htnewsmarch31

March 31, 2011Grey Eagle, Burtrum, St. Rosa, Freeport, Upsala, Albany,

Holdingford, St. Anna, Avon, Swanville, Melrose FREE Publication

Hometown News

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On TheInside...

Harvey Mackay Page 2Obituaries: Asmus, Buettner, Scepaniak Page 4Saralee Perel Page 5Notes from the Capitol Page 8Local Municipality Minutes Page 9 Melrose City

Photo by John Young.

Let our experience helpsimplify your building project

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Building Supplies Grey Eagle, MN

Mon.- Fri.: 8 am - 5 pm

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April 2‘Garden Party Event’Free Seminars, Prizes, Coffee,

Cookies & So Much More! Seating is limited

Reserve your seat today!

Bruno's 320-285-4318 Burtrum

HUB SUPPER CLUB- Overlooking Long Lake -

www.brunosmn.com • www.gerardsmn.com

Friday Lent SpecialsFish Fry Includes Clam Chowder Soup,

Salad Bar & Choice of Potato $9.99Fish Burrito or Shrimp Burger

With French Fries & Coleslaw $6.99Lienkugel Honeyweiss The Official Friday Night

Fish Fry Beer $2.00

Sunday Brunch 10 am-2 pm,

Delicious Prime Rib Every

Weekend!

Join us for A Special Easter Buffet by the lake!

Thursday Chimichangas with Spanish Rice

& Refried Beans $8.99 Over a pound of food

Friday & SaturdaySlow Cooked Prime Rib Delicious Chef Features

Freeport - New Munich - Melrose320-836-2126 320-837-5297 320-256-7208

www.freeportstatebank.com

Saturday, April 2, 20119:00 AM - 1:30 PM

Stop by the Freeport State Bank booth #1 & register

for Rosy Bucks!

Melrose ExpoMelrose Expo

Melrose Elementary School Gym

Open House Sat., April 2

320-256-8000Real Estate Services

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Nasco Tile On Sale NOWthru April 30

Hometown News

Ad & News DeadlineThe deadline for news and advertising

in the Hometown News is Monday.

Letter to the EditorLetters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone numbers. Letters should be short and to the point. We reserve the right to edit lengthy let-ters. Email to: [email protected].

Published ByJohn and Lori Young

SubscriptionsThe subscription rates for

13 weeks is $15.00 26 weeks is $30.0052 weeks is $60.00

Mail to: Hometown News, 29442 120th St.,

Grey Eagle, MN 56336.

29442 120th St.Grey Eagle, MN 56336Phone: 320-285-2323

Fax: 320-285-5264Website:

www.hometownnews.bizEmail: [email protected]

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Sales StaffJan Theisen

Cell: 320-333-9774Fax: 320-845-2067

Email: [email protected]

Lori YoungOffice: 320-285-2323Cell: 612-597-2998Fax: 320-285-5264

Email: [email protected]

Free ClassifiedsPersonal Classifieds are free. Limit of 20 words; 25¢ for each additional word. 20 words or less can be emailed. Classifieds over the word limit must be prepaid.Business related Help Wanted, For Rent classifieds are $5.00 for the first 20 words, 25¢ per each additional word.

Mail to: Hometown News, 29442 120th St., Grey Eagle, MN 56336.

email: [email protected]

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AnnouncementsAnniversary open house, births, birthday open house, engagements, weddings and obituaries are free of charge for one publication. To have it published twice costs $10. A prestamped, self addressed envelope is required to return photos.

The Hometown News is a weekly publication, which is published and

distributed every Thursday.

• Hometown News • Thursday, March 31, 2011

Upcoming Events

If you have an upcoming event or meeting, please let us know by email: htnews@meltelnet or call 320-285-2323.

APRIL 2 • Spring Expo 2011 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Burtrum Community Center. See ad on page 12. • Melrose Expo from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Melrose Elementary School gym.

APRIL 3 • Guardian Angel Youth Group Ham Bingo/Raffle at 1 p.m. at Holy Cross Par-ish, North Prairie. • Bingo at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church basement, Melrose. • St. Rosa Jaycee Breakfast from 8:30 a.m.-12 noon at the St. Rose of Lima Church basement.

APRIL 6 • Dramatic Stations of the Cross at 8:15 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, Grey Eagle.

APRIL 8-10; 14-15 • Town & Country Players Present Honky Tonk Angels at 7:30 p.m. (April 10: 2 p.m.) at the Melrose Auditorium.

APRIL 9 • St. Martin’s Annual Spring Craft Sale from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Parish Hall.

APRIL 10 • Karl Hinkle Music Ministry at 6 p.m. at Brighter Days Family Church, Burtrum.

APRIL 12 • Firearms Safety Class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Public Library.

APRIL 15 • Melrose Boys Scout Troop 68 Dad’s Belgian Waffle Supper from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church basement, Melrose.

APRIL 16 • Wild Game Feed starting at 6 p.m. at the Word of Life Church, Upsala. • Little Falls Lions Club Annual BBQ Rib Fest from 4-8 p.m. at the Little Falls Golf Course. • Garden Tractor Plowing starting at 11 a.m. Alvin Scherping residence, 3 miles north of Swanville on Hwy. 28. • Grey Eagle Senior Center 7th Annual Rock-A-Thon from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. See ad on page 9. • Easter Egg Hunt at 2 p.m. at the Lions Park, Grey Eagle.

APRIL 17 • Holdingford Area Knights of Colum-bus Chicken & Ham Dinner from 3:30-7 p.m. at the Pelican Lake Ballroom, St. Anna. • St. Hedwig’s and St. Mary’s Faith For-mation Matching Grant Breakfast from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church Hall, Holdingford. • 40th Annual Swanycake & Sausage Supper from 3-9 p.m. at the St. Anthony Parish.

APRIL 18 • St. Joseph Parish Fish Fry & Meat Raffle from 4:30-9 p.m. at the Hub Supper

Club, Burtrum. See ad on page 9.MAY 12

• Community Builders Meeting at 2 p.m. at the Village Café, Grey Eagle.

ALCOHOL ANONYMOUS • Meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Grace Alive, Albany.

BURNHAMVILLE TOWNSHIP • Meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Burtrum City Hall.

BURTRUM CITY COUNCIL • Meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

FREEPORT CITY COUNCIL • Meets the last Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

GREY EAGLE CITY COUNCIL •Meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

GREY EAGLE TOWNSHIP •Meets the first Monday of the month at 8 p.m.

ST. ROSA CITY COUNCIL • Meets the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Community Park building.

SWANVILLE CITY COUNCIL • First Tuesday after the first Monday of the month.

SWANVILLE TOWNSHIP • Meets the second Tuesday of the month at 8:30 p.m. at the Swanville Fire Hall.

UPSALA CITY COUNCIL • Meets the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

Weekend WeatherSaturday Sunday

Rain & snow. High: 41 Low: 27

Partly sunny. High: 46 Low: 27

Temperatures Date High Low 3/23 29 9 3/24 29 0 3/25 29 3 3/26 26 10 3/27 27 6 3/28 30 7 3/29 36 7

Friday

Showers. High: 42 Low: 25

Press ReleasesPress releases are welcome. They must be emailed to: [email protected].

Quick, name three people at your workplace whom you look forward to seeing every day. Now, name three who rain on your pa-rade every time you see them.

Which list was easier to gen-erate?

I believe it was Lucy of Peanuts fame who said, “I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand!”

But Lucy would have had an argu-ment from former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca, who said: “Anyone who doesn’t get along with people has earned the kiss of death because that’s all we’ve got around here are people.”

Whether you like them or not, you need to learn to get along with others. Having a co-worker who is difficult to deal with can destroy an office dy-namic, which can be very bad for busi-ness. Customers wonder, if they can’t get along with each other, how will they treat us?

On the flip side, a staff that has learned how to cooperate regardless of personal differences will project a positive vibe to customers. People, not specs, in many cases will be the key in determining who gets the sale.

William J. Bennett, former U. S. Secretary of Education, was once asked by a seventh grader: “How can you tell a good country from a bad one?”

The Secretary replied, “I apply the ‘gate’ test. When the gates of a country are open, watch which way the people run. Do they run into the country or out of the country?”

Bennett’s answer can easily be translated to business settings. If a com-pany is good, people want to work there and customers know they are valued. The doors don’t spin fast enough at a bad company.

Never underestimate the importance of people in your life. And always look for opportunities to improve your rela-tionships, no matter how good they al-ready are.

Successful work relationships de-pend on several factors. Perhaps the most important is you. What can you do to become a better co-worker?

• Maintain a positive attitude. Man-agers and co-workers alike appreciate the support of someone with an upbeat outlook. Show some enthusiasm about your job and the organization you work for. Look for opportunities, not prob-lems, and find the bright side of the chal-lenges you face.

• Always demonstrate integrity. Be honest with people. When you don’t have an answer, say so. Admit your mis-takes (and concentrate on not repeating

them). Keep your promises, and meet your deadlines. All this shows your re-spect for other people and demonstrates your reliability.

• Show a willingness to try. Don’t be afraid to stretch out of your comfort zone. Volunteer for new tasks and ex-tra responsibility. Take risks -- be real-istic about what you can and can’t do, of course, but don’t back away from a challenge because of the possibility of failure. Ask the right questions so you know what’s really going on, regardless of whether you fear you may appear “ig-norant.”

• Co-operate. Be a team player -- help your colleagues with their pri-orities, and share information instead of hoarding it. Know what your manager wants, and support him or her to the best of your abilities. Offer your sup-port when people need it, so they know you’re not just out to get ahead for your own benefit.

• Manage conflict. The ability to resolve conflicts among different groups of workers is a coveted skill in most or-ganizations. Companies are looking for employees who can build positive rela-tionships between people, yet don’t shy away from controversy.

• Focus on other people. Ask ques-tions that let other people talk, and en-courage them to open up and share their thoughts. You’ll be less worried about

People like people who like people -By Harvey Mackay

Harvey Mackay continued to pg 3

Hometown News • Thursday, March 31, 2011 •

Harvey Mackay continued from page 2saying something wrong, and you’ll probably find enough common ground on which to build a real conversation.

• Set a great example. Show oth-ers that they can count on you to be fair, friendly and even-tempered. Keep your cool. Remember that you are deal-ing with people who also have feelings, opinions and ideas. You can’t learn any-thing if you are doing all the talking.

• Then, take these suggestions and apply them to your customer service. Your customers are people too! If there’s one complaint I hear over and over again from customers, it is that some companies they deal with treat

Kerzman Construction Co.Building • Remodeling • Additions

Windows • Siding • Roofing

Jeremy: 320-250-7785 Larry: 320-285-7595

Browen’s Country Market Grey Eagle, MN (320) 285-2600We accept Visa/ MasterCard,

EBT Card, WicBrowen’s Country Market Store Hours

Mon.-Sat. 8 am.-5:30 pm.Sun. 8 am-12 noon

Prior notice appreciated.

Custom Floral Arrangements

Great selection of greeting cardsIncluding “Leanin Tree” $1.49 ea.

WEDDING PACKAGES AVAILABLETUX & FLORALS

Produce Granny Smith Apples 99¢ lb.

Dole Cello Lettuce $1.15 headDole Teen Spinach $1.69 9 oz.

Dole Idaho Russet Potatoes $3.29 10 lb.Red on the Vine Tomatoes $1.59 lb.

Mc Cain French Fries $4.99 5 lb. bagOur Family Oyster Crackers

12 oz. $1.39Our Family Peach Slices 29 oz. $1.89Dakota Maid Bread Flour 10 lb. $4.79

Folgers Coffee Singles 19 ct. $3.69Campbell’s 6 pk V8 Hot & Spicy

Juice $2.99Quaker Instant reg. Flavor Oatmeal WIC

11.8 oz. $3.79Malt-O-Meal Bag Cereal 11-15 oz. $2.45

Keebler Vanilla Wafers 12 oz. $3.29 Our Family Sandwich Cookies

32 oz. $2.49Mrs. Freshley var. Snacks

8.4-16 oz. boxes $2.09Jolly Time Blast-O-Butter Micro Popcorn

10.5 oz. $2.09Our Family Fruit Snacks 6 ct. $1.49

Household/PetsOur Family Trash Bags 30 gal.

20 ct. $2.99

~ Prices good March 29-April 9 ~Dairy

Cass Clay Orange Juice 1/2 gal. $2.59Cass Clay 1/2 &1/2 pt. $1.25

Cass Clay Cottage Cheese 22 oz. $3.25Cass Clay Party Dips 12 oz. $1.69

Cass Clay 1/2 gal. square Ice Cream Vanilla & Flavors $2.59

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 8 oz. $1.99Crystal Farms Cream Cheese 8 oz. $1.49Country Crock Margarine 15 oz. $1.99

MeatFresh Ground Beef Steaks, Roast & More available at

Everyday Low Prices!Plumrose Ham Steaks 2 ct. $2.89 12 oz.

Mn Gold Thick Sliced Bacon $4.99 20 oz.Mrs. Paul Fish Sticks 10.1 oz. $3.99

Blue Wave Butterfly Shrimp 10 oz. $2.99Imitation Crab Sticks 1 lb. $2.49

Grocery Our Family Ketchup 24 oz. $1.49

Ragu Spaghetti Sauce 26 oz. $2.69Riceland Long Grain Rice 32 oz. $1.79

Our Family Mac & Cheese 7.25 oz. 2/$1.19

Green Giant Broccoli (steamers) WIC 12 oz. $1.49

Best Value Toilet Tissue 2 ply 4 ct. 99¢

Best Value Paper Towels 2/$1.69

Fantastic Antibacterial Cleaner 32 oz. $2.89

Frequent Shopper• FREE Cass Clay

Ice Cream 5 qt. pail w/a filled card

• Dole Cello Lettuce 65¢ w\a filled card

Ask for your card today!

Your One Stop Shop for Prom!

• Prom Dresses For Sale

• Tux Rental

• Flowers & Corsages

We Have

Easter Lilies!

January Frequent shopperWinner!!!

JoAnn Heffron

AprilFrequent Shopper Winner

Wendy Townsend

them like account numbers rather than flesh and blood. Deliver your customer service with a human touch. Your cus-tomers should feel like the technology you use is an enhancement of your per-sonal service, not a replacement.

Mackay’s Moral: If you want to get ahead, learn how to get along.

Reprinted with permission from na-tionally syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,” and the new book “We Got Fired!...And It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us.”

Birth Announcements

Chad and Judy Butler of Grey Eagle are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Whitney Ann Butler, born March 7, 2011 at 3:27 a.m. at St. Michael’s Hospital in Sauk Centre. Whitney weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 21 inches in length. Whitney is welcomed by her sister, Natasha, 10, and brothers, Mason, 8, Samuel, 4, and Victor, 2. Grandparents are Donald and Anna Mae Speldrich of Belgrade and Carl and Elizabeth Butler of Grey Eagle. Great-grandmother is Emmarita Maxfield of Willmar.

Whitney Ann Butler

Benjamin (BJ) Lange and Christina (Nina) Hylla are proud to announce the birth of their son, Bradon Jymes Lange, born March 25, 2011 in Little Falls.

Bradon weighed 7 pounds, 10.5 ounces and measured 20 inches in length.

Grandparents are Joe and Diane Lange of Upsala and Ron and Cheri Hylla of Holdingford. Great grandparents are Cathy Kelch of Sun City West, AZ and Merlyn and Peggy Sovde of Sartell.

Bradon Jymes Lange

Kimberly and Shannon Bertram of Avon are proud to announce the birth of their daughter born March 24, 2011 at the Albany Area Hospital & Medical Center.

The Roving Hillbillies Snowmobile Club of St. Rosa/Freeport would like to thank everyone who attended our 42nd Annual Snowmobile Blessing Jan. 30. Thanks also to all the businesses who so generously donated items for our raffle. We appreciate your effort in helping us make our day a success.

We also thank all the people and club members who donated and helped on the day of the blessing. Thanks to everyone who purchased raffle tickets and our con-gratulations go out to all the winners. We hope to see everyone next year!

The Roving Hillbillies Snowmobile ClubTo Submit a Card of Thanks the cost is $2.50 for the first 50 words, 10¢ for

each additional word. MUST BE PREPAID. Mail to: Hometown News, 29442 120th St., Grey Eagle, MN 56336.

Card of Thanks

Art Johnson Contruction

320-285-5430

Room Additions to full Home Construction

Grey Eagle, MN

Licensed • InsuredBonded

BURTRUM LiquorMon.-Thurs. 11 am to 11 pm

Fri.-Sat. 11 am-1 am 320-285-2196

On/Off Sale • Cashless ATM • Pull Tabs • Lottery • Ice

• Angus Cheeseburgers• Philly Cheese Steak & Rib Sandwiches


Obituaries

Three Private Meeting Rooms Available Handling Groups of 20-150

Call for Info & Reservations

Kitchen Restaurant Hours:Monday - Thursday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday & Sunday: 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.

320-845-2168

1 Block off I-94 Albany Exit1004 Shamrock Lane • Albany

Family RestaurantSTUBBY’S TAVERN

MONDAY: VALUE MEAL $5.25TUESDAY: CHICKEN FRY (All You Can Eat)

4:30 - 9 p.m. $6.50 • Senior Price $6.00 • Kids 8 & under: $3.00

WEDNESDAY: BBQ RIBS $8.99(All You Can Eat)

THURSDAY: SPAGHETTI $6.50(All You Can Eat)

FRIDAY: FISH FRY $7.25 (All You Can Eat) SATURDAY: 8 oz. Sirloin Steak & Shrimp

$12.99SUNDAY: 3 MEAT SMORGASBORD $7.50

FULL BEEF COMMERCIAL: $5.991/2 ORDER: $3.25

• WEEKLY SPECIALS •

Vernold E. AsmusVernold Edward Asmus was born on

July 5, 1922 to his parents, Ernest and Emelie Asmus. He received the new birth of Holy Baptism on August 6, 1922 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, of rural Long Prairie. Along with six siblings, he was raised on the family farm which was between Long Prairie and Grey Eagle. Vern received his religious nurturing at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he was confirmed in his Christian faith on March 25, 1934. His confirmation verse was John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Vern’s formal education consisted of eight grades at the Greenwood School house, south of Long Prairie on Hwy. #287.

Vernold met his bride-to-be, Vera Jacobs, at a dance in Round Prairie. This meeting kindled a romance that brought them together in marriage on September 28, 1948, at Zion Lutheran Church, Sauk Centre, MN. Together, they lived their life on their family farm, where their son, Darrel farms today. Their marriage was blessed with three sons, Erland (1951), Wendell (1954), and Darrel (1956).

In 1980, Vern and Vera retired to their new home, on the west side of the road, across from their original building site, where they remained active in the farm’s

operation for years. Even after Vera’s call to eternity in 2002, Vern enjoyed doing tractor work from Spring to Fall. Vern continued to live in his home until he broke his hip in December 2010. After surgery, he convalesced at St. Michael’s Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, until our Lord called him home to heaven on March 26, 2011.

Among those who grieve Vern’s passing include his sons, Erland (Wendy), Wendell (Renee), and Darrel (Debra). Vernold is also survived by five grandchildren, Andrea Proell (A.J.), Aaron Asmus (Michele), Nathan Asmus (Heather), Bethany Asmus, and Heather Asmus; as well as four great-grandchildren, Mya and Carter Proell, and Nicholas and Thomas Asmus. Other family members who grieve include Vern’s brother Pete (Bev) Asmus, Wilma Schwanke, and Ruby Alsleben.

Preceding Vernold in death were his parents; his wife, Vera; brothers, Ernest Jr. (infant), Melvin, and Arden; a sister, Lenora Kuehne, a daughter-in-law, Sandra Asmus, and a great-granddaughter in infancy, Heather Asmus.

A family committal service will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery on Saturday, April 2, 2011, at 10 a.m., with a memorial service at 11 a.m., held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Long Prairie, officiated by Pastor Noah Wehrspann.

Anthony A. ScepaniakMass of

Christian burial celebrating the life of Anthony “Tony” A. Scepaniak, age 78 of Albany was held on Monday March 28, 2011 at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany. Father Michael Naughton officiatee, and burial followed in

the parish cemetery following the service. Tony died peacefully Thursday afternoon, March 24, 2011 at the St. Cloud Hospital surrounded by his family.

Tony was born June 9, 1932 in Holdingford to Joseph and Anna

(Winskowski) Scepaniak. He married Florentine Bauer on June 12, 1954 at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict where he was stationed in Okinawa. Tony worked for D.H. Blattner and Sons as a Heavy Equipment Operator for 42 years before retiring in 1996. He was a member of the Albany Legion, the Melrose VFW, the Stearns County Pioneer Club, and Seven Dolors Catholic Church.

Tony is survived by his wife Florentine Scepaniak, Albany; his children Lois (Paul) Bach, Ramsey; Vicky (Gary) Salzl, Albany; Allen (Margo) Scepaniak, Albany; Nancy (Jeff) Schmitz, Albany; Gregg (Denise) Scepaniak, Cold Spring; his siblings Jim (Marlene) Scepaniak, Holdingford; Marcy Lemke, Albany; Dan Scepaniak, Cold Spring; 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Anna and Joseph Scepaniak, his siblings Mary Hilke, William Scepaniak, Clemens Scepaniak, Sylvester Scepaniak, Eleanor Scepaniak, Dorothy Johnston, Louis Scepaniak, Clarence Scepaniak, Lucy Sculer, Adeline Rivard, and an infant daughter

Flensburg Liquor“Open 7 days a week” • 320-632-9024

Serving a full menu & daily specials.

Sunday Chicken Buffet 11 AM-2 PM • All you can eat $8.00

Mon.: 5-9 PM Burgers $1.50Wed.: Large 2 Topping Pizza $8.50Thurs.: 5-9 PM Wing Night $3.25/lb.

Wed., April 6 Bologna

Night

Bingo Starting

Sundays: 7:30 PMKEY FOR CASH

$75 Jackpot

Tues., April 5 at 7 PM

Fish BuffetEvery Friday During Lent

Fri., April 8Double Trouble

Sun. - Tues.: 6:30 am - 2:00 pmWed. - Sat.: 6:30 am - 8:00 pm

~ Evening Specials ~Wed.: Italian Night Featuring

Pizza & Pitcher of Pop $9.95

Thur: BBQ Ribs $7.95

Fri: All You Can Eat Fish $7.95

Sat: 6 oz. Steak $7.95

Sun. Buffet from 9 AM-1 PM: Chicken, Ribs & Shrimp

320-547-0050 302 Degraff, Swanville

Watch for our Easter Buffet

Kenneth L. BuettnerMass of

Christian Burial was held on March 25, 2011 at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Avon for Kenneth Buettner, who died on Monday, March 21, 2011 at his home. Rev. Blane Wasnie officiated.

Interment was at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls with full military honors.

Kenneth Leander Buettner was born April 16, 1951 in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the son of Leander and Angeline (Gallus) Buettner. He has been a lifelong resident of the Avon area. Ken entered the United States Marine Corps in 1969. Following his service in the Marines, Ken became

the Squad Leader of Company C, 1st Battalion, 409th infantry at the Paynesville Army Reserve Center. He also served as an Army recruiter in Stillwater. In his free time, Ken enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, woodworking and die-cast models.

Ken is survived by his daughter Melissa (Wayne) Poepping of Melrose; grandchildren Paige, Tyler and Theodore; parents Leander & Angeline Buettner of Avon; siblings Mark Buettner of Foley, Barbara (Tony) Batz of Monticello, Louise (Christopher) Erickson of Avon, Robert Buettner of Wheatland, WY, John Buettner of Alexandria, Karen Price of Casper, WY, Myron (Michelle) Buettner of Foley, Anthony Buettner of Fort Laramie, WY and Charles (Andrea) Buettner of Ramsey; as well as nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his grandparents: John & Rose Buettner and John & Dorothy Gallus.

ALL STARSSPORTS BAR & GRILL

St. Rosa • 320-836-2154

• Fish (All You Can Eat) $6.50• 21 Shrimp.........$5.50• Grilled Shrimp..$9.95

Includes Choice of Potato, Soup or Salad

Friday Lenten Specials Coming April 16th

St. Rosa Jaycees Chili Cook-Off

Sat., April 2 • 9 PMMUSIC IN MOTION

KCLD

Brian’s PaintingInteriors, Exteriors, Staining, Varnishing

Brian Middendorf 320-285-4403 25 Years Experience

Nathan Hulinsky, of Burtrum, has been accepted to and has chosen to at-tend the University of Minnesota, Mor-ris, one of the most respected public lib-eral arts colleges in the nation.

Hulinsky, a 2011 graduate of Long Prairie - Grey Eagle High School will at-tend Morris beginning Fall 2011. Hulin-sky is a recipient of the Morris Scholar-ship, a $5,000 per year scholarship plus a one-time $2,500 scholarly stipend. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years. The stipend may be used in the second, third, or fourth year to engage in an eligible scholarly experience, such as

study abroad, a research or artistic proj-ect, or travel to academic conferences.

Through personal and academic discovery, the University of Minnesota, Morris provides opportunities for stu-dents to grow intellectually, engage in community, experience environmental stewardship and celebrate diversity. A renewable and sustainable educational experience, Morris prepares gradu-ates for careers, for advanced degrees, for lifelong learning, for work world flexibility in the future, and for global citizenship. Learn more about Morris at morris.umn.edu or call 888-866-3382.

Pulse on People


Bob and I have been talk-ing about hav-ing another duck. Since I’m getting relatively close to joining the ranks of the estrogen impaired, I think it’s normal to think about these

things. And I’m sure our pet ducks, Spike and Grant, would love a little pal.

“You know, Bob,” I said, “if we wait much longer, we’ll be too old to play with them.” He kept folding laundry. “Come on.” I kissed his neck softly. “Wouldn’t you like to hear the pitter patter of webbed feet?”

He shook his head while we folded a sheet. “We’re not so young anymore. And we don’t have the money.”

“But we still have the incubator and the heat lamp. That is,” I nibbled at his ear, “if you want to try to hatch our own.”

“I don’t know,” he said, scratching his irritated ear. “It would be socially ir-responsible to bring another duck into this world.” He folded our pillowcases. “What about adoption?”

“Would you care if it’s a different kind than ours?”

“Of course not,” he said. “But you know my folks.”

“Give them a chance. They had a problem, at first, with me being Jewish.”

“I know. But I’d hate to expose a duck to such prejudice.”

He got a new bottle of fabric soft-ener and headed downstairs. I followed him. “It’s so damp down here and . . . ,” I looked around frantically, “there’s no TV!”

“This is where the clean clothes fairy

My Biological Clock is Quacking -By Saralee Perellives.” He turned on the machine, some-how. “There are many down sides, so to speak, to a duck,” he said. “Like less trav-eling.”

“But we’ll soon be empty-nesters, Bob. Another duck would keep us young. And I’d give anything to hear a newborn’s first quack again.”

He looked up wistfully. “I remember when Spike took his first steps. He was only three minutes old.”

We headed upstairs. “It’s too late in our lives,” he said. “We’ll be decrepit when they have their own eggs.”

“What if Golda Meir said, ‘It’s too late to be Israel’s Prime Minister. After all, I’m 70.’ What if Alfred Hitchcock said ‘I’m too old to direct “The Birds”. I’m 62’?”

“Maybe next year.”“You say that every year,” I said.“People will think we’re not acting

our age.”“I can’t think of a better way of being

thought of.” I took his arm and led him to the back

yard. “It’s spring, sweetheart. Sap is flow-ing. Leaves are unfurling. Tulips are burst-ing. And I’m spewing hormones! Bob!” I grasped his hands in mine. “I want a duck!”

It wasn’t until a few Sundays ago that he finally agreed to feather our nest.

“Come with me,” I said and we drove to a small town. And there, along with a few hundred people, we watched an ex-traordinary woman celebrate her 80th birthday by tap dancing down Main Street.

I saw a well-known writer in the crowd. But I felt too shy to introduce my-self. “Maybe next time,” I said to Bob.

“You said that when you saw him at the Christmas parade. But that’s fine,” he said playfully. “We’ll postpone a duck un-til next time too.”

And so, I did meet the author, who re-sponded to me very warmly. And together we watched the tap dancer show us that “acting your age” is probably never smart and is likely said only when someone’s having fun.

Back home, we prepared the coop for

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Firearms Safety Class offered April 12

There will be a Firearms Safety Class on Tuesday, April 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Public Library. (Please use the back door.)

Anyone 11 years old at the start of the class or older needing a safety certificate can attend. Bring a copy of your birth cer-tificate or driver’s license to class.

Class size is limited and there is a small fee. To register, call Galen Allen at 320-285-5731.

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the new little bundle of joy.I often think of my sad mom, now

gone, who decided early on that it was too late for her to enjoy most good things. Teeming with dreams which were never fulfilled, she inadvertently set an example for me of how not to live.

I owe to her my courage to change, though it terrifies me, my humor, and al-

though she’d have a fit if she knew, my late-in-life duck.

Award-winning columnist/novelist, Saralee Perel, welcomes e-mails at [email protected] or via her website: www.saraleeperel.com. She also wel-comes friends on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaraleePerel.

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MON., APR. 4: Hamburger rice hot dish, beets, fruit compote, ice cream.

TUE., APR. 5: BBQ chicken scal-loped potatoes, coleslaw, peanut butter bar.

WED., APR. 6: Meatloaf, au gratin potatoes, confetti vegetable salad, pecan pie/topping.

THUR., APR. 7: Pork roast, whipped potatoes, gravy, vegetable medley, din-ner roll, Jell-O poke cake.

FRI., APR. 8: Vegetable or ham egg bake, tri-tator patty, orange juice, coffee cake baked apples.

~ The Lighter Side Menu ~MON., APR. 4: Sweet/sour chicken,

Oriental vegetables, rice, fruit sauce, ice cream.

TUE., APR. 5: Baked potato w/ba-con/cheese/broccoli, peanut butter bar.

WED., APR. 6: Chef’s salad w/lettuce/meat/cheese/vegetables, dinner roll, pecan pie/topping.

THUR., APR. 7: Roast beef/swiss

MON., APR. 4: Baked ham, scal-loped potatoes, corn, sauce.

TUE., APR. 5: Roast beef mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, gelatin/topping.

WED., APR. 6: Sweet/sour chicken w/rice, fruit cup, pudding/topping.

THUR., APR. 7: Pork chop, boiled potatoes, Calif. blend vegetables, fruit crisp.

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The Swanville Student Council held a blood drive in the high school commons on March 10. Along with the blood drive, the student council sponsored a “Hat Day” where each student paid a dollar to wear a hat. $180.00 was collected and donated to the American Red Cross. This was Swanville’s most successful blood drives with 99 units of blood collected! Pictured above representing the Student Council is (from left) Lexi Loven, Marissa Evans, Head Nurse, Colten Kruzel and Rachael Beckman. Photo submitted.

The community held a homecoming at the school for the Upsala Boys Basketball team when they returned from the quarter finals from the Williams Arena. This is the first time in the history of the Cardinals to go to state in basketball. Photo submitted by Jan Schultz.

Congratulations to the Upsala Boys Basketball team for their great season, 25-4. Pictured is the Section 5A Champs at Crosby-Ironton. Photo submitted by Jan Schultz.

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Ken Sinclair, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council #14616, Grey Eagle/Swanville, presenting six $500.00 checks to Father Greg Mastey, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of St. Cloud. The checks were donated by the Council to assist six local Seminarians, who are pursuing their dream of becoming priests.

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Minnesota Through The Lens: Submitted by Ken Sinclair

To submit a nature photo for Minnesota Through The Lens, email it in it’s original (large) size to [email protected].

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The Long Prairie-Grey Eagle FFA chapter Ag Mechanics team took 1st place Tuesday, March 29th at the Regional Contest held at CLC Brainerd. Team members are Dylan Berry, Ben Muller, Ryan Dolence, Devin Roering and Adam Berscheit, Ben took 1st place, followed by Ryan with just one point behind! Photo submitted by FFA Advisor Curtis R Gjerstad.

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The Staples Area Women’s Cho-rus, Staples Area Men’s Chorus, and St. Francis Community Chorale are all coming together on Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. for a Benefit Concert at the Sacred Heart Chapel of the Franciscan Sisters (across from St. Gabriel’s Hos-pital south on Co. Rd. 76 in Little Falls.)

Each of the three choral groups will perform individually and then join to-

Benefit concert to be held Sunday, April 3

gether singing wonderful classical, con-temporary, and spiritual selections. A silent auction and fellowship will follow the concert.

There will be a free-will offering to help with the community Paint-A-Thon, Home Fix-Up, and Share-A-Meal, the programs of Oasis/Share-A-Meal.

For more information, call Greg at 320-632-2360.

The Upsala Drama Club wants to return you to a time when people were wearing leg-warmers and turned up col-lars. A time when big hair was every-where and songs from artists like Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Wham, the J Geils Band and Michael Jackson ruled the air-waves. The Upsala Drama Club wants to take you “Back To The 80’s”.

“Back To The 80’s” is this year’s spring musical at Upsala High School and it will be presented April 8-10. Shows on Friday and Saturday will be at 7:30 p.m., with the Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door.

Presenting “Back to the 80’s” in Upsala

Cast photo includes: Ethan Schultz, Nate Schumer, Israil Pundsack, Josiah Lojovich, Hayley Peterson, Kimmy Mrozek, Katie Prokott, Emma Guthrie, Jacob Voss, Aaron Cheney, Dylan Zimmerman, Andy Nelson, Carolyn Kokett, Rebecca Scepaniak, Kristen Smieja, Katie Nelson, Isaac Serna. Danielle Stiller, Karlee Korman, , Amanda Wuebkers, Marjorie Schleper, Angela Wuebkers, Kristine Jensen, Zac Piasecki, Dawn Evoniuk, Kayla Roering, Maddy Pek-arek, Miranda Voller, Megan Wensmann, Sara Roerick, Callan Drill, Marissa Perry, Melissa George, Kim Dezurik, Rachel Schlumpberger, Shawn Pull-man, Savanna Johnson, Chelsea Wolbeck, Hope Boeckermann, Isaiah Pund-sack, Mat Hansen, Erik Kiley, Ruthie Flaa, Kristin Wuebkers, Jessie Evoniuk, Marie Blonigen, Lacey Brezinka, Amanda Tschida, Shanna Brenhaug, Alyssa Kulla, Margaux Douvier, Anne Vos, Danica Cheney, Brooke Westrich, Audrey Schleper, Carlee Turnquist, Kendra Lange, Natalie Strassburg and McKenzie Barth.

A live band will back up the per-formers on classic 80’s songs like “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” “Mickey,” “Footloose,” “Material Girl,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” ad many more.

The cast includes over sixty stu-dents in grades 7-12. Students with speaking roles include Ethan Schultz, Nate Schumer, Israil Pundsack, Josiah Lojovich, Hayley Peterson, Kimmy Mrozek, Katie Prokott, Emma Guthrie, Jacob Voss, Aaron Cheney, Dylan Zim-merman, Andy Nelson, Carolyn Kokett, Rebecca Scepaniak, Kristen Smieja, Matt Abeler, Katie Nelson and Isaac Serna.


Positive feelings come from being honest about yourself and accepting your personality, and physical characteristics, warts and all; and, from belonging to a family that accepts you without question. -Willard Scott

Notes from the Capitol By State Rep. Paul Anderson

A bill un-veiled in the En-vironment, En-ergy, and Natural Resources Com-mittee March 24 contains the mechanics that the DNR hopes to employ in its fight against Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). There is a sense

of urgency related to the bill because the fishing opener is less than two months away, and officials wants the new regu-lations in place by that time.

Under the bill, known as HF 1162, fines for violations of the law have been increased, in addition to requiring those who work installing docks and boatlifts to undergo training and become certi-fied. Compliance inspections are also part of this new legislation, and they can become a condition for the launch-ing of boats. An inspector may prohibit an individual from placing or operating a boat is waters of the state if that indi-

vidual refuses to allow an inspection of water-related equipment or who refuses to remove and dispose of aquatic inva-sive species.

The “drain-plug law”, which went into effect last year, remains and has been expanded to include portable bait containers under this new bill. The water from bait containers must be disposed of and new water added if the bait is to be saved.

The other new aspect of the bill would require service providers (those who work installing docks and boat lifts) to complete invasive species train-ing and pass an exam. The cost of such a permit is $50 and would be valid for three years.

Civil penalties for violations of this new legislation range from $100 to $500. Fines for repeat violators could be doubled.

Last week was busy at the Capital. Finance bills faced a March 25 dead-line to be moved out of their respec-tive committees. I serve on three such committees, K-12 education, agricul-ture, and environment and energy, so there were some long days and nights

Thought for the week:

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involved with them. The education bill, which contains several reform ideas for schools, met for double sessions many days in the past two weeks. One day we started at 9 o’clock in the morning and finished at nine that evening, with a break in-between for a floor session of the House. The spending target for our schools was a good one, considering the difficult economic condition of the state. Under the House bill, basic per-pupil aid was increased while special educa-tion spending was capped. Schools in our district would see slight increases in funding if this bill were to become law. However, early indications are that there are parts of the bill the Governor doesn’t agree with so its future is unsure.

The agriculture budget takes a cut in spending, much like other departments of state government. The final round of ethanol producer payments is made under the bill, which means that state obligation is finally completed. Other programs supported by the Agriculture

Department are largely left intact but have a reduction in their funding levels.

Rep. Anderson encourages constitu-ents to contact his new office with input regarding any state legislative issue. He can be reached on the web at www.house.mn/13A and via email at [email protected]. To contact Anderson by phone, call (651) 296-4317. Mail can be sent to Rep. Paul Anderson, 239 State Of-fice Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.

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Continued to Pg 10

Local Municipality MinutesChristenson, seconded by Mr. Finken and unanimously carried to approve the Consent Agenda items.

The Council then wel-comed the visiting teachers and stu-dents from Bühl, Germany. Mayor Vogel presented to the teachers, Franz Schmälzle and Tanja Rall, the Proclamation adopted at the Council’s meeting on January 20, along with a gift for the teachers and each student. Mr. Schmälzle also presented Mayor Vogel with a gift and expressed his appreciation for the special relationship between the two communities.

Police Chief John Jensen pre-sented the Police Department’s January report. He noted there were 209 calls for service during that month, compared to 160 for Janu-ary 2010. Mr. Klasen expressed concern over unlicensed and un-insured drivers and the lack of penalties available. He questioned whether it is possible to tow these vehicles. Chief Jensen was request-ed to further discuss this issue with City Attorney Bob Pottratz, as well as check with the LMC and other communities on what options are available to deal with these drivers. This issue to again be discussed at the Council’s March meeting.

City Attorney Scott Dymoke reported that he has been working on the following items for the City: Zoning Ordinance as it pertains to storm shelter requirements for manufactured home parks; and the bankruptcy filing by a recipient of a revolving loan from MADA.

Planning and Develop-ment Director Gary Walz reported on the Planning & Zoning Com-mission’s February 10 which fo-cused on a proposed revision to the Zoning Ordinance which would re-move the requirement that mobile home park storm shelters be con-structed of masonry construction and replace it with language stating that they be constructed in compli-ance with all applicable Federal and State statutes, regulations and rules. Also discussed were the re-sponsibilities for the County and the City with regard to the City’s two mobile home parks. A public hearing will be held regarding the Zoning Ordinance amendment. The Commission also reaffirmed that seamstress and tailor activities constitute customary home occupa-tions.

Director Walz reported on the Comprehensive Plan Committee’s Special Meeting No. 4 held Febru-ary 10. The purpose of this meeting was to complete the evaluation of the 2010 Melrose Community Sur-vey responses as they pertain to the preparation of the updating of the City’s Comprehensive Plan and to review and discuss the Background Report which Bonestroo Consul-tant Tina Goodroad introduced at the January meeting and upon which she gave an expanded pre-sentation at this meeting.

It was the consensus of the Committee Members regarding the survey review opportunity that they were satisfied with the staff sum-

Melrose CityFebruary 17, 2011

The Melrose City Council met in a Regular Meeting on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Melrose City Center pursuant to due notice being given thereof. Present were Council Members Joe Finken, Dick Christenson, and Tony Klasen, Mayor Tim Vogel, and As-sistant City Administrator/Trea-surer Karen Thostenson. Council Member Jenny Mayers was absent. Mayor Vogel presided thereat. Also in attendance were several Ameri-can Government students from the Melrose Area Public High School. The Council then recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

A motion was made by Mr. Finken, seconded by Mr. Klasen and unanimously carried to approve the agenda as amended.

Mayor Vogel then opened the floor to public comment. Joe Roe-like stated that he appreciated the opportunity to be able to speak at the meeting, and offered to serve on the proposed expanded Utilities Commission.

The following items were con-sidered for approval under the Con-sent Agenda:

a. The minutes from the Coun-cil’s January 10 Special Joint Meet-ing with the Utilities Commission, January 20 Regular Meeting, Janu-ary 22 Special Joint Meeting with the Utilities Commission at 10:00 a.m., and the January 22 Special Joint Meeting with the Utilities Commission at 1:00 p.m.

b. List of bills in the amount of $469,760.08. Included in the bills were the LMC dues in the amount of $3,111, along with purchase orders for the following: 1) Heart-land Door Sales, Inc.: $2,961, re-placement of the overhead door on the Public Works Garage that was damaged. Costs to be submitted to the City’s insurance carrier. As per policy, another quote was obtained; 2) Melrose Motors: tire and rims for the snowplow, $2,448 plus la-bor. Quote is state contract pricing; 3) Midwest Machinery Co.: $2,467.09, lawnmower repair

c. Investments for the month of January.

d. Resolution No. 2011-5, Resolution Approving Gambling License to St. Mary’s Church for an exemption from lawful gambling li-cense to hold bingo on April 3, 2011 at St. Mary’s Church.

e. Resolution No. 2011-6, Resolution acknowledging dona-tion of $5,000, which is a portion of the second installment of the 2009 pledge of $32,000 to be paid over three years from the Melrose Lions for playground equipment at the Melrose Lions and Jaycee Park.

f. The following Ambulance Department uncollectible accounts that were submitted to Revenue Recapture: Florian Linder, $100.00; Maria Martha Reynaga, $604.00; Maria Reynaga (daughter), $604.00; Fern Hanson, $199.20; Shannon Passow $804.00; Total $2,311.20.

A motion was made by Mr.

mary, the tabulation process under-taken, and the synopsis prepared by Ms. Goodroad and that this summa-ry and synopsis fulfilled the needs of the Comprehensive Plan.

Public Works Director John Harren reported that the Coun-cil, at its June 17, 2010 meeting, au-thorized staff to submit a request to Stearns County asking that they re-quest MNDOT to conduct a traffic study for a reduced speed at the east City limits. The road between the intersection with CSAH 13 and a point approximately 1065 feet east of the intersection with CSAH 13 will have a posted speed of 30 miles per hour. The section between a point approximately 1065 feet east of intersection with CSAH 13 and a point approximately 380 feet east of the intersection with 11th Avenue will be reduced from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour.

Consideration was then given to the quote from ACS for sup-port of the financial, payroll and utility billing programs for the pe-riod of February 1, 2011 through January 31, 2012. This is a 1.6% increase over 2010. The total cost of $12,921.28 will be shared as fol-lows: General: $4,522.44; Water: $1,292.13; Wastewater: $1,292.13; Electric: $5,814.58.

Assistant City Administrator/Treasurer Thostenson stated that the Utilities Commission at its Feb-ruary 14 meeting took action ap-proving entering into the contract with ACS. A motion was made by Mr. Christenson, seconded by Mr. Klasen and unanimously carried to concur with the Commission’s Feb-ruary 14 action approving the City Clerk to enter into a contract with ACS.

The Council then gave con-sideration to adopting the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s (BCA) new master Joint Powers Agree-ment (JPA). By law, (Minn. Stat. § 471.59, Subd.1) the JPA must be approved by the City Council. The purpose of this Agreement is to cre-ate a method by which the Agency has access to those systems and tools for which it has eligibility, and to memorialize the requirements to obtain access and the limitations on the access. Chief Jensen explained that this will allow electronic trans-fer of complaints, etc. The Melrose Police Department will utilize this system for e-complaints, which will speed up the process. The system will use the Records Management System (RMS) that is already in place and will not result in addi-tional cost to the City.

Mr. Finken introduced Reso-lution No. 2011-7, Resolution Ap-proving State of Minnesota Joint Powers Agreements with the City of Melrose on Behalf of its City Attorney and Police Department. The motion was seconded by Mr. Klasen with a roll call vote recorded as follows: For: Council Members Finken, Klasen, Christenson and Mayor Vogel; Against: None; Ab-sent: Council Member Mayers. A copy of the resolution is on file in the City Administration Office.

It was reported that, under Minnesota Statute 609.531, the

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a box on Carla’s side, and Carla leaned out of the window. But she leaned too far, and fell to the ground.

Terrified, the mother jumped out of the cab and picked her up. And she cried, “Mom, you didn’t get close enough!”

You and I live in two worlds. We get so busy making a living that we don’t make any overtures to the Lord. And we fall. Why?

Like the girl said, “You didn’t get close enough.”

The Bible says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart.”

Three-year-old Carla was helping her mother deliver newspapers.

“Let me do one,” she begged.So the mother drove her pickup to

Melrose Police Department is re-quired to adopt a forfeited prop-erty policy prior to March 11, 2011. Staff presented the proposed policy, which is the same as other area departments and the County are adopting. A motion was made by Mr. Klasen, seconded by Mr. Christenson and unanimously car-ried to adopt the City of Melrose procession of Property Seized for Administrative Forfeiture Policy for implementation by the Melrose Police Department.

Assistant City Administra-tor/Treasurer Thostenson reported that at the Council’s September 9, 2010, Resolution No. 2010-45 was adopted which was the trigger resolution authorizing the advance refunding of the City’s 2004 and 2005 GO Improvement Bonds to take advantage of current low in-terest rates. This resolution had a sunset date of December 31, 2010. Staff has continued to work with Fiscal Consultant Paul Donna of Northland Securities regarding the possible advance refunding of these General Obligation Improve-ment Bonds. The refunding would take place when the savings meet the 3% savings test as set forth in Minnesota Statutes 475.67, Subd 12. She requested consideration be given to adopting a new resolution approving the issuance of general obligation improvement crossover refunding bonds.

Mr. Klasen introduced Reso-lution No. 2011-8, Resolution Ap-proving the Issuance of General Obligation Improvement Cross-over Refunding Bonds, Series 2011A. The motion was seconded by Mr. Christenson with a roll call vote recorded as follows: For: Council Members Klasen, Chris-tenson, Finken and Mayor Vogel; Against: None; Absent: Council Member Mayers. A copy of the resolution is on file in the City Ad-ministration Office.

Mayor Vogel reported that Steve Duevel has submitted a letter of resignation from the Fire Depart-ment effective January 21, 2011. He has served on the Department since July, 2010. A motion was made by Mr. Christenson, seconded by Mr. Klasen and unanimously carried to accept Mr. Duevel’s resignation and thanked him for his service on the Department.

Leon Pierskalla has also sub-mitted his letter of resignation from the Fire Department effective im-mediately. He has served on the Department since January 1, 2005. A motion was made by Mr. Klasen, seconded by Mr. Christenson and unanimously carried to accept Mr. Pierskalla’s resignation and to com-mend him for his service on the De-partment.

Bailey Vogel has requested a leave of absence (LOA) from the Ambulance Department effective March 1. LOAs are effective for one year. A motion was made by Mr. Finken and seconded by Mr. Christenson to approve Ms. Vo-gel’s leave of absence. A roll call vote was recorded as follows: For: Council Members Finken, Chris-tenson and Klasen; Against: None; Absent: Council Member Mayers; Abstain: Mayor Vogel.

The Assistant City Administra-tor/Treasurer requested the Council give consideration to approving the quote received from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) for workers’ compensa-tion insurance for the period of March 7, 2011 through March 7, 2012. The net premium costs for the upcoming period are $55,180, a decrease of 1.50% from the 2010 quote of $60,709. The experience modification decreased to 1.06 for the 2011-2012 coverage period, from 1.15 for the 2010-2011 cov-erage period. There were no major changes in rates for any of the clas-sifications.

Ms. Thostenson stated that the General Fund share of the premium is $36,976 and the Utilities’ share is $18,204 (compared to $39,078 and $21,632, respectively, for the past year). The Utilities Commission, at its February 14 meeting, took ac-tion approving the insurance quote. A motion was made by Mr. Klasen, seconded by Mr. Christenson and unanimously carried to approve the workers comp insurance renewal quote from LMCIT in the amount of $60,709.

Consideration was then given to quotes obtained for material and equipment rental for street seal-coating. As in past years, Melrose, Paynesville and Paynesville Town-ship share in the costs. Two quotes were obtained, with the low quote being from Brock White Company. The City’s share of the material and equipment rental costs is $2,800. A motion was made by Mr. Christen-son, seconded by Mr. Klasen and unanimously carried to approve the street sealcoating quote from Brock White.

The City had received a re-quest from Melrose Area Schools Community Education Director Stacey Austing-Jacobsen for the City to again contribute $9,250 to the Summer Recreation Pro-gram. This amount was included in the 2011 budget, and is the same amount as the past several years. A motion was made by Mr. Finken, seconded by Mr. Christenson and unanimously carried to approve the donation of $9,250 to the Summer Recreation Program.

Public Works Director Har-ren reported that the Council, at its January 17 meeting, tabled the 2011 Melrose Trunk Utility Im-provements, 12th Avenue East to allow Dave Rahn with Rahn Oil & Propane Inc. the opportunity to research the feasibility and costs of hooking up to the manhole to the

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Celebration of Student Success & Ser-vice: In all of the discussion about politics and budgets, we sometimes overlook what schools are all about and that is our students. Long Prairie-Grey Eagle is filled with students who come to school everyday, study, and partici-pate in life-enriching activities. This week’s column recognizes the success of the LPGE students in a variety of events.

Boys Basketball: The Thunder basketball team completed a magical season finishing as West Central Conference and Section 6AA champions and played in the state tournament. The amazing success of the team led by Coach Bruce Young was a tribute to what the combi-nation of talent, hard work and dedication and can accomplish; they were surely an inspira-tion to all of us.

The team played hard and demonstrated a high level of sportsmanship and represented their school and communities extremely well. They will have a lifetime of memories from this experience.

In addition, the students of LPGE dem-onstrated not only school spirit but also a tre-mendous amount of class in their support for the team. They were loud and proud but not once did this writer witness poor behavior of the part of our students; the same cannot be said for many other schools. Thanks students.

How about that community support? The number of people riding the buses and going to games was tremendous and again, my per-ception is that our fan support as good if not better than any other school we played this tournament season.

How about that LPGE Band? They want-ed to be at every game and again, the best band at the tournaments.

Music Contests: The LPGE Music De-partment had very successful days at their competitions:

All four of LPGE High School Choirs earned Superior (the highest) ratings from each of the three judges.

The Band received a score of 37 (out of

Kringen’s Korner - By Jon Kringen, LPGE Superintendent40) or Superior scores from each of the three judges.

Knowledge Bowl: This year, LPGE HS has involved nearly 30 students in knowledge bowl competition. In twice weekly practic-es, these students have met to practice their knowledge and skills in a variety of areas in-cluding but not limited to math, science, ge-ography, music, literature, and current events. These practices have prepared five teams for local competition with 82 other teams from schools throughout north central Minnesota. During the year all five teams placed in the top half of their competitions with Ni! advancing to regions.

At the regional competition, Ni! placed fifth with some strategic moves. The members of Ni!, Nathan Hulinsky, Caleb King, Andrew Marcoullier, Alexa McAdams, and Kevin Winge, will move on to the state April 7 & 8 in Brainerd.

LPGA FFA: The LPGE FFA brought home two 1st place trophies on Tuesday March 8th from Regional contests in Brainerd.

The Ag Sales team consisting of Grant Abercrombie, Sara Wettstein, Byron Oostra, And Annette, Monkvik took top honors, edg-ing out Staples for the win.

The Crops Team consisting of Cassidy Holmquist, Joey Sweazey, Pat Holman, Tim Ebnet, and Jaded Becker also took home the 1st place Trophy There are currently five teams heading to state in early May with three more opportunities to qualify. Good luck!

Student Council, NHS, Art Classes: The Student Council and NHS of LPGE High School, with assistance from the Foods and Nutrition and Art classes, held their annual Soup Bowl Supper with a menu that included homemade soups, bread, dessert and beverage. Student-made pottery bowls were also avail-able. The purpose of the event was to raise money and collect food items to be donated to the local Food Shelf. Congratulations to the students and advisors of these groups for the service to our community!

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west of his property. Mr. Rahn was present to discuss this option. He stated that his business currently has to pump their tank frequently. However, it was also found that in-stalling City sewer to his property was not cost effective. The costs to install a grinder pump and pipe is proposed at $4,757, and the bor-ing costs are $7,250 for a total cost of $11,825. Mr. Rahn requested that the City give consideration to sharing in the costs since at some time in the future, his property will also be subject to assessment costs when the sewer main is extended to the eastern limits of the City. Mayor Vogel questioned whether the City should pay the entire cost as it would be cheaper than extend-ing the sewer. Mr. Klasen felt that would not be proper as it would be setting a precedent. After further discussion, it was agreed that Di-rector Harren and Mr. Rahn work on establishing a depreciable life of the proposed equipment along with the potential of applying the remaining depreciable life against an assessment if applicable. Direc-tor Harren was directed to submit a proposed agreement between the City and Mr. Rahn at the March 17 meeting.

At the January 27 Special Joint Meeting, the terms and con-ditions of employment along with the wage and benefit package were agreed upon by both the Council and Utilities Commission for the position of City Administrator and, as directed, an offer of employment was made to Michael Brethorst to which Mr. Brethorst requested consideration to a change in the compensation package. The Coun-cil and Utilities Commission were agreeable to Mr. Brethorst’s re-quest; therefore, an amendment to his letter of employment was sent to him on February 4. Mr. Brethorst has accepted the City’s offer with an employment start date of March 1, 2011. The Melrose Police De-partment has completed the nec-essary background check and Hu-man Resources Technician Diane Gruber has obtained the necessary credit check. Mr. Brethorst was hired under the following:

1. Mr. Brethorst is an at-will exempt employee.

2. Starting salary at Step 6 of the City Administrator wage scale, which is $81,412.98, and upon completion of 18 months of continuous employment and favor-able performance evaluations, will move to Step 7.

3. Vacation will be accrued at: (a) Start: two weeks plus ac-crue five additional days for total of three weeks for years 1 through 5; (b) Start of 6th year: four weeks/year; (c) Start of 8th year: five weeks/year

4. Sick leave: begin with five days, which is part of first year ac-crual

Continued from Pg 9 5. Moving expense reimburse-ment of up to $2,500, based on re-ceipt documentation within the first two years. A reimbursement sched-ule based on voluntary separation was also established.

6. All other fringe benefits ap-ply under the same terms as all oth-er fulltime, nonunion employees.

The Utilities Commission, at its February 14 meeting, took ac-tion making recommendation to the Council that Mr. Brethorst be hired as the City Administrator under the terms of the letter of employment. A motion was made by Mr. Chris-tenson, seconded by Mr. Finken and unanimously carried to approve the hiring of Mr. Brethorst as the City Administrator effective March 1 as outlined in the letter of employ-ment.

The Council, at its January 20 meeting, requested staff to proceed with drafting legislation allowing the Council by Ordinance to outline specifics on the number of mem-bers, terms, council representation, etc., as well as a resolution showing Council support for the legislation.

Mr. Klasen introduced Reso-lution No. 2011-8, Resolution Re-questing Legislation to Change the City of Melrose Public Utilities Commission Membership. The mo-tion was seconded by Mr. Finken with a roll call vote recorded as follows: For: Council Members Klasen, Finken and Christenson; Against: None; Absent: Council Member Mayers; Abstain: Mayor Vogel. A copy of the resolution is on file in the City Administration Office.

The Council, at its May 20, 2010 meeting, approved Fire Chief Jeremy Kraemer to submit an appli-cation for a FEMA Fire Grant in the amount of $70,000. The Firefighter Assistant Grant through FEMA is a 95% FEMA and 5% Fire De-partment match ($66,500 FEMA, $3,500 Fire Department). Chief Kraemer has received notification that the Melrose Fire Department has been awarded the grant. A mo-tion was made by Mr. Christenson, seconded by Mr. Klasen and unani-mously carried to accept the FEMA Grant and to authorize the City’s share of the grant payment.

The Melrose Fire Depart-ment was commended for seeking and applying for this type of grant funding. Items to be purchased un-der this grant will be submitted for Council approval as they are pur-chased.

Community Development Di-rector Gary Walz reported that it is expected that an administrative search warrant will be necessary to gain admittance to the home at 306 East Second Street South for the purpose of performing an evalu-ation of its potential hazardous condition, City Attorney Dymoke has suggested that a meeting of the interested parties be hosted by the City to determine if access might be

granted by these parties. A meeting of a representative of the first mort-gagee, the second mortgage holder, a lien holder, and the present/for-mer owner was scheduled for Tues-day February 15, 2011. All but the present/former owner attended, and approval was obtained to conduct the search. The results will be pre-sented at the Council’s March 17 regular meeting.

Mayor Vogel reported that Ambulance Coordinator Jenn Tsch-ida was contacted by two individu-als interested in taking the EMT Initial Course and, after completing the course, to serve on the Melrose Ambulance Department. Accord-ing to the Volunteer Ambulance Department Policies and Proce-dures, Section I - General Policies (1) Membership - the City will pay ½ of the costs for the EMT Initial course up front and will reimburse the member the remaining portion provided the member remains with the Department for a period of one year and serves a minimum of 432 hours of standby, or run time, or a combination of both during that time period as well as meeting all other criteria as spelled out in the Policies. This time is monitored by the Ambulance Coordinator and the City’s payroll department. The total cost of the course, which is through North Memorial - EMS Education, is $750 each with the City paying $375 per individual up front. The individuals are Shannon Budeau, Albany and Braniesney Ortiz Camacho, New Munich. Both have signed the EMT Initial Course Reimbursement Agreement outlining the terms of payment and reimbursement. If for some reason, they fail the course or do not com-plete it, the Agreement states they will reimburse the City the costs originally paid by the City for the course. A motion was made by Mr. Finken, seconded by Mr. Chris-tenson and unanimously carried to approve payment of 50% of the EMT course costs as outlined in the Volunteer Ambulance Department Policies and Procedures.

On February 4, the AFSCME business agent and the Melrose Public Utilities Commission staff met and agreed to the 2010-2011 AFSCME contract as discussed at the joint meeting held on January 22, 2011 with one minor change. As per discussion at the joint meet-ing, an employee would have to use the comp time within the fol-lowing four weeks or it would be paid out. The union requested a change as to how the comp time is banked and used as outlined in section 9.5 of the contract. Staff recommends concurring with the requested change as it is less track-ing for payroll personnel. The Utili-ties Commission took action adopt-ing the Memo of Understanding, Collective Bargaining Agreement, Settlement Agreement (W/WW Operators), and Settlement Agree-

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ment (Vogel). A motion was made by Mr.

Finken and seconded by Mr. Chris-tenson to concur with the Utili-ties Commission action approving the contract, along with the MOU and the two grievance settlements. A roll call vote was recorded as follows: For: Council Members Finken, Christenson, and Klasen; Against: None; Absent: Council Member Mayers; Abstain: Mayor Vogel.

Consideration was then given to scheduling a Special Joint Meet-ing with the Utilities Commission to discuss the directives for the newly appointed City Administra-tor. A motion was made by Mr. Klasen, seconded by Mr. Christen-son and unanimously carried that the meeting be scheduled for Thurs-day, February 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Police Chief Jensen stated that Randy Dufner/Melrose Mobile Home Park and Jeff Bonner/Mel-rose Community LLC (Rose Park) have been working with Stearns County Emergency Management to procure grant assistance through the Hazardous Mitigation Assis-tance Program of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the Minnesota De-partment of Public Safety for the construction of new storm shelters as part of their Parks. Chief Jensen stated he had recently learned from Marvin Klug, Director of Stearns County Emergency Management,

that the City must become a par-ticipant in the grant process if it is to proceed. That involvement will require the approval by the City of a Resolution Authorizing Execution of Sub-Grant Agreement which will include a commitment by the City through a Letter of Commitment of Funds to provide matching funds as necessary for the proposed storm shelters and through a Letter of Maintenance Statement to perform the annual maintenance required by the shelters. Chief Jensen stated he will be working with a representa-tive from the Minnesota Depart-ment of Public Safety – Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Park owners and their proposed structure architects/engineers, and the City Attorney to further discuss this program. Chief Jensen stated he has informed both Park owners that the City would not likely participate as a matching grantor unless they agreed to reim-burse the City for its expenditures including preparation of any docu-mentation. This item to be placed on the Council’s March 17 meeting for further discussion.

The following informational items were then discussed:

a.The following is a list of up-coming schools and conferences: 1) Defensive Driving Course: Febru-ary 16 in St. Cloud. Registration fee: $350 per person. Attending: Ambulance Department Mem-bers Natasha Hennen and Katie

Rademacher.; 2) MCFOA Confer-ence – March 16-17 in St. Cloud. Registration fee: $200 per person. Attending: City Clerk Patti Haase, and Assistant City Administrator/Treasurer Karen Thostenson.

b. Utilities Commission’s Jan-uary 10 Regular Meeting minutes.

c. During the last snow storm, the gear box on the snow blower went out and during the recent snow storm the engine went out. The gear box has been repaired and staff is working on the engine. The snow blower came with a one year warranty. The Street Department will perform the overhaul.

d. Correspondence from Char-ter Communications regarding con-tact information.

e. Planning and Zoning Com-mission’s January 13 Regular Meeting minutes.

f. Staff is seeking bids for win-dow sill replacement and cabinet hardware for the City Center.

g. Comprehensive Plan Com-mittee’s Special Meeting No. 3 January 13 meeting minutes.

h. MADA/COC November 29, 2010 Regular Meeting minutes.

i. Great River Regional Li-brary 2010 Activities.

A motion was made by Mr. Finken, seconded by Mr. Klasen and unanimously carried that the meeting be adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

Patricia Haase, City Clerk


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29442 120th St., Grey Eagle, MN 56336

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MISSING DOG: 1 yr. old female Ger-man Shorthair, completely brown, Birch Lake area. Call 320-250-7749.

GARAGE SALE: Grey Eagle, 1 block west of Junction, April 1, 12-6; April 2, 7-4.

UPSALA SALE: 107 Main St., April 8, 9; 8 am.; furniture, garden art.

ORDER YOUR TREES NOW: $2.00 each, 2-3’ tall seedlings: Birch, Mountain Ash, Red Splendor Crab-apple, Purple Lilac, Armur Maple, Silver Maple, Sugar Maple. Also available: Arborvitae, Red Cedar, Ponderosa, Scotch, Red Pine, White Pine, Black Hills Spruce, Colora-do Spruce; Albany Fleet Supply and Pe-ternell Greenhouse. Call 320-845-4321. 3/31B

AVON FARMERS MARKET: Seeks food producers and handicraft vendors for the 2011 season. Contact Terri at 320-845-7353 for rules and application. 3/31

GIVE AWAY: 2 black & gray cats and an expecting calico female, very friendly. Call 320-285-4491.

GIVE AWAY: Medium sized gray dog, male, German Shorthair, friendly, needs a good home. Call 320-285-2307.

WANTED TO BUY: Good slaughter cows, big bulls, also foundered steers, etc. Will pick up (pay cash). Henry Kasper, 320-547-9913. 6/2P

WANTED: Nonworking power ice au-ger, need handles only. Call 320-630-9408.

WANTED: Small Gerber babyfood jars with lids. Call 320-360-9921. 3/31

FOR SALE: Chattervox voice amplifier, never used, will sell for half of new price. Call 320-249-4429.

FOR SALE: Excellent meadow hay, small squares, ideal for horses, no rain and stored under roof, Melrose. Call 320-250-3874.

FOR SALE: 1987 Ford F-350 diesel, 4-speed with 17’ aluminum rollback and winch, $6,595. Call 320-732-2272 eve-nings.

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FOR SALE: 1995 Ford Explorer. Call 320-836-2932.

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FOR SALE: Game Boy and 5 games, $40; DS game I-gor, $10; Video Now Jr with 4 videos, $20. Call 320-285-2326.

FOR SALE: Tanning punchcard & package of lotions, etc. for Melrose, $40. Call 320-285-2326.

FOR SALE: 2-6”x8”x18’ used treated pine lumber, $90; 2-6’x8’x11’ white Oak timber, $50; 32” service door, $35. Call 320-597-2768.

FOR SALE: 27” Zenith TV, floor mod-el, new converter box, works good, make offer. Call 320-836-2728.

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Upsala LibraryBird Expert to Speak: Thursday,

April 7, 6:30-8:00 p.m. for teens and adults. Bird expert Stan Tekiela will present “Uncommon Facts About Com-mon Birds” and fascinating facts about some of the birds that people love to hate. He will challenge preconceived ideas about some common birds such as the European Starling and the American Crow.

Minnesota based naturalist Tekiela has authored more than 100 field guides, nature appreciation books and wildlife audio CDs. He is the originator of popu-lar state-specific field guides for birds, wildflowers, and trees. His syndicated column appears in over 20 newspapers and his radio program on numerous ra-dio stations.

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Do you know what healthcare treat-ments you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself? Do other people know what your wishes are? April 16, 2011 is National Health-care Decision Day, a day for all people regardless of age or current health to be reminded of the importance of making their healthcare wishes known to loved ones and their care providers.

The Central MN Council on Ag-ing encourages everyone to voice their wishes and take steps to ensure that their choices are known and protected. A Health Care Directive is a legal docu-ment that tells healthcare providers who it is that you wish to make medical deci-sions for you and what treatments you would want or not want, if you are ever

Do you have an Advance Directive? April 16th is National Healthcare Decision Day

not able to tell care providers what you would want in a medical emergency or life-limiting illness.

Contact the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433 or [email protected] to request a free copy of the Minnesota Health Care Directive legal form.

As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his cell phone rang.

Answering, he heard his wife’s voice urgently warning him, “Herman, I just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on Interstate 77. Please be careful!”

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Tastefully Simple ~ Pampered Chef ~ TupperwareI’ve Got Pursonality ~ Amway ~ Avon ~ Pure Romance

Country Side Crafts ~ At Home America ~ Karen’s KraftsNorwex ~ Usborn Books ~ Livinty ~ Stampin Up ~ Creative Memories

Most will have products available for purchase. Refreshments will be served. There will be something for everyone.

Spring Expo 2011April 2, 2011 • 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

at the Burtrum Community Center

See What’s New

for 2011

htnewsmarch31

Documents

capitol page

scepaniak page

melrose cityphoto

melrose close

pm stop

saralee perel page

harvey mackay page

albany fleet supplyapril