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Action Team Meeting Minutes IDC and JOBS 2020: Action Team Report Back Meeting Present: John Ward, Jim Hoolihan, David Marty, Mike Ives, John Rajala, Bernadine Joselyn, Sholom Blake, Doug Learmont, Bud Stone, Ed Zabinski, Rick Utech, Peter McDermott, Lucy Flessner Chairman Jim Hoolihan called the meeting to order. ACTION TEAM REPORTS Action Team 1: Reduce production costs of manufacturing Doug Learmont reporting Action Team 1 will hold their 10th meeting on October 21st. At the September 24th meeting the Team heard a presentation from MotherLode North America on: Manufacturing Cost Reduction using Electronic Purchasing Processes. MotherLode is a local company formed to offer significant reduction in the cost of purchasing through an automated supply chain. The Team is also working on developing a news article for submission to the local newspaper outlining the impact and benefits of manufacturing jobs on the economy of the Itasca area. Healthcare costs for small companies (25 or less employees) will be a topic at the November meeting. Action Team 2: Tourism: Implement a county-wide lodging tax to promote the region’s tourism. Mike Ives reporting Members of the Tourism action team have met and are working on a plan to determine how a lodging tax, if adopted by the county, could be structured for developing an area-wide marketing plan. Grant money that has been available for tourism marketing in the past will not exist in the future. As that realization sets in, the necessity of finding new ways to market the area will become more apparent. The Team will work with the Edge of the Wilderness group which has been collecting lodging tax for several years and resorters. Questions that will be addressed in the plan include: Where will the money go? Who will control it? How will the money be spent? Action Team 3: Become a center of excellence to educate and sustain a professional healthcare workforce for regional rural communities Written report submitted by Mike Johnson The action team supported the joint grant application made by Hibbing Community College and Itasca Community College for the “Career Ladder for Education and Advancement of Nursing Programs for Rural Minnesota” through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant of $224,897 has been awarded and will help educate, train, and retain nurses in a collaborative virtual learning/facility sharing effort. The project will create an accessible avenue of nursing education and career ladder advancement, from the certified nursing assistant to the licensed practical nurse to the registered nurse. The program will consist of a seamless sequence of “blended” on-line courses that infuse rural nursing culture and concepts into all levels of teaching and learning. Although this is a grant for education, it is being described as an economic development tool by those close to the project. Action Team 6: Explore JOB Zones as an economic development tool for Itasca County Rick Utech and Sholom Blake reporting The JOBZone application is due at the Department of Employment and Economic Development October 15, 2003. Total acreage for Itasca County included in the Northeast Region application currently equals 840. A map showing the locations of those acres was reviewed. Approximate breakdown of the acreage submitted is as follows: City of Bigfork – 24; Bigfork Township – 15; Calumet – 26; Cohasset – 203; Coleriane – 137.5; Deer River – 4; City of Grand Rapids – 280; Grand Rapids Township – 100; LaPrairie – 7.5; Nashwauk – 23; Warba – 20. The Northeast Region has put together a well organized application and all indications are that it will be selected as a JOB Zone location. Action Team 8: Create a community-wide event Bernadine Joselyn and Dave Marty reporting A recap of the very successful first annual “Goods from the Woods” was presented via power point by Bernadine Joselyn. The event combined educational workshops, and “Up North” specialty forest products marketplace and a community festival to celebrate Minnesota’s northern forests and promote a vibrant forest-based economy. Over 150 participants attended the workshops and master classes. 100% of evaluation respondents said they would recommend the workshops to others. Over 200 community members attended the Forest Dream: A Night of Native Art at the Reif Center on Saturday evening, September 27th. Over 2,000 visitors participated in the “Goods from the Woods” festivities over the two day event. Plans have already begun for the second annual event which has been scheduled for September 18 & 19, 2004. Additional information can be found at www.specialforestproducts.com Action Team 9: Grow Itasca Peter McDermott reporting JOBS 2003 name has officially changed the name to Grow Itasca. The team has expanded to include four new members and coverage is expanding from about 40 to 100 area businesses. The team is collaborating with the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce under their Grow Minnesota program. The Grow Minnesota program includes a formal survey and confidential data base which will enable the team to draw conclusions about the Itasca area business needs and what the community can do to help. The team will continue their efforts to assist each business with their specific challenges. Through the collaboration with Grow Minnesota, the team will be networked with communities throughout the state to retain and expand business in Minnesota. The next Report Back meeting will be held Tuesday, November 11th from Noon until 1:30 p.m. The December meeting has not been scheduled, but will include a broader overview of the work of all the Action Teams as the year draws to an end. The meeting was adjourned. Submitted by Lucy Flessner
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