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Received <br /> MAR 10 2008 <br /> Council Members, City of Arden Hills <br /> Several of us from Arden Manor had an occasion to meet with Senator <br /> Chaudhary and Representative Knuth in their offices at the capital on February <br /> 27, 2008 during a Manufactured Home Park Lobby Day. When talking to both of <br /> them about the request for funding for Hwy 10 & CR 96 from this year's bonding <br /> bill, they both specifically told us that they purposely withdrew the request for <br /> funding, because there was so much controversy surrounding this issue, the <br /> citizens were in opposition, and the city council was not in agreement yet about <br /> what should be done with these highways. They did not feel it was appropriate to <br /> request this funding at this time. I feel that you need to understand that they have <br /> gone on record with us as not being willing to support funding for this highway <br /> expansion until agreement can be made with the citizens and everyone is on the <br /> same page. <br /> To this end, we asked them if they would be willing to arrange for and participate <br /> in a meeting with the concerned citizens of Arden Hills (including Arden Manor & <br /> Briar Knoll representatives), the Arden Hills City Council, Ramsey County, and <br /> representatives from MnDOT, to see if some kind of agreement can be reached. <br /> They wholeheartedly said they would be willing to do this, and Kate Knuth said <br /> she would be willing to set this up. I know her schedule is very full right now, but I <br /> intend to remind her of what she said to us until she does fulfill what she said. She <br /> maybe doesn't think it's a pressing matter. <br /> We also discussed with our legislators the possibility of Arden Hills forming a <br /> Concerned Citizens Committee of some kind to work directly with the staff and <br /> City Council, in every step of this process, with meetings of their own. Both <br /> Senator Chaudhary and Rep. Knuth thought that this was a good idea. <br /> I think it is premature of the City Council to pass this resolution now, when the <br /> staff has ignored one major request for further study of a signalized intersection, <br /> which would go a long way to mitigating our concerns. And I think a meeting like <br /> I described would be helpful to have before a resolution is passed that would move <br /> these highways into a preliminary design phase. <br /> Thank you for your time, and listening to our concerns. <br /> Kristy Effinger <br /> Secretary, Arden Manor Residents' Association <br />