Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas
www.dakotacountytribune.com
October 26, 2017 • Volume 132 • Number 34
Candidate forum brings in full house
NEWS Rosemount road work Two longtime gravel roads in the city of Rosemount are slated for pavement work in the near future. Page 5A
OPINION Cities crafting new rules Cities are stepping up to the plate in an effort to prevent young people from becoming addicted to tobacco products. Page 4A
Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan residents gather to learn more about School Board candidates by Amy Mihelich SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Dakota County League of Women Voters hosted a forum at Rosemount City Hall from 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18. LWV Minnesota Voter Service and Citizen Education Chair Laura Helmer moderated the discussion. The forum gave citizens an opportunity to
hear from the candidates contesting for three Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan District 196 School Board seats in the Nov. 7 election. Eight candidates are running, including incumbents Art Coulson of Apple Valley, Gary Huusko of Eagan and Mike Roseen of Apple Valley, and challengers Craig Angrimson of Apple Valley, Brian Buechele of Lakeville, Rebecca Gierok
of Apple Valley, Daniel O’Neil of Eagan and Bianca Ward Virnig of Eagan. Seven of the eight candidates participated in the forum. Buechele was invited but was unable to attend. The forum opened with an opportunity for candidates to introduce themselves and say a little about their motivation for running.
Gierok, O’Neil and Ward Virnig cited being a parent of a current District 196 student as one of their main motivations for running. Gierok and Ward Virnig said they were motivated by the fact that of the seven School Board seats, only one is currently held by a woman. Angrimson, who has run for the District 196 School Board before, said that as parent of a former
Band’s success continues
District 196 student he wants to listen to the community and represent the school district. Coulson, Huusko, and Roseen, the three incumbents, all commented on the current success of the district and said they want to continue working to maintain it. When asked what their top priorities were for the See FORUM, 6A
Teachers contract approved
THISWEEKEND
Salary increases of 2.5 and 2.6 percent set in two-year deal by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Farmington School District and its teachers union have reached a tentative 2017-19 contract that was approved unanimously Tuesday by the School Board and earlier by 80 percent of teachers. The contract includes increases of 2.5 and 2.6 percent to cells in the salary matrix for each of the respective years, according to MaryAnn Thomas, the district’s director of human resources. Teachers typically earn pay increases for each year of service completed on one side of the matrix and for continuing education credits on the other side of the matrix. Since the contract is not final a full salary schedule has not been released, but the 2016-17 schedule included salary ranges from $39,109 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree to $75,771 for a teacher with 13 years of experience with the district and a master’s degree plus 40 additional semester credits. Thomas said the contract’s cost to the district See CONTRACT, 14A
Haunted Woods returns The annual Haunted Woods Trail trickor-treating event in Rosemount returns for its 35th year in 2017. Page 17A
SPORTS
Photo courtesy of Bruce Maeda
Battling for playoff glory Farmington and Rosemount high school sports teams have been battling in the playoffs for changes to play at state. Page 12A
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. Page 14A
INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 12A Public Notices . . . . . . 14A Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 15A Announcements . . . . 18A
News 952-846-2033 Display Advertising 952-846-2019 Classified Advertising 952-392-6862 Delivery 763-712-3544
The Rosemount High School marching band placed ninth at the Band of America competition in Lucas Oil Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, last weekend. The band finished eighth out of 68 teams after the preliminary round with a score that was good enough to advance it to the 14-team finals competition. Rosemount was second in Class AAA in the preliminary round. This is the 13th time Rosemount has been a BOA Super Regional finalist. A week earlier the Rosemount band placed first in its class and in the state in becoming the Youth In Music Grand Champion during the competition at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The band is an 11-time state champion. The band’s 2017 field show, The Pack, is based on the classic symphonic fairy tale, “Peter and the Wolf.� More about the band is at rosemountband.com.
Horsing around teaches responsibility Local youths spend MEA Break learning to ride and care for horses by Amy Mihelich SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Two days off of school, two days of sunshine and warm weather in October, two days surrounded by horses and other farm animals — for the 30 participants in this year’s Sunnyside Fall Horse Camp, nothing could be better. District 196 Community Education, Apple Valley Parks and Recreation and Sunnyside Stables partnered to offer youths a two-day horse camp over MEA break, Thursday, Oct. 19, and Friday, Oct. 20. The participants were a mix of new and experienced riders. Past camp-
ers, current students taking lessons and Sunnyside staff members aimed to facilitate a safe and fun experience. Tracy Orr, owner of Sunnyside Stables, said horses are a great way to teach kids responsibility. In addition to becoming better riders, campers learned learn how to saddle, lead and feed the horses. They cleaned stalls, groomed the horses and put away their own equipment. Ashley Mosier, Orr’s daughter, organizes and runs the camps. She diPhoto by Amy Mihelich rected the campers as they Sunnyside Camp Director Ashley Mosier helps campers become confident riders at rode in the outdoor arena, Fall Horse Camp. Mosier leads camps throughout the summer, and she offered this two-day camp on Thursday, Oct. 19, and Friday, Oct. 20, to give young people an See HORSES, 10A abridged horse camp experience over their MEA break.
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