Scott West Takes Second at Lakeville
Boys’ Basketball Team Set for Season Opener
B.P. Family Gets Surprise Holiday Visit Page 4
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Page 19 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, DECEMBER 5, 2012
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 49
Council Addresses Fire Permit and Refuse Hauling Issues at Length Discussions End in 4-2 and 3-3 Votes
Santa and Mrs. Claus Visit Belle Plaine Santa and Mrs. Claus greeted dozens of kids at Hennen Furniture in down Belle Plaine Thursday night as part of the Business Lighting Contest festivities at adjacent Townsend Park. Pictured on Santa’s lap is an excited Jacob Sloan of Belle Plaine, while his sister, Michelle, got better acquainted with the First Lady of the North Pole.
Council Okays 2013 Budget and Levy Following what was a brief public hearing Monday night on the city’s proposed budget and property tax levy, during which only two people spoke, the proposal became a reality as the Belle Plaine City Council unanimously placed its final stamp of approval on what the city will collect from taxpayers in 2013.
Included is a property tax levy of $4,528,272, an increase of $228,635 (5.3 percent) over this year’s levy of $4,299,637, which was a 2.7 percent increase over the 2011 levy. The 5.3 percent increase for 2013 represents only the city’s portion of your property tax bill. County and school taxes are not included.
The only two people to speak at the public hearing were residents Scott Kruger and Mike Jacobs, both of whom expressed concern over what they said are falling values on their properties but rising taxes. Belle Plaine Finance Direc-
Budget
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With Minor Levy Hike Planned, School District Tax Hearing a Non-Event
A proposal to increase the Belle Plaine School District’s proposed 2013 property tax levy by less than a half-percent coupled with continued declining valuations wasn’t the formula for a crowded school board meeting room Monday night. Taxpayers interested in comment on the district’s proposal to increase its 2013 levy were no-shows. With no one to listen to, the board conducted a brief but uneventful workshop. Because of a mix-up on dates sent to district residents within
Scott County residents, Superintendent Kelly Smith told the board Monday night (Nov. 26) he will also present the information to any interested residents who attend a second meeting, this one Dec. 10, 6 p.m., in the District Center. The school board will formally approve the operating levy for the coming year at its Dec. 17 (6 p.m.) meeting. The district estimates any increase people might see in the school district’s portion of the levy resulting from a .44-percent increase would be “very
Belle Plaine Business Lighting Contest Has 30 Entrants Thirty businesses have entered the competition to be Belle Plaine’s Best Decorated Holiday Business and votes are being sought as to which are the best ones. A ballot listing the participating businesses is available on page 6 in today’s edition of the Herald. Ballots can be dropped off at the Chamber of Commerce
drop box located at the exterior of 204 North Meridian Street downtown. For each ballot cast, the chamber will donate $1 to the Belle Plaine Food Shelf and voters will be entered into a drawing for one of twenty $25 Belle Plaine Bucks prizes. Only one ballot per household is permitted. All votes must be turned in by Wednesday, Dec. 12.
minimal,” said Chuck Keller, the Belle Plaine School District’s budget manager. With the valuation of property across the school district down by over 3 percent, many homeowners in the district might even enjoy a decrease in the school district’s portion of the tax bill. The proposed .44 percent increase is well below the 1.39
by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council Monday night addressed an assortment of issues, one of which appeared routine on the surface but ended up consuming half of the council’s regular meeting. Allen Schmitz of rural Belle Plaine had recently approached staff and requested that the council consider moving the time period that burning permits are valid for from 30 days to one year, which he said would not be unlike a number of other area jurisdictions. Schmitz said it should not be necessary to purchase several $25 permits over the course of a year. Schmitz further presented his case to the council during the public forum that’s held near the beginning of each regular city council meeting. It allows residents to make their voices heard on any issue they desire. Later on in the agenda, the Schmitz-induced issue of building permit fees was up for review by the council, and a lengthy discussion ensued. Most of the talk centered on what the impact would be on staff if the council was to allow the $25 permit fee to have a lifeline of one year versus one month. Finance Director Dawn Meyer said administrative costs would likely increase because there would be a longer list of burning permit holders to keep track of and notify anytime a burning ban is imposed by the county or state. Also, the longer the list of
permit holders is at any given time, the more other issues can arise in regards to controlled burning. Scott County Emergency Services Director Chris Weldon, who is a former Belle Plaine fire chief, reiterated what Meyer had to say. Schmitz re-approached the council and said he did not feel it is necessary for city staff to notify burning permit holders each time there is a burning ban because there are a number of
rules that permit holders must abide to, including notifying the proper authorities before they begin a controlled burn. It’s at that time they learn if there are any burning restrictions in place. Meyer said it’s been the city’s policy, as issuer of burning permits, to notify permit holders to inform them when burning restrictions are in place.
Council
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Sign Up Now for Home Holiday Lighting Contest You can register now to enter the Belle Plaine Rotary Club’s Holiday Home Lighting Contest. Judging will take place Thursday and Friday (Dec. 13-14) and winners will be announced in the Herald on Dec. 19, in-
cluding photographs of the top decorated homes. Prizes will also be awarded, for which the Rotary is seeking contributions from local business and organizations. To have your home placed on the list for judging, contact Diane Skelley at 952-873-2467.
Lutheran Home’s Tree of Life Lighting Next Tuesday The Lutheran Home Campus will celebrate its annual Tree of Life Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. Community members are invited to attend this program in the chapel of The Lutheran Home: Belle Plaine at 611 West Main Street. This is a special holiday celebration for family members and friends to honor their loved ones who are living and remember loved ones who have
passed away. Pastor Ed Fredrich, campus chaplain, will lead the worship service and special ceremony. People also have the opportunity to honor or remember family members and friends by reserving a light for $10 or a string of lights for $25. Donations received for the
Tree of Life
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School Board
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Santa at Library Saturday
Friday morning at the Scott County Law Enforcement Center in Shakopee, Vera Lieske (left) Santa Claus will be available and Pat O’Laughlin, both of Belle Plaine, recounted ballots cast in the Senate District 20 race to discuss Christmas wish lists for Republican Mike Dudley and DFLer Kevin Dahle on Election Day, Nov. 6. Dudley took with children at the Belle Plaine Scott County and Belle Plaine but Dahle won the election and the recount. Public Library on Saturdays, Dec. 8 and 15 from noon to 2 p.m. The visits are sponsored by the Belle Plaine Friends of the Library. Santa’s helpers will bring their camera and the photos will be free. DFLer from Northfield, was the winner of the Nov. 6 voting and the recount. Dahle has been operating as Recount if he was the officially elected Counties Dahle Dudley candidate. He recently attended As election judges from Belle Scott 4,960 7,558 an orientation for newly-elected Plaine and area townships be- Le Sueur 5,294 6,067 senators. gan reRice 10,373 6,931 “They say until the recount is counting Total: 20,627 20,556 done, it’s not official. It’s nice ballots in Election Day to have it done,” Dahle said. the Senate Friday afternoon, Dudley Counties Dahle Dudley District 20 called Dahle and congratulated Scott 4,962 7,557 race, Rehim. Le Sueur 5,292 6,064 publicans “It’s a credit to (Scott, Le Rice 10,374 6,929 hoping Total: 20,628 20,550 Mike DudRecount ley’s 78Source: Secretary of State (continued on page 6) Connie and Leroy Chard (CLC Development) recently purchased the former Brewery Creek vote ElecGarden Center property off of Highway 169 in Belle Plaine. The Chards have been cleaning tion Day deficit could somehow lots in Rice and Le Sueur counup the site, which they purchased from a bank. The Chards have not yet publicly commented be changed were beginning to ties (Nov. 28-29) saw only four face the music. ballots change. By noon Frion what their future plans are for the property, which was owned by the Kornder family for Two days of recounting bal- day (Nov. 30), Kevin Dahle, a many years prior to the closing of Brewery Creek Garden Center several years ago.
Site Cleanup
In Senate Dist. 20 Election and Recount, Dahle Prevails
GOP Concedes, Different Numbers, ‘That’s Where The Same Outcome Electorate is At’