Dan Scruggs of DEED’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services visited the Houston February 10 city council meeting to seek approval for a student placement. Scruggs works with 27 schools throughout Winona, Wabasha, Houston and Fillmore Counties. The Houston student Scruggs was representing was interested in doing manual labor; Scruggs found that the Nature Center could use … [Read more...]
Whalan City Council Learns of Spongy Moth Management Proposal
Representatives from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture attended the February 10 Whalan City Council meeting to discuss a spongy moth management proposal for 2025. Present at the regularly scheduled Whalan City Council meeting were Mayor David Hallum and council members Thore E. Johnson, Kim Berekvam and Sheila Higbe, along with City Clerk/Treasurer Teresa Grossell. … [Read more...]
Eitzen’s Habitat for Humanity House Nearing Completion
Eitzen Mayor Jeff Adamson announced at the February 11 city council meeting that the March deadline to complete Eitzen’s Habitat for Humanity house is quickly approaching. Adamson emphasized that “they have been working over there a lot.” In reference to the Habitat house, Adamson said, “That’s coming along. Hopefully that will be wrapped up, with flowers in the … [Read more...]
Chatfield School Board Approved Revised FY 2025 Budget
At the February 12, 2025, meeting school board meeting, board members David Sowinski, Josh Thompson, Tom Keefe, Jill Harstad and Mark Johnsrud were present. Katie Priebe was not present. Also present were Superintendent Ed Harris, high school principal, Eric Nelson, elementary principal, Shane McBroom and student senate representatives Ella Lane and Kyla … [Read more...]
Wykoff Council Advances Infrastructure Plans, Approves Local Loan Request
By Zech Sindt The Wykoff City Council held its regular monthly meeting on February 10 at 7 p.m., with all council members and officials present, including Mayor Ryan Breckenridge, City Administrator Becky Schmidt, Administrative Assistant Luann Hare, and council members Barbara Fate, Kaleb Himli, Jeffrey Hare and Jane Baker. Brett Grabau from Stantec presented the … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Discusses Dumpster Abuses
Solid Waste administrator, Joel Kroening presented new solid waste rates for 2025 at the board’s February 11 meeting. It has been five years since various rates have been adjusted. The new rates have been vetted through the Solid Waste committee. Rates are increased for white goods (appliances), electronics, tires, ballasts, oil filters, and landfill material. New rate lines … [Read more...]
Houston School Board Considers Changes
As the Houston School Board considered the proposed calendar for next school year at their regular meeting February 6, the often mundane item led to good discussion. Superintendent Mary Morem suggested moving advisory to the end of the school day and altering the beginning of the day to 8:15 a.m. and the end to 3 p.m.. Students often need to leave early at the end of the day … [Read more...]
Chatfield Annual Reports
Four department heads reviewed the 2024 year at the city council’s February 10 meeting. Councilor Josh Broadwater was absent. Steve Schlichter, Wastewater Treatment Facility, reported that the facility is running well; it has met or exceeded all limits. In 2024 a total of 71,423,000 gallons of wastewater was treated; it costs $19.30 to treat 1,000 gallons of wastewater. … [Read more...]
Bus Drivers Who Care
After Phil Burkholder retired from working for Fillmore County for 28 years, he ran into Mark Scheevel at the post office one day. At that time, Scheevel was the owner of Harmony Transit; he approached Burkholder and suggested that he come and drive bus for him. Phil figured he already knew where people lived and it would get him out of the house. Burkholder started driving … [Read more...]
Tracy Road Project Moves Forward with Neighborhood Meeting Set for March 27
Drew Weber, of Bolton and Menk updated the Spring Valley City Council on the 2025 Tracy Road project during their February 10 meeting. “Those plans have been approved by Fillmore County and MNDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) State Aid,” Weber said. As the plans continue to move forward, the project will be open to bidding beginning February 18. “We will bring … [Read more...]
Fountain Investigates Development Possibility
At the February 5 meeting, new Fountain Mayor Ron Reisner, councilors Jordan Kearns, Cory Spratte and Dave Stockton, along with Councilor Tammy Danielson, who joined by phone, discussed the possibility of a housing development at the north end of West Side Lane. The current residential area sits west of Highway 52 and was developed many years prior by Linus Hammel, according … [Read more...]
Journal Receives 8 Awards at MNA Convention
In late January 2025, the Minnesota Newspaper Association released the results of the annual Better Newspaper Contest. There are 227 daily and weekly newspapers spanning the 87 counties that make up the State of Minnesota. Out of the 912 entries from all newspapers in the state, the Fillmore County Journal earned eight awards in the categories of advertising, editorial, and … [Read more...]
Village Receives SEMLM Updates
At the February 4 meeting, the Rushford Village Council received a summary of the recent Southeastern Minnesota League of Municipalities meeting held on January 30. City Clerk Mary Miner, who attended the meeting with councilors Mike Ebner and Rick Ruberg, noted a lot of good information, including updates on Emergency Medical Service funding. “That was interesting,” noted … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Council Hears Complaints About Civil Siren
At the opening of the February 3 Lanesboro City Council meeting, Mayor Alicia Pearson asked for input from the rest of the council on the addition of a number of items to the agenda. She recommended that a positive news report, updates on the Highway 250 project, and updates on the search for an EDA director be added as standing agenda items. The rest of the council did not … [Read more...]
Preston Hears Annual Reports
Several department heads looked back at 2024 at the Preston City Council’s February 3 meeting. Councilman Steve Hall was absent. Police Chief Blaise Sass reported that Public Safety Funds paid for equipment purchases made in 2024. He anticipates the purchase of a squad pickup in 2025. There is about $69,000 in the equipment fund at this time. Sass introduced Connor Simon, who … [Read more...]