The Roundabout

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Woodbury Weather via National Weather Service

_{Winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight Thursday night.
Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 5 to 7 inches.}

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

^{[email protected] | www.woodburynewsnet.org}

City Council Approves Increased Tax Rate As Property Values Fall Slightly

^{By Pat Mack}

The Woodbury City Council gave final approval to the 2025 budget that includes an 8.3% property tax rate increase.

“The growth of the city has really frankly outstripped the staff’s ability to provide effective services,” City Administrator Clint Gridley said in his presentation to the council at its Dec. 11 meeting.

He said for years after the Great Recession that began in December 2007 tax increases were limited even as the city’s population boomed, so recent increases in spending on city services are an attempt to catch up.

The council voted after its Truth in Taxation public hearing, which is the culmination of months of public meetings and discussion on the budget and taxes.

The $139 million budget includes 23 new positions with 10.6 of them supported by the tax levy and the other positions supported by revenue from sources like grants and fees. Eleven of the positions will add to the public safety team. Six paramedic/firefighters are being added, as well as an ambulance, to handle increased medical calls. Two police officer positions will move the city closer to its goal of having one police officer per 1,000 people.

Another 2.6 positions are being added to staff Central Park, which is being renovated and expanded. That $42 million project is one of the city’s key capital projects. Gridley also highlighted the $350 million Waste Water Treatment Plant and infrastructure, the $60 million Public Safety Campus funded mainly by an increased sales tax, and $23.3 million for road and trail resurfacing.

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Garbage Truck Strikes, Kills Woman

The Woodbury Police Department has confirmed that a woman was struck by a garbage truck and killed on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at about 6:15 a.m. near Autumn Drive and Autumn Bay. The department says it won’t release the victim’s name until its investigation into the accident is completed. The investigation will include the Minnesota State Patrol reconstructing the accident. Flowers have been left to memorialize the victim at the intersection where the accident occurred.

Financial Scams Operating In Area

Authorities are alerting Woodbury residents to two financial scams, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office says “the grandparent scam” tries to convince people they need to send money to get a relative out of jail. The second scam involves people being erroneously told they failed to appear for jury duty and must pay a bond to avoid arrest. In Woodbury, five people were scammed out of a total of $66,300 since April. Woodbury Public Safety offers information on fraud prevention here. The Minnesota Judicial Branch offers tips to avoid being fooled by the “jury duty scam” here.

We Rock the Spectrum Play Gym Opens

_{By Doug Schultz}

For the owners of Woodbury’s new We Rock the Spectrum open play gym geared toward children on the autism spectrum, starting the business was not just an act of love for their children, but one that filled a surprising void in Minnesota.

While living in Georgia just a few years ago, Josephine and Oliver Martinez were struggling to find supportive resources for their six sons ranging in age from 16 to 3 years, including two sets of twins, all of whom are on the autism spectrum.  At a support group retreat in Wisconsin Josephine asked some friends where a better place to live might be. “They said, ‘Wisconsin is great, but Minnesota is better,’” she said.  After doing their own research, the family decided to make the move, landing in Woodbury in July 2023. 

Why Woodbury? Turns out, Josephine’s nationwide support group has its roots in Woodbury and is based on the work of Woodbury blogger and author Kate Swenson, of “Finding Cooper’s Voice,” a blog about her once nonverbal son. “Kate’s journey sparked everything for me,” she said. So what better place than Woodbury?     

Shortly after they arrived, Josephine was looking for a job that would give her more time to spend with her sons. “My husband said, ‘Why not start a We Rock here?’ It was something we had a good experience with in Georgia.  I said, ‘You mean there’s not one here?’ I couldn’t believe it. He said, ‘No, there’s not!’ 

We Rock the Spectrum Kids’ Gyms (WRTS) are designed to help children with their strength, movement, sensory processing, positive behavior modification, social interactions and self-care skills. The gym features 12 pieces of therapeutic equipment specifically designed to work with many of the sensory processing issues that children on the spectrum face, while providing all children with the sensory experiences necessary for development. For example, the zip slider helps children with balance and spatial orientation, while allowing them to better develop upper-arm and core strength. A trampoline builds lower body strength and balance.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Your Input Sought On Grant Funding Priorities

The City of Woodbury wants your ideas on how to best use federal funding for community development. Money can be directed to helping low-to-moderate income residents, addressing blight, fair housing, economic development, and meeting other urgent community needs. The Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development require a five-year plan created with community participation. To provide input, click here and respond before the end of January.

Open Cupboard Receives National Attention

The Washington Post included Open Cupboard, a food pantry with Woodbury roots, in an article last week about new models to address food insecurity. The non-profit opened Today’s Harvest in Maplewood as its second location for people to shop for food free of charge. Executive Director Jessica Francis credits the staff and hundreds of volunteers and donors for making the national model possible. More information on the grand opening for Today’s Harvest can be found here. Our story on the food pantry can be found here.

Events of Note

Winter Solstice Bonfire, Friday, Dec. 20, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Belwin’s Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields, 15601 Hudson Rd. N., Lakeland. Celebrate the longest night of the year with live music, a roaring bonfire, storytelling and guided night hikes led by Belwin naturalists, topped off with cookies and hot cider. Advance ticket sales, priced per car on a sliding scale, end on December 19.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, starring 10th grader George Wellens of Woodbury as Rudolph, on stage through Dec. 28 at Stages Theater, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. Limited tickets remain.

A Christmas Carol, through Dec. 30, Open Window Theatre, 5300 S Robert Trail #400, Inver Grove Heights.

Winter Clothing Drive by the Woodbury Community Foundation continues through December 20. New and gently used outerwear to help keep students warm in the South Washington County School District are being collected.

Wall of Thanks, Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Dec. 22, a booth sponsored by the Woodbury American Legion Post 501, Valley Creek Mall across from Key’s Cafe & Bakery. Donate money to local charities and add a name of a veteran or family member currently serving in the military to the wall.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations, City of Woodbury, on Dec. 31. New Year’s Eve matinee for children at 2:30 p.m. and the New Year’s Eve family celebration beginning at 6 p.m..

New Year’s Eve Winter Camp, Dec. 31, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Lake Elmo Park Reserve. A winter adventure for kids ages 7-10 years old. Outdoor adventures including snowshoeing and/ or kick sleds, fire building, animal tracking as well as indoor crafts and games, hot chocolate, and s’mores. Space is limited.

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