Ramsey Resident - 2003 - January/February

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ZOOS GENERAL FUND BUDGET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Newsletter is responsible for the production of the City newsletter. General Government Budget: 2002 Budgeted Expenditures $1,801,841 2003 Budgeted Expenditures $1,937,935 Budgeted Positions 18.85 FTE's Monthly Net Cost For Average Home $8.50 Public Safety Public Safety consists of the following functions: Police Protection, 1 Fire Protection, Building Inspection, Civil Defense, Traffic Engineering, Animal Control and DARE. Descriptions of the major functions follow: Police Protection is responsible for traffic and neighborhood patrol, incident investigation and crime prevention. The Police Department has seventeen full -time officers, a Community Service Officer, Crime Prevention Specialist and three administrative staff. Fire Protection consists of a paid -on call Fire Department. This department is responsible for public safety services in the area of fire suppression, protection and emergency responses. The position of Fire Chief has a portion of his time allocated to the direction of Public Works. Building Inspection is responsible for the administration of the State Building Code regulating construction, and the use or occupancy, ofpublic and private buildings and structures. Civil Defense is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the civil defense sirens. Traffic Engineering is responsible for the design, operation, and maintenance of safe traffic control measures. Community Orienting Policing is responsible for administering crime prevention control measures. Public Safety Budget: 2002 Budgeted Expenditures $3,162,263 2003 Budgeted Expenditures $2,964,790 Budgeted Positions 32.20 FTE's Monthly Net Cost For Average Home $13.00 Public Works Public Works consists of the following functions: Engineering, Street Maintenance, and Snow and Ice Removal. Descriptions of each function are as follows: Engineering is responsible for the construction administration ofpublic improvement projects, private improvement projects and site developments in accordance with City standards and good engineering practices. The department is also responsible for the special assessment of public improvement projects. Continued on Page 6 In three words I can surn up everything I've learned about life. ILLEGaL ALCOHOL SALES TO MINORS 5 CITY FEES Please remember that there are administrative fees that the City charges to cover costs of review, inspection, and enforcement. Many of the fees are related to construction activities, the sale of intoxicating beverages, business licenses, zoning applications, facility use and burning permits. Other administrative fees that the City charges include dog licenses, mailed agendas, City maps, notary services and photocopies of City documents. Please call City Hall at (763) 427 -1410 if you have any questions. The Ramsey Police Department received a mini -grant from Minnesota Join Together to expand our alcohol compliance check program. The funds were used to conduct three rounds of compliance checks on all licensed businesses in the city. We currently have a 14% failure rate. We are happy to report that the following businesses have PASSED all alcohol compliance checks in the last 12 months. They are: Bill's Superette, Diamonds, Judy's Liquor, McDuff's, Amoco, Rum River Wine & Spirits, Spectators, Vintage Wine & Spirits and Wiser Choice Liquor. The following changes are being recommended in our city ordinance (1) mandatory compliance checks; (2) increased license fees to fund mandatory compliance checks; and (3) progressive fines for first, second and subsequent violations. In addition to the proposed ordinance changes, our goal is to offer education information to licensed retailers about current alcohol laws, City ordinances and the police departments alcohol compliance check program. Questions regarding the grant or alcohol compliance information can be directed to Chandra Kreyer, Crime Prevention Specialist at the Ramsey Police Department at 763.433.9881. REMINDER The City charges .30¢ per page for copies to cover adm'nistration co ts. It goes on. - Robert Frost