By Jolene Farley
The Hills City Council meeting went late Tuesday night as the council reviewed a rough draft of the proposed budget for 2002.

Council members worked their way through each accounting area trying to estimate what expenses would total for the next accounting year.

Wage and benefit increases for city employee, Wayne Ward, caused lengthy discussion. Insurance premiums have drastically increased because of age and health concerns for people covered under the plan. Ward received no wage increase last year because of increased insurance costs.

Insurance premiums for Ward will increase from the current rate of $683 per month to $944 on Oct. 1, with another increase to $1,074 per month in January.

Ward came armed with wage and benefit information for his position from cities of comparable size.
"I do think he should get some kind of a wage increase," said Councilman Dana Dahlquist.

All parties involved settled for a 5-percent wage increase to $12.24 per hour and a 70-percent city, 30-percent employee co-pay on insurance premiums.

This led to discussion on how to compensate other city employees.

"Do you want to give out wage increases equal to health insurance?" asked Leenderts, arguing to keep wages and benefits separate. "Health insurance is a benefit."

"We are not the reason Wayne is using the insurance," said Mayor George Langford. "How are we going to compensate the rest of the employees, the council, the garbage haulers?"

It was decided City Clerk Connie Wiertzema would received a 5.3-percent wage increase to $14 per hour. Wiertzema is the only other city employee eligible for health insurance coverage.

All other city employees received a 4-percent increase across the board.

Moving on, the council budgeted $2,000 for expenses associated with moving the post office into the city office building. Because of post office budget constraints, the decision to move into the city office is on hold until the end of the post office's fiscal year in September.

The council allocated $5,000 toward a new pickup for the street department. This amount was added to $5,000 allocated last year.

Seal coating streets in Hills is expected to cost $25,000 to $30,000. The council anticipates replacing the city's dump truck at $10,000 to $15,000.

Discussion about the Community Hall or American Legion building was lengthy. The list of repairs needed on the building is extensive.

Councilman Arlen Leenderts suggested looking into new construction instead of spending so much to repair an old building. Leenderts suggested a survey be sent out to determine the public's opinion.

The council decided to budget $10,000 for new wiring in the building, because of safety concerns.

After discussion, a motion passed to increase water rates by 50 cents per 1,000 gallons.

"It would be something to see the water fund in the black," said Mayor George Langford.

Although the sewer fund showed a profit of $1,210 last year, the council voted to increase sewer rates by $1 per hookup. The large-user rate will increase by $10.

In other business...
Extending North Water Avenue was tabled until legal descriptions are finished for the area. "If we do the street, are we going to have it in the right place for the legal description?" asked Langford. "I would hate to start grading the road, then have to move it."

The council voted to donate $150 toward Old Fashioned Saturday Night.

The date for fall junk pickup was set for Sept. 22.

The council reviewed a bid from Wally's Nursery for landscape work by the fire hall. Council members want to reduce the $1,500 bid to the $500 to $700 range. Wally's Nursery will be asked for a new bid.

By Katrina Vander Kooi
"It's pretty much been a bachelor farm," Harley Christiansen, Beaver Creek, said about his farm. "During the 100 years there has never been a child born on this place," Christiansen said.

This year Christiansen's 159-acre farm, located a couple miles northwest of Beaver Creek, was designated a 2001 Century Farm by the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau.

To qualify for the award, families must have had continuous family ownership of a farm at least 100 years and the farm must be at least 50 acres in size.

Christiansen's farm was first bought on Sept. 1, 1900, by his grandfather, John Sandstede. Sandstede lived on the farm from 1900 to 1907, and after he passed on, his wife, Hannah, owned the farm until 1926.

In 1926 it changed hands again to Ida Sandstede, John's sister, and she owned the farm until 1959 when Christiansen bought it. "During the 100 years there have been more mortgages than you could shake a stick at," Christiansen said.

He still lives there today and rents out the farmland. "I have lived there longer than the rest of them and paid more than the rest of them," Christiansen said smiling.

Through 100 years of changes, there are still two historical buildings on the farm. "There were no buildings on the land when my grandfather got here, so he brought buildings over from Beaver Creek," Christiansen said.

The barn and house were moved onto the property. "The house used to be the judge's chamber in Beaver Creek," Christiansen said.

Even though the farm was 100 years old in September 2000, Christiansen couldn't apply for distinction last year. "I couldn't qualify last year because the application had to be in by July, and the farm wouldn't be a century farm until September," Christiansen said.

Besides the aluminum building sign and a commemorative certificate signed by the president of the State Fair and governor of Minnesota, one of Christiansen's relatives built him a large sign out of wood that reads "Century Farm" and it has the dates, Sept. 1, 1900, to Sept. 1, 2000.

Christiansen hopes to keep the farm in the family after he is gone. He is a bachelor, but his sisters have children who could carry on ownership of the family farm.

Teacher Michele Baker removes her alphabet train from the wall of one of the kindergarten classrooms at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School. Baker is preparing her new classroom down the hall for the start of school on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Services for Herman Knock will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at First Reformed Church in Sioux Falls, S.D., with burial at Delaware Reformed Cemetery, Lennox, S.D. Visitation begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls with the family present from 7 to 8 p.m.

Herman E. Knock, 91, Hills, formerly of Sioux Falls, died Sunday, Aug. 12, 2001, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.

Herman Knock was born to Harm and Fenna (Niggendyker) Knock on March 16, 1910, in Dempster, S.D. He grew up on the family farm.

He married Gertie Hyronimus on March 3, 1937, in Worthing, S.D. The couple built a country store and gas station six miles south of Lennox, S.D., which they owned and operated until 1946. They moved to Sioux Falls where he worked in the shipping department at Manchester Biscuit Company until it closed in 1958.

He then worked for R-B Tank Company in Sioux Falls making redwood stock tanks. He retired from R-B Tank in 1972 but still sold tanks part-time from his home until moving to Tuff Memorial Home in Hills in the early 1990s. He was elected King of Tuff Memorial Home this past spring.

Mr. Knock was a member of First Reformed Church in Sioux Falls.

Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Elnora "Ellie" and Sheldon Sandager, Hills; five grandchildren, Elizabeth Sandager and her husband, Tadashi Ide, Japan, Robert Sandager and his wife, Dawn, Eugene Sandager and his wife, Shirley, Michael Sandager and his wife, Nancy, all of Hills, Jo Wulf and her husband, Floyd, Luverne; 13 great-grandchildren; one sister, Clara Westerman and her husband, Jabbo, Chokio; and two sisters-in-law, Joyce Knock, Clear Lake, S.D., and Louise Knock, Marietta.

Mr. Knock was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Gertie, on April 19, 1985, three brothers, Abraham, Nicholas, and Freddie, and three sisters, Lizzie Marsh, Maggie Iwerks and Anna Lumberg.

George Boom Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, is in charge of arrangements.

Lester Calvin Janshen, 76, Adrian, formerly of Rushmore, died Friday, Aug.10, 2001, at Arnold Memorial Hospital in Adrian.

Services were Monday, Aug. 13, at First Presbyterian Church in Rushmore. The Rev. Robert Bartlett officiated. Burial was in Sunset Rest Cemetery in Rushmore.

Lester Janshen was born to George and Henrietta (Groenewold) Janshen on March 6, 1925, in Little Rock Township, Minnesota. He attended country school south of Rushmore.

He married Ruby Stevens on Dec. 4, 1948, in Sioux City, Iowa. After their marriage the couple farmed south of Rushmore on the family farm. After his stroke in 1987 they moved to Rushmore. He became a resident of Arnold Memorial Nursing Home in 1996.

Mr. Janshen was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Rushmore. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and making wood furniture for his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Ruby Janshen, Rushmore; three sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Susan Janshen, Swanville, Earl and Marlette Janshen, Clements, and Jim and Rose Janshen, rural Rushmore; one daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Bob Heikes, Ellsworth; 15 grandchildren, Rhonda, Mike, Deb, Darrick, Jason, Kris, Jeff, Roger, Jamie, Jackie, Travis, Sherri, Kim, Calvin and Mindy; 23 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Helen Heidebrink, Slayton, and Jean (Leo) Pomranke, Worthington.

Mr. Jahnsen was preceded in death by his parents and two infant brothers.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Adrian, was in charge of arrangements.

Anthony Reese, 21, Steen, died Monday, Aug. 20 at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls. Services will be Thursday, Aug. 23 at 11 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne, with Rev. Dell Sanderson officiating. Burial will be at 1 p.m. at Adrian Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, Aug. 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne.

Gary Luft, 57, Luverne, died Tuesday, Aug. 14 at the Luverne Community Hospital. Services will be Saturday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Luverne, with Rev. John Pehrson officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, Aug. 17 from 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne.

Lester K. Rollag, 69, Sioux Falls, S.D., formerly of Beaver Creek, died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2001, at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Memorial services were Wednesday, Aug. 15, at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Burial was in West Palisades Cemetery, Garretson, S.D.

Lester Rollag was born to Oscar and Hilda (Halverson) Rollag on Feb. 15, 1932, in Booge, S.D. He grew up on the family farm near Beaver Creek and graduated from Beaver Creek High School in 1950. He served as a corporal in the U.S. Army stationed in Knoxville, Tenn., from 1951 to 1952.

He married Lottie Hill on Feb. 8, 1960, in Knoxville. Shortly after, the couple moved to Sioux Falls. Mr. Rollag was an insurance inspector with Insurance Services Office, retiring in 1980 due to complications from multiple sclerosis after 25 years of service. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1968.

Mr. Rollag was a long-standing member of First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. He was also an avid golfer at Luverne Country Club and umpired his sonsÕ fast-pitch softball games. He enjoyed bowling with his wife and relatives in various leagues in Sioux Falls and joining his buddies on summer fishing trips to northern Minnesota and winter golfing trips to the Caribbean. He was a life member of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans Association.

Survivors include his wife, Lottie Rollag, Sioux Falls; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Keith Rollag, Boston, Mass., and Wayne and Barb Rollag and their children, Ryan and Erin, Chicago, Ill., two brothers and sisters-in-law, Oliver and Arlene Rollag, Beaver Creek, and Glenn and Karen Rollag, Sacramento, Calif.; one sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Kermit Rye, Sioux Falls; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Mr. Rollag was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son and three brothers, Howard, Milton and Roger.

George Boom Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, was in charge of arrangements.

Isabel C. Thier, 91, Adrian, died Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2001, at Arnold Memorial Nursing Home in Adrian.

Services were Friday, Aug. 10, at St. Adrian Catholic Church in Adrian. The Rev. Gerald Kosse officiated. Burial was in the parish cemetery.

Isabel Ahlers was born to William and Rose (Haupert) Ahlers on March 16, 1910, in Granville, Iowa. She attended school in Granville.

She married Cyril A. Thier on Jan. 20, 1930, in Granville. After their marriage the couple farmed north of Adrian for two years before moving to the farm southeast of Adrian in 1932. In 1972 they retired and moved to Adrian. She became a resident of Arnold Memorial Nursing Home in December 1999. She was a homemaker.

Mrs. Thier was a member of St. Adrian Catholic Church in Adrian, and the Christian Mothers. She enjoyed cooking, playing cards and bingo and her grandchildren.

Survivors include four sons and daughters-in-law, Richard (Dick) and Alice Thier, Bernard and Diane Thier, Don and Barb Thier, all of Rushmore, and Cyril Jr. and Bev Thier, Worthington; three daughters and sons-in-law, Virginia (Jean) and Bob Knips, Luverne, Eileen and Eugene Hokeness, Adrian, and Betty and Delbert Gonnerman, Grove City; 39 grandchildren; and 75 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Thier was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Cyril, on Dec. 14, 1995, an infant son, Gerald, in 1933, one son, Leo, and daughter-in-law, Joni, both in 1985, an infant daughter, Mary, in 1952, 11 brothers and four sisters.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Adrian, was in charge of arrangements.