Local News Headlines – Monday, November 30th

K-D-O-M RADIO IS WORKING WITH THE SALVATION ARMY TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL “RED KETTLE” FUND DRIVE.  DONATIONS WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO COTTONWOOD COUNTY RESIDENTS AND TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN NEED.  THIS YEAR, THE RED KETTLE WILL BE SET UP, BUT DUE TO COVID-19, NO ONE WILL BE RINGING THE BELL.  A RED KETTLE WILL BE LOCATED IN THE ENTRYWAY AT HY VEE IN WINDOM DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS.  LOOSE CHANGE, CASH AND CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED.  THERE WILL ALSO BE A DRIVE-BY KETTLE SET UP OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO THE KDOM RADIO STUDIOS, JUST OFF 14TH STREET.  CALL K-D-O-M RADIO FOR MORE INFORMATION.   

 

THE MT LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IS MOVING ITS SENIOR HIGH STUDENTS TO DISTANCE LEARNING STARTING TODAY.  THIS IS FOR STUDENTS IN THE 9TH THROUGH 12TH GRADES ONLY.  ALL OTHER STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND CLASS IN PERSON WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING AND CLASSROOMS AT 50% CAPACITY.  LAST WEEK, MT LAKE HELD CLASS ON MONDAY ONLY.  TEACHERS USED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY TO PREPARE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.   SENIOR HIGH STUDENTS WILL REMAIN ON DISTANCE LEARNING THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11TH.  STUDENTS AND PARENTS WERE SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE PLAN, INCLUDING DETAILS ON HOW FOOD SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD RECENTLY HEARD THE ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT FOR THE 2020 FISCAL YEAR.    THE GENERAL FUND ENDED THE YEAR WITH A NET INCREASE OF JUST OVER $220-THOUSAND.  THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE WAS JUST OVER $2.4-MILLION.   THE DISTRICT’S TOTAL NET POSITION INCREASED BY JUST OVER $1.2-MILLION.  THE DISTRICT’S TOTAL DEBT WAS REDUCED BY 4.5% DURING THE LAST YEAR AS DEBT PAYMENTS WERE MADE.  AT THE END OF THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, THE DISTRICT WAS SERVING 1,076 STUDENTS – 8 FEWER THAN THE START OF THE YEAR.  THOSE NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED THE AREA LEARNING CENTER OR DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM.   

THE MURRAY COUNTY BOARD MEETS AT 8:30 TUESDAY MORNING AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER IN SLAYTON.  THE ANNUAL “TRUTH-IN-TAXATION” HEARING WILL BE HELD.   THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL PRESENT A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE PROJECTS.  THE PLANNING AND ZONING OFFICE WILL REVIEW AN APPLICATION FOR A PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR A HOUSING SUB-DIVISION.  THE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WILL REQUEST APPROVAL TO PURCHASE THREE NEW VEHICLES.  THE BOARD WILL CONDUCT LABOR UNION CONTRACT NEGOTATIONS FOR THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, THE JAIL ADMINISTRATOR AND THE JAILER-DISPATCHERS.   

 

A MEETING OF THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL BE HELD AT 3:00 TUESDAY AFTERNOON.  THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL REVIEW CONTRACTS FOR A RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 4.  THE BOARD WILL MEET WITH A CONSULTING FIRM TO DISCUSS THE COUNTY’S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.  THE BOARD WILL HANDLE A NUMBER OF ITEMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS, INCUDING SETTING BOARD SALARIES FOR 2021; APPROVING A WAGE STRUCTURE FOR NON-UNION EMPLOYEES; APPROVING STEP INCREASES; AND SETTING SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.   THE TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING WILL BE HELD AT 6:00PM TUESDAY EVENING. 

 

THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETS AT 4:30 TUESDAY AFTERNOON.  THE BOARD WILL REVIEW TWO APPLICATIONS FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.  THEY WILL CONSIDER A PETITION CALLING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR A PROPOSED QUARRY PROJECT.  THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WILL HAVE UPDATES ON PROJECTS ON COUNTY HIGHWAY 7 AND COUNTY HIGHWAY 2.  THE BOARD MAY FILL AN OPENING FOR AN ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN.  THE BOARD WILL REVIEW A JOINT-POWERS AGREEMENT.  AT 6:01 TUESDAY EVENING, THE BOARD WILL RE-CONVENE TO CONDUCT THE ANNUAL “TRUTH-IN-TAXATION” HEARING.