Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Tainted hot dogs injure dogs Lakeville police investigating.
March 12, 2015 • Volume 130 • Number 2
District 192 considers budget cuts Eliminating elementary band, middle school athletics, increasing class size on the table by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
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OPINION No More campaign Local residents are encouraged to become advocates in the No More campaign to end domestic violence. Page 4A
The Farmington School District is looking at a number of budget cuts in the future due to a projected shortfall in the coming years. The district has a deficit of approximately $700,000 in the 201516 budget, so district officials gave the board a list of approximately $1.2 million in cuts to look through on Monday night. Director of Finance Jane
Hauska said one of the main reasons behind the budget deficit is that the Minnesota’s general education formula has lagged behind inflation, noting that since 2004, the district is behind 9.3 percent. She said it’s also the result of unfunded mandates and inadequate funding for special education. Several of the proposed cuts were unpopular. “This was not an easy process,� Hauska said. “It’s difficult on everyone. We believe we have been very frugal in previous years. We
feel we’ve cut in places we can cut.� Eliminating elementary band and middle school athletics, increasing class size and using oneway busing for athletics were among the issues the Farmington School Board had the most questions about. About 40 community members attended the board meeting. Cutting elementary band, which would save $118,000, was perhaps the most unpopular. Board Member Melissa Sauser said that eliminating elementary
band was not an option for her. “We’re jeopardizing students’ ability to find their spark,� Sauser said. The decision won’t be made until late March, but the district has a contingency in place in case elementary band and middle school sports are cut by enlisting Community Education to fill the role. Hauska said that it wouldn’t be the same and it will likely lose students. Community Education curSee CUTS, 6A
Commissioners approve paved trail in Lebanon Hills
THISWEEKEND
6-mile portion would go through regional park by Jessica Harper SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Cheeseburgers and more Author to talk about her book, “Get That Girl a Cheeseburger,� which addresses common eating-disorder myths and stereotypes. Page 17A
SPORTS
Celebrating a Legacy The Rosemount Community Band (above) and Rosemount High School wind ensemble played during the Legacy Award Concert on Sunday at the high school when RHS 1993 graduate Jessica Valeri was presented with the Legacy Award by Assistant Principal Kim Budde (inset). Valeri has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony since 2008. She attended St. Joseph School and Scott Highlands Middle School before attending RHS. She performed a French horn solo during the concert. She received the sixth Legacy Award – the first for a former instrumental music student at RHS. (Photos contributed by Dave Andrews)
Irish, Tigers compete at boys state swim meet Farmington and Rosemount both send swimmers. Page 10A
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Food truck explodes in Lakeville neighborhood Effects of blast were felt for miles by Laura Adelmann SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
A Lakeville man is vowing to rebuild his business after his food truck exploded in his driveway, damaging homes and catapulting debris throughout his neighborhood.
Marty Richie’s Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill food truck exploded in his driveway at around 11 p.m. March 6. The blast destroyed the truck and heavily damaged Richie’s Joplin Path home that he shares with girlfriend and business partner, Lisa Caulfield. It also damaged 11 nearby homes, blasting out Richie’s home’s windows and garage doors,
and shattering windows of nearby homes as well. The force was so powerful, chunks of metal and glass were propelled into yards and trees hundreds of yards away. Three families were displaced due to the amount of damage in their home, Lakeville Fire Chief Mike Meyer said in a news release Tuesday. No one was severely inSee TRUCK, 7A
Homestead Community Church applies for conditional use permit by Andy Rogers
Minutes from the Intermediate School District 917 Board meeting from March 3 are inside this edition. Page 12A
SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
INDEX Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A
The chassis, steering wheel and front seat section is about all that remains of the Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill food truck after it suddenly exploded in owner Marty Richie’s Lakeville driveway at around 11 p.m. Friday, March 6. (Photo by Laura Adelmann)
Church to worship in Exchange Bank Building
PUBLIC NOTICE
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A
Despite opposition from hundreds of people from across the metro, Dakota County officials approved a plan that would place a 6-mile paved trail in Lebanon Hills Regional Park. The county’s master plan has faced passionate opposition since it was first released in 2013. Opponents of the plan have said they treasure the natural characteristics of the 2,000-acre park, which borders Eagan and Apple Valley, and want to leave it largely undeveloped. More than 650 parkgoers from Eagan to Germany called or wrote to county officials over the past two months to say the park should be preserved and not have the paved trail through it. “It’s a wild park and it’s always been a wild park,� Eagan resident Wendy Paulson said at a March 10 Physical Development
Committee meeting. “It doesn’t need to be like every other park.� After hearing from an flood of concerned citizens on Tuesday, the committee, which is comprised of county commissioners, approved a scaled back plan in a 4-3 vote. This puts the park one step closer to having a new paved 6-mile connector trail that runs east and west and a 1-mile paved loop around McDonough Lake. The 10-foot wide connector trail spans from the park’s visitor center to its campgrounds. The majority of commissioners contended the paved path is needed to meet the needs of people with disabilities and the county’s aging population. Todd Kemery, a member of the county’s citizen panel and advocacy director for Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Minnesota chapter, praised the commissioners’ decision. “This about giving peoSee LEBANON, 7A
Jeff and Kristine Kerr are hoping to create Homestead Community Church at the Exchange Bank Building in downtown Farmington. (Photo submitted)
The Exchange Bank Building, one of the oldest buildings in Farmington, has housed many operations in the last 135 years. The next adventure could be a church. Jeffrey and Kristine Kerr are hoping to plant their Homestead Community Church at the Exchange Bank Building, 344 Third St., and the Larson Building, 213
Oak St., in downtown Farmington. While it’s not a traditional location for a church, they feel the building suits their plans for an Assembly of God Church perfectly. “The style fits us,� Jeffrey Kerr said. “It’s laid out in such away that we wouldn’t have to do a ton to it.� They plan to use the lower level for youth services, Bible study and offices. The upstairs ballroom would house the worship services as well as music performances or wedding receptions. “This was a unique approach and definitely fit our style,� he said. “I think the community, so far the people I’ve talked to say, ‘we’d like See CHURCH, 6A
Announcements . . . . 11A Public Notices . . . . . . 12A
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Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 13A
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