BrandonInfo.com

Dale Beukelman is the new owner of Neighbor’s coffee shop in Brandon. So this seems like a good time to suggest changes and let him know the things you like best about the shop.

I request the new owners keep the sun dried tomato pesto spread.

But please change the music to something more calming.

What things would you like the new owners to change or keep the same?

Do you plan to participate in the Quarterback Club? The next meeting is Oct. 3 from 12 to 12:45 p.m. at Tailgator’s. The club will meet every other Wednesday to talk about all kinds of Brandon Valley Sports.

Do you think the Quarterback Club will end up being just a handful of super fans who want to pick apart every detail of the most recent game, or do you think it will end up as a popular community gathering that will help increase attendance at games and membership in the Brandon Valley Booster Club? Or something in between?

A story on www.brandoninfo.com says that the club will continue even after football season is over, and the club’s name may change depending on what sport is in season. What possible names does that bring to mind?

Basketball: Half Court Club? Center Club?

Wrestling: Take Down Club? Pin Club? (which might work for bowling too)

Volleyball: Ace Club? Spike Club?

Track: Hurdle Club?

Tennis: Singles Club? (sorry, couldn’t resist)

Golf: Club Club (again, sorry, couldn’t resist)

Actually, some of the so-called “minor” sports might not even get to be part of the name. Even in football, since the name is the Quarterback Club, some players will never get to be part of the club name. Unless the name were something that would encompass every sport, like the Lynx Club of something like that.

What do you think?

Most of the streets in Brandon have sidewalks, except developments created before 1978. The Brandon Park old addition, the Terraces (1st through 7th streets), Old Brandon and the Fleetwood addition don’t have sidewalks, to name a few.

Do you think these areas of town should put in sidewalks? The cost of installation would be assessed back to the homeowners of those streets. People who live on corners would have to pay twice as much as their neighbors.

On the other hand, some of those streets are very close to Brandon Elementary, where kids walk to school. And when they do, they have to walk in the streets.

What are your feelings about sidewalks?

As Kevin Kloster begins his duties as a Brandon City Council member, what advice do you have for him? He’ll finish out Kathy Ford’s term, which ends next spring. So this could be a six-month deal for him, or he might run for a term of his own next spring.

One piece of advice I would suggest is that before he vote on anything, to become familiar with the law that concerns that topic.

But I’d suggest that to any City Council member. Or any school board member. Or church council member. Or Chamber of Commerce board member. Or (insert group name here) board member.

Today’s Argus Leader story (p. 1A) confirms that Brandon City Hall has been inquiring about the possibility of contracting with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement in Brandon.

It’s far from a done deal, and it might not even happen. But since the city is looking into it, the public should be able to ask questions and comment. Here are some questions I have:

The Argus story says that for other towns who contract for sheriff service, the county pays 25 percent and the city pays 75 percent. In Brandon’s case, 25 percent would be a good chunk of change. How do the county commissioners feel about that? Is it likely they would agree to it if Brandon does decide to go that route?

The Argus story says the city would require two officers in Brandon at all times. Would they use the same offices the Brandon police do now? Even if they are from the sheriff’s department, you’d think they would have to have a base in town out of which to operate.

The Argus story says the county would hire all Brandon Police officers who qualify. How many of our officers meet county qualifications?

Would this mean that Brandon could end up with the same law enforcement officers it has right now, only their boss would be a different entity?

Would certain officers be assigned to Brandon all the time, or would the city end up having a wide variety of people servicing the city, some on only an occasional basis?

Would this mean that Brandon might end up with some of its previous officers who later took jobs with the county?

Would this mean that some of the officers we have now end up patroling throughout the county?

If the city were to contract with the county, and we were guaranteed that law enforcement would be in the city at all times, and they would work out of the current police headquarters, and certain officers were assigned to Brandon on a regular basis, and if the county were to pay 25 percent, and if the total package would save the city a bunch of money, and if there weren’t any difference in the quality of police protection, would the citizens approve of it?

I have many other questions, but this is enough for one post. What are your thoughts?

What do you think are Brandon Valley’s chances of getting into the state finals this season? The Lynx are 3-1 going into Friday’s game against Worthington, Minn., after shutting out the Brookings Bobcats 19-0 at Homecoming last week.

What Lynx action have you seen so far this season that has impressed you? What techniques should the Lynx work on to increase their skills?

Who do you think will be the team’s greatest condenter this season?

Who do you think should get the vacant City Council seat – Brett Bastian or Darrell Schroeder? Both have applied to fill the vacancy left by Kathy Ford. She got a new job in Georgia.

The City Council will interview both candidates on Thursday. The person they select will finish out Ford’s term, which expires next spring.

Does the school serve good lunches? Have you tasted the food since you were in school yourself? How do your kids like the lunches? What’s their favorite menu items?
Did you know the public is welcome to come into any of the schools and buy a lunch?

What are the top changes you would like to see in Brandon, as we look to the future?

Me, I would like to see a full menu Greek restaurant. The closest one I know of is in Omaha, and that’s too far to drive just for dinner. There are other things I would like also, but let’s hear what you have to say.

Work already has begun on changing the old fire station meeting room into a City Council chambers. The kitchen and bathrooms will stay as they are, but the big pass-through window from the kitchen to the big room has been closed off. The door from the big room to the garage area is also closed off. The city is keeping the city transit bus and some police cars in the garage area.

In the big room, there will be a raised seating area on the south wall for the Council members to sit, so the audience can see them better. Most of the room will be carpeted.

City Administrator Dennis Olson said the proposed 2008 budget includes money to install sound and video in the Council chambers. But the budget hasn’t been approved yet.

The current Council chambers would be turned into office space and a conference room. Olson said the south end of the room would be split into two offices, one for Assistant City Administrator Nick Lanning, and one for Dan Oakland, who contracts with the city to do human resource duties. None of the city staff would have offices in the old fire hall.

Olson said he thinks the plan will be a good way to make more room for the Council and the public for the next five or six years.

Do you agree?

Does a Good Old Boys Club exist on the Brandon City Council? There have been comments on this blog to that affect.

If so, who is it? Do they have an agenda? If so, what is it? Is it in Brandon’s best interest?

If not, why is there talk of one? Someone’s sour grapes? Idle speculation?

Is there any way to prove or disprove that such a club exists? What do the City Council members have to say about these rumors?

Do you plan to go to any of the houses on the Parade of Homes this weekend? Several Brandon homes will be open.

I’m not looking to move, but I do like to get decorating and remodeling ideas from other homes. I’ve noticed that a lot of newer homes seem to have a lot of nooks and crannies built into them. I suppose they look nice with a chair and side table, but how functional are these little coves?

Another popular style these days is the three- or four-level home. Do you like that style? Seems like a lot of unneccesary stairs to me.

I do like a lot of the amenities I see in new homes, though. A lot of new bathrooms, for example, feel like fancy hotel bathrooms.

There is a story in today’s Argus about a Brandon home that will be on the Parade of Homes. It has heated floors under the slate in the basement. The owner said he was skeptical about not having the entire basement carpeted.

When my husband and I finished our basement last year, we went with roll vinyl. It’s a European kind that doesn’t require gluing down. It lays nice and flat without any glue. Just for good measure, though, my husband put double-stick tape down around the perimeter.  It’s great stuff. It’s thick and sort of springy because of the padded back side. And even though it’s put down directly over concrete in the basement, it isn’t cold underfoot at all. And it’s a heckuva lot easier to Swiffer vinyl than it is to vacuum carpet. A lot of people have mistaken it for real tile, since it is a tile pattern.

Anyway, there are lots of ways to decorate. Maybe I’ll get more ideas from the Parade of Homes this weekend.

Do you think people should use their real names when they post on the blog?

And what are your reasons for your opinion?

One advantage of people using their real name might be that they will be more careful to back up their opinions with facts.

A disadvantage might be that they would be less likely to state their opinions.

An advantage might be that their opinion might be more (or less) likely to influence someone else, depending on who they are. But that same thing might be a disadvantage.

An advantage might be that people would be less likely to revert to mud slinging and name calling.

What other advantages and disadvantages can you think of? And what are the reasons you already do (or don’t) use your real name?

I use my real name because I’m employed by the Argus Leader and I’m moderator of this blog, so posting to the blog is part of my job. But I’m also a long-time Brandon resident and have voiced my opinions publicly many, many times over the years, even before I worked for the newspaper. For me, using my real name is the right thing to do.

Brandon’s city transit is such a success that the City Council has applied for federal and state grants to pay for a second bus.

Anybody can use the bus, but the predominant users are senior citizens and preschool children. Users pay $1 per trip, but those age 65 and older can ride for free. This fall, the city has turned down requests for some preschool student families because there just isn’t enough room on the bus. “We’re just about as packed as we can get,” City Administrator Dennis Olson said.

Here are the number of users for each month this year:

January 857

February 752

March 868

April 787

May 588

June 371

July 550

August 407

Have you used the city transit bus? If so, what was your experience like? Would you use it again? Were you one of the people turned down because the bus was too full? What alternate arrangement did you make? Do you think Brandon needs a second bus?

Who do you think should replace Kathy Ford as a Ward I representative on the Brandon City Council until that seat’s term is up next spring?
Ford got a new job and is moving to Georgia. She was elected last spring to fill out the last year of Steve Kolbeck’s term. He resigned from the council when he got elected to a state job and moved to Pierre.

Between the time Kolbeck resigned and Ford got elected, Bob Serk held the seat. He ran against Ford last spring, and she defeated him. Should he get the seat back for the remaininder of the term? Or should Mayor Larry Beesley appoint someone else?

The city council is discussing a change in the fee developers will pay so there will be more money available for park development.
Do you think that is a good approach or should some other way be found to finance parks?
Maybe some believe there are already enough parks in Brandon and a fund for more isn’t needed.

My son’s birthday is always on or near Labor Day weekend, so it’s easy to remember, at least for me. He told me that one year he forgot it until people started saying happy birthday to him.

Do you, or your family member, have a holiday birthday? Does that make it easier or more difficult to remember?

My birthday is Dec. 26, so I would be shocked if my family forgot that one. But growing up, it was a difficult time to have a birthday. I couldn’t have my friends over for a party because they were all busy spending the Christmas holiday with their famlies.

My mother-in-law’s birthday is March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. Growing up, she always wanted a green cake, but her mother insisted birthday cakes should be pink.

Do you have any holiday birthday anecdotes you can share? What ways have you and your family dealt with celebrating the holiday and the birthday simultaneously?