MinnPost photo by Joe Kimball
Living
MAPLEWOOD
MARCH 2015
City’s Official NEWSLETTER
SAVE THE DATE: MAPLEWOOD’S ANNUAL SPRING CLEAN UP - APRIL 18 AT ALDRICH ARENA More details coming in the April issue - www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/cleanups
What’s Great in Maplewood Currently?
Inside This Issue: Maplewood Seasons
By: Councilmember Kathleen Juenemann
According to resident responses to the State Performance Measures Survey, overall City services, (Public Safety/ Police, Fire/EMS, Parks & Recreation, snowplowing, sewer and water services, etc.) were rated good/excellent at 80%. Such high ratings are the result, I believe, of quality services delivered to all of us by our professional, well trained, dedicated staff and management. We, the City Council, have set a goal of sustainability, financial, operational and environmental. Our City management team and staff work consistently and creatively, on our behalf, to ensure that we attain this goal. What will make us better in 2015? We, the City Council, and City management team have already chosen an objective of increased and better communication this year. We are working for improved conversation and interaction among council members and with management/staff. Ultimately communication and connection with residents and stakeholders is an important part of our goal. To that end, management, community development staff and our HEDC (advisory commission) are working together to improve and expand relationships with our local businesses. Our marketing staff is concentrating focus on businesses with the Maplewood Business Highlight in our City newsletter and with the development of a cable show to focus on our local businesses. City departments are already proactive in meeting the needs of stakeholders. In the past two weeks (as of February 18) our Parks Department have been meeting and planning with Ramsey County Parks to establish some great partnerships. Plans are in the works to build four
tuj lub (a traditional Hmong top spinning game) courts at Keller Park. This represents a three way partnership: 1/3 Maplewood, 1/3 Ramsey County, 1/3 tuj lub association. The Maplewood Ramsey County Parks partnership will also be co-operating on projects at Fish Creek and exploring having disc golf at Battle Creek Park. Certainly partnership is the operative term in Public Safety, Police and Fire/EMS. Maplewood is one of two cities chosen to partner with the Ramsey County Attorney in the Domestic Violence Joint Prosecution Unit, an opportunity for our city and Police Department to be benefactors of increased knowledge, training and intervention for dealing proactively and appropriately with domestic violence situations. In addition, the Police and Fire Departments partnered in placing a police substation, which is now operational, in the newly built South Fire Station. The East Metro Public Safety (Fire) Training Facility, located in northeast Maplewood, represents a significant partnership of 13 Fire/EMS Departments. When fully operational in late summer 2015, this facility will mean FF/EMS personnel will be able to consistently train in a safe environment while training for live burns and rescue from burning buildings. How can you contribute to making us better in 2015? You can offer your ideas/requests by e-mailing council members, the city manager or department heads; or you can sign on to Mind-Mixer on the city website. You can participate more fully by applying to be a member of one of our advisory commissions. We welcome your input!