NYM purchases 24 lots on north side of town

By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

The New York Mills Economic Development Authority met for their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 16 to discuss the discuss the ever changing economic landscape within the city.

The EDA Board has been trying to solicit consulting quotes for a number of months now and have not had much luck in securing them. While they wait for two final quotes, consulting items such as grant writing software, community outreach, and succession planning are all items on the board’s list of topics considered.

The NY Mills EDA also received an update on the available remaining hours from the CEDA grant, which they have also been patiently waiting for months to receive. After payment of the rotating billboard locations and the upgraded Otter Tail Country Lakes Association membership, there is a total of $5,184 left in funding. This is enough to purchase a new visitor center kiosk, dog waste-station and informational sign for the Barn and Sculpture Park, which the board has discussed previously.

There was one application for the Downtown Matching Grant Program in the past month from Mills Family Dentistry who will be having an asphalt overlay installed at their office North Walker Avenue. The application was approved from 2025 grant funding.

The board was informed that the city council purchased 24 acres on the north side of town along Highway 67 and would be available for EDA development. The property could be served by both the Country View lift station as well as Cenex. Industrial uses would necessitate an upgrade to the lift stations to serve any additional volume and use.

In other news

• Heard the Family Resource Center is coming along in the City Center building and interviews for the Coordinator position are already underway.

• Heard there are purchase agreements on three lots in Country View which would leave only one left in phase one on John Mark Avenue. This has been noted to be an exciting accomplishment for the city and City Clerk Julie Roberts’ work of marketing and selling the lots has been commended by the board on several occasions.

• Heard the CDA-HRA has received approval to move forward with building two spec-homes in NY Mills. They are currently searching for lots in town to do so. The city is also waiting to hear back from the county about the two senior triplexes that will be built at South Point.

• Heard the South Point Apartment building has 27 apartments filled out of a total of 60. The contractor will be contacted about a final clean up for the site. Materials for the shelters along the walking trail have been received and the Public Works Department will be installing them as well as working towards connecting the dog park to the trail.

• The next meeting of the EDA will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 8:30 a.m. in the NY Mills City Hall Chambers.