| Ten years later;
lead still a concern |
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Chisago County actively promoting the message to not use lead tackle. The county has been behind those collection tubes at boat landings and supports an exchange program to trade-in leaded fishing tackle, for equipment that does not contain lead. The county Household Hazardous Waste Facility in North Branch makes sure the lead items are disposed of properly.
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 12:31
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| Water and Light Commission back up to five members;
update given on projects |
North Branch utility commissioners continue to meet as the Water and Light commission even though the electric side of the equation has been sold off to East Central Energy.
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 12:21
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| Wyoming Council briefs....... |
The sitework at the Dairy Queen in the city of Wyoming is progressing slower than expected due to notice from the state of an underground petroleum leak that needs to be remediated in and around the gas station area of the site.
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 12:20
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| How Swede it was for the Lions Waffle Feed |
The Chisago Lakes Lions Club held its very first Swedish Waffle Breakfast at the Chisago Lake Township Hall Saturday. People were treated to yummy waffles with all the fixings. The meal was very well attended. Look for the waffle feed again next year.
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 12:18
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| New Lindstrom officeholders doing their homework |
Lindstrom city staff and consultants walked the council through a four-hour “work session” last week trying to get everybody up to speed on multiple pressing city issues. Chief among these is the ticking clock on bonded proceeds the city borrowed years ago, ostensibly to acquire the Lakeview Motel site and to cover the new fire hall budget.
Public Financing Consultant Kirstin Chatfield said rules on public money require the city to have a plan for the debt. She said, “You don’t have to spend the bond proceeds,” but you do have to have a plan for spending them under a deadline of August 2023.
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 12:07
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| We lost a couple of great ones;
time for an Easter egg hunt |
We have been scraping and saving to take a warm trip, and after this winter we all could use a break from the cold and the snow. My wife and I and our good friends took a trip to Akumal, Mexico last week. Akumal is a sleepy town about two hours south of Cancun.
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 11:48
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| Willing spring into existence |
I’m at the point where I am just going to will spring into fruition. I am becoming a bitter Minnesotan and am sick of these temps, the snow and the wind. I just want to go out golfing, get a little bit tanned, and be able to wear shorts. Is that too much to ask?
Friday, March 31, 2023
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March 30, 2023 11:42
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| New council
lukewarm to
vets' housing site |
Should a new city council feel compelled to support a project that was approved by a different set of elected officials? Lindstrom City Council found itself facing that dilemma last week on a decision that would either kill a proposed non-profit veterans’ housing project or extend its viability another year.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:20
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| County Board district, precinct change OK'd |
The annexation of Lent Township parcels into the City of North Branch has set some related actions in motion, among these is the expansion of a county commissioner district. The properties affected, shown in map, were approved by the city council last week to go into Jim Swenson’s County Commissioner District One, which is all of North Branch.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:26
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| Lent goes about business in potential final town meeting ever |
Despite a looming merger with the city of Stacy that would abolish Lent as a township, the Lent Town Board held the annual public meeting Tuesday, March 14 and it was pretty much business as usual.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:18
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| Lindstrom City Council Briefs... |
The search for a new city administrator for Lindstrom is in process. Lindstrom City Council was advised last week that advertising is being disseminated for the position and promotional materials the search firm is using were reviewed.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:10
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| Franconia levy steady for 2024 |
The Franconia Township Annual Meeting was the quietest one in recent memory. 12 township citizens attended the meeting, which lasted just 40 minutes. Sonny Sparby was re-elected as a township supervisor for another three-year term, receiving 16 of the 18 votes cast. The township residents approved a levy of $740,000 for 2023, which is the same amount as the 2022 levy. Angela Dahlstrom recently resigned as town clerk. Township treasurer Karen Anderson will add the clerk position to her township responsibilities, and Chuck Fitzer will be the deputy clerk.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:09
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| Amador Town Board gets OK
for 2024 minor budget hike |
The Amador Township annual meeting March 14 presented no surprises for the 20 or so attendees. Moderator was Sunny Peterson.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:08
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| CL Township annual meeting notes... |
Chisago Lake Township held its annual meeting March 14. The meeting followed an election which saw Sherry Stirling defeat Donna Prahl for a supervisor position by a vote of 69-39. Stirling, who was the incumbent, will retain her position for three years. The election also saw treasurer Judy Straub re-elected with 102 votes. Straub was running unopposed.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:07
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| Community guide can help your business; egg hunt, waffle meal |
I know I wrote this a week or two ago, but time is nearing where it will be too late.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:06
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| More Chisago County records going digital |
The Internet age has left everyone with the expectation that whatever they need to know, it will be available with a few keyboard strokes.
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:04
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| Sometimes forgotten sweet potatoes |
I know I have used some sweet potato recipes in this column space before, but I’m not sure if they ever got their own dedicated column, and we’re about to change that!
Friday, March 24, 2023
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March 23, 2023 12:03
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| Rotary Club donates to Harmony in the Park |
The Chisago Lakes Rotary Club is proud to be a platinum sponsor for this Summer’s Harmony in the Park. The Board presented a check for $500 to Rusty Johnson recently at our board meeting. The Rotary club is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and wanted to celebrate by supporting the concerts in the park.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:25
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| Moody Lake next on W.D.
projects list |
In the world of water quality, the term legacy doesn’t always mean something positive. In the case of a public park on Moody Lake in Chisago Lake Township South, research has identified a “legacy” load of contaminating manure built up over decades of an operating dairy farm. Last week the watershed district managers voted to do something about it.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:24
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| Police Commission honors longtime volunteer |
The every-other-month Lakes Area Police Commission meeting last week was a festive gathering celebrating the end of an era, literally, of service from citizen Mark Anderson, Chisago City. He has announced he’s stepping away from the reservist program, but he will still volunteer with city parks and community events.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:23
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| Taylors Falls 2022 audit, good and bad news |
The Taylors Falls City Council heard Monday night this week; that it was a good thing the city had healthy reserves (balances) and also took in extra federal recovery act funds, because the city spent much more in 2022 than it took in. The audit was presented by Abdo accounting associate Brad Faltysek. He told the council the audit also showed a number of municipal accounting shortcomings likely resulting from staff chaos. He advised that the state of Minnesota is not going to be coming to the city assessing any fines, as long as the state sees “you are going in the right direction,” he declared.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:22
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| Ag leadership organization celebrates 25 years; women leaders being shaped by North Branch alum |
The native Chisago County farm kid, currently leading an important women in agriculture organization, should not be a surprise to anybody who knew her back when. As Doris Mold was growing up on the family farm near Harris, her mother Sarah was the first female elected to be a Chisago County Commissioner. Doris’s dad Melvin was involved in Farm Bureau and the American Dairy Association. They made sure Doris got to her FFA and 4H meetings and supported her in contributing volunteer hours at the county fair.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:17
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| What on earth is a pandemic?
Shorts on St. Patty's Day? Yep |
From time to time I like to look back a year, three years, even five years to see what I was writing about.. I stumbled across my 2020 column from this week.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:05
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| Time for March Madness |
We’re coming up on March Madness this weekend, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m not even a huge college basketball fan, but I love this time of year. Games on in the morning, bets flying between friends and non stop action from near sunrise to sundown on the basketball court.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:04
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| Relative of triple homicide victim is main suspect |
A 39-year-old male found deceased in rural Dakota County, Saturday March 4 is being investigated as the main suspect in a triple homicide here, Chisago County authorities announced this week.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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March 16, 2023 12:01
