Lions Park Warming House is closed until further notice due to warm weather.

14th Annual WinterFest set for January 28th at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

Cross-country ski lessons, fat bike demonstrations, wax demonstrations, snowshoeing, winter birding, and a food truck will all be part the 14th annual WinterFest 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Additional information and sign up link is available at: https://www.co.washington.mn.us/1885/WinterFest

Five Fire Phones

At the time the siren was first activated in the Old Village, because there was poor communication to call firefighters, there were five telephones in the village that were installed with an alarm button on them to set off the siren. The phones all rang at the same time and were strategically placed at the fire chief's house, Hagberg's Grocery, the Elmo Inn, Lake Elmo Oil, and the fire hall. The first person to get the call would press the button to start the siren, and firefighters would come running.

Fran Pott said, "Before the siren, there was first a phone call system cascading down, where one person calls one and they call two others, and so on. This was not an efficient way to notify firefighters of a fire, and the siren was much better. The siren alerted firefighters that there was a fire call in process. The siren [system] remained in effect even when the firefighters were eventually alerted by radio monitors, because it was so ingrained in them to listen for the siren. Now they all carry pagers so no matter where they are they know they have a call.

"It took a long time to wean the firefighters off the siren. Lake Elmo did that and there was an interlude when there was no siren. Then the townspeople complained and said, 'Hey, our lives revolve around that siren and we want to hear it - at least at noon - that's when we go to lunch !"'

Until recently, even though the siren is no longer sounded for fire calls, its shrill tone was still heard twice a day.

Source: Memories of Lake Elmo, collected and authored by Gloria VaDemmeltraadt

Next week at the Lake Elmo Library

For more information please click here EVENTS

DNR Forestry Stewardship Cost Share Program

Do you own woodlands in rural Minnesota? Are you looking to practice good forest stewardship on your land? If so, there is money available to share the costs of your woodland projects.

The DNR's Private Forestry Management (PFM) cost share program provides money for non-industrial private landowners to practice good forest stewardship on their land. A forester works with the landowner and develops a specific project plan to accomplish their goal. The landowner does the work themselves or hires it out to a contractor. After the work is completed and approved by the forester, the landowner receives a payment that should equate to roughly 50% of the cost to install the project.

Some project examples include tree planting, bud capping, crop tree release, tree tube installation, invasive species removal, oak wilt control, wildlife habitat improvement, and forest road rehab. This year we will also be offering a payment to any landowner who gets a new, or updated, Woodland Stewardship Plan prepared for their property.

Taking care of your woodlands benefits all Minnesotan's by:

Enhancing recreational opportunities such as bird watching, hunting, and fishing.
Improving and protecting water quality.
Enhancing wildlife habitat.
Supporting a healthy forest products economy.
Providing clean air.

More information: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/foreststewardship/index.html

Interested in Serving on a Committee?

The City of Lake Elmo is accepting applications from residents interested in serving on a City committee. Current committees are:

Environmental Committee
Finance Committee
Human Resources Committee
Maintenance Advisory Committee
Public Safety Committee

Information on each committee and an application form can be found under the "Government" tab on the City's website: www.lakeelmo.org