EDA buys

Broadway

property

By KREMENA TODOROVA

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM ­ The New Ulm Economic Development Authority this week confirmed the purchase of property located at 320 N. Broadway, known as the Windhorn house, for the asking price of $64,900.

The purchase makes the EDA the sole owner of the adjacent half a city block, officials said.

The EDA owns the neighboring Broadway Haus, an apartment complex for the elderly, and adjacent parking. In 1999 it also acquired the former site of the Jiffy gas station behind one of New Ulm's major landmarks, the Glockenspiel, fueling speculation about potential construction of new visitors' facilities or extra apartment parking.

The Windhorn house is a "key parcel" to own in terms of future EDA projects, said City Manager Richard Salvati.

While no decisive plans for the property have been made, potential projects over the longer term include another apartment complex, he said.

"On an interim basis" the authority plans to rent the house out, after spending some extra $2,000 on renovation, officials also said. The authority may charge market, rather than subsidized, rates.

"The house appears structurally sound and could be moved in the future (rather than torn down)," Salvati said.

The deal was closed in an unusual manner, between scheduled EDA meetings, to head off other offers pending on the property, officials said. However, the action was taken after securing individual EDA members' approval and in line with the authority's prior directions.

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- The Sleepy Eye Public School Board considered the social promotion issue at its regular meeting Thursday night.

Superintendent Jay Haugen passed out a "Timely Topics" piece from the Minnesota School Boards Association, to the board.

Social promotion allows students who have not met performance standards and academic requirements, to advance to the next grade with their peers instead of completing or satisfying requirements.

President Bill Clinton encouraged state leaders to end the policies of social promotion in two of his State of the Union speeches, according to the MSBA piece.

Elementary principal Arla Dockter said she sees good and bad points of ending social promotion.

"If parents don't support what the school does, it won't work either way," she said.

Strategies for ending social promotion according to the MSBA include: emphasizing early childhood literacy, providing summer school for students that need help, (which the board said the school does), extending learning time in before and after-school programs, tutoring, homework centers and year-round schooling, reducing class sizes in primary grades, using effective school groups and developing transitional and dropout prevention programs.

The board also:

* Laughed when Haugen talked about the future of graduation standards and Profile of Learning, considering recent action taken by the Minnesota Legislature.

"Thousands of people, many of them teachers, worked on the legislation. It included an administrative law judge, hearings, back and forth," Haugen said. "From the sound of the bill, if passed, the board will have many options regarding grad standards. We'll have between now and the next school year to decide how school is to be run at a time when the people involved won't be on contract," he said.

Board member Mark Beito said one of the things the board will have to decide is how it will receive input from teachers on the issue.

* Learned that high school summer school grants from the Minnesota Valley Action Council have been approved.

* Went into executive session to discuss private educational data regarding a student, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 471.705 Subd. IF(.3).

* Heard from class advisor Gloria Nachreiner that there are now 30 students, the required 65 percent of the class, that have agreed to take next year's senior class trip to Orlando.

* Announced that it would hold a retreat May 19-20 at the Inn of Seven Gables in Sleepy Eye.

* Received the high school hockey report. Actual net expenses this winter were $19,198.50. Gate receipts were $5,969. Other costs were: coaching $6,277.04, ice rental (123 hours at $95/hr.) $11,685, referees $2,035, supervision $110, bussing $4,368.77 and equipment $691.69.