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BIZRECYCLING • MNPASS NOISE WALL • PROPERTY SALES • SEASONAL JOBS
Le Petit
Canadien
a publication of the
City of Little Canada
TRIBUTE TO FORMER
MAYOR BLESENER
With the passing of Mayor Bill
Blesener on December 21, our
community lost a leader who
loved his community and tirelessly
worked for its betterment. On
December 15, the City Council
voted to dedicate the new Public
Works building in Bill’s honor. A
plaque commemorating that
dedication will
be on display
in the new
building. The
plaque reads:
“Dedicated in
honor of Mayor
William Blesener,
2005-2014. His
leadership made
this building a
reality.”
Through the
combined efforts of Vanessa
VanAlstine, Little Canada’s Cable
Producer, and CTV North Suburbs,
a video was also produced in
tribute to Mayor Blesener. A link
to the video is available on our
website and it will also be playing
on Channel 16 for a period of time.
FEBRUARY — MARCH 2015
www.ci.little-canada.mn.us
A wild turkey spotted off Labore Road by the Gervais Woods development.
Little Canada begins 2015 with New
Elected Officials
The City of Little Canada ushers in
2015 with a new Mayor, John Keis,
and two new Council Members,
Tom Fischer and Christian
Torkelson.
John is a senior technical analyst
with Ameriprise Financial. He has
lived in Little Canada since 1980
and, with his wife Mary, has raised
three children: Jennifer, John, and
Jeff. He has been a member of the
City Council since 2004 and served
on the Planning Commission from
1991 to 2003. He currently serves
as one of the City’s representatives
on the Little Canada Firefighters’
Relief Association, and in the past,
has served on the Ramsey County
League of Local Governments. He
is also a past president of the Little
Canada Recreation Association.
John received a BA in Economics
in 1974 from the University of St.
Thomas.
Christian has been a regular to
the Little Canada area since the
mid-nineties when he would visit
Hub Hobby with his grandfather.
Pictured above from left to right:
Mayor John Keis, Council Member Christian
Torkelson, and Council Member Tom Fischer
For the past five years, Christian
has lived on Little Canada’s west
side with his Grandmother Dee
Rychlicki. Christian considers himself a jack-of-all-trades with a wide
variety of interests and skills. He
enjoys working with technology;
his hobbies include graphic design,
photography, videography and
“Do It Yourself” handy projects.
Christian is currently employed by
Officials, cont. on p. 3
ADMINISTRATION
Meet our New Commissioners
Little Canada has two advisory
commissions that make recommendations to our Mayor and
City Council assisting in the
decision-making process.
LE PETIT CANADIEN | February — March 2015
The Parks & Recreation
Commission advises the
Council on park acquisition, park
development, and recreational
programming. They meet on the
first Thursday of each month at
Little Canada City Center beginning at 6:30 PM. The Planning
Commission advises the
Council on planning and zoning
issues. They meet on the second
Thursday of each month at the
Little Canada City Center beginning at 7:30 PM. These meetings
are open to the public.
2
Sharen
Darling is
the newest
member of
the Parks &
Recreation
Commission.
Sharen
recently
moved to Little
Canada from
Saint Paul.
She has made
it a point to
be involved in
New Parks & Recreation
Commissioner Sharen
Darling
her community,
and states that
the vacancy
on the Parks
& Recreation
Commission was
just the opportunity she was
waiting for.
The City would
like to thank
New Planning Commissioners pictured from left to right:
outgoing
Bill Buesing, Al Davison, and Jeff Heikke
Commissioner
Jeff Heikke who served on the
athletics, and other volunteer
Commission for the past 3 1/2
capacities in the City.
years. Jeff was appointed to
fill a vacancy on the Planning
The City would like to thank
Commission, so he will continue
outgoing Planning Commissioners
his public service to Little
Scott Barraclough, Tom Fischer,
Canada.
and Jennifer Malietzke. Scott
served on the Commission for
Bill Buesing, Al Davison,
over 20 years. The Commission
and Jeff Heikke are the City’s
will feel the loss of Scott’s vast
newest Planning Commission
experience and knowledge.
members. Bill is a 30-year
Fischer was elected to the City
resident of Little Canada and
Council and will continue to
reports that he is committed to
serve the City well in this new
his community and its future. Al
capacity. Jennifer served on the
is currently working towards a
Commission for the past three
Bachelor of Science Degree in
years and was a valuable contribUrban Studies at the University
uting member during her tenure.
of Minnesota. Jeff has lived in
We wish them all the best in their
the City for the past ten years
future endeavors.
and has served as a member
of the Parks & Recreation
Commission, a coach in youth
Little Canada City Center Remodeling
Plans are being finalized to upgrade the interior
space at Little Canada City Hall. The original
building was constructed back in 1973. In 1991,
a project was completed that added the current
Council Chambers, conference room, lunch room,
entry area, and public restrooms. Now, the
time has come to update the building with new
carpet, paint, a tiled entry area, a remodeled
lunch room, and restroom upgrades. We will
also be installing a new Council backdrop with
the City’s logo, upgrading all cable TV equipment
(cameras, controllers, audio, etc.), and recovering our movable wall partitions. Other work will
include replacement of heating and air conditioning systems, installation of the handicapped
accessible entry door system, replacement of the
front counter roll-up doors, and installation of a
media/information center for the public in our
lobby area.
We expect the cost for this work to be around
$435,000 with an additional $180,000 for
upgrades to our cable television system. To
fund this project, $185,000 is coming from our
General Capital Improvement Fund and the balance from money available in our Cable TV Fund
that is financed by our cable franchise fees.
Work on these upgrades should be completed by
summer.
SOLD! 3046 LABORE ROAD
ACQUISITION OF 331 LITTLE CANADA ROAD
In October of 2011, the City acquired 3046 Labore
Road through a foreclosure process. In doing so,
the City assured itself of an easement over the east
portion of the property for future trail purposes. We
were also hopeful this parcel could be combined
with other neighboring pieces to facilitate a small
redevelopment project for single family homes.
However, that did not come to pass. The City did
demolish the house and garage that were present
on the property.
While the City recently sold a couple of properties, we also acquired one just east of the Fire
Department. In a cooperative arrangement with the
former owner, Joann Barrieau, the City purchased
the property for $158,000 which was the value of
an independent appraisal obtained for this site.
The site was purchased at the request of the Little
Canada Fire Department to provide room for future
needs, including parking.
The City attempted to sell the property in 2013
through a bid process, but no bids meeting the
minimum criteria were received. In 2014, the
property was listed with Bob Pedersen of Counselor
Realty. A sale was consummated on November
17, 2014 at a price of $112,500. With the initial
purchase price and costs associated with demolition,
the City netted over $10,000 on the transaction
and a new house will be constructed in the not too
distant future.
Officials, cont. from p. 1
SALE OF 91 VIKING DRIVE WEST
(CORNER OF VIKING DRIVE & RICE STREET)
Tom is a program
manager for Medtronic,
Inc. and he has lived in
Little Canada since 2005.
This is Tom’s first term
as a member of the City
Council after serving on
the Planning Commission
from 2009 through 2014.
He also serves on his
homeowners’ association
board of directors, and
he is a member and past
president of the Rice
Street Athletic Club. He
has a bachelor’s degree
in Business, specializing in Leadership &
Management, from the
University of St. Thomas.
Tom is single and enjoys
hiking and biking on the
trails throughout our
community.
When Viking Drive was relocated away from the
Rice and Highway 36 interchange, a couple of
undeveloped parcels remained. One of them was
sold a few years ago and now is the home of a
Subway Sandwich shop. The other site, just under
an acre in size, was just sold in December of 2014
to the Davis Group, a developer specializing in
medical projects. We are expecting a new building
to be constructed in 2015.
The site was sold for $375,417. Since this site was
the result of acquiring three parcels, a land swap
with McDonald’s Restaurant, the construction of a
new street, and $400,000 in State grant funds; our
financial return is difficult to calculate. However, we
are ending up with two new buildings in this area
while also solving a severe bottleneck for Viking
Drive and Rice Street.
A key issue in the redevelopment of this site (part
of it used to be an Oasis gas station) was the
appearance of the building given it is a key entrance
to our community. The City Council was not
interested in a “strip mall” concept and some other
options presented in previous years were even less
desirable from an appearance standpoint. We look
forward to the new building and hope it will be a
nice addition to the community.
the Minnesota House of
Representatives as an
information technology
specialist. He is passionate about working for the
City and its residents and
looks forward to working
with you in the future.
John Keis
Christian Torkelson
Tom Fischer
www.ci.little-canada.mn.us
ADMINISTRATION
Property Sales & Acquisition
3
PARKS & RECREATION
Summer Youth Activities
Registration has started for several children’s summer activities. Visit our website
to register online or to print a copy of our registration form in order to mail your
registration to us. Registrations may also be dropped off at Little Canada City
Center during our business hours or placed in our after hours drop box. You may
even fax your registration to us at 651-766-4048 if you are paying by credit card.
Contact us at 651-766-4029 or [email protected] with questions.
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
T-BALL & POP-UP
Tennis: Boys & Girls, Ages 8-12
Golf: Boys & Girls, Ages 8-14
These after school introductory programs involve
group lessons held at nearby locations.
T-Ball: Boys & Girls, Ages 5-7
Pop-up: Boys & Girls, Ages 7-8
These non-competitive programs are designed
to introduce baseball or softball skills to youths.
T-ball registrants must be five by June 1. Pop-up
registrants must be seven by September 1 with
one year of t-ball experience. Practices begin in
late May for both activities. Games are held at
various fields. Pop-up plays against teams from
Maplewood.
Registration Rate:
Tennis: $32 res, $37 non-res
Golf: $32 res, $37 non-res
(a $5 late fee will be assessed after Fri., April 3)
ACTIVITY DAY
DATES
TIME
Tennis
Tu
4/14-5/12
3:25-4:25 PM
Golf
Th
4/16-5/14
3:25-4:25 PM
Registration Rate:
$32 res, $37 non-res
(a $5 late fee will be assessed after Fri., April 24)
BASEBALL
Boys, Grades 3-12
This activity involves league play against Maplewood
teams. Games held at various fields and times from
mid-May through July.
LE PETIT CANADIEN | February — March 2015
4
Registration Rate:
$85 res, $90 non-res
(a $5 late fee will be assessed after Fri., March 20)
GRADE
PRIMARY GAME DAYS
3
Mondays & Wednesdays
ACTIVITY
DAY
DATES
TIME
T-Ball
Tu/Th
6/4-7/9
6:15 & 7:30 PM
Pop-up
M/W
6/3-7/8
6:00 & 7:15 PM
SOFTBALL
Girls, Grades 2-9
This activity involves slowpitch softball league play
against Maplewood teams. Games held at various
fields and times. Season runs late May to end of
July.
Registration Rate:
$38 res, $43 non-res
(a $5 late fee will be assessed after Fri., April 24)
4-5
Tuesdays & Thursdays
6-7
Mondays & Wednesdays
8-9
Varies
GRADE
10-12
Varies
2-3
Mondays & Wednesdays
4-5
Tuesdays & Thursdays
6-7
Tuesdays & Thursdays
8-9
Mondays & Wednesdays
FLOOR HOCKEY
Boys & Girls, Grades K-5
This program teaches basic hockey skills. Separate
leagues established for K/1, 2/3 and 4/5 grade
children. Games held at Edgerton Community Gym
in Maplewood.
Registration Rate:
$32 res, $37 non-res
(a $5 late fee will be assessed after Fri., March 20)
DAY
DATES
TIME VARIES
Saturdays
3/28-5/9
9 AM-1:30 PM
GAME DAYS
Applications are being accepted for summer
seasonal parks and public works maintenance
workers. Applicants must possess a valid driver’s
license and be at least 16 years of age. Parks
duties include mowing, trimming, ball field preparation, trash pickup, and building cleaning. Public
Works duties include general maintenance of city
streets, sewer, and water systems. Hourly pay
rate is $9.25. Completed applications are due by
Friday, March 27. Applications are available on
our website or stop by Little Canada City Center to
pick one up. Interested individuals can also apply
for youth golf and tennis lesson instructor openings
and youth baseball/softball umpire openings.
Free Children’s Ice Skating Party!
Senior Activities
MARKET PLACE MORNING TALKS
An educational series of interest to seniors is
held at the Market Place Bingo Hall, 2900 Rice
Street. Classes begin at 9:30 AM on the second
Wednesday of each month. Pre-register by calling
651-604-3520. Upcoming topics are:
February 11: Knee Ailments
March 11: Emergency Preparedness
AARP DRIVER SAFETY CLASSES
For drivers age 55 and older. Participants receive a
10% automobile insurance discount by completing
these courses. The cost is $22. AARP members
are eligible for a $5 cash refund if they bring their
membership card to class. Register online via a
link on our website or by calling 651-766-4029.
Classes are held at Little Canada City Center,
515 Little Canada Road East.
4-HOUR REFRESHER
Day
Date
Time
Monday
4/13
9 AM - 1 PM
Tuesday
4/14
6 - 10 PM
8-HOUR COURSE*
Day
Date
Time
Saturday
4/11
9 AM - 5 PM
*Cost for optional lunch is $8 additional if desired.
The Little Canada Recreation Association is hosting
its 47th Annual Children’s Ice Skating Party on
Saturday, February 7, from 1:30-3:30 PM, at the
Fire Barns Skate Park, 430 Little Canada Road East.
Food, beverages, prizes, races, and skating are all
part of the fun.
Adult Summer Softball
DOUBLE-HEADERS HELD WEEKNIGHTS
Registrations are now being accepted for men’s and
women’s softball leagues. Games are held in Pioneer
Park, 2950 Centerville Road, beginning in early May.
Registration materials are available on our website or
at Little Canada City Center, 515 Little Canada Road.
Call 651-766-4045 for more information.
MN Wild Bus Trip
The Little Canada Parks & Recreation Department is
sponsoring its second bus trip of the season to the
MN Wild hockey game (vs. the Florida Panthers) on
Thursday, February 12, at the Xcel Energy Center
with game time at 7 PM. The bus will depart at 6:15
PM from Jimmy’s Restaurant (1132 County Road E).
The package includes a reserved seat, transportation, beverages, and door prizes – all for only $39.
Pre-registration and payment is taken at the Little
Canada City Center during office hours (MondayFriday, from 8:00 AM-4:30 PM). Tickets are limited
so act fast! Maximum four tickets per request.
Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied
by an adult. Call Don Bowman with questions at
651-208-3909.
PARKS
www.ci.little-canada.mn.us
& RECREATION
Seasonal Job Opportunities
5
PUBLIC SAFETY
DID YOU KNOW?
Last year in Minnesota, the
leading cause of structure
fires was cooking.
Cooking fires caused nearly
$6 million in damage last
year in Minnesota.
The top two factors last
year in cooking fires were
unattended equipment and
combustibles too close to a
heat source.
Prevent
Cooking
Fires
• Stay in the kitchen
when cooking.
• If you leave the
room, turn off the stove and move the pan from the burner.
• Keep things that can burn — oven mitts, towels, and wooden
spoons — three feet from the stove.
• If a fire starts, slide a tight-fitting lid on the pan and turn off the
heat.
• Avoid loose-fitting clothing that can easily catch fire.
(Source: MN Department of Public Safety / MN State Fire Marshal)
To Flush or Not to Flush
LE PETIT CANADIEN | February — March 2015
The City of Little Canada maintains over 36
miles of sanitary sewer lines and seven lift
stations. Millions of gallons of sewage flow
through the pipes and lift stations each
week. The City does the best job it can at
keeping things flowing so that backups do
not occur.
6
City crews perform regular maintenance on
the lift stations and check them three times
per week. Crews also clean at least 1/3 of the
sanitary sewer pipes each year along with flushing the system in the spring and fall to make
sure everything is flowing. If a backup does
occur, City staff responds and checks the main
lines to make sure the backup didn’t originate
in City lines. If you ever have sewage backing
up in your home, please call 651-766-4029
during regular business hours or the Ramsey
County Sheriff Dispatch Center (651-767-0640)
after hours. A member of the Public Works
Department will respond and check the City’s
sewer main and clear the blockage if it is in the
main.
Many sewer blockages are caused by materials
being flushed down toilets and floor drains that
should not be flushed. These materials can
block household plumbing lines or make their
way to sewer mains and lift station pumps and
cause blockages affecting entire neighborhoods.
The best way to describe what can and can’t
be flushed is to say that only human waste
and toilet paper should be flushed. Toilet
paper breaks down in the sewage flow and can
pass harmlessly through lift station pumps.
Other materials do not break down and cause
problems throughout the system. Materials that
should not be flushed include:
• Sanitary Products
• Wipes – these include baby wipes, facial
wipes, and cleaning wipes even if the packaging says they are “flushable”
• Kitty Litter
• Diapers
• Paper Towels
• Heavy Duty Shop Towels
• Facial Tissue
• Condoms
• Dental Floss
City staff has seen all of these materials in City
mains and lift stations, and many of them have
been the cause of a blockage or pump failure.
When in doubt, throw anything besides toilet
paper into the garbage to avoid problems in
your sanitary sewer system.
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Public Works Maintenance Facility
Update
The early cold and snow did not slow down the
progress of the new Public Works maintenance
facility, which will house the Public Works and Parks
Maintenance Departments. This structure is located
on the corner of LaBore Road and Centerville Road.
The walls are up and the roof is on. The building is
heated inside and the plumbing and electrical roughins are complete. The concrete floor was poured in
mid-January and work is progressing on building out
the office area and other finish work throughout the
building. The early cold did not allow for the parking
lot to be paved and the concrete curb to be installed,
but that work will be completed as soon as the ground
dries out in the spring. James Steele Construction is
still aiming for a late-April/early-May completion date.
Pictured below: The new Public Works maintenance facility, which
will house the Public Works and Parks Maintenance Departments.
Road Weight Limit Restrictions
Remember to consider the road restrictions
when planning your spring construction project. During the spring thaw, heavy vehicles
can damage streets. To prevent this costly
damage, the City of Little Canada restricts the
amount of weight allowed on streets during
the critical period. In general, spring road
restrictions begin in late February to mid-March
and are lifted around mid-May. However, this
timeframe is based on weather conditions and
varies each year. Please plan your projects
around these restrictions. The Ramsey County
Sheriff’s Department enforces these limits. A
copy of the limits on each street is available on
our website.
Winter Parking Policy
As reported in previous issues of our newsletter, on-street parking of vehicles is prohibited
between the hours of 2 AM and 6 AM, from
November 1 through April 1. This requirement
improves the City’s ability to clear streets after
an early morning snowfall. On-street parking
is also prohibited after a snowfall of 2” or more
until the roads have been plowed to full-width.
Violators of our parking regulations will be
ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.
MnPASS Noise Wall
Construction
The second phase of the MnPASS project on
I-35E will take place in 2015. Preliminary work
is scheduled to begin in late-February on a
retaining wall and noise wall extension along
Canabury Drive and Viking Drive near County
Road B2. The retaining wall will be a soldier
pile wall with a concrete face. A large crane is
needed to drive the pile into the ground, and
in order to safely complete the work, a stretch
of Canabury Drive from County Road B2 to a
point approximately 700 feet north of B2 will
be closed while the crane is in place. Viking
Drive south of County Road B2 will temporarily
be a one-way street heading south. The work
is expected to take between two and four
weeks. Please avoid this area during construction if you are able. Contact Public Works
Superintendent Bill Dircks at 651-766-4049 or
[email protected] if you have
any questions.
www.ci.little-canada.mn.us
PUBLIC
WORKS
er Operator
Street Sweep
7
City of Little Canada
515 Little Canada Road East
Little Canada, MN 55117-1600
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Twin Cities, MN
Permit No. 5915
Office Hours | M-F 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Ph 651-766-4029 | Fax 651-766-4048
www.ci.little-canada.mn.us
Jessica Jagoe, Editor
[email protected]
ECR WSS
Postal Customer
Le Petit Canadien is published bimonthly and is printed on recycled
paper with agri-based ink. Each issue is paid for in part by the State
of Minnesota S.C.O.R.E. Fund and Ramsey County. Design layout
services for this newsletter are provided by Desktop Impressions
(www.desktopimpressions.com).
2015 Going Green
Guide Coming Soon
Ramsey County will be mailing the
2015 Going Green Guide to recycling, household hazardous waste,
yard waste and more, during the
last week of March. This guide
also includes information on the
drop-off program for recycling food
waste and non-recyclable paper.
Every resident in Little Canada
should receive a copy of this FREE
guidebook in the mail.
Included in the guidebook will be an insert specific to single-family and duplex properties covered under our curbside organized
collection program. The City will feature additional information
about our program, plus yard waste disposal and bulky item
pick-up.
LE PETIT CANADIEN | February — March 2015
If you do not receive this FREE guidebook or you want to request
additional copies, e-mail [email protected] or call
651-266-1199.
8
More information on recycling and waste disposal is available
online at RamseyAtoZ.com. Follow “Green Ramsey” on Facebook
and Twitter for updates, green tips, and fun challenges.
Canadian Days Theme Announced
The theme for the 2015 Canadian Days celebration to be held on
July 31, August 1-2, 2015 is “Making Memories.” For information
about this event, contact the planning committee at [email protected] or check out their website at www.canadiandays.
org. Canadian Days is also on Facebook. “Like” Canadian Days
Official Site on Facebook to keep posted on current events!
Volunteers are needed to help with Canadian Days.
ATTENTION KIDS IN GRADES K-8
Watch for details on the Canadian Days button contest. Contest
information will be distributed to Little Canada schools in midFebruary or can be found online at www.canadiandays.org.
BUSINESS VENDOR BOOTHS
Space will be available again this year for business vendor
booths. Contact us if your business is interested in this opportunity. Applications are posted on our website.
Did you know talking trash
could save you cash? It can
and we are here to help.
BizRecycling, a program of the
Ramsey/Washington County
Resource Recovery Project, was
set up to help your Little Canada
businesses reduce waste by
improving efficiency and increasing recycling. Our free resources
can help your company’s operations and can lower your monthly
garbage bills.
Start by filling out your contact
information on the “Get Started”
page at www.LessTrash.com or
by calling 651-266-1199. After
completing a free 30-minute
waste assessment, our consultants can help your business
apply for a grant for purchasing
equipment, supplies, or educational materials needed to start
or make improvements to an
existing program. Businesses
can apply for one or more of the
grant opportunities with funding
for some up to $10,000 to cover
your expenses.
Visit www.LessTrash.com to read
stories of how the program has
helped other businesses and
view videos showing you what to
expect in your waste assessment.