Winfield is open for business

By Gretchen Teske, Mt. Pleasant News

WINFIELD ? The Winfield City Council is putting together an economic development plan designed to encourage small businesses to take up residence in Winfield.

The city had a similar plan in the past, which included forgivable loans, but the new plan has been developed with financial security for the city in mind. Under the revised economic development plan unveiled during Wednesday night?s meeting, businesses can apply for up to $20,000 which must be paid back within 10 years at the rate of $2,000 a year. The first year?s payment will be waived as a way to help establishments get started resulting in the final payments to the council equaling $18,000.

The money must be used for non-operation expenses such as furniture or building improvements. Failure to keep the business open for the life span of the loan will result in the remaining money being due at the time of closure. To apply for the program, businesses must have an acceptable business plan, proof in receipts that the money is not being used for operating expenses, projected earnings and a security deposit to be determined by the council. Examples of the security deposit could be cash or the building the business is operating in.

The economic development plan is open to all new businesses and expansions. The council decided to dedicate $40,000 for the 2018 fiscal year. The official plan will be drafted and drawn up to be approved at the next meeting.

The plan is already in motion as Mayor Chris Finnel announced the city is in talks with a pharmacist based in Florida. The city has previously tried to install a telepharmacy, even progressing so far forward as to have a pharmacist lined up, but they backed out. The Florida-based pharmacist operates several telepharmacies down south and has expressed interest in moving into the Midwest. The pharmacist would be responsible for opening and operating the telepharmacy in town. The store will sell basic over-the-counter medicine as well as health and beauty products. The store is expected to occupy the Ben Franklin building, but no details have been decided.

Moving the local economy forward is a focus of the council as they are once again looking at the possibility of opening a Dollar General in town. The talk started months ago but was tabled while the council focused on getting the pool project underway. Finnel said having local investors for the store makes the idea more enticing to the company and he would like to encourage businesses to consider. ?That might help us in the long run to put local business into it,? he said.

The council then decided to create an economic development plan of their own as they awarded the pool contracts. On July 30 the council opened three bids as follows:

Ranmo Enterprises: $1,791,000

Carl Nelson: 1,461,000

Meyers Construction: $1,135,700

The council approved the awarding of the bid to Meyers Construction.

In other news, the Henry County Freedom Rock will make its official home in Winfield, but the exact location still is a mystery. The council decided they would like to see it in front of the VFW building. The problem is the lot is owned by Windstream. The council is waiting word back from the company to see if they can lease the space for the purpose of homing the rock. Their second choice is in front of the pool.

The next meeting of the Winfield City Council will be Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. in City Hall.