N COUPO ION T C E CONN is issue Included
‘Journey in Motion’ offers an evening of dance at the Burnsville PAC. See Thisweekend Page 10A.
A NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville APRIL 8, 2011
in th
VOLUME 32, NO. 6
www.thisweeklive.com
Messages/2A
Opinion/4A
Sports/5A
Classifieds/6A
Public Notices/12A
Announcements/12A
Costs, predecent cited for rejection Navigating Cedar of Little donation Avenue will be a Council member had pledged half his salary to help pay for police position
challenge
by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
One Lakeville City Council member’s good intentions have created some rifts. To help pay for a police records tech position through 2011, Council Member Matt Little pledged half his annual council salary, which amounts to more than $4,300. That promise, which the City Council rejected in a 3-2 vote on Monday, April 4, has served to become a lightning rod in the debate over budget reductions. In order for the City Council to accept a donation, at least four out of the five members must vote in favor. Council Member Colleen Ratzlaff LaBeau and Mayor Mark Bellows were the dissenting votes. Both said that accepting a council member’s donation to
Bellows LaBeau fund a position sets a bad precedent. Little, who was visibly shocked by the deci- Little sion, said after the meeting he was disappointed Bellows and Ratzlaff LaBeau “put divisive politics before the citizens.” “I’ve never been given such a hard time for donating money to something,” Little countered during the meeting. Bellows told Thisweek on Tuesday, April 5, that alSee Little, 10A
Construction work for a BRT line began this week Photo by Rick Orndorf
Dakota County and the Metropolitan Council have begun construction along Cedar Avenue in Apple Valley and Lakeville to accommodate the forthcoming bus rapid transit (BRT) line that will run along the corridor and connect with the Hiawatha Light Rail line at the Mall of American Transit Center. by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Short-term troubles for long-term gains. This is a mantra that pervades travel along Cedar Avenue in Apple Valley and Lakeville. Dakota County kicked off two years of construction for the new bus rapid transit (BRT) line along the street last Monday, April 4.
Farmington begins search for new city administrator Larson hopes new administrator is hired by summer’s end by Laura Adelmann
istrator Peter Herlofsky earns $135,000 annually. Herlofsky unexpectFarmington was to edly resigned have begun the March 28, besearch for a new city fore his annual administrator this job performance week. review could be Announcements conducted due to seeking applicants scheduling confor the job opening flicts. His last day were to be posted is May 31. online and in maga- Herlofsky Applications for zines of professional organizations, including Herlofsky’s replacement the League of Minnesota will be taken for 30 days, Cities, by Friday, Farm- and Larson said he thinks ington Mayor Todd Lar- the city will name an interim administrator to fill son said Tuesday. As of Wednesday af- in until a hire is made, but ternoon, when this edition is not sure because several went to press, the listing council members have was not yet posted, but been unable to attend reLarson said the annual cent meetings. “We have to start maksalary will be advertised as between $105,00 and ing decisions whether we have a full council or not, $135,000. Current City Admin- as much as I hate to do THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
that, but we’re running out of time,” Larson said. He said he hopes to have a new administrator in place by summer’s end. Larson added he is confident word will spread quickly about the opening, and expects it could attract 40 to 50 applicants. While the Farmington School Board plans to hire a search firm to guide its process in hiring a new superintendent, Larson said the City Council will conduct the hiring process with the guidance of staff and City Attorney Joel Jamnick. Once applications have been received, Larson, another council member yet to be named and Human Resources Director See Search, 9A
The initial phase of construction starts at 155th Street in Apple Valley and ends at Dodd Boulevard in Lakeville, said County Engineer Mark Krebsbach. Crews will widen Cedar to create lanes dedicated to bus and emergency vehicles. The idea, Krebsbach said, is that buses will be able to circumvent traffic. Hence the “rapid” in BRT.
During the construction, cars will use the inner lanes while the outer lanes are worked on and vice versa, Krebsbach said. In 2012, the county will so the same thing with the northern end of the project area in Apple Valley from 155th Street to 138th Street, which is just before Cedar becomes a freeway. Finally, in 2013, “we’ll
be back for any final paving that might be needed,” he said. Turf establishment and landscaping work will ensue. The process of moving the utilities from along Cedar (where the wider lanes will end up) started last fall, Krebsbach said, but had to be delayed because of early and excessive snowfall. See Cedar, 11A
Crystal Lake boundary change recommendations announced Plan seeks to ensure neighbors attend the same schools by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Students currently attending the soon-to-be-closed Crystal Lake Elementary in Lakeville could attend neighboring Christina Huddleston, Oak Hills and Orchard Lake elementary schools if the School Board approves the changes later this month. The Lakeville school district’s Attendance Area Adjustment Task Force presented the announcement at an April 5 Board study session. Over the course of March and into early April, the task force considered five parameters and several other factors to determine the destination schools for Crystal Lake Elementary’s 447 students. In March, the School Board voted to close Crystal Lake and repurpose the
IN BRIEF Both the Farmington and Lakeville school boards have begun the process of searching for new superintendents. For stories on both districts’ searches, turn to Page 3A. building to support districtwide programs as part of its $15.8 million in budget adjustments for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. Crystal Lake Principal Bill Mack said he cares deeply for
the future of the children under his purview. He learned of the Task Force’s recommendation Wednesday, April 6, and his first response to it was that it “looked logical,” he said. The plan stems from those aforementioned parameters: • Minimize disruption to students families in all grades; • Avoid the creation of a “racially identifiable school”; • Utilize natural boundaries and keep neighborhoods together; • Minimize the number of students moving from a “fee zone” to a “no fee zone” (in terms of bus transport); • Utilize building capacities to create a sustainable and efficient plan for the schools. The gist is that the Task Force sought to ensure that the idea of neighborhood See Boundary, 3A
Longtime fire chief Barry Christensen dies at 67 For 22 years, volunteer chief guided Lakeville department from single station to three stations with 75 firefighters by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
When Barry Christensen, Lakeville’s longestserving fire chief, began his tenure in 1978, the city had one fire station and 35 firefighters. When he left the volunteer position in 2000, the city had three stations with 75 firefighters. “He was one of the finest fire chiefs to ever serve the fire service,” said Bob Erickson, a former Lakeville city administrator and close friend of the former fire chief. Christensen died on General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
&
!""'! !
$
Tuesday evening, April 5, from a heart attack. He was 67. His friend and neighbor, Tom Oelkers, said he admired Christensen for his commitment to his community and his family. “He was a caring individual,” Oelkers said.
Planes and trains Christensen, Erickson, Oelkers and a couple others all lived on a cul-de-sac on Lake Marion. Oelkers and his family moved to the neighborhood in the late 1980s. Erickson and his family have since moved
Photo submitted
From left: Barry Christensen, Bob Erickson and Tom Oelkers at one of the men’s daughters’ weddings. They had a routine of performing the YMCA dance, dressed for the part, at each of their daughters’ weddings.
away, but Christensen and Oelkers remained neighbors. The men all shared one major thing in common: They were all raising girls. “We had a goofy arrangement where we’d perform the YMCA (dance) at each of the girls’ weddings,” Oelkers told Thisweek. “It got pretty stupid, I’ll tell you.” Oelkers and Christensen shared something else in common: They both worked in some form of aviation, albeit in different sides, and were both interested in trains.
Christensen was a dispatcher for Northwest Airlines, and Oelkers was a manager in the airways facilities department of the Federal Aviation Administration. Both worked at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. “A lot of the time federal employees don’t get along with airline employees,” Oelkers said, but for the two neighbors, friends and train aficionados, getting along was not an issue. As members of the Gandy Dancers train club See Christensen, 11A
Lakeview Bank announces three Legacy Award recipients Recipients of Lakeview Bank’s 2011 Legacy Award were honored Thursday, April 7, at the fifth annual Legacy Award event held at the bank. Each year, Lakeview Bank recognizes three individuals from the community: a high school senior, a citizen volunteer and a business owner or manager who do outstanding work
and embrace its core values. This year, Lakeview honored high school senior Jessica Hernandez of Apple Valley, volunteers Tony and Jessica Dorothy Brama Hernandez
Nancy Quinnell
of Lakeville and Nancy Quinnell of Hollstadt & Associates of Burnsville. Each of the recipients are awarded $1,000 for either a charity of their choice or as a scholarship for the high school senior recipient.
IN BRIEF For a longer version of this story, please visit Thisweeklive.com and find the story in either the Apple Valley, Burnsville or Lakeville sections.