From the page to the stage: Chameleon Theatre presents its New Play Festival.
Thisweek Apple Valley-Rosemount SEPTEMBER 2, 2011 VOLUME 32, NO. 27
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Local officials to race against hunger Rosemount taxes Fundraiser promises a unique won’t change much way to help those in need Declining home values, modest budget increase are projected to keep tax amount about the same by Tad Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Due to declining home values and a city budget expected to increase less than 1 percent, most residential properties won’t experience much of a change in the city of Rosemount’s portion of their property tax. The City Council is expected to approve a 2012 budget at its Sept. 6 meeting that calls for a slight increase over the $16.6 million 2011 adopted amount. But more significant for property taxpayers is that the operating levy, the number that has a direct effect on tax amounts, is expected to decline about 6 percent. That number could drop further after the city learned that the projected 2012 expense for health insurance decreased by $91,000. There are many moving parts still being considered prior to the council’s Sept. 6 expected approval of the budget, and city leaders may recommend other changes. The city’s operating budget, of which a bulk is personnel, is expected to increase a little over 1 percent from last year ($420,000). Some operating budgets are being increased while others are trimmed in an ef-
fort to hold the overall line. For example, a $68,900 increase in the Fleet Maintenance Budget is being offset by decreases in Street Maintenance ($45,000) and Steeple Center Operations ($28,600). Similar give and take occurs throughout the budget. Property owners will find out how the city’s portion will fit into the overall tax picture in November when Dakota County sends its tax notices. Rosemount Finance Director Jeff May said property owners will see two values on their statements – a taxable value and a market value. The first amount (in most cases lower) will be the one upon which their taxes will be based. For the fourth consecutive year, the median home value is expected to drop in Rosemount – though at a slower rate, according to the city. The median home value for payable 2012 is projected to be $201,600 – a decline of 5.49 percent from last year. That is the largest percentage drop of any of Dakota County’s 11 cities, but Rosemount has the third highest average value among those cities. See Taxes, 16A
by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste, Apple Valley Council Member John Bergman and Eagan Council Member Meg Tilley will race against other Twin Cities-area officials in the Mayor’s Cup Race for Hunger event on Sept. 9 at Raceway Park in Shakopee. Mayors and elected officials will compete in 10-lap features, and the winner will walk away with a twofoot-tall trophy, bragging rights and a shoo-in for next year’s competition. A portion of money raised from tickets sold will support local food shelves. Discounted tickets are $10 if purchased from those participating in
the race before the event and $12.50 if purchased at the park. Children ages 12 and under get in free. Meg John Farmington’s food shelf use Bill Tilley Bergman has tripled since last June, said Droste Kris Akin, a Farmington Food Denny Barlau said many Dakota Shelf coordinator. County residents are relying on food She said food shelf use is up by 28 shelves to help feed their families in percent in the 360 Communities net- this struggling economy. work and since September of 2010, “I deal with all the food agencies, the Farmington Food Shelf has been and there’s a lot of proud people out serving 84 families per month. there who have lost their jobs and “Our community is wonderful, they can’t afford to feed their families and donations always seem to come without using the food shelves,” he when the need is the greatest,” she said. “That’s why I’m on such a missaid in an email, mentioning that lo- sion. There’s nothing worse than havcal gardeners donate fresh produce. ing a bunch of hungry kids.” Mayor’s Cup event coordinator See Race, 16A
A hug from Mayor Mary Military veterans arriving at Apple Valley American Legion Post 1776 on Monday received a warm welcome from Mayor Mary HamannRoland. Post 1776 was the host site for this year’s 4 Corners reception, which is held annually in conjunction with the American Legion’s national convention. Legion members attending the 2011 convention in Minneapolis took shuttle buses to Apple Valley for a day of food, music and fellowship. Post 1776 Commander Lowell Huber said much of the proceeds from the event – which was expected to draw between 2,000 and 4,000 people – would be used for charitable donations to local school and community groups. Photo by Andrew Miller
Tying a Yellow Ribbon around Rosemount District’s science scores above state average Volunteers form organization to assist military families, veterans by Tad Johnson THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Veterans in the U.S. military and families with loved ones serving overseas have a new resource in Rosemount. The city’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization was officially proclaimed Aug. 23 in a ceremony at Inver Hills Community College. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a nationwide program that establishes community-based committees to assist military families while a family member is deployed and veterans returning from service reintegrate into civilian life. The groundwork for the local group has been under way since members of the Rosemount-based National Guard 34th Red Bull Infantry Division had their major deployment to Iraq. What has happened since that time is that a core group of local residents has networked with churches, fraternal organizations, businesses and city government to discover what services they are and can offer to military families and veterans. “There is a lot of support out there for the military,” said Don Sinwell, chairman of the Rosemount Yellow Ribbon Committee and veteran. “What they don’t know is how many veterans General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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IN BRIEF Organizers of the Rosemount Yellow Ribbon Committee typically meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at City Hall. To help Rosemount’s effort, contact Don Sinnwell at sinnwelldon@hotmail.com or (651) 261-0499. there are in Rosem o u n t and the surrounding area.” He said the three biggest things the group has been working on is developing a network of support for military families for everyday needs and education and employment resources for veterans when they return home. Sinwell said the deployment of a spouse could mean that the one left behind is dealing with the things the husband or wife used to do. He said they have compiled a list of businesses they can go to for fair treatment when buying a car or needing a household appliance fixed. The Rosemount Yellow Ribbon group is going to be much different from those in surrounding communities because it is the home of the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, according to Sinwell. For that reason, Sinwell expects to not only be helping Rosemount residents but also those from around the state connected to the 34th. For more information about Beyond the Yellow Ribbon visit www.beyondtheyellowribbon.org. Tad Johnson is at editor. thisweek@ecm-inc.com.
Fifth-graders performing better than last year, eighth-graders and high school students’ scores are slightly worse
by Jessica Harper THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Students in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District once again exceed the state average in science test scores. The percentage of District 196 students who were scored as proficient or better on the science portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments-Series II is higher than the statewide average, according to results released on Aug. 12 by the Minnesota Department of Education. The standardized test assesses whether students are proficient in reading, math and science. The science portion is given to students in fifth and eighth grade, and in high school. With 56.6 percent of fifth-graders meeting or exceeding state standards, District 196 outperformed the state average of 46 percent. The district’s fifth-graders also performed better in 2011 than in 2010, when 53.4 percent of its fifthgraders met or exceeded the standards. The district’s two science and technology magnet schools both did exceptionally well on the test. At Cedar Park Elementary, 57.8 percent of students met or exceeded the science standards. This is a great improvement from four years ago when 36.3 percent of
students at the school did so. Glacier Hills Elementary students also made great strides with 73 percent of students meeting or exceeding the standards in 2011. Four years ago, 52 percent of Glacier Hills students met or exceeded the standards. Administrators and teachers within these schools will be sharing their techniques with others in the district to help boost achievement districtwide, said Steve Troen, director of teaching and learning. E i g h t h graders and high school students in the district also performed better than the state average, but fewer of these students met or exceeded the standards in 2011 when compared with the previous year. Slightly more than 46 percent of eighth-graders in District 196 met or exceeded the standards in 2011, which is 3 percentage points lower than the year before. Students still scored better than the state average of 46 percent. The percentage of high school students in the district fell as well from
66.9 percent of students who met or exceeded the standards in 2010 to 64.7 percent in 2011. District 196 high school students still exceeded the state average of 53.8 percent. The district will be reworking some curriculum to help students meet these and new statewide standards, Troen said. “We are planning on rolling out a new curriculum that has STEM (science technology, engineering and math) integrated into all grades,” he said. Although the scores of eighth-graders and high school students have fallen over the past year, all grade levels have improved on the science test since it was first required four years ago, Troen said. The percentage of fifth-graders who met or exceeded the standards rose from 43 percent in 2007 to 56.6 percent in 2011. During this time, students stayed ahead of the state average, which rose from 39 percent in 2007 to 46 percent in 2011. Eighth-graders and students in high school followed suit with 6 percent and 7 percent gains between See Testing, 14A
Police: Arson suspect had grudge with homeowners’ son Aaron Ferrarese, 21, allegedly used gasoline to start fire at Apple Valley home by Andrew Miller THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
The man accused of setting fire to an Apple Valley home last week was acting on a grudge with the college-age son of the home’s owners, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday. Aaron Michael Ferrarese, 21, has been charged with two felony counts of arson for the early-morning fire Aug. 26 which saw flames engulf the front of
the two-story house the fire, police said. on the 14300 block The parents were of Fridley Way. in Chicago, driving Ferrarese, of back from the East Apple Valley, told Coast where they’d police he felt the dropped their son young man whose off at college before parents’ house he Ferrarese the start of the fall targeted “got away semester. with everything,” and that The home was occupied he wanted him to “feel when the fire started, howsome pain,” the complaint ever. The intended victim’s said. grandparents – indentifed Neither the intended in news reports as former victim nor his parents Minnesota Viking Dave were home at the time of Osborn and wife Beverly
of Lakeville – as well as four girls, including the Osborns’ granddaughter, were there the night of the fire. Emergency personnel arrived at the home within minutes of the fire being reported just before 1:30 a.m. The occupants said they awoke to a crackling noise and discovered that the exterior of the home, near the front door, was ablaze. They quickly evacuated the homer and dialed 911. See Arson, 14A