News

The Litchfield City Council had a work session on Monday regarding the future operations at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center.  Consultant Holly Johnson and the new LARC Director, Owen Boerma, met with the city officials.

Mayor Ron Dingmann says some of the items of discussion included staffing, membership fees, hours of operation and policies.  He says the Council was also going to talk about community reinvestment priorities during Monday’s work session, but time ran out, so they will discuss that during a work session at 4 p.m. on June 16^th.

Mayor Dingmann says the Council members will also attend a work session on July 15^th with the Meeker County Commissioners to discuss possible future improvements to the intersection of Highway 12 and County-State-Aid-Highway 34.  He says the Council approved of the awarding of a bid to Northern Lines Construction for $2,206,447.48 for the project to extend Johnson Drive to 260^th Street and the widening of 260^th Street from Johnson Drive to Highway 34.

Mayor Dingmann says the engineer’s estimate on this project was $2.9-million so they were happy with the bid and construction should begin this summer.  He says part of the cost will be covered with a $1.5-million Local Road Improvement Program grant from the State of Minnesota.

Mayor Dingmann says the Council approved of certificates of appropriateness for a painting project at 217 North Sibley Avenue and for a window replacement project at 225 North Sibley Avenue.  He says the Council also approved of a striping and color design for the gymnasium floors at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center.

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The Meeker County Board of Commissioners has approved of an increase in the Mixed Solid Waste tip fees to $89.50 per ton.  The Board also moved to increase the Demolition tip fees to $49.00 per ton for in-county and to $80.00 per ton for out-of-county.

The Board approved of appointing Mark Smith to the EDA Board to represent the Darwin area for a 6-year term; and designated Auditor Holly Nelson as Meeker County’s Education Identity and Access Management Official with Authority as requested by the Minnesota Department of Education.

The Commissioners also approved of fuel quotes, and accepted a donation of two Taser 7 conducted energy weapons and 6 cartridges from Dr. Jeffrey Ho, and accepted a donation of a LUCAS 3 chest compression system from the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota AED project grant program.

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The Minnesota B-C-A is investigating a deadly police shooting Monday night in Paynesville.  Authorities were called to a domestic dispute involving a woman and man armed with a gun.  Officers were able to get the woman out safely.  Investigators say the man was locked in the basement and shots were fired as officers tried to take him into custody.  Paramedics treated the suspect, but he died at the scene.  The police report says a gun was recovered and the officers were using body-worn cameras.  The female victim had minor head and neck injuries.

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The Litchfield City Council approved of a couple of resolutions last night related to the project on Johnson Drive and 260^th Street – west of Walmart.  One-point-5 million dollars in a local road improvement program grant has been secured to help fund the project.  The Council awarded a bid for the project to Northern Lines Construction for $2,206,447.48.

The Council also approved of continuing to pursue improvements to the intersection of Highways 12 and 34.  Council members will attend a work session with the Meeker County Board of Commissioners on July 15^th regarding the intersection.

The Litchfield City Council approved of recommendations regarding the striping and mapping of court lines at the new Litchfield Area Recreation Center; approved of certificates of appropriateness for projects at 217 North Sibley Avenue and at 225 North Sibley Avenue within the Historic Downtown District; and approved of having a work session at 4 p.m. on June 16^th regarding the community reinvestment project.

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