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Summer The OTSEGO ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD Newsletter of the City of Otsego Vol. 7, No. 2, July 1997 Otsego Family run Day Saturday, July . . ✓�Vii\ i�e;:�a�.+ynAa . Otsedo Prairie Par Exhibits and anvil Fun 9 a.m. to 5p.m. 9 Family Street Dance 7 to 11p.m. Free admission to all day time activities. Otsego Prairie Park is adjacent to Otsego City Hall Craft Show& Sale Displays And More! by area crafters and artisans FFA Barnyard Bob&Greg Horse Wagon Hayride Antique and Classic Cars Rope Making Skateboard Demo Old Tyme Tractors Old Tyme Games 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Vintage Motorcycles& Scooters Antique Gas Engines Spark Plug Display � '' For your enjoyment Model Farm Equipment 14 °� 4y 0, ees f artCe Horseshoe Court* Steam Engines Volleyball Court* Tool Display "Four on the Floor" Kid's Play Area performing *Friendly competition will be Special appearance Classic Rock n' Roll available. Sign up during the festivities. by Rusty Gatenby of KSTP 7 - 11 p.m. Tickets: $3.00/person Feed ERWC Road Show $5.00/couple Food vendors will have delicious Children free with paying adult goodies to sell. KRWC, Buffalo radio personalities Call 441-1372 for tickets Grills are available in our newly play music and games, including or pay at the dance. "Last Line Played,"Hula Hoops, and opened picnic area. Bring your lawn chairs. television scenes. Drawing held for No alcohol allowed at the dance. prize packages, including grand prize Dance will be held inside in case of trip to Noah's Ark Water Park. inclement weather. Event will be held rain or shine. Sponsored by Otsego Parks&Rec and Community Recreation City of Otsego As Otsego's new mayor, this is my first NoTEs opportunity to visit with you via the Otsego View. 899 Nashua Ave. E Now that summer is here it is a good time to get i Otsego, MN 55330out and visit with our neighbors as we enjoy the • (612) 441-4414 1'0111 the summer sun and warm temperatures. Fax (612) 441-8823 Our commutes on Highway 101 are much safer OFFICE HOURS_(Effective4/l4/97) now with that project being completed.I know we Monday through Thursday all appreciate that. 8:00 a.m.to 6 00 p.m. Sewer and water are the buzz words around Closed Fridays CityHall these days. The project is still in the CITY COUNCIL s y by Mayor Larry Fournier i Ma or planning stages and when we have it all put y Larry Fournier together there will be public information meetings so you can review and comment on Councilmembers the project. Suzanne M.S.Ackerman Summer in Otsego is a wonderful season. Let's make it our safest summer ever. Mark Berning Vern Heidner Virginia Wendel Highway 101 CITY STAFF Elaine Beatty,City Clerk/Zoning ■ Administrator completion is Judy Hudson,Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Carol Olson,Secretary celebrated Dave Chase,Maintenance Supervisor PLANNING 8 ZONING At long last Highway 101 has IMO Carl Swenson,chair become a four lane limited access road Eugene Goenner as it passes through Otsego. The two Jim Kolles new bridges over the Crow and Arleen Nagel '°` { Richard Nichols Mississippi rivers, the additional two s Bruce Rask lanes, and improved intersections were -------'-'77 _ I.G.Roskaft celebrated at a dedication ceremony William Jones,alternate June 5th at Babcock Park in Elk River. • PARKS& RECREATION The ceremonyincluded comments Jeff Bartheld,chair Thomas Baillargeon by Jim Tralle, former mayor of Elk Tom Constant River, Richard Stehr, Minnesota Teri Kohler Department of Transportation Director -- Sue Kroll -- -- "" "� Roche Martin of the Office of Program Delivery, '~-. .- Darlene Solberg Minnesota State Representative Bruce Bill Olson,second alternate Anderson, Minnesota State Senator EDA ADVISORY LeRoy Lindenfelser,chair Mark Ourada, and Hennepin County Gabriel Davis Commissioner Penney Steele. Daryn Kofoed Tralle led the committee to have Rudy Thibodeau Highway 101 widened. He began the Shovels lay ready for the planting of a Wally Odell floweringcrab tree bycommunityleaders, Vincent Peterson campaign in 1987 to bring the need to Liz Wilder the attention of the highway department including Otsego Mayor Larry Fournier, at the HERITAGE PRESERVATION and the legislature. Residents and local dedication of Highway 101 on June 5th. Joy Swenson,chair officials from all the communities along Ron Black Janet Bridgland the highway were involved.Tralle called the project"a community effort for the good Frieda Lobeck of the larger community." Joan Nichols The highway bridge over the Mississippi River was dedicated last year and named Elaine Norm the Betty Adkins Bridge in honor of former Senator Adkins who helped lead the push Norman Schwanbeck Arlene Holen,alternate to widen the highway. Adkins also once served as deputy clerk of Otsego Township. The highlight of the dedication ceremony was the planting of a flower crab tree in Babcock Park where it can be seen from the Betty Adkins Bridge. Tralle said as the imiimmom tree was planted,"This tree is dedicated to the memory of all who have died on Highway u-p.,, EGO y iEw 101. May we never plant another tree." t3 Conducted by Pat Feit,the choral group Men in Harmony sang "All Through the The Otsego lieu,is a communlp,netssletter tor the city of Otsego. Night" as local and state leaders shoveled dirt around the tree. Otsego Mayor Larry Jacquie Rogntl,Editor Foumier joined Tralle, Adkins, Rep. Anderson, Sen. Ourada, Wright County Sheriff Correspondence should be seat to Otsego City Hall. Don Hozempa,HmPa, Mayor Steel, Stehr, and Elk River Ma or Hank Duitsman. s Conta,ns 50%recycled ;i preconsumer material. 2 OF Dr. Borthwick and Dr. Humphrey ][..[]1storicaI en Who? Unless you have an interest in botany or plant pathology, you may not recognize them. These men once lived in Otsego and both became world famous in their field. Dr. Harry Baker Humphrey came with his parents to Otsego in 1882. They settled on a farm about a mile and a half south of Elk River and three miles north of Dayton. He attended the nearby country school. At 18 years of age, The Otsego Heritage Commission has a fine collection of encouraged by his mother who had been a'teacher,he started papers relating to the two families.There are many pictures. high school in Elk River.He built his own boats to row across diplomas,honorary certificates, a high school year book. an the Mississippi River to attend classes. In winter, he skated original hand written invitation tot the Alfred Borthwick and across the ice. During this time he helped with a man's work Frances Humphrey wedding,many newspaper clippings,and on the farm. He was president of his class and graduated in other documents. Some of these are now on display at City three years. Hall.We are honored to be entrusted with the preservation of Humphrey enrolled at the University of Minnesota in this material given to us by Dr. David J. Humphrey,a son of 1895. He worked his way through college, specializing in Dr. Humphrey. VVI botany and modem languages and received his bachelor of science degree in 1899. The family moved from Otsego in 1900. Following several years of secondary school teaching,he enrolled in graduate school at Leland Stanford University and in 1907 received his doctorate degree. In 1913 he was appointed Pathologist forthe U.S.Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC. Dr. Humphrey is credited with over 50 scientific publications and his work contributed to the development of disease resistant cereal grains. In addition to this work, he taught French from 1922 to 1948. He was deeply interested in the French Canadian people,dating from his contacts with the Pepin, Chouinard, Bourgeois, and Caron families who were his neighbors in Otsego. Dr. Humphrey was president of the American Pytopathology Society, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was honored by many other scientific societies. Dr. Harry Alfred Borthwick was born in Otsego. His mother, Estella Humphrey Borthwick, was a sister of Dr. Harry Baker Humphrey. After graduating from Elk River High School, Harry was encouraged by Dr. Humphrey to enterthe School of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota in 1917. When his parents moved to San Jose, CA in 1919, he transferred to Stanford University,majoring in Botany.He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1921, Master of Science in 1924, and Doctorate in 1930. He wrote over 100 scientific publications and joined the research staff at the U. S. Department of Agriculture at Beltsville, MD. He was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Wedding picture of Frances Estella Humphrey and Alfred the recipient of numerous awards. Ellenwood Borthwick, married Jan. 25. 1897 at the Humphrey Former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey's father, a home.The Otsego Heritage Preservation Commission is featuring brother of Dr.Humphrey,lived in Otsego from 1882 to 1890. an exhibit of pictures,certificates,and other memorabilia from the Dr. Humphrey was the uncle of Dr. Borthwick and Hubert Humphrey and Borthwick families in the display cabinet at City Humphrey who were cousins. Hall. 3 _ Housing Developments Home building up Construction equipment and _ _,o ARolling Ridge Creek workers are a common sight this �- 0,1 — summer in Otsego as several new ® ASorenson Ridge developments are under way. A 1 e Rollin Rid e Creek,on Co.Rd.39, LI, wi ARiver Glen g g ® City Halle i has seven one acre walk out lots with a ml e > 85TH ST. 4Heritage Hills houses being constructed by Christian Z{ .z ® © Builders (428-8323). Ziegler LinBar Estates A Construction (441-2153) continues w ° work at Sorenson Ridge where there are x © 37 Q 27 lots at Co.Rd.39 and Naughton Ave. 410 �� There are eight lots in River Glen, ® l iii):`�:f' '2 located at Co. Rd. 39 and Odean Ave., ®\ ® where Vision Builders (497-5234) is constructing homes starting in the $140,000. Homes Plus has just started work on Heritage Hills where there will be lots located on 85th just west Clean up Day was successfulOdean Odean Ave. Contact Edina Realty Otsego held its eighth annual clean up day on May 3, 1997.There were 276 resident (494-8109) about Heritage Hills. who took advantage of the chance to bring in their unwanted appliances, tires, oil, LinBar Estates on Co. Rd. 37 east of and other assorted junk in an effort to clean up the city. Odean Ave. is building 37 homes "We really had a beautiful day and everyone was very helpful,"said Deputy Clerk starting at$200,000. vw and clean up day coordinator Judy Hudson. "All of our volunteers were great." Summer road Thank you to all the volunteers who worked at Clean-up Day: Pam Black, Ron Black, Larry Blesi, Brian Courrier, Gabe Davis, John DeMars, improvements Jerry Nitz, Richard Nitz, Jerry Olson, Harlan Rask, John Simola, Phillip Wellman, Sr., Phillip Wellman, Jr., Wright County Sentence to Serve, Mayor Larry Fournier, Road projects expected to cost Councilmembers Suzanne Ackerman, Mark Beming, Vern Heidner, and Virginia $108,000 have been approved by the Wendel. City Council. Magnesium chloride will be used to control dust on five miles of Otsego Family run Bay gravel road. Top soil and seed will be Water testing put on the shoulders of Mississippi available Saturday July 12 Shores as the final part of that overlay project. Odean Ave. and 85th St. will The Minnesota Department of get crack filling and overlays. tnv Agriculture is providing free nitrate water testing in Wright County. Farmers and residents on private wells CITY MEETINGS are encouraged to participate in the testing of drinking, irrigation, and livestock water supplies. MEETING DAYS TIME Nitrate is a common contaminant City Council 2nd & 4th Mondays 6:30 p.m. found in many wells in Minnesota. Planning & Zoning Commission 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 8:00 p.m. Major sourcesofnitratecontamination Parks & Rec Commission 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m. can be from fertilizers, animal wastes, EDA Advisory Commission 1st Monday 7:00 p.m. and human sewage that enter through damaged well casings or shallow Heritage Preservation Commission 4th Thursday 7:00 p.m. wells. It is highly recommended that homeowners test their drinking water • Submit City Council agenda items seven working days prior to meetings. supply for nitrates annually. • To be placed on the Planning Commission agenda, submit completed The free water testing will be done forms& information 15 working days prior to meetings. at a clinic in Wright County. Contact • Official meeting notices are published in the Elk River Star News and Bill Stevens, Wright County Water posted at City Hall. Planning Coordinator,682-7334. • Please call City Hall to confirm times if you plan to attend. 4