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Willmar Housing

March 22, 2021

Willmar Housing
WILLMAR — If one is looking for a home to buy or an apartment to rent around Willmar, they might have some difficulty. Housing availability continues to be an issue in and around the Willmar area. According to the Minnesota Realtors Association, there were only 97 homes for sale in February in the southwest central region, which includes Kandiyohi, Renville, Meeker and McLeod counties, only 1.1 months of supply and a 60 percent drop from the same period one year ago. “It has gotten really

Latest round of COVID-19 financial relief for businesses helps 66 Kandiyohi County establishments

March 15, 2021

Latest round of COVID-19 financial relief for businesses helps 66 Kandiyohi County establishments
WILLMAR — In Kandiyohi County, the Minnesota Pandemic Relief grant program has successfully assisted 66 county businesses by distributing $843,754 in state-provided funds. The county, along with the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission, reviewed dozens of the applicants over the past several weeks, trying to help as many businesses as it could with the money provided. “This was not taken lightly. We worked very hard to try to make it fair,” said Larry

Kandiyohi County to offer funds to townships expanding broadband reach

February 17, 2021

Kandiyohi County to offer funds to townships expanding broadband reach
WILLMAR — Any township in Kandiyohi County that decides to bring high-speed fiber broadband to its residents, or expand a system already in place, is eligible to receive $25,000 from the county to assist with the project. The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners, at its meeting Tuesday, approved a resolution approving the $25,000 investment for each township that is part of a broadband deployment project. If every township took the county up on its offer, it would cost $600,000. The board’s

County distributes $314,000, more than half of business relief

February 6, 2021

County distributes $314,000, more than half of business relief
On Tuesday, the Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the disbursal of $314,000 in the second round of Minnesota Pandemic Relief (MPR) grants to local establishments reeling from the last round of COVID-19 related shutdowns. “The applications are still coming in,” said Jean Spaulding, who is overseeing the MPR grant disbursement. MPR program is a joint effort between the county and the Kandiyohi County and city of Wilmer Economic Development Commission (EDC) to funnel the

Local EDC aid helps businesses

January 29, 2021

Local EDC aid helps businesses
WILLMAR—The Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission has had a front row seat to the challenges and hardship the coronavirus pandemic has brought to businesses and non-profits across the county. And since late March 2020 the EDC has also been in the driver’s seat of several financial relief programs, helping those businesses hang on. “I am proud of the organization in terms of what we are trying to do to help businesses survive this rough patch,”

County doles out COVID relief

January 23, 2021

County doles out COVID relief
On Tuesday, the Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the dispersal of $265,000 in the first round of Minneapolis Pandemic Relief (MOR) grants to local establishments reeling from the last round of COVID-19 related shutdowns. “We develop the program with that in mind so that they would get the first priority and work downwards” said Jean Spaulding, who is overseeing the MPR grant disbursement. The MPR program is a joint effort between the county and the Kandiyohi county

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
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