Local News Headlines – Wednesday, May 19

THE CITY OF WINDOM RECENTLY HELD ITS ANNUAL BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION.  COUNTY ASSESSOR GAIL BONDHUS GAVE A PRESENTATION ON HOW ASSESSED VALUATIONS ARE DETERMINED.  DURING THE LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 99 SALES OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.  THE MEDIAN SALES RATIO WAS AT 99.2% OF ASSESSED MARKET VALUE, SO NO ADJUSTMENTS WERE NEEDED.   A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE VALUATION FOR THE FAST AG PROPERTIES IN THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK.  THE OWNERS WERE REQUESTING THAT THE ASSESSED VALUE BE REDUCED.  THE BOARD DID NOT APPROVE ANY CHANGES, BUT THE OWNERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO MEET WITH THE COUNTY ASSESSOR AND CONSIDER TAKING THE MATTER TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF APPEAL IN JUNE.   

 

THE CITY OF MT LAKE HAS DECLARED THIS FRIDAY AS “PETERSON PHARMACY AND GIFTS APPRECIATION DAY.”  A PROCLAMATION WAS ADOPTED BY THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL.  THE BUSINESS IS BEING RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH THE COVID-19 VACCINE.  PETERSON PHARMACY HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 2-THOUSAND DOSES OF VACCINE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS.  PETERSON PHARMACY AND GIFTS OPENED MORE THAN 37 YEARS AGO UNDER ORIGINAL OWNERS VERN AND CHERYL PETERSON.  THEIR DAUGHTER, ERICA SCHROEDER, IS THE NEW OWNER OF THE BUSINESS.  PETERSON PHARMACY IS A LONG-TIME MEMBER OF THE MT LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND HAS SUPPORTED COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING POW-WOW.   THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE THIS FRIDAY FROM 9:00 TO 1:00. 

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL BOARD WILL BE HELD AT 5:00 THIS AFTERNOON IN LAMBERTON.   PERSONNEL BUSINESS WILL INCLUDE THE HIRING OF NEW TEACHERS.  A NEW MASTER TEACHER CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS WILL BE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL.  THE BOARD WILL REVIEW A LIST OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO ARE CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION.  THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER AN INCREASED SCHEDULE FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS.  BIDS WILL BE REVIEWED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE.  ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS WILL BE PRESENTED BY THE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT.  THERE WILL BE A REPORT FROM THE KRAUS-ANDERSON CONSULTING FIRM. 

 

THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.  A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL ITEMS WERE HANDLED.  THE BOARD ACCEPTED A LETTER OF RETIREMENT FROM ENGLISH TEACHER BRENDA FEIL.  RESIGNATIONS WERE ACCEPTED FROM 3RD-GRADE TEACHER ANDREW HEMPECK AND HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR DIRECTOR CARSON COVEY.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE HIRING OF A NEW HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER AND A PART-TIME TEACHER FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE HIRING OF SUMMER CUSTODIAL WORKERS.  THEY APPROVED A LIST OF VOLUNTEERS FOR SUMMER ATHLETIC PROGRAMS.  STUDENT FEES WERE SET FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.  

 

THE WINDOM CITY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MET LAST WEEK.  THE COMMISSION DISCUSSED A PROPOSAL TO CREATE A VETERANS’ MEMORIAL IN LOMEN PARK.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON ISSUES WITH SCHEDULING THE USE OF BALL FIELDS AT THE RECREATIONAL AREA.  THERE WERE UPDATES ON REPAIR PROJECTS TAKING PLACE AT THE CITY ARENA AND THE SWIMMING POOL.  THE FIRST HORSE SHOW AT THE ARENA IS SCHEDULED FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.  THE COMMISSION DISCUSSED THE CONDITION OF THE KASTLE KINGDOM PLAYGROUND.  A REPORT WAS PROVIDED ON PARKS MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.  FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON OPTIONS FOR REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE ISLAND PARK SHELTER HOUSE.   

 

THE LOCAL SONS OF NORWAY STAVANGER LODGE WILL HOLD A MEETING AT 7:00 THURSDAY EVENING AT THE COUNCIL HISTORICAL MUSEUM IN WINDOM.   THE PROGRAM WILL BE PRESENTED BY LAWRENCE MOE, A PROFESSOR AT METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN ST. PAUL.  MOE WILL DISCUSS THE LIFE AND WORK OF “COLORADO PETE.”  COLORADO PETE WAS THE PEN NAME OF ARTHUR PETERSON, A MINNESOTA NATIVE AND WORLD WAR ONE VETERAN.  PETERSON WROTE POETRY THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE.  PROFESSOR MOE HAS WRITTEN A NEW BOOK, “THE POETRY OF COLORADO PETE.”  REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.  THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND.  GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND.