Merry Christmas, Neighbors of Centerville!

Lino Lakes Poised To Cut City Budget By $500,000

Roughly $300,000 of that half-million dollars in budget cuts will come from a proposed reduction in city staff of 5.0 FTE (full-time equivalent) employee positions, half the reduction initially discussed at an August workshop.

Under that earlier scenario, 10.0 FTEs, or approximately 13% of the city’s 80 staff positions, would have been cut. However, council directed City Finance Director Al Rolek to explore other options such as mandatory two-week employee furloughs and the elimination of wage increases, steps that Reinert has termed “temporary solutions.”

Urging fellow council members at the workshop to deal with budget issues in ways “that can help us longterm,” Reinert requested that the group work together to define an overriding budget goal and implement solutions that can be counted on when the process begins again in 2010. Elimination of city staff positions is “something we only want to do once,” he said.

Referring to the current budget proposal as a “box of Band-Aids,” Reinert continued, “To continue to do things the way we do things with the current outlook and then expect different results is the definition of insanity,” he said. “What a sad situation to know that the problems aren’t solved and that we have to go through this again next year.”
Full Story Here
Deb Barnes, The Citizen

Outdoor Decorating

Monday, November 30, 2009

Outside the home of Centerville Mayor Mary Capra, Sara and Lucie Fehrenbacher, Simon and Julie Berger and Ben Fehrenbacher help put lights and bows on some of the 25 wreaths that will decorate light posts along Main Street. The wreaths were purchased from local boy scouts with private donations.
- Photo by Paul Dols
The Quad Press Link Here

Trivia:
How many new light posts have been erected along main street?

Does This Current Council Have The Best Interest of Citizens and Local Business at Heart?

CSAH 14 Speed Study Issue Deferred
Council also decided to defer action on the decision whether or not to request a speed study on CSAH 14 through town until next spring. A letter signed by five local businesses dated Sept. 23, 2009 requested that the speed study be conducted so as to reduce the speeds between Centerville Road and I-35E. The letter stated that the posted speed of 45 m.p.h. is unsafe due to proximity of homes and bus stops; it also stated that current speeds made crossing the roadway “difficult” and reduced the likelihood that drivers will patronize local businesses.
Link Full Article Here
How Does Mn/DOT Determine the Regulatory Speed Limit? Link Here

Welcome Newest Council Member, D. (Darion) Love

Is it not interesting that the current Centerville City Council chose to fill the seat vacated by Tom Lee with a person that did not run (D Love) during the last election? According to the buzz around town, Neale Rawlings should have been appointed, hands down. Instead, our elected officials chose someone with the exact same right of way violation (photo above) they are currently prosecuting a senior citizen (photo below) on criminal charges with?
Is the will of the people being ignored in Centerville?
What are they spending our tax dollars on?

2008 City Council Election results;
Neale Rawlings - 502
Thomas Fairbrother - 490
Ben Fehrenbacher - 522
Jeff Paar - 706
Stephanie Blomseth - 460
David H. Cochran - 368
Tom Wood - 348

FYI
Former Mayor Tom Wilharber also completed a letter of interest to fill the vacant seat and was shunned by Council.

The Citizen
Legal name?
Even ask?

City Council Meeting 9/23/2009

For those involved citizens that have been asking about the last Council session;

North Metro Cable has confirmed an error on their part regarding the re-airing of the 9/23 Council meeting. They are working on the issue and state that the Council session will resume it's regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.
The schedule is as follows;
Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday @ noon.

We have also confirmed via the City website that the Council minutes for this date have not yet been posted online.

From the City website
Upcoming Meetings Here

A Blast From The Past - May 2008

An online post from our soon to be past Council member Tom Lee regarding mandatory water/sewer hook up and current Council member Linda Vickers.

Question from citizen.
"Does everybody have to hook up to city water/sewer right away or can they wait? Does the word everybody mean everybody or just the unfortunate people selected?"

Answer from Tom Lee.
Every one that has city water available will be required to hook up to city water. If you are referring to Council Member Vickers, she will not be included in this project as she lives on a COUNTY road, which is not part of this project. BUT, when the County road is done, the city SHOULD make water available to her property and since she owns…..140 plus acres, she WILL pay an incredible amount. Unfortunately, I will not be on Council to to weigh in on the matter. (though I suspect she may)
Link Here

News From Our Centerville City Website

The City Council currently has a vacant seat. Tom Lee has resigned.
The remaining term of this seat is slightly over one (1) year Council, per MN State Statute 412 will be filling this seat by accepting letters of interest from eligible citizens until October 21, 2009at 4:00 p.m.
You may submit your letter of interest to City Hall
Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.4:00p.m. (during regular business hours), mail or place in the City's drop-box.
Please ensure ample time for mailing or placement in the drop-box to meet the deadline. Click here for information regarding what the position entails. Click here for an application for appointment.

How about contacting Mr. Neale Rawlings? He was only 20 votes from being elected Council member last year! Speak out people, before the Council "selects" a replacement for us based on a letter of interest!
Neale Rawlings BLOG HERE

2009 Minnesota Statutes
412.02 CITY ELECTIONS; OFFICERS, TERMS, VACANCIES.
Subd. 2a. Vacancy.
Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 2b, a vacancy in an office shall be filled by council appointment until an election is held as provided in this subdivision. In case of a tie vote in the council, the mayor shall make the appointment

Don't Hold Your Breath On That Dedicated Road Fund

Council could not seem to come to a conclusion during the September 9th meeting. (which is still not posted online) and decided to vote for a compromise.

Instead of setting aside $100,000 needed for seal coating next year they chose to compromise at the suggestion of Mary Capra, dedicating approximately half of what is needed.
To her credit Linda Vickers voted against the resolution stating "you do not have a plan if that plan is not funded". Linda totally rocked!

According to Council minutes Tom Lee, Jeff Paar and Ben Fehrenbacher did not want to dedicate money to the road fund, as it would raise taxes for the citizens. Vickers wanted to set aside $100,000 but Capra the consummate politician came up with a compromise to dedicate not nearly enough to meet the City needs.

Oh but the way, the vote doesn't really count because they have "wiggle room" and can change their decision by December this year.

By Council's own admission, they have been trying to dedicate a road maintenance fund for the past five years to meet our needs and have failed and we are falling behind.

Look for the you tube video coming soon...

Where Are The Minutes Of The September 9th Council Meeting?

Almost one week later, the Council minutes are still not available online. This after our City officials argued with State Auditors regarding their transparency.
Who is responsible for updating and posting the minutes online?
Dallas Larson, City Administrator also current staff members Teresa Bender and Kim Stephen.
Thank you for disappointing us once again and disregarding the advice of the State of Minnesota, Centerville staff.

Letter From a Centerville Resident

September 3, 2009
A big thank you for all the work your group did. In spite of the results of the audit, we know the adverse treatment we receive from our elected and appointed officials. They're all in lock step with each other in looking down on the city gentry of Centerville; claiming they know all and we are ignorant.
Your group is not alone; the signers of the petition are still behind you. There's work to be done during the next election cycle.
The Mayor and Council are bemoaning the bill of $12,500 for the audit, yet no one there has identified the reported $486,000 (2006 I believe) spent on engineering costs. That equated to $130 for every man, woman and child in the City and equal to 85% of what our police protection cost us that year.
Go figure where their fiscal acumen lies.
Again, your group did their job; we're still behind you.
Please pass this on to the others in your group.
Sincerely,
Centerville Resident
(name withheld)

Statement Of Core Petitioners Not Published In The Press

The group "Centerville Citizens for Ethical Taxation and Representation" who petitioned for the State Audit believes the results were helpful and productive for the City of Centerville.
Even though the investigation was very surface with little investigative findings, it still serves the citizens of Centerville an active participation in monitoring;

- massive spending, '05, debt of 500K to '08 of 9M
- checks and balances
- administrative monitoring
- massive developing in a downed economy

However, some residents believe that once again, in true Centerville fashion, the Council never showed any interest in what the citizens were concerned about... They very well could have arranged for questions to be answered by the State Auditor's Office Officials, but they were not interested in anything the citizens were thinking or had to say. The open forum was moved to the end of the meeting and the cameras were turned off before anyone was allowed to speak.

Perhaps the city could impose a levy or a special assessment to pay the cost of the audit, Capra suggested.

Here is a recent story from the Quad. Our Mayor, Mary Capra actually suggested another special assessment
Link Here
Perhaps the City could charge only the individuals that signed the petition? She wishes?

More Press HERE by Deb Barnes of the Citizen

State Audit Review

Bullet points as printed in the Pioneer Press
The city should consider opening up a competitive request-for-proposal process for things such as engineering services to "demonstrate impartiality."
It should provide more oversight of employee-reimbursement funds such as mileage to ensure information is recorded accurately.
It should do more monitoring of the city administrator's and finance director's time spent working and revise if necessary.
Full story here.
Audit Report Here

Centerville State Audit Release

The Nine Month Review of the Minnesota State Auditor's office will be released to the public:

Centerville City Hall
Wednesday, August 26
6:30 p.m.

All residents are welcome to attend.

Thank you to the 600+ residents that signed the petition and thank you to everyone that has supported the audit effort.

View agenda packet HERE

Check Out Recent Findings Spurred On By The Minnesota State Audit of Centerville

The Office of the State Auditor became aware of concerns regarding the City of Maple Lake’s (“City”) employment of John Meyer as its Economic Development Coordinator. Specifically, a newspaper article stated that Mr. Meyer was working for the City while working full-time as the City of Centerville’s Finance Director and full-time with the architectural and engineering firm Lightowler Johnson Associates. LINK HERE

Newspaper article mentioned above Star Tribune 5/2/2009
The Citizen 4/15/2009 Here

Previous Press Here

Quote Centerville Mayor Mary Capra
“Mr. Meyer is a professional and he would never compromise any of our grants,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that a small group out there is trying to find problems that are not problems.”
Quad Press 4/21/2009

Zumbro House Calls it Quits

According to the Eyewitness News broadcast this evening, Zumbro House will not open in Centerville after all.
"After protests from Centerville residents, the owner of a company that runs foster care homes for teens with serious behavioral and sexual issues says he won't open a facility in the northeast Metro suburb."

The Citizen 8/19/2008 Here
Editor's Viewpoint Here

KSTP TV - Minneapolis and St. Paul - Controversial Foster Home Pulls Out of Centerville

Anonymous Tip

Did you know that a "Zumbro House" is moving into Hunter's Crossing. Take a look at the link and educate yourself. These people were apparently given a permit to move into a foreclosed house. It's all apparently happening on the down low. People are finding out and are planning to attend the city council meeting tonight at 6:30 at the city hall.
http://www.zumbrohouse.com/whoweserve.html

UPDATE!
Zumbro House prior to the news cast.
Archive Zumbrohouse/whoweserve HERE
(Original text before sterilization) Why the curious and sudden change?

Verbatim prior text follows:
Serving individuals with high behavior needs, such as:
Sexual offending/acting-out
Self-abusive behavior
Physically aggressive behavior
Elopement
Destructive behavior
Anger management problems
Compulsive behavior
Defiant/oppositional behavior
When is Zumbro House Placement Appropriate?
Is the current caregiver unable to handle the overriding behavioral issues of the individual?
Is the behavior causing physical or emotional harm to the individual or others?
Does the person require a high level of supervision and staffing support in order to maintain the safety of the individual or others?
Is the individual's level of functioning compromised due to the behavior?
Has there been minimal pervasive improvement with other interventions such as psychiatric hospitalizations, crisis placements or outpatient treatment?

Here is the latest news report from Fox 9 news.



The current license does not allow level one or two sex offenders. For citizens of Centerville there are still a lot of unanswered questions, plus a second corporate foster home going through the application process just a few blocks away.
Link Here
Minneapolis Forum Here

Is Potential Use of Land a Reason to Get the Shaft?

It appears that two residences on Old Mill Road have not ended their court dispute with the City of Centerville regarding their $90,000 special assessments. Currently, they are awaiting a hearing in Anoka County scheduled the afternoon of August 24th.
A little history;
May 23, 2007
"In a letter addressed to the city, the Fruths wrote, "that proposal put forth by Jeff and Laura Hanzel [sic] is solely for their financial benefit and does not, in any way, serve to benefit us, our property, or the City . It is our intention to exercise each and every legal right available to us to prevent this ridiculous cost to ourselves." A nearly identical letter was sent to the city by Fred Fischer, who also opposes the project.
At the public hearing, Peter Fruth told council and staff that "we cannot afford a $100,000 assessment. After Peter spoke, Cathy, visibly upset, told council and staff that "we're not gaining a thing . We are being pressured to pay for something for [Hanzals'] development which I don't think we should have to pay for."
Although the Fruths' and Fishers' properties are currently zoned as Rural Residential, which stipulates a density of one lot per ten acres, staff pointed out that it is almost guaranteed that the zoning will change as the city moves through its Comprehensive Plan revision process this year and next, allowing them to subdivide.
"I've got no beef with Jeff Hanzal," Fisher said, "but my problem is that he wants to make money and he's doing it on my back. "He's the one selling the lots; let him pay for the road," he added. After the public hearing was closed, the council passed a resolution ordering the Old Mill Road improvements to go forward.
Prior to that vote, Council Member Lee, turning to look Peter and Cathy Fruth in the eyes, said "As much as it pains me to see old time residents feel like they have to move, this project was going to happen in a year anyway, and be more expensive."
"[However], if I were in your shoes, I'd feel like I was getting the shaft, too," he added.
Council Member Tom Lee argued that the size of the Fruths' property was part of the reason their assessment was so high. "Because your property has the potential to be many lots, the assessment is what it is," he said.
The Citizen

July 10, 2008
Only one person spoke at the hearing, Jeff Carroll, a lawyer representing Old Mill Road neighbors Cathy Fruth and Fred Fischer, but he said both his clients were very dissatisfied with the bills they had been sent.
He questioned the assessments, which he said indicated the property values would increase by $100,000 apiece, from a current estimated value of $375,000.
“The current taxes are over $5,000,” said Carroll. “This is going to increase their taxes to $14,000 a year, an increase of 140 percent, which is incredibly substantial.”
Fruth had appeared before Centerville City Council at a previous meeting, at which she claimed her drive had been left four feet above street level since the road improvements had been made.
She was offered two options to remedy the situation by the city engineer at the July 10 meeting, but explained she would need further time to decide which course of action she wished to pursue.
The City Council voted to delay the passing of a resolution on Old Mill Road residents’ special assessments until a later meeting when Fruth’s situation had been resolved.
The Citizen

The Fruth and Fisher families are considering taking their case all the way to the Minnesota Supreme Court if unsuccessful in Anoka County. Ms. Fruth questions why the City of Centerville is insisting her property is potentially worth over one million dollars while the Anoka County property tax statement shows her property value has dropped approximately $50,000 since this all started two years ago. Ms. Fruth also is willing to sell to any developer willing to pay the price the current council claims the property is worth.
Update:
As of today, the driveway situation has not been resolved between Ms. Fruth and the City of Centerville and both properties are still zoned Rural Residential (one lot per ten acres)

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation

Minnesota has ANTI-SLAPP laws on the books.
What is a SLAPP?
Retaliatory lawsuits intended to silence, intimidate, or punish those who have used public forums to speak, petition, or otherwise move for government action on an issue.
Link Here

Senior Citizen Arraigned on Criminal Charges

A Centerville senior citizen was arraigned July 22nd in Anoka County on four criminal counts of ordinance violation. This resident was an active participant in obtaining petition signatures for the State audit of the City of Centerville. She was also vocal in the disagreement with City officials on the 2009 road project (Link Here) in which the City scaled back the scope and cost from the initial $7.8 million to approximately $4.5 million. Last but not least, she was also involved with a dispute regarding a variance the City approved for development on her street. Here and Here

This senior citizen is now being charged with violating the Centerville right of way/easement ordinance 93.17. One violation is due to two bricks placed in the ground (see photo above) to protect a sprinkler head from being damaged at the edge of the property. Meanwhile, there are 80+ other properties in town with same or similar easement violations that the city officials have chosen to not pursue.
One interesting example is a mailbox violation (same ordinance 93.03) in which a developer also former planning and zoning member is in violation. The matter was brought to the attention of the City Administrator Dallas Larson and here is his response Feb. 2008. As of today, the mailboxes still stand but not in the required clusters of no less than 4 no more than 6... Right next door to the alleged criminal senior citizen!
Currently there are no charges pending against the two year old mailbox violation.
Click images to enlarge
Other criminal counts the senior is facing pertain to ordinance 150.01 bringing in more than 10 yards of fill, altering the drainage plan for the property and constructing retaining walls without obtaining a permit.
Although the resident has obtained the necessary permits from the Rice Creek Watershed District approving the recent work our City officials have decided to move forward with criminal charges paying City Attorney Kurt Glaser a minimum of 95 (taxpayer) dollars per hour to prosecute.
Neighbors have verified that the retaining walls in question have been there for years and wonder why the City is now pursuing criminal charges.
Mayor Mary Capra is on record stating that the City of Centerville enforces ordinances on a complaint basis. City Administrator Dallas Larson has stated that the matter has been referred to the City Attorney and it has been left to the attorney to resolve the issues.

Is this complaint based/selective enforcement or is this the price citizens will pay for exercising their Constitutional Rights by walking petitions or speaking out at public meetings?

Wikipedia;
Selective enforcement is the ability that executors of the law (such as police officers or administrative agencies, in some cases) have to arbitrarily select choice individuals as being outside of the law. The use of enforcement discretion in an arbitrary way is referred to as selective enforcement or selective prosecution.

Historically, selective enforcement is recognized as a sign of tyranny, and an abuse of power, because it violates Rule of Law, allowing men to apply justice only when they choose. Aside from this being inherently unjust, it almost inevitably must lead to favoritism and extortion, with those empowered to choose being able to help their friends, take bribes, and threaten those they desire favors from.

Regarding Cannon Falls History Repeating Itself in Centerville

A blast from the past...
One resident in the know understands how City government works, or doesn't.
Click Here

Anonymous said...

There are two residents on Old Mill Road (10 acre parcels) that have been assessed $90,000 each for "best use of land" and "potential value" while Linda Broussard-Vickers sitting council member (80 some acres) has been assessed NOTHING!
Meanwhile, these property values have dropped dramatically!

The Anoka County court cases are still being litigated

Another resident on Peltier Lake Drive being assessed over $10,000 had the case thrown out on a technicality... Filing the wrong paperwork!

Link Here

Is there is a reason that the State audit has not been revealed?
Could Cannon Falls history be repeating itself here in Centerville?

July 8, 2009 11:19 PM

City Council Meeting 6/10/2009

Should the opinion of a "professional" (City obtained) Appraiser trump the findings of the Anoka County Assessor? Apparently, here in Centerville it does so by a unanimous City Council vote! The business was assessed more than the entire worth of the property!
June 10, 2009 City Council minutes taken directly from the Centerville City website.

City Attorney Glaser stated that he had reviewed all the numbers with City Engineer Statz and City Administrator Larson and conducted due diligence He had also hired a professional appraiser He stated there was one exception a previous assessment to the property in approximately 1990. At that time the entire parcel was owned by Sheehy and fourths to they sold three Lloyd Drilling Later the City purchased the Lloyd Drillings portion The total assessment was $82,000 He suggested that the Council be conservative and credit fourth or 500 which was paid on the old Sheehy approximately one $20,000 assessment This would make Sheehys assessment approximately $380,000.

Patrick Lee OHalloran, Sheehys attorney stated that Sheehy objection is two fold.

1. According to the Minnesota Supreme Court and the statutes all you can assess is an increase in the property value from the improvements. $316,000 is the entire property value according to the County Assessor

2 All benefiting properties should be assessed In this case no other property owners who benefited have been assessed

MrLee O Halloran stated that when Sheehy owned the entire parcel they were assessed and paid for the assessment Therefore they already paid for the same improvements and do not have to pay for them twice He continued that the east side of property borders Lino Lakes and Lino Lakes benefited as much as Sheehy The total amount received from Lino Lakes was $150,000 for the same amount of frontage. Mr Lee OHalloran stated that only a small section of their property needed improvement Sheehy would like Centerville to consider $154,000 the real offer for the as assessment, they believe is more than fair.

Adopting the Assessment Roll for the 21St Avenue Backage Road Improvements
Council member Lee stated that he is in agreement with the City Staff about the expected increase in value Council member Fehrenbacher stated that he agrees with staff recommendation on the $400,000 number City Attorney Glaser stated that when a party appeals an assessment to the District Court the Court does not decide what the number will be If it believes the City number is wrong it will be sent back to the City He noted that litigation could cost approximately $20,000 Councilmember Broussard Vickers stated that she supports the findings of the appraiser, City Administrator Larson, City Engineer Statz and City Attorney Glaser. Mayor Capra stated that she disagrees with the $154,000 number proposed by Sheehy She stated that she would agree to decrease the proposed assessment amount by the $20,500 credit for the earlier assessment
Motion by Council Member Broussard Vickers seconded by Council Member Paar to approve Res Adopting the Assessment Roll for the 21 St Avenue Backage Road Improvements setting the Sheehy assessment at $379,000. All in favor Motion carried unanimously.
Link Quad Press Story Here

Did Centerville Have a Full Time Finance Director?

While not illegal, Centerville's finance chief also worked for other cities and a private firm.

Meyer was the town's finance director, with a salary of $83,000, until he resigned from the suburban community of 3,800 earlier this year. And he had a full-time job at an architectural and engineering firm based in Fargo, N.D.

There's more: Meyer was on the payroll one day a week in Maple Lake, earning about $42,000 last year, city officials said. Plus he had a consulting business, assisting small towns such as Frazee and Canby, according to his website.

City Administrator Larson credited Meyer with bringing in $3 million in grants since the fall of 2004, when he became finance director. He said the controversy over his employment is a "nonstory" prompted by a group of disgruntled citizens.

But his marathon moonlighting is very unusual, said Robin Roland, immediate past president of the Minnesota Government Finance Officers Association. Roland, who has been active in the 600-member organization for 15 years, said she didn't know any other finance director with two jobs, much less three.
"We have a code of ethics that basically says if we work for a city, we work for the city," said Roland, Farmington's finance director. "We don't do three or four different things."

Full Story Here
Star Tribune
05/02/2009
Jean Hopfensperger

Exit Question:
Will Mary Capra and current Council take any action?

What is Happening With The State Audit of Centerville?

Here is what we know today. (Re post of April 1st)

The audit was completed between November and January.
Centerville will be charged approximately $60 per hour for the investigation. We do not know how many hours will be billed.

The audit is currently under review.
Centerville will not be charged for the review process.

The review completion is done in multiple steps.
The audit of Cambridge was not released for nine months.
Link to audit Here
At this time we are waiting for a phone call from the State and have no inside information as to the approximate completion date.

Per Minnesota Statute 6.715
Data that support the conclusions of the report and that the state auditor reasonably believes will result in litigation are protected nonpublic data or confidential data on individuals, until the litigation has been completed or is no longer being actively pursued.
Link to statute Here

Whether the formal proceedings against a Centerville business is related to the audit or simply coincidence is unknown to us at this time.

CENTERSTONE TITLE LLC
Respondent created and controlled sham affiliated business arrangements; and provided other forms of kickbacks to referral partners in exchange for the referral of title insurance business.
Link to findings Here

Thank you to everyone that has supported the State audit. We will continue to do our best to keep you informed of our findings.

Council Members Moving Forward With Finance Director Replacement

While many question the necessity of hiring a new full time replacement, the council will conduct the first round of candidate interviews Saturday, May 9.

“I’m not aware of anything [concerning Meyer’s job performance] that would raise any huge red flags,” Larson told The Citizen. “If he was resourceful enough to generate a few dollars on the side in a consulting business, that’s fine, as long as it didn’t affect his job here.”
Full Story Here
Mr. Larson was the supervisor of our last finance director and as such, isn't he obligated to investigate all information available? Maybe Centerville can survive with only a part-time director or hire a consulting firm on an hourly basis.

"City Administrator Dallas Larson and Mayor Mary Capra confirmed that Meyer concurrently completed work for other cities, but Larson said none of the work Meyer did outside of Centerville presented a conflict."

Read More About Work With Other Cities Here

"Capra said Meyer was a good employee who brought in more than $3 million in grant funds for the city, and that resident inquiries into Meyer’s personal file are costing the city tax dollars because of attorney fees."
Full Story Here

What Capra does not mention is how much money Centerville must spend in matching funds for these grant dollars. She also does not state why the City is spending money for attorney fees in this matter. Why not allow the residents to view the personal file (attendance records) of a former or current City employee that is known to work with other cities?

"Larson said the blog has “nothing good to say about Centerville, ever.” (Link Above)
The City officials have always been encouraged to contact the blog regarding information they consider incorrect.

How Does Centerville Compare With Other Cities?

Comparing Property Taxes on Average Value Homes in 117 Metropolitan Communities, 2007-2008
The link shows how well our City officials have been managing your money. The nearby City of Columbus with similar population ranked 94 while Centerville remained at number 3.
Bear in mind that since the chart was created, our officials have been busy with:

Increasing Centerville taxes by 6.6%
(The highest allowable by law)
Imposing 4+ million dollar street improvement assessments.
(Still no dedicated road fund)
Chasing a downtown dream and placing bets.
(Approving hundreds of thousands in engineering fees)
Link Here
Link Here
Creating a"Fire Protection Fee" for those without City water.
(Not considered a new tax)

Read confirmation email from the City Administrator below.

Monday, January 5, 2009 9:21 AM

From:"Dallas Larson"

To: Centervilleblog@yahoo.com

Your blog states that the city water charge of $84 will apply to all residents. The charge at $80 is already on the bill of the majority of residents (all who are connected to city water) and for them only the 5% increase will apply. This fee will be new to those that are not connected
to city water, but receive benefits due to the fire insurance rating.

Dallas Larson, Administrator
City of Centerville
651-429-3232

City Council/Finance Director History Circa 2005

Click the above images to enlarge and read the approved City minutes.

Mary Capra, Tom Lee, Jeff Paar and Linda Broussard-Vickers all questioned his job performance (section two) in January 2005. A full six months before he accepted a position with Lightowler, Johnson and Associates. Today they claim there has never been a problem?

“I’m not aware of anything [concerning Meyer’s job performance] that would raise any huge red flags,” Larson told The Citizen. “If he was resourceful enough to generate a few dollars on the side in a consulting business, that’s fine, as long as it didn’t affect his job here.”
Several council members, including Tom Lee and Mayor Mary Capra, say they were aware that Meyer had a consulting business, a fact that Lee says was disclosed at the time of Meyer’s interview in 2004.
The Citizen


For a little history (section three) on our City Administrator
CLICK HERE

The Citizen 4/15/2009

Does Centerville Need A Full-Time Finance Director?
By Deb Barnes

The Centerville City Council is actively engaged in a search to replace former city finance director John Meyer, who retired last January for health reasons. But some Centerville citizens question whether the city really needs a full-time finance director.
Since Meyer’s departure, the city has relied on intermittent assistance from Abdo, Eick & Meyers, the city’s auditors, to keep its financial wheels turning.
Centerville is counting on cost savings realized by Meyer’s departure to help whittle its budget in 2009; even after accounting for the costs of temporary help until a new finance director is hired, it appears the city will be $22,000 ahead. But although the city may have been paying for a full-time finance director, Centerville resident Stephanie Blomseth wonders if it had one.

Records show that while Meyer was employed by the city of Centerville he actively pursued other work, both as a consultant to Minnesota municipalities and as a part-time employee of an engineering consulting firm in North Dakota.
Lightowler Johnson Associates in Fargo, N.D. lists Meyer as an employee on the company’s Web site. Meyer has worked up to 35 hours per week as Project Developer/ Finance Advisor for the architectural/engineering firm since July 1, 2005, sources say.

“I’m not aware of anything [concerning Meyer’s job performance] that would raise any huge red flags,” Larson told The Citizen. “If he was resourceful enough to generate a few dollars on the side in a consulting business, that’s fine, as long as it didn’t affect his job here.”
Several council members, including Tom Lee and Mayor Mary Capra, say they were aware that Meyer had a consulting business, a fact that Lee says was disclosed at the time of Meyer’s interview in 2004. But how much outside consulting he did, or whether Meyer arrived at City Hall “refreshed and ready for work” as the Personnel Policy requires, has apparently never been discussed.
Meyer did not return a phone call in time for this story.

To be fair, the above is only part of a much lengthier, detailed story. Of course, we chose to shorten it up for the blog. To read the entire article
Link HERE

2009 Street Improvement

Bid Opening April 14, 2009 - 10:00 a.m.
Apparent Low Bidder to Apparent High Bidder

Rum River Contracting $1,237,968.09
Forest Lake Contracting $1,337,737.25
Knife River Corporation $1,358,740.30
Dresel Contracting, Inc. $1,368,097.75
Tower Asphalt, Inc. $1,404,004.00
T.A. Schifsky & Sons, Inc. $1,579,013.99

The new bid amounts are apparently much lower than expected. Will the savings (approximately $300,000) be passed on to our assessed residents?

Centerville Property Values Drop 10.3 Percent Over Year

Taxes are payable in 2010
by Loretta Harding
4/14/2009
CENTERVILLE — The Centerville City Council heard appeals to the payable 2010 property tax assessments prior to the April 8 meeting at City Hall.

As required by state law, at least three council members became board certified to address property owners who take issue with valuation and classification of their property at the annual Board of Assessment Appeal and Equalization Hearing. City Assessor Ken Tolzmann attended the meeting to answer questions, and Diana Stellmach represented Anoka County, as required by state law.

Assessors in Minnesota use real estate sales in a given community between October of 2007 and September of 2008 to determine current market value of homesteaded residential property. Qualified sales for purposes of market valuation don't include bank sales, foreclosures or sales to relatives.
Full Story Here

Do City Officials Care When the Employment Policy is Violated?

Apparently they all have turned a blind eye to it here in Centerville! Our last finance director John Meyer, split town (citing health issues) in the midst of a State audit and left us high and dry on the 2009 Centerville budget. It has come to our attention that the Centerville City officials (including Mayor Mary Capra) knew our former finance director was working with other cities at the same time he was employed with the City of Centerville. They also knew he owned his own business upon choosing to hire him in 2005. Mr. Meyer did all this with their knowledge even though it most likely was a violation of Centerville's employment policy.
See actual policy documentation above.

To learn more about his activities while working for us,
CLICK HERE.

Maybe it's time to question what is going on behind the walls of City Hall during working hours and the judgment of our elected officials. To some, this appears to be further evidence of selective enforcement. To others this is a violation of public trust and reckless use of taxpayer dollars.

Suggestions Being Accepted for Naming the New Road

The City Council is looking for resident suggestions for naming the "Backage Road" located 20th Avenue and 21st Avenue. We will be accepting names via email at tbender@centervillemn.com until May 31, 2009.

A Finance Director Is Needed... Why?

Could the positions of City Administrator and Finance Director be combined? If the Finance Director has to "step up" to fulfill the role of Administrator in his absence, why is our Administrator unable to fulfill the role of the "subordinate" Finance Director position?
Finance Director Employee Position Description Here
What exactly does our City Administrator do for the $90K+ salary (with full benefits) he receives?
Incidentally, the Finance Director position pays another 80K+ with full benefits.

In the interest of saving money and covering our current $120,000 budget shortfall, is this a bad idea for a city of our size?

What About That State Audit?

We have been hearing from residents questioning the status of the State audit. Here is what we know today.

The audit was completed between November and January.
Centerville will be charged approximately $60 per hour for the investigation. We do not know how many hours will be billed.

The audit is currently under review.
Centerville will not be charged for the review process.

The review completion is done in multiple steps.
The audit of Cambridge was not released for nine months.
Link to audit Here
At this time we are waiting for a phone call from the State and have no inside information as to the approximate completion date.

Per Minnesota Statute 6.715
Data that support the conclusions of the report and that the state auditor reasonably believes will result in litigation are protected nonpublic data or confidential data on individuals, until the litigation has been completed or is no longer being actively pursued.
Link to statute Here

Whether the formal proceedings against a Centerville business is related to the audit or simply coincidence is unknown to us at this time.

CENTERSTONE TITLE LLC
Respondent created and controlled sham affiliated business arrangements; and provided other forms of kickbacks to referral partners in exchange for the referral of title insurance business.
Link to findings Here

Thank you to everyone that has supported the State audit. We will continue to do our best to keep you informed of our findings.
Have a great weekend!

Centerville Anticipates Up To $120,000 In Budget Cuts

No Word Yet On State Audit Costs
By Deb Barnes

CENTERVILLE – Although the City of Centerville isn’t quite sure how big the 2009 budget funding gap is going to be, one council work session on the topic has already been held. City Administrator Dallas Larson is getting the city’s ducks in a row to meet the shortfall, which he says may be as high as $120,000, or almost 5 percent of the city budget, set at $2,604,320 last December. That number, however, does not include charges for the state audit report, which is still under review by the Office of the State Auditor. Since that time, it has become clear that some expected revenues will not be headed for the city’s coffers aft er all. City officials anticipate that $63,500 in 2009 Market Value Homestead Credit revenues will not be forthcoming from the state, and staff is taking steps to deal with that expected loss.

“We need to cut a minimum of $80,000, perhaps as high as $120,000 [from the budget],” Larson said. Those budget cuts will be accomplished in a number of ways. The city will see at least a net $22,000 in savings because of the vacancy in the finance director position following John Meyer’s retirement in January.

The Citizen
Full Story Here

Twin Cities home prices take a 20% plunge

In the Twin Cities, home prices fell 20 percent in January from a year earlier, the largest annual decline on record.
Housing continues to grope for a bottom in the Twin Cities, new numbers out Tuesday show. Local home prices in January took their steepest annual dive yet, according to the latest Standard and Poor's Case-Shiller home price index, while the number of residential construction permits issued locally in March fell to one of the lowest monthly totals on record.
The upshot: Housing, the economic sector that triggered the nation's worst recession in generations, remains ravaged by foreclosure-related activity and still has a backlog of inventory. Buyers benefit, but the slide in values is squeezing household balance sheets and wallets. In the Twin Cities, home prices fell 20 percent in January from a year earlier, according to the Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 major metropolitian areas. That's the area's largest yearly drop on record, though the index declined less in January than in December, possibly indicating that the bottom is nearby.
The association has been tracking the two local markets separately to illustrate the different dynamics behind the Twin Cities overall median sale price, which now stands at a very low $150,000.

By JENNIFER BJORHUS,
Star Tribune Full Story Here
March 31, 2009

In a Fix: Fill Potholes, Empty Out Wallets

For cash-strapped Minnesota residents, street upgrades are a low priority. In metro-area suburbs, they're letting local officials know it.
When Michelle DeMarre learned that Maplewood was planning to slap a $7,000 tax assessment on her home to pay for new street and storm sewers, she was incredulous.
"During these economic times, they're asking for $7,000!" DeMarre exclaimed. "There were people at these public meetings [on the street proposal] who didn't even have a job.
We told the city, 'Now is not the time.'" It's a message being heard in suburbs across the metro area. With bulldozers revving up for spring construction season, many suburbs are finding loud opposition to local construction projects that in better days were OK'd by area homeowners with little more than a grumble.
Homeowners boast some success.
Last fall, Centerville chopped in half the $7 million price tag for a street improvement after bitter community complaints.
In January, Maplewood canceled its construction plans for DeMarre's neighborhood.
Last month, Bloomington sliced 1 mile out of its 5-mile road construction plan for 2009.
Some cities, however, worry that delaying repairs could end up costing more in the future. While residents have opposed these tax assessments in the past, it's been particularly swift and vocal this year, said Chuck Ahl, public works director for Maplewood.
Plymouth homeowners, for example, began organizing against a street improvements plan this winter long before a public hearing was even scheduled, said Lori Ahrens, city manager. "I think you'll see an overall downturn in normal public works projects," said Jim Miller, executive director of the Minnesota League of Cities.
In the current market, "it may be more difficult to demonstrate that property values will rise in relation to the amount of the assessment, which is required by law. And people may not have the ability to pay."
Star Tribune Link

Keep standing tall Centerville residents! Together we have a voice and together it will continue to be heard!!

Two Centerville Pond Projects Postponed

The Centerville City Council learned at its March 11 meeting that two of the city's pond projects have encountered obstacles.
The 2009 Pond Dredging Project could not be completed before warm weather and weight restrictions imposed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation set in. City Engineer Mark Statz said the project would be abandoned until January of 2010 or earlier, depending on when the ground freezes again.One pond project was originally meant to drain water from downtown redevelopment into land owned by St. Genevieve Catholic Church. According to City Administrator Dallas Larson, it was suggested that the proposed pond be relocated to the southwest corner of Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park due to complications at St. Genevieve.
Now there are complications at the park.
The city's Parks and Recreation Committee said the southwest corner chosen for the pond is the only area in the park suitable for a soccer field, and that the Soccer Association has already invested money in that field.
The parks committee recommended that the pond be located in the southeast corner of the park for safety reasons, but the city preferred the larger storage capacity of the southwest corner.
On March 4, the Parks and Recreation Committee unanimously opposed the pond being located in the southwest corner of the park.
If the city is unable to secure the southwest corner, Larson and Statz said they’ll look at other alternatives and keep the southeast corner in reserve, in case they don't find another site for the drainage pond.
Quad Press

Link Here to view Centerville LGA history.

Link to 3/3/2009 story Here

Bill could clear path to local tax hikes

Annual 'truth in taxation' hearings would be optional
Associated Press

Legislation advancing in the Minnesota Senate would let cities and counties raise property tax levies without state interference, published notices in newspapers or annual hearings where taxpayers vent their frustrations. Senate Taxes Committee Chairman Tom Bakk said extra state aid was supposed to help local governments cope with levy limits, but the money has dried up with the meltdown. He said Democrats held out for the aid as part of last year's budget deal with Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Bakk's bill would nix "truth in taxation" hearings late in the year — annual meetings where taxing authorities present their budgets and taxpayers react and ask questions. Bakk said the meetings are costly but don't always draw crowds. He suggested that governments could let the public weigh in at their regular meetings instead.
The bill's next stop is the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

The city administrator cautioned to be careful what is said on this blog about the preliminary 2009 budget.

We choose to say nothing, yet. The preliminary budget speaks for itself. Click image for larger print.

Phasing Out of Phase One?

Click on map to bring up larger image.
Last evening the Beard Group addressed phase one. The sections include B, C, D and I.
Ron Mehl of the Beard Group made a presentation to council suggesting increased demand for affordable rental housing. Section D appeared to be the only area being seriously considered at this time.

B 14,000 SF Rental/Office
(This is a hard sell for an anchor tenant. Capra interested in bringing Trader Joe's to town).

C. 48 Multi Family Units/15,000 SF Rental/Office
(Lenders are not financing at this time without 75% pre-sold).

D. 41 Multi Family Units (Affordable)
(Increased funds and demand for this now but purchase agreement must be renewed with Centerville).

I. 40 For Sale Town homes
(There's been a 40% decrease since 2007 and National builders have no interest at any price).

Ron Mehl concluded the meeting by stating to Council, "If you would like to talk with other developers at this time, we are fine with that. We don't want to hold the City up." He also mentioned that he was not interested in "entering a suicide pact."

To view the entire Downtown development plan as outlined last year
Click Here

Process Begins for New Centerville Trails

At its Feb. 25 meeting, the Centerville City Council started the process of making sure the Transportation Enhancement Trail Grant project becomes reality.
“We want to make sure we are poised to take advantage of that money if it comes available to us,” said City (Bonestroo) Engineer Mark Statz. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has said that Centerville is a viable candidate to receive funding, he added.

The first order of business for the council was to approve consideration of a plan and fee proposal from Bonestroo, a St. Paul-based engineering firm, for the Transportation Enhancement Trail Grant project. For its designs and permit submittal work, Bonestroo will receive $128,000 in fees.
The next task for the city is to make offers to purchase right of ways from property owners along the proposed trail.
In other actions, the council:
*Unanimously awarded the contract for the 2009 Pond Dredging Project to the lowest qualified bidder, Dresel Contracting Inc., for $73,525.
*Unanimously approved consideration of Bonestroo's scope and fee proposal of $3,000 for construction services on the 2009 Pond Dredging Project. Work will begin immediately to take advantage of cold temperatures and last approximately three weeks, Statz said.
*Unanimously authorized the city administrator to enter into a contract for soil borings and engineering reports, not to exceed $10,000, for a pedestrian bridge.
*Unanimously authorized the city attorney to begin litigation for delinquent assessment payments against Fairview Street (Royal Oaks Realty).
*Approved special assessment agreements for the 2009 Street Improvement Project.
Quad Press
Full Story Here

Classic Cadillac Diner True to Name

Walking into the Classic Cadillac Diner is literally a step back in time.

Coca Cola memorabilia and classic car posters line the walls. Colorful vinyl booths provide a cozy retro atmosphere. And then there’s the mint 1907 Cadillac, which justifies the diner’s name.
Tucked inside Jason’s Bobby & Steve’s Auto World at the junction of Interstate 35E and Cty. Rd. 14, the diner received a complete makeover recently when Jason Snyder and partner Bobby Williams ended a franchise agreement with Embers.

Centerville Elementary will be getting a $750 grant through Exxon Mobile on behalf of Auto World and Jason’s Bobby & Steve’s contributed to Centerville’s Adopt a Family last year, a benefit for the Jay Hauer family.

Link Here
Quad Press

What's Going on With the State Audit?

This is a question we have received from several Centerville residents. We are expecting the State Auditor to release the investigation results very soon. We are aware that the audit has been completed and is in review.
As soon as we obtain a copy of the audit report, we will post the highlights and link directly to the OSA website where every resident will be able to read the complete findings.
It is our understanding that the report will be delivered to the citizens and the City officials the same day but we have not been given any further information.

Thank you for all your support.

Centerville City Finance Director Posting

The City will be accepting applications for the position of Finance Director in the near future. Please check the Pioneer Press for this posting.
Link Here

Street Project Still Riling Residents

The 2009 Street Improvement Project, the topic that won’t go away, took over the Feb. 11 Centerville City Council meeting.
A dozen residents of Peltier Lake Drive showed up at the meeting to speak their minds about assessments, appeals, attorneys and recent actions of the City Council.
Although City Attorney Kurt Glaser said the public forum was not supposed to be a question and answer session, the bulk of the meeting turned into a dialogue between the council and the residents.
Several residents of Peltier Lake Drive reported that they had met before the council meeting to discuss ways to reduce their assessments short of litigation. “For the most part, people on Peltier Lake Drive want to have a win-win and work with the city. We don’t want to litigate,” said resident Daniel Skoog.
Despite recent public hearings and consultations with Glaser, the residents still had questions for council members. Among them: why the city holds closed-door sessions, why residents can’t get appraisal data, whether it’s worthwhile to obtain a special appraisal to appeal and why residents have to pay for the street project.
As the council moved through its agenda, discussion stemming from bid rejections and the reopening of bidding for the 2009 Street Project consumed the meeting again. William Svetin wondered whether savings from the new bidding process would lower their assessments.
“If the bids come back lower, pass it on to the people,” he said.
Glaser said assessments only represent 20 to 25 percent of the project’s cost, so if the overall project costs drop, it will affect the taxpayers paying for the remaining 75 to 80 percent — not the individual assessment amounts.
If the total cost of the project doesn’t go up, no public hearings will be necessary, and residents appealing their assessments must keep following the same time line as a matter of law, Glaser said.
Quad Press

Grants are Great When You Can Afford Them

BENSON, Minn.—Minnesota cities are struggling in the down economy and in Benson, finances are so tight that it's decided to send back $167,000 in state transportation money.

City Manager Rob Wolfington says they money is going back to the Minnesota Department of Transportation because the city can't afford its share of matching funds.

Wolfington says the city received the grant in 2006 for a trail extension that would cost about $280,000 to build.

With matching funds and the required engineering costs, the city would be on the hook for nearly $115,000 to build the project.

The City Council could have rolled the project back to 2012, but Wolfington says the city doesn't think it will be in any better financial shape in three years.

The council took the action on Monday.

Associated Press

The Hunt for a New Finance Director is On!

The Centerville City Council accepted Finance Director John Meyer's letter of retirement at its Jan. 28 meeting and quickly took steps to find his replacement.
Meyer submitted a short letter on Jan. 23, citing a “deteriorating medical condition and related limitations” as the cause for his retirement, effective Jan. 30.
“It's really with a heavy heart that the City of Centerville accepts Mr. Meyer's retirement letter,” Mayor Mary Capra said. “Meyer was an outstanding employee for the city, leaving big shoes to fill with all the talents that he brought to the council.” The mayor added there would be a potluck for his retirement. “If he is able to come back, we will certainly welcome him,” she said.
Because Meyer leaves an important position open, the council went to work immediately to seek a new financial director. The opening will be posted immediately. City Administrator Dallas Larson expects a new financial director on board within two to three months at the earliest.
Quad Press

Centerville paid Mr Meyer the Finance Director over $80,000 annually. We are currently paying over $90,000 to our City Administrator Dallas Larson. Could these positions be shared with Lexington and Circle Pines? We already share our police with them. Many small cities team together for these larger salaried positions in the interest of saving their citizens tax dollars.

More Bad Press for Centerville...

Pioneer Press 2/1/2009

Centerville residents are finding strength in numbers as they fight what they consider hefty and poorly timed special assessments.

The Peltier Lake Drive Group is made up of dozens of residents who have banded together to contest the assessments for a $4 million road and water project meant to improve streets and hook up homes with private wells to city water. The group is considering several options — from negotiating a smaller bill to a lawsuit, should it come to that.

"The neighbors are very concerned about having to pay for a road for the third time. Everyone is of the same feelings and, therefore, formed a group to find a solution to this problem that would mutually benefit both sides — a win-win situation," said organizer Daniel Skoog, who lives on Peltier Lake Drive.

A battle over the project has been brewing for months. Many of the 250 affected residents are baffled that the city is forging ahead. They say now isn't the time to hit homeowners with special assessments.

This will be the third time in 30 years that many of his neighbors have paid for a new road on Peltier Lake Drive, Skoog said. They were most recently assessed in the late 1980s, he said.

"We're talking about large assessments against the neighbors at a time when the economy is terrible," he said.

Full Story Here

Special Assessment Hearing in the Press

Quad Press 1/27/2009
Some residents briefly questioned the various water fees; the financial burden placed on the community as a whole; how the 5.5 percent interest rate was calculated; why their assessment was higher than the neighbors; how the city went about assessing an odd-shaped lot; why they couldn't find information on the city Website and why the most-traveled part of the street was being assessed the least.
Other residents were more direct in expressing their displeasure.
Resident Daniel Skoog noted that the city reduced the project from $8 million to $4 million, but didn't reduce his assessment by half.
"You haven't done a good job," he said. "I'll bet if I asked everyone in this room who was disappointed, they'd stand up and yell." Loud clapping followed his remark.
Cheers also greeted resident William Svetin's comments. "You place the burden of proof (of property appraisal) on the people," he said. "It shouldn't be that way. You should prove to us." Svetin said he couldn't get a copy of his property appraisal when he went to City Hall.
Skoog and resident Scott Klemann disputed the city's statement that assessments are based on the assumed property value increase due to the street improvements. Klemann said the appraiser his neighbor consulted stated that street improvements "wouldn't raise the value of a home one penny."
Dozens of property owners submitted written protests to city officials, but the time period for oral and written objections is now closed. After the meeting, City Attorney Kurt Glaser met with citizens individually to answer their questions. Citizens will have to hire their own appraiser to provide the numbers to back up their objections, he said.
Full Story Here

Welcome to Centerville!

Centerville Finance Director Abruptly Retires Citing Health Issues

Yes, our finance director John Meyer retired this week. Mr. Meyer was paid at a Grade 12 step 9 which put his annual salary at $81,505.76
Council approved the replacement of his position during the last session 1/28/2009. The general consensus of our elected leaders was that the next finance director would have some very large shoes to fill. Tom Lee even joked that the City might want to add "walk on water" to the job description.
Although we wish John Meyer well and pray his health issues are not grave, we will save our assessment of his job performance until the State Audit is made public.

Exit question:
Does a City of our size need to pay a salary of $81,500 for a finance director?

Special Assessment Updates From the Centerville City Website

2009 Street & Utility Improvement Project

Click here to view the Power Point Presentation from the January 21, 2009 Assessment Hearing. The hearing will also be broadcast daily January 24 to February 24, 2009 from 10 a.m. to noon on Government Channel 16.

One Resident Seeking a New Appraisal Says...

I have done a bit of calling around and actually, quite accidentally, tripped across the company that is doing the appraisals for the City of Centerville.
Nagell Appraisal's St. Paul office is doing the city's side. Being that the Council seemed reluctant to disclose said information so far, I thought it should be made known.
Nagell had to bow out in appraising my property due to conflict of interest. Since the City Council did not state that they were refusing for legal reasons, I assume they chose not to disclose because they didn't want the appraiser to be swamped with angry phone calls.

You can forward this to the e-mail list as you see fit.

Link Here