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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
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Monday, September 28, 2015
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Volume 31 Issue 1
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Canton • Chatfield • Fountain • Harmony • Houston • Lanesboro • Mabel • Ostrander • Peterson • Preston • Rushford • Rushford Village • Spring Valley • Whalan • Wykoff
Sam Gibson “takes over the show” at Century By Barb Jeffers barb@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Preston Fillmore Central graduate Sam Gibson has accepted a new position at Century High School in Rochester, Minn., where she can put her talents and experience to work. G i b s o n Sam Gibson is now the Winter Musical Director for Century and states “I really like working there” and says she works with “great people” in her new endeavor. The job opportunity came quickly, as the school had lost their director and were pressed for time to find a replacement. A friend of Gibson’s, Emily Whitcomb, who was doing choreography for Century, knew
about the open position after having two people back out at the last minute and contacted Gibson while she was on a New Year’s vacation in Las Vegas. Gibson said, “Being under the wire, I did my interview over the phone as I was flying home and I started two days later” so the interview must have went extremely well. After graduating from Fillmore Central in 2009, Gibson attended St. Mary’s University, where she graduated Cum Laude in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts. Gibson notes that her emphasis was on “Musical Theatre and Directing”, which she has a passion for. Gibson’s most recent show was directing “Cinderella” in Chatfield over the summer, as well as playing the Fairy Godmother. Prior to that, she directed “Addams Family” for Century High School and was onstage for “Rent” at the Rochester Civic Theatre in Rochester, Minn.
Her favorite roles have been “Rusty” in “Footloose”, “Meg” in “Brigadoon” for Wits End Theatre, and playing “Effy” in “Spitfire Grill” at SMU. Gibson just finished directing the Western Days musical in Chatfield this summer and was elected vice-president of their board. Gibson’s past experience in theatre has given her a strong background and wealth of knowledge to draw from as she began working with her students. Gibson also auditioned for The Voice in 2015, which she says was “a lot of fun” and even though she didn’t make it past that point, she states “it was still a fun experience and I met some very cool people” along the way. She says that beginning the job at Century “was intense” because she had not even read the script. Gibson states “I See GIBSON Page 2
Kingsland eyes single site plan in Spring Valley By R ich Wicks rich@fillmorecountyjournal.com
The Kingsland School Board met in regular session on September 22. Members present were Kristin Beck, Ann Oeltjen, Deb Larson, Doug Plaehn, and Troy Asher. Superintendent McDonald gave a presentation to the board regarding information discussed at the Finance & Facility Committee meeting. McDonald said the committee discussed the possibility of changing to a single site in Spring Valley, using the high school building for all students in all grades. He said under this plan, the Wykoff facility would continue to be used, but the savings would come from not using the Elementary building in Spring Valley. He shared that over the past 15 years or so, enrollment has dropped steadily, usually by 20-40 students per year, but now appears to have leveled off. He said with overall enrollment around 600, and expected to stay
level for the foreseeable future, the plan would have enough space for all students, with no new construction needed. McDonald stated that the high school building has enough classrooms to accommodate all the need, and that for the most part, students would be “clustered together” in certain hallways or portions of the building, with others of similar grade level. Following the presentation, Doug Plaehn stated that, “We have more facility than what our enrollment needs, from a classroom standpoint,” but he added that there are other concerns that would need to be addressed. One concern was the blending of students, such as 7th and 8th graders being in the hallways with high school students. Principal Hecimovich pointed out that this already occurs, stating, “They blend throughout the building, and rarely do we have a problem”. Ann Oeltjen asked, “This wouldn’t eliminate any of the See SINGLE SITE Page 24
Lawsuit started against Rushford-Peterson School District While some in the valley community are gearing up for bid opening and ground breaking for the new school facility, others are digging in their heels to protest the process that’s led to this point, as well as what is believed as infringement upon the legal rights of others. At the Monday, September 21 school board meeting, Glen and Denise Palecek, owners of
Music!
kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
the property adjacent to the new school site and holders of an access easement on the south and east side of the school property, read statements directed to the district. In his letter, Glen Palecek stated, “Now that we have been given what we were told is the final plan, we have given our lawyers permission to start a lawsuit against the school.” Palecek also noted that while the lawsuit doesn’t prohibit construction from beginning, it will be done, “At risk.” The Paleceks have long Come Enjoy
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claimed that their 66-foot access a fire hydrant. In addition, they easement must be kept clear at state that the south and east all times per document descrip- easements have been regraded tion. The couple stated that into a steep embankment with a August plans, noted as final and 2:1 or 50% slope. presented to the Rushford City “Glen and I have always stated Council September 14, includ- we are for a new school. We ed two concrete muSic barrier curbs, Summer at are not and never have been two drop-off lanes, a ditch on trying to stop the school from riverSide rootbeing built. We are only trying the south and on east the easement, fourSunday, light poles, nine signs and September 6th to defend our real estate rights. posts with concrete footings, charlie Warner 5pm-9pm The easement on the 66-foot two parking signs, surmount- roadway property is ours. It’s able concrete curb, pedestrian not our fault that you’re trying sidewalks, four parking spaces, to shoehorn too large of a school snow storage areas, a tree, and onto less than seven acres of
land,” added Denise Palecek. School Board Chairman John Linder stated that the easement will remain unobstructed. He stated there will be no hydrant, signs, or poles and snow removal will not be stored on the easement. As to concrete curbs and asphalt the district has maintained that the addition of it will improve the Palecek’s access, which the Palecek’s reject, claiming the construction amounts to permanent obstruction of their See LAWSUIT Page 30