Local News Headlines – Friday, December 18th

A WINDOM MAN WAS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN COURT THIS WEEK ON CHARGES RELATED TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.   37-year-old WILLIAM R. BARLOW, Junior WAS CHARGED WITH FIVE COUNTS OF POSSESSION OF PORNOGRAPHIC WORKS – A FELONY.  ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, THE STATE BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION NOTIFIED THE WINDOM POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT BARLOW HAD UPLOADED FILES CONTAINING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.  BARLOW’S PHONE WAS SEIZED.  INVESTIGATORS FOUND MORE THAN FIVE PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES INVOLVING MINORS, AND INTERNET SEARCHES DEALING WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.   

 

A MEETING OF THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.  A NEW CONTRACT WAS APPROVED FOR THE WINDOM FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE FIRE SERVICE FOR NEIGHBORING CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS.   THE COUNCIL VOTED TO SIGN A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A NEW FIRE TRUCK.   THE FINAL COST WILL BE JUST OVER $443-THOUSAND.  THE NEW TRUCK WILL LIKELY BE DELIVERED EARLY IN 2022.  THE CITY HAS $200-THOUSAND IN A FUND TO MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT ON THE TRUCK.  THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED AN APPLICATION FOR A STATE GRANT TO EXTEND WALKING TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS AROUND THE WINDOM RECREATIONAL AREA, TEGELS PARK, THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND COTTONWOOD LAKE DRIVE.  THE COUNCIL WANTS TO HEAR MORE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.   

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.  THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL REPORTED ON DISTANCE LEARNING.  SOME STUDENTS WHO WERE STRUGGLING WITH DISTANCE LEARNING ARE BEING BROUGHT TO SCHOOL IN SMALL GROUPS TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT.   THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ALSO DISCUSSED EFFORTS TO HELP STUDENTS DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES OF DISTANCE LEARNING.  THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORTED THAT 4TH GRADE TEACHERS ARE MOVING INTO THEIR ROOMS IN THE HIGHLAND SCHOOL BUILDING.  THE BOARD HANDLED A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ITEMS.  CHRIS ZIMMERMAN WAS NAMED AS THE FULL-TIME LEAD CUSTODIAN.   

 

THE WINDOM E-D-A MET THIS WEEK.   FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE CEMSTONE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.  THE E-D-A HOPES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE, AND A POTENTIAL PROJECT IS UNDER REVIEW.  THE COST OF DEVELOPING THE SITE IS ESTIMATED AT $425-THOUSAND.   A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED ON THE POSSIBLE SALE OF PROPERTY ON 1ST AVENUE NEXT TO THE GUARDIAN INN.  THE E-D-A PLANS TO DEVELOP THE LOT AS A COMMERCIAL SITE.  THE E-D-A ALSO DISCUSSED THE NEED TO DEVELOP MORE HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE CITY.     

 

THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL MET EARLIER THIS WEEK.  THE FINAL 2021 CITY BUDGET WAS APPROVED.   THE COUNCIL SET 2021 WAGES, SALARIES AND STEP CHANGES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED UTILITY RATES FOR 2021.  ELECTRIC RATES WILL REMAIN THE SAME; WATER AND SEWER RATES WILL SEE A 2% INCREASE.  THE CITY ATTORNEY DISCUSSED OPTIONS FOR A PROPERTY THAT WAS DAMAGED IN A FIRE.  THE COUNCIL ACCEPTED A DIVIDEND FROM THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES INSURANCE TRUST.  THE MAYOR REVIEWED OPEN POSITIONS ON VARIOUS CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS; APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MADE IN JANUARY. 

 

THE HERON LAKE-OKABENA SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE BOARD CERTIFIED THE FINAL 2021 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AT THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED UNDER STATE GUIDELINES.  THE FINAL LEVEL WILL SHOW A REDUCTION OF 4% FROM THE CURRENT YEAR’S LEVY, WITH MUCH OF THE DECREASE ON AG LAND.  THE BOARD DISCUSSED THE ADDITIONAL FEES BEING REQUESTED BY THE STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE.  NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.  IN PERSONNEL BUSINESS, THE BOARD APPROVED THE HIRING OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND A PARA-PROFESSIONAL.  A SENIORITY LIST OF TEACHERS WAS READ AND APPROVED.