Briefs: Hastings hopes to keep administrator

The Hastings City Council has picked its preferred candidate to be the next city administrator.

Melanie Mesko Lee is expected to fill the role after background checks and the council's official approval of her contract at its May 6 meeting. Mesko Lee and the city are currently negotiating the contract.

Lee has been with the city in various capacities since 1999 — as administrative assistant, city clerk, assistant city administrator and interim city administrator. The city administrator position became vacant in March when Dave Osberg resigned to take the same position in Eagan. Osberg had been with the city for 24 years.

The Minnesota Twins will offer a free youth baseball and softball clinic at 10 a.m. Saturday at McGuire Field, 756 3rd Av. S. in South St. Paul.

Clinics are for boys and girls ages 6-16. They are divided into two 90-minute sessions. The first session, for 6- to 9-year-olds, starts at 10 a.m. and the second, for 10- to 16-year-olds, starts at 11:30 a.m.

The clinics will focus on hitting, fielding and throwing. Registration is not required. All participants are asked to bring a baseball glove.

In case of rain, the clinic will be moved to South St. Paul High School, 700 N. 2nd St.

For more information, contact Deb Griffith, South St. Paul community affairs liaison, at deb.griffith@southstpaul.org or 651-554-3230.

Burnsville's Birnamwood Golf Course opened last week after a delay due to late spring.

The course offers a nine-hole, par 27 public course that is open to leagues for adults, juniors and seniors.

Junior golf leagues still need players. The league is open to all youth entering grades 3 to 10. It will begin June 12 and meet on Wednesdays through the summer. For more information, to register for a league or to schedule a tee time, see www.birnamwoodgolfcourse.com or call 952-641-1370.

South St. Paul is sponsoring its annual Mississippi River cleanup and beautification project starting at 5:30 p.m. May 15 at the Spiral Bridge, at Grand and Hardman avenues.

The clean up is opened to all residents, organizations and businesses. Gloves and boots are recommended. An ice cream social will follow the cleanup work.

For registration or additional information, contact Deb Griffith at 651-554-3230 or deb.griffith@southstpaul.org.

Dodge Nature Center will hold its annual spring festival from 3 to 8 p.m. May 13.

Activities will be centered on the center's barn at the farm entrance at 1701 Charlton St., West St. Paul.

Admission will cost $6 for members and $20 per family or $8 for nonmembers and $25 per family. Children 2 and under will be free.

Activities will include a raffle, farm games, wagon rides, pony rides and live entertainment by Four Legg Fish, Choo Choo Bob and Brother Seamus.

To prepay for festival admission go to www.dodgenaturecenter.org. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Laurie Blake and Liala Helal