The City of Rushford is steadily crossing off steps ahead of its 2019 Street & Utility Improvement Project and the Lamplighters Lane Street Improvement Project. Several neighborhood meetings in the affected areas of East Grove Street, Walnut Street, North Burr Oak, and Lamplighters Lane. The winning bidder for the projects, Zenke, Inc. was approved by the city council at … [Read more...]
Ideas shared for Wykoff school building
At the Wykoff City Council meeting on April 8, possible uses for the vacant school building were discussed. Council members in attendance included Lyle Morey, Mary Tjepkes, City Clerk Becky Schmidt, Mary Sackett and Richard Gleason. Mayor Al Williams was absent, so the meeting was led by Gleason. Rod Thompson addressed the council, explaining what he and his brother Rick … [Read more...]
Minnesota unemployment rate at 3.1% February marks the first time annual total employment declined since July 2010
Minnesota lost 8,800 seasonally adjusted jobs in February and the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.1% according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8% in February. Minnesota’s total over-the-year job growth slipped into negative territory in February, … [Read more...]
Local economy impacted by outdoor recreation
Seventy-five people from all over Fillmore County attended the 2019 Economic Summit on Outdoor Recreation coordinated by the EDA. MiEnergy Cooperative sponsored the event held March 29 at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center. John Torgrimson, interim director for Eagle Bluff, gave a brief overview of Eagle Bluff which had 16,000 visitors in 2018. It partners with 140 … [Read more...]
County Board to consider solar energy ordinance
At the March 28 Planning Commission, a public hearing was held regarding the proposed replacement language of Section 709, Solar Energy Systems and the added Section 740, Solar Energy Farms. Zoning Administrator Cristal Adkins explained the commission had decided to retain the existing Wind Energy Conversion Systems language and to address solar systems separately. The … [Read more...]
Lanesboro receives recognition from National Governors Association
At the April 1 Lanesboro City Council meeting, council member Autumn Johnson brought a report released by the National Governors Association to the attention of the rest of the council. The report, titled “Rural Prosperity Through the Arts and Creative Sector,” mentioned Lanesboro several times as a model of how to successfully promote the arts as a community. One of the … [Read more...]
Chatfield board continues budget cuts
At the April 3, board meeting, all board members were present along with Superintendent Ed Harris, Administrative Assistant Lorri Lowery, Business Manager Karyl Lyon and Principals Shane McBroom and Randy Paulson. Shane McBroom, elementary principal reported that MCA testing for grade three and grade five students will be completed this week. Students have filled their … [Read more...]
Preston receives an AA- bond rating
At the April 1 meeting of the Preston City Council, City Administrator Joe Hoffman cited reasons for the recent S&P Global bond rating of AA-/Stable for the city. This is a downgrade from an AA rating received by the city in 2013. That year the city was upgraded from AA- to AA. One reason for the downgrade is the city’s reserves have decreased as a percentage of … [Read more...]
Rushford Village hears from residents regarding water issues
At the Tuesday, April 2 Rushford Village Council meeting, discussion centered around the same issue that’s been highlighted at other recent meetings: water. Significant snowfall depths and spring thawing has been a pain in the side of the city for weeks, particularly in the south Rushford residential area. The area has identified for years as one needing some hefty drainage … [Read more...]
County sets physical location of taxpayer services offices
Over the last couple of months the county board has been considering a shuffling of offices for Tax Payer Services to fit them all on one level of the courthouse. On April 2 the board came to an agreement and unanimously approved a new office arrangement. Lands Records Director Brian Hoff and Auditor/Treasurer Heidi Jones were concerned about space and noise. Hoff addressed … [Read more...]