Spring 2024 local government news tab

NEWS Spring 2024

By Trish Harren Gjersvik Administrator, Mower County

By Sarah Belden Accountant, Mower County Public Works

makes them look appealing and safer with reduced wildlife cover.

A great example of this tree-and-brush work can be seen along County State Aid Highways (CSAH) 19 (two miles north of CSAH 46) in Red Rock Township and along CSAH 25 by the Cedar River bridge in

Udolpho Township (northwest corner).

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NEWS notice will mean that the inspector having jurisdiction may either hire the work done or seek a misdemeanor charge against the person(s) who failed to comply. If the work done is hired by the inspector, the cost can be placed as a tax upon the land and collected as other real estate taxes are collected.

Local weed inspectors are township supervisors, city mayors, or their appointed assistants.

For more information regarding the statelisted noxious weeds, the appeals committee or the Minnesota Noxious Weed laws, please visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s website at:

Control or eradication may be accomplished by any lawful method but the method(s) applied may need to be repeated to prevent the spread of viable noxious seeds and other propagation parts to other lands.

Failure to comply with the general notice may mean that an www.mda.state.mn.us/weedcontrol individual notice will be issued. An individual notice may be appealed within For other questions, please contact two working days of a receipt to the Danielle Anderson at Mower County appeals committee in the county where Environmental Services via email at daniellea@co.mower.mn.us or by phone the land is located.

Failure to comply with the individual at 507-279-7149.

IMPORTANT PASSPORT INFO

Can I renew my passport or do I have to apply for a new passport?

Children ages birth to 15 years old: You must apply new in our office.

Ages 16 and older: You have five years after the date of your passport’s expiration to renew, and that is done on your own. Once beyond those five years, you must apply new at the county recorder’s office.

Children ages 16-17: They must have one parent on their birth certificate present.

Effective June 1, 2023, the Mower County Recorder’s Office went to APPOINTMENT ONLY for passport-application acceptance from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Mower County Government Center in downtown Austin.

Appointments can be scheduled online now at: www.co.mower.mn.us/161/Passport-Information What do I need to bring with me?

You also visit the webpage by using a smartphone * Application DS-11 completed in BLACK ink to scan the following QR code: and unsigned. No whiteout. * Valid identity document(s), such as a your driver's license. * Certified U.S Citizenship document. * Check or money order that you can write out.

(Note: we cannot mail cash or debit/credit cards).

Do I need a new photo?

Yes, a photo from within the last six months. The photo must meet certain requirements. The county recorder’s office offers to take photos for $15 during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

No appointment is needed for just a photo.

If you are applying for a new passport, the recorder’s office can take your photo at the same time.

Additional resources A great online resource is travel.state.gov/ content/travel/en/passports.html where you can find all the forms available online at no charge.

Questions?

If you have questions, contact the Mower County Recorder’s Office at 507-437-9446 during the office hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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NEWS New VA direct-deposit rules

By Rodney Streich

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By Dr. Joey Page Superintendent, Austin Public Schools

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lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 As we look to the end of another school year, we also p.m. at these sites: think of summer meals for Austin High School our students.

301 Third St. N.W. June 3 through Aug. 8 Mondays to Thursdays 1800 Fourth Ave. S.E. June 3 through Aug. 8 Mondays to Thursdays Program guidelines require children to eat on site, and 301 17th St. S.W. meals cannot be taken out of June 3 through Aug. 9 the cafeterias. This can be a Mondays to Fridays fun time for kids to socialize NOTE: No meals will be with their friends while hav- served June 19 and July 4. ing a nutritional meal.

Young children should be accompanied by an adult.

Meals also can be purchased for those older than age 18.

This summer, the district will offer to all children ages 1-18 free breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and free

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By Taylor Flugge Program Coordinator, Austin Assurance

With the incoming senior Class of 2023, The Hormel Foundation Austin Assurance Scholarship program will celebrate its five-year anniversary.

In addition to academic eligibility, the scholarship also includes a volunteer-service requirement for students to help in the community with local non-profit organizations before they graduate from high school.

“The volunteer service component of the scholarship has provided students with opportunities to provide support to the community and organizations in many ways,” Ettinger said. “Since the scholarship began, students at Austin High School and Pacelli High School have logged almost 40,000 volunteer hours. This is an incredible impact for these youth to be having on the

community of Austin.”

The Austin Assurance program began with Austin’s Class of 2019 graduates. To date, more than 600 students have used the scholarship.

For more information, visit The Hormel Foundation Austin Assurance Scholarship website at:

austinassurance.org

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NEWS It has been amazing to see staff, students and parents working together to help all students reach their potential, and we already are planning for next year.

Applications can be saved and reopened later if more information is needed. You also can print or save your application summary.

Before starting an online application, it is helpful to gather the following information: • Household info: Address and phone numbers • •

Student info: Demographic, birth certificate and health/medication information Emergency contact(s): Names and phone numbers for one to four people in the event that parents are unavailable in an emergency.

Existing district families will receive more With “Online Registration,” you can be add, update information in June 2024 when the online registration and enter information related to demographic, health, application becomes available. primary and secondary households, phone numbers and New to Austin? emergency contacts. Once we receive an update, enrollment staff are alerted and either can approve, hold or deny your request. You will receive status updates via email throughout the process.

By Karem Salas Ramirez United Way of Mower County

For online registration, please gather the following documents for upload during registration: • Address verification (utility bill, purchase/lease agreement or cell phone bill required within 30 days of application) • Current immunization records • Legal custody document (if applicable) • Transcript (if applicable) For questions about online registration, contact APS Central Enrollment Services at (507) 460-1937.

must complete 50 hours of volunteer selects their volunapproved volunteer service. teering opportunity, the orTo help students find and ganization will get an email track volunteer opportunities, alert that an individual is inUnited Way of Mower Coun- terested in filling its need. ty has invested in the online The organization then can According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in platform Get Connected. reach out to the individual, This online resource is not provide any additional infor2016 (the most-recent year only for high school students. mation and know that its volavailable), about 35 percent It’s a fantastic tool for anyone unteer has been secured. of Minnesotans volunteer.

Volunteering interested in Get Connected also mainvolunteering and tains a transcript for each inis a way for those in need of dividual volunteer as well as young people to volunteers. To for each participating organinetwork, give back to their find volunteer zation. Included in the tranneeds, individu- script are the number of volcommunity, gain als first must unteer hours completed, the a deeper undercreate an acskills used to complete the standing of themselves and acquire addi- count with their name, contact tasks and the estimated value information and interests. to the organization. tional skills and traits.

This tool is very helpful to For these reasons, The Hor- Once registered, volunteers mel Foundation Austin Assur- can search Get Connected for individuals and groups. To ance Scholarship has asked opportunities and sign up for learn more, go online at: www.uwmower.org/ email alerts once new opporAustin’s youth to complete getconnected tunities are posted by their volunteer hours in the community as one of the scholar- favorite groups. ship requirements. In the Organizations in need of volunteers also must create an course of four years in high account to post a need. As a school, qualified applicants

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Protect yourself when trying to complete a project by doing research before hiring a contractor and making sure to not hire an unlicensed contractor.

Here are points to consider and tips for planning a project: • Does the contractor have a Minnesota state license?

• Is the contractor insured?

• Has the contractor been involved in lawsuits or criminal charges?

• Decide exactly what you want from your project, including materials.

• Compare bids from more than one contractor.

• Talk to previous customers.

• Get a detailed, written contract outlining the scope of work, payment schedule and timeline for completion.

• The same applies for storm damage (i.e. roof repair).

• Lead and Lead Safe Certified renovators.

Northwest 2nd Avenue Northwest (14th Street to 19th Street) 16th Street Northwest 17th Street Northwest Southwest 9th Street Southwest (17th Avenue to 22nd Avenue)

12th Street Southwest (17th Avenue to 21st Avenue) Northeast 4th Avenue Northeast (17th Street to 19th Street) 1st Avenue Northeast (8th Street to 10th Street)

Contractor Recovery Fund You have financial protection only if you hire a licensed contractor for your project.

Licensed residential building contractors are covered by the Contractor Recovery Fund that reimburses consumers who have suffered financial losses due to a licensed contractor’s misconduct.

For more information, call the City of Austin’s Building Department at 507-437-9950.

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NEWS File for Office Candidate filings will open from May 21 through June 4, 2024, at the City Clerk’s Office in Austin City Hall, 500 Fourth Ave. N.E. There is a $25 filing fee to file for one of these positions: Mayor – Four-year term

(3 seats): Four-year terms ELECTION DATES FOR 2024 Primary election date: Aug. 13, 2024 General election date: Nov. 5, 2024

Election judges needed for 2024

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