Willard A. Ronnenberg, 79, of Rushford died on Saturday, July 21, 2012, at Gundersen – Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis.
Willard was born on November 25, 1932, in Rushford to Elmer and Ella (Wenzel) Ronnenberg. He was raised in Hart, Min
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Saturday, May 25th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 11:44:26, May 21st 2013 - airmaxs52274 - Have you ever thought about adding a little bit more than just your a ... [Read More]
- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
- 9:27:41, May 16th 2013 - caal girl - Nice outfit on you. I loved some of the dresses but am holding my breath ... [Read More]
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- 4:12:01, May 9th 2013 - Amanda Ziebell - Wow! Thanks to the Fillmore County Journal for this kind story. For a ... [Read More]
- 11:47:30, May 7th 2013 - EW - ramble.....ramble.....ramble..... ... [Read More]
- 10:25:25, May 7th 2013 - Thunder6 - Great article! I love to see the Youth of Fillmore County receiveing acco ... [Read More]
- 6:52:10, May 6th 2013 - Jason Sethre, Publisher of Fillmore County Journal & Olmsted County Journal - Maryh, ... [Read More]
- 7:29:56, May 5th 2013 - maryh - Where are OCJ's available for pickup...other than at the new office? ... [Read More]
- 2:41:47, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, I just looked up Senate File 796 and in it there are said p ... [Read More]
Rushford comes to terms with city hall financing
Mon, Jul 30th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Government
Posted in Rushford Government
Comments
Two weeks ago, after much back and forth debate, the city began to move forward seeking bids for the city hall project. At that time, City Administrator Steve Sarvi had stressed the importance of the council being in some accord over where funding for the project would be drawn from. Presenting four financing scenarios, Sarvi laid out the options for the council this past Monday.
Coming in with the highest recommendation from Sarvi, and likely the most flexibility for the city, is a loan from the USDA through the Minnesota Rural Water Association. The maximum amount sought would be $200,000 on a 40-year, 3.5 percent note. The USDA loan would allow for prepayment at any time, which the city already has in its sights. The payment, if the full amount was financed, would be roughly $9,400 per year through a once a year payment. The loan would originate with the Rural Water Association, but would, in standard practice, be sold to USDA.
However, Sarvi was cautious to note that even though the city would potentially seek $200,000, only the actual amount of the project estimate and bid would need to be financed. In addition, should the city receive the USDA loan pre-approval, it can decline the loan should the project be deemed too expensive or alternate funding be found.
The second scenario involves either a micro or midi-loan through the Rural Water Association. While Sarvi noted the likely lower interest of this type of loan, the term would be either seven or 15 years and would allow no early payment until either three or five years. Higher payments would occur with this scenario.
A third scenario, debated in the past, is existing internal funding by the city. This drawing down of reserves is a risk for the city and is not recommended by Sarvi.
The last scenario, also deemed not effective due to the small scale of the project, would involve putting the issue before the voters on a referendum.
Following recommendations, the council dug into the details of a potential USDA loan. “We would work with city staff to find a way to accelerate payments and mitigate overall impact to the citizens,” noted Sarvi. This could be done two ways; either through aggressive budgeting with the Capital Improvement Fund or using EDA funds, which were noted as being “robust.”
“It’s somewhat political,” continued Sarvi, when asked how the budgets could be massaged to have a .....
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Coming in with the highest recommendation from Sarvi, and likely the most flexibility for the city, is a loan from the USDA through the Minnesota Rural Water Association. The maximum amount sought would be $200,000 on a 40-year, 3.5 percent note. The USDA loan would allow for prepayment at any time, which the city already has in its sights. The payment, if the full amount was financed, would be roughly $9,400 per year through a once a year payment. The loan would originate with the Rural Water Association, but would, in standard practice, be sold to USDA.
However, Sarvi was cautious to note that even though the city would potentially seek $200,000, only the actual amount of the project estimate and bid would need to be financed. In addition, should the city receive the USDA loan pre-approval, it can decline the loan should the project be deemed too expensive or alternate funding be found.
The second scenario involves either a micro or midi-loan through the Rural Water Association. While Sarvi noted the likely lower interest of this type of loan, the term would be either seven or 15 years and would allow no early payment until either three or five years. Higher payments would occur with this scenario.
A third scenario, debated in the past, is existing internal funding by the city. This drawing down of reserves is a risk for the city and is not recommended by Sarvi.
The last scenario, also deemed not effective due to the small scale of the project, would involve putting the issue before the voters on a referendum.
Following recommendations, the council dug into the details of a potential USDA loan. “We would work with city staff to find a way to accelerate payments and mitigate overall impact to the citizens,” noted Sarvi. This could be done two ways; either through aggressive budgeting with the Capital Improvement Fund or using EDA funds, which were noted as being “robust.”
“It’s somewhat political,” continued Sarvi, when asked how the budgets could be massaged to have a .....
[Read the Rest]
Ellen Feine
Fri, Jul 27th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Obituaries
Posted in Rushford Obituaries
Ellen C. Feine, 86, of Rushford, went to be with her Savior on Wednesday, July 25, 2012, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Rushford.
She was born on February 9, 1926, in Houston County, Minn. to John and Clara (Ekre) Torgerson. She graduated f
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Willard A. Ronnenberg
Tue, Jul 24th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Obituaries
Posted in Rushford Obituaries
Willard A. Ronnenberg, 79, of Rushford died on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at Gundersen – Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis.
Willard was born on November 25, 1932, in Rushford to Elmer and Ella (Wenzel) Ronnenberg. He was raised in Hart, Minn.
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Birth Announcement-Malayna Marie Brand
Mon, Jul 23rd, 2012
Posted in Rushford Social Scenes
Posted in Rushford Social Scenes
Andrea and David Brand of Rushford, Minn. are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Malayna Marie. Malayna was born on July 16, 2012.
Maternal grandparents are Sarah and James Sommer of Lewiston, Minn. and Michael Weaver of Byron, Minn. Pa
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Rushford to seek bids on city hall project
Fri, Jul 20th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Government
Posted in Rushford Government
The debate regarding Rushford’s proposed city hall conversion and the library project continue. While the council has tentatively approved the city hall move to the former and vacant municipal liquor store, including preliminary design work, little has been finalized due to lack of funding.
Both inside funding, using money from existing city funds, and outside funding, such as a USDA loan are both up for consideration, yet it’s unclear whether either is what the council wants for the city.
“I’ll be honest, I think it’s unreasonable to spend $160,000 to move city hall down there,” noted Councilor Roger Colbenson. “How do we go about getting it done?”
To date, the city has considered leasing the building to an outside entity, transferring it to the Economic Development Authority, letting it sit vacant short term until funding can be raised, and converting it into the city hall space. While the first three options might garner little cost to the city, there has been very little interest in them and options to lease the building were not successful.
“Maybe it doesn’t make sense,” responded Councilor Vern Bunke. “Maybe we shouldn’t be spending any money. I’m not hellbent on spending money anywhere until we get a handle on this. I made a motion to move city hall down there, not to approve $160,000 being spent, but a motion to explore the possibility. It’s got to be cost effective.”
The proposed $160,000 comes from architect Jose Rivas’ study of the building, yet there is no actual bid estimates. The council has discussed doing the conversion in phases, but the architect would need to review the project as a phased and restructure his estimate, all at added cost.
“Here’s the bid package. Bid it, period. We paid for an architect, we paid the money to do all the stuff, and we sit here and argue about it. We’ve got a package ready to go, let’s see what it costs. We still have no idea what it will actually cost,” added Councilor Mark Honsey.
“The council needs to come together on a funding source,” noted City Administrator Steve Sarvi. “We never really looked at where we think we can get funding. We were always going to apply as part of the library project, but we were taken off the project and stopped looking for other sources.”
Unanimously agreeing, the council has approved putting the architect’s estimate out for bids if only to see what the conversion will actually cost. City staff has also been directed to consider any and all funding options for a conversion, including both inside and outside funding sources.
On the other half of the issue, Library Director Susan Hart read a statement to the council in light of recent comments and editorials by some council members.
“I have grown tired of misinformation,” she read. “I usually just let it go as not worth the time and effort, but lately I pondering that if misinformation and untruths are repeated long enough and loudly enough, it will then become the truth in the minds of those who want to believe it.”
“While it is true that at the end of fiscal year 2011, the city cash reserves were at 11 percent, as FEMA reimbursements come in, that scenario is changing. The citizens of this community should be grateful that prior councils had built up healthy reserves while still encouraging economic growth. The latest financial charts and graphs from Mike Bubany, of David Drown Associates, show per capita debt over a thousand dollars less than quoted ‘fact.’”
“There has been one active capital campaign for a new library. The city did not ‘bail out’ the library board’s efforts. The fundraising project has not failed, it just had the rug pulled out from under it by this council stopping the library project, interfering with FEMA funding by rescinding project application, and losing the USDA loan and grant through stalling and massive changes to the scope of the original project. We has really only just begun to fund raise. The library board has returned, upon request, over $200,000 in cash, pledges, and in-kind offers from those who believed in the new library project.
“Where is the city strategic plan? What action goals have been set for the city? What has been accomplished in the last couple of years that was not already part of a project underway and moving towards completion? If your ‘plate’ isn’t full, with plans for the future growth of the city and with ways to expand the tax base, you may not be doing your job as a city governing representative,” concluded Hart.
The city will continue to wait as the council works to find a suitable resolution to both the city hall and library issues.
In other news, the plans for a new Brooklyn Park are underway. The former park was uprooted due to massive utility work following the flood of 2007 and upgrades will need to be made to the site per guidelines.
The neighborhood group, spearheaded by Heidi Halverson, has been working diligently with the city on a plan for the site and has a tentative design in place. Working cooperatively with the neighborhood group, the city has approved a plan for the playground with the stipulation that all of the funding for the project is in place prior to any construction start. The city will offer site preparation, insurance, and maintenance of the park, as well as $5,000 in funding, which was set aside for the project at the end of 2011.
The projected cost to the new park and play structure is expected to be just under $31,000. The neighborhood group has already conducted fundraising of its own, but grant writing, with approval from the council, will need to be done to seek the remaining funds. Carolyn Dunham will do the grant writing on behalf of both groups.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, July 23, at 6:30pm, at city hall. The public is encouraged to attend.
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R-P looking at phased new facility
Fri, Jul 20th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
After losing out on various state funding for its New School Initiative for a new pre-K-12 facility, R-P is leaving no stone unturned looking at alternative options. This includes an option for a two-part phased construction of the facility instead
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Beating the heat this summer
Fri, Jul 13th, 2012
Posted in Rushford All
Posted in Rushford All
This spring and summer have shown many record-breaking temperatures in Minnesota, and we recently had a long string of days with highs in the 90s, with high humidity. What does this mean for power companies and utility bills?
Tri-County Electric
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Rushford-Peterson fall activities
Fri, Jul 13th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Sports
Posted in Rushford Sports
Welcome to another year of Rushford-Peterson activities. Students wanting to participate in a fall activity need to plan to attend the fall parent and student eligibility night on Thursday, August 9. Students and parents in grades 7-8 will meet in t
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