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2013-03-08 Friday News March 8, 2013 Dates to Remember: March 12, 2013 Parks & Rec. Comm. 6:30 p.m. March 13, 2013 Airport Relations Comm. 7:00 p.m. March 18, 2013 Recreation Registration Begins March 19, 2013 City Council 7:00 p.m. March 21, 2013 Power and Possibilities of Aging, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Attachments: Pipeline, Just the Facts, Recreation Program Flyer, Powers and Possibilities of Aging Flyer Friday News Mendota Heights Weekly Report on City Activities Mendota Heights City Hall 1101 Victoria Curve www.mendota-heights.com (651) 452-1850 Welcome Sloan Sloan Wallgren started as our new full-time Rec- reation Program Coordinator on Monday. This position is split between Recreation and the Par 3 Clubhouse. Sloan managed a very tough com- mute to start the week, and has jumped right into the process. We are currently in the hiring process for tempo- rary/seasonal summer help and getting ready to accept registrations for summer golf, recreation and tennis programs. Registrations will open Monday, March 18, 2013—in person registration for Junior Golf League runs from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, all other registration opens up online at 7:30 p.m. Community Conversation on Aging The DCR Chamber of Commerce held their monthly Mendota Heights/West St Paul meeting at Neighbor’s Inc. offices this week. Neighbors is a local non-profit serving families in a variety of ways. March is MN Foodshare Month; local food- shelves are in dire need of food in advance of summer months when demand is high. Learn more at www.neighborsmn.org. VFW Fish Fry Tonight The South St. Paul VFW (Post 295) is a long -time supporter of our annual Safety Camp for youth. In return, we send volunteers to work one fish fry at the VFW. These Fish Fry events are a signifi- cant fundraising event for the VFW, allowing them to support programs like Safety Camp. Tonight is our evening to help out—volunteers from Police, Fire and Recreation will be helping out as serving staff from 5:00—8:00 p.m. Please consider joining us this evening, and sup- port a great community organization. The VFW is located at 111 South Concord Exchange, SSP. Public Works The skating rinks closed on Sunday, March 3rd. The Parks Crew closed the warming houses and started cleaning them out. They plowed the cul-de- sacs and parking lots on Tuesday. The plow lights were repaired on truck 503. They continue to clean up the shop. The Utilities Crew plowed the cul-de-sacs and lift stations on Tuesday. A new eye wash station was installed at public works. A sanitary sewer blockage was called in on Delaware Avenue. After checking the lines the blockage was in the resident’s line and the city’s line was okay. A traffic safety seminar was attended. The Streets Crew had an early start on Tuesday morning. They plowed all streets twice because of the nine inches of snow received. The front plow cutting edge was changed on truck 308, and the bridge decks on Mendota Heights Road, Wagon Wheel Trail, and Acacia Blvd were cleaned of snow. Engineering City Projects (construction year) Dodd Road/Highway 110 Intersection Pedestrian Improvements (2013) – The City’s consultant is getting ready to advertise the project for bid. We are anticipating a bid opening in early May, with a contract award by June 1st. Construction will begin shortly after contract award. Hunter Lane/Orchard Place Neighborhood Improvements (2013) – The mixed curb type (barrier and surmountable) as directed by Council is being proposed to be accomplished by Hunter Lane being reconstructed with barrier style curb and Orchard Place being reconstructed with surmountable curb. Approval of the final plans and authorization t o bid the project will be brought before Council at the March 19th meeting. Final plan completion is expected in March with bidding and contract award in April/May and construction starting in June. Crown Point & Overlook Neighborhood Rehabilitations (20 13) – Council approved the final plans and authorized advertisement for bid at their March 5th meeting. Bid opening is scheduled for 10:00am on April 3rd with The Pipeline N E W S L E T T E R Public Works Engineering Code Enforcement March 8, 2013 construction start anticipated in early summer. In addition to the street rehabilitation work, the project bid will include trail rehabilitation on Lexington Avenue (see the next project) and preventative maintenance (sealcoating) in the Evergreen Knoll, Hidden Creek Trail, and the Bachelor/Stanwich neighborhoods. Lexington Avenue Pedestrian Trail, Hwy 110 to Douglas Road (2013) – Staff is including plans for rehabilitation (new pavement) of this trail with the Crown Point & Overlook Neighborhood Rehabilitation project bid. Dakota County has included this in their Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and will assist with project construction cost. Project includes pavement replacement, minor realignment, and pedestrian ramp replacement and/or new installation. Highway 13 Trail Connection (2013) – Staff is planning construction of a trail connection along the south side of Highway 13 to connect the pedestrian trail from Riverside Lane to Lilydale Road. This will close one of the identified trail gaps in the City. The project may be delayed until 2014 if grant money can be obtained through MnDOT, DNR, or another source. If not funded through a grant in 2014, the City intends to construct the connection in 2013 with City funds. County Projects (construction year) North Urban Regional Trail (NURT) Realignment and Greenway Study (2014) Dakota County will be presenting NURT alignment alternatives to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their March 12th meeting. The realignment alternatives are between Warrior Drive and Mendota Road in Mendota Heights and Garlough Environmental Magnet School in West Saint Paul. One of the realignment alternatives being considered would route the NURT through School District 197 property at Henry Sibley High School, parallel to Warrior Drive from Mendota Road to the Delaware and Marie Avenue intersection. Other alternatives include utilizing the existing Delaware Avenue Trail and building a trail through the Dodge Nature Center’s property east of Delaware Avenue. The County will then make the same presentation to City Council at their March 19th meeting. Dakota County expects to select their alignment alternative in April. Lexington Avenue Crosswalk (2013) – Staff received confirmation from Dakota County that the construction of the center median and crosswalk on Lexington Avenue at Victoria will take place this summer. The County will provide the City prior notice as to a construction schedule, but it is anticipated to be installed in July. State Projects (construction year) Highway 13 Reconstruction: Mendota to I-35E (2015) – At this time, the MnDOT does not have funding allocated for this for the project, but MnDOT staff is working to get the project programmed for the 2015 construction year. The City of Lilydale had written a letter to MnDOT to formally ask for the project funding to be reinstated as soon as possible. Mendota Heights has also written MnDOT a letter supporting Lilydale’s efforts. Other Activities Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (LMRWMO) – Staff attended the monthly meeting of the LMRWMO Board on Thursday. An update on the Watershed Restoration And Protection (WRAP) study was given. The WRAP study is looking at area lakes and determining best management practices to resolve existing impairments and prevent future impairments to the water body. Rogers Lake and Lake Augusta are included in the WRAP study. Also discussed was the bacteriological impairment of Interstate Valley Creek and the next steps in addressing the impairment. Minnesota Public Works Association (MPWA) Conference Committee – Staff attended the final planning meeting for MPWA’s spring conference. The spring conference is focused on building leadership and teamwork within the Public Works profession. The Conference is scheduled for May 8-10. Maintenance of County Trails – Staff met with Dakota County maintenance staff on Friday to begin negotiating revisions to our existing maintenance agreement. Under the existing agreement, the City is responsibl e for maintaining the portion of the North Urban Regional Trail (NURT) within the City limits until the NURT corridor is complete and up to County standards. The same agreement exists with West Saint Paul. The renegotiated agreement may place the responsibility for maintenance of these trails with Dakota County. More to come….. 3/7/2013 The Mendota Heights Police Department Support Staff Kim Henning Susan Donovan Trista Miller Becky Pentel Police Officers Jerry Murphy Scott Patrick John Larrive Bobby Lambert Tanner Spicer Todd Rosse Chad Willson Jeff VonFeldt Steven Meyer Denise Urmann Michael Shepard Peyton Fleming School Resource Officer Jennifer Fordham Investigations Mario Reyes Chad Willson Sergeants Neil Garlock Brian Convery Eric Petersen Reserves Randy Pentel Jarrod Spicer Jim Knox Jeff Parker George Castillo Chaplains Frances Cuenca Joel Detlefsen Lynn Liberman Butch Millett Sue Plucker John Snider David Wick Chief Mike Aschenbrener Performance Management Center 2013 (click on title to see city stats) 2012 heralded some new goals for the City of Mendota Heights; one is to track events related to each department in the City. To keep everyone current on our PD’s success at achieving its goals, the first JTF each month will report on how we did the previous month and how we are doing year-to-date on goal measurement. Police Department Statistics 2011 2012 2013 2013 YTD Feb CAD calls for service 7618 8531 1238 564 Citations issued (DUI, domestic, etc.) 1818 1511 154 65 Warnings 996 1173 203 101 Police Reports 1030 1124 185 74 Arrests Response time average 5:55 5:18 4:54 4:49 For more information, explanations and comparison information please got to the MN BCA website: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/Pages/statistics-reports.aspx Welfare Check Friday 0134 hours Officer Steve Meyer was asked to check on a male passed out in the front seat of his car. The caller attempted to wake the man up before calling for assistance. Officer Meyer was successful in waking the man up and this time alcohol was not involved. The man was just too tired to drive all the way home. After a brief conversation with the officer he perked up enough to finish the trip home. Suspicious Activity Friday 1254 hours Officer Tanner Spicer received a message from the DCC to see the manager of a local business about suspicious activity occurring in their parking lot late at night. Officer Spicer, while working an earlier shift, gathered some very useful information that will likely lead to some future narcotics arrests. Medical Friday 1524 hours Spring is in the air. Officer Tanner Spicer responded to a local college on a reported allergic reaction. The student was stung by a bee! (I guess spring is in the air!) Shortly after Officer Spicer arrived on scene HealthEast Ambulance arrived. The young man was immediately transported to the hospital. “Just the Facts” The latest news from the Mendota Heights Police Department 3/7/2013 Medical Friday 1612 hours Officer Spicer, the State Patrol, Mendota Heights Fire along were all dispatched to assist a BLS ambulance who’s patient had a heart attack while enroute to the hospital. It was quickly learned the patient was DNR/DNI (do not resuscitate, do not intubate). Officer Spicer quickly cancelled off the other emergency responders en route to the ambulance. Alarm Friday 1904 hours The DCC received notification from an alarm company of an audible alarm at a residence. Officer Mike Shepard checked the home noting it was secure but it did have a broken window. The homeowner was advised and an hour later the homeowner’s mom called for an officer to do a walk-through. No problems found on walk through. Warrant Arrest Friday 2013 hours The Washington County Sheriff’s Office called seeking help in making a warrant arrest. The officers worked with WSPPD to verify the man was hiding at mom’s apartment in Mendota Heights. Officers Spicer and Shepard arrested the man on violation of his conditional release from custody. The man was transported to the Washington County Jail in Stillwater where he was turned over to a deputy. One Ticket’s Not Enough! Friday 2135 hours Eagan PD cited a young man at 2114 hours at the SA on Mendota Heights Road for driving with a suspended license. EPD had the young man park his car until a valid driver could come and pick him up. Officer Tanner Spicer was in the area and spoke with the Eagan officer who advised him of what had occurred. Officer Spicer headed to the SA, in a fully marked black and white squad, and spotted the car as a young man jumped in the driver’s seat. He pulled the squad across the street and waited a very short time. Unfortunately the young man couldn’t help himself and drove out of the parking, only to be stopped by Officer Spicer. This time the car was impounded and the man was dropped off at his intended destination. Overdose Friday 2141 hours Officer Shepard along with HealthEast Ambulance responded to a Lilydale business on a woman down. The caller, trained in first aid, reported the woman was unconscious and not looking well, but didn’t think alcohol was involved. It was learned the party was on a prescription medication. The woman did start vomiting and came around enough to refuse transportation to the hospital. Suspicious Activity Sunday 0040 hours A local business owner called to report he was watching a truck on a live video feed from his business security system. The truck was occupied, running and in an area that no one should be in. Officer Shepard arrived moments later and the truck was GOA. -2- 3/7/2013 Crash Sunday 0151 hours Caller reported they were awakened by the sound of a car crash on Delaware Avenue. Officers Meyer and Rosse responded to what turned out to be a single car crash south of Hwy 110. MHFD was needed to extricate the lone occupant from the vehicle. Assistance from local K-9 units confirmed that no occupants were thrown from the car. MHFD along with HealthEast medics worked hard to try and save the driver. Unfortunately the young man succumbed to his injuries on scene. The Medical Examiner took over while Officers worked to find and notify the family. Open Door Monday 0231 hours Officer Tanner Spicer found an open door on Henry Sibley High School. The door to the band room was propped open. Officer Spicer along with a K-9 from WSPPD searched the entire building; no crooks found. The keyholder was unable to respond. Officers secured the building after searching it and cleared. Obscene Texts Monday 2024 hours The DCC relayed a complaint about text messages to Officer Peyton Fleming. The caller requested Officer Fleming talk to them only by phone. In speaking with the complainant Officer Fleming learned the party had been receiving graphic, obscene text messages from a number out of the Washington DC area. A reverse check revealed the number to be blocked. The caller asked Officer Fleming not to make contact with the owner. Several options were provided, including working with the phone company to block the number. AOA – Public Works Tuesday 0750 hours Officer John Larrive responded to a request from public works to stand by while they plowed a cul-de-sac on the west side of town. One of the residents has multiple issues with all of his neighbors and/or anyone else who happens to come in contact with. The man did not come outside while the cul-de-sac was cleared of snow. Crisis Wednesday 1605 hours Group home called seeking assistance in calming down an out-of-control client. The man could be heard screaming in the background. Officer John Larrive arrived on scene, the man took his medications, all fine. Clear no further problems. Warning Wednesday 2044 hours While working traffic Officer Peyton Fleming clocked a speeder as he caught up with the car the in squad computer showed the registered owner to be revoked with two active arrest warrants. The driver was not happy with his brother, who was the actual violator. Officer Fleming compared the booking photo with the driver’s brother D/L photo and confirmed the story. The driver was warned for speeding and given some advice on how to straighten out the mess his brother created and sent on his way. Have a great weekend! Mike & Kim -3- Summer Playgrounds 2013 Join us at Mendakota Park (rainy-day back up at the MH Fire Hall) for a week of summer fun! Please bring: sunscreen, bug spray, water bottle, daily snack, hat, change of clothes and a towel each day. Camps run on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday each week. Morning Sessions: ages 4-7 years, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Fee: $39.00, Afternoon Sessions: ages 7-10 years, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Fee $59.00 Week One: Summer Fun and Sun, June 10: Get outdoors and explore the parks & trails. Kids will be introduced to GPS and a compass to find treasures, crafts, plant flowers and more. Week Two: Nature and Fishing, June 17: Time to get back to nature: learn about MN Fish & their habitat. The Department of Natural Resources MinnAqua program is utilized, plus there will be a fishing day at Rogers Lake. Week Three: Happy Trails and Tails, June 24: We’ll have camp songs, crafts, games, treasure and scavenger hunts. There will also be a K9 Dog Demo and a speaker on pet care and ani- mal safety. MHPD will meet with the kids on safety on our bikes/trails. Week Four: Pirate’s Bounty, July 8: Sail away with our crew and discover a bounty full of fun. Pirate games, crafts and a treasure hunt using a GPS, maps and a compass. Week Five: Water Works, July 15: This week is packed full of water: Bring your swimsuit each day. We will have buckets of water fun, crafts and games! Week Six: Playgrounds Funtastic Favorites, July 22: Our final week is filled with the most popular games and activities the summer, combined into one Funtastic week. We promise you more fun than a barrel of monkeys! City of Mendota Heights Summer Recreation Programs 2013 Summer Program Registration Opens March 18, 2013 Junior golf league registration will be held in person at City Hall from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. All summer recreation programs will open online at 7:30 p.m. for registration at www.mendota-heights.com. In-person registration opens Tuesday 9:00 a.m. at City Hall. Please check our website for complete program infor- mation or call City Hall at 651-452-1850. Sorry, registrations will no longer be accepted by mail. Grab a friend and join us on one or all of our fun youth trips. Trips depart & return from City Hall. Deadline to register is Tuesday prior to trip. All trip fees include chaperones, activity fee and bus (except WSP Pool day). Remember to bring money for concessions if you like. June 13: Minnesota Zoo, ages 6 and up. Fee: $29 Pickup/Return: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Come with us to the Zoo! Our trip will include a ride on the monorail for a bird’s eye view of the zoo. Next, we’ll explore the zoo on foot and catch a movie at the Imax Theater. Remember to bring a lunch and/or money for concessions. June 20: Minnesota Twins –vs– Chicago White Sox, ages 8 and up. Fee: $26, Pickup/Return: 9:45 a.m to 3:00 p.m. Spend the day at beautiful Target Field, cheering on the Twins as they play host to the White Sox. June 27: SkyZone Trampoline and a Movie, ages 8 and up. Fee: $24, Pickup/Return: 9:20 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Jump around at SkyZone, the world’s first three-dimensional trampoline play area. You can even play three-dimensional dodgeball or hand out in the foam pit. Participants must complete a liability waiver prior to the trip. After Skyzone, we’ll relax and catch a movie. July 11: Edina Waterpark, ages 7 and up. Fee: $18, Pickup/Return: 10:20 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Come spend the day experiencing the Twisting Body and Inner Tube Flume! Glide over the water on a high flying cable ride, plunge from a three meter diving board and explore the magical tree house. Bring a bag lunch, we’ll eat before entering the pool. Also remember swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, change of clothes and money for concessions if you like. July 18: Base Camp Experience, ages 6 and up. Fee: $25, Pickup/Return: 9:50 a.m to 3:15 p.m. A new field trip for us—we will spend five hours at the new base camp in Minneapolis, with a rock climbing wall, archery and team building games lead by base camp staff. Please complete waiver form when registering. Bring a bag lunch, and wear tennis shoes and long pants. July 25: Valleyfair, ages 10 & up. Fee: $32, Pickup/Return 9:05 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Join us for a day at the best amusement park around! Ride Powertower, Renegade, Steel Venom and Excalibur. Don't for- get a swimsuit/towel for the waterpark and money for lunch/snacks. August 1: West St. Paul Pool, ages 6 and up Fee: $8 ***No Bus*** Drop-off/Pickup: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Have your parents drop you off at the WSP pool at 92 West Orme for a day of fun and games, activities and prizes outside followed by picnic lunch. We will be in the pool from noon to 3:00 p.m. Remember your towel, change of clothes, and sun- screen. An afternoon snack will be provided. Thursday Youth Trips All Summer Long! Safety Camp August 6-8, 2013 This experience will last a lifetime. Camp leaders include volunteers from local police and fire departments. Safety Camp participants will learn about stranger safety, weather safety, drug awareness, animal safety, home safety, first-aid and much more. Families are encouraged to join us at the conclusion of camp on Thursday for a short program and treat. Time: Tuesday and Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ages: Youth entering 3rd and 4th grades in the fall of 2013 Fee: $30 Lunch and snacks provided Location: Kaposia Park, So. St. Paul. Sponsors: SSP VFW, MH, WSP and SSP Parks and Recreation. Par 3 Golf Leagues, Lessons, Camps Cliff Timm Memorial Fishing Derby Thursday, June 20, 2013 Bring your fishing pole and come on down to the Roger's Lake fishing pier to catch “the big one!” Prizes and goodie bags will be provided. Ages 14 & under: Parent/guardian must accompany participants Fee: $9 (non-refundable) Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in starts, 5:50 p.m. fishing begins, 7:00 p.m. awards and prizes. Must pre-register at City Hall or online (no registrations taken at the derby) Join your friends, have fun and stay fit! Our tennis programs are games based for a great experience learning and enjoying the game of tennis. Programs run from June 10 through July 25, 2013 at Visitation School Tennis Courts. Leagues and lessons meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Little Tennis meets on Thursdays. Little Tennis ages 4 to 7 years. An introduction to tennis using mini nets. Parent/chaperone must stay for ses- sion. Fee: $39 Sessions: I: 8:30 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. II: 9:15 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. III: 10:00 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. IV: 10:45 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Tennis Lessons for ages 7 and up: Fee: $79 Participants warm up together then break out with instructors for beginning, interme- diate and advanced play. Yes—you can drop all of your kids off at the same time. Sessions: I: 8:30 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. II: 9:30 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. III: 10:30 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. Beginner: Learn the basics of tennis, sportsmanship, general etiquette and develop strokes and service in a fun, supervised environment Intermediate: Players with some tennis experience will learn about game play, positioning and improving strokes along with sportsmanship, tennis etiquette, and how to apply strategies and tactics for game play Advanced: Players with previous tennis experience who have a mental and physical grasp of tennis fundamentals will focus on refining their game and preparing for competitive play in both singles and doubles competition. In House League Play for ages 10 and up. Fee: $89 Session: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Instructors will divide participants into singles or doubles play each day and will be on hand to keep the matches moving. I nstruc- tors will provide coaching on serving, strokes, footwork and scoring. Please note youth must attend try outs to be admitted to this program the first day. If they do not qualify the fee will be refunded or the participant moved to an earlier lesson. Recreational Traveling Team for ages 10 to 16 years old. Fee: $99 Session: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. This program is a perfect fit for players who are ready for more competition and may be considering trying out for jr. high a nd high school teams. Instructors will help develop them to the next level. Games and practices are held on Mondays and Wednesdays. The team will also practice on the first three Tuesdays of the program. Players will compete in three home matches and thre e matches in neighboring communities. Transportation to matches will not be provided. Please note youth must attend try -outs to be admitted to this program. Fun Day: Wednesday July 24, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we will wrap up the season for tennis lessons, in -house and travel- ling team with fun, games, a picnic lunch and prizes. Junior Golf League for ages 6-15 years: Fee: $99 The Mendota Heights Par 3 is a great place to grow your game; gather your friends and play in a league this summer. Monday mornings: June 10 - August 19 Tee times start at 8:26 a.m. Wednesday mornings: June 12 - August 21 Tee times start at 8:26 a.m. Friday mornings: June 14 - August 23 Tee times start at 8:26 a.m. Women’s Wednesday Evening League. Fee: $99. The Par three isn’t just for kids— tee times for our Women’s League start at 4:08 p.m. League play starts Wednesday June 5 and runs through August 21. Youth Golf Camps for ages 6-12 years Fee: $89 Our most popular program, youth golf camps run Monday through Thursday, and feature three hours of exercises and games to help improve golf skills, in a fun learning environment. Camps run every week starting June 10 and end the week of August 19. Morning camps run 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Afternoon camps run 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. After-School Golf Clubs: The Par 3 can accommodate your after-school golf club: contact the clubhouse manager for more ideas and information. Check out www.mendota-heights.com for more information on: Park Celebration on June 1, 2013, Per- formances in the Parks, the Puppet Wagon and more. City of Mendota Heights, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights MN 55118 (651)452-1850 Quick Start Youth Tennis