Local News Headlines – Thursday, February 4th

THE MONTHLY WEATHER STATISTICS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR THE CITY OF WINDOM IN JANUARY.   WINDOM RECEIVED 8.4” OF SNOW IN JANUARY.  FOR THE CURRENT WINTER SEASON, WINDOM HAS NOW RECEIVED 23.8” OF SNOWFALL – ABOUT 3” LESS THAN THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.  THE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN JANUARY WAS 52-DEGREES ON THE 14TH.  THE AVERAGE DAILY HIGH TEMP WAS 31.7-DEGREES – ABOUT 4 DEGREES WARMER THAN LAST YEAR.   THE LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS 1-BELOW ZERO ON JANUARY 27TH.  THE AVERAGE DAILY LOW READING WAS 16-DEGREES – ABOUT 5 DEGREES WARMER THAN LAST YEAR.  LAST YEAR, WINDOM HAD 7 DAYS IN JANUARY WITH BELOW-ZERO TEMPERATURES.   

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.    THERE WAS A REPORT FROM THE FIRE AND AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT BUILDING COMMITTEE.  THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN CONSIDERING OPTIONS FOR REMODELING OR REPLACING THE FIRE AND AMBULANCE HALL.   THE COUNCIL INDICATED THAT THEY FEEL THE COMMITTEE SHOULD FOCUS ON A NEW BUILDING TO PROVIDE MORE SPACE AND BETTER PARKING.   THE CITY ATTORNEY DISCUSSED PUBLIC NUISANCE VIOLATIONS.  THE COUNCIL APPOINTED THE HANSON INSURANCE AGENCY AS THE DESIGNATED INSURANCE AGENT FOR THE CITY FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.  THERE WAS A REPORT ON THE CITY’S BONDED DEBT.     THE COUNCIL HEARD A REPORT FROM THE STREET DEPARTMENT. 

 

THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BOARD MET LAST WEEK.  ELECTION OF OFFICERS WAS HELD WITH MAYDRA MAAS ELECTED AS BOARD CHAIR.  BOARD COMPENSATION WAS SET.  THE BOARD VOTED TO WAIVE THE STUDENT FEES FOR STUDENTS IN THE BAND PROGRAM.  A CONTRACT WITH ANN WENDORFF FOR COUNSELING SERVICES WAS INCREASED TO SIX DAYS A MONTH.  THE BOARD REVIEWED MILAGE RATES AND EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENT.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE SCHOOL CALENDAR.  IT APPEARS THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WILL BEGIN AFTER LABOR DAY.  THE ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR REPORTED ON WINTER SPORTS AND MASK REQUIREMENTS.  THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL REPORTED ON THE LIVE-STREAMING OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.  THE BOARD DISCUSSED POSSIBLE USES FOR FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.   THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE APPOINTMENT OF JAYESUN SHERMAN TO FILL THE LAST TWO YEARS OF A VACANT AT-LARGE COUNCIL SEAT.  THE FIRST READING WAS HELD OF AN ORDINANCE REVISION.  SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE CITY CODE ARE BEING MODIFIED TO UPDATE ORDINANCES AND MAKE LANGUAGE CHANGES.   THE COUNCIL APPROVED A MODIFICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.  THE DEADLINE TO CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY TRANSFER FOR THE GUARDIAN INN PROPERTY WAS MOVED TO APRIL 1ST.   THE WINDOM E-D-A DIRECTOR DISCUSSED A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, ALLOWING ABATEMENTS FOR REMODELING PROJECTS THAT CREATE NEW HOUSING UNITS. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ANNOUNCED A CHANGE IN THE SCHOOL CALENDAR.   A SUPPLY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE HAS BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE SCHOOL STAFF.  STAFF MEMBERS WHO SIGNED UP WILL BE VACCINATED ON FRIDAY.  AS A RESULT, WINDOM WILL HAVE NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS THIS FRIDAY.  IN ANOTHER CHANGE, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH WILL BE CHANGED TO A FULL DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS.  THAT DAY WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED AS A HALF-DAY OF CLASSES.  WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS STATED THAT HAVING THE STAFF VACCINATED WILL HELP KEEP THE SCHOOL OPEN FOR STUDENTS AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING TO NORMAL.    

 

THE FULDA CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.    A QUOTE WAS ACCEPTED FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW PORTABLE RADIOS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  THE COUNCIL RATIFIED THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR THE FULDA FIRE DEPARTMENT.  APPROVAL WAS GIVEN FOR FULDA TO SERVE AS THE HOST CITY FOR A REGIONAL GRANT APPLICATION.  IF APPROVED, FUNDING COULD BE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE NEW PAGERS AND PORTABLE RADIOS FOR THE FULDA FIRE DEPARTMENT AND AMBULANCE SQUAD.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED A NEW SITE USE AGREEMENT WITH LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE SENIOR DINING SITE AND THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM.   

 

WINDOM AREA HIGH SCHOOL HOSTED A VIRTUAL SENIOR-HIGH KNOWLEDGE BOWL MEET THIS WEEK.   40 TEAMS PARTICIPATED WITH ONE ROUND OF WRITTEN QUESTIONS AND THREE ROUNDS OF ORAL QUESTIONS.  THERE WERE TEAMS FROM 20 AREA SCHOOLS.   1ST PLACE WENT TO A TEAM FROM MURRAY COUNTY CENTRAL WITH 59 POINTS.  A TEAM FROM ADRIAN WAS 2ND; MARSHALL 3RD; AND TEAMS FROM GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE IN 4TH AND 5TH PLACE.  WINDOM HAD ONE TEAM IN THE MEET.  THE TEAM OF PARKER ALVSTAD AND FAITH FORD FINISHED IN 29TH PLACE WITH 31 POINTS.  THE MT LAKE “SILVER” TEAM FINISHED IN 14TH PLACE WITH 40.5 POINTS.  THE MT LAKE “MAROON” TEAM FINISHED IN 20TH PLACE WITH 37 POINTS.