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The HRA-EDA will
work to retain and strengthen our existing businesses. To accomplish
this objective, the HRA-EDA will:
Identify and explore
workforce development and training opportunities to enhance our existing
businesses.
Continue the Workforce
Development Partnership with the Chisago County Health and Human
Services Workforce and Economic Development Coordinator to gain a
competitive edge in attracting new businesses and enhancing existing
business within the county.
Work with existing
businesses on expansion opportunities.
Work with the State
Legislature to level the playing field with Wisconsin including the
creation of a Border Cities Development Zone.
Implement the Chisago
County’s Business Retention and Enhancement Program. Create a database
of current businesses including employment information and a tracking
system to track potential expansion opportunities.
Explore opportunities
to create a business network for manufacturing and service companies.
Review Business Subsidy
Policy and Tax Abatement Policies to determine if they need to be
updated.
The HRA-EDA will work to expand the
commercial/industrial tax base in Chisago County to reduce the tax
burden for all residential taxpayers in the County. Specifically,
the HRA-EDA will:
Hold Economic
Development Summit.
Market Chisago County to recruit new businesses into the
county by targeting and soliciting specific businesses that will
compliment and strengthen our existing companies.
Market Chisago County to new businesses as a great place to live, work
and do business through advertisements including: Chisago County HRA-EDA
website, Positively Minnesota publications, DEED website, MN Real Estate
Journal, etc.
Build relationships with builders, realtors, developers and site
selection brokers to encourage them to consider Chisago County for new
business development opportunities.
Work with communities to provide TIF/Tax Abatement assistance to finance
infrastructure improvements and offer business incentives to develop
existing business parks.
Work with cities/townships in the county to identify,
protect and acquire land that is suitable for commercial and industrial
development.
Educate city administrators and EDA
members about business financing programs and land incentives.
The HRA-EDA will
assist businesses who will create new jobs, retain existing jobs and
increase wages for residents in the county. To accomplish this, the
HRA-EDA will:
Work with existing businesses on expansion opportunities
through low interest loans and tax incentives with an emphasis on new
recruiting and retaining high-tech, high-wage paying jobs in the county.
Identify specific workforce skills and knowledge that our
‘out-commuters’ have who are leaving our area for jobs in the twin
cities every day and recruit specific businesses that can create jobs to
keep these commuters from having to drive out of the county to work each
day.
Create a countywide
technology revolving loan fund.
Identify areas for a business technology campus that focuses
on high-tech businesses.
Development of standardized forms/templates to provide
city/county information.
Housing/Community Development
2007 Draft Work Plan
The HRA-EDA will
work to promote and maintain a high quality of life in Chisago County.
To do this, the HRA-EDA will:
Develop and sell
affordable senior town homes in the City of Rush City.
Administer the City of Taylors Falls Small Cities
Development Program for downtown revitalization.
Assist communities to
maintain the availability of affordable rental housing in the county for
seniors and families.
Complete the acquisition of Rush
Estates I and II Senior Apartments in Rush City and explore the
opportunity to acquire Pinewood Senior Apartments in Harris.
Explore opportunities to apply for and administer Minnesota
Housing Finance Agency program funds, Small Cities Development Program
funds and other funding sources to construct new housing units,
rehabilitate commercial buildings and rehabilitate owner-occupied and
rental housing units for communities within the county.
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