WILLMAR — The July 13 lightning-caused fire at Prairie Lakes Youth Programs has currently rendered the building at 1804 Civic Center Dr. NE unusable. A report on the facility and the repairs being made is on the agenda for the Aug. 20 Kandiyohi County Board meeting.
The board meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of the Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services building in Willmar.
Prairie Lakes Youth Programs leadership will seek board approval to suspend the lease on the fire-damaged building while the organization is unable to use it, as well as permission to place a mobile office trailer on the property at 1808 Civic Center Dr. NE.
Due to the fire and water damage, the facility was forced to relocate its offices and other facilities from the building at 1804. The lease agreement between Prairie Lakes Youth Programs and the county provides for a suspension of rent if the building is deemed uninhabitable.
Prairie Lakes Youth Programs is also asking the county for direction on what type of repair and restoration work should be done on the building, as the county owns the building. The work will be covered by insurance. Cleanup and repair work has already begun.
Also on the county board’s agenda Tuesday are a liquor license application from The Land event center and restaurant in rural Spicer, a report and tax levy application from the Kandiyohi County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, a report on the Willmar Area Community Foundation’s special needs fund and a report from West Central Advocacy and Inclusion Matter, an organization that advocates for people with disabilities.
The board will hear from Willmar Youth Services about the Lutheran Social Services Successful Transition to Adulthood for Youth program. Kandiyohi and seven other counties have received funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to operate the program. The county board will be asked to approve the contract for the program, with Kandiyohi County serving as the financial sponsor.
The board will also consider issuing a letter of support for a request for funds from the Minnesota Department of Transportation to fund the Minnesota Highway 23 Willmar Bypass Project. The project will widen a 2.5-mile section of the highway from approximately Kandiyohi County Road 5 to U.S. Highway 71 from two to four lanes. The project is recommended by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar for a $5 million congressionally mandated spending appropriation or appropriation and is on the final Senate budget list.
The full agenda for the meeting can be viewed online at kcmn.civicweb.net.
Following the regular meeting, a working session on the district budget will take place.
