BrandonInfo.com

Brandon Lutheran Church office staff asked me to post this on the church’s behalf:

ROAD CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN!!!

THE NEW SANCTUARY BUILDING PROJECT HAS, AT TIMES BEEN A MESS, BUT WE GOT
THROUGH IT. NOW WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW STREET
TO GET TO THE NEW SANCTUARY!  PLEASE DON’T LET ROAD CONSTRUCTION STOP YOU
FROM ATTENDING CHURCH!

We have been in contact with the Supervisor of the Construction Project on Holly Boulevard and have learned a few more things that you we want to make you aware of concerning the construction project.

Holly Boulevard will remain closed for approximately three weeks. The only access to Brandon Lutheran Church will be off of Fourth Street. There is a sign that says “ROAD CLOSED TO THRU TRAFFIC,” but you can cross over that intersection into the church parking lot. This entrance will be accessible at all times during the project. On Sundays, the access to the church parking lot will be graveled over and watered down to alleviate problems with dust.

The construction workers are under a very precise deadline for this project and have permission to work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays throughout the summer. The hours that they will be working is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Please, if you are going to be coming to the church, be cautious! The contractors will be traveling on Holly Boulevard from east to west, and it will be of utmost importance that you STOP at the intersection of Fourth Street and Holly Boulevard. Those scrapers and trucks are very large!

If you have questions or concerns about the progress of this construction project, please feel free to call Jim Olson at 359-1999.

Please remember our very special worship service on June 10. We look forward to seeing you in worship this summer. There are lots of good things happening at Brandon Lutheran and we want you to be a part of it!

Blessings!

Later this month the school board and the public will hear what a citizens comittee thinks the district needs for new buildings.
Nothing has been formerly announced, but suggestions have included a new athletic complex, a high school addition and a new grade school.
Do those seem like reasonable solutions to meeting the space needs of the growing district?
Are there other things you can think of that the district should be tackling?
It will also be interesting to see how many of those improvements the public is willing to pay for.
Other districts have struggled to get bond issued passed, but Brandon Valley hasn’t.

My daughter does genealogy and has discovered that a family ancestor fought with General Washington as the colonies fought for independence from England.

The great U.S. of A wouldn’t be here today if brave men and women hadn’t fought for freedom. We owe a huge debt to these people, the veterans who protected our country during watimes of war and of peace.

So thank you, veterans. Thank you a lot.

This weekend the Brandon Valley school district will send another batch of graduates on their way.
It got me thinking about how much credit the school district can take for the rapid growth that Brandon has experienced.
I have to believe that a lot of people who work in Sioux Falls looked at Brandon and said, “Those schools are a little smaller than Sioux Falls. There’s just one high school for the community to get behind. Maybe my kid is less likely to get lost in a school that size.”
So when they decided to built or buy a new home they chose Brandon as the location.

The Brandon city council is set to take final action on a new ambulance ordinance for the city of Brandon.
After months of discussion, an election and significant revisions to the ordinance could this mean the issue will finally be settled.
And in what is of most interest to most residents of the city who will be providing ambulance service?

For some time the Brandon Valley school district has had a higher starting salary for teachers than Sioux Falls, based, in part, on the need to compete with Sioux Falls for qualified teachers.
But with the completion of the most recent negotiations in Sioux Falls the beginning salary there will be nearly $1,500 more a year.
It will be interesting to see if that makes it harder for Brandon Valley to attract new teachers to the district.

One of the main streets in town will be torn up most of the summer. There was a lot of debate over how to improve Holly Boulevard, a plan was fashioned, and now construction is set to begin.

Let’s keep track of progress on this blog. I’ll post updates on progress, and anyone can post stories about experiences they have driving through (or around) the construction. This category will be on the blog until the project is complete.

How do you feel about the project?

I’ve lived here since 1964, the summer before my second-grade year. Right now, three generations of my family live in Brandon. I consider it my hometown.

Did you grow up here? If so, do your parents still live here? Have your grown children settled here?

How long has your family been in Brandon?

The Brandon golf course manager announced plans to flip the front nine and the back nine holes at the course so that golfers will start their game on the No. 10 hole.
The change starts this weekend and some are convinced it will speed up play.
Wonder if most golfers think that’s a good idea?

Roger Balster, a 33-year veteran of the Brandon Fire Department was chosen this week as the new fire chief.
He has agreed to hold the post until October until he retires.
The most amazing part of this story to me is that the man has been volunteering to the same demanding job for 33 years.
He’s not the only one. Throughout small towns people sign up for service and stick with it.
People in large cities pitch in for their communities too, but it seems like smaller places have more people willing to give back.

Tonight the City Council will consider a conditional use permit request to locate a temporary church in the Citadel Plaza addition. That’s up there next to Domino’s, where the dollar store used to be.

Anybody know anything about this? Is a new church moving to town? Who? Is a commercial district a good place for a church group to meet? Other churches have used the school, or even other churches, as their home base while they get established.

How long does this church want to be temporarily located in the Citadel Plaza?

Rain is great, but is it going to hinder the Loyalty Parade this afternoon?

What activities did you participate in on Saturday? Did you enjoy them?

What is your impression of American Festival 2007 so far?

The American Festival has a full schedule planned for this weekend, and it looks like the weather is going to play along. If you’ve never been to the events, check them out. It’s great fun, and a fine community event, whether you participate or spectate.

I remember marching in the Loyalty Day parade back when I was in junior high band in the late 1960s, and throughout high school marching band in the early 1970s. I remember photographing the parade in all kinds of weather during the 1990s, when I was editor of the Brandon Valley Challenger. I remember taking a photo the year the Brandon Valley Marching Lynx turned around and marched backwards for one section of a song. That was a fun photo and won a prize too, as I recall.

I remember seeing veterans of World War II and other wars riding and marching in the parade, and feeling pride when I saw the color guard go by. I remember kids with streamers on their bicycles, riding down Main Street.

I remember the lawn chair brigade and their fancy choreography. I’d like to see more of that kind of stuff in the parade. Especially in its first year, the lawn chairs were unexpected and flashy.

I’ve always thought it would be fun if the City Council members would ride city golf carts through the parade route. Maybe they could do the same kinds of maneuvers the Shriner scooters do as they traverse the route.

What are your American Festival memories? Which events will you be attending?

After a second special meeting, Brandon city council members have finalized what they hope will be a new ambulance ordinance for the city.
Now it’s up to the public to decide if they have made the necessary changes to address concerns voiced during the election.
If the public wants something different or if some are so opposed to a city ordinance at all it’s possible the issue could be referred to a public vote for the second time.

Two Brandon girls recently received the highest award given by the Girl Scouts. Lizzy Reid and Laurel Duncan got the equivalent of the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Award after fulfilling their community project. The girls taught senior citizens how to use their computers better.

They enjoyed the experience so much that they are going to continue the project this summer. I bet their help is being much appreciated.

I was in Brownie Scouts for one year but never advanced to Girl Scouts. However, I have good memories of my Brownie year and still remember some of the songs and crafts I learned that year.

What are your Girl Scout memories? How did your scouting experience help mold you into the person you are now?

Larry Johnson has resigned as chief of the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department.

Did Larry do a good job while he was chief? If so, isn’t there a way to get him to change his mind?

Otherwise, who would make a better chief? Eventually, considering city growth, there will come a time when the fire department, or the city, will need to make fire chief into a paid position. Is now the time?

What should be the next step for the Brandon Volunteer Fire Department?