NYM EDA hears update on OT County programs

By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

The monthly meeting of the New York Mills Economic Development Authority drew a few visitors on April 19.

Among the visitors was Amy Baldwin, Community Development Director for Otter Tail County, who spoke about all of the opportunities available throughout Otter Tail County.

Baldwin provided updates on the housing update in the county including a 13 percent increase in new housing units, property tax rebate available through 2024, expanded down payment assistance, tax abatement program which was applied to the anticipated South Point Apartment complex, as well as getting into direct construction with a project in Battle Lake funded through Minnesota Housing.

Other updates at the county level were an affordable senior housing project in Dalton with a subsidy through the county Housing and Development, progress with Otter Tail Power on the Design Build program, child care resources being widely available, Inflation Reduction Act initiatives coming out in the near future, and the community growth partnership grants.

The main topic of discussion and optimism is the Youth Workforce Navigation Program, which provides local high school students with an opportunity to tour, learn about and even work at local businesses to get a foot in the door before graduation. Lunds and ShoreLand’r are both certified businesses which means they are able to offer students the chance to work at their facilities through the school and county.

Another student opportunity available locally is the Civic and Commerce and EDA digital marketing internship, which is currently open for applications. The job position includes working on promotional videos, social media posts, and related areas for the City of NY Mills. Promoting the new additions to the city as well as the longtime-staples of the community are a focus of the internship.

In other news

• Latham Hetland informed the board that the NYM2025 organization has rebranded to NYM Forward as it looks to the future, beyond their accomplishments in the past and their original goal of 2025. The Downtown Revitalization Committee has been meeting as well.

• Julie Roberts provided an update on the South Point Addition. The backhoe sitting in the field on the corner of South Walker and Highway 67 will be joined by some new heavy machinery this week in anticipation of the warming weather. The equipment will be used in the 4-5 week process of installing the needed infrastructure for development in South Point. She also mentioned that Gohmann, the owner of the plot of land destined for the 60-unit apartment complex, is confident that construction on the building will begin sometime this spring.

• Comments on succession planning, potential grant ideas, an Amish market possibility, and a potential laundromat were briefly mentioned.

• The next meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. on May 17 in the city hall.