2006-08-25 Friday NewsWATER TOWER
I was notified this week by St. Paul Regional Water Services that they have taken the City's
water tower out of service. Our water tower; along with other water towers that they have that
are located at the "end of the line", lose chlorine toward the end of the summer. Normally it is a
gradual process that peaks in September or October, but this year it happened suddenly now. St
Paul can not explain why, maybe the hot July? There is not any immediate danger, but there are
always some bacteria in their water lines, and without chlorine, these bacteria can multiply very
fast. St Paul Water is draining the tank dry right now, after which they will clean it and refill it.
The process will take about two weeks. They tell me that there is enough water available in the
system even without the tower to fight a fire.
ELECTION JUDGE TFLUNrN[
This is an election year and September 12th! istheprim/teary election{ date. Individuals ;servingp(�g as
Yect ..... . ges 4 • • 1 - Yv Y � "tion ;-A— 4Y�99'199'9 !T i b;Q `XTTc I- V Ath`7
e1G6�11V11 j'LAU ,'GJ 1111aJ1 receive a ailiililiaulil vl �. hours ofelection- LivuJL —r" uuauux�. y
Swanson along with help from Nancy, Becky Pentel and Kathy Iago conducted three training
sessions for our over 60 election judges. There are a number of new judges this year in addition
to many judges who have worked for us for decades.
Last week after eight years of working in the !Mendota Heights Police Department, Cathy
Ransom retired to move to Wisconsin on Spider Lake (by Bayfield, WI) with her husband Clyde.
Last Friday was her last day and her going away party was held after work at Mendakota Park.
At least 60 party goers were there to grill brats, hot dogs and corn on the cob. There were also
lots of other goodies too. Cathy and Clyde are going to work on their place on the lake until it
gets cold, when they will go on a road trip in their new RV.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Danielson
City Administrator
Attachments: Pipeline, Just the Facts, Pioneer Press Articles "Carriage Hills battle is on again" & "Walk
and learn about Minnesota history".
N E W S 0 N M
LETTER The Pipeli e
Public Works
Enciiineerinci
August 24, 2006
Code Enforcement
The Parks Crew continued to spray cracks in the pedways with roundup. They
cleaned up around the tennis courts and cut seedlings growing around them. They
finished aerating the soccer fields.
Rich put two new manhole covers on Wachtler Avenue. He raised a manhole on
Lexington Avenue. Sewers were cleaned on West Circle, Twin Circle, Vail Drive,
Victoria Court and in the Victoria easement.
The Street Crew repaired the catch basin on Marie Avenue east of Wachtler
Avenue/ which was completely deteriorated. A bent and cracked storm grate and
frame was replaced on Jupitor and Northland Drive. A large sink hole was cut out
and filled with Class 5 on Park Place.
wzm'��
Sue, Ryan and Sam volunteered for 4 hours on
Thursday evening at the "Ask A Watershed
Expert"' booth in the Eco Center building at the
State Fair (see photo). Despite the severe
weather, we received several inquires.
Jim and Sue attended the annual Minnesota River
tour sponsored by the Lower Minnesota River
Watershed District. Speakers from the DNR,
MPCA, National Park Service and Metropolitan
Council gave informative presentations on the
river's geology, history and water quality.
Paving continued in the Industrial park and is
scheduled for completion early next week.
Issue 10-28
T44 lxas-t 94%3fteft, .7 04. wie-u is poo ke- peps- nt
August 25th, 2006
The
Raccoon Complaint 06-16-06 1341 Fours
Mendota
Officer Bobby Lambert responded to a call of a raccoon trapped
Heights
in a dumpster. The large scavenger managed to get in but was
Ponce
not able to get out of the dumpster. The raccoon was released.
Parking Complaint 06-19-06 0928 hours
Department
A complaint about workers parking on both sides of a narrow
street prompted public works to temporarily post no parking signs
on one side of the street. Signs were removed and vehicles were
Support
parking on both sides of the street again. Sergeant Donn
Staff
Anderson spoke with the foreman and the issue was resolved.
Henning
Medica0 06-19-06 1347 hours
chnstina xoss
Sandie Ristine'
Sergeant Donn Anderson assisted with a 14 YOA who punched a
window slicing open her wrist. Ambulance was refused a family
Poli�Q
member advised that she would take the youth to Urgent Care to
Officers
get stitched up
Jew �hY .
�uw u� tics a v L eliff CrnO ti c
Brlan -6 n. y
e
ce-,,!n Derd,'`a� l r! a t � U � u u P he 6 e��o ter at the G- D � S u� GS
BobbY am ert :
concerned because he had fired a contractor and now the
Eric Petersen
contractor had employees parked in front of his house. He
r®�a ROsse
wanted them removed. Nothing had occurred bei ham and
Tanne�rpSTp�SCer
tQ Qe eL Q L&yees. Reporter vias advised that unless here ^A,`Os
Chad W )7.C$an
Jeffs®nFeldt;
some gfpe of crime the police would not become involved.
,i
L �a�
Jenny FOYUfiaYTl I
9R�S'a.�� E E ,.o�� Q�°�.�� P,o �no� bQo mo ���a��vo��°coma zSoa4 o�r-a LaeA I
%Ah Q F� Vf U6 0 E 9OQ 9B Q3S��QllQ 9k��7 @ Q�t1Pf uE Q� �6SAti ASG 4�� 0 a®�.
steven.Me ; til
Mors C�om�pla nt 08-19-06 2040 hours
Dentse Urtnann
Caller reported hearing a live band all day long with no idea
.
1Vlichael Shepatcl
where it was coming from. Sergeant Neil Oarlock located a DJ
playing outside of a local business. DJ advised he was on the
Investigations
last song and it would be quiet after that.
Maria Reyes
Noise Complaint 0949-06 2116 hours
Scott Patrick `
Anonymous complaint of a loud house party with cars parked on
both sides of the street. Officer Denise Urmann spoke with the
Sergeants
homeowner and advised them of the anonymous complaint.
Donn %I-..:':..:_,_:
' '
Homeowner agreed to keep it quiet after 2200 hours.
Neil Gaslack
John arrive
Sink We 08-21-06 1808 hours
Caller reported that a large sink hole had just opened up next to
Chief
Park Place Drive. Officer Rosse found the 2x3x3 foot hole next
Mike
to the road. Hole marked and public works garage was notified.
Aschenhrener. . .
Mir
Issue #10-28 August 25h, 2006
Go Dart Complaint 06-21-06 1842 hours
Received a call of kids tearing up Marie Park on mini -bikes. Upon arrival Sergeant
John Larrive found two kids in the park with a go kart. They pushed the kart home
and mom was advised that it was illegal to operate anywhere in the city other than on
private property. Any further violations would result in citations being issued.
Information was passed onto the parks employees in case any damage was found.
Medical d Solicitor Violation 06®22-06 1543 hours
Officer Jennifer Fordham responded to the area of Hwy 13 and Downing St on an
injury. Upon arrival, Officer Fordham spotted a young man limping down the street.
He was asked to have a seat on the curb until the ambulance arrived. He then
explained that he had walked up to house and started to knock on the door when a
dog came around the house and chased him until he fell. At which point the dog
turned and left. The man had an expired permit for soliciting. He was cited for
violating the ordinance and transported to the hospital for evaluation.
Solicitor Complaint 08-22-06 1900 hours
Officer Steve Meyer received a complaint about a party soliciting. The man was
located near Twin Circle Drive. He did not have any identification on him, other than
his work ID. In running a computer check an active 2005 Scott County warrant was
located. The man was arrested on the Scott County warrant for "Soliciting without a
permit." He claimed to have a permit to solicit in Mendota Heights. in checking no
permit was issued. A citation was issued for no soliciting permit.
Gas Leak 08-23-06 1828 hours
Caller reported a gas leak in their home. Officer Todd fosse arrived on scene and
made sere that everyone was out of the Lorne. A perimeter was secured around the
house; hAHFD arrived on scene and shut off the gas.
Medical 08-23-06 2110 hours
Officer Todd [Bosse responded to a call for help. A man reported that his neighbor
�had taken a bunch of sleeping pills and then walked away from home. The MSP
helicopter was requested and Officers began checking the area. The female
returned home. A 72 hour medical hold was placed on the woman and the
I ambulance transported her to the ERR.
Harassm ens f 06-2-n06 1234 hours
Officer Jennifer Fordham met with the victim of harassing corn munications. She
reported that her ex-boyfriend has been leaving voice and text messages since they
broke up in July. The problem has been constant and on-going. The behavior has
begun to escalate. The ex-boyfriend was contacted by Officer Fordham and agreed
to stop the problem before charges were filed.
Domestic 08-24-06 2341 hours
Officer Steve Meyer responded to a domestic happening in a back yard. Upon
arrival he found one person lying in a semi-conscious state in the yard. Another
male advised that the person lying there was the problem and he was drunk. The
drunk had helped him move into his new house and then began drinking Everclear.
The two then got into an altercation and when the fiancee went to intervene he
choked her. She fought him to the ground and then ran into the house. In checking,
the victim did not need medical, help even though she had hand prints on her neck.
The suspect was transported to the PD. While in route he vomited several times in
the squad car. Officers then contacted Healtheast who transported the suspect to
Regions Hospital for possible alcohol poisoning. Charges to be filed.
Aaw,eapws~, i0>ffik
Carriage Hills battle is on again
f
The state Supreme Court has given new life to the battle over a defunct golf course in Eagan.
To the city's disappointment, Minnesota's highest court last week agreed to review a developer's lawsuit over the fate of
the Carriage Hills golf course. ,
The court's involvement comes after the state's Court of Appeals ruled in May that Eagan had the right to deny a zoning
change for the 18 -hole course that would have allowed its conversion to a housing development.
Carriage Hills owner Ray Rahn and developer Wensmann Realty Inc. petitioned the Supreme Court to review the
appellate ruling.
Rahn and his family have fought for two years to build houses on the abandoned, 49 -year-old course after the City
Council denied a plan to rezone it.
"We're certainly better off than we were before the Supreme Court granted the petition," said Christopher Penwell,
Rahn's attorney. "We are pleased that we are back in the game."
Neighbors and open -space advocates long have aggressively lobbied council members to oppose Carriage Hills'
development.
"Because we prevailed at the Court of Appeals, clearly we would have liked the case to end there," said George Hoff, an
attorney for the city. "But this does not mean the Supreme Court will overturn the decision. It just means they will take
a look at it."
Rahn bought the course, located on 120 acres at Yankee Doodle Road and Wescott Woodlands Drive, in 1996 for $3.6
million and agreed to sell the land to Wensmann in 2003. The course was losing hundreds of thousands of dollars
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The course is zoned for parks and recreation under the city's comprehensive guide plan, essentially its blueprint for
development. After the City Council refused to amend the plan to allow housing on the property, Rahn and Wensmann
sued.
A Dakota County district judge ordered the city to either amend the property's zoning or begin eminent domain
proceedings to buy it. The city's denial of development amounted to taking the course without paying for it, according to
the ruling.
The appeals court, however, said the city had a "rational basis" to deny the plan. That decision came after a divided state
Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that Mendota Heights could preserve a golf course against the property owner's
wishes.
"What the Supreme Court left unanswered in the Mendota Heights case is whether the city had to pay to restrict a
property to a specific use," Penwell said. "Our petition wanted that question answered: Is this a regulatory taking? Does
the city have to pay to keep the property open space?"
The city initially agreed to settle Rahn's lawsuit, but after the Mendota Heights decision, the council abandoned the
agreement that would have allowed 480 housing units while preserving 30 acres as an executive nine -hole public course.
"We look forward to the court reviewing the case and affirming what they did in Mendota Heights," Hoff said.
Meggen Lindsay can be reached at mlmd;><:=.r'< i:rc;r«:: it ? e: >.€::`;rYi or 651-228-5260.
-ST. PAUL P90NEER PRE -
EVENTS 'f NEIGHBO
Walk -and learn about Minnesota historA
Join Sibley House guides for a morning river walk Sept.
9 and learn about the role of the Minnesota and Missis-
sippi rivers as a catalyst for the statehood of Minnesota,
anu Hie. We cif TV -1i DIM goVerAnlor, 11JAenr -yr Sibley
The guides also will talk about Sibley's Trish
�v7iolfl,aound9 "Lion." Leashed dogs are welcome on the
walk, The program starts at 10 a.m. at Sibley House
Historic Site, 1357 Sibley Memorial Highway, Cost is $5
($4- fo.r seniers and college students and A' for children
T_
ages 6-17). Members of the Minnesota Historical Soci-
ety receive a $2 discount. Reservations are recommend-
ed. For more information, call 651-452-15960