MW hosts House Capital Investment Committee for bonding requests

The Minnesota West Worthington campus played host Wednesday afternoon to a visit from the state House Capital Investment Committee.

The committee is in the midst of traveling the state to visit and learn about infrastructure project proposals that hope to be funded through a 2026 Capital Investment bill.

During a roughly one-hour visit Wednesday, legislators first heard from representatives of the cities of Butterfield and Trimont.

Butterfield Mayor Mark Warner explained that his community is seeking $8.2 million for repairs and upgrades to its wastewater treatment facility, the city's force main and lift station due to outdated, failing and hazardous infrastructure. These improvements are considered the first phase of what's estimated at nearly $30 million in infrastructure needs for Butterfield.

Travis Winter of Bolton and Menk represented the City of Trimont along with City Clerk/Treasurer Kelli Harder. They are requesting $19.6 million for phase one of an infrastructure improvement project that would include the predesign, design, construction, reconstruction and equipping of the city's water distribution, sewer collection, storm sewer systems and associated street reconstruction. The complete upgrades needed by the community are estimated to cost more than $62 million.

Minnesota West President Terry Gaalswyk addressed the committee last. He said the college is requesting Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement funds for updates that include roof replacements at the Canby campus, the conversion of nine air handling units to chilled water at the Granite Falls campus, and improvements at the Worthington campus that include replacement of 20-year-old boilers, replacement of walkway windows, brick and masonry, and replacement of the CCE building roof and brick tuckpoint repairs.

Also requested by the college were funds for renovations that would provide additional learning spaces for the school's nursing program. Included in a Minnesota State System request of $13.5 million is a Minnesota West request of $2 million for those renovations. The college hopes a federal grant would fund the remaining $8 million needed for the work.