Public Hearings

On Dec 20th - hearings will be held regarding an impacting change within the City of Osseo.

Independent School District 279 has submitted a request for a Conditional Use Permit to move the OALC - an alternative format learing center for High School aged Youth into the now Vacant Osseo Elementary School.

The city leaders needs you to be vocal on this one. Please plan to be in attendance for the Planning Commission meeting - Dec 20th - 7p in the City Council Chambers at Osseo City Hall to give your feedback.

Please also pass this on the all who may be affected by this change - attendance needs to be good as to give an opinion one way or the other to the PC

Decenber 2010

It has been 2 months since my last post. Many things have transpired in Osseo. 1 new council member voted in, and one returns, and a New Mayor as well. Much contention regarding the new Mayor - but he managed a victory.

Budget is almost done and approved with a decent amount of Capital dollars devoted to keeping Osseo solvent into the future - was a part of Osseo's first ever Capital Improvement Plan - that is in year 135 of it's existence. We ordered work to begin on a Financial improvement plan as well. Our main budget decreased 3% including the new capital monies - but we are considering a levy that will amount to aroud 40$ on a 180k property - to pay for the Central Ave Project - after finding out that the payment for last year seemed to have been payed out of the contingency fund for the project. Good new is that is only for 1 year - then forecasts are for that levy to disappear.

Proud of the past year - had to tackle a few tough issues - but Osseo is in a good place moving into 2011. As usual - i am working toward the positive growth of our community. I know that everyone does not always agree with the decisions - but we hope to leave our city in a better place - with new businesses filling our storefronts.

Funny though - people have been saying through the election - Osseo needs a Pizza Place. I must say that we do have a great one already - Duffy's. Honestly one of the best thin crust Pizza's.

I continue to say - support local business every opportunity that you can. Please feel free to email me you thoughts. Respectful emails will certainly be given attention. Happy December...

Osseo Community Feedback or Small Group Meetings

I encourage any resident or business owner in the City of Osseo to share your views with me. I am open and will listen as a basis for an eventual decision on an issue. Feel free to contact me - email is the most direct - at

mschulz@ci.osseo.mn.us

or

Leave a message for me to return your call at 763-425-7457.

OALC

I am sure many resident know of the proposal of the School District to Relocate the Osseo Alternative Learning Center to the empty Osseo Elementary.

In this time of elections that can determine the fate - once again- of our city - it is important to get your opinion heard.

I encourage you to PUBLICLY share your views and candidate positions ( City or Board elections) that you know are either for or against the move in open forum. Matters from The Floor seems to be a good venue to express your concerns with the issues facing your way of life in Osseo.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Osseo Public Safety Committee

The Osseo Public Safety Committee met for the first time on Tues July 27, 2010.

This Committee was created to ensure more input and communication between the Police and Fire Departments, to share more information with the stakeholders in the City of Osseo, and to facilitate more citizen input and limited oversight into the policies and actions of the Public Safety departments.

Future meeting will be held the 3rd Tues of the Month through 2010 at 7p at City Hall.

Agendas are to be posted on the city website www.discoverosseo.com and all meetings are open to the public.

Committee Members and their contact info will be available soon on the City Website.

Osseo Elementary

The City of Osseo had issued a letter of Intent to ISD 279 to purchase the empty since Fall of 08 Osseo Elementary School amidst considerable Citizen feedback against the School Districts current plans to re-purpose the facility.

The City Council voted 5-0 to issue the letter. Why - many people feel that a better use for the property has already been expressed to the Board, one that would add to the future of Osseo vs the addition of another High School in a .9 sq mile town.

This opinion is especially passionate amongst the residents of the surrounding blocks whose real estate values could be further impacted by this move.

My thoughts - while now is not the time to add additional city obligations without an incredibly good reason - I feel that this is an incredibly good reason. One action that will bring new families to Osseo that could increase our home ownership v rental ratios, increase business, increase property values, and give Osseo what we need - a destination identity!

The Chair of the School Board and Superintendent Maguire have already sent me a response to an email stating that they do not wish to consider our offer - but have sent it to the Property Committee for Review - that CLOSED meeting is 7/22/2010 at 5p. Email me if you wish to receive copies of the correspondence from the District

Please send your appeal to the School board directly: schoolboardmembers@district279.org


How about your thought?!

Farmers Market Starts Tuesday, July 6

The Osseo Farmers Market will be located next to Veterans Memorial Park along Central Avenue, downtown Osseo. Join us at the market each Tuesday afternoon from July 6-Sept. 14. More vendors are here this year!

June 28 Council Packet

June 28 Council Packet Link

for some reason the link is not up correctly - view it here

http://www.discoverosseo.com/docs/agendas/june%2028%20cc%20pkt.pdf

Jefferson Highway closure begins Tuesday, July 6 for Highway 610 construction
Revere Lane in Maple Grove scheduled to open July 2

As construction of the new Highway 610 segment continues, Jefferson Highway will close early Tuesday, July 6 and motorists will need to follow a detour. Jefferson Highway will be closed from just north of 97th Place to just south of the new Highway 610
through November 2010 as crews construct a new bridge to carry traffic over new Highway 610 in Maple Grove.

Posted Detour:

• Southbound: Go east on 109th Avenue to Highway 169; south to 93rd Avenue/County Road 30 and west to Jefferson Highway

• Northbound: Go east on 93rd Avenue/County Road 30 to Highway 169; north to 109th Avenue and west to Jefferson Highway

In addition, Revere Lane in Maple Grove is scheduled to open on Friday, July 2. The road has been closed since November 2009 for construction of a new bridge to carry traffic over new Highway 610.

The new Highway 610 alignment includes nearly three miles of four-lane highway from Highway 169 in Brooklyn Park to County Road 81 in Maple Grove. The project includes two interchanges, three overpasses, a pedestrian bridge and noisewalls. Construction is scheduled to be complete in July 2011.

For more information on the Highway 610 project, call the project information line at 1-800-610-5480 or visit www.mndot.gov. A complete project schedule and layouts are available on the project website. To sign up for e-mail updates about the Highway 610 project, go to www.mndot.gov and click on the orange “Sign up for construction e-mail updates” button.

For real-time traveler information anywhere in Minnesota, visit 511mn.org.

Spring

The flowers are up on Central Ave, the Ave is almost complete.

Movies in the Park start soon. Did you know how much visibility Osseo has on Facebook?

Recently the council voted on hiring an Interim Police Chief while we sort out the city Budget.

Grass is growing faster than the potholes - yes - there is a plan coming up on that. I think it took longer because of a new council and all of the other distractions within the City. Summer is our time to shine - Osseo - shine on!

The biggest thing I can think about discussing is the recent Move by the School District to express their desire to place the Osseo Alternative Learning Center - another High School, into our east side neighborhood.

Initial response that I have heard has only been by a few people - but it is NOT in favor of allowing such a move. I am BEGGING residents communicate your desires to the Council so that we may represent your true wishes. I have heard proposals from a Charter School that has a strong wish to use the Osseo Elementary property. That seems like a win -win for the community and the district - but i doubt the District has opened it's eyes to the possibility.

We shall see. PLEASE SHARE ANY COMMENTS!

Spring is in the Air - EDA - MyOsseo

We all have a chance to get around Osseo and see what Winter has left behind. I am excited to see the buds come onto the trees.

Spring means change for the Community.

Osseo is in a pivotal time of it's history - we all need to pull together to ensure our community stays alive and well. Please check out our new businesses in town that you may not have seen. There are quite a few - with a sporting goods store coming to Central Ave in May I believe!

Please encourage your friends to look at Osseo - commercial rental rates are still quite reasonable with several recently updated spaces of all shapes and sizes. Help us all bring business back to our town, and stop in to our merchants to see what they have for us for Springtime!

As always - please email me with your discussion items - we can post them and see what everyone thinks about it.

My recent question for Comment from a city resident- Should the EDA be as active in real estate acquisition as they have been. Is it necessary to buy a property, and then let it go for a fraction of the price to stimulate development? Has what we have done so far actually benefited Osseo or just given us more empty space?

Another Comment - Should Osseo continue the MyOsseo wireless initiative - does the benefits outweigh the cost to he residents?

Please share you thoughts - more next week!

Website Blog is active

It is with great pleasure that I announce that my city councilor website is open for business. If you are reading this - then you have found this blog.

Feel free to enter comments on the postings - this is what it is here for.

Feel free to start some new threads if you are able (I am getting used to this myself) - and if you can.t - then email to me and will will gladly do it!

I will be asking for feedback on city issues here as well. It is important for me to hear from you prior to things - as opposed to after when you are upset about something. Please be proactive about this - my next post will include some current topics being tossed around at the city level

Welcome!

Osseo Residents,

Thank you for taking time to come to the website. I know our city is important to you - and for that reason I have created my website and this blog as a forum to express your ideas on issues about the city.

I NEED YOUR HELP to effective govern your city into the FUTURE. It is easy to govern for today - but we must come together as a community.

Please feel free to comment here so that we can see things from everyone's side and to come to consensus on on issue. Thank you

Dr Mark Schulz