Briefs: Two Cottage Grove couples named top farm family

Gordy and Bonnie Tank and Myron and Linda Tank, who have been farming together for the past 25 years, have been named Washington County's Farm Family of the year by the University of Minnesota.

The brothers and their wives run a diversified corn and soybean farm. Their goal is to use technology to improve production while keeping the environment safe. Some of the practices they have used include a GPS to monitor and map out yield variability. They have also used grid soil sampling which has allowed them to vary fertilizer from one field to the next. Recently, they converted their farm's irrigation systems to low pressure to conserve energy.

In addition to the crops, they have a family business of a summer sweet corn stand and fall pumpkin and produce business. Tank's Corner Store has provided the Tank's fourth generation an opportunity to further diversify the farm business and to help educate suburban neighbors about agriculture.

Planner to outline rail corridor plan Tom Dobbs, project manager and principal of Hay Dobbs, will lead a presentation on the Red Rock Corridor commuter rail transit stations and station area planning during a luncheon at the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dobbs will provide an overview of the Red Rock Corridor commuter rail project and background information including environmental analysis, traffic analysis, rail analysis and a market assessment for the corridor. The presentation will conclude with transit station plans, station area plans, and renderings for each of the proposed stations in the four corridor communities: Cottage Grove, Hastings, Newport, and St. Paul.

The luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 18 at Mississippi Dunes Golf Links in Cottage Grove. Cost is $15 for Chamber members in any Red Rock community, $18 for nonmembers. Reservations can be booked on-line at www.cottage grovechamber.org under the calendar tab, or by phone or email to the Chamber Office at 651-458-8334 or office@cottagegrovechamber.org.

Loving Care Cottage, county sign contract Loving Care Cottage entered into a contract with Washington County to provide 24-hour assisted living care for those with dementia, which will help keep long-term residents from having to relocate.

The service is designed for persons who are in need of oversight and supervision, and assistance with daily activities, but who do not need the same level of assistance as is provided in a skilled nursing home. They are also eligible for some financial assistance to pay for their care.

The facility has designated at least three of its seven beds for clients who are from Washington County.

Golf tournament to help two agencies The annual Joe Farrington Charity Golf Tournament begins with a mass start at 1 p.m. on Aug. 16 at Afton Alps. Registration begins at noon.

The cost is $75 per person, or $300 per foursome, with the proceeds going to the Union Gospel Mission and the Afton Area Business Association.

The cost includes 18 holes of golf, golf cart, silent auction, the awards dinner at the Afton House Inn and donations.

Grant to aid purchase of land for three parks The Washington County Board approved agreements to receive money from the Metropolitan Council for park purchases. Some of the money was for new purchases, and some was to complete purchases made in the past.

A Metropolitan Council grant for $1.47 million will be added to $367,000 of the county's voter approved Land and Water Legacy Program (LWLP) funds to purchase land on Grey Cloud Island in the southern reaches of the county. That land is known as the Appert property, and is within the planned boundaries of the Grey Cloud Regional Park.

A Metropolitan Council grant of $198,000 will be used, along with $49,600 from the LWLP, to purchase a portion of the property owned by the Pontius family in Denmark Township that will eventually be part of the regional trail planned along the St. Croix River.

In addition to those programs, the county also accepted the final reimbursement of $560,000 from the Metropolitan Council for the funds that the county used to purchase St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park from the Ceridian Corp. in 1996.

Advice sought on best building management Washington County manages 12 buildings entailing more than a million square feet. That's the equivalent of about 10 Wal-Mart stores, Wayne Sandberg, the county's deputy director of the Public Works Department, told the County Board last month.

The county will use an integrated workplace management system to control space assignments, plan for future needs, and track the maintenance and operation of the county's facilities. The goal is to lower the total cost of ownership.

These buildings include the Government Center, Law Enforcement Center and Historic Courthouse in Stillwater; two highway maintenance buildings, one in Stillwater Township and one in Woodbury; four main libraries; two license centers; and the South Service Center in Cottage Grove.

Several roads to get fresh coat of stripes A number of Washington County roadways will receive new striping after the County Board approved a contract with Century Fence Co. to do the work.

The project consists of edge striping on: Hwy. 10 from the Ramsey County line to County Road 59; Hwy. 9 from Hwy. 12 to Hwy. 7; Hwy. 15 from Hwy. 96 to Hwy. 97; Hwy. 15A from Hwy. 97 to the Chisago County line; Hwy. 21 from Hwy. 10 to Hudson Road; and County Road 55 from Hwy. 7 to Hwy. 4.

Foundation lays out 2010 grant guidelines The Woodbury Community Foundation has announced new grant guidelines for 2010. Based on the results of the agency's work with Wilder Research, there will be five key areas of interest: Youth, jobs, food, housing and community. The guidelines can be downloaded from the Foundation's website at www.woodburyfoun dation.org. Grant requests are due by Oct. 1.

In 2009, the Woodbury Community Foundation gave out $2,000 in grants. Groups supported in the foundation's first granting opportunity were Community Thread, FamilyMeans, Spare Key, Store to Door and Tubman.

For more information on the programs and activities of the Woodbury Community Foundation, call 651-788-6586.

Chamber relocates to credit union building The Woodbury Chamber Office has moved to its new location in the SPIRE Federal Credit Union Building at 6949 Valley Creek Road, Suite 115. Phone and fax numbers will not change, and office hours will remain the same: weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.