30 years ago

WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN

September 3, 1992 Carried in an article by Judy Spooner, the board of South Washington County Schools had just leased the former locations of Cub Foods and Country Club Market for use by the district. Previously at Park Senior High, the moving of administrative functions was made to free up “four to six classrooms,” along with a gym station and cafeteria expansion at Park.

Reported in property tax news, meanwhile, staff writer Doug Rock hared that the average valued home of $90,000 in Cottage Grove could see a property tax increase of 4.8 percent, the reason for the raise “based on a number of factors” according to then city administrator Kevin Frazell. Among them was the rehabilitation of the bridge out to Grey Cloud, with a total recommended base line budget citywide of $6.6862 million. Council approval for the budget, had yet to be granted.

Coming up for notice in a separate article by Rock, the city’s West Draw neighborhood off Highway 61 was currently outside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area.

(MUSA) line, but things were heating up, with 88 percent of citizens in the West Draw opposing rapid development, plan commission member Sandra Shiely, stood her ground.

“I think there is a tendency for people to say, ‘Oh, they voted that way because of the public’s outcry,” she told the Bulletin. “That was not the case with me and I don’t think it was the case with any of the commission members.” With open space dwindling some three decades back, Sheily said the matter at West Draw was about density, not growth as to why she could not support a road and sewer line up the ravine.

“The issue in the West Draw is not about growth,” the future Cottage Grove mayor said. “It’s about the density of development. I have received a lot of phone calls from people who think development in this city is out of control.” With word still out as of September 3 some 30 years ago, a municipality was not allowed to sewer any section of its boundary not within the Metropolitan Urban Service Area.

40 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN September 16, 1982 Coming in for controversy 40 years ago, Cottage Grove Administrator Carl Meissner had just been accused of nepotism, after approval of a contract for fencing at Granada and Hamlet Park to someone of the same last name. Administrator Meissner said that the city public works director had requested and received a quote from the contract awardee, while e works director Carl Carlson said that wasn’t the case, and that he hadn’t received word of the award until the contractor had called asking what to do with the bill. Meissner was defensive in response.

“Please be advised that I do not contract with or pick any vendors or contractors from any work or material unless it is related to my department,” he was quoted in the piece by Bulletin staff writer Larry Cortese. With all departments reportedly authorized to seek the best price, the controversy would continue, with Carlson adding that he had not given the “go-ahead” for the fence project at Granada and Hamlet.

In school news from four decades back, the District 833 school board took no action on a request by parents not to cut the noon kindergarten bus. The district had been bussing younger students home at noon due to no older children being able to walk with younger students. Beginning October 1, that would only happen for students who lived more than a mile away. Transportation Director Doyle Tomhave made known the state audited the district, which “could be fined” if it bused children within a mile. Others were willing to countenance a referendum to raise the needed transportation money, like Michael Ksepka of St. Paul Park.

“I can’t stop if a kid comes out of a driveway,” he said, adding, “I’m willing to pay a few more bucks” if it meant students could be gotten home safely via district transportation.

50 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN September 7, 1972 Making the news from September 1972, the Grey Cloud Town Board was reportedly split on a rezoning request from the J. L. Shiely Company to expand its mining operations in the township. With the request alternatively referred to over two nights as “a wise use of natural resources” or else “a plan that will completely and forever destroy the unique aesthetic qualities of the island,” the permit request by the mining company was heard by a three member town board, a fourth member asked to sit out in case it might invalidate the hearing for conflict of interest, as the member was an employee of the mining company. The hearings on the 300-acre site described as “heavily wooded” saw input from three groups: SAVE Grey Cloud, the Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association (MECCA), along with the Sierra Club, with testimony both scattered and emotionally charged.

Up at Woodbury, meanwhile, the then three neighborhood community of Woodbury Heights, Park Hills and Royal Oaks as centered on Interstate 494 had adding a polling place, with village offices open at 561 Tower Drive until 9 p.m. on Friday October 13 along with Monday October 16 and Tuesday October 17, the better to help residents wishing to register.

In between Woodbury and Grey Cloud at Cottage Grove, residents were due to take a bus survey for potential customers of the proposed service to the then village. The round trip fare from Cottage Grove to St. Paul, was estimated to cost $1.30, with residents asked to return their survey forms to 7516 80th Street South, otherwise the village hall address.

Territorial Dispatches 165 years ago THE DAKOTA JOURNAL Published at Hastings, Minnesota Territory September 12, 1857 FRESH LIME JUST BURNED!

Manufactured at Nininger City, three miles from Hastings.

FIRST QUALITY, which lime is suitable for Plastering, constantly on hand, and for sale by Walter H. Moury, Nininger City Land for Sale.

East ½ Section 31, Township 28 north, range 20 west, 320 acres. West ½ Section 32, Township 27 north, Range 20 West, 320 acres. North ½ of Northeast Section 6, Township 26 North, Range 20 West, 80 Acres. 720 acres total.* This land is all in one body, near Point Douglas, and will be sold in lots to sub purchasers. Inquire of Leonard & A. M. S., Point Douglas, or E. Murphy, Minneapolis.

*The above land description appears to include a typo with ‘28’ in place of ‘27’ for the township, as the coordinates otherwise compose “one body,” bounded on the north by 110th Street South in Denmark Township and today agricultural. Neal Avenue South marks the division of Sections 31 and 32, while Cottage Grove township is part of Range 21 west, placing it outside the range boundary as stated.

**Point Douglas is spelled “Point Douglass” in the original, with two s.

IMPORTANT TO THE CITIZEN OF HASTINGS and those of the Surrounding Country.

Wm. Stine & Brothers, hereby inform the public in general, that they have just opened a great variety of the best of Ready Made Clothing….As it is late in the season, we have concluded to sell our stock off at NEW YORK COST in order to make ourselves ready and be in time for the summer trade (this was when the river formed the main highway). All those who want a good suit of clothes for a little money are requested to call at the Store of Wm. Stine & Bro.

Also 165 years ago Just across the river off Spring Lake… THE EMIGRANT AID AND JOURNAL City of Nininger, Dakota County, Minnesota Territory September 12, 1857 The Constitution of the State of Minnesota Adopted in Convention, Friday, August 28, 1857 Preamble WE, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings, and secure the same to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution: Article First – Bill of Rights Article Second – On Name and Boundaries Article Third – Distribution of the Powers of Government Article Fourth – Legislative Department Article Fifth – Executive Department Article Sixth – Judicial Department Article Seventh – Elective Franchise Article Eighth – School Funds, Education, and Science Article Ninth – Finances of the State, and Banks, and Banking Article Tenth – Of Corporations Having No Banking Privileges Article Eleventh – Counties and Townships Article Twelfth – Of the Militia Article Thirteenth – Impeachment and Removal from Office Article Fourteenth – Amendments to the Constitution Article Fifteenth – Miscellaneous Subjects Article Sixteenth – Schedule (transitioning from Territory to State and the details thereof) The State Constitution We resign a large portion of our paper, this week, to the State Constitution. We trust it will be regarded by our readers with that interest which such a document deserves, It was adopted by both branches of the divided Constitutional Convention; signed by the President and Members of each body; and is now submitted to the people for their ratification. After thus agreeing to adopt the same Constitution, the two Conventions adjourned on Saturday, the 3rd inst.

Take it altogether, the Constitution is a very fair document, and there is not likely to be any opposition shown to it when the election comes off, which takes place on the second Tuesday of October, notwithstanding many of its provisions will not be relished.

Almost 170 years ago THE WEEKLY MINNESOTIAN September 18, 1852 Description of Minnetonka Point Wakon This is an elevated promontory half a mile in length, running out from the southern shore of the lake. At the extreme point, and for fifteen or twenty rods back, it is not over two rods in width. The shores on either side run up with the gradual inclination, except just at the point, where they are more abrupt.— The prevailing growth on this promontory is red cedar, very large, with an entangled jungle of undergrowth, which shoots up between the matted limbs of fallen and decaying cedars, some of which indicate that they were felled centuries ago.

This is undoubtably Holy Ground, for here are the unmistakeable signs of Dakota worship from ages ago to the present time. Therefore we say let this be Point Wakon. It deserves a more meaning cognomen then Cedar Point…(people were here) for whose homes we have just bartered a pittance of our trashy gold, here were celebrated long before the “world-seeking Geonoese” reared the flaunting standard of Castile and Aragon upon the shores of the Haytian seas. The appearance of the ground; the marks upon the trees,; the ruins of rude altars; remnants of old scalp hoops; the painted stones, and all such implements…prove our theory beyond the possibility of controversy.* *Based on an old map and current toponyms (place-based name markers), this was on the east end of the lake, south of modern Wayzata.