2006-10-03 Council minutes-Closed Session Pilot Knob AcquisitionCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY
Minutes from the Closed Session
Pilot Knob Acquisition
Held on October 3, 2006
Present: Mayor John Huber, Council Members Sandra Krebsbach, Ultan Duggan, Mary Jean Schneeman,
Assistant to the City Administrator Jake Sedlacek, City Engineer Sue McDermott, City Administrator Jiro
Danielson and Gail Lewellan.
Gail Lewellan updated the City Council on her discussions with Acacia Cemetery Board Chair Buzz Cummins
and General Manager Dale Bachmeier. She told the Council that the Cemetery no longer has an agreement to
sell the Pilot Knob site to MnStar for development and that they are currently not looking for other buyers. The
Cemetery said that the purchase price would depend on an appraisal, but estimated its value at between $1.8 -
$2 million dollars.
She asked if the City Council was interested in exploring a Phase 2 of the Pilot Knob natural area project.
Council Member Krebsbach asked if the woods could remain and if the City could use the southwest corner of
the site for an active ball field with a parking lot? Gail said she would check, but thought the answer would be
yes.
The consensus of the City Council was that they would be interested in exploring the next phase.
Nail Lewellan then asked if the City Council would be interested in using the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to
help in broking and lobbying for the project similar to what they did for Phase I.
It was the consensus of the City Council that they would be interested in using TPL for this action.
Gail Lewellan then presented the following funding proposal:
Dakota County Green Space
MnDNR Grants
City of Mendota Heights
Private Donations
and the following timeline:
Work with TPL
Purchase Agreement
- $400 — 500K
- $800K
- $400 -500K
- $400K
October 2006
December 2006
Finalize Grants and other Funding - August 2007
Closing - December 2007
The City Council suggested an article in the next Heights Highlites seeking contributors to the project.
Time Adjourned 7:25 p.m.
By
James E. Danielson, City Administrator