Chris Roberts (right) and Kenneth Johnson from the University of Minnesota’s Economic Development Center visited the Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) last month on a fact-finding mission. They are working on a business and marketing plan for the Cook County EDA’s business park.
In June, two good-natured representatives of the University of Minnesota’s Economic Development Department attended the Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting. The duo, Kenneth Johnson and Chris Roberts of the U. of M. Crookston campus, chuckled at the agenda item that said they were to give a presentation. “We are not hear to talk to you,” said Roberts. “We want to hear from you.”
Roberts explained that he and Johnson were part of the University of MN economic development team. Each year The EDA Center at Crookston accepts requests for technical assistance from economic development entities across the state. The Cook County – Grand Marais EDA’s request for assistance with a cost-benefit analysis and a business and marketing plan for its Cedar Grove Business Park was accepted.
Roberts said he and Johnson were working on the business park marketing plan. He said they want to hear from EDA board members about what the community wants and needs— more development or less? What sort of businesses does it want to attract?
They asked for a history of the Cedar Grove Business Park and other EDA efforts. It was agreed that it is difficult to establish a business in Cook County, because of the distance for transportation, the lack of affordable housing for workers, the lack of workers, and so on.
Roberts said the EDA needed to figure out where it should be investing its marketing efforts. What sort of business can overcome those difficulties and who wants to live in this scenic area? The natural beauty of the North Shore is its biggest selling point, said Roberts.
EDA Board members agreed to meet with the UMD representatives later to discuss these questions in more depth. The Crookston faculty members spent several days in Cook County, speaking with board members, the EDA director, and community members about the history and activities of the EDA.
Roberts and Johnson will be returning to Grand Marais on Tuesday, July 20, this time with a presentation. They will be sharing a “final evaluation” with the EDA board at 4:30 p.m. at Grand Marais City Hall. They will be offering suggestions regarding the EDA’s “target market” for business and a marketing plan.
Neil Linscheid of The Crookston EDA Center already visited Grand Marais and is currently examining the use of the local EDA tax levy and how it benefits Cook County—if it does. He is creating a report on the EDA’s ability to leverage local levy dollars and measuring the EDA’s ability to create jobs and bring capital investment to the community. In other words, a cost-benefit analysis of the EDA. A report of Linscheid’s findings will be presented at the end of July.
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