Troubling development

Presentation College is staying in Fairmont until 2021 to allow its students to finish up their coursework. The college recently signed a new lease with the city, which owns Southern Minnesota Educational Campus, where Presentation resides.

This is unfortunate news for Fairmont and for the city. SMEC is supposed to be fulfilling a role of offering post-secondary education to young people. The city faces annual costs ($80,000) to operate the site.

The city has been studying options for SMEC’s future. It will need a good plan; 2021 is not that far away.

Project benefits school

Fairmont Area Schools’ decision a few years back to spend nearly $700,000 on LED lighting at the elementary and high schools is paying dividends.

The district this week received a check for $152,000 as a rebate from Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency. The district also is saving money on electricity costs, while providing better lighting for those who attend and work at the schools.

The cost of the project is paying for itself, and the upgrade will mean future savings. Kudos to those who planned and implemented the renovation.

Time for Trump to act

President Trump is weighing whether to declare a national emergency on the southern border and divert $5.7 billion into the wall he wants to build. Democratic opposition to funding the wall in a normal fashion has created a budget standoff that has shut down portions of the federal government.

Trump should do what he believes best. He is president and commander in chief. Voters can decide in 2020 if they agree with his actions or not.

If Trump did act to build the wall, such a choice also would resolve the dispute, thus ending the shutdown.

Welcome plans project

The city of Welcome is planning major street and utility work for the summer. A public hearing this week outlined the scope of the $2.4 million project, and gave residents insight into what they need to know about the disruption.

About 25 people attended the City Council meeting, and that’s a good turnout in a small town. But the city also will have to be proactive by reaching out to people and making sure they know what’s coming and how to be ready for it. How the city has begun shows great promise.