2003-12-19 Friday NewsThe Friday News
December 19, 2003
Pilot Knob Update
Monday evening of this week, Minnstar, the developer for "The Bluffs" held a workshop at City
Hall to discuss their proposal privately with Stakeholders before the City Council conducted their
public meeting. Minnstar's meeting was a private meeting with about 30 invitees. The City was
not invited and did not attend, because of that, I talked to Mr. Tom Casey, Lawyer for the Mendota
Mdewankanton Dakota Community to get an update on the meeting. Mr. Casey told me that the
meeting format was set up to be very formal, with Mr. Tim Bohlman and a woman sitting on the
Mayor and City Council chairs, and a camera and tape recorder pointing at the podium. Tim then
invited people to come to the podium to discuss the project. Tom Casey told me that he was the
first to speak and he asked three questions:
1. The 30 day appeal process on the City's EAW decision to move forward with the EIS
did not expire until Wednesday, December 17"', Tom asked Tim if Minnstar was going
to appeal the decision of the EAW.
2. He asked if Minnstar had submitted their escrow fiends to the City to allow the EIS
scoping process to move forward, and
3. He asked will this tape they are malting be used in any Litigation.
Tim Bohlman refused to answer any of the questions, which Mr. Casey felt, made the meeting much
less useful. Other stakeliolders represented at the meeting included, MAC, Pilot Knob Preservation
Association, St. Peter's Church, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, MMNRA, and the City of
Eagan.
Tuesday evening, the City Council had not received any funds from Minstar, and therefore
continued the public EIS scoping hearing to be field on January 6"', to such a time as when the City
receives the check from Minnstar for the City's estimated scoping costs.
Wednesday passed without Minnstar appealing the EAW decision, thus ending the 30 day appeal
process.
Met Council Grant
On Wednesday this weep, the full Metropolitan Council approved a $300,000 Livable Communities
Grant to Mendota Heights to be used for Town Center (see Minneaj)olis Star Tribune article
attached). This grant, cornbined with the $873,400 grant the City received last year will be used to
construct undergrot.ind parking structures for the commercial buildings, thus preserving space that
would normally be needed for surface parking. The grant process was a lone one and Cari deserves
most of the credit for its success, because she put the application together.
Par 3 Update
The City Council met in closed session on Tuesday to consider whether or not to challenge the
recent decision of Judge Lacy ordering the City to amend its Comprehensive Plan designation for
the Par 3 golf course to be LR, low density residential. The City has until February 9t" to comply
with the ruling. We did not come to a decision that evening.
Coming Soon - Do It Best Hardware
Tuesday evening, the City Council approved a minor amendment to Mendota Plaza's PUD allowing
signage to be installed on the most easterly, and largest tenant space in the Mendota Plaza for a new
"Do it Best" hardware store. Do it Best Hardware is a national chain store that will be managed by
Jim and Jeannine Solin, who have operated the Grand Avenue Hardware store located in St. Paul
for 35 years. They will manage this store as a second location (see attached information on Do it
Best).
Diabetes Wellness Center Coming
On Tuesday evening, the City Council approved a request from Dr. Kristofer Lund who specializes
in treating diabetes, to operate a wellness center to be located at the northeast corner of Pilot Knob
Road and Northland Drive. Dr. Lund will operate his facility as a training center for treating
patients with diabetes and other aspects of their physical and mental health. It is not a medical
clinic.
All Commissioners Reappointed
Congratulations and thanks go out to all of the Commissioners who were up for reappointment in
2004. On Tuesday evening, the City Council reappointed Sally Lorberbaum, Chris Dolan and Eric
Hesse to the Planning Commission, Paul Portz and Dave Libra to the Parks and Recreation
Commission and Vern Edstrom and John Roszak to the Airport Relations Commission. All of these
commissioners should be thanked for their commitment to the City and congratulated on their
tenure of service.
Respectfidly Submitted
Jim Danielson
Administrator
Attachments: Just the Facts, The Pipeline, doitbest.com info, News article "Met Council shifts funds
toward outer suburbs", and AMM News
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"Just Kidding" 12-17-2003 0210 hours Moose Country
Officers Flandrich, Hurst, Tillery, Rosse, Larrive, Minnesota State Patrol and WSP PD were
dispatched to a large fight at the Moose Country with a knife assault involved. When the
Officers arrived on scene the suspects were leaving the parking lot in a Ford Explorer headed
east on Hwy 13. A felony stop was made and all the parties were taken into custody. Two
knives and a box cutter were found on the suspects and in the passenger compartment of the
Explorer. When Sgt Larrive attempted to locate the victims at the Moose Country they had
also fled the scene. All suspects were released and the Officers cleared.
12-13-2003 0138 hours No MN Drivers License / No Insurance Officer Todd Rosse
- 1 -
stopped a car after running a license
check that showed the registered owner
had two active felony warrants. The
driver had borrowed the car from a
wanted friend. Unfortunately he did not
have a driver's license either. The car
was towed and the driver cited and
released.
Possession of Marijuana 12-13-03
0215 hours Sgt. Donn Anderson
observed a car driving around
Resurrection Cemetery. Upon stopping
the car it was immediately obvious that
there was marijuana in the car. Officer
Spicer spotted the some marijuana
which the front passenger handed to
him. When Sgt. Anderson had the
backseat passenger step out, he
handed over more marijuana. The
officers removed some pipes. The
passengers were cited and released
back to the driver.
DUI 12-14-03 0210 hours
Officer Brian Convery working a
NightCAP detail observed a car
IConfinued from page 1 1
signaling one way and turning the other.
After stopping the car it was obvious the
driver was drinking. She completed
SFST's on the side of the road and was
arrested for DUI. After Implied Consent
she provided a breath test which revealed
a BAC of .14. She was cited and
released. During the NightCAP Officer
Convery had Fox 9 News riding with in the
squad. Stayed tuned, the program should
air in February, when the legislature
addresses the .08 DUI issue.
Careless Driving / Warrant 12-15-03
At 1154 hours Officer Scott Patrick
received a call of a careless driver who
had parked and fled on foot towards
Kensington Park. The 911 caller was
following. She saw the person driving
recklessly and throwing beer bottles out
the window. With the assistance of the
State Patrol, Officer Petersen and
Investigator Reyes, the suspect was
captured. Investigator Reyes spotted the
suspect walking away from the scene.
Using his unmarked squad car he pulled
right up to the suspect and affected the
arrest as the State Patrol arrived. The
suspect had no driver's license and a
warrant for fleeing police. When asked
why he ran he told the Officers he was just
trying to get away from the crazy lady who
was following him. Suspect was
transported to the new Ramsey County
Jail.
Possession Cocaine & Handgun
12-16-03 2341 hours
Sgt. John Larrive attempted to stop a car
for speeding 60 in a 45 zone. The car had
gone over the crest of a hill, shut off its
lights and parked on the side of the road.
When Sgt, Larrive made contact with the
car he had the driver step out and secured
him. The driver had an active warrant out
of Ramsey County. The car belonged to
his employer. One of the three other
passengers had active warrants and in the
IContinued from page 2 1
front seat was a loaded gun and cocaine.
During the inventory more cocaine, scales
and other drug related evidence was found.
The car was impounded. The suspects
were transported to MHPD to be
interviewed. The driver and one of the
passengers were booked on the active
warrants and the front seat passenger was
booked on possession of cocaine and a
handgun. The Dakota Country Drug Task
Force was notified and will continue to
investigate.
Drive w/o Lights/DAC 12-18-03 008 hrs
Officer Jeff Vonfeldt observed a car turn
onto Pilot Knob road with no lights on. He
pulled in behind the car at the stop light and
ran a computer check. The check showed
the driver to be cancelled. After stopping
the car the driver produced a driver's license
from another state. He was cited for driving
after cancellation and for driving without
lights. The car was towed to Southeast and
the driver transported to SA.
Flooded Basement 12-18-03 1229 hrs
Officer Bobby Lambert responded to a call
from a resident whose basement was
flooding. Upon his arrival he was met by the
homeowner who explained that the pump
was stuck on and the drain was clogged.
The basement had 6 inches of water
everywhere. After some investigation the
water flow was stopped and a plumber was
contacted.
Traffic Safety and the Holidays
Minnesota has had 581 traffic fatalities in
2003. That is 30 more fatal accidents than
in 2002. We are coming into the busiest
time of the year for serious crashes. Our
Officers will be actively enforcing the driving
while impaired laws during the Holiday
Season. The entire State is involved in a
Traffic Safety Campaign through January
5th, 2004, Remember to be safe, drive
defensively and have A HAPPY HOLIDAY.
- 2 -
-- Mike --
NEWS
Public Works
Engineering
Code Enforcement
N E T T E R
Park Repor
The Parks Crew picked up
trash daily in the parks. They
also completed the following
other tasks this week:
° They picked up trash from
the warming houses and
checked them
° They flooded the rinks
° They repaired the shovels
at the Friendly Hills ice rink
by installing new handles
= They plowed the pedvvays
* They cleared snow from
the ice rinks with the snow
blower
° They placed cell phones in
the warming houses for the
rink attendants
° They plowed out the shop
parking lot and shoveled
the sidewalk tothe shop
Utility Report
Rich checked the City's seven
sanitary sewer lift stations
daily. He placed MU in and
around manholes on Lakeview
Avenue and Furlong Avenue
with class 5 gravel that were
hit by the p|nvv. This will be
permanently fixed in the
spring.
Rich also plowed the lift station
driveways and put new vent
on the lift station at Northland
Drive. The old one was hit by
a car sliding off the road.
The Pi'pelin
December 19, 2003
Street Report
The Street Department accom-
plished the following tasks this
* Mixed salt and sand
0 Filled salt storage bin
^ Did some mailbox repairs
from the plows hitting the
mailboxes
° Made up and installed street
name signs at Douglas
Road, James Road, Mendota
Heights Road and Lexington
Avenue
°
Removed plow and dumped
sand out of truck #304 to
take to Kramer spring to fix
a broken right rear spring
-TV cables from their overhead
power lines on the east side of
Oak Street at Market Street to
connections within the newly
installed buried cable lines at
that location.
Somerset Area Street Re-
construction
Warmer weather towards the
end of the week afforded the
Engineering Department a
chance to gather some more
survey data in the Somerset
neighborhood. The Engineering
Department has completed
roughly 80% ofthe field survey
work in spite of being ham-
pered by the cold and snowy
weather that vve have been get-
ting recently.
Snow Events of the Week
Date: Event: Response:
12- 16-03 P, Scrape streets—all areas
12-18-03 1,, Scrape streets—all areas
Town Center Proiec
Xce| Energy and Comcast con-
tinuesto make progress on the
task of installing the new buried
power lines in the Town Center
development. Construction
crews nfXce| Energy and Conn -
cast concentrated on routing
the respective existing over-
head electric power and cable
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1 of 2 12/10/2003 12:23 PM
An'tount sent
The newly appointed
agency focuses less
to Ramsey
on the urban core.
called . `very
Met Council
interesting'
shifts funds
Any outrage from urban ad-
ter
vocates was muted, however,
by money given to the project
that accounted for most of that
shift: $2.2 million for a parking
suburbsramp
serving a high-density,
mixed-use towncenter in
By David Peterson
Ramsey that would lie a major
Star Tribune Staff Writer
stop on the proposed North -
star commuter rail line. `
The Metropolitan Council
That', could mean that this
on Wednesday signaled a dra-
Met Council is not what many.
matic financial shift away from
observers had anticipated. -
the core urban area and toward
If it turns out that the agen-
fringe suburbs in its annual al-
cy has the rail stop in mind,
location of money to aid devel-
some transit advocates said,
opment projects.
this may turn out to be a much
Fast-growing outer sub-
less ideologically driven coun-
urbs, which got only 10 percent
cil than many have hoped or
of the pot in 2002, are to get
feared.
several times that amount un-
"I can't imague them put -
der the new Republican-domi-
ting that kind of money into it
nated council appointed by
if it's 'not going to be a rail
Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
stop," said Marc Hugimn, a for-
mer Met Council member now
COUNCIL continues on A16:
working as a consultant for the
— A look at the projects funded.
rail project. '
A leading commuter rail op-
ponent said he agrees — and
urged taxpayers to start keep-
ing count of the number of
such indirect subsidies the
project willget.
"That is very interesting, the
Thursday, December 18 m 2003
amount of money they intend
to send off to' the city of Ram-
sey," said state Rep. Phil Krin-
kie, R -Shoreview. Especially,
he said, because it's a council
made up of "cronies" of Gov.
Tim Pawlenty.
A key member' of the Met
Council with ties to Pawlenty,
however, itmeans no such
thing.
Chris Georgacas, who led
the Pawlenty for Governor
committee and the Met Coun-
cil committee that delivered
the Ramsey recommendation,
said in an interview after the
meeting that he is against com-
muter rail. '
However, he said, Hwy. 10,
along which the new Ramsey
A helping hand
The Metropolitan Council on Wednesday approved about $6 million in aid to development projects in area communi-
ties. Fast-growing cities received a larger share of the money this year.
€?strtctdelSoE*
City
RequestApproved
Koch Mobil
St Paul
$3,2Mi 4, 5* 6
Wrthdrawri
Midtown University Village
St Paul
St Paul
140'0,000
1,675,000
1.1$900,000
550,000
Cedar Lake Midtown Revival
Franklin -Portland Gateway Phase
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
1,300,000
200,000
11000,000
246,150
Mendota Heights Town Center Mendota Heights 1,000 400 300,000
[Core area subtotals]
10,708,456 2,696,1.50
Village Creek
[Developing cities subtotals]
Brooklyn Park
*Advisory committee recommended $1.25 million, but city withdrew and will resubmit request
2002 grants
In previous yearsmost money had been allocated to
the central cities and developed suburbs.
Developing Developed
cities/ cities/
$840,000
$4,000,000
10% . 46%'
i
Central
cities/
$3,800,000
44%
Source: Metropolitan Council
town center will be located, is a
congested thoroughfare that is
already a corridor for express
coaches and could wind up be-
coming a high-speed busway
instead of a rail line.
The spending for Ramsey,
together with another high-
cost grant for a bridge in Farm-
ington, in Dakota County, was
the target of sharp questions
from Peggy Leppik of Golden
Valley, a Met Council member
and former state representa-
tive.
"This is a_lot of money for a
parking ramp," she said. "If
Northstar doesn't get built,
then are we overbuilding? And
if this is needed without North -
star, then if it does get built,
how much more than this will
we need?"
The truth is, she said, that
park-and-ride lots much closer
975,000 346,150
4,782,000 3,0
Dwindling support for Minneapolis
Minneapolis projects received a far lower share of the
Met Council's Livable Communities" grants in 2003 than
in previous years.
$12.4 million/30%
to the urban core are some-
times filled halfway through
the morning rush hour. An ex-
ample, she said, is the Lowsi-
ana-Avenue lot serving Inter-
state Hwy. 394. Blair Tremere,
a Golden Valley City Council
member who led the advisory
committee that made the rec-
-ommendations, responded
that the Met Council members
themselves directed his group
to spend more money on de-
veloping suburbs. The goal
they articulated several
months ago was 30 percent,
which his group exceeded.
The council traditionally
has seen its role as promoting
as much development in the
inner areas as possible in order
to avoid adding expensive
roads and sewers at the fringe.
But developing areas protested
that they were contributing to
$40.0,000/6%
Star Tribune graphic
the kitty and not getting much,
if anything, back.
Council members said
Wednesday that developing
suburbs garnered 47 percent of
this round of funding, but that
it could turn out to be more,
depending on what happens
with a major St. Paul request
that has been deferred.
The St. Paul project had re-
quested funds from two Met
Colmcil sources, and that mat-
ter has been pushed to 2004. If
it doesn't get so-called Livable
Communities money -- the
fund used Wednesday -- the
money it doesn't get could also
wind up in fast-growing sub-
urbs.
Georgacas said the idea of
that large a shift "doesn't troiu-
ble me in the least." For one
thing, he said, it's just one
funding round: Inner areas
may do better in later rounds.
And it comes after years of de-
veloping communities getting
very little of the pool of money,
he said.
The Ramsey project got
about $840,000 last year from
the previous Met Council at the
behest of Natalie Haas Steffen,
a council member from Ram-
sey. She wasn't present at
Wednesday's meeting, and
Leppik joked that she "may not
survive" after her strong-willed
colleague hears that she was
questioning sending more
money out to Ramsey.
Krinkie and transit support-
ers agreed, however, that the
political forces massing behind
the commuter rail project go
far beyond one Met Council
member. Both sides men-
tioned the Weaver family of
Anoka County, which includes
Charlie, Pawlenty's former
chief of staff, and Tom, the top
staff person on the Met Coun-
cil.
Russ Adams, director of the
Alliance for Metropolitan Sta-
bility, a transit and affordable -
housing advocacy group, said
he applauds the Ramsey proj-
ect for the many affordable
high-density units it will create
and finds Met Council support
for the ramp an intriguing turn
of events.
For all the Met Council's
Public protestations of neutral-
ity over fixed -rail transit, he
said, "You have to wonder if
they know something we
don't."
David Peterson is at
daviAmpetersott@staHdbune.com.
Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
AMM News
Page 1 of 3
December 1.5 - 19, 2003 ARCHIVES
Metropolitan Council to Approve 2004 Budget
Property Tax Levies up 1% to $70 million
The Metropolitan Council is scheduled to vote on its 2004 budget and tax levies on Wednesday,
December 17. The proposed tax levies total $70,066,044, which is a one percent increase over the
Council's 2003 levies. The Council's three operating levies are all subject to state -imposed levy
limits, which were reduced from their 2003 levels by the Legislature this past spring. In each case,
the proposed levies for 2004 are slightly under these levy limits.
Metropolitan Council Levies
Operating Levy
Highway Right of Way Loan Fund
Livable Communities
Operating Total
Debt Service Levies
TOTAL TAX LEVIES
Payable 2003 Payable 2004 2004 Levy Limit
$11,130,137
$3,142,643
$13,2.59,070
$27,531,850
$41,839,789
$10,300,000
$2,803,379
$13,184,070
$26,287,449
$43,778,595
$69,371,639 $70,066,044
$10,522,329
$2,828,379
$13,259,070
$26,609,778
Like many cities and other units of local government, the Council will not receive full
reimbursement for the market value homestead credit, which combined with the standard
assumption that a small portion of the levy will go uncollected, yields a net levy of $67,803,300.
The proposed levies will result in a property tax of $66..54 on a $200,000 homestead within the
transit taxing district.
Property tax revenues will fund eleven percent of the Council's $603.7 million budget. State
revenues, fees collected through the wastewater- system, federal funds and passenger fares
collected by Metro Transit and Metro Mobility will provide the remainder.
Proposed 2004 Metropolitan Council Budget
Use of Funds (in millions)
Transportation
(Includes Metro Transit, Metro Mobility,
Source of Funds (in millions)
State ._..._......._....__....... $196.7
$290.4 48% F
�
Wastewater
httpJ/www.anuii l 45.org/newsletter.litm 12/18/2003
Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Page 2 of 3
Charges $166.2 28%
Federal
Property Tax $67.8 11
Levies
Passenger F
I Other $28.84O/
TOTAL 5603.7F-�
F -I
F -I
Cities Encouraged to Respond to Auditor's Survey on
Enterprise Activities
Metro cities are reminded that the deadline for responding to the State Auditor's survey on
municipal enterprise funds is Monday, December 22. While the Office of the State Auditor is
currently reporting that they have received responses from approximately 200 cities, it appears that
Z�I
cities from the metro area are not well represented among these responses.
t::,
For purposes of the study, the OSA is defining enterprise activities as any activity in which a
majority of the cost is covered by fees. Such activities could include operations like electric
utilities, liquor stores, water, sewer, natural gas, telephone, airports, golf courses, recycling
convention centers, cemeteries, and hospitals.
The OSA study stems from legislators' concerns during the 2003 legislative session ng regardi
zn ZD
municipal enterprise operations. A bill was introduced and heard in the House that would have
required cities to divest of enterprise operations Under certain circumstances. The bill also called
for a study of municipal enterprise funds. While the bill did not become law, the OSA is
conducting a survey based on the requests of some legislators.
Questions about the survey should be directed to OSA staff, Karen Cook at (6S 1) 284-4132 or
kare ii. coo k(�sta e.rnn.us or John Jernberg at (651) 297-3678 orjohn.jernberg@(
state. in n. Lis.
AMM News is sent periodically to all AMM city managers and administrators. The information is intended to
be shared with mayors, council and staff in order to keep officials abreast of important metro city issues.
@ Copyright 2003 AMM
145 University Avenue West
St Paul, IVIN 55103-2044
littp://www.amm 145.org/newsletter.htm 12/18/2003