Willmar council approves Amendment No. 1 to Fiber Network Phase 1 to establish easements for about 76 parcels

The Willmar City Council on April 21 approved Amendment No. 1 to its Fiber Network Phase 1 project to create right-of-way plats and easement exhibits for approximately 76 parcels.

The amendment, described by Kyle, operations director, is intended to “correct and … establish right of way plats and easement exhibits, through approximately 76 parcels” and to create utility easements that would serve fiber now and other utilities in the future. Kyle said the work was identified during the project’s design phase and that staff would evaluate whether some costs could be allocated to overlapping street projects such as Sixteenth Street.

Council members voted to approve surveying services tied to Amendment No. 1. The motion was moved and seconded (mover and seconder not recorded in the transcript). The roll-call vote recorded Council member Gilbertson — Aye; Council member Gardner — Aye; Council member Baggerly — No; Council member Davis — Aye; Council member Butterfield — Aye; Council member Choliz — Aye; Council member Ask — Aye; Council member Nelson — Aye. The motion carried, 7–1.

The council packet described the amendment as establishing utility easements and right-of-way exhibits for parcels included in Phase 1; a specific dollar amount and funding source for the surveying work were not specified in the meeting record. Kyle said staff would start the work as soon as possible and could review whether part of the easement work should be billed to future street construction projects instead of the fiber project.

No amendments to the motion were recorded, and no formal conditions or effective dates were provided in the public motion and vote recorded on the meeting transcript.