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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
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Monday, March 31, 2014
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Volume 29 Issue 28
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Spring Valley hears request over abandoned property page
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Canton l Chatfield l Fountain l Harmony l Lanesboro l Mabel l Ostrander l Peterson l Preston l Rushford l Rushford Village l Spring Valley l Whalan l Wykoff
Peterson stands by detachment decision By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Above is a rendition of the Committal Shelter that will be located at the Southeastern Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, presented at the March 24 Preston Area Community Foundation annual dinner and celebration. Photo submitted
Preston’s “DMC” is the SMSVC
Preston Area Community Foundation Dinner celebrates Southeastern Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery By Jason Sethre jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com
As the greater Rochester area celebrates the establishment of the state-supported Destination Medical Center, aptly coined the DMC, the greater Preston area recognizes the Southeastern Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery (SMSVC) as an economic engine driving future opportunities for the region. Interestingly, Rochester leaders wanted the SMSVC to be located in their community, as well, but the Preston area won that title match. On the eve of Monday, March 24, 2014, a crowd of Preston-supporters gathered at the Branding Iron for the eighth annual dinner and cel-
ebration. The keynote speaker of the night was David Swantek, Director of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, painting a picture for what the people of the Preston area can expect as the Southeastern Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery takes shape. Leading up to the presentation by Mr. Swantek, an audience of 155 attendees followed a steady program coordinated by Preston Area Community Foundation board leadership Dwight Luhmann (President), Sheila Craig (Vice President), Scott Rustad (Treasurer), and MariLyn Bakke (Secretary), along with Directors Kiel Anderson, Rick Grooters, Dr. Dustin Arndt, Will Mensink,
Tim Bremseth, Ron Scheevel, Sally Gibson, and Mary Zimmerman. To begin, attendees bowed their heads to embrace the invocation of Father Arens. And, preceding a plentiful and delicious meal with a choice of filet mignon, walleye pike, grilled shrimp or ribeye served by a coordinated wait staff at the Branding Iron, Chuck Aug launched the evening with a few jokes. Following dinner and conversation, Anne Detlefsen, Director of Fillmore Family Advocates, took to the podium See SMSVC Page 6
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Continuing a discussion that has caused some uncomfortable discourse between the City of Peterson and the City of Rushford Village, Peterson has reaffirmed its January 15 decision to deny a detachment request from residents Alan Lipowitz and Jan Smaby. In addition, the city has denied a compromise proposal from the petitioners. That proposal sought to detach 33.8 acres, to be annexed to Rushford Village, and leave six acres within the City of Peterson. Trying to resolve the issue locally, Peterson Mayor Jennifer Wood and Councilor Dick Lee, along with Rushford Village Mayor Dale Schwanke and councilor Hamilton Peterson met prior to that meeting to discuss potential compromises. At that time, the two compromise options discussed included the petitioners proposal and the
idea of its reverse, letting six acres go and retaining the 33.8 acres in Peterson. The council discussed the issue at length at the regularly scheduled March 12 meeting, but delayed a decision, noting Councilor Barry Erickson’s absence, citing a desire to have full council attendance. “There are a couple of things that have been beating around in my head,” noted new Peterson Councilor Dave Colbenson, regarding the petition. “I took into consideration her point of view, but I don’t really see valid reason to detach from Peterson. Just for the simple fact that when the town was founded and the lines were drawn up and agreed upon, the founders saw potential growth in different ways than residential, like agricultural. If we allow a person to detach for their reasons, it See PETERSON Page 9
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Lanesboro School helping with playground equipment costs money has been held for that purpose. The Park Board has conjade@fillmorecountyjournal.com sulted with Flagship Recreation, The playground equipment which is a playground consultant at Sylvan Park will be updated company for Landscape Designs in a special project taking place out of Delano, Minn. They also this summer. City Administrator had a tour of the facility. David Todd attended the school “We wanted to come up with board meeting on March 20 to something that was unique to the discuss a cost-sharing agreement area,” explained Todd. “Something that will set Lanesboro with the school district. Todd explained the Park Board apart.” He added that Lanesboro received donations in the amount has a lot of tourists come to the of $75,000 for playground equip- area, and they would like to proment some time ago, and that See LANESBORO Page 10 By Jade Sexton