News + Announcements

Article by: Joya Stetson

Fillmore County held an informational summit on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 for economic development professionals throughout the county.

The event, which was held at the Fillmore County Office Building in Preston, Minnesota, delivered valuable information on project Destination Medical Center as well as regional labor market information.

Speaker John Murphy, representing Mayo Clinic and Destination Medical Center (DMC), shared that over the next 20 years, 6 billion dollars will be invested in the generation of 35,000-40,000 jobs.  According to Murphy, DMC is planning to focus on ensuring Rochester and surrounding areas have affordable and desirable housing for the diverse workforce; increasing the number of hotels, hospitality, retail, arts and culture options in the area; putting an emphasis on sports, recreation, health and wellness; establishing learning opportunities; and retaining organizations with new research and technology in the region.  Murphy also noted the importance of cross-community collaboration during the implementation of DMC.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) presenters, Mark Schultz and Kevin Kelleher, discussed the low unemployment rates in Minnesota.  Schultz emphasized the importance of wages and their role in the retention of labor. Schultz conveyed that methods of acquiring and retaining labor may include the following ideas: ensuring competitive wages, looking at offering flexible scheduling, more consistently and appropriately motivating employees, and holding hiring events for face to face interaction with employers. Kelleher also reviewed information on available incentive programs through the State of Minnesota.

“The summit was a really successful means of communicating important information to the county and getting economic development professionals together for meaningful discussions.  Fillmore County plans on facilitating more of these types of events in the future,” said Cris Gastner, CEDA Senior Vice President and EDA Director for Fillmore County.

Article by: Cris Gastner

The City of St. Charles Economic Development Authority reported that over $660,000 of private investment was made as a result of the Commercial Rehabilitation Program that provided a small capital investment through a 5 year fixed loan program.

“I think the response exceeded all of our expectations,” stated Cris Gastner, CEDA Senior Vice President and St. Charles Economic Development Director. The program’s design allowed St. Charles commercial businesses to access up to $10,000 or 50 percent of the total project cost on a 5-year forgivable loan basis. The program which was designed and first started the middle of 2013 was made possible through the dollars received as part of the Rochester Sales Tax dollars. The EDA initially invested $100,000 into the program and while it was slow to start, it was eventually increased to $150,000 total funds available.

“Over 15 different businesses within St. Charles requested the funds and has resulted in many of the improvements that residents are seeing not only within our downtown mainstreet corridor, but also along Hwy 14 and Hwy 74 north,” Gastner stated. The goal of the EDA, City Council and staff was to help promote the investment into those areas because it is a critical part of the infrastructure of our community, Gastner relayed.

In addition, it was reported that 14 new home building permits have been issued because of the EDA and City Council’s decision to utilize Rochester Sales Tax revenues to reimburse home buyers for their 2014-2015 new home building permit fees. This program has helped to increase the number of building permits and resulted in an average construction home price of $221,000.

Article by: Sam Whitehead

This year the City of Rushford experienced major reconstruction of Highway 43 which runs through town. This meant multiple street closings for a large portion of the busiest time of the year. The Rushford EDA made many efforts to lessen negative impacts to local businesses. The EDA also hired a consultant to coordinate with the City, Chamber of Commerce, and MN DoT to help ensure a “business as usual” attitude throughout the entire process. In addition, the Rushford EDA set aside money for signage programs to help attract attention to local businesses, and the program was successful in creating quality signs for local businesses. This kept the store fronts looking their best through the roadwork and maintains that they will continue to look sharp into the future. The Rushford EDA continued a micro grant program to help businesses develop new marketing avenues and expand existing services. The program requires a matching contribution from the business to help ensure the fund helps as many as it can. Through the efforts of the EDA, the City of Rushford looks ahead boldly with a brand new highway and an appealing downtown, ready to provide excellent service for those passing through or those who have settled down.

Article by: Marie Pflipsen

The Lake City Economic Development Authority (EDA) accepted a property donation from Kwik Trip, Inc. on November 26th. The property, formerly a Sinclair Gas Station, is located a block off of Lake Pepin on Highway 61. With direct access to the highway and downtown Lake City, the land donation presents the EDA with an exciting opportunity to redevelop a prime location.

In order to create new life in the property, the EDA is establishing an Economic Development District and planning to invest in the structure, so the building can be upgraded and reused. The EDA board will be reviewing multiple ideas for the property and will begin pursuing the top choice this upcoming spring. During the last EDA meeting, the board approved the removal of the gas island canopy. “The removal of the canopy will be a tremendous start to improving a property that will have a great effect on the entire downtown area,” stated Marie Pflipsen, CEDA Community and Business Development Specialist representing Lake City.