City of Luverne seeks bids for Sybesma Subdivision 
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Sealed proposals will be received by the City Council of Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota at the Luverne City Offices, 305 East Luverne Street, P.O. Box 659, Luverne, Minnesota 56156 on Tuesday, the 6th of June, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. for the Sybesma Subdivision Connection to the Luverne Loop, Luverne, Minnesota, at which time the proposals shall be publicly opened and read aloud by the City Administrator and Engineer.
The approximate quantities of work on which proposals will be received are as follows:
 
8,036 S.F. PCC Sidewalk (Thickness varies)
140 S.Y. Concrete Pavement
106 L.F. Storm Sewer, Varies Sizes
1 Ea. Storm Structure
400 C.Y. Common Borrow
400 C.Y. Topsoil, On-Site
 
and other related items of construction.
All bids shall be made on proposal forms furnished by the Engineer and shall be accompanied by bid security in the form of a certified check or bid bond, made payable to the City of Luverne, Minnesota, in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the bid, which security becomes the property of the City in the event the successful bidder fails to enter into contract and post satisfactory bond.  Work shall commence 
on or after June 26, 2023. All work shall be completed by September 16, 2023.
The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive technicalities and irregularities. The City also reserves the right to increase, decrease or 
delete items of work to comply with budget limitations.
The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 
The Contractor and all subcontractors shall submit to the Owner a signed statement
verifying compliance with each of the criteria described in the State of Minnesota
“Responsible Contractor” law as codified in Minnesota Statute section 16C.285. See the
Instructions to Bidders for more details.
Complete digital project bidding documents are available at www.questcdn.com. You may download the digital plan documents for $22.00 by inputting Quest project #8508625 on the website's Project Search page. Please contact QuestCDN.com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance in free membership registration, downloading, and working with this digital project information. An optional paper set of the proposal forms and specifications for individual use may be obtained from the office of the Engineer, DGR Engineering, 1302 South Union, P.O. Box 511, Rock Rapids, Iowa 51246, telephone 712-472-2531, Fax 712-472-2710,
e-mail: dgr@dgr.com, upon payment of $50.00, none of which is refundable.
Published upon order of the City Council of Luverne, Minnesota.
 
        CITY OF LUVERNE, MINNESOTA
        By /s/ Patrick T. Baustian, Mayor
(05-18)

City of Luverne amends
Ordinance No. 34
ORDINANCE NO. 34, FOURTH SERIES
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING LUVERNE CITY CODE CHAPTER 111: 
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, AMENDING SECTION 111.060, SUBDIVISION D LIQUOR LICENSE REQUIRED
THE CITY OF LUVERNE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN:
SECTION 1. That City Code Chapter 111, Alcoholic Beverages, amending section 111.060, subd. D Liquor License Required, is hereby amended to read as follows:
§ 111.060 LIQUOR LICENSE REQUIRED.
(D) On-sale wine license and an on-sale malt liquor license to a person who is the owner of a summer collegiate league baseball team or baseball team competing in a league established by the Minnesota Baseball Association, or to a person holding a concessions or management contract with the owner, for beverage sales at a ballpark or stadium located within the municipality for the purposes of summer collegiate league baseball games, town ball games, and any other events at the ballpark or stadium, notwithstanding any law, local ordinance, or charter provision. A license issued under this paragraph authorizes sales on all days of the week to persons attending
baseball games and any other events at the ballpark or stadium.
Statutory reference:
   Related provisions, see M.S. § 340A.404, subd. D.
SEC. 2.  This ordinance takes full force and effect seven (7) days after its publication.
(05-18)

Construction of the Minnesota National Guard Luverne Readiness Center has progressed as scheduled since the December 2021 groundbreaking.
For the first four months of 2023, however, construction slowed, according to project manager Kelly Sandborg with Brennan Companies of Mankato.
“The winter was horrible with all the storm events,” he said last week. “Wind, snow — winter didn’t want to give up.”
Despite the weather delays, construction of the nearly 47,000-square-foot readiness center is on track for an August finish.
Sandborg said the weather primarily delayed work on the landscape, which will resume soon.
The $17.5 million building on West Koehn Avenue near I-90 will be the new home of the Alpha Battery, 125th Field Artillery Regiment this fall.
The facility features an assembly hall, work bays, storage areas, classrooms, administrative offices, fitness center, kitchen and locker rooms.
“This project is a unique one with the KAHR Foundation,” said project manager Justin Skogland with the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs. “It (the $6.2 million KAHR contribution) increased the footprint of the assembly hall or drill floor.”
When not in use by the guardsmen, portions of the readiness center will be available for community use, a role that has been limited in the current armory on Freeman Avenue in Luverne.
At 10,716 square feet, the assembly or drill hall is a third larger than those included in the traditional armory floor plan.
The hall will be striped for three basketball courts and two volleyball courts. Permanent pickleball courts will not be included.
The Luverne readiness center is the first of its kind to be built with federal, state and private funds.
The KAHR Foundation is the philanthropic organization of Jeannine Rivet and Warren Herreid.

Otten estate
STATE OF MINNESOTA fifth judicial district
                                                                         DISTRICT COURT
COUNTY OF ROCK                                                                     PROBATE DIVISION
 
Estate of                                                                         Court File No. 67-PR-23-101
Lavonne Katherine Otten,
Deceased                                     NOTICE OF INFORMAL APPOINTMENT OF
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND
                                                            NOTICE TO CREDITORS (INTESTATE) 
 
Notice is given that application for informal appointment of personal representative
has been filed with the Registrar. No will has been presented for probate. The
application has been granted.
Notice is also given that the Registrar has informally appointed Sharla Reisch, whose address is 1137 Spruce Ave., Luverne, Minnesota, 56156, as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are filed with the Court (pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.
Any objections to the appointment of the Personal Representative must be
filed with this Court and will be heard by the Court after the filing of an appropriate petition
and proper notice of hearing.
Notice is also given that (subject to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the 
date of this Notice or the claims will be barred.
 
Date Filed: May 8, 2023 /s/ Terry S. Vajgrt
District Court Judge
 
Attorney for Personal Representative /s/ Natalie Reisch Jennifer L. J. Gilk Court Administrator
Gilk Legacy Law, PLLC
513 E. Bridge Street
PO Box 126
Redwood Falls, MN 56283
Attorney License No: 238363
Telephone: 507-627-4525
FAX: 507-627-4528
Email: office@gilklegacylaw.com
(05-18, 05-25)

Luverne actresses Brenda Winter and DJ Luethje returned to the Generations stage Thursday night as the popular “Marlene and Darlene” who had the audience of over 300 people rolling with laughter.
The May 11 event marked the fourth annual performance for the hapless elderly sisters who drove their “Toyota from Leota” to help Generations raise money for its operations.
“It was an amazing and fun show,” said Generations president George Bonnema.
“These talented ladies have a way of coming up with one-liners and facial expressions to support their conversation that is uniquely their own.”
Auctioneer Yvette Vander Brink joined the comedy act incorporating the auction of 10 “beautiful, elegant cakes donated by local specialty bakers,” said Bonnema, who also donated his famous carrot cakes for the auction and the raffle.
The cake auction contributed $4,150 to the overall evening receipts of $13,000, which will be used for programming expenses at Generations.
“The Generations event team members express their sincere appreciation for the people who supported and attended this great event,” Bonnema said.  
Among the fundraising efforts that evening was the raffle of a quilt started by the late Sandy Winter (Brenda Winter’s mother) before she died last fall.
 Marian Schneekloth and other Generations quilters finished it in time for the event on May 11, which happened to be Winter’s birthday.
Her husband, Gerald, and their children and grandchildren were in attendance.
 
Mortgage burning
In addition to the fundraising event, the Generations board burned their mortgage (in a large glass jar) to represent the total repayment of the loan plus interest to purchase the building.
It cost $975,000. They borrowed $600,000 at 4.24 percent, which meant another $27,000 had to be paid for interest on the loan.
As the audience applauded the burning mortgage, Bonnema reminded the group that Generation’s expenses are ongoing.
“The membership dues are still needed to pay the light bill,” he said. “That’s another $1,540 per month —times 12 months, so we’re looking at $18,480 per year just for utilities.”
That’s in addition to snow removal, property maintenance and other expenses, Bonnema said, explaining that fundraising efforts are ongoing.
But he stressed that Thursday’s fundraiser was for activities such as music, dancing, live music, cards, speakers, coffee and cookies, puzzle tournaments, make-and-take projects, SAIL fitness classes and more.
Generations takes in revenue through renting out the building for private parties, weddings, reunions, graduations and other occasions.
Also, Lutheran Social Services rents the kitchen and facility to serve senior diners in the area — roughly 20 to 60 people who eat lunch Monday through Friday.
LSS kitchen staff and volunteers also package and deliver home-delivered meals to Luverne, Adrian, Worthington, Pipestone, Hardwick, Jasper, Hills, Beaver Creek and Steen.
In all, the Generations kitchen serves 4,000 meals per month. Last March, 4685 meals were prepared.
Bonnema said the Generations organization mission statement is to “Live Well and Age Well,” and new members 55 and older are welcome to join “for nutrition, education, recreation, socialization and fitness.”
The Generations Facebook page lists events and menus for each month.

Construction on the alumni garden on the Luverne Middle-High School campus began in earnest last week with landscapers spending days removing dirt from the location.
Steve “Junior” Selseth with Oh’Landscapes out of Mayer, Minnesota, is heading up the project.
“This whole project is design built,” he said. “There is a basic format that was agreed upon but basically it is built as we go.”
Once the area is fully excavated, the project will begin first with the setting of 154 tons of granite slaps. Sioux quartzite boulders will be added along with similar materials used in other monuments and gardens in Luverne.
After preparations to improve drainage and the installation of electrical and irrigation lines are complete, the garden build will begin.
Timeline has Selseth moving the granite pieces into place the first week in June with construction finished before the start of the 2023-24 school year in September.
“It’s going to be a cool project,” Selseth said.
The alumni garden is a Luverne Education Legacy Fund (LELF) project, which funds various school facility improvements through community donations.
The garden project is primarily funded through the KAHR Foundation, including a hall of fame wall to recognize former Luverne students.
Initial costs were slated at $1.4 million.
The existing steel canopy will be incorporated into the garden design that includes a 30- to 40- person seating area with podium and sound system.
Vegetation will surround the garden.
 
Alumni hall of fame unveiled this fall
The inaugural induction for the Luverne Public School’s Alumni Hall of Fame will take place this fall during the district homecoming weekend.
Luverne Superintendent Craig Oftedahl reported to the March 23 school board that the selection committee received 20 applications.
“Very deserving nominations” is how Oftedahl described the candidates.
The committee anticipates selecting no more than eight individuals to honor. Nominees not selected this year will be considered the following year.
Individuals selected will have shown excellence in their profession; exceptional service, volunteerism and/or contributions to society; excellence in their personal endeavors; and/or contributions to education. Individuals must exhibit qualities of character and action to be outstanding role models for current students supporting District 2184’s vision: Learn, live, lead.

Bright smiles and enthusiastic applause Friday afternoon capped a successful junior kindergarten year at Luverne Elementary School.
The 12 students in the inaugural class performed their first musical program Friday afternoon in front of a large group of family and friends gathered in the gymnasium.
Music teacher Morgan Van Holland watched the students’ confidence grow since they started in September as they learned to use good singing voices (not shouting) and maintain a steady beat.
“When I had students come up with actions or ideas, I only had a few who were willing to share,” she said. “Now I have almost the whole class sharing.”
Van Holland’s music curriculum nurtured skills that students learned from teacher Susan Bullerman in the classroom. These include raising hands before speaking, following directions and learning the difference between walking and running feet.
Luverne established the junior kindergarten program as a voluntary option for the 2022-23 school year.
“Kindergarten classes often have students with limited exposure to the school environment, and at the same time some students who can read and write already,” said Principal Stacy Gillette.
“This discrepancy commonly leads to student frustration and an increase in inappropriate behaviors — which is a challenge for the teacher and puts a strain on the school support system. Such situations do not set up students for success.”
State education officials encourage all children who are 5 years old by Sept. 1 to enroll in kindergarten.
In Luverne, Gillette added, parents of students who turn 5 in the summer months often wait to send them to kindergarten until they turn age 6.
However, the cost of preschool tuition, ineligibility of learning scholarships and lack of day care have prompted parents to enroll their 5-year-olds in kindergarten ahead of their readiness.
“We proposed that instead of holding these students, let’s create a program to address their needs and welcome them to school,” Gillette said.
The all-day/every-day schedule mimics that of the regular kindergarten program.
Students attend recess, lunch, physical education, music and are transported to and from school the same as other elementary students.
The difference is in the classroom, where the teacher focuses on hands-on activities.
“The curriculum covers pre-kindergarten skills to get them ready for kindergarten the next year,” Gillette said.
Junior kindergarten is offered again in the fall due to the positive results from the inaugural class. It’s for students who will be 5 by Sept. 1, 2023.

Greeting customers and handling money is the only career Carol Nelson has known for 50 years.
To recognize the milestone, the staff of Security Savings Bank, Luverne, will honor Nelson Wednesday, May 24, at the bank on West Gabrielson Road.
The public open house will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
She insists the celebration is not for an upcoming retirement announcement.
“I think I’ll stick it out for a while longer,” she said. “I just enjoy it.”
Nelson (nee Wallenburg) began working for Exchange State Bank as a senior at Hills-Beaver Creek High School in 1973.
She moved from the Hills location to Luverne in 2011.
Ryan DeBates, Luverne market president, nominated Nelson for the Pioneer Club through the Minnesota Bankers Association (MBA).
“The experience Carol has through her 50 years of banking is invaluable,” DeBates said. “She’s seen us through all the technology upgrades and improvements over the past five decades, and her involvement in implementing those successful changes is quite an achievement. We are appreciative of her dedication.”
Nelson will be recognized by the MBA for her 50 years of active service and industry leadership at the annual Summit Celebration Luncheon on June 13.

Luverne City Council members at their May 9 meeting authorized sale of general obligation improvement bonds in the amount of $1,585,000 to finance the Lopau housing addition development.
During the bid letting that morning, four firms submitted proposals for the bond sale, and Robert W. Baird investment bank was awarded the sale at 3.37 percent (better than the estimated 3.56 percent).
The city retained Northland Securities Inc., Minneapolis, to advise the sale of the bonds, and George Eilertson of the firm reported to the council Tuesday night. 
“Housing is a need in Luverne, and this is a project in line with that,” he said.
“The bonds will be issued to finance the public improvements with that project to get it ready for single family and twin home development. That is certainly a positive for the city.”
The bonds are structured with a 12-year financing term with a call date Feb. 1, 2030, which is the date the city could start prepaying on the bonds
“Hopefully by that date and any date thereafter you’ve sold all the lots and you can pay off the bond,” Eilertson said.
He said the Luverne’s strong financial management, strong fiscal policies, and solid budget reserves contributed to the city’s strong AA-minus bond rating through Standard and Poor’s rating.
Bond funds will hit the city’s account on June 1.
Construction to start this spring, lots ready this fall
Henning Construction of Adrian was the low bidder for the project at $1,480,513.80 (nearly $270,000 lower than the engineer’s estimate of $1.75 million).
The utility and infrastructure construction project includes an 8-inch sanitary sewer main and 6- and 12-inch water mains to serve the 24 residential lots.
Nineteen lots will be designated for single-family homes and five will be multi-family lots for twin homes (10 units on the north end).
Construction of infrastructure and utilities will start this spring and should be substantially complete this fall.
The existing property will be graded to accommodate a variety of houses, which include slab on grade structures, walk-out basements, garden window basements and full basements.
Lots will be accessed by 36-foot-wide asphalt streets, and drainage will follow curb and gutters, drainage swales in backyards and a storm sewer system that outlets into a detention basin on the east side of the extended North Walnut Avenue.
The detention basin will retain a portion of storm water on site that will drain through a filter before out-letting upstream of Poplar Creek and will reduce the proposed runoff flow rate.
The Luverne Economic Development Authority owns the lots and will host a public hearing later this year to set lot prices and establish protective covenants.
The lots will be on the market in 2023 and will be available for new home construction in 2024.
LEDA will use a combination of cash reserves and the revenue from lot sales to make bond payments, in addition to special assessments on the new properties and property tax levies.