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Fairmont seeks funds for development

FAIRMONT — The Fairmont City Council on Monday approved application for a $300,000 Minnesota Investment Fund grant to assist Zierke Built Manufacturing with financing equipment and creating jobs.

The Investment Fund awards money to local governments that, in turn, provide loans to assist in business expansions. All projects must meet minimum criteria for private investment, number of jobs created or retained and wages paid.

Zierke would repay the loan to the city, with a portion of the repayment going back to MIF and a portion kept by the Fairmont Economic Development Authority as part of the program. FEDA will forgive $60,000 of the Zierke loan in support of the company’s efforts to create 20 new full-time jobs at a wage of $16 per hour plus benefits.

Zierke Built Manufacturing moved from Winnebago to Fairmont in August 2017, bringing along 30 employees to its new site at 1500 Winnebago Ave. Since then, the company has doubled its employees to 60.

In another matter, the council unanimously approved selling a lot at 407 N. Elm Street and a house at 415 E. Sixth St. to Habitat for Humanity of Martin and Faribault Counties. The city gained possession of both properties through tax forfeiture. Habitat will pay closing costs for the empty lot, and $1,500 and closing costs for the house.

“In both cases, it gets property back on the tax roles,” said Mike Humpal, city administrator.

Staci Thompson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, thanked the city for its generosity. She said a Schmeeckle Foundation grant will cover half of the cost to move a donated house from 433 Lake Ave. to the empty lot on North Elm. A family from Fairmont already has been selected for the home.

The Sixth Street house has minimal deficiencies to resolve, and it will be occupied by a single individual.

In other business, the council:

o Approved transferring funds from Orr, Sauk Centre and Houston County to build a $1.3 million hangar and associated apron and taxiway at the Fairmont Airport. About $1 million of the project is eligible for federal funding. The city receives $150,000 annually in federal entitlement funds to complete projects but has a cap of $600,000 of these funds that can be carried over so there is a large gap in available funds. Airports are eligible to transfer these funds among each other to fill the funding gap, so Fairmont will received $150,000 from each of the three entities and will pay them back in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

o Approved permits allowing closure of First Street from Downtown Plaza to Park Street on June 8 for the Interlaken Heritage Days street dance and for the Blazer Bar & Grill to serve alcoholic beverages in a beer garden in front of their building for the dance.

o Approved event permits for the Fairmont Opera House for two performances at Sylvania Park. Paul “Mayo” Mayasich will perform from 7-9:30 p.m. June 6 and Becky Schlegel will perform from 7-9:30 p.m. Aug. 29.

o Approved an intoxicating liquor license for McCorkell Racing Enterprises Inc. at the Fairmont Raceway, pending a satisfactory background investigation.

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