At the September 16 meeting of the city council, Sheila Craig, Preston Historical Society (PHS), reviewed fundraising numbers to date for the Depot-Museum & Riverfront Center (DMRC). In early June a lease/management agreement was approved by the city council for the planned conversion/improvement of the Dairy & Farm building to the DMRC. The DMRC will be the property … [Read more...]
M-C School Board Members Recognized
Superintendent Gary Kuphal recognized the Mabel-Canton (M-C) school board members at the September 17 regularly scheduled school board meeting. He thanked them for all their work and presented each board member with a certificate of appreciation, noting that September is Minnesota School Board Recognition Month. Chair Cristal Adkins called the meeting of the Mabel-Canton … [Read more...]
Kingsland Board Approves Proposed Levy
The Kingsland School Board reviewed a proposed levy during their September 16 meeting. At this stage there are no exact numbers for the levy, but the board was recommended to certify the levy up to the maximum amount. This will allow the school to adjust their numbers up until the final levy is reviewed and set. “The MDE (Minnesota Department of Education) always encourages … [Read more...]
Village Sets Preliminary Levy
With the proposed 2025 budget expecting a $32,814 deficit, the Rushford Village Council reviewed the details at the September 17 meeting. Mayor Dennis Overland and Councilor Rick Ruberg were absent, so Acting Mayor Mike Ebner led the meeting. In the area, cities have approved preliminary tax levies based on various factors, with percentages ranging from 2% to 9.9%. Cities … [Read more...]
Electric Buses Coming Soon to Lanesboro School
Rumors have been circulating about the electric buses that will soon be arriving in Lanesboro. Here are some of the rumors and the actual facts. It was rumored that the school had received a $700,000 grant for three electric buses with the school contributing $300,000 to the purchase. The fact is that the school qualified for a rebate program from the federal government that … [Read more...]
Billboard Will Display Five Local Beverages From Spring Grove
Spring Grove City Council members met Tuesday, September 17 at 168 West Main Street in room #100. Mayor Saundra Solum called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Council members present included Mayor Solum, Mike Hagen and Karen Folstad; Heather Edgington who joined the meeting at 6:13 p.m. Councilor Trent Turner was absent. City Clerk/Administrator Jana Elton was also … [Read more...]
Helicopter to Arrive at Houston Park
Lyle Ellis from the American Legion visited the regular Houston City Council meeting September 9 to discuss the Legion’s plan to bring a helicopter to display in the city park. Ellis asked for the blessings of the council in the form of a letter or an official copy of council minutes since the park belongs to the city. In addition to the ok of the council, he needed the … [Read more...]
LeRoy-Ostrander Schools Welcomes Two New Teachers
Two enthusiastic teachers have joined the team at LeRoy-Ostrander Schools this year. Katie Bakke is the new second-grade teacher, and Ian Thomason is the district’s middle and high school special education teacher. Both teachers, who are commuting from Stewartville, bring unique backgrounds and teaching philosophies to their classrooms. Katie Bakke Katie Bakke’s journey to … [Read more...]
Chatfield to Advertise for an EDA Director and Zoning Administrator
At the September 9 city council meeting, approval was given to advertise for both an EDA director and a zoning administrator. Councilor Josh Broadwater was absent. Both positions are for 30 hours per week. Both will report to the city administrator. The EDA director will primarily oversee economic development and related activities and projects. The zoning administrator will … [Read more...]
Taher Reports to Lanesboro School Board
At their regular September 11 meeting, the Lanesboro School Board heard a report from Taher Food Services, the new vendor for the school’s lunch program. Taher’s district manager Brett Bauer and local food service director Emily Kiehne not only presented a report on the first few weeks of food service, but also set an attractive table and offered everyone treats of pumpkin … [Read more...]
Custodial Staff Named Hurricane Heroes in Houston
At the September 5 Houston School Board meeting, Superintendent Mary Morem declared the custodial staff the Hurricane Heroes for September. With lots of extra summer projects, the entire custodial staff put in extra duty and time; all of the projects were completed in-house with no outside hires. Morem shared that she and all the custodians met weekly about the projects’ … [Read more...]
Chatfield Board Looks at Five-year Plan
Special Meeting A special board meeting was held at 6 p.m., before the regular meeting of the Chatfield School Board on September 11. All board members were present with the exception of Tom Keefe. Other interested patrons were also present. The purpose of the special meeting was for Superintendent Harris to present information on two issues. One issue was the budget … [Read more...]
Peterson Starts Ordinance Reviews
At the September 11 meeting, the Peterson council began its review of city ordinances. Up first were those covering nuisance vehicles and junk/clutter. The council first adopted its ordinance regulating public vehicle nuisances in November 2018 after property owners struggled with city requests regarding safety concerns and some refused any communication with the city. In … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Commissioners Discuss 2025 Budget
County Administrator Bobbie Hillery presented the current draft of the 2025 budget at the September 10 board meeting. She detailed added cuts that have been agreed to by department heads. Hillery said, “Department heads did a great job.” The latest numbers show an increase in the levy of $4.48%, or $588,238, over 2024. Sheriff John DeGeorge and Chief Deputy Lance Boyum were … [Read more...]
Mabel Approves 2025 Tax Levy and Purchase of Two Generators
Mabel Public Works Director Robert (Bob) Mierau presented two quotes at the September 11 city council meeting for approval: one for a permanent standby generator for the community center and one for a mobile diesel generator for the lift stations. Mierau mentioned that he has been advocating for years for the city to purchase these generators in case of an emergency, noting, … [Read more...]