2010-08-13 Friday NewsPrimary Election Summary
The Primary Election was held on Tuesday of this week throughout
Minnesota. The two most contested elections on the ballot included
!AA],h2AA JA," the Democratic governor's race and the First Judicial District judge
race. In Mendota Heights Margaret Anderson Kelliher received 812
votes followed by Mark Dayton with 517 and Matt Entenza with 297.
In the judicial race Timothy Blakely received 808 votes followed by
August 13, 2010 Larry Clark with 424 votes and Stephen Baker with 417 votes.
Thank you to all of the city staff members and election judges who
worked on the election. We would not have been so successful in
administering the elections without you. Although the weather made
your work more difficult with the rain, heat and humidity, you are per-
formed your jobs well. Thanks again for your dedication to Mendota
F Heights.
Small Little World
RWhen I left my job as the Dodge County Administrator the biggest issue they were
dealing with was a proposed high-speed rail and freight rail line that would run from
' the Twin Cities to Rochester, through Dodge County, and continue further south.
The county had major concerns about the impact this new rail line would have on the
residents, farms and the county in general. While interviewing for the Mendota
® Heights City Administrator position I shared this story and talked about the similarities
and differences between the rail issue in Dodge County and airport issues in Men-
dota Heights. This week I was informed that at our upcoming Dakota County city ad-
ministrators meeting we will be meeting with the mayor of Rochester to hear about
the benefits that this rail line could have on Dakota County and its cities. We live and
Ywork in a small little world.
Safety Camp
Our Annual Safety Camp for youth is our biggest recreation undertaking each year.
2010 Safety Camp was held Tuesday -Thursday this week at Kaposia Park in South St.
NPaul. This is a joint effort between the cities of Mendota Heights, West St. Paul and
South St. Paul, which served 130+ area youth. Six groups were made up, traveling to
stations around the park to learn about a variety of topics such as fire safety, personal
E
safety, and new this year, internet safety. Our Staff and Volunteers deserve credit for
putting together a great program, and for keeping a close eye on our youth in an unpre-
Wdictable week of weather.
S Candidate Filing Update
Candidate filing for the offices of mayor and city council member started on Tuesday,
August 3, 2010 and runs though Tuesday, August 17, 2010. As of Friday morning the
following individuals have filed for office:
Mayor -Sandra Krebsbach
City Council -Sally Lorberbaum, Liz Petschel
August 13, 2010
Thank You to Public Works
The Public Works staff held their annual barbeque lunch this week for city staff members at the
Public Works garage. Staff was treated an excellent lunch even though the weather was a little
hot. Thanks to all of the guys in the Public Works Department for your generosity in sharing a
fun lunch with all of us. It is very much appreciated and a good way for city staff to see each
other in a less formal environment.
Roundabout Open
The roundabout located at the intersection of Mendota Heights Road and Visitation Drive open to
traffic on Thursday, August 12, 2010. Thank you to everyone for both your work on this project
and your patience while the project while the street was closed. There is still some work left to
do in the area, but Mendota Heights Road is open.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Councilmember Ultan Duggan on the birth of his new grandson, Oliver Jas-
per, born on August 2, 2010. Oliver weighed nine pounds, three ounces and was 20 3/4 inches
long. Congratulations to the entire family and welcome Oliver!
Dates To Remember
City Council Budget Work Session
8-17-2010 5:00 p.m.
City Council Meeting
8-17-2010 7:00 p.m.
Planning Commission Meeting
Cancelled
Labor Day (City Offices Closed)
9-6-2010
City Council Meeting
9-7-2010 7:00 p.m.
A big thank you to the Public Works,
Police, Fire, Parks, Elections, and En-
gineering staff for putting up with the
hot working conditions this week.
Relief is on the way.!
Attachments
Just The Facts, The Pipeline, City Council Agenda, Pre -Application Meeting Synopsis, Twin-
Cities.com Article "Mendota Heights/City official back at work after duty", Primary Election Statistics,
Election Thank You and Thank You from Resident
August 13, 2010
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8/13/2010
MS Fundraiser: "Mud Run Twin Cities"
On September 11, 2010, several members of MHPD along with
employees at other DC jurisdictions will be participating in a 10K "boot -
camp" style obstacle course, in the mud, at Trollhaugen Resort in
Dresser, Wl, a national fundraiser for MS. The team is seeking
donations/sponsorship to fulfill their individual goal. See the attached
flyer for more information or contact Kim Henning at MHPD. You can
use the link below and search for team name "Dirty Pigs":
httt ://www.nationalmssociety.ora/chapters/MNM/fundraising-events/mud-run/index.aspx
Suspicious Activity Friday 0425 hours
While on patrol Officer Jeff VonFeldt spotted a car tucked into the
woods along Hwy 110. In checking the car he found a homeless
man sleeping inside. His last known address was in WSP. He
was advised to move along.
Suspicious Activity Friday 0432 hours
Officer Peyton Fleming received a call of suspicious activity near
the high school; the caller could hear voices and saw flashlights.
A minute or so later a car came down the road and the caller
thought kids might be in the high school. Officer Fleming arrived
moments later but was not able to locate anyone or anything out
of order.
Suspicious Activity Saturday 1356 hours
Caller reported three people with wheel barrows taking dirt from
the construction site located on Dodd Road between the school
and the golf course. Sergeant Garlock arrived to find three Boy
Scouts working near the school. The boys were advised the dirt
was not free to the public.
sergeants Concerned Saturday 1837 hours
Neil Garlock Caller reported that he was confronted when he parked on a city
Brian Convery
Eric Petersen street. The caller reports that he parks in the area and gets a
Reserves ride to work. Tonight while waiting for his ride he was reading the
Mindy Pentel paper when a party came out of a nearby home and began
Gino Messina screaming at him that this was a private community and he
Jesse 1ur
Quinlan
Andrew Qulan couldn't be here. The caller tried to explain why he was there to
Chief the irate person, but he really was concerned for his safety; he
Mike informed us because the confrontational homeowner may have
Aschenbrener called the police.
-1-
8/13/2010
Theft Sunday 0920 hours
Caller reported that she left her purse in the car and it was now gone along with
some other stuff. The victim seemed surprised to learn it's not a good idea to leave
your purse on the front seat of your car overnight less than a hundred yards from a 4
lane highway.
Questions Sunday 1013 hours
A person stopped at the Police Department to ask questions about the construction
site progress. We informed the party we thought it was going great, then directed
them upstairs.
Traffic Sunday 1800 hours
Officer Todd Rosse stopped a car that was making the entire roadway his own. He
found a very elderly man driving the car. The man had forgotten his cushion so his
vision was obstructed. A much younger valid passenger agreed to drive.
Crime Fund Reward Monday 2023 hours
Officer Todd Rosse received a call from a man in Afton who had contacted a known
thief for whom the Mendota Heights Police have a reward out for his arrest. Officer
Rosse coordinated with the Washington County Sheriff's Office to determine if an
arrest was made. Investigations will follow up. The reward poster can be viewed at:
www. mendota-hei.ghts.com/pdf/M HPD%20Stankovich°/o2OReward%20poster. pdf
DUI Monday 0220 hours
While on patrol at 2:20 in the morning, Sgt Petersen's attention was drawn to a car
driving without lights. After following the car and watching it weave on and off the
road, it was stopped on Dodd Road. The driver quite obviously had been drinking
and agreed to attempt SFST's; she failed. The last test was the PBT which revealed
a BAC of .156. After being read the MN Implied Consent form the driver agreed to
provide a urine sample. After providing the sample the party was released to her
mom. Charges will be determined after the test is completed by the BCA.
Medical Monday 1841 hours
Officer Chad Willson responded to a local business on a call regarding "man down".
He assisted with the medical assessment until the ambulance arrived on scene. The
young man was working outside and not keeping his fluid levels up — not a good idea
in this heat. HealthEast Paramedics determined that it was heat exhaustion and
suggested the man should be transported. He refused to go to the hospital.
Fleeing / DUI (Hey look at me!) Monday 2317 hours
As Officer Chad Willson was just finishing up on a traffic stop on Hwy 13 & Freemont,
a different car went around the corner, accelerating hard enough to spin the tires,
break the back end loose and make some noise. He immediately pulled out to stop
the car which pulled over and stopped as soon as the squad caught up. The driver,
a young man, opened the door, got out and took off running. He cut through several
yards, ran through a fence and some bushes, and right into a burly homeowner. The
homeowner got hold of the young man and attempted to hold on until Officer Willson
caught up. However, the wiry young man took off and made it across Hwy 13 and
into the ditch where he was caught. When captured, he said, "I had too much to
drink, that's all." The young man started out being a bit of a problem, but after a
-2-
8/13/2010
short nap he mellowed out a bit. SFST's were never completed due to lack of
cooperation, although the man did admit he was too drunk to drive, since he drank
nearly the entire bottle of vodka in the front seat of his car. While being processed,
the man demanded to be brought to jail, insisting he could answer questions much
better after a good night's sleep. His wish was granted.
Help! I am stuck on the roof! Tuesday Morning
Sergeant Garlock dealt with a report of a man trapped on the roof of a local home.
The man reported that he was an insurance adjuster and was trying to determine
how much damage there was to the roof. When he arrived he used the
homeowner's ladder to climb up on the roof. During the conversation the
homeowner didn't like what the adjustor had to say so they took their ladder back.
The adjuster was now trapped on the roof. And then the rain.....bummer. The man
was eventually let down and later stopped at MHPD to file a complaint about being
trapped on the roof. While rude and mean it would be very difficult to prove that it
was illegal.
Check Welfare Tuesday 1315 hours
Officer Scott Patrick received a call to check and make sure a MNDOT worker was
okay along Hwy 110. The man's mower sunk into the soft ditch until it was totally
buried. He advised help was on the way; at least his air conditioning still worked.
Intelligence Information Wednesday 1035 hours
A party called the DCC to report that his new cell phone was likely a number that a
drug dealer had used last. The caller gets strange calls 24/7 asking where their stuff
is at. The man left a call back number with the Dispatcher at the DCC but, when
Officer Larrive called, he didn't answer his phone, so a message was left.
911 Wednesday 1345 hours
The DCC advised Officer Meyer that they had received a 911 call from a residence in
Mendota Heights asking about plastic surgery. When they advised they were
speaking with the emergency communications center, the caller hung up. Follow up
revealed that they intended on calling 411.
Crisis Intervention Wednesday 1758 hours
Officer Chad Willson responded to a local home where the resident called, stating
they couldn't take it any more and were going to kill themselves. Officer Willson
arrived on scene and spoke with the person who advised they were providing all the
care for their hospice father who was dying. After talking through the issues,
recruiting some help and providing outside resources, the situation was under
control.
Dog of Leash Wednesday 2059 hours
Anonymous caller reported two kids walking a yellow lab on Huber Drive without a
leash, which the caller knew was not only illegal but also dangerous. The kids and
lab were gone by the time Officer Willson arrived on scene.
ifaao a tl,eat wLc6ol' ^
-3-
NEWS �
LETTER
The Pipeline
100000
Public Works
Engineering
Code Enforcement August 13, 2010 /
Public Works
The Parks Crew repaired ruts on Wachtler Avenue and Park Place. The side
of the pedway was repaired in Kensington Park. Dirt was hauled in to level
it out and grass seed was put down. The worn goal mouth was repaired at
Kensington Park soccer field #2. A sprinkler valve and sprinkler heads were
repaired at Kensington Park on the soccer field.
A downed tree was removed from the pedway on Lexington Avenue and
Marie Avenue. Rich cut trees and made a trail between the manholes on the
trunk line on Marie Avenue downstream to the head house. There was also
a lot of buckthorn to remove. This was done for the upcoming sanitary
sewer cleaning project. He cleaned the sanitary sewer lines on Park Lane,
Hampshire Court and Stone Road.
The Streets Crew blacktopped potholes on Lilac Lane, Douglas Road,
Mendota Heights Road from the bridge deck to Dodd Road and South Plaza
Drive. A tree was pushed off Delaware Avenue that had fallen on the road.
Blacktopping was started on Marie Avenue at Dodd Road to Delaware
Avenue. Tim helped Cliff put a new radiator and transmission cooler in the
John Deere backhoe.
Engineering
Visitation Drive/Mendota Heights Road Roundabout - The roundabout
opened to traffic on Thursday (8/12), and Staff is already receiving
compliments on the project. Minor improvements, such as complete
lighting, are still needed and are estimated to be complete by Labor Day
(9/6). The temporary access drive to Visitation School from Lake Drive
should be removed by the end of next week (8/20).
Highway 55/Mendota Heights Road Intersection - The project is out for bid.
Bid opening is scheduled for August 23'.d, and the project should begin
construction by September 15th. Residents should be aware of traffic
revisions at this intersection beginning on September 15th. The
project is scheduled for completion by mid-December.
2010 Reconstruction/Rehabilitation Project - The contractor has been
installing bituminous driveways. Curb was marked for replacement in the
rehabilitation area. Existing pavement on Butler Avenue has deteriorated
beyond having a mill and overlay to rehabilitate the street. A new base
course will be installed and the road will be like new.
Comprehensive Plan Update - Engineering Staff has been assisting Planning
Staff on updating the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Staff met with
representatives from the Metropolitan Council, and has updated the Sanitary
Sewer/Wastewater section of the plan to comply with Met Council
comments.
CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
WITWK1E
DATE: August 10, 2010 r ��
TO: City Council, Commission Members, and City Administrator lam(
FROM: Jake Sedlacek, Assistant to the City Administrator��S
SUBJECT: Pre -Application Meeting Synopsis
Staff met with two potential planning applicants on Monday, August 9, 2010. Steve
Grittman, John Mazzitello and Jake Sedlacek were present.
Mark VanWie, 1769 Dodd Road
Mr. VanWie is installing a patio in his rear yard at 1769, and would like to construct a
pergola over a portion of the patio. Mr. VanWie sought guidance from staff as to
whether or not side yard setbacks apply to a pergola. Staff reviewed the proposed
improvement, concluding that that a pergola, with open sides and no roof in not
considered a structure under existing code. A pergola, as proposed, is not subject to
setback regulations. No planning application is anticipated at this time.
Jane Freeman, 1166 Kingsley Court
Ms. Freeman would like to construct a privacy fence, six feet tall and 40 feet long within
the common area just south of her townhome. The Kingsley Estates Townhomes are
within the Mississippi River Critical Area, so the fence will require a critical area permit.
Staff walked through the critical area application and review process, Ms. Freeman
intends to submit materials for consideration at the September Planning Commission
meeting.
M
endota Heights /
City official back
at
work .
Pioneer Press
Updated: 08/13/2010 12:01:29 AM CDT
Mendota Heights Public Works director and
engineer John Mazzitello is back on the job
following a six-month military deployment
to Afghanistan.
"I'm back, 30 pounds lighter and ready to
go," said Mazzitello, who serves as a civil
engineer in the Minnesota Air National
Guard's 148th Fighter Wing, based in Duluth.
On Dec. 17, Mazzitello, 40, was deployed to
Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, where he
was in charge of a civil engineering unit. The
deployment — his fifth during his nearly 20 -
year military career — was "challenging and
frustrating and rewarding all at the same
time."
He returned to Minnesota on June 28 and
took five weeks off to relax before returning
to work Aug. 2.
At a recent city council meeting, Mazzitello
gave the city a U.S. flag that his friend
Advertisement
carried with him on an F -15E Strike Eagle
aircraft combat mission.
— Nick Ferraro
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Election thank you!!
The fifty residents who served as election judges did an outstanding job and those who
worked at the three schools had to suffer through the heat and humidity. All the judges
did a wonderful job!!
There were also many incredible staff people who volunteered time and worked extra
hours on Election Day and the Saturday before the election assisting with the election
process. Many thanks to Kathy Swanson, Becky Pentel, Tom Olund, Mike Albers, Brian
Heimerl, Kristen, Linda, Pam, Ryan, Sharon, Stacy, and Sandie for all of their help.
I would also like to thank people for their offers of help in running and conducting the
elections. Now we can take a little breather and redo it in November.
Independent School District had a number of wonderful people who went out of their
way to help prepare for the election with testing and a big thank you to Kathy Mutch for
all her help.
August 9, 2010
Ryan Ruzek and the Mendota Heights City Council,
We want to thank you all for the very professional and caring way that you resolved the
situation where the city tree fell into our yard and killed our tree. We really appreciate all
the city did. From the workmen who came and cleaned up the downed trees, took out the
stump and put down black dirt and grass seed, to the city council reimbursing us for the
cost of the new tree, each person was thoughtful, concerned and willing. We feel very
fortunate to live in a community that looks after its residents so well. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Tom and Phyllis Dosch