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Canton • Chatfield • Fountain • Harmony • Houston • Lanesboro • Mabel • Ostrander • Peterson • Preston • Rushford • Rushford Village • Spring Valley • Whalan • Wykoff
Tragic loss of local boy after ATV accident
Plans for Mill Creek channel restoration expanded By K aren R eisner karen@fillmorecountyjournal.com
The family of Hunter Bergo was surrounded by friends and community members during a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Hunter at Sylvan Park in Lanesboro, Minn. on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016. Photo by Barb Jeffers By Barb Jeffers barb@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Losing a loved one is always hard, but the loss of a child is a different level of pain, which unfortunately, a local family experienced last week. Hunter Bergo, age 10, was involved in an ATV accident on the morning of Saturday, March 26, 2016 while riding the ATV to a neighbor’s house less than a mile away to return egg cartons, which was not an unusual trip for Hunter. Sadly, on this particular trip, an accident happened and the ATV rolled. A neighbor who arrived on the scene immediately called for help with Chatfield Police Department, Chatfield Ambulance, and the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department
responding shortly after 11 a.m. Hunter passed away on the scene. Close family friend Nick Bakke believes Hunter may have taken a corner too fast, causing the ATV to roll on the gravel road he was traveling on between the two homes. The Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the accident. Hunter Wayne Bergo was born on November 30, 2005 to Ryker Bergo and Cheryl Klein in Brainerd, Minn. Hunter’s parents, Ryker and Lena Bergo of Pilot Mound, Minn., and Matt and Cheryl Kettner of Kenyon, Minn. have been shown an outpouring of love from people in the area. Hunter was a fourth grader in Mr. Chris Hanson’s class at Lanesboro Elementary School
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in Lanesboro, Minn., where he will be missed by fellow students and staff that Hunter touched in many ways with his outgoing personality and sense of humor. The afternoon following the accident, which was Easter Sunday, Bakke called Hunter’s uncle, Lucas Bergo, and asked about having a candlelight vigil for Hunter in Sylvan Park that evening. The two decided to hold the vigil approximately four hours later, at 6:30 p.m. Text messages were sent, posts were put on social media, and the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office was notified. Less than four hours later, several hundred people started arriving at Sylvan Park as a large See TRAGIC LOSS Page 2
Luke Lunde, soil and environmental scientist, explained at the March 28 Chatfield City Council meeting that the planned Mill Creek stream bank restoration will now include 1,200 linear feet. The original proposal for the fishing pier replacement and Mill Creek stream channel restoration involved only 600 linear feet. Councilor Ken Jacobson was absent. Lunde commented that discussion of the project began about three years ago. Last fall the city council approved the more limited project and this day approved the expanded proposal. The project will create more
in stream habitat, stabilize the stream banks, create a lower bench adjacent to the fishing pier which will provide a second location for fishing, and improve the cattle crossing. Councilor Mike Urban said it is great that we have three entities working together to get the project done. The city of Chatfield is responsible for WSB engineering services. Trout Unlimited is responsible for the 1200 linear feet of stream bank restoration. The DNR will provide the fishing pier replacement and related support materials to create a more stable base, making it better able to withstand a flood. Work on the project should See MILL CREEK Page 9
Spring Valley Council hears audit report By R ich Wicks rich@fillmorecountyjournal.com
The Spring Valley City Council met on Monday, March 14, 2016 at 6 p.m. with all members in attendance: Tony Archer, Todd Jones, Mayor Jim Struzyk, Bill Bires, Jeff Vehrenkamp, and City Administrator Deb Zimmer. The main topic on the agenda was presentation of the city’s financial audit. Tom Wente, representing the accounting firm of Smith Schafer & Associates, summarized the findings, saying they gave Spring Valley an unmodified “clean” opinion for 2015, and that
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there were no compliance issues. He noted that the General Property Tax levy represented 34% of total governmental revenues in 2015, and that General Governmental Expenditures were nearly identical to the previous year. He pointed out that General Fund expenditures were under budget by $145,353, and that the General Fund balance is at 96% of General Fund Expenditures, which he described as “still a fairly healthy reserve”. His report stated that all debt service funds are being adequately funded, all See SV AUDIT Page 10