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2018 Election Information
General Election
November 6, 2018
Polls Open 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
View the Election Page for more information on:
View Sample Ballots for November 6th General Election
Local Candidates/Candidate Forum/Campaign Finance
Questions? Call Election Coordinator Jodi Gallup at 763-473-8850 or email jodi.gallup@medinamn.gov
A LIFE WELL LIVED: A TRIBUTE TO MAYOR BOB MITCHELL
Our dear and quite unique mayor, Bob Mitchell, passed away unexpectedly of acute myeloid leukemia on July 30, 2018.
Bob was everything a mayor should be: he listened (rather than judged), he was respectful (rather than pretentious), he critically analyzed all available information before making tough decisions (rather than reflexively imposing personal preferences), he thanked people for their contributions (often with a hand-penned note), he welcomed all who entered City Hall (regardless of age), and with his very unique sense of humor, he always made us laugh.
Bob was proud of the City of Medina. He was happy to grill hotdogs on Clean-Up Day, show Boy Scouts what mayors really do, cut ribbons at opening ceremonies and ride shotgun with police officers on Night to Unite. He often took time at City Council meetings to share a bit of personal wisdom, and to speak of our good fortune to live in Medina and to be Americans. Bob reminded us, by his words and conduct, of the utmost importance of civility and kindness in the public arena.
Bob was a gentle man who believed that giving was more important than having or taking. And he gave back in many ways. In addition to his public service, Bob was a dedicated member of the boards of Global Minnesota, the Trust for Public Land and the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library.
Above all, Bob was a consummate family man. He often spoke of Lucy, his wife of more than 40 years, with a twinkle in his eye reminiscent of someone recounting the details of his first date. After witnessing the tribute his children, Ella, Ned and David, paid to Bob at the memorial service on August 3, 2018, I have no doubt that Bob was a special dad who (through example and not lecture) gifted to his offspring a love of nature, a thirst for adventure, intellectual curiosity and an appreciation of the Golden Rule.
Before and after our Council sessions, and during breaks from our sometimes tedious deliberations on city business, Bob’s skill at story telling revealed his love of exploration. We discovered that this humble man, slight in physical build, had raced cars, jumped horses, bicycled through Myanmar, attacked mountains on skis, tethered himself to trapeze artists and bungee cords, and traveled the world, often to places the rest of us would not dream of touring, usually joined by any combination of Lucy, Ella, Ned and David.
After serving on the Medina Planning Commission, Bob was elected to the City Council; he was a member of the Council from 1985 to 1992. He was elected mayor in 2014 and represented us all, as mayor, with good humor and kindness, for four years. His wit, intellect, good teachings and integrity will be missed deeply by all of us at City Hall. We, with his family, celebrate Bob’s exceptional life: a life well lived.
-Kathleen Martin, Acting Mayor
August 4, 2018
©All rights reserved/Kathleen Martin 2018
Other Tributes to Mayor Mitchell:
‘He liked to go fast. And he did:’ Medina Mayor Bob Mitchell remembered for being stalwart – Published in Lakeshore Weekly online on August 7, 2018
Medina Mayor Mitchell dies – Published in Crow River News on August 2, 2018
Obituary for Robert G. Mitchell, Jr. – Published in the Star Tribune on July 31, 2018
2040 Comprehensive Plan Update
Current Status:
Jurisdictional review for the Comprehensive Plan has concluded. The City Council has also reviewed the comments and have approved the Plan. The Plan has been submitted to the Metropolitan Council and is currently under review. The approval of the 2040 Comp Plan by the Met Council is anticipated to be in the early spring of 2018.
Background:
The Comprehensive Plan guides the future of the City, including the location and types of growth and development in the City. The Plan also advises future policy and investments in infrastructure and services such as transportation, parks, trails, recreation and water resources.
The Comprehensive Plan anticipates 950 additional households over the next 20 years, 250 of which are required to be higher-density housing such as apartments and townhomes. This is a substantial reduction of approximately 40-50% from what the City has previously planned.
A draft of the updated Comprehensive Plan is now available for you to review below:
Chapter 2: Vision and Strategies
Chapter 3: Community Background
Chapter 4: Housing and Neighborhoods
Chapter 5: Land Use and Growth
Chapter 6: Parks, Trails, and Open Space
Chapter 8: Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer_Plan
Chapter 9: Comprehensive Water Supply Plan
Chapter 10: Transportation Plan
Chapter 11: Surface Water Management Plan Part 1
Chapter 11: Surface Water Management Plan Part 2
Steering Committee Meeting Materials:
October 26, 2017 Agenda and Packet
September 18, 2017 Agenda and Packet
November 14, 2016 – Agenda and Packet
August 30, 2016 – Agenda and Packet
August 3, 2016 – Agenda & Packet (Joint City Council & Planning Commission Meeting)
June 10, 2016 – Agenda and Packet
May 25, 2016 – Agenda and Packet
May 9, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
April 21, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
March 2, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
February 26, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
February 24, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
February 10, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
January 6, 2016 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
November 19, 2015 – Agenda and Packet & Meeting Notes/Summary
November 12, 2015 – Agenda & Meeting Notes/Summary
October 29, 2015 – Agenda & Meeting Notes/Summary
Updated Hours: City’s Compost/Brush Site
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)
Fall Hydrant Maintenance & Flushing
Hydrant maintenance and flushing is scheduled throughout October for account numbers beginning with 01 & 03.
You may experience discoloration while the watermain in front of your property is being flushed, as well as fluctuation in water pressure. If you experience water discoloration, run your outside faucet until it is clear.
Independence Beach, accounts beginning with 02, will follow their regular monthly flushing schedule which is the second Thursday of each month from 9 am – 2 pm.
FEMA Updates Flood Hazard Maps
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.
Monarchs & Milkweed
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/
https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/