Local News

National Night Out will be celebrated on Tuesday evening, August 6th. A community event is planned in Litchfield’s Central Park that evening from 5-to-7:30 p.m.

Robbie Brown says the Palomino Brothers will be performing, there will be hot dogs, chips, water, and root beer floats, along with games and other activities for all ages, and it’s all free. She says one of the main purposes of National Night Out is to get to know your neighbors as well as law enforcement officers and fire and rescue personnel.

Brown says there were smaller block parties years ago in Litchfield, but some of the organizations that were organizing them decided to join forces and have one big event in Central Park. She says other communities in Meeker County will also have block parties next Tuesday evening including Watkins in McCarthy Park, Grove City in Windmill Park, Cosmos in the city park and Dassel at Spring Lake Park. For more details, go to workingasonelitchmn.com or do a search on Facebook for National Night Out in each community.

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The League of Minnesota Cities has recognized 25 state lawmakers, including State Representative Dean Urdahl, as 2024 Legislators of Distinction. Chosen legislators are honored for specific actions that aided efforts of Minnesota cities during the past year’s legislative session.
 
Legislators of Distinction are approved annually by the League’s Board of Directors in recognition of the collaboration of state and city officials needed to successfully serve shared communities and meet the unique needs of rural, urban, and suburban residents across Minnesota. Award winners received a letter of appreciation and a certificate. A copy of the acknowledgement letter was also sent to the mayor of each city in the legislator’s district.
 
To be eligible for the award, legislators must achieve one or more of the following criteria:
Be generally and reasonably accessible to League representatives,
Seek input on issues of importance to cities,
Listen to League concerns and be receptive to League-provided information on issues,
Sponsor and/or support League initiatives,
Speak out on behalf of the interest of cities, and
Demonstrate the importance of partnership between the state and cities.
 
Rep. Urdahl is retiring after a distinguished legislative career during which one of his priorities was making sure the state prioritized water, sewer, and transportation funding through the passage of strong capital investment bills. During his final session, Rep. Urdahl continued to push for a strong bonding bill and supported city efforts to find workable alternatives to legislative proposals to require replacement funds for any city infrastructure project receiving state funds.

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The primary election is coming up on August 13th and early voting is available at the Meeker County Courthouse. All election business will be handled at the Meeker County Courthouse this summer and fall – through the November election – despite the construction that is underway at the Court House building and the eventual move of the Property Records and Election office to the Meeker County Family Services Center.

Property Records and Elections Director Barb Loch says the Sibley Avenue entrance is the only one open right now at the Meeker County Courthouse and there will be extended hours at her office on August 10th from 10-to-3 and August 12th until 5 p.m. for people who wish to vote early in the primary election. She says there are 4 precincts in Meeker County with mail-only voting so those voters need to make sure their ballots are mailed in time to arrive at her office.

Loch says there are a small number of items on the primary ballot and the primary is held to narrow down candidates for offices to two finalists for the November election. She says there are special interest groups who mail registration and ballot information to voters which creates confusion for some voters.

Loch says if you have any questions about getting registered to vote or about other election information, you can go to mnvotes.gov or call her office at 693-5212. She says there is not a drop box at the Meeker County Court House, so if you have a ballot that you want to drop off, you need to bring it in to the Court House.

Loch says the filing period for city, school district and certain township offices begins today and continues through August 13 and candidates need to file with the appropriate clerk in each of those jurisdictions. She says most of the Townships in Meeker County still hold their elections in March, and the filing period for county offices ended earlier this summer.

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The Litchfield School board approved of the sale of the construction trades house which was sold during an online auction for $142,000. Proceeds from the house sale go back into the industrial technology program at Litchfield High School.

Business Manager Jesse Johnson told the School Board last night that this year’s house sale resulted in a profit of $26,222. He says this was the last house for instructor John Spanos who deserves a big thanks for his dedication to the program for so many years, as does Gary Hein who was passionate about it in its earlier years prior to his passing away.

The Litchfield School Board approved of a change of meeting dates in November due to Veterans Day. The Board will meet on November 12th instead of November 11th. The Board approved of a resolution calling for an election on November 5th when three School Board members will be elected to 4-year terms.

The Litchfield School Board approved of a resolution accepting donations including $7,000 from the VFW for Litchfield High School for new baseball uniforms; $500 from the MN Darkhouse & Angling – West Central Chapter – for Litchfield High School for the Trap Team; and $200 from Matt & Darci Johnson for Litchfield High School for the Vocal Club.

Also last night, Supt. Susan Burris gave the Litchfield School Board a report on the staff workshop schedule for August 26th through the 29th. Business Manager Jesse Johnson updated the Board on the summer projects – including the south parking lot and new tennis courts at Litchfield High School – with work expected to be finished by August 16th.

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