7 minute read
Santa Parade Tour
Ages 14 to 20 and an Interest in Law Enforcement
Do you know someone between the age of 14-20 who has an interest in law enforcement? If so, the Blaine Police Explorers are currently accepting applications! The Explorer Program is a free volunteer youth program designed for motivated and service orientated youth who have an interest in the law enforcement field. Explorers attend weekly meetings where they receive training in all avenues of law enforcement. The program provides an opportunity for youth to develop leadership and teamwork skills and make a difference in their community. It is a great way to learn what law enforcement is really about while developing life-long skills that are beneficial no matter what career path they plan to take. If you are or know someone interested, you can email Sgt. Travis Hale at THale@BlaineMN.gov. Applications to this program are also available at the Blaine PD front desk in City Hall.
Pictured above left to right: Lisa Hogstad-Osterhues, Cathy Sorensen, Shari Russell, and Leslie Pollock
Department Spotlight
Say Hello to the City Clerk’s Department
Want to know about an upcoming election? Need to register to vote or check on your voter status? Need to apply for a business license? Or do you need access to community archives and research documents? The Blaine City Clerk’s Office has got you covered. The City Clerk’s Office is a central department in any city government and is often the first stop for information. Whether a city is large or small, the Clerk’s Office has a wide variety of duties and responsibilities regarding statutory and City Charter requirements, including: • Maintaining all Council proceedings and official records such as minutes and resolutions • Publishing legal notices and newly adopted ordinances • Coordinating board and commission vacancies • Administering business and other licensing such as tobacco and alcohol • Maintaining and responding to inquiries regarding the City Code The Clerk’s Office also includes the new Customer Service Center that provides the public one stop for information on many items, including paying a utility bill, getting information on a park shelter, contact information for a councilmember, board and commission meeting agendas, and much more. Another key role for the department is election administration for local, state, and federal elections, including absentee voting for residents who wish to vote prior to election day. With the 2020 census and the City’s increased population to over 70,000, the 2022 redistricting resulted in the addition of two new polling places for a total of 26 precincts. While a core function of the Clerk’s Office, successfully-run elections only happen as a result of much work and partnership with many others, including over 280 election judges, the use of schools, places of worship, fire stations, and other locations for polling places, and from almost every City department including Public Works who deliver all materials and equipment to polling places, election judge payroll, communications, GIS mapping, information technology, and so many others. Blaine is very fortunate to have a fantastic team and the Clerk’s Office is ready to help. For more information, visit BlaineMN.gov/CityClerk and BlaineMN.gov/Elections.
SBM Santa Parade Tour
Monday, December 5 West Blaine
Tuesday, December 6 Southeast Blaine
Wednesday, December 7 Club West, TPC, The Lakes
Thursday, December 8 East Blaine
The Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Mounds View Fire Department (SBM) is proud to present the 2022 Annual Santa Parade! Join us December 5-8 on a neighborhood street near you. The department will show off over 20 fire apparatus as well as Mr. and Mrs. Claus! Non-perishable food items are encouraged to be brought to the curb for local donation. Come say hello to Santa and smile at a firefighter as they hand you a candy cane winter treat. Blaine will be visited all four nights of this year’s parade.
Viewing locations, route changes, and other announcements will be available on SBM Fire social media pages and the website at SBMFire.org.
To view an interactive map with times and more information, visit
BlaineMN.gov/SantaParade.
Christmas Tree Collection
Walters Recycling and Refuse will be collecting Christmas trees during the weeks of January 2 and January 9. This year trees will be collected the day after your regular garbage collection day. The garbage truck driver makes a list of all the trees that are out and on the next day Walters will collect the trees that have been set out. Just set the trees out on your regular service day, and it will be collected the next day.
Hiring a Snow/Ice Removal Service?
When hiring a snow and ice removal company check to see if they are Smart Salting certified for parking lots and sidewalks by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). This voluntary certification gives contractors proven techniques for improved snow and ice removal while preventing harm to creeks, rivers, lakes, and groundwater. It only takes one teaspoon of salt to permanently contaminate five gallons of water. Once salt is in water it stays there accumulating year after year. Besides corroding metal infrastructure like pipes and their metal joints (not to mention vehicles and concrete), salt disrupts aquatic food webs, degrades soil and can lead to salty drinking water.
What to Do
The cheapest, and only, way to deal with salt pollution is prevention. • Be ready for winter driving and walking conditions and slow down • Use snow tires to give your vehicle much better grip than all-season radial tires • Wear winter footwear If using de-icers, make sure you use the right amount at the right time and right place. If you want traction, use sand and sweep up any extra. Learn more at
MWMO.org/Learn/
Preventing-Water-Pollution/ Snow-Ice-Removal/
The Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota have saved thousands of dollars by training their crews and using Smart Salting techniques that are also safe. • If you live in a homeowners association or have a business or church campus, there is a short training designed for property managers and another for contractors. • Are you a decision-maker on a council, planning, or other commission? There’s a brand new, two-hour course just for you.
Already have a contractor lined up?
Check to see if they are certified or give them the information to get their staff certified at,
PCA.State.MN.US/Water/
Smart-Salting-Training.
Helpful Reminders from Public Works
• Fall street sweeping crews are out now. Please keep cars and any obstacles out of the road as much as possible to allow crews to do their job. • Boulevard tree trimming is completed in the winter months as time allows. • After a snowfall do not plow, blow, or shovel snow onto or across any public street. This is against
Minnesota state law. • After a snowstorm the city roadways are the first priority. Sidewalks and park trails will be cleared after the roadways. • Any sod damage caused by city plows will be repaired with new dirt and grass seed in the spring. • Blaine Public Works is responsible for plowing only city streets. MnDOT and Anoka County also have plow crews assigned to their roads in Blaine as well as private contractors on private neighborhood streets. • The City of Blaine routinely posts plow updates on social media before, during, and after a snowstorm. • Help plow crews locate the curb by marking the edge with a wood stake. Free wood stakes are available at the public works building.
Pre-snowfall Mailbox Inspection - Now is a great time to check your mailbox post condition. Can it handle the weight of a snow drift? The City does not assume liability for mailboxes damaged during normal plowing operations, unless it is determined that the damaged mailbox met the installation recommendations. See who is responsible for plowing your road at BlaineMN.gov/SnowPlow. For more information, visit BlaineMN.gov/PublicWorks.
Salt Watch Volunteers Wanted!
Coon Creek Watershed District (CCWD) is seeking volunteers for a fun way to get involved in protecting water! Help monitor levels of chloride (salt) in local waters. Volunteers receive three test strips to measure chloride levels during the winter from street runoff or a nearby waterbody, whichever is safer. The volunteers then report results using the Water Reporter website or phone app. This project is part of the Izaak Walton League of America’s national Salt Watch Program to help identify salt pollution hot spots.
Interested in signing up for the Salt Watch Program? Please contact CCWD Engagement Specialist, Abby Shea at 763-258-7305 or at ASHEA@Coon CreekWD.org.
Winter Parking Reminder
Regulations in Effect from November 1 thru April 1, 2-7am
• No parking on any street from 2AM until 7AM.
A permit for overnight parking may be obtained from the Blaine Police Department in emergency situations. • No street parking after a snowfall of two inches or more until the street is fully plowed.
