2004-10-15 Friday News
The Friday News
October 15, 2004
WSP FD ASSISTS MENDOTA HEIGHTS FD
The City of West St. Paul recently received a Federal grant to purchase new self contained
breathing apparatus, consequently their existing equipment became excess. They knew that
Mendota Heights had like equipment and asked if we would be interested in acquiring some of their
excess. We told them that we would be, so they sold us 15 face pieces for our breathing apparatus
and one air bottle to be used with our RIT (Rapid Intervention Team Deployment) - the team
designated to save downed or trapped fire fighters. They sold all of this equipment to us at a “huge”
savings. Thanks goes to West St. Paul!
TOWN CENTER OPEN HOUSE
Ross Fefercorn held an open house on Monday evening this week for his workers, friends, family
and City Officials. I attended the open house and found his new town homes to be beautiful and
beautifully furnished. I particularly like the little court yards that are constructed “out back” near
the pond – of course the pond isn’t so beautiful to look at yet, but the City Council recently
approved Ross’s landscaping plans that will be completed next year and make the pond beautiful.
NORTHLAND INSURANCE LEAVING
I found out this week that Northland Insurance Company, which had been acquired by Travelers
Insurance and then was merged with St. Paul Company’s will be vacating their buildings located
out in our Industrial Park before the end of this year. As we understand, St. Paul Company has the
same operations downtown St. Paul and no longer needs our facility. The Northland building was
first constructed in 1988 and later had one large expansion. Dale Glowa tells me that Northland’s
lease runs through 2006, but that they are looking for another tenant to fill the 140,000 sq. ft. space
as soon as possible.
RICOH RIBBON CUTTING
Ricoh Corporation has moved its offices from Minneapolis to Mendota Heights. Their new office is
located across from City Hall in the GNB Building. They plan on conducting a ribbon cutting
ceremony at 10:30 a.m. next Wednesday morning (see attached information sheet on Ricoh).
IGH AUAR INFO MEETING
Sue attended an informational meeting in Inver Grove Heights this Thursday that addressed
development of the north-west corner of their City (3000 acres – map attached). They are working
on completing an AUAR (Alternative Urban Areawide Review) study of its development. Sue
found out that there were two of the factors that would impact Mendota Heights more than any: (1)
A proposed interchange at Delaware and I-494 and (2) A proposal for high density residential on
the north side of I-494 right up against Sunfish Lake. The draft report will be sent to us for official
comment the beginning of January.
BONFIRE BRUSH
Today is the day that we open the Halloween Bonfire site for residents to begin depositing their
brush. We will keep the site open through Thursday, October 28th when we close it so that the
Public Works crew can pile it up and prepare it to be burned on Halloween evening, Sunday,
October 31st, starting at 7:00 p.m.
ELECTION UPDATE
The city staff has been inundated with requests for absentee ballot applications for the upcoming
election. To date 527 absentee ballots have been issued by the city staff and Dakota County. That
number represents 6.5% of the city’s registered voters, and there continues to be a constant stream
of residents coming in to City Hall to vote. Nearly half of the ballots that were issued have already
been voted and returned to the city for processing on election day.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jim Danielson
City Administrator
Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, Pre-application Meeting Synopsis, City Council Meeting
Agenda, Email from Ricoh Business Systems, Map of IGH Northwest Expansion Area AUAR,