Loading...
2016-09-09 Friday News Public Works The Parks Crew picked up trash daily. Grass was cut on all city properties. The fields were dragged and chalked. Athletic fields were striped. Equipment repair was done. The Utilities Crew checked the lift stations daily. Pump one was rebuilt at the Northland lift station. A manhole was raised on Dodd Road. He assisted the Parks Crew with mowing. The Streets Crew worked on catch basins this week. Potholes were repaired at the fire hall. Five manholes were worked on in Winston Court. Storm grates were cleaned at the Police Department, Ivy Hill Drive and Bent Tree Lane. Engineering – Project descriptions simplified for easier reading. For more information, please contact the Engineering Department at (651) 452-1850. City Projects (construction year) Mendota Road Neighborhood Improvements (2016) –The contractor is working with the school district about scheduling a date for the final lift of asphalt. This work is tentatively scheduled for next Friday. Update of Local Surface Water Management Plan (LSWMP) – Staff is expecting a draft plan any day now. The draft plan is expected to be before City Council in September. Watershed Management Organization approval is expected in October with final City adoption in January 2017. Lake Augusta Alum Treatment (2017) –The Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (LMRMWO) will be managing the project that will apply alum to the lake to reduce the amount of phosphorus in the water. The grant received for the treatment includes the treatment of Sunfish Lake. The City of Sunfish Lake is trying to collect the City matching funds from residents. Because the LMRWMO has to wait for the Sunfish Lake matching funds, treatment is expected shortly after ice-out in the spring of 2017. If Sunfish Lake is unable to collect the matching funds, the LMRWMO will proceed with Lake Augusta on its own. The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works Engineering Code Enforcement September 9, 2016 County Projects Highway 110 Greenway Trail Crossing (2017) – County staff continues to coordinate the trail alignment with representatives from MnDOT, Mendota Plaza, and Dodge Nature Center. Design is anticipated to be complete in time to bid with the MnDOT Highway 110 Rehabilitation project (see below). For more information contact Jacob Rezak, Project Manager, at 952-891-7981 or jacob.rezak@co.dakota.mn.us East-West Transit Study –The TAC discussed the final goals and objectives of the study to be presented to the policy makers later this year. State Projects Highway 13 Slope Repair (2015-2016) – The highway has been reopened. The contractor has some minor remaining issues that can be completed without the detour. Highway 110 Rehabilitation (2017) –Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring with the directional closures of Highway 110 beginning in early June. For more information contact Molly Cline, MnDOT Project Manager, at 651-234-7723 or molly.cline@state.mn.us. Highway 149 (Dodd Road) Rehabilitation (2018) – Staff is assisting the MnDOT project team in incorporating a trail gap segment between Maple Street and Marie Avenue. The Intersections of Dodd and Decorah/Wagon Wheel is being analyzed for a safe pedestrian crossing, as is the intersection of Emerson and Dodd (at Somerset Elementary School). Contact Tara McBride, MnDOT Project Manager at 651-234-7506, or tara.mcbride@state.mn.us for more project information. 1 The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener SERGEANTS Eric Petersen Tanner Spicer Peyton Fleming POLICE OFFICERS John Larrive Todd Rosse Jeff VonFeldt Denise Urmann Michael Shepard Nick Gorgos Robin Nelson Steve Hilyar Phillip McCarty Weston Raberge INVESTIGATIONS Chad Willson SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER Jennifer Fordham SUPPORT STAFF Kim Henning Trista Miller Shayna Hoechst Becky Pentel RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker Jon Clayton Dan Iverson CHAPLAINS Butch Millett John Snider Alberto Vargas Lynn Liberman Sue Plucker Joel Detlefsen Lenny Andrie SEPTEMBER 9 2016 LIGHT ‘EM UP! Summer break is officially over and the school year has begun. With that, we need to be extra cautious of our surroundings while driving. Kids are walking to and from school and despite what their parents may have taught them, their young minds may deter from what their supposed to be doing. In MN, there is no such law that states what age children may start walking alone to and from school. In general, children are not ready to cross a street alone until the age of 10. Parents are their children’s best critics in deciding whether or not their kids have demonstrated they can safely cross streets independently. And parents, it is your responsibility to teach the necessary skills and safety education necessary to do so. If your child is practicing the following safety behaviors, chances are your child is ready to cross the street alone: Understands that traffic is dangerous Uses safe crossing sites identified with a parent Always stops at the edge of the road Always looks in all directions before starting to cross Starts crossing when no cars are coming Keeps looking for traffic when crossing My Father was also my insurance agent for most of my driving career. When I bought a small, black Honda, he coached me to drive at all times with lights on to increase visibility. It also helped ensure I wasn’t breaking the law if I drove without my lights on during in- clement weather or at night. MN has the most specific car light law in the country. MSS169.48 instructs us that any vehicle upon a road must have headlights on when it’s raining, snowing, sleeting or hailing, and when visibility is impaired by smoke, fog or other weather conditions where you can’t see 500 feet ahead. Essentially – when you turn on your windshield wipers, turn on your headlights. If you are violation of this, tickets are over $100. Visibility is a key factor in preventing accidents, and driving with your headlights on at all times is key. According to DrivingTips.org, driving with your “headlights on during the day reduces your chance of collision by about 25%.” Headlights are visible over a ½ mile away; taillights are then also visible from 500 feet away. Now you know! Get those lights on, follow the laws and rules of the road and please, arrive safely at your destination. 2 POSESS CONCEALED GUN W/O PERMIT FRIDAY 1745 HOURS Officer Steve Hilyar and Sergeant Peyton Fleming responded to a location on multiple calls regarding suspected underage drinking and smoking marijuana. Once on scene, the officers located and made contact with two males sitting on the trunk of a car. The males told the officers they were waiting at the car for the driver to come back from looking for his car keys. Shorty after the officers identified and checked the two males at the vehicle for warrants, two additional males approached the car. Both of the males showed obvious signs of alcohol intoxication and consented to PBT tests which showed both males to be intoxicated. One of the males was underage and was cited for minor consumption. The other male was of drinking age but was unable to drive. While Sergeant Fleming was patting down the individuals while getting ready to give them a ride to a local gas station, Sergeant Fleming felt a concealed handgun on one of the men. Officers handcuffed the male and placed him into the other squad. The suspect with the gun was arrested and taken to jail and the other three were released. WARRANT/DAC SUNDAY 0726 HOURS While on routine patrol, Officer Denise Urmann conducted a traffic stop for the registered owner of a vehicle who had expired registration and a felony warrant. Once stopped Officer Urmann confirmed that the driver of the vehicle was not the registered owner but also did have a felony warrant and a driving status of cancelled. The suspect was cited and transported to Dakota County Jail. DEATH SCENE SUNDAY 1115 HOURS Multiple MHPD Officers responded to a call to check the welfare of a party laying un der a bridge near railroad tracks. The deceased individual was located and the scene was secured. Medical examiner and investigator responded and the investigation is on-going. ASSAULT/FIGHT SUNDAY 2310 HOURS Sergeant Peyton Fleming and Officer Steve Hilyar responded to a report of an assault at a bar. Upon arrival the officers located several intoxicated adult males. The victim was unable to identify which of the males he was punches by and there were no witnesses. Later the victim who initially wanted the suspect charged, changed his mind. STOLEN PLATES TUESDAY 1013 HOURS Officer Weston Raberge and Officer John Larrive responded to a call regarding the theft of a license plate. It was reported that a local company had a theft of one of the license plates off of a work truck. The reporting party believed it happened sometime over the weekend and when stolen the bolts to keep the plate on were left on the ground. Plate was entered into database as stolen. Case pending. 3 LOST/STOLEN PLATES TUESDAY 1531 HOURS Officer Weston Raberge and Officer John Larrive responded to a call regarding missing and/or stolen license plates. The reporting party stated that he had received new license plates for his wife's vehicle but realized a few days later that they went missing. The reporting party went to the DMV and was issued new plates but wanted to make a report due to the possibility the plates were stolen. Plates were entered as stolen. FRAUD TUESDAY 1922 HOURS Officer Phil McCarty responded to a report of fraud. The victim reported that she had received a call from a private number saying her grandson was in jail and needed a large amount of money. The suspects instructed her to go and get gift cards in a large amount and then wait for them to call her back. They called back and the victim gave the caller the numbers off the gift cards she had gone and purchased. The suspects called again later asking for more money when the victim told them to have her grandson call her if he needed more money. Later the victim realized she had been scammed when her grandson arrived at her home. No suspect information at this time. FRAUD WEDNESDAY 0929 HOURS Officer Mike Shepard responded to a local home on a report of fraud. The victim reported that he had been notified by a credit card company that someone had applied for a card using his information. The company wanted to advise the victim that this had occurred and let him know that the application was denied. The victim wanted to make an informational report, in order to obtain extended credit monitoring. FOUND PROPRTY THURSDAY 0051 HOURS Officer Steve Hilyar met with Dakota County Parks and trails officer who located a bike that appeared to have been abandoned on a trail in the city. Officer Hilyar checked the serial number that came back clear and the bike was logged in as found property. DUMPING/LITTERING THURSDAY 1548 HOURS Officer Mike Shepard responded to a call of dumped furniture found in a residents yard. The victim reported that sometime over night, someone had dumped two large couches and two large chairs in her yard on the side of her property. There is no suspect information at this time. 4 09/02 - 09/08 2016 YTD Calls for Service 112 5906 Citations 12 545 Warnings 9 538 Police Reports 12 679 Response Time Average Check out the MH Crime Map! Click below to search your neighborhood: https://www.raidsonline.com 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 If you are a Mendota Heights resident and you are going out of town or on vacation, you can notify MHPD of your outing and we will be more than happy to keep a watchful eye on your home while you are away. The House Check Request online form is available on our website; you can complete a form found in our lobby, or simply give us a call and we’ll help you out. MHPD offers monthly Car Seat Safety Checks. To schedule an appointment, call 651.452.1366 or email jennyf@mendota-heights.com to contact Officer Jennifer Fordham. MHPD has a Medication Disposal Box in the lobby of the PD where Dakota County residents can safely and anonymously dispose of their prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication. Please send us your positive feedback on our staff to: pdrecords@ mendota-heights.com Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps boost the morale of our staff. HAVE A SAFE WEEK! 169.444 SAFETY OF SCHOOL CHILDREN; DUTIES OF OTHER DRIVERS SUB. 1 Children getting on or off school bus. When a school bus is stopped on a street or highway, or other location where signs have been erected under section 169.443, sub. 2, B, and is displaying an extended stop-signal arm and flashing red lights, the driver of a vehicle approaching the bus shall stop the vehicle at least 20 feet away from the bus. The vehicle driver shall not allow the vehicle to move until the school bus stop-signal is retracted and the red lights are no longer flashing. SUB. 1A Passing on right. SUB. 2 Violations by drivers; penalties.