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City imposes moratorium on Verso site development
Friday, May 13, 2016 Volume 21, Issue 19 Est. 1995
Town Crier
by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
City seeks volunteer for Planning Commission
The City of Sartell is accepting applications for a volunteer to serve as a Planning Commission member. The commission consists of five Sartell residents appointed by the city council who meet monthly (first Monday of every month) or as needed. The commission serves as an advisory board to the city council and provides recommendations to the council on the physical development of the municipality, and considers and makes recommendations on land-use and zoning matters. Member terms are three years, with the ability to be re-appointed for an additional two terms. Deadline to apply is noon Friday, May 27. For more information, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on May 13 Criers.
VA Health Care seeks youth volunteers
The St. Cloud VA Health Care System is seeking youth to participate in its Summer Student Volunteer Program. The experience is open to anyone 13 years and older who has parental/guardian consent, completes an application package and can commit to a minimum of four hours per week. A diverse array of volunteer assignments is available in areas including but not limited to escort service, pharmacy, recreation therapy, music therapy, and entertainment and companion services. For more information, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on May 13 Criers.
State parks make fishing more accessible
The fishing opener is quickly approaching. Minnesota residents do not need a license when shore-fishing at most lakes within the state parks. A change in state law, which went into effect in July 2009, made the free fishing possible. Other rules and regulations apply, such as the legal limit of fish that can be caught. For more information, visit thenewsleaders. com and click on May 13 Criers.
Look inside for our salute to local police officers
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Choose YES! for Success
photo from Planners Web website
This is an aerial view of the Verso paper mill in Sartell before its demolition.
Any planned developments on the former Verso paper mill site will have to wait awhile, up to a year anyway, the Sartell City Council decided at its May 9 meeting. The council voted unanimously, 5-0, to impose a moratorium of up to one year, giving a task force time to examine all potential uses for that site along the Mississippi River, including environmental impacts. The Verso site is owned by American Iron and Metal Development, which is opposed to the moratorium. AIM purchased the Verso property for $12.5 million after Verso announced all operations on the plant would cease following an explosion and fire on Memorial Day four years ago that claimed
the life of a Verso employee. AIM demolished and dismantled all of the massive equipment at the site and shipped it to recycling outlets. AIM is a recycling group based in Montreal, Canada. The task force will be comprised of city officials, people from both Benton and Stearns counties, owners of industrial property and at least one member of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corp. Members of the task force will study every ramification of potential developments along the river at and near the Verso site, which is currently zoned for industrial development. Members of the task force are expected to be approved by the city council next month. The moratorium could be lifted earlier than a year or City • page 11
Schwiebert addresses school-bond questions by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
How much money will the Sartell-St. Stephen School District need for an operating levy if a new high school is built? If voters approve the $105.8 million school-bond issue, does that mean more students will come to the district under open enrollment? Wouldn’t the school bond be
less expensive without athletic amenities? T h o s e were just some of the questions asked of Schwiebert School District Superintendent Jeff Schwiebert during his presentation and question-and-answer session May 4 at Oak
Ridge Elementary School. (See related story about precincts, polling places.) It was the fifth open forum meeting concerning the school bond, which will be on the ballot at polls on May 24. About two dozen people attended the May 24 forum, in addition to several administrators, teachers and staff members. The following are topics
raised at the forum and in other public meetings:
Less expensive?
Yes, the school bond would be less expensive without athletic amenities or other extracurricular space needs, but Schwiebert said schools without athletics or extracurricular options are of the “European style” where schools provide Bond • page 5
People, dogs, cat take part in Bark for Life by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
Beautiful weather, beautiful people, beautiful dogs and even a beautiful cat named Mr. Nickles – who could ask for anything more? The second annual Bark for Life walk, this year at Sartell’s Dog Park May 7, was a great success, raising just about $7,000 for the American Cancer Society – $1,000 more than last year’s walk in St. Cloud’s Wilson Park. About 100 people and dogs attended the event in Sartell’s Pinecone Central
Park, where the dog park is located. Mr. Nickles the cat also seemed to enjoy all the fun and commotion. He is owned by Grant Pulliam of St. Cloud, who emceed the Bark for Life in Sartell. “It was such a good day,” said Jessica Ostendorf of Albany, who organized the event. “I’m so pleased with it hitting numbers that big for such a new event. I think it’s going to keep growing and growing.” Ostendorf works for the Minnesota School of Business as a veterinary technician and is the events chair
contributed photo
Walkers and their pooches raised nearly $7,000 for the American Cancer Society during the May 7 Bark for Life fundraiser. for Bark for Life of St. Cloud. She is one of many students at the school who volunteers their time for events such as Bark for Life. “Every person is affected one way or another by someone having cancer,” she said. “And, not to forget,
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dogs and other pets can and do get cancer, too.” Ostendorf said all the money raised stays in the local area, as does all money raised in other events sponsored by the American Cancer Bark • back page
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Friday, May 13, 2016
Ramanathan named to Presidential Scholars Program by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
A Sartell high-school senior, Gopi Ramanathan, was given a rare honor recently when he was named as Ramanathan one of 160 students in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
Ramanathan is the son of Gajendranathan and Vasugi Ramanathan of Sartell. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program began in 1964 as an executive order by President Lyndon Johnson. As part of the U.S. Department of Education, its goal was to honor the nation’s most distinguished graduating highschool seniors. In 1979, the program was expanded to honor students with excep-
tional talents in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, it was again expanded for accomplishments in career and technical-education fields. Ramanathan is one of only two Minnesotans to be named to the program for 2016. The other is Anna Biggs of Roseville, who attends the St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Throughout his school years, Ramanathan has been a top achiever. Among his ac-
complishments are these: • President of the Minnesota Association of Student Councils. • Sartell Student Council member. • Winner two times of the Minnesota Geography Bee and a national competitor in the National Bee in Washington, D.C. He also was a member of the U.S. World Geography Bee Team. • Winner of a St. Cloud
Times Media 21 and Under Award. • A student representative for the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board. • National Honor Society member. • A mentor in the Big Brother Big Sisters program. • A coach for the MathMasters teams at the school. • A winner of spelling bees and Knowledge Bowls. • A dedicated soccer player.
Final plat for Sartell community center approved by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
The final plat for a Sartell Community Center was approved by the Sartell City Council at its May 8 meeting on a vote of 3-2. Voting against the resolution were council members Amy Braig-Lindstrom and David Peterson, who have long opposed the site because they think a community center
should have been planned in a more central location within the city. The other members – Steve Hennes, Pat Lynch and Mayor Sarah Jane Nicoll – have often said they believe the southern site, located at the edge of Lake Francis, is an ideal site, partly because it will complement other developments on the south edge of Sartell. The southern site is the result of a land swap between the city
of Sartell and Ferche Development, which owns the site. In exchange for it, the city gave a parcel of property along Heritage Drive to Ferche. Because of the land swap, the city saved costs of developments for the center, including utility placements and the extension of 19th Street, which will be paid for by Ferche. Groundbreaking for the community center is expected to take place this summer, with a
completion date sometime in 2017. It will include three gyms, locker rooms, a walking track, a senior center, a community meeting area with kitchen, a kids’ play room, and flexible spaces for all kinds of meetings and presentations. The south site has long been controversial because many in Sartell favored a Great River Regional Library branch library within a community center, but that option is not possible at the
southern site because, according to GRRL rules, it’s too close to the St. Cloud and the Waite Park libraries. Others oppose the site because they wanted a center to be more centrally located in Sartell. Still others, however, think the southern site is an ideal choice because that area of Sartell was long meant to be the city’s “downtown” area, with lots of developments happening – commercial and residential.
Sartell City Council agrees to swap land by 4-1 vote by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
A land trade between the city and a private landowner
was approved by a 4-1 vote at the April 25 Sartell City Council meeting. The council vote followed a closed session in which the
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matter was discussed before the regular public council meeting. The swap deal involves giving the Ferche Family Limited
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Partnership a parcel of city -owned property along Heritage Drive in exchange for Ferche’s private property in south Sartell, the site of the planned Sartell Community Center. At one time last year, the Heritage Drive property was considered, among other sites, as the location for the community center, but the council, on a 3-2 vote, decided the south site next to Lake Francis would be the best site.
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The swap, it was argued, will save the city more than a half million dollars because utilities and other infrastructure is already in place at the south site. Council member David Peterson voted against the land swap because he has never favored the south site and believes the council should have chosen a more central site, one closer to the city’s schools.
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Friday, May 13, 2016
Blotter
If you have a tip concerning a crime, call the Sartell Police Department at 320-251-8186 or TriCounty Crime Stoppers at 320255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crime.
April 27 1:02 p.m. Medical. 22nd Street S. An officer was dispatched to a medical call where an elderly female was having back problems and couldn’t get up. Gold Cross Ambulance arrived shortly after the officer and the female was transported to the hospital. 6:05 p.m. Vehicle accident. Benton Drive/First Street N.E. An officer was dispatched to a two-vehicle accident. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the drivers, who were not injured. Both drivers thought it was their turn to go at the four-way stop and collided. Both drivers were given a copy of the accident report. 7:45 p.m. Medical. Corrine Creek. Officers were dispatched to a residence where an elderly male was disoriented, conscious and breathing. Gold Cross Ambulance arrived, an officer assisted loading the male into the ambulance and he was transported to the hospital. April 28 7:20 a.m. Alarm. Meadowlawn Court. An officer was dispatched to a residential alarm and was able to contact the homeowner by phone. The homeowner believed someone may have set the alarm off by accident as they left the house. 1:22 p.m. Theft. Riverside Avenue S. A complaint was made by a female regarding the theft of an Xbox and a computer from a residence earlier in the day. An officer spoke to the female who stated she let a couple males she met at a bar stay overnight and believes they took the items. The car the males were in was registered to someone else and the two males were unable to be located. April 29 12:53 a.m. Suspicious activity. Pinecone Road S. Officers were dispatched to a local business, where the manager had just confronted a couple males who he thought stole some items. Upon arrival, the officers were informed two suspicious males walked out the front door, apparently concealing items. The manager was asked to submit a copy of the security video to assist
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in identifying the suspects. 4:48 p.m. Vehicle accident. CR 120. An officer was dispatched to a four-vehicle accident in a parking lot. Upon arrival, the officer determined a female lost control of her car as she backed out of a handicapped parking spot. She ran into three other unoccupied cars before gaining control. There were no injuries and all owners were present to receive a copy of the accident report. 5:53 p.m. Suspicious person. Pine Siskin Avenue. An officer spoke to a female who was wondering if the male she wrote a check to was legitimate. She said he was raising money for care packages for soldiers. An officer checked the neighborhood and did not find him. There was nobody registered in the city under the company name she was given. April 30 12:33 a.m. Citizen contact. Highway 15/CR 120. While an officer was on a traffic stop, a male walked by and appeared to be injured. The male had what appeared to be a fresh rug-burn on the side of his head. The male denied needing any medical assistance and continued southbound on Highway 15. 1:38 a.m. Intoxicated person. Second Street S. While on patrol, an officer was flagged down for a male passed out and lying in the grass. The male woke up and threw up on himself. The officer flagged down Gold Cross Ambulance, who was driving by and transported the male to the hospital. 6:28 p.m. Animal bite. Riverside Avenue N. A report was made regarding a juvenile being bitten by their neighbor’s dog and was being transported to the St. Cloud Hospital Emergency Room for stitches. There were no records found on the dog’s vaccinations. The owner was issued a citation for not registering the dog and the dog was quarantined. May 1 9:50 a.m. Intoxicated person. Tenth Avenue N. An officer was dispatched to an apartment building for an intoxicated female sitting on the floor in front of the caller’s apartment. The female had been trying to get into the apartment. Upon arrival, the female told the officer she was at the right apartment. The officer walked her outside and pointed at the apartment building she was looking for. The officer issued the female a minor consumption citation.
A a r o n Evans of Sartell received a $1,500 student arts scholarship from the Central Minnesota Arts Board for Evans industrial design at Iowa State University. The program is designed to support students entering or enrolled in an accredited institution who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in the arts. Individuals are eligible to receive up to four of these scholarships in a lifetime. Tera Melgard of Sartell recently earned her certified public accountant designation from the Minnesota State Board Melgard of Accountancy. She joined Conway, Deuth & Schmiesing PLLP in 2013 as an administrative assistant. In 2015, Melgard graduated from the College of St. Scholastica with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a minor in business management, after which she transitioned into a staff accountant role. Her focus areas are bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, payroll and tax preparation. Five Sartell students were honored at the Students of Excellence Banquet and Recognition ceremony April 27 at River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. The evening was dedicated to honoring the top 140 high school seniors from 36 Region 7 high schools. The honorees were nominated by their school or district and received a plaque recognizing their accomplishment and a certificate from Gov. Mark Dayton. These students are Matthew Michaud, Clare Minnerath, Gopi Ramanathan, Dawson Rogers and Austin Sura.
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People
contributed photo
Nolan Frank of Sartell finished first for University of Jamestown and seventh overall in the men’s North Star Athletic Association golf championship April 26 at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln, Neb., earning first-team All-NSAA recognition. He was also awarded the individual student-athlete Champion of Character. Four Sartell students recently graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato. They are Tate Corcoran, bachelor’s degree in biology, cum laude; Cassidy Ross, bachelor’s degree in communication disorders, summa cum laude; Erin Skoog, bachelor’s degree in mass communications; and Rebecca Sonbol, bachelor’s degree in psychology, cum laude. Alyssa Yapp, daughter of Tammie and Keith Yapp, is among more than 80 students from Concordia College, Moorhead, studying in summer school abroad programs and summer field study programs offered through global learning at Concordia. She will participate in Italian Summer School Abroad in Florence, Pordenone, Rome, Trieste and Venice. Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf collected more than $160,000 and 210,000 pounds of food during the annual Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign to help battle
hunger in Sartell, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud, St. Augusta and Waite Park. That landed it in the number two spot statewide. St. Cloud Orthopedics has moved its High Energy Advanced Training Program into the Fitness Evolution facility in Sartell. This transition creates a new local partnership that enhances the popular program’s capabilities while providing a fitnessforward environment with ample space for training. HEAT was designed to enhance and restore flexibility, strength, power, speed and cardiovascular conditioning using sound scientific and medical principles. Until now, it has been offered in-clinic at St. Cloud Orthopedics. With its growing popularity among the area’s high school athletes and adults looking to better their overall fitness, staff recognized the need for a larger facility. With its 35,000 squarefoot facility, 10,000 additional square feet for sports-specific training and 17 on-staff certified trainers, Fitness Evolution provided the solution.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY AUTO BODY REPAIR Auto Body 2000
(behind Coborn’s in the Industrial Park)
St. Joseph • 320-363-1116
PUBLISHING Von Meyer Publishing 32 1st Ave. NW St. Joseph • 320-363-7741 www.thenewsleaders.com
TRUCKING Brenny Transportation, Inc. Global Transportation Service St. Joseph • 320-363-6999 www.brennytransportation.com
Call the Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader at 320-363-7741 if you would like to be in the Business Directory. Published each Friday by Von Meyer Publishing Inc. Production Manager Tara Wiese
Editor: Dennis Dalman
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Newsleader staff members have the responsibility to report news fairly and accurately and are accountable to the public. Readers who feel we’ve fallen short of these standards are urged to call the Newsleader office at 363-7741. If matters cannot be resolved locally, readers are encouraged to take complaints to the Minnesota News Council, an independent agency designed to improve relationships between the public and the media and resolve conflicts. The council office may be reached at 612-341-9357.
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Opinion
Our View
Friday, May 13, 2016
Letters to the editor
Republican Party now stuck Continue to support school district growth by voting yes We know our students need more space. tem. between a rock, a hard place Royce and Bonnie Nies, Sartell We have seen our communities grow We believe the bond is necessary for our It’s almost sad – almost – that the Republican Party is finding itself in a tug-of-war. But it’s not surprising. The Party brought this war upon itself for a number of interlocking reasons, starting long ago. In 1964, the Party nominated Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater to run against incumbent Lyndon Johnson. Goldwater was (at least perceived to be by mainstream voters) a dangerous right-wing extremist. He lost abysmally. That Goldwaterite purist conservatism would come back to haunt the Party. The right-wingers kept making promises they could not deliver while trashing popular programs like Social Security and Medicare. They also dragged their feet hopelessly on issues of social and civil progressivism. Not to forget, left-wing promisers have from time to time been just as guilty. Those dashed promises, right and left, led directly, with a vengeance, to the Tea Party insurgence of eight years ago, as well as to the more recent free-for-all populism of Bernie Sanders. The Tea Party began with people disgusted by the government bailing out big banks. With good reason. But that passion quickly morphed into an anti-Obama hate group, led by rabid cheerleaders such as the likes of Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann and Ted Cruz. Rah, rah, rah! Shish, boom, bah! Hate the government. Shut it down. Impeach Obama. Shred ObamaCare. That motley crew of misguided fabulists held sway with so many voters who were, rightfully so, disgusted by the inaction of government to help solve problems such as joblessness, low wages and growing inequalities. Many Tea Partiers, then and now, blame all of their problems on Obama, immigrants and conspiracy theories. Trouble is, the Tea Party windbags never once attributed their or anybody else’s problems to the powers that be, largely billionaires’ corporate control as administered by their minions in Congress, mostly Republican yes-men but by no means limited to Republicans. Unfettered free-market forces, as defined under the Reagan Era, weren’t the answer. In many cases, they were the problem. Greed was a cocaine high, but what about the rest of us? Reagan, in many respects, was the Santa Claus who never was. Many have yet to learn that. Well, anyway, flash forward. To win elections (local, state, federal), the Republican Party thought it had to court the right-wing Tea Party types. It turned out to be a game of Russian roulette in which “I’ll primary you!” became a big threat, as Eric Cantor of Virginia, among many others, soon learned the hard way. The Tea Party faction gradually hijacked the Party through bullying tactics (i.e. Cruz, the Temper Tantrum King, reading the great Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham for hours in his pathetic filibuster. Seuss is still rolling over in his grave!) And, sad to say, most of the good, rational, reasonable Republicans let it happen. Now they are paying the price. Like a hawk, Donald Trump swooped down. He understood so slyly that Tea Party hotheads had made fools of good, sane, rational Republicans, rendering them all but politically impotent. And the good Republicans were dumb enough to let it happen. It’s almost slapstick comical that after a series of debates among 17 Republican candidates, only a few were left standing: Trump, Cruz, Kasich. And what’s even crazier is Cruz is widely despised by Establishment Republicans, Trump is a nightmare wild card (possibly even a secret Democrat, God forbid), and Kasich, the only one who had a chance of winning the White House, is kaput, at least for now. Who knows? Trump just might be our next president (God forbid), and if he is, the Republican Party might just as well say goodbye, adieu, lights out. If there was ever a tight fix between a rock and a hard place, this is it: the Republican Party stuck hopelessly in a fix of its own making.
We are writing to encourage others to vote yes on May 24 for the Sartell-St. Stephen School District Bond Referendum. When we were deciding where to build our new home 34 years ago, our No. 1 concern was where our three children would have the best opportunity to receive a quality education. The Sartell-St. Stephen School District had the reputation of being one of the best school districts in the state. We have not been disappointed with our choice. Now our three children are all graduates of this fine school sys-
schools. We have both spent time in the schools volunteering and participating on the Community Schools Planning Committee and have witnessed the space crunch the students are experiencing. We also want the children of our communities to be safe; safe and secure entrances were not an issue when most of our buildings were built, but they are an issue today. We will be voting yes on May 24 because we believe it’s our turn to help the next generation of Sartell-St. Stephen students.
Voting yes is good stewardship for Sartell Rick and Chanda Larson, Sartell We moved to Sartell in 1999 because of the excellent school system. We have been impressed with the richness of our children’s educational experiences since our oldest started kindergarten at Pine Meadow Elementary in 2005. Our children are now at Sartell High School, Sartell Middle School and Oak Ridge Elementary. Throughout our time in Sartell, we have seen continued growth in the student pop-
ulation and have witnessed the resourcefulness of district leadership to house and accommodate our students. The Sartell-St. Stephen School District continues to grow; Sartell Middle School added more than 65 new students just this school year. People are choosing to move and will continue to move to our community because of the excellence of our school district. Our district leaders have done an excellent job of being good stewards of the
facilities and will continue to do just that by modifying the current spaces in conjunction with building a new high school to accommodate the growing population. Excellent schools create excellent communities. It’s time to build so Sartell-St. Stephen can continue the educational excellence our district is known and emulated for. Our hope is the communities of Sartell and St. Stephen continue to show their Sabre pride by voting yes on May 24.
Vote yes; maintain excellent district reputation Greg & Teresa Reuter, Sartell We are proud parents of two SartellSt. Stephen School District graduates. We have lived in this community long enough to see two elementary schools built and additions/remodels to both the high school and middle school. These projects were done to create more student space for our growing and thriving com-
munity. We are impressed by the fact both Pine Meadow and Oak Ridge elementaries are well-built and functional buildings but they are by no means extravagant. Our school board and administration have a history of being fiscally responsible and only asking the public for what they need to maintain our excellent schools. We expect a new high school will be built in the same manner, stressing quality and
functionality. The stellar reputation of our school district is the main reason families move to our community. A strong school system will help maintain our home values for years to come. This being said, we would like to encourage other community members to join us in voting yes in the upcoming school bond vote on Tuesday, May 24.
Referendum addresses need for space in schools Jeff Blenkush, St. Stephen I am writing to encourage others to vote yes on Sartell-St. Stephen’s Bond Referendum on May 24. My wife and I are lifelong residents of St. Stephen and are proud graduates of Sartell-St. Stephen schools. We currently have two children in the district, one at the Middle School and one at Oak Ridge Elementary.
The upcoming bond referendum will provide our schools with much-needed space to educate all of our children. We have seen the Sartell-St. Stephen School District grow over time and, once again, we have a real need for space to educate our students. The building of a new high school and upgrades at the other buildings are the best plan to ensure all of our students have ample space to learn in safe and
secure buildings. This bonding project also allows our staff to utilize the space in different ways to allow children in our district to be 21st-century learners. The world is a different place than it was when my wife and I were students in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District; vote yes on May 24 to help create facilities that encourage learning in today’s world.
Support the community’s best asset with a yes vote Sonja Babich, Sartell Dear Sartell-St Stephen School District residents: Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 24. On this day, there will be a very important vote that will determine the future for almost 4,000 students. I am writing to you as a proud graduate of Sartell High School. I work for a local Sartell business and through my volunteer work, I have reconnected with the school district through serving as a board member for the Sartell- St. Stephen Education Foundation. Professionally, I became a member of the rapidly growing Sartell Area Chamber of Commerce. This year, I am honored to serve as Sartell Chamber president. Both
of these volunteer experiences have allowed me to meet many local business professionals, educators and students. In the process of building these relationships, I have become extremely familiar with the needs of our school district: safe and secure buildings, flexible learning spaces and more overall space to accommodate the immediate space crunch. If you were a Sartell Sabre (or parent or grandparent of a Sabre) and you currently live in the Sartell-St. Stephen community, it’s without question you should be voting yes. When I was a student in District 748, I did not appreciate all the opportunities offered to me. Then I went away to college and met hundreds of students from different communities who might not have had
the same opportunities I did. It was then I realized how well my Sartell-St. Stephen education prepared me for college and beyond. Now I am part of a strong alumni network that is thankful for the amazing opportunities that were offered in academics, arts, athletics and community-service organizations. Now we must consider paying it forward to the current and future Sabres with our yes vote. The growth of our school district is what keeps the Sartell-St. Stephen community alive and growing, thus a great place to live and raise a family. The community must come together and support our best asset: the Sartell-St. Stephen School District. I will be proudly showing my Sabre pride and voting yes on May 24.
Give the Boundary Waters Canoe Area some love Lauren Lindmeier, Sartell
The ideas expressed in the letters to the editor and of the guest columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Newsleaders. Letters to the editor may be sent to news@thenewsleaders. com or P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374. Deadline is noon Monday. Please include your full name for publication (and address and phone number for verification only.) Letters must be 350 words or less. We reserve the right to edit for space.
significantly throughout the years and believe the growth is largely attributable to our excellent schools. Now, as proud grandparents of five grandchildren in our district and one who has graduated, we urge you to continue to support all of the children of the district by supporting our schools. We are thankful to all of the community members who have always supported the schools in our district in the past and we feel it’s our turn to pay it forward for the students of the next generation.
It’s come to my attention Minnesota’s beloved Boundary Waters Canoe Area is in need of some love. Recently sulfideore copper mining has threatened these cherished waterways. Sulfide-ore copper mining can create major problems for the environment. This type of mining can release sulfuric acid and heavy metals into the Boundary Waters. This could then lead
to the permanent pollution of the lush forests and the clear water. Not only can sulfide-ore mining harm the earth, it’s been said it can also greatly harm humans. Due to the fact many chemicals can be released during the process, many medical groups are demanding a health-risk assessment of this hazardous type of mining. Also, some experts even say this new type of mining could hurt existing jobs in the area. These are just a few of the reasons why sulfide-
ore copper mining should not be allowed in our flawless Boundary Waters. I have written this article to encourage members of our community to sign the petition against sulfide-ore copper mining. Go to savetheboundarywaters.org and sign the petition. Also inform our Minnesota representatives about this serious issue and how it impacts the state of Minnesota. Please join me in the fight to save our cherished Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
For more letters to the editor, please see page 8
Friday, May 13, 2016
Bond from front page academic education only. Americans expect education to be more well-rounded, to include athletics, art, music, theater and other forms of cultural enrichment. On the school district’s website is a breakdown of estimated square footage of space needs that would be possible with passage of the school bond. An 800-seat performing arts center will require 8,000 square feet, plus a music suite that would include three large music spaces, for a total of 26,800 square feet. Athletic spaces would include an auxiliary gym, a three-station gym, concessions and school store, fitness and strength rooms, an eight-lane competitive pool, locker rooms and storage areas, for a total of 69,800 square feet. Space for arts and media-related activities would total 19,200 square feet. Teaching and learning spaces of all kinds would total about 65,750 square feet. Administration and support staff spaces are estimated to be about 27,700 square feet. The total square footage of all spaces covered by the bond money is about 289,000 square feet.
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Why a bond?
A Schools Facilities Task Force spent many months studying the needs of the schools in Sartell. They discovered quickly there is an acute need for more space, mainly because of ever-increasing numbers of students. Those enrollment numbers are expected to increase dramatically in the next 10 years, according to a demographer hired by the district. In addition, there are numerous safety and security concerns because the schools were built long before the shocking, tragic incidents of school shootings and other mayhem that can happen in school settings. Another need for the bond is learning methods have changed appreciably in the past couple of decades, with more computer applications, small-group projects and other forms of handson learning not necessarily related to books and texts. Yet another reason is the high volume of traffic at the current high school, along with concerns from parents and nearby residents about safety related to the massive amounts of vehicles coming and going.
New school safety
Many have asked about Pinecone Road, which leads to the proposed new high school. The northern portion of Pinecone is a narrow two-lane road with no bicycle-walking paths. The city and the school dis-
trict have been working on a plan to upgrade Pinecone, including bicycle paths. That upgrading of Pinecone has actually been a project long envisioned by the city council, even before talk of a school bond began. A roundabout is expected to be built at Pinecone where it connects to the school property, and there would be another access road to the new high school, in addition to the one leading to Oak Ridge Elementary School.
Open enrollment
Currently, the Sartell-St. Stephen School District follows the state law regarding open enrollment, which states a school district must have one percent of its student population with open-enrollment options. The school district has about 3.5 percent of its students in the open-enrollment category, Schwiebert said in a May 5 interview with the Sartell Newsleader. The district has a policy of allowing any children of district employees to attend Sartell schools, even if those employees do not live within the city. In addition, students who were students in Sartell but who moved are welcome to keep attending Sartell schools if they or their parents so choose. There is no plan to change the current open-enrollment policy or to increase it if the school bond is approved, Schwiebert said.
Operating levy
If the school bond is approved in the May 24 referendum election, voters should know that if it passes there will also have to be an operating levy approved down the road when the new high school would open in 2019 and when improvements have been made at the existing schools. Although the amount is not yet known, Schwiebert estimated it would be probably in the neighborhood of $900,000 per year but that it could well be less. That money would cover the operating costs in the schools – such things as cooling, heating, ongoing maintenance and upgrades. If education funding stays the same, the district now estimates an operating levy would probably add from $5 to $7 per month to the tax bill of a homeowner with a home valued at $180,000. That would be in addition to the $22.30 estimated monthly tax increase for the bond itself for someone who owns a home valued at $180,000, the average value for a Sartell home. Thus, that homeowner would see an increase of up to about $350 per year in more taxes, counting the cost of the bond and the operating levy. For a breakdown of estimated tax increases that will occur if the bond is passed, go to the Sartell-St. Stephen School District’s website. The site also
5 includes a wealth of detailed information about school needs and the bond issue.
Design of school
Some have asked why there is no artist’s conception or blueprints of the proposed new high school available. The reason, Schwiebert said, is it would cost up to $800,000 to have engineers and designers draw up blueprints and designs. The district, he noted, is unwilling to spend all that money just in case the bond does not pass.
Bond amounts
The $105.8-million bond, if approved, would be paid back during a 25-year period. The following is an approximate breakdown of how it will be spent: • New high school, grades 9-12: $89.5 million. • Changes to existing high school to make it a middle school, grades 6-8: $10.55 million. • Changes to existing middle school for grades 3-5: $2.55 million. • Changes to Pine Meadow Elementary, pre-K through grade 2: $1.7 million. • Changes to Oak Ridge Elementary, pre-K through grade 2.: $650,000. • Borrowing costs of the bond: $850,000.
What’s my precinct and where do I vote? by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
What voting precinct do you live in? Unless you’re some kind of political geek, you probably don’t know. That is why residents of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District will soon get postcards in the mail showing/explaining which precinct they live in and which of the three polling places where they should vote in the May 24 school-bond referendum. That was announced May 3 by District Superintendent Dr. Jeff Schwiebert during a public information meeting about the school-bond issue at Oak Ridge Elementary School. (See related story.) Schwiebert said he and others on the schoolfacilities committee were surprised at how many people do not know their precinct number
or where they should vote. Not surprising since in the upcoming school-bond referendum, polling places will be different than in previous years of general elections. About 24 residents and about a dozen school-staff members attended the meeting, which was led by Schwiebert. The polling-place information is vital because many people, apparently, have no clue what their precinct number is or which polling place to vote at. That is because for the schoolbond election, there are only three polling places that are not necessarily the ones people voted at in previous elections. For the May 24 election, for example, the Sartell City Hall will not be a polling place as before. The only three polling places will be at Celebration Lutheran Church, LeSauk Township Hall (by the Sartell Fire Station) and St. Stephen City Hall.
SARTELL AREA YOUTH BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Registration for 2016-2017 SAYBA Travel Basketball Grades 4-8 is now open. Online registration is available on the SAYBA website at www.saybabball.org. Register prior to June 7 to receive early bird pricing. Please see the website for more details on the SAYBA program.
An easy way to find out which precinct you are in and which polling place you will vote at is to go to the school district’s website at: www.sartell.k12.mn.us/bond-2016 Then go to the grid boxes
just below the photo and click on the box that says “Voting Information.” The precincts and polling locations are listed. Beneath that grid of boxes it says “Click here to find out where you live.” So click. A “Polling
Place Finder” will appear. Enter either your zip code or your county. Then hit “Go.” Enter your house number and your street. Click “Go” and your precinct and polling place – voila! – will be revealed.
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
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Friday, May 13, 2016 Friday, May 13, 2016
7
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
NATIONAL POLICE WEEK MAY 15-21
Non-emergency number 320-251-8186 Emergency: CALL 911
Jim Hughes, 25 years Chief £7901
Dale Struffert, 26 years Deputy Chief #7903
Tim Broda, 28 years Investigator #7908
Wayne Schreiner, 17 years Sergeant #7909
Kelly Mader, 15 years Sergeant #7912
Adam Vande Vrede, 17 years School Resource Officer #7911
Shelby Lane, 13 years Police Officer #7902
Jill N. Lundquist, 10 years School Resource Officer #7913
Kari Bonfield, 10 years Police Officer #7915
Rob Lyon, 10 years Police Officer #7910
Jarod Cooper, 9 years Police Officer #7916
John Lester, 9 years Police Officer #7917
Steven Mathews, 3 years Police Officer #7906
Matt Gray, 1 year Police Officer #7904
Ross Rooda, 1 year Police Officer #7918
Jake Walters, 1 year Police Officer #7905
Beth Dahlstrom, New Hire Police Officer #7919
Curt Grosz, New Hire Police Officer #7914
Amber Seifermann, 1 year Comm. Service Officer #7940
Kelly Hanson, 19 years Admin. assist. #7900
Rita Ackerman, 8 years Police clerk #7998
Todd Ackerman, 12 years Reserve Sergeant
Shane Cuperus, 8 years Reserve Officer
Chris Dahlman, 6 years Reserve Officer
Ryan Haehn, 2 years Reserve Officer
Brady Goebel, 1 year Reserve Officer
Jordan Miller, 1 year Reserve Officer
Andrew Olmscheid, 1 year Reserve Officer
Branton Stowell, 1 year Reserve Officer
Adam Fettig, New Hire Reserve Officer
Tyler Hecht, New Hire Reserve Officer
Pete Knutson, New Hire Reserve Officer
Let’s hear it for all our police officers They help our kids when they’re lost. They’re on call at all hours of the night to mediate the worst domestic disturbances. They do all the legwork that drives a successful conviction when the law has been broken. During National Police Week (NPW) this May 15-21, let’s shout a big Woot! Woot! to our local police officers who carry the badge and swear to keep us safe. NPW is celebrated across the country in many different ways. Our local police departments hold special events for families and kids, such as National Night Out and many other gatherings
throughout the year. The goal is always to raise awareness about the important role these men and women play in keeping our streets as safe as possible every day of the year. It’s not easy to be a crime-fighter and police officer. On a daily basis, officers witness the heart-wrenching destitution and violence experienced by the homeless, the mentally ill and the substance-addicted. They console the parents of missing children and investigate criminal acts. They see the
tough side of life that wears people down and that many lucky people in our cities and towns never really have to deal with. But worst of all, they battle negative public perception in the very streets they patrol. During National Police Week, wave and give a friendly smile to a police officer. And remember they are our front-line buffers between safety and chaos.
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Insurance Agency 3535 W. Division St. 320-529-9585
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19 W. Minnesota St. • St. Joseph 320-363-1011
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Sartell St. Joseph Waite Park Cold Spring
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700 40th Ave NE Sauk Rapids
320-252-9608 WWW.REPUBLICSERVICES.COM
We provide Head Start, Early Head Start, child care and family support services for eligible children and families in Benton, Sherburne and Stearns counties in central Minnesota.
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Styles, Cotton & Milbert FAMILY DENTISTRY 320-363-7729
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230 Pinecone Road S.
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151 19th St. S., Ste. B • Sartell 320-229-2233 www.welchdentalcare.com
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
8
Friday, May 13, 2016
Letters to the editor
Sartell Education Association votes to endorse May 24 bond referendum Sartell Education Association The Sartell Education Association voted overwhelmingly to endorse the May 24 bond referendum. We recognize this referendum will create opportunities for all students in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, as it supports the creation of more space for all students, enhances safety and security, and provides flexible spaces for our next generation of learners. The teachers of the Sartell-St.
Stephen School District understand the limitations placed on teaching and student learning. At Pine Meadow Elementary, large group spaces have been enclosed to create classrooms. Oak Ridge Elementary has turned storage spaces into small group instruction classrooms. At Sartell Middle School, the current Media Center is being downsized and relocated to provide space for four more classrooms to try to accommodate the growth. At Sartell High School, physical education classes utilize
the hallways and non-gym areas to provide fitness instruction. These examples are a few of many that show how staff and administration are being creative and efficient, and making do with what is available. The proposed plan enhances teaching and learning spaces for all students in the district, whether it’s new space, renovated space or additional space by grade reconfiguration. More space for theater performances, updated lab and technical education space or gym space
means greater opportunities for our students and community. Spaces that lend themselves to today’s expectations of teaching and learning will also be available. Individual and small-group spaces to large-group presentation areas are all needed throughout the district. Our students live in a world where information is at their fingertips. As teachers, we need to guide our students how to access and use available resources to prepare them for the world in which we live.
As teachers, we want to support our students’ growth, development and learning opportunities. By supporting this bond, our staff, families and community will be providing our students with even more opportunities for success. We are proud to teach students in a district with families and community members that care about students. Choose yes on May 24 for our students and our community.
Move the community forward; vote yes Luke Riordan, Sartell Jack is a neutered, 9-year-old cat who is very affectionate and loves to be around people. His foster home referred to him as a “ridiculously sweet lap cat.” Jack lived with dogs and was comfortable around them. He likes an occasional belly rub which shows how trusting he is. Jack enjoys playing with catnip toys and lounging near a window to watch all the activity outside. Jack’s adoption fee would be waived for a senior citizen or veteran. “Helping one animal won’t change the world … but it will change the world for that one animal!” Dogs - 13 Kittens - 3
Cats - 27 Snakes - 2
Parakeet - 1
Tri-County Humane Society 735 8th St. NE • PO Box 701 St. Cloud, MN 56302
320-252-0896
www.tricountyhumanesociety.org
Hours: Monday-Thursday Noon-6 p.m., Friday Noon-8 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday Noon-5 p.m.
After bouncing from apartment to apartment in the Greater St. Cloud Area, my wife and I knew it was time to purchase our first home. We wanted to provide our son, Keegan, with a caring community and a great education for years to come. We accomplished both by moving to Sartell. Almost one year after moving to Sartell, I was approached to learn more about the School Bond Ref-
erendum. My initial reaction after learning about the upcoming vote on May 24 went something like this: “Sartell-St. Stephen has a great school system. That’s why my family moved here. Why is there a need for a new high school?” After asking more questions like that and learning about the needs of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, the need for a new school became obvious. For me personally, the burning issue that is blatantly evident is the need for space due to the district’s
growth. My family’s story of moving to Sartell is shared by many other families now living in District 748. With another child on the way, my family and this community need to plan ahead for growth. Choosing yes on May 24 and building on Sartell-St. Stephen’s success is the right choice. Let’s continue to move this community forward and showcase the massive support its residents have for education. Vote yes on May 24.
Support the school system by voting yes Roger and Janis Farley, Sartell We have been homeowners in Sartell for the last 44 years and have had the opportunity to support the school system in many ways, by voting to remodel existing buildings where needed, building new schools and more. Our chil-
dren graduated from Sartell High School; two of our grandchildren have graduated from Sartell, and now one graduated from college and the other is currently attending college. We believe by supporting the Sartell school system, we have encouraged our grandchildren to take advantage of everything Sar-
tell schools offer and then continue on to college. Even though we no longer have family attending Sartell schools, we think it’s important to maintain the quality of education Sartell is known for. This can only be done by having adequate facilities and therefore we encourage you to vote yes on May 24.
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, May 13, 2016
Community Calendar
Is your event listed? Send your information to: Newsleader Calendar, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374; fax it to 320-363-4195; or, e-mail it to news@thenewsleaders.com.
Joseph Lions, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 First Ave. N.W. St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6:30 p.m., near the Wobegon Trail Center, C.R. 2
Friday, May 13 Brat sale, sponsored by the St.
Saturday, May 14 Stamp Out Hunger food drive,
LEGAL NOTICES CITY OF SARTELL ORDINANCE NO. 01-2016 INTERIM ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A MORATORIUM ON I-2 ZONED PROPERTIES IN SARTELL The following official summary of the ordinance referred to has been approved by the City Council as clearly informing the public of the intent and effect of the amendments. Pending completion of the taskforce study and the adoption of any amendments to the city’s official controls, there is hereby established a moratorium on any new uses occupying the vacant I-2 properties, platting, construction, erection, placement, reconstruction, enlargement or expansion of any new development not previously approved by City of Sartell as identified on Exhibit A and described as those properties within the City of Sartell at the date of adoption of this. During the period of the moratorium, applications for zoning permits, site plans, rezonings, landuse amendments, preliminary plat, final plat, and other permits and approvals related to development shall not be accepted by the City. The moratorium shall not apply to (a) existing approved permits, site plans or uses occupying the properties; (b) plats and developments which have received all necessary permits and approvals from the city
before the effective date of this ordinance; (c) zoning and plat applications which have been submitted previously to the effective date of this ordinance; (d) any application to rezone property to I-2 Heavy Industrial. This ordinance shall remain in effect for 12 months from the date of its effective date or until such earlier time as said ordinance shall be revoked or otherwise amended. A printed copy of the entire ordinance is available for inspection by any person at the office of the city clerk between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. any Monday through Friday. This document hereby is made a part of this ordinance and is attached hereto. /s/ Sarah Jane Nicoll Mayor ATTEST: /s/ Mary Degiovanni City Administrator SEAL Publish: May 13, 2016
CITY OF SARTELL PUBLIC HEARING STORM-WATER-POLLUTION-PREVENTION PLAN NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: That the city of Sartell will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, Monday, June 13, 2016 at the Sartell City Hall for the purpose of implementing the NPDES Phase II permit. All interested persons are invited to attend to voice their opinion.
Written comments will be accepted until the date of the hearing. Anyone wishing to view the SWPPP may do so at Sartell City Hall, 125 Pinecone Road N., Sartell, Minn. 56377. Mary Degiovanni City Administrator Publish: May 13, 2016
Certified Medical Assistant Independent medical clinic hiring full-time Certified Medical Assistant to perform patient-care services including x-ray and phlebotomy duties in St. Cloud. Please send resume to contactus@workmedmidwest.com.
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Family Owned and Operated Hearing Center
• Free Hearing Screenings • Hearing Aid Sales & Service • Clean & Check All Hearing Aid Brands
320-258-4494 or 1-888-407-4327 161 19th St. S. • Ste. 111 • Sartell www.accuratehearingservices.com
sponsored by National Association of Letter Carriers. Leave a non-perishable donation in a bag by your mailbox. 320-248-0851. Central Minnesota Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 1480 10th Ave. N.E., Sauk Rapids. 320-251-2498. Brat sale, sponsored by the St. Joseph Lions, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 First Ave. N.W. Read to Buster, children read to a reading therapy dog. 11 a.m.-noon, Waite Park Public Library, 253 Fifth Ave. N., Waite Park. 320-253-2527. Central Minnesota Chapter of the Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, 12:30 p.m., American Legion, 17 Second Ave. N., Waite Park.
Monday, May 16 Benton County Historical Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320253-9614. mnbentonhistory.org. Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, 1-2:30 p.m., St. Cloud Library, 1300 W. St. Germain St. 320529-9000. Market Monday, 3-6:30 p.m., parking lot of Hardware Hank,, Seventh St. N., Sartell. marketmonday. org. St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club, 7 p.m., American Legion, 101 W. Minnesota St.
Tuesday, May 17 St. Cloud Area Genealogists, 7 p.m., Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave. S., St. Cloud. stearns-museum.org. Preschool storytime, 10:30-11 a.m., Waite Park Public Library, 253 Fifth Ave. N., Waite Park. 320-2539359.
Wednesday, May 18 Rice Chamber of Commerce, noon, Rice City Hall, 205 Main St. E. Family-to-family, 6:30-9 p.m., Unity Spiritual Center, 931 Fifth Ave. N., Sartell. 320-290-7713. 320-2492560. Thursday, May 19 Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, 520 First St. NE, Sartell. Blood Drive 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Microbiologics Inc., 200 Cooper Ave. N., St. Cloud. Isn’t It Time We Talk?, education on hospice benefit and advance-care planning, 3 p.m. today and Thursday, Heartland Hospice, 1257 Second St. N., Sauk Rapids. Financial aid and College Savings seminar, sponsored by St. Cloud State University, 6:30-7:30 p.m., St. Cloud Federal Credit Union, 3030 First St. S., St. Cloud. RSVP Ann Frost at 320-
9 258-2179 or email afrost@scfcu-invest.com. The Evening Book Club, discussing “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Al Ringsmuth Public Library, 253 Fifth Ave. N., Waite Park. 320-253-9359. Blue Mass, honoring first responders and other emergency personnel, 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Cathedral, 25 Eighth Ave. S., St. Cloud. Friday, May 20 Burger and brat sale, sponsored by Knights of Columbus, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 First Ave. N.W. Benton County Historical Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-2539614. mnbentonhistory.org. St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 CR 2, St. Joseph. Appraising Your Valuables. Mark Moran appraises antiques. 3-6 p.m., Waite Park Public Library, 253 Fifth Ave. N., Waite Park. 320-253-9359. St. Joseph Area Historical Society open, 4-7 p.m., Old City Hall, 25 First Ave NW. stjosephhistoricalmn.org. St. Cloud Singles Club Dance, 8 p.m.-midnight, American Legion, 17 Second Ave. S., Waite Park. 320-3394533. stcloudsingles.net.
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
10
Friday, May 13, 2016
LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 748 (SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN) STATE OF MINNESOTA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special election has been called and will be held in and for Independent School District No. 748 (Sartell-St. Stephen), State of Minnesota, on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, for the purpose of voting on the following question: SCHOOL DISTRICT QUESTION 1 APPROVAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND ISSUE
Yes No
Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 748 (Sartell-St. Stephen) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $105,800,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the acquisition of land for and the construction and equipping of a new high school site and facility; and the completion of various light and heavy remodeling projects, the construction of secure entries to various facilities and other safety and security improvements, the completion of electrical panel repairs, the completion of HVAC and dehumidification-system upgrades and condensing-unit replacements, the completion of metal-roof replacements at various facilities, the construction of bus traffic-flow improvements, the acquisition and installation of gym blinds and the completion of skylight repairs and replacements? BY VOTING “YES” ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION, YOU ARE VOTING FOR A PROPERTY-TAX INCREASE. The combined polling places for this election
and the precincts served by those polling places will be as follows: COMBINED POLLING PLACE:
Le Sauk Township Hall 220 Fourth Ave. S. Sartell, Minn. 56377
This combined polling place serves all territory in Independent School District No. 748, located in the City of Sartell, Precincts 1, 3 and 4, and Le Sauk Township in Stearns County, Minn.; and the City of Sartell, Precinct 2; Benton County, Minn. COMBINED POLLING PLACE: Celebration Lutheran Church 1500 Pinecone Road N. Sartell, Minn. 56377 This combined polling place serves all territory in Independent School District No. 748, located in the City of Sartell, Precincts 5, 6 and 7; Stearns County, Minn. COMBINED POLLING PLACE
St. Stephen City Hall 2 Sixth Ave. S.E. St. Stephen, Minn. 56375
This combined polling place serves all territory in Independent School District No. 748 located in the City of St. Stephen; and St. Wendel, East Brockway and West Brockway Townships; Stearns County, Minn. Any eligible voter residing in the school district may vote at said election at the combined polling place designated above for the precinct in which he or she resides. The polls for said election will be opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. on the date of said election. A voter must be registered to vote to be eligible to vote in this election. An unregistered individual may register to vote at the polling place on election day. Dated: March 7, 2016 BY ORDER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD /s/Michelle Meyer School District Clerk Independent School District No. 748 (Sartell-St. Stephen) State of Minnesota Publish: May 6, 13 and 20, 2016
Drive Carefully! School is in Session
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ST. STEPHEN CITY COUNCIL Notice is hereby given that the St. Stephen City Council will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in the City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Sixth Ave. SE, St. Stephen, Minn. to consider the following: A request by Rusty Paggen and Hannah Paggen for rezoning the easterly 1.27 acres of the following described property from B-2 General Business District to R-1 SingleFamily District: All that part of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter ( SW ¼ NE ¼ ) of Section Twenty-five (25), Township One Hundred Twenty-six (126), Range Twenty-nine (29), Stearns County, Minn., described as follows Commencing at the northwesterly corner of Lot One (1), Block One (1), SCHUMER ESTATES, Stearns County, Minn., according to the recorded plat thereof; thence North 08°41’00’’ West, on an assumed bearing, along the southwesterly line of Fourth Street Southwest, as dedicated per said SCHUMER ESTATES, a distance of 33.00 feet; thence South 81°39’00’’ West, a distance of 78.58 feet; thence southwesterly 55.07 feet along a tangential curve, concave to the northwest, having a central angle of 03°03’16’’ and a radius of 1,033.00 feet, to the point of beginning of the tract to be described; thence South 05°17’44’’ East, not tangent to the last described curve, a distance of 105.00 feet; thence southerly 46.21 feet, along a tangential curve concave to the west; having a central angle of 05°17’14’’ and a radius of 500.00 feet; thence South 00°00’00’’ East, tangent to last described curve, a distance of 475.09 feet, to the south line of said Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter; thence South 89°01’15’’ West, along said south line, a distance of 501.10 feet, to the southwest corner of said Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter; thence North 02°02’48’’ West, along the west line of said Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, a distance of 614.82 feet; thence North 87°57’12’’ East, a distance of 452.99 feet; thence 58.58 feet easterly along a tangential curve, concave to the north having a central angle of 03°14’57’’ and a radius of 1,033.00 feet, to the point of beginning, All according to the U.S. Government Survey. The remaining westerly two (2) acres of the above-described land shall remain zoned as B-2 General-Business District. The property is located to the east of Five One-Half Street SW and to the south and west of Fourth Street SE, St. Stephen, Minn. Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed request will be heard at this hearing or you may send your written comments (should be received no later than Monday, May 22, 2016) to: City Clerk City of St. Stephen 2 Sixth Ave. SE St. Stephen, Minn. 56375 /s/ Cris M Drais City Clerk, City of St. Stephen
NOTICE OF TESTING OF OPTICAL SCAN VOTING SYSTEM INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 748 (SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN) STATE OF MINNESOTA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Independent School District No. 748 (Sartell-St. Stephen) shall perform a public accuracy test of the optical scan voting system to be used in the District’s May 24, 2016 special election. The test shall be conducted at: Sartell-St. Stephen School District Service Center located at 212 Third Ave. N., Sartell, Minn. 56377 at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Interested individuals are authorized to attend and observe. If you have any questions, please contact Stacy Karolus at 320-656-3715. Dated: March 7, 2016 BY ORDER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD By: /s/ Michelle Meyer School District Clerk Independent School District No. 748 (Sartell-St. Stephen) State of Minnesota Publish: May 6 and 13, 2016 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF SARTELL, MN COMMUNITY CENTER The City of Sartell and the Construction Manager (Strack Cos.) will receive proposals for individual Bid Categories for the new Sartell Community Center until 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, 2016, and will then be publicly read aloud at City Hall. The right is reserved to accept or reject any or all proposals or parts of proposals and to waive informalities therein. Proposals must be in a sealed envelope with the title of the project and the bid package/packages bid clearly marked on individual envelopes and be submitted to the City of Sartell, Attn: Anita Rassmussen, 125 Pinecone Road N., Sartell, MN 56377 on or before the above stated date and time. Bid documents are available at the
St. Cloud Builder’s Exchange, the Minneapolis Builders Exchange as well as electronically for download. For electronic Bid Documents, downloads are available for $20 on or after May 11, 2016. Visit http:// www.questcdn.com and enter the eBidDoc number 4479272 on the “Search Projects” page. Contact QuestCDN at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance in free membership registration, downloading and working with this digital-project information. HMA Architects Ltd. 700 W. St. Germain St., Suite 200 St. Cloud, Minn. 56301-3607 Ph: 320-251-9155 Fx: 320-251-4919 Publish: May 13, 2016
CITY OF ST. STEPHEN ORDINANCE 35 CABLE TELEVISION SUMMARY PUBLICATION The City of St. Stephen has approved an Ordinance granting a ten (10)year cable television franchise to Midcontinent Communications to operate a cable television system in the City of St. Stephen. The Ordinance: (1) defines the terms associated with the franchise; (2) grants the City the right to access Midcontinent Communications’ accounting and financial records; (3) establishes the liability insurance, indemnification policy and performance security required of Midcontinent Communications; (4) establishes construction standards and extension of cable to annexed areas; (5) describes customer privacy rights and complaint procedures; (6) outlines the termination and abandonment policies of the franchise, (7) provides for public access channels; (8) establishes a franchise fee; (9) addresses additional terms associated with channel capacity, reasonable notice of rate changes, prohibits obscenity, provides for the ability of customers a device to block-out channels; and (10) prescribes the enforcement and penalties for violations of the ordinance. This material is a summary of the Cable Franchise Ordinance. The full text of the Cable Franchise Ordinance is available for inspection by any person during regular office hours at the office of the St. Stephen City Clerk. This Ordinance was adopted by the City Council of St. Stephen on May 4, 2016, and shall be effective upon publication. /s/ Cindy VanderWeyst Cindy VanderWeyst, Mayor
Dated: May 9, 2016
Dated: May 9, 2016
Published: May 13, 2016
Published: May 13, 2016
/s/ Cris M Drais Cris M Drais, City Clerk
Friday, May 13, 2016
Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
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Quiet-zone plan awaits railroad authority’s decision by Dennis Dalman editorial@thenewsleaders.com
People who live just north of Sartell on Benton Drive might have to put up with loud, blaring train horns a bit longer than they anticipated. The train crossing in question is at CR 55 just north of the former Verso paper mill and just north of the city limits. Residents in that area and officials decided some time ago the crossing should be a “Quiet Zone,” one at which the train horns are not set off when trains are barreling through.
City from front page even extended beyond a year depending upon the findings of the task force. Patti Gartland, former Sartell city administrator and now president of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corp., spoke before the council, statADOPTION Birthmothers, Planning an Adoption? Unique Adoptions can help. We have an excellent Adoption program. Choose from open or closed, select adoptive family. Financial Assistance. Ask about 4-day recovery packages. Call 24/7 to speak to an adoption specialist. 1-888-637-8200 (Void in IL) MCN) PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? Call us first. Living expenses, housing, medical, and continued support afterwards. Choose adoptive family of your choice. Call 24/7. 855-390-6047 (MCN) ANNOUNCEMENTS Machinery Consignment Sale, Mon., JUNE 6, 2016 at 9:00 A.M. Consign early by May 20, 2016 for complete advertising. No Small Items, Tires or Pallet Items Accepted After Friday, May 27. Next Machinery Consignment Sale is Aug. 1, 2016. Gilbert’s Sale Yard, LLC, 641-398-2218. 2 Mi. N. of Floyd, IA On Hwy. 218. Tractor House Internet Bidding Available. www.gilbertsaleyard. com (MCN) FOR SALE Trailer Sale! $100.00 REBATE on H&H “Skidloader Trailers” sold in May. 83”X14’ 14,000 Dump trailer $175 month or $6499.00; New 6’X12’ V-nose ramp cargo $2,799.00; New 18’ Skidloader trailers$3,699.00; New 2015 H&H 7’X16’ V-nose ramp door $4,499.00515-972-4554 www. FortDodgeTrailerWorld.com for inventory & prices! (MCN)
After meeting with railroad officials, it was agreed to make it a quiet-zone crossing but only if road work and other safeguards were installed first. Residents then raised $5,000 to pay for the work, along with $42,500 contributed by the city of Sartell and $15,000 donated by Sauk Rapids Township. That was enough to cover the cost of the engineering plan and the road-and-crossing work. That work was delayed, however, because of the onset of winter. Chris Berg of the Benton County Engineering Depart-
ment gave the Sartell City Council an update at a recent meeting. Currently, officials are waiting to see if a third track at that crossing needs an electronic constant-warning signal installed. The other two tracks there already have such systems installed. The warning system alerts a coming train if there is a vehicle or some other problem on the track-road intersection so it can hopefully stop in time to avoid a disaster. If the Federal Railroad Authority requires that third-rail warning system, it would cost about $93,000 to install, costs
that would have to be borne locally. The question, Berg said, is does the city want to get the road work done at that intersection now or does it want to wait for an FRA decision about whether a warning system will have to be installed? The council expressed a consensus about preferring to wait. Council member Steve Hennes said that crossing is not even within the Sartell city limits and Sartell has been generous enough by committing $42,500 for the quiet zone.
ing a moratorium on property development is a good idea so the task force can review all regulations and ordinances regarding development and ensure consistency is applied across the board. There are about 70 acres of riverside land at the Verso site. A railroad is adjacent to it on its east side. A hydroelectric dam spans the river to the east. Sartell City Planner/Devel-
oper Anita Rasmussen has long favored a task force to ensure the best choices will be made for any riverfront development that will be consistent with the city’s long-range master plan. In November 2013, Rasmussen wrote the following: “The Sartell Paper Mill property presented an unparalleled opportunity for the City of Sartell and AIM to redevelop a place that would attract new industrial, commercial, retail,
housing developers and investments, ultimately bringing jobs and economic development to the area. The river and rail impacts presented exciting possibilities, yet these combined with other existing environmental elements required careful analysis.” Now, with the moratorium, the task force will have time to examine any and all contingencies related to developments at the site.
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Others on the council also thought it best to wait until the FRA makes a decision. “The risk (of waiting) is less risky than the $93,000 question mark,” said Mayor Sarah Jane Nicoll.
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Join our team! Von Meyer Publishing seeks a full-time, experienced advertising sales representative for three local, weekly newspapers and one website serving the greater St. Cloud region. A successful candidate will be: a self-starter, highly motivated and excited to be on the bleeding edge of print and digital advertising. Qualifications include: 3-5 years in advertising sales, extensive experience in the greater St. Cloud region and previous experience selling digital advertising. Resumes and cover letters can be addressed to Logan Gruber, operations manager, at operations@thenewsleaders.com. For any questions, call 320-363-7741.
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Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, May 13, 2016
photos by Carolyn Bertsch
Left: A huge St. Bernard affectionately named “Peanut” drew a lot of attention both due to her size and fashion sense. Peanuts’ owners (pictured above) are Richard and Yvonne Rahn of Melrose. Right: A child and a dog give each other the eye at the Bark for Life walkathon in Sartell.
Bark from front page Society, such as Relay for Life. People in the greater St. Cloud area have earned the right to give themselves a pat on the back because the average raised for Bark for Life events in other parts of the nation, including those in big cities, is only between $1,500 and $2,000, Ostendorf noted. And in just two years, the two Bark for Life events in the St. Cloud area
have raised a total of $13,000. Last year, the greater St. Cloud area was honored with the All-American Relay Award for its successful fundraising efforts, with more than $100,000 raised for the American Cancer Society. The event is appropriate, she said, not only because dogs can get cancer, too, but because dogs have been known to bring great comfort and affection to people suffering from cancer. When the American Cancer Society asked Ostendorf if she would like to chair the Bark for
Life event two years ago, she just could not say no because the cause of cancer and of pets is close to her heart. “It’s been so much fun to meet so many wonderful, interesting people dedicated to fighting cancer,” she said. “And the money raised helps so much with needs of cancer patients such as transportation and even with wigs. The Bark for Life is a great barrier-breaker for people and pets to get together. It’s another reminder we’ve all been touched in some way by cancer.”
Join our team!
Von Meyer Publishing seeks part/full-time and on-call graphic designers. Must exhibit excellent people skills and possess strong organizational and English/grammar skills. Must be a self-starter. Previous experience is a MUST. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, PhotoShop, Illustrator and Acrobat) for MacIntosh. Familiar with QuickBooks and Microsoft Office for Windows a plus but not mandatory. Website maintenance and troubleshooting experience also a plus.
Submit cover letter and resume to advertising@thenewsleaders.com. For more information, call 320-363-7741.