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Budding comics polish their punchlines in the Metcalf Comedy Club. See Thisweekend Page 8A
NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville APRIL 22, 2011
In Section Special ue s is in this
VOLUME 32, NO. 8
www.thisweeklive.com
Announcements/5A
Opinion/6A
Classifieds/10A
Sports/14A
After years of planning, Farmington housing development moves forward THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
This summer is poised to mark the beginning of the long-planned last development phase of the Riverbend subdivision in Farmington. City Council members were eager during the April 18 meeting to unanimously approve Mattamy Homes’ final plat for its fourth addition. Located west of Dakota County Estates and north of the Meadow Creek development in northeastern Farmington, the plat includes 31 single-family lots. The developer’s plans were originally approved by the council in 2005, but a re-plat was necessary
because plans for a future Dakota County road shifted further north into Lakeville. The change allowed Mattamy Homes to create three additional lots in that phase. When the Riverbend Development is completed, it will total 156 single-family units, 16 units more than were originally planned in 2005. A trail is planned to be located along the east side of Dunbury Avenue and runs south along North Creek. Tony Wippler, assistant city planner, said at the April 12 Planning Commission meeting the lots are considered some of the
better, more pristine lots and the developer is anxious to start as soon as possible. Wippler said if the permits are all in order the developer could begin moving dirt this year. According to the city, lots will range in size from 7,280 square feet to 19,848 square feet. Average lot sizes are 11,945 square feet. Clearly referring to the struggling economy and housing market, Farmington Planning Commission Chair Dirk Rotty said, “It feels good to have some development going on in the community.” Laura Adelmann is at laura. adelmann@ecm-inc.com.
Lakeville People’s Fair showcases the various shades of diversity in the city
Photo by Laura Adelmann
Farmington City Administrator Peter Herlofsky, left, spoke with Council Member Terry Donnelly following the April 18 council meeting when members approved steps to find his replacement. Herlofsky unexpectedly resigned March 28. Seated in the background is City Attorney Joel Jamnick.
Farmington seeks new administrator Salary range is $105,000 to $130,000 by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Photo by Rick Orndorf
The community celebrated Lakeville’s diversity at the People’s Fair on April 19 at Lakeville North High School. Children performed a number of musical and dance compositions, as did outside groups such as Duniya Drum and Dance and Holly’s Centre Stage. In addition to performances, dozens of exhibitors were on hand, including the Lakeville Chamber of Commerce, some purveyors of Hmong folk art, a Mexican cultural booth and Shankuntala Designs, which provided Henna tattoos to attendees.
Golf Guide/16A
HELP WANTED
Riverbend addition will include 31 single-family lots by Laura Adelmann
Public Notices/15A
The Farmington City Council decided at its April 18 meeting to conduct the search for a new city administrator, avoiding the expense of using a search firm for guidance. Posting for the position began this week, and candidates have until May 20 to turn in applications. The new administrator’s projected start date is Sept. 1. Council members agreed that Mayor Todd Larson and Human Resources Director Brenda Wendlandt will review all applications and eliminate those who do not meet basic qualifications. Then, all members will review remaining applications and select their top five candidates.
From those selections, the council will determine whom to invite for interviews. A candidate meet-andgreet for the public will be held in June According to the job posting, the salary range is $105,000 to $130,000 per year, and candidates should have seven to 10 years of experience as a city manager or administrator. The posting emphasizes that candidates should be focused on economic development, stating: “Position requires specific experience in community growth issues, planning, building a diversified tax base and personnel.” Current City Administrator Peter Herlofsky, who earns $130,000 annually, unexpectedly resigned March 28. He has
indicated he does not have another position lined up. His last day is May 31. The April 18 meeting was to have been the time Herlofsky met with council members for his annual review. At a March 10 City Council retreat, several council members noted dissatisfaction with Herlofsky’s job performance regarding the 2011 budget planning process, which took place last year. Council action regarding Herlofsky’s replacement had been delayed several weeks as all council members were not available to attend meetings due to scheduled vacations and medical reasons. Laura Adelmann is at laura.adelmann@ecm-inc. com.
Farmington School Board aims toward unity, understanding Retreat seen as team-building opportunity for veterans, new members by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Farmington School Board members held a retreat Wednesday to focus on developing mutual expectations among board members, after this edition went to press. The retreat was to be facilitated by the Minnesota School Board Association’s Director of Board Development Katie Klanderud, and was meant to help members get “on the same page,” said Farmington School Board Chair Tera Lee. She explained many boards hold such trainings,
especially when a board adds new members. In Farmington’s case, three new members added this year have turned the tables for school board members Julie McKnight and Julie Singewald, who were used to being part of the majority in most votes but have more frequently found themselves in the minority since the change. Lee said she hopes the meeting will bring the board together and clear up assumptions she thinks older board members hold regarding the new members. “I think some board
members have an opinion … about what the new board members know or don’t know, and where the new board members are coming from,” Lee said. MSBA describes the meeting as one that allows board members and administrators to develop ground rules or clear the air concerning unwritten norms, behavior or responsibilities. During the meeting, members were to compose lists of ideas and the facilitator would lead a discussion of each item until the group reaches a consensus
of opinion on an item or decides to drop the item from the list, according to the MSBA website. Lee said she hoped the meeting would help clear up any issues, define the roles of each board member and her role as chair, and they will be able to go forward as a more unified body. “Hopefully, we can move on from there,” Lee said. Photo submitted Updates about the meeting will be posted on www. Former Farmington City Council Member Leon Orr, right, worked at the Farmington Control Center for decades. His thisweeklive.com. sons, John (not pictured) and Bill (center), entered the same Laura Adelmann is at laura. field, as did his grandson, Michael Orr, who is scheduled to graduate from the FAA Academy in May. He will be adelmann@ecm-inc.com. stationed at the Washington Center in Leesburg, Va.
Lakeville seeks schools chief search consultant Air traffic staff not asleep Aggressive timeline set for replacement of District 194 in Farmington control center superintendent Gary Amoroso by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
As the Lakeville School Board pursues a fast-track effort to replace outgoing Superintendent Gary Amoroso, it is looking to award a search-firm contract by May 3. To put together a request for proposal (RFP) that would yield the district the best General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
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search-firm candidates, the board looked at RFPs from other school districts. Amoroso Some of District 194’s RFP draws inspiration from two districts, one from the city of Denver and another from the Stillwater school district.
Work expectations Drawing from board discussions and those other RFPs, the board came up with the following expectations of a search consultant: • To develop and conduct a professional and timely process for gathering board, staff, parent and community input to establish criteria of desir-
able qualities to be found in the new superintendent. • To conduct a thorough search for appropriate applicants and ultimately provide the board highly qualified candidates who meet the established criteria. • To complete other tasks necessary for the selection and employment of a new superintendent. Tony Massaros, director of administrative services, said the cost of the search is unknown at this point. The district will have a better idea once it receives responses to its one-page RFP.
Types of information To get an idea of what kind of information the board wants the search firm to help with, the RFP offers
several hints: • Recommended process for developing criteria that will be used for selecting the new superintendent. • Recommended process for obtaining board, staff, student, parent and community input. • Description of the process the consultant suggests for advertising and recruitment, including measures to ensure compliance with all legal requirements and other considerations. • Recommended process for screening, reference checks, interviews and final selection. • Assist the School Board in determining appropriate contract terms. See Search, 17A
Spokesperson: Controllers spend half shift on break, training
by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Are air traffic controllers sleeping at the Federal Aviation Administration’s control center in Farmington? “Certainly not,” said Leon Orr, a former Farmington City Council member and long-time Farmington resident who spent much of his career as a controller or manager in that center. “The Farmington Control Center has dozens of people on duty at the midnight shift. There’s a lot of activity going on all night long,” Orr said. Recently, seven air traffic controllers around the country have been discovered and later suspended for sleeping
while on duty. But Orr said controllers at the Farmington center are wide awake. He explained most of the incidents have occurred in small towers where there are few people working, and added that he believes the significance of a control tower operator sleeping is “greatly overexaggerated.” Orr said there are procedures for airplanes to land at small airports without anyone else being there. Elizabeth Isham Cory, spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration, added that no controller at the Farmington center works See Controllers, 17A