Issue Highlights

EDA Riverbluff Estates Subdivision . . . 2

 

ELECTRIC DEPT. A public power community . . . 2

 

POLICE DEPT. 
Bicycle Safety . . . 2

 

PLANNING & ZONING DEPT. Building permits & inspections...3

 

Park & recreation...3

 

Spring Cleanup . . . 3

 

Windom Senior Dining...4

Cable TV Rates . . . 4

River Bend Liquor 
Store . . . 4


PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Nuisance Ordinance

The Planning Commission has reviewed a proposed public nuisance chapter to be added to the City Code. The matter has now been presented to the City Council for review. The first reading of the proposed ordinance has been set for the City Council Meeting scheduled for March 5, 2002, at approximately 4:30 p.m. The second reading will be held at the City Council Meeting scheduled for March 19, 2002, at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The Planning Commission had requested that the Zoning Administrator review the current public nuisance provisions of the City Code and suggest changes to update the ordinance. The prior provisions of the City Code only partially addressed the issue, and the Commission felt that a review and update at this time were appropriate. The Building and Zoning Department is hoping to have the public nuisance ordinance in place in early spring.

 

 

 

 

Within Windom

Cities survive Phase I
Coralee Krueger, Mayor

Virgil Meier, Kirby Kruse, Connie Knorr and I from the Council along with Dennis Nelson, City Administrator, attended the League of Minnesota Cities Legislative Conference in St. Paul on Feb. 28. The event included an all-morning meeting and an afternoon with legislators at the Capitol.

The timing was perfect. Facing a $2-billion deficit, Gov. Jesse Ventura proposed nearly $90 million in cuts to Local Government Aid and market value homestead credits. Meanwhile, House and Senate leaders agreed to an alternative budget-balancing plan that made no cuts in general city aid. Ventura vetoed the plan. Two days before the conference, the House fell three votes short of overriding the veto, but gained the necessary votes by Wednesday. In the middle of Thursday’s LMC meeting, city officials were told the Senate, in a 60 to 7 vote, passed the override of the veto. It was good news for cities like Windom. In restructuring our aid package, we already lost about $55,000 for 2002. Ventura’s plan would have taken away another $50,000.

The legislature’s budget compromise (Phase I) minimizes program cuts by drawing down state reserves and does not cover the additional $439 million deficit identified in the Feb. 25 forecast. The deficit (Phase II) must be addressed before the session adjourns.

Two of Windom’s goals for the legislature are to refrain from city aid reductions in this fiscal year and hold tight on planning for 2004-05 biennium cuts before new forecasts are in. Finance Commissioner Pam Wheelock noted that with depletion of reserves, a July financial forecast is in order. She also pointed out that K through 12 is a "sacred cow in the budget to all entities." It’s a wait-and-see game.

Sincerely yours,

Coralee Krueger, Mayor

 

Honoring the early pioneers

Should the log cabin in Island Park be restored or sold so that it can be moved to another location? That question was posed last March when the Windom Park Board received an estimate from Mark Johnson of Terrasol Restoration & Renovation Co. out of St. Peter. One of the specialties of the company is to resurrect deteriorating log cabins. It would cost about
$8,500, including donated labor, to restore the 1869 building.

The board put the matter before citizens and received several letters supporting the restoration and volunteering hands-on work. But only $1,062 was pledged to the project. With so little money, it was temporarily put on hold. In the recent February meeting, the board expressed concerns that if financial contributions don’t significantly increase this spring, it may be
a true reflection of the public’s interest.

The log cabin was built by Mons Monson and Thomas Chester on a section line in Christiania Township, Jackson County. In the 1940s, it was given to the City of Windom by Leslie Gould as a tribute to early pioneers. It was moved to Island Park a few years later. In 1970, it was dressed up for the Cottonwood County Centennial by two individuals born in the cabin, Morris Severson and Ella Harper. Monson was their uncle. Historical grants are not available because the log cabin was moved from one county to another.

Repairs are extensive. The chimney is separating from the cabin. The chinking (material between the logs made of clay mixed with grass or leaves) should be replaced. The building leans, and the northwest corner is rotting. The last work done on the cabin was about 10 years ago.

At a February meeting, the council received a check for an insurance claim from last April’s windstorm, which did considerable damage to Mayflower Park, the pool and Arena. Since most of the clean-up was done by city staff and already paid for out of last year’s budget, the council voted to retain enough of the $4,439 payment to remove tree stumps and to dedicate the remainder to restoration of the cabin. That amount, along with the pledges, should put the city at the halfway mark.

If you or your organization is interested in donating money to the project, please send a check to City of Windom, Box 38, Windom, MN. Mark it: ATTN: Log Cabin. Your contribution is tax deductible. If the city falls extremely short of the goal and work cannot begin, your check will be returned.