News from the week of August 22, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880
After 53 years, pastor is stepping down from Church of Christ pulpit
By Valerie Scherbart-Quist
The words on the sign outside the Church of Christ in Tracy say it all: "Homer & Betty: Thanks for 53 years of loving dedication."
After 53 years as pastor of the Church of Christ in Tracy, Pastor Homer Dobson is retiring.
For the Dobsons, this was the right time for retirement.
"There are people in the church who have never had another minister," Pastor Dobson said. "It's time." The choice to retire as pastor was his own.
"I gave the church notice of my retirement on my 75th birthday. “It was a good time to do it."
The Dobsons don't expect to let retirement slow them down. Betty Dobson plans to keep busy with her guardian angel collection, and Pastor Dobson has some old cars to work on. He also plans to continue being active in helping people.
"That's what I've always wanted to do," he said.
Pastor Dobson will continue to preach in Lamberton and will fill in occasionally until the Church of Christ finds a new pastor.
"I'll still be calling on sick people and ministering in other ways that are necessary," he added.
• Contract inked with consultant
The Tracy Economic Development Authority is moving forward with plans to develop a tele-work center.
With a unanimous vote Friday, the EDA approved a $10,000 to $20,000 contract with Everest Information Services, Inc. of Bloomington. EDA members hope that the contract lays the foundation for a new technology-based business in Tracy.
“It behooves us to move ahead with this,” said Dennis Fultz.
EDA board members feel that the call center has the potential to create jobs in Tracy, including some moderate and higher-paying jobs. However, EDA board members agreed that there are no guarantees.
“There are some risks,” said Jim Garvin. “But I think it is worth it. We know that if we don't do it, it's guaranteed that nothing will get done.”
Tele-work centers can provide a wide variety of services for businesses and government agencies. Technology—high-speed Internet connections, personal computers, and telephones—make it possible to locate the centers anywhere there is a work force. In theory, a tele-work center could be located hundreds of miles from the company it was performing work for.
Parents and students are invited to an open house at Tracy Elementary School Monday, August 27, beginning at 6:45 p.m.
A picnic supper fund-raiser, sponsored by the Tracy Elementary Parent-Teacher Club, precedes the open house at 5:45 p.m. Hamburgers, chips, and soft drinks will be served in the east school parking lot until 7 p.m. Cost is $2.
The open house has a new informational format this year. Classroom teachers will give presentations about school expectations and classroom procedures. Short talks by Principal Scott Loeslie and Title I Lead Teacher Kelly McConnell are also scheduled. Time is also allowed for parents and students to look around the school. The school office will be open to register any new students.
Work will continue on lakes-area sewage collection system
The Shetek Area Water and Sewer Commission voted Monday to continue efforts to develop a sewage collection system around Lake Shetek and Sarah.
The decision came after studying the responses of a mail survey asking lakes area property owners to share their opinions regarding the development of a sewage collection system around the lakes, with a treatment facility near Currie.
A total of 429 property owners representing 469 discharge units responded to a mail survey sent to 670 property owners in the Shetek area sewer district. Of this total, 240 property owners did not return their questionnaire or give an opinion.
Lake Shetek property owners were equally split on their recommendations to build a collection system or retain individual septic systems, although some people responded with qualified answers such as “No, unless you include water at the same time," or Yes, but only if you guarantee the costs."
Sixty-eight responses were received from Lake Sarah residents with 50 owners favoring the continued use of septic systems. Commission members indicated a need to review this response with Lake Sarah residents to determine the best way to proceed.
As the summer begins to draw to a close, Tracy Pubic School custodial staff are finishing preparations for the upcoming school year.
Signs of activity are everywhere, as hallways are filled with desks, chairs, and computers.
"Every single room must be cleaned out,” said head custodian Joe Pyle. "Every table, chair, desk, book, absolutely everything comes out, gets cleaned up and put back. I'd say that as of right now we are at least 80 percent done with the entire building."
Since football and volleyball players have practice during the end of the summer, the whole east side of the building has been cleaned out first to ensure that the gym and locker rooms were completed before players had to begin using them.
Other than cleaning, the school has many other projects that need to be completed before the school year begins.
"Basically there is just some normal maintenance that needs to be taken care of," commented Pyle. "We work on the clocks, air vents, just the normal glitches."
People have chance to win a new electric golf cart or $2,500 in cash, while helping to raise money for the new Tracy Aquatic Center.
A raffle sponsored by the Aquatic Center fund-raising committee will give away a new Yamaha electric golf cart valued at $5,900. Instead of the golf cart, the winner can also choose to receive $2,500 in cash. All other proceeds will go to purchase equipment for the new aquatic center, which is targeted to open in May of 2002.
Raffle tickets are being sold for $50 each, with only 125 tickets being sold. Donations are tax deductible.
Tickets are available from either Dean or Jeff Salmon at Salmon, Inc., Robert Gervais at the Tracy Chamber of Commerce office, John's Drug, Tracy Food Pride, Food-N-Fuel, Cenex `C” Store or other aquatic fund-raising committee members Gary Tholen, Mark Peterson, Kris Tiegs, Claire Hannasch, and Shorty Engel.
The drawing will be held during Tracy Box Car Days weekend. People need not be present to win. The golf cart has been donated by Salmon, Inc.