Month: September 2020

Due to the inclement weather, paving operations in the Carver Bluffs neighborhood have been suspended for the day.  The contractor will resume final paving operations tomorrow, September 29, which includes work on Ramsey Avenue, Carver Creek Place, and Carver Bluffs Parkway.  Carver Bluffs Parkway from Carver Creek Circle to County Road 40 will be closed during this work.  Please use the development entrance connected to Jonathan Carver Parkway tomorrow.  Paving is anticipated to be completed in its entirety by the end of the day tomorrow, September 29.

Greetings-

I am acutely aware of the challenges experienced by many in our community due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and am working hard to make sure the City of Carver’s budget is lean, while best serving our community’s needs. I am proud of the work done by both City staff and City Council on the 2021 budget to come up with a plan that addresses the needs of our City, while keeping in mind the struggles many of us have faced in 2020.

Last month I mentioned we were well into the process of determining the details of our 2021 budget. Now that we’ve set out preliminary levy (this is ceiling, or the not to exceed amount) I’d like to share some additional details.

At the Sept. 21 City Council meeting we set the preliminary levy at $3,220,448 which is a 6% increase over the 2020 levy. Because of Carver’s growth (an increase in our tax capacity by 15.5%) our tax rate will decrease from 49.45% to an estimated 45.22%… and that means the City of Carver’s portion of your property taxes will likely go down for most property owners!

Although City property taxes are anticipated to decrease for most property owners, several significant investments are included in the preliminary 2021 Budget.  Some of these investments include a proposed 66% increase to street maintenance funding, which will be used to conduct future mill and overlay projects throughout the community. In addition, the preliminary 2021 Budget allocates $25,000 toward the replacement of the Fire Department’s self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units. The Department SCBA’s need to be replaced in 2026, which is estimated to cost $180,000. The allocation of $25,000 in 2021 will allow this significant cost to be spread out over multiple years, as opposed to facing a large budget expenditure in 2026.

If you’re interested in participating in the budget process, the next steps are:

• October/November – Residents will receive their preliminary property tax statements in the mail. This document will include information on your home’s valuation increase and your proposed tax bill, based off of the preliminary levy.
• December 7 – The Truth in Taxation public hearing will take place during the City Council meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Residents are invited to comment on the proposed budget and their property taxes.

• December 21 – City Council will consider adoption of the 2021 budget and property tax levy during the City Council meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

If you’d like to check out the preliminary draft 2021 budget, you can find it at CityOfCarver.com in the packet from our Sept. 21 City Council Meeting.

If you have thoughts or comments on the 2021 budget, or anything else, I’d love to hear from you!

Mayor Courtney Johnson

[email protected]

Cell: 612-702-7703

Facebook: CarverMayorCourtney

Weather permitting, Carver Creek Circle, Carver Bluffs Parkway, and Ramsey Avenue final street paving is anticipated to take place on Monday, September 28.

The final lift of asphalt is planned to be paved for the locations highlighted in red on the Construction Notice.  Access to Carver Creek Place to the north and south of Ramsey is planned to be maintained through the paving process, however, expect minor delays as work is taking place.

There will be no on-street parking allowed on all segments highlighted in red on Monday.  Residents can drive vehicles on the pavement after the contractor has finished rolling it (about 15 to 30 minutes after being paved).

Carver Bluffs Parkway from Carver Creek Circle to County Road 40 will be CLOSED during this work.  Please use the development entrance connected to Jonathan Carver Parkway.

For more details, map, and contact for questions, please see the Construction Notice.

The September 21, 2020, City Council meeting can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

Regular Meeting

Previous meeting videos are also available by clicking ALL VIDEOS.

If you have any questions, please contact Vicky at [email protected].

You may apply for an absentee ballot application by contacting the Carver County Elections office at (952) 361-1910, [email protected], or applying on-line at: On-Line Application Form

For further questions, please contact Vicky Sons-Eiden at [email protected] or calling 952-797-4758.

The Planning Commission meeting from September 17, 2020, can be viewed by clicking on the following link:
Planning Commission Meeting.

Additional City Council and Planning Commission meetings can be viewed by clicking All Videos.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Absentee Voting Address:
Carver County Elections
Government Center
600 East 4^th St.
Chaska, MN 55318

Absentee voting for the 2020 General Election began on Friday, September 18, 2020. Voters are encouraged to vote by mail, if possible, to keep fellow voters and elections staff safe.

For those voting early in person, proper safety protocols exist at the Carver County Government Center. Only a certain number of voters are allowed in the building at a time, which could result in voters waiting in line outdoors.

• Voters must wear a face covering at all times, per State mandate
• Each facility has floor markings and traffic flow plans to maintain physical distancing requirements
• Please don’t visit in person if you’re sick

Dates:
September 18 – November 1
(Monday – Friday – 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM)

Saturday, October 31
(Saturday – 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM)

November 2
(Monday – 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM)

For more information, please see: Elections Information

For the agenda for the Monday, September 21, 2020, City Council meeting, along with how to watch the meeting remotely, click on AGENDA.  If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Don’t miss the Carver Lions Pork Chop Dinner this Saturday, September 19.  This will be a drive-through event.

The Lions will be serving from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Orders will be taken on 4th Street with pick up in front of City Hall on Broadway.

See the attached flyer for more information.

Weather permitting, Carver Creek Circle, Carver Bluffs Parkway, and Ramsey Avenue street paving is anticipated for Tuesday, September 22.

Street paving is planned to take place for the locations highlighted in red on the Construction Notice.  Access to Carver Creek Place to the north and south of Ramsey Avenue is planned to be maintained through the paving process, however, expect minor delays as work is taking place.

There will be no on-street parking allowed on Carver Creek Circle on Tuesday. Residents can drive vehicles on the pavement after the contractor has finished rolling it (about 15 to 30 minutes after being paved).

For more details, map, and contact for questions, please see the Construction Notice.

Don’t miss the Carver Lions Pork Chop Dinner this Saturday, September 19.  This will be a drive-through event.

The Lions will be serving from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Orders will be taken on 4th Street with pick up in front of City Hall on Broadway.

See the attached flyer for more information.

The General Election is on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.  We are still looking for Election Judges, and are specifically in need of the party affiliation of Republican in order to meet party balance requirements.  We need help with the election and with the cleaning of voting booths.  Check out all of the details on the Election 2020 page.

Still have questions?  Contact Vicky Sons-Eiden at vsonseiden@cityofcarver or call 952-448-8727.

This is to notify you that, weather permitting, Kirche Hill Drive, High Street, and Diedrich Drive street paving is anticipated for Wednesday, September 16.

The Contractor is planning to pave the final lift of asphalt on these streets on Wednesday. There will be no on-street parking allowed within the project area on Wednesday. Residents can drive vehicles on the pavement after the contractor has finished rolling it (about 15 to 30 minutes after being paved).

We thank you for your cooperation and patience during this project. Please contact the person listed below if you have any questions, concerns, or require special access needs.

Michael Jabs
Primary Contact (Bolton and Menk)
612-269-9970
[email protected]

For the Agenda and Packet for the September 17, 2020, Planning Commission meeting, click on Agenda and Packet.

To watch the live stream of the meeting, click HERE.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

The Carver Car Show will be held on Saturday (September 12) on Broadway Street in downtown Carver.  Food trucks will be on site and city-wide garage sales will also be taking place.  Click on the attached flyer for more details.

There will be no regular parking on Broadway during the Car Show event.  Please park on side streets overnight Friday and during the event.

This is a joint effort with the Carver Steamboat Days Committee, the Carver Lions Club, and sponsors Carver Automotive and Napa Auto Parts.

For the September Heritage Preservation Packet, click HERE. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Don’t miss out…Carver’s city-wide garage sales start tomorrow!

September 11 and 12.

Watch for yard sale signs throughout the City.

*Note: The Steamboat Days Committee will not be collecting addresses and/or seller information as has been done in the past. Watch for yard sale signs throughout Carver! Reminder to please be safe and follow State social distancing guidelines.

For the September 14, 2020, Parks Commission Packet, click HERE.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].