News from the City of Lake Elmo
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Monday, March 27: Environmental Committee Meeting 5:30 p.m.
Monday, March 27: Planning Commission Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 28: Public Safety Committee Meeting 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 28: Maintenance Advisory Committee Meeting 4:30 p.m.
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Links to the 2017 City Meetings, Agendas and Meeting Minutes:
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Every development or park in Lake Elmo was once a farmstead. Each new development has a history that predates the clusters of homes we call neighborhoods.
Judith Blackford grew up on one of these farms. What follows is a bit of the history of her family's farm. This is also the heritage of the Tapestry at Charlotte's Grove, after my mother. The farm is nestled along the north and west sides of Sunfish Lake Park.
"Mom and Dad were married in 1935, lived through the suffering of the Great Depression. They began their marriage with 2 cows. Had no food but tomatoes during part of the Depression. All through their life they lived sparingly and frugally because of their Depression-era suffering, fear, and challenges. Very hard times! They lived long lives, dying in their 90's,
"Many eager developers offer them much money for their land, which ironically Mom and Dad never lived upon. Our family lived on a farm on the NW corner of Ideal Avenue and Highway 5 back in the 50's and 60's. My brothers (twins Donald and Dennis and Gary) did farm the Lake Elmo farm with one of my twin brothers raising his family and living on the farmstead. Dad always agreed with the developers that he knew the land was worth much money. However, he liked it just the way it was, open and farmed.
"Our parents stipulated in their will that the land be sold to avoid arguments or hard choices for their children. Loving the land, we eventually chose Mark Youngdahl and Darren Sean, to build steep-roofed farmhouses, with beautiful designs front and back, with porches. Half the land was left untouched in prairie and placed into the Minnesota Land Trust.
"My parents died before hiring a developer or erecting any buildings. We hope our parents would have approved."
(Photo of Judith (Moris) Blackford, age 8, taken in June, 1961, n the yard of the farmstead that was owned along with farmland by Judith's parents Joseph and Charlotte Moris. The fawn, an orphan named Moccasin, was raised by the Moris family. Judith's dad had a tender heart and loved nature and the land. Once when a momma bunny was killed by cutting hay, he brought the newborn bunnies home. We fed these little babes (who didn't even have their eyelids open) milk from an eye dropper, then eventually clover. Both the fawn and bunnies were successfully released back to the wild.)
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Coming Soon: Road Construction Season!
With the mild winter that we had this year, work is scheduled to start soon on the Downtown Lake Elmo Street and Utility Improvement Project.
The following work will occur in 2017:
- Storm sewer, water, and sanitary sewer installation between 32nd Street and the railroad tracks.
- Road reconstruction between 32nd Street and the railroad tracks.
- Completion of sidewalks and landscaping on 30th Street and all areas in the downtown and south of the railroad tracks on County Highway 17 (Lake Elmo Avenue).
- The final layer of pavement on all roads that were reconstructed in 2016.
- Any clean-up work, signing, striping, and other miscellaneous work to finalize the project.
Washington County will begin sending out weekly construction updates; as they have over the 2015 and 2016 construction seasons and we will continue to share that information every week in the Fresh. The current update from Washington County can be viewed here:
3/24 update.
As in the past, copies of the Washington County updates will be available to pick up at the Lake Elmo Post Office and The Lake Elmo Inn.
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Next week at the Lake Elmo Library
For more information please click here
EVENTS
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Prescription Drug "Take Back" Events set for April 29, 2017
Drive by and drop off! Bring your old and unused medication to Prescription Drug "Take Back" Events in Mahtomedi
or
Stillwater on April 29th. Medications accepted include prescription, over-the-counter and pet medication. You don't even have to get out of the car. Free and anonymous.
MAHTOMEDI: 9 TO NOON
Mahtomedi School District Education Center
1520 Mahtomedi Avenue, Mahtomedi, MN 55115
STILLWATER: 8 TO NOON
Washington County Government Center
Parking Lot A, 14949 62nd St N, Stillwater, MN 55082
Can't make it to this event? Drop boxes are also available year-round in Forest Lake, Stillwater and Cottage Grove. More info online
or call the Sheriff's Office: 651-430-7800
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Pothole Season Has Arrived!
Crews from Public Works have begun the long, daunting task of pothole patching. Lake Elmo Public Works is responsible to maintain over 100 miles of city streets. It takes a great deal of time to cover this amount of area so we ask for your patience during this process. If you notice large potholes in the lane of travel please contact Public Works at 651-747-3900. Large holes and areas in the greatest distress will be the focus of priority before shifting to other areas of the city.
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Open Book Meetings
I
mportant Information Regarding Property Assessments
This may affect your 2018 property taxes
Notice is hereby given that the Open Book Meetings for the City of Lake Elmo shall meet on the following dates and locations:
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Cottage Grove City Hall
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Thursday, April 6th, 2017
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5:00pm - 7:00pm
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Oakdale City Hall
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Wednesday, April 12th, 2017
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5:00pm - 7:00pm
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Woodbury City Hall
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Thursday, April 20th, 2017
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5:00pm - 7:00pm
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Washington County Government Center
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Wednesday, April 26th, 2017
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2:00pm - 7:00pm
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Property owners may attend any one of the four regional Open Book meetings.
The purpose of these meetings is to determine whether property in the jurisdiction has been properly valued and classified by the assessor.
If you believe the value or classification of your property is incorrect, please contact your assessor's office to discuss your concerns. If you are still not satisfied with the valuation or classification after discussing it with your assessor, you may appear before the local board of appeal and equalization. The board will review your assessments and may make corrections as needed.
A copy of the 2017 Washington County Assessment Report may be accessed here:
REPORT
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