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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.01.22In the Know in St. Joseph January 2022 Residents of St. Joseph… I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday and made the most of your time with friends and family. There is nothing more valuable than the closeness of friends, family and community. As we look back on another unique year in history, you’re probably looking forward to post-pandemic live and wish- ing to leave the past behind you. I think we are all ready for that. Putting worldly crises aside, it’s still important to re- flect on your experiences so you can analyze what’s work- ing and where you have opportunities to make adjustments or improvements. While I am not a huge fan of waiting until January 1st to make positive changes, the ending of one year and begin- ning of another offers us an opportunity to take time and consider the bigger picture of our lives. In small increments, people are investing in our city. We see the changes in downtown, new homes and activities which people and families embrace. St. Joseph is strong and poised for a better tomorrow. I want to recognize and congratulate Ray Sjogren for host- ing and ensuring Winterwalk was successful. This event created family fun activities with a wonderful holiday spirit. I also want to thank Dan Magaard, Paul Phillipp, and Dan Muyres on their service to our community. Sergeant Magaard and Fire Captains Phillipp and Muyres served many years in their respective fields. Our city is grateful to have had these gentlemen serve our community. I thank them for their service. On a more somber note, our community said goodbye to Andy Loso, also a captain on the fire department. Andy was a well known community member and participated in many city activities. I wish his family well. Mayor Rick Schultz SNOWFEST 2022 SNOWFEST is back! Join members of the St. Joseph Park Board and Recreation Department for a week of family fun! Saturday, January 29th, 11AM—2PM, Event includes: • Sledding, ice skating, smores, hot cocoa, and a bonfire at Memorial Park, 33 2nd Ave NW • Face painting and crafts on the deck next to Sisters and Co., 31 MN St W • Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Klinefelter Park, 1000 Dale St E • Food specials at Sal’s Bar • Pool & darts at The Middy from 3-5PM Medallion Hunt Beginning January 24th, clues will be published daily at 10:00 AM on the City website. Find the medallion and receive prizes from local establishments! Contact the Rec. Dept. with any questions (320) 557-8140. Spon- sored by Floral Arts, Sisters and Co., Sal’s Bar, and The Middy. Park & Recreation Events Al Newman Baseball Camp—May 14th & May 21st Schneider Field, 33 2nd Ave NW Ages 8-10 10-11:30 AM Ages 11-14 12:15-2:00 PM Cost: $40/player Take your game to the next level. Train with former MN Twins player Al Newman and other area coaches. Work on techniques in pitching, hitting, fielding and proper throwing mechanics for all positions. Register on the City website or in person at the Government Center. Registration closes May 1, 2022. Yoga Classes are at the St. Joseph Government Center. $10/ session. Bring cash or check to each session you attend. Beginner Yoga with Shirley Tues. 7-7:45 AM Intermediate Yoga with Betsy Wed. 4:30-5:15 PM Election Judges Needed! Become an election judge for the City of St. Joseph. The Primary Election is on August 9th and the General Elec- tion is November 8th. Applications are available on our website under the government tab. Park Board Vacancy Apply to the be on the St. Joseph Park Board. The Park Board meets monthly to aid in shaping parks and activi- ties for the city. Applications are available at City Hall and online. Dodgeball League Kennedy Elementary School Thursdays, Feb 3rd—Mar 3rd, 6:30-8:30 PM. Must be 18+, $10/person-$60/team. Register at https://isd742.ce.eleyo.com/course/4619/ winter-2022/dodgeball-for-adults Tails on Trails—Feb. 27th, 1-4PM, Millstream Park Dog lovers are invited to join us for this event. Take your pup for a walk on the Millstream trail while you visit with other dog owners and complete a game of “Clue”; go on a dogsled ride ($20); watch and participate in Doga (bring your yoga gear). Sergeant Hoffman with the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office will be there to share his knowledge of the K9 police dogs. Baseball/Softball Programs Interested in coaching a youth team in St. Joseph this summer? Contact Rhonda Juell at rjuell@cityofstjoseph.com. 2022 Budget The City Council adopted the 2022 levy, budget, capital spending plans and fee schedule on December 6, 2021. The implementation went into effect January 1, 2022, and property tax statements will be mailed by Stearns County in March. The overall 2022 City budget and levy in- creased 2.7%. Your property taxes include other jurisdic- tions: 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 5% market value increase, residents may see an increase or decrease in property taxes depending on their property’s market value. The chart below indicates the impact with different home values using the proposed 2022 tax statements. More budget detail can be found on the city website under the Finance Department. Note: Tax Rate is the result of dividing the amount of property tax levied, by the net tax capacity value. NTC $4,754,892 4.97% ↑ Taxable Market Value 2021 Taxable Market Value 2022 Homestead Credit Reduc- tion due to Increase in MV City Taxes 2021 City Taxes 2022 2022 Tax change with all Jurisdictions Home 1 $111,100 $114,300 ($300) $651.96 $699.74 $37.47 Home 2 $168,200 $175,900 ($700) $987.06 $1,075.39 $98.98 Home 3 $209,000 $216,500 ($400) $989.39 $1,066.16 $88.42 Utility Bill Winter Sewer Average The City of St. Joseph uses a winter averaging system to de- termine 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 up- coming year. Sewer usage charges on your 2022 bills will not be higher than those on the Nov/Dec 2021 utility bill. This effort minimizes the charges to residents in the summer months when sprinkling lawns and gardens. For new resi- dents or snow birds, the city average water usage of 13,500 gallons is used as the maximum for sewer use charges. If wa- ter 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. Round Up Program Did you know you can help develop city parks by round- ing up your city utility bill to the next whole dollar? Funds collected through the Round Up Program go di- rectly towards park development. Current funds will be used to replace playground equipment in Klinefelter Park. Contact City Hall to sign up! 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 four -foot circle around the hydrant will provide easier access for our Fire Department in the case of an emergency. Development Updates - The former Village/Fire Hall located on 1st Ave NW was sold and is now being renovated into a retail/ restaurant space. - Bad Habit Brew- ing Co. is expand- ing their current space on College Ave. - River’s Bend Plat 4 was approved and construction of a townhome development is planned to begin this year - A strategic plan was approved for the CVB (Convention and Visitor Bureau). This plan lays the foundation for marketing and promotion of the community. City Hall will be closed: Jan. 17th Martin Luther King Jr. Feb. 21st President’s Day St. Joseph Community Center Update The City of St. Joseph was notified in late 2020 that our state bonding request for funding to assist in building a community center was approved. In 2021, the City hired HMA Architects and partnered with the YMCA, to operate the future center. The City will soon begin work to fundraise additional funds in order to build a facility that meets the needs of the community; providing a cen- ter for all ages. Potential amenities identified from previ- ous community input include: gym space, gathering space, walking track and pool. Help us shape the future of the St. Joseph Community Center by attending an open house to learn more about the project and share your input. Community Center Open House Wed. Jan. 19, 2022 4:00PM—7:00 PM St. Joseph Government Center 75 Callaway St E.