Mountain Lake Police Department reported 29 calls from September 7th to September 14th. Officers assisted Mountain Lake Ambulance on several calls, assisted State Patrol on two separate injury accidents, assisted Redwood County Sheriff’s office with a welfare check, and responded to a complaint of the business manager of Dollar General of suspicion of Shoplifting. Upon investigation, a 35-year-old female of Fairmont was cited for theft, and a 36-year-old female of Aitkin, was arrested for 5th Degree possession of a Controlled Substance and Theft. An Officer responded to complaint of person dumpster diving and responded to complaint of a driver failing to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk. Upon investigation, a 38-year-old female of Windom, was cited for failure to yield to pedestrian. For a listing of all calls for the Mountain Lake Police Department click on link below.
Mountain Lake Police Department September 7th to September 14th
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The Cottonwood County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, September 16th. Commissioners approved the amended agenda and minutes from earlier meetings. The board approved a Law Enforcement Services contract with the City of Westbrook and authorized the purchase of a Bobcat UW56 with attachments for the landfill at a cost of just under $84,000. Commissioners also approved advertising for bids on several bridge projects, with bids scheduled to be opened October 6th. In other action, the board accepted a road project as complete and approved final payment to Prahm Construction, signed a SafeAssure contract for 2026, and approved a resolution of sponsorship for a sponsoring agency. They also voted to hire Gretchen Warner-Rhubee for SIMS data entry support and approved a letter of support for the String Lake Project. Commissioners approved September warrants totaling just over $68,000 and scheduled a special budget meeting for September 23rd at 1 p.m.
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Windom City Council met Tuesday Night with a full agenda that will be presented over the next few days. During Public Comments, the Council heard from Dustin Harrold regarding his request for a variance to build a fence on his corner lot at 1605 6th Avenue. The Planning Commission had recommended denial of the application, but Harrold addressed the council to express concerns over that decision and presented a compromise plan for the fence location. Two council members also raised concerns with Building and Zoning Director Matt Fast about comments made during the Planning Commission’s review. They reminded commissioners to act with professionalism and avoid personal remarks when addressing such requests. It was also noted that no neighbors filed written complaints, no one spoke against the project at the public hearing, and no objections came from nearby property owners. In the end, the Council voted to send the matter back to the Planning Commission, asking them to review Harrold’s compromise plan and return with a new recommendation. The Council approved three park-related recommendations. The Council agreed to close Island Park from October 1st through November 26th, while construction crews build a new berm and shelter pad. The fences for the dog park will be taken down during construction and for the safety of the working crews and the community the park will remain closed for the length of construction time with the exception of Windom Football Games scheduled on Friday Nights. They also approved the removal of Kastle Kingdom playground beginning October 1st, following a safety audit performed by the Institute for Environmental Assessment. The Park and Recreation Board is already seeking grants to rebuild the playground with an updated design that will be ADA-compliant and a major improvement, while still resembling the original. Kastle Kingdom was first built on June 19th, 1995, with a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. Now, more than 30 years later, it has become a safety concern. Council members noted how important Kastle Kingdom has been for generations of families but said protecting children must come first. They acknowledged there may be community pushback but emphasized the equipment has outlived its life span and it’s time to take action. And finally, the Council gave approval for the Softball Association to reshape the infield and re-seed the outfield grass at Eagle Field. The association will cover all the costs of that project.
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The Windom Public Library will be closed Friday Morning, September 19th for roof repairs. This is necessary as the power will be shut off to the building during that time. It is anticipated that the Library will reopen at 1pm and continue regular hours until 5:30pm. The Library had a great summer with success of more than 125 children participating in the summer reading program along with an increased number of adult participants. Circulation numbers for August showed over 3,300 items checked out! If you have questions concerning the closed hours for roof repairs on Friday or anything else, please feel free to call 507-831-6131.