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2016-05-27 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: Monday, May 30 Memorial Day Holiday City Offices Closed Friday, June 3 Music in the Park Market Square Park @ 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4 Mendota Heights 5K walk/run Market Square Park @ 9:00 a.m. Park Celebration Mendakota Park @ 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 7 City Council 7:00 p.m. Attachments: Pipeline, Just the Facts May 27, 2016 2016 Parks Celebration This year’s park celebration is set for Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4. The Percolators will be performing at Market Square Park at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The events continue on Saturday beginning with the Mendota Heights 5K walk/run at 9:00 a.m. at Market Square Park. The celebration continues at Mendakota Park from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be free games and events including a petting zoo, pony rides, fire truck ridges a climbing wall, inflatables, face painting, prizes and more. Master gardeners will have a booth with information on pollinators, native plants, and sustainable land- scaping. Visit www.mendota-heights.com for additional information. 2016 Discounted Compost Bins & Rain Barrels Recycling Association of Minnesota event June 4 Save money by getting your compost bins and rain barrels at a discount through the Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM). Dakota County residents can get $15 off compost bins and $20 of rain barrels at a RAM event June 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Burnsville Maintenance Facility, 13713 Frontier Court. Order online at www.recycleminnesota.org. Compost bins are $44 for the first 100 Dakota County residents using the promo code Dakotacb. Rain barrels are $54 for the first 300 Dakota County residents using the promo code Dakotarb. By composting at home, you can easily convert organic materials — grasses, leaves, garden debris, and vegetable and fruit scraps — into a nutrient-rich mixture that can reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Rain barrels reduce storm water runoff and store water that can be used for lawns and gardens. RAM partners with cities and counties throughout Minnesota to bring residents affordable rain barrels and compost bins at greatly reduced costs. Source: Dakota County Press Release 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 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 Jon Clayton Dan Iverson CHAPLAINS Butch Millett John Snider Alberto Vargas Lynn Liberman Sue Plucker Joel Detlefsen Lenny Andrie MAY 27, 2016 GAS GRILL SAFETY TIPS Liquid petroleum (LP) gas or propane, used in gas grills, is highly ﬂammable. Each year about 30 people are injured as a result of gas grill ﬁres and explosions. Many of these ﬁres and explosions occur when consumers ﬁrst use a grill that has been leŌ idle for a period of Ɵme or just aŌer reﬁlling and reaƩaching the grill’s gas container. To reduce the risk of ﬁre or explosion, consumers should rouƟnely perform the following safety checks: Check the tubes that lead into the burner for any blockage from insects, spiders, or food grease. Use a pipe cleaner or wire to clear blockage and push it through to the main part of the burner. Check grill hoses for cracking, briƩleness, holes, and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose the hose or tubing. Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease. If you can’t move the hoses, install a heat shield to protect them. Replace scratched or nicked connectors, which can eventually leak gas. Check for gas leaks, following the manufacturer’s instrucƟons, if you smell gas or when you reconnect the grill to the LP gas container. If you detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas and don’t aƩempt to light the grill unƟl the leak is ﬁxed. Keep lighted cigareƩes, matches, or open ﬂames away from a leaking grill. Never use a grill indoors. Use the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or any building. Do not use the grill in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or under a surface that can catch ﬁre. Do not aƩempt to repair the tank valve or the appliance yourself. See an LP gas dealer or a qualiﬁed appliance repair person. Always follow the manufacturer’s instrucƟons that accompany the grill. Consumers should use cauƟon when storing LP gas containers. Always keep containers upright. Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors. Never store or use ﬂammable liquids, like gasoline, near the grill. To avoid accidents while transporƟng LP gas containers, consumers should transport the container in a secure, upright posiƟon. Never keep a ﬁlled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat will cause the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief valve and allow gas to escape. Consumers should use extreme cauƟon and always follow manufacturer’s instrucƟons when connecƟng or disconnecƟng LP gas containers. Grills manufactured aŌer October 1, 1995, are required to have three addiƟonal safety features to eliminate leak hazards: 1) a device to limit the ﬂow of gas in the event of hose rupture; 2) a mechanism to shut‐off the grill; and 3) a feature to prevent the ﬂow of gas if the connecƟon between the tank and the grill is not leak proof. Consumers should consider purchasing grills that have these safety features. 2 BURGLARY FRIDAY 0543 HOURS Officer Denise Urmann responded to local residence for a report of a theft. The victim stated when he got up and went outside in the morning he noticed that his garage door appeared to be damaged and partially open. Once the victim went inside his garage he noticed a number of items had been stolen. The victim also noticed a garage door opener missing from an unlocked car parked in the driveway. Officer Urmann entered a stolen item with a serial number into the NCIC database. Case pending. FRAUD SATURDAY 1318 HOURS Officer Todd Rosse responded to a call on a report of fraud. The victim reported that he had received a letter from a retail credit card company showing an updated address. The victim contacted the company letting them know he did not open this card and that it was fraud. The victim was also notified by another credit card company as he had reached the maximum card limit on a card that he has had for over 10 years. The victim has since cancelled all of the credit cards and reported the fraud to the credit bureaus. Case pending follow up. PI ACCIDENT SUNDAY 1449 HOURS Officer John Larrive responded to West St Paul to assist with a report of a bicyclist having been struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival Officer Larrive was advised that a juvenile bicyclist was traveling northbound through an alley and entered out on onto the street. The bicyclist struck the passenger side of a vehicle traveling eastbound. The juvenile did sustain some injuries but was sitting down conscious and talking and was trans- ported to the hospital. Case closed. VEHICLE THEFT MONDAY 0221 HOURS Officer Phil McCarty and Sergeant Peyton Fleming both responded to similar reports of vehicle thefts in the same general location. It was reported that two separate business had box trucks stolen from the same lot at around the same time. It was also reported that a third truck had been tampered with in what looked like an unsuccessful attempt to steal a third vehicle. Both vehicles have since been recovered. Evidence from the crime has been collected. Case pending. THEFT OF FUEL MONDAY 1419 HOURS Officer John Larrive responded to a local gas station on a report of theft of fuel. The suspect pumped gas in- to a vehicle and left without paying. Officer Larrive searched the area for the suspect vehicle and was unable to locate. The reporting party was able to take down a license plate number that Officer Larrive was able to use to locate the registered owner. The suspect vehicle has been listed in a number of other incidents includ- ing a theft in a nearby city. Case pending contact with owner. 3 THEFT TUESDAY 1023 HOURS Officer Todd Rosse responded to the police lobby concerning a theft report. The victim reported that while he was out of town for a couple of days he had mail stolen from his mailbox. The victim stated he checked with his neighbors and confirmed that they did not collect his mail while he was gone and that they had received daily mail during this time. No suspects at this time. Case inactive. FRAUD TUESDAY 1841 HOURS Sergeant Eric Petersen responded to the police lobby to a report of fraud. The victim stated that when he was checking his bank statement earlier he noticed a number of unauthorized charge on his account. The victim was still in possession of his card when these transactions had taken place which coincided with the times the thefts occurred from a local retailer it appeared that the charges occurred online. Case inactive. CHECK WELFARE WEDNESDAY 0713 HOURS Officer Todd Rosse and Sergeant Tanner Spicer responded to a report of a male near a local path who appeared to be intoxicated. When officers arrived they located a male sitting on a bench near the path with dried blood on his face shorts and arms. In speaking with the male, officers noticed he had slurred speech and was disoriented. The male admitted to drinking too much the previous night and had fell on his face but was OK and did not want medical attention. The officers then explained that due to his injuries and unknown state of mind he was being placed on a hold and was taken to the hospital. Case closed. NAPPER/DAR THURSDAY 0257 HOURS While out on routine patrol Officer Michael Shepard observed a vehicle blocking an intersection with the driver sleeping inside. The driver admitted to Officer Shepard that he had fallen asleep waiting for the light to change and that he had been up since early the previous day. Officer Shepard determined that the man was not intoxicated and ran the mans information to find that the driver has a revoked driving status and was cited for DAR and impeding traffic. The vehicle was towed and the owner was dropped off at a local gas station to wait for his ride. Case closed. FOUND PROPERTY THURSDAY 0743 HOURS Officer Robin Nelson took in two passports dropped off at the MHPD that were found on a local road. In doing some research Officer Nelson was able to locate a phone number belonging to both owners. Officer Nelson called the number and let the owners know that their passports were at the MHPD. It is unknown how the passports ended up on the road but they were united with the owners later in the day. Case closed. 4 5 7-2-7 Who doesn’t love a good campfire, with friends and family, smores,…. When you get those flames going, just re- member there needs to be a healthy dose of caution and safety with the fun. Be sure to follow the law/ordinance & ensure: The fire is not bigger than 3’W x 3’H, Burn only clean, safe materials and do not in- clude grass, leaves, treated timbers, plastics, Ensure fire is attended by responsible, competent person until fully extinguished, Be watchful of weather conditions—fires are not recommended when the ground is dry and the wind is up. Check for local fire limits, Keep your fire over 20’ away from any building or structure. 05/20 ‐ 05/26 2016 YTD Calls for Service 132 3071 Citations 12 389 Warnings 23 387 Police Reports 29 429 Response Time Average 4.96 4.98 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! Public Works The Parks Crew cut grass in the parks. Fields were dragged and chalked. The soccer fields and foul lines were striped. Trees were trimmed, watered and mulch put down around their roots. Weeds were sprayed. The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily. Broadleaf weed control was put down at Rogers Lake Park, Friendly Hills Tot Lot, and Mendakota Park. Roundup was sprayed around the fence lines, batting cages and warning tracks at Mendakota Park. A sanitary sewer inspection was done at 2404 and 2406 Lemay Shores. The final mosquito control briquette application was put in the north end sump manholes. The Streets Crew cut weeds along the roadsides. Black dirt was hauled in to restock the supply. A new cutting edge was picked up for the back hoe loader. Blacktop repair was done in the Bunker Hills neighborhood and the Village area. Catch basins were cleaned. 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 is nearly complete. Other 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. Xcel’s contractor is expected to complete the work by the end of June. Mendota Road Neighborhood Improvements (2016) – Staff will receive the contractor’s schedule for the project at the upcoming pre-construction meeting. Construction is expected to begin in early-mid June, after school is out, and completion is estimated for September. Update of Local Surface Water Management Plan (LSWMP) – The consultant should have a draft revised plan to City staff by early 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 The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works Engineering May 27, 2016 Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) to apply alum to the lake to reduce the amount of phosphorus in the water. Treatment is expected in the fall. Crack Sealing and Sealcoating Project (2016) – The contractor completing this preventative maintenance project has crack sealed the three neighborhoods receiving the street treatment (Somerset, The Village/Freeway Road, and Bunker Hills). Public Works staff is completing minor pavement repairs in these neighborhoods in preparation for the sealcoat treatment. Chip sealing will begin within the next couple of weeks. The City web page will have schedule updates for the project (weather dependent). County Projects Highway 110 Greenway Trail Crossing (2017) – Staff attended the monthly Project Management Team meeting on Wednesday. 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 underway. One lane of traffic on Pilot Knob will be open throughout the project, 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 next Technical Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for June 2nd. 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 mid-June. The contractor contacted City staff this week and said they would not start until after June 13th. A 4-5 week closure of Highway 13 between Sylvandale and Wachtler is anticipated during this period. Their MnDOT Permit requires at least one week notice prior to road closure. Highway 110 Rehabilitation (2017) – Staff is fielding questions from residents about the median changes at Carmen Lane. City Council will be discussing these changes at the June 21st City Council meeting. 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) – The MnDOT project team is focusing mainly on the High Bridge portion 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). 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 – Staff discussed alignment options and cost estimates with the consultant this past week. The consultant began field work and hopes to have a preliminary layout recommendation within the next few weeks. 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 15th, and the County will be assisting the City in developing the grant application. Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) Annual Customer Forum – Staff attended the annual forum at the League of Minnesota Cities on Tuesday. In addition to getting information on next year’s rates (MCES is raising rates 5.45% for 2017), MCES Staff conducted an open discussion about how they can improve their customer service to municipal clients. The forum is held every May.