Anoka is a suburban city of 18,000+ people located at the confluence of the Rum and Mississippi Rivers northwest of the Twin Cities. It is about 18 miles from Minneapolis and 25 miles from St. Paul. Anoka is located in one of the fastest growing counties in Minnesota with a population over 300,000.
The City of Anoka was settled in 1844 and formally incorporated as a City in 1878. In 1914, the City adopted the Council-Manager form of government and has operated under this system ever since. The council is the policy making body for the City, and the City Manager serves as the chief executive officer. The mayor presides at City Council meetings and has equal voting rights with council members. The mayor does not have veto power. The mayor also serves as the city¹s representative for civic occasions. The City Manager is responsible for the day to day operations of the city and carrying out council policies. The City Manager serves at the discretion of the council for an indefinite term. The City Council is composed of four council members and a mayor, all of which are elected at large. Tim Cruikshank serves as the City Manager and heads a staff of approximately 110 full time employees. Anoka City Hall is open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. A number of citizen boards and commissions serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council. As vacancies occur on these boards, advertisement is made for new members and appointments are made by the City Council. All members serve without compensation. The City of Anoka provides a full array of municipal services. The Police Department is one of only three departments in Minnesota accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The Department consists of 27 full-time officers and 8 support personnel. The Anoka Fire Department was organized in 1878 and merged in 1985 to become the Anoka-Champlin Fire Department serving the two cities.
Anoka operates its own golf course (Greenhaven), two municipal liquor stores and two cemeteries. In addition, Anoka has operated its own electric utility since 1909 which means lower electric rates for residents.
"At 127 years old, Anoka is a place of tradition where you can work, shop, and live. I proudly say that there is no other city I'd rather call my own." ~ Mayor Bjorn Skogquist
Because Anoka is a community where the Rum and the Mississippi Rivers come together, it provides unlimited water recreation opportunities to its residents. At the confluence of these rivers, the community provides a historic park that connects a trail system throughout the City to active areas in the central business district, county fairgrounds, Anoka Ice Arena and golf course. There are thirty other parks and playgrounds, with four major park complexes which include a lit and supervised sliding hill, 31 ballfields, 16 tennis courts, 12 municipal buildings, an indoor pool, a new outdoor aquatic center and senior citizen activity center.
Anoka draws its water from seven municipal wells and has three storage tanks with a capacity of 1.4 million gallons. Anoka's sewage is treated by the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission.
Anoka is served by the Quad Cities Cable TV s system which is owned and operated by Media One Cable Company. Anoka is in Anoka Hennepin School District 11, which is the second largest in Minnesota.
Within the City of Anoka are four elementary schools, two middle schools, a parochial school, a senior high school, and the Anoka -Hennepin Technical College.
Greenhaven is home to the University of St. Thomas MBA Program. Housing opportunities in Anoka range from stately historic older homes to beautiful executive housing along the rivers. Several quad-home and townhome developments serve the needs of young families and individuals. For the renter, there is a generous supply of apartment complexes available along with buildings designed specifically to meet the needs of senior citizens.
Over 500 businesses are located in Anoka ranging from in-home offices to major international corporations. The major employers in the City include: Federal Cartridge Company, Hoffman Enclosures Inc., Lakeland Tool & Engineering Company, Mate Precision Tooling, Copper Sales, and Rural Community Insurance Services. In addition, the Metro Regional Treatment Center, Anoka County, District 11 Schools and the City of Anoka offer many job opportunities. There are over 14,000 jobs in the City. Throughout its history, Anoka has been involved in promoting economic development. Currently, efforts are focused upon housing rehabilitation, commercial redevelopment and historic preservation of the Central Business District.
Development will continue in and around Anoka due to several development trends: metropolitan expansion, the Twin Cities to St. Cloud corridor growth and overall Anoka County Growth.
