Sartell V19 I7

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Newsleader Sartell

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014 Volume 19, Issue 7 Est. 1995

Town Crier

Travel Talkin’ guys speak on Turkey

Sartell Senior Connection hosts Travel Talkin’ guys as they take you to Turkey with a history dating back 8,000 years at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Sartell District Service Center, 212 3rd Ave. N. You will visit the biblical city of Ephesus and follow up visiting Abraham’s birthplace along with the Blue Mosque and other iconic landmarks. You will discover Cappadocia where people lived underground during the crusades. Mike and Jim make history entertaining and fun. We can guarantee an interesting evening; no passports needed.

Sign up now for garden plots

Even though some may have forgotten what springtime is, it’s reportedly on its way, and it’s time to start thinking about gardening.

There will be some community-garden plots available in Sartell this spring. Anyone interested should be sure to put their names on the list by emailing gardencoordinator Kaye Wenker at kwenker@charter.net. They should include their email address, mailing address and phone number.

There will also be an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Westside Liquor Learning Center that everyone is welcome to attend.

There are two community gardens in Sartell – a north one by Oak Ridge Elementary School containing 96 plots and an east one by the water plant with 10 plots.

Join Arbor Day Foundation in February, receive free trees

Joining the Arbor Day Foundation is an ideal way to get in the mood for spring planting. Anyone from Minnesota who joins the Foundation in February will receive 10 free Colorado blue spruce trees to plant when the weather turns warm. The free trees are part of the non-profit Foundation’s Trees for America campaign.

Deadline is Feb. 28. For more information, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.

Postal Patron

Board chooses Schwiebert as superintendent

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

After two weeks of intensive interviews with three finalist candidates, the SartellSt. Stephen S c h o o l Schwiebert Board selected their choice for a new superintendent – Jeff Schwiebert of Eldridge, Iowa.

The board made the decision Feb. 6, the third of three full days of interviews and meet-the-public sessions with the three candidates.

The board’s vote to choose Schwiebert was 6-0.

Schwiebert is not yet officially the new superintendent.

He and the board must arrive first at a satisfactory workcontract agreement. If that occurs and Schwiebert accepts, he will begin his duties in July.

Schwiebert was most recently superintendent of the North Scott Community School District in Eldridge. He announced his intention to resign from that position just before

INSERT:

Culligan

tion at St. Francis, and Debra Lechner, director of teaching and learning for the Brainerd School District. Lechner was director of teaching and

learning for Sartell schools before taking the Brainerd job 12 years ago.

Before the vote, the board Schwiebert • page 3

Sibling potters

contributed photos

The three Lolmasteymaugh siblings enjoy their first-ever fling with clay on a potter’s wheel at the Feb. 8 Sartell Farmers’ Market at City Hall. From left to right are Eve, 5; Anna, 3; and Warner, 8. They are the children of Ken and Rachel Lolmasteymaugh of Sartell. The pottery demonstration was set up and operated by Amy Braig-Lindstrom, a professional potter and organizer of the Sartell Farmers’ Market. The winter market will be open again from 10 am.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, again in Sartell City Hall. That date was added due to popular demand. The remaining dates are March 8, April 12 and May 3.

Survey shows high satisfaction with city services

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

Most Sartell residents appear to be very satisfied with city services and even more of them feel they are safe living in the city, according to survey

results recently released by the city’s planning department.

There were some slight disappointments noted, however, in the areas of satisfaction with street conditions, snowplowing and recreational offerings.

Although the 2013 survey

was not scientific, it still gives an indication of what residents like – at least the 194 who decided to take the survey either online or on paper. It is the third such survey in three years. The surveys give city staff and department heads

some idea of where they can make improvements to city services.

There were nine questions on the survey. In each, a hefty majority of respondents checked with “Excellent” or Survey • page 4

Debate to tackle issue of football safety

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

Hot off the press

If you’d like to receive the Newsleader hot off the press, send us your email address and we’ll notify you with a link when our website is updated, which is typically by noon a day in advance of the print edition. Send your email to news@thenewsleaders. com and you should start receiving your reminder at that address within a week. Notify us otherwise.

the start of the 2013-14 school year.

The other two candidates were Paul Neubauer, director of curriculum and instruc-

contributed photo

Patty Candella is the executive producer of the “Sartell Says” series of debates. The next one, the second, will address concerns about the safety of football and other contact sports in schools. It will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19 at Sartell City Hall.

Should the sport of football be banned from all public schools? Should its playing rules be changed? Will today’s football concussions lead to more serious health problems in the future for today’s young players?

How many concussions are “too many?”

Those disturbing questions and many others will be addressed during an upcoming debate at Sartell City Hall at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19. It’s the second debate in the “Sartell Says” series that began in late 2013. The first debate’s topic was whether or not the raising of chickens should in allowed in the yards of Sartell residential areas. That

debate was videotaped and later picked up by Minnesota Public Radio, which broadcast it statewide at noon Feb. 10.

The debate about football dangers and safety concerns will be debated by the following four experts in their fields: • Julie Alexander, the chief athletic trainer at St. Cloud State University.

• Dave DeLand, sports editor for the St. Cloud Times newspaper.

• Tony Cunningham, former boxer and current philosophy professor at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.

• Dr. George Morris, sports and family-medicine physician at CentraCare.

The debate will be moderated

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by Sartell resident Patty Candella, who moderated the last debate and who is executive producer for the “Sartell Says” debate series.

In Candella’s press release for the upcoming debate, it states: “In living rooms around Sartell and across central Minnesota parents are already deliberating whether to let their kids play football in middle school and high school. Families are carefully weighing the risks and rewards of the game. Are we creating character? Are we injuring our children? Can they get a college scholarship? How many concussions are too many?”

The audience that evening will have a chance at the conclusion of the debate to ask questions of the panelists. Then the audience Football • page 8

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

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Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

People

contributed photos

Above: Spelling bee participants included the following: (front row, kneeling left to right) Elaine Lo, Adrianne Gefre, Brinn Akervik, Jacob Franzmeier and Carter Vonderahe; (second row, standing) Carter Hemmesch, Matt Pallansch, Elizabeth Hamak (St. Francis), Nora Steil, Julianna Moore and Deborah Ufearo; (back row) Jaden Nguyen, Greta Mahowald, Jake Anderson, Jacob Stolzenberg (St. Francis), Katelynn Leigh, Janagan Ramanathan and Mara Borgeson. Below: Sartell Middle School Principal Julie Tripp (left) stands with winners of the bee (left to right): Mara Borgeson, Jacob Franzmeier and Jake Anderson.

Eighth-grader Anderson takes top honors in District 748 spelling bee Jan. 30 On Jan. 30, Sartell area students found themselves spelling words like “macrocosm,” “circadian,” and “scintillation” in the District 748 Spelling Bee. Eighth-grader Jake Anderson placed first by spelling the most words correctly; second place was awarded to seventh-grader Mara Borgeson and third place went to eighth-grader Jacob Franzmeier. These students represented Sartell-St. Stephen schools at the Regional Spelling Bee Feb. 13 at Resource Training and Solutions in Sartell. Eighteen students in grades 5-8 participated in the district competition. To advance to that level, students par-

ticipated in spelling bees in their classrooms and then in their grade levels. Students from each grade advanced to the district competition along with two students from St. Francis Xavier. Earning the opportunity to participate in the district competition was a huge accomplishment in itself. A special thank you to Mastoni’s Pizza of Sartell and Texas Roadhouse, who donated gift certificates to each participant, Coborn’s for donating alphabet pasta for each participant and to Traut Wells for donating water for refreshments. Congratulations to all District 748 spelling bee participants.

Ryan DeRoeck of Sartell will be student teaching math at Discovery Middle School, Alexandria, Minn., under the supervision of Tyson Swaggert. Student teaching is an academic career high point for University of Minnesota, Morris education students. A powerful and memorable experience, student teaching allows stu-

dents to apply knowledge, skills, talents, and techniques developed and nurtured by interaction with experienced Morris faculty and through rigorous, comprehensive, and collaborative programs accredited by Minnesota’s Board of Teaching and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Dr. Nicholas Colatrella was recently elected president-elect of the board of trustees by the Minnesota Optometric Association. Dr. Colatrella Colatrella co-owns PineCone Vision Center, Sartell, Minnesota, where he is medical director. Colatrella was most recently vice president of the MOA Board of Trustees, and has twice been named Young Optometrist of the Year. He has been active both in community and MOA outreach efforts, and has led the MOA Professional Education Committee.

In 2013, he was inducted as president of the Illinois College of Optometry Alumni Council, the governing body of the Alumni Association.

Colatrella, OD, FAAO, Dipl (ABO, ABCMO), is an honors graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, and completed a hospital residency in ocular disease. He is a nationally recognized lecturer and is a published author on the topics of LASIK surgery, cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye and corneal diseases. He and his wife, Dr. Stacy Hinkemeyer, live in Sartell with their two children.

Christopher Johnson of Sartell was recently named to the dean’s list at Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples. Students must earn a grade-point average of 3.25 to 3.74 to receive the honor.

Abigail Frericks of Sartell recently graduated from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences.

Callie Frank, a junior theatre arts and hospitality management double major from Sartell, plays the other woman/stranger in the Feb. 19-22 production of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” an inventive dark comedy by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Sarah Ruhl, at Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. each evening with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee Feb. 23. Variety called “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” “a fresh and humorous look at the times we live in.” One day in a café, Jean’s life is changed forever when she discovers, at the next table, the owner of an incessantly ringing cell phone is dead. Taking the phone, Jean begins a journey through the man’s life and her own, exploring the lines between reality and memory, honesty and fiction, connection and disconnection. For more information, visit www.SMSUtickets.com or call 507-537-7103.

contributed photo

The St. Cloud Forum of Executive Women recently announced its 2014 board members. Pictured are (front row, left to right): Trina Dietz, Becky Reynolds, Jacque Klein and Sarah Sonsteby; (back row) April Mastey, Rachael Bonn, Jodi Elness, Brenda Brown, Jenifer Odette, Rebecca Kurowski, Carol Klaphake, Mary Harlander-Locke, Shawn Hoffman-Bram, Kelly Hansen and LuAnn Popp. Dietz, Klein, Elness, Kurowski and Hoffman-Bram are from Sartell; all the rest are from St. Cloud.

Not pictured: Lee Hurd, Sartell. FEW is a non-profit organization which meets monthly to promote growth and professional connections among women. For more information about FEW, visit www.fewstcloud.org.

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If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the Sartell Police Department at 320-251-8186 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Jan. 24 7:50 a.m. Suspicious vehicle. Grizzly Lane. A report was made regarding a suspicious vehicle parked in the area. The vehicle was gone upon the officer’s arrival.

5:47 p.m. Vehicle in ditch.

Heritage Road. While on patrol, an officer saw a vehicle in the ditch. The officer contacted a tow truck and provided safety lights until the vehicle was removed.

9:26 p.m. Stalled vehicle.

Riverside Avenue. While on patrol, an officer saw a vehicle stalled in the roadway. The officer provided safety lighting while the vehicle was towed off the road.

Jan. 25 11:27 pm. Verbal. 7th Avenue S. A complaint was made regarding a male and female verbally arguing and it possibly becoming physical. Officers arrived and were able to make contact with the male and fe-

male. They both denied the argument ever became physical and agreed to keep the noise down for the evening.

Jan. 26 1:21 p.m. Vehicles in ditch.

19th Avenue S. A report was made regarding multiple vehicles in the ditch due to blizzard conditions. Officers provided safety lights while the vehicles were removed.

2:25 p.m. Vehicle in ditch.

Pinecone Road. While on patrol an officer noticed a vehicle stuck in the ditch. The officer provided safety lights until the vehicle was removed.

6:08 p.m. Motorist assist.

Troop Drive. While leaving another call, an officer noticed a vehicle stuck in a driveway.

The officer helped the owner push the vehicle out of the snow.

Jan. 27 9:23 a.m. Motorist assist.

Pinecone Road. While trying to pull into their driveway, a vehicle became stuck in a snow pile. Officers were able to help dig the vehicle out.

11:52 a.m. Suspicious smell.

6th Avenue N. A report was made regarding an adult female smelling something burning but could not locate the source. An officer arrived and was able to locate the smell coming from a

Blotter • page 3

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Little Dukes on Pinecone Sartell City Hall Sartell-St. Stephen School District Offices Walgreens

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Contributing Writer Cori Hilsgen

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P.O. Box 324 • 32 1st Ave. N.W. • St. Joseph, Minn. 56374 Phone (320) 363-7741 • Fax (320) 363-4195 • E-mail address: news@thenewsleaders.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ST. JOSEPH NEWSLEADER, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

Schwiebert from front page was informed that Lechner has a recent job offer in Vienna and probably would not accept the Sartell position. The board was also notified Neubauer currently has several other job options he is actively considering.

The three finalists for superintendent were chosen from about 40 candidates who submitted applications. The entire process was facilitated by the consulting firm of “School Exec Connect,” which presented seven semi-finalists to the school board two weeks ago.

The board then interviewed those seven and narrowed the number to three top choices.

During the week of Feb. 3, there was a flurry of meetings with students, staff and community members, a schoolboard dinner for the candidates and separate interviews by the board of each candidate.

“We had several great can-

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com didates,” said Michelle Meyer, school-board chair. “We are excited to move forward with negotiations with Schwiebert.

He brings a variety of experiences and exceptional qualities of leadership to our district, which will help us continue to move forward.”

Schwiebert and his wife, Deb, have two children – daughter Allie and son Aaron.

Both are high-school graduates.

Schwiebert was hired by the North Scott Community School District in Eldridge since 2009, when he was hired at a salary of $150,000 for a three-year contract, beating out three other contenders for the superintendent job. That school board also hired him on a 6-0 vote.

On his resume, Schwiebert listed his listening skills and his ability to determine through careful listening and consultation exactly what a school district needs.

Eldridge is part of the QuadCity area of east central Iowa, along the Mississippi River.

The other cities in that area are Davenport and Bettendorf,

both in Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline, both on the Illinois side of the river. Eldridge has a population of about 6,000. The North Scott (county) School District, highly consolidated, has seven schools: a junior high school, a senior high school and five elementary schools.

Before his job in North Scott, Schwiebert started his career as a teacher in the Mount Vernon (Iowa) Community School District, a town of about 4,000 people in east central Iowa with a junior high school, senior high school and an elementary school. There, he spent the early years of his educational service: teacher, assistant principal, principal, athletic director and superintendent.

Schwiebert earned bachelor’s degrees in history and education from Cornell College (Mount Vernon, Iowa) in 1981.

He then earned a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Iowa and a superintendent certificate from the University of Northern Iowa.

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Jan. 28 1:23 p.m. Verbal. 3rd Avenue N. A report was made regarding an adult male and female verbally arguing. Officers arrived and were able to defuse the situation. The male left with another family member for the evening.

Jan. 29 12:37 a.m. CR 120. Juvenile problem. A report was made regarding three juvenile males who were asking people for a ride home. The males stated they had now found a ride home but the officer found one male had an active arrest warrant. He was placed under arrest and transported to Stearns County Jail without incident.

Jan. 30 7:04 a.m. LeSauk Drive. Vehicle in ditch. A report was

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made regarding a vehicle stuck in the ditch and the back window broken out. Officers arrived and found the driver had broken the back window attempting to get out and she had a suspended license. She was issued a citation and the vehicle was towed.

3:16 p.m. Connecticut Avenue. Vehicle in ditch. A report was made regarding a vehicle stuck in the ditch. An officer contacted the tow company and provided safety lights until the vehicle was removed.

Jan. 31 5:43 p.m. CR 120. DWI. A vehicle had struck a sign and became stuck in a ditch. The responding officer detected the smell of alcohol and the driver failed field sobriety testing. He was placed under arrest and transported to Stearns County Jail without incident.

8:40 p.m. CR 120. Traffic stop. After checking a vehicle’s registration, it was found the driver had a suspended license.

The driver was issued a citation and released to a valid driver.

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Survey from front page “Good.” Small percentages of people checked “Fair,” “Poor” or “Don’t Know.”

The highest number of respondents (138 of the 194 who responded) noted they feel “Very Safe” in Sartell while 55 stated they feel “Safe,” one feels “somewhat safe” and nobody checked the boxes for “Very Unsafe” and “Don’t Know.”

The question responses about safety jibe very well with how respondents answered that same question in 2011 and in 2012.

The three questions that elicited quite a few “Fair” responses were these: 1. “How would you rate the overall quality of snowplowing on city streets?”

Thirty-nine people answered “Excellent,” 94 checked “Good,” 37 noted “Fair” and 26 chose “Poor.”

2. How would you rate the overall condition of city streets?

Only 15 people chose “Excellent,” but 89 were quite pleased, noting “Good.” Sixty-nine respondents, however, chose “Fair” and 19 selected “Poor.”

3. How would you rate the overall quality of city recreational programs and facilities (e.g. parks, park facilities,

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com trails, etc.)

While most chose “Excellent” (79) or “Good” (89), 20 people marked the “Fair” box, and 5 marked the “Poor” box.

Here are the other questions and respondents’ answers on the survey.

How would you rate the overall appearance of the city?

“Excellent,” 62; “Good,” 117; “Fair,” 15.”

How would you rate the overall quality of fire protection in the city?

“Excellent,” 112; “Good,” 51, “Fair,” 3.

How would you rate the overall condition of the city?”

“Excellent,” 15; “Good,” 89,” “Fair,” 69; “Poor,” 19 How would you rate the dependability and overall quality of sanitary-sewer service?

“Excellent,” 90; “Good,” 87; “Fair,” 5.

How would you rate the dependability and overall quality of the water supply?

“Excellent,” 86; Good, 81; Fair, “21”; “Poor,” 4.

How would you rate the overall quality of services provided by the city?

“Excellent,” 58, “Good,” 117, “Fair,” 17.

The 2013 answers jibed, more than less, with the same questions asked in 2011 and 2012. There were 100 respondents answering the 2011 survey, and 339 who answered the questions on the 2012 survey.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

Plans for landscaping draws strong opinions

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

Next spring, the now-barren “islands” and medians at the new diverging diamond interchange in south Sartell will be planted with various kinds of vegetation.

At a recent Sartell City Council meeting, MnDOT landscape designer David Larson presented several planting options to the council. He showed council members photos of grasses and flowers – all perennials – that could grow there with little or no maintenance once they’ve established themselves. A “Welcome to Sartell” sign, with its familiar stylized yellow-sunblue-river logo will also be installed somewhere in that area.

Larson said because the interchange is such a massive configuration of concrete and bituminous, the site practically begs for something “softer” – in a word, vegetation.

There are four “island” areas, quite large, at the site as well as a couple of medians. He suggested planting blue-stem grass, similar to prairie grass, along with wildflowers such as purple-cone flowers, black-eyed Susans and early sunflowers that would all bloom at different times of the growing season.

The medians on the east and west sides of the interchange configuration could be planted with a line of alternating whiteblossomed and purple-blossomed crab apple trees with wild flowers at their bases and throughout the other areas of the medians.

The landscaping of other areas by the interchange will be the sole, permanent responsibility of MnDOT, not Sartell, Larson noted.

MnDOT, Larson said, would sign a contract with the planting contractor that the planters would be required to maintain the plantings, including watering them, for the first two summers with no maintenance at all from the City of Sartell. After that time, the plantings would be established well enough not to need much, if any, maintenance except perhaps watering via truck if a persistent drought occurred.

The goal of the landscaping is low-to-no maintenance, Larson said, echoing the wishes of the city people he has talked with. Larson said six months ago, he drove through Sartell and noticed the tall prairie grasses in some roundabouts appeared to have been mowed down and looked rather messy.

One reason for the ragged look is that weeds and other invasive vegetation appeared to have taken over somewhat, he noted. A good way to guard against such an invasion is to plant not from transplanted clumps but from very thickly sown seed. Once the grasses grow, they become so thick there is no room for invasive vegetation, he told the council.

Most council members seemed to favor Larson’s suggestions. Council member Sarah Jane Nicoll, however, said she is definitely not in favor of planting more native-type grasses, which can look terrible when they get overgrown or ragged. She suggested there must be an alternative to grasses planted in roundabouts and along roadways.

Council member Amy BraigLindstrom said, if she had her way, cypress spurge would be planted in all islands and medians. She has that spreading plant in her yard, and it is,

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she said, extremely beautiful and virtually indestructible as it spreads through its root system in a prolific manner. Neighbors always comment on its beauty, she noted.

Referring to Nicoll’s feelings about tall grasses, Larson acknowledged people tend to either like or dislike the nativegrass look. He respects those opinions, he added.

As for cypress spurge, he said that species might be so invasive the Department of Natural Resources might not approve of it. There might be other problems with it that would have to be studied, he noted.

Council members David Peterson, Steve Hennes and Mayor Joe Perske seemed to favor Larson’s planting suggestions.

The “no-maintenance” approach is vital, Peterson said, because city staff should not have to be doing any work on the planted islands and medians and that should include no mowing.

Braig-Lindstrom said her neighbors have told her their perennials don’t really establish themselves and take off showily until about four years after they’ve been planted. Larson said it’s possible to propose a three-year maintenance contract with the landscaper contracted by MnDOT. Hennes and Braig-Lindstrom said they are totally in favor of that idea.

Hennes noted the wild native grasses planted west of city hall looked a bit ragged in their first years but that now in spring and summer they are beautiful now that they’re established.

Larson will return to the council with more details about planting plans as they become available.

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Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Jose accepts top ‘arts presenter’ award

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

Sartell resident Brian Jose was recently honored as the top North American “Presenter of Fine Arts” at an awards banquet at the Hilton Hotel in New York City.

Since 2008, Jose has served as executive director of Fine Arts Programming for St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict.

The award, whose official title is “North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents Award” is presented annually by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters of which Jose is a member of the board.

“I believe the very bedrock

of our industry are the partnerships, collaborations and friendships between performing artists, managers, agents and presenters,” Jose said in accepting the award. “And the very foundation of whatever success any of us enjoys in our field is wholly dependent on the health of those relationships. So, to be recognized by these very artists, managers and agents as ‘Presenter of the Year,’ what more could a presenter ask for?”

Eligibility for the award is based on the following criteria: must represent a not-for-profit entity; must have a proven dedication to the future of presenting performing arts; must demonstrate an unwavering respect for colleagues in the fine-arts

field, including artists, managers and fellow presenters; and must show at all times exemplary ethical behavior.

Under Jose’s tutelage, SJU and CSB have presented worldclass performers throughout the years – a series of programming that includes plays, music of virtually every description, traditional and modern dance, poetry, comedy acts and oneman and one-woman shows of a staggering variety.

In 2013, Jose was one of four presenters chosen to travel to Pakistan by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters.

Jose, on the trip to that country, was part of the “Center Stage” delegation, a cultural-exchange program sponsored by the U.S.

contributed photo

Brian Jose of Sartell recently won a top honor for “Presenter of Fine Arts” in New York City. Jose is executive director of Fine Arts Programming for St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict.

Department of State.

Jose has had more than 27 years experience as an arts administrator. Before moving to central Minnesota, he was director of marketing and communications of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Md. There, he was part of the management team of

S&P brings Sartell a bundle of good news

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

It’s good news – about $73,000-worth of good news.

That’s how much the City of Sartell will likely save on a refunding-bond sale approved by the city council at a recent meeting. The savings stem from the city’s new-and-improved bond rating – a AA rating from Standard & Poor’s, one of the nation’s most prestigious financial-rating companies. S&P determines ratings to show an entity’s creditworthiness – in this case, the city government of Sartell.

Sartell has received a series of very good bond ratings from S&P throughout the

years. The most recent one was in 2008 when it was given a AA - (minus) rating, which is a tad lower than the AA rating. The only higher S&P rating possible is a AAA, which differs only slightly from a AA rating.

At a recent council meeting, Stacie Kvilvang presented Sartell Mayor Joe Perske a plaque in honor of the excellent AA credit rating. Kvilvang is a financial advisor with Ehlers and Associates of Roseville, which negotiated on behalf of Sartell for the issuance of the refunding bonds.

Kvilvang said the AA rating is based on several indicators of financial health in Sartell, including strong budget flexibil-

ity, reserve funds at a healthy 40 percent, strong liquidity, superb financial management and an all-around good financial policy.

“It was really good news,” said Mary Degiovanni, Sartell administrator and financial director. “It will save us about $75,000 on this bond issue.”

The amount of money refinanced through the refunding bond is $6.135 million. That’s the amount left to pay on several water, sewer and streetrepair bonds issued as general-obligation bonds some years ago. The total amount of the principal of those bonds, together, was $10.905 million.

There were eight bidders for the city’s refunding-bond

5

issue, and Wells Fargo Bank of Charlotte, N.C. was the lowest bidder, which will charge just a tad over 1 percent in interest during the five-year payback period, Kvilvang noted.

Degiovanni said future savings to the city because of the AA bond rating will vary according to contingencies such as market conditions at any given time, but an excellent bond rating is always a big plus for a city’s financial outlook, she added.

The council thanked Kvilvang for the S&P plaque and authorized Ehler and Associates to proceed with the refunding-bond sale, which took effect Jan. 2.

what is one of the most influential, prestigious performing-arts facilities in the nation.

Jose and his wife, Patty Candella, have four children: Liam, Seth, Aiden and Harper. Patty is the executive producer of the “Sartell Says” debate series.

For more about Candella, see story in today’s paper.

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

6

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

Opinion Our View

Local newspapers are still best place for public notices There is currently a bill in the Minnesota Capitol that would allow local governments to publish their official public notices on their own government websites rather than in newspapers and on newspaper websites, as state law has long required.

The purpose of printed public notices is to publicize information about government actions in places where the public is most likely to see that information, allowing citizens to make well-informed decisions and be active participants in a democratic society. Governments, by law, must provide that information so it’s transparent and easily accessible.

The proposed public-notices bill is known as SF 1152.

It’s a bad bill for the following good reasons: • One of the first things the fledgling American government did in 1789 was to order the publication of every bill, order, resolution and congressional vote in at least three public newspapers. There was a healthy distrust of the newly formed government they were in the process of forming, and they did not want to leave notices of governmental actions to be left up to the government alone. The founders of our government knew all too well what happens when there is not public transparency; shady dealing and corruption can quickly set in. There is no guarantee governments will publish notices in a timely manner and nothing to prevent those notices from being incomplete or even changed. By having newspapers publish notices, there is a healthy “watch-dog” function in place. Very strict standards are in place for newspaper publication of notices.

• Governments are already allowed to place public notices on their websites, and newspapers, by the way, have encouraged them to do so in addition to publishing them in papers. Few governmental entities have done so. Newspapers publish notices on their websites at no additional cost.

• The supporters of SF 1152 claim it will save government costs. That has never been established. Newspapers currently charge for public notices at rates below standard news advertising. The cost of newspaper public notices is a tiny fraction of every governmental budget. The cost of designing and maintaining websites in proper working order would likely be far more expensive on an ongoing basis than paying to have them printed in newspapers.

• People far and wide have become accustomed to viewing public notices in a place they won’t have trouble finding them – in their local newspapers and on newspapers’ websites. It has, in fact, become an American tradition and one of the wellsprings of democracy.

• Another big plus for newspaper publication of public notices is they then become part of history, stored as newspaper archives for all to see well into the future. There is no guarantee and no requirement for governments to archive such notices for future generations.

• Almost 30 percent of Minnesotans have no easy access to the Web. Many low-income and senior citizens don’t have computers and don’t know how to use them.

They depend on newspapers to get their information. In Minnesota, there are 342 newspapers read by 2,354,034 households, according to the last U.S. Census. Contrary to popular belief, newspaper circulation and readership has increased and visits to newspaper websites have skyrocketed.

• Democracy, in order to thrive, requires absolute transparency and accountability. Public notices printed in newspapers, not in government offices, is a very important way to be transparent and accountable so readers can be informed reliably.

We hope the people of this great state contact their legislators and tell them to vote “NO” to SF 1152. The bill is expected to come before the Senate State and Local Government Committee Feb. 26, which is “Local Government Day” at the State Capitol. That committee, along with all state senators and representatives, should deep-six that bad bill.

Names and addresses for local government officials voting on this bill: Sen. Michelle Fischbach, 15 State Office Building, Room 15, St. Paul MN 55155. 651-296-2084. sen. michelle.fischbach@senate.mn AND Rep. Tim O’Driscoll, 357 State Office Building, St. Paul MN 55155. 651-296-7808. rep.tim.odriscoll@house. mn.

Preservationists are civilization’s true heroes Precious cultural heritages are constantly under the threat of eradication from intolerant religious radicals.

Case in point: Two years ago radical Islamist invaders occupied the city of Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa for 10 months. While in control there, they conducted a sickening assault on that city’s monuments, shrines, religious sites and manuscripts. They were out to destroy anything that did not fit into their narrow and twisted interpretations of Islamic teachings.

In January, Mali troops assisted by French soldiers retook the city. Before fleeing north, the rebels set fire to the Ahmed Baba Institute, which housed many thousands of historically important manuscripts, dating as far back as the 13th Century.

Fortunately, thanks to the dedicated but dangerous work of so many people, the manuscripts had been smuggled out of the Institute and other places in Timbuktu and squirreled away for hiding in various faraway places. The rebels succeeded in destroying only an estimated 2,000 manuscripts of the 300,000 that were saved. Many foot lockers stuffed with texts were smuggled out of the city, sometimes right under the noses of the nasty rebels.

Timbuktu is a very dry, hot place on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. Its aridity is a major factor in why those manuscripts lasted so long in good condition. The city was a major stop on ancient trade routes and a book exchange there flourished – thus the extraordinary collections of manuscripts on subjects that include religion, astronomy, medicine, commerce, diplomatic relations and Arabic linguistics.

In their hiding places, the manuscripts are in danger of deteriorating from mold because they are in humid areas, unlike the preservative aridity

Dennis Dalman Editor of their long-time home, Timbuktu.

Knowing time is of the essence, knowledge-loving people from throughout the world are coming to the rescue. Some of those heroes include the staff of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library right here at St. John’s University. Recently, the Rev. Columba Stewart, HMML executive director, returned with a team of workers to Bamako, Mali. There they have set up two digitizing studios to copy manuscripts.

They’re also doing training sessions for local librarians who will continue to digitize all the manuscripts smuggled out of Timbuktu earlier.

Enlightened people and organizations from many countries are paying for the rescue and preservation of that treasured cultural heritage.

The gratifying result is copies of all of those manuscripts will be preserved digitally forever, safe from the vagaries of the weather or fires or the wanton destruction by rebels determined to destroy what they don’t understand and do not want to understand. Those forces of ignorance and intolerance have been beaten back, at least for now. And the best outcome is there is no way those wreckers can destroy digitized copies all over the world, including at the St. John’s Hill library, which houses one of the most magnificent collections of manuscripts and copies of manuscripts in the world. The HMML is completely dedicated to preserving manuscripts, especially those in threatened places throughout the world, such as Timbuktu. The library

contains more than 140,000 medieval, renaissance and early-modern texts from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India. It’s an ongoing labor of love by scholars passionately dedicated to keeping alive the shining torch of culture, enlightenment and civilization.

Such courageous acts of preserving knowledge has made our civilization possible. During the so-called Dark Ages, for example, monks in monasteries throughout Europe laboriously, day and night, copied ancient manuscripts, often having to hide their work when knowledge-hating barbarians invaded to wreak havoc. Thanks to the labor of those copyist monks, ancient knowledge, most of which would have been forever lost, was later disseminated, including the works of the ancient Greeks, Romans and Arabic philosophers, all of whose ideas led to the Age of Enlightenment and made possible our modern world.

Later, the invention of the printing press was another great advancement, making multiple copies of books possible and thus making it more difficult for plunderers to destroy them.

That goes for works of art, too, as evidenced in the current movie, “The Monuments Men,” which is about efforts to save European art treasures (paintings and sculptures) from the destructive, plundering, thieving Nazis in World War II. In a very real sense, the history of the world has always been a struggle between good and evil, life and death, tolerance and intolerance, enlightenment and ignorance. Every time enlightenment wins out, as it did in Timbuktu, we should shout our praises to the skies and give our thanks to these intrepid, courageous preservationists who are the true heroes of civilization.

Letters to editor

Readers says Read will stand up to Washington bureaucrats Charles Pults, Collegeville St. John’s University Fearlessness. The timidity we have seen in Washington out of our leaders is disturbing to me and many other proud men and women of my generation. This is why I have decided to place my support behind Jim Read in his quest to replace Michele Bach-

mann. When the government was shutdown, Jim stepped up to the challenge. I watched him in class continually get frustrated and annoyed with the lack of courage in today’s congressional leaders.

His willingness to step up to the plate, and announce his plan to fight for the 6th district when he did in October is inspirational and should be respected by all. I

will stand behind Jim Read in the upcoming elections and believe he will be the one to finally stand up to the bureaucrats in Washington in order to get something done.

His fearlessness and experience as a constitutional scholar is what we need to fix the broken congressional system we have put up with for far too long.

Police chief gives kudos for new baby article Chief Joel Klein St. Joseph Police Department Thanks for a great article in this (past) issue (St. Joseph Newsleader, Feb. 7) about the birth of

Neely Erickson.

I don’t know that I was a mastermind in all of this, but the birth of this little girl absolutely made my day on that cold Friday.

Keep warm everyone!

To read the article in its entirety, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on 2014 02 07 in the bottom right-hand corner.

The Newsleaders P.O. Box 324 St. Joseph, MN 56374 Email: news@thenewsleaders.com Please include your full name for publication (and address and phone number for verification only).

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

Community Calendar

Friday, Feb. 14 Discovery Day, 8 a.m,, St. John’s Preparatory School, Collegeville Registration required. 320-363-3321.

Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St..

Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767.

Blood drive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. Cloud Hospital, 1406 Sixth Ave. N., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767.

Youth Valentine Celebration, 6:30-9:30 p.m., 5th-, 6th-, 7th-grade students, music, food, fun, prizes.

There is a fee; bring a toy for the local food shelf. Rockville Parish Center, Broadway Street, Rockville, 320-253-2917.

Sunday, Feb. 16 Sunday at the Abbey, 7 p.m. St. John’s Abbey Chapter House, Collegeville. Brother David-Paul Lange, OSB, “Praying in a Modernist Space: Thoughts on Marcel Breuer’s Design for the Abbey and University Church.”

Monday, Feb. 17 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Cloud State University, 720 4th Ave. S., St. Cloud, 1-800-733-2767.

Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767.

“A Place at the Table,” 6:308:30 p.m., Heritage Hall, Church of St. Joseph, St. Joseph. Join the Central Minnesota Catholic Worker to view this documentary that takes a look at hunger. centralmncw@gmail. com.

15th Annual Owl Hoot!, 6:30-8 p.m. lecture, 8-9 p.m. optional hike.

St. John’s Outdoor University members and students free, nonmembers $5. New Science Center, St. John’s University, Collegeville.

St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club meeting, 7 p.m., American Legion in St. Joseph.

Tuesday, Feb. 18 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St..

Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-

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Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., St. John’s University Great Hall, 2850 Abbey Plaza, Collegeville. 1-800733-2767.

Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., St. Cloud State University, 720 4th Ave. S., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767.

Feeling Fabulous with the Armadillos, 6:30-8:30 p.m, dance party at River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

320-656-7021.

Wednesday, Feb. 19 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., St. John’s University Great Hall, 2850 Abbey Plaza, Collegeville. 1-800733-2767 “Badass” vs. “Hot Mess,” noon1 p.m., Women on Wednesday series, Atwood Memorial Center Theatre, St. Cloud State University. jolsen@ stcloudstate.edu.

Car Seat Clinic, 3-6 p.m, certified technicians check the safety and fit of your car seat in your car.

Free service. Gold Cross Ambulance garage, 2800 7th St. N., St. Cloud.

320-656-7021.

Thursday, Feb. 20 Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, Sartell.

Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-733-2767.

“Clever Maids: Stories From the Brothers Grimm”, 7:30 p.m., performances Feb. 20-25, additional performances 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 320-363-5777 or www.csb-

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sju.edu/fine-arts.htm. College of St. Benedict, Benedicta Arts Center Colman Theater, St. Joseph.

CITY OF SARTELL PUBLIC HEARING CITY ZONING ORDINANCE

Friday, Feb. 21 Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St..

Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767.

St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 CR 2 N., St. Joseph.

“Clever Maids: Stories From the Brothers Grimm”, 7:30 p.m., 320-363-5777 or www.csbsju.edu/ fine-arts.htm. College of St. Benedict, Benedicta Arts Center Colman Theater, St. Joseph.

REPEALING & REPLACING, TITLE 10 CHAPTER 5, ARTICLE F. R-3 MULTIFAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT CHAPTER 5, ARTICLE G. R-4 TRANSITIONAL DISTRICT CHAPTER 10, PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS CHAPTER 12, LANDSCAPING CHAPTER 19 – COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN ZONE MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING AREA STANDARDS

Saturday, Feb. 22 Gardening Knowledge for Free, 8:15-11:45 a.m., workshops presented by Stearns County Master Gardeners. Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. Workshop is free, but advance registration is required. 320-255-6169 or online at http://z.umn.edu/2014gkffs.

“Clever Maids: Stories From the Brothers Grimm”, 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 320-363-5777 or www. csbsju.edu/fine-arts.htm. College of St. Benedict, Benedicta Arts Center Colman Theater, St. Joseph.

Sunday, Feb. 23 “Clever Maids: Stories From the Brothers Grimm”, 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 320-363-5777 or www. csbsju.edu/fine-arts.htm. College of St. Benedict, Benedicta Arts Center Colman Theater, St. Joseph.

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dinance. A copy of the proposed changes to the ordinance is available for review at the city clerk’s office.

All interested persons are invited to attend to voice their opinion.

Written comments will be accepted until the date of the hearing.

Mary Degiovanni City Administrator Publish: Feb. 14, 2014

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Daisy is an 8-year-old Black Lab mix who came to the shelter because her owner felt their home was too small for a dog her size. Daisy did great with the older children in her previous home, walks easily on a leash and loves to play in the snow. She’s gotten along well with some dogs and not as well with others, so if you have a resident dog, a meet-and-greet would be recommended. Daisy seems to be housetrained and has done very well keeping her kennel clean. She hasn’t been on too many car rides so she’s still a little unsure of them. Taking Daisy on short little trips to a fun destination might help lead to longer road trips.

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8

Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

Council amends Open Forum speakers’ policy

by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com

People who want to speak concerns to the Sartell City Council can now do so without having to register earlier in the day at city hall.

They can register right before stepping up to the microphone.

In addition, they will be allowed to discuss any of the topics that happen to be on that particular evening’s council agenda.

At its Jan. 27 meeting, the

Football from front page members, as they did at the last debate, will have a chance to vote as to which side won the debate.

An increasing number of lawsuits are being filed, claiming long-term brain trauma due to violent collisions that happen in the sport of football. Will schools be subject to lawsuits in the future by adults who claim football caused later brain problems?

That is another question that will be raised at the debate.

Candella chose the “football concussion” topic because it’s a subject she has thought long and hard about. When news surfaced about the relation between

city council unanimously agreed to amend its “Open Forum” policy.

Almost three years ago, the council decided to reserve some time before council business begins to allow anybody to address the council with concerns, questions or complaints. During that time, dubbed Open Forum, a person could talk for up to two minutes but could not discuss any agenda item because such items were scheduled for later in the evening and so it would

not be appropriate for council members to discuss those items before their time on the agenda schedule.

It was very rare, during the past two years, that anyone would avail themselves of the Open Forum, though occasionally someone would.

Last year, the policy caused a lot of confusion and misunderstandings by people who wanted to say something at Open Forum sessions. For example, some who wanted to speak were

not allowed to because they had not signed up earlier at city hall, which closes at 4:30 p.m.

Council meetings meet at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Some would-be speakers were also perplexed about not being able to discuss items on that evening’s agenda.

The new policy, the council agreed, should make it easier for people to speak freely. Signing up right before the meeting begins and being able to talk about agenda items should be a big

concussions and later brain problems, she began to worry about the concussion one of her sons suffered when he was a child.

She has also worried about other boys playing football in schools area wide.

But Candella is quick to add she does not want to create public hysteria by the debate.

Rather, she hopes all facts about the topic will surface objectively and rationally so those facts can be weighed through a process of rational discourse, without emotionalism or over-reactions.

A former radio reporter, Candella has always been in the thick of controversial news topics, and she is a strong believer in the power of public conversation and debate. Last year, she approached Sartell City Administrator Mary Degiovanni, wonder-

ing how to create more dialogue among Sartell residents – something more along the lines of a rational and civil conversation rather than the kind of rancorous debates so common among mudslinging politicians. She and Degiovanni decided holding public debates would be an ideal forum for examining important and interesting topics. Thus, “Sartell Says” began.

The first debate’s expenses were covered by contributions by area businesses and by the Sen. Eugene McCarthy Center, based at St. John’s University. Candella produced the first debate, did the marketing and lined up the panel of experts. She is doing the same for the upcoming debate.

Currently, she is seeking a funding source so the debates can continue. She is also considering

taking the debate forum “on the road” from city to city.

“I see it as a public service,” Candella said.

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Candella is the daughter of an American father and a Canadian mother.

She grew up mostly in Ontario, Canada, near Niagra Falls and played hockey in her Canadian high school at a time when girls playing hockey was unthinkable in the United States.

Candella began her broadcasting career in Buffalo at the Buffalo Bills’ flagship station, WGR Newsradio 55. She also worked in both television and radio in Rochester, N.Y. Later, in Phoenix, Ariz., Candella made the leap to public radio, covering politics, lifestyle issues and breaking-news stories, as well as anchoring the “Week-

help, council members decided.

However, when speakers bring up agenda topics of that night’s meeting, council members will not be able to address a speaker’s comments. Instead, the speaker will be told the concern, question or complaint will be referred to city staff who can then contact the speaker later.

In addition, the mayor will remind each speaker about that fact and that he or she has “about” two minutes to speak.

end Edition.” She placed many stories for both national and international broadcast and won a number of awards for excellence in reporting from the Associated Press.

While living in Washington, D.C., she ran TERP Information Radio for the University of Maryland. After moving to Sartell, she formed her own marketing and communications firm, “Patty Candella and Some Other Guy Associates.”

She and her husband, Brian Jose, have four children: Liam, Seth, Aiden and Harper. Brian is executive director of Fine Arts Programming for St. John’s University, who recently was honored as “Presenter of the Year” in New York.

See related story in today’s paper.