Local News Headlines – Wednesday, September 23rd

WORK CONTINUES THIS WEEK ON THE 2020 WINDOM CITY STREET PROJECT.   AS OF LAST WEEK, DRIVEWAYS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON DES MOINES DRIVE BETWEEN HIGHLAND ROAD AND HIGHWAY 62.  CURB AND GUTTER AND DRIVEWAYS WERE INSTALLED ON VERONA AVENUE.   ON THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK, CREWS WILL BE FILLING TOPSOIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CURB AND GUTTER WORK ON DES MOINES DRIVE, HIGHLAND ROAD, VERONA AVENUE AND FAIRVIEW AVENUE.  PAVING WORK WILL CONTINUE ON VARIOUS STREETS.  THE BOULEVARDS WILL BE SEEDED ON DES MOINES DRIVE, HIGHLAND ROAD, FAIRVIEW AVENUE AND VERONA AVENUE.   

 

THE MT LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.  THE BOARD SET THE PRELIMINARY 2012 PROPERTY TAX LEVY LIMIT AT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ALLOWED UNDER STATE GUIDELINES.  THIS WOULD MEAN A REDUCTION OF ABOUT 1% COMPARED TO THE CURRENT YEAR’S LEVY.  THE FINAL LEVY AMOUNT WILL BE CERTIFIED IN DECEMBER. IN PERSONNEL BUSINESS, SARAH TAILOWRIGHT WAS HIRED AS AN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR.  BRIAN HOPWOOD RESIGNED AS THE HEAD SOFTBALL COACH AND SHAWN NAAS WAS HIRED AS THE NEW HEAD SOFTBALL COACH.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE BUILDING PROJECT.  A NUMBER OF OPEN-ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS WERE APPROVED. 

 

THE MT LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS LOOKING TO FILL SOME OPENINGS ON ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.   THE BOARD HAS SEVERAL OPEN POSITIONS DUE TO RECENT RESIGNATIONS.  ANY MEMBER OF THE MT LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR AN EMPLOYEE OF A MEMBER BUSINESS IS ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD.  CHAMBER BOARD MEMBERS MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND MEETINGS, VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE MT LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, CONTACT CHAMBER DIRECTOR ROB ANDERSON OR CHAMBER PRESIDENT SUE GARLOFF.  THE MT LAKE CHAMBER PROMOTES A NUMBER OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES DURING THE YEAR. 

 

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS UNDERWAY – A GOOD TIME TO REMEMBER THE RULES FOR SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.   FLASHING AMBER LIGHTS ARE A WARNING THAT A SCHOOL BUS IS PREPARING TO STOP.   IF YOU ARE DRIVING A VEHICLE, YOU MUST STOP AT LEAST 20 FEET FROM A SCHOOL BUS WHEN APPROACHING FROM EITHER DIRECTION AND YOU SEE A BUS DISPLAYING FLASHING RED LIGHTS AND THE STOP ARM IS EXTENDED.   THE STOP ARM MEANS CHILDREN WILL BE GETTING ON OR OFF THE BUS.  VEHICLES SHOULD REMAIN STOPPED UNTIL THE STOP ARM IS FOLDED IN AND THE FLASHING RED LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF.  DRIVERS WHO VIOLATE THE LAW FACE A $500 FINE.   

 

THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.   THE PRELIMINARY 2021 PROPERTY TAX LEVY LIMIT WAS SET WITH AN INCREASE OF 3%.  THE BOARD APPROVED AN APPLICATION FOR AN EXPANSION PROJECT AT THE RED ROCK QUARRY.   A CONTRACT WAS APPROVED FOR SAFETY TRAINING SERVICES.  A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD AND THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE THE COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE WATONWAN RIVER WATERSHED.  THE BOARD REVIEWED A NEW PLAN TO FUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CELL AT THE LANDFILL.  THE BOARD VOTED TO ENTER A PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR A PARCEL OF PROPERTY.