2007-11-09 Friday NewsThe Friday News
November 9, 2007
ELECTION TUESDAY
This Tuesday was Election Day. Although there was no General Election or City Election, the
School District had a School Board Election and Referendum. Because of this, the City Council
meeting could not begin until after the polls closed at 8:00 p.m. City Hall is a polling place for
General Elections, but not for the School District. Our residents voted at either Somerset
Elementary or Mendota Elementary Schools depending on where they live. There was a
constant stream of voters coming to City Hall all day long thinking that they could vote here and
Pam had to redirect them to their right location. Also, there were callers all day long wanting to
know where to vote. There was a huge turn out for a School District Election. Mendota Heights
had 3551 voters out of 8250 total voters.
HISTORIC PILOT KNOB
Bruce White and members of the Pilot Knob Preservation Association will re-install their
“traveling display” of historic photographs and information regarding Pilot Knob on November
16th in the City Hall lobby area. The display received numerous positive comments from
residents and other visitors to City Hall when it was set up in 2005.
Great River Greening will present a Final Draft of the proposed Management and Restoration
Plan for the 15 acre Pilot Knob Phase 2 site, soon to be purchased from Acacia Cemetery, at next
Tuesday’s Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to be held in the City Hall council
chambers beginning at 6:30 pm.
The City Council has ordered a Public Hearing on this same plan for the following Tuesday,
November 20th, 2007 (meeting begins at 7:30 pm). Adoption of an acceptable management plan
by the City is a prerequisite to release of funding grants the City has applied for from Dakota
County and the MN Department of Natural Resources.
DAKOTA COUNTY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION GROUP
Jake attended at meeting of the Community Revitalization Group at the CDA offices on
Thursday. Attending the meeting were CDA staff, city planners from around the County, and
Metropolitan Council staff.
o Met Council provided some information on Livable Communities grants and programs, and
encouraged the communities to keep moving ahead with Comprehensive Plan updates.
o CDA staff discussed their actions to address foreclosures in Dakota County – the City of
Mendota Heights has not experienced as many foreclosures as many of our neighbors. The
CDA is developing programs for homeowners facing foreclosure, and attempting to track and
disseminate foreclosure information to Cities.
o CDA staff also discussed efforts to coordinate some economic development activities for the
entire County. This initiative would be beneficial to Mendota Heights, in terms of a county-
wide study of infrastructure, trends, etc.
PAR 3 UPDATE
This weekend will be your last chance to hit the links at Par 3! Sunday, November 11 will be the
last day of the season. If weather turns unseasonably warm, the course could be opened up on a
daily basis. Golf Course Staff attended an alcohol server training hosted by Mendota Heights
and West St. Paul Police Departments. Speakers included: County Attorney Jim Backstrom,
Shannon Bailey from DC Public Health, WSP Police Chief Bud Shaver and Brian Kringen from
the MN Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE URMAN FAMILY
Congratulations to Officer Denise Urmann and her family for the birth of her new baby girl
Isabel. Isabel was born on Monday, October 29th at 7:45 pm. Isabel came into the world
weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz and was 21.5 inches long with some dark peach fuzz on her little head.
Evidently labor was an all day, fairly uneventful waiting game, but once things picked up, it only
took about 45 minutes for her to be born.
CITY HALL CLOSED FOR VETERAN’S DAY
City Hall will be closed Monday, November 12th in observance of Veteran’s Day. Doors will
open again on Tuesday for normal city business.
NOVEMBER DATES TO REMEMBER
Park & Rec Commission Mtg November 13
NOC Mtg November 14
ARC Mtg November 15 (Thursday)
DCC Board of Directors Mtg November 15
City Council Meeting November 20
Planning Commission Mtg November 27
Respectfully submitted,
James Danielson
City Administrator
Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, ARC Agenda, South-West Review Article
“Communication Center to open in Dakota County”, MN SUN Article “Northern Dakota
Chambers of Commerce adopts new name” and “West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan School
District 197 sees one levy measure passing, four new board members elected”..