Briefs: New officers join Woodbury police

Three new police officers have joined the Woodbury Police Department, filling vacancies left by retirements and resignations. Their appointments were approved by the Woodbury City Council:

• Brett Roddy graduated with a law enforcement degree in 2008 from Alexandria Technical College and also is an emergency medical technician. He has worked as a police officer in Mankato and was a firefighter and EMT in the Columbia Heights Fire Department for more than five years.

• Garrett Kissner graduated with a law enforcement degree from Metropolitan State University in 2012. He is pursuing a master's degree in criminal justice leadership. He has been employed as a community service officer since 2009 and also served as a reserve officer.

• Caitlin Jaworski graduated with her law enforcement certificate from St. Cloud State University in 2011. She also holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Minnesota. She has been employed as a forensic service-intake lead for Corner House since 2009. She also served as a reserve officer with the Bayport Police Department.

Chamber awards galaThe Woodbury Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual awards gala, "Scaling New Heights," at 6 p.m. next Friday at the Prom Center, 484 Inwood Av. in Oakdale.

The event includes dinner, entertainment, an awards presentation and a silent auction. The community awards honor the business, educator and citizen of the year. It is also a major fundraiser for the chamber.

Reserve by calling 651-578-0722 or e-mail at chamber@woodburychamber.org. Cost is $60 for a single ticket and $500 for a reserved table for eight.

The GEARS Committee evaluates all capital and operating grant applications, compiling a list of ranked potential transportation projects for the board to review. Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington counties are represented.

Stephens replaces former Lake Elmo Mayor Dean Johnston and will serve a two-year term.

City native named new police officerAndrew Bushey was sworn in this month as a police officer with the Cottage Grove Police Department.

Bushey, a Cottage Grove native, worked for several years in the city's Streets Department before deciding to change careers. He received his law enforcement degree from Inver Hills Community College in 2011.

He had worked as a reserve officer in the Cottage Grove Police Department and had been promoted to reserve sergeant.

Spooner was honored for her years of work uncovering and chronicling the city's history and sharing that history with newspaper readers.

Her work also was credited with helping to preserve the city's historic Atkinson Cemetery, which began as a family burial plot but grew to include many of the city's early pioneers.

Volunteers for city advisory commissionsCottage Grove is looking for volunteers to serve on several citizen commissions that help guide the city's growth and quality of life.

They include the Planning Commission; Environmental Commission; Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation; Human Services/Human Rights Commission; Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission, and Public Works Commission.

For information on vacancies, terms and how to apply, contact Joe Fischbach at jfischbach@cottage-grove.org.

The original agreement was approved in 2011 by Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties.

The new agreement consolidates the transportation of inmates among the seven counties. Sharing prisoner transport reduces the time and number of miles driven by each county, resulting in lower transportation costs, said Dan Starry, chief deputy in Washington County.

Board makes 2013 panel appointmentsThe Washington County Board of Commissioners made advisory committee appointments and reappointments for 2013 at its meeting Jan. 8. Appointments included the following in three county districts:

Alice Smith, Mahtomedi, Historic Courthouse Advisory; Melissa Lewis, Stillwater, Parks and Open Space Commission; Amber Yares, Stillwater, Mental Health Advisory; Robert Livingston, Lakeland, Parks and Open Space Commission.

Also. Brian Krafthefer, Stillwater, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission; David Erickson, Newport, Historic Courthouse Advisory; Pauline Schottmuller, Newport, Parks and Open Space Commission; Jennifer Osborne, Cottage Grove, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission.

Open house planned on Hardwood CreekAn open house to gather comment on the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail Master Plan will be held from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Forest Lake Service Center, 19955 Forest Lake Road N.

Washington County is preparing a master plan for the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail, a 12-mile corridor that extends from Ramsey County to Chisago County, parallel to Hwy. 61 in the cities of Hugo and Forest Lake. The plan will include a trail development and management plan for future trail uses and connections.

Anyone unable to attend the public meeting but wishing to comment can contact Peter Mott, park planning manager, at 651-430-4328 or by e-mail at peter.mott@co.washington.mn.us.

Resident competes in national contestKristy Miron of Hugo qualified for the Sweet Sixteen in the Discussion Meet Competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention. The competition was held Jan. 13-16 in Nashville, Tenn.

Miron advanced to the competition after capturing top honors at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation's Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet Competition in November. Contestants are judged on their basic knowledge of critical farm issues and their ability to exchange ideas in a setting aimed at cooperative problem solving.

Paul Miron works full time on their diversified dairy and crop farm, Century Farm. They both serve as the Young Farm and Ranchers chairs in their county Farm Bureau.

More then 50 Farm Bureau members from Minnesota attended the convention.