Local News Headlines – Thursday, April 22

THE STATE CLASS ‘A’ SPEECH CONTEST WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY.    STUDENTS QUALIFIED FOR STATE BY PLACING IN THE TOP 3 IN THEIR CATEGORIES AT THE SECTION CONTEST.   LOCAL QUALIFIERS INCLUDE – FROM WINDOM: ALLISON LETCHER AND McKENNA McNAMARA IN ORIGINAL ORATORY, PARKER ALVSTAD IN CREATIVE EXPRESSION, AND DORA LARSON IN INFORMATIVE SPEAKING.  FROM WWG-RRC:  ELIZABETH WIGGINS IN DRAMA AND JADEN SCHOLL IN POETRY.   FROM FULDA:  SIMON SPITTLE IN STORYTELLING.  DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, SPEECH CONTESTS ARE BEING HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT THIS YEAR. 

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK.   COUNCIL MEMBER JACQUIE SCHMIDT ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WILL RESIGNING THIS SPRING BECAUSE HER FAMILY WILL BE MOVING OUT OF THE CITY LIMITS.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED A FINAL PLAT FOR THE NEW KWIK TRIP STORE, AND APPROVED THE HIRING OF BOLTON AND MENK TO WORK WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON A REVIEW OF CITY CODES AND ORDINANCES.  THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PRESENTED A RECOMMENDATION FOR NEW FIRE SERVICE FEES.  THERE WOULD BE A TIERED SYSTEM OF FEES, WITH A FEE OF $2,000 FOR FIRES OR EXPLOSIONS.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE CITY-WIDE CLEANUP PROGRAM.  THE COUNCIL AGREED TO OFFER A $10 SUBSIDY FOR RECYCLING A T-V SET AND A $5 SUBSIDY FOR MATTRESSES AND BOX SPRINGS, WITH A LIMIT OF TWO TAGS PER HOUSEHOLD.   

 

THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.  A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL MATTERS WERE HANDLED.  OPENINGS WERE POSTED FOR A FULL-TIME ‘ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS’ TEACHER AND A FULL-TIME ELEMENTARY PHYS ED TEACHER.  THE BOARD VOTED TO OFFER THREE SECTIONS OF KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR.  A NEW CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WAS APPROVED WITH THE SOUTHWEST-WEST CENTRAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE.  THE BOARD REVIEWED A LIST OF POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FILLED.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS FOR NEXT YEAR FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL. A NEW DISHWASHER WILL BE PURCHASED FOR THE ELEMENTARY KITCHEN.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON POSSIBLE REMODELING OR CONTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR. 

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.  THE COUNCIL REVIEW A PLAN FOR TREE REMOVAL AND TREE PLANTING.  KOLANDER TREE SERVICE WAS HIRED TO HANDLE TREE REMOVAL.  THE COUNCIL DISCUSS OPTIONS FOR HIRING A NEW ELECTRIC SUPERINTENDENT.  THE OPENING WILL BE POSTED INTERNALLY FOR 10 DAYS.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE REBATE PROGRAM OFFERED FOR APPLIANCES.   THE COUNCIL REVIEWED A BUDGET REPORT THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR.  THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD UPDATES ON UTILITY EASEMENTS AND PUBLIC NUISANCE VIOLATIONS.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED A TOBACCO LICENSE FOR THE DOLLAR GENERAL STORE. A $10,000 DONATION WAS ACCEPTED FROM THE FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATION.  

 

THE WINDOM VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HOLDING ITS ANNUAL RAFFLE.    DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, THE ANNUAL FIREMEN’S DANCE IS POSTPONED AT THIS TIME, BUT THE RAFFLE IS BEING THELD.  THE BENEFIT DANCE AND RAFFLE ARE THE PRIMARY FUND-RAISING EVENTS FOR THE WINDOM FIRE DEPARTMENT.  RAFFLE TICKETS ARE $20 EACH.  THE DRAWING WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY.  30 PRIZES ARE BEING AWARDED.  TOP PRIZES INCLUDE A TORO ZERO-TURN LAWN MOWER, A TORO WALK-BEHIND SNOW BLOWER, TWO FLAT-SCREEN T-V’s, TWO LAPTOP COMPUTERS, AND A VARIETY OF GIFT CARDS AND GIFT CERTIFICATES.  TO PURCHASE RAFFLE TICKETS, CONTACT ANY MEMBER OF THE WINDOM VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.  

                   

                                                               

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE JEFFERS CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD LAST WEEK.  THE COUNCIL HEARD THE 2020 CITY AUDIT REPORT.  THE COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE AN ADJUSTMENT IN THE CITY WATER RATES.  THE BASE RATE FOR WATER SERVICE WILL INCREASE FROM $15 TO $20 A MONTH.  THE USAGE RATE WILL BE INCREASED TO $3.50 PER THOUSAND GALLONS.  THE COUNCIL ALSO APPROVED A TRANSFER OF $40-THOUSAND FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE WATER FUND.  THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WILL LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF RE-PAINTING THE TENNIS COURTS TO ALLOW FOR PICKLE-BALL GAMES.  A BUILDING PERMIT WAS APPROVED FOR JEFFERS MAINSTREET LIQUOR.