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Action Team Report Back Meeting Minutes
Present: Steve Arbour, David Marty, Sholom Blake, Mary Kosak, Scott Thompson, Dave Latvala, Dan McCormick, John Ward, Ed Zabinski, Becky Maunu, Wade Fauth, Christina Ley Andersen, Mary Clare Zabinski, Jeff Stampohar, Peter McDermott, Lucy Flessner The first Action Team Report Back meeting of 2005 was held April 13 th at the Blandin Foundation. Twelve 2005 Action Teams were formed; ten of those teams reported at today’s meeting.
Develop and implement specific strategies to utilize arts resources to expand and support the Itasca area’s economy David Marty Reporting The Action Team has not formerly met but expects to concentrate on meeting regularly during the summer and fall months. The Team plans to survey the community to develop data on arts-related jobs in the area to determine the economic impact the arts and cultural resources have on the region. The Action Team plans to implement a professional development workshop to incorporate creative arts strategies to improve local business practices.
Blandin Paper Expansion and Retention Help position the Blandin Paper Mill as a preferred expansion site for UPM Steve Arbour Reporting Greg Chandler of Blandin Paper attended the April 12 th Blandin Action Team meeting to give an update on the Thunderhawk Project (Paper Machine 7). Greg works full time on the project and talked about issues relating to engineering, environment, and labor. Jim Kent of Blandin talked about land acquisition. Joe Maher and Tom Pitts of Blandin have been working legislatively on the Pilot Commodity Corridor bill for Highway 2 between Grand Rapids and Duluth which would allow double-trailered rigs. The bill has passed the Senate Transportation Committee and is in the Transportation Finance Committee. It has not been introduced in the House. Efforts are underway to remove the section of the Mississippi River running through Grand Rapids from the impaired waters designation. It was listed as impaired based upon samples a high-school biology class took in 1996 and are being disputed. In 2003 the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) sampled the water and found acceptable readings. The MPCA will take the findings to the MPCA board and recommend removal of the impaired waters designation.
Community Vision Encourage the greater Itasca area to embrace and adopt the vision for a healthy community as endorsed by IDC/Jobs 2020 Sholom Blake Reporting The Action Team will try to meet with up to 30 organizations, institutions and governmental entities within the Itasca area to share the vision for a healthy community as endorsed by IDC/Jobs 2020 with a goal of receiving their endorsement of the vision. The Team would like to have framed copies of the vision statement to present to each group that adopts or endorses the vision.
Early Childhood Support the Itasca Area Early Childhood Initiative as it relates and connects to the business community Mary Kosak reporting The Early Childhood Action Team has summarized the data from the 1,484 returned surveys received from 22 major employers in Itasca County. As well as an aggregate report, individualized reports for each employer were also compiled. The aggregate report will be shared with each participating employer as well as the public. The individualized reports will be shared only with the individual companies. Two members of the Action Team will visit each employer after they have been mailed their company’s individual report. The meeting will provide the opportunity to review the data and begin conversation on ways for employers to address and support the employee’s needs outlined in the survey results. A “Resource List Tip Sheet” will be given to each employer along with Team member’s names and contact information. Additional information regarding issues and concerns mentioned in the survey results will also be made available to employers.
Healthcare Create alignment and improved value in the Itasca region’s health care delivery system Jeff Stampohar reporting The Healthcare Action Team will develop a work plan that includes a timeline, models, structure, regulations and financing for a primary care coverage plan for the uninsured and the underinsured. This goal is a carry-over from the 2004 Action Team. The Team also plans to put together a work plan regarding e-health and discussed participation in the national e-health conference being held this June in Minneapolis. Another carry-over from the 2004 Action Team was developing a consortium of healthcare leaders in the area. The Team discussed aligning with the already established Itasca Partners for Qualtiy Healthcare (IPQH) to create healthcare leader alignment.
Lakes Management Promote collaboration between the public and private sectors to improve lake management as an essential strategy for economic prosperity in the Itasca region Scott Thompson reporting The Lakes Action Team developed a PowerPoint presentation that shows the link between land use and water quality and examples of “smart development”. The presentation was shown to the Coleraine City Council, Building and Septic Contractors meeting and the Board of Realtors. The focus of the message is that Itasca County is at a crossroads with its public waters and should take immediate steps to preserve and improve the economic asset found in the county’s lakes, rivers and streams. Action Team members will contact additional groups for future showings. Action Team members participate in several additional lakes-related meetings and provide reports of those meetings to the Action Team which serves as a “clearing house” for information.
Minnesota Steel Industries (MSI) Revitalize the local economy by providing community support to Minnesota Steel Industries’ use of ore reserves to produce hot rolled sheet steel near Nashwauk Dave Latvala reporting The MSI Action Team’s goals for 2005 are to 1) complete a resolution supporting project and submit to local city, township, school and county boards, 2) complete infrastructure planning with city and township of Nashwauk, Itasca County, S.E.H. Engineering and MSI, and 3) complete environment fact sheet of project to be used for educating the public. The Action Team received updated project progress information at their April 4, 2005 meeting. John Elmore has been hired as the new president and CEO and Deb McGovern has been hired as the environmental permitting manager. The draft Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) could be ready for publication by late June. When the EAW is complete the 21 month period for preparing the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) will begin.
Poverty Reduction Develop a plan to reduce poverty in the Itasca economic region that shows a public/private partnership Becky Maunu reporting The Poverty Reduction Action Team has applied to the Northland Foundation for a $1,650 grant to conduct 5 focus groups to better understand workforce issues related to employers (2 groups), issues of low-wage workers (2 groups), and human service workers’ experience with people in poverty and what they see as barriers to success (1 group). The grant money would be spent on tape recording transcription services, child care, meals and incentives for low wage workers to attend the focus groups. The Action Team is working on developing questions and recruiting participants for the focus groups. The Action Team is also working to develop a subcommittee to work on an intenrship model or job shadowing program for people on public assistance that could intern in local businesses.
Retiree Tap the assets of area retirees to drive quality job growth in the Itasca area. Wade Fauth reporting The Retiree Action Team has identified four retiree assets as: 1) Knowledge, 2) Time, 3) Purchasing Power, and 4) Capital. A Team priority is to maximize the contribution that our local retirees make to the economy. The Action Team will try to track down a copy of a 1990 survey that was conducted regarding retiree trends and information about the goods and services needed. The Action Team will make an effort to determine the value of retiree business on local businesses. Local business owners will be invited to a meeting to evaluate and explore the asset of retiree purchasing power. Team members plan to research organizations such as American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to see what kind of data they have regarding the spending practices of retirees.
Youth Retention Attract and retain young individuals and families to the Itasca area Christina Andersen and Mary Clare Lindsley reporting The Youth Retention Action Team will focus efforts on trying to locate who the young people in the area are. The Team plans to create a few events geared specifically toward young adults and providing the opportunity for getting to know each other. Hosting a booth at the Itasca County Fair is being explored for this purpose. (The possibility of other Action Teams participating in the booth was also discussed.) The booth would be geared for ages 18 to 35 and would serve as a consolidation of all things “young” in the community. During the fair, Action Team members would try to obtain lists of young adults interested in participation or helping organize future events. The weekend following the fair all contacts made at the fair would be invited to a young adult gathering (i.e., a picnic at Bridgeside). The Action Team has also discussed ways to start a club for young Mothers in the area.
*There were no reports for the Air Service Action Team or the Housing Action Team.
The next Action Team Report Back meeting is scheduled for
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