HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.01.24
July/August
2024
UPCOMING EVENTS
Farmer’s Market, every Friday through Oct. 11th. From 3PM – 6PM at Resurrection Lutheran Church.
Local farmers and crafters offer a variety of locally-grown and handmade items.
Wood Fired Wednesdays, every Wednesday through Aug. 28th. Join the fun at Rolling Ridge Event
Center on Wednesday evenings from 4PM – 8PM. Enjoy live acoustic music, wood-fired pizza & adult beverages.
More information can be found at Rolling Ridge Events, Wood Fired Wednesdays.
Millstream Arts Festival, August 25, 2024, 11AM – 5PM in downtown St.
Joseph. Festive environment with a wide variety of visual arts, literature and poetry,
music, dance, enticing foods, hands-on art activities for children, and much more!
September 14th Make a Difference Run/Walk. St. Cloud Toyota is making a
difference with the INDY foundation. INDY stands for I’m Not Done Yet and is an organization that directly
supports Minnesota’s cancer warriors and their families with love, faith and financial support through various
program offerings. The 1k will begin at 9:30AM and the 5k at 10:00AM. Find out more information and register at
https://runsignup.com/Race/MN/SaintJoseph/MakeADifference
Water Meter Replacement Program. The city is converting to cellular read ultrasonic
meters. The project started in 2022 and will be conducted in phases over the next several years.
The city has selected 500 accounts for the 2024 phase, which will begin this September. Those
residents will be notified via a letter in early August. Cellular read meters allow consumers the
ability to monitor their water usage in real time. Water leaks such as dripping faucets, running
toilets, or leaks in irrigation systems, if caught early, could be addressed and high water bills could
potentially be avoided. If you are interested in converting in 2025, please call the government
center to get on the list. Please visit the utility billing tab of our website for more details on the
program.
Household Hazardous Waste. Household hazardous waste should NOT be disposed of in the trash as it poses
a serious threat of injury to trash collection and landfill operators. Residents of Stearns County can drop off
household hazardous waste for FREE at the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility located at 3601 5th St
W, Waite Park. Hours of operation and acceptable items are listed on the Stearns County website at
https://www.stearnscountymn.gov/1496/Household-hazardous-waste-facility.
Be a Responsible Pet Owner. Be a good neighbor and pick up after your dog, even in your own yard. Dogs
also need to be on a leash, unless contained within your own yard. Violators may be issued a citation.
Bike Share Program. The bike share program provides low-cost access to bikes along the Lake Wobegon Trail.
Bike stations are located at the Lake Wobegon Trailhead building in St. Joseph and at Rivers Edge Park in Waite
Park. A total of 10 bikes are available and can be returned at either station. Riders will need to download the bike
share app, allow location access, find the bike docking location, and scan the bike QR code. Bikes can be rented for
$2/hour.
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Residents of St. Joseph... Events and celebrations are in full swing. The inaugural Joetown
Blocks just finished with great success. Joetown Rocks and the Lion’s Club parade were
also very successful. I thank all those who take so much time and effort to ensure these
events continue to be so wonderful for our community. Just around the corner will be La
Jam and the Millstream Arts Festival. To be more vehicle and pedestrian conscientious, a
change is coming to some of our larger events in regards to street closures. The closures
will be MN Street from 1st Ave E to 1st Ave W, and College Ave from Ash St to Baker St.
Of course, we have Wood Fired Wednesdays each week. And let’s not forget about all those smaller, business
sponsored activities that go on – yoga and sauna, puzzle competitions, BINGO, trivia…so many things to see and
do.
I’ve been hearing that the county is
working out final plan details for
reconstruction on Elm Street and County
Roads 133 and 75. These highly used
intersections will be getting a facelift
which will include new turning lanes and
a roundabout on Elm. We are waiting for
the county to inform us when this project
is set to begin.
Soon we will see construction in a couple
of our parks. New pickleball courts will
be constructed in Millstream Park and a
kayak/canoe launch in Rivers Bend Park.
Both projects received council approval
to move forward with construction bids.
Once received and approved, expect to
see these two projects begin.
Enjoy the summer. It comes and goes
much too quickly. See you around.
Mayor, Rick Schultz
Lawn Care Tips
Lawn chemicals are the fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides used in every day
lawn and garden care. When those chemicals are applied incorrectly, they can have
many negative effects. They can run into our local lakes and streams and even affect
our drinking water.
Keeping your lawn strong and healthy is the best way to care for your lawn without
using a lot of chemicals. A strong and healthy lawn will minimize weeds from taking
root or insects from causing damage to the lawn. Here are some easy steps you can
take to maintain a healthy lawn:
•Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings can provide the equivalent of about one application
of fertilizer per year.
•Use a sharp mower blade.
•Water infrequently, but thoroughly during dry periods.
•Test your soil. Find out what kind of fertilizer, if any, your soil needs.
•Aerate your lawn.
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Parks & Recreation
Softball, T-ball, Soft-toss, Soccer, Basketball, Kickball, Phy Ed Games: All activities will run
through the week of July 22nd. Check your receipt for specifics on the activities you signed up to participate in.
July 18th & July 25th Art in the Park. Art in the Park is a fun, free, and creative activity for kids ages 3 to
elementary school. The remaining dates are July 18th @ Klinefelter Park; and July 25th @ Millstream Park. There
will be a new project every week. We can’t wait to see everyone this summer!
August 8th Walk and Talk. Seniors are invited to Klinefelter Park to engage in a walk and talk from Noon –
1PM.
August 8th Card Games. Seniors are invited to play cards (500) or games and enjoy treats and coffee/cocoa.
Everyone 60+ is welcome. Activity is free and will go from 1:30Pm – 3:30 PM at the St. Joseph Community Fire
Hall.
August 20th Paint and Sip, 7-9PM. Come and enjoy a painting experience with Jeremy Ross, The
Bearded Artist, at Bad Habit Brewing Co. Cost is $38. Register at https://www.paintandsipmn.com/bad-habit-
brewing-co.
September 11th Senior Citizens Bus Trip. Join us for a fun day at the Como Zoo and Park! There are
39 spots available for a behind-the-scenes tour before zoo hours. During the 2-hour tour, you will hear stories
from Como’s fascinating 125-year history, create a unique activity for the polar bears, encounter a giraffe, and
meet one of the many zoo keepers who make Como Zoo a world-class facility. There are an additional 16 spots
to walk around Como Park with a light breakfast until the zoo opens at 10AM. Breakfast is $10. After, there will
be time to explore the zoo on your own. Enjoy the animals and bring money to purchase lunch from one of the
café’s (or you can bring your own lunch). If you wish, you can check out the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory too.
Suggested donation for adults is $4. When calling the office to register, please specify which option you are
signing up for: Option 1: $40, behind the scenes tour; Option 2: $10, breakfast and park. Both options include
zoo/conservatory time.
September 12th Card Games. Seniors are invited to play cards (500) or games and enjoy treats and
coffee/cocoa. Everyone 60+ is welcome. Activity is free and will go from 1:30Pm – 3:30 PM at the St. Joseph
Community Fire Hall.
September 21st Co-Rec Softball Tournament. $200/team. Registration deadline is September 14th.
Cash payouts for the first three teams. All other teams will receive drinks from local bars. There is also a free
agent category, so if you want to play and do not have a team, you can still sign-up.
https://secure.rec1.com/MN/st-joseph-mn/catalog.
RV Dump Station. The city’s RV dump station is located at the main lift station, 413 2nd Ave NW off of CR
75. A free will donation box is available at the site. The site is open 24/7. Users will need to bring their own
discharge hose.
City Offices will be closed: September 2nd – Labor Day
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The Primary Election is Tuesday, August 13, 2024
All polling places will be open from 7AM—8PM
What is a Primary Election? A primary election determines which candidates will be on the ballot in the
November general election. There may be two kinds of offices on your ballot: partisan and nonpartisan offices.
Partisan candidates will be listed in multiple columns with each column representing one major party. You will
only be allowed to vote for candidates from one political party. If you try to vote for more than one party, your
ballot will be rejected. Nonpartisan offices, such as county and school board offices will be listed on the back of
the ballot and you can vote for any candidate/s. The candidates having the most votes will be on the November
general election ballot.
Voter Registration: The last day to pre-register for the August Primary is July 23rd. You can register to vote
and check your registration status online at https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote.
Absentee Voting: Absentee balloting began June 28th for the August Primary. St. Joseph residents can vote by
absentee in person or by mail.
In person at:
•St. Cloud City Lake George Municipal Complex, 1101 7th St S. Hours are 8AM-4:30PM, Monday through
Friday and Saturday, August 10th from 10AM-3PM
•Stearns County Service Center, 3301 County Road 138. Hours are 8AM-4:30PM, Monday through Friday and
Saturday, August 10th from 10AM-3PM
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. The ballot will be mailed with instruction on how to complete
the process and return it to the Stearns County Election Office. Voters can then track their ballots online at
mnvotes.org.
Early Voting at City Hall: St. Joseph Residents also have the opportunity to vote at the St. Joseph Government
Center 1 week prior to Election Day. For the August Primary, the available dates/times are as follows:
•August 6th-9th, 8:00AM-4:30PM
•August 10th, 10:00AM-3:00PM
•August 12th, 8:00AM-5:00PM
Where Should You Vote? St. Joseph has 2 precincts.
Precinct 1 polling place—Heritage Hall, 12 MN St W. All residents residing WEST of College Avenue/County
Road 2 will vote here. All residents residing NORTH of County Road 75 will also vote here.
Precinct 2 polling place—St. Joseph Government Center, 75 Callaway St E. All residents residing SOUTH of
County Road75 and EAST of College Ave/County Road 2 will vote here.
Filing for Office: The filing period is July 30th—August 13th. There will be 3 local seats up for election in
2024; the Mayoral Seat and 2 City Council Seats. These seats will be voted on at the General Election on
November 5, 2024. If you are interested in running for office for the City of St. Joseph, more information can be
found at www.cityofstjoseph.com.
Direct local election questions to:
City Clerk, Kayla Klein
kklein@cityofstjoseph.com
320-229-94214