Looking Back: Farmington council member resigned over vote to rehire the contracted engineer in 1962

Talk about it

50 years ago

From the April 5, 1962

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

FAA operations to begin here July 1, 1962

F.A.A. operations will begin in the new building at Farmington July 1, 1962. This is a confirmed date, according to Dick Anderson, installation engineer.

He held an open house for about 800 employees in the Minneapolis area, at Farmington, March 23-24.

Councilman Bradley quits in split on rehiring engineer

In protest over rehiring of the Banister Engineering company of St. Paul as village engineer, Councilman Al Bradley resigned his council position at the close of Monday night’s 4 1/2-hour meeting.

Voting to rehire the Banister firm were Councilmen Church, McElmury, and Clerk Gerten.

Strongly against the re-hiring of Banister were Bradley and Mayor G.M. Gorges....

Bradley explained his reasons for quitting in a signed statement to this newspaper, Tuesday....

Seventh street’s sad condition was aired, and meeting was set for next Tuesday night, with Petersen of Banister Engineering, to check specifications for the street before bids are sought. The street was barely passible this spring, following construction work last year, and it is located in one of the highest-taxed districts in Farmington.

This street proposition then brought up the engineer question. Bradley said he would resign at the end of the meeting, which he did....

At the close of the meeting, when Bradley resigned the mayor and others expressed regret that the resignation should come over a difference of opinion. It will be up to the council to name a replacement.

”Wonderful Years,” Lion benefit show April 7-8

“Those Wonderful Years,” will be the presentation of the Farmington Lions Club Saturday and Sunday evenings, April 7 and 8, at 8 p.m. at the high school auditorium.

The show will include music and events of the gay ‘90’s and the turn of the century and the cast of characters will be comprised of local Lions and residents of the village. Square dances, pantomines, an old tyme band, vocal solos and specialty acts will be presented.

The chorus is comprised of the following members: Jeanette Anderson, Beverly Boyd, Gerraine Whittier, JoAnn Gorges, Barbara Bradley, Lila Bung, Dorothy Dahmes, Charlotte Christensen, Gerald Gorges, George Fischer, George Flynn, David Hermann, Eugene Clay, Dale Schmidtke.

The old tyme band includes: Ken Hansen, Frank Brus, Glen Uitdenbogard, Augie Ratzlaff, Jerry Rother, David Boettcher, Steve Nielsen and Dick McDonald.

Specialty acts will be presented by Buzz Ehlers, the Dooley sisters, Bill Cook, Oscar Lubke, Jean Dooley, George Fischer, George Flynn, Marvin Alexander and Erle Mapes. The quartet will feature Allen Wachter, Eugene Clay, Ham Clay Jr., and Dale Schmidtke.

75 years ago

From the April 9, 1937

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

30-mile speed limit here too

Taking their cue from the Twin Cities, the village council Monday night decided to enforce the 30-mile-an-hour speed limit in Farmington. Several cities and towns adjacent to St. Paul and Minneapolis have clamped down on speeding by voting to enforce the 30-mile an hour limit.

Fifty signs, announcing the speed limit will arrive by the end of the week, and will serve notice to speeding motorists, Councilman George Manners said Wednesday night. The signs are being furnished free by the Minnesota State Automobile Association.

Complaints have reached the council regarding school students who speed on local streets, particularily during the noon hour.

Mounting traffic accidents with resultant deaths prompted state and local officials to turn thumbs down on speeding. The new speed limit law will be strictly enforced, according to officials.

Locals play in 2 tournaments

The Farmington “Skellyoilers” were defeated by South St. Paul in the finals of the Mid-Central basketball tournament in St. Paul, Saturday evening, by the score of 22-29.

The “Oilers” played two games on Friday night and were still tied Saturday evening when they played So. St. Paul. Both teams played rough and ragged ball with many fouls called on both teams, principally Farmington.

The Oilers were assisted by Obradovitch, Olson and Dahl from Red Wing. Feely and Barger were main scorers for the locals with Lahne being high point man for South St. Paul. The Oilers received silver medals for second place.

The locals also entered the Northwest Catholic basketball tourney but were defeated in the semi-finals by Rochester on Friday night.

Illinois pastor is called here

Members of the local Presbyterian church congregation met at the church Monday night and voted unanimously to call as their pastor, Rev. E.M. Moser of Witt, Ill. The meeting was presided over by Rev. Evans, moderator, of South St. Paul....

Rev. Moser, who is 43 years old, has been pastor of the Witt Presbyterian church five years and at the same time served the Nokomis congregation. Previous to that he was on the extension staff of Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, from which place he was graduated. He took post graduate work at McCormick seminary, Chicago....

Reports of the different departments of the church were heard and approved. C.E. Cadwell and W. Pool were re-elected trustees for three years.

Other officers elected included: Mrs. August Kulstad, superintendent of adult Sunday school; Mrs. Stella Dudson, superintendent of Cradle Roll; D. C. Michel, church treasurer; Donald Whittier, benevolent treasurer, Evelyn Pflaum, youth treasurer; Frank Henry and August Kulstad, church ushers.

100 years ago

From the April 5, 1912

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Gray stock sold

L.P. Fluke has purchased the A.K. Gray stock of drugs and wall paper and will consolidate the two stocks. Mr. Fluke does not do this in order to secure a monopoly on the drug business in Farmington, but more as a matter of protection to the drug interest as there is hardly room for two drug stores at this place. A sale has been put on for a week to reduce the stocks, after which the remaining stock will be removed to the Fluke store and the building rented for another line.

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