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Data error could cost Nicollet Public School $325,000

NICOLLET - The Nicollet Public School Board learned about a potential $325,000 shortfall in special education funding Wednesday The board received a financial update from District Business Manager Jim Freihammer at their meeting on Wednesday. Freihammer presented the 2024-2025 preliminary budget, a year-to-date report, and a 2024-2025 end of the year projected budget. The preliminary budget listed a $178,432 surplus with an enrollment of 337 students, the year-to-date shows a $921,971 deficit with an enrollment of 306 students, and the end of the year predicts a $605,427 deficit. ...

Sleepy Eye City Council OKs firefighter pension hike

SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye City Council unanimously approved a $300 firefighter pension hike Tuesday. The increase from $2,500 to $2,800 per year of service does not require any additional financial contribution from the City of Sleepy Eye, according to the Sleepy Eye Fire Department Relief Association. The pension is funded by investment earnings, state-allocated 2% funds (based on insurance premiums in the Sleepy Eye Fire District) and city contributions. The retirement pension is a crucial recruitment and retention tool. First-year firefighters dedicate about 250 hours to ...

Repairs ordered for former restaurant building

SLEEPY EYE — After discussion Tuesday, the Sleepy Eye City Council unanimously approved a resolution for the owner of a former downtown restaurant to make repairs within 90 days or face legal consequences. The resolution orders the razing, removing, or corrections of hazardous building ...

Solving the rural meat processing bottleneck

Rural Wabasso farmer Paul Sobocinski is one of three individuals who will share an endowed chair position at the University of Minnesota to help solve the rural meat processing bottleneck. Sobocinski, Tom Nuessmeier and Julie Cesar Tena Soria serve as the Minnesota Farmers Union “Solving ...

Nicollet City Council OKs closing part of 9th Street

NICOLLET - At Monday’s Nicollet City Council meeting it has decided to move forward with the closure of a portion of 9th Street next to the Hewitt Manufacturing property. A public hearing to hear people’s concerns and questions is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. After Bolton and Menk’s Joe Duncan and Council Members Kevin Ostermann and Mary Wels met with Troy Hewitt, they recommend a portion of 9th Street be closed, next to the Hewitt property, because of safety concerns. “People speed through the street with their vehicles and people also walk on the street ...

SE firefighters respond to grass fire

SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye firefighters responded to a grass fire in Stark Township, about four miles southeast of Sleepy Eye Friday. Fire chief Aaron Schauman said pumper, tanker and grass rig fire trucks were used to battle a fire called in at about 10:45 a.m. The fire burned grass and brush ...