Scott West Dominant at Osseo
B.P. Police, Girl Scouts Holding Local Toy Drive
Belle Plaine Man Contributes to Upswing in Deer Hunt Numbers Page 12
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Page 13 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, DECEMBER 2, 2015
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 49
City Council to Hold 2016 Budget and Property Tax Hearing Dec. 7
Rainbow Discovery Center owner Renee Schultz is looking forward to relocating to the spacious former Otto Drug Store building, which this week is undergoing flooring and other improvements. She is leasing the site from Dale and Lori Otto, who had the building constructed in 1994.
The Belle Plaine City Council will hold its annual budget and property tax levy public hearing 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7 at the Belle Plaine Government Center, 218 North Meridian Street downtown. The annual hearing is an opportunity for citizens to comment on the city’s planned property tax levy and budget for the coming year. On Nov. 2, the council voted 3-2 to approve a final property tax levy for 2016 that represented a 7.2 percent increase over this year’s levy. The 2016 levy was for $5,051,291 compared to $4,712,754 this year.
But two weeks later (Nov. 16), the council voted 3-2 to amend the levy and budget, a move that decreased the levy by more than one-half – from 7.2 percent to 3.4 percent. Council members Paul Chard and Gary Trost, both of whom felt the cost-of-living and other factors contributing to the levy hike were too high, accounted for the only no votes on Nov. 2 and again on Nov. 16. City Administrator Holly Kreft said that although the 2016 budget and levy has been approved by the council, it’s possible that it could be amended again next Monday if the majority of the
council sees fit. According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, the 2016 preliminary property tax levies for all Minnesota cities will total approximately $2.142 billion compared with $2.036 billion in 2015, a 5.2 percent increase. Next Monday’s public hearing is only for people who want to comment on the city’s 2016 property tax levy and budget. Any comments or questions regarding property and home valuations will be addressed at the county/city’s annual board of equalization meeting in the spring.
Rainbow to Broaden Its Horizons Moving to Spacious Former Otto Drug Building
Kids at Rainbow Discovery Day Care Center in Belle Plaine will soon have almost three times the space for organized activities and play, etc. Later this week or no later
than next Monday, Rainbow Discovery Center will relocate from 613 East Main Street to adjoining 617 East Main Street, the latter of which formerly housed Otto Drug Store, which closed earlier this year. Renee Schultz, who owns Rainbow Discovery Center, said the move will increase her business’ space from approximately 2,800 to 6,700 square
feet. As for the existing facility, Angie Gorman plans to operate Angie’s Infant and Toddler Day Care. Rainbow Discovery Center opened in downtown Belle Plaine in 1985, and in 1989 Schultz bought out co-founder
Rainbow
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Interested in buying a golf course, a restaurant or land for housing? Now’s your chance. Bids on Valley View Golf Course are due Jan. 12.
Bids For Valley View Golf Course, Restaurant Due Jan. 12 Suitors for B.P. Golf Course Have Options of Land, Buildings
Carol Leinonen enjoyed top-10 finishes aboard “Smart Little Timmy” and “Lectric Olena” in the sorting and penning competitions at the American Quarter Horse Association World Show last month in Oklahoma, City, Okla. Her husband, Linden Hermel, is a veteran of penning competitions at the world show, but he did not compete this year because his teammate did not make the trip to Oklahoma City.
Area Rider Enjoys Two Top-10 Showings at ‘World’ Event Months of practice and patience paid off for a Belle Plaine area rider when she enjoyed success at the American Quarter Horse Association World Show last month in Oklahoma, City, Okla. Carol Leinonen enjoyed top10 finishes in team sorting and
team penning competitions. Riding “Smart Little Timmy,” a 13-year-old quarter horse stallion, Leinonen and teammate Rose Colby of Milnor, N.D. finished eighth in 53-team Level III Amateur sorting competition. Leinonen finished second in
B.P. Historical Society Open House This Thursday Evening Plenty of photo opportunities await you at this year’s Belle Plaine Historical Society Open House at the Hooper-BowlerHillstrom House adjacent to Court Square Park. The event will take place on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. According to organizer Rick Krant, Santa will bring along some reindeer and a sleigh outside the house, where there will also be horse and wagon rides, Christmas carolers, refreshments, door prizes and more.
Tours of the lower level of the historic house will be available along with musical entertainment, including by Wade and Mary Lou Fradenburgh. Santa Claus will be welcoming young visitors. In recognition of the 40th anniversary of the Belle Plaine Historical Society, one of the founding board members and first president, Ed Townsend, will flip the switch to light the community Christmas tree. That will take place at approximately 7:15 p.m.
the finals of the Level II Open Sorting aboard “Lectric Olena,” a 13-year-old quarter horse mare. It’s the first time Leinonen and her teammate Diane Andersen from Jamestown, N.D. have finished among the top four in team sorting. Riding “Smart Little Timmy,” she has placed among the top 10 teams in penning several times.
Team Competition
By next spring, Valley View Golf Course just south of Belle Plaine could have a new owner. The idle golf course’s primary owner is accepting bids on the land and buildings. Sealed bids are due Jan. 12, 2016. LeRoy and Connie Chard, the majority owners of the golf course are retaining the right to reject any bid. The bids could lead to discussions that could result in a sale, said Randy Kubes, owner of Kubes Realty, the real estate company handling the sale. There is no minimum requirement for a successful offer and bidders have three options to consider, Kubes said. They are: n The clubhouse/restaurant and three or four acres for $899,000; n The shop and pole shed, a dozen acres and one building eligibility for $299,900; n The 149.03 acres, the clubhouse/restaurant, shop and pole
Sorting is a timed team com- Santa House to petition where riders have to remove 10 calves from a group be Open Friday of 12 in numerical order. Two Evening of the calves are not numbered. One rider must ride into an area Santa’s House, which is locatfilled with calves and find the ed at the intersection of Main calf in numerical order while and Meridian streets downthe other rider prevents calves town, will be open for visits with Santa this Friday from Area Rider 5:30-7:30 p.m., and the following Friday at the same time. (continued on page 7) Arrangements are being made for additional Santa House openings this holiday season, dates and times for which will be posted at Santa’s House.
shed for $2.5 million. Chard is selling land alone for $15,000 per acre, depending on the amount of acres purchased. Someone buying a larger block of land will likely pay less than $15,000 per acre, Kubes said. Scott County valued the 149.03 acres and the 4,500-square-foot building for taxation purposes at $1.93 million. The county’s valuation of the property has not changed in three years. Chard has heard there is interest in the golf course but has not received an offer to purchase it, Kubes said. By accepting sealed bids, any potential buyer has an equal opportunity to purchase some or all of the property, he said. “He wants to hear from anyone who can come to the table with a real offer,” Kubes said.
Not Ready to Bid
Lee Sauter, a spokesperson for a group of investors interested in acquiring a golf course, said the group does not expect to submit a bid for Valley View Golf Course. The group is still developing its business plan, Sauter said. “We have more work to do before we can even think about bidding. We are still working on our concept design at the moment and until we finish that we are not looking at any golf course,” Sauter said. The offer to submit bids is not intended to spawn a new housing development and is not expected to trigger a request for
Valley View
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Holiday Express Saturday Belle Plaine’s 12th annual Holiday Express will take place Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon at Belle Plaine High School. Santa will be available for visits and there will be holiday craft activities. You can also enjoy a continental breakfast. The event is sponsored by Belle Plaine Festivals and Events, Parent Teacher Organization and Early Childhood Family Education.
Santa’s Store will be open for young shoppers to do their holiday shopping. The cost of items generally range from $1 to $5. Toy donations and gifts for mothers will be collected for Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women. Volunteers are sought to help set up and clean up, and/or to work during the event. To get involved, contact Sheri Prokosch at 952-873-2415, ext. 1, or by e-mail sprokosch@belleplaine.k12.mn.us.
Home Decorating Contest You can sign up now to enter the Belle Plaine Rotary Club’s annual Holiday Home Lighting Contest. Judging will take place Dec. 18-19 and winners will be announced in the Herald on Dec. 23, including photographs of
the top decorated homes. Prizes will also be awarded, for which the Rotary is seeking contributions from local business and organizations. To have your home placed on the list for judging, contact Diane Skelley at 952-873-2467.