Soldier's Field Playground - Fantastic Volunteer Effort

I think I just had the most rewarding experience of all of my 31 years in Rochester last week and last weekend. It wasn't in the Fifth Ward but I did see many folks I recognized from the Ward working on the project so I guess it counts for this "blog".

I'm talking about the building of the new Soldier's Field Playground.

What an effort! Kudos to all those who worked on planning and raising funds for the project but I really take my hat off to the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to see the project to its completion (or close to it). I'd been involved in numerous volunteer projects through my association with Kiwanis, the Neighborhood Resource Center, our city's Sesquicentennial etc. but I'd never seen anything like the effort I experienced last week.

I was very impressed with the planning and logistics that went into the project -- lumber to do the job, all kinds of tools, hardware, even tenting to protect from the rain (somebody didn't talk to the weather man).

I know that there were plans somewhere, and that there were a couple of "foremen" from the company that designed the playground (with the help of kids and the playground committee) but I saw the thing go up from nothing to completion with just the simplest instructions and was especially impressed with how well volunteers cooperated with strangers, contributing their own particular skills and knowhow, a lot of sweat, and, if I can rely on my own experience, some aches and pains later in the evening.

This was an effort truly to be admired, even if it was clear accross town from our Ward. It was Rochester at it's finest!

If you get a chance to help with this project in the future do yourself a favor and take time to do it! YOu'll be glad you did and years from now you'll be able to tell your kids and grandkids how you helped make Rochester and even better city to live in than the #1 city it's always been.

For more info on this go to their web page www.soldiersfieldplayground.com .

Local Partisan Politics in the Future?

I attended a very interesting City Charter Commission meeting earlier tonight.

In an effort to be prepared for the future, Commission Chair, Randy Staver, attempted to lead the commision in a discussion concerning our future role as a “city of the first class”, a status reached and recognized by the State of Minnesota when a city’s population rises over the 100,000 mark. The biggest concern over this change is the requirement for the mayor and city council to declare their political party affiliation and run a partisan election.

Or not!

Duluth had chosen to pass an ordinance that declared their non-partisan preference and so do not follow the state policy recommendation.

It was clarified by our esteemed assistant city attorney, Mr. Goslee, that even should Rochester reach the 100,000 population mark in two years we would not be recognized until the official 2010 census results were reported and then after the State “officially” recognized our status. So it looks like we’re about 6 years too early to seriously look at the matter.

But it makes for an interesting discussion and I wonder what you think.

I was asked my opinion and simply stated I just wonder what the benefit would be to the citizens of Rochester and especially my constituents in the Fifth Ward. How would this help me be a better representative of the people who elected me to serve? I also wondered what this might do to my ability to “lobby” with our state representatives and senators. Today, I am completely autonomous, non-partisan, and independent and so their listening to my point of view is purely that of what’s best (in my opinion) for Rochester and is not reflective of my political party which may be the opposite of theirs.

What do you think? (Just in case we’ll both be around to consider this when the time comes.)

Deferred Payments In the Future?

The city of Rochester has had an assessment strategy for many years when it comes to payment for curb and gutter installation, sidewalk installation, and street reconstruction. As we face the necessity to possibly increase street reconstruction rates in the future we also anticipate that there may be some homeowners who will have difficulty in making those payments. Until now, the problem has been discussed but no action had been taken. We are now investigating a plan to defer payment for those qualified until the house is sold or the property owner dies and the estate transfers title.
The basic plan would allow property owners to claim a deferment based on age (over 65) or permanent disability as well as meeting low-income criteria as set by the most recent U.S Census Bureau poverty threshold guidelines. Two examples: a single 65-year-old living alone must earn $9,060 or less and a household of two 65-year-olds would have to have an income of $11,418 or less to qualify.

The council expects to pass a resolution putting this in effect at our May 16 meeting. Property owners in the 5th Ward along 7th Street NW where the city plans to do a major reconstruction of the street later in 2005 will be the first to benefit from this new policy.

7th Street Reconstruction - Correction

(Things happen so fast that sometimes even I don't get all the changes right. The scope of the 7th Street project has been reduced for this year with plans to continue the rest of the street into either 2006 or 2007.)

From time to time our streets need complete reconstruction instead of just a recovering of asphalt or a few potholes filled. In the past, city streets have been constructed with an expected lifetime of 30 years … with occasional resurfacing and pothole repair. Our new standards are to build or re-build them to last 50 years before a major reconstruction.

You will hear and learn more about this as we discuss the funding problems of street maintenance in the near future. We plan to have a series of informational meetings on the subject city-wide.

In the meantime, we in the 5th Ward will have a major reconstruction of 7th Street NW from Broadway to Cascade Bridge. The rest of 7th will be reconstructed either in 2006 or 2007. Affected property owners had been notified, given their assessments, and have been invited to a Public Informational Meeting. You should note that this may be one of the last projects to use the current assessment rate as we are investigating new rates for next year (the funding problem I mentioned above.)

The Public Information Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 4th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Conf Rm. 104, at the Government Center. Mailings went out to all abutting property owners April 18th

The rate we are using is $37.46 per front foot, the reconstruction rate for residential areas. Assessments account for approximately 25% of the total project cost. ($3,750,000)

The Project Hearing and Assessment Hearing in front of the City Council is planned for Monday, May 16, 2005.

Let's Talk

I know that there are a lot of questions about problems the city faces as we grow and especially questions about why we on the council make some of the decisions we make. It's tough enough to do when you get inundated by recommendations from "expert" consultants, city staff, special interest groups, state and city statutes in the land development guide and the like so I can only imagine what you must be thinking ... and that's my problem.

Just what are you thinking?

I can do a much better job if I know what you think or know about the matter at hand. This "blog" is my latest attempt at reaching out to you. In it I'll attempt to let you know what I know about an issue, why I'm thinking like I am, and probably how I'll vote on the matter. I do try to keep an open mind and would like to know what YOU think. It's important to me and to the best interest of all the residents of our fair city.

I host weekly breakfast meetings at Grandma's Kitchen in the Silver Lake Shopping Center. I'm there every Friday that I'm in town from 7 am to about 8:30 am. I buy the coffee, you bring the problems. Look for the red "City COuncil Spoken Here" sign on the table ... usually in the back of the large seating area. Ask any of the staff if in doubt.

I also have been stoping at homes to check with you on how things are going. I do this randomly and in good weather and have about 16,000 residents so it might be a while before I get to you. Don't wait for me. Call me and we can talk on the phone, meet for coffee, or I'll be very happy to meet at your house with you and any of your neighbors. OK?

What do you think of a regular -- say once or twice a year -- ward meeting. Say at Century HS or some other location? Been wanting to do this since election but my past investigations told me that not many people wanted to come to "another meeting" so I'd held off from doing this.

My email is bnowicki@ci.rochester.mn.us. or barefoot@juno.com
Home Phone is (507) 285-0295 Cell (507) 951-7677 Or you can reply by posting our comment using the "comment" box at the bottom or this "blog".

Thanks and keep in touch. Pass the word.