Heights Highlights July-AugustHIGHLIGHTS
MENDOTA HEIGHTS
NIGHT TO UNITE 2024
INSIDE
July-August 2024
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1695 Dodd Road · Mendota Heights
Tee Times 651-454-9822
MendotaHeightsMN.gov
L to R: Council Members Paper, Lorberbaum, Mazzitel-
lo; Mayor Levine; Council Member Miller
Mayor Stephanie Levine
SLevine@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-686-0340 C: 651-302-0861
Councilor Sally Lorberbaum
SLorberbaum@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-503-5564
Councilor John Mazzitello
JMazzitello@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-249-7306
Councilor Jay Miller
JMiller@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
651-994-0482
Councilor Joel Paper
JPaper@MendotaHeightsMN.gov
612-237-1133
PUBLIC MEETINGS*
City Council
Bi-weekly; 1ST & 3RD Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Airport Commmission
Odd months; 3RD Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Natural Resources Commission
Monthly; 2ND Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Parks and Recreation Commission
Monthly; 2ND Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Planning Commission
Monthly; 4TH Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Meetings are held at City Hall. Watch live
meetings on Ch. 18/798 HD and meeting
replay at townsquare.tv/webstreaming.
*Dates and times are subject to change,
visit MendotaHeightsMN.gov/Calendar.
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CALENDAR
EVENTS CALENDAR
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/Calendar
JUL
9, 16, 23, 30
AUG24
Mattress Recycling
9 a.m.-Noon
Mendakota Park
Drop o mattresses, box springs and
crib mattresses for a fee.
Parks Celebration: Pickleball
Tournament
9 a.m.
Grab your paddle and register for
this annual event.
AUG9
Parks Celebration: Food Truck
Festival
4:30-8 p.m.
Join us at Mendakota Park for live
music and 8+ food trucks.
Tour de Rec
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Free fun for kids; nd locations and
activites online. Final Tour de Rec
of the summer is Aug. 6.
AUG10
Parks Celebration: Passport to
Parks
Enjoy Yoga in the Park, Kids Fest,
Hooked on Heroes shing and more.
Find schedule of events online.
JUL
11, 25
Adult Walking Group
9 a.m.
Join this group for a walk around
Mendota Heights. Registration is
free, and location information is
shared with those who register.
AUG
8, 22
Adult Walking Group
9 a.m.
Join this group for a walk around
Mendota Heights. Registration is
free, and location information is
shared with those who register.
Music in the Park
6 p.m.
Market Square Park
Bring a chair and enjoy live music;
concerts continue Aug. 7, 21; Sept. 6.
JUL
10, 24
Cliff Timm Memorial Fishing
Derby
4-7 p.m.
Rogers Lake Park
Bring your pole and catch the
big one! Registration required.
JUL18
AUG11
General Election Primary Day
7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Visit your assigned precinct location
to cast your vote. More info at
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/Elections
AUG13
2
A Message From
THE MAYOR
As we enjoy the warm
summer days, City Council
members and staff are
planning for 2025. The
budget process will begin
in earnest in August with
groundwork done by staff
in July. The budget reflects
the Council’s strategic
priorities, and we invest
significant time to ensure it
brings the best outcome
for residents. While
budgeting is challenging,
we take pride in balancing
our community’s wants and
needs.
We remain mindful of the
community’s desire for reasonable tax rates while
preserving the City’s AAA bond rating, a testament to
strong fiscal management. The budget process is
proactive and anticipates the future needs of residents.
One key area of focus is the future of the Police
Department/City Hall building, which requires significant
upgrades and repairs. We hoped to secure state funding
through the bonding bill that did not pass, but we are now
exploring creative solutions to meet public safety needs.
The City Council recently approved a take-home squad
car plan for the Police Department. This initiative will help
attract and retain police officers while addressing several
public safety concerns. The plan will also save taxpayer
dollars in the long run, although there are up-front costs
associated with the purchase of additional squad cars. To
cover these costs, we will leverage a portion of our funds
from the Public Aid Safety program allocated by the state
legislature in 2023.
Community safety is always top priority reflected in our
budget, with about 50% allocated to police and firefighting
services. We also believe that “community keeps
community safe.” Stay safe this summer by using
reflective tape and lights when walking or biking before or
after dusk, keeping cars and doors locked and garage
doors closed. Most importantly, get to know your
neighbors by participating in Night to Unite. Last year,
residents hosted a record-breaking 45 block parties. Let’s
challenge ourselves to break that record this year! If you
haven’t already, register your celebration at
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/NightToUnite.
Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Stephanie B. Levine, Mayor
CITY COUNCIL
6
This year, 332 runners gathered for the
19th Annual Officer Scott Patrick
Memorial 5K; raising $17,800 for Special
Olympics.
The race is held in honor of Mendota
Heights Police Officer Patrick who was
killed in the line of duty in 2014.
Thanks to all of the residents, volunteers
and businesses who made race day a
great success!
Officer Scott Patrick
MEMORIAL 5K
Night to
UNITE
Each year, the City of Mendota Heights
hosts Night to Unite, a summer evening
dedicated to celebrating community.
Night to Unite 2024 is Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Register your Night to Unite event by
Friday, Aug. 2, so members of the
Police, Fire and Ambulance service can
stop by!
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
NightToUnite
About
SOLICITORS
Solicitors working in Mendota Heights
must register with the City and are
required to wear identification of their
name and company; then, they can
operate from 9 a.m. to 30 minutes
before sunset.
To exclude solicitors and peddlers from
your property, post a sign near the door
with the words “Peddlers and Solicitors
Prohibited.” If you have concerns about
a solicitor, call the Police Department at
651-452-1366. Always call 911 in an
emergency.
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
CityCode
(Title 3; Chapter 3)
Mendota Heights is one of more than 850 Minnesota cities
participating in the GreenStep Cities challenge – a free,
continuous improvement program based upon best practices
tailored to Minnesota cities, with a focus on cost savings, energy
use reduction and encouraging civic innovation.
After two years of participation, the City has earned the Step 3
Award by implementing 22 sustainability activities such as
adopting sustainable purchasing guidelines, establishing a living
streets policy and tracking municipal building energy
consumption.
Watch for additional GreenStep actions as the City works
toward accomplishing the next step in the program.
MNGreenStep.org
GreenStep
CITIES
Speed Cameras
IMPROVE SAFETY
Mendota Heights Police are planning
for the use of speed cameras near local
schools after the State of Minnesota
authorized the Department’s
participation in a pilot program.
With an in-house speed camera already
owned by the City, officers can monitor
speed and issue citations, with $40 fees
for driving over the speed limit; the fees
double if a driver exceeds 20 miles over
the limit. However, each driver receives
a warning on their first violation.
Speed camera technology greatly
assists the Department with traffic
enforcement and improves safety for
pedestrians in school zones. Watch for
more information and a series of
community meetings this fall, before
the Department begins speed camera
enforcement in 2025.
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Police
In partnership with the Lower
Mississippi River Watershed
Management Organization
(LMRWMO), the City is
encouraging residents to
stencil a storm drain and help
prevent pollution in lakes and
rivers. Free stenciling kits are
now available at City Hall –
call 651-452-1850 to reserve
one today, and help protect
local waterways!
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
StormDrains
Stencil a
STORM DRAIN
6 3
Dakota County residents can get help
repairing household items, clothes,
electronics and more at a Fix-It Clinic.
These monthly events help keep items
out of landfills and empower people to
repair things on their own.
Show up to the upcoming Fix-It Clinic
on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. at Wentworth Library in West St.
Paul. The event is free and you do not
need to register to participate.
Helpful volunteers will guide you
through each step, from
troubleshooting to a completed repair.
Bring up to three items that need fixing
or mending such as lamps, vacuum
cleaners and clothes. You must be able
to carry items into the clinic, so no
overly large items. Bring any tools and
supplies you think might help with the
job, but you are not required to bring
any tools.
dakotacounty.us
Search: Fix-it Clinics
Partially funded by Dakota County and the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Stop by a
Fix-it Clinic
Instead of fabric weed barrier with mulch placed on top, try organic
options for weed prevention in landscaping. Mulch decomposes and
fabric fills with sediment, then weeds grow on the top and plants
don’t get enough water below.
Newspaper and cardboard (with no paper labels or wax coating) are
more effective and inexpensive weed barriers that do not harm the
environment; when they break down in the soil, they become organic
material that benefits plants.
Using leaves instead of wood mulch is a great natural alternative as
well. In fact, leaves and native ground cover plants serve as a weed
barrier in forests. With these options, you can avoid the use of
non-organic materials in your landscaping!
extension.sdstate.edu
Search: Organic Garden Mulch
A message from your local Master Gardeners.
Organic
Weed Barrier
Election
2024
Primary Election Day is Aug. 13, and
absentee voting is taking place now.
You can request an absentee ballot
online, or in person at City Hall, then
be sure to return your completed
ballot by 8 p.m. on Aug. 13.
To vote in person on Primary Election Day, visit your assigned
precinct. New this year, if you are voting in Precinct 4 and
previously voted at St. Thomas Academy, your new precinct
location is Friendly Hills Elementary, which is also the location
of Precinct 5.
General Election Day is Nov. 5. If you live in Mendota Heights,
this is when you’ll vote for the next President of the United
States, as well as a Mayor (two-year term) and two City
Council members (four-year terms).
To file for candidacy in the local election, you must have a
residential address in Mendota Heights and file an affidavit
with the City Clerk between July 30 at 7 a.m. and Aug. 13 at 5
p.m.
Visit the City website to find everything you need to know
about the 2024 Election; with questions, call
City Hall at 651-452-1950.
MendotaHeightsMN.gov/
Elections
4
The City Council sets strategic priorities to shape the work of City
government. One of the Council’s priorities includes a commitment to
providing and maintaining economic vitality and community vibrancy – a
strategy that guides daily operations and project work.
Fresh Air Fridays
Mendota Heights resident Kirsten Ramirez is working closely with City staff to
implement Fresh Air Fridays this summer. This citizen-led initiative encourages
residents to make intentional choices and efforts to reduce their environmental
impact, each Friday throughout the spring and summer months. More than 50 residents have already
pledged to participate, and by submitting photos documenting their efforts, they have a chance to win fun
prizes. There’s still time to participate, take the pledge online today!
Oheyawahe Interpretive Plan
Oheyawahe, a sacred Dakota site in Mendota Heights that is also on the National Register of Historic
Places, is a place of importance for the Dakota and other Indigenous communities. With funding from the
Minnesota Historical Society, the City is working in partnership with Dakota County, the Oheyawahe Task
Force, and Full Circle Indigenous Planning + Design, to implement the first two of four phases of an
interpretive program, providing a comprehensive educational experience to visitors at Oheyawahe for
many years to come.
MedotaHeightsMN.gov/
CouncilPriorities
City Council
PRIORITIES IN ACTION
Allison Desmond is the City’s new Administrative Support Assistant. Allison was
born and raised in Mendota Heights. She has almost 10 years of experience in
administration with the State of Minnesota and where she was a specialist
with the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying,
Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design. Allison enjoys being
able to help the public in any way possible and is excited to serve the
community that served her so well growing up.
Sydnee Yengo is the City’s summer parks and recreation intern. She just
finished her junior year at the University of Minnesota where she is majoring in
nutrition. In her free time, she likes reading, crocheting, and anything involving
being outside. She also loves finding new local coffee shops or restaurants.
Sydnee is very excited to gain experience working with communities, writing
policies, and working on sustainability projects.
New
CITY STAFF
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