In Touch_September/October 2022SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
NO. 216
What's Inside
Getting In Touch
NEW HOPE CITY HALL4401 Xylon Avenue North
New Hope, MN 55428
763.531.5100
CITY WEBSITE newhopemn.gov
EMAIL
cityhall@newhopemn.gov
NEW HOPE CITY COUNCIL
Mayor - Kathi Hemken
khemken@newhopemn.gov | 763.537.7990
Council Member - John Elder
jelder@newhopemn.gov | 612.578.4322
Council Member - Andy Hoffe
ahoffe@newhopemn.gov | 763.537.2647
Council Member - Michael Isenberg
misenberg@newhopemn.gov | 612.568.2337
Council Member - Jonathan London
jlondon@newhopemn.gov | 763.546.1293
Acting City Manager - Tim Hoyt
thoyt@newhopemn.gov | 763.398.1203
FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS
Inspections: 763.531.5127
Parks and Recreation: 763.531.5151
Public Works: 763.592.6777
Utility Billing: 763.592.6760
Police (non-emergency): 763.531.5170
NEW HOPE IN TOUCH | PAGE 1
A PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF NEW HOPE, MINNESOTA
A great place to grow!
4401 Xylon Avenue North
New Hope, MN 55428
Prsrt Std
U.S. Postage
PAID
Twin Cities, MN
Permit No. 2330
Current resident or
CITY OF NEW HOPE
New Hope City Council Approves Preliminary 2023 Budget
PAGE 2
Help Community Members in Need
2022 General Election Information
Mark Your Calendars
PAGE 3
RAVE! Award Winners Announced
Is Your Home Ready for Fall?
Trick or Trot and Transylvania 2
Recreation Corner
PAGE 4
Special Materials Drop-Off Day is Oct. 8
Leave Your Leaves at the Yard Waste Site
Take the Guesswork Out of Recycling Day
Oct. 9-15 is Fire Prevention Week
West Metro Fire-Rescue District Open House
Enter the 2022 In Focus Photo Contest
Tri-City Community Engagement Forum
The New Hope City Council approved the 2023 New Hope preliminary budget and
maximum tax levy at its meeting on Sept. 12, with both certified to the Hennepin
County auditor.
The proposed 2023 general fund budget is $17,235,207, which is an increase of
$1,056,014, or 6.5%, over the 2022 budget. Major changes in the 2023 budget
include:
• An increase of $643,628 for wage and benefit increases.
• An increase in IT charges to the general fund for $62,158.
• An increase of $145,000 for police department portable radios due to the phase-
out of their current equipment.
• An increase of $133,595 in the budget for West Metro Fire-Rescue District for
payment toward two new fire truck leases.
• A $62,661 decrease in central garage charges.
The City is scheduled to receive $847,830 in Local Government Aid from the State of
Minnesota in 2023. The revenue will be utilized in the general fund to offset central
garage vehicle/equipment replacement costs.
The preliminary total tax levy for the entire 2023 budget, including all fund and debt
payments, is $19,053,316, which is an $822,305 or 4.51% increase over 2022. The total
tax levy includes a 5% increase in the street and park infrastructure levies to support
the long-term funding plans for street and park improvements.
An HRA tax levy of $437,850 and an Economic Development Authority (EDA) levy of
$160,650 will help fund redevelopment activities within the City, including the Scat-
tered Site Housing Program. The EDA approved the levy at its Sept. 12 meeting,
following the council meeting.
Although the tax levy is increasing, the city’s tax capacity has also increased, and the
estimated tax rate is expected to decrease from 62.82% to 57.23%. The estimated
impact on property owners is an 8% increase. For homes valued between $150,000
and $400,000, the tax increase is estimated to be between $61 and $192 per
household.
The preliminary 2023 budget is posted on the city’s website at newhopemn.gov/
finance. The City Council will continue to review the budget and tax levy, and a public
hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. to take input from residents. The City Council
will approve the final budget and tax levy at the Dec. 12 council meeting.
2023 Budget Expenditures Breakdown
2023 Budget Public Hearing
Monday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
New Hope City Hall
Public comment is welcome.
Looking for a Job? Come to the Job Fair!
New Hope City Day is Thursday,
Oct. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. at New Hope
City Hall. Meet New Hope Council
and staff members and learn more
about local government, check out
public works and police vehicles and
grab a bite to eat at one of the food
trucks.
That's not all! Kids of all ages can stick
around for the FREE trunk or treating
event sponsored by the New Hope
Police Department and New Hope
Crime Prevention Fund from 7 to 8 p.m.
The City of New Hope is hosting a job fair
on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
at New Hope City Hall. Learn about local
career opportunities, chat with more than
25 New Hope employers from a variety of
sectors and grab lunch at one of the
visiting food trucks.
Learn more at newhopemn.gov/jobfair.
New Hope City Day
Mark Your Calendars
OCTOBER
Oct. 3 Human Rights Commission Meeting
Oct. 4 No Planning Commission Meeting
West Metro Fire-Rescue District Open House
Oct. 6 New Hope City Council Candidate Forum
Oct. 8 Special Materials Drop-Off Day
Trick or Trot and Transylvania
Oct. 10 City Council Meeting
Oct. 11 Citizen Advisory Commission Meeting
Oct. 12 Tri-City Community Engagement Forum
Oct. 13 New Hope Job Fair
Oct. 17 City Council Work Session
Oct. 24 City Council Meeting
Oct. 27 City Day and NHPD Trunk or Treat Event
NOVEMBER
Nov. 1 Planning Commission Meeting
Nov. 7 Human Rights Commission Meeting
Nov. 8 Election Day
No Citizen Advisory Commission Meeting
Nov. 11 City Holiday, City Offices Closed
Nov. 14 City Council Meeting
Nov. 21 City Council Work Session
Nov. 24-25 City Holiday, City Offices Closed
Nov. 28 City Council Meeting
City council and commission meetings begin at 7 p.m. City council work sessions
begin at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held at New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave N
unless otherwise noted. The public is welcome to attend.
NEW HOPE IN TOUCH | PAGE 2
Vote Early for the General Election
New Hope residents may absentee (early) vote for the Nov. 8 General Election
through Nov. 7.
BY MAIL
Fill out your ballot from the comfort of your home with an absentee ballot by mail.
You can apply for an absentee ballot by filling out an application online at
mnvotes.org or by requesting an application by mail by calling New Hope
Elections at 763.531.5160.
Once you have returned your application, you will receive your ballot by mail from
Hennepin County.
IN PERSON
If you prefer to vote early in person, you may apply and vote at New Hope City
Hall from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday through Nov. 4. Extended
voting hours are available Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Monday,
Nov. 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Direct balloting (inserting your completed absentee ballot directly into a tabula-
tor) begins Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those who prefer to vote on
Nov. 8. Find your polling location at mnvotes.org or by calling 763.531.5160.
Are You Prepared? What to Do Before Heading to the Polls
Whether you're voting early or on Election Day, now is the time to take steps to
make your voting experience as smooth as possible.
PRE-REGISTER OR CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS
Pre-register to vote at mnvotes.org. Oct. 18 is the last day to pre-register before
the General Election. Already registered? It's still a good idea to confirm your
registration is correct and up to date. You will need to update your registration if
you've moved or changed your name since the last time you voted. If you miss the
pre-registration deadline, don't worry. You can register in person when you vote.
REVIEW A SAMPLE BALLOT
Find out which candidates and questions you'll vote on by viewing a sample ballot
at mnvotes.org.
FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATION
Voting early? No problem. You'll do that from the comfort of your own home or at
New Hope City Hall. Voting on Nov. 8 and not sure where to go? Find your polling
location at mnvotesorg.
General Election Dates
• Now through Nov. 7 - Vote early by mail or in person for the General Election
from Sept. 23 through Nov. 7.
• Tuesday, Oct. 18 - Last day to pre-register before the General Election
• Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Direct balloting begins
(absentee voters may insert ballot directly into tabulator)
• Saturday, Nov. 5 - Absentee voting at New Hope City Hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 7 - Absentee voting at New Hope City Hall ends at 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 8 - Primary Election Day. Polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Help Community Members in Need
New Hope employees are sponsoring coat, food and toy drives in the months ahead
to help local individuals and families in need.
FOOD DRIVE
Non-perishable food items are collected at New Hope City Hall all year long, however,
the larger food drives occur in the late fall in time for the holidays. Items collected by
mid-November will be delivered to the North Suburban Emergency Response (NEAR)
Food Shelf in time for Thanksgiving with a second collection delivered mid-December.
Unopened, nonperishable food items or checks are accepted. Please make sure that
items are not beyond their “use by” date.
Food drive donations may be dropped off at New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave N,
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
COAT DRIVE
The New Hope Police Department is collecting new or gently used winter coats in
all sizes. Collected coats will be delivered to the Salvation Army for distribution. Coat
donations may be dropped off through Nov. 11.
TOY DRIVE
New, unwrapped toys for children of all ages and cash, check and gift card donations
will be accepted for the holiday toy drive sponsored by the New Hope Police
Department. The deadline for toy donations is Dec. 14 with donations being delivered
to NEAR, PRISM and Toys for Tots.
Both coat and toy donations may be dropped off in the police station lobby. The
lobby is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
Get into the Halloween spirit by
participating in our Trick or Trot
event! Youth ages 3-12 can
participate in an evening of trick-
or-treating at Civic Center Park,
4401 Xylon Ave N, on Saturday,
Oct. 8, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Enjoy
activites including face painting,
pumpkin decorating, carnival
games, DJ music, a costume
contest and hot beverages. A taco
truck will be on-site as well. Stay
to watch a FREE showing of Hotel
Transylvania 2 at 6:45 p.m. Wear
your Halloween costume and tennis shoes! Registration is $10 per child; visit
newhopemn.gov/rec or call 763.531.5151 to register.
NEW HOPE IN TOUCH | PAGE 3
Recreation Corner
INDOOR OPEN SKATING
The New Hope Ice Arena offers public open skating most Fridays, 6:30-8 p.m.,
and Sundays, 4-6 p.m. The cost for admission is $5 per person. Don’t have skates?
Skate rental is available during open skating sessions in both traditional hockey
and figure skates in sizes youth 8 through adult 13. The cost to rent the skates is $3
per pair. Please check the complete schedule at newhopemn.gov/rec or by calling
763.531.5181.
GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE RENTAL
The golf course clubhouse is available to rent for family gatherings, business
meetings, baby and bridal showers, birthday and anniversary parties and more.
Rentals are available from November through mid-March. Pictures of the
clubhouse are available on the city website. For more information, call the golf
course at 763.531.5178.
REVSPORTS BASKETBALL
This program helps players ages 3-9 develop dribbling, passing and basketball
shooting skills. Age-appropriate balls and hoops may be used. Classes are
Tuesdays, Oct. 11-Nov. 1. Ages 3-5 are 6-6:45 p.m., ages 4-6 are 6:45-7:30 p.m.,
ages 5-7 are 6:30-7:15 p.m. and ages 6-9 are 7:15-8 p.m. at the New Hope
Community Gyms.
NON-SCHOOL DAY CLASSES
Parents or kids, are you looking for something to do on non-school days? On Oct.
5, youth ages 5-8 can join us for this Encanto-inspired Madrigal Magic Workshop
from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., or youth ages 7-12 can work to build the strongest and most
agile robot in Combat Robots from 1-3 p.m. Additionally, on Oct. 20, youth ages
6-12 can design and build solar energy vehicles from LEGO’s in Solar Cars from
9 a.m.-3 p.m., or youth ages 6-12 can join others in an Unlimited Fun Obstacle
Course on Oct. 21 from 9:30-11 a.m.
For more information about these programs or to register, visit
newhopemn.gov/rec or call New Hope Parks and Recreation at 763.531.5151.
Trick or Trot and Transylvania 2
RAVE! Award Winners Announced
The New Hope City Council recognized five property owners as winners of the 2022
RAVE! Awards at its Aug. 22 meeting. The RAVE! residential property recognition
program was developed in 2006 as a way for the City to acknowledge outstanding
property maintenance and improvements completed by New Hope residents. The
program allows the New Hope City Council to formally recognize and thank
residents who have accomplished exceptional property maintenance and improve-
ments while highlighting methods homeowners can use to enhance and improve
properties within the city.
The City accepted nominations through July 22, with 16 properties nominated. A
volunteer panel of three judges, including city commission members and past
winners, toured the properties and selected the winners.
Here’s a look at the winning properties.
Outstanding Exterior Remodel & Landscaping Allen Sommerfeld and Max Wojtanowicz
Outstanding Gardens Missy and Tom Mound
Outstanding Porch/Patio Addition James and Christy Siede
Outstanding Landscaping Features Regina Pandey
Environmentally Sensitive Design Sheila Coombs
Is Your Home Ready for Fall?
Don’t wait until it starts to snow to find out you needed to replace your windows or
upgrade your furnace. The City of New Hope and Center for Energy and Environment
(CEE) can help you take on these home improvements with their loan programs
designed specifically for New Hope residents with rates beginning as low as 2%.
With these loan programs you can complete a wide range of home improvement
projects, from a new heating system or insulating your attic to new floors or a fresh
coat of paint throughout your house. The options are endless, get started today!
Financing is not one-size fits all. That is why New Hope offers multiple financing op-
tions, all of which have flexible terms, so you can find a loan that is the best fit for
your home. You can find more information at mncee.org/newhope or by calling
612.335.5884.
NEW HOPE IN TOUCH | PAGE 4
Oct. 9-15 is Fire Prevention Week
West Metro Fire-Rescue District is celebrating the 100th
anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9-15, 2022. This
year’s campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape,” works to
educate everyone about simple but necessary actions they
can take to keep themselves and those around them safe
from home fires.
• Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family
members, including those with sensory or physical
disabilities.
• Install smoke alarms inside every sleeping room, outside each separate
sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be
interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound.
• Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and
windows open easily.
• Have a meeting place a safe distance from your home where everyone should
meet.
• Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household,
including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.
For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and fire prevention, visit
fpw.org and sparky.org.
Special Materials Drop-Off Day is Oct. 8
West Metro Fire-Rescue District Open House
The West Metro Fire-Rescue District, serving New Hope and Crystal, is hosting an
open house on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Fire Station No. 3, 4251 Xylon
Ave N in New Hope.
There will be a live fire demonstration, vehicle extrication and technical rescue with
the ladder truck and other demonstrations. The event includes a kiddie obstacle
course, truck and equipment displays, safety exhibits and more.
Here is your chance to recycle items that can’t go in the curbside recycling cart.
Drop off mattresses, electronics, appliances, tires, scrap metal, bikes, batteries
and more at Brooklyn Park’s Operations & Maintenance facility, 8300 Noble Ave
N, on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fees may be charged for some items.
There will also be free paper shredding.
The Special Materials Drop-Off Day is open to New Hope, Crystal, Brooklyn
Center and Brooklyn Park residents. For more information, including a complete
list of accepted materials, visit hrg-recycling.com or call 763.493.8006.
Leave Your Leaves at the Yard Waste Site
Remember to keep leaves and other yard waste out of the street. They can clog
storm sewers and lead to build-up in stormwater ponds.
Sweep or rake up leaves, brush and other yard waste and dispose of it for free
at the Maple Grove Yardwaste Site, which is open through Nov. 30. The site is
located at 10300 Maple Grove Parkway. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 8
a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.
For more information, visit mgyardwaste.com or call HRG at 763.493.8006.
Take the Guesswork Out of Recycling Day
We could all use a little reminder now and then. The Hennepin Recycling Group
(HRG) has an app that will remind you to put the recycling out.
• Download the Brooklyn Park HRG Recycling app from either Google Play or
Apple App Store. Plug in your address and receive a reminder the day before
your biweekly recycling pickup. If you don't have a smartphone, sign up by
inputting your address into the calendar on the curbside recycling page of
hrg-recyling.com.
• Unsure if it's recyclable? Ask the Waste Wizard. The database includes
hundreds of articles and will tell you if the item goes in your recycling bin,
trash cart or has a unique disposal option.
Visit hrg-recycling.com or call 763.493.8006 for more information. Enter the 2022 In Focus Photo Conest!
New Hope’s In Focus Photo Contest allows community members to showcase their
photography skills while exploring what makes New Hope a great community to live,
work and play.
Participants may enter photographs into three categories: People, Places and Wildlife
& Nature. Photos entered must be taken somewhere in New Hope, and contestants
who live, work or study in the city may submit up to one image in each category. En-
tries may be submitted by email to communications@newhopemn.gov or New Hope
City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave N. All entries must be received by Friday, Oct. 21.
A panel of judges will evaluate entries on visual appeal, pictorial composition and
originality and select winners in each of the three categories and a youth category for
photographers under the age of 18. Community members will have the opportunity to
cast a vote for their favorite beginning in November.
Contest winners will be recognized at a future New Hope City Council meeting and in
City publications and receive an award plaque commemorating their achievement.
A complete list of contest rules and an entry form may be found at newhopemn.gov/
infocus or by contacting communications@newhopemn.gov or 763.531.5103.