Apple Valley’s City Services to Withstand Shutdown; Zoo’s Fate Remains in Question

Minnesota has entered the state government shutdown that has loomed for weeks now, which will disrupt many services and leave thousands of state workers temporarily unemployed.

Most city functions and services in Apple Valley, however, will continue normally, City Administrator Tom Lawell said. Residents and businesses will even be able to get electrical inspections, which the Apple Valley City Council elected earlier this year to bring under the city’s umbrella, rather than leaving electrical inspections to the state.

“That ended up being a fortunate decision,” Lawell said.

The should also be able to operate normally, based on the services the Department of Public Safety announced would remain intact.

The biggest effect on city operations might be the inability for city departments to communicate with state employees who are temporarily laid off, Lawell said. The state Department of Labor and Industry deals with certain types of inspections, while the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency deals with permits and review for some city projects.

Applications for charitable gambling functions come through the city and go to the state, Lawell said, so those likely wouldn’t get processed either.

But each department has tried to get as many conversations finished as possible with state employees prior to the shutdown deadline, he said.

One big change within the city? The ’s gates will be closed to the public, disrupting holiday-weekend activities for many residents during the zoo’s busiest season. An 11 a.m. Friday hearing is scheduled in Ramsey County Court for a judge to hear a joint petition from the zoo and a half-dozen other entities that argue they should remain open during the shutdown.

The Music in the Zoo summer concerts at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater, however, are a go, according to the zoo and booking agency Sue McLean & Associates, and the also will be open for business.

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority buses will offer normal service, said Robin Selvig, MVTA’s customer service manager. Its fund balance would allow service to continue for 60 days into a shutdown, she said.

The Department of Motor Vehicles license bureau , unlike some in other cities, also will remain open, Lawell said. A sign on the door Thursday said services might be limited, but Lawell said there are still new license plates and tab stickers available there, and registrars and license agents can take applications for driver’s license renewals.

Despite that, locals still packed the Apple Valley license bureau parking lot, albeit small, on Thursday afternoon, many to get in before the shutdown could occur.

Apple Valley resident Ahmed Mohamed’s license plates expired Thursday, and he managed to get them renewed Thursday afternoon.

“I’ve never seen it like this before,” he said as he looked around the parking lot.

Lauren Lichty turns 21 in July and wanted to make sure she got her license renewed for the occasion, just in case. Otherwise, she probably wouldn’t have gone to the license bureau until sometime in July.

As the shutdown loomed Thursday, Lichty thought it would end up being a hassle if it actually happened.

“Everything’s on a big hold,” she said.