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E The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents _ June 2001 Charlotte McNiesh- Former clerk-administrator played important role in community's growth er name may not be familiar The result was that for 25 years,whether Highway 96(which had formerly served to recent Arden Hills resi- as accountant or as clerk-administrator, Mounds View Township)consisted fents or those dating back only Charlotte McNiesh was Arden Hills for primarily of the council chamber.Office through the 1990s,but is significant to many people--residents,employees, additions were constructed later to house many others.Charlotte McNiesh was part committee chairs,councilmembers and support services for the police,public of the Arden Hills village staff for almost even mayors. Bob Woodburn,mayor works,parks and other village functions half of the life of Arden Hills as an from 1981 to 1988,rates her the best as well as those of accounting,zoning incorporated entity.She headed it as thing there could have been for Arden and council records.Charlotte remembers clerk-administrator from 1973 through Hills during his tenure as a that when the adjacent Arden Hills North 1986.(Arden Hills was first a village councilmember and then as mayor. Homes Association townhouse develop- before,along with all other former Unlike many other past employees and ment was built in 1976,it apparently Minnesota villages,it became a city in village/city officials,both he and she still disturbed a snake habitat,and the village 1973.)She first joined the village staff in reside in their longtime Arden Hills hall would be invaded from time to 1962 as a part-time accounting assistant homes,he on Ingerson Court and she on time by garter snakes! (The hall was to then clerk-administrator Lorraine Siems Court. demolished in Stromquist.Her time on the job 1998 when the increased significantly over the next 11 He remembers not For 25 years, Charlotte staff had been years as accounting needs grew in only that she was a McNiesh was Arden Hills moved to the volume and complexity beyond the time capable staff present temporary that a part-time treasurer could devote to administrator but for many people. city hall location them. also that there was in the Round Lake a lot of contact Business Center.) An able and versatile public servant with council When Lorraine resigned her position in members and other volunteer officials, Significant developments early 1973,Charlotte became her and she always had the answers they Among significant developments during successor,continuing as clerk-administra- needed to do their jobs. her tenure,Charlotte remembers that for and later managing a growing village when Control Data built and occupied hall staff until resigning in 1986. She Arden Hills'population was significantly what is now the Arden Technology served until the year-end appointment of smaller then than now,but the village hall Center at Lexington and County F, it her first successor,Patricia Morrison, functions included most of the present doubled the village's assessed property who stayed only a little over one year. In ones,plus a six-person police force and valuation! (The Center was recently April, 1988,Charlotte was called back to two justices of the peace to handle the purchased by.neighboring Guidant fill in on an acting basis until the July resulting court cases.The police function Corporation.) Councilmembers wanted appointment of Gary Berger.(The was subsequently contracted to the to attract corporate headquarters like equivalent position today is that held by county sheriff. those of Land O'Lakes,MSI,and our present city administrator,Joe Guidant to support our primarily single- Lynch.) Memories from a career of service family residential housing, and early on In 1962,the then village hall on continued on page 2 f A Golden Celebration-Arden Hills' 50th anniversary Stop by for cake at Tony Schmidt Park at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, following the park grand opening ceremony. �. '%•tt`T