Happy St. Patrick’s Day
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Vol. 164, No. 49
Watab elects Wollak, Burski, O’Keefe
Total levy remains consistent in 2020 BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
RICE – Watab Township residents voted for change March 12. Casting their ballots on Minnesota’s annual Township Day, the voters elected Steve Wollak, Deborah O’Keefe and Nicole Burski to the vacant seats. Wollak will serve a three-year supervisor term and replaces incumbent Craig Gondeck. Wollak received 313 votes to Gondeck’s 107. O’Keefe will remain in her role as treasurer, continuing for an additional two-year term, and Burski will step into the remaining one year of the clerk’s term. Jon Hull had served in this capacity as an appointee for the past year. O’Keefe, who ran unopposed, received 367 votes. Burski was elected by 328 votes to 91 over Hull. “I’m feeling really good,” Burski said regarding her election win. “Everybody wants change, and they showed it through their votes.” Wollak agreed. “Concerned citizens of Watab have spoken,” he said. “… People wanted change. It was pretty obvious a year ago.” Wollak, a public works employee for the
city of Rice, said his priorities moving forward will be road repair and maintenance, as well as to run efficient and professional meetings. He said numerous phone calls motivated him to run for office. Burski, who is a realtor, said she brings financial experience with government contracting and patient accounts from a previous position at the St. Cloud VA Hospital, and that she was recruited to run for her position as well. “It’s not about winning the votes,” Burski said. “It’s about getting the young people involved and more people involved. They should be aware of things that are going on with their township and how it directly affects them.” Burski, O’Keefe and Wollak will take the oath of office at the April 2 meeting. Following the closing of the polls, the annual meeting took place which is governed by the township residents each year. The decisions moved and passed by those in attendance serve as recommendations to the township board, much like a committee action at other municipal levels. Jeff Wollak moderated the meeting, and roughly 50 people were in attendance. Residents approved a $755,000 levy which is consistent with that of 2019. However, each fund balance will differ in amount. The general fund was decreased at the meeting by $20,000 to $80,000. This excess $20,000 was placed in the road and bridge
Watab page 4
PUBLIC NOTICES • Sauk Rapids Township Property Assessments - pg. 12 • Benton County Advertisement for Bids - CR 78 and CR 286 - pg. 13 • City of Sauk Rapids Reg. Meeting Minutes, Feb. 25, 2019 - pg. 13 • City of Sauk Rapids Advertisement for Bids - pg. 12
Same Local Coverage Since 1 8 5 4 .
Serving up smiles Sauk Rapids Dairy Queen open for the season BY ANNA HINKEMEYER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – The red roof, walk-up windows and bright red picnic tables are a staple of the Sauk Rapids community. The Sauk Rapids Dairy Queen, 501 Benton Drive North, has been there for ice cream lovers on the coldest days of March and the hottest days of July since 1953. The Dairy Queen, now operated by Misty Hahn Schultz and Holly Lyon, opened for the season Feb. 28. “We always open at the end of February because of our contract with Dairy Queen,” Lyon said. “It is tough when we initially open because of the cold weather. It definitely impacts our sales, but we always have our
regulars who come out and brave the cold.” Rudy Strand opened the store in 1953 and sold to Sam Lamb in 1964. Schultz and Lyon began leasing from Lamb in 2002 and bought the business in 2011. “We felt we had to keep it going,” Schultz said. “It is a staple in the community. We have both been working here since we were 15 and haven’t wanted to leave. We thought we would go off and follow the career paths we intended in college, but this is like a second home to us.” The building and operations have changed over time, with the warehouse added when Lamb owned the business. The menu has changed as well, going from Dilly bars, cones, root beer floats and sundaes to a wide variety of Blizzard flavors and hot food. “We keep having to find room for more,” Lyon said. “The store is small, so we really struggle for room when Dairy Queen introduces a new product. But, we do our
PHOTO BY ANNA HINKEMEYER
Owners Misty Hahn Schultz (left) and Holly Lyon stand in front of the Sauk Rapids Dairy Queen at 501 Benton Drive North. The two have owned the business since 2011 and reopened for the season Feb. 28.
best to offer every prod- Blizzard cards up on the uct, and we are usually wall for that reason.” able to make some of the Cookie dough and discontinued products, DQ page 3 too. We keep all of the
Without a paddle
Little Rock Lake residents threatened with spring flooding BY JAKE DOETKOTT STAFF WRITER
FOLEY – Little Rock Lake residents could soon be up to their homes in water. Benton County Emergency Management warned county residents of potential flooding following the National Weather Service’s briefings on spring flood outlook. The flood threat is high due to near-historic snow packs, ice jams and oversaturated soils. Citizens in Watab and Langola townships, and particularly those with homes and property near Little Rock Lake, may see PHOTO SUBMITTED Open water at the meeting point of Little Rock Lake and Harris Channel forecasts the adverse effects. “There are five areas spring thaw March 14 in Rice. Property owners surrounding the lake may see flooding this spring due to high snow pack, ice jams and oversaturated soils.
Flooding page 3