THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET AT 9:00 THIS MORNING AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN WINDOM. THE BOARD WILL HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. THE SERVICE IS SEEKING TO AQUIRE 7.2 ACRES OF PROPERTY IN LAKESIDE TOWNSHIP TO BE USED FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT. THE WINDOM E-E-A DIRECTOR WILL PRESENT AN APPLICATION FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT FOR A NEW TWIN HOME IN MT LAKE. THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WILL REVIEW WINTER SNOW MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS WITH WESTBROOK, MT LAKE, JEFFERS AND LAKESIDE TOWNSHIP. THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE RED ROCK RURAL WATER SYSTEM.
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD WILL BE HELD AT 9:00 THIS MORNING. NEXT ERA ENERGY RESOURCES WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION ON A DRAINAGE TILE PROJECT. THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER A POSSIBLE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT. THE BOARD MAY APPROVE THE SALE OF JUST OVER $7.3-MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION DRAINAGE BONDS. THE BOARD MAY ALSO APPROVE THE RE-FINANCING OF JUST OVER $6-MILLION IN EXISTING DRAINAGE BONDS. THERE WILL BE A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE COUNTY’S FINANCE POLICY. AFTER COMPLETING THE REGULAR AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RE-CONVENE AS THE COUNTY DRAINAGE AUTHORITY.
THE MURRAY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET AT 8:30 THIS MORNING AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER IN SLAYTON. THE SOIL-AND-WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT OFFICE WILL REVIEW A CONSERVATION GRANT BEING OFFERED BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. THE BOARD MAY VOTE TO APPROVE MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE GRANT. BIDS WILL BE OPENED FOR THE REMODELING OF THE BATHROOMS AT THE COURTS BUILDING. THE COUNTY ENGINEER WILL HOLD A BID OPENING FOR SEVERAL HIGHWAY PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE RECONSTRUCTION OF COUNTY HIGHWAY 29 AT HADLEY. A PART-TIME MUSEUM COORDINATOR MAY BE HIRED.
THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MEETS AT 6:30 THIS EVENING AT THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS. STAFF MEMBERS FROM MINN-DOT WILL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE HIGHWAY 60 CORRIDOR STUDY. A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 26TH. A FINAL REPORT WILL BE ISSUED EARLY NEXT YEAR. THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER AN APPLICATION FROM CEMSTONE FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A CONCRETE PLANT AT THE NORTH WINDOM INDUSTRIAL PARK. THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE HIRING OF A NEW FOREMAN FOR THE STREET DEPARTMENT. THERE WILL BE A PROPOSAL TO CREATE A NEW POSITION FOR AN INVENTORY CLERK AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
THE HERON LAKE-OKABENA SCHOOL BOARD MEETS THIS EVENING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY IN OKABENA. OPEN-ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED. THE BOARD WILL REVIEW THE DISTRICT’S PLAN FOR THE WORLD’S BEST WORK-FORCE PROGRAM. THE BOARD WILL APPROVE A STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH NON-DISCRIMINATION GUIDELINES. SOME OLDER FURNITURE WILL BE DECLARED AS SURPLUS AND DESIGNATED FOR DISPOSAL. UNDER OLD BUSINESS, THE BOARD MAY APPROVE EXTRA-CURRICULAR ASSIGNMENTS FOR WINTER SPORTS. ADDITIONAL BASKETBALL COACHES MAY BE APROVED.THE HERON LAKE-OKABENA SCHOOL BOARD WILL ALSO HEAR ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS.
A COMMITTEE OF THE MINNESOTA STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE VISITING SW MN THIS WEEK. THE STATE HOUSE CAPITAL INVESTMENT COMMITTEE WILL BE VISITING LOCATIONS TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL COMMUNITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THOSE PROJECTS HAVE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE WITH STATE FUNDING. STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROD HAMILTON OF MT LAKE WILL BE PART OF THE TOUR. ON WEDNESDAY, THE COMMISSION WILL HOLD A SESSION AT MINNESOTA WEST COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN WORTHINGTON. THE GROUP WILL HEAR PRESENTATIONS ON LOCAL PROJECTS INCLUDING THE RED LEAF COURT STORM-SEWER PROJECT IN WINDOM, AND PROJECTS IN WILDER AND LAKEFIELD.
AN AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE WAS HELD RECENTLY IN WINDOM. THE DRIVE RESULTED IN 71 UNITS OF BLOOD BEING COLLECTED. 69 DONORS WERE SCREENED. THERE WERE 8 DEFERRALS AND ONE INCOMPLETE DONATION. 11 PEOPLE GAVE A DOUBLE DONATION OF RED BLOOD CELLS. A DRAWING WAS HELD, WITH DOOR PRIZES AWARDED TO TAMI VESEY AND ESTHER KALASH. DONORS REACHING MILESTONES FOR LIFETIME BLOOD DONATIONS INCLUDES ESTHER KALASH AT 18 GALLONS; GENE OLSEM AND SHARON JENNIGES AT 14 GALLONS; AND JUDY MARKL REACHING 9 GALLONS FOR LIFETIME BLOOD DONATIONS. THE NEXT AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE IN WINDOM WILL BE HELD ON JANUARY 5TH, 2022.
