Quarterly Newsletter

From Your Mayor
City Hall winter welcome

Happy New Year from Your New Mayor~

Changes on the City Council and challenges for the community command our attention as the New Year commences. The gavel was passed for the mayor position, and the voters elected a newcomer to the Council. A resulting vacancy on the five-member body will be filled by appointment early in the year after the new Council establishes a process of interviews.

Major infrastructure projects over the past eighteen months have reduced balances in City reserve funds by approximately $1.2 million. New energy-efficient LED streetlights were installed on Shoreline Blvd., another sewer lift station was constructed in a continuing program of upgrades, and a drainage project in central Spring Park that will remove substantial phosphorous loading into Lake Minnetonka will be completed in the spring. Read more

Presently, the forces of nature will dominate our attention (and expenses) as snowfall frequencies and amounts affect street safety and access, and ultimately determine the spring melt conditions for run-off and lake level impacts. We all hope for a moderate seasonal experience, as the daylight hours get longer once again.

Best Wishes for your New Year.

Your Mayor ~

Bruce Williamson

From the City Desk

Hats Off to Our Election Judges

A special thanks to our top notch Election Judges: Connie Anderson, Beth Aschinger, Wendy Berg, Shirley Bren, Sharon Corl, Barb Ericson, Jackie Fleming, Susan Hartley, Lisa Larson, Dan Larson, Carl Rosen, Marilyn Ronnkvist, Val Sandler, Donna Thayer, Joanna Widmer, our extraordinary Head Judge, Sandy Hoogenakker, and co-election administrator Sharon Farniok. Election judges attend required training in order to make the election process run smoothly.

Spring Park City Council Accepting Applications for Vacancy

The City of Spring Park is accepting applications for an upcoming vacancy on the City Council. Interested applicants should submit a completed application to City Administrator Dan Tolsma by 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 16. The term is for approximately two years and will expire on December 31, 2016. Please call City Administrator Dan Tolsma at (952) 471-9051 with questions.

Read more

HOME Program Helps Struggling Seniors Remain in Their Own Homes

Family and friends can purchase low-cost light housekeeping and handyman packages through HOME SHOP, an extension of the Household & Outside Maintenance for Elderly (HOME) Program. The services help struggling and low-income people age 60 and older remain in their own homes, and provide a respite for caregivers who grow exhausted from providing constant care for an older adult.
For more information on the HOME (Household & Outside Maintenance for Elderly) program call 952-746-4046 or visit
www.seniorcommunity.org/programs/h-o-m-e/

From the Police Department

From Hennepin County Sheriff~ Richard W. Stanek

On December 16, 2014, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office transitioned their 911 dispatch services from their former facility in Golden Valley to their new facility in Plymouth, MN. The 911-ECF is one of the largest consolidated dispatch centers in the upper Midwest handling approximately 600,000 telephone calls annually in 37 communities. The facility benefits emergency communication s throughout Minnesota due to shared technologies. Hennepin County Dispatch has created a PUBLIC, non-emergency telephone number: 952-258-5321. However, if residents are confused as to what phone number to call, they may call 9-1-1 even for non-emergency purposes.

From the Utility Department

Snow Plowing~
Local Ordinances

Minnesota state law and many local ordinances prohibit the plowing, blowing, shoveling or placing of snow from sidewalks, driveways and parking lots onto public roadways. This includes ditches, roadsides and boulevards. Violations are misdemeanors and liability can extend to both the property owner and the person or company who placed the snow improperly.

When a snowplow comes along after driveways are cleared, place as much snow as possible from the end of the driveway downstream in the direction of traffic and clear an area upstream from the driveway to create an open "pocket." Read more

From the Fire Department

Safety Corner~Fire Safety

According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2011 the fire departments in the United States responded to 370,000 home fires that caused 13,910 civilian injuries and $6.9 billion in damage. Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. By following a few safety tips you can prevent fires in the home.

* Be alert! If you are sleepy, don't use the stove or oven.

* Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

* Are your outlets overloaded by too many cooking appliances?

* Don't let kids use kitchen appliances by themselves and supervise any art or science projects that involve electrical devices.

* Keep all matches and lighters out of reach of children. Store them up high, preferably in a locked cabinet.

Carbon Monoxide Safety Information~

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the "Invisible Killer" because it's a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the Unites States die every year from accidental non-fire-related CO poisoning associated with consumer products, including generators. Other products include faulty, improperly used or incorrectly vented fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces.

Know the symptoms of CO poisoning

Because CO is odorless, colorless, and otherwise undetectable to the human senses, people may not know that they are being exposed. The initial symptoms of low to moderate CO poisoning are similar to the flu (but without the fever).

Reminders~

New Resident Email Notification Sign-up

The City of Spring Park has a process to deliver email notices to residents. Please go to our website at www.ci.spring-park.mn.us and on the lower center of the home screen click on the green box titled "Sign up for our eNewsletter & eNotice List." Once the form is completed, you will receive an email to confirm that you signed up to receive City email. Pursuant to State law, the City may not share email addresses with other parties.

Mound Fire Department

2415 Wilshire Blvd

Mound, MN 55364-1001

Phone: (952) 472-3555

Orono PD:

2730 Kelley Parkway

Orono, MN 55356

Phone: (952)249-2700 Main

(952)258-5321 (Non emergency)

911 - Emergency

City of Spring Park, Minnesota
4349 Warren Ave
Spring Park, MN 55384

www.ci.spring-park.mn.us

Winter 2015

In This Issue

From Your Mayor

From the City Desk

From the Police Department

From the Utility Department

From the Fire Department

Reminders

Mark Your Calendar

Mark Your Calendar

Council Meetings:

7:30 p.m. Jan 5 & 20 (Tues); Feb 2 & 17 (Tues); Mar 2 & 16

Planning Commission:

7 p.m. Jan 14; Feb 11; Mar 11

Work Sessions:

7 p.m. Jan 26; Feb 23; Mar 23

No Sort Recycling:

Fridays: Jan 3 (Sat), 16 & 30; Feb 13 & 27; Mar 13 & 27

First Day of Spring:

Mar 20

Office Closed:

Jan 1, 19; Feb 16

Quick Links

Community Links
Recycling
Permits & Applications
City Codes & Ordinances
More News

City Officials & Staff

COUNCIL
Mayor: Bruce Williamson
Council Members:
Shirley Bren
Gary Hughes
Pam Horton
(Vacancy)

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
Chair: Jeff Hoffman

Pete Kaczanowski

Michael Mason

Sarah Struck

Gavin Tempero

Administrator: Dan Tolsma
City Clerk: Wendy Lewin
Utility Superintendent:
DJ Goman
Office Assistant/Utility Clerk: Sharon Farniok

About Us

Post Office
City Parks
City Facts
City Water
Contact Us

Spring Park City Hall
4349 Warren Ave
Spring Park, MN 55384
Phone: (952) 471-9051
Fax: (952) 471-9160

E-mail:

cityofspringpark@ci.spring-park.mn.us

Office Hours thru May 22: M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

www.ci.spring-park.mn.us