Following up on details laid out at the September Fountain Council meeting, Rick Whitney presented further details at the November 4 meeting. Whitney is assisting Public Works Director John Hanson with maintenance of the system. He detailed all work completed and provided suggestions to keep the plant in good condition, aiming to extend its lifetime. Several areas were … [Read more...]
Kirsten Zoellner
Reporter
kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Kirsten has been a reporter for Fillmore County Journal since 2008. No awards to date, but her mother finds her articles riveting. She enjoys shining a light on the great people and events in the county and has aspirations to someday write a novel about them. A native of Rushford, she is a member of Root River Community Church, co-founder of Odyssey Homeschool Association, and was the founder for the Rushford-Peterson Valley Farmers' Market.
When not writing, Kirsten happily spends her time raising a family alongside Joel, her husband of 18 years. She homeschools their six children (Evin, Lauren, Logan, Ada, Kathleen, and Emelia) and does her best to ensure domestic bliss. Kirsten is an advocate for conservation and homesteading and operates Liten Dal Farm, where the family raises dairy goats, pastured poultry and hogs, alpacas, a few steers, and horses. Hobbies other than juggling include the outdoors, reading, vegetable gardening, cheesemaking, fermenting various things in Ball jars, and making everything from scratch despite the fact that it probably costs more.
Kirsten and her family proudly reside in rural Fountain on her great-great-grandfather's farm.
You can follow more about Kirsten on the family's Facebook page, Liten Dal Farm, or their blog: ourprairienest.wordpress.com.
Village Breaks Down Budget
At the November 4 Rushford Village meeting, the council broke down the budget worksheet bit by bit, looking for any possible cost savings in the coming year. In September, the council set the preliminary budget and property tax levy at $655,455. This represents a 14.5% increase from 2025. City Clerk Mary Miner and Treasurer Judy Graham laid out the proposed budget and will make … [Read more...]
Rushford Explores Options Ahead of Public Meeting
As the year end closes in, the city of Rushford Economic Development Authority (EDA) made plans to update the council on conceptual options for the former Farmers Win Coop site. Planned for the November 24 council meeting, the EDA will review concepts and possible next steps. A community meeting is tentatively slated for December 3 at the Rushford-Peterson High School forum … [Read more...]
Village Considers Business and Housing Options
At the October 21 meeting, the Rushford Village council welcomed Community Economic Development Associates’ community and business development specialist Jayme Longmire. Along with City Attorney Joe O’Koren, they discussed options for using the Revolving Loan Fund to bolster business and housing needs. The fund currently sits at over $200,000 and is not being utilized by … [Read more...]
City Administrator Released by Rushford
At the October 14 meeting, the Rushford City Council unanimously approved the separation and release agreement with City Administrator Tony Chladek. A special meeting to discuss a personnel issue had been scheduled for October 8, but was later canceled. City Attorney Chris Hoodecheck attended the meeting virtually. The contract between the departing Chladek and the city … [Read more...]
Village Looks at Budget Reduction
At the October 7 meeting, the Rushford Village City Clerk Mary Miner sought council suggestions for budget reductions. To bring the 2026 levy and budget down to 7.5% from the preliminary 14.5% increase, Miner indicated the council would need to reduce $40,000 from the proposed budget. Councilor Bob Hart, echoed by Councilor Travis Link, suggested reducing or eliminating the … [Read more...]
Peterson Ponders Ordinance Enforcement
With just quorum, the Peterson City Council held their October 8 meeting. On the agenda was the recurring topic of looking at ways to better enforce zoning ordinances. Many were updated recently to include clearer wording, a more targeted approach, and stronger penalties for non-compliant properties, particularly the ordinances on vehicles and junk. Non-compliant properties … [Read more...]
Fountain Holds Mural Ribbon Cutting
Ahead of the October 1 city council meeting, Fountain officials and residents celebrated the completion of the new city mural. Joining the festivities was artist Geri Ann Hanson, who designed and oversaw all volunteer painting done on the project which resembles an old-style postcard with rolling hills, trees, and sunshine surrounding a bike on the Root River State … [Read more...]
Village Sets Preliminary Levy
After months of discussing the budget and tax levy for 2026, the Rushford Village Council approved the preliminary at $764,099 at their September 16 meeting. The amount was determined by taking into consideration the current disbursements for the year, estimated disbursements for September-December based on 2024 numbers, the current estimated budget shortfall of $65,455, and a … [Read more...]
Rushford Gets Financial Report; Hears More on Old School
At the September 8 meeting, the Rushford Council welcomed manager Kali Lentz from Smith Schafer, who provided the comprehensive annual financial report. While there were no glaring concerns, there also seemed little change from the previous year. The city received a clean report and positive news ending the 2024 year $51,000 under budget. Last year, the approved budget and … [Read more...]