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Orchard offers corn maze this fall. See Thisweekend Page 8A.
NEWS OPINION SPORTS
Thisweek Farmington-Lakeville SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
VOLUME 32, NO. 31
www.thisweeklive.com
Messages/2A
Opinion/4A
Announcements/7A
Public Notices/7A
Sports/10A
Classifieds/11A
Study suggests Lakeville keep its municipal liquor
See, he’s not slimy
City Council opts to submit study to new finance committee for review, further comment by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
It’s a question that has been going around Lakeville all year: Should the city stay in the liquor store business? According to a report from consultant Shenehon Company, the city would need $112 million worth of new construction to provide the about $1.175 million the city consistently receives in annual profit from its three municipal liquor stores. Taxes would go up slightly, too. The typical property tax on a $233,000 home would increase about $46 a year and for businesses it would increase about $236, the study showed. Precipitated by a community’s perceived loss of Costco to the muni-less
Photo by Rick Orndorf
Peter Gros, co-host of the original Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, along with some snakes, bears, monitor lizards and more, stopped by Cherry View Elementary in Lakeville on Sept. 22. Kids were thrilled by the variety of wild animals. For more photos, check out thisweeklive.com.
Farmington School Board denies Burke’s request for reimbursement Sauser: ‘It is very likely the district will be sued’
Raceway Park disputes Race for Hunger numbers Track president vows not to work with Barlau until remedies enacted
by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
School Board Member Tim Burke will pay his own legal bills for a district-led i nve s t i g a tion against him that was eventually dropped. B u r k e ’s f e l l o w S c h o o l Board mem- Tim Burke bers voted 4-1 against reimbursing him $5,183 in attorney fees, citing concerns that doing so would set a precedent in future legal disputes with district employees. Only School Board Member Melissa Sauser voted for the reimburse-
Burnsville, a yearning for more jobs and faced with the possibility of spending multiple millions of dollars to expand its liquor operations, the City Council commissioned the Shenehon study to answer the burning questions. Shenehon’s study appeared to debunk the idea that retailers are avoiding Lakeville because of its municipal liquor operations. “The most important driver of retail locations is demographics,� said Scot Torkelson, vice president of Shenehon, at a council work session Monday, Sept. 26. Torkelson and his colleagues looked at 15 of the nation’s top retailers, most of which have locations in the area, including See Study, 15A
by Aaron Vehling THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
Photo submitted
During a Farmington School Board meeting last year, School Board Member Tim Burke had his first look at a report regarding a 2010 investigation the district had launched against him. ment. Burke abstained. Sauser stated the investigation “from the beginning was an attempt to destroy
an elected official whom the other members of the board did not agree with.� See Burke, 6A
There is more disagreement about how little the Sept. 9 Race for Hunger made in revenue to distribute to foodshelves. Raceway Park president and owner John Hellendrung addressed some of the claims Click Club USA president Dennis Barlau made in the initial Sept. 23 Thisweek story regarding the Race for Hunger fundraiser for local food shelves, such as 360 Communities and the Emergency Food Network. The event, organized by Lakeville-based for-profit company Click Club USA,
was designed to feature mayors and media members racing against each other to raise money for local foodshelves. Elected officials from Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount all raced in the event. It was the second such event this year organized by Barlau to end up making little or no money for intended beneficiaries. Citing the rental agreement, Hellendrung said: “Raceway will not host future events promoted by Barlau until $7,500 is donated to the food shelves per his agreement.�
Among Hellendrung’s differing views are the specifics behind the cost to rent his racetrack, tickets sold and additional event expenses. Hellendrung charged Barlau $7,500 to rent the track for the actual fundraising race. The additional $2,500 Barlau paid the racetrack was “applied to a standalone event in which Barlau brought out his own private group to drive the race cars,� Hellendrung said. The Sept. 23 Thisweek story discussed this, but did not have the confirmed amount for each charge. See Raceway, 5A
Farmington homecoming week packed with activities Parade kicks off at Dakota County Fairgrounds on Oct. 5 by Laura Adelmann THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
A week of activities and events are set for the Farmington High School homecoming Oct. 7 at Tiger Stadium. Kicking off the week is a run/walk event, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Tiger Stadium. Local businesses, organizations and school clubs will build floats from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2 at the Dakota County Fairgrounds. The parade starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5. The parade route begins at the fairgrounds, winds through town and ends up at Boeckman Middle School. General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Display Advertising 952-846-2011 Classified Advertising 952-846-2000
Afterwards, at 8 p.m., the coronation ceremony will be held in the Boeckman Middle School auditorium. After the coronation ceremony, high school students are invited across the street to a bonfire at the Farmington Fire Station that ends at 10:30 p.m. During homecoming week, food drives and various other student-centered activities will be held. The tradition of holding such big events for homecoming began five years ago to combat increasing incidents of vandalism, all-night parties and hazing that had been escalating in the city during homecoming week.
“This has been a wonderful change. Some great new traditions have been built, and homecoming is a positive thing now, it’s a community event,� said Marianne Feely, advisor to the high school’s Youth Development Committee, one of the groups leading the homecoming planning effort. Farmington High School’s homecoming football game is at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at Tiger Stadium; the homecoming dance is Saturday, Oct. 8. Photo by Rick Orndorf
Laura Adelmann is at laura. The Farmington High School homecoming parade will take place Wednesday, Oct. 5, and adelmann@ecm-inc.com. feature floats made by organizations, businesses and school groups. The parade starts at the Dakota County Fairgrounds and ends at Boeckman Middle School.
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