$7 Million set aside for 2014 Property Tax Relief
Each year the Ways & Means Committee receives the final accounting of what was spent in the previous year. Council then decides what should be done with the “roll-over” monies. In 2013, city departments spent $9 million less than what was budgeted. This savings was achieved thanks to good department management, fewer snow emergencies and higher than expected revenues. The committee recommended that the Council spend about $2 million on current needs, including the Police and Fire Departments, but voted to reject many other department requests in order to save $7 million for reducing taxes next year. Council President Johnson was pleased about the use of funds saying, “4th Ward residents deserve property tax relief while maintaining essential city services.”
Find out when “one sort” recycling is coming to your block
Last month we talked about one-sort recycling, where customers combine their glass, plastic, paper, aluminum and cardboard into one container. The second phase of the rollout begins the week of April 22, and about 75,000 recycling customers will receive their new carts by the end of June. Now you can find out online when you are scheduled to receive your one-sort recycling cart. Go to http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/solid-waste/recycling/ WCMS1P-100417.
Crews will drop off new blue carts for each residential customer. As soon as you have your cart, you can start using it for one-sort recycling. By making it easier for folks who don’t use the multi-sort recycling system at all, or for those who don’t recycle as much as they could, the City hopes to double the 2012 recycling rate by 2015. More information on one-sort recycling is available at www.minneapolismn.gov/onesort.
Raingardens and beyond: $15 workshops
Whether you are an experienced gardener or have never tried gardening before, learn how to help keep our lakes, rivers and streams clean by making simple choices about your yard. Sign up for a $15 workshop that will tell you what you need to know to start your own raingarden and make your green garden even greener.
The workshop combines a do-it-yourself approach with expert help and offers the latest in healthy yard care practices, including proper use of fertilizers, disposal and reuse of yard waste, keeping sidewalks ice-free and managing runoff onsite. This workshop is designed to move participants quickly from an overview of healthy yard care practices to a completed raingarden design for their property with one-on-one assistance from Metro Blooms landscape designers and Hennepin County master gardeners. Space is limited, and some locations fill up fast. Workshop dates run from mid-April to mid-June.
The City of Minneapolis sponsors Metro Blooms workshops as part of its eco-focused goal of pristine lakes and streams. More than 6,000 metro residents have attended Metro Blooms raingarden workshops since 2005 and installed more than 2,000 raingardens. For more information and to register, go to www.metroblooms.org or call 651-699-2426.
Breakfast with Barb
Join Council President Johnson on Tuesday, April 30 from 8-9 a.m. at the Lowry Café for breakfast and a discussion about the 4th Ward. This month she will be joined by David A. Herberholz, Director of Solid Waste and Recycling.
4th Ward E-Newsletter
Sign up for the 4th Ward email newsletter at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MPLS/subscriber/new? Enter your email address; under “subscription topics” select “Ward 4-Barbara Johnson” under City Council then submit.