Winfield puts construction in motion

WINFIELD - The Winfield City Council is ready to get to work after signing an agreement for a construction loan on their pool and awarding a loan to J n J Pizza, a new business in Winfield.

The council met in special session on Wednesday, Sept. 26, to approve a loan of $1.3 million to be used for construction on their new pool. The loan is from from Wayland State Bank and Pilot Grove Savings Bank. On July 30, the council awarded the construction contract to Meyers Construction for $1,135,700. Work, which included pouring footings for the new pool house, was scheduled for earlier in the month but the excessive rainfall in early September set the schedule back. Construction has begun and will continue through the winter. The council hopes to have the pool open by Memorial Day 2019.

The council also approved a $20,000 loan to Joel and Jessica Haines of J n J Pizza, as part of a newly developed economic plan designed to help attract new businesses to Winfield. The Haineses approached the council in June, asking for a loan to help offset the cost of opening their own restaurant. The couple own the former Paul Revere's Pizza building but construction halted when repairs amounted to more than they could presently afford. As of July, the couple invested over $10,000 of their own money into the establishment.

Under the economic development plan, businesses can apply for a loan 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 Haineses were not present for Wednesday's meeting but will be required to sign the contract drawn up by the city lawyer before the money is granted. The loan will be granted in a lump sum and the business owners will be required to turn in receipts to prove what the money is being used for.

In other news, the council revised the time frame for trick-or-treating. The previous time frame became a point of concern after recognizing that trick-or treating was to end at 8 p.m. and the haunted house sponsored by the community was to begin at 8 p.m. The council felt there would not be enough time for volunteers to get from their homes to the haunted houses, resulting in less time for kids to trick-or-treat due to no one being home. The time frame was revised and on Saturday, Oct. 27, the annual weiner roast will be from 4-5:30 p.m. in the parking lot on the corner of Locust and Pine Streets, with trick-or-treating to follow from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The haunted house will open 30 minutes later at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, only.

Additionally, the council approved the closing of city offices for software training on the following dates: Oct, 11, Oct. 12, Oct. 30, Oct. 31, Nov. 29 and Nov. 30.

The next regular meeting of the Winfield City Council will be Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. in City Hall.