City Beat: Veterans Day Commemoration, Fall Colors, and Protecting the River!

October 26, 2021

Join the Red Wing Community Veterans Day Commemoration on Friday, November 12, as our veterans and service members are honored. The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Red Wing High School's Sonju Gymnasium. The event is organized by Hiawatha Valley Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.

Get the Scoop on the City Budget

The next City Council Budget Workshop is your chance to get the scoop on the proposed 2022 levy and budget and give your feedback immediately after the presentation. The formal Truth in Taxation public meeting will still occur on December 6 before City Council votes on the final budget and levy, but this workshop will provide you with the same opportunity to speak up — just earlier in the budget process. Attend the workshop on October 28 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers or virtually. Can't make it? Email your comments ahead of time to City Council and the Mayor.

Give Your Input - RW's Racial Equity Plan

City Council will soon be discussing the latest draft of the 2022 Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan. Now is your time to give input into the plan. The document outlines seven major strategies and more than 30 specific action steps for 2022. Read the plan here. Then provide your comments, questions, and suggested changes to Michelle Leise by email at michelle.leise@ci.red-wing.mn.us or by phone at 651-385-3618. To provide input directly to your elected leaders, email them all here.

Saving Red Wing's Tree Canopy

Approximately 25% of the trees in our area are ash trees, and they are dying. The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect with no natural enemies, and they've been feasting on our ash trees. That means a quarter of the trees that currently fill your views will soon be missing. There are two things you can do to help.

Replace any ash trees you have on your property with other varieties.
Sign up to host a boulevard tree. If you request a tree, Public Works will come plant it in your boulevard at no cost to you. All you have to do is keep it watered until it's established, and during dry spells in the growing season.

We want to replace diseased trees now, instead of waiting until they are standing dead. The sooner new trees are planted, the quicker our tree canopy becomes full and healthy again. Fall tree planting is underway now, so sign up to host a boulevard tree today.

Charging Forward

Red Wing is one step closer to a second electric vehicle charging station. At Monday's City Council meeting, funding for the second station was approved through a combination of grant, City, and Sustainability Commission monies. The new charging station will likely go in the Studebaker Ramp, but full details still need to be finalized. Watch future issues of City Beat for timeline and installation details.

Safety First

School can have its challenges, but getting there shouldn't be one of them. Following concerns about student pedestrian safety at the Pioneer Road-Highway 58 intersection near the high school, the school district and City staff have started making changes there. The Red Wing Public School District has added a crossing guard at the intersection to assist students in the morning and afternoon. They've also expanded busing for the South Park Street/Bush Street neighborhood so students don't need to walk along the Highway 58 shoulder to the high school. City Engineer/Engineering Director Jay Owens worked with the MN Department of Transportation to change the traffic signals at the intersection so the Highway 58 crosswalk is protected from left turns from Pioneer Road whenever the pedestrian button is activated. The City is also working with a consultant on other long-term safety improvements to that area.

Five Fantastic Fall Color Spots

Where is your favorite spot to see the fall colors? Right now, the Minnesota DNR includes Red Wing in the small area of the state still in peak color (75%-100% color). Don't let the last of the fall display pass you by. Check out the sights from our Top Five Fall Color Views in Red Wing:

Memorial Park Overlook
He Mni Can-Barn Bluff
Behind Goodhue County Historical Society
Walking Path on the Eisenhower Bridge of Valor
Red Wing Riverview Skyway

Photos of new Memorial Park overlook area courtesy of Dan Rogness

Keeping Things From Going Down the Drain

The leaves are falling, and while they might be pretty, they cause some problems for Red Wing's storm drains. Leaves and other debris can clog the drains or get swept through them right to the Mississippi River, and that's not good for anybody. Be a part of the solution by adopting a drain through the City's website. Volunteering a few minutes of time to clear the drain means a cleaner river for everyone. Sign up today.

Help Address Housing Instability

You are part of Red Wing's future, so come help plan how everyone can have a safe, healthy place to live in our town. Click here to register for public meetings on Monday, November 1 and Monday, December 6.

Both are 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Development Building (419 Bush Street), hosted by the City of Red Wing and our local United Way. To learn more, you'll find everything here on the City's website page, including the recent study on homelessness and dates for a series of in-depth, virtual work team meetings. Questions? Email facilitator Ali Niemi.

All in a Day's Work

If you're looking for employment with the City of Red Wing, Jackie Carlstrom will be your go-to person. As HR Assistant, she handles the recruiting, hiring, and employee onboarding. Jackie takes pride in making sure new employees feel welcome and says helping people find a new job is rewarding. When she's not working, Jackie prefers to be outdoors, especially hiking with her husband, Nate, and dog, Rocky. If you think you'd be a great fit for the City of Red Wing, be sure to connect with Jackie. We're hiring now!