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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.01.24In the Know in St. Joseph January 2024 Residents of St. Joseph… While I have lived in this community going on 40 years, it nev- er ceases to amaze me with it’s generosity and spirit. It’s an in- credible thing when busy people, active businesses and engaged groups take time out of their packed calendars to make this com- munity something special throughout the year. This holiday, I witnesses several of these activities. I am thrilled and humbled to share a few. Prime Minister Philip Davis of the Commonwealth of the Ba- hamas led an entourage of about a dozen dignitaries to visit the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University on Monday, December 11th, culminating with his appearance as the speaker for the 17th annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture Series. It is a major event for the City of St. Joseph, Saint Ben’s and St. John’s to have the Prime Minister visit, and a major event for the Baha- mas which will go a long way to concretize the relationship be- tween us. I was honored to be part of the welcoming committee, greeting the Prime Minister, his entourage, and many of the St. John’s Alumni who arranged this visit. I am so lucky to have been part of this event. This past month, I witnessed amazing community spirit. A 2 year old Yorkie-mix named Huevo was left with a dog sitter in St. Joseph. He was supposed to stay in town for a few weeks; however, after only a few minutes, Huevo got spooked and ran away. The entire community stepped in to help. Neighbors began canvassing the area, knocking on doors, handing out 800 flyers, putting up yard signs, and even searching with thermal drones. After 7 days of searching, Huevo was found about a mile and a half from where he first took off. Huevo’s owner, Kalina Skil- lingstad said, “I can’t thank this community (St. Joseph) enough.” Each year around the holidays I also witness a great spirit among community businesses, groups, and individuals in the form of giving, donations, and charitable work such as: the giv- ing tree, coat drives, bell ringers, food drives, animal shelter/ rescue drives this year! Thanks to all those organizations within our community who donate their time, effort and good will in helping provide for others. St. Joseph is truly blessed to have so many involved in acts of kindness and generosity. Coming up soon: So far, winter has been lackluster with no snow, nor frigid temperatures. Not that I’m complaining, nor am I a climate predictor. I’m ok with a mild winter now and again. The bad side of a mild winter is a shorter season for skating, sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc. Even though we haven’t seen snow and cold, the city is still planning SNOWFEST 2024! SNOWFEST will be January 27th. The event hopes to have: sledding, ice skating, hot cocoa, cookies, and the game crawl with various St. Joseph busi- nesses participating. Mayor Rick Schultz 320-260-0393 rschultz@cityofstjoseph.com City Hall will be closed: Jan. 15th Martin Luther King Jr. Day Feb. 19th President’s Day SNOWFEST 2024, Jan. 27th Medallion Hunt Beginning January 22nd, clues will be published daily at 10:00 AM on the City website and Facebook page. Saturday, January 27th • 11AM-1PM at Memorial Park: Sledding, ice skating, cookies, hot cocoa, snow shoeing, face painting, snow/sculptures/painting, 33 2nd Ave NW • 3PM—6PM Downtown Game Crawl: Participating establishments include The Middy, Bad Habit, Sal’s Bar, and the La Playette. A punch card can be pur- chased at each of the locations for $5. Get all 4 punches and have your name put into a drawing for a cash prize. Utility Billing Updates Utility Bill Winter Sewer Average The City of St. Joseph uses a winter averaging system to determine your sewer “cap” for residential sewer. The water usage on your Nov/Dec billing determines your “cap” or maximum rate you will be charged for sewer during the upcoming year. Sewer usage charges on your 2024 bills will not exceed those on the Nov/Dec 2023 utility bill. If water usage is under the Nov/Dec winter average, sewer use charges will be the same as the cur- rent period water usage. This minimizes the charges to residents in the summer months when sprinkling lawns and gardens. For new residents or those that are away for the winter, the city average water usage of 13,500 gal- lons is used as the maximum for sewer use charges. Note: This does not include multi-family dwelling units. Frozen Service Line Prevention Check your water temperature. When temperatures are near or fall below freezing, running your water at a pen- cil-sized stream 24/7 can help prevent freezing lines. Faucets near outside walls are particularly vulnerable. This is a cheaper alternative to having your water service thawed in the event of a frozen line. Hiring: Part-time Recreation Coordinator (10-15hrs/ week, $31.55/hour) Apply to be a part-time Recreation Coordinator in our Parks and Recreation Department. This position will assist the Parks and Rec. Director with organizing and implementing community programming and activities. Apply at www.cityofstjoseph.com. This position will be open until filled. Winter Clean Water Tip: Smart Salting Salt is toxic to Minnesota’s aquatic life. Over salting does not mean more melting, it damages property and pollutes our water supply. To avoid over salting: 1. Shovel Early and Often 2. Scatter Salt. Distribute thinly, aiming for 2 -3 inches between salt granules. 3. Select the Right Tool. Salt only works when the pave- ment is above 15°. 4. Sweep Up and Reuse. Clean up leftover salt, sand, and deicer to save and reuse as needed. 2024 Budget The City Council adopted the 2024 levy, budget, capital spending plans and fee schedule in December. The imple- mentation went into effect January 1, 2024, and property tax statements will be mailed by Stearns County in March. The 2024 budget and levy assume continued levels of service. The City of St. Joseph’s 2024 budget includes the following enhancements: • Staffing Additions: part-time Recreation Coordina- tor, full-time Maintenance Worker and Planning Intern. Promotions were budgeted for a Utility Worker, Lead Records Technician, and Deputy Po- lice Chief • 2024 street overlay improvements, Elm Street ex- tension, CR133/Elm Street reconstruction and Riv- ers Bend Park phase 1 development • Community Center design and capital campaign • Other projects: Millstream Park pickleball courts, dog park shading, seal coating and crack filling, trail repairs • Capital Equipment purchases: squad cameras, squad 708, fire gear, fire grass rig, tire balancer, equip- ment replacements. The overall 2024 city tax rate decreased 0.3%. Property taxes, state aids and fees for services cover the majority of the city budget of $15.1 million. The property taxes also include the following jurisdictions: Stearns County, St. Cloud School District 742, Sauk River Watershed District and Rail Authority. With all jurisdictions combined, the overall tax rate shows a decrease. When applying the tax rate to the estimated 9% market value increase, residents may see an increase in 2024 property taxes. Additional budget detail can be found on the city’s website under the Finance Department. Parks & Recreation The City of St. Joseph launched a new software to streamline the facility rental and activity registration processes. Check out current and upcoming activities at: https://secure.rec1.com/MN/st-joseph-mn/catalog. Registration for Summer Rec Programs begins March 18th! Yoga: Classes will be held at KPower Yoga, 109 Ash St W in St. Joseph. $84/6 sessions 9AM-10AM on Tuesdays Session 1: Jan 16th—Feb 20th, Session 2: Feb 27th—Apr 2nd, Session 3: Apr. 9th—May 14th. Yoga flow offers strength, flexibility, concentration and breath work. Bring a yoga mat and water bottle. Beginner Youth Volleyball, Grades 2-5: Every Tues/ Thurs from Feb. 13th—Feb 22nd. $20 Snowshoeing Club: 10AM, Jan. 13th, Klinefelter Park. Jan. 20th at Wildwood Park. Jan 27th at St. Johns. All lev- els are welcome. Bingo: 6PM, Every Wednesday in Jan. & Feb at the St. Joseph Gov’t. Center. Play 10 free games for chances to win a variety of prizes. If you would like to donate a prize or two, please bring them to the St. Joseph Government Center between 8AM—4:30PM, Mon-Fri. Open Pickleball at Kennedy Community School: Mon. 6-9PM; Wed. 6-9PM, Sat. & Sun. 8AM-Noon $2/ person/time Open Basketball: Sun. Noon-2PM, Kennedy Community School, $2/person/time Paint & Sip @ Bad Habit Brewing Co.: Join us for a Paint & Sip party on Tuesday, Jan. 23rd, 6-8PM. Register at: https://www.paintandsip.com/bad-habit-brewing-co Activities for Seniors Senior Walking Pass at CSB ($55): Seniors have the op- portunity to use the walking path at Haehn Campus Center from Nov. 1st—March 31st. Those interested can pay at the center. Hours of use are: M-TH 6:30AM-11PM; Fri 6:30AM-10PM; Sat 8AM-10PM; Sun 8AM-11PM. Senior Yoga: Wednesdays from 1:30-2:30PM, Heritage Hall. $3.50 if you are a member of the Whitney Senior Center or $5.00 for non-members. Call 320-255-7245 to register. Enhance Fitness: Tues. & Thurs. 1:30-2:30PM, Heritage Hall. Class focuses on stretching and flexibility; low im- pact aerobics; strength training and balance. $3.50 if you are a member of the Whitney Senior Center or $5.00 for non-members. Call 320-255-7245 to register. Senior Coffee & Conversations: Join us Feb. 8th, from 12-1PM at the Fire Hall for a conversation about reading labels and balance. Cards and bingo will follow from 1:30- 3:30PM. Senior Cookie Decorating $5: Join us March 14th, from 12-1PM at the Fire Hall for cookie decorating. Reserve your spot with Rhonda to ensure there are enough supplies for all. Reach Rhonda at rjuell@cityofstjoseph.com or 320 -250-0967. Cards and bingo will follow from 1:30- 3:30PM. Facility Reservations Reservations are now being accepted for various city fa- cilities. Each reservation requires a $200.00 rental fee and a $200.00 damage deposit. Reservations can be made at https://secure.rec1.com/MN/st-joseph-mn/catalog. You will be able to view live calendars for each facility to check for availability. The system will require you to cre- ate an account. This account will be used for all future reservations and registrations for recreation programs. 2024 Presidential Nomination Primary (PNP) Election Day is Tuesday, March 5, 2024. All polling places will be open from 7AM—8PM. What is a Presidential Nomination Primary (PNP)? The purpose of the PNP is for MN voters to vote for a presidential candidate who they wish for their party to nominate as the candidate on the November General Election ballot. This nominating primary replaces the “preferential polls” (also known as “straw polls”) that were conducted at party caucus meetings in the past. To view a complete sample ballot, go to mnvotes.org When is the PNP? The PNP will be Tuesday, March 5th. Polls will be open from 7AM—8PM. Voter Registration: Pre-register for the PNP by February 13th. You can register to vote online at mnvotes.org. Pre-registering will result in shorter wait times on Election Day! Absentee Voting: Absentee balloting begins January 19th for the PNP. St. Joseph residents can vote by absen- tee in person during this time or by mail. In person at: • Stearns County Service Center, 3301 County Road 138, Waite Park. Hours are 8AM -4:30PM • St. Cloud City Lake George Municipal Complex, 1101 7th Street South, St. Cloud. Hours are 8AM -4:30PM By Mail: Apply for an absentee ballot online at mnvotes.org or contact the Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer’s office and an application will be mailed to you. Voters can then track their ballots online at mnvotes.org. Where Should You Vote on Election Day? St. Joseph now has 2 precincts. Precinct 1 polling place—Heritage Hall, 12 MN St W. All residents residing WEST of College Avenue/CR2 will vote here. All residents residing NORTH of CR75 will vote here. Precinct 2 polling place—St. Joseph Government Center, 75 Callaway St E. All residents residing SOUTH of CR75 and EAST of College Ave/CR2 will vote here. Not sure where your polling place is? Go to mnvotes.org How does voting work for the PNP? • Voters must declare their major political party preference at check -in. There are separate ballots for each ma- jor political party and a the voter will be given the ballot for the party selected. If a voter refuses to select a party, they will not be able to vote in the PNP. • Only 1 office (president) will be listed on the ballot • A voter’s choice of major political party will not be public information, except that it will be made available to election officials and to the chair of the major political party that the voter selects. Direct local election questions to: City Clerk Kayla Klein kklein@cityofstjoseph.com | 320-229-9421 Additional Election Judges will be needed for the August Primary and November General Elections. More information can be found on the city website or by contacting City Clerk, Kayla Klein.