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OCTOBER 2018 | VOLUME 26, ISSUE 3
The Courier City of East Bethel News
School Board Election Candidate Profiles
Page 17
Page 7-9
St. Francis Area Schools Communications Department St. Francis, Minnesota Serving the communities of Andover, Athens Township, Bethel, East Bethel, Linwood Township, Nowthen, Oak Grove, St. Francis and Stanford Township
St. Francis High School Gymnastics team is ready for the season Page 22
The Courier says farewell LISA RAHN
ST. FRANCIS AREA SCHOOLS COMMUNITY EDUCATION DIRECTOR
It is a bittersweet day as we send the final Courier to print. For 25 years St. Francis Area Schools Community Education department created and produced a high-quality community paper. I have been fortunate to be a part of this process over the last two years. What I have seen is hardworking, dedicated and creative staff, all operating together to create a monthly community newspaper delivered to 13,000 homes and businesses. I have watched deadlines being met, ads created, articles written, pictures taken
and much more, all organized and professionally laid out into The Courier. I would like to take time to thank the staff for all they have done. On staff we have Sarah Yannarelly, advertising representative; Amy Lindfors, billing specialist; Shawnda Schelinder, communications coordinator; Pat Johnson, graphics coordinator and Kathleen Miller, communications manager. All have dedicated their time,
talents and effort to The Courier. I would especially like to thank Kathleen Miller and Pat Johnson, who have been with The Courier the longest amount of time with a combined 45 years of service. Miller is the communications manager and has been working with The Courier for 24 years. She has loved the people she has had the opportunity to work with and has enjoyed her
coworkers sharing their knowledge and expertise to teach her along the way. When I asked her for a highlight she said, “I think all the opportunities to learn and grow as things continue to change are what have kept things challenging and engaging.” She mentioned thinking back to using a waxer to paste up copy and then driving CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
C ourieR Community
First Edition
3325 Bridge Street St. Francis, Minnesota 550707 753-2296
October 1993
Residents Are Now Part Of Monitoring a Hazardous Waste Site By Toni Grundstrom Frustrated residents in St. Francis took their questions and concerns about the expansion of the hazardous waste storage facility to a public meeting. These concerns were discussed with representatives form the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Alliant Techsystems Proving Ground (ATPG) and the result is a task force to monitor the situation. The hazardous waste storage facility is a 3,000 acre facility located near St. Francis in the northeast corner of Anoka County. The MPCA is preparing to issue a permit modification to ATPG. This permit will allow the facility to increase its storage capacity through the addition of two buildings. One building will store waste lithium and lithium salts and the other will temporarily store waste boilers from spent
navy torpedo-propulsion systems. These torpedoes will be cut into sections, repackaged in non hazardous mineral oil and shipped out of the state to be burned. The residents who live close to the site are concerned about the permit modification because of the water pollution of wells, ponds, and lakes. The would also like to see the rest of the area cleaned up. This clean-up refers to the number of sites on this land where there are unknown’ buried items. The land used to be a dump where before regulations, it was common practice for companies to bury wastes which include batteries, demolition debris, scrap metal and lacquers. The MPCA and ATPG feel they run a safe operation but are aware of these concerns and have provided the public an opportunity to
Anoka County Approves No Property Tax Increase in 1994
Local residents discussed property taxes and education with ISD 15 School Board member d’ Arcy Becker. The Anoka County Board The approved budget transof Commissioners approved lates into a proposed property an operating budget of $130 levy for 1994 of $61 million. million for 1994 at the Septem- “Taxes will remain virtually conber Board meeting, The Bud- stant with the adoption of this get approval kept in check the resolution”, according to Jay desire of and feelings of voters McLinden, county administrator. who have wanted to see a zero Property Tax .......Page11 tax levy increase.
INSIDE THIS MONTH Oak Grove Man Meets the President Page 2
Focus on Students Pages 4 & 5
comment. Through submission of written comments and at the public meeting held on September 9, residents were
able to express concerns, questions, and frustrations. Both the permit modification and area clean-up were
discussed. As a result of this meeting a focus group
Waste.....Page 12
"Build it and they will come." Work continues to complete the North Anoka County Arena in East Bethel hundreds of volunteers with thousands of hours are working to have it operational by December 1.
ISD 15 School Board Authorizes Operating Fund Referendum After wading through a difficult and emotional $1.2 million in budget cuts last December and January following the defeat of the 1992 referendum, the ISD 15 School Board authorized a November $1.75 million election. “The issue is the”, said Superintendent Jack Noennig, “we cannot continue down this road without additional resources.” The community is being asked to support a referendum seeking $350,000 from the local tax payer in the form of property taxes. If the community will support that effort, the State of Minnesota will provide the remainder of the $1.4 million, in the form of state aid , to bring the total of $1.75 million. If the referendum were to fail, the $1.4 million in aid would then go to other school districts that have referendums in place. The referendum dollars would allow the school district to reinstate $200,000 in books, supplies and educational materials; $350,000 toward program improvement that would lower class sizes by hiring back teachers and staff
Just for Parents Page 5
that were laid off as a result of the 1993 reductions; provide $500,000 to reopen the Cedar school and other expanded school facilities; $80,000 to reinstate late activity buses; $20,000 toward summer school programs; and $600,000 to offset a 3% inflation factor. “This formula of 80% State Aid and 20% local effort could possibly be only a narrow window of opportunity,” said Tom Larson, Community Service Director and School District Referendum spokesperson. According to Larson, The Minnesota State Legislature, during its 1993 session, provided district’s like St. Francis a form of equity by providing property poor districts with a better formula to aid in financing education. “The fear”, said Larson, “is that the Legislature might undo some of its legislation, since the Equity Lawsuit was lost by the Supreme Court ruling in August. The law suit had provided some pressure for the legisla-
Referendum..... Page 3
Bussiness Today Pages 8 & 9
Fur, Fish & Feather Page 12
The front page of the first issue of the Community Courier October 1993 highlighted the building of the East Bethel Ice Arena and an ISD 15 operating referendum.
The rainy weather didn’t dampen the spirits of St. Francis Elementary School students and staff on the first day of school. Bus drivers safely drove students to school and staff were on hand to welcome them to kick-off the 2018-19 school year.
PHOTO BY SHAWNDA SCHELINDER
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Come in all month long and sign up for weekly prize drawings!
Inside Schools in Action..................................... 2 School Board Highlights...................... 12 Fall Home & Garden............................. 13 Community & Business........................ 17 Sports & Outdoors................................ 22 Community Education......................... 25 Meetings, Events & Benefits................. 28 Life........................................................... 29