In Mendota, everybody lends a hand

It was toward the end of last month when Alan Ralston heard it.

"Gakunk! Gakunk! Gakunk!" was the sound that cars kept making when they drove over a broken manhole cover on Hwy. 13 in Mendota.

So Ralston, a City Council member, made the hour-plus trip to Loretto and back to buy a new cover and replace the old one.

"If you are working in a large city, you have staff to do this and staff to do that ... We only have one city employee," Ralston said.

In the small town of Mendota, a Good Samaritan just needs skills -- and maybe a good back -- to make a difference.

It's not unusual for residents to trim the trees, clean debris out of storm water culverts, or even paint the stripes on the road, said City Clerk Jennifer Bruestle.

With a small budget, the city depends on volunteers for some services that many cities would reserve for public works staff.

"People just know their roles, and they know their skills," he said.

The city had first thought that the Minnesota Department of Transportation would repair the manhole, but after learning that was not the case, Ralston took it upon himself to fix it. Without the repair, he said, cars could have been damaged from driving over the broken cover.

"We couldn't afford to have anyone come in," Ralston said. He said he thought it might have cost the city about $500 to have a contractor replace it. He was able to get a new cover for about $150 and was reimbursed at a recent meeting.

Others also step up to help the city. Former Mayor Steve Golias was known for striping the roads and mowing the grass on the side of the road along Hwy. 13. Bruestle's brother-in-law has planted vegetation all around the city. The husband of one city council member helps trim the trees.

The city doesn't have much to spend on maintenance projects. It started out the fiscal year with about $7,100 in its general fund. Some of the city's largest monthly disbursements go to the Metropolitan Council, the city attorney and Mendota Heights for providing police and fire services. The mayor and members of the City Council don't receive any financial compensation.

As cities face issues with restricting budgets and shrinking Local Government Aid, volunteers are becoming a more welcome way to save money.

Last month, the league gave an award to Burnsville for its effective use of volunteers in its Mobile Volunteer Network, a group of citizens that helps the city's police and fire departments. It was the first time that the league has given such an award.

While no awards are being talked about in Mendota, residents continue to pitch in when it's necessary, said City Council Member Joan Perron.

"If you ask anybody for help, they'll help you."