2006-01-20 Friday NewsThe Friday News
January 20, 2006
NEW COMMISSIONERS SELECTED
Once again this year the City Council had an extremely difficult time in selecting new
commissioners, because there was a large group of very highly qualified candidates to choose
from. After they interviewed candidates before this Tuesday’s City Council meeting, it was a
decision time for the Council and the process even made them run long and caused the regular
City Council meeting to be started a half an hour late. The candidates selected can be extemely
proud that they were the ones chosen. The candidates chosen were:
New Planning Commissioners
• Maureen Harms – an attorney with the 3M Corp
• Mike Povolny – business owner and former ARC Commissioner
• Joe Lally – an attorney and Vice President at Delta Dental
New Parks and Recreation Commissioners
• Tom Kraus – has his own business doing market research and developing new
business concepts
New ARC Commissioners
• Bill Dunn – a retired Senior High School Principal from t he St. Paul School
District
• Robin Erhlich – a self employed Computer Programmer
• Dave Sloan – a retired mechanical engineer from 3M who is now doing private
consulting
PILOT KNOB SITE RESTORATION
At last Tuesday’s meeting the City Council selected Great River Greening (GRG) to begin
implementation of the restoration process for the Pilot Knob site as proposed in the “Pilot Knob
Natural Resource Management Plan” developed by GRG last October. The three year contract
includes implementing restoration tasks, writing grant proposals, and a variety of administrative
tasks in coordination with City staff.
Work of cutting and removal of large woody trees and plants from the site, with assistance from
Public Works, may begin as soon as late February. Additional on site efforts this year will focus
on removing the extensive infestation of exotic species through multiple cycles of cutting
invasive plants, control burn, allow for new growth, spay to kill new invasive growth, burn, and
then repeat. This process will continue into 2007. Also in 2007 construction of trails, overlook,
parking area, etc. will take place as well as seeding of native plants later in the year. In 2008
management efforts will focus on improving prairie plantings and management/removal of any
stubborn invasive plants that may remain.
The restoration plan details work tasks through 2014 with routine site oversight and maintenance
to follow. Preparing the site for the restoration efforts, during the first two years is essential. This
work const itutes a significant portion of the projected overall costs of the management plan.
494/DELAWARE AVENUE INTERCHANGE
We received the Final Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) for the Northwest
Expansion Area in Inver Grove Heights this week. Included in the report were all of the
comments that were received by reviewing agencies such as MnDOT, Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), MnDNR, and neighboring cities, along with responses to the
comments. I have attached the response to the letter that we sent with our concerns about an
interchange at 494/CR 63 (Argenta Trail). MnDOT and FHWA will require a detailed planning
process involving all affected parties before an interchange would be approved. Additional
traffic analysis was provided showing that if the interchange is not built, CR 63 will need to be 3
or 4 lanes versus the 5 or 6 lanes that would be necessary with the interchange (see attached
table).
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Danielson
Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, Sun Current Article “Mendota Heights education center
reminds children to mind their manners” and Dakota County Sheriff Newsletter “The Front
Row”, 494/Delaware Avenue Interchange attachments, Women’s Expo Information, Xcel
Energy Notification and Planning Report on Lilydale Tennis Club Redevelopment.