Who cares about local elections?

Star Tribune Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:16:58 GMT
Counties must decide how (and if) to divvy up new transit tax

The metro counties will begin talks on how to spend proceeds from a quarter-cent sales tax -- but some may not levy the voluntary tax, part of the transportation bill. At a historic meeting in St. Paul on Wednesday morning, metro-area counties will open discussions on how they will wield a new quarter-cent sales tax to create an area-wide transit system for the Twin Cities. A state transportation bill passed last week by legislators over the veto of Gov. Tim Pawlenty allows the seven metro counties to levy a quarter-cent sales tax for transit. If all of the counties impose the tax, it would raise $100 million a year for new rail lines and busways across the metro area. Many questions now wait to be addressed about how the new tax will work -- chief among them, whether all seven metro counties will levy the optional sales tax. And if all the counties do opt in, how will they decide where to spend the $100 million a year?

[[keywords: LandUse;PublicWorks;Officials;Elections;PropertyTax;Ramsey;Metro;]]

You can get there from here, but it isn't easy

Star Tribune Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:09:46 GMT
Our No. 1 metro worry? Transportation

The Met Council survey listed transportation and crime as the top concerns of metro residents. In his State of the Region address, the council's Peter Bell said the LRT Central Corridor is his top priority. In a year that saw the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River, conspicuous construction that has snarled sections of metro roads and constant debate over funding, it may not come as a surprise that transportation emerged as the top concern of metro-area residents. Released Monday at the Metropolitan Council's State of the Region event at the Minneapolis Central Library, a recent survey it commissioned found that 37 percent of Twin Cities metro-area residents identified "traffic congestion, road conditions, limited transit options and other transportation challenges" as the region's top problem.

[[keywords: LandUse;PublicWorks;Metro;]]

Scotchguard chemical stains area lakes

Star Tribune Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:43:27 GMT
3M chemical found in nine more metro lakes

Stormwater runoff could be behind the elevated levels of PFOS; 11 other lakes studied showed little or no trace of it. A chemical formerly manufactured by 3M has been found at elevated levels in nine more metro area lakes, according to a study released Tuesday, and is likely entering the waters through stormwater runoff. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) collected 381 fish from 20 lakes and two river reaches last spring and summer. They were analyzed them for PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and related compounds. 3M manufactured the chemical for decades for use in Scotchgard, firefighting foams and other products before ceasing production in 2002. The metro lakes study began after the surprise discovery last spring of relatively high levels of PFOS in bluegills from Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Scientists couldn't explain the source of the contamination, because the lake is not near any known areas where 3M manufactured or disposed of the chemical. ...The lakes with elevated levels of PFOS in fish are: Lake Johanna (Arden Hills), Cedar (Minneapolis), Harriet, Hiawatha, Jane, Keller, Powers, Red Rock and Tanners. Waters with little or no trace of PFOS are Cedar (Scott County), Centerville, Colby, Green Mountain, Hydes, Independence, Nokomis, Peltier, Upper Prior, Sarah and Silver.

[[keywords: LandUse;Ramsey;Metro;]]

Imagine the campaign in Lake Elmo if this were to happen

Star Tribune Sun, 09 Mar 2008 02:52:23 GMT
Clamor builds for Met Council change

Cities are pushing the Legislature to make Metropolitan Council members less tied to the governor and more responsive to residents. ... The issue has made the formally adopted list of "legislative priorities" in several cities. And Metro Cities, which lobbies for its 86 member cities in the seven-county metro area, supports a third-party study of the Met Council as a whole -- with one focus being how the council is structured. "At a minimum, the council should go to staggered, fixed terms," said Louis Jambois, director of Metro Cities. A pair of House and Senate bills would create staggered four-year terms. They would remove language from existing law that has Met Council members' terms ending "with the term of the governor" and members serving "at the pleasure of the governor." "A long-term planning organization like the Met Council shouldn't turn every four years on political philosophy," Jambois said. Met Council Chairman Peter Bell said it is likely such a bill will pass this year. Less likely -- and more controversial -- is the idea that the council be elected.

[[keywords: Elections;PropertyTax;Metro;]]

Damn the torpedoes, paddle ahead!

Pioneer Press Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:39:50 -0700
North Metro / Agencies bridging Rice Creek gap

It's a water trail in an urban jungle. Enthusiasts have been quietly paddling parts of Rice Creek in the north metro for years - but not the entire 18 miles from Peltier Lake near Centerville westward to the Mississippi River in Fridley. Land at the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills, about midway through the creek's course, was off limits to the public. Now that problem is about to disappear. Ramsey County took possession of a section of ammunition plant land in late 2006 and will remove water gates on the creek sometime before summer, said Greg Mack, Ramsey County parks and recreation director. Other obstacles stand in the way of having a widely used, safe recreational water trail for new and experienced paddlers, but Mack and other local parks officials are excited about the possibility of ultimately promoting Rice Creek as one of only two recreational water trails in the sevencounty metro area. "I'm really optimistic," Mack said. "We want to open up the entire (Rice) creek corridor for recreation and kayaking." Other groups trying to make that happen are Anoka County Parks and Recreation, the Rice Creek Watershed District and the National Parks Service. This fall, those agencies teamed up with a University of Minnesota environmental sciences class, which studied vegetation, risk assessment, access points, environmental education and recreational planning along the creek.

[[keywords: LandUse;Ramsey;Metro;]]

Dawning

Star Tribune Sat, 10 May 2008 04:14:21 GMT
Riders, gas prices surge, so might bus and light-rail fares

Twin Cities residents are flocking to buses and trains, but the increased revenue from riders can't make up for the higher operating prices. Thousands of Twin Cities residents have escaped soaring gas prices by crowding onto buses and trains. But the cost of riding may soon catch up with them. The Metropolitan Council's transportation committee will be asked Monday to set up a series of public hearings into possible fare increases for the region's buses and light rail, in response to the surging costs of fuel. How much they might go up could become clear in June, according to spokeswoman Bonnie Kollodge. The regional agency sets fares for Metro Transit and several suburban transit operations. The rising fuel prices are partly responsible for a surge in riders. Metro Transit ridership for January through March was up 7.2 percent over the same period last year, and 16.4 percent more people rode the Hiawatha light rail line than in the first quarter of last year. The 19.2 million Metro Transit riders were the most since 1984.

[[keywords: PublicWorks;Living;Metro;]]

Some closure on the PFBA story

Star Tribune Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:46:08 GMT
Suspect water in east metro safe to drink, agency says

People in six east metro suburbs can start putting away the bottled water and the carbon filters. A 3M industrial chemical in their drinking water is so diluted that it poses little risk, the Minnesota Department of Health announced. People in six east metro suburbs can start putting away the bottled water and the carbon filters. An industrial chemical in their drinking water is so diluted that it poses little risk, the Minnesota Department of Health announced Thursday. The discovery of a former 3M chemical in underground drinking water supplies early last year came as a shock to residents in Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Newport, Hastings, South St. Paul and St. Paul Park. The levels of the chemical, called PFBA, were above a temporary guideline set by the Health Department, which cautioned that little was known about the long-term health risks of the chemical.

[[keywords: LandUse;Living;Metro;]]

Gowing pains

Star Tribune Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:59:58 GMT
Proposed psych facility draws fire from other hospitals

East metro hospitals oppose the plan for a new psychiatric hospital in Woodbury, saying Minnesota doesn't even have enough psychiatrists to staff existing beds. A Catholic health care organization's desire to build an 144-bed psychiatric hospital in Woodbury is drawing opposition from other east-metro hospitals, including the company that owns Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury. Allowing Prairie St. John's to open such a hospital would hurt mental health care in Minnesota for the elderly, disabled and poor, and invite competition for a small number of available psychiatrists and chemical dependency counselors, the chief executive officer of St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul said in a letter to state health officials.

[[keywords: PublicSafety;Living;Metro;]]

Who is my neighbor?

Star Tribune Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:42:24 GMT
Lakeville on new tax: Show us the buses

The city is being pressed on several fronts to assess a transit tax but wants to make sure the benefits to residents are sustained. "We're looking at a chicken-and-egg thing." That's how Rep. Shelley Madore, DFL-Apple Valley, describes the fight heating up between Lakeville and its neighbors over whether Lakeville residents should pay a tax that homeowners in most metro-area cities already pay. Madore and many other south-metro leaders think it's only fair that Lakeville join the transit taxing district, but Lakeville officials have so far refused. So which come first: buses, or the taxes that help pay for them? The debate, which has been bubbling for years, has new urgency this spring: The Metropolitan Council has said it won't build two new bus stations in Lakeville unless residents start paying the tax, and Madore introduced a measure in the Legislature that would force Lakeville and neighboring Farmington to join the taxing district.

[[keywords: LandUse;PublicWorks;PropertyTax;Metro;]]

'Buy one, get one free' might work

Star Tribune Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:15:09 GMT
Metro new-home inventory down, but supply still bloated

Home builders have been focusing on selling rather than building, and that's caused a pile-up of unsold lots in much of the area. The supply of vacant, unsold new homes on the market dipped slightly last year, but new construction continues to saturate the market, according to a year-end report issued Monday by Metrostudy, which tracks housing data nationwide. Its Twin Cities office said that new housing inventory stood at 7,493 units at the end of the fourth quarter, down 21 percent from a year ago. The result is a 4.6-month supply of finished-but-vacant new houses in the metro area. The market is considered at equilibrium when there's a two-month supply. In the report, Ryan Jones, the director of Metrostudy's Twin Cities division, said that the existing home market plays a "pivotal role" in the inventory problem. That's because many people have to sell an existing house to buy a new one. As of Monday there were more than 28,000 single-family houses, condominiums and townhouses on the market through the Regional Multiple Listing Service, according to a weekly report issued by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. That's an 11.8 percent increase over last year at this time and a new record.

[[keywords: Housing;Metro;]]

Dakota County looking for reliable source of hot air

Pioneer Press Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:25:34 -0700
Dakota County / Two wind projects are set for takeoff

In Dakota County, two wind turbines are expected to go online this week - a symbolic first step, say county officials, toward generating "green" energy across the metro. ... Dakota County Commissioner Thomas Egan called the turbines "somewhat symbolic." Eight metro-area counties are negotiating to purchase wind energy from small "wind farms," which would be located in 15 rural counties in southwestern Minnesota. To promote such partnerships, the county is supporting legislation to create a statewide Renewable Energy Board.

[[keywords: LandUse;Living;Metro;]]

Good for them

Pioneer Press Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:38:43 -0600
East metro grocery workers vote on contract today

If you've been noticing crowds gathering outside east metro grocery stores today, here's why: They are the union members who serve, stock, scan and bag up our food, and they're voting on a proposed contract.

[[keywords: Living;Metro;]]

School collaboratives

Star Tribune Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:11:40 GMT
East-metro district may change course on integration

North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale might withdraw from the East Metro Integration District to start its own project in 2009. The North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale school board will vote Jan. 22 on a recommendation by district employees to pull out of the East Metro Integration District, a consortium of 10 districts it helped start in 1996, in favor of starting its own multi-district integration collaborative. The district is the second-largest provider of students to the program, sending more than 180 students -- nearly 20 percent of EMID's enrollment -- to its two schools. It also sends about $1 million a year to EMID through state per-pupil funding and integration revenue. Its withdrawal from EMID would be effective July 1, 2009. "The inclusiveness [of different races] is right here in the district," said Tom Howley, district educational equity coordinator. "The goal is to do more here that makes a difference."

[[keywords: Schools;Maplewood;]]

More year end housing news

Star Tribune Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:06:41 GMT
Metro home prices fell for first time in 20 years

The final numbers for 2007 are in: The median sale price declined 2.2%. This year might see another drop -- sobering news for anyone who bought at the peak of the market or has borrowed heavily against the value of their house. Home sale prices dipped in 2007 for the first time in at least 20 years and are expected to remain flat or fall slightly in the coming year, officials from several Twin Cities-area real estate groups said Wednesday. The decline is bad news for anyone trying to sell a house and also is an indication of downward pressure on housing prices across the metro area -- sobering news for anyone who bought at the peak of the market or has borrowed heavily against the value of their house.

[[keywords: Housing;Metro;]]

If you build it we will ride

Star Tribune Sat, 09 Feb 2008 01:57:45 GMT
Transit numbers are highest in 25 years

Metro Transit recorded its highest ridership in a quarter of a century, reporting that it provided more than 77 million rides in 2007. That was up by more than 3.4 million rides over 2006 and the highest total since 1982, the agency said. The totals include Metro Transit buses and Hiawatha Light Rail. "Ridership growth in 2007 is not a one-year phenomenon; it continues a positive trend," said general manager Brian Lamb. Users of express bus service in 2007 increased 4.8 percent over the previous year. Local rides on city routes were up 4.6 percent and the number of rides on the light-rail line went up 1.5 percent, the agency said.

[[keywords: PublicWorks;Living;Metro;]]

Executive talent

Star Tribune Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:45:52 GMT
Blaine's future bright, new city manager says

Diversity is one of its strong points, he says, far outweighing loss of a future Vikings stadium. ... Q: What about this job intrigued you? A: I would classify Blaine as a gateway city. By that, I mean a city that has infrastructure and 15- to 20-minute proximity to the heart of the metro area, but also has available land. There are only a handful of these cities: Maple Grove, Woodbury, Lakeville. I would not have left Bloomington, except for a handful of communities in the metro area. I wasn't looking for a job. There's a city manager's checklist when you're looking at communities. Is it solid financially? Is there a growth corridor? Is there inexpensive and available land? Does it have an excellent community, excellent civic leadership and staff? Good schools? Are there significant events to plan around? Blaine meets all the criteria. How could I not be interested? [emphasis added]

[[keywords: Staff;Metro;]]

Washington County transit tax vote

Star Tribune Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:20:45 GMT
Washington County hoping new transit tax can drive it forward

The board's 3-2 vote has deep implications for the county's transportation future, and maybe for upcoming elections. John McPherson's position on a quarter-cent sales tax in Washington County was typical of many residents who spoke against it at a county board hearing recently. "No more taxes, commissioners. Let's wait for another time and see what we can do," said McPherson, who's served on the West Lakeland Township board for 40 years. But Karen Fitzpatrick of Mahtomedi had a much different view. "We need to see ourselves as part of the metro area," she said. "Our transportation infrastructure here, as you all know, is pathetic." Polar opinions were on display at the April 1 bare-knuckle public hearing, followed by pointed comments by each of the five commissioners. The tax passed on a 3-2 vote. With that decision, Washington County became the fifth metro-area county -- joining Dakota, Ramsey, Anoka and Hennepin -- to join a coalition to raise money for mass transit and decide where it will be spent.

[[keywords: LandUse;PublicWorks;PropertyTax;Metro;]]

Woodbury challenge

Star Tribune Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:57:22 GMT
Woodbury police officers jump into firefighter role

The east-metro suburb now has 10 officers who double as firefighters, keeping their fire gear in the back of their squad cars. ... What started as an experiment in Woodbury to improve response times at big fires has grown into a full-scale effort to break with tradition. Washington County's largest city is Minnesota's only public-safety department where on-duty police officers double as firefighters, changing into fire clothes stowed in the trunks of their squad cars. "Honestly, when I first heard about this plan I thought it was kind of crazy," said Lee Vague, Woodbury's public safety director. "I thought, 'What's next, plow drivers?'" But Woodbury officials -- unconcerned that Burnsville abandoned a similar program years ago -- think the plan makes good economic sense in a city that had only about 60 serious fire calls last year. Police calls, meanwhile, topped 26,000 in the city of about 60,000 residents. Woodbury has nine full-time firefighters and three full-time fire chiefs, but supplements that crew with 68 on-call firefighters -- and now with 10 police officers who qualify as firefighters. Those cops play prominently in a new city policy that requires five trained firefighters to respond to fires in fewer than 9 minutes, 90 percent of the time. ... Of all metro cities, New Brighton appears to have the closest arrangement to what Woodbury is doing. Seven police officers work as New Brighton firefighters, but only when they're off duty. ... St. Martin, who volunteered 16 months ago to become one of Woodbury's first five cops to train as firefighters, offered his evaluation: "Overall, in a word, positive. I'm excited about its potential and where it's going."

[[keywords: PublicSafety;Metro;]]

June 10, 2015: Game called when old bed spring surfaced in center field

Star Tribune Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:45:52 GMT
Minor league stadium proposal a hit with Burnsville

City leaders said they like the idea, but they warned developers to cover all their bases. A $27 million proposal to bring minor league baseball to Burnsville with a historic Twin Cities team and a new stadium met with guarded enthusiasm from city leaders, who will be asked to put taxpayer money behind the idea. On Tuesday night, the City Council got a first look at sketch plans of a 7,300-seat stadium for the Metro Millers on 18 acres of a former dump near the intersection of Interstate 35W and Hwy. 13. The concept would revive a team that folded when the Twins moved to Minneapolis in 1961 and bring the independent Northern League back to the metro area after the St. Paul Saints joined the American Association in 2005.

[[keywords: LandUse;Living;Metro;]]

Ripples

Star Tribune Wed, 07 May 2008 02:45:49 GMT
Distressed properties dragging home values down

A Realtor group's report shows the huge effect of foreclosed homes and other distressed properties on the area's median home price. Foreclosures and other distressed properties are saturating the housing market and pushing down the median sale price of houses throughout the metro area, according to a study released Tuesday by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. During the first quarter of the year, properties identified in the survey as "lender-mediated listings" represented more than a fifth of all houses on the market and more than one in four home sales in the 13-county metro area. When those distressed properties are factored out, the Realtors say, the Twin Cities median price fell 3.9 percent in the past year, instead of an overall 10.4 percent decline.

[[keywords: Housing;Metro;]]