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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, NOVEMBER 30, 2016
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NUMBER 48
Belle Plaine Holiday Activities Light Up This Week Historic Episcopal Church to be One of the Hosts
Taking Advantage of the Warmth Workers at the Ridgeview Medical Center/Lutheran Home when the mercury climbed into the 50s on the doorstep of Deconstruction site have been taking advantage of the unseason- cember. Although no more 50s are in sight, temperatures are ably warm weather of the past week, especially on Monday forecast to stay well above average for the rest of this week.
City’s 2017 Budget and Property Home Decorating Tax Public Hearing Next Monday The Belle Plaine City Council City Finance Director Dawn directed staff to make budget Contest will hold its annual budget and Meyer told the council in Sep- cuts within their respective de-
You can sign up now to enter the Belle Plaine Rotary Club’s annual Holiday Home Lighting Contest. Judging will take place Dec. 16 or 17 and winners will be announced in the Herald on Dec. 21, including photographs of the top decorated homes. Prizes will also be awarded, for which the Rotary is seeking contributions from local business and organizations. To have your home placed on the list for judging, call or text Diane Skelley at 952-2122834.
property tax levy public hearing 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5 at the Belle Plaine Government Center, 218 North Meridian Street downtown. The annual hearing is an opportunity for citizens to comment on the city’s planned property tax levy and budget for the coming year. In September, the council approved a preliminary 2017 property tax levy of $5,232,445, which would be a 7.4 percent increase over this year’s levy of $4,871,139.
tember that unpaid assessments of $131,000 for West Commerce Drive was among the factors leading to the 2017 levy increase. Since then, those assessments have been paid. Others factors included cost of living wage increases of 2.75 percent for many city employees and council members, increased services for a growing population and inflation. To keep the 2017 levy increase from inflating further, the council and staff held a series of budget workshops this past summer, and the council
Sundblad Guilty of Manslaughter, Assault in Infant’s 2014 Death Sentencing Scheduled for Feb. 14
A Belle Plaine man charged with killing his infant son in May of 2014 was found guilty in Scott County District Court of nearly all but the most serious charges he faced. Scott County District Court Judge Christian Wilton found Joshua Scott Sundblad, 26, guilty of two counts of firstdegree assault, one count of second-degree manslaughter and one count of third-degree assault (Wednesday, Nov. 23). Wilton found Sundblad not guilty of first-degree murder and third-degree assault. “This case can be summed up in one word, and that is tragedy,” Wilton said before issuing the verdicts. Carson Scott Bosquez Sundblad was 59 days old. “As a 59-day old, this child never stood a chance.” Sundblad’s trial was held this past spring. He selected a trial by judge over a jury trial. He remains at the Scott County Jail. Michael McDonald, Sundblad’s attorney, said the decision to have Judge Wilton decide Sundblad’s guilt or in-
nocence was based on the emotional nature of the case and the belief Wilton would deliver a fair, impartial verdict. “We certainly are pleased he’s being held responsible for causing of this child’s death,” said Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar. McDonald was pleased with the not guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge. Hocevar said prosecutors believed there was a strong case for the first-degree murder charge. Before the trial, McDonald noted the first-degree murder trial was based on information from a man being held in the county jail on criminal charges. McDonald said the man’s credibility was suspect and that Wilton’s verdict proves that point. “We were a little bit disappointed with the guilty verdict on the other charges. We felt there was reasonable doubt there,” McDonald said. Hocevar said the details of the baby’s injuries in the medical examiner’s report was a key element in the guilty verdict on the manslaughter and assault charges. The findings supporting Judge Wilton’s verdicts will be available before the sentencing
scheduled for Feb. 14, 2017. Wilton ordered a pre-sentence investigation. Sundblad has the option of allowing a jury to decide his sentence or allow Wilton to set the penalty. Prosecutors Sarah Wendorf and Wes Abrahamson filed a motion Wednesday for an upward departure from state sentencing guidelines. Hocevar said the circumstances of the case and the nature of the baby’s death justifies the request for an upward departure of sentencing guidelines. He said prosecutors would make a case to Wilton for an upward departure at sentencing. McDonald opposes the upward departure, noting the sad nature of Carson Scott Bosquez Sundblad’s death and the not-guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge. He also noted Sundblad has never been convicted of previous crimes. “As the judge said, this was a tragedy,” McDonald said. “This doesn’t lend itself to an upward departure.” Brittany Bosquez and her family declined comment on the sentence and proceedings until after the sentencing. Belle Plaine Police Chief Tom Stolee said the verdict represented “justice.”
partments. Another work session on the 2017 budget and levy was held on Aug. 29, and after considerable discussion, a total reduction of $88,500 was proposed. Some of the cuts listed in the 2017 preliminary levy include: Administration: Transportation ($10,000). Police Department: Building Improvement ($8,000). Improvements will take place over a longer period of time, capital decreases ($3,000). Fire Department: , office supply decreases ($500), education/convention decreases ($500), fuel decreases ($1,000), equipment and parts ($1,000), building improvement decreases ($20,000) to be implemented over time), travel expense decreases ($1,000), uniform decreases ($12,000) to be implemented over time). Public Works: Fuel decreases ($5,000), gas utility decreases ($6,000), new process pool chemicals ($6,000). Community Development: Consulting fees ($5,000), engineering fees ($1,000), telephones ($200), postage ($200). EDA: Legal fee decreases ($500), facade improvement grant reductions ($4,000), consulting fee decreases ($4,000), postage ($200), marketing ($1,000). HRA: Incentive programs reductions ($1,000). According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, the 2017 preliminary property tax levies for all Minnesota cities will total approximately $2.261 billion compared with $2.129 billion in 2016, a 6.2 percent increase. Next Monday’s public hearing is only for people who want to comment on the city’s 2017 budget and property tax levy. Any comments or questions regarding property and home valuations will be addressed at the county/city’s annual board of equalization meeting in the spring.
the Transfiguration will be the site of a holiday performance by the Belle Plaine Community Choir. The church, which was built in 1868, is listed on the National Belle Plaine’s annual burst Register of Historic Places. The of holiday activities will begin public is invited to attend. this week starting with Thursday’s annual Belle Plaine HisHoliday Express torical Society open house at Dec. 3 the Hooper-Bowler-Hillstrom House (adjacent to Court Belle Plaine’s 13th annual Square Park). Holiday Express will take place The event will take place from Saturday, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at Belle Plaine High 6-8 p.m. Organizer Rick Krant said School. Santa Claus will again bring Santa will be available for along a couple of reindeer and visits and there will be holiday Matt Fahey will provide horse- craft activities. You can also endrawn wagon rides. Christmas joy a continental breakfast. carolers, refreshments, door The event is sponsored by prizes and more will also be Belle Plaine Festivals and part of the festivities. Events, Parent Teacher OrgaKrant said the reindeer that nization and Early Childhood will be there come from the Family Education. same herd that will be includ- Santa’s Store will be open for ed in the Minnesota Vikings young shoppers to do their holiChristmas Party this year. day shopping. The cost of items Tours of the lower level of the generally ranges from $1 to $5. historical house will be avail- Toy donations and gifts for able along with musical enter- mothers will be collected for tainment by Curtis and Loretta. Southern Valley Alliance for Santa Claus will be welcoming Battered Women. young visitors. Volunteers are sought to help Having the honor of flipping set up and clean up, and/or to the switch to light the commu- work during the event. To get nity Christmas tree will be Ger- involved, contact Sheri Prokory Meyer, former Belle Plaine sch at 952-873-2415, ext. 1, or mayor, state amateur baseball by e-mail at sprokosch@bellehall of fame member and much plaine.k12.mn.us. more. Last year at this time, Meyer was in the midst of an Tree of Life Lighting lengthy bout with acute panNext Tuesday creatitis, for which he was hosThe Lutheran Home Campus pitalized much of the time. The tree lighting will take place at will celebrate its annual Tree of Life Lighting Ceremony on approximately 7:30 p.m. At the same time (6-8 p.m.) Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 5:30-6:30 the Historical Society Open Holiday Activities House is taking place Thursday, the nearby Episcopal Church of (continued on page 2)
All Dressed Up for Christmas Belle Plaine Public Works staffers Tim Nytes (left) and Nick Pollack added some seasonal color to downtown Belle Plaine street lights Tuesday afternoon. The decorations will be up until just after the holidays.