Loading...
2005-06-10 Friday NewsCELEBRATE MENDOTA HEIGHTS Last Saturday was a rainy day, but that did not discourage Mendota Heights' residents from attending the Annual Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks,. Cars filled Mendakota Park's lot and on the street all the way from Mendakota Country Club's parking lot to Dodd Road. There were 300 kids playing ball, along with riding a horse, jumping on a "moon walk", putting, shooting hockey pucks, kicking soccer balls, learning biking safety and riding a fire truck to name a few of the many fun activities. I shared Janet Bolger's umbrella, I think she got wetter than me (Thanks, Janet). I also rode with Parks Commissioners Paul Portz and Dave Libra on the Squrt Fire Truck piloted by Fire Chief John Maczko and supervised by "Firefighter of the Year" Michelle Henne. All in all, it was a great event in spite of the weather. Many thanks to Teresa Ganglehoff for putting it together and to everyone else who donated their Saturday to help out! We are beginning the planning right now for next year's event which will be bigger and better in Celebration of Mendota Heights' 50th Birthday. AIRPORT NOISE The Mayor, Council Members Schneeman and Duggan, ARC member Liz Petschel and I attended the Finance, Development and Environment Committee meeting of the MAC this Wednesday. This Committee was considering a recommendation from their Noise Oversight Committee (NOC) to modify departures off Runway 12L to not allow turns until aircraft passed the end of the runway. Currently air controllers give air craft their headings as soon as they are airborne, which puts planes over and north of TH 110. Because of new technology, planes were flying further north all the time and according to MAC's calculations this was affecting about 300 homes in Mendota Heights. The Mayor, Council Member Duggan the City's NOC Rep and Liz Petschel, ARC Rep all spoke in favor of the change. They all did an excellent job of presenting Mendota Heights' case and the MAC Committee voted unanimously to request that the FAA make the change. NEW POLICE OFFICER At this Tuesday's City Council meeting, the City Council appointed Steve Meyer to be a new police officer. Steve attended the meeting with his family and was sworn in by the Mayor. Steve lives in South St. Paul, is married and has one child. He is currently employed by K -Mart as a Loss Prevention Manager and has worked in West St Paul as a Community Service Officer. Steve begins work this Monday when he will start his 16 weeks of on the,job training. �I`herd av News jun.e , .0, 2005 CELEBRATE MENDOTA HEIGHTS Last Saturday was a rainy day, but that did not discourage Mendota Heights' residents from attending the Annual Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks,. Cars filled Mendakota Park's lot and on the street all the way from Mendakota Country Club's parking lot to Dodd Road. There were 300 kids playing ball, along with riding a horse, jumping on a "moon walk", putting, shooting hockey pucks, kicking soccer balls, learning biking safety and riding a fire truck to name a few of the many fun activities. I shared Janet Bolger's umbrella, I think she got wetter than me (Thanks, Janet). I also rode with Parks Commissioners Paul Portz and Dave Libra on the Squrt Fire Truck piloted by Fire Chief John Maczko and supervised by "Firefighter of the Year" Michelle Henne. All in all, it was a great event in spite of the weather. Many thanks to Teresa Ganglehoff for putting it together and to everyone else who donated their Saturday to help out! We are beginning the planning right now for next year's event which will be bigger and better in Celebration of Mendota Heights' 50th Birthday. AIRPORT NOISE The Mayor, Council Members Schneeman and Duggan, ARC member Liz Petschel and I attended the Finance, Development and Environment Committee meeting of the MAC this Wednesday. This Committee was considering a recommendation from their Noise Oversight Committee (NOC) to modify departures off Runway 12L to not allow turns until aircraft passed the end of the runway. Currently air controllers give air craft their headings as soon as they are airborne, which puts planes over and north of TH 110. Because of new technology, planes were flying further north all the time and according to MAC's calculations this was affecting about 300 homes in Mendota Heights. The Mayor, Council Member Duggan the City's NOC Rep and Liz Petschel, ARC Rep all spoke in favor of the change. They all did an excellent job of presenting Mendota Heights' case and the MAC Committee voted unanimously to request that the FAA make the change. NEW POLICE OFFICER At this Tuesday's City Council meeting, the City Council appointed Steve Meyer to be a new police officer. Steve attended the meeting with his family and was sworn in by the Mayor. Steve lives in South St. Paul, is married and has one child. He is currently employed by K -Mart as a Loss Prevention Manager and has worked in West St Paul as a Community Service Officer. Steve begins work this Monday when he will start his 16 weeks of on the,job training. SHERM'S GONE Sherman Winthrop, who has been, or his firm has been the City's Attorney almost since the City was incorporated, died this week. The Mayor gave an outstanding presentation on his memories of Sherm at this week's City Council meeting. Many of us here at City Hall also have lots of great memories of him too and we are all very saddened by his death. Respectfully submitted Jim Danielson City Administrator Attachments- Just the Facts, Pipeline, Park and Recreation Commission Meeting Agenda, Planning Commission Agenda Synopsis, 2005 Parks Celebration Pictures, SouthWest Review Article "Townhome project proposed on Ecolab site", Pioneer Press Article and Obituary " Lawyer Sherman Winthrop, 74" , Metropolitan Council and Northstar Commuter Rail letters. Issue # 06-21 /14 44 TA F4,(4 it June 10, 2005 Traffic Saturation June 11th 2100 to 0100 The official kick-off of the Dakota County Traffic Safety Committee begins this week. Mendota Heights will have 22 officers from police departments and the Dakota County Sheriff's Department working our streets and highways looking for, drunk and drugged drivers. Dakota County continues to have one of the highest (4th) motor vehicle death rates in the State of MN. Our goal is to reduce deaths and injuries that occur in motor vehicle crashes by reducing the two primary contributing factors: SPEED & ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT. The traffic safety committee looked at the statistics and will be working the areas where we will have the greatest impact. Officers will be working hard to remove drunk and drugged drivers from the roads. Please do your part and pay attention to driving, obey the speed limits (at 55 mph you're traveling 81 feet per second). Your life could change dramatically in 1 second. 'The next saturation will be in Lilydale on July 2nd AOA DC MAAG Call out 06-02-05 0200 hours Officer Bobby Lambert and the rest of the DC MAAG (SWAT) team were called on for assistance in executing a search warrant in the southern part of DC The suspect has a violent history and was known to be armed. 'The warrant was executed with the use of flash bangs. Methamphetamine was found in the residence and one person was taken into custody.. Public Assist 06-03-05 0135 hours Officer Jeff VonFeldt responded to a fight call in the ditch across the street from the Moose Country Upon arrival, he separated the two men who were rolling around in the ditch. They explained they were friends and were not really fighting; one was attempting to keep the other from driving home, Neither was in any condition to drive One of the men's wives agreed to pick them up. Public Assist / Dog in pond 06-03-05 0900 hours Sergeant Donn Anderson responded to a call of a dog stuck in a pond in the Friendly Hills area. Upon arrival, it was learned that several neighbors had waded into the pond and rescued the dog. Sergeant Anderson stated that he was unclear if the Lab was having fun or really needed to be rescued. Parking Complaint 06-03-05 1120 hours Neighbors called about a car parked in the street for several days. -1- Issue # 06-21 June 10, 2005 Officer Bobby Lambert marked the car and cleared On 06-05-05 the car was cited for the ordinance violation and towed by SouthEast Towing Damage to Vehicles 06-04-05 0027 hours Officer Chad Willson responded to the 2400 block of Copperfield on damage to auto report. Upon arrival, he found four cars with the windows smashed out nothing taken. There was no physical evidence at the scene. The case has been referred to investigations. Commercial Burglary 06-04-051842 hours Officer Eric Petersen and Sergeant Neil Garlock responded to a burglar alarm in the SW area Upon arrival, officers found bags of coins in the parking lot The area was secured and the suspects were GOA. Investigator Brian Convery was called in to process the scene.. The business runs coin-operated machines around the metro and lost several hundred pounds of coins in '70 seconds. MHCCAF offered a reward and the business put up $3500 in reward money. On Wednesday afternoon, a search warrant was issued and executed on a residence in St. Paul. A very small amount of coin was recovered. The case is currently under investigation. Neighbor Dispute / Recreational fire complaint 06-04-05 2129 hours Officer Eric Petersen responded to an address just off of Dodd about a recreational fire too close to the residence. Upon arrival the fire was out. The fire was in a portable fire pit in the driveway. This is an ongoing neighbor dispute. Both were advised 4t' Degree DUI 06-05-05 0217 hours Officer Jeff VonFeldt was forced off the road in the 800 block of Hwy 13 by a car traveling N/B in the S/B lane; he was headed to assist officer Petersen who had stopped a suspected drunk driver The suspect nearly stuck several cars before being stopped. The driver was removed from the car and immediately placed under arrest for DUI After being read the MN Implied Consent Advisory, he provided a test that revealed a BAC of .16. He was transported to the DC Jail. 3`d Degree DUI 06-05-05 0216 hours Officer Eric Petersen spotted a white pickup truck driving partially on the shoulder of Hwy 13 in the 800 block. The truck was stopped and the driver appeared intoxicated. The driver failed all SFST's and provided a PBT sample which revealed a BAC of .23. Officer Petersen checked to see if one of the passengers could drive the truck home The female front seat passenger blew a .147 BAC on the PBT and the backseat passenger could not stand without help. She declined the opportunity to test. After being read the MN Implied Consent Advisory the driver provided a breath test that revealed a BAC of .23. Fireworks Complaint 06-06-05 2213 hours Officer Todd Rosse responded to the 2300 block of Lexington Avenue on a fireworks complaint Upon arrival, Officer Rosse observed a man watching two children playing with sparklers away from the building. Reminder. If the fireworks shoot up in the air or goes bang it is not legal in MN, For comprehensive information about fireworks in MN follow this link; http.,//www.dps.state.mn.us/fmarshal/Fireworks Info. htmI Search Warrant 06-07-05 0200 hours The DC MAAG Team executed a search warrant in the Mayfield Heights addition for the DC Drug Task Force. The warrant was executed with the ram and flash bangs. Two felony drug arrests were made, a warrant arrest was made, and two juvenile females were removed from the residence. This is an ongoing investigation. Snake Rescue 06-07-2005 1351 hours Sergeant Donn Anderson responded to a call from a concerned citizen about a rattle snake making threatening moves towards her children. The 4 -foot bull snake was captured by Sergeant Anderson and the kids. It was placed in a box and relocated to a new neighborhood (down by the river).. Have a great weekend! AA O -2- NEWS LETTER The Pimpeline Public Works Engineering Code Enforcement June 9, 2005 Public Works The Parks Crew picked up trash daily from the parks, dragged and chalked fields and striped foul lines on an as needed basis. The week before and after the Parks Celebration they were busy setting up and cleaning up after the celebration and tournaments. After the storms on Tuesday morning, they checked the parks for storm damage and picked up downed limbs. There were a few trees down at Victoria Highlands Park and at Friendly Hills Park. Rich witnessed the sewer mandrel testing at the Waters Drive project. Pipe Services vacuumed and cleaned the lift stations. Rich did a storm sewer inspection on Main Street at Town Center. He mowed the Veronica lift station. He also cleaned sewer lines at Knollwood Court and Rogers Court. The Street Crew trimmed trees and bushes to help a site distance problem at Victoria and Douglas and at Victoria and Celia. After Tuesday morning's storms they picked up tree limbs and branches that were blown down and ran them through the chipper. After the seal coating project was completed last Friday, this week the Street Crew swept up the excess rock and stockpiled it for use in the future. Engineering Several streets in the Somerset neighborhood were paved today. Letters went out to residents in the Dodge Lane, Sunset Lane, and Ivy Falls Avenue neighborhoods inviting them to an informational open house on June 16th to answer resident's questions, and show them preliminary plans. Code Enforcement A permit was issued to Haldeman Homme, Inc. to demo and install new flooring in the gymnasium at 1897 Delaware Avenue (Henry Sibley High School), the estimated cost for removal and replacement is $272,000.00. CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA AGENDA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION June 14, 2005 6:30 p.m. — Council Chambers 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3.. May 10, 2005 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 4, Chair Spicer's Report on Committee Meeting to Plan 2006 Park Celebration/ 50th Anniversary Recognition. 5. Accessibility Improvements in City Parks — Funded by CDA 6. Mendakota Park — New Play Area Structure 7. Valley View Heights Play Area Upgrades 8. Recommend 2006 Capital Improvement Projects 9. Park Dedication Fee Survey 10. Updates • OPUS/EcoLab • Recreation Programmer's Report (available Tuesday) • Police Report 11. Other Comments 12,. Adjourn Auxiliary aids for persons with disabilities are available upon request at least 120 hours in advance. If a notice of less than 120 hours is received, the City of Mendota Heights will make every attempt to provide the aids. This may not, however, be possible on short notice. Please contact City Administration at (651) 4.52-1850 with requests. CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS MEMO June 10, 2005 TO: City Council, Commission Members, and City Administrator FROM: Patrick C. Hollister, Administrative Assistant SUBJECT: Planning Commission Agenda Synopsis The Planning Commission will discuss the following items at thein June 28, 2005 meeting: Planning Case #05-23 Debra Jean Davison 1301 Delaware Avenue Conditional Use Permit for a Detached Garage Planning Case 405-24 Andrea L.. Crosby 2276 Apache Street Conditional Use Permit for a Fence Planning Case #05-25 Cori B.. Johnson 1732 Vicki Lane Conditional Use Permit for- a Fence Planning Case #05-26 Todd Polifka/Jason Hinchliff 11.55 Dodd Road Front Yard Setback Variance for a Home Addition Planning Case 405-27 Patrick M. Hickey 2303 Swan Drive Wetlands Permit and Side Yard Setback Variance for a Home Addition Planning Case #05-28 Saint Paul United Methodist Church 700 Wesley Lane Variances for Signage ,40 Despite the dreary weather there was a good turnout for the 2005 Parks Celebration Seth Loy news editor A plan to build 56 townhomes and two 36 -unit condominium buildings on the Ecolab site, is raising concerns among local resi- dents. Neighbors near the site, at Wachtler Avenue and Highway 13 in Mendota Heights, are worried about the proposed height of the three-story condominium build- ings (50 to 55 feet), as well as the amount of trees needed to screen the site. Currently, the site holds two three-story office buildings in a campus setting with about 350 employees. The company is in the process of transferring those employees to a facility in Eagan. The City Council is expected to discuss the project at its Tuesday meeting. Gary Sachs and his wife Karen, who live at 1366 Cherry Hill Road, just across from the Ecolab parking lot, have circulated a petition among residents opposed to the project. "The neighbors that are affected by it are definitely not happy, along Cherry Hill Road and Wachtler, where it's primarily butting up to," Gary Sachs said. In fact, it was a strange sight last week as Sachs and some neighbors floated some weather balloons in his backyard to see just how tall the proposed buildings would be. Another local resident, Mary Sweeney, said that the city and Opus Corporation, the developer, haven't communicated well with area residents about the project. "People have been complaining there have been ... meetings some of the residents didn't get invited to," Sweeney said. ,The main con- cerns are the heights of the build- ings, the densities and the argu- ment over public access and private access streets." Mayor ,John Huber, who lives next to the proposed development, admits there may have been some miscommunication with residents in the past. Some parts of the project may still be tweaked at the council level, he said, such as the design of the townhome roofs, the density of the site and overall amount of impervi.- ous surface. "There are some concerns about tree loss and some other, things, I think [the density] might change a little, it possibly could.. But I think, on balance, it's a pretty good plan and it's a quality developer." There is talk of office buildings and a possible parking ramp going into the site if the townhome/condo plan doesn't work. "There needs to be condos there [to be financially feasible]," he said. "If it went nonresidential ... you could end up with something that is no more appealing or worse than what's presented. It's a difficult call at times: Is this close to or the best we could get, keeping in mind the concerns of the neighborhood?" r'iLiiidayju_n__6 5, 2005 SWR-] Seth Loy news editor A plan to build 56 townhomes and two 36 -unit condominium buildings on the Ecolab site, is raising concerns among local resi- dents. Neighbors near the site, at Wachtler Avenue and Highway 13 in Mendota Heights, are worried about the proposed height of the three-story condominium build- ings (50 to 55 feet), as well as the amount of trees needed to screen the site. Currently, the site holds two three-story office buildings in a campus setting with about 350 employees. The company is in the process of transferring those employees to a facility in Eagan. The City Council is expected to discuss the project at its Tuesday meeting. Gary Sachs and his wife Karen, who live at 1366 Cherry Hill Road, just across from the Ecolab parking lot, have circulated a petition among residents opposed to the project. "The neighbors that are affected by it are definitely not happy, along Cherry Hill Road and Wachtler, where it's primarily butting up to," Gary Sachs said. In fact, it was a strange sight last week as Sachs and some neighbors floated some weather balloons in his backyard to see just how tall the proposed buildings would be. Another local resident, Mary Sweeney, said that the city and Opus Corporation, the developer, haven't communicated well with area residents about the project. "People have been complaining there have been ... meetings some of the residents didn't get invited to," Sweeney said. ,The main con- cerns are the heights of the build- ings, the densities and the argu- ment over public access and private access streets." Mayor ,John Huber, who lives next to the proposed development, admits there may have been some miscommunication with residents in the past. Some parts of the project may still be tweaked at the council level, he said, such as the design of the townhome roofs, the density of the site and overall amount of impervi.- ous surface. "There are some concerns about tree loss and some other, things, I think [the density] might change a little, it possibly could.. But I think, on balance, it's a pretty good plan and it's a quality developer." There is talk of office buildings and a possible parking ramp going into the site if the townhome/condo plan doesn't work. "There needs to be condos there [to be financially feasible]," he said. "If it went nonresidential ... you could end up with something that is no more appealing or worse than what's presented. It's a difficult call at times: Is this close to or the best we could get, keeping in mind the concerns of the neighborhood?" ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS I WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2003 OBITUARY L-%, T-1 Uaw-yTnr Sherman V BY TIM HUBER Pioneer Press Lawyer Sherman Winthrop, a founder of the Minneapolis- based Winthrop & Weinstine firm; died Monday after a brief illness. He was 74. Winthrop had been a lawyer for 23 years when he, longtime partner Bob Weinstine and four other lawyers started their own firm in 1979. Today, the firm has about 100 lawyers. Although hardly a household name, it is well known in the Twin Cities busi- ness community and briefly employed Sen. Norm Coleman after his term as mayor of St. Paul. The firm first set up shop in St. Paul and maintains a lob- bying office there, but has moved much of its practice to downtown Minneapolis. Among Winthrop's lasting achievements is the unique ownership structure of Bremer Financial Corp., Minnesota's fourth-largest bank with approximately $4 billion in assets. Bremer's majority owner is the nonprofit Otto Bre- mer Foundation, which uses its bank profits for philanthropic activities. In essence, Winthrop proposed an arrangement that gave the foundation ownership of 92 percent of the bank, but employees 80 percent of the voting shares,. Winthrop & Weinstine presi- dent Scott Dongoske first met Winthrop when he interviewed for a job with the firm 24 years ago. Both men were Harvard Law School graduates. "I liked him so much then that I signed on," Dongoske said. "I can't ever recall seeing him lose his temper: just a very nice, kind man, shrewd, but very nice." Winthrop is survived by his wife, Barbara Jo Cowan Winthrop; daughter Susan Crist of Colorado; sons Bradley Winthrop of Rosemount and "I can't ever recall seeing him lose his temper: just a very nice, kind man, shrewd, but very nice." Scott Dongoske, Winthrop & Weinstine president Douglas Winthrop of San Fran- cisco; brothers Edward Winthrop of Kansas and Ifar- vey Winthrop of Duluth, Minn.; and three grandchildren. A funeral service is sched- uled for 1:30 p.m. today at Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Sum- mit Ave. Tim Huber can be reached at thuber@pioneerpress,com oT 651-228-5580. Pioneer Press - Obituaries Puvc l ufZ L -|' 714 - Obituaries Sherman Winthrop / yulevlshn ��� In Memory Of - Winthrop, Sherman February 3, 19: 2005 Winthrop, Sherman - Beloved Husband, Fz {5randfather, at Age 74 of St. Paul On June 6, 2005. F death by Parents George and Mary Winthrop. Survived 49 years Barbara ]o Cowan Winthrop; Children Susar husband Michael Crist of Longmont, CO, Sons Bradh Winthrop and wife Pamela of Rosemount, MN, an Andrew Winthrop and wife Yarni|ee Bermingham of San Fran' grandchildren Joshua Aaron Crist and Brandon Lee Crist (Susan and MI Zadio Marie Winthrop (Douglas and Yanni|ea); Brothers Edward of LeE and Harvey of Duluth, MN. Sherman was a founding partner of th' Winthrop and VVeinstina. P.A., which he and his partners founded in 19 be deeply missed by his family, Firm, colleagues and clients. Sher -man to everyone as a gentlemanly lawyer. Shernoanvvas revered and respect' for his judgment and |ago| acumen, but for his ability to lead and mento lawyers. Sherman will be honored as 5O-yaarSenior, Counselor by the State Bar, Association in a few weeks at a special ceremony. Sherman vvi leader in the business community for more than 50 years. His dedica clients and the legal profession have made him an inspiration to attorneys and business professionals. Not only did Sherman counsel s( state's top companies, he made numerous friends along the way. H focused in the area of general business |avv with an emphasis on ba general corporate law, securities, real estate and estate planning. He X some of the region's most important mergers and acquisitions. Sharma/ in Duluth, MN, in 1931. He graduated from the University of Minnesota, distinction. He went on to Harvard Law School and received his ]D ir clerked for Chief Justice Roger L. Dell of the Supreme Court, State of He joined Oppenheimer-, Wolff & Donnelly as an associate attorne) Sherman was always active in his profession, and served on the Minneso Professional Responsibility Board from 1976-1982. Haalso served in 11 Executive Counsel of the Ramsey County Bar Association and was chair Executive Section of the Business Lnvv Section of the Minnesota Association in 1992. Sherman has been consistently recognized in Lawyers in America, a leading publication of top lawyers. Sherman was of American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, Hanne Bar, Association and Ramsey County Bar, Association. He was also a mer Board of Directors of Bremer Financial Corporation, Board of Directors Progress Corporation, Board of Directors of Capital City Partners Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. Sharrnan's involvement included past board member ufSt. Paul Rehabilitation Cent' Athletic Club, Mt. Zion Temple, Sho|orn Home, and Friends of the St. Library. Today Sharrnan's legacy at Winthrop and VVeinstine reflects a f that cultivates the mutual respect the firm has for every lawyer and sta http://viww.legacy.com/twincities/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStoiy&Personld=141 872... 6/8/2005 Pioneer Press - Obituaries Page 2 of 2. and provides a stimulating work environment that is professional, ini friendly. He will always remain in everyone's heart as the consummate F and a good caring man. Funeral Service Wed. 1:30 PM at Mt. Zion Ter Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105. Directions www.mzion.org. In lieu donations to Mount Zion Temple or donor's favorite charity. SHIVA 167: Ave., Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Arr: Hodroff-Epstein 651 -698 - Published in the Pioneer Press on 6/8/2005. Guest Book • Funeral home info • Flowers • Gift Shop Printer -friendly version E-mail to a friend Today's Pioneer Press notices Questions about obituaries or Guest Books? Contact Legacy.com obituaries nationwide Help I Contact Lis 1 site Index I Archives I Email Dispatches I Newspaper Subscrif. About TwinC:ities com 1 About: Reaicities Network I Terms of Use I Press center I Co http://www.legacy. com/twincities/LegacySubPage2 , asp?Page=LifeStoTy&Pet-sonId=141872... 6/8/2005 Metropolitan Council June 3, 2005 Mr., Jim Danielson Administrator City Of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118-4167 Dear Mr.. Danielson: Each year, the Metropolitan Council prepares population and household estimates for cities and towns in the Twin Cities area. Preliminary estimates are shared with local governments for review and comment.. Final estimates, certified by the Council next month, will be used by the State in determining local government aid (i_GA) and local street aid allocations. A new session law, Chapter 151, signed by Governor Pawlenty on June 2, and effective on June 3, 2005, provides a new timeline for estimates delivery and local government review: • The Council is expected to convey preliminary estimates "by June 1 each year." • "A governing body may challenge an estimate made under this section by filing its specific objections in writing with the Metropolitan Council by June 24.." • "The Metropolitan Council shall certify the estimates of population and the average household size. , by July 15 each year, including any estimates still under objection.." (Minn.. Stats.., revised June 2005, section 47124) Accordingly, we are now delivering preliminary April 1, 2004, estimates of population and households in your community: • City Of Mendota Heights is estimated to have 11,720 people and 4,324 households as of April 1, 2004. Household size averaged 2.70 per household. (Note: Household size averages represent persons living in households..) These estimates are benchmarked with demographics from Census 2000. Annual updates reflect residential construction data and other information provided by local government staff. We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the cities and towns in the Council's data collection.. Council staff welcome discussion of the estimates. We have time to consider your comments, provided that you adhere to the timeline: Correspondence introducing specific requests or objections (if any) must be filed with Metropolitan Council Research by June 24, 2005. Written comments can be sent by mail, to the attention of Kathy Johnson, Metropolitan Council Research, or by e-mail to kathv.iohnson(@metc.state.mn.us.. Sincerely, Todd Graham Research Manager www.metrocouncil.org Metro Info Line 602-1888 230 East Fifth Street • St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1626 • (651) 602-1000 • Fax 602-1550 • TTY 291-0904 An Equal Opportunity Employer "Rylja� C®N OTEM BASE June 2, 2005 Dear Mr Danielson, There have been several exciting developments on the Northstar Commuter Rail project over the past several months, leading to significant progress toward making Northstar a reality I would like to provide you with an update on the project. State Approves First Step of Funding for Northstar Commuter Rail With overwhelming support from legislators from all parties and areas of the state, the 2005 Legislature voted in favor of state funding for Northstar Commuter Rail, On April 11, Governor Pawlenty signed into law the $886 million bonding bill that includes $37.5 million for Northstar Commuter Rail.. This is the first time significant state funding for Northstar has been approved by the Minnesota Legislature. Passage of the bonding bill this year was vital to the future of Northstar Commuter Rail. The previous lack of state funding jeopardized the project's standing with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and delayed important progress on the project. The strong support from legislative leaders and the Governor sends a clear signal to the FTA that Minnesota is committed to Northstar and is worthy of a federal investment in the project. Next Steps The coming months will be busy as the Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA) and the Minnesota Department of Transportation continue work on the project. The state funding allows for significant project advancements including: ■ Application to the FTA for final design approval, regaining a "Recommended" rating and accessing highly competitive federal matching funds. ■ Proceeding with major engineering, design and property acquisition.. ■ Continuing negotiations on construction and operating agreements with BNSF Railway Company.. We anticipate making steady progress as we head into the 2006 legislative session. The NCDA and other project backers will be seeking the final state commitment needed to complete construction on Northstar, which is currently estimated to be $51 million in bonding. This state funding is in addition to the $44.2 million committed locally by the NCDA and the anticipated federal match of $132.5 million. While there is more to be done before Northstar is operational, the overwhelming support for Northstar this year is a positive sign for the future. We are pleased to see the project moving forward and are optimistic about gaining the remaining state and federal funding that will get Northstar up and running to deliver relief to Minnesota commuters. If you would like to know more about Northstar or learn about ways you can help advance the Northstar project, please contact the NCDA at (763) 323-5729 or at 1-888-478-6782 For the latest news on Northstar please visit the Northstar website at www.mn-GetOnBoard.com. S, Merely, Duane Grandy Chair, Northstar Corridor Development Authority Northstar Corridor Development Authority 0484 2100 3rd Avenue, Anoka, Minnesota 55303-2265 1-888-478-NSTAR (6782) (763) 323-5700 Fax: (763) 323-5682 ldvviyi. m. n-GtO n Boarescorn