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Issue 18 - Heights Highlights Spring 1990PAGE 1 MARCH, 1990 ISSUE 18 PARKS - A PLAN FOR ALL SEASONS! Mendota Heights parks and recreational facilities are unique and offer a variety of uses beyond the ordinary. They offer a visual identity to the city and contribute to the quality of life for those who live here. In the fall of 1985 the City Council engaged the firm of Barton-Aschman Associates, Inc. to update the city plan for develop- ment of park and recreational facilities. Passage of the 3.4 million dollar Parks Bond Referendum last August now allows proposed park and trail improvement for comments. Approximately fifty to sixty residents managed to navigate the slushy night to review the plans. Most comments were favorable with the most often asked question being "when will all the work begin?" Several homeowners were con- cerned about a trail route adjacent to their lot and felt it would contribute to a loss of privacy and lower property values. Improvements in the existing neighbor- three active play facilities which will con- tain baseball, softball, and soccer/football fields in addition to neighborhood park amenities. One site is a joint effort with School District #197 at Sibley High School. Another is on park land dedicated to the City by Centex homes in the southeast area of the city. The third site will be acquired from a private landowner. Pending favorable negotiations with these parties, the three sites will be designed vauey rarK is nignagtuea in me pictures s tic c tuts..g posy a.. —... c .... Y6•--- .--- _ ••- - ----•-o --- - -- above. A trail will be built behind the curb along new equipment added. For safety, a pea gravel base south of Marie to end at the Highway 110 and Dodd MarieAvenue. with a timber edging will be installed. Road intersection. the city to begin implementing some of the recommendations developed by our parks consultants. The Park and Recreation Commission working with city staff and the consultant have prepared plans and specifications for the improvements to six existing and two new neighborhood parks as well as six plus miles of bike/pedestrian trails. The contracts will be awarded this spring and construction will begin in early �n open house was conducted by the Park and Recreation Commission on March 8th at City Hall to present the hood parks vary, but total funds allocated to each park are roughly equal. Some of the improvements are new or widened trails, a hard court surface for basketball, vol- leyball court, improvements and additions to the play structures, paved parking lot, landscaping and play field improvements. Many more miles of trails will be added in future years. These "missing links" will be added when certain road projects -or new parks and active play facilities are con- structed. Funds were budgeted in the referendum for the acquisition and development of later this year. They will be available for play in 1991 or 1992, dependent upon the establishment of suitable grass playing fields. Our recreation facilities are particularly important to daily life as they represent opportunities that are close to home which will permit the use of leisure time in a convenient manner. Our trail system will link one neighborhood to another and offer direct and safe routes between parks, recreational facilities and schools. For additional information, contact Guy Kullander at 452-1850. PAGE 2 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES MARCH 1990 tA Fire Department News 6 - TODAY'S VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER VOLUNTEER TODAY What does it take to make a volunteer firefighter? While there are many charac- teristics a volunteer must possess, the first which comes to mind is commitment. A pledge to give of his or her time to the department and community. A commit- ment to save lives and property. Today's volunteer firefighter must be skilled, competent, and, most of all, a professional. Training prepares firefighters to meet every type of emergency, regardless of its nature - a small brush fire, a burning home, medical emergencies. They are trained to utilize all of their abilities and specialized equipment in an emergency situation. Firefighters must be always ready to respond to a crisis, regardless of the time of day. They must be prepared for all types of situations because danger is a very real part of their lives. They are commited to provid- ing safety for the community because this is an interest they hold dear. Their skills are put to a crucial test each time they respond to an emergency situation. Volunteer firefighters must be skilled in many areas. They must possess the skills, at least in theory, of an engineer because this allows them to analyze a building layout during a fire to help them prevent the spread of fire. This skill also helps and protects them from the hazards of buckling walls and flame -weakened floors. Firefighters are taught electrical, hydraulics and plumbing skills. Familiarity in these areas help them prevent and con- trol fires. The volunteer must possess the agility to be able to climb high ladders through smoke and heat to enter a burning building. Like a physician or nurse, the volunteer firefighter is trained to render first aid to the sick or injured, for they often respond to accidents and medical emergencies. They must have the stamina to perform their tasks, for many times they are called upon to work long hours in extreme heat, cold, smoke and flames. The skill firefighters enjoy using most is that of an educator. This task is performed with true dedication: to educate children in fire prevention is a role they are always ready and willing to perform. Being a part of a volunteer fire depart- ment requires team work, not only among the firefighters, but also between the department and the community. Com- munity involvement helps make the firefighters' jobs much easier. The fire department provides the skills and knowledge necessary for combatting fires. The community brings to the team the con- stant practice of fire prevention. Together we will provide a safe environment for our families. Are you looking for excitement and an opportunity to help others in a time of need? Would you like to learn life-saving skills and put those skills to practice, or have the chance to broaden your education and horizons? Membership on the Volun- teer Fire Department would give you the chance to fulfill these needs. The Mendota Heights Volunteer Fire Department is a progressive department, always looking for new ways to make the job safer and emergency response quicker and more effective. This can't be done un- less people like you volunteer. The Department is currently accepting applications for membership. The mini- mum membership requirements relate to residence location and personal commit- ment. Volunteers must live or work within a six minute response radius of the fire station. They must also have a strong desire to participate in an organization commited to providing the best possible fire protec- tion to the community. Prior training is desirable, however it is not mandat Training will be provided for all i recruits. Firefighters receive hourly com- pensation and retirement benefits. Anyone interested in receiving a mem- bership application, job description or ad- ditional information is invited to call City Hall, at 452-1850, or Fire Chief John Maczko's residence, 454-5961. Retirees Honored Volunteer Firefighters George Noack, Sr. and Steve Carlson were honored by the Fire Relief Association at its annual awards banquet held on March 3rd. Both firefighters retired on December 31st after having dedicated a significant part of their lives to the Fire Department and the community. These two members had a combined service record of 47 years. George joined the Department in 1955. At his retirement, he had contributed 35 years of uninterrupted service. Steve dedicated 12 years of service as a firefighter. They will be missed by the department and the community. The City Council expressed the community's appreciation by presenting plaques of appreciation to George and Steve at the March 20th Council meeting. At its award banquet, the Department also honored five firefighters with a combined record of sixty years of fire service. They were Firefighter William Chisler, 20 years of service, Captain Jeff Stenhaug and Firefighters Gordy Skjerven, Dick Zwirn, and Mike Coonan, each with ten years of service. Dan Barrett was recognized for the four ye, r service he contributed before his resignation last year. The Department also honor, ,. Captain Keith Stein as Firefighter of the Year. PAGE 3 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES MARCH 1990 PROPERTY VALUE REVIEWS ;arly this month, every property owner within the City should have received a notice of property valuation from the Dakota County Assessor's Office. The Assessor's Office determines the value of all real estate in Dakota County for real estate tax purposes. The market value shown on your notice is the amount you should be able to sell your property for on the open market, according to County As- sessor Marvin Pulju. The value and proper- ty classification on your notice will be used to determine property taxes to be levied in 1991. A County computer assisted appraisal --tem was used to calculate the 1990 .rket values. If your property value in- creased this year, you are not alone. Asses- sor Pulju has indicated that virtually every 1990 residential property value in the County has changed. The percentage of change will differ between properties, be- cause the County is no longer using an "across the board" increase as in past years. Property owners should thoroughly read their "Notification of Value." If you believe that your 1990 valuation is greater than the property would sell for, you are en- couraged to attend an "Open Book Meet- ing, which has been scheduled by the As- sessor. The meeting will be held on March 28th and 29th at the South St. Paul Municipal Building, 125 Third Avenue North, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 7:30 P.M. At the open book meeting, the County's appraisal staff will informally meet with taxpayers to answer questions on their property valuations. Appointments are not necessary. On Wednesday, May 2nd, at 7:30 P.M. the City Council will conduct the annual Board of Review. At the meeting, repre- sentatives of the Assessor's Office will review the City's valuations for 1990. They will then meet individually with residents who have questions or complaints over their property valuations. If you feel your valuation is too high but you are unable to attend the open book meeting or the Board of Review meeting, you should send a letter to the Board of Review, in care of the City Clerk, 1101 Victoria Curve. Your letter will then be- come a matter of public record and will be referred to the County Assessor for response. POLLING PLACES CHANGED New election precinct polling places have been designated for Precincts 2 and 6. Beginning with the Primary Election in September, residents of Precinct 2will vote at the City Fire Station which is located at 2121 Dodd Road. Residents in Precinct 6 will vote at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. Precinct 2 encompasses the area of the City located south of Highway 110 between Delaware Avenue and I -35E. Some of the residential developments within those boundaries are Friendly Hills, Delaware Crossing, Copperfield, Hampshire Es- tates, Roger's Lake Addition and Roger's Lakeside East. Precinct 6 is a small section of the City bounded by Highway 110 on the Tth and by I -35E on the east and Lexi - ,,con Avenue on the west. A few residen- ces along Wagon Wheel Trail, the Lexi- ngton Heights Apartments, and all of the Curley's Addition are located within this precinct. Individual notices of these polling place changes will be mailed to registered voters in both precincts prior to the September Primary Election. The Heights Highlites is a government newsletter distributed to residents to in- form them on events and activities that affect Mendota Heights. All articles, as well as layout and production are done by City staff members. If you know any residents who are not receiving the Heights Highlites but would like to, please invite them to con- tact City Hall at 452-1850. Be "In the Know" Want to know where to find out what's going on in your neighborhood? Then call Cityline, the free Twin Cities infor- mation network, avail- able 24 hours a day. All you need is a touch-tone phone. Cityline will provide you with the latest reports on a variety of subjects. The Community Bulletin Board is a fea- ture of Cityline that is available for com- munity and civic groups to publicize their events and activities. Contact Kevin Batchelder, Administrative Assistant at 452-1850 if your group would like their activities publicized. The Community Bulletin Board can in- form you of Council meetings, Planning Commission meetings, and their dates and times, as well as Mend -Eagan activities and voting information. To use Cityline, dial 645-6060. When Cityline answers, dial 1000 for the neigh- borhood information line. When this line answers, dial 55120 for Mendota Heights, then 3 for the neighborhood community bulletin board. Cityline also provides other information such as MTC bus schedules, news, weather, road conditions, sports, busi- ness/financial and enter- tainment. To listen to any of these categories, call Cityline at 654-6060. When Cityline answers press 9999 for a directory of information available. Kittenball League The City has received a number of calls expressing interest in having a Co -Ed Kit- tenball League started in Mendota Heights. If you can get a team together and wish to participate, contact Diane at 452- 1850 prior to April 1st. This league would be recreational and non -sanctioned. The entry fee will depend on the number of teams participating. If there is enough interest, games would played every other Sunday starting May 6th and ending some time in August. Teams will be accepted on a first-come, first- served basis. PAGE 6 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES MARCH 1990 PAGE 5 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES MARCH, 1990 M a M U a . 't L) m ly / -r,-- e (D" R I M E Pft OR EVE L N T 100' NN FA I H The Mendota Heights Police Department with the assistance of community volunteers, will be staging a "Community Crime Prevention Fair" from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Thursday, April 5th. The event will be conducted at the Mendota Elementary School, 1979 Summit Lane. Among the informative displays and demonstrations will be: ALARMS FROM A -Z Representatives from the Minnesota Burglar and Fire Alarm Association will be present to demonstrate the latest in alarm systems designed to protect your family and your property. HARDWARE SOLUTIONS A member of the Minnesota Locksmiths Guild will show us how to make our homes less attractive to burglars. OUTSIDE SOLUTIONS Different types of vehicle alarms and security lighting will be displayed. ')PERATION ID & NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH WARNING OPERATION I.D. All items of value on these premises have been marked for ready identification by Law Enforcement Agencies MENDOTA HEIGHTS POLICE Our Officers will be on hand to ex- plain the many programs available to you in the com- munity. Informa- tion on Operation ID, Crime Watch, premise surveys and other options will be available. You will be able to join Operation ID and take an engraver home with you. D.A.R.E. Our Drug Abuse Resistance Education Officer will be present to show you what we are doing in the schools to attack the insidious problem of drug abuse. FIRE PREVENTION Members of the Mendota Heights Fire Department will answer your questions about fire safety in the home. COMMUNITY INFORMATION Kevin Batchelder, the City's Administrative Assistant, will be at the school to answer your questions about our very successful recycling program and any other city projects that you are interested in. Members of the City Council have been invited to attend as well as other city staff members. *A*k�AAA* The Star of the Show rllo�FRIR7 Mendota Heights Police Officers and volunteers will be presenting "Operation KidPrint." This very successful program was last done in 1984. It provides a permanent identification record for your children. As terrible as it is to think of, children do get lost or mysteriously disappear. In cases of this nature, a positive method of identification can be crucial in locating or returning the child. With "Operation KidPrint" the parent fills out a fingerprint card for each child. An Officer puts the child's fingerprints on that card along with the information and the card is returned to the parent for safekeeping. The result is a positive and per- manent method of identification that never changes. You may call it insurance, good planning, or just common sense. In any case, it remains an effective tool for families and law enforce- ment as well. A "MULTI -MEDIA" EVENT Video tapes, brochures and handouts will be available to inform and enlighten those in attendance. The "Fair" is designed to give you the tools you need to prevent crime in your home, your neighborhood and your community. It will also give you an opportunity to meet and get to know many of the people who patrol your streets and answer your calls for aid and assistance. We are very much looking forward to seeing you on April 5th! PAGE 4 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES MARCH 1990 RECYCLING UPDATE Being fart of the Solution Congratulations Mendota Heights! Our voluntary recycling program exceeded more than double the goals set for us by the State of Minnesota and Dakota County. Mendota Heights had target goals for waste abatement of nine percent of our projected solid waste stream. In other words, through recycling Mendota Heights was to remove 394 tons from the volume of solid waste to be landfilled. In 1989 Mendota Heights residents recycled approximately 790 tons! This amounted to eighteen percent of all the garbage produced residentially in the city. Composition of the 790 tons was as follows: • 64 tons of glass containers, aluminum beverage cans, newspapers, household items and plastic bottles were dropped off at the Goodwill Attended Donation Center; • 370 tons of glass containers, aluminum beverage cans and newspapers were col- lected in the Curbside Recycling program; • 285 tons of yard waste collected by haulers was taken to the Dakota County Com- post Facility, along with 50 tons of yard waste collected during the temporary fall leaf collection; • 22 tons of household hazardous waste, batteries, oil and appliances were collected at various sources. Congratulations to participating recyclers! You are making a difference and helping your communitybe part of the solution to our solid waste problem. In 1990 the goal for Mendota Heights increases to 12%. Only a portion of our yard waste can be counted within that goal, so we will need to sustain and increase our efforts. If you are not currently recycling, you may begin participating by contacting City Hall for a free recycling bin. If you are participating, thank you. Please keep up the good work. Yard Waste and Composting As of August 1, 1989, yardwaste has been banned from landfills. Residents must now bag leaves, grass clippings and small prunings separately from their normal gar- bage. Yard waste is now taken to the Dakota County Compost Site in Lakeville as part of the County's overall plan to reduce the amount of material being landfilled. Most garbage haulers pick up yard waste on the same day as garbage, but with a different truck. Please call your hauler to find out about rates and schedules for yard waste pickup. Mendota Heights residents have other options for yard waste disposal. Backyard composting and mulching have become at- tractive alternatives for managing yard waste and recycling natural materials. Many homeowners are finding it more con- venient and economical to compost grass clippings and leaves in their own back- yards. The finished compost can be used as a mulch or as a soil amendment to improve most garden soils. Finished compost returns nitrogen (great plant food!) to the earth and improves soil structure such as infiltration, drainage and water holding capacity. Brochures explaining backyard compost- ing are available at City Hall. In conjunc- tion with Earth Week, which begins on April 22nd, the City will be conducting seminars on backyard composting. The date for the seminar is April 25th at City Hall at 5:00 P.M. and at the West St. Paul City Hall at 7:00 P.M. The City is also working jointly with Dakota County to provide a more con- venient drop off site for yard waste in northern Dakota County. This site is ex- pected to be open in early April. Please watch your local papers for additional details on the composting seminar and yard waste drop off site. Tin Cans - Recycling's Newest Material Beginning on February 1st, the city's Curbside Recycling program began col- lecting steel cans, also known as "tin cans," commonly used containers for such items as soup, tuna and coffee. This latest recy- cling material is in addition to the aluminum and bi-metal beverage cans that have been collected at the curbside since the start of the recycling program. "Tin cans" are actually 99% steel and only 1% tin. The steel strengthens the can and the tin coats the inside and outside to prevent corrosion. Every year Americans throw out enough steel to reconstruct Manhattan. The iron ore and tin in the cans are valuable minerals and are non-renew- able resources. As such, they are to( (- able to be taking up space in landfills. "Tin cans" should be rinsed out just like the aluminum beverage cans. The labels and the lids should be removed. Flattening the cans after rinsing is especially helpful to your hauler. "Tin cans" may be placed in the same bag as the aluminum cans when they are placed in your recycling bin. CITY DIRECTORY Council Members: Charles Mertensotto, Mayor 454-3394 Janet Blesener 454-1811 Carl Cummins, III 454-6262 John Hartmann 688-7462 Burt Anderson 854-6376 Staff Members Tom Lawell, Administrator 452-1850 Kathleen Swanson, City Clerk 452-1850 James Danielson, 452-1086 Public Works Director Dennis Delmont, Police Chief 452-1366 John Maczko, Fire Chief 454-. Code Enforcement Officers: Paul Berg & Dick Gill 452-1850