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2015-01-02 Friday News January 2, 2015 Dates to Remember: January 6 City Council 7:00 p.m. January 13 Parks Commission 6:30 p.m. January 14 Airport Commission 7:00 p.m. January 20 City Council 7:00 p.m. January 27 Planning Commission 7:00 p.m. Attachments: Pipeline, Just the Facts Friday News Mendota Heights Weekly Report on City Activities Mendota Heights City Hall 1101 Victoria Curve www.mendota-heights.com (651) 452-1850 Facebook.com/MendotaHeightsMN Twitter.com/@mendota_heights City Administrator Search Update Semi-finalists have been selected for first round of interviews for the City Administrator position. Interviews will be held next week by an interview panel consisting of Councilmembers Liz Petschel and Steve Norton, Police Chief Mike Aschenbrener, Fire Chief John Mazcko and Interim City Administrator Tamara Schutta. Finalists will be determined after the completion of the first round of interviews. The full city council will interview finalist for the position on January 29, 2015. Outdoor Winter Activities Mendota Heights’ ice rinks and warming houses are once again open for the season and the ice is in excellent condition. For up-to-date information call the ice rink/warming house hotline at 651.255.1174. Cross-country skiing is also available at the Par 3. This week, two loops were groomed. Loop one is approximately 2 miles and loop two is 1 mile. The clubhouse will be open on Saturday and Sundays from 10 a.m.—3 p.m., so skiers can have a place to take a break and enjoy a hot beverage. Thank you to St. Thomas Academy for the use of their snowmobile and groomer. Enjoy! Public Works The Parks Crew did ice rink maintenance and worked on the MSDS database. Snow was plowed on Saturday after our snowfall. The parking lots, rinks and trails were cleared of snow. Rink flooding started again with the colder weather. Plow truck maintenance was done. The thin ice signs were installed at Rogers Lake and the aerator started. The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily. He was called Saturday night to the St. Thomas hockey rink to check for a possible sanitary sewer back up. The City’s sanitary sewer line was fine; the backup was in the owner’s sanitary sewer service line. Roots were cut and cleaned in the sanitary sewer lines on Dodd Road, Callahan Place, Victoria Road easement, and in the Mendakota Court easement. Roots were cut and the storm sewer cleaned on Arcadia Drive. Lift stations were plowed and shoveled. The antifreeze was changed on the generator at the main lift station. The cul- de-sacs and middle area of the city were plowed on Saturday. The Streets Crew filled the trucks with salt. A sign was moved at Victoria Road and Celia. All trucks were washed and waxed. Streets were plowed after Saturday’s snow. Engineering City Projects (construction year) Highway 13 Trail Connection (2014/2015) – The unseasonably warm December weather allowed the contractor to complete some additional storm sewer work on the project over the past two weeks. This remainder of the project is buttoned up for the winter. Saint Paul Regional Water Service has completed the lowering of the water main, and cover has been established over the pipe. The reminder of the project will be completed in the spring. 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 anticipated in late January/early February to discuss site specific design requirements. The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works Engineering Code Enforcement January 2, 2015 County Projects Highway 110 Trail Underpass (2017) – This project will construct an underpass (tunnel) under 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 issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to consulting firms for design services. Proposals received will be reviewed in January. Dakota County is planning on presenting the project to City Council in February. 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). Other Activities Future Cities Competition – Friendly Hills Middle School is on winter break, so staff did not meet with the teams over the past two weeks. The next meeting will be on January 8th, and the teams should be close to finishing their scale models and starting rehearsal for their oral presentations. The State competition will be held at the University of Minnesota on Saturday, January 17th. 2015 Sanitary Sewer Rate Increase – Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) has provided the amount that will charge to Mendota Heights for 2015. This fee is charged to municipal governments to treat sanitary sewage sent to the MCES treatment plants. The Mendota Heights fee increased 12.3% for 2015. Most of this increase can be attributed to the extremely wet spring we experienced; specifically, the number of sump pumps that discharge to the sanitary sewer system. As a result, the City needs to increase the amount billed to property owners. The City Council approved a 5% rate increase that will take effect for the 1st quarter of 2015 (April billing cycle). The City is able to reconcile the differences in rate increases by postponing some capital improvement projects until future years. This rate increase remains consistent with increases from previous years. The City has successfully negotiated the elimination of the penalty surcharge due to increased flow from the June 19th storm. Emerald Ash Borer – The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been detected in Dakota County. An infested tree was discovered during a routine tree survey in Late December, 2014 in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, just north of the Apple Valley City Border. As a result if this discovery, Dakota County will be placed in “quarantine” by Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Staff will be attending an informational meeting hosted by MDA the on Thursday, January 8th to discuss the provisions of the quarantine status. The metallic-green adult EAB beetles are a half-inch long, and are active from May to September. Infestation signs include one - eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes in ash tree bark and winding tunnels under the bark. There are three easy steps Minnesotans can take to keep EAB from spreading:  Don’t transport firewood. Buy firewood locally from approved vendors, and burn it where you buy it;  Be aware of the quarantine restrictions. If you live in a quarantined county, be aware of the restrictions on movement of products such as ash trees, wood chips, and firewood. Details can be found online at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/en/plants/pestmanagement/eab/regulat oryinfo.aspx; and,  Watch your ash trees for infestation. If you think your ash tree is infested, go to www.mda.state.mn.us and use the “Do I Have Emerald Ash Borer?” checklist or contact MDA’s Arrest the Pest Hotline by calling 888-545-6684 or emailing Arrest.The.Pest@state.mn.us to report concerns. CONTACT: Margaret Hart, MDA Communications 651-201-6131 / margaret.hart@state.mn.us 1 1 The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener SERGEANT Eric Petersen Tanner Spicer POLICE OFFICERS Jerry Murphy John Larrive Bobby Lambert Todd Rosse Jeff Vonfeldt Steven Meyer Denise Urmann Michael Shepard Peyton Fleming Nick Gorgos Robin Nelson INVESTIGATIONS Chad Willson SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER Jennifer Fordham SUPPORT STAFF Kim Henning Trista Miller Lisa Brandt Becky Pentel RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker CHAPLAINS Frances Cuenca Joel Detlefsen Lynn Liberman Butch Millett Sue Plucker John Snider David Wick JANUARY 2, 2015 2231 Welcoming in the New Year always feels like such an exciƟng Ɵme as we look to the future with renewed hope and joyful intent. Looking back at the past and reviewing events, memories, and moments is also important. We wanted to reﬂect on our past year as we look to 2015 with renewed posiƟve energy and momentum for the future. January—Sergeant Neil Garlock was recognized by his peers for being Service‐Oriented as part of the city’s core values recogniƟon program. February— “Guns vs Hoses” Wing EaƟng Challenge/Special Olympics fundraiser...of course, the “Guns “won! On a sad note, Sergeant Convery was injured on the job in 2013 and ulƟmately had to leave the department and reƟre from law enforcement. March—We hired Lisa Brandt to join our records team. April—Our Reserves were recognized for their volunteer hours dedicated to our department and for our city. May—The reƟrements of Sergeant Neil Garlock & InvesƟgator Mario Reyes again leŌ holes in our hearts and our team. We also held a BBQ to raise money for MN Law Enforcement Memorial AssociaƟon. June—The river’s edge fell vicƟm to a landslide in both Mendota Heights & Mendota. MHPD sought new candidates to ﬁll our staffing holes. July—Nick Gorgos and Robin Nelson accepted their job offers. Then, a criminal decided to shoot a police officer, leaving a family without a husband and a father, a department without a friend. R.I.P. #2231 August & September —We were held up and supported by our LE partners—WSPPD, SSPPD, IGHPD, EPD, AVPD, DCSO, LPD, FPD, BPD and countless other agencies. We were glad when neighborhoods enjoyed Night to Unite and ciƟzens supported the wonderful beneﬁt for the Patrick family. MHPD appreciates your generosity and kindness. October—Vandalism picked up again and suspects were sought, the reward was boosted to $1000. November—We held our ﬁrst coloring contest, with great results and three stand‐out winners! December– MHPD promoted Tanner Spicer, Peyton Fleming and Bobby Lambert to Sergeant. Congrats to all! 2 2 Fraud Friday 1059 hours Officer Nick Gorgos responded to a local restaurant on report of fraudulent charges on their account. He soon learned that checks had been stolen, were then cloned and new checks were being written against their account totaling just under $30K. Upon investigating, he learned the bank was working on it already and suspect information was followed-up on. The out-of-state crooks were identified and charges are pending. ACC/DWI Friday 1342 hours Officers were dispatched to an accident involving a single vehicle that hit a tree. While on the way, Officers Peyton Fleming and Nick Gorgos learned that the registered owner happened to have a felony warrant as well. Upon arrival, a witness pointed them in the direction of the vehicle where the driver was still inside. They knocked on the window and the driver opened the door; not only could they could smell alcohol from within the vehicle but when asked if she was injured, the driver stated she was simply drunk. She was able to get out of the vehicle and they moved her to their squad to be warm. However, along they way, she started yelling and cursing at the officers and began to complain of back pain and had trouble standing. Medics were on their way and in lieu of sobriety tests, she was given a PBT, which registered a .288. The victim/suspect was taken to the hospital, and the warrant, for a WSP assault case, was left with nurses. Later, at the hospital, she was read the Implied Consent and a blood sample was taken for testing. Charges pending results. Identity Theft Friday 1513 hours Officer Gorgos responded an address to take a report of identity theft. Upon arrival, he learned the reporting party had found a Discover IRA had been opened in her name using her name and SSN. No monetary loss was incurred; reporting party was already taking the proper steps to thwart further fraudulent activity. Package Theft Sunday 1541 hours A resident called in to report her UPS package had been tampered with and an item was stolen. The victim told Officer Gorgos that the one thing she ordered had been removed from the package and then resealed again. Evidently the vendor whom she ordered from was aware of other similar instances with their shipped goods and were investigating the situation. Luckily, her order was replaced. Extra patrols updated for the area and instances of suspicious activit y a r o u n d s h i p m e n t s . Accident/Hit & Run Sunday 2045 hours While at his gym, damage occurred to the complainant’s vehicle. He did not observe any suspicious activity while at the gym, when he came out to his car he found a new dent and significant scratches to his door. However, upon arrival at the gym and upon departing the gym, no vehicles were close to his. Officer Nelson found no suspect info available; inactive. Semi vs Auto Sunday 0718 hours Officer Lambert responded to a report of a hit and run that occurred outside a business. A semi was reported to have backed into a parked minivan but then kept going. Officer Lambert found the semi and stopped; the driver evidently did not know it had struck a vehicle. Information was exchanged and photos of the significant damage to the mini van and to the semi were taken. Theft Monday 0956 hours A resident at a the senior living complex returned home from the hospital and found jewelry missing. Sus- pect information obtained. Case forwarded to investigations. 3 3 Suspicious Person Tuesday 0941 hours School officials observed a strange thing on school property—a man walking around the grounds, hugging stat- ues, without shoes on. He reportedly wanted to send a message about Jesus and wanted to provide pizza, cake and donuts. He was taken for a trip to the hospital for observation. Harassment Wednesday 1141 hours Officer Robin Nelson responded to the lobby to take a report of harassing emails from a juvenile boy directed at her juvenile daughter. Emails were sent from an alias/impersonated account. It was also reported that the young man had an altercation with the daughter at school. Case is under investigation. Hit & Run Wednesday 1500 hours Complainant reported a hit and run; however, in this case, he was the striking party and the driver of the car he hit while passing it continued on! Officer Fleming took photos and details were documented but little information about the other vehicle was available. Did you know—the victim driver could still be charged with not stopping for a collision? Well, now you do! Always stop for accidents to exchange information. Vehicle Tampering Thursday 1310 hours A family came outside to find an interesting gift for them in their driveway. The vehicle door had been propped open—it had bodywork done recently and the lock was temporarily disabled. Found in the rear seat a sledgehammer and a cylinder. Officer Rosse suspected that a theft was attempted but the alarm scared them away—no other damage or stolen items were reported. Theft of Mail Thursday 1400 hours Complainant called to report that neighbor dropped off opened mail he had found. Officer Fleming then learned that the mail with checks had been put in the mailbox with the nice red “steal me flag” up at 2pm. At 7 pm when he left for church, the flag was still up and the mailbox was closed. When he returned at 2300 hours, the mailbox was empty. The complainant was going to follow-up with the bank and alert them to the potential theft. Inactive. Found Mail Friday 1352 hours A resident opened the mailbox and found mail belonging to five different people in her box for Shakopee residents. Officer Gorgos took the mail and made contact with the parties. One had already reported mail theft; the others also lived in the neighborhood. All were advised to contact their local police department. Closed DOC Sunday 1230 hours A resident called to report his neighbor threatened him with a weapon. The altercation did not turn violent, and was not confirmed. Evidently things have been escalating since dog feces had been left where they should not, and feces were thrown at a door. Both were advised to call code enforcement if violations continued on the feces subject, to simply avoid the other party and to handle situations peacefully. Shortly after, one of the parties followed the other man when he walked his dog and told him he was taping him. A citation for Disorderly Conduct was issued. Vehicle Theft Monday 2043 hours A young man, feeling sad and upset decided to take his mother’s vehicle without permission and drive around for awhile. He did return with the vehicle; charges are pending for auto theft. 4 4 5 5 6 6 12/19—12/31 2014 YTD Calls for Service 188 7882 Citations 7 1033 Warnings 27 927 Police Reports 27 963 Response Time Average 4.84 5.76 Check out the MH Crime Map! Click below to search your neighborhood: https://www.raidsonline.com 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 SERGEANT PROMOTIONS Several capable and knowledgeable staff interviewed for our open Sergeant positions. Congrats to the following on their promotions to Sergeant: Tanner Spicer Peyton Fleming Robert Lambert We are proud of all of you and look forward to your leadership in 2015. If you are a Mendota Heights resident and you are going out of town or on vacation, you can notify MHPD of your outing and we will be more than happy to keep a watchful eye on your home while you are away. The House Check Request online form is available on our website; you can complete a form found in our lobby, or simply give us a call and we’ll help you out. MHPD offers monthly Car Seat Safety Checks. To schedule an appointment, call 651.452.1366 to contact Ofϐicer Jennifer Fordham. MHPD has a Medication Disposal Box in the lobby of the P D w h e r e D a k o t a C o u n t y r e s i d e n t s c a n s a f e l y a n d anonymously dispose of their prescription drugs and over‐the‐counter medication. Please send us your positive feedback on our staff to: pdrecords@ mendota-heights.com Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps boost the morale of our staff. HAVE A SAFE WEEK! D AKOTA C OUNTY S HERIFF The Front Row “A front row seat to the greatest show on Earth...” Dave Bellows, Sheriff Tim Leslie, Chief Deputy Volume 10, Weeks 30-31 December 8, through December 21, 2014 A Great Run... After serving five years as Sheriff and 11 years as Chief Deputy before that, Sheriff Bellows passed the torch to Sheriff-elect Leslie on January 1st. As Sheriff, Sheriff Bellows made the most of his time by implementing many operational and personnel changes. In his five years as Sheriff, he promoted a commander, four captains, two correctional lieutenants, nine licensed sergeants, two correctional sergeants, four correctional corporals, eight licensed investigators, and a partridge in a pear tree. In addition, as Sheriff, he hired over 25 licensed deputies and more than 30 correctional deputies. His presence, work, and experience will be missed in the office and in the community. We thank him for his 35 years of service to the community and wish him and his family all the best in his well-deserved retirement. New Captain... Sergeant Richard Schroeder will be promoted to the rank of Captain on January 5th, and will be assigned to Detention Services where he will serve as the Jail Administrator and also supervise the Court and Transport Divisions. Captain Schroeder began his career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2001 as a part-time employee in water patrol. He was hired as a full-time Deputy in 2004 and has held a variety of assignments throughout the years including patrol, investigator, tactical team member, active shooter instructor, and a supervisor in investigations and patrol. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Concordia University. He is also the Fire Chief for the City of Rosemount, where he resides. Congratulations to Rick and his family. Christmas Spirit... The Christmas spirit was alive and shown through several activities inside our own jail. The Farmington Independent covered a story of 30 inmates enrolled in a GED Featuring Sheriff’s Volunteer Units and Information Technology Support Staff: Information Technology Support Dan Anderson Lisa Blount Chance Munger Reserve Deputies Derrick Barr Benjamin Brand Michael Casello Joshua Gow onathan Grimes Mallory House Dominic Milne Sara Newman Shawn Peters Anthony Rozema Andrew Schoo Reserve Deputy Sheriff’s Office Liaisons: Sergeant Jeff Leopold Deputy Ryan Brown Mounted Patrol Bonnie Brauninger Tim Burns J. B. Dudley Mike Dudley Ron Hart Wendy Pressnall Cathy Snyder Sheriff Bellows surprised Sheriff-elect Leslie by presenting him with a Sheriff’s badge during a new hire swearing-in ceremony earlier this month. D AKOTA C OUNTY S HERIFF The Front Row “A front row seat to the greatest show on Earth...” Dave Bellows, Sheriff Tim Leslie, Chief Deputy Volume 10, Weeks 30-31 December 8, through December 21, 2014 Click here to subscribe to this newsletter electronically. Page 2 class who helped prepare stockings that were sent to the Veteran’s Home and Lewis Shelter. You can read the full article here: http://www.farmingtonindependent.com/news/crime-and-courts/3641630- christmas-comes-county-jail The Inmates Motivated to Change Unit was given the opportunity to read a book to their children this holiday season. The inmates were able to connect with their children via Skype and share this time together. Once completed, the books that the inmates read were mailed to the children so they could be further enjoyed. Pictured are some of the inmates that took part in this annual project. A special thanks goes to jail staff for their work in organizing these activities. Trending in the Wrong Direction... According to preliminary data released by the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), law enforcement fatalities in the U.S. rose 24 percent in 2014, reversing what had been two years of dramatic decline. In 2011, officer fatalities spiked at 171. In 2014, 126 officers were killed in the line of duty, compared to 102 in 2013. The leading cause of death was by ambush (15), matching 2012 for the highest total since 1995. In 2014, 50 officers were killed by firearms, which is up 56 percent from 2013. This last year, the community of Mendota Heights and its law enforcement family lost one of its finest in Officer Scott Patrick, who was shot and killed on July 30th while conducting a traffic stop. Officer Patrick’s family, friends, department, and community continue to be in our thoughts during this holiday season. Sincere Condolences... Are extended to Information Technology Project Manager Lisa Blount and her family. Lisa’s mother, Mary Steinbach, passed away Christmas morning in Des Moines, Iowa. Deputy Sandy Dose lost her mother, Mary Gauw, on Sunday, December 28th. Mary passed away in Apple Valley following a long illness. We ask that you remember Lisa, Sandy, and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Mounted Patrol Sheriff’s Office Liaisons: Sergeant Jeff Leopold Deputy Sean Qualy Explorer Post 523 Sheriff’s Office Liaisons/Advisors: Deputy Ryan Googins Correctional Deputy Theresa Lambert Correctional Deputy Kent Themmes Sergeant Dawanna Witt Chaplains Jim Bzoskie Vern Hildebrandt Clayton McDougall Eddie Nestingen Cory Voll Don Voll Questions? Comments? Please contact the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office at 651.438.4700 or any of the following by email: dave.bellows@ co.dakota.mn.us julie.ecker@ co.dakota.mn.us