Grant aimed at attracting, helping businesses in Ottertail

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Hume Plumbing has become the second business to receive a grant as part of the Ottertail Opportunity Fund. 

During its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Dec. 19, which was delayed four days after inclement weather forced a delay to the city council meeting on Thursday, Dec. 15, the city council officially approved the business for the new funding. 

Hume Plumbing is a new plumbing business that will be located near the Rusty Anchor in Ottertail. The business will receive $10,000 as part of the program. 

The new loan program is an offshoot of a program unveiled by the City of Ottertail a few years ago that focused on commercial rehab projects. 

The new loan program came to fruition after a private donation was made to West Central Initiative to assist with commercial rehab projects, new businesses relocating to town and an opportunity for nonprofit groups to receive a grant to better the community. 

The new program will offer up to $5,000 in matching grants for business rehab projects, up to $10,000 for a new business to come to Ottertail if they construct a new building and a grant for non profits to better the community in Ottertail. 

The loan will be placed on the property as a lien, but no payments will be required on this loan unless the property is sold, transferred or otherwise conveyed, Should the conveyance occur within three years the total loan would be repaid. After three years the loan amount is reduced by 25 percent for each year until the seventh year in which the entire loan will be forgiven.

In other news

• Approved a Sunday on-sale liquor license for the Williams Company Store. The license will replace the strong wine license that the establishment already had in place.

• Approved an off-sale liquor license for Ottertail Liquors, as well as a combination Sunday, off-sale/on-sale liquor licenses for Thumper Pond, the Otter Supper Club and Woodshed Bar and Grill.

• Approved a mowing contract and maintenance service contact with Ottertail Aggregate. 

• Approved a grant from the West Central Initiative to plant apple trees along the bike path in Ottertail. 

• Approved a 15 percent increase in the 2023 tax levy in Ottertail.