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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 2012by Nick Tamble he major transportation improve T - Also in attendance at the City Council ment that is taking place along meeting was Joe Lux of Ramsey County I-694 from Lexington Avenue to to discuss the coordinated projects includ - Highway 10 has greatly affected us all, ing County Road F and the intersections at granted you spend any time on the nearby Hamline and Lexington avenues. Due to roadways. To view a layout, visit road ownership, both Ramsey County and www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/694expand Mn/DOT are involved in many of the road www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/694expand. www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/694expand With the new improvements comes the improvements in Arden Hills. trade-off of dealing with road construction. This is the second season of construction, While nobody cheers when road construc - and the crews were on, or a little ahead of, tion is underway, many will celebrate schedule at the time of this writing. when all of this is over. Most impor - tantly, we will soon be experiencing much County tax dollars that are being invested During the April 30 City Council meeting, smoother and safer roadways in our City in our region. Mn/DOT representatives Mark Lindeberg made possible by the millions of State and and Kent Barnard explained the sequence of events for the coming months. They A busy time for building construction in Arden Hills shared information about the website by Jill Hutmacher www.511mn.org, where you can receive he City Building and Inspections Department has just completed i T data. There is also an app you can down - nearly exceeded total construction value in 2010 and 2011 combin load to get information on your smart that are currently under construction include the following: phone/tablet, and if thats not enough, fol - low them on twitter: Pultes Fox Ridge subdivision, at which the pace of home sales i schedule - Walgreens at County Road E and Lexington Avenue tion on various fronts. The construction to Presbyterian Homes Johanna Shores widen the Lexington Avenue Bridge over A phased remodel of the Land OLakes headquarters building I-694 began May 7, reducing it to one lane each way. Removal of the Ramsey County the Minnesota Department of Revenue Highway 10 bridges over I-35W is sched - uled for this month. During a three-day Construction in Arden Hills did not slow down over the last few period, I-35W will be shut down while the has in other communities, and now the City is on pace to have on bridges are removed, leaving motorists a - struction years ever. Arden Hills remains a desirable place to i lengthy detour  so watch out for this and plan accordingly. A bit of good news: the northbound High - way 51 lane is expected to re-open and connect with Hamline Avenue before the end of the year, possibly in November. In 2013, the Highway 10 and Highway 96 grade separation will begin. Highway 96 will go under Highway 10. You can see more detail at www.co.ramsey.mn.us/pw . Just click on 10/96 grade separation. Boy Scouts head upTechDump Arden Hills Service Directory by Susan Catheyby Susan Cathey 1245 West Highway 96 he Boy Scouts of Troop 419 have done another good deed. On April he Boy Scouts of Troop 419 have done another good deed. On April T Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 hosted a TechDump, a service of Plymouth- based Jobs Foundation, whose mission is to help Monday through Thursday economically disadvantaged adults overcome barriers to 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. employment. The TechDump provided an opportunity Friday for people to rid themselves of unwanted electronics in 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. a caring and environmentally responsible way. Trinity 651-792-7800 Lutheran Church of Lake Johanna allowed the troop to www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us use its property for this event. cityhall@ci.arden-hills.mn.us Sheriff and Fire Emergency 911 Sheriff (non-emergency) collected a Dumpster full of recycled appliances. Eighty-six com 651-484-3366 are being refurbished. TechDump, after removing all data, disass Fire (non-emergency) and ships them to recyclers who bring the material back to its r - 651-633-2404 Water and Sewer Problems (During non-business hours) The boys in this troop attend Mounds View High School and Highvi 651-484-3366 Senior Patrol Leader Russell Silvis was the youth chairperson fo by a committee of Scouting adults: Virginia Anderson, Karol Smit David Grant 651-538-0747 Mayor: Masters Jeff Silvis and Mark Kroll. The boys were Colin Catlin, Councilmembers: Isaac Jones, Braxton Kinner, Dan Kroll, Zach Litzinger, Charlie Brenda Holden 651-636-2987 Fran Holmes 651-631-1866 signs announcing this community service. Nick Tamble 612-819-7995 Ed Werner 651-636-2547 News from the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee See City website for e-mail addresses. by Jane Larson, PTRCby Jane Larson, PTRC City Administrator: named Arden Hills the 14th best place to live in the U. S. beca Last year, CNN MoneyLast year, CNN Money named Arden Hills the 14th best place to live in the U. S. beca Patrick Klaers 651-792-7810 of a top-rated school district; a trail system that connects par and tree preservation. This year the Parks, Trails, and Recreati Communications Committee : goals to improve this system with the addition of trail map sign Arlene Mitchell, editor; Susan Cathey; promote trail expansion. Kristine Goodrich; Brenda Holden Council Liaison: Nick Tamble In my neighborhood, we look forward to the time of year when we Desktop Publisher: Mary Nosek trails. The trails provide a sustainable form of exercise where door without wasting time or energy in travel. Using a bike odom Council meetings are held at City Hall four-mile trail that combines City trails and neighborhood stree on the second and last Monday of the Arden Hills website includes trail mileage, and can be used to calculate mapmyrun.com month at 7 p.m. Meetings are televised mileage when streets are included on the route. Lately, I have live on Cable Channel 16. Meetings of undo the effect of too many hours over too many years of sitting the Planning Commission are televised been tracking calorie expenditure vs. calories eaten and ramping Playbacks of City meetings begin the For years, I have been walking with a neighbor or going it alone morning after the meeting and continue every day until the next City meeting. end of the day and, according to the Journal of Psychological Science, there are cognitive Playbacks are at 3 a.m., 11 a.m., and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 because nature is full of attention-grabbing stimuli that do not - a.m., 2 p.m., and 10 p.m. on Saturday ments. The additional stimuli require directed attention, forcin and Sunday. For web casts, visit On our walks, we have seen bunnies, albino squirrels, fox, deer, www.ctv15.org. birds, ducks, geese, and turkeys. Columbine, trillium, hazelnuts other plants can be seen along the trails. I have heard that we Arden Hills Notes - morel mushrooms growing in our midst. We may take a moment to ad letter of the City of Arden Hills, an bloom or to watch deer who are watching us. We take in everythin equal-opportunity employer. the sound of unseen creatures in the brush, the smell of the ear 2 Continued on page 3 April 30, 2012 Awarded the bid to reconstruct lift staAwarded Interstate Companies the - tions #1 and #12 to Magney ConstrucValentine Park improvement proj (Holden excused) -- tion in the amount of $291,620 and ect in the amount of $321,757. Park authorized the purchase of pumps and amenities including a play structure Authorized the purchase of 11 park equipment for pumps #1 and #12 from and swingset, picnic shelter, half court benches in the amount of $4,963 from Electric Pump Company in the amount basketball area, as well as benches, Recycled Plastic Park Benches (4-0) picnic tables and trash bins have also been authorized for purchase from the Adopted Resolution 2012-011 prohib - State Contract (4-0) Authorized the replacement of ap iting parking on the west side of Old - proximately 1,500 feet of water main Highway 10 from McCracken Lane to along Old Highway 10 between ValenAuthorized the donation of old play the railroad bridge (4-0) - tine Avenue and Lake Valentine Road structure from Valentine Park to Calgary Lutheran Church of Roseville Appointed Miriam Ward to the board (4-0) (4-0) of Northwest Youth and Family Ser - vices as the City representative (4-0) City updates tobacco ordinance by Kristine Goodrich by Kristine Goodrich most businesses, excluding those at he City has updated its tobacco and tobacco-related devices, the revised T which 90 percent of sales are tobacco ordinance now also applies to devices that or related products. Self-service is prohibition of tobacco sampling, and deliver nicotine and lobelia (often called other changes. The City Council adopted - - quire the customer to interact with an the revised ordinance May 14. The changes nitions making clear that the rules apply to employee. comply with new State law and address the all forms of tobacco, nicotine, and lobelia new generation of tobacco products. The consumed in any manner. The additions A new provision notes licenses are a Ramsey Tobacco Coalition helped the City were needed to cover new types of prod - privilege and not a right and an initial prepare its new ordinance. ucts, such as hookah pipes and e-cigarettes. issuance does not guarantee renewal. Cessation products approved by the Food All businesses that sell tobacco must obtain and Drug Administration are exempt. The Council can delay action on a a City license and comply with regula - license application for a reasonable tions outlined in the ordinance. The City Other ordinance revisions include: period of time if needed to investi - currently has six tobacco license holders, Sampling of tobacco is prohibited, gate any issues. all which were invited to give input on the even in tobacco shops. changes. If the City accidentally issues or re - Vending machines or any other self- news a license to an ineligible person, In addition to tobacco, tobacco products, service sale stations are prohibited at the City may revoke the license. Both the clerk and the license holder continued from page 2 can be penalized if a clerk sells tobac - co or other such prohibited products to It is important that we maintain and improve our own habitat. Th a minor. who have donated trees and shrubs for our parks and walkways and have donated benches so we can stop and enjoy the surroundings. A violation that occurs within two Trails, and Recreation Committee held its annual clean-up day. years of a prior violation is subject to up a winters accumulation of garbage, I noticed threats to our increasing penalties. Previously the - thorn, burdock, and creeping charlie. timeframe was one year. Buckthorn is a European import that is a threat to habitat by cr and native plants. In turn, this takes away food critical to natadded: any place which is more than half vertically enclosed, including the City has information for pickup. The DNR also has informatioretractable walls, doors, and windows, - ious and invasive species in our midst. The challenge to the Citeven when they are open. are not enough resources to keep up with removal. We can help by Prohibition of sales of single cigarettes yards and wild area of these plants and by volunteering to help does not include cigars that cost $2 or in our parks. Hope to see you on the trails. more. 3 ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Twin Cities, MN Permit #1962 Arden Hills, MN 55112-5734 . I n Boy Scouts host recycling event Postal Customer s Tobacco ordinance revised i City to conduct survey d e his month I want to cover a couple little structural integrity and needed to be The other topic I want to address is an im T - topics, one about the City and one replaced.portant aspect of our community, namely about the Mounds View Public our educational system. Both Mounds Schools.Have you ever noticed a non-City work View High School and Irondale High crew alongside the road with rather large School were recently named as among the In January 2000, I started on your City and unusual looking drilling equipment? best high schools in Minnesota and the Council as a Councilmember. The folWhat they are doing is a process called nation by U.S. News and World Report, for - lowing year the city celebrated its 50th directional boring. Think of it as drilling an exceeding expectations when it comes to anniversary. This year the City is 61 years eight-inch hole horizontally. They start by student performance on reading and math old!digging a short trench at each end, and then tests and for preparing students for college. drill a horizontal hole, in our case 1,500 Both high schools were ranked as Silver on Your City Council continues to deal with a Gold, Silver, and Bronze ranking system. - the maintenance associated with a city of That places them among the top 30 Minne - its age. Some of the repairs and mainte1,500 feet of extra thick plastic pipe along sota high schools (top 10 in the metro) and - nance are visible, and others are not. I the road and then pull it through the 1,500 top 1,000 high schools nationally. want to take a moment to share informafoot shaft to the other end. This is how - tion about one maintenance job and its they avoid digging 1,500 feet of trench and I want to congratulate the Mounds View interesting method of repair.its associated challenges, saving time and Public Schools for doing an excellent job at such an important task, the education expense. On occasion a City water line will deof our children. If you see faculty and - velop a leak, a water main break as we Often you may notice smaller equipment staff, thank them for their dedication and call it. When this happens water is generalong the road boring smaller diameter achievement. - ally seen coming up from the ground in holes for such things as data cable and some fashion, sometimes a major amount electric lines. and sometimes less. The City only owns David Grant, Mayor the main water lines. Lines to individual businesses and homes are owned by the Celebrating Arden Hills is September 15 individual land owner. Over the last two months a water main line located along Old Highway 10 just north of Lake Valentine Road experienced three water main breaks over a two-month period. This section was a cast-iron line, and the issue was the soil being too acidic or too hot. Over time the soil basically ate away at the pipe until it had very