Mark Graham is the City Engineer/Public Service Director. He can be reached at mgraham or 651-204-6050.
Street Maintenance
The goal of street maintenance is to keep City streets in good condition to avoid costly repairs and reconstruction. Accordingly, the City Council about 10 years ago adopted the City's Pavement Management Policy to direct the maintenance of the City's roads.
The plan provides that each City street be sealcoated and have cracks sealed at least once every five years. Property taxes pay for this work.
Public service employee with the front-end loader
One look will tell you if your street has been sealcoated and crack sealed because lines of toilet paper will be covering the repaired areas. It may look strange, but the toilet paper allows vehicles to drive across repaired areas without tracking tar on other parts of the roadway and prevents tar from sticking to tires.
Other street projects include mill and overlay, reconstruction, and total reconstruction. The approach taken for a street is determined, in part, by the rating it receives from Public Service staff. The rating considers the severity of damage and wear and tear to a street.
These projects involve special assessments to the benefited properties. Neighborhood informational meetings and public hearings are held for every mill and overlay, reconstruction, and total reconstruction project proposed. Notices are sent by U.S. mail to affected properties, and legal notices are published in the Vadnais Press and posted in City Hall.
The City Council is ultimately responsible for deciding which streets will be included in the Street Management Plan for a specific year.
In addition to roadway repairs and maintenance, City crews are responsible for maintaining rights-of-way and for streetscaping. Highway 96 and County Road E are two examples of streetscapes maintained by the City.
Some roadways in Vadnais Heights are Ramsey County streets. These include Highway 96; County Roads D, E, and F; McMenemy Street; Labore Road; Centerville Road; and Edgerton Street south of Vadnais Boulevard. For issues regarding these streets, please contact Ramsey County Public Works at 651-484-9104.
Snowplowing
Typically, City streets are plowed once snow has accumulated to a depth of two inches. There are four plow routes. Main roads are plowed first, followed by side streets. Key trails are plowed by City crews once two or more inches of snow have accumulated.
Winter Parking
To help with snowplowing, parking is not allowed on streets after a 2 inch
snowfall until the streets are plowed or from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. from November
l to March 31.
Potholes
If you're aware of a pothole, please alert Public Works by calling 651-204-6000 or by sending an email message to jmomsen.
In addition to repair of potholes, sweeping streets is another routine spring chore for Public Works.
Street Lights
If your street light is out, please call your electrical provider. You may also report a street light outage by calling City Hall, at 651-204-6000 or email jmomsen. It is helpful if you have a specific location or address and pole number.
If you live on Pondview Court, County Road E, or the streets in Oaks of Vadnais, the City needs to be contacted because Vadnais Heights maintains the street lights in these areas.
Water
The City operates two water towers and three wells. The water towers are cleaned every two years to help ensure water quality. Hydrants are flushed twice a year to keep water mains in good working order.
Click here to view a copy of the City's annual water quality report.
Sprinkling Policy
The City has a sprinkling policy for its municipal water system users in effect from June 1 to September 15 to ensure an adequate water supply to meet consumer and emergency needs.
The guidelines are easy to remember. Homes and businesses with addresses ending with an even number may water their lawns on even-numbered days; addresses ending in an odd number may sprinkle on odd-numbered days.
A waiver from this policy may be requested for newly seeded or sodded lawns, or newly planted trees or landscape materials. Please contact City Hall at 651-204-6000 to obtain a waiver.
Discolored Water; “Rotten Egg” Smell Some times water may be discolored. If this occurs in your home, please run your cold water for three to five minutes until the water is running clear. If this doesn't solve the problem, call City Hall at 651-204-6000; Public Works may need to flush the water main.
Once in a great while, your water may have a “rotten egg” odor. This odor is caused by hydrogen sulfide gas. The odor is unpleasant, but the gas is not usually harmful at the low concentrations that occur in household water systems. For advice on how to get rid of the odor, please contact City Hall at 651-204-6000, or send an email to jmomsen.
Water Softener Setting
To set your water softener, you need certain water quality numbers for the City's water. The water hardness rate is 13 grains per gallon; the iron level is .39 milligrams per liter.
Sewers
If you are having a sewer problem in your home, first determine if it is within your household plumbing. If only some drains are affected, then the problem is within your home and you should call a plumber.
Residents and businesses are responsible for the portion of pipe that runs from their home to the City easement. Tree roots are the most common problem with these lines.
If all drains are working and water is backing up a floor drain, the problem could be caused by either your service line to the street or the City's sewer main.
If you are experiencing a sewer backup in your home, please call City Hall at 651-204-6000 during normal business hours. After hours, call the Ramsey County Sheriff at 651-484-3366.
Public Service Emergencies
For public works emergencies during normal business hours, call City Hall at 651-204-6000. If the problem occurs outside normal business hours, contact the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department at 651-484-3366; they will alert City crews.
Tree Inspection
The City has two certified tree inspectors on its Parks/Public Service staff who can assist you with diseased trees,noxious weeds, and buckthorn. Ken LaCasse, the City’s Park Supervisor, is your contact. Ken can be reached by email at klacasse or by phone at 651.204.6053.
Public Service ensures that 
Snowplowing
Water
