New Vision Co-Op intends to build a warehouse next spring in another expansion plan at its Magnolia feed mill.
Rock County commissioners agreed in a 4-1 vote to abate property taxes for new 62-by-352-foot warehouse during a Nov. 8 public hearing.
 No one from the public commented at the hearing or in writing.
The amount of abated taxes over the 10-year period will total $83,841.
Commissioner Stan Williamson opposed the abatement, stating he preferred a five-year abatement, which would bring additional revenue into the county budget sooner.
The tax abatement program is an incentive for local businesses to expand in Rock County.
Business owners can apply to the program that provides 10 years of tax relief on the property’s added value.
“It has done exactly what we hope these types of projects would do … increase the tax base and increase the employment base,” said County Administrator Kyle Oldre.
Williamson also opposed the abatement granted to New Vision earlier this year, also at the Magnolia location, for an additional storage facility and a new grain bin.
Under the warehouse agreement, $11,977 is abated in years one through five. The amount is reduced annually by 20 percent each year until the ninth year when only $2,396 is abated.
The new warehouse will be located near the railroad tracks on the extreme south side of the cooperative’s property.
Discussions with the Ellis & Eastern Railroad resulted in the change in the building’s design.
“They didn’t want them (New Vision) in the railroad’s right of way, so they are redesigning the building a little bit,” Oldre said. “They will still maintain that square footage but they will shift the entry point.”
The warehouse will store bagged feed for purchase by customers. New Vision expects to hire two additional full-time employees as a result of the expansion, bringing the total number of employees to 25, according to Oldre.
The warehouse is the fourth abatement granted to New Vision Co-Op in the past 11 years.
The company received a five-year abatement in 2011 to build the $16 million Magnolia feed mill. A 10-year tax abatement was granted in 2016 for a $1.2 million fertilizer and grain storage expansion at the Hills location.
 
Nykamp housing initiative request granted
Commissioners unanimously granted Alex and Shannon Nykamp a five-year tax abatement on a new home built in Battle Plain Township.
The public hearing also took place Nov. 8 with no public comments.
Abatement total is $4,046 ($809 per year) and involves only the county’s increased share of new house value. The new home’s value is estimated at $381,400. The land value and previous house value prior to the new home was $30,000.
The request is part of the Rock County Home Initiative for homeowners to request tax abatement on new residential structures.
“The program is doing exactly what we want it to do,” said commissioner Jody Reisch. “We continue to get our base for our taxes and yet we are adding value to the other entities.”

Due to the poor treatment of her staff leading up to this year’s Nov. 8 general election, Rock County Auditor Ashley Kurtz is asking mail ballot precincts to return to in-person voting.
For months, Kurtz’s office fielded anonymous calls, and on Friday, Dec. 2, she addressed township supervisors at their annual association meeting.
“My staff was in tears about the way they were treated,” Kurtz said. “We have to do something. I don’t know what the answer is. We can at least start the conversation.”
Township supervisors in attendance agreed to set up times for Kurtz to meet with them individually and discuss the various voting options.
Callers to the auditor’s office who claimed the county’s voting system, especially the use of mail ballots, was fraudulent were often unpleasant.
“I am just here to start the discussion about ‘Do we want to stay with mail ballots’ or ‘Do we want to look at going back to polling places?’” Kurtz asked.
Of Rock County’s 24 voting precincts, 18 townships currently use the mail ballot process in which registered voters automatically have a ballot sent to their homes through the mail. The registered voter fills out the ballot at home following enclosed instructions. Once sealed, the ballot is mailed back to the auditor’s office to arrive on or before Election Day.
As an option, voters in a mail ballot precinct can still vote in person at the Rock County Courthouse on Election Day.
Kurtz said more than 200 voters from mail ballot precincts voted in person at the most recent election on Nov. 8.
“So I feel people are moving toward wanting to come to polling places. We have people who love mail ballots, too,” she said.
“There is not a system that is going to keep everyone happy but at the same time we need to do something different than what happened.
“This (November) was my eighth election and by far the worst election answering questions and listening to their beliefs,” Kurtz said.
While Kurtz didn’t detail specific conversations, callers frequently didn’t identify themselves and became belligerent when office staff explained the voting and canvassing processes.
Callers alleged that the mail ballot process is fraudulent with ballots mailed to deceased residents or to people not registered in the county.
“That’s really not the case,” Kurtz said. “We can explain our process from start to finish, but they still walk away.”
Canvassing of the Nov. 8 election results did not find any discrepancies in tabulation and was certified as accurate.
The Nov. 8 general election wasn’t the first election in 2022 in Rock County.
Due to a special election called to fill the open District 1 U.S. representative seat, an extra primary and election was conducted this summer in the timeframe of the 2022 midterm elections. The overlapping of deadlines led to more questions coming to the auditor’s office.
Kurtz’s conversation with township supervisors was supported by the county commissioners, who all attended the township association meeting.
Commissioner and Board Chairman Jody Reisch said commissioners directed Kurtz to have callers who have questions about the state’s voting process talk directly to the board.
“If there is an issue, we can fix it,” he said. “We all want things done the right way and we have no time for anybody to be belligerent or treat folks less than kind. I am glad Ashley brought this up today. We are open to suggestions to make this fair and good to exercise your right as a U.S. citizen.”
Township supervisors decide which voting system to use in their individual townships. Many townships turned to mail ballots due to the lack of people wanting to serve as election judges, accessible polling locations and cost of electronic voting machines.
Kurtz understands those township supervisors who’ve chosen to be mail ballot precincts and their reluctance to return to in-person voting.
“Nobody wants to sit there all day, especially at primary elections when you sit there all day for a handful of voters,” she said.

Meetings
Vienna Township Board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the Kenneth Community Center.
Beaver Creek Township Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at the township hall.
American Legion Auxiliary #123 will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at Pizza Ranch. Members are asked to bring items for the Food Shelf. Call Dianna Tomlinson, 507-283-1934.
 
‘Built like a Bison’ at Blue Mounds Dec. 10
Bison have roamed the American West for thousands of years from numbers in the millions to just a few hundred, including today’s herd at Blue Mounds State Park. Meet at the park picnic shelter from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 10, for “Built like a Bison,” to learn what it takes for these creatures to thrive on the prairie. The program will conclude with an optional craft project to take home. Call 507-283-6057 with questions.
 
Donate blood Dec. 12 in Adrian
Sanford Health Adrian Clinic and Community Blood Bank will host a blood drive from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at the Adrian EMS Building. Donors can schedule through www.cbblifeblood.org under “events” or call 605-331-3222. All who donate receive a $10 Subway gift card. 
 
Final New Life Celebration food distribution Dec. 15
New Life Celebration Church’s final monthly food giveaway is at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Atlas building at 101 W. Maple Street in Luverne.
Enter from Maple Street and stay along the west side of the building. Parking lot opens at 3 p.m. Do not block the Redeemed Remnants lot, intersection or alley.
Food will be loaded into vehicles, which exit via the alley going west. Call 507-283-8963 or 507-283-4366.
Note: This is the final food distribution through New Life Celebration Church, which has offered the ministry since 2005.
 
Community Ed
Community Education will offer the following classes in the next few weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to register.
Students (grades 1-3) will follow along with the instructor step by step to create a painting at Paint & Snack class on Dec. 12.  Fee is $33.
 Students (grades 4-6) will follow along with the instructor step by step to create a painting at Paint & Snack class on Dec. 19.  Fee is $33.
New Residents: Census Information Needed for Preschool Children. Call 507-283-4724 with information for children ages 0 to kindergarten. The school district uses the information for planning purposes, mailing out information on school events, including the state-mandated Preschool Screening for all 3-year-old children. If your child is 4 and has not been screened, call to complete the screening before kindergarten.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
 
Food Shelf evening hours
The Rock County Food Shelf is now open for an additional evening shift from 5 to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Call Mary at 507-227-5548 or Katie at 507-227-3531.
 
CoffeeBreak Bible Study meets Tuesdays
CoffeeBreak Bible Study meets each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. There will be StoryHour Bible stories and playtime for ages 3 to kindergarten, and a nursery is available. It’s free for all faiths and no prior Bible knowledge is necessary. Call Kristi Stroeh at 507-227-5102 or email atkristi.stroeh@hotmail.com
 
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.

WCCO reporters were in Luverne Tuesday afternoon to interview Betty Mann at the Rock County History Center.
They were interested in the fact that there are more nutcrackers in Luverne than there are people. (Luverne’s latest census in 2020 fell just short of 5,000.)
The filming crew focused on both the nutcracker collection — now at more than 5,000, and also the community’s unique draws.
For example, they were in Luverne earlier this year to explore the Blue Mounds State Park.
The segment will air just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, on the CBS local channels. It can also be watched on wcco.com any time after that.

Cleveringa Construction and Real Estate Retrievers celebrated the opening of the new office complex in the former Luverne Farm Store/True Value building on South Highway 75 in Luverne.
Cleveringa Construction did the remodeling work when Real Estate Retrievers bought the property and decided to lease the extra office space that was for rent on the south side.
“It’s been a good move, because the street traffic has been good,” Merlin Cleveringa said. (see the related story about his retirement and sale of the construction business.)
“The nice thing is Real Estate Retrievers does all our closings for us, so it kind of works back and forth both ways. It’s a good mix.”

The city of Hills received a $120,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
The money will further the city’s project to convert a former commercial building into a facility that houses three independent family child care businesses.
Hills was one of 17 communities who split $2.5 million to increase the supply of quality child care providers to support regional economic development.
Governor Tim Walz announced the grant awards in a Thursday, Dec. 1, press release.
“In every community across the state, we hear from families and small businesses that increasing access to affordable child care is the best way to support the work force, grow our economy and foster economic prosperity,” Walz said.
Hills began their day care project earlier this year when city officials acquired a tax-forfeited property from the county.
They spent $25,000 cleaning up the commercial building located on South Main Avenue. The building formerly housed four individual businesses before most recently becoming a private home.
Shortly after acquiring the building, Hills officials requested and received $100,000 from Rock County commissioners to assist in the building’s remodel. The $100,000 was a portion of federal dollars the county received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Carolyn Diedrich of Luverne took top honors at the inaugural Flannel Fest chili cook-off Saturday at the Big Top Tents & Events.
Diedrich bested six other competitors in the fundraiser for the Luverne Hockey Association.
“The whole day was a great turnout,” said Amber Lais with the Luverne Area Chamber. “Some things weren’t well attended, but overall it was a good day.”
The most attended events included “Pizza, Pitchers & Puzzle,” where 18 four-person teams had to complete a 300-piece puzzle, drink 12 cans of beer and eat a large pizza, and Beer Pong, where 20 teams competed against each other.
In the best-dressed flannel contest, Logan Norman and Madi Oye took top honors.

The Luverne Area Chamber’s annual meeting is Monday night, and it will be a time for board members, businesses and individuals to reflect on the organization’s mission and accomplishments.
Looking at the agenda, it appears the past year has seen a dizzying level of community events to promote the town.
For example, in 2022 the Chamber and its partners:
·Welcomed approximately 6,000 visitors to the Rock County Veterans Memorial Building. 
·Assisted in coordinating three charter bus tours and seven family reunions. 
·Answered approximately 50 calls per week from people asking for information about individuals, businesses, organizations, institutions and events. 
·Celebrated community growth by hosting 12 ribbon-cuttings. 
·Worked on member information and support through 11 “Love the Business Coffees.” 
·Worked with the Cardinal Pride Committee, Luverne Baseball Association, Rock County Fair Board and community businesses on hosting special events in the community. 
·Distributed over 75 hometown greeter bags to new residents. 
·Assisted in coordinating the nutcracker fine art project of placing and dedicating three 7-foot nutcrackers along the Main Street corridor. 
·Conducted a successful charitable raffle of two E-bikes, with proceeds supporting new projects, events and initiatives approved by the Chamber Board. 
·Hosted community events that drew an estimated 37,000 people to town throughout the year.
·Distributed the Star Herald’s Luverne Visitors Guides (filling over 1,500 individual requests plus shipping of 25 cases of 90 guides to Travel Information Centers and Chambers). 
·Continued promoting the community through partnerships with Explore Minnesota. 
In the December Chamber newsletter, director Jane Lanphere thanked businesses, organizations and individuals for their help in making the holidays special and making the community vibrant all year long.
“On behalf of the adults and children of this community –our most sincere thank you for weeks of wonderful special events and happenings,” she wrote.
“There are countless institutions, organizations, businesses and individuals who have worked diligently to provide so many great experiences for those of us living here and away. There is hardly a day of the week that something unique isn’t going on that we can do and enjoy ... and that’s because of all of you.”

While taking pictures at the Luverne Cardinals season-opening gymnastics match, I knelt down to get a better shot of the athletes.
It’s not unusual for me for me to duck down, mainly so I don’t block any of the spectators’ views.
What made last week notable is that I easily stood up without the usual grunts and side rolls to push myself off the floor.
A month ago I joined an online fitness group called S7 Wellness.
Since then I’ve been held accountable to calorie counts, taking 7,000 steps and drinking at least 75 ounces of water each day.
So far, I’ve lost 15 pounds, which my oldest daughter, who is S7’s nutrition coach, contributes mainly to water loss.
I’ll take the water loss, especially since I’ve kept that weight off through Thanksgiving.
With fewer pounds, I fit into my clothes better. I sleep better. With twice-a-week yoga workouts I find (much to my surprise) I can get to my feet a lot more fluidly than I used to.
I’ve learned fat can be lost only by eating better and not by sweating it off. That suits me just fine, since I don’t enjoy running or lifting weights.
The online wellness is tailored to fitting into my current routine.
I am eating foods I normally would have eaten, but I am making better choices, eating regularly while watching the portion sizes.
Surprisingly, I used to not eat enough calories during the week and binged on the weekends. When I was hungry, I would grab something convenient that was high in calories but low in nutritional value.
Slowly, I’m bringing my metabolism back to where my daily calorie count is increasing and the scale is staying at the same weight or going lower.
Best of all, I am able to easily get up off the floor without embarrassment.