Browerville Blade - 01/05/2012 - Page 01

Thursday, January 5, 2012
Volume 95; Number 29

www.bladepublishing.net
A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560
Facts overturn myths about Amish

By Rin Porter During the last few months, some of the non-Amish residents of Todd County have again raised complaints about the Amish, based on beliefs that according to our research, have turned out to be incorrect. In this story, we hope to shed some light on the facts about some of the issues that local people have discussed and local newspapers have covered during the current Amish vs. non-Amish controversy in which some residents have taken part. Also, we hope to provide some perspective on these issues. The issues are (1) property taxes, (2) property assessment, (3) Amish buggies on the highways, (4) Todd County land use ordinances and building permits, (5) Minnesota individual sewage treatment system rules, and (6) the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court decisions about religious freedom. TODD COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES People have said, on several occasions, The Amish dont pay taxes. Todd County Auditor/Treasurer Karen Busch, who is responsible for property tax collection, was contacted. In a telephone interview she said, Yes, the Amish pay property taxes just like everyone else. They pay county property taxes, township taxes, and school district taxes, even though they dont send their children to public schools. Amish people are exempt from paying Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes by the Medicare bill of 1965, and do not receive any benefits from either of these insurance programs. home for what is called functional obsolescence. The home is seen as inadequate in market value because it lacks these improvements. This is true of any home in like condition, no matter who owns it. The home wont bring as much money when it sells. The home is assessed as being subject to economic obsolescence due to location. But the land outside the home is valued the same as any other land. Pelzer said recent sales indicated that tillable land in Todd County is valued based on its location. He said in West Union Township, farmland recently sold for between $2500 and $2800 per acre. In contrast, farmland near Browerville recently sold for $1500 per acre. AMISH BUGGIES AND COUNTY HIGHWAYS Next, lets look at the issue of Amish buggies on the highways of Todd County. During 2011, in Todd County there were two accidents between motor vehicles and Amish buggies. Both happened in daylight. Both resulted in the drivers of the motor vehicles being given traffic tickets for inattentive driving. In other words, the accidents were not the fault of the buggy drivers. Both buggies did have slow moving vehicle signs, according to Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson. In contrast to the two Amish buggy accidents with motor vehicles, in 2011 as of Dec. Continued on page 16.
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TODD COUNTY PROPERTY ASSESSMENT People have also said, The Amish property is assessed lower than other peoples property, and Amish people are driving up the costs of ag land. Todd County Assessor Chuck Pelzer was contacted. Pelzer said in a telephone interview, Our assessment rules apply to any homeowner in Todd County. If a home has no electricity, no central heating, and no indoor water supply, as is true of many Amish homes, then we apply a standard 15% loss of value to that
Commissioners set 2012 salaries

By Tim King Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson received a $2,177.00 salary increase at the Todd County Board of Commissioners meeting on Friday, December 30th. Mikkelson now earns $76,608 per year. Mikkelsons request for an increase to $78,000 per year was turned down by the Commissioners in a 3 to 2 vote. Commissioners Mark Blessing and Gary Kneisl voted in favor of increasing the Sheriff s salary to $78,000. Last year Mikkelson actually took a $479.00 cut in salary. He said the cut was in recognition of the fact that his deputies also took a cut in salary. This year the deputies received a two- percent increase and Mikkelson wanted an increase as well. The Sheriff said that Sheriffs in counties with populations between 10 and 20 thousand people average over $80,000 per year. Todd County has more than 20,000 residents. Mikkelson said he should be paid a salary closer to that of the Sheriffs in those counties. All of the Commissioners complimented Mikkelson on the high quality of his work. They said, however, that the County is facing a growing budget deficit beginning in 2013. Commissioner Gerald Ruda changed his no vote when the increase was dropped from $78,000 to $76,608. Ruda said he felt the lower salary was in line with the official compensation schedule established for the Todd County Sheriff. Mikkelsons raise is slightly less than a three percent increase in salary. In a separate action the Commission froze the 2012 salaries of the County Auditor/Treasurer, County Attorney, and County Recorder, at their 2011 levels. The Auditor/Treasurer earns $68,021.57, the Attorney earns $87,600.48 and the Recorder earns $64,104.01 per year. In another action the Commissioners froze their salaries for yet another year. The Commissioners have not given themselves a raise for six years. The Commissioners earn just over $19,000 per year plus per diems and mileage reimbursement to attend certain meetings. Editors note: The preceeding is an excerpt taken form the Todd County Board of Commissioners December 30, 2011 meeting. See full report in the 1-12-12 issue of the Browerville Blade.
The Todd County Sheriff s office has issued a dangerous ice warning for all lakes in Todd County. The sheriff is asking that no one operate ATVs and motor vehicles on area lakes until ice conditions improve with colder weather. Ice conditions have been deteriorating over the past week to ten days due to above average temperatures, high wind, rain, and lack of cold nights to maintain and thicken ice. On December 29, at 12:52 pm, the Todd County Sheriff s office, Sauk Centre Fire and Rescue, and Sauk Centre Ambulance responded to a report of a Polaris Ranger ATV going through the ice on Fairy Lake, six miles north of Sauk Centre. The ATV, driven by Travis J. Ritter, 30, Sauk Centre, and his three year old passenger, Gabriel M. Ritter, went into the freezing water. The two were able to pull themselves up onto the ice and walk to shore. They were treated at the scene and taken to St. Michaels Hospital in Sauk Centre. There were no apparent injuries. Two young teens witnessed the ATV go through the ice and contacted emergency personnel via cell phone 911. The ATV was submerged in approx. 10-12 feet of water. The was the second report in as many days of ATVs going through ice on area lakes. There was also an unconfirmed report of an ATV going through the ice on Maple Lake on December 28,
Dangerous ice warning issued by Todd County Sheriffs office

with no injuries and the ATV was recovered from the water. If you are traveling onto the ice you are asked to use extra caution. Above normal temperatures and high winds are forecast and this will continue to deteriorate ice on area lakes. Those currently having ice shelters on lakes are asked to monitor them daily to assure there is ample ice to maintain the shelters weight.
Goodbye 2011, welcome 2012! Aaron, Peggy, Stacey, Tarissa
Dont become a statistic! Use common sense, and heed ice warnings. Typically Minnesotans enjoy some of the best ice fishing in the area in the winter months, and this year can be just as good if you use common sense and pay attention to the ice conditions on the lakes you plan to visit. During the last week of December, over 50 ice houses and several vehicles and ATVs have gone through thin ice on some of the area lakes.
WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

Tue. Jan. 3 Partly Cloudy 27/21 Wed. Jan. 4 Mostly Cloudy 33/26 Thur. Jan. 5 Partly Cloudy 39/23 Fri. Jan. 6 Partly Cloudy 36/20 Sat. Jan. 7 Mostly Sunny 32/17 Sun. Jan. 8 Cloudy 30/18

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Volume 95; Number 29

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

Facts overturn myths about Amish

Commissioners set 2012 salaries

Dangerous ice warning issued by Todd County Sheriffs office

Goodbye 2011, welcome 2012! Aaron, Peggy, Stacey, Tarissa

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

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