NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

 

First Lutheran Church of Hope is hosting its Swedish Meatball Supper Sunday, Oct. 20 from 3-7 p.m.

Included are hand-rolled meatballs with gravy, real mashed potatoes, corn, coleslaw, pickles, rolls, Hope butter, egg coffee, milk and dessert. Take out available. Adults, $10; Ages 5-10,  $5; 4 and under free

Proceeds to Rachel's Light.

Ellendale City Council

By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher

The Ellendale City Council approved a 12-percent increase in the 2020 tax levy at its second meeting of the month Thursday, Sept. 26.

But that’s not bad new for taxpayers.

Because additional properties have been added, people will actually pay less in local property taxes than they did in 2019.

Councilman Steve Engel explained it after the meeting, which included mayor Russ Goette, all council members, city clerk Tiffany Krueger, maintenance man Josh Otto and Frank Thompson from Thompson Sanitation.

Bond payments, wages, building repairs and Community Economic Development Association are the biggest reasons the tax levy has gone up, according to Engel and councilman Scott Groth.

Otto, who got the go-ahead to have a plow mount installed on his new Ford F-350, asked about some fencing that’s been sitting around since the tennis courts on the west edge of town were dismantled some time ago. He said somebody asked if they could have the fencing.

The following item was posted Tuesday, Sept. 24 on Facebook by the New Richland Police Department. The NRPD did not notify the Star Eagle:

 

** Crime Alert / Request for Assistance **

Today we received numerous reports of vehicles that were gone through in the very early hours this morning.

We would like to request the assistance of anyone that may have a camera or something similar to a Ring doorbell that may have caught the suspects in picture or video.

If you have something that may have be of assistance in the investigation or need to report your vehicle gone through, please contact the New Richland Police Department.

** It should be noted that all reports that have been filed up until this posting were vehicles that were unlocked. Please be vigilant in locking your vehicles and preventing these crimes of opportunity. Remember, if you see something, say something! **

The New Richland Police Dept. released the following Thursday morning:

 

The New Richland Police Department is looking for information regarding vehicle tampering

and thefts that occurred in the early morning hours on Tuesday September 24th, 2019. A large

number of unlocked vehicles were gone through. Below are photographs of one of the

suspects. If you have any information regarding this activity or possible identity of the

suspect(s), please contact the New Richland Police Department.

 

Resident airs concerns on NR police

By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher

After the previous city council meeting, New Richland taxpayers had a pretty good idea they’d be paying more in 2020.

Now we know how much more.

At the Monday, Sept. 23 council meeting, city clerk Wayne Billing presented a graph showing the city’s tax estimate for property valued from $62,000-$206,600, and how that would change with increases of 2.69 percent, 6.79 percent and 14.17 percent, a figure the council later approved.

An increase of 14.17 percent would mean taxes for a $62,000 residential property would go up from $459 to $524; for an $81,000 property, taxes would raise from $637 to $727; for a $91,000 property, from $776 to $886; for a $170,500 property, from $1,834 to $2,094; and for a $206,000 property, from $2,320 to $2,649.

The council has not designated where the additional funds would be allocated, only that it wants a “cushion” with money that can be spent if so desired.

The council can lower, but not raise, the tax levy before it is finalized in December.