News

Dear Martin County Residents, We need your help in suppressing the coronavirus. There is no longer any debate: All medical experts agree that the spread of COVID-19 has the potential to overwhelm the U.S. health care system by early summer. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Martin County continue to rise at a concerning rate. As of today, March 23, there are 8 confirmed cases with many other patients awaiting results. Despite having a significantly lower population than both Blue Earth and Nicollet counties, Martin County has the same number of cases as both counties combined (Blue Earth: 5 cases; [...]

The Fairmont City Council adopted a new procedure Monday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Mayor Debbie Foster led the meeting in council chambers, joined only by Paul Hoye, city finance director. Phone lines connected city council members, city staff and the city attorney to the meeting. On the recommendation of Robert Scott, an attorney with Flaherty & Hood, the city’s interim civil counsel, the council voted unanimously to declare a local emergency that will remain in effect until the council rescinds it. The resolution directs city staff to review regulatory requirements and practices to determine if they should be adjusted with regard [...]

In light of deferring elective care appointments, Mayo Clinic Health System will temporarily suspend operations at four regional part-time clinics in Trimont, Truman, Sherburn and Armstrong, Iowa, effective March 23, 2020. Each clinic is normally operated two days per week or less. The suspensions are necessary to reallocate staffing resources to other critical care needs in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as ensure the safety of our patients and staff. “We are temporarily suspending operations at these clinics to redirect important resources to where they are needed most,” says Marie Morris, M.D., Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont medical director. “During this interim period, our patients [...]

Mayo Clinic Health System implements a no-visitors policy for hospital patients in response to COVID-19   To protect the safety of Mayo Clinic Health System patients and staff, hospitalized patients at all Mayo Clinic Health System sites will no longer be allowed to have visitors. Compassionate exceptions will be granted on a case-by-case basis, including births and end-of-life care, among other specific circumstances. All visitors granted exceptions will be screened prior to entry. No visitors under the age of 18 will be allowed. These visitor restrictions will remain in place until further notice. We encourage family members to consider other ways [...]

Information on all 8 positive cases in Martin County including ages, where they are recovering, and how they caught the virus. Case 1- 50s in the hospital reco...vering-community spread Case 2- 60s in the hospital recovering-travel related Case 3- 59 recovering at home- community spread Case 4- 74 recovering at home- community spread Case 5- 88 in the hospital Case 6- 38 recovering at home- community spread Case 7- 26 recovering at home- community spread Case 8- 68 recovering at home- community spread

Martin County has 3 new positive COVID-19 cases as of 3/22/2020. Case 6 is a 38 year old who is currently recovering at home. Case 7 is a 26 year old who is currently recovering at home. Case 8 is a 68 year old currently recovering at home. All 3 of these cases are due to community exposure. Martin County now has a total of 8 confirmed cases via testing. Due to limited testing ability, we believe these numbers are much higher. At this time only 1 of our 8 cases is the result of travel exposure. PLEASE continue to stay [...]

THE FAIRMONT AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEETS TUESDAY AT 5 PM. THE BOARD WILL HEAR BUILDING UPDATES ON SCHOOL CLOSURE AND ACT ON A MEDICAL LEAVE AT TUESDAY'S MEETING AT THE FAIRMONT CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS .

THE FAIRMONT CITY COUNCIL MEETS MONDAY AT 5:30. THE COUNCIL WILL ACT ON REASSESSMENT OF ONE PROPERTY AND SALE OF ANOTHER, DECLARING A LOCAL EMERGENCY,A PEDESTIRAN/BIKE TRAIL AGENCY AGREEMENT AND AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. ITEMS FOR THE FAIRMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WILL BE ACTED ON AT MONDAY'S MEETING AT THE FAIRMONT CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

UPDATE ON STUDENT MEAL DROP OFF PROGRAM   The student meal plan will operate differently next week.  Meals will be dropped off only one day next week on Monday, March 23.  At that time students will receive a full-week meal package, which will include 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches.  Two new locations and times have been added to the drop-off list: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon                Fairmont High School (Horseshoe)                  11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon                Fairmont Elementary School (Door #1)            In addition, students may also pick up a full-week meal package at the regular stops: 9:00 a.m.       ·         Intersection [...]

Martin County Commissioners met in an emergency session Wednesday to take action in response to the ever-evolving impact of COVID-19. Commissioners approved and signed an emergency disaster declaration and took measures to provide protection for county workers. Emergency Management director Abigail Nesbit opened the meeting with an update on COVID-19 cases in Martin County. “We were notified that we have two positive cases here in Martin County,” she said. “One of them is in their 60s and they are in the hospital. Another is in their 50s and they are at home. We can’t know the location of that for [patient [...]