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2016-02-19 Friday NewsCity of Mendota Heights Weekly Update Mendota Heights City Hall 1101 Victoria Curve www.mendota-heights.com (651) 452.1850 Visit us on: Facebook.com/ MendotaHeightsMN Twitter.com/ @Mendota_heights DATES TO REMEMBER: February 23 Planning Commission 7:00 p.m. Thursday, March 3 City Council 7 p.m. March 8 Parks Commission 7 p.m. March 9 Airport Commission Open House 7:00 p.m. March 15 City Council 7:00 p.m. March 22 Planning Commission 7:00 p.m. Attachments: Pipeline, Just the Facts February 19, 2016 Airport Relations Commission Open House The Airport Relations Commission (ARC) invites you to an Open House on Wednesday, March 9th. The Open House will be held at Mendota Heights City Hall beginning at 7 p.m. Representatives from the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be joining ARC to talk about issues of interest to Mendota Heights residents. The agenda will include a dis- cussion on airport noise, a remodeling update for Terminals 1 and 2, and an over- view of MSP’s economic impact for the region. Mendota Heights Winter Activities Today’s rain and warm temperatures projected for this Saturday and Sunday, it’s shaping up to be a beautiful weekend. However, the ice rinks will not be in the best condition for skating. So the ice rinks and warming houses will be closed for the weekend. Staff will assess the rinks on Monday to determine if there is hope to keep them open for one more week. For up to date information concerning the ice rinks, call the ice rink/warming house hotline at 651.255.1174. It will also be a little soggy for winter activities at the Mendota Heights Par 3. The clubhouse will not be open this weekend for snowshoe rental and fat tire bike rental. Time to Renew Your Dog’s License It’s time to renew your dog’s license for 2016. The license runs for the calendar year. All dogs over 16 weeks of age are required to be licensed with the City of Men- dota Heights. The license is available for purchase for $10 (spayed/neutered) or $15 (non spayed/neutered) at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. Proof of rabies vaccination is required. Just a reminder all dogs (resident & non-resident) using the temporary off leash dog area need to be licensed with the City. For more information call 651.452.1850. Save the Date...Mendota Heights Spring Clean-up Day 2016 This year’s Spring Clean Up Day will be held on Saturday, May 7th at Mendakota Park from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Visit www.mendota-heights.com for more information and a list of items accepted. New this year: Due to the weight of beams, landscape timbers and sharp metal edges, we can no longer accept construction or remodel debris. These items should be hauled to a landfill. Public Works The Parks Crew continues to sweep and flood the rinks. They helped the Streets Crew work on the fire truck repairs and putting on new tires. Trash was picked up daily in the parks. The aerator was turned on in Rogers Lake and the thin ice signs put up around the aerator. The Utilities Crew checked all the lift stations daily. Grease eating bacteria was added to the main lift station wet well. Two sanitary sewer line inspections for two new homes were done in Lemay Shores. Assisted the Parks Crew with the aerator set up. Began building the guard rail for the main lift station wet well. The Streets Crew came in on Sunday and they salted the streets and plowed the main streets. After plowing, the plow trucks dumped their salt, then washed and steamed cleaned. The wings and sanders on the plow trucks were greased. The one ton pickup truck was washed. A mailbox was replaced on William Court. A saddle bracket was welded on a fire truck. They worked on putting new tires on ladder 10 and another fire truck. A safety meeting was attended in South Saint Paul. Tree limbs that blew down on Ashley Lane were picked up. Ice was cut out of the street on Junction Lane and hauled away. Engineering – Project descriptions simplified for easier reading. For more information, please contact the Engineering Department at (651) 452-1850. City Projects (construction year) Victoria Road Reconstruction & Rolling Green Neighborhood Rehabilitation (2014/2015) – Warranty and punch list items to be completed in the spring. Mendota Road Neighborhood Improvements (2016) – An Ordinance establishing no parking areas was approved by City Council at their February 16th meeting. Plans will be submitted to MnDOT for review next week. Construction is expected to begin in June. Update of Local Surface Water Management Plan (LSWMP) – A contract to revise the LSWMP was awarded to WSB & Associates at the February 16th City Council meeting. Plan revision is expected to take about one year. The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works Engineering February 19, 2016 Lake Augusta Alum Treatment (2016) – The Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization has received a grant at the request of the City to treat Lake Augusta’s high phosphorus level. The LMRWMO will be responsible for the project, and the City will contribute matching funds for the treatment. Treatment is expected in the fall. County Projects Highway 110 Greenway Trail Crossing (2017) – Design of the underpass is underway by the County’s consultant. An open house is scheduled for this coming summer to go over final design details. Traffic Signal Improvements: I-494 & Pilot Knob Road (2016) – All stakeholder comments have been received by the County, and plans have been submitted to MnDOT for review. State Projects Highway 13 Slope Repair (2015-2016) – Highway 13 has re-opened. A second closure period will be necessary in June and is expected to last for a little over a month. Highway 110 Rehabilitation (2017) – City Staff met with ISD197 staff and representatives from Dakota County and MnDOT on Tuesday to discuss the construction impacts on school district transportation. ISD197 will need to alter bus routes for summer school classes and the beginning of the 2017- 2018 school year. Contact Molly Cline, MnDOT Project Manager, at 651- 234-7723 or molly.cline@state.mn.us for more information. Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Rehabilitation (2018) – Staff received the right- of-way maps from MnDOT that will be used in determining if any easements will be needed to provide a pedestrian facility along Dodd Road in conjunction with the 2018 construction project. City and County staff are working on pursuing grant money from the Metropolitan Council to construct the facility. Contact Tara McBride, Project Manager at 651-234-7506, or tara.mcbride@state.mn.us. Other Activities City-Wide Trail Plan Update – The City has applied for a Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) grant from Dakota County to update the City Trail Improvement and Maintenance Plan (TIMP). A study of the Dodd Road (Highway 149) corridor would be included as part of the update. Engineering 101 Seminar (April 6, 2016 – Eagan Community Center) – Invitations for the upcoming seminar will be sent out in the coming weeks. The seminar is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6th, 2016 at the Eagan Community Center from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Future Cities Competition – Staff attended an after school event to celebrate the completion of another year of the program at Friendly Hills Middle School. The teams will be attending the March 3rd City Council meeting to talk about their experience. A brief reception will be held in the City Hall lobby before the meeting, beginning at 6:30. Pollinator Friendly Work Plan – Staff met with area University of Minnesota Master Gardeners to brainstorm a work plan in support of the Pollinator Friendly designation of the City. A draft work plan will be discussed at the March 8th Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting, and then discussed with the City Council at an upcoming meeting. 1 The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener SERGEANTS Eric Petersen Tanner Spicer Peyton Fleming Bobby Lambert POLICE OFFICERS John Larrive Todd Rosse Jeff VonFeldt Steven Meyer Denise Urmann Michael Shepard Nick Gorgos Robin Nelson Steve Hilyar Phillip McCarty INVESTIGATIONS Chad Willson SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER Jennifer Fordham SUPPORT STAFF Kim Henning Trista Miller Shayna Hoechst Becky Pentel RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker CHAPLAINS Butch Millett John Snider Alberto Vargas Lynn Liberman Sue Plucker Joel Detlefsen Lenny Andrie FEBRUARY 19 2016 UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU TO KNOW The IRS continues to warn consumers to guard against scam phone calls from thieves intent on stealing their money or their identity. Here are several tips to help you avoid being a victim of these scams:  Scammers make unsolicited calls. Thieves call taxpayers claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via phishing email.  Callers try to scare their victims. Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money.  Scams use caller ID spoofing. Scammers often alter caller ID to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official. Scammers try new tricks all the time. Some schemes provide an actual IRS address where they tell the victim to mail a receipt for the payment they make. Others use emails that contain a fake IRS document with a phone number or an email address for a reply. These scams often use official IRS letterhead in emails or regular mail that they send to their victims. Tax Day is April 18 this year! The regular tax return filing deadline is April 15. However, due to the Washington D.C. Emancipation Day holiday being observed on April 15 instead of April 16, 2016, Tax Day is on the following Monday. Tax Season Do’s and Dont’s When using the United States Mail to send in your returns, always put them in a secured mail box or drop it at the Post Office. You have personal information on these forms that someone could use to steal your identity such as:  Social Security Numbers  Routing numbers for your bank accounts  Income information that someone could use to open credit accounts without your knowledge  Home Address When using the Internet:  Use all precautions you normally use for opening charge accounts with online businesses  Turn off our computers when not in use  When surfing the internet, hackers can get into your computer and gather personal information  Check on fire walls and home computer security measures for your personal computer  There is software that encrypts or scrambles the purchase information you send over the internet. 2 DOMESTIC FRIDAY 1639 HOURS Officer Robin Nelson responded to a group home on a report of two residents fighting. Nelson arrived and the two had been separated by staff. The two began fighting because one was irritated that the other was talking too much on the phone so they began hitting each other. The father of one of the males came to take him home for the weekend. DISORDERLY CONDUCT FRIDAY 1817 HOURS Sergeant Bobby Lambert and Officer Mike Shepard responded to a local hotel on a party that was out of control. It was also reported that a white male had been verbally abusive to hotel staff, threw a cup of hot coffee on a manager and then left the hotel. The male was identified, video was available to review and charges will be forthcoming. DAC/IPS/WARRANT SUNDAY 1617 HOURS While on routine patrol, Officer John Larrive observed a vehicle associated with a male whom Larrive has had previous dealing with and knows he is not licensed. The driver of the vehicle appeared to be that unlicensed male. Larrive ran the male and he came back as having a driving status of Cancelled IPS and an active warrant. Larrive activated his emergency lights but the male continued on his way ignoring Larrive. The male then pulled into a driveway and that is when Larrive ordered him out of the vehicle and onto the ground. The license plates were removed from the vehicle, the vehicle was towed and the male was transported to Dakota County Jail. THEFT MONDAY 1014 HOURS Officer John Larrive responded to a local school on a theft report. Upon arrival, he was met by a victim who stated that she went into the school for ten minutes and when she returned to her vehicle, she noticed her front passenger door window had been shattered. The suspect stole her diaper/lunch bag. Security video will be reviewed. POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA MONDAY 1414 HOURS While on routine patrol, Officer John Larrive observed a vehicle at a high rate of speed. Larrive conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the two occupants. As he was speaking with the occupants he could smell marijuana inside the vehicle. Larrive asked them if there was marijuana in the vehicle in which they replied no. Larrive then saw a tied plastic bag with suspected marijuana in it inside the outer pocket of the drivers jacket. The passenger then admitted he also had some marijuana on him. Both occupants were handcuffed and placed in the squad. The passenger had a very small amount of marijuana so the marijuana was disposed of and he was free of charges. The drivers marijuana was seized and he was issued a citation for Possession of Marijuana In a Motor Vehicle. 3 FRAUD TUESDAY 1433 HOURS Officer Todd Rosse was dispatched to a local business on a fraud report. Rosse was met by the business employee who stated that she was notified by a Bronx, NY Home Depot employee that a purchase totaling $5,909.93 was in the process of being made using their business credit card. She told her that it was unauthorized and that they do not have any authorized users on the east coast. As the Home Depot employee was about to call the police, the suspect had left. It was then found that their business account had also been used for several other large transactions at Home Depots located out east. Under investigation. THEFT TUESDAY 1741 HOURS Officer Nick Gorgos responded to a senior living home on a theft report. Gorgos was told that the victim kept her purse in the cupboard and that a residents daughter and boyfriend were seen going through the cupboards. When she went to retrieve her purse, she noticed $30 missing from it. The daughter and boyfriend were questioned and both denied any involvement. Case inactive due to solvability factors. DOMESTIC TUESDAY 2221 HOURS Officer Phil McCarty was dispatched to a domestic disturbance report. He arrived and met with the homeowner who stated that her brother and his girlfriend have been living with her for the past five months and that they did not pay rent nor clean up after themselves which lead to this issue. McCarty noticed the woman was a little unsteady on her feet and she admitted to having a few drinks. The parties eventually decided they did not want to pursue anything and that they would just go to bed for the night. TRAFFIC STOP TUESDAY 2352 HOURS While on routine patrol, Sergeant Peyton Fleming ran a license plate and the owners status came back as revoked and to be seized. The physical description of the owner matched that of the driver so Fleming conducted a traffic stop. Fleming made contact with the vehicle owner who stated he knew his license was revoked and also that he did not have insurance. A citation was issued to the owner for DAR, Operate Vehicle w/Revoked Plated and No Ins. The plates were removed and the vehicle was towed. 4 02/12 - 02/18 2016 YTD Calls for Service 132 991 Citations 21 113 Warnings 16 127 Police Reports 21 137 Response Time Average 4.72 4.68 Check out the MH Crime Map! Click below to search your neighborhood: https://www.raidsonline.com 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 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 or email jennyf@mendota-heights.com to contact Officer Jennifer Fordham. MHPD has a Medication Disposal Box in the lobby of the PD where Dakota County residents can safely and 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! Each year, the Polar Plunge challenges thousands of brave jumpers at numerous locations around the state. It’s a great way for everyone—individuals, organizations and businesses— to get involved in supporting Special Olympics Minnesota. All funds raised go towards programming and events for more than 8,000 athletes statewide. Think you have what it takes? The concept is simple: participants raise a minimum of $75 and take a dip into one of Minnesota’s frozen lakes. But the Plunges are so much more than that: They’re the kind of fun and thrilling events that you really have to experience to understand. Grab some friends, get pumped and REGISTER TODAY!