Fall The
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ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
Vol. 19 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 Newsletter of the City of Otsego
Fun prevails in
the rain
The seventh annual Otsego _ �� � , x ,. ,
Fall Festival took place
Saturday, September 13th at
Otsego Prairie Park. Despite -,
rainy weather,Festival Chair ..- � � ��
Rose Cassady said"I honestly 4 I "° �
think that everyone was
having a good time. We had a
good turnout early in the day k - p ', .,,- ' i
and we have had many
vendors talking about next ___�
year.The music was very _ _ ���� .
good and I hope to have the ------ �
same bands back next year." SuperTarget to O en i n Otsego
The Lowe's workshop and p g �,,
the robot puppets were some The new SuperTarget store, scheduled for an official grand opening on October 12th,
of the hit attractions. will be the first business to open in the new Great River Centre commercial area located
The newly crowned Otsego on Co. Rd. 42 just south of the intersection with Co. Rd. 39.
Royalty are Little Miss - The Otsego store is the roll out of the first new SuperTarget prototype. According to
Sydney Feehan, Little Mister- Delia McLinden, Target Senior Communications Specialist, "At Target, store design is
Timmy Oreskovich and considered evolutionary. To create a positive shopping experience for our guests, Target
Junior Miss -Myranda introduces a new store prototype every4-5 years. The evolution of our prototype designs
Hinnenkamp. is part of our history and a key competitive advantage for Target."
Cassady and her committee The new design includes exterior and interior updates that will further enhance the
want to thank all of the Target shopping experience. Exterior updates include more upscale finishes, like brick
vendors and volunteers that and rock-face veneers, regional and stylistic variations that respond to specific
make this event a great requirements of cities and developers, and fit into the existing retail, residential or
success every year. Said commercial architecture as well as custom designed site furniture including benches,
Cassady, "Our few volunteers trash receptacles and bike racks. Interior updates include enhanced finishes to create a
that we have did a bang up more unified look, redesigned fixtures to create wider aisles, more family fitting rooms,
job and worked very hard to hanced team member officeace, redesigned message board near Guest Service to
set up things, get spaces ienspnclude information about community and corporate giving, return policy, recalls and
marked and put up many rebates and a redesigned electronics counter to create a dedicated service area
many signs the day before the Sustainable design features include low-flow fixtures in restrooms that reduce water
day of the Festival. Then we use by 30 percent, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that deliver energy
are at the park by 6 am to savings 30 percent greater than required by most city codes, and light fixtures that
start in again and assign the require only two low-mercury bulbs rather than the typical three.
few volunteers that we have Target also plans to continue to increase their construction waste recycling rate as well
to their spots to direct traffic as continue to use recycling, donations and other innovative methods to keep 70 percent
and check in the vendors or more of our solid waste out of landfills after opening.
along with all the other things According to McLinden, "Our commitment to great design is a major consideration as
there are to do. The day after, we build new stores and remodel existing ones. Our goal is to grow smartly and adapt to
we clean up and put stuff our country's changing landscape...We're committed to using great design to make our
away."vw communities better places to live."w.,
Fall in Otsego 2008 .) , . .f; ) , :. :I:
Fall is a busy time of year in Otsego, with families winding up vacations, children
returning to school and construction projects, such as TH 101 and SuperTarget being NJ
NOTES
finished.
The City Council is also hard at work preparing a city budget for 2009 based on from the
anticipated revenues and expenditures. The preliminary property tax levy for 2009 MAYOR
was set on September 15. The City Council can reduce (but not increase) the
preliminary levy. The City Council and staff will continue to work on the 2009
NOMMOOMMi
budget before a final decision in December and we welcome any input you have.
The growth that has occurred in Otsego has brought many new homes and by Mayor Jessica Stockamp
businesses, which adds families,jobs and local goods and services to the community. ,___ _ =___
Growth also expands the city's tax base making it possible to deliver city services
such as administration, police protection, street maintenance, park maintenance and recreation programs cost effectively
while allowing Otsego to maintain one of the lowest local tax rates in the area. The City Council also strongly believes in
a "Users Pay"policy that assigns the cost of certain city services to those benefiting from them, such as sewer and water
utilities or streets for new development.
Your neighbors on the City Council understand that these are difficult times, but the city's budget is financially sound
and we are committed to keeping Otsego affordable AND providing for a high quality of life. wv
Otsego residents vote at Public Works Building Nov. 4, 2008
All Otsego residents vote at the Otsego
Public Works Building, 13400- 90th St.
Irek.tx : , :,,, NE. Turn one street north of City Hall on
` Nashua.Enter on the east side of the
,. building.
` Polls are open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
$t Voter Registration
Before you can vote, you must register.
'= You must update your registration if you
y f __ have moved, changed your name, or have
t '- -x
not voted in the last four years.
Register to vote by completing a Voter
Registration Application and submitting it
by mail or in-person at the Wright County
Courthouse in Buffalo by October 14th.
You can also register at the poll on
Election Day with proof of Otsego
residency. Proof includes a valid ID with
your Otsego address or a photo ID plus a
On November 4th,Otsego residents vote at the Public Works Building,located just north of City current utility bill with your name and
Hall.The larger space should make it more comfortable for Otsego's more than 6 thousand address. You may also have an Otsego
voters.The building was used for the September 9th primary for fewer than 400 voters. currently registered voter who can confirm
your address with a signed oath.
Absentee ballot
Candidates for Otsego Mayor(elect 1) If a voter is unable to vote on Election Day, they may vote by absentee
Anthony M. Skaalerud. ballot in person up to 30 days prior at the Wright County Courthouse. To
Jessica Stockamp(incumbent) obtain an absentee ballot without going in person, complete an Absentee
Candidates for Otsego City Council(elect 2) Ballot Application and send it to the county auditor. Your ballot will be
Brian Reinbold sent to you when it is ready Your voted absentee ballot must be received
Michael Ringdahl in your precinct by Election Day when the polls close, or it will not be
Dan Scharber(incumbent) counted.
Dave Thompson Further voting information and forms are available at the Minnesota
Mark Thorsted(incumbent) Secretary of State website<http://www.sos.state.mn.us>or call his offices
Otsego's Voting Districts at 651-215-1440 or 1-877-600-VOTE(8683)..,
Senate/House District- 19B
Congressional District-6
Voting locations have moved Ili torical
By Jacquie Rognli
The first town meeting in Otsego was held in 1858 at the
dwelling place of John McDonald. His small wooden frame11ighIights
house is still located on Co.Rd. 39.Elections were held,the
town was named, and appointments were made. Residents sat on an odd assortment of chairs in a room that
I attended my first Otsego Township meeting in 1983 at the held many plants that thrived in the light of huge east-facing
Town Hall,located in an old one room school house just west windows.At the front of the room hung an aging blackboard
of the McDonald house. made of real slate.The worn wooden floors creaked when you
Less than 100 people had walked on them. People would rarely use the restroom because
cast votes that day for the the whole room could hearyou do your business.
three township
z � Otsego became a city in 1990,electing its first mayor and
AI I supervisors,Norman F. city council. Voter turn-out was huge. There were 10 mayor
Freske,Floyd Roden,and hopefuls.Everyone campaigned that year.
DouFor the next election,officials decided to divide the voter list.
.
of themgLinhad campaigneddenfelser.None. Last names A-L voted upstairs,M-Z went around to the side
I All candidates were door to vote down in the basement.There were still paper
unopposed.
The voters folded their ballots and wooden boxes. It took until the next morning to
count the ballots.
paper ballots and In 1992,an optical scanner was purchased,automating the
deposited them in the slot vote counting. After that,elections were held at the new City
of a home-made wooden Hall building on Nashua Ave.
ballot box.After the In 2008,Otsego's polling location moves again. Voting will
election judges counted take place in the new Public Works building located just north of
the votes,they were asked City Hall.The space will be set up with modular voting booths,
Ballot boxes used byto stay for the town
voters were two of the latest scanners to calculate the votes and a voting
stacked in the basement of the old meeting so there would be machine to accommodate people with special needs.The large
Otsego Town Hall in1989. more people in open space in the Public Works Building will make room for
attendance. people to wait in comfort inside before casting their ballots.vw
Winter parking rules begin Nov. 1 Dogs must be confined Burning permits required
Between November It is unlawful for a A burning permit is required for all
WINTER and May, no parking is dog or cat to run at burning except for a recreational fire
NO PARKING allowed on any public large in the city. or burning done in an approved burner
2:00 AM street, boulevard, ditch They must remain on between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
TO
6:00 AM or rights of way between the owner's property Recreational fires include wood
1 2:00 and 6:00 a.m. in the or be on a leash and burning fireplaces and fires used
city of Otsego. accompanied by and under the control solely for outdoor food preparation or
In addition, no parking and direction of a responsible person. ceremonial purposes. A recreational
is allowed after a snowfall of The owner of any animal or person fire must be no larger than A
at least 2'/z inches until snow having the custody or the control of three feet in tt
has been removed. any animal shall be responsible for diameter and i ..._
,......A., cleaning up any feces of the animal three feet high.
` CU
Shopping Night set and disposing of such feces in a The ground 1,
Otsego Lions are sanitary manner whether on their own must be clear M
having a bigproperty, on the property of others or of
Shopping Night at t. on public property.wv combustible N
iir
the Otsego Holiday material five 3 feet
Inn from 4:00 -8:00
Compost facility available free feet from the base
p.m. on October 2°d. Wright County residents can drop of the fire.
This is a chance to off brush, leaves and garden waste In Minnesota it is against the law to
during open hours at the county burn anything vegetative
start thinking about Y g exce t P g
gift giving and compost facility located south of material, such as grass, leaves,brush
support local Lions Monticello on Co. Rd. 37. Shredded and untreated lumber.
Club projects. There will be over 20 wood chips are also available at no Burning permits are available at City
vendors, raffle items and Holiday Inn charge. <http://www.co.wright.mn.us Hall or from any Department of
1 special offers. Contact Shari (763) /department/pandz/recycling.asp>or Natural Resources Forestry office....A......,
441-4800. .�.� 763-682-7338..A
�{al��weeh Sa f et'� lips ps Y
Make sure that an adult or an older responsible youth will be { ,, ,, ,
supervising children under age 12. '
Plan and discuss the route Trick-Or-Treaters intend to follow. r• ;to;,,i‘,/11 k,,,, ,,H-P k.,....,,,,L.--- :l t''' r '
�' Tell your youngsters NOT to eat any treat until they return home. ..
- Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings that ",::--, ,'
are well lit and never to enter a stranger's home. �`
F
Establish a return time. J.
Masks can obstruct a child's vision. If masks are worn,they should Saturday,��C� ObGY 1g
have nose and mouth openings and large eye holes. -441 4 ,,,r
Use only fire-retardant materials for costumes.
Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard.
��
Pin a slip of paper with your child's name,address and phone number � �`
inside a pocket in case he/she gets separated from the group. ;� �;
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Do not allow children to carry sharp objects.
r'- j$ Candy
Flashlights will help children see better and be seen more clearly e �'
Remove from the orch and front anything a child could tri over 1�
P yardYt 9 p :' P� ) 0 ,:
such as garden hoses,toys, bikes and lawn decorations. „v-...,',,,.',..'.pr,
ti ,
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Check outdoor lights and replace burned out bulbs. ,, ;1,,,' sponsoredy
Otsago Pam, &9r"c ,���� .
Restrain pets so they do not jump on or bite Trick Or Treaters. co«�„��<,oY ..
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