Thursday, March 15, 2012

Volume 95; Number 39

www.bladepublishing.net

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

The First Five Families in Germania Township

By Rin Porter Township was organized, and it Germania Township is located contained the four northwest townin the northern third of Todd ships (Stowe Prairie, Bartlett, County, west of Moran Township. It has no cities within its borders County Road 11 runs north and south through it, and County Road 24 runs east and west. There are no lakes in the township, but the Partridge River runs through it and flows north to the Crow Wing River. Not surprisingly, considering the name of the township, 48% of its residents reported on the 2000 U.S. Census that their main ancestry was German, 13% were Dutch, 7% were Norwegian, 6% French, 6% Pennsylvania German, 6% Polish, 4% Swedish. Paul and Elizabeth Steinbach Germania Township started out as part of Hartford Township Bertha, and Germania) of Todd when Todd County was first divid- County. Eleven years later, in ed into townships in 1858. Nine 1878, Bertha Township was organyears later, in 1867, Stowe Prairie ized, and it contained Germania. Finally, in 1880, Germania was organized as a separate town (Long Prairie Leader, Sept. 17, 1936). The first settler in Germania was John Paul Steinbach, born in Saxony, now a part of Germany, in 1828. O. B. DeLaurier wrote in the Long Prairie Leader that he came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1846, when he was 16 years of age. When the war of the rebellion broke out, he enlisted in Co. D., 44th Wisconsin Infantry, and made an excellent record during his service. At the close of the war he was discharged with the rank of corporal (Sept. 17, 1936). (Wisconsin Civil War Soldier records indicate Steinbach served from September 1864 to June 1865 Continued on page 16.

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Eagle Valley School Board holds second retreat

By Rin Porter On March 5, at the Eagle Bend building, the Eagle Valley School Board held its second retreat of 2012. Nine items were on the agenda for discussion, but no official action was taken during the session. Supt. Jim Madsen led a discussion about the current school board committees and whether any should be combined or eliminated. The group agreed the board would make final decisions about adjustments in committee membership or function at the June 2012 meeting. Principal Barry Johnson led a discussion about his proposal that the group hold a special meeting to set goals and do long-range planning. Sharon Notch reminded the group that some long-range planning was done in 2006, but there was no formal follow-up to see what goals had been reached. Mr. Johnson will contact a consultant, Ed Thomas, who works with school boards to do this type of planning, and a tentative date for a planning session with Mr. Thomas was set for March 29 at 4 PM at the Clarissa building. Next, the group was asked to list their suggestions for facilities needs. Quite a few were brought up: removing tile that contains asbestos and replacing it with linoleum tile, removing carpet from the office area and replacing it with linoleum tile, preparing an additional room for next falls second kindergarten section, obtaining a gym curtain, rearranging office furniture and counter areas in the school office, and obtaining computer lab furniture. Serious ongoing needs including roof replacement and boiler replacement were mentioned. Financing of these expensive purchases is an issue. Twila Pierce told the group she had received an email from Verna Toenyan, from the Senior Linkage Line, asking whether the school district would consider offering space in the Eagle Bend building to a Mennonnite group that needs a new church and school, but was turned down by the Todd County Planning Commission. Someone will check into this and follow up. The fifth topic was staffing. Mr. Johnson said a new kindergarten position must be added. Regarding the rest of the districts staffing needs, Mr. Johnson said he will bring a complete plan to the April meeting. Dean of Students Duane Motzko shared his concerns about whether a good schedule could be worked out for next year with all the expected changes the district has to include: second kindergarten, possible middle school concept, bus schedules, lunch, physical education, and computer lab time. No resolutions of the schedule were suggested. The sixth topic was the School Readiness Program. Mr. Madsen and several board members mentioned how important it was to meet with the districts daycare providers to see what they thought was a realistic program to have: morning only, afternoon only, a combination of morning and afternoon, three days, four days, etc. Discussions need to Continued on page 8.

By Tim King State Representative Mike LeMieur has introduced legislation to obtain financing for the Eagle Bend regional senior citizens center, Todd County Administrator Nathan Burkett reported at the Todd County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday March 6. Burkett said LeMieur introduced the legislation following a visit he, and the Ruda. The companies will be using Todd County Commissioners a BT spray called Foray 488. made to the State Capitol in late Commissioners approved the February. acknowledgement of the spraying He introduced the legislation on a four to one vote. the day after we visited with him, BILLS Burkett said. Commissioners approved a LeMieur currently represents total of $1,266,411.40 in Morrison County. In the Commissioner and Auditor warNovember 2012 elections, howev- rants. Among the warrants, or er, his district will include part of bills, was a $5,900.00 payment to Todd County. Forum COMM Printing. While Burkett and the commis- Administrator Burkett said he sioners were in St. Paul they visit- didnt know where that company ed with a number of legislators was but the bill was for printing including Senator Bill tax and real estate valuation Ingebrigston and Representative forms. There was also a bill from Mary Franson. Ingebrigston told Minnesota Power for $12,541.04. them he supported state bond Burkett said that payment was funding for the Eagle Bend Senior the countys regular monthly Center. Franson had told commis- power bill but it included surprissioners earlier in the year she ingly high charges for the fair thought the Senior Center was too grounds. Approximately $3,400 expensive. was for various buildings at the Im disappointed that Mary fair grounds. The detention center Franson does not support this, accounted for $4,686.82 of the Commissioner Dave Kircher said. total bill. I dont understand why she isnt a I dont know why they are so cosponsor of this legislation. high at the fair grounds, he said. County Administrator Burkett We budgeted $125,787 for elecwill travel to St. Paul to testify on tricity in 2012. behalf of Representative There was also $348,191.28 LeMieurs bill. paid to Earth Science Associates, AERIAL SPRAYING Rubys Wetland Bank, and Commissioner Dave Kircher Wetland Credit Agency. Burkett voted against approving an said those expenses were related acknowledgement that the to the Staples highway and railFederal Aviation Administration road overpass. Overpass bills have has approved aerial spraying in been paid with federal highway parts of Todd County by two aerial funds. spraying companies. Kircher, COUNTY BUILDING RENOalong with Commissioners Randy VATION Neumann and Gerald Ruda, said Contracts with two architecturthey had received constituent com- al firms were approved by commisplaints about the spraying compa- sioners. A contract, not to exceed nies in previous years. The two $6,500, was signed with Studio E companies, Central Planes Architects of Alexandria. The Aviation and Benson Air Ag, have Alexandria firm will prepare a been hired in past years by lake renovation plan for the two Annex associations to spray wooded areas buildings occupied by Todd County for forest tent caterpillars. Social Services and Public Health. I dont want it to seem like the The two departments recently concounty endorses this, Kircher solidated. Contegrity, the firm that said. I dont support it. designed the renovation of the hisKircher said lakeshore resi- toric courthouse, received a condents in his district were given no tract to make a renovation plan for warning about the spraying and the new courthouse. The new some were outdoors when the courthouse is now called the planes went over. Kirchers district Justice Building. Commissioner includes Birch Lake. Randy Neumann expressed conCommissioner Ruda said Benson cern about any ambitious, and Air Ag had sprayed in the Birch expensive plan to renovate the Lake area last year. Central buildings. Planes Aviation sprayed in the Continued on page 8. Sauk Lake area, according to

County Administrator/ Commissioners visit with legislators

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

Wed. Mar. 14 Partly Cloudy 65/37 Thur. Mar. 15 Partly Cloudy 60/37 Fri. Mar. 16 Partly Cloudy 68/50 Sat. Mar. 17 Mostly Cloudy/Wind 69/47 Sun. Mar. 18 Partly Cloudy/Wind 72/39 Mon. Mar. 19 Mostly Cloudy 62/38