5.5. SR 03-14-2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEISURE TIME (continued) Ramsey County has ensured that its citizens have ample venues for their leisure time activities. For example, the County takes part in owning or operating the following recreational facilities. Many of these are centered on lakeshores and capitalize on the available water activities with swimming beaches: REGIONAL PARKS GOLF COURSES ICE ARENAS REGIONAL TRAil CORRIDORS Aldrich Biff Adams Gustafson - Phalen Harding Highland Ken Yackel-West Side Oscar Johnson Pleasant Shoreview White Bear Bald Eagle/Otter Lake Battle Creek Keller Long Lake Vadnais-Snail Lakes Goodrich Island Keller Manitou Ridge COUNTY PARKS Beaver Gervais Keller Island Tony Schmidt Josephine McCarrons Owasso Turtle White Bear Birch Lake Burlington Northern Highway 96 Rice Creek North Rice Creek West SPECIAL USE FACiliTIES Tamarack Nature Center SUMMARY Not only is Minnesota a diverse state, but unlike most other states, it relies heavily on county government to plan, administer and fund a broad range of services: Most of these services are dictated by state and federal law; however, some are established by the County Board of Commissioners. How heavily does Minnesota rely on counties for services? There is a strong belief in Minnesota that services are better determined and delivered as close to the people as possible. Local governments have always played a strong role in planning, delivering and funding local services. This allows greater accountability to the electorate for expenditures of property taxes and development of programs and services. It also ensures that decentralization and the lack of uniformity that may result are acceptable. Counties are in an ideal position to continue to promote a continuous and comprehensive system of services. In providing this leadership, counties demonstrate efficiencies and economies of scale within county boundaries. If and when some programs or services require a larger population base or geographic area, counties are very familiar with utilizing multi- county joint powers agreements to achieve broader goals. Some counties have joined together to handle waste management or to provide a nursing home facility. Simply put, counties are partners with the state and federal governments, working to meet the needs of the citizens, and trying to make better use of limited resources without raising taxes. ~ SPRINGSTED Page 11