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The Waseca County Board of Commissioners took action on Tuesday, April 21, to provide guidance to residents and businesses that have been directly or indirectly impacted by the economic pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a unanimous 5-0 vote, the County Board acted to delegate authority to the Auditor-Treasurer pursuant to Minnesota Statute § 279.01 to be able to work with property owners who have experienced economic hardship as a result of COVID-19 in payable year 2020.
In taking this action, the County Board recognized that, as a result of unemployment, lost or reduced wages and the loss of business income, payment of property taxes may be a major economic pressure for many County residents and businesses this year. The road to full economic recovery is long, and the County Board and all Waseca County staff take very seriously the pressures that are placed upon our community and its collective members.
It is important to clarify that May 15 is the statutory due date for 1st half property taxes and the County Board has no legal authority to amend or extend that date. Owners that are able to make their first half property tax payments on time should do so. Property owners that are experiencing economic hardship and are concerned with being able to meet that deadline should contact the Auditor-Treasurer’s office for guidance. Staff will do everything they can within the full confines of the law to work towards a solution with property owners.
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MANKATO, Minn. – Highway 30 motorists from Highway 22 to New Richland will encounter a detour beginning May 4 as resurfacing and bridge construction begins. The detour will remain in place until the completion of the project in October.
Traffic will be detoured to Highway 22, Faribault County Road 20, Waseca County Road 3, Highway 83, Freedom Township 270th Avenue, Waseca County Roads 4, 12 and 8 and Highway 13. Freight traffic will be detoured to Highway 22, Highway 109, Interstate 90 and Highway 13 as the local county roads cannot safely accommodate the larger truck traffic.
The project includes resurfacing 21 miles of Highway 30 from the intersection of Highway 22 to the west limits of New Richland, replacing two bridges (box culverts) over Boot Creek near New Richland, lining several culverts, adding lighting at county road intersections, upgrading guardrail as necessary and adding aggregate to shoulders.
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In an effort to help support our community food shelf during this greater time of need, the State Bank of New Richland will match all cash donations to the Area Food Shelf of New Richland during the month of April up to a total of $5,000.
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By REED WALLER
Staff Writer
After some audio problems were worked out, the April meeting of the NRHEG Board of Education went live online Monday evening via YouTube Studio, under the management of Technology Coordinator Angie Aaseth and Dan Petsinger of Radio Link Internet.
The tables in the Secondary School Media Center were spread out for social distancing.
Physically present at the site were board chairman Rick Schultz and member Neil Schlaak, with Supt. Dale Carlson, Deb Bently, Administrative Assistant Sue Kulseth, and Business Manager Karla Christopherson.
Telepresent were members Dan Schmidt, Karen Flatness, Travis Routh, JoAnn Maloney, and Rich Mueller, as well as Elementary Principal Doug Anderson and Secondary Principal David Bunn. All votes were conducted by roll call.
Impact of the Lockdown
Before tackling the month’s agenda, Supt. Carlson took the time to thank all the district workers who do not have the option of telepresence: the construction people, the paraprofessionals and in-service employees who are on-site every day such as food service, maintenance, nurses, support, office staff and administration.
“We are going to be a lot better for this,” Bunn commented. “We are doing things we never tried before.”
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AT-HOME PROJECT — Marilyn Robran exhibits one of the hand-sewn quilts, for which she is well known. (Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud)
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Staff Writer
Marilyn Robran of rural Hartland hasn't had any trouble keeping busy during Minnesota's 'stay-at-home' order. Robran is a well-known seamstress, whose talents already landed her picture in these pages a couple of years ago when she donated a quilt to a church bazaar in honor of her late son. So when the Alden Fire Dept. needed face masks for their crew during the COVID-19 pandemic, they knew just who to contact.
Using a pattern she found on Facebook, Robran uses cotton or cotton blend materials to cut out the masks, and then irons on interfacing to add a modest amount of stiffness. Then, she sells them for $3 each.
Sewing the masks is a breeze, but Robran had to think outside the box store to find material. She had cotton fabric already on hand, but Robran couldn't get to Jo-Ann's to look for extra thin interfacing, so she went to A-Best Sew & Vac in Albert Lea, which keeps interfacing in its inventory for projects like machine embroidery. “He got me a roll of the thinnest they had,” said Robran.
So far, Robran has sewn nearly 60 face masks, including:
• 12 for the Alden Fire Dept.
• 12 for the Manchester Fire Dept.
• 12 for her cousin in the Twin Cities
• 10 for her sister
• 5 for her husband's sister
• 1 for their local postal carrier
• 1 for the office postal worker in Hartland