Belle plaine herald january 6, 2016

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Scott West Wrestlers Capture Rumble on the Red

BPHS Hoops Teams Back in Action

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2015 Year in Review Page 2

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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR

BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, JANUARY 6, 2016

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NUMBER 1

Skelley, Kahle: School Board Newcomers Ready to Get Started They stepped forward last summer when there weren’t enough candidates for open seats on the Belle Plaine School Board. Monday (Jan. 11, 6 p.m.) in the District Center, Diane Skelley, Terry Kahle and Tracy O’Brien will take the oath of office and their seats on the board. Skelley, Kahle and O’Brien will all begin four-year terms on the school board. O’Brien served last year after being appointed to fill a vacancy on the board. She filed for election. Skelley Skelley and Kahle ran as write-in candidates after the filing period closed last summer with two candidates for three seats. Kahle, who resides in BlakeKahle ley Township,

said it was the seat that nobody seemed to want that prompted him to announce he was running as a write-in candidate. Skelley, a Faxon Township resident, planned to file for the election, but missed the filing period during a busy summer. “I’m looking forward to getting started,” Kahle said. “I’ve always been interested in the school board.” Both newcomers have spent time with Superintendent Ryan Lager and other board members to learn about the intricacies of serving on the school board. They have attended Minnesota School Board Association trainings and studied past meeting minutes regarding topics the board has addressed. Kahle has already attended board meetings. Both Kahle and Skelley are aware they face a learning curve. They look forward to gaining insight from their fellow board members. Director Joe Vandermark said there are many aspects of ser-

vice the new board members will learn quickly. “There is a large learning curve for incoming board members. The many aspects of running meetings, understanding policy and formulas, and being involved in various committees where you will likely have to do some research on your own to get enough information to ask the right questions,” Vandermark said. He said school finance is very complicated, even for some veteran board members. “There are large budget issues, curriculum and instructional programs to comprehend, complex student achievement data, The city of Belle Plaine issued 24 permits for single-family homes in 2015, the most since and other facets that make up 2007. the workings of a school district,” Vandermark said. “These things can be difficult to grasp even with our training during workshops and conferences. Belle Plaine’s steady climb the Builders Association of the of Appeals decision invalidatThis is why having seasoned back up the new home building Twin Cities, there were 4,899 ing the expensive residential ladder continued in 2015 as 24 permits issued in the Twin Cit- sprinkler mandate stand, we are permits were issued by the city ies region for a total of 10,208 hopeful that more families will School Board to local and area home build- units, a slight reduction from be able to afford their dream (continued on page 12) ers. 2014. home in 2016.” That was an increase of six “While we had hoped to see a For 2015, Minneapolis again over the 18 issued in 2014 and much stronger year in 2015, we took the top spot with 1,470 double the 12 issued in 2013. continued to see new residen- permitted units (these include In 2012, six were issued and in tial construction lag behind the apartment and condo dwell2011 the total was four. existing housing market,” said ings). Edina was next with 604 The record year for Belle Chris Contreras, the Builders units, followed by Blaine with Plaine was 2001 when nearly Association of the Twin Cities 528, Plymouth 492 and Min200 new home permits were is- 2015 president. “With the ruling New Homes just released by the Minnesota sued. (continued on page 12) Loomis Homes of Carver Supreme Court to let the Court topped this year’s list of permits issued in Belle Plaine with six. Schmidt Building and Development of Belle Plaine was next with five, while Matthews Roofing and Renovations of Belle Plaine and Capstone Homes of Ramsey were both issued three. Gary Crosby Construction of Belle Plaine (two) chairperson. was the only other builder with The Belle Plaine Herald was more than one (see accompanynamed the county’s official ing list). qualified newspaper for 2016, Belle Plaine Building Official 2017 and 2018. The Herald will Scott McCarty said there’s no publish official board proceedreason that Belle Plaine’s slow Work has been progressing ahead of schedule on the overpass project through the fall and ings, publish the county’s finanbut sure resurgence in building now into January. cial statements, publish a list of Having dispensed with matters will continue in 2016. delinquent real estate taxpayers, of 2016’s tax levy and budget “Ridgeview Medical Center is and proceedings of the board of before the end of last year, the planning a medical clinic, fitequalization. The Jordan IndeScott County Board conducted ness and wellness center and a pendent will publish the second its reorganizational meeting senior housing facility near the run of the county’s financial yesterday (Jan. 5) morning. new overpass. I am hopeful that statement. The board unanimously seThe Belle Plaine City Council ges and Sons of Jordan, may project is Oct. 14, 2016. we will end 2016 with a simiheld its first regular meeting begin pile driving for the bridge In agenda items Monday lar number of housing starts as lected Commissioner Barbara The Herald was selected as Marschall of Prior Lake as the the official qualified newspaper of 2016 Monday night, during abutment early this month. He night, the council voted 3-2 to 2015,” McCarty said. board’s chairperson for 2016. after submitting the most favorwhich personnel, committee added that the guardrail around approve a resolution setting Metro Numbers Down Commissioner Michael Beard able of the five bids the county and professional appointments the center pier might also be the retiree monthly insurance According to data compiled of Shakopee was unanimously received. for the year were made (see ac- completed soon, which would benefit for 2016 for qualifying companying lists). allow the temporary concrete city retirees at $600 per month, by the Keystone Report for named the county board’s vice Also, Monday, Belle Plaine barriers to be removed from which is the same amount it has City Engineer Joe Duncan re- Highway 169. been since 2005. The city offers ported that the embankment “Other roadway and utility qualifying retirees a monthly work for the overpass/Enter- work that requires more typical health insurance premium. The prise Drive project is “virtually construction weather will obvi- employee must be employed complete” and the borrow site ously be on hold,” Duncan con- a minimum of 20 continuous has been secured. tinued. “At this time, the proj- years with the city of Belle Previously, no work was ect as a whole is approximately Plaine and be considered fully scheduled for the winter months one month ahead of schedule. eligible to receive retirement but due to a schedule change Indeed, that can change due to benefits under Social Security and the Public Employees Rewith another project, Duncan a multitude of factors.” said the contractor, S.M. Hent- The completion date for the tirement Association. Council members Paul Chard and Gary Trost accounted for the only no votes. *Unanimously reappointed Jacqueline Hillstrom as seasonal swimming pool manager. *Unanimously approved a large assembly permit for the Belle Plaine Hockey AssociaA chili cook-off fund-raiser Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for tion’s annual tournament. This to benefit the Wizardz Special students and $32 for families. year’s event is scheduled for Olympics team is set for Sat- Proceeds from the event will Saturday, Feb. 13 at the rinks urday, Jan. 16, at Oak Crest help reduce the cost of partici- across the street from the high Elementary School in Belle pation to athletes’ families. school. Plaine. The Wizardz is a Special Due to the Martin Luther King The competition will pit the Olympics team with 25 athletes Jr. holiday, the next regular top local and area cooks and from Belle Plaine, Jordan, Sha- meeting of the Belle Plaine City their recipes. Judges will be kopee, New Prague, Montgomlocal police officers and city ery, Henderson and Arlington Bridge Work council members from Belle areas. (continued on page 4) Four anglers were out on the Minnesota River just below the Highway 25 bridge trying their Plaine, Jordan and Arlington. For more information on the luck fishing Monday afternoon (Jan. 4). With open water 50 yards downstream and mild So far, 10 teams have signed cook-off or the Wizardz, call temperatures up until the past week, there is some concern about the safety of the ice. The up for the event. Space remains Dawn Halverson at (952) 873quartet was asked how thick was the ice. The reply, “Not thick enough that I want my name for additional entries. 9704. in the Herald.” The event runs from 5-8 p.m.

New Home Permits Continue to Rise

Marschall Named Scott County Board Chairperson for 2016 B.P. Herald Named County’s Official Qualified Newspaper

Engineer Tells Council That Bridge Work May Continue Through Winter

Wizardz Hosting Benefit Chili Cook-Off Jan. 16 at Oak Crest

‘Not Thick Enough’


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Belle plaine herald january 6, 2016 by Belle Plaine Herald - Issuu