2021 ANNUAL REPORT
COMMUNITY/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PARKS & RECREATION
PUBLIC SAFETY
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The business community continued to grow and new homes attracted new families.
Parks amenities improved and recreation expanded community-wide events.
Police, fire and EMS worked together to keep people safe and healthy.
PUBLIC WORKS
FINANCE & IT
CITY COUNCIL
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Continuing to provide safe drinking water is a top priority.
The City received high marks for its financial success.
The City Council passed more than 160 resolutions.
2 | 2021 City of Cottage Grove Annual Report
A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
That’s a wrap! Another year is in the books for Cottage Grove — and what a year it was! Thank you for taking care of and supporting one another as COVID-19 continued to change the way we live, work and play in our everyday lives. I am proud of our community! We’ve handled the adversity of 2021 with compassion, grit and determination. But with all the adversity of 2021, that challenge had a silver lining!
We continued to grow and prosper and created an even better community! In 2021, we lived up to our motto: Where pride and prosperity meet. You’ll see evidence of this on the following pages of this annual report. We have had some amazing accomplishments. I am proud to share them with you.
to be a fiscally responsible, community-oriented city that remains a great place to live, work and play. Thank you for being a part of this fantastic community! Thank you for living here, for doing business here and for making Cottage Grove something special! We hope you are proud of what happened in your city in 2021. We look forward to bringing you more in 2022.
Our business community continued to grow, new homes attracted new families, major road projects improved our ability to get around, and Myron Bailey, we continued improving our parks and trail system with renovations and expansions. Mayor Bottom line: We’re proud
cottagegrovemn.gov | 3
Community and Economic Development The Community Development Department helped the City of Cottage Grove continue its robust, yet measured and sustainable, growth.
2021 Community Development Highlights Redevelopment of 7702 80th St. from a vacant property to Caribou Cabin. Approval of a 35,600 square-foot addition to the North Star Sheets facility. 4 | 2021 City of Cottage Grove Annual Report
Approval of an 18,600 square-foot addition to the Innovative Chemical Corporation facility. Approval of an additional 202 multi-family apartment unit just north of 80th Street South off of Hardwood Avenue South. Approval of over 1,000 lots for residential development. Investigated 693 code violations/complaints. Conducted 191 rental inspections.
Issued 574 new residential building permits — an increase of 200 permits over 2020. These permits added $166 million to the City's tax base. Conducted 19,576 building inspections for Cottage Grove and surrounding communities. Of the total inspections, 16,524 were for Cottage Grove. Processed 5,655 building permits — a 27 percent increase over 2020.
Hired an additional seasonal building inspector and a seasonal building inspector/code official to assist with increased activity. The Economic Development Team continued attracting new businesses and supporting already established businesses.
2021 Economic Development Highlights Approval of NorthPoint
Development's Cottage Grove Logistics Center, a 3.4 million square
foot facility in the City's business park.
Approved two projects through the Facade Improve Program: Caribou Cabin and Carlson Auto.
Continued the DARTS bus loop for seniors, people with disabilities and low-income residents.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau continued marketing and promoting the City of Cottage Grove as a tourism destination.
2021 Convention and Visitors Bureau Highlights
Created a monthly
e-newsletter, monthly business e-newsletter, blog and new social media channels.
Grew the number of
social media followers to nearly 1,000 in the few short months the accounts were active.
Awarded a $10,000
Explore Minnesota grant to promote the City of Cottage Grove. cottagegrovemn.gov | 5
Parks and Recreation Cottage Grove has more than 1,300 acres of parkland to enjoy, including 35 parks and 90 miles of trails and sidewalks.
Washington County's Cottage Grove Ravine Reg
The Parks and Recreation Department continued to improve the City’s robust parks and recreation system.
2021 Parks and Recreation Highlights Installation of Toptracer
at River Oaks Golf Course. The system saw nearly 800,000 shots tracked and had more than 1,800 unique users.
Saw an increase in
the number of rounds
6 | 2021 City of Cottage Grove Annual Report
played over 2020 (41,096 rounds in 2021) at River Oaks Golf Course.
Managed a community center referendum, including preliminary concepts, community outreach, and various forms of resident education and communication.
Added new events
like the Spring Break Medallion Hunt, Cottage Grove Baseball Classic, Sparkle and Skate Ice
Skating Exhibition, and Pumpkin Chuck.
Created new and
modified existing recreation programs to adjust for increased interest.
Managed a 30 percent
increase in ice usage at the City's ice arena.
Added a new Skate
School director while increasing winter skating lesson participation by 10 percent.
IMPROVING YOUR PARKS IN 2021 AND BEYOND
e Regional Park
Implemented a new software
program that allows customers to view, request and pay for ice time with a link from the City’s website.
Developed a park master plan
for Mississippi Landing (on the site of the former Mississippi Dunes Golf Course).
Constructed Strawberry Fields
Park, a new neighborhood park located in the 9000 block of Granada Avenue South in the Summers Landing neighborhood.
•O akwood Park renovation (new playground, fully reconstructed parking lot, new shelter with restrooms). •H amlet Park baseball field expansion, building construction, Field No. 2 renovation and three scoreboard donations. •H abitat restoration and preservation projects at Kingston Park, Camel’s Hump, Antler's Ridge and Hidden Valley parks. •P layground replacements at Hearthside and Lamar parks. cottagegrovemn.gov | 7
Public Safety The Public Safety Department continued to serve the community compassionately while protecting life and property. The Public Safety Department includes police officers, firefighters, Emergency Medical Services workers and emergency management officials. 8 | 2021 City of Cottage Grove Annual Report
2021 Public Safety Highlights Implemented a body
camera system for police and transitioned to a new squad camera system.
Improved and expanded
the City's emergency management capabilities.
Managed the COVID-19 Preparedness Plan by leading Emergency Management Team meetings, staffing the City's virtual emergency operations center, conducting contact tracing, and running several testing sites and vaccination clinics throughout the year.
Engaged with community Received federal funding
Equipped ambulances
Secured a new outdoor
Equipped fire apparatus
members through for spring 2019 flooding. outreach events like Night to Unite, Received a Hazard department tours and Mitigation Grant for a open houses, school Lightning Detection and visits and birthday parade Prediction System for drive-by events. Kingston Park. warning siren in Pine Coulee Park.
Responded to more than 33,000 calls for service: police (28,933), EMS (3,324) and fire (811).
Fire officers completed
Blue Card Incident Command Certification to improve safety, communications and strategic decision-making at fire and emergency incidents.
with basic fire-rescue equipment to allow for dual role when responding to fire scenes. This leads to improved operation efficiency and safety.
and other fire response vehicles with basic EMS equipment and AED equipment to improve EMS services provided to the community.
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Public Works
Operating and maintaining the City's infrastructure so it's preserved for future generations is no small task.
The Public Works Department designs, operates and maintains City infrastructure.
I nstalled new banners on streetlight poles in City commercial areas.
iloted an in-house P treatment of road salt, which has a lower cost and fewer environmental impacts than standard treated salt.
orked through a multiW week cleanup effort following a significant windstorm in the fall.
Used 3,000 tons of asphalt to help maintain City streets.
2021 Public Works Highlights
Set a record for material collected during Spring Clean-up Day. Continued delivering drinking water that meets state and federal standards through the operation of three interim water treatment plants.
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Reconstructed Jamaica Avenue South from 80th Street South to Indian Boulevard, 3 miles of City streets south of 80th Street South and west of Keats Avenue South, and the River Oaks Golf Course and Event Center parking lot.
Resurfaced approximately 2.5 miles of City streets in the Timber Ridge Neighborhood in the area of 70th Street South and Hardwood Avenue South.
CLEAN WATER FOR COTTAGE GROVE
articipated in the 3M P settlement agreement working groups, which led to the completion of a drinking water supply plan to address water contamination in the east metro. See the box to the right for more information.
Completed the preliminary design for reconstruction and signal modifications of the Jamaica Avenue South and East Point Douglas Road intersection improvement project.
• The State released the • Preliminary final Conceptual Drinking design Water Supply Plan for work for the east metro in August. the largest This plan provides a road of the two map for water treatment treatment and supply to the 14 plants, to be communities impacted located near the Central by PFAS contamination. Fire Station, started in Under this plan, the City 2021. The goal is to begin of Cottage Grove will construction in 2023. receive more than $90 million to construct two • While the projects in permanent treatment the Drinking Water plants, extend city Supply Plan are being water to certain rural implemented, the City’s properties, drill a new city three interim treatment well, and cover operations plants continue to supply and maintenance costs water meeting all state for 20 years. standards. cottagegrovemn.gov | 11
Finance and IT The Finance Department is responsible for processing all of the City’s monetary transactions. Other responsibilities include preparing the annual budget and financial reports, and coordination of information technology systems.
2021 Finance Highlights
Maintained the City’s AA+ bond rating. Bond ratings are the equivalent of a consumer’s credit rating for companies and governments. The City’s AA+ bond rating is one of the highest given. Received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The certificate
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is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. Just 11 percent of all Minnesota cities receive the award. The City has earned the award 25 consecutive years. Received a clean audit report, meaning the City’s financial statements are excellent and free from misstatements and errors. The clean report illustrates that the city is well run financially and has the highest quality financial reporting.
2021 IT Highlights
Enhanced and expanded the City's GIS
environment to bring more field functionality to our staff. The enhancements allow for better data collection and updated mapping to include electrical service connections for city services such as streetlights. The enhanced mapping allows public works employees to see critical electrical junctions so they can perform their work safely. Upgraded the City's permit and licensing system to make it easier to use for staff and residents. The system is now entirely web-based and accessible through any web browser.
Administration The Administration Department is responsible for carrying out the policies adopted by the City Council and coordinating the operations of city government and all departments.
2021 Administration Highlights
ave away dozens of G banners congratulating Park High School's Class of 2021.
Streamlined the hiring process so new employees can complete paperwork electronically, watch training videos and review policies from anywhere in the world.
versaw the November O general election. Nearly 8,300 people voted.
rocessed 127 business P licenses.
Produced 12 Cottage Grove Reports newsletters for residents.
Grew the City’s social media accounts to 37,000 followers.
Alongside the South Washington County Telecommunications Commission, produced 75 videos highlighting the city that had more than 141,000 views on YouTube.
versaw a citywide O community survey. City Council and staff will use feedback provided in these surveys to help guide future policy decisions and upcoming initiatives. cottagegrovemn.gov | 13
City Council
The City Council held 33 public meetings during which the five members considered 457 items and passed 167 resolutions.
7 residents volunteered their time serving 4 on the city’s six commissions. Those commissions met 36 times in 2021.
JANUARY THROUGH OCTOBER
From left to right: Justin Olsen, Steve Dennis, Myron Bailey, LaRae Mills and Dave Thiede.
NOVEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER
From left to right: Justin Olsen, Tony Khambata, Myron Bailey, Dave Thiede and Steve Dennis. 14 | 2021 City of Cottage Grove Annual Report
Directors
City Administrator Jennifer Levitt
Parks and Recreation Zac Dockter
Finance and IT Robin Roland
Public Safety Pete Koerner
Community Development Christine Costello
Public Works Ryan Burfeind
City Phone Numbers City Hall Main
Utility Billing
HERO Center
Public Safety
Parks and Recreation
Ice Arena
Public Works
River Oaks Golf Course
Non-Emergency Police/Fire
651-458-2800 651-458-2850 651-458-2808
651-458-2831 651-458-3400 651-438-2121
651-458-2811 651-458-3400 651-439-9381
cottagegrovemn.gov | 15
PRSRT SFD U.S. POSTAGE PAID COTTAGE GROVE, MN PERMIT #1
COTTAGE GROVE CITY HALL 12800 Ravine Parkway S. Cottage Grove, MN 55016 cottagegrovemn.gov | 651-458-2800
2021
KEY MOMENTS Residents Give Praise and Share Concerns in Community Survey More than 2,600 people responded to the community survey. City Council and staff will use the feedback from residents to help guide future policy decisions and upcoming initiatives. City Continues to Grow Tax Base and Add Jobs The City Council approved the NorthPoint Development, a catalyst for industrial growth. The word is out: Cottage Grove is a businessfriendly city. Parks and Recreation Opportunities Improve and Grow Parks and recreation options continue to grow in Cottage Grove. It was a busy year of exciting change with the Oakwood Park renovation, Hamlet Park expansion, Strawberry Fields Park construction, habitat
restoration projects at Kingston Park, Camel’s Hump and Hidden Valley parks, and playground replacements at Hearthside and Lamar parks. Housing Options Diversify Grove80, a 120-unit market-rate apartment complex opened near 80th Street and Hemingway Avenue — the site of the former Cottage Grove City Hall. The complex is the first market-rate apartment complex built in the City since the 1990s, helping diversify the City's housing options. Community Comes Together as COVID-19 Continues The City’s Public Safety Department helped lead the continued COVID-19 response to keep Cottage Grove residents safe. Emergency management staff assisted with contact tracing, testing sites and countywide vaccination clinics.
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16 | 2021 City of Cottage Grove Annual Report