2021-01-27 Special Council Meeting agenda packetCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA
January 27, 2021
Immediately following the 5pm Work Session
Mendota Heights City Hall
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pandemic or declared emergency.
At its meeting on March 17, 2020, the Mendota Heights City Council declared a local emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of
this action, until further notice all City Council and committee meetings will be held by telephone or through other electronic means, with
social distancing measures in place. All public meetings will continue to follow the requirements of the Minnesota Open Meeting Law.
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1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approve Resolution 2021-12 Endorsing Liz Petschel for Appointment to Serve on
the Metropolitan Airports Board of Commissioners
4. Adjourn
DATE: January 27, 2021
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Mark McNeill, City Administrator
SUBJECT: Resolution of Endorsement—MAC Board District G
Comment:
Introduction:
The City Council is asked to approve a resolution asking Governor Tim Walz to appoint Elizabeth Petschel
to a seat on the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
Background:
The Board of Commissioners is the governing body of the Metropolitan Airports Commission. It is
comprised of 14 seats, plus a Chair. Twelve of the 14 Commission seats, plus the Chair, are appointed by
the Governor on a rotating basis. (The other two seat are appointed by the mayors of Minneapolis and St.
Paul.)
District G, which covers Mendota Heights, Mendota, Lilydale, West St. Paul, Sunfish Lake, and a portion
of St. Paul, is currently represented by Richard Ginsberg of St. Paul. The seat is up for appointment, and
has been since November.
Former City Councilor Liz Petschel is interested in appointment to the District G seat, and submitted an
application for consideration by the Governor on January 12th. While her application has been accepted for
consideration, it is unknown as to how much time remains in the consideration process; it will be a
competitive process. For this reason, if the City Council wishes to endorse Ms. Petschel for consideration,
action should be taken as soon as possible. Mayor Levine has agreed to call for a special meeting of the
Council to be held on January 27th, in conjunction with the city’s commissioner interviews, to consider the
adoption of a resolution of endorsement for the MAC seat.
It should be noted that Mayor Levine submitted a separate letter of support to the Governor on January 21st.
Recommendation:
In recognition of her extensive knowledge of the airport and its impact on Mendota heights and the region,
I recommend that a resolution of endorsement be approved. A copy of the proposed resolution of
endorsement is attached.
Action Required:
If the Council concurs, it should adopt the following resolution:
A RESOLUTION ENDORSING ELIZABETH PETSCHEL
FOR APPOINTMENT TO SERVE AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT “G” OF
THE METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Mark McNeill
City Administrator
CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2021 - 12
A RESOLUTION ENDORSING ELIZABETH PETSCHEL
FOR APPOINTMENT TO SERVE AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT “G” OF
THE METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
WHEREAS, Elizabeth Petschel served on the Mendota Heights Airport Relations Committee from 1990
until 2010, during which time she researched and became knowledgeable about the topic of airport noise;
and
WHEREAS, in 2004 she was appointed by the City of Mendota Heights to serve as its representative to
the MAC Noise Oversight Committee (NOC), wherein she remained until 2017;
WHEREAS, during her time on the NOC, she served for many years as its Chair, and worked to change
the culture of the NOC from that of a number of airport-adjacent cities which competed against each
other, to one of being a single cohesive body which worked to solve regional airport noise problems
together; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure as NOC Chair, among other things the Committee was able to implement
the River Departure Procedure for Runway 17/35; the Nighttime Crossing in the Corridor Procedure over
the Cities of Eagan and Mendota Heights; and deterred the FAA from enacting precision departure
operations which would have been detrimental to the cities which are located at the ends of the MSP
runways; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of her leadership, in 2016 the NOC adopted a resolution which read in part,
“Liz Petschel has served the people of her city and the MSP airport noise community with fairness,
compassion, dedication, and a willingness to help; she has earned the respect and admiration of fellow
NOC and the Metropolitan Airports Commission for her knowledge, experience, and leadership”; and
WHEREAS, while Elizabeth Petschel has recently retired from one aspect of public service when she
stepped down after serving nearly ten years as a member of the Mendota Heights City Council, she has a
strong desire to continue to serve the airport community by her desire to be appointed to be District “G”
representative of the Metropolitan Airports Board of Commissioners.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights that it
hereby enthusiastically endorses Elizabeth Petschel for appointment by Governor Timothy Walz to the
seat serving District G of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights this 27th day of January, 2021.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL
__________________________________
Stephanie Levine, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________
Lorri Smith, City Clerk
January 21, 2021
The Hon.Timothy Walz
Governor’s Office
State Capitol Building
75 Rev. Martin Luther King Drive, Suite 130
St. Paul, MN 55155
Re: Metropolitan Airports Board Appointment—District G Elizabeth Petschel
Dear Governor Walz:
On behalf of the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights, I am asking you to favorably
consider the application of Elizabeth Petschel of Mendota Heights for appointment to the vacant
District G seat on the Board of Commissioners to the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
Ms. Petschel has more than three decades of experience dealing with the MSP Airport, primarily
in the area of airport noise. She began serving on the Mendota Heights Airports Relations
Commission in 1990, and served there until she was first elected to the Mendota Heights City
Council in 2010. In 2004 she was appointed by the City Council to be the Mendota Heights
representative on the MAC Noise Oversight Committee, where she served until 2017.
She served as its Chair for many of the years that she was on the NOC. During her tenure as
Chair, she was instrumental in transforming that Committee from a culture of numerous
competing cities, to that of an advisory group which was cohesive, respectful, and well run.
During her involvement with the NOC, many significant accomplishments were implemented,
including:
• River Departure Procedure for Runway 17/35;
• Nighttime Crossing in the Corridor Procedure over Eagan and Mendota Heights;
• Determent of FAA Precision Navigation Procedures which would have negatively
impacted cities at the ends of the runways, the template for which has been used as a
model nationally.
Liz Petschel has been lauded as a regional expert on airport noise, and is well respected in the
airport noise community, by her fellow NOC representatives, and by the Metropolitan Airports
Commission staff for her fairness, dedication, knowledge, and willingness to help.
In addition to her knowledge of airport noise, her 10 years of experience as an elected member of
the City Council has made her knowledgeable about many of the important areas of city
government which are integral parts to airport operations as well. Those areas include Public
Safety (Police and Fire), Human Resources, Finance, Economic Development, Public Works,
and even retail operations.
In short, Elizabeth Petschel would be an excellent appointment to the MAC Board of
Commissioners. A resolution of support from the entire City Council for her appointment is to
be considered at a special City Council meeting to be held January 27th.
I ask your favorable consideration of her qualifications, and her appointment to the District G
seat on the MAC Board of Commissioners.
Thank you.
____________________________
Stephanie Levine, Mayor
City of Mendota Heights
cc: Senator Matt Klein
Rep. Ruth Richardson
Rep. Rick Hansen