BPHS Baseball Team Continues Impressive Year
Boys’ Golf Team Keeps Grip on 2nd Place
School District Budget Still in the Red
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, MAY 18, 2016
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 20
Council Okays Several Steps for Medical Center/Housing Complex Business Subsidy Also Authorized
A “Very Preliminary” Proposal In what Belle Plaine Community Development Director Cynthia Smith-Strack defined as “very preliminary,” Brian Kruschke, who is pictured in the above photo (standing), presented an idea for the city-owned vacant lot located at the intersection of Main and Meridian streets downtown. He made his pitch during a special gathering Friday at Heng’s Bakery and Diner across the street from the lot, which was attended by city staff, chamber of commerce representatives and others. Kruschke, who has an extensive business background, is proposing to build a two-story, mixed-use building, which would include a restaurant on the first floor and up to three apartments on the second floor. A public loft on the rooftop is also being considered in the mix. Barry Petit, attending the meeting as an architectural consultant, is pictured below (in red) talking about Belle Plaine and its potential for future building projects. Also pictured are, from left, Dick Coleman of the State Bank of Belle Plaine, Belle Plaine Public Works Superintendent Al Fahey, and Mark and Tammy Kottke of RE/MAX in Belle Plaine.
by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council Monday night unanimously approved a quartet of resolutions/ordinances as well as a business subsidy agreement that will help pave the way for the upcoming construction by Ridgeview Medical Center of a medical clinic and senior housing complex near the intersection of Highway 169 and County Road 3/Meridian Street. The Lutheran Home is also involved in the project. Plans call for a 12,900-squarefoot medical clinic, a 10,000square-foot fitness/wellness center and a three-story, 54-unit senior independent living center. A second phase is also on the drawing board that would include a future vertical expansion of the clinic. Staff reported that the Belle Plaine Design Committee recommended that brick similar to that employed in the downtown area be used in the project and Ridgeview has agreed. The resolutions/ordinances approved Monday for the project include the preliminary plat, rezoning of a portion of the property to R-7 (mixeduse), development stage of the planned-unit development plan and submission of a comprehensive plan amendment to the Metropolitan Council. John Prondzinski, vice president of Ridgeview Medical Center, told the council at Monday’s hearing the planning phase of the project “is progressing nicely and hopes are to break ground in July.” As for any future vertical expansion of the clinic (up to three floors), Prondzinski said that is probably at least five years out. Also okayed Monday following a separate public hearing was the execution of a business subsidy agreement with Ridgeview, which calls for the sale of approximately seven acres of city-owned property for the complex to Ridgeview for $1. That equates to a land write-down in the amount of $265,000. “Because the subsidy exceeds $150,000, the city must hold a
Belle Plaine Mayor Mike Pingalore presented resigning City Administrator Holly Kreft with an appreciation plaque during Monday night’s city council meeting. Monday marked Kreft’s final day on the job. public hearing and enter into a business subsidy agreement with the recipient (Ridgeview), Community Development Director Cynthia Smith-Strack reported. “The agreement ensures wage and job goals resulting from the project are met and retained. Failure to meet these goals would result in a reduction of the business subsidy.” Smith-Strack added that in exchange for the land write down, Ridgeview Medical Center is to create a minimum of 20 full-time equivalent jobs with a starting wage of no less than $12.69, which is 175 percent of the federal minimum-wage law. No one spoke at the public
hearing that preceded the council’s vote on the subsidy agreement. The senior care center is proposed to be constructed over a 36-space underground parking facility (there will also be 167 surface spaces) and 21,975square-foot foundation. The site is proposed to be accessed from Commerce Drive West. In other business Monday night, the council unanimously approved the installation of a new outdoor civil defense warning siren on the water tower property off Southridge Court (south of Highway 169)
City Council
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Choir Concert Finale Monday at BPHS
The last big choir concert of the school year is set for Monday night (May 23, 7 p.m.) in Belle Plaine High School’s South Gymnasium. It will feature performances by fifthgraders through high school seniors. The choir is a showcase of the talents of individual school choirs and choirs performing as groups, said Cheryl Gorton, BPHS’s choir director. With a theme, “Music Brings Us Together,” the evening’s perfor-
mances will include songs from cultures all around the world, she said. The program includes individual performances by a fifthand sixth-grade choirs. The two choirs will also perform as a group. The junior and senior high school choirs will also perform. The concert’s culmination includes songs by one mass choir of the approximately 375 choir students in fifth through 12th grades.
Chris Meyer to Challenge Mike Pingalore for Mayor; 3 Candidates File for Council There was a flurry of activity when it came to filing for city offices at Belle Plaine City Hall early Tuesday morning, which was the start of the two-week filing period for this year’s elections. Chris Meyer made it known right away that he will challenge incumbent Mayor Mike Pingalore, who also filed Tuesday. Meyer is the son of former longtime Belle Plaine Mayor Gerry Meyer. As for the city council seats, three of which are up election, three candidates filed Tuesday morning. They were incumbents Cary Coop and Gary Trost and newcomer Nickole Shetka. Coop and Shetka both filed for the two four-year terms up for election, while Trost is seeking the two-year term that was vacated by Scott Schneider, who moved to Shako-
pee. Henry Pressley Jr. was appointed in December to occupy Schneider’s seat until the 2016 election. Pressley said Monday night that he has not yet decided if he will seek to extend his stay on the council. The two-week filing period for the mayoral and three city council seats will continue until 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 31. You can file at Belle Plaine City Hall, 218 north Meridian Street downtown. Offices will be closed Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. If more than two people file for either Mayor Pingalore’s or Council Member Pressley’s seats, a primary will be held Aug. 9 to reduce the number of candidates to no more than two for each seat. A primary will also be held Aug. 9 for Coop’s and Trost’s seats if more than four people file for those jobs.
Also up for election this year, the filing period for which began Tuesday and continues through May 31, is the District 1 seat held by longtime incumbent Joe Wagner. District 1 is comprised of western Scott County, which includes the cities of Belle Plaine, Jordan and a portion of New Prague. Among the many townships in the district are Belle Plaine, Blakeley and St. Lawrence. The entire Minnesota House and Senate seats are also up for election in 2016. Belle Plaine’s state legislators are Rep. Bob Vogel (R-Elko New Market) and Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFLNorthfield). The filing period for those offices also started Belle Plaine High School volleyball player Mariena Hayden has been named by prep sports Tuesday. specialist Breakdown as its 2015-16 Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year. Hayden, pictured at the far left, is joined in the photo by Taylor Koenen of Shakopee (Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year), Amir Coffey of Hopkins (Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year) and Riley Tufte of Blaine (Hockey Player of the Year). Hayden was the top hitter for the BPHS volleyball team that captured the state Class 2A championship last November.
Big Honor