When the Belle Plaine track teams travel to Tipton for Friday’s district/regional meet, they will be part of a formidable 12-team field. But several local athletes rank among the state’s best, according to statistics compiled by Quik Stats Iowa.

Besides Belle Plaine, other teams in the Tipton meet include Bellevue, Camanche, Durant, Iowa Valley, Monticello, North Cedar, Northeast Goose Lake, Solon, Tipton, West Branch and Wilton. Action begins at 4 p.m.

The top three performers in each event for the boys advance to the state meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. The top two finishers for the girls are guaranteed a spot at state, along with the next eight best times or distances from across the state.

In the boys’ field, six of the top 50 best 100 meter dash times in Class 2A belong to competitors in this field and two of them are Plainsmen. Brian Crow has the 15^th best time and Seivon Steward ranks 23^rd. Eleven of the top 200 meter dash runners will be there, including Steward at 24 and Crow at 32.

In the 800 meter run field, 11 of the top 50 are in this district, including Tyler Brandt at 42. Tyson Squiers has a top 50 time in two events. In the 1,600 meter run, where 10 of the top 50 will be there, Squiers rates 42^nd. In the 3,200 meter run, 10 of the top 50 are in the field, including Brandt at 28 and Squiers at 41.

Eight of the state’s top hurdlers are at the Tipton district. In the 110 meter event, Tate DeMeulenaere, at 25 and Keegan DeMeulenaere at 37 are among the state’s top eight in that event. In the 400 meter hurdles, where eight of the top 50 are represented, Tate DeMeulenaere has the 49^th best time.

Belle Plaine relay runners rank in the top 50 in time in six events, with a strong field at the Tipton district in each of them. The Plainsmen’s 4 x 100 relay has the tenth best time in Class 2A and nine of the top 50 teams will be at Tipton. Eight of the top 4 x 200 teams will be there. Belle Plaine has the 29^th best time.

Eight of the top 4 x 400 teams, including three of the top 10, are in the field. The Plainsmen have the 41^st best time. Eight of the top 4 x 800 teams are entered at Tipton, with Belle Plaine rated 25^th.

In the 1,600 meter medley, another eight top teams are in the field with the Plainsmen coming in with the 24^th best time to date. In the shuttle hurdle relay, the Plainsmen have the 14^th best time in the state and eight of the top 50 are entered.

Seven of the top 50 shot putters are in the field, including Rich DeFauw, with the 29^th best throw.

Over in the girls’ field, Belle Plaine has top 50 performances in five events, including three by Megan Abernathy. She is 14^th in the 100 meter dash with six others in the top 50 entered. Nine of the top 50 200 meter dash runners are in the field. Abernathy is rated 46^th. Taylor Schafbuch comes in ninth in time in the 400 meter hurdles, where she joins three others in the top 50.

The shuttle hurdle relay team has the 50^th best time, with five other top 50 teams slated to compete at Tipton. Abernathy owns the 11^th best distance in the Class 2A long jump, where five other top 50 performers are expected.

 Several residents on the city’s east side are waiting for the city to extend sanitary sewer service to their property. At least one resident, Ed Landuyt, says he’s been asking for 25 years and at Monday’s city council meeting, he asked again.

Landuyt, who lives on 13^th Avenue, told the council that his septic tank will need to be replaced within a year and he was was hoping that he could connect to the city’s system. He said he has asked previous councils who have investigated the scope and cost of the project, but nothing has yet been completed.

Julie Mantz, another 13^th Avenue resident, told the council that she has noticed many of the improvements underway and in the planning stages in the city and asked that the council take another look at sewer question. She also said that there is property located near her residence that she knows the city would like to develop and that sanitary sewer service is important in further development.

Longtime Councilman Harold Ealy acknowledged that the council has looked into the matter in other years. It was determined that the best course would be a lengthy extension of a sewer line across Franklin Park. Extending service to the area via a series of lift stations has also been proposed, according to City Administrator Bill Daily. But he said engineers have told city officials that this is not the best solution.

The council told the residents that they would discuss the matter at the council’s next work session later this month.

Fight ordinance tabled

The council tabled consideration of the second reading of an ordinance banning amateur fighting and boxing in the city due to the lack of a full complement of councilmen. Craig Van Scoyoc was absent from the meeting.

The ordinance was proposed after a recent ultimate fighting program at the American Legion building, where fighting erupted in the crowd and one officer was assaulted.

Abatement extension

In other action, the council granted a 90-day extension of a nuisance abatement for Vicky Nickel, 615 Seventh Ave. She asked for time to complete the construction of a metal building on her property.

Administrator’s report

During his report to the council, Daily said that the city’s downtown streetscape project is currently “in limbo,” pending the outcome of several grants the city has applied for. The Benton County Foundation has approved several grants for the various projects in the city, but several more sizable grants are in the works.

One of those projects, the city’s proposed new aquatics center, is currently in the final plans and specification preparation stage. He told the council that a projected 2010 completion is still the goal.

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