CAMP RIPLEY
A lawsuit initiated by Morrison County against the Minnesota National Guard is over after more than two years of litigation, the Morrison County Record reported. County officials moved forward with granting variances and licenses necessary for the Guard to operate land spreading sites at Camp Ripley, ending the dispute. The county sued the Guard over the issue, alleging it did not obtain proper permitting to spread contaminated soil. In its counterargument, the Guard stated it would be forced to violate federal law to comply with the county's license conditions, which would have required the soil be transported to the Morrison County Landfill.
GARRISON
Retired Garrison firefighters who did not attend a particular breakfast event earlier this year will not receive honorary jackets from the Garrison Fire Relief Association, the Mille Lacs Messenger reported. The association received a scolding from Garrison Mayor Cathy Thompson, who said the decision to disclude some retired firefighters was causing hard feelings.
"The point is community service is community service," Thompson said, according to the Messenger. "At one point in their life, they were participating in the fire department and giving back to their community."
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LITTLE FALLS
A half-cent sales tax is under consideration in the city of Little Falls, the Morrison County Record reported. If approved, the tax would fund a new fieldhouse/community center. The fieldhouse would potentially be shared between the city and the Little Falls School District. If the Little Falls City Council moves forward with the proposal, the matter would go before voters during the November election as a referendum question. University of Minnesota Extension conducted a study and found the tax would generate approximately $500,000 per year, with a projected 58 percent paid by residents and 42 percent paid by visitors.
The fieldhouse concept was rejected by voters twice on referendums through the school district, the Record reported.
VERNDALE
The 70-year-old water tower in Verndale is one step closer to retirement after the city received a $600,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Wadena Pioneer Journal reported. The grant was one of 35 awarded by the state agency through its Small Cities Development Program and will provide funds toward new water infrastructure. The city's urgency in making improvements escalated when high nitrate levels were detected in the water supply last year, the Pioneer Journal reported. The total cost of replacement is an estimated $3.2 million.
-- Compiled by Chelsey Perkins, community editor. Perkins may be reached at 218-855-5874 or chelsey.perkins@brainerddispatch.com . Follow her on Twitter @DispatchChelsey or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dispatchchelsey .
