by Dennis Dalman
Sartell residents can be proud of the many achievements and developments accomplished this year in their city, and they can look forward to even more bright spots in the new year.
The following is just a brief summary of stories published in the Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader in 2024:
January
A solar-garden project developer, “Enterprise Energy,” was granted a second interim-use permit by the Sartell City Council. Evan Carlson, owner of the solar company, intends to place the huge solar-energy “garden” on land in north Sartell. A previous permit was granted to Carlson by the council, one he planned for some acreage owned by Sartell Mayor Ryan Fitzthum, also in north Sartell.
Long-time Sartell Public Works Director John Kothenbeutel announced he will retire from his job 30 years to the day he started that job in 1994. The city held a send-off party for “Beetle,” as he’s known by friends and associates.
Sartell Middle School students started a student-run morning news show dubbed “Sartell Middle School News.” The eight-minute in-school broadcast features segments on weather, world news and school happenings. Technology specialist Kim Hess helped get the show up and running.
February
Douglas Wood of Sartell published another memoir, entitled “A Wild Path” that has received rave reviews from far and wide. In lyrical prose, the book vividly evokes Wood’s experiences as a family man and a canoe-trip tour-guide in the vast wilderness areas of North Minnesota and Canada. The book won the prestigious Gold Medal from the Midwest Book Association.
Young Allie Margerian of Sartell, a high-school student, was named both the “2024 Central Minnesota High School Big Sister of the Year” and the statewide “2024 Minnesota High School Big Sister of the Year.” She is a mentor in the Central Minnesota Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Her mentee-and-friend is a girl named Addison, also of Sartell.
A Sartell High School performance of a play won the school’s first-ever “Starred Performance Award” in the statewide Class 8AA One-Act Play Festival. The play, which the contest judges lauded for its production and performances, is entitled “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.”
Sartell second-grade teacher Nicole Fuechtmann was nominated for the 60th annual “Minnesota Teacher of the Year” award. For 16 years, she has taught at Pine Meadow Elementary School.
Allison Preiss, Sartell High School senior, was one of 100 talented musicians to perform as a member of the annual “University of Minnesota High School Honor Band.”
March
By March 1, a land-sale deal from the city to a private developer became final on a 3-1 vote, with council member Jed Meyer not in attendance at the meeting. Mayor Ryan Fitzthum voted against the proposal because he said he had reservations regarding secondary uses for that property. The sale involved about 80 acres of city-owned land that had been the site of a leased golf course to Three Tees LLC for $426,000. The sale was controversial, eliciting vociferous disagreement and even some anger from many residents, including former mayors and council members. Voting for the sale were members Tim Elness, Alex Lewandowski and Jill Smith.
Sartell Middle School students performed a rousing production of the stage musical “Newsies,” which is about an 1899 newspaper boys’ strike in New York City.
April
The Sartell Lions Club hosted its annual “Spring Clean-Up Day” at the Riverview Intermediate School parking lot where residents brought loads of items to be recycled or safely disposed of.
The Sartell High School Sabres’ Robotics Team raised funds for a trip to Houston, Texas where they competed in the Robotics World Championships. Though they did not win, it was a great honor to compete – the second time the team qualified for world competition, the first time in 2023.
The Sartell High School Student Council was given a “National Gold Council of Excellence Award” from the National Association of Student Councils. It was praised for its leadership, services and activities that improve the lives of students and other city residents. The council has won that award nine times in previous years.
Zach Meyer, 17, a Sartell Boy Scout, earned his Eagle Scout honor. His particular project to earn the award was planting 100 tree saplings at the St. John’s Arboretum.
May
The Sartell Sabres Youth Wrestling Team took first place in the Pool 4 statewide championship in Rochester.
Bryan Fleegel of Sartell wrote and published a children’s book entitled “Jack and the Caterpillar.” It was inspired by his bedtime reading sessions with 4-year-old son Jack.
Cub Scout Preston Knudtson of Sartell won a trip to Disney World in Florida for him and his family. He won the trip because he sold the most popcorn for a fundraiser than any of the other Scouts.
The annual Memorial Day ceremony took place at the Sartell Community Center with guest speakers and music by the Sartell High School Marching Band.
June
At long last, a St. Cloud Veterans Center Outstation was opened with a cutting-ribbon ceremony attended by many men and women veterans and Gov. Tim Walz. Sartell resident and veteran Phil Ringstrom was among those praised for years of work to get a Vets Outstation in the St. Cloud area.
Tragic news swept through the area on June 14 when it was learned former Sartell Police Chief Robert Ringstrom, 74, a St. Joseph resident, died while pedaling his bicycle in St. Joseph on CR 75 when a large truck and the bicycle collided. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Ringstrom led the police department from 1990-2004. Just the day before that devastating collision, he had attended the opening of the Vets Outstation. Phil Ringstrom (see paragraph above) is Robert’s brother.
The 36th annual Sartell SummerFest (parade, family-fun day, dance, fireworks) was again a huge hit with so many people, including many out-of-towners.
Five Sartell High School students returned home from Spicer with a first-place win in the Envirothon competition. The students are Evelyn Buiceag-Arama, Nathan Ramberg, Lydia Holmgren, Emma Newman and Camryn Sharpe, who lives in St. Joseph.
July
At a special meeting on June 28, the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board agreed to renew contracts for 21 independent, non-union employees. The contracts would have expired just days later. Earlier in 2024, three school-board members had insisted those contracts should be reviewed by board members before any consideration for renewal. Those contracts were approved unanimously, in the nick of time.
The city council approved a “Mill District Concept” plan that will bring about developments at the site of the former Verso paper mill that was shut down after an explosion-and-fire 12 years ago. The highly detailed plan was put together by former Sartell Economic Development Director/Assistant City Administrator Anita Archambeau. Now an Illinois resident and consultant, Archambeau was hired by Sartell to work out a plan for the Mill District.
New Sartell-St. Stephen School Superintendent Michael Rivard said he finds “joy” in his new job, which he began on July 1, taking the reins from interim superintendent Tom Lee. A Sartell resident, Rivard had worked in the St. Cloud Area School District since 1995.
Sartell’s St. Cloud Orthopedic Baseball Field was honored statewide for its excellence with the “Tink Larson Field of the Year” award. The field was praised for its meticulous upkeep and how its development was the result of so many people helping make it a major amenity for the past 50 years.
Madison Evans, a 12-year-old reporter for the Newsleaders, won a second-place award for excellence from “Youth Journalism International.” Her award was for a story she wrote for another news outlet about the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., which she attended with her mother, Jen.
August
The Sartell City Council agreed to proceed with the orderly annexation of more than 20 parcels of property that have been parts of LeSauk Township for years. Those properties have been compared to “islands” within the city limits. Such islands have caused jurisdictional confusions in regard to city/township services and even safety concerns.
Sartell Post Office employee Kaye Wenker was honored by the U.S. Postal Service for her 25 years of outstanding service to the post office and its many customers.
The annual “National Night Out” event had successful turnouts in neighborhoods throughout Sartell, St. Stephen and elsewhere. The event brings together neighbors, police and firefighters for a good time that is entertaining as well as informative. Newsleaders photographer Carolyn Bertsch took many appealing family-fun photos at the events.
September
The slates of candidates have been set for the Nov. 5 general election. There are two open seats on the Sartell City Council. Filing to compete for those seats were Rustin Deters, Marshall Grams and Pat Lynch. Filing for three open seats on the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board were incumbents Matthew Moehrle and Tricia Meling and new challengers Aaron Alexander, Michael Gruber, Michael Ringstad and Chelsea Thielen.
Sartell Middle School announced a new cell-phone policy for the students. It requires students to keep their phones in their lockers during the school day.
The Sartell Muskies came close – very close – to winning the State Amateur Baseball Tournament, Class C. Just two days before the championship game, they lost to the Fairmont Martins. The Waconia Lakers won the championship.
Sartell High School hosted its Homecoming Parade, attracting many who cheer on the participants.
A regional all-inclusive playground opened in Sartell’s Lions Community Park, thanks to the fundraising and forward-looking vision of three local Lions Club organizations. The colorful playground was designed so all children, including ones with disabilities, can have safe and fun playtime.
October
Sartell resident Kirsten Udermann was named the “2024 Minnesota Farmer of the Year.” She farms in north Sartell along with her husband, Alex, his brother and his parents. They raise 300 steers, 80 milking cows and 1,000 acres of crops on what they call “Meadowbrook Dairy.”
The City of Sartell received big bouquets of praise in a cover article in the digital magazine, “Business View” that covers cities throughout North America. Entitled “Sartell: A Striking City Transformation,” the article praised the city’s unique history, mill-site redevelopment, parks and recreation, a highly praised school district and annual festivals and events.
The St. Stephen Fire & Rescue Department hosted a 75th birthday celebration with music, speeches, food, the department’s very first old firetruck and lots of people reminiscing about the old days of the department and the city. Tragically, just days before the event, St. Stephen firefighter Jason Trobec died in an ATV accident.
November
A lawsuit was filed against owners of the “Manufactured (Mobile) Home Park” at Second Avenue S. in Sartell. The suit alleges health dangers from sewage leaks and overcharging for utilities, among other ongoing complaints and problems.
Thirteen Sartell police officers received “Quilts of Honor” from a quilting group during a presentation at a city council meeting.
After participating in many workshops during the last year or so, Sartell City Council members approved passage of a “Policy Governance” program designed to strengthen communications, accountability and transparency for the public they serve.
A Minneapolis company, Niron Magnetics, will build a manufacturing plant in Sartell along Fourth Avenue S. The company makes environmentally friendly, earth-free permanent magnets for a vast variety of uses.
In the Nov. 5 general election, newly elected Sartell council members are Rustin Deters and Pat Lynch; winning candidates for the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board are two incumbents – Tricia Meling, Matthew Moehrle – and newcomer Chelsea Thielen. In St. Stephen, incumbent Lisa Marvin was re-elected as mayor; and Stephen Trobec and Thomas Vouk, both incumbents, were also re-elected. At the national level, former President Donald Trump was re-elected over candidate Kamala Harris to the U.S. Presidency after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden. Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was re-elected.
Voters in Stearns County also approved a 3/8th-percent county-wide sales tax to help pay for the proposed Justice Center/Jail project that will be built on a yet-to-be-determined green area outside of downtown St. Cloud.
Karrie Fredrickson, Sartell High School social studies teacher, was honored with the Regional Earl Reum Award from the National Association of Student Activities.
Sartell celebrated National Fire Safety Week, captured in lively, fun photos by Newsleaders’ photographer Carolyn Bertsch.
December
Five Sartell High School athletes were honored during the annual ‘Fall Signing Day’ when student-athletes make known where they will attend college. The five are Kennedi Gack (soccer), Brayden Simones (baseball), Zoe Lain (track-and-field), Gwen Latunski (golf) and Sam Lunde (golf).
District 2 Stearns County Commissioner Joe Perske of Sartell received the “Transportation Advocate Award” from the Minnesota Transportation Alliance for his decades-long commitment to advancing transportation and funding.
Sartell’s annual month-long holiday extravaganza dubbed the “Country Lights Festival” opened along the shores of Lake Francis with dazzling displays of a half-million colored lights.
A contract has been drafted by Sartell to hire consultant experts to help plan and implement an ambitious mixed-use development project for the “Mill District,” the former paper-mill site along the river. The team of consultants are officials of IAG Commercial Real Estate in Minneapolis. That team will, in turn, seek the services of other sub-contracted experts in that line of work.
The Sartell City Council unanimously approved a 2025 budget-and-levy of $10,421,500. It is one of several recent flat-tax budgets, meaning that average homeowners and businesses should not see an increase in taxes unless their market value has increased.
