The first draft of the 2023 budget was reviewed and discussed at the city council’s September 6 meeting. City Administrator Ryan Throckmorton noted some of the challenges they faced, including the fact that the administrator position cost is no longer split with Preston Public Utilities. The revenue coming to the city from the utility in 2022 for that position was nearly … [Read more...]
Houston School goodbyes and hellos
As the new school year began, it was time for the Houston School Board to welcome their new assistant principal, Angela McQuinn, as she attended her first school board meeting September 1. McQuinn has her office in the East Building and serves as the principal onsite for the Summit Learning Center, but also works in all the other brick and mortar buildings of Houston School. … [Read more...]
Minnesota’s unemployment rate holds at all-time low: 1.8% Job growth strong, more than double the national rate
The unemployment rate held steady at 1.8% in July 2022 – tying the record low since the metric has been tracked in 1976, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). This was also the all-time lowest state rate on record in the United States as of June. On a seasonally adjusted basis Minnesota gained 19,100 … [Read more...]
Canton city clerk resigns, community voices frustration during special council meeting
The Canton City Council met in special session on Thursday evening, August 25, following the resignation of its city clerk, Brock Bergey. In a brief letter, dated August 22, Bergey stated his resignation would be effective September 5, however his last day in the office would be August 24, using accrued leave time and the legal holiday on September 5, for the remainder of his … [Read more...]
State minimum wage increases January 1, 2023
Minnesota’s minimum-wage rates will be adjusted for inflation on January 1, 2023, to $10.59 an hour for large employers and $8.63 an hour for other state minimum wages. The current large-employer minimum wage, $10.33, will increase by 26 cents to $10.59. Other state minimum wages, including the small-employer, youth and training wages, as well as the summer work travel … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton project nears completion
During the Mabel-Canton school board meeting on August 25, the board heard an update on the facility upgrade project that’s been ongoing throughout the summer. Due to ongoing construction, the meeting was held in Mrs. Peters’ Science Room. Superintendent Gary Kuphal summarized, “If we didn’t have any supply chain issues, we would be right on track. This is the week that it … [Read more...]
Houston County begins the 2023 budget process
An informative section of the Houston County Commission meetings is the annual presentations which are also a component of the county’s budget process. For example, at the August 23 board meeting, commissioners heard from the Medical Examiner (ME), Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). MnDOT Principal Planner … [Read more...]
Fillmore County board to consider lot width regulation amendment
The Fillmore County Planning Commission held a public hearing on August 18 to discuss a proposed amendment to Section 604.05(5), lot width regulations, of the county’s zoning ordinance. The current regulation requires a minimum width of 150 feet at the front of a buildable lot, plus a provision that the lot shall have either 66 feet of public road frontage or a recorded … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central receives grant to install stop arm cameras on buses
The Fillmore Central School District was recently awarded a grant from the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety to cover the cost of purchasing and installing stop arm cameras on all of its buses. The total amount granted from the Department of Public Safety was $30,486.54. The district wishes to raise public awareness that all of the buses will be equipped with stop arm cameras … [Read more...]
Rushford clears up deferment process
The Rushford City Council took steps at the August 22 meeting to clarify the process for deferred assessment applications. The city’s assessment policies have been in place since the start of reconstruction projects in 2009. Eligibility requirements to gain deferment are in the policy. To date, there have been no applications for an assessment deferral with a city project. … [Read more...]