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VOL. 18 NO. 18 www.readthecitizen.com $1.00
ARTS & CULTURE: Steinway a high note of pianist’s legacy PAGE 10
Block 7 townhouse project moves forward
Action-packed week at Keystone
BY LORETTA B. HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Keystone Place at LaValle Fields resident Patti Vignalo greets a bunny from Sweet Manes. Residents have also enjoyed visits from minature horses, goats, dogs and cars. See more photos on page 12.
CENTERVILLE — The Centerville City Council voted 3-2 (Council members Steve King and Russ Koski opposed) Aug. 11 to approve a purchase agreement with Centra North of Coon Rapids to develop the city-owned block, which presently sits vacant. The developer proposes to build 26 townhouses on 1.61 acres located on the west side of Centerville Road between Sorel and Heritage Streets. Following a number of open discussions and closed executive sessions, the city negotiated with the developer about the purchase price, originally set at $350,000, and other issues, with an eye toward moving ahead with a purchase agreement. The city will sell the land to Centra Homes for $1 but will offer no public assistance, such as tax increment financing (TIF) dollars. The developer will pay 100% of the usual fees, such as the sewer access fee, water access fee and park fees. During negotiations, the city raised three conditions to which the developer had to agree. Project delays are to be capped at 24 months (two years), force majeure events notwithstanding. Force majeure events include unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract. Events beyond the developer’s control that halt SEE TOWNHOUSE PROJECT, PAGE 9
Public forum cut short after conduct violations conduct during the public forum. Participation in the public forum has increased over the last few months, especially with regard to the district’s racial equity work. Tensions have run high over the controversial topic. The addenda are meant to “ensure that board meetings are able to continue in a manner that is safe, appropriate, consistent and productive,” said Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak. The addenda state that the purpose of the public forum is to provide input directly to the school board about issues that fall within the
BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER
The school board meeting halted abruptly last Monday when Jessica Ellison, sitting in for board chair Don Mullin, called a five-minute recess after members of the audience drowned the room in applause and cheers for a public forum speaker. This reaction to the speaker was a violation of two newly instituted addenda approved earlier in the meeting, stating—among other conduct rules—that clapping, cheering, booing and vocalizing approval or disapproval is prohibited
school board’s authority, and clarify that it is not a time for speakers to address the community or audience. “Time for public comment at regular school board meetings is not a requirement of the law; it is something the school board chooses to provide,” Kazmierczak said. The board will also require that those who wish to speak submit a written or phoned-in request by 3 p.m. the day of the meeting. When the Aug. 9 meeting resumed after recess, Ellison warned the audience the board would end public forum if any further violations occurred. The
board was able to hear three more speakers before the audience again erupted into applause, causing the board to formally end the forum. This response was prompted by the statement of an incoming eighth grade student, who felt that her education about racism in school prompted division among her classmates and made her uncomfortable. Board Member Angela Thompson remarked on the incident during the board forum, commending the student’s courage for speaking in front of the large crowd. “I can’t imagine what she
went through to fi nd the courage to come here and say what she wanted to say to us, to then have it end so abruptly because adults could not control themselves,” Thompson said. “Whether or not the applause was deserved for her bravery, that is not the way that public forum happens … I would suggest that the adults in our community look to our children as a guidance of how to behave when you are in a school building.” The full text of the addenda can be found online in the school board packet for the Aug. 9 meeting on the ISD 624 website. SEE SCHOOL BOARD, PAGE 11
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