PRESTON PUBLIC UTILITIES NOTICE OF UTILITY RATE INCREASE

At the regular Public Utility Commission meeting on December 9, 2025, the Commission approved rate increases for the electric, water, and sewer utilities.  Electric base and KWH charges will increase 5% for all users.  Water use and base charges will increase 5% for all users. Sewer use and base charges will increase 10% for all users. These increases will be effective February 1, 2026.

Electric – 5% rate revenue increase

Residential, Commercial, and Industrial customer base charges and use (KWH) charges will increase 5%.

Water – 5% rate revenue increase

Residential, Commercial, and Industrial customer base and use charges will increase 5%.

Sewer – 10% rate revenue increase

Residential, Commercial, and Industrial customer base and use charges will increase 10%.

 

The Council of the City of Preston will receive bids at Preston City Hall; 210 Fillmore Street West, Preston, MN in the office of the City Clerk/Administrator until 4:30 P.M., on Monday January 5, 2026 for the purchase of the following:

2006 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab 3500: 6.6L Diesel 9,938 miles, fire slip in unit includes: Honda GX390 pump, 200 Gallon water tank, reel system

[Emergency Lights, Siren, Radios and decals will be removed prior to sale]

The specifications are on file in the City Clerk/Administrator’s office. Property is being sold as-is. Bids must be made on the basis of cash payment for the property. Bids must be directed to the City Clerk/Administrator and must be securely sealed with a statement on the outside wrapper describing the item for which the bid is being submitted. Bids will be opened at 5:30 P.M. and considered by the City Council at 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers on Monday, the 5^th of January 2026. The City Council reserves the right to reject all bids.

By the order of the City Council of the City of Preston, Minnesota.

Ryan Throckmorton, City Clerk/Administrator

The City of Preston has the following open board seats.

• Tourism Board – Quarterly Meetings
• Preston Park Board –  First Monday of each Month 5PM
• Planning Commission – Third Monday of each Month 5PM

Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must:

• Be a resident of the City of Preston

• Be entitled to vote in any election

• Be at least 21 years of age

Application Process:
Interested parties are invited to complete a City Board Interest Form.

How to Apply:

• Mail: City of Preston, P.O. Box 657, Preston, MN

• Deliver: Preston City Hall, 210 Fillmore St. W

• Email: Please see board interest form for current email address

 

Board Interest Form Fillable.

For question please call or stop by Preston City Hall or CONTACT US

FILLMORE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE

November 20, 2025 

Public Comment Sought for Fillmore County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan

Fillmore County has completed an updated draft of its Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) and is now seeking public feedback.

Like all Minnesota counties, Fillmore County is vulnerable to a variety of natural hazards such as tornadoes, windstorms, severe winter storms, flooding, drought, and extreme temperatures, which can threaten the loss of life and property in the county. Planning for natural disasters minimizes the impact of events that can cause vast economic loss and personal hardship.

All county residents, interested agency or organizational stakeholders are encouraged to review and offer feedback on the draft plan and proposed local mitigation actions.  The review and comment period is open for a period of 15 days through December 4, 2025. The public can access the plan using the following links:

Fillmore County HMP Website Homepage (feedback form at the bottom of page)

Fillmore County Mitigation Action Charts (feedback form at the bottom of page).

The Fillmore County HMP is a multi-jurisdictional plan that covers Fillmore County, including all cities and townships within the county.  The Fillmore County HMP also incorporates the concerns and needs of other key stakeholders such as school districts and related agencies, organizations, or businesses participating in the planning process.

Update of the plan has been under direction of Fillmore County Emergency Management in cooperation with U-Spatial at the University of Minnesota Duluth and representatives from county departments, city and township governments and other participating stakeholders.  Together, the planning team worked to identify cost-effective and sustainable actions to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life or property from natural hazards. Examples include infrastructure projects for areas that experience repetitive flooding; construction of safe rooms in areas where residents and visitors are vulnerable to tornadoes and severe storm events; burying powerlines that may fail due to heavy snow, ice, or wind storms; ensuring timely emergency communication to the public through warning sirens and mass notification systems; and conducting outreach to increase public awareness of severe weather and personal preparedness.

Hazard mitigation planning helps Fillmore County and other jurisdictions protect their residents. Working with local communities through the process helps identify vulnerabilities and develop strategies to reduce or eliminate the effects of a potential hazard. In addition, increasing public awareness of natural disasters and encouraging personal preparedness helps to create a community that is resilient to disaster, and breaks the cycle of response and recovery. Updating the plan further allows Fillmore County and its jurisdictions to be eligible to apply for future FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant program funding for projects that help to reduce or eliminate the impacts of future natural hazard events.

Community feedback is vital to the success of the plan. Fillmore County invites public review and feedback of the draft plan prior to submitting it to the State of Minnesota and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for review. Comments, concerns, or questions regarding the draft plan or ideas for mitigation projects should be submitted either via the Hazard Mitigation Plan website online public feedback form or by contacting Fillmore County Emergency Management.

Contact:

Jason Harmening

Emergency Management Director/Deputy Sheriff

Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office

507-765-2830

jharmening@co.fillmore.mn.us