What's happening around Town?

Flo: Hey Joe, I hear you grew up in this town and while driving around Kasson, I saw a very interesting building on 3rd Avenue. What can you tell me about it?

Joe: Ah! You must be talking about the Tripartite (the three in one) brick building that for 40 years was home to school children from 1st to 12th grades, and for another 47 years still part of the educational system. Why, what caught your eye?

Flo: I liked its style with its Renaissance Villa look and the brick trimmed with Terra Cotta, and then there's the main entrance with that kind of: neo-classical revival-style design that just sets it off, inviting you to come in and sit a spell. Plus that very impressive Water Tower nearby that seems to say, "we belong together." It appears to me that once upon a time, it was the hub of the city activity, with families traveling in and out and children playing on the school grounds, laughing and enjoying the day. It looks like it is sitting empty now. Could it not be refurbished and used once again?

Joe: Well, I am told that after a reuse study was done, it was deemed in relatively good condition and structurally sound. Interior spaces for the most part are large with the load bearing walls lining the corridors and partition walls can be expanded to accommodate other size of rooms as needed. Windows are large enough to filter in natural light and with window upgrades could meet the "green" energy specs. They tell me existing high ceilings, vertical chases, extensive tunnel systems, and connected ducts to rooftop vents, will allow ease in updating the electrical and heating needs of today and would you believe, it has sky lights? It also sits on the highest point in the city!

Flo: I like the idea with its three distinct, separate buildings that it could be utilized for many different functions, and could be developed one building at a time as funding becomes available. What, are the needs and wants of the city families?

Joe; I hear they would like to have a community center- Space to socialize with friends and family and hold community activities. I know for a fact the public library needs more room and wouldn't it be neat to have a children's activity center? I could even see a historical room within the complex which could house school and city memorabilia and could include city, school and library minutes where folks could wander in, read, and get caught up on the activities happening in our community.

Flo: Gee, there looks like with three different buildings, it could house all of that, and I like the idea that it is connected by corridors so one can go from one unit to the other without having to go outside. If I lived in this town, I would enjoy having a coffee shop inside where I could sit and visit or read a book before I head off for home or in the winter months could use the corridors for a strenuous walk from one end to the other, and winters do get long here in Minnesota. Well, gotta' go, but keep me undated on what is happening to that beautiful town square!

Garage Sales

I think K-M must have a pretty good reputation for garage sales. There are some very dedicated people out there who have sales year after year with repeat customers. Many times those same people like to go to garage sales. The Kasson Chamber of Commerce has sponsored Garage Sale Days for many years and it serves as great motivation for people to clear out and organize their homes.

Here's wishing for sunny skies and pleasant temps on May 13th and 14th for Kasson City Wide Garage Sales.

Royal Wedding

I know the royal wedding is a big deal-to some people. I am not in that "some" category. I refused to watch the major network nightly news the last few days leading up to the wedding because that was three-fourths of the nightly news.

The last straw was when I received a list of royal recipes for people having a royal wedding party of their own. Would you believe a wedding cake martini, royal romance, little princess cocktail and bridesmaid cooler? I eliminated that email instantly.

Prince William and Kate Middleton look like the perfect couple. In the public eye Prince Charles and Lady Diana looked like the perfect couple too, and look what happened to their marriage.
The people of England don't seem to mind what a wedding of this magnitude is costing them either. The estimate is $32 million whereby the average "over the top" U.S. wedding is $27,000 and a celebrity wedding up to $5 million.

With a daughter getting married this summer I should feel good about what we are spending. The royal wedding cake is $80,000, flowers $800,000 (How would you like to own the flower shop that got that order?) and the wedding gown $434,000. But wait, rumor has it that the Middleton's paid for the wedding gown. How generous!

Enough already. As you might guess most of us will be glad when it's over and by the time you read this it will be history. Thank goodness!

Letter to the editor: Dear Mantorville Community

Dear Mantorville Community,

In 2008 strengths and weaknesses of the community were put into a Comprehensive Plan for Mantorville. 36 strengths were identified and 19 challenges were shared. These were put into the comprehensive plan and some items were addressed since then, others are still being looked at.
The future will be affected by this feedback. The EDA, Park Board, City Council, and other organizations in the community can use this feedback to set priorities for the future.
Please consider giving feedback to the city by stopping by the City Office or emailing your comments to Let your city leaders know, (1) what makes Mantorville a great place to live and (2) what are the challenges you hope can be addressed.
If you wish to see the draft comprehensive plan look at the mantorville.com website under Agendas and Minutes and City Council Packets 2011 or contact the City Office.

Thank you,
Andrew Galbus
Mantorville, MN

COMMUNITY STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
The purpose of discussions was to establish a series of goals, policies, and initiatives to assist in addressing challenges identified in previous activities, and to support and reinforce the identified community strengths. Below Is a list of the community assets and challenges, compiled by the Comprehensive Planning Committee, at the October 5,2006 meeting.

Community Strengths:
"What makes Mantorville a great place to live?"

Responses:
1. Convenient to Rochester
2. Close to large city amenities
3. Access to I-90 & 52
4. Safe
5. Pretty
6. Quality schools
7. Midwest values
8. Dining
9. Theater
10. County seat
11. Proximity to Twin Cities
12. Zumbro River
13. Character
14. Not "cookie cutter"
15. Downtown on National Register
16. Lack of franchised businesses
17. Eco-tourism
18. Camping
19. Not on rail line (DM & E)
20. Friendly
21. Small town feel
22. Historic charm
23. Postmaster
24. Affordable price of real estate
25. Low taxes
26. Golfing
27. Trail
28. Oxbow Park
29. Artists
30. Farmers' market
31. Community festivals
32. Picturesque
33. Antiques and crafts
34. Museums
35. Not a dry county
36. Consensus on planned growth

Community Challenges:

Responses:
1. No grocery
2. Poor infrastructure
3. Lack of planning
4. High utility rates
5. High taxes
6. Flooding/drainage problems
7. Shoreline in the park
8. Leadership
9. Lack of local employment
10. Lack of conveniences (shopping)
11. Lack of affordable rental housing
12. Poor quality of existing affordable housing
13. Limited senior housing
14. At risk of losing school
15. Over-crowded school
16. School facility
17. Governmental ownership of prime real estate
18. Need for underground utilities in the downtown
19. Need for streetscaping

At the conclusion of the strengths/challenges discussion, committee members indicated the topics they felt needed to be addressed within the plan. As a part of this process, a survey was sent to each of the committee members, asking them to rank each topic as to importance. Determined through that process the following topics to be addressed were (not in any order of priority):

1. Future Infrastructure Improvements - Identification of future improvements required in Mantorville. (water system, sanitary/storm sewer transportation, community facilities)
2. Land Use - An examination of existing land use and the preparation of a future land use map to guide the future development of Mantorville.
3. Annexation Plan - An examination of growth patterns and the identification of property will likely require annexation in the next 10 to 15 years.
4. Financial Impacts - Discuss the cost and impacts of new initiatives included in the comprehensive plan to tax and rate payers.
5. Downtown -Review existing conditions and establish goals for the Central Business District (CBD) including land use, economic development, preservation, infrastructure, etc.
6. Historic Preservation - Discuss past practices and accomplishments of local preservation efforts, and establish future goals.
7. Parks & Recreation - Parks, trails, recreation facilities, etc.
8. Coordination with Kasson - Establish specific plans for community growth coordinated with Kasson's future planning,
9. Community Identity - Establish a community identity, for the purpose of guiding future growth and economic development activities.

Letter to the editor: youth today

Letter to the Editor:

 I volunteered to help with the Red Cross Blood Bank at the Holy Family Church. During my shift most of the donors were young high school students.

It’s been many years since I’ve interacted with these young people. It was like taking me down memory lane with what I remember of our K-M class of 1956.

After donating blood it’s required to sit at a table and eat a snack and drink a beverage.
What a joy it was to listen to these young people interact with each other. Two young men told how they will join the Marine Corp. after graduation. Two students told how and where they had their hair colored. One young women came all the way from Spring Valley,MN.

Isn’t it a shame that most of what we hear and read about young people is usually on the negative side.
To these young people I say; ‘thank you’ for restoring my faith in the younger generation.
   
        Sincerely,
        Maggie Lien

Letter to the editor: Government Shutdown

Letter to the Editor:

 On October 1, 2010, the United States Congress failed to pass a federal budget. Since then, it has passed seven stopgap funding bills, causing all federal agencies and departments to operate at the previous years’ budget levels. As a soldier in the United States Army, the gross negligence of our elected officials affects me more than most. It is imperative to note, however, that a government shutdown would affect all of us, and bring the most important elements of our economy to a halt. Small business loans would cease to be processed; tax returns would sit on a desk in Washington--your return wouldn’t be in the mail, or in your pocket, but in the Treasury of a government that can’t or won’t find a responsible way to spend it.

For members of our Armed Forces (myself included), we would be ordered to work without pay; bills and debts, time and energy be damned, while those same senators and representatives--who can’t find the intestinal fortitude to pay us and help you-- earn ( at a minimum) $174,000 a year, budget or not. On the other hand, I make $22,993 annually, on the expectation that I fight and die, if necessary, to protect the Constitution and the land and people it governs.

It disgusts me to think that you could find no group more willing to profess their undying admiration for “ the men and women in uniform” than those people working within the Beltway, and yet they are too caught up in their petty games and self-aggrandizing politicking to see that we even get paid on time.
I have a solution to the aforementioned game-playing, and it isn’t a creative, or even a new one; if Congress and the President fail to pass a balanced budget, they forfeit their salary and yearly COLA; why pay them for a job they’re not doing, when they can’t even pay us for a job we are?

Call Sen. Klobuchar (202-224-3244), call Sen. Franken (202-224-5641), and call Rep. Walz (202-225-2472). Tell them to do the job they’re still getting paid to do, and pass a reasonable budget. We’re still doing our jobs, and if they don’t act soon, we’ll be doing it on our own dime. Our country’s future and security are too important to be used as political pawns.
   
        Very Respectfully,
        SPC(P) Cody Pogalz
        United States Army

Play Ball

The average baseball player started the season making $3.3 million.  The highest paid player, Alex Rodriguez  of the Yankees, will make a paltry $32 million this year. Joe Mauer of the Twins, in the first year of his eight year, $184 million contract, will earn $23 million.

I had one person tell me he would to be content to watch the Twins on television this season because he could not afford to attend a game. I considered going to a couple of Twins games last year as a “mini vacation”. One family trip to a game was nearly $500 including concessions and buying seven tickets through a broker because there were no tickets available through club sales. I remember as a child taking annual weekly summer family vacations and I have to believe  a few of those were $500 (remember, that is for a week).

I have found purchasing tickets for the second season is tougher than the opening season of Target Field last year. With dates I am able to go only standing room tickets ($23 each) are available. The other option is to buy through a ticket service and the only tickets available are on the third deck at a price considerably higher than regular Twins pricing.

I like to see the Twins be competitive and that they are drawing crowds. However, it's getting tougher to justify spending $300-$400 for a family of five to go to a game. That's spendy for a one day summer vacation!