Archive - Jun 17, 2008

Thanks to the crew for a well thought out proposal. Let's as a Taxing District seize the opportunity, while the window is open. This is a time we can help stabilize the future of the valuable volunteer service so valuable to us all.

I attended the service's Taxing District public meeting in Littlefork 6/17/08 @ 7pm. After hearing the proposal from the Ambulance crew I think the Timing is right to procede. I hope the taxing district board sees the merit of a new facility to house the service to maintain it's ever improving caliber. I also read and appreciated the article on the subject in the Daily Journal.

The administration of the Falls School District underwent a reorganization Monday.
The Falls School Board, in a 4-1 vote, decided not to proceed with three candidates for the district’s superintendent’s position. Instead, the board decided to hire from within the district.
Board member Roger Jerome voted against the motion.
After approving the resignation of Don Langan as full-time superintendent effective June 30, the board Monday hired Langan as a part-time superintendent of the district until 2010, which is effective July 1.

Ranier City Council met Monday and introduced three agenda items at the start of the meeting regarding immediate repair needs and purchase of new voting booths.
The council voted to acquire four voting booths through Koochiching County at $175 each. The city Clerk Kim Nuthak said the city has eight voting booths and is looking to upgrade with the refurbished paper ballet booths.

Overall, the city of International Falls is in good financial shape.
That’s how accountant Dave Cronin, of Miller McDonald Inc., concluded a report on the city’s annual audit Monday.
The council approved the audit after Cronin reviewed the 78-page document with the council.
Cronin pointed to the following as highlights:
• The assets of the city exceeded liabilities at Dec. 31, 2007, by $43.6 million. “That’s a good thing,” noted Cronin.
• Net assets increased by 4.2 percent from the prior year. “That’s another good thing,” he added.

The Littlefork-Big Falls School Board will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the school’s boardroom.
Expected to be approved is the hiring of Tom Millerbernd as the junior high volleyball coach, and Teresa Rom as cheerleading advisor.
Bids are scheduled to be awarded on the following: bread, milk, propane, garbage, and property and liability insurance.
The preliminary 2008-09 budget is on the agenda for approval.
The Building and Grounds, Hiring, and Grant Update Committees are scheduled to present reports to the board.

With the temperatures outside still feeling like winter, 10 members of the Falls High Broncos boys’ basketball team traveled to Grand Rapids on Sunday for the Breakdown Summer Showcase basketball tournament.
Chris Heibel, Aaron Skoglund, Thomas Briggs, Calvin Phung, Shawn Filipiak, Ethan Johns, Nick Bujold, John Skoglund, Andre McMillon and John Bartkowski made the trip along with coaches Roger Jerome and Tom Filipiak.
The tournament had a varsity and a junior varsity division with the junior varsity going 2-and-1, taking second place and the varsity going 1-and-3.

The Falls School Board accepted the resignations of Kylee LaVigne and Will Awe from thier coaching positions at Monday nights’ regular meeting.
LaVigne was the head girls swim coach and Awe the junior varisty baseball coach.

The owners of Driftwood Lodge on Lake Kabetogama recently acquired the neighboring Deerhorn Lodge, with plans to restore the setting to its original 1930s rustic charm along with 21st century amenities.
Now in their fourth season as owners of Driftwood Lodge and its 13 cabins, Lonnie and Brenda Brent welcomed the opportunity to purchase the adjoining Deerhorn and its eight cabins.
“This is a lot of work and we have been blessed in lot of ways,” said Lonnie Brent.

Peggy and Rueben White, owners of White’s Rental, have move their 12 year-old business to a new home in what’s known as the old Shannon building at 2612 Crescent Drive, next to Northland Distributing.
Peggy White said the couple had operated the business out of their 15th Street home for 12 years, and opted for the space and visibility of the former electrical shop. Now, she says, there is plenty of space, indoors and out, for the equipment rental.