March/AprilCity Council regular meetings: March 11 and 25, April 8 and 22 – 7 p.m.

City Council work sessions: March 18, April 15 – Council meal at 6, meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Citizen Advisory Commission meetings: March 12, April 9 – 7 p.m.

Human Rights Commission meetings: March 4, April 1 – 7 p.m.

Planning Commission meetings: March 5, April 2 (if needed) – 7 p.m.

Events: Remodeling Fair – April 6, Board of Appeal – April 11

All activities are at City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. unless otherwise indicated. Agendas and minutes for council and commission meetings are available on the city’s

website. Schedule is subject to change. Call 763-531-5100 for more information.

March2013

Over

New programs to help homeowners make improvements

Th e 21st Annual Northwest Suburban Remodeling Fair will be Saturday, April 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive.

As always, the fair is free and will feature about 80 landscaping and home remodeling exhibitors, informa-tive workshops, city fi re and building experts, registered architects, master gardeners, and more.

Free workshops start on the half-hour from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Topics this year will include: Rain Gardening, New Kitchen Remodeling Ideas, How to Install Wood Floors, Annual Flowers for Minnesota, Th e Naked Truth About Plumbing, How to Install Tile Flooring, Backyard to Table–Vegetable Garden-ing, Update Ideas for Bathrooms, Stor-age Options for Closet Organization, Low Input Lawn Care, Kitchen Cabinet Resurfacing, and Wood Windows: Recondition vs Replacement. Th ere will even be workshops featuring KARE 11’s Bobby Jensen.

For more information about the event including workshop times and a list of exhibitors, visit www.nwremodeling-fair.com.

Th e city recently added three new home improvement loan programs and a home energy visit program that are available to New Hope homeown-ers through Center for Energy and Environment (CEE).

Th e New Hope Revolving Loan Program will provide loans of from $1,500 to $5,000 to fi nance most inte-rior and exterior home improvements that improve basic livability. Th e loans have a 4 percent fi xed interest rate and there is no income limit.

Th e New Hope Interest Subsidy Loan Program provides somewhat larger loans of from $2,000 to $7,500 to fi nance interior and exterior updates. City funds are used to “buy down” the current Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Community Fix-up Fund interest rate from 5.99 percent to 4 percent. Th e income limit for the interest subsidy program is $96,500.

Th e New Hope Emergency Deferred Loan Program makes loans of from $1,000 to $5,000 available to home-owners who have an emergency home improvement need – such as a leaky roof or a broken furnace – and who do not qualify for other home improvement loan or grant programs.

No payments are due and the loan is forgiven after a certain number of years as long as the borrower retains ownership of their home.

Th e New Hope Home Energy Squad Enhanced Visit Program involves an extensive home energy visit by a qualifi ed CEE inspector, with the homeowner paying only $50 of the visit’s cost. Th e inspector will provide and install a number of home energy improvement items as needed at no cost. Th ese items may include com-pact fl uorescent bulbs, weather strip-ping, low-fl ow showerheads, a water heater blanket, a programmable ther-mostat and more. Th e inspector also recommends other energy improve-ments the homeowner may want to consider. If the homeowner proceeds with energy improvements, CEE will help them select a contractor, fi nd fi nancing, and fi ll out rebates.

For more information about these and other programs available through CEE, call 612-335-5858 or visit mncee.org.

Property value concerns?Do you think the 2013 estimated market value for your property is too high or too low? Call the Hen-nepin County Assessor’s Offi ce fi rst at 612-348-3046. Property owners who still have concerns should plan to attend the New Hope Board of Appeal and Equalization at 7 p.m. on April 11 at New Hope City Hall.

Remodeling Fairis April 6

Safety Tip of the Month

Recreation CornerRegister soon for adult softballSpace is still available in a few of New Hope’s slow-pitch softball leagues. Ask about the Men’s Th ursday Upper D League or Co-Rec leagues on Sun-day or Monday. Teams play a 10-week season and playoff s beginning in late April or early May. Th e fee for all leagues includes MRPA/USSSA registra-tion, game balls, facility use, umpires and awards. Call for details.

Say aloha to spring!Welcome spring at the Aloha Spring Dance for youth in grades 5 to 7 on Friday, March 22. Th ere will be dancing to tunes spun by Kidsdance/Total Entertainment, contests (wear a Hawaiian shirt to be eligible for a Target gift certifi cate), and more tropical fun. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase. A student ID is required for middle school students. Th e event will be from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive. Tickets are $5 if purchased by March 21 or $8 at the door.

Spring gymnastics classes begin March 12-16New Hope’s gymnastics program has classes for beginners ages 4 to 5 through advanced gymnasts. Spring classes are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Th ursday evenings and Saturday mornings and afternoons beginning March 12 through 16 and continuing through mid-May. Fees per session range from $59 for 4 and 5 year-old beginners to $112 for advanced sessions. Non-residents pay $7 more. Classes are held in Gym A at the Sandburg Learning Center, 2400 Sandburg Lane in Golden Valley. Call for details.

To shred or not to shred?At the next Donut Make You Wonder, on March 20, seniors will learn how long they should keep certain documents and what documents should be shredded. Th e fi rst week of April, Shred It will return with a truck and those who attended the talk will be able to bring boxes of papers to be shredded. Th e Donut program is held from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Crystal Community Center and includes a continental breakfast. Th e fee for the March program is $5.

For more information about these programs or to register, call the Recreation offi ce at 763-531-5151 or click on Rec Express at New Hope’s

website, www.ci.new-hope.mn.us.

West Metro Fire’s third annual “Firefi ghters Fighting Hunger!” food drive continues through March 16. Th e fi refi ghters are collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations to benefi t the Emergency Foodshelf Network. Items can be dropped off at Station 3 in New Hope, 4251 Xylon Ave. N. and the two sta-tions in Crystal on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or anytime crews are present.

Th e food drive will culminate with a special event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. Stop by one of West Metro’s fi re stations to drop off

West Metro Fire food drivea donation, take a tour of the facility, and meet your hometown fi refi ghters. Or, if you’re going shopping that day, West Metro will have fi re vehicles at Almsteds Fresh Market, the Cub Foods in Crystal and east Plymouth, and the Target in Crystal. Visit www.wmfrd.org or call 763-230-7000 for more information.

Fall PreventionEach year, thousands of older adults fall at home. In 2010, almost six percent of adults ages 65 to 74 sought medical attention after a fall. Th e numbers are even higher for those over age 75.

Four things YOU can do to prevent falls:1. Begin a regular exercise programExercise is one of the most important ways to lower your chances of falling. It makes you stronger and helps you feel better. Exercises that improve balance and coordination (like Tai Chi) are the most helpful. Ask your doctor or health care provider for exercise guidance.

2. Have your health care provider review your medicinesHave them review all the medicines you take, even over-the-counter medi-cines. Some medicines, or combina-tions of medicines, can make you sleepy or dizzy and can cause you to fall.

3. Have your vision checkedHave your eyes checked by an eye doc-tor at least once a year. Poor vision can increase your chances of falling.

4. Make your home saferAbout half of all falls happen at home. To make your home safer:

• Remove things you can trip over (like papers, books, clothes, and shoes) from stairs and places where you walk.

• Remove small throw rugs or use dou-ble-sided tape to keep rugs from slipping.

• Keep items you use often in cabinets you can reach without using a step stool.

• If you feel unstable in the bathroom, have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the tub or shower.

• Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower fl oors.

• Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter lights to see well. • Wear shoes both inside and outside the house. Avoid going barefoot or wearing slippers.

For more information about fall preven-tion visit the website www.cdc.gov and search for “falls older adults”

Register for summer fun!Th e spring/summer issue of In Motion, the New Hope recreation program brochure, will be mailed in mid-March. Watch for it!