Loading...
2015-02-13 Friday News February 13, 2015 City of Mendota Heights Weekly Update Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program DATES TO REMEMBER: February 16 City Offices closed - February 17 City Council 7:00 pm February 24 Planning Commission 7:00 pm Pipeline, Just the Facts Commission Appointments City Directory City Hall 651.452.1850 Police 651.452.1366 State of the City Address Emergency 911 2015 Paint-A-Thon - -- The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works February 13, 2015 Engineering Public Works The Parks Crew plowed the snow and ice on the cul-de-sacs, parking lots, and trails. They continue to flood and sweep the rinks daily. Trees were trimmed in Mendakota Park and the brush was chipped. They continue working on the Safety Data Sheet file. The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily and plowed the middle area of the city, trails, and bridge decks. A homeowner had trouble with their sanitary sewer APWA Leadership Academy classes were attended. on plow 304. They plowed and salted the main lines on Tuesday and scraped the streets again on Wednesday. A new cutting edge was installed on truck 308. New wing curb rubbers were installed on trucks 308 and 304. A plow truck blew out the air chamber and is down for repairs. The trucks were washed and waxed. Engineering City Projects (construction year) Highway 13 Trail Connection (2014/2015) This project is buttoned up for the winter. The contractor has removed all their equipment for the winter. The reminder of the project will be completed in the spring as soon as weather and road restriction weight limits permit. Victoria Road Reconstruction & Rolling Green Neighborhood Rehabilitation (2014/2015) The first phase of the project is complete. Design of the second phase (Marie to Lexington) is underway. A neighborhood meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 26th to discuss specific design requirements with property owners. Notices will be sent out early next week. Bidding of the project is anticipated for April with construction beginning in June. The curb line at the northeast corner of Douglas Road and Victoria will be adjusted along with the second phase of construction. County Projects Highway 110 Trail Underpass (2017) Dakota County staff will be th presenting a project update at the February 17 City Council meeting. This project proposes to construct a grade-separated pedestrian crossing of Highway 110 for the future construction of the Mendota-Lebanon Hills Greenway Trail. Dakota County has received a $1,000,000 grant from the Metropolitan Council for construction. County staff has received proposals from consulting firms for design services. Proposals are currently being reviewed and a consultant will be selected by the County Board in early March. If approved for construction, the grade-separated facility would be State Projects 2015 State Project List The list of metro projects for 2015 has been released. Projects that will have an impact on Mendota Heights include: -A sealcoat will be applied to Dodd Road (Highway 149) from The Village south to Lake Drive. -Highway 110 between Highway 13 to I-35E will receive surface pavement rehabilitation (overlay). nd -Highway 13 between 2 Street in Mendota and I-35E will be reconstructed to include new pavement, curb, gutter, and storm sewer. Other Activities American Public Works Association (APWA) Conference Committee Staff attended the planning meeting for the APWA Spring Conference in Nisswa. The committee lined up the program for the conference and confirmed speakers. Preliminary discussion of the 2015 Fall Conference began. Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (LMRWMO) - Staff attended the monthly meeting of the LMRWMO on Wednesday. Officers were elected for the 2015 year. Also, the public hearing on the th revised Watershed Management Plan was scheduled for March 11 at 2:30pm at South Saint Paul City Hall. An update on the Cherokee Heights Culvert Analysis and Erosion Control Feasibility Study was provided by the tant. The preliminary Upper Mississippi River Bacteria TMDL Implementation Plan was also discussed. This TMDL plan is aimed at reducing bacteriological contributions to the river. Interstate Valley Creek (aka Bigfoot Creek), which discharges at the Pool & Yacht Club has been classified as impaired for E. coli bacteria. The City will provide MPCA with comments on the plan next week. 1 F 13, 2015 EBRUARY The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department W 12 . U ERECENTLYMETALOCALYEAROLDWRITERPON O PÔ CHIEF THECONCLUSIONOFTHETRIALOFFFICERATRICKS , MURDERERWEASKEDHERIFSHEWOULDWRITEAN . H : ARTICLEFROMHERPERSPECTIVEEREISHERSTORY SERGEANTS LƷ Ǟğƭ ƭĭğƩǤ͵ ŷğƷ͸ƭ ƷŷĻ ĬĻƭƷ way to describe it. It was scary when I found out that a local police ocer had been shot and killed. It was surreal too, because that kind of stu only happens on TV shows and in movies. Right? Wrong. The suspect was on the run, but it was very clear that the police were doing whatever they could to take control of the situaon. I POLICEOFFICERS disnctly remember when they captured Brian Fitch Sr. It was such a relief. In the days that followed the murder I grew more and more confused. Why would someone do this? I, along with my mother and sister, aended the funeral procession of Ocer Sco Patrick. We lined the streets with many others in support of his fellow ocers and his Steven mourning family. It was incredible to see how uni ŋ ed the dierent police forces are. Not only did the police forces come together in that me, but so did the cizens of the communies. We grieved over the tragic loss of this hero. As I am twelve years old, not knowing much about the legal system, I was somewhat surprised that Brian Fitch Sr. had pleaded not guilty. Throughout the numerous news reports INVESTIGATIONS and newspaper arcles that I saw and read it had become an assumpon that he had commied the crime. There seemed to be quite enough evidence to convict him. The SCHOOLRESOURCE verdict came as no surprise to me. Guilty as charged. I agree with the decision. I truly hope that Brian Fitch Sr. realizes what he has done to the Patrick family and the community. I pray OFFICER for the Patrick family also, as this wound is one that will never heal. SUPPORTSTAFF “USE OF FORCE BY POLICE” RESERVES ͻtƚƌźĭĻ …ƭĻ ƚŅ CƚƩĭĻͼ ŷğƭ ĬĻĻƓ ğƌƌ ƚǝĻƩ ƷŷĻ ƓĻǞƭ ğƓķ ǞźķĻƌǤ ƨǒĻƭoned in the public eye. When an ocer uses force they are judged on a standard based on the unanimous US Supreme Court decision on May 15, 1989, or Graham vs Connor. The court held that all police use of force, deadly or not, is to th be judged against the US ConstuƚƓ͸ƭ Ѝ !ƒĻƓķƒĻƓƷ ǒƭźƓŭ ƷŷĻ ͻƚĬƆĻĭǝĻ ƩĻğƭƚƓğĬƌĻƓĻƭƭͼ standard. The standard is applied anyme either a seizure occurs or an ocer aempts to limit or CHAPLAINS terminate the free movement of a person. ͻwĻğƭƚƓğĬƌĻͼ źƭ Ĭğsed upon consideraon of what a reasonable police ocer would do in the same situaon. This is not the same as applying 20/20 hindsight judgment, as negave outcomes, which occur frequently, are not an oĭĻƩ͸ƭ ͻƩĻğƭƚƓğĬƌĻͼ expectaon or hope in any situaƚƓ͵ ŷĻƩĻŅƚƩĻͲ ͻƩĻğƭƚƓğĬƌĻͼ ĭƚƓƭźķĻƩğon includes of 3 elements: 1.) the facts the ocer had at the me of the acon, 2.) the amount of me available to make a decision (a split second or an hour), and 3.) the reasonable amount of force for that moment. This is a very simplisc, and oen subjecve, applicaon of an extremely complex issue, as oen there are many other factors that go into an oĭĻƩ͸ƭ ķĻĭźƭźƚƓ Ʒƚ ǒƭĻ ŅƚƩĭĻ͵ ƩǒƌǤͲ ƷŷĻ ǒƭĻ ƚŅ ŅƚƩĭĻ źƭ ğ tool to reinforce the concept of a lawabiding naon, available for ocers to reasonably enforce the law. To view some case law, check out the following link: hp://caselaw.lp.ŋ ndlaw.com/scripts/ 1 getcase.pl?court=us&vol=490&invol=386 2 Child Protection Monday 17:37 hours Officer Steve Meyer and Sergeant Peyton Fleming were dispatched to Henry Sibley High School on a child protection issue involving a student. Upon arrival, they were met by the school principal who stated a student was in fear of his father and did not want to leave school with him. The father became upset with his child and came at the child as if intending to harm him. There had been previous incidents where the father had become physical with the child so a safe home was made for the child for the night. Case referred to Dakota County Social Services. Crisis/Mental Health Friday 01:31 hours Sergeant Tanner Spicer along with Officer Todd Rosse responded to an address of an intoxicated male who was found by his wife. Officers arrived to find an extremely intoxicated male, unable to stand or speak coherently. The male admitted to using alcohol and prescription medication together for the past two days. He was unable to provide a breath sample as he had shallow breathing. A health and welfare hold was placed on the male and HealthEast arrived to transport him to the hospital. 5th Degree Drugs Friday 21:11 hours Sergeant Tanner Spicer and Officer Steve Meyer were dispatched to a local motel on a trespassing report. Upon arrival, they were met by the hotel owners who stated there were unwanted guests in two of the rooms who were not on the rental agreement and wanted them removed. Officers went to the first room to notify them that they are to leave in which they did so. They then went to the second room and the door was answered by a female who appeared to have track marks and swollen hands typically associated with narcotic use and needles. Officer Meyer then asked her when the last time she used and her reply was Ðyesterday.Ñ He then observed on the floor, a cap to a hypodermic needle. He then asked her where her kit was and she removed a kit from her purse with several items of drug paraphernalia. She was placed under arrest. Another woman was asked the same questions; she pulled out a pipe with residue from her pocket. She was placed under arrest as well. All other parties were released from the scene. Warrant Friday 23:07 hours Officer Nick Gorgos was advised by dispatch that there was a disorderly male and female at a local gas station that were arguing, throwing items on the floor and then the male left in a truck while the female walked out. Upon arrival, the gas station employee said that the female was the problem and the male was trying to diffuse the problem. Gorgos found the female walking toward Highway 55 and Mendota Heights Road. When he asked her what the problem was, she replied she was sick of the male being rude and disrespectful towards her. She said that when the store employee told them they needed to leave, she threw her donuts on the floor and left. Gorgos soon found an outstanding warrant issued from Hennepin County SheriffÓs Office for her. She was then arrested for the warrant and transported to the Dakota County Jail. DWI Sunday 15:23 hours Officer Bobby Lambert responded to an address on a check the welfare. The RP stated that a male had been asleep behind the wheel in the traffic lane for the past ten minutes. Lambert went to the location of the vehicle to find a male asleep behind the wheel and the engine running. Lambert was able to wake him verbally and when the man woke up, he witnessed bloodshot, watery eyes and an odor of alcohol. When asked if he knew where he was, he replied ÐSavage.Ñ He had trouble getting the car into park, and upon exiting the vehicle, he showed immediate signs of impairment. When male was asked if he had anything to drink, he stated, ÐI donÓt do that.Ñ He was then asked to perform field sobriety tests in which he did not pass; he was ultimately arrested for DWI and transported to Ramsey County Detox. 2 3 Ice Cream Cake Bandits Monday 12:02 hours Officer Todd Rosse responded to a Cold Stone Creamery on a theft report. Upon arrival, Officers were met by the store employee who stated there was a young juvenile male loitering in the store and when the employee went to the back for a few minutes, two cakes were found missing. The employee said the male had a container of cookies with him inside the store. Knowing it would be hard to carry two cakes and a container of cookies, four nearby trash cans were perused to look for the container with no luck. A couple of witnesses at the neighboring business saw a younger couple speed out of the parking lot and was able to obtain a person and vehicle description. Due to the description and possible direction of travel, Rosse notified the SRO at the high school to keep an eye out for the vehicle or any suspects eating cake. Theft of Gas Monday 11:05 hours Officer Bobby Lambert was dispatched to a local gas station on a theft of gas report. Upon arrival, he was met by the store employee who stated a white Honda SUV pumped $29.29 of gas and left without paying. The vehicles plate number came back as a Chrysler Town and Country minivan that was flagged ÐHeld for ResaleÑ by Fury Motors with a vehicle owner listed out of North St. Paul. Lambert was able to view video surveillance to get a suspect description. Under investigation. Minor Liquor Possession Monday 11:20 hours While on duty at Henry Sibley High School, School Resource Officer Jennifer Fordham was advised that there was a student possibly under the influence of prescription drugs while in school. The student stated he was given an unknown pill from a friend and released the name of the friend. He was located by the Assistant Principal and was found asleep in class and very hard to wake up. He was escorted to the office and admitted to taking a Zoloft and Adderall and denied taking anything else. A water bottle with a brown substance, that of whiskey, was found in his backpack. He then admitted to taking a Xanax, giving two to his friends and to possessing alcohol. He denies consuming any alcohol and a PBT did confirm that. The student was given school discipline for the possession of alcohol and being under the influence of a drug at school and issued a citation for Liquor-Possession by Person Under 21. Juvenile Assault Monday 12:46 hours Officers Bobby Lambert and Todd Rosse responded to a local middle school on an after the fact weapons call. Officers were met by the Assistant Principal who stated a juvenile male asked another juvenile male to try and sell some fake marijuana he had hidden inside a 5 Hour Energy. The male was not interested in selling it so he placed it in his locker. A short while later at recess, the two males along with another, got into a verbal argument, name calling and then the male who wanted the marijuana sold, pulled out a switch blade from his pocket and threatened them with it. The male had threatened to harm himself in the office while with his parents. His parents said he has been misbehaving and needs help. The male was suspended and may possi- bly be expelled due to the weapon offense. The bullying is also being addressed by the school. Case was for- warded to the Dakota County AttorneyÓs office for possible charges and to Child Protection for review. 4th Degree DUI Tuesday 00:19 hours Officer Nick Gorgos was on patrol when he observed a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed: 81 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. Officer Gorgos pulled the vehicle over and noticed the driver showed signs of being intoxicated including an open 9 pack of beer. Officer Gorgos performed a series of sobriety tests on the suspect and a preliminary BAC with a result of 0 .19. Officer Gorgos arrested the suspect for DWI. 3 4 ΏΑȝΏΕȡΏΑȝΐΑ2015YTD 8 WAYS TO L VE CallsforService94666 YOUR HEALTH ON VALENTINEœS DAY Citations953 1. Treat yourself and loved Warnings1140 ones to a healthy meal that includes fruits and vegetables. PoliceReports17109 2. Plan an activity that encourages physical fitness. ResponseTimeAverage4.835.35 Regular physical fitness can help control weight, reduce Check out the MH Crime Map! your risk of heart disease Click below to search your neighborhood: and increase your chance of https://www.raidsonline.com living longer. Adults need 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 2.5 hrs. of activity each week 3. If you smoke, quit smoking. 4. Celebrate American Heart Month. At least 200,000 deaths from heart disease and stroke each year are preventable. IfyouareaMendotaHeightsresidentandyouare 5. Learn the most common goingoutoftownoronvacation symptoms of a heart attack. Call 9-1-1 immediately if symptoms occur. 6. Prevent the spread of germs by washing your hands and avoiding contact with someone who is sick. 7. Limit alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that harm your health. CarSeatSafetyChecks 8. Don’t let Valentine’s Day plans stress you out. Learn to cope with stress and engage in health activities including getting enough sleep. Please send us your positive MedicationDisposalBox feedback on our staff to: pdrecords@ mendota-heights.com Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps boost the morale of our staff. 4 HAVE A SAFE WEEK!