The Minot Area Chamber EDC continues to move closer to getting intermodal operations on the proper track.

The Minot City Council on Monday authorized lease agreements that will enable Westbrand Real Estate Holdings, a subsidiary of First Western Bank & Trust, and LPND1, a subsidiary of MACEDC, to move forward with closing on a property transfer. MACEDC has been working to acquire property held by First Western as a result of foreclosure on a previous intermodal operator.

The council also authorized LPND1 to sublet to RMG Minot, which is the current intermodal operator.

These steps were anticipated to occur when the city council unanimously approved a five-year business incentive agreement with LPND1 in January. The business agreement states the city will provide a $1.56 million forgivable loan to enable LPND1 to exercise an option to buy city land at the intermodal site under the terms of the 2009 lease. In exchange, LPND1 is guaranteeing full-time, continuous operation of the facility for five years.

In other business, the council approved the selection of Ackerman-Estvold as architects for the Minot Public Library’s Children’s Library remodel. The work will include a space needs analysis, conceptual building layout plans, cost estimating, project bidding and construction administration.

To be included in the construction are an enclosed children’s play area, additional shelving, reading nooks, a play structure and a redesigned entrance.

The council also approved the library’s use of primarily grants and donations to digitize its local newspaper microfilm and make the collection available online. The library anticipates the $35,596 available will enable it to digitize about half of the hundreds of rolls of microfilm of newspapers dating to 1894.

Working with Advantage Archives, the library has entered the initial batch of microfilm online at https://minotlibrary.advantage-preservation.com/.

Also in separate action Monday, the council approved an addition to the rehabilitation of the new city hall building to include an enhanced air purification system for the emergency dispatch center. Initially, the council passed on the project for funding reasons, intending to consider it later. The air purification system with ionization is expected to cost $33,170 with installation.