Local News

The Litchfield City Council had a lengthy discussion Tuesday evening regarding the preliminary levy. Council members were considering three different proposals for increases.

Mayor Ron Dingmann says they were looking at either a 15%, 12% or 9.8% increase and they ended up going with the 12% increase which set the preliminary levy at $3,902,008. He says the preliminary general budget was set at $7.2-million and the debt service budget at about $905,000. The levy hearing will be on December 2nd and the amount can be lowered at that time, but not raised.

Mayor Dingmann says the Council approved of bid package #2 on Tuesday evening for the Litchfield Area Recreation Center for about $3.7-million. He says bid package #2 includes several general construction items. .

Mayor Dingmann says construction on the LARC could begin later this month. He says the Council decided to conduct a performance evaluation for the City Administrator in August each year, but will do it this year on September 16th, and the City is accepting applications for Liquor Store manager as the current manager will retire by year’s end.

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A pedestrian was killed in Howard Lake on Wednesday afternoon. The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the scene at 2:51 yesterday afternoon.

A 2013 Nissan van, driven by 46-year-old Jonathan William Edwards of Howard Lake, was eastbound on Highway 12 and struck 85-year-old Barbara Jean Hoppe of Howard Lake as she was crossing Highway 12 from north to south. She was transported to HCMC, but died from her injuries. Also responding were Howard Lake Police and Fire Depts., Howard Lake Ambulance and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds firearm and muzzleloader hunters, who want to harvest antlerless deer in a deer permit area designated as antlerless permit lottery this hunting season, to purchase their license by today (Thursday, Sept. 5th). Hunters who purchase their license on or before this date are automatically entered into the lottery for the deer permit area or special hunt area they declare.

Successful applicants will receive a postcard in the mail authorizing them to take an antlerless deer using their regular license in that antlerless permit lottery area. No application is needed to take antlerless deer in permit areas with either sex, two-deer limit, three-deer limit or five-deer limit designations. Hunters are reminded that DPAs 235 and 251 went from either-sex to lottery this year.

Hunters who want to participate in special firearm or muzzleloader deer hunts also need to apply for permits that are issued through a lottery. That application deadline is also September 5th. More information about how to apply for special hunts are available on the Minnesota DNR website. More information about designations and regulations for deer permit areas, as well as details about special hunt opportunities, are also available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov) and in the 2024 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook, available online and in print wherever Minnesota DNR licenses are sold.

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The Litchfield City Council has approved of bid package #2 for the Litchfield Area Recreation Center for $3,741,598.95. Collin Rehbein from ICS says the bid includes everything except for mechanical, electrical and geothermal items.

The Litchfield City Council approved of a certificate of appropriateness application for exterior work to be done at the Independent Review building at 217 North Sibley Avenue. The Council approved of sending Darlene Kotelnicki and Connie Lies to the Minnesota Historical Society conference September 17th, 18th and 19th.

The Council agreed to have the City Administrator performance evaluation in August each year, but to do it in September this year. City Administrator David Czoik told the Council last night that the liquor store manager’s retirement is pending by year’s end so applications are being accepted, with interviews to be held the week of October 7th and a recommendation for the Council to consider on October 21st.

Also last night, the Litchfield City Council decided to set a preliminary levy at $3,902,008 – a 12% increase, and preliminary budgets of $7,276,287 (general) and debt service of $905,149. The levy hearing is set for December 2nd and it can be lowered at that time, but not increased.

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