Local Headline News

Friday- December 8, 2023

Windom Area Schools Policy Committee Meeting date has been changed. The Policy Committee will be meeting in the Superintendent’s Office Friday, December 15th at 11:00 a.m. to Review Updated Policies.

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The City of St James posted notice as of December 6th of proposed ordinance amending the official zoning map to rezone property from B-4, Highway Commercial Business District to R-2, Multiple Family Residential District and Notice of Proposed Ordinance Chapter 35.02 of the City Code pertaining to the imposition of tax. The full text of the proposed ordinance will be made available on the city’s website, along with being available for public inspection at the office of the City Clerk/Treasurer after the first reading that took place on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

Proposed Ordinance Amending Zoning Map

Proposed Ordinance Pertaining to the Imposition of Tax

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Windom City Council met on the 5th. The Council was presented with the 2024 City Budget. The 2024 proposed tax levy is 5.59%, at the next meeting the Council will take action on setting the levy. There was no public input at this meeting. The MNDOT local road improvement project was given a resolution of support by the Council for applying for 1.5 million of state funding for a possible 10th Street project between Hwy 60/71 and County Road 13 (River Road area). The estimate for the total project is about 5.7 million.  The city council applied for this funding in 2020 but was not selected. The discussion from the Personnel Committee was heard by the Council. The discussion was based around the supervisory compensation-pay scale. The Personnel Committee met with the supervisory/dept head group which agreed with the 5% wage increase for the next three years but was not in agreement with the insurance cap for those years.  The Personnel Committee agreed to just a 1-year cap on insurance and then coming back at the end of 2024 to discuss insurance again with the supervisor group when the insurance figures are known, so there would not be a 3-year lock on insurance caps for this group.   This was a difficult decision, but the council did vote to approve the 5% wages and a 1-year cap on insurance. It was agreed to start December 19th at 5pm to allow attendance to the Windom School Holiday Concert. According to Councilwoman Jenny Quade, the Council agreed and set rules in motion for a Snowplow Naming Contest for the three new snowplow trucks that will be delivered by the end of the year. Quade explained, “this is a very simply contest… there will be a yellow box at City Hall for city of Windom residents to enter their pick for a snowplow name.   We ask that you live in the City of Windom and put your name, address, and the plow name on a piece of paper to enter.  Drop this off at City Hall in the office or you can put in the night deposit.   We will take names until Jan 5th.  Then the plow drivers will narrow down the list of names and the Street Department Committee will pick the final 3 winning snowplow names.   This will be revealed at the Jan 16th Council Meeting and the names will be placed on the plow trucks for years to come.   So, get your name in and have years of bragging rights that you named that Plow!   This is open to all ages… encourage the kids to submit their names too.”

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One week down and two weeks to go until the big HO HO HO jumps in his sleigh and brings joy to every girl and boy… Remember when Christmas WAS THE TIME of the year that we waited for? I am absolutely loving watching the sparkle in my grandsons eyes as they confide in me what they are going to whisper in Santa’s ears for Christmas. I KNOW that they have been incredibly awesome this year so I am thinking when Santa checks his list Henry and James are going to be on the Extra Nice List. BUT Henry if you are listening… Remember live animals such as puppies don’t do real well riding in the sleigh as Santa sores across the skies. They bark at the reindeer and cause confusion and then they get all excited and try to jump from the back seat to the front of the sleigh, so Santa gets all tangled up and that just sets Donner and Vixen into a tale spin so asking for a puppy is okay, BUT don’t be too disappointed if that wish doesn’t come true. If I were you, I’d ask for the third thing on your list because I know for a fact that the second thing on your list, which was an I-Phone is out of the question! I mean you gotta know that Santa is a rule follower, and he knows that cell phones don’t get gifted until you are at least 16 years old! On the bright side, in 10 years I am sure the phone technology will surpass what you think is amazing now! I am running out of time BUT I just laugh every time I mention it is National LARD Day… Does anyone actually use lard in this day and age? I must mention it is also National Salesperson Day so give us all a break and remember to BUY LOCAL… You know from your locally owned and operated Radio Station! We appreciate you, and today Please appreciate our Salespeople!!! And I saved the best for last.. It is National Brownie Day. Can’t you just taste that delicious chocolaty gooey goodness on your tongue? DO IT.. MAKE THE BROWNIES and share with your neighbor or your favorite salesperson.. Either works!!!