A crowd gathered in the parking lot outside the Fillmore County Courthouse to celebrate the creation and implementation of Minnesota’s Third Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court on Friday, September 20. This day was also National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea spoke later in the ceremony, quoting JFK, “A nation reveals itself … [Read more...]
Preston certifies preliminary levy
The preliminary 2020 budget and levy was adopted unanimously at the Preston City Council’s September 18 meeting. Councilman Charles Sparks was absent. The total preliminary levy for 2020 is $985,130. This will require a 4.57% property tax levy increase over 2019, or a difference of $43,084. These numbers can be reduced when the final levy is approved in December, but can not … [Read more...]
Medical examiner 2018 review
R. Ross Reichard, D.D., Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner, presented 2018 data for Fillmore County at the September 10 county board meeting. Chairman Duane Bakke was absent. Reichard’s office serves eight counties in southeast Minnesota. He emphasized the importance of the medical examiner’s staff including investigators throughout the region. In 2018, 136 … [Read more...]
Wastewater treatment operator hired
During the September 9 Chatfield City Council meeting, Steven Schlichter was hired to operate the Wastewater Treatment Plant effective September 23. Councilor Paul Novotny was absent. Schlichter was one of four applicants that had been interviewed for the position. The council also approved an extension of the services of Steve Bushman, WHKS Engineering, through October 18 … [Read more...]
Preston cancels 2019 street project
After a long discussion during the Preston City Council’s September 3 meeting, the council voted to cancel the 2019 Street and Utility Improvement project. A resolution was adopted by a 3-2 vote at the last meeting accepting the bid submitted by Rochester Sand and Gravel. It was the only bid submitted and over $100,000 higher than the engineer’s estimate. The entire project … [Read more...]
County 2020 budget
The county board reviewed budget proposals from several departments at their September 3 meeting. County Coordinator Bobbie Vickerman produced a very preliminary 2020 budget with a levy increase of over 6%. Vickerman made it clear that she already could take about 1% of the increase off the top. Part of the reduction is a savings of $42,000 because the health insurance … [Read more...]
New District 3 Commissioner joins County Board
All districts were again represented at the August 27 meeting of the Fillmore County board of commissioners. Newly elected Larry Hindt, representing the third district, was sworn in last week by Judge Matthew Opat. More budget proposals for 2020 were reviewed. Departmental budgets reflect salary increases of 2.5% and health insurance increases of 7.5%. The preliminary 2020 … [Read more...]
Street vendors; a growing problem
A letter authored by Steven Rowland, Western Days, Inc. co-chairman, was addressed to the city council. It was the basis for a relatively long discussion concerning “street vendors” at the August 26 Chatfield City Council meeting. Rowland maintains the number of street vendors is a growing problem, as they take away business from established permanent businesses in … [Read more...]
Bid grudgingly accepted for 2019 Street and Utility improvements
City Engineer Brett Grabau reviewed the only bid submitted for Preston’s 2019 Street and Utility Improvements at the city council’s August 23 meeting. The bid submitted by Rochester Sand and Gravel was about $100,000 higher than the engineer’s estimate. Their bid is $443,376.65, of which, $418,873 represents the assessable portion of the project. The total project cost to do … [Read more...]
Finance Department policy and procedures approved
Policies and procedures were approved and put into place for the recently created Finance Department at the August 13 county board meeting. Statutory issues which have been analyzed in detail concerning legalities over the creation of the department were resolved. The board sought verification that they would be within statutory requirements with the creation of the finance … [Read more...]