Local News Headlines – Tuesday, November 2nd

THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY BOARD MEETS AT 9:00 THIS MORNING AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN WINDOM.   A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON AN APPLICATION FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING TAX ABATEMENT FOR A NEW TWIN HOUSE IN MT LAKE.  THE SOIL-AND-WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT OFFICE WILL REVIEW THE NEW TWO-YEAR NATURAL RESOURCES BLOCK GRANT.  THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WILL REQUEST APPROVAL TO ADVERTISE FOR BIDS ON A BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.  A DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD ON 2022 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.  THE BOARD MAY VOTE TO HIRE A NEW HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR. 
 
THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD MEETS AT 9:00 THIS MORNING AT THE JACKSON COUNTY RESOURCE CENTER.  THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER APPROVING AN APPLICATION FOR A BUSINESS LOAN FROM THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND.  THE COUNTY SHERIFF WILL REVIEW AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT AND A LEASE FOR A COMMUNICATIONS TOWER.  THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER APPROVING SOME POLICY REVISIONS.  THE BOARD WILL APPROVE A GRANT AGREEMENT FOR A PROJECT AT BELMONT PARK.  THE BOARD WILL APPROVE A TRANSFER OF PROPERTY TO MINN-DOT AND APPROVE A TEMPORARY EASEMENT FOR A PROJECT ON HIGHWAY 86 IN LAKEFIELD. 
 
A MEETING OF THE MURRAY COUNTY BOARD WILL BE HELD AT 8:30 THIS MORNING AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN SLAYTON.  THE BOARD WILL HEAR AN UPDATE FROM THE MURRAY COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER.  THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR WILL PRESENT TWO APPLICATIONS FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS AND A PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.  A DISCUSSION WILL BE HELD ON POSSIBLY RE-LOCATING TWO BUILDINGS AT THE END-O-LINE PARK IN CURRIE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING.  BIDS MAY BE APPROVED FOR HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.  THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE A NEW SERGEANT’S POSITION IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. 
 
TODAY IS ELECTION DAY.   VOTING WILL BE HELD IN THREE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS.  THE WINDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL VOTE ON TWO MEASURES.  ONE BALLOT QUESTION CALLS FOR THE DISTRICT TO RENEW ITS OPERATING LEVY.  THE SECOND QUESTION CALLS FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW CAPITAL TECHNOLOGY LEVY.  THE RED ROCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL VOTE ON A BUILDING REFERENDUM.  THE MEASURE CALLS FOR THE DISTRICT TO ISSUE UP TO $41-MILLION IN BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW K-12 SCHOOL BUILDING IN LAMBERTON.  AND THE MT LAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HOLDING A SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.  THERE ARE THREE SEATS UP FOR ELECTION.   
 
THE WINDOM CITY COUNCIL MEETS AT 8:05 THIS EVENING AT THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.  THE LATER START TIME IS DUE TO TODAY’S SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTIONS.  A LONG-TIME CITY EMPLOYEE WILL BE RECOGNIZED ON THEIR RETIREMENT.  A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON 2022 LIQUOR LICENSE FEES.  THE FIRST READING WILL BE HELD OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO AMEND CITY REGULATIONS FOR SIDE-YARD SET-BACKS IN A SHORELAND DISTRICT.  THE COUNCIL WILL APPROVE A GRANT AGREEMENT FOR AIRPORT MAINTENANCE.  IN PERSONNEL BUSINESS, THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER HIRING AN ELECTRIC INVENTORY CLERK AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.   
 
THE DES MOINES VALLEY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY WILL HOLD A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING AT 8:00 WEDNESDAY MORNING.     THE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CAFETERIA AT THE JACKSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER EAST BUILDING.  THE BOARD WILL BE MEETING IN CLOSED SESSION TO EVALUATE THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CRAIG MYERS.   
 
THE WINDOM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HELD THE ANNUAL CHAMBER GALA LAST WEEK.  AWARDS WERE PRESENTED IN FOUR CATEGORIES.  THE COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD WENT TO THE WINDOM LION’S CLUB.  THE EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WENT TO HY LIFE FOODS.  THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD WENT TO ‘WELLNESS & VITALITY CHIROPRACTIC.’  THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WENT TO MARY KLOSTERBUER.  THE GUEST SPEAKER FOR THE CHAMBER GALA WAS JOHN KRIESEL.  KRIESEL IS A MILITARY VETERAN WHO WAS INJURED WHILE SERVING IN IRAQ.  HIS BOOK “STILL STANDING” HAS RECEIVED MULTIPLE AWARDS.  HE IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE.