Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission

Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission

Lund Boats bringing light manufacturing facility to Willmar

June 4, 2022

A new manufacturing facility for Brunswick Corporation, which manufactures Lund Boats, will work in conjunction with the company’s New York Mills manufacturing facility. The company is bringing a small part of its operation to Willmar to alleviate a labor shortage in its main location. Read the full story at the West Central Tribune

Kandiyohi County continues to create spending plan for American Rescue Plan funds

May 24, 2022

The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners held a work session on how to spend the remaining $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds the county has. Out of the original $8.3 million, the board dedicated 75 percent of it to expanding broadband access in the county. The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners meets in a work session Tuesday, May 17, to discuss how to spend the remaining $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds not yet designated by the county for a specific purpose. Read

Kandiyohi County, Charter Communications partner on $800,000 broadband project to serve 170 homes, businesses

May 16, 2022

A cooperative project between Kandiyohi County and Charter Communications will bring broadband to more than 170 rural, unserved homes and small businesses in the county. Charter is investing more than $563,000, and the county has committed nearly $240,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding. Read the full story from the West Central Tribune

Housing is a hot topic for Willmar, and the job of a new mayor’s task force

May 13, 2022

A housing task force was created at the May 2 Willmar City Council meeting. A group of 15 to 16 people is expected to work for three months, or even less, and report back to the city and other partners trying to promote the availability of more housing. Although more apartment complexes are under construction, single-family housing has been identified as a particular need. Read the full story at the West Central Tribune

Dirt is moving along Highway 23 gaps project, a moment of celebration for supporters

May 10, 2022

While construction has already begun on the north gap of the Highway 23 four-lane project, supporters gathered Friday in Roscoe to officially celebrate the start of the long-planned and wished-for project. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Roadside Tavern Banquet Hall, with various state, county, city and township dignitaries from along Minnesota Highway 23 in attendance. See pictures of the event and read the full article at the West Central Tribune

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. senators visit Kandiyohi County to meet with those responding to avian flu

April 27, 2022

WILLMAR — Minnesota is proud of its agricultural heritage, including being the No. 1 producer of turkeys in the nation. Unfortunately, that also means the state is being hit hard by this year’s outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Since late March, nearly 1.4 million turkeys and chickens in Minnesota have been impacted and culled at 40 different sites — most of them commercial poultry producers and six of them in Kandiyohi County alone. “We knew this was coming. We saw

Willmar City Council approves contamination cleanup grant application for Block 25 Lofts project

April 25, 2022

Cleanup is needed on a downtown Willmar lot slated to be the home of an apartment complex, including petroleum, a fuel tank leak and solvents used by a former dry cleaning business. Willmar City Council approved being the fiscal agent for a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development contamination cleanup grant for Lumber One, the developers who will be constructing Block 25 Lofts apartments. Read the complete article at West Central Tribune

Willmar City Council gives Nexyst 360 early access to 137 acres of Industrial Park land

April 18, 2022

The Willmar City Council approved an early access agreement with Nexyst 360, an agricultural distribution company that wants to purchase 137 acres in the Willmar Industrial Park. The agreement would allow Nexyst 360 to begin developer activities such as surveys, environmental assessments and soil investigations prior to any land sale being completed. Nexyst 360 is interested in purchasing more than 130 acres on the western side of the Willmar Industrial Park. The Willmar City Council on Monday,

Kandiyohi and Meeker counties join together to bring broadband to residents

February 22, 2022

WILLMAR—Over the past year, Kandiyohi County has been concentrating on bringing high-speed broadband to all corners of the county. The County Board has even pledged to use up to 75% of its American Rescue Plan Act coronavirus relief money to fund various broadband projects. At the Feb. 15 County Board meeting, the commissioners approved a letter of support for a grant application being pursued by a party outside of Kandiyohi County. Vibrant Broadband from Litchfield is applying for a USDA ReConnect

Workforce summit held in Willmar to help businesses recruit and retain

January 21, 2022

WILLMAR—The world and its workforce have changed dramatically over the past several years and employers need to change right along with them. That was the overall message at the Workforce Solutions Summit held Thursday in Willmar. Sponsored and produced by a partnership of several regional economic development and community organizations, the summit brought dozens from the surrounding business area to the Willmar Community (sic) Center. There were presentations on labor market trends, diversifying

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