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2002-12-20 Friday News The Friday News December 20, 2002 Special Tribute to Mayor Charles Mertensotto and Council Member Mike Dwyer On Tuesday night, many residents including Dakota County Commissioner Patrice Bataglia and a few former City Council members, and current Planning Commissioners attended the Council meeting to pay tribute to Mayor Charles Mertensotto and Council member Mike Dwyer. Mayor Mertensotto spent sixteen years as Mayor of Mendota Heights and fourteen years on the City Council. Council member Mike Dwyer was on the City Council for five years and spent ten years on the Planning Commission. At the end of the meeting, Council member Sandra Krebsbach presented Mayor Mertensotto with a plaque and gavel stand on which to keep the gavel he has wielded for the last 16 years. Council member Mary Jeanne Schneeman presented Mike Dwyer with a plaque and clock on behalf of the City for his dedication and service to the City of Mendota Heights. City Council Adopts Final Budget On Tuesday night, the City Council adopted the 2002 tax levy and adopted the 2003 proposed budget. th The net certified levy will be $3,620,901 and will be sent to the State by December 30. The City Council met in November to discuss the 2003 budget. At the end of October, we received a letter from the League of Minnesota Cities indicating that the State deficit may reach $2.7 billion, which may lead to immediate remedial action. The League recommended that Cities make preliminary preparations in their budgets for the possibility of un-allotment. Unfortunately, we won’t know whether or not City funding has been lost until late spring. The Council, at the budget meeting in November, reduced the general fund budget by almost $71,000 in anticipation of the potential unallotment. Through this careful budgeting process, the City will be well prepared to face the possible cuts from the State. Sergeant Donn Anderson Appointed Acting Chief Police Chief Jeff Piotraschke recently resigned from his position effective January 15, 2002. On Tuesday night, Chief Piotraschke recommended that the City Council appoint Sergeant Donn Anderson as the Acting Chief of Police effective January 15, 2003 until a permanent successor is appointed. Sergeant Donn Anderson is the senior supervisor in the Police Department. Donn is more than capable of performing the duties of the Police Chief. He is level headed, very aware of the day-to-day operations of the department, and is respected by the officers. He is also willing to take on the additional duties of this temporary assignment. The Council unanimously supported this acting appointment and is confident that Sergeant Anderson will serve the City well in the new position. Sergeant Anderson also served as Acting Chief prior to the hiring of former Chief Scott Johnson. Fire and Police Department Save a Life On Thursday night at approximately 10pm, Police and Fire personnel responded to a 77 year old man who had suffered a heart attack and was in full arrest in the 1800 Block of Eagle Ridge Drive. Through the efforts of Police fire and Health East Ambulance personnel the man was revived and talking to firefighter Ken Weisenberger and Captain John Lapakko when they arrived at the hospital. It is our hope the man will continue to recover. It is always great news when you save a life, but is particularly uplifting during the Holiday Season. Good work to all involved. War on Terrorism Hits Home at FD Firefighter Mark Kaufman was called up to active duty on Saturday December 7th and was sent to Indianapolis on Thursday morning. From there he will be deployed to Germany on December 18th where he will get his final orders. Mark indicated he has been told he will end up at one of four overseas locations for an undetermined amount of time. They include two locations in Germany, one location in Bosnia or a location in Afghanistan. Our prayers are with Mark and his family for a quick and safe return. City Enacts New Recreational Camping Vehicle Ordinance th On Tuesday, December 17, the City Council voted to enact a new ordinance regarding recreational camping vehicles in the City. The ordinance prohibits the parking of any recreational camping vehicles on the street in a residential district. It also prohibits the parking of recreational camping vehicles in the driveway of a home in a residential district that is greater than 10 ft in height, greater than 23 ft in length or greater than 6,500 lbs. in weight. Special temporary permits may be issued by the City. Please see the ordinance language for the permit requirements. This ordinance will go into effect upon publication on January 31, 2003. If you have any questions about the ordinance, please contact City Hall. See the next edition of the Heights Highlites, the City website, or call City Hall for a complete copy of the text of the new ordinance. Garron/Acacia site proposal Ron Clark and John Uban appeared before the City Council on Tuesday to discuss their application for a rezoning, subdivision, street vacation, conditional use permit for a planned unit development and a variance for an owner occupied multi family residential development at the north end of Pilot Knob Road. At the November Planning Commission meeting, the Commission voted 6-0 to deny the application. In early December, the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community filed a petition for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board. Once an EAW petition is filed, a project cannot be started, nor can a final government decision be made on the project until: a petition for an EAW is dismissed, a decision is made that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not necessary, or an EIS is determined adequate. Once the Environmental Assessment Worksheet has been completed, the City will determine whether or not and Environmental Impact Statement is needed. On December 3rd, the City Council voted 3:2 to give the project an informal conditional approval with a number of conditions attached. After that meeting, the developer worked on a new proposal taking into rd consideration the conditions laid out by the City Council on December 3. On Tuesday night, the City Council discussed whether or not to order an Environmental Assessment Worksheet be completed. The City Council determined that they needed more time to discuss the matter and tabled the item, as well as th discussion of the development application until the January 7 City Council meeting. Firefighter cold-water rescue training A few firefighters will be practicing cold-water rescue techniques on Rogers Lake on Saturday morning. They will start at the Fire Station at 9:00am. Feel free to show up and observe them freezing! Holiday Potluck On Thursday, the employees celebrated the holiday season with a noon potluck lunch. Thanks to all of the employees that participated. Thank you also to Dan and Mary Jeanne Schneeman and Jack Vitelli for participating. It was fun and FILLING event! Final Thought Have a safe and happy holiday week. Remember that City Hall will be closed on Wednesday, December th 25. Attachments: Pipeline, Pioneer Press article “Reinventing Suburbia,” “Mendota Heights: Pilot Knob Housing plans stir dissension,” Mendota Heights: Police Chief steps down to trade stocks,” and AMM News.