Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs Commissioner Larry Herke led a virtual meeting on September 21 to provide a quarterly update on the veterans home in Preston. The tentative date for ribbon cutting is after Memorial Day, about June 1, 2023. The Preston facility is about 56% complete. It is the furthest along of the three new veterans homes under construction. The other … [Read more...]
Chatfield looks to expand its city limits
The Chatfield City Council, at their September 12 meeting, approved a Widseth proposal for engineering services to recommend infrastructure improvements and to estimate costs of those improvements for proposed areas of expansion of the city limits. Councilor Paul Novotny was absent. The firm will analyze a possible Burr Oak Ave. NE extension north of Margaret St. NE and an … [Read more...]
Fillmore County continues trimming 2023 budget
County Administrator Bobbie Hillery detailed more possible savings in the 2023 budget at the board’s September 13 meeting. Requested new tech positions in both the administration’s and the recorder’s offices were eliminated from the budget. A request for another full-time jailer was limited to a part-time jailer. Soil and Water Conservation District will not receive a … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office receives policy management award
At the September 6 Fillmore County Board meeting, Sheriff John DeGeorge explained every county in the state of Minnesota likely uses the services of Lexipol Connect. Fillmore County started using the service in 2012. Lexipol started a recognition program last year which is intended to help their users receive excellence in policy and online training. “Lexipol provides public … [Read more...]
Preston discusses 2023 budget
The first draft of the 2023 budget was reviewed and discussed at the city council’s September 6 meeting. City Administrator Ryan Throckmorton noted some of the challenges they faced, including the fact that the administrator position cost is no longer split with Preston Public Utilities. The revenue coming to the city from the utility in 2022 for that position was nearly … [Read more...]
Fillmore County board to consider lot width regulation amendment
The Fillmore County Planning Commission held a public hearing on August 18 to discuss a proposed amendment to Section 604.05(5), lot width regulations, of the county’s zoning ordinance. The current regulation requires a minimum width of 150 feet at the front of a buildable lot, plus a provision that the lot shall have either 66 feet of public road frontage or a recorded … [Read more...]
Chatfield’s proposed amendment to the city’s Charter
The Chatfield Charter Commission has recommended that the city’s Charter be amended by ordinance to develop and install the position of City Administrator. A previous recommendation to create a city manager or city administrator position failed to receive unanimous approval of the city council as required. At the city council’s August 22 meeting, the council passed a resolution … [Read more...]
Fillmore County 2023 budgeting
At the Fillmore County Board’s August 23 meeting, commissioners directed County Administrator Bobbie Hillery to look for cost savings to trim the county’s preliminary 2023 budget. Early budget numbers register a possible double digit percent increase in the levy. For several weeks now, each department head has provided preliminary numbers for 2023. This day several budgets … [Read more...]
Gjere Subdivision final plat approved
At the August 8 Chatfield City Council meeting a hearing was held for public comment on a proposed townhome style medium-density development. The subdivision is to be located in Elmira Township at 273 Mill Creek Rd. NW. Mike and Julie Sogla have proposed the planned unit development for 11 residential townhomes. There are existing municipal services and facilities to serve the … [Read more...]
Fillmore County continues review of 2023 preliminary budgets
The many budgets under the Sheriff’s Department were discussed at the county board’s August 9 meeting. The budgets under the Sheriff Department umbrella include 911 funds, sheriff office, Spring Valley contract, Mabel-Canton-Harmony contracts, forfeitures, DARE, dispatch, court security, jail, and emergency management. Sheriff John DeGeorge said a big change in the Sheriff’s … [Read more...]