Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Rosemount seeks feedback Upcoming Rosemount Comprehensive Plan meetings to focus on northcentral and southeast areas of city. Page 3A
OPINION Water conservation The ECM Editorial Board asks Minnesota residents to conserve water to protect the state’s most valuable resource. Page 4A
THISWEEKEND
and the surrounding areas May 19, 2016 • Volume 131 • Number 12
Park bond defeated in Rosemount Voters reject measure that would have provided ice rink, outdoor field development by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The city of Rosemount’s proposed $15 million parks and recreation bond referendum was defeated in Tuesday’s special election by a 56.6 to 43.4 percent margin. The “noâ€? votes held the lead in the tally throughout the entire reporting of precincts as five out of seven precincts rejected the measure. The total vote tally was 1,6851,292 – a 393-vote margin. The Rosemount City Council will canvass these unofficial vote totals at a special Friday meeting. The city’s proposal to issue up to $15 million in bonds would have financed the completion of four Parks and Recreation Department projects: • Add a second ice rink at a location to be determined for an estimated $8.7 million. • Add four soccer-sized fields at Flint Hills Fields along with parking, a trail and some additional
work for an estimated $2.6 million. • Add two more youth baseballsized fields at UMore Fields, along with lighting for all fields and adding a parking lot for approximately $1.7 million. • Create a four-season use feature at Central Park for $1 million. “(Rosemount Area Athletic Association) is disappointed with the outcome today, and it is no doubt a setback for the youth in our community as well as the hundreds of volunteers that work so hard and put in countless hours in the support of young people in Rosemount,â€? wrote Paul Essler, RAAA president in an email to the newspaper. “It is a difficult and unfortunate message to deliver to our kids that the majority of voters are unwilling to make a small financial sacrifice to support the youth in our community,â€? he wrote. “It is also unfortunate that the land that was donated and entrusted to the city of Rosemount in 2006 and 2007 to
utilize for youth sports will sit vacant even longer.� If it was approved, the estimated tax impact to the median value home of $238,250 would have been $99 per year for the 20-year life of the bonds. The city says most commercial and industrial properties would have experienced an annual property tax increase of around 1.6 percent. The total number of votes – 2,997 – is well below the number of the city’s registered voters during the 2012 presidential-year general election – 13,375. Some opponents were critical of the city for setting the special election in May when they said voter turnout would be low. Opponents also said that the price tag for the bond package was too high and disproportionately benefited those who skate. Among the most vocal sup-
Unofficial election results Following are the unofficial voting results in the Tuesday city of Rosemount parks and recreation bond referendum. Yes No Precinct 1 279 294 Precinct 2 252 121 Precinct 3 221 276 Precinct 4 62 154 Precinct 5 72 176 Precinct 6 90 139 Precinct 7 220 150 Pct. 1 absentee 30 102 Pct. 2 absentee 17 27 Pct. 3 absentee 18 54 Pct. 4 absentee 2 49 Pct. 5 absentee 10 64 Pct. 6 absentee 9 59 Pct. 7 absentee 10 20 Total 1,292 1,685 Percent 43.4 56.6 Source: City of Rosemount
See VOTE, 6A
Vinnie Rose kicks of ‘Music in the Park’ series in Farmington Steeple Center art exhibit Rosemount’s Steeple Center is playing host to an exhibit of painting and photography, with an opening reception set for May 24. Page 17A
SPORTS Playoffs on the horizon Rosemount and Farmington high schools’ sports teams are hitting their stride in final weeks of the regular season. Page 10A
PUBLIC NOTICE The Dakota County Tribune is an official newspaper of the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. Page 11A
Local musician mixes originals, covers by Andy Rogers
by Tad Johnson
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Vinnie Rose is excited about his opportunity to entertain Farmington residents next week a few miles away from where he grew up. The Farmington native will kick off this year’s Music in the Park series at 7 p.m. May 26 at Rambling River Park. The prolific singer, songwriter and guitarist knows more than 1,000 songs from the 1920s to now and plans to play a few. He says he really does love all types of music and won’t hesitate to follow a hip-hop song with Sinatra. “It’s hard to categorize me, but I’d rather have that than compromise who I am,� he said. “I’m not going to limit myself to one type. We can’t advance as a culture if we stick to one type.� He’ll also mix in a few originals. The performance will serve as a bit of a soft release of his new recording “Cold Wind Blowin.’ � It will be his second release of original songs. His first recording “The American Dream� came out in 2015. “Half the songs (on The American Dream) I wrote a decade ago, things I had written in college,� Rose said. “The others were a blend of things from recent years. It was a very happy album; big on love songs. A very good-natured CD.� His new release “Cold Wind Blowin’ � took a more serious tone.
A 40-year-old Rosemount man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to criminal vehicular homicide (gross negligence) and first-degree burglary, both f e l o n i e s, in connection with a fatal crash and his subsequent Eric Wesley actions in Kasprzyk L a ke v i l l e and Apple Valley on April 1. At about 8:30 a.m. that day, Eric Wesley Kasprzyk caused a multiple vehicle crash, which killed Osah Phetsarath, 45, of Lakeville. “The defendant’s actions resulted in a senseless and avoidable death and caused extreme fear to a family in the home he invaded as he fled the scene of the crash,� said Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom in a news release. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Osah Phetsarath.� Phetsarath, who was born in Laos, was owner of Puffy Cream Donut Plus in Eagan. Prior to the crash, Kasprzyk was driving a BMW westbound in the eastbound lanes of 160th Street at a high rate of speed. It was also reported that he ran a red light and struck Phetsarath’s Toyota Camry. After the crash, Kasprzyk shed his clothes as he ran toward an Apple Valley residential area. He entered an occupied townhome where he initially went into a hallway closet and shut the door. One of the townhome occupants attempted to barricade the closet door, but Kasprzyk pushed his way out of the closet. Kasprzyk then locked all the exterior doors.
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by Jessica Harper Two candidates as of Wednesday have put their names in the race for a seat on the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School Board. Craig Angrimson of Apple Valley and John Millea of Rosemount filed for office on May 17. This will be Angrimson’s third attempt to win a seat on the board. He ran in 2013 and again in 2015. Millea, a former Star Tribune prep sports reporter, is media specialist at the Minnesota State High School League. There is currently a vacant four-year-term on the District 196 School Board due to the resignation of longtime Board Member Rob Duchscher. Duchscher stepped
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“I’m a lot older now,� Rose said. “Not that I’m bitter, but it’s just part of living. It’s a reflection of real life. Songs are a little darker. Some of it is still happy, but some of the stuff is about going through your problems. It’s cold stuff. Mature stuff.� The recordings also have local connections. Rose was born and raised in
Farmington and his love of music grew while attending school. His love was fostered by teachers such as Randy Ferguson, Jim Detloff and Jeff Gottwig, he said. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and learned the art of jazz guitar and music composition. He dabbled in a few See ROSE, 7A
down in March due to a move outside the district. A special election will be held Aug. 9. Candidates can file until 5 p.m. May 31. All candidates must file during the two-week filing period in order to be placed on the ballot. Any person may be a candidate for School Board in District 196 who: • is eligible to vote; • would be at least 21 years old upon assuming office (Sept. 12, if the election is held Aug. 9); • is a resident of the school district for at least 30 days before the election; • has not filed as a candidate for any other office at the upcoming general election, and • is not a sex offender who has
been convicted of an offense for which registration is required under Minnesota Statute 243.166. Completed affidavits of candidacy must be filed at the Superintendent’s Office during the twoweek filing period, along with a $2 filing fee or a petition with at least 500 signatures of eligible voters in place of the filing fee. Five or more voters may also draft a candidate by filing an application on behalf of the candidate. The candidate must indicate his or her willingness to serve by signing the application. The same filing fee requirements and timeline apply. Jessica Harper is at jessica.harper@ ecm-inc.com or facebook.com/sunthisweek.
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Farmington native Vinnie Rose is scheduled to kick off Farmington’s Music in the Park series at 7 p.m. May 26 at Rambling River Park, 17 Elm St. (Photo submitted)
Two vie for District 196 School Board seat SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
INDEX
Rosemount man pleads guilty to homicide charge
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