Loading...
2008-10-24 Friday News° Election Update It has been a busy week at the City Hall front desk with lots of people voting absentee. There have been 20-30 ballots coming in every day and about 1000 have voted absentee so far with Eleven days still to go. (Last General election there were only 790 absentee ballots total). Election October 24, 2008 Judges are coming in everyday to accept or reject these ballots and when ballots are rejected, the voters are contacted to make the correction. On election day a team will process these ballots and take them to their appropriate polling place and run through the machines. So far, everything is on mark and ri is going well. For those of you who would like to view a sample ballot, one is now posted on the City's website. R I Citizens Academy DWeek 6 of the Citizen's Academy dealt with investigations. Cheri Townsend from the Dakota County Attorney's Office spoke to the class about the "CSI Effect" and how this Aimpacts all aspects of investigations. The "CSI Effect" arises from the programming on television that takes investigations to a place that usually doesn't exist. Fingerprints can Y not always be lifted from any and all surfaces, DNA results don't come back in 30 min- utes, crimes aren't solved in an hour, and NO ONE looks good at 2 in the morning when called out to a crime scene. Students were then divided into two groups and each group was presented with a different scenario to witness. In the City Hall parking the scenario was of road rage. Officer NMeyer played the aggressive driver and broke out a window in the other driver's vehicle while ranting and raving. *Dispatch received a 91 Icall from someone who thought this Escenario was a real event! After a short break students went one on one with each other to interview and write re - Wports on what was seen in each scenario. The reports were compiled and it was interesting to see the wide range of varying descriptions that were given. Officer Meyer was de- scribed as being anywhere from 5'6" — 6'5" tall, clothing description varied, and one per- son actually said he had curly hair! (He's bald!) Even the vehicle's color descriptions varied. Mario Reyes closed out the night with a presentation on investigations. October 24, 2008 Dates to Remember in October ARC Meeting 10/29/08 630 Planning Commission Meeting 10/28/08 7:00 Five-day forecast Tomorrow Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct 28 Oct 29 Clear Scattered Flurries Cloudy ! PM Sun Fair Fair Hi: 560 Hi: 420 Hi: 410 Hi: 480 Hi: 520 Lo: ,340 Lo: 300 Lo: 280 Lo: 310 Lo: 331 g34tNrhmuntc Just the Facts, Pipeline, Planning Commission Agenda, ARC Agenda, MN S U N Article "Mendota Heights City Council candidate profiles", HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!! Will we really have snow on Sunday?? October 24, 2008 Tie latest ycecvs fiv�n tie �fer��j'ata �feiglitsJ'olice �e�art�er�t U 10/24/2008 The Mendota Mendota Heights / West St. Paul Citizen's Police Academy Heights The Academy h has been meeting every Thursday night since September 18 and continues be very informative. Last night the Police Dakota County Attorney's Office had one of the Prosecuting Department Attorney's Cheri Townsend discuss the "CSI Effect." She talked about the impact television has on real life expectations and how Support Staff it can and does influence jurors. She was followed by Kien Henning Investigators Matt Swenke, Mario Reyes and Scott Patrick. The Sandie Ristine investigators walked through some basic information on the Susan Donovan number one task they deal with: interviews. The class then had Cathy Ransom the opportunity to witness separate scenarios. After watching the Police Officers scenarios, they were split into two groups, witnesses and police Jerry Murphy, officers. They then switched tasks and brought their information Bobby Lambert back to the whole group. At that point they had the opportunity to Eric Petersen watch a video of the scenarios they watched, with some great Tanney Spicer results - the scenario in the upper lot resulted in a real 911 call to Todd Rosse rnnnrt the rnnrl rano incident that was nccurrina (with some fairly Chad Willson accurate information). Next Thursday the class will wrap up with Jeff voriPeldt an introduction to specialty assignments and a short graduation Steven Meyer ceremony. Denise Urr iaiin Michael Shepard Peyton Fleming Expired registration / DAR 10-16-08 1458 hours While on patrol, Officer Steve Meyer spotted a car with expired School Resource registration. After stopping the car to investigate he learned the Officer driver was revoked. The driver was allowed to park the car and Jenny Fordham call a valid friend to pick it up. He was cited and released. Investigations Mario Reyes Theft of Political Sign 10-17-08 1743 hours Scott Patrick Officer Mike Shepard received a phone call from a very upset Sergeants citizen who reported their political campaign sign was missing Neil Garlock from their front yard. When the officer suggested it may have John Larrive been in the right of way or obstructing line of signt, the man's Brian convery level of irritation raised, noting he believed a construction crew member (and other side's supporter) who was working in the Chief area stole his sign. He demanded that the crew be interviewed Mike Aschenbrener or he would go over the officer's head. No suspects or witnesses 10/24/2008 to the theft of the campaign sign; made for future reference. DAR 10-16-08 1844 hours Officer Denise Urmann ran a license plate check on a vehicle that showed the registered owner to be a revoked female. A few minutes later, the car drove by her with a female driving. Upon stopping the car, it was learned the driver was the owner. She admitted to knowing her license was revoked. Since she had stopped in a parking lot she was allowed to call a friend to pick up the car. The driver was cited at the scene and released. DAS/Warrant 10-17-08 0011 hours Officer Mike Shepard stopped a car for having illegal window tint. In making contact with the driver it was learned the driver was suspended and had an active arrest warrant out of Hennepin County Court. The driver was cited and released to his buddy after the friend parted with $175 to pay his Hennepin County. DUI 10-18-08 0222 hours A 911 cell call was placed to MSP about a drunk driver; Officer Chad Willson was the closest officer to the call. The vehicle was spotted as it headed up Hwy 13 in Lilydale. The vehicle was having a very hard time staying on the road and was varying speeds from 20 mph to 40 mph. The car was stopped and it was immediately obvious the driver was very intoxicated. The only thing that kept him from falling out of the car onto the road was a good grip on the door handle. The man said he left Burnsville, headed to Apple Valley and was quite certain that he was now in Apple Valley. Upon exiting the car, he was so unstable that he couldn't stand in one spot to even attempt the SFST's. The man provided a PBT sample of .300 BAC. The man's car was towed, the passenger was dropped at Holiday and the - ---_ _-s__i i_ Rni 1r%r� ...V .. _.. L ... ....... .....J �6. �. RAAI IY,,^1;-4 ('^neon± suspect was transported to IVIHI-'U where he was read he ivnv Implicu vvii�u Advisory. He agreed to a provide urine test after which he was released to Ramsey Comity Detox. Charges will be filed ."then the urine test reclilts are reported from the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. DAS 10-18-08 1522 hours While on patrol Officer Denise Urmann ran a license plate check on the vehicle alongside of her fully marked squad car. The two approached a red light and stopped. The driver of the vehicle paced slightly behind the squad car as the light turned green. The registered owner (R/O) of the car came back as suspended. When Officer Urmann slowed to 10 mph the car finally passed allowing her to see that a female was driving. A traffic stop was initiated a short distance down the road. The driver was the R/O she provided a current insurance car and her drivers license. When asked if the license was valid she replied no. She was cited at the scene and a valid driver was allowed to drive the car from the scene. -2- 10/24/2008 ATV Complaint/ Stolen Property 10-19-08 1241 hours Caller reported two ATV's (all terrain vehicles) racing through yards. Officer Todd Rosse spotted the ATV's just as they saw him and they fled into a wooded area. However, they did not come out the other side of the woods. Further investigation revealed that they had been abandoned in the woods. Sgt Brian Convery began checking the ATV's for ownership at which point he spotted the drivers as they fled on foot through the woods. The two young men ran out of sight immediately; but left behind something..., a shoe was located along the path. Further checks showed one of the units as stolen. A short time later the owner of the second unit called to report it stolen. The owner advised the ATV was taken earlier but thought it best to wait and see if it came back on its own. The ATV's were processed for evidence. Interviews continue and multiple agencies are involved in the investigation. K9 Search 10-20-08 0930 hours The School Resource Officer (SRO) Jennifer Fordham coordinated a drug sweep of the high school. K9's were brought in from multiple agencies and paired with administrative staff and officers to sweep the school for contraband. The dogs spent several hours going through the school. Only two violations, both very minor, were found on the property. Both students will face both school consequences and juvenile court referrals. Considering the number of students in the building and the age group in question, it is quite remarkable that such a limited number of violations come out of such a search. A special thank you to the agencies who provided dogs: Dakota County Sheriff's Office, Saint Paul Police, West St. Paul Police and Airport Police. Peddler Violation 10-20-08 1022 hours A __.__._i_:._a ...__ -_...,:.....,.I ..F .. .J.....- ♦.. .J.....- ...,L.n.V..,.. �nii�hr�iit v�ormi4 (lffircr /i GUf�I�JId111L Wd5 ICGCIVCU UI A UUUI-w-UUUI aatc0o1oaoo VViuiUUL a �✓.011111. VIIIV\ l Todd Rosse located the suspect in the area of the complaint. He did not have a nmrrrmi4Wl= 1AInO niiati and nnlancc]A nn C(`PnP f✓,iaooid. ice, vv..�.00.. o.o..,....,...,, .,...,�....,..ee Careless Driving 10-22-08 2328 hours Caller reported a maroon Mercedes drove down the hill, went through the stop sign and crashed into it, scraped a tree, drove over the curb into a parking lot and then fled N/B on Hwy 13. The vehicle left multiple pieces behind and flattened at least one tire. The car was located a short distance down the road. Eventually a possible driver was interviewed at the car. She had been drinking but had left and returned. She advised she had gone to the bar and had a couple of drinks following the crash. She was cited at the scene and released. Am a pwe ruediiKd/1.% - 3 - Public Works The Parks Crew fertilized all the ball fields, soccer fields, City Hall, Fire Hall and Public Works. Repairs were made to 580D. The water was pumped out of the pipes at Mendakota and Kensington Parks and the water meters were removed. Rich replaced the alarm light cover and bulb at the Lilydale lift station because it had been vandalized. The pump bearings were greased at the Lilydale lift station which is done every spring and fall. Leaves were mowed and mulched at the Veronica lift station. The catch basin was repaired at Celia and Victoria Roads. The frame was bricked and filled in with concrete. A new frame was made for the catch basin at 889 Bluebill. The inside of the catch basin at 614 Watersedge Terraced was mudded up. The bonfire pile was pushed up. A street sign was reinstalled on Fieldstone. The sink hole at 1307 Mendota Heights Road was dug up. Water was bubbling up out of the hole so St. Paul Regional Water Services was called and informed of the water leak. Engineering r rh --, nn� �ro'i ori r �Ilnh�n Dlaro nn M ickc4ia y flee M the rnlri 1NPather the rnntrartnr %- u V1 -i U VVGJ V%JUI t:I 1 �u11u11u1 a lvs will not be allowing the curb to be driven on until Monday. Next week, the class V base will he graded and the street paved. Two trees were replaced on Delaware Avenue. The existing trees deteriorated after the street was rebuilt. This is a rare occurrence and a professional arborist could not determine an alternate cause. The rain gardens were dug and seeded on the Avenues project, trees will be planted today or early next week. The yard at Dodd and 4th Avenue was graded and seeded and the trail to Wentworth Park was graded. The trail was scheduled to be paved on Friday but will be delayed due to the weather. Staff has been meeting with consultants on the RFP for the Feasibility Report on Pedestrian Improvements at Highway 110 & Dodd Road. Proposals are due into the City by 4:OOpm on October 31St Staff has been working with the development team for the Mendota Mall Expansion project. A new Concept Site Plan was presented at City Council on Tuesday night, and Staff will continue to work with the development team to incorporate the City's requirements and requests into the project. CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA October 28, 2008 1) Call to Order 2) Roll Call 3) Approval of the September 23, 2008 Planning Commission Minutes 4) Hearings a) Case No. 08-28 Tim Gunderson/Somerset Country Club, 1416 Dodd Road — Conditional Use Permit to Renovate and Add on to Existing Pool House. Public Hearing 7:00 P.M. b) Case No. 08-29: Telecom Transport Management (TTM), 1196 Northland Drive — Conditional Use Permit for Additional Antenna on Existing Monopole and Accessory Equipment. Public Hearing 7:00 P.M. c) Update on Mendota Mall 5) Verbal Review 6) Adjourn Auxiliary aids for persons with disabilities are available upon request at least 120 hours in advance. If a notice of less than 120 hours is received, the City of Mendota Heights will make every attempt to provide the aids, however, this may not be possible on short notice. Please contact City Administration at 651-452-1850 with requests. CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMISSION AGENDA October 29, 2008 — City Hall Conference Room 1. Call to Order - 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of the Minutes from the September 10th, 2008 Airport Relations Commission Meetings. 4. Unfinished and New Business a. Introduction of Joe Hennessy. b. Presentation by Rich Feely on Aircraft Innovations C. Update on Cities Meetings. d. Updates for Introduction Book. 5. Acknowledge Receipt of Various Reports/Correspondence: a. Correspondence from MAC dated 9-19-08 & 10-17-08 b. August 2008 ANOM Technical Advisor's Report C. August 2008 ANOM Eagan/Mendota Heights Departure Corridor Analysis d. Airport Noise Report, September 5, 2008 e. Airport Noise Report, September 12, 2008 f. Airport Noise Report, September 19, 2008 g. Airport Noise Report, September 26, 2008 h. Airport Noise Report, October 3, 2008 i. Airport Noise Report, October 10, 2008 j. Airport Noise Report, October 17, 2008 6. Other Commissioner Comments or Concerns 7. Upcoming Meetings MAC Meeting City Council Meeting NOC Meeting Planning Commission 8. Public Comments 9. Adiourn 11-17-08 1:00 p.m. 11-04-08 8:30 p.m. 11-19-08 1:30 p.m 11-25-08 7:00 p.m. Auxiliary aids for persons with disabilities are available upon request at least 120 hours in advance. If a notice of less than 120 hours is received, the City of Mendota Heights will make every attempt to provide the aids. This may not, however, be possible on short notice. Please contact City Administration at (651) 452-1850 with requests. MNMSUN Print Page 44 community newspaper Mendota Heights City Council candidate profiles (Created: Thursday, October 23, 2008 11:30 PM CD F) Running unopposed for two Mendota Heights City Council seats Nov. 4 are incumbents Sandra Krebsbach and Jack Vitelli. The terms are four years and the annual salary is $4,200. Sandra Krebsbach Address: 1230 Culligan Lane Family: Norbert "Nob" Krebsbach; 2 daughters Education: Ph.D., University of Minnesota Occupation: Pastoral associate for stewardship and Adult education, Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville Years in city: 30 Community involvement: Minneapolis Rotary 9 Information: 651-452-1850 Sandra Krebsbach wants to continue work on the Mendota Plaza redevelopment, upgrade the Industrial Park to include Class A office, and maintain quality services in the city while holding the line on costs. M . . ..i_.._ ill _____fete Dodd Road and �rigi-....... 110 the d.......town of Mendota Heights. She cairi if chnidr! I°lenQU�a t'IdLA WIII CUIIIiJICIC UUUU RV[IU QIIU rnynvvay ltv, uic u�vvnwvvii vi Mendota ��...y��w. .+..�-.+�••.• .. �••.. •-•.- follow the quality and style of Mendota Village and fit with the Dodge Nature Center and the Mendakota Golf Club. She said she wants to continue working with the developer and encourage Dakota County to help preserve green space for the creek path or trail system. Upgrading the Industrial Park is important, she said, because, "Mendota Heights' proximity to the airport should be a financial benefit for corporate and regional corporate headquarters." To increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, Krebsbach said she supports an overpass at Highway 110 to connect Mendota Plaza and the Village. An overpass would need the Legislature's support to improve the intersection safety of two state highways. Public safety will continue to be a priority, Krebsbach said, and Mendota Heights has well-trained and equipped police and fire services. Krebsbach said she has maintained an interest in airport noise issues. She supports a strong Mendota Heights Airport Relations Commission, a group of knowledgeable advocates for Mendota Heights. Krebsbach is the first alternate on the Noise Oversight Committee, comprised of city representatives, and served on the Airport Zoning Board. "I will continue to be engaged and present," she said. The Par 3 Golf Course performed well this year, with more than 10,000 rounds of golf. To ensure that the golf course continues to be fiscally sound, Krebsbach said it will have to cover its operating expenses. "Keeping a loyal league and player base is a top priority," she said. "I think we have done that." Maintaining the integrity of the bluff between Interstate 35E and Mendota is important, Krebsbach said. She wants to encourage conservation easements that allow private owners to preserve the bluff that they own and receive a tax break. "We have an excellent record of support from residents for preservation," she said. Krebsbach said it has been an honor to serve Mendota Heights and she looks forward to the next four years. "I am interested in what the residents want and will be going door to door to hear from them," she said. Jack Vitelli Address: 1334 Sylvandale Road Family: Wife, Char; 6 children, 14 grandchildren Education: Master of arts, mathematics, Michigan State University Occupation: Retired Years in city: 20 Community involvement: Mendota Heights Planning Commission, Metropolitan Airports Commission member of Noise Oversight Committee, and Mendota Heights Council member for eight years. Information: kkano@comcast.net Jack Vitelli said his top priorities for Mendota Heights are the renovation of Mendota Plaza, controlling airport noise, and maintaining the lowest tax rate in the metro area for a city of Mendota Heights' size. Mendota Plaza has tremendous potential to the city and to the owners, he said. It needs to be upgraded from its "strip mall" character to a more inviting and accessible place to shop and visit. Vitelli has spent many hours working with the owner, city planner and other council members on the site. "I will continue this effort and am optimistic," he said. To preserve open space, Vitelli wants to finalize trail connections in concert with Dakota County, continue maintenance and upgrades to Historic Pilot Knob, and continue positive cash flow at the Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course. To achieve continued positive cash flow at the Par 3, Vitelli wants to continue excellent grounds management, keep fees low, and enlist and encourage group membership and events. Being close to the airport creates a public safety concern, Vitelli said. Mendota Heights is under key landing and takeoff patterns that increase the risk of airplane or terrorist disasters, and Vitelli said the Police and Fire departments will continue to be trained for such an event. To address airport concerns, Vitelli said he supports continued strong membership on the Noise Oversight Committee of the Metropolitan Airports Commission and watching aircraft tracking over the city. Deviations from set frequency and aircraft tracks should immediately be brought to the attention of the FAA's tower manager and the MAC Noise Oversinht Dpnartmant_ Vitelli said it has been a pleasure working with the residents of Mendota Heights and with the outstanding, dedicated 45 -member staff, "who ma'm'c our city great and our residents haappy• This site and its contents Copyright @ 2007. Sun NewspapersSAM - Main Office: 952-829-0797 suninfo@acnpapers.com - x