Voters in the Windom Area School District have rejected the district’s two-question bond referendum.
According to results, 1,732 voters cast ballots. That included 587 absentee voters and 1,145 who voted in person.
Question One which would have funded major facility improvements for Windom Area Schools, received 728 yes votes and 1,002 no votes, falling short of approval. Question Two which could only pass if Question one was approved was to fund new football, soccer, baseball and softball fields designed for both student and community use, received 660 yes votes and 1,061 no votes.
In a statement following the vote, Superintendent Jamie Frank said, “The unofficial results are in: The Arts and Athletics Facilities Improvement Vote has not passed.” Frank went onto say that Windom Area Schools thanks all voters who participated and contributed to the discussion about the future of the schools and community. She said in the coming months, the School Board and administration will determine next steps and explore all options to secure a long-term, sustainable plan for the district’s facilities.
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Windom Police Department reported on the 6th right before Midnight an officer witnessed an erratic driver traveling at a high speed at the intersection of Highway 60 and N Highway 71. After initiating a traffic stop and investigation, an arrest was made of a 29-year-old Windom female for a 4th Degree Misdemeanor Driving while intoxicated, pending review by the prosecuting attorney’s office. The female was released upon becoming sober.
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Meetings Today include:
- Cottonwood County Commissioners will hold two meetings today at 3p.m. and 6 p.m. in the basement conference room at the Law Enforcement Center in Windom. Commissioners are encouraging hunters and residents to attend to share their thoughts before any local decision is made on the use of high-powered rifles during deer season. Counties have the option to restrict hunting to shotguns only.
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The Jeffers City Council met on the 9th. Ted Brochaw with Minnesota Rural Water spoke to the council about a Lead Line Inventory grant through the Minnesota Department of Health. Brochaw reported the City of Jeffers has sixteen private water services and two city-owned services that include lead or galvanized pipes. To be eligible for funding in 2027, the city must be placed on the Project Priority List by March 13th. The list remains active for five years. Council members unanimously approved moving forward with placement on the Project Priority List. Jeffers Fire Department representative Cory Schroeder updated the council on ongoing discussions with area townships regarding the fire hall. Schroeder also reported the city received a check for $12,727.05 from Amboy Township toward the fire truck fund. Jordan Albrecht of Bolton and Menk informed the council that the City of Jeffers has been invited to apply for the formal round of the Small Cities Grant program. Albrecht read a conflict-of-interest statement, noting that any council member with a conflict would not be allowed to participate in discussion. No conflicts were reported. A public hearing was scheduled for March 9th at 7 p.m. to gather input on the grant application. The council also unanimously adopted Resolution 2026-03, approving the Citizen Participation Plan and calling for the public hearing. Albrecht also noted that announcements for the Local Road Improvement Program, or LRIP, projects are expected March 30th. The council approved payment of bills and the financial report prior to adjourning.