At the June 4 city council meeting, a number of issues pertaining to the city’s future were on the table including housing, street improvements, and the proposed veterans home. City Administrator Joe Hoffman, Public Works Director Jim Bakken, and City Engineer Brett Grabau led a discussion on potential street projects for 2019 or 2020. The Pleasant St. area project was divided … [Read more...]
A step closer to the dream
Veterans, local officials, and community members gathered at the entrance of a soybean field on a sunny May 31 morning to celebrate the inclusion of veterans home funding in the 2018 Minnesota bonding bill. Preston Mayor Kurt Reicks welcomed everyone to the future site of the veterans home, calling it a great day for veterans in southeast Minnesota. Since 2013 there has been … [Read more...]
Medical examiner reviews 2017 cases
R. Ross Reichard, M.D., Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner, reviewed 2017 Fillmore County death statistics at the board’s May 22 meeting. This medical examiner’s office investigates “sudden, violent, unexpected, and suspicious deaths” in an eight county area in southeastern Minnesota. The office certifies deaths after investigation and postmortem examination and … [Read more...]
Solar energy project in Fillmore County
The county’s planning commission learned more about large solar energy projects at their May 17 meeting. The commission has been working on language for a Renewable Energy Ordinance that would regulate both solar and wind energy systems. Travis Narum, development director for “tradewindenergy,” gave a power point presentation on the Kansas based company’s solar development … [Read more...]
Preston awaits governor’s decision
At the May 21 Preston City Council meeting, City Administrator Joe Hoffman reported the state legislature passed the 2018 public works construction/bonding bill which includes $10.2 million for a veterans home in Preston. The $825 million bonding bill passed the Senate with a 42 to 25 vote and the House with a 113 to 13 vote in the last half hour of the 2018 session Sunday … [Read more...]
Dollar General for Chatfield
The Chatfield City Council, at their May 14 meeting, approved a purchase agreement for the sale of EDA owned real estate to Golden Warriors, LLC for the future redevelopment of the property for a Dollar General store. Chris Giesen, EDA coordinator, explained the sale is contingent on the production of a development agreement within 180 days of the purchase agreement. The EDA … [Read more...]
County approves leasing program for squad cars
Discussion continued from the previous board meeting regarding a proposed leasing program, Enterprise Fleet Management, for squad cars at the county board’s May 8 meeting. Sheriff Tom Kaase said he believed we will see greater savings in repairs with the management program. Vehicles will be run for fewer miles, which will result in a higher resale value. During the presentation … [Read more...]
Preston pop-up markets for 2018
Ilene Edwards addressed the Preston City Council at its May 7 meeting regarding the schedule for pop-up markets in 2018. She noted that last summer there were three markets with an average of 11 vendors participating. This year five pop-up markets will be held on the second Saturday of each month, beginning on June 9 and ending on October 13. Markets will run from 9 a.m. to 1 … [Read more...]
End in sight for CSAH 1 reconstruction project
County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 1 has the distinction of being the most traveled county road in Fillmore County. Reconstruction of this important artery started in the spring of 2016. Farmers and other home owners whose homes are along that 11.5 section of roadway from Spring Valley north to Highway 30 will see the long period of inconvenience and bumpy rides come to an end by … [Read more...]
Enterprise Fleet Management makes its pitch to the county
Wong Nystrom, senior account executive with Enterprise Fleet Management, Inc., presented the terms of a leasing program for sheriff department vehicles at the county board’s April 24 meeting. Nystrom suggested rotating the vehicles on a 3-5 year cycle through a partnership with Enterprise would lower the county’s operating costs and improve safety and reliability. Savings … [Read more...]