City turns attention to storm water drainage.
With spring thaw months away, the City Council mulled over a project designed to disperse storm water at the Feb. 10 regular meeting and work session.
The time to get moving on the project is now, City Engineer Mark Statz said.
A new pond south of Laurie LaMotte Park would receive water from the east and from the new downtown development, according to Statz. Water that would normally drain into Centerville Lake would drain into the new pond, helping the city meet Rice Creek Watershed District requirements for runoff water volume control. The water that runs into the new pond would provide irrigation for ball fields at Laurie LaMotte Park.
The system, which Statz called “very green”, has already received approximately $300,000 in grant funding and is expected to cost approximately $1.1 million. He asked council members whether they were ready to commit the remaining $800,000 to move the project forward.
Mayor Mary Capra and City Administrator Dallas Larson were worried that delays may cause the city to lose the grant funding. “We have a nucleus for a good project; let’s see if agencies will let us downsize,” Larson said. “This gives basis for something that would be good for downtown – it would be a shame to throw away those dollars.”
Full Story Here
02/10/2010
Council discussed the status of the new trail project. Glaser said that two property acquisitions remain unresolved with the city expected to achieve acquisition by March 1.
Statz said that plans and specifications are ready, the bidding process will soon start and that construction will start in 2010. Statz said that grant monies of $791,280 might be available to the city in 2010, rather than 2012. Capra recommended that Statz attend a Parks and Recreation Committee meeting to receive requests and suggestions. Larson said that city staff would prepare a budget and other items for council to start taking official action at an upcoming meeting. The project is estimated to cost $1.2 million.
Unresolved property acquisitions mean pending litigation and hourly fees paid to the City Attorney No mention of Centerville's obligation for the trail grant. See above Pond Grant.
Exit question, what will Statz charge the City for sitting in on the Parks and Rec. meeting?
Showing posts with label centerville city council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label centerville city council. Show all posts
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Centerville Ranks 14th Highest in City Tax Rate...
BUT STILL RANKS 3rd OVERALL!
Centerville's rank of 14th-highest in city tax rates was good news: The city has been the highest-taxed city in the past. "It's a huge improvement for us," Mayor Mary Capra said. She said the average property owner has seen an increase in city taxes of only $63 in the past seven years. The city is getting creative. Today, the city is sponsoring what Capra calls "our own little economic stimulus package." The event, called Dash for Cash, includes a drawing for $500 in "Cougar Cash" that can be spent only in Centerville businesses. The idea is to promote city businesses and the city overall. "We have a bare-bones staff," Capra said. "This city council is conservative."
HIGHEST OVERALL TAX RATES
1. Carver
2. Victoria
3. Centerville
4. Savage
5. Circle Pines
6. Lexington
9. Dayton
7. Golden Valley
8. Farmington
10. Minneapolis
Pioneer Press-12/9/2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
I’m Just Baffled at How This Stuff Works
"I am the best candidate with the most experience and have proven I can handle difficult issues and make tough decisions. I make all of my decisions based on all of the residents of the city, not just one special interest group. I have been elected twice because I keep my promises, I am honest, and the residents trust me. "In other action, the council:
Agreed to submit a grant application through the Safe Routes to Schools program in the hope that the old adage, “Third time’s a charm” will be true for this particular project. The application for funds to construct a tunnel crossing under CSAH 14 near Centerville Elementary School has been rejected twice previously, but city engineer Mark Statz said the city had been given a “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” from MnDOT that the application would likely succeed this time around. Council members expressed concern that if successful, the project would require the digging-up of a section of the newly relaid Main Street, but agreed that they would make a decision on whether to proceed if the funds were allocated to Centerville. “I’m just baffled at how this stuff works,” said Council Member Jeff Paar, commenting on the news that the application might be successful after the reconstruction of CSAH 14 had occurred.
The Citizen
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Can Small-town Charm Be Built From Scratch?
September 6, 2008
ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESSBY BOB SHAW
Judy Tschumper is chasing a dream.
'It's all right here!' she shouted, over the happy racket of a small-town street party in Lakeville on a hot August night.
Around her was a nostalgic vision of Elvis music, flowerpots, dancing children and food stands -- a throwback to what Lakeville and America used to be. As an old man did the twist beside her, she reveled in the restoration of the everyone-knows-you small-town way of life.
Indeed, that is what most of Minnesota yearns for -- even when it doesn't make sense.
The small towns of yesteryear are gone, yet they grip the imaginations of Minnesotans. From Hudson to St. Paul to Edina, cities fret about losing their small-town charm. Arguments rage and millions of dollars are spent in efforts to preserve or build it.
The rise of the automobile unraveled small towns. When customers could drive to bigger stores, they traded their small-town loyalty for convenience and lower prices.
Meanwhile, air-conditioning and TV kept people indoors. Yards and houses became immense. Neighbors became strangers.
Today, small towns -- like small family farms -- have lost their economic reason for being. Yet Archer said they persist, often with government subsidies.
Is the time right for Centerville to head in the same direction?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Special Tax Assessment Hearing
Hearing on $2.8 million Street and Utility Improvements Tentatively set for Jan. 7, 2008
A public hearing to discuss the 2009 Street and Utility Improvement Project has to wait until next year, as the Centerville City Council unanimously decided Nov. 12 that it needs more information on the water improvement portion.
The hearing is tentatively set for Jan. 7.
A major issue to consider in the project — estimated to cost $2.8 million — is financing of the initial water main construction, as residents would not pay until they used the water. A city water enterprise fund would pay for initial water main extensions in developed areas, but costs wouldn’t be collected until after hook-up, according to City Administrator Dallas Larson.
The plan is a departure from the 2004 assessments and previous projects in which work was assessed at completion.
“We want to be fair to (those assessed in) 2004 and the others before, because they have already done their part,” said Mayor Mary Capra.
As for the 2009 Street Project as a whole, tax levy costs for all Centerville residents and commercial properties are estimated as follows, according to Larson.
The pay period would be 15 years per the project’s bond financing.
• Owners of a home with a market value of $250,000 would pay $152.54 annually.
• Owners of home with a market-value of $500,000 would pay $305 annually.
• Owners of a commercial property with a market value of $250,000 would pay $259.32 annually.
• Owners of a commercial property with a market value of $500,000 would pay $564.59 annually.
Projected costs have yet to be finalized, however, and Capra said the city might still pull or add roads to the project.
Full Story Here
Quad Press
Nicholas Backus
Tuesday, 11/18/2008
A public hearing to discuss the 2009 Street and Utility Improvement Project has to wait until next year, as the Centerville City Council unanimously decided Nov. 12 that it needs more information on the water improvement portion.
The hearing is tentatively set for Jan. 7.
A major issue to consider in the project — estimated to cost $2.8 million — is financing of the initial water main construction, as residents would not pay until they used the water. A city water enterprise fund would pay for initial water main extensions in developed areas, but costs wouldn’t be collected until after hook-up, according to City Administrator Dallas Larson.
The plan is a departure from the 2004 assessments and previous projects in which work was assessed at completion.
“We want to be fair to (those assessed in) 2004 and the others before, because they have already done their part,” said Mayor Mary Capra.
The council will meet Dec. 1 for a workshop to further discuss the project and Capra said further workshops might also be necessary.
“This will have a big impact on taxpayers and we have the responsibility to give it due diligence,” she said.As for the 2009 Street Project as a whole, tax levy costs for all Centerville residents and commercial properties are estimated as follows, according to Larson.
The pay period would be 15 years per the project’s bond financing.
• Owners of a home with a market value of $250,000 would pay $152.54 annually.
• Owners of home with a market-value of $500,000 would pay $305 annually.
• Owners of a commercial property with a market value of $250,000 would pay $259.32 annually.
• Owners of a commercial property with a market value of $500,000 would pay $564.59 annually.
Projected costs have yet to be finalized, however, and Capra said the city might still pull or add roads to the project.
Full Story Here
Quad Press
Nicholas Backus
Tuesday, 11/18/2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Petition Against The Petition?
Whoa! The current council actually threw that out there on the October 22 meeting. The attorney stated that "The City is not as of yet sponsoring a counter petition" during the session.
To clarify, one of the State Audit Petition walkers had heard on the street that Mayor Mary Capra was spouting off about some residents wanting their names removed after they had initially signed. Instead of contacting us or returning our emails to find a solution, she decided to make political hay out of it. She even contacted the local newspapers and attempted to put her own spin on the story. Fortunately, the Pioneer Press reported both sides.
Link Here
No one associated with this group has been contacted regarding this issue and if they had, the names would have definitely been removed! The petition for the State Audit is a legal process and nobody associated with this group would jeopardize its legitimacy by refusing to remove a few names. There was contact information left with the petition signers that would have made it quite easy to contact this blog. In fact, many residents have had no problem finding us on their own. The support for this blog and the petition have been overwhelming.
The fact that the City Attorney is again involved (billing by the hour) and that Council formally put this issue on the agenda last night is curious. What are they afraid of?
The voices of the people will be finally heard in Centerville. Unfortunately, they have to go to the County and State level to make it happen.
Read the comments section to view some of the emails we have received.
To clarify, one of the State Audit Petition walkers had heard on the street that Mayor Mary Capra was spouting off about some residents wanting their names removed after they had initially signed. Instead of contacting us or returning our emails to find a solution, she decided to make political hay out of it. She even contacted the local newspapers and attempted to put her own spin on the story. Fortunately, the Pioneer Press reported both sides.
Link Here
No one associated with this group has been contacted regarding this issue and if they had, the names would have definitely been removed! The petition for the State Audit is a legal process and nobody associated with this group would jeopardize its legitimacy by refusing to remove a few names. There was contact information left with the petition signers that would have made it quite easy to contact this blog. In fact, many residents have had no problem finding us on their own. The support for this blog and the petition have been overwhelming.
The fact that the City Attorney is again involved (billing by the hour) and that Council formally put this issue on the agenda last night is curious. What are they afraid of?
The voices of the people will be finally heard in Centerville. Unfortunately, they have to go to the County and State level to make it happen.
Read the comments section to view some of the emails we have received.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
A Little Public Works Building History
Centerville Gets New Public Works Site
*As noted by one resident, there is visible damage to the original public works building that was never addressed.
Staff Writer: Debra Neutkens,
Quad Press
Published: Tuesday, July 17, 2007
CENTERVILLE - City snowplows and trucks will all be stored inside at a new public works facility approved by the City Council July 11.
Members authorized purchase of land and a building at 2085 Cedar St. for $1.4 million, a deal that will close this November.
In the meantime, current owner Dennis Shudy will be making improvements to the 2-year-old facility, according to the city's needs. A $288,000 escrow fund was created to help Shudy pay for improvements as they're completed.
Centerville resident Tom Wilharber asked the council why the current public works facility couldn't be renovated, adding he was approached by other citizens about the purchase who questioned how saleable the property was with a water tower.
The current public works property is valued at about $400,000, the sale of which will go towards purchase of the Cedar Street site. The city has another $400,000 set aside for a new facility and the balance, about $600,000, will be borrowed from the sewer and water fund - essentially an internal loan, which will be paid back with interest.
When Wilharber asked how much debt Centerville currently carries, City Administrator Dallas Larson said about $4 million.
Wow! How did we jump from a $4 million debt to the current $8 million debt in one year? Also, if the City had already been approached by a potential buyer, why has the original public works building not sold? What was the mindset behind spending all that money while saving nothing for road maintenance? Our current council refuses to look back at previously made decisions yet is determined to move forward, full steam ahead with the revitalization project. History is a Great Teacher. Those that fail to learn from it are doomed to repeat it.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Selective Ordinance Enforcement Part Three
From: JUDY TOM LEE
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:44 AM
Subject: RE: City Right of Way/Easement
Hi XXXX,
I spoke with Paul Palzer (the Building OFFICIAL) last night regarding your fence and tree. He confirmed that in his opinion, while a "technical" violation of the ordinace, the landscaping done on your property creates no problems for the city regarding snow plowing, nor does it create a line of sight issue when driving. Council considers his opinion when enforcing the ordinance. Though you MAY receive a letter to inform you of the ordinance and that if the city NEEDED to remove your landscaping for some reason, you would be required to do so without compensation. No action is required by you at this time all. It is likely you may not even be sent a letter, as you are already aware of this.
Talk to you later, Tom
As of today, the resident has not received a letter regarding the ordinance violation the City clearly states he/she is in.
What is the point of having ordinaces if they are not enforced equally? The City deals with violations on a complaint basis (call Mary Capra and ask) which leaves the door wide open for feuding neighbors and busy bodies. To those that might not know, Tom Lee is a sitting council member and condones this procedure.
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:44 AM
Subject: RE: City Right of Way/Easement
Hi XXXX,
I spoke with Paul Palzer (the Building OFFICIAL) last night regarding your fence and tree. He confirmed that in his opinion, while a "technical" violation of the ordinace, the landscaping done on your property creates no problems for the city regarding snow plowing, nor does it create a line of sight issue when driving. Council considers his opinion when enforcing the ordinance. Though you MAY receive a letter to inform you of the ordinance and that if the city NEEDED to remove your landscaping for some reason, you would be required to do so without compensation. No action is required by you at this time all. It is likely you may not even be sent a letter, as you are already aware of this.
Talk to you later, Tom
As of today, the resident has not received a letter regarding the ordinance violation the City clearly states he/she is in.
What is the point of having ordinaces if they are not enforced equally? The City deals with violations on a complaint basis (call Mary Capra and ask) which leaves the door wide open for feuding neighbors and busy bodies. To those that might not know, Tom Lee is a sitting council member and condones this procedure.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Boooooooo!
Well everyone, stay tuned for more selective enforcement coming to your neighborhood. Halloween is here and the "tombstones" are back on Mill Road.Centerville City Hall likes to refer to them as "signs" but we believe they are more like Halloween decorations - considering they are only on the lawn during the month of Halloween. Of course, if these are considered "signs" the city can tell you how many you can have on your lawn, but decorations are another thing... I wonder which media outlets will enjoy the coverage this year?
Unfortunately this has been an issue for years. If someone complains, your decorations conveniently become signs which coincidentally is an ordinance violation. Headless bloody corpses are far more tasteful, right? Does government have the right to legislate taste?
Racy Tombstones Replaced by Others
Eyewitness News
10/28/2005
Halloween tombstones offend neighbors (Oct. 25) Although a Centerville woman has agreed to remove several suggestive Halloween tombstones, the controversy is far from over. The tombstones each have names that double as puns, such as I.P. Freely and Ben Dover. Some of the names, however, are offensive to Heather Pranke’s neighbors and some passers by. Pranke agreed to remove three of the most offensive tombstones, but those are being replaced by six more.
As Pranke was installing the additional signs, a driver yelled out “They’re disgusting!” Robert Nelson, her neighbor two doors down, thinks the humor is not appropriate for such a public display. “Some things are better for a bar than a front yard,” said Nelson. “There were some that rhyme with duck.” Pranke hopes her neighbors are less offended with the new signs, which include such names as ‘Mia Butreaks’ and ‘Ilene Dover.’ “I just want everyone to enjoy my sense of humor as much as I do,” says Pranke.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Selective Ordinance Enforcement Part Two
Complaint based ordinance enforcement seems to be A-OK with the Mayor and current council. When all citizens are not treated equally, the door for retaliation and corruption is left wide open.
From: "Dan & Mary Capra" netfalcon@comcast.net
To: XXXX
Cc: dlarson@centervillemn.com; tbender@centervillemn.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 12:16 PM
Subject: Response to concerns
With regard to the retaliating against a citizen, the issue of the right-of-way concerns had been raised by our public works department five years ago. Last fall one citizen made a right-of-way ordinance violation complaint against their neighbor, which in turn spurred that neighbor to create a list of 80+ right-of-way violation complaints. The city enforces ordinances upon complaint and therefore had to review all 80+ complaints for merit. The council delegated that responsibility to the public works director and city attorney who reviewed the list and what was considered a hazard, thus the six addresses, of which the XXXX address was one. Below is a list of the addresses that did receive letters from the City regarding the right-of-way, at this point the City is not considering sending out any additional letters. The council was not involved in the process and was only informed six letters had been sent out.
XXXX Dupre Road
XXXX Peltier Lake Drive
XXXX Mill Road
XXXX Beaver Pond Way
XXXX Hunters Trail
XXXX Progress Road
Respectfully,
Mary Capra
Sent by one of our brilliant citizens:
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 from whom they desire favors.
*Wikipedia
From: "Dan & Mary Capra" netfalcon@comcast.net
To: XXXX
Cc: dlarson@centervillemn.com; tbender@centervillemn.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 12:16 PM
Subject: Response to concerns
With regard to the retaliating against a citizen, the issue of the right-of-way concerns had been raised by our public works department five years ago. Last fall one citizen made a right-of-way ordinance violation complaint against their neighbor, which in turn spurred that neighbor to create a list of 80+ right-of-way violation complaints. The city enforces ordinances upon complaint and therefore had to review all 80+ complaints for merit. The council delegated that responsibility to the public works director and city attorney who reviewed the list and what was considered a hazard, thus the six addresses, of which the XXXX address was one. Below is a list of the addresses that did receive letters from the City regarding the right-of-way, at this point the City is not considering sending out any additional letters. The council was not involved in the process and was only informed six letters had been sent out.
XXXX Dupre Road
XXXX Peltier Lake Drive
XXXX Mill Road
XXXX Beaver Pond Way
XXXX Hunters Trail
XXXX Progress Road
Respectfully,
Mary Capra
Sent by one of our brilliant citizens:
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 from whom they desire favors.
*Wikipedia
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Road Maintenance Pacifier?
City Minutes Work Session 8/13/2008
Finance Director John Meyer reviewed the draft budget for 2009 and commented on areas that Council members had suggested for change. Material he prepared also identified the impact to the levy if additional money were included for street maintenance at levels of $50,000, $100,000 and $150,000 per year. The Council consensus was that some amount perhaps around $25,000 could be included in the 2009 budget to begin setting aside additional money for streets. Mark Statz suggested doing a cost estimate for seal coating all streets once every five years and doing mill and overlay at 15 to 20 years. The Council would like to see the report showing the cost of such a maintenance program.
The Quad Press 8/19/2008
Mark Statz noted that the city would need to save more than $300,000 per year to keep pace with the road maintenance over the next 30 years without imposing assessments. This statement was not in the approved work session minutes and is not required to be there by law. The reporter caught it though...
What is going on behind the walls of City Hall? When our own City Engineer states we should be saving $300,000 annually to avoid future assessments, why did they only budget $25,000? The future assessments will keep coming unless something is done to address the basic need of road maintenance! Is the pathetic amount of $25,000 a pacifier because it's election year?
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Finance Director John Meyer reviewed the draft budget for 2009 and commented on areas that Council members had suggested for change. Material he prepared also identified the impact to the levy if additional money were included for street maintenance at levels of $50,000, $100,000 and $150,000 per year. The Council consensus was that some amount perhaps around $25,000 could be included in the 2009 budget to begin setting aside additional money for streets. Mark Statz suggested doing a cost estimate for seal coating all streets once every five years and doing mill and overlay at 15 to 20 years. The Council would like to see the report showing the cost of such a maintenance program.
The Quad Press 8/19/2008
Mark Statz noted that the city would need to save more than $300,000 per year to keep pace with the road maintenance over the next 30 years without imposing assessments. This statement was not in the approved work session minutes and is not required to be there by law. The reporter caught it though...
What is going on behind the walls of City Hall? When our own City Engineer states we should be saving $300,000 annually to avoid future assessments, why did they only budget $25,000? The future assessments will keep coming unless something is done to address the basic need of road maintenance! Is the pathetic amount of $25,000 a pacifier because it's election year?
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Nasty Conduct, Nasty Email, Nasty Accusations!
9/25/2008
The city officials were having so much fun, exercising their first amendment right at last nights council meeting! They spent over 40 minutes bashing the citizens of Centerville and this blog. This happened after they discovered we are $35,000 over budget on the City's enhanced utility work and streepscaping. Was this due to poor planning? What other financial surprises are in store for the City?
We, the Citizens for Ethical Taxation and Representation are a very large group of concerned citizens who are watching for ethical, truthful behavior and accountability from our representatives. Whether spending our money or representing our community, their behavior last night was absolutely juvenile and wholly unacceptable!
Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that some members of council have received nasty, and profane emails from citizens in our community. We would like to go on the record, stating that NOTHING has been sent by us. (Except one message of thanks to council member Vickers regarding her stance on the road maintenance fund. She has not replied) We do not condone such behavior and resent the implication that we are somehow behind it. We challenge our city officials to show the emails they claim to have received from anyone associated with this blog.
Statements made to the press in recent times by staff and elected officials have been filled innuendo and half truths. We, the citizens will not give in to the the intimidation techniques used by council, staff or the city attorney! We also have first amendment rights!
All the whining from our council members reminds us of the New York Yankees that did not make it to the play-offs this year, for the first time since the mid nineties. There is one distinct difference between the Yankees and our council... The Yankees will definitely be back next year!
Go Twins!!!
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email: Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
The city officials were having so much fun, exercising their first amendment right at last nights council meeting! They spent over 40 minutes bashing the citizens of Centerville and this blog. This happened after they discovered we are $35,000 over budget on the City's enhanced utility work and streepscaping. Was this due to poor planning? What other financial surprises are in store for the City?
We, the Citizens for Ethical Taxation and Representation are a very large group of concerned citizens who are watching for ethical, truthful behavior and accountability from our representatives. Whether spending our money or representing our community, their behavior last night was absolutely juvenile and wholly unacceptable!
Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that some members of council have received nasty, and profane emails from citizens in our community. We would like to go on the record, stating that NOTHING has been sent by us. (Except one message of thanks to council member Vickers regarding her stance on the road maintenance fund. She has not replied) We do not condone such behavior and resent the implication that we are somehow behind it. We challenge our city officials to show the emails they claim to have received from anyone associated with this blog.
Statements made to the press in recent times by staff and elected officials have been filled innuendo and half truths. We, the citizens will not give in to the the intimidation techniques used by council, staff or the city attorney! We also have first amendment rights!
All the whining from our council members reminds us of the New York Yankees that did not make it to the play-offs this year, for the first time since the mid nineties. There is one distinct difference between the Yankees and our council... The Yankees will definitely be back next year!
Go Twins!!!
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email: Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Centerville Trivia ~ Sidewalk Ordinance/2006
Who is responsible for the maintenance/repair of Centerville sidewalks?
A: The City
B: Property Owners
The answer may surprise you!
Sidewalk, Right-Of-Way Ordinance Changes
The council also unanimously approved two local ordinance amendments intended to specify that property owners - and not City Hall - are responsible for maintaining sidewalks and adjoining rights-of-way near their residences.
The city's existing ordinances are "not real clear as to the maintenance of sidewalks or the maintenance of green space . that that's what these [amendments] are intended to do - clear that up," City Administrator Dallas Larson explained shortly before the council's vote.
Several council members questioned whether property owners should be liable for cracked or broken sidewalks directly outside their homes, for example, with Council Member Tom Lee commenting that at first blush, "that seems like it's not quite fair." However, Larson explained that "it is common" in Minnesota to shift sidewalk and right-of-way maintenance liability "away from the city."
"Many, many cities do it this way. In fact, I'm sure I could safely say that most cities do it this way," Larson said. He also compared property-owner liability under the amendments to that when snowplows disrupt sodding on sidewalk medians. "
It's the property owner's responsibility to replace that, too," Larson said.
After a brief discussion, Lee, too, was convinced about the wisdom of the new sidewalk and right-of-way amendments. "I think this is the right thing to do, even though I'm not too crazy about it," Lee said. "I think this is the right thing to do for the city, anyway."
*The Citizen
Council Minutes 10/11/2006
Amending Chapter 93 of the Centerville Code by Amending Section 9301 Relating to Maintenance of Sidewalks
City Administrator Larson explained that the existing Ordinances were not real clear on maintenance of sidewalks and this is an attempt to make it clear that adjoining property owners are responsible Council Member Lee indicated that he did not realize that residents were responsible for repairs of sidewalks. City Administrator Larson explained that this is typical language of most cities Motion by Council Member Lakso seconded by Council Member Terway to approve Ordinance Second Series Amending Chapter 93 of the Centerville Code by Amending Section 9301 Relating to Maintenance of Sidewalks All in favor, Motion carried unanimously
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
A: The City
B: Property Owners
The answer may surprise you!
Sidewalk, Right-Of-Way Ordinance Changes
The council also unanimously approved two local ordinance amendments intended to specify that property owners - and not City Hall - are responsible for maintaining sidewalks and adjoining rights-of-way near their residences.
The city's existing ordinances are "not real clear as to the maintenance of sidewalks or the maintenance of green space . that that's what these [amendments] are intended to do - clear that up," City Administrator Dallas Larson explained shortly before the council's vote.
Several council members questioned whether property owners should be liable for cracked or broken sidewalks directly outside their homes, for example, with Council Member Tom Lee commenting that at first blush, "that seems like it's not quite fair." However, Larson explained that "it is common" in Minnesota to shift sidewalk and right-of-way maintenance liability "away from the city."
"Many, many cities do it this way. In fact, I'm sure I could safely say that most cities do it this way," Larson said. He also compared property-owner liability under the amendments to that when snowplows disrupt sodding on sidewalk medians. "
It's the property owner's responsibility to replace that, too," Larson said.
After a brief discussion, Lee, too, was convinced about the wisdom of the new sidewalk and right-of-way amendments. "I think this is the right thing to do, even though I'm not too crazy about it," Lee said. "I think this is the right thing to do for the city, anyway."
*The Citizen
Council Minutes 10/11/2006
Amending Chapter 93 of the Centerville Code by Amending Section 9301 Relating to Maintenance of Sidewalks
City Administrator Larson explained that the existing Ordinances were not real clear on maintenance of sidewalks and this is an attempt to make it clear that adjoining property owners are responsible Council Member Lee indicated that he did not realize that residents were responsible for repairs of sidewalks. City Administrator Larson explained that this is typical language of most cities Motion by Council Member Lakso seconded by Council Member Terway to approve Ordinance Second Series Amending Chapter 93 of the Centerville Code by Amending Section 9301 Relating to Maintenance of Sidewalks All in favor, Motion carried unanimously
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Monday, September 15, 2008
Have City Officials Bitten Off More Than They Can Chew?
One story of the many citizens here in Centerville that were going to have property seized under eminent domain... That is before the Governor changed the law in 2006. Here is a letter to the current Mayor.
Mayor Mary Capra
1810 Fox Run, Centerville MN 55038
Dear Mayor Capra:
April 28, 2008
We feel privileged to be part of a smaller town/community. Typically a small town affords City government more personal contact with it’s citizens. We feel that is true for Centerville - a town we have truly loved for many years. Thus, we felt that writing to you personally would be appropriate and welcomed.
First, we understand that Centerville City Council has been facing and will continue to face challenging decisions over this next year. We wanted to express some of our concerns regarding those decisions. In specific, how the Council’s decisions have affected us.
This is our personal story in a nutshell:
We built our home on Centerville Lake at 1580 Sorel Street (several doors down from St. Genevieve Church) in 1994 and moved in May 7th, 1995. We were excited when LyNae’s parents (Lloyd & Diane Hansen) built next door to us (1588 Sorel) one and a half years later. Our intention was to look after them as they grew older and that by living next door, we could most adequately do this.
We began our own electrical company the summer of 2002. We are a small company and desire to remain small (2 employees). From the onset, our personal 3-car garage posed ‘space problems’ for all our electrical materials, along with our boats, trailers, etc. We had been looking for property close to home for storage and as an investment. We had talked with the owner of 1688 Sorel Str (across street from front doors of St. Genevieve Church and only ½ block from our home). We bought the property 2004, which at the time was zoned R-2, with the intentions of tearing down all the existing buildings and putting up two new homes (for rental and overflow). We also had every intention of following all and any guidelines set up by Centerville regarding covenants, etc. Then the Council changed the zoning ordinance from R-2 to "Mixed Use", which then led to the Council setting up the moratorium, then another rezoning and well, you know the rest. Originally, we never wanted to sell our investment property to the City. But when the City stated ultimately they would implement Eminent Domain against us (at the Beard & neighbors meeting), we felt we had no choice. The effort, stress and risk it took for us to purchase an investment property only to have the Council tie our hands and eventually relinquish it all to the City has been egregious.
In addition, the Council was making plans to put in high density housing and shops only ½ block away from our residence for the purpose of bringing in more businesses & residents, thus creating more tax revenue for the City. By this time, our small-town-"warm-fuzzies" were fading fast.
We did not want to live next to high density housing and shops, although we have always been advocates in "cleaning up" the downtown area. We believe however, that the ends do not justify the means in this case: entice developers by taking taxes and giving it to the developers (Beard) for the next 20 years. In our opinion, this "corporate welfare", along with the taking of one’s property by government (Eminent Domain), is unconscionable.
So, feeling quite hopeless, we sold everything in 2007. More importantly, we left our hopes and dreams: moving out of our dream home and away from Mom & Dad and selling our investment property (1688 Sorel) to the City.
We have moved to a home we bought in 2003: 7216 LaValle Drive, Centerville, across the lake from our Sorel home we sold. To be sure, this much older home does not have the same appeal to us as our 1580 Sorel home that we ourselves built from the ground up. Nonetheless, we feel fortunate to continue to be on the lake and in Centerville. That is, until recently.
Now we are facing another Centerville ‘taking’ in this home! The Council is considering turning our 1 block, dead end private road (LaValle Drive) into a public street, which we understand would quite possibly mean that the City of Centerville would once again take part of our personal property. The Council has stated they will not force hook up to City water, yet if we decide to move, it would be required to hook up before we could sell, and all of this at a cost of around $14,000-$20,000.
We enjoy our well water and believe it to be superior in every way, including safety and taste. It is one of the reasons we chose our property on Sorel and why we purchased our current home. We are not interested in being forced to hook up and drink chemically treated public water when our natural pure well water suffices. We are not interested in relinquishing our private street, hooking up to City water or capping our well. Certainly, those of us currently with wells should be allowed to keep them indefinitely, especially those of us on a private road! There is no good enough reason, at least to us, that the City of Centerville should take our private road and property.
Mayor Capra, in truth, we just want to be left alone. Please reconsider this forcible hook up and taking property that ethically is not the City’s to take. This is more than a personal issue for us, it’s a moral one. We believe Centerville Council would be overstepping, once again, the bounds in which government was originally intended.
Finally, we are firm believers that, for the most part, those that serve the citizens do so with good and right intentions and bear an enormous responsibility coupled with much work. Indeed, we believe this is true for the Centerville Council. And so, that is why we often pray for all our leaders that govern us, both locally and nationally. We are grateful for your service and time.
Sincerely,
Erick & LyNae
7216 LaValle Drive, Centerville MN 55038
cc: Centerville City Council, P & Z
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Mayor Mary Capra
1810 Fox Run, Centerville MN 55038
Dear Mayor Capra:
April 28, 2008
We feel privileged to be part of a smaller town/community. Typically a small town affords City government more personal contact with it’s citizens. We feel that is true for Centerville - a town we have truly loved for many years. Thus, we felt that writing to you personally would be appropriate and welcomed.
First, we understand that Centerville City Council has been facing and will continue to face challenging decisions over this next year. We wanted to express some of our concerns regarding those decisions. In specific, how the Council’s decisions have affected us.
This is our personal story in a nutshell:
We built our home on Centerville Lake at 1580 Sorel Street (several doors down from St. Genevieve Church) in 1994 and moved in May 7th, 1995. We were excited when LyNae’s parents (Lloyd & Diane Hansen) built next door to us (1588 Sorel) one and a half years later. Our intention was to look after them as they grew older and that by living next door, we could most adequately do this.
We began our own electrical company the summer of 2002. We are a small company and desire to remain small (2 employees). From the onset, our personal 3-car garage posed ‘space problems’ for all our electrical materials, along with our boats, trailers, etc. We had been looking for property close to home for storage and as an investment. We had talked with the owner of 1688 Sorel Str (across street from front doors of St. Genevieve Church and only ½ block from our home). We bought the property 2004, which at the time was zoned R-2, with the intentions of tearing down all the existing buildings and putting up two new homes (for rental and overflow). We also had every intention of following all and any guidelines set up by Centerville regarding covenants, etc. Then the Council changed the zoning ordinance from R-2 to "Mixed Use", which then led to the Council setting up the moratorium, then another rezoning and well, you know the rest. Originally, we never wanted to sell our investment property to the City. But when the City stated ultimately they would implement Eminent Domain against us (at the Beard & neighbors meeting), we felt we had no choice. The effort, stress and risk it took for us to purchase an investment property only to have the Council tie our hands and eventually relinquish it all to the City has been egregious.
In addition, the Council was making plans to put in high density housing and shops only ½ block away from our residence for the purpose of bringing in more businesses & residents, thus creating more tax revenue for the City. By this time, our small-town-"warm-fuzzies" were fading fast.
We did not want to live next to high density housing and shops, although we have always been advocates in "cleaning up" the downtown area. We believe however, that the ends do not justify the means in this case: entice developers by taking taxes and giving it to the developers (Beard) for the next 20 years. In our opinion, this "corporate welfare", along with the taking of one’s property by government (Eminent Domain), is unconscionable.
So, feeling quite hopeless, we sold everything in 2007. More importantly, we left our hopes and dreams: moving out of our dream home and away from Mom & Dad and selling our investment property (1688 Sorel) to the City.
We have moved to a home we bought in 2003: 7216 LaValle Drive, Centerville, across the lake from our Sorel home we sold. To be sure, this much older home does not have the same appeal to us as our 1580 Sorel home that we ourselves built from the ground up. Nonetheless, we feel fortunate to continue to be on the lake and in Centerville. That is, until recently.
Now we are facing another Centerville ‘taking’ in this home! The Council is considering turning our 1 block, dead end private road (LaValle Drive) into a public street, which we understand would quite possibly mean that the City of Centerville would once again take part of our personal property. The Council has stated they will not force hook up to City water, yet if we decide to move, it would be required to hook up before we could sell, and all of this at a cost of around $14,000-$20,000.
We enjoy our well water and believe it to be superior in every way, including safety and taste. It is one of the reasons we chose our property on Sorel and why we purchased our current home. We are not interested in being forced to hook up and drink chemically treated public water when our natural pure well water suffices. We are not interested in relinquishing our private street, hooking up to City water or capping our well. Certainly, those of us currently with wells should be allowed to keep them indefinitely, especially those of us on a private road! There is no good enough reason, at least to us, that the City of Centerville should take our private road and property.
Mayor Capra, in truth, we just want to be left alone. Please reconsider this forcible hook up and taking property that ethically is not the City’s to take. This is more than a personal issue for us, it’s a moral one. We believe Centerville Council would be overstepping, once again, the bounds in which government was originally intended.
Finally, we are firm believers that, for the most part, those that serve the citizens do so with good and right intentions and bear an enormous responsibility coupled with much work. Indeed, we believe this is true for the Centerville Council. And so, that is why we often pray for all our leaders that govern us, both locally and nationally. We are grateful for your service and time.
Sincerely,
Erick & LyNae
7216 LaValle Drive, Centerville MN 55038
cc: Centerville City Council, P & Z
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.
Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Thursday, August 21, 2008
County 14 Additional Spending By City Officials
This is an email response from the Anoka County Commissioner, Rhonda Sivarajah regarding the county road 14 budget and how our officials chose to increase spending. It may be time to call for a State audit to see exactly what else they have been up to. We wish to extend a thank you to Rhonda for her assistance!
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 10:31 PM
Subject: Re: Centerville Budget--additional information
I also wanted to pass along this information regarding the County Rd.14 Main Street project. As you can see in the article below, the administrator seems to be trying to put blame on the County Rd. 14 project for large tax increases. This is not an accurate statement. In fact, if you look at the information provided by our highway dept. at the bottom of the page, you can see that for the entire road project, they actually have very little cost after taking into account the federal dollars and the $125,000 they will be reimbursed for the trail after completion. The greatest costs they are incurring are costs that the county is not requiring as part of the project, but rather are a city decision to add streetscaping to the project. If you look at the dollars being spent you can see that Centerville's costs that are required are just a small fraction of what they are choosing to spend. Here is the article from the Citizen printed in June 2008 Extra Tax Burden Of Project Considered Every home in the city will face an extra $364 on its annual tax bill if a scaled-down version of the 2009 street improvement project goes ahead. That was the result of analysis done by city staff on the tax burden facing residents next year if a smaller project, costing $4.5 million in total, is given the go-ahead by the Centerville City Council. The findings were presented to the council at its May 28 meeting. The figure of $364.11 is calculated for a typical $250,000 property and is made up of $148.20 for the shared, city portion of the street improvement project, $107.95 for the city's share of the CSAH-14project and $107.95 for the city's share of the Backage Road project. Citizens face having to pay the CSAH-14 and Backage Road portions of the total regardless of whether the council orders the 2009 street improvement project. Below is a breakdown of expenses related to the road project as outlined by our highway dept. Below is a summary of Centerville's costs associated with items required for the reconstruction of Main St. (CSAH 14).
Total Project Construction Cost
- $13,485,213.49
Centerville's Total Responsibilities
- $1,211,496.49 (8.98% of Const. Cost)
Federal Funds Prorated/Credited to Centerville
- $272,410.00
Centerville's Cost for Upgraded Utilities
- $163,700.82
Centerville's Cost for Streetscaping
-$517,007.80
Centerville's Cost due to County Project
$258,377.87 (1.92% of Const. Cost)
Of the $96,919.72 we will charge the city for engineering & administration of the contract that is in addition to these construction costs, $54,456.69 is due to the city's enhanced utility work and streetscaping. Note too that the trail and sidewalk costs are included in the city's> costs due to the road construction (not identified as a city option), and they will be reimbursed $125,000 for a portion of the trail costs via the Metro Trail grant program after the trail is completed which will further reduce the city's total obligation towards the project.
Sincerely,
Rhonda Sivarajah
Anoka County Commissioner
763-274-4213
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 10:31 PM
Subject: Re: Centerville Budget--additional information
I also wanted to pass along this information regarding the County Rd.14 Main Street project. As you can see in the article below, the administrator seems to be trying to put blame on the County Rd. 14 project for large tax increases. This is not an accurate statement. In fact, if you look at the information provided by our highway dept. at the bottom of the page, you can see that for the entire road project, they actually have very little cost after taking into account the federal dollars and the $125,000 they will be reimbursed for the trail after completion. The greatest costs they are incurring are costs that the county is not requiring as part of the project, but rather are a city decision to add streetscaping to the project. If you look at the dollars being spent you can see that Centerville's costs that are required are just a small fraction of what they are choosing to spend. Here is the article from the Citizen printed in June 2008 Extra Tax Burden Of Project Considered Every home in the city will face an extra $364 on its annual tax bill if a scaled-down version of the 2009 street improvement project goes ahead. That was the result of analysis done by city staff on the tax burden facing residents next year if a smaller project, costing $4.5 million in total, is given the go-ahead by the Centerville City Council. The findings were presented to the council at its May 28 meeting. The figure of $364.11 is calculated for a typical $250,000 property and is made up of $148.20 for the shared, city portion of the street improvement project, $107.95 for the city's share of the CSAH-14project and $107.95 for the city's share of the Backage Road project. Citizens face having to pay the CSAH-14 and Backage Road portions of the total regardless of whether the council orders the 2009 street improvement project. Below is a breakdown of expenses related to the road project as outlined by our highway dept. Below is a summary of Centerville's costs associated with items required for the reconstruction of Main St. (CSAH 14).
Total Project Construction Cost
- $13,485,213.49
Centerville's Total Responsibilities
- $1,211,496.49 (8.98% of Const. Cost)
Federal Funds Prorated/Credited to Centerville
- $272,410.00
Centerville's Cost for Upgraded Utilities
- $163,700.82
Centerville's Cost for Streetscaping
-$517,007.80
Centerville's Cost due to County Project
$258,377.87 (1.92% of Const. Cost)
Of the $96,919.72 we will charge the city for engineering & administration of the contract that is in addition to these construction costs, $54,456.69 is due to the city's enhanced utility work and streetscaping. Note too that the trail and sidewalk costs are included in the city's> costs due to the road construction (not identified as a city option), and they will be reimbursed $125,000 for a portion of the trail costs via the Metro Trail grant program after the trail is completed which will further reduce the city's total obligation towards the project.
Sincerely,
Rhonda Sivarajah
Anoka County Commissioner
763-274-4213
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
8/18/2008 Open Forum Gets Testy
Residents concerned over communication with city leaders
Aug 19, 2008 - 09:47:44 CDT.
by Loretta Harding Contributing Writer
Quad Press
CENTERVILLE — At their Aug. 13 meeting, Centerville City Council members exchanged curt remarks with two residents who took the podium to address their displeasure with the council's communication methods stemming from the 2009 Street Improvement Project. Mayor Mary Capra cut short resident Julie Riemen's comments about her conversations and e-mails with council member Tom Lee, in which she said that professionalism needed to be addressed.
"You're getting personal. This is done," Capra told Riemen.
A group of five people attending the meeting called out for the mayor to let Riemen speak.After council members Lee and Jeff Paar responded that Riemen could continue, Capra gave Riemen and any speakers following her two minutes to complete their address.
When Riemen continued her remarks, she said that the council had not responded to her e-mails until the day of the meeting and that she felt unwelcome to speak. She further noted that if citizens inspected government data, they'd find that the City of Centerville carried a long-term debt of more than $8 million.Riemen recommended that residents become informed by visiting a Web site, Centerville Citizens for Ethical Taxation and Representation, at http://www.centervillemn.blogspot.com/. The next speaker, Laura Powers, called attention to a petition that started what she called a "power struggle." The petition was signed by more than 500 citizens and called for the city to step back and reassess the scope of the 2009 road project. She objected to allegations by at least one council member that the petition was invalid and called for the council to apologize. As a former Centerville council member, Powers said that the council was elected to serve, and that service comes with a responsibility to listen and display demeanor. The council heard out Powers and Riemen and resumed the meeting without further comment
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Aug 19, 2008 - 09:47:44 CDT.
by Loretta Harding Contributing Writer
Quad Press
CENTERVILLE — At their Aug. 13 meeting, Centerville City Council members exchanged curt remarks with two residents who took the podium to address their displeasure with the council's communication methods stemming from the 2009 Street Improvement Project. Mayor Mary Capra cut short resident Julie Riemen's comments about her conversations and e-mails with council member Tom Lee, in which she said that professionalism needed to be addressed.
"You're getting personal. This is done," Capra told Riemen.
A group of five people attending the meeting called out for the mayor to let Riemen speak.After council members Lee and Jeff Paar responded that Riemen could continue, Capra gave Riemen and any speakers following her two minutes to complete their address.
When Riemen continued her remarks, she said that the council had not responded to her e-mails until the day of the meeting and that she felt unwelcome to speak. She further noted that if citizens inspected government data, they'd find that the City of Centerville carried a long-term debt of more than $8 million.Riemen recommended that residents become informed by visiting a Web site, Centerville Citizens for Ethical Taxation and Representation, at http://www.centervillemn.blogspot.com/. The next speaker, Laura Powers, called attention to a petition that started what she called a "power struggle." The petition was signed by more than 500 citizens and called for the city to step back and reassess the scope of the 2009 road project. She objected to allegations by at least one council member that the petition was invalid and called for the council to apologize. As a former Centerville council member, Powers said that the council was elected to serve, and that service comes with a responsibility to listen and display demeanor. The council heard out Powers and Riemen and resumed the meeting without further comment
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Is it The Fault of Others or Just Miscommunication?
A recent comment left by a citizen. There seems to be a pattern of behavior coming from elected officials.
Hello All, I live in the older neighborhood (behind Kelly's) that is slated to be torn down in phase two. I have had to deal with Dallas on a continuous basis. One story I would like to share. My property along with my neighbors is now the home for the additional power lines for the new downtown development. We were given a notice on our doors that all of our trees would have to be trimmed or come down completely (I would have had the most trees lost completely) in our backyard. These trees give us some privacy from the Chauncey Barett Gardens. I ask Xcel energy what easement do you have to take down 6 of my trees? Some of my neighbors had already given the ok but I held out as I knew that I would lose more property value. Xcel told me this, and I quote, "The city told us they [City] already owned all these properties." I told him that I own this house and until I see an easement bought by the city or Xcel, they are not going to get my signature to take my trees. Xcel immediately said they were not touching anything until the city deals with the home owners. I sent an email to Mayor Capra and she forwarded it on to Dallas (I also copied all the news stations and newspapers). Dallas called me ASAP and left a message that this was a miss-communication and it was Xcel that was in a hurry. This was curious because Xcel had no stake in the increase power needed at this time. Unfortunately, Xcel had already taken down trees in an elderly couples yard. Then, Xcel couldn't drive the truck over her neighbors yards (neighbors said no) and so they left the mess for the couple to clean up. The increase power lines now reside in our front yards. Xcel did some trimming but nothing like what it would have been had they run it in the back yard.My elderly neighbor lost the most in the entire ordeal. My question to Mayor Capra is, who is the advocate for the citizens? She never responded to any my questions.
Thanks for the outlet to speak our minds!
Margaret Lee
August 20, 2008 9:06 PM
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Hello All, I live in the older neighborhood (behind Kelly's) that is slated to be torn down in phase two. I have had to deal with Dallas on a continuous basis. One story I would like to share. My property along with my neighbors is now the home for the additional power lines for the new downtown development. We were given a notice on our doors that all of our trees would have to be trimmed or come down completely (I would have had the most trees lost completely) in our backyard. These trees give us some privacy from the Chauncey Barett Gardens. I ask Xcel energy what easement do you have to take down 6 of my trees? Some of my neighbors had already given the ok but I held out as I knew that I would lose more property value. Xcel told me this, and I quote, "The city told us they [City] already owned all these properties." I told him that I own this house and until I see an easement bought by the city or Xcel, they are not going to get my signature to take my trees. Xcel immediately said they were not touching anything until the city deals with the home owners. I sent an email to Mayor Capra and she forwarded it on to Dallas (I also copied all the news stations and newspapers). Dallas called me ASAP and left a message that this was a miss-communication and it was Xcel that was in a hurry. This was curious because Xcel had no stake in the increase power needed at this time. Unfortunately, Xcel had already taken down trees in an elderly couples yard. Then, Xcel couldn't drive the truck over her neighbors yards (neighbors said no) and so they left the mess for the couple to clean up. The increase power lines now reside in our front yards. Xcel did some trimming but nothing like what it would have been had they run it in the back yard.My elderly neighbor lost the most in the entire ordeal. My question to Mayor Capra is, who is the advocate for the citizens? She never responded to any my questions.
Thanks for the outlet to speak our minds!
Margaret Lee
August 20, 2008 9:06 PM
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Monday, August 11, 2008
Duties of Centerville City Council
Amended 8/9/2006
Duties of Council
The Council, including the Mayor sitting as presiding officer of the Council, shall exercise all powers and perform all duties conferred and imposed upon its members by ordinances of the City and laws of the State. Consistent with the responsibilities to accept considerable leadership over the general conduct of City affairs, the members shall study the operations of the City government and recommend desirable changes and improvements to the Council. To that end the members must perform all of the duties of office including but not limited to attendance at all regular and special meetings to the Council and all attendant and supporting duties such as service on or liaison to committees of City government or City services, serving as Public Representatives of the City, and by generally educating themselves about the affairs of government by listening and responding to members of the community.
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
Duties of Council
The Council, including the Mayor sitting as presiding officer of the Council, shall exercise all powers and perform all duties conferred and imposed upon its members by ordinances of the City and laws of the State. Consistent with the responsibilities to accept considerable leadership over the general conduct of City affairs, the members shall study the operations of the City government and recommend desirable changes and improvements to the Council. To that end the members must perform all of the duties of office including but not limited to attendance at all regular and special meetings to the Council and all attendant and supporting duties such as service on or liaison to committees of City government or City services, serving as Public Representatives of the City, and by generally educating themselves about the affairs of government by listening and responding to members of the community.
Contact us privately with City information, news and personal stories. All contact information will be kept private and not posted on the blog unless requested.Email Centervilleblog@yahoo.com
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