By Shannon Fiecke, Staff Writer  

When the property value for Ed Chapman’s home along the Minnesota River in rural Jordan kept rising by double digits, he only wanted an explanation.

Chapman mailed a letter to St. Lawrence Township Assessor Leo Anderly to find out what was going on. No one had ever been out to inspect the place, and with fungus growing on the trees and his Cathedral-shaped house in need of recaulking, the assessment seemed
out-of-whack.

Although most property owners are now seeing their estimated values fall on county valuation notices, there are exceptions, notably along the lakeshore in Prior Lake.

Not satisfied with answers given at their city or township panels, 10 property owners appealed valuations last week to the Scott County Board of Appeals and Equalization. Half of the complaints dealt with lakeshore properties in Prior Lake.

By Shannon Fiecke, Correspondant

Loud music will be banned in late evening hours at street dances and other large events in Scott County’s rural areas, under new restrictions approved last week by the County Board.

By Shannon Fiecke, Correspondant

In just over a month, a former day resort will open to the public for picnicking, swimming and other fun in southern Scott County.

Cedar Lake Farm, long a place for family reunions and corporate events, was sold to the county in 2007 for a regional park. The county has secured a vendor to operate the site so the formerly private day resort can reopen for public and private use this summer.

Elko New Market police officers will again be patrolling the streets today after the City Council Thursday night voted unanimously to reinstate the department.

The council’s vote came with conditions during a meeting that had to be moved from City Hall to a school to accommodate the large crowd, estimated at more than 150.

By Shannon Fiecke, Correspondant

The community of Elko New Market has erupted over a controversial decision to abruptly disband the town’s police force.

By Leah Shaffer, Correspondent 

The last, best chance to kick-start the Interstate Highway 494/ Highway 169 interchange project passed by Wednesday, as local Transportation Advisory Board officials opted to direct federal economic stimulus funds to smaller projects around the metro instead of the interchange project.

Will 494/169 ever be unclogged? A meeting in St. Paul on Wednesday may determine whether local commuters will continue to endure long waits at the signalized interchange.

The Metropolitan Council Transportation Advisory Board, which has about 30 appointed representatives (Scott County Commissioner Jon Ulrich included), is scheduled to discuss and take public comment on the interchange project on April 15, beginning at 1:30 p.m. 

By Shannon Fiecke, Correspondent
Big decisions are to be made in the coming weeks about who will govern parks and trails for years to come in Scott County.

The county has been approaching its cities and neighboring counties to see if they are interested in combining operations or assisting each other in other ways, like park maintenance. It is also considering what its long-term relationship will be with Three Rivers Park District, which operates two regional parks in the county.