Safety Council

The Fairmont Safety Council recently met for the first time in five years. Two important issues were addressed: that of better lighting and safety at our parks, and the intersection at Albion Avenue and Lake Aires where a recent collision occurred between a school bus and semi.

It’s good that the Safety Council is meeting, but perhaps it should occur a little more often.

It’s a valuable council to address concerns, such as our parks and intersections. The next meeting is set for September, and we hope that’s not missed.

FEDA, Childcare

According to a study done by FEDA, Fairmont has a shortage of 72 licensed child care slots. This is staggering when you consider the impact that has on working families. The FEDA Child Care Loan Program is meant to help alleviate this problem and will initially be able to help up to 10 childcare providers.

Retaining the providers we have is crucial, and this will hopefully encourage new providers to enter the field. We agree with Economic Development Coordinator Linsey Preuss when she says it is a challenge for businesses to find employees because of the child care and housing shortage. These issues need to be addressed if our community is to grow.

Vaccine Milestone

Public Health Sanitarian Tim Langer recently shared that the nation is ahead of schedule in getting vaccinated, stating that Minnesota is vaccinating at a very high rate. Locally, Langer said that Martin County is very near the halfway point for its population. He also said that the senior population is nearing 100 percent in receiving their vaccinations.

This is good, and we encourage people to continue to get their vaccine appointments scheduled if they haven’t already. Maybe then we can finally get things fully opened up and enjoy more time with our friends and loved ones.

Mural Project

The Red Rock Center for the Arts is launching a public mural project in Downtown Fairmont. Made possible by a $15,000 grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, the project will be an impressive way to keep art interest up at a time when indoor gatherings are still a touchy subject.

Seeking building owners to offer up their walls, Director Sonja Fortune was able to find five that were willing. She also secured the time and talent of area artist Nancy Katzer to put up the first mural on the south-facing wall of Five Crazy Ladies Boutique in Downtown Plaza.

This will be a good way to spice up the Downtown area and add some color to our community.