2005 MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

2005 business development efforts can best be summed up in one word — PARTNERSHIPS The HRA-EDA has been working very closely with local units of governments within the county to create new EDA’s in the cities of Lindstrom, Stacy, Shafer, Harris and Rush City.  In 2005, the HRA-EDA also worked with the cities of Chisago City, Taylors Falls, North Branch and Wyoming to provide assistance and business development leads, whenever possible.  The HRA-EDA is very grateful to have the opportunity to partner with each of these cities and their respective EDA’s, to accomplish a number of new business endeavors. One such successful partnership project was the Chisago County HRA-EDA development of a new marketing portfolio containing individual inserts for several of the cities.  Each city insert provides pertinent historical and demographic information, as well as enumerating the various highlights of the city, as well as what the city offers as economic development incentives to new business.  This type of marketing piece provides a prospective new business with a succinct overview of the various cities within the county in one, easy-to-read package. Another successful partnership is the sale of a long-vacant industrial building in the North Branch Industrial Park to Custom Headed Products. This new business development involved working with the company to relocate its manufacturing operation from Fridley, bringing its 15 jobs to Chisago County. Because the building was in need of major repairs and upgrades both interior & exterior, the city of North Branch and the Chisago County Board agreed to assist Custom Headed Products in making the much-needed improvements. The process is on-going but has proceeded to the point where Custom Headed Products is now settled in, now employing 20 and busily producing cold formed metal fasteners. In 2005, the HRA-EDA prepared and submitted an application on behalf of the City of North Branch to the MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development’s Business Infrastructure Grant Program.  The application was funded in the amount of $388,000 and the funds will be used to write- down the water, sewer and street costs for a new business park along I-35 and County Road #30.  The improvements are anticipated to be completed in 2006, at which time the sale of the residential lots will begin.

2005 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

Taylors Falls Downtown Revitalization Program On behalf of the Taylors Falls Economic Development Commission and City Council, the Chisago County HRA-EDA prepared and submitted a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Small Cities Development Program.  The grant application will provide funding for commercial building owners and residential rental property owners to make rehabilitation repairs to substandard buildings in a designated downtown target area.  The application request was submitted in November 2005  for $335,700 in grant funds with the goal of rehabilitating 8 commercial buildings and 10 residential rental properties.  The program is part of a larger downtown revitalization project that includes a new river walk trail along the St. Croix River. Almelund Wastewater Treatment The HRA-EDA has been working with the Amador Township Board to address and identify sanitary sewer needs.  The project involves identifying grant and loan funds to construct a municipal sanitary sewer collection and treatment system to serve approximately 40 households. Chisago County Tourism Guide In collaboration with the North Branch, Chisago Lakes, Taylors Falls, and Rush City Chambers of Commerce, the HRA-EDA assisted with the funding for the distribution of  the 2005 Chisago County Tourism Guide.  The Guide was delivered to Travel and Information Centers across the state and upper Midwest. Chisago County Jail/Health & Human Services Buildings The HRA-EDA has been working very closely with the Chisago County Board and Administration to identify potential sites to accommodate a new County Jail and Health & Human Services Building.

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Last revised: February 10, 2007

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