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Issue 63 - Heights Highlights Fall 2003PAGE 1 OCTOBER 2003 ISSUE 63 Mayor's Message - -- The changing of the seasons also brings with it the single largest decision your City Council' needs to make each year. That t r decision is the budget for 2004. City Staff and the Council go througha thorough departmental' review of budget requests, priori- jO tize them and balance those needs with the funds available. Once again Staff and the Council have acted in a very responsible manner with your tax dollars. We use a figure of $250,000 for an average home price to gauge taxation impact. Based on the preliminary levy we set in September a home val- ued at that figure in 2004 will actually have a city tax DECREASE of about $34 annually compared to the same priced home in 2003. Taxing decisions by the county and the school district and home value appreciation will also affect your tax bill. The final city tax resolution will be passed in December but by law the figure cannot be any higher than the action we took last month. Our attempts to negotiate better rates with Saint Paul Regional Water System (SPRWS) were not as successful. If you have been following that activity, you know that our residents pay 20% higher rates than other SPRWS retail customers such as West Saint Paul. Although it is only about $30-35 per year per home, it is well in excess of $200,000 for the city in total. Our goal was to get a rate decrease while preserving long-term flexibility in our asset ownership and water provider options. When SPRWS declined our most recent offer Staff and I recommended we end our negotiations and the Council concurred. We are contractually prohibited from pursuing a "wholesale" style agreement with SPRWS until 2010. Unless SPRWS waives that provision in our current agreement, there will be no changes to our water contract for the next seven years. If you have not been to the Fire Department annu- al dance before, you are missing out on a lot of fun. This year it is October 24 at the Prom Expo Center. Tickets are available from any of the fire fighters or jcall City Hall. The band is The Dweebs and they are terrific. Hope to see you there! Mayor John Huber Storm Water Hearing All public organizations owning storm water systems nation- wide were required by the Federal Government to complete a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit no later than March 2003. In Minnesota, these permits were to be submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPGA) for review. There were a number of new ongoing requirements that were instituted as a result of this permit, and one of them is that Cities will publish for, and con- duct a storm water meeting annually to provide the public with an awareness and knowledge of the City's storm water sys- tem. The Mendota Heights City Council will conduct that pub- lic hearing at their January 6, 2004 City Council meeting. Any residents interested in providing input or asking questions about the City's storm water system and its management should either attend this meeting or contact Jim Danielson, Public Works Director at City Hall by phone: (651)452-1850 or email: JimD@mendota-heights.com. Public Hearing on "One -Sort" Recycling The City's current Rubbish Ordinance requires all garbage haulers in Mendota Heights to provide weekly recycling pick- up service. This is generally done with the use of a small recycling bin. A new trend in the industry, however, is to pro- vide every -other -week service with a larger recycling bin on wheels. This is known as the "one -sort" system. Rather than sort the recyclables themselves, residents can place all recy- clables together (known as "commingling") into the single larg- er bin. The hauler then takes the commingled recyclables to a facility to be re -segregated. At a recent City Council meeting Waste Management requested that the Council change the City's Rubbish Ordinance to allow this new "one -sort" system. Waste Management is pursuing similar ordinance revisions in other cities in Dakota County, and has already achieved such a revi- sion in Burnsville. The Council directed Staff to schedule a public hearing at an appropriate date. Staff has scheduled a public hearing for the January 20, 2003 Council meeting. The meeting begins at 7:30 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Any citizen is welcome to attend and comment on the pro- posed ordinance revision. Please note that even if the ordinance is revised to allow the one -sort system, this revision will not require any resident or rubbish hauler in Mendota Heights to switch to the one -sort system. If you live in Mendota Heights and you wish to con- tinue with weekly recycling pick-up you may continue to do so, unless your hauler switches completely to the one -sort sys- tem, in which case you may switch to another rubbish hauler who is still collecting on a weekly basis. PAGE 2 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES Special Project Updates 2004 Park Projects. Skate Park in Roger's Lake Park: This 2003 project received a setback when the supplier fabricating the ramp components failed to deliver the skate park obstacles in a timely manner. Ramps and obstacles, meeting tier -one design standards, have been ordered from TrueRide, Inc., located in Duluth, MN, and will be installed next April/May. The skate park, as are all other City playground facilities, are not supervised and will be open during regular park hours, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Playground Improvements: Additional playground components will be installed in four neighborhood parks next year, Victoria -Highlands, Wentworth, Ivy Hills, and Kensington Parks. The City has received many requests to install additional toddler age (2-6 yrs) components in neighbor- hood parks. Preliminary plans will be developed this fall and final recommen- dations will be made by the Parks and Recreation Commission, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm. Residents wishing to par- ticipate in the selection of new components should contact City Offices. Funding for the proposed playground improvements is available from the Special Park Fund, which is supported from Park Dedication Fees collected from developers when new buildable lots are created. Trail Maintenance: Next year the first priority for trail maintenance will be crack repairs, which consists of routing out cracks and filling the void with a crack filler material or an asphalt patch. Severe cracking or breakup must be cutout and patched with asphalt. If you know of an area that needs attention, please notify City Offices so that it can be evaluated and the repair work pri- oritized. Tennis Court Resurfacing: Resurfacing of the Wentworth Park tennis courts will begin in September of this year. Structural cracks will be repaired and the courts resurfaced this year if weather conditions permit. If we experience cool or wet weather the work may be delayed and the final color coats will not be applied until spring 2004. Wagon Wheel Trail Culvert Replacement. The Roger's Lake cross -cul- vert under Wagon Wheel Trail will be replaced this fall with a larger culvert that will allow fish to move between the two lakes year round. The existing culvert, which is deteriorating, froze solid each winter trapping fish in the north section and often resulted in a great number of fish dying from "winter -kill" when lake ice reduces the amount of oxygen in the water. A lake aerator was installed in the south lake in 1999 by the DNR and has been very successful in preventing "winter -kill" south of Wagon Wheel Trail. The work, to be done in November/December, will require that this section of Wagon Wheel Trail be closed to all traffic during the repairs, which may last three to five weeks. Snow Removal Reminders With winter approaching, please remember the following regarding snow removal and resident responsibilities: * Residents cannot park their vehicles on a city street when snow accumula- tion reaches 2 inches or more until all streets are plowed. * Residents are responsible for clearing their own driveways, and around mailboxes, newspaper tubes and fire hydrants adjacent to their property. * Areas for trash cans should be established at least 8 feet from the curb line. State law advises that pushing/blowing snow from driveways and sidewalks onto public roads may be punishable as a misdemeanor. * Mailboxes should be secure enough to withstand the snow coming off of the plow and wing. For more information, please visit the City web- site or contact Public Works at 454-4059. OCTOBER 2003 Crime Prevention is Everyone's Business In 2002, the Bureau of Justice reports that U.S. residents 12 or older experienced approximately 23 million crimes. Of those, 17.5 million were property crimes (theft, burglary, dam- age, fraud) and 5.3 million were crimes of violence. That means 25 of every 1000 people are touched by a crime every year. The Mendota Heights Community Criminal Apprehension Fund (MHC - CAF) is a group of concerned citizens who have created an outstanding tool to help the Police Department solve crimes. The MHCCAF works directly with the Police Department to provide reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people who commit crimes. The MHCCAF currently has two rewards posted; the first is for the people who drove through town the night of May 17th shooting out windows, the second is for a theft that occurred on 09-11-03 at Brown College. The MHCCAF is a non-profit organi- zation that receives no government funding. They rely entirely on dona- tions from community members to keep the organization working towards solving crimes. In addition to providing reward money, the MHCCAF main- tains a Tip Line (651-255-1170) voice mail that is checked every workday. With those thoughts in mind we would like to provide a couple of safe- ty tips. First, "Be aware not afraid," be conscious of what is going on around you. Criminals take advantage of opportunities to commit crimes when they believe they can do it quickly, easily and with out detection. Report suspicious activity when it occurs, we will check out every call that we receive. Be a good witness, stay out of danger and write down everything that could be of help. If the officers are busy on an emergency they will come as soon as they are able to respond. The MHCCAF accepts donations which are tax deductible at 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights MN 55118. Tip Line: 651-255-1170 PAGE 3 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES OCTOBER 2003 Change Your Clock - Change Your Battery Mendota Heights Firefighters encourage everyone to partici- pate in the annual "Change Your Clock -Change Your Battery" campaign on October 26, 2003. When you change your clock one hour back to standard time, take a few minutes to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms. If your detector is dirty, vacuum it out. It is also a good idea to test your detectors once a month and replace them every ten years. Why is this so important? It's because smoke detectors save lives. A lot of fire fatalities could have been prevented had there been a working smoke alarm in the home. National sta- tistics show an average of 3 kids die everyday in home fires, and 82% of those occurred in homes without working smoke detectors. The most commonly cited cause of non -working smoke alarms is due to discharged or missing batteries. If you have questions regarding smoke alarms, call 452-1850. 55th Annual Firefighter's Dance The Mendota Heights Fire Department will be having their annual Firefighter's Dance on Friday, October 24th. This year's event will be ' held at Prom Expo in Oakdale. Advance tick- ets are on sale now for $8.00 or $10.00 at the ''`c door. Music by The Dweebs will begin at 8:30 P.M. The Dweebs have a large following. Last year's event was very successful; it is advised that you arrive early. There is no _ guaranteed seating. This is a Fire Department fund-raiser. The funds that are raised through ticket sales and donations support fire preven- tion activities, uniforms, and other department needs that are not part of the city budget. Firefighters have already begun going door-to-door selling dance tickets. The Mendota Heights Fire Department provides fire protection to Mendota Heights, Mendota, Lilydale and Sunfish Lake. There are organizations that solicit funds by telephone, but these groups do not assist, nor are associated with, the Mendota Heights Fire Department. It is not possible for firefighters to stop by every residence. Anyone who has questions, needs tickets or would like to make a donation to the Fire Department should call City Hall at 452-1850. Adopt -A -Hydrant Program The Mendota Heights Volunteer Fire Department began the "Adopt -a -Hydrant Program" in which residents volunteer to clear snow away from hydrants to keep access to the hydrants clean. The program was initiated out of concern that hydrants might be buried under a blanket of snow and have restricted access in time of need. The inability of firefighters to find a hydrant could seriously impact their ability to fight a fire in your neighborhood. Will you please held the Fire Department and do your part to make your neighborhood safer? Sign up to "Adopt -a -Hydrant" at the Fire Prevention Open House or contact City Hall at 452-1850. Fire Prevention Week Once again, firefighters from Mendota Heights will be busy con- ducting fire -safety activities during National Fire Prevention Week, October 5th through 11th. This year's theme, "When Fire Strikes: Get Out! Stay Out!" underscores a simple lesson. Because fire can grow and spread so quickly, you may have as few as 2 minutes to escape safely. Advance planning is absolutely essential. We'll talk about how families can develop and practice home fire drills and learn how to formulate a safety plan that's right for each family. Fire personnel will be discussing these and other fire -safety related programs to area students. Firefighters will be doing presentations in classrooms at Mendota Elementary, Somerset Elementary, Visitation School, and some pre-schools in the area. To learn more about fire prevention, go to www.nfpa.org. Topping off the week-long activities will be the always popular Fire Department Open House on Saturday, October 11th, at the Fire Station, 2121 Dodd Road, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. All those in attendance will be able to tour the fire station, have their blood pressure checked, see all the fire trucks up close, meet the firefighters, learn fire safety tips, learn why it is important to have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and how to operate them, practice putting out a fire with an extinguisher, and see safety demonstrations by HealthEast Paramedics and the Mendota Heights Police Department. A car fire demo is scheduled for noon. A simulated car acci- dent using the JAWS OF LIFE will also be done. Fire truck rides will be running all day long. Kids as well as parents can learn how to Stop, Drop, & Roll in the smokehouse. The fire department will also show off their new Thermal Imaging Cameras, new rescue boat, all terrain vehicle, water rescue suits, as well as 2 new Automatic External Defibrillators. If you want to learn all there is to know about home escape plans, this is the event for you. Refreshments, escape ladders, and history items will be for sale. Door prizes will also be available. Everyone is encouraged to attend. For more information, call City Hall at 452-1850. Fire Prevention Open House October 11, 2003 10 a.m. - 3 p.m Mendota Heights Fire Station * Visit with Our Firefighters * Fire Truck Rides * See Pluggie the Fire Hydrant * Free Hot Dogs PAGE 4 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES MAY, 2002 Halloween Bonfire Time Join us at the annual City - sponsored Halloween Bonfire. It will be held on Friday, October 31 from 7 - 9 PM. The location is on an undeveloped portion of the Mendota Plaza Shopping Center property, behind the shopping center building. The Volunteer Fire Department has offered to carry on the tradition and will again coordinate and run this year's event. The bonfire is con- ducted to provide a safe and enjoyable family alternative to trick or treating. Costumes are not necessary. Hot dogs, soda and other good- ies are free. Join us for a ghostly good time! Residents of Mendota Heights are allowed to deposit brush no larger than 4" in diameter as fuel for the fire. In the past, the City has had problems with illegal dumping at the site which costs the City a great deal of money to clean up. In order to prevent the illegal dumping, the City will be limiting the hours of operation from 8 AM - 7 PM from October 19th - 29th. Please remember that unauthorized dumping is a mis- demeanor with a fine of up to $1,000. Mendota Heights 50 Year Celebration - Volunteers Needed Planning is underway to celebrate Mendota Heights 50th Anniversary in 2006. In prepara- tion for the celebration, the City is working with historian Bill Wolston and some ideas of pos- sible projects include a history book, 101 best stories, newsletter articles, displays, photos, etc. The City is requesting volunteers who are interested in helping to form a 50th Anniversary Committee to plan and prepare the project. If you are interesting in being a part of the 50th Anniversary collaborative effort or serving on the committee, contact Cari Lindberg, City Administrator at (651)452-1850 or email caril@mendota-heights.com - SOUTH REGION "STARS" The Area 12 Special Olympics "Stars" are in training and participating in a wide variety of year-round sports & activities (bowling, floor hockey, tennis, basketball, swimming, table tennis, softball, track & field). For more info, interested athletes, volunteer coaches or assis- tants should call Teresa at 452-1850 or Marcie at (952)953-2312. EAW for "Bluffs" Project Now Complete The Bluffs project is a town home development proposed by Minnstar Builders, Inc. (a Ron Clark Company) for the Garron/Acacia site in Mendota Heights. The land is located east and west of Pilot Knob Road, north of Acacia Boulevard, and bounded by Highway 55 and 110 on the northeast and northwest. For more detailed information about the proposed project, please contact Ron Clark at Minnstar Builders, (952) 947-3000. In December, the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community filed a petition for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet to be conducted on the project. The City of Mendota Heights was desig- nated as the Regulatory Governmental Unit (RGU) for the project by the Environmental Quality Board (EQB). The City Council deter- mined in January that an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) was necessary for the project to determine if there was a potential for significant environmental effects. The Developer submitted all of the information necessary for the City to complete an EAW for the project. At the September 16th City Council meeting, the Mendota Heights City Council deter- mined that the EAW is now complete. Public notice of the EAW was published in the September 29th issue of the EQB Monitor for a 30 -day review and comment period. During this 30 -day period, written comments from the public are accepted on the EAW. The comments should address the accuracy and completeness of the material in the EAW, potential impacts that may warrant further investigation before the project is commenced, and the need for an EIS on the proposed project. The City (RGU) must then respond in writing to all of the submitted comments. Following the 30 -day comment period, the City has an additional 30 days to make a final decision regarding the EAW. The City has received numerous documents regarding this proj- ect as part of the public record. A complete listing of the docu- ments received can be obtained on the City website at www.Mendota-Heights.com. If you wish to receive a copy of the EAW, please contact Linda Shipton at 651-452-1850. Please note that the documents will be provided in a reasonable time frame and subject to the Minnesota Data Practices Act. Please also note that the City charges twenty-five cents (.25) per page for photocopies. A copy of the EAW is available at City Hall for public review. If you wish to comment on the EAW, please direct all com- ments to Cari Lindberg, City Administrator at 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118. All comments must be received by October 30th, 2003. CitY Website: www.mendota-heights.com New Email: cityhall@mendota-heights.com Bothered by Air Noise? When air noise becomes unbearable and disrupts your family's lifestyle, the Metropolitan Airports Commission wants to know. Call the MAC air noise complaint line at (612)726-9411. If possible, be prepared to provide the MAC with information on time, location, direction and aircraft type. PAGE 6 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES OCTOBER 2003 55 + Active Adult Day Trips Our trips and tours are open to you and your guest whether they reside in the area or not. Some trips are co-sponsored with the City of West St. Paul and Thompson Park Activity Center. *PLEASE NOTE: /f a trip is on an evening or week- end, MH City Hall is not open so you will be picked up & dropped off at Thompson Park Senior Center in WSP. You may still register at MH City Hall for all trips. To attend these trips register at City Hall in Mendota Heights at 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 or mail your registration in. UCare members may deduct $15 from any trip (UCare # must be included on registration form). Please read the trip refund policy on the registration form on page 7. Wednesday, October 8 - Minnesota - IT'S NOT JUST FOR LUTHERANS ANYMORE (ST. PAUL PALACE THEATRE) Come join the fun in our "authentic VFW hall theater" you will enjoy hometown laughs, comical songs and a delicious church -potluck style dinner. Ya betcha! Includes transportation, lunch and performance. Cost: $49, Register by 9/10/03. Bus departs/returns: Noon/4:15 (Mendota Heights City Hall). Sunday, October 19 - A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING (McKNIGHT THEATRE) More than three decades of Rodgers & Hammerstein's award winning showtunes including songs from Sound of Music, South Pacific, Oklahoma and more. Includes transportation and performance. Cost: $46, Register by 9/29/03. Bus departs/returns: 1:00/4:30 (TPAC) ***Thompson Park Senior Center only -No Mendota Heights pickup Wednesday, November 5 - WELLNESS WISDOM - "AM -AGING GRACE" Mary Ann Glasgow will present a new concept of "age". She will present a broadened definition of humor and an approach to handling the changes and stresses of aging. Includes transportation, forum and refreshments. Cost: $11, Register by 10/22/03. Bus departs/returns: 11:45 am/4 pm (MH City Hall) Friday, November 7 - FOGEY FOLLIES (HOWARD CONN FINE ARTS CENTER) AND LUNCH AT OLIVE GARDEN Lunch at the Olive Garden (please indicate menu choice on registration of Lasagna, Spaghetti & Meat Sauce or Fettuccini Alfredo) We will head to the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center for a wacky look at TV's great game shows of the Fifties: I've Got A Secret, What's My Line?, You Bet Your Life, To Tell The Truth and others along with the Follies chorus & dancers. Includes transportatation, lunch, tip, & performance. Cost: $38.00, Register by 11/7/03. Bus departs/returns: 10:00 am/3:45 pm (MH City Hall) Friday, December 5 - CROWN CHAPEL CHRISTMAS - CROWN COLLEGE (ST. BONIFACIUS) We'll be greeted by strolling carolers and the students will present a holiday dinner buffet for us. After dinner, we'll enjoy a performance, in the intimate Chapel, of traditional holiday favorites and new pieces to renew our spirits. Cost: $51, Register by 10/31/03. Bus departs: 4:30 pm (MH City Hall) Monday, December 22 - LORIE LINE & HER POPS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (HISTORIC ORPHEUM THEATRE) Lorie Line began her career as a pianist for Marshall Fields (formerly Dayton's) and has become a successful pianist who writes and performs her original compositions. This Christmas Classic will give you a reprieve from the busy sea- son and a chance to enjoy the gift of a great talent. Includes transportation and performance. Cost: $39, Register by 11/24/03 Cost: Bus depart/returns: 6:30 pm/10:15 pm ***Thompson Park Senior Center only -No MH pickup. Wednesday January 7- NUNCRACKERS-THE NUNSENSE CHRISTMAS MUSICAL (CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATRE) The nuns you love, Father Virgil, four of Mount St. Helens most talented students and all the carols and typical Nunsense humor that's sure to make you laugh. Includes motor coach transportation, lunch and performance. Cost: $47, Register by 12/10/03 Bus depart/returns: 10:30 am/4 pm (MH City Hall) ** FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THESE TRIPS PLEASE CALL TERESA AT CITY HALL 452-1850** Halloween Boogie - Seniors Dance Frightenly good music by the Paul Heffron Trio will have you BOOgying the night away. Devilish desserts fill the tables and a creepy cash bar is avail- able if you dare. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Join us at this fun event! When: Weds., October 22 from 6 - 9 p.m. Where: Rosemount Community, 13885 S. Robert Trail in Rosemount. Cost: $5/person pre -registered, $7/person after 12 noon on October 22 & at the door. For more information: Call Teresa at 651-452-1850. Cards or Scrabble Anyone? If you would like to join us, we are starting a �� J : w group from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays at City Hall in Mendota Heights. r We are open to what kind of games you would like to play and that can be decided among those that join. Contact Teresa at 452-1850 to register and find out our start date.