AMERY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 VOL. 123 NO. 27 www.theameryfreepress.com $1.00
2020 budget approved for Amery BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM
As an opening to the 2020 budget book, Patty Bjorklund, Interim City Administrator and City Clerk-Treasurer of the City of Amery said, “The submission of the annual budget to the Council is the City Administrator's responsibility. Preparation of the Proposed Budget would not be possible without the cooperation of staff, especially Management Analyst- Deputy/Clerk, Benjamin Jansen; Human Resource/Court Clerk, Deb Trandum; Executive Assistant/Utilities Clerk, Linda Kuhn; and Department Managers, as well as the City Council and standing committees. Gratitude is expressed to Amery City Mayor, Paul Isakson and to the Finance/ Personnel Committee chaired by Tim Strohbusch.” “The Amery City Council is the policy-making body for the City of Amery. One of the most important policies that the Board establishes is the annual budget. It is the duty of Administration to carry out the policies established by the Council and to carry out the mission of SEE BUDGET, PAGE 2A
Little tree, big message BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM
One little red tree sits individually lit up in a yard overlooking North Twin Lake. Neighbors and winter sports enthusiasts on the lake probably figure the shiney red décor must be paying homage to the local
Warrior sports teams or perhaps to celebrate the color of Amery’s Community Club. Both answers would be wrong. “The lights were on clearance,” said Al Schock. Schock and his wife Lou Ann, have been decorating what is widely known in town as “The Little Red Tree” for over 30 years. The
Schocks explained it was originally put up after they saw the display at Flag Pole Park. Al figured he could do something along the same lines. They said it also celebrated the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It has continued to do so for many SEE TREE, PAGE 2A
SUBMITTED
Al and Lou Ann Schock display a simple but meaningful tree on North Twin Lake in Amery.
APRIL ZIEMER | AMERY FREE PRESS
The Grinch and his Willow Ridge girls Employees from Willow Ridge get into the Holiday spirit at the Light Up Parade. L-R: Bridget Elmer Dietary Manager, Billie Jo Schleusner CNA Scheduler, Allie Schleusner Activities Director, Joseph Gates Administrator, Angela Nevins Nurse Practitioner and Kathy Distel MDS Nurse. See more parade photos on pages 14-15.
Amery musician plays his horn for the holidays BY APRIL ZIEMER EDITOR@THEAMERYFREEPRESS.COM
Bill Baldwin led Amery students through decades to of tunes as a band director. In retirement, he still participates in various bands throughout the year. Each year, on the second Sunday
of December, Baldwin hauls out his horn to provide the sounds of the season as a participant of Tuba Christmas. 2019 is the 46th anniversary for Tuba Christmas. Baldwin said, “Tuba Christmas was started in 1974 by Harvey Phillips, a nationally known tuba player. He wanted to play Christmas
Dr. Heather Marks Dr. Rollyn Lee
music with tubas and so he went to Rockefeller Center to see if they would give him some room on the ice to play. They said, ‘no’ so he went and got a recommendation from Leonard Bernstein and suddenly the answer was yes. It has grown to the point that there is currently about 300 different events across the
world.” According to their website, www. tubachristmas.com, Phillips developed Tuba Christmas to honor his teacher, the late tubist William J. Bell. “The first Tuba Christmas was conducted SEE TUBA, PAGE 2A
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