CITY’S OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER
MAPLEWOOD LIVING
SEPTEMBER 2018
City Council Considers 2019-2023 Capital Improvement Plan By Ellen Paulseth, Finance Director
In This Issue
3
General Election information
3 Fall Clean Up campaign 4 EMS contributes to geriatrics study
5
Free medicine drop-off
6 Solar resources
7
Ash Borer open house
7
Celebrating Gladstone’s history
Over the next five years, Maplewood is planning major upgrades to several main roads, parks, city buildings and other community infrastructure, including full street re-construction in the Gladstone and Ferndale/Ivy Areas. It’s all part of the City’s draft five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2019-2023. Check is out at maplewoodmn.gov/CIP and give us your feedback. The CIP identifies, prioritizes, and addresses community needs through careful longterm capital planning and balanced public investment. A critical part of officially adopting this plan involves collaboration among the city’s department leaders, City Council, appointed commissioners and residents.
1 / August 2018
$64,051,471
While the majority of the investments go toward street repair (roughly 60%), Maplewood’s five-year CIP also provides
funding for park improvements, economic development initiatives, and new emergency and maintenance vehicles.
Major improvements happening in 2019 include: Gladstone Area Phase 3 Street Improvements will include a reconstruction of the section of Frost Avenue lying between English Street and White Bear Avenue, expansion of storm water facilities, utility main repairs, water quality improvements and pedestrian facilities. Ferndale/Ivy Area Street Improvements will include a full reconstruction of the street, installation of concrete curb and gutter, expansion of storm water facilities, sanitary sewer and water main repairs, and pedestrian improvements. Streets in the project area include Dennis Street, Farrell Street, Ferndale Street, Hawthorne, Ivy Avenue, and Mayhill Road.
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LIVING Elected Officials
Nora Slawik: Mayor nora.slawik@maplewoodmn.gov
(651) 738-7099
Marylee Abrams: Councilmember marylee.abrams@maplewoodmn.gov
(651) 249-2000
Kathleen Juenemann: Councilmember kathleen.juenemann@maplewoodmn.gov Bryan Smith: Councilmember bryan.smith@maplewoodmn.gov Tou Xiong: Councilmember tou.xiong@maplewoodmn.gov
City Manager
Melinda Coleman: City Manager melinda.coleman@maplewoodmn.gov
(651) 771-3670
City Hall
(651) 888-0085 (651) 444-0531
(651) 249-2055
call Joe Sheeran at (651) 249-2061 or email joe.sheeran@maplewoodmn.gov.
(651) 249-2000
Maplewood Community Center
(651) 747-0922
Recreation
(651) 249-2120
Public Works Police Non-Emergency
To advertise in this newsletter
2 / August 2018
Frequently Called Numbers
(651) 249-2400 (651) 767-0640
Visit the City website at www.maplewoodmn.gov for the meeting schedule of the City Council, Commissions and Boards.
General Election – November 6, 2018! In addition to the full slate of federal, state, legislative and county candidates, November’s General Election features a race for Maplewood mayor and two councilmember positions (all four - (4) year terms). Candidates for Mayor Councilmember Candidates (vote for 2)
Margaret Behrens Nora Slawik Marylee Abrams Kevin Berglund Kathleen A. “Kathy” Juenemann Nikki Villavicencio
Precincts and Polling Location Changes Please check poll location, as some election day precincts and polling locations have changed since the 2016 election. Absentee/Early Voting Vote In-Person Absentee: September 21 – November 5 Maplewood residents can cast an absentee ballot in-person at Maplewood City Hall, 1830 County Road B East. Mon – Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Extended hours: Saturday, November 3, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Monday, November 5, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Early Voting: October 30 – November 5 Ramsey County residents may vote at the most convenient location in the county, regardless of where you live! Note the Maplewood location has been moved from City Hall to the Ramsey County Library (3025 Southlawn Drive, Maplewood). Visit Ramsey County’s Election website for a map of early voting locations, dates and times. Vote by Mail: Submit your completed absentee ballot application to Ramsey County Elections by mail, email, in-person, or fax. Military and Overseas Voters: Military and overseas voters can use a special process to get and return their ballot. Contact Ramsey County Elections for additional information. Vote by Agent: Voters may authorize an individual (agent) to pick up and return an absentee ballot for them. This service is available only within the seven days preceding an election. Each agent is allowed to deliver and return ballots for a maximum of three voters. November General Election information is available on the City’s website, Ramsey County’s website and the Secretary of State’s website.
Maplewood Fall Clean Up Campaign
Let Maplewood help you with the fall garage clean up. Through most of October our trash hauler will be picking up things like tires, appliances, electronics (with screens) and other bulky items curbside at a reduced rate. The event is scheduled for the following weeks: October 1-5 October 8-12 October 15-19 October 22-26 Residents with curbside collection are eligible to schedule bulky item pick up with Republic, the City’s contracted trash hauler, during the event. Residents who wish to use the service but are not included in the Citywide trash service must pre-pay via credit card. To schedule a bulky item pick up, residents must contact Republic Services at (651) 455-8634. Visit the City’s website maplewoodmn.gov/cleanups for more details.
Meet Tyler Strong
If you have a street construction project coming to your neighborhood, you’ll likely have a nice visit with our new Civil Engineer, Tyler Strong. He joins us from the City of South St. Paul, where he had extensive interaction with community members, guiding them through several major street and road projects. “I love talking to residents, getting their feedback and making sure projects go as smoothly as possible,” says Strong. He’s a Maverick, having graduated from Minnesota State University Mankato with a Civil Engineering degree. In college, Strong interned with Anoka County as a surveyor and claims to have gotten his hands dirty on a few jobs.
www.maplewoodmn.gov / 3
Maplewood EMS featured in geriatrics journal for fall prevention work By Michael Mondor, EMS Chief
Maplewood’s EMS has been noticing a rise in emergency calls related to older adults falling. With an aging population, we project this trend will continue unless regional communities and their health care institutions incorporate a comprehensive fall prevention approach. Finding a real solution is critical to Maplewood’s Fire/EMS Department, as many of these falls are preventable. They also divert time and resources away from other, more acute and critical emergencies. Nationwide, these calls are projected to cost our health care system $55 billion in the next two years. “If we can stop that first fall, and prevent a relatively healthy older adult from fracturing a hip or hitting their head and suffering a brain injury, we can prevent the cascading effects that come with hospitalization and ongoing orthopedic care,” says Jodi Halweg, a Maplewood Firefighter/Community Paramedic. Halweg and I recently contributed to a study in the Journal of The American Geriatrics Society. Maplewood’s programs to prevent these types of falls came to the attention of the Journal article’s lead author, Dr. Carmen Quatman, who was an orthopedic fellow at Region’s Hospital at the time. She’s now an orthopedic trauma surgeon and Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where she published the report. “EMS professionals have a unique opportunity many healthcare providers do not: to look, listen and get a feel for the patient’s living environment,” says Dr. Quatman. “They know the frequent fall callers and are in a good position to help create prevention strategies.”
She says Maplewood’s proactive approach to EMS generally and fall prevention specifically is game changing and could make a significant impact in helping older adults age in place. We were ecstatic when presented with the opportunity to partner with Dr. Quatman and her Regions Hospital team. This work has allowed us to quantify the risk that falls present. Armed with this data, we will be able to target at-risk populations and hopefully minimize falls and their impact on an adult’s quality of life. About the study: The study examined EMS calls for falls not related to a significant health event for patients 60 and older. From 2007 through the end of 2016, about 4,100 Maplewood EMS calls fit that category. These types of patients called to report a fall an averaged of 1.5 times. However, 15% of patients called five or more times.
The study also found that as fall calls increase, transports to the hospital decrease significantly. Thirty percent of older adults who call 911 for a fall call will call again in the near future, sometimes on the same day of the previous fall event. Maplewood’s prevention strategy: During the next phase of the department’s fall reduction initiative, it will implement a risk assessment tool for all fall related incidents. This will allow EMS staff to send appropriate fall prevention resources to help prevent another fall.
Since 2017, the department has offered a free fall and fire prevention program, called “Remembering When.” It involves both a group presentation and a home visit with 16 key fall and fire prevention messages aimed at keeping older adults safe in their homes. We know falls represent one of the greatest risks to those in our community 60 and over. If you or a loved one is in this category, please take advantage of our free resources to hopefully avoid that first fall from ever occurring.
4 / August 2018
| CIP continued from page 1
Mailand/Crestview Forest Area Pavement Project will include milling deteriorating road surface and installing new pavement.
Other major projects in 2020-2023 include paving in the Gervais area, scheduled for 2022. It is a major feeder into White Bear Avenue and has quickly fallen into disrepair. We’re also planning street improvement projects in the Dennis/McClelland area, East Shore Drive area, Cope/McMenemy, and Prosperity Road. In addition to road reconstruction, we’re anticipating significant commercial and residential redevelopment in the Gladstone Area. The City will also spend $5,115,000 over the five-year period on the parks system. The CIP will be adopted, along with the 2019 City Budget, following a public hearing on December 10, 2018. Contact City Manager Melinda Coleman (melindacoleman@maplewoodmn.gov) to provide input or comments on the proposed projects in the CIP.
Free medicine drop off at Maplewood Police Department Don’t throw unused or unwanted medicine in the trash or flush it down the drain. Safe medicine disposal helps prevent crime, drug abuse and accidental poisoning. It’s also better for our environment.
Free public drop box: • Maplewood PD, 1830 County Road B east, open 24/7. • Accepted items: pills, capsules, gel packs, IVs, inhalers, creams, and other similar items. • Not accepted: needles, syringes and lancets. Visit RamseyRecycles.com or call 651-633-EASY (3279) 24/7 for more information.
Headed to College? We have you covered.
Pay for college or fill your funding gap with a City & County Student Loan • Easily Apply Online • Borrow up to $75,000 • Flexible Repayment Options
Apply online at cccu.studentchoice.org Only available to undergraduate students pursuing a degree at an approved college or university. Other restrictions may apply. Maximum loan amount is identified by an approved college or university, up to an aggregate maximum of $75,000 over a five-year period. City & County Credit Union membership is required.
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City of Maplewood accepting applications for 2019 Charitable Gambling Funds Pool Resources to Re-Energize your Home with Solar By Shann Finwall
Maplewood is building on our successful Energize Maplewood! Residential Energy Challenge with Re-Energize Your Home! Back in 2016, nearly 100 households competed for the title of “biggest energy losers” by working to make their homes more energy efficient during the Challenge. Re-Energize Your Home! will help those households and others develop a pathway toward solar energy. To help in that endeavor, Twin Cities home and business owners can take advantage of record low solar pricing through a limited-time solar group purchase program. Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) are hosting free one-hour educational events, including one in Maplewood.
Solar Power Hour Bruentrup Heritage Farm 2170 County Road D East, Maplewood, MN Wednesday, September 19 5:30 PM – Farmer Power Hour – Join the Maplewood Area Historical Society prior to the Solar Power Hour for interpretive exhibits and demonstrations on how early 1900 dairy farmers used the sun and wind to power farms.
6:30 PM – Solar Power Hour Why use solar? • It’s a solid investment -- A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study showed buyers were generally willing to pay $15,000 extra for a home with an average-sized solar panel system. • Solar has a fixed energy cost compared to a 2.5% average annual electricity increase. • Sell energy back to the grid. Minnesota’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires utilities to secure 25% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025, with 1.5% from solar installations by 2020. Small-scale solar installations must provide 10% of that energy. • Use solar all day. Even on cloudy days, solar panels still produce energy. With Minnesota’s Net Metering law, any excess energy generated during the day is pushed back onto the grid, crediting your account. More information at www.maplewoodmn.gov/reenergizemaplewood.
6 / August 2018
To qualify, an organization must be a non-profit corporation with an IRS 501(c) (3) designation serving the citizens of Maplewood. The first priority will be given to funding City of Maplewood organizations and second priority to organizations from outside the city proposing to meet the needs of Maplewood residents. In general, requests from organized athletic groups are not funded. The City Council awarded a total of $30,000 in Charitable Gambling Tax Funds for 2018. Funds went to a variety of groups. The funds are awarded by a vote of the Maplewood City Council. Applications are available on the city website www.maplewoodmn.gov or by calling Lois Knutson at 651.249.2051. The application deadline is September 15, 2018.
How are the ash trees in your neighborhood?
Skimpy canopy? Patchy or cracked bark? Lots of woodpeckers? They’re all evidence Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a wood-boring beetle, may have struck. We now know EAB is established in Maplewood and is killing ash trees. Over the next 15-20 years, we anticipate losing all of Maplewood’s ash trees, except for those that have been treated.
Emerald Ash Borer:
ASK THE FORESTER Maplewood Nature Center
The city is holding an open house at the Nature Center October 2 featuring our city forester. Stations will be set up to help you identify ash trees, learn the signs and symptoms of EAB, and figure out what to do.
2659 East 7th Street
Free: Register online at maplewoodnaturecenter.com or call 651-2492170. For more information, visit the city’s EAB page (maplewoodmn.gov/ EAB) or watch Maplewood’s EAB 101 video (vimeo.com/239904345).
6:30PM-8:00PM
Tuesday October 2
Celebrating Gladstone Savanna’s rich history Rarely in a dense urban landscape does an industrial site return to its prairie roots. But that’s what happened at Maplewood’s Gladstone Savanna. Over the past five years the city restored the site with prairie grasses and wildflowers, to a rich preserve for pollinators, birds and wildlife. Once the site of a dairy farm, the land became a bustling set of rail road shops that served the St. Paul and Duluth railroad until the early 1900s. It then became storage shops for various companies. When the shops were taken down, the land sat vacant. In the 1990’s the city decided to preserve the land and re-establish the savanna. Because of its rich history, the city has installed interpretative signage highlighting the significance of the rail road shops and other landscape features. Dozens of community members and civic leaders celebrated the signs’ unveiling at an early August event. Special thanks to the Maplewood Area Historical Society, Kid City, and the Parks and Recreation Department for making this event a success. Our communications team produced a video on the history of the shops and land. Youtu.be/h581SFjFiJE
www.maplewoodmn.gov / 7
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1830 County Road B East
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Maplewood, MN 55109 Phone: (651) 249-2000 www.maplewoodmn.gov
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Upcoming Events September 8
Root Beer Floats with Cops 5pm – 7pm Cub Foods, 100 W. County Rd. B Crafty Bees and Butterflies
September 18 4pm – 5:30pm
Nature Center
September 19
Solar power information session Bruentrup Farm 5:30pm Farm power hour 6:30pm Solar power hour
September 21
Celebrating our Community 4pm – 7pm MCC/YMCA 2100 White Bear Ave N. Barn Raising
September 21 6pm – 10pm
Bruentrup Farm
September 29
Maplewood Rec Run 3K/5K Check-in 9am MCC/YMCA Lot
September 29
Coffee with a Cop 11am – 1pm Bachman’s 2600 White Bear Ave
October 27
Boo Bash 1pm – 3pm Bruentrup Farm
Go to MaplewoodMN.gov. Our frontpage calendar has details on these events and more.
Printed on 10% post consumer product.