Update: Friday, Mayor Tim Lies, Scott County Commissioner Joe Wagner and county officials will discuss the potential of Scott County granting a property tax abatement for Coborns.

City Council Grants Half of What Coborn’s Seeks in Tax Abatement

Anyone who was expecting closure to whether or not a Coborn’s grocery store will be built in Belle Plaine this year probably left Monday night’s public hearing puzzled.
Although the Belle Plaine City Council voted 5-1 to provide Oppidan Development (Coborn’s developer) with a tax abatement, it fell well short of the requested amount, by half to be exact. Oppidan and Coborn’s are seeking a total tax break of roughly $500,000 over 20 years. Instead, the council authorized about $250,000 over 10 years.
Oppidan is proposing to build a 38,000-square-foot grocery store, liquor store, pharmacy and gas station/convenience store complex on the southeast side of the Highway 169 interchange in Belle Plaine, final plans for which have been approved. However, officials from Oppidan have indicated that the project may not move forward if it does not get the full tax abatement it requested.
The council’s action Monday night came after a lengthy public hearing that was attended by nearly 100 people. Of those, more than two dozen addressed the council (several letters were also read). When all was said and read, 17 people were opposed to granting any tax break whatsoever and 11 supported it.

See the complete story in the March 17 edition of the Herald.

Water, Ice A Rising Problem

The rising level of the Minnesota River and the ice floating in it drew a crowd to the Highway 19 bridge in Henderson Tuesday morning. The ice dam arrived in Belle Plaine Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service issued warnings for flooding and ice jams along the Minnesota River. Melting snow in western and south-central Minnesota will continue to increase river levels.

A worker used a backhoe to break up an ice jam on High Island Creek along 371st Avenue near the intersection of 248th Steet in Jessenland Township Monday afternoon. (Photo submitted by Laura Dykhoff)

B.P.’s Woodard Seeking Republican
Endorsement in House 25B Race

Kelby Woodard of Belle Plaine is seeking the Republican endorsement to challenge David Bly, DFL-Northfield, for the Minnesota House seat in District 25B. He is one of two candidates seeking the party’s endorsement at the endorsing convention March 16 at New Prague High School.
Woodard, his wife Donna and their four children have lived in Minnesota for nine years. They have resided in Jordan, Helena Township and now Belle Plaine. He has worked as a director of global security at a major retailer in Minneapolis, started his own international consulting firm, and maintained a family hobby farm. He recently relocated his family and his business back to Belle Plaine following an 18-month period in Austin, Tex.
“As a small business owner, I understand firsthand the need for Minnesota to attract businesses to this state,” Woodard said. “Donna and I have strong connections to the area and believe that there is no better place in which to raise a family.”
District 25B stretches from Belle Plaine to Northfield and includes the townships and cities in between. Woodard says he’ll only run with the party’s endorsement.
“I am entering the race because I am convinced that we need bold leadership in St. Paul that holds true to the conservative values that the people in this area hold dear,” Woodard said in a prepared statement. “The good people of this district deserve representation that effectively embodies their own values and concerns.”

See the complete story in the March 17 edition of the Herald.

Interested In Solar Power?
Company Offers More Information

A southern Minnesota company will be in Belle Plaine next week providing information to homeowners interested in solar power and other forms of green energy products.
Representatives from Green Energy Products LLC of Springfield, Minn. will be at AmericInn March 24, 9:30 a.m., to discuss the company products and services.
The single biggest barrier to solar electricity is initial investment. However, the costs of solar electric panels are expected to decline. But siting a solar electric system can be a challenge since any shading from obstructions significantly reduces the system’s performance, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Solar electric systems have low maintenance and operating costs and can produce electricity for 30-50 years, well past their payback period.
There is a personal federal tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of a solar electric system (up to $2,000) for residential systems and a business tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of a solar electric system for commercial systems.

School Board May OK Student-Athlete Dual Participation

by John Mueller
A Belle Plaine High School sprinter on the track team could also throw a shutout for the baseball team in the same week if the school board OKs a new policy permitting dual participation at its March 22 meeting.
During a workshop Monday, the board discussed a proposal to permit a student-athlete to participate in two sports in the same season. There were no objections to the proposal during the workshop.
The high school has received one request from a student to participate in two spring sports.Dan Gardner, the high school’s activities director, said if the policy is approved, the district will create a committee to review applications, weighing criteria, some objective and some subjective. The committee will include coaches and the activities director. The student will be required to maintain a minimum 2.67 grade-point average.
Board members recognized the potential positives like increased opportunity for a gifted student-athlete. They also noted the potential downside of the proposal, like scheduling troubles and the conflict between one team and another.

See the complete story in the March 10 edition of the Herald.

Belle Plaine Police Report

The week of March 8-14, the Belle Plaine Police Department responded to the following selected calls:

Monday, March 8
At 2:38 p.m., a man, 76, on the 100 block of South West needed help after a fall.
Tuesday, March 9
A person on the 500 block of East South Street driving with a suspended license was cited at 5:53 a.m. for driving after suspension and driving without insurance. The vehicle was impounded.
A woman on Woodridge Lane called police at 4:44 p.m. regarding a person entering her house without permission. The officer advised her to change the locks.
A woman on the 200 block of West South Street called police at 9:36 p.m. regarding a domestic dispute. Police are seeking second-degree assault charge against a daughter.
A woman on the 800 block of Horizon Court called police and paramedics for help at 10:18 p.m. A man was having trouble breathing. He was transported to an area hospital.
Wednesday, March 10
Police cited the driver of a vehicle on the 700 block of Forest Street at 8:02 a.m. for driving with a suspended license.
Thursday, March 11
Assisting Minneapolis, police arrested a man on the 900 block of Kayla Circle was arrested at 10:48 a.m. He was wanted on outstanding felony arrest warrant. The man, a previously convicted felon, was in possession of a handgun and a controlled substance. Formal charges are pending for those offenses.
Friday, March 12
A man on the 600 block of East Main Street called police and paramedics at 2:42 p.m. after a woman passed out, fell, and hit her had.
Police and paramedics assisted a woman, 66, on the 1000 block of Park Lane suffering chest pains.
A woman on the 100 block of Eagle Street South asked police for help unlocking a vehicle.
Saturday, March 13
A woman on the 400 block of Meridian Street South called for help from police and paramedics at 1:48 p.m. A female was having trouble breathing.
At 2:21 p.m., a person on the 200 block of North Meridian Street asked police for help unlocking a vehicle.
A female near the intersection of Highway 169 and East South Street reported a property-damage crash at 3:12 p.m. One of the drivers was cited for inattentive driving.
Police identified an underage female in possession of two bottles of alcohol at 3:36 p.m. She did not stop when ordered to. Citations for underage possession and fleeing an officer will be sent to her via certified mail.
A woman on the 800 block of West Main Street called for medical help at 4:46 p.m.
After smelling burnt marijuana, police cited a man near the intersection of West Chestnut and East Main streets at 6:43 p.m. for possession of marijuana.
Police arrested a person for violating an order for protection after a woman on the 100 block of South Eagle Street called for help at 7:46 p.m.
At 8:30 p.m., a person near the intersection of East Main and South Meridian streets reported a hit-and-run crash.
Sunday, March 14
A man on the 200 block of South Elk Street was cited for speeding and arrested for DWI at 12:08 a.m.
Police cited a man on the 100 block of Meridian Street at 1:46 a.m. for fifth-degree assault after he allegedly threw a bottle of beer at another person.
Police arrested a person near the intersection of East Main Street and East Commerce Drive for DWI at 1:42 a.m.
A male stopped near the intersection of East Main and North Meridian streets for a possible traffic violation at 1:55 a.m. fled officers on foot. A search of the vehicle produced drug paraphernalia, a state identification and credit cards belonging to a woman. The man will be cited with obstructing police, fleeing officers on foot, not wearing a seat belt, careless driving, no license plate lamp, failure to use a turn signal, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A man, extremely intoxicated, walking on the 100 block of North Meridian Street was picked up by police at 4:08 a.m. He was taken home and left in the custody of his mother.
A man near the intersection of Union Trail and Stoppelmann Boulevard called police at 4:40 a.m. after a crash. Police gathered information and passed it on to deputies who later found the man and arrested him for DWI.
Police cited a person on the 100 block of North Meridian Street at 4:52 a.m. for underage consumption and providing false information.
A woman on the 800 block of West Main Street called police and paramedics for help at 6:49 a.m. A female was transported to an area hospital.
Police cited a man on the 22000 block of Johnson Parkway at 10:17 a.m. for driving with a cancelled license.
At 12:09 p.m., a person on the 100 block of West Church Street reported damage to a business vehicle.
A woman near the intersection of East Main and North Meridian streets reported a lost purse at 1:17 p.m. While investigating a separate incident, police learned the purse was stolen. A man was cited for theft.
A woman on the 100 West Church Street reported theft from a vehicle at 2:43 p.m. Cash was stolen from a car. The case is under investigation.
A woman on the 200 block of South Ash Street called police and paramedics at 7:03 p.m. A woman, 53, was suffering back and kidney pain. She was transported to an area hospital.
At 8:28 p.m., a person on the 100 block of Aspen Lane was reportedly caught using a stolen credit card. A report was sent to the county attorney’s office for formal charges.