A number of years ago a group of people approached the county commissioners with an idea (which was turned down) to use the Old Ski Hill property (the one the city sold for a song and a dance, and is sitting vacant and unused) to use for a community college, a birding center and something else which I forgot. The idea and goal was to use this land to bring dollars to the county and in turn employ residents, educate residents, and keep some of our youth here in Cook County as well as keep the money these same young people and their families spend elsewhere on education and rent, here.
For example, I know of at least a dozen young women (Cook County) currently in college for nursing. Soon, according to the plans of the EDA, we will have an assisted living facility built. It will need nurses, and nursing assistants and so on. Many of these jobs will be filled from outside of our county. If these same young people could stay here, live at home while in school, rather than burden their families with rent elsewhere, tuition, teachers, etc….all stay here.
That said I don’t assume all young Cook County graduates will remain in Cook County, nor am I suggesting they should. I am just saying there are many who would choose to do so, no matter what field they want to follow in their lives.
This county and its tentacles, (Chamber, EDA, and so on) are bent on spending money on tourism….I get that, as I am fed literally by tourism, but there is more we can do to grow as a county. It’s about giving our kids the opportunity to stay here and contribute here. It’s no wonder that this county is made up of mainly out-of-area people – there is little after high school to offer our graduates. Let’s consider, planting seeds in Cook County…and then watch them grow.
Please consider the idea of having a branch of Fond du Lac, Hibbing, Lake Superior Community College in Cook County then contact the ones who have the power to make Cook County more than just a place to visit or retire.
P.S.: We need welders, electricians, plumbers etc. We need to not depend so much on foreign workers and on and on. We need to keep some of our children here plus bring new young folks in as students which would put a dent in our work force issue.
Anna Hamilton
Grand Marais
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