Ramsey Resident - 1983 - February

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OPEN LETTER To Open Letter Column: I would like to say that I was very impres- sed with the first issue of "Ramsey Resident" and feel your Open Letter Column a perfect chance to bring up a problem that is facing our good city--RATS!! With all the people switching to wood as an alternate heat source for their homes, they also have large wood piles in their yards. I have no complaint with this, but perhaps the City should consider passing an ordinance like the city of St. Paul did. With all the wood piles comes the perfect place for rats to breed. They then wander th- rough our neighborhoods and make new resi- dences under shed, compost piles and junk piles. I also saw an old farm this last sum- mer that had to be burnt to the ground be- cause it was infested with rats. This past fall one of my neighbors went to clean up his compost pile and found a mot- her rat and !Q babies. I myself have had rat poison hidden under Qur shed and solar heater and have killed at least eight rats over the last three years. My dog got one more this fall. St. Paul says anyone with a wood pile has to have it 6" off the ground. It's very easy to build a rack 6" off the ground to store the wood and we could cut down on our rat population immensely. Why not put this before the council and try to get something done before one of our children get bit bv one of these critters!! Thank You, Linda Schiferli PARK AND RECREA liON The Ramsey Park & Recreation Commission serves in an advisory role to the City Coun- cil. The Commission consists of seven mem- bers appointed by Council Resolution for a four year term. Regular meetings are held the third Thursday of every month with spe- cial meetings held as necesary. The Commis- sion assists the Council with park system planning and development, review of park dedication proposals from developers and coordination with the Community School sy- stem and other agencies. As of July 1980, the City consists of 930 acres of recreational lands of which 18 acres are state owned, 430 county owned and 171 privately owned(the Viking Council Boy Scout Camp). The City owns 264 acres of park land, the remaining 47 acres is recreational land near the Ramsey Elemen- tary School. Ramsey has recently added park lands in the southeastern corner of the city along the Rum River and is working with Federal Cartridge Corporation on a major parcel in the Nort~ Central part of the community. The Park and Recreation Commission is placing emphasis on development of active rather than passive parks. Organized sports facilities are a major need in Ramsey as many of our teams rely on facilities in Anoka. .-John Lichtner February 22nd Agenda The following items were placed on the agenda prior to February 5, 1983 , any further addi- tions are not included in this announcement. PUBLIC HEARINGS Public hearing on Street Improvement MSAS 161~ Ave. between CSAH #5 and Jasper Street. Public hearing on Street Improvement MSA 155th Avenue between the line of Ramsey Blvd. and Variolite Street Public hearing on Street Improvement of Vario- lite Street between the line of 155th and 161st Avenue. COUNCIL OLD BUSINESS Conditional Use Permit for Group W Cable TV; Request for Variance from the Sub. Division Code request for, Case of Mr. Phelps Adoption of Proposed Utility, Street and Drainage Assessment Ordinance Receiving of Petetion from Property Owners for Sanitary Sewer, Water and Drainage. COUNCIL NEW BUSINESS Use of Ramsey Municipal Center by Lions Club for car wash project, request for. Street Improvement Projects 83-1 and 83-2 Ordering Improvement Preparation Plans and Specifications. Wetland in Anoka County CITIZEN'S COLUMN Allow .e to digress fro. local govern.ent . for the next 2 months to inform you about the Metropolitan Council. Questions have been asked in regards to it's make-up, function, and involvement in local govern.nets. Perhaps the inror.ation here will help answer your question(s). The Metropolitan Council was created by the Legislature in 1967 out of sheer necessity- local governments were unable to cope with problems born of rapid growth and urban sprawl. It's stated purpose is to coordinate planning and development for the seven-county area: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington. In 1974 reorganization took place, resulting in clarification of the Council's role as generalist planner and de- fined the roles of boards and commissions. The Legislature gives the Council strong and di- rect influence over the regional operating commissions but gives less direct and more incentive-based influence over local govern- ments and the private sector. The Council membership is appointed by the Governor as is its Chair-Mr. Gerald Isaacs. There are 16 members appointed from the 7 county area. The entire policy-making struc- ture includes 5 commissions, several commit- tees and a number of advisory boards. Their memberships are council appointed as well as some chairs appointed by the Governor. Com- mittees and boards are used to aid the Council in reaching it's decisions. Each commission prepares 5-year development plans consistent with the Council's policy plans. The Council has prepared over the years a compilation of policy statements, goals, standards, programs and maps describing guides for an orderly and economic development public and private, of the metropolitan area. The Council responsibilities are divided into two categories: Physical Development and Human Resources. The Development Guide and Framework which is the backbone of the policy-making structure has been strongly reinforced with passage of the Metropolitan Land Planning Act in 1976 and the Agricultural Preservation Act of 1980. The former act requires local governments to prepare and carry out compre- hensive plans consistent with the Council's aetropolitan systeas plans for parks, severs, transportation, and airports. Jhe latter act is designed to protect prime agricultural lands from unplanned urbanization. The fun- damental pre.ise or the above .entioned Fra.e- work is that full use of existing facilities should take place before rwrtner ou~aro ez- pansion of the urban area occurs. What follows is a su..ary of the co..issions as they pertain to the physical develop.ent responsibilities or the Council. The sewage proble. was one of the pri.e reasons for establishing the Council in the first place. In 1969 the Metropolitan Sewer Act provided the first coordination of sewage treatment on a regional basis. The MWCC (Met- ropolitan Waste Control Commission) is a nine member commission with a tenth member serving as Chair. They prepare a 5-year development program and a capital budget which are re- veiwed by the Council. The Council prepares policy plans defining sewer service needs, wastewater treatment facilities to be deve- loped by MWCC and general timing, location, cost and priorities of those facilities. The Metro wastewater treatment system consists of 14 plants. Also a number of municipally owned plants. In 1969 the Solid Waste Disposal Act's aim was to control the disposal of solid wastes and prevent the pollution of water, land and air. In 1970 the Council adopted its first so- lid waste management plan which required each county to prepare its own plan for phasing out open dumps and replacing with sanitary landfills. Plans were to include site inspec- tion and pollution monitoring and required Council review and approval. In 1976 the Waste Management Act changed the emphasis from landfills to the conservation of materials and recovery of resources. The 1980 Waste Management Act is a response to what the Legislature recognized as the need for an orderly landfill siting process, assis- tance to local communities, planning for the management and control of waste, and help in regulating the disposal of hazardous waste. In 1967 the Legislature created the MTC (Metropolitan Transit Commission) for the pur- pose of reversing the decline of public trans- portation in the Twin Cities area. The MTC has the power to plan, acquire, improve, regu- late and operate transit syste.s within the region. it is an 8 .e.ber co..issio". i~s thair is a;~:inted by the ;:~er~:~. T~t! ;-f- pare a 5 year d~.fl~;.!~~ :~~;r&. I~~ .,~ undertake only the capital i.prove.ent pro- jects contained in the Council-approved development program and annual capital budget. The HTe goes directly to the legislature for its state appropriatio~s. The Ce~r:il is ~~s- ponsible for pre;arati~n 0: the re9ie~'s annual Transportation 1.proveaent ?lae. It re- views plans and capital budgets, plans for controlled access highways, expenditures of Federal Aid Urban Funds and city and county co.prehensive plans. In 1943 MAC (Metropolitan Airports Commis- sion) was established. It is an 8 member com- .ission appointed by the Governor as is its Chair. The co..ission also has the 2 Mayors rro. Mpls./St. Paul as .e.bers. Since 1974 it has been required that the development of the Metropolitan airports syste. be consistent with the ~velopment Guide including all i.- provements of existing airports and acquisi- tion or construction of new ones. Any MAC pro- ject costing more than $2 million must be submitted to the Council for review. MAC is not required to prepare development programs or annual capital budgets for Council review. The, system inculudes 6 airports owned and oper- ated by MAC, the So. St. Paul Municipal Airport 5 privately owned and a seaplane base. In 1974 the Parks and Open Space Commission was established. It is an 8 member commission appointed by the Council with an at-large Chair appointed by the Council. Its primary assignment is to advise the Council on matters pertaining to the Regional Recreational Open Space System Policy Plan. Council would be re- sponsible for overall system planning of re- goinal ~arks and obtaining the capital funds to acquire land. The Legislature created the Metropolitan Sports Commission in 1977 to decide whether and when to build a new major league sports stadium. The 7 member commission is appointed by the City of Mpls., it's Chair is appointed by the Governor. The annual operating budget must be submitted to the Council for approval. Next month-County and City involvement with the Council. If you have an inquiry please feel free to call 421-8987, or write: 15011 Juniper Ridge Drive. -Jean Schlueter , t page 3