BPHS Dancers Capture MRC Championship
BPHS Choir Students to Perform in Dixie Page 14
Basketball Teams Experience Busy Week
Pages 12-13
Page 12 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, JANUARY 28, 2015
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 5
Scott County Adds CR 60 Funding to Improvement Plan Board Chairman Wants Meeting With B.P. on Overpass Funding
Belle Plaine High School’s 2015 one-act play cast and crew includes, back row, from left, Max Hughes, Anthony Lovejoy, Felicity Mecredy, Megan Littlepage, Nicholas Covington, Derek May and Jennifer He. In the second row are Kate Schmit, Dylan O’Brien, Matthew Ludvik, Jonah Meyer, Patrick Selly, Patrick Schaefer, Rylee Pumper, Ben Wagner and Kali Gorman. In the front row (seated) are Stephen LaJeunesse, Nick Johnson, Hannah Burmeister and Alec Lorenz.
BPHS One-Act Play Group Going Cuckoo
Public Performance This Thursday
are in their ninth year as co-directors of the school’s one-act play program. This year’s cast and crew are: Matthew Ludvik (Chief Bromden), Anthony Lovejoy (Dale Harding), Alec Lorenz (Billy Bibbit), Stephen LaJeunesse (Scanlon), Dylan O’Brien (Cheswick), Jonah Meyer (Martini), Nick Johnson (McMurphy), Patrick Schaefer (Aide Warren), Ben Wagner (Aide Williams), Max Hughes (Dr. Spivey), Hannah Burmeister (Nurse
Ratched), Kate Schmit (Nurse Flinn), Rylee Pumper (Candy Starr), Kali Gorman (Sandy), Patrick Selly (Ruckley), Felicity Mecredy (understudy/stage manager), Nicholas Covington (lights), Jennifer He (sound), Megan Littlepage (crew) and Derek May (lights and sound).
Sidewalk Still Debatable for 2015 Street Improvement Project
by Dan Ruud Belle Plaine Police Chief Tom Stolee wanted no part of the spotlight at last Tuesday night’s city council meeting. But Mayor Mike Pingalore, city staff and members of the police department pointed it at him anyway. Pingalore said a recent honor bestowed upon Stolee was too big to let it go unceremoniously – that being the Law Enforcement Officer Meritorious Service Award. It was presented to Stolee at the Minnesota South Central Investigators Coalition (MSCIC) conference in Mankato. The MSCIS consists of 42 local, state and federal agencies. Several hundred regional law enforcement personnel were present to see Stolee receive the award. That presentation eventually spilled over to Belle Plaine City Hall. “This is probably the safest place to be in Belle Plaine tonight,” joked Pingalore, referring to the many Belle Plaine Police Department officers in attendance at last Tuesday’s city council meeting. They were there to show their respect to their boss. Stolee’s family was also present. Pingalore read a nomination letter written by police officer Terry Stier to the MSCIC. “I am nominating Chief Stolee for the Law Enforcement Meritorious Service Award for his ‘above and beyond the call
The Belle Plaine High School one-act play group will perform “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” as it’s 2015 production. Upon admittance to a mental institution, a brash rebel played by Nick Johnson, rallies the patients to take on the oppressive head nurse played by Hannah Burmeister. In the movie, which won best picture at the 1976 Academy Awards, Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher
Century Court Drainage Issue Also Addressed by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council last Tuesday night batted around the proposed 2015 street improvement project some more, the key element still in doubt being the need or lack thereof of a sidewalk being part of the project. Following a public hearing on Jan. 5, the council unanimously approved the preparation of the final plans for the nearly $1.3 million project, which consists of street reconstruction and utility improvements on Forest Street West between Grove Street and the railroad right-of-way, and Elk Street between Court and Forest streets (one block). Also included in the project cost is a sidewalk proposed on one side of Forest Street. Removing the sidewalk from the project would reduce the cost of the project by approximately $42,000. The only two affected property owners that spoke at the public hearing on Jan. 5 were Lee Stuewe and Stuart Haefner. Both said the project seems to be overly expensive and would like to see the cost lowered. Haefner also questioned the
played those roles. The play version was written by the late Dale Wasserman. Last year, Belle Plaine won the section championship and made its 12th appearance at the Minnesota State One-Act Play Festival in St. Paul and earned its 11th starred rating in program history with its production of “The Drowsy Professor.” The school earned previous starred ratings at state in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Tony Hartmann and Peter Jacobson
need for the proposed sidewalk. He added that many of the driveways and parking pads in the mobile home park are quite short and a sidewalk would make the parking situation all the more difficult. There was also some discussion as to whether the street needs to remain 40 feet wide in what is not one of town’s busiest traffic areas. Staff reported last Tuesday that these issues were further addressed at a public works committee meeting, concluding that the street width should remain at the city’s standard of 40 feet as to not cause issues for future street projects. The committee also discussed the merits of the sidewalk and did not feel it would be necessary to include in the project, but if it is built, it should be on the south side of Forest Street street between the parking pads and the homes within the city’s right-of-way. Council Member Cary Coop suggested an eventual additional sidewalk/trail extension near Trinity Lutheran Church/ School and replacement of the sidewalk on the 200 block of South Meridian Street. Coop said these sidewalk additions would not have to take place all at once, but rather be phased in over a period of years. As for the sidewalk proposed for this year’s project, the
council agreed to let the public works committee discuss the issue further and bring back a recommendation. In other business last Tuesday night, the council unanimously authorized the city engineering firm of Bolton and Menk to proceed with engineering plans at a cost not to exceed $5,400 to eliminate or reduce the overland water drainage issue on Century Court. The estimated cost of the project it $25,000 to $30,000. In September of 2011, the city authorized storm water drainage improvements in that area, including Sunrise Lane, Meadow Place and Century Court, but problems still persist at Century Court. This past fall, the city sent a letter to affected property owners outlining plans to correct the drainage issues. Not all property owners were happy with what they read, including Corey Hansen, who wrote back. “I am extremely disappointed with the decision and proposed solution that you and the public works committee have come up with after finding out about my daughter’s bike accident caused by the water and algae growth on Century Court.”
Sidewalk
(continued on page 8)
BPHS One-Act Play (continued on page 14)
With more projects than funding immediately available and an opportunity to attract commercial-industrial development, Scott County commissioners knew a road project had to be rescheduled if County Road 60 in Blakeley Township is to be rebuilt on a new alignment. Last Tuesday (Jan. 20), the county board formally approved the amendment to its Transportation Investment Plan (TIP) that includes some funding for the previously-unscheduled reconstruction of County Road 60 (Blakeley Trail) and a preliminary estimate of $7 million for improvements to an existing interchange at the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and County Road 2 just east of Elko New Market. Commissioners discussed the two projects during a workshop two weeks ago. The amended plan will include approximately spending $852,000 of Scott County money currently in reserves plus about $1.8 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the realignment and reconstruction of up to a half a mile of County Road 60. The roadway, which ran along the top of a ravine, washed away after a storm June 19 dumped about seven inches of rain on already-saturated soils.
The new alignment would be slightly to the north and well below the existing roadbed. The county considered a culde-sac when the ravine washed away, but opted for the redesign at the insistence of Blakeley Township residents. To build the redesigned roadway, Scott County is seeking approximately $1.8 million of funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Lezlie Vermillion, the deputy county administrator, said County Road 60 provides a link between Highway 169 and the County Road 1 bridge from Scott County to Sibley County. The alignment will also provide solutions for a storm water management pond and correcting the flow of a creek that currently runs behind homes. Commissioner Barbara Marschall of Prior Lake opposes the amendment to the TIP. She indicated the $852,000 from county road and bridge reserves is not money well spent on a road that carries about 300 vehicles a day when there are three other county roads in and out of Blakeley. The $2.6 million realignment and reconstruction of County Road 60 will be planned in 2015 and constructed in 2016, Vermillion said. Commissioner Jon Ulrich of Savage, the Scott County Board’s chairman, called for a workshop discussion of all TIP projects, especially the
Scott County
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Tom Stolee Recognized for ‘Going Above and Beyond Call of Duty’
Belle Plaine Mayor Mike Pingalore, right, and the city council recognized Police Chief Tom Stolee for receiving the Law Enforcement Officer Meritorious Service Award. of duty’ approach to the Belle Plaine Police Department. I am nominating Chief Stolee because he had a vision, shared that vision with his officers and sold each and every officer on his beliefs. Chief Stolee’s vision was simply this: ‘Treat people like people.’ “This message spread quickly and citizens began to start working with us as in previous years they simply tolerated us,” Stier’s letter continued. “Chief Stolee’s statement of ‘it’s all for the greater good of the department’ could be heard after 60-70 hour weeks. Chief Stolee purchased body cameras for every officer along with new Toughbooks for every squad.
He is big on technology and likes to have the best of the best.” Stier’s letter went on to explain that Stolee also “moves aside his chief duties” to go on calls or assist investigations, from responding to lockouts to assisting in a homicide investigation in 2014. “He strategically moved pieces of the investigation to ensure its efficiency, and in the end, an arrest was made without incident. He spent countless hours on the phone with family members to
Tom Stolee
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