Local News Headlines – Thursday, October 21

A REGULAR MEETING OF THE MT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD THIS WEEK.  THE COUNCIL CALLED FOR THE SALE OF $1.7-MILLION IN BONDS TO FINANCE THE PURCHASE OF A NEW GENERATOR FOR THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.  THAT BOND SALE WILL BE COMBINED WITH THE RE-FINANCING OF ROUGHLY $2.9-MILLION IN EXISTING BONDS FOR A TOTAL BOND ISSUE OF ROUGHLY $4.7-MILLION.  WITH THE RE-FINANCING OF THE OLDER BONDS, THE CITY OF MT LAKE IS PROJECTED TO SAVE UP TO $245-THOUSAND THROUGH LOWER INTEREST RATES.  THE COUNCIL SCHEDULED A PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOVEMBER 1ST ON AN APPLICATION FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT.  A REQUEST WAS APPROVED TO CLOSE A PORTION OF 5TH AVENUE ON HALLOWEEN FOR AN EVENT BEING HELD BY THE ALLIANCE MISSIONARY CHURCH.  

 

THE JEFFERS CITY COUNCIL HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK.  THE COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF THE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR JEFFERS MAIN STREET LIQUOR.  A RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED TO APPROVE A FUND TRANSFER.  THE COUNCIL SET THE OFFICIAL TRICK-OR-TREAT HOURS FOR HALLOWEEN.  ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, TRICK-OR-TREATING WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 4:00 UNTIL 7:00PM.  CHILDREN SHOULD ONLY STOP AT HOUSES THAT HAVE THEIR PORCH LIGHTS ON.  THE CITY OF JEFFERS HAS A HALLOWEEN CURFEW STARTING AT 11:00 HALLOWEEN NIGHT.  DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE PURCHASE OF A NEW TRAILER FOR THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.   

 

THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK.   STAFF MEMBERS FROM MINN-DOT PRESENTED AN UPDATE ON THE HIGHWAY 60 CORRIDOR STUDY.  THE BOARD APPROVED AN APPLICATION FROM CEMSTONE FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A CONCRETE PLANT ON A LOT AT THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED A RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE JON KETZENBERG AS THE NEW FOREMAN FOR THE STREET DEPARTMENT.  THEY VOTED TO CREATE A NEW COMBINED POSITION FOR ELECTRIC INVENTORY CLERK AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.  THE COUNCIL APPROVED A TEMPORARY LIQUOR LICENSE FOR AN EVENT BEING HELD AT ‘BARC’ IN NOVEMBER.  PAYMENT WAS APPROVED OF A CONTRACTOR’S BILL FOR A CRACK-SEALING PROJECT AT THE WINDOM AIRPORT RUNWAY. 

 

THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD HELD A REGULAR MEETING THIS WEEK.  THE BOARD APPROVED A LIST OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR ASSIGNMENTS FOR WINTER SPORTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.  AN OPENING WAS POSTED FOR A JUNIOR-HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH.  A SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WAS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH TO CANVASS THE RESULTS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.  THE BOARD APPROVED A NEW TWO-YEAR EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT WITH THE NON-CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES, COVERING THIS YEAR AND THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.  THE BOARD HEARD A REPORT FROM THE DISTRICT AUDIT.  AN UPDATE WAS PROVIDED ON COVID-19 CASES.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF TWO COPY MACHINES.   

 

THE RIVER BEND LIQUOR STORE IN WINDOM IS HOLDING A FOOD DRIVE.   RIVER BEND LIQUOR IS COLLECTING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS.  ALL ITEMS COLLECTED WILL BE DONATED TO THE WINDOM AREA SHARING CENTER.  CASH DONATIONS WILL ALSO BE ACCEPTED.  THIS IS A PROMOTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE MUNICIPAL BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION AND MILLER LITE.  THE LIQUOR STORE IN MINNESOTA THAT COLLECTS THE MOST FOOD – MEASURED BY WEIGHT – WILL RECEIVE A DONATION OF $1,000 ON BEHALF OF THEIR LOCAL FOOD SHELF.  ALL LIQUOR STORES TAKING PART IN THE FOOD DRIVE WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING.  TEN STORES WILL EACH RECEIVE A DONATION OF $100 ON BEHALF OF THEIR LOCAL FOOD SHELF. 

 

THE WESTBROOK-WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK.   THE WALNUT GROVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD.  THE E-D-A IS INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING SOME LAND OWNED BY THE SCHOOL DISTR5ICT FOR A POSSIBLE HOUSING PROJECT.  THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL DISCUSS THE MATTER AT A FUTURE MEETING.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AFTER-SCHOOL DAY-CARE PROGRAM.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF NEW TABLES FOR THE LUNCHROOMS AND NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THE KITCHEN AT THE WESTBROOK BUILDING.  THE BOARD APPROVED A FUND-RAISING PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE THEATRE SYSTEM AT THE WALNUT GROVE BUILDING.