Gray Tigers Edged in State Title Game
High School Fall Sports Season Here
Many Crops Could Do Without More Rain for Time Being
Pages 7-10 and 17
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Page 17
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, AUGUST 31, 2016
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 36
New City Administrator Sees Belle Plaine as ‘Opportunity You Don’t See Everyday’
The Belle Plaine School District is welcoming 16 teaching and administrative staff to new jobs this week. The 2016-17 school year opens next Tuesday and Thursday (Sept. 6 and 8). The new staff includes (back row, from left) John Bergs, Michael Reynolds, Kelli Quast, Tricia Wagner, Sara Beyer,
Aaron Provancha, Kim Olson and Kevin Robinson, (front row, from left) Mary Mesler, Elizabeth Stokke, Stephanie Baima, Ashley Germschied, Katie Maier, Ally Beggs, Paige Lemke and Chelsea Hutchison.
Numbers Looking Good as Students Return to B.P. Schools
School District Focusing on Improvement Through Math, Literacy
A year ago, the Belle Plaine School District opened its doors to just over 1,600 students when students returned to school just after Labor Day (Sept. 5). Next week, school officials are hope-
ful that trend continues. Monday, Superintendent Ryan Laager said the district is hoping for as many as 1,620 students in its buildings when school resumes Tuesday (Sept. 6) for junior- and senior highschoolers, Thursday (Aug. 8) for elementary students. Enrollment tends to drop a bit by Oct. 1, Laager said. The Minnesota Department of Education waits until Oct. 1 to formally take a count on which to base state aid. Laager ex-
pects the formal number will be closer to 1,600. “You lose kids for a variety of reasons. Some might go to PSEO (post-secondary enrollment option), some might go somewhere else,” he said. “You can only predict enrollment so much.” Elementary students and their parents will participate in conferences with teachers Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 6-7). The school district began holding the conferences a few years
ago to help teachers determine where students are academically at coming off the summer break. Laager said the district will survey parents to determine if they want to maintain the before-school conferences or start school on the same schedule as the junior-senior high school. The superintendent noted a particularly healthy enrollment for the kindergarten/begindergarten class. The class, which includes begindergarten students who are academically but perhaps not socially or behav-
B.P. Schools
(continued on page 16)
by Dan Ruud A former U.S. Army officer of more than a dozen years and current Tracy city administrator has been hired to be Belle Plaine’s next city administrator. Mike Votca, who has been the city administrator at Tracy since the summer of 2013, emerged from a pool of 20 candidates to become the top choice. Votca, 39, was interviewed several times by the Belle Plaine Personnel Committee during the city’s lengthy search for the right person, a process that began in the spring. The other finalist for the job was Liza Donabauer, who has been the city administrator at Arlington since 2013. “The search for a new city administrator was competitive and there were several well qualified candidates,” said Belle Plaine Mayor Mike Pingalore. “Through the process, Mike Votca was chosen based on his education and varied experience. The council is looking forward to continued progress and growth with him as the city administrator.” The reason Votca was interested in the Belle Plaine job is that it represents “an excellent pro-
Mike Votca fessional opportunity in a growing community that is close to his hometown of Mankato.” Tracy is a city in Lyon County in southwestern Minnesota. Its population was 2,152 in the 2010 census. While in Tracy, Votca was responsible for a $1.9 million general fund and $6.3 million total budget. He managed 35 full-time employees,
City Administrator (continued on page 16)
Mid-America Festivals Buys Land for Possible Renaissance Fest. Site
Mid-America Festival has begun purchasing land for a potential new location for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in St. Lawrence Township northeast of Belle Plaine. Mid-America Festivals, operators of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, has acquired approximately 150 acres along County Road 59 (Delaware Avenue) north of Highway 169 near the county fairgrounds from the John Marks family. The company still wants to purchase an additional 150 acres to accommodate a new festival site and ample parking space, said Robert “Bo” Beller, director of business and legal affairs
for Mid-America Festivals. Planning for the day when it loses the site the Minnesota Renaissance has called home for 46 seasons, Mid-America Festivals is working with other landowners who might be interested in selling land, Beller said. The land, a blend of trees and farmland, is suitable for the festival. Mid-America Festivals wants to maintain the Renaissance Festival in Scott County, he said. It also enjoys the rightoff access to County Road 59 festival-goers enjoy as they drive south on Highway 169, he said. Mid-America Festivals is currently operating the festival on
land in Louisville Township seven miles southwest of Shakopee. Malkerson Sales owns the land. The Malkersons have plans to mine the property, plans that pushed Mid-America Festivals to look for a new home. Mid-America Festivals announced earlier this summer they would be staying at the current site through the 2019 season. The company wants to open a new festival site in 2020. If Mid-America Festivals is unable to acquire enough land, Beller said it would keep the land as potential investment property.
The German family of Belle Plaine -- Keriann, Chris and their son, Brady -- are hosting a benefit walk and silent auction Saturday, Sept. 17. The family and Emma’s Hope Foundation are holding the event to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Keriann and Chris’s daughter, Emma, was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma in August of 2010. She was 3 years old when diagnosed. Emma passed away in September of 2014.
‘Emma’s Hope’ Hosting Benefit for Cancer Research B.P. Couple Started Foundation to Help Other Families
The Emma’s Hope Foundation is hosting an inaugural benefit to raise funds for research through the Children’s Cancer
Research Fund toward a cure for various forms of cancer. It will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, beginning at 9 a.m. The event features a walk through the community and silent auction. The walk begins at 9 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., a guest speaker will present information on cancer and the importance of research. The first 200 walkers to register will receive a free T-shirt. Suggested donations are $25
per adult, $50 per family and $10 per student. The idea for the walk is the brainchild of Keriann and Chris German. Their daughter, Emma, was diagnosed with stage IV high-risk neuroblasto-
Emma’s Hope
(continued on page 3)
Celebrating Their Heritage A trio of dancers performed a traditional Irish dance Sunday afternoon (Aug. 28) during the annual Irish festival at St. Thomas Church in Jessenland Township. Additional photos are on page 2.