Spring/Summer 2018 Hometown Messenger & Activities Brochure

Community invited to donate toward downtown Rev. Pond statue In late November, the city and Shakopee

A LOOK BACK Arriving in Minnesota in 1834 with his brother Gideon, Samuel Pond is best known as a missionary, teacher and translator to the

Mdewakanton Sioux Community unveiled a statue of Chief Sakpe in downtown Shakopee commemorating the area's historic past. Now, a group of local residents is looking to add a second statue to tell more of Shakopee's story. A committee is fundraising to commission sculptor Denny Haskew to create a bronze statue of the missionary Samuel W. Pond for display on the River City Centre plaza. Haskew, who created the Chief Sakpe statue, has already mocked up potential designs of Rev. Pond who will be seated on a rock under the plaza. The Pond statue and installation is estimated to cost up to $125,000. Tax-deductible donations to the statue project can be sent via check to the City of Shakopee, Attn: Joy Sutton, 485 Gorman St.,

Dakota tribe. Settling in a region which is now Minneapolis, the brothers taught Dakota tribes European farming practices

and conducted their missionary work. Here, they began translating the Dakota language into English. Over the span of 40 years, they translated the first Dakota alphabet into English (known as the Pond- Dakota alphabet and still used, today), the Bible into Dakota and eventually, the first Dakota – English dictionary. Rev. Pond was invited by Ŝakpe II (Chief Shakopee II) to relocate his family, wife Cordelia Eggleston Pond and their three children, to the Dakota prairie village called Tiŋta-otoŋwe, located near the present City of Shakopee. In 1847, the Ponds built the first framed structure in the area, which served as a school and missionary. In 1855, Samuel Pond founded the First Presbyterian Church, serving as its pastor for 13 years. While not the original church structure, the First Presbyterian Church continues to serve the community today on Shakopee Avenue and Marschall Road. Samuel Pond died on Dec. 12, 1891, at the age of 83, and his headstone can be found at Valley Cemetery in Shakopee.

Shakopee MN 55379. Clay model of the potential Samuel W. Pond statue for downtown Shakopee.

NEWS & NOTES Nelson receives city's 2017 Administrator's Leadership award

Promote your community event thru city website The city has two new options for community organizations looking to promote their citywide event. Submit upcoming events for the online community calendar at www. ShakopeeMN.gov/communitycalendar. Events must be open to the public and community oriented. More information about eligible organizations and events is available on the website. Last fall, the city also installed an electronic message board in downtown Shakopee off County Highway 101. In addition to city items, the board will promote limited community and downtown events. All requests must be submitted online at www.ShakopeeMN. gov/communications.

City Administrator William Reynolds recently recognized Finance Director

Darin Nelson with the 2017 Administrator’s Leadership Award. Nelson, who joined the city in February 2016,

was recognized for his leadership in transforming the city’s budget process while providing clarity and transparency. “[Thanks to Nelson] we have been more fiscally prudent. We have been more transparent. We now have a budget that accurately reflects how we spend our tax dollars,” Reynolds said. “His work has helped set the stage for fiscal stability in our immediate future.”

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