Blaine CityConnect The City Council approved the formation of the community center task force in May 2014 to explore if citizens have an interest in adding indoor recreational facilities in the City. On January 22, the Blaine City Council authorized the hiring of a consultant for $22,000 to conduct a citizen survey for indoor community facility amenities as part of a Community Center. The Community Center Task began meeting in June 2014. The Community Center Task Force is comprised of community residents from youth associations, the Metro North Chamber, Blaine Senior Advisory Council, Blaine Park Board, local school districts and residents at large. The group meets monthly at City Hall and will continue its work until a possible November 2016 citizen referendum. This past summer the task force toured community centers in the north metro communities of Maple Grove, Andover and Shoreview. More tours will take place in the coming months as amenities and areas of need are identified through the survey process. “This as much as anything is a public engagement process, to get people talking,” said Todd Olson, task force chairperson. Olson said the Community Center Task Force will work with the survey consultant over the next few months to compile a list of questions. When the City Council set up the task force last year, they said the project should be community driven and the city’s involvement limited to paying for consultants and having a City staff member attend meetings. Last fall the council authorized up to $115,000 for two surveys and a consultant. The projected cost of each survey was $15,000 to $20,000, and consultant could be $75,000. The Community Center Task Force will now begin the process of creating a request for proposal for an overall project consultant with the potential to have them in place in the coming months. The overall project consultant will lead the task force in analyzing survey results, develop a conceptual plan, identify potential sites, formalize partnerships, develop construction costs, assist in projecting operating costs as well as long term revenue projections. The overall project consultant would require council approval and would also facilitate public meetings as possible amenities are identified by the work of the task force and the survey process. All task force meetings are open to the public and are normally conducted the first Monday of the month at City Hall. For more information, contact the Manager’s Office at 7 6 3 - 7 8 5 - 6 1 2 3 .
Bicycle Recycling Returns April 19
Correction to 2015 Recycling Calendar
Blaine holds its monthly recycling drop-off day on the third Saturday of each month, from 10 am until 2 pm at Aquatore Park. See page 7 for more information about Blaine’s monthly recycling drop-off day.
The 2015 recycling calendar that was recently sent out by Advanced Disposal contained two errors. Please note that service WILL NOT be delayed by one day on the Friday before Independence Day, which is on Saturday, July 4. There is NO delay that week. Also, ONLY Friday service will be delayed for Christmas Day, on Friday, December 25. Thursday, December 24, will be a normal collection day.
March/April 2015
6th Annual Green Expo will be held April 25 at the NSC
North Metro Region Leads MN to a More Sustainable Future The 6th annual Green Expo is bigger and better than ever this year. After the success of last year’s partnership, the City of Coon Rapids, the City of Blaine, and the National Sports Center (NSC) have decided to team up again to produce an even larger event. The expo will take advantage of the NSC’s expansive exhibition space in order to showcase the best ideas, products and services in sustainable living that will save Minnesotans money and our precious natural resources. Admission to this great event is free and open to the public.
April 25, 2015 9 am to 2 pm Schwan Center, NSC The Green Expo is a community event designed to give the public a better understanding of what “sustainability” really means. By bringing together local businesses, environmental experts and representatives who work in areas of conservation, this event strives to educate the public on the many environmental topics that affect our everyday lives. Whether a community member is passionate about growing groundwater concerns, reducing the amount of waste they produce, or purchasing local foods, the Green Expo is the right venue to continue educating and empowering themselves. cont’d on Page 4