November2010

Over

November8 City Council meeting, 7 p.m.9 Citizen Advisory Commission meeting, 7 p.m.

11 Veterans’ Day, city offi ces closed15 City Council work session Council meal at 6 p.m., meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.22 City Council meeting, 7 p.m.25-26 Thanksgiving Day observance, city offi ces closed 29 2011 City Budget hearing, 7 p.m.

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.

Most of the leaves have fallen, snow could be right around the corner. It is important for residents to remember New Hope’s on-street winter parking restrictions:

On-street parking is prohibited in New Hope as soon as 1½ inches of snow have fallen.

Vehicles must remain off the street until the pavement has been plowed to full width.

Residents are encouraged to keep vehicles off the street for 24 hours after a snowfall, if possible.

Vehicles violating New Hope’s parking restrictions may be ticketed or towed.

Overnight parking (between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m.) is prohibited year-round in New Hope. Residents who need to park on the street over-night for a few days – because of driveway repair work or house guests – are asked to call the New Hope Police Department non-emergency number, 763-531-5170, to ensure their vehicles are not ticketed.

Energy assistance availableOn-street parking prohibited after snowfall

As property owners rake up the last of their leaves and get geared up for handling winter snows, it is impor-tant to keep in mind that New Hope ordinance prohibits leaves, snow and debris from being deposited in city streets. Residents can dispose of leaves through their garbage hauler or at the Maple Grove yard waste site. Snow should be shoveled onto the owner’s property. If leaves and snow are deposited in the street they can freeze to the pavement and result in hazards for motorists.

Keep debris out of streets

With home heating costs expected to soar again this winter, some New Hope residents may need assistance paying their energy bills. The feder-ally funded Energy Assistance Pro-gram is coordinated locally through Community Action Partnership for Suburban Hennepin (CAPSH). The program helps qualified homeowners and renters by covering some of their home energy costs — including heat-ing bills.

The assistance is given as a grant, not a loan, and need not be repaid. The grant dollars are paid directly to an energy provider, to reduce the recipient’s energy bill. In addition, those who receive energy assistance may also qualify for weatherization services. These services can improve a home’s energy efficiency and lower energy bills.

Eligibility for the Energy Assistance Program is calculated based upon an applicant’s gross income (before taxes and other deductions are taken out) for a three-month period. 2010 eligibility guidelines limit quarterly income to $5,655 for an individual or $10,875 for a family of four.

For more information or an applica-tion for the Energy Assistance Pro-gram, visit CAPSH’s website at www.cashenn.org/energyassistance.htm or call 952-930-3541 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Are you planning a home improve-ment project? It’s a good idea to con-sult a city building inspector before you fi nalize all the details of your project or sign a contract. Th e staff of the Inspections division of the Com-munity Development Department can advise you which provisions of the building code aff ect your project and whether your plans comply with code requirements. Building offi cials may also be able to suggest a better or less expensive way for you to meet your project goals.

Call 763-531-5121 and arrange a time to talk with a building inspector about your project. You’ll want to bring concept drawings, material selections, building plans and photos with you.

Building inpectors are a valuable resource

Safety Tip of the Month

Recreation CornerSign up for youth wrestlingYouth Wrestling provides kids in Kindergarten through grade 6 with a fi rm foundation in the sport of wrestling by helping them develop proper wrestling techniques and a positive competitive attitude. Th e primary emphasis, how-ever, is on fun! Th ere are two separate Tuesday evening sessions: 6 to 7 p.m. for Pups – kids in Kindergarten to grade 3, and 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. for Huskies – youth in grades 4 to 6. Both sessions will be held in the New Hope Elemen-tary wrestling room, 8301 47th Avenue North. Th e program will meet from November 23 to February 8 with no class on December 21 or 28. Th e fee is $51 for residents of New Hope or Plymouth and $57 for nonresidents.

Make messy art during Thanksgiving breakDoes your young artist ages 5 to 12 love to get messy. The Messiest Art Class Ever!, on Wednesday, November 24, might be perfect for them. The group will be sculpting with gooey gunk and fl inging paint like Jackson Pollock. These are not projects to tackle at home. Leave the mess to us. Pack a peanut-free snack and a drink. The class is from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Crystal Commu-nity Center, 4800 Douglas Drive. The fee is $19 for residents of New Hope, Crystal or Robbinsdale, and $25 for nonresidents.

Create a ceramic holiday plate with your childYouth ages 5 to 12 along with their favorite adult will team up to make a holi-day keepsake plate at Reindeer Treats on Saturday, December 4. Participants will make reindeer treat plates featuring their foot and hand prints and a sprin-kling of love. All materials will be provided. Each piece will be clear glazed and fi red by Lid Pad Ceramics staff and available for pickup by December 14. The class is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive. The fee is $15 for residents of New Hope or Crystal and $21 for nonresidents.

For more information about these programs or to register, call the New Hope Parks and Recreation offi ce at 763-531-5151.

As the holidays approach, lots of worthwhile organizations will be ask-ing for donations. Unfortunately, a growing number of charity scammers may also be vying for your holiday generosity.Th e Minnesota Crime Prevention Association suggests you take the following precautions to help ensure your donation dollars benefi t the or-ganization and individuals you intend:

• Request written information. Ask for the name of the organization, its mission, and plans for achieving its objectives.• Call the benefi ciary/organization. Find out whether they are aware of the solicitation and have authorized the use of the organization’s name. • Find out how your donation will be distributed. How much will go to the program you want to support and how much will cover the charity’s adminis-trative costs. If you are being solicited by a professional fundraiser, ask them how much of a donation they keep. • Refuse high pressure appeals. Legitimate fundraisers won’t push you to give on the spot. If you feel threatened, call 911.• Consider the cost. When buying mer-chandise or tickets for special events or when receiving free goods in exchange for giving, remember that these items cost money and are generally paid for out of the contributions.• Avoid cash donations, because they may be lost or stolen. For security and tax record purposes, it is best to pay by check. Make your check payable to the benefi ciary, not the solicitor.• New Hope ordinance requires all solicitors to register with the city. If you question whether a solicitor is legiti-mate, you can call City Hall at 763-531-5100 to see if they have registered.• If you simply don’t want to deal with door-to-door solicitors, city ordinance prohibits solicitation if a “No Solicita-tion” sign is clearly displayed by the front door of your home.For more personal safety tips, call com-munity services offi cer Nichole Korth at 763-531-5140.

City is sponsoring food and toy drivesTh e city of New Hope is sponsoring a Th anksgiving food drive and holiday food and toy drives again this year.

City employees are sponsoring a Th anksgiving food drive from now through November 15. Unopened, nonperishable food items will be accepted at drop-off sites in the upper level of New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Avenue North, and the New Hope public works maintenance facility, 5500 International Park-way. Drop-off site hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Employees are also sponsoring a holiday food drive from November 18 through December 15. Th e items accepted, drop-off locations and hours are the same as the Th anksgiv-ing drive.

Donations from both food drives will be delivered to NEAR (North Subur-ban Emergency Response) for distri-bution to local families in need before the holidays.

Th e New Hope Police Department is sponsoring a holiday toy drive. Th e dates are November 18 through December 10. If you would like to make a donation by cash or check, the police department will be happy to do the shopping for you. Items may be dropped off 24 hours a day in the lobby of the New Hope Police Department, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. (lower level). Donated items will be delivered to NEAR and PRISM.

For more information about the toy drive, call Offi cer Nichole Korth, 763-531-5140.