2011-01-28 Friday NewsFri'da
News
Mendota Heights Weekly Report on City Activities
January 28, 2011
City Hall Happenings
A number of projects are moving forward at
city hall and will soon come to the city council
for consideration. On Thursday RFP's for
planning services were due into staff. The
RFP's that are submitted will be reviewed by
staff and interviews will be conducted by a
committee made up of city council members,
a planning commissioner and city staff. A
recommendation will come from this group to
the city council for consideration. In addition,
interviews will be held next week to fill the
vacant accounting clerk position. Around 50
people applied for the position. Year end
2010 projects also took up a significant
amount of time in the Finance Department.
Finally, preliminary work on the 2012 budget
and budget process got underway this week.
If you have thoughts or issues you would like
to share on the process please feel free to get
them to the city administrator. Work on the
2012 budget will continue throughout the year.
Orvil Johnson
We were sad to hear that Orvil Johnson,
Mendota Heights first city administrator,
passed away on January 19, 2011. According
to former Mayor John Huber, his father and
former Mayor Don Huber hired Orvil to work
for the city around 1970. Orvil had been
working for the City of West Saint Paul at the
time. Orvil is survived by his wife of 66 years
Arlene, four children, five grandchildren, four
great grandchildren and one brother. Orvil
was a World War II navy veteran as well.
Please keep Orvil's family in your thoughts as
they deal with their loss.
State of the City Address
Mendota Heights Mayor Sandra Krebsbacl-
and West Saint Paul Mayor John Zanmiller wil
be presenting state of the city addresses or
Thursday, March 3, 2011. The joint address is
becoming a tradition and is held as a part of the
monthly Dakota County Regional Chamber o1
Commerce meeting. The presentations will be
held at the Dakota County Northern Service
Center starting at 7:30 a.m. The presentations
will also be taped and aired on Town Square
Television so the entire community can watch
this event. Please feel free to come and watch
the event live and interact with the two mayors.
Once the schedule is established for airing on
TST we will include that information in a future
Friday News. Thank you to Sandra and John
for making these presentations!
Mendota Heights City Hall
1101 Victoria Curve
www.mendota- heights.com
(651) 452 -1850
January 28, 2011
Page Two
January 28, 2011
Legislative Work
The legislature has been at work for a few
weeks now and numerous bills have been
introduced. A few bills that caught our
attention from the League of Minnesota
Cities Bulletin this week include a proposed
wage and benefit freeze for local
government employees, the stalling of the
variance legislation due to the objections
from the state automobile dealers
association and the state chamber of
commerce, and continued work on the
Mississippi River corridor critical area
legislation. City staff continues to monitor
these and a number of other issues that
could impact Mendota Heights. If you want
to find out more information on these and
other proposed bills you can check out the
League of Minnesota Cities website or the
Office of the Revisor of Statutes website.
Stay tuned!
Thank You Commissioners
The City Council will say thank you to those
commissioners who ended their service on
one of the city commissions at their meeting
on February 1, 2011. The council will
recognize the service of Joe Lally, Lyle
Odland, Liz Petschel, Mike Povolny, Paul
Portz, Maureen Brackey and Joe
Hennessy. These individuals all made
significant contributions to Mendota Heights
over the years. Your service on our citizen
advisory commissions is very much
appreciated. Some of you have moved on
to other city roles and others will now have
more free time for other activities. Thank
you from all of us at the city!
Dates to Remember
February 1, 2011 7:00 p.m.
City Council Meeting
February 6, 2011 6:30 p.m.
Parks and Recreation Commission
Meeting
February 9, 2011 7:00 P.m.
Airport Relations Commission
Meeting
February 15, 2011 7:00 p.m.
City Council Meeting
February 16, 2011 4:00 p.m.
Commissioner Interviews
Attachments
The Pipeline
Orvil Johnson Obituary
January 28, 2011
N E W S
L E T T E R
Public Works
Engineering
Code Enforcement
Public Works
The
Pipeline
January 28, 2011
The Parks Crew continued to flood the skating rinks and clear them of snow. They
are cleaning up the trails of snow as needed.
Rich and Tom attended the annual Collection System Operators Conference put on
by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This seminar is required to keep their
operator's license current.
The Streets Crew worked on Saturday morning, January 22, 2011, plowing and
salting the main streets because of snow. They cleaned off bridge decks on
Wagon Wheel Trail and Mendota Heights Road. Snow piles were pushed back in
the Crown Point area. Snow was winged back on Mendota Heights Road from
Lexington Avenue to Dodd Road. John Ambrose did welding on the tractor where
there were cracks on the loader frame. Tim helped Cliff put new back brakes in
plow truck 304. Leaking hydraulic hoses were replaced on the tractor.
Engineering
Stormwater Ordinance Amendments - Staff has prepared several minor
Ordinance Amendments to both Title 11 and Title 12 of the City Code in
order to clarify definitions between Zoning, Wetland, and the new
Stormwater Management Ordinances. The amendments were heard by the
Planning Commission at their January 25th meeting and the Commission
unanimously recommended approval of the amendments. The Ordinance
amendments will be before City Council at the February 1St meeting.
Wagon Wheel Trail Reconstruction - Staff has scheduled the follow -up
neighborhood meeting for Wednesday, February 9th from 6:00 to 7:30 at
City Hall. Staff will have preliminary plans available and will be working
one -on -one with residents to resolve specific issues with the individual
parcels along the project route. This project is anticipated to be under
construction in early summer 2011 with substantial completion by the end
of September 2011.
Knollwood Lane Neighborhood Rehabilitation - Staff is scheduling a
neighborhood meeting at City Hall for all the affected property owners from
this project. Tentative date for the neighborhood meeting is March 30tH
Once the neighborhood meeting is complete Staff will prepare for the Public
Hearing before City Council which is scheduled for April 19th. The proposed
project would resurface the streets in the neighborhood either by pavement
replacement, mill & overlay, or crackseal & sealcoat.
City Engineer Association of Minnesota (CEAM) Annual Conference - The
Public Works Director attended the annual CEAM Conference on Wednesday.
The topic of this year's meeting was "Dealing with difficult people,
situations, and managing stress in your daily life. The program was very
interesting and applicable to careers in public service. The seminars
solidified the philosophy Mendota Heights strives for when providing
customer service to our residents: 'treat everyone fairly and with respect."
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Fundraiser - The Public Works
Director participated in the annual MDA Lock -Up fundraiser, which
culminated at Mendoberri Restaurant on Thursday. For the past 2 months,
John was raising funds for MDA through on -line donations as well as cash
donations. Police Chief Aschenbrener also participated in the fund - raising.
Both John and the Chief were able to meet their fund - raising goals due in
large part to the overwhelming generosity of the people of Mendota Heights.
John and the Chief wish to thank everyone who donated to this worthy
cause!
Joseph S. Klecatsky and Sons Funeral Hoene Obituary: Printer Friendly Version Page 1 of 1
Orvil J. Johnson
December 31, 1922 - January 19, 2011
Survived by wife of 66 years, Arlene; children, Joyce Raguse,
Daniel, Debra (Errol Williams) Johnson and Barbara (Curt)
Forslund; 5 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; and brother,
Melvin.
Orvil was a retired City Manager and WWII Navy veteran.
Funeral Information
Funeral Service 11 AM Monday, January 24, 2011 at ST.
STEPHEN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1575 Charlton Street in West
St. Paul. Visitation from 3 to 6 PM on Sunday, January 23rd at the WEST FUNERAL
HOME, 1051 South Robert Street @ Arion in West St. Paul and also 1 hour prior to the
Service at the church. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Donations Information
Memorials preferred.
http: / /www.klecatskys.com/obits/ obituaries .php /obitID /203 544 /print/I 1/24/2011