Members of Lonsdale and the surrounding area listened to city and school leaders update them on the progress of the city and their schools on Thursday, Feb. 29 at the Lonsdale American Legion, coordinated by the Lonsdale Chamber of Commerce.
City of Lonsdale
Lonsdale Mayor Tim Rud gave a synopsis of his 13-page Mayor’s Report. Within the report, notes of 19 new homes built, completion of the skate park within Sticha Park, tree clearing work completed at Rezac Nature Preserve, implementation of a new accounting and utility billing software program, and a mention of the unfortunate closing of the Northfield Hosptital and Clincic’s Lonsdale Clinic.
Rud also boasted about the city’s tax rate decrease of 3.51% over last year, and 10% since 2018. Two things that could be an attributing factor to that are the city liquor store, Lonsdale Liquor, and city staff acquiring grants — a total of $3,675,750 in grants and other funds since 2005.
Lonsdale Liquor ended 2023 with $2,164,807 in sales. “It is important to remember that Lonsdale Liquor is a municipal liquor store, is community minded, and all proceeds stay within and support the community,” Rud says in the report. In 2023, proceeds from the store went to offset expenses such as a $42,004.55 donation for a kid event during the Fox 9 Town Ball Tour and concession stand improvements at the baseball field.
In 2024, $90,000 has been budgeted from the store proceeds to help fund six pickleball courts and a nine-hole disc golf course at Kalina Park.
The mayor also reminded members that the city has received a Small Cities Development Grant in the amount of $431,250 to rehabilitate 15 owner-occupied homes. A stipulation of the grant is that homeowners need to live in the home the next 10 years. Homeowners within Lonsdale can look for more information on the grant and how to apply for it sometime this spring or summer from the city.
The business park was also noted as a great and growing success by the mayor. Scan Filter and Park Place Storage were two businesses that built and became operational in 2023. Scan Filter, which manufactures filtration for commercial use primarily, constructed 17,000 square foot manufacturing and warehouse facilty — moving from its Minneapolis location. Park Place Storage constructed its first of three approximately 30,000 square foot buildings. The city estimates the value of the business park will be in excess of $50,000,000.
With the closing of Lonsdale Clinic, the city saw an opportunity with the facility as a home for Lonsdale City Hall. Rud says in the report, “Once the property is purchased, the city will begin the process of selecting an architect, planning and remodeling the building to meet the needs of the city now and far into the future. The vision of a city campus in that area began in 2016, when the city developed and approved its comprehensive plan.” The new police department facility resides as a neighbor to the building on Commerce Drive.
Lonsdale Police Department recorded 3,922 incidents, a 4% increase over last year. Cameras were also installed at several of the city parks in 2023 and police monitors them. “The cameras have been very effective in reducing crime that takes place at our parks and were used to help charge a male with simple robbery and track down another that thought it was a good idea to graffiti the inside of a bathroom at Jaycee Park,” said Rud. The department currently consists of six full-time and two part-time peace officers.
Lonsdale Fire Department responded to 421 calls, an 11% increase over last year. A new 3,000-gallon tanker vehicle will be put into service later in 2024. A truck committee is currently established to look into replacing a 1995 pumper truck the department has, which they say will be ordered and put into service in 2026. The department currently has 29 firefighters.
Construction for 2024 was also discussed and mention of a new snow plow truck is anticipated to arrive for the next winter weather season.
Some of the priorities noted for 2024 include updating the city’s website, which staff has already begun work on, and implementation of a mass notifications system. When the new website is live, residents will be able to sign-up to receive alerts to receive important information.
New Prague Schools
New Prague Schools new Superintendent Andy Vollmuth introduced himself, “I’m from a small town in North Dakota, Buffalo.” He said he enjoys the small town life. “It was one of the things that drew me to New Prague,” said Vollmuth.
Vollmuth noted that the school gave $52,000 in scholarships in 2023, something he was proud of. The district serves a total of 3,940 students, 1,345 in high school, 947 in middle school, and 1,648 in elementary school, and covers 160 square miles geographically.
One thing the New Prague School District noted as a large challenge is that they are facing a $3.5 million budget cut this year, that is after a $3.1 million budget cut in 2023. “It’s a challenging time when you talk of the programs and staff that will have to be cut,” says Vollmuth.
Holy Cross Catholic School
Webster’s Holy Cross Catholic School Principal Jim Crogan spoke of different challenges with rising costs in relation to staffing and the ability for a family to afford to pay for school there.
The school currently enrolls 154 students, which is up from 90 pre-COVID. Crogan says, that they are pushing $10,000 a student for cost to educate. Families pay about $5,600 if they don’t have a sponsor and about $4,900 if they do.
“We are thankful for New Prague Schools bussing and special needs teachers who come into the classroom. Without that, we couldn’t do it,” says Crogan.
Crogan says that they favor traditional books over electronic means. “Real books, traditional phonics and math. Parents want to get their kids off of a machine or device,” he said.
Principal Crogan is worried with Lakeville starting up a Catholic school, where some pupils are from. One thing that is of benefit for the school though is that they have finished paying off their loan for the facility, and a mortgage burning party is being held April 27 — everyone is invited.
Tri-City United Schools
Tri-City United Schools Superintendent Kevin Babcock simply stated, “It’s about the kids. In a nutshell, we want to be the best. Well, we don’t want to be the best. We want the kids to be the best.”...
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Lonsdale State of the City and School updates on annual progress
