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2014-08-29 Friday News - - - - N E W S The Pipeline L E T T E R August 29, 2014 Public Works Engineering Code Enforcement Public Works Parks Crew graded ball fields and fertilized the parks. Playground equipment was repaired, and the new pick-up truck was outfitted. Trash was collected form the parks, and park and trail mowing continued. Hockey rink boards were repaired at Wentworth and Friendly Hills Parks, and soccer fields were striped. They also freed a deer that was caught in a fence at the Pilot Knob site. Utilities Crew checkedlifts dailyand responded to a power outage Tuesday morning. Veronica, Culligan, and Lilydale lift stationspowered up with trailer mounted generator. They sprayed for weeds and crabgrass at Kensingtonand Friendly Hills ball fields. Sprayedtrails in the south end of the City for brush control, and inspected a sewer lateral at14 Beebe. Street Crew repaired catch basins city-wide, and put up “no u-turn” signs along Warrior Drive. Intersection sight distances were verified and trimmed based on resident calls, and they picked up an order of top soil for stockpiling. A tree was trimmed anddebris removed from city right-of-way. The Public Works Department, along with City staff, bid a fond farewell to Andy Quinlan on Wednesday. Andy has accepted a position with the City of Sartell, Minnesota, and today will be his last day working for theCity of Mendota Heights. Andy spent 6 years in full time employment with the City, and was a seasonal employee before that. His contributions to the City were both great and numerous, and he will be missed. We all wish Andy the best in his future endeavors. Engineering City Projects (construction year) Highway 13 Trail Connection (2014) – Saint Paul Regional Water Serviceis scheduled to relocate the water main on September 8th. The contractor is ready to start immediately after the water main correction.Completion is expected by the end of September. Victoria Road Reconstruction & Rolling Green Neighborhood Rehabilitation (2014/2015) –Water main replacement on Victoria is complete and the temporary water service has been removed. Construction on the southbound lane has begun and the intersection of Victoria and Caren Road is closed for the duration of the project. Rehabilitation of the Rolling Green neighborhood has begun. Storm sewer installation is ongoing in the reconstruction area, and curb and catch basin repair is underway in the rehabilitation area. Substantial completion date for this phase of the project th is September 27. Public meetings on the second phase of the project are expected in November/December of this year. Wentworth Avenue & Pilot Knob Road Trail Rehabilitation Projects (2014) – The trails on Wentworth (Wachtler to Dodd) and Pilot Knob Road (I-494 to Highway 13) will be rehabilitatedin conjunction with the Victoria and Rolling Green Neighborhood project. Tree trimming and removal along the trails is complete, and construction on the trail is anticipated later in August. Temporary parking restrictions should be anticipated during construction. Marie Avenue/I-35E Erosion Repairs (2014) – Staff has been working with MnDOT on a project to repair erosion that has taken place in the northeast quadrant of the Marie Avenue and I-35E intersection. The contract was th awarded at the August 19City Council Meeting and a pre-construction meeting is scheduled for September3rd. Construction should be complete by the end of October. Kensington Neighborhood Rehabilitation (2015) – City Council authorized staff to produce a Feasibility Report for the project. Once complete, the Feasibility Report will be presented to CityCouncil (anticipated for the th September 16meeting), and they will decide whether or not to proceed with the project design. The project is being developed at the request of the Kensington Homeowners Association. County Projects Lexington Avenue Sealcoating (2014) – Dakota County will be seal coating (chip seal) Lexington Avenue from Vail Drive to Mendota Heights road once the crosswalk and median construction is complete. This is a preventative maintenance measure to increase the life of the pavement that was put sown in 2012 as part of the mill and overlay project.Actual construction time frame has not been established. North Urban Regional Trail Greenway Realignment (2014/2015) – There has been a significant schedule changefrom previous reports on this project. Dakota County’s contractor will be building the entire trail this fall, including the section along Warrior Drive and Marie Avenue on Henry Sibley High School property. Parking on Warrior Drive will be prohibited during ndst construction(approximately September 2through October 31). For more information, please contact the Dakota County Project Manager, Chris Hartzel, at (952-891-7109, Chris.Hartzell@co.dakota.mn.us). State Projects Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Reconstruction (I-494to Highway 55 – Eagan) – This project is underway, and will reconstruct Dodd Road from the I-494 Interchange to Highway 55 in Eagan. Construction is expected to be substantially complete by the end of November. Contact the City of Eagan for more information. I-35E Guardrail Installation (2014) – MnDOT will be installing new guardrails along I-35E between Highway 13 and the Marie Avenue bridge. The work is part of a metro-wide project, and the Highway 13 portion could happen anytime between August and September of next year. Notice will be given to the City prior to work beginning. Lane closures and traffic delays should be expected during off-peak travel times. Installation work is expected to last less than 2 weeks. Other Activities MN2050 – MN2050 is as organization whosemission is to increase awarenessfor the ongoing maintenance and improvement of infrastructure. MN2050, in conjunctionwith TPT MN, is producing a series of documentaries on the state of Minnesota's infrastructure. The first episode in the series, "State of Repair Roads and Bridges,"is set to premieron September 14on TPT, Channel 2. It will be rebroadcast throughout September and will be made available on the TPT web page after the premier broadcast. Saint Paul Regional Water Service (SPRWS) – Staff met with SPRWS on Monday to begin the discussions for renewing the City’s service agreement contract for water supply and distribution system maintenance. This initial meeting was to set the milestones for the coming monthsand what actions need to take place by what date. The existing contract expires in December of 2015, and the overall goal of this process is to have a new agreement in place before the expiration of the existing one. A 29 2014 UGUST The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Interaction with Law Enforcement SERGEANT It happens to us all at some point while driving - we become distracted, lose focus, and we POLICEOFFICERS suddenly see those pretty red and blue lights flashing in our rear view mirrors. We think, “I really didn’t mean to break any laws; gosh, I’m not a criminal. Surely, this cop will it’s sees it’s only harmless me and he’ll let me go with a warning.” Well, it may not be as simple as you imagine. When you are stopped and waiting for the officer to approach, take a moment first to put your- self in the officer’s shoes. If you get a lot of police attention already, you may already be Steven versed in the proper procedure during traffic stops. However, the officer stopping you likely has no idea who you are or your intentions or actions will be greeting you. To ensure the best possible outcome for you, here are a few suggestions to help put the officer more at ease. Once you’ve pulled to the shoulder of the roadway, turn on you interior light if it is dark INVESTIGATIONS outside; this allows the officer to see if there are any immediate threats to his or her safety in the vehicle. It also shows the officer you are conscious of their safety. SCHOOLRESOURCE Do not start reaching for your proof of insurance and driver’s license yet; just keep your OFFICER hands resting on the steering wheel. You may want to be helpful, prepared and compliant, but when you are reaching around before the officer is even at your window, that officer has no idea if you are reaching for a gun or a license. SUPPORTSTAFF Don’t have a rubber neck. It may take the officer a few minutes to walk up to your vehicle as they radio the stop in and run your license plate on the computer. If you are constantly looking around for the officer, you may appear to be very nervous and anxious, heighten- ing the officer’s “Spide-y” senses. Once the officer has made contact with you, a negative attitude is not going to work in RESERVES your favor. While you may feel you are being picked on, it’s personal or they have wrecked your schedule, I assure you there is no ill intent outside of enforcement. A pleasant greeting such as, “Good evening, officer,” will go a long way. Remember that calm behavior and compliance to lawful orders will always work in your favor. CHAPLAINS The officer will tell you the reason for the stop and ask for your driver’s license and proof of insurance. Tell the officer where both items are located before you reach for them. The officer will likely shine his or flashlight and move to better see where and what you are reaching for, this is not to be nosy but to be sure you are not grabbing some thing that may hurt them. With a little understanding and patience of the officer’s concerns on your part, your encounter with the police will be as brief and pleasant as possible. Њ Formoreinformation:CLICKHERE: Ћ Family Domestic Friday 11:31 hours Officers Bobby Lambert and Chad Willson responded to a local therapy service business on a father/son domestic report. In meeting with the parties, it was determined that during their family counseling session, the father got upset with the way his son was talking to him so walked out. The son followed him out in hopes to continue the session and ended up pushing his father and they exchanged some words. Concerns the dispute may escalate, so police were called. It was arranged for the session to continue another day. Damage to Property Friday 17:48 hours Officer Todd Rosse responded to a home on an after the fact vandalism report. In meeting with the homeowners, they directed Rosse to their pickup truck and pointed out the recent damage to its passenger side rear fender flare. Rosse noticed a large scratch approximately 13 inches in length that appeared to be consistent with that of bicycle handlebars. The homeowner questioned some young neighbors to be the culprits so Rosse notified the parents of the children and they were very receptive and were going to talk with their children and if the damage was done by them, make it right. Theft Sunday 09:22 hours Officer Bobby Lambert and Chad Willson took a theft report via phone from a woman who said her purse had been stolen while at the Moose Country. She mentioned she set it down on a chair for a minute and when she went to retrieve it, it was stolen. The Coach wristlet purse contained a MN DL, Visa debit card and an Apple iPhone. Under investigation. Traffic Stop/DAS Tuesday 11:32 hours While on routine patrol, Officer John Larrive noticed a vehicle pass his squad that he had stopped earlier in the day and was cited for Driving After Suspension. The driver of the vehicle was the same person as before whom he already advised her not to drive. Larrive stopped the vehicle a second time and was asked to step out of the vehicle and grab her personal belongings as her vehicle was going to be impounded. Crowder was issued a second citation for Driving After Suspension and she was dropped off at a local gas station to get a ride. Found Bike Tuesday 12:23 hours Officer John Larrive responded to a found bike report at Ivy Falls Park. The bike was picked up and inventoried at the police department. If you are missing your bike and please call the police department so we can return it to its rightful owner. 5th Degree Drugs Thursday 0054 hours Officer Tanner Spicer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle; when the driver saw the lights, they immediately pitched something out of the window. Sign #1. Upon approaching the driver of the stopped vehicle, the driv- er was twitching, pulling hair, rubbing her head, and the passenger was equally twitchy. Sign#2. He then spotted the pipe in the back seat. Sign #3. When the driver was asked if she was high, she admitted to doing meth with her boyfriend and aunt in a hotel for three days, pointing out the meth tucked into her bra. A fe- male WSPPD officer arrived to conduct a search and indeed found meth in the bra. Driver went to jmail and was booked; formal charges pending for the driver; the passenger received a citation for his possession offenses of marijuana and paraphernalia. Closed by Arrest. Found Property Thursdsay 1139 hours Reporting party brought in a wallet they had found in the street. Contact has not yet been made with owner. Ќ ΏΗȝΑΑȡΏΗȝΑΗ2014YTD CallsforService1135314 “I Got Caught” Campaign Citations9827 The “I Got Caught” campaign rewards Warnings22640 kids “caught” wearing a helmet PoliceReports8625 while biking, scooter riding, skateboarding or in ResponseTimeAverage6.055.73 -line skating. Starting Friday, July Check out the MH Crime Map! 4, Officers will be Click below to search your neighborhood: on the lookout and https://www.raidsonline.com when local children 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 are caught practicing safe habits, they will receive a gift certificate for a free small ice cream cone at Dairy Queen. IfyouareaMendotaHeightsresidentandyouaregoingoutoftownoron vacation CarSeatSafetyChecks Please send us your positive feedback on our staff to: pdrecords@ mendota-heights.com MedicationDisposalBox Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps boost the morale of our staff. Ѝ