Homecoming Photos
Scott and Carver County Board Candidate Profiles
Football Tigers Finally Topple Titans Page 13
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, OCTOBER 12, 2016
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 40
B.P. School District Plans Major Upgrade to Softball Complex Board Considers Switch to Even-Year Elections
Those who participated in Thursday night’s candidates forum at city hall were, from left, mayoral candidates Chris Meyer and If the success and positivity Mike Pingalore; four-year term city council candidates Cary Coop, Henry Pressley Jr. and Ben Stier; and two-year term city the Belle Plaine School Discouncil candidates Theresa McDaniel and Gary Trost. Not participating in the forum was four-year term candidate Nickole trict enjoyed in upgrading its high school weight room is any Shetka. guide, an improved softball complex should begin to take shape by next spring. Monday night (Oct. 10), the by Dan Ruud there are two seats available. a pool, theater and tennis “I think now is the time to get school board heard tentative cracking on this. I don’t think plans to upgrade the softball Approximately 30 people were The forum, which lasted about courts? in attendance and an unknown 90 minutes, involved a series Pingalore said a community we should wait until 10,000 complex at Oak Crest Elementary School. Details, like how number of others watched on- of questions to each candidate, center could cost $5 million to people,” Stier said. line last Thursday night’s Min- each of whom took turns ad- build and $250,000 a year to Council candidate McDaniel much it will cost, are not ready nesota League of Women Vot- dressing the same question pre- operate, which he said Belle also voiced strong support for a yet, said Superintendent Ryan ers-sponsored public forum at sented by the moderator, who Plaine is not yet ready to take community center, while fellow Laager. The initial step is enclosBelle Plaine City Hall. represented the Eastern Carver on. He added that Belle Plaine Forum ing the dugouts on the varsity County League of Women Votstill needs a bigger commercial In the spotlight were seven of (continued on page 3) field, replacing the chain-link ers. tax base and larger population the eight candidates seeking the public’s support to be a voting Among the questions was do before a community center bemember of the Belle Plaine City you feel the city is overstaffed, comes a reality here. Council in 2017 and beyond. understaffed or adequately “It’s probably 5-10 years down Included were the two mayor- staffed? Most of the candidates the road,” Pingalore said. al candidates – incumbent Mike indicated that they feel the city Pingalore’s opponent, Meyer, Pingalore and challenger Chris is adequately staffed, with none said he agreed with much of Meyer; city council four-year of them saying they felt the what Pingalore said in terms of term candidates – incumbents city was overstaffed or under- planning, and that a community Cary Coop and Henry Pressley staffed. center is something the city and Jr., and challenger Ben Stier; The candidates were also school district will have to be and city council two-year term asked their thoughts about us- in unison with. He added that candidates – incumbent Gary ing tax dollars for development some of the school facilities are Trost and challenger Theresa costs. Again, most of the an- in need of upgrades and perhaps McDaniel. The latter seat was swers were similar in that the that addressing those may need previously held by Scott Sch- common theme was they would to come first. neider, who moved to Shako- be for it if the tax breaks (tax City council candidate Trost pee. Pressley was appointed increment financing) benefitted said the city will probably need to fill the void until this year’s the community as a whole in a population of 10,000 or more election and opted to run for a terms of tax base and job cre- before a community center full four-year term. ation. can be built, while fellow city The only candidate not present The first question to spur var- council candidate Stier said he in the forum was Nickole Shet- ied responses from the candi- doesn’t think the city should ka, who is one of the four can- dates was their feelings about wait that long, and that such didates running for a four-year building a community center centers are already a reality in term on the council, for which in Belle Plaine with perhaps some smaller communities.
Candidates Discuss Priorities at Forum
fence around the dugouts with wooden walls will be completed in time for the 2017 spring season. Dugouts on the nonvarsity fields will retain their chain-link fencing. The more substantial – and costly – work will take place in the following year. The tentative plan informally discussed Monday calls for a two-level building in the open space between the fields. The building will have groundlevel restrooms and concession stands. A second level will offer observation space. The building is currently being drawn for planning and potential budgeting purposes. The second level of the proposed building will allow the securing of netting over the common area between the fields to protect unsuspecting
School District (continued on page 7)
The Belle Plaine Vets Club is hosting a fund-raiser to improve the building on North Meridian Street in downtown Belle Plaine Oct. 22. Volunteers supporting the effort include Molly Moonen, Ruth Westphal, Joe Burmeister, Larry Ruehling, Albert Koepp, (front, from left) Tricia Burmeister, Chelsea Barta, Kris Otto and Dorothy Koepp.
Vets Club Hosting Inaugural Building Fund-raiser Oct. 22
Belle Plaine Township farmer John Murphy harvested corn along County Road 3 north of Highway 19 Sunday afternoon. Murphy agreed with the notion this year’s crop will be good, but perhaps not as good as a year ago. He expected to bring in about 180 bushels per acre.
B.P. Area Farmers Working Around Excess Moisture Drier weather the past week has not completely alleviates the concerns of area corn and soybean farmers as they bring in their crops. Despite the last of significant rain the past few days, area farmers are working around excess moisture in their fields. In Belle Plaine Township, just off the corner of County Road 3 and Highway 19, John Murphy was working around sections of
his field he feared were too wet to run a combine through Sunday afternoon. Murphy’s concerns were not isolated. Above average rainfall has slowed the harvest in Belle Plaine and other areas across Minnesota during the week of Oct. 2, according to the University of Minnesota Extension Service and the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
There were almost five days suitable for fieldwork last week despite overnight thunderstorms brining rainfall to portions of central and south-
Farmers
(continued on page 7)
They recall a group of men, former soldiers who served their country during wars in World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan, playing cards at a table at the Belle Plaine Vets Club one evening. The men shared stories of good times and bad while serving their country. The people who run the club in downtown Belle Plaine has long wanted to make sure there is a club where veterans of every era can gather, celebrate their service and remember and honor their comrades. They have worked to make sure the building at 221 Meridian Street N. is welcoming and presentable. Belle Plaine VFW Post 6202 is hosting an inaugural fundraiser at the Vets Club Saturday (Oct. 22, beginning at 3 p.m.). The event includes lunch and dinner of sloppy Joes, chips and pickles, baked goods from Belle Plaine Girl Scouts from 5 to 8 p.m., a bloody Mary bar plus silent and live auctions. Items for the auctions include gift certificates, sports memorabilia, entertainment venue tickets, a golf foursome, member-
ship to an area gun club, auto care products, massage packages and more. “I think for our first year we have a pretty good thing going,” said Kris Otto, a VFW auxiliary member. Donations are still being accepted for the auctions. Bake sale proceeds will help local Girl Scouts raise money for a trip to Georgia in 2018. The Vets Club is also a place where Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts can host their meetings. The inaugural fund-raiser is intended to raise money to improve the men s restroom. They want it to be, like the women’s restroom, wheelchair accessible. They know the building’s historic nature will make improving it more challenging. They don’t know how much the bathroom project will cost. “We won’t know until we get into the plumbing,” said Joe Burmeister. The club’s back room also needs attention to make sure it is up to code. They’d like to acquire new fryers for the kitchen.
“It needs some TLC,” Otto said. Since it was transformed from a movie theater in the mid-‘70s, the club has hosted wedding and funeral luncheons, holiday parties, service club meetings and even Red Cross blood drives. It is, as intended, an asset to the community. Veterans and scout groups use the club at no cost. But the people who run the club know improvements are needed. They have spent $5,000-plus the past few months improving the ceiling and sprucing up the club. They believe more is needed. Long-term, volunteers supporting the Vets Club want to see additional TV screens. They want to make the club more appealing to younger veterans, men and women who’ve served their country in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We’ve got 15 years worth of new veterans,” said Molly Moonen, whose son is a U.S. Marine. Once the building improvements are completed, the group wants to begin raising money for veteran’s programming.