Anamoose, ND

We just got home from eating a buffet breakfast at the Anamoose Cafe.  What a huge crowd, as you can see in the pictures!  The breakfast was delicious  Over breakfast, we talked about how it is great to be able to eat Sunday breakfast in Anamoose before or after church. 

Next Sunday we can eat breakfast at the Anamoose Senior Center, when they serve their second Sunday breakfast from 9:30-1. 

This was one of our Strategic Planning goals-to have Sunday meals for seniors.  I am sure the rest of the people in Anamoose enjoy it too. 

Our Anamoose Area Community Foundation met last night with Kevin Dvorak, ND Community Foundation president, for an organizational meeting.  We started planning on how to get our $25,000 goal for the  year.  Our $10,000 that we will be getting from the Horizons program is a good start. 

From left around the back of the table are:  Kevin Dvorak, Brent Weninger, Rose Weninger, Joe Weninger, Bill Goodwin (behind), Calvin Buxa, Dennis Zimmerman, Shirley Nitz. 

This morning we were discussing the Anamoose Foundation over coffee at the cafe.  Suddenly one woman got up, got her checkbook, and made out a donation.   That made my day!

In December we had a Stop and Shop day held at the Anamoose Senior Center.  The event was organized by Deb Reinowski and Annette Leier with 12 vendors present.  They had a variety of products from jewelry, home products, cosmetics, etc.

Deb told me”I liked doing it in conjunction with Santa Day” which was right across the street in the VFW hall.  In the evening the Baptist Church used the senior center.  “I would do it again.  It is another reason to bring people to Anamoose”. 

Frances Lageson is having makeup applied by Katie Fitzgerald, who along with her mother, Pattie Reeves, makes Cambens Naturals.

A couple weeks ago 8 of us met to began organizing a Home Rule Charter for Anamoose.  The members of the committee(Double click on picture) are Angie Kesler, Lois Rott, Dennis Zimmerman,Steve Heim, Jeff Lemer, Brent Weniger, Duaine Dockter,  and I(talking picture).  They looked relaxed, but we had just finished a couple of hours reviewing a Sample Home Rule Charter and comparing it to Drake and Velva’s Charters.

I took the following quote from the ND League of Cities Handbook on Home Rule, August, 2007.  “Home Rule is a granting of certain powers to cities by the state legislature to allow cities more opportunity to make decisions about those issues that affect them.”

 A Home Rule Charter would allow the city board to budget more effectively and also allow for a city sales tax should this be approved by the voters. 

Friday I was told by Bill Goodwin, McHenry County Commissioner, that Anamoose has not renewed the sherriff contract with the county.  I contacted Joe Weninger (picture), Anamoose City Council member, about this.  He replied,”The funding isn’t available to be able to support the deputy contract.  The tax dollars we take in basically support ouor street lighting-and that’s about it.”

The next Home Rule committee meeting will be Thursday, January 10 with Jerry Hjelmstad, lawyer for the League of Cities.