A MEETING OF THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WAS HELD LAST WEEK. THE BOARD APPROVED A LOAN OF $75-THOUSAND FROM THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO THE ROUND LAKE VINEYARDS AND WINERY TO ASSIST WITH A REMODELING AND EXPANSION PROJECT. THE BOARD VOTED TO ACCEPT AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANT FOR JUST OVER $17-THOUSAND. A LEASE AGREEMENT WSA APPROVED WITH ‘MIDCO’ COMMUNICATIONS TO LEASE SPACE FOR AN ANTENNA ON THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER AT THE COUNTY SHOP. DURING THE CONSENT AGENCY, THE BOARD APPROVED A STATE GRANT AGREEMENT TO FUND A NEW TRAIL AT BELMONT COUNTY PARK.
THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL BOARD MET THIS WEEK. A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WAS HELD. THE RESULTS OF THE RECENT BUILDING REFERENDUM WERE CANVASSED. THE REFERENDUM WAS APPROVED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW K-12 SCHOOL BUILDING. A DISCUSSION WAS HELD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM AND ARCHITECTS FOR THE BUILDING PROJECT. DESIGN WORK WILL BEGIN WITH FEEDBACK FROM DIFFERENT USER GROUPS. A TENTATIVE TIMELINE CALLS FOR THE DISTRICT TO GO OUT FOR BIDS NEXT YEAR WITH A GROUND-BREAKING IN THE FALL OF 2022. CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING WILL TAKE ROUGHLY ONE YEAR.
A MEETING OF THE WINDOM E-D-A WAS HELD THIS WEEK. FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE CEMSTONE PROPERTY. SIX BIDS WERE RECEIVED FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE CONCRETE PLANT. IT APPEARS THE LOW BID IS WITHIN BUDGET. ACTION MAY BE TAKEN AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ACCEPT THE DEMOLITION BID. THE CITY HAD ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY. THOSE R-F-P’s ARE DUE BY NOVEMBER 17TH. THE E-D-A INDICATED THAT INTEREST IS BEING SHOWN IN THE PROJECT. THE BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THE USE OF PROCEEDS FROM EXISTING “TIF” DISTRICTS AND MONEY FROM A STATE REDEVELOPMENT GRANT.
THE WINDOM SCHOOL BOARD MET EARLIER THIS WEEK. THE SUPERINTENDENT HAD AN UPDATE ON COVID-19 CASES. AS OF MONDAY, THERE HAVE BEEN 31 CASES AMONG STUDENTS, WITH 4 CURRENTLY ACTIVE, AND 6 CASES AMONG STAFF MEMBERS WITH 2 CURRENTLY ACTIVE. THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT IS WORKING WITH DES MOINES VALLEY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO HOLD A VACCINE CLINIC FOR CHILDREN FROM 5 TO 11-YEARS-OLD IN COTTONWOOD AND JACKSON COUNTY. THE DISTRICT IS ALSO WORKING WITH THE SANFORD CLINIC TO HOLD A FLU SHOT CLINIC FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS DURING PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES ON NOVEMBER 23RD AND 24TH. DONATIONS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE ACCEPTED.
THE WINDOM CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MET THIS WEEK. THE COMMISSION HEARD A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE ON-GOING REVIEW OF THE CITY’S LAND-USE CODES. QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS, HIGHWAY BUSINESS DISTRICTS AND THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. THE COMMISSION REVIEWED PROGRESS ON MEETING THE 2021 ‘SMART’ GOALS. THEY APPROVED FOUR GENERAL GOALS FOR 2022, INCLUDING COMPLETING THE LAND-USE REVIEW; INCORPORATING G-I-S SOFTWARE FOR ZONING RECORDS; EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT; AND CONTINUING THE CITY’S ‘BLIGHTED HOMES’ PROGRAM.
