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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
Week of the Young Child
Cute Pets Section
Monday, April 8, 2019
Chatfield board continues budget cuts
INSIDE TODAY’S JOURNAL PAGES
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Volume 34 Issue 27
Rushford Village hears from residents on water issues PAGE
Fountain irons out right of way issues
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Canton • Chatfield • Fountain • Harmony • Houston • Lanesboro • Mabel • Ostrander • Peterson • Preston • Rushford • Rushford Village • Spring Valley • Whalan • Wykoff
Local economy impacted by outdoor recreation
Mystery Cave continues to be a favorite place to explore. BY K AREN R EISNER karen@fillmorecountyjournal.com
BY K AREN R EISNER karen@fillmorecountyjournal.com
At the March 28 Planning Commission, a public hearing was held regarding the proposed replacement language of Section 709, Solar Energy Systems and the added Section 740, Solar Energy Farms. Zoning Administrator Cristal Adkins explained the commission had decided to retain the existing Wind Energy Conversion Systems language and to address solar systems separately. The commission previously was looking at a more complicated ordinance that would cover essentially all renewal energy systems, which was abandoned because it was too cumbersome. County Attorney Brett Corson has reviewed the new pro-
Photo courtesy of Explore Minnesota has been with Fillmore County A new comprehensive recfor about 18 months. He was reation map was launched this happy to see that attendees rep- day. Peter McColl, GIS analyst resented every township in the and master’s student at Saint county, plus a variety of indus- Mary’s University of Minnesota, tries and interest groups. Out- demonstrated how to use the door recreation drives tourism map he designed to plan an and enhances the quality of life. outdoor trip/day. There are 16 “Families value outdoor recre- layers a user can use to highlight ation,” he shared. the kind of outdoor recreation The median age of Fillmore one is interested in. For examCounty residents in 2017 was ple, a layer designating hiking 42.5, which is nearly 10 years trails can be overlayed with a older than it was in 1980. Many layer of roads to help locate people work in education, health, access points. One can click on or social services, but there also is the trail and learn more detail manufacturing, agriculture, con- about the trail. There is a search struction, retail, and the arts, tool, so one can search with a including entertainment and key word. Click on a state park, recreation. According to a Head- for example, and get the name, waters Economics study, rural acreage, and hunting/yes or no. counties with more recreational There is also a measuring tool. opportunities drew more new The main goal is to easily find residents with higher incomes a specific recreational option. and faster earning growth than places without recreation. See OUTDOORS Page 2 ➤
posed Solar Energy language. Justin Kennedy, Beaver Township chairman, asked how a Solar Farm is defined. Answer; Solar Farms are large scale and 40 kW or larger. Kennedy was concerned about the effect of a potential 500 acre solar farm on land values and housing values. Adkins said she has learned from her discussions with other counties that a solar farm seems to have no effect on dwelling and land values. Scott Rindels, Beaver Township, said his property surrounds property where there has been an effort to acquire land for a solar farm. He asked about weed control. Adkins explained an application for a solar farm will require a public hearing before a conditional See COUNTY BOARD Page 6 ➤
Lanesboro receives recognition from National Governors Association BY H ANNAH WINGERT hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
At the April 1 Lanesboro City Council meeting, council member Autumn Johnson brought a report released by the National Governors Association to the attention of the rest of the council. The report, titled “Rural Prosperity Through the Arts and Creative Sector,” mentioned Lanesboro several times as a model of how to successfully promote the arts as a community. One of the examples cited was the 2014 resolution that the city council
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passed which recognized the whole town of Lanesboro as an arts campus. The report has received national attention. It was noted that former President of the Lanesboro Arts Council, John Davis, was invited to speak at an event in Kansas because of the recognition. Johnson encouraged the council to continue to promote the arts within Lanesboro. Mayor Jason Resseman read a proclamation declaring April 7-13 to be National Volunteer Week in Lanesboro. That week, appreciation will be expressed See LANESBORO Page 6 ➤
Since 1856
Since 1901
Seventy-five people from all over Fillmore County attended the 2019 Economic Summit on Outdoor Recreation coordinated by the EDA. MiEnergy Cooperative sponsored the event held March 29 at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center. John Torgrimson, interim director for Eagle Bluff, gave a brief overview of Eagle Bluff which had 16,000 visitors in 2018. It partners with 140 schools to enhance classroom learning experiences. Eagle Bluff has a staff of 30 people, of which 14 are naturalists. Education programs and outdoor adventures serve children and adults throughout the year. EDA director Marty Walsh
County Board to consider solar energy ordinance