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Issue 29 - Heights Highlights Fall 1993ill I// o I n& M&4,W� U I IT T 0' I o& A a mr� PAGE 1 October, 1993 ISSUE 29 "CHANGE YOUR CLOCK, CHANGE YOUR BATTERY Each year, thousands of people needlessly die or are injured in home fires. Tragically, many of them would be alive or unharmed today had their homes been equipped with working smoke detectors. A working smoke detector cuts the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly half by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape. The problem is that although 82 percent of American homes have smoke detectors, nearly one-third of those detectors do not work because of worn or missing batteries. To reduce and prevent fire tragedies, the Mendota Heights Fire Department has joined forces with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Energizer batteries for a compelling and effective national home fire safety campaign called "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery." Our message is simple and potentially lifesaving: change the batteries in your smoke detector when you change your clock back from daylight -savings time. /Z7- _ _ To help you remember this, at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, the emergency warning sirens will be activated and members of the Mendota Heights Fire Department will be driving fire vehicles throughyour neighborhood with their sirens on. As they sound the alarm on smoke detector neglect, 11 will be among thousands of fire departments nationwide participating in this national fire _—cty campaign. When you hear the sirens, check and change the batteries in your smoke detectors and take a few other fire prevention measures. Check your smoke detector itself by pushing the test button, plan "two ways out" and practice these escape routes with your family. Remember, "Change your Clock, Change Your Battery." It could save your life or the life of someone you love. Air Noise A Problem? When air noise becomes a problem and disrupts your family's lifestyle, the IGletro- politan Airports Commission (MAC) wants to hear from you. The MAC Air Noise Com - r' -;-t Line can be reached at 726-9411. possible, when you call, please be pre- pared to provide information on time, loca- tion, direction and aircraft type. This will help pinpoint the source of your concern. TAX HEARING SET The City Council has scheduled the annual Truth in Taxation hearing for 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7 at City Hall. At the.hearing, the Council will consider increasing the dollar amount of the city's tax levy by fiyd;and one-half percent. Thanks to substantial new construction in 1992, however, the city share of'yourproperty tax will actually remain the same if the proposed levy is adopted. Your city tax will only increase if your property valuation has increased. The local levy is just 18% of your total tax bill. The remaining 72% of your property tax goes to the county, the school district and metropolitan agencies. In November, you will receive a parcel specific tax statement showing the amount of tax proposed to be levied against your property in 1994 by all taxing agencies. It will also show the amounts levied by each agency in 1993 and will specify the dates on which each of these governmental units will conduct levy hearings. The proposed city budget for next year is virtually status quo. No new personnel or programs have been added. It has been the consistent aim of the city to maintain a high level of service at a modest rate. The levy proposed for next year should again accomplish this goal and keep our community ranked as one of the lowest taxed cities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. All residents are invited to attend the December 7 hearing. Your comments and suggestions will be appreciated. A copy of the budget proposed for 1994 is available for review at City Hall. PAGE 2 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES October. 1993 D.A.R.E. TO BE FREE This January, School District 197, along with the Mendota Heights Police Depart- ment, will begin their fifth year of teaching the D.A.R.E. Program. D.A.R.E., which is the acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, helps students develop self-es- teem, self-confidence and decision making skills. The program also teaches ways to deal with peer pressure and ways to say "No" to drugs and alcohol. Although this is only the fifth year D.A.R.E. is being taught in Mendota Heights, it has been in existence for ten years. In 1983, Los Angeles Police Chief Darrell Gates called upon the Los Angeles Unified School District's assistance in es- tablishing an anti-drug education program at the elementary level. Chief Gates wanted to target fifth and sixth graders because of the statistics on first time use by young people. He found that there was a large percentage of first time drug use between the seventh and eighth grade, with another noticeable increase occurring at the ninth grade level. A program aimed at preventing drug use at the junior high level would be too late to be effective, and ideas and attitudes about drug abuse would be hard to change. Believing it was important to educate children before destructive attitudes and ideas about drugs and alcohol were formed it was decided that the fifth and sixth grade level was where D.A.R.E. would be the most effective. In September of 1983, in a joint effort between the Los Angeles Police Department and Uni- fied School District, the D.A.R.E. pilot pro- gram was introduced in selected Los Ange- les city schools by ten Los Angeles police officers. In Minnesota, before entering the class- room, each D.A.R.E. officer participates in 80 hours of schooling, including training on teaching technique, elementary school op- eration, preparation of visual aids, offr- cer/school relations and communication skills. The program curriculum consists of each school being visited once a week for seventeen weeks by the officer. The D.A.R.E. officer teaches a prepared lesson plan each week to the class. Not only does the officer teach the as- signed lesson, he also spends most of the day at the school. This gives him an opportunity to interact with other grade levels and offers a chance for all of the students of the school to meet the officer on a one to one basis. For most students, this is their first encounter with a police officer. The students have an opportunity to meet the officer in a non- threatening situation, which makes it a posi- tive experience. The officer also interacts withthe students at lunch and recess, remov- ing him from his environment and placing him in the students' environment. Most of- ficers are not armed while in school and teaching but are still in uniform, which adds credibility. Uniformed officers are used be- cause of their knowledge of laws and of drug use and its impact on society. By the end of the 1994 school year, over 600 students will have graduated from the D.A.R.E. Program in the City of Mendota Heights. Most of the students have enjoyed the program and felt that the knowledge they obtained will help them lead a drug free life. Parents of the D.A.R.E. graduates also speak positively of the program's influence on their children. The students leave the D.A.R.E. Program knowing the D.A.R.E. officer is more than their teacher but is also someone who cares for them. If you have any questions about the D.A.R.E. Program, feel free to contact Chief Dennis Delmont or Officer Mario Reyes. ADOPT ME? Do you have a need for a little extra exer- cise and a desire to serve your community? Do we have a solution for you! The fire department is looking for individuals to "adopt" fire hydrants for the winter. To qualify for adoption, all you need do is promise to keep the area around a hydrant free of snow and ice and accessible in time of need. Your investment of time and energy will earn the dividend of gratitude from the firefighters and from those whose lives and property you will be helping to protect. If you're interested, call Diane at 452-1850 for further information. Tree Alert The city's tree population is an important asset to the community, however their exist- ence is increasingly threatened by disease and construction damage. Over the past sev- eral months, a number of residents have con- tacted the city with questions about tree dis- eases and concerns over the health of their trees. The concern over potential tree loss may be reduced if early precautions are taken. All property owners are requested to inspect th trees for signs of stress and disease. If y,,_ suspect that a tree on your property may need attention, you are encouraged to contact a reputable tree service to address the concern Early action may save the tree and may re- duce the potential for spread of the discasc . You are invited to call City Hall, at 452- 1850, for additional information on this sub- ject. Heights Highlites is a government newsletter distributed to Mendota Heights residents to inform them on events and activities that affect their community. All articles, as well as lay- out 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 contact City Hall, 452-1850, so that their names can be placed on the news- letter mailing list. ��a Printed on recycled paper PAGE 3 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES October, 1993 REDUCING WASTE AND REUSING ITEMS Waste reduction is an important waste management practice, as important as good recycling practices. Waste reduction is reducing the amount of trash, or waste, that you produce. It is PREVENTING waste from occurring, even BEFORE you recycle. Waste reduction is the simplest way to use fewer resources to manage our waste, and it may save you money as well. Some simple tips to help you reduce waste are: GARBAGE SERVICE The City of Mendota Heights requires all households to have garbage and Red= Z recycling service. Most waste haulers offer garbage rates based on weight or volume, e.g. a 30, 60 or 90 gallon level of service. If you reduce your waste and recycle, you may only need the least expensive service! PLASTIC BAGS nn,�,,,��,,'' Reuse plastic bags for other uses. RECYCLE - Grocery store plastic bags, i,Ct Ce Z fruit and vegetable clear plastic bags, along with newspaper plastic bags can be dropped off in a container at the front of many grocery stores. JUNK MAIL/RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS PAPER Write to the following address and request that they not sell or provide .L-.ACe :2 your name to another organization: Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service P.O. Box 9008 Farmingdale, NY 11735 PAPER TOWELS Reduce Z Use a cloth towel or rag that may be washed and reused. TOXICS Read labels and look for non-toxic products and reduce the use of toxic products. PUMP SPRAY BOTTLES Reduce waste by using pump spray bottles instead of aerosols. Plastic pump spray bottles may be recycled, aerosols must be thrown out. HANGARS AND SAFETY PINS Most dry cleaners will accept hangars and safety pins back for reuse. � then recoee What's That Smell? From time to time the city receives ques- tions and complaints regarding the use of in-home incinerators. Marry older homes in our area are equipped with such units, and in an effort to reduce the amount of garbage set out on collection day, many homeowners are tempted to get rid of certain items by burning them in the incinerator. Be aware that the burning of garbage in home incinerators and/or fireplaces is not permitted within the city, unless the incinera- tor is equipped with an auxiliary burning device capable of generating temperatures of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Without such a device, burning will cause foul odors and noxious fumes which then permeate the neighborhoods. Remember, only wood and paper may be burned in fireplaces and incin- erators. Survey Results In You may recently have been one of 400 randomly selected residents who participated in a city -sponsored telephone survey. One purpose of the survey was to determine sat- isfaction with vehicular and pedestrian circu- lation at the intersection of T.H. 110 and Dodd Road. A second purpose was to survey respondents on needs and desires for future roadway improvements in the area. The City Council received the statistical results of the survey on October 19. They will review the information over the next several weeks to determine whether a highway ease- ment in the vicinity of the intersection should be held for future roadway improvements or released for private development. PAGE 6 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES October. 1993 TEACH THEM TO BE SAFF Halloween isn't quite complete for most children unless trick -or -treating is included in the E "da 's events. While it's Q Y great fun to a child, this activity should be a source of concern for a parent. The following tips are offered to help make Halloween safer for your youngsters. X Accompany your children, or make sure they walk in pairs or a group. Make sure r they have a pre -determined location and time to meet you or their group if they become separated. X Be sure they carry identification which includes name, address and phone number. Join the Crowd x Tell your children to trick -or -treat only in their own neighborhood or in neighbor- hoods they are familiar with. With Halloween peeking around the cor- ner, preparations for the annual Halloween bonfire are underway. As in past years, the bonfire will be located in an undeveloped portion of the Mendota Plaza property, be- hind the shopping center building, just east of Dodd Road on South Plaza Drive. This annual city event is conducted to pro- vide a safe and enjoyable family alternative to trick -or -treating. It is also a pleasant way to warm those little bones (and moms and dads) grown cold and weary from scaring away the early evening. Why not bundle up the family and share some fun with your friends and neighbors. Hot dogs, soda and assorted goodies are free for all between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Everyone is guaranteed to have a goblin good time. CITY DIRECTORY Council Members: Charles Mertensotto, Mayor 454-3394 John Huber 450-0729 Christine Koch 451-9508 Sandra Krebsbach 454-5696 Jill Smith 688-7444 Staff Members: Tom Lawell, Administrator 452-1850 Kathleen Swanson, City Clerk 452-1850 James Danielson, 452-1850 Public Works Director Dennis Delmont, Police Chief 452-1366 John Maczko, Fire Chief 454-3266 Code Enforcement Officers: Paul Berg & Dick Gill 452-1850 X Tell them to trick -or -treat only at homes that are lit up and to stay on the front steps or porch X Instruct your children that they should never enter a stranger's home. X Consider make-up as a safe alternative to a mask. X If you consent to a mask, be sure it allows your child to see clearly and breathe easily. X To avoid the potential for tripping, be sure costumes are not too long or loose. X Be sure your child's costume is fireproof. X Bright, reflective clothing should be worn along with a costume. Children should carry flashlights so that drivers can see them when it gets dark. X Remind children that if they must cross a street, they should only cross at an intersection, making sure to watch for traffic before crossing. X Before your children eat any of their treats, check their candy for tampering. Make sure that all candy is in its original wrapping. From: City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, Mn. 55118 POSTAL PATRON MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN 55118 AND 55120 Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 6166 St. Paul, Mn. 55118 CARRIER ROUTE PRESORT PAGE 5 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES October, 1993 &CC&CATI CAP CGUIC& Warming House Schedule Weather permitting, the city's ice rinks and warming houses will open on Decem- ber 20. There are warming houses with both hockey and pleasure rinks at Wentworth Park, Marie Park and Friendly Hills Park. There is a warming house with pleasure skating only at Ivy Hills Park. Warming House and Rink Locations: • Wentworth: between Dodd and Wachtler • Marie: west of Victoria • Ivy Hills: off Butler and ivy Hill Drive • Friendly Hills: south of Decorah on Pueblo Warming House Hours: Iyy Hills Park Saturday, Sunday and school vacation, ion to 6:00 p.m. Closed on New Year's Eve and Day, Christmas Eve and Day and weekdays except during school vacation. Marie/Friendly Hills/Wentworth Weekdays, 4:00 - 9:00 p.m., Saturday and school vacation Noon to 9:00 p.m., Sunday, Noon to 8:00 p.m., Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and Day, Noon to 6:00 p.m. Closed Christmas Day. Rules will be posted at the rinks and an attendant will be on duty at each of the rinks during warming house hours. The rinks will be closed when the tem- perature reaches 10 degrees below zero or when they have not been plowed. Snow is cleared from the rinks after all city streets have been plowed and sanded. For more information concerning ice rinks, call the city offices at 452-1850. Ice Skating Lessons Outdoor ice skating lessons will be available again this winter at Friendly Hills Park. Classes which will be sched- uled will include Adult Beginner, Tiny Tot (with parent), Beginner, Advanced Beginner and Intermediate. Classes will most likely be scheduled on Saturday morning. For registration details and additional information concerning cost and times, please call the city offices at 452-1850 after November 15, 1993. Attendants Needed Attendants will soon be needed for the city's hockey rinks. If you are interested in applying for one of these part-time positions, you are invited to stop by City Hall between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for an application. Don't de- lay, as applications will only be accepted through November 13th. The salary for the rink attendant posi- tions will depend on experience. If you have any questions, please call Shelli at 452-1850. WINTER PARKING "- lur Public Works Department is committed to keeping city streets in safe winter driving ition. If they are to accomplish this goal, they must have your cooperation. Cars may not be parked on -street for more than 30 minutes between the time that two inches of snow has fallen and the snow has been removed.Please be considerate and abide by the parking rules. Time spent tagging or plowing around illegally parked vehicles can be better spent on plowing other city streets. PLOWING POLICY CONTINUED Winter will soon arrive, depositing snow and ice on city streets. When the inevitable occurs, the Public Works Department will clear city streets in accordance with a snow plowing policy adopted in 1991. The primary goal of the policy is to restore mobility to the city as quickly as possible under all snowfall events. The Public Works Superintendent will determine when to begin snow or ice control operations based on spe- cific criteria, including the depth of the snowfall, the existence of icy conditions or drifting which affect travel, and the time of the snowfall in relationship to heavy use of streets. Snow removal of two inches or more will begin as soon as possible after the snow- fall. Property owners also have snow removal responsibilities. You must clear your own driveways, and areas around newspaper tubes and trash cans. It is also the responsi- bility of homeowners to clear the snow from around your mailboxes so that mail can be delivered. The city cannot accommodate re- quests for city crews to remove snow which has been plowed around mailboxes. The city will repair or replace any mailboxes that are hit by city plows. If your mailbox is dam- aged, call City Hall and leave your name, phone number and address. Repairs will be done as quickly as possible. If the post has been broken and the ground is frozen, city crews will do a temporary repair in the win- ter. They will return in the spring, when the ground is thawed, to install a new post. Many homeowners hire snow plowing services. If you use a service, be sure to remind the operators that they must pile your snow on your own property. Many times in the past, services have pushed the snow across the street to another person's property and leave a windrow to freeze in the street. This not only creates neighborhood friction and driving difficulty, it is also a violation of city ordinances and could result in the isu- ance of a ticket. If we could be granted a wish for the com- ing season, it would be for all of us to be kept as safe as possible from the hazards of winter driving. Your public works crew will do their best, but this wish can only come true in Mendota Heights if you do your part as well. PAGE 4 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES October, 1993 Reducing Yard Waste Disposal of tree waste and yard waste in a landfill is illegal. Yard waste includes weeds, leaves, green garden waste, sod strippings and prunings, The city and Dakota County encourage you to use the following practices to reduce yard waste: Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings return nutrients to the soil and shade the soil surface, which reduces moisture loss. Mow only about 1" off your lawn to help clippings decompose. ♦ Start a backyard composting pile. Con- tact the City Recycling coordinator or Dakota County Extension Service at 463-3302 for composting guidelines. Compost can be used for a soil amend- ment and as a 3" to 6" mulch applied at the base of a plant. -k Reduce the amount of fertilizer applications you put on your lawn. Rent a brush chipper for the neighborhood or have a tree company chip up your waste branches. Use wood chips as mulch around trees and shrubs for increased growth and resis- tance to disease. Keep grass clippings out of street gut- ters and storm drains to reduce the pol- lutants going into streams and wetlands. :11, NA l A new "compostable bag" is now available in 1' ' marry stores which will compost along with the VW yard waste it contains. This compostable bag is made from paper. Effective on January 1, 1994, Dakota County will restrict haulers from accept- _ a ing yard waste for curbside collection unless it is'7 in acompostable bag orreusable container. Resi- dents may only place yard waste out for collec- tion if it is in a compostable bag or reusable container. Residents may use plastic bags for hauling yard waste to a drop off site if the yard waste is debagged by the resident. Eagan:Empire/SMC Compost Service A public yard waste drop off site is located at Yankee Doodle Road at Elrene Road one half mile west of Highway 149 in Eagan. The Empire/SMC Compost Site accepts yard waste, whole tree and shrub waste, and stumps (maximum length for trees and stumps is 10 feet). Wood chips, wood mulch, and screened compost are available for sale. For hours of operation and fees call 683-9020. � 1 ' ...make k second nature! Fire Prevention This year's Fire Prevention Week was a huge success. The week's activities included programs at local schools and at the fire station. Firefighters visited with kindergarten and fourth grade students at Mendota, Somerset and Visitation Elementary Schools and ate lunch with all of the classes. Pluggie, a robot controlled fire hydrant, joined the firefight- ers, assisting them in their teaching of fire safety and prevention. The annual open house at the fire station was held on Saturday, October 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Well over 800 people vis- ited the station that day and were treated to free hot dogs, pop, popcorn and candy as well as many exhibits and demonstrations relating to fire safety and prevention. There were hands on fire extinguisher demonstrations, a smoke house, movies, the extinguishment of a fully involved car fire and many other ac- tivities targeted for children as well as adults. Safety Recognized At the October 19 City Council meeting, the Council recognized many businesses which consistently and conscientiously em- phasize the importance of fire safety in the workplace. Eight business were given awards for their timely response to the cor- rection of fire safety deficiencies and an atti- tude that conveys the importance of main- taining a fire safe atmosphere. Those businesses were American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, Center for Di- agnostic Imaging, Cherry-Richline, LCS Metal Stamping, Mendota Heights Cycling and Fitness, Minnesota Knitting Mills, Sny- der Drug and Tempco Manufacturing. Eleven businesses received their second certificate for continued dedication to safety. They areBeth Jacob Snyagogue, Circle Air Freight, Courtyard by Marriott, Ecolab, Cray Research, General Pump, Fotomark, Resur- rection Cemetery, Mendota Heights Ani - Hospital, St. Thomas Academy and Some._ . Country Club. Congratulations to these fine businesses.