News from the City of Lake Elmo
January 5,  2018
Meetings next week:

Tuesday, January 9th: Finance Committee  Meeting 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 9th: City Council Workshop 6:30 p.m.

Links to the 2017 City Meetings, Agendas and Meeting Minutes: 

City Meetings
  City Agendas and Minutes
                                                                               

City Council Update

At their regular meeting on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, the Lake Elmo City Council:
  • Appointed Kennedy and Graven as City Attorney for Civil Matters and Johnson and Turner as City Attorney for Criminal Matters
  • Approved an Expenditure for Mountain Bike Maps
  • Appointed Justin Bloyer as the Acting Mayor
  • Appointed Chief Malmquist, Building Official Bent and Council Member Lundgren to the Fire Relief Board of Trustees
  • Appointed Tucker Pearce and Kathy Weeks to the Planning Commission
  • Appointed David Steele and Barry Weeks to the Parks Commission
  • Approved the 2018 Planning Commission Work Plan
  • Approve the 2018 Parks Commission Work Plan
  • Approved the 2018 Finance Committee Work Plan
  • Approved Revisions to the Sign Ordinance
  • Approved Payment of Disbursements
 
On the consent agenda the Council:
  • Designated  Lake Elmo Bank, Well Fargo Bank, Northland Securities Inc., and Morgan Stanley as the Official Depositories of Funds
  • Designated the Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review as the Official Publication Newspaper of Record
  • Adopted a Resolution Designating the Data Practices Officials and Approving the City's Data Practice Policy
  • Appointed Focus Engineering as the City Engineer and Approved the Contract
Reminder:  The City's planning and building departments are now located across the parking lot to the Brookfield building located at 3880 Laverne Ave. N.  Moving forward, City Hall will only be used for meetings. 

Lake Elmo Library joins Washington County Library system

The Washington County Library system marked a renewed partnership with the Lake Elmo Library on Jan. 1, 2018, when the library officially joined the county's library system. The connection signals a new chapter for both the local library branch and the county's library system. For Lake Elmo Library patrons and users, inclusion in the Washington County Library system expands the amount of materials available to checkout, access to a large selection of useful databases, an instant connection to digital resources, and many programs and events to attend.

Lake Elmo Library will be closed until Jan. 20, 2018, while work is performed that makes it possible to operate the library within the county's library system. During this closure, Lake Elmo users can get a library card at any of the other Washington County Library locations (Oakdale Library and Wildwood Library are the closest in proximity to Lake Elmo). The new library card will allow them access to materials at all other Washington County Library locations during the closure, as well as digital materials available through WashCoLib.org.

A grand re-opening celebration is planned for Saturday, Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served during an open house, and visitors will have the opportunity to meet staff.

Following the re-opening on Jan. 20, Lake Elmo Library's regular hours will be:

Mondays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuesdays 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Wednesdays 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Thursdays 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Fridays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sundays Closed
 

How Lake Elmo Views its Past

In an earlier article featuring the Krueger Tree Farm, mention was made of a "Century Farm." This is a category used in a formal document written by city planners; an "Alternative Urban Area-wide Review" ( AUAR).

An AUAR is a planning tool used by local governments to identify local resources that help city planners to understand how different development scenarios will affect their community before development occurs. It is designed to look at the impacts of development on the characteristics of the land and how development will reflect on the history of the area.

One of the sections of the 2009 AUAR document deals with the archaeological history of a community. This exploration is divided two areas; Pre-contact (pre-A.D. 1650) and Contact Period history (A.D. 1650-1837) Archaeology. There is the potential for finding intact pre-contact and contact period archaeological resources throughout the undisturbed portions of the city, including agricultural fields. The degree of potential depends on the natural conditions stated in the Methods section, such as the area's location to prominent topographic features and sources of water.

Also noted in the Methods section, the potential for finding intact archaeological material is also higher near recorded sites. Therefore, the "pre-contact mound (21WA0051) located in the SE quarter of the NE quarter of Section 11" (Lake Elmo's lone Indian burial mound found on the Krueger Tree Farm property) is an indicator of a higher potential for finding associated archaeological material near this burial site.

The 183-page May 5, 2009 review was updated by a 9-page update in December, 2016.

In following weeks, let's walk through parts of this document to explore Lake Elmo's past as described in this document.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Source: Lake Elmo Village Area Final Alternative Urban Area-wide Review (AUAR). Prepared for the City of Lake Elmo, the format organized by the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB), May 5, 2009.

(The cover of the 2009 AUAR document. An AUAR update to the city guide was published in December, 2016.)


Lions Park is Skate Ready!
The rinks at Lions Park are now skate ready as of January 5th.  There is also a portable restroom available for skaters.

Winter Parking Ordinance in Effect
During the October 3, 2017 meeting, the Lake Elmo City Council approved a new Winter Parking Ordinance. With the new ordinance in place, parking is prohibited on all City streets from November 1st through March 31st between the hours of 2:00 AM and 7:00 AM. This gives snowplow operators the ability to plow streets more safely and efficiently. 


Lake Elmo Rotary's Kindness Campaign
What is Rotary? Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who come together to make positive, lasting change in communities at home and abroad.

Our motto: Service Above Self
For more than 110 years our guiding principles have been the foundation of our values: service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership.

Lake Elmo Rotary's 2018 Kindness Campaign:
We see a need...the need to make impact with kindness. We believe that kindness is contagious and good for us and inspiring consequences really do spiral when we do simple, compassionate acts for others without expecting anything in return.        
 
"Every act of kindness is like a pebble thrown in a pond sending out ripples for beyond where the pebble entered the water. When we are caring and kind to our neighbors, our actions send rings of kindness that spread from neighbor to neighbor to neighbor." Angela Artemis
 
With the help of City Staff and Mayor Pearson, we are excited to launch an official "Kindness Campaign" at the next Lake Elmo City Council meeting on January 16th. Stay tuned for more information about how you can join Lake Elmo Rotary in making 2018 an amazingly different year for yourself and others.
 
Lake Elmo Rotary meets every Wednesday morning from 7:00 am - 8:00 am at the Lake Elmo Inn. The door is always open for you to come join us for breakfast! For more information please visit: www.lakeelmorotary.org
snowy-sidewalk.jpg
Keep the Roadways Clear!
According to State Statute 160.2715, it is unlawful to obstruct any right-of-way, or deposit snow or ice thereon. Please do not deposit any additional snow or ice into the roadways when clearing your property.
2018 Park Reservations Begin Jan. 9
Camping reservations begin online for Washington County campgrounds including Lake Elmo Park Reserve on Tuesday, January 9 at 8:00 AM. Create your account here, so you're ready for opening day: Online Reservations . Phone Call/in-person reservations will be accepted beginning January 16, 2018.

Also on January 9, Pavilion Reservations open for the 2018 season.  Please call the Lake Elmo Office at 651-430-8370 to make your reservation.


Public Hearing Notice
There will be a public hearing to consider a moratorium on comprehensive plan amendments on Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at 7:00 PM at the Lake Elmo City Hall. The full notice can be read here .



15th annual WinterFest set for Jan. 20 at Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Cross-country ski lessons, fat tire bike demonstrations, snowshoeing demonstrations, and Soup Coupe food truck will all be part the 15th  annual WinterFest 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Everyone is welcome to this free event.

Skiers and Fat tire bikers must pre-register with the Ride and Glide XC Ski Club. All equipment will be provided. All levels of skiers and bikers are welcome to register; they must be at least 14 years old. XC ski lessons and fat tire bike demonstrations will be available at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Register for a time in advance at  www.rideandglide.org (Select Lake Elmo Clinic). Free classic and skate ski equipment will be provided by Joe's Ski Shop and the Ride and Glide Ski Club. Fat tire biking equipment and demonstrations will be led and provided by Now Bikes and Fitness. Before or after the lessons, relax in the Nordic Center and catch the latest professional ski races on the 80-inch TV.

WinterFest will also offer free snowshoeing for the family. All ages are welcome to try this activity. Snowshoe the rolling hills, woods, and prairies of Eagle Point Lake. Register in advance with DIRO Outdoors to reserve your snowshoes for a specific time, or take your chances - walk-ins are welcome, too. Check-in at the DIRO tent near the Eagle Point Trailhead (across from the Nordic Center Trailhead) with an ID; arriving 10 minutes before the top of every hour is recommended.Winter Bowling will also be available  at Eagle Point.

 

Also, The Soup Coupe will be at the event selling hot soup and wraps for lunch. All event participants should plan to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to sign in for a desired time and get fit for equipment. Come dressed for outdoor activity. All skiers 16 years and older will need a MN Ski Pass ($6/day or $20/annual). All park guests will need to possess a valid Washington County Parks vehicle permit ($7/day or $30/annual). The ski pass and vehicle permit are both available for purchase at the Lake Elmo Park Contact Station at the park entrance.


 

The park is open for skiing from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. All ski guests may access 10 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails and 5.5 miles of LED lighted trails from dusk to 9:30 p.m. from the Nordic Center Trailhead.

Snowshoers, hikers and dog walkers will be directed to the Big Bluestem multi-use trail from the Eagle Point Trailhead. 

 

The Nordic Center and Eagle Point Trailheads have ample parking. The Nordic Center features indoor tables and seating, WiFi, restrooms, lockers, changing stalls, a water refill station, indoor fireplace, outdoor bonfire pit, ski racks and ski waxing stations. The Eagle Point Trailhead will host a portable tent with wood-burning stove and nearby portable toilets. Hiking and snowshoeing are not permitted on groomed ski trails.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve is at the intersection of County Road 19 and County Road 10, one mile north of Interstate 94 in Lake Elmo.

 

For more Washington County Parks programs and events, see www.co.washington.mn.us/parks .

Follow Washington County Parks on social media at @WashCountyParks.
Please call the Lake Elmo Office at 651-430-8370 to make your reservation.
Volunteers Needed!


Finance Committee:
To aid the City Council in the administration of financial operations of the City of Lake Elmo through the review of financial policies, the monthly review of financial statements, the annual review of the audit report and the review of the annual operating budgets.


Human Resources Committee:
The Human Resources Committees purpose is to aid the City Council in the administration of personnel policies and staffing through productivity audits, human resource policies, & procedures, wages & rate administration, benefit review and disciplinary procedures


The City of Lake Elmo is accepting applications from residents interested in serving on these committees.  

Information on each committee and an application form can be found under the "Government" tab on the City's website:  www.lakeelmo.org

Lights are turned on for night hiking at Lake Elmo Parks Reserve

The lighted trails at Lake Elmo Park Reserve have been turned on from dusk until 9:30 p.m. each evening for hikers, until the trails are being groomed for the ski season, depending on snowfall.

Once ski trails are groomed and opened, all winter hikers and walkers will be directed to the Big Bluestem multi-use trail. This trail does not have lights and is open until sunset. 

For current trail conditions, follow Washington County Parks on social media @WashCountyParks  or call the park contact station at 651-430-8370.