9/30/12
Readers of this blog obviously want to keep informed about Shorewood and you likely know about the League Of Women Voters candidate forum on October 3rd at 7:00 PM at City Hall. But do your friends and neighbors know?
Get the word out and attend this really informative event. It's the only place you'll be able to hear from the candidates themselves and listen to them respond to questions from the audience. Come and ask a question.
Remember, the two new council members elected this year will be your council members for four years, setting your tax rates and making policy that you and your families will be living with for many years to come.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Time To End Community Garden?
9/27/12
At Monday night's council meeting a portion of the Parks Commission report (see: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=693 and agenda item 7A) covered proposed fencing for the community garden in the "skate park." The minutes of the last Parks Commission meeting show $5,000 being proposed for this improvement.
Some history is in order.
Community Gardens was an idea proposed by some volunteer gardeners and heavily promoted by Mayor Lizee. The original idea was for one garden with plots rented to residents with the gardeners giving classes on how to garden. Lizee immediately jumped to going to a Park Commission meeting and advocating gardens be created in every city park. Ultimately, some good sense prevailed and one garden was established in the skate park as a test of the concept.
Now, the volunteer gardners have been out of the picture for two years and there are some 16 garden plots available with something like 15 actually rented and in use. The rent for the plots nowhere near covers the cost to the City in staff time and materials to keep the garden operating. Now, a very expensive fence is being proposed because Excelsior has one that looks much nicer.
The Insider thinks the council needs to look at where it's spending money. Is supporting 15 residents doing gardening a priority? Certainly spending $5,000 to put up a fence for benefit of 15 residents is nonsensical.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
At Monday night's council meeting a portion of the Parks Commission report (see: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=693 and agenda item 7A) covered proposed fencing for the community garden in the "skate park." The minutes of the last Parks Commission meeting show $5,000 being proposed for this improvement.
Some history is in order.
Community Gardens was an idea proposed by some volunteer gardeners and heavily promoted by Mayor Lizee. The original idea was for one garden with plots rented to residents with the gardeners giving classes on how to garden. Lizee immediately jumped to going to a Park Commission meeting and advocating gardens be created in every city park. Ultimately, some good sense prevailed and one garden was established in the skate park as a test of the concept.
Now, the volunteer gardners have been out of the picture for two years and there are some 16 garden plots available with something like 15 actually rented and in use. The rent for the plots nowhere near covers the cost to the City in staff time and materials to keep the garden operating. Now, a very expensive fence is being proposed because Excelsior has one that looks much nicer.
The Insider thinks the council needs to look at where it's spending money. Is supporting 15 residents doing gardening a priority? Certainly spending $5,000 to put up a fence for benefit of 15 residents is nonsensical.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Friday, September 21, 2012
Hennepin County Trail Project
9/21/12
Three weeks ago, Hennepin County held an informational meeting about their new trail project. Talking to some who were there, it was well attended by residents of a few cities in the Shorewood area. Interestingly, all of Shorewood's council attended along with Sundberg and Sylvester (council candidates) and some City staff.
At the 9/10 council meeting, County Board member Jan Callison (Minnetonka) spoke about some trends at the county level and mentioned the trail project (see: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=674 for the video of this near the beginning of the session). Of course, Callison is running for re-election and her appearance at the council meeting was nothing more than a chance to get local visibility.
Watching the video, one can see that Lizee, Zerby, Hotvet and Siakel fall all over themselves praising the county for the trail project and the meeting about it. Then, Woodruff asks the hard question about why the project is exclusively walking trails and no bike trail needs are being considered. Amazingly, Callison says she didn't know this was the case and would look into it.
So, how can a $250,000 trail project study get funded by Hennepin County and voted for by Callison without her knowing it's only for walking trails? Also, why didn't one of the other Shorewood council members ask the question before Woodruff? Maybe they were so busy making nice to Callison, they forgot?
Happy Reading!
The Isnider
Three weeks ago, Hennepin County held an informational meeting about their new trail project. Talking to some who were there, it was well attended by residents of a few cities in the Shorewood area. Interestingly, all of Shorewood's council attended along with Sundberg and Sylvester (council candidates) and some City staff.
At the 9/10 council meeting, County Board member Jan Callison (Minnetonka) spoke about some trends at the county level and mentioned the trail project (see: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=674 for the video of this near the beginning of the session). Of course, Callison is running for re-election and her appearance at the council meeting was nothing more than a chance to get local visibility.
Watching the video, one can see that Lizee, Zerby, Hotvet and Siakel fall all over themselves praising the county for the trail project and the meeting about it. Then, Woodruff asks the hard question about why the project is exclusively walking trails and no bike trail needs are being considered. Amazingly, Callison says she didn't know this was the case and would look into it.
So, how can a $250,000 trail project study get funded by Hennepin County and voted for by Callison without her knowing it's only for walking trails? Also, why didn't one of the other Shorewood council members ask the question before Woodruff? Maybe they were so busy making nice to Callison, they forgot?
Happy Reading!
The Isnider
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Absentee Voting Starting Tomorrow
9/20/12
Yes, absentee voting begins tomorrow, Friday, 9/21.
If you aren't going to be able to vote in person on November 6th, or even if you're just not sure you'll be able to vote then, vote absentee.
Ballots may be picked up at Shorewood City Hall during regular business hours. You may take the ballot home, complete it at your leisure and return it to City Hall.
Be sure to vote.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Yes, absentee voting begins tomorrow, Friday, 9/21.
If you aren't going to be able to vote in person on November 6th, or even if you're just not sure you'll be able to vote then, vote absentee.
Ballots may be picked up at Shorewood City Hall during regular business hours. You may take the ballot home, complete it at your leisure and return it to City Hall.
Be sure to vote.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Election Dynamics
9/19/12
The Insider is seeing the alignment of city candidates becoming clear.
Signs for Mark Sylvester and Kris Sundberg (both council candidates) are starting to appear along with those for Scott Zerby (running for mayor) and Jan Callison (running for Hennepin County Board). Signs for some or all of these people are showing up in at least one current council member's yard and neighborhood (Laura Hotvet). The Lakeshore Weekly News had a letter from Park Commisioner Bob Edmondson supporting Sundberg and Sylvester.
So what does this all indicate?
Lizee recruited Edmondson and Siakel along with Zerby to run four years ago. Siakel and Edmondson lost, but Edmondson was appointed to the Park Commission as a consolation prize. Zerby won a council seat and teamed with Lizee on the council.
Siakel ran, again, two years ago with Hotvet and Lizee. All won.
Now, Lizee and Zerby have recruited Sundberg and Sylvester in hopes of establishing a 5-0 voting block on the council. While some may like the idea of this block winning, it means no diversity of ideas and nobody to ask the tough questions.
The only candidate who has a track record of independent thinking is Dick Woodruff. It'd be a shame if voters ignore Woodruff's independence and clear thinking in favor electing a rubber-stamp council.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
The Insider is seeing the alignment of city candidates becoming clear.
Signs for Mark Sylvester and Kris Sundberg (both council candidates) are starting to appear along with those for Scott Zerby (running for mayor) and Jan Callison (running for Hennepin County Board). Signs for some or all of these people are showing up in at least one current council member's yard and neighborhood (Laura Hotvet). The Lakeshore Weekly News had a letter from Park Commisioner Bob Edmondson supporting Sundberg and Sylvester.
So what does this all indicate?
Lizee recruited Edmondson and Siakel along with Zerby to run four years ago. Siakel and Edmondson lost, but Edmondson was appointed to the Park Commission as a consolation prize. Zerby won a council seat and teamed with Lizee on the council.
Siakel ran, again, two years ago with Hotvet and Lizee. All won.
Now, Lizee and Zerby have recruited Sundberg and Sylvester in hopes of establishing a 5-0 voting block on the council. While some may like the idea of this block winning, it means no diversity of ideas and nobody to ask the tough questions.
The only candidate who has a track record of independent thinking is Dick Woodruff. It'd be a shame if voters ignore Woodruff's independence and clear thinking in favor electing a rubber-stamp council.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Valleywood Road Meeting Update
9/19/12
According to some who were at the informational meeting Monday night, residents along the Valleywood roads asked lots of questions. Seems they are not convinced that the road project needs to be done or at least done as a total reconstruction as currently planned by the City. They cited very low traffic as one reason not to do a total reconstruction.
More interestingly, they seemed overwhelmingly against the idea that city water would be installed. Reasons were that they have good wells and that they do not want (can't afford?) the assessments for water (somewhere in the $9000 range). So, it'll be interesting to watch the dynamics once the council starts to discuss the actual project scope later this year.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
According to some who were at the informational meeting Monday night, residents along the Valleywood roads asked lots of questions. Seems they are not convinced that the road project needs to be done or at least done as a total reconstruction as currently planned by the City. They cited very low traffic as one reason not to do a total reconstruction.
More interestingly, they seemed overwhelmingly against the idea that city water would be installed. Reasons were that they have good wells and that they do not want (can't afford?) the assessments for water (somewhere in the $9000 range). So, it'll be interesting to watch the dynamics once the council starts to discuss the actual project scope later this year.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Valleywood Cir & Lane Meeting Tomorrow
9/16/12
In case you haven't heard, the City is holding an informational meeting about re-doing the streets of Valleywood. The meeting is at City Hall Monday the 17th from 6 to 8 pm and is intended to give residents along the streets (and others who may be interested) a chance to hear about the potential improvements and to make comments to staff and council members.
This is not a public hearing and no Council action will take place at the meeting. These steps will come later.
City policy is to pay from City funds for the road work, the storm sewer work and and sanitary sewer work that might be needed (no property assessments). Water is another story. City water, if included in the project (and it is on the list of potential improvements) is assessed to property owners along the affected streets.
Residents need to make their desire for or against water clear to staff and Council. Lizee and friends have been beating the install water everywhere drum hard. So, if water is not wanted, the property owners must say so loud and clear. Conversely, if water is wanted, that needs to be made clear too. What's at stake? Well, past estimates showed that water in this neighborhood can result in costs assessed to the property on the order of $7000 to $9000 even if the individual property owner doesn't want water and has no plans to connect to it if it does get installed.
If you want your desire heard, come to this meeting!
Happy Reading!
The Insider
In case you haven't heard, the City is holding an informational meeting about re-doing the streets of Valleywood. The meeting is at City Hall Monday the 17th from 6 to 8 pm and is intended to give residents along the streets (and others who may be interested) a chance to hear about the potential improvements and to make comments to staff and council members.
This is not a public hearing and no Council action will take place at the meeting. These steps will come later.
City policy is to pay from City funds for the road work, the storm sewer work and and sanitary sewer work that might be needed (no property assessments). Water is another story. City water, if included in the project (and it is on the list of potential improvements) is assessed to property owners along the affected streets.
Residents need to make their desire for or against water clear to staff and Council. Lizee and friends have been beating the install water everywhere drum hard. So, if water is not wanted, the property owners must say so loud and clear. Conversely, if water is wanted, that needs to be made clear too. What's at stake? Well, past estimates showed that water in this neighborhood can result in costs assessed to the property on the order of $7000 to $9000 even if the individual property owner doesn't want water and has no plans to connect to it if it does get installed.
If you want your desire heard, come to this meeting!
Happy Reading!
The Insider
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