A public hearing was held at the November 14 Harmony city council meeting to discuss the proposed 2024 street project. City Engineer Brett Grabau reviewed the project and its finances with the public, noting that some of the things in the presented plan could still change before the assessment hearing that will be held in about a year. The project consists of three areas on 4th … [Read more...]
Articles by Hannah Wingert
Reporter
hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Fillmore Central Board Certifies Referendum Results
At the November 16 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, the board approved a resolution canvassing and certifying the referendum vote results. The vote, which took place on November 7, asked the voters to revoke the district’s current referendum of $292.15 per pupil and replace it with a new one of $783.36 per pupil. The proposed increase was due to a number of factors … [Read more...]
Kathryn Wade Fills Empty Lanesboro Council Seat
Kathryn Wade was appointed to fill the seat vacancy left by Mitchell Walbridge on the Lanesboro City Council at their November 6 meeting. As the new city administrator, Walbridge administered the oath of office to Wade. Before opening the regular meeting,the council spent time in a budget workshop reviewing and analyzing the 2024 budget for Lanesboro Public Utilities, the … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central Preps for Winter Sports Season
Jason Boynton from Smith & Schafer presented the 2022-2023 audit report to the Fillmore Central School Board at their October 24 meeting. The district’s financial statements received an unmodified clean report. The average daily membership is currently at 586 students, a number that has been decreasing over the last 6-8 years. The audit report was approved as presented. … [Read more...]
Cracking Concrete to be Seal Coated at Harmony Splash Pad
At the October 10 Harmony City Council meeting, a quote in the amount of $14,000 from Midwest Surface Coatings was reviewed for seal coating the splash pad. As stress cuts weren’t added when it was poured, the concrete is cracking and needs to be seal coated to protect it. Unfortunately, the Park Board does not have the budget to do the project at this time. “In order to … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Appoints New Council Member
At the October 2 Lanesboro City Council meeting, the council reviewed letters of interest received for former council member Mitchell Walbridge’s seat. Walbridge recently accepted the position of city administrator, vacating his seat on the council. As there are less than two years left of his term, the council was able to appoint someone to fill that seat. Three letters of … [Read more...]
Strong Start to Fillmore Central’s School Year
At the September 26th Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad gave a report to the board on the school year so far. “It’s been a great start,” he said. Both the high school and the elementary school are preparing for homecoming next week. Bus and school evacuations have been held at the elementary school. AimsWeb testing was done early this year to … [Read more...]
Harmony Approves Feasibility Report for 2024 Street Improvements
At the September 12 Harmony, Minn., City Council meeting, City Engineer Brett Grabau, from Stantec, reviewed the feasibility report for the proposed 2024 street and utility project. Three areas had been previously identified, using the 2012 Pavement Management Plan. The areas were Fourth Street North, Snake Alley, and Main Street alleyway. The total estimated project costs were … [Read more...]
Preston Welcomes New Chamber Director
Lindsey Reding loved the time she spent living and working in Thailand, but she knew it wasn’t going to be permanent. Her place, she felt, was in Southeast Minnesota. “I have always loved this area and knew I would eventually want to come back,” she explained. While living in Preston and working as an Interpretive Naturalist at Forestville State Park, she heard about the open … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Council Approves “Filthy Fifty” Street Closure
Lanesboro, Minn., resident Tom Pursell addressed the city council about the issue of flavored tobacco at their September 5 meeting. Pursell asked them to consider the results of a survey taken of Fillmore County teenagers by the health department along with other studies and statistics before the council makes any decisions about an ordinance regarding flavored tobacco. … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central Practices Accommodate Extreme Heat
At the August 22 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad updated the board on the fall sports season. It is well underway with practices and scrimmages. Games and meets will start soon for football, volleyball, cheerleading and cross country. With the heat this week, coaches have been carefully following a chart that gives strict guidelines to ensure … [Read more...]
Harmony Reduces Splash Pad Hours in Response to Drought Warning
The August 8 Harmony City Council meeting opened with a public forum at which resident Sharon Kiehne spoke. She asked if there was money set aside in the budget for routine road maintenance, such as filling potholes. Upon being assured that there was, she asked why the city isn’t fixing all of them. She stated that there were so many potholes on her street that it was … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Looks for New City Administrator
The August 7 Lanesboro City Council meeting opened with a public hearing for the Code of Ordinance update. Lanesboro resident Phil Dybing asked that the information that is shared with the public be made a little more clear. The hearing was closed and a second hearing was opened to discuss a tax abatement request. Public Finance Advisor Mike Bubany of David Drown Associates … [Read more...]
Early birthday present changes Ann Thacher’s life
Ann Thacher of Bristol Center (west of Harmony) received an amazing gift for her birthday this year. “It was like an early birthday present,” she said. On April 26, the week of her birthday, she received a phone call that would change and save her life. “When they called and said, you got a kidney, I was kind of in shock.” Thacher had waited four years for that call. On May 17, … [Read more...]
Harmony council considers semi parking
At the July 11 Harmony City Council meeting, the council discussed the complaints that have been received about semi trucks and trailers that have been parking overnight in Harmony. Originally, the city had allowed semi drivers to park on vacant land that the city owned, but now that someone has purchased the land, the situation has changed. The city ordinance states that only … [Read more...]
