2016-04-15 Friday NewsCity of Mendota Heights Weekly Update
Mendota Heights City Hall
1101 Victoria Curve
www.mendota-heights.com
(651) 452.1850
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MendotaHeightsMN
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@Mendota_heights
DATES TO REMEMBER:
April 19
City Council
7:00 p.m.
April 26
Planning Commission
7:00 p.m.
May 3
City Council
7:00 p.m.
May 7
Spring Clean-up Day
Mendakota Park
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Attachments:
Pipeline, Just the Facts
April 15, 2016
Mendota Heights Par 3
is in Full Swing
If you’re looking for some fun outdoor
entertainment for the weekend, come out to the
Mendota Heights Par 3. Bring your friends and
enjoy a couple hours of golf. If you’re not a golfer,
your group can play FootGolf (a combination of
soccer & golf). Check out our website for prices
and additional information. The clubhouse is open
daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Residents are invited to stop by the Par 3 Clubhouse on Mondays for coffee,
conversation and a game of cribbage from 10 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Scrabble enthusiasts,
stop by on Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 12:00 noon. We have all the supplies for
cribbage and scrabble. These activities are scheduled through Wednesday, May 25th
(fee is $0.50).
Summer Job Opportunities
The City of Mendota Heights is accepting applications for the following seasonal
positions:
IT Intern
Recreation Program Assistant
Engineer Intern
Par 3 Clubhouse Worker (must be 18 years of age)
To learn more about summer positions visit www.mendota-heights.com/employment.
Did you know…
You can contact city hall through interactive forms on our website:
www.mendota-heights.com
Report potholes, request that the police check your house while you are on vacation,
or simply ask any other question. Click on the “online interactive forms.”
City Council agenda packets and agenda packets for the Airports Relations
Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning Commission are
available online by vising www.mendota-heights.com and clicking on the agenda/
minutes link.
Public Works
The Parks Crew picked up trashed daily in the parks. The fields were dragged.
Clean up in the parks has started. The lacrosse fields were laid out and striped.
The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily. The manholes were marked on
the north end of the city for this year’s cleaning and televising project. A tree was
cut up that fell over a manhole. A sanitary sewer inspection was done on Cheri
Lane. A trail camera was installed at the Lilydale lift station to help identify people
vandalizing (graffiti) the station.
The Streets Crew helped the Utilities Crew with welding repairs to the sewer
jetting truck. Streets signs were assembled for the Knollwood area. A stolen sign
was found for Mendota Heights Road and Haverton; it was repaired and reinstalled
in the correct location. They helped the mechanic with fire station repairs. The
wings and sanders were removed from the plow trucks; winter equipment was
cleaned, and stored away for the summer. Four stop signs were replaced on
Staples and Dorset. New crime watch signs were installed on Aztec and Lilac. The
stop sign on Riverside was replaced. Pothole repairs were done.
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) – Installation of a retaining wall at the corner of Victoria and
Stratford Lane, warranty issues, and punch list items will be completed this spring.
Mendota Road Neighborhood Improvements (2016) – Plans are out for bid. Bid
opening is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27th, at 10:00am, and bid award
scheduled for the May 3rd City Council meeting. Construction is expected to begin
in early June, after school is out for the summer.
Update of Local Surface Water Management Plan (LSWMP) – The consultant is
revising the text of the LSWMP. Draft storm water models have been completed.
A draft plan is expected by the end of June. Watershed approval is expected in
August with City adoption in January 2017.
Lake Augusta Alum Treatment (2016) –The Lower Mississippi River Watershed
Management Organization (LMRMWO) has received the grant money from the
Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR). The LMRWMO consultant will be
The Pipeline N E W S
L E T T E R
Public Works
Engineering
April 15, 2016
developing specifications for the project and managing the treatment pro gram.
Treatment is expected in the fall.
County Projects
Highway 110 Greenway Trail Crossing (2017) – Design is continuing on the
project. Soil borings for the underpass are underway. Design is anticipated to be
complete in time to bid with the MnDOT Highway 110 Rehabilitation project.
Traffic Signal Improvements: I-494 & Pilot Knob Road (2016) – Construction
expected later this summer along with MnDOT I-494 bridge project listed below.
State Projects
Highway 13 Slope Repair (2015-2016) – The final construction phase is expected
to begin in early June. A 4-5 week closure of Highway 13 between Sylvandale and
Wachtler is anticipated during this period.
Highway 110 Rehabilitation (2017) – The Public Hearing on Municipal Consent will
continue at the April 19th City Council meeting. Municipal Consent is required due
to MnDOT proposing to close the right-in/right-out access point east of Lexington
(except for emergency vehicles), and to establish new drainage easements along
the project. Changes to the 110 median are not part of Municipal Consent. For
more information contact Molly Cline, MnDOT Project Manager, 651 -234-7723 or
molly.cline@state.mn.us.
Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Rehabilitation (2018) – Staff will be attending Project
Management Team (PMT) meeting throughout this summer to monitor
development of the project scope and design. The project is proposed to be a mill
& overlay of Highway 149 from West 7th Street in Saint Paul to I-494. Curb
replacements and minor drainage improvements are also included as part of the
project. Staff is working on getting a bike/pedestrian facility incorporated into the
project from Marie Avenue north to Delaware Avenue (see Highway 149 Trail
Corridor Plan below). Contact Tara McBride, MnDOT Project Manager at 651-234-
7506, or tara.mcbride@state.mn.us for more project information.
Pilot Knob Bridge over I-494 Expansion Joint Repair (2016) – MnDOT will be
repairing the bridge deck concrete expansion joints on the Pilot Knob Road Bridge
over I-494. Work is expected to take two weeks. MnDOT will provide advance
notice before the repair work begins.
Other Activities
Highway 149 Trail Corridor Plan – The City has received a Statewide Health
Improvement Program (SHIP) grant from Dakota County to study the Dodd Road
(Highway 149) corridor for bicycle/pedestrian improvements. Staff has negotiated
a contract with our Planning Consultant to complete the Plan. Once the Grant
agreement with the County is final, work will begin. Staff hopes to use this plan to
apply for grant money form the Metropolitan Council to construct a facility for non-
motorized use.
Saint Paul Regional Water Service (SPRWS) Water Service Agreement – Staff is
scheduling several additional approvals that will need to take place in conjunction
with the approval of the new Omnibus Agreement with SPRWS. It is anticipated
that all approvals will be complete in 2016. These additional approvals include:
1) A Lease Agreement for cell tower use and City storage at the water tower site –
anticipated at the November 17th City Council meeting; approved 12/1/2015
2) An easement agreement(s) for SPRWS access to the water tower across city
property; to be presented at 4/19/2016 Council Meeting
3) An amended City Ordinance to reflect the new agreement; to be presented
at 4/19/2016 Council Meeting
4) Conveyance of deed, title, and ownership of the system;
5) An amended Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the other municipal partner
agencies (West Saint Paul, Maplewood, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale) to gain a
second seat on the Board of Commissioners.
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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
APRIL 15, 2016
PROTECTION FROM THE SUN
The weather is really starting to shine! But we don’t want our skin to
shine! Outdoor activity is encouraged but we must be sure to follow
some general sun-safety tips while doing so.
The sun is strongest from 10am—4pm.
Wear clothing that is dark and tightly woven.
Wear a wide-brimmed gat and sunglasses.
UV rays bounce off sand, snow, concrete, and water.
Do not use sun tanning beds.
Keep young children (6 months or less) out of the sun.
Apply sunscreen on all exposed areas before going outdoors and reapply often, especially
after swimming, perspiring and toweling off.
Use sunscreen that has an SPF of 15 or higher and use products that provide broad spec-
trum.
For children, an SPF of 30 or higher is recommended.
Stay in the shade whenever possible.
You may have noticed outdoor sirens going off in your area on Thursday, at 1:45pm and at
6:55pm. That is because this week is Minnesota Severe Weather Awareness Week. These
drills are important as they remind people and educate them about the outdoor seasonal
threats that may come this time of year. This time of year is a great time to practice your
family, business, school and community emergency plan.
This week focused on a different weather safety topic each day:
Monday: Alerts and Warnings
Tuesday: Severe Weather, Lightning & Hail
Wednesday: Floods
Thursday: Tornadoes
Friday: Extreme Heat
Check out the above links to get more information on the different safety topics.
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FRAUD SATURDAY 1457 HOURS
Officer Todd Rosse responded to a local business on a fraud report. Upon arrival, he was met by the Chief
Operations Officer who directed him to a computer that had a ransomware page displayed. The page stated
that there were 28 infected computers in the business and that they were to purchase private keys costing 1.7
Bitcoin which converts to $519.01 for 1 Bitcoin. The business had trouble accessing their email addresses
and business files so considered paying for the coins to obtain their information back. Officer Rosse advised
that there was no guaranteed they would get their information back from doing that and to contact a
company that specializes in cyber fraud.
FRAUD SATURDAY 1840 HOURS
Officer Nick Gorgos responded to a local gas station on a potential credit card fraud report. Upon arrival,
he was met by store employee who stated that a male came into the store and purchased $58.21 worth of
merchandise using a Google Wallet card. The card prompted the clerk to enter a 4-digit pin and verified the
name on the card with his drivers licensed, all matched. The male then proceeded to purchase a $200 gift
card as well as a $70 pre-paid phone card and left. The clerk got suspicious and called his manager. The
manager informed him it was a scam so he immediately canceled the gift card and phone card. Case under
investigation.
BURGLARY/THEFT SUNDAY 1109 HOURS
Officer Robin Nelson was dispatched to an apartment complex on a theft report. She met with a couple who
stated that the previous night while at the bar, they met a male through mutual friends and all decided they
would stay the night at their apartment. At the apartment, the male became disorderly so was asked to leave.
A short time later, he showed back up and was found taking a shower and then tearing up the bathroom. He
was again asked to leave in which he did. The next day, the couple found several belongings missing from
their home which they suspect was the male. Case pending.
DRUGS MONDAY 2311 HOURS
While on routine patrol, Officer Nick Gorgos conducted a license plate query which showed the vehicle
registration to be expired. Due to heavy traffic, he was unable to conduct a traffic stop. A short while later,
he observed the same vehicle. He conducted traffic stop and made contact with the driver/registered owner.
Immediately, Gorgos could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle. Sergeant Peyton Fleming responded to
help with a search. Several items of paraphernalia were found on his person including, a glass pipe, baggies
containing marijuana, a white powdery substance in a vial and a marijuana grinder. The passenger in the
vehicle was then asked if she had any marijuana on her and she handed over two pipes. A marijuana grinder
was also found on her person. Inside the vehicle, Adderall pills were found and another grinder. The
paraphernalia was seized. The male was released at the scene and informed of the charging process. The
passenger was cited for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and was given a ride back to the PD to wait for a
ride to pick her up.
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04/08 - 04/14 2016 YTD
Calls for Service 180 2,177
Citations 45 299
Warnings 30 287
Police Reports 19 290
Response Time Average 5.80 4.82
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!
RECREATIONAL
CAMPING VEHICLES
& PARKING
6-2-10:
RECREATIONAL
CAMPING
VEHICLES:
A. Definition:
The term “recreational
camping vehicle” means
any of the following:
1. Camping Trailer
2. Motor Home
3. Pickup Coach
4. Travel Trailer
B. Parking Time Limit:
It shall be unlawful for any
person to leave or park a
recreational camping vehi-
cle on or within the limits
of any street or right of
way for a continuous
period in excess of twenty
four (24) hours without
the written permission of
the chief of police.
(Ord. 219, 11-5-1985)