Local News Headlines – Friday, August 6

THE JEFFERS CITY COUNCIL HELD TWO REGULAR MEETINGS IN JULY.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON A ‘DANGEROUS DOG’ INCIDENT.  THE OWNERS OF THE DOG REQUESTED THAT A PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD.  THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED ISSUES WITH NOXIOUS WEEDS.  LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE VIOLATING THE CITY ORDINANCE.   THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON REQUIRED TRAINING FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF APPEAL AND EQUALIZATION.  THE COUNCIL HEARD AN UPDATE ON THE ‘WELCOME TO JEFFERS’ SIGN.  A NEW SIGN IS BEING DESIGNED.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON VIOLATIONS OF THE PUBLIC NUISANCE ORDINANCE.  PEOPLE WITH OUTSTANDING VIOLATIONS WILL BE CONTACTED. 

 

A RECENT STUDY CONCLUDED THAT MORE SPACE IS NEEDED AT THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER AND JAIL.    AN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM DETERMINED THAT THE CENTER NEEDS ROUGHLY 12-THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF ADDITIONAL SPACE TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS. THIS INCLUDES SPACE NEEDS FOR THE JAIL INTAKE AND BOOKING AREA, NEW JAIL CELLS, GARAGE SPACE FOR VEHICLES AND MORE ROOM FOR DISPATCHERS.  ONE POSSIBLE APPROACH WOULD INVOLVE AN EXPANSION OF THE CURRENT BUILDING ON THE MAIN LEVEL AND BASEMENT LEVEL.  THE ARCHITECTS WILL DEVELOP A FORMAL PROPOSAL INCLUDING COST ESTIMATES.  THE INFORMATION WILL GO TO THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD.   

 

AN OPEN HOUSE AND CELEBRATION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS IS BEING HELD IN WINDOM.  THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY FROM 11:00 TO 4:00 AT THE ‘BARC’ LIBRARY IN WINDOM.  THIS IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ANY TYPE OF CANCER.  THERE WILL BE GIVEAWAYS AND PRIZE DRAWINGS FOR A NUMBER OF ITEMS AND MEMORABILIA FROM THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE.   AVAILABLE ITEMS INCLUDE LUMINARIAS, PERSONALIZED CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS, RELAY FOR LIFE PINS, ASSORTED T-SHIRTS, PENS AND MAGNETS.  IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CALL CAROL HARTMAN AT 831-4235.  AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE NO PLANS TO HOLD A RELAY FOR LIFE THIS YEAR IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY.  

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET EARLIER THIS WEEK.  FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE POSSIBLE CREATION OF A PUBLIC FISHING AREA NEXT TO PERKINS CREEK.  A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE STATED THAT THE COST OF IMPROVING THE CREEK TO ADDRESS EROSION ISSUES COULD BE AS MUCH AS $86-THOUSAND.  THE CITY WILL LOOK INTO GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE HIRING OF BILL ROSA AS A NEW EMPLOYEE FOR THE TELE-COMM DEPARTMENT.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED FINAL PAYMENT OF CONTRACTOR’S BILLS FOR WORK AT THE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CITY WELL.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE CURRENT DROUGHT SITUATION AND WATER USAGE. 

 

THE RIVER BEND LIQUOR STORE IN WINDOM IS TEAMING UP WITH THE WINDOM FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR A FUND-RAISING EVENT.  THIS IS THE 3RD ANNUAL FIRE DEPARTMENT FUNDRAISER BEING HELD BY THE MINNESOTA MUNICIPAL BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOLSON/COORS.  THE RIVER BEND LIQUOR STORE WILL BE ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 11TH ON BEHALF OF THE WINDOM VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.  ALL FUNDS RAISED WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.  THE GOAL IS TO “FILL THE BOOT.”  CHECK THE RIVER BEND LIQUOR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UPDATES ON OTHER FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES.   

 

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE WESTBROOK CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.     THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN APPLICATION FROM THE LOCAL AMERICAN LEGION POST FOR A CHARITABLE GAMBLING PERMIT TO HOLD A RAFFLE AND PLAY BINGO.   PERMIT APPLICATIONS WERE REVIEWED AND APPROVED FOR GOLF-CART PERMITS, U-T-V PERMITS AND SIDE-BY-SIDE PERMITS.  THE COUNCIL REVIEWED AND APPROVED TWO BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS.  REPORTS WERE PROVIDED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE STREET DEPARTMENT.  THE DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING WAS MOVED TO TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH TO AVOID A CONFLICT WITH THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND.  

 

THE MURRAY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MET LAST WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED THE SALE OF JUST OVER $4.5-MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION DRAINAGE BONDS TO FINANCE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE JUDICIAL DITCH SYSTEM.  A DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE BIDS FOR THE NEW HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT MAINTENANCE FACILITY.  THE BOARD VOTED TO REJECT ALL THE BIDS THAT WERE RECEIVED FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL.  THE BOARD INDICATED IT SUPPORTS THE PROJECT AND MAY SEEK STATE FUNDING.  AN ALLOCATION OF $100-THOUSAND WAS APPROVED FROM THE E-D-A TO LISMORE TELEPHONE FOR THE IONA BROADBAND EXPANSION PROJECT.  THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO SEEK QUOTES FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AIR-HANDLING SYSTEM AT THE COUNTY JAIL.