South metro briefs: Prior Lake City Council to hold four town-hall-style meetings

Prior Lake's City Council will hold four meetings with a casual "town hall" style to hear from residents on the city's future. Mayor Kirt Briggs promised improved transparency during his campaign, said Dave Elbon, city spokesman, so the theme of the first meeting will be communication. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at Club Prior (inside the public library at 16210 Eagle Creek Blvd., Prior Lake).

"It's going to be very informal," Elbon said.

Locations and themes for the three future meetings haven't been decided, but details will appear on the city's website (www.cityofpriorlake.com) when they are available.

Erin Adler

The Rosemount City Council has renewed a mineral extraction permit through 2017 for a gravel mine operated by Dakota Aggregates over the objections from City Council Member Shaun Nelson, who lives a quarter mile from the mine.

The 142-acre mine, which opened about four years ago, has operated 24 hours a day since 2015 for about seven months out of the year, Nelson said.

The mining takes place on two sites in UMore Park, an area owned by the University of Minnesota. One is on the northwest corner of County Road 46 and Station Trail and the other, the site where mining is actively occurring, is a quarter mile south of County Road 42.

"For me it is the noise," Nelson said. "It wakes us up at night — it's not like white noise."

Nelson, who abstained from voting on the measure on the advice of the city attorney, said he doesn't want to shut down the mine, but wishes it would stop operating 24 hours a day.

The planning commission voted 6-0 in favor of renewing the permit after discussing a follow-up sound analysis conducted last summer. The study found that the mine complied with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency standards. Nelson said he was apprehensive about trusting a follow-up sound analysis of the operation because it was funded by Dakota Aggregates.

The permit renewal passed 4-0 at the Jan. 17 meeting. Extraction permits for three smaller Rosemount mines were also renewed at the same meeting.

Erin Adler

Christopher joined the district in 2014 after moving his family from Moline, Ill., where he also served as associate superintendent. He began his career as an elementary school teacher and principal, later shifting to director of technology.

At District 112, Christopher's duties include principal supervision, oversight of teaching and personalized learning.

"Clint's most impressive quality is his quiet confidence," said Board Chairwoman Lisa Anderson. "He's a humble leader who has put the needs of the district above his own."

Christopher will spend the next six months shadowing current Superintendent Jim Bauck. The three-year contract has a starting salary of $199,500 and will increase to $207,500 by its third year. He also could earn performance pay under the contract.

Liz Sawyer

If approved, Frontier Communications would pay an application fee of $25,000 to cover set up costs.

Residents who are interested in hearing a presentation about the new option are asked to attend the City Council meeting Feb. 21 for a public hearing. Council chambers are located inside the Jordan History Center, at 116 First St. E.

Liz Sawyer

The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District awarded nearly $100,000 in grants for 15 clean water educational programs, the most in recent history.

The 15 projects received $98,200 in grants from the Cynthia Krieg Watershed Stewardship Fund to promote public awareness and citizen engagement for clean water practices.

For more details, go to minnehahacreek.org/cynthia-krieg.