Open Position

We have a job opening for a Community Development Director / Assistant City Administrator http://www.cityofisanti.us/government/job-opportunities/143 ...

Another Bond Levy Meeting

Shawn Springob writes " I will be having an informational meeting about the bond at my house tomorrow night at 7pm. I welcome anyone who is interested in learning more or having your questions answered. Dr. Queener will be there too. I live at 27179 Bayshore Dr. It is the south west end of Long lake."

Mayor's Welcome Letter

On behalf of the City of Isanti, I would like to welcome you to our “Community for Generations”.  There is no better place to work, live or play than the City of Isanti.  We take great pride in our flourishing business community, multi-modal transportation network, diverse residential neighborhoods, and park and recreation system.

Isanti’s economic development team has created an environment that builds upon our community’s strengths to encourage business growth and development.   I was proud to accept the 2008 Economic Development Association of Minnesota’s award for Business Recruitment.  Our team will strive to development and diversify the commercial and industrial businesses within the community, in an effort to bring needed services and employment opportunities to area residents.  

Isanti has a rich history with over 110 years of development.  Our neighborhoods provide a mix of housing types and styles with homes dating back to our treasured history, to many newly constructed homes.  Our range of housing types includes apartments, condominiums, townhomes, twin homes, single family homes, and senior living facilities; which offer options for every stage of family growth and fit many different lifestyles.  This blend of past and present serves to fill any housing need.

We are especially proud of our City parks and recreational amenities.  Isanti hosts the Junior League Owls hockey team at our indoor ice arena; our 2011 State Champion Redbirds baseball team have free admission to all their home games, our nationally ranked (4^th) BMX track is home to Rum River BMX Association, the Isanti Soccer Complex is 2^nd in the state and hosts numerous state and national events; and Vision Wakeboard Park is the only one of its kind in the entire Midwest located within Bluebird Park. These facilities host events in which tens of thousands of participants and spectators each year come to our community to enjoy.  Our 9 City parks, 20 miles of sidewalk, 9 miles of trails and the bike/walk trail connecting us to our neighboring city definitely helps Isanti live up to our State of Minnesota designation as a “Fit City”.

On behalf of the City of Isanti, I hope you will enjoy your time in our community and will consider us as a place to live, work and play.  If you have any questions or comments please contact me at George@georgewimmer.com or 763-442-8749.

Dr. Queener, Cambridge/Isanti Superintendent, will be at Isanti City Council meeting Tuesday 7pm to explain Bond Levy  Referendum

Residential Guide

Our City of Isanti Residential Guide has been completed and posted on the City Website www.cityofisanti.com ... Great for new residents

On the Right Track

   I had heard the other day that I had inherited a big fund balance and that I had nothing really to do with Isanti's tremendous fiscal stability ... I was elected Mayor in 2006 and took office in 2007. As you can see the city was burning through money during the boom times ... the previous Mayor & Council had run up huge debts & increased the City budget by 40% in 2006 which I fought against and was the main reason I ran for Mayor... as the Great Recession took hold we were actually adding to our fund balance which is our cash on hand as compared to our spending. We did this by cutting spending, my LGA Flip, efficient operations, economic development, enforcing collection of debts, enforcing ordinances, following our Comprehensive Plan/Housing Plan and cutting taxes ... this was part of my overall Long Term Financial Plan that previous Councils have repeatedly adopted to weather the loss of revenue due to property values plummeting. We will be drawing this cash reserve down over the next few years so we do not cut services or raise taxes. We saved money for these tough rainy days ... We need to also ensure that we maintain our City Staff team. Our team is highly efficient, credentialed and professional. Other communities have tried to higher our staff away but they are committed to our future success. Facts are stubborn things. We have a good plan in place and we must continue to follow it to ensure our future success ... wishing things to be do not make them so ... hard work and discipline do ... Here are some Fiscal Facts

 

 

Year               Fund Bal

2004        67%

2005        53%

2006        51%

2007        58%

2008        65%

2009         80%

2010         93%

2011         91%

2012         83%

2013          80%

 

 

Peer Group of Cities Administration cost are 36% higher than Isanti, Park & Rec cost are 60% higher and Isanti's Net Debt has dropped from a high of over $2,500 per resident before I was elected Mayor to $630 per resident which is 60% less than our per group of cities. We improved our City's credit rating, won Economic Development New Business Recruitment Award, developed capital replacement plan, Long Term Financial Plan, increased Police Force and on and on ... We are running a very lean City while increasing our City services and options. Doing all this while paying off the staggering debt left to us from the previous Administration during the Great Recession. Lets keep working together for our future success. Our future keeps getting brighter so long as we stay on the right track

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goal Reached

Our goal was 500 likes on the Mayor George Wimmer Facebook page and we shoot past it to 516 so far ... Thank you so much for your interest

We will be hosting approximately 400 students from Isanti's year round schools in Legacy Park tomorrow. What a great learning experience.

School Safety Bond Referendum

Do voters in the Cambridge/Isanti School District support the School Safety Bond Referendum that will cost less than $2 a month for the average homeowner? 


 Bond information link

http://www.cambridge.k12.mn.us/FINAL%20CI%20Referendum%20Brochure%208-22-13.pdf

Fall Isantian Article

We have had another great summer of activities in Isanti . Our soccer fields and BMX track have hosted State and National events once again, which help to showcase our great community. Our Redbirds Baseball Team has been doing great once again this summer.   Playing hard and providing free entertainment to the public.  Vision Wake Park has been humming along and made a $1,400 payment to the City out of its profits from last year. As long as the facility continues to operate the City will be receiving 5% of its gross revenues per their agreement with the City.   Our parks and trails are being heavily used, especially Legacy Park located in the northwest quadrant of the City. The City is interested in several other parcels of land, similar to Legacy Park.  These parcels are in tax forfeiture and may  go back to the DNR or to the City of Isanti to develop other nature areas on the south side of  our community.

     We have brought back the Farmers Market and Street Dances to Downtown Isanti. I want to thank the Economic Development Authority and City Council for adopting my plan to market Isanti. The Farmers Market grows stronger every week and I look forward to a vibrant market for years to come. The Street Dances have been a huge success with roughly a thousand people at our last dance. Highlighting downtown  keeps Isanti strong and tied to the roots of our Community. We have seen more inquiries into the use of downtown properties. The viability of businesses in this area can be further enhanced with more events and foot traffic. We are planning 3 Street Dances next year and for the Farmers Market to start earlier next year with even more vendors.

     The Railroad Avenue SE/South Passage SE road and trail project should be completed soon and the completion of the sidewalk on the south side of Heritage Boulevard NE will be finished this fall. These projects provide safer routes and easier travel through some of Isanti’s busiest areas.

     I want to thank Duff Consulting, Startac Construction and My Geeky Guy for sponsoring this year’s Mayor’s Great Yard Awards. I want to continue to highlight the positives in Isanti and with the help of these great companies; we are able to do so without any taxpayer funds.

     As I had mentioned in the summer edition of the Isantian, we are faced with new storm water regulations amounting to an annual estimated cost of $250,000. These State mandates have to be complied with and have led to the creation of a storm water utility to pay for this cost. The estimates we have at this point are $6.50 a month on  average for a residential lot. We are looking at a dedicated fee to help pay this new state mandate, as  it will be fairly distributed to every property owner including developers. Another benefit of a fee versus property tax increase is that the fee can only be used for the mandated storm water cost and not spent on anything else. A property tax increase could result in funds being spent on other items. This is not what any Council member wants to do, but we must obey mandates from the State.

     We had another great showing at the Mayor’s Employer Celebration Luncheon with over 140 employers in attendance. I started this after becoming Mayor to thank all of our Community employers for investing in Isanti. We also have representatives of State Government, regional economic development entities and local officials present for the event. This allows our employers to discuss issues, help identify funding sources, and discuss ideas they may have to improve our business climate with all levels of government. I want to thank Senator Nienow, Representative Johnson, Commissioner Warring, the Initiative Foundation, ECRDC, Employers and all those who came to join us for the event.

    I am happy to announce we have completed our Residential Handbook. This will include information for new and existing residents. Everything from approved garbage haulers to contact information for elected officials has been included. This will be available electronically at www.cityofisanti.us and hard copies will be at City Hall and the Isanti Area Chamber of Commerce Office.

     If you have any questions, concerns or comments please contact me at 763-442-8749 or email me at George@georgewimmer.com . You may also follow me and keep up to date on all things Isanti on Twitter at twitter.com/mayorwimmer Facebook at www.facebook.com/MayorGeorgeWimmer or my blog at georgewimmer.blogspot.com