Technology upgrades were approved at the February 10 Chatfield City Council meeting. Councilors Mike Urban and John McBroom were absent. City Clerk Joel Young reported that the total cost of the technology upgrades will be under $16,000. A switch is to be upgraded in the computer server room, along with the wireless capability in the Thurber Building. The firewall and … [Read more...]
Preston creates rehab loan fund
Preston EDA recommended the city council create a loan fund to rehab and create apartments in existing buildings in the city. The recommendation was considered at the February 3 meeting. Small city block grant program loan repayments are being collected into the 274 account and they will make up this loan fund. City Administrator Joe Hoffman said he was excited about the … [Read more...]
Legislators hear county priorities
Senator Jeremy Miller and Representative Greg Davids listened to Fillmore County department heads as they reviewed their legislative priorities for the 2020 session at the February 4 County Board meeting. County Administrator Bobbie Vickerman started by thanking the legislators for their support in 2017 to add additional dollars to the County Program Aid program. The formula … [Read more...]
Hagedorn Town Hall
Congressman Jim Hagedorn (Minnesota 1st district) answered questions from Fillmore County residents at a January 25 town hall held in Spring Valley. About 30 citizens attended. Attendees were given the opportunity to submit written questions. District Director Carol Stevenson drew questions from a container labeled Fillmore County residents. Questions from those that lived … [Read more...]
Solar CUP applications in Fillmore County
The Fillmore County Planning Commission held their first meeting of 2020 on January 23. Gary Ruskell will again serve as chairman and Steve Duxbury as vice-chairman. Meetings will be scheduled for the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. A public hearing was held for each of two applications for a conditional use permit for the development of a three-megawatt ground … [Read more...]
Thirty bridges to be posted
Fillmore County Engineer Ron Gregg called attention to a recent report from the MnDOT Bridge Office at the board’s January 28 meeting. Forty bridges in the county received a low rating and 30 of those will need to be posted. Many of these did not have to be posted last year. Postings of five to eight ton loadings have to be up within 30 days. About half of the bridges to be … [Read more...]
Waterway repairs and park proposals
The Chatfield City Council meeting held on January 27 was unusually brief. Councilor Mike Urban was absent. Brian Burkholder informed the council that Union St. waterway repairs will need to be done before April 15, as per the Department of Natural Resources rules. The work is necessary because of damages sustained during the June 27 flooding event. Cost for the waterway … [Read more...]
Preston discusses future capital projects
Financial Advisor Mike Bubany used a software program to demonstrate various financial outcomes for the city of Preston at Preston City Council’s January 21 meeting. He plugged in different capital expenditures over a period of years and the affect they could have on the city’s tax rate, levy, and utility rates. Councilman David Collett was absent. No one from the public … [Read more...]
Citizens air their opinions
At the January 14 Fillmore County Board meeting 10, citizens came forward to speak on three different subjects. Refugee resettlement Seven citizens encouraged the board to consent to refugee resettlement. President Trump signed executive order 13888 (Enhancing State and Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement) in September 2019. The order stipulates that refugees are to … [Read more...]
A second option for Preston landfill material
Tony Severson, S & S Sanitation, expressed concern about an increase in the tipping fee at the Fillmore County Resource Recovery Center at the January 13 Preston City Council meeting. The city has a five-year contract with S & S Sanitation which requires landfill material to be taken to the Resource Recovery Center. However, the county board recently approved a 25% … [Read more...]