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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.01.23In the Know in St. Joseph January 2023 Residents of St. Joseph… Thank you and farewell: Councilor Jon Hazen served on the City Council for only a short time, but during that time, he engulfed himself in bettering our city and community. I want to thank Jon for his service to the city. Welcome aboard: Congratulations to newly elected Councilmember Adam Scepaniak. Adam will join the dais this month and begin his service to the city. Adam will also serve as the liaison to the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. After digging out from the mid-December snowstorm, we have been graced with another one. A reminder to stay vig- ilant when traveling in such weather. We are no stranger to winter storms in Minnesota, which can bring anything from blizzards and snow squalls to freezing rain, sleet and major ice storms. When snow and ice coats trees, it can be one of mother nature’s most beautiful sights—until the branches get weighed down and break. Or worse, a tree falls. With so much snow in these past two months, I ask you to please help our fire department in keeping the city fire hydrants accessible this winter. Remove any snow and ice from the hydrant; clear a wide enough perimeter to walk around; and clear a path from the hydrant to the street The St. Joseph Recreation Department has many activi- ties planned over the winter months and they are featured in this newsletter and on the city website. As always, I am available at your request. Please reach out. Mayor Rick Schultz 320-260-0393 rschultz@cityofstjoseph.com 2023 Budget The City Council adopted the 2023 levy, budget, capital spending plans and fee schedule in December. The imple- mentation went into effect January 1, 2023, and property tax statements will be mailed by Stearns County in March. The 2023 budget and levy assume continued levels of ser- vice. The City of St. Joseph’s 2023 budget includes the fol- lowing enhancements: • Staffing Additions: full-time police officer and plan- ning intern • 2023 street overlay improvements and East Park phase 1 development • Community Center design and capital campaign • Other projects: Centennial Park basketball court, dog park shading, seal coating and crack filling, and clean up of downtown business site City Hall will be closed: Jan. 16th Martin Luther King Jr. Day Feb. 20th President’s Day Utility Billing Updates NEW: Recycling Schedule In an effort to improve both refuse and recycling ser- vices, residents will now share the same recycling dates starting with the January 19th recycling pick up. That means, for half of the city, the recycling day will be moving! The impacted properties have already received a notice from Republic Services. Please remember, your refuse and recycling must be out curbside by 6AM on the scheduled day of pickup. If your refuse and/or recy- cling services are ever missed on pickup day, please con- tact the city at 320.363.7201, option #1. We will work with Republic Services for a return pickup. The recy- cling calendar is available at www.cityofstjoseph.com. 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 2023 bills will not exceed those on the Nov/Dec 2022 utility bill. 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 gallons is used as the maximum for sewer use charges. If water usage is under the Nov/Dec winter average, sewer use charges will be the same as the current period water usage. Note: This does not include multi-family dwelling units. Frozen Service Line Prevention Check your water temperature. If it’s below 38°, run your water at a pencil-sized stream 24/7. This is a cheap- er alternative to having your water service thawed in the event of a frozen line. • Capital Equipment purchases: body cameras, fire gear, pumper/tanker truck, lift station generator, equipment replacements, financial software con- version The overall 2023 city tax rate decreased 1.75%. Property taxes, state aids and fees for services cover the majority of the city budget of $14.2 million. The property taxes include other jurisdictions as well including Stearns County, St. Cloud School District 742, Sauk River Wa- tershed District and Rail Authority. With all jurisdictions combined, the overall tax rate shows a decrease. When applying the tax rate to the estimated 17% market value increase, residents may see an increase in 2023 property taxes. Additional budget detail can be found on the city’s website under the Finance Department. 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. Adopt a Fire Hydrant Please help keep snow away from fire hydrants. Snow piles or shoveled close to hydrants restricts operation during a fire emergency. Clearing a 3- foot circle around the hydrant will provide easier access for our Fire Department in the case of an emergency. Park & Recreation Events Snowshoeing Club: 10AM, Jan. 14th, Klinefelter Park. All levels are welcome. Club will meet every Saturday through February. Check the city website for each week’s location. The events are free. Join us for some outdoor fun! Estate Planning: 6PM-7PM, Feb. 1st, St. Joseph Gov’t Center. An informational workshop provided by Catholic United Financial. Cookies & water will be provided. Sign up at https://www.cityofstjoseph.com/FormCenter/ Epayment-Forms-4/Cookies-and-Cocoa-Estate-Planning- Worksh-55 Dodgeball: 6:30-7:30PM, Feb. 2,9,16,23, Kennedy Com- munity School. Kids in grades 5-8 are invited for some dodgeball fun. Sign up at https://isd742.ce.eleyo.com/ course/5359/winter-2023/dodgeball-for-youth-at-kennedy- grades-5-8. $20/person Bingo: 6PM, Feb. 15, 22; Mar. 1. St. Joseph Gov’t. Cen- ter. Free bingo games. Play 10 games for chances to win prizes/candy bars. Come join the fun and bring a friend! Open Gym/Pickleball at Kennedy Community School: Sundays, 11AM-2PM; Tuesdays, 6-8PM; $2/person Senior Walking Pass: Seniors have the opportunity to use the walking path at Haehn Campus Center, 30138 College Ave. from Nov. 1st—March 31st. Cost is $55 and those interested can sign up at the Haehn Campus Center. Hours of use are: M-F 6:30AM-11PM; Sat-Sun 8AM-10PM. 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. SNOWFEST 2023, Jan 28-29 Join members of the St. Joseph Park Board and Recreation Department for some winter family fun! Saturday, January 28th, 11AM—6PM, Event includes: • 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: Ring toss at Ju- piter Moon, Jenga at The Middy, Guess Who at the La Playette, Yard Pong at Sal’s Bar. A punch card can be purchased at each of the locations. Sunday, January 29th, 1PM-4PM, • Dog training demo, rescue dogs, silent run dog sled rides $20, Wag on Wheels Mobile • Located in the open field east of the St. Joseph Gov’t Center Medallion Hunt Beginning January 23rd, clues will be published daily at 10:00 AM on the City website and Facebook page. Contact the Rec. Dept. with any questions (320) 557-8140. ConnectAbility of MN has received a generous grant from United Way of Cen- tral MN and are able to provide transportation in Sherburne, Benton, Stearns, and Wright Counties for the purpose of: food sourcing, job seeking, mental health support, and medical appoint- ments. This is a limited funding program and will be ad- ministered monthly on a first come/first served basis. The application is available at https:// connectabilitymn.org/referral-form-transportation- Facility Reservations Reservations are now being accepted for the St. Joseph Fire Hall and various park shelters. The non-refundable rental fee is $200.00 and each reservation requires a $200.00 damage deposit. Contact City Hall at (320) 363- 7201. Fare For All is a pop-up gro- cery store that sells packs of fresh produce and frozen meat at up to 40% off of retail pricing. Events are held once a month at Resurrection Lutheran Church from 3:30-5:30 PM. 2023 dates are: Feb 6, Mar 6, Apr 10, May 8, Jun 5, Jul 10, Aug 7, Sept 11, Oct 16, Nov 6, Dec 4. More in- formation can be found at https:// www.thefoodgroupmn.org/groceries/fare-for-all/.