Are you thinking about starting your own business or are you currently operating a small business and interested in FREE technical assistance?
Medina has partnered with the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) to offer the Open to Business program. This program provides FREE one-on-one assistance from MCCD’s expert staff, customized to meet the specific needs of each entrepreneur. This can include creating a business plan, suggestions on financial management and bookkeeping practices, assisting with marketing, and referrals for financing. MCCD also administers a small business loan fund which provides capital to expand local businesses.

For more information please visit www.opentobusinessmn.org or contact Rob Smolund from MCCD at rsmolund@mccdmn.org or (612) 789-7337 ext. 260.

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

The City of Medina in accordance with Section 512 of the City Code notifies the public of the enforcement of the No-Wake restriction on Lake Independence because the water level for the Lake has been higher than 957.8 feet above sea level for at least three consecutive days.

You can monitor up-to-date water levels on Lake Independence at this link: https://www.lakeindependence.org/water-info

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…]

Create your own user feedback survey

The City of Medina requires companies requesting a Right-of-Way (ROW) Permit to register annually at the beginning of each year.

Registration Requirements:

• ROW Permit Registration Form (Annually – $100.00 fee starting in 2019)
• Certificate of Insurance naming the City of Medina as additional insured (dates must be updated annually to reflect current license year)
• $50,000 performance bond (either the general contractor or subcontractor will need to provide)
• To the extent known, the City is also requesting each ROW user to file a construction and major maintenance plan for underground facilities, with the locations and estimated beginning and end dates of all projects to be commenced during that calendar year.

For each job an application and permit fee are required:

• ROW Permit Application –  include $100.00 permit fee or request invoice

To learn more: Section 410 of Medina’s City Code regulates Right-of-Way Management

Questions? Contact Public Works Director Steve Scherer at 763-473-8842 or steve.scherer@medinamn.gov.

The Storm Water Utility is an independent City fund devoted to managing Medina’s storm water issues.  Monies in this fund cannot be used for other purposes, similar to the management of the City’s existing water and sewer utility funds. The attached letter to residents summarizes the key points of the storm water utility.

For more information on the City of Medina’s Storm Water, please visit the Stormwater Utility Page.

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/