Dakota County
Tribune
Farmington | Rosemount and the surrounding areas www.dakotacountytribune.com
NEWS Lakeville VFW closes Flag retirement ceremony caps an emotional end to the Lakeville VFW Post 210’s restaurant operation. Page 7A
OPINION Charter schools that work Charter school ideas from across the nation shared during Minnesota event. Page 4A
THISWEEKEND
August 7, 2014 • Volume 129 • Number 23
Farmington settles officer’s grievances City and department admits no wrongdoing; police officer Kevin Mincke retires by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
The Farmington City Council adopted a tentative settlement agreement with police officer Kevin Mincke, who filed grievances against the city earlier this year. In the agreement, Mincke will be reinstated from patrol officer to sergeant, rescinding a previous demotion, then immediately retire from the police department. In the terms, the city and Farmington Police Chief Brian Lindquist don’t admit to any wrongdoing or liability. The League of Minnesota Insurance Trust will pay Mincke
$30,000. The city also agreed to pay Minke $8,218 for the difference in pay between officer and sergeant and pay the accrued paid-time-off. In exchange, Mincke will waive all other claims including an age discrimination claim and a tortuous interference with employment claim. “This whole process is unfortunate, but it’s in the best interest of the city to move forward,� Council Member Terry Donnelly said. Last fall the Farmington City Council cut a police officer position for the 2014 budget after several years of discussion. According to the Farmington Inde-
pendent, Mincke was written up two months after a car chase incident that damaged police cars, then demoted in January. Feeling he was being pushed out, Mincke hired attorney John Fabian of Fabian, May & Anderson who filed grievances on Mincke’s behalf. “Moving forward it would be my hope and desire our next capital improvement plan is to make sure our human resources are well tended to,� Council Member Doug Bonar said. The council discussed the settlement during an approximately 1 hour, 15 minute closed session during the meeting on Monday. “My vote yes is with strong
disappointment and deep reluctance,� Council Member Jason Bartholomay said. The vote passed 3-2 with Bartholomay, Donnelly, Mayor Todd Larson voting yes while Bonar and Council Member Christy Jo Fogarty voted no. “Everyone sitting up at this table knows that this settlement is what’s in the best interest of the city and the taxpayers we represent,� said Fogarty, whose husband is a police officer. “It’s personally very tough for me to stomach and a very challenging vote for me to take.� Email Andy Rogers andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com.
Animal evaluations galore at the county fair 4-H members have rabbits nitpicked and analyzed by Andy Rogers SUN THISWEEK
Profusion of prose Lakeville author Ron Runeborg debuts his short-story collection “Old Shorts and Poetree.� Page 17A
SPORTS
State legion baseball Lakeville North wins state American Legion baseball title during tournament in Eagan. Page 10A
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by Tad Johnson SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
While the Tuesday, Aug. 12, primary election will determine the Republican candidate for governor, other statewide and local offices will have their fields set, too. The July 31 edition of the Dakota County Tribune included profiles for each of the five Rosemount City Council candidates. Only one of those five candidates will be eliminated as four will advance to the general election ballot after Tuesday’s primary. The candidates are incumbent Mark DeBettignies, Jamal Abdulahi, Kerry Hiben, Shaun Nelson and Alba Nowlin. Council Member Kim Shoe-Corrigan did not file for re-election this fall. The candidates’ responses to the newspapers’ questionnaire can be found at SunThisweek. com/tag/Election-2014. The race for the GOP nod for governor includes one Dakota County connection. State Rep. Pam Myhra, R-Burnsville, is a lieutenant governor candidate on the ticket with Marty Seifert, a former state representative from Marshall. Former state representative and current Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson is the Republicans’ endorsed candidate. Other gubernatorial
4-H members listen to the judges during the rabbit show competition at the Dakota County Fair in Farmington on Tuesday. The participants were judged on fur, weight, coloring and markings. Rabbits were one of several animals up for critique during the fair including llamas, pigs, cows, poultry, and more. Look for more photos from the fair online at SunThisweek.com. (Photo by Andy Rogers) A 4-H member accepts his ribbon in the rabbit show at the Dakota County Fair in Farmington on Tuesday. (Photo by Andy Rogers)
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See ELECTION, 9A
Night was set aside to meet neighbors
INDEX
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Primary election day is Tuesday Rosemount City Council field to be set
DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
Hundreds of animals were being judged this week at the Dakota County Fair in Farmington. Most of the animals are known for their potential as food such as cows and pigs, while others for their fur such as sheep and llamas. Rabbits, on the other hand, are mostly known as pets, who breed like no other. During the 4-H rabbit judging Tuesday about 175 rabbits were critiqued on body type, fur, coloring and markings. Farmington’s Robin Tidd’s rabbit was named best in show. She said winning comes down the judges. “I really don’t know what did it today,� she said. “It was probably just luck.� The the judges’ interpretation of a 300-page book from the American Rabbit Breeders Association determines the winners. “Diet is a big part,� said Neil Deplazes, 4-H project development committee chairperson. “They want to get them to the optimal weight. They want to get them through selective breeding. You want a good buck and doe, and you look for optimal characteristics.� He said about 30 percent of the participants raise and breed their own rabbits. They could have anywhere between 10 and 60 rabbits, depending on how serious they get. Rosemount’s Sadi Reding, who finished fifth, has
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Area cities focus on crime prevention
the city, but on Aug. 5 the aim was the same. “It’s a great night to get people together and participate in our neighborby Nick Hassett hood watch programs,� SUN THISWEEK said Pam Walter, crime DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE prevention specialist for It was either the Na- Apple Valley. “It’s not retional Night Out or Night quired to put a lot of time To Unite, depending on in, but it’s nice to see peo-
ple you otherwise wouldn’t see and keep connected on an annual basis.� Walter said a little over 100 neighborhoods usually register to participate, which let them receive visits from city personnel like police officers and firefighters at neighborhood block parties.
In other cities, there’s a solid upward trend on signups. In Eagan, National Night Out signups have gone up by over a hundred neighborhoods since 2000. Last year saw 170 neighborhoods register a get together, and this year 171 were signed up with one day to go.
Jill Ondrey, crime prevention specialist for Eagan, said the night was important for new neighbors to get to know each other. “This is a nationwide event, the first Tuesday of August that people know about,� she said. “The See NIGHT, 9A