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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
Peterson set for a big trail town celebration Page 13
Fillmore Central prepares for new school year page
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Monday, September 2, 2013
Volleyball Preview/Blue blasts off page
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Volume 28 Issue 48
Chatfield approves parcel split page
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Spring Valley briefed on SE MN Initiative Fund 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
County department heads asked to trim budgets more By K aren R eisner karen@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Mike Fogarty and Julia Borgen hold the sign that welcomed the Leather and Pipes Rally to Lanesboro on August 17, 2013. Photo by Barb Jeffers
Leather and Pipes ride to Lanesboro By Barb Jeffers
barb@fillmorecountyjournal.com
The Leather and Pipes Motorcycle Run visited Lanesboro, Minn., on August 17, 2013 during this year’s sixth Annual fundraiser for the event with riders raising money for cancer awareness and to help find a cure. The Leather and Pipes Rally began when a very special person was taken from this earth by Lung Cancer. Mike Bell, who grew up in Pine Island, Minn., married a Lanesboro native Carolyn “Kayno” Borgen and the couple built a home in Oronoco, Minn. Mike was a partner in Dimension Plumbing and Heating in
Rochester, Minn., and loved to ride his motorcycle in his spare time. Mike also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and golfing. Mike’s Mother-in-law, Julia Borgen of Lanesboro, Minn., quickly comes to tears when speaking of Mike stating that Mike was a “very outgoing and friendly guy” and enjoyed spending time with friends and family including his wife and three children Devon, Renee, and Jake whom he loved very much. Mike passed away on July 22, 2007 at the age of 50 after a 12 month battle with Mesothelioma. Following Mike’s death his lifelong friend, Mike Fogarty, knew he needed to do something in Mike’s memory and
so began the Leather and Pipes Rally Against Cancer in 2008. “Pipes” relates to Mike Bell’s work with Dimension Plumbing and Heating and also the pipes on not only Mike’s motorcycle but the pipes of all of those who ride in his memory. The Leather and Pipes Rally does not include only motorcycles however. Anyone who wants to participate is welcome whether it be on a motorcycle, in a car, on a bus, or anything else. Mike Fogarty explains that the Rally is not only to honor Mike Bell but anyone who has been lost to cancer or is battling cancer. On the website for the Rally, See LEATHER Page 3
New LaNdING behind outfitters for tubing Tuesday is Tubing
101 Parkway Ave. S. Lanesboro • 507-467-3400
two-for-tuesday
Fillmore County Coordinator Karen Brown announced at the board’s August 27 meeting that the state mandated property tax levy limit requires the county to levy no more than it did in 2013 or a maximum of $8,435,205. In other words the county has to have a 0 percent increase or less. The state mandated levy limits are one time limits on property taxes levied in 2013 and payable in 2014. The state has put the levy limits into effect for counties with a population exceeding 5,000 and for cities with a population exceeding 2,500. Commissioner Chuck Amunrud said due to the mandated levy limit, “We are going to be left with few options.” Commissioner Duane Bakke noted that $923,263 of the property tax collected in the first half of 2013 went to the state. Chairman Randy Dahl said over 30 percent of property tax levied
on commercial property goes to the state, adding that the county’s taxes are capped and the state’s are not. The percent the state gets goes up every year. As of August 27 prior to the meeting, the levy increase had been reduced to 7.81 percent or a total preliminary 2014 levy of $9,094,065. The county did get some good news, however. For budgeting purposes they had used a 10 percent increase in health insurance premiums. Brown received an e-mail during the meeting telling her that the health insurance premium increase will be 2.5 percent. This is a total savings of $117,679 for the county. Commissioners continued the process of trimming department budgets. Budgets reviewed this day included Highway Departments, Airport, SWCD, and Water Quality. The proposal to budget for the purchase of highway equipment See COUNTY Page 20
Rushford Hypersonic seeks and gets controversial funding By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
A full house packed city hall for the Monday, August 26 council meeting in Rushford, Minn. The joint meeting of the council and the Economic Development Authority (EDA) included a public hearing regarding futher funding of Rushford Hypersonic. After weeks of discussion by the EDA, it was recommended that the city approve a $145,000 subsidy loan financing the lowscale production of products for
Summer Music!
Fri., Sept. 13TH • 8-11:30pm Sons of Norway
distribution. For some in attendance, it was just the same old story. Hypersonic has to date received $500,000 in funding through the EDA Revolving Loan Fund, the maximum amount allowed to one company. Those funds, according to Rushford Hypersonic President Jay Skranka, were utilized for research, design, development, and fine tuning for testing. This funding would allow the company to begin production of its See RUSHFORD Page 21 Dirty
Martini
Lounge
109 S. Parkway, Lanesboro, MN 55949 www.riversideontheroot.com