Scott County Admin Boss Gets High Grades
2016 Year in Review Continues Page 2
Page 12
BPHS Hoops Teams Compete at Holiday Tourneys
Page 11
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, january 4, 2017
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NUMBER 1
Rob Selly is Firefighter of the Year by Dan Ruud Like a number of other Belle Plaine firefighters who have been with the department for over a decade, one of Rob Selly’s most memorable calls was to the arson fire that destroyed one of Belle Plaine’s most historic downtown buildings in October of 2005. No lives were lost and firefighters, up all night, kept the blaze from spreading to neighboring buildings. Selly and all the other firefighters in the department who responded to the intense blaze were recognized as Belle Plaine’s firefighters of the year for 2005. It can be said that Selly, a 1988 graduate of Belle Plaine High School and 14-year-veteran of the BPFD, is now a two-time firefighter of the year after having recently been selected the department’s 2016 firefighter of the year. Although high on his list of most memorable calls, the downtown fire was not the first to come to Selly’s mind when asked which call stands out most to him. It was just a couple of buildings down at Brad’s Barber Shop several years ago when his father-in-law, Win Vatthauer, went into cardiac arrest while getting a haircut. “I performed CPR on him and at the time didn’t know it was him,” said Selly, adding that Win’s glasses were off and he “didn’t look like himself.” It wasn’t until Win was in the ambulance that Selly noticed Win’s car parked on the street, and asked then fire chief Randy Koepp if the man whose life was still in doubt was Win. Koepp confirmed it was. After driving Win’s car home, Selly told his wife, Shelly, that her dad had went into cardiac arrest and was en route to the hospital. It turned out that Win’s life was saved that day thanks to Selly and the other emergency personnel at Brad’s Barber Shop. Win, who still lives in Belle
Schrom Construction of Eagle Lake is constructing a half-dozen new homes on the 700 block of Church Street East near Kwik Trip.
Belle Plaine Continues to See Rise in New Housing Starts Belle Plaine Firefighter of the Year Rob Selly is pictured in Engine No. 24, a truck has driven to many emergency scenes through the years. Plaine with his wife, Barb, has award is given to a recipient no difficulty recalling the date who goes above and beyond the regular call of duty,” stated and year his life was saved. “It was Dec. 8, 2012,” said a Belle Plaine Fire Chief Matt thankful Win this past Monday Stier in announcing this year’s when asked about the call. “I firefighter of the year award rehaven’t had any (heart) prob- cipient. “This year’s firefighter lems since. The firemen and of the year is a man who is alambulance people were fantas- ways willing to lend a hand at anytime. Whether he is on the tic.” This week, Selly became a fire ground or off, this firefightfirst lieutenant, which makes er is always a welcomed face. him one of the highest-ranking He has served on the dance individuals in the department. committee and has also been He and Shelly have three grown very instrumental in the mainchildren – Aaron, Erica, Alec tenance and remodeling of the offices and meeting room. His and Patrick. percentage of calls attended Selly, a lifelong resident of was in the top of the department Belle Plaine, said he became over the last year. a firefighter “as a way to give back to the community.” He “He is a seasoned pump opworks as a smooth pavement erator and is extremely active supervisor for the Minnesota in training,” Stier continued. Department of Transportation “As a very active lieutenant, he in Arden Hills. His daily round- is a role model for our younger trip driving commute is 104 firefighters just starting in the miles. But Selly still manages department. This firefighter is to be available for over 60 per- respected in the department, Selly cent of the BPFD’s calls. “The firefighter of the year (continued on page 12)
Belle Plaine City Hall received and approved 37 new home building permits in 2016. That’s a significant increase over the 24 received in 2015, which was an increase of the 18 issued in 2014 and 12 in 2013. In 2012, six were issued and in 2011 the total was four. The record year for Belle Plaine was 2001 when nearly 200 new home permits were issued. New home building, especially single-family, then began a long and steady fall nationwide, which was blamed on too many homes left unsold from the peak years and an unstable economy. Loomis Homes of Carver topped this year’s list of per-
mits issued in Belle Plaine with 10. Schmidt Building and Development of Belle Plaine and Schrom Construction of Eagle Lake were next with six apiece, while Matthews Roofing and Remodelling of Belle Plaine and Capstone Homes of Ramsey were both issued four (see accompanying list).
Twin Cities Numbers Highest in a Decade
According to the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, continued growth in single-family construction in 2016 pushed the Twin Cities residential construction permit numbers to its highest level since 2006.
For the year, total permits were up 11 percent over 2015, while total units were up just 1 percent from 2015. Single-family permits ended the year with a 12 percent increase. Multifamily construction saw a boost in December, but ended the year down 9 percent compared to 2015. “Owning a home is still very much a part of the American Dream and the 2016 permit numbers show that it’s becoming a reality for more families,” said Meg Jaeger, the Builders Association of the Twin Cities
New Housing
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B.P. School Board, Staff Reviewing 2017-18 Calendar A school calendar free of halfdays and with classes for seventh-graders through seniors starting class Sept. 5 and students dismissed for the summer May 31, 2018 is under review by Belle Plaine Schools staff and school board. Superintendent Ryan Laager said the school district’s staff is reviewing the calendar. The school board will discuss the proposed calendar at its January business meeting. After six teacher workshop days (professional development) in August (23-25, 26-28), the 2017-18 school year is expected to open Sept. 5, 2017 for seventh- through 12th-graders. Elementary-schoolers in kindergarten through sixth grades will have two days of conferences Sept. 5-6. “Delivering professional development before the start of the school year is beneficial, and the majority of our teachers agree, as it allows for a focused allotment of time to concentrate on instructional practice enhancements and initiatives put forward by the administration,” said Director Dan Giesen. “When professional development occurs during the school year, teachers are asked to take a break from their teaching to attend workshops. After these quick breaks in their teaching workflow, they are then asked
to incorporate these enhancements or new initiatives into their teaching practice. I do not feel these short breaks allow for adequate time to adjust, or to allow teachers to adequately apply the new skills or initiatives.” Superintendent Ryan Laager said the time for professional development makes better use of time. “I think this has been more purposeful in being able to provide professional development and created fewer disruptions during the school year,” he said. Giesen would prefer the district be allowed the flexibility to start school before Labor Day. “The most important reason to start prior to Labor Day is to provide additional instructional time for teachers and students before state and standardized testing takes place,” he said. The conferences were strongly popular with parents, according to surveys. The hours will be noon to 8 p.m., Sept. 5, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 6. The conferences are designed to prepare the students for the return to school and assess their readiness after three months off. School will quickly settle into a five-day-a-week routine for the first five weeks of the 20172018 school year. The first break from the routine is the
Education Minnesota teacher’s convention Oct. 19-20 when students have two days off. Board Member Diane Skelley noted the absence of a break for students and staff. “We have to have close to the most five-day weeks of any school district in the state. I have heard no complaints from staff and it is beneficial that we will be out earlier at the end of this year with the current calendar,” Laager said. The proposed calendar calls for two days off for Thanksgiving, Nov. 22-24, and Christmas break running from Dec. 25 through Jan. 1. Days off are also slated for Jan. 22, 2018 and Feb. 19. Spring break will run the week of Easter with no school March 26, 2018 through March 30. The proposed calendar will have no scheduled days off in April and only Memorial Day (May 28). The final day of the 2017-18 school year is proposed to be Friday, June 1 with the traditional Sunday graduation ceremony June 3. The proposed calendar calls for 172 student-contact days, 184 teacher duty days.
B.P.’s New Commissioner Takes Oath of Office Belle Plaine’s new county commissioner, Barbara Weckman Brekke (center) of Jackson Township, took the oath of office as a Scott County commissioner from Senior Judge Philip Kanning Tuesday morning (Jan. 3) during the board’s annual organizational meeting. Her husband, Jon (right), held the family Bible. Weckman Brekke defeated longtime Commissioner Joe Wagner of Sand Creek Township to represent Belle Plaine and area Scott County townships. She was joined in taking the oath by commissioners David Beer of Prior Lake and Tom Wolf of Credit River Township.
Commissioner Mike Beard of Shakopee was unanimously named the Scott County Board’s chairman for 2017 and Wolf the vice chairman. The Scott County Board includes (from left) commissioners Weckman Brekke, Wolf, Beard, Beer and Jon Ulrich of Savage.