Loading...
Issue 31 - Heights Highlights Spring 1994PAGE 1 May, 1994 ISSUE 31 OAK WILT WARNING SIGNS Oak wilt is a disease that is potentially fatal to otherwise healthy oak trees. It is caused by a fungus called Ceratocystis fagacearum that travels through a tree's water vessel system. To fight the fungus, oak trees produce gums and resins. Unable to catch up to the quick moving fungus, the tree eventually cuts off its own internal water supply causing the tree to wilt and die. All oaks are susceptible to oak wilt disease, especially pin oaks and red oaks, usually dying within weeks of the initial infection. Oak wilt is spread in two ways. Healthy oak trees, if they are wounded, can be infected by the "picnic beetle" which will deposit the oak wilt fungus while it feeds on open tree wounds. The other method of infection is through the root system of the tree. Nearby oaks, usually of similar species, can have common root systems as roots entangle and graft together. The oak wilt fungus travels rapidly through these grafted roots and can infect trees up to fifty feet away. Root system infections account for approximately 90 percent of new infections. fou can tell if your oak is infected by the rapid wilting of leaves in the crown of the tree. The wilting begins in the crown of the tree and spreads downwards. Wilting in a white or bur oak is slower than in a red oak which may wilt in as little as two weeks. You may prevent the spread of oak wilt in a number of fashions. If a wound occurs on your oak tree between April 15 and July 1, you are advised to apply a non-toxic wound dressing immediately. Wounds can occur in a variety of ways including untimely tree trimming, storm or wind damage, construction damage, or basement excavation. "Picnic beetles" cannot chew through tree bark and will feed only on open wounds that are less than a few days old. It is important that oaks not be wounded by lawn tractors or other activities during the period of April 15 to July 1 when the "picnic beetles". are most active. If odk wilt' is present near healthy trees, it may be necessary to protect the healthy trees with root disruption procedures to prevent ,;Tree Program Continued The boulevard tree planting program has been continued for 1994. The program provides trees to residents interested in dressing up their boulevards. For a pre -payment of $50 per tree, homeowners may select from three varieties of trees -available: Norway Maple, Ameri- can Linden and Summit Ash. All of the trees will be approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter and ten to twelve feet tall. They will be `anted and staked in the fall by a landscape contractor hired by the ,ty. Each tree will be guaranteed for one year. If you are interested in participating, contact Diane at City Hall, 452-1850, to place your name on a priority list. Trees are made available on a first come, first served basis. the spread of the underground infection. To be successful, all grafted roots between healthy and diseased trees must be cut. If healthy oaks of similar species are within fifty feet, root disruption procedures between grafted roots must be done before the infected tree is removed. Oaks originally infected by the "picnic beetle" are capable of producing the fungal spore, and must be removed before April I of the following year. The City of Mendota Heights does not employ a forester, however, we do have referral services available for residents who are interested in obtaining on site inspections and professional help in dealing with tree diseases. Contact City Hall at 452-1850. Teens Will Lend a Hand Teen Temps is a project designed to link youths aged 13 to 15 with elderly or disabled individuals who would like to have someone available to assist them. The Teen Temps program was developed and will be administered by a local boy scout as his Eagle Scout service project. His desire is to find something constructive for teenagers to do this summer and at the same time provide assistance, ranging from lawn care to babysitting, to members of the community who could use a little help. The city will not act as a contractor or employer, nor will it accept any liability for Teen Temps. City staff will, however, facilitate the project by serving as an intermediary. If you are a senior citizen or disabled resident of Mendota Heights who would like assistance with yard work or other chores, or a teenager looking for something meaningful to do this summer, you are encouraged to contact City Hall at 452-1850. 4 Noise Getting To You? Everyone would probably agree that listening to the birds in our backyards is preferable to the sound of planes over- head. When air noise gets unbearable for your family's lifestyle, the Metro- politan Airports Commission wants to know. The MAC Air Noise Complaint 1 Line can be reached at 726-9411. If possible, when you call the MAC, o please be prepared to provide informa- tion on aircraft type, time, location and direction. PAGE 2 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May. 1994 Mendota Bridge to Reopen This Fall Reconstruction of the historic Mendota Bridge, which closed in the fall of 1992, has passed the halfway point and is on schedule for a grand opening this fall. Although last year's floods forced work' on the bridge to be temporarily shut down, construction continued through the fall and winter. The project is now back on schedule. When completed, the bridge deck will be 32 feet wider and two feet higher than the original bridge built in 1926. There will be four twelve foot lanes with widened shoulders and an eight foot trail on the northeast side of the bridge. - "4-1 INWIRENU J�'J_ MIL Progress on the Mendota Interchange con- tinues on schedule and the opening is set in conjunction with the Mendota Bridge open- ing this fall. Although construction is spread throughout the western portion of the city, work will be concentrated where the three highways (T.H. 110/55/13) intersect. 700,000 cubic yards of excess material will be removed at this location, lowering the elevation of the highway (and allowing for the construction of bridges. When com- pleted, the interchange will provide easier transition to and from the Mendota Bridge. Traffic detours will continue throughout the project. Information on detours and alternate routes will be posted or announced prior to any changes. Local access to all residences and businesses will be maintained. For more information, contact Jack Caroon, Mn/DOT Corridor Manager at 779-1201 or Kent Barnard, Mn/DOT Public Affairs Coordinator at 779-2468. PLEASE DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS Do you remember this sign from your last zoo visit? Even though there is no zoo in Mendota Heights, we re not without our fair share of animals -- namely whitetail deer. With our close proximity to the Mississippi and Minnesota River Valleys, and our strong community emphasis on the preservation of open space, our city provides hundreds of acres of desirable habitat for a growing num- ber of whitetail deer. While we all enjoy seeing deer up close, their growing numbers within the commu- nity have caused some serious problems as of late. During 1993 our Police Department was called to the scene of 47 accidents in- volving vehicle/deer collisions. In addition, browsing by deer in residential neighbor- hoods has caused thousands of dollars of damage to natural and cultivated vegetation. Lastly, whitetail deer are also known to host the deer tick which can carry and transmit Lyme Disease. How does a community go about balanc- ing its desire to experience the sight of freely roaming deer with its concerns about public health, safety and economics? The natural carrying capacity of the deer habitat within the city is frequently disrupted when home- owners decide to artificially feed the deer population. This practice leads to increased deer propagation and still furthers negative community impacts. We ask for your coop- eration in not feeding the deer within your neighborhood. Also, if your neighbors en- gage in this practice please encourage them to stop, or give us a call at City Hall and we will gladly ask them for their cooperation. CITY DIRECTORY Council Members: Charles Mertensotto, Mayor John Huber Christine Koch Sandra Krebsbach Jill Smith Staff Members: Tom Lawell, Administrator Kathleen Swanson, City Clerk James Danielson, Public Works Director Dennis Delmont, Police Chief John Maczko, Fire Chief Code Enforcement Officers: Paul Berg & Dick Gill 454-3394 450-0729 451-9508 454-5696 688-7444 452-1850 452-1850 452-1850 452-1366 454-3266 452-1850 Dog Owner Alert Ifyou own a dog and keep it within the city limits, it must be licensed. A license pro- vides several benefits for your dog as well as for you and your neighbors. Although you may believe your dog may never wander away from your property, city staff routinely receives calls about "found" dogs. Owners can be traced and a pet can be quickly re- united with its family if a license is attached to its collar. Annual licenses, effective from June through May, are available at City Hall for a modest fee. Consider the well-being of you beloved pet and apply for a new or renew, license in May. Please bring your dog's ra- bies certificate along when you apply for the license. PAGE 3 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May, 1994 RECYCLING MATTERS Waste reduction is an important waste management practice, as important as good recycling practices. Waste reduction is reducing the amount of trash, or waste, that you produce. It is PREVENTING waste from occurring, even before you recycle. Waste reduction is the simplest way to use less resources and to manage our waste, and it may even save you money.. Ways to Reduce Waste • Buy products not packaged in extra packaging. • Buy in bulk, when practical, including using concentrates such as juices, drinks, detergent, etc. • Use reusable containers and avoid single use products. • Buy long lasting products that can be repaired or reused. • Buy returnables and refillables and avoid aerosol cans. • Buy products packaged in recyclable materials. SMART Shopping SMART stands for Saving Money And Reducing Trash. You save money by buying products with the least waste packaging. You get more product and less packaging for your money. While packaging is sometimes necessary for health and shelf -life rea- sons, packaging can be excessive. By taking a few seconds to consider alternatives before you buy, you can save money and reduce trash. Source reduction is the most effective way to reduce the amount of waste entering our solid waste stream by preventing waste before it occurs. Better Recycling By using every opportunity to recycle through the curbside, multi -family and drop off programs the City of Mendota Heights can continue its excellent record of recycling and can continue to meet higher recycling goals. • Studies show that most individuals or families only recycle 2 or 3 of the possible six items accepted at curbside. • Make sure you recycle all these items: p X corrugated cardboard X glass containers OG X magazines X plastic bottles with a neck rRECY X newsprint X aluminum and metal cans Drop Off Programs Residents should be aware of drop-off programs that take additional items such as Goodwill, Empire/SMC Compost Service, Dakota County Household Hazardous Waste Facility and the Recycling Collection Center. *Goodwill/Easter Seal of Minnesota is located at the north end of the Menard's at 1441 S. Robert St. in West St. Paul and they will accept clothing and household items. For further information, call 646-2591. *Empire/SMC Compost Service is located at Yankee Doodle Road at Elrene Road one half mile west of Highway 149 in Eagan. Their hours are 9 a.m to 6:30 p.m Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. For further information, call 683-9020. The Empire/SMC Compost Service accepts yard waste, whole tree and shrub waste, stumps (maximum length for trees and stumps is 10 feet). Wood chips, wood mulch and screened compost is available for sale. Yard waste must be delivered in a reusable container or a brown, paper compostable bag. *Dakota County Household Hazardous Waste Facility is located at the Gopher Smelting and Refining Company in Eagan at 3385 South Highway 149. Their expanded hours of operation are Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They accept waste paint, solvents, herbicides, pesticides, lighter fluid, varnishes, strippers, polishes, wood preservatives, household batteries, motor oil, tires ($2 each) and car batteries. For further information, call 438 -INFO. Before you buy, visit the Product Exhange for FREE PRODUCTS that are available at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility. *Recyclables Collection Center has a new location at 1705 Highway 13 East in Burnsville at the intersection of 121 st Street and Highway 13. Materials that are accepted from residents and small businesses include aluminum cans (buy back), steel food cans, glass containers, newspaper, magazines and catalogs, office paper, plastic bottles with a neck, corrugated cardboard, milk cartons and drink boxes, and household batteries. For more information on hours, call 484-5373. Ok Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. fc * O ...make it second nature! PAGE 6 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES SUMMER ACTIVITIES ABOUNDING! It's Trail Time The emerging leaves and ground foliage seem to be beconing us outdoors. One particu- larly pleasant way to enjoy the splendor of your city is to tour the city's trail system. The trails through the city's parks are beautiful and provide a refreshing escape to nature. The trails were built for mixed use, to be enjoyed by everyone who chooses to use them. Please help to keep the experience pleasant for yourself and others. When you ride your bike along the trails, be cautious and considerate, keeping your speed to a reason- able level. Walkers should be alert for bicyles that may be rounding a bend or coming over a hill. If you are unfamiliar with the city's parks and trail system, stop by City Hall and pick up a park system map which identifies the facilities that are available in the city's parks. You will find that it's not necessary to travel for hours to enjoy the splendor of nature. You can find it just minutes away. Celebrate Your Parks Planning for the third annual "Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks!" festivity is under- way. The success of previous celebrations was possible because of extensive support from volunteers and sponsors throughout the community. For this year's event to be suc- cessful, individuals are needed to help organ- ize or staff specific activities planned for the day. Donations are also important to help offset promotional, reservation and supply costs. If you would like to volunteer your time or make a contribution, please contact Kevin Batchelder at 452-1850. "Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks!" will be held on Saturday, July 23, so mark your cal- endar for a day filled with enjoyment. Infor- mation on activities planned for this year's event will appear in the summer "Heights Highlites" and local newspapers. Safety Camp 1994 A three day safety camp for children currently in 2nd and 3rd grades will be held August 16-18. Kaposia Park, located at Wilde & Butler Avenues in South St. Paul will be the site for the camp. The program will offer safety skills that will last a lifetime including: fire, bike & telephone safety, drug awareness & much more. The fee for the program participation, $10.00 per child, includes classes, lunch, supervision, a safety camp t -shirt & more. Camp will be held rain or shine. This progam is sponsored by the Mendota Heights, West St. Paul, South St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights police, fire, and parks and recreation departments. There is limited resident enrollment for each community. Further details and scheduling will be mailed to registered participants in August. Please call 452-1850 for more information. Sand Volleyball Three adult Co-Rec sand volleyball leagues will be offered this summer in Men- dota Heights. These recreational leagues will be played in the evenings at Rogers Lake Park. Games will not be officiated. Leagues being offered include Advanced on Monday evenings, Beginners on Tuesday evenings and Intermediates on Wednesday evenings. Games will start the week of June 6. Team registrations will be accepted through May 27. Priority will be given to Mendota Heights teams. For more information, please call 452-1850. Heights Highlites is a government news- letter distributed to residents to inform them on events and activities that affect Mendota Heights. All articles, as well as layout and production, are done by city staff members. If you know any residents who are not receiving the Heights Highlites but would like to, please invite them to contact City Hall, 452-1850, to be placed on the news- letter mailing list. From: City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, Mn. 55118 NATURE CAMP A two-day Nature Camp is planned in Mendota Heights on July 20 and 21. Chil- dren will discover wild plants, insects, bees and much more at beautiful Valley Park. Our Nature Camp is a combination of recrea- tional and environmental learning experi- ences. Camp shirtswill be decorated by each child, so please send a plain T-shirt (light colored) with your child. Children should also bring a bag lunch and beverage each day.. This camp is for children ages 6-12 and will be from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The cost for Nature Camp is $22.00. You may register at Mendota Heights City Hall by Friday, July 8th or call 452-1850 for more information. Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 6166 St. Paul, Mn. 55118 POSTAL PATRON CARRIER ROUTE PRESORT MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN 55120 PAGE 5 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May, 1994 Low Cost Funding for Projects No matter what the season, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency can help you afford those home improvement and energy conservation projects which have been on your to-do list. If you are a homeowner with an eye on spring, you might be thinking about adding air conditioning to your home, or finally getting started on a kitchen or bathroom remodeling project. There are many projects that qualify for a loan through MHFA's The Great Minnesota Fix -up Fund. Fix -up Fund loans have fixed interest rates tied to homeowner income. These rates range from two to eight percent annual percentage rate. Qualifying homeowners whose maximum gross household income does not exceed $41,000 can apply for a loan of up to $15,000. The repayment term will be based on the loan amount and your household budget. The loan can be used to finance home improvement projects ranging from room additions to siding to air conditioning to electrical and plumbing work. Certain home improvement projects, such as decks, fireplaces and swimming pools, do not qualify under the program. Home Energy Loans is another popular MHFA program which offers an attractive eight percent interest rate and which has no income limit. These loans are available to homeowners interested in improving the energy efficiency of their homes. Improvements which qualify under this loan program include furnaces, replacement of inefficient doors and windows, water heaters, insulation and weather-stripping and caulking. Home Energy Loans are available in amounts of $1,000 to $5,000 with a maximum repayment term of five years based on the loan amount and household budget. Homeowners who are interested in additional information on the Fix -up Fund or Home Energy Loans can either contact a participating lending institution directly or call the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, 296-7615 for a free brochure and list of participating lenders. The MHFA Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) number is 297-2361 TOADILLY TURTLE VISITS SOMERSET Mendota Heights, as a member of the Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization (WMO), along with Eagan and Inver Grove Heights participated in the production of "Toadilly Turtle." "Toadilly Turtle" is a play presented by the Climb Theater Company that promotes lake and wetland protection to elementary students. The idea was the brainchild of Rich Brasch, Eagan's Water Resources Manager, and chairman of the WMO. Performances have been on-going in Eagan and are very well received by K -third graders. she first performance in Mendota Heights was on Thursday, April 28 at Somerset Elementary School. Judy Prior, one of the teachers at Somerset, thought it was a very worthwhile production. She commented that "in particular, it made children aware that whatever goes into storm sewers ends up in our ponds and lakes, so be careful what you put there." Outdoor SummerBuilding Projects Spring has finally arrived and now you can start the spring and summer outdoor projects you have been planning this past long winter. Decks, porches, swimming pools, fences and garden sheds are popular additions to one's property. They can add enjoyment, privacy and utility value. In order to ensure safety, proper construction and placement of each of these structures, building permits are re- quired by the city. Handout materials are available at city hall describing the most necessary requirements for successful projects such as these. After becoming familiar with this information, you can apply for your permit by filling out the application form, submitting two sets of plans showing how and of what materials the project is going to be built, and a site plan showing its proposed location on your prop- erty. The Code Enforcement Officers will then review the plans for code compliance and issue the building permit. These projects can be done by homeowners or by contractors who have either a state or city license. (Con- tractor licenses can be obtained from the receptionist at City Hall if necessary.) Once the project is under way, certain inspections are required as it progresses. Depending on the project, it is typically required that the Code Enforcement Officers do footing, framing and final inspections to ensure that good construction practices are followed and code requirements are met. If you have any questions about these or other home building projects, feel free to call Paul or Dick, the Code Enforcement Offi- cers, at City Hall, 452-1850. They will be happy to answer any questions about your particular project. Weed Watch The City Code Enforcement staff is actively enforcing ordinances regulating the removal of noxious weeds or grass more than 12" tall. Violators will be notified and given a reason- able time to correct the problem. If notices are ignored, the city will contract to have the property mowed, then bill the property owner. PAGE 4 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May.1994 "New" Fire Truck Put Into Service On March 20, the Mendota Heights Fire Department put into service a "new" fire truck. The truck is actually a refurbishment that combined two trucks that the city already owned. In November of 1993, truck 2286, a 1970 Ford pum- per/Squrt was taken to Cus- tom Fire Apparatus and the 55 foot Squrt unit was re- _ moved, -� Warm weather will soon be here to stay for a while, honest! Blue skies and sunshine may bring thoughts of backyard bonfires and wie- ner roasts. When the city's firefighters think of bonfires, they think first of safety. They would like to remind you to contact the city before you gather branches and light that match. About the first of the year, Recreational fires are allowed in the city, truck 2286 was returned and _ �-� � ,� � � but only after a permit has. been issued.Rec- truck 2287, a pumper, was reational fires are defined as fires confined taken in. The chassisand" to an area no larger than 3 feet by 3' feet in drive train were in excellent size. Larger fires require permits from the condition, but the body was Minnesota Pollution Control Agency., in poor condition. The old body was removed and a Permits should be requested by contacting new, stainless steel body was Fire Marshal Paul Kaiser at 452-1850 a week built on the existing chassis and drive train. To complete the construction, the 55 foot Squrt' in advance of the date of the planned recrea- was then added to the truck. The total cost was $134,000. The cost of a new truck of the same tional bonfire. He is available Monday type would be over $250,000. The Fire Department hopes to get another fifteen years of service through Wednesday, between 8:00 a.m. and out of this unit. 4:30 p.m. to conduct an inspection. After completing the inspection, he may issue the FIREFIGHTERS NEEDED permit. The city is in the process of filling open positions on the Fire Department. If you would like PARK PARKING to put some excitement in your life, meet interesting people or perhaps even have the opportunity to save a life, this may be the chance you have been waiting for. The department In recent years, new parks have, sprou will hold two informational meetings at the fire station, located at 2121 Dodd Road, for those up and, as a result, use of the parks system men and women who are interested in becoming firefighters. The meetings will be on June 9 has significantly increased. With this in - at 10:00 a.m. and at 7:00 p.m. You are encouraged to bring your spouse to the meeting. crease in park activity, the city had to address The minimum requirements for becoming a firefighter are that you live or work within a six problems with automobile parking at some of the parks, which typically occured during minute distance from the fire station and that you are in physically good condition„ able to organized athletic games. perform strenuous work and heavy lifting. In some cases, adequate parking lots were not being utilized and parking was occurring on both sides of narrow residential streets or on county roads. The city received many complaints from neighbors and passersby that this was causing a safety problem - threatening pedestrian safety,' restricting traffic flow and blocking bicycle/hiking trails. To address these problems, in 1993 the City Council enacted "No Parking" restric- tions at the following locations: 1. Sibley Park - Parking is prohibited along Delaware Avenue between Marie Avenue and Highway 110. 2. Civic Center Field - Parking, is prohib- ited along Victoria Curve on the north side between Lexington Avenue and Hunter Lane. 3. Mendakota Par - Parking is prohibiteu along Mendakota Drive along the north side between Dodd Road and Mendakota Court.