Merry Christmas

December 24, 2017

In 2017 I had the opportunity to visit Poland. While in Poland I was able to visit Auschwitz, the famous Nazi concentration camp. While this is a powerful and dark reminder for anyone who cares about religious freedom, I think for me it held an even more significant historical importance. My next door neighbor while growing up had not only been to this place, she had the numeric tattoo to prove it. I felt I needed to go see this dark place to try and understand what it must have been like for her. While I had read the stories and understood what happened in this place, I was not prepared for the sheer size and expanse of a facility that was dedicated to evil. While I thought about the images I was seeing and trying to relate the stories I heard from my neighbor I realized just how special the United States is and how lucky we are to have a culture free from religious persecution. I was also struck by the notion of just how important it is to celebrate our chosen religion. I remember how proud she was to wish us a Happy Chanukah and how she always smiled back as we wished her a Merry Christmas. This seasonal exchange of warmth, compassion and love is one of my favorite memories around Christmas. I have always remembered to share this seasonal greeting with those that are important to me, so let me wish all my neighbors and friends a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah and a safe and prosperous new year.

Merry Christmas,

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MantorvilleMayor@Gmail.Com
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Formal Award Letter

Holidays and Celebrations

November 27, 2017

I hope everyone was able to have a nice thanksgiving celebration with his or her family this past week. Thanksgiving marks the start of our traditional holiday season and the season of giving. While many of us are focused on that perfect gift for someone special, we too often forget to consider the needs of our community and those outside our immediate circle. While donating to a charity, or volunteering are obvious ways to help another very important way to help others this holiday season is often overlooked. This time of year the local blood banks are dangerously low on fresh blood and you could literally save a life by donating a unit of blood over the holiday season. This simple gift could literally be the difference between life and death for someone, so please consider adding this special gift to your holiday tradition.

Fifth Street:
During the last City Council meeting the council asked our engineer to look at the options available for adding a pedestrian path to Fifth Street. Our engineer was going to look at a trail on the south side for safety reasons, look at a trail on the north side for cost considerations and any option where the road surface could be shifted. The initial design phase for any significant project is to look at all options, get a scope of work for each and fully understand the various implications of each proposal. Many of my neighbors have expressed their thoughts on this project and we will defiantly take those concerns into consideration when selecting the most appropriate option based on cost, feasibility and safety. I did want to share with you that while we are looking at all options your input and concerns are also an important consideration when making a final project plans. Once we have more detail from our engineer I will post an update on how the project is proceeding and the option that the council feels is most appropriate.

Grant Money:
The City was notified a few months ago of the preliminary allocation of grant money and loan funding options available for the Mantorville Waste Water Treatment Plant project. After the initial notification we were told that an official letter would be sent to the City to confirm those funds and the exact dollar amount. While I really wanted to share the news as soon as we received the unofficial notice, I thought it was more prudent to wait for the formal letter. Two weeks ago we did receive the official letter that notified the City of a grant for our project in the amount of $1.8M with an additional PFA loan amount of $469K at 1% interest. This is very good news for the citizens of Mantorville. I will post the entire letter to my blog.

Kiwanis Club:
There is a new Kiwanis club forming in Kasson Mantorville.  According to the Kiwanis web site (www.kiwanis.org) the focus of the organization is:
“Kiwanis helps kids around the world. Local clubs look out for our communities and the international organization takes on large-scale challenges, such as fighting disease and poverty. We are generous with our time. We are creative with our ideas. We are passionate about making a difference. And we have fun along the way.”
The club is still accepting applications for the charter members of our communities club. Anyone interested in joining this club and helping the younger generation within our community is encouraged to contact Randy Schmidt at RSchmidt.Kiwanis@GMail.com

Yours in Service,

Chuck Bradford
Mayor, City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Our Next Generation

October 17, 17

Student Presentations:

Last week Mayor McKern and myself were invited to serve as judges for student presentations on “How to improve our community”. The presentations covered promotional videos, ideas for new businesses, recreational opportunities and infrastructure needs. I was impressed by how closely the student’s comments echoed the embodied spirit of our two communities. From the student’s presentations it was clear that they saw the value of our close inviting community, our rich heritage and the value of being removed from a major metropolitan area. The presentations focused on how to keep our identity and improve on what we have. One of the presentations featured footage from a drone of the Kasson-Mantorville area and was a solid representation of just how beautiful our two cities are from the air. Another presentation featured an interview with the school superintendent Mark Matuska and was a clear illustration of just how available our superintendent makes himself to our student body. After all the presentations I was very impressed with how confident the students were, how much thought the students put into their presentations and how blessed we are as a community to have the quality of students we have in the Kasson-Mantorville school system.

Nevermore:

The Mantorville Theater Companies’ presentation of “Nevermore” is this year’s fall dinner theater. This year as in the past, there were student volunteers that helped with serving duties. The play is really a very special treat, and if you haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy this year’s presentation, I would strongly recommend that you reserve a ticket now. The play examines the life and times of American Author Edger Allen Poe. The score, costumes and theatrical performance are atypical of what you might think of from a small town theater and are really a great surprise. The play is a great get-away for Date Night or even a great family event.  For more information, check out the MTC web site at Mantorvillian.com, on Facebook or buy tickets in person at the Chocolate Shoppe. 

Yours in Service,

Chuck Bradford

Mayor, City of Mantorville

MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Quick Update

October 10, 2017

Waste Water Treatment Plant:
Last Friday I received a late text message that the pumps connecting the new line from our existing Waste Water Treatment Plant over to the upgraded plant in Kasson were operating. When looking back at our notes this is a project that we have been working on since 2008. For many of us on the council it was that moment we sighed a collective sigh of relief. The City of Mantorville has been fortunate to have a good staff to keep our plant running combined with some good luck on the mechanical side of the plant. The milestone of actually connecting to Kasson is a significant one, and one that many on the council were anxiously looking forward to.

Just water over the Dam: 
The Dam has had some recent maintenance performed on it and we are looking at additional work that may need to be performed. Many of you have noted that the river level has fluctuated a great deal over the summer and the reason for this was that the city needed to evaluate the Dam’s needs and then preform some of the work.

Yours in Service,

Chuck Bradford
Mayor, City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Pappus named as 10th Mantorville GEM

Gems of Mantorville, 2017

This is the 10th year we have been giving GEM awards out. The award was started in order to recognize individuals that have made an exceptional effort to improving the quality of life in our community through volunteerism and dedication to their neighbors. Previous recipients have varied in age from the young to the young at heart. The recipients have been students, entrepreneurs, artist and community members. The one common thread between all of them is that they have a strong sense of community pride and enjoy giving of ones self. It is my honor to present this year’s selection for the GEM of Mantorville award.


Around 1945 Paul Pappas married Irene Stussy and the Hubble House was given to the couple as a wedding gift by Irene’s father. Paul opened the “high end” steak house in June of ’46. Growing the business from 3 employees to over 50 employees by ’59 Paul’s management of the restaurant was instrumental in making the business a success, increasing Mantorvilles’ national notoriety and was recognized as one of the top 500 supper clubs nation wide.


After Paul Pappus‘ death in ‘96 Paul’s son Don has taken over the reins of the Historic Hubble House. Under Don’s leadership the business still operated under his fathers original moto: “Put a good meal on the plate, charge a fair price, offer a pleasant atmosphere and treat your customers and employees right. If you do, people will come back."


The Pappus family has always been willing to offer a helping hand in local fund raising efforts, to host various meetings and help out financially with local causes.


For his commitment to maintaining one of Mantorvill’s historic landmarks combined with his community involvement it gives me great please to award Don Pappus with this years “GEM of Mantorville” award.

Previous Award Recipients:

Year	Historic GEMs	Present GEMs
2007	Irene Stussey Pappus Felker	Paul Larsen
2008	Alonzo J Edgerton	John Olive
2009	Teunis Slingerland, Sr.	Dick Leonard
2010	Peter Mantor	E Jane Olive
2011	Paul Pappus	Marlyn Schroeder
2012	[open]	MaryLee Lambert
2013	Willis and Gladys Carlson	Terry “Grumpy” Sell
2014	John Hubbell	Anthony Hosftad
2015	Walt Bruzek	Randy Carlson
2016	Robert Anthony Sorenson	Mary Ann Bucher
2017	[open]	Don Pappus

Tenth Aniversery of the GEM of Mantorville Award

The Mantorville Economic Development Authority has been awarding the GEM of Mantorville award for ten years now. This years presentation will mark a special milestone in the EDA's recognition of those that have made a real contribution to Mantorville. Each year the recipients are divided into those that are still with us and making a difference and those that have departed, but their impact is still felt. The award was given to the following present and past recipients:

Year	Historic GEMs	Present GEMs
2007	Irene Stussey Pappus Felker	Paul Larsen
2008	Alonzo J Edgerton	John Olive
2009	Teunis Slingerland, Sr.	Dick Leonard
2010	Peter Mantor	E Jane Olive
2011	Paul Pappus	Marlyn Schroeder
2012	[open]	MaryLee Lambert
2013	Willis and Gladys Carlson	Terry “Grumpy” Sell
2014	John Hubbell	Anthony Hosftad
2015	Walt Bruzek	Randy Carlson
2016	Robert Anthony Sorenson	Mary Ann Bucher

Stay Tuned for this years recipients.....

Collaboration is a good thing!

September 4, 2017

Good community stewardship involves fighting waste, listening to concerns and looking for areas of collaboration across governmental lines. We have received some good news earlier this fall in regards to our Waste Water Treatment Plant and some possible State funding. We are still waiting for final confirmation on those opportunities. I wanted to share with my neighbors some of the other areas that your local leadership is working together to promote a strong and health community.

Joint Ventures:
The joint venture group is a formal committee that consists of the KM School, City of Kasson and the City of Mantorville. Each organization contributes financially to this group and the group makes capital expenditures, thereby avoiding duplication. Equipment that each organization would only utilize on an occasional basis can be purchased as a joint effort, thereby getting better leverage for our tax dollars. The group also looks to help build and maintain recreational infrastructure such as baseball game and practice fields. This summer the group updated basketball hoops and playing surfaces in both Mantorville and Kasson as well as funding repairs to fencing and field drainage. The group did meet a couple of weeks ago and we discussed the following items for possible future projects:

• Traveling Soccer squad field requirements
• New lighting for ball fields
• Additional new fencing needs

The group will meet again this fall where we will determine which of these projects will get a focus for the coming year as well as discuss new projects for the next couple of years. I would encourage anyone that has ideas to share with this group to send those ideas to myself or superintendent Matuska and we will make sure to have those ideas explored at our next meeting.

Coalition of Governments:
The elected officials from the County, City of Mantorville and City of Kasson along with the Kasson-Mantorville superintendent all try to meet informally about once a quarter to keep all the other groups “in-the-loop” on what each other are working on. This gives us a chance to level-set on the progress of mutual projects (like the Waste Water Treatment Plant) as well as shed light of areas that the other organizations are looking at and might be of interest to the other members as well. We have been calling this group “COG” ( Coalition of Governments). The COG had an opportunity to meet this past week, and there was a lot of interest in Mantorville projects. We are looking to complete the Mantorville to Kasson connection line project in September now after a slight equipment setback. The MPCA will still need to sign off on all the work and our plans, and once completed we can start to make plans for a switch over, followed by a decommissioning project for our current plant site.
Marigold Days:
The Road work by Casey's general store started last Wednesday and should be completed by this weekend. This along with several cold patches that have been applied to pot holes in the parade route should put us in a good position for our End of Summer parade. Marigold Days is this coming weekend and again there are a lot of events to entertain every age group. The complete schedule of events can be found at MarigoldDays.com and this year will include:

• Grand Parade
• Kiddie Parade
• Firemen Dance
• Saloon Dance
• Courtesy Transportation between Mantorville and Kasson
• Art Show
• Car Show
• Quilt Show
• Melodramas

And much more. I am looking forward to seeing everyone down town for this celebration and I hope to have the opportunity to have a conversation with many of you.

Yours in Service,

Chuck Bradford
Mayor, City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

State wide Mayors attending the Rededication ceremony

In the above two photos we can see the Mayors from around the State that were able to be a part of the Capitol Building re-dedication celebration. The second image shows off the amazing stone work that was preformed to give our "Peoples House" a much needed facelift.

Fall is coming

August 28, 2017

Time to celebrate:
September is approaching fast. The fall season bring many anticipated events. Our students’ head back to school, next Monday we celebrate the official end of summer and of course we can’t forget our own famous Marigold Days. Once again the Mantorville Economic Development Authority has made its selection for the recipient of this year’s Mantorville GEM award. This award is given to someone who has gone above and beyond to serve the people of Mantorville. Each year we recognize those that have departed this earth but their dedication and volunteerism is still felt as the first category, and we also recognize those individuals that are still making a difference. I always look forward to this presentation and I hope many of you are able to come down to be a part of this recognition and celebration. Once again we are going to have events for all age groups from Teddy Bear parades for our youngest citizens to the Fire department dance for those a little older. Please plan to make this year’s Marigold Days part of your weekend.

Re-dedication:

I was invited to be an official part of the

re-dedication of our State Capitol building.
The State has recently completed a four year renovation project, where structural, functional and aesthetic properties were all addressed and repaired. Both Sen. Dave Senjem and Sen. Carla Nelson were part of the committee that over-saw the planning and execution of this project and both were present for the ceremony. I have a picture of the beautifully restored capitol building’s marble work that I have uploaded to my blog on the right. You can see in this photo the level of detail and dedication that was applied to restore our Capitol to its former glory.

Fifth Street:
The City has addressed a few of the worst spots on Fifth Street. There is additional work to do on this street and there are plans for the next few years on how best to address those long-term issues. The City did address some severe issues on Fifth Street close to Highway 57. We had a section of the road patched as a stop gap until the full reconstruction can occur. Since we are looking at a full reconstruction on Fifth Street, the City did not perform extensive repairs to the rest of the road. The City also does a street survey periodically and we prioritize roads that need attention and in which order those roads needing attention should be scheduled. The selection criteria that helps determine priority is the current condition of the road, weather or not timely maintenance will prevent more long term deterioration, traffic levels and any adjacent infrastructure plans that can be scheduled at the same time. The process of prioritizing roadwork with adjacent infrastructure projects allows the City to get the best value for our citizen’s tax dollars.

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Water Tower Inspection

The City crew noticed that some water was over-flowing from the tower when the pumps were stuck on. When the crew talked to our engineer, Tim wanted to go up and inspect the down tube to check if there were any obstructions. After inspecting the Water Tower, no obstructions were noticed. I took the opportunity to click a few choice pictures from atop of the water tower and I wanted to share a few of these with our neighbors.

Baseball Diamond south of the Water Tower

Sunrise over the City of Mantorville

Where has all the water gone? Long time passing...

July 31, 2017

River Level

There are many theories floating around as to what happened to the river last week. While the construction crew was drilling under the river, they made a hole in the bottom of the river and all the water leaked out. Well that is one theory that I have heard that somehow does not hold the mustard. Another train of though is that the City had lowered the river level so that our younger citizens could see for themselves what dangers lies under the surface. Those that believe this is the reason should go with that and stop reading this section. Another good theory is that there were some trees that the City crew cut flush with the river surface during the winter and these needed to be removed before next winter. This is also a valid theory since our crew were actually able to accomplish this work while the river level was down. Some on social media have gone as far to theorize that since all water is going to go to Kasson now that the river has been diverted there. Ummm nope! Ok, Chuck, enough with the conspiracy theories what is going on? The City crew lowered the river level so that the dam can be inspected. There was some known damage and we wanted to inspect the dam. The DNR also took this opportunity to inspect our dam. The City and the DNR are discussing the bet plans for repairs on the dam and since any work we will preform will need to be permitted though the DNR, the river level was returned to the normal level while these discussions take place  The City will work with the DNR and our City Engineer to determine the best course of action for repairs and then lower the river again to preform the work.

Waste Water Treatment Project

The connection between Mantorville and Kasson is progressing on schedule for an August completion date. Many of you have noticed that the driveway at Casey's was dug up last week. The City is working on adding new sewer connections to some of the RV sites while the line is run to the existing treatment plant. The work of making connections to the RV sites combined with the subterranean topography was contraindicate of directional drilling. The next stage of construction will require the City of Mantorville and the City of Kasson to be in close communication. The two cities will work with the MPCA for final ok for additional capacity and the actual commencement of flow from Mantorville.

National Night out

Once again the City had hosted a National Nigh Out celebration. This year the State Legislature has changed the law so that the City can spend City money on the celebration. In the past we have utilized our non-profit organizations to help fund raise for the event. Now the City can actually preform the fund raising activity. We truly appreciate all the donations and the volunteers that have continued to help with our celebration. This is always a great opportunity for our citizens to spend some time to get to know each other as well as for our City officials to listen to concerns from our residents. I wanted to thank everyone that made our City's celebration part of there Tuesday night.

Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,

Mayor - City of Mantorville

MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Happy Fourth of July

In 1814 Fort McHenry was relentlessly bombarded by the British. The pounding was so sever that

according to quote on The Smithsonian's web site that has been attributed to Francis Scott Key, the author of the Star Spangled Banner "It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone,". The attack lasted so long and was so intense that no one expected the Americans to survive. When dawn finally broke the American flag did still fly over the fort. The British had not taken the fort and the determination of the Amneri9can soldier was reveled to be unwavering. What Keys did not know at them time when he wrote the poem that later became our National Anthem was that several times during the night the flag pole had been struck and fallen and each time another man would venture fourth, right our flag and more often than not meet their own fate. It is this legacy that we celebrate each year on the fourth of July. While this battle took place in September, many believe this to be a critical turning point in the war. This year when you see those rockets bursting in air during the fireworks display, remember what those bright colors and loud booms truly represent. For all the patriots that have continued on in the Tradition of Fort McHenry and placed themselves in harms way to be vigilant for all of our freedoms, THANK YOU! Know that for you, our faithful defenders, that with each burst in the sky this fourth of July that we are thinking of you.

Another Successful Stagecoach Days

June 26, 2017

Stagecoach Days

This past weekend we had another successful Stagecoach days. I have posted some pictures on my blog of the activities in our community this past weekend. I wanted to thank all our volunteers, vendors, craftsmen, artist and participants for helping pull this years event together.

Waste Water Project:

The line along 615^th Street has been installed and the terrane roughly restored. The installed line continues Northward on the West side of Highway 57. The line has been installed up to the south side of County Road 12. Directional drilling under Highway 57 and under the river started last week and continues this week. Once all the pipe is in the ground, the line will be pressure tested with a pneumatic bleed down test in sections. When the entire line passes the leak down test, the project can transition to installation of pumps in Mantorville; the completion of the reception system in Kasson; and finally, when both cities are ready and the MPCA has cleared the projects, the City of Mantorville can start pumping to Kasson. The City of Mantorville will then have a decommissioning project to conduct at the current Waste Water Treatment Plant. The decommissioning project will be a separate project from any renovation work to re-purpose the current building. The City is still expecting a connection in August, look for additional updates on my blog and in future articles.

No Cliff Diving!:

Reminder, the City will be installing no trespassing signs along the top of the cliff trail and the Sheriff's office has been informed to enforce the no trespassing rule. Under no circumstance is anyone allowed to jump off or attempt to jump off the cliffs adjacent to Riverside Park. Violators will be cited and fined!

Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,

Mayor - City of Mantorville

MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Thank you for a great Stagecoach Days

The weather for this years Stagecoach Days was pleasant and sunny. There was a rubber duck race for the kids as well as a Teddy Bear picnic. On Sunday the annual tractor pull was held. I wanted to thank all the vendors, craftsmen, artist, participants and visitors who made this event a great success. I wanted to post some pictures of the events that were available during this years event.

Big News!

The City has received some preliminary good news. While the exact numbers are still in flux, it does indeed look like the City will receive some assistance on the Waste Water Treatment Project. The City should hear final numbers in a few weeks and I will definitely post another entry with exact numbers as soon as the grants have been finalized by the State.

Waste Water Treatment Project

The connection between Mantorville and Kasson is progressing on schedule for a August completion date. The crew has been able to install over a 1000 feet of sewer pipe so far. This past week the crew was able to bore under the river and then start working on getting under highway 57. The City of Mantorville has commissioned a report to begin the decommissioning project for our current waste water treatment plant.

No Solar Power

I have been asked a few times about the solar farms that are spouting up around the area and if the City if Mantorville is taking part in these projects. The City was approached last year about joining as a partner in a regional solar farm. While the pitch did sound convincing after some questions regarding exact logistics it became apparent that this project was not a good fit for the citizens of Mantorville. The City needed to buy in for a certain amount of power on an annual basis, if the City was able to reduce our power requirements we were not allowed to resell the unused power. The return on Investment was approximately the life span of the project and in reality probably locked the City out of any project with a more efficient technology that may be available in only a few years. The short answer here is that the City of Mantorville has chosen to not participate in any of the regional solar farms that are popping up around our area.

Hello June –You Wonderful Summer YOU!

May 26, 2017

Joint Ventures:
The Joint Venture Group (JVG) consisting of the City of Mantorville, The City of Kasson and the Kasson-Mantorville School District met last week. During the meeting, we spoke about projects currently underway, our budget and new future plans. I wanted to update everyone on one of the projects I have had received a few questions on. The basketball hoops that the JVG has on order will be installed shortly. The City crew in Mantorville is currently working on getting the new back boards to fit our current poles. The City of Kasson plans to install theirs in June, so in the next few weeks all the boards should be setup and ready to use, just in time for summer. Also, the City of Mantorville is adding additional drainage to the infields at Mantor Field to compliment the drainage work that the JVG is working on in the outfield.

Legislative Update:
I had the opportunity to speak with Senator Dave Senjem last week and he shared with me that they were currently working on adding back in the PFA Funds into the final budget proposal. He felt that we could still see some help from the State with the combined efforts on the Mantorville and Kasson Waste Water Treatment projects. I will continue to be in close contact with the Senator as well as our State Representative and will convey any information. I did want to remind everyone this is still fluid and could change quickly, so until we see the final product, we need to keep the pressure on the Legislature.

Waste Water Project:
The line along 615th Street has been installed and the terrane roughly restored. The installed line continues Northward on the West side of Highway 57. The line has been installed up to the south side of County Road 12. One of the last parts of the installation will be to directional drill under Highway 57 and then to drill under the river. Once all the pipe is in the ground, the line will be pressure tested with a pneumatic bleed down test in sections. When the entire line passes the leak down test, the project can transition to installation of pumps in Mantorville; the completion of the reception system in Kasson; and finally, when both cities are ready and the MPCA has cleared the projects, the City of Mantorville can start pumping to Kasson. The City of Mantorville will then have a decommissioning project to conduct at the current Waste Water Treatment Plant. The decommissioning project will be a separate project from any renovation work to re-purpose the current building.

Schools Out For Summer:
School is out and the weather is getting warmer. Our students will be looking for summer activities. While some will choose to go fishing or kayaking, some of our students will choose a more direct interaction with the Zumbro River. I want to again remind everyone that the cliffs along the South side of the river have eroded and that that eroded material is in the river very close to the surface. The current situation presents a new and very real danger that has not been present in the past. The City will be installing no trespassing signs along the top of the cliff trail and the Sheriff's office has been informed to enforce the no trespassing rule. Under no circumstance is anyone allowed to jump off or attempt to jump off the cliffs adjacent to Riverside Park.



Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Happy Memorial Day

May 22, 2017

Thank an Officer:
Last week the City had the flags at City Hall flow at Half mast in honor of “National Police Week” which was originally proclaimed by President Kennedy in 1962. This years celebration was marked with memorial observations at our National Capitol as well as in St. Paul. The DCI reported last week that next year you will be able to purchase a special Minnesota license plate that pays tribute to our Law Enforcement Community. It is appropriate that we honor the men and women who are on the front lines keeping our communities safe. From everyone at the City of Mantorville to all our area's police officers, Thank You for all that you do for us!

Thank a Veteran:
Memorial day is a time of remembrance but it is also a time of celebration. We pause every year to have a day set aside to remember those that have fallen in the service of their county. We also use this time to celebrate our freedom and independence. It is important to remember that we owe our service personnel a debt that can never be repaid. The sacrifice of our brave men and women in the armed services are responsible for securing the liberty and freedom we enjoy today. I would like to personally extend a warm and heart felt thank you to all of our service members. Take time this weekend to say a personal thank you to anyone in your life that has served their county, our veterans don't ask for much but they do deserve to know that we appreciate their sacrifice and dedication.

Waste Water Update:
The pipeline project is progressing at a slightly slower than expected rate; however, we are still on schedule for an August completion date. One of the last segments will be to directional drill under the river over to the current treatment plant location. The City is currently pursuing options for the decommissioning of the current plant and we are working closely with Minnesota Pollution Control. The City's engineering staff will post a Request for Bids later this week or early next week and the Council will continue the discussion on what the next phase for the land and structure at the current plant will be. Look for more updates in my next few articles.

Happy Memorial day. Take time to celebrate our freedoms, remember to thank a veteran who we owe our freedoms to and remember that freedom is never free, but ours have already been paid for and we are still making payments for our future generations as well.

Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Mantorville Needs You

May 15, 2017

One of the things that makes our community so strong is our level of volunteerism. In my last couple of articles, I have mentioned the Fire Department and the Park Board. I wanted to expand this discussion this week and give a few updates on our progress with some of the volunteer boards. I would strongly encourage everyone to reach out to one of these boards and see where your skillset might be able to help out our community needs.

EDA:
During the last EDA meeting one commissioner tendered their resignation thereby opening an opportunity with the Mantorville Economic Development Authority. The EDA's primary mission is to promote and support the economic vitality of the business community and grow new business opportunities within the community. The EDA is also leading the efforts to identify opportunities where the Rochester Sales Tax money could be applied. Along with promoting the economic health of our community the EDA also promotes tourism and was the lead of our recent Branding effort. The EDA also is charged with selecting recipients for the annual Mantorville GEM award which is presented every year during Marigold Days. Along with the regular business of the EDA, there are four main subcommittees that the EDA oversees. The four EDA subcommittees are Tourism, Branding, Trails and Stagecoach Days. Commissioners on the EDA are appointed by the City Council. Those interested in being apart of the Mantorville EDA are encouraged to submit an application to City Hall.

Park Board:
In my last article, I mentioned that the last two opportunists would go quickly. The Park Board is now up to full membership. Thank you to all those that took time to fill out an application and also a huge thank you to our new Park Board Commissioners.

Fire Department:
It has been said that you can always tell a firefighter, they are the ones running towards danger when everybody else is running from it. Mantorville's Firefighters are those kind of people, men and women that are willing to place themselves in harms way in order to help others. Do you have the right stuff to help out? The Fire Department still has one opening available for a volunteer fire fighter. The Mantorville Fire Department is both a First Responder rescue as well as a Fire Department. Being a member of our Fire Department is a great way to gain valuable first aide skills as well as being a member of a community of brothers that protect life as well as property. Interested volunteers can contact J.J. Williams or fill out an application at City Hall.

Additional Mantorville Area Volunteer Opportunities

Mantorville Theater Company:
Do you have a flare for the dramatic? Do you like making people happy? Perhaps the Mantorville
Theater Company is a good fit for you. From the Mantorville Theater Company web site their mission statement in part reads “The purpose of this corporation shall be to establish and maintain a community theatre group and provide civic entertainment in the area of theatre, i.e. melodrama, musical plays, children's plays and other related theater activities to provide facilities for meetings of members and to lease, rent or own real property and borrow money thereon by mortgage or otherwise and to sell such real estate in whole or in part.  This corporation shall not afford pecuniary gain, incidentally or otherwise to its members.“ Our theater is a great way for anyone who likes to have fun, enjoys singing or otherwise just enjoys making people laugh and have fun. This is a great opportunity and I encourage more of our citizens to get involved with our performances. Anyone interested in being a part of the MTC is encouraged to contact the board at: mantorvilletheatre@yahoo.com.

Mantorville Restoration Association:
It has been said that if we do not remember our past we are doomed to repeat it. While we can certainly learn from our past, I'm not sure we should say we are doomed to repeat it. I think there are many aspects from our past that if we only could repeat them we most likely would. A very important part of remembering the good and the bad from our past is to maintain a tangible link across generations. The Historical assets of a community can and do tell you a great deal about the people that have lived there and the values of the people that still do. Mantorville is fortunate enough to have a board who's sole focus is the retention and preservation of the towns historical assets, the Mantorville Restoration Association. Their mission statement is “The corporation investigates the history of Mantorville, Dodge County and the state of Minnesota. It provides for the collection, preservation and dissemination of this knowledge and information. The corporation provides for the collection, preservation and display of papers, books, records, relics and articles of historical interest at one or more of its preservation properties”. (as listed on Guide Star at https://www.guidestar.org/profile/41-6056629 )

Dodge County Historical Society:
Mantorville is also home to the Dodge County Historical Society as well as the MRA. Both of these organizations help keep our history alive and work to preserve and protect those tangible assets that connect us across generations. The Dodge County Historical Society's web site is at http://www.dodgecountyhistorical.org/. According to their web site the volunteer opportunities are “Are you looking for a great way to meet people, learn about history, or build your resume? We are looking for Historical Interpreters (or docents), hosts, special events volunteers, and other volunteers to assist the staff in the daily operations of the Museum. Scheduling and time commitments are flexible. Our volunteers work as little as one day a month, or as much as once a week.”

Marigold Days:
The way it all began as posted on the Marigold Days Web site is :”It all began with the humble marigold, a hearty and colorful little flower native to the Americas.  Initially begun as a flower show to promote the planting of marigolds throughout the Mantorville community, with the sponsorship of Marigold Dairies, Rochester, Minnesota, this event has grown to be on one the region’s best known and most attended annual festivals.” The summer's end event that currently draws in thousands of visitors each year. The planning for this event starts a few days after the current years event ends. This weekend itself has many areas for people to volunteer. There are music venues, organizing vendors, scheduling events, arranging the parade, the car show, quilt show far too many to name them all. Those that are able to help out should contact the committee directly. The contact info is: xmarigolddays2015@gmail.com

There are also other opportunities within our community to help out with. Some of the opportunities include the Chamber of Commerce, Mantorville Tourism, Dodge County Trails Association as well as The Kasson Mantorville Lions. There are many opportunities within our community to help make our home a better place through volunteerism. I encourage everyone to find an area that interest them and help out where you can while having fun, connecting and making a difference in the community.


Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Visit by the Secretary of State

May 8th, 2017

Secretary Simon:
Last Friday, I had the opportunity to sit down with our Secretary of State, Steve Simon, and talk about our branding effort. Secretary Simon was in southern Minnesota and he suggested we meet in Mantorville. We had about an hour long conversation at the Hubble House and were able to talk about several subjects. He wanted to know a little more about the brand project and the process we followed, how long the process took, what we wanted to accomplish with the brand project as well as  how it has been received so far. I was able to share with the Secretary that the brand had a very successful roll out and so far has been very well received. The secretary wanted to know about my impressions of what we need as far as new housing options. We spoke about some of the new developments that are in progress in town as well as some planning we are doing with some developers. When IK asked about what is new in the Secretary of State office, Steve told me about one of his pet projects. His office has been working on a questionnaire and related database. When a new company registers with the Secretary of State (all companies have to register with the SOS office to be an official company in Minnesota) they are asked to fill out an optional survey. The survey has only five questions on it and includes questions about veteran status, size of the company the industry “type” that the company operates in and if the company is a full time or part time company. The information obtained from the optional questionnaire combined with some of the information from the required form are stored in a sortable database. The SOS's office has a web site that allows visitors to search for a company type, veteran  owned companies etc. The secretary ran a report for me with details about Southern Minnesota. I will be sharing the report with both the City Council as well as the Mantorville EDA. This report will help us plan for the type of businesses that are growing in our area and also identify the types of businesses we need to work harder on attracting to our area.

Quarry Walk:
This Saturday May 13th at 1:00 pm the Dodge County Historical Society is sponsoring a query walk. The quarry walk is offered so that our residents can see first hand the historic quarry that is located on the Olive property. Those individuals that are interested in this rustic walk should meet at 1:00pm at the end of the 233rd Ave (AKA: West Olive Lane). The group will depart from the end of 233rd Ave shortly after 1:00pm. Directions to the meeting place are: Head South on HWY 57 across the bridge, turn West onto 617th street, take the second right heading North on 233rd Ave and drive to the end of the road.

Cliffs of Death:
I want to make sure everyone knows that there are submerged rocks that are now in the river and that the previous activity of jumping off the cliff is no longer safe. The City has new signs on order that state no trespassing and that hidden rock exist in the river and that jumping is now longer safe. The City is going to add a warning to our utility bills and the Sheriff's office will add a mention on their Facebook page warning of the new dangers found in our river below our cliffs.

Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

OK, Where are the May Flowers?

May 2, 2017

April showers have been in the area long enough, I am ready for those May flowers. The skis are put away for another season, the oil and gas are ready in tanks of our boats now if we can get some warm sunny and dry weekends we can get out on the lakes and start to get all the cob webs out of our fishing gear. Stream trout season for Dodge county has been open for two weeks now and bass and other game fish open in a few weeks. While we wait for the weather to cooperate and the rest of the season to open, I wanted to update everyone on the progress the City continues to make.

Projects:
The Waste Water Treatment plant project is continuing forward despite some less-than-desirable weather conditions. The crew has been able to get some work in even during the wet working conditions of the previous weeks. I have some quick snap shots posted on my blog with the progress of the project. The blog is located at MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com.

A New Eagle Soars:
On April 22, Benjamin Trihey was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Benjamin joins Wyatt Coy, Harrison Heppelmann, Ross Mindermann and Brayden Tjosaas as our most recent Eagle Scouts from the Kasson Mantorville area. I recently made a proclamation declaring March 31 as Eagle Scout Day. Benjamin as well as the other boys had to plan, fund and execute a project that contributed to his community in a significant way. I am proud of all our Eagle Scouts and I hope the all are able to enjoy the satisfaction that come with seeing a project and a goal to completion. Congratulations Benjamin!

City Web site:
The City is re-working it's web site (Mantorville.com). The City has recently implemented a new city wide re-branding effort and the web site needs to be updated to be consistent with the new brand. The City has a intermediate web site that is in place with all the information that was on the old web site. Bookmarks into the old site will no longer work, however the information can still be found on the current web site. Look for our newly updated and refreshed web site to be live soon.

Opportunities:
The City currently only has one position for a Fire Fighter and one park board member position available. The two remaining opportunities will go fast so secure your spot today by contacting City Hall and filling out a application form. Summer is also bringing the celebration season with Stagecoach Days and Marigold Days. I know both of these committees would love to have additional help with planning and executing this years events. Please contact City Hall if you are interested in any of these opportunities.

Reminders:
In case I haven't mentioned it before, we are aware of some continuing erosion of the cliffs opposite the Riverside park. This property is still park property and the City has ordered some new trespassing singes and the Sheriffs department is aware of the City's plans to enforce the new no trespassing rule. The Sheriff's office will site anyone that is found along the cliffs. We need to prevent cliff jumping due to unseen dangers from the eroded cliff bank that now are just below the surface.

Yours in service,

Chuck Bradford,
Mayor - City of Mantorville
MayorBradford.BlogSpot.com

Waste Water Treatment Shots

Progress on the Mantorville WWTP

As many of you know, Mantorville is working on aq high pressure Waste Water Treatment line connecting Mantorville's collection system to the treatment plant located in Kasson. I wanted to post some quick shot on the progress of this project.

The sections of pipe are fused together by melting the ends and sticking them together.

The sections to the right show a finished seam.

The sections are laid out and fused in larger sections and then set in rough position waiting to be buried by the construction crew.

A young child holds a section of the new pipe to illustrate the size of the diameter for the new line.