Murder charges
filed against
former
Henderson
area resident

   A former Henderson area resident was arrested on murder charges in Missouri last Friday, January 20th.
   A warrant out of Sibley County was issued for 29-year old Amy Ann Romero who was wanted on seven felony counts including murder in the first degree, premeditated.
   Romero, formerly Amy Aune of rural Henderson, was arrested in Milan, Missouri on Friday evening at her residence. Sibley County authorities are not making comments on Romero or the murder investigation at this time. Romero is currently in custody in Sullivan County with no bond allowed.
Sibley County authorities are expected to request extradition back to Minnesota.
   No further information was available at press time.  

School district approves revised budget

By Troy Koester
Staff Writer

   The LeSueur-Henderson School Board approved a revised budget for the 2011-12 school year at its Monday meeting, and took a brief glimpse at 2012-13.
   The new number for expenses for the 2011-12 school year is $10,124,126, up from the previously adopted number of $9,987,396.
The District upped its projected revenues to $10,185,752, up from $10,135,500.
   It is a common practice for the District to revise its budget in January of the school year. The District projects a total fund balance of $910,952 at the end of the school year, including $214,748 in reserve funds that are allocated for specific purposes, and $696,204 in unreserved funds.
   Much of the District’s budget is based on enrollment projections. The District’s model predicted 1,081 for this school year, and it is presently using 1,085, which was the enrollment on Dec. 1.
About 70 percent of the expenses are salaries and benefits of District employees, $7,219,504.
   The Board also briefly discussed its fund balance goal for the 2012-13 school year. Presently the number is $400,000, or almost 15-days worth of operating expenses. The District is using 1,109 students as a model for 2012-13, and projects an unreserved fund balance of $757,830 on June 30, 2012, the end of the budget year.
   Coupled with a projected positive spending variance of $419,067, the District projects additional funding of $776,897 for 2012-13, money that could be used to increase the unreserved fund balance, implement or improve programs or add additional staff. The District has not projected its expenses for the STEM program’s implementation at Hilltop.
   Historically, the District’s unreserved fund balance reached a high of $1.75 million in 2003, but had decreased each year since to a low point of $250,000 in 2009.
   District Accountant Pat Goggin said that auditors used to suggest school districts maintain 30-days of operating funds in the unreserved fund balance, or $800,000 in LS-H’s instance, but have backed off that recommendation as schools struggle in today’s economy.


Council approves 2012 appointments

   The Henderson City Council eased their way into the New Year at last week’s council meeting and approved the city’s 2012 appointments.
   Among the appointments approved by the council, the city’s personnel committee will stay the same as 2011 with Mayor Tim Nytes and councilman Kelly Braun. Councilman Les Mediger and Nytes will remain on the fire commission and the acting mayor (when Nytes is not present) will be councilman Paul Menne.
   Jim Bauman will remain the city inspector, while internal controls such as payroll and bills will remain the same as 2011.
   In addition, the council passed a motion to have the City of Henderson become a member of the Sibley County EDA. Menne will attend the meetings as a representative for the city. Previously, Menne had been attending the meetings as a citizen from Henderson. The cost for the membership is $900.
Menne believed the cost was well worth it because of the benefits some Henderson businesses have realized over the years.

• In other news, the council passed a motion to have the week of February 7-14 proclaimed as “Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week” in Henderson.
The push for the awareness came from the parents of Cameron Rannow. Cameron was born in 2009 with one of the most severe forms of congenital heart defects - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. In easy terms, Cameron was born with half a heart.
Mayor Nytes read the proclamation aloud. 

• In other news, the city has received several applications for the new police officer hire. No movement yet on the applicants yet.
In related news, the city is still looking into a potential new police cruiser. Henderson Police Chief Pat Nienaber has located a possible cruiser for purchase, however there has been no movement on the vehicle. Nienaber will continue to research other potential vehicle leads.


It’s never too cold

by Troy Koester
staff writer

   Sub-zero temperatures didn’t deter a half-dozen anglers that drilled holes and set up portable fish houses on the Minnesota River near the Hwy 19 bridge in Henderson on Saturday morning.
    Dan and Tim Becker and Chris Peterson came from LeCenter and LeSueur to try their hand. They had been fishing the river near St. Peter in recent weeks and have enjoyed some great success.
   Bob Liebhard, who is pictured above, used his portable sunflower heater to keep his non-jigging hand warm.
   “I need one (fish) to avoid getting skunked,” joked Liebhard, who lives between Belle Plaine and Green Isle, and says he loves to fish the river, although he’s only been out a few times this winter because of the ice conditions.
   “If I had to survive eating what I get outta here, I’d be dead,” Liebhard said, noting that he’s not had a great deal of luck this winter.
  He was fishing with two others and the dialogue was indicating a trip to Wagar’s for a cup of hot coffee.


Henderson photo contest

Henderson Chamber of Commerce
to present local photo contest 


   The Henderson Chamber of Commerce will be presenting the 1st (and hopefully annual) Images of Henderson Photo Contest.
   Submissions for the 2012 contest are currently being accepted with the deadline for entries slated for Friday, August 1, 2012.
   Entries can be submitted at the Henderson Independent newspaper or at Evolution Media either digitally or with the original photograph. E-mail photos can be submitted to hendersonind@frontiernet.net or jsteinborn@mac.com.
   The contest is free to enter and open to both amateur and professional photographers.
All submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:
• Photographs must be taken in Henderson or the surrounding area.
• Photographs will be judged in one of six categories that represent Henderson:
- People/Activities
- Plants/Wildlife
- Learning
- Families
- Businesses
- Celebrations
• Photographers may submit up to a total of ten photographs with a maximum of three per category.
• Past and present photographs are eligible.
• All entries submitted must be the original work of the submitting photographer.
• Once submitted, photos become the property of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and may be used in future promotional publications either for Henderson or for the photo contest itself.
• Contest organizers reserve the right to re-categorize or disqualify any entrant.
• If there are identifiable people in a photograph taken in a non-public space, it is the responsibility of the photographer to obtain written permission to use the photo.
• All decisions will be final.
• The Henderson Chamber of Commerce is not responsible for lost entries.
• Each photo entry must include a submission outlining the photographer’s name, address, phone number or e-mail address and age (if under 18).
 • A first, second and third place winner may be chosen for each category as well as an overall winner. A “Henderson’s Choice” award may also be given based on votes during the 2012 Henderson Sauerkraut Days.
• Contest winners will  have their artwork displayed during Heritage Days.
• Entries will be judged on subject matter, composition, clarity, lighting, depth of field, artistry, degree of difficulty, technical excellence and overall impact.