It appears that Farmland demolition will start Oct. 21, according to City Manager Paul Sparks.

At this point the company is still negotiating the demolition contract with the city, and $550,000 needs to be added to the city’s demolition fund, which is made up of $2.45 million from Farmland’s insurance payments.

The $550,000 is also from Farmland’s insurers, making a grand total of $3 million for the city to use toward demolition.

The estimated cost of demolition had been $2.4 million, based on bids made in early September, but that cost may change if the weather turns cold sooner than expected.

Sparks said Farmland has the option of either paying for the first $550,000 of the demolition costs with the money they have left to give the city, or they can just transfer it to the city’s Farmland demolition insurance account.

The cooperative is now clearing anything of worth out of the plant, which was damaged by a fire that started July 8, 2001. Old machinery, stainless steel, shelving and other moveable factory items of worth are being removed before the demolition begins.