Volleyball Team Wins A Classic
Football Tigers Hope to Continue Postseason Run Page 13
It’s That Time of Year
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, OCTOBER 21, 2015
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NUMBER 43
School Board Election Set for Nov. 3 Belle Plaine School District voters will cast their ballots for leaders of the school board Nov. 3. The biggest surprise of the election might be the winner of the third seat. There are three seats open for election, each carrying a fouryear term that begins Jan. 1, 2016. Board members Mike Ludvik and Matt Lenz are not seeking re-election. Director Tracy O’Brien is making her first bid for a four-year term. She was appointed earlier this year to fill a vacated seat. Gary Steinhagen, who served
on the board from 2010-2013, wants to return to the school board for a four-year term. No candidate filed for the third seat, leaving the position to be determined by the voters. Two candidates the Belle Plaine Herald is aware of have indicated a willingness to serve on the board as write-in candidates. They are Terry Kahle, a Blakeley Township resident, and Diane Skelley, a Faxon Township resident. Ballots will be cast at the Belle Plaine Government Center on North Meridian Street.
Still No Interest for CityOwned Vacant Downtown Lot This Week Marks 10-Year Anniversary of Fire That Destroyed Building There
It’s been one year since the city of Belle Plaine purchased the vacant lot at the intersection of Main and Meridian streets downtown – and as of the start of this week – it’s still under city ownership. The 0.18-acre corner lot, which has been vacant since the fire that destroyed the historic business and apartment building there 10 years ago this week, was purchased by the city last fall from Waugh Properties LLC of Chanhassen for $45,000, plus commission and closing costs. The city had hoped that through added incentives and more aggressive marketing through a request for proposals (RFP) approach, a developer would be found for what is Belle Plaine’s main downtown
intersection. Thirty days after the city initially advertised the property for sale at a reduced cost, there were no takers when this past June’s deadline approached. Another effort ensued to market the property through a RFP process, during which each potential buyer would again submit a proposal to the city pursuant to development guidelines identified in the RFP. “Re-solicitation of proposals for development of the lot was not productive,” reported new Belle Plaine Community Development Director Cynthia Smith-Strack at Monday’s city council meeting, adding that the city’s economic development authority (EDA) “concedes redevelopment of the lot will take some time.” Smith-Strack said the consensus of the EDA now is “to see what cost-effective solutions may be found to control weeds and improve the aesthetic appearance of the lot.”
Longtime Sand Creek Township Supervisor Killed in Crash Cyril Wolf, a longtime supervisor on the Sand Creek Township Board of Supervisors, was killed as he crossed the road in front of his house Thursday night. An eastbound sport-utility vehicle hit Wolf, 85, at 7:32 p.m. while he was on Highway 282 near Morlock Drive. Sheriff Kevin Studnicka said Wolf had crossed the road to his mailbox. A 2006 Toyota Highlander driv-
en by Andrew T. Krominga, 31, of Burnsville struck Wolf. The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the crash. Its tests did not detect alcohol on Krominga. Wolf grew up in Jordan on th family farm. He worked for over six decades at Wolf Motors in Jordan. He served on the Sand Creek Town Board for 39 years.
With ceremonial shovels in hand Monday were, from left, Jeanette Hentges (SM Hentges and Sons), Holly Kreft (city administrator), Deb Barber (Met Council), Joe Wagner (county commissioner), Jon Ulrich (county board chair), Gary Trost (city council), Devin May (son of Eric and Lisa May who the city bought the property from), Mike Pingalore (mayor), Cary Coop (city council), Mike Beard (county commissioner), Diane Langenbach (Mn/DOT), Scott Schneider (city council), Joe Duncan (city engineer) and Tom Wolf (county commissioner).
Bridge Ceremony Draws Crowd by Dan Ruud Members of the Belle Plaine City Council and staff got to play in the dirt and eat some cake before heading to city hall for Monday night’s regular meeting. The council and staff were joined by dozens of other government officials and members of the community for the County Road 3 bridge groundbreaking ceremony, which took place 5:30 p.m. Monday on property that once was the site of the Eric and Lisa May family home. The city had purchased the home from the Mays in order to use the property as part of the necessary right-of-way for the new bridge and extension of Enterprise Drive. The house was eventually burned to the ground by the Belle Plaine Fire Department for a training exercise. The Mays and their son, Devin, were among those at Monday’s groundbreaking. At the center of things was Belle Plaine Mayor Mike Pingalore, who thanked the Mays and many others in attendance for helping make the groundbreaking possible. Pingalore said the ceremony was the result of years of collaboration between city, county and state officials. He also acknowledged Ridgeview Medical Center, which will be constructing
a medical clinic near the site while the overpass is being constructed. The guest speakers were Scott County Board Chair Jon Ulrich and Mn/DOT Metro District (South Area) Engineer Diane Langenbach, both of whom praised the city of Belle Plaine for its efforts the past few years leading to this day.
Meanwhile, the real dirt digging is scheduled to begin next week on bridge embankments and pier/abutment pile driving, etc., which is expected to be completed in December. Bridge and roadway construction will start in the spring. The bridge should be ready for use next August while surrounding miscellaneous work continues until
October, during which time the median left-turn lanes currently in place on Highway 169 will be removed. The council recently awarded the bid for the construction of the project to S.M. Hentges and
Bridge
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Belle Plaine’s Christopher Weldon is retiring from his job as Scott County’s emergency management director.
Chris Weldon Retiring After Long Career Helping People
Honorable Retirement Ceremony
B.P. Native Spent 8 Years as County’s Emergency Management Director
As a young man growing up in Belle Plaine, Chris Weldon always knew what a siren Belle Plaine Boy Scout Ryan Stier (background, center) led an honorable flag retirement cer- meant – firefighters and police emony Saturday night at Larry Ruehling’s house in Faxon Township. The ceremony was part were rushing to help someone in need. of Stier’s Eagle Scout project. Stier collected dozens of flags no longer suitable for proper display for honorable disposal. Over 250 flags were burned. Boy Scouts in the Belle Plaine troop assisted with the ceremony and burning of flags. Stier, a junior at BPHS, is the son of Tiffany and Chris Stier.
Weldon understood the importance of helping people when they needed it most. He still does. As an adult, Weldon spent 23 years as a member of the Belle Plaine Fire Department. Eight of those years were spent as the department’s chief or assistant chief. He retired from the department is 2003. Yesterday, he retired again – this time from his job as Scott County’s director of emergency management and supervisor of the sheriff’s 911 dispatch center. The Scott County Board recognized Weldon and Greg Swanson, an aide in the Veterans Service Office since 2002,
yesterday (Tuesday, Oct. 20) during their morning meeting. At 62, Weldon plans to spend his retirement with his wife, Betty, their children and grandchildren, Tori, Brenna and Colin. He also looks forward to spending time outdoors on family-owned land in Blakeley Township. Weldon’s job as emergency manager was all about being prepared for the what-if scenario. He and other emergency responders in the county spent countless hours planning and drilling to be prepared for most any imaginable situation. But
Weldon
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