Action Team 2005 Year End Report

Air Service

• Establish an economically viable scheduled air service at the Grand Rapids/Itasca County Airport

Team Members: Matt Romanik – Chair, Steve Arbour, Sarah Copeland, Butch Detjen, Rusty Eichorn, Mike Gorham, Mark Hoyne , Peter McDermott , Robert McElfatrick, Carolyn McElfatrick, Laurie Passard, John Schroeder, Jan Smith, Phil Swenson, Loren Wikstrom

Key activities and results:

• Met with representatives of the Hibbing Airport to build a stronger regional market for Mesaba/Northwest Airlines and lessen the dependence on subsidies.
• Met with Governor Pawlenty to discuss rural air service issues. Presented the Team’s research results to Northeast Minnesota ’s Economic Development Specialist on the affect of the loss of air service to local communities. Highlighted the potential profitability of 19-seat passenger service to rural Minnesota . The findings focused on how the state could help promote air service to rural Minnesota .
• Supported the efforts of a private led initiative to return scheduled air service to the Grand Rapids/Itasca County Airport. The service would provide up to three direct flights daily to Midway Airport in Chicago .
• Supported the continued development of the airport as an important asset in regional economic development, job growth, and transportation.

Arts Resources

• Develop and implement specific strategies to utilize arts resources to expand and support the Itasca area’s economy

Team Members: David Marty – Chair, Nan Brierly, Steve Downing, Donna Vennie

Key Activities and Results:

• Conducted a survey of the community to determine economic impact of the arts and cultural resources on the region.
• Sponsored a professional development workshop led by Robert Bluestone, internationally renowned classical guitarist and philosopher, to incorporate creative arts strategies to improve local business practices.
• Organized and scheduled visits from Robert Bluestone with area community members, schools and organizations to promote the link between creativity and prosperity.

Blandin Paper Expansion and Retention

• Help position the Blandin Paper Mill as a preferred expansion site for UPM

Team Members: Steve Arbour and Tom Osborn – Co-Chairs, Ed Treska , Bill Tuominen, Bob Dunnell, Bob Olson, Bud Stone , Dale Reed, David Kellin, Doug Hanson, Drew Prochazka, Ed Zabinski , Heather Rand, Jim Kent, Jim Marshall, Joe Maher, John Ward, Lowell Pittack, Marsha Miller , Melissa Roberts, Peter McDermott , Rick Utech, Roger Hoyum, Garrett Ous

Key Activities and Results:

• Met with Blandin Paper’s project managers for Thunderhawk project (Paper Machine 7) to keep abreast of project hurdles and progress.
• Actively participated in the January 12 th public Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) Scoping meeting to provide community support for the Thunderhawk project.
• Supported legislation for the Pilot Commodity Corridor bill for Highway 2 between Grand Rapids and Duluth which would allow double-trailered rigs if Thunderhawk project is successful.
• Supported efforts to remove the section of the Mississippi River running though Grand Rapids from the impaired waters designation
• Actively supported certification of Itasca County forestland which was certified in November 2005.
• Actively supported passage of the Railroad Competition and Reauthorization Act of 2005.

Early Childhood

• Support the Itasca Area Early Childhood Initiative as it relates and connects to the business community

Team Members:   Mary Kosak – Chair, Sherry Frick, Karen Karls, Susan Gerchman, Betsy McBride , Ron Oleheiser , Bud Schneider, Jim Jenson, Kathy Carroll, Joe Maher, Mark Adams, Maureen Rosato, Sue Hoeft, Sue Mattson, Audra Olson

Key Activities and Results:

• Summarized the data from the 2004 30-question Employee Needs Survey addressing the balancing of work/family commitments and child care issues. 2004.  Developed an aggregate report and individualized reports for each employer surveyed. 
• Mailed individualized reports to participating employers and followed up with visits to review the data and begin conversation on ways for employers to address and support the employees’ needs identified in the survey.
• Developed a Resource List Tip Sheet and a Child Care Information folder to give to each employer to assist in helping employees with family issues.
• Worked on the development of a “new hire” packet for employers to distribute to new employees that will include child care resource and referral options.
• Drafted sample letters for companies to send to legislators to stress the importance of quality early child care and education for a better quality of life
• Invited Director/Work-Family Specialist from the Working Family Resource Center in St. Paul to a team meeting to learn about the services provided through the resource center.
• Toured an employer-sponsored child care center.
• Met with employers, a local legislator, Itasca County’s Director of Licensing and Director of Early Childhood to explore the possibility of providing employer-sponsored child care services.

Healthcare

• Create alignment and improved value in the Itasca region’s health care delivery system

Team Members: Jeff Stampohar – Chair, Betsy Johnson , Dale Reed, Dan Butler, Dan Margo, Sue Scherer, Doug Learmont, Judy Pittack , Lee Jess, Matt Richie, Pam Labine, Paula Cleveland, Rick Salmela, Steve Feltman

Key Activities and Results:

• Met with members of the existing Itasca Partnership for Quality Healthcare (IPQH) and mutually agreed to transfer the leadership of continuing the Health Care Leaders Network, initiated by the 2004 Action Team, to the IPQH.
• Investigated ways to develop a regionally connected patient health care database and easily transfer patient information from one facility to another.
• Worked on establishing healthcare demographics that could be utilized to determine the feasibility of establishing a lower cost insurance product to local employers.

Housing

• Address issues impeding the development and availability of affordable workforce housing for the households of median income and below for the purpose of providing quality of life, security and workforce development opportunities

Team Members: John Rajala – Chair, Shannon Benolken, Kathleen Blake , Sarah Copeland, Tarry Edington , Steve Gilbertson, Doug Hanson, Julie Heglund, Mary Ives, Tim Johnson, Diane Larson, Jim Parson, Jeff Sheldon, Jim Uzelac

Key Successes and Results:

• Identified characteristics of a “starter” home and estimated costs to develop the home.
• Studied the cost drivers for housing and looked at areas where possible savings could be made.
• Successfully encouraged the City of Grand Rapids to approve Tax Increment Financing for Crystal Lakes Estates. Worked with developer to ensure that several of the Crystal Lakes properties will be affordable workforce housing.
• Promoted the inclusion of an affordability housing component in the Grand Rapids zoning ordinance.
• Encouraged the City of Grand Rapids to consider a conditional use permit which would allow for special uses and permit flexibility within the zoning ordinance in order to accommodate smaller, more affordable lot sizes.
• Reviewed areas with available land that may have potential for affordable housing.
• Sent letter to the Steering Committee for revision of the Grand Rapids Zoning Ordinance asking for consideration of revision of the ordinance portion that deals with development of manufactured home neighborhoods. The request is to have the ordinance compliant with state statute.

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

Team Members: Scott Thompson and Art Norton, co-chairs, Catherine McLynn, Steve Casselman, John Chell, Jeff Tillman, Rich Miska, Jack Velzen, Wes Libbey, Cindy Tomcko, Marshall Oelman, Luke McLeod, Ron Olsen, Jerry Bryan, Harold Dziuk, Karl Koller, Doug Learmont, Rian Reed, John O’Leary, Don St. Aubin, Patricia St. Aubin, Daniel Dix.

Key Successes and Results:

• Developed a PowerPoint presentation titled “Economics of Water Quality” showing the link between land use and water quality and examples of “smart development”. The presentation was shown to county board, planning commissions, Board of Realtors, contractors, lake associations, townships, city councils and service organizations to provide information and increase their understanding of the impact their decisions have on water resources. The team applied for and received grants from the Blandin Foundation and the Itasca County Environmental Trust Fund to cover the cost of the presentations.
• Continued involvement with the South Central Itasca County Intergovernmental Planning Board Wastewater Initiative which resulted in a completed study, an open house and an approved wastewater management plan for the six township area
• Continued participation in the Governor’s Clean Water Initiative and the citizen-initiated North Central Lakes Project including an educational article on shoreland restoration published in Conservation Volunteer magazine, an educational series of local radio spots newspaper articles, and a public television documentary, “Minnesota Lakes at Risk” which will be replayed on local TV.
• Served on a DNR Advisory Committee to provide citizen input to technical staff for revisions to the Shoreland Standards and provided local expertise to county ordinance decisions.
• Facilitated increased collaboration and cooperation among private and public entities working together for improved lake management.

Minnesota Steel Industries

• Revitalize the local economy by providing community support to Minnesota Steel Industries’ use of ore reserves to produce steel near Nashwauk

Team Members: Dave Latvala – Chair, Mike Andrews , Mike Bjellos, Ed Bolf, Tony Carter, John Chell, Dave Christy, Doug Connell, Jeff Davis, Ron Dicklich, Art Englund, Bob Fragnito, Brian Hanson, David Hendrickson, Howard Hilshorst, John Jamnick, Joy Kolar, Milt Latvala, Doug Learmont, David Lotti, Mark Mandich, Peter McDermott , Chuck Michael, Nels Nelson, Tom Peluso, Dwight Randall, Dave Rian, George Salstrand, Tom Sampson, Tom Saxhaug, Bob Schwartz, Loren Solberg, Leanne Stanley, Warren Stolp, Dale Sundin, Jeff Tillman, Rick Utech

Key Activities and Results:

• Actively provided on-going community and group support for the Minnesota Steel project.
• Worked with the city and township of Nashwauk , Itasca County , S E H Engineering and Minnesota Steel on project infrastructure planning.
• Attended meetings with Minnesota Steel’s project manager, the Chairman and President and CEO.
• Convened an ad hoc group of representatives from IDC/Jobs 2020, Itasca County , City of Grand Rapids , Western Mine Planning Board, Blandin Paper and Minnesota Steel to work on getting competitive rail service throughout the area.
• Participated in public meeting in Nashwauk held in July to review and seek public comment on the proposed Minnesota Steel infrastructure.
• Attended the August 10 th Minnesota Department of Natural Resources public scoping meeting on the project’s environmental impact statement.
• Wrote letters to the Minnesota DNR during the public comment period in support of the Minnesota Steel project and were successful in convincing the DNR to expand the scope of the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) to include the direct and indirect effects on local economic development, tax base, and demand for public services.
• Made presentations to Minnesota legislators from the House and Senate during a visit to Grand Rapids requesting the State to consider bonding for roads, rail and gas pipelines for Minnesota Steel.
• Formed a group of officials from the state, county and UPM Blandin to work with Minnesota Steel to secure control of the surface rights within the mine boundary.

Poverty Reduction

• Develop a plan to reduce poverty in the Itasca economic region that shows a public/private partnership

Team Members: Jim Woehrle – Chair, Katie Prokop, Brandon Sharp, Sue Mattson, Sherry Jokinen, Marian Barcus, Becky Maunu, Becky LaPlant, Dave Schildt, Sue Estee , Al Kruger, Alice Miller, Sylvia Olney, Nancy Roth, Michelle Tessin, Drew Prochazka, Trina Jacobson, Kay Jacobson, Wayne Schuman, Jodi Piekarski , Jeff Deihl, Barb Dorry

Key Activities and Results:

• Applied for a successful grant from the Northland Foundation of $1,650 to conduct five focus groups to help understand workforce issues related to employers and low-wage workers.
• Met with human service workers to hear their experiences with people in poverty and what they see as barriers to their success.
• Traveled to area community groups and organizations with questions developed by team members to help determine how poverty is perceived in the community.
• Formed a sub-committee to begin developing a used car loan program for area workers at competitive interest rates; sent surveys to area businesses to determine if workers would take advantage of the program.
• Developed a presentation entitled “Building an Economy that Works for All” providing a look at poverty in Itasca County and offering specific ideas and vision for reducing poverty to use in meeting with area organizations and Itasca County Human Services front line workers. Held discussions following the presentations regarding the barriers to getting out of poverty.
• Conducted a focus group with Circles of Support volunteers to learn what people who live in poverty say about working in Itasca County and the obstacles they face.

Retiree

• Tap the assets of area retirees to drive quality job growth in the Itasca area

Team Members: Wade Fauth – Chair, Paula Cleveland, Sue Zeige , Kathleen Roberts, Mike Andrews , Kathy Fauth, Mary Jo Hendricks, Mike Hendricks, Wendy Roy, Kathleen Munson, Ben Weerts, Roger Linder, Jeff Hakala, John Tracy, Tina Kane, Lefty Kane, Valerie Jensen, Lori Kortekaas

Key Activities and Results:

• Identified the four major assets that retirees bring to a community: 1) knowledge, 2) Time, 3) Purchasing Power, 4) Capital
• Researched how to set up a system to match retirees with strong business expertise with companies interested in improving operations.
• Met with representatives of the SCORE organization which offers free business advice and training to help small businesses through the volunteer services of working/retired business owners or executives.
• Agreed to initiate a local SCORE chapter in the Itasca area and will take the necessary training to set up and implement the program and recruit retiree volunteers.
• Initiated a plan to work with IDC/Jobs 2020 to identify business that could benefit from SCORE services.

Youth Retention

• Attract and retain young individuals and families to the Itasca area

Team Members: Christina Andersen and Mary Clare Lindsley – Co-Chairs, Barbie Schroeder, Bryan Lindsley, Molly Miskovich, Willow Sedore, Amanda Lamppa, Christel Kern, Tara Moore

Key Activities and Results:

Formed six separate sub groups and project areas:

• Singles: Worked on planning a social event for single people ages 25-35.
• Website: Explored the development of a website highlighting area attractions and offerings geared for young adults. Website construction by the Grand Rapids high school’s web training class will begin in January 2006. The website will link the website to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for the purpose of posting available jobs or internships.
• Internships: Worked on creating a list of businesses, industries, and people in the community willing to have an intern.
• T-shirt: Explored possibility of designing a T-shirt to help advertise the area as a great place for young adults to live.
• Youth Leadership for Vital Communities (YLVC): Participated as mentors in the Chamber’s YLVC program which engages high school students in community issues.
• Alums: Met with Grand Rapids District 318 superintendent to discuss a way to create a list of graduating classes from the past ten years in order to create an alumni link on the website. The team is interested in a graduation list from Greenway also. The goal is to contact alumni who graduated from area schools and try to encourage them to come back and relocate or start their own business in the area.