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<br />CITIZEN'S COLUMN
<br />
<br />Spring not only brings out the Robin and
<br />the Crocus and the freshening rainfalls, but
<br />also the dogs. The animal population allowed
<br />to run at large is growing and for many it
<br />causes a problem - not only on garbage day,
<br />but in yards and when many of our residents
<br />are out exercising and playing. As a point of
<br />information - the 1982 Police Report for our
<br />City lists 35 animal bites reported and a
<br />total of 235 dog and other animal calls. In
<br />the first two months of this year there have
<br />been 21 dogs boarded for a total of 70 days
<br />at a cost of $5.00 a day, ($350.00 cost to our
<br />citizens). Of these 7 were reclaimed, 8
<br />destroyed and 5 were sold. The City contracts
<br />with MAPSI (Municipal and Private Services,
<br />Inc.) located in Minneapolis at a monthly fee
<br />of $50.00. With the answered calls, the board-
<br />ing, destroying and patroling of Ramsey, it
<br />has cost the City for 2 months: $1,023.00.
<br />It continues to be a growing concern that
<br />should involve all of us.
<br />The ordinances on our books spell out
<br />certain specifics:
<br />110.032 - It is unlawful to allow dogs or cats
<br />to run at large.
<br />110.033 - A license is required for animals
<br />over 5 months of age. The license can be pur-
<br />chased any time at City Hall - males and
<br />spayed females: $3.00, and unspayed females:
<br />$5.00.
<br />110.034 - Upon payment for a license the owner
<br />will receive a tag - the animal should wear it
<br />on a collar constantly. A duplicate license
<br />can be purchased for $1.00 with proof of
<br />current year license. Tags aren't transfer-
<br />able from one animal to another.
<br />110.312 - A Rabies/Distemper vaccination is
<br />required every 2 years. A certificate must be
<br />kept for verification if needed. If an animal
<br />hasn't been vaccinated and has bitten a person
<br />wNere the skin has been broken or the service
<br />of a doctor is required, the animal shall be
<br />confined for 10 days, at the expense of the
<br />owner. The owner may elect to confine the
<br />animal at a veternarian hospital in Anoka
<br />County or show proof of vaccination and con-
<br />fine the animal to the owner's property for
<br />10 days.
<br />The City will again have a clinic in May
<br />for the purpose of doing a service to your
<br />dog/cat, yourselves and the rest of the
<br />Community. Take advantage of it, leash your
<br />pets when they are out walking with you
<br />or when confined to the yard, and keep them
<br />healthy.
<br />
<br />How important is your house number? Maybe
<br />you don't give much thought to this but if you
<br />needed the service of the 911 number you would
<br />be at an advantage if your mailbox displayed
<br />your house number on both sides, as well as
<br />displaying it on your house. Doing this could
<br />buy additional fire insurance. The City uses
<br />house numbers when building inspections need
<br />to be made and particularily when notifying
<br />any property owner within 350' of a project
<br />that would affect them thropgh assessment or
<br />a change in the ordinances. Your right to
<br />speak out at public hearings is necessary in
<br />the decision-making process. If you're not
<br />sure the City has your address, give them a
<br />call - 427-1410 - better to be informed so
<br />you can speak out than to be overlooked at a
<br />time when your input is important.
<br />During the past winter it was brought to the
<br />City's attention the problem of Right of Way
<br />obstructions. There was some destruction
<br />made by snow plows because of the placing of
<br />structures, plantings, fencing in the close
<br />proximity to the road. It is the City's
<br />policy to inform the residents of the requir~d
<br />setback - 33' from the center of the road.
<br />The responsibility for repair is with the
<br />property owner. Keeping this in mind could
<br />help to keep costs of replacement and repair
<br />down as well as allowing the full width to be
<br />accessible for utilities and the street dept..
<br />Spring is clean up time usually because the
<br />leaving of Winter and the snow often times
<br />brings to our attention the need to pick up,
<br />clean up, sweep out and throw out. Ramsey
<br />residents for $1.00 can get a dumping permit.
<br />If you are interested in recycling and do not
<br />have information available, learning about
<br />recycling can be done by attending a Community
<br />School class on April 27 at Ramsey School, at
<br />no charge. This is a good opportunity to begin
<br />getting involved in helping to abate the need
<br />for land used for garbage. If you are already
<br />recycling your glass, paper, and aluminum you
<br />are doing a real service to helping clean up
<br />our environment. Recycling is one way we can
<br />be involved individually as families, but
<br />at the same time if many families recycle we
<br />will be doing a service to our community, our
<br />environment, and will be setting the process
<br />in motion for a better future for our children.
<br />If there is a contribution you would like to
<br />make to this column, please feel free to con-
<br />tact me at 421-8987 or write 15011 Juniper
<br />Ridge Drive. Your name is not necessary.
<br />
<br />-Jean Schlueter
<br />
<br />LEGISLA liVE UPDA IE: Ernie Larsen
<br />
<br />Many constituents have contacted me about the
<br />increasing cost of heating their homes with
<br />natural gas, so we are looking into causes of
<br />those increases and trying to determine if we
<br />can take care of at least part of the problem
<br />through legislation.
<br />As a beginning step, the House Regulated
<br />Industries committee passed a resolution to
<br />request the President and Congress to freeze
<br />natural gas price increases.
<br />Current high prices in a time of surplus
<br />gas supplies and the President's conti~uing
<br />interest in deregulation figured in the deci-
<br />sion to urge Congress to act quickly to enact
<br />a price freeze.
<br />A typical retail price for natural gas in
<br />the Twin Cities and most of the state in Dec.
<br />1980 was $3.50 per 1000 cubic feet. By Dec.
<br />1982, that price had soared to $5.54.
<br />In the northwestern and west central parts
<br />of Minnesota -- served exclusively by Cana-
<br />dian gas -- the price went up from $5.00 per
<br />1000 cubic feet in December 1980 to $7.00
<br />last December. Canadian gas prices are tied
<br />to the price of oil, so they are higher than
<br />domestic gas prices.
<br />Low and middle income homeowners are most
<br />severely affected by these increases, of
<br />course. Slightly over 85% of the homes in
<br />
<br />Minn. are valued at $80,000 or less. 73% are
<br />valued between $25,000 and $80,000. Many
<br />counties have only three of four percent of
<br />homes in the over $80,000 range.
<br />The Energy and Economics subcommittee called
<br />on industry spokesmen to review recent history
<br />of natural gas regulation and deregulation
<br />and efforts to keep prices reasonable.
<br />Negotiations with Canadian gas producers
<br />have achieved lower prices, they said, and
<br />"take or pay" or deficiency payment contracts
<br />are being worked on in a further effort to
<br />stabilize prices.
<br />The federal Natural Gas Policy Act decontrol-
<br />led many categories of gas in November 1978
<br />and caused, spokesmen said, both the positive
<br />effect of eliminating shortages -- because of
<br />conservation efforts -- and the negative ef-
<br />fect of higher prices.
<br />We still have a lot of studying to do to
<br />find out if there is anything the legislature
<br />can accomplish to help homeowners keep warm in
<br />the winter without spending too much of their
<br />income on heat.
<br />If you have any comments on this issue or
<br />any other matters before the House, feel free
<br />to contact me at Room 350, State Office Bldg.,
<br />St. Paul, Minn. 55155, 295-2209.
<br />
<br />-Ernie Larsen
<br />
<br />OUR
<br />CONGRATULATIONS
<br />
<br />Debra Jean White, daughter of Mr. & Mrs.
<br />Daryl White, 7005 155th Ave N.W. graduated
<br />winter quarter from the Universit1 of Minn.
<br />School of Nursing. Debra will begin work
<br />April 4th in Neuro-Surgery at the University
<br />Hospital.
<br />
<br />Polish
<br />Hop Polka
<br />
<br />Anyone for learning the Polish Hop Polka? It
<br />is as good or better exercise, and alot more
<br />fun than doing' just' aerobic dancing.
<br />Class is forming soon. Call Carol at
<br />427-3129
<br />
<br />-Carol Knoke
<br />
<br />1f/~at U 4
<br />PUBLIC HEARING?
<br />
<br />Public Hearings are held by the City for
<br />various reasons. Sometimes it's because your
<br />neighbor would like to build a shed larger
<br />than allowed by City ordinance, or sometimes
<br />it's regarding an entirely new development
<br />being planned, or it's because a commission
<br />has spent months working on a comprehensive
<br />plan which will affect everyone living in
<br />Ramsey and now they are ready to present it to
<br />the Public. These are just a few examples of
<br />why a hearing is called. In the case of your
<br />neighbors shed request, he pays for the hear-
<br />ing. In the case of your comprehensive plan -
<br />you pay (through taxes) for the hearing. That
<br />is why it is so frustrating when no one shows
<br />up and later we hear residents say "That's
<br />the first I heard about this" or "When did
<br />they do that?"
<br />The City is required to notify certain land
<br />owners by letter and through a legal notice
<br />printed in the Anoka County Union. However,
<br />due to various reasons, you could still be
<br />affected, but not .eet the criteria for re-
<br />ceiving notification by letter. In the ca~e
<br />of Comprehensive plans the hearing dates were
<br />published in the paper: only 25t per week for
<br />the Union is a small investment to insure you
<br />know what's happening in Ramsey.
<br />Not all notices are crystal clear. Some con-
<br />tain a legal description (S.W. t of N.E. t of
<br />a line 500 feet etc.) instead of an address.
<br />If you aren't sure what's going on after read-
<br />ing the notice, call City Hall. Remember,
<br />you pay their salary, they work for you.
<br />Hearings are for both infromation and the
<br />residents protection. This is the time your
<br />opinions, feelings: for or against any item
<br />is most effective.
<br />
<br />-Kathy Schneider
<br />
<br />AR PLACE
<br />
<br />Plan now to attend a two - day business
<br />seminar at Anoka-Ramsey Community College
<br />during April or May.
<br />The offerings are:
<br />Quality Circles, April 15 & 23
<br />Effective selling skills, April 19 & 25.
<br />Word Processing Concepts, April 21 & 28
<br />Time Management, May 3 & 10
<br />Leadership and Assertiveness for Women,
<br />May 3 & 10
<br />The seminars are held on the Coon Rapids
<br />Campus each day fr~m 8:30 am to 5 pm., and
<br />the cost of each seminar is $53.
<br />For registration information, call
<br />427-2500, ex. 139
<br />
<br />-Sandi Hitch
<br />
<br />The Ramsey Resident is published by the City
<br />of Ramsey, Sue VanWagner; Editor, Tom Gamec;
<br />Advertising Director, Karen Weiss; Spurts Edi-
<br />tor, Princess Printing; Printer.
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