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2016-05-06 Friday NewsCity of Mendota Heights Weekly Update Mendota Heights City Hall 1101 Victoria Curve www.mendota-heights.com (651) 452.1850 Visit us on: Facebook.com/ MendotaHeightsMN Twitter.com/ @Mendota_heights DATES TO REMEMBER: May 7 Spring Clean-up Day Mendakota Park 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 10 Parks Commission 6:30 p.m. May 11 Airports Commission 7:00 p.m. May 17 City Council 7:00 p.m. May 24 Planning Commission 7:00 p.m. Attachments: Pipeline, Just the Facts May 6, 2016 2016 Parks Celebration Friday, June 3rd Music in the Park The Percolators Market Square Park @ 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4th Mendota Heights 5K walk/run Market Square Park @ 9:00 a.m. Park Celebration Mendakota Park @ 11:00 a.m. Pilot Knob Conservation Grazing Part of the Pilot Knob Hill Natural Resources Management Plan includes conservation grazing services. The Dodge Nature Center sheep will be spending two weeks at Pilot Knob grazing to their hearts content. Insight 7 Video Features Mendota Heights Teen Mendota Heights resident Jane Hulse was recognized as a 2016 Distinguished Finalist by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Jane authored a cookbook entitled A Gratuitous Guide to Good Food and Simple Science. It was written to promote proper nutrition for teens and pre -teen girls. Katherine Curtis, Web Streaming Producer with Townsquare TV produced a video story highlighting Jane Hulse’s work on the cookbook. Click on the link to check it out: https://vimeo.com/164843580 Spring Clean-up Day Saturday, May 7, 2016 Mendakota Park 8:00 a.m. until Noon This event is open to Mendota Heights residents with a current ID, driving personal vehicles and small trailers. Visit www.mendota-heights.com for additional information. SPRING CLEAN‐UP 2016 Saturday, May 7 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mendakota Park, 2171 Dodd Road For more informaƟon: Nolan Wall City Planner 651.255.1142 nolanw@mendota‐heights.com  Sponsored by the City of Mendota Heights, funded in part by Dakota County Board of   Commissioners and the Minnesota PolluƟon Control Agency   Every year Mendota Heights residents divert tons of trash from going to the landfill thorough the spring clean up. Don’t miss this opportunity to clean up your home/yard and ensure that materials are disposed of properly. Follow the signs on Mendakota Drive and enter from the west side of the park. ID with Mendota Heights address required . Limited to Mendota Heights residents with passenger vehicles and small trailers only. We will accept: Car Ɵres, furniture $5 each MaƩresses/box springs $10 each Misc. junk Volume‐based fee Electronics Volume‐based fee Scrap metals (remove all non‐metal) Free Bicycles Free Paper Shredding $5/vehicle We will not accept: Yard waste, items that can be recycled at your curb, household hazardous waste, business waste, or contractor or home remodeling debris Public Works The Parks Crew picked up trash daily in the in the parks. The ball fields were dragged and chalked. The soccer fields were laid out and the lines painted. Grass was cut and shrubs planted. The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily. Broadleaf weed control was sprayed at Ivy Park, Wentworth Park, Valley Park, Marie Park, Victoria Highlands Park, Mertensotto Field, City Hall and Fire Hall. Pump one at the Northland lift station was cleaned out. It was plugged with wipes and plastic products. There was a power outage on Wednesday at 7:30 pm at the main lift station as well as at the Northland lift station. Power was restored at 8:45 pm . There was an alarm call for high water at the Northland lift station at 10:30 pm. Equipment needed resetting after the power outage. The Streets Crew did storm sewer repairs. They put rip rap at the end of the storm pipe on Aztec Lane and cleaned it out. Trees were then cut down and hauled to S & S Tree Services. On Spring Street, they put down rip rap along the steam bed; top dressed the bank, put seed down, and put down an erosion control blanket. They cleaned out trees and the planter base at August Shores. 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 are underway. A utility conflict requiring minor modification to the trail at the corner of Victoria and Walsh Lane is being coordinated with Xcel Energy. It is possible Xcel will pay for the bulk of the modification. Mendota Road Neighborhood Improvements (2016) – McNamara Contracting was awarded the bid at the May 3rd City Council Meeting. A pre-construction meeting will be held in the coming weeks, where staff will receive the contractor’s schedule for the project. Construction is expected to begin in early June, after school is out, and completion is estimated for September. Update of Local Surface Water Management Plan (LSWMP) – The consultant is finishing the text of the LSWMP and the revised surface water modeling. A draft The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works Engineering May 6, 2016 of the new 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) to apply alum to the lake to re duce the amount of phosphorus in the water. The LMRWMO consultant will develop specs for the project and manage the program. Treatment is expected in the fall. The Augusta Shores Homeowners Association has committed to providing a portion of the matching funds for the grant. County Projects Highway 110 Greenway Trail Crossing (2017) – County staff is coordinating the trail alignment with representatives from MnDOT , Mendota Plaza and Dodge Nature Center. Design is anticipated to be complete in time to bid with the MnDOT Highway 110 Rehabilitation project (see below). For more information contact Jacob Rezak, Project Manager, at 952-891-7981 or jacob.rezak@co.dakota.mn.us Traffic Signal Improvements: I-494 & Pilot Knob Road (2016) – Construction is scheduled to begin on Wednesday of next week and last until June 8th . One lane of traffic on Pilot Knob will be open at any point in time, and the contractor was instructed to have all travel lanes open during morning and evening peak periods. For more information contact Stacy Reilly, Project Coordinator at stacy.reilly@co.dakota.mn.us or at 952-891-7935. East-West Transit Study – No additional information this week. The County’s consultant continues to look at demand and optimal routes. Study completion is anticipated in January 2017. State Projects Highway 13 Slope Repair (2015-2016) – Construction is expected to resume on the private property slope repair in early June. A 4 -5 week closure of Highway 13 between Sylvandale and Wachtler is anticipated during this period . The contractor will notify the City prior to construction resuming. Highway 110 Rehabilitation (2017) – Staff attended the Project Management Team (PMT) meeting on Wednesday. A meeting has been scheduled for May 9 th with some adjoining property owners to discuss drainage in their area of the pr oject. MnDOT’s environmental document is expected to be completed next week. For more information contact Molly Cline, MnDOT Project Manager, at 651-234-7723 or molly.cline@state.mn.us. Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Rehabilitation (2018) – Staff attended a PMT meeting for the project on Friday. The meeting mainly focused on the High Bridge component of the project, but the whole corridor schedule was addressed. Staff is working on getting a bike/pedestrian faci lity incorporated into the project from Marie Avenue north to Delaware Avenue (see Highway 149 Trail Corridor Plan below). For more information 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 approximately two weeks, and is anticipated to begin immediately after the signal improvement project by Dakota County (see above) on or about June 8th. Other Activities Highway 149 Trail Corridor Plan & SHIP Grant – City Council approved the grant contract with the County and the consultant contract at the May 3 rd City Council meeting. The JPA allows the City to utilize the grant money to develop the plan. Staff hopes to use the plan to apply for a separate grant from the Metropolitan Council to construct a separated trail facility between Marie Avenue and Delaware Avenue along Dodd Road. Grant applications are due July 15 th, and the County will be assisting the City in developing the grant application. Asset Management – Work Order Module – The electronic work order management system in online. Full implementation of the system will take place the week of May 16th. An electronic work order system will provide a more efficient way of logging daily activities, costs, and materials used. It will also help track those requests work from outside of the Public Works Department to make sure issues are addressed in a timely manner. Debris Management Planning – Staff attended a workgroup meeting on Tuesday. Dakota County Emergency Management is hostin g a series of workgroup meetings to assist cities in developing plans to handle natural disaster debris management. In June of 2012, Mendota Heights received a severe storm with straight -line winds in excess of 70 miles per hour. There was extensive tree damage and debris city- wide as a result of that storm. The City initiated an event specific curbside debris pick up plan for recovery from that storm. The plan being developed will formalize and outline policies and procedures for the City to follow sho uld that type of event happen again. More details to follow as the plan is developed.   1   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 MAY 06, 2016   CDL’s and Blood Alcohol Levels In the State of Minnesota, the driver of a commercial motor vehicle requiring a CDL cannot drive, operate or be in physical control of any commercial motor vehicle when the person’s alcohol concentration is 0.04 percent or more. A driver convicted of operating a commercial motor vehicle requiring a CDL with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more is guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition to paying fines and/or serving jail time, the driver will be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle requiring a CDL for a minimum of one year. The CMV .04 limit only applies while operating a motor vehicle that requires the driver to have a CDL, commercial or non-commercial. In Minnesota, the alcohol limit is .08 in your personal vehicle. However, you may be arrested for impairment with a lower blood alcohol content (BAC). Bicyclists and motorists are equally responsible for bicycle safety. The number‐one factor  contribuƟng to bicycle‐vehicle collisions is failure to yield the right‐of‐way — by bicyclists  and drivers alike.  About one‐half of all bicycle‐vehicle collisions are due to a variety of bicyclist behaviors, such  as disregarding a traffic sign or signal. The other half are caused by vehicle driver behaviors,  such as inaƩenƟon and distracƟon.    Rules of the Road and Safety Tips Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted.  Bicyclists should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direcƟon as traffic.  Motorists must at all Ɵmes maintain a three‐foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.  Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists.  Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.  Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it's dark. To increase visibility,  add a rear flashing light.  Drivers must drive at safe speeds and be aƩenƟve — look for bicyclists, check blind  spots.  Drivers should use cauƟon and look twice for riders when turning.  Drivers should use cauƟon when opening door upon parking on side of road.    2   THEFT FRIDAY 2211 HOURS Officer Steve Hilyar responded to a local gas station for a report of theft. The gas station employee reported that the suspect dispensed gas into a dark colored pick-up truck and then left the location without making any attempt to pay, leaving the nozzle on the ground. The employee took down the license plate number of the suspect’s vehicle although when it was ran it came back as not on file. Case is clear due to being unable to locate any suspects because of the license plate being not on file. ACCIDENT SUNDAY 2113 HOURS Officer Denise Urmann responded to a report of an accident in a local bar/restaurant’s parking lot. The victim reported that while sitting on the patio she witnessed a vehicle in the parking lot back into her vehicle and damage her vehicle. The victim spoke with the driver and began exchanging information but the driver and passenger/owner were unable to provide any insurance information, but wanted to handle payment without involvement by police or insurance. The suspects left and then the victim decided to call police. Victim was advised to contact her insurance company as a civil agreement was made. Case cleared. THEFT MONDAY 0754 HOURS Officer John Larrive responded to a local gas station for a report of gas theft. The station employee reported that a vehicle described as a gold or tan Monte Carlo pulled up to the pumps and a male suspect pumped gas. The suspect then entered the store and a short time later left without paying. Officer Larrive ran the license plate number of the suspect vehicle given by the employee which came back not on file. Officer Larrive contacted the DMV and was able to obtain limited owner information. Case pending further information from DMV. FOUND DOG MONDAY 1030 HOURS Officer Todd Rosse responded to a residence on a found dog report. Upon arrival, he was met by the caller who stated that while he was out walking his dog a yellow lab ran up to him. The reporting party checked with several people in the area and no one claimed or recognized the dog. Officer Rosse turned the dog over to Four Paws animal control who advised they would check the dog for an inserted chip. Case closed. THEFT MONDAY 1716 HOURS Officer Phil McCarty responded to a party reporting a theft of checks. The victim reported that she received a phone call from a woman saying she received a check from a different woman with her name on it and thought it was suspicious. After the call the victim checked her account and noticed a couple of checks had been written from an old checkbook of hers. The victim noted that she has had a cleaning service cleaning her home for the past 5 years and believed that the checks were stolen by an employee of the cleaning service. The victim spoke with the owner of the cleaning service to see if the name she was given by the woman who called her was an employee and was told it was possibly a match to an ex-employee, Victim also stated that she needed a case number to report to her bank. Case pending follow up with cleaning business .   3   DUI MONDAY 2302 HOURS Officer Nick Gorgos responded to two driving complaints of a vehicle with a loud muffler speeding through a local cemetery. Once on scene Officer Gorgos observed a running vehicle matching the description parked in the cemetery with a male walking away from it. Officer Gorgos made contact with the male and noticed he appeared to be under the influence. After a series of failed tests the suspect was arrested for DUI. Case Closed. THEFT MONDAY 2347 HOURS Sergeant Peyton Fleming responded to a local gas station for a report of theft of fuel. The license plate information that was given by the store employee did not match that of the vehicle description. The description of the black in color Escalade suspect vehicle and the description of the suspect, a white female, approximately late 30’s, early 40’s, 5’5”, 140 lbs, wearing “yoga pants,” matched that of a previous theft in the area. Case is inactive until further information is obtained on the suspect and/or suspect vehicle. DOMESTIC FAMILY WEDNESDAY 0709 HOURS Officer John Larrive and Sergeant Tanner Spicer responded to a local address on a call of an adult son not assisting with the health care needs of his elderly mother. The victim reported that she has medical conditions that leave her needing daily assistance and her adult son who had been helping her was longer able to. The victim’s daughter was contacted by Officer Larrive and the victim was later taken to her daughter’s residence. Case has been forwarded to the Dakota County Social Services. THEFT WEDNESDAY 1945 HOURS Officer Nick Gorgos responded to a report of theft. The victim noticed her credit card and cash was missing when she began to conduct her finances with her daughter. The victim stated she had the card in her posses- sion and used it the previous day while out shopping. When she went over her finances with her daughter the next day she noticed her card and cash was missing. There have been reports of a suspicious female roam- ing the halls in her building during the same time frame this theft had occurred. Case is pending. FRAUD WEDNESDAY 2025 HOURS Officer Michael Shepard responded to a report of an IRS scam. The victim reported that she had received a phone call from someone stating they were with the IRS and that she owed money and she would be arrested if she did not pay immediately. The victim complied with the callers demands and obtained gift cards and cash and deposited into an account as instructed by the caller. Officer Shepard searched the phone number the victim was called from and learned it was reviewed as an IRS scam phone number. Case is pending follow-up.   4          It’s National Bike Month! Our MN Spring has        arrived and we can finally  enjoy those great MN  outdoor activities.  Clean  up that bike and hit the  trails! Here are some    ideas to make the most  of the biking season:     National Bike to Work Day:    On May 20, 2016, save  money and our environ‐ ment by biking to work!       Donate a Bike! Spring Clean Up is a great  time to find a charitable  resource for donating a  new or used bike.   There  are so many ways to help  others enjoy biking.       Hit The Trails! MN is filled with amazing  bike paths, routes and  mountain biking courses.    Find an amazing MN bike  trail today!       04/29 ‐ 05/05 2016 YTD Calls for Service 129 2,603 Citations 9 343 Warnings 16 331 Police Reports 17 339 Response Time Average 5.64 4.92 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 Ofϐicer 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!