In The Pipeline - 01 January 2020Over
January/February
City Council regular meetings: January 13 and 27, February 10 and 24 at 7 p.m.
City Council work sessions: January 21, February 18 at 6:30 p.m.
Citizen Advisory Commission meetings: January 14, February 11 at 7 p.m.
Human Rights Commission meetings: January 6, February 3 at 7 p.m.
Planning Commission meetings: January 7, February 4 at 7 p.m.
Events: City offices closed for New Year’s Day-January 1, Martin Luther King
Day-January 20, and President’s Day-February 17
All activities are at City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. unless otherwise indicated.
Agendas and minutes for meetings are available on the city’s website.
Schedule is subject to change. Call 763.531.5100 for more information.
Council approves 2020 city budget
The New Hope City Council approved
the 2020 city of New Hope budget and
tax levy at its Dec. 9 meeting.
The 2020 general fund budget is
$15,410,550, which is an increase of
8.3% over the 2019 budget. The tax
levy for the general fund is $10,511,431,
which is a $136,483 or 1.32% increase
over the 2019 general fund levy.
The preliminary total tax levy for the
entire 2020 budget, including all funds
and debt payments, is $16,844,716,
which is an increase of $1,543,106 or
10.08% higher than 2019. The major-
ity of the levy increase, $1,334,505 or
8.72%, is for the new pool and park
improvement bonds issued in 2018 and
2019.
Although the tax levy is increasing by
10%, the city’s tax capacity has also
increased and the estimated tax rate is
expected to decrease from 66.6% to
64.55%. Thus, the estimated impact to
property owners is only a 3% increase.
For homes valued between $150,000
and $400,000, the tax increase is esti-
mated from $28 to $87.
Other major changes in the budget in
2020 include:
• Approximately $700,000 for adding
new swimming pool facility operation
back into the budget, however, the
majority of the expense is offset by rev-
enue from pool user fees.
• Approximately $480,000 for wage
and benefit increases; a 3% cost of liv-
ing adjustment is budgeted for employ-
ees along with an increase in the city’s
contribution toward health insurance
coverage. A 3% increase in city council
salaries is also included in the budget.
• Approximately $80,000 increase in
the Joint Powers Agreement for West
Metro Fire-Rescue District.
• Approximately $60,000 for 2020
election expenses for three separate
elections (Presidential Primary, Primary,
and General).
New Hope is scheduled to receive
more than $800,000 in Local Govern-
ment Aid from the state of Minnesota in
2020. The revenue will be utilized in the
general fund to offset central garage
replacement costs.
Links to the 2020 New Hope budget
and a PowerPoint presentation about
the budget and tax levy are available at
newhopemn.gov/finance.
Snow removal tips
❄ New Hope declaires a snow emer-
gency once two or more inches of
snow falls. Vehicles must remain off
the street until the pavement has been
plowed to full width.
❄ The city plows New Hope streets
and salts intersections, hills and curves.
To notify the city of concerns relat-
ing to snow removal on a side street
in New Hope, call the Public Works
Department at 763.592.6777.
❄ Hennepin County maintains sev-
eral of the major streets in New Hope
including 42nd Avenue, Bass Lake
Road, Medicine Lake Road, and Win-
netka Avenue from Bass Lake Road to
Medicine Lake Road. To report a winter
maintenance concern on these streets,
contact Hennepin County Public
Works at 612.596.0300.
❄ City ordinance prohibits shoveling
or plowing of snow into the street,
across the street, or onto an adjacent
neighbor’s property.
❄ Property owners are responsible
for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their
property and clearing their mailbox.
The city does plow sidewalks as time
and resources allow, but not on week-
ends and not on an overtime basis.
❄ West Metro Fire-Rescue encourages
residents to shovel out the fire hydrant
near their home. Keeping fire hydrants
free of snow reduces the time it takes
firefighters to access a hydrant if a fire
occurs.
Outdoor skating rinks
New Hope has outdoor skating rinks
in three parks: Liberty Park - 60th and
Gettysburg, Lions Park - 38th and
Oregon, Hidden Valley Park - 32nd
and Boone. Each park has a warming
house, hockey and leisure skating rinks.
For details, visit newhopemn.gov/rec.
Recreation Corner
Snowman & snow sculpture contest
The Citizen Advisory Commission is sponsoring a snowman and snow sculpture
contest this winter. Residents are encouraged to create a snowman or snow
sculpture and email a photo of their masterpiece along with their name, address
and a title to Rec@newhopemn.gov between now and March 31. Prizes will be
awarded after the contest ends.
Adult softball registration
Registration begins Feb. 11 for new teams to sign up for New Hope’s slow-pitch
softball leagues. New Hope offers Men’s Upper D leagues on Tuesdays or
Thursdays, Men’s Lower D and Men’s E leagues on Mondays or Wednesdays,
and Co-Rec D leagues on Sundays or Tuesdays (double-header). League play
begins in late April or early May. Call for details.
Sweetheart Ball
Families with kids ages 12 and under, let’s shake, rattle and roll as we flashback to
the 50’s and 60’s on Friday, Feb. 7 at Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas
Drive. Kidsdance will lead interactive dance steps to “Greased Lightning”, “Hand
Jive” and the “Jitterbug”. There will also be dance contests and prizes, and a photo
booth experience. Wear your favorite wild and crazy socks! Snacks and bever-
ages served. Advance registration deadline is Feb. 6.
Community Gyms available for rental
The New Hope Community Gyms, located on the north side of Cooper High
School, 8230 47th Ave., are available for community use during nonschool
hours. The facility includes two gyms, each of which can be converted into a
full-sized basketball or volleyball court. The gyms are available for community
use on weekdays after 6 p.m. during the school year, and 24 hours a day on
weekends, holidays, and during the summer months. Call 763.531.5155 for
details or to reserve gym time.
For more information about these programs or to register, call the
New Hope Parks and Recreation office at 763.531.5151.
City Council Approves 2020 Utility Rates
At the Dec. 9 New Hope City Council
Meeting, council approved increases
to multiple incremental utility rates for
2020. The total impact of the utility fee
increases on an “average” residential
utility customer (who uses 5,000 gal-
lons of water a month) is predicted at
approximately $4.51 per month.
Sanitary sewer rates will increase
by 5% in 2020. The minimum fee
increased 43¢ to $8.90 (which includes
the first 1,000 gallons). The volume
rate increased 28¢ to $5.91 for each
additional 1,000 gallons. A sewage
treatment surcharge – to pay charges
from the Met Council for excessive
inflow and infiltration of storm water
into New Hope’s sanitary sewer system
following peak rain events – increased
3¢ to 60¢ per thousand gallons.
Water rates will also increase by 5%
in 2020. The base fee increased 42¢
to $8.87. New Hope has a graduated
water rate scale to encourage conser-
vation. The volume rate per 1,000 gal-
lons for up to 10,000 gallons increased
31¢ to $6.54. Higher volume rates will
also increase 5% over 2019 rates.
The storm drainage fee increased by
5%, or 43¢ per residential unit each
month, to $8.36. The street light fee
also increased by 5 percent. The recy-
cling fee increased 2.74% to $3.75 per
month.
Operation, maintenance and improve-
ment to the city’s sanitary sewer, water
and storm sewer utility systems are
each funded by separate enterprise
funds in New Hope’s budget. The rev-
enue for each of those funds comes
from the fees charged to the city’s util-
ity customers.
A Utility Rate Study completed by New
Hope’s financial consultant, Abdo Eick
and Meyers, in fall 2019 recommended
the utility 2020 rates.
For additional information visit
newhopemn.gov/utilitybill.
Safety Tip of the Month
Carbon Monoxide Safety
Winter can be a prime time for carbon
monoxide poisoning as people turn on
their heating systems and mistakenly
warm their cars in garages.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, color-
less gas that often goes undetected,
striking victims caught off guard.
When the gas builds up in enclosed
spaces, people or animals who breathe it
can be poisoned.
The National Safety Council recom-
mends you install a battery-operated
carbon monoxide detector in your
home near the bedrooms, and check or
replace the battery at least once a year.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention offers these additional tips:
• Have your heating system, water
heater and any other gas or coal-burning
appliances serviced by a qualified tech-
nician every year.
• Do not use portable flameless chemi-
cal heaters indoors.
• Never use a generator inside your
home, basement or garage or less than
20 feet from any window, door or vent;
fatal levels of carbon monoxide can be
produced in just minutes.
• Have your chimney checked and
cleaned every year, and make sure your
fireplace damper is open before light-
ing a fire and well after the fire is extin-
guished.
• Make sure your gas appliances are
vented properly.
• Never use a gas oven for heating your
home.
• Never let a car idle in the garage.
• Know the symptoms of carbon mon-
oxide poisoning.
Steps to Take When Carbon Monox-
ide Alarm Sounds:
• Immediately move outside to fresh air.
• Call emergency services, fire depart-
ment or 911
• Do a head count to check that all per-
sons are accounted for.
• Do not reenter the premises until
emergency responders have given you
permission to do so.
Learn more at nsc.org