New Program Rides Into Area
Tigertown Classic Dodges Rain, All 10 Games Played Page 15
State Track and Field Results Page 15
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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, JUNE 12, 2013
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 24
Harriet Traxler’s New Book Brings School Board OKs Land Buy, 1891 Faxon Slaying Back to Life Rejects 1 to 1 Technology Plan by Dan Ruud Something tragic happened on the Faxon Township farm that Harriet Traxler grew up on. It occurred half a century before Harriet, a 1961 Belle Plaine High School graduate, was born and it wasn’t until her teenage years that she found out about it from an old Henderson newspaper clipping she found in an old recipe book. The article was about the murder in 1891 of Harriet’s great uncle, Michael Collins, right there on the family farm. The man who was tried and convicted of his murder (by shooting) was Jimmy O’Neil, who also allegedly attempted to kill Collins’ two grown sons. The Collins and O’Neil families had been feuding for years over a property line dispute that had recently been settled in court in the Collins family’s favor, which apparently sent Jimmy O’Neil over the edge. Seldom are the words Faxon and murder used in the same sentence but they are prominent in Harriet Traxler’s latest book “A Murder in Faxon,” which recounts in some 185 pages the events leading up to and after the slaying. In order to write the book, Harriet, a longtime member of the Sibley County Historical Society, poured over court records and newspaper accounts, including Henderson, where the trial was held. She also researched Stillwater Prison records to find out as much as she could about O’Neil’s years behind bars. Harriet said she learned that O’Neil only spent a few years in prison as he developed tuberculosis. Because he did not have long to live and was in need of special care, he was released from prison. According to Harriet, that’s where all records involving O’Neil end. “I wanted to know what happened to O’Neil after he was sent to prison and how long did ‘life in prison’ turn out to be for him,” Harriet said. “My sister Margaret ran across a small article describing the fact that O’Neil lost his arm while in prison but it didn’t tell us how or why it happened. We assumed it was from of an accident that occurred while working in one
Harriet Traxler holds a copy of her book “A Murder in Faxon Township,” the cover of which is also published below (left). Also pictured below is another one of Harriet’s favorite books she’s published, “County Kerry, Ireland.”
of the shops in the prison. We spent a lot of time looking for this answer and when we did find the answer, it turned out to be completely different and far more tragic than what we had suspected happened.” Sibley County Historical Society President Jerome (Rommie) Petersen praised Harriet for her work with the historical society over the years and the publishing of not only “A Murder in Faxon,” but also “The Barns of Sibley County” book she finished several years ago.
“Harriet Traxler, yes that Harriet, the Barn Lady, did extensive research on the murder of her ancestor. She has it all in her new book,” stated Petersen in a historical society newsletter. “An interesting point in the book mentions Cole Younger, the infamous Northfield Bank robber, who started the prison newspaper and became acquainted with the subject in Harriet’s book.” “It was a story that needed to be told because it happened over 100 years ago. It seemed
Traxler
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Cookout, German Days June 21-22
First Dip is a Cold One With the air temperature hovering just over 60 degrees Friday afternoon, Colin Schultz found his first dip into the community pool a chilling one on the pool’s first day of the season. He, along with friends Lauren Johnson and Joey Gorman were among the brave souls willing to tolerate the chilly opening day at the pool.
Belle Plaine’s annual Downtown Community Cookout will take place next Friday, June 21 from 5-8 p.m. A street dance and car show is also planned for that evening. The German Days festivities will continue throughout the day on Saturday, June 22 with an assortment of activities, including bounce houses, a motorcycle run, parade, queen coronation, introduction of Bar-B-Q Days queen candidates, Minnesota Minn-E-Rods pull, professional wrestling and more. The grand marshals of this year’s parade are Kevin and Cindy Berger. More on this year’s Downtown Cookout and German Days will appear in next Wednesday’s Herald.
After weeks of discussion on preparing the school district for facets of its future, the Belle Plaine School Board decided it was ready to acquire land before investing in widespread implementation of technology for an enhanced learning initiative. The school board unanimously approved a land acquisition. The district is buying two 20acre parcels for $660,000 -$16,500 per acre – plus financing costs near the intersection of Oak Crest Trail and West South Street from Bob Engstrom, a developer. The district was interest in the land six years ago but Engstrom bought the land in 2007 for about $43,000 per acre. The two parcels are north of the existing 60 acres the district owns north of West Commerce Drive and west of the football field and track complex across the street from Oak Crest Elementary School. The district believes the property could one day house a new high school or auxiliary facilities.
Although the district doesn’t need to develop the property immediately, according to an enrollment study it recently received, Superintendent Kelly Smith said the acquisition is in the long-term best interest of the Belle Plaine School District. He said the additional land would “guarantee” the district has enough land for a future high school and additional athletic fields at the site. “I really believe it’s a good investment for the school district,” Smith said. The district will fund the purchase via a 10- or 15-year leasepurchase agreement similar to the one the district used to buy the 60 acres several years ago. The school district can levy for the lease payments. Using a 15-year lease-purchase agreement, the school district will ultimately pay $837,000 for the land with annual payments of $55,000 to $58,000. Using a 10-year lease-purchase agreement, the district will pay an estimated $765,000 for the 40 acres with annual payments of $75,000 to $78,000 annu-
ally. Because Engstrom wants to close quickly, the school district will close the purchase in July using reserves to pay for the purchase. It will then enter into a lease agreement to recover the money taken from the fund balance. The school board will couple the lease agreement with a refinancing of existing bonds. Even with the lease-agreement, Smith believes taxpayers will see savings thanks to the refinancing of existing bonds.
Failed on a Tie
The proposed 1 to 1 technology initiative – known as the enhanced learning initiative (ELI) – failed by a 3-3 vote – with directors Mike Daly, Mike Ludvik and Gary Steinhagen voting against implementation. The board will consider a proposal to provide its teaching staff with technology in two weeks.
School Board
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Opportunity to Experience Local River Valley from Above Starts Soon by Karen Swenson “Lee is coming from a completely woodsy, nature-immersed environment, that’s where he grew up,” explained Eva Kerfoot on what drove the husband and wife team to build a zip line canopy tour through the mature trees and ravines along the bluffs of the Minnesota River Valley. Lee Kerfoot, who grew up on the Gunflint Trail, garnered his love and respect of the woods by example from his grandmother, Justine Kerfoot, an early Northwoods pioneer. He and his wife Eva have spent a couple years running the family owned Gunflint Trail Lodge and now live in Victoria. After a year-long search, the Kerfoots found what they consider the ideal spot “with all the ingredients” to build their 2 1/2hour guided outdoor adventure. Kerfoot Canopy Tours, located across the river from Blakeley Village in Jessenland Township, will open to the public on June 14. An aerial adventure course with nine zip lines, the Eva Kerfoot poses on one of the platforms with Marc DoerKerfoot team is offering a new and thrilling way to experience ing, a course manager at Kerfoot Canopy Tours. Eva and her husband Lee Kerfoot open their new business, a thrilling ride through the trees and ravines on the bluffs of the Minnesota Kerfoot River Valley, on June 14. (continued on page 2)
Test Scores, Survey and Meeting Goals Will Make Up Evaluations Public School Principals’ Evaluations Start With 2013-14 Judging the performance of Belle Plaine public school building principals and classroom teachers will be determined on the outcome of tests students take beginning next year under a local version of a state plan. Last week, the Belle Plaine School Board OK’d a formula that bases performance reviews on test scores (35 percent) survey results (15 percent) and the success of meeting goals in a
growth plan made before the start of the school year (50 percent). The outcome of the performance review is private data and will not directly impact whether or not the principal or teacher receives a pay increase. An unsuccessful performance review could result in the principal or teacher being placed on an improvement plan that, if not met, could ultimately result in the loss of a job, said Superintendent Kelly Smith. The performance reviews are mandated by the state. Principal evaluations will begin with the July 2013-14 school year. Teacher evaluations will begin with the 2014-15 school year. Belle Plaine will conduct them next year on a pilot program, Smith said. Building principals will be
held accountable for the outcome of tests because “they are ultimately accountable” for the quality of the education in their respective buildings even though they do not teach classes, Smith said. Staff in their three buildings will complete the surveys included in the evaluations of the district’s three principals. Students will complete the surveys of teachers, a facet of teacher evaluations Smith concedes is still creating unanswered questions for the district. Smith will work with the principals to establish a set of goals for the year. Principals will work with teachers to create a set of goals by which teachers will be evaluated on, Smith said.