The city is facing unprecedented budget shortfalls. As Mayor Wilcox stated in his State of the City address recently…… Out of a total budget of roughly $5 million, we cut about $545,000 since June. We can no longer eat into reserves and capital programs, we chose to down size city government to a level we can sustain with more reliable but modest property taxes. Unhappily but by necessity those budget reductions will cut deeply into our city staff. It will affect all departments from engineering to police. This means slower service delivery, fewer flower beds, less frequent park mowings, and a cut to Klapprich and Margaret Circle ice maintenance. We do not expect this to be a one-year event that we will quickly bounce back from.

So what can you do?
However, happily there is a Park and Rec volunteer group (www.wayzataparkandrec.org) led by Wayzata resident Scott Tripps and I am also intimately involved in this program. Partnering with local business we have placed donation jars at Sports Hut, Original Pancake House, Lindbloom Jewelers, Bob’s Shoe Repair, Wayzata Home Laundry, Wayzata Bar and Grill, and Wayzata Wine and Spirits. We are also accepting volunteers to help maintain the rink on the weekend and would welcome your support. Let me know if you are interested. I am hopeful by the first week of January we will raise $3,000 dollars to help with maintenance of Klapprich, sadly the Margaret Circle rink will not be flooded this year. I welcome any other ideas that you may have to help address this issue.

Donations can be sent to:

“WAYZATA PARK AND REC.”
PO BOX 31
WAYZATA, MN 55391

Have a wonderful Holiday season and best wishes for 2010.

Best,

Andrew Mullin