TRUMAN– On Monday, the Truman City Council heard from Cathy Sorenson, a Spruce-up Truman representative, who asked permission to line up fixed-up flower pots, decorated for Christmas, along the west side of the electric building.

Sorenson also asked if they could somehow decorate the light poles along downtown.

“Some of the ladies have an idea of putting some birch branches and greenery and battery-operated lights on them,” Sorenson said.

She said they’d put them up high enough so that they won’t interfere with snow removal.

“The highway looks awesome with the lights the guys look up, but downtown is looking better so we want to continue,” Sorenson said.

The council approved both requests.

Sorenson also thanked the council for its support, saying, “whenever we ask anybody to do something, everybody always says yes.”

The council also heard from Jim Utermarck, a teacher at Truman public Schools. Utermarck, along with two 8th grade students, asked the council to consider proclaiming the week of Oct. 23-31 Red Ribbon Week.

“It’s all about drug and alcohol abuse prevention, awareness, and trying to get kids and adults to make more positive, healthy choices,” Utermarck said.

He said they’re doing it at school and thought it would be easier to get the word out if the city were to make a proclamation. He said that week the school will have red ribbons on trees to mark the occasion.

Utermarck said he and the students were part of the school’s Empower Group, which is about leading healthy lifestyles.

The council made a motion to proclaim the week of Oct 23-31 Red Ribbon Week in the city of Truman.

Truman fire chief, Dave Bentz, provided the council with a quarterly report. Bentz said things have been relatively quiet. He said with the dry season, they were anticipating some cornfield fires but they haven’t had any yet.

Josh Kitzerow of the ambulance department also shared a report, saying they’ve been on 210 runs so far this year, which is up from this time last year by about 20.

He said of the 201, they’ve done about 27 transfers to and from Mankato, New Ulm, Sioux Falls and St. James.

“We did one from Mankato to Fairmont. With all of the E.R.’s getting full, that’s also taking up the ambulances so we’ve been doing small transfers,” Kitzerow said.

He also said that it’s beginning to get easier to get supplies so they’re restocking what they didn’t have before.

In other news, the council:

— Accepted the 2020 census results, which puts the city at a population of 1,092.

— Made a motion to continue with an asbestos test on the building adjacent to the fire hall.

— Discussed what to do with the former grocery store building.