WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
Serving Polk County’s St. t Croix C i Valley V ll since i 1897
VOL. 119 NO. 19 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
CHRISTMAS: Letters to Santa. PAGE 16-18
School leaders consider asking voters for funds
Citizens petition to stop foul odor BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Dresser residents have begun organizing online in an effort to stop foul odors emanating from the waste treatment ponds at F&A Dairy. Calling themselves the Citizens’ Coalition for Dresser’s Quality of Life, the group set up a Facebook page to “inform residents about the awful smell in Dresser” and “note who has enforcement authority and responsibility.” The group is circulating a petition on the page, asserting that residents’ quality of life has been “significantly diminished for over 100 days in the past several years by a foul and noxious stench, directly resulting from F&A Dairy’s continued failure to manage their
BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Not too long ago, the Osceola School Board and district administrators were tossing around the idea of asking voters to approve a bond for a new elementary school. Last Wednesday, they announced to the community that hopes for a new school are on the backburner for at least the next few years. Instead, they may have to ask for funds to cover operational costs. As The Sun reported last month, district administrators have been cutting costs for years through attrition, benefit reductions and other cuts. But operating costs have continued to rise with inflation while state revenue limits have barely increased. Jenifer Frank, business manager for the Osceola School District, noted that since the 2009’10 school year, the revenue limit has increased 0.2 percent while general inflation, reflected by the Consumer Price Index, has gone up 13.55 percent. This year the school will dip into its $3 million fund balance to make up for the $86,000 shortfall in its $18 million annual
SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
“If we have all the buildings but don’t have quality staff and programs in place, it seems like the cart before the horse,” said District Superintendent Mark Luebker at a community meeting last week.
operating budget. But that’s not a longterm solution. Next year, the district expects to be $809,000 short, bringing the two-year deficit total to almost a million. At that rate the fund balance would be gone by the 2019-’20 school year. “How do we continue to have our academic programs and do what we need to do for kids and keep the school district budget balanced?” asked Frank. One answer is asking taxpayers for more money. Thirty-two percent of
SUBMITTED
The Facebook cover photo used by the Citizens’ Coalition for Dresser’s Quality of Life, a group organizing to stop foul odors emanating from the waste treatment ponds at F&A Dairy.
wastewater lagoon system to compliance with Wisconsin environmental law. …”
The petition requests that Governor Scott Walker direct the Department of Natural
Resources [DNR] to enforce compliance meaSEE ODOR, PAGE 6
Rock sets holiday art show in motion BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Sometimes an immovable object creates its own form of momentum. In this case, if it weren’t for an unfortunately placed rock, Lena Rothman likely wouldn’t have organized the holiday art show set for this weekend at Osceola’s train depot. “It’s a very impromptu thing,” the Osceola-based artist explained. “I crunched my car along a rock and I was thinking, ‘How can I pay for this?’” So she acted on an idea she’d been kicking around for awhile. “It’s something I’ve been wanting to do,” she said.
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE 24
Early deadlines
Due to the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, The Sun will have early deadlines. The deadline to submit ads or news releases for the Dec. 28 edition will be noon, Dec. 21. The deadline for the Jan. 3 edition will be noon, Dec. 28. Our office will be closed Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
SEE SHOW, PAGE 6
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Joni Jurek’s painting of a barn in Star Prairie. Jurek is one of four area artists showing at the depot this weekend.
Happy Holidays Holi da Wish y es
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