With only one more weekend before the November 2nd election, Cheryl and I dodged raindrops throughout the weekend in our effort to cover the city either by door-knocking (and dropping off literature) or by driving around the city putting our literature in newspaper boxes or mailbox posts. Cheryl developed a technique of taping our cards on with blue - then green (our campaign color) painter's tape. At the Candidate Forum and our door-knocking, we've received positive feedback on getting our card. Cheryl also has a technique of keeping my head poking out of the box at you (I have photos on the same end of the card). So, if you're tired of seeing my face around, grab our card out, read it over - and vote for me, OK?
Sometimes you get unexpected pleasures. Off of Co. Rd. 158 today, the map listed a street named Jivarro. We drove down this dirt road to "nowhere" and came out in front of a farmhouse - but no mailbox (we missed it back on 158). But the farmer was an old acquaintance from the United Methodist Chuch of Anoka - Jeff Luedtke - who also formerly served on the city's Planning Commission and his was the first family to donate land to the Open Spaces project. Nice chat - thanks for taking a few minutes with me, Jeff!
I color in our map at home as we finish visiting neighborhoods. Most of my map is green. Next weekend, we need to finish literature drops in SE and SW Andover - in the neighborhood just west and south of Round Lake on the west side of Round Lake Blvd, then the water tower neighborhood between Coon Creek and Round Lake Blvd., then the SE square east of the rail line to the city border, and between Andover and Bunker Lake Blvds.
I still have a bunch of door-knocking to do this week - about 650 houses - about 8-10 hours of neighborhood interaction. I'll be in the 5th Precinct on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday afternoons, early Sunday - before we get serious about the Halloween trick-or-treaters visiting our house Sunday night - and finally, on Monday, if necessary.
I'm going to be on Raven and Uplander between 141st and 143rd - off of South Coon Creek Dr., then I'll be on 141st Ln, 142nd Ave. and 142nd Ln.- as well as Osage & Partridge that intersect. I've still got to visit Quinn between 139th Ave and 140th Ln, as well as Nightingale, Partidge and Osage in that section. After getting to the 13700 and 13800 blocks of Swallow and Raven, I'm going to spend time at the houses NW of North Woods West Park - Ivywood, 141st Ln, 142nd Ave and 142nd Ln. And I've got houses on Crosstown Dr. between 139th & 140th Aves, as well as the neighborhood south of the North Woods Parks - Crocus, Northwood Dr., 137th Ln, 138th Ave, 138th Ln, 140th Ave and 140th Ln.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
League of Women Voter's Profile - Wes Volkenant
Each candidate was invited this fall to submit our profile and answers to their questions by October 24th. I managed to get mine completed on Saturday, so hopefully by the time you read this, you can find my profile and others on line. Tonight, only the Schmeig, Shoemaker and Trude replies were available, however.
So, I'm posting my reply here, and you can read it for more understanding of my positionsd heading into the election in eight days.
Occupation: Staff Development Trainer - Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health Department
Education: Graduate of Anoka High School; Graduate of St. Cloud State University - Education Degree in Social Studies with History Emphasis; post-graduate Special Education certifications - LD, EMH, E/BD
What issues will the city face in the next few years?
Most would characterize these as difficult times and local government has faced the difficulty of reducing services due to loss revenue from the state and feds and property taxes due to declining home values and changes in commercial property assessments. Andover has core services it needs to provide. It operates a very lean budget with only about 50 city employees. The City must generate revenue to pay for its services and expenses. If it fails to attract businesses to the City, it will have to consider modest tax levy increases in future years to meet its infrastructure needs. Parks need upkeep. Snowplowing, potholes, road resurfacing and reconstruction, weed-cutting - all these things must be dealt with and paid for.
Quickly - other issues: safer right-turn exits into neighborhoods; fair redistricting of precincts in 2011; looking at bringing MTC or other transit options into Andover; continuing the Open Spaces program, balancing rural and suburban neighborhood needs - as in the 2010 exemptions for December bowhunting in a neighborhood in eastern Andover.
What are your ideas to increase city revenues and/or decrease city expenses?
As noted above, I am inclined not to reduce or cut city expenses any further. We're already lean without resorting to proposals such as Furlough Fridays which would cause suffering for our employees and their families - 20% pay cuts. Voluntary furlough options work for those of us who can afford to furlough hours, while recognizing others living paycheck to paycheck can not. I like the work City Administrator Dickinson has done in monitoring every piece of city equipment and gleaning extra years of service out of well-functioning pieces.
Modest property tax increases may be necessary by 2012 again (no change in the levy was approved for 2011) if revenues state and federal resources continue to be limited in our economic downturn. By 2014 we may see the City benefitting by earlier foresight re: the Community Center and having rid the city of its junkyards. The City should also look anew at economic development along the rail line passing through the city. Bringing a rail-based company to the Andover Blvd. vicinity might provide some new revenue sources for Andover.
How would you balance the short- and long-term goals of the community?
This City can be tugged between many different factions; needs of rural, farm-based Andover vs. suburban commuter Andover; needs of local, family-owned small businesses vs. the desire for "big-box" retailers and chain restaurants; and the need for improved transit and transportation into-and-out of Andover vs. the costs of maintaining the infrastructure and the need to partner with Anoka county on every major arterial road passing through the City.
Andover revisits and resets its goals every year. Its five-year plans are re-adopted after careful reconsideration. Nothing is static - changes in planning are common.
What won't change or go away is Andover's Vision: "Andover, a safe, growing community in which to live and work which enhances the quality of its citizens' lives through recreational opportunity, quiet neighborhoods, civic involvement, fiscal and environmental stewardship."
My twin themes are "A New Voice" and "Embrace Andover's Future." I hope you give me an opportunity to show you what they can mean in the next four years.
So, I'm posting my reply here, and you can read it for more understanding of my positionsd heading into the election in eight days.
LWV Voting Guide Answers
Name: | Wes Volkenant | Please email headshot to webmaster@lwvmn.org |
Election Date: | 11/2/2010 | |
Jurisdiction: | Andover | |
Office: | City Council - 2 seats, 4 year terms | |
Contact Information: | ||
Address: | 1482 - 158th Lane NW | |
Andover, MN 55304 | ||
Phone: | (763) 434-1551 | |
Cell: | ||
Email: | cwvolkenant@msn.com | |
Website: | ||
Education: Graduate of Anoka High School; Graduate of St. Cloud State University - Education Degree in Social Studies with History Emphasis; post-graduate Special Education certifications - LD, EMH, E/BD
What issues will the city face in the next few years?
Most would characterize these as difficult times and local government has faced the difficulty of reducing services due to loss revenue from the state and feds and property taxes due to declining home values and changes in commercial property assessments. Andover has core services it needs to provide. It operates a very lean budget with only about 50 city employees. The City must generate revenue to pay for its services and expenses. If it fails to attract businesses to the City, it will have to consider modest tax levy increases in future years to meet its infrastructure needs. Parks need upkeep. Snowplowing, potholes, road resurfacing and reconstruction, weed-cutting - all these things must be dealt with and paid for.
Quickly - other issues: safer right-turn exits into neighborhoods; fair redistricting of precincts in 2011; looking at bringing MTC or other transit options into Andover; continuing the Open Spaces program, balancing rural and suburban neighborhood needs - as in the 2010 exemptions for December bowhunting in a neighborhood in eastern Andover.
What are your ideas to increase city revenues and/or decrease city expenses?
As noted above, I am inclined not to reduce or cut city expenses any further. We're already lean without resorting to proposals such as Furlough Fridays which would cause suffering for our employees and their families - 20% pay cuts. Voluntary furlough options work for those of us who can afford to furlough hours, while recognizing others living paycheck to paycheck can not. I like the work City Administrator Dickinson has done in monitoring every piece of city equipment and gleaning extra years of service out of well-functioning pieces.
Modest property tax increases may be necessary by 2012 again (no change in the levy was approved for 2011) if revenues state and federal resources continue to be limited in our economic downturn. By 2014 we may see the City benefitting by earlier foresight re: the Community Center and having rid the city of its junkyards. The City should also look anew at economic development along the rail line passing through the city. Bringing a rail-based company to the Andover Blvd. vicinity might provide some new revenue sources for Andover.
How would you balance the short- and long-term goals of the community?
This City can be tugged between many different factions; needs of rural, farm-based Andover vs. suburban commuter Andover; needs of local, family-owned small businesses vs. the desire for "big-box" retailers and chain restaurants; and the need for improved transit and transportation into-and-out of Andover vs. the costs of maintaining the infrastructure and the need to partner with Anoka county on every major arterial road passing through the City.
Andover revisits and resets its goals every year. Its five-year plans are re-adopted after careful reconsideration. Nothing is static - changes in planning are common.
What won't change or go away is Andover's Vision: "Andover, a safe, growing community in which to live and work which enhances the quality of its citizens' lives through recreational opportunity, quiet neighborhoods, civic involvement, fiscal and environmental stewardship."
My twin themes are "A New Voice" and "Embrace Andover's Future." I hope you give me an opportunity to show you what they can mean in the next four years.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Council Discusses Homelessness, Crime, Street Reconstruction/ Assessments and Capital Improvement Plan
Both the Street Reconstruction/Assessment Roll 2010 and 2011-2015 Capital Improvement Plans were adopted Tuesday night without public comment. Key highlights: the 2010 reconstruction project took place in the south half of Woodland Meadows (east of Verdin, approximately between 172nd Ave. and 174th Cir.) Due to a very favorable bid climate, the individual homeowner assessments came in at $4686.57 vs the estimated $6440.00. City Engineer Berkowitz showed several dramatic pictures of the excellent results from the City crews - on Uplander Circle, at 174th Circle, and at the intersection of 172nd & Uplander. He showed repairs needed for alligator cracking in some e roads and streets where crews regularly had to patch potholes - but now look excellent. Customer service is very important in these projects and he acknowledged fine efforts by Jason Law and Al Kester. The City also put up new signage to conform to state regulations, including new 35 MPH signs where the state allows lower limits in rural residential areas (from 55 MPH).
Thec 2011-2015 CIP calls for State Aid to be used in improving the intersection of Crosstown Dr. & Crosstown Blvd. next year. Crosstown Dr. is on the reconstruction list, as is South Coon Creek Dr. in 2012. The CIP helps the City maintain a AA+ bond rating. It includes $31 million over the next five years, which is for both construction projects and equipment replacement/purchases. 48.8% of departmental expenditures goes to streets and highways (out of an estimated $3,988,000 in 2011). Water treatment is the number two expense (@ 25%), while Parks, which generates more taslk than most other items is a comparatively minor budget item at 4%.
Sgt. Erickson from the Sheriff's Office reported that in September, Andover had 9 DUI arrests and 5 In-Custody, Domestic Assault arrests. He described specific arrests made in September, including one that SWAT was called in for on 141st Ave. That gentleman remains in custody, his home has been foreclosed upon, and he will not be returning to that neighborhood.
The Mayor signed a proclamation declaring November to be Homeless Awareness Month. Karrie Schaaf, a state expert on homeless youth, from Emma B. Howe YMCA of Coon Rapids, spoke, along with a youth assistant, Abby. On January 27, 2010 (night of the annual homeless count) there were 1301 homeless people in Anoka County, about 155 of whom were youth, aged 16-21. There are not enough beds for the homeless in Minnesota. Some sleep in parks, some in porta-potties. There are no shelters in Anoka County and Hennepin County fills up. Programs like Family Promise are in place, and Sleep Outs to raise funds for the homeless have been successful. Andover HS did its first last year, and besides raising money, the school has started a food shelf.
Here's a link to a 2010 StarTribune article on homeless youth in Anoka County: http://www.startribune.com/local/north/91566694.html?page=1&c=y.
City Administrator Dickinson passed out Anoka County Annual Homeless Count statistics. The 1301 were an increase of 297 or 30% over the 2009 count. There were 212 more homeless households in 2010.
Sixty were living on the streets in January. Homeless shelters accounted for 76, while 29 were at motels. There were 403 homeless couch hopping or doubling up with others. Two were places unfit for habitation, while 87 were located in the Transitional Housing Program. Another 29 were in homes they would be evicted from in less than a month, and 61 others were on shelter waiting lists, in the hospital or in jail.
Fifty-four of the Anoka County homeless suffered from Severe Mental Illness (SMI). Nineteen were fighting Chronic Substance Abuse (CSA) sand 39 had both CSA and an SMI. Another three had basic mental health or mental illness issues and two cope with Learning Disabilities.
This is a very troubling concern for every community, not just the urban centers of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Thec 2011-2015 CIP calls for State Aid to be used in improving the intersection of Crosstown Dr. & Crosstown Blvd. next year. Crosstown Dr. is on the reconstruction list, as is South Coon Creek Dr. in 2012. The CIP helps the City maintain a AA+ bond rating. It includes $31 million over the next five years, which is for both construction projects and equipment replacement/purchases. 48.8% of departmental expenditures goes to streets and highways (out of an estimated $3,988,000 in 2011). Water treatment is the number two expense (@ 25%), while Parks, which generates more taslk than most other items is a comparatively minor budget item at 4%.
Sgt. Erickson from the Sheriff's Office reported that in September, Andover had 9 DUI arrests and 5 In-Custody, Domestic Assault arrests. He described specific arrests made in September, including one that SWAT was called in for on 141st Ave. That gentleman remains in custody, his home has been foreclosed upon, and he will not be returning to that neighborhood.
The Mayor signed a proclamation declaring November to be Homeless Awareness Month. Karrie Schaaf, a state expert on homeless youth, from Emma B. Howe YMCA of Coon Rapids, spoke, along with a youth assistant, Abby. On January 27, 2010 (night of the annual homeless count) there were 1301 homeless people in Anoka County, about 155 of whom were youth, aged 16-21. There are not enough beds for the homeless in Minnesota. Some sleep in parks, some in porta-potties. There are no shelters in Anoka County and Hennepin County fills up. Programs like Family Promise are in place, and Sleep Outs to raise funds for the homeless have been successful. Andover HS did its first last year, and besides raising money, the school has started a food shelf.
Here's a link to a 2010 StarTribune article on homeless youth in Anoka County: http://www.startribune.com/local/north/91566694.html?page=1&c=y.
City Administrator Dickinson passed out Anoka County Annual Homeless Count statistics. The 1301 were an increase of 297 or 30% over the 2009 count. There were 212 more homeless households in 2010.
Sixty were living on the streets in January. Homeless shelters accounted for 76, while 29 were at motels. There were 403 homeless couch hopping or doubling up with others. Two were places unfit for habitation, while 87 were located in the Transitional Housing Program. Another 29 were in homes they would be evicted from in less than a month, and 61 others were on shelter waiting lists, in the hospital or in jail.
Fifty-four of the Anoka County homeless suffered from Severe Mental Illness (SMI). Nineteen were fighting Chronic Substance Abuse (CSA) sand 39 had both CSA and an SMI. Another three had basic mental health or mental illness issues and two cope with Learning Disabilities.
This is a very troubling concern for every community, not just the urban centers of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
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