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2007-04-20 Friday News7&4° f ,J REFERENDUM UPDATE This coming Tuesday the polls will open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m. for the Par 3 referendum election. The City first began accepting absentee ballots on the 17th of April. The City offices will also be open this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to accept absentee ballots. There have been 165 absentee ballots issued to date and we anticipate that about 200 will be issued by close of business on Monday. Turnout for special elections are difficult to predict, however we have ordered ballots for more than a 50% turnout of registered voters. STP.EET SWEEPII`I G STARTS This winter, for the first time, Public Works put down salt only for ice control. Many other cities and MnDOT have been using this method for the past several years. Using salt only, is much more costly than putting down a 10-20% mixture of salt with sand, but then there is no sand to fill our culverts, ditches, catch basins and storm ponds. This method also leaves very little to sweep up in the spring, so using salt only is cheaper in that way. The sweeping contractor has brought in 6 sweepers, and with very little to pick up, they are going gang busters. Dave Sorby estimates that they will be done sweeping the entire City in about 3 days. Great River Greening has organized a "Buckthorn Bust" at the Pilot Knob site to begin at noon on Friday. An environmental studies class of 25 students from a local college is volunteering three hours towards removal of buckthorn and other invasive plants from the Acacia Cemetery wooded area adjacent to Pilot Knob. Controlling the spread of invasive plant seeds from this adjacent site will benefit the City's restoration efforts and long term maintenance of the Pilot Knob site. Public Works staff and members of City Hall staff will also be on site to assist with chipping of trees recently removed from MnDOT right-of-way, buckthorn and other woody plants cut by the volunteers, and general pickup of trash on the site. Improvements and restoration efforts on the site will begin this summer. SPRING CLEAN-UP VOLUNTEERS If you would like to help out at the Spring Clean -Up, please let Jake know. The event starts at 8 am, and runs through 2 pm on Saturday, May 5. Volunteers help queue cars, collect money and help unload vehicles. Rain or shine, this is a fun opportunity to help the community along -side other staff, Council members and Commissioners. Respectfully submitted, James Danielson City Administrator Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, Planning Commission Agenda, SouthWest Review Articles "Somerset students collect 1,330 food items for charity", and "Local girls make a difference for New Orleans", SouthWest Review Letters, "Astounded by the MH Par 3 debate", "Schools a wiser investment that Par 3 purchase", "Living a `green' lifestyle is a community decision", "Setting the record straight on Par 3" and "A new perspective on Par 3", Sun Current Articles "Veteran Mendota Heights officer ready for retirement", "Vote no on Par 3", "Come together in MH", "Why pay for Par 3?" and "Grandparents for Par 3", "Pioneer Press Articles Sisters won't let Katrina, New Orleans be forgotten" and Friday Fax.. 04-19-07 41( �!ae �� J T`ie latest �eu�s frasn file �leycr{'vt�t �fei9lits�atice �e�art�e�t w lThe �y. Underage Sale of Alcohol 04-04-07 1923 hours Officer Steve Meyer, along with two underage females, went to all the endota Heights to Hei and Mendota dale businesses in the cities of Mendota, Lil y g kHe�hts check liquor license compliance. The underage females were able to H01 E'olicc purchase a 12 -pack at one business that looked at the young lady's De rtme t driver's license showing she was under 21 YOA. The second 3P� 4 establishment served them a drink without asking for identification. pFpo�ie„ Both employees will be charged with selling alcohol to underage 4 Staff�� persons and both businesses will have civil penalties. Vehicle Impound 04-05-07 2253 hours Cell phone caller reported a car parked on the entrance ramp from Hwy ndJe sttn 35 to Hwy 110. Officer Mike Shepard arrived and found an unoccupied z� car, no lights or emergency flashers, parked in the middle of the exit r h ramp. The car was impounded and entered into the system. f frsE Car Fire 04-06-07 2029 hours Police s� Officer Mike Shepard responded to a car fire call. Upon arrival he Offcers IR, h4 spotted a car fully engulfed in flames approximately 5 feet from the building. A party later identified as the owner came over and attempted to hand him the keys to the car so he could open it up and "squirt it.„ obb Zaxnbei° The owner was extremely intoxicated and made it a point to inform the Erie-�.terses� s officer he was not going to drive. The fire department arrived a short Rsse, ar Spicer time later and the drunk was now trying to get the firefighters to take his Chaail dna keys. He grabbed one of the firemen to get their attention and had to Je££i?onleidt z be removed. Once the fire was put out, the owner came over and x informed Officer She that he was cold. He then asked if he could ei5n7 or naris Shepard - t - a et his sweatshirt out of the car. He could not comprehend that the Steven. M�ge�y 9 p rnS `I�eiusn T�rmann�entire car had burned. The manager asked that the car be removed. F11ItcaelhepardNO The owner was not happy about that and wanted to file a complaint. xAssault-4-08-07 0138 hours etgatio�ris;, Officer Todd Rosse responded to the Moose Country on an assault a r Heyes report. Upon arrival he was met by an intoxicated male who was �� Scott atsic�f holding his head. He refused medical treatment several times. He said he was punched in the face for no reason and pointed out two different 24-1 Sergeants W males he thought hit him. Each man was brought outside and DonriAn 'erson handcuffed and interviewed, but neither showed signs of having struck e�15Gartock anything and the drunk couldn't ID either party. No witnesses could �ohnL�ri�ve assist the officer. The intoxicated man was sent on his way. r . AOA 04-08-07 1709 hours �h;eft Officer Todd Rosse responded to a local residence on another after - the -fact assault. Upon arrival he was met by the parents of the victim. The advised the daughter was out the night before and came home z�scbenbrener Y g g -1- 04-19-07 with multiple bruises and injuries. She could not recall what had occurred. Officer Rosse began to work through the sequence of events with the victim and determined the assault occurred in IGH. They were contacted and all of the information he had gathered to this point was turned over to IGHPD. DAR / Fail to Dim / Allow Unlicensed Person to Drive 04-08-07 2256 hours Sergeant John Larrive stopped a car for failing to dim their headlights. The driver was verbally ID'd and an in -squad computer check showed him to be revoked. The driver was cited for DAR and Failure to Dim. The passenger in the front seat was the driver's girlfriend and valid owner of the car. She was cited for allowing the revoked boyfriend to driver. Everyone was released at the scene. Possession of Marijuana in a Motor Vehicle 04-08-07 2320 hours Officer Tanner Spicer stopped a car on Hwy 13 for having a headlight out. While talking with the driver he could smell marijuana in the car. The driver first denied having smoked marijuana then admitted to taking a hit of marijuana. Officer Spicer called his lie and asked him to give him the marijuana from inside the car. The man pulled out a cloth bag containing marijuana and pipe. He was cited and released. DAS 04-09-07 0915 hours Officer Eric Petersen ran an in -squad computer check on a car in front of him and found the R/O was suspended. The physical description of the driver and R/O matched. Upon stopping the car, it was learned the R/O was driving and had been convicted 23 times for DAS since 1990. He was cited and released. His car was impounded by Southeast Towing. Criminal Damage to Property 04-09-07 0800 hours (taller reported obscenities spray painted on the garage door in the morning. Officer Eric Petersen responded and spoke with the victim. She advised that her son had spotted it on his way to school in the morning. After photographing the damage Officer Petersen headed to the high school to meet with Officer Jen Fordham. Officer Fordham began working to see if anyone was talking about spray painting houses. Within a day Officer Fordham had several names. She and Officer Petersen began interviewing suspects who implicated others and eventually the several incidents of damage were cleared up in Mendota Heights and WSP. The three suspects were all on probation and were referred to juvenile court. Custody Violation 04-10-07 1026 hours Officer Eric Petersen responded to Friendly Hills Middle School about a non-custodial parent who had attempted to remove her child from the school in violation of a court order. The incident was witnessed by a friend of the youth. The non-custodial mom and big brother showed up at school and aatter i pted to drag her to a waiting car. When l� talking with 1 1 ier they offered her drugs in an effort to convince her to go with them. The student had visible marks from the incident. Officer Petersen conducted multiple interviews and attempted to contact the suspect without success. Case forwarded to the DC Attorney's Office for charging. 3`d Degree DUI 04-12-07 0253 hours While on patrol, Officer Tanner Spicer observed a car pulled over to the side of the road with someone sleeping or passed out in the driver's seat. Upon making contact with the driver, it was obvious she was very intoxicated. She stated she was lost and trying to find Eagan. She failed all SFST's and blew a .226 on the PBT. She was arrested and her car was towed. After being read the MN Implied Consent Advisory she initially agreed to take a test, but then decided she needed an attorney. After a feeble attempt at that, she called her boyfriend and eventually took a test that revealed a BAC of .21. She will be formally charged and was released to the sober boyfriend. Careless 04-14-07 0240 hours Officer Chad Willson stopped a car for making a careless u -turn in front of his fully marked squad car. The driver had been drinking and he was asked to perform SFST's — he did poorly but passed. He was cited for Careless Driving and the car was parked a parking lot. The driver called for a ride home. Mz- apeatw. rd�HJ� -2- NEWS The P LETTER Public Worksr Engineering Code Enforcement April 20, 2006 Public Works The Parks Crew set up Mendakota Park for summer use. The bases were installed, foul lines were striped, fields were dragged and new netting was hung over the batting cage. The cement was cleaned at Mendakota Park around the concession building. The fence was removed from the Civic Center ball field and hauled away. Safety netting was hung over the hub area where spectators watch the games at Mendakota Park. Overhead backstop safety netting was hung at the Civic Center ball field to prevent foul balls from landing on Victoria Curve. Rich put rip rap along a manhole next to Valley Creek. The creek was eroding the soil along the manhole. He scraped grease off the wall at the Mendota Heights Road lift station. Rich also helped the Parks Crew remove the fence at the Civic Center ball field. He cleaned the shop floor drains. Street sweeping began on Wednesday at 6:00 A.M. The contractor brought in six machines. The Street Crew did some mail box repairs. George helped the Parks Crew with the bobcat to take down the fence at the Civic Center ball field. Wings and sanders were removed from #303 and #312. (Hopefully they won't be needed anymore). A stop sign was reinstalled at east Northland Drive and Mendota Heights Road that was hit this winter. Engineering Ryan attended the first meeting of the MN Cities Storm Water Coalition in Monticello. The group was formed to assist cities with NPDES requirements. Veit has resumed work on the slope remediation project at 2400 Pilot Knob Road. Curb and gutter will be installed on Monday. Civic Center Field Public Works (Terry Blum, Parks Leadsperson, Rich Burrows, Utility Leadsperson, and George Noack, Streets) on Monday and part of Tuesday removed the old ball field fence and posts. Excavation began on Tuesday afternoon and completed Wednesday morning followed by installation of the fifteen foot wide rec-rock warning track that was completed on Friday morning. The fence contractor plans to be begin work early next week. Weather permitting, batting cages will be completed, including interior safety netting prior to May 1St. The first game of the season was played late Tuesday afternoon even as excavation / turf removal was ongoing in the (deep) outfield. 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3 n sume 3414-06101101 • •wl• PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA April 24, 2007 Approval of the February 27, 2007 Planning Commission Minutes Hearings a. Case No. 07- 06: Randall Johnson, 2219 Swan Court — Wetlands Permit for removal of wetland vegetation. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. b. Case No. 07-07: Gary Jones, 2213 Swan Court — Wetlands Permit for construction of dock. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. c. Case No. 07-08: Vernon Edgerton, 686 2nd Avenue — Conditional Use Permit for construction of a fence. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. d. Case No. 07-09: Simon Abramovich, 719 Spring Creek Circle, 719 Spring Creek Circle - Wetlands Permit for alteration of existing grading. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. e. Case No. 07-11: Noel Nelson, 933 Delaware Avenue — Conditional Use Permit for the construction of a detached garage and Variance from rear yard setback requirement. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. f. Case No. 07-12: Carol Nelson, 1312 Wachtler Avenue — Conditional Use Permit for the construction of a detached garage and Critical Area Permit. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. g. Case No. 07-1 v: R.J. Ryan Construction, Nor 4L i of Northlai id Drive and east of Highway 55 — Variance from Highway 55 setback requirement. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. h. Case No. 07-14: United Properties, North of Interstate 494 and east of Pilot Knob Road - Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Public Hearing 7:30 P.M. Case No. 07-13: Mendota Mass Associates, Trunk Highway 110 and Dodd Road - PUD Concept Review for Mendota Square Expansion. 5. Verbal Review 6. 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, however, this may not be possible on short notice. Please contact City Administration at 651- 452-1850, with requests. submitted photo Somerset 1,330 food- Items for charity For the past 14 years, Somerset Heights Elementary School in Mendota Heights has collected food items for the annual Min- nesota FoodShare Campaign. Students, staff, and community members collected 1,330 food items March 1 to 29. All dona- tions were given to Francis Basket Food Shelf, which serves low-income families and individuals. Minnesota FoodShare promised to match all items donated. Dur- ing the month of March, Somerset School joined with over 3,000 Minnesota .school children, Christian and Jewish congrega- tions, businesses, the food industry, print and broadcast media, community organiza- tions and some 250. emergency food shelves. to restock supplies of food for those in need. ,ocal girls Heather Edwards staff writer Cwo Mendota Heights girls are king sure that the hurricane vic- es of New Orleans are not forgot - i. henry Sibley High School fresh - m Hannah Nemer and her sister, iendly Hills sixth -grader Molly ;mer, are planning a benefit to ;rease awareness and raise funds New Orleans. The event will be Id on April 21, from 2:30-5:30 n. at Neighborhood House, 179 bie St. E., St Paul, and coincides .th National and Global Youth rvice Day. The event, "Listening to New :leans = their words, their music, it hearts," will feature local uth, using their own voices to present the .voices of New :leans. The event will feature an iginal, dramatic monologue picting Katrina's immediate after- ath by Hamline Univeristy stu- nt Tony Wilson, based on his :periences while volunteering ere; a choreographed response to. e disaster by Young Dance in Min- mpolis; a video by Molly Nemer 1 the importance of youth volun- erism; and a series of readings om the people of New Orleans, ;rformed by St. Paul Stagecoach heatre students. The benefit will also feature an chibit of photos from the New rleans Kids Camera Project, .scribed as "an unfiltered view of ew Orleans through the eyes of its )uth." During the program's inter- ission, student chefs from the Cor- If you go 'Pickets for this evept are or $1'0 for. ages 12 and u: Ticicefs may be available `at the door .(first come, first 'served) or preferably preordered Details are navailable at wwworleansnew org Ryan Rodgers/South West Review Hannah and Molly Nemer, ninth and sixth graders, at Sibley High and Friendly Hill Schools, stand in front of the set they constructed to help raise money for New Orleans artists affected by Hurricane Katrina. Inspired by a trip to the devastated Big Easy, the benefit planned by the sisters will occur on April 21, National and Global Youth Service Day. don Bleu Culinary Institute will offer tastes of both traditional and vegeterian jambalaya, and pecan pie. A silent auction will feature music, art, food and clothing inspired by New Orleans. Auction items include an array of spice's from New Orleans and a B.B. King portrait cre- ated by renowned local artist Marc Norberg. An autographed copy of Spike Lee's documentary, "When the Lev- ees Broke," will also be auctioned, as well as a Chef s Table experience at Stella's Fish Cafe in Minneapolis. Other auction items were donated from the New Orleans merchants themselves, who wanted to help despite their own dire financial situ- ations. During a recent family trip to New Orleans, Molly and Hannah saw firsthand the devastation still surrounding the city. The tourists have simply not returned since Hur- ricane Katrina, and as a result, shop owners are surviving off their sav- ings, rather than their income. Many shop owners will be forced to close their businesses soon if tourism doesn't pick up again. While in New Orleans, Molly talked to a woman who ran a voodoo museum and shop, who sug- gested the girls take a cab ride through New Orleans to see the city's damage up close. They took her advice and were shocked by the West St Paul, MN, 55118 devastation that remained. "It was like looking at a Third - World country," said Molly. The girls struck up a friendship with the shop owner, who felt that New Orleans had been forgotten. "She felt the government has moved on," said Hannah. Molly and Hannah understand- ably related to the kids of New Orleans in particular. "It was devas- tating, hearing their perso ,to - ries," said Molly. "Kids yt, -.agei than us had their memories com- pletely washed away." "You have to wonder what wa: going through their minds," Han• nah said. "I tried to put myself it their place and wondered what i would be like if it was Mendota Heights (that had flooded), if it wa: my home that was just gone." "Anyone who was down thea see New Orleans on page 5 New Orleans/ After one year, city still recovering continued from page 1 would want to do something," she added. So Hannah and Molly orga- nizel their event to remind people of the devastation that remains. But while some Twin Cities radio stations agreed to air the public service announcements the girls had made, one station refused. "They said it isn't an issue anymore," Hannah said. "But it is and that's what we're try- ing to.tell people." The girls set out to make a difference, networking with other young Twin Cities resi- dents to create "Listening to New Orleans." They also enlisted their friends, Anthony Middle School stu- dent Annie Wood, who will be managing the silent auction, and Sibley student Kelsey Mork, who will be running the lights and sound. . In addition to increasing awareness of the needs in New Orleans, Hannah and Molly hope to raise money for ARTDOCS, Inc., a New Orleans nonprofit organiza- tion providing health care to artists, writers and perform- ing artists in the New Orleans area as well as grants to help rebuild and restore art studios. Besides providing relief for New Orleans, the Nemer sis- ters hope this event will inspire other youth to engage in volunteerism. The girls encourage other youth to either help the vic- tims of Katrina or find another worthy cause. "Find a cause you care about," said Hannah. "Use your hands and voice and do something about Wt "M Astounded by the MH Par 3 debate To the editor: I simply don't understand why there is a debate at all about the Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course. To me the facts are quite simple: The citizens of Mendota Heights can buy the MH Par 3 golf course at a below-market price; Then can operate it as a better -than -break-even recre- ational asset for the young and old of our community; While it adds to the desirability and value of our MH homes; And maintains crucial flexibility about what uses the land might serve in the future; And then can be sold for a tidy public profit if the situa- tion would ever change. From my perspective, this is a "no-brainer." Our .wise City Council has analyzed the Par 3 case carefully and offered us this "don't mess this up" opportunity. For goodness sake, vote "yes" to save the Par 3 on April 24. Brian Prokosch Mendota Heights Schools a wiser investment than Par 3 purchase To the editor: My compliments to the members of the "Save the Par 3 Committee. They seem to have taken a lesson from pro- fessionally run political campaigns of the past, and are running a very well organized campaign of their own. One of the main arguments emerging from a flurry of "letters to the editor in local newspapers is that we must purchase the golf course "for the children." However, supporters of the referendum should recognize that there is a limit to the amount of public funds available, and that School Dist. 197 (West St. Paul -Mendota Heights -Fagan) is facing severe funding issues. If we really want to help our' children, this is where our tag dollars. should go. A second argument from the committee is that the added tax resulting from the Par 3 purchase by the city would be "a -fair deal." The committee also states that adding housing to the existing Par 3 land would have a "minimal" effect on the property -tax base. We need to ignore weighted phrases like "fair deal." If the city were to purchase the Par 3, the bottom line is that property taxes would increase for each individual homeowner. Allowing the site to be developed would be a step toward controlling property taxes. And does anyone really believe this tax will go away in 15 years? Over time, rest assured that more funds will be needed to support the mainte- nance and operation of the Par 3. Taxpayers are continuously being asked to provide sup- port for a variety of causes and ideas, but the public can not be seen as an endless source of cash. Please help the city move in the right direction by demonstrating com- mon sense and fiscal responsibility by voting "no" on April 24. Don Lorenz Mendota Heights Living a `green' lifestyle is a community "decision To the editor: First, thanks to this newspaper for being "our main street" where we can visit with our neighbors about our community. I know I have often been guilty of just going through my routines and not stopping and deeply examin- ing an issue. I was so excited when two people responded to my "Vote No Par 3" message. First, to the teen — thank you for getting involved in this cause. As a teacher, I am so excited when young peo- ple are articulate and interested. Please know that making s memories with your family will continue and there are many publicly owned spaces in Mendota Heights that you and your family have access to with no cost. I encourage You to advocate for maintaining and upgrading our cur- rent parks and schools, which provide access to all people_ and provide structured play, open ball fields and wooded areas ' n additionplease ; now ilfllfthe Tox;"dee"r'"and othe yv�ld ife TJX ;not go away. The city has done a very good job of purchasing and maintaining trails and wooded spaces next to parks throughout the suburb. Recently, .our - city even gave $50,000 to help the Dodge Nature Center preserve the 150 acres that the Dodge owns in Mendota't Heights south of Hwy. 110. The wildlife actually prefer, these more natural_ spaces, yet k neva I have watched my neighborhood develop over the last 25 years and I still have all these animals come through my yard throughout' the year. Secondly, I obviously did not do a very good job of stat ing my true message to Tamara Will. For that I apologize and ask to restate my point. Each of us in this commu nity, including our new neighbors, needs to think about our "green" responsibilities. In my estimation, that means we need to'shovel our own snow or get help from teens who are fighting a sedentary lifestyle; adopt better grass-•' management practices which means mowing higher, less.' often, watering only once weekly; return to raking (either' self or teens) and in general encourage an evolution i the definition of yard beauty and practices as has-hap--' pened frequently as you read the history of yards in America. We are in a losing cycle right now that can be', stopped only if each of us takes personal responsibility for our land, air and water. In regard to vehicles, we need to think about the type of vehicles we drive and the quantity of trips we make. As a " part of the metro area it is not to our advantage to subsi- dize this business and force potential million -dollar home buyers to move out to Lakeville and then join them as we sit on Interstate 35E during our daily commutes. We have,• watched open land allover this.part of the metro build up, in the last 25 years. Mendota Heights is a small first -ring. suburban bedroom community. Historically;: we have cho'- sen to use other communities' services so we ;can main tain our low4axati61i philosophy - pay little and focus'' on great fire, streets, police. This referendum issue has not been trained as, "Hey, MH residents, let's change our philosophy of having. no "amenities and let's have 'a Icon versation about if you want the building of a hockey' arena, a swimming pool and a recreation center." We have been told our city will operate a golf business if this passes on April 24. The current owners of this' business fought their way through a court battle starting with the premise that the business: was not a profitable venture and the character of the neighborhood was coii- sistent with single-family dwellings and they were being' unfairly taxed. The city stewards set forth a good plan to maintain a? park -and -trail system for Mendota Heights. Stay the course = improve the parks and trails we have, and con- tinue to guarantee that the DodgeNature property south' of Hwy. 110 will not ever be developed. I learned a lot at' www.votenopar3.com and by reading the Supreme. Court decision of Mendota Golf LLP verses the city of Mendota Heights (January 2006). Rhonda Simonson Mendota Heights Setting .the record straight on Par 3 To the editor: I was concerned about how things I had written were distorted by Laura Smith on her letter. I was hoping for a chance to clarify.... First: My point regarding the appraised value was NOT inaccurate. In fact, Ms. Smith makes my point. We are being asked to pay the residential price for a golf course. It was appraised as residential — it has never been appraised as a golf course, which is what we are buying. Let us compare apples to apples. The ' appraisal of a golf course for a golf course, not an appraisal for residential development for a golf course. Ms. Smith states it is a distraction to compare the refer endum to past decisions. The City Council is currently, discussing the expansion of .the Augusta Shores town, home project. There is currently discussion about devel-,,_. opment on LeMay Lake. This issue is in the present. I had hoped that this issue would have been dealing.: with truths, but I am most distraught to find it has not. I hope Ms. Smith just did not know the facts about the.; appraisals and the LeMay Lake development and was not, trying to distract residents from deciding which land to.:, keep as open space and stating inaccuracies as she , accused. me of doing. Joan Olin Mendota Heights - A new perspective on Par 3 To the editor: As a brand-new resident of Mendota Heights, I have been pleasantly surprised by so many things that make our area special. One of those things is our little golf course that kids and adults can enjoy so much. This golf course is a wonderful gift and blessing for our area. I look forward to learning to golf on it this summer with the kids in my family. And I hope that we can ski on > it next winter. Like many other MH residents, I cannot play at a pri- vate golf club. But I sure do hope that residents of Men- dota Heights will vote "yes" on Tuesday, April 24, to save our Par 3 golf course. Silvana Ramos Mendota Heights Sun Newspapers - MNSUN.com - Veteran Mendota Heights officer ready for retirement Page 1 of 2 Pnnt'Page ,} 4-9 c&nwlmuneify Veteran Mendota Heights officer ready for retirement BY MEGAN ANDERSON - SUN NEWSPAPERS CDT After 26 years with the Mendota Heights Police Department, Sgt. Donn Anderson has decided it's time to turn in his badge. Anderson has been a police officer for 32 years. He started his career in Glen Rock, Wyo., as a patrol officer. He returned to Minnesota to become an officer in Lilydale in 1979, serving the city until the Police Department was disbanded. He moved over to the department in Mendota Heights in 1980, where he has been ever since. Anderson said he has enjoyed working in Mendota Heights. He said ever since he was little, he wanted to become a police officer. It's something I've always wanted to do," Anderson said. While looking back on his career, Anderson said there are too many memories to single out any one moment, He said while working the afternoon and night shifts he found himself in some interesting situations. But those shifts, he said, were his favorite to work. "It's almost like being in the front row of the Greatest Show on Earth," Anderson said. "You see the unusual, the bizarre and the unbelievable things happen." Investigator Mario Reyes has worked with Anderson throughout his tenure in Mendota Heights. "It was always a pleasure to work with him," Reyes said. Reyes said not only were the two partners for 16 years, but they became good friends outside of work. He said they enjoy going fishing together. "My wife would joke that we sound like two old ladies when we talk on the phone," Reyes said. Joking aside, Reyes said the community is losing an excellent police officer. "I would describe him as a very level-headed, very easygoing guy," Reyes said of Anderson. "I've always found him to use a lot of common sense." Reyes said that no matter what the situation, Anderson was always professional and looking for a solution. He said he was able to relate to people in the community. "He always was very approachable," Reyes said. "He has a genuinely good heart." Reyes said he has plenty of memories from years of working with Anderson. One time, Reyes recalled, they responded to lady who reported that there were aliens in her attic. He said Anderson took care of the situation by going up to the attic, flashing his light around and making some noise. "He came back downstairs and told the lady he got rid of all of them," Reyes said. "Through the years there have been several instances where I had to get rid of some aliens," Anderson said. "But you do what it takes to resolve the situation and move on to the next call. Chief Mike Aschenbrener has worked with Anderson for four years. When Aschenbrener came on as chief of the department, Anderson was serving as interim chief. He said Anderson served as interim chief a total of four times during his time with the department. Aschenbrener said the department is losing a valuable resource in Anderson. "There's an institution walking out that door," he said. "It's really going to be hard to see him go with all that experience." Describing Anderson as a practical joker, Aschenbrener joked that he has almost given him a heart http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/cl 19officer.prt 4/20/2007 Sun Newspapers - MNSLTN.com - Veteran Mendota Heights officer ready for retirement Page 2 of 2 attack on several occasions. "He's a very interesting guy, very old school," Aschenbrener said. "He's very in touch and in tune with the community." Aschenbrener said the department will lose a great senior officer and mentor in Anderson. Anderson had some parting wisdom for younger officers, or those thinking about getting into law enforcement. "It's a very challenging and rewarding career," he said. "But don't go into it thinking that it's going to be easy." He said there are a lot of sacrifices that come with it - including time away from family and missing special events. That's why, he said, he is grateful for the support of his wife, Lori. "My greatest achievement is staying married to my wife for 30 years," Anderson said. You are invited to comment about this story on our website at www.mnsun.com and/or write a letter to the editor at suncurrentsouth@acnpapers.com. This site and its contents Copyright © 2006. sun Newspapers - Main Office: 952-829-0797 suninfo@acnpapers.com - aFr's�`zv`�1an�k�s' SUBMITTED PHOTO Sgt. Donn Anderson will retire after 26 years as an officer in the Mendota Heights Police Department. http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2007/04/20/news/c 119officer.prt 4/20/2007 Sun Newspapers - MNSLTN.com - Vote no on Par 3 Vote no on Par 3 To the editor: Print Page ; Page 1 of 1 The Sun Newspaper writing about the Par 3 in the April 12 edition erroneously reports that the Supreme Court rendered a decision in favor of the City of Mendota Heights in its litigation with the owners of the Par 3. In fact the owners of the Par 3 sued the city to require it to amend its Comprehensive Plan so that single-family homes could be built on the Par 3 land, and that is exactly what the City Council did as a result of the Supreme Court decision. What the Supreme Court said in this connection in its decision was: "However, because we conclude that there is a conflict between the city's comprehensive plan and the city's zoning ordinance that has not been reconciled as required by Minn. Stat. 473.858, subd. 1 (2004), we remand to the district court to issue an order directing the city to reconcile the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance provisions." As a result of that Supreme Court order the City Council in December 2006 did just what the Par 3 owners had asked for when they first appeared before the council in 2003. They amended the Comprehensive Plan to permit the building of single-family homes on the Par 3 land. Thus, the City Council embarked upon three years of expensive litigation to end up doing what the Par 3 owners had originally asked it to do. Robert Bonine Mendota Heights Chair of the dote No Par 3 Committee This site and its contents Copyright © 2006. Sun Newspapers - Main Office: 952-829-0797 suninfo@acnpapers.com - ��.... http://www.imsun.comJarticles/2007/04/20/opinion/cl 19bonine.prt 4/20/2007 Sun Newspapers - MNSUN.com - Come together in MH �" 44 cafa uotty hvtwI aP 'F Come together in MH i.'......_.._. .. :'sCi:'?.,..,CI:-, %tli i`., ._.., ... 1.3.. ?.:?�E.il� To the editor: Pr nt Page ; Page 1 of 1 We are strongly in favor of the city of Mendota Heights purchasing and running the Par 3 Golf Course. The potential benefits considerably outweigh the risks. The benefits are that our community will have a wonderful place to gather and play outside. The Par 3 is lovely for golfers and residents, and it is one of the precious undeveloped pieces of land we have here in our city. Now is our moment to come together as a community and make this happen. If it works as a golf course, we have a wonderful community asset. If it doesn't work we can reassess later. At any rate, we'll have open space and we'll have options. If it is developed, we won't have either. Stephanie Levine Arlene and David Perkkio Mendota Heights This site and its contents Copyright © 2006. Sun Newspapers MIR - Main Office: 952-829-0797 suninfo@acnpapers.com - http://www.mnsun.coin/articles/2007/04/20/opinion/el 19levine.prt 4/20/2007 Sun Newspapers - 1v1NSUN.com - Why pay for Par 3? Pnnt, Page 44, Why pay for Par 3? To the editor: Page 1 of 1 The following are some reasons why taxpayers should vote no on Mendota Heights raising property taxes to buy the Par 3 Golf Course. 1. The tax burden. For the city to burden taxpayers with $2.79 million of capital costs for a business in a declining market with potential losses, simply doesn't make good sense. The city and school district will lose the taxes now collected from the Par 3 if it passes and property owners will see taxes increase on their homes and businesses. 2. Stronger tax base or higher taxes. If development occurs as proposed, only about 12 acres of the 17 -acre site will be used to build 18 or 19 fine homes, providing additional tax income to the city and school district and leaving five acres of open space. Taxpayers, don't ignore the facts. A yes vote means higher property taxes - but a no vote means a stronger tax base. 3. Failing golf courses. No wonder the Par 3 owners want to sell the golf course. They can see the writing on the wall. A yes vote will buy a losing business. 4. Real public space with development. Supporters say keeping the Par 3 will provide "open space." But a golf course is not open to the public for picnics, strolls by a lake or benches to rest in the sun. We urge citizens to remember to vote and not give away your right by ignoring the issues presented here. For more information, visit www.votenopar3.com. Bernard P. Friel John Hartmann James Losleben Charles Mertensotto J. Robert Stasse Mendota Heights residents This site and its contents Copyright © 2006. Sun Newspapers - Main Office: 952-829-0797 suninfo@acnpapers.com - Sim xa��w�asr�. http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2007/04/20/opinion/el 19friel.prt 4/20/2007 Sun Newspapers - MNSUN.com - Grandparents for Par 3 ........... _. Grandparents for Par 3 To the editor: As senior citizens, retirees, and long-standing residents of Mendota Heights, and especially as grandparents, we support the purchase of Mendota Heights Par 3 Golf Course. Page 1 of 1 This small, public course is just one of the public amenities that add to the quality of our lives in this community. It is a very wise decision for Mendota Heights to purchase this asset and we support our City Council members for their foresight. This course is a key location for novice golfers to learn the game at a reasonable price without the cost of joining a golf club. We look forward to continuing to golf on this public course with our grandchildren and friends. We hope you will vote yes Tuesday, April 24. Bob and Patsy Huberty Mendota Heights This site and its contents Copyright © 2006. Sun Newspapers - Main Office: 952-829-0797 suninfo`±acnpapers.com - nc w�r�a r http://www.mnsun.com/artioles/2007/04/20/opinion/el 19huberty.prt 4/20/2007 Page 1 of 2 Close Wind� Send To Punter Sisters won't let Katrina, New Orleans be forgotten Girls organize benefit for hurricane victims BY BAO ONG Pioneer Press TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press Article Launched:04/16/2007 12:01:00 AM CDT Hannah and Molly Nemer surveyed a Hurricane Katrina -stricken New Orleans from a taxi: upright toilets surrounded by collapsed homes, the stench of mold rising, the silence hanging over once -crowded neighborhoods. "I thought it was a year later and things would be looking up," said Hannah Nemer, a 14 -year-old freshman at Henry Sibley High School. "But it hasn't changed enough." It was December - more than a year after the hurricane hit the north -central section of the Gulf Coast - when the Mendota Heights girls visited the Big Easy. Something needed to be done, they said. Tourism in the region languishes, residents still battle to rebuild their lives and the city's problems are no longer the center of national attention. The sisters turned their lessons from New Orleans into a campaign to raise awareness of the ongoing struggles and send money to help Katrina victims. They organized a benefit set for Saturday with the help of other young people, artists and community members across the metro area. Volunteering is nothing new for Hannah Nemer, a state winner last year of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Molly Nemer, a 12 -year-old sixth -grader at Friendly Hills Middle School, joins her sister in TVbyGIRLS, where girls produce video projects and hope to launch a national television series portraying realistic and inspiring images of girls. The lessons from New Orleans - where Hannah Nemer spoke about "engaging youth voice" at a Youth Service America conference - came unexpectedly; the sisters said. Hannah Nemer and her family expected to stroll the streets of the French Quarter near their hotel in between her conference engagements. But as they talked with business owners and residents, it was apparent the city was still in recovery mode - mainly trying to rebuild tourism and the city's neighborhoods. "I'm embarrassed that we didn't do any research going down to New Orleans," said Amy Usdin, the girls' mother. In one conversation, a voodoo shop owner talked about how she felt "the rest of America forgot about us" and "this isn't how it should be," said Molly Nemer, who added the woman lost her home to floods, moved in with her son and had nothing but her savings. Shortly after returning home, the girls started planning the benefit. What started as a desire to help Katrina victims is now an event at Neighborhood House in St. Paul that includes StageCoach Theatre Arts students reading essays and poems about the hurricane; New Orleans fare prepared by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts; Robbinsdale Cooper High School band members performing jazz; and a performance by Young Dance of Minneapolis. Proceeds will go to ArtDocs, a New Orleans nonprofit providing health care to artists and grants to restore art studios, which it believes is vital to rebuilding the culture. http://www.twincities.comlportlet/article/html/fragmentslprint_article. j sp?articleld=56756... 4/17/2007 Page 2 of 2 Not everyone wanted to help. When the sisters called a local radio station to request a public service announcement, they were told, "It's not a hot issue anymore," Hannah Nemer said. But for Tony Wilson - who will perform his one-man play about Hurricane Katrina - helping out the Nemer sisters was a foregone conclusion. The 21 -year-old Hamline University junior is president of the school's Katrina Response Network and has volunteered to help in New Orleans six times since the hurricane. He is returning this summer to work at a camp for kids affected by the disaster. "It is an old issue to many people," Wilson said. "If you look at Sept. 11, it was pushed into our minds so much that you couldn't help but feel the emotions. New Orleans was out of the minds of people two to three months after." Plans for the benefit grew as more people volunteered, Molly Nemer said. "The people of New Orleans are very hopeful, but they need help," she said. "It's great that people are going to realize that." Hannah Nemer adds: "You can't go there and not want to help others." Bao Ong can be reached at bong@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5435. If You Go For more information, call 651-895-9443, e-mail orleans.new@comcast.net or visit www.orleansnew.org What: Listening to New Orleans: Their words, Their 'Music, Our Hearts When: Saturday, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Where: Neighborhood House, 179 E. Robie St., St. Paul Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for children ages 12 and under. Advance purchase is encouraged. http://www.twincities.com/portlet/articlefhtml/fragments/print_article.j sp?articleId=56756... 4/17/2007 Apr 13 2007 16042:31 Via Fax -> 6514528940 Administrator Page 001 of 005 LMC 1 N c �+.�nl/icsol'u Ci�Ic�F �'iCi.ex pfw»naEixg rxcajfrnce ®Frida Fax ® y A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities As House plays catch-up, session conclusion looks less certain As the Senate almost casually approached this week's Saturday policy committee deadline, the House pace has been frenetic with the Finance and Tax Committees busy processing the major omnibus appropriations bills. Most of the Senate policy committees will complete their work today and will not have to meet on Saturday. The House, on the other hand, has a backlog of major bills that must be processed by three important committees—Finance, Taxes and Ways and Means—before they are finally debated on the House floor. Beginning on Tuesday, the House Finance Committee was the first of three final stops for major appropriations legislation including bills for State Government, Housing, Public Safety, Environment, Natural Resources and Energy, E-12 Education, Higher Education, Economic Development and Health Care and Human Services. Many of these bills had to be sliced and diced by the committee to match the structure of the Senate omnibus bills. On Wednesday and Thursday, the Tax Committee worked late into the evening to process the environment, natural resources and energy bill, the public safety bill, the agricultural rural economies and veteran's affairs bill, the state departments bill and the E-12 finance bill. Although the House Finance Committee has now completed the major appropriations bills, the Ways and Means Committee and the Tax Committee have announced Saturday hearings to continue processing omnibus bills and a variety of smaller tax provisions. The one major piece of legislation that has not been fully unveiled is the House omnibus tax April 13, 2007 Page 1 bill. To date, the only piece of the House omnibus tax bill that has been released is the property tax, state aid and local sales tax article. The other major pieces, including the income, sales, economic development and public finance articles are still being compiled and will not likely be completed and considered in committee until late next week or during the week of April 23. Although most of the city -relevant tax provisions are contained in the property tax and state aid article, the yet -to -be -released income and sales tax articles will likely contain the revenue increases needed to fund LGA, MVHC and the expanded circuit breaker programs. We expect many of the major conference committees, with the possible exception of the tax committee, to be appointed over the next two weeks and initial hearings will be held shortly thereafter. The conference committees will have to reconcile many major differences between the House and Senate priorities, but leave enough time before the May 21 deadline to renegotiate bills in the event of a veto. In discussions with various DFL and Republican legislators and key staff members during the week, we heard more comments and questions about whether the House, Senate and governor will be able to reach agreements on the state budget before the constitutional deadline. There is ample speculation that the governor will veto many if not most of the omnibus budget bills and almost certainly the omnibus tax bill if it ultimately contains significant tax increases. The legislature may have to quickly return to the drawing board if they are to avoid a special session. For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122 LC .4-1a. cifim p cxt iwo -Frida F ax - y A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities The House state government finance bill includes a provision that would allow state agencies to continue operations through July in the event that a state budget cannot be ironed out. Ironically, that provision was inserted in a bill that may be vetoed by the governor. If all this uncertainty sounds familiar, the legislature has not been able to finish all of their work in a budget -setting year without going to a special session since the last millennium -1999 to be exact. Questions? Contact Gary Carlson at 651.281.1255 or gearlson@lmnc.org. Local road and bridge funding report released The League of Minnesota Cities, the City Engineers Association of Minnesota, the Minnesota County Engineers Association (CEAM), and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Public Works Association this week released a report on local road and bridge funding. The report, "The End of the Road: Challenges of Funding Minnesota's Local Road and Bridge Network" was prepared by Matt Shands of Bonestroo under the direction of an advisory committee representing Minnesota cities, counties, and Mn/DOT State Aid for Local Transportation. This report is available electronically in PDF format on the CEAM website at ht€.p:/ ceanl.govoffice.coln/. Hard copies were provided to legislators this week. The report does not contain a lot of narrative; rather it primarily uses charts and graphs to convey the key challenges and concerns of city and county officials throughout the state as they April 13, 2007 Page 2 struggle to meet the challenges of local road and bridge funding. The report provides answers to the following questions, and addresses both the state aid systems and the local road systems for Minnesota cities and counties: 1. What does the local system consist of? 2. What is the state's historic role in funding the local road network? 3. How has the function of the local road network changed? 4. What are some of the key challenges faced by local officials? 5. How large is the funding gap? 6. What have been the implications of the funding gap? 7. How have local governments responded? 8. How has the state responded? 9. What must be done? In the remaining weeks of session, the sponsors will use the report to advocate for passage of a comprehensive transportation funding package. Questions? ContactAnne Finn at 651.281.1263 or e-mail afinn(u.lmnc.or�. Administrative fine authority won't be clarified without urging from locals The League is suggesting city officials contact legislators and ask them to support legislation that would provide limited authority to issue administrative citations for minor traffic violations. Bills that would explicitly allow this practice have lost momentum in recent weeks, as have bills that would prohibit administrative fines for traffic violations. The language the League is supporting would authorize cities to issue their own tickets for For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122 Apr 13 2007 16:45:24 Via Fax -> 6514520940 Administrator LMC r e;t; Cities pmrrentia� cxcuifexr� -Frida Fax- . Y A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities speeding under ten miles per hour above the limit. Commercial vehicle license -holders would not be eligible for administrative citations. The House bill, IIF 847 (Rosch, DFL -St. Joseph) was heard in the Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee, where it was recommended to pass and re-referred to the Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee. Rep. Joe-Iullery Chair of the Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee did not schedule the bill for a hearing before the policy committee deadline. In the Senate, a bill (SF 15 5) that was introduced as a measure to prohibit cities from issuing administrative fines for traffic violations was amended by the Senate Transportation Committee to allow local law enforcement agencies to use administrative fines for moving violations such as speeding under ten miles per hour above the limit. The bill's author, Sen,.Leo Foley (DFL -Coon Rapids) opposed the amendment, but the committee adopted it resoundingly, and then proceeded to pass the bill. The bill is floundering because the author now opposes his own 'oiii. An attempt to amend the omnibus transportation policy bill with language that would allow administrative fines for traffic violations was offered in the Senate Transportation Committee by Sen. Michelle Fischbach (R-Paynesville) on Thursday, but failed by one vote. The last hope for the initiative is that it will be adopted as amendment on the floor of the House and/or Senate. Some legislators have indicated they are willing to offer the amendment if the League and other supporters can generate support. Page 003 of 005 April 13, 2007 Page 3 Key points to convey to legislators: • Over the years, the state legislature has increased the surcharge on a $40 traffic violation fine to $72, bringing the cost of a minor moving violation to over $115 when other fees are factored in. Of this amount, less than $14 is allocated to the local unit of government issuing the citation. • District courts are clogged, and appeals of statutory tickets are exacerbating the problem. • Current surcharges imposed by the state make the cost of statutory citations excessive for residents, and the cost of prosecuting statutory violations is excessive for taxpayers. • There is a lack of clarity in existing state law on this issue. • Administrative fines allow local law enforcement officers to cite drivers for minor violations that may otherwise be warnings, and serves as a deterrent for other, more serious future violations. _Ouestions? ContactAnne Finn at 651.281.1263 of ofinn(a'linnc.Ci7"�. House appoints transportation finance conferees The House on Wednesday appointed five conferees to work on reconciling SF 1986 (N-1urphv, DFL -Red Wing) and HF 946 (Lieder, DFL -Crookston), the omnibus transportation funding bills. Both bills passed well before the recent spring recess, and advocates have been waiting intently for the conferees to be named so final negotiations on the bill can begin. For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122 Apr 13 2007 16:46:53 Via Fax -5 65145Z®940 Administratar Page 004 Of 005 LMC (:ilicz pmrriuliag exmtflnee House conferees are: -Frida F ax- A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities Rep. Bernie Lieder (DFL -Crookston), Co -Chair Rep. Ron Erhardt (R -Edina) Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL -Minneapolis) Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL -Brooklyn Park) Rep. Terry Morrow: (DFL -St. Peter) The Senate has not yet named conferees, which means conference committee work on the measure will not begin until next week at the earliest. Senate leaders have not indicated when the body will designate conferees. Members of the conference committee will face immense pressure not only to agree on a package, but to bring forth a bill that will garner support from a veto -proof majority of the legislature. Given Governor Tim PaNvlentv's (R) promise to veto any bill containing a tax increase, a veto override appears to be the only avenue to a comprehensive transportation funding package in 2007. Questions? Contact Anne Finn at 651.281.1263 or House TIF working group announced Following tradition, the House Tax Committee has informally appointed a TIF working group to consider which TIF legislation will be included in the omnibus tax bill. Most of the bills were heard in committee earlier in March, but the details of these proposals are often reviewed in more depth by certain members. Those members this year are: Tax Chair/Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL -Bloomington), Rets. Morrie Lanning (R -Moorhead), Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL -Minneapolis) and Rep. Chris Del.,a.Forest (R -Andover). Cities with special April 13, 2007 Page 4 TIF legislation should consider contacting these members ASAP, as they work to put their recommendations together by next mid -week. Questions? Contact Jennifer O'Rourke at 651.281.1261 or jorourke'etlasanc.or. JOBZ under attack The JOBZ program has been under considerable scrutiny this year in both the House and Senate. The House is expected to include several reform measures in their omnibus tax bill—likely including provisions to further restrict intra -state business relocation situations. The Senate tax bill goes considerably further by including language to eliminate any new JOBZ deals after May 1, 2007. Cities would need to have their business subsidy agreement with a new business complete by this date to in order to use the current program. The governor's recommendation was to basically extend the program to allow a full 10 years of benefits for a business, as long as they were in the program by 2015. Questions? Contact Jennifer O'Rourke at 651.281.1261 orjorourke@lmnc.org. Liquor store fee increase bill alive The Senate Commerce Committee worked on their omnibus liquor bill yesterday in committee. The backbone of this bill is SF 1Ci70 (Pappas, DFL -Saint Paul), and it increases the fee caps currently on off -sale liquor licenses for cities by 40% plus $100. Liquor stores could have their fee reduced by $100 if they complied with certain requirements geared toward reducing underage For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122 Apr 13 2007 16:40:21 Via Fax -> 65145ZB940 Administrator Faye 005 of 005 LMC ►— u „fAi,,.,, u,ra cities i�iUes �mueoF.iay exco��am ®Friday F ax - A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities consumption. The League testified in support of this bill in the Senate yesterday, and the liquor stores association was agreeable with the compromise amendment. The bill also sets up a class between first-class and second-class cities for those over 10,000 outside the metro area, and lets them charge up to $560 to account for some of the pressures in dealing with college populations and drinking. The House companion, IIF 1958 Atkins, DFL - Inver Grove Heights), basically allows a lower increase of 25% across the board, amending MS 340.408., subdivision 3. These fees have been capped for over 22 years, so this would be a welcome bump for cities across the board. The next stop for both bills would be the floor, so now is a good time to contact legislators and let them know that the fee increase would be helpful. The "wine in grocery stores" bill was not heard in committee, so any further action on that would likely be in the form of a floor amendment, which many are expecting this year before adjournment. Questions? Contact Jennifer O'Rourke at 651.281.1261 orjorourk-e@lmnc.org. Town hall meetings Town hall meetings are a great chance to meet with your legislators and tell your city story close to home. Upcoming meetings in a city near you include: April 14 in Rochester (Dunn Bros Coffee, 120 Elton Hills Lane NW, 8:30-9:30 a.m.) with Rep. Kim Norton April 13, 2007 Page 5 April 14 in Apple Valley (Caribou Coffee, 9:00 a.m.) with Rep. Shelley Madore April 21 in Minnetonka (Glen Lake Activity Center, 14350 Excelsior Blvd., 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.) with Rep. Maria Ruud Check your local newspaper or radio station for additional dates. To receive e-mail notice of upcoming town hall meetings near you, subscribe online at http:' w•ww.house.le�-Y.state.iiin..usiinaillist'iilaili nglist.as2 and http: i'wrw-w.sei,iate.leg. state.mn.us.1schedule;'lists era°.htm Staying informed To keep informed on news from the House of Representatives, subscribe to the nonpartisan Session Weekly newsmagazine at http:r,"l w\,,�v.house.l eg.state.mn.usi'hmfo:'sub seri besw.asp or call (651) 296-2146 or (800) 657- 3550. For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team. 651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122