The West Central Tribune reports…

During a brief 15-minute Willmar City Council meeting last week, the council approved more than $6.2 million in street improvement projects to be completed this summer.

The council accepted the low bids and approved the as-bid budgets for the reconstruction of Fourth Street Southwest, several seal-coating projects and stormwater improvements.

The council during the May 4 meeting also authorized the advertisement for bids for renovation of the former wastewater treatment plant building on Fifth Street Southeast to be the network operations center for the citywide broadband project known as Willmar Connect.

More info on the Willmar Connect project…

Willmar Connect is the city’s plan to construct a city-owned, open-access broadband network that will be operated and managed by Hometown Fiber. Multiple internet service providers can operate on the network, paying fees to the city that will generate revenue to service the debt and interest on the bonds issued to pay for network construction.

Phase one of the project will take place this year, constructing the network operations center and installing fiber-optic lines for all businesses and residences west of First Street South between U.S. Highway 12 and 19th Avenue.

Phase two of the project will install fiber-optic lines for businesses and residences south of 19th Avenue and east of First Street South and is expected to commence next year. Phase three, expected in 2028, will finish the installation of fiber-optic lines north of Highway 12.