2014-10-17 Friday News
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The Pipeline
N E W S
L E T T E R
Public Works
Engineering
October 17, 2014
Code Enforcement
Public Works
The Parks Crew winterized the irrigation systems at city hall, fire hall,
Mendakota Park and Kensington Park. A donated tree (for the Patrick
family) was planted at city hall.
The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily. He assisted the street crew
with blacktop patching. He gave the mechanic a tour of all the lift stations
and discussed cross training operations with him.
The Streets Crew did sign work – putting them together and installing the
signs. They also did locates where the signs are being installed. Blacktop
patching was done on Commerce Drive, Wagon Wheel Court and Pilot Knob
Road. The “No Parking” signs had to be reinstalled on Warrior Drive after
being pulled out again.
Engineering
City Projects (construction year)
Highway 13 Trail Connection (2014) – Saint Paul Regional Water Service
and the contractor have scheduled the lowering of a water main line to
begin work on Monday. The rest of the project should proceed quickly after
that. Completion is expected by the end of October.
Victoria Road Reconstruction & Rolling Green Neighborhood Rehabilitation
(2014/2015) – Pavement (first lift) is in place on Victoria. All pavement has
been placed on the rehabilitation portion of the project. The Marie Park
Hockey Rink has been paved. Substantial completion has been met and the
Assessment Hearing was held and assessments adopted at the City
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Council’s October 7 meeting. Final lift of asphalt on Victoria will be
installed by the end of October, and trail work will be completed within the
next week or two. Public meetings on the second phase of the project
(south of Marie Avenue) are expected in November/December of this year.
Wentworth Avenue & Pilot Knob Road Trail Rehabilitation Projects (2014) –
Both the Wentworth and Pilot Knob Trail pavements have been replaced.
Landscape work will be completed by the end of the month.
Marie Avenue/I-35E Erosion Repairs (2014) – Staff has been working with
MnDOT on a project to repair erosion that has taken place in the northeast
quadrant of the Marie Avenue and I-35E intersection.Construction is
complete and only landscape restoration of the area remains. In addition to
MnDOT, Xcel Energy has also agreed to share in the cost of the project.
Kensington Neighborhood Rehabilitation (2015) – City Council authorized
staff to produce a Feasibility Report for the project. This Feasibility Report
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was accepted at the Council’s October 7 meeting, but Council did not call
for a public hearing to advance the project to its next phase. Council chose
to wait until after the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget is presented
in November to make a decision on when this project would take place. The
project is being developed at the request of the Kensington Homeowners
Association.
Storm Drainage System Repairs (2014) – Staff has put together culvert
repair projects made necessary by this past summer’s storms. Purchase
orders for Marie Creek culvert repairs will be before City Council for approval
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at their October 21 meeting.
County Projects
North Urban Regional Trail Greenway Realignment (2014/2015) –
Construction is underway. Most of the trail bed is in place, and the
contractor began paving this week. The “speed table” is being installed on
the Henry Sibley High School drive entrance off Warrior Drive this weekend.
Parking on the east side of Warrior Drive has been prohibited during
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construction (approximately September 2 through October 31). Parking
on the west side of Warrior Drive remains prohibited per City Code. Once
complete there will be three small no parking areas along the east side of
Warrior Drive. These are expected to be heard by City Council at their
th
November 5 meeting. For more information, please contact the Dakota
County Project Manager, Chris Hartzel, at (952-891-7106,
Chris.Hartzell@co.dakota.mn.us).
State Projects
Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Reconstruction (I-494 to Highway 55 – Eagan) –
This project is nearing completion. The project reconstructed Dodd Road
from the I-494 Interchange to Highway 55 in Eagan. Construction is
expected to be complete by the end of November. Contact the City of
Eagan for more information.
Other Activities
Future Cities Competition – Staff met with Future Cities team members at
Friendly Hills Middle School on Monday to continue work on this year’s
project. This year’s theme is, “Feeding a Future City,” and will focus on
urban and suburban agricultural services for city population. In addition to
the normally required land use planning, and infrastructure development,
students will have to incorporate the growth and production of one protein
and one vegetable in such a quantity to feed their city population. Students
have completed their draft essays and begun their SimCity computer
models. The teams selected to go to the State competition in January will
write a brief project narrative, build a scale model of their city, and make an
oral presentation at the competition, which is held on the University of
Minnesota campus in January.
Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) 2015 Sanitary Sewer
Rate and Surcharge – Staff has been working with representatives from
MCES for the past several weeks on resolving issues surrounding their
proposed rates for sanitary sewer service for 2015. The proposed rate
increase for 2015 is 12%, and there is a proposed surcharge over and
above the rate increase due to the City exceeding our daily discharge
amount on June 19, 2014. The City is negotiating with MCES on reducing or
eliminating the surcharge, and a decision on the surcharge should be
forthcoming. Once resolved, we can begin to negotiate the rate increase.
Annual Bituminous Roadways Conference – Staff attended the annual
legislative conference at Bituminous Roadways (BR) on Tuesday. Each year
BR hosts local legislative representatives from northern Dakota County to
discuss infrastructure development within the region. Representatives from
Eagan and Inver Grove Heights were also in attendance.
O 17, 2014
CTOBER
The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department
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Found Property Wednesday 12:20 hours
Officer Jeff VonFeldt met with a male in the PD lobby regarding a found cell phone. The male stated that he
found the cell phone in the restroom at American Bank. He stated no one at the bank knew whose black,
Alcatel phone it was. Attempts were made to find an owner by calling previous phone numbers but no
response. The phone was held for safekeeping at the PD.
Theft Thursday 12:28 hours
Officer Peyton Fleming was dispatched to a home on a theft report. In meeting with the homeowners, she
stated she was at the Super America gas station a few days prior and had her wallet stolen. She had left her
purse inside the vehicle while she ran into the store and when she came back out she noticed her purse was
lighter. She looked inside and found their checkbooks were missing. She does remember seeing a female
sitting on the curb by her vehicle carrying a back pack when she went in. In checking with her bank, two
checks were used at Wal-Mart. Case pending.
Suspicious Person Thursday 19:47 hours
SRO Fordham was advised by the Assistant Principal at Henry Sibley that a suspicious male was watching and
video taping the girlÓs volleyball game. The male has been seen on multiple other occasions. Officer Denise
Urmann along with Officer Peyton Fleming went to the school and observed the male snapping pictures of
the girls as they got closer to him. They asked him what he was doing and said he was watching someone play
from the away team. Staff asked the teammates and no one knew him. He was escorted out and when asked,
he did show some of the pictures and videos; they did not contain anything inappropriate but he offered to
delete them. The male was trespassed from the property as well as all ISD 197. It turns out the male has a
record of similar incidents. Surrounding areas have been notified of him.
Reckless Driving Saturday 00:00 hours
While on routine patrol, Officer Steve Meyer heard State Patrol air information on vehicles racing in the area
of 35E and Hwy 110. Meyer went to the area of Pilot Knob and 494 because these racing cars typically
venture that way and did witness a large group of vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed. Meyer kept his eye
on one vehicle in particular and activated his lights. The vehicle driver stated he was trying to get home fast
from work because the check engine light came on. Meyer informed him he could clearly see him racing
another car; then the driver admitted to doing so. The driver was issued a citation for reckless driving.
Suspicious Persons Saturday 13:26 hours
Officer Peyton Fleming along with Officer Todd Rosse were dispatched to a local hotel on a suspicious
vehicle and damage to property call. Upon arrival the vehicle was located and checked with nothing
suspicious. Officers made contact with hotel staff who led them to a hotel room that had been damaged by a
male and female party who were no longer in the room. They found a puncture in the mattress, blood on the
curtains and a cigarette burn in the footrest as well as a substance they suspected was some sort of narcotic.
They further checked the area by the vehicle and the dumpster and located a male and female matching the
description of the suspects. The blood matched that of a cut on the maleÓs thumb and the substance was later
tested with negative results. The two were released.
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Suspicious Circumstances Saturday 17:18 hours
Officer Denise Urmann and Michael Shepard were dispatched to the area of Gun Club Lake on a suspicious
vehicle in the woods. The vehicle was located 100 yards deep in the woods with tree limbs cut and placed on
the vehicle to hide it. There was also signs of a camp area set up. Visible inside the vehicle were menÓs and
womenÓs camouflage clothing, wigs, a cross bow and a drivers license. Due to the suspicious circumstances,
Officers gained entry to the vehicle. The drivers license of the female was ran and paperwork containing a
males name was scattered throughout the vehicle. A felony warrant was out for the male. Officers called for
assistance to check the area for the parties with no results. The vehicle was towed. A few hours later,
Urmann was dispatched to a church parking lot where a female appeared to be out of it. She was identified
by the name of the femaleÓs drivers license found at the previous scene. She was crying and saying she
couldn't keep up with the male and he made her walk on the railroad tracks all night. HealthEast was called
for her and a further search for the male was unsuccessful. Under investigation.
Animal Monday 09:02 hours
Officer Robin Nelson was dispatched to an area where chickens were in the road. She then noticed chickens
in a neighbors yard so attempted to make contact with the owners with no success. In scoping out the yard,
more animal cages and chicken coops were found in the backyard as well as a rabbit hutch containing several
rabbits. Feces were found scattered throughout the yard and the condition was very unkempt. Case referred
to City Code Enforcement.
Vandalism Tuesday 11:51 hours
Officer Robin Nelson responded to a home on a property damage report. Upon arrival she was met by the
homeowner who stated that her boat that was parked on the driveway was spray painted with black spray
paint on the left and back sides. It is unknown exactly when the vandalism had taken place as she was out of
town for the weekend. Please see REWARD on page 2.
Theft Tuesday 14:21 hours
Officer Jeff VonFeldt met with current Council Member Petschel who advised that several campaign signs
had been taken out of yards. She had no idea who or how many were taken them but it seemed as though
most of the signs were taken north of Hwy 110. She does not wish to press charges on anyone just would like
the signs returned.
Indecent Exposure Tuesday 19:07 hours
Officer Michael Shepard along with Officer Todd Rosse overheard through dispatch that Dakota County
Park Rangers and Reserve Deputies are asking assistance from Mendota Heights Police Officers. Upon arrival
they were met by Park Ranger and DC Reserve Deputy who were with a male that had been involved in sexual
activity at the overlook and the other male had fled. Urmann made contact with the male who said he was
walking on the trail and came across a man Ðshowing his stuffÑ so he decided to also Ðshow his stuff.Ñ
Urmann asked the man if he thought it was normal to show your genitals in a public park and he said he did
think it was normal. Officer Rosse found the male that fled back at his vehicle and admitted to showing his
genitals to the other male. Both males were cited for Indecent Exposure.
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ΐΏȝΐΏȡΐΏȝΐΕ2014YTD
Child
CallsforService1256,403
Product
Citations11919
Safety
Recalls
Warnings18755
SafeKidsmaintainsa
comprehensivelist,
PoliceReports20757
updatedmonthly,of
childrelatedrecalls,
ResponseTimeAverage7.675.92
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