City Blog

City of Moorhead homeowners who have been granted a seasonal waiver to discharge sump pumps to the sanitary sewer system are asked to redirect sump pump discharge to the outside.  Discharge should remain directed to the outside until approximately November 1, 2010.  The City will notify homeowners when discharge may again be directed to the sanitary sewer.

The City of Moorhead is also requesting volunteers to assist with sandbagging efforts this weekend at the City’s Public Works Facility located at 700 15th Ave. N.  Hours for voluntary sandbagging are as follows:

•    Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

•    Sunday from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Sandbagging takes place indoors in the heated Public Works Facility.  Volunteers may park adjacent to the building or on streets immediately to the south of the building.  Please enter the facility through the main door and complete a Volunteer Waiver Form.  Those under 18 years of age must have parental or guardian consent to participate in the sandbagging effort.

The City will provide shovels and bottled water.  Volunteers are asked to bring gloves.  The sandbag site is supervised by City of Moorhead staff.

Mayor Mark Voxland and Clay County Board Chairman Kevin Campbell will announce State of Emergency Declarations for the City of Moorhead and Clay County, respectively, on Tuesday, March 9th at 11:00 a.m. in the City of Moorhead’s Flood 2010 Press Room, which is located in the Moorhead Center Mall in the former GoMoorhead store.

Mayor Voxland and Chairman Campbell will discuss 2010 Flood Event preparations and answer questions from the media regarding the State of Emergency Declarations for the City of Moorhead and Clay County.

For one night only, any sandbagger can work to earn funds for their favorite college or university student organization.

Every member of the public who sandbags on Wednesday, March 10th between 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. may pledge a $15 donation to the college or university student organization of their choice. The City of Moorhead will honor these pledges on behalf of citizens. Donations are limited to recognized student organizations from area colleges and universities. A list of eligible student organizations will be available at the sandbagging site.

Each participant will receive a free T-shirt and be eligible for door prizes.

Sandbagging is being conducted at the City’s Public Works Facility, located at 700 15th Ave. N. Overflow parking is available at the Moorhead Armory, 1002 15th Ave N. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves.

By the powers vested in me as Mayor of the City of Moorhead, Minnesota, I do herby declare the City of Moorhead to be in a State of Emergency for the Spring 2010 Flood Event, effective March 8, 2010.  This State of Emergency Declaration is made to prepare for the flood event and take appropriate advance measures to protect the City of Moorhead.

Signed: Mark Voxland
Mayor, City of Moorhead, Minnesota
3/8/2010

The March 4, 2010 meeting of the Metro Flood Planning Group with the Corps of Engineers may be viewed at http://media.cityofmoorhead.com/  The video is about 1.5 hours long.

Moorhead college students can earn gift cards to their College or University bookstore by sandbagging.

The City of Moorhead is offering a sandbagging incentive to local college students in conjunction with Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM), Concordia College, and Minnesota State Community and Technical College (MSCTC).

For every two hours of sandbagging, students will receive a $10 gift card. This promotion will be offered the week of March 8–14 during normal sandbagging hours (while supplies last).  Students will be required to present their student ID at check-in and check-out.

Sandbagging is being conducted at the City’s Public Works Facility, located at 700 15^th Ave. N. Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. The City will provide shovels and bottled water. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves.

City of Moorhead and Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) are working in cooperation to provide FREE childcare for parents who wish to sandbag this Friday, March 5 and Tuesday, March 9 from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

MSUM’s Athletic Department has organized a “Kids Night Out” event for youth ages 7–12 at the following sites:

•    Friday, March 5: Nemzek Fieldhouse located at the corner of 6th Ave. S. and 17th St. S. 
•    Tuesday, March 9: MSUM’s Wellness Center on 14th Street (Northbound, one-way), halfway between 9th Ave. and 6th Ave. South on the west side of the street.

Youth are encouraged to come with tennis shoes. Swimming is an option for kids on Friday only.

Normally there is a $20 fee for these events; however, parents who sandbag can utilize this service for FREE. Vouchers will be provided to parents at the City of Moorhead sandbag site so the “Kids Night Out” fee can be reimbursed. Sandbagging is being conducted at the City’s Public Works Facility, located at 700 15th Ave. N.

For more information on “Kids Night Out” or to get the registration form, visit www.msumdragons.com  and click on the “Kids Night Out” ad or the camps/clinics link. For more details or questions please contact: Jacob Topp, at 218-477-2647 or topp@mnstate.edu. Coach Topp will be available for questions at the Moorhead Public Works building while some Dragon athletes will be sandbagging from 4:30-5:30 p.m. tonight.

To help prepare for flooding in Moorhead, city officials have created eight “neighborhood zones.”

City personnel will be assigned to each zone, working closely with residents of that neighborhood providing information and coordinating activities.  The city has scheduled the following zone meetings for residents living in these areas:

Zone 1:  From Caddy Ave to 43 Ave N, March 9 at 6:00 pm at the Moorhead Country Club

Zone 2: From 10 Ave N to Caddy Ave , March 9 at 7:30 pm at the Moorhead Country Club

Zone 3: From Center Ave to 10 Ave N, March 16 at 6:00 pm at Moorhead City Hall Council Chambers (first floor)

Zone 4: From 12 Ave S to Center Ave, March 16 at 7:30 pm at Moorhead City Hall Council Chambers (first floor)

Zone 5: From I-94 to 12 Ave S, March 15 at 7:30 pm at Moorhead City Hall Council Chambers (first floor)

Zone 6: From 32 Ave S to I-94, March 11 at 6:00 pm at AmericInn (600 30 Ave So)

Zone 7: From 40 Ave S to 32 Ave S, March 11 at 7:30 pm at AmericInn (600 30 Ave So)

Zone 8: From 50 Ave S to 40 Ave S, March 15 at 6:00 pm at Moorhead City Hall Council Chambers (first floor)

A video copy of the March 2, 2010 Public Flood Information Meeting is now available on our City web. Please click on this link to find the video - http://media.cityofmoorhead.com/node/60   The video is about 90 minutes long.

The City of Moorhead will host public meetings to discuss flood mitigation projects currently under construction as well as proposed projects for 2010 and beyond.  Staff will provide an overview of the City’s revised/updated flood plan along with an update on implementation of FEMA’s new floodplain maps.  Preparations for possible flooding this spring will also be discussed. 

The next meeting is today, Monday, March 1 for properties between I-94 and Main Avenue and the final meeting is Tuesday, March 2 for properties north of Main Avenue. 

The format of each meeting will be an open house from 5:30-6:30 p.m. with a presentation to start at 6:30.  The meetings will all be held in the Hansen Theater in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts building on MSUM’s campus.  Free parking is available after 4:30 p.m. in Lots A and C located just west of 14th Street South and north of 9th Avenue South.  Overflow parking is available in Lot P located west of 17th Street South and north of 9th Avenue South.  No parking is allowed in residence hall parking Lots S and B.

Mayor Mark Voxland & City Council Members to kick-off sandbag operation on Monday morning, March 1st

The City of Moorhead announces the kick-off of its volunteer sandbagging effort that begins on Monday, March 1, 2010 at 7:00 a.m. at the City’s Public Works Facility, located at 700 15th Ave. N.  Mayor Mark Voxland & City Council Members will kick-off sandbagging efforts in Moorhead at 7:00 a.m. on Monday morning.

Hours for the volunteer sandbag effort at the Public Works Facility are as follows:

Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Sunday from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Sandbagging will take place indoors in the heated Public Works Facility.  Volunteers may park adjacent to the building or on streets immediately to the south of the building.  Please enter the facility through the main door and complete a Volunteer Waiver Form.  Those under 18 years of age must have parental or guardian consent to participate in the sandbagging effort.

The City will provide shovels and bottled water.  Volunteers are asked to bring gloves.  The sandbag site will be supervised by City of Moorhead staff.

Moorhead will start its 2010 flood fight Monday, March 1, 2010 with the opening of a sandbag-filling site on the north side of town.  We need volunteers.

Our goal is to have 300,000 sandbags ready and waiting for a potential flood.

We will open a manual sandbagging operation Monday, March 1, 2010 at a public works facility in the 700 block of 15th Avenue North.  The site will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sundays.  If you have time and are able to help fill sandbags, please join us.  Thanks.

A Planning Commission / Board of Adjustment meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 5:00 pm. For your convenience, a complete copy of the agenda packet is available at the following link: http://www.cityofmoorhead.com/city_hall/agendaMinutesPlanningComm.asp

Planning Commission meetings are broadcasted on Moorhead Community Access Television (Channel 12). For show times, please visit the following link: http://www.moorheadaccess.tv/schedule

The City of Moorhead Human Resources department is accepting on-line applications for our 2010 Spring/Summer Seasonal Positions. Go to www.cityofmoorhead.com and click on Employment or go direclty with this link - http://www.cityofmoorhead.com/employment/index.asp

This presentation was delivered to Moorhead City Council members on February 22, 2010 by City Manager Mike Redlinger. A video of this presentation can be viewed at http://media.cityofmoorhead.com/.

A Moorhead City Council Meeting is scheduled for 2/22/2010 at 5:30 pm. For your convenience, a complete copy of the agenda packet is available at: http://www.cityofmoorhead.com/city_hall/agendaMinutesCouncil.asp

For the latest on Minnesota's Governor's Supplemental Budget: $125 million in additional 2010 city cuts, go to http://www.cityofmoorhead.com and click on City News or use this link - http://www.cityofmoorhead.com/city_news/index.asp.

The bike/pedestrian bridges will be raised in conjunction with the Fargo Park District on Wednesday or Thursday of this week, weather permitting.  This action is necessary as the US Army Corps of Engineers begins to release water from Lake Traverse starting tomorrow.  The rise in river ice affects the ability of the contractor to access the footings of the Gooseberry bridge to prepare for the crane lift.  This lift normally occurs in the first week of March, so it is a bit earlier this year than usual.

The city hall is closed today in honor of President's Day.

The next city council meeting will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16 at 5:30 pm.  Agenda details may be found at http://www.cityofmoorhead.com/city_hall/agendaMinutesCouncil.asp

The presentation delivered to Moorhead city council members on February 8, 2010 by city manager Mike Redlinger is now available for viewing on the web.  Click on this link to go to the City of Moorhead Video Site - http://media.cityofmoorhead.com/

Cable One channel 12  and Midcontinent channel 12 will have rebroadcasts of the February 9, 2010  City's Flood Information meeting on Saturday February 13th, at 7:00 am & 1:25pm

The City of Moorhead hosted a public meeting to discuss flood mitigation projects currently under construction as well as proposed projects for 2010 and beyond. Staff provided an overview of the City’s revised/updated flood plan along with an update on implementation of FEMA’s new floodplain maps. Preparations for possible flooding this spring was also discussed.

***The first five minutes is audio only due to technical problems. Video will start five minutes into the presentation.***

Video of the Feb 4, 2010 Metro Flood Planning Group will be rebroadcast on Moorhead's Cable One and Midcontinent cable system. Check out channel 12:

• Monday February 8th, at 3:00 am & 8:00pm
• Tuesday February 9th, at 8:00pm
• Thursday February 11th, at 8:00pm
• Sunday February 14th, at 10:30pm

The Feb 4, 2010 meeting of the Metro Flood Planning Group with the Corps of Engineers may be viewed at http://media.cityofmoorhead.com/ The video is about 1.5 hours long.

A video copy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presentation on the results of their studies on Red River diversion alternatives for Moorhead and Fargo is now available on-line. Click on this link to view the video - http://media.cityofmoorhead.com/ The presentation was made at MSU Moorhead on February 3, 2010.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosts the second of two public forums tonight, February 3, 2010 to present the results of studies on Red River diversion alternatives for Moorhead and Fargo and to take public input.

When: The meeting is from 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: At the Hansen Theatre in the Minnesota State University Moorhead Center for the Arts, 801 13th St. S.

What: The meeting begins with an open house at 6 p.m., and a presentation at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer period.

Where to watch: Tonight’s meeting will be streamed on the city of Moorhead’s Web site at www.cityofmoorhead.com/flood. Moorhead Community TV will also broadcast the meetings on CableOne Channel 12. See local listings for times.

ST. PAUL, MINN. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, along with the City of Fargo, N.D., and the City of Moorhead, Minn., will hold two public meetings in February to provide preliminary results of the second screening of possible flood damage reduction alternatives and to seek public input for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan feasibility study.

After studying numerous potential flood damage reduction options for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan area, the study focus was narrowed to two potential alignments that could greatly reduce the possibility of flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan area. These two alignment alternatives include a diversion channel through Minnesota and a diversion channel through North Dakota.

The two alternatives have a total of six possible sizes, four in Minnesota and two in North Dakota. The two meetings will be held to present this information and solicit public feedback. The first meeting will be Feb. 2 at the Centennial Hall, 207 4th St. N. in Fargo. The second meeting will be held Feb 3 at the Hanson Theater in the Center for the Arts on the Minnesota State University, Moorhead campus at 801 13th St. S. in Moorhead. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. with an open house, followed by a formal presentation at 7 p.m. and a question and answer period ending at 9 p.m. Anyone interested in the study is welcome to attend either meeting.

The Feb. 2 meeting will be available online at the City of Fargo’s Web site at www.cityoffargo.com. For more information on this, please contact Karena Carlson, 701-476-6671. Fargo CableOne Channel Fargo 12 will broadcast the meeting on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m.

The Feb. 3 meeting will be available via streaming video on the City of Moorhead’s Web site at www.cityofmoorhead.com/flood. For more information on this, please contact Les Bakke, 218-299-5321. Moorhead Community TV will also broadcast the meetings on CableOne Channel 12. See local listing for times.

The Corps, along with its local sponsors, the cities of Fargo and Moorhead, will continue to study and refine these two options before making a final selection. The selection will undergo both technical and policy reviews prior to public release of the draft report in May 2010.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, serves the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. It contributes around $175 million to the five-state district economy. The more than 638 employees work at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

Note to reporters: Information presented at the meeting will not be made available until Feb. 1 at the Metro Flood Management Committee meeting, 9 a.m. at the Fargo Civic Center Centennial Hall. Study project managers Craig Evans and Aaron Snyder will be available after the meeting for questions. To interview one of the project managers individually this week, please contact Shannon Bauer at 651-290-5108 or 612-840-9453. Please do not contact Evans and Snyder directly this week or next, as they will be on a tight schedule.