Shakopee Snapshot: Winter 2024-25
The City of Shakopee's quarterly newsletter to provide you a lens on Shakopee living.
SHAKOPEE SNAPSHOT A LENS ON SHAKOPEE LIVING
WINTER 2024-25
Hockey Day Minnesota ’25 takes the ice in Shakopee Shak the Halls! Submit your holiday light displays From plows to parking Preparing for winter in Shakopee
INSIDE: PARKS & RECREATION WINTER ACTIVITIES BROCHURE PROGRAM REGISTRATION OPENS NOVEMBER 26
SHOW OFF SHAKOPEE PHOTO CONTEST
2024
Congratulations to our 2024 winners!
Budding Photographer: Fields of Home Judah Berry
Grand Prize: Powdered
Madness Jon Goltz
Community Connections: The Toss Up Billy Daniels
Uniquely Shakopee: A Tunnel Full of Life Debanjana Chatterjee
Wildlife and Nature: Sunset over Ridge Creek Park Christopher Loiselle
GRAND PRIZE: $100 | CATEGORY WINNERS 4 : $50
SHAKOPEE SNAPSHOT A LENS ON SHAKOPEE LIVING
WINTER 2024–25
CITY NEWSLETTER Hockey Day Minnesota ’25 . . . ... 3 City Calendar . . . . . . . . . .......... 4 In Lehman’s Terms . . . . . . . ....... 4 City Website Redesign. . . . . . ...... 5 Incumbents Win Re-election . . .. 5 News & Notes . . . . . . . . . .......... 5 Ask the City. . . . . . . . . . ........... 6 Shak the Halls. . . . . . . . . .......... 7 Parks & Recreation. . . . . . . ....... 8 Development News. . . . . . ....... 9 Public Works. . . . . . . ........ 10–11 Public Safety. . . . . . . ........ 12–13 Chief's Notes. . . . . . . . . .......... 13 Cover Photo: A drone captures the stillness of winter near Stans Park in Shakopee. Photo credit: William J. Schleper
Pictured is a regulation NHL rink created for a past Hockey Day Minnesota celebration.
The Shakopee Snapshot is produced four times a year by the City of Shakopee.
Hockey Day Minnesota ’25 takes the ice in Shakopee Catch the action at Valleyfair in January The 19th Annual Hockey Day Minnesota celebration is coming to Shakopee this winter for four days of outdoor hockey, family activities, food, music, and even some thrill rides. Hockey Day Minnesota is an annual celebration of the state of hockey. The Minnesota Wild sponsors the program in conjunction with its media partner, FanDuel, and the local Hockey Day Minnesota committee. The City of Shakopee plays a supporting role by way of directing traffic, helping with
Editor: Amanda McKnight Design/Layout: Deb Noble Contributing Writers:
Amanda McKnight, Andrew Coons, Mike Nelson, Tom Pitschneider, Barb Kraemer, Josiah Ferguson, Kirby Templin
directional signage, and assisting with promoting the event. Hockey Day is held in a different city each year, with Sha kopee’s own Valleyfair amusement park chosen as the host site for the 2025 celebration. “It will be a big festival even beyond all the great hockey that’s going on,” said Erik Radtke, who serves on the Hockey Day Minnesota local organizing committee. “Valleyfair cel ebrates their 50th year in operation next year, and for the first time in history they’re going to open in the winter and be running rides.”
"It will be a big festival even beyond all the great hockey that’s going on." Erik Radtke Hockey Day Minnesota Local Organizing Committee Member
FIND US ONLINE AT: www.ShakopeeMN.gov
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Continued on page 6
Winter 2024–25 3
IN LEHMAN’S TERMS A message from the Mayor of Shakopee
CITY CALENDAR NOVEMBER 28 Thanksgiving: City offices and Community Center closed. Garbage and recycling delayed by one day. 29 Day After Thanksgiving: City
offices closed, Community Center open 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Hello Shakopee! Winter is on its way, Shakopee, and it’s also the time of year when the City Council finalizes the city budget and property tax levy. We are proud to be one of the lowest taxed communities in the state, but there’s always room for improvement.
DECEMBER 3 City Budget Hearing: 7 p.m., City Hall 7 Holiday Fest: 1–5 p.m. in
Downtown Shakopee, hosted by the Shakopee Chamber and Visitors Bureau. 14 Santa’s Pool Party: 10 a.m. to Noon, Community Center, registration required. Outdoor skating rinks open: Weather permitting. 24 Christmas Eve: City offices closed. Community Center hours TBD, please check city website. 25 Christmas Day: City offices and Community Center closed. Garbage and recycling delayed by one day. 31 New Year’s Eve: City offices
Mayor Matt Lehman
With winter comes parking restrictions, which started on Nov. 1. The rationale is that the plow trucks can clean streets in fewer passes and clear roads in a timelier fashion if we keep the cars off the streets. This also saves tax dollars by doing things more efficiently. While not required, residents that wish to shovel out fire hydrants can help us increase emergency fire response times during winter, and its greatly appreciated. If you partake, send pictures and information to any council member for recognition and a city pin. Be cautious when you’re out shoveling and consider helping your elderly or disabled family, friends, and neighbors. On a side note, I watched a seminar on space heaters plugged into power strips, and it’s a bad idea. The power strips add resistance and create excess heat, which can cause fires. Make sure to plug space heaters directly into wall outlets and never leave them unattended. Check out the calendar listings on the opposite page to see the winter activities Shakopee offers. To see our Parks and Rec programming and activity listings in full and register for the fun, visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/registration. In closing, if you’re anti-winter, you’re not alone. If you’re all about winter activities, be safe and have a blast! I know I say this often, and I wish I didn’t have to say it at all, but winter gets slippery, so please slow down, follow traffic laws, be courteous, and help
Mid-Late December
closed. Community Center hours TBD, please check city website. JANUARY 1 New Year’s Day: City offices and Community Center closed. Garbage and recycling delayed by one day. 1–31 Boards and commissions applications accepted. 11 January Fitness Open House: 8–11 a.m., Community Center, free, no registration necessary. 17 Pop-Up Putt & Play: Multiple sessions, Community Center, registration required. 20 Martin Luther King Jr. Day: City offices closed. Community Center remains open. Garbage and recycling schedule as normal. FEBRUARY 17 President’s Day: City offices
make Shakopee a safe enjoyable driving and thriving community. Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, and Happy New Year to you all! Matt Lehman Mayor of Shakopee mlehman@ShakopeeMN.gov
closed. Community Center remains open. Garbage and recycling schedule as normal. 9–10:30 a.m., Community Center, registration required.
22 Flannels & Flapjacks:
Find the latest city calendar at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/calendar .
CONTACT US MAYOR Matt Lehman . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. mlehman@ShakopeeMN.gov COUNCIL MEMBERS Angelica Contreras. . . . . . . . . ......... acontreras@ShakopeeMN.gov Jim DuLaney. . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. jdulaney@ShakopeeMN.gov Jesse Lara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. jlara@ShakopeeMN.gov Jay Whiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... jaywhtng@aol.com
CITY ADMINISTRATOR William Reynolds. . . . . . . . . . . .......... breynolds@ShakopeeMN.gov CITY HALL 485 Gorman St., Shakopee, MN 55379 Phone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ 952-233-9300 TTY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 952-233-3837 Email. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. administration@ShakopeeMN.gov Website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. www.ShakopeeMN.gov
4 Shakopee Snapshot
Under construction City website undergoing redesign
The City website— www.ShakopeeMN.gov — is undergoing a redesign project and getting a new, updated look. The updated website is expected to launch sometime in Spring 2025 with an official launch date to be announced after the holiday season. The new website will have significantly improved search functionality, enhanced translation capabilities, a more modern lay out, and will meet the most current federal accessibility requirements. As the City undergoes the transition to the new website, functionality of the existing website
may be reduced. This is due to an ongoing content audit that will determine what infor mation needs to migrate to the updated web site and what can be deleted. Unfortunately, while this process will improve our ability to serve the public in the long-term, it may lead to some broken links during this transition time. If you encounter any issues find ing what you need on the City website, please reach out to communications@ShakopeeMN. gov and City staff will be happy to assist you. Thank you for your patience. We look forward to unveiling our updated website in 2025!
How Can I Help You? Meet Kelly Buska, a Permit Coordinator with the Planning & Development Department. Q: What do you do for the City? A: I assist residents and general contractors with pulling permits online and navigating the ever-changing world of technology as the City of Shakopee is 100% paperless. I also help with understanding the construction codes and permitting processes. Q: What do you enjoy about working for the City? A: I enjoy interacting with and assisting community members and contractors with their whole project; from the initial permitting of the construction to the completion of the project. It is rewarding to help the community and try to make what seems to be a daunting task much easier. Q: What’s the best part of your job? A: I have been fascinated with architecture and construction my entire life, so what I enjoy most is seeing the permits for all the new and exciting changes coming to our ever-growing community. I enjoy assisting customers with our online application process, as some don’t have a computer and/ or e-mail address. Lastly, the flexible schedule the city allows me to have helps with my everyday family needs!
Incumbents Lara, Whiting win re-election Note: These are the unofficial totals. The official results will be certified at a City Council Meeting at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, after this publication goes to press.
vacated by Mayor Matt Lehman after he won his mayoral election in 2022. Whiting has been on City Council since January 2012. Both will be sworn into office in January with terms expiring in December 2028. The unofficial vote totals were as follows: Jesse Lara—5,748 votes (19.3%) Jay Whiting—5,690 votes (19.1%) Mustafa Sandhu —3,669 votes (12.32%) Ken Ludzack —3,622 votes (12.16%) Mike Luce —3,289 votes (11.04%) Ryan Yttreness —2,879 votes (9.67%) Jeff Shafland —2,770 votes (9.3%) Carter McNew —1,930 votes (6.48%) The City would like to thank all the local elec tion judges for their hard work, and thank you to everyone who took time to vote.
Incumbent City Councilors Jesse Lara and Jay Whiting won the 2024 Election and will each serve a four-year term on the Shakopee City Council. Lara has been on City Council since April 2023, when he won a special election to fill the seat
Jesse Lara
Jay Whiting
NEWS & NOTES GET INVOLVED: APPLY TO BE A MEMBER OF A CITY BOARD OR COMMISSION Apply to be a member of the Planning Commission/Board of Adjustments and Appeals or the Shakopee Public Utilities Commission (SPUC). SPUC oversees the operation of the publicly-owned water and electric utility. It is composed of five members who serve three-year terms. Board and commission appointments are typically made during the months of February and March. Interested community members can apply online during the month of January at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/employment .
NEW EMPLOYEES JOIN CITY STAFF Join us in welcoming these new employees to the City of Shakopee: ■ Cody Brotherton , Police Officer ■ Orlando Hernandez , Police Officer ■ Evan Larson , Community Service Officer ■ Tim Nordstrom , Fire Captain ■ Justen Riley , Fire Captain ■ Becky Smith , Accounting Specialist
■ Chadd Smith , Police Officer ■ David Vierling , Police Officer
Winter 2024–25 5
Continued from page 3
Hockey Day Minnesota 2025 Valleyfair Shakopee, MN MATCHUPS THURSDAY High School Girls Hockey ■ Northfield vs. Orono ■ Prior Lake vs. Eden Prairie ■ Shakopee vs. Brainerd FRIDAY High School Boys Hockey ■ Orono vs. Delano ■ Lakeville South vs. Prior Lake SATURDAY High School Boys Hockey ■ Eden Prairie vs. Hibbing NCAA Division 1 Women’s Hockey ■ University of Minnesota vs. Bemidji State
That’s right—a handful of rides are expected to be open in Valleyfair’s Area 76 portion of the park (weather permitting, of course), and a ticket to Hockey Day Minnesota includes admission to the park. Hockey Day Minnesota visitors will encounter a great lineup of hockey games, a village market with assorted vendors, bonfires for warmth, food trucks, 3-on-3 games on a mini rink, and live music capping off each night. If the weather cooperates, there are plans to have parking on-site for up to 3,000 cars at Valley fair. If there is too much snow for that to be feasible, event goers will be shuttled from parking areas around Shakopee. The local organizing committee is tasked with creating a regulation size NHL hockey rink in Val leyfair’s parking lot. Several games will be played there throughout the multi-day festival, from boys and girls high school hockey to NCAA women’s college hockey with the Gophers vs. Bemidji State on Saturday. To cap off the festivities, the Minnesota Wild will take on the Calgary Flames at Xcel Energy Center. To see a schedule of events or purchase tickets, visit www.HockeyDayMN.com . Community mem bers wanting to volunteer to help with the event can also sign up on the website. Volunteers will work in four-hour shifts focusing on parking assistance, ticket-taking, fire pit management, waste management, snow removal, and other tasks as needed. Volunteers also enjoy free entry to the festivities after their shift is complete. With such a wide variety of activities, games, and things to do, Hockey Day Minnesota will be a great way to get outdoors with friends and family, enjoy the crisp air, and celebrate winter in our great state! From left: Former HDM Shakopee Board Chair Matthew Underwood, Sabers Boys Hockey Head Coach Calvin Simon, MN Wild Director of Community Relations Wayne Petersen, Sabers Girls Head Coach Jamie Grossman, and HDM Shakopee Board Co-Chair Stacey Langemo hold up a special MN Wild jersey with the word Shakopee on it.
High School Boys Hockey ■ Shakopee vs. Maple Grove
NHL game at Xcel Energy Center ■ Minnesota Wild vs. Calgary Flames
#AsktheCity
WINTER PARKING RULES
With winter parking rules now in effect, here’s what you need to know about parking in Shakopee.
Q: WHERE IS THERE NO PARKING? A: Winter parking restrictions apply to all street parking in Shakopee. Some exceptions apply in the Calendar Zone, where odd/even park ing rules apply all winter. Visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/parking for a full list of exceptions and to view a map of the Calendar Zone. Q: WHEN ARE WINTER PARKING RULES IN EFFECT? A: Winter parking rules are in effect from November 1 through March 31, from 2 a.m.–6 a.m. daily. 6 Shakopee Snapshot
Q: WHEN ARE SNOW EMERGENCIES IN EFFECT? A: Snow emergencies are in effect if there is any snowfall of 2 inches or more, or if the city administrator declares one. During a snow emergency, parking restrictions are effective 24 hours a day until the snow has been plowed curb to curb on those public streets. Q: WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION? A: Additional information, and parking maps, are available at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/parking .
SHAK THE HALLS! Holiday Lights Contest Entries are open Mon., Nov. 25 through 11:59 p.m. Fri., Dec. 13 Free to enter/nominate a residence $100 for 1st; $50 each for 2nd/3rd place Voting will take place on Facebook Contest guidelines at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/shakthehalls
Free Photos with Santa Holiday Activity Stations Downtown Shopping
Walk Through Parade Tree Lighting Ceremony
Fireworks Show Vendor Market
First Avenue & Lewis Street
How to recycle your holiday lights and trees HOLIDAY LIGHT RECYCLING The City of Shakopee offers free holiday light recycling through Friday, Jan. 17. Drop off your holiday lights during business hours in the bins located in the entryways of City Hall and the Community Center. City Hall: 485 Gorman St.; open weekdays 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Community Center: 1255 Fuller St.; open 5 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturdays, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Sundays. DISPOSAL OF REAL CHRISTMAS TREES The City’s garbage and recycling hauler, DSI, picks up Christmas trees by request during the first two full weeks of January. Christmas tree disposal is considered an “add-on” service and will cost a one-time fee. Call DSI at 952-469-2239 or email shakopee@dickssanitation.com prior to your regular service day to schedule a pickup. Trees will not be picked up if they are placed at the curb without contacting DSI.
Saturday 2PM - 6PM Dec 7th
Presented By:
Free Family Fun
SHAKOPEE.ORG/EVENTS
SHAKOPEE.ORG/EVENTS
TAX PREPARATION BOOKKEEPING QUICKBOOKS PAYROLL
PAYROLL TIMEKEEPING HUMAN RESOURCES WORKER’S COMP
Winter 2024–25 7
PARKS & RECREATION
It’s always summer at the Indoor Aquatic Center
Looking for something to do with the family but don’t want to brave the Minnesota win ter? Lucky for us, the Indoor Aquatic Center at the Community Center is always a cozy 87 degrees and just a short drive from home. At the Aquatic Center, we offer open swim hours starting at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and noon on the weekends. Enjoy our zero-depth entry leisure pool with attractions for any age; a climbable water feature with spray, water features geared toward younger children, three slides, and water basketball. If you are looking for a time to bring your younger kids to the pool, we offer a tot time four mornings a week for kids 6 and under (with their parents, of course). During tot time, the features are turned off, and we bring out our bucket of water toys for the children to enjoy while hanging out in the water.
Being cooped up in the cold weather is some thing with which we are all getting too famil iar. So beat the winter and come down to the Shakopee Community Center!
OPEN SWIM HOURS: Monday–Friday: 3:30–8 p.m. Saturday: 12–7:30 p.m. Sunday: 12–4:30 p.m. TOT TIME HOURS: Thursday–Friday: 9–10:30 a.m. Saturday–Sunday: 9:30–11 a.m. Confirm hours on the City website before your visit, as we occasionally update the schedule.
Take a ride on the wild slide this winter at the Community Center.
Fight the winter blues Find fun around Shakopee this winter
LIONS PARK SLEDDING HILL Once we have a good dusting of snow, check out the Lions Park sledding hill. The park, 1103 Adams St., is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. OUTDOOR SKATING Mother Nature has posed a challenge in recent years for Park Maintenance crews trying to get the City’s outdoor ice rinks flooded. With any luck, the weather will provide an opportunity for plenty of skating in the fresh air this winter. Find the rinks at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/out doorskating . Skate rentals not available at outdoor rinks. OPEN SKATING AT ICE ARENA Prefer indoor skating? The Shakopee Ice Arena features open skating each week, with skate rentals available at the arena. Check the schedule at www.ShakopeeMN. gov/icearena .
SNOWMOBILING Speed seekers can connect with one of the area’s many snowmobile trails. Groomed trails run along County Highway 101, Highway 169, and along Shenandoah Drive to Canterbury Road. Find a snowmo bile trail map online at www.snotrails.org . ICE FISHING AT QUARRY LAKE Winter trout fishing season begins Jan. 18. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will once again be stocking Quarry Lake. Please note, no vehicles are allowed on the ice.
FORGET ABOUT THE COLD AND COME INSIDE It’s always warm inside the Shakopee Com munity Center. Join us for open swimming or crawl around at The Lookout indoor playground. We also offer CC Playtime for toddlers and preschoolers Monday and Wednesday mornings.
8 Shakopee Snapshot
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
‘What’s going there?’ Miracle League Field coming to Tahpah Park We all want an answer to the burning question, “What’s going there?” when we learn about construction projects happening around the city. Here’s a rundown of some of the projects underway around town:
LEGACY CENTRAL Construction is ongoing on Legacy Central, a senior living community and office space on Holmes Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
JACKSON COMMONS PARK Work has begun on the new Jackson Commons Park, located near the intersection of Zumbro Avenue and County Road 78.
Legacy Central will include 60 senior units available in various layouts. Amenities include a fitness room, community room, club room, guest suite, controlled entry system, optional indoor parking garage, individ ual storage lockers, and washer and dryer in each unit. The building loca tion provides residents with walkable access to downtown Shakopee. The office portion of the development is a 21,000-square-foot, single story space that will be the new home to the Scott County Commu nity Development Agency CDA offices.
Crews have graded the area, paved new trails weaving through the park land, and started building the new bike skills course. Additional plans for the park include passive areas for bird or but terfly watching, a sledding hill, and a playground. The remainder of the park development will be completed after winter in 2025. To stay up-to-date on the City’s park development projects, includ ing Jackson Commons, visit www.Engage.ShakopeeMN.gov .
ARBOR BLUFF SECOND ADDITION The City Council approved the development of Arbor Bluff Second Addi tion, located south of Valley View Road and west of Independence Drive. The development is the second phase in the Arbor Bluff single-family subdivision. Phase two will create 72 single-family lots and three out lot areas, with 13 acres dedicated for open space. The open space is primarily wooded bluff area with a creek running through it, and a system of trails totaling 5,000 feet will be developed within it.
MIRACLE FIELD An accessible ball field is coming to Tahpah Park, with site prepara tion happening this fall and construction in the spring. The Miracle League Field will be developed in partnership with the Shakopee Lions, who have raised enough funds for construction to move forward. The City is contributing $100,000 to the project from City park development fund paid into by private developers. A Miracle League Field provides a space for children and adults with dis abilities to play baseball. The field will have a rubberized turf surface that is mobility-device accessible, with wheelchair-accessible dugouts and bases and mounds painted onto the surface to remove raised obstacles.
Winter 2024–25 9
PUBLIC WORKS Make the most of your snow removal efforts Whether you love or hate snow, dealing with it in the winter is a nec essary evil of living in Minnesota. To maximize the snow removal situation around your home, the City recommends following these guidelines:
No street parking after two inches of snowfall. Move vehicles from the street when a snowstorm is occurring. More information can be found online at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/snowremoval. Clear sidewalks adjacent to your home. Property owners are respon sible for clearing snow/ice on sidewalks adjacent to residential prop erties within 36 hours and commercial properties within 24 hours. The city plows some sidewalks along collector streets, as well as all trails within city limits. Do not push snow into the street or alley. Plowing, shoveling, blow ing or placing snow onto public roadways causes traffic hazards and is prohibited by Minnesota statute and City of Shakopee ordinance. Shovel around mailboxes and fire hydrants. Shovel a 3-foot path from the road to the hydrant and a minimum of three feet on all sides of the hydrants. Consider shoveling a path for meter readers or mail carriers in your yard or between yards. Do not put your garbage carts in the street. Place garbage and recy cling containers at least two feet back from the curb to avoid contact with snowplows. Mailboxes directly hit by the plow will be repaired or replaced. Report damage to publicworks@ShakopeeMN.gov . If you have a question or request for street, park or utility maintenance, call Pub lic Works at 952-233-9550 or email publicworks@ShakopeeMN.gov . Remind children it is dangerous to play in snowbanks at the end of a road or driveway. Plow drivers add snow to snowbanks during plowing. Children tunneling into snowbanks risk being trapped or gravely injured by a snowplow. Community members can view maps of the City’s plow routes at www.ShakopeeMN.gov/plowroutes . Just one teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes five gallons of water, meaning one person can make a big difference by being more mind ful and cutting their usage in half. Now imagine the positive impact on water quality and local wildlife populations if every household in Shakopee cut their salt usage in half! Follow these tips to help you reduce your salt use: ■ Below 15 degrees? Hold the salt. Most salts lose their effectiveness once the air temperatures hit 15 degrees or less. Wait to use salt until the temperature warms up a bit, and in the meantime try sprinkling some sand for traction. ■ Shovel: The more snow and ice you remove manually, the less salt you will need to use and the more effective it will be. ■ Apply less: Salt is incredibly effective, and it’s common to overestimate how much you need. When you sprinkle your sidewalk or driveway, the salt granules should have about
Visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/snowremoval for information about plowing policies.
Winter Prep Tips from the Public Works Department
■ Start up your snow blower at the beginning of the season to ensure it works properly and dust off your snow shovel ■ Contact a snow removal service ■ Inspect your mailbox ■ Install reflective yard markers ■ Remember to give plows space on the road ■ Be prepared to move any street parked vehicles if there are more than two inches of snowfall
Think of the fish; hold the salt Reduce winter salt use to help protect wildlife, drinking water
3-inches between them. A full coffee mug should be enough for a two-vehicle driveway or front walkway. ■ Sweep up excess: If salt or sand is visible on dry pavement it is no longer doing any work and will be washed away. Sweep up this salt or sand to use again later. ■ Store away from moisture: Keep salt inside or covered to prevent rain or snow from carrying it away. As a City, our Public Works Department adheres to best practices for snow removal, including the use of brine instead of salt as an ice pre vention method to minimize our impact on salt pollution. The City is also working to install a weather monitoring station to help forecast and monitor real-time road conditions. For more information about the City’s water pollution prevention efforts, www.ShakopeeMN.gov/swppp .
10 Shakopee Snapshot
PUBLIC WORKS
Safeguarding Shakopee’s water quality Improvements made to downtown stormwater management
If you spent any time downtown this fall, you might have noticed some construction happening in the Second Avenue and Lewis Street parking lot. With the parking lot in need of replacement anyway, the City took this opportunity to construct an underground infiltration system and rain gardens to provide treatment for surface water runoff before it reaches the Minnesota River. The underground infiltration system is comprised of a series of 72-inch diameter corrugated metal pipes coated with aluminized steel. These materials are designed to resist corrosion, giving the underground system an estimated lifespan of 75 years. These stormwater management improvements are expected to have a sizable impact on efficiently and cost effectively filtering runoff to the Minnesota River, including: ■ An estimated 75% reduction in sediment and phosphorus being discharged into the river
■ The removal of 29 pounds of phosphorus annually; phosphorus creates excessive algae growth, reduces water clarity, and negatively affects fish populations ■ The removal of 5,300 pounds of sediment annually; sediment includes anything from sand and leaves to debris and trash ■ System efficiency! Traditional stormwater treatment systems result in costs over $10,000 to remove one pound of phosphorus, but Shakopee’s system will remove one pound of phosphorus at the cost of approximately $1,100 The stormwater improvement project was 23% funded by non-City sources, including a grant from the Board of Water and Soil Resources and a cost-sharing agreement with the Lower Minnesota River Water shed District. The City’s total cost for the stormwater system was $743,665 paid from storm drainage funds. No property tax revenues were used to fund these water quality improvements.
DROP OFF EXCESS CARDBOARD 24/7 Is your recycling bin bursting at the seams? If you have excess cardboard that needs recycling, drop it off at the cardboard recycling dumpsters on the Shakopee city campus, 500 Gorman St., across the street from City Hall. Cardboard only. Please break down your boxes to ensure enough room for all users.
Winter 2024–25 11
PUBLIC SAFETY
Catch a sober ride— on us
Be a neighbor Help keep your block’s hydrant clear If there’s a fire hydrant near your house, be a good neighbor and help keep it clear this winter. It is the resident’s responsibility to maintain nearby hydrants so they are accessible to the Fire Department at all times. Vegetation, snow, and debris should be removed in the three-foot area surrounding the hydrant. For those who are unable to clear a hydrant on their property, call Shakopee Public Utilities for assistance at 952-233-1503. Thank you for helping keep your neighborhood safe during the win ter months! FIRE HYDRANTS: Keep them clear this winter
(It won’t be in a squad car)! Take advantage of the City’s grant-funded Sober Ride Home program through next summer!
SOBER RIDE HOME PROGRAM S H A K O P E E
If you have been consuming alcohol or cannabis on an eligible holiday or event date, catch a free ride from TNT Taxi or get reimbursed up to $15 for your rideshare cost with Uber or Lyft.
Who doesn’t want to save a quick $15? And it’s so easy, too! If you take a Lyft or Uber, submit your receipt to the City within 10 days of your ride, and the City of Shakopee will reimburse you for it. If you take a TNT Taxi, you don’t even need to submit a reimbursement request. Just take your free ride and be on your way! If more grant funding than expected becomes available, program guide lines may change. To submit a reimbursement request or view all pro gram guidelines, including the eligible event dates, eligible holidays, and eligible pick-up and drop-off locations, visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/ soberridehome .
3 ft.
3 ft.
CLEAR AWAY ZONE Remove snow and ice Clear a wide enough perimeter around the hydrant for re ghters to work (about 3 ft.) Clear a path from hydrant to street
Shakopee Police Department WINTER COAT DRIVE Nov. 4–Dec. 4 Mon.–Fri. | 8 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Shakopee Police Dept. Lobby 475 Gorman St. Drop o new or gently used coats, hats,
Winter parking restrictions in effect until March 31 Winter parking restrictions are in effect from Nov. 1 to March 31. During these months, no parking is allowed on any city street from 2 to 6 a.m. except for the area north of 10th Avenue and west of Marschall Road where odd/even parking rules apply. After a snowfall of two or more inches, parking restrictions are effective 24 hours a day until the snow has been plowed curb to curb. No parking is permitted on snow routes during a snow emergency. For more information: www.ShakopeeMN.gov/parking .
and gloves for children and adults. Items will be given to families at our annual Shop with a Cop event on Dec. 12.
12 Shakopee Snapshot
PUBLIC SAFETY
Protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning this winter
CHIEF’S NOTES
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it incredibly sneaky and dangerous. When breathed into the body, carbon mon oxide combines with the blood and prevents it from absorbing oxygen. When this oxygen deficient blood reaches the heart and brain, it can damage those organs and cause illness or even death. The physical symptoms of CO poisoning depend on the amount in your bloodstream. Mild exposure can cause a slight headache, nausea, blurred vision, vomiting, fatigue, or flu-like symptoms that disappear when the person breathes fresh air. Moderate exposure causes drowsiness, severe headache, confusion, and rapid heart rate. Severe exposure causes convulsions, uncon sciousness, cardiac/respiratory failure, and death. Other signs of CO can include unusually high indoor humidity with persistent heavy con densation on walls and windows, stuffy or stale indoor air, and soot or water collecting near a burner or vent. Most homes have small amounts of car bon monoxide in them, but the levels are extremely low. Levels near a furnace or water heater are acceptable between 5 and 15 ppm (parts per million). If levels of 35 ppm or higher are found anywhere in the home, you should leave the area immediately. Minnesota State Statute requires every home be equipped with CO alarms within 10 feet of every bedroom. These alarms can be hard-wired,
plug-in, or battery operated. They should be mounted according to the directions on their packaging. If you suspect CO in your home: ■ Open the windows to ventilate the area. ■ Shut off your furnace and other fuel burning appliances. ■ If you’re experiencing physical symptoms, get everyone, including your pets, out of the house. ■ If your alarm sounds and you are not feeling any symptoms, contact your natural gas, propane, or fuel oil supplier and have them respond to check your home for CO. ■ If you have physical symptoms, call 911. ■ If CO is discovered, do not return to Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen to anyone and is a particular danger in the win ter months due to our use of furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances. Take steps now to protect yourself and your family by installing CO alarms in your home or testing your existing alarms. your home until the source has been found and the problem corrected.
Since joining the Shakopee Fire Department in June, I have spent much time meeting with people inside and outside our
Shakopee Fire Chief Mike Nelson
organization to learn about the fire department and our community. I have quickly learned that our residents and fire department staff share a passion for our community and take great pride in being part of it, and they should, as we have a lot to be proud of. We recently started reinforcing our department’s values of Pride, Honor, Integrity, and Service. We recognize our staff when they “live our values” by presenting them with our new challenge coin emblazoned with the four values. I hope you have enjoyed reading our social media posts highlighting our staff’s incredible commitment to our community, which goes far beyond the calls we respond to. You may recall that we completed a professional Fire Department Services Evaluation earlier this year. I am proud to say that the organization has worked hard over the last six months to implement many of those recommendations. One of the most significant recommendations in the study was to place full-time staff in one of our two fire stations 24 hours a day. In late August, we implemented this recommendation at Station 1 by modifying our daily staffing model to include three full-time and one part-time firefighter 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It takes over 35,000 hours of staff time a year to maintain four people on duty 24 hours a day. This does not include additional training hours and prevention efforts. Our staff has worked hard to maintain this staffing level since 2020, when COVID started and we first started staffing the station 24 hours a day. Our dedicated part time staff filled roughly 75% (almost 27,000) of those hours every year, placing incredible demands on them and their families. This recent transition will help rebalance those demands for our part-time staff while providing consistent daily staffing for our community. I should also note that our call volume has increased by almost 75% since 2020. We anticipate surpassing 2,000 emergency responses this year, so maintaining adequate staffing will continue to be critical in meeting the needs of our community. Our staff works incredibly hard to ensure we meet the needs of our community, not only now but also in the future. I am proud of our organization, excited about our future, and looking forward to meeting more of you.
Shakopee PD hosting annual diaper drive Keep an eye out after the new year for the annual diaper drive hosted by the Shakopee Police. The 2025 donation dates are yet to be deter mined but will be posted to the City website and Shakopee PD Facebook page when they are announced.
The diaper drive is held annually to sup port Shakopee Community Assistance’s Dia per Bank, which supplies diapers and wipes to local families in need. The drive is held in memory of former Crime Prevention Specialist Janna Wood, who died along with her unborn baby from a brain aneurysm in February 2017. We appreciate the community’s robust sup port of this annual remembrance drive!
Winter 2024–25 13
FRIDAY, JAN. 17 Community Center Gym 8–10 a.m.: AOA participation (55+) 3:30–5:30 p.m.: Sensory friendly 6–8 p.m.: All ages 18 holes of unique, homemade mini-golf holes designed to challenge your skill and creativity.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 12 10 a.m. | CC Community Room Valentine’s eakfast Active Older Adults Register by Monday, Feb. 5: www.ShakopeeMN.gov/registration
POP-UP
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Fun for the whole family! All equipment will be provided.
$ 10
Registration required: www.ShakopeeMN.gov/registration
Flannels Flapjacks & Saturday, Feb. 22 9–10:30 a.m. | Community Center Residents of all ages welcome! Wear your favorite annel, enjoy delicious apjacks, create a winter craft, and more! Registration required: www.ShakopeeMN.gov/registration $ 5 PER PERSON
Egg Hunt & Candy Grab
OUTDOOR EVENT: Held rain, snow, or shine. Dress for the weather!
SATURDAY, APRIL 12 1–2:30 p.m TAHPAH PARK
FREE EVENT!
Egg/Candy Hunt Games, Crafts
and more! Bring a bag or basket for your goodies!
VOLUNTEER WITH US! SIGN UP ONLINE
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