276kThe City of Hopkins and the Hopkins School District will be holding a General Election to elect a mayor, two city council members, and four school board members on November 6, 2007. Polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm on Election Day. Please take the time to register to vote before October 16, 2007. If you do not have a chance to register before Election Day, you may register at the polls.
Registering To Vote
You may register with one of these IDs if it contains your current name and address in the
precinct.
- Valid Minnesota Driver’s License or Learner’s Permit or receipt for either showing current
name and address in the precinct - Valid Minnesota identification card or receipt showing current name and address in precinct
- Tribal ID issued by the tribal government by a tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, US Dept of the Interior containing the name, address in the precinct, signature
and picture of individual - Notice of Late Registration card mailed by election headquarters within the two weeks
prior to election day, showing name & address of voter in the precinct - Prior registration in the same precinct if voter has moved within the same precinct
- Voter voucher: Voucher by another voter of the same precinct may vouch for a limit of
15 voters—oath of a pre-registered voter in the same precinct or of a voter who registers
in the same precinct on Election Day with one of the other authorized identifications. A
voter who is vouched for cannot vouch for another voter. - Employee voucher: Voucher on a Certified List of Employees of a Residential Facility from
a facility within the precinct - may vouch for an unlimited number of people – Facilities
must provide the Certified List of Employees to election officials 20 days prior to the election.
If you do not have one ID that contains your current name and address in the precinct, you
can register with one approved photo ID AND one approved utility bill. The photo ID must
contain your current name, photo, and old address or no address (MN Driver’s License, MN
State ID, MN post-secondary Student ID, Tribal ID, U.S. Military ID, U.S. Passport). The utility
bill (cable television, electric, gas, phone , sewer, solid waste, or water) must contain your
current name, current address in precinct, and be due within 30 days before or after the
election day.
Absentee Voting
Absentee ballots will be available beginning October 5, 2007. To request an application for
an absentee ballot, visit or call City Hall at 952-935-8474 (Monday—Friday, 8 am—4:30
pm) through November 5. You will receive your ballot upon completing the application and
returning it to City Hall. Absentee voting can be done in person at City Hall or by mail. City
Hall will be open from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday, November 3 and until 5 pm on Monday,
November 5 for absentee voting. If you have any questions about voting, you may call Terry
Obermaier, City Clerk, at 952-548-6304.
Fire Department Offers Open House
In conjunction with Fire Prevention Week (October 7-13), the Hopkins Fire Department will be holding an open house on Saturday, October 13, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Hopkins Fire Station (101 17th Ave S). Stop by for a ride in the fire truck, free t-shirts and fire helmets for the kids, and free food and drink. Adults—be a firefighter for a day and practice fighting fire in a burn trailer.
At the September 4 City Council meeting, the City Council approved a proposed tax levy of $9,223,377, which is a 4.74% increase over 2007, yet represents a rate decrease of 1.53% due to the overall market growth in Hopkins tax base. The increase is a result of increased demand for City services and increases in the City’s debt levies.
The City Council also approved a preliminary balanced budget for 2008 of $9,589,349, which is an increase of 3.45% over 2007. Budgeted expenditures rose as demand for City services increased, especially for police and fire services. Other factors impacting the 2008 budget include inflationary increases for fuel, fuel-related products, property, and liability insurance and utilities.
A public hearing is set for December 3 at 6:30 pm. The public is invited to attend and provide input.
Healthy Aging Opportunities at the Hopkins Activity Center
Aerobics: Focus Is You!
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9 am
Senior Men’s Volleyball
Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:30 am
Free Blood Pressure Screenings
Tuesdays, Oct 2 & 16, 10:15-11:15 am
Foot Care
Thursday, Oct 11, 12:30 - 3 pm
Flu Shot Clinic
Monday, Oct 29, 1 - 3 pm
For more information or to register, contact the Hopkins Activity Center at 9529-939-1333. The Hopkins Activity Center is located at 33 14th Ave N.
Residents can choose to reuse and help reduce the volume of waste thrown away by supporting businesses and organizations in our community that provide opportunities to rent, repair, resell, consign, trade, sell bulk, and exchange used goods.
Hennepin County has partnered with 80 businesses and organizations to offer discount coupons to popular shops include Goodwill Stores, Plato’s Closet, Play It Again Sports, and many more. Customers may pick up a “Save Cash, Save the Planet! Get Great Stuff” Choose To Reuse Month Coupon Book at Hopkins City Hall, the Public Works Offices, the Depot Coffee House, Hopkins Activity Center, or the Family Resource Center. Coupon books are also available at Hennepin County Services Centers and Libraries, all Three Rivers Park District locations, and online at www.hennepin.us, search “Choose To Reuse Month.” Helping the environment has never been so much fun!
Free Leaf & Yard Waste Pick Up
The City will be picking up leaf and yard waste free of charge for a limited time this fall. Locate your neighborhood below to plan for your free pick up.
Bellgrove, Hobby Acres, Park Ridge, and Interlachen Park Residents
The City provides free street leaf and yard waste pick-up in the your area using front-end loaders and dump trucks. Pick up in these areas will be October 30–November 2.
Bellgrove: Monday, October 29
Interlachen Park: Tuesday, October 30 (Meadowbrook Rd up to and including Interlachen Rd)
Park Ridge: Wednesday, October 31
Hobby Acres: Wednesday, October 31
Interlachen Park: Thursday, November 1 (Interlachen Rd to Blake Rd)
Place leaves in loose piles (unbagged) in the street along the curb line. Leaves should be placed on the street no later than 7:00 am on your scheduled pick up day and no earlier than the day before your scheduled pick up day. There will not be free yard waste bag pick up in these neighborhoods. Collection of bags with stickers will resume November 6 through November 30 (weather permitting).
5th Ave N, County Roads 73 and 5, and Blake Rd Residents
Due to County restrictions and high traffic levels, residents will have free leaf and yard waste bag pick up October 15–November 15. Collection of bags with stickers will resume November 19–November 29, weather permitting.
All Other City Service Area Residents
Free fall leaf/yard waste pick-up of bagged material will be October 15–November 15. Collection of bags with stickers will resume November 19 through November 29, weather permitting.
NOTE: For all community areas, before or after the scheduled free pick up dates, yard waste stickers must be affixed to bags. Bags of leaf and yard waste in all City service areas are collected on the same day as regular refuse. Pick up of bags with yard waste stickers will continue through November 29, weather permitting.
Yard Waste Stickers
Yard waste stickers are $2.00 each and must be affixed to each bag as payment for pick up. Stickers must be visible from the street or alley. Stickers may be purchased at City Hall or Public Works. A minimum of ten stickers must be ordered to purchase stickers by phone (952-939-1382). Stickers will be sent via mail and the fee will be added to your utility bill.
Yard Waste/Brush Drop Off
The yard waste and brush drop off site will remain open Wednesdays from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Saturdays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm through October 27.
From November 3 through December 1, the site will only be open on Saturdays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, weather permitting.
The Dungeons of Darkness and Doom, a theatrical haunted house that takes visitors on a journey through over a dozen rooms of mayhem and madness, opens October 17. The
Dungeons is a joint project of the Hopkins Area Jaycees, the Main Street School of Performing Arts, and Evilhill Productions. For dates, times and location, visit www.evilhill.net.
Refuse collection is October 1–4, 8–11, 15–18, 22–25 and 29–November 1.
Recycling collection is October 1–4, 15–18 and 29–November 1.