THE SPRINGFIELD CITY HALL HAS BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AFTER AN EMPLOYEE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. A STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE CITY REPORTS THAT CITY HALL WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2ND IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. AN EMPLOYEE TESTED POSITIVE; PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECENT CONTRACT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL WERE IDENTIFIED AND ISOLATED. SPRINGFIELD CITY RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE THE DROP BOX FOR SERVICES, OR CONTACT THE CITY AT 723-3500 FOR MORE ASSISTANCE. TITLE TRANSFERS WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL CITY HALL RE-OPENS TO THE PUBLIC. THERE MAY BE OTHER DELAYS IN PROCESSING CERTAIN REQUESTS.
THE MT LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS CONDUCTING A SURVEY OF ITS MEMBERS ON THE FUTURE OF THE MT LAKE ‘POW-WOW’ CELEBRATION. THE CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECENTLY VOTED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION. WHEN THAT DECISION WAS ANNOUNCED, THE CHAMBER RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE – SOME SUPPORTING AND OTHER OPPOSING A CHANGE IN THE NAME OF THE EVENT. AT THE REQUEST OF ITS MEMBERSHIP, THE MT LAKE CHAMBER IS HOLDING A SURVEY OF ALL CHAMBER MEMBERS TO DETERMINE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FIRST POW-WOW CELEBRATION WAS HELD IN 1923.
THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ADOPTED A BACK-TO-SCHOOL PLAN FOR THE FALL. AS OF MONDAY, JUST OVER 1000 STUDENTS OR PARENTS HAVE RESPONDED TO A DISTRICT SURVEY. 85% OF STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO CLASS IN PERSON. ROUGHLY 13% OF STUDENTS HAVE REQUESTED DISTANCE LEARNING. FOR BUS SERVICE, 372 STUDENTS HAVE REQUESTED TRANSPORTATION. WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING, THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO HANDLE UP TO 418 STUDENTS A DAY ON BUSSES. FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, A RETURN TO SCHOOL PROGRAM WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 14TH. EACH GRADE LEVEL WILL HAVE A 45-MINUTE ORIENTATION SESSION.
THE WINDOM VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ACCEPTING CANDIDATES FOR MEMBERSHIP. APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT CITY HALL; COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE RETURNED BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. FIRE-FGHTER CANDIDATE TESTING AND INTERVIEWS WILL BE CONDUCTED ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH AT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES FACILITY. MEMBERS OF THE WINDOM FIRE DEPARTMENT MUST BE AT LEAST 18-YEARS-OLD. THEY MUST LIVE IN OR NEAR WINDOM, AND BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO A CALL WITHIN 8 MINUTES. CANDIDATES MUST BE ABLE TO LIFT AND CARRY AT LEAST 50 POUNDS, AND BE ABLE TO PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK.
THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD HELD A SPECIAL MEETING THIS WEEK. THE ADMINISTRATION PRESENTED THE “RETURN TO LEARN” PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT. THE PLAN CALLS FOR ALL STUDENTS TO ATTEND CLASS IN PERSON WITH ROOMS AT 50% CAPACITY AND SOCIAL DISTANCING. STUDENTS WHO DO NOT WISH TO ATTEND IN PERSON WILL BE OFFERED DISTANCE LEARNING. THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE THE PLAN. THE MT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A DEVICE PROTECTION PLAN. STUDENTS IN GRADES 7-12 WILL NEED TO PAY A $20 FEE OR PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. THE COMPLETE “RE-START BLUEPRINT” FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR WAS PRESENTED AND APPROVED.
THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD A REGULAR MEETING LAST WEEK. THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR WAS RECOGNIZED. THE BOARD APPROVED A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT FOR A NEW HOUSE IN WINDOM. A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WAS APPROVED FOR A GRAVEL PIT IN SECTION 1 OF AMBOY TOWNSHIP. THE BOARD SCHEDULED A PUBLIC HEARING ON A REVISED COUNTY NUISANCE ORDINANCE. APPROVAL WAS GIVE TO SELL TWO PARCELS OF TAX-FORFEITED PROPERTY TO THE WESTBROOK E-D-A. KELLY SMITH WAS HIRED AS A NEW INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN. PAUL JOHNSON WAS APPOINTED TO THE BOARD FOR THE RED ROCK RURAL WATER SYSTEM.