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Fall The \---j\--Z. ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD Ivy Vol. 15 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 Newsletter of the City of Otsego Vote Nov. 2 • If the Minnesota license or ID has a former address,you may bring a recent utility bill* to use with your license Polling will be open at Otsego • "Notice of Late Registration"postcard © City Hall 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on . U.S. passport with utility bill* November 2 for the general • U.S. military photo ID card with utility bill* all election. • If you are a student,you can use... If a resident's address or name o Student ID, registration, or fee statement with your ` ill has changed since the last election, current address they will need to complete a voter o Student photo ID with utility bill* registration card at the election. You will need one of the • Someone who is registered in the precinct where you live following to verify your residence: who will vouch for your residence • Minnesota driver's license, learner's permit, * Note: The utility bill must have your name, current identification card, or receipt for one,with your current address, and be due within 30 days of the election. Utility address, bills may be for electric, gas,water, solid waste, sewer, • Tribal ID where authorized,with your current address telephone, or cable TV. Sewer and water bonds to be paid early The city of Otsego is set to pay the sewer and water developers had to pay in order to build in Otsego. bonds off early resulting in a savings of$2,975,181 Payments were scheduled to run for 20 years, but to the city. there was a provision in the bonds that they could be In 1997, after years of debate, the Otsego City called (paid early) in 2004. Because development Council decided to construct a city sewer and water came much faster than anyone expected,there is a system. The city received a permit from the State of surplus in this account,which the city will use to pay Minnesota and began construction in 1999. To the bonds off early in December. Paying the bonds finance construction,the city bonded for(borrowed) off early will save the city close to $3 million in $7,095,000. Payments on these bonds were made future interest payments. from the sewer and water hooku• fees that al l. y ' .$ ` .; , d 4A o11n11ctwoiw tv e yIA !I4."14 I , �- 1, , '', An estimated 4,000 people enjoyed a day of fun � '4 .... P 1 , ` activities at the Otsego Festival on September 18 in t°t� a � Otsego Prairie Park. There were about 70 craft and x34 ` r. business booths, food,contests, entertainment, music, t. tht; demonstrations and activites for the whole family. i Thanks to the many volunteers and participants that al made this third annual festival such a success. : ' 41 ,k( Oti 11 Coordinator Rose Cassady is already looking forward to next year's festival set for September 17, 2005. T. . Volunteers and organizers are invited to call Cassady The petting zoo was just one of the many attractions at the Otsego Festival. 763-441-8769.w�, City of Otsego 8899 Nashua Avenue NE Otsego,MN 55330 . (763)441-4414 Citybudget 2005 1 Building Dept.:(763)-441-2593 '� /`� ✓� Fax(763)441-8823 The City Council has been working the city's I\J O�� Email:cityhall@ci.Otsego.mn.us budget for 2005. During the budget process we S Web Site:www.ci.Otsego.mn.us need to balance revenues with expenditures to from the OFFICE HOURS provide all the essential services needed in ourM A Y O Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m. city. Budget increases are usually determined by Fridays 8:00 a.m.to noon citizen input and the need to expand a service. I imilimmi CITY COUNCIL have been hearing from many residents that law by Mayor Larry Fournier Mayor enforcement continues to be a top priority in qt- �41.., Larry Fournier Council Members keeping our city a safe and enjoyable place to live. Our law enforcement budget is Vern Heidner one of our largest budget items and will be expanded as needed. Other areas of our Dan Scharber g g P Jerry Struthers budget that were increased reflect the normal price increases for goods and Virginia Wendel services. Your city council has done a good job meeting the needs of our city CITY STAFF while holding the line on taxes. I expect the city portion of your tax bill to remain Mike Robertson,City Administrator about the same for next year. You will be able to review our city's budget Judy Hudson,City Clerk/ZoningtY anytime g Administrator at City Hall or at the Truth in Taxation meetings in December. Karee Grover,Rowe ,Deputy ookke Clerk Your CityCouncil is workinghard to keepOtsego an affordable place to live. I Kathy Bookkeeper g Brad Belair, Public Works look forward to seeing all of you at City Hall on Election Day November 2nd Tim Rochel, Building Official PLANNING ZONING Highway 101 plans in the works Richard Nichols,Chair aof r,� '" ►r,. Pam Black,Vice Chair The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) plans Tammie Fallon Doug Hackman to convert the portion of Highway 101 in Otsego from an r Jim Kolles expressway with traffic lights to a freewaywith interchanges.Steve Schuck David Thompson The city has been told by MnDOT that they will be receiving .. Tom Darkenwald, 1st alternate MnDOT'splans for Highway 101 sometime in December. Troy Watring,2ndalternate g Y PARKS&RECREATION Once these plans are received, the City Council will hold a public hearing for Pauline Nelson,Chair Mike Brumm people to review the plans and comment upon them. This hearing will probably Rose Cassady be held in January, depending on when we receive the plans. Watch for further Terry Long Kathryn Roberts,Alternate w�information in this newsletter or in the Star News. . Jessica Stockamp,Vice Chair Aaron Stritesky,Alternate MarkThorstad Comprehensive Plan Update Peter Torresani HERITAGE PRESERVATION The Otsego City Council and Planning Commission have been working on an Ron Black,Chair update of the city's Comprehensive Plan for the last several months. The purpose Sharon Carter,Vice Chair Debbie Carron of the Comprehensive Plan is to establish policies and plans for land use and Jeannine S.Christensen development within the city. Issues addressed by the Comprehensive Plan includeJoy Swenson Chris Wilson the natural environment, land use, parks and trails, transportation, utilities, and POLICE COMMISSION servicespublic police, fire and administration. Sandra Michaelson,Chair P c suchas Jane M.Bartheld,Secretary Open houses to present the draft Comprehensive Plan update were held on Tom Thomas KoCarwz r,Vice Chair October 4th and October 7th to receive preliminary input as to the proposed Philip Larson document from residents, businesses, developers or other interested parties. The Alvin McClure comments received from these meetings are to be considered bytheCityCouncil Rudy Thibodeau g and Planning Commission in preparation of the final document to be considered at aks `1. iE , a public hearing to be held by the Planning Commission at their meeting on �/ November 15, 2004 at 7:00 PM at Otsego City Hall. The public hearing is open to The Otsego View is a bi-monthly any and all interested persons and comments or questions are welcomed. newsletter for the city of Otsego. For more information regarding the Comprehensive Plan update, please contact Jacquie Rognli,Editor Correspondence should be sent to City Hall or the city's website. vw Otsego City Hall. rte. Contains 50%recycled pre- consumer materials. 0 Prima election runs smooth) I First voting precincts set in .:_ county IP' At the first meeting of the Wright County ; — Commissioners April 9, 1855,the county �� 40 " ! was divided into three election precincts: •, II. \t. , , Big Bend, Monticello and Pleasant(or Pheasant)Grove. Otsego was part of the t Pleasant Grove precinct, bounded on the ;,n,: north by the Mississippi River, east and I _ south by the Crow River and on the west by a ' a line running due south from the northwest corner of L. Dimmmick's claim to the Election judges had a lot of down time waiting for voters at the September 14 south line of the county. Setting the primary election.Like the rest of the state,voter turnout in Otsego was very light with boundaries was challenging because a 222 people voting out of 4,762 registered voters.There were 21 new registrations and survey of the county had not been done yet. the day was a good rehearsal for the upcoming November 2 general election when a Each precinct had a school district. much higher turnout is expected.vw Pleasant Grove was School District Number 1, Dudley P. Chase, school agent. According to the 1880 D. R. Farnham's History of lik City offices to be Wright County, "In Pleasant Grove precinct,the place of decided on Election Da holding elections was the dwelling house of John y McDonald. Charles Lambert and Caleb Chase were Otsego voters will cast ballots November 2 for appointed judges of election;John McDonald and Ezra candidates vying for the office of mayor and two Tubbs were appointed justices of the peace; William City Council seats. The following candidates Carsly and Otis T. True were appointed constables;Archie have filed for these four-year terms: Doenie,Josiah B. Locke and D. L. Ingersoll were Mayor-4 year term appointed assessors."vw • Larry Fournier(incumbent) • Vincent Peterson CORNER City Council-2 seats,4 year terms V • Tom Darkenwald • Terri Ruschmeier Otsego Pumpkin Patch schmer • Jessica Stockamp Park and Rec will be having a �� • Jerry Struthers(incumbent) `i1 Halloween event Saturday, October • Mark Thorsted 23, 2004, 1:00 to 4:00 by the picnic shelter in Prairie Residents of Otsego are located in the Park behind City Hall. There will be a pumpkin give- following election districts: away,horse drawn wagon rides,a moonwalk,treats, US House District 6 40 games and food vendors. Minnesota Senate District 19 Minnesota House District 19B Santa Day Wright County rO _1 Santa Day is Saturday, December 11, Judicial District 10 "f 4'4 2004 10:00 a.m.to 2:00 p.m. at City Monticello-Big Lake Hospital District ,.' ' Hall. Santa will be there to greet the School Districts: children and there will be a photographer Elk River District 728 ', to take portrait quality photos with Santa Monticello District 882 or parents can take pictures themselves St. Michael-Albertville District 885 Anyone that would like to volunteer to help at either of these events can call 441-8769.wv O Parking ordinance adopted The City Council adopted an updated ordinance regulating parking on public streets, ditches, boulevards and rights-of-way within the city at their meeting on September 27, 2004. Important provisions of the new ordinance that residents must be aware of are: • No vehicle may be parked for longer than 18 hours on city streets. • Commercial vehicles and semi-tractor/trailers or trucks larger than 12,000 pounds or longer than 25 feet may not be parked on public streets. • No vehicle may be parked on city streets between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. between November and April on any day of the week. • No vehicle may be parked on city streets after a snowfall of 2.5 inches or more until after the street has been plowed from curb-to-curb or ditch-to-ditch. • Vehicles or trailers incapable of movement under their own power may not be parked on city streets. • No vehicle shall block access or obstruct a public sidewalk or trail, access to a driveway or access to a mailbox. Vehicles violating these restrictions are subject to issuance of parking tickets and/or the vehicle being towed. Complete copies of the City Code are available at City Hall or at the city's website. City obtains no-fault sewer backup coverage In order to help homeowners with damages and the cost of PUBLIC SAFETY BITS cleaning and disinfecting homes affected by a city sewer Doo-doo no-no backup, Otsego has obtained No-Fault Sewer Backup Animal owners are responsible for properly insurance coverage.The new coverage gives the city a tool disposing of pet feces. Carry a pooper scooper along to assist homeowners who suffer damages from a backup when walking your dog. All pets must be under control that occurs even when the city is without fault. or on their owner's property at all times. Loose dogs With this new coverage,the city's insurance may pay for are prohibited in the city. some of the damages even though the city is found not Recreational motor vehicle use restricted liable.Backups caused by problems in lines outside of the city system, like the homeowner's lines from the house and Trail bikes,all-terrain vehicles and other types of off-road private septic systems are not covered.Backups caused by recreational vehicles may not be operated in residential catastrophic events such as flooding,heavy rainfall or areas of the city except on private property with the owner's power outages are not covered,either. If a sewer backup written permission and only 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. is evident,call People Service at 763-428-9215. Outside of the designated residential areas of the city, all Minnesota state laws regarding prohibited No discharge zone revised conditions and operations apply. k_ The area of the city where discharge of firearms is Burning permits required `'4 prohibited has been expanded to cover new development A burning permit is required for all fires except areas. In addition to the designated no discharge zone, recreational fires three feet or less in diameter or firearms can not be discharged within 500 feet of any building burning in an approved burn barrel. Call City Hall to unless it is owned by the person or they have written arrange for a permit. permission of the owner on their person. A copy of the full Leaves,grass and other organic yard waste can be ordinance is available on the city web site and printed copies more ecologically utilized by home composting rather with a map are available at City Hall. than burning. Yard waste can also be dropped at the j— Wright County recycling center free of charge during `� '- operating hours. Call 763-682-7338. I J CITY MEETINGS cc el City MEETING DAYS TIME "•' I City Council 2nd&4th Mon. 6:30 pm 80TH ST Planning &Zoning 1st&3rd Mon. 7:00 pm Police Commission 2^d Tues. 7:00 pm 78TH S Parks& Recreation 2nd Wed. 7:00 pm ''�� x a �® L Heritage Preservation 4th Thurs. 7:00 pm • •Submit City Council agenda items seven working days prior to meetings. 9 ci9Fip: cA 101 •To be placed on the Planning Commission agenda,submit completed • forms&information 15 working days prior to meetings. ® ' •All meeting are open to the public.Please call City Hall to confirm times if 1O DISCHARGE OF you plan to attend. FIREARMS ZONE •Agendas and minutes are available on the city's web site: www.ci.Otsego.mn.us.