Promises Promises

We are in the campaign season - my opponent has already promised to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars the City does not have which will lead to double digit tax increases and large City debt. We spent the last 4 years reducing City debt by 57% and tax levy rate by 30%. I understand he has been here only 2 short years and never has attended a Council meeting or any other City meeting so perhaps he is unaware of all the hard work and sacrifice we have all made to get Isanti on the right track.

This is the typical political tactic of promising everything and later either raising taxes to cover it or breaking the promises made. Raising taxes to cover his promises will drive businesses away and potential home buyers will look elsewhere in a housing market saturated with for sale signs.....

My opponent's statement that there is nothing to do here is also wide of the mark. I write often about Redbird Baseball, Cambridge/Isanti youth baseball, Cambridge/Isanti soccer, BMX, Skate park, Ice Arena, Isanti Park and Trail system, Community Ed, fishing and boating on the Rum to name just a few. As an example this past Tuesday night the soccer fields and BMX track had hundreds of people participating in family activities. I am taking my son and daughter to swimming , basketball and t-ball all week long. He sounded a bit derisive about our fantastic bowling alley and let me tell you Mike and the whole group there do a fantastic job with dining, bowling, volleyball and horseshoes that provides family fun everyday.  I am not sure if my opponent has children or not but I would suggest if he is looking for family friendly fun he should contact any of our great community groups or volunteer and give a helping hand instead of criticizing the selfless hard working volunteers that make it all happen. His view that kids can either bike, bowl or play in streets leads me to believe he does not know us at all.

His comments about businesses and open spaces was interesting as well. We have about half a dozen family oriented restaurants and of course we want more and are working towards that with a number of projects and incentives. I just announced at my Mayor's Employer and Employee luncheon yesterday another program providing $350,000 to help bring in new businesses and to expand our existing businesses. This will help grow our over 1,400 job base in the City.

I am not sure what he means by wasted open space. There are a number of open areas in the City that are privately owned and not controlled by the City nor should they be. We can not have a government "taking" control of private land. The City's industrial park is nearly full and we are moving forward with exciting new rail industrial development that will provide even more good paying jobs for our Citizens. The open retail space is an issue in every community and especially in the north metro area. I understand my opponent has only lived in Isanti 2 short years and does not understand what the City looked like when I first took office. Main Street was roughly 50% empty and good paying businesses like Ever Cat, Pat's Small Engines, Hockert Sales and Isanti Retail Meats (to name a few) did not even exist.

We will continue to add to the 30 plus businesses we have attracted to Isanti since I took office and improve our job and tax base. I will forgive my opponent's myopic view of things because he has such a limited experience in the City of Isanti and our county. I just hope he would do his homework a little before offering to spend money we do not have.....

We face roughly $500,000 in lost revenue for 2011 due to LGA cuts and property value reductions. Isanti's overall market value is going down by 12% do to the collapse of property values throughout the County, State and Nation as a whole..... This is something all communities are facing..... my budget plans the last few years have cut cost and we enjoy a budget reserve that with discipline can get us through the tough times. Government has to learn to say no and live within its means otherwise more and more families will be taxed out of their homes. It is worth noting, since I am not sure if my opponent knows, that the biggest source of city revenue is property taxes and that property taxes are terribly regressive and harmful to our most vulnerable Citizens. With County unemployment bouncing around 12%, Social Security dependent Seniors not getting a cost of living increase for 2 years - this is the worst time to elect a tax and spender with a legacy building agenda.

These are tough times to be in local government when you have to say no to a lot of fun ideas. It would be nice to do more but we must always remember we are spending someone else's money. This is not the time to expand City staff or City government.....

3rd Annual Mayor's Employer and Employee Appreciation Day Update

3rd Annual Mayor's Employer and Employee Appreciation Day

It is amazing we are already at the 3rd Annual Mayor's Employer and Employee Appreciation Day. I created this event to highlight our great employers and employees and to promote the Isanti business community. Our past, present and future success depends on the continued growth and success of our local businesses. I will have two big announcements to make at tomorrows event. You will not want to miss this if you are a business owner or potential business owner in Isanti.

The 3rd Annual Mayor's Employer and Employee Appreciation Day is June 24th. We will be serving a free lunch and recognizing business anniversaries at 11:30 outside at City Hall..... Again two big announcements you will not want to miss.....

County EDA

We had a curious request from the County EDA (made up of the County Board and their appointees) recently.... They asked in the City of Isanti supported a brand new tax on County residents. There was no end goal for this EDA tax other then to accumulate money. They have asked the other cities as well I believe. We of course said there is no way we would support a new County tax.

The odd thing is I am not sure why this even got to this point. At least 3 of the 5 County Board members have professed in their recent elections that they are against any tax increases.

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon

I am proud to announce that I will be signing a resolution of action and support for the Isanti County Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. This is a great group doing wonderful work for our returning veterans. I have had the link to their website on my blog for months and could not be more excited to have the City follow suit in their support. Here is a reminder of the link to their website and all their great information:

http://www.beyondtheyellowribbonisanti.org/

Great Candidates

I wanted to share a few items on a couple of excellent candidates for local office.

Erika Zdon who is running for 1 of the 4 School Board seats is an excellent individual who will balance the needs off our children and the resources of our community. The School Board is an incredibly challenging position and we need the best possible people to lead our Cambridge/Isanti district to better days.

June Ham is a common sense fiscal conservative who will help guide our City through the toughest times since the Great Depression. There are two Council seats up for election this fall and it is essential that June be elected to one. We can have all the great ideas in the world but unless we have a Council that is willing to act on the tough decisions then we will not succeed.

We will be talking much more about our campaign of ideas for Mayor and about Erika Zdon and June Ham.

Isanti Credit Rating

Our A+ credit rating was reaffirmed today and we were able to leverage this to a AAA rating for our bond issue. Another testament to our strong fiscal management. Our hard work saved us over $12,000 .... not to bad

School District Frustration

I shared my frustration about the School District's continued appropriation of City facilities and their inability to take responsibility for it. We had the issue of our community members being kicked off courts for a school team that had never reserved the courts and we lately tried to deal with the District taking over a City parking lot for over flow parking without permission to name the latest two problems.

We met with the District and asked that we share the maintenance cost 50/50 - even though most of the wear and tear and damage is caused directly due to the District's use - and that the City be insured against District use. The District dismissed it out of hand. 

Perhaps the City keeps getting the shaft since not one single member of the School Board is from the City of Isanti. It is the Cambridge/Isanti School District without the Isanti part being represented. I hope this changes with the next election cycle and we get a great Candidate like Erika Zdon elected. 

Signs Shirts Buttons Walkers

Getting the list together of walkers in the parade, sign locations and those that want Mayor Wimmer t-shirts and or buttons. Please email me and let me know….


george@georgewimmer.com 

Signs and Parade Walkers

I am working on final numbers for the parade.... I know some of you think re-election is a sure thing.... that could not be further from the truth.... my opponent has geared up very strong and is running a professional campaign... All of us have to work hard to win this election... I need parade walkers and sign locations.... 

Endorsements Tonight

Endorsements tonight.. we need good people in office to make sure the good decisions are made....

Milestone

100,000 Blog views and counting!!!

No 1st Place Money Yet

We have no 1st place sponsor yet for the Mayor's Great Yard Award. In this economy it has been difficult to find a replacement for the original sponsor of the 1st place prize. We have already received some good nominations and the program will continue even if a 1st place sponsor can not be found.

Unfunded Mandate

Another interesting kind of mandate that slips under the radar but ends up adding another level of cost and bureaucracy.

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=455571

Another Cyclist Seriously Hurt

http://www.startribune.com/local/north/95692014.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMcyaL_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

Endorsements

 I will be making my endorsements of local candidates by the 15th of June. The process is a local candidate makes the request and then we meet and find out if the person is a strong principled individual who will make our community better. This is not a pact to vote the same way on issues. I am looking for candidates that will move our community forward at all levels of government. 

Budget News

We have a projected savings of $150,000 over the next 2 years in negotiated City structural labor cost when applied to all employees before incentives. Another interesting note is that we have reduced the total City workforce by over 10% in the last few years.

Mosquito Control

Good balanced story on cities mosquito spraying -http://www.herald-journal.com/archives/2010/stories/mosquito-regional.html

Update on all local races

Isanti County News update on all local races.... a lot more competition out there now.... Will be a lot of exciting races especially for Sheriff and School Board....

http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8335&Itemid=1

Union Negotiations Update

The Council tonight approved the contract between the City and the Public Works Union. This contract was difficult to negotiate but we have reached a successful conclusion. I want thank to our staff, Council and Public Works employees for all the hard work that went into this process. The key points are as follows:

• We have reduced cost in health insurance coverage and moved away from the Cadillac Gold Plan
• There is no cost of living increase for 2 years
• We have improved contract language to better define a number of issues

The most important item was a greater health insurance cost sharing for our health insurance coverage. This is a monumental reform and cost savings for the City. Many government entities have been unable to get their health insurance cost under control. Through this contract we have accomplished a lot. This was not easy but it was necessary for the long term health of the City's finances. I will be recommending that the City move forward now with filling vacant positions as our cost structure is now fixed. 

City Council Race Update

June Ham is running for City Council !!!!!!!!! that makes 3 now running for Council..... I absolutely endorse her common sense approach to conservative fiscal values.... More to come

Elections Matter

This is a very strange election year.... only 2 filed to date for 2 open School Board seats, only 2 incumbents running for County Commissioner and only 2 incumbents running for Isanti City Council.... 

With all the comments, concerns and complaints I receive about these 3 levels of government and not a single competitive race out of the 3. Perhaps everyone is perfectly happy with everything going on in the County, School District and City Council.... There are good people in office and running to be sure but elections matter and the people we elect will be making decisions for the next 4 years. These are incredibly serious times and we need the best we can get to lead us into the future. Tuesday June 1st is last day to file.

I have added a few quotes as food for thought..... I begin with two of my favorites:

I offer my opponents a bargain:  if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them.  ~Adlai Stevenson, campaign speech, 1952

"Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays,  instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion."  Edmund Burke

          Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

                                   -- George Jean Nathan (1882-1958)

 

Take it from me--elections matter. 
-- Al Gore

Everybody knows politics is a contact sport.
-- Barack Obama

Ideas are great arrows, but there has to be a bow. And politics is the bow of idealism.
-- Bill Moyers

A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won't cross the street to vote in a national election. 
Bill Vaughan 

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! ~Benjamin Franklin 

Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.  ~Sydney J. Harris

Why pay money to have your family tree traced; go into politics and your opponents will do it for you.  ~Author Unknown

Our political institutions work remarkably well.  They are designed to clang against each other.  The noise is democracy at work.  ~Michael Novak

I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work.  Of course it doesn't work.  We are supposed to work it.  ~Alexander Woollcott

People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people.  Of course, that is not true.  Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing.  ~Walter H. Judd

Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.  ~Richard Armour

George Washington is the only president who didn't blame the previous administration for his troubles.  ~Author Unknown

Truth is not determined by majority vote.  ~Doug Gwyn

Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in the country - and then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in its politicians.  ~Charles Krauthammer

I offer my opponents a bargain:  if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them.  ~Adlai Stevenson, campaign speech, 1952

Bomb Threat Cambridge/Isanti

From Cambridge Isanti School District

IMS/MNC received a bomb threat at 12:45 p.m.  All students were evacuated from premises by 1:00 p.m.   Law enforcement searched inside and outside and declared an "All Clear" at 1:40 p.m.   Everyone is Safe.  Students have been cleared to re-entry school building. Repeat:  "ALL SAFE"

School Board Filing Update

School Board race update:

Erika Zdon filed for School Board.... waiting for more School Board filing news...

City of Cambridge getting Level 3 Sex Offender

Isanti County News story about level 3 sex offender moving to Cambridge...


http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8329&Itemid=1

County Commissioner District Boundaries

I had a few questions about where the County Commissioner Districts even are.


District 1 George Larson
Represents:
City of Cambridge (West)
Cambridge Township

District 2 Larry Southerland
Represents:
City of Braham
Dalbo, Stanchfield, Maple Ridge,  Wyanett, & Springvale Townships



District 3 Alan Duff
Represents:
City of Isanti & Bradford Township


District 4 Kurt Daudt
Represents:
Spencer Brook, Stanford, & Athens Townships


District 5 Susan Morris
Represents:
City of Cambridge (East),
North Branch, Isanti, & Oxford Townships


District 1 and District 5 are up for re-election. The County Commissioner is roughly the same amount of work as is the City Council but they make on average with salary and per diem over $30,000 a year - Council is $3,000. All you need is $50 to file for County Commissioner as compared to $2 for City offices. 

Mayor's Great Yard Award

Looking for one more sponsor for the Mayor's Great Yard Award..... Great publicity..... $100 per month for 3 months sponsors first place and the awards are presented at City Council meetings with the two papers taking the pictures that generally run with the Council story for that week. If you are interested please contact me at george@georgewimmer.com or 763-442-8749....

Local Races

The County News has the list so far of local offices up for election and the people who have filed.

http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8302&Itemid=1

Some of the highlights are:

Isanti Mayor - Yep I have a challenger... and Yes I will be fighting against those that want to go back to the days of a city with higher taxes, higher debt, developer lead city, high operation cost, no transparency, and inept business development etc...

Isanti City Council only has the two incumbents of Ross Lorinser and  Sue Larson running... no one has filed to challenge either...

Isanti County Board District 1 George Larson and District 5 Sue Morris have had no challengers yet...

Isanti County Attorney again has no challenger but the County Sheriff has 3 people running  Monson, Kranz and Thomton...

There is a rematch of Olseen and Nienow for State Senate and Jim Godfry against Kurt Daudt for Rep seat 17a

There are still 6 days left file......

Triple Threat

We face the triple threat of lower property values meaning lower tax revenue, cuts in state funding and increasing cost... Our budget plan lowers city cost, does NOT raise the tax levy and continues to invest in economic development. 

What a Terrible Tax

Our great State of Minnesota is making the City of Isanti pay a tax on the water we use to fight fires.... when will it ever end....

Great Political Advertisement

I hear all the time that I am to tough and have a take no prisoners attitude.... Check this guy out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU7fhIO7DG0

Isanti Horseshoe Club

Great part of being Mayor - I had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the Isanti Horseshoe Club at Junction Bowl on my way to Council.

Cambridge Star never Changes

The Isanti-Chisago County (Cambridge) Star's online version of my candidate announcement was hacked apart and gutted of all our wonderful successes.... I am just so disappointed but it follows their pattern of nonsense in every election cycle.

Thankfully the Star only goes to a few homes in the City so the damage should be limited....

Public Works Union Negotiations Update

After months of negotiating and a tentative agreement with union leadership which was voted down by Union membership, the Council last night voted to present our last and final offer to the Public Works Union. This offer brings our health care cost back in line to a reasonable standard. The Current Gold plan - I did not make that name up it is called the Gold plan and it is an extremely generous plan - that City has paid for has had another massive cost increase (20%) due to usage. The new health plan being offered has the same coverage but improves the cost sharing aspect so those that use the plan more pay a bit more. The City is facing $20,000 plus per year per employee family coverage and this simply is not sustainable. This is the health care plan for all City employees and we are working to make the change throughout the City.

I am hopeful that this situation will be settled soon but if it is not we have prepared a contingency plan to make sure all City services will be delivered in a seamless and cost effective fashion....

The Battle is Joined

Looks like I have my first challenger for Mayor.....

Third Annual Mayor's Employer Luncheon

Another New Great Business in Town

KJD Signs is located just east of the railroad tracks on Main Street. Lets welcome this new great business with Jill Reller's lifelong ties to Isanti....

Parade 2010

Looking for more people to join us in the parade. We over 30 and shooting for at least twice as many. It is a great time & if you have an ATV you can ride that in the parade. We will have one trailer with coolers of water and a place to sit for little kids or seniors if they get tired. You get a great T-shirt as well... anyone not walking in the parade with us and would like a t-shirt please let me know your size. 

Email me at george@georgewimmer.com

Minnesota Legislative Session Countdown Clock

The Minnesota Legislative session must end by state law at a specific date and time.... here is the link to the countdown clock...

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2010/05/budget-calendar/index.shtml

State Representative 17A

Daudt, Titus, Grams and Duff all seeking Republican nomination for 17A ... should be interesting 


Godfrey is DFL endorsed candidate 

Announcements for Senate 17 & State Representative 17A

I have been hoping to get more announcements to post for those running for State Representative in 17A or State Senate in 17... I have only received one so far.... Republican, DFL, Independent... does not matter....

Tax Talk 1

The expected loss of City revenue for 2011 due to LGA/MVHA cuts and decreased property values is nearly equal to the $500,000 is taxes and assessments that are in default. I constantly hear these are tough times and it is ok to let some not pay their taxes. A couple problems with that argument - who decides who the special people are that do not have to pay their taxes and without that money we have to either cut services or make actual taxpayers pay more. 


Since my first election in Isanti we have cut City property taxes by 30% and when other communities have recently hike their tax levies we have not. I hope these facts are taken into consideration the next time someone tells me the City should allow a person or business to slide when it comes to paying their taxes.....

Alan Duff Running for State Representative 17A

Just read this announcement a bit ago on County News website:

http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8174&Itemid=59

I have heard of a few others running but have not met them. Hopefully whoever gets the position will know and represent the district well. We are an interesting Rep district in that we have three cities and a lot of townships. We need someone that understands the issues we all face and has the experience to actually do something about it.

Duff's website: http://alanduff.net/

Re-election Announcement

The City of Isanti is shining as a beacon of success over today’s seas of trouble:   Our Nation is faced with the worst economy since the Great Depression.  Our State is gripped by a looming $6 billion deficit.  And our County suffers under a double-digit unemployment rate and massive home foreclosures.

The City of Isanti has led statewide in innovative economic development, downtown revitalization, foreclosure management, and groundbreaking fiscal policy.  As our country and state are suffering under staggering deficits, the City of Isanti has the largest fund balances in its history.  We have faced the same issues as all communities, but we planned well and worked hard.

Our success includes:

·         Budgets that consistently cut taxes and spending

·         Development of a long-term financial plan

·         Dozens of new and relocated businesses

·         Main Street business development

·         Local job growth of 30%

·         New water treatment plant

·         Foreclosure management program, named best in state

·         Business Recruitment Award from Minnesota Economic Development Association

·         Transparency of City government

·         Improved City credit rating to A+

·         Administrative costs 33% lower than our statewide peer group of cities

·         Per capita debt cut 57%

We will build upon our economic success by developing our commercial districts (along County Road 5 and Highway 65), expanding our industrial park capacity, and diversifying our tax base. Maintaining strong fiscal discipline will enable us to weather the tough economic storms we shall endure over the next few years, while we continue to place citizen safety at the forefront of our actions. 

I humbly ask for your support again as Mayor of the great City of Isanti. 

May 4th Council Meeting

The Isanti City Council Agenda for the May 4th 2010:

http://www.cityofisanti.us/images/stories/05-04-10_City_Council_Agenda.pdf

Isanti County Unemployment Rate

Isanti County's unemployment rate is 11.6%. Sobering news and yet another reason to keep government cost reasonable.

Decision Time

I will be making the decision this weekend on whether or not to ask the voters of Isanti for the great privilege of being their Mayor once again. 

Article on Storm Water Ponds

Pretty interesting article on storm water ponds.....

http://www.startribune.com/local/east/92146674.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DU

Isanti Deadly Crash that Killed 6

Here is the Isanti County News story about the deadly crash that killed 6 with a lot of local comments:

http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8091&Itemid=1

Possible Cost Saving Trend

I was informed in a meeting yesterday that 6 Minnesota Cities this past year have eliminated their police departments and are being served by their County Sheriff Departments. This has been a cost saving measure and as the State continues to cut Local Government Aid many more cities will be follow this pattern. Police are the most expensive part of the City budget.

Another reason raising taxes is Wrong

This article covers the 3.3% cut in personal income in the state of Minnesota. Raising taxes or increasing local government cost is not an option. Everyone needs to understand that there is no stomach for increasing property taxes.

http://www.startribune.com/business/91872739.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUT

April 20th Isanti City Council Meeting Update

A couple topics from the meeting last night. We had a request from the C-I Competitive Baseball Association to waive the fee for their usage of the baseball field. The association was notified last October of the fee policy but only recently approached the city. The City charges a $15 fee for a full day of usage of the field which equates to just pennies a day for each player. Several other groups including church groups have paid or are willing to pay this nominal fee. The fee is needed to maintain the field and ensure the field stays open. Several area fields have closed and I want to ensure we continue to have fields for our youth to learn and play on.

2nd item is that the Public Works Union rejected the tentative agreement we had negotiated with their leadership yesterday. We will continue to try to get to an agreement  but the Council will also start working on contingency plans to ensure our level of service at an appropriate cost.

Lastly I want to share of few numbers from our City Audit. Our Administration cost is 33% lower in Isanti as compared to our peer group of cities throughout Minnesota. Our net debt per person has gone from a high $1904 per man, woman and child when I was first elected to $826 per person. This is a 57% cut in debt per capita. We have also had a 24% improvement of debt to assets for the City. We are running the City of Isanti leaner and more efficient than it ever has and this will help us as we face over $500,000 in lost property taxes and state funding next year alone.

Isanti County Fire

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/minnesota/isanti-grass-fire-apr-20-2010

http://wcco.com/local/isanti.county.fireworks.2.1646025.html

http://kstc45.com/article/stories/S1522170.shtml?cat=11512

More Park Destruction

It is sad that every time we put something nice in our parks some idiots have to vandalize it....

Mayor's Table at Chamber Dinner

Chamber Dinner was a Blast

Budget Decisions

We have a list of budget projections that will be discussed with the Council in May. We have received the property tax projections and are working to finalized the plan to ride out the next two years of declining property values.

Some communities and taxing entities will be looking for dramatic tax levy increases to make up for lost revenue - Isanti is not one of those communities. The idea is out there that a house who's value has dropped should pay the same tax it did two years ago.

This means that if you were paying $2,500 in taxes last year and your home value goes down 10%, some want you to pay the same $2,500. That my friends is a tax levy increase. If your value goes down you should pay less in taxes. Now this makes it tough for us who are responsible to balance the budget and provide good services but that is what must be done.

When values were skyrocketing no one was handing money back to the taxpayer and now that they are going down no one should expect to hike tax rates to make up the difference.

April 20th Isanti City Council Meeting

http://www.cityofisanti.us/images/stories/04-20-10_City_Council_Agenda.pdf

Isanti Farmers Market

Stopped by the Farmers Market downtown Isanti this morning and made my first purchase. The Farmers Market will be every weekend through October.

Goto http://www.isantifamilyfarmersmarket.org/ for more information.

Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child

Whereas, the Lit’l Sprouts Child Care Center; in conjunction with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, are celebrating the Week of the Young Child, April 12^th – 16^th, 2010; and

Whereas, these organizations are working to improve early learning opportunities, including early literacy programs, that can provide a foundation of learning for children in Isanti, Minnesota; and

Whereas, teachers and others who make a difference in the lives of young children in Isanti, Minnesota deserve thanks and recognition; and

Whereas, public policies that support early learning for all young children are crucial to young children’s futures;

I Mayor George Wimmer, Mayor of Isanti, Minnesota, do hereby proclaim April 12^th – 16^th, 2010 as The Week of the Young Child in Isanti, Minnesota and encourage all citizens to work with Isanti, Minnesota to make a good investment in early childhood in Isanti, Minnesota.

2010 Community Awareness Forum

I will be presenting Isanti's fiscal picture tonight at the 2010 Community Awareness Forum http://www.isanti-chisagocountystar.com/detail/55856.html . This event is open to the public and I hope everyone that can come will.

City Billing Issues

We have had a number of growing pains with our new billing service that handles City service billing. Some of the issues were caused by Connexus mishandling of the transfer of records and partially from the new company not communicating properly with City staff. I have met with our new service previously and they were in front of the Council tonight and it was made very clear the issues of the past can not repeat themselves.

Why Rental Ordinances and Inspections are Important

I am on a Mayor's email list in which many topics are discussed. One topic that has been discussed at some length is the need for rental ordinances and inspections. I have been a bit troubled by some comments passing back and forth stating that these types of ordinances are not needed and they are an intrusion on the landlord/renter relationship and it is just nosy government.

I could not disagree more. We do not need the tragic results of the Minneapolis fire - an apartment that was not inspected for over 16 years -to prove rental ordinances and inspections are needed. http://www.startribune.com/investigators/90055707.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DU

In Isanti we have found and fixed some pretty bad and down right dangerous living conditions. I hope the trend of ripping these ordinances apart and leaving many without protection reverses itself. Some of the saddest cases affect our senior population.

City Audit

Going through draft Audit of the City and I will have a lot of good news to report when it is presented to the Council.

State Representative

I am flattered by the consistent inquires about running for State Representative but to be very clear I have no interest in running for this office at this time. I hope a well qualified proven leader will win this office and represent us well in the Legislature.

City of Isanti Property Values down 8%

City of Isanti property values are down 8% on average based on numbers from the county. I had been working on a 12% reduction so we should be ok so long as the numbers are right & my budget plan is followed.

I will be setting out my changes soon

Spring 2010 Isantian Article

I recently gave the State of the City presentation to the Isanti Area Chamber of Commerce and shared our past successes, current challenges and future goals. We discussed the tremendous achievement of the Water Treatment Plant and the excellent results of our water test. The raw untreated water tested at 6.42 pCi/L, which is over the federal limit of 5.42 pCi/L. The water processed at the treatment plant tested at .42pCi/L which is a fantastic result. The Water Treatment Plant is a great success and was built on time and under budget.

We talked about the success of the City’s Foreclosure Management Program and the 136 foreclosed homes that sold. The tremendous results have our program hailed as the best in the state. We still have NSP (Neighborhood Stabilization Program) funds available to help in the purchase of a foreclosed home. There are still homes cycling in and out of foreclosure and we have a long way to go; but as Winston Churchill said, “I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.”

I discussed the openings of a number of local businesses in the past year and our replacing of the Economic Development Director. The City’s first comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan and Multi-model plan were shared. These two plans lay the foundation for future budgeting and development. It is important that we start saving today for the inevitable replacement cost for all of the infrastructure that has been added to the City in the past decade. Planning today will save the City for decades to come.

We have all seen the dire reports of the State’s finances and the seemingly constant drumbeat of cuts. Isanti is expected to lose 82% of our Local Government Aid (which is tax money we send to the state and they should be sending back) which equates to 13% of our total General Fund Budget. On top of this, property tax values are projected to decline across the board by 10% to 30%. Paying lower property taxes is a good thing on an individual basis but this also means a lot less money going to City government to provide services. We are facing a $500,000-plus loss of revenue from LGA cuts and property tax devaluation. We also have over $500,000 in non-paid taxes and assessments that have made budgeting even more difficult. Our total General Fund Budget is $3.3 million.

We have been preparing for this moment for the last few years, as I have shared with you in past articles. Isanti is far ahead of almost every other community in the state with our LGA flip last year and the reserve fund we have built up. This will get us through to 2013 without a change in our level of service so long as the budget plan I set out is followed. It is also important to note that several projects will be moving forward such as Railroad Avenue paving, but this is being paid for out of Municipal State Aid funds and not Isanti property taxes.

I try to live by another Churchill quote: “It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.” I know we will all do what is necessary to continue to move Isanti in the right direction

Now for some fun stuff! Isanti is an eventful City and 2010 will be packed. We have our amazing Rodeo and Jubilee Days, our Rum River BMX racing, with the State finals once again in our great City. The Redbirds will be making us all proud, and just down the road our Soccer complex will be humming with thousands of players all summer long. The newest great event to hit our City is the Isanti Farmers Market locating in Downtown Isanti. This is a fantastic April to October weekly event. For more information go to www.isantifamilyfarmersmarket.org/ and learn how to be a sponsor, as I am, how to be a vendor or most importantly, a weekly customer.

There is so much more but I have run out of space once again. As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me at George@GeorgeWimmer.com or 763-444-7158 or my cell at 763-442-8749.

Isanti City and County Meeting Audio

Isanti City Council meeting audio online at:

http://www.cityofisanti.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=95

Isanti County Board meeting audio online at:

http://www.alanduff.net/

David Meece Concert

Harvest Grounds Presents a Special Evening with David Meece – Contemporary Christian Music Hall of Famer

and Sheila Raye Charles, daughter of Ray Charles

Saturday, April 10 at 7:00 pm

Performing Arts Center, Cambridge High School

General Admission: $20.00

Tickets Available at Harvest Grounds in Isanti at (763) 444-8883 or

In Cambridge at (763) 689-6189

David Meece

After performing to a sell-out crowd in 2008, David Meece returns to Cambridge for another special performance. With over 30 #1 hits, David has a widespread appeal amongst fans of all ages. His signature songs, “We are the Reason” and “My Father’s Chair” have been recorded by over 200 other artists around the world. David was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and received the Visionary Award for Inspirational Male Soloist in 2009.

Sheila Raye Charles

Sheila Raye Charles, daughter of the legendary Ray Charles, will be opening our special evening. Her personal story is chronicled in the book "Behind the Shades" and produced a collection of music by the same name. Come hear Sheila Raye play some of her father's hits, like "Hit the Road Jack," “Georgia on my Mind," and "I Got a Woman."

Proceeds to benefit Pregnancy Resource Center of Cambridge

The Cambridge Pregnancy Resource Center of Cambridge is a faith-based, non-profit organization committed to helping women and their partners make life-affirming choices for themselves and their babies. This center provides numerous services to over 1,000 clients each year from over 48 communities across the East Central Region.

Sponsors:

Event Sponsors: JoAnn Cutler (Michigan), John & Bonnie Schlagel

Silver Sponsors: Alan Duff (www.alanduff.net), Community Pride Bank (www.cpride.com), Sheriff Russ Monson (www.sheriffmonson.com), Minnco Credit Union (www.minnco.com), Cambridge Eye Associates

Bronze Sponsors: Jim Kennedy, Isanti City Councilmember, George Wimmer, Isanti Mayor, A&W Automotive, George McMahon, Chisago County Commissioner, Harvest Christian Center, South Isanti Baptist, Lakeside Church, Oxlip Evangelical Free, Reller Signs, Landmark Bank

Special Prize Sponsors: Ticknor Hill B&B and Minnesota Timberwolves

Arctic Plunge Committee Thank you

I presented the $2,000 check to Senior Dining from the Arctic Plunge Committee. I can never say enough about the great people of the Arctic Plunge Committee. They are simply amazing. The $2,000 will help fund the Meals on Wheels drivers and Senior Dining. The money fills a huge hole as funding has continued to decline.

I can never thank the Arctic Plunge Committee enough....

Per Capita

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Andrew J. Bisila Fund Raiser

Click Poster to Enlarge

Property Values Sinking

I have been talking about this for the last two years and it is finally get wide spread coverage. Here is a story on the impacts of sinking property values and the impact on local government.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/87593132.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUX

2010 Arctic Plunge Update

The Plunge Committee raised over $24,000 from the 2010 Arctic Plunge. This is an amazing group doing amazing things....

School District Discussion Thread

School district discussion thread at

http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7799&Itemid=1#jc_allComments

Free Speech at work...

School District

City Website Update

The Isanti City Website has been under going a number of updates and hopefully will be completed soon. I will let you know when it is completed.

Stirring the Pot

Some people like to stir the pot.... just remember the pot stirs back.... especially when I am that pot....

More Isanti Arctic Plunge Pictures

This was a great event and thanks to the Plunge Committee, Sponsors, Jumpers and the great people that came to watch us do crazy things.

2010 Arctic Plunge

My 2010 Jumping Partners

A few of the brave who are there to protect

The Englund Family Old Fashion Ice Cutting

My 6th year in a row

The Plunge is Coming

The Arctic Plunge is this Saturday. I will be jumping for the 6th time. It is a great time and the Plunge Committee has done fantastic things raising over $83,000 for local service organizations.

http://www.arcticplunge.com/

Ever Cat Fuels

Just a quick update on our signature 2009 economic Project. 17 new jobs avg $50,000 in wages and benefits. Saving the environment with good paying jobs - jobs that support a family.

Minnesota Deficit Forecast

Minnesota State budget deficit adjusted for inflation will be $6.889 Billion for 2012-2013. The current deficit was adjusted slightly lower only because the federal government is shoveling more money to the State.

The State has broken its social contract with cities. The state has tremendous powers over how cities can raise revenue and how money is spent. The power the state has taken was in exchange for financial support of cities. The financial support is gone yet the power grab remains.

This information is in line with what we have been planning for and should be a clear sign to anyone that all the cuts in spending the City has done and the ones to come are absolutely needed.

Andrew J. Bisila Fund Raiser

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Isanti Business Expo Update

Thank you to Kimberly, Hazelle and Derek for helping out at the Isanti Business Expo. Had a number of good conversations and signed more people up for the blog. Had a few good ideas share with us as well.

Isanti Business Expo

I will be at the Isanti Business Expo this Saturday 10am to 4pm at the Isanti Intermediate School. If you have any questions, concerns or great ideas about Isanti - please come and lets have a chat.

3 Level Government Town Hall Meeting

Senator Olseen, Representative Eastlund and Commissioner Duff have accepted our invitation to a 3 level government Town Hall meeting this summer or early fall. Once we have it scheduled I will let you know. I want to thank each for being willing to give our residents this unique opportunity.

Isanti Farmers Market

The Isanti Farmers Market link - great info so go check it out -

http://www.isantifamilyfarmersmarket.org/