Shakopee Snapshot: Winter 2023-24

Continued from page 3

“The overall goal is to get people the ser vices they need,” Ottum explained Since he began his work with the depart ment in March, more than 160 people have been referred to him for support Ottum’s job is to bridge the gap between the peo ple he’s helping and the long-term support many of them need but are unable to access without his intervention Ideally, Ottum works with community mem bers for 30 to 90 days to help stabilize their situation before transitioning them to the county Health and Human Services Depart ment for further support The police receive several calls each week that turn out to be unrelated to crime For instance, the department received a report from someone concerned about a man wan dering down the middle of a busy street No crime was being committed, but the man was acting in an unsafe manner due to untreated mental illness

That’s where Ottum comes in When a person is in mental health crisis, just researching where they can seek help might be an overwhelming, impossible task Depending on what the person is fac ing, they may even be resistant to support Because of his background in psychology and social work, Ottum is able to assess the person’s possible needs, figure out if they already have a case worker at the county, and access resources and services swiftly In one instance, Ottum was able to help a man who was struggling with alcoholism after getting out of an abusive relationship “I ended up getting him into treatment, and he’s now been sober for more than 143 days,” Ottum said “While he was inpatient, I got his rent and utilities covered for two months to make sure he could go to treatment He is 100% a success story” If Ottum encounters a community member who is resistant to support, or treatment in

How to recycle your holiday lights and trees When the holidays are over, here’s how to dispose of your lights and trees properly: HOLIDAY LIGHT RECYCLING The City of Shakopee offers free holiday light recycling through Friday, Jan 12 Drop off your holiday lights during business hours in the bins located in the entryways of City Hall and the Community Center ■ City Hall: 485 Gorman St ; open weekdays 8 a m –4:30 pm ■ Community Center: 1255 Fuller St ; open 5 a m –9 pm Monday through Friday, 6 a m –8 pm Saturdays, 8 a m –8 pm Sundays The City’s garbage and recycling hauler, DSI, picks up Christmas trees by request during the first two full weeks of January Christmas tree disposal is considered an “add-on”service and will cost a one-time fee Call DSI at 952-469-2239 or email shakopee@ dickssanitation.com prior to your regular service day to schedule a pickup Trees will not be picked up if they are placed at the curb without contacting DSI “He’s able to help people get health insur ance, food stamps, find housing He helped someone who struggled with hoarding get county services to pay for the entire clean up,” Tate said “In the long run, this is saving resources and taxpayer funds We’re able to tackle problems more effectively” DISPOSAL OF REAL CHRISTMAS TREES the case of substance abuse, he doesn’t give up easily “Sometimes it might take longer to build the rapport to get someone to trust you to do these things for them,” he explained “There’s days where people say no and swear at me and push me away, and there’s days where I go home and I’m like, ‘I finally did make an impact in somebody’s life’” According to Tate, Ottum’s work is not only helpful in creating a safe and mentally-well community, but it frees up officers to focus on crime prevention, investigations, and other daily tasks

Shakopee’s 2024 budget and tax levy could lead to decrease in city property taxes

Ensuring a vibrant community involves more than beautiful parks and fun recreation pro grams; it involves responsible fiscal manage ment to keep our city running smoothly and evolving to meet future needs As the City of Shakopee plans for 2024, it remains in a strong financial position, with a diverse tax base across various sectors By prioritizing responsible financial planning, the city contin

Give your two cents on the proposed 2024 levy and budget during a public meeting.

7 p.m. Tue., Dec. 5 Council Chambers at City Hall, 485 Gorman St.

ues its commitment to a prosperous, safe, and thriving community for all its residents The Shakopee City Council will hold a public hearing on the 2024 budget and tax levy at 7 p m Tuesday, Dec 5, followed by a vote on whether to approve the proposal TAX LEVY PROPOSAL To fund the 2024 budget, a 6 62% increase in the city’s tax levy is proposed For a median-value home of about $338,400, which saw an average 23% decrease in property value, this trans lates to a decrease of $62 annually in city property taxes Without a change in property value, median-value homeowners can expect a $38 decrease annually in their city property taxes PROPERTY VALUE CHANGES AND TAX BURDEN In the past year, there has been a shift in property value changes Commercial and industrial property values have increased significantly, reducing the share of property taxes being paid from residential properties—in other words, homeowners—in 2024 New construction also contributes greatly to the city’s overall taxable market value, reducing the tax levy’s impact on existing property taxes FINANCIAL STRENGTH AND RESPONSIBILITY The city’s robust financial position, reflected in an AA+ long-term credit rating, stems from a growing local economy, manageable debt burden, and strong financial management prac tices that include an emphasis on long-term planning This ensures the city can continue to provide quality services at reasonable costs

6 Shakopee Snapshot