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Benchmarks: a review of recent City Council action 3 July 27, 2015 (Grant, McClung excused) • Approved planning case (PC) 15-014, a conditional use permit for Verizon Wire- less to install 12 wireless panel antennas and related equipment on the existing building located at 2 Pine Tree Drive. (3-0) • Approved a site use lease agreement with New Cingular Wireless, PCS LLC (a.k.a. AT&T) for the City water tower located at 1221 Cummings Park Drive. (3-0) • Adopted the 2015 second quarter finan- cials. (3-0) • Adopted the business subsidy criteria and City public financing guidelines. (3-0) • Adopted Grading and Report Card for public financing guidelines. (3-0) • Adopted resolution 2015-038 authoriz- ing the use of a new voting system. (3-0) • Approved PC15-012, a planned unit development (PUD) amendment agree- ment for Caribou Coffee to construct a drive-thru lane and pick-up window at 3673 Lexington Avenue North. (3-0) • Approved the City Administrator recruit- ment process. Patrick Klaers will be retiring on October 2, 2015. (3-0) August 10, 2015 • Approved County Road E/Pine Tree Drive improvements payment number 4. (5-0) • Approved Round Lake Area improve- ment payment number 9. (5-0) • Approved 2015 Pavement Management Program (PMP) payment number 3. (5-0) • Approved municipal consent for the County Road H/I-35W interchange. (5-0) August 31, 2015 • Approved PC15-002, a final plat for Arden Plaza to divide the property into three parcels. (5-0) • Approved PC5-017, a site plan review for Boston Scientific to relocate a day- care facility within its campus at 4100 Hamline Avenue North. (5-0) • Approved the Cooperative Agreement for the Highway 96/I-35W interchange outlining the City’s financial contribu- tion (estimated at $83,723) and long- term maintenance responsibilities. (5-0) • Approved the Farnsworth encroachment agreement allowing improvements to property while protecting City’s ability to operate and maintain existing sanitary sewer line. (5-0) • Approved a night work construction activity waiver for completion of the County Road E improvements. (5-0) • Approved PC15-016, a final PUD for Phase III of Arden Plaza to allow Tavern Grill to be built south of Walgreens. (5-0) • Approved new wording regarding the regulation of cellular antennas. (5-0) Floral Park has never looked better, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Arden Hills resident and volunteer Dr. Robert Mullin, Professor Emeritus (re- tired), Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. Through the City’s “Adopt-A-Garden” Program, Dr. Mullin has volunteered his time and expertise in an effort to reinvigorate three over- run flowerbeds in Floral Park. Beginning last fall, Dr. Mullin, along with members of the City’s Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee, surveyed the flowerbeds in Floral Park and began planning what could be done to improve the garden space. The group arrived at a plan that would not only preserve as many of the existing plantings as possible, but also enlarge the three flowerbeds to give a greater sense of enclosure to the entire pollinator-friendly garden. Most of the existing flowers were planted years ago by a local Eagle Scout as part of a service project and have been identi- fied as pollinator-friendly. “Pollinators are essential to the American agricultural community,” Dr. Mullin explained. “The honeybee population is collapsing in the United States. This is worrisome to farmers and growers everywhere. Doing anything to encourage the honeybee’s survival is a good thing.” Over the past spring and summer, Dr. Mullin has used his home and garden as a plant nursery, ordering seeds of 15 species of plants from a company specializing in native landscape materials. These were seeded directly into his garden and will be available to be transplanted into Floral Park late this fall or early next spring. Two forms of the Mexican Sunflower – a very large, orange-blossomed annual flower especially popular with butterflies and hummingbirds – were started on the sunny window ledges of Dr. Mullin’s liv- ing room. After completing extensive weeding in Floral Park, Dr. Mullin transplanted the Mexican Sunflower seedlings into the flowerbeds, along with additional flow- ers and plants donated from the gardens of several friends and neighbors in Arden Hills. The garden is now filled with pollinator-friendly varieties such as sedum, goldenrod, milkweed, partridge pea, purple coneflower, phlox, monarda, and many more beautiful blooms. Not only is the garden alive with color – it’s brimming with pollinator activity. Honeybees and other important pollinators such as monarch butterflies, yellow and black swallowtails, hummingbirds, and sphinx moths have been buzzing and flying about the garden all summer. “A mixture in plant population is needed to encourage variety in the pollinator population,” Dr. Mullin explained. “We’re making good progress here.” And if you think he’s done with Floral Park – guess again. Dr. Mullin estimates that he will have several hundred plants available for planting next spring. “I don’t want this to look like three flowerbeds,” Dr. Mul- lin said. “I want it to look like a garden. Floral Park should be fully expressive of its name.” To learn more about Arden Hills’ Adopt-a- Garden program or to volunteer, contact Sara Grant at 651-792-7845. Resident volunteer creates a pollinator garden in Floral Park by Tina Kulzer