|
Action Team Meeting Minutes IDC/Jobs 2020: Action Team Report Back Meeting Present: Dave Latvala, Mike Andrews, Nancy Roth, John Ward, Kirk Bustrom, Jim Hoolihan, Mary Kosak, Doug Learmont, Ed Zabinski, Sue Scherer, Lucy Flessner, Peter McDermott
ACTION TEAM REPORTS Air Service
Matt Romanik reporting Action Team members continue efforts to set up a meeting with the President of Great Lakes Aviation to discuss the feasibility of connecting Grand Rapids to Air Tran and Frontier Airlines at Minneapolis. The financial uncertainties and stresses within the airline industry affect the regional/commuter airline side of the industry. Northwest Airlines is not interested, under current circumstances, in returning air service to the local airport. The Action Team is focusing on looking for commuter service to Minneapolis. Governor Pawlenty supports a plan to add 48 additional gates at the Minneapolis airport. The local Airport Manager has contacted other Minnesota communities with similar air service needs to discuss planning a coordinated effort to communicate to Governor Pawlenty concerns regarding this support. The Action Team believes this would only add to the pressure of the already overburdened metropolitan infrastructure and contrast with the Governor’s JOBZ program of creating economic diversity in out state Minnesota. The Action Team will discuss how to facilitate a meeting with those interested communities.
Tourism
Nancy Roth reporting Action Team members have met with area organizations currently involved in marketing to discuss the implementation of a county-wide lodging tax. Team members will also meet with the county commissioners on an individual basis to encourage their support for the county-wide tax. In order for the commissioners to move forward on the implementation of the tax, they must first recognize the legislation that is in place which allows for the collection of the tax before the new legislative session opens January 3, 2005. The second step would be to hold a public hearing. The Commissions have scheduled a public input meeting for November 16 th at 2:30 in the County board room. They will vote on the issue at their November 23 rd board meeting. The board could vote to accept the legislation but put off enactment which will require another public hearing and action by the County board.
Healthcare
Sue Schear reporting The healthcare Action Team has several subcommittees working on separate goals. The Workers’ Comp subcommittee is planning a workers’ comp educational/training seminar for January. Medical providers, employers, consumers and area lawmakers will be invited to the forum. The Efficient transfer of medical info rmation (HIPPA) subcommittee held a very successful Medical Information Privacy four-hour forum at the Sawmill on October 27 th. Four speakers gave presentations to the approximately 65 attendees regarding privacy issues. Discussion was held concerning developing a global consent form which would reduce paperwork for the patients. This would be a legal form that would require legal assistance. Several Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software packages are available on the market. The importance of area medical providers purchasing only the software that is compatible with all other area providers was discussed. The Action Team believes this would provide increased efficiencies for the patient. The subcommittee received a grant from the Blandin Foundation and donations from other interested parties to cover the costs of hosting this event. The subcommittee working on the Re-establishment of a consortium of health care leaders has planned a kick-off event scheduled for December 1 st. The social event will include dinner. The CEO’s and board members from the three area hospitals will be invited. The goal of the subcommittee is to provide a regular forum to build trust and open communication between the area’s healthcare organizations and providers.
Advanced Telecommunications Technology
Kirk Bustrom reporting The Blandin Foundation has provisionally awarded $15,000 to the Advanced Telecommunications Technology Action Team to participate in the Get Broadband program. The grant award is contingent upon the project’s ability to raise an additional $2,000 in cash matching funds. ($3,000 of the original $5,000 cash matching funds have been pledged.) The funds will be used to establish local goals for broadband utilization and to educate the community about applications and broadband usage. The Action Team goals are to:
Grand Rapids was one of seven rural Minnesota communities receiving this grant funding from the Blandin Foundation. The City of Cohasset also received funding and the two communities will collaborate on the design and delivery of community outreach and education events to be sponsored under the program. Each community has selected a project coordinator to facilitate the Get Broadband program grant.
Economic Development
Mike Andrews reporting The Economic Development Action Team is working to put together a resource guide that will provide an evaluation of resources and contact people from each area community. The guide will provide information on each area community to use in responding to inquiries from anyone wanting to expand or start a business in that community. The completed guide will list community resources, advantages and/or concerns, as well as key contact people for each community. This “community inventory” will be posted on the MN Pro website (Department of Employment and Economic Development) and other promotional literature. The Action Team is still working on the collection of information from each community.
Early Childhood
Mary Kosak reporting Surveys were sent to area employers for the purpose of collecting data on their employees’ child care needs. The employers distributed the surveys to their employees. The Action Team has received approximately 1500 returned surveys (which equals a 30% - 35% response rate). Team members attribute the high rate of return to the fact that they met with the employers prior to distributing the surveys. Arrowhead Promotion and Fulfillment is entering the survey data and will provide the final reports. IDC/Jobs 2020 will be enlisted to help communicate the key findings.
Blandin Paper
Blandin Paper Mill is involved in the internal expansion issues and focusing on the feasibility and environmental impact study now in process. The Blandin Paper Support Action Team will meet in December.
Grow Itasca
Peter McDermott reporting Grow Itasca Action Team members have visited with 45 local business to formalize a process of building relationships with the companies and offer business support and assistance when needed. Survey information received during the time of the visits is entered into the Minnesota Chamber’s Survey Gold software. The software program allows for individual community information to be called up in report form. The Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority has asked the Action Team to provide survey results for the community of Grand Rapids for their use in evaluating local business needs and concerns.
Lakes Management
Doug Learmont reporting The Lakes Management Action Team has identified a list of stakeholders with a interest in maintaining or improving high quality water resources in Itasca County. The Team will involve these stakeholders in strategies to implement educational related activities pertaining to water quality. Stakeholder groups were identified as: 1) elected and public officials 2) schools 3) realtors and developers 4) contractors 5) business community 6) economic developers. Team members will determine how each of these stakeholder sub groups will be approached.
Minnesota Steel Industries (MSI)
Dave Latvala reporting A new Action Team was formed during the month of October to support Minnesota Steel Industries, LLC (MSI) The Team heard a detailed presentation of the proposed $1.6 billion project which includes reopening the Butler mine, a direct reduction iron plant and production of hot rolled sheet steel. The project has the potential of creating 700 direct high quality jobs. MSI is currently in the process of negotiating a $5 million loan from Iron Range Resources to provide development capital. The team met on October 25 th and again on November 8 th in Nashwauk. The third meeting is scheduled for December 20 th. Dave Latvala was elected Chairman of the Action Team.
The final 2004 Action Team Report Back meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 16 th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at IDC/Jobs 2020. |