2004-06-04 Friday News
The Friday News
June 4, 2004
BABY NEWS
The City had two new babies born this week: John Tran, Civil Engineer had his second child on
Saturday. Baby girl Michelle weighed 7lbs 3oz and was 19 ½ inching long. Kathy Swanson became a
Grandmother for the first time on Tuesday when her son Michael had a son named Ripley Wallace.
Ripley weighed 6lbs 4 oz and was 20 inches long. Grandma says, “he is just perfect”.
CELEBRATE MENDOTA HEIGHTS PARKS
Teresa Ganglehoff, the City’s Recreation Programmer has put together another great “Celebrate Mendota
Heights Parks” event for this summer. I’ve attached a copy of her program. Many of the City’s
businesses and organizations have stepped forward and sponsored events, given prizes or donated money
to make this a free event for the City. Our Fire Department will be there providing free Fire Truck Rides
and the PD’s sponsoring the Bike Rodeo. The fun begins at Mendakota Park at 10:00 a.m. on this
Saturday and continues until 1:00 p.m. when there will be a drawing for prizes.
Teresa has also scheduled a calendar full of free family performances at Mendakota Park for all summer
long. She has scheduled Imagination Station for Mondays, June 21st through July 26th at 1:30 – 2:00 for
Marie Park and 3:00 – 3:30 for Friendly Hills Park. Imagination Station is a traveling variety show that
visits South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Eagan and St. Paul Park. She is also collaborating
with West St. Paul and South St. Paul’s Park and Recreation Departments to provide the attached
schedule of summer Youth Field Trips on Thursdays.
CITY’S PROSECUTER BECOMES A JUDGE
It was announced in this week’s Pioneer Press that the City’s Prosecuting Attorney has been appointed to
be a District Court Judge in Dakota County (article attached). I called Mike and congratulated him and
discussed what impact his appointment would have on Mendota Heights service. Mike said that he was
very excited about his new appointment and that the appointment would not cause a “blip” in the City’s
service. His partner Bill Bernard provides the majority of the prosecuting services to Mendota Heights. I
discussed this with the P.D. and they concur, Bill is our guy and he is doing a fantastic job.
FIREWORKS APPROVED
The City Council agreed at this week’s meeting to once again co-sponsor a community fireworks display
with Mendakota Country club. This event has been going on since 1995 and it has been very successful.
As in the past Mendakota provides the fireworks and the City provides traffic control and fire protection
services. Good places to view the event are Mendakota Park, Rogers Lake Park, City Hall, St. Thomas
Academy, Visitation and Mendota Plaza. (Because Mendakota Country Club is private property
non=member spectators are not allowed there).
MENDOTA HEIGHTS GARDEN CLUB
The Garden Club has donated another flowering crab tree to enhance the City Hall site. This has become
an annual tradition that began in the early 1990's. The Garden Club regularly utilizes meeting rooms at
City Hall and also maintains the flower plantings around the City's entrance sign. The donated tree was
planted on Thursday by Public Works near the front entrance to the parking lot, replacing an existing
flowering crab tree that had died last winter.
Respectfully Submitted,
James Danielson
City Administrator
Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, ARC Meeting Agenda, Park & Recreation Meeting Agenda, Pre-
Application Meeting Synopsis, SouthWest Review Article “Come celebrate MH parks on June 5”
attachments of park programs and park events, TwinCities.com (Pioneer Press) Article “MENDOTA
HEIGHTS PILOT KNOB HILL: tussle over land goes on” and “BURNSVILLE, EAGAN: 2 names 1st
District judges” and AMM News.