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AFTER A CLOSED SESSION FOR THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, MAYOR DEB FOSTER CALLED THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FAIRMONT CITY COUNCIL BACK IN SESSION ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THE MAYOR THEN CALLED FOR A MOTION ON A SEPARATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FAIRMONT AND CITY ADMINISTRATOR MIKE HUMPAL. THE MOTION WAS APPROVED ON A 3-2 VOTE. COUNCILORS TOM HAWKINS, RUTH CYPHERS AND RANDY LUBENOW VOTING IN FAVOR AND COUNCILORS BRUCE PETERS AND WAYNE HASEK VOTING AGAINST. NO OTHER DETAILS WERE MADE AVAILABLE. EARLIER IN THE MEETING THE COUNCIL APPROVED A VOTE IN FAVOR OF AN APPENDIX TO A [...]

The new Fairmont Bomgaars retail store held its soft opening Thursday as the holiday shopping season nears. The previous Shopko building was purchased by Bomgaars in July. The farm and ranch supply retail chain offers everything from clothing, to pet food, sporting goods and farm equipment. Small renovations are still underway and are expected to wrap up soon. The store’s official grand opening is the first weekend in December.

Martin County Commissioners on Tuesday heard from County Assessor Mike Sheplee, who noted progress on updating the county’s homestead application files. As part of a new policy, a letter was sent out in October to about 4,100 county residential taxpayers who did not have a homestead application on file, due to a misunderstanding in Sheplee’s office about how long to keep homestead applications. Those who do not return the form will see an effect on their 2020 property taxes. “After 14 business days, we’ve received 44 percent of the requests back. We started out with 4,100 and what we have left [...]

Citing low usage on evenings and weekends, Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont has restructured its surgical services, resulting in the reduction of six positions. A press release Wednesday announced that effective Jan. 2, the positions of four nurses, one health unit coordinator who handles scheduling and one sterile processing technician who prepares surgical equipment and supplies will be eliminated. So far this year, only one or two surgeries per week were performed after hours during the week or any time during the weekend. General surgery will remain four days per week from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Emergency obstetrical surgeries, [...]

With more than half a million dollars raised, the Adventure Playground will move toward reality Monday in Fairmont.. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the all-accessible area are set for 4:30 p.m. at Gomsrud Park. The final price tag came in at $505,346, about $20,000 higher than originally projected. The extra cost stems from additional excavating and preparation needed for the site. Flagship Recreation/ Landscape Structures of Delano designed the playground and adjusted for changes throughout the planning. While there is a chance that the playground could be finished this fall, it is more realistic to expect it next spring, depending on weather. When [...]

A Fairmont man is facing felony charges in Martin County after allegedly threatening the County Attorney. Bradley Steven Post, 56, has been charged with one count of terroristic threats and one count of harassment. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He has also has been charged with stalking, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, according to the criminal complaint. Post has two convictions for stalking, in 2016 and 2017. The County Attorney’s Office has prosecuted Post for criminal matters and civil commitment matters in [...]

The Fairmont City Council met Monday for the sole purpose of selecting a new investigator to delve into city staff’s awareness of criminal cases allowed to expire under the statute of limitations during the tenure of former City Attorney Elizabeth Bloomquist. The investigator also will identify any individuals officially involved in the matter and the extent of the involvement and awareness from January 2012 to May 2019. The firm selected by the council at its Sept. 23 meeting — Jardine Logan and O’Brien — was unable to start an investigation until November, and Councilor Tom Hawkins and Mayor Debbie Foster, who [...]

Many residents in southern Minnesota and north Iowa are picking up the pieces after severe storms rumbled thru the area on Tuesday evening. In northern Iowa,  one of the hardest hit areas was Swea City, as numerous power poles and trees were knocked down by the strong winds that were part of a line of thunderstorms. Authorities said the storm took out power for nearly 100 customers in the Swea City area.. The city clerk in Swea City said "As part of the clean up, city residents should deposit their tree limbs and branches on the curb-side for pick up as [...]

The Fairmont Area School Board on Tuesday approved a 2020 property tax levy that will decrease 2.93 percent. The proposed levy is $5.5 million, a reduction of $167,000 from 2019. Superintendent Joe Brown reminded the board that the Minnesota Supreme Court will be at Fairmont High School on Oct. 9 to hold its 50th traveling oral argument. Fairmont High School has been selected as the site this year. “They’ll be hearing an oral argument case. We have invited other local schools as well,” he said. The justices are then expected to visit Fairmont classrooms. On the Tuesday night prior, a community [...]

Early Tuesday morning  the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Blue Earth Airport for an emergency landing by a  Mayo helicopter. The Faribault County Sheriff’s Office was notified that the Mayo  helicopter had to make an emergency landing due to smoke in the cockpit. When deputies arrived on scene the helicopter was grounded and shut down. The crew was standing outside of the helicopter and they were safe. There was no longer any visible smoke inside the cockpit. The Blue Earth Police Department, Blue Earth Fire Department and the United Hospital District Ambulance Service assisted on the scene.