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2011-06 Summer Heights Highlights
Heights Highlights MENDOTA HEIGHTS GOVERNMENT NEWS When the Weather Turns Severe In Minnesota and around the nation the frequency and severity of the weather has become an increasing concern. We would like to take this time to remind all residents of what to do in the event the weather takes a turn for the worse. Outdoor warning sirens have been around for many years and are sometimes referred to as tornado sirens or civil defense sirens. The City of Mendota Heights currently has five outdoor warning sirens. In 2010 the city sounded the warning sirens to alert residents of severe weather a total of six times. Over the years, our partners at the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, the Dakota Communications Center and the National Weather Service have worked hard to reduce the warning area, so that sirens are only sounded for areas actually being impacted by severe weather. What does this mean for you? When you hear a siren, it is an indicator to immediately find shelter inside a safe structure, and to turn on a radio or television for details regarding the meaning of the siren’s warning. The sirens and our increasingly more accurate system ensure the best possible safety for you and your loved ones. Please do not hesitate to act immediately upon hearing the warning. On occasion we may use the sirens for more than just severe weather, such as in the case of a chemical leak. Sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. Have a restful and safe summer and remember when you hear a siren at any other time, get indoors and seek additional details on what you need to do to in the event of the severe weather that we sometimes see in Minnesota during the spring and summer months. SUMMER 2011 : Issue 88 INSIDE... Mayor’s Message ...2 Hands Up! Hands On! ...3 Emergency Telephone Notification ...3 Summer = Road Construction ...4 Help Protect Our Lakes, Streams and Ponds ...5 Fun in the Summer Sun ...7 Photo Contest Winners ...8 A small town feel in an urban setting 2 : HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS : 3 MAYOR’S MESSAGE Welcome Spring and Summer Mayor Sandra Krebsbach With spring and summer well under way let us take a walk through parks, open space and athletic teams in Mendota Heights. Youth athletic associations have taken to the fields: the Mendota Heights Athletic Association (MHAA) provides T-ball, softball, baseball and soccer programs, and the Sibley Area Sting provides competitive soccer. Each generation of parents have coached, scheduled, brought refreshments or carpooled to these events, forming relationships that are the bond which continues to build this city. The games are played in parks across our community. The Parks and Recreation Commission advises the city council on the parks, making recommendations on the use of the Special Parks Fund for improvement projects. The fund comes from park dedication fees on new development. Revenue from cellular antenna on the water tower is also applied to parks purchases. The city employs a part time recreation programmer, who plans and schedules recreational activities for the summer months and school breaks. Our public works department maintains the parks and the staff does an excellent job of keeping the city beautiful. There are eight neighborhood parks in addition to Mendakota Park with four ball fields and open space where the annual Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks event is held. This year the event was met by a beautiful sunny day and was another great success! Rogers Lake Park features a fishing pier and a skateboard park. The Fishing Derby at Rogers Lake Park will be held on September 11, 2011, with prizes and good size fish. Market Square Park in the Village at Mendota Heights is a public park frequently used for summer concerts and serving as the home of the annual Mendota Heights 5K Walk/Run. Maintenance for Market Square Park is taken care of through the commercial property’s association. The Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course is managed as an enterprise that is required to cover operations and improvements through greens fees, lessons and concessions. Seasonal employees are hired to maintain the grounds and to staff the clubhouse. Be sure to bring friends and family for a round of golf at the Par 3 or stop by the clubhouse for refreshments. Pilot Knob is a historically significant Mendota Heights open space. The 25 acres of land, acquired through partnerships with other governments and non-profit entities, are protected in perpetuity. The city is restoring the site to Oak-Savannah. Great River Greening, a local non-profit specializing in natural area restorations, currently holds the contract for property maintenance. The Dodge Nature Center Preserve, the open space along Highway 110 adds to the natural and open feel of our community. The Dodge Nature Center is an independent non-profit that owns and manages the property in Mendota Heights and West St. Paul. It is a legacy of the Dodge family and the Lilly family. You may not know that Fort Snelling State Park is in Mendota Heights. The city boundary extends into the river valley and includes the park. It is state property managed by the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Please enjoy this extraordinary combination of parks and open space. Thank you to those who provided them and to those who care for them. Have a great summer! It was so good to see all of you at the Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks events. Hands Up! Hands On! Mendota Heights and West St. Paul Fourth Annual Citizens Police Academy is set for September 15, 2011 to November 10, 2011 on Thursday evenings 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Citizens Police Academy is a nine week course designed to give citizens a working knowledge of the operations and responsibilities of the Mendota Heights and West St. Paul Police Departments. Students will be given hands on instruction in criminal investigations, police patrol procedures, use of force/firearms and field sobriety testing. The Citizens Police Academy is open to all residents or business owners in Mendota Heights and West St. Paul. This is our fourth year and the program continues to excel as students from each graduating class contribute to the design of the next academy. Our officers look forward to working with and getting to know citizens outside of their normal law enforcement work environment. Come be a part of the Hands Up! Hands On! 2011 Citizens Police Academy. You can find a copy of the 2011 brochure and application on the Mendota Heights website: www.mendota-heights.com Emergency Telephone Notification The Mendota Heights Police Department has teamed up with the Dakota Communications Center (911 Center) to implement the CodeRed© high speed notification system. This system can send recorded messages to telephones in targeted areas within the county at the rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour. Examples of notification events are hazardous material spills, pandemic outbreaks or missing persons. The entire county is covered by the system, which has been successfully utilized for a handful of notifications over the past two years. It is our goal to be very judicious in the system’s use. The system uses the 9-1-1 database and other sources for its notification lists, but no one should assume that their information is included. You may opt to include multiple contacts numbers, and may remove information that you enter at any time. If you have not yet registered please go to http://www.mn-dcc.org/ and click on the CodeRed© link. Registering will take less than five minutes. Please take the time to ensure you will receive notifications about emergency situations that may impact YOU! Sit, stay, register! City code requires all dogs to be licensed within thirty (30) days of finding their new home in Mendota Heights. Licensing protects the community by ensuring dogs are properly vaccinated, for the safety of residents and other pets. A dog license may also help police or animal control officers locate and identify your dog to return it home safely. The city council recently approved new dog licensing renewal dates. In the past, the license period was effective June of each year. The new license period will run on the calendar year of January 1 through December 31. Current licenses will not expire until December 31, 2011. Application for licenses may be made sixty (60) days prior to the start of the licensing year. Fees are $5 for a spayed or neutered dog and $10 for a dog that is unaltered. Proof of rabies vaccine is required to obtain a dog license. Please remember whether in your yard or at our lovely parks, please be courteous and always clean up after your pets! Welcome New Commissioners! The city council appointed residents to serve on the city’s advisory commissions in February of 2011. The commissioners appointed were from a highly qualified pool of applicants. Mayor Krebsbach noted that we are fortunate to have such talent in Mendota Heights. Welcome commissioners: Airport Relations Commission: Gina Norling, James Neuharth and Kevin Byrnes. Planning Commission: Mary Magnuson, Howard Roston and Michael Noonan. Parks and Recreation Commission: David Miller, Stephanie Levine and Mary McGrory-Usset. As we welcome the new commissioners, we wish to acknowledge and thank those who have completed their service on city commissions: Liz Petschel, Joe Hennessey, Lyle Odland, Mike Povolny, Bruce McManus, Joe Lally, Maureen Sullivan-Brackey and Paul Portz. Citizens wishing to serve on advisory boards may apply for openings annually. Advisory commission agendas and meeting minutes are posted on the city’s website at www.mendota-heights.com. 4 : HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS : 5 People who live and work in Mendota Heights appreciate our lakes, streams and ponds. We all have a role in protecting those water bodies to keep them healthy, aesthetically pleasing and enhance their function to help control storm water. Here are a few things you can do to help protect our water: Fertilize smart by applying phosphorus-free fertilizer. Phosphorus feeds weeds and algae in lakes and ponds. Make sure to sweep up fertilizer that spills onto hard surfaces which can get into the storm drain and ultimately to our ponds and lakes. Grass - do not blow it off! Remove grass clippings and leaves from the street. Clippings and leaves that end up in the storm sewer can be carried to ponds and lakes. Yard waste contains nutrients that feed algae and other aquatic plants. Leave your clippings on your lawn, compost them, or bag them up and bring them to a proper disposal site. Scoop the poop. The longer pet waste remains, the more likely portions or all of it may be washed into lakes and streams. Not only can this cause illnesses, but pet waste contains nutrients which lead to excessive algae and weed growth in ponds and lakes. Keep a healthy lawn with three easy steps. Aerate your lawn which helps loosen soil, seed bare patches to prevent erosion and mow at a higher setting (two and a half to three inches). These actions help develop deeper, healthier roots that have a competitive advan- tage over weeds, require less chemical application, and slow down runoff. Adopt a storm drain. Keep storm drains free of leaves, trash, seeds, and grass clippings. Storm drains are directly connected to the nearest pond or lake and are often unfiltered. Water running into storm drains can carry anything dumped nearby including leaves, grass, sediment, oil and chemicals. Keeping storm drains clear will protect the water quality of nearby ponds and lakes. Get back to nature by replacing high-maintenance lawn with low- maintenance plants and grasses. Native plants develop deeper root structures than turf, reducing runoff and allowing for better wa- ter infiltration. More information on designing a native garden is available at www.bluethumb.org. Create a buffer if you own shore land on a pond or lake. The City of Mendota Heights recommends a minimum twenty five foot veg- etated buffer between maintained yard and the water’s edge. Help Protect our Lakes, Streams and Ponds • Trees are discouraged, as they shade out other plants which stabilize the soil. • Existing trees (even dead ones) cannot be removed unless permitted by the city. • The only mowing should be in maintaining native plants. • Landscaping mulch, rock or other landscape material is not allowed in a wetland buffer. Consider replacing noxious and invasive non-native plants with native plants suited for wetland areas. • Herbicides should be used sparingly and must be done in strict accordance with product guidelines. • Composting or disposing of leaves and grass is not allowed in a wetland buffer. The following recommendations will help your buffer area function: Summer = Road Construction It is often said that Minnesota has two seasons: winter and road construction. The following projects are planned for the 2011 construction season. Access for residents will be maintained although we hope to limit additional traffic through the project areas. City, County and State projects include: Wagon Wheel Trail Reconstruction Construction estimated June through September will include new pavement, road base and installation of storm sewer with curb and gutter. Knollwood Neighborhood Rehabilitation Construction estimated June through October will include crack sealing and sealcoating and pertain to the following: Knollwood Lane (partial), Ivy Lane, Upper Colonial Drive, Lower Colonial Drive, Cherry Hill Road (partial), and Farmdale Road (partial). The following streets will include full pavement replacement: Knollwood Lane (partial), Medora Road, Medora Court, and Knollwood Court. Delaware Avenue Reconstruction Construction estimated June through September in which Delaware Avenue will be reconstructed to include a center turn lane for left turns, installation of new storm sewer with curb and gutter and a new pavement surface and road base. Traffic will be detoured during construction with access to Henry Sibley High School from Warrior Drive. I-35E and Highway 13 Interchange Ramp Traffic Signal Installation Construction estimated for July includes placing traffic signals at the exit/entrance ramps to I-35E from Highway 13. I-35E Pavement Repair, Replacement, and Resurface Construction estimated July through November includes repairing the driving surface of I-35E from Lone Oak Road in Eagan to Highway 5 in Saint Paul. Although most of the work on this project is anticipated to be completed at night in order to minimize traffic impacts, residents should expect periodic lane and ramp closures. RECREATION www.mendota-heights.com 6 : HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS : 7 Simple Steps is Back for Another Fun and Healthy Season in Mendota Heights! Simple Steps is a free walking program that fits almost everyone’s lifestyle. Boost energy and reduce stress while walking in your community with friends, family and co- workers. Join the thousands of people that live or work here that have been enjoying the Simple Steps program since 2007. You will learn about great new places to walk and be entered to win prizes all the while tracking your minutes walked. Register online before July 15, 2011 at www.dakotacounty.us (search for “Simple Steps”) or call 651-554-6100. Fun in the Summer Sun 2011 Summer Playgrounds 2011 The Summer Playground Program is back for the summer and will be held at Mendakota Park. This popular program is sure to be a highlight of your child’s summer vacation! The morning sessions are for youth age four to seven, are held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and cost $30.00. Afternoon sessions are for youth age seven through ten, are held from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and cost $45.00. The summer playground program is held on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. Happy Trails and Tails! Week of June 20, 2011 Discover our nearby parks and trails, us- ing a compass and GPS to find our way. The week’s adventures will include camp songs, crafts, games, treasure and scaven- ger hunts, a K9 dog demonstration and a speaker on pet care and animal safety. Mendota Heights Police Department will meet with the kids and talk about safety on our bicycles and trails. Sports, Games and More! Week of June 27, 2011 Get your body moving and your mind thinking while playing every sport under the sun and shade including team & in- dividual sports, on court & off and even some board games. Nature and Fishing! Week of July 11, 2011 Get back to nature as you learn about the environment including fish and their habitat. Water Works! Week of July 18, 2011 A week packed full of water and time to get wet! Bring your suit each day and we will have BUCKETS of water fun! Funtastic Favorites! Week of July 25, 2011 In our final week staff will take the most popular games and activities from the summer playground program and combine them into one FUNTASTIC week. We promise you more fun than a barrel of monkeys! Summer Field Trips Come and join us for our famous summer field trips and get to know all the Twin Cities have to offer in the way of adventure and fun! All trips are chaperoned and bus transportation will be provided (with the exception of the West Saint Paul pool day). Please note the deadline to register is the Tuesday prior to the event date. June 30, 2011 Valleyfair Youth age ten and up $30.00 Join us at one of the Twin Cities best amusement parks featuring Powertower, Renegade, Steel Venom and Excalibur! Please bring money along for lunch and do not forget to pack your swimsuit, towel and sunscreen for fabulous water park fun! July 14, 2011 Cascade Bay Youth age eight and up $17.00 We will spend the day at this great Eagan water park swimming and enjoying the plunge slides and the lazy river! All youth will enjoy one free round of miniature golf. Please bring along your swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and a bag lunch or money for concessions. July 21, 2011 Edina Waterpark Youth age seven and up $18.00 Experience the Twisting Body and Inner Tube Flume! Glide over the water on a high flying cable ride, plunge from a three meter diving board or slide from the magical tree house on this adventure filled day at Edina Waterpark. Please bring swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and a bag lunch or money for concessions. July 28, 2011 Apple Valley Aquatic Center Youth age seven and up $17.00 Cool off in this huge pool full of activities from thrilling waterslides to a sand and water play area. Take a ride on the lazy river or try the new thrilling Superbowl Slide! Please bring swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and a bag lunch or money for concessions. Fun in the Summer Sun 2011Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Summer Performances in the Park Sponsored by Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation, The Village Merchants and TPAC Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at Market Square Park: Andra Suchy and Band - Bluegrass Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at Market Square Park: Connie Evingson - Jazz Sunday, July 31st, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Market Square Park: Northern Wind Concert Band Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at Market Square Park: Remember When : Songs of the past Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at Market Square Park: Kid’s Dance Back - Hip Hop Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. at Rogers Lake Park: Woody – Music, magic and juggling August 4, 2011 Day at the West Saint Paul Pool Youth age Six and up $8.00 (No Bus Provided) Please spend the day with us at West Saint Paul pool located at 92 West Orme in West Saint Paul for a fun day beginning with games, activities and prizes followed by a picnic lunch and an afternoon in the pool. Please bring your swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and extra money for concessions. Summer Tennis Programs 2011 Our extremely popular tennis programs are back again for 2011! Utilizing the USTA Quick Start program the lessons are held at the courts at Visitation School. Participants can look forward to learning, playing and enjoying the game of tennis. Please note that all participants are required to have tennis shoes and a racquet. A Mendota Heights Tennis tee-shirt is provided to all participants. Little’s Tennis Lessons Thursdays, June 16 through July 28, 2011 Youth age four through seven $45 Beginner Tennis Lessons Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, runs through July 27, 2011 Youth age eight and up $75 Intermediate Lessons Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, runs through July 27, 2011 Youth age nine and up $75 Intermediate/Advanced Lessons Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, runs through July 27, 2011 Youth age ten and up $75 In House League Play Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, runs through July 27, 2011 Youth age ten and up $75 Recreational Traveling Tennis Team Mondays and Wednesdays and occasional Tuesday practice, runs through July 27, 2011 Youth age ten through sixteen $80 A more competitive tennis program allowing youth to participate in home and away games with other teams in close proximity to Mendota Heights. Please note that parent transportation to matches is required. 2011 Safety Camp, Celebrating our 20th Year! August 9, 2011 through August 11, 2011, Tuesday through Thursday $30 An experience which will last a lifetime! Instructors for the camp include volunteers from local police and fire departments. Topics include stranger safety, weather safety, drug awareness, animal safety, home safety, first aid and much more. Safety Camp will be held at Kaposia Park in South St. Paul and is for youth entering third and fourth grade in the fall of 2011. At the conclusion of camp on Thursday campers will join their families for a short program and treat. Thank you to the following program sponsors: South Saint Paul VFW, and the Cities of Mendota Heights, South Saint Paul and West Saint Paul. Gone Fishing’ The annual Cliff Timm Memorial Fishing Derby will be held on Sunday, September 11, 2011 Bring your fishing pole and come on down to the Rogers Lake Park and catch the big one! Prizes will be awarded in several different categories. In addition this year we will have a touch tank provided by Minnesota SeaLife Aquarium and great live music. Thank you to the following sponsors: Cliff Timm Memorial Trust, Ira Kipp and Gander Mountain. Please note you must pre- register at City Hall or online, no registrations will be taken at the derby. Puppet Wagon at Market Square Park Puppet shows through July 25, 2011 Rainy day shows held at Mendoberri Make time on Mondays at 11:45 a.m. for a free puppet show for the whole family. Bring a snack, lawn chair or blanket for this 15 minute show featuring dancing with the puppets and a craft after the show! Do not forget your puppet mail, which the puppets will read aloud! Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course Check out the Par 3 this summer – we have a wide range of programming for youth and adults. The course is very forgiving with greens fees lower than the cost of going to a movie! The course is open from sun up to sun down. Join us on July 2, 2011, for our 50th anniversary celebration for free hot dogs and a prize drawing. For further information, call the clubhouse at 651.454.9822. Program information and registration is available on our website at www.mendota-heights.com or at City Hall at 651.452.1850 City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118 www.mendota-heights.com HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS SUMMER 2011 : Issue 88 City Directory Council Members: Sandra Krebsbach, Mayor 454-5696 Jack Vitelli 455-5625 Ultan Duggan 452-5179 Liz Petschel 454-3256 Mike Povolny 454-0926 Staff Members: City Hall 651-452-1850 David McKnight, City Administrator Sandie Thone, City Clerk Mike Aschenbrener, Police Chief John Maczko, Fire Chief John Mazzitello, Public Works Director Jake Sedlacek, Assistant to Administrator Paul Berg, Code Enforcement Officer Kristen Schabacker, Finance Director Teresa Gangelhoff, Recreation Programmer Public Works Facility 651-454-4059 Tom Olund, Public Works Superintendent City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118 www.mendota-heights.com Copyright 2011, City of Mendota Heights Mendota Heights Photo Contest Winners The winter edition of the Heights Highlights announced the Winter Wonderland Photo Contest challenging residents and employees of local businesses to show us “your Mendota Heights” and they did! The photographs submitted for the contest were very impressive. We would like to congratulate the winners. A huge thank you to all participants! All photos submitted are currently on display at City Hall. Please stop in to enjoy the photo gallery of our beautiful city. Special thanks to the local businesses who generously donated gift cards for prizes to the winners: The Wine Market, Lucky’s 13 Pub, Tommy Chicago’s Pizzeria, American Bank, Mendota Liquor Store, Axel’s River Grille, TK’s Coffee Shop, Coldstone Creamery, Teresa’s Mexican Restaurant, The Nature of Beauty and Gateway Bank Nature and Wildlife: 1st Place: Frosted Oak Leaf – Maria Humphreys 2nd Place: Eagle In Flight - Valarie Namen 3rd Place: Winter’s Moon - Valarie Namen City Scenes and Events: 1st Place: Tracks taken from Mendota Bridge – Maria Humphreys 2nd Place: Trading in Snowshoes for Golf Shoes – Katie Shultz 3rd Place: Slush Pond – Tom Wittrock People and Places: 1st Place: Flooding the Rinks – Tom Wittrock 2nd Place: Winter at our House – Maureen Kucera-Walsh 3rd Place: Friends Rest after Sledding Down Sibley Hill – Valerie Anderson