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Summer • The slp..5,,svIENv. ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD Vol. 17 JULY/AUGUST 2006 Newsletter of the City of Otsego Dirt moving along highway As commuters travel daily through Otsego on Highway 101 r4-42.-j--t z1.--, this summer, they are entertained by construction crews working on several projects. There are three commercial/industrial developments. Mixed September 16 2006 retail, offices and restaurants are slated for Waterfront East and Great River Centre(Super Target). Duke Realty is working on 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Gateway North Industrial Park. At Otsego Prairie Park Road construction includes Co. Rd. 42 and all of the work The Otsego Festival will be held Saturday, September 16`h at being done to make Hwy. 101 a four-lane freeway. Updates are Otsego Prairie Park next to City Hall. This full day of family fun available on the city website. opens with a flag raising ceremony at 10:00 a.m. performed by the Elk River Honor Guard, Wright County Honor Guard and PROJECTS ALONG HWY 101 the Wright County Sheriff's Mounted Horse patrol. Many of the popular attractions from last year will be back, Developments 0 including the petting zoo, horse drawn rides, pony rides, and the large inflatable activities. Musical groups are scheduled 1 A[Waterfront East throughout the day and the coronation of the Little Miss and .. NI 1 B[Great River Centre(Super Target) Little Mister Otsego and Junior Royalty will take place. Many of . ( 1 [Gateway North Industrial Park the same great food vendors will be back this year along with 1 new ones for a grand variety of food for everyone to feast on. Road Construction - The VFW Bingo tent is returning this year also. , 11111 ()Co. Rd 39 bypass on east side* Crunch will be zooming around the park again this year and a pp t ®Co. Rd 42 upgrade to 4 lanes will be helping with the trophy presentation for the car show. Mr. Incredible and Sponge Bob will be greeting people and Teensy NE ®Co. Rd 42 underpass; Frontage road the Clown will entertain the crowd. on west side; Bypass on east side. New this year there will be a dance revolution that will ®Co. Rd 37 temporary stop lights challenge your dancing skills. There will be a variety of sporting Bypass on east side.* contests throughout the day and the Otsego Jaycee's will again ®Co. Rd 36 east side bypass; Ramps have the Punt, Pass and Kick contest. will cross Crow River.* Festival goers can enjoy visiting the booths of crafters, * businesses and community groups. There will be a dunking tank, nterchange work planned to start in 2007.0 A, a puppet show and many games offered by area churches. The Otsego Festival is a fun day for the whole family and the volunteer committee promises to deliver something for 70th St.NE everyone in the family. AThere is no parking or admission.Groups interested in setting up a booth and volunteers to help set up or work at the festival should 65tn St.NE contact festival coordinator Rose Cassady at 763-441-8769. 60th St.NE all r ` -. _ ime/ . , f o 025 u 5 There were 110 cars entered in the car show at the 2005 Otsego Festival and it is expected that there will be even more entries this year. City of Otsego • 8899 Nashua Avenue NE Otsego,MN 55330 Like No Other ,. , 4ii' 1 . �1 4.,-.) 1 (763)441-4414 ' e e I e 1 0 Building Dept.: (763)-441-2593 This year's construction season is Fax(763)441-8823 like no other in Otsego's history. The N41 O TE S Email:cityhall@ci.Otsego.mn.us Minnesota Department of Web Site:www.ci.Otsego.mn.us Transportation is reconstructing from the ADMINISTRATION OFFICE HOURS Highway 101 into a freeway. This f,\ /\'O R 1 Monday through Thursday project impacts most of us directly 8:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m. Fridays CLOSED with its inconvenience during BUILDING DEPT.OFFICE HOURS ,construction. When it is completed, by - - � Mayor Larry Fournier Monday through Thursday it will mean a much safer road with ti, -- �''- . 8:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m. better access to our city. Fridays 8:00 a.m. to noon With improved access and safety, many new businesses will be CITY COUNCIL-Meets 2"d&4th Mon.,6:30 p.m.* coming to Otsego. Commercial and industrial businesses will have a Mayor:Larry Fournier great impact on our tax base, helping to keep residential taxes affordable. Council Members Vern Heidner Some of the new businesses currently being constructed in our city Dan Scharber include Bob's Produce Ranch, Cold Stone Creamery, Super Target, and Jessica Stockamp Mark Thorsted Duke Realty's Gateway North Industrial Park- all of which are vety CITY STAFF desirable businesses for a city wanting to expand its tax base. Mike Robertson,City Administrator Otsego's festival, "The Great Otsego Get Together," will be held on Judy Hudson,City DeputyClerk/ClerkZoning Administrator SaturdaySeptember 16`h. It has been a huge success in the past and Karee Rowell, P Kathy Grover,Bookkeeper promises to be even better this year. I look forward to seeing all of you Brad Belair,Public Works Supervisor there. Enjoy the remainder of our summer and let's make it our safest Tim Rochel,Building Official PLANNING&ZONING-Meets 1u&3rd Mon.,7:00 p.m.* summer ever. w,• Richard NBlack,chols,Vice City council positions up for election Pam Black,Vice Chair Tom Darkenwald There are two Otsego City Council seats up for election this fall. The four- Tammie Fallon Doug Hackman year terms of Vern Heidner and Dan Scharber expire at the end of 2006. Jim Kolles Anyone wishing to file may do so at the Otsego City Hall in the office of David Thompson Troy Watring, lst alternate City Clerk during office hours. Filing opens Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at John Thelen,2nd alternate 8:00 a.m. and closes Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. ,-,"., PARKS&RECREATION-Meets 2nd Wed.,7:00 p.m.* Aaron Stritesky,Chair Fall elections Mike Brumm,Vice Chair The state PrimaryElection will be held Tuesday, September 12 and the Rose Cassady Y P Russ Langer General Election is Tuesday, November 7. Polling opens at Otsego City Kathryn Roberts Hall at 7:00 a.m. and closes at 8:00 p.m. Peter Torresani HERITAGE PRESERVATION-Meets 4th Thurs.,7:00 p.m.* Voters can register at the poll with proper identification. The federal Ron Black,Chair Help America Vote Act(HAVA)requires you to provide your Minnesota Lilia Rousselet driver's license number or Minnesota identification card number on your Isobel Stander Jon Stander voter registration application. If you don't have a Minnesota driver's Chris Wilson license or ID, then you must provide the last four digits of your Social POLICE COMMISSION-Meets 2"a Tues.,6:30 p.m.* Security Number. You will also need further proof of where you live if Thomas Carter,Chair Sandra Michaelson the address on your identification is not current. Edgar Pearsall HAVA is providing funds for new disability accessible voting tRushmeier Jeff Stimac equipment ment this year. Each polling place in the state is to be equipped with Jane Theisen,Vice Chair at least one new voting machine which will allow voters with disabilities Joel Torkelson to vote privately and independently. The machines are designed *All meetings are open to the public.Call City Hall to confirm times if you plan to attend.Agendas and minutes are especially for voters who are blind, have poor eyesight, cannot hold a available on the city's web site. pen, or have other difficulties marking a paper ballot. It has a screen that =MOW AIM can enlarge text for voters with poor eyesight, headphones so blind voters (`7OT EGOWEW can hear the ballot instead of reading it, and a sip/puff tube portal for voters who require it. The Otsego View is Otsego's bi-monthly newsletter. If you are unable to vote in person on Election Day,you may vote by Jacquie Rognli,Editor absentee ballot during the 30 days before. More information can be obtained Correspondence should be sent to Otsego City Hall. Contains 50%recycled pre-consumer materials, from the office of the Wright County Auditor(763-682-7578)or the website of the Minnesota Secretary of State. (www.sos.state.mn.us).,- 0 • New city holds first , . ,. 2,,:, _ ,,,:, :, ,,,,,,. .... ,,,,,,, : s .0 i .. festival in 1991 By Jacquie Rognli ■ 1.. Otsego had just become Minnesota's newest city in 1991 after 186 years as a township, but the city had an identity crisis. Hardly anyone knew where the new city was located, and, with five different zip code mailing stroll over to the beer tent to whet their whistle and enjoy the addresses, many of the 5,000 residents didn't even realize music of the Elk River German Band." they lived in Otsego. In an effort to build a sense of There were food and craft booths, FFA petting barnyard.Gene community pride and recognition, a group of community Olson's Amazing Roller Bearing Roller Coaster,a dry land canoe volunteers organized the Otsego Great River Road Fest race,horseshoes,Frisbee golf and children's old fashioned games. Task Force. Great River Road Fest T-shirt and buttons and a 14-month As a leadership intern through the Minnesota Project,Sandy history calendar could be purchased. Lindenfelser took on the community festival as her chosen project The Great River Road Fest Task Force declared the first to unite the community and get neighbors to meet each other. festival a success,reporting an estimated 2,000 people attended The first Otsego Great River Road Fest was held Saturday, the day,enjoying food,music,demonstrations and games. Augustr 17, 1991 at the Elk River-Rogers VFW property located The Otsego Great River Road Fest was at 72 St. and Quaday Ave. successfully repeated in 1992. According to the August/September 1991 Otsego View,there Today the open field on a gravel road where the Great River was an"Otsego history display,community groups,businesses, Road Fest was held is now the VFW soccer complex, and Otsego's safety officers—including a demonstration by the Wright County K-9 unit." Lefebvre's famous sweet corn is now sold at 101 Market and People attending the festival could"purchase an ear of Sandy Lindenfelser works at City Hall. On Lefebvre's famous sweet corn from the Otsego 4-Leaves and sit September 16,2006,today's families can enjoy a day of in the entertainment tent to laugh and cheer for the lip sync the Otsego Festival being held for its fifth consecutive contestants.They can play some bingo in the VFW tent,take a y Otsego Prairie Park. ,, 5 � McGruff has the Otsego Festival on - his schedule s ' McGruff the Crime Dog has September 16 on his t ` rscheduling calendar so he is sure to be at the Otsego ' Festival. Here he is at the 2005 Festival talking to children f •.' and promoting the McGruff Safe House program in Otsego ,:7"'"' ' ' l and helping people learn how to"Take a Bite Out of t ; Crime The Otsego Police Commission received authorization for funds from the city to purchase their own McGruff suit in June. r `� 4,;''N;.' ' ' Volunteers welcome to join 411/ Festival planning Volunteers are needed to help at the Otsego Festival on September 16, 2006 as well as to help with the planning process. : d Contact Rose Cassady 763-441-8769. w� 0 Day lilies donated to park " , �r The circular bed in front of the Prairie Park — _ � ,}�° shelter is in full bloom ��q �� i l£. r �,� an • with a variety of about �� m � 600 da lilies donated ` •• �� < f ` ,4, ,-,-',•-f,'''''''-',:, '�.t� #� by Otsego resident td -_,,,,,,,,i° . � � �, � -‘71,,(;m:;'-31:::„',t341,",' � x E� � , --,.4,;',$:,,,,-.44 g� Mick Raeker. Raeker -z#o- :-,„*..,,,,,,,,.-,,,,,,,„,,,,,,k,,,,- _ ",,;, ,44,„,,,,•,,,,,, ,v, .v ris k, ffi aid ,. ;iticy s . • � � ,..*,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,-.4,,a £ �, ,, � � r raises about 500,000 '.. ger . T �� '''*".70-•.;"0„,,,t4'' � � o ,. �,,, :, �` - varieties, hybridizing - c, s x i is `▪ s : , iti"� m # ;tom,& ,;.;?,--;•-:`" and breeding them in p rl his five-acre private $.4F-KY," �., �� � �`�'°`� o, . �" l'. � garden in Otsego. t,„, ` '� � -, ,2 � 4AiRaeker,with the help 4,‘,,,,,440,„ , . —..;,0;,,:",-;',:; ib of some of his £,� s3< w . Hey s .„,‘,",,'74‘!,‘',1"i.,. A neighbors, planted the m � r7,72:0: . > • 3bed in the park. M �-itj Work continues ��' .. ... throughout the summer ..,,'4.. on Otsego's three �'` �' 7 newest neighborhood ,, 4 i at- if ,xi,, a 4 ):, parks, Kittredge Park, • � ,* f Beaudry Meadows s �. �r ` „ Park and Zimmer .rte =�c 't; • Park.w� �.1 5, a�" ter. Water wisely *� t` Make 1. the most efficient use of water for lawns byt ,i,-,..t.:�,>° knowing your soil type ani the rate of water from your 8..*let...! 1�1R Iv` #�,.y • sprinkler. Most lawns require 1 to 11/2 inches of water k ?a � �r ,. ,k , psi'= ; every seven to ten days. Use a can or rain gauge to •" determine how long it takes for your sprinkler to apply � the proper amount. Where soils are very sandy or hard • and compacted, it is best to apply about '/2 to 3/4 inch per Weeds must be control led watering, but do it twice in the same time period. Minnesota law requires that property owners are The most efficient time to water lawns is from 4 responsible for the eradication of all noxious weeds on their to 8 a.m. during the morning hours, less water is property. A noxious weed is any particular plant designated lost to evaporation due to lower temperatures, less as being injurious to the public's health, agricultural sunlight and practices,recreational enjoyment, wildlife,personal or . lower wind so :"1:11'://i0;s:77-4*- '`� ® private property. State designated noxious weeds include : field bindweed, purple loosestrife,garlic mustard, poison distribution is ; '. aft4"1171/ - ivy, leafyspurge and multiple varieties of thistle. MoreImp• roved. d °. {� *T. Water demand „ �� information can be.obtained froth the Minnesota �,,„y,,, �, Department of Agculture(www.mda.state.mn.us). on municipal t° �..,��i�f Otsego city ordinance also states that any weeds systems is .' f - s ,� ` which have gone to seed or are about to go to seed or are usually less at I _ �``"• ' w greater thantwelve inches are considered a nuisance that time as t°`E ��•.• Y��T� � � whether they are defined as noxious or not. The property well. ate, , +' owner must prevent this or have them removed. Property rriffil•4,„ owners can be cited and fined for not controlling their a k i .. weeds. w� „rl�r>. ,.