Local News Headlines – Wednesday, September 16th

WORK CONTINUES THIS WEEK ON THE 2020 WINDOM CITY STREET PROJECT.   LAST WEEK, MORE CURB AND GUTTER WAS INSTALLED ON DES MOINES DRIVE, AND WORK WAS DONE ON VERONA AVENUE TO PREPARE THE STREET FOR PAVING.  LOOKING AT THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK, ON VERONA AVENUE, CURB, GUTTER AND DRIVEWAYS WILL BE INSTALLED EARLY THIS WEEK.  ON DES MONIES DRIVE, DRIVEWAYS WILL BE INSTALLED BETWEEN HIGHLAND ROAD AND HIGHWAY 62.   CREWS WILL BE FILLING TOPSOIL FOR THE REST OF THE CURB AND GUTTER WORK ON DES MOINES DRIVE, HIGHLAND ROAD AND FAIRVIEW AVENUE.   WEEKLY UPDATES ARE BEING POSTED ON THE WINDOM CITY WEBSITE.   

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED THE CREATION OF A “WALK ZONE.  STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN THIS AREA WILL BE REQUIRED TO WALK TO SCHOOL OR FIND OTHER TRANSPORTATION.  BUSSES WILL STILL DROP OFF AT DAY-CARES WITHIN THE WALK ZONE.  SEVERAL ‘WALKING SCHOOL BUSSES’ WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR DAY-CARES WITH SUPERVISION BY PARA-PROFESSIONALS.  TWO FUND TRANSFERS WERE APPROVED, INCLUDING TRANFERS TO SUPPORT THE BRIDGES PRE-SCHOOL AND TO REDUCE CLASS SIZES.  THE BOARD APPROVED PAYMENT OF CONTRACTORS’ BILLS FOR WORK ON THE BUILDING PROJECTS.  SEVERAL CHANGE ORDERS WERE APPROVED. 

 

THE WINDOM CITY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MET LAST WEEK.   FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE “PIRATE SHIP” AT THE ISLAND PARK BASEBALL FIELD.  A SUB-COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO CONSIDER THE MATTER AND REPORT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.  THE COMMISSION DISCUSSED OPTIONS FOR THE ISLAND PARK CAMPGROUND.   A LONG-RANGE PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED TO CONSIDER OTHER LOCATIONS FOR A CAMPGROUND.  THERE WERE UPDATES ON THE END OF THE SWIMMING POOL SEASON AND POOL MAINTENANCE.  WORK HAS BEGUN AT THE CITY ARENA TO PREPARE THE ICE RINKS FOR THE NEW SEASON.  THERE WERE UPDATES ON THE ISLAND PARK BATHROOMS, THE NEW TENNIS COURTS AND THE NEW DOG PARK. 

 

THE LOCAL SONS OF NORWAY LODGE WILL HOLD A PROGRAM AT 7:00 THURSDAY EVENING AT THE COUNTY MUSEUM IN WINDOM.  THE PROGRAM WILL FEATURE ADRIAN LO.  LO HAS A MASTERS’ DEGREE IN MUSIC AND HAS TAUGHT AT GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE IN ST. PETER AND BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE IN MANKATO.  LO WILL DISCUSS THE HISTORY OF THE HARDANGER FIDDLE, A TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.  THE PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE DETAILS ON HOW FIDDLES ARE MADE, AND SEVERAL SONGS WILL BE PLAYED.  THE MEETING IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.  REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.   

 

THE WINDOM E-D-A MET THIS WEEK.  THE THE E-D-A DISCUSSED A LOT AT THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK.  THEY CONSIDERED A PROPOSAL TO DIVIDE THE LOT INTO TWO PARCELS.  A CLOSED SESSION WAS HELD TO DISCUSS LOT SIZE AND PRICING.  THE E-D-A DIRECTOR WAS AUTHORIZED TO WORK WITH TWO BUSINESSES ON THE PROJECT.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE GUARDIAN INN PROPERTY.  A NEW PURCHASE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY A PROSPECTIVE BUYER FOR THE PROPERTY.  AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, THE E-D-A IS EXPLORING AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP A SITE LOCATED BETWEEN THE GUARDIAN INN AND THE SHOPKO BUILDING.  THE SITE COULD BE SPLIT INTO TWO SMALLER LOTS.