Rock County public hearing set for March 22
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF COUNTY OF ROCK FOR TAX ABATEMENT
FOR NEW VISION COOPERATIVE
 
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the Rock County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing at 9:00 A.M. on March 22, 2022, at the Herreid Board meeting room of the Rock County Courthouse located at 204 E. Brown Street; Luverne, Minnesota to consider the request of New Vision Cooperative for the abatement of 
certain real property located in Magnolia Township and described as follows, to wit:
An addition of a 1.5 million bushel grain bin and 200ft x 90ft building structure located in Section 15-102-44, Lot 0, Blk 0 of Magnolia Township
For abatement of real estate taxes for a period of up to ten years pursuant to Minnesota 
Statutes §469.1813. That the estimated amount of the abatement, on annual basis, for the County of Rock is  
Year 1-5 - $10,585 (100%)
Year 6        $8,468 (  80%)
Year 7        $6,351 (  60%)
Year 8        $4,234 (  40%)
Year 9        $2,117 (  20%)
All persons desiring to be heard should appear at the hearing or present written comments to be presented at the hearing by delivering the same to the Rock County Administrator at 204 E. Brown Street; Luverne, Minnesota. COUNTY OF ROCK
By
Kyle J. Oldre
Rock County Administrator
(03-10)

ISD #2184 School Board
meets Jan. 27 
MINUTES OF REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF 
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2184, 
ROCK COUNTY, LUVERNE, MINNESOTA  
A regular meeting of the Board of Education, ISD #2184, was held in the District Office on January 27, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
The following members were present:  Katie Baustian, Jodi Bosch, Eric Hartman, Tim Jarchow, Reva Sehr, Jeff Stratton and David Wrigg. Also present: Craig Oftedahl, Jason Phelps, Tyler Reisch, Griffin Jarchow, Becky Rahm, and Mavis Fodness – Rock County Star Herald.
Chairperson Eric Hartman opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Motion made by Baustian, second by Sehr, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion unanimously carried.
Administrative reports were given.  
Motion made by Baustian, second by Bosch, to approve the December 23, 2021, School Board meeting minutes as presented. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Wrigg, second by Jarchow, to accept the following donations:
United Methodist Church – Angel Fund
13th District Bar Association – Mock Trial Sponsorship
Steen Reformed Church – Angel Fund
2080 Media Inc. – L Club-Student Activities
Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Jarchow, second by Stratton, to elect the following School Board officers for 2022:
Chairperson – Eric Hartman
Vice-Chairperson – Tim Jarchow
Clerk – Reva Sehr
Treasurer – Katie Baustian
Motion unanimously carried.
Business Manager Tyler Reisch reviewed the Fiscal Year 2021 Audit Report with the School Board members. Motion made by Bosch, second by Sehr, to accept the report as presented. Motion unanimously carried. He also reviewed the expenditures and revenues comparison as of December 31 for the past three years.
Motion made by Jarchow, second by Stratton, to approve payment of the School District bills presented as follows: District and Student Activity Checks - $2,199,182.17; Payroll - $1,004,121.28; Grand Total - $3,203,303.45. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Baustian, second by Bosch, to receive the Student Activity Report showing the balances as of December 31, 2021. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Bosch, second by Stratton, to leave the 2022 Committee Assignments the same. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Baustian, second by Jarchow, to acknowledge receipt of the Annual Compliance/Vote of Concurrence or Nonconcurrence from the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee vote held on January 17, 2022. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Wrigg, second by Sehr, to add Aspire Fund as an approved 403(b) vendor that may be utilized by school district employees. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Bosch, second by Jarchow, to accept the annual RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCTIONS IN PROGRAMS AND POSITIONS AND REASONS THEREFORE.  Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Baustian, second by Stratton, to approve the Custodial Seniority List as presented. Motion unanimously carried. Motion made by Bosch, second by Stratton, to approve the Paraprofessional/Food Service/Administrative Assistant Seniority List as presented. Motion unanimously carried. Motion made by Sehr, second by Jarchow, to approve the Alternative School Seniority List as presented.  Motion unanimously carried. Motion made by Bosch, second by Baustian, to approve the ECFE/Learning Readiness/Discovery Time Seniority List as presented. Motion unanimously carried. Motion made by Baustian, second by Jarchow, to approve the Preliminary Licensed Staff Seniority List as presented. This list will be posted for 30 days for the staff to review. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Stratton, second by Jarchow, to approve the hiring of Jon Schomacker as 2022 Summer Recreation Director for a salary of $9,400.00. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Bosch, second by Baustian, to approve the hiring of Peyten Elbers as long-term substitute for Dana Wolf, Elementary teacher, beginning approximately February 24, 2022. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Baustian, second by Sehr, to accept the retirement of Dennis Moritz, Agriculture teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Bosch, second by Baustian, to accept the resignation of Bill Thompson as MS Lego League advisor effective at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Motion unanimously carried.
Motion made by Wrigg, second by Jarchow, to approve the transfer of Karen Hubbling from M/HS Paraprofessional to District Health Aide. Discussion was held. Motion unanimously carried.
Committee reports were given. It was noted that the School Board members did attend the MSBA Convention held January 12-14, 2022. The upcoming meeting dates were reviewed.
Motion made by Bosch, second by Baustian, to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously carried.
Dated: January 27, 2022 Reva Sehr, Clerk
(03-10)

For the first time in three years, the Luverne Music Boosters hosted a "live and in-person" Winter Carnival Saturday in the Luverne High School classic gym. According to music boosters president Heather Johnson, crowds were steady Saturday night, despite poor weather. She said ticket sales were at $6,500, similiar to pre-pandemic receipts for the event, which is a major fundraiser for the booster club. Two years ago there was no Winter Carnival due to the pandemic and last year the event took to social media with an online auction.

City officials recently annexed 8.42 acres of Mound Township land into the city of Luverne for housing development, and plans are in motion to connect those four lots to city utilities.
Landowners Alan Schmuck and Patrick Widboom had requested the annexation of their ground for residential development and will be responsible for a large share of the cost of the improvements.
It will cost an estimated $289,000 to connect the four-lot subdivision with city water and sewer along the north side of the lots.
This will open up 400 acres to the north for more land for gravity flow of sewer to the north of Luverne and creates a residential growth area for the city.
“With any future expansion, councils in the future will appreciate that this is teed up for them for growth,” said Mayor Pat Baustian. “And it does open up expansion options.”  
The city has a utility easement agreement with Randy Mulder to allow for utilities to be installed across his property to a potential future 13-lot development to the north.
The existing site along the north side of 131st Street is farmland consisting of row crops. Currently there is no water or sanitary sewer service to the property.
A feasibility report shows that the city of Luverne is continuing to grow, and as new businesses choose the community, housing needs also increase. The new development is advised to keep up with demand.
At their Tuesday, March 8, meeting, council members set a $200,000 assessment for landowners in the development to help cover the cost of bringing utilities to the four-lot subdivision.
The assessment will be paid over a 10-year period at an interest rate of 4 percent.
Also on Tuesday, the council set a hearing on the proposed assessment for 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in Luverne City Hall council chambers.
Mound Township officials approved the petition Jan. 24, with signatures by Mound Township chair Keith Schmuck and clerk David DeBoer.
As part of the agreement, the city of Luverne will make a one-time payment to Mound Township of $2,000 for lost future tax revenue.
The city has advertised for bids for a contractor to complete the water and sewer improvements north of 131st Street.
The bid opening date is set for 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, and the work is to be completed during the 2022 construction season.

Retired Luverne Community Education director Karen Willers is still reaping rewards from programs she set in motion more than three decades ago.
Colleagues honored Willers with the 2021 Minnesota Community Education Association lifetime achievement award during the organization’s in-person Leadership Days Feb. 17-18 in St. Cloud.
The award wasn’t given out in 2020, the year Willers retired after 41 years with the Luverne School District.
Willers became the local community education director in 1999 and has been instrumental in expanding the youth and adult enrichment classes to what they are now.
Willers told those attending the leadership conference she spent a lot of time writing grants and developing programming for the school district’s early childhood family education, school readiness and early learning scholarship programs.
“Being a part of developing these programs not only made a better community to live in, but they made me a better person — certainly a better parent and grandparent. And I believe I’m a better community member because of these programs,” she said.
She frequently worked with surrounding community education directors, and Anne Foley with District 518 in Worthington nominated Willers for the recognition.
“Karen has developed active and vibrant connections with a wide variety of stakeholders,” Foley wrote.
“She has a fantastic and enviable reputation for getting things done that many people just think happen.”
Lisa J. Nath succeeded Willers as the Luverne Community Education and ECFE director after working with her for several years.
“I have learned that no two days are the same in Community Education — it’s challenging at times, but there are days that bring joy,” Nath said.
“It’s exciting to work with families and advocate for what services we can provide to them and their children. Every day I come to work I want to make a difference.”

Rock County raised some of the best-yielding crops in the state in 2021, according to the recently released crop estimates by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Services.
Rock County landed in the Top 5 counties for corn yield, among the 17 counties who topped more than 60 bushels per acre for soybeans and was one of 19 counties that produced more than 20 tons of corn silage per acre in 2021.
Rock County farmers harvested 207.9 bushels per acre last year, the fifth best in the state and up from 195.3 bushels per acre in 2020.
Waseca County led corn yields in the state with 213.7 bushels per acre. Nineteen counties surpassed 200 bushels per acre.
The state average for 2021 was 178 bushels per acre.
In corn production, Renville County led the state in corn harvested for grain with 43.4 million bushels.
There were eight counties that surpassed more than 35 million bushels produced in 2021. Rock County producers harvested 26.5 million bushels last year from the 127,600 acres planted for corn production.
In soybeans, local farmers averaged 61.5 bushels per acre from 105,100 acres reserved for soybean production.
The yield average in Rock County was up from 58.3 in 2020 and was among 17 counties in the state that surpassed 60 bushels per acre in 2021.
Waseca County led the state in soybean yield with an average of 67.4 bushels per acre.
In total soybean production, Nobles County topped the state by harvesting 10.8 million bushels in 2021.
Rock County farmers harvested 6.4 million bushels last year from 105,100 harvested acres, up from 5.8 million in 2020.
Rock County also harvested silage from corn (24 tons per acre) and was among 19 counties in the state that yielded more than 20 tons per acre last year.
Houston County led the state in silage production with 28 tons per acre harvested. The state average in 2021 was 19 tons per acre.
In total silage production, Otter Tail County led all Minnesota counties with 414,000 tons. Rock County produced 232,000 tons from 9,660 acres planted for silage production in 2021.

The Luverne mock trial team completed a practice dual Feb. 28 in front of friends and family in the middle-high school media center.
No scores were kept during the two-hour contest between the prosecution and defense teams. The event comes after the team missed qualifying for the state contest last weekend.
“It was a close contest — it could have gone either way,” said attorney coach Jeff Haubrich. “It was hard to accept the results and be knocked out of the state competition, effectively ending the streak.”
Luverne lost to Winona Cotter on Feb. 17 in the last round of the 2022 season to determine who would represent Region 4 at the state tournament. While Luverne’s prosecution was awarded more points based on their performance, it was the judges’ 2-1 vote who gave Winona Cotter the win and the trip to the state tournament.
Luverne has qualified for the state tournament every year since 2014.
The in-person performance in front of friends and family Feb. 28 allowed students to remember and for some students to experience how much more fun mock trial is when performed in-person, instead of virtually as all of the 2022 season was conducted.
Next year the participants look to begin the winning streak again.
“We couldn’t be more proud,” said senior Luke Thorson. “Half of our lawyers competed for the very first time this year. We beat St. Peter, the No. 1 seed (in Round 4), and we did it with a relatively young team.”
Adviser Jason Berghorst said the team’s upper classmen (not himself) lead the mock trial practices and work together to form the most effective six-person defense and prosecution teams. They learn the procedures that mimic those used in the courtroom from each other.
“These seniors started as time keepers and bailiffs for a year or two before stepping up as attorneys and witnesses,” Berghorst said. “They handled the breaking of the trend well.”
Luverne finished the 2022 season with a win-loss record of 4-1.
The seniors Luke Thorson, Griffen Jarchow and Chance Tunnissen leave the team in the hands of current juniors Ross Bergman, Ella Lanoue, Jadyn Hart, Parker Carbonneau, sophomores Brynn Boyenga, Roselynn Hartshorn, Cassi Chesley, freshmen Adam Ask, Eli McLendon, Leif Ingebretsen, Xavier McKenzie, Keaton Ahrendt and eighth-grader Zander Carbonneau.
This year’s trial was a “theft by swindle” case, state of Minnesota versus Taylor Blair. The Minnesota Bar Association, who organizes the mock trial competitions, will release the 2023 case in October.