North Oaks News

VOLUME 35

City briefs

•

NUMBER 2

West Recreation area coming alive Thanks to Layna McConkey Peltier, the project manager. Truly a community project, see more beginning on this page.

Deer tick update Brooke Moore explains the city deer removal program and lyme disease issues, see more on page 6.

City Council approves tax levy, deer removal program, water and sewer rates increase, see more on page 13.

Do we need a full time sheriff?

Read about this and more city notes on page 13.

A new year, a fresh start, and a new beginning, see more on page 3.

Start the North Oaks News If your neighbors aren’t receiving the North Oaks News, ask them to call the circulation department at Press Publications, 651-407-1234, to start and stop the paper. Newspapers cannot be forwarded, so delivery is stopped if they are returned to the publisher. Don’t forget that each edition is available online if you are away from home at www. presspubs.com/north_oaks

January Meetings • Agendas available online •

New West Recreation building officially opens

By Layna McConkey Peltier

City Council

New year brings changes to NOHOA Board

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 9

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CIRCLE PINES, MN

JANUARY 2016

NORTH OAKS NEWS 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110

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North Oaks

— Photo by Dick Leonard

At the gatehouse, Troop 639 Boy Scouts and parents collect food donations. Left to right: Phil Fortmeyer, Joe Braun, Charlie Aasen, Austin Trapnell, J. P. Braun, Joanie Aasen and Will Aasen. Not pictured: Mason Heibner and Andrew Fortmeyer.

North Oaks makes a difference

By Mary Brent Food Shelf Manager The 2015 food drive for Sharing Korner Food Shelf brought in 484 pounds of food and $1,033 in cash donations.

On behalf of the Sharing Korner Food Shelf and the clients we serve, we extend our deepest appreciation to all who contributed to this year’s Thanksgiving food drive for

the food shelf in Frogtown.

As an inner-city food shelf, our client community members do not have the means to meet their own basic food needs, much less provide support to us. There is no way we could do what we do here in Frogtown to address hunger without your generous support. Please know that your contributions do make a differ-

ence in the families we serve.

Again, on behalf of the Sharing Korner Food Shelf and our client families, we extend our deepest appreciation for your many years of commitment to meeting the needs of others. Also, a big thank you to the Boy Scouts, who collected the food, drove it to us, and helped carry it in and weigh it.

The new building in the West Recreation area was officially opened Sept. 9 with a ribbon-cutting and receipt of the final certificate of occupancy from the city of North Oaks.

All city requirements were met and all contractual obligations with subcontractors separate from the builder and including the builder, Braden Construction, have been met and the builder’s contract closed out.

The approximate value of the entire capital project is, conservatively, $850,000. The added community assets include the new building that houses a multipurpose room, bathrooms, outdoor gathering spaces and storage. It also includes benches, picnic tables, rubber floor mats, garage, playground, shelter, water fountain, stone grill, stone fire pit, paths and landscaping.

The North Oaks Homeowners Association (NOHOA) funded $601,459 of these capital improvements. NOHOA funds

See Building – Page 10

CITY OF NORTH OAKS 100 Village Center Drive Suite 230 651-792-7750 www.cityofnorthoaks.com

City Council meeting: 7 p.m. Thursday, January 14, 2016

Natural Resources Commission meeting: No Meeting

Planning Commission meeting: 7 p.m. Thursday, January 28

NORTH OAKS HOME OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION (NOHOA) 100 Village Center Drive Suite 240 651-792-7765 www.nohoa.org

NOHOA Board meeting: 7 p.m. Thursday, January 7, 2016

Architectural Supervisory Committee meeting: Meet in the NOHOA office 6:30 p.m. Mondays, January 4 and January 18, 2016 All other meetings held in the Community Meeting Room 100 Village Center Drive, Suite 150

CHA Guild 1 thanks tour and boutique supporters, one and all

By Connie Dickson, Guild Member Traditions bring back fond memories during the holiday season. In North Oaks, it has become a tradition for members of our community — and surrounding communities — to mark their calendars for the Friday and Saturday before Thanksgiving. That is the weekend for the North Oaks Children’s Hospital Association Guild 1 Holiday Homes Tour & Boutique.

This year, more than 800 people attended the festive Home Tour and many more shopped at the Boutique.

We express our heartfelt thanks to the three homeowners on this year’s tour. They willingly

— Submitted

See Supporters – Page 2

Members of the Children’s Hospital Association Guild 1 thank everyone for supporting Children’s Hospital Association by attending the Holiday Homes Tour & Boutique.

North Oaks News ~January 2016 ~ Page 3

New year brings changes to NOHOA board

By Kimberly Murray NOHOA Executive Director Happy New Year! Welcome to 2016 and that wonderful feeling that we get with a new year, a fresh start, and a new beginning.

In 2016, the NOHOA Board regretfully says goodbye to Mark Azman who has served with dedication and a commitment to excellence for the past six years. For four of those years, Mark filled the role of President. He will be missed! At the same time, we welcome Tom Krayer to the Board and look forward to his contributions.

At the December 3 meeting of the Membership, it was announced that the 2016 Budget passed with a two-thirds majority of voting members supporting the proposed spending plan and correlating dues increase. All of these YES votes tell the Board that you believe in the importance of maintaining North Oak’s shared assets and infrastructure in a manner that protects privacy and adds to the value of the community.

So, on behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you!

Thank you for recognizing that the roads are aging and need attention, for recognizing that the Emerald Ash Borer is a huge threat to our community, and that NOHOA must be prepared to meet increased costs for valued services as a matter of responsible stewardship.

While I have your attention, I would also like to publicly thank the Board of Directors.

Most members do not realize the amount of time and energy the Directors contribute towards the smooth and effective running of the association. As unpaid volunteers,

the Directors are putting themselves on the front lines of the association’s accountability to you, its members.

They take their jobs seriously and willingly and your support for their contributions is appreciated.

I would also like to thank all those members who serve on committees and/or other NOHOA functions. The names of these contributors were listed in the Annual Report and if you know any of these folks, please give them the nod of gratitude they deserve.

Finally, I would like to thank Paul Lesieur, Michelle Klein and Steve Elfstrom for their services to NOHOA. As the Coordinator for the ASC, Paul acts on behalf of NOHOA to protect the home values in our community. What you may not know is that Paul donates a great deal of his time as well, as a volunteer and committee member for efforts to enhance North Oaks now and in the future.

Michelle Klein is the resident go-to gal for all things NOHOA and North Oaks.

After working for the Association for the past 26 years, there is not much Michelle doesn’t know or cannot do.

Few members realize just how much Michelle contributes to keeping the wheels turning and the information accurate at NOHOA and she deserves our thanks and recognition for her contributions.

Last but not least, Steve Elfstrom and Mel’s Services deserve our gratitude. Rarely is there an environmental issue in the community that Steve does not understand or a property he does not recognize. Despite the primary

responsibilities of plowing, mowing and other duties that Mel’s is contracted to complete, they are also known for doing a whole lot more – from retrieving bows from storage for the garden club, to purchasing trash bags for the West Rec – and always with a smile.

All in all, I have the pleasure of working with some great folks, and to them my final words for the year are, Thank You!

— Submitted by Kimberly Murray

Mark Azman is recognized for 6 years on the NOHOA Board.

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Page 4 ~ North Oaks News ~January 2016

OPINION

Meet the new editor My name is Dick Leonard, a North Oaks resident who lived in a house my parents purchased in 1962. Except for brief absences for college, military service and law school, and moving out in 1972 to get married, I’ve lived in the family home since 1987.

Three years ago, Mary and I moved into the Mews at Waverly Gardens. We love it.

Friends ask the normal question: At your age why would you want to embark on your fourth career as editor of the North Oaks News? Well … the North Oaks News is a gem to our community because it contains articles about our government, activities and neighbors, tells us what is “going on” and what we just missed.

As editor, I plan to add more timely news content such as NOHOA government proceedings the month the meeting occurs, rather than the next month. It is at those meetings that our elected leaders make decisions, and the community accepts change, adopts innovative concepts and policies, and spends our money. This month, for example, there are three important articles I hope you will find interesting.

The topics? What to do with the gate house; Century Link will enter the community as another company providing television service; and on the removal of deer from our community.

I hope to provide you with news about our kids and

READ REUSE RECYCLE

Rethinking public safety

FROM THE EDITOR

DICK LEONARD grandkids at school and at play; movie, book and restaurant reviews are always interesting to obtain others’ perspectives; and the list goes on.

Short items concerning wedding engagements, marriages and obituaries I think are a must.

In the last several years, North Oaks has added new development areas located to the north —Rapp Farm, Waverly Gardens to the north and east, and the Good Shepherd property, Charley Lake Preserve, along Hodgson Road. Each of these developments has its own “growing problems” with demographic and location concerns. How can a town of almost 4,000 serve every concern?

These are some of the reasons I took this job: To engage in the issues of the changing city of North Oaks in a transparent and open forum, and have meaningful conversation and be fair to all sides. That is my goal.

Please send me your ideas, thoughts, and articles, news about your kids’ “happenings,” and about yourself.

[Think GREEN]

If every person takes one small step toward being more conscientious of the environment, the collective effort will change planet. g the p

651-407-1200 www.northoaksnews.com

North Oaks

News

I truly hope that you are all enjoying a very happy holiday season.

Safety and security is the primary obligation of your city government. While North Oaks has the lowest crime rate in the state of Minnesota, and one of the lowest in our entire country, we can never take that for granted and need to remain vigilant when it comes to those issues. We at the city take that charge very seriously.

For many years, we have simply had a Community Service Officer (CSO), not a full deputy. The CSO cannot issue citations or make arrests, and does not carry a firearm. In serious situations they call in to the Sheriff ’s Department to have a squad car sent out.

If you did not tune in to the last City Council meeting on Nov. 30, we announced the re-

FROM THE MAYOR

MIKE EGELSTON, MAYOR tirement of Bob Parrott, our CSO. Bob has done a great job for us, constantly driving through the community and looking for situations that required his assistance. Bob retires in February 2016 and we have begun the process of finding his replacement.

During the council meeting we had a serious discussion regarding what the needs are in the community and what sort of officer we would like to

have replace Bob. City Administrator Mike Robertson and Councilman Marty Long have taken on the task of further defining our needs and interfacing with the Ramsey County Sheriff ’s Office to discuss what we believe those needs require in a new officer. It may be that a full deputy, rather than a CSO, would serve our community best at this point. That, however, comes at a tax increase of around $24 per year per home.

We would really appreciate hearing from the residents regarding this issue. You can email Mike Robertson at mrobertson@cityofnorthoaks. com, or call him at the city offices, 651-792-7750, to give him your thoughts on this issue.

This is your community, and we want your opinion!

Pigeons made Granary their home IF THE RED BARN

COULD TALK...

Pigeons were not included in the North Oaks Farm superintendent’s year 1900 letter describing the 1,900 animals on the farm, nor have they been seen in recent bird surveys in North Oaks.

However, pigeons were present and fed during James J. and/or Louis F. Hill’s presence on the farm.

Above the south doors of the Granary (Red Barn), there are six openings to an upper loft with life-size pigeon decoys in front of two of the openings to commemorate

— Submitted

Pigeons on the south side of the Granary building their historical presence (see photo). The openings are presently covered on the inside.

In the Granary, a wooden board and screen partition extends across the full width of the building approximately 6 feet from the exterior wall.

Nesting boxes (complete with original, never-disturbed droppings), roosting perches and a feed bin are within the

enclosed area.

Unfortunately, it is not safe for visitors to see the pigeon loft, as the only way to access the loft is a steep stairway with narrow, wooden treads. Photos of the pigeon loft are located on the main floor of the Granary.

— Submitted by the Hill Farm Historical Society

www.northoaksnews.com

Publisher Carter Johnson Editorial Dick Leonard, Editor (612) 749-8235, cell phone northoaksnews@presspubs.com Multimedia Representative Leanne Swanson 651-407-1223 northoaks@presspubs.com Published monthly by Press Publications Copyright © 2016

Next Issue: February 2016 Mailed Wednesday, January 27, 2016 Ad/Want Ad/Celebrations Deadline: Monday, January 11, 2016 Letters to the Editor/ Editorial Submissions Due: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Mail or Deliver Announcements and Letters to: Dick Leonard, Editor northoaksnews@presspubs.com

Please email northoaksnews@presspubs.com if you would like to receive a monthly email reminder of these deadlines.

If you or someone you know would like to receive the paper and live in North Oaks please call 651-407-1200 8 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday

North Oaks News Letter to the Editor Guidelines Letters to the editor are limited to 350 words. Statements that cannot be confirmed by the newspaper may be removed, or the writer may be asked to submit proof of their accuracy. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and grammar. Up to two signatures may accompany each letter to the editor, and each must include the telephone number and address of the writer. All letters will be verified.

The North Oaks News will not publish letters to the editor that have been copied from another source and/or mailed out in bulk.

It is the intent of North Oaks News staff to publish only letters originating from writers living in North Oaks. An identification line may be added to some letters to help readers identify the writer by title or occupation.The North Oaks News reserves the right not to publish any letter.

North Oaks News ~January 2016 ~ Page 5

A well-planned retirement

By Katy Ross Bill Campbell has announced his retirement from the North Oaks Planning Commission.

Bill has served on the Planning Commission for a long time – ever since January 25, 2001, to be exact! That’s a total of 15 years. He became chair of the commission in December 2003.

During his tenure, 141 Planning Commission meetings have been held. He has served with 18 commissioners, 13 council members, three mayors, three city planners, three city engineers, three city administrators, two septic inspectors and one building inspector.

His longstanding commitment to the North Oaks community is extraordinary. Few people can make that claim.

Bill plans on spending some of his time in a warmer climate during the winter months. He will also spend more time at his lake cabin. He enjoys fishing, biking, playing golf and woodworking.

The North Oaks community has benefited greatly from Bill’s years of service. He has been a great example for other planning commissioners. He was always diligent and thorough when considering the issues that came before the commission. North Oaks is a better

Bill Campbell place because of him! The city thanks him for his service and commitment to the community.

This winter, why not try a low-salt diet?

— Submitted

Children’s author wins national award, publishes new book

Cheryl Blackford in a world clouded by prejudice and fear.

Both books are available from independent bookstores, such as Lake Country Booksellers in White Bear Lake, and online sites such as amazon.com.

Blackford will sign copies of “Lizzie and The Lost Baby” at the Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m.

There will be a tea-themed giveaway and refreshments will be served. For more information about the author, visit www.cherylblackford. com.

similar to rock salt and is one of the less toxic options for fish and plant life; (2) calcium chloride, which is less toxic and works at much lower temperatures (down to -20 degrees F); and (3) magnesium chloride, which has similar qualities as calcium chloride but works down to about -10 degrees F. An advantage of calcium chloride is that it attracts water and creates heat; it will actively dissolve ice rather than sit on top of the ice.

There are also a few options for non-chloride-based deicers.

Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) is a more environmentally friendly deicer made from limestone and acetic acid.

While safe roads are of utmost importance, recent research indicates that we can achieve safety while being more efficient and careful with our road salt. By combining efforts to improve efficiency in road salt use with alternative chemicals in targeted areas, we can make a difference and improve conditions for future generations and ourselves.

This winter, think about how you can reduce the impact of salt in your yard and neighborhood.

More information is available at the MPCA’s website: http://www. pca.state.mn.us/.

— Submitted by the Natural Resources Commission

ways to reduce salt usage and still maintain high safety standards: • Shovel or plow before driving on the snow. Once compacted, the snow is much harder to remove.

• Try using less salt. Although sodium chloride is the cheapest deicing material, using more salt does not mean more melting. Mix it with sand for better traction, and because salt stops working around 15 degrees F, use only sand when it is colder. Sweep up any spilled salt. Keep in mind that salt is damaging to concrete and plants, and unhealthy for pets.

• Other deicers include: (1) potassium chloride, which works

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and better for the environment.

NOHOA has also implemented an anti-icing program that applies a brine solution prior to a storm (with temperatures at or above 17° F), further reducing labor costs and the amount of salt used.

Many residents use salt on their driveways and walkways in the winter. However, there are

Less is more when it comes to applying road salt because at high concentrations, chloride can harm the fish and plant life in our waters. When snow and ice melt the salt goes with it, washing into our lakes, streams, wetlands and groundwater. Once in the water, there is no way to remove the chloride.

m

North Oaks resident Cheryl Blackford has won the Moonbeam Award for her book “Hungry Coyote.” Inspired by a coyote crossing frozen Pleasant Lake one January morning, “Hungry Coyote” is a lyrical exploration of a year in the life of a city coyote. The book won in the picture book category for ages 4-8.

Blackford’s debut novel for ages 8-12 will be published Jan. 12 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Set in a remote Yorkshire valley in World War II England the story explores the nature of intolerance and compassion. “Is it ever right to keep something that doesn’t belong to you?” is the question that haunts 10-year-old evacuee Lizzie after she finds an abandoned baby in a field on her first day in her new home. Two worlds intermingle when Lizzie befriends Elijah, a local gypsy boy who witnesses society’s discrimination against his people, and makes an astonishing discovery about the baby. Lizzie must find the courage to do what is right

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recommends a “low-salt diet” for the health of Minnesota waters.

When ice builds up on Minnesota roads, a common reaction is to apply salt, which contains chloride, a water pollutant. Unfortunately, when snow and ice melt the salt goes with it, washing into our lakes, streams, wetlands and groundwater. It takes only one teaspoon of road salt to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water. Once in the water, there is no way to remove the chloride.

At high concentrations, chloride can harm fish and plant life. Salt can damage metal and concrete, kill roadside vegetation, and even end up in our drinking water.

According an MPCA study, 30 percent of Twin Cities wells were found have too much chloride. Less is more when it comes to applying road salt.

According to NOHOA Director of Roads Bill McNee, annual sand and salt usage on North Oaks roads varies with snowfall amounts. Each year, NOHOA uses between 750 and 1,500 tons of sand for its 55 miles of roads. Salt is mixed with the sand at an 8 percent ratio. For 750 tons of sand, 60 tons of salt would be used. Deicer products, which are a mixture of salt and other ingredients, are also used, with the benefit of being more effective than plain salt

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Page 6 ~ North Oaks News ~January 2016

Tick Task Force update

By Brooke Moore At the July North Oaks City Council meeting, concerned residents briefed the council on the growing concern over Lyme disease in North Oaks.

This prompted the council

to establish a formal committee, the Tick Task Force, to advise the council on needed action to address the issue. Since then the Tick Task Force has been busy! We have reviewed the current literature regarding Lyme disease.

Multiple studies show that when deer populations are maintained at fewer than 10 per square mile, it dramatically decreases the rate of tick-borne illness. Most recent estimates suggest that North Oaks has a minimum

of 25 deer per square mile and 31 deer per square land mile.

These one-time aerial measurements likely underestimate the true number of deer in North Oaks.

At the Oct. 8 City Council meeting, it came to light that North Oaks has had approval from the Department of Natural Resources for several years to decrease the deer density to what would be considered safe. Despite this, efforts have fallen behind in meeting yearly quotas to manage the deer population while numerous citizens have reported being afflicted with deer tick bites and development of tick-borne illnesses (Lyme disease, ana-

plasmosis and babesiosis).

As a community, we’ve neglected addressing this growing problem. The time has come for us to protect our residents, especially our children, from the long-term risks of tick-borne illnesses.

At both the Nov. 12 and Nov. 30 City Council meetings the Tick Task Force recommendations to the City Council were reviewed. The council budgeted $58,000 for the removal of up to 200 deer. The city will submit a permit request to the DNR for this purpose. Removal of 200 deer does not eliminate all of the deer in North

See Tick– Page 11

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North Oaks News ~January 2016 ~ Page 7

Annual Sheriff’s report: Drug abuse a growing problem

By Ramsey County Sheriff Matt Bostrom The Sheriff ’s Office will continue to serve as the police department for North Oaks, as the City Council has voted to renew the contract for law enforcement services. The Sheriff ’s Office Public Safety Services Division provides services to seven communities in northern Ramsey County: Arden Hills, Gem Lake, Little Canada, North Oaks, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township. The Sheriff ’s Office has partnered with many of these cities for over 50 years, and the men and women of department are proud to be able to serve in a supportive community.

This October the Sheriff ’s Office had the privilege of bringing together area law enforcement, the county attorney, community partners and prevention professionals from Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge’s Know the Truth at two community forums to address current local drug trends, root causes of addiction, and means of intervention. One of the forums was held at Mounds View High School.

Participants at the forums found that drug abuse is a real and growing problem that caus-

es harm to the well-being of our entire community. When polling area high school students, Know the Truth surveys revealed that 29 percent have used illegal drugs. These surveys reveal that far too many of our youth have been exposed to drugs, convinced through peer pressure to try them, and gotten hooked, starting a downward spiral for themselves, their families and our community. The human suffering reaches beyond the individual user to the pain of families dealing with addiction and crimes committed to support addiction.

There is no simple solution to the drug abuse problem. We must find ways to work together to address and solve this problem. The combined efforts of law enforcement, the courts, health providers, schools, faith communities, families, prevention programs and more will be needed. These forums provided the opportunity to begin the difficult conversations necessary to break the bonds of addiction and reduce substance abuse in our community. The task ahead to curb the violent trend of addiction will require a united effort to raise awareness to prevent addiction before it starts and address it where it already is.

A full video replay of the fo-

rum at Mounds View High School is available at https://vimeo. com/147376454 Ramsey County, like many communities in the U.S., has seen a dramatic increase in heroin and opiate addiction and abuse in recent years. In almost all cases of heroin abuse the addiction can be traced back to opiate painkillers found in the home medicine cabinet. Painkillers are frequently prescribed, and when they are no longer needed the bottle with the remaining pills is often pushed to the back of the medicine cabinet and forgotten. Those pills are then stolen by someone to feed their addiction. America has 4 to 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it consumes 60 percent of the world’s prescription drugs. Unused and expired prescription medicine is commonplace.

To help address this problem

the Sheriff ’s Office, in partnership with Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health, offers a free year-round medicine collection program. Residents can safely dispose of unwanted medicines at drop boxes at the Sheriff ’s Patrol Station, 1411 Paul Kirkwold Drive, Highway 96 and Hamline, in Arden Hills, and at the Law Enforcement Center, 425 Grove Street, near downtown Saint Paul. The drop boxes are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

All medicines from households are accepted. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, supplements and pet medicines. Items must be placed in a clear sealed bag. Sharps, including needles, syringes, lancets or used epinephrine pens, are not accepted. Sharps can be disposed of free of charge at Ramsey Coun-

ty’s year-round hazardous waste collection site at 5 Empire Drive, Saint Paul.

This program has been very well received. People have disposed of more than 5,000 pounds of unwanted medicines this year through the Sheriff ’s Office. Avoiding the risk of drug abuse or poisoning, and keeping the medicines from being flushed down the drain or disposed of in the trash stream where they can harm the environment. The unwanted medicines collected are incinerated and turned into electricity in west-central Minnesota.

Deputies in the Patrol Unit have been participating in a community outreach effort called “Coffee with a Cop.” The initial event was held in August at the Village Center Caribou Coffee. The event is

See Sheriff’s Report – Page 13

Thanks to 165 awesome individual donors and foundation support, Lakeshore’s Light the Stage!

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Raised: $3.4 Million

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Page 10 ~ North Oaks News ~January 2016

Building – From page 1 were from reserves originally allocated by the Board that included $582,298 from capital improvements and $19,161 from the Boundary Agreements with the new developments in Charley Lake Preserve and Red Pine Farm.

In partnership with the North Oaks Community Foundation (NOCF), a total of $136,259 was raised to fund the garage, playground, picnic shelter, picnic tables, benches, water fountain, a large stone grill, a fire pit, ash receptacle and trash/recycling containers. Funds were donated by approximately 57 donors. All donations were tax-deductible. Donors who contributed $3,000 or more were recognized on a plaque inside the building.

The expenses for those items totaled $136,254. Items funded by donations: • Garage $36,611 • Picnic shelter with stone $43,698 • Playground $19,748 • 8 picnic tables and 10 benches $9,319 • Stone grill $9,841 • Fire pit $5,000 • Water fountain $1,045 • Plaques $5,800 • Ash receptacle $485 • Trash/recycling containers $4,459 • Misc./ fees $248 Background The NOHOA Board previously approved the use of $550,000 of reserves for the new building at West Rec. Initially, the building was to include the community space, storage,

bathrooms and a garage to meet all needs in the space under one roof. Funds of $36,611 were then raised through NOCF to proceed to build two separate buildings: a garage and a community building. This effort allowed all NOHOA funds to be channeled into the community building improvements.

Funds from reserves were also allocated from the recent Boundary Agreements ($19,161) and scheduled interior renovation of West Rec ($5,192).

The North Oaks Garden Club contributed funds toward landscaping efforts (plants and irrigation) while local Eagle Scout candidates Dillon and Wyatt Bieber provided design and installation in collaboration with NOGC and Vicki Ebert of Arden Hills Nursery.

The Scouts coordinated 33 volunteers and racked up 110 volunteer hours in one day.

In fall 2014, when finalizing the project budget and breaking ground, it was apparent that there was the potential for increased cost for the project. The Board made the decision to make available the $28,664 potentially needed and not eliminate the stone on the building.

At the recent NOHOA Board meeting, it was reported the overall proposed budget came in under projections, bringing the total building project cost to $601,459, using only $27,106 of the additional funds requested. Costs were increased by several factors: process and cost in city requirements, winter conditions, water mit-

— Submitted Photo

The Sept. 9 event included a ribbon-cutting for the new building. Looking on are members of the NOHOA Board of Directors (past and present), North Oaks Foundation Board and the most important people, the youth who will be using the building! igation for septic system and footing installations, and energy efficient improvements.

Rentals Community rentals of the new building picked up in the spring and continue as Members realize West Rec is available for rent and a great place to hold any event.

Thus far, events that have been held are: the Community Fair, 16 yoga classes, five graduation parties, two birthday parties (one which celebrated 93 years!), one private party and one hockey event. The building has been used once by

the Social Club, NOHOA, Park & Recreation Committee and NOCF, and twice by the North Oaks Garden Club. Even before the building was officially open, Mounds View Youth Hockey Association gathered outside the building and hosted a jamboree and provided free hot dogs. In addition, the Varsity Mustang Hockey team hosted Skate with the Mustangs on Hockey Day Minnesota. The local Girl Scout Troop gathered in the shelter by the playground for its recent monthly meeting. These uses highlight the numerous opportunities to use the new build-

ing and amenities in the entire West Rec area.

— Editor’s Note: The writer estimates there was an estimated cost savings of $25,000 through her management of various elements of the project in lieu of having a general contractor perform this management work. Those portions of the project included the well, septic, water treatment, landscaping/screening, security, demolition-electric relocation, picnic shelter and playground.

Overall, Peltier said she donated 3,000 volunteer hours over the last five years.

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Page 12 ~ North Oaks News ~January 2016

North Oaks Preschool Tree Frog Class

Road safety Road safety is a serious concern in North Oaks. In the past, we developed two programs to make the roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. One is the Wave Program, where drivers slow down and pull over for pedestrians. We also have Operation Clear View, which is now run by the city, to help improve everyone’s vision along roads and at intersections.

As a pedestrian or bicyclist, we need you to make yourself more

— Submitted

North Oaks Preschool would like to thank the community for ordering poinsettias and holiday greens during its annual fundraiser “Poinsettias for Preschool!” We hope you enjoyed the beautiful greens and flowers! The funds raised will go toward new school materials and chairs for the students. We appreciate that you thought of your local preschool when decorating your home or business and gifting flowers or wreaths.

NOTEWORTHY NOHOA NEWS From the Dec. 3 Board of Directors meeting: President Bill McNee announced that an agreement with the city of North Oaks for a one-year lease of the Recycling Center had been reached, allowing for negotiations to continue through 2017 and beyond.

Executive Director Kimberly Murray shared: • All ash trees scheduled for removal in 2015 had been removed in expectation of an infestation by the emerald ash borer.

• Rink monitors are still needed for the 2015-2016 ice season and orientations are being scheduled.

• Bids for reconstruction of the tennis court at the Lake Estates Park are being solicited/ received.

A year-to-date summary of ASC activities was reported — Photo by Katy Ross

Library site on Highway 96 is getting ready.

A regional library for Shoreview

By Katy Ross Three thousand North Oaks residents use the Shoreview library each year. This library is currently the third biggest and third busiest in the Ramsey County library system. In the first quarter of 2017, it will be replaced by a new regional library that will be even better.

• Some of the benefits of a regional library are: • The square footage will more than double.

• A bigger children’s library with pre-literacy interactive installations.

• More teen services, including a teen librarian, more space and teen programs.

• More internet terminals and better technologies.

• A larger community room that will seat 100 people.

• Expanded adult programming including history, technology, arts and literature events.

More study and collaborative group spaces.

Green building using Minnesota B3 Sustainability Building 2030 guidelines.

More efficient workflow resulting in decreasing work time for materials.

Easily accessible, automated book drop.

The total project cost is $15.8 million. The old building will be sold to the Mounds View School District for administrative offices, which will offset the cost of the new building by $3.4 million.

The Friends of the Ramsey County Libraries hopes to raise $200,000 for some additional amenities, including a fireplace, sliding glass room divider, interactive kids’ installation, me-

dia lab and maker technology, interior art/furniture, a flag pole and expanded collections.

Three committees have been organized: communications, outreach and events. Two North Oaks residents are on the events committee, Deanna Reisdorfer and Karen Porter. More volunteers are needed for these committees, including North Oaks residents. To help, please call Sue Gehrz with the Friends of the Ramsey County Libraries at 651-486-2213 or email her at sgehrz@rclreads.org.

People who wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to the capital campaign may send a check to the North Oaks Community Foundation at 100 Village Center Drive, Suite 240, North Oaks, MN 55127.

visible to drivers. With the shorter days in winter, it stays dark later in the morning and gets dark earlier in the afternoon. If you walk or bicycle on the roads in the dark, please dress in light colors, wear a reflective vest or some other reflective clothing, and carry or wear a light. If motorists can’t see you, they won’t slow down or pull over. Please help us keep you safe.

— Bill McNee, NOHOA Director

Director for Governance Diane Gorder presented the final draft of the new Directors Introductory Guide for approval by the Board.

Director for Trails Steve Kluz displayed three mock-up trail signs for the Board to review and discussed a trail use policy that is being discussed. He invited the other Directors to share their suggestions for both the signage style and the policy wording.

Director Katherine Emmons reviewed the draft strategic planning document that is being developed. She asked for Director input between now and the end of the year, allowing for revisions to take place in January in preparation for approval in February.

Director for Roads Bill McNee provided an update on the 2015 road repairs with the quality of the paving work completed in the Summits still being reviewed.

An overview of the current cell tower leases was presented

by Bill McNee. The new editor of the North Oaks News, Dick Leonard, was introduced.

Looking ahead, it was announced that the 2016 officers and Director responsibilities would be announced at the Jan. 7 Board of Directors meeting.

Election results Congratulations to Bill McNee (3 yr. term); Scott Coyle (3 yr. term); Mike Graf (3 yr. term) and Tom Krayer (2 yr. term) as members of the Board of Directors.

Dues payments Bills for the 2016 NOHOA dues payments are in the mail!

Members are asked to kindly remit their payments on or before Jan. 31. Payments may be made by check or through the online ACH or credit card processes. There is a fee associated with the online payments. Paying online can help members avoid late fees or break out their payments over time. Members with questions should contact the NOHOA office at 651-792-7765.

Skating rinks If the weather cooperates, the skating rinks might be open the last week of December. Please feel free to stop by or call the office to check on the status. Once open, skating hours are: Monday-Thursday, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, 4-10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Rinks may be reserved for hockey practices and the warming house is available for parties and get-togethers.

Please contact the NOHOA office for more information.

Attention, walkers and joggers With snowbanks on the sides of the road, walkers and joggers are encouraged to use extra caution to avoid cars when out on the roads. Also, bright clothing and/or reflective vests are recommended. NOHOA currently has safety vests available for purchase, and is exploring the availability of white reflective vests, bearing the new logo, to sell later this year.

North Oaks News ~January 2016 ~ Page 13

BUSINESS BRIEF North Oaks attorney joins wealth service firm Accredited Investors Inc. is pleased to welcome Janelle Schrupp to the firm’s wealth management team.

Schrupp has extensive experience advising clients on estate planning, elder care and estate administration.

Prior to joining Accredited Investors Inc., Schrupp was an estate planning attorney at Schrupp Law, PLLC and Morrison Sund PLLC. “We are extremely excited to welcome Janelle into our growing firm,” said Becky

Krieger, senior director for Wealth Management Teams.

“Janelle’s extensive experience in assisting individuals and families navigate major life transitions will further strengthen our family wealth service offerings.”

Schrupp completed a B.A. in economics from St. Olaf College and a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. She is originally from Little Falls and currently resides in North Oaks with her family.

Sheriff’s Report – From page 7 an opportunity for people to join neighbors and deputies for coffee and conversation. There is no agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the deputies in the neighborhood. The second event was held in October at the Caribou on Rice Street near I-694, in Little Canada and near the Shoreview and Vadnais Heights

borders. Our third event in December was at the Starbucks on Lexington and I-694 in Arden Hills on the border with Shoreview.

Those Sheriff ’s Office staff members who have attended include the deputies that patrol the area around the meeting place, investigators, crime prevention, traffic, sergeants, commanders and the undersheriff. The re-

sponse from people who have participated has been very positive. The next “Coffee with a Cop” will be in early February; look for more information when location and time details are confirmed.

More information on Sheriff ’s Office services and events can be found at www.RamseyCountySheriff.us

End-of-year banquet

2016 NOHOA budget passes Sincere thanks go to everyone in the community who participated in the 2016 budgeting process.

The NOHOA Board of Directors is very pleased to report that our membership supports our financial road map by a substantial ratio. Out of the 3,351 eligible votes, only 9 percent did not agree with the proposed budget. Overall, the results re-

flect a membership that is largely satisfied with the work we are doing to develop a cohesive Strategic Plan and to continue making necessary improvements to our basic infrastructure.

On behalf of the NOHOA Board, we look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead.

— Submitted by Myra Coleman, treasurer

— Submitted

The Mounds View Girls Swim & Dive team celebrated its 2015 season with a banquet at the North Oaks Golf Club on Sunday, Dec. 6. North Oaks residents on the team include: (Bottom row, from left): Nora Waffensmith, Libby Fleming and Rachel Ganske; (top row, from left): Morgan Kerfeld, McLaren Curphy, Marena Ekblad and Mary Vranyes. Not pictured: Emi Endrizzi.

CITY NOTES City notes are derived from minutes taken during the City Council meeting held Nov. 30. Minutes are officially approved at the January meeting.

Tax levy approved The City Council approved a 4 percent increase in the tax levy.

The City expects a 6.2 percent increase in expenditures with Public Safety accounting for 42 percent of the City’s expenditures. The City receives 59 percent of its budget from property taxes.

The average home in North Oaks pays $712 to the City, of that, $333 goes for police protection and $128 goes for fire protection. City Administrator Mike Robertson reminded homeowners that if they have a question about their property valuation, questions should be directed to the Ramsey County Assessor (651-2662131).

Road clearance discussed City Administrator Robertson stated that a discussion has been ongoing as to how involved the City should be in clearing roads in North Oaks.

The City pays to have the grass mowed along the roads once in

spring and once in fall. Some have expressed that this is not enough.

Robertson explained that there is a surplus in the budget that could go for additional road work. The cost is between $2,000 and $2,500 to mow along the roads each time.

Some areas are wooded right up to the road and if needed to be cleared, would cost additional money. The City does have a clearview ordinance with the purpose of keeping pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists safe. The NOHAP Committee also would like to address the aesthetics of the roadways.

The Mayor stated that safety is the City’s first concern and then property maintenance would follow. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to keep the vegetation 5 feet back from the road. If the City would have to start removing larger vegetation, the cost would be passed on to the homeowner.

It was agreed that more work should be done on the Ordinance as City Attorney David Magnuson stated that it needs to be clearly spelled out, especially when removing trees and shrubs. Magnuson stated he would research the legality and work on a clearer Ordinance.

Who should do road signage & striping?

NOHOA has asked the City to look into passing the respon-

sibility to do road signage and striping to the homeowner’s association. City Attorney Magnuson stated that he would want to look into if the City could delegate its authority of its governing power to a private entity.

The City would need to delegate the standards that would need to be followed. Mayor Egelston stated that he thought this was a privacy issue that caused NOHOA to address this issue.

Council voted to keep the road signage and striping responsibility at the City level.

Deer permit application approved A DNR request to remove a greater number of deer this season was approved. The City has contracted to both trap and shoot up to 200 deer. The goal is to reduce the number of deer to 10 or less per square mile.

Mayor Egelston thanked the Lyme Committee for the work they have been doing. He stated that the City has not harvested the number of deer allowed in the past but that the City intends to remove more deer based on the Committee’s recommendation. He reminded the audience that traps cannot be seen from the road. The Council approved an increase in the 2016 Budget to remove a greater number.

Shooting will take place on

the North Oaks Farm and not on private property.

Community Service Officer position Community Service Officer (CSO) Bob Parrott intends to retire in mid-February. Because of this, City Administrator Robertson has been working on a revised job description. The main concern is that the current CSO position does not allow for the person to write citations. This might be a good time to hire a peace officer rather than a CSO. With the increased speeding in North Oaks and other issues, an officer that could write tickets might be a better way to go. Hiring a full time officer would be expensive with an additional $45,000 cost. A part time officer would be a better solution but may not be feasible for the Ramsey County Sheriff ’s Department.

Council member Rick Kingston was concerned about the number of incidents that are reported with little or no follow up. He would like to see a deputy hired and also have the person report to the Council on a regular basis. Mayor Egelston stated that if the City did hire a full time deputy, it would cost the homeowner approximately $24 a year

more in taxes.

Council member Martin Long agreed to work with the City Administrator to investigate what should be done with this position.

Robertson stated that at the last Sheriff ’s meeting, the lack of follow up was discussed. Council member Long and the City Administrator will come back to the Council with a recommendation.

2016 Water & Sewer Rates approved City Administrator Robertson recommended that a small increase in sewer and water rates be approved for those who are receiving services from North Oaks.

For those being charged for sewer from the City, the recommendation is a small increase to $65.50 per quarter.

For an increase in reserves, he recommended increasing Deer Hills portion from $14.21 to $20 and for those provided by White Bear Township an increase from $17 to $22. He also is recommending an increase from 5 percent to 7.5 percent for administration charges.

Council approved changes in the sewer and water charges.

Page 14 ~ North Oaks News ~January 2016

Reel talk Don’t Miss!

Good

Worth a Look

Forget it

“ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP” (PG) (2.5) [SOME MILD RUDE HUMOR.]

—

An entertaining, family-oriented, well-paced, star-studded (Belle Thorne and voiceovers by Kaley Cuoco, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate), 96-minute comedy in which three rambunctious, mischievous, jealous chipmunks (voiceovers by Matthew Gray Gubler, Justin Long, and Jesse McCartney) leave Los Angeles and follow their high-strung “dad” (Jason Lee) to Miami in an attempt to stop him from proposing to his heart surgeon girlfriend (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) while being bullied by her teenage son (Josh Green) and doggedly pursued by a nerdy, angry air marshal (Tony Hale).

YogaHotDish announces free event for teens Teens are stressed: 6-plus hours of homework, 6-minus hours of sleep, sports, activities, volunteering, ACTs, SATs—please!

Many have given up and accept poor sleep, anxiety, headaches, back pain, acne, frequent colds as normal. They’re caught up in a system and schedule they can’t control, so what can they do?

YogaHotDish founder Shaila Cunningham will present a crash course on stress management, drawing on time-tested tech-

niques from ancient civilizations.

What do the gurus of India have to teach us today? Turns out, they invented the “power nap.”

How can Chinese meridians calm us down? What can Japan teach us about mindful eating? Find out. Stress is nothing new, so hit “rewind” to unwind using proven systems from long ago and far away.

Cost is free with your donation (food, clothes, cash—any amount) to Hope for Youth. Wear clothes

for sitting on the floor. This is an experience, not a lecture, and will be offered from 2-3:15 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10 at North Oaks East Rec Building, 5 Mink Lane. Ages eighth grade through college are accepted, but the activity is targeted to high school students. Parent OK w/ student’s permission.

Register via email at shailayoga@gmail.com by Jan. 6. More information is available at www.yogahotdish.com. Minimum eight, maximum 14 attendees.

“STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS”

(PG-13) (4) [SCI-FI ACTION VIOLENCE.]

— Witty humor, imaginative aliens, nonstop action, and terrific special effects punctuate this fast-paced, riveting, entertaining, star-dotted (Simon Pegg, Lupita Nyong’o, Kenny Baker, Warwick Davis, Max von Sydow and Billie Lourd), 135-minute episode VII of the “Star Wars” franchise in which a brave stormtrooper (John Boyega), a scavenger (Daisy Ridley) and resistance fighters (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Oscar Isaac, Ken Leung, Greg Grunberg, et al.) band together to crush the supreme leader (Andy Serkis) and the First Order and to protect a droid when dark-side followers (Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline, Christie, et al.) desperately try to find a map that may lead to the whereabouts of Jedi warrior Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).

“SISTERS”

(R) (1.5) [CRUDE SEXUAL CONTENT AND LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT, AND DRUG USE.]

— After a divorced Atlanta nurse (Amy Poehler) and her unemployed nail technician sister (Tina Fey), who has an estranged teenage daughter (Madison Davenport), learn that their parents (James Brolin and Dianne Wiest) are selling their childhood home in Miami in this wacky, overthe-top, groan-inducing, 118-minute comedy, the two irresponsible, distraught sisters invite a hunky neighborhood handyman (Ike Barinholtz), a muscle-bound drug dealer (John Cena), and former high school classmates (John Leguizamo, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Bobby Moynihan, et al.) to a nostalgic party which predictably soon gets totally out of control.

“JOY”

(PG-13) (3) [BRIEF STRONG LANGUAGE.]

— Terrific acting dominates this factually inspired, offbeat, down-to-earth, star-dotted (Bradley Cooper, Isabella Rossellini, Elizabeth Röhm, Melissa Rivers and Donna Mills), love-it-or-hate-it, 124-minute comedic drama based on Paolo Sorrentino’s novel “Joy” in which no-nonsense, strong-willed, tenacious airline ticket counter clerk turned inventor Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence), who has her three children, divorced parents (Robert DeNiro and Virginia Madsen), ex-husband (Édgar Ramírez), and grandmother (Diane Ladd) living with her in Long Island, New York, struggles to deal with her dysfunctional family while trying to launch a startup business in her father’s auto shop after designing the Miracle Mop.

WENDY SCHADEWALD The preceding films were reviewed by Wendy Schadewald, who has been a Twin Cities film critic since 1986. To see more of her film reviews, log on to www.shortredheadreelreviews.com.

©1986 through 2015 by Wendy Schadewald

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