At the regular Public Utility Commission meeting on December 10, 2019, the commission approved rate increases for the electric and sewer utilities. Electric base and kWh charges will increase 1.5% for all users. Sewer base and use charges will increase 6.25% for residential and commercial sewer users and 3% for industrial users. These increases will be effective February 1, 2020. The average residential customer will see an increase in their monthly utility bill of $1.11 for electric and $1.69 for sewer. The reasons for the rate increases are continued capital improvements to the electric and sewer systems. For more information, please contact the PPU office at 507-765-2491.

Average PPU residential customer is billed for 586kWh of electricity and 2,650 gallons of water/sewer usage per month based on billing statistics for the twelve months ending November 30, 2019.

Electric – 1.5% rate revenue increase

Residential customer base charges and use (kWh) charges will increase 1.5%

Commercial customer base charges and use (kWh) charges will increase 1.5%

Industrial customer demand charges and use (kWh) charges will increase 1.5%

Water – no increase

Sewer – 6% rate revenue increase

Residential and Commercial customer base charges and use charges will increase 6.25%

Industrial customer base charges and use charges will increase 3%

Consider calling Bluff Country home. Preston offers exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities including fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, and snowmobiling. This position offers an exciting career opportunity to help lead Preston through the assessment, design and construction of a new wastewater treatment facility over the next few years.

Preston Public Utilities is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator. The candidate’s primary responsibility is for the daily operation and maintenance of the City’s wastewater treatment plant facility and all related equipment. The position also assists with the maintenance of the City’s wastewater collection system, with other public works tasks as directed, including but not limited to, water main repairs, water sampling, snow plowing, and would be required to be on call. Qualified applicants must possess a Class B wastewater license or be able to obtain, a Type IV sludge application certificate or ability to obtain, a valid Class B commercial driver’s license or the ability to obtain within six months, and a satisfactory driving record. Preston Public Utilities offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

click here for the application and job descriptions or stop in at Preston City Hall, 210 Fillmore St W, Preston, MN. First consideration will be given to applications received by October 4, 2019.

Preston, Minn. – The City of Preston Economic Development Authority (EDA) and Preston Area Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce they will be holding their first ever Housing Summit at F&M Community Bank’s Community Room in downtown Preston.

This one-day summit will bring together home builders, developers, investors, suppliers, realtors, lenders, area residents and local officials to learn how Preston is preparing to grow over the next decade – with a goal of building population and 160 new homes and apartments in the City by 2030.

Attendees will learn about a newly uncovered demand for housing from the Destination Medical Center (DMC) halo effect, a proposed State Veterans Home, an award-winning school system, recreational and tourism growth and jobs at new businesses. Preston is also seeing a demand from empty nesters, the “brain gain” from the 30-40 year old population and retirees returning to the area.

To “pave the way” for home builders, City officials and leaders will present supportive policies including available utilities, zoning approvals, low permit fees, and buyer incentives.

A local development map and concept plans will be unveiled for sites of all types of households – first time buyer, move-up, executive, empty-nester, retiree, work-from-home, commuter, special needs, renter and more.

The Housing Summit begins with registration and lunch from 11:30am to 12pm at F&M Community Bank, 100 St. Anthony St. North. Presentations will be from 12pm to 2pm followed by networking at the National Trout Center and Trout City Brewing at 2:00 pm. The cost to attend is free but seats are limited. To register go to: www.prestonmn.org/housing-summit.

Lunch is sponsored by Bunge Construction, John Nelson – Coldwell Banker Burnet and Main Street Properties. This summit is part of the “Livability Project” – a partnership between the Preston EDA and the Preston Area Chamber of Commerce.

Funding for this project came from grants from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and the Preston Area Community Foundation (PACF).

For more information on the City of Preston please visit: www.prestonmn.org.

PRESTON, Minn. – Hwy 52 motorists will be detoured beginning Sept. 11 for approximately two weeks between Fountain and Preston in Fillmore County to allow for concrete repairs on the highway, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Interstate Improvement Co. of Faribault, Minn., a MnDOT contractor, will be repairing concrete along the 7-mile stretch between Fountain and through Preston. During the work, Hwy 52 traffic will be detoured. Local traffic remain for people who live along the route or for people to reach businesses on the route.

The detour route from the north at Fountain is Fillmore Co. Rd. 8 east to Lanesboro to Hwy 16 south of Lanesboro back to Hwy 52. The detour from the south is in reverse. Hwy 16 motorists approaching Hwy 52 from the west will not be able to join Hwy 52 at Preston. They’ll need to detour north on Hwy 80 to the detour route at Fountain. Vehicles going to POET Biorefining in Preston may use Hwy 16 for accessing the plant.Motorists will be alerted to the work in advance. The repair work requires the removal of some concrete panels in the road where the joints have failed or panels are in need of replacement. To learn more about the process, to the MnDOT website: www.dot.state.mn.us/information/roads/cpr.html. The work should be completed by Sept. 26, weather permitting.
MnDOT urges motorists to always be attentive, drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones. For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org, call 5-1-1 or log on to www.mndot.gov.
To learn more about MnDOT projects, construction and other new in southeast Minnesota, join the MnDOT SE Minnesota Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/MnDOTsoutheast/.

To honor the brave service members who have received the Purple Heart, on July 15, 2019 at 6 p.m., the Preston City Council will designate Preston as a Purple Heart City. The Purple Heart Community Proclamation is a national initiative of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is a badge of military merit awarded exclusively to service members wounded or killed in the line of combat. The Rochester Military of the Purple Heart Chapter will be in attendance with their leader, Harry R Kerr.

“The Preston community, the state of Minnesota and the United States owe respect and gratitude to all members of the Armed Forces, especially those who have been wounded or killed in combat and honored with the Purple Heart Medal,” said Mayor Kurt Reicks. 

Veterans, the public, and anyone else interested in attending the July 15, 2019 Preston City Council meeting is invited to take part in the proclamation to designate Preston as a Purple Heart City. For more information on the Military Order of the Purple Heart go to https://www.purpleheart.org/