WINONA – Two more new businesses will be opening in Winona soon – a new restaurant and a pharmacy.
In Tuesday’s meeting of the Winona Mayor and Board of Aldermen, Carroll County developer Mike Rozier introduced blueprints of a new building he plans to construct on the northeast corner of Highway 51 and Jefferson Street. He said the majority of the building will house a new pharmacy, at 3,000 square feet, and Liberty Finance will move into an office in the building, which will be 1,200 square feet.
“There will be no metal on the outside of the building,” Rozier said. “It will have a brick bottom and hearty-board siding.”
Rozier said he plans to tear down the existing building, currently housing Liberty Finance, and construct the new building in its place. Liberty Finance will be housed in a portable office while the new building is under construction.
“I plan to have it completed in 90 days,” Rozier said of construction. “I plan on pushing it as hard as I can push it. I have a pharmacist ready to move in, and he already has hired local people.”
The board approved Rozier’s blueprints for the new development.
Also, Winona Mayor Jerry Flowers announced that Honest Abe’s Donuts, owned by Lee Abraham of Greenwood, has purchased the Donut Hole building on Middleton Road and will re-open soon. Abraham had visited Winona City Hall earlier that day and spoken to Flowers.
In other city business:
• The board approved holding the Winona Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat on Front Street on October 31. The roads will be barricaded off from around 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.
• The board tasked Winona Main Street director Sue Stidham with sending questionnaires to water customers in the northwest quadrant of the city, the area in which water pressure has been low.
• Mayor Jerry Flowers informed the board that federal funding opportunities to help fund drilling a new water well and constructing a new elevated water tank -- a $1.9 million project -- was a key goal during the recent trip by local officials to Washington, D.C. Stidham said she is currently seeking letters of support from local businesses for grant opportunities, and she will get statements from homeowners as well.
• The board accepted the resignation of Ana McCombs Banks from the Winona Police Department.
• The board accepted an amendment to the city’s mobile home ordinance. The changes were: Residents are permitted to use manufactured housing for 90 days while a permanent structure is being built, prohibits the permanent residence inside an RV and limiting the stay to seven days, and any trailer, structure, or shelter used to conduct business (limitation, food trucks or trailers, trailers or other structures engaged in selling products to the public, or offering services to the public) shall be limited to three consecutive days in one location.
• The board approved the purchase of a new air conditioner for the Winona Community House in the amount of $2,750.
• The board approved City Clerk June Williams to place an order for another area of decorative street signs. The city started installing decorative street signs on Front Street and Summit Streets and has expanded from there. Eventually, the new street signs will be installed throughout the entire city.
The board voted to make the new order and agreed to have another order ready in the two months it takes to deliver one order.
• Waste Management informed the city of a 1.43 percent rate increase for garbage collection in the city. That is a $.23 increase per customer per month. The board tabled the matter and will address it at their next meeting.
• The Winona Fire Department received a $690 grant for fire safety education materials.
• The board accepted a $13,500 bid from Huffman, LLC to refurbish the tennis courts at the Winona Recreational Park.
• The Winona Christmas Parade will be held on Monday, December 2 at 7 p.m., and this year’s theme is “An Out of the World Christmas.”
