A Citizen’s Guide to Becoming a Candidate
Running for local office requires dedication, effective communication, and a genuine commitment to serving the community. Running for local office involves a series of steps and considerations. Here’s a general overview of what is typically involved:
On May 13th Council approved the sign ordinance on a 4-1 vote.
This includes clear rules for placing campaign signs during the election season.
Some turf experts are warning about the downside of taking a crucial month off from lawn care for “No-Mow May.” The concept of No-Mow May spread widely in recent years. The idea was to encourage people to stop cutting their grass for the month, to help the environment and boost pollinator habitat. An academic study supporting the theory that a month off from mowing helps bees was retracted in 2022. Some experts say the one-month mowing hiatus doesn’t help bees all that much. The Star Tribune recently reported that Rosemount, Roseville, New Brighton, and Columbia Heights now officially advocate for “Mow Less May.” Letting your lawn go for a month at a time of year
State Rep. Heather Edelson (Edina) defeated Marisa Simonetti in the special election held May 14th to decide who finishes the term in a now-vacant District 6 seat on the Hennepin County Board. Read more here .
It’s the Shorewood/Excelsior Lift Station L20 Project The narrow lanes on Hwy 19 entering Excelsior from the west, are the result of Metro Council constructing a new regional gravity sewer pipe between sewer lift stations (pumping stations) L19 and L20. Work will also include decommissioning the old lift station. Meanwhile, drive skillfully, or try to avoid the area completely. The final phase, now in progress, is along Oak Street going west to Beehrle Avenue and L19. Expectations are that the project will wrap up this spring. Landscape restorations will be completed in fall, 2024. For more information: info@excelsiorL20project.org or call 952.737.4681. For a deeper dive go to Excelsior Shorewood Lift Station project.
View the full meeting here. (Links to video of each discussion for a deeper dive.) There were 11 items on the Consent agenda-9 passed without verbal identification by the mayor, or discussion by the Council. Matters from the Floor included presentations on Requesting support for SoHi Community Park, Buckthorn project at Freeman Park, and Failure by the city to provide statutory notice for discussion of an ordinance revision and two-vote Council approval of “blanket” herbicide spraying on soccer fields. Presentation and approval of the Park Commission’s 2024 work plan. A variance was approved for new home construction at 25955 Wild Rose Lane. Northwest Asphalt was awarded the bid for mill and overlay and drainage improvement
Two massive volunteer clean-up efforts took place in April and May, making significant headway in the removal of the buckthorn debris. 60+ residents volunteered to remove buckthorn fragments left behind by the deforestation equipment. Volunteers worked primarily in Area 1 (see map) and completed approximately 90% debris cleanup. Members of Scout troops 409 and 424 were part of the team. City workers have been chipping the piles as the next phase of the project. Volunteer feedback will be shared with the Parks Commission. Overall, feedback for the events was positive, but suggested there should be more focus on organization, instruction and community outreach for future projects. “…it was good, well organized, etc. Maybe widen the
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) oversees the “control” of the nuisances in the metro area. MMCD is funded through a line item on our property tax bills. We all pay for it.
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) has been conducting surveillance and treatment activities in your community to reduce the risk of disease and annoyance in an environmentally-sensitive manner.
Read the full article, including MMCD contact information for comments.
Update: They are here! See the updated map as of May 3rd, 2024. Reader RA, of Chaska, reported seeing a hummingbird looking for a feeder, in his yard, on April 14. Spring is here and so is news on some of our favorite–and possibly less favorite–natural neighbors. According to UpNorthNews, hummingbirds are on their way north, expected to reach Minnesota and Wisconsin in another week (approx. April 20), depending on warm southerly winds. As of April 12, they were seen as far north as Des Moines and Chicago. Hummingbird and nectar feeders should be put out by May 1st because they may be visited by warblers as well as early-returning hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles. Learn
Typically the Shorewood SeeClickFix response to tree-utility wire conflict has been to push it back to residents to figure out–or ignore the request completely. The street inspector has taken a more customer friendly approach, and SCA appreciates his good work! See the image below.
Minnesota is set to conduct tornado siren testing this Thursday at two crucial intervals – 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., Thursday, April 11. This initiative, part of the annual Severe Weather Awareness Week, aims to enhance public awareness and responsiveness in the face of severe weather events, particularly tornadoes, which can strike swiftly and with devastating consequences. Tornados pose a significant threat due to their unpredictable nature and rapid onset. The scheduled testing serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it provides an opportunity for authorities to assess the functionality and coverage of tornado sirens across different areas. Second, it reminds families and businesses to review what to do in case of an actual tornado warning. It’s essential
On March 25, the Council approved the hiring of Park & Recreation Manager Mitchell Czech on the council consent agenda. He will start at approximately $95k, the same level as the outgoing director, Janelle Crossfield. Drilling down: The resumes of the candidate finalists were not made public. When asked if the Park Commission would be involved in developing the job description or participating in the interview process, Administrator Nevinski responded that it would not. As the Council grappled with a title and revised job description, CM Sanschagrin suggested asking for resident input on uses for the parks and expectations for the position. Other Council members did not support him. At the January 9 Park Commission
It’s Time to Focus on Our Natural Areas!
A walk through Freeman Park’s woodland is heartbreaking. Decades of buckthorn have ravaged the hardwoods and other native plants. Massive stands of ash and elm trees are in rapid decline.
Shorewood is experiencing a 2+ decades decline in its natural spaces, trails and woodlands. Invasive species litter our parks. Trails need critical repairs and the growing number of dead or diseased trees desperately need removal.
The blame falls on city leaders, from the top down.
Here is a summary of the May 28th Shorewood City Council Meeting. This included a presentation regarding Freeman Park and consideration of several controversial proposals.
By Barry Brown, Freeman Park Advocate —
Freeman Park has 30 acres of ball fields for baseball, soccer and a variety of events, but there’s also 30 wooded acres that until now, has been neglected for decades. Now that 20+ acres of buckthorn has been removed, what do we do with the wooded areas and walking trails? Many people have contributed to a vision for the wooded areas, but City officials would not allow me to share this vision with City Council. So, I am sharing it broadly with the SCA readers. Our modest vision for 2024 improvements is affordable and realistic.
A Citizen’s Guide to Becoming a Candidate
Running for local office requires dedication, effective communication, and a genuine commitment to serving the community. Running for local office involves a series of steps and considerations. Here’s a general overview of what is typically involved:
On May 13th Council approved the sign ordinance on a 4-1 vote.
This includes clear rules for placing campaign signs during the election season.
Some turf experts are warning about the downside of taking
State Rep. Heather Edelson (Edina) defeated Marisa Simonetti in the
It’s the Shorewood/Excelsior Lift Station L20 Project The narrow lanes
View the full meeting here. (Links to video of each
Message from the SCA Editors: SCA was created to inform and advocate. Our purpose is to promote the transparency, consistency and accountability residents expect from Shorewood leadership. We educate residents on the processes used and decisions made at city hall. We hold our elected officials responsible for respect and civility toward residents and each other. We encourage residents to become more involved and respectfully find their voices for issues that matter to them. These are crucial ingredients for a thriving and engaged community. SCA creates a space for public participation and diverse perspectives through our comment sections and editorial/opinion page. We invite the public to submit an editorial or sourced article. We encourage comments
The Planning Commission is charged with the in-depth study of ordinance and policy involving land use in Shorewood. It makes recommendations to assist the Council in decision making. Commission Chair Nat Gorham described, with great clarity, what the Commission does best (start at 00:42).
This article was posted on NextDoor during the week of May 22, 2023. Another from the week of June 12, As the summer progresses, this topic becomes more relevant. The authors’ names are intentionally omitted. Kids, e-bikes, and sidewalks in Excelsior. Yesterday I was walking on Water St at around 6 pm between George St and 3rd when I was met with a group of middle-school boys on e-bikes riding on the sidewalk. I told them they couldn’t ride on the sidewalk here. The group sneered and dismissed this by announcing, in unison, that these were “class 2” bikes, and after some incomprehensibly mannerless behavior, they continued down the sidewalk toward Lake St, nearly running
UPDATE 9.19.23: The City is looking for resident feedback on the proposed design options for Eureka Road North. Learn more here. Residents who appeared before the Council on 3.27.23 challenged a plan for a “scoping document” of Eureka Road North, making among other points, the $125k cost for the study was too high. Further, they supported a simple resurfacing of the roadway, rather than reconstruction. A petition was presented to support their position. Later in the meeting, a question was raised by a council member about the need for the scoping. After somewhat tense council debate, a majority of the Council determined to proceed with the study, saying there would be no further discussion, and
Based on citizen feedback, city staff was asked to consider performance measurements for response time to data practice requests. Data practice policies are driven by Minnesota Statute. However, staff performance when responding, is not. The comments focused on improving staff response time. CM Sanschagrin suggested that the timeliness of responses to some data practices request has been a “pain point,” with city residents. Mayor Labadie and CM Callies both quickly responded with altered interpretations of his comments. Callies, as she has done on other occasions, narrowed the numbers of concerned residents down to a point where they did not matter. The two argued against a need for such response metrics, and declined to do
At the May 22. 2023 Council meeting, CM Sanschagrin chose to abstain from voting on a bond sale. He was challenged by the Mayor and CM Callies for abstaining. The City Attorney was asked for his opinion on the viability of the abstention. See the episode here. Note the attorney’s reply.* When can a voting member abstain? *Orono Council Member Benson recently faced a similar challenge at her first meeting. In that case, the Orono City Attorney (from the same firm as Shorewood’s attorney) correctly explained to her the meaning of an abstention. UPDATE (Jun 12, 2023): The City Attorney changed his previous opinion regarding the Sanschagrin’s “right” to abstain by saying the CM did indeed
The Legislature established the Metropolitan Council in 1967 to coordinate planning and development within the Twin Cities metropolitan area and to address issues that could not be adequately managed with individual governmental arrangements. The Metropolitan Council is the regional policy-making body, planning agency, and provider of essential services for the Twin Cities metropolitan region, including Shorewood. It provides for orderly and economical development of the metropolitan area through the Comprehensive Plan process. It is funded through the “Special Taxing District” (Line 10 of your tax statement) laws. State law requires the Met Council to create regional plans and policies to guide growth and manage regional systems for transportation, aviation, water resources, sewage and regional parks.
Rules for E-Bikes When you use any public trails, sidewalks, or the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, you have definitely encountered E-bikes. The compatibility with pedestrians depends on the user of the bike. Most are respectful…but then, there are always those who are not. E-bikes can go up to 28 mph. Such speeds are without a doubt dangerous to others in close proximity. E-bikes have three classifications, based on speed capabilities. See Minnesota Law 169.011, Subd. 15a-c. No person under the age of 15 years may operate an e-bike, of any class, on public streets, sidewalks or trails in Minnesota. Where E-bikes are allowed, only one person per seat is allowed and no towing of another
Enterprise Funds…Not Just for Starships Approximately a 3 minute read Excerpted from an article Roger Kemp (May 2016) What to Know: An Enterprise Fund is created when a municipal public service generates sufficient revenues, from dedicated user fees. These fees pay the operating cost. The use of Enterprise Funds treats a public service, such as city water, as a “cost center” – where only the users pay for the cost of the service. The “revenues”are then dedicated to cover the maintenance of the water infrastructure. A loss in the fund should be made up with increased user fees. Enterprise funds satisfy an elected official’s aversion to increasing taxation, help offset cuts in Federal or State
Planting Deciduous Trees for a Changing Local Climate Approx 3 minute read Adding trees to your landscape is a great way to help fight climate change. But the already changing climate has affected the choices you make in local tree selection. Diversity is key, which is why Hennepin County forestry discourages the planting of some tree species. If the large number of ash trees in Shorewood that will likely be lost due to the Emerald Ash Borer has taught us anything, it is that we must be educated on our tree choices. Hennepin County forestry currently discourages the planting of many maple trees due to the abundance of the tree present in the current landscape.
Transparency “…transparency is government’s obligation to share information with citizens.” — ballotpedia Government should be transparent at all levels Transparency promotes accountability and enables residents to understand what their Government is doing Shorewood’s non-transparency to resident document requests Planned Unit Development (PUD) documents, including Minnetonka Country Club, are not easily accessible to the public (Conversation starts at 1:40 regarding “extreme” resident data requests that are “demanding and unreasonable” The City Council struggles to find a way to safely communicate with residents during these “crazy times.” (Conversation starts at 1:40) “We were bullied into having this meeting on Zoom.” – CM Saikel On 9.12.21 the Council agreed to discuss communications with residents at their retreat. A
Consistency …means adhering to the governing documents in each case and treating each non-compliant issue in the same manner Provide consistent and equal treatment for all Lack of clarity in zoning violation enforcement process. Shorewood’s policy is to enforce code violations on a “complaint only” basis. This policy has been enacted without resident conversation Resident confronts council (starts at 7:20) on special treatment regarding the Mayor’s dock violations Inconsistency in variances granted: Smithtown fence (see p. 7) Smithtown Circle (see p. 9) accessory shed (required to move a building that did not comply) and a dock (allowed to keep a dock that did not comply.) Investment groups are buying homes and renting them. According to Shorewood’s
Resident Nancy Westman spoke to the Council on 9.25.23. Watch
Watch the council meeting video of the appointment discussion. Shorewood
Due to the resignation of Patrick Johnson, there’s now an
Patrick Johnson resigned from the Council in May. The timing
Message from the SCA Editors: SCA was created to inform
The Planning Commission is charged with the in-depth study of
This article was posted on NextDoor during the week of
UPDATE 9.19.23: The City is looking for resident feedback on
Based on citizen feedback, city staff was asked to consider
At the May 22. 2023 Council meeting, CM Sanschagrin chose
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