Local News Headlines – Thursday, April 29th

THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.   PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE HELD ON THREE APPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENTS.  THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE ALL THREE APPLICATIONS.  THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON THE NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN GREAT BEND TOWNSHIP FOR THE RED ROCK RURAL WATER SYSTEM.  COTTONWOOD COUNTY WILL SERVE AS THE LEAD COUNTY FOR A BOND ISSUE TO FINANCE THE PROJECT.  IN PERSONNEL BUSINESS, THE BOARD ACCEPTED A LETTER OF RETIREMENT FROM JAIL ADMINISTRATOR KRISTI SELL.  JASON RUPP WAS PROMOTED TO JAIL ADMINISTRATOR.  AN OPENING WILL BE POSTED FOR A NEW JAILER AND DISPATCHER SUPERVISOR. 

 

THE FEDERATED RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCATION IS HOSTING A CLEAN-UP DAY AT A LOCAL STATE PARK.  THE “GREEN TOUCH” DAY WILL BE HELD THIS SATURDAY AT KILEN WOODS STATE PARK NEAR LAKEFIELD.  ELECTRIC COOP EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL DONATE THEIR TIME TO HELP CLEAN UP THE PARK.  THE CLEANUP WILL BE FROM 9:00AM TO NOON.  SOCIAL DISTANCING WILL BE OBSERVED AND FAMILIES WILL WORK IN ‘PODS.’  THE DAY WILL INCLUDE PAINTING SEATS, SIGN POSTS AND PICNIC TABLES, PICKING UP LITTER AND BRANCHES ON HIKING TRAILS, CLEANING PICNIC SHELTERS AND CAMP SITES.  VOLUNTEERS WILL RECEIVE A RESTAURANT GIFT CARD.  TO PARTICIPATE, CALL FEDERATED R-E-A BY NOON FRIDAY AT 847-3520.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A FEDERATED R-E-A MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE. 

 

THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR WINDOM AREA HEALTH HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.    THE REPORT OF PATIENT ACTIVITY FOR MARCH SHOWED MOST AREAS WERE ABOVE BUDGET.  THE MARCH FINANCIAL REPORT SHOWED A NET INCREASE FOR THE MONTH OF JUST OVER $243-THOUSAND.  THROUGH THE FIRST 11 MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THE HOSPITAL IS NOW SHOWING A NET INCREASE OF JUST OVER $2.2-MILLION.  A BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNING BOARD AND APPROVED BY THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL.  SEVERAL PROJECTS ARE BEING PLANNED, INCLUDING WORK ON THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THE REHAB ENTRANCE.  PLANNING HAS BEGUN FOR A REMODELING PROJECT FOR THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.   NATIONAL HOSPITAL WEEK WILL BE OBSERVED FROM MAY 9TH THROUGH THE 15TH. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD HELD A WORK-SESSION THIS WEEK.  THE BOARD APPROVED A PROPOSAL TO OFFER 12-MONTH EMPLOYEES A CASH PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAKING VACATION DAYS.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON STRATEGIC PLANNING.  A CONSULTANT WILL BE MAKING A VIDEO PRESENTATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.  THE BOARD REVIEWED THE DISTRICT’S CURRENT OPERATING REFERENDUM.  THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER OPTIONS FOR A POSSIBLE VOTE ON A NEW OPERATING LEVY. THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR THE HIGHLAND SCHOOL BUILDING.  WINDOM HAS RECEIVED A $50-THOUSAND GRANT FROM THE REMICK FOUNDATION.  THE BOARD WENT INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS STRATEGY FOR LABOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.      

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD WAS HELD LAST WEEK.   THE BOARD VOTED TO TRANSFER THE DUTIES OF THE COUNTY COORDINATOR TO JANICE FRANSEN ON AN INTERIM BASIS, AS OF APRIL 27TH.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE USE OF A CREDIT CARD FOR JANICE FRANSEN.  THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.  THE BOARD APPROVED A 6-MONTH LIQUOR LICENSE FOR THE EASTSIDE ACRES CAMPGROUND.  A WAGE INCREASE WAS APPROVED FOR THE ASSISTANT HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR.  THE BOARD ACCEPTED QUOTES FOR THE PURCHASE OF ASPHALT AND AGGREGATE MATERIALS FOR UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.   

 

HERE IS AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.  AS OF LAST SUNDAY, 56% OF ALL STATE RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED A 1ST DOSE OF VACCINE AND 41% ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  LOCALLY, IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY, 53% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED A 1ST DOSE AND JUST OVER 4,100 PEOPLE ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN JACKSON COUNTY, 45% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED A 1ST DOSE AND JUST OVER 3,200 RESIDENTS ARE FULLY VACCINATED.  IN WATONWAN COUNTY, 52% OF RESIDENTS 16-AND-OLDER HAVE RECEIVED A 1ST DOSE AND JUST OVER 3,700 RESIDENTS ARE FULLY VACCINATED.