Briefs: Burnsville seeks members for city advisory commissions

Burnsville residents and business and property owners who are interested in city issues are invited to apply for advisory commissions and committees by Friday.

The positions are appointed by the City Council; members are responsible for researching, reviewing and making recommendations on issues.

Terms begin July 1 and are open to Burnsville residents 18 and older. Youth commission appointments are open to high school students who will be juniors or seniors in the fall of 2015. Membership on some commissions is open to nonresidents who own a business or property in Burnsville. The City Council will conduct interviews in May.

For information or for an application, go to www.burnsville.org/commissions or e-mail machael.collins@burnsvillemn.gov or call 952-895-4490.

A showcase of services available to older adults and caregivers will be available Thursday at the 2015 Spring Aging and Wellness Expo at Burnsville City Hall, 100 Civic Center Pkwy.

The expo will run from 2 to 5 p.m. Exhibits will include free health screenings, information on caregiver resources and giveaways.

A yogurt bar will be provided by the Commons of Maurice and the Epilepsy Foundation. The first 100 people through the door will receive a $10 gift card and other door prizes will be awarded at the events, including $50 and $100 prizes.

Learn how meat and dairy, corn, wheat and soybeans made the trip from the field to your table, and enjoy a pork chop dinner at an event May 3 at the Dakota County Heritage Village, 4008 220th St. W. in Farmington.

Activities at the 1900s-era village will include watching teams of draft horses plow fields in preparation for planting corn, trying your hand at milking a cow, inspecting farm implements from the 1920s to 1960s, comparing horse-drawn farm equipment to motorized equipment and listening to a 30-minute presentation about early farming in Dakota County.

The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m.; the pork chop dinner begins at 2 p.m.

Admission is free. The dinner costs $7. For information, call 651-460-8050.

The Wetland Health Evaluation Program is seeking volunteers willing to pull on a pair of waders and help monitor the health of community wetlands.

Volunteers will work with a team to monitor and collect information on plants and macroinvertebrates. That information is used by cities to study health trends in order to manage wetlands and surrounding natural areas. Each team will take samples from three to five wetlands between June and August.

Previous experience is not required to volunteer for the program. The registration deadline is May 15. For information, go to www.mnwhep.org or call 952-891-7000.

The West Trailhead at Lebanon Hills Regional Park is now open to mountain bikers for the season.

The trailhead offers miles of rolling, wooded, single-track bike trails and is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

A workshop for caregivers, health care providers, government leaders and community members to discuss warning signs and treatment of mental illnesses and dementia in older adults will be held May 14 at the Rosemount Community Center, 13885 S. Robert Trail.

The workshop, from 8 a.m. to noon, is sponsored by the Dakota County Healthy Communities Collaborative, Park Nicollet Foundation and Dakota County Communities for a Lifetime Initiative.

The cost is $25 and includes a continental breakfast and continuing education credits. Registration deadline is Friday. For information call 952-993-3531.

Rosemount's 23rd annual Arbor Day celebration and tree giveaway will start at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Public Works Garage, 14425 Brazil Av.

The first 180 residents with proof of a Rosemount address will receive a 6- to 8-foot tree. A variety of species will be available. The trees need to be planted within 24 hours of the giveaway.

Mayor Bill Droste will host a brief program recognizing the importance of Arbor Day.

Dakota County residents can drop off many different types of household hazardous waste from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Central Maintenance Facility, 7570 179th St. W. in Lakeville.

There is no charge for much of the waste, including household cleaners, antifreeze and fluorescent light bulbs. Many types of appliances, from air conditioners to refrigerators, can be dropped off for $25 each.

For information, call 952-985-4400.