Broadcaster Press 03 August 14, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com One in a VerMillion Meet Andy Jensen By David Lias david.lias@plaintalk.net People have gotten used to seeing Andy Jensen at the Clay County Fair in Vermillion. As a 4-Her from Wakonda, he spent much of his youth on the fairgrounds as an exhibitor during Achievement Days. More recently, he has been a valuable asset to the Extension office, helping out with various tasks that must be completed as the fair progresses. “I actually started in Clay County 4-H when I was 8 or 9, and during my last year in 4-H, I was a part time summer assistant in the Extension office here. After that, I was summer assistant for two summers,” Andy said. Last week, he helped out at the Clay County Fair in a unique way. He has taken over the role, in the interim, at least, once held by Will Kennedy. Will recently left his position as 4-H youth program advisor in Clay, Bon Homme and Yankton counties, and is now working for the Boy Scouts of America. College studies at South Dakota State University took Andy away from Clay County for a time. Last summer, he worked in the Minnehaha County Extension office, and for most of this summer, he’s worked for the Extension service in Brookings. Andy, a graduate of Wakonda High School, is hoping to obtain his higher ed degree this December, and also be named as 4-H youth program advisor on a permanent basis in the DAKOTA SENIOR MEALS Served at the Main Street Center and Town Square, “Meals on Wheels.” Please call before 9 a.m. to schedule or cancel a meal at 6247868. Menus listed below are for the week of August 14-20. Menus are subject to change without notice. All menus are served with whole grain bread and 1% milk, unless otherwise noted. Tuesday - Tater Tot Casserole w/green beans, apple Wednesday - Baked Chicken, potato salad, mixed vef Thursday - Swiss Steak w/tomato & onion, baked potato, oriental blend veg, orange Friday - Ham, potato omelet, green beans, cinnamon roll, banana Monday - Hawaiian Chicken, salad, cornbread muffin, apple crisp w/topping, tomato sppon salad region by the end of the year. “I’ve sort of made a full rotation back to the beginning,” he said. “Which is really exciting, because I did want to come back here. I know everyone, and this is the program that set me up for doing my job now.” These are busy times for Andy. He will soon be busy with at the State Fair in Huron. His studies will be resuming at Brookings. And he will begin the formal interview process as he seeks to be named 4-H youth program advisor on a full-time, permanent basis. “I have to go through the formal interview process, which will start in the next month,” he said. “Hopefully, I will be selected by the committee for all three counties.” If chosen for the job, he would begin work in late December. Last week, Andy helped out Manager Alison Buckman with “bits and pieces” of the Clay County Fair to make sure everything ran smoothly. “Things that I had initially set up … I’m keeping tabs on, like the inflatables, some of the booths, and some entertainment for tonight,” he said last Friday. After the fair, Andy hopes things will ease up a bit from the 12-hour workdays he’s been putting in lately. “I’ll go back to doing two days a week in Clay County, two days a week in Bon Homme County, and then one day a week in Yankton County,” he said. “My schedule will be a little different from Will’s – I’ll be spending Mondays and Thursdays in Tyndall, and Tuesdays and Fridays in Clay County, and I’ll be in Yankton on Wednesdays. I’ll go back to doing my programming and whatever else is required of me.” Andy will be finishing his degree in general agriculture at SDSU this fall with an emphasis in animal science and equine management. “Come December 8, I’ll officially become a college grad, which is pretty exciting, because it’s taken a long time to achieve that goal,” he said. City approves library renovation change orders By Travis Gulbrandson travis.gulbrandson@plaintalk.net The Vermillion City Council approved two change orders for the ongoing expansion and renovation of the library at its regular meeting Monday. After the approval of the two items, the Vermillion Public Library will now have a different color of carpet in the Young Adult Room, and tile will be added around the library’s fireplace. “The library board discussed this,” said City Manager John Prescott. “These are items that are largely cosmetic in nature. They will enhance the atmosphere, but they’re not structural-type items.” As a result, the library board has agreed to pay for the items out of its fines and gifts account. Prescott said that account consists of money the board collects “from different sources. It’s not necessarily money that comes from the city.” Change Order #2 concerns the carpet, which Prescott said will be in a “more distinctive style,” and was developed at a net cost of $782, plus the architect’s eight-percent fee. Approximately 692 square feet will be covered by this carpet, Prescott said. Change Order #4 will result in a net bid price increase of $675, plus the architect’s eight-percent fee. Prescott said the original bid proposal did not include tile around the fireplace. He added that Change #3 was not discussed Monday because it has not yet been finalized by the library board. Overall, the project is “moving along well,” Prescott said. “We’re just over 25 percent complete at this time, with completion point for April 1, 2013.”Prescott also wanted to be sure library patrons were made aware that the west door of the building is now closed. “The construction crew is working around what will be the new west entrance,” he said. “We anticipate that will take about six to eight weeks, and we’re about a week into that.” The south entrance of the library is now open, and can be accessed directly from the parking lot. The council members also approved a resolution authorizing application for a grant that would go toward the renovation of new restroom facilities at Prentis Park baseball field. The Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance Program has a grant available that could assist in the renovation by covering 50 percent of the project’s expenses. In order to receive the grant, a local match of 50 percent is required, placing the total cost at $100,000. The city’s match of $50,000 is included in the proposed budget for 2013 for second-penny sales tax. “The renovation of Prentis is about done – we’ve got irrigation, the fencing, the bleachers, the steel poles and the lights,” said Parks & Recreation Director Dave Nelson. . “We’ve renovated the whole place, and we’re left now with the bathrooms.” The current facilities are used by multiple teams throughout the year, including the Vermillion Red Sox, the Vermillion Gray Sox, the Legion, the Teeners, the Vermillion High School team and the University of South Dakota team. “I think these have been there … more than 50 years,” Nelson said. Nelson added that the new bathrooms probably will be constructed where the old ones currently stand. “We’ll probably have staff and some local contractors do the pad and the utilities,” he said. “The plan right now is to bring in a set of concrete bathrooms that are prebuilt. It’s more reasonable. But, they’re pretty much vandalproof, and they’ll last the city a long time.” The resolution was met with unanimous approval from the council members. • WANTED • Old Vehicles • Farm Machinery • Scrap Iron PAYING TOP DOLLAR Red Earth Coop Community Meeting August 21st, 7PM Vermillion Public Library Call 402- 841-1060 For Price Come join your local foods coop! Red Earth Cooperative •Licensed •Bonded •Insured Wakonda, SD 605-267-2768 LONG REACHOF REACH OR EXCAVAT WITH 65' Give us a call for a quote … Laser Guided Ditching Stock Dam Cleanout Lagoon Cleanout • Bank Stabilization Rip Rap Placement • Demolition A18295 Our “thanks” for the quick response to our fires on Monday, August 6th when a rapid grass fire was spread by winds. Fire teams, neighbors, and area businesses worked hard to get the fire under control and save a house and buildings spreading to other surrounding land. Our grateful thanks to fire crew teams from Vermillion, Wakonda, Beresford and Centerville and to Chuck Jensen, Terry Jensen, Chad Peterson for their help. Local businesses Centerville Ag and Simplot for supplying water to the fire tankers. Our community is blessed to have great fire and rescue teams, neighbors, and friends to come to the aid when needed. THANKS TO EVERYONE! The Sternquist’s and the Baer’s