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The Mighty Oak Meets Road Construction
There are sixteen slabs of wood drying in Dan Malone’s garage on Strawberry Lane.
They’re all that’s left of a 250 to 300-year-old oak that stood on his property until the city of Shorewood decided it needed to come down.
Policing by the numbers: The SLMPD budget
The South Lake Minnetonka Police Department Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) dictates the management and funding of the department.
The JPA follows good governance principles like shared decision-making, but falls short on transparency and accountability.
August 10, 2026 Shorewood Council Meeting 4 Minute Recap
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– Highway 7 Safety Study
– Excelsior Fire District Budget:
– South Lake Minnetonka Police Budget
Flock Safety: A National Citizen Revolt
When SCA first covered Shorewood’s Flock ALPR cameras in fall 2025, few other examples of citizen resistance existed.
That has changed. Citizen pressure, not policy handed down from above, is now driving the shift away from Flock nationwide.
Monitoring Driver Behavior on Hwy 7
SCA first noted the curiosity generated by an orange trailer-like apparatus that appeared in Feb. 2025 along Hwy 7 near Excelsior.
The structure remains, originally as part of a $450,000 grant awarded to the then newly formed Highway 7 Safety Coalition.
July 27, 2026 Shorewood Council Meeting 3 Minute Recap
Some items of interest from the Shorewood council meeting:
– SLMPD 2027 Budget Proposal
– Pavement Management Plan
– Club Lane Demolition Assessment
Resident Voices and Council Leadership Lead to Better Decisions
Good local government isn’t just about elected officials making decisions—it’s about residents, city staff, and council members working together to solve problems.
Shorewood has seen resident participation and thoughtful questions from council members result in collaborative outcomes.
Dispute: One Mayor, Two Committees
A year-long dispute between the member cities of the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department Coordinating Committee came to a head at the June 6 meeting.
The issue: Is Greenwood Mayor Tom Fletcher violating the SLMPD Joint Powers Agreement by serving on both of the SLMPD governing committees?
