A public hearing was held at the August 10 county board meeting regarding a developer’s (G-Cubed Development, Inc.) request for a property tax abatement related to a housing project in Lanesboro. The developer is proposing a single family subdivision within the city of Lanesboro. The developer has requested that the city of Lanesboro and the county provide abatement assistance … [Read more...]
Veterans home groundbreaking celebration
A large crowd gathered on August 9 for the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future state veterans home in Preston. This was the first of three groundbreaking ceremonies for the new veterans homes to be built in Minnesota. Ceremonies will be held in Montevideo and Bemidji later this month. Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Homes Healthcare Douglas Hughes said the … [Read more...]
Jail study committee recommends constructing a 365-day Class III facility
After 18 months of study, the Jail Committee announced their conclusions and recommendations at the Fillmore County Board’s August 3 meeting. Sheriff John DeGeorge and committee member John Zanmiller, Bristol Township, reported on the committee’s findings. The more than 50-year-old jail has not been able to meet Department of Corrections (DOC) requirements for some time. It … [Read more...]
Preston transfers veterans home site to state of Minnesota
At the August 2 Preston City Council meeting, the council formally approved the transfer of 16.6 acres for the veterans home site including the Anderson triangle to the State of Minnesota. City Administrator Joe Hoffman explained the veterans home donation escrow fund will be released to the state as requested by the state. This fund is approximately $1.4 million and … [Read more...]
Fillmore County holds first public hearing for appointed recorder
County Recorder David Kiehne was first to comment during the public hearing at the board’s July 27 meeting. Kiehne submitted a letter to the board on July 6 informing them of his intent to retire on December 31, 2022, the end of his current elected term. Legislation signed into law in 2019 allows the appointment of a county recorder with the retirement notification provided … [Read more...]
Fillmore County proposed Zoning Ordinance language changes
At the July 22 Planning Commission meeting, three proposed language changes to the Zoning Ordinance were proposed by Zoning Administrator Cristal Adkins. The first was a more detailed definition of a campground. The proposed language states: “Any area, whether privately owned, used on a daily, nightly, or longer basis for the accommodations of two or more tents or … [Read more...]
Chatfield fills open council seat
David Frank was appointed to fill the vacant Chatfield City Council seat at the council’s July 26 meeting. Mayor Russ Smith noted that only one application had been submitted to the fill the remainder of John McBroom’s term, who announced his resignation on June 28. Frank will also fill most of McBroom’s committee commitments (Park & Recreation, Public Services, and … [Read more...]
Fillmore County discusses uses for Rescue Plan funds
The county’s allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is estimated to be about $4 million. At the July 13 board meeting County Administrator Bobbie Hillery reported that the first half of that funding has been received. The second half is expected to be received next year. The board reviewed a document prepared by the National Association of Counties (NACo) … [Read more...]
Groundbreaking event planned August 19 for veterans home
During a July 13 gathering at the Preston Servicemen’s Club, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) officials, the project planner and construction manager updated a group of veterans and local officials on project plans and the timeline for construction of the State Veterans Home. The hour on August 19 for the ground breaking event is yet to be determined. The … [Read more...]
Chatfield invites interested residents to apply for council seat
At the July 13 Chatfield City Council meeting the process to appoint an interested resident to fill the city council vacancy was discussed. The vacancy was created with the resignation of John McBroom. Three options were considered: to advertise for interested residents that would like to contribute, to recruit a former councilor or mayor, or to review active people in the … [Read more...]
Preston hires full-time EMT
Ambulance Director Ryan Throckmorton reported at the Preston City Council’s June 6 meeting that two applicants had been interviewed for the full- time EMT position. The council had approved the creation of a full-time EMT position at their June 7 meeting. Throckmorton at that time made it clear that the EMS structure currently in place is not sustainable. Staffing with … [Read more...]
Fillmore County moves forward with process to appoint county recorder
At the Fillmore County Board’s July 6 meeting, a letter from county recorder David Kiehne to the board of commissions was referenced, stating his intent to retire at the end of his current term, December 31, 2022. Kiehne suggested hiring a full- time person by the fall of 2021 to begin the process of training his replacement. He plans to include a new full-time lead account … [Read more...]
Vacant Chatfield council seat
At the June 28 city council meeting, Chatfield councilor John McBroom announced his resignation. Councilor Paul Novotny was absent. McBroom, who was serving a second term on the council, explained that a lot of things come up which we have no control over. “Just can’t do it anymore; I am missing some of the grandkids’ events, you just can’t get that back,” he said. Mayor … [Read more...]
Fillmore County variance applications considered
The Fillmore County Board of Adjustment held public hearings on three variance applications in the Ag District at its June 17 meeting. The county’s zoning ordinance details what is permissible in the Ag District in section 604. Doug Lind, section 15 Norway Township, requested a 30-foot variance from the distance required for the construction of a structure from the … [Read more...]
Fillmore County hears appeals on property valuations
County Assessor Jason McCaslin reported at the Board of Appeal and Equalization public hearing that his office has received about 100 appeals from property owners through the local board or open book appeal process. He expects there will be a lot of appeals until compliance and equalization are back on track. McCaslin stressed that an equalization across jurisdictions is … [Read more...]