News

The Litchfield School Board has approved of a special education position at Litchfield Middle School for the 2025-26 school year. Supt. Susan Burris says there are two grade levels in which more than 25% of the class is in need of special education.

Burris says 80% of the position would be reimbursed, and the remaining 20% could be funded with savings from other areas. The motion passed on a 5-to-1 vote with Greg Mathews opposed as he wanted to know what specific cuts would be made to fund this position before voting in favor of it.

The Litchfield School Board has accepted a bid of $211,800 for the Sun Room renovation project at Lake Ripley Elementary School from KNB Contracting. Business Manager Jesse Johnson says this is a special education-type of room for students with unique needs and there are funds in the construction budget to cover the costs. He says there were 7 bids and they came in well below the estimate. The Board approved of a low quote of $114,880.48 from Culinex for the Middle School freezer and dry storage unit on a 5-to-1 vote with Mathews opposed.

The Board approved of a revision to Bill King’s leave-of-absence request to allow him to have a 2-year leave, but to be able to return to teaching after one year, if he chooses.

The Litchfield School Board approved of a resolution accepting donations including approximately $2,000 from Resoneticse for two vices for the Litchfield High School metal shop; $500 from the VFW for the Litchfield High School Robotics program; and $50 from the Bob Groskreutz memorial fund for Litchfield High School athletics.

The Songs of Summer Festival will be held on August 15th at Memorial Park in Litchfield. Three musical acts will be performing this year – South 40, Michael Shynes and the Fabulous Armadillos.

Songs of Summer Festival board member Cammy Moses says it’s a free event, but they take freewill offerings and they have lots of great local sponsors who help with the expenses involved in putting on this event. She says they have also started selling $20 raffle tickets as an additional fundraiser and they’re available at MidCountry Bank in Litchfield.

Moses says they sold 500 raffle tickets last year, but this year, they are selling 400 tickets so you have better chances of winning. She says the event each year makes it possible for them to award grants to local youth-related organizations, and last year, they gave $2,000 each to three groups.

Moses says applications are already coming in from groups who would like to benefit from this year’s Songs of Summer Festival. She says they will also have several food trucks at the event with gates opening at 4 p.m. on August 15th at Memorial Park, and hopefully the weather will be nice for the fun event.

A project to replace the surface of the roadway at the railroad crossing on County-State-Aid-Highway 1 – just west of Litchfield – is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 29th. The work is expected to be finished by May 2nd.

There will be no official detour so motorists will have to find alternate routes. The project is being coordinated by Meeker County and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.