Willmar council narrows 2025 CIP priorities as available cash falls short
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Summary
With a proposed $450,000 transfer to the 2025 CIP, councilors prioritized safety and grant‑matched projects — airport work, Civic Center repairs, security cameras and two squad cars — while flagging dozens of deferred needs and options for covering gaps including property sale proceeds or levy adjustments.
Councilors reviewed a detailed Capital Improvement Program for 2025 and wrestled with a long list of needs that exceed the city’s proposed $450,000 cash allocation.
Staff presented a line-by-line CIP and said the general-fund transfer proposed for 2025 is $450,000 while requests originally totaled roughly $2.5 million. "In our general fund, we're proposing $450,000," staff said when opening the CIP discussion.
Why it matters: The council must balance statutory and safety needs (ADA and elevator upgrades; safety-related building repairs and generator capacity) against a long list of deferred maintenance and vehicle replacements (plow trucks, snowblower, mowers and squad cars) without substantially increasing the levy.
Key priorities and contested items: Several councilors recommended prioritizing three airport projects that carry federal/state grant matches (reducing local share), Civic Center door and east-wall work, security cameras at high‑use facilities and two police squad cars. Other items — protective netting at ballfields (estimated ~$155,000), auditorium electrical remodel and additional vehicle replacements — drew mixed support and fundraising suggestions from boosters and user groups.
Budget arithmetic and options: Staff and councilors discussed sale proceeds from a Redwood property, reallocating ARPA or statewide housing aid, delaying projects to future CIP years, or accepting a tax-rate increase; staff warned that raising the levy could be necessary to cover additional CIP cash if council moves to add back projects.
Next steps: Staff will refine CIP and budget options, prepare updated levy figures and bring recommendations to the truth-in-taxation hearing and next council meeting. No final CIP appropriation was adopted at the work session.