On Tuesday, March 3^rd, registered voters will be able to cast their ballots in the presidential nomination primary election, which is a change from our previous straw poll precinct caucus system. The political party precinct caucuses will still be happening on February 25^th to discuss party issues, offer resolutions, and elect delegates, but the actual presidential nomination will happen during an official government run election on March 3^rd. The presidential nomination primary will allow registered voters to vote on election day at their regular polling place or cast an absentee ballot starting on January 17, 2020.

Registered voters will be required to choose a party and can only vote for a presidential candidate on the party ballot of their choice. A voter’s choice of party ballot will be recorded and is private data; however, a list of who voted in a presidential nomination primary and the political party each voter selected will be provided to the chair of each major political party. How a voter voted on the ballot will be secret.

For more information on absentee voting, polling place locations, voter registration, etc. visit the election page at: https://medinamn.us/citygov/elections/ 

FAQ’s regarding the Presidential Nomination Primary Election

Candidates on Ballots—The Republican Party has submitted a list of 1 candidate and write-in option. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has submitted a list of 15 candidates and an “Uncommitted” option. Click the links below to view your sample ballot:

Sample Ballot – Precinct 1A – Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Sample Ballot – Precinct 1A Republican Party

Sample Ballot – Precinct 1B Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Sample Ballot – Precinct 1B Republican Party

Presidential Nomination Primary – Certification of Candidates for the March 3, 2020 Election

Candidates Dropping Out—Major political parties participating in the Presidential Nomination Primary were required to provide a list of candidates by December 31, 2019. Any candidate that drops out between December 31, 2019 and the March 3, 2020 Election Day will remain on the ballot. Voters should contact their party directly for questions on which candidates have dropped out. Election judges will NOT be able to help voters identify candidates still in the running, so please come to the polls prepared.

Uncommitted Option on Ballot—The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has requested that an “Uncommitted” option be placed on the ballot. If a voter chooses “Uncommitted”, they are voting to have delegates sent to their party’s national nominating convention without being “bound” to support a specific candidate.

Write-in Option—The Republican Party has requested a write-in option, and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has not. If a party chooses to include a write-in option, their party chair must submit the names of write-in candidates to be counted on their ballot no later than 7 days before the date of the primary. For this upcoming Presidential Nomination Primary, the deadline for write-in candidates is February 25, 2020.

For more information, contact Assistant City Administrator Jodi Gallup at jodi.gallup@medinamn.gov or call 763-473-8850.

The City’s annual Spring Clean-up Day will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2020 from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM (rain or shine). The event will take place at the Public Works/Police Facility at 600 Clydesdale Trail. Event details, pricing, and a list of accepted/non-accepted items can be found in the Spring Clean-Up Day brochure.

The event will include:

• Collection of accepted items for free/specified fees
• Document Shredding Services (free for Medina residents)
• Usable Bicycle Collection
• Trees for sale
• Free Lunch 10am-noon (Hotdogs and chips)
• Prescription Take Back
• Free Milkweed Seeds for Monarchs
• Free Compost for Organics Customers (Bring your coupon from Randy’s)

City Code 340.05 prohibits parking on any public street from November 1st through March 31st during the hours of 1:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m. If at all possible, the City plow crew would appreciate having no vehicles parked on City streets when snowfall occurs during the daytime to allow for better plowing services down your streets.

Read more about City parking regulations here: https://medinamn.us/citygov/departments/police-dept/parking/.

Snow Plow & Ice Control Policy

The City adopted the attached Snow Plowing and Ice Control Policy to define and provide reasonable snow plowing and ice control services on City roads for routine travel and emergency services and to provide such services in a safe and cost effective manner while balancing personnel resources and environmental concerns.

The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, America gets just one chance each decade to count its population. The results of the census determine the number of seats for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts. Federal agencies use the results to distribute more than $675 billion in federal funds each year.

Why the Census is Important

Representation
Census data determines the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as districts for state government.

Funding
Census data guides federal spending allocation of approximately $589 billion to local communities every year.

Planning
Census data helps plan roads, schools, hospitals, senior centers, and emergency services to best serve changing populations.

Business
Census data assists businesses in locating factories & stores, recruiting employees, and conducting market research.

How the 2020 Census will Invite Everyone to Respond

Every household will have the option to respond by responding online, by mail, or by phone.  Nearly every household will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census from either a postal worker or a census worker.

2020 Census Fact Sheet: How Census Invites Everyone

Address Canvassing to Start in August 2019; What is address canvassing?
Address canvassing is the process by which the U.S. Census Bureau validates, corrects, or deletes existing Census Bureau addresses, adds missing addresses, and adds or corrects locations of specific addresses before a decennial census. In previous address canvassing operations, field representatives traversed every road and visited each residential address in the United States. At this time, only select addresses will be canvassed. Census Bureau employees will not be asking for information about individuals but rather about addresses and habitable locations.

How to verify employment
We realize that Census workers may draw the attention of residents or law enforcement personnel who are concerned about the presence of strangers in their neighborhoods. Each temporary decennial Census employee will have an official identification card with the employees name, picture, and an expiration date. Regional level staff can be identified by their Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Card. Both temporary and regional level staff can be identified by their laptop computer with a Census Bureau logo on the top, and a black canvas bag with a Census Bureau logo.

TO VERIFY AN EMPLOYEE WITH THIS TYPE OF ID:
Chicago Regional Census Center
175 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60604
1-312-579-1500

Residents may drop off brush or compost Tuesday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (except holidays) and Friday 7 a.m. to Monday 3:30 p.m. (open all weekend during daylight hours).

It is located behind the shop building northwest of City Hall, 2052 County Road 24, Medina, MN 55340.

Accepted Items

Brush Pile – brush, woody shrubs, vines, Christmas trees & large logs

Compost Pile – leaves and grass clippings (no bags & no straw)

[Read more…]

The City of Medina, Minnesota is seeking qualified consultants to provide proposals for a Comprehensive Fire Service Study to determine the best fire services model to efficiently continue into the future delivery of fire services to the community commensurate with the level and quality of service now received by the City and its residents.

Proposals Due: December 5, 2019 at 12 p.m.

Fire Services Request for Proposal

Appendix A – Fire Coverage Map

Appendix B – Fire Contracts Summary 2020

Appendix C – Fire Contracts Financial Detail

Appendix D – Hamel Fire – Amended and Restated Agreement

Appendix D – Long Lake Fire Contract

Appendix D – Loretto Fire Contract

Appendix D – Maple Plain – Amended and Restated Contract

Appendix E – 2018-2019 Strategic Planning Sessions

Appendix F – Letter to Medina Transition Study Group

Proposal submissions and questions relating to this request for proposals must be submitted in writing to:

City of Medina
Attn: Ed Belland, Director of Public Safety
600 Clydesdale Trail
Medina, MN 55340
Email: ed.belland@medinamn.gov

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently completed a multiyear project to re-examine flood risks throughout Hennepin County and develop electronic flood hazard maps, which will become effective on November 4, 2016.

Federal law mandates that any federally regulated or insured lender require any property with a structure within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on these maps to carry flood insurance.

Most mortgage lenders will check their loans when the updated maps become effective on November 4, 2016. Lenders will likely send a letter to all properties in SFHA, and other properties that are even close to the SFHA, to notify them that they must purchase flood insurance within 45 days. If a policy is not purchased within this time period, the lender will “force place” a policy, which is normally much more expensive.

Flood insurance is available through your agent or one of the agents listed by searching the “Agent Finder” section of FEMA’s Flood Insurance website, FloodSmart.gov. If you have any kind of risk for flood damages, both in or out of the floodplain, the city encourages you to purchase flood insurance.

If you live near a lake, stream, or large wetland, you are encouraged to investigate whether your property may be “newly mapped” within the SFHA. View the floodplain map  to find your property on the map.

What to do if you believe you’ve been inadvertently included in the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA)?

There are often scenarios where the boundaries of the floodplain do not accurately reflect the true topographic characteristics of a site. In addition, it is likely that lenders will be fairly conservative when determining if a property may require flood insurance.

In much of the county, the boundaries of the floodplain have not been updated with better elevation information since they were originally mapped in the early 1980’s. This newest map update merely digitized these areas – making them easier for everyone to view. If you believe your structure and/or parcel is higher than the actual flood elevation, there is a procedure for appeals known as a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA). Traditionally, a LOMA involves hiring a surveyor to verify the lowest ground touching the structure, deck or stairs is above the 100-year flood elevation.

Under the right circumstances, the city may be able to assist with collecting data rather than hiring a surveyor. City staff may be able to use LiDAR-derived contour elevations from the Minnesota DNR to verify that a structure is above the 100-year flood elevation.

If you have any questions, please contact City Planner Dusty Finke at 763-473-8846 or dusty.finke@ci.medina.mn.us.

The Monarch Butterfly Population

The Monarch butterfly populations have plummeted by as much as 90% in the past 20 years and are on the cusp of moving toward protection on the Endangered Species Act.

One of the primary reasons for this decline is the decrease in milkweed plants, which grow easily in Minnesota. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of the milkweed plant and it is the only source of food for the monarch caterpillar. If you have milkweed growing in your yards and fields, please don’t pull it, and let it grow. Planting milkweed is one of the easiest ways that we can make a difference for the monarchs.

Residents that are interested in planting milkweed in their yards to help the Monarch butterflies can pick up a bag of seeds, free of charge, while supplies last, at City Hall, 2052 County Road 24, Medina, MN 55340 during regular business hours M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Additional resources on the Monarch Butterfly can be found below:

https://monarchjointventure.org/resources – View a number of publications on Monarchs and Milkweed

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarchs – This organization was started by Karen Oberhauser at the U of M who has studied the Monarchs for years

https://www.nwf.org/sitecore/content/Home/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/National-Initiatives/Pollinators – The National Wildlife Federation explains the importance of milkweed.

https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/ – This organization is out of Edina, MN, and is working to provide milkweed seeds for planting. The site also does a great job of explaining the importance of milkweed.

Links for Purchasing Bulk Milkweed Seeds

https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/

http://www.prairieresto.com

https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/