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Volume 16 Issue 3

September 15, 2019

34th Annual Roseau Volunteer

Fireman’s BBQ & Ball September 21st, 2019 at the Roseau Fire Hall and

American Legion

A Turkey & Pork Dinner with all of the extras will be served in the Fire Hall from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. A Dance follows at the Le-

gion with Eagle Creek from 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM.

Raffles for various prizes held throughout the event.

Prices: $12 Adult $10 Senior

$8 Children 6- 12 Children 5 & under free Proceeds from the fund-

raiser help fund fire fighting equipment.

COME AND SUPPORT OUR FIREMEN!

City Officials Continue to Work towards the Reinstatement of Port of Entry Hours

Two members of Roseau’s Federal delegation recently visited Roseau to listen to concerns of local citizens regarding the reduced hours at the Roseau Port of Entry. Roseau City Officials have been engaged in efforts to reverse the decision by US Customs & Border Protec-tion (CBP) to shorten the hours at the Roseau Port from midnight down to 8 pm.

U.S. Senator Tina Smith vis-ited the City of Roseau in mid-August to learn more about the issues the re-duced hours are causing along with the decision making process of CBP. Senator Smith agreed to investigate the matter fur-ther on our behalf and de-termine what efforts could be done within the Senate to resolve this issue.

Gilbertson Ballfield Arch Project

Later in August U.S. Repre-sentative Collin Peterson and the City of Roseau host-ed the House Homeland Security Committee Chair Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi in a meeting with CBP officials to further discuss the impacts the CBP decision has made on the Roseau and South-east Manitoba communities utilizing the Roseau Port of Entry. Local representatives

expressed that the socio-economic impacts to our region as a whole are much more significant than the raw statistics used by CBP to arrive at their recommendations. Local officials discussed the burdens the limited hours have placed on em-ployment, health care, commerce and the daily lives of residents on both sides of the border.

yet but It's coming together and we are looking at drilling holes for the rivets, finishing and mounting the letters, etc. We plan to have all the ironwork finished by mid September and ready for the forest green pow-der coat paint with yellow letters. I will send more photos and another update of the com-pleted project laid out before painting. The halves of the arch will be made to fasten together after the powder coat finish.

With the paint and everything done we're shooting for installa-tion the latter part of Septem-ber. Joel Miller, Artisan

The Gilbertson Field Arch update from Ravenworks Forge: The project is looking very good! Above is an In-

progress photo of the metal laid out on the worktable. There are a few more pieces to make

US Rep. Collin Peterson (MN), MP Ted Falk (MB), Community Development Coordinator Todd Peterson, MN Senator Mark Johnson and US Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS)

Page 2 H O M E T O W N U P D A T E

The Roseau Parks & Recreation Department was pleased to see the return of adult recreational softball to Roseau this past summer. Eight co-ed teams played in the inau-gural season which featured a self-managed league at the Roseau Softball Complex on Monday nights. The league is for adults (18+) only. It is hoped that the league can build on this year’s success and improve the program for the future. Individuals or teams interested in partici-pating in the league next year please contact the Parks & Rec Department at 218-242-0063 for more information.

Annual City Revenues & Expenditures C

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The annual budget for all City opera-tions typically runs around $10 million. So where does that money come from and how is it spent? The greatest per-centage of income (76%) is derived from the city’s five enterprises, which include the water, sewer, electric, gar-bage and liquor store operations. The city obtains 11% of its budget from the local property tax levy and around 8% from intergovernmental transfers, aids and grants from the State and Federal Government. These three sources comprise the bulk of the annual oper-ating revenues for the city with about 5% coming from rents, licenses, fines, fees, charges for services, special as-sessment and miscellaneous income.

So where does all of that money go? Roughly half or 47% goes for the cost of the items being sold in the city’s enterprises, such as wholesale elec-tricity and liquor. 22% of it goes for the pay and benefits to the 21 full-time and many part-time employees of the city. Around 10% goes for new improvements to streets, buildings and equipment each year. About 6% goes for contractual services like engi-neering, legal, auditing, and IT ser-vices. The remaining 15% is divided between operating supplies (3%), re-pairs & maintenance (3%), insurance (2%), utilities (4%), and other miscella-neous expenses (3%).

Adult Softball League

Enterprise Revenue76%

Property Tax11%

Intergovernmental Aid8%

Rents & Charges for Services

2%

Misc. Income1%

Licenses, Fees & Fines1%

Special Assessments1%

2019 Budget Revenue $9.6 million

Capital Improvements10%

Cost of Goods47%

Employee FT Pay13%

Employee Benefits6%

Contractual Services6%

Utilities4%

Operating Supplies3%

Repairs & Maintenance3% Employee PT Pay

3%

Miscellaneous Expenses2%

Insurance2%

Economic Development1%

2019 Budget Expenditures $9.8 million

V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 3 Page 3

Annual Notice to All Residential Customers

Bills can pile up just like snow. But the Minnesota Cold Weather Rule is designed to protect people who may have trouble paying their utility bills in the winter. The Minnesota Cold Weather Rule applies from October 15 to April 15. The rule, established by the Minnesota Public Utilities Com-mission, means that your utility cannot disconnect your residential electric service during the winter if the customer meets the following requirement:

Utility disconnection would affect the custom-er’s primary heat source;

The customer has declared inability to pay on forms provided by the utility (Note: custom-ers receiving “any form of public assistance”, including energy assistance, are deemed to have qualified for inability to pay status);

The household income of the customer is less than 50 percent of the state median income level, as documented by the customer to the utility; and

The customer enters into and makes reasona-bly timely payments under a payment agree-ment that considers the financial resources of the household.

If you have trouble paying your utility bill, local agencies may be able to provide payment assis-tance. The state Department of Human Services recommends you call the county in which you live.

If you know you are going to have trouble paying your utility bills, please contact the Roseau Utility Department at 463-2351 to try and work out a payment schedule. We will try to help.

THE COLD WEATHER RULE DOES NOT FORBID ALL WINTER DISCONNECTION

SLOW DOWN AND BE ALERT: SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION

School Zone Speed Limit

15 MPH

Fall Exhibit at the Roseau County

Museum

SNOW REMOVAL SEASON

Snow season is just around the corner and residents are reminded that a snow emergency may be called by the Superin-tendent or Police Chief anytime snow conditions on the streets warrant, re-gardless of the amount of snow that has actually fallen. Typically, snow removal on city streets begins at 2:00 a.m. after a snowfall of 1/2” or more. However, weather conditions may warrant removal activities at other times as well. No vehi-cles may be parked on a snow covered street, during removal, until that street is plowed from curb to curb.

Any vehicle left on the street during snow removal may be ticketed and towed without

warning.

The City recommends that all residents identify off-street parking areas for use throughout the winter, but especially during snowfall events and other winter conditions that make snow removal activ-ities necessary, such a strong winds and blowing snow. Please keep boulevards clear of planters, sports equipment, lighting and other items that can be dam-aged by snow removal activities.

Residents are also reminded to keep all sidewalks clear of ice

and snow.

Please use caution around snow removal equipment as operators have limited visibility and maneu-verability.

CENTURY OF CIV IC

ENGAGEM ENT: LEAGUE

OF WOM EN VOTERS

M INNESOTA

To celebrate the 19th Amendment’s centennial year, the League of Wom-en Voters Minnesota created a trav-eling exhibit to recognize the organi-zation’s mission and history over the past century. The Roseau County Museum will be hosting this travel-ing exhibit October 1 - 25, 2019. Al-so, watch for upcoming program-ming related to this event.

FALL CLEAN-UP Leaves, brush, and other vegetative de-

bris can be disposed of at the City’s com-post site located 1 mile east on MN Hwy

11 and 1.75 miles north of Roseau on County Road 28. The compost area is

located inside the fence of on the north side of the sewage lagoons. Only organic materials may be deposited in the com-post piles. The compost site is open on

Tuesdays.

No bags, trash or other non-organic items may be left at

the compost site.

PRESORTED STD

US POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 61

ROSEAU, MN 56751

City Hall 121 Center Street E, Suite 202

PO Box 307 Roseau, MN 56751

Phone 463-1542

City Utilities 1198 Center Street West

Roseau, MN 56751 Phone 463-2351

C I T Y O F R O S E AU

CITY COUNCIL

Jeff Pelowski-Mayor

Jane Evans Pat Novacek

Brady Johnson Amy Bassingthwaite

CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS

Todd Peterson-Community Dev. Coord.

David Drown-City Superintendent

Ward Anderson-Chief of Police

Linda Roseborough-Liquor Store Manager

Craig McMillin-Fire Chief

Our Website:

www.city.roseau.mn.us

Current Resident

Roseau, MN 56751

The City of Roseau, Northwest Community Action, the Roseau School Industrial Tech-nology Class and Markstrom Construction are teaming up to build a new 3-bed, 2-bath, 1,500 SF home one block north of the Roseau School on 5th Avenue NE. The ulti-mate goal of the collaborative project is to add new housing to the city while also providing our students with real world ex-perience in the construction industry.

The majority of the work on the home will be completed by RHS students in the indus-trial technology class under the direct su-pervision of the class instructor Shane

New House Under Construction

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT ROSEAU’S ICE ARENAS

Winter Ice Skating—Public open skating

and open hockey sessions begin at Memo-rial Arena on Oct 18th. All open skating and open hockey sessions at Memorial Arena,

Rams Sports Center and the North Rink are free and open to the public.

Youth Hockey—Competitive youth hockey for boys & girls is sponsored by the Roseau Youth Hockey Association. For more infor-

mation and registration visit roseauhockeyonline.com

Adult Hockey Leagues-Recreational adult hockey leagues for men and women are

available. Call 218-242-0063 for info.

Figure Skating Club—Contact: Heidi Pulk,

Blazing Stars Skating School on Facebook at BlazingStarsSkating

Learn to Skate Classes—Heidi Pulk also

offers a skating school open to all ages for those wishing to learn to skate or to im-prove their skating skills. This is a good

intro for future hockey and figure skaters

Larsen and general contractor Keith Markstrom. However, specific li-censed trade items such as electrical, plumbing and HVAC will be complet-ed using licensed sub-contractors The new home (rendering to the left) will be offered for sale upon comple-tion, which is expected in early sum-mer of 2020. Anyone interested in purchasing the home should contact Todd Peterson, Community Develop-ment Coordinator at 463-5003. The home is being offered at $250,000.

Happy 65th Anniversary

Polaris!

Thanks for the great

ride!