Ramsey Resident - 1987 - December

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VOLUME 2, NUMBER 12 RAMSEY IDENT RE CITY NEWSLETTER ISSUES AND UPDATES Gateway North Industrial Airport: In last month's Ramsey Resident, it was reported that a petition had been filed at City Offices calling for a referendum vote on the ordinance which would establish airport safety zoning. That petition was sub- mitted to the City Council as being insufficient by City Administrator David Hartley. Five-hundred and forty- eight signatures of registered voters were required to bring the zoning ordinance to a referendum but only four-hundred and seven <?f .the signers .w.eTe registered voters. After determining that the Inltl~1 petition was insufficient, the sponsors of that peti- tion have 30 days, or until December 24, 1987, to acquire the sufficient number of signatures of registered voters. If the petition is then determined to be sufficient, the Council must establish a date for a special referen- dum election within 120 days of the filing of the final petition. At that referendum election, the public will vote on whether or not to approve the ordinance establishing airport safety zoning. Contracting-Out/Privatization: For some time, the City Council has been discuss- ing the virtues of contracting-out as a way ~f pro- viding public services. As a result of these discus- sions and exploration, several rumors have evolv- ed: we have heard that Prince would take over the public access channel on cable T.V.; that,Se~w~rld of Florida would manage our water distribution system; and that Clint Eastwood would head up a new police force with the staff from Hill Street Blues. Of course, we didn't hear those things, but that is sort of how rumors get started! In the tradition of the Ramsey Resident, here is what we know to be the facts: · City Council has aS,ked staf~ .to explor,e contracting-out as an option to providing all public services. · City Council has asked staff to draft specifications and standards which would be needed to request bids for park maintenance, water distribution system maintenance and sanitary sewer collec- tion system maintenance. · City Council has asked staff to contact the Coun- ty of Anoka and the City of Andover (Andover cur- rently contracts with Anoka County for police pro- tection services) to determine possible costs and terms for contracting with Anoka County for police protection. However, at the Council's meeting of December 8, 1987, several councilmembers asserted that they have no intention of reducing the level of police/public safety service. · The City Council has received reports from city staff describing areas where contracting-out may be an alternative. Trucks and Railroad Crossings: Last month we reported about plans of the North Fork developers to establish a private railroad cross- ing near the weigh station on U.S, Hwy. #10 for use by the trucks hauling dirt fr~m tha~ de~elopment !o the Highway #12 construction project In Hennepin County. Since that time, the arrangements have been made for the construction of that crossing and the rerouting of trucks onto U.S. Hwy. #10, avoiding the residential neighborhoods along 153rd Avenue N.W. between Armstrong Blvd. and the Northfork development. The City will continue it's efforts to establish the railroad crossing near the weigh station as a public crossing. Dates for hearings for that purpose have been postponed until sometime in mid-January, When a firm date for these hearings is established, they will be posted at City Hall and televised on the city's cable T.V. public access channel 16. Ramsey Resident Ramsey Municipal Center 15153 Nowthen Blvd. NW Ramsey, MN 55303 DECEMBER 1987 Leo LeTourneau, Jacqueline Padula, member of the Anoka County Library Board, Mayor Gary Reimann, Bob Muller, Com- missioner Natalie Haas Steffen, and Library Director Jerry Young came to the site of the new Rum River Branch Library for a lease signing ceremony. The library, located at the Rum River Plaza Shopping Center, will open around February 1, 1988. LIBRARY TO OPEN IN RAMSEY Anoka County Commissioner Natalie Haas Stef- fen and the Anoka County Library Board announce the establishment of a new branch library in the Rum River Plaza Shopping Center at 167th Avenue and Highway 47. The new library, scheduled to open about February 1, 1988, will be named the "Rum River Branch", It will provide basic library services to the City of Ramsey and Burns Township. The 2,500 square foot library will ~tart with over 20,000 books, records, magazines, Videocassettes and paperbacks for adults and children. The collec- tion will have subject materials to assist students and will have recreational reading for all ages. Daily delivery service and a direct computer link will con- nect the Rum River Branch to the other Anoka Coun- ty Libraries and tO,a colle,cti~n of more th,an 500,000 items. Other services Will Include a cOin-operated photocopier and typewriter, and weekly Pre-School Story times. The library will be open more than 40 hours per week including two evenings and each Saturday. It will be operating with a staff of one to two persons on duty. A similar facility being plann- ed for the City of Andover will also open in 1988. Anoka County Commissioner Natalie Haas Steffen, city officials and residents have en<;:ouraged ,and assisted in the planning of the new library proJect. "Public support for the establishment of a library in this area has been strong," said Library Director, Jerry F. Young, "and we are pleased to be able to expand library service in this area." The ~election of this site in the City of Ramsey was greatly Influenc- ed by the other businesses located in the immediate area including a major grocery store, bank, hardware store and other commercial activity, according to Young. , The Library Board has leased the space effective January 1, 1988. Operating expenses for the ~ro- ject are included in the 1988 County Operating Budget. Funding for equipment, furniture and a por- tion of the collection was made possible by sale of general obligation bonds sold in 1987. , This will be the ninth branch of the County Library System, which was founded in 1958. The Central Library and the library offices are located on Highway 10 in Blaine. Th~ R~m River Branc.h w.ill be similar to the smaller libraries now operating In St. Francis, Ham Lake, and at the Pioneer Village Center in Blaine.. Each library circulates between 60,000 and 110,000 items each year. During 1,9~7, the library system will circulate about, 1. 7 ~llIlon items -- nearly 10 items for each person In the library district. . Anoka County Library celebrates the Year of the Reader. POSTAL CUSTOMER SECOND PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT An environmental impact assessment study of the pro- posed airport improvements is underway, The study will assess impacts in a number of area including: Noise Wetlands Land Use Air Quality Vegetation and Wildlife Direct Social Impacts Geology and Soils Induced Socio-Economic Impacts Water Resources Historic & Archaeological Sites Flood Hazard Water & Sanitary Service Solid Waste Light Emissions Energy Over the course of this study, two public meetings and a pUblic hearing will be held. The first public informational meeting was held November 12 and focused on th~ ~cope of the environmental assessment. The second publiC mfor- mationsal meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p,m., Wednesday, January 13, 1988 at the Ramsey Municipal Center. The primary purpose of this meeting will be to review the data that has been gathered thus far. ATTENTION The City of Ramsey is currently seeking can- didates to fill two vacancies on the Airport Commis- sion. The positions require a minimum of one even- ing meeting per.month.; familiarity with R?msey ~i- ty Ordinances IS deSired, Ramsey reSidents in- terested in serving on the Commission are requested to submit a letter of application to the Ramsey Municipal Center, 15153 Nowthen Blvd. N.W., Ramsey, Minnesota 55303, no later than Janu~ry 1~, 1988. The letter should contain the applicant s name, address, telephone number, work experience, education and any experience in municipal affairs. In addition, applicants should include a statement listing their reasons for seeking appointment to the Airport Commission. The position is not salaried. MR. FINCH VISITS RAMSEY ART CLASS When Greg Scherer's fourth graders at Ramsey School went to the art room for a recent lesson on sketching portraits with art teacher Susan Mensen they found they had a special visitor to draw. Superintendent Lewis Finch, who just happene~ to be visiting Ramsey School that day, agreed to Sit as a model for the class. Andy Carda, Jessica Meech and Carrie Oslund were so pleased with their finished projects that they decided to present them to the superintendent. ~ \~J) Students from Ramsey presented portraits they sketched In art class to their model, Superintendent Lewis Finch. The fourth grade artists are, from left, Andy Carda, Jessica Meech and Carrie Oslund. CAR-RT -SRT BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 131 ANOKA, MN 55303