Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS JazzBlast spins for ArtBlast
and the surrounding areas June 16, 2016 • Volume 131 • Number 16
Graduates rejoice
General fund may cover deficit
A day’s worth of music scheduled in Rosemount’s Central Park on the first day of ArtBlast. Page 2A
In the past, District 196 has budgeted conservatively, outperformed
OPINION Take me out to the ballgame
by Jessica Harper
Though the Minnesota Twins are in last place in the American League, there are many reasons to take the family to Target Field. Page 4A
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Officials in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District are considering a 2016-17 budget proposal that calls for borrowing from the district’s general fund to stay in the black. The district’s general fund revenues are projected to be $336.6 million next fiscal year and expenditures are estimated at $344.7 million, which leaves an $8.1 million deficit. Officials plan to borrow from the district’s general fund balance to absolve the deficit. This will bring the general fund balance to $24.2 million, which is 7.02 percent of general fund expenditures. Board policy requires a fund balance that is at least 5 percent of the general fund expenditures. This is the fourth consecutive year the district will consider borrowing from its general fund, but based on past performance
THISWEEKEND
Art-ďŹ lled weekend The 22nd annual Eagan Art Festival runs June 25-26 in the city’s Central Park with artist booths, live music, food and interactive projects. Page 15A
Above: Farmington High School Student Council President Anjali Chatlani sings part of her “senior reflection� speech and includes quotes from popular songs. Above inset: Many FHS graduates decorated their graduation caps with the logo of the college they will be attending or shared inspiring sayings. Right: Morgyn Felty gets a hug after accepting her diploma. More photos are on Page 10A. (Photos by Laura Adelmann)
See 196, 5A
Teacher contract officially settled in Farmington Crowd at School Board meeting sparse for the first time in months by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
SPORTS Tigers runners earn medals Farmington High School girls track team members Fenske and Peterson earn All-State honors in 1600-meter run. Page 9A
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. Page 10A
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A Public Notices . . . . . . 10A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 11A Announcements . . . . 14A
News 952-846-2033 Display Advertising 952-846-2019 Classified Advertising 952-392-6862 Delivery 763-712-3544
Now that the teacher contract has been settled, for the first time in months, the Farmington School Board meeting Monday had no public comment and plenty of room in the audience. The Farmington School Board approved a contract for 2015-17 with the Farmington Education Association after months of negotiation. “We really appreciate the School Board and the members of both bargaining teams for all the work and time they’ve put in to come up with this settlement,� said MaryAnne Thomas, director of human resources. The contract adds 2.15 percent increases to the salary matrix each year of the contract. In addition to lanes and steps, it amounts to a 7.6 percent increase in the total package over two years, Thomas said. The contract also clarified teacher responsibilities during flexible-learning days and professional development days as well as substitute teacher policy. Farmington School Board Member Laura Beem said the board parameters increased throughout the process. “We did end up going a
little higher than we wanted but felt it went within what we could manage from a budget perspective in years going forward,� Beem said. The contract is effective July 1, 2015, to July 1, 2017. With negotiations scheduled to begin again within a year, Thomas said they’re working on clarifying a few sticking points that held up the process. “We’ll talk about what went well and what do we want to clarify before going into that next round,� Thomas said. One of the biggest conflicts was which school districts to compare to Farmington. “We want to clarify before we start again what the comparison districts are and really understand what comparison districts are appropriate,� Thomas said. The contract was approved 5-1 by the School Board. Member Melissa Sauser voted no.
Budget The School Board also reviewed the proposed 2016-17 budget during Monday’s meeting. The biggest increases in the budget from last year were due to the salary and See BUDGET, 5A
Never a shortage of characters Rosemount senior Becca Schultz to take musical talent to Liberty by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Rosemount High School graduate Becca Schultz is known for the many characters she’s played on the theater stage during the past few years. But there’s one character many people might not expect from Schultz – paintball fanatic. “If I had the time and money to play all the time, I would,� she said. So it’s no surprise that when Schultz was researching college options, she happened to find one that has a paintball complex and one of the nation’s top club paintball teams. “It’s the adrenaline rush,� Schultz said of the game that has players donning faceshields and arming themselves with air guns that shoot paintballs. “I don’t care if I get hit, it’s just so much fun.� There’s much more to Liberty University than paintball in the eyes of Schultz, who was attracted to the Lynchburg, Virginia, Christian university in part because of its religious grounding, in addition to the semester-long course it is linked to through Disney College at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Schultz will major in vocal and theater performance at Liberty, where Schultz said she can learn about music, theater and Jesus at the same time and pursue the application-based program that could allow Schultz to fulfill her dream to be a princess character at the largest tourist attraction in the world. “Everything is so magical,� said Schultz, who has been to Disney World five times. “I have a very little kid sense of magic in me. There is music everywhere. There is a soundtrack to it even if it is quiet.� She said she would love to be a princess who performs on the main stage, is in a parade or one of those who offer photo opportunities. Her ideal would be working as Belle, the princess she became during a critical point in acting career.
Rosemount High School graduate Becca Schultz performs in a 2014 rehearsal with cast members of “Beauty and the Beast,� in which Schultz was cast in the lead role of Belle her sophomore year. (File photo by Tad Johnson) She said when she was in middle school, she knew she was going to do music in general, but it wasn’t until her sophomore year at RHS when she landed the role of Belle in “Beauty and the Beast� that something changed. “When your friends tell you that you are good, it’s one thing, but when people higher up think you deserve a lead role, it gets your attention,� she said. “Beauty and the Beast� has always been Schultz’s favorite movie, she said. “If I would have been a fork in it, any kitchen utensil, I would have been fine with it,� she said. But when the directors told her she would be cast as Belle, Schultz was overwhelmed and had doubts. “I don’t know if I can do her justice. I don’t think I can do this,� she recalled about her thoughts of the time. When the directors told her should See SCHULTZ, 5A
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