HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.01.24
Nov/Dec
2024
The End of an Era… This year, I will have completed 14 years, seven terms, as your Mayor and I’m just as excited
and committed now as I was back in 2011 when I first took office. It has truly been a privilege to have served the
residents of St. Joseph. What will I do in retirement you ask? I’m looking forward to spending more time traveling
and enjoying a simpler life. I will look in the mirror of my mayoral career as complex, demanding, inspiring and
gratifying.
After winning the 2010 mayoral election, I found myself in a position where the learning curve was nearly vertical.
There were/are no mayor manuals. I was “drinking from a firehose”. That first year was one to remember. Each
month was more fascinating, challenging and rewarding than the one before. Tammy and I had lived in St. Joseph for
25 years and had always thought it was the finest community in the country. Now I was given the opportunity to find
out why and made the most of it.
In past articles, I have pointed out all the things that make our community so unique, but I now know the true common
thread; it is the people. The department heads, the City Council, the senior staff, the employees and most of all the
residents. People who love living in a city that feels like a small-town oasis near a big city metropolitan area. Citizens
that love their parks, respect their history, enjoy the conveniences of a central location, great shopping, wonderful
businesses, and world-class educational opportunities.
During my small but wonderful tenure as mayor, I had the pleasure to have worked alongside 11 different councilors,
2 public works directors, 3 chiefs of police, 5 city administrators, 3 ISD 742 superintendents, 7 different college
presidents, so many fine board members.
Personally, I find myself at the end of the most rewarding period of my life. I have a deeper love for our city than ever
before and an appreciation for all those that I have met along the way. I have a renewed respect for elected public
officials and the talents of our business community who have dedicated so much of their time to make our lives better.
I appreciate the firm foundation St. Joseph has in every aspect and I have complete confidence that we will continue
to be a city without equal, and one that others envy. No one could have ever convinced me being mayor would have
been so much fun or fulfilling.
There have been plenty of struggles, but so many more pleasurable moments. Thank you for the distinction of serving
as your mayor. I am humbled and honored to have been provided the opportunity to serve the St. Joseph community
for the past 14 years. It is hard to truly express my feelings of appreciation and gratitude for the relationships and
friends I have made along the way--these memories will last a lifetime.
Thank you all so much! The pleasure was all mine!
Mayor Rick Schultz
Thank you, Mayor Rick, for your years of service to the
City of St. Joseph!
2024 Election Results
Congratulations to Adam Scepaniak, Kelly Beniek, and Adam Schnettler. Adam Scepaniak was elected as Mayor
of the City of St. Joseph and will serve a two-year term. Kelly Beniek and Adam Schnettler were elected to serve on
the City Council for four-year terms. Scepaniak, Beniek and Schnettler will be sworn in at the January 6th City
Council meeting.
Garbage Collection Holiday Updates:
• Garbage will be picked up on Thanksgiving Day.
• Service will be delayed one day during the week of Christmas.
Garbage pickup will be on Friday, December 27th.
Holiday Tree Collection, January 2nd & 9th
Residents who participate in the City Refuse Program are eligible to have one holiday tree picked up and disposed
of at no cost. All trees must have decorations and stands removed. Place the tree on the ground next to the refuse
cart by 6AM on the day of pickup.
Recycling Holiday Lights
Recycle holiday lights at the following locations:
• DocuShred Document Shredding – Monday through Friday from 10AM-5PM – Located at 321 Sundial
Dr. Waite Park.
• ThriftWorks! Thrift Store – Monday through Friday from 10AM-6:30 PM and Saturdays from 10AM-
4PM – Located at 310 Sundial Drive, Waite Park.
• Stearns Co. Household Hazardous Waste Facility – Monday through Friday from 8AM-4:15 PM and
every second and third Saturday from 8AM- 3601 5th St S, Waite Park.
Winter Parking Regulations: No parking is allowed on any city street from Nov. 1st – April 1st during the hours
of 2AM – 7AM. Any vehicle parked in violation of this ordinance is subject to a fine and immediate towing at the
owner’s expense.
Sidewalk Snow Removal: Property owners are required to clear sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours after
a snowfall event. If the owner fails to do so, the city may remove the snow or ice and the owner will be charged for
the service. It is unlawful to blow snow into a street or alleyway.
Adopt a Fire Hydrant: When clearing your driveway of snow, please take the time to clear the snow around any
fire hydrant on your property or in your neighborhood. We ask that you clear a path from the hydrant to the street
and a 3ft wide perimeter around the fire hydrant to allow access for emergency personnel in the event of a fire.
2025 Budget
The St. Joseph City Council is preparing the 2025 budget, levy, and fee schedule. The final 2025 budget and levy
must be adopted by December 28, 2024. The city will hold a public hearing on December 2, 2024 at 6PM on the
proposed 2025 budget, levy and fee schedule. The current proposals can be found on the city’s Online Digital
Budget Book.
Act to Protect and Conserve our Drinking Water! We all must do our part in maintaining this valuable
resource. Taking responsibility in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities is of vital importance. Save water
by fixing leaky faucets, running full loads of laundry or dishes, and taking shorter showers. Use soaps, lotions, and
detergents that are biodegradable and less toxic. Don’t flush leftover medicines, paints, oil, or antifreeze down the
sink or toilet. Landscape your yard to reduce the need for watering and minimize your use of fertilizers and
pesticides.
City Offices Closed on:
Nov. 28th & 29th
Dec. 24th & 25th
Jan. 1st & 20th
City Facility Reservations
We are currently taking reservations for dates through January 31, 2025. Reservations for February 1st, 2025 through
January 31, 2026 will open up on the first business day of the new year, January 2, 2025. Reservations can be made
online and in person at the Government Center.
Attention Seasonal Residents
Are you planning on heading south for the winter? A resident that is absent from their
residence for at least 30 consecutive days may qualify to temporarily suspend garbage/
recycling services. Please complete the Application to Suspend Garbage and Recycling
Services form on the utility billing section of our website. You may also request a house
watch from the St. Joseph Police Department by checking a box for that service on the same application form. Please
call City Hall at 320-363-7201, option 1 for more information.
PARKS & RECREATION ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Pickleball at Kennedy Community School, $3/person/time
Mon. & Wed. 6-9PM; Sat. & Sun. 8AM-12PM.
Open Gym at Kennedy Community School, $3/person/time
Sat. & Sun. 12-2PM. Bring your own equipment.
Senior Citizen Activities, Ages 60+. St. Joseph Community Fire Hall
Nov. 14th, 12-12:30 PM. Join us at Obbink Distillery, and 12:30-1 PM at Bad Habit Brewing to take a tour and see
how their products are made. FREE.
Nov. 14th, 1:30-3:30 PM. Come play cards (500) and enjoy treats and coffee/cocoa. FREE.
Dec. 12th, 12PM. Christmas Dinner (chicken, potatoes, gravy, green beans, cranberries, bread and dessert), and
BINGO with prizes for everyone. Cost is $10/person. For more details and registration, contact Rhonda at 320-
250-0967, or rjuell@cityofstjoseph.com. Link to sign up for Christmas dinner
Senior Yoga, Wednesdays, 1:30-2:30PM, Heritage Hall. Call (320) 255-7245 to register. Increase your
flexibility, balance, and range of motion as you move your entire body through a series of seated and standing yoga
poses. Optional chair support provides added stability when needed.
Senior Enhance Fitness: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:30, Heritage Hall. Call (320) 255-7245 to
register. Improve the overall functional fitness and well-being of older adults by focusing on four key areas:
stretching and flexibility; low impact aerobics; strength training; and balance.
Youth Treat Making, St. Joseph Government Center
Dec. 7th, 10AM. Ages 4+. Make and take Christmas cake pops and marshmallow treat decorating. $10/person.
Register by Dec. 2nd. Link to register for Youth Treat Making
Mandala Stone Art Painting at Bad Habit Brewing, $50/person
Dec. 21st, 1-3:30 PM. This is your opportunity to tap into your creative
spirit and learn the meditative art of mandala stone painting. No painting
or artistic skill or experience needed. Classes are geared towards adults,
though kids (works best for ages 10+) are welcome. In this class format,
you will be painting the mandala pattern that you’ll select from a variety
of options. Paintings will be done on a hand casted 4-inch stone (or
wood plaque with stand, if you’d prefer). Through this process, and class
instruction, you will learn all the dotting basics, plus tips and tricks, and leave class with the knowledge to make
various mandala stone designs on any type of stone.
To register, please email: mandalastoneartclasses@yahoo.com and put Bad Habit in the subject line of your email.
If you are registering for anyone else, please include their name AND cc their email address (unless children).
Participants will receive a confirmation email back within 24 hours with additional class information. You will also
receive an email a week before class with a link to sign up for which pattern you would like to paint.
Payment for the class can be made anytime during class by check, cash, Apple Cash, or Venmo. No credit cards
will be accepted. Cost includes: instruction, demonstration, handout (supply information), hand casted 4-inch
stone, paints, and tools for use in class. If for any reason you need to cancel your spot in class, kindly do so ASAP.
Head to www.facebook.com/mandalastoneartclasses to view pictures from prior classes.
**If interested, new 10-piece tool sets will be available for purchase after class for an additional $20. **
BINGO is BACK at the St. Joseph Government Center
Wednesdays from 6PM-7PM beginning Jan. 8th through Mar. 26th. Each night includes 10 games of FREE Bingo.
Prize donations are welcome.
Snowshoe Club
Saturdays beginning Jan. 11th through Feb. 22nd at 10AM. First meeting will be at Klinefelter Park. Bring your own
snowshoes. They can be purchased or rented at Fitzharris and Scheels. We will gather for coffee/cocoa after
snowshoeing.
SnowFest, Jan. 25th
1PM-3PM – Memorial Park sledding, skating, snow sculpting, hot cocoa, cookies and face painting
3PM-6PM – Game Crawl. Purchase a $5 punch card and head out to Sal’s Bar & Grill, The Middy, Bad Habit
Brewing, and The LaPlayette. Once your card is punched at all locations, turn it in to be entered into a cash
drawing. The first name drawn will get 50% of the pot, second and third names drawn will each get 25% of the pot.
Punch cards can be purchased at any of the locations on game day or ahead of time at the Government Center.
Shop Small Crawl, Nov. 30th 10AM-4PM
The 12th Annual Shop Small Crawl is a holiday shopping celebration that brings all the
great local businesses together with a powerhouse of local MN artists. Come on out for
an unforgettable day of celebrating the spirit of small businesses, local entrepreneurs,
and artists in our wonderful town.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UPDATE ON
CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
The House l Food and Tap – 13 2nd Ave NW: Walls and portions of the roof are up. The parking lot is complete.
Premier Stone – 2050 Jasmine Court: Site plan approval has been issued for this 18,500 square foot building.
Interstate Bearings – 622 Elm St E: Construction at this 16,500 square foot building will begin soon.
Floor to Ceiling – 942 21st Ave NE: Construction is underway on a 13,900 square foot building.
Hansen and Company Woodworks – 2040 Jasmine Court: Construction progress continues with walls of the
facility going up.
Interstate Bearings Premier Stone