2004-05-21 Friday News
The Friday News
May 21, 2004
NURT Meeting
On Tuesday, City staff (Sue McDermott, Tom Knuth, Guy Kullander and me) met with Mary Jackson
(Dakota County) and Tim Korby (LHB Engineers & Architects) to discuss various items related to the
proposed North Urban Regional Trail which is to be constructed in 2005 by the County along Highway
110 from Dodd Road to Delaware Avenue. Pending review of the preliminary plans by MnDOT, LHB
Consultants expect to present a trail alignment plan to the City Council for their review and comments at
the second Council meeting in June or first meeting in July. Attached is a concept sketch of the proposed
trail alignment adjacent to Highway 110 in the vicinity of South Lane and Knob Road.
Auditors Depart
For the past week and one half, Esther and Paula, auditors from HLP Tauges Red Path have made the
Small Conference Room at City Hall their office. They used this room while they worked with Kristen
and other City Staff to complete their fieldwork for completing the City’s 2003 Audit.
Esther and Paula have now gone back to their offices to work on drafting their report. They will return to
give us an exit interview when they have a draft of the report completed. They plan on presenting the
report to the City Council at a meeting in June. They need to have a copy of the audit finalized and ready
to be submitted to the Office of the State Auditor in time for a June 30th deadline.
Do It Best Hardware
Pat and I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Mendota Heights Do It Best Hardware Store
at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday. The Mayor along with Council Members Schneeman, Krebsbach and Duggan
were all there to watch the ribbon being cut “with an ax”. Do It Best is a wonderful store and everyone
that I have talked to who has visited it has been very impressed with the store and the services that it
provides. Do It Best has other open house events scheduled all through the weekend – I encourage
everyone who hasn’t had a chance to do so, go check it out.
Newsletter Coming
The spring edition of the Heights Highlight was sent to be mailed out this week. The mailing company
feels that they now have the problems solved with why some residents were not receiving the newsletter.
Watch the mail – if you do not receive the newsletter next week give Emmy Foster a call and let her know
so that we can investigate the problem.
Sally Graduates
Congratulations go out to Planning Commission Chair Sally Lorberbaum who graduated last Sunday from
the Executive Program of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota with an
MBA.
Governor’s Opener
Public Works Supt. Tom Olund gave me a report this week on “The 2004 Governor’s Opener”. He had
been invited by the Governor’s brothers to attend the event. The event was held last weekend at the
Sportsman’s Ridge Lodge on Lake of the Woods. Tom had three fish caught from his boat. Tom tells me
that he was even able to buy the Governor a beverage and sit right next to him and the First Lady
Thursday night. One of the things that he thought was especially interesting being around the Governor
was the very tight security, including while he was on the water fishing. Tom tells me that he feels very
lucky to have been invited to the event, and that he had a great time participating in the schedule full of
fun events (fishing, banquets, tours, parade, etc).
Respectfully Submitted,
James Danielson
City Administrator
Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, Planning Commission Agenda, Concept Sketch of Proposed Trail
Alignment , Villager Article “Airports commissioners debate merits of noise abatement plan”, Sun
Current Article “Compromise proposed for airport sound insulation program”, Pioneer Press Article
“West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan school bond vote in works”, Monday Fax, Friday Fax and AMM
News.