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2012-01 Heights HighlightsHeights Highlights MENDOTA HEIGHTS GOVERNMENT NEWS To Live... Work... Shop... WINTER 2012 : Issue 90 INSIDE... Mayor’s Message ............................Page 2 Welcome Justin Miller ............................Page 3 Mendota Heights Spring Clean-Up Day ............................Page 3 Mendota Heights Firefighters ............................Page 4 Police Profile ............................Page 5 2012 Election ............................Page 5 Parks and Recreation .........................Page 6-7 A small town feel in an urban setting Mendota Heights: A Great Place and Play... 2 : HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS MAYOR’S MESSAGE Mayor Sandra Krebsbach Recognition for Mendota Heights We always knew we had a great city to live in, now others do as well. The Business Journals recently recognized Mendota Heights for quality of life, ranking second of all Minnesota cities and 30 out of 955 Midwestern cities. We were acknowledged for a healthy economy, impressive housing stock, light traffic, moderate cost of living, and strong educational systems. It is also a great city to locate a business. Two of our businesses have received special recognition. Congratulations to business owner K C Sukumar, Founder and CEO of TAJ Technologies, Inc. (photo). Minneapolis/St. Paul Journal ranked TAJ number seven among the top Minnesota IT consulting firms for 2011. Their clients are government, healthcare, telecommunications, bioinformatics, finance, travel, hospitality, and retail businesses. TAJ located their business in Mendota Heights citing easy access to clients in Rochester, both downtowns and the close proximity to the airport. The site TAJ chose for their business looks into a natural area of trees and landscaping which adds to the appeal of their workplace. Congratulations to MetroSpec Technology, patent holder and producer of FlexRad LED light circuits. This Mendota Heights’ company was recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing technology companies in the nation, ranking 439 out of 5000. We thank the entire business community for locating in Mendota Heights. Business property taxes contribute 14% to our tax base. Our businesses are good for the regional tax base because we are a net contributor to a regional tax base sharing program called fiscal disparities. As a result, not all of the industrial and commercial property taxes paid in Mendota Heights remains in our city. We are also good for economic health of the region, because our businesses hire thousands of employees. This edition is a good opportunity to acknowledge businesses in the industrial park and businesses areas along Mendota Heights Road and between Lexington Avenue and 494, an area that you may be less familiar with than our retail commercial area. Patterson Companies, a Fortune 1000 company, is in the veterinary and rehabilitation supply markets and produces dental material and equipment. CEO Scott Anderson finds Dakota County communities welcoming to employees and their families who have been transferred or recruited from other states. Because of Highways 35E, 55 and 494 Patterson Companies can also draw upon a regional workforce. Patterson has approximately 300 employees at the corporate site, over 6800 worldwide. Sun Country Airlines, headquartered in Mendota Heights, is one of our larger employers. A location minutes from the airport and a quality employee base are reasons they are here. We hope our strengths keep Sun Country and their new owners in our community for a long time. State Farm Twin Cities Business Operations, another large employer in Mendota Heights is located in one of the highest quality office buildings (shown on cover) in the Mendota Heights Business Park. We are the corporate headquarters for two main road material companies. Cemstone’s corporate offices are located in the Centre Pointe Office Park. We have all seen their blue and white concrete mixers. We also welcome Bituminous Roadways to their new corporate headquarters which is located in the industrial park. MPC has sites in ten states but Mendota Heights is home to their headquarters. A retail permit allows customers to drop off recyclable items during business hours. Nearby is NCO Financial Systems who share a building with Associated Bureaus. Associated Bank Services and Restaurant Technologies are located in this area as well. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance and Northwestern Mutual Finance, located in the United Properties managed business park, are one of the largest agencies in the metro area. Paychex, a national employer providing payroll services, has a branch office located just across the street. Thank you to Bearence Management Group for relocating their Minneapolis and St. Paul offices to Mendota Heights. Clients like the easy access with good parking while their underwriters from Chicago like the proximity to the airport. The Mendota Heights business park has two higher education providers, Brown College and Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School. Students of the colleges drive but also use the convenient and economical bus service from the Mall of America where they find connections to other parts of the metro area. American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) the world’s largest credentialing organization for technologists in medical imaging, intervention procedures, and radiation therapy have a stately building with a circular drive located in the business park. Long time relationships with businesses such as Lloyd’s Barbeque, Tempco Industries, Material Processing Corporation, Ricoh, Minnesota Knitting Mills, Valmont Applied Coating, Air Service, RJ Ryan, Hudson Trucking and General Pump are important and valued. Gateway Commons and the Waters Drive business condominiums have excellent space and offer a thriving business community. Mayflower, a major party and balloon distributor, is located in Mendota Heights. And, Wells Fargo recently moved more of their operations into Mendota Heights. Thank you to the entire business community for locating, staying and investing in Mendota Heights. And for those of you looking….welcome to Mendota Heights! HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS : 3 Welcome Justin Miller, Mendota Heights New City Administrator Mendota Heights Spring Clean-Up Day 2012 Mark your calendars for the Annual Spring Clean Up on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at Mendakota Park from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. New this year: bring your household hazardous waste and yes, electronics will be recycled for free. We will still collect scrap metal, tires, mattresses, bicycles and miscellaneous rubbish. Each year the spring clean-up diverts tons of rubbish from being brought to the landfill. Thank you for participating and keeping our city clean and beautiful. Please note there is a volume based fee for tires, mattress/box springs and miscellaneous rubbish. Sorry, but we cannot accept dehumidifiers, yard waste, contractor debris or items which can be recycled at the curb. Spring clean-up is made possible by a grant from Dakota County Environmental Management and the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance. In October of 2011 Mendota Heights City Council chose former Falcon Heights City Administrator Justin Miller for its top position of City Administrator. Citing his energy, vision and professionalism, the council unanimously agreed on Miller for the position. Justin comes to the City of Mendota Heights from the City of Falcon Heights, where he served as City Administrator since 2006, overseeing all aspects of the organization. Miller’s professional background includes serving as Assistant City Manager in Chanhassen, Minnesota and in service to the City of Des Moines, Iowa. His credentials include a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business Administration from Austin College located in Sherman, Texas and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas. Miller is a Credentialed Manager with the International City/County Management Association. Miller began his position with the city on December 28, 2011. In speaking with Justin after just weeks on the job his thoughts were clearly positive. “Each day I come to work, I am more impressed with the dedication of the city council, city staff, commission representatives, and the residents of Mendota Heights. Their efforts are clearly a significant reason this city is such a great place to live, work and play. I am honored to be working as your city administrator and I hope that together we all can continue to make Mendota Heights the best community possible.” In a meeting held with city employees in his second week of work, Miller explained that his goal as administrator would be to help the city at least qualify to receive the first Fortune “Most Admired Companies” designation even though one has yet to be awarded to a municipal organization. Staff enthusiastically supported his sentiment and many employees proceeded to tack the mock “Most Admired Companies” posters to their office and cubicle walls. Welcome Justin! New Commissioners Appointed Welcome new commissioners: Airport Relations Commission: Paul Portz and Parks and Recreation Commission: Tom Tschida, Pat Hinderscheid and Ira Kipp. As we welcome the new commissioners, we wish to acknowledge and thank those who have completed their service on city commissions: Steve Commers, Robin Ehrlich, Tom Krause and Ray Morris. Thank you also to Larry Craighead for serving on the Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization. Welcome to John Molinaro, Don Mokenhaupt and Jill Smith appointed as representatives to the Gun Club Lake and Lower Mississippi watershed management organizations. A special thank you to all of the commissioners and representatives who were reappointed this year to serve also. You all play an important role in city government and we appreciate your dedication. It’s easy to do the right thing—and it’s free. Take household chemicals labeled with the words poison, danger, warning or caution to The Recycling Zone for environmentally-safe disposal. Visit www.dakotacounty.us and search The Recycling Zone or call 651-905-4520 for more information. 4 : HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS The Firefighters of Mendota Heights – Who Knew? Fighting fires is pretty important work in itself. Many of us probably do not spend much time thinking about how really difficult or dangerous this work can be unless it has affected us directly. It goes without saying we all value this public safety service and most of us would agree if this was the only job this department ever performed it would be duly noted and worthy of much praise. Some may be surprised to find out that this is not the only significant contribution provided to the community by our firefighters. After becoming a member of the Fire Relief Association Board of Trustees, City Clerk Sandie Thone started to hear the stories of what Mendota Heights’ firefighters did for people, especially children in the community. Thone shared this sentiment “I was incredibly touched by the way they were unselfishly extending themselves and their resources to help make other’s lives a little brighter, a little less painful.” After learning about a local girl’s fight with brain cancer and her love of the fire prevention open house that she was no longer able to go see, a group of firefighters coordinated an opportunity for them to bring the fire department to her. For her birthday they drove their big red fire truck filled with McDonald’s Happy Meals right to the home of the little girl and had a birthday party with her, her friends and her family that ended with fire truck rides. About a month later the little girl passed away and the firefighters attended her funeral in full dress uniform. The family was so touched by this compassion that they made a special donation in her name to the fire department. The firefighters did not want to accept the donation, but the parents insisted, so the firefighters came up with a solution that the family approved of; a fund named after the little girl in her memory. To this day the Hannah Edger fund is used to brighten the day of children in the community who are seriously ill or have suffered a traumatic situation that required department services and would benefit from a psychological lift. As an example of one such case after being summoned to a medical, firefighters unsuccessfully tried to revive a father who had suffered a heart attack while driving with his family. The family was from out of town on a family vacation when he had the heart attack and the mother, unfamiliar with the area drove to the first home that had a light on and called for help. Unfortunately, despite their efforts the father was unable to be saved and the father’s three young children witnessed their father pass away. The firefighters used the fund to purchase savings bonds for the children’s college funds and some gifts to help ease the pain. The heart-warming stories go on and on. In addition, the department most recently donated forty-six pounds of food to Neighbors, Inc., they run the annual Halloween community bonfire, donate their time to the fireworks display on the Fourth of July, actively participate in the annual Mendota Heights, West Saint Paul, South Saint Paul Safety Camp, donate time to hold children’s birthday parties at the fire station, mock crash demonstrations and provide EMS services for the annual “Tee it up for the Troops” golf tournament held at Mendakota Country Club. On February 25, 2012 many of the firefighters will be climbing the Accenture Tower in Minneapolis for the “Fight for Air 2012” event to raise money for the American Lung Association. Not only will they be climbing thirty stories they will be dressed in their full turn out gear plus air packs! In addition, these people hold down full time jobs and when they are at an event, incident, or at the fire department it is not unusual for them to have taken a day of vacation to be there. Oh yeah….and they fight fires! On a chilly evening just recently, Councilmember Povolny dressed up in a mustang water rescue suit in anticipation of going through the ice on a local lake and being rescued by firefighters in a department drill. The department received a fire call before the councilmember could be submerged and soon he was at their sides watching them fight a fire in an apartment building. Councilmember Povolny stated he was in awe at how methodical and efficient the group worked together to contain a fire that had the potential to turn into something much bigger. The councilmember went on to say he was “absolutely amazed at the professionalism displayed that evening and how each firefighter had a role, knew it and got down to doing it immediately, they work expertly as a team and I was never so proud of them.” Please remember the commitment and dedication of this group of public servants and commend them for all they do next time you see them. Please Join us for a Benefit for Firefighter Hayley Bester Saturday, February 25, 2012: 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Mendota VFW 1323 Sibley Memorial Highway Mendota, MN 55150 $10 Spaghetti Dinner, Silent Auction and Music Additional information at www.facebook.com/events/206932012732078 For complete story go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/hayleybester The Mendota Heights Fire Department is accepting applications for firefighters through March 1, 2012. Please call City Hall at 651.452.1850 or visit our website at www.mendota-heights.com for additional information on becoming part of the team. Blue Thumb © is a collaborative program through the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District. The intent of the program is to make it easy for residents interested in doing their part to protect water quality to plan, purchase, and plant native gardens, rain gardens and shorelines with native plants. Did you know storm sewer inlets go directly to lakes, ponds, wetlands and streams? Developed areas typically have more impervious surfaces (rooftops, driveways, and compacted lawns), which allows for more water to run off the surface rather than soaking into the ground. Pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, sediment, or trash that gets into the storm sewer can end up in our ponds and water bodies. Through local cities and Watershed Management Organizations, Blue Thumb © courses are available for interested residents. Introductory courses focus on general water quality practices of rain gardens, native gardens, and shoreline stabilizations. Design courses help residents plan and install a project in their own yard. The program even offers grants to help with the cost of construction. Upcoming dates for Blue Thumb © courses are (classes begin at 6:15 p.m.): February 28, 2012: Lebanon Hills Regional Park March 13, 2012: Burnsville City Hall March 15, 2012: Eagan City Hall March 20, 2012: Pleasant Hill Library, Hastings March 22, 2012: Dakota Lodge, West Saint Paul April 2, 2012: Farmington Library April 3, 2012: Lakeville City Hall April 5, 2012: Apple Valley Municipal Center Please go to their web page at: http://www.dakotacountyswcd.org/ bluethumb.html for further details. HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS : 5         RECREATION 6 : HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS Batter Up! Men’s and Women’s Softball Leagues now forming. Games will begin in the spring and will be held on Tuesday or Thursday evenings. If you and/or your team are interested in playing softball in Mendota Heights please contact City Hall at 651.452.1850 or watch for additional details on our website at www.mendota-heights.com. Cliff Timm Memorial Fishing Derby Bring your fishing pole down to the Rogers Lake fishing pier to try to catch the “BIG ONE” and for a chance to win prizes for the most fish, biggest fish or smallest fish caught. We would like to thank the following sponsors for this annual fun event: Cliff Timm Trust, Gander Mountain and Midwest Extreme Outdoors. Date: June 27, 2012 Ages 14 & under (Parent/guardian must accompany participants) Fee (non-refundable): $8.00 per child. Time: 5:30 p.m. check in, 6:00 p.m. fishing begins, 7:00 p.m. entertainment, awards and prizes. Must pre-register at City Hall or online, no registrations taken at the derby 2012 Parks and Recreation Registration Spring/Summer Recreation Programs: All summer program registrations open online at 7:30 p.m., Monday, March 19, 2012. Go to www.mendota-heights.com to register. In person registration opens Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at Mendota Heights City Hall located at 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights. We regret that registrations will no longer be accepted by mail. Please check our website for complete program information or call City Hall at 651.452.1850 for additional information. Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation “Fun in the Summer Sun 2012” Here is what is in store for some summer fun in the sun….. Summer Playground Schedule 2012 Summer Playground Program will be held at Mendakota Park. In the event of rain the program will be held at the Mendota Heights Fire Hall. Program will be held on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. Morning Sessions for ages 4 to 7 year olds, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Cost $33.00 Afternoon Sessions for ages 7 to 10 year olds, 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Cost $48.00 Week One: Summer Fun and Sun, June 11 to 15, 2012 Get outdoors and explore the parks and trails. Children will be introduced to GPS and a compass to find treasures, crafts, plant flowers and more. Week Two: Happy Trails and Tails, June 18 to 22, 2012 Discover our nearby parks and trails using a compass and GPS to find our way. Camp songs, crafts, games, treasure and scavenger hunts. A K9 dog demonstration and a speaker on pet care and animal safety will join us. A Mendota Heights Police Officer will demonstrate safety on our bikes and trails. Week Three: Nature/Fishing Week, June 25 to 29, 2012 Time to get back to nature! Learn about Minnesota fish & their habitat. MinnAqua program will be introduced and we will enjoy a fishing day at Rogers Lake. Week Four: Pirate’s Bounty, July 9 to 13, 2012 Sail away with our crew and discover a bounty full of fun. Pirate games, crafts and a treasure hunt fit for a modern day pirate using a GPS, maps and a compass. Week Five: Water Works, July 16 to 20, 2012 This week is packed full of water activities and you are going to get soaked! Bring your swim suit each day and we will have BUCKETS of water fun, crafts and games. Week Six: Funtastic Favorites, July 23 to 27, 2012 The final week staff will take the most popular games and favorite activities from all the previous weeks and combine them into one FUNTASTIC week. More fun than a barrel of monkeys! Watch for details on the ever-popular Saftey Camp which will be held August 7 to 9, 2012 in the next issue of Heights Highlights and on our website at www.mendota-heights.com. Simple Steps is a walking program that fits your lifestyle. Enjoy time walking with friends, family and coworkers while boosting energy, reducing stress and improving your health. Join the thousands of people living and working in Dakota County that have participated in Simple Steps since 2007. Learn about great new places to walk in Dakota County and be eligible to win prizes just by tracking the number of minutes walked. Simply grab a friend and start walking. The program is free. Register online between March 15 and June 15, 2012 at: www.dakotacounty.us (search Simple Steps), or call 651.554.6100. www.mendota-heights.com HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS : 7 Hole in One! Hey it could happen! The Mendota Heights Par 3 golf course opened in 1961 just five years after the City of Mendota Heights was established. The course was laid out over the existing farmland and was quickly surrounded by development. As far back as 1961 and still evident today, the Par 3 has attracted golfers of all ages. The Mendota Heights Par 3 may be the best value in golf in the Twin Cities area. Check out these and other programs, lessons and leagues for all ages: Women’s Golf League on Wednesdays, June 6, 2012 through August 22, 2012 Free! Swing into Summer Golf Clinic on Saturday, June 9, 2012: From 10:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m. we will have instructors on hand providing tips on golf stance, grip, putting, chipping and course etiquette. All ages are welcome. Summer Golf Programs begin Monday, June 11, 2012: Ever-popular leagues, lessons and camps for youth include weeklong camp schedules offering sessions in the morning and afternoon. Junior leagues will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings through the week of August 20, 2012. New This Year: Par 3 for the Community Days: We are currently taking reservations from local community and non-profit groups for three-hour fundraising events for Friday evenings and Saturdays during the 2012 golf season. Save the Date: 2012 Season Golf Registration Night at City Hall: Live/In Person registrations for Junior Golf Camps and Junior Golf Leagues on Monday March 19, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at City Hall located at 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118. All other registrations will be available on line starting at 7:30 p.m. on Monday March 19, 2012. For additional program offerings or to make a reservation contact City Hall at 651.452.1850 or visit our website at www.mendota-heights.com. Family/Youth Trip to Crystal Caves and Eau Galle Park for ages 6 and up (or under 6 if accompanied by adult) June 14, 2012 Cost: $24 Child and $15 Adult. Pickup/Return: 8:30 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.  Target Field Tour and Sky Zone Trampoline Park for ages 8 and up June 21, 2012 Cost: $29 Pickup/Return: 9:50 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Valleyfair for ages 10 and up (younger children may attend if accompanied by an adult) June 28, 2012 Cost: $32 Pickup/Return: 9:00 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. Apple Valley Aquatic Center for ages 7 and up July 12, 2012 Cost: $18 Pickup/Return: 10:20 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.      Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles for ages 8 and up July 19, 2012 Cost: $26 Pickup/Return: 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mendota Heights and West Saint Paul Park and Rec Day at the West Saint Paul Pool for ages 6 and up July 26, 2012 Cost:  $10 Please note: no bus transportation for this event, please drop off/pick up your child at WSP Pool at 92 West Orme in West Saint Paul Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago Whitesox Kids and Family day for ages 8 and up August 1, 2012 Cost: $30 Pickup/Return:  10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Summer 2012 Youth Trips Join us on fun, well chaperoned weekly youth trips.  Invite your friends and siblings.  Trips depart and return at Mendota Heights City Hall.   Deadline to register is Tuesday prior to the trip.  Space is limited so register early.  All trip fees include chaperones, bus (no bus for WSP Pool day) and activity fee and lunch if noted. MENDOTA HEIGHTS TENNIS PROGRAM 2012 Join your friends, have fun and stay fit. Our tennis programs are games based and utilize the USTA Quick Start program. Learn to play and enjoy the game of tennis. Dates/Days: June 11 through July 2012 Leagues and lessons meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays Little Tennis meets on Thursdays. Location: Visitation School Tennis Courts Little Tennis ages 4 to 7 years: Introduces young children to tennis using mini nets. Parent/chaperone is required to stay for the session. Sessions: I: 8:30 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. II: 9:15 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. III: 10:00 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. IV: 10:45 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Cost: $45 Tennis Lessons: NEW - we have combined our lessons to include all levels in each hour. Participants will warm up together then break out with instructors for beginning, intermediate and advanced play. Now you can drop all of your children off for one session! Beginner: learn the basics of tennis, sportsmanship, general etiquette and develop strokes and service in a fun, supervised environment. Intermediate: players with some tennis experience will learn about game play, positioning and improving strokes along with sportsmanship, tennis etiquette, and how to apply strategies and tactics for game play. Advanced: players with previous tennis experience who have a mental and physical grasp of tennis fundamentals will focus on refining their game and preparing for competitive play in both singles and double competition. Sessions: I: 8:30 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. II: 9:30 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. III: 10:30 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Cost: $75 In House League Play for ages 10 and up: Instructors will divide participants into singles or doubles play each day and will be on hand to keep the matches moving. Instructors will provide coaching on serving, strokes, footwork and scoring. Please note youth must attend try outs to be admitted to this program. Session: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost: $80 Recreational Traveling Team for ages 10 to 16 years old: This program is a perfect fit for players who are ready for more competition and may be considering trying out for Jr. High and High School teams. Instructors will help develop them to the next level. Games and practices are held on Mondays and Wednesdays. The team will also practice on the first three Tuesdays of the program. Players will compete in three home matches and three matches in neighboring communities. Transportation to matches will not be provided. Please note youth must attend try outs to be admitted to this program. Session: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Cost: $80 Fun Day: Wednesday July 25, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we will wrap up the season for Tennis Lessons, In-House and Travelling Team with fun, games, a picnic lunch and prizes. City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118 www.mendota-heights.com HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS City Directory Council Members: Sandra Krebsbach, Mayor 651.454.5696 Jack Vitelli 651.455.5625 Ultan Duggan 651.452.5179 Liz Petschel 651.454.3256 Mike Povolny 651.454.0926 Staff Members: City Hall 651.452.1850 Justin Miller, City Administrator Sandie Thone, City Clerk John Maczko, Fire Chief John Mazzitello, Public Works Director Jake Sedlacek, Assistant to Administrator Paul Berg, Code Enforcement Officer Kristen Schabacker, Finance Director Teresa Gangelhoff, Recreation Programmer Police Department Emergency 911 Any call for service 911 Administration Weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 651.452.1366 Mike Aschenbrener, Chief of Police Public Works Facility 651.454.4059 Tom Olund, Public Works Superintendent City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118 www.mendota-heights.com WINTER 2012 : Issue 90 Copyright 2012, City of Mendota Heights Mendota Heights Celebrating Parks! Twenty Five Years and Counting… We are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Annual Parks Celebration on Saturday, June 2, 2012. The free and festive celebration plans include entertainment, face painting, petting zoo, pony rides, inflatable jumpers, fire truck rides, climbing wall, Pilot Knob tours and much more. Something fun planned for everyone! If you would like to volunteer or sponsor an event contact City Hall at 651.452.1850 or contact us through our website at www.mendota-heights. com. Additional information and a full schedule of events will be available in the May Heights Highlights and on our website at www.mendota-heights.com. Please join us! Lace up your running shoes… For the 7th Annual Mendota Heights 5K Run/Walk on June 2, 2012 Race Number and 5K Tee Shirt Pick-up will be Friday, June 1, 2012 at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or Saturday morning before the race at the Village at Mendota Heights from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Spring Break Youth Trip Looking for something to do on your spring break? Join us for a chaperoned, “schools out” youth trip on April 3, 2012. Registration is now open for ages six and up, online at www.mendota-heights.com. Registration will close the Tuesday prior to trip or when space is full so register early! The fun begins at Grand Slam USA in Burnsville where you will enjoy unlimited mini golf, batting cages, Krazy Kars, lazer tag, four arcade tokens, and a hot dog and soda for lunch. Afterward join us for an afternoon of roller skating at Skateville. Regular skate rental is included in the fee, or bring your own rollerblades or rent them for $3.00. Bus departs at 9:30 a.m. and returns at 3:05 p.m. at Mendota Heights City Hall. Cost $24