WILLMAR—The Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission has found its next business development manager and didn’t have to look far to find her. Current Willmar City Planner Sarah Swedburg has accepted the position and plans to start around May 6. She is replacing Connie Schmoll, who is retiring at the end of May. Schmoll […]
WILLMAR—While specifics were slim, Aaron Backman, Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission executive director, gave some intriguing hints Thursday about possible major economic development projects that could be headed to Willmar. The biggest is a large distribution center project for an undisclosed end user. Back in 2018-2019, a logistics company came close to building
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
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
County continues to push for border-to-border high speed Internet Read More »
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
Renaissance Zone could bring about a rebirth of downtown Willmar Read More »
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
EDC tallies $3.3M in local business relief grants Read More »
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
WILLMAR—The early arrival of winter, or at least a sneak peek of it, has caused a delay in the completion of the realignment of U.S. Highway 12 on the western edge of Willmar, a part of the Willmar Wye railroad bypass project. According to the weekly wye update released Monday by the Minnesota Department of
Snow slows downs U.S. Highway 12 completion in Willmar Read More »
The Willmar 10 Investment Group presented their idea to the Willmar City Council about where a new city hall and community center could go. The local group of investors wants to purchase the old JCPenney location in Uptown Willmar and remodel it into a combined city hall and community center. The City Council gave its
Willmar City Council open to exploring Willmar 10’s city hall proposal Read More »
WILLMAR—Some familiar issues are emerging as the District 8 office of the Minnesota Department of Transportation looks at how to improve intermodal freight movement in the southwest counties of the state. Safety is chief among them: The district has a high rate of severe accidents at its high-traffic intersections, Lindsey Bruer, planning director for District
‘Gaps,’ intersection safety among issues emerging in freight study Read More »
WILLMAR — It took nearly a year, but the 2020 state bonding bill finally found its way to Gov. Tim Walz’s desk this week. Following passage in both the state House of Representatives and the Senate, Walz has indicated he will sign the $1.9 billion infrastructure bill into law. Included in the package is funding
State bonding bill includes funding for youth facilities in Willmar Read More »
The City of Willmar is interested in creating the conditions for a strong and vibrant downtown area. To that end on May 4, 2020 the Willmar City Council adopted the Renaissance Zone, which is a new zoning overlay district encompassing the Central Business District and adjacent areas. The new Willmar Renaissance Zone is a 5-year
Willmar creates a Renaissance Zone Read More »
