Swift County committs $50,000 toward a veterans home in Monte

Swift County is committing $50,000 toward a proposed veterans home to be built in Montevideo.
At their meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, the board of commissioners voted unanimously to commit the funds though they won’t be needed for perhaps three to four years. The amount matches pledges already made by Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine counties.
A delegation from Montevideo and Chippewa County met with the Swift County commissioners to ask for the financial support. They have already committed $3 million to the $33.01 million project.
The delegation was seeking Swift County support as they prepare to head to St. Paul to meet with members of the state Legislature in hopes of getting the project included in the state bonding bill. They also need Gov. Mark Dayton’s backing.
Members of the delegation were: Marvin Garbe Montevideo, president of the Montevideo City Council and chairman of the Veterans Home Committee; Community Development Director Angie Steinbach; Chippewa County Veterans Service (VSO) Office Tim Kolhei; and Montevideo City Manager Steve Jones. Swift County VSO Dave Barrett was also at the meeting.
“Montevideo has a complete plan in place to build and support operations of the next veterans home in our community,” Steinbach told Swift County’s commissioners. “The need for a veterans home is proven. Financial supporters of this project have committed over $4.5 million to the construction of a Veterans Home in Montevideo.”
The state wants a significant part of its share to be picked up by the local area where the veterans home would be constructed.