B.P. Man Helps Illuminate Scott Co. Relay for Life
Bar-B-Q Days Medallion Hunt Enters Week 2
Legion Baseball Team Splits Twin Bill Page 15
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, JULY 8, 2015
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NUMBER 28
B.P.’s New AD Likes a ‘Unique’ Council Okays Final Plans, Opportunity at School, City Authorizes Advertisement New Activities of Bids for Overpass Project Director Ran New Ulm Programs for Four Years
The new AD (activities director) at Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High School was attracted to the job by its seemingly oneof-its-kind job description. This week, Chad Eischens is getting started. AD – activities director – is a blend of high school activities director and Belle Plaine School District Community Education activities director. It is a newly-created position, one triggered by former Community Education Director Nelson Ladd’s retirement last month. Mindy (Sparby) Chevalier’s promotion to assistant principal at the junior-senior high school cleared the way for Eischens’ hiring.. Eischens began his new job last Wednesday (July 1). He’ll initially oversee high school activities and Belle Plaine School District Community Education activities programs. The city is paying 30 percent of Eischens’ $70,000 salary for the first year, the school district the remaining 70 percent. Eischens’ salary is scheduled to increase to $78,950 the second year after he successfully completes the requirements needed to oversee Belle Plaine Community Education’s academic and childcare programming. Eichens, 41, comes to Belle Plaine from New Ulm High School where he has served as its activities director for the past four years. He was attracted by a job blending city recreation and school activities programming. “I thought it was an attractive and unique position,” he said. “I think Belle Plaine is a wellpoised, well-positioned as a school district.” Other school districts – like North Branch, WatervilleElysian-Morristown, and New London-Spicer -- and cities use
Issue Passes by 3-2 Vote
by Dan Ruud It was a short agenda Monday night but one in which a big step was taken toward Belle Plaine’s next major project as the city council voted 3-2 to approve the final plans and authorize the advertisement of bids for the Enterprise Drive extension and overpass project. Accounting for the two no votes were Paul Chard and Gary Trost, who throughout most of the planning process have maintained that the bridge
should be constructed on a straight line with County Road 3/Meridian Street rather than a short distance down the southbound lane of Highway 169 connecting with an extended Enterprise Drive (see accompanying map). Chard and Trost reiterated that Monday night just before the vote was taken. Mayor Mike Pingalore and fellow council members Cary Coop and Scott Schneider voted yes. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has indicated in the past that Chard’s and Trost’s preferred plan would not be approved by the agency in that the existing interchange in Belle Plaine is not spaced far
enough from County Road 3. Pingalore has also pointed out that a bridge straight on with County Road 3/Meridian Street and a full interchange would be far more costly. City Engineer Joe Duncan reported that the estimated cost of construction for the approved plan is $4.9 million. The total cost of the project, including right-of-way acquisition, engineering fees and construction, etc., will bring the total cost to over $7 million. Most of that, minus about a combined $1.6 million from the state and the
Council
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Chad Eischens is Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High School’s new activities director. He’ll also oversee recreation programs run through Belle Plaine Schools Community Education and the city. a similar arrangement. “You use what fits your school district,” Chevalier said. Belle Plaine Mayor Mike Pingalore believes the city will benefit from Eischens’ work with school athletics. The City of Belle Plaine offers youth sports through the Belle Plaine School District’s Community Education department. “Chad’s experience as it relates to the AD portion of this new dual position will be very transferable. His tenure in the athletic director role in New Ulm will give him the ability to transition with the junior/ senior high school coaches and staff,” Pingalore said. “I have a few concerns as it pertains to the Community Ed. role for he does not have any experience. I do, however, believe that his experience with organized events will make for a great experience for our community and hope he will give our programs a new, fresh look.”
Ready to Go
Eischens will enjoy the benefit of Chevalier’s organization. Schedules for the 2015-16 school year are established and coaching assignments filled. Eischens is looking forward to the stability and competitiveness of the Minnesota River Conference. New Ulm is part of the Big South Conference. Eischens knows some of the other activities directors in the MRC. New Ulm had begun competing against Jordan, Sibley East and Tri-City United in some junior and senior high sports. “It helps when you know who to call. Plus, Mindy’s next door and Dan (MRC Executive Director Dan Gardner) are available. They’re great resources.” The challenge for Eischens, besides getting established in
New AD
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Demolished Ken Theis and Sons Excavating demolished the former Front Porch Photography house at 123 West Main Street Tuesday morning. Last fall, the council awarded the project to Theis for the demolition and site restoration at a cost of $7,652. The site, which is owned by the city, will be reserved for the future expansion of the adjacent public library building. The city bought the house in July of 2006 from Mike Daly. At one time, it housed a couple of dentist offices, including at one time Dr. Gene O’Brien’s. It was also a residence for a number of years. Front Porch Photography, operated by Toni Fogarty, relocated to Kingsway Retirement Living in 2013.
Scott County Fair Draft Horse Show is World-Class Competition This Year Marks 100th Anniversary of the Fair
Investments Plus will host an open house this afternoon at its office on North Meridian Street in downtown Belle Plaine. Investment Plus representatives (from left) Randy Kruger and Loren Edberg and owner Brad Davis will be on hand to greet visitors and answer questions.
Investments Plus Hosting Open House This Afternoon Investments Plus, a full-service investment advisory firm, is hosting an open house at its Belle Plaine office this afternoon (Wednesday, July 8) from 5-7 p.m. Investments Plus recently merged with Invest Financial and Randy Kruger of Belle Plaine. He joins the Investments
Plus team of Loren Edberg and the offices in Henderson, Le Sueur and Le Center. The firm is owned by Brad Davis. The merger has allowed Investments Plus to double the product line and services available to clients. Information on products and services are available at the open house.
Investments Plus is located at 215 Meridian Street N. in downtown Belle Plaine. For more information, call Kruger at (952) 873-5414.
by Susan Carter Spectators hear a low and looming rumble. They turn their heads toward the showground as powerful teams surge into the arena pulling historic replicas of freight wagons. The crowd can literally feel the earthquake as the massive hitches pass by. These impressive sights and sounds signal the start of draft horse competition at the Scott County Fair in Jordan, one of the largest county fair draft horse shows in North America. What started as a small, respectable draft horse show in Jordan blossomed into an event to rival the most prestigious shows in the nation. With three horse barns, an ample staging area for warm up, halter and hitch rings, and a convenient on-site trailer parking area, the Scott County fairgrounds attract and accommodate an international representation of draft horse exhibitors. This all-inclusive annual event
receives regular participation from the four major draft horse breeds: Belgians, Clydesdales, Shires and Percherons. More than 250 of North America’s top draft horses gathered for the 2014 show, proudly representing a broad range of recurring participants from Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin, as well as Manitoba, Canada. As Scott County celebrates its 100th fair in July 2015, the draft horse show promises to be a highlight for exhibitors and spectators alike. If You Built It The Scott County Fair started in 1915 and was considered a success with more than 350 agricultural entries. The following year, the number of exhibits increased by nearly fivefold. Space was added to accommodate the growth and the fair had made its mark on the community as “the place to be.” By year-end of 1941, the Scott County Fair was debt-free, with each succeeding year breaking new attendance records. In the late 1940s, the event was ex-
tended from three to four days, and finally to its current fiveday span. The fair had hosted a small draft horse show for many years, yet every successful show needs dedicated enthusiasts to champion its growth; the Scott County Fair had a family
Scott Co. Fair
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Pool’s Dive-In Movie Night This Friday The Belle Plaine Community Swimming Pool will present its annual Dive-In Movie Night this Friday at 8:30 p.m., weather permitting. The film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” will be shown. Patrons can lounge on the deck in chairs or bring floaters to watch from the water. The cost to attend the event is $1 per person and concessions will be available. Last year’s Dive-In Movie Night attracted approximately 180 people.