Administrators and Board of Education members are calling Regional School District 6 and the Wamogo Education Association’s new three-year collective bargaining agreement a “win-win” for all parties involved.

On Jan. 4, both the teacher’s union and the Region 6 Board of Education approved a three-year deal that includes a possible block schedule, the integration of new technology, layoff prevention and a new insurance deal. The agreement, which begins July 1, was approved in a 5-0 vote by a minimal board.

A few hours prior to the education board’s decision, the teachers’ union approved the measure 61-10.

Board vice-president Scott Brady said it was an “extraordinary effort” between administrators and the educators’ association to get the “simple changes” in the deal sealed. “A lot of hard work and good will went into this.”

“You don’t see winners or losers — it benefits everyone,” Interim Superintendent of Schools Edward Drapp said Wednesday evening. “It takes both sides giving some to make this work. We certainly see this as a partnership.”

The cooperative agreement allows administration to assign educators to six classes, and with it, a $2,500 stipend for adding the extra class. However, if the administration decides to go to a block schedule, the teachers’ stipend will be suspended.

The opportunity for teachers to lead six classes adds options for the students, Region 6 administrators believe.

“This allows amazing flexibility for our administration and curriculum committee to offer what we want to offer,” Brady said.

“We talked a lot about efficiency,” Drapp said. “This helps us operate a lot more efficiently, as well as give students more options.”

Included in the bargaining agreement is relieving any limitations in district technology policies, as administrators hope to stay in the forefront, integrating technological advances in the classroom. Continued…

The dispute over the location of the town’s popular farmers market hasn’t been resolved, but it appears that an agreement is near between those who operate the market and the layer of government that oversees the square-mile Litchfield Borough in the center of town.

The Litchfield Borough of Warden and Burgesses offered an update on the Litchfield Hills Farm Fresh Market situation at its regular meeting Tuesday. The issue is being handled by market master Kay Carroll and borough board member Dirk Patterson.

Mr. Patterson reported to borough members that he had met with Ms. Carroll once and made progress, and his guess was that they would meet twice more.

At this point, he said, he had nothing further to add. He indicated that he hoped to report something at the next meeting in February.

In September, the borough issued a cease-and-desist order to the farmers market, and then in October borough board members decided to work on a new application with those who oversee the market, operated under the auspices of the nonprofit Litchfield Hill’s Food Systems, Inc. Borough officials have taken a hard line on issues relating to parking spaces and traffic flow with regard to the market, which operates in the warmer months in a parking lot at Litchfield Center School, and at one point declared that a permit application for the market was denied.

In the past, visitors to the farmers market were not allowed to return to Route 202, but were directed to instead go through the quiet residential neighborhood.

The issue of the market’s location off Route 202, the number of parking spaces available and the traffic flow have been simmering issues for months.

Litchfield limited Delano to 11 second-half points, earning a 49-45 victory in Wright County Conference boys basketball action Friday at Delano High School.

Litchfield trailed 34-23 at halftime but rallied to win the game between the top two teams in the Wright County Conference.

Senior Mitch Wollin led the Dragons with 14 points.

Jon Terning added eight points for Litchfield, which improved to 10-2 and 6-0 in conference play.

Toby Hanson had 18 points for Delano (8-4, 4-1 WCC).

Litchfield plays host to Annandale at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Litchfield High School.

Results Friday

Litchfield 49, Delano 45

Litchfield (10-2, 6-0) ………… 23 26 – 49

Delano (8-4, 4-1) ………………. 34 11 – 45

Litchfield: Scoring: Zach Whitchurch 6, Dylan Koll 5, Jon Terning 8, Tyler Larson 4, Zach Kinny 6, Joel Madsen 4, Riley Pater 2, Mitch Wollin 14.

Delano: Scoring: Zach Checkal 8, Eric Berglund 3, Toby Hanson 18, Dalton Danielson 2, Grayson Pulis 14.

Minnesota Department of Health recently awarded grants totaling $250,000 to seven local health agencies — including Meeker County — to develop and implement programs that address health hazards frequently found in homes.

“We’re really happy we were funded,” said Pam Miller, a Meeker County public health nurse and supervisor. “We’re in a lot of homes — visiting moms with new babies, doing case management for elderly folks. All of our nurses are out in homes throughout the county, so sometimes we’re able to see things, but we don’t have the resources to help them. This will help with some of those things.”

Among the many hazards to be targeted are lead, carbon monoxide, radon and mold.

The grant money will fund local efforts that are designed to encourage prevention activities, and provide guidance and support to people exposed to unhealthy conditions in their homes.

Public health workers will target high-risk populations, which include children under age 6, low-income and minority populations, the elderly, and homes with lead.

The grant will help train public health nurses to identify potential problems in homes and educate homeowners on how to eliminate them. Public health nurses then will integrate the identification and education into what they already are doing, Miller said.