Holiday Art Sale tomorrow and Saturday downtown

Posted under Lakeville,News on Thursday 9 December 2010 at 4:18 pm

The 7th Annual Holiday Art Sale will take place at the Lakeville Area Arts Center in downtown from noon to 5 pm. on Friday, Dec. 10 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11.

The sale will remain open through Dec. 17 during business hours. You will find unique artwork including jewelry, pottery, mixed media, and more.

Empty bowls project
The Arts Center pottery studio artists have donated 80 soup bowls which will be available at a suggested donation of $8 each. All proceeds will go to 360 Communities food shelf to feed the hungry. Every bowl represents a hungry stomach that, together, can be filled.

The Arts Center is located at the corner of Holyoke Avenue and 210th Street in downtown Lakeville.


Farmington’s 2011 budget set; admin services director laid off

Posted under Farmington on Thursday 9 December 2010 at 4:04 pm

Levy increase reduced from 3.73 percent to 3.42 percent

by Laura Adelmann
Thisweek Newspapers

After months of tense negotiations, Farmington City Council members on Monday night adopted a 2011 budget that eliminates the position of administrative services director.

Combined with other reductions, the change allowed council members to cut the levy by a total of $470,841, bringing the levy to $8.5 million.

The city’s total 2011 budget will be $9.1 million, with $45,841 left in contingency funds for unexpected events or circumstances next year.

Farmington Finance Director Teresa Walters said the budget covers all of the city’s debt payments for next year.

With this budget, Farmington property owners next year will see a 3.42 percent property tax increase on the city portion of their tax bills, instead of the preliminary 3.73 percent increase set in September.

As a result, the levy means the average home, valued at $199,800, will be charged an additional $1.98 per month for city taxes, said Walters.

Without the cut, the same homeowner would have been charged another $2.23 per month in property taxes for the city portion of their property tax bill. (more…)


Flap flares over seal coat assessments

Posted under Farmington on Thursday 9 December 2010 at 3:58 pm

Council to review finance options; no seal coat for 2011

by Laura Adelmann
Thisweek Newspapers

For 11 years, Farmington residents were told they were paying half the cost of seal coating in assessments.

But, in fact, research has revealed assessments paid by residents were actually higher than 50 percent of the seal coating costs, according to City Engineer Kevin Schorzman.

The discrepancy occurred because, at the outset, legal, administrative and engineering fees were estimated at 27 percent of the total cost, when in fact those services averaged 13.6 percent of project costs.

Since 2000, the discrepancy has amounted to $109,000.

Schorzman said the city overcollected $54,500 from assessments, and the remainder of the $109,000 was paid by other city funding sources.

At Monday’s City Council meeting, Schorzman attempted to explain the error by saying that no resident was overassessed, because only a portion of the seal coating costs have ever been assessed to properties. (more…)


Farmington Burger King closes

Posted under Farmington on Thursday 9 December 2010 at 3:55 pm

The Burger King on Elm Street closed without warning on Friday. By Monday, most equipment had been cleared out, as this view through the drive-through window reveals. Photo by Laura Adelmann

by Laura Adelmann
Thisweek Newspapers

Without warning, the Farmington Burger King closed its doors on Friday, Dec. 3.

Local business owners were among the first to notice the closing when workers arrived in the morning and began cleaning and carrying equipment out of the building, located 120 Elm St.

By Monday, the former fast-food restaurant was emptied except for a computer keyboard and a few miscellaneous office supplies lying on a counter.

One worker remained in the building Monday night, and said the grill and other equipment was transferred  to other restaurants.

When the Burger King franchise opened in 1997, it had replaced a Hardee’s restaurant that had operated there for years.

Farmington Economic Development Specialist Tina Hansmeier said the city was not told of the restaurant owner’s plans to close down its operations, and first learned of the situation from other business owners.

“That’s not unusual. Sometimes we’re the last to find out when a business closes,” Hansmeier said.

She said that the building will be added to the city’s list of available commercial space and information about it will be provided to those making inquiries about possible commercial opportunities.

Currently, she said, there are no parties interested in the property.

Multiple calls to the company that owns the franchise, Duke and King, were not returned.

A sign in the window thanks patrons and directs them to Burger King restaurants in Lakeville and Rosemount.

Laura Adelmann is at laura.adelmann@ecm-inc.com.


City seeks applicants for vacant council seat

Posted under Rosemount on Thursday 9 December 2010 at 3:45 pm

Application deadline for Kurt Bills’ seat is Dec. 30

by Laura Adelmann
Thisweek Newspapers

Rosemount residents who are eligible voters, age 21 and older, have a chance to be appointed to fill the term of Council Member Kurt Bills, who was elected to the Minnesota Legislature on Nov. 2.

Bills’ term expires Dec. 31, 2012, and under state law, Rosemount City Council members will appoint his replacement.

The process involves submitting an application, available on the city’s website, www.ci.rosemount.mn.us, to City Hall by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 30.

Applications for the position can be mailed to the city at 2875 145th St. W., Rosemount, MN 55068; faxed to (651) 423-5203; or e-mailed to City Clerk Amy Domeier, amy.domeier@ci.rosemount.mn.us.

Applicants are interviewed by the council, a process that will be open to the public if the council decides to conduct the interviews as a group.

Interviews will be at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 and continue to Jan. 12, if necessary.

City Administrator Dwight Johnson said he expects a candidate to be selected by mid-February, and the person would take the oath of office at the first council meeting he or she attends as a board member.

Bills encouraged people not to be intimidated by the process, noting that the application asks questions that are not complicated or difficult to answer.

“It’s been an honor to serve in Rosemount, and it’s a great way to get to know your local government and how it works,” Bills said.

Laura Adelmann is at laura.adelmann@ecm-inc.com.


Next Page »