4.14. SR 08-18-1997City of
MEMORANDUM
Item# 6.16.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor & City Council
Pat Klaers, City Administer
August 18, 1997
Park Bond Referendum Update
On July 28, 1997, the Elk River City Council approved a motion which
authorized the holding of a special referendum election on a $2 million
outdoor park and recreation issue. On August 4, 1997, the City Council met
with staff and representatives of the Park and Recreation Commission to
further review the individual components of the bond referendum. An open
meeting with citizens interested in the bond referendum was held on August
5 by the Park and Recreation Commission Bond Referendum Committee. A
second follow up meeting of this committee and interested citizens was held
on Thursday, August 14, 1997. Bill Morris and one of his assistants from
Decision Resources, Inc., was in attendance at the August 14 meeting to help
the committee develop an overall strategy for promoting the referendum.
Park and Recreation Commission has requested Commissioner John Kuester
to take the lead for the Bond Referendum Committee. John will be in
attendance at this City Council meeting to give the Council and the public an
update on how the committee's efforts are progressing. The informational
flyer regarding the September 23, 1997, park and recreation bond
referendum that will be inserted in the August utility bills will either be
attached to this memo or handed out at the Council meeting.
There will be a number of city expenses for the referendum which are
recommended to come out of the City Council Contingency Fund. These
expenses include the wages for the election judges, public information ads
about the referendum which would be published in the Star News, the
informational flyer that will be inserted into the August utility bills,
appropriate signage at parks that would be impacted by the referendum, and
other miscellaneous election expenses. The referendum was not envisioned
when the 1997 recreation budget was approved and, accordingly, the most
appropriate source of funding for the election expenses is the City Council
Contingency Fund.
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 ° TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEPTEMBER 23 PARKS AND
RECREATION BOND REFERENDUM
THE ISSUE: Citizens living within the boundaries of Elk River will have the opportunity on
September 23, 1997 to vote on the following question: "Shall the City of Elk River,
Minnesota, be authorized to issue its general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed
$2,000,000 to defray the expense of the acquisition, construction, equipping and betterment
of public park and recreational facilities for the City?"
Vote at your regular polling place. For questions on where you vote, please call 441-7420
BACKGROUND: The City currently has more than 700 acres of parkland concentrated in 23
different sites. In the past the Park and Recreation Commission has worked primarily to acquire
new sites. According to a survey commissioned last spring by the City Council, residents feel that
the time has come to develop and improve existing parks.
The survey results indicated the need for permanent restrooms and shelters, neighborhood parks
and equipment(swingsets, hard surfaced courts and playground equipment) and additions to the
city's biking and hiking trails. There was significant support for adding park land and for
improving existing playing fields. Respondents to the survey were willing to support a modest
increase(under 30 dollars) in their property taxes.
COST TO CITY PROPERTY OWNERS: The average home in Elk River has a market value
of $105,000. A citizen with a home with this value will pay $29 per year for 20 years. A
commercial property owner will pay the same rate. Other sample increases include:
Market Value Dollars of Tax Increase Market Value Dollars of Tax Increase
$50,000 $14 $200,000 $57
$75,000 $21 $400,000 $113
$125,000 $35 $600,000 $170
$150,000 $42 $1,000,000 $283
THE REFERENDUM INCLUDES:
***Construction of a teen center in Lions Park, in partnership with the Elk
River Lions.
***Playground equipment installed or enhanced at 8 existing sites. In addition,
half basketball courts will be added to 5 existing sites.
***Permanent restrooms and/or shelters at 5 locations: Woodland Trails Park,
Orono Softball Complex, Orono Park, Oak Knoll Park, and the Elk River Youth
Athletic Complex.
Continued on back page
INSIDE: IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE
SEPTEMBER 23 PARKS AND RECREATION BOND
REFERENDUM
INCLUDED IN THE REFERENDUM(continued from front page):
*** Improvement of approximately 10 miles of city trails.
***Lights for 4 existing youth baseball/softball fields plus construction of two larger
youth baseball fields at the Elk River Youth Athletic Complex.
***Purchase of a new park site to serve the area east of Hwy. 169. Playground
equipment plus a half basketball court installed at this site.
***Design, engineering and construction costs for the above
FOR QUESTIONS ON THE REFERENDUM, PLEASE CALL ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING PARK AND RECREATIONAL COMMISSIONERS:
Dana Anderson(Chair) 441-3874
Dave Anderson 441-4582
Rolfe Anderson 441-6947
Lana Huberty 241-0795
John Kuester 441-4327
Kent Madsen 441-6887
Clair Olson 441-4270
Ron Westrum 441-4297
August 18, 1997
City Council Meeting
My name is PollH Robbins. I live at 12884th 187th Cir. NW.
I am here representing citizens of Elk River, who are petitioning
to have the traffic signal at HwH. 10 and Upland Ave. installed
in 1997.
We do question the fact that other traffic signals have been
initiated and installed by the city, as the city continues to
grow~ while this intersection at Hwy. 10 and Upland, in an old
established neighborhood, where accident after accident occurs,
has been overlooked.
MN Dot came in two years aqo~ according to the City Engineer,
Terry Maurer, and said we would get a traffic signal at that
intersection because of so many complaints. Were those
complaints from the citizens of Elk River and or the City
Council? The City Council stated at a meeting in 1996 that there
would be a light in place in 1997 and now we have been told that
it is in the planning for 1998. What guarantee do we have that
the installation will not be delayed again?
We are asking your assistance in requesting from MN Dot that
the time schedule for this light, that has already been approved
by the state, be moved to 1997. As of this date, I have not
received a reply from Gary Dirlam, District 3, Traffic Engineer
for the state, to a phone call and two faxed letters sent to him,
asking for information on the schedule for the signal to be
installed.
I have a petition with ~~m~ names of citizens, requesting
that action be taken on this placement of the signal at Highway
10 and Upland now.
Thank you for your attention,
Polly Robbins
12884 187th Cir. NW
Elk River, MN 55330
612 441-6172
Gary Dirlam, Traffic Engineer
District 3, MN
218 828-2660
WE NEED A TRAFFIC SIGNAL
at
Highway 10 & U_Dland Ave.
NOW !
PLEASE SIGN THE ATTACHED
PETITION FOR THAT TRAFFIC SIGNAL
· StOPlight planned at.Upland, ~10
~,~A s~oPlight' is scheduled to be' installed fiext yea]r at
~ uplanc~ Avenue and HighwaY 10 in Elk River. · ,, ~...i .:,, ~. '
.That intersection was the site of a. traffic acc~de~it lhst
';-'week that claimed the life Ofa 16-year-old-Zimmerman girl.-
;i Te~'Maurer, Elk River's city engin, eer,~--told the City
:Co~ Monday night that the plar~ h~s been to bid the'.
i'PrOJ~'~ea~.}yzlnext.year So constr~_.~:~n could, s;tm~, in
.': .In' ::a! related matter/:~ouncil '~mse~s-.~o~a: to' a~k '~h~
· ~eso~ Departme~% of Transportation (MnDOT) to look
at the"Speed limit: on .Highway .:1~0 at Upland AVenue. The
lir~, 't i~s 55 mph flhere.noW'i:. ,tt.:~('? ~:..',, .. ,, -.,'. ~
PETITION TO BE PRESENTED TO ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL
A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT HIGHWAY 10 & UPLAND AVE. NOW -
ONE ELSE DIES! NOT IN 1998 OR I~TER.
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TO INS TAJ~L
BEFORE SOME-
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PETITION TO BE PRESENTED TO ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL
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