At the October 15 meeting, the Village Council again hashed out details of items that will determine the 2025 budget. The council needs to set the final budget and levy by the last meeting in December. City Engineer Derek Olinger of Bolton & Menk was present at the meeting to discuss a field review of paved roads. He recommends the village seal coat or chip seal on … [Read more...]
Zenke Inc. Awarded Contract to Replace 1970s Stormwater Pipe
The Caledonia City Council approved the proposal from Zenke Inc. to replace 400 feet of stormwater pipe, during its meeting on Monday, October 14, 2024. According to a staff report from Public Works/Zoning Director Casey Klug, the proposal entails removing 400 feet of rusted and deteriorating metal culvert pipe and replacing it with 48-inch HDPE pipe. This work will involve … [Read more...]
Police Officer Trainee Position Created for Houston
After four months of advertising for a second police officer for Houston with no applicants, City Administrator Michelle Quinn and Chief of Police Bret Hurley decided to think outside the box. At the regular city council meeting October 15, Hurley presented a proposed job description for a police officer trainee. The goal of presenting this was to help with retention of an … [Read more...]
Commissioners Interview for Position of Houston County Environmental Services Director
Lydia Gaunitz and Amelia Meiners interviewed for the position of Environmental Services Director on October 15 during the regular meeting of the Houston County Commission. The candidates were asked 10 questions and had 45 minutes to respond to all of them. The questions covered various topics, including the role of the director, their leadership style, and their skill set. … [Read more...]
Absentee, Mail-in Ballots; Anticipating Voter Turnout
Are people voting earlier with the option of mail-in and absentee balloting? Houston County Auditor/Treasurer Polly Heberlein shared, “At this point, I can tell you that absentee voting is becoming more popular. I do not have any definite numbers relating to vote-in-advance versus Election Day. When trying to compare, scenarios are so different now than there were in … [Read more...]
Chuck Dahl Recognized for 25 Years of Service
During the October 9, 2024, city council meeting, Mayor Adam Wilder presented Public Works employee Chuck Dahl with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his 25 years of service to the city of Mabel. The city council thanked Dahl for his dedication, loyalty, and commitment. Mayor Adam Wilder called the meeting of the Mabel City Council to order at 6 p.m. In … [Read more...]
Meet The Candidates 2024
Gregory Davids Candidate for State Representative 26B Tell us about yourself. I’ve lived in Fillmore County nearly my entire life. I’m a financial planner and my wife Bonnie and I own the family farm. We also have three grown daughters. As your state representative, I’ve fought tirelessly to protect conservative values in southeastern Minnesota. I’ve served as … [Read more...]
Debate Continues Over Proposed Ordinances Regarding Lanesboro Library
The October 7 Lanesboro City Council meeting opened with two public hearings. The first hearing was regarding the proposed city ordinances 31.80, 31.82, 31.82, and 31.83 about the library board. Multiple community members spoke out against the proposed ordinances. Anna Loney presented a petition with 178 names asking the council not to change the library board to advisory. She … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Hosts Small School Teaching Conference Next Week
The Lanesboro School Board heard details of the upcoming Small School Teaching Conference to be held on Wednesday, October 16 at Lanesboro Schools. Two break out sessions will be presented. Subjects such as artificial intelligence in schools, mental health and classroom management will be discussed by presenters. WSU will have an empathy session as one of the choices for … [Read more...]
Harmony Council Approves Variance Request for Monster Bash
At the October 8 Harmony City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the September 17, the claims and September checks, the cash in CD, the cash balances, and a thank you letter from SMIF for the city’s recent donation. The council reviewed and approved change order #1 for the street and utility project as recommended by city engineer … [Read more...]