Metro briefs: New Maple Grove city administrator to start Nov. 2

Three finalists for Maple Grove's top city spot will meet with staff and the public on Oct. 7.

The City Council interviewed seven of 38 applicants for the city administrator position, narrowing it to three finalists. The finalists will meet with department directors and the public in a meet-and-greet session from 4-6:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Government Center followed by the City Council's final interviews.

The new hire was initially expected to start by Oct. 31 but will now start Nov. 2. City Administrator Al Madsen is retiring Oct. 30 after 32 years with the west metro suburb — only the fourth city administrator in Maple Grove's history.

KELLY SMITH

The emerald ash borer has been officially confirmed in Scott County with the Aug. 25 discovery of an infected tree on private property in Prior Lake.

The city of Prior Lake will hold a community forum at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Parkview Community Room at City Hall, 4646 Dakota St. SE., to talk about the pest, which has been attacking and killing millions of trees in Minnesota.

Scott County will be put under an emergency quarantine and eventually join Dakota, Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey, Chisago, Fillmore, Houston, Olmstead and Winona counties in a state and federal quarantine to help prevent the insects from spreading outside a known infested area.

The agency said residents should check for woodpecker damage — the birds eat larvae, look for bark cracks from tunneling under the bark and consult a professional tree specialist if they suspect one of their ash trees is infested.

More information is available at www.mda.state.mn.us/arrestthepest.

PAT PHEIFER

Four St. Paul city officials, including Mayor Chris Coleman, will conduct a good will mission next week to two sister cities in Japan and China.

The City Council on Wednesday accepted $20,000 in funding for the trip from the city's convention and visitors bureau, the Ecolab Foundation and the John and Ruth Huss Foundation.

Joining Coleman on the eight-day visit, starting Oct. 5, will be the mayor's cultural adviser, Joe Spencer; landscape designer Alice Messer, and Finance Director Todd Hurley.

They will visit Nagasaki, Japan, where they will attend a fall festival and a City Council meeting, and take a guided tour of the city. In Changsha, China, they will visit a museum, tour a park and meet with city officials.

In a statement, Coleman said the trip "honors and builds on the relationships we have formed with our sister cities."

This year marks the 60th anniversary of St. Paul's sister city relationship with Nagasaki, the first of its kind between Asian and U.S. cities.

Kevin Duchschere

The first session will feature candidates for City Council. Six candidates are running for two seats.

The second session will feature the two candidates running for mayor.

The candidates will make opening statements and then respond to questions from the audience.

The forum will be broadcast live on Channel 12.

Election Day is Nov. 3.