News from the City of Lake Elmo
July 27,  2018
Meetings next week:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tuesday, July 31st: Human Resources Committee Meeting 4:00 p.m.


Links to the 2018 City Meetings, Agendas and Meeting Minutes: 

City Meetings
 
                                                                               

7/31/18 Human Resources Committee Meeting Agenda


Council to Consider Changes to Chicken and Snowmobile Ordinances at 8-8 Meeting

Chicken Ordinance
Council will be looking at creating more consistency for the permit duration, and increasing the number of chickens allowed


Snowmobile Ordinance
Proposed amendments to the snowmobile ordinance would clarify where snowmobiles can be ridden within  City limits, and extend the permitted time to ride fr om 11:00 PM to Midnigh t.
CSAH 15 (Manning Ave.) and CSAH 14 Realignment

Last Week
  • Utility relocations continued.
  • Crews worked to install sanitary sewer.
  • Crews hauled in sand and gravel for the sub-grade, in preparation for curb and gutter work.
This Week
  • Curb and gutter work began at 40th Street, working from the south end along northbound Manning Avenue.
  • Crews will haul sand and gravel on northbound Manning Avenue, to prepare the road for paving on Friday, weather permitting.
Upcoming Work
  • Crews will start on sub-grade prep and sanitary sewer installations on CSAH 14, west of Manning Avenue.

Access to the Washington County Fair (August 1 - August 5)

From Highway 36
  • North Lot: South on Lake Elmo Ave (County 17) to Stillwater Blvd (County 14). East on County 14 to Fairgrounds.
  • South Lot: South on Osgood Ave (County 24), continue straight on Olinda Blvd (County 14). West on County 14 to Fairgrounds.
From Interstate 94
  • North Lot: North on Manning Ave (County 15) to Fairgrounds.
  • South Lot: North on Manning Ave (County 15) to 10th St (County 10). East on County 10 then North on Oakgreen Ave (County 65). West on 40th Street (County 14) to Fairgrounds.
Huff n' Puff Pancake Breakfast Aug. 12

The Lake Elmo Jaycees will be hosting a pancake breakfast at Fire Station 1 from 8:00 AM to Noon on the Sunday of Huff n' Puff Days 8/12.  The proceeds of the breakfast will be given to the Lake Elmo Fire Department Relief Fund.







Pebble Park Tennis Camp Still Accepting Registrations

The City of Lake Elmo has partnered with tennis
instructor, Alex Krol, to host youth tennis camps at
Pebble Park throughout the summer.

Camps will be separated by age groups. If you
have additional questions or would like register, you can contact Alex directly at: 952-688-2945 or email him at:  [email protected] .

The Significance of Lake Elmo's Natural Landscape

Lake Elmo's rolling terrain is the result of the area's glacial history that ended some 10,000 years ago when the Wisconsin Glacial Period ended. These glaciers scraped vast quantities of rock and soil as they flowed south, redepositing them as drift or till as the ice retreated north.Glacial features are still evident in the city's sandy/gravelly soils, ridges and carved hollows.

When Europeans came to settle this area over 150 years ago, a lightly forested grassland called Oak Savannawas the most common natural landscape in the area. It is a transition zone located between the great forests of Southeast Minnesota and the vast prairie to our west. These lightly forested grasslands, were dominated by a combination of oak tree varieties and prairie plants. The openness of the savanna was maintained through wildfires that periodically cleared underbrush.

Regionally, this landscape has all but disappeared. Lake Elmo's Sunfish Lake Park is the home of the largest parcel of the Oak Savanna plant community in Washington County.



Source: Rolf Larson and Ian Dorney from text narratives for displays at the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center in Sunfish Lake Park.

Sunfish Lake Park is considered by many the crown jewel of the Lake Elmo park system, an illustration of the city's historically quiet, rural  landscape. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Land Trust website
Lake Elmo Rotary's Kindness Campaign - July 2018

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - 
Leo Buscaglia

Thanks to all that shared your June Kindness Campaign challenge stories. It turns out it was pretty easy to do something kind for ourselves and because it was the monthly challenge, we did it without even feeling guilty! Awesome! With a fresh perspective of how good "guilt free kindness" feels, we move to this month's challenge...
 
Spending the 4th of July with family and friends is an American tradition that most of us take for granted, yet not all enjoy. July 11th is National "Cheer Up the Lonely Day" created by Francis Pesek, from Detroit, Michigan. According to his daughter, L.J. Pesek, her father "was a quiet, kind, wonderful man who had a heart of gold." He got the idea as a way of promoting kindness toward others who were lonely or forgotten as shut-ins or in nursing homes with no relatives or friends to look in on them. Francis Pesek chose this day because it was her father's birthday.
 
Cheer Up the Lonely Day is an opportunity to make a lonely person happy. Any time you can make someone happy, you've done a good thing, and should be proud of yourself. Lonely people have few friends and loved ones. They may have lost loved ones over the years. They may be elderly. They see people on an infrequent basis.

This month's mission is to make a conscious effort to visit with someone in a nursing home.



Spend some time today cheering up lonely people. It's easy to do...just spend some time with them. When you visit, bring happy things to talk about. Keep the conversation upbeat, and lively. When you leave, give a big hug and let them know you enjoyed the stay. Sending cards or making a phone call is okay, only if they live too far away to visit. What a lonely person really needs, is face to face time with other people.

You can share your kindness experiences with us at wwwlakeelmorotary.org and always remember...

Kindness feels good!
Permanent Water Use Restriction

To encourage water conservation, the following water use restrictions have been in place in the City of Lake Elmo since 2010.

(1). Odd/Event Sprinkling Restriction: Property owners having even numberd postal addresses may water, sprinkle, or irrigate their lawns, only on even numbered days, and property owners having odd numbered postal addressses may water, sprinkle, or irrigate their lawns only on odd numbered days.

(2). Time of Day Sprinkling Restriction:  Property owners are prohibited from watering, sprinkling, or irrigating their lawns between the hours of 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily.

New Assessor in Lake Elmo

At their June 5th meeting, the County Board approved an agreement with Lake Elmo to provide property assessing for the City.  Washington County provides local assessment services for more than 80 percent of the parcels in the county.

Greg Strauss (pictured to the right), will provide assessing services for Lake Elmo.  He is a Certified Minnesota Appraiser with Washington County and works out of the Government Center in Stillwater.  Originally from Southern California, Greg has been involved in Real Estate for over 25 years.  He lives in Washington County with his wife Tammy, and enjoys camping, ATVs, boating, and riding horses in his spare time.  Greg can be contacted at: 651-275-7530 or [email protected].
Campfire program continues with "Trash Your Trash" August 11


Leave No Trace will present "Camping Hacks: Trash Your Trash" at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, August 11, at Lake Elmo Park Reserve.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve is at the intersection of County Road 19 and County Road 10 (one mile north of Interstate 94) in Lake Elmo. The program will be in the campground amphitheater. Call 651-430-8370 or see www.co.washington.mn.us/parks for additional information on this and other programs.

Follow Washington County Parks on social media at @WashCountyParks.
Cleaner streets = Cleaner Water

Do your part to prevent stormwater pollution from illicit discharges
 
Storm drains help to keep our streets and neighborhoods from flooding, but they also connect to nearby lakes and streams. Litter, chemicals and yard waste can pollute our waterways and cause algae blooms.
 
DON'T DUMP
NEVER dump used engine oil or soapy water into storm drains.
DON'T wash out painting supplies in your driveway or the street.
These chemicals end up in our lakes and rivers and might kill fish and other animals. Dumping liquids and materials into storm drains is considered an illicit discharge and is against the law!
 
RAKE & SWEEP YOUR STREET
Grass clippings and dirt might be natural, but they contain phosphorus and nitrogen that feed smelly, green algae.

 
YOU CAN HELP!
DO turn your mower around when you mow so that clippings blow into the lawn instead of the street.
DO sweep grass clippings, leaves and dirt out of the street in front of your home and clear debris off of nearby storm drains.
DO pick up litter in your neighborhood to help keep our community beautiful and our water clean.
 
Learn more about keeping water clean at www.cleanwatermn.org.


Outdoor yoga continues at Lake Elmo Park Reserve through Aug. 16

Tune into the sights and sounds of nature and release stress through guided yoga sequences designed to improve balance, flexibility, breath awareness, and muscle tone 6-7 p.m. Thursdays, through Aug. 16, at the North Picnic Pavilion at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve.

The program is open to all levels. Dress for outdoor yoga, bring a mat, and arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. Check the county website or the park office for information.

Registration is required for Outdoor Yoga; each class is $7 per person. Vehicle permits are also required, which are $7 daily or $30 annually, which is not included in the individual class or season pass price. Call the Lake Elmo Park Reserve Contact Station for information at 651-430-8370 or see the Washington County website at www.co.washington.mn.us and search "outdoor yoga" to register online.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve is at the intersection of County Road 19 and County Road 10 (one mile north of Interstate 94) in Lake Elmo.

Follow Washington County Parks on social media at @WashCountyParks.

Enjoy guided fitness hike August 9 at Lake Elmo park

Explore the Washington County Parks trail system with guided fitness hikes, with the next hike at 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, August 9, at Lake Elmo Park Reserve.

The one-hour hikes involve a warm-up and fitness challenges along the way. Trails are a mix of turf, gravel, grass, snow, and pavement depending on trail conditions, time of year, and location. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early. If light rain, hike will go on as scheduled. The program is for those ages 13 and older. All minors must be accompanied by an adult.

All guided fitness hikes are at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve Thursdays from 9 to 10 a.m. and will meet at the Nordic Center. The continuing 2018 schedule is:
  • Aug. 23
  • Sept. 6
  • Sept. 20
  • Oct. 4
  • Nov. 1
  • Dec. 6
These programs are free with a parks vehicle permit ($7/day or $30/annual) with the exception of Free Tuesdays. Follow Washington County Parks on social media at @WashCountyParks.