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TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2016
VOL. 34 NO. 40 www.presspubs.com $1.00
POLICE DEPARTMENT: hopes to save lives with new tool PAGE 2
Camp Invention
Circle Pines selects new administrator BY SHANNON GRANHOLM STAFF WRITER
SUBMITTED
Gigi Munson of Circle Pines makes a mirror to reveal secrets in a module at Camp Invention in Vadnais Heights July 14. See story on page 20
Air assault by helicopter BY DEBRA NEUTKENS WHITE BEAR EDITOR
Last year was a record year for mosquitoes. "They just kept coming," recalled Mike McClean, public affairs coordinator for the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD). "We treated more acreage last year with a helicopter than ever before." And this year? "We're on the same pace," he said. "There's been a lot of good rainfall. When that happens, there is significant mosquito production. We're hoping the second half of the year is drier and more typical." An inch of rain prompts a call to the helicopter service contracted by the MMCD. Benson Airport serves as the staging area for mosquito control. Hoppers on the helicopters are loaded with organic granules made from ground-up corn cobs. The dry product, called BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), contains a natural soil bacterium that kills mosquito larvae lurking in swamps and other areas of standing water. The control product poses no risk to humans or animals. The MMCD pays close attention to mosquito species before treatment.
Inspectors sample known breeding sites to identify species after each rainfall. If the species is a human biting mosquito or a species that has potential to spread disease, the site will be treated. "We only treat when we find those mosquitoes," McLean said. Of the 51 species in Minnesota, most are rare. The most common is Aedes vexans, a mosquito that breeds in depressions that fi ll with rain water. "Few that are abundant are important," noted University of Minnesota entomologist Roger Moon. "Probably a half dozen transmit agents that cause disease." "Aedes is the same genus as the mosquito that spreads Zika virus, Aedes aegypti, but our version is not a threat," Moon said. "It's just so abundant it drives people crazy." Species that spread disease - like the West Nile-carrying Culex tarsalis are noted on MMCD's website. "Culex is an interesting mosquito," added McLean. "It's bird biting the fi rst half of summer, then switches to mammals after the Fourth of July. It is a prairie mosquito, which explains why West Nile is more prevalent in North and South Dakota and western Minnesota."
CIRCLE PINES — For 30 years Jim Keinath has served as the city administrator. After a year-long process the City Council, Utilities Commission and city staff have selected a new administrator to take his place. Keinath told the city of his plans to retire around a year ago so it could plan accordingly. He officially gave his notice on June 9 and his last day on payroll will be Sept. 7. “The process of replacing a 30 year, very successful administrator was daunting and a bit scary, but we got a lot of highly qualified applicants because of the community's great reputation and staff,” said Mayor Dave Bartholomay. “One candidate rose to the top and I'm breathing a bit easier knowing that the leadership of our town's operations will be in good hands going forward.” The city decided to hire Sharon Klumpp, of Waters & Company, to aid in its search. “We quickly came to the realization that it is a very important job in the community, and you really want to get some help to make sure you get the best pool of candidates you can,” Bartholomay explained. “The city administrator position is the key to moving
your city forward. They are the operational, get it done leader in the community.” Thirty candidates applied for the position and that number was cut in half by Klumpp and the search committee, which includes Bartholomay, Council member Deb O'Brien and Centennial Utility Chair Ed Erchul. The number was then cut down to eight applicants, who all interviewed with the search committee in mid-June. After original interviews, the top four candidates were chosen to interview with the Council, Utilities Commission and some key staff members of the City on July 11. “He was the clear number one choice of everybody,” Bartholomay said of the selected candidate, Patrick Antonen. Antonen grew up in Moorhead and graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a bachelor's degree in sociology of law, criminology and deviance. He then graduated from the University of South Dakota with a master's degree in public administration and is fi nishing up his last paper to obtain his doctorate in political sciencepublic administration and public policy. It was during graduate school when Antonen knew he wanted to follow in his dad Jim Antonen's
SUBMITTED
Patrick Antonen was selected as the new city administrator for Circle Pines. He currently serves as the city administrator for Centerville, Iowa.
SEE MOSQUITOES, PAGE 3
SEE NEW ADMINISTRATOR, PAGE 13
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