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Zoning Ordinance Reform Alleviates Housing Shortage in Some Areas But Not for Single Family Home Shortage
Most home construction taking place at the moment is apartment building structures and townhomes like these. Cities are looking at zoning ordinances in single family zoned areas to add density to free up supply. Townhomes located in Tacoma’s Central area near 6th Ave. Photo by Jacob Rose. By Robert Lawson and Hennepin County Judge Joseph significant environmental effects that pursue a more green agenda while oth“We saw Minneapolis add 12 percent ily zoned for single family residences. Publisher R. Klein agreed with that assertion. it is likely to affect the environment ers want to preserve the status quo and to its housing stock in just that five-year The city of St. Paul would like to do info@nicolletcountyledger.com The article, “Judge Rules Minneapolis’ materially adversely, causing irreparable seek fewer regulation of legacy business period, far more than other cities,” Alex away with more strict density requireZoning Reforms Are Getting Too harm,” Klein said in his decision in early models. Part of this is due to the struc- Horowitz, director of housing policy ments and modify ordinances as well, Much Housing Built” is a testament to December 2023. tural and procedural boundaries that initiatives at Pew Research Center, told according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Reason Magazine highlighted the the effects of the political dysfunction It also highlights how important are hallmark to the U.S. government’s National Public Radio (NPR) reported According to the article in the Pioneer attempts by Minneapolis to quickly and polarity that has seemed to grind environmental issues have become in system of checks and balances, but the on February 17. Press, more than half of St. Paul’s housreduce the gap in housing by changing America’s/Minnesota’s most important the public lexicon. Even major corpora- other part that plays a role is the persistMinneapolis started their work on ing stock is made up of single-family many of its zoning ordinances. The issues to a halt, freezing them dead in tions are feeling the pressures of envi- ing culture wars that hinder political this in 2018 but the recent court ruling homes. More than one-third of this changes seemed to be working, that is their tracks sometimes. ronmental issues, but the complexity of deal-making. happened just a couple months ago, housing is apartment buildings. until environmental groups said that “The record supports the inescap- various corporate agendas means that The housing initiatives by according to Reason. St. Paul and other cities and states the ordinance reforms would have an able conclusion that [the city’s zoning the business community as a whole is Minneapolis City Council were herSt. Paul is also trying its hand at zon- like Knoxville, Tennessee and the state adverse impact on the environment changes] would have such potential for never really in lockstep. Some want to alded as successful, too. ing reform. Its neighborhoods are heavContinued on page 5
ALC Student Successes Discussed at Saint Peter School Board Meeting
Saint Peter Mayor Shanon Nowell (left) and City Administrator Todd Prafke (right).
Saint Peter Council Approves Union Contracts, Saint Peter alternative school students Steven Leiferman (left) and Jaiden Boswell (right) from Rock Bend ALC Assistance for Events and Equipment Purchases and their teacher Ms. Sykora (middle). By Robert Lawson ing on January 18 and discussed Publisher items on their slim agenda, but info@nicolletcountyledger.com included an extensive student spotlight on two ALC students. All of the action items on the agenSAINT PETER – The Saint Peter da of the Saint Peter School Board School Board held its regular meet- passed unanimously on January 18.
By Robert Lawson The action items included approval Publisher of the 2022-2023 audit, tentative info@nicolletcountyledger.com contracts for two years for paraprofessionals and custodians, course/ program changes for the upcoming The Saint Peter City Council met school year and amendment of a on January 22 and discussed the Continued on page 5 polar plunge annual event, a pro-
posed sale of a property, police and other union contacts and a handful of other agenda items. Amanda Malkin, 1009 Wettergren Street, addressed the Council concerning the closed session agenda item related to the proposed sale of 107 West Nassau
Street which is currently leased by Malkin. Malkin related her opinion that the site, is important to the community and asked that if the sale goes through she be allowed to continue to host already scheduled events through the fall and that
By Michelle Griffith FEBRUARY 16, 2024 1:06 PM Minnesota Reformer
motion to revoke its major party status. Kaardal wrote in his brief that the DFL’s allegations — that the pot party hasn’t met the state’s major party election law requirements — are untrue. Kaardal also recorded the case number incorrectly in his filing. Kaardal has represented the
Kaardal in 2020 sued former Vice President Mike Pence and Congress, seeking to stop the Electoral College count. A D.C. judge said Kaardal’s lawsuit was brimming with “baseless fraud allegations and tenuous legal claims,” and the judge filed an ethics complaint against him.
Legal Marijuana Now Party Chairperson Dennis Schuller told the Reformer that the party choose Kaardal as its attorney because of his constitutional law knowledge. Schuller said Kaardal’s political affiliation wasn’t considered prior
Continued on page 5
Legal Marijuana Now Party enlists right-wing lawyer in major party case A Minnesota legal pot party, which is in a court fight with Democrats to save its major party status, has commissioned a local lawyer with ties to the state
Republican Party — who also tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Minneapolis attorney Erick Kaardal filed a brief on behalf of the Legal Marijuana Now Party on Wednesday, urging the state Supreme Court to reject the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s
Minnesota Republican Party pro bono, where he was also a secretary/treasurer, according to his law firm’s website. He was also an advisory board member of Minnesota’s chapter of the Federalist Society, a right-wing network that aims to create a conservative judiciary in the U.S.
Continued on page 5
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Focus on Ag
Current Farm Bill Extended Through 2024 By Kent Thiesse
Farm management analyst kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com
In mid-November the U.S. House and Senate passed a continuing resolution that provided additional federal funding to avoid a government shutdown at the federal level. The continuing resolution that was passed and signed into law also extends the current Farm Bill for one year through September 30, 2024. This means that the current farm program and crop insurance provisions will remain in place through the 2024 crop year. It also will keep other important federal programs such as the Dairy Margon Coverage (DMC) program, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and other popular USDA programs in place for at least another year. The extension will also limit any
immediate changes to the Nutrition Title of the Farm Bill, which funds food assistance programs through SNAP, WIC, and the school lunch program. The current Farm Bill, known as the “Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018”, expired on September 30, 2023. Even though both houses of Congress held multiple hearings and listening sessions during the past year, no formal legislation for a new Farm Bill has been proposed in either house of Congress. Once a formalized Farm Bill is proposed and discussed, it will need to be passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President Biden before it can be enacted. It was not realistic to complete this process on a timely basis in order to avoid gaps in the continuation of some important USDA programs, which is why a one-year extension was passed by
See FOCUS ON AG, page 5
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Nicollet County Area Sports, Scores and Stats This Week
New Ulm Boys Hockey vs LDC, Season Over Thursday New Ulm won the game against LDC in boys hockey 5-1 on February 15. Scoring totals included Bryer Lang with
2 goals, Landon Barstad goal and assist, Talan Helget goal and Melvin Sellner goal. Brecken Neuman had 2 assists, Austin
Uecker assist, Keaton Weston assist, Jaxon Buegler assist and Benny Alfred assist. Bryer Hoffman had 37 saves in net.
Regular season is over with a 20-5 record and the first playoff game is next Thursday in New Ulm.
The New Ulm varsity boys basThe Eagles won by a score of ketball team faced Hutchinson this 91-76. past week on Tuesday, February The top scorer was once again 13. Colton Benson for the New Ulm
Eagles Boys Basketball Varsity Squad. His game night total was 23 points against Hutchinson in Tuesday’s game. L. Buttler was
top scorer for Hutchinson with the same total. Jimmy Osborne and Will Fossen both scored 20 for the night.
The New Ulm Eagles faced the Worthington Trojans on February 12 at New Ulm High School. They
won the game 104-74. Colton Benson sunk 30 points for the Eagles in the game at home.
Jimmy Osborne scored 19 points. Ayden Jensen and Will Fossen both put down 10 put points each for the
team as well. They faced Hutchinson the next game the night after.
Augustana College’s fall semester Dean’s List ROCK ISLAND, IL (02/13/2024)-- Paige Meyer, a Sociology and Anthropology, Women & Gender Studies major of Saint Peter (56082), was named to Augustana College’s fall semester Dean’s List. The college named more than 1,100 to the Dean’s List for the 2023-2024 fall semester. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term. Augustana College is a vibrant, welcoming liberal arts college located on a 115-acre campus in the Quad Cities (pop. 400,000) along the Mississippi River. Augustana, a residential campus, has 100 majors and programs, 160 student organizations and 28 varsity athletic teams. The college enrolls 2,500 students in a metro area that provides access to many career-paths and hands-on learning opportunities, including internships, jobs, student teaching and research sites. LOCAL STUDENTS NAMED TO PRESIDENT’S AND DEANS’
LISTS AT DRAKE UNIVERSITY DES MOINES, Iowa (February 14, 2024) - The following local students have been named to the Deans’ and President’s Lists at Drake University. To be eligible for the Deans’ List, students must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher during the Fall 2023 semester at Drake. To be eligible for the President’s List, students must have earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the Fall 2023 semester at Drake. Drake University is a midsize, private university in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,800 graduate students. Students choose from over 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through six colleges and schools. Drake students, faculty, and staff take advantage of the wealth of cultural, recreational, and business opportunities found in Iowa’s capital city. In return, Drake enriches the city through its own cultural offerings, considerable economic impact, and many service-learning endeavors, which channel the talent and energy of the Drake students toward meeting the
needs of the community. HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME, COLLEGE/SCHOOL, HONOR North Mankato, MN Abby Weiler, Pharmacy & Health Sciences, President’s List Saint Peter, MN Chloe Buffington, Zimpleman College of Business, President’s List UW-La Crosse announces December 2023 graduates LA CROSSE, Wis. (February 16, 2024) - The following area students completed degree requirements at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in December. UW-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of 13 four-year institutions that comprise the Universities of Wisconsin. UWL has more than 10,400 full and part-time students enrolled in 101 undergraduate, 28 graduate and two doctoral academic programs. UW-La Crosse, a top-ranked national university, is the No. 1 public university in Wisconsin with fewer than 25,000 students. See more at www.uwlax.edu Students earning degrees in December include: HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME,
DEGREE, MAJOR(S), HONORS (if listed) Saint Peter, MN Stella Ewert, Bachelor of Science, Psychology Major, Highest Honors Hamline University College of Liberal Arts Dean’s List for Fall 2023 SAINT PAUL, MN (02/16/2024)-- The following students were named to the Hamline University College of Liberal Arts Dean’s List for the Fall 2023 term. They were among 618 students to make the Dean’s List in Fall 2023. To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 16 credit hours. Aspen Clarksean of North Mankato (56003) Josephine Wiebusch of Saint Peter (56082) Founded in 1854, Hamline was the first university in Minnesota and among the first coeducational institutions in the nation. Today, Hamline University provides a worldclass education for undergraduate and graduate students. Our faculty, staff, and students cultivate an ethic of civic responsibility, social justice, and inclusive leadership.
New Ulm Boys 91 Hutchinson 76 in Varsity Basketball Game New Ulm Eagles Boys Basketball 104, Worthington Trojans 74
Local College Student Achievements Announced Here
MVAC helps Seniors meet needs, serve their community 11,000 people per day in the United States are turning 65 years of age. Ninety percent of low-income retirees have no savings and struggle to meet basic needs. Minnesota Valley Action Council (MVAC) offers help with the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP). “We’ll match the Senior with a job in their local community at a non-profit agency working 20 hours per week at $13 an hour,” MVAC Senior Employment Coordinator Sarah McDonald explains. Anyone who is unemployed, age 55 and over who lives in Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Martin, Nicollet, or Watonwan County is eligible to apply Seniors get more income without impacting the benefits they might be receiving from the county, McDonald says. The rewards of seniors working go beyond the paycheck and building job skills. “I think my favorite part of the Senior Community Services Employment Program is that they get to stay connected in their communities,” she says. “We know that isolation and that disconnection
can be a problem for senior citizens so keeping them connected to community members and building their social networks is important.” Work sites for the program may include schools, museums, day care centers, thrift stores, hospitals/ nursing homes. “They’ll have a case manager in their corner,” McDonald says. “They’ll set goals for themselves – what they’re interested in doing -and look at skills they’ve previously had. We’re going to try to meet Law, Crime, Courts, Fire and Emergency Services News them where they’re at to figure out where they want to go.” Seniors can participate in MVAC’s Senior Community SerImage: Thomas J. Martin. vices Employment Program for up Minnesota DPS Comissioner to approximately four years. MVAC’s website, www.mvac. org offers an online referral form so it’s easy to get more information or Seniors may pick up an application at an MVAC office. MVAC is a Community Action Agency helping those in need secure affordable housing, viable transportation, employment and training for employment, as well as creating educational opportunities for children. #helpingpeoplechanging lives
The City of North Mankato is inviting the public to provide input on interactions with wildlife through a survey on our website. This survey was an action approved by the City Council in September of 2023 as a next step in a wildlife management planning initiative. Input received through the survey will help the City develop a Wildlife Management Plan that identifies the extent of wildlife impacts on the com-
munity, and determines actions the City might consider taking to mitigate those impacts. The public is invited to take the survey here: www.northmankato. com/wildlife-survey. The survey will be available until 4:00 p.m. on February 9, 2024. Questions may be directed to City Planner Matt Lassonde at matthewl@northmankato.com or 507514-6456.
Law Enforcement Beat
Commissioner’s corner: Honoring Black history
Ledger Comic Strips
Laundry Theft Report Update in North Kato North Mankato, Minn. North Mankato Police have identified the female parties captured in the surveillance photos. Police have been able to determine that the theft of laundry reported to them on February 11 at Kato Quick Wash was
a miscommunication, and the females captured by surveillance took the laundry mistakenly. The female parties came to North Mankato Police right away after the press release was issued and informed police of what had occurred. No crime is found to have occurred.
Nicollet Woman Strikes Pole With Her SUV A 68-year-old Nicollet woman was injured when the SUV she was driving crashed into a utility pole Wednesday in Nicollet. Marlene Helen Wilking was driving a 2022 Buick Encore north on Highway 111 and was at the intersection with Highway 99 at 2:56 p.m.
when the vehicle went off the road to the left and struck the pole, the State Patrol said. Wilking was treated for non-lifethreatening injuries at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato. Road conditions were wet, authorities said.
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February is a month of reflection as we recognize the contributions made by the African American community throughout history. It serves as a time to highlight the struggles, triumphs and cultural heritage of the Black community.
Thomas J. Martin was an important inventor in the public safety world. On March 26, 1872, he was granted a patent for his version of the fire extinguisher. The invention involved the use of pipes to carry water upward and valves in the ceiling acting as sprinklers to extinguish fires in buildings.
Female Injured in North Kato House Fire
North Mankato, Minn. On Sunday, February 11th at 7:14 p.m. the North Mankato Fire Department was dispatched to a reported kitchen fire in single-family residential dwelling on the 1900 Block of Howard Dr. The residents were home at the time of the fire and were able to exit the home prior to the arrival of emergency crews. Fire was found in the kitchen and garage roof areas of the structure. Firefighters extinguished the fire and found significant damage to the kitchen and garage area. A 41-year-old female sustained severe burns as a result of the fire and
was transported by helicopter to the Hennepin County Medical Center Burn Unit (Minneapolis) in unknown condition. The North Mankato Fire Department was on scene for approximately two and a half hours and was assisted by North Mankato Police Department and Mayo Ambulance. Howard Drive was temporarily closed for emergency crew access to the fire hydrant supply line. The case remains under investigation by the North Mankato Fire Department and MN State Fire Marshal’s Office.
On February 14th, 2024 at 5:20 P.M., the Sibley County Sheriff's Office responded to a one-vehicle accident on County Road 8 near 425th Avenue, in rural Kelso Township, approximately ten (10) miles southeast of Gaylord. It was learned Kayla Kendrick, age 34 of Le Sueur, was traveling east on County Road 8 when she lost control of her 2006 Chrysler Town & Country due to
the poor snow-covered roadway. Kayla's vehicle exited the roadway and entered the ditch where her vehicle came to rest. Kayla sustained minor injuries and was transported to the Ridgeview Le Sueur Campus by ground Gaylord Ambulance. Kayla had been wearing her seatbelt and her vehicle sustained no damage. Assisting Agencies: Gaylord Ambulance.
Crash in Sibley Crash Results in Injuries
Purchase Photos on Wall Canvas
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Focus on Ag Continued Zoning Ordinance Reform Alleviates Housing From Page 2 Congress. The continuing resolution that was passed will also maintain funding for most federal agencies, including those that are part of USDA, until either mid-January or early February of 2024. When most people hear of a “Farm Bill”, they think of the commodity programs and payments that affect crop producers. Some people may be aware that crop insurance and conservation programs are included under the Farm Bill, and some are knowledgeable that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and food stamps are part of the Farm Bill legislation. However, very few people outside of government officials and policy experts are aware that the Farm Bill also covers funding for rural fire trucks and ambulances, export promotion, international food aid, forestry programs, ag research and extension education at land-grant universities, and school lunch programs. The current Farm Bill passed in 2018 was over 1,000 pages in length, and contains 12 separate Titles, which cover a multitude of programs that are administered by USDA. Farm Program for 2024 The recent extension of the 2018 Farm Bill means that the “price loss coverage” (PLC) and “ag risk coverage” (ARC) farm program options for eligible crops will remain in place for the 2024 crop year and will be similar to PLC and ARC programs for the 2019 to 2023 crop years. For 2024, producers will be able to choose between the price-only PLC and revenue-based ARC program choices for the 2024 crop production year. The ARC program choice includes both the county-yield based “ARC-CO” program, which is most popular, and the “ARC-IC” program, which is based on farm-level yields. If no choice is made, the 2023 farm program choice will remain in place for 2024. The deadline to finalize the farm program choice and to enroll for 2024 farm program benefits will likely be March 15, 2024, at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. As of this writing, USDA has not yet made any official announcements regarding 2024 farm program sign-up. Crop base acres for 2024 will likely remain at the same levels as 2023 for all crops on most farms, unless there are adjustments in base acres for crop acres that were added via land purchases or rental agreements or acres that are no longer eligible for farm program payments. The 2023 farm program yields on individual farm units, which were last updated in 2020, will be continued to calculate potential PLC payments. The ARCCO “benchmark yields” for 2024 will be based on the “Olympic-average” Risk Management Agency (RMA) county average yields for the 2018 to 2022 crop years. The national “market year average” (MYA) price for each program crop for the years 2018-2022 will be averaged to calculate the 2024 “benchmark price” for the ARC-CO and ARC-IC programs. The calculation formulas, etc. for the 2024 PLC, ARC-CO and ARC-IC programs will likely remain the same as in previous years.PLC payments for 2024 will be made if the final MYA price for 2024 falls below the reference price for a given crop. ARCCO payments for 2024 will be made if the final county revenue for the year (county yield x final 2024 MYA price) falls below the 2024 benchmark revenue (county benchmark yield x benchmark price) for a given crop. The calculations for the ARC-IC program are the same as for the ARC-CO program, except ARC-IC uses farm-level yield data and considers all crops on a farm unit together for calculation of potential payments in a given year. PLC and ARC-CO payments are paid on 85 percent of crop base acres, while ARC-IC payments are paid on only 65 percent of base acres. The 2014 Farm Bill established “statutory reference prices” for all
crops that were used to calculate PLC payments. The 2018 Farm Bill set the fixed statutory prices as minimum reference prices and added the possibility for “effective reference prices” (ERP). The ERP allows the reference price to increase by as much as 15 percent above the fixed reference price (fixed price x 115%). The final ERP for a given year is the higher of the fixed statutory price or the 5-year “Olympic average” price for a commodity times 85 percent (.85). The “Olympic average” price is calculated by taking the market year average (MYA) price for the five previous years (not including the current marketing year), dropping the high and the low price, and then averaging the other prices for the other three years. For the 2024 crop year, the “Olympic average” price is based on the MYA prices for the years 2018 to 2022, which is then multiplied by 85% (.85) to determine the final ERP price. The final effective reference prices (ERP) for the 2019 to 2023 crop years were at the minimum statutory levels of $3.70 per bushel for corn, $8.40 per bushel for soybeans, and $5.50 per bushel for wheat, meaning that calculation for higher ERP levels was not triggered for any of those three crops. MYA prices have been high enough in recent years to likely result in higher 2024 PLC reference prices for corn and soybeans; however, the wheat reference price will likely remain at the minimum level. The higher reference prices for corn and soybeans potentially increases the likelihood of PLC payments for the 2024 crip year, especially for corn if average market prices continue to decline during the 2024-25 marketing year. (Please refer to the attached Table.) Following are the estimated 2024 PLC reference prices: Corn = $4.02 per bushel (maximum is $4.26/bu. and minimum is $3.70/bu.) Soybeans = $9.26 per bushel (maximum is $9.66/bu. and minimum is $8.40/bu.) Wheat $5.50 per bushel (maximum is $6.33/bu. and minimum is $5.50/ bu.) The 2024 benchmark (BM) prices that are used for the ARC-CO and ARC-IC programs are also based on the five-year “Olympic average” MYA prices for 2018 to 2022; however, the ARC benchmark prices are not factored downward by 85 percent (x .85). The minimum BM price is the statutory reference price for a given crop. Following are the estimated ARC-CO and ARC-IC benchmark prices for the 2024 crop year: Corn = $4.75 per bushel $3.98/bu.in 2023) Soybeans = $10.89 per bushel ($9.57/bu.in 2023) Wheat $6.21 per bushel ($5.50/bu. in 2023) BOTTOM – LINE Another provision in the 2018 Farm Bill allows farm operators to make year-to-year decisions between PLC, ARC-CO and ARC-IC for each eligible crop on an FSA farm unit. Assuming that the PLC and ARC-CO farm program provisions and calculations in 2024 stay relatively similar to recent years, farm operators will want to do a bit more analysis before finalizing year-to-year farm program decisions for various crops. The potential for higher PLC reference prices and increasing benchmark prices will make that decision a bit more challenging for 2024 than in recent years. USDA has not yet announced the 2024 farm program details and sign-up dates at local FSA offices. Note — For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst and Sr. Vice President, MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN. (Phone — (507) 381-7960) E-mail — kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com) Web Site — http://www. minnstarbank.com/
Shortage But Not For Single Family Homes Housing Continued From Page One
of Nebraska respectively are trying to solve what they call a “missing middle”. Missing middle housing is a range of house-scale buildings with multiple units—compatible in scale and form with detached singlefamily homes—located in a walkable neighborhood, according to Missing Middle Housing, an urban planning group. City planners and state officials are incorporating Missing Middle plans in their respective territories. These types of homes are typically made up of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, along with townhomes, mother-in-law apartments and small cottage-style houses clustered around a courtyard. One example of such housing are the developments near Sibley Park in Mankato near the Minnesota River border across from North Mankato. According to NPR, Pew called Minneapolis’s decision to end singlefamily housing along with a handful of other policies a blueprint for affordable housing. Critics of state changes argue that these changes should be left to local decision-makers at the county and municipal level, such was the case in Nebraska’s legislature in Lincoln when lobbyists representing local governments made their voices heard on the issue. Other critics of Missing Middle, or Expanded Housing Options (EHO) say that it does more to rake in rev-
enues for government and developers but little to provide adequate single family homes for average wageearning families, such was the case at a recent county board election in Virginia where two Democrats were both elected but on opposing sides of EHO. Patch in Arlington, Virginia reported that Susan Cunningham, a Democrat opposed to Missing Middle policy won alongside fellow Democrat Maureen Coffey who supports the policy. Cunningham, who ran opposed to the policy, received more votes than Coffey. Independent Audrey Clement was fiercely opposed in her run for county board but only received 13 percent of the votes and Republican Juan Carlos Fierro, also opposed, received only 11.79 percent. The issue is both hotly contested yet highly complex considering the many stakeholders involved. In late January, Finance & Commerce reported on January 30 that data for 2023 showed the market for condos and townhomes outperformed single-family homes in the United States national market and Minnesota mirrors that trend, with slightly better performance than the nation as a whole. The data comes from realtor groups that indicated the high interest rates meant to control inflation has created the biggest drop in home sales since 2011. Only 44,300 homes sold in 2023, a decline of 17.6 percent from 2022 but despite
that, home values are remaining high and average homes in the state are only listed an average of 40 days before they are sold, so inventory is scant in Minnesota still. Buyers have also soured on the market. Statewide, Minnesota recently allocated nearly $350 million toward new or renovated apartments, single and multi-family homes, and manufactured homes. Nothing so far has been specifically targeting the goal of building more single family homes. The incentives rather seem to overwhelmingly reward more development/refurbishment of apartments, condos, townhomes and other forms of multifamily housing. There is also little to no discussion about incentivizing rural development of single family housing, where there is far less density. The same is true for other infrastructure spending like EV charging subsidies and grants to expand charging infrastructure. It is so far limited to two Interstate corridors that focus on travel to the Twin Cities metro region. There is little incentive for rural charging infrastructure despite the automotive industry’s increasing pivot toward electric and other alternative fuels like hydrogen fuel cell technology and biofuels. Many small towns have watched as their populations dwindle and prices explode for goods as more small businesses fade into memory. Some researchers are already suggesting there will be numerous “ghost
towns” by 2100, but such predictions are speculative at this point and some rural areas benefit from catering to people who are leaving urban centers in search of better lives, prosperity and family values. Interest in homesteading has soared in recent years on both Google searches and YouTube content. Many are young families. The tiny house movement is also an example of people looking for alternatives to a complex housing market and thinking outside the box has become a priority for many Millennials. The sharing of ideas online has also become paramount. The availability and price of land, however, has been squeezed right along with these trends. Like previous waves of European immigrants who settled in small towns, newer immigrant groups are also seeking small town American life, but even with a border crisis in the news it appears there is a drop in numbers of migrants coming. Some believe they are starting to realize there isn’t enough housing in the U.S. to meet the demand and are also choosing to go instead to destinations in Europe for now, though Latin American immigration to the U.S. remains steady. It seems there are no easy answers to housing at the moment, and those looking for single family homes may just find themselves, foreign immigrants or citizens alike, playing the waiting game even longer.
to his hiring. “Political affiliation was never criteria when we were looking for people. We had limited options and that just wasn’t something we concern ourselves with,” Schuller said. Legal Marijuana Now has started a GoFundMe to pay for its legal costs, with a goal of raising $15,000. Democrats have an interest in seeing the Legal Marijuana Now Party — one of two parties established to legalize what is now legal — lose its major party status. Republicans have at times seemed
to collude with pot party candidates in an effort to siphon votes away from Democratic candidates in close congressional and legislative races, enraging some Democrats. Major party status confers significant advantages, especially ballot access, negating the need for the expensive and onerous process of collecting signatures to appear on the ballot. The DFL Party in its petition to the Minnesota Supreme Court alleged that the Legal Marijuana Now Party has illustrated disregard for the state’s election law, in part
because one of its candidates for the presidential primary did not consent to being on the ballot. The DFL in its brief said Secretary of State Steve Simon made an error in certifying Legal Marijuana Now as a major party, and it is asking the Supreme Court to order Simon to bar the Legal Marijuana Now from nominating a presidential candidate. On Wednesday, Attorney General Keith Ellison on behalf of Simon submitted a brief saying that Simon did not make a mistake in certifying the pot party.
Ellison in the brief said that state law doesn’t authorize Simon to investigate the factual accuracy of a party’s petition for major party status. Ellison also noted the law doesn’t allow Simon to revoke a political party’s major party status based on the DFL’s allegations Simon declined to take a position on the central merits of the DFL’s petition, according to the filing. Read online at: ht t p s://m i n ne s ot a r efor m e r. com/2024/02/16/legal-marijuananow-party-enlists-right-wing-lawyer-in-major-party-case/
the City consider providing monetary backing to her for a new space based on her receiving a $10,000 grant from AARP to develop the 107 West Nassau lot. Saint Peter City Administrator Prafke recommended approval of a request submitted by the Nicollet County Sheriff for City assistance for the February 3, 2024 Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge event in Hallett Park at Hallett’s Pond. Councilmember Sharstrom expressed concern about holding the event in that area with the abutting large apartment com-
plex still under construction. Prafke reported the organizers had already spoken with the developer and with the management of the nearby Hy-Vee store who were both fine with the event. Councilmember Ben Ranft encouraged city staff to monitor erosion issues related to draining of the hot tub used during the event. Prafke assured the Council that the issue from 2-3 years prior had been addressed. Resolution No. 2024-14 entitled “Resolution Authorizing Use Of Hallett Park and Hallett’s Pond For 2024 Polar Bear Plunge“ was passed and adopted.
The council also approved a 2024 equipment certificate purchase for a robotic paint striper for $30,000 for athletic fields. Another equipment certificate purchase that was passed was a 2024 Dodge Ram 2500 Regular Cab 4 wheel-drive pickup truck from Dodge of Burnsville through the state bid program to replace a 2004 truck. It would be used through the summer and then declared as surplus. Councilmember Brad DeVos noted the Equipment Certificate allocation for the purchase was $75,000 and congratulated city staff on securing a purchase that saved so
much money. Assistance for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was once again approved this year. The council also passed a contract with the police department after a closed session to discuss union contract negotiations as well as closed sessions for streets, parks, electric, water/wastewater/stormwater and communications technicians union contracts and a closed session for negotiations regarding a request to purchase the City-owned property at 107 West Nassau Street. All of the closed sessions were concluded by 8:51 p.m. and started at 7:34 p.m.
previously passed resolution calling for a special election. The board discussed, under information items, the options for enrollment while considering a yearly comparison report, appointments to standing board committees and consideration of changes to the course/ program schedule for middle school students in the upcoming school year. In board updates, seven new
students have enrolled in the district the week prior to the meeting. Kindergarten registration is also now open. Representative Jeff Brand was announced to be visiting North Elementary as “principal for the day” at the school. The North Concert for February 8 was also announced. There were four graduates at ALC Rock Bend. The student spotlights were on Steven Leiferman and Jaiden
Boswell, both students at Rock Bend ALC. Leiferman chose Rock Bend because he had long struggled to get a grasp on his education and was falling behind on credits, but he is now back on track and things are going well. Leiferman saw an improvement in his grades when he started attending school regularly and hopes to get a job in the trades. Boswell met her graduation cred-
it requirements and will receive a Saint Peter diploma as approved in the consent agenda. She would like to focus on working, now that she has graduated. Ms. Sykora acknowledged that both students have overcome obstacles to get to this point and she is proud of each of them, according to the board. There was no student council report.
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School Board Continued From Page One
Here’s how much you need to make to live in Minnesota Across Minnesota, household incomes generally exceed the cost of living BY MAX NESTERAK FEBRUARY 14
A single person in the Twin Cities metro area needs to earn $47,442 a year — about $22 an hour — to afford the basics: food, housing, health care, transportation and a cell phone. For a family of four, the parents need to earn at least $119,229 a year — or about $28 an hour each. That’s according to the Economic Policy Institute’s latest Family Budget Calculator, which estimates how much it costs to make ends meet across America. The cost of living far exceeds the minimum wage in Minnesota ($10.85 per hour) and Minneapolis ($15.57 per hour). But the good news is most households across much of Minnesota earn more than the basic cost of living, according to the latest income estimates from the Census Bureau. For example, the median four-person household in the Twin Cities metro area — meaning half of house-
holds make more, half make less — earns $148,901 a year. In St. Louis County, which includes Duluth, the cost of living for a family of four is $102,649 a year while the median four-person household earns $114,034. In Olmsted County, which includes Rochester, the cost of living for a family of four is $124,795 while the median four-person household earns $136,891. You can search for what it costs to live in every county in America (according to EPI) here. The cost of living estimates assume that families rent housing a bit cheaper than the average home, buy health insurance through the independent marketplace and that both parents are working and need to pay for child care. While it’s called a “living wage,” the estimate does not include many of the things associated with a decent living: retirement savings, vacations, movie tickets, Christmas presents or dinners at sit-down restaurants. Rather, the Family Budget Calculator aims to show the bare minimum needed to sur-
vive without government assistance. Unsurprisingly, Minnesota is affordable for more people than those living in or near major cities, especially on the coasts. For example, in the county encompassing Boston, Mass., the cost of living for a family of four is $148,551, but the median fourperson household income is $118,046 (notably, that’s not much more than the typical Hennepin County household). The cost of living in Manhattan is even higher — $160,147 a year for a family of four — but higher wages mean it’s affordable for most residents. The median fourperson household earns $174,684 a year. The cost of living in and around Minneapolis, Duluth and Boston, Mass. Graphic by the Economic Policy Institute. One of the biggest drivers of affordability is housing costs. The cost of food, child care, health care and transportation don’t vary much between Minneapolis and Boston and Los Angeles, but housing does. The impact of housing costs is also reflected in the fact that the
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cost of living for single people often exceeds what the typical single-person household earns. Married couples — in addition to tax benefits — split the cost of rent or a mortgage along with the internet bill, utilities, furniture and repairs. Last year, the Minnesota Legislature passed several new laws aimed at making the state affordable to more people, including subsidies for child care, funding for affordable housing, tax cuts for low-income residents and legislation laying the groundwork for a public option for health insurance. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development also estimates the cost of living for households across the state using somewhat different methodology. Their estimates, which are based on slightly older data, are significantly lower. For example, they estimate a single person in Hennepin County needs to earn about $37,000 a year and a family of four needs to earn $104,706. Christopher Ingraham contributed reporting.
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Nicollet County Ledger
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Snow Has Returned But Not For Long: Views From Lookout Drive in North Mankato
Viewing station from Lookout Drive in North Mankato across the Minnesota River from Mankato below and across the horizon. Photo by Robert Lawson.
A raptor flies overhead the Minnesota River near Lookout Drive in North Mankato. Photo by Robert Lawson.
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