By Sara Quam
Rock County is one of a few in the region that still hasn't decided whether to advance $18,000 to the floundering Southwest Regional Development Commission.

After more research and discussion, the Rock County Board of Commissioners tabled the vote Tuesday for a second time.

Communication and governing practices within the SRDC are still a concern to Rock County. The board also wants to know if the nine southwest counties will be responsible for making up any funds in the case of bankruptcy or if the SRDC folds.

Commissioner Ron Boyenga said, "Worst case scenario, we could pay over $700,000, and we should make sure a few people wonÕt cause that to happen."

The board fears that state bonds may have to be repaid if the SRDC's assets, namely Prairie Expo, are no longer for a public use. But with unanswered questions, the board and the SRDC are left to wait it out.

The SRDC has said that without the $18,000 advance, it won't likely survive.

All along, the Rock County Commissioners have said they didn't like the way the SRDC was handling funds and its communications. And even though it is a member, Rock County felt powerless in the way the SRDC was governed.

An executive board makes all decisions without equal representation from the nine member counties.

Commissioner Jane Wildung said, "We have a representative sitting at these commission meetings who's not being informed. I'm certainly sympathetic, but there are things that have to be fixed in the way theyÕve done things - the decision-making structure."

All of the SRDC's cash reserves went to Prairie Expo, which closed months ago. The executive board of the SRDC knew about the funding problems six months before the rest of the commission or any of the counties or cities were informed.

It's that kind of practice that concerns Commissioner Bob Jarchow. "I have a hard time giving taxpayers' money to an organization that has proven it can't manage it."

Only two counties, Lyon and Marshall, have voted to give the SRDC an advance that the SRDC says it will pay back with future tax levies.

Jarchow said, "I think there's a bigger fight down the road, and I don't see that throwing $18,000 at it is going to prevent us from paying the $700,000 later on."

The SRDC still pays monthly utilities and insurance on the unused Prairie Expo. The SRDC can get money through grants but probably won't be able to operate without all nine counties giving $18,000.

By Jolene Farley
With few farmers left in the fields it has been, by all accounts, an average year, according to Hills Cargill Farm Service Center Manager Brad Berkhof.

He said beans yielded around 45 bushels per acre, and the corn harvest in some areas of the county was good, while in other areas, hit by high wind and hail, it was not so good. Corn yielded, on average, 80 to 100 bushels per acre.

The dry August didn't have the feared effect on soybean yields, according to Berkhof, unless the beans were planted in lighter, sandier soil.

"Overall they (farmers) are probably pretty happy with their yields," said Berkhof.

Harvest started later this year, according to Berkhof. "It was generally slower," he said. "We got started later, about two to three weeks behind."

A late start in the spring and in some areas, bean replanting because of hail, contributed to the late harvest.

Goose-necked corn also slowed some farmers down. The downed corn was more difficult for combines to pick up, according to Berkhof.

Last year, most farmers were done with harvest by the third or fourth week in October. This year, harvest is about 90-percent complete in the first full week of November.

Berkhof estimates the busy period at Cargill is drawing to a close for another season. "From this point forward most farmers will probably hold onto their grain to wait for better prices." he said.

This week's prices for corn range from $1.50 to $1.60 per bushel and for beans $3.90 to $4 per bushel.
The amount of grain on the market contributes to the price farmers receive for their crop. This fall prices are "on the low side of average," according to Berkhof.

"The majority (of farmers) kept what they could at home," he said. "Every bin or storage facility was filled up hoping the price would get better."

The market could change for better or worse after the United States Department of Agriculture releases a final crop report on Friday, Berkhof said.

Most soybeans sold to Cargill this fall will be transported by truck to a soybean processing plant in Sioux City, Neb. Most corn will be transported by rail to various destinations.

Cargill in Hills handles 6 to 8 million bushels of grain per year, according to Berkhof.

While Tuesday's results are obviously good news for the district's budget, Schaefer's enthusiasm was dampened by the reality of increasing school costs that are quickly outpacing funding support from the state.

Despite last year's $328,000 in cuts, the Luverne District's revenues still fall short of expenses by more than $100,000. Expenses such as fuel and health insurance have affected all districts.

That, combined with state support not meeting inflation and rising expenses, adds up to a projected $120,000 shortfall by the end of this school year.

With voter approval of the operating levy, Luverne district bought some time to brace for an uncertain future of state funding for education.

"The next step now is to see how the state funds the basic education package," Schaefer said Tuesday.

Adrian levy referendum fails by only tow votes, 305 to 303

Adrian Superintendent LeRoy Domagala sighed heavily into the phone when he called to report the results of Adrian School District's special election Tuesday.

The proposed $450-per-pupil operating levy referendum failed by two solitary votes, leaving Domagala wondering what to do with a school budget that's already in the red.

"We're in deep doo-doo," he said Tuesday night.

Of the roughly 1,550 eligible voters in the district, 608 cast their ballots, 303 in favor and 305 against. "Somebody didn't vote that probably should have," Domagala said.

He said the district can put the question to voters again next year, but he said it's too late to salvage financing for the 2002-2003 school year.

"We're already in debt," Domagala said.

Adrian School District joined many districts statewide in proposing operating referendums to compensate for state funding that is not keeping pace with increasing education costs.

A brochure mailed in the Adrian district prior to the election warned that if residents vote down the proposal, "There will be major cuts and changes across the board in all areas of our children's education."

Some of these changes include increased class sizes, fewer teachers and support staff, elimination of some activities and elective classes and increased fees for student activities.

The levy's effect on a $100,000 property would have been roughly $134 per year.

Steve Semmens' and Patsy Amborn's fifth-grade class is the featured Luverne Elementary classroom of the week. Pictured are (front row, from left) John Fletcher, Taylor Mongold, Brad Hood, Mark VanAartsen, Andrew Swenson, C.J. Xaisongkham, Desiree Bourne, (middle row) Mackenzie Harms, Andrea Moeller, Sydney Bosshart, Ashley Vandehoef, Andrew Hemme, Phillip Altman, Shane Hubbling, Nicole Boelman, Christianna Solis, Phillip Paquette, Zackary Clark, (back row) Katie Swenson, Samantha Auch, Matthew Gardner, Jacob O'Donnell, Raya Lane, Jason Schomacker, Evan Meinerts. Not pictured is Derek VanSanten.

A unique thing about this class is that it shares teachers. Semmens has homeroom and teaches most subjects. Amborn has the class for two hours a day and teaches them reading. The rest of her day is spent on the Future Images program and as a shared first-grade teacher. These fifth-graders enjoy the last Friday of each month because they get to bring snacks to reading class and have free reading for an hour called "Read and Munch." In math this year, they have been working with factors and multiples up to 10,000. In social studies they are learning about history by decades starting with the 1950s. For a special treat, the class went to Carousel Skate for its Halloween party.

Photo by Sara Quam

A fire crept across the Josh and April Bruhns property Monday afternoon south of Magnolia. The Magnolia Fire Depart was the first to respond and Luverne and Adrian were dispatched soon after. The cause of fire is unknown, but it claimed two buildings and about 2,000 hay bales before spreading to surrounding fields. The nearby home wasn't damaged during the fire and all livestock were safe. Due to dry conditions, the Sheriff's Department has issued a burning ban in Rock County until the next rainfall.

Photo by Sara Quam

By Jolene Farley
Six candidates vied for four open seats on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board Tuesday.

Incumbents Alan Harnack and Lois Leuthold held their seats, while newcomers Tim Baker and Matt Larson will fill the seats to be vacated by Rolland Crawford and Dave Roozenboom.

Final ballot totals were Alan Harnack, 274, Lois Leuthold, 247, Matt Larson, 216, Tim Baker, 202, Annette Mahone, 104 and Robert Wassenaar, 104.

The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board immediately ratified the election results at their meeting later Tuesday night.

Of the nearly 1,587 registered voters in the Hills-Beaver Creek District, Hills/Martin Township voters cast 188 ballots, Steen/Clinton Township voters cast 52 ballots and Beaver Creek city/Beaver Creek Township and Springwater Township cast an estimated 85 ballots in the School Board election.

The total number of registered voters includes 686 registered voters in the Hills/Martin Township precinct, 287 registered voters in the Steen/Clinton Township precinct and 614 in the Beaver Creek city/Beaver Creek Township and Springwater Township precinct.

Above, Hills-Beaver Creek High School Peer Helpers and the H-BC Elementary Peer Mediators are involved in many events throughout the school year. Members of the Peer Helpers group are (front row, left) Tonya Leenderts, Brittney Olson, Matt Buck, Becky Broesder, LaDonna Sandstede, Jody DeNoble, Cassi Tilstra, Brittney Rozeboom, (second row) Melinda Feucht, Angie Bush, Sarah Rozeboom, Alissa Hoyme, Melinda Sandstede, Kelly Mulder, (third row) Ashley Bosch, Kristin Harsma, Brittany Knobloch, Tamara Groves, Deidre Vanden Bussche, (fourth row) Anita Gehrke, Amanda Olson, Jessica Arp, Jessi Branett, Ashley Buck, (fifth row) Jody Rentschler, Jessica Martens, Melissa Fagerness, Heather Albers, Kelley Fransman, (sixth row) Jackie Esselink, Angie Sjaarda, Erin Boeve, Justin Hinks, Kelsey Hansel, (back row) Darin DeBoer, Nathan Fick, Chris Reid, Patrick Nelson and Kevin Van Batavia.

By Lori Ehde
Upholding a long tradition of supporting its school system, Luverne District residents stepped up to bat Tuesday and approved a $400-per-pupil operating levy.

Only three years after supporting a new $12.5-million elementary school, Luverne residents agreed to support a $234,000 referendum that will provide more than $635,000 per year in new funding.

Of the roughly 3.900 eligible voters in the Luverne District, 1,366 cast their ballots, 767 in support of the proposal and 598 against it. There was one spoiled ballot.

"It was a great day … perfect weather," said Superintendent Vince Schaefer when asked if he was surprised by voter turnout.

District residents with a $50,000 home will pay $64 toward the new levy. Those with a $100,000 home will pay $128, and $200,000 homeowners will pay $256.

But many of these taxpayers, particularly those with farms and businesses, won't see these increases on their property tax statements, due to a state shift of school funding from property taxes to sales and income tax.

By Lori Ehde
Employees at Luverne's Tri-State insurance are bracing for another round of layoffs following a corporate announcement last week.

W.R. Berkley Corporation, which owns Tri-State and Berkley Information Services in Luverne, announced it will discontinue personal insurance services in all of its property casualty insurance companies nationwide.

The decision is based on decreasing business written in personal lines and the need to focus on expanding commercial lines, according to attorney John Thelen.

"Unfortunately, the business is very competitive, and we don't have the scale to be able to operate in personal lines successfully," Thelen said.

Thelen serves as general counsel for Continental Western, the Midwestern group of Berkley companies that includes Luverne's Tri-State.

He said personal lines (individual home and auto insurance, for example) account for less than 20 percent of Continental Western Group's total business.

Employees were told they will likely all know by mid-November how their jobs are affected by the decision, which becomes effective at the end of the year.

In Luverne, 18 underwriting positions are dedicated to personal lines insurance, but that's not to say those specific employees will lose their jobs.

Some were clearly told they would no longer be employed in the company after Dec. 31, and some whose positions are eliminated may be offered other positions in the company.

Tri-State Regional Manager Curt Bloemendaal, Luverne, said the corporate announcement was not anticipated locally.

"We're trying to be as understanding as possible of their situation and how this decision affects them," Bloemendaal said Monday.

BIS President Joel Christensen said his workforce in Luverne will also be affected by Berkley's elimination of personal lines.

"We won't be unscathed by any means," he said Wednesday. "There's a lot of work that some people here do that's related to that business É We've got a lot of projects that support that business."

Christensen said he's still not sure how many of the 114 people at BIS will be affected. "We're assessing our projects and staffing needs, and by mid-November we'll have some decisions made," he said.

Thursday's news reached Tri-State employees already uncertain about the possibility of their jobs moving to Sioux Falls.

The last announcement from corporate headquarters in Greenwich, Conn., came exactly two years ago that regional operations would move from Luverne to Sioux Falls by summer 2001.

When asked about the future of Tri-State in Luverne, he said, "We have determined we would not be relocating in 2002, but it is still in the plan."

Tri-State currently lists 147 employees on its payroll, including 20 in the Sioux Falls office and more than 20 traveling representatives.

Bloemendaal said underwriting employees in the Sioux Falls office don't handle personal lines and likely won't be affected by layoffs.

While the news is hard on affected employees, the community as a whole pays close attention to Berkley announcements.

With an annual payroll of $4.8 million (including Sioux Falls employees and field reps) Luverne's economic health would be affected by Tri-State's absence.

Tri-State, now known as "Continental Western Group, Tri-State Region," owns the 33,000-square-foot building in Luverne and paid nearly $47,000 in property taxes this year.