Local News Headlines – Friday, September 11th

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF COTTONWOOD COUNTY.   PLANS TO CELEBRATE THE ANNIVERSARY HAD TO BE CANCELED DUE TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS OUTBREAK.  COTTONWOOD COUNTY WAS ORGANIZED ON JULY 29TH, 1870.  THE COUNTY WAS NAMED FOR THE COTTONWOOD RIVER.  AT THAT TIME, THE GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA APPOINTED THREE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.  THE FIRST COUNTY BOARD MEETING WAS HELD AT A PRIVATE HOME NORTH OF WINDOM ON THE DES MOINES RIVER.  THE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION WAS HELD IN THE FALL OF 1870.   IN 1872, WINDOM WAS DECLARED AS THE COUNTY SEAT ON A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC.    

 

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT VOTING BY MAIL.  HERE IS SOME INFORMATION ON EARLY VOTING OPTIONS IN MINNESOTA.   MINNESOTA RESIDENTS MAY VOTE EARLY BY ABSENTEE BALLOT OR VOTE EARLY IN PERSON.  EARLY VOTING FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION BEGINS SEPTEMBER 18TH.   YOU CAN REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S WEBSITE, AND RETURN THE COMPLETED FORM TO YOUR COUNTY ELECTION OFFICE.  YOUR BALLOT MUST BE POSTMARKED ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 3RD.  IN MOST CASES, YOU CAN VOTE IN PERSON AT YOUR COUNTY ELECTION OFFICE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS STARTING SEPTEMBER 18TH. 

 

THE WINDOM CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MET THIS WEEK.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE CITY’S PROGRAM FOR INSPECTION AND LICENSING OF RENTAL PROPERTIES.  ZONE 3 WAS SCHEDULED FOR THIS YEAR, BUT THE CITY HAS NOT BEEN DOING INSPECTIONS DUE TO COVID-19.   IT WAS DECIDED TO MOVE ZONE 3 TO NEXT YEAR, AND EXTEND THE LICENSES AN ADDITIONAL YEAR FOR PROPERTIES IN ZONE 1 AND ZONE 2.  A QUESTION WAS RAISED ABOUT BUSINESSES USING TEMPORARY STRUCTURES.  THE MATTER WILL GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR REVIEW.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE NEW PROGRAM THAT OFFERS FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO TEAR DOWN BLIGHTED HOUSES. 

 

THE WINDOM AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITING CANDIDATES FOR E-M-T TRAINING.   IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN, THE FIRST STEP IS TO TAKE A TRAINING CLASS.  THE CLASS BEGINS ON SEPTEMBER 15TH.  THERE WILL BE ON-LINE SESSIONS AND A FEW HANDS-ON SKILL SESSIONS HELD ON SATURDAY’S.  AT THE END OF THE CLASS, CANDIDATES NEED TO PASS A TEST TO BECOME CERTIFIED AS AN E-M-T, WITH ON-GOING TRAINING TO MAINTAIN CERTIFICATION.  APPLICATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CITY OF WINDOM.  A BACKGROUND CHECK AND A DRIVERS’ LICENSE CHECK ARE REQUIRED.   

 

THE MURRAY COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM IS OPENING A NEW EXHIBIT THIS WEEKEND.  THE 1920’s – MURRAY COUNTY IN A DECADE OF CHANGE – WILL HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FROM NOON TO 4:00PM EACH DAY.   PLEASE CALL AHEAD FOR A RESERVATION AT 836-6533.  THE EXHIBIT DETAILS THE MANY CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE DECADE OF THE 1920’s, INCLUDING WOMEN GAINING THE RIGHT TO VOTE, PROHIBITION, THE GROWING POPULARITY OF THE AUTOMOBILE, AND FINANCIAL STRUGGLES FOR MANY FARMERS.  THE EXHIBIT WILL BE FEATURED AT THE MUSEUM THROUGH THE SUMMER OF 2022.   

 

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.   AN OPENING WAS POSTED FOR A FULL-TIME HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR.  A GRANT WAS ACCEPTED ON BEHALF OF THE JACKSON COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY BY THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.  A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD AND THE BOARD APPROVED A FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.  BIDS WERE APPROVED FOR AN INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, A CULVERT REPLACEMENT, AND A PROJECT TO CERTIFY SECTION CORNERS.   THEY HIRED A CONSULTING FIRM TO WORK ON THE PROPOSED RENOVATION OF THE GOVERNMENT CENTER WEST BUILDING.