The Roundabout

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^{Newsletter Editors: Pat Mack and Manali Shah | Copy Editor: Beth-Ann Bloom}

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Stafford, Wilson Win City Council Race, Other Results

_{By Pat Mack and Manali Shah}

Here are election results for key races in Woodbury and Washington County in the 2024 General Election.

Woodbury City Council | Elect 2 | 16 of 16 precincts reporting

Donna Stafford, a long time Woodbury community volunteer, won a seat on the city council, and Kim Wilson was re-elected to another four-year term. Council member Andrea Date did not run for reelection.

In a phone call, Stafford said that she is excited and honored to serve the residents of Woodbury. “My husband, Bruce, had always wanted me to run for city council. Many decades later, this time it seemed the right time to run,” Stafford said. “Over the next several months I’ll be listening and learning so I can serve the residents.”

Wilson said she was grateful to live in a community with so many residents dedicated to serving the city they love. “I’m honored to be part of shaping the future of Woodbury, from major infrastructure projects like the permanent water treatment facility to smaller initiatives like producing minutes for our workshops to enhance transparency,” she said.

Public Safety Campus Project Ballot Question | 16 of 16 precincts reporting

In a statement, Mayor Anne Burt thanked Woodbury residents who voted on the local option sales tax referendum. The result means the Public Safety Campus Project will be funded mostly by an increase in the sales tax not property taxes. “We appreciate the community’s continued support of our public safety personnel, services, and the expansion of our Public Safety Campus. With the passage of the referendum, we know we now have a major funding source expected to be in place in the second quarter of 2025,” Burt stated. “We are excited to finish the design of the Public Safety Campus and begin construction in 2026, which will expand our ability to serve the community. Our goal is to open the new campus in the second quarter of 2028. Thank you, again, for your ongoing support of our first responders.”

Independent School District 622 | Elect 4 | 32 of 32 precincts reporting

Independent School District 834 | Elect 3 | 31 of 12 precincts reporting

State Representative District 47A | 11 of 11 precincts reporting

State Representative District 47B | 8 of 8 precincts reporting

Other Results

Other Minnesota election results can be found here.

Diverse Stream Of Voters Cast Their Ballots In Woodbury

^{By Manali Shah}

The overcast, drizzly day did not deter Woodbury voters. Lake Middle School hosted Precinct 11. Noontime saw voters streaming in. They were welcomed by Amy, an election worker, with a bright smile as she assured them there was no line–a warm personality on a cold day.

The voters reflected Woodbury’s diverse community and shared a variety of perspectives with Woodbury News Net staff.

Jane said that she preferred to vote in person on Election Day itself instead of voting early. “It was a great experience.”

Babu, a Woodbury resident for over three decades, was voting with his wife. Babu said that he voted early only if he was not going to be in town on Election Day. “I prefer to vote around lunch hour and not wait till the evening.” He added that Minnesota is a great state in so many ways, “We are lucky to live here.”

Woodbury residents were happily participating in their civic duty. A young mother moved briskly in the falling rain, carrying a baby in a car seat. Some parents brought their kids along, making it a family outing. One mom was accompanied by two teenage daughters, another family was chatting happily as they pushed grandma in a wheelchair. A young first time voter proudly carried his passport for identification.

Traffic was light on the roads and there was no visible police presence around Precinct 11 or Precinct 13 at Liberty Ridge Elementary. At precinct 13, there were about a dozen booths and several tables where voters filled ballots. One of the election workers mentioned that this year there were more booths than usual.

Nabeel was accompanied by his son who was happy to tag along to his former elementary school. Nabeel likes voting on election day and feels that mid-afternoon is the perfect time to vote.

As it turned to evening the voting pace had picked up. At Brookview Elementary, Precinct 9, the parking lot was packed and cars were parked along the curb. A good indicator of a strong voter turnout, Minnesota style.

Planning Commission Narrowly Approves Residential Subdivision

^{By Pat Mack}

The Woodbury Planning Commission voted 4-3 to approve the Cherry Meadows Subdivision at its meeting Monday night. The subdivision would add 27 homes along Century Avenue near Kalen Drive in southwest Woodbury. Another subdivision, Cherrywood, with 177 homes, would be built across from Cherry Meadows on Century Avenue in the City of Newport.

Some commissioners expressed concerns about the impact on wildlife as well as the lack of a playground and sidewalks planned for Cherry Meadows. The commission did add a conservation easement to help protect wildlife. The developer said he would look into adding a community space but did not commit to a playground. A trail would connect Cherry Meadows to sidewalks planned for Cherrywood.

Commissioners John Kollm, Stephanie Haacke, Shannon Olsen, and Thomas Harrington voted in favor, while David Hoelzel, John Jarrett, and Stephanie Swanson voted against approval. The city council will consider the subdivision plan at its Nov. 20 council meeting.

I-94 Project Impacts On Traffic

Here’s how traffic on I-94 from Woodbury to the Wisconsin border will be affected by the ongoing construction project:

Beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 7 through 5 a.m. Fri, Nov. 8: The State Patrol will stop eastbound I-94 traffic for 10-15 minutes at a time between Radio Dr./Inwood Ave. North and Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. North as crews finish installing new overhead signs.

The ramp from eastbound I-94 to Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. North will be closed. Bypass this ramp closure using eastbound I-94, Manning Ave. North, westbound I-94 and Keats Ave. North.

Starting at 5 a.m. on Mon, Nov. 11: The ramp from Century Ave. to eastbound I-94 will be closed through the end of the day on Wed, Nov. 13 to allow crews to remove construction material from the site. Bypass this ramp closure using Century Ave., Hudson Rd., McKnight Rd., Burns Ave. and eastbound I-94.

The ramp from westbound I-94 to southbound I-494 and the ramp from northbound I-694 to westbound I-94 will be closed through the end of the day on Fri, Nov. 15 for median construction under the interchange. These closures were postponed from Thu, Nov. 7 to Mon, Nov. 11. Bypass this ramp closure using the 10th St. interchange.

Starting at 7 p.m. on Mon, Nov. 11, through 5 a.m. the following morning, Tue, Nov. 12: Westbound I-94 will be reduced to a single lane between Woodbury Dr./Keats Ave. North and Century Ave. to allow crews to apply permanent pavement markings and grooves.

Bell Bank Applauded For Meeting Community Need

The Woodbury branch of Bell Bank celebrated its 10th anniversary by hosting a drive for hygiene items. Two over-flowing barrels of soap, toothbrushes, and other hygiene products were collected. Contributions of $2,000 from customers were matched by Bell Bank with the total amount donated to Bridge to Basics. The new local charity serves as a partner with nonprofits to ensure that everyone has access to essential hygiene products to boost health. They pass along donated items to non-profits and recently provided items to Open Cupboard. Open Cupboard staff surveyed their customers in August and learned that 12 percent of them had to forego work, school, or an activity because they lacked hygiene supplies. While food shelves can meet their clients’ nutritional needs, the stock of hygiene items tends to fluctuate and is often spotty.

Local High School Runners Compete in State Meet

The Stillwater Ponies placed sixth in last Saturday’s MSHSL Class AAA State Cross Country Meet at the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course. George Nelson, Woodbury, was one of two Ponies placing in the top 30 runners with a time of 16.12.8. Other local runners included: Andrew Walsh (Stillwater Area) - 16:23.8/36, Raiyan Ali (Woodbury) - 16:36.6/63, and Brandon Paine (East Ridge) - 17:02.3/108.

East Ridge and Woodbury high schools were represented in the Girls Class AAA Meet with individual qualifiers. Lydia Franson (East Ridge) finished 18th (18:44.8) and Sarah Vaske (Woodbury) ran the course in 20:33.8, placing 116th.

East Ridge Girls Volleyball Team Advances To State Semifinal

The #3 seed East Ridge High School girls volley ball team swept #6 Minnetonka 3-0 on Wednesday afternoon at the MSHSL AAAA state tournament, which was held at the Xcel Energy Center. The Raptors gained strength throughout the match, winning 25-20, 25-18, and 25-13, guaranteeing them a top 4 state finish. Junior libero Aliya Kleven led an outstanding defensive effort with a game-high 17 digs. East Ridge (25-6) will take on #2 Champlin Park today at 11 a.m. in the semi-finals. The championship game and the game for third place will take place on Saturday.

Veterans Day Program at City Hall Memorial this Monday

The Woodbury Lions Club will host its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11, at the Veterans Memorial on the grounds of Woodbury City Hall, 8301 Valley Creek Road. The brief outdoor ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and will include remarks by Mayor Anne Burt. (Note: in the event of inclement weather, the program will be held inside of City Hall.)

Drive Seeks Winter Clothing For Students

The drive specifically seeks winter coats and snow pants in sizes from 4T to 18, including youth sizes XS through XXL, and adult sizes small and medium. Foundation volunteers have worked to expand the drive to 24 drop-off locations this year. A list of drop-off locations is available here.

Editor’s Note: The Woodbury Community Foundation serves as the fiscal sponsor for Woodbury News Net.

More Events Of Note

Nocturnal Animals Presentation, Friday, November 8, from 6-8 p.m. at Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park. Have you ever wondered what it takes to thrive in the dark? Join Washington County Parks and Carpenter Nature Center staff to learn more about the creatures of the night. Presentation with live animals followed by a bonfire.

Bird Hike at Lake Elmo Park Reserve, Nordic Center, Saturday, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Take part in a guided bird hike. Participants can complete bird count surveys to assist the Washington County natural resources team gathering data as part of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund grant.

Book Drive: Donate your gently used books to the Stillwater Public Library Saturday, November 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the library’s parking ramp on Third Street. Books will stock the shelves for The Friends of the Stillwater Public Library’s used book sale November 13 - 16.

Open Door Community Theatre will host “What is Broadway?” – a Jeopardy-themed cabaret fundraiser Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 at Mounds Theatre in St. Paul.

Update on Woodbury News Net:

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