providers on a twelve month past history of fuel costs with an inflation factor. At the time the rates were determined, no one anticipated the rates we are experiencing today, or the impact the hurricane season would have on oil production in the gulf region. Metro Transit has had some success with hedging future fuel contracts and feel they have minimized the fuel increase impact as best they can. This is still not without a cost to the City. Laidlaw Transit has some volume buying advantages, yet this also has not eliminated the impact to our system. Laidlaw Transit agreed to review the fuel clause at the midpoint of the current 21 -month contract. This will be in January of 2006. Both of our provider's contracts are now aligned to end on December 31, 2006. This is part of the long-range plan to bid out the entire transit system. This will be the City's first opportunity to bid the entire system and the fuel clause language will be a significant component of that bid process. Our total cost for fuel as of August 31, 2005 is $43,000. I am estimating a total of $75,000 in 2005, and $100,000 in 2006. The current proposed fuel budget for 2006 is $60,000. The additional fuel cost will need to be balanced against future route restructuring to minimize the use of reserve funds. In addition, I would recommend an increase of $20,000 to the 2006 fuel budget. 2006 TRANSIT BUDGET REVIEW Page 2 of 2 Subsidy The subsidy per ride for Plymouth Metrolink for August 2005 is $7.22 for the entire system. This includes approximately $16.00 for a Dial -A -Ride trip and $6.00 for an express trip. The system has not seen the impact of service reductions on September 10, 2005, which eliminated some of the non-productive routes. The reductions will result in a reduced system subsidy. The future of the subsidy will continue to be dependent on the cost -of -service and the number of passengers per route. The cost factor should improve when the entire system is bid, as this has been what the other opt -out communities have experienced. Again, route restructuring is the key to keeping the most productive routes in service. Fares My budget memo of July 27, 2005, outlines a rate increase for Dial -A -Ride. We can no longer provide this service at $1.00 per ride for seniors and persons with disabilities. This proposal will be presented to the City Council in December of 2005. Plymouth Metrolink current fare structure is: $2.00 for Dial -A -Ride $1.00 for Dial -A -Ride Seniors and persons with Disabilities $2.75 Express service rush hours $2.00 Express service non -rush hours Fares for the express service is controlled by the region. All transit systems honor the regional fare structure. This gives continuity to the regional systems and allows us to use all regional fare card methods, equipment and reporting. I do not propose any changes to this current practice. Conclusion In 2006, the transit industry will face many challenges both for the region and Plymouth Metrolink. The encouraging news is that ridership continues to increase. The Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit (PACT) is energized to improving service and increasing ridership. In addition, the Metropolitan Council has committed capital dollars not only for our transit station but eight large express service replacement buses, which will give us more opportunities to reduce cost and provide quality service. CADocuments and SettingsWanger\I.ocal Settings\Te rary Internet Files\OLK6\TransitBudgetConcerns_09_21_05.doc CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry SUMMARY STATS WORKSHEET: Total Calls 8s Officer Initiated - 6,190 (YTD - 43,208) August Offense subtotal TOTAL YTD Aug -04 Arson 0 9 4 Assault 27 220 20 2nd degree 2 3rd degree 0 4th degree 0 5th degree 11 domestic assault 9 terroristic threats 5 Attempt to evade taxation 0 6 2 Attempted homicide 0 0 0 Burglary 38 228 24 Apartment 1 Business 1 Garage 28 Home 7 Storage Locker/Area 0 Attempt (no entry made) 0 Other (Hotel room) 1 Conservation violation 0 0 0 Crime against family 2 20 3 Criminal sexual conduct 7 21 4 Disorderly conduct 7 57 6 Driving after cancelation (GM only) 0 6 3 Drugs 5 92 7 cocaine 1 marijuana 4 methamphetamine 0 paraphernalia 0 prescription 0 other 0 DWI 22 144 16 Underage dk & dry (18-21) 0 2 4 Underage dk 8v dry (under 18) 1 1 2 Escape/ fleeing officer 0 8 1 False information to police 1 13 3 Falsely reporting a crime 0 0 0 Forgery 5 31 5 Harassment 14 91 8 39 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry Offense; subtotal Total YTD Aug -04 Interfere with emergency call 0 2 1 Juvenile alcohol offense 1 21 3 controlled substance 0 0 1 curfew 4 23 4 runaway 13 64 7 tobacco 0 13 0 Furnishing alcohol to underage - cc 2 8 0 Furnishing tobacco to underage - cc 0 3 0 Leaving scene of accident (hit & run) 19 107 17 Liquor/underage consumption/poss 7 40 0 Obscenity/ indecent exposure 1 6 4 Obstructing legal process 1 7 2 Possession stolen property 1 7 2 Property damage (Criminal damage to property) 82 363 37 Robbery 1 7 0 Solicitation 0 0 0 Theft general 31 gas no pay 24 identity 2 items/parts from MV 54 employee 1 shoplifitng 8 by check 3 by fraud/ swindle 14 mail 2 bicycle 6 145 850 95 Tampering with MV 7 16 0 Trespass 6 15 0 Unlawful deposit of garbage 2 8 0 Vehicle theft 6 53 3 Violation order for protection 6 31 1 Weapons 1 15 1 TOTAL 4341 2,608 290 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry ARRESTS Offense TOTALI YTD Aug -4' Adult aiding 8s abetting 0 0 0 assault 6 78 15 attempted homicide 0 0 0 attempt to evade taxation 0 6 0 burglary 0 5 0 conservation (fish without license) 0 0 0 crime against family 0 2 0 criminal sexual conduct 0 3 0 driving after suspension (GM only) 1 8 0 disorderly conduct 3 13 3 drugs 3 74 7 DWI 19 133 16 Underage drinking 8v driving 3 7 4 escape/ fleeing officer 0 2 1 false information 1 9 3 forgery 0 4 0 furnishing tobacco to underage 0 2 0 interfere with emergency call 1 1 1 leaving scene of accident (hit 8s run) 3 18 1 Liquor/underage cons 16 136 11 obscenity/ indecent exposure 1 1 0 obstructing legal process 1 9 2 possess altered DL 0 0 0 possession stolen property 0 6 2 property damage 0 3 0 solicitation 0 1 0 tampering with motor vehicle 0 4 0 theft 9 46 2 trespass 1 6 0 unlawful deposit of garbage 1 2 0 vehicle theft 1 2 violation order for protection 0 6 1 warrant 0 48 1 weapons 11 11 0 TOTAL 711 6461 70 m CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry Juvenile Offense TOTAL YTD Aug -04 assault 0 34 0 burglary 0 2 0 criminal sexual conduct 0 3 0 disorderly conduct 0 31 0 false information to police 0 2 0 fighting on school property 0 4 0 harassment 0 1 0 indecent exposure 0 1 0 interfere with emergency call 0 0 0 leaving scene of accident (hit 8v run) 1 2 0 obstruct legal process 0 0 0 possess altered DL 0 1 0 possess stolen property 1 2 0 property damage 6 12 0 terroristic threats 0 0 0 theft 4 24 2 trespass 4 10 0 underage drinking & driving 0 7 2 vehicle theft 0 1 0 warrant 0 3 0 weapons offense 0 2 0 alcohol 5 62 6 controlled substance 3 20 1 curfew 10 38 8 runaway 7 24 3 tobacco 0 12 1 TOTAL 41 2981 23 qo CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry CITATIONS Offense TOTAL YTD Aug -04 Speeding 433 3,359 664 Careless/ Reckless driving 1 34 6 Disobey signs or signals 18 266 41 Stop sign violation 37 355 68 Improper passing 88 137 9 Improper turning 0 52 16 Improper lane/wrong way/HOV 3 46 7 Fail to yield 13 87 9 Follow too closely 3 37 3 Improper/no signal 2 17 0 Open bottle 3 22 1 Defective/ improper equipment 13 128 51 Inattentive driving 16 87 12 Other hazardous violation 7 51 0 School bus stop arm violation 0 43 0 TOTAL 637 4,721 887 Fire lane/hydrant parking violation 17 165 25 Snow removal parking violation 0 3 0 Other parking violation (2 to 5 a.m.) 101 921 96 Handicapped parking violation 6 46 6 Junk/abandoned vehicle 0 0 0 Other non-moving violation 0 38 5 TOTAL 124 1,173 132 Driving after suspension/ cancelation/ revocation 58 666 80 No DL 17 148 13 Other DL violation 30 238 28 Improper registration 52 467 96 Motorcycle endorsement requirement 1 7 0 Overwidth/overweight (truck) 0 17 10 Blocking & obstructing traffic 0 2 1 Leaky/unsecure load 2 7 12 Unreasonable acceleration 1 4 0 Other non -hazardous violation 9 20 0 Seat belts 72 288 50 Child restraints 1 4 0 No insurance 93 812 132 Crosswalk/fail to yield for pedestrian 0 4 1 TOTAL 336 2,684 423 4'/, CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry ACCIDENTS Offense TOTAL YTD Aug -04 Fatal 0 0 0 PI 15 97 11 PD 79 634 69 TOTAL 94 731 80 September 16, 2005 Dear Resident/Land Owner: The City has recently received an application from Lifestyle Properties, under File No. 2005115, requesting approval of a rezoning from FRD (Future Restricted Development), C-2 (Neighborhood Commercial) and RMF -2 (Multiple Family 2) to RMF -3 (Multiple Family 3) and RMF -4 (Multiple Family 4), preliminary plat, site plan, conditional use permit, interim use permit and variance to the Subdivision Ordinance to construct 13 apartment -style buildings on property located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Nathan Lane and Bass Lake Rd. The five buildings closest to the adjacent properties are proposed to be zoned RMF -3 and would have two stories. The remaining eight buildings would be zoned RMF -4 and would have three stories. A map indicating the location of the subject property is provided below. This letter is being mailed to all landowners within 750 feet of the site in order to provide notice and information about the application — in advance of the official notice that will be sent out prior to the Planning Commission's public hearing on the matter. The City will send out another letter notifying you of the Planning Commission public hearing date, not less than ten days prior to the hearing date. The purpose of the public hearing is to allow neighboring property owners to appear in front of the Planning Commission to ask questions and make comments relating to the application. You may also submit comments in writing. All written comments will become part of the public record. If you have any questions or comments concerning this application or the review procedures, please call Marie Darling, Senior Planner, at (763) 509-5457. In addition, you may review information relating to this application at City Hall during regular office hours. The application and plans are available for review at City Hall. Office hours at City Hall are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through Fridays, and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, except holidays. Plymouth City Hall is located at 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. Sincerely, Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager notices/2005/2005115-first-notice. doc 43 3400 PLYMOUTH BO ULE ARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 - TELEPHONE (763) 509-5000 CITY OF September 23, 2005 PUMOUTR SUBJECT: REZONING, PRELIMINARY PLAT, SITE PLAN, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, INTERIM USE PERMIT AND VARIANCE FOR LIFESTYLE PROPERTIES (2005115) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by Lifestyle Properties, under File 2005115, for a rezoning from FRD (Future Restricted Development), C-2 (Neighborhood Commercial) and RMF -2 (Multiple Family 2) to RMF -3 (Multiple Family 3) and RMF -4 (Multiple Family 4), preliminary plat, site plan, conditional use permit, interim use permit and variance to the Subdivision Ordinance to construct 13 apartment -style buildings on property located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Nathan Lane and Bass Lake Rd. (County Road 10). The five buildings closest to the adjacent properties are proposed to be zoned RMF - 3 and would have two stories. The remaining eight buildings would be zoned RMF -4 and would have three stories. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 750 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of, and cordially invited to attend a Public Hearing to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, October 5, 2005 at the Plymouth Creek Center located at 14800 -34th Avenue North. The public will be invited to offer questions and comments concerning this application at that time, or feel free to call the City Planning Department at (763) 509-5450 for more information. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, 1✓wl �r I-ftyyJ Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2005115propnotice PLY O 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMO 509-5000 CITY OF September 23, 2005 PUMOUT4 SUBJECT: PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN AMENDMENT FOR SWAN DEVELOPMENT, LLC (2005107) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by Swan Development, LLC, under File 2005107 for a planned unit development amendment to allow garages in excess of 1,000 square feet for the single- family homes in Seven Greens and Seven Greens 2"d Addition on properties located at the northeast corner of Schmidt Lake Road and Vicksburg Lane North. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 750 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of, and cordially invited to attend a Public Hearing to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, October 5, 2005 at the Plymouth Creek Center located at 14800 -34th Avenue North. The public will be invited to offer questions and comments concerning this application at that time, or feel free to call the City Planning Department at (763) 509-5450 for more information. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, r V)'k "� � Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2005107propnotice PLYMOUTH Atfdirg Quality to Life 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 * TELEPHONE (763) 509-5000 Laurie Ahrens From: S J [pobox795@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 12:15 PM To: Laurie Ahrens Subject: Clean-up help Dear Laurie, I am a resident in an area of Wednesday night's storm. We without power. I understand and equipment to the clean-up truly grateful for all of the Brooklyn Park. Thank you! Sincerely, Angela Tull Brooklyn Park that was hit fairly hard by lost two trees from our property and are still that Plymouth has committed some of it's people effort. I just wanted you to know that I am help that you are bringing to the people of Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/O1/ Voice Mail message from Leann Larson, Osseo City Administrator September 23, 2005 Hi Laurie, This is Leann Larson with the City of Osseo. I know that you are meetings, but I had hoped to touch base with you simply to say that it is a wonderful gesture of community spirit when we have had the help of several workers and equipment from the City of Plymouth. We are so tickled. They were here yesterday for the day and are back today. So, whoever had the idea and where the support comes from, thank you. It is very much appreciated. I'm still working in the dark here with a flashlight, but I can answer phones. Yesterday was packet day — no packets to the Council yet! Maybe today if the electricity comes on. Thanks again.