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

FAMILIAR TURF — Ellendale native Tiffany (Moon) Krueger is the new city clerk in Ellendale. (Star Eagle photo by Jim Lutgens)

 

By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher

It seems like a perfect fit.

Tiffany Krueger grew up and lived in Ellendale and had performed city clerk duties for three communities when the Ellendale City Clerk position opened up.

Still, she had to think about it.

“I was a little hesitant, actually,” said Krueger.

Why?

“Well, there’s a lot of drama that goes into local politics,” she said. “I live here, I grew up here, so everyone knows me. I’ve never worked for a town that I’ve lived in. Sometimes people forget you’re not an elected official. You clock out. It’s difficult to draw that line between community and family. But I thought of all the good I could do for the city.”

So Krueger applied for the job and was hired, attending her first city council meeting July 11.

She does seem like a great fit. A 1998 graduate of NRHEG High School as Tiffany Moon, she earned a degree in business administration and management from Southwest State University, working for six years as city clerk at Hayward. During that time she was contacted by Hartland and Freeborn and at one point worked for all three communities.

“I learned a lot,” she said.

Honorary chairman tells of amazing battle with cancer


LOCAL PARTICIPATION — New Richland was again well represented at the Waseca County Relay for Life. The Caring Friends Team, from left: Krystal Maxon, Julie Economy, Georgia Dinneen, Lanae Thorstad, Kris Pfeffer, Bonnie Jacobson, Mary Sack and Gayle Dummer. (Star Eagle photo by Jessica Lutgens)

 

By JESSICA LUTGENS
Staff Writer

Waseca County Relay for Life returned for the 26th year to the Waseca Fairgrounds on Friday, July 26. The opening ceremony kicked off at 6:30 p.m. with an introduction by masters of ceremonies Molly Penny and Andy Gott, followed by an Invocation by Pastor John Omans from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waseca.

This year’s honorary chairperson was Bruce Boyce, who served as County Coordinator for Waseca County for 32 years and is currently a paraprofessional with Waseca’s Early Childhood Education program.

“I am very happy to be able to be here to speak with you this evening,” said Boyce to applause from the crowd.

Last summer, Boyce and his wife of 40 years, Sally, were on vacation in Canada when Sally tripped and fell, separating her shoulder. Not long after returning to the U.S. with Sally’s arm in a sling, Bruce started having problems with his health: he had shortness of breath, a resting heart rate way above normal, and he was out of breath after little exertion.

On the night of July 4, 2018, Bruce couldn’t draw a breath, so the next day he went to urgent care. A CT scan and x-rays were performed, and he was told to return the next day. Later that day, Sally was on her way to a doctor appointment in Owatonna when she was T-boned by another vehicle at an intersection not far from her home, totaling her vehicle. She called Bruce, who went to the scene. 

New Richland City Council

By JESSICA LUTGENS
Staff Writer

Recently appointed New Richland City Council member Jenna Pederson took her oath of office during the second council meeting of the month on Monday, July 22, with all members present. The agenda and consent agenda items were approved.

Brad Field presented the PeopleService report, noting that the city’s Wisconsin pump is at a repair shop in Wells where it will be evaluated before a decision can be made to repair or replace it. A call was recently made to Field regarding an odor coming from floor drains at the school and Morgan’s Meat Market. Upon inspection of manholes in the area, the source of the odor could not be determined, and Field recommended that someone at both buildings check the floor traps.

Smoke testing is scheduled for the month of August. The report was approved.

Ryan Nissen presented the maintenance report, stating that 22 delinquent bills/disconnect notices were delivered in June resulting in two shut-offs. Requests to trim overgrown trees on Broadway at a cost of $20/tree, as well as the removal of a large tree on Birch at a cost of up to $750, were approved. Concrete work at three locations in town was also approved at a cost of $2,240 to be done by Brad Root Construction.

Results have been announced for the 2019 Top 25 Car Show held July 13 during Farm and City Days. There were 103 entries.

Award winners were:

• Best of Show — Gene and Mikki Hillesheim, 1953 Ford F-100

• People’s Choice — Dave Russell, 1919 Ford T

• Best GM — Randy and Richene Stull, 1960 Chevrolet Impala

• Best Ford — Dale Seath, 1967 GTA

• Best Mopar — Danny Lee, 1972 Dodge Challenger

• Best Rest — Larry Lageson, 1969 AMC AMX

NRHEG School Board

By REED WALLER
Staff Writer

The $9,100,000 facilities bond sale authorized by the recent referendum was completed and results presented to the NRHEG Board of Education at their July 15 meeting at Ellendale.

Thanks to the NRHEG district’s A+ credit rating and a S&P rating of “AAA,” the results were better than predicted last November. The bonds were expected to carry an interest rate of about four percent and have a tax impact of $33 per $100,000 residential, but on July 15 it came out at 2.6 percent and $26.

Interest paid on these bonds is tax exempt.

The issue will have reduced principal in the first three years while the district’s existing debt is still being paid off.

The final amount came to $8,535,000, with the remainder going to the reoffering premium on the bonds.

A presentation was held on July 9 at the Commons in New Richland with representatives of Northland Securities, the underwriter, for local buyers to have first shot, before they were offered to commercial banks and other financial institutions.

“You worked with us,” said board chair Rick Schultz to the attendees, “so we want you to have the opportunity to realize a return.”