Welcome
"The small, friendly city at the top of the St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota metro area," is adjacent to Minneapolis. Its location affords residents and businesses easy access to the Twin Cities via the nearby freeway system and two major highways as well as all the benefits of a well-established first-ring suburb.
News and Events
City of Excellence Award
The City of Columbia Heights recently received a 2010 City of Excellence Award for cities of 5,000-19,999 in population. The award was in recognition for the City’s efforts in “Preserving City Services” and received from the League of Minnesota Cities in June.
As state aid has decreased, the City of Columbia Heights has formed strategic partnerships to undertake projects that would otherwise not be funded. These projects included the design and construction of the Hylander gymnasium, the updating and improvement of local playground equipment, and the implementation and expansion of youth outreach programs by the Columbia Heights Police Department. Partners have included Columbia Heights School District 13, local businesses, and Anoka County.
“By finding creative ways to fund these projects, the City was able to maintain and even increase services to residents while improving community livability,” according to a spokesperson from the League of Minnesota Cities which presented a 2010 City of Excellence Award to Columbia Heights in June.
The awards recognize accomplishments that enhance the vitality and quality of life in Minnesota cities. Winners are chosen in each of three general population categories. Columbia Heights was the first-place winner in the population category of 5,000 to 19,999. In addition to a commemorative plaque and special recognition at the League of Minnesota Cities Annual Conference, the city received $1,000.
City of Columbia Heights 2010 General Election Candidates
Mayor:
Gary L. Peterson – incumbent
Bob Odden
Council member (two seats)
Stan Hoium
Tami Diehm - incumbent
Donna Schmitt
Bruce Kelzenberg – incumbent
These candidates will be on the November 2, 2010 General Election.
GENERAL ELECTION
The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Absentee Ballot applications may be obtained by calling 763-323-5275.
2010 Election Information
Primary Election Results
Police Picnic
The Columbia Heights Police Department hosted two picnics for residents in 2010. The 2010 picnics were a great way for the police department to promote communication with residents in their neighborhoods. For highlights of both picnics, please follow the link below.
Police Community 2010 Picnics
2010 City Construction Updates:
GATEWAY PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
The City of Columbia Heights will be reconstructing the pedestrian bridge over TH 65 or Central Avenue at 49th Avenue during the spring and summer of 2010. Click on the attached link below to see drawings of how the new bridge will look along with bridge lighting. Project updates will also be provided detailing the progress on the construction of bridge – click on the attached link below.
Gateway Pedestrian Bridge
Garbage and Recycling changes Jan. 1
The City of Columbia Heights entered into a new residential garbage/recycling contract with Veolia Environmental Services that began on January 1, 2010. Below is the link for the refuse and recycling collection schedule map for the city along with a calendar that depicts the recycling collection schedule (every other week).
Garbage and Recycling Schedule Map
You can follow this link to
Veolias website, or contact them via e-mail a the following address:
ColumbiaHeights-SW@VeoliaES.com
The City Of Columbia Heights Seeks To Increase Residential Recycling
The City of Columbia Heights and Veolia Environmental Services are taking steps to increase recycling collected under the new contract. There are several financial benefits for this renewed effort besides the environmental impact. Trash disposal costs for solid waste increased from $38 per ton to $52 per ton at the Anoka County approved site in Elk River. The more recyclable materials that are put in the recycling bin rather than the trash will lower the overall cost of disposal. Further, the City has a 60% revenue share, after processing costs, on the value of recyclables collected every month by Veolia. The more recyclable materials collected, the larger our revenue share. Finally, as residents increase their recycling efforts, they may notice a decrease in refuse making it possible to switch to a smaller and less expensive garbage container service. The City of Columbia Heights is currently taking action to make recycling more convenient for residents. A major change is utilizing singe-sort containers and moving the recycling collection to the same spot as refuse collection, especially for the alleys. Also, each recycling container has a lid that will make storing recycling materials more convenient. Veolia Environmental Services would like to thank all residents for their patience and cooperation during the transition to Veolia refuse/recycling services and invites questions and ideas for recycling by calling customer service at 763-225-8705.
Down Payment Assistance Program
The City of Columbia Heights is now offering down payment assistance for foreclosed homes. For more information, please read the flyer pertaining to the Make Heights Your Home program..
Abandoned Property Ordinance
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Abandoned Property Ordinance can be found here.
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