Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

The establishment of tax increment finance district No. 3-3 was approved by unanimous vote of the Wyoming City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The city area outlined and inspected, roughly one block on either side of Forest Blvd., (US-61) from two blocks north and about five blocks south of Viking Blvd., does qualify as a TIF district.

Bruce Paulson, Bonestroo Engineering, presented the results of the recently completed inspection for the newly created TIF district.

Paulson inspected 63 parcels; 12 of which are undeveloped or 15 percent for the area of the parcel is undeveloped. To meet criteria for creating a TIF district at least 70 percent of the included parcels must have some development.

In Wyoming this is about 76 percent. In addition, 50 percent must be deemed substandard. In the planned TIF area, about 54 percent is judged substandard.

Rebecca Kurtz told council that if the city approves the district, the area must be certified with the county and state. Betsy Rud, one of the Stars and Strikes developers, asked for clarification about a small triangle of land between the freeway and the Sunrise River. Kurtz said the parcel numbers will all be checked and that parcel numbers can be removed from the district.

Kurtz emphasized the purpose of the district is to assist businesses to locate in the commercial area of the city that would not be able to do so without the financial assistance of the tax revenue generated.

Part of the taxes, for a specified number of years, is used to help with infrastructure or other costs.

Life saved Oct. 3

The right equipment in the hands of a trained person, at the right place and time, saved a life Monday, Oct. 3 in Wyoming.

When Jerry Moore suffered a heart attack at Sunrise Fiberglass Corporation last week, co-worker and Wyoming Fire Chief Dennis Berry responded to the front office at the same time his pager signaled a medical emergency.

With emergency equipment and oxygen in his car, Berry, a trained first-responder, along with police officer Brian Rod, also a firefighter, assisted Moore until an ambulance moved him to Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center.

According to Berry, Moore was then flown by helicopter to United Hospital. Timing and the right equipment made the difference, Berry said, adding he was just glad to help.

Water project

In other news before the Wyoming City Council on Oct. 4, the city announced it plans to change over to automated water meters and loop a water main to the west side of the freeway. The water meters will provide better monitoring of the volume of water used by residents and businesses.

The water main loop is to improve water pressure in the western part of the city. Cost estimate for the two projects is $500,000.

Carolyn Drude, Ehlers & Associates presented three options for financing the projects. The first is to issue general obligation water revenue bonds and make payments from utility funds.

The second option is to pay cash from the water and sewer fund.

The final choice is to adopt a reimbursement resolution before making any payments, allowing the city to retain the right to issue bonds at a later date if needed.

According to Drude, the city has enough money in the sewer and water fund to pay for both projects and revenue to support future expenses related to these projects. Savings to the city come from no bond issuance costs or interest.

However, the reimbursement option gives the city more flexibility. Her reasoning is that if within 18 months of project completion and things change, the city can choose to borrow to cover all or part of the cost.

By a vote of 4-0, council approved this option. The city can make a decision to use this option as long as it is done no more than 60 days from the first expenditure, according to Drude.

In addition, the motion can be amended if the actual cost varies from the estimated $500,000. CM Tom LaBarre was not at the meeting.

Other business

In other business, council:

ïCertified the special election results in which Blake Tiedeman was elected council member. Tiedeman abstained.

ïWent into closed session for union negotiations after the council meeting adjourned.

ïAwarded a pair of tickets to a Minnesota Wild hockey game to Wade Tschida, as the winner of the drawing from those who signed their names to the city evaluation form.

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Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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