Action Team 2006 Year End Report

Air Service

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

Team Members: Matt Romanik – Chair, Chris Van Den Heuvel, Jan Smith, Lorne Wikstrom, Peter McDermott,
Stephanie Rose

Key activities and results:

• Explored several models for restoring air service including service provided by a mature airline at
  a subsidy or revenue guarantee and establishing a company that would use either turbine propeller
  or jet aircraft.
• Secured a grant from the Blandin Foundation to pay for a consultant to assist in developing a
  survey to determine the economic benefits of scheduled air service in Itasca County and annual
  demand by local businesses.
• Surveyed local employers through personal contacts and mailings to determine the demand for
  returned air service and price and service parameters businesses are willing to pay and accept.
• Developed a business model for air service based on the findings of the survey.

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, David Kellin, Drew Prochazka, Ed Treska, Greg
Chandler, John Ward, Peg Schagh, Peter McDermott, Tony Ward, Bill Tuominen, Bob Olson, Heather Rand, Marsha
Miller, Lowell Pittack, Melissa Roberts, Doug Hanson, Rick Utech, Roger Hoyum, Ed Zabinski

Key Activities and Results:

• Provided public comment supporting the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for UPM Blandin Paper’s Thunderhawk project at public hearing held in February 2006. The Minnesota DNR issued its Record of Decision stating that the EIS adequately addressed the environmental impacts of the project.
• Reviewed the Grand Rapids Public Utilities Commission’s cost opinion for wastewater treatment facilities improvements for the Thunderhawk project. The cost opinion was developed to enable Blandin Paper Mill to determine the lowest cost alternative of Mill expansion. Modifications to existing municipal wastewater treatment facilities are required because existing structures are worn out.
• Invited Joe Maher, General Manager UPM Blandin Paper Mill, to Action Team meeting in late November to provide Team members with an update on the state of affairs at the paper mill in relation to expansion plans. All required permits with the exception of wastewater treatment have been received.

Work Force Housing

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

Team Members: Doug Hanson – Chair, Diane Larson, Jim Parson, Kathleen Blake, Mary Ives, Pat Kane, Scott
Zahorik, Shannon Benolken, Stephen Wilson, Tarry Edington, Rick Utech, Pat Crawford

Key Activities and Results:

• Met with Itasca area communities to encourage preparedness for residential workforce housing by planning for infrastructure and zoning.
• Developed a PowerPoint presentation to show to local groups and communities which focused attention on the need for available workforce housing in the event that any of the industrial expansion projects being proposed for the Itasca area are realized.
• Initiated discussions and information sharing with individuals in local government and service positions on the West Range related to housing, infrastructure and development.
• Helped disseminate and interpret the information contained in the Housing Impact Study commissioned by the Greenway Area Business Association prepared by University of Minnesota graduate student Rebecca Cohen.
• Provided formal input to the Grand Rapids Zoning Ordinance Steering Committee and City of Grand Rapids officials related to the manufactured housing portion of the city ordinance to encourage less restrictive zoning ordinances for manufactured homes.
• Explored the concept of “Land Trusts” as a component of housing ownership as a means of reducing workforce housing costs.Identified characteristics of a “starter” home and estimated costs to develop the home.

Lakes Management

• Promote collaboration among private and public entities for improved lake management as an
  essential strategy for economic prosperity

Team Members: Scott Thompson - Chair, Art Norton, Catherine McLynn, Cindy Tomcko, Dan Dix, Phillip Dix, Don St. Aubin, Doug Learmont, Harold Dziuk, Jack Velzen, Jeff Tillman, John Chell, Kurt Dostal, Wes Libbey, Allison Rajala Ahcan, Karyn Davidson, Michael Duval, Jean Goad, Garry Johanson, Karl Koller, Murray Mills, Marshall Oelman, John O’Leary, John Persons, Rian Reed

Key Activities and Results:

• Set three team objectives: 1) Broaden collaboration, 2) Increase understanding of decision makers of the impact their decisions have on water resources, and 3) Develop strategy for improved shoreland management and “smart development”.
• Presented “Economics of Water Quality” PowerPoint slides to a wide variety of organizations, promoted increased awareness through news articles and seminars.
• Supported the Itasca County and DNR staff efforts in working with the Planning Commission and County Board to consider adoption of parts of the Alternate Shoreland Standards into the Itasca County Zoning Ordinance in 2007.
• Continued support and involvement with the South Central Itasca County Intergovernmental Planning Board which is considering the concept of a county wide wastewater management district utilizing and enhancing existing county resources.
• Supported an effort to request the assistance of the Blandin Foundation in forming a broad based group of citizens for influencing private and public policy on water quality issues.
• Supported reports of trends in water quality as measured by Secchi Disk readings.
• Participated in an informational display at Goods from the Woods with good response.

Mesaba Energy

• Revitalize the local economy by providing community support to the Mesaba Energy project in
  building cleanest coal fueled power plant in the world

Team Members: Bob Schwartz – Chair, Chuck Michael, Dale Sundin, Doug Learmont, Gary Forsberg, Jeff
Tillman, Mike Andrews, Peter McDermott, Rick Lemonds, Rick Utech, Tom Saxhaug

Key Activities and Results:

• Promoted the utilization and distribution of the report completed by UMD’s Labovitz School Research Bureau on the “Economic Impact of Constructing and Operating an Integrated Gasification Combined-Cycle Power Generation Facility on Itasca County”.
• Participated in coordination and planning for the community open house held in July for the Mesaba Energy project at Bovey City Hall.
• Participated in the Citizens Against the Mesaba Project (CAMP) public meeting held at the Grand Rapids Public Library to help increase understanding of the project.
• Encouraged local organizations such as the Greenway Area Business Association, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Western Mesaba Mining Planning Board and Itasca Economic Development Corporation to show community support for the project by going public with resolutions passed in support of the project if all environmental regulations are met.
• Participated in December grand opening of the Excelsior Energy office located in Coleraine.
• Provided statements of support at public hearings in Taconite held by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and the Administrative Law Judge’s ruling regarding the legality of the purchase power agreement between Excelsior Energy and Xcel Energy.

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, Bob Schwartz, Chuck Michael, Doug Learmont, Mike Andrews, Peter
McDermott, Rick Utech, Tom Saxhaug, Ed Bolf, Tony Carter, John Chell, Dave Christy, Doug Connell, Ron Dicklich,
John Dixon, Howard Hilshorst, John Jamnick, Milt Latvala, David Lotti, Mark Mandich, Deb McGovern, Nels
Nelson, Jim Parson, Heather Rand, Dwight Randall, Dave Rian, George Salstrand, Tom Sampson, Matt Sjoberg,
Warren Stolp, Kevin Sumner

Key Activities and Results:

• Established a sub-group to advance land exchange requirements with Itasca County, the State, Minnesota DNR and UPM Blandin necessary for the project to move forward. Itasca County conducted the required public meeting on the land sale. On December 6, the Minnesota Land Commission comprised of the Governor, Attorney General and State Auditor passed the land exchange which was the largest in the history of the State of Minnesota.
• Promoted utilization and distribution of the UMD Labovitz School Research Bureau’s study on the “Economic Impact of Constructing and Operating Minnesota Steel Industries LLC in Itasca County” funded by IEDC.
• Attended public meeting on the land sale for Minnesota Steel and closely followed and supported the permitting process.

Poverty Reduction

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

Team Members: Jim Woehrle – Chair, Sue Mattson, Marian Barcus, Becky LaPlant, Sue Estee, Nancy Roth, Trina
Jacobson, Jodi Piekarski, Barb Dorry, Cory Jackson, Kathleen Blake, Paula Frings, Audrey Moen, Dale Majerus

Key Activities and Results:

• Developed a tool kit for small businesses to create high value employees. The tool kit was designed to promote practical suggestions that business owners can use to link employees to services and training that increase family stability and employee skills.
• Completed basic research on a used car loan program designed for low-income workers. More work will be done in 2007 to implement the project.
• Held three Blandin Foundation sponsored community leadership training sessions in Grand Rapids to hear from low income people about which community systems need to be fixed and obtain commitments from system leaders to capture the feedback from the low income families they serve. Eighty people attended each session of which one-third were low income citizens. The Blandin Foundation has committed to developing a leadership training program for low income citizens.
• Developed a “Youth Mentoring Affects your Bottom Line” fact sheet for distribution to area businesses.
• Worked on a business mentorship program for people on public assistance. Links have been made between local employers and case managers who work with people on public assistance.

Youth Retention

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

Team Members: Christina Andersen and Willow Loney – Co-Chairs, Sarah Bignall, Cory Jackson, Amanda Lamppa,
Molly Miskovich, Tara Moore, Barbie Schroeder

Key Activities and Results:

• Held four separate events for young adults in the area to establish a broader base of community
  within the younger population.
• Met with the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and members of its Workforce Development
  Committee and determined that creating a contact list of Grand Rapids and area alumni would be
  of great benefit to fulfilling upcoming jobs in the area.
• Started the creation of an alumni email list of Grand Rapids High School alumni from graduation
  years 1995 – 2006. The Team received over 80 responses from alumni and sent out a mass email
  detailing new progress and potential job opportunities in the area for young adults.