Local News Headlines – Wednesday, September 30th

EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE BY THIS WEDNESDAY FOR THE TAMMY HALL BREAST HEALTH WALK.  PEOPLE WHO REGISTER BY WEDNESDAY WILL RECEIVE THE EARLY-BIRD FEE OF $25.  ALL REGISTRATIONS AFTER WEDNESDAY WILL HAVE A FEE OF $30.  THE REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDES THE WALK AND A T-SHIRT.  ON-LINE REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH.  PEOPLE MAY ALSO MAKE DONATIONS ON-LINE OR PURCHASE MERCHANDISE TO SUPPORT THE WOMEN’S HEALTH FUND.  THE HEALTH WALK WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH.  THE HEALTH FUND SUPPORTS LOCAL WOMEN WHO ARE UNDERGOING CANCER TREATMENTS. 

 

WORK CONTINUES THIS WEEK ON THE 2020 WINDOM CITY STREET UPDATE.  ON THIS WEEK’S CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, CREWS WILL BE COMPLETING THE FINAL PLAY OF ASPHALT PAVING ON DES MOINES DRIVE, HIGHLAND ROAD, VERONA AVENUE AND FAIRVIEW AVENUE.  WORK WILL BE DONE ON CONCRETE ADJUSTMENTS FOR MANHOLES AND VALVES.   CREWS WILL ALSO BE INSTALLING OR RE-INSTALLING MAILBOXES AND LIGHT POLES.  LOOKING AHEAD, ONE OF THE FINAL STAGES OF THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE CONCRETE JOINT SEALING AT ALL PROJECT LOCATIONS.  UPDATES ARE BEING POSTED ON THE WINDOM CITY WEBSITE AND STREET DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK PAGE. 

 

THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD HELD A WORK-SESSION THIS WEEK.   THE BOARD APPROVED A PRELIMINARY 2021 PROPERTY TAX LEVY LIMIT AT JUST OVER $4.3-MILLION, AN INCREASE OF ROUGHLY 4% OVER THE CURRENT YEAR’S LEVY.  THE BOARD APPROVED ADDING AN ASSISTANT PLAY DIRECTOR TO ASSIST WITH THE FALL MUSICAL.   THEY APPROVED ADDING AN ASSISTANT CROSS-COUNTRY COACH FOR THE CURRENT SEASON, DUE TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS INVOLVED.  THERE WAS AN UPDATE ON THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES HELD IN THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING.  PAYMENTS WERE APPROVED FOR WORK ON THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER AND THE REMODELING WORK AT THE HIGHLAND BUILDING.  

 

THE WINDOM AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS TAKING NOMINATIONS FOR ITS ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM.  THE AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE CHAMBER’S ANNUAL GALA, BEING HELD ON NOVEMBER 5TH.  NOMINATIONS FOR THE AWARDS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THIS FRIDAY.  NOMINATIONS MAY BE MADE BY CHAMBER MEMBERS AND CUSTOMERS.  FOUR MAJOR AWARDS ARE PRESENTED:  THE COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD AND THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD EACH GO TO AN INDIVIDUAL.   THE EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AND THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD EACH GO TO A BUSINESS.  NOMINATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE WINDOM CHAMBER OFFICE. 

                                                                         

THE WINDOM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MET THIS WEEK.    A CLOSED SESSION WAS HELD ON LAND NEGOTIATIONS.  THE E-D-A IS CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL FOR A LOT AT THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK.  HY LIFE FOODS WOULD WORK WITH THE E-D-A ON A LEASE AGREEMENT TO PUT UP A MODULAR DORMITORY PROJECT TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR HY LIFE EMPLOYEES.    IN ANOTHER MATTER, THE E-D-A REVIEWED A PROPOSAL TO DIVIDE ANOTHER LOT AT THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK.   PART OF THE SITE WOULD BE USED FOR A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS.   THE E-D-A WILL BE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION TO THE REMICK FOUNDATION, SEEKING FUNDING TO USE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSED WOLF LAKE RECREATIONAL TRAIL. 

 

THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR WINDOM AREA HEALTH MET THIS WEEK.  THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR AUGUST SHOWED AN INCREASE IN NET ASSETS OF JUST OVER $281-THOUSAND.  THROUGH THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WINDOM AREA HEALTH IS NOW SHOWING A NET INCREASE OF JUST OVER $920-THOUSAND.  ROUGHLY $800-THOUSAND OF THAT TOTAL REFLECTS THE USE OF FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS.  THE REPORT OF PATIENT ACTIVITY SHOWED ACTIVITY WAS ABOVE BUDGETED LEVELS FOR SWING-BED DAYS, SURGERIES, OUT-PATIENT PROCEDURES, LABORATORY PROCEDURES, IMAGING PROCEDURES AND REHAB SERVICES.