Community Events and Service Groups Praised at Fridley City Council Meeting

The , the local , the Fridley City Band and the city’s fire department were honored and acknowledged at the Fridley City Council meeting Monday night.

After the Pledge of Allegiance meeting opener, Mayor Scott J. Lund read a declaration proclaiming July 1 as Women of Today Founder’s Day in Fridley to recognize the “many activities of dedicated Women of Today members across the state.”

He presented the proclamation to the service group’s president, Joanne Larson. Membership vice president Dolores Varichak, left her seat at the council table to join Larson and three others representing the group them.

Some of the group's work includes fundraising for the American Cancer Society, for Santa's Workshops to help families at Christmas, collecting food for the SACA Food Shelf, making 500 sandwiches for the homeless and couple times a year.

They also work with people with developmental challenges and for Can-Do Canines, the March for Babies, the Shriners Hospital, 49er Days Craft Fair and a school supplies drive.

49er Days
Toward the end of the meeting the mayor and council members praised the annual 49er Days and new . Council Member Ann Bolkcom commented that she saw that the events were well attended.

Lund reported that the and said he heard a rumor that firefighters recruited new members at the festival—and some of those future applicants played on the team. The last police-versus-fire-fighters softball game was in 1990.

There was praise for the trout pond for children’s fishing, and Lund noted the climbing wall was busy all day.

Lund said the Fridley Lions Club did a great job this year and he was very appreciative of their efforts. He added they had put a lot of work into it.

Fridley City Band
The mayor also said the performed during 49ers Days and he presented a proclamation in honor of their 50th anniversary and years of service to the community. He said two of the original members still play with the band and it has had only four directors in its history.

For details on the band’s weekly concert schedule, see their website and the Fridley Patch events listings.

Fire Grant
Fire Chief John Berg received a $2,500 CenterPoint Energy community-assistance grant from CenterPoint area manager John Brandel. Berg said the grant will go toward buying protective gear for the fire department.

Trees, Water, Pigeons
In other action, the city council:

• Loosened a restriction on cutting a maximum of three trees per acre at a time on public land. The new ordinance will allow tree-cutting for projects approved by the city and, as before, for woodland management. Jack Kirk, parks and recreation director, reported a tree-preservation ordinance was first adopted in the 1970s to prevent development of a golf course on the land that is now .
• Changed a requirement for land at Gardena Avenue and Benjamin Street to allow landscaping and creation of a rainwater harvest system and artistic waterfall and stream at 5942 Benjamin. In 1999, when the land was first platted, the north end of that lot was dedicated as drainage easement to control water flow off Benjamin. No grading or land moving were allowed. Now, alterations will be allowed with approval of city staff.
• Approved without discussion a license for Andy Zheng for a house for .