May 14—WILLMAR

—

Willmar Ten Investors

will give a presentation to

Willmar City Council

at the Monday, May 15, meeting about site concepts and cost estimates for renovating the JCPenney building at

Uptown Willmar

for a combined city hall and community center.

The City Council meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. at the Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services building in the board room.

Willmar Ten expects the project to cost an estimated $18.2 million to $20.7 million, according to information in the City Council agenda packet. The estimate does not include furniture or technology.

A timeline for the project shows that construction could be completed by December 2024, with preliminary planning and design development taking place through August 2023, construction documents and estimating taking place through early December 2023 and contracts being awarded by the end of December.

In other action, the Willmar City Council at Monday's meeting will also consider hiring Tom Odens to fill the finance director position, which is vacant due to the retirement of Steve Okins.

Odens is currently employed in the Kandiyohi County Auditor/Treasurer's office. The salary range for the city position is approximately $96,000 to $125,000.

Other items on the agenda include approval of a purchase agreement with

MB Rail for 145 acres in Willmar Industrial Park

at a cost of $1.16 million; a public hearing to rezone 11 parcels on Second Street Southeast between Olena and Willmar avenues to address an omission from an amendment to the General Business District; and consideration of paying costs associated with the BNSF Railway Site Certification Program for a portion of

Willmar Industrial Park

.