More Scenic Byway Race Photos
Brutal Weekend on Highway 169
Volleyball Team Has Eventful Week
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Pages 2, 6
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THIRD YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, OCTOBER 15, 2014
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 42
Vandermark, School Board Agree to Disagree on Promotion GSA Meetings at BPHS Attorneys have differing opinions on whether or not the Belle Plaine School District erred when it announced the meeting of a group not officially recognized by the school district and staff participated in one of the group’s meetings. School Board Director Joe Vandermark believes the announcement and staff participation in a meeting equates to promotion of an unrecognized group. Earlier this month, Vandermark stated his belief the district violated its own policy and federal law when it announced a meeting of the Gay-Straight Alliance club meeting and school staff participated in one of the meetings. Monday evening (Oct. 13) during a school board workshop, Superintendent Kelly Smith relayed an opinion from Tim Palmatier, the district’s attorney,
on Vandermark’s claims. Palmatier, citing case law and his own interpretation of the law, believes the district did not violate its own policy or the law. Vandermark recognizes the majority of the school board believes there is no reason for concern and the issue has been put to rest. But he disagrees with the attorney’s interpretation and cited the opinions of a former Minnesota attorney general. Recognizing he was in the minority on the issue, Vandermark vowed to respect the will of the majority of the school board. “We will agree to disagree,” he said after Monday night’s workshop. “Our attorney states that equal access has been ruled to extend
School Board
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Scott Joint Prosecution Service Merges With County Attorney’s Office Some 144 runners took part in Saturday’s Scenic Byway Half-Marathon, which crossed paths with the village of Blakeley.
Peter Eischens Wins Scenic Byway Half-Marathon Race by Dan Ruud Peter Eischens, a former Scott West wrestler and 2007 graduate of Belle Plaine High School, was the overall winner of Saturday’s Scenic Byway HalfMarathon race in Belle Plaine. Eischens, who currently lives in St. Cloud, covered the 13mile course in a time of 1:28:02, which was two minutes faster than Dan LaPlante of Minneapolis (1:30:00). Rounding out the top five were Michael Griesinger of Carver (1:30:28), Joe Fittante of Shakopee (1:33:08) and Matthew Klutz of Minneapolis (1:33:28). Eischens, who competed in a marathon in Fargo, N.D., earlier this year, finished seventh in last year’s Scenic Byway Half-Marathon. He said Saturday wasn’t nearly as windy as last year, which helped. When asked about the course, Eischens had two words – “very hilly.” Eischens, the son of Steve and Janel Eischens of Belle Plaine, said he’ll “probably” be back next year. The first female this year was 30-year-old Ellen Armbruster of Minneapolis. Her time of 1:36:24 was seventh overall among 126 men and women. Pam Walter of Cologne also cracked the top 10 overall with an eighth-best time of 1:38:13. A third female, Theresa Kavouras of Lakeville, made the top 10 list with a 10th-place time of 1:38:29. Armbruster, 30, said she will be back to defend her women’s title next year. “It (the course) was hilly but it was pretty with all the rolling hills,” she said. Top 25 finishers from Belle Plaine this year were Brian Jamison (12th in 1:40:42), Brad Pederson (13th in 1:43:17) and
The inaugural Scenic Byway races in 2011 attracted 468 runners (243 in the half-marathon and 225 in the 5K). In 2012, those numbers dropped to 387 racers (210 in the 5K and 177 in the half-marathon). Last year, there were 296 runners (154 in the 5K and 142 in the half-marathon). The downward trend continued this year with 252 participants (144 in the halfmarathon and 108 in the 5K).
Since 1991, attorneys for the Scott Joint Prosecution Service have taken legal action against people accused of minor crimes on behalf of the county’s cities outside the realm of the county attorney’s office handling the more serious offenses. Now, the two offices have formally merged. The county board recently approved the union. Belle Plaine was one of the original five member cities of the association. Initially, it was Pat Ciliberto that led the Scott Joint Prosecution Service. After Ciliberto was elected county attorney, Scott Joint was brought into the county attorney’s office yet remained a separate entity, a move that increase efficiency. Today, prosecution of nonfelony and felony offenses is
handled out of the Scott County Attorney’s Office. The merger agreement means cities like Belle Plaine won’t have to pay into the association for its services. But the cities will no longer receive fine money from successful prosecution of misdemeanor. In Belle Plaine’s case, the city paid $82,513.47 for the association’s prosecution services in 2012, $60,910.56 in 2013 and $38,907.92 so far this year. It received back in fines and refunds $57,338.60 in 2012, $49,446.19 in 2013 and $28,448.13 so far this year. The merger means the employees working for the association are now county staff. Ciliberto told the county board the county’s law enforcement support the merger.
They’ve Done It Again Don and Pam Meger Find Harvest Coin Ellen Armbruster was the first-place female and Peter Eischens was the overall winner of Saturday’s Scenic Byway HalfMarathon. Matt Schultz (25th in 1:47:25).
5K Race
Fifty-five-year-old Robert Jacobson of St. Paul was the overall winner of the Scenic Byway 5K race, completing the course in 19:21. That was seven seconds ahead of last year’s winner, Kevin Weiser of Minneapolis, who was second. Like Jacobson, Weiser was in the 5059 age group. Jacobson ran the Twin Cities Marathon six days earlier and placed seventh in his age group (50-59). Lisa Jamison of Belle Plaine was the top female finisher, taking third overall among 108 runners with a time of 20:59. Jamison, who coaches cross country and track and field at Belle Plaine High School and was in the 30-39 age group, said she opted to run the 5K this year instead of the halfmarathon because she is sav-
ing herself for this weekend’s Mankato Marathon. Joe Murphy of Henderson was fourth overall in 21:02, followed by the second-place female, Tammy Denzer of Minneapolis (21:38). Ten-year-old Emmett Gerres of Belle Plaine, winner of the 0-19 age group, finished 10th overall in a time of 23:48. Also placing in the top 25 from Belle Plaine were Mike Schultz (sixth in 22:38), Anna Ernst-Sexton (seventh in 22:58), Colton Kerkow (13th in 24:42), Dave Johnston (15th in 25:34), Sherrie Reutzel (20th in 26:19), Jordyn Williams (21st in 26:25), Daniel Flynn (22nd in 26:27), Sarah Williams (23rd in 26:27) and Ryan Stevens (25th in 26:48). There was also a two-person half-marathon relay, for which nine teams were present. The team BP 10 (no names given) was the winner in a time of 1:43:42.
For a second year in a row, the husband-wife sleuths of Don and Pam Meger solved Belle Plaine’s annual Harvest Coin Hunt, which is held in conjunction with the annual Scenic Byway Half-Marathon and 5-K races. Last year, the Megers found the medallion underneath the sleeping child statue in front of the public library downtown. This year, they discovered it tucked away on the bottom branches of an evergreen tree in Veterans Park, which is located at the intersection of Highway 169 and Meridian Street. Not only was the medallion found underneath an evergreen, but much like a Christmas present, it came in a little wooden box, which inside was the medallion tucked neatly in a bird’s nest. The only thing missing was the wrapping paper. Don Meger, who is the cluewriter for the annual St. Patrick’s and Bar-B-Q Days medallion hunts, discovered the coin after dark (about 8:30 p.m.) last Tuesday, shortly after reading the third clue in the Herald. He used a flashlight to search underneath the tree lo-
Don and Pam Meger, with box, nest and medallion in hand, found it underneath this evergreen tree in Veterans Park. cated along the memorial flag poles not far from Meridian Street. There with him for the find was Pam. “Last year, Don is the one who figured out the clues and I was the one who actually found it.
Harvest Coin
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