city of Luverne

The Luverne Charter Commission met in two special sessions in the past week to address a citizen petition for a Nov. 3 ballot question amending the city’s charter to allow for a municipal utilities commission. The proposed utilities commission, made up of three elected and two appointed individuals, would take over the city’s electrical and other utilities — including rate setting, management…

The City of Luverne received the League of Minnesota Cities 2026 City of Excellence Award in the under 5,000 population category for its Kids Rock! Child Care Center. Luverne leaders will be recognized Thursday night, June 25, at the League’s Annual Conference in Rochester.  The LMC shared the following information about Kids Rock background in a press release about the award.  Facing a long-…

The council chamber of Luverne City Hall was packed with people Tuesday, June 9, as the council considered a petition to amend the city charter. Many in attendance were people who signed the petition that promised to give residents more control of their government which would operate with more “transparency.”  Others were city employees and department heads who wondered how the proposed change…

Now that the filing period for county and large city elections has closed as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, local races have started to take shape.  Here are the candidates who are seeking election to positions in Rock County and the city of Luverne.  Rock County District 2  Two candidates have filed to compete in District 2 for a seat on the Rock County Board of Commissioners. Stan Williamson,…

A group of Luverne residents is petitioning for a city charter amendment to form a “municipal services commission” that would operate the city’s public utilities.  The proposed amendment would reallocate supervisory and rate- and fee-setting authority from the city to the commission for the city’s municipal electric, water and wastewater utilities.  “We respectfully request that this proposed…

The City of Luverne has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2025. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 non-for-profit, community-owned electric utiltiies. APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based PowerTRX…

In the early 1990s, the arrival of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne marked the beginning of unrivaled economic development in Luverne. For one thing, more than 100 health care workers and their families would need housing, so as plans for the facility came together, the city planned its Veterans Addition housing development. The new neighborhood, with its streets and cul-de-sacs winding…

Luverne City Council members took action at their Jan. 20 meeting to finance the upcoming $2,425,000 Highway 75 underground infrastructure project. Working with George Eilertson of Northland Securities, Minneapolis, the council on Tuesday set Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 10 a.m. as the date to receive proposals for the sale of bonds.  The council will review the bids at their regular meeting at 5 p.m.…

Luverne City Council members are adjusting their public meeting schedule for 2026 following discussion at their Jan. 20 meeting. In the past several months, the council reduced its number of meetings from three per month to one, with an added monthly work session if needed. This was a change from the council’s decades-old tradition of two business meetings per month, plus a “Committee of the…

Luverne electric rates will increase in 2026 on the city’s rate schedule, but a scheduled rate increase in water and wastewater won’t occur, thanks to new commercial demand. Following a rate study in 2022, Luverne’s electric rates were set in 2023 to increase 6 percent every year for 2024, ’25 and ’26.  Residential and commercial electric costs vary due to a number of factors, such as how much…

City of Luverne union employees are negotiating a new contract that will be in effect for the next three years. Meanwhile, at their Dec. 18 meeting the City Council approved 2.25-percent step increases for eligible non-union, administrative and department heads. The following increases, effective, Jan. 1, include step and grade changes and account for additional duties where applicable. •City…

If the Christmas wreaths seem brighter on Luverne’s light poles this year, it’s because are. Thanks to a combined effort of city staff and local volunteers, the 20-year-old wreaths have new, brighter LED lightbulbs to replace the aging, dimmed bulbs. “The number of volunteers was outstanding,” said Jane Lanphere of the Luverne Chamber. “We had volunteers of many ages, from all walks of life,…

At their Dec. 18 meeting, Luverne City Council members certified the levy at $3,789,392 for taxes payable in 2025.  That represents a 6.25-percent increase over the current levy of $3,566,592 for an additional $222,800. The council hosted its 2025 truth in taxation hearing on Dec. 18 with City Administrator Jill Wolf presenting the city’s 2026 budget. In the General Fund, there is 6.4 million…

Frank Mongold will officially retire at the end of the year after 28 years with the City of Luverne. He started in 1997 picking up city garbage, and on Dec. 31 he’ll end his career in the same position. It's smelly, dirty and often thankless work, and Mongold had opportunities to transfer to other city departments but didn’t. “I liked it,” he said when asked why he stuck with it. “I got up…

A manufacturing company has expressed in 15-acres of Luverne’s industrial park, according to discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Luverne Economic Development Authority. EDA director Holly Sammons said the city engineer is developing preliminary concepts for road and utility configurations that could accommodate both large and small development sites.  She showed a map of Luverne’s industrial…

Luverne City Council members took action last month to assess $19,000 worth of unpaid utility bills to property owners in the form of taxes on the property. The council each year reviews unpaid utility bills at a public hearing where property owners can discuss their bills with the council. No one attended the 2025 public hearing during the Oct. 21 City Council meeting where council members…