News

County continues to push for border-to-border high speed Internet

January 23, 2021

County continues to push for border-to-border high speed Internet
Kandiyohi County continues to move toward its goal of border-to-border high speed internet access with dial-up speed. On Tuesday, Connie Schmoll, Business Development Manager of the Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar Economic Development Commission (EDC), gave a presentation before the Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners – which included newly-elected commissioners Steve Gardner and Duane Anderson – about the county’s status in achieving border-to-border high speed Internet. “We

Another opportunity for relief available to Kandiyohi County businesses and nonprofits

January 14, 2021

Another opportunity for relief available to Kandiyohi County businesses and nonprofits
WILLMAR—Kandiyohi County, along with the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission, are again coming to the aid of businesses who have suffered over the last several months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The two parties have created what they are calling the Minnesota Pandemic Relief Grant Program, using funds from the state’s coronavirus relief bill passed in December. Read the full article by the West Central Tribune.

County to dole out new round of pandemic relief for struggling businesses

January 9, 2021

County to dole out new round of pandemic relief for struggling businesses
With local establishments reeling from the last round of COVID-19 related shutdowns, Kandiyohi County, working alongside the Kandiyohi County and city of Willmar Economic Development Commission (EDC), will be administering a grant relief program to provide assistance to local impacted businesses. The Minnesota Pandemic Relief (MPR) program is a joint effort between the county and the EDC and will be modeled after the EDC’s Coronavirus Relief Program (CRP), which administered $3.5 million in Coronavirus

Renaissance Zone could bring about a rebirth of downtown Willmar

December 22, 2020

Renaissance Zone could bring about a rebirth of downtown Willmar
WILLMAR—When downtown and a portion of the U.S. Highway 12 commercial corridor were chosen as Willmar’s lone federal Opportunity Zone, David Ramstad and his staff at city Planning and Development definitely saw an opportunity. While the Opportunity Zone as a tool is geared more toward developers with deep pockets and capital gains, Ramstad wanted Willmar’s zone to become a rebirth for the poorest area of town. Out of those dreams came the Willmar Renaissance Zone and a list of

Dial-back restrictions updated/County to receive $830,000 in state aid

December 19, 2020

Following the latest round of “dial-back” restrictions to businesses across the state, Governor Tim Walz Wednesday signed off on a bipartisan relief package that will provide $216.5 million in state aid, as well as a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits. The bill easily passed House and Senate, which voted 117-13 and 62-4, respectively, during the seventh special session of the year Monday. This economic relief package will provide funding for counties to establish grants for eligible businesses

County breaks down how it spent $5.3M in CARES funds

December 19, 2020

County breaks down how it spent $5.3M in CARES funds
Now that spending has expired for the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, county officials have assembled an extensive document detailing how they spent their $5.3 million CARES allocation to submit to state and federal officials for auditing purposes. “The intention was really to put [the information] into a snapshot or overview for somebody who was coming from outside of the organization [so they] would be able to review the information and get some really

County provides funding for local businesses forced into closure

November 28, 2020

County provides funding for local businesses forced into closure
In response [to] the sudden closure of bars, restaurants and other places of public accommodation by Gov. Tim Walz, who was responding to a steep rise of COVID-19 infections across the state, the Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners will be allocating what COVID-19 relief funding it has remaining to subsidize the financial blow dealt to area businesses. On Saturday, the Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners called a special meeting in order, and unanimously voted to allocate whatever funds they

Restaurants face uncertain times with recent COVID-19 restrictions

November 20, 2020

Restaurants face uncertain times with recent COVID-19 restrictions
WILLMAR—The lack of a robust government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has often manifested itself in piecemeal restrictions coupled with partial financial help, has left restaurant owners with an uncertain feeling of what the future holds. Gov. Tim Walz this week ordered a four-week restriction, starting at 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, on multiple businesses in the state, which includes closing restaurants and bars for indoor and outdoor services but allowing takeout or delivery. “Of

EDC tallies $3.3M in local business relief grants

November 14, 2020

EDC tallies $3.3M in local business relief grants
The Coronavirus Relief Program [sic], which provided grant funding—and for some, a lifeline—for hundreds of area businesses and nonprofits hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession, has come to a close. When everything is finalized at the end of the year, Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission (EDC) Director Aaron Backman estimates the EDC will have doled out about $3.5 million in assistance. “That is a significant sum for us, it’s a significant

Willmar, Kandiyohi County continue to give relief to local businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19

November 9, 2020

Willmar, Kandiyohi County continue to give relief to local businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19
WILLMAR—When Kandiyohi County and the city of Willmar began planning how to spend the stimulus funds each received from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, both the County Board and City Council were clear where they thought the most relief was needed—small businesses and nonprofits negatively impacted by the pandemic and related shutdown. Each initially transferred at least $1 million of its CARES allocation to the county and city Economic Development Commission which
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