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Issue 33 - Heights Highlights Summer 1994PAGE 1 August, 1994 ISSUE 33 CELEBRATE M.H. PARKS!" A SUCCESS On Saturday, July 23, volunteers and local civic organi- zations hosted the third annual Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks! at Mendakota Park. Events were also held at the Kensington Park soccer complex and at City Hall this year. An estimated 1,000 -plus people attended the various activi- ties. It was a fun -filled celebration for everyone with beau- tiful weather throughout the day. Sibley Sting and the Mendota Heights Athletic Associa- tion again hosted a soccer exhibition and fall soccer regis- trations at Kensington Park. Thanks to their cooperation and support, many soccer enthusiasts had a highly enjoyable morning. The Family Fitness Walk was a new event that was held at City Hall to encourage the use of the pedes- trian/bicycle trails and to promote family fitness. Approxi- mately 50 walkers were treated to free T-shirts and refresh- ments with door prizes going to a few lucky walkers. The two mile hike began and ended at City Hall where the WCCO/Millstone House Coffee Cruiser was on hand to supply the participants with fresh coffee. Meanwhile, back at Mendakota Park the day was begun with the 11 a.m. start of the Mendota Heights Subway/Mendota Heights Athletic Association's Softball Tournament. Girls softball teams from grade school age through junior high school age competed throughout the day with their family members on hand to cheer them on. Mendota Heights Subway provided trophies for all participants and coaches, as well as food and drink donations. Many thanks to all the coaches who arranged the event! Throughout the day there were many events for people of all ages including musical entertainment, stage events, a Kiddie Parade, field events, a Dunk Tank hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary Club, horseshoes, a Moonwalk, Fire Truck Rides, face painting and even free massages. The Fire Relief Association was on hand throughout the event to provide conces- sions and to generally ensure that everything ran smoothly. Proceeds from the concessions will be returned to the community through the Fire Prevention activities. On stage, the Teddy Bear Band had a repeat performance and were every bit as popular as last year. They were joined by performances by the Unisys Chorus Group and the May Fly Band, a band of local youths who entertained the crowd with blues rock. D.D's Dance studio was back for the third year in a row with well rehearsed dance performances by their young dancers. Turner's Gymnastics was also back for the third year and again put on an exciting and humorous show of tumbling, twisting and turning. Jim Flagg, the #1 youth magician in Minnesota, provided a magical act as well. Many contests were held throughout the day including sack races, wheel barrow races and water balloon toss with contestants winning nice prizes donated by local businesses and individuals. This annual event is becoming a traditional summertime celebration and is possible only because of the contributions by local individuals and businesses. Many thanks should go to the volunteer planning committee which is comprised of local residents, civic organizations -nd city officials. Many volunteers gave of their time to staff events and many sponsors helped ith providing funding to pay for costs and supplies. Special thanks to all the organizations, businesses and individuals who contributed to this effort. Special mention goes to the Fire Relief Association and spouses, the Ladies Auxiliary, Mendota Heights Athletic Association, Sibley Sting, and the parks maintenance staff. SEPTEMBER 13 The 1994 State Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, September 13. Poll- ing places will be open for voting be- tween the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Turn to page 5 of this newsletter for information on polling place locations, voter registration, city election filing dates and other election details. PAGE 2 HEIGHTSHIGHLITES' August, 1994 WH Y SHOULD I BE CONCERNED? Why all the concern over airport noise in Mendota Heights? If you live in an area of the City which does not experience aircraft overflight,, " you may have asked yourself that question from time to time. The City is working hard on this issue for a number of reasons important to the whole community, not only to benefit those who live in the "noise corridor" area. Some of these reasons include: X Preservation of Tax Base- Realtors have, reported to the City that some homes in the noise corridor area have required abnormally long periods of time in which to sell. Also, some residents who have sold their homes in the noise expected sale prices. Assuming these lower prices are reflected in the Dakota County corridor area have reported lower than Assessors records, the overall tax base of Mendota Heights could suffer. A decrease in the market value of the homes in the noise corridor could shift a larger share of the Have You overall tax burden onto property outside the noise corridor. Potential property valuation loss due to aircraft noise should be a concern to all City residents. X Future Airport Called Lately.? Expansion Plans - The Metropolitan Airports Commission is currently studying ways in which to possibly expand Minneapolis/ St. Paul International Airport in the future. Some of these expansion concepts include the addition of runways which would direct aircraft towards portions of Mendota Heights Within the last two months you should have received a letter from Mayor Charles E. not currently impacted by aircraft noise. The City must remain active in monitoring and participating in the airport's long term comprehensive planning process to insure that our community's Mertensotto and Airport Relations Commis - sion Chairperson J. Scott Beaty requesting interests are represented. your assistance in making sure the Metro - Living in close proximity to the airport has many advantages, as we all know. However, politanAirports Commission is aware of our residents' concerns about airport noise. En - our community bears a considerable share of the airport's negative impacts as well Just because you and your family are not currently by closed with the letter you should have found affected aircraft noise doesn't mean you will remain forever insulated from the airport's negative, impacts. For these reasons, the City a refrigerator magnet intended to remind you to calx the MAC Air Noise Complaint line needs to remain active on airport issues to hopefully minimize the above described current and future negative impacts. when air noise disrupts your family's life - style. -Many residents have reported that al - though, they continue to be annoyed by air AIRPORT ®ISE PL noise, they have stopped calling the Com, plaint line out of a sense of frustration. Tho p��� mailing, which was sent to all postal patrons 1 within the City, will hopefully remind you to The City's Airport "Make the Call" when bothered by aircraft Relations Commission recently prepared and presented to the City Council Airport noise. an Noise Plan of Action. The intent of the document is to help guide the efforts of the City during the corning year as we attempt to deal the As explained in the letter, on a monthly with many airport related issues which affect our community. basis the MAC compiles air noise complaint A full statistics from all communities surrounding presentation of the Plan of Action was given at the August 2, 1994 City Council the airport. While airport operations are not meeting. The sixteen page plan sets forth six broad "focus issues" which will be addressed during the directlyinfluenced by the complaint data coming year. These issues include: reported, it is important for the MAC to 1) Noise Reduction Through Modified Takeoff Procedures understand the: magnitude of the problem 2) Heightened Awareness their noise pollution causes within Mendota of Mendota Heights Air Noise' Concerns Heights. In addition, the City Council and 3) Monitor MSP Long Term Comprehensive Planning Process the Airport Relations Commission can use 4) Assure Rapid Conversion this data when representing you before the to Stage III Quieter Aircraft MAC in our effort to minimize air noise 5) Feasibility of Achieving Noise Reduction Through Litigation impacts. 6) Air Noise Mitigation Through Sound Insulation If for some reason you did not receive the The Plan of Action then further describes mailing, additional magnets are available at specific goals and objectives within each of these broad focus issues. Some of these goals and objectives deal with aircraft fanning procedures City Hall for the asking. used at the airport, nighttime takeoff regulations, future runway construction plans at the airport, and representation of our What'sthe solution? community on the Metropolitan Airports 'Commission. To reduce air noise Responsibility for the implementation of the Airport Noise Plan of Action Pollution! rests with the City's Airport Relations Commission. This seven member citizen's body meets monthly at City Hall and they welcome your comments and assistance' in dealing with air c MAKE THECALL noise related issues. For information on the Airport Noise Plan of Action or the Airport Relations Commission, 726-9411 please contact City Hall. MAC AirNoise Complaint Line PAGE 3 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES IT PAYS TO RECYCLE! Used Appliance Pickup Day Save money on appliance disposal by participating in Used Appliance Pickup Day on Monday, October 10, 1994, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On that day, residents can arrange to have used appliances picked up at a very good discount rate, half the normal rate. You must contact the city's recycling office, at 452-1850, to arrange for your pickup. Appliances must be at street level before 9 a.m. It is not necessary to place them at the curb. The cost is $10.00 for the first appliance and $ 7.00 for each additional appliance. A check, in the correct amount and made out to J.R.'s Appliance, must be placed inside the appliance. THE FOLLOWING APPLIANCES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR PICKUP: • Refrigerators X Freezers • Furnaces N Heat Pumps 39 Washers N Dryers • Dehumidifiers N Dishwashers • Microwaves N Disposals • Humidifiers X Trash Compactors • Water Heaters N Stoves X Air Conditioners (there will be an additional $8.00 charge for window units.) No water softeners will be accepted 'f this day does not work for you, you may call an appliance disposal company to make ,ar own arrangements. J.R.'s Appliance can be reached at 454-9215. The cost is typically $20 per appliance. Minnesota law does not allow the disposal of major appliances in a landfill. They must either be reused, or have hazardous materials removed, and then be recycled. This is a great opportunity to dispose of that old appliance in a proper, environmental manner. Office Paper Recycling Bins Available Local businesses that are interested in an office paper recycling program can contact City Hall for a supply of desk top paper bins. The bins were supplied as part of the Dakota County Board of Commissioner's Solid Waste Enterprise Fund and are available to all Mendota Heights businesses who wish to participate in recycling office paper. Interested businesses should contact City Hall at 452-1850 to inquire about the desk top office paper bins. Information is also available about starting commercial/business recycling programs. Make Recycling a Family Affair! 1994 Fluorescent Bulb Disposal By State law, as of August 1, 1994, fluo- rescent light bulbs can no longer be thrown away in the garbage because oftheir mercury content. Please bring them to a household hazardous waste site for disposal. The Household Hazardous Waste Site is operated by Dakota County and is located in Eagan at the Gopher Smelting and Refining Com- pany. Household Hazardous Waste Site, Gopher -Smelting and Refining Company 3385 South Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Hours: Wednesdays - 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except Holidays) Free Household Chemical Products In addition to accepting household hazard- ous waste, Dakota County operates a product exchange at its Household Hazardous Waste Site in Eagan. Before you buy new chemical, cleaners or paint, you may want to visit the Product Exchange where available house- hold chemical products are free to residents, businesses and not for profit organizations. Recycling Bins Available For new residents, or those who have not yet joined the curbside recycling program, recycling bins are available at City Hall, free of charge. Information regarding the do's and don'ts ofthe curbside recycling program are provided when you pick up your bin to help explain the program. City Hall is lo- cated at 1101 Victoria Curve and office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Any questions, please call 452-1850. PAGE 6 Barbecue Grill Safety For safety reasons, barbecue grills are banned from decks and balconies of multi- family homes and apartments. Use of barbe- cue grills in single family homes is not regu- lated. In recent months the fire department has responded to four incidents involving L.P. gas barbecue grills. For your safety, we offer the following do's and don'ts on the use of L.P. gas grills: • Store your grill and tank in a safe area. Never store L.P. tanks in the base- ment • Consult your owner's manual on the care and maintenance of your L.P. gas grill. Hose connections and "O" rings need to be replaced periodically. • Always make sure you are using anLP cylinder that is good condition. It should not be significantly rusted, or have deep indentations or severe scratches. • After the connection has been made to the tank and the tank is pressurized, check for leaks by mixing a solution of soap and water and spreading it with a brush or pouring it over the fittings of the grill and tank. If bub- bles appear, tighten the connections. If they still appear, discontinue use until the fault can be determined. If L.P. barbecue grills are used on wooden decks, maintain a safe dis- tance from the siding of the home. Radiant heat can cause the combusti- ble siding to ignite. The use of a metal or ceramic shield under the barbecue is recommended. • Never leave a grill unattended while it is in use. If a fire occurs, you should immedi- ately close the lid on the grill and attempt to shut off the flow of gas. If it is not possible to safely do this, call 911 and abandon the area. Attempts at using a water hose to extinguish the fire should only be done by qualified persons. L.P. gas barbecue grills are safe to use. By consulting the owner's manual for mainte- nance and repair and by using common sense, you should be able to thoroughly en- joy your summer cookouts. HEIGHTS HIGHLITES August, 1994 Have a Garage Sale Get rid of those things your family no longer uses while earning extra money for vacati, school expenses, holiday shopping, or that special item you've been wanting. Get a few friends to join you and have fun holding a garage sale. Other local cities have found that the organized concentration of garage sales within a community brings large numbers of shoppers into the area and makes each sale more successful. So... if you've been thinking about having a garage sale (or even if you haven't previously considered it), plan to participate. All Communityarag Sale--- S le - Sponsored by the Mendota Heights Fire Auxiliary Thursday -Saturday — September 22-24 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (You can designate one or all days and/or shorter hours) Sale Registration Deadline September 10 For a registration fee of $10, each garage sale will receive publicity, newspaper advertising and a yard sign. Details about each sale will be included in the information packet which will be available to shoppers. Shoppers will be able to purchase garage sale location maps and information lists for $1. Maps and lists will be sold at the Fire Station on Wednesday, September 21, 6:30-8:30 PM and during sale hours. For registration information, call Rita at 454-1628. After Labor Day firefighters will be out selling tickets to the Annual Firefighters' Ball. This door to door campaign helps to raise funds for fire prevention activities and firefighter uniforms and other department needs that are not addressed in the city budget. Firefighters will also be distributing the 1993 Fire Department Annual Report. The annual dance is an opportunity for you to meet your neighbors and to show support for the fire department. This year the dance will be held at the Bluffs of Mendota on Friday, October 21st. Please mark this date on your calendar. Fire Prevention Again this year, the Mendota Heights Fire Department will host its annual open how This event will be held on Saturday, OCtoL 15, from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. The department will also again be partici- pating in the "Change Your Clock - Change Your Battery" campaign that coincides with the change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. It is an easy way to remem- ber that all smoke detectors should be tested and batteries should be changed, and that evacuation plans should be made. Specific details on these activities can be found in the 1993 Annual Report and in materials which will be distributed through the local schools during Fire Prevention Week. From: City of Mendota Heights Bulk Rate 1101 Victoria Curve U.S. Postage Mendota Heights, Mn. 55118 PAID Permit No. 6166 St. Paul, Mn. 55118 POSTAL PATRON CARRIER ROUTE PRESORT MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN 55118 PAGE 5 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES August, 1994 State Primary Election The Minnesota State Primary Election will be conducted on Tuesday, September 13. The primary is an election to reduce the field of candidates for various offices. Several federal and state offices will appear on the ballot. The federal and state offices will appear on the front side of your ballot. Individuals running as DFL candidates will be on one side of the ballot and those running as IR candidates will be on the other side. You will need to decide which party's candidates you will vote for; you cannot vote for people in both parties. In other words, if you vote for candidates on the left -front side of the ballot, you cannot also vote for candidates on the right -front side. The county office will be on the back of the ballot. The election judges will remind you not to "cross party lines." If this does occur, however, the ballot tabulation machine will not accept your ballot and the judges will provide you with a new one. In order to vote in the election, you must be a registered voter. If you are an eligible voter and have not already registered to vote in Mendota Heights, you can still vote by registering at your polling place on election day. You are an eligible voter if you are 18 years of age or older on the date of the election, you are a citizen of the United States, and you have lived in Minnesota for 20 days preceding the election. To register on election day, you will need one of the following forms of identification which shows your current address in the precinct: • Minnesota Driver's License, learner permit or identification card (or a receipt for a new one). • A Notice of Ineffective Registration card mailed to you by the Dakota County Auditor. • The oath of someone who is registered in the same precinct who knows you live in the precinct and who can go to the polling place with you. The five precinct polling places in Mendota Heights are the same as those used in 1992. They are: Precinct 1 Precinct 2 Precinct 3 Precinct 4 St. Paul's United Precinct 5 Visitation Convent School Somerset Elementary Royal Redeemer Mendota Elementary School Methodist Church Fine Arts Building School (North Gym) 1355 Dodd Road Lutheran Church 1960 So. Lexington Avenue 1979 Summit Lane 700 Wesley Lane 2455 Visitation Drive The precinct boundaries are very complex and difficult to describe. Your precinct number and polling place are listed on the voter registration verification card which was mailed to you in the fall of 1992 or at the time you registered to vote, whichever is most recent. If you are not sure ,hich precinct your residence is located in, or if you have any other election questions, we encourage you to call City Hall. Watch Your Driving Habits, Please! Residents often complain to the city about speeding traffic on their streets. It appears that some people always drive like they left five to ten minutes late and are trying to make up that time on the road. People who are concerned about speeders often suggest the following methods to slow traffic, all of which are ineffective. "SLOW -CHILDREN" SIGNS A variety of signs exist to try to warn drivers of the presence of children, "Watch for Children," and "Slow, Children at Play," are examples. Requests for these signs gen- erally stem from parents' concern for their children's safety in the streets near their homes. Unfortunately, requests for this type of signage are based on a widespread but false belief that these traffic signs will pro- vide protection. People who abuse their driv- ing privileges pay no attention to these signs, yet the signs give a false sense of security to arents with small children in a neighbor- hood. SPEED LIMIT By state law, the speed limit on all residen- tial streets is 30 mph. The speed limit can be reduced only in rare instances with state approval. Reckless drivers do not read and obey speed limit signs. The only help in this area is enforcement ofthe posted speed limit. SPEED BUMPS Speed bumps work in parking lots but cause accidents on city streets. It has been proven that some motorists actually increase their speed to lessen the bump or drive through neighborhood yards to avoid them. Cyclists have been seriously injured going over speed bumps, and snow plowing and drainage are adversely affected. STOP SIGNS Stop signs placed in areas where they nor- mally should not be cause motorists to run the stop sign. This is hazardous to pedestri- ans because they assume that cars will stop at the stop sign. In addition, it is a proven fact that cars increase their speed after they stop if they stop at a stop sign which was placed to slow traffic. Studies have shown that speeding saves very little time and causes concerns for safety by your neighbors. Hopefully, this article will motivate you to re -assess your present driving habits and slow down. City Filings Open The General Election and City Election will be held on November 8. This year, voters will be entitled to elect a Mayor for a two-year term and two Council - members for four-year terms. In order to be a candidate for city elec- tion, an individual must be an eligible voter who has lived in the city for at least 30 days and has reached the age of 21 or will do so by January 1, 1995. Qualified individuals who wish to file for city of- fice must appear in person at the City offices and file an Affidavit of Candi- dacy. Filings will be accepted from Septem- ber 1 through September 13 during nor- mal office hours (weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). PAGE 4 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES August, 1994 YARD WASTE AND TREE WASTE SITES Autumn is on the horizon and our yards will soon be blanketed with leaves. One option for managing leaves and other yard waste is to bring it to a compost center. The three northern Dakota County centers are listed below. You do not have to use compostable bags if you de -bag the material at the compost center. All compost sites charge fees - please call them for their rates. Empire/SMC omposting ervices - Eagan, 683-9020. On Yankee Doodle Road at Elrene Road, 1/2 mile west of Hwy. 149 X Accepts: Unbagged yard waste only, whole tree and shrub waste, stumps, (maximum length for trees and stumps is 10 feet) • Available: Oak hardwood mulch, shrub mulch, and compost for sale. • Hours: Monday -Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pine Ben FI ompo t it -Inver Grove Heights, 457-2778 On 117th Street, approximately 1 mile west of Hwy. 55 X Accepts:Yard waste unbagged or in compostable bags and any size pruning. No stumps. • Hours: Monday -Friday 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. SKID Tree Waste Site -Inver Grove Heights, 450-9022 On 117th Street, approximately 1 1/2 mile west of Hwy. 55 X Accepts: trees, logs and stumps only. NO yard waste. • Available: Wood mulch and firewood for sale. • Hours: Monday -Friday 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sat. -Sun. 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other Options For Managing Yard Waste Leave grass clippings on the lawn. 2. Backyard compost. A composting information packet can be mailed to you by calling the Dakota County Environmental Management Department at 891-7020, or is available at the front desk at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. 3. Use a compostable bag or reusable container for pick-up by your waste hauler CITY DIRECTORY Council Members: Charles Mertensotto, Mayor 454-3394 John Huber 450-0729 Christine Koch 451-9508 Sandra Krebsbach 454-5696 Jill Smith 688-7444 Staff Members: Tom Lawell, Administrator 452-1850 Kathleen Swanson, City Clerk 452-1850 James Danielson, 452-1850 Public Works Director Dennis Delmont, Police Chief 452-1366 John Maczko, Fire Chief 454-3266 Code Enforcement Officers: Paul Berg & Dick Gill 452-1850 Henry Sibley Open House On Tuesday, September 20, an open house will be held at Henry Sibley Senior High School for all residents of School District No. 197. The School District invites you to join students, faculty and parents for a hot dog and pop from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. The building will be open until 8:30 p.m. Why not attend the open house and see your tax dollars at work! Printed on recycled paper OAK WILT COST SHARE Local Soil and Water Conservation Dis- tricts, in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of For- estry, have coordinated a cost share program for a number of metro communities. Land- owners in Anoka, Dakota and Washington counties who believe they have oak wilt on their property are eligible to participate. The program pays for 50% of the suppres- sion cost for oak wilt control. Landowners in areas where oak wilt suppression programs currently do not exist are eligible for a 50% cost share administered through the count} soil and water conservation districts. Oak wilt continues to be the primary cause of oak mortality in Minnesota. A 1988 DNR aerial survey found 3,612 infection centers in the metro area. Dakota County alone has 600 infection centers. An infection center can be effectively controlled by severing the roots between infected and healthy trees. Treating an average infection center costs from $500 to $1,000. Landowners can easily spend much more in tree removal costs if the oak wilt remains untreated. If you are interested in cost sharing or having a forester determine if you have oak wilt, contact the Dakota Soil and Water Con- servation District at 460-8004. Heights Highlites is a government news- letter distributed to residents to inform them on events and activities that affect Mendota Heights. All articles, layout and production are done by city staff members. If you know any residents who are not receiving the Heights Highlites, please in- vite them to contact City Hall, 452-1850, to be placed on the newsletter mailing list.