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(Mayor’s Corner is a regular feature where Carver County mayors share updates, insights, and messages with their communities. Carver Mayor Courtney Johnson is providing this week’s edition.)

September is here! With school back in session and the days growing shorter, we know summer is winding down.

But in Carver, summer doesn’t officially end until Steamboat Days. This year’s celebration is Sept. 5–7. You can find the full schedule of events at CarverSteamboatDays.com.  

Here are my updates for September: 

Night to Unite Food Drive — I am excited to share the city of Carver WON the inaugural Night to Unite Food Drive Challenge! Thanks to the 750 pounds of food donated by Carver residents and a very generous cash donation from the Carver Lions, we surpassed Chaska, Chanhassen and Victoria in this friendly competition. The real winner, however, was Bountiful Basket Food Shelf and the families they serve. Thank you to all who participated!

2026 Budget — We’ve been working throughout the summer on the building blocks of the city’s 2026 budget. By the end of this month, the City Council must set the preliminary levy, a.k.a. the “not to exceed” amount that serves as the basis for the property tax statements you’ll receive this fall. To learn more about the preliminary 2026 budget, visit the Resident’s Budget Guide at CityOfCarver.com.

Purchase Agreement — Last month, the City Council and I unanimously approved a $715,000 ($32,500/acre) purchase agreement on approximately 22 acres for a future (date TBD) Public Services facility. The land (property ID #04.0260300) is located directly west of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife trailhead where the restrooms are located off CR11 where it jogs south on the way to Jordan.

We anticipate closing on this property on or before Dec. 15, 2025. After that, the next steps in the process include design development to further define the scope and overall cost of a future project and continuing public engagement in this process. I continue to welcome feedback on this project, which can be shared either via email or at CityOfCarver.com/434/Public-Services-Space-Needs.

Mayor’s Office Hours — On Saturday, Sept. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon I’ll be holding my quarterly office hours in the Broadway Room at City Hall. That’s the Saturday morning of Steamboat Days, so if you’re downtown for any of the events, please stop by and say “hi.”

Hike to the Cheese Cave — Join me on Sunday, Sept. 14, for a hike to Carver’s storied Cheese Cave. This will be a roughly two-mile hike on an unpaved trail, which includes steep hills and areas of thick underbrush. We’ll meet at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of Community Park (800 6th Street West) and begin our hike there. If the weather looks less than ideal, check Facebook.com/CarverMayorCourtney or call/text me at 612.702.7703 for updates!

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about something from this monthly update or anything that’s going on in the community, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Stay connected, be informed and get involved. See you at Steamboat Days!

Mayor Courtney Johnson; CJohnson@CityOfCarver.com; Cell: 612.702.7703